Monday, October 31, 2011

Twitter Q&A

I was unable to get on to do Friday's weekly Twitter Q&A so since I couldn't, I'm doing it today! Ask me your #diet & #exercise questions!

Q: What's the best lower ab exercise? A: Hanging leg raises but you need some equipment. Replace with leg raises on the floor with high reps

Q: Do I need to take vitamins? A: YES. They help supplement any dietary deficiencies you may have. They also help specific needs as well.

Q: I pulled my hamstring, how long should I wait before exercising again? A: Hamstrings are tricky. Rest it for 2-4 wks. (longer if necessary) & then ease back to exercise but if you feel any exercise that tweaks it, stop doing that exercise immediately.

Q: How can I lose 20 pounds in 1 month? A: No healthy way to do so nor would I recommend it. 2 lbs per wk is healthy & sustainable long-term

Q: Are protein bars good for you? A: As a replacement for a meal its ok but don't have many of them because of the carbs & calories.

Q: How can I slim down my hips & legs? A: Same as any bodypart. Tighten diet, cardio & exercise with hi reps. Keep in mind that your hips & legs might be where your body tends to store its fat so that will make it more stubborn. You'll have to work!

Q: What's the best way to work off belly fat? A: Like my last tip, belly fat is stubborn fat. You have to work hard & be consistent Tighten the diet, restrict carbs. Cardio 30 min 4-5 days a week and exercise. You will not only lose belly fat but overall fat as well.

#Quote of the day: To feel 'fit as a fiddle', you must tone down your middle. - unknown

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: What was the longest amount of time you dieted & worked out?

My #questionoftheday is what was the longest amount of time that you did your diet and/or workout?

Everyone will have different answers to the what was the longest amount of time you have dieted and worked out. Some will say days, most will say weeks. Some may even say months and then there are the few that will say years. For most dieting is just a temporary sacrifice to fit into their clothes or for some special ocassion. Then they slack off and gain weight until the next time they decide to lose weight. At that point it's harder to do because of the slacking off and additional weight gain. The easier way is to eat well year round to avoid weight gain and make dieting easier when you decide to do it. The best way though is to diet year round and get yourself to your ideal weight and then maintain it. When it comes to exercise, people tend to do that less than dieting! It's too hard, it's too much work, I'm too tired, I have no time! EXCUSES! Exercising has so many benefits not only for your health but also for your body & self-confidence. Exercise should be done year round. By exercising more you'll have to diet less. How's that for win-win? Don't be a sometime dieter and exerciser. Change your diet & exercise to year round, you'll be amazed at the difference in your weight, breathing & overall health.

#Quote of the day: A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time pills or stairs. - Joan Welsh

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Do you wish to make changes to your body?

My #questionoftheday is do you wish to make changes to your body?

Everyone has bodyparts that they wish to change. Flatter stomach, toned arms, firm butt, etc. The problem is not in the wishing so much as it is in only wishing and doing nothing else. Wishing has its place because without the wishing you don't have a goal in mind. So definitely use your wishing to define your goal. BUT... once you have your defined goal then it's time to stop wishing and time for action! Don't get caught just wasting time wishing and procrastinating. Make those wishes come true for yourself. You have the power to be your very own fairy godmother or godfather if you will. You have to take the bold step to go from just wishing to action to make your goals come to life. You know what you want, right? So what are you waiting for! Go get it and you can use your new body to make some new wishes come true!

#Quote of the day: You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind. - unknown

Monday, October 24, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: What is your favorite comfort food?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is what is your favorite comfort food?

We all have comfort foods to get us through stress, bad days, break-ups, etc. It's just something that you've made yourself reliant on to be there for you. However, the comfort food is leading to its own problems. It's usually not healthy and is packing on the pounds. That's not good. So, in effect the comfort food is leading to a future form of stress. The comfort food routine is a bad habit! Eliminate the bad habit & moreso, eliminate this bad habit! Remove the comfort food temptation from your cabinets, fridge & desk! Replace it with a healthy lo-calorie alternative instead. Relying on a comfort food is all a mental thing so re-train your brain to rely on something healthy. It will do your health and body good. It will also help you in the long-term by reducing calorie intake. Help your future self and adopt this new good habit. Your future self will thank you.

