Egos; Check em at the Door!

As most of you who know me are already aware (and for those of you who don’t know me) I am a health conscious maniac who spends a ridiculous amount of time and money into pursuing my fitness goals, or from a different perspective; I'm obsessed!

Basically 80% of my day is consumed by thoughts, activities or conversations involving some sort of fitness related matter. Now, moving past the fact that my life is spent exhausting myself in the gym and onto the fact that I’m not alone in my sweaty obsession - hopefully I can encourage you to join me as well... Hopefully!

In today’s world it seems like everybody and their grandmother has a gym membership even though they only use it on a consistent basis for about 2 months out of the year. Through my own experiences, I’ve come to the realization that working out holds a number of similarities to parenting.

"How would you know what its like to be a parent?!?"

The truth is, I don't. However, even though I haven’t started that chapter in my life yet, it seems like most parents today have NO IDEA what they are doing when they first start out which relates to my obsession because 80% of the beginners working out in a gym atmosphere are in the same boat.

I know, I know, no one likes to be told they are doing something the wrong way, but if everybody and their grandmother own gym memberships and hold the “engage your core for faster results” mentality (which is a nice way of saying they think they know everything) then why is obesity causing such a threat to millions of people in North America? I was never really good in math but I think something is missing in that equation because it’s just not adding up.

The truth is that most people WANT to get in shape and lose some baggage but a lot of people get discouraged by fear. To be honest, the gym can be a pretty intimidating place, especially for those who suffer from a little thing I like to call Athleticphobia (all rights reserved). Which is just a word I made up to describe a person who basically has never touched a dumbbell in their lives?

The reality is you have hundreds of people under the same roof who are all there for different reasons. So before you go out and drop $500 (annually) on a gym membership you’re only going to use during trip season take some time and find a routine that meets YOUR goals and fits into YOUR schedule. Write the routine down, do it for a few weeks at home first to build your confidence and once your comfortable with exercising in general THEN go out and spend the money for the modernized change rooms and fancy treadmills with the individual TVs on them.

The best advice I can offer my clients is basic:

Egos; Check em at the Door!

Because when it comes to working out your only competition should be yourself.

... Call my Bluff?

Go up to someone playing World of Warcraft and tell them that you just benched 315lbs for ten clean reps without a spot and wait for the reaction you'll get!

In all honesty guys; invest in yourself! Get on YouTube, watch some workout routine videos that you can do from home and practice them for a couple weeks.

Once you find yourself wanting more out of your workouts, and trust me you will, THEN go out and join the gym rat community.

Again; not everyone wants to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger (pre-maid incident) but then again, not too many of us pray for Danny Devitos physique either! So find a happy medium, something that is suitable for YOUR lifestyle and schedule, and make it happen already!

The faster you discover that us fitness fanatics aren’t as crazy as we come across, the faster you start feeling better about yourself!

So in the words of my good friend Paul the Intern;

“Sleep well my darlings…”

The Secret; Do Something

Alright kiddies, now that Oprah's over it's time to start thinking for yourselves! No disrespect to her, but if I hear the phrase "Oprah says you shouldn't eat that" one more time I could scream!

It's amazing how many people took their nutritional advice from someone who yo-yo'd with their weight as much as the "Big Oh" did.

"She's got tons of money though."

Well, if that's your only argument, and all it takes to be taken seriously is a heavy bank account, then we are all in some serious trouble ‘cause there's a lot of wealthy people in this world with minimal IQ levels!

...Call my Bluff?

Two words - Paris.Hilton ...Checkmate!

People are so obsessed with encountering wealth that they are literally wasting their lives trying to find any sort of shortcut they can to obtain financial independence.  Which really leads to one thing...

Money; it's blinding!

I find humour in certain day-to-day conversations held between other people. Yes - I eavesdrop! One thing in particular that I love over hearing are all the excuses people come up with for filling their shopping cart with processed garbage.

"I would eat healthy but it's too expensive!"

The reason I find this statement so humorous is, in all honesty because I used to feel the same. It wasn't until I made that same exact comment to my Aunt, who is a follow fitness advocate which lead to her to providing me with one of the best quotes I have ever heard in my 24 years of life;

"The best investment you'll ever make is in yourself!"

... I know, that's deep right? Not only have those nine words stuck in the back of my head for all this time, they have provided me with the secret that most people are frantically searching for and since I'm feeling generous here it is;

The Secret; DO SOMETHING!!!

"That it?!?! Three syllables! That's your answer?!?!"

Now, now. Temper, temper. Relax a little and really think about it. It's great that you have started to set your goals but here's a little tip:

Actions; they're louder then words!

If you want to lose weight: do something about it! You can't wish the pounds off.

If it's financial independence you seek: get up and go find it! Stop waiting on the 6/49 (Canadian lottery) and go get it!

It's 2011 folks and guess what?  There's still no meal replacement pills or floating shoes! You have to chew your own food and take your own steps (just not at the same time, I don't want anyone choking on advise from my posts!).

With all sincerity; If you put everything you have into something you desire, your results will be astonishing! Who deserves to feel the gratitude of knowing just how remarkable they can be more then you? Because I can assure you, not even Oprah her self can buy you that kind of satisfaction!  

So in the words of my good friend Van Wilder;

"Don't take life too seriously or you'll never get out alive."



Mindset; it's everything!

It's been said:  "In life there are two guarantees: death and taxes."

Even though I feel like outrageously high gas prices should be added to that equation I'll salvage that topic for election time!

My point is I feel like most people have become so accustomed to convenience that the more meaningful things in life seem to get pushed aside and replaced with materialistic stress that in all reality means nothing to anyone else but the people involved.

