I’m a fan of cheat days.  Well, more specifically, cheat meals (a lot of damage can be done in a full day of cheat meals.)  I think that having a meal where you can eat whatever you want guilt free is a great way to build a healthy relationship with food, keep you motivated to continue to eat well the rest of the time, and keep you sane instead of feeling deprived.

The danger of cheat days, however, is if you give yourself permission to have cheat days too often, of course, or if you start to reward yourself with food.

Many people will eat healthy and balanced all day long, and then have an indulgent treat, usually at night, as a reward.  This is OK every once in a while, but not everyday.

Generally, cheat meals and treats should be limited to one time a week.  It should be something you look forward to, but not your motivation.  If you are having a reward every day, or after every workout, it’s going to turn into a problem.  Loosening the reigns once a week is a healthy and a sustainable lifestyle.  If you fall into the habit of rewarding yourself frequently with indulgent meals or snacks, you run the danger of falling into the mind set of suffering through the healthy meals to get to the rewards.

This perpetuates the damaging idea that healthy food isn’t satisfying, and poor nutrition is a ‘reward’ instead of something that is detrimental to your health and goals.

Cheat meals are going to happen.  You are going to be out at a restaurant or a party where you can’t control what you are served, and you should be able to participate without guilt.  You can even plan them into your week to have some of your favorite foods that aren’t necessarily the best in terms of health, without effecting your goals.  The only way this works is if your cheat meals are occasional, they are responsible and resonable in choice and portion, and they aren’t your sole purpose for eating healthy in the first place.  To keep a healthy lifestyle indefinitly, you have to come to a place where you enjoy and respect it.  A treat may be enough to keep you on track for a while, but to really get to a healthy place with food, you have to have your mind right.

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

Kelly Turner is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and health and fitness writer from Seattle, WA.  To contact Kelly with any questions, you email her at kellycturner@hotmail.com.

MSNBC.com claims self control is contagious.

Want to be a Winner? Surround yourself with Winners.

Choose your friends and associates carefully.

Self-control is contagious, a new study suggests.

In one study, the researchers randomly assigned 36 volunteers to think about a friend with either good or bad self-control. Those who thought about a friend with good self-control persisted longer on a handgrip task commonly used to measure this behavior, while the opposite held true for those who were asked to think about a friend with no restraint.

And on the other side they say, “people with lousy self-control influence others negatively. The effect is so powerful, in fact, that just seeing the name of someone with good or bad self-control flashing on a screen for 10 milliseconds changed the behavior of volunteers.” They also say that the opposite is true, and thinking about someone with good self control will help others have better restraint.

Its happens.  You go out to dinner with a friend, they order first and get hi-cal appetizers, a huge meal that usually involves fries and possibly a dessert.  Suddenly the salmon and salad you were about to order sounds. Not so tasty, and you say “screw it, I’ll have what their having.”

No one else is responsible for you or the decisions you make.  Don’t allow others to unwittingly sabotage your goals.

Now. Change the stats.  Reverse the order. Your influence will positively impact them. What you do that’s in your best interest weight and health wise. The very choices you make. Helps others that are nearest to you. If you can’t  do it for yourself. Do it for them.

And the easiest thing to adjust. Surround yourself with like minded people with similiar goals. You’ll move farther faster than you ever thought possible.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

Who is this post for?
If you’re in decent shape. You’ve reached you initial goals that got you off your butt in the first place. You’ve been training for a while maybe even a long while. You’ve got a handle on your eating and while training isn’t exactly easy you’d like a bit more motivation. Lets call it the “what’s next?” question.

It’s time to set your Big Hairy Audacious Goal(BHAG). I stole the BHAG from business management but it works for individuals too. The BHAG is something far from easy but reachable with much effort. You’ll use what you have now and build upon this foundation to get to the BHAG.
Examples of BHAG’s-

1.Triathlons: any distance is a challenge. Combine Swimming, Cycling, and Running and you’ve got a goal you can believe in. Type A+ personalities do this at your own risk of addiction.

2. Road Races: 5ks- Marathon’s(Cowtown Marathon is right here!) to Marathons in Europe(couple of clients did these in 2009 and loved! the travel and adventure).

3. Ultra-Marathons: got a marathon under your belt? Go longer like 50k or 50 miles to start. The El-Scorcho 25k and 50k is right here in Fort Worth during the summer. I do this one myself. And I get nausea just thinking about it! Good Times!

