Something I'm noticing that's really cool in my boot camp is people like to play.
We started doing more game based fitness drills, and my campers are getting into it.
We did a game at the end of camp the other day with a 2lbs handled medicine ball that we had fun with and really challenged their fitness and power endurance.
They all took turns throwing this ball in one of 4 ways that I showed them down a soccer field, then ran after it.
After the ball stopped moving, the next person would throw it. So on and so on for 10 minutes. They were surprised how tiring it was.
Sometimes you have to just play.
Don't get bogged down in exercise science, and just PLAY!
Talk to you tomorrow,
-Chad
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
An Early Thanksgiving Feast!
As most of my clients already know, there's only one nutrition company I believe has your best interests at heart. And when I heard they were having a rather unusual sale for Thanksgiving I had to tell you about it.
You see, http://hometeamfitness.getprograde.com has two big reasons to be thankful this week.
1- They have completely revamped their website. It really is cool and it makes ordering SO much simpler.
2- They have just released their brand new Anti-oxidant formula - Prograde Longevity.
Oh, and the interesting part is it's an 11% off everything sale. Here are some other details I want to make sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 11% off all Prograde products.
- It will run from Monday, November 24th until Friday, November 28th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 11% will be applicable to SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code your clients will need at checkout is:
thanks
(Yes, it all needs to be in lower case.)
- In case you missed it, the website is http://hometeamfitness.getprograde.com
Oh, and you should definitely check out Prograde WORKOUT - that's my favorite Prograde product. I've been using it with pretty amazing results.
Yours in health,
Chad
COMING SOON! www.hometeamfitness.net
PS- Remember, this Thanksgiving celebration ends this Friday, so be sure to order right away and take advantage of these BIG savings. http://hometeamfitness.getprograde.com
You see, http://hometeamfitness.getprograde.com has two big reasons to be thankful this week.
1- They have completely revamped their website. It really is cool and it makes ordering SO much simpler.
2- They have just released their brand new Anti-oxidant formula - Prograde Longevity.
Oh, and the interesting part is it's an 11% off everything sale. Here are some other details I want to make sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 11% off all Prograde products.
- It will run from Monday, November 24th until Friday, November 28th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 11% will be applicable to SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code your clients will need at checkout is:
thanks
(Yes, it all needs to be in lower case.)
- In case you missed it, the website is http://hometeamfitness.getprograde.com
Oh, and you should definitely check out Prograde WORKOUT - that's my favorite Prograde product. I've been using it with pretty amazing results.
Yours in health,
Chad
COMING SOON! www.hometeamfitness.net
PS- Remember, this Thanksgiving celebration ends this Friday, so be sure to order right away and take advantage of these BIG savings. http://hometeamfitness.getprograde.com
Monday, November 24, 2008
How To Use Your Thanksgiving Turkey To Create Healthy, Fat Blasting Meals
It’s about that time of year again, when that big old bird comes out of the oven for Thanksgiving. People tend to associate Thanksgiving dinner with sinful excess and horrible holiday weight gain. Now you can blame stuffing, mashed potatoes with loads of butter and gravy, and pumpkin pie for that, but leave the sexy turkey out of it! After all, turkey is packed with lean protein that simultaneously elevates metabolism and promotes fat burning and lean muscle growth. It is also a lean protein, meaning there is very little fat in it, as long as you remove the skin.
Protein is the sole macronutrient responsible for building and repairing your body’s tissue stores (fat and carbs simply provide energy). More specifically, regular protein intake is vital in accelerating the repair of muscle damage from high-intensity activities like strength training and cardio interval training. In addition, adequate protein intake every two to four hours is essential in maintaining your current levels of lean muscle mass. This is important because the more muscle you have the larger your metabolic engine, thus the more calories (and fat) you burn on a daily basis since muscle tissue requires lot of energy to sustain itself. Protein is also the least likely macronutrient to be stored as body fat and the mere act of digesting protein requires more than double the energy to digest than carbohydrate and dietary fat. So, if there is any food choice that you can truly get away with overeating this holiday season, it will be turkey.
Another key benefit to eating turkey is that it is easy to prepare in bulk and thus will save you much needed time in meal planning and preparation during the busy holiday season. You can roast a big old turkey and then have tons of meal options for days. Just think of what you can do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers! To inspire your turkey consumption efforts we’ve put together some awesome better body recipes that you can create with turkey as your lean protein foundation. Enjoy!
