META-IGNITE: My Motivation Pill
If only we could take a motivation pill. Well, maybe you can.
When people talk about having a slow metabolism, they are normally talking about overall energy level. They aren’t referring to how fast their hair or nails grow, or how quick they heal. Most people don’t even know their Basal Metabolic Rate (calories we burn at rest). All they know is how tired they are or how they don’t feel like doing much – especially exercise.
Before I go any further, a person who feels they have a slow metabolism may actually have the same BMR as someone that seemingly has a high metabolism. I think the biggest issue is someone with a “slow” metabolism is more likely to drives past the gym on the way home from work and plop down on the couch. But if they DID go to the gym, they would burn as many calories as anyone else their same weight.
So with that in mind, what if you could get a little boost so you were more likely to workout? This is when a thermogenic is helpful.
People often ask me about fat loss supplements. Some people just want to take a pill, but the pill itself isn’t going to transform your body. However, a pill can give you the edge you need to feel like working out – and work out harder than you normally would.
I’m currently taking the GNC’s GenetixHD line. I don’t normally take supplements, aside from protein and creatine – but when I need a boost, I can definitely tell a thermogenic gives me exactly what I need to take my workouts to the next level. Sometimes, it just helps me just to GET to the gym on those days I want to skip my own workout and plop down on the couch.
Here is what thermogenics do for me:
1.) They give me energy. Most thermogenics have a blend of energizing ingredients. Similar to having a really good cup of powerful coffee, sometimes it’s just what I need to get moving. However, a good thermogenic won’t give you short-lived energy like a cup of coffee, but will give you lasting energy that will help you through the entire day.
2.) They help me focus. It’s not that they give me a special ability to focus my mind, but when I’m spending the time, money and energy on supplements, I am a lot less likely to throw it away by skipping workouts or blowing my diet. It gives me a sense of purpose for each day. Each time I take my supplement, it is a physical reminder that I am working toward a specific goal.
3.) They give me a mental edge. Not only do the energy enhancing ingredients help me to be mentally sharp but, when I take a fitness aid, I mentally feel like I’m getting the support I need. Although supplements do physically help, just knowing I’m doing everything I can to get the best results gives me mental encouragement too.
4.) They give me results. GenetixHD is riddled with natural ingredients to boost results. For instance, although Green Tea Extract isn’t that powerful by itself, mixed with other key ingredients, scientists say it can boost your metabolic rate by 4% – and that is just the effects of Green Tea. Although 4% may not seem all that high at first glance, if you combine that small improvement with other small improvements from other effective ingredients, along with improved workouts – obviously I will get better results than if I didn’t use them.
If you’ve been dragging your feet lately, or just need to draw a fresh line in the sand for a fresh start, maybe adding a thermogenic to your fitness program is just want the trainer ordered! 
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
MUSIC: A Legal Drug for Athletes
A professor specializing in music and exercise once said, “Music is like a legal drug for athletes” and I have to agree – the right music can be more powerful than crack.
When I think of the movie ‘Rocky’, I hear the theme song and picture Sylvester Stallone training, running, fighting and winning. It is probably one of the most popular workout songs of all time.
I recently attended a gym while traveling. As I was touring the club, I felt really uncomfortable. The gym was very quiet and everyone seemed awkward. Then I realized what was wrong – not only was the music kinda ‘blah’, but the music was turned down so low you could barely hear it. Without music there was no energy, without energy there was no excitement, and without excitement there was very little motivation.
The end result was the worst workout of my life. It was so quiet I was aware of my own breath, so I didn’t push myself as hard as I normally would. I was so bored and sluggish, I cut my workout short. I left the gym and went straight to an electronics store to purchase a set of headphones. The next day I went back to the gym and had one of the best workouts I ever had. By the end of my workout, I felt like running out the door with my hands in the air, singing the Rocky theme song.
Why Music Matters
Everyone at our gym knows I take our music very seriously. I tease that I am “DJ Magic Bonnie” on a mission to pump up the tunes – and everyone’s heart rate. Although everyone has different musical tastes, there is a scientific reason behind the music we play in our gym. Studies upon studies have proven that certain types of music gives gym goers an advantage. The sound level, the beat, the style – it all can make or break your workout.
