Having unrealistic fitness goals can make weight loss extremely frustrating.  With the wrong expectations, you can set yourself up for failure.

Weight loss goals should be:

• Precise. Outline an action plan for the week, and be specific. Create a fitness plan that’s clear and goal-oriented.
• Progressive. Take baby steps in the beginning and allow yourself to gradually move on to the next level.  For example, say, “I’ll walk 20 minutes, three times a week,” rather than, “I’ll walk two hours every day beginning tomorrow.”  Once you’ve gotten the hang of walking regularly, it will be easier to do it for 30 or 40 minutes, and then to an hour or even two a day.  Track your progress by keeping a diary.  There’s nothing more motivating than seeing your fitness trend on paper.
• Optimistic. Say, “My average daily intake will be 3,000 calories this week” rather than, “I’ll never eat more than 1,000 calories every day.”  Setting positive, sensible goals will make you feel good about your successes, not deprived or—worse—starved.
• Realistic. Set goals that you can live with and fit in your lifestyle.  Say, “I want to lose a pound this week,” rather than, “I will lose ten pounds before the end of the week.”  Remember—you didn’t gain the extra weight overnight, so don’t expect to get rid of it overnight.
• Rewarding. Celebrate each victory, even those as small as losing a pound after your first week on a much healthier diet.  These small triumphs are crucial in attaining a long-term success.

Setting goals that are practical and sensible allows you to enjoy a weight loss program that is effective, and brings permanent results.

So, how much is within reason again?

• Lose 1 pound, per week. Losing 1 pound a week, according to nutritionists, is recommended; anything more than that is unhealthy and could easily put your body at risk.  Now this also means being realistic about your timetable.  If you want to lose 30 pounds, for instance, then embrace the fact that you will be going on a much longer program.
• Cut back 250 calories, per day. Cutting back 250 to 500 calories a day will help you lose about a pound per week.  Making little changes in your daily diet add up in the long run:  the syrup on your pancakes, the butter on your toast, the extra glass of milk you drink in the morning.
• Burn 250 calories per day. Exercising off 250 to 500 calories will also help you lose a pound or more a week.  Ideally, you should do a combination of both; for example—cutting back 250 calories and then sweating off an extra 250 calories will help accelerate your weight loss goals.
• Lose 5 to 10 percent of your starting weight. This, according to most doctors, is medically achievable.  This means that if you weigh 200 pounds, a reasonable target would be to lose 10 to 20 pounds.

Revise your thinking and your targets.  Unrealistic goals only increase the risk of dropping out of a weight loss program.  The best way to go:  smaller, more tangible expectations.

Enjoy your journey!

Contact me if you’re interested in hiring me as an In-Home Fitness Trainer.  I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, and Bedford, Texas area.

So you did everything right today: ate nutritious meals, exercised for an hour before hitting the morning traffic to work, had a hearty apple for your afternoon snack, and consumed a well-balanced dinner.  But before calling it a night, you find yourself snacking furiously on a generous serving of chocolate ice cream.

It’s hard not to treat yourself with a nice late night snack after a busy day.  But before you open that bag of chips you’ve been eyeing, here are eight healthy, late-night snack alternatives you might want to try:

1. Turkey Rollups – Roll deli-style turkey slices with low-fat cheese. Add some spiciness with a touch of salsa or Dijon mustard.
2. Soup – A cup of warm soup can do wonders. Choose broth-based soups (i.e. chicken, minestrone or bean) and avoid the creamy ones.
3. Cheese and Crackers – 5 or 6 whole-grain crackers with 1 to 1.5 ounces of cheese.
4. Half a Sandwich – Scrambled eggs and tomato or peanut butter and jelly, with whole wheat bread.
5. Low-fat Cottage Cheese and Fresh Fruit – 1/2 cup of  low-fat cottage cheese topped with your favorite fruit.
6. English-Muffin Pizza – Top with tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of shredded part-skim cheese.
7. Cereal and milk – 1 cup of a whole-grain cereal with low-fat or fat-free milk.
8. Dried Fruits and Nuts – Try a bag of nuts or a healthy serving of dried fruits while you watch TV.

If you don’t get all the recommended calories throughout the day, a late night snack may still be a part of your healthy eating regimen.  But if you’re usually munching after a full day of eating, then the extra calories will add up and result to weight gain in the long run.

Before opening the pantry, ask yourself if you’re really hungry.  If you’re snacking out of boredom, or plain habit, eat a healthy filling snack such as the ones suggested above.  The best munchies contain starch and protein, plus vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories; adding protein keeps you feeling full longer than just starch alone.

Enjoy your midnight snacks!

Contact me if you’re interested in hiring me as a Personal Fitness Trainer.  I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Westlake, North Richland Hills, and Keller, Texas area.

Ever wondered what’s the difference between those who exercise and those who don’t?

It’s habit.  And clearly people have different habits.

