What's everyone up to?

I'm still here! Though I haven't posted here in over 6 months or so I am still moving ahead - and embracing the changes in place that life brings. I did notice all the folks I used to connect with have moved on and their blogs are either moved or inactive.

I trust you are all well and living your lives to its fullest - pursuing your passions and expressing your appreciation to others by your continual giving. Yes, giving solely out of a heart of gratitude to others is still the best way to be fulfilled.
I'm going to be back posting on a regular basis come 2011.

Remember, embrace your life, enjoy the moments and refuse to live in regret.

Have a Game Plan A & B

We all know that regardless of what goals we have a game plan in place is a MUST, IF we plan on succeeding. That’s the first step. The second step that I have learnt that is necessary is having a plan B in place. Why? Well though our plan A is the ideal plan, we don’t have control over the “unexpected” that life brings so take plan B as a “just in case”.
I learned the hard way by only having a plan A and when the bottom fell out, I didn’t have a plan B and it took me months to regain my bruised self imaged. Now there is always a plan B in place.

With the focus on fitness after having your game plan A & B in place it is time to set a start and end date – I have always found that setting the start date a week or two head is good, because it helps get the mind mentally prepared for the “execution” of the plan. Being mentally prepared prior to pursuing any goal is wise!

For the next one to two weeks prior to your start date you have the time to get your workout and nutrition plan in place by getting your home success ready for your fitness transformation/challenge. Your workout plan should be no less than 3 weeks and no more than 4 weeks. After 4 weeks you’ll need to switch things up to avoid both boredom and plateau. Along with that you need to educate and encourage yourself in this area by either joining an online support group of like minded people, and forums that you can keep educated and encouraged. I have found www.bodybuilding.com site to be an excellent place to get what you need in the area of fitness, nutrition and support.
These tools along with engaging visualization of where you see yourself at the completion of this goal is imperative to your success.
I have found when I implement these steps I am much better prepared to begin and follow through successfully in achieving my goals.

Remember, it is up to you and it can be done.
To your continual success

It just couldn't be

over a month since my last post. but it is! I've now resigned myself to posting a stickie note on my computer to remind me to post once per week. This forum has helped me in my journey of becoming fit and maintaining a level of transparency that keeps me digging deeper and reaching higher to give, do and be the best.
I am happy to share that I have fully recovered from my lower back injury and my training has become stronger and more versatile. Executing various types of cardio from jump ups to jumping jacks, to step up, to cross over, to sprints to side running, to hill sprints have resulted in rapid changes to my body - which has resulted in doing leg work once per week with impressive changes.
I'm always looking to keep my workouts fresh, fun, and effective. I will share a sample along with pictures soon. I've also found it challenging to incorporate my workouts with my partner Maria who pushes me beyond my threshold and then some.
Well, this it for now...remember it is up to you! You decide!! Make it a healthy decision!

The benefits of Changing up your workouts

When it comes to change as humans we tend to either do a slow crawl towards being convinced that change within our workout plan would not only be a good move, but beneficial as well. Well, let me count the ways

1. It takes away the boredom and keeps things fresh and interesting
2. It keeps you from hitting a plateau and keeps the fire stoked
3. It revs up your metabolism which results in accelerated fat loss and increased lean muscle
4. It provides multiple ways to move and challenge the body
5. It reveals what type of workout works best for you


When I speak of change in your workouts I am not only referring to what you do but where, when and how you do it. Let’s face it you don’t need to belong to a gym to get and stay fit. With a few different size of dumb bells, strength training bands, a mat and a workout ball you’ll set to execute a full body cardiovascular and strength training workout.

Since taking me and my clients workouts outside we’ve been enjoying not only a nice change in scenery but, adding a new dynamics to our workouts. By incorporating circuit training and Tabata training the visible changes are noticeably quicker. In the outdoors the ability to challenge both your cardiovascular The ability to try new things like sprinting for 20 sec up a hill then walking for 10 sec and repeating the cycle from 4-10 times…depending on your level of fitness is wicked for burning fat faster and decreasing the amount of time you workout. If you’re still doing “steady state cardio” to lose BF, I encourage and challenge you to try this on for size at least once per week.
I think you’ll be greatly encouraged by the benefits you’ll experienced and easily add it as part of your regular workout schedule.
A sample of my personal outdoor workout:
· Warm up 5 min up and down a set of stairs or light jog or brisk walk
· Stretch
· Jumping jacks 20sec work/10 sec rest repeat 8 times
· Squats and shoulder press with 8lbs weights 20sec work/10 sec rest repeat 8 times
· Sprint 20sec work/10 sec rest repeat 8 times
· Knee raise 20sec work/10 sec rest repeat 8 times

If that wasn’t enough then just try it on for size of the 5 benefits alone.

