Progressive Success is the daily pursuit of small victories on your journey to true fitness. These small successes added up, day after day, week after week, can create "significant accumulations" and individual success can be yours. Progressive Success allows us to set realistic goals and pursue them with joy knowing that - with the right effort and time - we will undoubtedly achieve those goals. Regrettably, our current culture is overly infatuated with the "I want it yesterday" mentality. 

Our current "immediate gratification" mindset robs us of the many joys that pursuing true fitness can bring. Few things can teach us discipline, dedication, perseverance, focus and work ethic like true fitness. There is no amount of money in the world that can buy us a healthy body, sound mind, emotional stability and contented spirit. These can only be purchased with time, effort and perseverance. Without constantly reminding ourselves that "true fitness" is a process, we run the risk of becoming frustrated and giving up before ever reaching our destination. Progressive Success helps us begin our journey with the right frame of mind and removes failure from the equation. 

I'm a big believer in pursuing true fitness in all of our lives. Becoming physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually fit is a process. It can't and shouldn't happen overnight. If things happened that quickly, we would miss out on too many of the lessons life holds for us. We'd forget the importance of the journey. It's during the journey that we learn who we really are, who we could really become. 

Regardless if your goal is to lose 20 lbs, get more defined abs, pass a final exam, overcome an anxiety or find your purpose in life, I encourage you to take pleasure in the process and apply Progressive Success. Dream big and set huge goals. But then step back and appreciate that between your current situation and whatever goal you've set are countless smaller victories that need to be celebrated and enjoyed. When frustration begins to rise up, rely on Progressive Success to remind you of where you've been and how far you've come. Look back at your past successes and keep in mind that you are closer to who you want to be than who you once were. 

As much as we'd like to believe that fitness can come in the form of a 21-day program, or 4 week investment or even a 90-day challenge, the truth is the pursuit of "true fitness" never really ends. These short-term programs are really great starting points and can provide amazing results, but are still just rungs on the ladder of success. There is always something to work on. There will always be room for improvement. You may have the body you've always wanted but is your mind as sharp as it can be? You may have the sharpest mind for great ideas, but are you in good enough shape to execute those plans? Are you controlling your emotions? Are you living your life the way it was intended to be led? 

(Thanks to EatMoveBeFit for this great insight!)

The Right Attitude
I was reading my morning devotion today and I saw the parallel between your quiet time with God and Fitness...I had to share it with you. 

Here is the devotion: 

The Right Attitude for Your Quiet Time by Rick Warren 

“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b NIV) 

You can have a quiet time anywhere, but it all starts with a great attitude. God wants to know that your heart is in the right place. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV).What is the right attitude to have during your quiet time?

1. Come with expectancy. Be eager to come before God’s presence. You’re meeting with God - the creator of the universe! You should expect to have a good time of fellowship with him and receive a blessing.

2. Come with reverence. You’re going to meet God, so don’t rush into his presence. Prepare your heart by being still before him. If you were going to meet with the president of the United States or the queen of England, you’d get there early. You'd look your best. How much more reverence should we have when we come into the presence of the creator of the universe?

3. Come with alertness. Get yourself wide-awake before you meet with God. Again, you’re meeting the creator of the universe. Don’t have your quiet time in bed. You’ll probably fall asleep. In fact, the best time to prepare for your quiet time is the night before. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier if you need to. Be in good shape when you meet with God. He deserves your full attention.

4. Come with the willingness to obey. Don’t start your quiet time with the idea that you’ll hear from God and then decide whether or not to obey. Instead, tell the Lord you’ve already decided you’re going to say “yes.” Have a good attitude before you start your quiet time, and you can expect a good result from your quiet time. Come before the Lord with the wrong attitude and it’ll be just the opposite.

Talk About It • What specific ways will you change the way you do your quiet time once you consider your attitude toward your time with God? • How do you think your attitude would change if you had a sense of expectation about what God is going to do in your heart during your quiet time and not if he will work in you?

Here is my view with relating this to Fitness and the health of your body:1.      Expectancy: Be eager to work out and take care of the body that God gave us.  Come expecting a great workout at Boot Camp! Also, since it is group fitness, you will have fellowship with friends who share the same beliefs and goals that health and fitness is a priority.

