It seems like every few months I get this question. So I wanted to give you my thoughts. The premise of a cleanse is to reduce the amount of toxins in your body. Studies have shown that a cleansed and revitalized body is stronger, resists illness better, is more efficient and performs at a higher level than one that is filled with impurities.

Now there are different kinds of cleanses:

• Colon cleanses — uses fiber or laxatives to shed gunk and foreign substances from your colon. Let’s just say you’ll spend some quality time in the bathroom.
• Liver cleanses — encourages your liver to produce more bile to help rid the liver of toxins
• Overall diet cleanse — you remove certain foods from your diet in an effort to reduce/eliminate inflammation
• Whole body cleansing — helps you to reduce the toxins from your whole body at a cellular level

I have recently discovered a cleanse that aloe based so it’s gentle on your body while helping to remove toxins on a cellular level.  Nutritional cleansing helps the body return to a state of balance and optimum health. A whole body cleanse rids your body of  contaminants that have collected within your body over time, helping your  systems function more effectively. Deep cleansing also creates the accompanying benefit of stimulating weight loss while reducing inflammation in the body.

When we are very toxic our body starts  to create more fat cells to protects us from the toxins.  We all know that fat takes up WAY more room that muscle. The goal of whole body cleanse is to ensure you are reducing toxins from ALL over your body not just 1 specific organ.

Since going through “the change” my mother has struggled with her weight. I went to visit in July her and she was on yet another diet! I finally said mom let me help you. Because of all of her y- yo diets I knew she need to just clean out her system to enable weight loss. She started the program on July 11th and in her first 9 days,  she lost 5 pounds and 10 inches.  I did this cleanse back in March so I could understand what it felt like. I wasn’t looking to lose weight, but I lost 6 pounds. The best thing about this cleanse is that I had ENERGY!!! I worked out and taught 2 classes and didn’t feel like a missed a beat.

With that said a cleanse isn’t for everyone. Here are a few thing to consider prior to cleansing.

• What are you goals’
• Are you looking at this to jumpstart weight loss’
• Have you been polluting your body with processed foods’
• Do you have the time for this’
• Do you have the willpower. On most cleanses your food is limited! You must be able to resist giving in.
• Will you have support’

Want to learn more about nutritional cleansing in person, join me on August 29th. You’ll get to meet Kathy Koover, Executive Vice President and 60 year athlete who uses cleansing as part of your training regimen.  Click here for details. 

If you are looking to transform your body and before the “after” picture that you always dreamed you could be. Shoot me an email to discuss taking the first step!!!

The term ‘good fat’ may seem strange, but nutritionists know the facts; our body needs it to function properly. One source of this ‘good fat’ is avocados.  Avocados are a staple food for many reasons.

What is it’
First of all, the avocado is a fruit, even though it may taste like a vegetable. When you purchase an avocado in the store  it’s often pretty firm, even hard, when you buy it.  Then, in a few days on your countertop, it gets softer. That is because avocados ripen after harvesting, when the fruit begins releasing a chemical similar to that of a banana.

Health Benefits
Avocados provide nearly twenty essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid. They also act as a ‘nutrient booster’ by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, like beta-carotene and lutein. The avocado has a higher ‘good fat’ content than most other fruits.  A generous helping of avocado on a regular basis has all sorts of health benefits, including those little things we love like shiny strong hair and nails, and  younger looking and feeling skin. Of course, there are those big things, too, like lowering cholesterol.

How to eat
To tell if an avocado is ripe, hold it in the palm of your hand and squeeze gently. It should yield to a gentle pressure.  A ripe avocado is easy to peel if you cut down lengthwise and twist the avocado slightly to split it in half. The pit can be popped out by inserting the blade of a knife into the pit and giving a nudge. Then, use the knife tip to slice through the flesh of the avocado, but not the outside peel, in sections and turn the nubby peeling inside-out and the ripe flesh will pop out.

The flesh of an avocado is prone to browning, just like an apple once it’s exposed to much air.  To prevent this, lemon juice or lime juice can be sprinkled on the avocado after the peeling is removed. Not only does the citrus juice slow the browning process, but it compliments the flavor of the avocado. In fact, avocado dishes often call for the addition of fresh lime or lemon juice.

