EXCUSES ARE FOR LOSERS!

 
GET OFF YOU’RE A$$ AND STOP MAKING EXCUSES… START GETTING RESULTS!

Are You Tired of Making Excuses? CLICK HERE.

 Are you tired of your own excuses? CLICK HERE to change it!

Please share (in the comment section below) some of the most outrageous fitness excuses that you have ever heard. ]]> http://5minfatloss.com/blog/stop-making-excuses/feed/ 0 http://5minfatloss.com/blog/develop-unstoppable-motivation-and-willpower/ http://5minfatloss.com/blog/develop-unstoppable-motivation-and-willpower/#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 12:00:42 +0000 Dr. Diet http://fitphysiqueonline.com/blog/?p=365 Do you have trouble getting motivated to exercise? 
 
Do you wish there was something you could do about it? 
 
Do you think it’s your willpower that just doesn’t measure up? 
 
What if there was a way for you to develop your willpower? 
 
What if I could give you a few little secrets that you could use to create motivation and put to use to reach your fitness goals?

Well if you’re willing to supply just a little bit of desire and a little bit of effort, I’ll teach you how to develop an unstoppable motivation and willpower that your friends will envy.

The key to your success is a simple five letter word… and that word is habit. This is our number one goal! Yes! Our number one goal is to create the habit of exercise and our improved fitness will be a by product of accomplishing this. How are we going to do this? We are going to break this down as far as necessary. And you will be the one who determines just how far that is. What do I mean by that? Well virtually all exercise consists of either steps or repetitions. Think of your favorite exercise. Is it walking? Then it can be broken down to steps… (or time spent) right? Is it push ups? Then it can be broken down to repetitions. Get the idea? So if we are to succeed at creating the habit of exercising, technically we only need to take “some” steps or to do “some” repetitions on a regular, consistent basis.

You might be thinking, Rick, come on now… how is taking a few steps or a few repetitions going to help me reach my fitness goals? Stay with me for a minute. Most people who fail at reaching their fitness goals fail because they lack motivation. And the reason they lack motivation is because their holding the wrong picture in their mind. You know the one… that one long grueling workout that seemed to last forever? If we’re going to hold a picture in our mind of an entire grueling workout, most of us are going to be whipped before we start.

I begin by telling myself that I am going to do “one set” of my favorite exercise (the incline bench press) and then after giving myself two or three minutes to recover from that set, I will then ask myself if I want to do more. Nine times out of ten I do! And if I don’t I can still feel good that I did that set and strengthened the habit of exercise. Surely anyone can do a “single set” of their favorite exercise and create the habit of doing so. Make the goal creating the “habit”… not the workout!!! We can always increase the steps, the reps, the number of sets, the exercises and the time spent anytime we want to! And I encourage you to do so… whenever you feel like it!

We need to keep in mind that not all workouts have to be maximal. Start each workout with just one set of your favorite exercise. Wait 2 or 3 minutes and while you’re waiting, praise yourself for accomplishing that set. You’ve just included some exercise in your day. Doesn’t that feel good? You have taken the first step to creating a habit… a very good habit. And each time that you do this you are strengthening that habit. Now, ask yourself if you feel like you want to do more. If not… stop. If so, repeat.

Many people get to the gym and turn around and go home because they just don’t feel up to working out that day. But many of us have found that if we just submit to doing a set or two of something, we begin to feel like doing more.

Habits begin like flimsy cobwebs at first and are strengthened day by day to become like unbreakable cables to shackle or strengthen our lives. What happens is once you get started, you will begin to feel the endorphins rush and most of the time you will “feel” like doing more. I kid you not! It’s amazing! It works for me virtually all the time. Try it!

Here is a poem that I read many years ago that I found to be very profound and seems appropriate for this article. I hope you enjoy it.

Who am I?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will be able to do them
quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed –
You must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want
Something done and after a few lessons
I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men;
And alas, of all failures, as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine,
Though I work with all the precision
Of a machine plus the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin –
It makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me,
And I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am habit!
- Anonymous

CLICK HERE and I’ll show you how you can get the results!

You see, I love soccer

But Sunday, perhaps out of boredom (maybe even frustration with the soccer game AND the Chiefs), I spent 91 minutes watching a movie that I watched maybe twice when it first made it to the silver screen: Rocky IV.

I didn’t give it much thought back when it first came out, but WOW what a motivational story.

Some Rocky fanatics claim Rocky IV is the absolute best out of all the Rockies (and there will be time to debate that later if you don’t

Personally, I’m a “Rocky II” man myself. The scene where his beloved wife Adrian awakes from her coma and tells Rocky, I want you to do one thing for me…win…WIN!!!” gets me every damn time.

But, regardless of which Rocky movie you believe is number one, you’ve GOT to agree that Rocky IV is one of the best motivational movies of all time.

I mean, what a great story, right?

Rocky, avenging his best friend Apollo’s death by defeating the highly-favored, monstrous Russian on his own turf in Russia - it’s pretty intense stuff.

But apart from that, even if you somehow didn’t care for the movie (and I can’t imagine how), Rocky IV can still teach you something extremely valuable and applicable to you and your own goals.

And that is, the raw power of motivation.

Let’s be honest, if Rocky had gone in to fight the Drago prior to fighting Apollo or at any other time, under any other circumstances, he would have got his head stuffed straight up his butt. The dude was a monster, a freak of nature, and had Rocky outmatched in every possible way.