2.      Reverence: This one is a little hard to do a parallel because I am NOT going to compare myself with God.  But I can say if you have in your mind that you are meeting someone that cares about you and wants to help you achieve your goals, open up and let me help.  I want to offer you a kick-butt workout and I want to help you when you are not in boot camp.

3.      Alertness: Ok – I understand 5am is not the most alert time of the day – but with the right attitude and the excitement to work out it’s amazing how it will help you wake up.  If you wake up “wanting” to work out instead of “having” to work out – it helps your attitude and your willingness to wake up.  Go to bed early – prepare ahead of time with your clothes – pack your bag with your workout clothes! God deserves your full attention and you know I want your full attention for your workout.

4.      Willingness to Obey: “Don’t start your quiet time with the idea that you’ll hear from God and then decide whether or not to obey”.  Can I hear a “BAM!” That’s it – God’s Word is filled with guidance and I am constantly trying to motivate, teach, guide you to a healthier you.  Don’t just listen w/o applying or put it in your mind that you “can’t”.  You know I hate that word. 
Just like it says – have a good attitude before you start your quiet time, and you can expect a good result! I couldn’t agree more! If you come to work out with the right attitude – you WILL have a good workout – You WILL achieve your goals – you WILL be that healthy and fit person that I SEE!

Many women turn to food to manage their moods. Unfortunately, what we call “comfort food” is usually loaded with saturated fats and sugary carbohydrates. Eating too much of these feel-good foods can cause weight gain, which in turn makes us feel ashamed of our bodies. These feelings, of course, can have an effect on our moods. It’s a good idea then to talk to other women who are trying to manage their moods and to work toward creating healthier strategies. Read on for my tips for breaking the food-mood cycle.

Eat Mindfully

The first step toward breaking the food-mood cycle is to take a few days and begin to eat mindfully. In our fast-paced, multitasking culture, we are usually in a rush, with multiple family and job responsibilities. We may eat quickly to manage stress, but we rarely eat mindfully, unless it is a “special” occasion. It only takes a few additional minutes to eat in a more relaxed way. Turn off the TV, put down the laptops and phones, and pay attention to the texture, taste and aroma of your food.

Don’t Deprive Yourself

Overly restrictive dieting can lead to an all-or-nothing attitude with food, and over time, severe hunger can lead to binge eating. Portion control solves a lot of this. It’s perfectly healthy to eat the food you crave -- if you keep the portion small. Many products now come in portion-controlled sizes. You might also spend some time prepping smaller portions of your favorite calorie-laden foods in baggies for you and your family.

Analyze This

If you are like many women, you have a good idea of what your food issues are in general. But if you take a few days to track what you eat and why in a food diary, you will probably understand yourself better. For example, if you are on a severely restrictive diet and skipping breakfast, you’ll realize that your 11:00 a.m. donut binge in the staff lounge is actually a normal response to extreme hunger. Or you might notice that you turn to your good friends Ben and Jerry at night, especially after a loss or disappointment.

Plan Ahead

If you want to change your relationship with food, you’ll need to change your environment. Use your food diary to determine whether you need to clean house. Literally. Packages of cookies, bags of chips and quarts of full-fat ice cream must go if you’ve identified them as unhealthy mood managers. Smaller packaging will help, as will more attractive displays of fruits and vegetables you enjoy. Make it easy on yourself: Cut up celery, carrots and peppers, and keep them toward the front of the fridge, not in the vegetable drawer.

Get Active

Now that you are eliminating food as your mood manager, identify other techniques that work for you. Regular exercise improves mood overall. If you’re feeling sad or anxious, try a short burst of any physical activity, like taking a short walk. Many women climb some stairs to burn calories and release tension. Keep a pair of sneakers at the office so that there are fewer barriers to getting moving at work

Change Your Music

Music is one of the most powerful mood changers. In fact, researchers conducting psychological experiments often use mournful music to create sad moods in volunteers. Conversely, you can use your favorite dance music or popular music from your teenage years to boost your mood. Have fun while you create some upbeat playlists. There may well be times when you want to listen to the blues or a violin symphony to fully experience your sadness. But when you want to escape, turn on the cheerful music