1. The Beat - The stronger the beat, the more likely you are to follow it. This is why aerobics instructors around the globe use music set at a specific beat per minute. Music keeps the group together, as well as gives people an ideal pace to follow for the optimum workout. Even if you don’t choose to follow the beat, it’s proven that a strong beat has the ability to increase your heart rate, boost your energy, and arouse the mind. Although music doesn’t change what you feel while working out, it can change how you feel. Research shows music distracts listeners and makes hard training seem more fun. If working out feels fun, then you’re more likely to keep coming back!
2. The Pace - One analysis indicated listening to sedentary music significantly decreased muscle strength. I’m sure very few people want to workout to Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”, but if you do, just know Roberta will be killing your workout too. In addition to power, researchers found people have a natural response to follow a strong beat. The faster the tempo, the faster their own pace – resulting in a more intense workout. Romans used this principle with their rowers on ancient Roman ships. A man would beat a drum to set a pace for all the rowers to follow. Research consistently shows that the synchronization of music with repetitive exercise is associated with increased levels of work output and increase endurance up to 15%. 
3. The Words - Music has the unique ability to alter emotion with it’s words. Different types of music can stem a different response. This is why the type of music chosen for exercise is so important. I even believe, the music you choose while you are on the way to the gym can help you get psyched for your workout. One of the greatest examples of this type of preparation is in sports, like UFC. The majority of UFC fighters come out to powerful high-energy songs with a message like Kimbo Slice‘s entrance song of choice, ‘All I Do is Win‘ by DJ Khaled. The words, sung by hip hop heavy hitters, including Ludacris and Snoop Dog, send an intimidating message to the opponent while boosting the fighter’s own mood before he steps foot into the cage.
4. The Style - Although upbeat music can psych you up for a big fight, the opposite effect can also happen. A certain style of music can help you calm down, which is especially helpful for people who are anxious, or need to focus, prior to a game or performance. A good example of this is Yoshihiro Akiyama‘s entrance song, “Time to Say Good-Bye” by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightmans. I always wondered why he would choose this operatic slow song, until I took a closer look. Not only does this song scream “I am calm, cool and collected”, the actual sad feeling of the song sends a message too. As Bleacher Report’s Scott Harris said, “it has an ‘I’m sorry, I’m about to either kill you or die trying’ feel”.
Bottom line, don’t underestimate the power of purposeful music.
“Music is like is a legal drug for athletes,” says Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., from London’s Brunel University School of Sport and Education, one of the world’s leading authorities on music and exercise. People often ask me what supplements I take, but maybe the questions people should be asking is “what music do you listen to?”
Music Motivational Tips
1. Turn the music on. Turn your music on before you even put your tennis shoes on. If you are sluggish, see how you feel as soon as you turn on some good tunes while getting ready. Watch your mood change. If you can change your mood, you can change your mind.
2. Crank it up. Crank up high-energy music while you are driving to the gym. By the time you get there, you will be so energized, nothing will stop you from having a great workout!
3. Buy good headphones. If you don’t like the music your gym plays, or you like to run outside, buying a good pair of headphones is as important as buying a good pair of shoes. Not only will you have great workouts, but headphones say “I’m serious and don’t want to be interrupted”, which will increase your overall intensity.
4. Search for fitness music that shows beats per minute. To give you an idea of pace, ACE (American Counsel on Exercise) suggests the following beats per minute based on sport: Walking: 137–139 bpm, Running: approx. 147–169 bpm and Cycling: approx. 135–170 bpm. The higher the beats per minute, the higher intensity – even when weight training.
5. Save your tunes for the gym. If you play your workout music outside of exercise, you may lose a little magic. By saving your music for your workouts, the music will stay fresh and exciting – just like your workouts should be!
My Favorite Workout Music of 2012:
#1 DJ Special Ed: High energy club hits mixed by local DJ mixing mastermind, DJ Special Ed, also owner of Class Act Entertainment, provides music for my personal ipod, as well as all our club events. Like his facebook page and you can download his custom mixes free or book him for your next event. DJ Special Ed is not your typical DJ – he knows how to entertain a crowd and his music can make your party a Grammy-worthy hit itself!
#2 Motion Traxx,“the music that moves you”. This DJ offers a podcast of music custom-mixed specifically for training and set to specific beats per minute. Originally designed for runners, Deekron “The Fitness DJ” mixes a variety of music for different workouts including spinning, walking, interval training, marathons, treadmill workouts and even boot camp. You will hear Motion Traxx in most of our BCx Boot Camp videos.
What’s Keeping You From the Gym?
