It's Not That Complicated

More Than Just A Lifestyle Change

As I work with individuals looking to regain health or maybe go to a new level of fitness, the conversation often goes to "lifestyle changes".

I am a big believer in changing lifestyles for lifetime maintenance of health and vitality.  As Zig Ziglar says... "You wouldn't keep a million dollar race horse out all night, drinking and smoking!"  Its critical to long term success to look at life in a different way, find the things you enjoy because those are the things you'll do consistenly that will keep you healthy and quite frankly to place a higher value on your personal health annd well-being.  If you can manage to make these mental changes, you will have success in changing your life and setting up a life of great health.

However... all that being said, there comes a time when if you want to get results (make changes), you are going to have to put in some good old-fashioned supreme effort!  While it is true that once you reach your desired level of fitness and weight you can maintain it doing things you enjoy including anything from bike riding to walking to gardening and even housework, when it comes to getting to your desired goal you are going to have to put in some work... OK... a lot of work.

You don't drop 20,40,60,100 lbs or even more over the course of a year by simply going out and mowing the lawn every other week.

You may hate walking or jogging or running or riding an exercise bike or lifting weights, but if you want to drop the weight and get back into a state of excellent health... well quite frankly you can't avoid them.  And, although you may be able to maintain your health with  a 3 mile run three times a week at a leisurely pace, that's not going to cut the mustard while you are dropping the weight initially.

I'm sorry if I'm the first one to say this to you but... you didn't gain the extra weight overnight and totally by accident.  You didn't just wake up one morning and find you were overweight.  I did not simply go to  my closet one day and find that the only pants I had to wear that I could fit into were size 42!  And quite frankly, I did not just wake up yesterday and suddenly realize I could wear size 32 jeans.

On the contrary, over the last year I  have worked my butt off! (literally)  I have logged thousands of miles both walking and running.  I have done more crunches in the last year than I had done in the previous 45 years of my life.  I've donne more pushups and curls and presses in this last year than in any other year off my life including those years when I was bodybuilding in my late teens and early twenties.

I have weeks when I am in a constant state of soreness.  I have ignored pain that in the past would have had me avoiding workouts for days or even weeks.  And most importantly, this time around, I have done it all for me.

As I was out on a run today, I caught myself doing what most of us do at some point... comparing myself to the other runners I saw on the street.  I know I'm not the only person who does this.  For me it usually happens when I'm on a long run and someone goes whizzing past me.  Now quite honestly, I really don't need to compare myself to anyone else and quite frankly because I'm running  over 10 miles on most of my runs I can pretty easily explain why someone running a couple miles is moving faster than me, but still I can't help it.  The problem is, when I do this I either spped up which only throws me out of my rhythm or I just get distracted and end up slowing down.  Either way the result is not productive.

Today, when I found myself doing this comparison thing, I finally smacked myself and said; "This is not about anyone else!  This is only about you!"  It worked!  And it was true.  This last year of training has not been about impressing anyone else, its been about taking back my life and creating a lifestyle I enjoy and that I can maintain for the rest of my life.

If I have my way, I'll still be running when I'm 100 and loving the freedom it gives me.  I happen to love running.  Maybe you love tennis or walking or yardwork.  Whatever you enjoy that keeps you active, I hope you enjoy it well into your later years in life.  But if you are out of shape now, you are going to have do some work, some of it not  so enjoyable to get back into shape.

I think a lot of people get frustrated with a training routine because they don't enjoy it and quite truthfully, I don't blame them.  I'm not a big "gym" guy any more.  I really don't enjoy weight training and yet, I know that to regain the health of a lifetime, that is the short term price I'm going to have to pay.

I'm here to tell you that there will be pain.  There will be days when it hurts just to run a mile.  There will be days when you will feel like throwing up after a particularly tough strength training session.  You and I made our choices in life up to this point and now if we want to get back to health, we are going to have to put in the effort.

The upside...

One of the best parts of working out is the way you feel when you finish!

The way you will feel when you reach your goal weight or run your PR in a race or finish your first marathon or whatever else it is you're seeking, is absolutely incredible!

Your whole life WILL work better if you have great health and an active lifestyle, its a proven fact!

You will be extremely proud of yourself when you finish a workout that a few months ago you wouldn't even have considered doing!

