You know the routine. You’ve been busy all day either attending school, working or taking care of the kids. The last thing on your mind is going through a workout.  All you want to do is relax and unwind. If you’re overweight the effects of a busy day can wear you down even more than your thinner counterparts. 

So how do you make exercise a daily priority?

I have tried to make it a part of my daily routine as so many experts have recommended. For the most part it does help, but I’ve found that it just became one of my many tasks that I didn’t want to do.  Currently I workout 4 days a week 30-60 minutes per session. I have been able to stick to it because I have made exercise a part of my unwinding and relaxing time. Now I look at it as time just for me to do what I want to do and not what I have to do.

The secret is to make it fun and competitive.

Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing like walking, running, biking or even lifting weights and set a realistic goal for that session. It could be anything from the amount of calories you burn to how fast you can complete a set distance.

For example my exercise of choice is running. I have 2 routes a 5 kilometer one and a 10 kilometer one. On each run I set a goal time to beat. (23 or 50 minutes). It’s an awesome feeling to beat or even reach that goal. It keeps me motivated and I look forward to beating that new time on my next workout session.

Cutting out the excuses

There are so many excuses that can trip you up. “I’m too tired, the gym is too far away, my favorite TV show is on or it’s raining outside” are some of my favorites. All of these can stop your momentum, but can be easily overcome. Here are some simple ways to counter those excuses:

1.) Change into your workout clothes right after dinner.

2.) Set a time to meet with a workout buddy. You’re less likely to skip it if you have someone else waiting on you.

3.) Use your Tivo, PVR or VCR and record your favorite TV shows and watch them on your rest days.

4.) Who says you need a gym to workout. Put on a workout video, run the stairs or do some body weight exercises. 

5.) Work out in the morning as a great start to your day.

My favorite excuse is I’m too tired to workout. There is no better cure for low energy than a good 20-30 minute walk/jog. Motion creates energy and increases the oxygen flow to your brain, essentially waking it up.

Regular exercise can improve your overall health, add years to your life, improve your  self-confidence and make you look and feel better. So good luck and get moving.

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This is just a quick post to let you know that I saw p90X on sale at Walmart today. I have been receiving a lot of emails and traffic from people wanting to get p90X but don’t really want to buy it online.

I did a little digging on prices and Walmart is the lowest by far. This is for the complete p90x set nutrition guide, calendar, workout logs, and DVD’s. They are offering it for $119.97 Canadian. I would imagine that it would be somewhere around the $99 mark in the states.

Amazon.com is selling it for $179 ($214 CAD) US. I’m not sure why they sell so many at this price???

Beachbody.com The creators of this product are selling it for 3 payments of $39.95 plus $19.95 shipping and handling. That’s a total of $139.80 US ($167 CAD)

Showcase (sells “as seen on TV” products) They have P90X displayed right when you walk in the front entrance of the store with a big $149.99 CAD (Canadian Dollars) price tag on it. I mentioned that Walmart had them beat on the price by $30 and the sales lady said they would be lower the price to compete. When I said “but you’re not going to match it are you?” she gave me a dirty look.

If you have ever been waiting for p90x to go on sale now would be the time to get it. I’ll be posting this deal on debtslaying.com as well. One final note, the price tags at Walmart do say limited quantity purchase while supplies last. So go get it already.

Edit – I have seen ads online offering P90X at $70 and under, please be aware that you are not getting the complete and proper P90X system. Those are usually copies and are made with very poor quality. Amazon.com uses third party vendors for their P90X supply and quite a few people have complained about the quality as well. Stick with either Walmart (great price and return policy) or Beachbody.com directly.

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The premise is that if you were to consume 1 gallon of liquid food how far could you walk before you ran out of food/fuel.

There are 15 health and lifestyle related questions and takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Here are my results:

33 miles per gallon

Created by The Car Connection

Your turn, take the quiz and leave a comment, see if your body can walk further than mine

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When it comes to losing weight, size does matter. Portion control is essential. Many people underestimate the amount of food that they are eating per serving or even know just how much a serving size should be. Below I have outlined some of the best ways to control the amount of food you’re consuming. As well as some of the more useful items to have in your kitchen that will help accurately measure your food.