Make an Acceptance Plan

We sometimes use food because we want to eliminate negative moods quickly, but sometimes it’s better to accept the situation. Whether you’re feeling sadness, anger or anxiety, try to identify the source of your low mood. If it is something you can change, sketch out new solutions. For example, if a co-worker is annoying you, role-play with a friend about how you can be more assertive with the person. If, on the other hand, the situation is something you cannot change at this time, try to accept it. Breathe deeply and often. Take time to relax your muscles, especially your head, shoulder and neck muscles. Visualize a pleasant scene. It’s also a good idea to try to remember the big picture -- your values and goals -- and work on a plan of acceptance, rather than avoidance. You may, for example, have a difficult job, but you and your family need the income

Find Your Sisters

People with similar problems created the earliest weight-control and other self-help groups because the medical field did not know how to help them. This is still somewhat true in the area of food and mood. You may find some experts to be a bit judgmental or lacking in empathy, but talking to other women (and men) who practice comfort eating can feel like a big support. You will feel connected and understood, and you may be able to share new techniques for mood management

Try Mood-Boosting Foods

Okay, sometimes food and mood should go together. It turns out it’s not just doughnuts that make us feel good. There is growing evidence that the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fruits, vegetables and olive oil, is associated with less depression over time. A Spanish study of more than 10,000 people found that those who consumed a Mediterranean diet had a 30 percent lower risk of developing depression, even when the researchers controlled for other health habits and personality traits. Similarly, the consumption of more omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like salmon, tuna, herring, walnuts and canola oil, is associated with less depressed mood. Though the research is preliminary, the general health benefits of these diets make them worth considering.

Get Some Help

If you think you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder, a major depressive episode, premenstrual dysphoric disorder or an eating disorder like bulimia, you will benefit from talking with a mental health professional. You can discuss how food relates to your other symptoms and concerns, and you can develop a more comprehensive psychological treatment plan. Almost all health insurance plans cover some mental health services.

Thanks to “iVillage” for a this well written article!

1. Eat plenty of protein: You’ve heard it before; take in around .8 - 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. This is essential if your plan is to build instead of maintain muscle mass.

2. Eat the right kinds of protein: Make sure your proteins are from lean sources such as lean beef, lean ground meats, turkey, fish such as salmon and tilapia, chicken breasts, protein powders, egg whites with a few yolks, skim milk and fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese.

3. Eat the right kind of carbohydrate: Stick with complex carbs such as oatmeal, wheat bread, brown and wild rice, sweet potatoes, wheat pasta, and quinoa. This will ensure that your blood sugar stays steady throughout the day to supply you with ample energy for your hard workouts. 

4. Eat healthy fats: Healthy fats are essential for many functions such as brain and heart activity, hormone regulation and energy. Get healthy fats from sources such as oily fish, almonds, avocado, natural peanut butter and oil dressings.

5. Eat your fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables provide a myriad of benefits including a great source of fiber, photochemicals, vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. For vegetables go for dark leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli,  peas, and green beans and for fruits go with bananas, apples, cherries, blueberries and grapefruit.

6. Consume fiber: Consuming food high in fiber helps keep blood sugar levels steady and can aid in your goals of leaning up. Fiber provides bulk to foods, therefore making you feel fuller longer.

7. Don’t eat too much: We keep on talking about what to do. Well, here is something NOT to do: overeat. Give yourself just enough food to fulfill your protein requirements and to give you enough energy for your intense workouts and that’s it! Eating beyond your needs will result in fat gain.

8. Eat a surplus while bulking: This may sound contrary to the last principle but you need to eat a little more than what you maintain your current bodyweight with in order to gain muscle. Here is the main point: you only need around 200 to 400 additional calories to start gaining quality weight, not a buffet!

9. Eat into a deficit if dieting: The same hold true for the opposite. A 200 to 400 calorie decrease is all that is needed for your body to start burning fat for fuel. In other words, starving yourself will just make your body hold on to fat tissue.

10. Protein for breakfast: Make sure to get in some quality protein as soon as you rise in the morning. Something like some egg whites with one yolk will do the trick. Eggs are easy to digest and are an excellent source of amino acids. Research has shown that starting your day with a protein food will steady blood sugar and rev the metabolism for the entire day!

11. Complex carbs for breakfast: With that protein you need some energy. Complex carbs with a little fiber thrown in for good measure is perfect for stoking the furnace after an eight hour fasting.

