The Shirt

Most people are unsuccessful with weight loss goals due to their lack of planning and consistency. They know what they want, but they make up their minds before they do it, how much effort and how long it should take.

In other words, they commit to the idea of losing weight … they even commit to what they think it will take to lose weight. But they fail to commit to the reality of what it really takes to lose weight. 

Here’s an example:

I want a really, really nice shirt. You know - something that I can wear to a nice restaurant – casual dining, no jacket. Thus, I want a really nice shirt.

So, I head out to Buckhead – not to Lenox, but to Phipps Plaza. (I know, right. LOL)
 

After walking around; going into several different stores – I found “the” shirt! I mean, this shirt is hot! Not too flashy, not to stiff – it’s perfect … until I look at the price tag.
 

“Gasp” $230 Bucks?!? WTH! Are you kidding me???? For a “shirt”?
Well Sir, it’s not “just a shirt”. Its … blah, blah, blah …
 

You see –
 

My expectations were set really high, not really real. I had unconsciously determined how much this shirt should cost and how much I was committed to paying. Unfortunately, my little “made up fantasy” didn’t square with reality.

Also, I went into this whole shirt thing, unprepared. I went into it blindly … with false – made up expectations – base on nothing factual. It was just “how I thought it should be.”

Have you ever done this?

If you have, it may be hindering you from accomplishing your goals. Like me. Because I never did get that shirt.

My program maps out EVERYTHING you need to do for you to be successful. You don’t have to think about it, you just need to do it ... without improvising, because you think you know better.

So, get started and commit to your goals. 

People do what they want to do. They just search for justification … for the sake of other people. Well, search for justification for the sake of yourself this time. Right now, this is all about you.

Remember:

“If you don’t do it – it won’t get done. It’s all on you!”

The Meal Plan Mind Set

When it comes to losing weight, far too many people set themselves up for failure before they even begin the process. They literally dread going on their meal plan and before they start the process, they are planning their mishaps along the way. Sad to say but true, far too many people are planning their first rocky road mishap while eating their last bowl of Rocky Road ... thinking; : “I can’t have any more to this” – as if it’s a punishment.

I have no idea why people tend to do this to themselves but it is something I see far too often.   If you are honest with yourself, you will realize that moderation is the key.  It’s a simple concept that many people loathe and refuse to embrace.

You must change your way of thinking about food and your personal enjoyment of food in order for any meal plan you embrace to be successful. Food isn't the enemy. And that is something that not enough people really understand. Even the 'tasty' foods aren't the enemy. The enemy is your personal inability to properly portion the foods you eat. The problem is that the vast majority of us eat the wrong foods far more often than we eat the right foods. This is where the problems lie.

Our bodies need the nutrients we are lacking by not eating the five servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit each day that we should consume. Our bodies know that something is missing and we feel hungry or deprived. If we were actually consuming the proper balance of fruits and veggies each day we would find that we were far less likely to feel hungry and desire those foods that aren't as healthy. This means we would be much more likely to enjoy them in moderation as they should be enjoyed.

 

Portion control is another problem that we have. We live in a society of "up selling". Super-sized fries and empty calories by the gallon of your favorite cola are offered with almost every fast food meal that can be bought. You must learn to say no to these things and avoid situations in which you may feel tempted to partake in these ‘up sized’ orders.

To be truly successful when meal planning you need to embrace the process of building a healthier you, rather than depriving yourself of s ‘happy you’.

Do not think of your weight loss plan as something negative but rather a positive force in your life to make changes for the better. When you have negative thoughts, do not direct them at your meal plan. When you feel deprived, remind yourself that you are depriving your bones of carrying around that excess weight.

 

Remind yourself that you are depriving your wardrobe of those bulky clothes that are designed to hide the bulges.

Remind yourself that you are depriving your body of years of bulges and bringing back the body of your youth.

Do not get so caught up in the meal planning process that you forget to enjoy some of the goodies that life has to offer. Watching your weight and counting your calories does not mean that you can never go over your allotment. The goal however is to find balance. If you learn to portion your food correctly, indulge in moderation, and incorporate enjoyable high calorie burning activities into your daily routine you may be amazed at the results.