4.Trekking, Mountain Climbing- You can put these trips together yourself or go to a trusted provider like Backwoods Adventures(Fort Worth) and hike Yellowstone National Park or Utah parks or Trek on one of 4 different Continents.

5. Adventure Vacations: where you have to show it off like Hawaii. Or a Vacation where you have to use it or lose it like Scuba Diving, Skiing, or Snow Boarding

7. Adventure Racing, Mud Runs, Urban Races: all different terrains and all require you to adapt to ever changing environments and challenges.

Two big factors actors make the BHAG so effective to reaching the next level.

First you have to tell others about the event or trip. These type of events can’t be done in private. This is the accountability factor. In a good way. “I’ve already told everyone” will get you out of bed many many mornings.

And the second big factor is the deadline element.It’s the forcing mechanism behind the goal.You’ve made the investment in registration, travel and hotels.
You cannot move the date of the trip or the start of the race back. It’s your deadline. You will surprise yourself at what adjustments you’ll make to be ready on time.

Chose your BHAG. Set the dates. Make the reservations. And tell your friends.

BTW you will never “be” ready. And there never is a “right time”.
So
just
do
it
NOW.

Hope this helps some of my veterans and those coming in that need that extra motivation. 2010 is your year baby. Let’s make it a good one!

Dedicated to Your Success,
Dave

P.s. I know you’re thinking “What about the cost?” A very smart friend of mine says “Collect Experiences Not Things”. With this philosophy he lives a life most people only dream about. Because he got it right. This is an investment in you. To see how good you can really be. I think you’ll surprise yourself.

One of the best stories of the year! So good.

I don’t consider myself an emotional guy. But I got choked up when we shot this video.

Shelly had to get rid of so much head trash and excuses. If you don’t know “Head trash” is the accumulation of excuses, past failures, negative mindset, and current circumstances that hold you back from your goals. Shelly had to dump a ton of that. And it’s painful to do in the beginning.

You either have ton of excuses or a ton of results. No one has both. She overcame the “time excuse” the “money excuse” the “it’ll be uncomfortable to start” excuse. Man, she had everyone in the book and she beat them all. She beat them into submission.

And here’s the thing. She got her life back.

She got the ability to what she wants when she wants. No limits.

It’s my hope that you get some ideas of what’s possible for you this New Year.
You can’t let head trash or excuses get in your way of Living The Rest Of Your Life on Your Terms. Living your life truly happy.

It’s my hope too that you watch the video. And if you feel like Shelly did. That you take action. Fill out the Consult Request in the upper left on this page and I can meet with you to discuss your goals.

Now watch the video. And have a great day!

Oh! and Great Job Shelly!

Talk to you later.

Dave

You’ve tried your best, and you’ve done well: you’ve kept all the crap out of the house, you’ve been making your workouts consistently, making smart choices when away from home, and clued in all your friends and family that you are trying to make healthy changes.

You’ve done everything right, but then somehow something sneaks into your house.  Maybe its come cookies left over from your kid’s school party, a jar of candy canes from the office, or a yule log the neighbor pawned off on you brought over.

Great, no it is in your home, probably staring you in the face on your kitchen counter, and tempting you at every turn.  What do you do?

Depends.  Is it there because no one else wants it and is hoping someone else will eat it?

If yes:

Give it away. Pawn it off onto someone else, pronto.

Throw it away. Junk food is a waste anyway, so you can waste it by eating it and ruining your efforts, or you can waste it by throwing it out.  The last one? Calorie-free.

Ruin it. If the cookies on a paper plate wrapped in cellophane is too tempting, even in the trash (it didn’t touch anything!) ruin it.  Pour water on it.  Or coffee grounds. Or crumble them up in make sure they fall deep into the trash.

If no, and it’s something the rest of your family wants, if you don’t devour it first:

Make it hard to get to. Wrap it up extra tight.  a few dozen times. Then  put it in a tupperware.  Each layer is a second chance to say no.

Out of sight, out of mind. Put them in a high cupboard, deep in the pantry, or under some crap in a drawer.

Individually package everything. You can allow yourself one treat, but where people usually get into trouble is when they go back for another one.  And then eat the crumb that dropped which means you have to eat the next one it touched, etc.  If you want one, grab one, but just ONE.

