Lame Excuses: Ain't Nobody got time for that

We've met Barbara who is frustrated with her attempt at a healthier lifestyle.  Barbara is meeting with her trainer to discuss her concerns.  After realizing that it is going to take time, patience, and epsom salt to get into better shape, now Barbara has another problem: She doesn't think she has enough time to prepare her food to stick to her meal plan.

Barbara:  So this meal plan you gave me.  You want me to make all this food.  I have a full time job and other responsibilities.  

Trainer:  Didn't you just tell me that you  spent all last night  facebook and google stalking that hot guy you met the other night.  Plus you watch every franchise of the Real Housewives and Downton Abbey religiously.  I think you have time to prepare meals for Monday - Thursday like I'm asking.  You need to PLAN AND PREPARE.

Barbara: I like to do those things for rest and relaxation.  I work really hard and --

Trainer:  Barbara let me ask you several questions:  How often do you come home and get frustrated because you don't know what you're going to make for dinner?  How much money are you wasting on food eating out?  You've even said that the food you're eating isn't even that good and it's not helping you get any closer to your goals!  How much do you waste on groceries each week that you don't eat?

Barbara:  But cooking all this food? Ain't nobody --

Trainer:  Yes you do.  Let me show you how.

Plan

Before you go grocery shopping, think about what you want to eat for the next week.  Take 10 minutes and come up with 2-3 meals. I'm only asking you to prepare food for Monday-Thursday.  Breakfast is pretty standard.  You can vary lunch or have the leftovers from the night before.  

Next, make your grocery list.  I would recommend using your smart phone. I like the app Out of Milk.  It also includes shopping deals for local stores.  This way you will avoid buying things that aren't on your meal plan.

If you plan ahead for the week, you will avoid the "What's for dinner? Pizza" trap that gets you all off track. 

Prepare

On Saturday or Sunday whenever you have some downtime, begin preparing food for the upcoming week.  Start boiling your eggs, grill the chicken breasts, bake the sweet potatoes, make the rice, etc.  The hour and a half you spend doing this on Sunday will save you about 4-5 hours during the week.  That's what I do, and that's how I STILL have time to watch every Real Housewives franchise and google stalk people.

Barbara:  So are you saying that I can't EVER eat out again and that I always have to make my own food?

Trainer:  No Barbara, this is a lifestyle.   Once or twice a week feel free to  treat yourself.   By making your own meals at least 4 days a week, you are turning this into a habit.  Besides, if you have healthy food available it will make it less likely that you will go off program.  Besides, I think once you start seeing the results of consistently making good choices you will be more likely to stick with it.

Barbara:  I guess I could take 1-2 hours on Sunday to make a few things and then I only would need to cook maybe 1-2 days during the week.

Trainer:   Trust me, you will save yourself so much time and money if you are well prepared.  EVERYBODY HAS TIME FOR THAT.

Tips

1. Before you set foot in the grocery store, plan your meals for the upcoming week.  Know what you are going to buy at the store before you get there to avoid impulse buys and food you won't eat.

2. Use a Smart Phone app like Out of Milk which will allow you to keep shopping lists.  Before you leave for the grocery store, check your pantry and refrigerator for staple items.  The Out of Milk app also has deals for your local grocery stores.

3. On Saturday or Sunday, start preparing for the upcoming week.  If you like boiled eggs, start boiling up some for the week.  For Sunday morning breakfasts, I usually make extra to keep for easy access during the week.  The point is start preparing your staples and Monday's meal.  I can tell you this, it makes Mondays so much easier to face knowing at least one thing is taken care of.

4. Hold yourself accountable for Monday-Thursday.  

Lame Excuses: It's too hard

Barbara has just had her first session with her Personal Trainer.  After one session, Barbara decides training isn't for her.  She doesn't feel that this is a good use of time and money.  Besides she can do it on her own.  All you need to do is eat less and move more.  

Barbara:  After yesterday I was so sore and tired, I know it's no pain and no gain but that was ridiculous.  It was just too hard and I'm sure you tore every muscle in my body. Isn't there some kind of pill that I can take to lose weight?

Answer:  Barbara, you are going to have to be patient with yourself. This was your first day of a structured exercise program.    In order for you to hit your goals, you are going to have to get out of your comfort zone and not just go through the motions.