But because Rocky had something extremely powerful to motivate him (the fact that this guy killed his best friend), he was able to seemingly defeat some crazy odds and emerge victorious.

Let me ask you a question:

What’s YOUR motivation?

What is it that gets you up in the morning and over to the gym before work when everyone else is sleeping in?

What is it that allows you to regularly pass up the quick and easy (and frankly, delicious) foods that so many others regularly indulge in?

Motivation is the reflection in the mirror.

It is the answer to the question, “Am I satisfied?”.

It is the goal…

The prize…

Fitting into those skinny jeans…

Achieving 8% bodyfat…

It is the reason behind the drive…. kinda like Rocky.

Do you have a REAL source of motivation?

If you don’t, it’s highly likely you’re going to get “knocked out” by all the temptation and “easy ways out” that surround us on a daily basis.

Let’s face it, it’s a heck of a lot easier to eat whatever, whenever, and skip the whole workout thing then it is to live a fit, healthy lifestyle.

You absolutely have to have a very powerful source of motivation, because without one, you’re toast.

So do you have a source of motivation that keeps you going strong toward your goals each and every day?

What is it?

Reaffirm it by posting it in the comments section below to start today off with renewed focus (and if you don’t value your “reason” enough to post it below, it’s probably safe to say that you don’t really have one).

Don’t have a strong enough source of motivation?

Here’s a little tip for you…

Treat yourself to that pair of jeans (or outfit) you absolutely LOVE. Better yet, ask for them as a Christmas gift, BUT ask for them a size or two too small.

You’re going to want to wear them so badly, believe me, you’ll drop the sizes just so you can!

Trust me… it works!

Now, let me know what YOUR motivation is below.

Talk to you in the comments section!

Rick

According to the millionaire’s interviewed for Dr. Thomas Stanley’s “The Millionaire Mind,” the number one factor in their success, when ranked by very important and important is being disciplined.

57% said being disciplined was very important and another 38% ranked it as important.

You might be wondering what millionaires have to do with your health and fitness goals.

To achieve your fitness goals, you must have a plan, and to stick to that plan you must have (or develop) the discipline necessary to do so.

Discipline is a key to success, no matter what you are looking to achieve, from adding twenty pounds of muscle, to losing twenty pounds of fat, to making millions, or climbing Mt. Everest.

Without discipline, none of these things are possible.

Anything worth achieving takes discipline.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”? It’s absolutely true. Millionaire’s are extremely disciplined. They set very high goals for themselves and then go about doing what it takes to reach those goals.

These people are not easily sidetracked. They do what needs to be done, regardless of the obstacles or roadblocks that they may stumble upon during their journey.

If you lack discipline, your chances of achieving success are very, very small. But discipline can be learned, practiced and improved.

THINK ON PAPER

Only about 3 percent of adults have clear, written goals.

These people accomplish five to ten times as much as people without written goals.

Written goals are a powerful thing.

They have an energy behind them that helps you move toward them.

Unwritten goals just don’t have that power.

Make a list of everything you can think of that you will need to do to help you achieve your goal.

Leave nothing to chance.

The more planning you do ahead of time, the more likely you will stick to the plan and achieve your goals.

The more prepared you are, the more success you will experience.

WRITE IT DOWN! Keep track of everything you do regarding your fitness goals; what you eat each day, exercises, sets, reps… EVERYTHING!

By doing this you have something tangible to refer to – documentation of what worked, or did not work, for you.

Nothing is more powerful, or irrefutable, than this evidence.

The information learned is an invaluable tool that can help you gain insight into why your current fitness and nutrition program is (or isn’t) working.

One final note. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF!

Do not “fudge” the number(s) of reps, sets, etc.

Do not inaccurately record your food consumption.

It does you no good if the information you record is not accurate.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

My answers are always the same. There is no magic pill or powder or even secret that trainers, professional athletes or fitness models are keeping from the general public. It all comes down to hard work, being conscious of your diet and, most importantly, being consistent.

If it were easy everyone would be in perfect shape all of the time. To quote Bill Cosby,

“In order to succeed, the desire for success
must be greater than the fear of failure.”

The fear of failure is something I encounter 90% of the time when discussing fitness goals with women.

Whether they realize it or not, many women prevent themselves from achieving their fitness goals because of an inherent fear of failure. Unless you determine that you are going to make sacrifices and make fitness a lifestyle it becomes all too easy to ‘give up’ because ‘it’s not going to happen – I have bad genetics.’

Stop blaming your parents, your husband, or your kids for your own fear of committing to yourself and your fitness goals. While it is true that some are genetically predisposed to developing lean muscle it is completely possible to train hard and diet to create the best body you can have for you.

You will never know until you put all of your doubts aside and make it happen. Now, combine this fear of failure with the many myths that surround women and weight training and you have a recipe for disaster.

I am breaking down the six most common myths many women believe and thus hinder their progress or potential gains. Hopefully this will help educate more women to the truth behind what makes the body effectively transform.

Six Common Myths

Myth 1: Lifting Weight Will Make/Build/Develop Muscle Like A Man.
We have all heard this one from some woman at one time or another. Ladies… NO … Lifting weight will not make you develop muscle like a man. Quick lesson in anatomy:

Both men and women have hormones coursing through their bodies. These hormones are testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and DHEA. For those of you who are not aware, men and women share all of these; however men have a much higher number of testosterone and DHEA than women do and women have a much higher concentration of estrogen and progesterone.

