10 Pillars for Weight Loss

10 Pillars for Weight Loss Success

Pillar 1

Make a Meal Plan, Shop for the Meal Plan, and Prepare the Meal Plan

This is so important. This doesn't mean just make a plan for the next two or three meals. This means creating a one to two week meal plan depending on how often you want to shop or follow a prepared meal plan.

I know you are thinking, “Is She Serious?” Yes I am serious. Most people who are lean, healthy, and athletic stick to a similar meal plan for 90% of their meals. This way the other 10% of the time is for their cheat meal, where they just bust it out and eat what they want for that meal.

Here is a sample menu for one day:

Breakfast - 2 eggs, ¾ cup cooked steel-cut oatmeal, 1 small apple 

Snack – 1 Shakeology Shake

Lunch – 4-6 oz of Grilled chicken or salmon, 10 spears of asparagus with 1 tsp of lemon olive oil

Snack - Unlimited raw vegetables and 1 tbsp hummus

Dinner – 4-6 oz grilled steak, chicken or fish, ½ of a sweet potato or ½ cup cooked lentils, 1 cup of your favorite vegetables, and 1 cup of fruit for desert or a snack later.

What is nice is you could also have a 4 oz glass of wine 1-2 evenings a week if you wanted to. Just keep in mind that this means you would have to eliminate those calories elsewhere.

If you can keep a schedule similar to this, 90% of the time with the exception of slight variations in your main course at dinner you will be on the road to success. If you look at a 30 day month and take 10% of that month, that is 3 days. Therefore three days per month you could have that cheat meal. If you stuck to this and adhere to portion control, within 21 days you could lose 5-15 pounds.

If you are in need of portion control, you can utilize the Portion Fix Program that provides you the starter meal plan, and containers to keep things in control with portions. Click link below to learn more about the Portion Fix Program.

Portion Fix Kit

YOU GOT THIS! Plus I am always here to answer your questions.

Another great tip to add on planning your meals is to keep a food journal/log. This can be on paper, in an actual journal, or by using one of many nutrition and exercise logging apps or online programs that are available. It has been proven time and time again that those who log are 65% more likely to keep their nutrition on track.

Pillar 2

Supplementing Your Nutrition with a Total Nutrition Shake

Many people think this means drink a protein shake. That is actually farthest from the truth. You could drink protein shakes until you are blue in the face and it will not benefit your body if you are providing your body total nutrition and if your body has nutrient deficiencies. Well guess what? We all have nutrient deficiencies. Yep me to, or well I did until I started drinking Shakeology which is my total nutrition shake of choice. Yes it even helped me, the now healthy one. Yes, I the now healthy one because I was once fat, unhealthy and treated my body poorly. The thing that I didn't do is seek out the right information. So it took me 10 years to figure it out and become healthy and then another four to reign it in. Lucky for you, you are reading this and getting the education now. 

So you can use whatever nutritional shake that you feel is right for you, but I have never had one that I consumed that made me personally feel better. I unfortunately didn’t have it available to me when I went through my journey. Boy how things could have been different. But the great thing is, is it made me even healthier than I was when I started using it. So think about what that could do for you. If you are interested in checking it out click the link below.

Shakeology 

Pillar 3

Participate in 25-40 Minutes of Functional Training/Exercise 5-6 days per week.

This should be a program that you enjoy. The best part is you can make this happen at home. So there is no taking an hour to drive to and from the gym, nor do you need any big equipment. Depending on what program you choose, you may only need your body weight and at most a resistance band. Now that is awesome! To be able to work out for only 25-40 minutes a day, not have to drive anywhere to do it, and use little or no equipment. Sounds like a dream come true. Well, it is not a dream, actually it is reality. If you need more information on some high quality, results guaranteed programs you can click the link below.

Make sure if you get one of the at-home programs that you take before and after pictures, measurements, and your weight because you can win up to $100,000. Oh, and you would get me as your coach. Just a few side notes to keep in mind. Sorry, off track…back to the pillars for weight loss success.

At-Home Fitness Programs

Pillar 4

SMART Goals!