Meal Portion Control Tool

Planning for weight loss and health is only depriving if you allow it to be. If you cannot control yourself when it comes to indulging then by all means … avoid indulging. (Can you say: “recovering alcoholic?”) However, if you can learn to incorporate those small treats into your routine in moderation and burn those extra calories as well, then you should find yourself a much happier and more successful

than you have ever managed to be in the past.

Goal Setting Essentials For Weight Loss Success

Success with any project begins with a finished goal in mind.

With weight loss, it's all too common to quickly lose focus without specific goals. Setting goals is one of the best ways to insure success with any weight loss program. Here are some tips for creating and sticking to weight-loss goals. 

Short-Term Goals:

Both short-term and long-term goals are important for weight loss success. 

Short-term goals are essential for staying motivated long enough to meet long-term goals. Short-term goals should be set daily or weekly.

Many people who want to lose weight focus more on the long-term goals, but if you neglect opportunities for success along the way, it is too easy to get discouraged. 

Make it easier for yourself by creating daily and weekly milestones. For example, you could set a short term goal to attend Boot Camp class twice a week. Each time you meet your goal, you have another success, which will increase your motivation to do more.

Long-Term Goals:

Long-term weight loss does not happen overnight. Setting long-term weight loss goals reinforces the fact that weight loss is a lifestyle choice, not a quick fix. Long-term goals really measure the success of your weight loss program. You can set these up monthly, or every two to three months. This is enough time to really gauge your progress. Long-term goals work best if they are measurable and concrete. You could focus on losing a specific percentage of body fat, or a certain number of pounds.

The best way to meet both short and long-term goals for weight loss is to make sure you have everything in place before you begin. This means setting up a healthy eating program, a regular exercise program, and connecting with supportive people. By taking care of these important aspects, you will be more prepared.

Begin by choosing a meal program that offers a variety of healthy foods, and is easy to follow with your current lifestyle. A great way to stick to a nutrition program is to plan out your eating schedule for each week, that way you can anticipate any roadblocks that may arise, and also do your grocery shopping ahead of time. It's much easier to stick to your eating program if you have everything you need.

Regular exercise is also incredibly important but it means NOTHING if your meals aren't good.   

You should incorporate both aerobic exercise and strength training workouts. Not only does exercise burn calories and shed pounds, it simply makes you feel better. You will have more energy and be more enthusiastic about staying focused on your weight loss goals.

One final step is to arrange a support network. Losing weight requires not just physical changes, but also emotional and mental ones. Having a community of people (such as at the Black Phoenix) who are dedicated to your weight loss efforts will help you stay motivated.  You can also enlisting your friends and family in supporting your goals, you may also want to try some of the online communities.

Losing weight is much easier when you start out with a goal in mind. By setting short and long-term goals you will be able to achieve daily success, and also work toward the end result. Making sure you have clear strategies for eating, exercise, and emotional support will contribute to your motivation, and ultimately to your weight loss success.

Weight Loss Tips That Will Help You Beat The Bulge

There is no easy way out of obesity but there is certainly a way to beat it. As a matter of fact, you only need to remember two words if you want to lose weight: Hard Work. 

Face the fact, there is no substitute for hard work if you want to be successful regardless of what your trying to accomplish; a college degree, a relationship, an aquired skill, etc.  

It's going to take hard work and those who have attained the goal that your currently reaching for - already know that.  Those who haven't attained that goal that your reaching for, my not know that ... so be aware of the haters.

It takes a lot of time, commitment, and dedication to trim down, slim down, and be healthier. With a little planning and a lot of will power, plus me on your side :) you can be on your way to a healthier you.

Whether you wish to shed just a few pounds or lose from 20 to 30 pounds, weight loss tips can make dieting, exercise, and the whole weight loss venture easier and safer for you. But remember that weight loss ‘tips’ are not meant to be the only tool you can use.  Your effort is actually the key factor to a fast track weight loss. That being said, here are a few tips you can commit to:

#1 Proper Diet

<<=This plate is how you get fat, by the way.