When you finally throw away your "fat" clothes for the last time, knowing you'll never need them again, it will be one of the best days of your life to that point!

The day will come when you look forward to being active every day!

Here's a bonus thought from today's run.  If you are self conscious about working out in the gym because you think everyone is watching and judging you... forget it.  No one is evaluating you if you are overweight but are working out and trying to improve.  If any one is having thoughts about you at all it is generally thoughts of encouragement.

People do however notice you if you are overweight carrying the double bag of McD's or the two for one pizza deal!  That you should be self conscious about!

Its time to stop making excuses.  Get ready  for a little (who am I kidding.. a lot of) worthwhile soreness!  And look forward to the day when you can do whatever activity you want to maintain your new healthier you!

Avoid the Post-Workout Rewards System!

Okay, so yesterday about five miles into a twelve mile run I started to get hungry.  No big deal, I am certainly not going to pass out from being a little hungry during a run of that distance.

The problem was where my thoughts went.  I started to think about "rewarding" myself for a good run with a big juicy double-cheeseburger and fries from the local diner.

So, what's wrong with that?  Lot's of people do that.  I mean, come on!  I did the work, shouldn't I be able to reward myself for all of those calories burned?  What, after all is the point of working so hard if you can't enjoy the fruits of your labor?  Right?

You will not win this particular argument with me so don't bother trying.  I know the truth from personal and observed experiences.  I believe it is one of the major faults with a whole lot of the current weight loss programs on the market today.  They in one way or another offer you a "Cheat day" where as long as you're good the rest of the week, you can eat whatever you want for one day.

There are two problems with this approach.

First, if you're overweight, you didn't get there because you followed the best eating habits in the world.  Let's be honest.  I didn't get overweight because I did what was right for my body.  What did I do?  I ate the wrong foods and I ate them consistently.  Then as a form of appeasement, I'd go out for a run every once in a while and tell myself I was earning that double-cheeseburger and fries!

The rewards system, puts the total focus on food.  It creates a relationship with it that makes it  the total and only objective of exercise.  It even makes eating right the rest of the week something you do just so you can "pig-out" on that one day.  Using this type of system, you may;  in fact if strict enough... absolutely will, lose weight.  The problem is since the relationship is with food and not with exercise and all of its benefits, when you have difficulties in life and stop exercising for a period of time (which will inevitably happen, like it or not), you still have a relationship with food.  And food becomes your source of escape and comfort instead of exercise.

Whether we like it or even admit to it, all human beings operate out of one of two contexts most of the time.  We are either working to avoid pain or to gain pleasure.  You can deny this until you're blue in the face and yet the truth is whatever you are doing is moving you in one of those two directions.

Think about it for a second; when you finally decided to lose weight what was the motivating factor?  Were you tired of being embarrassed by your weight?  Were you afraid you might not be healthy enough to play with your grandchildren?  Or maybe, you wanted the joy of sharing a great moment running a race with your friends and you knew you needed to lose weight to do just that.  What ever your reason(s), you were avoiding pain or seeking pleasure.

What's the point?

For most of us, food has become a quick way to gain instant pleasure.  Even if in the long run, too much of the wrong stuff can cause extreme pain, in the moment when you are seeking escape from the pain of the moment, food offers instant relief.

And so, when you use food as a reward system for exercise you are setting yourself up to never be able to escape the cycle of using it as a tool for release.  And eventually, any gains you have made through exercise will be wiped out as you even substitute food for exercise to find relief in your day to day life.

The second reason to avoid using food as a reward after exercise is really only important if you are truly committed to getting the most out of your exercising body.

The period immediately after exercise, say 30 to 60 minutes, are the critical time for providing your body with the nutrients it needs for recovery.  Whether you are brand new to exercise or have been training for a long time, you need to make sure that you are giving your body exactly what it needs when it needs it. This is especially true during this post-workout time frame.

Post-workout, your body doesn't need just any old food you can throw down.  It needs a decent combination of protein and some high quality carbs.  Depending on your body weight you should being consuming 10 to 25 gms of quality lean protein within the hour after your workout.  This is the time when your body may have during exercise utilized protein (its least popular source of energy) to supplement the other sources of energy in your body depending on the intensity of your workout.  You need to replenish the protein in order for your muscles, tendons and ligaments to fully recover prior to your next workout.

