Hello, Perfect You LLC will be posting the following theme for the month of January
Boot-y Camp
Week 1: ‘I Like Big Butts...’ Just a Fad of the Times or Timeless Sex Symbol?
Week 2: Intro to & Overview of the Glutes.
Week 3: Targeting the Glutes Through Strength Moves.
Week 4: Targeting the Glutes Through Cardio Conditioning.
Regards,
Eddie
CEO - Perfect You LLC
Sunday, December 28, 2008
The Aftermath: Maintaining
The Aftermath: Maintaining
I have been about the same weight for going on 3 years now. I’m not going to lie & say it’s been easy, ‘cause it hasn’t; but coming as far as I did sure makes it far less difficult to stay focused. I know that I will never in my life be as big as I once was but I do find that I struggle to stay as disciplined as I was when I first started on my journey to lose weight. At first it’s easy because the results are motivation in themselves – enough to keep you going. Then you’ve got the added push from people noticing all around & constantly telling you how great you look and praising your hard work. But what do you do when you reach your goal & the dust settles? How do you keep from going back to where you came from or yo-yoing back & forth? To be honest, I don’t have a concrete answer. Anyone can sit & preach that you just have to keep doing what you’re doing – exercise & eat right. I’ve been there & I’m still here – it’s not as simple as it sounds. At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do is remember that you are here to live your life & be happy. Yes, it’s important to be healthy but if it means you lose the joy from your life or feel like you are constantly restricted, you are dooming yourself by setting a trap for a big fall. Take things day by day & do what makes you feel good. Remember that it’s ok to ‘cheat’ and indulge once in a while. Make sure you aren’t being too hard on yourself. It’s a constant battle & it probably always will be, so do your best to roll with the punches. Tomorrow is always another day where you can start fresh, so don’t beat yourself up over whatever might have happened today. Remembering how far you came & the work you did to get here will help. I think the hardest part is when everyone gets used to the new you & all the praise & compliments slow down…maybe even come to a stop. You start to get comfortable…. start to slack off… That is when you have to remind yourself. Keep ‘before’ picturess & a piece or two of clothing from before you lost weight. When you start to slip, pull them out & remind yourself how hard you worked & why you did it in the first place. Focus on how good you feel, how different things are now & how much easier certain activities have become. In the grand scheme of things, your weight should not be the most pressing matter on your to-do list – we’ve all got much bigger problems to deal with. Don’t let it stress you out more than it should & never let it consume you completely. Take a deep breath & hit the reset button. Remember to take things day-by-day, ‘live, love & laugh’!!!!!
Melissa has the gift of producing weight loss for our clients. She has been there and conquered all the odds to transform herself. If you are having weight loss issues please reach out to Melissa. She just might be the ONE person in your life that can make a difference and give you back your life. She has been where you are - and she was able to rise from the depths to make her body what she always envisioned it to be.
Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service
I have been about the same weight for going on 3 years now. I’m not going to lie & say it’s been easy, ‘cause it hasn’t; but coming as far as I did sure makes it far less difficult to stay focused. I know that I will never in my life be as big as I once was but I do find that I struggle to stay as disciplined as I was when I first started on my journey to lose weight. At first it’s easy because the results are motivation in themselves – enough to keep you going. Then you’ve got the added push from people noticing all around & constantly telling you how great you look and praising your hard work. But what do you do when you reach your goal & the dust settles? How do you keep from going back to where you came from or yo-yoing back & forth? To be honest, I don’t have a concrete answer. Anyone can sit & preach that you just have to keep doing what you’re doing – exercise & eat right. I’ve been there & I’m still here – it’s not as simple as it sounds. At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do is remember that you are here to live your life & be happy. Yes, it’s important to be healthy but if it means you lose the joy from your life or feel like you are constantly restricted, you are dooming yourself by setting a trap for a big fall. Take things day by day & do what makes you feel good. Remember that it’s ok to ‘cheat’ and indulge once in a while. Make sure you aren’t being too hard on yourself. It’s a constant battle & it probably always will be, so do your best to roll with the punches. Tomorrow is always another day where you can start fresh, so don’t beat yourself up over whatever might have happened today. Remembering how far you came & the work you did to get here will help. I think the hardest part is when everyone gets used to the new you & all the praise & compliments slow down…maybe even come to a stop. You start to get comfortable…. start to slack off… That is when you have to remind yourself. Keep ‘before’ picturess & a piece or two of clothing from before you lost weight. When you start to slip, pull them out & remind yourself how hard you worked & why you did it in the first place. Focus on how good you feel, how different things are now & how much easier certain activities have become. In the grand scheme of things, your weight should not be the most pressing matter on your to-do list – we’ve all got much bigger problems to deal with. Don’t let it stress you out more than it should & never let it consume you completely. Take a deep breath & hit the reset button. Remember to take things day-by-day, ‘live, love & laugh’!!!!!