Turkey Salad
Ingredients:
- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes
- 1⁄4 red bell pepper
- 1⁄4 green bell pepper
- 1⁄4 red onion
- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayo
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up
Ingredients:
- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey
- 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 Whole Grain Tortillas
Directions:
Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes or microwave until soft if you are short on time. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze
Turkey Medallions:
- 6-8 oz. Turkey
- Non-stick spray Turkey Seasoning
Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.
Cranberry Glaze:
- 1 Cups Dry white wine
- Turkey or chicken stock, as needed
- 1 1⁄2 Cups Dried cranberries
- 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted
- Pinch of Salt
Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Shepherds Pie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey
- 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy
- 1 small can whole kernel corn
- drained 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1 cup of water
- 3 cups steamed cauliflower
- 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots
- chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic
- minced 1 bell pepper, any color
- chopped Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.
Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.
Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.
Turkey Florentine
Ingredients:
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
- 2 tablespoons smart butter
- 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine
- 2 cups diced, cooked turkey
- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1
- (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip
- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Non-stick cooking spray
Directions:
Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Turkey Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of frozen green beans
- 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast
- 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Make it happen!
BTW Registration for the December "holiday edition" boot camp will begin in one week! Email me for details: fitnessanswerman@live.com!
Chad Smith, NASM-CPT
Herald Mail's "Fitness Answer Man"
www.hometeamfitness.net COMING SOON!
Protein is the sole macronutrient responsible for building and repairing your body’s tissue stores (fat and carbs simply provide energy). More specifically, regular protein intake is vital in accelerating the repair of muscle damage from high-intensity activities like strength training and cardio interval training. In addition, adequate protein intake every two to four hours is essential in maintaining your current levels of lean muscle mass. This is important because the more muscle you have the larger your metabolic engine, thus the more calories (and fat) you burn on a daily basis since muscle tissue requires lot of energy to sustain itself. Protein is also the least likely macronutrient to be stored as body fat and the mere act of digesting protein requires more than double the energy to digest than carbohydrate and dietary fat. So, if there is any food choice that you can truly get away with overeating this holiday season, it will be turkey.
Another key benefit to eating turkey is that it is easy to prepare in bulk and thus will save you much needed time in meal planning and preparation during the busy holiday season. You can roast a big old turkey and then have tons of meal options for days. Just think of what you can do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers! To inspire your turkey consumption efforts we’ve put together some awesome better body recipes that you can create with turkey as your lean protein foundation. Enjoy!
Turkey Salad
Ingredients:
- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes
- 1⁄4 red bell pepper
- 1⁄4 green bell pepper
- 1⁄4 red onion
- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayo
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up
Ingredients:
- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey
- 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 Whole Grain Tortillas
Directions:
Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes or microwave until soft if you are short on time. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze
Turkey Medallions:
- 6-8 oz. Turkey
- Non-stick spray Turkey Seasoning
Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.
Cranberry Glaze:
- 1 Cups Dry white wine
- Turkey or chicken stock, as needed
- 1 1⁄2 Cups Dried cranberries
- 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted
- Pinch of Salt
Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Shepherds Pie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey
- 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy
- 1 small can whole kernel corn
- drained 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1 cup of water
- 3 cups steamed cauliflower
- 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots
- chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic
- minced 1 bell pepper, any color
- chopped Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.
Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.
Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.
Turkey Florentine
Ingredients:
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
- 2 tablespoons smart butter
- 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine
- 2 cups diced, cooked turkey
- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1
- (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip
- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Non-stick cooking spray
Directions:
Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Turkey Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of frozen green beans
- 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast
- 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Make it happen!
BTW Registration for the December "holiday edition" boot camp will begin in one week! Email me for details: fitnessanswerman@live.com!
Chad Smith, NASM-CPT
Herald Mail's "Fitness Answer Man"
www.hometeamfitness.net COMING SOON!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Best Exercises for Rapid Fat Loss and Lean Muscle Gain
As a former 98 pound weakling and a current real world fat loss expert who has helped hundreds of people lose hundreds of pounds of fat, I know a thing or two about exercise selection. Because of this I am constantly asked what the best exercises are to lose fat AND gain muscle fast.
I’ll keep this as simple as possible for you. The best exercises for fat loss are also the best exercises for muscle gain and visa versa. These exercises all have one thing in common: they provide a UNIQUE challenge to your body AND involve as many muscles in your body as possible.