Testosterone is a very powerful hormone, this is one (if not the) primary factor that enables men to build muscle the way they do. Are there women in this world who lift weights and look like men? Yes. Why? They take testosterone or other androgens to help them achieve that look. Does the average woman who wants to get in shape and attain a ‘sexy’ body have to supplement this way to achieve her goals? NO.

And, in all honesty, most women that attend the gym to get in shape or look good at the beach do not lift weights that are nearly heavy enough to develop in this manner.

Myth 2: Eating A Lot Will Make Me Fat.
Eating a lot of cake and candy and cookies will absolutely make you fat. So can eating a lot of pasta or chicken or bananas. There isn’t any one type of food that can be blamed for unwanted fat gain in the body. What needs to be understood is that every morsel of food that is ingested has calories (many also contain vital nutrients). However, if you overeat anything at any point during the day the excess that your body does not need will be stored as fat.

Food                              Calories       Protein      Carbs         Fat

Chocolate Cake                          428                  5.9g                73g              15.6g

Candies, Reese’s Pieces          497                12.5g             59.9g             24.8g

Cookies, Chocolate Chip       497                   4.6g             66.1g             25.2g

Pasta                                              131                   5.2g             24.9g                1.1g

Chicken, Roasted                     190                 28.9g                   0g               7.4g

Bananas                                          92                        1g             23.4g               0.5g

When a bodybuilder or fitness model, professional athlete or personal trainer stresses they eat frequently throughout the day they are not saying they eat “too much.” Eating small meals 6 – 7 times a day will increase your metabolism so your body is constantly burning calories and is constantly receiving the adequate nutrition it needs to maintain all bodily functions including building and maintaining muscle.

It is important to get an understanding of what proper nutrition consists of and what you need to feed your body to not only maintain it but ‘evolve’ it into the figure of your dreams.

Myth 3: Carbs Are The Enemy!
Ladies, forget Dr. Atkins… Please! In fact, try to stay away from all the fad diets on the shelves at Barnes & Nobles that promise to give you a bikini-perfect body if you do ridiculous things like stand on your head and eat nothing but Oreos.

There is no secret trick and no magic in a bottle. Cutting carbs and eating nothing but steak and bacon are not going to get you closer to having a firm butt and thighs. Sorry, but that’s the truth. The Atkins diet and calorie restriction diets are excellent starting points for obese individuals that need to lose weight quickly for health reasons. They are not conducive to building muscle.

The macronutrients needed for a well rounded nutritional program are carbs, protein and fat. All three of these are necessary and have important functions within the body. I am not going to go into complete detail here as a complete breakdown of macronutrients and their function is extremely lengthy and would be better suited in an article on nutrition which I will write at another time.

The basic reasons are carbohydrates are necessary in rebuilding muscle. They are also an excellent source of energy within the body. This is not just energy to run five miles, this also means energy required to keep your heart beating, maintain the digestive process and even ensure cellular respiration can occur.

(Fancy terminology that means your body does much more than what you make it or ask it to do.)

Myth 4: Working Out Turns Fat Into Muscle.
No, working out does not turn fat into muscle. Nor can you change apples into oranges by juggling. Think about it, muscle and fat are two completely different things. Fat is made up of triglycerides and muscle is made up of amino acids. How can one turn into the other?

The reality is that building muscle will in turn help you burn fat. The more muscle developed the more calories the body will burn even while at rest. The transformation will not occur over night – it can take months or even years.

Likewise the theory that 1 lb. of muscle weighs more than a 1 lb. of fat holds absolutely no water. 1 lb equals 1 lb no matter what that pound is made up of. However, muscle takes up less space within the body than fat does. Because of this someone who is extremely muscular but the same height and appears to have the same amount of body mass as an individual that has a softer physique can weigh more.

Myth 5: Drinking Too Much Water Will Make Me Bloat.
Actually the opposite is true. Not drinking enough water can make you bloat. Women are especially vulnerable to this. If an adequate amount of water is not consumed during the day the body will actually hold onto whatever water it has stored in the muscles in an effort to maintain necessary hydration for metabolism and other bodily functions. This can give you a bloated appearance. I say women are especially vulnerable to this because of the high fluctuations we experience with hormonal levels (and yes, that ‘time of the month’).

These factors make your bodies more sensitive to maintaining adequate hydration so it is necessary to drink at least a gallon of water a day. (The exact amount of water necessary for an individual will vary depending upon the sport / activity she is involved with as well as her weight etc. This is another performance nutrition factor that will be addressed another time.)

Myth 6: I Don’t Want To Train At The Gym Because People Will Look At Me.
Many women have said this during the years that I’ve been weight training. There is a common misconception that you must be blonde, busty, and extremely fit before you can walk in a gym and weight train. This is not the case. To be honest, most people are not looking around the gym gawking at other people while they are working out. They are too focused on their own form, staring at themselves in the countless mirrors scrutinizing their own bodies and what needs to be improved.

People Really Aren’t Going To Be Gawking At You.

Nobody is going to notice you in your sweats pushing through your personal workout. They are too focused on themselves. Don’t get me wrong, there are some people at the gym who are social butterflies and like to walk around and talk to everyone, but nobody is judging you.

Conclusion

I hope you have found this article helpful and it has helped to clear up any misunderstandings you might have had regarding common workout myths. You can find out more information, or even contact me directly for advice or other fitness tips at www.fitphysiqueonline.com.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

Please post your comments below. I want to hear your thoughts…

While you’re here, check out the rest of  the articles.

