When attempting to shed unwanted fat from your body and firm up those flabby areas that you've been trying to hide, have you fallen into the 'All Or None' approach?
If you have you certainly are not alone. That moment when you finally decide that you are going to take charge of your life and put an end to emotional binge eating and the sedentary lifestyle that you've fallen into, is a moment of excitement and an intense desire on the end result.
This desire really builds up and the thought of achieving your goal makes you want it right now at this moment. The problem is you end up trying to do too much. Eat completely perfect, do cardio every day, and lift weights 5 times a week.
One of the problems is that you are striving for perfection in many areas and this can be quite overwhelming to most individuals and most likely to yourself as well.
I have been corresponding with a fellow member of The Fit Chic and The Fit Bastard community on this very topic over the past few days and it made me realise what kind of impact this issue can have on people.
In many cases either beginners or individuals that have taken a few months hiatus from fitness, will fall into this trap of overtraining at the start and there is a great risk for injury. But more often than an injury occuring is the likelyhood that you will just not be able to keep up with the demands of this kind of schedule and you end up quitting all together.
Changing your eating habits alone is a very difficult task for many people and you may be struggling with this yourself at this very moment. For others, sticking to a regular cardio program is a huge undertaking especially if you don't enjoy it. And then there are the individuals that are just unsure about what weight training routines work best or they are afraid to get too big and bulky so they never stick to a regular resistance training program. And of course we can't forget the most important area which is the mindset?
For the quickest and best results and to achieve the body that you have been dreaming of it is absolutely essential that you are following a good program for all 3 of the above areas.
But is it absolutely necessary for someone that is just getting back into fitness to focus on all 3 areas?
For some people it is absolutely possible to begin with a strong focus on all areas and be able to stick with the program for the long haul. But for many people this is just too overwhelming. So if you are totally focused on getting into great shape and keeping it for life, should you not take all the right steps to ensure that your results will continue to improve every day forward?
The answer is absolutely yes! If you feel concerned at all that you are not mentally prepared to handle the load of eating a proper diet, doing the right amount of cardio, and following an effective resistance training program, then you need to look at the big picture and what is best for you.
The best answer for your current situation may be to begin by choosing just one of those areas and mastering it to a point where it has become habit and doesn't seem like work, then move onto the next. You will then master that area and have two areas that have become habit and then work on the final area to build the well oiled machine that you deserve to be.
This will take longer to achieve your desired goal, but if it is going to have you taking a step each day in a positive direction and will reduce the chance of setbacks or abandonment of your goal, then this is the path you should choose and choose it with confidence because you have come to a better understanding of yourself, what you are capable of, and what it takes to reach it.
Now another isue when it comes to perfection and it being a problem is the pain staking ordeal of counting calories. Is it really necessary?
If you are going to compete in a bodybuilding contest the answer is absolutely yes. If you are the average person that is trying to lose body fat it is not 100% necessary, but it will produce much more accurate measurements and results.
For myself, I have not counted calories in quite a while. The reason is my diet and meals are the same on a weekly basis. After only a few short weeks of calorie counting I had a very good idea of how many calories were in the portions of the food that I was choosing.
If you are not counting calories right down to the gram, you should at least have a rough idea of your ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. And most importantly you should measure your progress on a weekly basis.
If you find that you did not lose any bodyfat this week, then you know you must reduce your calories slightly until you find the results that you are looking for. Or the other alternative is to increase your activity a bit.
Again, if you know that you are the type of person that after a week of calorie counting you are going to go completely nuts and then quit altogether, than you know this approach will probably not work for you. But you should have a good idea of what your portion sizes look like and stick to those sizes if they are helping produce good results for you.
If you think that you can put up with it for a few weeks it should be enough for you to have a very good idea of the calories that you are taking in if you are eating a consistent meal plan.
In the end it boils down to how well you know yourself. That is the great thing about the journey to fitness success. You really become in tune with your body. You really can learn something new about your body pretty much on a daily basis. Go with what is going to get you the long term results that you desire, not just the short term.
If you can cover all areas with the proper attention that is needed and it is something that you can keep up for life than you should absolutely go for it. This journey is all about YOU. Do what is best for you and not for anyone else. You know yourself best and you know what you want in the end and that's to be healthy for the rest of your life and to not fall off the wagon ever again.
No matter how many steps it takes for you to achieve your goal, as long as they are all in the forward direction you are on the right track. I will be taking those steps right beside you every step of the way. If there is anything that I can do to help you along the way please do not hesitate to ask.