Generally, avocado is served raw because many varieties cannot be cooked without turning bitter. However, there are a few dishes that call for brief heating in the oven just until the avocado is warmed through. Some of the more popular uses of avocado is in guacamole or other types of salsas, atop a bright green salad, or even on hamburgers and sandwiches. Avocados are found in many varieties of sushi, too.

One of favorite ways to enjoy an avocado is to put into a smoothie. I’ll mix some

• protein powder
• water
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/4 c berries
• ice cubes

Give avocados a try today and find out how easy it is to incorporate this powerhouse fruit into your diet. Leave me a comment below and let me know your favorite way to enjoy them.

I’m a sucker for citrus fruits. Luckily they are available most of the year. Citrus brightens up good food and good conversation. Rather than cook the same old recipes, why not add some citrus twists to your dishes and give your guests something to fall in love with’  Let’s take a look at a few classics that are getting a real boost with a little citrus.

Citrus Infused Tea

What an incredible way to wake up!  Start a big pot of water boiling, then shut the burner off and add four green tea bags.  Of course, that’s good, but why stop there.  Add a thinly sliced lemon to the water and allow the tea to steep for four or five minutes, then serve hot by pouring into large mugs.  Sweeten if desired, then enjoy. The lemon adds even more nutritional value to your green tea, along with a real zing! You may even want to nibble on a few hot lemon slices.

Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Instead of your typical pancake mix, why not try a melt-in-your-mouth combo that is sure to start your morning off right’ By substituting cottage cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest in place of some of the liquid in the pancake recipe, you get a slightly sweet and fluffy pancake with a tangy hit of citrus. Trust me your family will love!

Grilled Summer Vegetables with Citrus Splash Dressing

The grill’ Yes, even the grill. Not only can you grill citrus, you can coat your summer veggies with dressing using the same marinade you soaked them in. Fresh squeezed orange, orange zest, lime juice, lime zest, and a bit of honey make a great glaze for grilled vegetables.  Add a little chopped fresh basil or other herbs on top of your vegetables on the grill and you just became the new executive chef of your own backyard. Try serving these tangy, tasty veggies on top of a bed of crispy mixed lettuce for a filling lunch or light dinner.

Lemon Basil Chicken Stir-fry

Want to take your stir-fry dinners to another level’ Try adding some finely chopped basil, lemon juice, and lemon zest to your pan before you begin to add your vegetables. The basil and zest will infuse the oils with flavor and coat the chicken as you begin cooking it. Once the chicken is cooked, the vegetables will soak up the remaining flavor bits in the pan when it is deglazed with added broth or wine. Whenever you stir fry, think beyond the ingredients and consider all the flavors, including citrus flavors, to brighten your dish.

Citrus Honey Ginger Pops

This cool treat is definitely tasty and something to help cool off after a long day of play, making it a perfect dessert, too. These pops are easy to make and are a billion times healthier than the ones you buy from the store. Use different types of citrus to give the pops a variety of flavors. Of course you’ll want to try orange, but also give grapefruit and lime a try. Just mix your favorite citrus juice and zest with honey and a small amount of grated ginger. The great thing is, this recipe is made to be tweaked. Mix and match your citrus to find new and exciting flavors.

From breakfast to lunch to dinner to dessert, citrus adds ‘zing!’ to your meals. There are so many places you can add fresh, flavorful, and healthy citrus to each meal of the day. The next time you’re shopping, bring home citrus fruits!  Then put it to work in your kitchen to brighten up your meals, and your life!

Choosing a quality multivitamin is easier with a few guidelines

Choosing a multivitamin-mineral supplement can be puzzling. Conflicting messages abound in the marketplace, especially on the Internet. And, as expected, the confusion is not helped by reports from the media that tend to overemphasize observational studies that confirm bias against supplementation. The reality is that the quality of multivitamin-mineral supplements ranges widely.

The highest quality dietary supplements are those designed according to current science and technologies—they use the most stable and efficacious forms of vitamins and minerals, have optimal solubility rates, are third-party tested for potency and shelf life, and provide optimal vitamin-and-mineral dosages that are divided over the course of the day for best absorption.