After your first few workouts expect to be sore.  You are awakening muscles that have not been activated in years.  Your muscles are being torn down during the workout and they are recovering to become stronger.  This is what we call conditioning. After about 2-3 weeks of consistent exercise, you will notice less soreness because your body is recovering faster.   Faster recovery is one of the signs that you're progressing and getting into better shape. 

Next Get No Pain, No Gain out of your head. That's an antiquated mentality. Most likely the people who said that are sitting at home with multiple injuries.  If you're training for general fitness/weight loss and you're still very sore after every workout, then your conditioning is not improving.  This could be due to lack of consistent workouts or your workout is just too intense. Inappropriate intensity levels will lead to injuries and then you will quit.  Lack of consistency leads to poor results.

Lastly, I want you to be able to distinguish between PAIN and BEING UNCOMFORTABLE.  If something is painful then we will stop.  You will be uncomfortable during the workout because  our goal is to keep progressing and moving forward.   You cannot do that by cruising through your workouts.  If the soreness turns into full fledged pain or doesn't subside after a week, then I will ask you to see your doctor.

Be patient and expect the first 4-6 weeks to be the toughest as you awaken your body.  Persevere through the process and don't give up!

Tomorrow:  Prepare food and exercise?  Ain't nobody got time for that! 

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week Egg Frittata/Mini Quiche

Egg Fritattas or Mini Quiche

This is a great recipe you can make for a few days in advance. It is grab and go.  There are several ways you can do this:  You can put it in a baking dish  and serve frittata style or you can pour into muffin tins and make mini quiche.  Either way is fine!

Note: If you choose to make mini quiche, DO NOT USE THE CUPCAKE LINERS.  

2 Cups Liquid Egg Whites

2 Egg Yolks

1/2 c. Low Fat Cottage Cheese

1/2 Non Fat Greek Yogurt

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Your choice of veggies- My personal faves are: spinach, bell peppers, onions, scallions,

Non stick cooking spray

Directions:  Mix all the ingredients together

If you choose muffin tins, fill until 2/3 full

Bake for 10-15 mins depending on oven..DO NOT OVERCOOK

This is a great breakfast dish because the cottage cheese and Greek Yogurt add extra protein to your breakfast.  Pair with a carbohydrate and a piece of fruit for a healthy breakfast.

Fitness Victories-John Farley

In early 2011, recovering from a recent break-up I forced myself to make a positive change. I walked into a spin class at 24-hr fitness not knowing a single soul and what I discovered transformed my life.

Indoor cycle became an activity that I dived into full-force, committing to at least three days a week. The people in my class were incredible and I had never felt so connected to a group or physical activity in my life. I gained amazing friendships and even an incredible roommate (true story).

In February of 2012, I purchased my first ever road bike in preparation for AIDS Lifecycle where I would brave the 7-day, 545-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It was the first bike I had owned since my purple and orange Huffy in grade school. I appropriately named the bike 'Geneva Justin Macneal' after the three spin instructors who have had the most influence in creating my passion for indoor cycling and inspire and encourage me to expand that passion onto the open road.

That passion continues to grow today. I continue to cycle with my crew indoors and also independently on the open road. Since AIDS Lifecycle I participated in the 2012 Marin traditional century and there are more adventures planned for 2013. Cycling helped me to redefine and rediscover not only myself but also the world. A door closed and what opened for me was the world of cycling and I have never been happier or healthier.

ALC Team Misfits!

Geneva: John is such an incredible success story.  He brought new life and energy to our cycle classes. I was so proud of him for completing the AIDS Lifecycle.  Nothing was going to stop him from reaching his goal. The transformation has been exciting and fun to watch, and I feel privileged to be able to see it happen. 

Let it Go!

I'm a big fan of the show Hoarders.  Nothing makes a clutter bug like myself feel more self righteous and superior than watching a show where people have dead animals, feces, and trash all over the place.

It is easy to dismiss the Hoarders as disgusting, filthy, and lazy.  What I love about that show is that it is never that simple.  There is always some sort of tragedy or story that led to the person becoming a Hoarder such as: losing loved ones unexpectedly, suffering from a lifetime of abuse, or feeling isolated and worthless.

