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Posts Tagged ‘motivation’

So you haven’t been very active for the last, let’s say….6 months….ok how about a year! Better yet, you’ve been raising kids…who the heck has time for exercise???? You’ve found yourself in a rut that you just can’t get out of and you’re comfortable with where you are at. Or are you?

Most of the time what I find with clients is two things: They lack the knowledge and/or the motivation. Some of you may be saying “but what about not having enough time?” Sorry, but I have little sympathy for that particular excuse. One kid, two kids, triplets, it doesn’t matter. If you REALLY want to be more physically fit or just healthy overall, you will make the time for it when you are motivated, and you will EDUCATE yourself via a class, the internet or through a personal trainer on all the ways you can train….so be honest with yourself when you give your excuse.

One of the best ways I have found that really works is during lunch breaks for moms that work away in an office setting, or catching just 30 minutes during the day for moms that work at home, like stay at home moms. I stayed home for 10 years to raise my kiddos and now I work in an office, so I know that stay at home moms have THE hardest jobs out there! Another idea is joining a team and setting a goal for yourself. Grab a friend and sign up for a 5K or a 10K down the road. When you’ve spent the money on something like that, you increase the chances of making sure you make some time to train for it. You meet new people along the way too :-)

Being a good role model for the kids is very important. With obesity trends at their peak and will be for a while, it’s important that you find some type of physical activity that you enjoy. Here’s a benefit that you might have not thought about: Increased energy! Yes, you will likely lose some weight, your cholesterol levels will get better and your blood pressure readings will impress those around you….but who cares about all that right? (Yeah, yeah…I thought so). I know that I wish I had the energy levels that some of these little kids have and although I may not have all what they do, I know that even 30 minutes during my lunch time gets me more alert and able to focus on what I need to get done. Again, let me remind you that I was a stay at home mom for quite some time, so I know how tiring it can be, especially when you have more than 1 child under the age of 2.5! But it’s worth it to try and get some fresh air…some alone time if you can….some sunshine on your skin (wear sunblock!) and your kid(s) will love spending that time moving with you. It won’t always be easy. I get it. But it will just get harder as time goes on to get that weight off, or to change your motivation, or to be more energetic. In my book, you don’t have to be a triathlete, a marathon runner, a cyclist, a hiker, or swimmer to be considered an athlete. Put your faith in yourself to do little by little to keep being active. Break a sweat 4-5 times a week. I didn’t ask you to come home drenched. Just break it. You’ll be glad you did!

It’s easy to get sidetracked in the everyday things that we do day in and day out. From eating to exercising, from cleaning to driving,  to yada, yada, yada…you get the idea. So instead of getting sidetracked, just mind your business! Being mindful of the things we are involved with can make a huge difference in our lives. When we are more mindful, it helps us to feel empowered. This in turn makes us less judgmental about ourselves which builds confidence within. This type of conscience effort can improve any aspect of your life!

Keep your eye on the prize! What do you think about that phrase?  Again, you can apply it to just about anything you set your heart on. Stay focused. Concentrate. Be mindful ;-)

Eating: Be mindful when you eat. So you’re trying to shed some weight. Hopefully it’s because you NEED to and not because you’re being unrealistic in your goals. There is a difference you know. It may sound and feel really silly if you’ve never done this before, but the next time you eat, really pay attention to your senses. Think about what you are eating. What kind of texture does it have? Did it go through a process and where did it come from? How does it look? Be mindful when you’re cooking too. Use spices and sweets and sours to add zing to your food. Wait 10 seconds in between bites. It actually takes effort to do this. Amazingly, you’ll also get fuller much sooner, which of course means you’ll be eating less…which again of course will help you tighten your belt. Exercise: Stop the chit chat in between sets if that’s what you’re doing. Stop rushing through your movements, unless they are purposeful explosive moves. Stop paying attention to what everyone else is doing and how much weight they are pushing. Just mind your business! Use the mirrors in the gym. Be mindful of how you are spending your time resting. If you’re going to the water fountain in between every set you do, chances are you’re not getting the full benefit of your training. If you’re able to hold a conversation easily while doing cardio, you’re probably not working your heart the way you should…or burning as many calories for that matter. Watch your muscles contract as you go through the movement of each exercise or how you are breathing when your heart rate is going up.  Be mindful of how the burn feels, and be in the moment of how you are sculpting areas of your choice (I love sexy shoulders!) Thoughts: What you think and how you think can make you go crazy or push you to the next level. Be mindful of your thinking patterns. Stay away from negative self talk! Bad, bad I tell ya! I get on a couple of my clients for this. As soon as the negative talk starts, I nip it in the bud. None of that on my watch buddy! Try to be positive in your thoughts and actions. So what if the gal next to you can do 20 push ups! It’s not that YOU can’t do it, you are just working your way up to 20 at a slower pace. Mind you that she’s probably been doing them for a while anyway. Let me tell you something, I’ve had a number of club members approach me or my clients during a session and are just amazed at the fact that a 220 lb man can balance himself standing straight on a hard medicine ball while doing lateral raises….believing that you CAN do it is half the battle. The list can go on and on, but these three principles of minding your business should be practiced everyday in everything you do. If you look at mindfulness as a supplement to your everyday living, then you’ll be more appreciative of the foods you eat, your workouts and more in tune with moods. You have the power to change a bad vibe. Our attitudes and mindfulness can influence everything that we do and in the same, also help us create great habits while we break ugly ones. You don’t have to give up the cheesecake completely! (I wouldn’t), but maybe by being more mindful, you’ll only eat 1/3 of what you would have had you not taken the time to appreciate it. Create workouts with a great ending! Maybe saving your favorite exercise for the very end can be like a dessert that you would have at the end of a meal. It’s something that you can reward yourself with after eating all your veggies (being mindful during your training session). Go outside and enjoy the Fall air while you workout! That’s my favorite time of year to exercise outside! And no more negative talk! The next time those thoughts start to creep in, just tell them to go mind their OWN business…

So you’ve made the decision that THIS is the year you’re going to get your healthy body back. I congratulate you no matter how many times you’ve resolved to do it. Now the question is, how do you get there?

