Do You Feel Like You Are Fighting An Impossible Battle?

Trying to lose weight can be an extremely frustrating endeavor.  For many people, it has become, at least in their mind, an “impossible battle”.  They lose 5 pounds, then gain 6. Lose 15 pounds, then gain 12 of it back.  They yo-yo back and forth.

Challenges are everywhere.  People at work bring in donuts, cookies and other snacks.  We are constantly in a hurry, so we grab whatever is quick and convenient to eat or hit the nearest fast food drive-through.

We plan on exercising, but things come up.  Family members or friends need us.  Something at work needs to be taken care of.

So how can you win this battle?  What will give you the best possible chance of success?

Create a team to help you succeed!

As humans, we are much stronger in a group focused on a common goal.  Surround yourself with people who are working towards a similar goal as you are and people with the knowledge and experience to point you on the right path.

Start a group with co-workers, friends or family members and meet a couple of times each week to do something active and discuss your progress and goals.  Keep each other accountable.  Share your challenges and your victories.

If you need to, check out our programs at Custom Fit.  We provide a nutritional counselor, a private fitness coach, and a fantastic team of fitness professionals to support you.

If you have questions about how to structure a fitness or weight loss program, or challenges you are having, Custom Fit’s Lead Trainer Eric Patterson and I will be hosting a Q&A Session at Cafe 111 Wed. May 5th at 6pm.  Seating is limited so RSVP by calling 812.437.2378 or via email to tmaslan@cfpt.us

Remember, don’t try to fight this battle all alone!  There is strength in numbers! Give yourself the best chance for long-term fitness and weight loss success!

Evansville Personal Trainer says “Take a Hike!”

The weather is getting nicer! Take advantage of it. You don’t have to go to the gym to do something active and move towards your fitness goals. Here is a little video I made last week:

Are you training or trying?

I have the opportunity to work and share information with a lot of top level fitness professionals and studio owners around the country. One of them, Paul Wright, shared this thought recently.

“Are you training or trying?”

This is a great question, and when you really dig into it, it explains a lot. Throughout my 15+ years in the fitness industry and the thousands of people I have had the opportunity to work with, this concept explains exactly what separates those who make amazing changes with their programs, and those who get better, but never quite achieve what they are capable of.

Here are a few things that I hear too frequently:

“I will try to do my food journal and follow my meal plan.”

“I will try to get some cardio in on the days I’m not with my trainer.”

“I will try not to eat too much this weekend.”

“I will try to cut back on soft drinks / alcohol / junk food etc.”

The people I have worked with who have made amazing changes to their health and fitness approach things a little bit differently.

They don’t “try” to do their food journal, they do their food journal. They follow their meal plan.

They don’t “try” to get their cardio in, they do their cardio workouts.

They don’t “try” to not to eat too much, they don’t overeat.

They don’t “try” to cut back, they cut back.

And because of this, they don’t “try” to reach their fitness and weight loss goals, THEY REACH THEIR GOALS!!!

Many times they achieve results they never thought were possible, faster than they would have ever imagined!

Paul explained it this way, “When you’re “training” to accomplish your goals you are focused, systematic, analytical and eliminate “chance” from the equation. You have to be purposeful in your actions and then evaluate the outcome of those actions. If you’re merely “trying” to reach your goals then you’ve allowed chance to be your guide and you’re haphazardly going from one diet to the next or you’re sporadic and unfocused in your exercise routine.”

Being successful at anything is hard work., but if you are willing to do the right things consistently, over a period of time, that hard work becomes more and more manageable. Things start to click and you pick up momentum.

So, how can you go from “trying” to “training”?

Here are a few tips that will help you out.

1. You have to GET FOCUSED! Set your goal, write it down somewhere you will see it frequently. Set “work ethic goals”. These are things you are willing to do in order to achieve your goal. Write down your work ethic goals.
2. BE STRUCTURED Have a plan for what you are going to do. Don’t just go into the gym and decide what you are going to do as you go along. Have a plan in place. Have a meal plan in place. Don’t wait until lunch time to try to figure out what you are going to have to eat that day.
3. MAKE APPOINTMENTS This doesn’t have to be with a trainer, but have an appointment. Know when you wake up in the morning that at 5pm when you get off work you are going for a 30 minute walk. If your workouts are scheduled, they will happen. You don’t have to worry about “trying” to get them in.
4. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF You know whether or not you have been following your plan. Nobody knows you like you do, so you know exactly what behaviors are holding you back and keeping you from reaching your goals. Once you can admit your weaknesses, you can take steps to improving and eliminating them.
5. GET CONNECTED AND INSPIRED Surround yourself with people who are working towards a common goal and with people who have already accomplished what you are hoping to. Learn from them. Support and encourage each other. Whether you get that motivation from working individually with a fitness professional who has proven success helping people like you reach their goals, or you attend group workouts such as Boot Camp class and build off the energy of the group, having support reaching your goal is essential. You don’t have to go through the frustration of trying to figure out everything on your own.
6. HAVE FUN!!! It can be stressful trying to lose weight and improve your fitness levels, but it can also be a lot of fun. If you have the right plan in place, and you are following the plan, the results you see and the changes you feel will make the whole journey a lot more fun.

I hope this helps. If you have specific questions on how to best take yourself from “trying” to “training”, feel free to contact me at tmaslan@cfpt.us or by calling 812-437-2378. Make the change today! It is definitely worth it!

Five Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

“Metabolism” is the name of the bodily system that converts food calories to energy needed to perform various tasks, like pumping oxygen to muscles during a long walk. Many variables contribute to your metabolism, including heredity, gender and age. But you can quicken yours; here’s how.

Exercise more. When you walk, run, or lift weights, you increase the energy required of your body, which raises your metabolism then, and for hours afterward.

“It’s not a huge spike, but it makes a difference,” says Gary Miller, PhD, associate professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Read more