Melissa has the gift of producing weight loss for our clients. She has been there and conquered all the odds to transform herself. If you are having weight loss issues please reach out to Melissa. She just might be the ONE person in your life that can make a difference and give you back your life. She has been where you are - and she was able to rise from the depths to make her body what she always envisioned it to be.
Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Tips & Tricks for Newbie’s
Tips & Tricks for Newbie’s
This is probably stuff you’ve all read before but the following is a list of some of the things that helped me in my quest for weight loss & a healthier lifestyle.
1) Eat salad with EVERY meal (preferably before anything else or in between bites of everything else).
2) Try chewing gum or hard candy whenever you have a particularly strong craving for something you really don’t need to eat (i.e. chocolate, cake, fried ravioli, French fries or whatever the case may be) .
3) Give into cravings every now & again (otherwise you’ll go crazy!).
4) Invoke the basic Kindergarten rule of sharing (like with desserts & other rich foods that have enough calories to feed a small army).
5) If you know something is your weakness, DON’T KEEP IT AROUND! As painful as it might be in the beginning, take a garbage bag & empty your home of any & all foods that could cause you to stray. Going forward, simply don’t buy those things. If they’re not around, you can’t eat them.
6) Like someone who’s trying to quit smoking, you are essentially trying to ‘quit’ an ‘addiction’ to food…. so whenever you feel the need to run for the cookies & chips or find yourself with one hand on the cupboard door (and for whatever reason you still keep the stuff around), DIVERT (as quickly as possible) to the crisper drawer of the fridge. Of course this requires making sure you have an ample supply of healthy alternatives like baby carrots, celery, fresh string beans etc.
7) Eat fresh fruit for dessert instead of cake, cookies, pie etc. Or at least MORE fruit than anything else (Eat the fruit & then have a few bites of [insert decadence here] if you must).
8) Never go to a party or social gathering on an empty stomach.
9) Never go food shopping on an empty stomach & ALWAYS make a list & stick to it!
10) In place of tortilla chips, try celery with salsa. Yes I know it sounds strange but you’d be surprised just how satisfying it actually is (all you really want is the crunch when you get down to it). Besides, celery & salsa is virtually calorie (& guilt free)!
11) Be firm with family & friends when they try to push food on you – yes, even Grandma – I’m not saying you have to be a jerk about it & always say ‘no no no!’ but you have to put limitations on what you give into or you’ll just set yourself back.
12) Be conscious of choices at restaurants & do your best to pick the healthiest thing you can find – ask about substitutions for things like French fries & white rice etc. (You can always steal a bite or two of the sinful stuff from whomever is eating with you). ;-)
13) Remember that it’s ok NOT to clean your plate! PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY!! If you feel full, wrap the remaining food up or throw it away (this is also ok to do…I know, I know, kids starving in [insert country], but there’s no way you could get the food to them before it spoiled so really, who would you be helping besides your fat cells?).
14) When you do feel full & decide to stop eating, get the remainder away from you as quickly as possible before you start to pick again. (ask the server to wrap it/take it ASAP…. mess it up with all kinds of condiments beyond edibility…. pour it in the garbage disposal …give it to the dog …. Give it to Mikey…. etc)
15) Do your best to view food as fuel for your body.