Challenge equals growth

I continue to learn that if I am to grow I have to challenge myself mentally and physically. To improve how I think my mind has to be stimulated, meaning I have to move from the position I currently find myself in...it's sometimes called "restlessness" and or negativity. When we find ourselves being restless and or negative we eventually get around to asking why, then a solution to resolve the why is formed! Well when it comes to my life that is how I work.

And, so it is with where I am at - at the challenging stage...my mind to get back to healthy thinking, projection of my thoughts, my speaking, and actions, as much as my eating has been healthy. Of regaining my consistency and now challenging myself by applying changes, with the ultimate goal to see massive and healthier results in a shorter time.

Had a strong reminder last night from my partner as I complained about "being fat"...I'm not!! but there are days I suffer from that syndrome. I was called on my choice of words and given a walk through on what I should say instead...tough love in action and it worked. Negative words always works against us to defeat us and choosing positive words will have the opposite affect...reminders are good and necessary.

What works for me to challenge and stimulate positive change may not work for you, but the goal is to find a healthy working solution, make a plan with a deadline in place, and keep the 4D's in place -Desire, Discipline, Determination,and Dedicated to it's completion.
The outcome of my inner reflections has thus stirred me to challenge myself to grow - and in the process be an encouragement to others. Now go do the same!!

Consistency is the key to

building a momentum in developing habits that will hopefully be equal to maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle.
For the past 15 days I have consistently been logging my meals, workouts in detail, thoughts at day's end and "have I met my water quota". Doing this simple task has helped me stay focused on maintaining a nutrition plan that contains more fibrous vegetables, consuming complex carbs after my workouts and weaning off from the habitual snacking at night.

I've decided to take my workout outdoors and incorporating jumping jacks, walking hill lunges, burpees and sprints are not only a nice change, but these exercises also accelerates fat burning three times faster than "normal cardio".
With summer less than 9 weeks away many are focused on dropping as much fat or toning the body. My suggestion is this - don't just focus on "summers" to get healthier...make the commitment to live a more active life and then do it. Start moving at least 3 times a week for 45-60 min, consume less sugars, cut out the pop, eat more lean meats, and fibrous carbohydrates and fruit. You can still enjoy your treats and a glass of wine - do it in moderation...once a week.

Alright, the week-end is upon us...enjoy, play safe and have fun...oh, and stay healthy!

Learning from disappointments

This coming Saturday is the fitness competition that I should have been a part of, but alas due to my lower back injury I am not able to compete. My back is healing but at a much slower rate than I thought, however it has been a bittersweet learning experience; I am only now beginning to embrace this set back as a blessing and opportunity...more on that on another post.

My exercise plan in place has been geared to work on strengthening my core, legs and endurance. My nutritional plan is being acted on and again I continue to use my body to test not only what type of workouts are best suited to help heal my injury and lean me out, but combined with what, when, why I eat and the amount are equally important to ensure my continual fitness success.
My mind is no longer consumed and lamenting over my disappointment in not being able to compete. Getting to this health point has taken me well over 9 weeks…it just wasn’t meant to be this time, but there are other opportunities ahead.

My focus and goal for the next 8 weeks is to use what I’ve planned out, acting on, documenting my food intake, types and duration of exercises and thoughts, take pictures weekly along with measurements and at the end of that time share with you the outcome and my results. My intent continues to be to share...pass on what I'm learning on this journey to help you benefit in your own journey. Any thing that you can pull from to help enhance, encourage, motive and challenge you as a result of my experiences good or bad would be my reward.

Going forward there will be weekly post to this blog covering a variety of topics that is geared to health and fitness.
Alright keep moving it’s extremely good for the body, mind and soul.