Finally a supplement plan that WORKS FOREVER!

I'm finally ready to tell all my secrets.  This is the diet and supplement plan that I follow, that I have my clients on and that I will now disclose to you.  I can 100% GUARANTEE that you will hit your goal weight if you take these supplements as prescribed everyday.  This is the ONLY diet and supplement program that is GUARANTEED to work FOREVER because you NEVER have to stop taking them.  Ready for the real kicker... these supplements will be at NO further cost to you, in fact they may SAVE you money. 

You mix this:  Ca + St + CoT with all of our supplements and it is 100% LIFETIME WARANTY GUARANTEED.  The supplements cover a lot of stuff so you may want to just print this one out....

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I know right? And you've been trying all these crazy named supplements all this time.  Who knew?!

Oh and if you are still wondering about our secret formula here is how you break it down: 

Ca + ST + CoT = 

CARDIO + STRENGTH TRAINING + CORE TRAINING

If you have any questions about this program and these supplements DO NOT hesitate to call :) 

Take Care of You!

During this season of giving and selflessness the thought of putting yourself first seems almost selfish.  However the concept of "You First" is not to be selfish but to take care of you.  A worn out mother would have a difficult time coming home after working a full day and happily making dinner, doing chores and taking care of her children.  A stressed out anxious business owner would have a difficult time leading employees, coercing clients and completing to-do lists.  Any person who does not take care of themselves will find it difficult to find the energy to take care of anything, let alone other people.  If that same worn out mother and that same stressed out business owner had given themselves just one hour a day the other twenty-three hours would become much easier!  This holiday season make the decision to take care of your family, your career and your happiness by taking care of yourself.

Never Underestimate Your Power To Change Yourself!

If you didn't like your dinner you'd eat something else. If you didn't like your outfit, you'd change your clothes. If you don't like something, change it! It is as simple as that. Never underestimate your power to change yourself.  Make a resolution to change the things that are weighing you down; Don't wait for January 1, the best time is NOW!

Become Your Own Priority.

Maya Angelou said 'never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option'; and I agree with her (how could anyone not agree with MA) but I also believe no one is going to make you a priority when you aren't even your OWN priority.  It is simple to blame others for how you are feeling or for certain hardships you are experiencing but the hard part, which also happens to be the part that will change how you are feeling and how you handle said hardships, is facing the role you play in your own life.  The most important thing you can do for everyone and everything around you is to become your own priority.  Strive to be the you, you want to be.  Don't expect a handout if you've never lent a helping hand.  You probably won't receive a warm greeting when you present a grimacing look.  You won't see the results you want if you don't put in the work.  No one will ever be able to happily and sufficiently take care of others if they don't take care of themselves.  Become your own priority: strive to be the you, you want to be.  The rest will fall into place.

Be happy with what you have and grateful for what you get.

I had a great talk with a great friend this evening, a conversation that I believe left us both feeling happy.  Neither one of our circumstances had changed within that hour or so of talking but the way we felt about them did.  Too often people say "I'll be happy when...".  The truth of the matter is you can't attach your happiness to someone or something else.  Too much time is spent being unhappy about things we cannot control.  So you've hit an obstacle, gotten off track or had a bad day being bitter will not make it better; overcome the obstacle, get back on track and let go of the bad day.  

I try to pay close attention to my clients, their attitudes and their habits.  What I've come to learn is no matter how hard they work, how strong they are or how many hours they put in the clients with happy, positive attitudes have seen quicker and bigger success.  

Tomorrow, practice being happy with what you have and grateful for what you get.  You'll be surprised how easily you hurdle those obstacles.  

Raise Your Standards, Change Your Life.

There are two things I'd like to point out about this picture: 1. Each of these women have lost over 50 pounds 2. Each of these women have lost over 50 pounds by taking the TIME + EATING RIGHT + WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF (literally). I would bet every dime I have that these women will NEVER gain that weight back because I KNOW they won't.  Losing weight is easy (in theory); Increase your calorie burn and decrease your calorie intake... pretty basic stuff.

I do a lot of research about workouts online and keep up with all the fitness magazines and I suppose I ignored all the extra ads until recently.  How can we blame people for not only wanting the quick fix but believing it will work when that is what is advertised every time you turn a page, google for tips, or drive down the road?  The point is these fad diets, supplements, and gimmicks work... IF your definition of work is short term.  If you ask me it didn't work if it doesn't last forever and gimmicks don't last forever, they never have and never will.

It is time to raise our standards of "work" from how hard we work to what we accept as something that is working or has worked for us.

There is no quick and easy way to climb the corporate ladder of success.  There is no quick and easy way to get the starting position on a team.  No quick and easy way to build a great relationship.  No quick and easy way in any aspect of life so don't expect one for your body and health.  The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

You Are What You Eat!