16) If you aren’t sure whether you’re hungry or not, try a cup of tea – cinnamon works best if you are also trying to dodge a craving.
17) S-L-O-W down!!! Pay attention to what you’re eating – TASTE your food as you chew thoroughly, swallow & repeat.
Melissa has the gift of producing weight loss for our clients. She has been there and conquered all the odds to transform herself. If you are having weight loss issues please reachout to Melissa. She just might be the ONE person in your life that can make a difference and give you back your life. She has been where you are - and she was able to rise from the depths to make her body what she always envisioned it to be.
Good luck!
Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service
This is probably stuff you’ve all read before but the following is a list of some of the things that helped me in my quest for weight loss & a healthier lifestyle.
1) Eat salad with EVERY meal (preferably before anything else or in between bites of everything else).
2) Try chewing gum or hard candy whenever you have a particularly strong craving for something you really don’t need to eat (i.e. chocolate, cake, fried ravioli, French fries or whatever the case may be) .
3) Give into cravings every now & again (otherwise you’ll go crazy!).
4) Invoke the basic Kindergarten rule of sharing (like with desserts & other rich foods that have enough calories to feed a small army).
5) If you know something is your weakness, DON’T KEEP IT AROUND! As painful as it might be in the beginning, take a garbage bag & empty your home of any & all foods that could cause you to stray. Going forward, simply don’t buy those things. If they’re not around, you can’t eat them.
6) Like someone who’s trying to quit smoking, you are essentially trying to ‘quit’ an ‘addiction’ to food…. so whenever you feel the need to run for the cookies & chips or find yourself with one hand on the cupboard door (and for whatever reason you still keep the stuff around), DIVERT (as quickly as possible) to the crisper drawer of the fridge. Of course this requires making sure you have an ample supply of healthy alternatives like baby carrots, celery, fresh string beans etc.
7) Eat fresh fruit for dessert instead of cake, cookies, pie etc. Or at least MORE fruit than anything else (Eat the fruit & then have a few bites of [insert decadence here] if you must).
8) Never go to a party or social gathering on an empty stomach.
9) Never go food shopping on an empty stomach & ALWAYS make a list & stick to it!
10) In place of tortilla chips, try celery with salsa. Yes I know it sounds strange but you’d be surprised just how satisfying it actually is (all you really want is the crunch when you get down to it). Besides, celery & salsa is virtually calorie (& guilt free)!
11) Be firm with family & friends when they try to push food on you – yes, even Grandma – I’m not saying you have to be a jerk about it & always say ‘no no no!’ but you have to put limitations on what you give into or you’ll just set yourself back.
12) Be conscious of choices at restaurants & do your best to pick the healthiest thing you can find – ask about substitutions for things like French fries & white rice etc. (You can always steal a bite or two of the sinful stuff from whomever is eating with you). ;-)
13) Remember that it’s ok NOT to clean your plate! PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY!! If you feel full, wrap the remaining food up or throw it away (this is also ok to do…I know, I know, kids starving in [insert country], but there’s no way you could get the food to them before it spoiled so really, who would you be helping besides your fat cells?).
14) When you do feel full & decide to stop eating, get the remainder away from you as quickly as possible before you start to pick again. (ask the server to wrap it/take it ASAP…. mess it up with all kinds of condiments beyond edibility…. pour it in the garbage disposal …give it to the dog …. Give it to Mikey…. etc)
15) Do your best to view food as fuel for your body.
16) If you aren’t sure whether you’re hungry or not, try a cup of tea – cinnamon works best if you are also trying to dodge a craving.
17) S-L-O-W down!!! Pay attention to what you’re eating – TASTE your food as you chew thoroughly, swallow & repeat.