During the course of the show, they bring on psychologists to talk with the person who has been Hoarding.  Many times the Hoarder finally begins to open up and talk about the life event that led to the hoarding and they begin to release.  After that, something begins to happen inside and they are able to let go of a lot of the STUFF that they have held on to over the years.  They realize that they don't need it anymore and that they can move forward.

In the month of January I completed a 30 day PUSH challenge from fitness expert and life coach, Chalene Johnson.  This challenge is designed to teach people HOW to reach their goals and develop healthy habits. I encourage everyone to at least check it out.

Chalene Johnson 30 day PUSH challenge

One of the assignments we were given is to Clean up Your Environment because a cluttered and disorganized environment is a signal that there other areas of your life are a mess. Cluttered and disorganized environments also lead to more stress and less productivity.

I started the de-cluttering process and I couldn't believe how much STUFF I was holding on to.  No wonder my priorities were all out of order.  I couldn't find them because they were buried under so much STUFF I didn't need anymore.

Much of the stuff I was reluctant to let go of was from an earlier era of my life where I FELT like I was making real progress in my life.  The truth is I've come a lot further since then, but I somehow felt that holding on to that stuff was proof that I did make progress.

I also believe that deep down my mind was stuck back in that era because I was afraid that was as far as I was going to go.

A-ha moment:  If I'm going to make progress and move forward, then I must LET GO of past successes.  Yes, it was great and I can remember it when I'm discouraged and in the pits, but I am not allowing any room for new successes when I'm stuck in the past.

So I threw myself into de-cluttering and I kept filling Hefty Bags.  Someone asked me why I was getting rid of so much stuff and I said, "I don't need it anymore."

I felt empowered, I felt hopeful, I felt like I was being set free to move forward.  It is time to make room for new successes.

Much of the time we are no better than the people on Hoarders.  We let stuff pile up, we may hide it under the bed or in the closet but it's still there because we can't let it go.

 How many times do we hinder our own progress because we can't stop looking back and holding on to stuff we don't need anymore.  Stuff defined as: people, places, and/or things.

I will never forget during a major transitory period my pastor said,
"You cannot look back and move forward at the same time"

He's right because if you tried to drive looking backwards and pushing the gas pedal you will most likely crash and burn OR you would go so slowly, you would never get anywhere

This is a blog about health and fitness...so how appropriate that the book I am using to help me mend my clutter bug ways is called,  The Clutter Diet.

I'm always skeptical of these types of books, but she had me at the beginning when she said, "We aren't striving for Perfect.  Good enough is okay." Ok I'm listening.  

I also appreciate that the author asks readers to answer questions at the end of each chapter.  The purpose is to understand the root of clutter behaviors and develop new habits.

During the challenge Chalene shared that as we begin to clean up messes in the different areas of our lives, we will notice that our environments will change.  There won't be that clutter and mess all over the place.  I can honestly say that this is true for me.  Without so much STUFF holding me down, I am able to move more freely.

So today I ask you this question: How much STUFF do you have that you don't need anymore?

Perhaps this is holding you back from achieving your health goals.

Perhaps you're like me and you're holding on to reminders of good times really tightly because you're afraid that there won't be any more good times.

I encourage you to make room for the new in your life and LET IT GO!

Oh and now when I watch Hoarders, I no longer watch in my judgment seat.  I use it as motivation and go and throw something away after an episode!

Unrealistic Expectations Part 3: Exercise Plans

It is unrealistic to think simply GOING to the gym, getting on an eliptical, and wandering around the weight room is going to yield

any results.  

You must have a clear purpose for your exercise program and you MUST have an effective plan/schedule that YOU WILL STICK TO.

An effective exercise plan should be in line with your goals, lifestyle, and fitness level.  This will make it much easier to be consistent.

What is your goal?

"I'm trying to lose weight...DUH!" 

Yes, and what else?"

Do you want to lessen your aches and pains?
Would you like more energy for daily activities?
Feel better about yourself?  

