One of the keys to accomplishing anything in life is to set goals and hold yourself accountable to them. The goals could involve career, relationships, travel, education and, yes, fitness. Exercising more and losing weight are a close second and third to spending more time with family as the top New Years resolutions for Americans. Recent surveys have found that more than half of all Americans made resolutions involving exercise and weight loss.
Setting a specific goal and communicating it to family, friends, co-workers and peers will help hold you accountable to achieveing the goal. It will also inspire many of them to see you accomplish what you set out to do.
I've been telling my clients this for years. This time I am the one that needs to be held accountable. And I am asking you to join me. Below are my fitness goals for 2010. Several of the items are brand new territory for me (rowing competitions and marathons), they are agressive and the times will all be personal bests for me. But I will do them. If you hold me accountable.
And I want to hold you accountable to yours. Post your fitness goals in comments and update us throughout the year as you achieve them. Don't worry if you think they are not challenging goals. If they are a challenge for you then they are the right goals. Remember, I am a trainer, it's my job to be able to do this stuff.
Center City Sprints (Indoor Rowing) - Saturday, January 30 -- Drexel University (Philly)
Goal time: 7:00 for 2000m Previous Best: 6:47
The Main Line Slide (Indoor Rowing) - Saturday, February 6 -- Villanova University (Philly)
Goal time: 6:45 for 2000m Previous Best : 6:47
Tour of the Battenkill Bike Race Pro/Am - Saturday, April 10 -- Salem, NY
Goal time: Just finish respectably Previous Best: First attempt at this race
http://www.tourofthebattenkill.com/
Bucks County 5K Series - 7 race series March through June -- Bucks County, PA
Goal: Finish in top 10 in my age group (40-44) for the series as a whole. Best four out of seven races count toward overall standings. Previous Best: 17th
Broad Street Run (10 miles) -- Sunday, May 2nd -- Philadelphia, PA
Goal time: 1:11:00 Previous Best: 1:15:18
www.broadstreetrun.com
Univest Cyclosportif Pro/Am Bike Race (60 miles) - Saturday, Sept 10 -- Doylestown, PA
Goal time: TBD Previous Best: First Attempt
-or-
Patriot Games (run/canoe/bike/run two-person team triathlon) - Saturday, Sept 10 -- Chalfont, PA
Goal: Top 5 overall team, Win either Master Division or Coed Division Championship
Philadelphia Distance Run (13.1 miles) --Sunday, Sept 19 -- Philadelphia, PA
Goal time: 1:35:00 Previous Best: 1:40:41
Philadelphia Marathon (26.2 miles) -- November 2010 -- Philadelphia, PA
Goal time: 3:45:00 (8:30/mile pace) Previous Best: This will be my first marathon
Buffalo-Niagara Turkey Trot 8K (4.97 miles) -- Thanksgiving Day -- Buffalo, NY
Goal time: 35 minutes Previous Best: 35:42
CrossFit Goals (This will only make sense to my CrossFit friends)
Complete an uninterupted "Fran"
21 full pullups
21 95# thrusters
15 full pullups
15 95# thrusters
9 full pullups
9 95# thrusters
CrossFit Total (Back Squat + Shoulder Press + Deadlift)
Goal: 750 lbs (Don't laugh Steve)
Filthy Fifty
Goal: 23 minutes (the pullups will kill me) Previous Best: roughly 35 minutes
50 Box jump
24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings (35 lbs)
Walking Lunge
50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press (45lbs)
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots (20 lbs med ball)
50 Burpees
50 Double under jump ropes
"Cindy"
Goal: 18 rounds
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Body Weight squats
Max rep pushups (full range of motion)
Goal: 65
That's it. I better get my butt to the gym.
Paul
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Developing Your Healthy Holiday Plan
Having a Healthy Holiday Plan is more than just about avoiding weight gain. For most of us this coming month is about avoiding bad habits. Bad exercise habits and bad nutritional habits. There are several studies that suggest creating a habit and making it stick as part of your life can be done in 21 days; just 3 simple weeks of repeating a behavior and it will be part of you. The sad thing is that those studies are talking about how to create a positive behavior (things like doing weekly and daily planning, getting into an exercise routine, or quitting smoking). Those are habits that take some effort to establish.
Bad habits are much easier to establish. From now until January 1st we have about 5 weeks of time. And for a lot of us it is a time where we typically create bad habits. You know what they are; eating too much, eating too often, skipping exercise, making bad food choices.
Five weeks. 35 days of temptation. 35 days of people not judging you for taking a second piece of pie. 35 days of there being a second piece of pie just hanging around.
For many people it is that time between now and New Years Day where they not only disrupt their healthy lifestyles for a month but they set themselves up for continued struggle into the New Year. And we all know that once you have taken a step back in your progress it becomes very difficult to get your healthy habits back. The key is to set yourself up for a healthy holiday by having a plan, not a plan that prevents you from enjoying time with family and friends or a piece or two of pie. I am talking about a realistic, sensible, simple plan for approaching the holidays. You need to establish a mindset that will guide you into the New Year.
I need you to start by asking yourself 4 simple questions.
- Are you having company to your house or are you travelling?
- How many people will be at your destination?
- What is on the menu?
- Where will everyone be exercising?
It is not unusual to have no answer to that last question. You know where you will be, who will be there and what you will be eating. But you have not thought at all about where you will exercise. Most of us want to avoid weight gain and loss of energy over the holiday season. But what happens is we spend hours planning all the details about how we WILL gain weight and no time planning the details of how we will AVOID weight gain. If you have a plan for gaining weight and no plan for not gaining weight, guess what is going to happen. You’re going to execute on your plan and your going to gain weight.
Keep an eye open over the next week for the remainder of my Healthy Holiday Plan series. The next blog posting talks about setting realistic expectations, determining your “cheat days,” and creating the PLAN. Stay tuned….
Bad habits are much easier to establish. From now until January 1st we have about 5 weeks of time. And for a lot of us it is a time where we typically create bad habits. You know what they are; eating too much, eating too often, skipping exercise, making bad food choices.
Five weeks. 35 days of temptation. 35 days of people not judging you for taking a second piece of pie. 35 days of there being a second piece of pie just hanging around.