Melissa has the gift of producing weight loss for our clients. She has been there and conquered all the odds to transform herself. If you are having weight loss issues please reachout to Melissa. She just might be the ONE person in your life that can make a difference and give you back your life. She has been where you are - and she was able to rise from the depths to make her body what she always envisioned it to be.
Good luck!
Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service
Saturday, December 13, 2008
To Cut or Not to Cut
To Cut or Not to Cut
It is in my opinion that far too many people in this country resort to weight loss surgery as a ‘way out’ once they’ve gone too far. It seems like a rather poor replacement for more traditional methods of losing weight, the sole difference being the time & effort involved for effectiveness. Of course, there are cases that absolutely require the assistance of surgery, don’t get me wrong. It’s just the sort of thing that gets a bad wrap from overuse & system manipulation. If it’s something you’ve thought about doing for yourself, here are a few informational tidbits & pros/cons that might help.
A BMI of over 30+ is considered severley obese.
There are two types of surgery: Restrictive & Malabsorptive. Restrictive surgery involves making the stomach smaller thereby limiting the amount of food that can be held, which causes you to feel full faster. Malabsorptive surgery involves making the small intestine shorter which limits the amount of food that is completely digested. Increasingly, both procedures are being performed in conjunction.
There are certain procedures that must be addressed before being approved to go ahead with the surgery. Since most people cannot afford to pay for the surgery on their own, they will have to go through their insurance company in order to obtain assistance. It would be up to you to contact your insurance company to find out if weight loss surgery is covered & then provide all the necessary documentation. This can be arduous as some insurance companies require you not only to obtain written consent from a doctor that indicates a medical necessity but also documentation of attempts at less invasive forms of weight loss (i.e. diet monitoring, exercise attempts etc). You would most likely also have to undergo a psychological evaluation pre-surgery.
Recovery time and psychological reaction are things to think about as well; your life will be drastically affected. Surgery is never something to be taken lightly & aside from possible complications, you could be restricted from your normal everyday activities for 6 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on various factors such as the type of surgery & your personal reaction or any complications to the surgery). Fortunately, there are many support groups available for post-surgery.
Pros
Rapid weight loss for up to 24 months
Improvement of health conditions caused by obesity
Cons
Side effects (vomiting, nausea, weakness, increased sweating, faintness, dizziness, bloating, increased gas, gallstones and diarrhea)
Nutritional deficiencies
Complications to the surgery (abdominal hernias, infections, breakdown of the staple line, stretched stomach outlets, bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, marginal ulcers, pulmonary problems, spleen injury – may have to be removed completely)
Necessary avoidance of pregnancy - temporarily (women of childbearing age – the rapid weight loss & nutritional deficiencies can harm the fetus)
Lifestyle changes (not only the obvious diet & exercise modifications but also vitamin supplementation & regular periodic checkups for nutritional and digestive problems/issues)
A lack of the long-term effects on nutrition & the body.
Hopefully the above information helped you become just a little more educated on the topic & will assist in helping you make your decision. However, this is obviously an issue to be discussed in depth with your doctor & researched thoroughly to ensure it is something that’s going to be right for you.
This article comes from Melissa, one of my partners, who is an AFAA certified Personal Trainer. Her before and after pictures are a true inspiration of her dedication to what ever she puts her mind to. She has transformed her body and can do the same for you. Melissa is available for in-person Personal Training sessions as well as creating an eight week virtual (email) personal training program to help you meet your individual needs as you work your way to that "Perfect You". She could just be the one person that can truly inspire you to reach your goals. She is always available to answer your questions. Your heatlh is all you have in your later years - take a stand TODAY and make it your priority. Time waits for no one.
Good luck!
Melissa Gentile COO/CTO Executive Vice President Training, Customer Service and Product Development.
It is in my opinion that far too many people in this country resort to weight loss surgery as a ‘way out’ once they’ve gone too far. It seems like a rather poor replacement for more traditional methods of losing weight, the sole difference being the time & effort involved for effectiveness. Of course, there are cases that absolutely require the assistance of surgery, don’t get me wrong. It’s just the sort of thing that gets a bad wrap from overuse & system manipulation. If it’s something you’ve thought about doing for yourself, here are a few informational tidbits & pros/cons that might help.
