A woman sits at a restaurant studying the menu with furrowed brow. She has begun an exercise routine and knows that her frequent meals out could slow her weight loss results if she wasn't careful.
When the waiter comes she is still deep in thought over what to order. “What can I get for you?” he asks with a smile. She looks up and frowns, no closer to arriving at a decision. On a whim she blurts out, “I’m trying to eat healthy but I have no idea what to order. What do you think I should eat?” The young waiter looks startled but quickly rattles off his idea of a healthy meal. “The eggplant and roasted pepper pasta is filled with vegetables. You could get that with a salad.” The woman smiles. Yes, vegetables do sound healthy. So she orders the veggie pasta with a side salad and a diet soda, then sits back to enjoy a few slices of bread. That’s a true story. Not surprisingly the woman was unable to lose weight even though she was exercising regularly. It is said that 80% of your weight loss results are derived from diet, and the remaining 20% from exercise—so you can see how important it is for you to stick with a healthy eating plan. Here’s Your Guide to Eating Out Healthy… Appetizers: Appetizers are a great way to start out a leisurely meal, but can also quickly derail your good intentions. Don’t Order:
Don’t Order
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Have you thought about starting an exercise program but haven’t done it yet? Here are 7 REALLY GOOD reasons to get started today! Reason #1: To Melt Fat Away The most coveted side effect of exercise is, of course, fat burn. The combination of a challenging exercise routine and a balanced meal plan is the best-known way to lose fat. Here’s what losing fat feels like:
Reason #2: To Alleviate Pain Regular exercise is a great way to alleviate chronic muscle and joint pain. Persistent back pain can be lessened by strengthening your core, and you’ll protect yourself against injury. It amazes people when the chronic pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade after starting a regular exercise program. Reason #3: To Increase Lean Tissue More muscle is good for many reasons. You see, muscle burns five times more calories each day than fatty tissue. When you exercise your body composition will change to contain more lean tissue, thus resulting in extra calories burned while you sleep. What could be better than that? Reason #4: To Stay Young Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College in London, led a study on the effects of exercise on aging. The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process. Here’s the study in a nutshell:
Reason #5: To Prevent or Control Type 2 Diabetes Regular exercise helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. This is something that people with type 2 diabetes, or at risk for type 2 diabetes, gain substantial benefits from. Exercise improves the body’s use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to follow guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program. Reason #6: To Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels Exercise has shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels for these two reasons:
Reason #7: To Feel Great The first thing that clients tell me after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel. Most didn’t even realize how bad they felt. It is easy to get used to feeling sluggish, achy and unmotivated. Exercise boosts your energy levels and makes you feel amazing. The quickest, easiest way to guarantee that you’ll meet your fitness and weight loss goals is to work one-on-one with a qualified fitness professional. You’ll be held accountable with your workouts and you’ll be instructed properly and shown techniques and strategies that will expedite your results. Call or email today to get started on a program that will take the guesswork out of fitness and to set your results on fire. What are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and get moving! If you’re like most people then reading this subject line was a little uncomfortable and you may have even experienced a bit of anxiety.
Make a decision? Do I have to? We are forced to make decisions every day, but that doesn’t make it any easier. When you stop to think about it, your life is the sum total of all the decisions that you’ve ever made up to this point. Your health, your mindset, your finances are all an outcome of the decisions you've made. Some decisions are so small that they seem insignificant and other decisions weigh on you for days because you know that the outcome will change the course of your life. You’ll wade through a myriad of trivial decisions today – ranging from the flavor of your coffee, to the gas you put into your car, to the food you put into your body. It’s easy to be fooled into believing that these have no real impact on the big picture - - but they do. You’ll shift over to automatic while making your habitual decisions today – these ones no longer require a second thought since your preferences are defaulted. The time you wake up each morning, the way you take your eggs, the frequency in which you exercise. Your habitual decisions play a huge part in determining major factors in your life, and these ones aren’t always easy to modify once the habit is in place. We're always making decisions... Big ones like "should you marry him/her", "should you have another child", "Should you stick it out another year at that job"? Life changing decisions are forks in the road that demand your full attention and analysis. There’s a famous quote from General Norman Schwartzkopf: “A bad decision is better than no decision” which makes sense when you realize that indecision is a decision. It’s best to simply bite the bullet, choose a side, and stick with it (unless you realize you made the wrong decision lol). You make a life changing decision when you chose to get fit. The main reason that you’re not happy with your weight is because of what you eat.
