CHEAT - EAT!

What's up with the word EAT in the word CHEAT?

You ever go diehard with your diet and exercise ALL WEEK and then face the temptation of cheating on a Sunday? Or on a Monday night after your weigh-in? Why do we do that?

We look at food as a reward or something, but when we have goals to get in shape and lose weight, all that cheat eating does is derail us, slows us down, interferes with our results.

Why work out soooooo hard to blow it on pizza? Spaghetti? One of those giant, bad-for-you burgers? Really? Is it worth it? Then we eat and feel sooooooo miserable afterwards.  Some of us have eaten enough pizza & burgers to last us a lifetime!

Let's try a new tactic. Reward yourself with something else than food.

Quit having the love/hate relationship with food. Eat to live, don't live to eat. And don't create your own setbacks with that cheat meal.

How many times has a 'cheat meal' turned into a 'cheat day' of eating...only to lead to a 'cheat weekend'??? I've seen happen time and time again. Get that word CHEAT out of your vocab. Cheating is not a good thing in any area of life. We're advised to not cheat on our taxes, our wives, or on tests. Why would we cheat ourselves out of health, fitness, and vitality? Not to mention, a longer life with our loved ones.

Stop the bad eating tonight! The cheating has to stop! YOU'RE CHEATING YOURSELF OUT OF REACHING YOUR GOALS!



jdm22611

ACCOUNTABILITY A NECESSITY!!!

I've set goals before, and not quite reached them. I've set goals and found someone to keep me accountable and I reached those.

Today, are you pondering whether or not to start your new fitness regimen, your new diet - ON MONDAY? Let me encourage you to find an accountability partner (this weekend) to keep you accountable to your goals and plan. Find someone who may have reached their fitness goals and will be tough on you (in a good/encouraging/holding-you-to-your-word kind of way). For me, I was blessed to have personal trainer, who didn't buy into excuses and who could look at me and know if I had a burger over the weekend. That's what I'm talking about.

Tell people you are going to pursue some goals and then do it! And when they question you about it, remember, don't be defensive and don't give them excuses. You asked them to hold you accountable so that you would succeed. They are doing you a favor! Appreciate it and use it to your advantage. 

If you lost just 1 lb. a week for 1 year, this time next year you could be 52 lbs. lighter. Some of you have more or less to lose. But go for it! Don't let another day go by without your commitment. And pursue your goals with the help of an accountability partner.  And hint: STAY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE SCALE EACH WEEK too. Chart it, write it down, keep track of your success. And maybe even commit to texting a pic of your feet on the scale to your accountability partner. Do something creative to keep you committed and focused. Find the partner today, this weekend and set off on your own weight loss journey a.s.a.p.!


jdm22511

I'm too tired....

How often do you hear this from people? They are usually the sleep deprived people, who miss their vitamins, eat fast food, and don't work out. Right? I don't know the statistics, but this is probably excuse #1 for why people don't work out...or #2, right after: I don't have time.

I cringe everytime I hear this. I'm not a doctor, personal trainer, or an olympic athlete, but I do know this, when I am eating healthy, taking my vitamins, hitting the gym regularly, I sleep better & feel better. I honestly have more energy. You know it's time to go run off some stress when you're being accused of being grumpy, right?

Instead of saying you can't work out...Say, I will schedule 30 min. in of cardio today...and go from there. After a few weeks, you'll be hooked. And don't take a vacation from the workout regimen. You got to start over and it's just not worth it. Keep up w/ the fitness and soon, you'll have the best rest at night, less stress during the day, and a better attitude. You'll start looking better and feeling better about YOU! Trust me. Do it for you, do it for those around you...just get up and do it!

Keeping track of calories, the easy way!

Have you ever been at that place of conquering each workout, walking out of the gym drenched, feeling great and productive and it's only 7 a.m.? Then something happens. We have some late nights, miss the gym once or twice...eat bad over the weekend...and soon, we find ourselves coasting through our workouts w/ some cardio, right? Then we recommit and start the cycle over again, right?