To your fitness success,
Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFC
The Fit Bastard
The Fit Chic
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
....Why not you?
I hope that your journey to a lean, firm, and tight physique is going well. You do realize that you are capable of achieving fitness success, don't you?
During the past month I have been thinking of a question that Kyle Battis asked me during a teleseminar back in August. The question was "What can our listeners do in order to 'believe' that they can have a fit body?"
My first thought was that you simply just allow yourself to believe that it is possible. Believing for the most part comes from within and you have to give yourself permission to set aside your thoughts of self doubt, and resistance to the posibilities of attaining a desirable physique.
You have to have an open mind and block out all outside influences that have been holding you back. Ignore anyone that tells you that your dreams are unrealistic and listen to your heart and go after your goals with the passion that they deserve.
It's easy to doubt ourselves when we have tried so many times before without success, but what makes you think that the outcome this time will be the same? Thomas Edison attempted to invent the light bulb 2,000 times before he actually succeeded. If he would have given up after 1,999 times and thought to himself "I've tried everything already, there is no way I will ever invent the lightbulb," who knows the impact that would have had on society as well as on his self esteme.
Believing that you can actually have a body that you would be proud to show off may seem like a difficult task, but really it isn't. What makes you think that you are so different from every other person out there that has achieved fitness success?
This is a key factor in allowing yourself to believe in the potential that you have. Do you have a thyroid problem, are you obese, are you over 40 years old, do you have joint problems, do you have a busy work and family life, are you constantly fatigued, do you have poor genetics, and on, and on, and on????
The reason that I ask is because there are many people out there that certainly have it much harder than you do and they have overcome all of those obstacles to reach their goals.
If they can do it, why can't you???
This is where the power of role modeling comes in. Try to find someone that has gone through similar struggles as you have and has achieved fitness success. They are out there, you just have to look and ask.
I belong to an incredible online fitness community and I am totally amazed at the obstacles that many of these people have broken through and the amazing accomplishments they have achieved.
We all have it in us to do the same thing. They are no different from you and I. What they did, was allowed themselves to believe that they could achieve greatness and they went after it with extreme passion because they new in their hearts that nothing was going to stop them.
Believing in yourself empowers you. You give yourself the right to go after your dreams without allowing anything to hold you back. When you believe in yourself you view setbacks and obstacles as a mere challenge that will make you stronger and you realize that it is just a part of the process. You know that you will reach that finish line because you have what it takes.
Believing in yourself is fun. It brings back that child like excitement and can even give you goosebumbs when you think of how great it will feel when you have sculpted your dream physique.
When you are in the moment of believing that you will accomplish your goals, you should really absorb all the emotions, thoughts, and feelings that go along with it. You can use this as a driving force at times of temptation.
I 100% truly believe that you can and will be living in your dream body. I can't say this enough. I know that you have what it takes. You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't. I've got to tell you that it excites me to think of how great you are going to look and feel once you reach your goal.
What's holding you back from living in your dream body? Absolutely nothing! Now go out and get your dream body now!!!!
To your fitness success,
Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFC
The Fit Chic
The Fit Bastard
During the past month I have been thinking of a question that Kyle Battis asked me during a teleseminar back in August. The question was "What can our listeners do in order to 'believe' that they can have a fit body?"
My first thought was that you simply just allow yourself to believe that it is possible. Believing for the most part comes from within and you have to give yourself permission to set aside your thoughts of self doubt, and resistance to the posibilities of attaining a desirable physique.
You have to have an open mind and block out all outside influences that have been holding you back. Ignore anyone that tells you that your dreams are unrealistic and listen to your heart and go after your goals with the passion that they deserve.
It's easy to doubt ourselves when we have tried so many times before without success, but what makes you think that the outcome this time will be the same? Thomas Edison attempted to invent the light bulb 2,000 times before he actually succeeded. If he would have given up after 1,999 times and thought to himself "I've tried everything already, there is no way I will ever invent the lightbulb," who knows the impact that would have had on society as well as on his self esteme.
Believing that you can actually have a body that you would be proud to show off may seem like a difficult task, but really it isn't. What makes you think that you are so different from every other person out there that has achieved fitness success?
This is a key factor in allowing yourself to believe in the potential that you have. Do you have a thyroid problem, are you obese, are you over 40 years old, do you have joint problems, do you have a busy work and family life, are you constantly fatigued, do you have poor genetics, and on, and on, and on????