You need the carbs to replenish what are known as glycogen stores in your muscles and liver.  Glycogen is the energy source used most often for quick bursts of strength and also during the initial stages of exercise before your aerobic system kicks into gear.  Glycogen is also utilized by your body when your aerobic system is over-taxed and can't produce energy, but the supply is very limited.  You may have heard of marathoners doing something called "carbo-loading".  The glycogen system is the focus of this practice.

All this being said, how do you avoid the food reward system?

You need to find something else to use as your reward.  And it has to be exciting for you!  Maybe its the shopping trip you're going to take when you reach a certain weight to replenish your closet.  Maybe its the 5k race you're going to complete with your friends and all of the excitement that goes along with that accomplishment.  Maybe its something as simple as rewarding yourself with a dip in the pool after a warm and exhausting workout.  It could even be a quick little nap, that just simply says to you; "Go ahead you've earned it!"

What ever it is you choose, its got to feel rewarding to you and it can't be food!  Sorry, I know that's a tough one but its the truth.  If you're really serious about this, you can't go on attaching everything in your life to food.  If you're not really concerned about enjoying a long and fulfilling active life where you get to enjoy your family and friends and grandchildren in good health, then by all means... eat what ever you want when ever you want.  You might as well get as much of it as you can while you still can!

I'm not saying you can't enjoy the food you eat.  Not by a long stretch.  You have just got to at some point beginning changing what you use to reward yourself and focus on those things instead of the quick escape of food.

Avoid the reward system and you'll find your results sticking around!

Why Your Health Is So Important To Me!

Another Saturday training session on the books! We had a great session, with everyone feeling like they could have done more and still we were out for 50 minutes, twice what the schedule called for! I think everyone should be as proud of their efforts today as I am of all of you!

That being said, there are many who have not even made one session yet and at the risk of offending, you need to make this a priority. The question begs to be asked; “If not now... when?”

I thought I would share with you why this is so important to me and why I may be a little pushy on this subject. Hopefully give you an understanding of where my passion comes from.

Each and everyone of us has our own reasons for wanting to do this. For some its just simply to shed a few pounds. You may not even be that convinced that you need a lifestyle change as much as you just want to get rid of the pounds and move on. Still, for others you may have been told by your physician that you needed to make a change. You may be committed to losing the weight, but still figure once you've lost it you'll be able to get back to normal. There are certainly countless other reasons for undertaking this program. For most of you at this point, to take part or not is still a choice. Count it a blessing that it is still exactly that... a choice you can make.

Here's my inspiration:

I have been an on again off again runner and fitness enthusiast my whole adult life. Through March of 2008 I had run 4 marathons and countless shorter distance races. I had even competed in a bodybuilding competition in my late teens. And yet, that didn't mean I was always in great or good or even fair health. I certainly knew how to take care of myself. I am after all a Certified Endurance Fitness Trainer and Personal Trainer. And still, knowledge doesn't guarantee results, action does!

Its funny, if you asked most people who knew me they would tell you that I was active, I mean I was a marathoner you know! What most people didn't realize was that I was the “Grand Poobah of Yo-Yo'ers. No question that in spite of everything I knew; I ate the wrong stuff, drank too much and even smoked! Great example of health, right?

Monday May 18^th, will be an anniversary for me. It will be exactly a year ago and 60 lbs heavier that in the middle of a 40 mile bike ride I had my heart attack. Yes, at 45 years of age, my refusal to apply what I knew caught up with me.

You might at this point be thinking; “That could never happen to me!” Guess what? I thought the same thing. To a person, everyone who knew me thought it should have happened to them not me. I was after all the active guy.

My one concern in telling this story is that you might take away from it what some of my friends did. If the healthy guy has a heart attack, then what's the point, I might as well have another beer and a cheeseburger!

The fact of the matter is, I only appeared to be healthy. I am a big guy, frame-wise and so even with an extra 60 lbs of body fat, I didn't appear to be overweight. I had that “Week-end Warrior”, “Guy” mentality that said I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted, drink what I wanted, when I wanted and then just workout once in a while and everything would be honky-dory.

