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Young woman weight training

Be Honest With Yourself – Succeed in Fitness & Life

  • A lot of people are self critical and mistake that with being honest with themselves.
  • A lot of people are deluding themselves into thinking they are doing better than they really are.

How can that be – is it not contradictory?

Well, like everything life is not simply black or white, one way or another. We have grey areas everywhere. In some areas our inner critic comes out and when she/he comes out she means business. If we would hear anyone talking like that to someone we would be like: “Hold on there for a second, you cannot talk to that person like that!”

On the other hand we have often plenty of areas where we think we do pretty well but really may do only a mediocre job at best.

What does that have to do with fitness?

  • The Inner critic: people who have a strong inner critic have often a tendency to be harsh to themselves when they mess up, cheat, etc. The consequence is often that they say in their mind: F*** it, I suck, I already cheated, might as well go for it. In addition, they are more likely to not try again because they don’t want or need that negative feedback anymore. They give up more easily. Research in the field of “Positive Psychology” in the pasts 15 years has shown that people in this area are often doing better by training “mindfulness” in combination with self-compassion. It seems allow them to be human, to not go all out after cheating but resetting their efforts.
  • The person who thinks they eat or exercise better than they really do has a different problem. They don’t understand why they don’t make any progress despite their perceived effort. If you fall into this category, get an honest assessment by a third party like a trainer. Write down your training and the times you actually went, the effort you put in. Write down your food intake clearly to see for you and your personal trainer. It is eye opening and often fixes the problem.

What does that mean for you?

It is important to find a positive but honest environment that supports your efforts and holds you accountable. Your spouse or partner is often not the right person for that job because we have a tendency to take things to personal. Better would be a life coach, personal trainer, doctor, or dietitian. If for some reason you cannot afford that make sure to write it down for yourself. There are also “mindfulness classes” that help you be more self aware and teach self compassion as well.

If you are looking to get help with your program, we are always there for you.

Michael

Personal Training at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

5 Fitness Myths That Keep You From Being Successful

The 5 Myths In Fitness 

  • Really short workouts several times a week will get you a fit, athletic body
  • High Intensity Interval Training is all you need to shred. Steady state cardiovascular training is dead.
  • Crossfit-, yoga-, running-like training will make you a good performer in everything.
  • You are gaining fat because you are getting older it is a race against time
  • A really low carb diet is all you need

Short Workouts will get you a fit athletic body

We all have seen the advertisement on TV or the internet. Work out for 10 min and you will have the body that you always wanted. Well that is a bunch of crock. Fitness and athleticism is dependent on what you put in. If you work out every day for 10 min without having done anything prior, your fitness level will improve. You won’t become a shredded athlete with a six-pack or have those long, lean, toned arms you always wanted. Improvement is relative to effort put in. You will be healthier with your 10 min a day but please don’t expect miracles.  Now, working out 3-6 hours a week can accomplish a lot which would put you at an average of 30-60 min on most days.

Ditch the steady state cardiovascular training and do HIIT only

High intensity interval training has shown to be a very effective tool in weight loss. But if you look at the studies you will quickly find out that those doing it also had some steady state training as well as a steady state 10 min warm up prior to each HIIT. Steady state training is still great for improving your cardiovascular fitness, supplementing your strength training and HIIT on off days. Don’t go for hours because you would reduce the anabolic effect of your strength training but 20-30 min of low-moderate intensity can speed up your results.

Crossfit, yoga, running… is all I need – I will become SUPERHUMAN

Please, let’s understand one fundamental principle in training: training adaptation is highly specific. That means that if you do a lot of crossfit, you will get better at crossfit, if you run a lot you will become better at being a runner, etc. Yes, there is a cross-transfer of strength and endurance to other sports but only up to a certain degree. A powerlifter is really strong but his strength help him little in running and he might be too heavy to be an efficient rock climber. To be really good at something, that something needs to be your primary sport or training tool. The result will be: You are really good at ONE THING! Fitness is relative to your field. 