It’s hardly your fault. Have you ever stopped to notice how many times you’re bombarded by food marketing each day? Ads come at you from magazine pages, T.V. commercials, on websites and billboards, each boasting of cheap, convenient and tasty ways to cure your hunger. The question “What’s for dinner?” has never been more complex than now. Extensive menu options and large entrees have distorted your concept of a proper meal, and before you know it you’ve fallen into the trap of the chain restaurant, the drive thru, and the take-out line. But wait – truly healthy eating is simple. First you need to block out the blizzard of food marketing around you. Remember that advertisers want your money, and they don’t stop to consider if the food they promote will expand your waist – that’s your job. It’s safe to say that, with few exceptions, any food that you see marketed should be avoided. When was the last time you saw an ad for grilled white fish, steamed broccoli and a side of brown rice? So what does truly healthy eating look like? A healthy meal contains lean protein, fresh vegetables and a modest serving of whole grains. Just as importantly, a healthy meal does NOT contain:
Wanting to drop a few pounds but not able to?
There are few things more frustrating than wanting to be slimmer and to tone your body, without any success. Read the following 7 Reasons Your Weight Won’t Budge to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your fat loss journey. Reason #1: Your Mind Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.
Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self-sabotage. Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.
Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.
How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it’s no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose fat then your commitment to the process is a must.
If you consistently eat the wrong food, then your weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits.
It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:
People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.
Talk to 10 people and you'll get 10 different opinions on the best way to get fit.
One will tell you to attend an aerobics class. Another will swear by jogging. Yet another will tell you that dance and biking worked for them. The truth is that there's really only one effective way to get fit. Before I get into the details, it’s important that we agree on the definition of 'fit'. Too often thin is mistaken for fit, and that's not what you should strive for. When someone is thin, but has very little muscle tissue, they aren't truly fit. Here’s why thin doesn’t equal fit:
Resistance training is when resistance is used to challenge your muscles in order to gain strength and endurance. You could do this with traditional weights, exercise bands, medicine balls, cable machines, sandbags, kettle bells or even just using your own body weight. Consistent resistance training has the following side effects…
Top 9 Benefits to Resistance Training 1. To Build Muscle and Gain Strength: Don’t worry, ladies. This does NOT mean that you’re going to ‘bulk up’ or look too masculine. What will happen is that your arms, tummy and legs will become tighter, leaner and more defined. 2. To Lose Fat: When it comes to losing size, all that you want to see go is fat, not muscle. Strength training ensures that you maintain and grow those muscles and only lose fat. 3. To Build Strong Bones: The older we get, the more important our bone density is. A good strength training program is one of your best defenses when it comes to osteoporosis. 4. To Alleviate Anxiety, Stress and Depression: Sure there are plenty of pills out there that claim to give these benefits, but you and I both know that strength training is more wholesome and effective way. And besides, who really wants pharmaceutical side effects? 5. To Sleep Better: Here’s another pill you can stop taking once you start strength training. Study after study have proven that strength training improves sleep. 6. To Improve Chronic Back Pain: If you are one of the millions across the globe who suffer from back pain then you’ll love the benefit of lowered pain. 7. To Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Today diabetes is a huge threat. Minimize your risk by improving insulin sensitivity through regular, challenging strength training. 8. To Improve Good to Bad Cholesterol Ratio: Here is yet another pill that you could potentially stop taking while on a strength training routine. Blood pressure and heart health are of utmost concern, so why not give yourself the advantage of a strength training routine? 9. To Raise your Metabolism: This helps to reduce body fat and to keep that body fat off, even on the days that you aren’t able to exercise. Pretty awesome, right? A solid resistance training routine will tone your legs, lift your buns, strengthen your core, and will result in inches and pounds lost. If you’re ready to begin your body transformation then feel free to reach out to me. Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body once and for all! If you’re struggling to find motivation to get to exercise, allow these seven reasons to inspire you to get moving…
