Best Summer Ever 2011

Time to stop living the same life over and over and over. No more excuses, no more obstacles, no more of the same old routine. You know what you want, which is the most important thing... The only thing left is to make it happen!

or you could live in a van down by the river!

1. Reflect on past summers. I encourage all my clients to look back at the last 5-10 summers. When were you feeling and looking your best? What about when were you at your worst? Learning from the past is a great way to shake up the future the way you want it.

She's a little too comfortable.

Those summers where you were really happy at where you were at… what had you done for the 3-6 months leading up to the summer, and what did you do during the summer?

I'll meet you girls in a minute, let me finish this blog.

Similarly, all the summers that weren’t so good, what did you, or didn’t you do leading up to the summer to prevent you from getting in shape?

So that's what it feels like to Wake up feelin like P.Diddy?

I am amazed when I hear people complaining about how the look and feel, and when I ask them what they are planning on doing differently, they don’t even know.

Huh?

Einstein once said: “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

2. Variety is the spice of life. The people who seem to be the most fit, and less prone to injury are the ones that play a variety of sports, or participate many different activities. If you are doing doing one on one personal training or Austin F.I.T. Camp , also try some other activities. They might include biking, swimming, martial arts, dancing, yoga, pilates, kayaking or whatever else you can think of.

One of my favorite past times!

Not only will it make your body more well rounded (not that kind) but it will keep boredom from setting in.

3. Show off your worst body parts. I got this idea from Arnold Schwartzenegger. Back when he was young he had very skinny calves which he was embarrassed about. Instead of keeping them covered up, he cut all of his jeans off at the knees to the world could see them. This made him very self conscious and he spent extra time working his calves and eventually got them to a pretty good size.

So if you don’t like your arm, wear sleeveless shirts, if you don’t like your stomach, wear a tight shirt. I bet you will think twice about getting a second dessert or reaching for that beer if you feel your arms flapping or your stomach suction cupped to your shirt.

4. Meticulously plan out your day and meals. Summer tends to be a time with grad parties, potlucks, picnics, vacations, soft ball leagues, and so on. It is more important than ever to make sure you are planning out your meals. I recommend when you are eating by yourself or with your family… ie not at a social gathering, you commit to eating nearly perfect. Then those ball games, or parties that happen 1-2 times per week, you can splurge and eat what you want guilt free!

I live off of tupperware.

5. Set up some rewards along the way. In the upcoming month or two before summer and then during summer, set some goals, and with those goals, so rewards. For example by June 15th you might set the goal to do 1 pullup. The reward for doing this is a 60 minute massage. Or maybe you are in a 5K race and you want to run faster it under 30 minutes. The reward could be a new pair of running shoes.

Celebrating successes along the way keeps you hungry for more and allows you to appreciate what you have accomplished. If you don’t take time to step back and appreciate it, you will just be chasing goals, never being happy or appreciative of what you have accomplished.

I have had to personally learn this one the hard way. The past 4 years I have been working super hard in many areas in my life, whether that was fitness or building my business up. Once I would reach a goal, I would set a higher one, and go after that. After a couple years of that I realized that I wasn’t even appreciating the accomplishments I have been able to achieve. I bet you have done the same thing. Maybe you have lost 35 lbs, but all you can focus on is losing those last 5 lbs, instead of celebrating the 35 lbs you already lost.

I need to take some of my own advice right now and celebrate how far I've made it with my business right now. So while I'm thinking up my own reward, you do the same.

Question of the day: What are you doing to make sure this is your fittest and healthiest summer?

4. “Reduced Fat” Anything!

FACT: Have you ever had a sudden craving for a certain food?

I’m talking about the “real” version of it. Like THE chocolate chip

cookie, THE blueberry muffin, or THE potato chips?

Don't believe the marketing!

Well, don’t worry, you can satisfy that craving without the guilt with the

chemically engineered, overprocessed, carcinogenic additive rich,

“Reduced Fat” version…that oh by the way, usually has almost

80% of the calories of the original anyway! Awesome…what a choice!

Sometimes neither option is a good one.

How about skipping them altogether, especially if you are actually

trying to look better in a bathing suit this year, not to mention, be

able to look forward to years ahead by avoiding the chemical

question marks that are often used to create these “lite” versions.

It's okay, it has low fat mayo.

This blogs lesson:

It's never too late to change. And it's never too soon to start!

If he can change. You can too.

Next Blog:

How to visualize your goals.