With holidays and big events I managed to neglect the weekly blog.  Within the last two weeks I've been asked multiple times about diet pills, supplements, fad diets, etc.  With that in mind I'd like to leave you all with a quote from Cher (who in her 60s has an AMAZING body): "Fitness: If it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body." Read the quote again, think about it, digest it and if you still want a great body... get to work.

Daughter, Sister, Girlfriend, Friend, Personal Trainer & a Work in Progress.

If asked to describe myself right now I'd say "a work in progress".  My hope for myself is that in 5 years, 15 years and 50 years if asked I'd still describe myself in the exact same way.  The fact of the matter is once you stop progressing you put a halt on progression (and no I did not just repeat myself).  I strive to reach goals everyday: checking everything off my to-do list that day, preparing for my next run to prepare for a half-marathon (whew) or being positive; once I check everything off my list I'll make a new one, once I finish the race I'll train for a triathlon and being positive takes minute-by-minute work.  The point is the work within you is never finished and there are no days off.  Choose your goals carefully and work diligently to achieve them: if you haven't reached them yet, your work is not yet done; if you have reached them, your work is not yet done.  Stop setting limits on yourself and start putting in the work.  No one has ever received a reward for being good enough and no one has ever been fulfilled by being complacent.

Good Enough May Have Gotten You Where You Are But It Won't Take You Where You Want To Be

If you haven't already noticed I'm a big fan of old cliches and one of the oldest comes to mind: Never settle for less than you deserve.  In today's society we are constantly settling for good enough... in careers, friendships, relationships, workouts, diets everything.  NEWS FLASH: good enough may have gotten you where you are but it won't take you where you want to be.  I won't get into the relationships and careers because I don't have time to write a book on a Monday evening.  What I will get into is the part of taking care of yourself.  While big changes must start with baby steps those baby steps need to continuously get larger and larger.  If your goal is to workout twice a week then within two weeks it should be up-ed to three and then four and so on according to the work that needs to be done.  If you want to start eating healthy replace one bad habit with a good one at least every week if not every few days.  Make a decision to stop underestimating what you are capable of and overestimating how much you think you have been doing. Most importantly stop settling for doing "good enough for now".  George Sheehan (physician, author and running enthusiast) said: "We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down, until, until, until.  It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living."  Nothing will happen until we do something about it and that something can't just be good enough you've got to give it all you got.  Spend some time with yourself and decide if you are giving it all you've got or if you are just doing enough to get by and never settle for less than you deserve.

It Really Is Mind Over Matter...

A negative thought is similar to that annoyingly catchy song; once it's in your head you can't get it out.  Negative thoughts also have a way of producing other negative thoughts and so on and so forth until you've become the year round Scrooge.  We're all guilty of getting in a funk but the important thing is learning to pull yourself out of it.  Just like any other addiction the first step is admitting it. My hope for you is that you become aware of your negativity before anyone else has to point it out or even worse until you don't have anyone left to tell you.  People monitor their hours, their food intake, what their children are watching on television, who is dating who on facebook... but they aren't spending enough time monitoring the absolute biggest factor in their daily lives: their thoughts.  Start monitoring your thoughts.  Recognize negative self-talk as well as negativity toward others.  Spend the next few days becoming aware of every negative thought.  Once you are fully aware of any negativity slowly begin to replace each negative with a positive.  If you are thinking "I don't feel like doing this" replace it with "I'll feel so good when I finish".  As cliche as it sounds it really works! Wally Lamb said it best... "better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."

Small triumphs will build enough momentum to win the whole war.

I've been thinking a lot lately about disasters. Natural disasters, political disasters, public disasters and the absolute worst kind: self-imposed disasters.  Quite a few of my clients will believe that I am speaking directly about them but that is only because so many of us (including yours truly) are guilty of setting ourselves up for disaster.  We are either asking too much of ourselves or making excuses for ourselves as well as asking too much of others and excusing them just the same.  The problem is we are consistently overwhelming ourselves with either what we need to do or what we have failed to do.  No one is about taking steps anymore it is always go, go, go and now, now, now. We decide what we want but instead of following a process to get there we expect it now, make excuses not to do the work and then when the deadline we so kindly made up passes we give up trying all together. A friend asked a client of mine what her weight loss goal is and then the follow up question was "what is your time frame?" my client quickly responded with "AS LONG AS IT TAKES." (ah! a woman after my own heart!!)  Deadlines may be set in the workplace to ensure productivity but in life deadlines halt productivity.  Life is a process. Everything worth having takes work.  If you want to get organized start small and build on it instead of trying to take on organizing your house, office and finances (whew the thought alone: disaster).  Start with the mail pile if you have to.  Want a good relationship? Don't try to take on every single problem at once (and definitely don't try take on others peoples') start with one thing and build.  Want to go on a diet? Start by replacing one bad habit every week or so.  Starting an exercise program? The Statue of David didn't get sculpted in a day and neither will your body. Small triumphs will build enough momentum to win the whole war.  Stop setting yourself up for disaster and start setting realistic goals and work at them for as long as it takes.