For many people it is that time between now and New Years Day where they not only disrupt their healthy lifestyles for a month but they set themselves up for continued struggle into the New Year. And we all know that once you have taken a step back in your progress it becomes very difficult to get your healthy habits back. The key is to set yourself up for a healthy holiday by having a plan, not a plan that prevents you from enjoying time with family and friends or a piece or two of pie. I am talking about a realistic, sensible, simple plan for approaching the holidays. You need to establish a mindset that will guide you into the New Year.
I need you to start by asking yourself 4 simple questions.
- Are you having company to your house or are you travelling?
- How many people will be at your destination?
- What is on the menu?
- Where will everyone be exercising?
It is not unusual to have no answer to that last question. You know where you will be, who will be there and what you will be eating. But you have not thought at all about where you will exercise. Most of us want to avoid weight gain and loss of energy over the holiday season. But what happens is we spend hours planning all the details about how we WILL gain weight and no time planning the details of how we will AVOID weight gain. If you have a plan for gaining weight and no plan for not gaining weight, guess what is going to happen. You’re going to execute on your plan and your going to gain weight.
Keep an eye open over the next week for the remainder of my Healthy Holiday Plan series. The next blog posting talks about setting realistic expectations, determining your “cheat days,” and creating the PLAN. Stay tuned….
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Why I Like P90X and Why I Don't (Part 2)
Last week in ActiveBlog I walked you through some of the benefits of the P90X workout system. We talked about providing the convenience of working out at home, a structured program that provides significant variety to your workouts, and measurable, documented results that are posted all over the internet and in numerous "look at me now" YouTube videos.
This week we look at some of the downsides of the program so you can determine if it will work for you.
The Downside of P90X
There are no “off days” in P90X. The 90-day program requires 6 days of intense workouts and 7 days a week of rigid adherence to their nutrition plan. The workouts are not only intense but long. They are typically 60 to 90 minutes in length. Darrell remarked, “At first it seems like an hour a day for 90 days isn’t bad. For someone that hasn’t exercised in years it started to get pretty intense. I worked very hard the first 30 and felt great.”
The nutritional plan is heavy on supplements. If you read back in my blog you will see my thoughts on supplementation. It should be possible for everyone who follows a sensible eating plan to get all the macronutrients, vitamins and minerals they need from a well balanced diet. I have been in the fitness industry long enough to realize that pushing supplements is simply a profit machine for the companies and trainers who do it. P90X is no different. When I met the founder of Beach Body last year at a small fitness industry meeting it was clear to me that their next profit line was the development of more supplements. In fact, that was the essence of the presentation about what was “coming up” for P90X.
P90X requires additional investment. To do the workouts properly at home requires about $500 worth of dumbbells, bands, balls, etc. Unless you have equipment at your home already you will need to outfit yourself with a mini-gym. In addition, you will need to invest in the supplements that go along with the nutrition program.
P90X is not sustainable. Deirdre points out, “This is not a program that you can sustain for a lifetime.” Having worked with many people who have done specific exercise programs and rigid eating patterns it eventually isn’t able to be sustained. There are some program options beyond the first 90 day transformation but maintaining the results will be challenging. For most people their lives are not setup for long term high intensity training like this. It is similar to The Biggest Loser in that it becomes very hard for the losers to keep the weight off when they stop working out for 4 hours a day at a fitness ranch and have to go back to their jobs, families, and daily stresses.
In part III of my P90X blog I will discuss in-home personal training and how it can be used to supplement/compliment a program like P90X or vice versa. Stay tuned for next week's blog.
Paul
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
Elevation Boot Camp
www.ElevationBootCamp.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
This week we look at some of the downsides of the program so you can determine if it will work for you.
The Downside of P90X
There are no “off days” in P90X. The 90-day program requires 6 days of intense workouts and 7 days a week of rigid adherence to their nutrition plan. The workouts are not only intense but long. They are typically 60 to 90 minutes in length. Darrell remarked, “At first it seems like an hour a day for 90 days isn’t bad. For someone that hasn’t exercised in years it started to get pretty intense. I worked very hard the first 30 and felt great.”
The nutritional plan is heavy on supplements. If you read back in my blog you will see my thoughts on supplementation. It should be possible for everyone who follows a sensible eating plan to get all the macronutrients, vitamins and minerals they need from a well balanced diet. I have been in the fitness industry long enough to realize that pushing supplements is simply a profit machine for the companies and trainers who do it. P90X is no different. When I met the founder of Beach Body last year at a small fitness industry meeting it was clear to me that their next profit line was the development of more supplements. In fact, that was the essence of the presentation about what was “coming up” for P90X.
P90X requires additional investment. To do the workouts properly at home requires about $500 worth of dumbbells, bands, balls, etc. Unless you have equipment at your home already you will need to outfit yourself with a mini-gym. In addition, you will need to invest in the supplements that go along with the nutrition program.
P90X is not sustainable. Deirdre points out, “This is not a program that you can sustain for a lifetime.” Having worked with many people who have done specific exercise programs and rigid eating patterns it eventually isn’t able to be sustained. There are some program options beyond the first 90 day transformation but maintaining the results will be challenging. For most people their lives are not setup for long term high intensity training like this. It is similar to The Biggest Loser in that it becomes very hard for the losers to keep the weight off when they stop working out for 4 hours a day at a fitness ranch and have to go back to their jobs, families, and daily stresses.
In part III of my P90X blog I will discuss in-home personal training and how it can be used to supplement/compliment a program like P90X or vice versa. Stay tuned for next week's blog.
Paul
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
Elevation Boot Camp
www.ElevationBootCamp.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
Monday, November 9, 2009
Will You Go “All-in” to Get What You Want?
The last two World Series are near and dear to my friends here in Philadelphia. In 2008 the Phillies prevailed over Tampa Bay in five memorable games. And this year the Yankees took the title. Both series turned on a single memorable play made by an outstanding player who took a moment and decided they were going to make a difference…THE difference.
The recent popularity of professional poker has made many of us familiar with the term “all-in.” That one moment, faced with an opportunity to win a big poker hand, when the player chooses to bet all of their money. Win the hand and collect your riches, lose the hand and you are not only out of the game but flat broke.
Chase Utley and Johnny Damon chose to go “all-in” at a key moment. Their split second decision could change the series in their favor or turn the tide against their teams. We’ll discuss the result of their decision in a moment. The point is their mindset at the big moment. They choose to go for it, push in all their chips, and make the difference for their team.