One way I am working to avoid that rut/cycle is by 1) keeping a food log of my daily calorie intake, 2) committing to working out at least 5 days/week, if not 6, and 3) using my Polar heart rate monitor for every workout. I got this one that keeps track of the time I worked out, the calories I burned...and then I come home and sync the data onto Polar's website and it completely keeps track of all the info. So then when I have a not-so-great weight loss week, I can look back to see how long I worked out and my calorie output...compare w/ my food log - and A-HA! Mystery solved. You gotta get one of these things. Keeps me working out in the right zone. That way, I don't overwork myself, nor do I just coast on the treadmill.

Recently, I've been babying some back pain. Used too much weight in a workout. But I'm staying positive and encouraging myself that I am going to be back on track. During the last couple of weeks of not being able to push myself, I've continued to eat well. The key is to NOT gain weight. So with that said, I will try the gym out on Monday morning, hold me accountable! I'll be posting some calorie info from my Polar monitor, just for more accountability!



jdm21811

The Power of a Polar Heart Rate Monitor



As part of the ambassador program of Polar Electro, I definitely want to share this story about my niece. As a person concerned for others' health, I need to share it. Some people think they need to be training for a marathon to need a heart rate monitor, but it's not only the elite athlete that gets good use out of them. Anyone who has health, fitness, or performance goals will greatly benefit out using these heart rate monitors. Just this week, I was able to not only keep my heart rate in the 'zone' for results, but I was able to sync the data into my polarpersonaltrainer.com account where I can really keep track of how well I am doing.

I also think this is a great opportunity to share my teenage niece's experience. A little history, she reached a point in life that she wanted to take her fitness to a whole new level. She had played sports as a kid, club volleyball too, but she wanted to be athletic and fit, so she started training w/ a personal trainer.

Part of his program is that every participant where's a Polar Heart Rater Monitor. And because this brand of monitors work so efficiently and accurately, my niece's life was basically saved...Here's the story in her words:

"I was running and something felt weird and I wasn't exactly sure what it was. I didn't know how to explain the feeling or what the issue was stemming from. I looked down at my heart rate monitor and I discovered that I had a heart rate reading of 235.

The first time I remember ever having this feeling was when I was five years old playing soccer. Then it would happen maybe once a year, then gradually became more frequent as I got older. Now I experience a high heart rate episode 1-2 times a month. The first time it read 235 and the second time it read 240. If I was not wearing it [Polar Heart Rate Monitor], I would not have been able to discover the problem. Now that we [myself & parents] knew what the problem was, we were able to get medical help. We discovered that I had Supraventricular Tachycardia."

Can you imagine? Had she not been wearing a monitor, she wouldn't have known. The trainer was equipped to help her in those situations, and even confirmed further to him the necessity to train with heart rate monitors. There is one for every level of activity. Stay tuned for further info!


jdm21411

Pressing on...forward march!

You make plans. You set goals. You save money. You get ahead. And then bam! A slammed door, or a major obstacle, right?

Here's the thing: life is going to happen. It's going to take you by surprise - but as long as you stay committed to the plan, the goals, the budget, the marriage, etc. during the trials, you will come out in a lot better shape than if you were to just give up. You have to stay focused, committed and keep moving forward!

For me, giving up is not an option. When I set out to lose my weight (200+ lbs.), I had no idea how long it would take me, but I decided that I would absolutely NEVER GIVE UP!

Life may bring setbacks, but they don't have to be permanent, unless you allow them to be. Save your money, if the car breaks down, get it fixed - and then, go back to the plan of saving money.  Decide that you are determined to make it, reach it, save it, keep it!

It's when we endure under pressure that we change from the inside out & this is what changes our lives forever!  Our lives change, when we stay determined to endure to the end!



jdm2211