In case you didn’t know I’m running a contest called the Get Fit Stay Fit Challenge (www.getfitstayfitchallenge.com). It’s an 8-week challenge to see who can lose the highest percentage of body fat and provide me with an inspiration success story.

We started the meeting discussing people’s challenges and successes during their first week of the program. One participant proclaimed “it was a lot easier than what she had anticipated.” Another one was elated that he lost 5 pounds in just the first week.

Then we got into the meat of the program. Almost the entire hour we didn’t talk about nutrition or exercise, but rather about the mind.

Specifically, we talked about steps to change your mindset to produce results in the physical body. Think about that for a second.

Your mind is the “computer” of your entire body and our thoughts control that computer, but what’s really cool is that your mind doesn’t know if the stimulus it receives is real or a thought pattern . . . yet it reacts in the exact same way.

One way of trying this out is if you think of a scare you may have received, if you put all the same emotions into your thoughts, chances are your body will react the same way as if you had been scared again, including elevated heart rate, blood pressure, etc.

As a group we practiced creating a self-image changing statement. I can’t wait to see the physical manifestations from that work!

If you want a really great book to read on the subject, read Maxwell Maltz’s Psycho-Cybernetics.

And if you want to create some really great body changes in just 4 weeks then check out the TAKE DOWN CHALLENGE which starts September 16. But hurry before all of the spots are taken.

http://www.StartExercisingNow.com/TakeDown

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Over the next 8 weeks they’ll learn about setting goals, creating meal plans that fit their lives, time management, and how exercise fits into their health routine. I’m really excited to take them through this journey . . . it’s not much different than the journey I took 10 years ago. That journey has kept me at a healthy weight and all blood pressure and cholesterol medications!

I make the point of saying it’s a journey because,in all reality that is what we’re on . . . there really is no destination. You can plan goals along the way, but it’s something you have to continue with for the rest of your life.

This past weekend I was also very honored to be invited to a birthday party. It was for a friend’s grandmother who turned 90 years young! She was mixing and mingling with all the guests, chatting everyone up, and talking about her time as a radio operator during WWII. It was really amazing to watch.

Come to find out that she has a very structured fitness routine; she walks 1 mile a day and participates in yoga several times per week. Pretty amazing lady!

So I guess there is something to this who journey of daily exercise and moderation when it comes to eating!

Your challenge this week is to see if you can do a mile a day and participate in 3 exercise classes, if not . . . why not?

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I can totally relate. About a year ago, I felt like my business wasn’t going anywhere. I was putting in a ton of hours and just not seeing the growth or the light at the end of the tunnel. Well, not any more!

Things are going great. We are approaching our max capacity for membership at just 45 memberships left (we’ve lowered the cap to 225 instead of 250). Our boot camps are rocking, and our training programs in small group, private, and Pilates have doubled since last year.

While I was on that treadmill, I realized that something needed to change DRAMATICALLY or things just weren’t going to get better. I wasn’t going to see the growth I wanted and, quite frankly, NEEDED.

So I made three drastic changes to get off the treadmill of life and get moving again. These are things YOU can do too, whether in life or in your fitness routine. I will relate each to exercise so you can see where you can make those adjustments.

1 – THIS ONE IS HUGE!! I hired a business coach. Probably the absolute best business investment I have ever made. It was expensive, but the return on the investment was well worth it. It’s all about accountability. Same with exercise. I have a coach for that too. My workouts are fresh; my coach constantly challenges me and checks in with me on my nutrition. That is what we do for our clients. (BTW, if you haven’t been in to speak with me regarding your nutrition, it’s probably time!). When you are accountable to someone else, it’s human nature to do your best for that person. Find someone to be accountable to!

2 – I DEDICATE MY TIME!! I was having a big problem getting things done . . . (that’s a title to a book by David Allen, which is really helpful for time management issues). I would start a project but not finish it. There wasn’t any follow through. My business coach suggested I block my time out for the top 3-5 projects I have going at any given time and dedicate my time to it. What a difference that has made! I’m getting things done left and right . . . and I have more free time. It’s a work in progress and it’s hard to always do, but I’m doing it. When you exercise, block out your time to exercise. That is the #1 excuse I hear, “I don’t have time to exercise.” What that means to me is “I haven’t made my daily exercise a priority.” Block out your time, and just get it done.

3 – I WROTE A BOOK! OK, that’s more of just a cheap plug for my book, which is available at Barnes and Noble.com (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/get-off-your-butt-and-do) and on my website http://getoffyourbuttndosomething.com. What that’s really about is doing something you’re not comfortable doing. I never though I was a writer, but over the years of writing these blogs and emails, I basically had the foundation for a book. The correlation to exercise on this is that you need to get out of your comfort zone and do something different. You will grow from it, your muscles will grow, and you’ll break through any plateaus.

There you go! Three ways you can get off the hamster wheel of life or exercise and on to moving and grooving.

