Posted on

January 12th, 2011

So how’s your resolutions going you made on new year’s eve? Are they going well or have they even got going yet? Is it turning into yet another disappointment already or do things seem really “different” this year?!!

There’s heck a lot of difference between making a resolutions like everyone makes at the end of the year, and A DECISION and COMMITMENT. Resolutions to me are like a shot in the dark, a hope that somehow something may come off, or even like a lottery chance that something good will happen in your life this year, somehow it will happen even without any recognised plan, “somehow” or “someday” often leads to a town called “nowhere” as the old saying goes.

If you regard final decisions and big commitment as always being acted upon, and resolutions as fairy tales, you won’t go too far wrong!!!

How about those long term goals that are never reached? The answer is to focus on the short term instead and look to implement meaningful actions that are likely to bring results and quickly. Instead of saying you want to lose 2-3 stones and getting obsessed with the scales, lets focus on the stuff thats going to get you there and give you long lasting results.

For example, if lunch is a disaster zone for you right now, then its an obvious area you can change RIGHT NOW. Instead of something fried for lunch in a cafe, ask them to grill something healthier or you, most cafe’s want the extra business these days and will satisy your request, especially if you’re a regular, good businesses always look after good customers in my book.

If you are in a bakery, its doesnt have to be tuna white rolls with lots of mayo or chicken with mayo with butter and margarine, ask them for a wholemeal roll with no butter or margarine and no mayo in the tuna if possible, if you ask nicely they will do it and the same with the chicken with no mayo, health and good health at that has never been more fashionable and tell yourself you’re working hard on your exercise and you don’t want to blow all of that hard work on needless calories at lunch time!!!

To make sure you keep these habits up, write down for 7 days what you usually eat, and from that you can easily see where you’re going right and where you’re obviously going wrong. Goals and actions have been proven to be successul when you write things down, it sort of makes you far more accountable than you normally would be so give it a go!!!

Twitt
Posted on

New Year’s day

Already been for my new years day run this morning and it felt pretty good indeed!!! Strangely quiet always on new years day, perhaps because most people were having a heavy one the night before.

Actually, recent polls don’t back that up anymore. According to latest research, 92.5% of people in Wales were spending new years eve at home at 12 o’clock, a dramatic change that started i believe in 2000, when pubs and taxi drivers got very greedy and started charging to get into their pubs, and taxis wanted double and sometimes treble time for their services. That greed has led to most pubs being full to the rafters, to being sad places where you are luck to get 10 people in at your local pub on new years eve. Sad but true down with us anyway.

New years day is the ideal time to get going, not talk about it, just get going!! Actions should be talking louder than words this year for you. Never have the words “just do it” been more important!! You can talk about it all you want, but it all really begins to matter when you get out there and exercise. If you have a hangover or not, then today is the ideal time to get out there and do something worthwhile, burn some body fat and fill your lungs with fresh air.

We will be doing another 12 week challenge this year, and im looking to start it around 17th january. I always think that people are not really ready until then, because it takes that long to get back into routines of work, family etc. In fact, this year studies proved that to be true. People who start their weight loss programmes after 15th january, tend to be more successful in their programmes. People who start on january 1st tend to fade away in late january according to a number of studies, this does not surprise me one bit!!

So try and get in some kind of routine, and kick off lighter activities today, and promise yourself that you’re going to stick it out for the whole of 2011 this time!! Its not a sprint and the tortoise will really beat the hare this time!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Thursday 30th december 2010

If you had taken my advice yesterday, you would have made some kind of commitment to getting in shape again. If you had taken some action, you may be feeling stiff today due to your lack of activity over Christmas and the approach to the holiday period.

What also causes the stiffness is the often poor choice of food and drink over this time. The old saying goes that if you put rubbish fuel into your body, don’t expect it to drive well. If you keep on putting sub-standard food and drink into your body, it will splutter along and jump like someone driving a car for the first time.

If im honest, I am stiff myself today and really tired after starting back good sessions on Monday. Its important for me to get through this period so im back feeling great by next week. Some people will be off until 4th January but that is far too long for me. I WANT to be back in work this week so I can get back to feeling good full stop, im glad I made the decision to start back this week honestly.