On the other end of the quality spectrum are the popular “one-a-day” supplements, which claim to provide all that the body needs in a single tablet; they may provide adequate amounts of many nutrients, but severely neglect others. Other supplements use synthetic vitamins when science demonstrates the body’s preference for the natural forms. Finally, some supplement companies claim higher absorption or bioavailability because their nutrients come directly from, or are paired with, “whole foods”; such claims are misleading because they are not presented with data. These vitamins do not actually come from whole foods, but are simply combined with botanicals that may even inhibit absorption.

Far be it for all marketers to paint a clear picture of the science, or for the media to do a little homework before lumping all dietary supplements in the same category of low quality and worthless. The fact is though, that there have been well-designed studies showing clear benefits from taking supplements in forms appropriate and in dosages that assist in meeting dietary recommendations for optimal health. If this weren’t true, or if multivitamins were somehow “dangerous”, then why do most medical doctors continue prescribing prenatal multivitamins to women who are expecting’

A proper review and critique of multivitamin-mineral supplements should be based on how well it reflects positions of scientific consensus on dosage, forms, and delivery. A few of the things to look for in a supplement are these:

• Quality – According to a recent Consumer Labs report, one in three supplements either contained fewer nutrients than promised on the label, provided far more nutrients than claimed, had incorrect labeling of ingredients, or simply failed to disintegrate in the allotted time for proper absorption. If uncertain about whether or not a supplement really provides what it claims to, it’s probably a supplement to avoid. Take a multivitamin-mineral only if it comes from a reputable company that tests label claims through an independent laboratory.
• Efficacy – It’s well-known that some forms of vitamins or minerals are more stable, or more bioavailable, than others. For example, natural vitamin D3 exhibits greater retention in the body compared to synthetic vitamin D2 (1). Likewise, vitamin E in its natural form of d-alpha tocopherol provides greater activity than its synthetic mixture counterpart, dl-alpha tocopherol, which contains only a small percentage of the natural form (2). Another example is vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin, which is more stable than other forms of vitamin B12, thus allowing for greater shelf life.
• Optimal dosages – Multivitamin-mineral supplement makers will often add a mineral such as calcium or an antioxidant such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to help it sell better in the marketplace, but not in high enough doses to really strengthen bones or support the heart. Such supplements should be avoided in favor of others that actually supply enough of each nutrient to truly be effective. Similarly, should a supplement contain omega-3 fatty acids, it should contain a high enough concentration of both DHA and EPA for heart health. In short, dosages should reflect the latest that science has to offer as recommendations for health and longevity.
• Solubility – Have you heard of “bed pan bullets”’ That’s what doctors used to call tableted multivitamin pills that passed through the body unabsorbed. Science has come a long way to provide technologies for better solubility, but there still are a few multivitamins on the market that don’t disintegrate appropriately enough to be absorbed properly. The standard for a quality multivitamin-mineral tablet is to disintegrate within 60 minutes or less in an acidic solution mimicking the environment in the stomach—even better is if it can disintegrate easily in plain water or rice vinegar.
• Absorption and bioavailability – Companies make misleading claims when they market their supplements as more highly absorbed or bioavailable because they are from, or combined with, “whole food” or “vegetable components.” For one thing, the source of their vitamins is really not different than anyone else’s, which is obtained through yeast fermentation. The “whole-food” source supplements also seldom meet label claims or stability for shelf life. In addition, they don’t account for anti-nutrient components; for example, a supplement containing leafy green vegetables such as spinach may also contain anti-nutrient compounds called oxalates that inhibit absorption of other minerals in the supplement through chelation (that’s not to say people should avoid eating spinach, but that improved absorption and bioavailability from a spinach supplement is false) (3). There are also supplements on the market (obviously not designed by nutritionists familiar with the science) that completely disregard well-known absorption problems when dosages of minerals such as calcium are too high, or when mineral competitiveness occurs between iron, calcium, zinc, and copper (3 & 4). A quality supplement will use forms of minerals without absorption-inhibiting anti-nutrients and have an appropriate amount of minerals in each tablet to be taken in divided doses over the course of the day.

