Join Me in "The Rice Experiment"

This week's fat loss tip of the week has to do with the messages and energy we put out to the world.

Ok, this is going to be fun. Fun for me, fun for you, fun for your whole family. Start it today.

A couple of colleagues of mine have done "The Rice Experiment" at their homes and offices and replicated the results. I am skeptical. But I am going to try it and you are going to try it with me.

It is simple to replicate and the results are astounding. All you need is rice (make it white rice because you shouldn't be eating it anyway) and some patience. Here’s how it works:

1. Place 1 cup of Cooked Rice into two separate containers. Place a lid on each.

2. Mark one container with a positive phrase. I used “Happy Rice”

3. Mark the other container with a negative phrase. I used “Stupid Rice”

4. Place them in your kitchen (not the fridge) at least 12 inches apart.

5. Once or more every day say aloud to the rice container the phrase written on it. I know this sounds nuts but just try it. For example, every time you go into the kitchen say “Thank You Rice” to one bowl and “Stupid Rice” to the other. Try to say it from a place of gratitude (thank you) and a place of anger and frustration (stupid). And don't be afraid to really let loose with praise or pent up anger. But direct it to the correct bowl.

Do not open the containers for 21 days.

I am not going to reveal the expected results to you. I'll let it be a surprise.

Remember, focus positive energy and phrases to the Happy Rice and negative energy and phrases to the Stupid Rice.

You fat loss tip of the week is to use positive energy and phrases when talking about your weight loss and fitness for the next 21 days as part of The Rice Experiment.

Rather than:

"I can't lose weight" say "I am having a hard time losing weight." (One of my clients has a family rule that "I can't" is not allowed.

"I can't run a mile" say "It is a challenge for me to run a mile."

Now don't get me wrong. I am not an advocate for "The Secret" or just say positive stuff and life will be great. My experience is that a positive attitude helps but working your ass off is far more beneficial when it comes to getting the life you want.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

"Work harder, get stronger, go faster....everyday."

267.626.7478

Paleo eating -- First 10 days

Getting Started with Paleo

I’m 10 days into my paleo way of eating. If you missed it, I decided to begin eating ‘like the cavemen/cavewomen’ in order to improve my health and workout performance. Basically, it’s meat, fish, vegatables, fruit and nuts for me from now on. Check out my earlier blog for more details.

I’m happy to say that one week in I am still standing upright, getting in good workouts (with one exception), and have lost 5 lbs. More on that later.

First off, I should explain a few things that make this transition easier for me than for most people. I am a fitness trainer by profession. I spend a lot of time reading and talking to people about health, fitness and nutrition. The knowledge I gained from this industry already had me part way to paleo. For example, I cut down on pasta years ago, I also experimented with many different fruits and vegatables that I never ate as a kid (corn and green beans in my house growing up – most likely from a can), but I still had some problem areas.

Let’s dig into those problem areas now, shall we.

Sweetened beverages – mainly iced tea which I drink all the time. Over the years I went from sweetening with splenda to sugar to eventually a tablespoon of honey when I make it on my own. I also would stop at the local convenience store and buy sweetened tea sweetened with ‘real sugar’ (as if that somehow makes it better) to the tune of about 36g per serving.

Dairy – Since I was a kid I have been addicted to milk. I could drink it non-stop all day. Unfortunately, I always felt milk was better if paired with a cookie, brownie, muffin or granola. I have to admit that the main reason I ate sweets up until a few weeks ago was because of this milk/sweet pairing I loved so much. I ditched milk for soy milk a couple months back and the addiction got worse. I was drinking a half gallon a day. And chocolate soy milk…it might as well have been a million dollars.

Legumes – I ate beans, mostly black beans, as a protein source. I’m a big fan of Mexican food so a wheat wrap with beef or chicken, salsa, and black beans was a staple. They are gone now but I can still make a great burrito paleo style.

So how did the first 10 days go

Armed with “Everyday Paleo” by Sarah Fragoso I went to the local Wegman’s to fill my pantry and fridge with the essentials. My next blog with talk about the essentials and what I did with the non-paleo stuff I had in the house.

Breakfast has been easy. In the past I would eat 3 eggs for breakfast or granola with milk. The granola and milk are gone. Now it is 3 eggs, an avacado, maybe some virginia ham, a banana or other fresh fruit and coconut or almond milk.