NUTRITION

Meal 1: 4 egg whites(1 Yolk), 6 for men

1/3 cup of Oatmeal, 1 cup for men

1/3 Banana, whole banana for men

Meal 2: Protein Shake

Peanut Butter

Meal 3: 4 oz Chicken, Turkey, or White Fish, 6 oz for men

3 oz Sweet Potato, 6 oz for men

1 cup Veggies

Meal 4: Protein Shake

Peanut Butter

Meal 5: 4 oz Chicken, Turkey, or White Fish, 6 oz for men

1 small Green Salad(greens only)

1 serving light dressing

Meal 6: 3 Egg Whites, 5 for men

Can't Reach a Goal without a Goal

For so many people when I ask them what their goal is they don't know what to say. "Umm... lose weight?" When your goal ends in a question mark your probably on the wrong path.

What I do is tell everyone to make a list. Be specific, make them immediate, and read them to yourself every morning and night.

Here are some examples.

Women:

1)I am excited that I am 13% body fat!

2)I am losing body fat and reaching my goal weight of 110 lbs and my goal body fat of 14%

by August 1st.

3)I am fitting into my Gap stretch jeans, size 4, by early October and my male coworkers are tongue tied.

4)I fit perfectly into the slinky black suit I bought this summer and I am wearing it to work.

5)My spaghetti strap flowered summer dress from the summer of 1999 fits me perfectly and

6)I am wearing it during my winter vacation in the Caribbean.

7)I am learning enough about my body, diet and exercise that I am easily staying within 2-3

pounds of my optimal weight for the rest of my life.

8)I eat 6 meals a day with proper ratios of lean protein, carbs, fats always on time at 3 hour

intervals.

9)I strive to constantly improve my body and optimize my genetic potential.

10)I help those close to me choose healthier habits by leading by example (not nagging) and

being a reliable source of health and nutrition information.

The 2011 Most Beautiful Woman in the World doesn't drift through life, she makes goals.

Men:

1)I am reaching the most aggressive weight and body fat goal possible by the program’s end

(217 lbs & 19.3% respectively) by January 1st

By January 1st, I fit comfortably into size 32” pants without having to inhale

2)I am surprising (and shocking) my friends and family who I have not seen in a while by

the way I look at Christmas time.

3)I am keeping up these lifestyle changes when the 12-week program is over.

4)I always carry my goal card with me at all times and read it as often as possible (at least

three times a day).

5)I am reaching my goal of 15% body fat and 199 pounds by December 31st. I know this is

a little fast but it is my dream for New Years Eve – I can do it!

6)I am buying all new clothes to show off my new, lean body: Killer suits, nice shoes, nice

casual stuff.

7)I look good with my shirt off

8)I am taking on being a body builder and learning about body building (for tone and

definition, not to look like John Cena).

9)I am continuing the coaching program for another 3 mo and losing another 24 lbs.

10)I eat six, moderately sized meals every day, each with a serving of lean protein and a

complex, all natural carbohydrate and I prepare my food in advance every morning.

Unless you're the Son of Odin, you'll have to put in a lot of work to get this body.

Stop reading RIGHT NOW, make your goal list and write out your 90-day

goal on a small card to carry around with you. Don't worry if it's not "perfect," just start

writing. You can always go back to it later and edit. Do it now!

RECIPE

Tuna Salad Sandwich: Tuna salad is usually made from regular mayonnaise (which is made with low-quality vegetable oils) and higher-mercury tuna. Making it yourself allows you to use a mayonnaise made from healthier oils and wild-caught tuna that is lower in mercury. This meal can also be made into a wrap for less calories.

Ingredients:
• 1 can wild-caught tuna
• 1 tbsp expeller pressed canola oil mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1/4 mashed avocado (or 2 tbsp guacamole)
• 1 handful baby spinach
• 2 slices sprouted-grain or whole-grain bread, toasted
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Toast bread. In a large bowl mix tuna, expeller pressed canola oil mayonnaise, onions, cucumbers, and avocado (or guacamole). Set aside. Lay spinach on top of toasted bread. Spoon tuna salad onto bed of spinach. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy with sliced peppers or other produce of choice. Makes 1 serving for men, and 2 for women.

MEAL PLAN

(Men can double the amount)

Meal 1:

1/2 cup of Oat Bran

3 Egg Whites

Meal 2:

4 oz. Seared Ahi Tuna

15 Almonds

1 cup of Veggies

Meal 3:

5 oz. Chicken

4 oz. Sweet Potato

1 cup of Veggies

Meal 4:

5 oz. Ahi Tuna

1/2 Cup Brown Rice

1 Cup Veggies

Meal 5:

5 oz. Cod

Large Salad with Balsamic Vinegar

1 oz. Avacado

Meal 6:

4 Egg Whites or Protein Shake

Final Thoughts:

Like the old saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

This Blogs Tip:

Survive in a social setting by carring an open bottle of beer and sipping. Nobody will know whether it's your first or your sixth!