Exercise Because —Your Body Works It may seem like an odd reason to work out, but the fact that you can work out ought to inspire you to do so. After all there are plenty of folks who have been affected by disease or congenital conditions that make working out impossible. If you are able to exercise, do it! Every movement you make, be grateful and work to learn your body’s limits. In essence when you do this you’re giving your body a high five! Exercise Because —Disease Can’t Handle It True, there are diseases that will attack you regardless of your fitness level. However, exercising regularly (starting today) is one of the best ways to build yourself up against all sorts of ailments and illnesses. From the common cold to heart disease, exercise helps you avoid health issues and live a healthier, longer life. Exercise Because —You Family Loves You Because you want to be around for years in the future, you need to exercise. As seen above, exercise is a great way to fend off all sorts of health issues, many of them life-threatening. So if you want to show love to you family members who love you, you’ll need to work out regularly. Afraid your workouts will take away family time? Get up earlier or take your loved ones with you. Exercise Because —You Beat Goals Some people meet goals. When you commit to getting in the gym today, you set yourself up to beat goals. Because once you reach your new bench-press or weight-loss goal, you move on to the next. Do this in the gym enough and it will start to happen in the rest of your life. Deadline at work coming up soon? No problem. Wish you could read more books? Consider it done. Ready to quit smoking? You can do it. All because you worked out today. Exercise Because —Life Will Be Easier Ever struggled to get out of bed and get on with your day? Exercising today can help that. Wonder why you always feel stressed out? Once you get in the gym this afternoon you’ll be able to shed the stress. Wish you had the sex drive that you seemingly lost a few years ago? Today’s workout will get you on the right track there as well. See a heavy couch that needs lifting? After spending time in the gym today, that couch will be light as a feather tomorrow. In other words, exercise makes everything in life better, easier, and more bearable! Exercise Because —Your Body Will Surprise You When you started on your exercise journey, you wanted to change your body. But somewhere along the way you forgot about that swimsuit-ready body you desired so much early on. Well, guess what? It can still be yours! All you’ve got to do is get in the gym today and get back on the road to it. In six months, you’ll be amazed at how much better your body looks and how much more you enjoy being you. Exercise Because —Your Friends Will Join You It can be hard to keep working out in the gym every day if your loved ones aren’t into it. However, if you stick with it and trust your trainer, your loved ones may eventually want to join you in your exercise. Once they realize you’re seeing positive results, they won’t want to miss out. So by going to the gym today, you’re helping others be healthy! Call or email today to get started on my very best exercise program – together we will get you to your goals once and for all! Don’t wait – act now! This is only for those who are completely fed up with trying to lose fat and inches through diet and exercise…
You’re probably thinking: What’s the deal? Why won’t the weight come off? You are doing everything you can think of to make it happen. There’s one simple thing standing between you and a slimmed down, amazingly fit body. One. Simple. Thing. And here it is…You eat too many calories. That’s it. Solve this problem and your dream body will quickly and easily become reality. Wait, don’t give me the excuse that, “I only eat healthy calories.” That’s great, but even healthy calories add up to extra pounds when we let them go unchecked. Back to Basics: Why Calorie Counting Works You may have heard about the professor from Kansas State University, Mark Haub, who performed a famous junk food diet. Professor Haub proved a powerful lesson for anyone who still has weight to lose, so let’s listen up. In a demonstrative experiment for his nutrition class, Professor Haub ate a diet of pure junk food for 2 months. I’m talking candy bars and packaged snacks – the kinds of things you find in a snack machine. You’d expect him to gain weight, right? Well, there was one catch. He was only allowed to eat 1800 calories each day. Yes, those calories were pure junk, but the limit was firmly put at 1800 calories. Before the experiment, Professor Haub’s typical calorie intake was closer to 2600 calories. So his junk food diet put him at an 800 calorie per day deficit. Boy did that calorie deficit pay off. Within 2 months he had dropped 30 pounds, bringing his BMI from overweight down to normal. No, I’m NOT recommending a junk food diet as your answer for fat loss. What I am pointing out is how powerful a reduction in calories is when it comes to lowering your body weight. Do you know how many calories you eat each day? If you’re not sure, don’t worry. You’re about to learn the one fat loss tool that will change everything for you. First we need to get to the bottom of how many calories you’re eating each day. Yes, even those healthy calories. Before you start whining, let me explain. Food journaling doesn’t involved lugging around a journal, writing down each food item throughout the day then looking everything up at the end of the day to manually tally calories like it used to. These days food journaling has gone digital, and tracking your calories only takes seconds of your time. Here’s what I need you to do: #1: Download a food journal application to your smart phone. At the touch of your fingers you’ll be able to look up food items and instantly see your running calorie tally. #2: Meet with your doctor to find a daily calorie count that will allow for safe weight loss and then diligently maintain that number. Eat healthy, fresh foods and when you decide to indulge, make sure to do so within your target calorie range. #3: Meet with me for a consistent and challenging exercise routine. My exercise programs are specifically crafted to get you into amazing shape as quickly as possible. These three, simple steps will give you structure and clarity that you need when it comes to making food choices and will quickly result in pounds lost and goals achieved. Once your goal weight is met, your target calorie range will be adjusted for maintenance. Sounds good, right? I’d love to hear from you. Call or email today to get started! Today I’m writing to motivate you to take action.
