Happy New You! (Are you Committed to Your Food and Fitness Goals?)

It's nearly the end of January 2012 and many people have already abandoned their so-called "New Year's Resolutions."  Either they've gotten busy with work and life, their willpower and motivation has faded, or let's face it -- some of us have just gotten plain lazy. We'd rather watch the latest episode of "Basketball Jumpoffs" or "Real Housewives of Buffonery" than get our ass off the couch and get our workout on. :)  Every year I make a promise to myself to eat cleaner and more consciously and exercise consistently. Initially I embarked on this journey for vanity reasons (by my own admission), but I've since realized soooo many other benefits to this healthier lifestyle including: dramatically increased energy, a higher fitness level, balanced mood, and a more positive outlook on life. In 2012 I'm continuing the journey as a lifestyle. I think the reason why a lot of people fall off the wagon is they think about it as goal for the "New Year" instead of one for the "New You." 


 I was watching TV the other day and it's so funny how 3 of the major weight loss companies are running advertisements simultaneously featuring major singing celebrities.  Pop/R&B singer Mariah Carey is promoting for Jenny Craig. Jennifer Hudson is touting Weight Watchers and Janet Jackson is the current face of NutriSystem. It's like the weight loss battle of the singing divas!! LOL. I think all of these ladies look absolutely beautiful and have remarkable before/after transformations. How much of the company's food they actually ate to achieve their new bodies is another question, but I'm sure for legal reasons they had to at least sample the food. Of course all of these programs work if you're consistent with them, but naturally the use of celebrities is a marketing and PR ploy to draw the eyeballs of more people. I saw one Facebook post by a woman that complained that Mariah was not relatable and Jenny should get rid of her as a spokeswoman. Some folks will "poo-poo" these programs because they think celebrities make better and faster progress than the "average Jane" with their access to nutritionists, personal trainers, and private chefs etc. 

I used to think this way too and now I realize it was just an excuse. As someone once told me, even a wealthy person can't hire someone do to their pushups for them. No matter what, if you want to be healthy and more fit --  burn fat and build lean muscle --  YOU have to do the work...lift the weights...do the cardio...and stay away from the junk food. No one else can do it for you! That's what it comes down to.  There are really very few shortcuts for long-lasting success. 


I do write down my yearly goals in a journal in January of every year but I review them every quarter to check-in on my progress and see where I'm falling short and where I need to improve. It's also an opportunity to pat myself on the back for any accomplishments I achieved. I found that this type of ACCOUNTABILITY helps keep me on track, focused and motivated. 


FOCUS = "Fixed On Course Until Successful." 


So sorry. Pardon me. I think I was having a Gary Busey moment.  :)  Ultimately everyone has to find what works for them, but it must be frustrating to make the same darn goals every year and not make any progress. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results right?


On that note, in 2012 I plan to blog more often (at least once a month, if not more). I'll continue to share my experiences and reviews of different fitness classes (everything from Cardio Barre to Hot Yoga to Kettlebell workouts). If you have a fitness class that you enjoy or that has helped you achieve your goals, I'd love to hear about it.  I'll also share my insights on food and nutrition from some of my domestic and worldly travels. For example, did you know that in Cuba, they use little to no pesticides, herbicides, hormones or anti-biotics in their food?  I didn't realize that until I visited last year. You won't see any McDonald's, Burger Kings or Taco Bells there and the taste and quality of the food is infinitely better and healthier as reflected in the bodies of the people. I barely saw any overweight or obese people. We have a lot to learn about the way other people do things and I'm all about knowledge-sharing and having a dialogue so we can continue to improve ourselves and live healthier lives.


Until next time...may you continue to achieve your goals and may all your dreams come true. Be happy, healthy and well!!

Celebrate All Your Wins and Reward Yourself

It's really common for people to choose weight loss or physical fitness as their New Year's Resolution, train hard and go "gung ho" in the gym for a month or two, and then peter out. Sometimes we can lose focus, take our eyes off the ball, or just allow life to overwhelm us, and before we know it, fitness has taken a major backseat to other priorities in our life.

I've found that it's easier to stay on track when I celebrate my wins every week and establish a reward system. For every 5 or 10 lbs removed I give myself a reward. This gives me something to look forward to. For example, right now I'm very close to achieving my 20 lb. weight loss goal and when I do I'm rewarding myself with a relaxing afternoon at the spa. Choose a reward you really like that is not food-related. Maybe it's a movie with a friend, a weekend getaway, or a mini-shopping spree. Choose bigger rewards for bigger milestones achieved. I've already decided what my reward will be for finishing my 12-week body transformation challenge. It's a pretty big one but I will have earned it.

Think about it...You've made sacrifices, dieted, worked your butt off and put up with being hungry and sore -- lifting, pumping, biking, dancing, running, and doing whatever you do to get great results. So you deserve it!

"Change begins from the inside out"

Until I reach my ultimate goal, each week I like to celebrate my small wins. I sit down with a chart that tracks my week by week progress and compares my goals with actual results. Usually my goal for any given week is a 1-2 lbs weight loss, which is very reasonable and manageable. I pat myself on the back for the days I ate clean, worked out, and did my power mindset (mental exercises). Then I have a little "party" to celebrate my weight loss for the week and anything else positive that happened.

There will always be those weeks when we falter or fall into a slump and don't achieve the goal(s) we intended. I keep a journal and have a "pep me up" page. Whenever I receive them, I write down compliments that co-workers, friends or even random strangers have given me especially as it relates to my fitness progress.  On difficult days I may read over some of these nice words of encouragement to give me an extra boost. It's always great when others start to notice the hard work you've been putting into the gym. This started to happen for me around the 15 lb mark. When the going gets tough I like to remind myself of how just far I've come.

You will automatically feel a rush of energy, positive vibes and a "take charge" attitude once you start celebrating your wins. Those positive thoughts put you in a mindset to keep pushing forward and not give up on your goals.

So what wins are you celebrating this week? I'm happy to say I celebrated losing a cumulative total of 10% of my bodyweight. I also finally fit into a brand new pair of designer skinny jeans that I bought ages ago but was never able to wear.  I intentionally bought them too small and couldn't zip or button them at all. They had been hanging in my closet collecting dust for far too long. This week I decided to try them on just for shiggles (not thinking they would fit). I found myself  zipping them up with ease and looking in the mirror at astonishment and surprise that I could now fit into them. That was really cool and just another "data point" that encourages me to keep going.

I'd love to hear what "wins" you're celebrating this week. I'm giving away 2 tickets to see the Neville Brothers at Hollywood Bowl on 8/18/10. Comment on this blog post to qualify. Only U.S. CA residents eligible to win. Deadline is Friday, 8/13/10.