How to Lose Weight and Gain Muscle in 7 Steps

How do I lose weight and gain muscle? This is probably the top-ranked question heard daily as a trainer/coach. The question is not always easily answered. There is never a one-size-fits-all fitness program. That being said, I'm providing a general list of factors that should be considered to achieve your goals:

1. Mental readiness: If you're not ready mentally, your body is unable to follow. Mental readiness is accepting a change is needed in your life to improve your health. Our desire to finally get serious may come from a doctor saying your cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood pressure is too high. You may have been told being overweight has contributed to these issues and potential for increased risk of diabetes or heart problems.

Many times, the desire to change comes from our inner selves reaching a point of not liking how we feel or what we see in the mirror. Moments like this typically motivate us to finally commit to eating healthy and exercising regularly. We are ready for a lifestyle change.

2. Plan to succeed: Nothing happens without good planning. Whether achieving fitness goals with a qualified personal trainer or solo, you will require knowledge and a plan to succeed. If working on your own, you will need reliable nutrition and fitness books or online sources. Stick with realistic approaches and stay away from fad diets and trends. These are typically short-term quick fixes without long-term solutions.

Another strategy is seeking the help of a qualified personal trainer/nutrition counselor. Proper fitness/health coaching can really motivate you in the right direction. If taught correctly, you will gain lifelong education on healthy eating, proper exercise technique, weight loss management, and muscle growth.

3. Food and fitness journals: recording progress is a great strategy for successful weight loss and muscle gain. You can include 'before' pictures and measurements, feelings of the day, daily food and water intake, and exercises performed in your workout. This consistent information will allow you to repeat successful weeks and show you where things didn't go quite right.

4. Progressive fitness: you have heard fitness is about progress, not perfection. Getting fit will require patience and consistent effort. Every positive step toward your goal is making a difference even when we don't see it right away. Progressive fitness means we take it slow, keep going, and trust the process.

5. Eating healthy: losing weight and gaining muscle requires eating for your goals. This means the majority of our food intake will include vegetables and leafy greens, lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of water. This will be a nutrition lifestyle change taking us from unhealthy eating habits to eating a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods. Physical demands will also increase the number of calories coming from these foods. For example, weightlifters and long distance runners will require more fuel than an individual selecting a light aerobics class for physical activity.

6. Exercise: workouts don't have to be extreme or long duration to be effective. We tend to overcomplicate fitness and consider workouts a burden. Find an exercise you enjoy and stick with it. Working out at least 4 times per week is recommended to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. A balanced workout program includes exercise that challenges our aerobic, strength, balance and flexibility.

Applying a progressive workout strategy is also important. Allow yourself to be a beginner and increase in exercise intensity and duration slowly. This will give your body time to adapt, promote muscle growth, and progress at a healthy rate reducing the risk of injury.

7. Healthy lifestyle: adopting a healthy lifestyle includes a combination of eating right, exercise, adequate sleep, and balancing work and play. Losing weight and gaining muscle is just a result of living this way. It's really a goal achievable for everyone and simply applying these 7 steps is a great way to start seeing results and living healthy for life.

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Get Fit Working Out 30 Minutes 5 Days Per Week

Exercise doesn't have to be extreme to be effective. In fact, working out for at least 30 minutes 5 days per week can provide a fit body for a lifetime. Athletes with certain goals may need to perform above the maintenance requirement, but in general, active adults can achieve great results using the 30-minute strategy. 

Most of us want to feel and look good in and out of clothes with a simple exercise routine. This is possible without leaping over tall buildings in single bounds and lifting hundreds of pounds of weight. I'm not knocking those doing the leaping, heavy lifting, or extreme sports, but addressing the norm demographic of everyday people who just want to get and look healthy. 

Studies have shown that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking several times weekly is sufficient to maintain a healthy body. It would be reduced to 75 minutes per week if the exercise is vigorous like running or attending an aerobics class. High-intensity interval training reduces the minutes per workout even more.

Also recommended is weight resistance training two days per week. Although the guidelines are quite variable with weightlifting, you can accomplish an effective workout in less than 45 minutes.

This is getting down to the basics of how to maintain a healthy body. Exercise for 30 minutes five days per week and eat right at least 80% of the time to achieve and maintain a fit body.

Everyone has 30 minutes to give to their health regardless of any excuse thrown down on the table. If health and fitness are a priority, the exercise will be a priority and that is the simple truth of it. 

The best part about getting our sweat on for 30 minutes is making it our own.  Creating workouts that are enjoyable is what builds a lifestyle of physical activity. If the outdoors are your thing, lace up the tennis shoes or hiking boots and find some fun trails. If using cardio equipment while listening to music floats your boat, go for it. Love to lift weights? Get to the gym and put in the time.