Kudos for those who brave on the grueling first 3 weeks of doing their daily workout routines!  And for those of you who continue exercising on a regular basis despite your certainly busy schedules, I’m sure you’re already enjoying the fruits of all your hard work.

Now, if you are yet to master the art of consistency, let me give you four reasons why it’s good to exercise regularly:

1. You will enjoy the metabolism of a 20-year old - People who habitually exercise have a more active metabolism, which allows the body to digest nutrients faster.  Being able to go through the entire day feeling alert, not sluggish, lets you engage in physical activities—whether it’s playing your favorite sport or doing household chores—like a 20-year-old.  You simply have more energy!
2. Stress won’t get the best of you - Keeping a regular, daily workout schedule relaxes not only your body, but also your mind.  It’s the perfect stress reliever.  Sweat your worries away starting with a good warm up and a few breathing exercises.  And because your body pumps up endorphins when you exercise, you can expect to go through the day feeling good about yourself.
3. You’ll keep the extra pounds off - We’re talking long-term here, folks!  Exercising regularly not only helps you achieve your fitness goals, but also allows you to maintain the body you’ve achieved.  And this is where the challenge really lies—keeping the excess weight off.  Be consistent in your workout routine and you won’t have to worry about not being able to fit in your favorite jeans.
4. Your body will naturally stall your aging process - Engaging in regular physical workout helps delay the aging process by reducing chances of disease and disability.  This is so much better (and cheaper!) than any drugs or anything else the world has for aging.  And here’s the best part:  there are no unhealthy side effects, but lots of healthy side effects.

Are you convinced?  Good.  Start reaping the benefits of regular physical exercise today!

Contact me you’re interested in hiring me as an In-Home Personal Trainer. I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Westlake, North Richland Hills, and Keller, Texas area. It’s time you see results!

When your mom said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” she wasn’t kidding.

It seems, however, that many didn’t take this loving “morning reminder” seriously. According to studies, about 25% of American adults skip breakfast every day. This is unfortunate considering the many benefits one can get from eating a healthy breakfast.  Here are three reasons why breakfast can help you in your weight-loss goals:

1. Increase in metabolism. As you sleep soundly through the night, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy.  Eating a nutritious meal (not necessarily a heavy meal) in the morning breaks the overnight fast, and gives you the energy you need to burn calories throughout the day.
2. Maintain a healthy body weight. Studies show that healthy breakfast eaters have less body weight compared to breakfast skippers.  Not eating in the morning, according to the research, is connected to higher occurrence of obesity (because you tend to consume more food during the day when you allow yourself to be hungry in the morning); while having daily morning meals help decrease body mass index and weight.
3. Ensure mental performance and maximum productivity. People who skip breakfast don’t get the recommended amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  Eating a good, nourishing meal the moment you wake up, however, improves your cognitive function (related to memory), allowing your brain to function better, therefore increasing your productivity during the day.

Breakfast being the most important meal of the day is not a myth. Eat a healthy, delicious breakfast every day—it’s a good and effective way to control your weight gain.

Contact me if you are interested in a weight loss personal training program in the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Texas area, and I’ll design a program that will turn your fitness goals into reality.

Do you crave something to eat even when you’re not really hungry? Do you sometimes find yourself snacking away to deal with tight deadlines at work? Have you ever mindlessly munched on candy bars and ice cream when you’re upset or depressed? Do you turn to “comfort food” when you’re anxious or worried?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you might be an emotional eater.

To overcome emotional eating, you must first recognize what you’re really feeling, and then find a way to cope with your feelings differently, perhaps more positively. Weight loss advice will work if you don’t know why you are compelled to eat instinctively.

Physical hunger is different from emotional hunger. How? When you feel (or hear) your stomach growling and you feel lightheaded, then you are physically hungry. When you feel the urge to eat, on the other hand, not because your body signals meal time, but because you want to satisfy your desire to chew on something, perhaps in your attempt to soothe an unpleasant feeling, socialize, grieve, or even relieve boredom, then you are emotionally hungry.

To defeat emotional eating, you must only eat to satisfy physical hunger, and not fall into the traps of mindless snacking.

Here are a few tips to conquer emotional eating:

• Chew your food slowly and listen to your body for clues that you’re physically satisfied.
• Don’t sit in front of the TV (or lounge in bed) with a huge bowl of food; chances are you will find yourself eating the entire thing without realizing it.
• Don’t deprive yourself of foods you love. You can still treat yourself to some of your favorite foods–just don’t overdo it.
• Find the link between the events in your day and your cravings for food. Recognize the triggers that pressures you into eating more, like losing a client or arguing with a friend.
• Deal with your “triggers”. If these are unavoidable things, find ways to deal with stress or events that create emotional hunger.

Conquering your emotional eating habits takes hard work, but with practice, time, and dedication to stick to your fitness goals, you will surely overcome these cravings for a better, healthier new you!

Contact me if you are interested in hiring me as a personal trainer.  I serve the Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, Hurst, Euless, and Bedford, Texas area. It’s time you see results!