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May 2010 L Magazine Column – 10 Fitness Commandments Part 2

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Thursday, May 13th, 2010

This is part 2 of the 10 Fitness Commandments that appeared in L Magazine – in case you missed part 1 click here.

Last month we went over my first 5 Fitness Commandments and luckily I didn’t offend anyone by comparing myself to Moses.

I have five more Commandments for you, so enough of the hubbub, let’s roll.

6. Thou shalt not chase shiny things.

The world of fitness is full of “shiny things.”

The latest fad diet isn’t that different than the last best seller and the latest fad workout program won’t be around long.

It’s not sexy, but you need to stick with sound and proven principles that work.

7. Thou shalt not have a punishment mentality.

Avoid Punishment...

Have you ever eaten too much on the weekend only to wind up kicking yourself and thinking, “I’ll never do that again.”

Or maybe your thoughts fit more along the lines of “I have to do an extra 90 minutes of cardio today to work off that dessert from last night.”

Stop it.

That line of thinking will not accomplish anything except leave you feeling guilty for enjoying life. It’s okay to splurge as long as it’s in moderation.

However, if you have those thoughts on a regular basis, you need to step back and look at your life and figure out if you’re truly committed to making positive changes. Chances are high that if you’re having those thoughts week after week, you’re not serious about making a change.

8. Thou shalt eat real food.

I find it sad that I have to include this, but we have become a “processed society.” We rely on processed foods, processed drinks and become processed people.

You’d be amazed how much better you feel, how much more energy you have and how quickly weight comes off if you ate REAL food and got rid of the pseudo-foods.

9. Thou shalt set a good example for thine children.

We try to set a good example for Maren

Show your kids how important eating healthy is by eating healthy.

Show them how important being active is by getting off your butt and moving.

You can’t tell your kids they need to stop playing video games and be active if all they see you doing is sitting on the couch all night watching television.

If you love your kids and don’t want to see them struggle with unnecessary illness or weight issues, set a good example for them while they’re young. You’ll be amazed at the result.

10. Thou shalt relax.

As a society we tend to get ourselves wound up just a wee bit too tight.

We stress too easily at the smallest things and that affects your health, lifestyle and weight.

We all need to chill out a bit more, so you now have my permission to take a siesta.

If you’d like a bit more information on chillin’ check out the latest Fit Mom’s Corner…

There you have it, there are my “Moses style” 10 commandments.

If you have any other commandments you’d like to add, let me know. Maybe we can add a third stone tablet to the mix.

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April “L Magazine” Column

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Friday, March 26th, 2010

One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Ten Commandments.” Seeing Charlton Heston play Moses is a very moving experience.

My homeboy Moses

I’m lying.

I’ve never seen the movie and come to think of it, I haven’t seen a Heston film. The most I know about it is that it’s looooong.

The reason I mention the movie is because I’ve come up with a list of my own Ten Commandments.

I hiked my butt up my very own Mt. Sinai (the second floor of my house), and came down with these Fitness Commandments to share with you.

1. Thou shalt add good stuff, while subtracting bad stuff.

This one is easy. We eat poorly and don’t exercise enough. Add more good stuff and subtract the bad stuff.

It really is that simple.

2. Thou shalt keep it in and tight.

I’m referring to your stomach. Your stomach muscles are weak and it shows in the way you sit, stand and move. Always be mindful of your stomach muscles.

I’m not asking you to suck your gut in like someone is taking a picture of you in your bathing suit, rather think of it as keeping your posture in check. Sit or stand up straight and pull or “brace” your stomach.

Keeping it "In and Tight" will help you strengthen and flatten your stomach

You also need to do Planks more often – any of the variations…just do them.

3. Thou shalt not partake in magic pills or potions.

Moses threw a hissy fit when he came down the mountain and saw people worshipping a golden calf.

I throw a hissy fit whenever someone tells me they’re taking a diet pill, or other “wonder supplement” that comes from the farthest reaches of the earth.

Supplements have their value – I take them every day – but any pill whose marketing tells you it’s the easiest way to lose weight is lying. To learn more about the supplements I take, click here.

At best, it’s an expensive diuretic and leaves you with less money.

Deep down you know the truth, so listen to your gut and don’t do it.

4. Thou shalt sleep.

Sleep is probably the most underrated aspect of health (and weight loss). You NEED to sleep more. Your body does some pretty amazing things while you’re sleeping, and the less you get, the more you screw it up.