Before ever venturing out to choose a multivitamin-mineral, each of the five points presented above should be considered by those looking to achieve the greatest value from their supplements. All things considered, my choice for a great vitamin is the Ageless Essentials Daily Pack, which comes in convenient A.M. and P.M. packets. Over the course of the day, the pack provides optimal dosages of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D3 (2000 IU), calcium (800 mg for men, 900 mg for women), vitamin E as mixed tocopherols and d-alpha tocopheryl succinate (90 IU), and vitamin K2 (80 mcg).

The pack also includes a potent combination of bioactive compounds that support optimal health and longevity. These include patented, lipid-soluble CoQ10 (100 mg) backed by studies showing eight times greater bioavailability, maximum concentrations of ultra-purified DHAand EPA omega-3 fatty acids (600 mg EPA, 440 mg DHA), trans-resveratrol (250 mg), and more.

References

Food and Nutrition Board. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference intakes. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000, pp. 186-283.
Heaney R et al. Vitamin D3 is More Potent Than Vitamin D2 in Humans. J Clin Endocrin & Metab. 2011;96(3):E477 doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-2230
Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2009.
Hoffman H et al. Zinc-induced copper deficiency. Gastroenterology 1988; [94:50]8-12.

Last weekend I went to a great event where the speaker keep saying the over an over again “A master was once a disaster including me”. Most of you have been reading this newsletter for a while, but not sure if you guys know that I too have struggled!

12 years ago, I was 30 pound heavier and barely working out because my 50+ hour a week job and travel schedule didn’t allow much time for anything other than work. No one reading this can identify with that right’ I finally said enough is enough I was done with my work driving my life I started to take back bits of my life it started with working out in the AM so that I would at least do something for myself before the day got away from me. When I was laid off, it was a relief. I told myself that my former life couldn’t ever happen again.

Now fast forward — August 2011
I have been living a healthy lifestyle for many years. I typically workout 5-6 days/week, have a strict bed time, I cook my meals once a week and always have food with me. I have to say to you the I thought I felt great! About 9 months ago, I was introduced to new product line, by my friend and mentor Cathy. I started using these products and let me tell you I now sleep through the night, I wake up feeling refreshed before my alarm goes off (I get up most days at 5:30am) and I now power through my workouts. After using these products I now what feeling great really means.

What’s your story” If you could change anything about your health/wealth in the next 30 days what would it be’ leave me some comments below, I’d love to hear about it.

Six months ago we are all hyped up about the New Year’s resolutions that we made and here we are 5 months later with little to nothing to show for our efforts. Okay maybe you really tried, but when you didn’t see results IMMEDIATELY you gave up!  I believe you’ve got three choices:

• give up
• give in
• give it all you got

Now after reading this you are ready to give it all got! Here’s how to make it happen.

• Eat More Often! Eating more frequently helps keep your blood sugar levels even. It balances your energy. You won’t feel that incredible hunger or struggle with cravings if your body has a consistent supply of nutrition and energy. Starving yourself will only encourage your body to store more fat not less.
• Lift weights! Many of kill yourself with hours of endless cardio. Get off the machines and get into the weight room. I want you to think about weight lifting like this — Cardio is like a gas stove. You turn the pilot on it gets hot IMMEDIATELY you turn off the pilot and it get cool immediately. Now turn on an electric stove, it takes a little bit to heat up but will still glow for quite a bit of time post workout. Think of those 2 stove scenarios as your metabolism. Trust me you may sweat it out on the treadmill, but I want the post workout burn!
• Track your food. When you write down EVERYTHING that you put in your mouth. It holds you accountable. You can look back at your day and see how great things went or learn where your food pitfalls lie. With today’s technology there are ways to track online or track on your smart phone. Now it is important to make sure your 5-6 smaller meals are healthy meals. That means fruits, veggies, lean protein, healthy fats and fiber – not snack cakes or potato chips!