Freeze it. Frozen cookies or brownies are still good if you let them defrost- it just takes a little time and patience. Patience is the enemy of an impulse snack, so the longer something takes to prepare, the less likely you are to inhale it.

Just say no. To someone else.  If you think you might eat it, tell your significant other to keep you away from it, or rather, keep it away from you.  Why should you be in charge of something that is going to tempt you?

Never say “oh well” when temptations try and trip you up.  Get rid of it, or do your best to keep as much distance between it and you as possible.  The occasional treat is fine, if you really want it, but never ever eat something just because its there.

Eating healthy is definitely an ‘easier said than done situation’.  It can seem daunting, but if you take steps to develop a habit, and a taste, for a healthier diet, the change won’t seem so drastic.  Take each of these steps one at a time, and soon you’ll find because of your eating habits, you have a ton more energy, have dropped pounds and feel amazing.

Drink water. It’s the only beverage your body really needs. Gradually replace soda,es, even diet,flavored coffees, sugary drinks and other high-cal juices with water. Aim for 8-12 cups each day.

Eat more fruit. You should get 2-4 servings a day (i serving equals about 1/2 a cup). Fruits are rich in nutrients, fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants, which all help prevent disease. Eat a piece with breakfast and 2 for a snack- most fruit is portable, so you can bring it with you anywhere.

Eat more veggies. Aim for 4-6 servings of vegetables daily (1 servings equals about half a cup.) High in nutrients and low in calories, veggies can help prevent diabetes, stroke,heart disease and more. Veggies go great in everything, so add them to everything: soups, sandwiches, salads, casseroles, stir frys, or just on their own.

Eat breakfast. It boosts your energy, metabolism and mental focus. Plus, breakfast eaters consume fewer calories throughout the day than people who skip it.

Brown bag it. Packing your lunch will not only cut costs, it will cut calories. Bagging it ensures that you are eating better and saving money. Try lean proteins, whole grain bread, fruit, vegetables with dip, and broth-based soups for a wholesome, filling meal.

Avoid trans fats. They increase your risk of heart disease. Foods with “partially hydrogenated oil” as an ingredient contain trans fat (even if the label says 0 grams) and should be left on the grocery shelf. There is no room in your diet for trans fats- none.

Trade white grains for whole grains. White flours, breads, rice and pasta are highly processed and low in nutrients. Whole grain varieties are packed with nutrients, fiber and staying power.

Make healthy substitutions. Keep the tradition and boost the nutrition by making swaps: whole grain flour, less salt, heart-healthy fats, half the sugar, and beans instead of meat.

Check the nutrition facts. The front of a package won’t tell you the whole story. Read labels and compare key nutrients calories, serving size, fat, fiber, calcium, and ingredients to make the best choice.

Watch your portions. While big portions might keep your wallet full, they’ll also add to your waistline. Split large entrees with a friend and never ever supersize.

Losing weight, in theory, is easy:  eat less, move more and cut the crap.  Actually doing this, however, can be more difficult.  Change is hard.  Changing habits is hard- especially habits you find enjoyable: ie. eating sugary and fattening foods.

The truth hurts- losing weight is going to be uncomfortable, its going to take work, and its going to be hard.  No tiptoeing around it- you are going to have to make decisions everyday you don’t want to make.

This is why the fitness fad industry is so huge: people don’t want to work hard- they want quick results.  This is also why we are still a morbidly obese country- people want results without putting in any work or making any changes.

So, sorry, but its time for some hard truths about weight loss.  No more excuses, and no promises on my end that its going to be easy.  These are the facts when it comes to weight loss:

You have to exercise more than you think.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.   While this is great for heart health, if you are looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss have to do more—about an hour a day.

Things like taking the stairs, walking the dog, and gardening are great ways to boost your activity level, but losing serious weight means exercising regularly for an hour or so. Its all about intensity- don’t fool yourself into thinking your everyday activities will equal weight loss.

A 30 minute walk doesn’t equal a cookie.

If you exercise, you do not deserve a treat, for two reasons. One: the whole reason you are exercising is to create a calorie deficit so you can lose weight. If you eat back those calories, that workout did you nothing. Two: People overestimate the amount of calories you burn. A 30 minute walk will burn about 100 calories- and that’s if you are pushing yourself hard. Chances are, if you “reward” yourself with a treat, you are going to eat more calories than you burned, causing gain.