For Damon, he stepped to the plate with the score tied in the crucial game 4 of this year’s series. After a fantastic at bat Damon reached first base with two out in the top of the ninth. But it is what Damon did next that turned the tide of the series. In the process of stealing second base Damon realized in a split second that no one on the Phillies was covering third. With the player holding the ball only one foot away from him, Damon went “all-in” and began running to third. If he made it the Yankees would have a great chance to take the lead. If he made an out the Phillies would come to the plate with the game tied. One moment, one decision, be a hero or be a goat. Damon outran Feliz and was safe at third. He scored shortly after. The first of three runs the Yankees would score in the top of the ninth on their way to a decisive game 4 victory.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7113113
Last year it was Utley in the spotlight in game 5. In a tie game with two out in the 7th inning Utley fielded a difficult ground ball up the middle. He could not get the runner at first, but rather than settling for stopping the ball he decided to fake a throw to first. The runner coming around third base went for the fake and ran home. Utley unleashed a perfect throw to get the runner at the plate. There should have been runners on first and third with two out. Instead, Utley got the third out and the Phillies took the lead later in the game and went on to win the World Series.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3653322
Most of us are satisfied to steal second base. Most of us would be happy with just stopping the ground ball. And most of us won’t be world champions because of it.
These lessons apply to your exercise and fitness as well. I’ve talked a lot in the past about people who “mail it in” during their workouts. Their intensity level is low; they are going through the motions; they are satisfied with just being at the gym. They are okay with stopping at second base. They wouldn’t think to throw the runner out at home. Why would they when it is so much easier to only bet a few of your chips?
The problem is that the less you put into it, the less you get out. Damon and Utley made THE difference, not just for one play, but for the whole championship. They put themselves on the line; they pushed in all their chips; they reaped the greatest reward.
You can do the same, you should do the same. When you show up at the gym, make the decision to go “all-in.” Put in the most effort you can. Seize the moment and burn more calories, run faster, lift more, reduce your rest time, learn a new exercise, up your intensity, go to third base, throw the runner out at home. Give yourself a chance to get great fitness results.
The recent popularity of professional poker has made many of us familiar with the term “all-in.” That one moment, faced with an opportunity to win a big poker hand, when the player chooses to bet all of their money. Win the hand and collect your riches, lose the hand and you are not only out of the game but flat broke.
Chase Utley and Johnny Damon chose to go “all-in” at a key moment. Their split second decision could change the series in their favor or turn the tide against their teams. We’ll discuss the result of their decision in a moment. The point is their mindset at the big moment. They choose to go for it, push in all their chips, and make the difference for their team.
For Damon, he stepped to the plate with the score tied in the crucial game 4 of this year’s series. After a fantastic at bat Damon reached first base with two out in the top of the ninth. But it is what Damon did next that turned the tide of the series. In the process of stealing second base Damon realized in a split second that no one on the Phillies was covering third. With the player holding the ball only one foot away from him, Damon went “all-in” and began running to third. If he made it the Yankees would have a great chance to take the lead. If he made an out the Phillies would come to the plate with the game tied. One moment, one decision, be a hero or be a goat. Damon outran Feliz and was safe at third. He scored shortly after. The first of three runs the Yankees would score in the top of the ninth on their way to a decisive game 4 victory.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7113113
Last year it was Utley in the spotlight in game 5. In a tie game with two out in the 7th inning Utley fielded a difficult ground ball up the middle. He could not get the runner at first, but rather than settling for stopping the ball he decided to fake a throw to first. The runner coming around third base went for the fake and ran home. Utley unleashed a perfect throw to get the runner at the plate. There should have been runners on first and third with two out. Instead, Utley got the third out and the Phillies took the lead later in the game and went on to win the World Series.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3653322
Most of us are satisfied to steal second base. Most of us would be happy with just stopping the ground ball. And most of us won’t be world champions because of it.
These lessons apply to your exercise and fitness as well. I’ve talked a lot in the past about people who “mail it in” during their workouts. Their intensity level is low; they are going through the motions; they are satisfied with just being at the gym. They are okay with stopping at second base. They wouldn’t think to throw the runner out at home. Why would they when it is so much easier to only bet a few of your chips?
The problem is that the less you put into it, the less you get out. Damon and Utley made THE difference, not just for one play, but for the whole championship. They put themselves on the line; they pushed in all their chips; they reaped the greatest reward.
You can do the same, you should do the same. When you show up at the gym, make the decision to go “all-in.” Put in the most effort you can. Seize the moment and burn more calories, run faster, lift more, reduce your rest time, learn a new exercise, up your intensity, go to third base, throw the runner out at home. Give yourself a chance to get great fitness results.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Why I like P90X and why I don't
It is one of the most popular fitness infomercials of all time. Thirty minutes of sexy bodies (and their less sexy “before” shots), cool looking exercises, high spirited trainers, and sleek looking videos all stand in front of a well-conceived fitness program.
P90X sells 10s of thousands of copies of their fitness and nutritional programs all over the world. They claim they can transform your body in 90 days. They tell you it won’t be easy (nothing worth doing ever is). They tell you if you work hard you can look like the testimonials they flaunt from beginning to end. They talk about “muscle confusion” and high intensity training (though they didn’t really invent any of those concepts). But they did package them nicely.
If you have followed my postings long enough you know I am not a big fan of fitness infomercials. Usually they deliver an overpriced gadget that is only a small part of your fitness solution. The electrodes you attach to your body will not shock you into getting a six-pack. The Gazelle is a way to do cardio but not the only way, and certainly not the most effective.
So does P90X work? I reviewed the program and interviewed two people who have used it. Here is what I found. We’ll start with the good, move to the bad, and then talk about using personal training to help keep you motivated and accountable.
The Good Stuff
P90X first and foremost provides convenience. It allows you to workout in your own home, avoid the travel time to and from the gym (and all the social distractions that happen when you are there) and gives you the flexibility to do it where and when you want.. I’ve built my in-home training business around this very concept. Many people need convenience and flexibility in their workout programs due to the demands of their kids, careers, etc.
P90X will get you results….if you commit to it. It is a plan for working out that cannot help but get you results based on the amount of time it requires (see “The Bad Stuff” in my next blog post). Darrell from Buffalo, NY reports that the first 30 day cycle helped him “lose his gut”. “I look great, I lost 7 lbs, my abs are starting to show and my situps, pushups and pull ups are off the charts compared to day 1.”