1. Stick to the serving sizes on the package. Most manufactures make the serving sizes smaller on purpose in order to keep the overall calorie and fat content as low as possible. It’s a marketing thing, but use it to your advantage.

2. Eat off of smaller plates. It’s a simple and effective trick. If you fill your smaller plate it looks like your are eating more food than normal, but in most cases it’s much less.

3. When eating at home split your dinner into 2 portions. Eat one and put the other in the fridge for lunch the next day.

4. If you absolutely have to eat out at a fast food or other type of restaurant, order the kiddie meal. You’ll usually end up saving a few hundred calories and you get a toy

5. Leave the food on the stove or counter, not at the kitchen table. You’ll be less likely to go for seconds.

6. Never eat your food out of a bag, carton or other container were you can’t see what you are eating. If you can’t see it you don’t know how much you have had or how much is left.

How much is a serving size and how do you measure it?

A serving of beef, poultry or fish is usually 3 oz (85g) or about the size of a deck of cards.

1 cup serving of milk, vegetables or yogurt is roughly the size of your fist.

A serving of cheese should be equal to the size of your thumb.

A medium sized apple or orange is the size of a tennis ball.

Top 3 measuring tools in your kitchen

1. Digital or Mechanical food scale

2. Measuring Spoons

3. Double sided measuring cup for both liquid and dry ingredients.

You can check out more of the weight loss “weapons” at weapons for weight loss

Overall if you are watching your portion sizes on a regular basis, there is no reason that you can’t enjoy your favourite foods while still losing weight.

What are your thoughts?

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Have you ever just gotten to the point where you are tired of constantly battling your weight? You ask yourself, what is the point and feel like maybe you are just meant to be overweight for the rest of your life.

This is what I call diet burnout and it is a very common problem. I think it stems from a lack of progress with your current plan, combined with many failed attempts to lose weight in the past.

To borrow Dennis Millers line “Now, I don’t want to go off on a rant”, But this is just where the diet and weight loss industry want you to be. You are now a prime target for their latest and greatest new diet plan, pill or program. They prey on your desperation and insecurities. Hoping that you will buy the “solution” to your problem from them.

As someone that is trying to help other people actually lose weight safely and effectively, it is frustrating to see how many people fall prey to these sales tactics. The only way I know how to change this is to help you stop the cycle.

Below I have outlined 7 things that you can do to prevent diet burnout and help you get to where you want to be.

1. Set realistic goals – Setting the bar too high is a sure fire way to fail. A goal of losing 5-10 lbs a week is not realistic, (possible, but not realistic). Rather pick a goal that is difficult to achieve but well within your reach.

2. Judge yourself by your own standards and no one eles’ – You should always strive to be the best that you can be or do the best that you can honestly do. You many not be as thin or fit as your favourite celeb, but who says you have to be?

3. Stop obsessing over the numbers – Weather it’s the numbers on the scale, the fat grams you consume or the number of crunches you can do. At the end of the day numbers are just numbers and that’s all.

4. Habits are everything – Changing your behaviour is a difficult thing to do and it won’t happen over night. But it is key to reaching your goals. You don’t need to be perfect, just aim to have more good habits than bad.

5. Have fun – Losing weight doesn’t have to be a daunting task. There are many activities that delivery a great workout as well as a good time. Tennis, skating, dancing etc… to name a few. Finding something you enjoy doing will make it easier to stick with. You don’t need a gym to get in shape.

6. Praise the positive -Focus on the positive changes you have made or are making. Dwelling on the negative will keep you fat. What is the point of trying to improve yourself if you never get to celebrate your successes (however small they may be).

7. Read My blog – Sorry for the shameless self promotion, but 7 tips are more appealing then 6. Remember I am here to help, so if you have a question. Leave a comment or send me an email

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Before I tell you what I think the number 1 reason for eating fast food while trying to lose weight, I will tell what it isn’t.

