All posts in Health

San Jose Personal Trainer says “Stop Creating Obstacles!”

Editors Note:  To find out more about F.A.T and their life transforming programs check out: www.fastactiontraining.com

What’s happenin’ everybody?!  Are you ready to get your head back in the game and finish off your summer months strong?  It’s crazy how summer and vacations and BBQ’s can completely throw people off of their routines and all of their fitness and fat loss progress comes to a crashing halt or even starts to regress!

This blog post and Monday Motivator is here to help attack that issue and make all of you “Solution Finders” instead of basking in and complaining about the “Problems.”  So read up and then comment below on what one or two of YOUR solutions are with some issues you’re having currently.  Chances are that when everyone shares some insight, there is going to be a lot of solutions available that you can try and implement into your life!

Ok so without further ado, here’s a great quote by Mr. Henry Ford that made me think about all of this.  Henry said this:

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.”

You simply cannot give yourself the opportunity to take your eye off the prize.  When you do this, you allow (yes allow) all of the excuses, procrastinations and who knows what else to come into the picture and detract you from achieving what you can and should achieve.

I know it can be tough, but as a longtime personal trainer in San Jose I’ve realized that, in order to achieve your goals, you need to be a Solution Finder.

Some examples:

Problem: You try desperately to get into bootcamp consistently and it isn’t working.

Solution: How well are you planning out your week?  Are you looking at your schedule on Sat. or Sun and actually “blocking” time out for your workouts?  This is essential….as is communication with your loved ones if you need to coordinate the kids’ schedules.  This also must be done, week in and week out to be effective in the long haul.  Summer doesn’t mean you get to stop doing this even if things get a bit crazier.

Problem: You’re trying to get to your local gym to rock some more cardio but it’s not happening.

Solution: Be spontaneous.  Sure, access to a treadmill or bike or elliptical is nice but your body is your own vehicle so use it!  Go walking, hiking or running and don’t give yourself a chance to think twice, just do it!  Even if it means 3, 10 minute walks…at the end of the day that is still 30 minutes of exercise that you would not have done otherwise.

Problem: You’re eating too much and too many bad things.

Solution: Toss out the bad stuff that is still in the pantry, enlist the help of family and friends to cook healthier meals, eat out less often, etc.  And don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach!

That’s enough for now, but my point is that each day you are encountered with several obstacles and problems that can lead you away from your fitness goal.

The question is: can you focus on the solution?

I know you can and if you do, get ready to reap substantial reward!  So share your SOLUTIONS below and let’s all be successful together!

Have a terrific start to your week!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer and the F.A.T. Team

4 Tips to Stay Fit on the Go!

Editors Note:  To find out more about F.A.T and their life transforming programs check out: www.fastactiontraining.com

Hey there fitness fanatics!  Hope you are having a kickass day and wreaking havoc on those fitness goals.  The last few weeks have been absolutely crazy for me with work and personal items and things to attend to.  On the work end we’ve just launched a sweet, new feedback tool to ensure we are staying on top of our game in delivering the best possible fitness experience possible for all of you…so be honest and make sure you don’t delete the email. :-)   On the personal side, the wedding plans continue, bachelor parties ensue and more weddings for more friends….crazy.  However, this is a topic that comes up very frequently at Fast Action Training because many people go on short trips, vacations, business trips, weddings, etc.

Is that an excuse to not workout and not stay on track with the achievement (and ultimately maintenance) of your fitness goals?  Negative ghostrider, the pattern is full.  While it can be tough to keep up with your fitness goals while away for travel or vacation, giving up is not an option.  So without further ado, here’s a short clip from fellow San Jose bootcamp instructor Kevin Rawson on 4 quick tips to stay fit on the go!  Then check below for my final thoughts and some extra tips to boot. Enjoy and be sure to LEAVE a comment below!

Ahhh, selfless promoting, I love it. :-)   Oh and for those of you that don’t know, Mr. Rawson and his lovely wife Amy are having their 1st born in late August so be sure to wish him congrats! (and if you have been wanting to get a little something for the baby, I put up the registry info on our FB Fan Page! :-)   On a serious note though, our DVD is no joke and is a perfect butt kicking that might be needed on some of those short trips.  To echo what Kevin discussed, the previous 3 are extremely important and you need to do a little planning to make sure they happen.  A quick recap:

1) A little research: Into what hotel you are staying at to ensure there is a gym or one nearby is huge.  This type of planning will help you stay on point with your workouts and not really give you an excuse to miss when the gym is right downstairs.  Don’t go crazy, just make time for 30-45 minutes of some good high intensity or even a weights/cardio combo like we do at bootcamp.

2) Getting that kitchenette is also crucial.  I recall a business trip I took to Minnesota awhile back and I was actually able to cook some food, make some sandwiches and I already had some bars with me.  Needless to say, I saved a lot of money and kept my waistline in check.  You can do the same and can at least plan with some fruits/bars/trail mix.

3) Bodyweight exercises: Are awesome and the best part is that you can use your hotel room so your commute is literally the 5 seconds it takes to get out of bed.  I recommend setting 3 different alarms so you actually get your butt physically out of bed to start that morning workout. Yep, I’m talking to you!

A couple others…

4) Find a buddy to workout with: If you’re on a trip with a spouse or business partner, team up for more accountability.