SMART Goals, are goals with a plan. Most people just pick a goal, and then after time has gone by they wonder why they failed. Reason is…”A Goal without a Plan is just a Wish” – Larry Elder. You must sit down and write out a minimum of 3 goals using the SMART method and then make an action plan. SMART means the following. S=Specific, M=Measurable, A=Attainable, R=Realistic, T=Time Accountable. If you are starting with a 21 day program or working on a program that you committed to for 90 days or more, you definitely need this process. Write down EXACTLY what you want to accomplish for the outcome goals, and exactly what actions you have to take for the process goals (i.e. Outcome = Lose 10 Pounds; Process = Exercise daily, and so on). To take it one step further you can make it into a contract with yourself as well. Be sure to hang your goals, process, and time destinations where you can read them every day.

Pillar 5

Professional Program and Recruit Accountability

Winging it or going alone rarely works. Be sure you are using a professionally designed structured and proven workout and nutrition program. Whether by an experienced personal trainer and nutritionist, or through a premium at-home program. Once you got the professional program nailed down, it is time to recruit.

Recruiting the right support and accountability is key to your success. What does this mean? This can mean the following:

· Nutrition buddy

· Workout partner

· Fat loss accountability buddies or group

· Personal Fitness Coach

· Personal Trainer

· Nutritionist

Research has shown that having someone review what you are doing and staying in contact with them on a daily basis increases your chance of losing fat. Another study found that the more often subjects checked in to an online accountability group or forum, were more likely to reach their goals in a short amount of time. Be a part of a team, or group and you will have faster results, and have fun. I host 2-3 accountability groups per month with my at-home programs and we have so much fun, and success.

Pillar 6

30 Minute a Day can be Amazing to Your Health and as Your Stress Solution

Yes I even mean 30 minutes of activity on your off days from your tougher workout days. Spending 30 minutes is you getting movement every day. So even on your days off you need to do a 30 minute of stretching or yoga, or even take a walk. Come on now, I am not asking for the world. Just 30 minutes of movement. I know you can do that.

Pillar 7

Nutrition Check-In and Cheat Meal

Set yourself up on 14 Day/2 Week Increments. Give yourself a big Congratulations if you have made it through 14 amazing days of fat burning and healthy nutrition. If you did it and stuck to it, then make the end of the 14th day the day you have a little fun and have your Cheat Meal.

It is important to reward yourself when you have done well. The key is to be real and honest with yourself and only reward yourself if you truly stuck to your plan that you developed for you to reach your goals. Of course this Cheat Meal does not mean an all-out gorging. It simply means having a normal meal of your favorite foods to give you a mental break from your plan. When the meal is over, don't go back for seconds. Get right back on track and kick off the next 14-days. 

Quick side note: If having a cheat meal is something that you know in your heart of hearts may not be a good thing for you yet, then reward yourself by going and buying something that you have wanted for a while. With this you could also put money in a jar every day during that 14 days that you do exactly what you are supposed to do and then use the money to purchase your reward. 

Pillar 8

Step it up a Notch and Take It to Another Level

Once you are two to four weeks in to your plan it is time to step it up again. This is the time you may want to hire a trainer for a session to make sure you are doing all the exercises correctly and training as hard as you can (safely, of course). If a trainer is not an option then contact your support coach, and group to ask for advice on how you can step it up. 

Another thing you can do to step things up is have a body analysis administered by a trainer so you know what your exact numbers for your body composition as well as caloric needs. An experienced trainer will be able to give you some specifics on how to step it up at the body analysis.

Pillar 9

Mental and Emotional Review

During your journey it is very important to write down all obstacles and successes along the way. This will allow you to see where you have come, where you are at, and where you need to go. It can then be a self-brainstorm session that you can work on coming up with plans and solutions to keep your moving forward. I always suggest sharing this with your coach and/or accountability group. The more you and your team share solutions, the more fat you, and everyone else will lose.

Examples of things you may have to overcome and set rules for, may be like “I always eat in the car”, and now my new rule is "No eating in the car". You might use this one as well: “I will always eat a mint or chew gum after dinner to avoid snacking”. These are simple, yet can be very powerful. Then when shared with your group and coach, it gives them even more power.