Fitness Column by Bonnie Pfiester, as seen in print and online in Vero’s Voice magazine.
“Why are you avoiding the gym?”
It’s February and you may still be talking about making New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you’ve just been too busy to go to the gym – or maybe you just aren’t convinced the gym is a place you want to be. Sometimes I think the media would even scare me from joining a gym too if I didn’t know better.
Unfortunately, many people have the wrong idea of what a gym is and what it actually can do for them. Hopefully, when you are done reading this, you will not only giggle a little, but you will look at gyms a bit differently.
These are actual statements I’ve heard from people talking about gyms.
1. “I want to lose weight before I join a gym.”
I can’t tell you how many people have told me they plan to join a gym after they lose a few pounds. Although this sounds crazy to me, it seems so logical to the person saying it. In their mind, they want to look better before they start working out in front of people. In my mind, I’m thinking that’s what a gym is for – to help you look better. If you are even entertaining trying to get on fit on your own in order to get more fit in the gym, please rethink this madness. You wouldn’t try to get your life together before going to a therapist. You’d go to the therapist to help you get your life together. If you need help getting fit, go to the place dedicated to helping people get fit.
2. “Gyms are for bodybuilders.”
News flash: Bodybuilding is out and health is in. Although there are still muscular people out there, only a tiny percentage of people are actually “body building”. Gyms are not filled with grunting huge bodybuilders wearing skimpy tank tops carrying 2 gallons of water (despite what Planet Fitness wants you to think). Believe me, I own a gym and the average member is probably in their mid to late forties, working out so they can live longer and enjoy their grandchildren when they get older. When people ask us what our average member is, I say, “it depends on the time of day”. We have an early morning career crowd, mom crowd, senior crowd, lunch crowd, after-school crowd and career crowd. Each crowd varies in age, shape and weight. However, they all have one thing in common – they are trying to improve their health and fitness.
3. “Everyone will be looking at me.”
This one cracks me up because everyone is so worried about how they look, they normally aren’t noticing anyone else. Not to suggest everyone is a narcissist, but everyone has a certain natural level of insecurity in even a best gym environment. As you begin to make friends and get a more comfortable, you eventually quit focusing on how you look to others and you begin to focus on how you are improving. Before you know it, you are the one trying to encourage someone else to come to your gym. Unless you dress decide to dress like Richard Simmons or dance in a clown suit on the treadmill (true story – a member used to do her cardio between “gigs” wearing her clown suit), you will be just fine!
4. “I really don’t have any workout clothes”.
Honestly, although there are “fitness clothing” lines out there, the only time I see clothing like this is in magazines.
Do you have a t-shirt and some tennis shoes? Then you have gym clothes. Maybe you envision people wearing matching spandex outfits or having to wear a weight belt, but that went out a long time ago. Gym clothes are your basic comfortable activewear, and accessories are less for looks and more for functionality. People are wearing heart rate monitors more than they are wearing weight gloves. Today’s gym clothes are all about comfort.
5. “Gyms are meat markets for singles”.
Although a gym is definitely a much better place to meet someone than a bar, most singles are training hard in the gym so they can get noticed outside the gym. People used to treat their gym more like a country club or spa, but nowadays people actually workout – and workout hard. They sweat, they strain and they train to change. All in all, people take fitness a lot more seriously than they did twenty years ago. Plus, wearing a pair of headphones is one of the best deterrents for unwanted chatter. Throw you headphones on and everyone will know you are there to workout and nothing else.
6. “I don’t think that class is for me. Everyone in that class looks fit”.
I hear this all the time. My answer is “they’re fit now but they didn’t used to be”. Some of our most intense fitness classes are filled with people who used to be overweight. Unless we post everyone’s before photo on the wall, people would never know how far someone has come. It’s important to realize there are 3 different types of members. There are the people that are just starting out, people who are getting fit, and people who are trying to stay fit. If you aren’t doing a class, you are missing out on having a fitness professional for an hour. Instead of paying $50-$75 for one session with a trainer, if you’re a gym member, you have the opportunity to get professional guidance free in group fitness classes. Make the most of your gym membership and start trying more classes.
7. “I’m not a gym person”.