Cross training, supplemental training to enhance your performance in your chosen sport is important to prevent injury and improve your longevity in your discipline. Well rounded athletes will never be as good in each discipline as specialists but they might have less overuse injuries –> General Fitness

I am gaining fat because I am getting older

One of the most famous excuses in history. Are you sure it has nothing to do with

  • you not sleeping anymore,
  • because you have a busy schedule,
  • because you are not exercising anymore,
  • because of work, that your kids take all the energy that you have left,
  • that you are sitting on your butt at work all day long?

The first thing to change is accepting responsibility. Accept that you have made life choices that have led you to this point. Now you can make changes. Turn off the TV an hour earlier and read 30 min before going to bed. Talk to your wife/husband to figure out a schedule with the kids, or see what gym offers daycare. Check if you can work out during your lunch break at a gym close to your work.

Most of the reduction in metabolism as we age is due to loss in muscle mass. That loss of muscle mass for most of us is caused not by aging (unless you are a top athlete) but due to being sedentary.

I am going low carb and I will make it.

What does low carb diet mean? A true low carb diet contains 20-50g of carbs per day. That is less than one banana on the low end. Guess what? Your performance in and outside of the gym is going to suck! Some ultra-endurance athletes swear by it but for most of us it does not work or is not sustainable. Having your carb intake around 30% of your total intake is perfectly sufficient. It is much more important to eat whole foods, minimally processed foods. Sometimes people ask me why. The reason: You are eating a higher volume of food which has a tendency to satisfy you sooner. Nice side benefits: more fiber, less additives.

Now go out and rock it.

 

Fitness Success with the personal trainers at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

Why Behavior Goals Are Better Than….To Accomplish Fitness & Health

Outcome Based Goals

Behavior goals are typically better than outcome based goals. The reasons for that are simple. You can develop new habits and you are mostly in charge of your actions. Outcome based goals especially when it comes to big goals like losing 30 lbs  or gaining 20 lbs of muscle are difficult to time exactly. Behavior goals are much easier to set.

Our fickle bodies mess with our head

Our client’s goals range from losing xx lbs of fat, to gaining xx lbs of muscle mass, to running xx min/mile faster, hit the golf ball xx yards further. We like to use numbers and they are a great goal to accomplish but not optimal goals to strive for.

The reason is that we have minimal control of our body’s reaction to training, hormone levels, stress, etc. Our bodies are individually different and what might work well for one person, will not work well for someone else. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer for your body to adjust while someone else takes to it right away.

That does not make outcome based goals a complete disaster. It is just difficult to put a hard timeline to it. Yes, most people can lose 8 lbs of fat per month and do great, if….everything aligns. They do not have excessive stress levels, they sleep, their hormone levels are within the normal range, etc. You see a lot of things have to fall into place that we cannot directly influence.

Use outcome based goals in a loose fashion and give yourself room to improve. Be a little bit more conservative.

We are not powerless

That does not mean that you are hopelessly victimized by circumstance. Quite the opposite, behavior goals are geared to aligning “the stars” in your favor. I usually recommend not taking up more than one, maximum two habits at a time, unless you truly are a go-getter. You can always add to each new habit after a 1-4 weeks depending on how much time you need to adjust.

Behavior Goals To Ultimate Fat Loss / Fitness Success

  1. Eat until your 80% full (fat loss)
  2. Eat plenty of veggies with every meal
  3. Eat sufficient protein with each meal
  4. Time your starchy carbohydrate intake to after your training session (fat loss)
  5. Sleep > 7 hours/night
  6. Have “me time”.
  7. Work less than 55 hours/week
  8. Accomplish your goals 80-90% of the days during the month

Go set your behavior goals and see an amazing transformation happen. If you would like us to help you, go check us out at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting. 

Have an awesome day,

Michael

 

Get fit at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

What does fit mean?

Occasionally we face a client who is pretty skinny and still wants to lose weight. Often they just talk about a couple of pounds, not more. So why is it, that I feel the need to write about it?

That is simple: These people, might have a skewed view of what it means to be healthy. Being 27extraordinarily skinny is definitely not healthy, or fit. But years and years of conditioning have created a paranoia and fear of the scale. They fear, that if they weigh a couple of pounds more that they are being overweight.

Instead of losing weight I propose to change body composition, since many are so called “skinny-fat”, meaning they have a relatively high body fat percentage and little lean muscle mass.

