Who is the healther me

It's been awhile since I posted something. I've been really busy with life as well as trying to further develop my skills as a Health Coach so I can better support all of you. I've learned a lot over the last year or so and I'm excited to share this new knowledge with you all.

There are so many amazing things that I want to share I don't know where to begin so why not start at the beginning. Starting with really deciding what is it that you want and why is that so important to you? We all have goals that we want, but are they really goals or just general statements like "I want to lose weight" or "I want to be healthier".

When was the last time that you sat down and reflected on what is it exactly that you want? When you picture yourself as this healthier person what exactly do you see? How do you see yourself? How do you feel? What are you doing as this healthier person you envision yourself being that you can't do now?

Whew that was a lot of questions, but that is exactly what you need to do, ask yourself questions. When I asked myself these questions it cleared things up for me, it gave me a target to aim for. I know exactly what I want. I see myself as someone who doesn't have any health issues like high blood pressure (which runs in my family and I've been borderline high until I made changes to my lifestyle), I have perfect cholesterol, not at risk for heart disease or diabetes. I see myself not as a body builder or some fitness model, I see myself as having good muscle tone and strength. I have a waist circumference around 30 inches (40 inches and above puts you at risk for heart disease etc.). Most of all I see myself as not being plagued by the back pain that has bothered me since my car accident in 09. The same back pain that I used as an excuse to be unhealthy. At that point in my life I was barely able to play with my kids without being in pain. I haven't reached the point I where I want to be, but I'm getting there.

How amazing would that feel to have already reached your goal? I hear some of the same things from my clients that really stand out. Things like "I would be happier, have more self-confidence, I would actually be able to look at myself in the mirror and not feel ashamed or embarrassed." How would you feel?

Write all of these things down and keep them for a reference to reflect on. It's a great thing to be able to go back to these thoughts when you're feeling maybe not as motivated as usual or maybe you haven't seen the progress that you want and you're feeling discouraged and want to quit and give up. DON'T! Keep fighting, keep working, and keep making small changes and most of all keep your head up. It's all part of the process, it happens to everyone. You know where you want to be, it's just a matter of taking that next step that will get you there.

Uncover Your Abs

Well the heat is on and bikini season is a go for all you ladies....and uh gents.

I've been really working on trying to clean up my diet so I can get those 6 pack abs that every guy wants. Most people think that if you want great abs then you have to kill your abs with sit-ups and other abdominal exercises. While yes you need to have well developed abdominal muscles for great abs, you also need to get rid of that cozy blanket of fat that is covering them. No point of having the worlds greatest abs if they're hidden under a layer of fat.

So how do we get those great abs to show? Well there is a saying that abs are made in the kitchen and not the gym, and this is 100% true. The key to exposing your abs is lowing your body fat percentage. The average male is approximately in a range of 18-25% for males and 25-31% for females. Now keep in mind the average person doesn't walk around with great abs, they tend to have a little layer of fat covering those abdominal muscles. Also remember, we don't want to be average, we want to be extraordinary. So what percentage do you need to expose your abs for all the world to see your hard work and dedication? Well for males you need to drop your body fat percentage below 10% and for women getting below 19% would be where you need to be.

There are a few methods that you can use to determine your body fat percentage but the most accurate is a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Other methods would be water displacement, bioelectrical impedance and the skin fold test. Once you have determined your body fat percentage you can set your goals for where you want to be and a plan to get there.


So how do we get our body fat percentage down to where we can start to see some progress? Clean eating! I'm not saying wash your pizza with soap to get off any dirt, I'm saying eating lean meats, veggies and proper carbs. Some people will say stay away from carbs and bla bla bla. Uhhh hello McFly! You need carbs to provide fuel for your intense workouts. I've seen to many people pass out during a workout because they have been told to avoid carbs because carbs are bad! Those big mean nasty carbs! Eat carbs, but remember to taper your carbs throughout the day with most of your carbs for breakfast with portions getting smaller to the smallest portion at dinner. You can get a lot of carbs from veggies as well, which also provide fiber.

You can get into all the mumbo jumbo of "fat fighting foods" and "fat blasting supplements" but it all comes down to what you're eating, how much you're eating, and how much of what you're eating are you burning through exercise. Simple math, burn more than you consume= weight loss, consume more than you burn= weight gain.

A good way to keep track and keep yourself honest is to keep a food journal. Most of us have smart phones so try downloading a food journal app like MyFitnessPal or Spark People. Check them out and figure out what one is best for you and your needs. You would be surprised at how much you are either over eating or how the foods you are eating aren't providing the nutrients you need. Eat smart, live well, and stay motivated.