In contrast to popular belief, diet is not mainly concentrated on losing weight instead it is also essential for maintaining an overall healthy you. Diet is usually defined as eating a controlled amount of certain food to regulate weight. 

Some people are on a diet to lose weight while many go on a diet to gain weight usually in the form of muscles. Proper diet starts with getting rid of foods which are not beneficial to the body. Cut back on fats, alcohol, and the intake of abusive drugs. Of course, I can help you put together a great meal plan for you. Click Here to see<==

#2 Drink Water

What better way to quench thirst than drinking a glass or more of water? Forget the fizzy drinks, sweetened fruit beverages, shakes, and iced teas. Compared to other drinks, water has no calories and cools your body. Drink 12-16 ounces of water every meal (this will help keep you from overeating) and bring along a bottle of water when you are on the go. 

If you like, you can squeeze fresh lemon for a zesty taste. This may be one of the simplest weight loss tip you can commit to.  Also, lack of water is often confused for hunger.  So, drinking water can help prevent you from over-eating.

#3 Exercise

Here is where hard work is really demanded. Though many people live hectic lives and even the thought of exercising makes their head ache, exercise is great to both lose weight and maintain a healthy body.

But remember, the more effort you exert, the more calories you burn.  So push yourself to get the most out of your workout.

Weight loss is achievable with will power, proper diet, water intake, and exercise. Follow these simple weight loss tips and benefit from them.

Healthy Eating For Spring / Summer Weight Loss

Winter has been unforgiving. What better thing to do during the cold season than to sit in a couch and munch on some goodies while keeping yourself cozy and warm? 

It seems like yesterday when you were struggling to lose your winter coat; before you even know it, summer is in its full effect. 

The minute you feel warm enough to wear shorts, you realized something:  The beach is beckoning and you are not prepared for it, physically! You panic and think of stapling your mouth for a week or two, until you look good on your swim wear, as your summer weight loss solution.

It can really be a struggle to shed excess fats and most people fall into a summer weight loss dilemma every year. Wacky diet, starvation, and diet pills are beckoning and giving you hopes of slimming down for that swimming costume.  Summer weight loss doesn’t have to mean starving yourself to look your best in shorts or swimsuit. The secret to weight loss is to eat healthy foods; food choices are actually easy to make during summertime because high calorie dishes are less appealing during the hot season. Take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that are at their peak and at their best in summer. Refreshing and light foods are bountiful and keeps you out of the hot kitchen.

Experts say that the best summer weight loss diet is to load up with nature’s produce. Fruits and vegetables are low in calorie but loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants and fiber to help your body flush those unwanted toxins and fats. Aside from their health benefits, they are delectable, juicy, and satisfy the taste buds. Berries, tomatoes, zucchini, melons, cucumbers, peas and other greens are available at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Forget portion control and go ahead and eat all the fruits and vegetables you can get your hands on. Summer weight loss with nature’s bounty will do your waistline no damage.

If you are wondering what the healthiest summer weight loss foods are, here is a list of dieticians’ and experts’ food recommendation:

•             Berries are luscious and sweet but there is more to berries that meets the appetite. They are known to boost antioxidant levels and help reduce the effects of aging. Berries are also rich in nutrients that help lower cholesterol level.

•             Watermelons are loved because they are watery, juicy, and crisp, perfect for satisfying thirst during the hot season. If you want a tasty summer weight loss, mix slices of watermelon with milk, water, and ice cubes. Whirl in a blender and your perfect juice is ready in a snap.

•             Garden salads are the best bet for time and cost efficient summer weight loss meal. They are easy to prepare and the perfect way to get vegetables into your diet. Dress your salad with healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil or your choice of other healthy oils. Salads are a great way of letting yourself off the hook from the hot kitchen.

Healthy eating is your best summer weight loss plan. Enjoy a hearty meal and reap the benefits of losing weight, staying fit, and living a healthy lifestyle. Jump start your summer weight loss with fruits and vegetables and get in shape for your favorite swimsuit.

www.BlackPhoenixBootCamp.com

A Client Asked Me For A Refund

A client signed up for the 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss Program.  After he initial assessment she gave me a list of foods that she didn't eat.  I created a meal plan according to her dietary needs.  She came to class 4 times a week.  Sometimes she'd do 2 classes back-to-back.