First of all, what is a gym person? Is it someone who loves going to the gym? There’s a big misconception that everyone who goes to the gym actually enjoys it. Sure, there are people who love their gym, love their class and love working out with friends. There are also people who dread going to the gym every day, but they still do it. I am one of those people. My husband, Steve, loves to workout. I, on the other hand, do not have that same love for training. I just know I am happier when I am fit, so my 1-hour workouts become an investment in how I want to feel the other 23 hours a day. Sometimes you have to do what you need, not what you want. Ironically, as you get results, the new you may become quite the gym person after all.
Don’t put off your New Year’s Resolutions any longer. Let one of our local gyms help you reach your goals this year!
You can learn more about our gym at www.maxfitnessclub.com
FIT FACE: Skin Care Products that Work
Hide My Face!
It’s hard to feel great, no matter how hard you workout, if your face is all broken out. I mean, at least you can cover up your body with bigger clothes – but you can only do so much with your face.
When I was in high school, I constantly battled acne. Thanks the LORD I was a good make-up artist and learned how to master covering up my blemishes, but I never, NEVER, went anywhere without make-up on. It was like a ball and chain that drug me down. My face was so badly scared at all times, I never felt comfortable without make-up even in the privacy of my own home.
Pimples AND Wrinkles? Come on!
I remember thinking, “I can’t wait to grow out of this” – and I am STILL saying “I can’t wait to grow out of this”. Honestly, I thought when I hit 40 I’d quit dealing with this bad skin. Unfortunately, it is something I’ve delt with all my life. The only difference is I am smarter. After becoming a certified skincare specialist in my twenties, I understand my skin better and know how to combat it.
Last week I had a pretty bad breakout. I realize now it was due to my new face cleanser that was, well, not cleansing. I was a mess. So, I ran to my doctor’s office (Vein Therapies, in Vero Beach) and got some heavy hitters.
Powerful Products
You see, facial treatment products are a lot like vitamins and supplements. Just because they tell you it has a certain percentage of active ingredients, or so many milligrams of some vitamin or mineral, doesn’t mean you are actually going to absorb it – and the products I got at the doctor’s office are absolutely the perfect example of this.
I picked up some CLENZIderm Pore Therapy & Therapeutic Lotion, part of the CLENZIderm starter kit by Obagi. At first glance, you may see similar ingredients to common over the counter acne treatments.
Benzoyl Peroxide, Size Matters
Benzoyl peroxide, which is in most acne treatment creams, increases cell turnover and clears pores, ultimately reducing the bacteria count. This is also why your skin may get dry and peely. Unfortunately, most people just get frustrated and quit using the product. They key is not to stop using it, but to back off – using it every other day, or every 3rd day, until your skin learns to tolerate it.
Oxy, Clearasil and Persa-Gel 10 all have 10% benzoyl peroxide, but it doesn’t wipe out bad skin nearly as much as CLENZIderm’s Therapeutic Lotion, which only has 5% of the same active ingredient. The reason it is more effective is not how much active ingredient is in the product. What makes the product more effective than other brands is because the solubilized form of the 5% benzoyl peroxide is 1/10,000 of the size of all the other brands. The smaller the size, the deeper the product goes – to the root of the problem.
Think of panning for gold. You put the dirt in your box and let the smaller particle sift through the screen to expose the larger pieces. Your skin is like that screen, and it’s there to prevent stuff from getting in your body – even the stuff you want. High quality products are “high quality” because they are created to penetrate the skin. This goes with moisturizers and treatments alike. This is also why many acne products will cause the surface of the skin to be dry, yet you are still just as oily underneath.
The Power of Salicylic Acid
The other product I purchased (and am totally addicted to!) was CLENZIderm Pore Therapy. Oh my gosh! And to think I almost didn’t buy this product. The key ingredient in this product is Salicylic acid – big whoop right? Wrong!! I have been around skin care products all my life and I have never experienced such a cool product! The most common products that have salicylic acid in them are Stridex, Clearasil acne pads, and most acne washes.
Pore Therapy is like Seabreeze on steroids. I like to FEEL a product working. I know that it is not always realistic, but it’s kinda like wanting your muscles to be sore when you workout. I want to know it’s actually doing something – and in this case, I want to FRY the bad stuff on my face and kill it dead! This product gave me that feeling. You could literally feel the power this product has. It burned a bit and then had this really cool warm sensation that was screaming “DIE ZITS! DIE!”. Ha!
The oil in our skin acts as a glue to dead skin cells, so when the 2% salicylic acid dissolves oil, it releases the skin cells and unclogs pores, acting as a powerful exfoliant. Salicylic acid also restricts poor size, as well as reduces bacteria. Since you apply the product with a cotton ball, you can literally see the product removing the dead skin cells and make-up residue, as well as see your pore shrink up.