12. Carb fuel pre workout: Eating complex carbs an hour or so prior to training will ensure you will have enough energy to make it through your entire workout. Try around 20 - 40 grams of carbs.

13. Fast-acting protein pre workout: This is a good time to surge your muscles and blood with amino acids from a fast absorbing protein source such as egg whites or whey protein powder. By having this rush of protein you will pack the muscle with protein and be ready for the rebuilding process when you are finished. Consume around 10 to 20 grams pre workout.

14. Quick protein after training: The perfect time to start the rebuilding process post training is within 30 minutes of finishing. Taking a fast-acting protein source will guarantee that your muscles will get the muscle building nutrients they need as fast as possible to grow larger and stronger. Consume around 40 to 50 grams of whey protein powder or egg whites.

15. Simple carbs post training: With your protein source you need fast-acting carbs as well. The simple sugars will enter into the muscle cells at a quick rate and will react with certain hormones to kick-start the rebuilding process. Try 20 to 40 grams of a simple carb source with no fiber such as fruit juice or a piece of serving of fruit.

16. No fats immediately after the gym: Taking in fats after training will only slow down the absorption of vital nutrients trying to get to the broken-down muscle tissue.

17. Curtail the carbs at night: As the day progresses lower your carb intake. This will help keep the fat off and aid in fat burning. Have a lean source of protein with a healthy fat and a little fiber. A meat or chicken salad with avocado and oil dressing would be perfect.

18. Cycle calories: After a while you will hit a plateau in your efforts to either lose or gain weight. The body is incredibly adaptable and sooner or later it will fight change. Try cycling your carbs by having a few days of baseline calories then have a high calorie day followed by a low calorie day. This will keep the body guessing and help to continue your progress.

19. Cheat once per week: This is similar to the last principle. Have one meal or entire day per week of whatever you want-within reason. Of course don’t drink massive amounts of alcohol and fast food, but go ahead and eat some food you enjoy eating and have dessert too. This will shock your body out of its normal routine of eating, but just be sure to get back on your diet plan the following day.

20. Relax: Relax and be patient. Progress does not happen overnight. With careful planning and diligence your efforts will be rewarded so don’t worry too much about making giant leaps. Relax and enjoy the process

(CutandJacked)

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the blessings we have in our lives. Thanksgiving is time to spend with family and friends and reflect upon your year.

If you are like most people your calorie intake will increase over the next few weeks. Today I am going to share with you why it is ok to eat more of the foods you like on Thursday without it sabotaging your goals. 

When most people attempt to lose weight they start by removing certain types of foods out of their meal plan. They "go on a diet" - (that four letter word that I don't like) to reach their weight.

One thing that that we know, if we are told we can not have something then this is usually what we want the most.

But if you go into Thursday thinking you are going to use this day to benefit your weight loss journey.

Don't worry - just keep reading!

If you stay in constant starvation mode your body will begin to find ways to use muscle for energy. And we know that muscle is our ally not our enemy! We don't want to hinder our weight loss.

If about once or twice a week you eat higher than normal calories (practicing moderation and portion control), you will actually trick your body into thinking it is being fed plenty so the starvation hormones stay in check.

This allows you to have some of your favorite, not so good for you choices and not feel so deprived.

I hope you don't miss out on some of your favorite foods because you believe they will make you fat. Use this strategy that could help your enjoy some good food, and possibly help get over a plateau and still allows you to reach more goals that you have set for this year!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Resistance Training

Training with resistance is essential when developing muscle shape and definition. For muscles to change shape, they need to work with increased loads - more than they are typically used to. To continually develop muscle shape and definition any resistance program needs to be progressed frequently to ensure that the work load is increased effectively.

Cardio training

Cardio training should support any muscle shaping programme as it serves as a method of loading certain muscle groups, and improving their endurance. The more enduring our muscles are, the faster they can recover from training and the faster they will change shape.

Nutrition

Developing muscle shape requires a focus on nutrition. Our food choices and eating habits such as the timing of our meals, have a significant impact on our body's response to exercise. Making the right food choices at the right time is essential for losing body fat and repairing muscles, which ultimately determines your shape.

Let me ask you, are you 336 days closer to your goals that you set on January 1, 2010?