Week 1 GFC Recap and Making Changes

Week one done, 11 to go!! How was your week? Did you get your food log completed each day? Did you get your 30 minutes or more of fitness in on the number of days/week you have committed to? How bout your adjustments? Seems like a lot to some of you, and to some of you it's a walk-in-the-park. But we all have some successes and some challenges to overcome, and I'm no different.

Some of you have mentioned that regarding your eating habits, you seem to be very structured and make good choices during the day, but when you get home for dinner, you end up over-doing it. If this is you, then congratulations! You're not alone, but more importantly, you've successfully identified a challenge to overcome. So how about a solution? Think about this--what helps you be successful during the day? Odds are if you're like me, you take your lunch and snacks to work and have a good idea of what times you'll be consuming those meals. Packing your meals creates some control in that you have appropriate portions of food in containers. You can take a break, eat your meal, wash up, and get on with your work. When you get home, however, you feel a sense of comfort, relaxation, and this may lead you to indulging in additional snacks, second helpings, and so on, and you actually feel bad about it because you know you should've just had your dinner and stopped eating. Sound like you? Well how about this--while you're packing your food together this week, also prepare your dinner meal and package that up as well. Eat dinner before you leave work and take the stand that you'll no longer eat when you get home. If you happen to have a shorter day, I would still recommend packing up your dinner so when dinner time comes, you only have your pre-portioned meal, then end there.

I know it's not easy, but in order for things to change, you have to change the way you do some things. Habits are broken when we create new ones to replace them. Pick a few various tasks and change your methods a bit. This may get your brain to think differently and welcome change a bit better. Here are some suggestions:

• brush your teeth in a different pattern
• chew a piece of gum when you finish each meal to signal your meal is over
• if you generally put one sock/shoe on first, start with the other foot
• switch up your workout, too - if you run all the time, break it up with some cycling, or participate in a group exercise class. If you do a lot of group ex and cardio, try throwing in a strength day or two

Those are just a few, but think about even some trivial things you can change and start doing it. You may find this fun, and remember--you don't need to be perfect; you just have to keep improving!!

P.S. - If you'd like to reference my REAL food journal for week 1, please click on the title to this blog to view in your browser. I had some "cheats" but still recorded them!! If you're not recording yours, there's no point. This is about improvement and real life, not what you think it should look like. So be honest, make mental and written notes where you're struggling, then take action to improve in week 2!! Please contact me if you need help.

Cycle For Survival

On Saturday, February 11, I had the great opportunity to lead a team in a fantastic annual fundraiser called Cycle For Survival. This is a unique event hosted by Equinox, the fitness club where I train. Every year, teams are formed by individuals, groups, and companies to raise funds for Sloans-Kettering to allow research for rare cancers. The event culminates by turning clubs nation-wide into festival-like atmospheres where teams, spin instructors, and vendors alike gather to participate in what I describe as a humongous spin class. I hosted a team of 8, made up of clients past and present as well as my wife, mom, and dad. It was so awesome to celebrate health and fitness in this high-energy, positive setting, and since we were on spin bikes indoors, it allowed us the rare opportunity to ride together. Big thanks to all of my team members who helped make this happen! Our team raised around 2,000 dollars AND had a lot of fun getting our fitness on yesterday!! Please click on the title to this blog to check out our official team page and more about this great event. Feel free to contact me about how to join-in next year, and if you like, you may still make a donation! Thanks for reading!

Take Your Primaries

As we get into the heart of winter and transition into the spring, more and more people are working to get fit. Awesome. Let's discuss the major key component to any health and fitness program - NUTRITION. Please remember--your body operates on food, not exercise. And if you want to perform better, fuel better. Simple stuff, really. Think about your vehicle. Odds are, the quality of fuel will determine how well your engine performs and keeps performing. Same thing with our bodies.

Funny thing is people many times will ask me-- "What supplements should I take?" Well, that's a great question, but we gotta back up for a moment. If you're asking this question, it is first time to evaluate your normal diet. Get it--"primaries". Because supplementing garbage with good stuff is pointless. Kinda like making a burger with rotten meat. Put the best ketchup in the world on it--still a rotten burger. Get it? So don't waste your money on expensive vitamins, pre/post workout supplements, and fish oils if you are just eating doritos, McDonald's, and drinking pop. Work to improve your normal meals, get on track with your exercise, then consult me or your trainer or nutritionist for tips on how to optimize your nutrition as well as supplements. Here are some keys to success--especially when losing weight:

1. Plenty of raw vegetables - 4-6 cups of raw vegetables/salad per day won't do you wrong. If anything, you'll get a bit more fiber than you wanted, but you'll be too full to eat garbage! Watch your condiments as processed, pre-packaged dressings often contain unnatural, fatty, and/or sugary ingredients. I dress my salad with giardiniera peppers and balsamic vinegar. Eat more by substituting your grain-based carbohydrate snacks, such as 1 cup of baby carrots vs. a bag of chips.

2. Limit your grains - Shoot for only 1-2 servings of grain-based foods per day and if possible, limit refined versions, such as boxed cereals, breads, and pastas. Quinoa is a superb grain of choice due to its high protein content. Also remember - corn is a grain, not a vegetable! Identify how many servings you have on average per day...might be more than you think.

3. 1-2 fruit servings per day. Whole fruit does so many things. Gives us natural sugar, fiber, and so many vitamins, antioxidants, and valuable nutrients. Try a grapefruit at breakfast and/or an apple after lunch.

4. Quality protein - quantity definitely depends on your goal weight, but let's talk types. Lean, vegetable proteins should fill the majority of your list, and if you must opt for land-based mammals, shoot for organic chicken breast and maybe an occasional pork tenderloin. The less saturated fat in our diets, the better. Here are some foods that contain plenty of protein - quinoa, wild fish like salmon, beans, mushrooms, tofu, and you'll even get some from your vegetables like broccoli. Faux vegan meats, soy cheeses, and designer mushroom jerkies are ok and fun, but mock meats are processed so don't make these your only forms.

5. Hydration - Plenty of water and green tea will keep you hydrated. Stay away from too much coffee and definitely taper out pop if you drink it. Think about pop as a waste of money--empty sugar calories or if diet--just a can of chemicals you don't need. Time to grow up and be responsible. Give your body the only fluid it really needs.

6. Fats - I'm not going to recommend you be worried about fats. Truth is, if you're eating the right things you'll get the good fats you need. That said, here are some foods that will deliver those fats - salmon, raw almonds and walnuts, avocado, olive oil, and flax.

Ok people, hope that helps. Get your primaries right, then we'll talk about supplements. Fair?

Thanks for reading!