A BMI of over 30+ is considered severley obese.
There are two types of surgery: Restrictive & Malabsorptive. Restrictive surgery involves making the stomach smaller thereby limiting the amount of food that can be held, which causes you to feel full faster. Malabsorptive surgery involves making the small intestine shorter which limits the amount of food that is completely digested. Increasingly, both procedures are being performed in conjunction.
There are certain procedures that must be addressed before being approved to go ahead with the surgery. Since most people cannot afford to pay for the surgery on their own, they will have to go through their insurance company in order to obtain assistance. It would be up to you to contact your insurance company to find out if weight loss surgery is covered & then provide all the necessary documentation. This can be arduous as some insurance companies require you not only to obtain written consent from a doctor that indicates a medical necessity but also documentation of attempts at less invasive forms of weight loss (i.e. diet monitoring, exercise attempts etc). You would most likely also have to undergo a psychological evaluation pre-surgery.
Recovery time and psychological reaction are things to think about as well; your life will be drastically affected. Surgery is never something to be taken lightly & aside from possible complications, you could be restricted from your normal everyday activities for 6 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on various factors such as the type of surgery & your personal reaction or any complications to the surgery). Fortunately, there are many support groups available for post-surgery.
Pros
Rapid weight loss for up to 24 months
Improvement of health conditions caused by obesity
Cons
Side effects (vomiting, nausea, weakness, increased sweating, faintness, dizziness, bloating, increased gas, gallstones and diarrhea)
Nutritional deficiencies
Complications to the surgery (abdominal hernias, infections, breakdown of the staple line, stretched stomach outlets, bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, marginal ulcers, pulmonary problems, spleen injury – may have to be removed completely)
Necessary avoidance of pregnancy - temporarily (women of childbearing age – the rapid weight loss & nutritional deficiencies can harm the fetus)
Lifestyle changes (not only the obvious diet & exercise modifications but also vitamin supplementation & regular periodic checkups for nutritional and digestive problems/issues)
A lack of the long-term effects on nutrition & the body.
Hopefully the above information helped you become just a little more educated on the topic & will assist in helping you make your decision. However, this is obviously an issue to be discussed in depth with your doctor & researched thoroughly to ensure it is something that’s going to be right for you.
This article comes from Melissa, one of my partners, who is an AFAA certified Personal Trainer. Her before and after pictures are a true inspiration of her dedication to what ever she puts her mind to. She has transformed her body and can do the same for you. Melissa is available for in-person Personal Training sessions as well as creating an eight week virtual (email) personal training program to help you meet your individual needs as you work your way to that "Perfect You". She could just be the one person that can truly inspire you to reach your goals. She is always available to answer your questions. Your heatlh is all you have in your later years - take a stand TODAY and make it your priority. Time waits for no one.
Good luck!
Melissa Gentile COO/CTO Executive Vice President Training, Customer Service and Product Development.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
'The Breaking Point'
This article comes from Melissa, one of my partners, who is an AFAA certified Personal Trainer. Her before and after pictures are a true inspiration of her dedication to what ever she puts her mind to. She has transformed her body and can do the same for you. Melissa is available for in-person Personal Training sessions as well as creating an eight week virtual (email) personal training program to help you meet your individual needs as you work your way to that "Perfect You". She could just be the one person that can truly inspire you to reach your goals. She is always available to answer your questions.
'The Breaking Point'
I lost 100 pounds.
By myself.
People always ask me 'how'd you do it?' seemingly in hopes that my answer will be short, sweet & contain some sort of magical formula that will make them instantly drop 20 pounds.
Sorry, it doesn't quite work like that & each time I respond I meet disappointment & sometimes even a loss of interest in the matter altogether. The truth is, it took a lot of the same thing you hear being preached at every health club and on every episode, book, workout or meal plan that Oprah endorses. The 'magic formula' does indeed exist & it's actually quite simple; the problem with it is the time that it takes to work. That's where people turn a cold shoulder or give up in exchange for the never-ending 'Quick Fix Quest'.
