"I'm slipping"

My client writes... "I have a hard time when (No name) or (no name) are around because I'm nibbling on what they have and it's rarely good.  I justify by saying that I'm working out so much I can afford it. 

I'm hoping my email will help keep me on track today.  I'll see you at bootcamp today.

And my response...

I appreciate you sharing.

Junk is junk.  Eliminate it.

I remember reading Michael Pollan, http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/six-rules-for-eating-wisely/  and he had a good idea..."if you want to eat "junk" food, then only do so if you make it yourself."  Meaning, if you really want apple pie, then make the dough, cut the apples, and bake it yourself.  Take the physical action, and choose your ingredients wisely.  Makes total sense to me.

I see the change in you, in that you are at the point of "enough is enough".  If you are truly dedicated to losing the fat and setting a healthy example for (no name), you have to stick to your guns.

Years will pass, and she will observe your choices and model you.

Be the mom that is strong.  And I mean physically and mentally.  

Eating junk is easy.  Being disciplined and not letting others push you around is admirable.  Your daughter will remember this.

What Will You Do This Weekend to Stay Fit?

You may attend boot camp classes with me during the week, but what activities do you do over your weekend to keep yourself on track?

For those of us who are lucky to live in the Pasadena area, our weather provides so many opportunities to get outside and take advantage.

One of the best activities is to just get out and walk.  This is a great time to encourage your family to be part of your healthy life, you may be doing them a huge favor by getting them up and moving.  One of our favorite activities is going on the stair walks from the book, Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles by Charles Fleming. 

When I'm crunched for time, I knock out a simple jump rope workout.  I will set my timer on my phone for 20 minutes, and have it notify me every 30 seconds.  For 30 seconds I'll jump rope, then for 30 seconds I'll "recover" with squats.  I'll repeat this pattern for the entire 20 minutes.

There are two weekend options for you.

What else do you like to do over your weekend to stay fit?

The Importance of Sleep

When you begin a new boot camp like we did this week, I am tempted to give you a bunch of information in the hopes that the more you know, the faster you will see results.

But I've learned over time that it is usually better to take in the lessons on a slower and deeper level.

What I try to share with you are tips and methods that will last you for a lifetime.  Once you begin to implement the methods your body will respond, as will you mind.

Getting enough sleep is going to be critical to your success.  Please watch the above video from one of my favorite authors on the subject of energy and sleep, Tony Schwartz.

Just not "feeling it"

I wrote this as an email to a boot camper who I saw was dragging this morning.

For those of you in the Paleo Challenge this may be old news, but for others have a look and get back to me...

"I could tell that you weren't "feeling it" today. 

What can I/we do to make it better? 

How is your eating?  Describe to me your typical day...

Breakfast

Snack

Lunch

Snack

Dinner 

How many hours did you sleep last night?

Is it possible to take a nap at work?  Tell them the benefits? 

Keep me informed.  I want you to have full energy for your training. 

Handling Exhaustion

Lisa Smith-Batchen, the ultrarunner quoted in Born to Run...

"I love the Beast," she says.  "I actually look forward to the Beast showing up, because every time he does, I handle him better.  I get more him more under control."

Meditation

We spoke a little about meditation at last night's class.  How about this location for meditation?

Weekend Exercise Ideas

I just posted this to our new group site on www.DailyBurn.com...(If you haven't received the invitation to join, let me know.)

I encourage you to do some long duration exercise on the weekend.

Take a long hike with your family. Go for a long bike ride.  Go for a long walk on the beach.  Try some new sport or challenge.

Create the habit of making exercise a natural part of your weekend activities.

Gratitude Journal

What are you grateful for today?

It's a simple question, but one that you should often answer.

Each morning we are given a new day to do with whatever we want.  I really believe that to be true.  If you think about it we have so much opportunity and so much to be grateful for.

I often feel "goofy" for feeling happy just being able to open my eyes in the moring.  I honestly think to myself, "wow...I'm lucky to be here anohter day" and today is going to be great.

If you aren't in the habit of being grateful you can visit this link on my site where I've posted a "gratitude journal" which my colleague, Barney Kuntze of Pinnacle Health and Fitness up in Canada, recently sent to me.

Click here for the Gratitude Journal...

Are you already in the habit of writing in a Gratitude Journal?  Let me know in the comment section.