Nobody needs to become a heavy duty weight lifter, runners but they should be able to lift more than a 5 lbs dumbbell without breaking a sweat. Everyone should have good basic physical strength and decent cardiovascular abilities since both promote health.

My call to action

Screw skinny. Make healthy and fit your new goal. If you want a six pack that is fine, but it is not a requirement to be healthy. We should not strive to look like a starved, hungry person but like someone who is fit and healthy. If you are close to your ideal body weight and you start a fitness routine don’t freak out if you gain a couple of pounds. Most likely it will be muscle mass.

Use your clothes and body fat

Instead of being obsessed with the scale look how your clothes fit. Check your bodyfat percentage. If the numbers improve, you are doing well. But even here make sure that you don’t drop too low, because it can mess with your hormone household, see below

What is fit and healthy?

A healthy body fat percentage for men is between 6-20% and for women between 16-30% body fat. The closer you get to the lower number the more strict you will have to be with your eating, lifestyle, & training habits. The range below those numbers is usually reserved for elite bodybuilders and fitness models on contest day and during photo shoots. Those numbers are rarely maintained and staying there for a prolonged period of time can have a negative impact on a couple of things:

  • Loss of sexdrive
  • Low testosterone levels (men)
  • Disordered eating
  • Social isolation
  • An unbalanced life
  • Amenorrhea (women)

If you are interested in more detailed please read this article by Precision Nutrition.

I hope I made a case for being fit versus skinny.

Have an awesome day

 

 

Personal Training for Older clients at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

How Long Should A Workout Take?

We are asked many times how long a workout should take. The answer is not that simple. Sure, there is the optimum length but even that depends on the person’s fitness level, age, and willingness to commit time.

Research indicates that it is better for people to have more frequent, shorter workouts than only a few long workouts.

So, yes, ideally I would like you to go through a 10-15 min warm up sequence including foam rolling, some stretching, corrective & activation exercises. After that I would like you to work out for 60 min and then cool down for about 15 min.

But it is not going to happen for most

For most people this is simply not going to happen. So if 30 min is all you can do then it will have to do. Working out 30 min 5 days a week is always better than 90 min one day a week and then wait until the following week for the next workout.

Sometimes we don’t even have 30 min. A lot of our accountants are slammed at this time of the year. They work from 6 or 7 in the morning until 1 or 2 at night. Do some chin ups, run up and down the stairs, do some push ups, planks, etc. There is always something that can be done.

There is not really I don’t have the time. You might not have the time for a full on workout, but you might have enough time for one exercise here and there.

Today is the day

Today is the day to get started. Stop waiting for the perfect time. It will never come around. Start working out your day. It is not about a six pack, or a perfect butt. It is about your health & well being.

Yours in health & fitness,

Michael

 

Changing Nutrition Is Not Easy For Everyone! – A RANT

This blog is kind of a rant. It is a rant against being self-righteous. We need to pull back because here are some of the things we say to others and most

Habit Changes take time and will include setbacks
Habit Changes take time and will include setbacks

importantly to ourselves:

“You just need to cut down on the portions!”

“You are so lazy, just get up and work out!”

“Just quit drinking soda!”

“Why is that person so overweight?”

To a person with anxiety: “Just relax!”

These are just some of the things we say to ourselves, about others, or to others. Here is a newsflash. Do you really think that they/we don’t know that already? If it was that easy for us to do just that, I am pretty sure we/you/they would have done it already.

Life is more complicated

What comes easy to one of us, might be much more difficult to someone else. Our own personal experiences, fears, addictions, passions, believes enable us in different ways to cope with life. Sometimes food is one of those coping mechanisms. Whenever that is the case [which quite honestly, is quite common] we need to understand that millions of people in the USA have the same problems.

Compensating with food

Sometimes we need time to be alone with ourselves. We are so used to headsets, music, videos, books, anything that drowns out our little inner voice. Sometimes it is important to feel the pain, feelings, etc, that we associate with with wanting to compensate with food.  We need to experience it with compassion knowing that we are not alone with it.

Life does not go in a linear way. It never has and never will.