#Quote of the day: He that can have Patience, can have what he will. - Benjamin Franklin

Friday, October 21, 2011

Twitter Q&A

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

Today is Q&A Friday! So ask me your #diet & #exercise questions!

Q: What is the best breakfast food? A: Oatmeal. It has slow burning carbs & fiber. Low fat. Steel cut oats are even better than regular oats.

Q: Is swimming good for cardio? A: Yes! It's also good for the upper body especially the shoulders. Try intervals with different strsokes!

Q: Do you train people at a gym? A: No, I actually train people in their homes in person and via my online training. No gym required! ;)

Q: I want to gain weight, can you help? A: Yes. The concepts for losing/gaining weight are the same. Just the numbers used are different.

Q: I get bored easily, how do I stay motivated? A: If you are bored then u are not challenging yourself enough. Add variety to your routine.

Q: I'm a 60 year old woman, can I start working out at my age? A: Of course! U will just have to start & take it slower than someone younger.

Q: How do I tone my flappy arms? A: Tighten diet to lose fat. Arms must be worked out with weights and high reps. It's an overall process.

#Quote of the day: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Do you rely on someone else to keep you on track with your diet & exercise?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you rely on someone else to keep you on track with your diet and exercise?

Sometimes relying on yourself is too hard. You've failed time and again to be consistent with your diet & exercise. It's not easy I know! But who says you have to do it alone? There's no rule that says you have to go through your diet & exercise program alone! In fact, having someone to push you and hold you accountable can usually be the breakthrough you need! Face it, we all know enablers and detractors who will not help us reach our goals no matter how much we'd like to count on them. You start dieting & exercising, they tell you that you don't need it or shouldn't be doing that. They take up your time. Tempt you with food. They very well may have good intentions but it is not in line with your goals so you need to move away from those that aren't helping you. If you can do it yourself, excellent! But if you need help to stay motivated & on track, do yourself a favor & find someone who will do that. It could be the best thing you do for yourself. Together with your new support system, you can work as a team towards your goals. Find someone you can trust & above all is reliable. You need someone who will motivate you and keep you on track so look for that. Don't just look for someone to hang out with or pass time with, you are looking for a person with the purpose of helping you. Stay focused. If they know something about dieting/exercise, then even better. In fact that's preferable so they can help you with plateaus & expectations. Together with your training partner, you two can work on mutual goals or goals that one of you has set. Work as a team. Work hard. Now you are relying on someone else so make sure that person has your goals in mind and holds you accountable and pushes you towards them. When you can't do it alone and those around you can't or won't help, then it's time to enlist help. No shame in that. Quite the opposite! At the end of the day, you are trying to better yourself, your self-confidence, your fitness and your health. No shame in that. EVER.

#Quote of the day: Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: What is your favorite form of exercise?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is what is your favorite form of exercise to do? What is your favorite type of exercise to do? Weights? Cardio? Pilates? Spinning? Kickboxing? Yoga? Jogging? Swimming?

So many choices! The best form of exercise to do is... any exercise you choose to do that keeps you motivated to keep coming back for more! What's the worst form of exercise? Inactivity. Doing nothing is exactly that. NOTHING. No results, no progress, instead things get worse. There are so many different forms of exercise that there is NO excuse not to exercise. In all that variety there is something you must like. Some people like the treadmill, some people hate it and think it's boring so do no cardio at all. Wrong! Simple solution-find an alternative. Replace the treadmill with a bicycle, stairclimber, elliptical, aerobics... hey, dancing works too! No excuses not to do cardio! But of course, cardio is only one part of the equation. You also have to do some sort of resistance exercise, lots of variety there too! Barbells, dumbbells, machines, bands, medicine balls, kettlebells, pilates balls, stability balls, your own bodyweight -No equipment needed! What's holding you back from finding that favorite form of exercise? Y-O-U. It's certainly not the lack of variety in exercises & options! I have made workouts for people with various disabilities & limitations, with those who have zero equipment, etc. There are always options. My own favorite forms of exercise are stationary cycling, kickboxing, weights, yoga and P90X. Although I'm not the get bored type & usually stick with a routine for a while but I do mix it up every once in a while to change things up. Find what works for you and find what form of exercise appeals to you best and then go get it! Exercise will work for you in so many ways but you have to DO IT. Exercise can't help you if you don't do it. Nothing can if you opt out.