5) Plan your meals: If you cannot cook or bring foods of your own then plan your calories accordingly.  Be smart and make good choices….especially if you will be going out at night for dinner, drinks, etc.

The moral of the story is that it really isn’t as hard as you think to keep things in check when you plan, prepare and implement by taking action! Will you need to develop a good sense of awareness of foods, portions, calories, and planning your exercise? Absolutely, but it shouldn’t give you a complex.  Rather, it should make you feel empowered that you have complete control over your health, fitness and physique.

Keep control over the summer and keep rockin!

Till next time!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer

Margaritas And Your Midsection

Editors Note:  To find out more about F.A.T and their life transforming programs check out: www.fastactiontraining.com

Summertime….ahh, lounging by the beach or the pool, soakin up some rays and maybe doing so with that nice cold beer, margarita or drink of your choice.  Maybe this guy to the left is the life of the party and dropping off drinks for everyone.  You’re relaxed and feeling good.  Ok, stop drooling and get rid of that image.  Replace it instead with one where each drink you have creates a nice little bodyfat addition to your stomach, or your thighs, or buns, or your arms.  Hmm, all of a sudden that drink doesn’t sound too appeasing does it??

Having an occasional drink is not a problem as long as it doesn’t interfere with your lifestyle or your fitness goals.  In fact, numerous studies have always toted the positive effects of a glass of red wine on heart health.  Namely the antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart and increase the levels of your “good” cholesterol.  However, you’ve got to remember that alcohol is still packed with calories (7 calories per gram rather than the carbohyrdrate norm of 4), empty calories devoid of anything nutritious for your body, and can be a hidden killer to achieving that tight and toned physique you’re looking for.

Normally, your body breaks down carbohydrates and fats first for energy and occasionally will use protein as well (though not a good source).  However, when Mr. Alcohol comes along, it actually cuts in line and gets broken down first.  Alcohol molecules can penetrate the stomach wall within seconds of arriving and reach the brain and liver in no time.   Finally it arrives to the liver to have the glucose molecules processed.  As a toxin, your liver works overtime and devotes all energy to metabolizing the alcohol.  This creates a notable insulin spike in your body and leads to not only these molecules but other Fat and Carb molecules being whisked away and stored as body fat.  Yummy.

Alcohol can make you moody and affect your emotions in startling ways….usually none of them good. :-)  In fact, although alcohol starts off as a mild stimulant in your body due to decreased inhibitions, feeling of euphoria, etc. it will soon give way to a depressive state.  This is all bad for your fitness goals.  Do you really think that after a couple drinks you will have any desire to exercise that day?  Or even the next day for that matter if you don’t feel well?

Add to that the decreased inhibitions towards food, occasional increase in appetite and you’re making quite a deadly cocktail (no pun intended.)   Ever wake up the next day after a cocktail party and realize that you ate the entire appetizer platter? (no? me neither I swear.)  Not only will you normally overeat when you have a drink but you will also choose the worst foods.   This eventually leads to you starting to pinch your belly and talking to it like a person (like our gentlemen to the right).

Alcohol is also a diuretic just like caffeine and that precious coffee you drink every morning.  This means you lose water more frequently from your body which means a loss of good vitamins, minerals and nutrients which can cause dehydration, muscle spasms, cramps and most definitely nausea and dizziness during a workout as well.

Contrary to popular belief, liquor is not better for you nor does it carry zero calories.  Liquor carries on average around 100 calories per shot.   Plus, as it is usually mixed with other drinks it contains even more calories (e.g. juice, soft drinks, etc.)  If you want to kill at least some of the calories go for a diet or club soda.

Take a good look at the chart below and keep an eye on those cals the next time you have a drink.  Pay special attention to the QUANTITY! :-)

 

Get fired up!

It’s time to get rockin for the week, get fired up and attack your fitness and
fat loss goals….you ready?

It seems that many of us fall into our daily and weekly habits and are not
truly present or aware about truly preparing for each week, mentally, physically
and spiritually.  Yet this is one of the most important things you can do for
yourself and should be done without fail.

This primes you and helps ignite those motivational fires because you realize
that you are in control.

And speaking of motivational stories, you should have been at our Pushups for
Charity event this last Saturday.  It was un-freaking-believable.  From our kickass
DJ rockin some great tunes, to our pumped up pushup participants, our Fast
Action Training Team firing everyone up and the support of the entire crowd….it was
simply amazing.

The support, feeling of community and overall atmosphere touched every person
that was there.  And it is this type of motivation that you need to have present in your
life.  Whether it is coming to our bootcamps, staying engaged in our blog posts or
Facebook fan page, going to WW meetings, or anything else to stay involved, it must
be present if you want to be successful.

The more the better.  So get on top of your game, plan your week out and let’s do this.

By the way, more to come this week with pics and videos of our awesome Pushups for
Charity event.  We have smoked past our 10k goal and we’re still going!  Donations are
still good so if you couldn’t make it but want to still show some support for your troops,
you can.  Click here to donate.

Have an awesome start to your week Mani and remember that you deserve it.

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer and the F.A.T. Team

P.S. Special thanks to all of our Pushup participants, DJ Jeff, our awesome bootcamp team
(Kevin, Nadia, Keith, Diana and Kayla), Team AVAC and all of our kick butt supporters that
cheered us on.  You all rock and we couldn’t have pulled of such a great event without all
of you.