OH, by the way . . . NEW TREADMILLS HAVE ARRIVED and are ready to be pounded away on. It’s my way of re-investing in YOUR fitness.

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Muscle has no age so if you’ve struggled with starting an exercise program before … now is the time, don’t delay. www.body3fit.com/consultform

Whoever emails me all 10 Fitness Mistakes (IN ORDER) on July 1 will be entered to win. Just fill out a consult form at www.Body3Fit.com/consultform and in the comments section put all 10 fitness mistakes.

This past weekend I was in Orlando at a fitness conference and learned all sorts of new things. A couple of these mistakes were touched on from some of the other fitness pros.

And some of them I have comitted! Ooops . . . hey, I’m human too and not immune from falling into these traps from time to time. The real challenge is getting back into the program and not losing sight of your goal.

Fitness Mistake #8

Inconsistency can be one of the biggest killers of a fitness routine. A little every day for the long haul will lead you to your goals everytime!

Fitness Mistake #7

Lying to yourself about your condition, your commitment, or your consistency!

Being honest and true to yourself in all aspects of life is rule one in achieving success. If you’re not honest with you, then who is?

Fitness Mistake #6

Using only will power, trying to change with force.

What do we mean by this? A fad diet is using only will power. Following a diet is changing with force because a diet always has a begining and an end. So, you tell yourself I can do this because it’s only for a while. To avoid this mistake you have to make a lifestyle change. A change that becomes you, that has no end! When you convince yourself to think this way, you begin to train your subconscious mind to change.

That should get you started . . . keep reading, and don’t miss them!

Most of these can be avoided simply by following a structured plan I lay out in my new book Get Off Your Butt and Do Something, which is available at www.GetOffYourButtNDoSomething.com

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Here are just a few of the excuses I hear:

1. I don’t have time.
2. I can’t carry a book around with me.
3. It doesn’t really mean anything.
4. It’s stupid.

Please, don’t insult my intelligence by calling a tool like this stupid. It works. I use it whenever I get off track. And I will bet $100 that anyone who refuses to keep a journal will NOT reach their health and fitness goals as fast as someone who does.

There are a couple of key things to remember:

1) Use something simple. I use DailyBurn on my iPhone, but there are a million apps out there. On this app you can take a picture of your food for further review later. Pretty cool stuff.
2) Keep it simple: quantity, time of day, and what it was. No need to count calories at this point.
3) Stick with it for 21 days; that will start building the habit.

If you want a tracking book, we have some here for sale. They are only $15 and you can pick one up at the front desk or I can ship one to you if you order using the secure link below:

https://tms.ezfacility.com/OnlineRegistrations/Register.aspx?CompanyID=682&GroupID=57568

Start tracking and stop the excuses!

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The great thing about exercise programs is that they are constantly changing so your body is challenged, hmmm . . . so why do most people resist change? I don’t know, but people just need to realize that change happens, and they will be better off and stronger for it . . . just like their bodies. Change is never going be easy, but when is something worthwhile ever easy?

And, of course, things are changing around at Body3 Fitness Center, with some great new opportunities for you to get fit and have fun doing it. Our dynamic team of group fitness instructors ALL completed and PASSED their initial training of the new Les Mills class CX30 . . . it’s a core conditioning class, and you can see a video at www.body3fit.com/group_fitness

We will be adding that class into the mix during a very special launch party on June 18. Look for more information shortly. That also means we’ll be changing up our group fitness schedule; look for the new class schedule at www.body3fit.com/group_fitness

If you’re interested in a special indoor boot camp at 4:30PM on Mondays and Wednesdays or 8AM on Mondays and Wednesdays, please fill out the form at www.body3fit.com/consultform or give me a call at 281-667-3648 and we’ll get you in.

We are limited to just 10 people per class so make sure you sign up now. I know there are only 5 spots left in the 8AM class, and I don’t want you to miss out!

The other big news item is that I wrote a book, Get Off Your Butt and Do Something. It’s a beginner’s guide to starting an exercise program, we will be having a special book signing event on Monday June 13, when you can get a signed copy of the book.

Change is constant and is a good thing; embrace it . . . you’ll be stronger for it.

I ALMOST FORGOT!!

Today is Body3 Fitness Center’s 3 Year anniversary too! Just about forgot that . . . oh how time flies when you’re having fun!

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That is why we give all our clients both pre- and post-exercise stretching programs to reduce injury and promote recovery. And when I ask if they are doing it, I usually get a blank stare then maybe a complaint about some muscle soreness. Sometimes I wish I had hair so I could just pull it out.

My article last Friday was all about flexibility to reduce low back pain.

