Working In, Working out!

We are moving from exercise obsession to mental and physical healing concepts, from knowing to doing and from hurting to nurturing our bodies. Fitness is becoming more than a cosmetic approach. It is taken seriously as a healing therapy rather. After training week in and week out for over twenty years, I can honestly tell you that I have about seen it all. I have seen exercise and diets fads come and go. I've seen fitness leaders come and go. But you know what, the passion is still there! I' am absolutely devoted to working out. What keeps the "flame" burning? It's different for each of us, but for me it's a number of things.

I like my mind to feel good. When I feel good on the inside it makes me feel good about my body and accept it the way it is. I realize that true happiness is something we all have to find inside ourselves, in a simple, fundamental way, the way that a baby's smile makes you feel good. The simple fact that my mind and body are in perfect harmony is a reward in itself.

I also like the fact that training makes me stronger and more energetic. I like to know that I can take care of myself and therefore take care of my family. Physical and mental strength is important to me because as a father, one of my jobs is to provide for and protect my family. I can't do that if I'm weak, or worse, not alive. I train to increase my strength, so I can stand and move all day teaching what I love most; fitness. Most and foremost so I can hold and play with my kids before leaving the house on my way to work and honestly look into their eyes and say "I will do my best today!"

I train for energy. I give a lot to others. I put a lot of energy into increasing the well being of my family, my employees, my friends, and my students, my guests. I am on a mission as fitness professional to make this world a better place to live in than when I arrived here. And I know that in order to take care of others, I must first take care of myself.

Why do YOU work in? Why do YOU work out? The answer is simple, to be strong in body, in mind and in spirit. Make an appointment with yourself; schedule it in your calendar. If you are like me, counting your blessings and taking a moment to appreciate the things you take for granted goes a long way. You'll be a better person for it.

Today you were granted a new lease on your life "be" grateful for everything you have, and everything you ever wished to have will come. Your must enjoy the ride; it is everything you choose to make it!

Remembering Michael Jackson

I wanted to ask all of you to join me in sending thoughts of love to Michael Jackson's family. I grew up listening to Michael's songs and I am sure a lot of you also did. Remembering him for his music and his genius is the least he and his family deserve. Michael was able to make us feel something a few others could, he was loved but yet he did not know it, he was troubled and yet did he was an amazing performer; all he wanted was to be loved. I had the opportunity to assist his mother Mrs. Katherine Jackson and his sister Ms. Janet Jackson with their fitness needs at Miraval a few years ago and they treated me with nothing but respect and kindness. They are great people. God bless his soul and his family. And remember if you don’t have LOVE you have nothing!

Stop Thinking and Start Appreciating

If you are like me, you have great days and not so great days. I have bad hair days and great hair days. I can be grumpy and I can be cuddly. It all depends on the way I chose to think, feel and act, first thing in the morning.

One day, while I was having a grumpy day and was not looking forward to my heavy daily schedule, my little two-year-old, Isabella, came into the bathroom and wanted me to hold her as I was trying to shave. I can't tell you that I did what she wanted - instead I ignored her by saying "not now baby, I am busy!” sounds familiar to you? Are you also guilty of doing this?

Of course Isabella, as any innocent creature would react, sat down and started crying. I felt so horrible! I stopped shaving and with the shaving cream still on my face, I picked her up. While holding Isabella in my arms and while she was rubbing the shaving cream all over my face, I had an urging sensation to look into her eyes! There deep into those beautiful and innocent eyes, I saw something I never thought I'd see in my entire life. I saw MYSELF - but not an image of myself, I saw my soul!

I immediately felt a sensation of peace. My entire being was affected with a feeling of being able to let go and I become totally relaxed. That day I understood that no matter how bad your day or life may be unfolding, the illusion of your perception can be eradicated by a simple stare into the eyes of a loved one, a person or a pet or even your own self.

Our heart is what tells us the truth; it is the messenger of our soul. Our loved ones are often the ones that suffer the consequences of our own doing, so STOP thinking and start APPRECIATING. You are probably thinking “what does this has to with fitness?” Well, everything!!!! If you are not fit within, you are not fit without!

What's Up With That?

I was walking out of the health club after a great workout, feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. While walking towards my car, I noticed two ladies headed for the entrance and while walking they each lighted up a cigarette; they were wearing gym clothes and were going to workout. You are probably thinking that this does not make much sense, trying to get in shape but at the same time, killing yourself. This is not a strange thing to me. I have seen it so many times, especially in Europe.