Long story short.

After her program expired she was disappointed at her lack of results.  We had the standard conversation: "Did you do this, that, and the other?" She said she did everything I told her to do; except she didn't like my meal plan ... so she created her own.  Of course, this frustrated me to no end because she never told me she had issues with her meal plan.

None-the-lest, she signed back up ... but for a regular No Meal Plan Kickboxing program.  A month goes by and she continues to complain about her lack of results.  I explained to her (yet again) how important her meals are to her fitness goals.  I said it was "your" meal plan that got you the body you hate so much.  So you come to me for help; yet, you do not take my help.  You pick and choose.  Hence, repeating your same old habits while trying to achieve brand new results. 

She said, but your meal plan doesn't have any "cheat days".  I replied: "So is THAT why you didn't follow the meal plan I created for you - every single week?!?!  I continued: "You don't need any cheat days!  Cheat days is what got you and I to meet!

You've cheated long enough and look at what it's gotten you - you're unhappy with your body!  I'm telling you what you need to do, but your still going off of what you think you know.  If your knowledge has given an undesired result, then it's time for you to seek and apply higher knowledge.

Surely you should know by now that you do not know what you’re doing.

She said: But everybody can eat what they want and I have to count this and measure that ... why can't I just "EAT"?!  I'm sick of this!"

I said: Sick of what?  You haven't done anything long enough to get sick of it!  You need discipline.  That’s all, just good old fashion discipline.  Think about it.  You signed up for a 3 week program.  You started making changes to the meal plan, what- the first week, maybe?  Then you throughout the meal plan option, figuring that you’re wasting money, because obviously you can plan meals just as good as I can … so why pay extra.

But look at the results you’re getting!  Over the past 9 weeks you lost 2 lbs! 

She says: I also lost $100+ something dollars.

I said: No, you didn’t “lose it”.  You simply chose to spend it frivolously.  You know what you did with it … you didn’t lose it.  You spent it on something that you took for granted.  If anything you wasted your time … and mine.  Because apparently I give a crap way more than you do about your success!  You got me wrecking my brain trying to figure out why you aren’t losing and your round here eating a bunch of crap that I didn’t approve.  You know it takes TIME to write meal plans?  It takes effort!  I do a lot of thinking, calculating, pondering, researching, on and on and on to give you what you need … and you just poo-poo it like I don’t know what I’m doing.  There are 3500 calories to 1 lbs!  If you burn 1000 calories over a week – YOU STILL HAVE NOT LOST 1 POUND!  I say it time and time and time and time again, you HAVE TO address your eating to make up the difference.  It’s not me, its math!

I continued my rant but things ended with her asking for a refund.

I said: Refunds are for clients who follow my instructions and are still unhappy.  She said that I'll be hearing from her husband.  I told her I'd be more than happy to talk to him.

How to Get Toned

How to get “toned”.

I have a lot of my clients telling me: “I don’t want to lose weight; I don’t want to gain weight either.  I just want to look more defined.”

This combination is pretty close to rare which is why if “toning and definition” are your goals, then you really shouldn’t pay much attention to your Weight.   

What you should focus on is your Body Fat % and your overall size … how you “Look”.

(The lady to the left is Ronda "Rowdy" Rousey.  She is the Bantanweight Undefeated Champion in UFC.  She became the first American to win an Olympic medal in women's judo since its inception as an Olympic sport in 1992.  More on her later.)

My job as a Trainer is to decipher what a client ‘says’ (while they try to use fancy and incorrect scientific terms) and try to figure out what it is they ‘mean’.

You see, to look ‘defined’ while staying at your current weight will mean that you will lose ‘size’. 

You will look smaller, much smaller.  So to maintain your size, your weight will more than likely have to go up to compensate for the lost size.

Here’s why.

Muscle tissue is heavier than Fat tissue, but Fat tissue consumes more space.   You can have two people, both at 150lbs, but one looks considerably smaller than the other because her body fat is much lower.