Having flexible muscles, especially if you are exercising on a regular basis, is paramount to a well-balanced body. If you body isn’t in balance, you’re going to be in a little pain. For instance, let’s take the tightest muscle in the human body (usually)-the hamstrings (those are the muscles on the back of your leg). When you sit all day, what are those hamstrings doing? They’re in flexion . . . which is the shortening phase of the muscle. And the quadricep (the front part of your leg) is in extension. Then if you are a runner, when you’re running must of that movement is using the hamstring to propel you backwards. If this fascinates you like it does me, then you’re odd. But seriously, watch runners and start paying attention to which muscles are contracting (shortening) and which ones are extending. And you’ll see why so many runners have low back problems.

And why people who sit at desks all day long and don’t stretch adequately have low back problems.

So here are a couple of tips to make sure you keep flexible:

1. Do it yourself. Go through a series of 4 to 5 simple stretches that will hit all the major muscle groups. If you watch Trainer Talk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Az012EOb-I) then I’ll demonstrate four simple stretches to do after you workout or before you go to bed . . . or better yet, EVERY DAY!

2. Use a foam roller. It hurts so good, and in this week’s episode of Trainer Talk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Az012EOb-I) two of those four stretches use a foam roller.

3. Get a massage. I know it sounds touchy feely . . . and it is!! Especially with the right therapist. But honestly, it works. When I was preparing for my first (and only) body building competition four years ago, I had a massage every week. I swear it helped me recover faster and have better workouts.

Because I’m such a believer in massage therapy, I’ve partnered with two really awesome massage therapists whose work I’ve experienced, and I have to tell you they are both top notch and know their stuff! They’ve also been generous enough to give you 50% off your first massage with them if you’re not already a client. Just tell them I sent you.

Caroline Cole,LMT (carolinecole2222@gmail.com) 713-203-3346 She’s close to the Medical Center in a really great space on Bissonnet.

Joey Garza,LMT (www.urbantherapymassage.com) 713-516-0060 He has a studio in the Heights and will also come to you.

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So when it comes time to be tough with someone, I really struggle with it. I’m sure it doesn’t help my client or employee in the long run if I’m always super nice and let things slide . . . or does it?

I started to think back to my school days and which teachers I really remember the most and the ones I learned the most from and I came up with two categories . . .

“The Nurturing Ones” . . .

These are the teachers who would give you a hug when you came into the room (although now I don’t think they can do that). We would all sit on the floor in a circle and share our experiences with the assignments. If you didn’t get your assignments in on time, there would be a discussion about why and what could be done differently to make sure it got in on time next go around.

and

“The Mean Ones” . . .

When I really thought about it, it’s the “mean” ones . . . (I say that in quotes because they weren’t really mean, they were just very strict about what they wanted and were unwavering in their expectations). If you didn’t get your paper in on time it was late-no exceptions and no excuses accepted. Harsh . . . but I got my papers in on time no matter what.

So which is better? What do you respond to?

I actually respond to both, albeit a little better to the nurturing ones . . . as my mother always says, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar. But who wants flies?! People want results. And I want results from my people. So I am no adopting a new approach . . . I’m going to be nurturing and supportive to a point, but if that’s not working then NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! The hammer is gonna come down and you’re going to do the work necessary to get the results you want AND deserve.

We (fitness pros) are not doing anyone any service if we coddle people and hope they make the changes necessary in their lives that will not only improve their lives but make them more fulfilling in the long run.

The number one reason why people come to us for help is so they can look and feel better, and the number one reason why they’ve failed in the past is because they don’t have someone to hold them accountable.

We’re here to hold you accountable and provide you with the structure necessary to be successful, with honey and with vinegar.

If you would like to explore your fitness goals in more detail and find a plan to help you reach your goals with honey and vinegar. Then give me a call at 281-667-3648 or schedule a free consultation by clicking on the consult button to the right. We’ll sit down and figure out what you need to do to reach your goals in record time and without obligation.

Please check out the video I put together of our Pushups For Charity event . . . www.youtube.com/body3fit

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If you were asked, “How many pushups can YOU do in 90 seconds,” what would your answer be? Most people, when I asked them that question said, “Oh, I’m not that good at pushups . . . only about 20 or 30.” One of our great clients Jay said he could probably do 45 max. Well, you know what?! He pumped out 77 pushups, 32 more than what he thought he could do. The body is an amazing machine!

Our top pushup-er, Sandy Reyes, did 130 pushups in 90 seconds, and his wife participated as well and did 20 more than what she did last year! Pretty awesome stuff if you ask me.

The full list of participants and results is posted at http://PushupsForCharityHouston.com and we’re still collecting donations, so go ahead and donate if you’re so inspired.

15 Houston Police officers were out here doing their part for the wounded warriors as well. Combined, they did 1,474 pushups and raised over $680 for the Wounded Warriors. One of their top cops is 61 years old and did 110 Pushups. That’s one cop I want chasing down criminals for sure!

The message I want to put out today is . . . don’t underestimate yourself. When put to a challenge you will be amazed at what you will accomplish!

If you are having difficulty coming up with a challenge for yourself, ask me . . . and I’ll help you create one.

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