Lunch is usually leftovers from a prior night’s dinner (beef, chicken, fish and veggies). I also add in some almonds or peanuts. If I’m not in the mood for leftovers I go with a burger loaded up with fresh tomato, onion, greens and spices.

Dinners have been awesome. Sirloin Dijon, Moroccan Chicken, Asparagus-stuffed Chicken Breasts, Coconut Shrimp. I love them all (although I overcooked the sirloin a little.) What I have noticed most is I am not hungry in the evenings any more. If I do get a sweet tooth and satisfy it with an orange or cheeries or strawberries.

Did I ‘cheat’?

I ate 95% paleo for 10 days and I expect to eat 90% paleo over the long haul. I don’t believe in restricting foods. I do believe that once you eat clean and realize how certain foods make you feel lousy you will voluntarily say no to them. Over the first 10 days I had a scoop of ice cream at Freddy Farms after mini-golf, a few handfuls of chocolate granola, and a small slice of strawberry cheesecake….all guilt free.

In my upcoming blogs you’ll hear:

• How to setup your pantry and fridge for paleo eating
• My brutal bike ride and why paleo for endurance athletes might be troublesome
• What changes I am seeing in my workouts and body composition

Fat Loss Tip of the Week - Write it down

This week it is simple and straightforward. The single most important thing you can do if you have a goal to lose weight is to write down everything you eat and drink. Everything. Even better, show it to someone on a regular basis to help hold you accountable.

One of my boot campers was frustrated because she was getting stronger and more fit but not losing weight. My suggestion was to start a food journal. Three weeks later she is down 6lbs and looking great. As long as she keeps going the weight will keep coming off.

So right now take a blank piece of paper, create 5 columns, label them "day", "time", "food", "amount", and "why I ate." The "why I ate" column should be filled with terms like "hungry", "bored", "stressed", "post-workout", "watching tv". This will give you an idea of what activities cause you to eat.

Send me an email at getfit@ActivePersonalFitness.com and I will email you a food journal for you to fill out. Get after it.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
267.626.7478

Two Deep Breaths and Belief

Two Deep Breaths and Belief

Do you believe?

Some people believe in magic, some in God, some in ghosts. Some believe this is the year their team will win the Super Bowl. Some people believe this is the week they’ll win the lottery.

But that’s not what I’m talking about.

I want to know if you believe in yourself.

After 5 years as a personal trainer I can tell you that many people don’t believe in themselves. They begin a lot of sentences like this….

“I can’t…”

I can’t lose weight.
I can’t find time to workout.
I can’t jog.

This may be you. This may be someone you know.

As a trainer it is my job to get the most out of my client’s potential. The best way to do this is to make them BELIEVE in themselves. The process can be slow.

Some people think they “can’t do pushups.” We give them a version of a pushup they can do. Some people think they “can’t walk briskly for 10 minutes.” We get them to walk for 11 minutes, then 12, then 15. Some people think they “can’t lift a 10 lb dumbbell” because “Jillian only has me use 3 lb weights on her DVD.” Then we have them pick up 5 lb dumbbells, then 8, then 10, etc.

Why don’t they believe in themselves? They don’t believe because they’ve never tried it before or they tried it once and failed. So how do you begin to believe?

The first step is TAKE TWO DEEP BREATHS. Really, this works. Breathing can help you calm down, clear your head, and refocus on what you need to do.

If you are ready to start minute 11 of your walk and you are tired and think you can’t go on, stop and take two deep breaths and continue.

Two weekends ago a group of 8 of my boot campers did a 5K Mud Run. The run was over a hilly course and featured 8 obstacles including scaling a 5 foot wall, climbing over an 8 foot high cargo net and Army crawling through several deep mud pits.

Before the event I heard…

“I can’t run 5k.”
“I can’t scale that wall.”
“I can’t trudge through the mud.”

Yet every one of us tried. Every one of us finished. And most of us are ready to do another one.

Every one of us knew it would be tough but with two deep breaths and a belief that we could do it we finished. Now all of the sudden “I can’t” is replaced with “I did.”

I’m Going Paleo – What, Why and How?

Your reaction to me saying “I’m going paleo” probably falls into one of four categories.

“Really, that’s interesting, tell me more.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“What or where is a paleo?”

“Who cares?”