#Quote of the day: Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness. - Earl of Derby

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: What motivates you to diet & exercise?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is what motivates you to #diet & #exercise?

Having something that motivates you along your diet and exercise journey is important. Whether it's a dress or pants that you want to fit into or even something so simple as being able to go up stairs without breathing hard... You have to have that motivating factor that you can set your sights on to keep you focused along the way. Right now, list your motivating factors & take a good look at them. Isolate the ones that are for you and your health. Give those priority. The motivating factors u do for you are the ones that will keep u going. You may want to do it for family, kids, etc. but do it for you 1st. Give yourself no reasons to fail. If your motivation to diet & exercise is for someone else then you may resent it. You have to do it for u. If you fail then you have no one to blame but yourself! Are you going to let yourself down? I sure hope not. Remove the motivating factors that are for the wrong reasons and replace them with the ones that will give you the most benefits. Then go out there and WORK!! Give it your best effort. Continuously evaluate and adjust your motivating factors as you progress. That is the only way to keep progressing with your goals. Find those things that motivate u and when they no longer motivate u, replace it! Find your motivators and then MOTIVATE and GET TO WORK!! If u find that you can't motivate yourself then do yourself a favor & find someone who can! There are no excuses other than the ones u make.

#Quote of the day: The most important thing about motivation is goal setting. You should always have a goal. - Francie Larrieu Smith

Monday, October 17, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Do you set fitness goals?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you set fitness goals or just make it up as you go along?

Too many people take a haphazard approach to their health and fitness and then wonder why they see no results or progress. You have to have direction to know where you want to go and to know if you got there! Having a diet & exercise journal can help you. In your diet journal, you can write what you ate for the day and keep track of the calories to see if you're on/off track. In an exercise journal, you can write your workout for the day and the amounts used (sets, reps, etc.) along with any other pertinent data. You can also make note of your mood, energy levels, motivation level and time for the workout. I know it sounds like a lot of work but you have to take a focused approach to your fitness for results & progress. With a journal you can see on paper where you went right or wrong. It also helps as a map of what works should you come back to it at a later time. Don't take a haphazard approach to your health & fitness! If it hasn't worked all that well in the past, then it's time for a new approach! Your helath is too important to leave it to chance. Get focused. Get to work! Learn what you can. Plan out your diet & exercise and set goals. Set monthly & weekly goals, even daily goals if you need to! Make your goals realistic though! Set small attainable goals at first and make sure they are all in sync with your overall goal. With a focus on your goals, you will find your way there if you stay the course. Be consistent! Stay focused. You can do it.

#Quote of the day: Commit to be fit. - unknown

Friday, October 14, 2011

Twitter Q&A

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

Today is Q&A Friday!! {cue the applause} so ask me your #diet & #exercise questions!

Q: Do I need weights to workout? A: No. Weights help but there are other forms of resistance u can use-bands, yoga/pilates balls, your body.

Q: What's the best cardio I can do? A: Any cardio is good cardio. Find what best fits you & wll keep you coming back then do it consistently.

Q: Best way to overcome plateau? A: Be consistent & push harder to force your body past its current comfort level. Up the intensity.

Q: How do you train someone online? A: Innovative online training system lets me train you & get your feedback to keep progress coming.

Q: What do you train with? A: I train with different methods at different times with P90X, weights, cardio & martial arts.

Q: How do I stay motivated? A: You have to stay focused on your goals and you have to WANT it. Keep your eye on the prize. Tunnel vision!

Q: I lost 10 pounds and gained most of it back. What did I do wrong? A: You did the actions but didn't adopt them as habits, so reverted.

Q: What is your top tip? A: Be consistent! You have to show up & work! Even if u think u aren't making progress, you are... on the inside.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: How many pounds have you lost & kept off?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is how many pounds have you lost when you've decided to diet & exercise AND how much of it have you kept off?