As an example; I had almost a full year to train for my first marathon from the time I signed up until the time I had to run. Guess how many times I ran during that year? 300? 200? 100? 50? 20?

How about none of the above! I literally ran 10 times in the year leading up to my first marathon. Everyone knew I was training for the marathon. What they didn't know was that I would go home from work, put on my workout clothes, sit down and turn on the TV and never get out the door. Pretty soon all I did was think about putting on the workout clothes and just go right to the food and TV routine.

Don't get the impression that if you are genuinely active, you are no better off than if you just say forget it, because I was not the stellar example of health everyone thought I was.

The fact remains, when I hear someone talk about how they are going to get active and healthy and then they come up with every excuse in the books as to why they don't, I know exactly what's going on in their brain at that moment. I've heard, given, used and created pretty much every excuse you can imagine as to why tomorrow is a better day to start getting healthy than today. You can't surprise me with one I haven't at least thought of at some point in time.

Truth is; you still have a choice and that may not be the best thing in the world. I don't have a choice.

Actually, I do. Live or die!

Which would you chose? I've opted for living. I've kind of grown accustomed to it!

You have lots of choices that I no longer have. If you are a Weight Watchers member, you have a points system that pretty much allows you to eat anything on the menu as long as it falls within the allotted points. I don't! I am a Midwestern boy at heart. Which means I do love food! Food is now fuel for me. The leaner and more pure it is the better and enough to keep me running in top condition is all I'm really interested in. I have zero cravings anymore. Why? I want to live and after a year of very pure eating for fuel, I just don't' crave anymore. I know by how I feel exactly what type of fuel I need and that's what I eat. No more, no less!

You have the choice to be active or not. I don't! For the rest of my life, I have to constantly work to improve my cardiovascular endurance and cardiovascular strength. Its not an option, its a must!

Fortunately for me, I find extreme joy in running! And, now that I'm actually doing it on a regular basis, I'm enjoying it even more.

Don't get me wrong, I love my active lifestyle. So much so that I'm training for my first ultra marathon next January of 50 miles. Its just that getting to this point became non-optional.

So I hope that you can understand, that when I am pushy about getting you out to our training sessions its not for me. Its that I would never wish what I went through on anyone... ever!

And when you throw out your excuses, I'm not being judgmental, but in the back of my mind I do hear myself throwing out the same excuses over a year ago. Trust me if you haven't figured this out already, once you come up with one way to let yourself off the hook, it just gets easier and easier with every one.

No one who has been to our training sessions would walk away saying anything but how enjoyable walking with the group is. I truly enjoy it myself. I also enjoy the solitude that a long run by myself brings.

Please get active, while you have a choice. I will do everything in my power to help make it something you enjoy now and for the rest of your life and yet it all begins with you!

Have an incredible day and go get active!

Open up almost any Internet browser and somewhere amongst the sea of information you'll find an ad that uses the term "Easy".

Why?

Well, quite honestly in this ever busier world that we live in people want the quickest and easiest solution to whatever their problem is. And quite frankly, marketers know this. They know that when they use that magical little word, they're going to get your attention.

I mean, think about it... if you were going to write an ad for a new abdominal workout video would you say:

Easy Abs!

or

Fairly Simple abs!

Most of us if we're honest want "Easy"! The unfortunate truth is - anything that is worth having requires some effort, in other words, its not easy.

The Good News is, although it may require some effort on your part being and living a healthy life is relatively simple. An example would be Weight Watchers. The program is simple by nature and although it may require you to make changes in your life that are not easy, its not complicated and hard to understand.

I've done a lot of research on why it is that most people either never get involved in fitness activities or don't stick to them. I'm the guy who if told most people don't stick to a program because its too hard, asks the question; What's too hard about it? I want to know what specifically is it that's keeping you from doing what you know is good for you?

The answers to those questions may surprise you as they did me at first. What I have found is that its not really the actual effort involved in the exercise that discourages people, its that they don't know how. A good steady training program is not going to be so difficult that you can't physically or mentally handle it, but that's not normally the problem is it.

You may have been in this situation. You decide to do something about your health. Everywhere you turn you see ads for "Easy" this or "Easy" that and maybe you even invested in some of those programs. When they arrived in the mail and you tried them out they were so complicated and hard to understand that after one or maybe two sessions you just gave up.