Pillar 10

Believe in Yourself

You have what it takes to reach your goals. All of us will have struggles and failures along the journey. The thing you need to keep in mind is that little setbacks and failures doesn't mean you won’t reach your goal. It means that you simply need to learn from that moment, evaluate what you have learned, and apply it to a new action so you won’t repeat what didn't work. It is how every aspect of life should work. It is about learning and growing. So remember to challenge yourself and have fun!

New Year’s Resolutions are Non-Sense! Stop Making Them!

Let’s reflect a moment on past New Year’s Resolutions. What resolutions did you make? Did you actually follow through with your resolutions?

80% of all people will answer “No”.  Every year people make these massive New Year’s resolutions that this will be the year that they hit their fat loss and weight loss goals.  The reality is only 10% of those people actually do.  So why do they make it and the rest of us don’t? 

The reality is resolutions don’t work, plans and support work.  Overall goals need to be met with plans based on practicality not emotion. The ones that hit their overall goals, don’t just set goals.  They create a plan for their goals and find the proper support to help hold them accountable. 25% of the 80% fall off track within the first three weeks in January. 15% more fall off track by mid-February.

With that said, this is the year that you need to stop having your overall goals fall by the wayside. I know…Now you are wondering how you actually succeed in 2015, instead of just making it another year of poor efforts.

The first step is being real.  This is accomplished by doing a gut check of sorts.  You need to ask yourself some questions that will find out where you are coming from when you establish your overall goals.  Without these questions you cannot develop an appropriate plan, or find the appropriate support.

Question #1. “Where am I now?”

To some this may seem obvious. The reality is very few people take time to assess their current position in life. These current positions can include physical, mental, or financial positions. This is the starting line that is left out of most New Year’s Resolutions. Yet this is exactly why resolutions have such a high failure rate.

Question #2. “Where do I want to go?”

Many of us think we know where we want to go, but until you truly evaluate this you will be surprised. Having been a fitness professional to hundreds of clients, I find that most folks have shinny object syndrome when it comes to setting their overall goals. Shinny object syndrome is basically chasing after something that looks and sounds good, but the reality is that what they are chasing after really doesn't contribute to what they say their ultimate objective is for their goals.

You have to be willing to dig under your skin and find out the real, driving force behind your desire to become healthier, leaner, stronger, etc. The true reality is no one wants to lose fat for the simple sake of losing fat. There is always an underlying reason.  Whether that reason is to look good for their significant other, to play with their kids, to participate in a race, to live longer, or whatever, there is always the underlying reason.

Question 3. “How I am going to get there?”

It is evident that most people have an idea of how to accomplish a fitness-based goal. It may not be with full knowledge but they do have an idea.  The greatest issue is they just don’t want to do the work. This is where you just have to man up, start, and say I am not going to stop. All you need to do first is make the commitment to finish. Second is embrace the fact that you are going to have failures along the way, and that failures are signs progress as long as you continue to move forward and don’t give up when you have a failure.

Question #4. “Why have I refused to act in congruence with my goals in the past?”

This is a big reality setter question.

There are times when you have to set uncomfortable goals. No reason to freak out. Being uncomfortable and having uncomfortable goals means that there are real stakes involved on your part. This is what is going to set you a part from just having New Year’s Resolutions. Those who whimsically set New Year’s Resolutions don’t have real stakes involved. That’s why it is so easy to quit. This is why this year YOU are going to leave resolutions and develop a plan for your overall goal.

So you need to be real with yourself and answer all of the above questions with the utmost honesty and self-integrity that you can provide.  If you do just that, you will be ready to progress to the pillars of success. The Pillars of Success will be your insight on how to develop that plan for your overall goal.

Pillars of Success:

Pillar #1. The Vision:

Contrary to the wishful nature of the resolution, a vision originates from a place of purpose. A vision is where your motivation will stem from. This is why Vision is the first pillar. Your vision needs to be something that will keep you from going insane from boredom, but also something that could keep you awake at night because it feels exciting and real.

Simply put, your vision needs to be directly linked to what is most important to you. Having a vision is just as important as having good health. In-fact, they feed off of one-another. An example would be if you ever had an aspiration to compete in a fitness competition or making a million dollars, that is all part of the vision pillar.