I'm sure many of you have dieted & exercised in the past with varying results. Some of you have lost, some of you haven't. Some of you have tried more than once to diet & exercise, again with varying results. Some of you have lost a lot, some have barely lost a pound no matter how hard they tried. What has gone wrong with these attempts? Some have had success but gained it all back and more later. Some had no success and gave up, only to gain more weight. What is wrong with all these all too familiar and far too common scenarios? The desire is there and so is the ambition but to go into a diet/exercise program without knowing what to do & how to do it right isn't good. Also having unrealistic expectations and not knowing what expectations are realistic is already working against you. You have to go into a diet/exercise program with clearly defined goals and realistic expectations if you want results that stick long-term. I want to lose 25 pounds isn't a clearly defined goal. I want to lose 25 pounds within the next 3 months & be more toned with good cardio is. The best way to have steady progress with your diet & exercise is to know what is realistic and achievable in the short-term. This will keep you from frustration that will derail you from staying motivated. At the same time, what you learn will help you long-term. Just because you failed at diet & exercise once or more doesn't mean you shouldn't try anymore. NO! Take what you learned & apply it again! Throw away what didn't work but DO apply what did work. Everyone's body reacts differently to diet & exercise. It's not one size fits all. What you learn from your failures is what you can apply with your next attempt. Learn all you can about diet, exercise & your body. DO NOT QUIT EVER. Keep at it. Make realistic expectations and goals and then work your butt off to make it happen. You CAN do it.

#Quote of the day: Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you. - Aldous Huxley

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Do you complain but still do nothing to help yourself?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you complain yet do nothing to help yourself or change what you're complaining about?

Time to flip the script! Too many people nowadays spend more time and energy complaining than taking action to fix or change what they're complaining about. DOH! Complaining gets you nothing. Action gets you everything. Can the right choice be any clearer? Why waste time & energy complaining about things you DO have control over and CAN change? Make good use of that time & energy! Yes, the road may be hard & also be hard to get past your own negative attitudes about things BUT it will only get harder the longer u wait. When it comes to negative attitudes and bad behaviors, time is not your friend. It will only get you more set in your ways. Take action NOW! Complaining and bad attitudes towards dieting & exercising are only matters of perception. Change your perception & you'll see a change! Complaining is only a waste of valuable time. Time that is ticking on not only your habits being more set but also in your body & health. Leaving things for tomorrow will not help you today. It will only make you make you more negative and set in your ways. Take action today. Any positive change you make is a step forward from finding yourself stuck on the treadmill that negative habits & thinking have become. It doesn't have to be a major shift but you do consciously have to make the choice to do something positive for you. Not just lip service. Good intentions without action will yield zero results. U have to make the effort. U have to take that first step that will lead to another. Stop being a complainer. Do u really want to be one of those? I'm sure u don't. So get off your butt, get out of your own way & take action!

#Quote of the day: In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired. - unknown

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Get out of your own way & stay focused

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is what do you do to get out of your own way and keep yourself focused on your goals?

In my question of the day I ask what do you do to get out of your own way? That's because too many people get in their own way! That little voice in your head that says take today off from exercising because you're tired is you getting in your own way. That little voice in your head that says I'll start dieting & exercising tomorrow is you getting in your own way. That little voice in your head that says you don't have any time to exercise is you getting in your own way. That little voice in your head that says what's the point in exercising because you'll always be fat is you getting in your own way. That little voice in your head that says nobody is there to help me with my exercising & dieting is you getting in your own way. That little voice in your head that says you can't get motivated to diet & exercise is you getting in your own way. You keep getting in your own way with EXCUSES. When are u going to tell that little voice to shut up so you can progress towards your goals? At some point you are going to have to be stronger than the little voice that is in control of your life. Why not today? Take control! You can't keep getting in your way and keep complaining about your weight too! YOU have the power to do something positive about it. Don't let the negative little voice in your head shout over the positive things you want to do and achieve for yourself. Learn to silence that inner negative voice that fuels your doubts & insecurities, that saps you of your motivation & inspiration. Find or create a new inner voice that is strong, focused, motivated and inspired to help you reach your goals. You have it within you to be the person you aspire to be and reach the goals you desire for yourself. You CAN do it. You CAN achieve it.

#Quote of the day: Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome. - Samuel Johnson

Monday, October 10, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Holidays, weekends & exercising

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is are you on holiday or using the holiday or weekend or other excuse to take off from your diet & exercise program?