For example:

1.       Imagine 2 duffel bags that are different sizes.

2.       One is filled with feathers; the other is filled with sand.  But both bags weight 150lbs. 

3.       Using your imagination, which duffel bag is larger?

If you said the one with the feathers, you are correct.  It will take more feathers to equal the weight of the sand, because the feathers are less dense.

On the other hand, you can have two people who are the same size (5’6” size 8 dress), the one with lower body fat will be heavier.

1.       Again, imagine 2 duffel bags but this time they are the same size. 

2.       One is filled with feathers; the other is filled with sand.

3.       Using your imagination, which duffel bag is heavier?

If you said the one with the sand, you are correct.  Sand is denser than feathers; therefore, while consuming the same amount of space they will provide more weight per square inch.

Yes, your body is the duffel bag in these illustrations :)

If you understand this, then you are beginning to understand my job.  So, once you get past the whole ‘weight thing’ and focus on how you look, then we can get somewhere.

OK, so here’s what needs to happen.  Simply put, you need to drop body fat.  Drinking protein shakes may or may not be in your future, but dropping body fat is basically what you need to do. 

If your body fat is above … 26%, then you will need to have a very low fat diet and your exercise regimen will be mostly resistance - Pushing, pulling, lifting, etc.  NOT Cardio.

If your body fat is between 17% - 25%, then you’re already eating a low fat diet, but your protein consumption is low.  So you’d probably need to consume additional protein while maintaining low fat consumption.  Your exercise regimen will also consist of mostly resistance - Pushing, pulling, lifting, etc.  NOT Cardio.

Your total daily consumption of protein should be approx. equal to your overall body weight in grams.  This is a rule of thumb and this will vary from person to person.   But this is a good number to start with.

Note that I said your “total daily consumption”!  DO NOT go out telling people I told you to drink 100 plus grams of protein shake!!!

If your current diet (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, & drinks) is only giving you 80grams of protein, but your current weight is 130lbs and your body fat is below 25%, then you will need ADDITIONAL protein of approx. 50grams per day.  Thus, your total daily protein consumption becomes 130grams.

Again, these are broad strokes with tons of variables and it’s different for every person.  But I want you to begin understanding what it is I focus on when you mention ‘toning’.

Lastly-

Ladies, do not be afraid to lift weights.  I’ve said it time and time and time again. But I keep having this conversation.  “I don’t want to look like a man.”

Women DO NOT have the genetic make-up to lift weights, to bulk up, and then – look like a man.  Without Human Growth Hormones or Steroids, it is impossible for you to look like a man.

So stop using that as an excuse to not lift weights. 

And two more things:

1.    Do you know ANY ‘scrawny, skinny’ guys? If you do, well trust me – they know themselves too.  And you can believe they have tried to put on weight, size, muscle, etc. and if they are still scrawny & skinny, then  they have failed.  And they HAVE the genes to put on muscle ‘like a dude’ because … they are dudes.

So if you think YOU, as a female, are going to lift a few 20lbs (let alone 5-10lbs) weights and put on more weight, and size than them – you quite simply are wrong, and misguided.

2.    What women are you looking at when you say: I don’t want to look like a dude?  Who are the examples of the women you DO NOT want to look like? Sandra Bullock, Angelina Jolie, Snooki, Mo’nique? Who?  All of them use weights and I'm sure you agree - none of them look like dudes

      If you are you imagining some obscure ‘woman body builder’ that no one knows … then you are simply making excuses.  Plus, yes – those women DO USE Steroids! 

All of them do!  The use of steroids is why Body Building is NOT and Olympic Sport!  It’s because they use Steroids to get so freakishly huge!

But besides that …

If you think you train as hard as they do, eat as much as they do, take as many supplements as they do … – you quite simply are wrong, and misguided.

Back to Ronda:

She is 5'6" 135lbs Current MMA Champion, meaning she fights for a living.  She uses weights.  Heavy weights ... much heavier than what we use in Bootcamp.  She is toned.  She does NOT look like a dude!