Eating more won’t help you lose weight.

This is a marketing ploy. You hear this most about calcium- usually milk and yogurt, but eating more of these things will not help you lose weight. Eating more of anything is not going to help you gain weight. Eating more is what got you into trouble in the first place. There are no magic foods. You need to eat less, period.

There is no end in sight.

You hear it all the time: this isn’t a diet, its a lifestyle. It’s true. You are never going to be able to eat whatever you want. You are never going to be able to eat crap and feel good and not gain weight. Whether you are just losing weight, or have a lost a significant amount of weight 10 years ago, you are never going to be able to go back to your bad habits. Everyone has to eat healthy, no one can over eat, and everyone has to exercise for the rest of their lives. Get used to it now, and find a way to enjoy it, because whether you are fat or thin, hit your goal or far away from it, you have to eat healthy and exercise.

You know you should sleep more, but you often squeak by with 5-6 hours, sometimes less. You wake up, have a cup of coffee, and feel fine.  So those lost  hours aren’t a big deal, right?

Sleep isn’t just to make you not feel sleepy. If that were so, we would all trade sleep for 10 cans of Red Bull and some Clear Eyes.  Sleep is very important for many bodily functions, and is imperative to weight loss.

Lack of sleep can cause:

• Disruption of the response fat cells have to the food you eat and the calories you burn.  In other words, fat cells don’t break down properly, or at all, when you do not receive enough sleep.

• Hormone levels are disrupted, causing hunger, weight gain, irritability, delayed or slowed motor function and mental process.

• Sleep loss can cause lack of desire and motivation.

• The brain solidifies learning and memories created through the day during sleep. If this process is cut short or delayed, the brain does not retain this information correctly or in its entirety.

• Muscle fibers torn during exercise heal during rest and sleep.  Sleep is a must to make sure you are receiving all the benefits from your workouts.

To get the best sleep, avoid caffeine and exercise for 4 hours before bed time and try and get to bed the same time every night.  This is where morning workouts are your best friend- waking up early may seen counter intuitive to getting more sleep, but if you get your workout out of the way in the morning, that opens up your evening to get to bed earlier.  Research shows sleep deprivation is actually a big factor in keeping you inactive and your energy low.

I know you think there are already not enough hours in your day, but you have to find them.  You have to make priorities, and your health is your number one priority.  You are going to have to make time for things that will get you to your weight loss goals, including sleep.

If you cannot get enough sleep at night, naps are better than nothing- but the deep, uninterrupted sleep achieved at night is when most of the above processes happen, so make time for your 8 hours of ZZZ’s.

Are you one of those people that hops on the scale every time you go into the bathroom? Do you contemplate shaving your head to lose those last few tenths of a pound each time you hop on.

Do you drive yourself insane with the fluctuating number from day to day, hour to hour?

Man, I’m asking questions like an infomercial pitchman.

How often you weigh yourself might effect your weight loss goals- and not in a good way.  Scales don’t just measure fat, they also weigh muscle, bones, and water. The scale is not an indicator of weight loss. You can weigh less without losing fat and you can lose fat and not see it in the scale.  Weighing yourself everyday can be frustrating when you see these numbers change up and down, and cause you to lose motivation.  Weighing yourself less often can actually give you a clearer picture of your actual weight loss.

The ensure the most accurate number on the scale when you do weigh, make sure you weigh at the same time each day you weigh in, preferably first thing in the morning when you stomach is empty and you had a good night’s sleep.  Or better yet, use your body fat percentage as a gauge- this is the only way to keep track of the actual amount of fat your body contains.

Body fat is the best indicator, because not only does it track how much fat you are losing, you can also see how much muscle you are gaining.  It shows you the quality of your body mass, as opposed to just the quantity.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking “I’m not losing weight because I am gaining muscle,” though. This is a cop out- if you have fat to lose, you should be losing weight, it’s just that it doesn’t happen as consistently and perfectly as you would like it too.   If you are working out hard enough to gain muscle weight, you are working out hard enough to lose fat weight, so that’s not an excuse for a unmoving scale.  Weigh once a week, to make sure you are on track, but watch your body fat, too.

Most importantly, don;t drive yourself crazy.  Your weight can fluctuate up to 5 pounds a day based on meals, hydration, and, a-hem, bowel movements.   Stay accountable, but don’t live and die by your scale.