• Want to lose some xtra body fat this summer’ You must BURN more calories than you take it.
• 80/20 Rule — Most folks think to live a healthy lifestyle you must live a life of DEPRIVATION! Not at all I want you to think about healthy living like this. If 80% of your meals are clean then you can enjoy 20% off plan. Now that’s something you can live with!

So what’s it going to be’ Are you ready to take it to the next level” I’m here to help, shoot me an email to get started.

If you ask ten people what the hardest part of losing weight is, nine of them will say shopping for food. When you are dieting and trying to slim down, the most daunting place you can go is your local supermarket. There is just so much food and you can’t get in and out without passing by your favorite sweet treat or deli counter. Shopping for groceries when you are trying to lose weight takes a bit of practice, but once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll be able to sail right past those cookie samples without even a glance.  Here are a few tips to get you in and out without a hitch.

Shop the Perimeters

A good rule of thumb when shopping your local grocery store is to hug the outer lanes of the store to find the healthiest foods. Typically, grocery stores line the perimeter of the store with the produce cases, the dairy case, and the fresh meats and fish.  The inside aisles hold the majority of the prepackaged foods that you want to avoid.  This is generally speaking, of course, but give it a try at your grocery store and see if it works that way for you.

Shop for Color

As you push your cart along the outer walls of the store, look for the bright and vibrant-color foods.  We have learned in our nutrition classes that foods with rich, bright, or dark colors generally have more nutrients than those with a pale color. For instance, strawberries and eggplants have a higher nutrient-density than potatoes or onions. Even though potatoes and onions are perfectly fine and offer nutrition, to get the most bang out of your dieting buck, go for the bright colors. You can apply this to proteins in many instances, as well.  You know a deep red salmon fillet is going to be more nutrient-dense than a salmon fillet that has a light color.

Avoid Sugar by Any Name

You would be surprised at all the places sugar can hide in a grocery store. It is practically around every corner. Since sugar will rob you of your weight loss goals, it is important to turn into a detective in order to avoid it. Just for reference, here is a laundry list of aliases for sugar.

Agave nectar
Barley malt syrup
Brown sugar
Cane sugar
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
Dehydrated cane juice
Dextrin
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate
Glucose
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Maltodextrin
Malt syrup
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses
Powdered sugar
Raw sugar
Rice syrup
Saccharose
Sorghum or sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Syrup
Treacle
Turbinado sugar
Xylose

Of course, not all sugar is created equal.  Raw sugar may be a better choice than refined sugar.  However, when it comes to weight loss, your body isn’t going to know the difference.  It’s going to want to turn that sugar into fat.  Learn your sugars and learn what levels are tolerable for your diet.  Be aware also that most processed foods that are labeled low fat have added sugar to adjust the taste.  Here again, you need to know what is better for you and know your tolerable limits.  Labels are your friend’s get used to reading them.

Whole Grains vs Refined Grains

One of the easiest tips to remember when buying bread, pasta, flour, and any type of baking ingredients is to go for whole grains rather than refined grains. Eating whole grains add much needed fiber and nutrients to your healthy diet.  Fiber helps speed digestion and metabolism both.  Refined grains have all that goodness cleaned right out of them during the refining process.  Eating whole wheat pastas and breads, and baking with whole grain products, will take some getting used to, but you can ease into it by using half refined and half whole grain to get started. It won’t be long before you prefer the firmer texture and nuttier flavor of your favorite muffin recipe made with whole grains.

You don’t have to carry a big list of foods allowed on a special diet along with you to the grocery store.  You just have to shop smarter with these simple rules.  It’s easier to eat healthy when you have simple tricks to use when you’re in the grocery store. If you fill your cart with foods from the perimeters, brightly colored foods, foods without added sugar, and whole grains, you are well on your way to eating a diet that will help you lose weight now and keep it off for a lifetime.

We are just 4 short weeks away from the unofficial start of summer Memorial Day. For some of you that means pulling out the grill and hosting your first BBQ. Personally I grill year round provided it’s not snowing or raining to hard =). I really enjoy the way food tastes on the grill, put it make cleaning up a cinch! Here are 2 of my favorite recipes.

Grilled Steak Tips In Sweet Balsamic Marinade

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound steak tips, trimmed
salt and pepper

In a large glass bowl, whisk together the balsamic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and garlic.