Everyone has a vision.  They just need to scope it out, find it, and then detail it out on paper.

Pillar #2. Social Support

Having the support and surrounding yourself with like-minded people is critical to your success.  Let me repeat myself, because it is that important. Surrounding yourself with people who are succeeding or want to succeed is critical to your success. This truly has been the very key to my progress both personally and professionally.  It was when I embraced this, and began associating with people that were succeeding at what I wanted to do and be, that I began reaching my goals.

Just as important as finding the winners, you need to cut out the crabs, and those who want to put you down or hold you back from what is important to your life. Some people want to insist this is not possible. It is possible, and you would be surprised at the progress you begin to make when you start to limit your contact with negative people.

It goes back to the old saying which is so very true…”You will never soar with the Eagles if continue hanging out with the turkeys”.

Find a coach, or group either online or in person that will provide you with that support!  It is life changing.

Pillar #3. Mentorship

Mentorship goes hand-in-hand with social support.  This must not be left out. One of my personal mentors had two things that have stuck with me.  “You become who you associate with” and “If you are the smartest person in your group, it is time to find a new group”.  These two things really resonated with me.  I wanted to reach my goals so I changed who I associated with and found those to support me.  I wanted to learn and grow to hit my goals, so I found a new a group and they also support me.

Pillar #4. The Deadline

Nearly all New Year’s Resolutions lack a deadline. You must establish a non-negotiable deadline. All plans have this.  Yes, I said non-negotiable. No compromising.

This deadline is something that you will want to make very public to your Social Support circle, as well as your Mentor or Coach.  Doing this will put the fire under you and ensure your follow-through.  Again that is where joining an accountability group can also be good (back to that support pillar).

In Conclusion:

Make 2015 different. Set your overall goal, but then set a plan rather than a New Year’s Resolution.  If you need help, contact me.  I want to see this year be your year. Be sure to let me know how it is working for you and how you are doing!

TO THE END OF NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AND THE BEGINNING OF SUCCESS THROUGH YOUR PERSONAL PLAN!

Don't Cut Yourself Short!

How often do you find yourself cutting your workouts short, or cutting out a set or lowering your reps?  

You may think this doesn't necessarily sound like it might be a problem...But it is a problem!  Plus it is not just a problem in your health and wellness goals.  This cut it short attitude will often carry over in other areas of life.  

This is called cheating yourself in health and wealth.  Why do you do this?  Have you asked yourself? I did! I asked myself!  I didn't like my answers.  So now is the time for YOU to stop cheating yourself. I know that when I asked myself, that was the beginning of my defining moment.  I wanted to stop cheating, and start creating true health and wealth in my life.  I want to give you a few tips to help you to STOP CHEATING YOUR HEALTH AND WEALTH.

So we are going to focus on the health side of creating and not cheating.  When we have health mentally and physically, we will have wealth. 

Most people that you talk to will just say “Well the simple answer is, stop ending sets and workouts early.”  Of course we know that you can say that, but most won’t put it into action.  So how do we change?

Let's start with something simple.  How about you think about why you decided to do the workout in the first place. What is your reason? Some people may want to be able to play with their children, look better in public, feel better in their own skin, or complete a half-marathon or other event, but what is your reason?  Let me repeat myself...WHAT IS YOUR REASON?  Don't just read on...Seriously, What is Your Reason?  Write it down. Think about it. Own it!

So now that you have given it some thought, and you have shifted your thoughts to why you first decided to do the workout we need to focus on another part of the process of change.  This part is dedication.  No I am not talking the simple, just get dedicated to your workout.  I am talking about creating a dedication that can help you create success within your workout.  Yes dedicate yourself, but why not dedicate your workouts to an important person in your life? This way if you fail to succeed in your workouts, you are ‘failing’ your dedicated person.

These couple tips can really help keep yourself honest DURING your workout. If you read this far, chances are you have struggled with finishing each set fully, each workout, or each exercise plan in the past.

 

You hear about being consistent equals’ results.  Well it is true.  Now you need to add the strategies that help you and keep you motivated and accountable so you can be consistent and reach your goals, finish your workouts.

Find what works for you and use it.  You will reach success!