With the holiday season coming upon us, now is the time to buckle down on your diet & exercise program! If you allow yourself to continue to slack off & not establish good new habits then you know what's going to happen come the holidays right? You're going to eat all that good holiday cooking, gain weight, feel guilty & miserable at the weight gain & make a new year's resolution. Then you know what happens after that New Year's resolution right? You make a committment that you keep for about 2 weeks before the cycle begins all over again and another year of fat & excuses rolls on. NOW is the time to make that committment to yourself. BEFORE the holiday season starts & all your ready made excuses start. NOW is the time to learn what foods are good for you to eat so you can eat well during the holidays and not gain weight. NOW is the time to learn discipline yourself into also exercising consistently so that if you do eat more holiday food, you can work it off. You have to start sometime and the truth is that there will always be some ready made EXCUSE for you not to begin. Stop the excuses! Time is ticking. The time is right to discipline yourself before the holidays. There's enough time to build good habits before then. Don't wait until the holidays are upon you to try to start because you know that hasn't worked out for you before. You CAN make it through the holidays without weight gain and you CAN even make progress with your weight loss & fitness goals.

#Quote of the day: Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. - unknown

Friday, October 7, 2011

Twitter Q&A

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness


Today is Q&A Friday! That means you get to ask me your #diet & #exercise questions for the next 20 minutes or so! Go! ;)

Q: What is your #1 motivation tip? A: You have to decide that YOU want it & want to change. If you want it you will be & stay motivated!

Q: How can I eat better at work? Everything around here is fast food. A: That's easy! Prepare your food at home & bring it with you to work!

Q: How long have you been training people? A: Informally for over 20 years! Formally for about the past 5 years.

Q: Can I train at home as well as I would at a gym? A: The gym has more equipment but you can train very well at home with little equipment.

Q: How can I lose my stomach fat? A: Belly fat is stubborn fat. It will take effort & patience. Do cardio to burn calories. Restrict carbs.

#Quote of the day: If you only have one smile in you, give it to the people you love. - Maya Angelou

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Do you shy away from exercise because of the soreness?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you shy away from exercise because of the killer soreness you get from it?

A lot of people shy away from working out because of the pain. They feel they can't take the soreness but they don't understand what it means. The soreness comes from muscles that are being pushed. Muscles that haven't been pushed in a while or pushed beyond the normal. The burn that comes during the workout is a result of lactic acid buildup. That is different from the soreness felt the next day(s) later. The workout burn goes away within seconds after stopping an exercise. Given enough time between sets you can use it to your benefit. But that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about the soreness you feel the next day the minute you try to get out of bed. Here's what that soreness should tell you- you had a good workout!! You pushed yourself. You gave your muscles a wakeup call. As long as it's just exercise soreness that you're feeling then you should look at it as positive feedback from your body on your workout. Do you take a day off because you're sore? NO! Work through it. With a proper warmup, the soreness will go away as blood rushes into muscles. The way to get your body past the soreness phase is by powering through. Soreness can last from a day to a few days but it does go away. Do you know what you have after the soreness goes away? Besides relief, you will have stronger muscles. You have to keep at it. Your muscles rebuild and build more / tone up as you rest so the soreness tells you to rest the muscle. This is why sleep & recuperation is so important. Your body tears itself down while exercising and builds itself back up during rest. Don't shy away from the soreness. Don't shy away from the effort. Your health is at stake. Power through and just get it done. Make soreness a friend and use it to learn about your muscles and how your body reacts to exercise. No soreness? You're taking it too easy! Go get it! Challenge yourself! Push yourself and embrace the soreness as a sign of a job well done. Make sure you're smart about it. You want to push yourself but not to the point of injuring yourself. If you are sore for more than 2-3 days, then u pushed too much in your last workout for that sore bodypart. Pull back in your next workout. You can learn a lot about your body and exercise through how sore you are. Your body will let you know. ;)

#Exercise tip: Warmup & stretch before your workout. Warmup first with light cardio, then stretch the bodyparts you will be working on.

#Quote of the day: The pride you gain is worth the pain. - Dennis Ogilvie

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Too old or too young to workout?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you have or know kids or seniors who are overweight? Do you or they think they are too young or old to workout?

