Your Guide To Finally Achieving Your New Year’s Resolution

Welcome to 2012! Did you make some New Year’s resolutions? Did any of those resolutions have to do with getting in shape or losing weight? Did you make the same ones last year? If you are ready to finally get it right and make this the last year you have to make a resolution to get in shape, here are a few tips that will help make that happen.

First, raise your standards. The inspiration for this came from a lesson from Tony Robbins. Almost everyone is currently in the shape their standards allow them to be in. There are cases, due to medical issues, where people don’t have control over their weight or fitness level.  Most of us, however, are in exactly the condition we allow ourselves to be in. Our weight, size, and fitness levels are a result of our behavior: activity (or lack thereof) and food choices.

When you raise your standards, the first thing that happens is that it turns your “shoulds” into “musts”. Instead of thinking “I should exercise today,” you think “I MUST exercise today.” Instead of thinking “I should get the baked fish instead of the fettuccine Alfredo,” you think “I MUST make a healthier eating choice.” If you start to think of yourself as a healthy, fit person and start expecting yourself to act like one too, your actions will reflect that.

Stop accepting half-hearted efforts at exercise and “kind of” eating better. You are capable of so much more. Raise your standards and enjoy the results.

Secondly, focus on the process. I talk all the time about the importance of setting goals.  A goal needs to be measurable and it needs to have a deadline. There are two types of goals that we focus on: outcome goals and process goals. An example of an outcome goal is “I will lose 30 pounds or more by June 1, 2012.” While it’s very important to know the ultimate outcome you would like to achieve, I encourage you to focus on the process goals for a while. A process goal is based on the actions that will help you achieve your outcome goal.  These goals must also be measurable and have deadlines. If you know that exercising is going to be a key part of reaching an outcome goal, a good example of a process goal would be “I will exercise for at least 20 minutes 15 times or more each month.” You can measure how many times you exercise, and you can measure a month. More good examples of process goals would be “I will eat at least one piece of fruit every day” and “I will make sure I have protein with at least two meals per day.” It’s important for you to use “at least” and “or more” because you want to give yourself the option of over-achieving.

If you spend the next year focusing on meeting your process goals, the outcome goals will take care of themselves. I hope these tips will help you make 2012 your healthiest and best year ever!

How does this sound:

I have approximately 204 workouts to complete this year to reach my goal.

I will eat approximately 1790 more times this year and each time I eat I will include some protein.  In at least 716 of those meals I will have at least one serving of vegetables.

A little overwhelming, right?

How about this?

Today I will exercise for at least 20 minutes.

Today I will have a protein source with each of my meals and I will eat at least 2 servings of vegetables.

A little better?

It is important to have long term goals.  I talk about them all the time.  You need to know where you are going.

I am going to encourage you to focus on your daily goals for a little while.

Don’t worry about the long term.  Focus on the positive activities you need to do today.

My goals for today? Get some rest, play with my kids, have some protein at each meal, eat at least 2 servings of vegetables (1 down already), oh yeah, and mop the floor…

What I want to focus on today is the first part of my quote, “Don’t just sit there, do something!”  For this particular feature, I was using this to refer to exercising, but it can apply to almost anything in our life, and now I am applying it to one area of mine.

One thing I have set as a personal goal is to write more.  Whether it is blog posts like this one, articles, or even a book.  I am not a great writer, but I know I won’t improve if I don’t work on it.  This year I am going to focus on writing every day.  Some of it will make it here, some will stay private, but I know that by taking action and sitting down to write (or type) it will improve.

I have put writing into what I am calling my “Power Hour”. My Power Hour consists of the following:

1. 15 minutes of reading something to improve my spiritual life (the Bible, a devotional, etc.)
2. 15 minutes of reading something to improve me personally (business development, self-help, relationship, parenting etc.)
3. 15 minutes of reading something related to my profession (training, nutrition, coaching, etc.)
4. 15 minutes of writing (blog, articles, etc.)

First of all, I love to read, and by blocking out time each day for this Power Hour, not only am I doing something I enjoy, but I am also helping myself grow in ways that will help me improve as a husband and father, as a person, as a business owner, and as a fitness professional.