Question: How can I be thin like the models in the magazines?

Answer: Thin people are the exception, rather than the rule, despite what the magazines portray. Most images in magazines are “computer slimmed” – they really are not that skinny. The average American woman is a size 14, so your aim should be not to be “thin”, rather, it should be to become healthy, full of energy and within the healthy weight range for your age and height. There is no such thing as an “ideal weight” but there is a healthy weight range you can work toward by making healthy food and exercise choices.

Question: Exercise is too much like hard work, where do I begin?

Answer: Exercise is all about feeling good about yourself and positive about your achievements. Choose an activity you feel comfortable with (walking is an excellent beginner’s choice) and start with just ten minutes. It’s all about getting out there and moving, breathing and living. It’s all a bout improving your QUALITY of life.

Question: I don’t like jogging or walking, what can I do?

Answer: There are lots of exercise activities you can do around the house which do raise your pulse rate to the “fat burning” range! Sweeping up leaves, cleaning windows, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom are all excellent, providing you put in some extra energy over a sustained period of at least twenty minutes.

Question: How can I find time for breakfast?

Answer: Many busy working people skip breakfast – don’t! It’s the most important meal of the day. A simple breakfast consisting of a low fat, low sugar cereal, skim milk and half a banana, and a slice of toast will not only get you and your brain up and running with enough fuel to energize your day, but will also kick start your metabolism for the day.

Question: How can I get going without my coffee to start the day?

Answer: Coffee (and to a lesser extent tea) is one of the worst ways to start your day! Coffee gives you a caffeine boost which just as quickly lets you down again, but it also increases hunger by boosting the output of insulin and is also dehydrating, making you thirsty and hungry and looking for a second hit.

Question: How can I find time to exercise?

Answer: Find time! Healthy people manage to fit daily exercise into their daily routine! Unhealthy people make excuses! Fit exercise into your day by getting up half an hour earlier (you really won’t miss that half-hour sleep) or at lunchtime (up and down the stairs if it’s raining) or after work at a gym, on an exercise bike or treadmill.

No matter how busy you may think you are, there’s someone busier than you finding time to take care of themselves.

Question: How can I stop my friends sabotaging all my attempts to eat healthier?

Answer: Be honest and tell them it’s your choice what you eat. Though I disagree with lying to someone, if you must, tell a white lie and say you are worried about your cholesterol level (even the most persistent saboteur will accept this) and your doctor has told you to avoid high fat foods.

CLICK HERE to read my related post…

Question: What should I be drinking?

Answer: Water is the beverage of choice and apart from the last 50 years or so, that’s all we drank! Alcohol is a toxin and goes straight to the fat stores; tea and coffee are both drugs which dehydrate and make you hungry; fruit juices are outrageously high in sugar as are soft drinks. A popular cola drink contains all the above and is not a healthy choice. Sports drinks are designed only for professional athletes such as marathon runners.

Question: I work long hours. How can I find the time to cook?

Answer: Most supermarkets are open 24 hours a day, so quit making excuse! Shop once a week and plan ahead for healthy, quick to prepare family meals such as stir fries, pasta with sauce, or grilled fish, chicken or steak with a big salad and vegetables.

Question: I’ve failed on every diet I’ve ever attempted! What’s gone wrong?

Answer: “Diets” just don’t work and will be guaranteed to fail you every time. You haven’t failed, the “diet” failed you. The only thing that will work is to stop “dieting” and think healthy eating instead. Expect to succeed and you will succeed.

Question: Why do people keep offering me food and even if I say no, no, no they still push?

Answer: Unfortunately the more you say no, no, no, the more unhelpful people will push unwelcome food at you! Practice saying “Thanks, it looks great – I’ll have some later.” Try it – it really does work.

Question: Why are lifestyle changes so difficult to make?

Answer: Any change takes courage. Courage is the power to face difficulties. Courage comes from a determination to succeed and to practice new lifestyle skills. When we isolate our problems and work on finding a solution we gain the necessary courage to succeed.

Question: Why do I feel as if my life is stuck in a rut?

Answer: Once we stop learning, we stop growing as a person. Being open to new ideas, new concepts and new learning will mean developing new skills. Starting is the key, because if we want to be successful in any endeavor, we must start sometime. The house of success is built brick by brick.

Question: I can’t afford to go on expensive pre-packaged food diets – what can I do?

Answer: No one needs pre-packaged diet food! The power to achieve successful weight loss lies within each of us. We alone have the responsibility to develop a healthy weight. When we understand this, we begin to realize that we alone are pushing ourselves forward or holding ourselves back.

Question: I’d really love to be slimmer, but why do I think I will never succeed?

Answer: Going beyond what we thought we were capable of is what excellence is all about. Success comes from striving to become or do what we really want to become or do. It means putting in effort to get what we want and understanding that we are all responsible for our own actions and our own health.

Question: There is so much conflicting nutrition information in magazines and on TV!  What is really correct?

Answer: It’s a case of sourcing out information and taking an intelligent and informed look at it all. Basically, 80% of what we eat should come out of the ground in the form of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. We need quality protein to build and repair, dairy products to supply calcium and minimal amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Chemicals, preservatives and colorings in food are a real health hazard, as are sugar laden soft drinks.

Question: I have a family history of diabetes – is it important I lose weight?