Let's be honest here; How many of us have an "Ab Roller" stuffed under our bed or jammed in the back of a closet somewhere?

Or...

Maybe you thought about joining a gym but just the thought of all of that unfamiliar equipment left you defeated without even trying. Maybe you joined a gym and the 19 year old trainer who obviously got hired for looks not brains, and who thinks that everyone can be motivated with a simple "Come On, You Can Do", got you so confused with exercises you'll never be able to remember that you said; "To heck with it" and never went back!

So here's the truth about being active...

1. It is not always easy! There are days for me when the last thing I want to do is go for a run or do strength training or quite frankly, anything that resembles activity. We all experience that feeling from time to time. And still I say; "The only bad run, is the one that never begins!"

2. You more than likely will experience some soreness when you first start to get active. I experience soreness on a regular basis as I continue to push myself farther and farther with my training.

3. Soreness and Pain are not the same thing! A little soreness is your body's way of saying it is in the process of rebuilding itself. Pain is your body's way of saying: "Hey dummy, something's wrong here!" A little soreness can simply mean you need to back off or take a rest and recovery day. Pain means you should get it checked out because something may very well be wrong.

4. Being active is simple. It doesn't require that you have a degree or certification in exercise physiology to get started. Yes, just like anything else, there are lots of new things to learn about the more involved in fitness you become, but you don't need to know them to go for a walk.

5. Being active can and should be enjoyable. A walk is refreshing, rejuvenating, invigorating and a great way to clear your mind. Walking with family and/or friends can be a great way to reconnect.

The more I get involved in "Virtual Coaching", the more I realize that simple is best. If the people I work with in person or online want "Easy" they got the wrong guy. If they want simple to follow instruction that slowly builds as they become progressively more fit and healthy, with an understanding that one-size does not fit all, then I'm their guy!

As the virtual coaching site launches over the next few days, that's what you can expect. Simple, fun and effective.

Remember that being active is a lifestyle choice, something you can enjoy for years to come. It's not always easy, but it really is simple!

How Totally Cool!

This Saturday morning I will have the opportunity to meet for the first time a group of individuals who are taking action to change their lives for the better. I have to say I am excited!

Who are these individuals? They are members of local Weight Watchers groups who are taking part in the Momentum Walk-It Challenge sponsored by Weight Watchers. They are people from all walks of life who already know the value of making a lifestyle change through their association with Weight Watchers and now their kicking it up a notch by training to complete a 5k.

I am fortunate enough to be involved as a Team Trainer for this program and I am already in awe of these folks and our training hasn't even begun! It is my responsibility to provide motivation, inspiration, tips, techniques and advice on how to achieve this goal.

I have a strong feeling that I will be receiving far more motivation and inspiration than I am giving. Just a hunch!

I'll try to keep you up to date on our progress and of course I'll give you an update when we've done the race June 21st.

I can't wait for Saturday morning!

Uh... Duh!

Everywhere you turn these days there is another article about overweight and obesity rates in the United States and in fact now globally as it seems the world has taken on our not so great eating habits.

This is fast becoming a global epidemic. There is no question that cardiovascular diseases kill more people each year in the US than all other diseases combined and while overweight and obesity are not the only causes, they are major contributing factors.

So... when do we finally get it?

When do we stop analyzing the data and start taking action?

I love digg.com. Its a great place to find info on just about anything. Type in "obesity" and three of the top four stories are as follows:

#1 - "Parents Blamed for Childhood Obesity"

#2 - "Desk jobs making more people obese,study finds."

#4 - "Kids Who Lack Self-Control Prone To Obesity Later"

Uh... Duh!!!

I'm not attacking the authors. The articles are all very good and they report valid current issues which are analyzed by studies. But just look at the titles alone without reading any further.

"Parents blamed for childhood obesity." Ya think? Who else is responsible? Aren't they the adults? Aren't they the role models?

"Desk jobs making more people obese, study finds." Really? Who would have ever thought that? Would you have ever guessed that sitting on your butt all day long might have something to do with why its getting so big?

And the last article, just kind of goes without saying.

If you're a parent, let me ask you a question: Where do your young children learn their beliefs, values, habits etc.?