Results are In
Finally, it has been less than a week since using the products and I’m completely healed and my skin is smooth. I did treat my skin aggressively, meaning I used the product often and didn’t care if I got a bit dry and peely. I also used a retinal (Retin A/Vitamin A) product (also by Obagi) to help speed up cellular growth. I have a video shoot today so I had to clear it up fast. End result is “awe-mazing”!
Why am I sharing this with you? Because no one should go around feeling horrible because of acne. It stinks and it can ruin your day, week, month and years! If you, or your loved one, struggles with skin problems, just as you would run to a trainer to help you with a weight problem, seek a professional and get the professional treatment you need and deserve! It may cost more money at first, but it will save you time and money in the long run – and you can finally quit trying every other over-the-counter product on the planet, searching for one that actually works.
To learn more about Vein Therapies, or schedule a consultation with Dr. Fegert, visit 3770 7th Terrace #102 Vero Beach, FL 32960 or call (772) 567-6602.
FAT: It’s Time to Pay it Off
America is known for spending more than we can afford – and the same goes for our eating. Stored fat is like maxed out credit cards. America eats what they want, whether they can afford it or not.
People walk around carrying enormous caloric debt, storing previously borrowed calories on their backside, and there’s no bailout coming. Unlike financial debt, you can’t file bankruptcy to make it all go away. The only answer is, dare I say, a budget.
Cut Back
Just like money, when we get really behind, recovering from our mistakes calls for drastic measures. Strict budgets and number crunching is what we have to do to get us back on track. Unfortunately, many people ignore the pink elephant. Pretending like everything is fine, they continue to get more and more in the rears – pun intended!
As you know, spending can easily get out of hand if you aren’t tracking every dollar. The same goes for calories. It’s nearly impossible to manage calories without keeping a close watch on them like you would your bank account.
Pay It Off
Another way to reduce our so-called debt is with exercise. However, just because we work a little more in the gym doesn’t mean we can spend calories frivolously either. We have to allow enough time to significantly reduce the debt before we can loosen the reigns. Easier said than done.
Be Responsible
When we work hard, it’s natural to want a reward. We fool ourselves into thinking we can now afford the extra calories because we workout. We treat our finances the same way. As soon as we get a raise, a new job, or a bonus – typically, our first response is not saving that money. We think about how we can spend it – the bigger car payment we could afford, the clothes we could buy and the vacation we’ve been wanting.
Just like credit cards, you should eat only what you can pay off over a short period of time. Once you reach your goal, you can splurge here and there without gaining weight, as long as you are willing to pay it off quickly.
“Eat only what you are willing to burn off.”
Product Review: GenetixHD – Ignite, Sculpt & Burn!
A week ago I started GNC’s GenetixHD. Now I have to tell ya, I am not very good at taking supplements. Fat burners make me freak out and I’m awful at remembering to take pills. So, with that said, let me tell you what I’m attempting.
Lucky for me, the women’s line body sculpting line only has 3 products. A META-IGNITE™ (a thermogenic) Pro-Sculpt (pre-workout drink) and a Physio Burn Stimulant Free (Metabolic Amplifier Complex) which you take with your largest meal.
Getting in the Fat Burning Groove
So I don’t forget to take my pills, I placed the Physio-Burn right next to my bathroom sink. Since my biggest meal is normally my dinner, I remember to take it when I brush my teeth and take out my contacts after dinner. As for the Meta-Ignite, that stays at work on my desk. I normally take that around lunch time since I drink coffee in the morning and didn’t want to risk freaking my little poor heart out.
The last item to attend to was the pre-workout drink. This one was a challenge for me since I don’t normally like pre-workout drinks. They normally taste horrible, but this one wasn’t bad at all. I started with just half a scoop. After I had that with no negative side-effects, I gradually increased my serving. It didn’t freak me out like NO Explode and some others. I felt energized, and besides feeling just a slight bit of flushing, I felt great.
Bad Bonnie
I think I became accustomed to the added energy, because I skipped a few days this weekend and BAM! No energy and I felt yucky. OK, I admit, it probably had to do with my crappy workouts and poor diet because we were slammed getting ready for a boot camp, but then I realized I had slacked on my GenetixHD.