Both the scientific research and the real world case studies have shown that total body workouts are superior for maximal fat loss and muscle gain. But let’s take this one step further…
Let’s dramatically accelerate results by preferentially selecting TOTAL BODY EXERCISES within each TOTAL BODY WORKOUT! For example, squats are well known for being one of the best muscle-builders with a serious a fat-shredding effect. However, the squat goes from great to UNSTOPPABLE for changing your body for the better when you make it a combination movement by adding a row or press to each squat rep. It’s obvious that you can reap more benefits this way since you have now involved your upper body into the king of lower body exercises.
It’s as simple as the Look Better Naked Equation below:
Performing Total Body Exercises Within Each Total Body Workout -->
More Muscles Involved =
More Calories Burnt + Greater Muscle-Building Stimulus =
Greater Fat Lost + Greater Muscle Gain
To be honest, I have a true love-hate relationship with the following movements I am about to share with you. Love because of the unparalleled fat-melting, muscle-building results they provide to help maximize my sexy. Hate because they break me every single workout by leaving me in tears while in a pool of my own sweat. In other words, these are not for the weak of mind, body, or soul!
Without further adieu, here is the official top 10 list of my favorite exercises in the world for fat loss and lean muscle gain:
Exercise#1: Barbell Hang-Clean w/Overhead Press Combo
Exercise#2: Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up
Exercise#3: Reverse Lunge w/Medicine Ball Rotation Combo
Exercise#4: Kettlebell Swing
Exercise#5: Squat Thrust w/Jump
Exercise#6: Dumbell Lateral Lunge w/Curl to Overhead Press
Exercise#7: Barbell Bent-Over Row w/Romanian Deadlift Combo
Exercise#8: Jumping Medicine Ball Slam
Exercise#9: 3-Way Band/Tube Snapdowns
Exercise#10: Band/Pulley Squat To Rotation
I guarantee you better results in less time by regularly employing these movements into your workouts. Of course it’s now up to you to take your workouts, and your body, to the next level.
Come back here Friday as I'll be showing you how to do every one of these exercises for best results!
In later days I'll be sharing some more great exercises for those specific trouble spot areas (e.g. legs, butt, abs, chest, arms, etc.) that are holding your sexy back in the days to come ;)
Chad Smit, NASM-CPT
Herald Mail's "Fitness Answer Man"
COMING SOON! WWW.htfitmd.com
I’ll keep this as simple as possible for you. The best exercises for fat loss are also the best exercises for muscle gain and visa versa. These exercises all have one thing in common: they provide a UNIQUE challenge to your body AND involve as many muscles in your body as possible.
Both the scientific research and the real world case studies have shown that total body workouts are superior for maximal fat loss and muscle gain. But let’s take this one step further…
Let’s dramatically accelerate results by preferentially selecting TOTAL BODY EXERCISES within each TOTAL BODY WORKOUT! For example, squats are well known for being one of the best muscle-builders with a serious a fat-shredding effect. However, the squat goes from great to UNSTOPPABLE for changing your body for the better when you make it a combination movement by adding a row or press to each squat rep. It’s obvious that you can reap more benefits this way since you have now involved your upper body into the king of lower body exercises.
It’s as simple as the Look Better Naked Equation below:
Performing Total Body Exercises Within Each Total Body Workout -->
More Muscles Involved =
More Calories Burnt + Greater Muscle-Building Stimulus =
Greater Fat Lost + Greater Muscle Gain
To be honest, I have a true love-hate relationship with the following movements I am about to share with you. Love because of the unparalleled fat-melting, muscle-building results they provide to help maximize my sexy. Hate because they break me every single workout by leaving me in tears while in a pool of my own sweat. In other words, these are not for the weak of mind, body, or soul!
Without further adieu, here is the official top 10 list of my favorite exercises in the world for fat loss and lean muscle gain:
Exercise#1: Barbell Hang-Clean w/Overhead Press Combo
Exercise#2: Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up
Exercise#3: Reverse Lunge w/Medicine Ball Rotation Combo
Exercise#4: Kettlebell Swing
Exercise#5: Squat Thrust w/Jump
Exercise#6: Dumbell Lateral Lunge w/Curl to Overhead Press
Exercise#7: Barbell Bent-Over Row w/Romanian Deadlift Combo
Exercise#8: Jumping Medicine Ball Slam
Exercise#9: 3-Way Band/Tube Snapdowns
Exercise#10: Band/Pulley Squat To Rotation
I guarantee you better results in less time by regularly employing these movements into your workouts. Of course it’s now up to you to take your workouts, and your body, to the next level.
Come back here Friday as I'll be showing you how to do every one of these exercises for best results!