Like most, I used to over analyze situations and worry about minuscule issues (hey, I never said I was perfect!). I put others before myself and then often blamed them for the mood swings I encountered, nothing was ever my fault. It wasn't until recently that I discovered the secret antidote for my weakness:

Mindset; it's everything!

Now I'm not going to throw out a bunch of statistics at you and resort to surveys, I’m going to be honest. Have you ever noticed that almost every celebrity seems to have some sort of "rags to riches" story these days, yet everyone labels them as “lucky”.

A couple of years ago it seemed like only rappers were able to brag about coming from the gutter and reaping the benefits of success. If MTV’s Jersey Shore has taught us anything it's that anyone and I mean that literally; a-n-y-o-n-e can fist pump their way to the New York Times best sellers list.

…Call my bluff?
The Snooki Book

"So when do I get my “Jersey Shore” moment and have my dreams become a reality Mr. Fitness Man?!"

Simple; the second you make up your mind! I'm not one to quote politics, actually that's a lie I'll quote anything, but Obama had it right; "Yes We Can."  Whatever your views on politics may be, don't let them influence you into looking past that simple, meaningful message; "Yes. We. Can!"

All of today's greatest conveniences were at some point, just an idea. Mark Zuckerberg's idea (facebook) was not only the leading cause of divorce for 2010 in the United States, it has overtaken and changed the lives and relationships (for better or worse) of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. All while making him an easy 13 billion dollars in net worth, not to mention the biggest heart breaker on the planet.

"And all of this relates to fitness how?" 

The answer is simple my impatient little friend. Actually, it’s so simple that it is often over looked by many;

Goals; Set them. Achieve them. Repeat!

It's important to set goals in life and especially with fitness. A made up mind is your tool for not only making the changes needed for reaching those goals, but distinguishing your goals will help you remain consistent throughout your achievements.  Carry this tool with you and use it for whatever it is in life that you wish for, and I mean that literally as well; if you want it bad enough; a made up mind will make ensure you get it!

There's not a doubt in my mind that you're capable of achieving your dreams. So push yourself as far as you can because all you have to do is believe in yourself as much as I believe in you and you'll get there. I promise!

So in the words of my good friend Barney Stinson –

"Whenever I’m sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead"

Sleep More; Gain Less!

Red-bull not only gives you wings; it could possibly be one of the main reasons as to why you can't seem to lose that extra poundage that has crept up on you over the winter. 

must...have...more...energy...NOW!!!!

That seems to be today’s motto, after all Call of Duty is not going to beat its self. Whether it's late night gaming or texting until sunrise; it's no secret that today’s youth and even some adults, strive to stay awake. 

It should pretty much be next to common sense by now that our bodies need sleep in order to function properly - but how much is enough? Everyone else only getting about 5 hours too, that's reasonable enough, right?...sadly; there is no negotiating physics and the truth is that 5 hours of sleep is simply unacceptable! Now I'm sure at least ten reasons (slash excuses) as to why you can't manage more "Z" time in your schedule just flew by, but its time to face the music cupcake! 

 ...Call my Bluff?

A couple of years ago before the obesity pandemic arose, medical students at the University of Warwick Medical School in Coventry, England conducted a study that held sleep deprivation as one of the key factors responsible for becoming obese. The study found that subjects who slept for 5 hours or less had a greater increase in body mass and found themselves with a larger waist circumference. 

"Yeah but I only sleep bad during the week, I make up for it over the weekend"

...Sorry my little quotationed excuse, you're wrong...AGAIN!!! 

Another study formed in 2006 showed that subjects who, apparently had no responsibilities at all and were able to sleep 9 (or more) hours a day held similar results to those who slept less. Over sleeping, or "mini coma's" as I like to refer to them as, puts your body under stress, and as stressful as sleeping for 9 hours sounds; trust me its no picnic for your body. Now you're probably wondering how one can be under stress when they get to sleep for 9 plus hours a night? Well first off; if you are able to sleep for nine or more hours on the daily, a little word of advice; get out and do something with your life! Second; your body requires certain nutrients in order to function properly and slipping in and out of nine hour comas make it difficult for your body to adjust. By eating properly (balanced meals, every 2 hours) your body begins to recognize that its nutrients are coming in at a steady pace, allowing your central nervous system to flush out/burn all the unwanted nutrients/ empty calories. Spending half the day between the sheets (alone!) in la-la land causes your body to store unwanted carbs and fats simply due to the fact that it is unable to distinguish a time that it will be receiving these vital nutrients again. 

                                                                       ...                        

We all know that stress is not good for ones health. Just because your heart is not palpating out of your chest does not necessarily mean that your body is not under stress. Although it's a well known fact that weigh loss has been identified as a good stress indicator, sleep deprivation causes various hormonal changes that hold the opposite effect on the body and can ultimately lead to heart disease, diabetes and obesity. 

It's a proven fact that lack of sleep produces a hormone called ghrelin. Pronounced GRELL-IN; it is the hormone that triggers hunger and since staying up all night cause the hormone to react, by doing so you are subjecting yourself to serious health complications in the future. 

So, what's my point? Well, in a nutshell;

SLEEP MORE; GAIN LESS! 

Stop "C.O.D.ing", put the blackberry (or iphone if you're smart) on the charger, close the laptop for about an hour before bed as technology plays a major role in sleep deprivation. By doing so you may ultimately notice a drastic improvement in your sleeping patterns and possibly your pant size!

So in the words of my good friend Michael Scott;

"Game, set, match... point... Scott... game over... end of game"