Add the steak tips to the mixture, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 25 minutes at room temperature. Turn the meat in the bowl several times during the marinading process.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat and put on some non-stick spray one the grate or prepare a grilling pan for the steak tips.
Remove steak tips  from the bowl and discard marinade.

Sprinkle both sides of steak tips with salt and pepper, then place steak tips on grill, close lid, and cook for just 3 minutes, flip and cook another 3 minutes or until done to your liking.

Remove steak tips from grill and let the steak tips stand at room temperature for 5 minutes; cover loosely with a foil tent, but do not close tight.

Mango Chutney Turkey Burgers On The Grill

1 medium sweet onion
1 pound ground turkey
4 Tbsp mango chutney, divided
2 cups shredded lettuce

Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.

Cut onion in half, around the equator, and dice half finely and slice 4 thin circles out of the other half.

In a large bowl, put the diced onion in with 1 tablespoon chutney and all the ground turkey; then mix together with your hands and form 4 burgers.

When grill is ready, put round onion slices on and cook 2 or 3 minutes on each side just until charred; remove.

Put burgers on at the same time and grill, flipping once, until meat is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes each side; remove.

I’ve made recipes using wheat rolls as well as whole wheat wraps, both are pretty yummy!

Makes 4 servings.

I’ll be the first person to admit that when I was competing my off season consistency was a bit of a battle.  I would finish doing a show in June and wouldn’t compete again until the following April.  Here’s my dirty little secret.  I didn’t stay consistent.  It took me about 2 seasons of this consistent non-consistent behavior for me to realize that if I was consistent with my off-season nutrition and workouts getting it together for a show wouldn’t be as hard.

For those of you don’t compete. You know what I’m talking about you know you watch what you are eating to get ready for a friend’s wedding or vacation and once that event happens you go back to your old ways and then wonder how you put the weight back on. With consistency, anything is possible. In real estate, it’s about location, location, location.  In fitness, it’s about consistency, consistency consistency.

I know first hand that consistency is tough.  In order to remain consistent, we need to change is our mindset.  Our healthy lifestyle is a CHOICE not a death sentence.  On my program, I encourage you to eat clean at least 80% of the time.  For the 20%, these are the meals that we should savor and enjoy.  It’s when we have those little nibbles, bites or I’ll do it just once’s that eventually catch up with us.  So.. how do you stay consistent’

1. Patience.  Know that consistency will pay off. Many of you want week-by-week changes, sadly our bodies don’t agree.  We need to trust the process and stay the course knowing that your best body is just waiting for it’s unveiling.
2. Taking Consistent Action.  I feel you; I can be one of the biggest procrastinators on the block.  The two things that make me take action with my fitness is making a plan and recipes.  Each week I sit down and schedule my workouts in my calendar.  I treat it like an appointment I can’t break.  Now if something does come up, I go back to my calendar and reschedule the workout, but trust me it must be HUGE for me to give up a workout.  As for my nutrition, I’m a big fan of recipes.  On Saturday mornings while I’m drinking my coffee I pour through the internet to find new clean recipes or recipes that I can make clean.  Trust me I’m no Rachael Ray, but I do what I can. Here is of my favorite sites. All Recipes
3. Setting A Goal. Each month I set a goal.  With each goal, I give myself a reward.  Have you heard of a little place name Lululemon’  That place is my personal fitness reward center.  When I have a goal, I’m like a machine especially with a reward like Lulu!  Here are some examples of goals I set for myself in the past  — By the end of a month I will mix up my cardio. I will get on a new piece of cardio each time I go to the gym.  I will try 3 new starches during this month.  I will limit myself to 2-cheat meals/week – no nibbling.  Make sense’

At the end of the day we all want results.  Want to know the secret to getting results’ Being consistent!  Feeling stuck or stalled” Reach out.  I am running  30 Day Slim Down Challenge to help  jumpstart us all toward summer.