Along with feeling good comes lower body fat, a harder and leaner body, much better energy levels and the inner drive that everyone has returning in a big way.

If I stayed off until 4th January, I would be lethargic, irritable, not wanting to do anything etc. The idea of going out for junk food every day and going shopping most days frankly makes me want to puke!! Most people it seems love to shop but I really think that there better things to do. There are only so many shops you can go through, after all these shopping parks are the same as any town or city, no individual shops around anymore unfortunately!

I would much rather be out in fresh air walking, running whatever, it just feels better and if you have been stuck in the house all over Christmas due to the snow and ice, NOW really is the time to get out there and feel much better about yourself. There is absolutely no excuse not be exercising right now, please don’t fall for the groundhog day faddy excuses for diets in the new year, PLEASE don’t do it, save your money and promise yourself that you won’t be fooled anymore with their false promises and sometimes damaging effect on your long term health! According to latest research, 97% of them DO NOT WORK over the long term!!

Let’s get out there and make a start!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Thursday, 23rd December

Exercising is the best way to keep your brain sharp well into old age according to a study released today in the daily telegraph. We sort of secretly knew that but its always nice to have it confirmed by the doctor’s and researchers finally.

Your brain’s ability to function properly can decline up to 40% if your lifestyle is not that great. For instance, if you smoke and drink a lot, your chances of declining sooner are much increased. Your choice all the way and after all, we live in a democratic society and it’s a free country!

Your brain is your most important thing when you think about it pardon the pun. Being aware of what’s going on around you keeps you in control and allows you to make decisions independently every day. Most of us take this for granted but probably most of us again know people who cannot think independently any more unfortunately.

One of the most important decisions your body will make is the decision to move/exercise. Moving around is vital if you want to stay healthy. If you don’t stay healthy, your brain will become less and less of a factor so they both feed off each other. Exercising is often considered a choice for most people, but when you really analyse its importance, it should really be considered vital!!!

So we have been talking all week about not wanting to put weight on over Christmas, the thought of not being able to function at 100% is pretty scary I’m sure.

This is another reason to do some workouts over Christmas, losing weight is not always the number one reason to train, the ability to live a normal healthy and active life should never be underestimated!

Twitt
Posted on

Friday 17th December

A huge day for snow today and last night that has kept many off work today. Also, you had the usual suspects out on the road today, the 4×4’s who think they can speed past everyone just because they have a 4×4. A familiar sight this morning unfortunately again was a 4×4 going straight into the wall in front of me, then refusing help and reversing his battered car and going into the wall opposite, when will these people learn that they really are not better than everyone else and have no automatic right to stick to the road in such conditions!!! We even have a guy at the top of our road who acts like a policeman waving traffic along on the main road, just because he has a 4×4 and somehow thinks he is a combination of the AA, the Police and the Ambulance service. The radio was making such a point earlier that such individuals should stay indoors and not be causing chaos!!

 These chelsea tractors should carry a government health warning for idiot drivers in the snow! I hasten to add that not ALL 4×4 drivers are idiots and not all are mad enough to go out on days like this. I used to go out on days like this and £1000 of damage later over the last 2 years has finally pursuaded me not to!!!

Anyway, back to the question of working out and eating right! Today is the perfect day to stay in and put lots of weight on!! Or not?

I find a valid strategy is to concentrate on eating proteins, such a chicken, turkey, lean beef, ham even. The problem with eating bread for most people is that you can eat way too much of it on days like this. You are constantly within a few feet of the kitchen and always tempted, usually eating once an hour!!! Or more for some of us!!

This should be the strategy for christmas week too, concentrating on the proteins will mean you get fuller quicker, stay fuller for longer and be less prone to make some serious errors of judgement or going on a binge even!!!

Also, a perfect time to do inside workouts, as your living room floor is unlikely to have snow or ice on it and the temperature is likely to be very warm!!! No excuses as usual, relax a lot because its nearly christmas but keeping some fundamentals in there can be very valuable!!

Have a fun day in the snow!

Twitt