It’s not the taste – Burgers, fries, pizza etc… may taste good but you can make healthier versions of your favourite junk foods at home. Most of these taste just as good as or better than the full fat dishes.

It’s not the cost – $5 for a combo is cheap, but you can make a healthy meal for 4 people for under $10 including drinks.

It’s not the health benefits – Fast food has some of the highest levels of fat, salt and sugar around. A single Big Mac sandwich as 29g of fat, 1020 mg of sodium and 9g of sugar. There are of course better options at most major chains, salads, chilli etc… But for the most part you’re not ordering that stuff.

Not to mention the negative after effects from eating most of that stuff. I’m not going to go into details but I think you know what I’m getting at.

The #1 reason

Lack of preparation – This is the number one reason I think most people are eating unhealthy fast food while trying to lose weight. Think about it if you had great tasting healthy food available (already prepared) at your finger tips and you were actively trying to lose weight. Wouldn’t you eat that instead of running out for a pizza?

How do you get prepared?

Here are some tips to help you stop eating out of convenience and sticking with your healthy eating goals:

1. Cut your dinner in half. Eat one half for dinner and take the other for lunch the next day.

2. Get a slow cooker. Some of the easiest meals can be prepared in a slow cooker. Set it in the morning and when you arrive home in the evening your dinner is ready.

3. Cook in large batches, divide in to multiple portions and freeze them.

4. Pack your lunch at night. Simple but very effective. Mornings can be hectic and a healthy lunch is usually at the bottom of the to-do list.

5. Leave your money at home or locked up at your desk/office. You can’t buy junk if you have no money. On a side note: Tell your coworkers not to lend you money for food no matter what?

6. Keep lots of almonds, peanuts, and granola bars etc… close at hand. Snacking between meals can help keep those cravings at bay until your next meal.

7. Water. Yes water. You’ve heard it a million times so just drink it already.

What are your thoughts?

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Don’t get me wrong, being healthy is something that you definitely want to achieve. But as far as a tangible goal that will help you lose weight it’s just awful.

Below are some tips to help you set and achieve realistic weight loss goals.

1. Think big. Pick a goal that gets you excited. Losing 5 lbs isn’t going to cut it.

2. Set weekly and monthly targets, review them daily.

3. Make your goals public. Announce what you want to achieve to people that will hold you accountable. This can be a great source of motivation.

4. Write it down and post it where you can’t miss it. On your fridge, your bathroom mirror or the inside of your front door.

5. Always include exercise in your plans. Weather it’s completing 20 push-ups a night or running 20 miles a week. Always include some kind of exercise in your plans.

I have been guilty of uttering that phrase hundreds of times myself. I didn’t start to move towards being healthy until I stopped talking about it and started taking action.

In my opinion when I hear people say “I want to be healthy” in terms of goal setting what they are really saying is “I don’t know how to be healthy”

Here is more info on setting weight loss goals.

Goal Setting
WebMD
MayoClinic
Steve Pavlina

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1.) Chicken Breast – Chicken Breast is very versatile, you can bake it, fry it, or BBQ it. It can be cut it into strips, or stuffed with your favorite veggies, you can skewer it and grill it or just eat it on a sandwich. With nearly 9 grams of protein per ounce it will help you feel full longer and is a smart choice for building or maintaining muscle.

2.) Chocolate Milk – 1% Chocolate milk is quickly emerging as a great health treat. All the benefits of milk (Calcium, low fat, high protein etc..) with the great taste of chocolate. A word of caution, the calories can add up very quickly. Keep your servings to 1 to 2 cups per day. (150-300 calories)

3.) The Food Scale – This is a great tool for controlling your portion sizes. You don’t need a fancy digital or nutritional scale. A plain old mechanical one will work just fine. You can find them for under $10 online or in-store. I suggest you buy one with a minimum 500 gram max capacity.

4.) Almonds – A great snack between meals or after a hard workout. Almonds are full of protein and heart healthy fat. A handful of Almonds, 1 ounce or 23 whole ones have about 160 calories, 6 grams of Protein, 14 grams of unsaturated fat and 3 grams of fiber. Not to mention all the vitamins and minerals packed into them.