Answer: With a family history of heart disease, diabetes, stroke or bowel cancer, attaining and maintaining a healthy weight is imperative to remain healthy. These are the killer diseases which can be directly related to obesity.

Taking charge and gaining control over weight will go a long way towards preventing the killer diseases, many of which show a family pre disposition to developing.

Question: Plateaus are so discouraging! What causes a dieting plateau?

Answer: Everyone who goes on a “diet” will plateau! This is because all diets put people on a set calorie intake day after day. The body naturally, and quickly, becomes accustomed to a very low energy intake and slows metabolism down. This is why weight goes back on again after each diet attempt, plus interest.

Successful, maintainable weight management is not the result of “dieting”. It can only be achieved by a varied and enjoyable food intake which fits into your own family lifestyle.

Question: I don’t want to change anything! Why shouldn’t I keep eating the food I like?

Answer: To achieve a change in our health and weight we have to accept that some changes will be inevitable. Change can be daunting or it can be an exciting, goal-oriented challenge. It all depends on how you view change. We can still eat the foods we “like” (which is usually all the fat laden foods) but enjoy them in moderation. High fat, high sugar, high salt foods are “special occasion foods” not everyday foods.

Question: I lasted on my last diet for three weeks and then my mother arrived to stay and it all fell apart. How can I prevent this from happening again?

Answer: The ability to handle relapses and then get back on track again as soon as possible is the key to success at any endeavor. We are human beings. That means we are not perfect! Problems in life arise for everyone – even for those people with the trim bodies you envy! The trick is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on track.

Question: I’ve lost and gained weight back on again more times than I care to remember! Why does overweight keep finding me?

Answer: As with any endeavor with an end result worth achieving never give up. Keep persisting and persisting until you achieve that goal you set yourself. If it is worth achieving (and what could be more important than your health!) then it is worth persisting despite the challenges, which will appear along the way.

Question: I’d love to lose weight, but my husband says he loves me just the way I am. Is he telling me the truth?

Answer: If you are not happy within yourself, then how can those who love you possibly be happy? Our greatest power is the power to choose! We can decide where we are, what we do and what we think. No one can take the power to choose away from us. We can be what we want to be. The choice is ours and ours alone.

Question: My whole family is overweight – if I lose weight, won’t I feel like the odd one out?

Answer: If you are happy with your weight and are healthy, there is no reason to allow anyone to tell you to “lose weight”. However, if you are unhappy and unhealthy, maybe now is the time to be a pioneer within your family and help point them in the right direction from a healthy point of view, by your example and inspiration.

Question: I’ve got young children – how can I find the time to lose weight?

Answer: We are beasts of habit. The force of habit and making excuses are quick to force us to fail or never begin! The more we do something, the more likely we are to do it again. Establishing a healthy eating, cooking or exercise habit forms a bridge, which enables us to walk across the deepest valley to success.

Question: Why does something always happen to prevent me from reaching my goals?

Answer: Choosing to fail or choosing to succeed is entirely up to the individual. There are no limits to our possibilities. When we imagine success and positive happenings in our lives, this is what we can expect to achieve. When we imagine success our vision expands, we capture and hold onto our dreams and our views are fulfilled.

Whether you believe that you can… or that you can’t… you are right!

Question: I try to lose weight, so why do I fail each time?

Answer: “Trying” to do something allows us automatically to fail. In the words of Joda the Jedi Master in Star Wars. “Do or do not. There is no try.” Choose to do it or to not do it. However, if you choose to do it, then do it – don’t just try! Listen to what your own self talk is saying to you and re-program your head to tell you positive self-talk, not negative, self-limiting self-talk.

Question: I really envy all my friends who are slim and full of energy. Why is life so unfair?

Answer: Life is not a rehearsal and there is no such thing as a magic weight loss fairy (or magic pill for that matter) which will turn you into a slim person overnight. Instead of wishing you could be slimmer and full of energy, take a good look at just what you are eating and how much exercise you perform each week. To both lose and maintain weight we need to reduce our total fat grams eaten per day to around 20-24 grams, eat three balanced meals and two snacks every day and exercise four times per week. Remember, healthy people do it all the time!

Question: How can losing weight make me feel better?

Answer: The health benefits from even a small weight loss are extraordinary. Even a 10% reduction in overall body weight can see blood pressure come down, cholesterol levels come down and energy and self esteem levels go up. As we lose weight, there is less strain on backs, knees and ankles, reducing pain. Headaches become lessened, we sleep better and function more effectively in all areas of our lives.

Question: Why do I feel such a sense of failure when I always put weight back on again after going on a diet?

Answer: Diets are doomed to failure each and every time! The ONLY successful way to both lose weight and maintain weight is to establish lifelong healthy eating habits. When we take small daily steps and congratulate ourselves every day for even the smallest change towards achieving our weight loss goals, we begin to think like a winner. And the more we think like a winner, the more we begin to feel and look like a winner.

Question: Why are my thin friends so lucky?

Answer: There is no luck involved in being slim, healthy and full of energy! What is involved is healthy, low fat regular meals and snacks, and a sensible exercise routine. Most people really do have to work at keeping their weight where they want it to be. There is no luck involved. It’s all about getting out there and doing it, not wishing it would happen.

Question: I’ve thought about beginning so many diets in the past. Why can’t I ever get around to it?