For many of you, the mere thought of going to the gym gives you sweaty palms, blotchy vision, or a headache and that’s ok. More often than not, it’s because of the lack of knowledge we have for exercise and all of its benefits that we get so nervous. Of course there are always other reasons too. For example, some of you may be shy to workout around others because you’re very private; some of you may feel insecure and lack confidence; others may feel intimidated by the workout junkies already fit and think that they are staring at you. Not the case people! 99.9% of exercisers don’t even give a flip about what you look like, or you to be honest. They’re in there to focus on themselves, and perhaps to chat sometimes while they do it, but they’re not notating how jiggly, slow, sweaty, or tired you look. On the contrary, I can say with a confidant heart, that they ARE shaking their heads in approval to see you there. I can’t tell you how many times over the course of all my years working with people, where I have had a colleague or other member comment on how impressed they are on the hard work YOU are putting in. So don’t sell yourself short.

Now the fun part: Do you get the personal trainer or not? There are benefits to having one folks! And let me just add this important note: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BELONG TO A GYM TO HIRE ONE! [Come again?????] Yup, there are plenty of trainers out there that are available to come to you, so don’t feel as though you are tied to a gym in order to reap the benefits of one.

What exactly is a personal trainer? The term “personal trainer” over the years and more recently has been also known to be called, fitness trainer, health coach, exercise coach, wellness trainer/coach….you get the idea. The bottom line is that this special person should help you to accomplish your health and fitness goals through motivation and expertise all the while doing it safely.

Trainers can be male or female. It’s your own preference. Overall, female trainers are tougher. Personally, I’m no exception to that either. More importantly, trainers are tougher on the opposite sex—so female trainers on their male clients, and males on their females. 
But no matter which gender, there are several things that you should look for in a trainer that are important because it can make it a wonderful or a bad experience.

1. Are they educated? Having a college degree in human movement is always a nice perk to have as a coach, but more importantly, are they a certified/qualified trainer? Not all certifications are the same. I suggest doing your homework and reading up on the most highly appraised certifications. Once you open the link, scroll down and you will find a list of certified schools to research. Don’t be shy to ask them either! It’s a huge mistake not to. The last thing you need is for a trainer to not be qualified and disregard an injury you might have and then you get hurt, all because of negligence.
2. Are they experienced? So you have a choice between the trainer that is green out of college in kenisiology and just got certified a month ago, OR the coach who is college educated in business, but has several highly sought current certifications under her belt and has 10 years of experience with clients….I’m putting my money on the 10 years! This trainer has had the time to experience all different scenarios and ailments and learn from them.
3. Can the trainer communicate easily with you? ”Do you HEAR the words that are coming out of my mouth?” If you don’t watch Jackie Chan movies, then you won’t get it, sooooo moving on.  If I said to you on our first meeting: “Ok, lets start to work on your psoas major (pronounced soaz) so your flexion and external rotation in your hip joint can increase”…you would say “Huh?” So just be sure that the person you’re talking to can clearly explain everything to you, and likewise, is just as patient and open to any questions you may have.
4. Finally what is their history? I mean client history. A confident trainer won’t have a problem giving you references to contact. That right there would be a good first sign of relief, or red flag. Obviously some placed might not be at liberty to because of privacy, but in my own experience, it’s never been a problem.

The BENEFITS of a personal trainer/health coach can go on and on, but in short,  a good coach will help you achieve:

~Increased energy and stamina, weight loss, motivation, accountability, increased self-esteem and overall confidence in the way you look and feel inside and out!

I like to think that my readers don’t need need an explanation for every little thing. What you see above HAS TO BE self explanatory. It’s simple. Please tell me it is! You see what applies to you, and you do something about it. Things in life don’t typically fix themselves. There has to be some kind of momentum to begin the “fixing” process.

Just as a side note, trainers hire trainers too you know! Usually it’s a friend, but sometimes we need a different viewpoint ourselves and an exchange of ideas to us out of ruts from time to time; we’re only human.

A word of fiscal advice: Trainers are not usually free. Obviously they need to make a living as well. But nothing in this life is set in stone. If you kindly try to negotiate a reasonable rate, chances are you might be surprised what they can do for you, especially if you do multiple sessions with them vs. just one. Ask about group rates too! Many trainers, myself included, offer discounts to a group so everyone pays less than what it would cost for one on one coaching/training. I myself will not train a group larger than three, but no trainer should be coaching more than 5 if there are station. You still want the attention of your trainer to make sure your form is correct and that they are easily accessible for questions. Kind of like in school, parents like a smaller teacher to student ratio, right? Same concept.

Be strong, have courage, and just do it! Whether you hire a personal trainer, health coach or any other “guide” or none at all, make the commitment to yourself of following through with what you say you will do.

Our health is most valuable, once we’ve begun to lose it.