Balance = Success... Real Success

Are you a well balanced individual? It's something we should all strive for, because it's those people that are truly happy. DISCLAIMER; I struggle with this one myself!

When I say balance I mean are all aspects of your life working in harmony or are some areas taking your attention away from others? An example would be somebody who works 12 hours a day, comes home and has no time or energy left for family. Another one might be a person who spends every spare moment in the gym but has no time for relationships. Let's not forget the gamer who spends hours on their game console and eats rubbish and drinks energy drinks all day and is overweight and socially awkward because of it.

 

I bring this up because in my 10 years of training all types of people I have noticed that the people who stick with their program and are ultimately better off for it are the ones that get results and keep them. They are not the ones that do morning and evening sessions 6-7 times a week. The ones that are 'happy' have a breakdown of their time similar to this...

8 hours sleep

45-60 mins workout

8 hours work

4 hours family/loved ones

3 - 3.25 hours travel/eating/ me time

Working out is very important but when it overshadows other areas in your life it may just be time to back off a little. This is why working out with a trainer may just be the answer your looking for, I know it was for me. Yes that's right, I have a trainer of my own. As a business owner, a husband and a father of two. It's easier (and therefore more likely to happen) when I have an appointment and all I have to do is show up. It also allows you to get more exercise in a lot shorter amount of time. You should try it! To discuss how I can help you bring balance to your life in a Free Consultation (usually $87) CLICK HERE.

Go After It!

 

Let's Go Shopping

It's no well-kept-secret that flat bellies are made in the kitchen. If you really want a lean, fit, strong, attractive and energetic body your going to have to learn (if you don't already know) how to shop for, store and prepare good nutritious meals that will bring you closer to your goals. Today I'm going to share with you my top 3 tips for going grocery shopping, a few guidelines you can follow to ensure you bring home healthy food.

Before I get into the tips, I want you to share with you the biggest (yet simplest) change you will need to make... GO SHOPPING. Sounds simple right... wrong. Too many people get so caught up in career, social life and other hobbies that neglect to actually schedule in time to go to the shops and stock up on food like all 'grown ups' should. They literally play it on a meal-by-meal basis and this is a recipe for disaster. So if you take nothing else away from this post please please please get it into your head that a regular time (weekly, fortnightly) to go grocery shopping is not just a good idea but a MUST in your life.

Tip 1 - Make A List

A little bit of planning goes a long long way. If you know what you want to prepare for yourself in advance you'll not only save time but you will save money. Shopping with a thought out list also eliminates impulse buying. Supermarkets are set up to sell you stuff (its what they do) and just like any other shop it's not always stuff you need. When you have a list to work off you go from one item to the next and your focus remains on the next item not on the 2 for $4 cakes in aisle 4. You buy what you need not what will hinder your health efforts. My clients that shop with a list often report on how since they made this change they have save more than enough to pay for their personal training sessions with me.


Tip 2 - You Don't Have To Go Down Every Aisle

As a general rule, all the items you need to put together a healthy week's (or fortnight's) eating is along the perimeter of the store. Fruits, Deli, Milk, Meats Frozen Veg etc. Although there are 'good' foods in the aisles there  are even more not-so-good ones. This brings me back to the 'Make A List' tip, When you know what you want you go straight for it and temptation doesn't even play into it.

Tip 3 - Never Go Shopping Hungry

As I mentioned before supermarkets are exceptionally good at selling you stuff you do not need. These companies spend millions of dollars in research, testing and trialling new and inventive ways to make you not only fill your trolley with rubbish but be happy about your decisions. Eye level products, two-for-one deals and displays are all set up to make you cough up (money). When you are already hungry you quite simply do not stand a chance against these tactics. So fill up before you stock up.

I really hope you had some light bulb moments whilst reading this post. If you want to know more you can Click Here and request your free consultation with me ($87 Value) where we will sit down and I will show you not only how to get the best food but how to make it work for you so your wallet is thicker and your waistline is thinner. There is also a cool recipe book there, so get on that!

Got A Goal?

Go After It!


 

Fallen Off The Horse?

We all have bad days as far as our health and fitness goals are concerned.

If you have a health and fitness goal you have to fight to keep it alive! You have to take every set back as a learning curve not an excuse to stop!

If you eat something you shouldn't or go out and write yourself off and finish the night with a dodgey burger from a shop that you wouldn't normally go to, There is always tomorrow.