In later days I'll be sharing some more great exercises for those specific trouble spot areas (e.g. legs, butt, abs, chest, arms, etc.) that are holding your sexy back in the days to come ;)
Chad Smit, NASM-CPT
Herald Mail's "Fitness Answer Man"
COMING SOON! WWW.htfitmd.com
Thursday, November 13, 2008
3 Reasons to Avoid Elliptical Machines
The latest Men's Health magazine comes down on elliptical machines hard.
Now I know elliptical machines are often the only option for people with bad knees, but if your knees are healthy, think twice before using the elliptical machine for these three reasons.
First, on page 52 of the December, 2008 issue, Men's Health warns,"Never trust elliptical machines".
They quote a study that found elliptical machines over-estimated the number of calories burned in a workout by 31%!
Ouch.
So if your "elliptical cardio workout" burned 400 calories, the truth is you really burned closer to only 300 calories. Second, later in the Dec. issue, Men's Health magazine interviewed Biggest Loser contestant Ed Brantley. Ed lost 73 pounds on theshow, but had this to say about elliptical machines, "I hated the elliptical. It was too easy, I didn't feel like I was doing anything."
Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself.
But that's EXACTLY why elliptical machines are so popular...
You see, the third reason elliptical machines are inferior for fatloss is because they fail my "human nature" test.
Put it this way...
Take 100 people and put them in a gym with 100 treadmills and 100elliptical machines.
Tell them they have to exercise for 30 minutes at a hard pace, andthey have the choice to use either the treadmill or the elliptical.
Guess where 90% of folks are going?
The elliptical!
Why?
Because it is human nature to take the EASY WAY out. And that iswhy elliptical machines are so busy at the gym and you rarely seeanyone doing intervals on a treadmill or bodyweight circuits in thecorner of the gym.
Often I see folks using the elliptical machine only to say they"worked out", but without getting any REAL work done.
So if you are stuck at a fat loss plateau, and you've been counting on the elliptical machine to help you out, then forget it.
To burn fat and get more out of your workouts, do interval trainingoutside, on a bike or treadmill, or with kettlebell exercises or bodyweight circuits.
For more interval training and bodyweight workouts, visit:http://htfitness.turbulence.hop.clickbank.net
This is a better option in your fight against the fat,
Your friend in fitness,
Chad Smith, NASM-CPT
Herald Mail's "Fitness Answer Man"
Now I know elliptical machines are often the only option for people with bad knees, but if your knees are healthy, think twice before using the elliptical machine for these three reasons.
First, on page 52 of the December, 2008 issue, Men's Health warns,"Never trust elliptical machines".
They quote a study that found elliptical machines over-estimated the number of calories burned in a workout by 31%!
Ouch.
So if your "elliptical cardio workout" burned 400 calories, the truth is you really burned closer to only 300 calories. Second, later in the Dec. issue, Men's Health magazine interviewed Biggest Loser contestant Ed Brantley. Ed lost 73 pounds on theshow, but had this to say about elliptical machines, "I hated the elliptical. It was too easy, I didn't feel like I was doing anything."
Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself.
But that's EXACTLY why elliptical machines are so popular...
You see, the third reason elliptical machines are inferior for fatloss is because they fail my "human nature" test.
Put it this way...
Take 100 people and put them in a gym with 100 treadmills and 100elliptical machines.
Tell them they have to exercise for 30 minutes at a hard pace, andthey have the choice to use either the treadmill or the elliptical.
Guess where 90% of folks are going?
The elliptical!
Why?
Because it is human nature to take the EASY WAY out. And that iswhy elliptical machines are so busy at the gym and you rarely seeanyone doing intervals on a treadmill or bodyweight circuits in thecorner of the gym.
Often I see folks using the elliptical machine only to say they"worked out", but without getting any REAL work done.
So if you are stuck at a fat loss plateau, and you've been counting on the elliptical machine to help you out, then forget it.
To burn fat and get more out of your workouts, do interval trainingoutside, on a bike or treadmill, or with kettlebell exercises or bodyweight circuits.
For more interval training and bodyweight workouts, visit:http://htfitness.turbulence.hop.clickbank.net
This is a better option in your fight against the fat,
Your friend in fitness,
Chad Smith, NASM-CPT
Herald Mail's "Fitness Answer Man"
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Get S.M.A.R.T. for fitness success! PT 2
Yesterday I revealed the first two components of the S.M.A.R.T. model of goal achievement. Today I reveal the remaining 3. Read on!