Answer: It does take a lot of courage to begin to make significant lifestyle changes. Most people with a weight problem do need to ask for help and this takes courage. In fact, sometimes taking that first step is the hardest part of making any change. Until you take that first step, you stand little chance of reaching your goal. Once you have made the decision to change, stick to your resolve and commit to changing your lifestyle for good health.

Question: I’d love to do all sorts of things in my life. Why is it that somehow I just don’t get there?

Answer: Stop procrastinating! Thinking about, or wishing about, becoming slimmer won’t help. Thinking about it is what got you in the position you are in! Set your goals a bit higher than you feel you can achieve and always aim for super success. Wallowing in doom and gloom is not nearly as much fun as knowing you have won, and achieved everything in life you want to achieve.

Question: I really hope I’ll be slim and happy one day – will it happen?

Answer: This life is not a rehearsal – we are only given one shot at it.

- One shot to become the person we really want to be.

- One shot to eat well, get our weight down to where we want it to be.

- One shot to learn as much as we can.

- One shot to improve our lives and the lives of our family and loved ones.

Don’t leave your life behind without knowing you gave it your best shot.

Question: Why doesn’t anyone ever do anything for me?

Answer: Well, maybe you don’t give too much either! George Burns lived over 100 years, sharing and giving and living by this philosophy. When we give something, expecting nothing in return, then it is given back to us with interest.

Still not sure what to do, or how to get to your fitness goals? Let me help you. CLICK HERE to learn about my Online Training & Nutrition Program which will guide you every step along the way to the body of your dreams…

GUARANTEED!

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

It may not be your choice to get knocked down, but it is your choice whether or not you get back up.

In the last post (Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude, March 15, 2009) I wrote about the power of a positive attitude and how it has a lot to do with any successes in life. More often than not, your attitude is the number one determining factor in your success. You can control whether or not you will be a winner in life, regardless of your natural ability.

That being said, there are other attributes that separate “winners” from “losers.” And the difference between the two is huge.

Winners would rather attempt something great and fail than attempt nothing and succeed. Winners start with, and stick with, clear goals. They don’t quit when things get tough.

The second thing that winners do—and you must do—is to keep your eye on the goal. Winners do not get side-tracked. They do not get distracted from their goals. They do not lose their focus.

Thirdly, visualize your goal. See it in your mind. See it as though it were already accomplished. The clearer your picture and the more often you view it, the more persevering you will become. And the easier it will be to accomplish your goal. You might even add in your other senses. Think about your goal. Dream about it. See it. Feel it. Taste it. Smell it. The more you visualize what you want to achieve, the more likely you are to achieve it.

We all have faults, and some of us have goals. But you reinforce your perseverance and achievement when you visualize your goals.

Fourth, you must take some action. It’s important to have some goals, and it helps to visualize your goals, but that’s not enough. You’ve got to do something. Constant effort and frequent mistakes have almost always preceded phenomenal success. You’ve got to do more than visualize yourself as a physically fit person. You’ve got to work out in the gym once in a while. You’ve got to do more than affirm your ideal weight. You’ve got to stop eating the wrong foods and consciously consume the right ones. Sometimes you have to do something you hate to create something you love.

Are you willing to take some action? Are you willing to do whatever it takes? Winners are more than willing. They don’t expect something for nothing. And they don’t expect anyone else to do it for them. Winners accept complete responsibility for their lives, and they don’t make excuses. They’re very tenacious. They keep at it. As Winston Churchill said, “It’s no use saying you are doing your best. You have got to do what is necessary.” What about you? Are you a dreamer or a doer? You’ve got to be a doer. Some people merely dream of worthy accomplishments while others stay awake and do them.

Fifth, keep on taking action, no matter how you feel. Do what you have to do. Take responsibility. Refuse to excuse yourself. Losers and/or people who give up think a good explanation can excuse a poor result. Truly successful people, on the other hand, take responsibility for their failures, learn from them, and do better the next time around. It’s a matter of maturity, and maturity does not always parallel age. Maturity comes with the acceptance of responsibility.

If you’re going to achieve your goals, you’ve got to keep on taking action, even if you don’t feel like it. How well are you doing in that department? Losers are guided by their feelings. If they don’t feel like it, they don’t do it. A loser is like the employee who was asked what he did in the morning to make sure he had a great day. He answered, “I call in sick.” The real winners, the top 10% don’t enjoy certain tasks any more than the losers do, but they do them anyway. The top 10% know they can’t get to where they want to go by remaining where they are. So they make themselves do what needs to be done. It’s their duty. And sometimes, as novelist John Fowles said, “Duty largely consists of pretending that the trivial is critical.”

You’ve got to keep on keeping on despite your disappointment and discouragement. You’ve got to be careful of putting too much stock in your feelings. Your feelings are a useful piece of data in any decision you make, but they should not have the final say in doing what you know you should be doing.

Muhammad Ali knew that. That’s how he became great. He even said, “I hated every minute of the training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” And that’s how he became “The Greatest.”

Don’t quit just because it’s difficult to keep going. And don’t quit just because you don’t feel like keeping on.

Sixth, commit yourself to finding a way. No matter what your goal might be, there is almost always a way to achieve it. The power is found in your commitment. In fact, it’s quite clear that a person who has a goal, who believes in his goal, and is committed to achieving it, has more energy and more success than a person who doesn’t. In fact, once you commit yourself to finding a way, almost-magical powers come to your aid.

Winners are committed to finding a way.