You are never too young or old to exercise. There are exceptions to this rule, mainly due to health issues, but exercise if possible helps. Pre-teens and younger should shy away from using weighted exercises but absolutely should exercise. There are too many obese children! Parents need to take their children's health and present & future self-image under their control. They cannot just leave it to chance. Worse yet, parents cannot leave it up to their children to figure out how to lose weight or eat less. Kids don't know better. They need help. Obesity among children is escalating to scary numbers. Parents need to take action and get their kids the help they deserve. Senior citizens are also another group of society that don't exercise enough. A lot of seniors do and take action for their health. Some of my best clients have been seniors who were determined to get back some of their mobility and health. One of my best success stories was with a 70+ year old man who was over 200 pounds and suffered from COPD when we started. He worked hard, stuck to the diet guidelines I gave him and within 4 months had lost 30 lbs. and had arms that would put a teen to shame! The weight loss and exercise helped his COPD, his weight, his knees and overall energy. Seniors can benefit just as much as anyone else. If you have a senior family member or parent that is overweight, get them to exercise so that they'll be around longer. Help them. An issue with seniors is that they are set in their ways so getting them to take that step will require effort but they know they need it. They make kick and scream like kids but they know they need it. It's just the years of bad habits talking. Find a way to get them to listen. With kids, it also takes effort to get an obese child to exercise but you have to find a way to make it fun & different. I've trained all ages and know that all ages can make huge differences in their bodies and self-image with #exercise. Be the role model to get the kids and seniors in your life exercising! If you do it, maybe you can include them and you can all benefit. :)

#Diet tip: Replace your dinner plates with smaller plates. The smaller plates will appear fuller and trick your brain that you ate more.

#Quote of the day: No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change. - Bill Phillips

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Have you considered "quick fix" surgery?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is have you ever considered liposuction, lapband, gastric bypass surgery or some other "quick fix" surgery?

A lot of people look for "quick fixes" like diet pills and even surgery to lose weight and get rid of fat. There is some value to this for select people, especially the morbidly obese BUT there is a BIG flaw to these surgeries or diet pills. The BIG flaw to diet pills and surgeries is that it is not changing your past behaviors that got you there nor is it making you healthier. Sure you may think and even feel healthier with the weight loss BUT it is exercise that makes your heart stronger. Too many people go for the quick fixes & don't change their behaviors so what happens? They slowly gain weight back! Now what?! Then they get depressed and frustrated that nothing works when in actuality what didn't work was their behavior! You have to change! To change the outside, you have to change the inside! You have to change your mindset & behavior! A quick fix isn't taking action! It took months, years to get all that fat stored. Your body is not going to just give it up, even if you get surgery. You have to exercise! The body will always fight to keep or get back to the mean weight it has learned & adjusted to be at so you have to fight back to lose it! Save your money in looking for quick fixes and instead invest your time, sweat and money in doing the right thing for your health & body. You can be your own quick fix, it's all within you BUT you are going to have to work and change your eating & exercise behaviors. Don't look for the easy way out, you'll just find that you will waste time & end up being frustrated. Instead rise up to the challenge!

#Quote of the day: Living a healthy lifestyle will only deprive you of poor health, lethargy, and fat. - Jill Johnson

Monday, October 3, 2011

Twitter topic of the day: Do you need equipment or a gym to workout?

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you not workout because you don't have any workout equipment or a gym membership?

A lot of people don't workout because they use not having any equipment as an excuse to not workout but you don't need equipment to workout! A lot of people also use that they don't have a gym membership as an excuse but that's just an excuse as well. Too many people have gym memberships that are wasting away because getting the membership was their only effort in going to the gym. Money is too tight nowadays to have a gym membership going to waste. Yes, its good to have but not if you're not going to use it! The truth is that you can get a great workout at home with NO equipment. You just have to get creative and of course be ready to bring it! When it comes to a bodyweight exercise, you have to increase the reps to get the most out of the exercise. A bodyweight exercise is you using your bodyweight for resistance instead of weights. The exercises are functional and the variety is wide. With no equipment you can get a great cardio workout such as jogging, jumping jacks, dancing, martial arts, etc. Bodyweight exercises like pushups, chinups, pullups, squats, core exercises, yoga, pilates, etc. can give you great results. Knowing how to put together a bodyweight exercise program will go a long way to giving you better results but my point is it can be done. My other point is that there are very few excuses to not workout! No weights? No problem! Making excuses... that's a problem! Get creative, get moving, get motivated, get inspired..your future body and health is waiting for you! Will you go out to meet it? I hope so.

#Diet tip: Are you constantly eating snacks all day long? Reduce that to one snack per day. Make it your reward for eating well.

#Exercise tip: When doing bodyweight exercises, shoot for max reps. Don't limit yourself to a set number, wear the muscle out.

#Quote of the day: A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. - Colin Powell