Did you know that humans are the only living things on earth that can stunt their own growth potential’  Think about a tree just grows as tall as it can it doesn’t care that it’s ripping up the sidewalk or getting into septic system it just grows!  Not us humans!  Our minds have a way of limiting are beliefs in what we will be able to accomplish.  If a human were that tree we’d think we couldn’t possible grow big enough to rip up a sidewalk and it would be so bad if we ruptured someone’s septic tank.  We are AWESOME at getting in our own way.
Do you what really gets in way is that it’s truly easy not to change.  It’s so much easier to sit on the couch and lament about the things you don’t have or you should have gone to the gym or should have cooked dinner instead of ordering of pizza.  Let’s face it, we’re lazy!  I’m not throwing any stones I’m guilty of it too.  There are plenty of things I procrastinate over, I’m quite awesome it.  So to keep me in check, I have two Jim Rohn quotes that I keep in front of me “What’s easy to do is also easy not to do” “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”  This is what I look at when I’m feeling lazy.  We all do it we have every excuse in the book.  I had a bad day, I’m tried, there was really bad traffic and so and so.  There is commercial that I love, can’t tell you what they are selling but husband and wife are calling each other every day with a different excuse for why they didn’t make it to gym.  They end the commercial with the guy saying I didn’t make because I miss the cat.  Do you have those kinds of excuses’  Be honest raise your hand!  My hand is raised.
So.. what’s holding you back from achieving your overall wellness goal’  Are you suffering from being lazy as not trying to figure out away around it’  I get it, we’re all busy!!!  But I ask your right not to get real with yourself stare at yourself in the mirror and ask what’s really keeping me from my wellness goal.  STOP RIGHT NOW AND WRITE IT DOWN.
I’m Being Lazy About  — want to make it public –leave me a comment below

Last week I talked about how to change your perspective to get fit. This week I give you the rest of the tips — you are either moving forward toward your goals, treadmilling — plugging away but going now where or standing still. My hop is that these goals will help propel you forward into taking action.

1. GET A SUPPORT SYSTEM. Find someone or many someones who could help hold you accountable and I’m talking someone who isn’t afraid to call you on your stuff — I’d like you to insert your own expletive. You don’t have someone like that in your life — reach out to me — I don’t take excuses.
2. COMMIT TO VARIETY. I hear it all the time; I can eat the same thing over and over again. Whelp – no you can’t!! Your body gets use to everything. We need to keep your body guessing – that means food, cardio and lifting!!! Here are some quick tips:
   *Food – make 2 menus and rotate between them. Learn to introduce 1 new food item/month. Also, learn that nuts and nut butters are great, but not an every day source of good fat.
   *Cardio  — each time you go to the gym – try a different piece of cardio and try a different program for cardio – one day you do the fat burner, the next hill interval, the next manual and make up your own kick ass interval. Are you picking up what I’m putting down’
   * Lifting – each month vary yours workout to keep your body guessing some months its about endurance, some months its about strength – make your workout about muscle confusion that’s how you are going to stimulate change. Over training doesn’t make results come faster – it leads to injury and NO RESULTS!
3. BE OPEN TO THE PROCESS. This is a process; each of you is an individual.  Your body will do what it wants to do. If you are client of mine, I have years of experience and have seen hundreds of bodies. Just trust – I know you go to the gym, go on Facebook or other forums and hear that people are doing this that and everything else. I ask that if you are working with me you trust; I know what we I’m doing. I can help you reach your goal!
4. BE A PROBLEM SOLVER.  Obstacles are going to appear. I don’t want them to get you down. When obstacles appear – you are going to look at it and say to yourself – what can I do to – go over it, under it, around it, over it or punch a hole right though it. You can also reach out to your coach so we can brainstorm ideas.
5. WHAT’S YOUR INTENTION! Decide what is your bull’s-eye – what is your ultimate goal and set your mind on achieving it!  You need to from this point forward commit to be better than you were yesterday. Think of the book The Little Engine That Could. He keeps plugging along and eventually makes it up that hill. The worse thing you could do is – QUIT!  Remember the easy to do is the hardest to do!

I hope has helped you put your fitness commitments into prospective. I’m hear to help. If you need any assistance, just shoot me an email. If you think what I’m saying is completely crazy!!! Leave me a comment below.