We need to understand that our coping mechanisms have evolved over decades. If we want to change them it will take love, compassion, hard work and the willingness to fail, just to try it again. We will have road blocks, there will be tough times when we lose a job, a partner or simply when we have a fight, or a bad day at work. We don’t succeed every day all day long, nobody does! It has nothing to do with willpower but with forming a habit. Nobody has enough willpower. We simply form habits which takes time. Time during which we may fail, again and again. Just don’t quit.

My Call To Action

This is my call to action: Whenever you see someone who obviously, or not so openly struggles bring them the benefit of the doubt. You don’t know what that person has going on in their life. If it is you, then call to mind the things that you have had to deal with in your life. Meet yourself with compassion and give yourself a “reset button” after you fail.

Just hit the reset button and restart the computer called “LIFE”. Start again and move on.

We cannot change anything in our past. But we can reshape the future, slowly. It takes time for new habits to form, new ways of life.

Judging is normal

You might think now: “What the heck?” He jus told me to be less judgemental. Well, good luck with it. Just like anything else it is a habit. We have learnt it over decades. You cannot just “not be judgemental” anymore. Just acknowledge when you are doing it, smile and move on, knowing what you are doing and work towards acceptance.

“Japanese: DO”

“Do” in japanese means way, ergo Karate-Do, means the way of Karate. It basically tells you that this is a journey. You won’t just get to the finish line and be able to yell: “Heck, I made it!” It is always work in progress.

Yours in health & fitness,

Michael Anders

Head Trainer Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting can help reduce your stress level

5-Strategies To Alleviate Stress

The short version

  • Even a few minutes of meditation can help you reduce your stress & anxiety levels
  • Deep breathing activates relaxation in the body
  • Scheduling 7-8 hours of sleep can help normalize your hormone household and stress levels
  • Cardiovascular exercise can have a relaxing effect on the body
  • Mindfulness reduces anxiety and stress.

What is stress?

Stress is normal. We all experience it. It is a physical response to triggers that upset you, unbalance you or threaten you. It is our body’s response to a perceived threat and puts us into the ‘fight or flight’ mode. It prepares us to protect our life.

In today’s world most of the stressors we experience are not of the ‘flight or fight’ category but rather an angry boss, family member, work, traffic, etc. Our bodies cannot differentiate between those different queues and because of the often chronic stress situations we are stuck in we start feeling the negative side effects of prolonged stress exposure.

What you can do to alleviate stress:

The number one goal is to eliminate stressors. If we can clear the air with our family member or boss we have problems with, change our jobs, leave home a little bit earlier etc, we are making good progress.

Sadly, we do not always have that option. At times we are unable to make immediate changes. In that case the following steps might help you reduce your stress level:

  • Meditation, even a few minutes a day can help you with restructuring neuronal pathways and reduce stress and anxiety.
  • Deep Breathing activates our parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for relaxation, digestion, etc. Try it out! Breathe deeply in through your nose, filling your belly and lungs with air. Then breathe slowly out. Repeat this 3-6 times and you will feel significantly more relaxed.
  •  Sleep: Our society is often proud of the fact that we need little sleep. Little do we know. Sleep is necessary to process what we experience and reset our hormone household. Sleep deprivation is definitely not the way to go. Now everyone has different needs and the older population among us often has trouble sleeping. Make sure to schedule sufficient time, reduce light pollution in the evening hours and get rid of the TV in the bedroom.
  • Cardiovascular exercise can also stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (after you are done, that is). Try 20-30 min of an easy to moderate walk, jog, etc and see how you feel afterwards.
  • Mindfulness – We are often caught up in the future or the past. Exercises like meditation, tai chi, yoga etc, can help us focus on being more mindful and in the present. You can practice that with almost anything that you are doing.

I am looking forward to helping you! Check out our specials to get started.

Michael

21 Day Fall Fat Flush

Sometimes fat has to go fast!

man bench pressing at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting with a personal trainer
Are you working towards your fat loss goals?

The holiday season has begun. It is getting rough now. Cookies, treats and many other delicious items keep popping up on tables. If you are one of those people who says: “This will be the year I won’t gain but lose some body fat and get fitter instead!”; then this training plan is for you. It is hard, it will take commitment but the results can be amazing!