Do we really need another study to tell us that what you do affects what your children do? If you eat junk... your kids eat junk. If you sit on the couch and watch countless hours of mind-numbing television... so do your kids.

If you think a good workout is running to the fridge during the commercial break...

I hope you get the point.

I would love to believe that the day will come when we will all appreciate the value of an active and healthy lifestyle and yet I'm not holding my breath. So, if you won't do it for yourself, how about doing it for your kids?

Everybody says they don't have enough time and still they manage to get in 4 or 5 hours of TV time after work.

I'm not asking you to give up all of your television entertainment but how about a little?

Why not:

Spend a half hour preparing a healthy meal instead of fast food? Healthy doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, I can make a great healthy meal for as little as $2 or $3 per person. You can't eat at the golden arches for that!

After your healthy dinner and before you sit down to veg in front of the tube, take the family out for a 30 minute walk. Did you know that 30 minutes 5 days a week can result in a weight loss of 13 pounds over the course of a year without changing your diet?

Like it or not, good or bad, your kids are learning the habits they'll carry into adulthood from you right now. What do you want them to learn?

Isn't it time once and for all that we finally start to do something instead of just talking about it or writing about it?

We have a choice. Five years from now we can be reading headlines that say: "New study shows more families making healthy choices in the kitchen." or "Obesity rates finally decline as more parents take active role in modeling good habits"

Or

We can have more headlines like the ones I mentioned earlier that just kind of make us all go;

Uh... Duh!!!

The More You Run...

I have to admit, I've been puttering around with runs of 3,4 or 5 miles lately. Just enough to get the blood flowing and yet not real solid training for me.

Today however, I had to go to Culver City (5 miles one way) and so I decided to strap on the backpack and run!

It's a few hours later and I am still flying high! Mentally, emotionally and physically, I'm on a cloud 9 ride.

Sometimes as a runner we get caught up in everything else and forget just why we run in the first place. Yes, there are obvious health benefits and that is something I can truly appreciate (heart attack May '08). At the same time its so much more than just that.

Running relieves stress, increases your metabolism, helps your body create endorphins (I like to call them the "happy" chemicals) which in turn stimulates overall good feelings. I find myself much more powerful, enthusiastic, outrageous (in a good way) and empowering when I am running longer distances regularly.

If you are a new runner just getting started, I know that it can seem a daunting task to consider even running three miles and yet maybe that's just because the "carrot" you're after isn't compelling enough.

At some point in our lives we have got to commit to something even if at first it seems like we're climbing a mountain. We all start somewhere. I remember, five days after my heart attack I was chomping at the bit to get out and go for a run. I had a mission and I was going to achieve it no matter what!

That first run was a whopping 1.57 miles and took almost 30 minutes to complete and yet I did it! Having run marathons, it would have been easy to get discouraged. I mean here I was celebrating completing 1/20th of a marathon like I'd just done the whole thing!

It took weeks and even months to get my distance up over 10 miles again and yet through perseverance, I made it. But it was more than just commitment that kept me going. After every run, the feeling of health and vitality and the bump in endorphins had me looking forward to the next run.

And then there was that other "Carrot". On January 11th of 2009, I retraced the route I was on when I had my heart attack and "Conquered My Demons!"

It was the longest single run I had done since March of 2008's LA Marathon. And it sent me soaring!

I guess what I'm saying with all of this is running (or walking) gives us so much more than just the perceived health benefits. That's not down playing the cardiovascular and weight management benefits. If those alone aren't getting you through the tough walks or runs then find a better carrot because they will take you to places you've never experienced before.

The pure joy that comes from running is inspiring, contagious, empowering and incomparable in its power!

What ever level of walking or running you're at, I encourage you to get out there and be consistent. Put in the extra effort when you feel like giving up or backing off. The rewards will be worth it!

A New "Sub-blog"

We run, bike, swim, walk, lift weights and all other forms of exercise and yet...

We treat our bodies like they're a $200 beater car ready for the junk-yard!

What did you eat today? Do you even know? How many carbs, fats and protein? How often did you eat today? Once? Twice? Three times? Four? Five?

Why do we have more excuses for not eating right than for just about anything else in our lives?


Get the info you need to get it right on my new page