5.) The Internet – There is a wealth of information on the internet that can aid you in your weight loss efforts. With more people becoming healthier everyday and new sites popping up to offer their advice and share their experiences, it has never been easier to get in shape. You can find anything from what to eat to
how and when to exercise. There are also lots of great tips on how to stay motivated through it all.

Here are some of the other great weight loss related resources to help you out:

www.fatmanunleashed.com

mvpsupport

www.Johnisfit.com

www.thedietpulpit.com

www.reneegetsfit.com

www.formerfatguy.com

weightwatchen.com

bloggingawayfat.com

If you have a favorite weightloss site let me know about it. I am always looking for something new to keep me inspired and motivated. Email me or leave a comment.

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It’s midday, lunch is over and done with and there is still an hour or two before dinner. You’re working away at your job, busy with school or with the kids when you start feeling tired and begin to lose focus on what you’re doing. Or maybe you get a headache and the “little things” begin to get on your nerves.

This is what is known as the midday slump and it’s usually caused by a rapid drop in blood sugar. Combine this with a lack of proper rest and you have a recipe for weight gain.

What you do between the hours of 2pm and 4pm can have a dramatic impact on your weight loss efforts. There is a twofold effect that happens:

1.) When the slump hits your first instinct is to eat, eat, eat and your cravings are usually not for some health fruit or vegetables either.

2.) If you’re like me you make poor decisions when you’re hungry and that leads to pizza for dinner or a trip out to your local restaurant.

So how do you stop this from happening?

I usually fight this in 3 ways:

1.) I eat a smaller, more protein dense lunch. This way the drop in blood sugar is not so dramatic.

2.) I bring pre packed snacks so that I am not tempted to grab something really unhealthy. Granola bars, almonds, or 100 calorie snack packs are all good choices as well as at least 1 bottle of water.

3.) I get moving. Take a break from whatever you are doing and walk, stretch, or run. It doesn’t really matter just get your heart rate up and the blood flowing. You’ll be more alert and able to make better decisions.

One last suggestion I can give you is to get your rest at night. 6-8 hours a night at least. Most of us waste way too much time at night watching TV or dare I say on the computer. An extra 30-45 mins of sleep can really make a big difference during your day.

What do you think? What do you do to beat the midday slump?

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I asked myself that question a year ago while I was 35 Lbs over weight. I received a lot of advice from family and friends, mostly negative. They’re too expensive, not worth it, and just another way for the health club to make money was what I heard.

So naturally I signed up for some one on one sessions. I figured everyone that offered me their negative opinion was overweight and out of shape, so of course they would be against hiring a trainer.

Going in I thought I knew enough about weight lifting and cardio that this guy would be impressed. Boy was I wrong. Apparently my technique and form were really bad (that explains the shoulder and lower back injuries); currently up to 70% of people perform at least 1 weight lifting exercise incorrectly.

He also pointed out that I was missing out on all of the benefits from those last few reps that I quit on. I was “lifting for comfort and not for size or strength”. (His words)

What did my trainer do for me?

The 2 most important lessons that I learned from my trainer were:

1.) How to lift weights properly, for safety as well as maximum gains.
2.) How to push myself beyond my normal comfort zone, on my own.

To this day I still follow that advice and have been injury free ever since. As well as dropping the 35lbs

How Much do they cost?

This varies from city to city and gym to gym. I signed up for 10, 1 hour sessions and paid a total of $450. So you really need to check with your local health club. My sessions were without a meal plan. But the generally accepted fees are anywhere from $40 to $100 an hour.

Most health clubs have plans that include your trainer fees, fitness assessments and meal plans.

Conclusion

I do recommend hiring a personal trainer for at least 6 sessions anything less and you won’t really see the benefits. After that you should be knowledgeable enough to go it alone.

Follow these guidelines on how to pick a personal trainer. From Ray Burtons site buildingbodies.ca

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