P90X provides variety. Regularly varying your activities is essential for fitness results. The constant changes in workouts from yoga to kickboxing to strength training to plyometrics will keep you interested and challenged. According to Deirdre from PA, “For those who were athletes, this is a fantastic program - it will put you back to the days of practice.”
P90X gives structure. Many people need guidance to know what to do and when to do it. The program provides this with strict guidelines on what to do each day. If you are someone who benefits from a structured program this can keep you on task to your goals.
In my next blog post we will look at several drawbacks to the P90X program including the significant amount of time required, the heavy role supplements play in the nutritional program, and the sustainability of this type of approach over the long term. Stay tuned….
P90X sells 10s of thousands of copies of their fitness and nutritional programs all over the world. They claim they can transform your body in 90 days. They tell you it won’t be easy (nothing worth doing ever is). They tell you if you work hard you can look like the testimonials they flaunt from beginning to end. They talk about “muscle confusion” and high intensity training (though they didn’t really invent any of those concepts). But they did package them nicely.
If you have followed my postings long enough you know I am not a big fan of fitness infomercials. Usually they deliver an overpriced gadget that is only a small part of your fitness solution. The electrodes you attach to your body will not shock you into getting a six-pack. The Gazelle is a way to do cardio but not the only way, and certainly not the most effective.
So does P90X work? I reviewed the program and interviewed two people who have used it. Here is what I found. We’ll start with the good, move to the bad, and then talk about using personal training to help keep you motivated and accountable.
The Good Stuff
P90X first and foremost provides convenience. It allows you to workout in your own home, avoid the travel time to and from the gym (and all the social distractions that happen when you are there) and gives you the flexibility to do it where and when you want.. I’ve built my in-home training business around this very concept. Many people need convenience and flexibility in their workout programs due to the demands of their kids, careers, etc.
P90X will get you results….if you commit to it. It is a plan for working out that cannot help but get you results based on the amount of time it requires (see “The Bad Stuff” in my next blog post). Darrell from Buffalo, NY reports that the first 30 day cycle helped him “lose his gut”. “I look great, I lost 7 lbs, my abs are starting to show and my situps, pushups and pull ups are off the charts compared to day 1.”
P90X provides variety. Regularly varying your activities is essential for fitness results. The constant changes in workouts from yoga to kickboxing to strength training to plyometrics will keep you interested and challenged. According to Deirdre from PA, “For those who were athletes, this is a fantastic program - it will put you back to the days of practice.”
P90X gives structure. Many people need guidance to know what to do and when to do it. The program provides this with strict guidelines on what to do each day. If you are someone who benefits from a structured program this can keep you on task to your goals.
In my next blog post we will look at several drawbacks to the P90X program including the significant amount of time required, the heavy role supplements play in the nutritional program, and the sustainability of this type of approach over the long term. Stay tuned….
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Strategies for Surviving Halloween Setbacks
The costumes are under final preparations, trick or treat bags are at the ready, little ghosts, witches and Hannah Montanas begin to appear at your door. All are in search of candy.
Today is a day filled with memories from our youth and traditions we pass down with glee to our children. One tradition we have to let go is the Halloween candy family free-for-all that occurs between October 31st and Thanksgiving. Americans consumed 23.8lbs of candy per person in 2008. And much of that is digested in the three weeks around Halloween.
Here are some tips for helping your family enjoy Halloween without establishing permanently bad eating habits.
Every thing in moderation. Halloween is fun and eating candy is a big part of it. Candy can be part of a healthy approach to eating if it is not allowed to take center stage. Avoid allowing candy to be consumed before meals or bed time.
Halloween is a single day. Like so many of our traditional celebrations, sometimes they last longer than the day on the calendar. If Halloween is going to be a day where you let your kids eat a considerable amount of candy then make sure you return to sensible limits beginning the day after.
Determine which candy makes the cut. Sit down with your kids and help them to eliminate candy they do not like or that you do not want them to try. Throw away the candy that doesn't make the cut. If you keep it around, someone will eat it.
Set some guidelines. Make an agreement with your children about how much candy they can have each day. 2-3 pieces of candy per day should be enough for most kids. Create some individual baggies of candy that contain the limit for a day. Rather than leave the whole candy bowl available all day long, only put out that day's baggie. Use smaller pieces to include in your child's lunch over the next week.
Role model for your kids. Your kids will follow what you show them. If you are regularly in the treat bowl and not following the guidelines than don't expect them to. Rationing the candy will also help you avoid those extra pounds.
Throw out your excess give-a-way candy. Your children are coming home with bags of candy and you still have 50 pieces you didn't give away. Throw it away. Having large amounts of candy available will only help you rationalize your desire to eat it. "I have to eat it to get rid of it."
Write down how much candy you gave out. Help yourself prepare for next year. Make a note of how much candy you gave out and then adjust next year's candy purchase accordingly. You'll save money and have less leftovers.
Don't pass it off on others. Taking your candy into your workplace to "get rid of it" just helps set others up for nutritional failure. You know first hand the temptation of snacking when you see someone's leftover apple pie on the counter. Don't tempt them by bringing in Halloween candy.
Have a safe Halloween. Drive careful and keep an eye out for the children.
Paul
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
Elevation Boot Camp
www.ElevationBootCamp.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
Today is a day filled with memories from our youth and traditions we pass down with glee to our children. One tradition we have to let go is the Halloween candy family free-for-all that occurs between October 31st and Thanksgiving. Americans consumed 23.8lbs of candy per person in 2008. And much of that is digested in the three weeks around Halloween.
Here are some tips for helping your family enjoy Halloween without establishing permanently bad eating habits.
Every thing in moderation. Halloween is fun and eating candy is a big part of it. Candy can be part of a healthy approach to eating if it is not allowed to take center stage. Avoid allowing candy to be consumed before meals or bed time.
Halloween is a single day. Like so many of our traditional celebrations, sometimes they last longer than the day on the calendar. If Halloween is going to be a day where you let your kids eat a considerable amount of candy then make sure you return to sensible limits beginning the day after.
Determine which candy makes the cut. Sit down with your kids and help them to eliminate candy they do not like or that you do not want them to try. Throw away the candy that doesn't make the cut. If you keep it around, someone will eat it.