The Clean Up

  1. Throw away, all pasta, rice, cookies, candy, bread, packaged DAy meals, etc. I mean it, total clean up. Throw it away or give it away to someone you don’t like 🙂
  2. Go online and search for paleo meals. You don’t have to eat paleo-style but what I like about the recipes is that they utilize unprocessed foods only. Make a list for one to two recipes that you will cook for the week. This Site  is a good source! See more
  3. Next buy veggies en masse (you can use the frozen kind you just steam), buy a little fruit, and whatever you need for the recipes you picked, some Omega-3s and a multivitamin supplement.
  4. Prep your food (slice veggies, fruits). Cook your meals for the whole week (5 days at least)
  5. Get out your gym bag, pack it and sign up for a gym. It is getting cold and I don’t want you to have an excuse not to work out.

Food Rule

I have written extensively on good habits when eating. Now usually I recommend people going slowly about changing habits. Most of the time a slow change is more successful in the long run. Check out my blog on habit changes if you are interested in more on that matter. Here is a quick summary:

  1. Eat until you are 80% full over a period of 20 min
  2. Have veggies/fruits with every meal in a 3:1 ratio; Women: 1 fist size, men: 2 fist sizes
  3. Have protein (fish, meat, poultry, beans, greek yogurt, etc.) with each meal. Women: 1 Palm size, men: 2 palm sizes
  4. Have fats: Women: 1 thumb-tip size, men: 2 thumb-tip sizes
  5. Take out cereals, grains, pasta, rice, breads, etc. If you cannot forego it, only have it after an intensive workout (right afterwards).

Sample Nutrition: (double the portions for men)

  1. Workout Drink: 5g BCAAs+ 20oz of water
  2. Breakfast I: Women: 1-2 egg spinach omelette with a little bit of cheese and red bell pepper + 3gs of Omega 3s + Multivitamin
  3. Breakfast II: Women: 1/2-1 cup whole fat greek yogurt with 1 cup of fruit
  4. Lunch: Women: 1 palm sized boneless skinless chicken thigh, steamfresh veggies seasoned to taste w/ a little bit of grassfed butter/olive or coconut oil and seasoning
  5. Afternoon Snack I: Women: 1 small handful of almonds/walnuts (about 22 pieces)+ 1/2 apple
  6. Afternoon Snack II Women(optional): 1 small piece of at least 70% dark chocolate
  7. Dinner Women: Mixed Salad greens, 1 chopped tomato, handful of chopped carrot matchstick, 1/2 avocado, + protein (2 eggs, can of tuna, palm size chicken, etc.)

How to go about exercise:

  1. Your body is your guidance. If you are in pain don’t ignore it, stop doing what you are doing and find an alternative
  2. Do something every day. Preferably alternate what you are doing for sufficient rest and recovery.
  3. Warm up by foam-rolling, stretching + dynamic warm up
  4. Do some cardiovascular activity, some high intensity interval training if you are medically cleared.

Weekly Training Routine

This routine is designed to preserve or build lean muscle mass, maximize your metabolism and have you lose body fat fast. You will only have one day off, which will be Sunday. You can move that around a little depending on your schedule:

