Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Goals, witha PLAN!

How many times have you said, "I wish I looked like _______?" What about wanting someone legs, abs, confidence, ambition, determination, muscles, whatever! We've all been there where we've desired something that someone else had.  Now the difference between us just desiring something and the person who has achieved your desired goal is the work they put in. Let me explain.  Couple year back when I had first met my personal trainer, I looked at her and judged her.  My gal Eva Shurts is this gorgeous woman with a completely ripped total body.  I hated her look just out of jealousy really.  I told myself and accepted that it's not normal to look like that and that big girls need love too! ;) But in reality, I was making excuses for myself to eat poorly and not workout.  Before Eva started working out, she was right where I was.  The difference, she chose to get up and change her poor habits to clean positive habits.  She learned many lessons when transforming her body and now she guides others toward achieving their fitness goals. Here was my revelation from the other day while I was training one of my clients on the TRX.  I had just finished demonstrating the plank and was about to tell her which muscles she was working and why when she said, "Oh! Your working your whole upper body too!  I can see ALL of your muscles in your back and arms!" I smiled and said yes!  "Dang, I need arms like you!" She said.  I confirmed that she would get there and we continued on.  But as I thought about it later, I realized she did exactly what I did when I first started training.  She saw a direct result of consistent exercise and diet and got a glimpse of her potential.  My gal finished her workout like a champ and even more excited to train! In closing, understand that a goal without a plan of action is just a wish.  I encourage all of you to sit down and write out your goals, BUT ALSO, write out how you plan to achieve those goals.  For me, it was working with a trainer.  A trainer guided me with workouts to get the desired goals, but also held me accountable to CLEAN eating habits.  My eyes have really been open to the idea that consistently walking into the gym without a plan and expecting GREAT results is setting yourself up for failure.  You need someone to guide you just like a GPS.  Someone to tell you to keep going, as well as WRONG TURN. Know you can achieve your goals, but it'll take some work and dedication. You'll have to dig deep and understand their is NO finish line... Only a line of progression. Don't cheat yourself, the joy and reward of achieving the goals is amazing! BeBlessed A

Monday, June 4, 2012

EXCUSES!

I'm definitely not new to the gym.  I understand the gym and sweating is one of the lasts places people want to be.  It takes effort!  Let's be real, if we could just be blessed with a nice body and never have to workout, we'd jump on it.  BUT that might be exactly why you aren't achieving the goals you want.  As I get more acclimated to my career of personal training, I have yet to go a day where I hadn't heard an EXCUSE.   Let's start with money.  "I can't afford it" I'm thinking: "but you drop how many hundreds of dollars drinking and eating and HARMING your body?" Now isn't a good time in my life: My response: "When will be a good time?  When your forced to care when something happens to your body?" I don't have enough time in the day: my response: "but you watch how many hours of T.V.? MAKE TIME!" The list really can go on and on... BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS: Where are your priorities? So many of the times we treat our bodies and fitness like we do God.  Something tragic happens, we call on God.  But when it works itself out... He kind of falls to the side.  Special event or holiday, we holler his way and show him praise... But after the gifts are given we don't show him much love. Same with our bodies: we get injured or something stops working and we have to visit the hospital.  We are told we need to exercise and eat right. So we do for a little while, but then it fades away.  Wedding, graduation, party, holiday get together, we work hard for a little while but we go back to our old habits.  See the resemblance? The key is consistency! To a proper relationship with God and your body is practicing and staying dedicated. It takes a LIFESTYLE change rather than setting a date till you don't have to workout, go to church, read your bible, or eat right.  Whatever is holding you back to get fit physically, mentally, and spiritually, I ask you to evaluate.  Where can you start and who can you take along with you? Encourage others along the way. Know you don't have to do it alone... And lastly, Know you are blessed.