A is for Attainable
When you set a goal that you have a burning desire to achieve you'll discover you're willing to go that extra mile, make that little sacrifice, and notice opportunities you might not have noticed before. You're committed to the goal, and are motived by the outcome once you achieve it. What does this have to do we making attainable goals? EVERYTHING. Consider this, if you set goals that are difficult to achieve, and you some what know that it's a long stretch for you to accomplish, 9 times out of 10 you won't do it. When setting SMART goals you should make a conscious effort to set goals that are a little bit of a stretch for you, but not out of reach.
For instance, losing 15 pounds in one week just isn't possible right. This isn't an attainable goal you might really want to achieve it, but the fact is no one can lose 15 pounds (in a healthy way) during one week. Now in contrast you could lose 1 pound per week for 15 weeks. This would be an attainable goal that will keep you motivated because you want the outcome of losing the weight, and feeling better about your health and appearance.
The point, challenge yourself enough so you're driven to achieve the goal. How ever don't set yourself up for failure by setting a goal that you subconsciously know is out of reach.
R is for Realistic
Now I know we just talked about setting attainable goals, and making a goal realistic, they somewhat goes hand in hand. Don't confuse setting realistic goals with “easy” goals. We're not suggesting you shouldn't challenge yourself. What you should pay attention to is, based on your current situation is this goal realistic. Let's look at an example.
Saving $100 per week is an attainable goal based on average income etc. How ever if you have student loans, credit card debt, a big car payment and struggling to make ends meet week to week it's not realistic for you. Where would you find another $100 per week out of your cash flow for savings. A more realistic goal might be to pay $100 a week on your highest interest credit card for 15 weeks until it's paid off.
Goals need to be do able for you in your current situation. You need to write out a plan that makes each goal realistic in your terms, detailing each step you need to do to accomplish it.
A is for Attainable
When you set a goal that you have a burning desire to achieve you'll discover you're willing to go that extra mile, make that little sacrifice, and notice opportunities you might not have noticed before. You're committed to the goal, and are motived by the outcome once you achieve it. What does this have to do we making attainable goals? EVERYTHING. Consider this, if you set goals that are difficult to achieve, and you some what know that it's a long stretch for you to accomplish, 9 times out of 10 you won't do it. When setting SMART goals you should make a conscious effort to set goals that are a little bit of a stretch for you, but not out of reach.
For instance, losing 15 pounds in one week just isn't possible right. This isn't an attainable goal you might really want to achieve it, but the fact is no one can lose 15 pounds (in a healthy way) during one week. Now in contrast you could lose 1 pound per week for 15 weeks. This would be an attainable goal that will keep you motivated because you want the outcome of losing the weight, and feeling better about your health and appearance.
The point, challenge yourself enough so you're driven to achieve the goal. How ever don't set yourself up for failure by setting a goal that you subconsciously know is out of reach.
R is for Realistic
Now I know we just talked about setting attainable goals, and making a goal realistic, they somewhat goes hand in hand. Don't confuse setting realistic goals with “easy” goals. We're not suggesting you shouldn't challenge yourself. What you should pay attention to is, based on your current situation is this goal realistic. Let's look at an example.
Saving $100 per week is an attainable goal based on average income etc. How ever if you have student loans, credit card debt, a big car payment and struggling to make ends meet week to week it's not realistic for you. Where would you find another $100 per week out of your cash flow for savings. A more realistic goal might be to pay $100 a week on your highest interest credit card for 15 weeks until it's paid off.
Goals need to be do able for you in your current situation. You need to write out a plan that makes each goal realistic in your terms, detailing each step you need to do to accomplish it.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Get S.M.A.R.T. for fitness success! PT 1
S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting Your Road Map to Success
We don't all need fancy programs, day planners, or electronic devices to make our goals a reality. The fact is people were successful at setting goals before the electronic age using just paper and pencil. I think it's safe to say that we can do the same thing, potentially even better without all the white noise that computer software, the Internet, and technology provides.
SMART Goal Setting
The system of S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting has been used for decades. It's difficult not to find a self improvement program from the eighties or nineties that didn't incorporate SMART goal setting as a key factor to success. Why is that? Well more then likely it's because the system works. Follow the rules laid out in the SMART system and it ensures that the goals your set are realistic, timely, and achievable.
S. M. A. R. T. Overview
S is for Specific
This is the foundation of your goal. You need to set a very specific goal just as you need a strong foundation when building a house. If you're goal isn't specific enough you'll have a difficult time achieving it to your satisfaction. The same way if you pour a faulty foundation for a new building the rest of the structure will suffer.