The heart muscle responds to the demands of exercise being placed on it, not what you are specifically doing. Sweat is sweat, a mile is a mile, and 30 minutes is 30 minutes. What you do to increase the heart rate at a moderate level for that amount of time is up to you. The point is to just to move for 30 minutes.

Stick to the basics of exercise keeping it simple, fun, and a part of your everyday life. The latest extreme fitness trend, work until you puke, faint or die workout is not what will carry us from where we are now into our elder years. These types of programs may be used to meet specific athletic goals, however, not necessary for the active adult or newbie fitness enthusiast looking to get healthy and improve the overall quality of life.

The point of this blog is to motivate you to workout for at least 30 minutes to start. Forget about getting caught up in fad exercise movements that tend to overwhelm and discourage. These types of programs may be fabulous but not the right fit at this time. On the other hand, they may be right for some individuals. Work with what you like and at your fitness level. 

The amazing thing about workouts and fitness is being able to create what works best for each of us. There is never only one way to achieve the body we want. What works best for us is the exercise we look forward to doing and will repeat for a lifetime.  

Working in the industry for over 30 years, I have come to appreciate the simplicity of health and fitness. It truly doesn't require as much time as one might think to be a healthy person. For example, I keep my workouts to no more than one hour per session or less if performing interval training. Honestly, I can achieve an effective workout and prefer exercising for 30 minutes because it fits with my work schedule.

As long as we challenge our body and perform quality exercise movements, it's good enough. Try not to get caught up in the stress of what we think exercise is according to fitness marketing. This often intimidates many of us to avoid starting a fitness program. Honestly, some of the things I see scare me as well.

The caveat to remember is finding fitness programs that work best for you. Keep it simple, don’t stress, or sweat the small stuff. Also, all of us do have the time to exercise for 30 minutes and I hope this blog has provided the motivation for you to get moving. 

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Overcome Obstacles With Strength and Determination

Our body achieves what the mind believes! Life doesn't promise easy but prepares us to become stronger through the process. Obstacles will be part of our life, but we can overcome with strength and determination. 

Why do I post this particular picture? It represents achievement, strength, and determination to overcome obstacles in my life. This is one of my most cherished photo shoots with Gene X of Orange photography.

I was celebrating many things including my 45th birthday. More than that, I achieved what I thought impossible overcoming a year of physical struggle from injury. This was my true celebration of recovery, happiness and moving forward in my life overall. 

I have a cervical injury (double fusion) and unfortunately, another disc herniated above that area. This left me disabled for a year and told it would most likely be permanent without reconstructive surgery. It was a horrible time in my life and all I could do was lay on ice packs and pray. I refused surgery and determined to heal myself through physical therapy and rest. Long story short, it was one of the most painful years physically and emotionally as an athlete. I felt stripped, fearful and suffered daily. 

I refused to give up, had daily talks with God, and a great neuro physical therapist by my side. Together, through pain, ice, tears, and perseverance I began my journey of creating a new me. This was definitely a push through the pain to get to the other side moment. My faith dwindled and feelings of hopelessness were almost a daily occurrence in the beginning. After several months of therapy, I began showing signs of improvement. Each week produced baby steps of physical repair.
  
During this time I really embraced the positive power of everything positive (if that makes sense). I've always been a positive person, but going through the process of injury and recovery seemed to magnify it 100x more. Triumphant is a great word! My recovery was one of the most amazing feats of self-improvement accomplished in my life. 

Why do I share this story? I want to inspire, encourage and motivate you. We have all experienced things and sometimes we are brought to our knees. The important message is to never give up hope. The circumstance may seem dark at the beginning because we're unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We will never understand the reason why some things happen either, but how we respond to the obstacles of life is what makes us healthy people.

Although there are many things I am unable to do, I embrace those things I can do. Recovering from injury or illness will be a struggle but there is renewed strength stemming from our determination to overcome. Celebrate the new person you have become and without even knowing it, you are motivating others going through similar circumstances.  

Remember you are never too old, it's never too late, or circumstance too difficult to become your best healthy self. It may be different compared to before an injury or illness, but it can be better. When we focus on being positive and doing what we can at our current fitness level, that is what matters.

Life is pretty darn good and giving up just isn't our option. We may feel like quitting when life feels bigger than us and those feelings are valid. It's ok to go through the motions of the feelings but realize they are temporary. We eventually need to will that strength and determination deep inside ourselves and power forward. 

Obstacles are difficult, challenging, and often painful but we are stronger. We can accomplish great things, become better, healthier and fitter than ever before through our journey.