I started back yesterday and I already feel SOOOO much better today. Bottom line, I think this is great for someone who may struggle with energy and the drive to get to the gym. Once you begin getting the results, the results will keep you going after that, but I do believe this is going to be a great kick start for my new workout program!
I’ll continue on this system and keep you posted on how I do and how I feel. All in all – So far, so Good! Definitely suggest it!
Is Exercise Sabotaging Your Weight Loss?
Top 5 Excuses for Not Losing Weight
1. I’ve probably just gained a lot of muscle.
2. Muscle weighs more than fat.
3. I’m just holding more water.
4. I think my scale is just wrong
5. Honestly, they’re just making clothes smaller these days.
When was not getting results acceptable? If you joined a gym to lose weight, and even if you’ve firmed up, but you still weigh the same as you did the day you joined – something is wrong.
Rarely, are any of these above excuses the real problem, and the problem is rarely exercise. The problem is almost always diet. Sure, it would be much easier to commit an hour of day sweating off the pounds rather than actually having to control what you eat the other 23 hours a day, but if you want results you have to commit to a good workout and good eating habits.
Eating Healthy is Not Enough
So you tell me how healthy you eat. It doesn’t matter. So you tell me how much protein you’re getting, but you don’t know how many grams. You say you eat very few carbs, but you weren’t including fruits and vegetables. I ask you how many calories you are eating, but you don’t know. Are you seeing a pattern here? You eat “healthy”, but you have no idea just how much healthy food you are actually consuming or where you are getting your calories from. You are guessing your way through this. Who succeeds in anything based on guesses? Very few people.
Exercise is Deceiving
Before I address diet, let me boldly talk about the one thing I believe sabotages many people’s success: Exercise. Am I saying exercise is bad? Of COURSE NOT! I’m in the working out business! What I’m saying is exercise messes with our body and our head.
Exercise Makes us WANT to Eat More
It’s only natural for our body to want to replace the calories we burn in the gym. When we exercise, our metabolism speeds up and we get hungry. This hunger is a good thing if we know what it means – it means we are burning calories. However, we aren’t supposed to FEED it, we are supposed to USE it.
What do I mean? Now that your metabolism is revved, every time you are hungry celebrate! You’re flying through the calories. Instead of eating to satisfy hunger, eat to fuel your body so it can keep burning calories.
Eat low-glycemic foods (limiting or avoiding processed foods, sugar and starches).- Eat small meals and snacks (100-150 calories snacks & 300-500 calorie meals) so you don’t replace the stored food (body fat) you’ve been working hard to burn off.
- Eat 5-6 times a day. Using the calorie guidelines for snacks & foods, you will be eating somewhere between 1200-1800 calories a day. Women, stay on the low end, men can stay on the higher end.
- Eat .5-.7gms of protein per pound of ideal body weight (150lb person can eat 75gm-105gms) so you don’t lose muscle while you lose fat.
Exercise Makes You Think You DESERVE to Eat More
When you work hard, it’s easy to think you now deserve a reward. Think about money. As soon as we get a raise, a new job, or a bonus – the first thing we think of is NOT saving that money. We think about how we can spend it. We think of the bills we could pay, the clothes we could buy, the vacation we’ve been wanting – all because we “deserve it”.
This is how we treat exercise and food. As soon as we start “working” harder and begin to reap the reward, instead of thinking about all the calories we are saving, and the weight we are losing, we think of ways to “spend” those calories. We talk ourselves into believing we can “afford” a reward. But we haven’t even “got out of debt” yet.
We walk around carrying our “food debt”, storing calories we’ve previously borrowed on our backside, but haven’t paid off. Just like money, we really never have any business spending calories on anything until we remove the debt we already have. Just because we work a little in the gym doesn’t mean we can start spending yet. We have to allow enough time to remove that debt altogether. Just like credit cards, the best way to use them wisely is to spend only what you can pay off over a short period of time. So once you reach your goal, you can reward yourself here and there, without getting yourself in trouble, as long as you are willing to “pay it off”.
“Only eat in one sitting what you can burn in one hour”
Every time you face a plate of food or temptation, instead of thinking about what you want to eat, ask yourself this question: “Do I want to add 800 more calories to my fat stores, or do I want to get rid of 800 calories from my fat stores by not eating it?”
Valenfine Workout
BE MY VALENFINE! Yes, I said ValenFINE! This workout, just posted on FitStudio, is strong enough for a man, but made for a woman! It’s all about melting fat and toning women’s key body parts: the abs and the glutes. Sure, guys can do it too! Give it a try and let us know what you think! You can view the entire written workout and video HERE!
