Impulse Equipment Purchases

We all see them, especially this particular week just before New Year's Day. Shopping channels and infomercials persuading you; tempting and convincing you that the contraption on screen is exactly what you need to get you to look just like the person demonstrating it. Not!

Don't do it! I'm not saying they're ALL crapola and that all of them never work. I'm saying most of them are crapola, and most will end up being dust collectors. I'm all for contributing to the economy right now. Just do not contribute in this manner, as you will see very little return for your investment. 

Ask me first. Many of you know I'm all for using apparatus for fun, effectiveness, and to keep things challenging and interesting. I'm a fitness professional, and use these things in YOUR best interest. The stuff you see on television may not be the right fitness equipment for you, as inexpensive, appealing and convincing the advertisement may seem.  

Start with making lifestyle changes without purchasing unnecessary fitness equipment. Take a brisk walk, ride that bike hidden behind the boxes in garage, and quit fast food meals.  Do these things instead of impulse buys from fake commercials.  

Happy and Healthy 2009 to you all!

Margo

All or None Mentality

Now is a good time to make this point about brisk exercise, since it's the time of year I hear "I don't have time" the most. I'm speaking more to cardio in this post, aka fat burning & aerobic "steady state" movement. I call it "breaking a sweat" time. 

All or none mentality means: Completely bagging breaking a sweat if you decide you don't have time for your planned 20-30 minutes. This thinking has to stop!

NEW FLASH! Rather then bag it entirely, do TEN MINUTES. YES! It IS valuable. It adds up, 1o minutes here, 12 minutes there, by the time the week is over, look at what you did! The alternative was ZERO.  

These mini sessions of 10 minutes will have a positive mental & physical affect on you. One that you may not even be consciously aware of.  It will motivate you to be more food conscious (sound familiar) to feel better about yourself, and motivate you for the next 10 minutes (don't say "just 10?") versus you skipping it entirely because you just couldn't make the 20 or 30. 

Start to change that all or none mentality. Think instead: "BOY, I'M GLAD I DID THAT 10 MINUTES.....it felt great." Versus feeling badly that you skipped it. Feel good about what you DID do!  It's 10 minutes that will add onto the next 10, and so on.  Eventually you will make time ;-) and go for that 20 or 30.

Margo

Liquid Calories

I know, this really hits a button with many of you, and I've talked on it quite a bit. I realize during the holidays, consumption of liquid calories can go up exponentially.  This is not just in the form of alcohol, either. Eggnog (num), punches, soft drinks, extra cold-weather visits to S-bucks, and the like. 

In January when you notice holiday weight gain, it is often damage from these above, not food. If you want to better ensure you don't add to your body weight, plan a bit ahead.  When you know you are going to imbibe that day or hitting a party that night...I'm not saying don't enjoy - just CUT BACK on food calories somewhat that day, and the next day, to offset the liquid calories. Move a little more (yes, exercise) more that day and the next. 

I could list the calorie numbers here that seem so innocent; a couple glasses of wine, a margarita, a rum and coke (even diet coke) and it just might bum you out to see how much it adds up to.  The good news? Knocking off that extra glass of wine, beer, margarita or soft drink can have a major impact the other way!!!! Over a few weeks time of cutting back, you could easily see a weight loss, since these liquid calories really add up. Take half away? Watch what happens - let alone topping that with healthier eating and regular exercise. Voila!

Cease Amnesia Eating

So, the title here might seem extreme at first glance. Amnesia, you say? Yes. Ask yourself this: What did I eat yesterday. If its evening when you see this, can you even remember what you ate today? If you cannot, even if you try to recall, that is amnesia eating. Eating while watching tv, and suddenly, the plate, (or worse the bag) is empty, but you don't even remember eating it all. THAT is amnesia eating. If you are having difficulty losing those extra pounds - I suggest you cease 'amnesia eating' and become CONSCIOUS. I don't just mean awake. I mean really paying attention to what you are eating. Its too easy to pass that coworkers desk and dip into their candy jar. Its too easy (those with young children listen up) to finish what your child didn't and just eat it.."it's just a bite or two, no big deal"...right? Wrong! Think about what all that adds up to, and you would be shocked.  Become CONSCIOUS. Ever go poke in the fridge just because...snitch a little bite without a second of thought? Its not even on your daily calorie radar. 

All this auto-eating...this amnesia eating, per day, let alone per week, or a month (especially during holidays!!) adds up to calories and weight ON. One day you say to yourself "how did this happen?" Most likely you tuned out - and started amnesia eating. I'm not saying it's easy to face it. BUT..putting that spotlight on all the things you snack on, here and there, make you very aware of how the weight got on, and continues to stay on.  Its not rocket science. That's the good news. Its an easy, easy fix. 

Starting now, think twice. Become conscious; stop amnesia eating, and you may very well notice weight loss effortlessly.  

Why New Year's Resolutions Fail

Every year, it never fails, people will make that proverbial resolution to exercise and eat right come January 1st. One of the main reasons this fails, if not THE reason, is this: The moment someone doesn't follow their 'plan' EXACTLY, they feel like they failed and stop.  Progress is not measured by that day only..or that meal only.  Men and women alike, young and old, slim and not so slim, believe if they 'fall off the wagon' for just a moment in time, after starting that New Year's Program, then they failed altogether.  NOTHING IS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

If you enter a new program, on January 1st or 12th...it doesn't matter.  It is a setup for failure and feeling badly, to put some unnecessary, unrealistic expectation on yourself that you blew the whole program just because  you skipped one day or one week of exercise, or indulged eating badly for one day or one week.  It's about progress...not perfection.  Enter your program taking it one day at a time, and give yourself points for what you DID do on plan, not what you missed. Give yourself credit for recognizing the changes you are making in your eating plan, instead of beating yourself up for that day's splurge.  One meal, one day, is not a program failed. It does not destroy all the changes and hard work  you did up to that point. Its just that one day...as badly as you may feel. You didn't fail your resolution.  Allow your resolution to include time for old habits to change to newer healthier ones...and you will STILL see progress in fitness and weight loss. 

Remember: its those quick fixes that do not last. Lifestyle changes and thinking progress versus perfection work long term.