You see those ladies are thinking that they are trying to be healthier by going to the gym, they read somewhere that it's a good thing to exercise, or someone told them they needed to or maybe their doctor prescribed it. But did anyone explain to them that in order to get in shape and be healthy they actually need to do something about their belief system, about their current lifestyle, their current environment and so on? Have you heard of the gentleman who after getting a triple bypass surgery started to smoke immediately after getting discharged from the hospital? Or the lady who wanted to lose weight but had a burger and fries after each session with her personal trainer?

Well it’s nothing out of the ordinary to me; I have been coaching thousands of clients for over twenty years and the answer to behavioral change resides somewhere else than any data you have been given. It resides within your heart and if you really want to change you must learn to listen to it. No fitness program, not diet book, no exercise video will work if you refuse to check-in with your heart. Behind a desire lies a goal, behind that goal lies a purpose, behind that purpose you’ll find the reason for LIFE itself!

A Few Weeks of Change Equals a New You

Are you interested in exercising and eating a healthy diet but you simply don't know how to get started? If this sound like you and you are truly interested in a healthy lifestyle then you can make the change. All you have to do is conscientiously focus on making these changes and in just a few weeks time they will become habit. This sounds impossible, but it it's true. When you begin a new habit of eating healthy and exercising for at least for 4-6 weeks then this new lifestyle will become your new habit.

Getting Started

It's not easy to change your lifestyle. In fact, it will require some effort on your part to get started. But, once you are on the road to a healthy lifestyle you will find that it's much easier to maintain your new habits than maintain an old one that does not serve you.

The way to get started is to write down your plan. It's good to map out your first four to six weeks so that you don't have to think about what to do but rather know what must be done because you have a guide to follow. This includes mapping out meals and exercise routines. So, when you wake up in the morning you know what you are going to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and at what time of the day you need to work out, what exercises to do, and for how long. When you take all of the thinking out of your day you will be able to follow your guide and begin changing your lifestyle. There is a saying that says, "luck is when preparation meets opportunity." This saying can certainly apply in behavioral changes.

Maintaining

After four to six weeks following a scheduled plan you should know by heart the foods you can eat and enjoy as well as how much exercise you need to engage in and for how long. You don't need guides anymore because you have new habits. But, what you don't have is reinforcement. It is easy to slip up so what you need to do is focus on making healthy choices and maintaining your new lifestyle. If you make a mistake and don't work out today then make it up tomorrow. If you slip up and eat three cookies today then forgive yourself and move on. Don't say that the entire day is ruined and then eat French fries, candy, and drink cola all day since it has become a "free" day. One mistake can be forgiven and won't affect your weight or your fitness levels. But, if you allow every mistake to turn the day into a "free" day you will soon find you are not getting anywhere fast. A bad habit always starts with one single false step.

Look Back

Once you find yourself doing well on the new lifestyle you will probably cruise along fairly well. But, it is always nice to look back and reinforce your good eating and exercise habits. When you do this you are basically charging your batteries and helping you keep yourself committed to your new lifestyle.

Balanced Diet, Better Image

We have all been on a diet before and many of us have been off and on diets for quite some time, in fact people start a diet knowing they will go off it. However, many chose to change their eating habits alone and with no toning exercise involved. What happen in that case? The answer is a whole lot of shaky skin, flabby muscles, and cellulite that really does not reflect all the hard work that was put into losing weight in the first place.

Everyone knows the commitment one has to make to losing weight. So, while you are making a lifestyle change with your diet you might as well include an effective strength training program as well.

Working Out

Working out is important when you start new and balanced eating habit because as you lose weight you will want to improve your appearance with tighter skin and stronger muscles. This will make you look and feel much better because not only you will be thinner, but also more toned. The benefit of starting an exercise program as you begin your new lifestyle of healthy eating is that can tone as you lose. This will keep you motivated since your weight loss will appear even more dramatic because you will have a toned body.

Another benefit of working out as you begin your new lifestyle is that you can lose weight faster. This is because as you build muscle, you will burn more energy and therefore speed-up your metabolism. This results in more weight loss over the long term. Many people are confused about muscle because it weighs more than fat and therefore making their weight go up or stay the same. THE actual number on the scale is not important. Fitting in new clothes and feeling better will give you a more accurate idea about your fat loss.

Body Image: Lose FAT Not Muscles

Your overall body image, or the way you feel about yourself, will improve dramatically as you firm up and tone up. Certainly, if you have lost 20 pounds you will feel pretty good about yourself. But, how do you feel about yourself when you see your body in the mirror? Maybe not as good as you had hoped. That's because your skin is loose, your muscles aren't toned, and you don't have the body you had dreamed of even if you achieved the weight you wanted. Working out and toning up is the only way to achieve that smooth skin and tight muscles you dream of.

