6 Sure-Fire Steps for Achieving Weight Loss Success

1. Motivation – It's why you've decided you need to change. Without proper motivation, be it negative ("I got stuck in a restaurant booth today") or positive ("I am going to Cancun in a dental floss bikini in 6 months"), you won't get far or achieve results you're going to be happy with. So make sure you remind yourself, often, about why you're embarking on this life-changing experience.
   
2. Set a GOAL – You don't get in the car (usually) without some idea about where you're going. Let's say Nancy and Sarah both want to go to a new restaurant downtown for lunch. Nancy is OCD, paranoid, just a plain FREAK about being on time – so she Google Map's directions. She knows which streets to take and that it's going to be a 15 minute drive. She's going to be there RIGHT at Noon, dammit! Now, Sarah – she's a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda girl. She kinda has an idea of where the restaurant is. She doesn't go downtown often, and she's so laid back she leaves at the last possible minute. I'm going to bet she doesn't make it on time, if she makes it at all. Naughty, naughty, Sarah! The moral of the story is this: Have a clear and concise goal (know where you're going) and have an idea of about how much time it's going to take to achieve it. Plan on having a map (a plan) and insist on achieving your goal on time.
   
3. Plan – As the old cliché' goes, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This isn't always the case, but it usually is when it comes to weight loss goals. People who don't plan waver when their motivation levels take a dive. These people try to change, but never actually get to the real change part. Know what and when you're going to do something, and how you're going to do it.
   
4. Support – Some people can go it alone and do just fine. Most do not. So tell your friends and family what you're doing, share your excitement about it with them, and ask them for their help supporting your goal. Who knows, perhaps you'll inspire some people along the way.
   
5. Evaluate Constantly – Weigh yourself, take tape measurements, photos sans clothing or in a bathing suit, and body fat (if you have the means). Do it however often you need to (at least monthly, preferably bi-weekly) – make sure it's part of your plan, use it to increase motivation, and make adjustments so you stay on track to reach your goal. If you're disappointed with what's happening, talk to your support to help you figure it out. Maybe you'll score a new workout buddy to boot. (See how this is all tying together? It's like a freakin' tapestry!)
   
6. Celebrate Wins – No matter how small your win, pat yourself on the back – often – for taking a stride toward your goal. Rewards don't have to be months and months away. Reward yourself weekly for a job well done. Get all of your workouts in? Eat well 80% of the time this week? Go out to a nice restaurant, buy a new pair of shoes, have a damn ice cream cone. Yes, it's okay to have what you've been craving here and there. It will help you stick to your plan (make it part of it) and reach your goal. The last thing that will be productive to you is a Ben & Jerry's binge because you've limited yourself more than a prison inmate in the bowels of Argentina.
   

So there you have it. Engrave these steps on your brain and you've won half the battle. The rest you'll have to work for.

Toodles.

Setting Goals for 2010!

Setting Goals for 2010!

Now is the time to start thinking about your goals for the New Year. 2010 is just around the corner, and it’s the beginning of a whole new decade for the 21st century. It’s a big deal! I haven’t heard ANYONE making a big deal about it in the news, but it IS! It’s like the end of the ’80s and the beginning of the ‘90s! Does ANYONE remember the kind of changes we experienced?

ANYONE?

Allow me to refresh your memory. 1989 into 1990 was the end of listening to hair metal bands like Motley Crue and Twisted Sister, and the beginning of the Seattle grunge band scene including the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. Prince, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston all began to fade away. Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, and L.L. Cool J all began to rise to the top of popular music charts. Oh, and don't forget Britney Spears. Ha-ha!

You get the picture. Big changes ‘a comin’.

What about in your life? What big changes do you have planned? Since this is a wellness blog, how about the goals you are planning regarding your fitness, nutrition, and fat-loss goals? Is it time for you to make that big change? Well, it should be!

While you think about what you’d like to do, whether it’s fit into that skimpy bikini for summer, reduce your LDL levels 30 points, decrease your body fat levels 15%, gain 10 lbs. of lean muscle – you can achieve it. So while you decide, I’ll tell you about my goals for the New Year. I have many, but regarding my body – I am going to lose 9% body fat in 12 weeks. That’s right. By April 1st, 2010, I will be 6% body fat and sporting a chisled set of 6-pack abs!

The last time I saw my 6-pack was when I reached 8% body fat after 12 weeks of intense dieting and exercise in 2003. I dropped my body fat levels from 22% to 8% during those 3 months. If I could do that, I can easily achieve a 9% loss in the same time frame. It's been awhile, but I’m confident I can achieve my goal in that time frame.

Are you confident you can reach your goals? Perhaps you are not.

That’s where I come in. If you’re not confident you can change your body and your life in a BIG way this New Year, you need to come and train with me. If you can commit to doing everything I tell you to do for 3 months, I guarantee big changes. I don’t care where you’re starting from. If you’ve got a lot of weight to lose – over 100 lbs., I can help you with that. I have a client who’s down 40 lbs. in two months. That’s amazing. If you are “skinny fat” and you want to look “Hollywood” in 12 weeks, I can help you with that. If you just want to live a healthier lifestyle, I got you covered too. Even if you're injured or have a chronic joint issue and you think that's interfering with your ability to live a healthy lifestyle - it wouldn't stop me. And it should't stop you, either.

Now for all of you Star Wars fans who remember the final trilogy that began in 1999 and ended in 2005 – a big deal to a lot of people (and part of history for the last decade) – you must have also seen the first trilogy that concluded in the early 80's. Think about the Empire Strikes back where Darth Vader said, “Join ME…It is the only way…” Well, I’m not the going to say training with me is the ONLY way for you to achieve your goals this year, but it certainly would help you get there faster & with less hiccups along the way!

OK, you may now return your focus back to Christmas, or whatever you choose to celebrate before 2010 rolls around.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to talk to you soon! (ESPECIALLY if you're already my client!) :-)

Your Coach for the New Year,

Ross