Think about this for one moment:

Clients whose goal is solely to improve their looks will rarely improve them, but clients who have a deeper reason for training will usually improve their looks"-Top Personal trainer

After several years in the fitness industry, I can say this is true.  Clients who decide to begin exercising because:

•  they can't tie their own shoes
• walk down the street without getting short of breath  
• can't run around with their kids
• are tired of having no energy

are MUCH  more consistent with their exercise programs.  

As a consequence they are more successful at decreasing their body fat than those who exercise simply for vanity purposes.  Those people come and go like the wind.

I also would encourage you to not simply set cosmetic goals.  Set performance goals with your exercise program so that you are working towards SOMETHING SPECIFIC. 

My own personal performance goal is to be able to do a legitimate pull up.  Here are some examples of performance goals:

• Run a mile without stopping
• Do 10 pushups
• Hold a plank for 1 minute
• Make it through your exercise videos without stopping

Lifestyle

Your exercise plan needs to fit your lifestyle and priorities.  If you simply want to maintain a general level of fitness, then your plan is going to be different from someone who wants to compete in a fitness competition, run a race, or play sports.  This isn't a bad thing.  It's just a fact of life.

Tangent: Actors, models, fitness models, and athletes live a lifestyle where  fitness/image is a TOP priority.   Their image is their priority because that is how they earn their living, therefore they treat it as such.  The majority of these people do NOT look or perform at a top level by going to the gym 2-3x per week and reading the newspaper while riding the bike.  If you aren't willing/able to put forth the type of commitment to eat and train seriously then don't expect to look like that.  Amen.

Fitness Level

This is where shows such as The Biggest Loser and terrible personal training goes wrong.  If the last time you exercised was when Tae Bo was hot, then you have no business going out and doing Crossfit.

You MUST start off at an appropriate level because otherwise you are going to be so jacked up physically that you quit or get injured.  

Action Steps

1. Set a clear goal/purpose for your exercise plan "I'm tired of not being able to walk a block without getting winded and having no energy.  This year I am going to lose 25lbs, I will be able to run a 5K without stopping, and I want to be able to do at least 20 pushups. 

2. Hire a Professional - Save yourself time, frustration, and money.  Find someone who knows what they are doing to help set up a plan for you.  Now the most obvious solution is personal training, but that isn't in everyone's budget.  There's other ways to get professional training.

Exercise Videos-This is the most convenient. If you're a busy Mom, maybe you don't have time to get to the gym every day so a 30 minute exercise DVD in your living room is a better option for your LIFESTYLE.  Not only that, you aren't wasting time trying to make up your own routine.  It's already done for you...just follow along.

Note: Some cable companies offer exercise videos on demand!  I had a client who lost 15lbs exercising along with these shows.  It sure beats watching another rerun of Real Housewives of the OC

Chalene Johnson, Chalean extreme

Group Fitness Classes- Yes I am biased since I teach group fitness classes, but this is a great way to get professional help (for free in most cases) and have a great time.  My personal favorites are: Indoor Cycling Classes,  Nike Training Club, Yoga, Turbokickboxing, Pilates, and Les Mills Bodypump.  Actually any class that you see offered by Les Mills is top notch.  As a Les Mills instructor, I can tell you that their classes are designed to get you RESULTS.  

Great news!  There is a home version of  Bodypump called Pump! So if Bodypump isn't offered in your area, you can get a taste of it at home.

The best thing about Group Fitness classes is that they are already scheduled.  You just need to show up.  This is a great way to build consistency and a routine.  You will also meet some awesome people!

3. Get a calendar and write down your workouts for the week

You're a lot more likely to do it, if you already have it written down.  Not only that, checking off your workouts will encourage and give you momentum.

4. Just get moving! - If you are currently doing NOTHING...then get up and go for a walk.  Going for a walk 30 minutes a day is a whole lot more productive then spending 2 hours complaining about how fat you are.  Once you get moving, then you can begin to explore other options for improving your program.

I hope this is helpful for getting started.  I did not include an actual exercise program because I prefer to do that on an individual basis, but in the future I will include exercises that I feel are effective for the general public.

As a fitness professional, I just don't believe in giving out cookie cutter exercise plans on a blog.  It must be individualized.

Remember: Goals, lifestyle, and fitness level!

Fiercely Yours,
C. Fierce

Next we will be addressing lame excuses and strategies to defeat them so you can move forward.