Set some guidelines. Make an agreement with your children about how much candy they can have each day. 2-3 pieces of candy per day should be enough for most kids. Create some individual baggies of candy that contain the limit for a day. Rather than leave the whole candy bowl available all day long, only put out that day's baggie. Use smaller pieces to include in your child's lunch over the next week.
Role model for your kids. Your kids will follow what you show them. If you are regularly in the treat bowl and not following the guidelines than don't expect them to. Rationing the candy will also help you avoid those extra pounds.
Throw out your excess give-a-way candy. Your children are coming home with bags of candy and you still have 50 pieces you didn't give away. Throw it away. Having large amounts of candy available will only help you rationalize your desire to eat it. "I have to eat it to get rid of it."
Write down how much candy you gave out. Help yourself prepare for next year. Make a note of how much candy you gave out and then adjust next year's candy purchase accordingly. You'll save money and have less leftovers.
Don't pass it off on others. Taking your candy into your workplace to "get rid of it" just helps set others up for nutritional failure. You know first hand the temptation of snacking when you see someone's leftover apple pie on the counter. Don't tempt them by bringing in Halloween candy.
Have a safe Halloween. Drive careful and keep an eye out for the children.
Paul
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
Elevation Boot Camp
www.ElevationBootCamp.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
Monday, October 19, 2009
What You Should Expect from Your Personal Trainer
You realize hiring a personal trainer is a great way to get optimal fitness results. But the process of selecting one is challenging. You have some questions that you want to ask but you are not really sure what answers to expect. In this post I give you a guideline for what to expect from a personal trainer. Use this as a primer so that you can better understand what a trainer has to offer.
Complimentary initial meeting. This first meeting is to discuss your fitness goals, motivations, current lifestyle, habits (good and bad), time commitments, available equipment and for you to get a first impression of them. At the end of that session ask yourself a few questions. Did they listen to me? Did they make notes? Were their suggestions specific to me or did it sound like I was going to get the same plan as everyone else? Many of these are judgment calls but they are worth making up front. In addition, make certain you ask them what degrees and certifications they hold, get references of three current or former clients, and Google them to see what people are saying about them on the internet.
Initial Fitness Assessment. There are many fitness tests and protocols that a trainer can use to establish your current fitness level. At a bare minimum a trainer should offer to record your weight, measurements, BMI and body fat. Additionally, benchmarks should be established for your cardio fitness, flexibility, core strength, and upper and lower body strength.
Personalized Workouts. Taking into account your goals and your current fitness level as determine in your initial assessment, your trainer should come prepared with a written program specifically for you. The first couple few workouts the trainer should pay keen attention to how you are responding to the exercises and make adjustments to the plan for the day as needed. It takes a few sessions for the trainer to understand all of your limitations.
***Important*** Fitness Program ***Important*** - Your trainer should want you to workout when they are not there. This means you should expect direction from them on what you should do between sessions. If a trainer is not providing you with “homework” assignments to get you familiar with working out on your own then they are not working in your best interest. I often tell my clients “I don’t want to be your trainer for life.” A great trainer wants to put you on a path to wellness that you can sustain on your own so they can move on to help someone else. There has to be an exit strategy and providing a fitness program is the only way to make that transformation happen.
Nutritional Consultation. There is much debate in the trainer community about the appropriate level of nutritional advice a trainer can give a client. Some in the industry believe if a trainer is not a certified nutritionist they should not give anything but the most basic advice. Others feel that nutritional advice is within a trainer’s scope of practice. At a minimum your trainer should ask you about your food and beverage intake and make suggestions about appropriate food choices for your fitness goals.
Regular Re-assessments.
Every 4-8 weeks expect a re-assessment of your fitness level. Tracking your progression or regression on the assessment is a key to understanding what is working in your fitness program and can be extremely motivating. Whether you lost weight, lower body fat, or improved cardio capacity, it is amazing to see it on paper compared to where you began.
Paul
Paul Dziewisz is founder of Active Personal Fitness. He started his personal training business 4 years ago after a 15+ year career in Information Technology because I wanted to make difference in people's lives. Paul works with clients throughout the Delaware Valley region who face all the common struggles around weight loss, conditioning and living a healthy lifestyle. He understands the stresses of fitting exercise into a busy schedule with work pressures and chauffeuring kids. Active Personal Fitness works with clients to give them realistic goals and strategies to make permanent lifestyle changes and get RESULTS.
Paul is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified personal trainer.
Complimentary initial meeting. This first meeting is to discuss your fitness goals, motivations, current lifestyle, habits (good and bad), time commitments, available equipment and for you to get a first impression of them. At the end of that session ask yourself a few questions. Did they listen to me? Did they make notes? Were their suggestions specific to me or did it sound like I was going to get the same plan as everyone else? Many of these are judgment calls but they are worth making up front. In addition, make certain you ask them what degrees and certifications they hold, get references of three current or former clients, and Google them to see what people are saying about them on the internet.
Initial Fitness Assessment. There are many fitness tests and protocols that a trainer can use to establish your current fitness level. At a bare minimum a trainer should offer to record your weight, measurements, BMI and body fat. Additionally, benchmarks should be established for your cardio fitness, flexibility, core strength, and upper and lower body strength.
Personalized Workouts. Taking into account your goals and your current fitness level as determine in your initial assessment, your trainer should come prepared with a written program specifically for you. The first couple few workouts the trainer should pay keen attention to how you are responding to the exercises and make adjustments to the plan for the day as needed. It takes a few sessions for the trainer to understand all of your limitations.
***Important*** Fitness Program ***Important*** - Your trainer should want you to workout when they are not there. This means you should expect direction from them on what you should do between sessions. If a trainer is not providing you with “homework” assignments to get you familiar with working out on your own then they are not working in your best interest. I often tell my clients “I don’t want to be your trainer for life.” A great trainer wants to put you on a path to wellness that you can sustain on your own so they can move on to help someone else. There has to be an exit strategy and providing a fitness program is the only way to make that transformation happen.
Nutritional Consultation. There is much debate in the trainer community about the appropriate level of nutritional advice a trainer can give a client. Some in the industry believe if a trainer is not a certified nutritionist they should not give anything but the most basic advice. Others feel that nutritional advice is within a trainer’s scope of practice. At a minimum your trainer should ask you about your food and beverage intake and make suggestions about appropriate food choices for your fitness goals.
Regular Re-assessments.