Setting specific goals is all about avoiding ambiguity. Goal statements need to be concise, to the point and measurable. A goal of saving money or losing weight can be a SMART goal, how ever phrased in this fashion won't set you up for success. Try to quantify goal statements: I want to save $1000.00 dollars, or I want to lose 20 pounds. If you create an open ended goal it's easy to avoid achieving it. By applying a quantity or number to your goal you can measure your success, set a deadline, and break your progress down into smaller steps.
Once you have a specific goal in mind write it down. Once a goal is written down you'll find it's more concrete in your mind.
M is for Measurable
If you've taken the advice above and set a specific goal that is some how quantified then this second step should be easy. If you're unable to measure a goal how will you know when you've achieved it? Might sound stupid but consider the above example, if you set a goal to lose weight how will you know when you've achieved your goal? When you've lost one pound, ten pounds, one hundred pounds? Starting to see the point.
For some goals, such as the weight loss example, you might very well begin to lose weight but you're never quite sure when you've achieved your goal. It's human nature to want to achieve things, we enjoy setting a goal working towards it and knowing that we completed our task. There doesn't have to be any big prize at the end of a journey, but in the case of goal setting there are benefits we'll recognize upon completion. This only makes sense other wise why would we set that goal? Why is all this important? Because it illustrates why your goals need to have a finite end point, they need to be measurable. Without a form of measure we can't evaluate our progress.
Example:
I want to lose 25 pounds before June (this is a measurable goal)
I want to lose weight this year (not that measurable)
Get back here tomorrow for PT 2 as I continue deeper into the science of the S.M.A.R.T. system!
We don't all need fancy programs, day planners, or electronic devices to make our goals a reality. The fact is people were successful at setting goals before the electronic age using just paper and pencil. I think it's safe to say that we can do the same thing, potentially even better without all the white noise that computer software, the Internet, and technology provides.
SMART Goal Setting
The system of S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting has been used for decades. It's difficult not to find a self improvement program from the eighties or nineties that didn't incorporate SMART goal setting as a key factor to success. Why is that? Well more then likely it's because the system works. Follow the rules laid out in the SMART system and it ensures that the goals your set are realistic, timely, and achievable.
S. M. A. R. T. Overview
S is for Specific
This is the foundation of your goal. You need to set a very specific goal just as you need a strong foundation when building a house. If you're goal isn't specific enough you'll have a difficult time achieving it to your satisfaction. The same way if you pour a faulty foundation for a new building the rest of the structure will suffer.
Setting specific goals is all about avoiding ambiguity. Goal statements need to be concise, to the point and measurable. A goal of saving money or losing weight can be a SMART goal, how ever phrased in this fashion won't set you up for success. Try to quantify goal statements: I want to save $1000.00 dollars, or I want to lose 20 pounds. If you create an open ended goal it's easy to avoid achieving it. By applying a quantity or number to your goal you can measure your success, set a deadline, and break your progress down into smaller steps.
Once you have a specific goal in mind write it down. Once a goal is written down you'll find it's more concrete in your mind.
M is for Measurable
If you've taken the advice above and set a specific goal that is some how quantified then this second step should be easy. If you're unable to measure a goal how will you know when you've achieved it? Might sound stupid but consider the above example, if you set a goal to lose weight how will you know when you've achieved your goal? When you've lost one pound, ten pounds, one hundred pounds? Starting to see the point.
For some goals, such as the weight loss example, you might very well begin to lose weight but you're never quite sure when you've achieved your goal. It's human nature to want to achieve things, we enjoy setting a goal working towards it and knowing that we completed our task. There doesn't have to be any big prize at the end of a journey, but in the case of goal setting there are benefits we'll recognize upon completion. This only makes sense other wise why would we set that goal? Why is all this important? Because it illustrates why your goals need to have a finite end point, they need to be measurable. Without a form of measure we can't evaluate our progress.
Example:
I want to lose 25 pounds before June (this is a measurable goal)
I want to lose weight this year (not that measurable)
Get back here tomorrow for PT 2 as I continue deeper into the science of the S.M.A.R.T. system!
Monday, November 3, 2008
"Freaky Fat Loss" Pictures!
Here are some great shots from my "Freaky Fat Loss" Boot Camp Benefit. The event was a blast, and we got to do a small part in helping the United Way in their "Live United" Campaign.
It still isn't too late to help! Go to http://www.unitedwaywashcounty.org/ to donate online. Let's make it happen for kids across the county!
And now, Freaky Fat Loss...
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