BODY: Be Mine
17 years ago today, Steve asked me to “Be Mine” and I said yes. It was such an easy decision, I barely blinked an eye. There is a lot of love in the air around this time of year, but no matter how much love there is to go around, we often struggle to extend that same love to our own self. I have to admit, if my body said “Be Mine” I’d have to think twice. I mean, I can’t help but think there HAS to be a better body out there for me. If only I had the choice to pick it like we get to pick our mate.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”
Poor Vision
If we could just see ourselves through our lover’s eyes. We would be so much easier on ourselves. We wouldn’t even notice the zit on our face or our love handles poking out of our jeans. We wouldn’t be staring at everything that is wrong, but we would be looking at all that was right. It would almost be like we were looking at a different person.
If only we could see ourselves like we see others. We extend our loved ones so much grace, yet we have none left for ourself. We harshly judge our body, so much so, we end up imprisoning ourselves with negative and irrational thoughts.
Blindness
Even Heidi Klum can rip apart her own smile, yet all we see is beauty. How many times has someone said they wish they had something you had. They wish they had your hair, they wish they had your skin, or they wish they had your eyes. If you’re like me, these comments are hard to accept.
They are hard to accept because we honestly don’t see what they see. Not because it’s not there – but because we aren’t looking at it. We are so focused on all the crappy stuff, we literally aren’t even looking at the good stuff. However, the good stuff is still there, whether we recognize it or not, and it’s normally what everyone else sees first.
The problem with people who are actively working on the “flaws” in our life, is that they become focused on them. It’s difficult to work on something without focusing on it so much you actually become obsessed with it.
Losing Focus
Think of marriage and relationships. You can’t just ignore each other’s flaws – there is a certain amount of work that is required to improve flaws so you can improve your marriage. However, you can easily become so focused on those flaws you begin to take everything else for granted. Before you know it, you can’t even see all the good stuff that made you fall in love to begin with.
This is exactly what happens to people who are working to improve their health and their body. The fat you once were accustomed to, and didn’t bother you as much as it does now, and although you probably even have less of it now, it’s all you see.
As you work and work to improve your flaws, it’s important you don’t become obsessed with them. Because you will never naturally think of all your positive attributes, you have to be purposeful when it comes to building yourself up. Our flaws will always try to steal the show so it’s up to us to close the curtain on them and put the spotlight on the real stars – all your awesome traits everyone else loves and you’ve forgotten.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Guilty Until Proven Active
We often think of guilty as a verdict, not a feeling or state of being. The dictionary uses words to describe guilty like “responsible, deserving and ashamed” – however, most of us don’t need a judge and jury to convince us of our guilt, especially when it comes to our health.
Someone posted this question on our club’s facebook page: “Why is it we always have more guilt about missing a workout than a workday?”
The answer is easy. We can run from our boss, but we can run from ourself. We face ourself in the mirror every day, knowing in our heart what we should and shouldn’t be doing. Just as someone can possibly fool a jury, they still walk away knowing who really is truly guilty – and whether they admit it or not, it will haunt them forever.
The Fight
An overweight woman came into our club yesterday with a friend. The thinner one was clearly insecure and nervous about being there, yet the heavier woman was definitely more comfortable in her skin and smiled the entire time. I don’t know either woman but, if I had to guess, I’d guess the uncomfortable woman didn’t want to be there and was battling some guilt – to the point it was making her miserable.
Not everyone is convicted to go to the gym and take care of their bodies – yet. However, when they are, as Mr. T says, “I pitty the fool” if they don’t – because at that point they are responsible to act on that conviction.
It’s not much different than anything else in life. We’ve all been there. We were convicted to apologize but we didn’t. We were convicted to pay for someone’s food, but we didn’t. The problem is, unlike many isolated opportunities, we have the opportunity to act on our health it at any given time. We can make up excuses, but we know in our heart they are few valid ones.
Guilt is an ugly thing.
Guilt causes depression, angry, resentment, frustration and countless other negative feelings. Yet pride in making an effort stems confidence, strength, hope, optimism, dreams, happiness, growth, motivation, inspiration and results. Amazingly enough, very little effort can change how we feel. Doing something is always better than doing nothing.
Unhappiness often comes from not doing what is right – and, even worse, settling for what is wrong.