Besides, the Late Late Show isn’t that great and you’ve already seen all the Seinfeld reruns.

5. Thou shalt move…often.

As a society, we sit way too much. We sit in our car. We sit at a desk. We sit on the couch. We sit at a table. Sit, sit, sit.

Get off your butt and move around once an hour, preferably every 30 minutes. Stretch, go for a quick walk, do some push-ups and squats…just do something.

Just like Moses had 2 tablets, I have to cover the remaining Commandments in next month’s issue, so stay tuned lest I go in a Moses-style rage and break the second tablet.

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March 2010 L Magazine Article

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Friday, March 12th, 2010

I have fitness articles published monthly in L Magazine

For the past couple of years I’ve had the privilege of being a columnist for L Magazine. I love writing that article every month and I’m very pleased that the good folks down at the Journal Star continue letting me do it.

In case you missed it, here’s my article from the March, 2010 issue…

Everybody Needs Rules!

One bad meal, one bad snack, one bad weekend – even one bad week – doesn’t ruin anything…so never give up.

I want you to keep that last sentence fresh in your mind the next time you find yourself mentally beating yourself up for eating poorly or skipping a workout…one minor set-back doesn’t matter.

Making those mistakes still stings a bit and I’m sure you’d like to stop making those mistakes.

Lucky for you, I’ve got a list of “sneaky tricks” that I fall back on whenever I find myself in a situation where I know I’ll mess up – parties, date night, family gatherings, etc.

If I know there’s a very good chance of my screwing up, I’ll dip into my bag of sneaky tricks and they help me from having the worthless feelings of guilt.

Remember last month we talked about sabotage, well these are more ways to keep you from sabotaging yourself.

1. Eat a fiber-rich snack before a meal or going to a social event, along with a glass of water.

This trick is all about getting something filling in your stomach before your eyes and stomach do the thinking and you gorge on spinach dip.

If you eat something high in fiber before leaving the house, the fiber will fill you up a bit and mute your hunger alarm.

2. Always have a “go to” food when you crave something bad, or for those times when you will turn to food for comfort.

Think he has some diet tips for you?

This has to be a food(s) that is very simple, and healthy, and you will always have in your house.

For me, it’s pineapple and almonds – although not necessarily at the same time.

Those two foods are my crutch whenever I’m stressed and feel like eating something nasty.

More often than not, the craving is gone within a few short minutes of eating those foods.

3. Learn to say NO! Not so much a “trick” as it is a mentality, but it fits.

For some reason we have this mentality that if someone offers us dessert, we have to have it.

You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, so don’t let someone guilt you into eating their junk.

Saying “no” doesn’t mean you’re a jerk, so don’t allow yourself to feel that way. Learn to politely decline and your body will be much happier.

4. Have a couple rules you always stick to.

This one might sound a bit weird, but it does help.

For example, I don’t eat past a certain time. Not because it’s magical, it’s because I understand my behavior and the type of food I normally eat at night. But this is a rule I have and don’t break it. I also have to start my day off with a homemade smoothie. That’s a rule and I stick to it.

What rules can you come up with? It doesn’t have to be something big, just a couple little things you know won’t be a problem, no matter the situation.

If you have anything special you’d like to share with everyone leave a comment below.

Have an awesome day!

Categories : Local Flair

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February 2010 L Magazine Article

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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

I have fitness articles published monthly in L Magazine

I don’t know whether you receive “L Magazine” with your paper, or open it up to see my pretty face (with short hair) and read my articles but if you don’t, here’s my article from February.

The Saboteurs…

I love a good spy novel. They shoot my heart rate through the roof, which usually means I stay up way past my bedtime.

The great books from that genre involve more or less the same thing – good guy must stop bad guy(s) before something very bad happens, BUT…

…There’s always a twist and it usually involves sabotage.

We’re not so different from those storylines, especially when it comes to sabotage when trying to accomplish something great.

Don’t believe me?

I love the Bourne novels

Think about the last time you’ve tried to make better choices with your diet and exercise and then think about some of the reasons you’ve failed.

More often than not you have either sabotaged yourself or let someone else sabotage you and the worst part is you may not even realize it.

Where’s Jason Bourne when you need him?!