NEW NEW NEW

I've come to realize how important having a schedule is after being off mine for nearly a month.  I am really looking forward to new program options, new clients, new workouts for existing clients and a revamped website.  I have also decided to schedule a blog session.  That does not go to say that you won't see a few pop up every now and then when the feeling is right but no matter what rain or shine every Monday you will have the fortune (or misfortune) to tune into a new blog :) Keep an eye out for the new version of www.bodybronzeandblush.com it will certainly be a sight for sore eyes (and muscles).

It's The Bad Days That Make Us

The past few days I have been playing the "whoa is me" game; mostly to myself and a select poor few.  Gratefully I have surrounded myself with people who lift me up and put me back in my place. Sometimes circumstances whether self-induced or not throw us off of our game and place us in unfamiliar territory.  The beauty of these tribulations is that we can turn them into something to be proud of.  I've acquired nice things that I did not work hard for and while I loved them it could not compare to the feeling I got when I worked hard for it.  The same goes for everyday. There are days that you wake up on the right side of the bed, the sun is shining and you hit every green light on your way to work and it is a great feeling but it is the bad days that make us. Those days when you hit snooze too many times, deal with too many negative people, difficult tasks and things not going your way but still found a way to keep your confidence and composure and handle each situation with the utmost grace that you will feel most happy about.  We all have a bad habit of making things more difficult than need be and everyday should be handled the same: one step at a time.  Whether you messed up your diet, your workout routine or just plain out had a bad attitude there is one thing you are forgetting: every minute, every hour and every day is another chance to turn it all around and get back on track!

Treat Yourself, You're Worth It!

We've all heard it a million times, the constant griping about what foods must be gone without and the workout that was forced under severe sleepy conditions.  What people are missing or just choosing to not shed light on (damn Nancys) is the gratification that comes with a job well done.  A win is not a win without the feeling of accomplishment!  If you've already made the choice to become healthier, congratulations you've already won part of the battle savor the victory. Do you know how many people haven't even taken action to take care of themselves? So kudos to you!  And if you haven't made that decision yet: make it now, get a plan of action, write it down, give yourself a big old pat on the back and savor the victory.  After each exercise session take a few minutes to really think about the accomplishment and enjoy the good feeling.  Those good feelings are internal rewards which is something most of us need to work on enjoying more often.  You should feel good about yourself because when you feel good you look good and when you look good you feel good (talk about a great chain reaction!).  And who doesn't like an external reward? When you reach a long term goal go buy those shoes you've been eyeing or that watch you've wanted; you deserve it!!  Being healthy should not feel like you are constantly depriving yourself of something you want... don't let yourself forget that you are working towards what you REALLY want and it will feel oh so good when you get it!

How Do We Find The Silver Lining in Storm Clouds?

I've pushed positive thinking and optimism so much that it is beginning to sound like an after-school special but the real question is WHY NOT think positive? I believe quite a few of my clients would testify to the fact that positive thinking has actually enhanced their workouts and helped drop pounds! How many times have you prepared for vacation knowing that you will gain those extra pounds while eating and lounging? And I bet you gained every single pound you were so destined to gain.  What about preparing for vacation with a new outlook, just knowing that you are going to feel rejuvenated, refreshed and come back feeling great? I know that person, she left for vacation and came back FOUR POUNDS LIGHTER! I bet I could find handfuls of people that felt so worn out and tired of themselves that they were sure everything they tried would be too hard and would never work. I have heard of every excuse and crippling (which happened to be very minor if diagnosed by anyone with a medical degree) injury that I could write a book instead of a blog.  I've witnessed people over-analyzing (yes, I'm talking about YOU) each and every little part of their body and why their program might not work to the point that I was nearly convinced that it may not work.  But after reminding myself and them over and over and over I've watched a few slowly and then quickly become more positive and shed weight and reach goals that just a few months ago they were destined not to reach.  Just like every after-school special this story comes with a moral: like all things worth having it takes work and practice.  You find the silver lining in the storm clouds by ADAMANTLY looking for it.  You think these people became positive after positive things started happening? Well, Negative Nancy, I hope one day you put on a pair of rose colored glasses and find out that the world really is prettier through that view.

You are your greatest asset!

Each day I find myself needing some encouragement and positive thoughts sent my way.  We all like a little healthy encouragement; especially reminding us to take care of ourselves since we so seldom do. Putting yourself first does not mean you are being selfish.  It is absolutely impossible to take care of those who need you when you have yet to take care of yourself.  This blog is created to remind me, my clients, my friends and anyone who needs it that a little healthy selfishness can go a long way.  You'll find inspiration, healthy tips, and some funny stories here so enjoy! Put your time, effort and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset... YOU