Currently filling those categories are 1. The Bible, the book of John  2. “EntreLeadership” by Dave Ramsey  3.  “Easy Strength” by Dan John and Pavel Tsatsouline  and 4. This blog post.

Today’s lesson I would like to share with you comes from EntreLeadership.  Dave Ramsey talks about the difference between trying to manage our results and managing our activities.  He says to remember that “results are generated by activities.  If I manage my activities, then the results I want occur.”

Just a few weeks ago, I did a video on this same concept.  Here it is.

Today I would like to encourage you to focus on the process, the activities that will help you achieve the results you want.

Let’s make it a great 2012!

I heard this quote the other day from Jim Rohn, and it inspired me.  I immediately wanted to share it with you.  Why?  This quote applies directly to fitness and weight loss goals as well as life in general.

One of the biggest challenges I see our clients face when they start with us is self-doubt.  Usually they have tried more than once to lose weight, improve their health, etc. and it didn’t work out for them.   They question whether or not it is actually possible for them to have the body they want.

Well, like this quote says, we have enough proof and information from testimonials from our clients and from personal experience working with others to know that it is absolutely possible to completely change your health, lose weight and get in fantastic shape.

Here are a few examples:

Traci Harrison Before

Traci Harrison lost over 100 pounds with Custom Fit!

Stacie Inman Before

Stacie Inman lost 50 pounds and almost 9 inches off her waist!

Dawn Stevens Before

Dawn Stevens lost almost 30 pounds and 6 inches off her waist!

At Custom Fit we have watched people lose 30, 50, 100 pounds.  We have seen them get to the point where they no longer need blood pressure and cholesterol medications.  We know without a doubt that change is possible.

And it can be done at any age.  I will never forget a client named Jean who trained with us at age 86.  When she started her program, she would come in and use her cane to go from station to station.  Working with her trainer Diana, she made some amazing improvements.  By the time she completed her training with us, she would leave her cane at the couch at the front of the training studio.  When she finished her workout, she would pick up her cane, tuck it under her arm and walk out the door to her car!  It was so inspiring to see her commitment and the progress she made that definitely led to a higher quality of life.

My message to you today is simply this, “You can do it.”  You can reach your goals. You can change your health.  The evidence is there.  Experience proves it is possible.

Now, many people have argued that this was a poll, not a scientific study.  This only takes into account BMI which doesn’t consider body-fat percentage and if you are a muscular person, you will be categorized as obese using BMI. There are other cities that HAVE to have as high or higher an obesity rate as we do.

Although these are valid arguments (using the BMI standard, I am overweight), I think they miss the point.  Our population as a whole needs to make better decisions when it comes to our health. I don’t believe that we all need to fit into the same category, but having witnessed hundreds of people improve their health and fitness and seeing the difference it made in their lives, I truly believe a concentrated effort on improvement is essential.

There are a lot of challenges when it comes to losing weight.  There is so much information available now, especially on the internet, that many people are misled and spend a lot of effort and money on something that just isn’t going to be a long-term solution.

I would like to share with you The 5 Most Common Weight Loss Mistakes I see people make.

1. They don’t have a specific goal. If you don’t know where you are going, any path will take you there.  Many people think to themselves, “I would like to lose some weight.” You have to be more specific.  To give you the best chance of success, your goal should meet two requirements: 1. It must be measurable 2. It must have a deadline.  “I will lose 20 pounds or more by October 1st” is a better way to phrase your goal.

2. They don’t have a plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Most people go to the gym without a plan and just wander around doing a little of this and a little of that until they leave.  Most people have no idea what they are going to eat tomorrow, not to mention, the rest of the week. To give yourself the best chance for success, make a plan that matches your goals and FOLLOW IT.  One of the benefits of following a plan designed for you like we do at Custom Fit is we do the planning for you. All you have to do is show up and follow the plan.

3. No Support System or Accountability. Too many people try to go at it alone.  When the going gets tough, it is a lot easier to quit when you don’t have a friend, co-worker, family member, mentor or coach to turn to for support, motivation and information.  Having that person (or people) to help you keep track of what you are doing and make sure you stay focused on your goal can help you get through the times when you are ready to give up.