If you hurt your knee and can't run there is always boxing.

If you are doing your 'Plan' and it's not working it can always be tweaked!

We have had two clients in wheelchairs in addition to their other 'set backs' we had a huge set of stairs at the old studio! They come anyway and they are BOTH acheiving their respective health and fitness goals!

What's your excuse?


What will you be doing tommorow?





Take care of yourself!

Why Are You Doing This?

If your going to embark (or continue) on your fitness journey and get long lasting results. Not just short term cahnges to your body, but lifelong health and fitness that has you jumping out of bed every morning ready to attack the day and looking in the mirror and getting excited about the exceptionally fit person staring back at you. You are going to need one thing, A Strong Reason Why?

 

Getting in and staying in shape is one of the hardest things in the world to do because it takes persisitance, hard work and discipline. So when it's 5am and the alarm goes off or its 5pm and that rough days at work ends, you better have a good reason why if your going to not only make it to your workout but bring the level of intensity required to get fitter, stronger an/or leaner. Too many people are doing it for the wrong reasons and the weaker your reason the more chance you will quit when times get tough and they will get tough.. its called L-I-F-E.

Looking good because you have a wedding you have to attend in a couple of months will not do it, appearing skinny at the family reunion at the end of the year is not a strong reason. Basically your doing it to look good in front of a bunch of people who couldn't care less. If you do go with these reasons you better fill your calendar up with family reunions and weddings.

When you decide to get in shape because you want to live longer, have more energy and stop yourself being in a depressive state, then youare starting to build a strong reason why and only good things can come from that. 

Bottom line, ask yourself why you workout, Really. If you find yourself lacking in the strong 'Reason Why' department, it may just be time to re-evaluate things.

Go After It!

Being or getting in shape is one of the hardest things you will ever do

Feeling Tired?

Ever gotten up and felt so tired you had no idea how you were going to workout that day?..

I HAVE TOO!

It's often not that your actually tired sometimes its a pure motivation issue. Quite often I hear people say that they are 'Over-Training', I am skeptical 99% of the time. It's really hard to over-train, let me tell you. The things you have to put your body through and the duration of those things is quite frankly beyond most people.

If you're feeling too tired to work out my suggestion is to simply, carry on anyway. Chances are after a little warm up or even a bit further in you will start to feel better and maybe even good. When we exercise all sorts of good 'Happy' chemicals are released in the brain. If after five to ten minutes you still feel really bad and sluggish or even light headed, then (and only then) it might be a good idea to stop and rest up.

Just try feeling the fatigue and doing it anyway you may surprise yourself during the workout and the feeling of accomplishment when you're done is far better than any nap.

Go After It!

Feel the Failure And Do It Anyway!

Did you struggle through your workout today?

We all do at times (yep even me) the important thing is that you keep showing up! Not every Push up is going to be a perfect deep, powerful repitition. Not every squat is going to be an outstanding picture of good form. The thing is to keep coming!

 

It's okay if you have to take a dozen or so breaks through the workout, next time take 11. If you can't squat jump right now keep doing the low-impact version with good form and those knees and lower back will strengthen and your day will come. Had a drink or seventeen and followed it up with a dodgy kebab and a few slices of pizza? Get up in the morning have a bowl of oats with rice milk and some fresh fruit mixed in and start your healthy eating plan again.

Everybody falls down, its the ones that get up that succeed!

When does it get easier??

I hear It all the time, 'this is hard when does it get easier?'. For some reason most humans grow up looking for the easy options in just about everything they do, but what if we could condition ourselves to enjoy the struggles in life, to embrace them so when they do pop up (and they will, nobody is safe!) we are almost excited?

 

Cultivating this mindset is key to succes at anything and fitness is no different. A good place to start is by getting rid of poor self-talk such as 'I can't do push ups on my toes' and replacing it with 'I presently struggle with push ups on my toes'. When you say Can't it's pretty final, that's it things arent going to change, but when you say 'presently struggle with' it leaves room for improvement and therefore a hope, a faith a good chance that things are going to get better.

So next time your doing a workout and you feel like you can't do an exercise, a drill or a move just say to yourself. This is hard but it's good, I am struggling but I will get there, and over time (and all the good things take time). You'll get better and look back and laugh at the time you thought you may never get there.. try it out.

Go After It!