The reason that I ask is because there are many people out there that certainly have it much harder than you do and they have overcome all of those obstacles to reach their goals.
If they can do it, why can't you???
This is where the power of role modeling comes in. Try to find someone that has gone through similar struggles as you have and has achieved fitness success. They are out there, you just have to look and ask.
I belong to an incredible online fitness community and I am totally amazed at the obstacles that many of these people have broken through and the amazing accomplishments they have achieved.
We all have it in us to do the same thing. They are no different from you and I. What they did, was allowed themselves to believe that they could achieve greatness and they went after it with extreme passion because they new in their hearts that nothing was going to stop them.
Believing in yourself empowers you. You give yourself the right to go after your dreams without allowing anything to hold you back. When you believe in yourself you view setbacks and obstacles as a mere challenge that will make you stronger and you realize that it is just a part of the process. You know that you will reach that finish line because you have what it takes.
Believing in yourself is fun. It brings back that child like excitement and can even give you goosebumbs when you think of how great it will feel when you have sculpted your dream physique.
When you are in the moment of believing that you will accomplish your goals, you should really absorb all the emotions, thoughts, and feelings that go along with it. You can use this as a driving force at times of temptation.
I 100% truly believe that you can and will be living in your dream body. I can't say this enough. I know that you have what it takes. You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't. I've got to tell you that it excites me to think of how great you are going to look and feel once you reach your goal.
What's holding you back from living in your dream body? Absolutely nothing! Now go out and get your dream body now!!!!
To your fitness success,
Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFC
The Fit Chic
The Fit Bastard
Sunday, September 03, 2006
10 minute workout
Here are two 10 minute intense workouts that can be done with a limited amount of space and a limited amount of equipment.
You heard me right! 10 minute workout. If I hear you say that you don't have time to get in phenominal shape, I'm going to kick your butt.
In just 10 short minutes I was completely soaked and out of breath as was my wife Angie in The Fit Chic version. You can do it too! Don't let me hear you use the "no time" excuse anymore.
The feedback that I have received from these two 10 minute workouts usually involves words like, "Wow, I don't think I could last the entire 10 minutes."
You know what? That's great, because it goes to show that you can get a super intense workout in even less time. Just doing 5 minutes may be enough to exhaust you and get you in great shape.
You could also allow a short 15 second rest between exercises if you want to complete the workout.
I don't want the Fit Chic's in the crowd to be afraid to try the workout with me as the demonstrator. This workout would be just as effective for women and won't bulk you up. Just choose the appropriate weight.
This is not a program where you will build serious muscle. This is much more effective as a fat burning program.
Disclaimer: Please consult your physician before starting a workout program such as the one that I am playing above.
10 Minute Workout For Men
10 Minute Workout For Women
To your fitness success,
Scott Tousignant aka "The Fit Bastard"
www.thefitbastard.com
www.thefitchic.com
PS Check out our cat Sammi as he claims his 10 seconds of fame. What do you think of my idea for my next book "The Fit Cat"? He's a big dude! He definitely needs a training program.
You heard me right! 10 minute workout. If I hear you say that you don't have time to get in phenominal shape, I'm going to kick your butt.
In just 10 short minutes I was completely soaked and out of breath as was my wife Angie in The Fit Chic version. You can do it too! Don't let me hear you use the "no time" excuse anymore.
The feedback that I have received from these two 10 minute workouts usually involves words like, "Wow, I don't think I could last the entire 10 minutes."
You know what? That's great, because it goes to show that you can get a super intense workout in even less time. Just doing 5 minutes may be enough to exhaust you and get you in great shape.
You could also allow a short 15 second rest between exercises if you want to complete the workout.
I don't want the Fit Chic's in the crowd to be afraid to try the workout with me as the demonstrator. This workout would be just as effective for women and won't bulk you up. Just choose the appropriate weight.
This is not a program where you will build serious muscle. This is much more effective as a fat burning program.
Disclaimer: Please consult your physician before starting a workout program such as the one that I am playing above.
10 Minute Workout For Men
10 Minute Workout For Women
To your fitness success,
Scott Tousignant aka "The Fit Bastard"
www.thefitbastard.com
www.thefitchic.com
PS Check out our cat Sammi as he claims his 10 seconds of fame. What do you think of my idea for my next book "The Fit Cat"? He's a big dude! He definitely needs a training program.
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