I understand the frustrations that you have when it comes to your body. I know all about your insecurities over the size of your thighs and how hopeless that can feel. The answer to your body frustrations is to get you up off the couch and into the gym, day after day. So here’s my pep talk in bullet form—21 rewards that you will gain from regular exercise. Do yourself a favor and print this list and post it where you’ll see it every day. When you need motivation or encouragement, simply read over this list and take action. Remember that action alleviates anxiety. So whenever you’re feeling anxious over the current shape of your body, take that as a reminder to jump into action. And then begin to reap these 21 rewards of exercise… 1. You’ll reset your body: Exercise has been described as a giant reset button. A good workout will block appetite swings, improve your mood and even help you sleep. 2. Your clothes will fit better: Consistent exercise will tone and tighten your body, causing your clothes to not only fit better but to also look nicer. Also exercise ensures that soon you’ll be trading your clothes in for smaller sizes. 3. You’ll be less stressed: You have enough stress in your life—it’s time for a break. A good workout invigorates your muscles, leaving you relaxed and less stressed. 4. You’ll have more energy: WebMD tallied research studies and concluded that 90% prove exercise increases energy levels in sedentary patients. Next time you feel fatigued, fight it with the most powerful tool available: exercise. 5. You’ll be stronger: Exercise improves muscle strength and endurance, two things that you use throughout each day. When you exercise consistently you’ll be pleasantly surprised when difficult tasks begin to seem easy. 6. You’ll be less likely to binge: Exercise has a powerful anti-binge effect on the body. This is due in part by an increase in sensitivity to leptin, a protein hormone, which has an appetite-taming effect. 7. You’ll burn calories: You know that excess body fat is made up of stored and unused calories. Fight back by burning loads of calories with fat-blasting workouts. 8. You’ll be more confident: Who doesn’t wish they walked and talked with more confidence? A consistent exercise program will do just that. As your body becomes more fit, watch as your confidence sky-rockets. 9. You’ll have fun: Believe it or not, exercise can be extremely enjoyable. Remember how fun it was to run around as a child? Tap into your inner child as you find a mode of exercise that gets you excited. 10. You’ll reduce your blood pressure: Exercise has been proven more effective than medication in reducing blood pressure to normal levels. A single workout has been shown to reduce blood pressure for the day and regular exercise reduces overall blood pressure in the long run. 11. You’ll lose the jiggles: Regular exercise tightens flabby arms, legs and waistlines. So wave goodbye to the jiggles with a solid exercise program. 12. You’ll increase insulin sensitivity: Researchers at Laval University in Quebec discovered that exercise improved insulin sensitivity dramatically. Peak after-meal insulin levels dropped by more than 20 percent after as little as 3 weeks of consistent exercise. 13. You’ll sleep better: Do you toss and turn for hours before falling asleep? Exercise is a powerful sleep aid. Your tired muscles encourage your body to quickly fall asleep so they can get their overnight repair work done. 14. You’ll lower your risk of heart disease: Regular exercise strengthens your heart and makes it more resilient against disease. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for heart disease, so rest assured that consistent exercise is your ally against disease. 15. You’ll feel great: Vigorous exercise releases natural endorphins (happy hormones) into your blood stream that dissolve pain and anxiety. You’ve probably heard of ‘runner’s high’, this can be achieved by any great workout. 16. You’ll lower your risk of diabetes: Studies show that exercising as little as half an hour each day can dramatically reduce your risk of diabetes. If you are at risk of diabetes, or already have diabetes, regular exercise is the most effective treatment for reversing the disease. 17. You’ll meet cool people: You could benefit from a group of new, energetic friends, right? Gyms, bootcamps, workout centers and even the jogging trail are all great places to connect with fun new friends. 18. You’ll improve your BMI: You know that maintaining a healthy BMI is key in disease prevention. Exercise is the best way to keep your BMI under control. 