Many people diet and then find out that they still have not achieved their goal image even upon losing the weight and then are discouraged when they have to start an exercise program. Avoid this situation all together and include a healthy diet and workout plan in your new lifestyle. You will lose weight and tone up simultaneously giving you the body you had hoped for. And remember that losing weight does not necessarily means losing fat. Unavoidably, dieting without exercising can lead to muscle loss and decreased overall metabolism, making it worst for you to look and feel better.

5 Tips to Make Your Next Diet Succeed

Have you been dieting as long as you can remember but you can't remember a time when you were actually successful? Obviously, none of the diets have worked long term so you are probably looking for something that will also allow you to maintain the results over time so this diet will be your last. There are some really simple things that you can do to make your next diet a long-lasting healthy living nutritional plan rather.

Stop Dieting and Start Changing Your Lifestyle

The best thing you can do is to stop thinking about dieting as a temporary state and start thinking about how you can change your entire lifestyle. When you change your lifestyle so that it represents the sort of life that you want to lead and therefore how you will look and feel, you will be much more successful in losing weight and keeping it off. For instance, if you would like to lose weight by simply stopping to eat candy bars, your diet may not last long. If you change your lifestyle so that you don't have access to candy bars and you replace your desire for them with something else you will likely be much more successful.

Envision Change

Set goals for yourself and when you do this envision the changes not only in your body but in your mind. The mind really is your most powerful tool, so use it to your advantage. When you think about your life, think about all of the healthy and helpful things that you will be doing and also think about how you will be changing your body. I often says, "If you can see it in the screen of your mind, you can have it in the palm of your hand," and this couldn't be more true.

Be Realistic

When setting your goals make sure they are something that you can actually visualize. For instance, if you have been heavy all your life and you are five foot four inches tall envisioning yourself as Heidi Klum isn't going to help you. When you set your goals and you envision changes in your life you need to make sure that you are being realistic.

Appreciation Goes a Long Way

It's easy to get down on ourselves with our hectic lives. When you are trying to lose weight you will find that it is beneficial to stay positive. Appreciate the things that you do like about your body, even if it's that you have great hair and everyone compliments your eyes. When you learn to appreciate the positives you are therefore a more positive person and this will translate into energy that you have to give to your new lifestyle and those around you.

Nurture Your Body

Make sure you are eating foods that will give you energy to be the positive and upbeat person that you want to be. Also, pamper yourself in small ways. When you nurture your body you'll instantly feel better about yourself and you'll want to continue to meet your goals.

Ward-off Stress with the Mind–Body Connection

It is no surprise to see that Americans are now turning to fast food for their daily meals. As the recession persists, more and more are relying on junk food because it is cheaper and comforting. Stress has taken a toll on most of us. Being aware of the devastating effects of uncontrolled stress is therefore a vital necessity.

Stress can be positive or negative. However, too much of any stress can seriously affect mental and physical well-being. We know that there is definitely a mind-body connection. It has been estimated that over 80% of all diseases are now somehow stress related. To achieve total wellness we must address all aspects of our lives and strive for balance.

To deal with stress, first identify what is it that stresses you out. Is it a home, at work, with people, with family? Next, pinpoint your reaction to the stress. Physical responses like high blood pressure, insomnia, stomach disorders, ulcers, headaches, migraines and muscular tension can result. Withdrawing, depression and other emotional responses are also common. The next step is to remove or reduce the stress if possible. Sometimes the solution is as simple as summoning the courage to talk to someone about the problems or changes you are going through and developing a compromise.

Research has focused on “Stress Vulnerability”. Two people may have the same stressors but one gets sick and one stays well. Why is this? By eating right, exercising, minimizing use of alcohol, tobacco, and unnecessary drugs, becoming organized, and surrounding ourselves with positive and supportive friends and family we make our bodies less vulnerable to the effects of the stress. It also seems to make a difference if we take control of situations in our lives and make commitments instead of feeling helpless and hopeless or denying that problems exist.

It is impossible to get rid of all your stressors. Life would be very boring and not much of a challenge. Therefore, the final step is to learn to control the stress response to minimize mental and physical reactions to everyday problems. This is where mental and physical exercise and a good nutrition can help tremendously.

You can find all the tools you need to remove stress from your life in my book Mind Over Body.