Weighing In

Eventually most people get on the bathroom scale and weigh
themselves. This can be dicey, especially if the number that comes
up is unfavorable.

But let's look at this scenario a bit differently. Think about a
professional fighter. They have a very important part the fight
called the "weigh in".

A fighter can train for months, but if he doesn't make his pre-fight
weight he's done, finished, and the fight is over without ever
throwing a punch.

For a professional fighter, or any other sport that requires an
athlete to "make weight" demands a fair amount of focus and self
discipline.

We can learn a lot from these athletes and we can shift our mindset
to make our fat-loss goals to be more important. What if you were
to set a goal with a deadline? That might make a difference. Would
you be willing to shift your priorities to exercise and eat right
if there was a consequence associated with not meeting your goals?
That certainly changes the rules, doesn't it?

What I want you to take away is to look at the challenges you face
and realize that if you have struggled without long term success,
it may be because you have non-specific goals. Try putting some
real numbers in your goals, such as dress or pants size by a certain
date. And don't play it too safe. Your goals should be scary to
the point where they make you a bit nervous.

A good rule of thumb regarding fat loss is ten pounds in four to
six weeks. Based on that model, you can map out the next month to
a year and create these bench marks.

It's also important to accept the fact that not every week will be
successful. Sometimes life intervenes and sometimes the body just
doesn't respond the way we'd like it too or in the time frame we'd
like it to. But this is where having goals with numbers makes
all the difference. Your goals will get you back on track quickly.

What I love about this metaphor is the fact that we can make a game
of our quest for fitness and crank it up a notch. We can look at
our personal "weigh in" as being part of a mission. The first
time we weigh ourselves, we establish the base from which we will
work from. From there we set a goal weight.

The ritual of "weighing in" is much more powerful.

It's as if you are saying to the world:

"I AM HERE, I AM ACCOUNTABLE, AND THIS IS WHAT I
INTEND TO DO!"


So don't avoid the bathroom scale. Discover the fighter within
yourself. Use it and "weigh in".

Dr. Jeffrey Larkin to Speak on Active Release Technique

As a personal trainer and boot camp coach I put my body through it's paces day in and day out. My recovery isn't what it used to be and I occasionally visit my Chiropractor who "tunes me up" and keeps me going. My doctor of choice is a local Chiropractor, Dr. Jeffrey Larkin of Larkin Chiropractic in Warren, NJ (www.drjefflarkin.com).

What sets Dr. Larkin apart from other Chiropractors is the fact that he has a specialization called ART, which stands for "Active Release Technique". Simply put, ART is a deep tissue therapy that allows Dr. Larkin to locate and break up scar tissue that could form in the ligaments, tendons, or fascia. These scar tissue "adhesions" can wreak havoc on one's body if not treated, causing pain and discomfort that can not only last for years, but will continue to get worse over time.

My own personal experience with ART has been solely with Dr. Larkin. The two most impressive things about ART is that the treatments work fast and the results for me were permanent. I had three maybe four treatments and I was done. That's "powerful medicine" if you ask me. In the past I've had soft tissue injuries that kept me seeing a PT for weeks, eventually turning into months.

I've invited Dr. Larkin to speak this Sunday, November 23rd at out Body Basics Hiking Group. The location will be the Miller Lane parking lot and the time will be 8:15am. Please note that we are moving the time back 15 minutes than our normal start time.

If you want to attend you must RSVP through MeetUp.com. Please go to meetup.com and then search for "Body Basics Hiking Group". Join our group and then RSVP "Yes" that you plan to attend. The hike will be limited to just 15 people and the MeetUp site will keep a tally. So if you plan to attend, sign up early and commit. Whatever you do, please do not RSVP "yes" and then not show up as you would be preventing someone else from attending.

Please come prepared to hike four to five miles after Dr. Larkin's talk. All of the details are on the MeetUp.com site.

Take a Hike!

We had an awesome hike on Sunday. The best part is we're
developing a loyal following of people that are enjoying the
outdoors, learning about nutrition to improve the quality of their
lives, and we are getting to know one another and making new friends.

Still, many boot campers and friends keep telling me
week-after-week, "Larry, I'm going to come on a hike, I'd really
like to join you. It sounds like fun...BUT". There it is, the "BIG
BUT". Although this has nothing to do with the size of one's
posterior, you can certainly develop a big butt if you keep putting
off things like getting some exercise. Just for the record, hiking
is one of those activities that is truly exercise, but is a lot
more fun than it is hard work.

In any event I thank you as I know you are well intended, but the
truth is there are other things that are more important to some
people than getting out on a Sunday morning with a group of fun,
energetic, like-minded people.

Just remember, in spite of what ever occupies your time currently,
the door remains open and you are always welcome to join us.

To inspire you, I thought I would create a little video from one of
our hikes to show you what you have been missing and perhaps entice
you to break from tradition. Yesterday I took my little "Flip"
video camera along and shot some video clips as we all walked along.

It was a beautiful day, crisp and cool with bright sun, just
perfect for hiking. Our group was only ten people in number. But
it's not the amount of people that matters. Nope, it's "the type"
of people that come to these hikes that makes this pretty much my
favorite time of the week. In my opinion, these individuals have a
certain energy and vitality, an appreciation for the outdoors, they
like getting up and out early to "seize the day", and they like to
meet people and have fun!

Is this you? It may very well be. See what you've been missing?
Consider this email, an invitation or a "tap on the shoulder", or
maybe even a "kick in the pants!"

Watch the video I just put up on You Tube and see if you don't
change your mind about coming on a hike next Sunday.

I hope you'll join us.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

Congratulations President Obama!

History was made yesterday. Most people agree that we have just
entered a new era in politics and a new era for America. Right now
you are either very optimistic or perhaps concerned that the winds
of change will blow in the wrong direction. Having worked in
corporate America for so many years, there is one thing that I
learned early on.

"Time permeates change."

Everything changes. We get older, things cost more, our kids grow
up, our hair falls out and some body parts begin to yield to
gravitational forces. What are you going to do?

Learn to accept what you cannot change.

But there are other things you can change, and that kind of
change is GOOD!

Take your health for example. You can take complete control over
what you eat, when you eat, how much you eat, where you eat, and
who you eat with. You have complete control over your exercise too!

Maybe you voted for Obama and maybe you voted for McCain. The
important thing is that you made a choice and you committed to it.
That's commendable. Not everything works out the way we plan or
hope it will, but that doesn't mean that we should quit. In fact,
it means just the opposite. It means we should find new ways to
make things work better.

So if your diet isn't working or your nutrition plan isn't working,
don't quit, but seek new and better ways to get the results you are
looking for.

David Bowie said it best:
"Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Turn and face the strain."