19. You’ll increase your endurance: Do you ever get out of breath when walking up stairs or through the mall? Regular exercise builds your endurance for everyday activities. 20. Your doctor will be impressed: How many times has your doctor given you the lecture about losing weight and exercising more? Exercise regularly and get your MD off your back! 21. You’ll look amazing: Are you happy with the shape and size of your body? Regular exercise works wonders on your physique. Within a few weeks you’ll see shape and tone in all the right places. Are you ready to alleviate your anxiety by taking action? Good! Simply pick up the phone, or reply to this email, and let me know that you’re ready to get started. I have a fitness plan that’s just right for you and together we will get you into the best shape of your life. Let’s do this :) Are you feeling reluctant to create New Year’s Resolutions? After years of failed resolutions past, I don’t blame you. However, if you pick the right resolutions, you’ll face the New Year head on, ready to make good on your big plans from January 1 all the way to December 31.
What kind of resolutions will you actually keep this year? Good question. Here are seven resolutions that you can keep and that will help you achieve big strides towards your fitness goals in 2019: Resolution #1: Get Fishy Giving your health a boost doesn’t have to take an incredible amount of time. With this resolution, it doesn’t even take will power. All it takes is modifying your grocery list by buying fish on occasion. Enjoy fish for dinner once a week, and you’ll protect your heart from disease and increase your chances for a longer life. Go with salmon, trout, flounder, or tuna. Resolution #2: Lather Up You want your skin to look young and healthy, so this is the year you do something about it. Keep a bottle of sunscreen on your counter. When getting ready for your day, make it part of your routine to spread some sun-shielding lotion on your face, arms, and neck. It’ll save your skin so it’ll look its best in years to come and prevent skin cancer. Resolution #3: Sweat in the AM In today’s world, it can be difficult to find the time to exercise. One way to increase your odds for exercising each day is to knock it out first thing in the morning. This year, resolve to exercise right after waking up. Adjust your wake up time to accommodate your morning sweat session. Resolution 4: Swap One Meal By swapping out one of your daily meals for a 1 or 2 scoop protein shake you’ll save yourself a few hundred calories each day while providing your muscles with much needed protein. Most of my clients choose to make this swap for breakfast, since it’s so convenience to shake up some protein powder and water to drink on-the-go as you race out the door to start your day. If you only choose to make one resolution this year make it this one – you’ll be astounded at the quick results this simple daily swap will deliver. Resolution 5: Push Your Body Know that half marathon you’ve been considering? Want to stop feeling the need to eat cake at every birthday party you attend—even when the cake is dry? This is the year you train properly for that race, say no to cake on occasion, and take up mountain climbing. Find someone with the same goal, make a plan to reach the goal, and get started. Once you complete your first goal and see that it wasn’t as impossible as you once thought, you may just find yourself setting even bigger goals for next year. Resolution 6: Down More H2O Your body is primarily made up of water. Keep it that way by skipping soda and sipping on water all day long. A great way to make strides toward your watery goal is to fill up the biggest water bottle you can find and go at it. Preferably, you can drink from something that holds 2.2 liters (9 cups), as all you’ll need is a single fill up in the morning to stay hydrated all day long. Resolution 7: Stretch Every Day One of the best ways to avoid injury, as we age, is to take a few minutes to stretch daily. This is most effectively done after you have warmed up and before you begin the intense portion of your routine. By taking the best care of your muscles, with stretching, you’ll avoid taking time off for injury recovery and will be able to accomplish your goals quicker. There you have it, 7 realistic New Year’s Resolutions to help make 2019 your best year yet. The most effective way to ensure that you stick with your resolutions is to become one of my valued clients. I’ll be by your side every step of the way as we get you from where you are today to the body that you want to live in tomorrow. Call or email me now to get started on my best program! |
AuthorBrandon Dunston Archives
April 2019
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