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."

"But Larry...!"

What is it that makes some people successful while others keep chasing it wondering why achieving the things they want in life are always beyond their reach?

It's not talent.

It's not genius.

Give up?

It's diligence.

People that are successful focus on tasks and do them with "diligence".

Here's the Wikipedia definition.

"Diligence is a zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. Putting forth full concentration in one's work."

If you have obstacles, you might never even get in the game. Here's a common challenge I have heard consistently over the years and it's this:

"But Larry, I don't have the time."

There are some people that literally don't have the time, but most people are simply wasting time. In essence, they value other things. Let me ask you a simple question. Do you ever watch TV at night? Millions do, and why not, there are some very good shows on television. But it could be costing you big time. (And if it's not TV, it could be the internet, video games, etc.)

But isn't watching TV really a reward for all the hard work you do all day? You really do deserve to kick back, grab the remote (if it's available) and lose yourself in a good movie, catch up on your soaps, a sporting event, a cooking show, or learn "What Not To Wear"!

Look, I'm not against TV. But, I am against TV if you watch it for two hours a night and you tell me you have no free time. Even one hour a night is a is costing you, as you could be exercising.

"But Larry, I'm also too tired at night to workout".

I feel for you, I really do. I know it's hard being you. Many of you have challenging careers, take care of kids, take care of parents, own a business, run a home, coach a team, and the list goes on and on. I understand completely, but I'll tell you this.

SO WHAT? That's right, so what?

Everybody has challenges that make them tired at the end of the day. But here's something you may not realize. Everybody has everything in their lives that they value most from the clothes they wear to the cars they drive. If it's a "high value" item, good, or service, you've got it. By "high value" I don't mean high-priced. I mean on a scale of one to ten, the things you value are closer to ten. So if working out at night is not for you, then make sure you go to bed earlier so you can get up earlier, AND WORKOUT!

Yes, this change will be hard and you won't like it, but do it anyway because the benefits outweigh the discomfort. In time, you'll be glad you toughed it out as you'll have more energy and you'll lose weight. And once you make getting up early and exercising a habit, you'll be hard pressed to let it go.

People that are fit may not be wealthy and yet they may make sacrifices to belong to a gym, hire a personal trainer, or come to boot camp.

Why is that?

Because they value their health and they care about the way they look. Well, the way they look naked anyway. (However, some of us do need to watch "What Not To Wear") Quite simply, exercise and nutrition is a higher value priority in some peoples lives.

Now I realize I might be ruffling a few feathers here, but some of you need to know this. If you are struggling with your weight, month after month, year after year, the problem is most likely in the choices you make which is driven by the way you think about the choices you make. A good place to begin is to change the way you think about exercise and nutrition.

"But Larry, I don't like to exercise."

I understand. Exercise is hard work and since you were born a princess, you really should be excused from performing hard work. After all, isn't that what skilled labor is for? Perhap you could hire someone to lift your weights, perform your cardio, and eat correctly for you! (did you catch the sarcasm?)

Before I go on let's make sure you do not have any health related issues. Sometimes people struggle for years and never realize they have an underactive thyroid for example. You might want to consider seeing a medical doctor.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let's assume you are healthy, and you are still struggling for much too long. Nutrition is so often the missing link. Every time you eat something ask yourself this question. Am I bored, upset, just hungry, or am I eating to boost my metabolism and improve my health? Eating is an opportunity to do something healthy, or not. If you are eating extra food for "extra" reasons, you are most likely eating too many calories.

A little planning can go a long way.

When you go to bed at night, do you think about the next day and factor in your exercise routine? Do you have a contingency plan? How do you feel about yourself if you miss a workout? How do you feel about planning your meals? Does it all seem too overwhelming? How often do you find yourself skipping breakfast? How often do you find yourself picking up dinner at Quiznos or Panera Bread? Ouch, I bet I hit a nerve there.

Well, once again you are right on the money. This actually is very challenging.

The fact of the matter, the crux of the biscuit, the very bottom line is this... People that are successful at anything are successful because they are willing to do what other people won't do. They want the end result bad enough that they are willing to change their lives (drum roll please) AND STILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE. (see make sacrifices)

They will skip watching TV (or watch a lot less)
They plan their meals, meetings, work, play, etc.
They exercise daily and factor it in to the day.
They want something bad enough and make sacrifices and stop making excuses.
They write down what they want to achieve.
They educate themselves about whatever it is they want to achieve.
AND THEY LOVE BOOT CAMP! - Sorry, I couldn't resist :-)

No, I can't sugar coat this for you. This is simple, but it's not easy. Most people that travel down the road of health and fitness wander aimlessly. I am just a guide with a map. "Come follow me, I'll show you the way."

I absolutely love it when someone comes along and just gets it. They know that they want to be lean and fit, so they hire me as their coach. They follow the plan they lose fat in record time. Sure it makes me look good as a fitness professional, but truth be told, they deserve all the credit and they are the one's who look great!

Successful people:

Know what they want.
Take action.
Follow through with diligence.
Don't quit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let's start at the beginning. In order to improve your body composition, you need to exercise and eat right. Unfortunately that's just too much of an over simplification. Exercise and eating right means something different to everybody. So I'll do my best to make this easy for you.

I've got two options for boot camp that are both also great deals. You get more value than you pay for. But if you actually follow my plan and incorporate some of these success formula traits at the same time, the results could be worth 1000 times your financial investment.

What you "Value Most" will always determine your decision.

I came to value health and helping people so much that I changed my life and my career to do what makes me happy. Try to imagine what motivated me. I'll tell you this, it wasn't inspiration, it was desperation, massive doses of it too. There were literally dozens of reasons why I needed to change my life. It didn't happen over night. It's been a seven year journey since I had the first thought when I connected with my passion for fitness.

Decide what you want to change in your life and go for it.

Don't worry about getting it perfect, just get it going!