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Why Stress Can Be a Fitness Killer

Stress is the ugly part of our life package deal with no opting out button. Some individuals manage stress in a healthy way without impacting the quality of life. On the other hand, it can become a chronic problem with negative physical and emotional side effects. Studies indicate stress can increase our risk of hypertension, heart disease, and weight gain.

Many of us live in a constant state of stress caused by our jobs, personal life, or financial strain for example. Sadly, it's becoming an acceptable and normal way of life. We walk around with shoulders to our ears, adrenal glands working over time, and our body suffering the consequences.

Stress breaks down the body by elevating our cortisol levels causing increased blood pressure and waistlines. If you're wondering why weight loss has been so difficult, you may want to evaluate your stress. It can adversely affect our fitness and health. In order to reduce stress, it' s important to implement healthy strategies to manage it for improved fitness. We will never be stress-free, but healthy stress management is shown to promote a fitter body.

How we manage our stress is essential to maintaining our health and fitness. Some people may eat poorly, give up on fitness and take on a bitter attitude during stressful situations. These unhealthy behaviors only make stress worse and our body will wear the evidence of our choices. Continued mismanagement of chronic stress eventually leads to illness and unhappiness.

We really need to let go of things out of our control, not sweat the small stuff, and definitely look into what is causing so much stress in our life.

"Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it."

I love this true statement and live this philosophy to reduce stress and maintain a fit and healthy life. Letting go of things out of our control is important for healthy boundaries and improving the quality of our life. Also, reviewing our priorities and eliminating things creating a 'too busy' life will make for a happier, healthier you.

Focus on those things about yourself that are fixable to reduce the stress in your life. We tend to put undue stress on ourselves from things that just don't matter. Who cares what others are thinking, saying or even doing that may be about you? We are not meant to live a life of self-induced stress and drama. Learning to let go and walk away from unimportant things will greatly improve the quality of your life. Learn from negative stress and turn it into positive growth to create a stronger, healthier person.

Workouts are a great way to manage increased levels of stress. Make it your sweat therapy hour for self-improvement and a healthy strategy to reduce stress. After an exercise session, you will feel better, able to put the stress behind you and ready to move on with a positive day.

Mindful eating is also important during times of stress. Too many people use stress as a reason to overindulge in comfort food to feel better. This is a pseudo fix making stress worse and our body paying the unhealthy price. Remember, taste you want for 5 minutes or health you desire for a lifetime.

What it comes down to is how we want to live. Do we want to live under a cloud of chronic stress and a life of unhealthy choices? I can't imagine any of us want that for ourselves. If we start focusing on stress reduction as a top fitness goal, we will all benefit from significant health improvement. Now, that's a plan!

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Can Clean Eating Become Unhealthy? Orthorexia: a True Testimonial

I have had the opportunity to research and prepare an article on Orthorexia Nervosa, an undiagnosed eating disorder where healthy eating is taken to an unhealthy extreme. Have you ever wondered if clean eating can become obsessive or unhealthy? Unfortunately, it can and not because it's a food issue but a psychological condition where an unrealistic view of food is adopted.

After sharing the article on Facebook, I received an outpouring of emails from people struggling with the disorder or tendencies to the behavior. I was deeply moved with the many thanks for addressing the issue and providing awareness of the Orthorexia condition.

There was also quite a bit of backlash and reference to Orthorexia being 'bullshit' and just another money making for the doctors. Many came to the defense of clean eating as if this lifestyle was receiving a bad rap. I consider myself a clean eater but there's a difference in healthy eating and healthy obsessive eating. When our eating focus becomes so extreme it negatively impacts our life, this becomes a problem.

"Orthorexia is a mental health issue, not a clean eating issue, although sparked by "pure" foods.  It is an issue that requires us to look past the food and into the mind of a struggling person."

I want to introduce you to a woman suffering from Orthorexia and who has offered to share her story with privacy conditions. I have agreed to do so in order to bring awareness to the disorder and in an effort to reach others who may be struggling. Her story is authentic and her struggle is real:

I really appreciate your article on orthorexia. I have those tendencies, but not sure if I fall into the orthorexia category or anorexia category. I am 50 years old and mother of two children. I have a degree in advertising and passionate about the health and fitness field. I do most of my work from home so I can spend time with my kids.

For the last 25 years, I have worked out faithfully and followed a relatively healthy diet. When I turned 38, however, things seemed to fall apart. I began having joint problems, severe acne, and increased thyroid problems. After some research, I eliminated gluten and found relief in my joints, but not my skin. After further research, I found the paleo diet. It helped somewhat with the thyroid issues. I now eat a diet free of all grains/soy/beans/sugar/potatoes and most dairy.

Basically, I eat eggs, meat, veggies, fruit, nuts, and fats. I tried the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to clear my acne but it did not produce the desired results. My acne is worse and I lost about 15 pounds (I am below 100 pounds and am 5'1" tall). I am not quite sure how to pull myself out of this one but I am trying to. 

