I’ve often wished that I could give each and every one of you a personalized pep talk to get you up off the couch and into the gym, day after day. So here’s my pep talk in bullet form – 10 rewards of regular exercise.

Do yourself a favor and print this list and post it where you’ll see it every day. When you need motivation or encouragement simply read this over.

1. You’ll reset your body: Exercise has been described as a giant reset button. A good workout will block appetite swings, improve your mood and even help you sleep.
2. Your clothes will fit better: Consistent exercise will tone and tighten your body, causing your clothes to not only fit better but to also look nicer. Also exercise ensures that soon you’ll be trading your clothes in for smaller sizes.
3. You’ll be less stressed: You have enough stress in your life – it’s time for a break. A good workout invigorates your muscles, leaving you relaxed and less stressed.
4. You’ll have more energy: WebMD tallied research studies and concluded that 90% of them prove exercise increases energy levels in sedentary patients. Next time you feel fatigued, fight it will the most powerful tool available: exercise.
5. You’ll be stronger: Exercise improves muscle strength and endurance, two things that you use throughout each day. When you exercise consistently you’ll be pleasantly surprised when difficult tasks begin to seem easy.
6. You’ll be less likely to binge: Exercise has a powerful anti-binge effect on the body. This is due in part by an increase in sensitivity to leptin, a protein hormone, which has an appetite-taming effect.
7. You’ll burn calories: You know that excess body fat is made up of stored and unused calories. Fight back by burning loads of calories with fat-blasting workouts.
8. You’ll be more confident: Who doesn’t wish they walked and talked with more confidence? A consistent exercise program will do just that. As your body becomes more fit, watch as your confidence sky-rockets.
9. You’ll have fun: Believe it or not, exercise can be extremely enjoyable. Remember how fun it was to run around as a child? Tap into your inner child as you find a mode of exercise that gets you excited.
10. You’ll reduce your blood pressure: Exercise has been proven more effective than medication in reducing blood pressure to normal levels. A single workout has been shown to reduce blood pressure for the day and regular exercise reduces overall blood pressure in the long run.

What are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and get moving

Do you eat a healthy lunch only to succumb to the vending machine an hour later?

I’ve got good news for you, if you do.

With just a few adjustments to your diet, you can effortlessly kick your snacking habit to the curb.

You see, the urge to snack happens when your blood sugar levels drop—giving your body the message that you need more fuel. (Enter the vending machine.) This happens after eating meals that are low in fiber, low in calories, and high in sugar.

The solution?

Eat meals that are filled with fiber and you’ll stabilize your blood sugar levels, and feel full longer.

The Case for High Fiber

Researchers have done their homework on fiber, and the results spell easy weight loss for all who listen. By consuming an extra 14 grams of fiber each day you can cut your calorie intake by a full 10 percent.

People who consume more fiber (as low as 20 grams per day) weigh an average of 8 pounds lighter than people who consume low fiber (closer to 10 grams per day).

There are two main reasons that high fiber leads to weight loss:
Fiber fills you up and stabilizes blood sugar for hours. This tames your appetite and protects you from needless snacking.
Foods that are high in fiber aren’t as calorie dense. When you fill up on high fiber foods you eat just as much but take in fewer calories.
Breaking it Down

It’s always easier to understand a concept like this when real life examples are given. So here’s a review of a low fiber, high sugar diet that ‘Jane’ was eating, and then we’ll see the small changes made to increase her fiber content and stabilize blood sugar.
Breakfast: Jane would typically eat a packet of instant oatmeal made with low fat milk and topped with banana and brown sugar. On the way to work she would also grab a mocha or latte.

Snack: Without fail by 10am Jane’s stomach would growl, sending her to the vending machine. She would end up with a small bag of chips, crackers or candy to hold her over until lunch.

Lunch: By noon Jane was starving again, and would inhale her packed lunch of a medium sized bagel with low fat cream cheese and deli slices, and a small container of yogurt.

Snack: At 3pm Jane’s appetite would soar and she would scavenge the office for a small snack to hold her over until dinner. She usually found part of a leftover pastry or cookies, and if all else failed she would once again turn to the vending machine.

Dinner: Most nights Jane would make a dinner of chicken breast, instant rice and a small salad, some nights she would substitute pasta for the rice.