Finally, practice, practice, practice. There are few shortcuts on the road to success. We all have to practice, practice, practice. Great pianists know this. They invest hundreds of hours of practice before a concert. They know that the quality of their performance will be determined by the quality of their many grueling hours of practice. All the goals in the world wouldn’t amount to much if there wasn’t a lot of practice to go along with them.

Are you practicing enough? If your answer is “yes,” congratulations! With enough perseverance, your success is almost a foregone conclusion.

A parting thought: Life isn’t fair. You know that. Some people have more than their share of difficulties, and some people get more breaks than they deserve. That’s just the way it is. Deal with it. When you try to accomplish your goals, you will encounter some difficulties. You may see other people get in your way. You may feel like giving up instead of keeping up.

But you’ve got to remember this… It may not be your choice to get knocked down, but it is your choice whether or not you get back up. I challenge you to get back up, to use the strategies I’ve outlined above. And you’ll have the perseverance you need to accomplish your goals. After the rain stops, the sun does come out again. Remember this!

Training and eating . . . that’s the magic . . . and if you’re willing to take the high road, the magic can lead to immense long term rewards.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

Dear Friend,

Success in any exercise program… and in LIFE, for that matter… depends largely on the attitude that a person brings to his endeavors. I want to touch on the importance of a positive mindset in achieving your ideal body.

That’s because it all starts in your head…

Every day, we make hundreds of choices, starting with whether to get out of bed or not. Some choices contribute to achieving our dreams and others keep us away from them. And even when we DON’T make a choice, we already have… by choosing not to. Our choices, and the actions that follow, add up to make us the people we are. In fact, we are the sum total of all the choices that we have made during our lives, right up to this very moment.

I believe that like a muscle, the mind can be trained. Motivation to accomplish all of your goals can be built just like a muscle, a little at a time. The more you work on building your motivation and developing a positive mindset, the stronger you become as a person.

I’ll give you an example. Whenever I travel on an airplane, I seldom take the time to talk to the person next to me. But I’ll never forget this one man that sat next to me. He looked terribly down, so I asked him, “How are you?” He said, “Oh, okay, I guess.” Then he asked me, “What do you do for a living?”

I said I was a personal trainer, but some people might call me a motivational speaker since that is a lot of what my job entails. I motivate people to be their physical best. Then, right out of nowhere, he asked, “Tell me something. Why does everything go wrong for me?” Well, I certainly didn’t know. I had never met the man before. So I replied, “Beats me.”

For the next thirty minutes he went on and on about all his difficulties. There I was, stuck on a crowded airplane listening to this man I’ve never seen before. And he repeated the same negative thoughts over and over again.

Then all of a sudden he exclaimed, “Hold it! Hold it! I know why everything goes wrong for me. It just came to me. Everything goes wrong for me because I’m wrong. I think wrong, speak wrong, and act wrong. I’m just too negative all the time.” He was right. He had gotten right to the crux of the matter.

The same is true for you. Your attitude is one of the most important, most powerful factors in your life. In fact, just about everything you achieve or don’t achieve can be traced back to your attitude. Quite simply, good attitudes bring good results, and bad attitudes bring bad results. It is your attitude, more than your aptitude, that will determine your altitude. YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK!

Of course, a lot of people think its “cool” to joke about one’s attitude.

Comedian George Burns was once asked, “Can you do everything at 98 you could do at age 18?” He said, “Of course I can do everything at 98 I did at 18 — which tells you how pathetic my life was at 18.”

Sure, it can be fun to joke about a negative attitude, but in reality, nothing could be more serious. Benjamin Franklin knew that. He said, “Most people die at age 18, but we don’t bury them until they’re 65.” Think about that!

It’s like a point that a psychologist made to me a few years ago. He asked me, “How long have you been alive?” I responded something like “43 years.” Then he said, “No. That’s how long your heart has been beating. How long have you been ALIVE? How long have you been on fire?”

About that time I “got” it. The light bulb came on. I realized what he was getting at. It’s a person’s attitude that pushes them forward or holds them back.

Of course, you may be thinking that all this talk about attitude is just a bunch of pie-in-the-sky talk. Is there any evidence to back up my claims? Yup. Absolutely!

In one long-term study of 1500 people, group A — or 83% — of the people took their particular jobs because they believed they could make lots of money. Only 17% of them — or group B — took their particular jobs because they happened to have a positive attitude towards those jobs.

Twenty years later, the two groups had produced 101 millionaires. The amazing thing is, only one of those millionaires came from group A, but 100 of them came from group B. Now that’s significant!

Even more amazing, over 70% of these millionaires never went to college. And over 70% of those who became CEO’s graduated in the bottom half of their class. The conclusion was that it was their attitude, more than their aptitude, that determined their altitude. In no uncertain terms, this study determined that positive thinking is “the” hallmark of successful people.

My psychologist friend from above made this point even clearer to me. He explained that he asks clients to give him the words they would use to characterize a winner, and then he’ll write down the first ten words they give him.

What do you think they say? Over the years, he found their answers to be very consistent. They list: attitude, enthusiasm, determination, motivation, confidence, optimism, dedication, happiness, balance, and patience. Very interesting. None of these qualities has anything to do with physical or mental abilities. They all relate to attitude in some way or other.

You’re obviously interested in physical fitness. You want to build the best body possible. Well, your attitude has a lot to do with your physical success as well.

Most people think of mind and body as two separate realms when, in effect, they are part of the same whole. In order to have a healthy body, you must have a healthy mind. Sometimes the best medicine is in your head.