  1. Monday Whole Body Workout (30-40 min)
    1. Warm Up
      1. Foam Rolling: Glutes, back, quads, shoulder area, lats
      2. Stretch: hamstrings, calves, quads, hip flexor, chest,
      3. Active Warm Up: 20 bodyweight squats, 40 high knees, 20 side lunges, 20 knee push ups, 20 supermans, 20 squat+fist pumps
    2. Workout
      1. Goblet Squat w/ Dumbbell or Front Squat w/ Barbell (3-5×8)
      2. Push ups (regular or modified (3-5×8) use superbands to make harder
      3. Plank on elbows (3-4×30-60s)
      4. Half-kneeling cable lat pulls (3-5×8)
      5. DB single leg deadlift (3-5×8)
      6. Seated Row (3-5×8)
  2. Tuesday High Intensity Interval Training (30-40 min) 
    1. Warm Up
      1. Foam Rolling: Glutes, back, quads, shoulder area, lats
      2. Stretch: hamstrings, calves, quads, hip flexor, chest,
      3. Active Warm Up: high knee runs 30s, high heel runs 30s, side shuffle run 30s, lunge walk 10 steps, crabwalk (2 lengths)
    2. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
      1. Choose treadmill, bike or elliptical
      2. 5 min easy going
      3. 8×1 min sprint/fast followed by 1:30 min rest intervals
      4. 2-5 min Cool Down
  3.  Wednesday (Whole Body Routine)
    1. Warm Up
      1. Foam Rolling: Glutes, back, quads, shoulder area, lats
      2. Stretch: hamstrings, calves, quads, hip flexor, chest,
      3. Active Warm Up: 20 bodyweight squats, 40 high knees, 20 side lunges, 20 knee push ups, 20 supermans, 20 squat+fist pumps
    2.  Workout
      1. Dumbbell chest press (3-5 x 8)
      2. Reverse lunges (slight board optional) (3-5x8ea)
      3. Side plank w/ db flys (3×10)
      4. Single leg squat on bench or box w/ dumbbells (3×8)
      5. Alt. Shoulder Press, body leaning against wall or rack to maintain form (3x10ea)
      6. Dumbbell row (3-5×8)
  4. Thursday High Intensity Interval Training (30-40 min) 
    1. Warm Up
      1. Foam Rolling: Glutes, back, quads, shoulder area, lats
      2. Stretch: hamstrings, calves, quads, hip flexor, chest,
      3. Active Warm Up: high knee runs 30s, high heel runs 30s, side shuffle run 30s, lunge walk 10 steps, crabwalk (2 lengths)
    2. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
      1. Choose treadmill, bike or elliptical
      2. 5 min easy going
      3. 12x40s sprint/fast followed by 1 min rest intervals
      4. 2-5 min Cool Down
  •  Friday Whole Body Routine
    1. Warm Up
      1. Foam Rolling: Glutes, back, quads, shoulder area, lats
      2. Stretch: hamstrings, calves, quads, hip flexor, chest,
      3. Active Warm Up: 20 bodyweight squats, 40 high knees, 20 side lunges, 20 knee push ups, 20 supermans, 20 squat+fist pumps.
    2. Workout
      1. Squat to press (3-5 x 8)
      2. Chin Ups (assisted/weighted if necessary) (3-5x8ea)
      3. Barbell Deadlift (3-5×8)
      4. Spiderman push ups (3-5×8)
      5. Alt. shoulder press, body leaning against wall or rack to maintain form (3x10ea)
      6. Single arm cable row (3-5×8)
  • Saturday steady state cardio
    1. 20-30 min moderate intensity
  • Sunday off

Form is always the most important part. Make sure you work only until technical failure. If you need to start cheating in order to finish a repetition, you are done.

Let us help you accomplish your success,

Michael

Be Inspired–Be Great!

Last week we talked about the importance of motivation. Today I am going to talk about the importance of being inspired. If you are inspired the motivation is there, it is simply just there. Get inspired by Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

Webster’s Dictionary puts it as follows: inspire, inspired: 1. To guide or affect by divine influence. 2. To fill with high emotion: exalt. 3. To stimulate to creativity or action.

In our work with our clients we are seeking to inspire, because we know that this is the ultimate success. When we can inspire a client, success comes almost effortlessly. The effort involved might still be a sacrifice but now you have something that you are striving towards, that drives you from deep inside.

Many of our clients have that drive from deep inside. Some just love their game of golf, soccer or tennis; others like running or lifting weights, while others are passionate in general about health and fitness.

If you want to succeed and keep succeeding look deep inside of yourself and find what inspires you. It could even be inspiring others to a healthier lifestyle and wanting to be a good example.

If you are inspired about something your eyes are glowing when you talk about it, you are excited, you might not be able to sleep, you want tell people about it. If you are currently working out but afraid to tell someone that you are doing it, chance is you are not inspired to work out. Look deep and find out, why do you work out. That will create a little flame inside, which can create a fire. A lot of our inspired clients have lit a fire in other clients.

It is important that you find yourself. Don’t be what you think you should be but who you truly want to be.