Exercise + Smart Food Choices = Your Perfect Body
However, contrary to what most people believe, it's really not the magic formula they are, or should be searching for; after all, it is almost common knowledge nowadays. It's what I like to call 'The Breaking Point' that seems to elude most. It's not as if I didn't do what every other person out there on the Quick Fix Quest does - guilty as charged. Like so many, I was in constant search mode for the diet, the workout, the pill or the surgery that would have me dropping clothes sizes in a matter of weeks without changing a single part of the comfortable habits I'd settled into. And like so many, I met my fair share of disappointment & scams alike. Highly discouraging scenarios but not without value, for they sparked the realization that
the only way to get what I truly wanted (and this goes for more than just weight loss by the way) was through sacrifice. I finally accepted that you really can't 'have your cake & eat it too,' (without the inevitable excess weight piling on).
When I finally started to examine the 'why' behind my obesity & paying attention to the things that were part of my daily life that perpetuated the situation I obsessed about, things began to fall into place. For me, the biggest problem turned out to be lack of education in nutrition. I had absolutely no concept of portions. Once the biggest problem was identified, it became easier and easier to start changing things to get the results that I had so long sought after. I took baby steps & came to see that anything that seems too good to be true, truly is & a quick fix will NEVER teach you the lessons necessary for longevity. Only when you are ready to make a real
commitment to yourself, invest your time & energy, and make some sacrifices, will you appreciate & respect the results that you get.
That, my friends, is the 'secret'. Take your time! We as a society are so caught up in the culture of convenience that we fail to remember there is ALWAYS tomorrow - a brand new day just waiting for you to make or break it. Progress takes time.
Awareness + Determination & Commitment = The Breaking Point
Being aware does come with the price of energy expenditure, which is also too often the undoing of many ambitious intentions. Who wants to always have to stop & think before they do something that used to come as second nature (like eating)? However, like anything else in life,
once you get past the initial newness, less effort has to be expended and what was once so difficult & daunting takes the place of those unhealthy habits that were once so comfortable. In my experience, I have also found what works best for me is remembering how good the results feel. Whether it's the accomplishment I feel after a good workout, the satisfaction of a meal that won't make me feel guilty, or remembering how it felt the first time I put on a pair of jeans that
didn't have a double-digit size. I call on memories of hearing exclamations of compliment from people who noticed my progress or hadn't seen me in some time & couldn't believe how far I'd come and how amazing it felt to be able to do things most people take for
granted (like clothes shopping, sitting (and actually fitting) in the chairs at stadiums/theatres/etc. and walking through turnstiles without having to turn sideways to name a few).
Use positive reinforcement for yourself! Don't beat yourself up! We all make mistakes. It is much easier to err on the side of negativity for most people & that only serves to defeat us further. Focus on the positives & you can't go wrong! So you went ahead and ate the cake
today. You know what? There's always tomorrow! And if you want it bad enough, you'll reach the point where you know you're ready and suddenly you're unstoppable. The choice is up to you: continue on in a futile quest that perpetuates a cycle of self defeat and disappointment, or take the first baby step toward the goal that will change your life forever.
Good luck!! :)
Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service
'The Breaking Point'
I lost 100 pounds.
By myself.
People always ask me 'how'd you do it?' seemingly in hopes that my answer will be short, sweet & contain some sort of magical formula that will make them instantly drop 20 pounds.
Sorry, it doesn't quite work like that & each time I respond I meet disappointment & sometimes even a loss of interest in the matter altogether. The truth is, it took a lot of the same thing you hear being preached at every health club and on every episode, book, workout or meal plan that Oprah endorses. The 'magic formula' does indeed exist & it's actually quite simple; the problem with it is the time that it takes to work. That's where people turn a cold shoulder or give up in exchange for the never-ending 'Quick Fix Quest'.
