Articles & Info that will have you Fit To Go!: New Year's Resolutions: Make them S.M.A.R.T.!

Sunday, 13 January, 2008

New Year's Resolutions: Make them S.M.A.R.T.!

Hey everyone! I'm sure we all have New Year's Resolutions that we talk about, but how many of these resolutions ever get mapped out and set as a goal to complete? I'm not normally one to do the whole resolution thing, but this year I do have one. My resolution is to update my Blog at least once a month (minimum of 12 postings/year). I've set a reasonable, specific, measurable, timely goal for myself and a plan on how to ensure I reach it. How are you doing with you goals? Are they S.M.A.R.T. goals? SPECIFIC, MEASUREABLE, ACTION-ORIENTED, REALISTIC, TIMELY? I encourage you to start looking at all of your goals, whether they be fitness goals, financial goals, nutrition goals, or self-discovery goals, and begin planning them the S.M.A.R.T. way!

Perceived Exertion Scale

Perceived Exertion Scale When exercising, you should monitor your intensity to make sure you're not working too hard. One way to do this is by using a Perceived Exertion Scale. For most workouts, you should stay somewhere between Level 5 and Level 7. For high intensity interval workouts, your recovery should be around Level 4 or 5, and your intense interval should not go above 9. For longer, slower workouts, keep your PE at Level 5 or lower. Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bon bons Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period. Level 9: I am probably going to die. Level 10: I am dead.

Concluding Thoughts

If I may leave you with a few thoughts: Don’t ignore the natural laws of nature. It's the natural law that all things in the universe are either growing or decaying. There is no standing still. "Comfortably maintaining" is an illusion. The truth is, you must grow and you must push yourself beyond what you've done in the past if you want to avoid falling behind. Any behavior you repeat every day is HABIT-FORMING. We are all forming and reinforcing habits every day of our lives. Some are positive habits that move us towards our goals and some are negative habits that move us away from them. Never to do things daily that you don't want to become habits. As you contemplate whether it’s worth it or not to hire a trainer, remember the words of Jim Rohn: "We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons." And this is my slogan: “Your (good and disciplined) pain is my pleasure!” Don’t regret what you didn’t do in life. Don’t just dream of your potential…LIVE IT!! There will never BE TIME if you don’t MAKE TIME…so make time for yourself to TRAIN with AMY at Fit To Go Inc. You’ll have no regrets, you’ll feel fantastic, and you’ll discover a sense of self-contentment…perhaps for the first time in your life!

Nutrition Tips

NUTRITION TIP#1
¨ Drink 10-12cups (2 ½ - 3 Litres) of water a day to expedite appetite control, muscular strength, endurance and recovery, joint lubrication, circulation, digestion, body and skin hydration, and FAT LOSS!

¨ Water is the most important nutrient of life!

¨ Eat 5-6 small meals every day (about every 3 hours)

¨ If fat loss is your goal, try to include a bit of protein with every meal. Ie. Add nuts, lean cuts of meat, or beans to your salads (skip the dressing and add olive oil and lemon or your favorite low-sodium spices)

NUTRITION TIP#2
Here are some examples of healthy snacks for your in-between meal cravings: Snack Grams of fat Calories
-------------------------------------------------------
Nonfat, sugar-free yogurt
with fruit (1 cup) 0 100
Baby carrots (3 oz) 0 40
Fresh fruit:
Banana (small) 0 100
Apple (medium) 0 60
Pear (medium) 0 60
Orange (medium) 0 60
Kiwi (2) 0 40
Bagel (1) 1.4 165
Cold cereal 1.0 110
Fig Newtons (2) 2.0 100
Graham crackers (2) 1.5 60
Instant oatmeal (1 oz) 1.7 100
Rice cakes (2) 0.2 70
Pretzels (1 oz) 1.0 110
Skim milk (8 oz) 1.0 110

NUTRITION TIP#3
¨ Avoid finger foods that are easy to eat in large amounts.

¨ Avoid consuming large quantities of fattening liquids, which are so easy to overdo.
¨ Leave something on your plate; it’s a good sign that you can stop eating if you need to.

¨ Make the kitchen off-limits at any time other than mealtime.

¨ Always eat at the table, never in front of the TV set or with the radio on.

¨ Concentrate on chewing every mouthful slowly; chew each mouthful up to 20 times.