Be Inspired – 5 Steps to find your Inspiration:

  1. Write down every evening 1-3 events and activities you liked and why you liked it
  2. When you work out take note on what you really enjoy and what you don’t.
  3. Take an hour and write down how you want to be remembered. Create a VISION of you.
  4. Create a Game Plan to put that vision into action.
  5. Review it regularly and make sure it still represents you. We change over time. Maybe you need to adjust it.

Have an inspiring day,

Michael

Lack of Motivation?

That is actually the biggest challenge a trainer faces. Training plans are comparatively easy. I know what the physical goals are and I know what to tell my client to do in order to accomplish it. This is all for naught if you are unmotivated. Correct?Depositphotos_5160906_xs

You would think that people are motivated once they start working with a personal trainer but that is not necessarily true. Many just go through the motions. They do what is right because they think they should not because they want to.

At this point we need to understand what led the person to come to us.

To begin with:

  1. Do you work out because a family member or a friend told you to?
  2. Has an authority told you to start training/losing weight, like a physician?
  3. Are you trying to fulfill a nebulous beauty ideal that society tells you is important?
  4. Do you have a bet going?
  5. The list goes on…

What is the problem with these health or fitness goals?

The problem with these goals is that you often really don’t own them; because they are not yours, they are someone else’s. You are not truly passionate about them. Yes, you might want to lose the weight but maybe not because it is important to you but because you think its what everyone else wants for you. People work out for many different reasons and often don’t get anywhere.

Sure don’t get me wrong the correct nutrition and the proper training are important. Most people do know that veggies are good for you and that bread, pasta, cheeseburgers, and pizza pile on the pounds. So why is it so hard to lose the weight? Eating disorders and food addictions are one part of it but assuming that you don’t suffer from that, why do you have a hard time achieving your goal? Is it lack of will power?

According to research willpower is not the problem.  Willpower seems to be a limited good. If you exert it a lot, eventually you will run out and eat more or stop training.

The real problem seems to be that you don’t own your goals.

Own Your Goals

Some people are super successful, they are driven and they reach their goals in no time. You can even reach your goals if they are, as mentioned above, not entirely your own goals, but often the success is only short term. Within days or weeks people are back to their old habits.

Owning your goals,  what really drives you, what is important to you and not someone else will help you really make the jump.

It will be easier to make decisions that lead down the right path because YOU want it, not a doctor, or a friend, or society or a bet or….

  1. Sit down for 30 min and think of what you really want.
  2. Write down WHY you want it
  3. Review it and walk away from it for an hour
  4. Is it still what you really want? Are the WHY reasons really why you want it?
  5. Make some short term goals that are relatively easily accomplishable. Success breeds more motivation. It can be just making one change in your nutrition, or  work out 2×30 min per week. You name it. It should be doable.
  6. Have success and then take the next step on your journey. Once you have made your first change, add another a week later.  
  7. Taking little steps each day will go a long way.

If you Fail, Fail Forward!

Who do you know has failed in the past? Maybe someone who has smoked and has tried to quit many times. We all fail, all the time. The question though is what we make of it. There is nothing, absolutely nothing you can do about the past and let’s face it your control over the future is rather limited too. So stick to the moment. Reset the button, and start again. If someone laughs at you, laugh back and say: “Well, I got knocked on my butt but I am getting back up and taking charge again. No matter how often I get knocked down, I know what I want and no matter what I will make it!” I have a chocolate addiction. I cannot stop once I started. I was sick yesterday. I was thrown of my routine. I head was stuffy. All day long I watched TV and stuffed my face with chocolate. Today is a new day. I am back on track…for now. That does not mean something will not derail me again but I know that I will get back to it.

An Example

Know what you really want. Like my client Pam, who has been working with me for a long time but it also took her a long time to really, really know how badly she wanted to reach her goals, why she wanted them. and that she could actually do it!

She is all in now and she is kicking butt.

Before when she had a setback it would take her weeks or even months to get back on track. Now it does not even take a day. Her challenge is her nutrition and she is doing great because she owns  her goals now.

I know you can do it. You just have to figure out, why you want to do it, what drives you and nurture it!

If you need help with your goals and passions, give me a call and we support you 100%

Michael

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