The sabotage stops here and now and I’m going to help you by giving you a few of the most common saboteurs.

The most obvious saboteur is the social event. When you’re at a party, the host usually does everything in their power to help you enjoy yourself and all too often that means drinks and lots of food.

If you are trying to avoid the fatness, you won’t have a plate in one hand and a drink in the other and the problem is the host and/or other party-goers will take that to mean you’re not having a good time and will pressure you into eating and drinking.

They think they’re helping you, when in actuality they’re sabotaging all your hard work.

The best action is to have a response already prepared and I’ll even let you lie if necessary.

Tell them the food was wonderful and you just put your plate down or that you have plans after the party and you don’t want to ruin your appetite.

Or if you really want to make some enemies, tell them you’re trying to lose weight and not be so fat…like them! I don’t recommend that course of action if you fear the person or value your nose, lest they punch you.

One of my favorite saboteurs is the attempt to be perfect. Being perfect with your workouts and diet won’t happen. Never has and never will, so stop trying.

Plus everyone around you will hate you and that’s no fun.

My all-time favorite saboteur is the spouse who either knowingly or unknowingly sabotages all your hard work.

Sometimes when you set out to better yourself, your spouse isn’t on board or may think your route is silly. Hopefully this only leads to a lack of support (which is pretty crappy in itself) but it can lead to that person making it nearly impossible for you to succeed.

I’ve known husbands who make it extremely difficult for their wives to come to boot camp.

I’ve known wives who stock the cupboards and refrigerator with their husband’s favorite junk foods – the foods he’s trying to avoid.

It’s pretty sad, but all you need to do to fix it is sit down and have a conversation about why your goals are important and ask for their support. If they love you, they’ll give it.

Don’t let yourself become the prey of those common saboteurs. Prepare yourself and you will succeed and maybe take out some bad guys along the way.

Have an awesome day!

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January 2010 L Magazine Article

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Monday, January 25th, 2010

Here’s the article I ran in the January 2010 issue of L Magazine…

What’s the old saying? Rules are made to be broken? I like that wise old adage. In fact, I can remember breaking many a rule many years ago (and I’m sure you can too!).

Weight loss has some “rules” as well. I don’t like some of these rules and I’m sure you don’t either so let’s break a few. Scratch that, let’s smash these rules into teeny tiny bits so they’re never allowed to return and mess with your head.

By the way this list is for ladies only. Sorry fellas.

The first rule to be smashed is that you need to weigh yourself…ever.

I hate scales. All they do is make you depressed. Some days it doesn’t budge, others it moves down a couple pounds and still others it jumps a couple pounds.

But the reason I included this rule is because it really misses the mark in determining whether or not you’re succeeding with your program.

What do you really want? For instance, if I told you your waist would shrink by 4 inches but the scale wouldn’t budge would you care?

Absolutely not! All you care about is what you look like, and more specifically what you look like naked while standing in front of a full-length mirror.

The second rule that should be smashed to smithereens is cardio is the best way to lose weight and get in shape.

It’s not.

The way most ladies do cardio takes too long and is incredibly boring plus your body gets used to it quickly and stops making progress.

If burning calories is the way you mark a good workout, you should know that you can burn just as many calories with a good resistance training workout as you can with cardio. If it’s an awesome resistance training workout, you’ll burn a ton of calories during the workout AND for hours after you’ve completed the workout.

The catch is that you have to have the right program and you have to work the workout. You can’t go through the motions and expect to see results.

Please don’t misunderstand. Cardio can work and if you’d like to run for over an hour a day, be my guest. But I’d rather give you a way to burn just as much, if not more fat in a fraction of the time and save your joints in the process.

The final rule to smash is resting. I’m not a big fan of resting if your goal is weight loss.

This rule has always seemed a bit silly to me. Do an exercise, then rest. Do it again, then rest, etc.

Boring!

Let’s say I give you 3 exercises – Push-ups, Lunges and Burpees. Do them one after the other for 5-7 minutes. Then pick another group of 3 “big” exercises and repeat.

You’ve worked your entire body, you’re sweating and breathing heavy (just like cardio) and you’ll feel awesome.

It’s not as boring and you’ll be done much quicker.

See, it’s okay to break some rules of weight loss. As a matter of fact, I highly encourage it!

If you have any questions or comments, let me know!

Talk to you soon,

Categories : Boot Camp, Local Flair

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