Exercise + Smart Food Choices = Your Perfect Body
However, contrary to what most people believe, it's really not the magic formula they are, or should be searching for; after all, it is almost common knowledge nowadays. It's what I like to call 'The Breaking Point' that seems to elude most. It's not as if I didn't do what every other person out there on the Quick Fix Quest does - guilty as charged. Like so many, I was in constant search mode for the diet, the workout, the pill or the surgery that would have me dropping clothes sizes in a matter of weeks without changing a single part of the comfortable habits I'd settled into. And like so many, I met my fair share of disappointment & scams alike. Highly discouraging scenarios but not without value, for they sparked the realization that
the only way to get what I truly wanted (and this goes for more than just weight loss by the way) was through sacrifice. I finally accepted that you really can't 'have your cake & eat it too,' (without the inevitable excess weight piling on).
When I finally started to examine the 'why' behind my obesity & paying attention to the things that were part of my daily life that perpetuated the situation I obsessed about, things began to fall into place. For me, the biggest problem turned out to be lack of education in nutrition. I had absolutely no concept of portions. Once the biggest problem was identified, it became easier and easier to start changing things to get the results that I had so long sought after. I took baby steps & came to see that anything that seems too good to be true, truly is & a quick fix will NEVER teach you the lessons necessary for longevity. Only when you are ready to make a real
commitment to yourself, invest your time & energy, and make some sacrifices, will you appreciate & respect the results that you get.
That, my friends, is the 'secret'. Take your time! We as a society are so caught up in the culture of convenience that we fail to remember there is ALWAYS tomorrow - a brand new day just waiting for you to make or break it. Progress takes time.
Awareness + Determination & Commitment = The Breaking Point
Being aware does come with the price of energy expenditure, which is also too often the undoing of many ambitious intentions. Who wants to always have to stop & think before they do something that used to come as second nature (like eating)? However, like anything else in life,
once you get past the initial newness, less effort has to be expended and what was once so difficult & daunting takes the place of those unhealthy habits that were once so comfortable. In my experience, I have also found what works best for me is remembering how good the results feel. Whether it's the accomplishment I feel after a good workout, the satisfaction of a meal that won't make me feel guilty, or remembering how it felt the first time I put on a pair of jeans that
didn't have a double-digit size. I call on memories of hearing exclamations of compliment from people who noticed my progress or hadn't seen me in some time & couldn't believe how far I'd come and how amazing it felt to be able to do things most people take for
granted (like clothes shopping, sitting (and actually fitting) in the chairs at stadiums/theatres/etc. and walking through turnstiles without having to turn sideways to name a few).
Use positive reinforcement for yourself! Don't beat yourself up! We all make mistakes. It is much easier to err on the side of negativity for most people & that only serves to defeat us further. Focus on the positives & you can't go wrong! So you went ahead and ate the cake
today. You know what? There's always tomorrow! And if you want it bad enough, you'll reach the point where you know you're ready and suddenly you're unstoppable. The choice is up to you: continue on in a futile quest that perpetuates a cycle of self defeat and disappointment, or take the first baby step toward the goal that will change your life forever.
Good luck!! :)
Melissa COO/CPT
Executive Vice President
Group Exercise, Program Design and Customer Service
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Themes for the month December 2008
Hello, Perfect You LLC will be posting our first article for the month of December this Saturday night. The theme for the month of December 2008 is: Mass Weight Loss
In the coming weeks these will be the articles posted that relate to the theme above.
Week 1: The Breaking Point
Week 2: To Cut or Not to Cut: Weight Loss Surgery
Week 3: Tips & Tricks for Newbies
Week 4: The Aftermath: Maintaining
Regards,
Eddie
CEO - Perfect You LLC
In the coming weeks these will be the articles posted that relate to the theme above.
Week 1: The Breaking Point
Week 2: To Cut or Not to Cut: Weight Loss Surgery
Week 3: Tips & Tricks for Newbies
Week 4: The Aftermath: Maintaining
Regards,
Eddie
CEO - Perfect You LLC
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