Every 4-8 weeks expect a re-assessment of your fitness level. Tracking your progression or regression on the assessment is a key to understanding what is working in your fitness program and can be extremely motivating. Whether you lost weight, lower body fat, or improved cardio capacity, it is amazing to see it on paper compared to where you began.
Paul
Paul Dziewisz is founder of Active Personal Fitness. He started his personal training business 4 years ago after a 15+ year career in Information Technology because I wanted to make difference in people's lives. Paul works with clients throughout the Delaware Valley region who face all the common struggles around weight loss, conditioning and living a healthy lifestyle. He understands the stresses of fitting exercise into a busy schedule with work pressures and chauffeuring kids. Active Personal Fitness works with clients to give them realistic goals and strategies to make permanent lifestyle changes and get RESULTS.
Paul is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified personal trainer.
Friday, June 5, 2009
How to Choose Dietary Supplements
As you may have read in my newsletter (available at http://www.activepersonalfitness.com/), the recent FDA warnings regarding the use of the popular fat loss supplement Hydroxycut and its subsequent recall have dietary supplements in the headlines. It is important to keep in mind supplement manufacturers don't need to register a product with the FDA or get approval before selling a supplement.
11 things to consider when choosing a supplement (adapted from the American Cancer Society's guidelines)
1. Consult your doctor or other health care provider prior to taking a supplement.
2. Find information on the product written by recognized medical experts or government agencies. Bring this information to your doctor's attention. You can start on the Web by visiting the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ipg.asp?sitename=National+Institutes+of+Health&url=http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/ and clicking on "Health Information."
3. When you shop for supplements, look for USP-NF on the package label. The USP is an non-governmental, not-for-profit public health organization who is the standards–setting authority for all prescription and over–the–counter medicines and other health care products manufactured or sold in the United States.
4. If you are shopping for a botanical, make sure to find a product that uses only the effective part of the plant. Avoid botanicals that have been made using the entire plant, unless the entire plant is recommended.
5. Remember that a product described as "natural" is not necessarily safer or more effective. There are many lethal substances found in nature and many "safe" substances that may be harmful in combination with other substances or when used at a high concentration. Try to avoid mixtures of many different supplements. The more ingredients, the greater the chances of harmful effects.
6. Consider the name and reputation of the manufacturer or distributor.
7. Does the label provide a way to contact the company if you have questions or concerns about their product? Reputable manufacturers will provide contact information on the label or packaging of their products.
8. Avoid products that claim to be "miracle cures," "breakthroughs," or "new discoveries," to have benefits but no side effects, or to be based on a "secret ingredient" or method. Such claims are almost always fraudulent, and the product may contain potentially harmful substances or contaminants.
9. Avoid products that claim to be effective treatment for a wide variety of unrelated illnesses. If a supplement claims that it can diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease, such as "cures cancer," the product is being sold illegally as a drug.
10. Avoid products that claim to be safe or effective based solely on testimonials.
11. If the supplement is being recommended by the person selling it to you make sure to carefully question why the supplement is necessary. Also ask them if they take the supplement personally. I view this as a conflict of interest and do not sell supplements for this reason.
I personally take only a whey protein mix after strength workouts. I recommend my clients take a multi-vitamin daily and Omega3 fish oil. I do not recommend additional supplements to my clients except in specific circumstances.
11 things to consider when choosing a supplement (adapted from the American Cancer Society's guidelines)
1. Consult your doctor or other health care provider prior to taking a supplement.
2. Find information on the product written by recognized medical experts or government agencies. Bring this information to your doctor's attention. You can start on the Web by visiting the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ipg.asp?sitename=National+Institutes+of+Health&url=http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/ and clicking on "Health Information."
3. When you shop for supplements, look for USP-NF on the package label. The USP is an non-governmental, not-for-profit public health organization who is the standards–setting authority for all prescription and over–the–counter medicines and other health care products manufactured or sold in the United States.
4. If you are shopping for a botanical, make sure to find a product that uses only the effective part of the plant. Avoid botanicals that have been made using the entire plant, unless the entire plant is recommended.
5. Remember that a product described as "natural" is not necessarily safer or more effective. There are many lethal substances found in nature and many "safe" substances that may be harmful in combination with other substances or when used at a high concentration. Try to avoid mixtures of many different supplements. The more ingredients, the greater the chances of harmful effects.
6. Consider the name and reputation of the manufacturer or distributor.
7. Does the label provide a way to contact the company if you have questions or concerns about their product? Reputable manufacturers will provide contact information on the label or packaging of their products.
8. Avoid products that claim to be "miracle cures," "breakthroughs," or "new discoveries," to have benefits but no side effects, or to be based on a "secret ingredient" or method. Such claims are almost always fraudulent, and the product may contain potentially harmful substances or contaminants.
9. Avoid products that claim to be effective treatment for a wide variety of unrelated illnesses. If a supplement claims that it can diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease, such as "cures cancer," the product is being sold illegally as a drug.
10. Avoid products that claim to be safe or effective based solely on testimonials.
11. If the supplement is being recommended by the person selling it to you make sure to carefully question why the supplement is necessary. Also ask them if they take the supplement personally. I view this as a conflict of interest and do not sell supplements for this reason.
I personally take only a whey protein mix after strength workouts. I recommend my clients take a multi-vitamin daily and Omega3 fish oil. I do not recommend additional supplements to my clients except in specific circumstances.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
How can I workout in my home?
How can I workout in my home? I get this question regularly. When I first meet with potential clients I explain the benefits of in-home personal training: saving time traveling to and from the gym, comfort, freedom for leering gym rats, using your own shower, etc. Not to mention saving money on gym membership. The comment I always get in return is that the person does not have a "home gym".
In this post I will give you the best way to outfit yourself for a home workout. If you've trained with me you know my philosophy is to do total body exercises, use a circuit format, do a lot of repetitions, do them in rapid succession, basically be efficient with your movements and your time. Many of my clients work primarily with their own body weight doing differing versions of the four base exercises: squats, pushups, pullups and lunges (more on these in an upcoming ActiveBlog post. Even many of my athlete clients do complete killer workouts without touching a weight. I have trained several clients to reach or maintain their body weight on the bench press without ever doing bench presses.