One of the first people to popularize the mind-body connection was Norman Cousins. As a respected journalist and professor, he wrote and spoke on the topic many times. One study was particularly interesting, a study done on 40 patients who recovered from “irreversible” illnesses.

When they were told they didn’t have much of a chance to live, they panicked. That was to be expected.

Recent battles with health problems had me fully understanding the emotions and feeling of despair that comes with such a diagnosis. I found myself making plans for the inevitable during that recent period. Life insurance, trusts, wills, etc. These things become matters that consumes one’s mind when they prepare for the “inevitable.”

But at some point those 40 patients decided to reject the notion of foreseeable death. They decided to live! They would take advantage of the best that medical science had to offer, but they would also get actively involved in their own recovery. They would do whatever it took to regain their health. According to Cousins, it was that decision, that attitude, which made the difference. Attitudes have a definite biochemical effect on the body. An attitude of defeat or panic constricts the blood vessels and has a debilitating effect on the entire endocrine system. By contrast, an attitude of confidence and determination activates benevolent, therapeutic secretions in the brain.

Apparently a positive attitude can help in the prevention of disease, and a positive attitude can help in the recovery from disease. Dr. James Strain, the director of Behavioral Medicine and Consultation Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City found that to be true. Dr. Strain compared pessimistic and optimistic men who had heart attacks. In the first group of 25, 21 of the 25 pessimistic men died within 8 years of their heart attack. But only 6 of the 25 optimistic men died during that time.

Of course, I’m not a physician. I’m not doctor, period. But I can see a definite connection between the mind and body. It’s pretty damn obvious to me that when faced with an “inevitable,” when the facts won’t budge, you have to change your attitude.

You may have no power to change the “facts” in your world, but you always have the power to change your response to those “facts,” and that power can be enormous.

More often than not, your attitude is the number one determining factor in your success. With the right attitude, you’re almost certain to achieve your goals. And the good news is, your attitude is self-chosen. You control whether or not you will be a winner in life, regardless of your natural ability.

So you can be a winner. You can have a stronger body. You can have better relationships. You can make more money — if you have the right attitude. It is your responsibility to change your attitude if it’s not as positive or as powerful as it needs to be. No one “gave” you your attitude, and no one can “take” it away — except you. It’s your responsibility.

I’m sure you want to be a “winner.” You don’t want to be a “loser.” And the difference between the two is huge.

The winner is always a part of the answer.
The loser is always a part of the problem.
The winner always has a program.
The loser always has an excuse.
The winner says, “Let me help you.”
The loser says, “That’s not my job.”
The winner sees an answer for every problem.
The loser sees a problem in every answer.
The winner sees a green near every sand trap.
The loser sees a sand trap near every green.
The winner says, “It may be difficult, but it’s possible.”
The loser says, “It may be possible, but it’s too difficult.”

Can you think of a bigger winner than Abraham Lincoln. I can’t think of anyone who had more pressures in life or in his career than Abraham Lincoln. Whether it was his repeated losses in various elections, his difficult marriage, or the nation falling apart, he lived and led with an indomitable positive attitude. He simply chose to be that way. As Lincoln said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Starting today, I’m making up my mind to be like Abe! How about you?

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

He is not a fictitious character.

He is a real person.

Brad has been exercising for about twelve years now. Brad isn’t a large man by any means. He weighs about 165 pounds. If you met Brad you wouldn’t think anything special is standing in front of you. He is a very kind, unassuming individual. But Brad is a special as it gets.

Brad has the heart of a lion and a will to live that is rare and exceptional.

Brad is what I want to be.

Brad loves life and is doing what is necessary to live.

Brad has cystic fibrosis. That’s right, cystic fibrosis!

The deadly disease that kills most people inflicted by it before their sixteenth birthday.

The ailment that systematically eats away at any active tissue fiber in the body.

The syndrome that literally rots away the lungs, muscle and immune system of anyone inflicted by it.

Brad’s lung capacity is one-third that of yours and mine. Yet, Brad has lived almost twice as long as doctors and medical experts expect.

Have you figured out why Brad has bucked the odds?

Has the light bulb come on yet? Isn’t it obvious?

It’s right there in front of your nose.

I gave you a hint in the very first sentence of this post…

Brad exercises!

Brad realized at an important time in his life that exercising could prolong his life.

When the doctors told him that he had only about two years to live, Brad said “Wrong!”

And because Brad did so, he is enjoying life well past everyone’s imagination.

Brad decided that he would not just endure life, but he would live life!

And that is exactly what he does.

Now, take a look at yourself.

Do you refuse to do something about your dismal physical existence?

Are you really that lazy?

Excuses are for losers!

You have no valid excuse for not taking control of your own health.

In any contest or sporting event, you don’t hear the winner making excuses for winning, now do you? No! It’s always the losers!

And the people who look and feel healthy aren’t the ones you find justifying themselves. It’s always the ones who feel and look terrible! They are the ones who are always trying to justify themselves with pathetic excuses.

See the correlation here?

Losers make excuses for their failures!

Winners take control of a situation and excel.

Brad is a winner. Twelve years ago he was written off for dead. Yet, today he lives a healthier, a happier life than most people. I salute Brad. He’s the type of person I want to be like.

What about you?

Are you a winner or a loser?

Do you want to live life, or simply endure it?

The choice is yours to make.

Live or die.

Is there really a choice?

Do you really have to think about it?

If so, that’s too bad.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us know your comments…