Fit To Go Inc. Client Testimonials

Just like everyone else, I decided that I would pick a New Year’s Resolution. I told myself, like everyone else, that I would not stop the Resolution one month down the road. Something that was different though was that I decided that I was too young to feel this tired and worn out. I am 30 years old, but I felt much older. I had no energy during the day or night. I started by making the time to exercise by getting up early in the morning, and working out before work. It was hard at first, but I knew as soon as I got into a routine, I would be set. Sure enough, once the routine was there, I was ready to work hard. I contacted Amy after working out for about 8 weeks. I met with her and explained my goals. She listened, really listened. We then got together to go through the program. She explained every movement in detail and made sure I understood the machines, movements, and the exercises. Amy’s program was the best I had ever had. The different exercises made the routine more interesting instead of all the same exercises most programs offer. She was very accommodating in the sense that she made certain I realized that I could call her anytime with questions, and I did. I called her a couple of times for quick questions, and she didn’t seem to mind at all. I gained energy, and lost pounds! I was feeling muscles I didn’t even know I had! Now, I am starting my second 8 week program, and love it, just like the first one. I am so glad I took the time to meet with Amy. She meets my needs as a personal (Elite) trainer, and is very approachable, encouraging, and efficient; three great qualities in a personal trainer. Thanks Amy! ~S.H. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Amy is an amazing trainer! She makes the workout FUN and enjoyable, yet intensely difficult. She has a way of building a program to meet my needs at my fitness level and with my limitations. She ensures my success through educating me, answering questions, motivating me, and reminding me of my short term and long term goals to make certain I stay on track! Once you’ve met and trained with Amy, you’ll never want another trainer! ~M.C. _______________________________________________________________________________________ I am THRILLED! After having my second child, I never thought I would get rid of this extra baby weight, but I can’t believe it! In only 12 sessions with Amy I’ve lost 10 ½ pounds, 7 inches, and reduced my blood pressure from 131/87 to 128/79! Amy is a true motivator; she takes the time to consult with her clients to determine the best course of action to reach their goals…and then she does it! She definitely is worth her weight in gold! Anyone who wants to reach their goals safely and effectively should hire Amy because she gives you the results you want and the professionalism you deserve. ~H.C. _______________________________________________________________________________________ I was convinced that I didn’t need a personal trainer. Why would someone need a trainer every time they go to the gym? Well, I soon realized that my technique of lifting weights may have been contributing to my bad posture and achy joints. Amy not only has the education, but years of experience in the fitness field. She appreciates the overall “wellness” of people. She shares her expertise with everyone, not just her clients; people who are looking for advice to live a more vibrant and healthy life. She truly loves her job and it’s not too hard to see evidence of that! She has fun with her clients, is willing to share information, and seems to generate a genuine rapport with everyone she meets. I’ve invested in my health, my longevity, and my quality of life…I’ve just started training with Amy. She is a wonderful wealth of knowledge and she really takes YOUR GOALS to heart! I really look forward to my training sessions with her! Thanks Amy, for always making our sessions fun and for helping me achieve my goals! ~L.H. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Working out with Amy has been a refreshing change for me. I used to come ina few times a week with my mp3 player and go about my usual routine at themachines. Amy made it more exciting and challenging for me. She showed mehow much harder I can work myself to really make the workout worth it –without going too far. I was able to pass my fitness requirementfor my employer with much greater ease and confidence. I now have many moreoptions to keep my workouts interesting. Amy showed me that a great workoutdoesn’t have to come from tons of weights; in fact, one of the hardest workouts wedid required practically no weights at all. Amy was not only able toimprove my workouts, but her encouragement, enthusiasm, and friendship werewelcome bonuses. Thanks Amy! ~K.H.

Articles & Info that will have you Fit To Go!

Sunday, 13 January, 2008

New Year's Resolutions: Make them S.M.A.R.T.!

Working with the Coast Guard

Working with the Coast Guard

Working with the Coast Guard

Working with the Coast Guard

Working with the Coast Guard

Motivational Quote

Perceived Exertion Scale

Blog Archive

About Me

Biking with clients is always fun too!

Fall Biking near Bradley Lake

Concluding Thoughts

Nutrition Tips

Recipe Sampler

Fit To Go Inc. Client Testimonials