But it isn't realistic to think that you can reach all of your fitness goals without some resistance training using more than your body weight. So what equipment do you need. Here are the basics:
- Set of adjustable dumbbells. These resemble one single dumbbell but can be adjusted in increments of 2.5 or 5 lbs starting at 2.5 lbs and going all the way up to 100 on some models. They are made by Bowflex, Nautilaus, Weider, etc and come in sizes between 20lb max and 100 lb max. The beauty of these is that they have the footprint of one dumbbell so they can be stored under the sofa very easily. They are also easy to adjust. The 20lb variety are approximately $100, the 50s are $500 and the 100s are about $700. Keep in mind that 20lbs can go along way to building a solid fitness base for most people.
- Stability Ball. You've seen these large, brightly colored, inflated balls at your gym. Have you used them? The stability ball, or Swiss Ball, can replace an expensive bench in almost all situations. Using a ball rather than a bench forces your body to utilize muscles to support itself rather than letting the bench do the work. It makes for remarkable improvements in core strength which leads to strength gains on all exercises. Plus the ball costs about $25.
So how do you do cardio? That can the tough part. Having grown up in Buffalo I know the problems with getting cardio in during the winter months. Running, walking or biking are tough with snow on the ground or a howling wind blowing. And snow shoveling, while effective cardio, is no fun at all.
Many people I meet with have a treadmill or elliptical in their basement gathering dust. I could start a museum with the stuff I have stumbled upon. But the reality is that a properly structured workout routine can encompass cardio benefits and calorie burn without using an expensive treadmill or stationary bike. Don't believe me. Try this out for size but only do it if you are an established exerciser. Remember, it is important for you to have a doctor's clearance before performing any exercise routine that involves vigorous activity.
Perform the following circuit in sequence with no rest between exercises (rest only as needed):
5 Burpees (start standing straight up, place your hands on the ground and kick your legs back into a pushup position, perform a pushup, jump your legs forward, stand up and jump)
10 Turkish Getups (Lie face up on the floor, pull your feet toward your butt and crunch your upper body forward, use one hand to help push yourself up to a standing position)
15 Pushups
20 Chair dips
25 Full Military Situps
30 Body Weight Squats
35 Jumping Jacks
40 Walking Lunges
45 Jump Ropes
What about resistance bands?
I am not a fan of bands at all. The resistance is far too variable. Generally the tension is much to light at the beginning of a movement and much to heavy at the end. They are great for rehab but not for serious strength training.
What other types of equipment do you use at home? Add your thoughts to comments.
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
www.ElevationBootCamp.com
267.626.7478
In this post I will give you the best way to outfit yourself for a home workout. If you've trained with me you know my philosophy is to do total body exercises, use a circuit format, do a lot of repetitions, do them in rapid succession, basically be efficient with your movements and your time. Many of my clients work primarily with their own body weight doing differing versions of the four base exercises: squats, pushups, pullups and lunges (more on these in an upcoming ActiveBlog post. Even many of my athlete clients do complete killer workouts without touching a weight. I have trained several clients to reach or maintain their body weight on the bench press without ever doing bench presses.
But it isn't realistic to think that you can reach all of your fitness goals without some resistance training using more than your body weight. So what equipment do you need. Here are the basics:
- Set of adjustable dumbbells. These resemble one single dumbbell but can be adjusted in increments of 2.5 or 5 lbs starting at 2.5 lbs and going all the way up to 100 on some models. They are made by Bowflex, Nautilaus, Weider, etc and come in sizes between 20lb max and 100 lb max. The beauty of these is that they have the footprint of one dumbbell so they can be stored under the sofa very easily. They are also easy to adjust. The 20lb variety are approximately $100, the 50s are $500 and the 100s are about $700. Keep in mind that 20lbs can go along way to building a solid fitness base for most people.
- Stability Ball. You've seen these large, brightly colored, inflated balls at your gym. Have you used them? The stability ball, or Swiss Ball, can replace an expensive bench in almost all situations. Using a ball rather than a bench forces your body to utilize muscles to support itself rather than letting the bench do the work. It makes for remarkable improvements in core strength which leads to strength gains on all exercises. Plus the ball costs about $25.
So how do you do cardio? That can the tough part. Having grown up in Buffalo I know the problems with getting cardio in during the winter months. Running, walking or biking are tough with snow on the ground or a howling wind blowing. And snow shoveling, while effective cardio, is no fun at all.
Many people I meet with have a treadmill or elliptical in their basement gathering dust. I could start a museum with the stuff I have stumbled upon. But the reality is that a properly structured workout routine can encompass cardio benefits and calorie burn without using an expensive treadmill or stationary bike. Don't believe me. Try this out for size but only do it if you are an established exerciser. Remember, it is important for you to have a doctor's clearance before performing any exercise routine that involves vigorous activity.
Perform the following circuit in sequence with no rest between exercises (rest only as needed):
5 Burpees (start standing straight up, place your hands on the ground and kick your legs back into a pushup position, perform a pushup, jump your legs forward, stand up and jump)
10 Turkish Getups (Lie face up on the floor, pull your feet toward your butt and crunch your upper body forward, use one hand to help push yourself up to a standing position)
15 Pushups
20 Chair dips
25 Full Military Situps
30 Body Weight Squats
35 Jumping Jacks
40 Walking Lunges
45 Jump Ropes
What about resistance bands?
I am not a fan of bands at all. The resistance is far too variable. Generally the tension is much to light at the beginning of a movement and much to heavy at the end. They are great for rehab but not for serious strength training.
What other types of equipment do you use at home? Add your thoughts to comments.
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
www.ElevationBootCamp.com
267.626.7478
Monday, March 30, 2009
iFitness on the iPhone
I am not always a huge fan of the much hyped iPhone applications. We have all seen the commercials. A hip new song booms in the background as a fresh-voiced narrator whisks us through the latest thing that the iPhone will solve in your life. Among the apps I have downloaded and ultimately deleted are a restaurant finder that was great at finding Wendy's and Subway but not so good at finding any place where food is not served on trays.
So when I looked at the iFitness app which is billed as a replacement for personal trainers I was skeptical. How could the info on this little device replace me?? I will argue that it can't, but it does a lot of good in its effort.
iFitness at its best is an extensive exercise library with an easily searchable database of exercises broken down by body part. The navigation is simple, the pictures are crisp and clear, and the descriptions are thorough without being verbose. The app allows users to record the number of sets and reps they performed, the weight used, and provides graphs to show progress.