This series of blog posts are aimed at all of you. The “who cares” contingent probably won’t read for long but might learn something when they do read. The rest are likely to have your questions answered while you learn about the how’s and whys of choosing to eat paleo.

I will be learning along with you, in real time, while experiencing what if any impact it has on my health, strength, mood, endurance, stress, speed, outlook on life and many other factors. My intent is to share with you what it means to eat paleo, from shopping to cooking to the inevitable 'cheating'. I hope you enjoy the read and, if it is right for you, join me.

Let’s get the first question out of the way. What is paleo?

It is a way of eating that mimics our hunter-gatherer ancestors based on the notion that humans have, over the millenia, genetically adapted to eating meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. Our modern diet, just a blip on the historical timeline, based primarily on grains, legumes, dairy products, processed foods and refined sugars predispose us to sickness. Basically, our bodies are used to us eating like a caveman/cavewoman so we should do so.

Why am I choosing to go paleo?

In February I will be going to the C.R.A.S.H. B World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston. My goal is a top 100 finish in the Open category and a top 10 in the Masters Division.

Primarily paleo is an experiment for me. Some of the fittest people I know are strict paleo followers. They choose it to stay lean and fit but they probably would be that way anyway given the amount of effort they put into their workouts. More importantly to me, eating paleo improves their results. Whether it is strength, cardio capacity, or race times…by most measures they get better, stronger and faster.

I believe eating paleo will give me greater capacity to go faster and finish better at the event. As a by-product, I want to see and feel the health benefits of paleo eating.

In upcoming posts I'll discuss my pre-paleo nutrition and let you know how I got started. This isn't the first attempt, just the first serious attempt at "going paleo". Wish me luck.

The Push Away Diet

The Dukan Diet

The Atkins Diet

South Beach

Nutrisystem

The Zone

and now....The Push Away Diet

What's the difference between them. It's simple. The last one works for everyone and lasts a lifetime. The secret...before you feel full push yourself away from the table.

You can't buy a book about the Push Away Diet. You can't download an app for it. The diet is just a way of being.

I read this approach from Mike Boyle, one of the foremost authorities on strength training and nutrition in the industry. Here's how you do it (borrowing liberally from a blog by my colleagues Chris and Kara Mohr):

1. Get out of the habit of cleaning your plate. Always leave some food on it.

2. When you eat out, ask for half of your meal to be put in a doggy bag BEFORE they serve the meal to you.

3. At a party or social gathering, don't stand around at the buffet, grill, or kitchen.

Three simple steps. Start today.

Do you need motivtation? Accountability? Some one to nudge you? Claim your complimentary fitness consultation and evaluation (an $87 value) today. Visit our website to sign up.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonal Fitness.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."

Oh no, this is going to be my toughest client yet

It can be unsettling when a routine doctor visit produces a stern warning. That's what happened last week. The problem: the patient is overweight. The doctor said "overweight", I heard "chubby". The patient needs to lose 2 pounds and he's not happy about it.

My dog Lou is a 10-year-old bichon-frise (see pic attached). He's about 14" tall and weighs in a 27 lbs (I'm not sure what his BMI is or if that even matters for dogs). Bichons are normally under 16 lbs but he and his brother Armstrong were always bigger than the rest of the breed. But Armstrong, named after Lance, is the athlete. His 27 lbs is muscle. Lou....not so much...I'll admit he's a little squishy.

We offered all the normal protests:

"He's just big-boned."

"We really don't eat too many treats."

"We watch our portion sizes."

"Maybe that scale is wrong."

But, alas, the vet saw through our excuses. She stood firm. Lose 2 lbs.

The advice from the doctor is pretty straight-forward. You have heard this before. Reduce the number of treats and get in more walks. Basically, reduce calories in and increase calories burned.

I love Lou and I want him around for a long time. As a family member I know he needs my support to get trim.

Here's the plan:

- Reduce his treats to two per day.

- Make sure he is not getting more than his prescribed portion at breakfast and dinner.

- Increase the frequency and length of his walks.

If you have someone in your family who needs your support to make a positive change in their health then step up and help make it easier for them to achieve their goal. We offer in-home personal training programs with male and female trainers. We also conduct a great boot camp in Chalfont for all ability levels. Check us out at www.ActivePersonalFitness.com or call 267.626.7478.

We'll keep you posted on Lou's progress.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

267.626.7478

"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."