Snack: Every night at 10pm Jane would find herself back in the kitchen in search of something sweet. Most often she would have a bowl of low fat ice cream or sorbet before going to bed.
Did you notice a trend in Jane’s diet? While she kept her selections fairly low in fat, she hardly ate any fiber which left her battling hunger all day. Her meals were also very high in sugar, which caused her blood sugar levels to jump up and plunge down throughout the day.

Here’s the revised version of Jane’s meals:
Breakfast: Instead of the instant oatmeal Jane switched to using old fashion (intact) oats. She then topped it with broken walnut pieces and banana. Instead of drinking a high-sugar mocha or latte, she started drinking hot tea.

Snack: Much to her surprise, 10am came and went without so much as a hunger pain. Jane kept her focus and worked through till lunch.

Lunch: For lunch Jane had a cup of lentil soup, a slice of rye bread and a cup of steamed veggies.

Snack: 3pm came and went, and again Jane didn’t feel the need snack. On her way home she ate a small handful of almonds.

Dinner: This meal didn’t change much for Jane. Instead of instant rice she made brown or wild rice, and instead of white pasta she made whole wheat. She also added a vegetable dish to dinner, in addition to the salad.

Snack: Most nights Jane skips her late night snack since she just doesn’t feel hungry. On those nights that she does want a sweet treat she enjoys sliced fruit.
That didn’t look hard, did it?

As you probably noticed, Jane’s daily calories dropped dramatically after adding fiber to each meal. Also her percentage of calories from fat also dropped, since her snack foods were high in fat.

This means that Jane is effortlessly losing weight simply by consuming more fiber.

You can follow Jane’s lead by evolving your diet to include higher levels of fiber.

To expedite your weight loss be sure to include a consistent and challenging exercise routine. I’m here to help with that – simply call or email today to get started.

They make it seem so easy to achieve and maintain results. What do they know that you don’t? When you boil it down, the answer is quite simple.

The missing link between you and your ideal body is good old motivation.

A healthy dose of motivation coupled with determination will get you almost anything in life. So how do you know if you’re genuinely motivated?
Motivation will tell you to get out of bed for an early workout.
Motivation will nag you to put down the doughnut.
Motivation makes passing on fries a reflex.
Motivation makes a sweat drenched workout exciting.
Motivation constantly reminds you why you do what you do.
If your motivation levels are lacking, read the following four steps to turn on your motivation.

Step #1: Pinpoint Your Motivator.

Motivation stems from having a goal. What is your goal? Why do you want to get into great shape?

Once you uncover your personal motivator you’ll find that motivation flows quickly your way.

Take a minute to really uncover the reason that you want to lose the weight. Don’t say something vague like you want to ‘Be thinner’ or ‘Look more attractive.’ Dig deeper – there is a very specific motivator in your life, you simply need to uncover it.

Here are some possible motivators…
I want to have more energy to keep up with the kids.
I want to improve my health through weight loss to extend and improve my life.
I want to lose 15 pounds before my vacation.
I want to restore my confidence to wear sleeveless shirts.
I want to regain my figure to impress and attract my significant other.
Step #2: Make It Official.

When you write something down it suddenly feels official, doesn’t it? Write down your motivator for getting into great shape, and post it where you will see it often – next to your alarm clock, on the bathroom mirror, or in your car.

Each time you see your written motivator take a moment to visualize yourself accomplishing your goal. Try to make the scene as clear in your mind as possible. This is a powerful tool for maintaining your focus and direction.

Step #3: Be Practical.

It’s game plan time. You know what you want, and now you need to map out exactly how you’ll achieve it. It is important to be practical in your planning, rather than throwing out ideas that you know you won’t stick with.

With any weight loss goal it is important to 1) maintain a healthy low-calorie diet, and 2) participate in a consistent and challenging exercise program.

Plan a routine that will fit into your schedule and you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Also choose an exercise program that you enjoy – don’t force yourself to jog everyday if you hate jogging.

Step #4: Call For Backup.

Enlist the support of your friends, family and co-workers. Tell everyone about your goal to lose weight and get fit, you’ll be surprised how supportive most people will be. By being open about your goals you’ll likely be an encouragement to others to make healthy changes in their own lives.

The most effective way to ensure that you meet your goal is to enlist my support, your personal trainer. Together we will identify what really motivates you. Together we will design a workout routine that fits into your schedule and into your life. And together we will see it through until your goal is met.

Call or email me today to get started on the program that will transform your life.