As a reference tool for remembering exercises it is outstanding. In addition, the exercises go beyond the basic and gives users a chance to get new ideas for exercises. Where the app comes up short is in its suggested workout routines. All "static" or "pre-packaged" workout routines are lacking in the specification necessary to get an individual their optimal results. It is common for people to get workouts from a magazine or steal a friend's routine. That is fine but not optimal. Each person has unique goals, body types, strengths/weaknesses, postural or movement inadequacies, and health and injury concerns that a static program cannot speak to.
An effective personal trainer will work with their client to define a set of specific goals and measure their client periodically to determine weight/body fat, cardio conditioning, flexibility, core stability and overall strength. All along the way providing the client with a program specific to their unique needs to get the most results from their efforts.
The iFitness app is excellent at giving people a reference tool for learning new exercises but it is not complete in its ability to give a targeted fitness routine.
So when I looked at the iFitness app which is billed as a replacement for personal trainers I was skeptical. How could the info on this little device replace me?? I will argue that it can't, but it does a lot of good in its effort.
iFitness at its best is an extensive exercise library with an easily searchable database of exercises broken down by body part. The navigation is simple, the pictures are crisp and clear, and the descriptions are thorough without being verbose. The app allows users to record the number of sets and reps they performed, the weight used, and provides graphs to show progress.
As a reference tool for remembering exercises it is outstanding. In addition, the exercises go beyond the basic and gives users a chance to get new ideas for exercises. Where the app comes up short is in its suggested workout routines. All "static" or "pre-packaged" workout routines are lacking in the specification necessary to get an individual their optimal results. It is common for people to get workouts from a magazine or steal a friend's routine. That is fine but not optimal. Each person has unique goals, body types, strengths/weaknesses, postural or movement inadequacies, and health and injury concerns that a static program cannot speak to.
An effective personal trainer will work with their client to define a set of specific goals and measure their client periodically to determine weight/body fat, cardio conditioning, flexibility, core stability and overall strength. All along the way providing the client with a program specific to their unique needs to get the most results from their efforts.
The iFitness app is excellent at giving people a reference tool for learning new exercises but it is not complete in its ability to give a targeted fitness routine.
Being a Fitness Role Model
I want to share the highlights of an article I authored that is appearing in the April/May issue of the Bucks County Women's Journal.
How to “Walk the Walk” of a Fitness Role Model
Here are a few simple behaviors you can use to influence others about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Make a choice before your feet hit the floor. Every morning when you first wake up before your feet hit the floor; make a conscious decision that today you will make healthy exercise and eating choices. Encourage your family and friends to follow your lead.
Use positive language when talking about your exercise and nutrition. Phrases like “I can’t wait to get to the gym today” or “I had an incredible workout this morning” will have a positive impact on the people around you.
Dress and act the part. No, I don’t mean wearing bike shorts to the office. But be proud of your fit body and don’t be afraid to look lean and fit as you walk around everyday. Stand tall, shoulders back, and head held high.
Be knowledgeable about health and wellness. No one likes a know-it-all. But people appreciate an informed opinion. You can easily become the family’s “go-to” person for exercise and nutrition suggestions.
Set a fitness goal and share it with your social network. Having a stated goal and achieving it can be inspiring to others. Talk up your fitness goal whether it be a 5k run or charity bike ride and let everyone know when it will be. They will pull for you and be impressed by your results. And better yet, they will help hold you accountable for completing the event.
Who are your fitness role models? Post a comment to this blog and let us know who inspires you? I've got a couple to get you started. My fitness role models are Lance Armstrong and Laird Hamilton. Laird is a champion extreme surfer (30-50 foot waves). His workout regime is epic.
Check out the full article in the upcoming issue of Bucks County Women's Journal available throughout Bucks County, PA.
Check out www.ActivePersonalFitness.com for information on our personal training and group exercise classes.
How to “Walk the Walk” of a Fitness Role Model
Here are a few simple behaviors you can use to influence others about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Make a choice before your feet hit the floor. Every morning when you first wake up before your feet hit the floor; make a conscious decision that today you will make healthy exercise and eating choices. Encourage your family and friends to follow your lead.
Use positive language when talking about your exercise and nutrition. Phrases like “I can’t wait to get to the gym today” or “I had an incredible workout this morning” will have a positive impact on the people around you.
Dress and act the part. No, I don’t mean wearing bike shorts to the office. But be proud of your fit body and don’t be afraid to look lean and fit as you walk around everyday. Stand tall, shoulders back, and head held high.
Be knowledgeable about health and wellness. No one likes a know-it-all. But people appreciate an informed opinion. You can easily become the family’s “go-to” person for exercise and nutrition suggestions.
Set a fitness goal and share it with your social network. Having a stated goal and achieving it can be inspiring to others. Talk up your fitness goal whether it be a 5k run or charity bike ride and let everyone know when it will be. They will pull for you and be impressed by your results. And better yet, they will help hold you accountable for completing the event.
Who are your fitness role models? Post a comment to this blog and let us know who inspires you? I've got a couple to get you started. My fitness role models are Lance Armstrong and Laird Hamilton. Laird is a champion extreme surfer (30-50 foot waves). His workout regime is epic.
Check out the full article in the upcoming issue of Bucks County Women's Journal available throughout Bucks County, PA.
Check out www.ActivePersonalFitness.com for information on our personal training and group exercise classes.
The Blog begins....
Welcome to ActiveBlog. Active Personal Fitness provides in-home personal fitness training and cutting edge group fitness classes in Bucks County and Montgomery County in Pennsylvania. We use proven, practical, sensible exercise and nutritional programs to help you make positive changes to your health and fitness.
At Active Personal Fitness our slogan is "you give us the effort...we'll get you the results." Positive life changes take effort. We will use this space to help you get the absolute most out of your effort with exercise suggestions, nutrition tips, wellness strategies and attitude checks. If you read this blog and feel more educated about fitness, motivated to make a change and determined to hold yourself accountable to your wellness goals then we have done our job. And YOU will surpass your fitness goals and achieve great things.
I am not a gimmicky, quick fix or fitness fad type of guy. I believe in giving intense effort, mastering basic movements, using your whole body rather than isolating specific muscles, being efficient with your time and honest with your abilities. As this blog unfolds you will see my ideas for helping you succeed and you'll see me share ideas that others have that make good sense. If you are reading this to find out how to get the body of your dreams in 12 days or less you are in the wrong place. But if you have read this far then maybe you have stumbled upon a few words that will contribute to your success. Read on!!
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