4. Unrealistic Expectations. Thanks to shows like The Biggest Loser many people believe that when they start a weight loss program they should be losing 10-15 pounds per week.  When they “only” lose 1-2 pounds per week or even have a week when they hold steady, they think that their program is not working and give up.  1-2 pounds per week may not be that exciting, but over the course of the year that is 50-100+ pounds AND you will have a better chance of keeping the weight off which really is the long term goal.

5. Blaming Someone or Something Else For Your Condition. It is easy to blame your job, the kids, your genetics, your metabolism, etc.  If you want to be successful you MUST take full responsibility for where you are right now and what you do to achieve your goals.  YOU control what you eat or don’t eat. YOU decide whether you are going to get off the couch and go for a walk or watch the next show on the DVR.  YOU are responsible for YOU.  It doesn’t matter whether or not you have the perfectly designed plan for your goals, if you don’t have the self-discipline to follow the plan, it isn’t going to work.

Part of our job at Custom Fit is to help people avoid making these mistakes.  People like Traci Harrison who lost over 100 pounds with us!

Traci Harrison Before

Traci Harrison lost over 100 pounds with Custom Fit!

If you are tired of struggling with your fitness and weight loss goals, schedule a free consultation to see if a Custom Fit program is right for you!

-Mark Twain

I hear a lot of excuses.  Honestly, I make a lot of them too.  It seems like one of the hardest things to ever do is to admit when we fail to accomplish something, that it is due to our own short-comings or lack of self-discipline to follow through and do the things we know we should be doing to reach our goal.

Here are just a few of the excuses I hear as to why people can’t lose weight or reach their fitness goals:

- I don’t have time

- I have a slow metabolism

- I’m a carboholic/chocoholic/insert-your-own-”holic” here

- I have a bad knee/back/shoulder/elbow/earlobe/eyebrow/etc………

Now, I don’t want to make light of anyone’s situation.  I can see where these issues are a concern.  However, I can also show you very quickly how these are definitely just excuses and not reasons.

I know very busy people who have lost weight and gotten in great shape.

I know people with slow metabolisms who were able lose weight and reach their goals.

I know people who are carboholics, etc. who have changed their behavioral patterns and reached their goals.

I know people who have suffered severe injuries, but instead of using that as an excuse not to do anything they focused on what they COULD DO not what they couldn’t do and achieved some amazing results.

Now, I know what your are thinking. “But Tony, my situation is different!”

Is it really?  When you really think about it are you facing greater odds and challenges than anyone in the history of the world? I doubt it.

I struggle too, with always accepting that when it comes to achieving something I want, “The buck stops here.”

Ultimately we have to take responsibility for where we are, and if we don’t like it, we are responsible for taking the necessary steps to change it.

Take a moment to think about what you really want.  Instead of saying “I don’t have time to workout” say “It really isn’t that important to me right now.  I have other things that are a bigger priority.”  If that is the case, fine.  I don’t have a problem with that.  That is an honest response.

If you are tired of making excuses and would like some help keeping you accountable and reaching your fitness goals once and for all, give me a call at 812-437-2378.  We will sit down, discuss what you really want to achieve, and find out if a Custom Fit program is right for you.

From my own experience, I know that I am definitely in a better mood and happier in general when I am exercising regularly and making good food choices. How about you? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Thank you for selecting me for the best “Trainer for the Weak Willed” in the Evansville Living Magazine poll!

I am fortunate to be surrounded by a great team here at Custom Fit and this recognition is only due to their hard work.

You are much more likely to actually achieve your goal if you right it down.  The chances improve even more when other people know about it (more accountability).

Post your health and fitness goals for 2011 in the comment section below.  Let’s keep each other accountable and make it a great year!

Breakfast of "champions"?

By now I am sure you have read about or seen on TV, the study done by the Kansas State University professor where he ate mostly convenient store “junk food” and lost 27 pounds in 2 months.

This has created a lot of very interesting discussion.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. I will share mine tomorrow.

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ARTICLE YET

After reading the article, please share your thoughts in the comment section below.