Next Blog:

What not to eat and maybe another story.

P.S.

Congratulations Randy for losing another 20lbs!

You've earned it.

P.P.S.

Shout out to Tamra for going down 2 dress sizes.

You don't do this and not get results!

Food at a Funeral

I was going move on to the next chapter of our Trap Foods to Avoid this week, but I was inspired to write something else.

My great grandma died and I attended her funeral over the weekend. Thanks for your condolences, but it was her time. When you can't do things yourself that you should be alone to do, it's probably not the best way to spend your golden years.

Anyway, after a long week with a lot of work and little sleep I drive to some place known as Neederland Texas.

Things to keep in mind when under unusual circumstances.

#1) FOOD ON THE RUN

Having to eat on the road I planned accordingly and ate turkey jerky, home made trail mix, protein bars, and an occasionally went by the drive-thru and got a plain grilled chicken sandwich(using the bun only to hold the chicken in place).

Who takes a drink before biting the burger?

#2) NEED ENERGY?

By the way if you need some energy, drink coffee and not a red-bull. But if you do drink one though, don't drink the kind with sugar. I was too tired to pour coffee and grabbed a Monster with sugar, I shut down about less than an hour after I drank it.

Don't they sell shirts like this at Hot Topic?

Anyway, after getting a little over 5 hours of sleep I scrambled to get dressed and check out before we were charged again. Yep, still no sleep. We drove to a large expensive house that was owned by a relative I've never heard of or met.

Getting homesick...

I was then greeted by dozens of people I don't know but apparantly knew my brother and I. As they were telling me their names that I won't remember I noticed food was set up everywhere. Macaroni, pie, cake, stuffed sausage, etc. Baically nothing healthy.

The fat to taste ratio doesn't work for on this type of food.

So not to offend this family I had just met I decided to eat the food to appease them. Everytime I thought I'd eaten enough they made me try another pie. I'm such a stickler to diet it was killing me to do this.

#3) CHEATING

But...if you eat well all week and work out on a great program, you can get away with something like this. So I had cheat meal for the week. Even though I'd rather waste my cheat meal on a pizza.

But when you cheat...don't binge!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZau57XQAhU&feature=related

#4) JUDGING

Got teased for eating well. I kept hearing things like "Don't worry we got healthy food for ya'll." Sad fact about eating well. On top of having less choices, giving up your favorite foods, having to go out of your way and plan, and most people won't support you.

...or it's just annoying.

#5) ATTENTION

But the weird thing was, all of the other family started taking pictures of me and my siblings at the funeral. I felt kind of embarrassed but I stood there and let them keep doing it. I guess that's what getting in shape does for you.

Be warned: being in good shape will get you a lot of attention.

MEAL PLANNING

Breakfast - 7:00am

Whole Wheat Waffles

w/ fresh blueberries and

fat free cool whip

Protein Shake (made

with skim milk)

Tablespoon Flax Oil

Snack #1 - 9:30am

1/2 Peanut Butter

sandwich on whole

wheat bread

Bottle of Water

Lunch - 12:00pm

Grilled Chicken on a

Whole Wheat Wrap with

lettuce, tomato and salsa

Fat Free Yogurt Bottle of

Water

Recipe of the week #2

Spinach, Chicken & Feta Salad: This is a quick and delicious salad that is loaded with protein, vegetables, monounsaturated fats, and blood sugar-controlling vinegar.

Ingredients
• 1 chicken breast, chopped and seasoned to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach
• ½ cup red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp feta cheese
• 4 large kalamata olives (optional)
• ¼ cup black beans (optional)

Directions: Mix all ingredients together to make this delicious salad!

For some people, salads don’t seem to hold them over as long as other meals, so adding ¼ cup of black beans can add a small amount of starchy carbs and fiber to keep you fuller, longer. Makes 1 serving.

But most importantly...If you make some, bring it to me!!!!!!!!!!

Final Thoughts

Eating on the road is tough, so are all the other circumstances. But when you work hard and understand your situation you'll always be ready to keep your awesome body.

This Blogs Tip

There is three times as much caffeine in a cup of coffee than there is in one red bull! Clever marketing for red bull would have you believe otherwise.

Next Blog

Food to avoid.