After "eating clean" for so long, it's a bit hard to add things back so that I can regain the much-needed weight. My weakness is anything chocolate, peanut butter and/or ice cream. It is hard, but sometimes I have to give myself permission to indulge. I still have to work on the guilt afterward. But baby steps...

I'm currently seeing a naturopath for my under active thyroid. He has been a Godsend. He is aware of my anorexia tendencies and intercepted what could have been a much more serious situation than I am in right now. He accepted me as a patient in the middle of a tailspin. The medical doctor I had been using for years decided to make a huge adjustment in my thyroid medication. The end results were not what he expected and told me to see a specialist.

I chose to find a naturopath instead. He is wonderful. But sometimes, it's hard to stop the tailspin mid tailspin. I have dealt with anorexia since I was 18 years old. That is a whole other story I hope to share someday in hopes of helping those in the same situation. 

In the past, I just starved myself but this time is different. I am eating but eating so cleanly and never deviating--until recently. Anorexia restricts food plain and simple, no explanation needed when I refused food. This time it feels like life is restricted. 

How do you try and explain that I only eat 'good-for-me' food and not that? I am not saying that eating healthily is a bad thing but there needs to be a balance. Of course, if you have sensitivities, then stay clear of the trigger foods. I have, through all this, found some sensitivities (gluten and soy) and I avoid them to the best of my ability. 

But relaxing and enjoying a not-so-good-for-you treat is still a struggle. I somehow feel like a failure when I give in to unclean foods. Shouldn't the important thing be that I'm enjoying a rare treat with my children? Believe me, they have noticed I no longer share in the special times. What kind of example am I setting for them?  I don't want them to think that it's all or nothing. They eat pretty healthily. They now eat more fruits and vegetables and much less processed foods.

Beyond that, I am so uncomfortable in my own body because I finally was able to see how thin I was thanks to my husband hurting my feelings. I thank God he was just plain honest even though it hurt.  My acne is embarrassing as well. I never thought that I would be fighting acne at my age even with all the positives changes that I have made. It's worse now than when I was in my teens.  

Darla, thank you for addressing this issue and giving me awareness. I hope to get myself back. My dream is just to be healthy and be able to help others suffering like I do. If you feel that my story can help someone, then please use it. I feel like we all go through things for a reason. If my story would bring awareness, I would feel blessed! 

Sincerely,

An Orthorexia Sufferer

If you have not had the opportunity to read my article on Orthorexia, take a few moments to become aware of an issue that is more problematic than realized.

I am thankful to this beautiful woman who reached out completely vulnerable sharing her life and struggles with orthorexic tendencies. I pray for her recovery and I hope her story touched you as it did me.

Orthorexia is definitely a real issue and bringing this undiagnosed disorder to the forefront is timely. Awareness of the condition is important so that we may be able to help those who are struggling. At the very least, understand the mentality of someone suffering from Orthorexia.  

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Fitness Means Being Mindful Of How We Treat Our Body

Fitness includes so much more than weight loss or achieving a personal best lift at the gym. Being a fit person involves discipline for each day, creates awareness, and instills conscious living. It means being mindful of how we treat our body, how we think, and feel.

Fitness is a lifestyle and goes way beyond the physical. Living this way starts in our minds and pushes us to live a quality life. It's not just a desire but daily actions we choose moving us closer to being healthy people. When our focus remains on health, we can truly say we are living a healthy life with our whole being.   

We put so much pressure on ourselves to squeeze into skinny jeans or tank shirts and tend to forget how being fit is supposed to feel. A fit and healthy body should feel good but instead many of us accept and accommodate pain on a daily basis. In this case, the focus isn't on health and often with a temporary goal based on outward appearance. Healthy lifestyles are meant to be enjoyed for a lifetime, not just for a few months.

A fit lifestyle includes physical exercise and not even to an extreme but effective enough to maintain a healthy body. It also means eating foods containing a high nutrient value helping us feel energized and creating an antioxidant environment protecting us from illness and disease.

Rest is also on the menu for a fit body and a very important part of the program.  Without proper rest and sleep, our bodies will not recover from the demands placed on it through workouts, stress, and the overall daily grind.

A healthy life requires a balance of work and play. We often lose sight of our inner child replacing it with busy demands of adulthood. Staying young at heart helps reduce our stress and enables us to enjoy life more. It creates a positive, happy mindset that looks forward to shutting down to recharge the mental batteries. Too many of us don't take advantage of this very important part of being healthy and happy.

The reality is we can enjoy life and live a healthy lifestyle at the same time. This is accomplished by making health a priority and being consistent with our choices. Being fit doesn't means slaving for hours in the gym and resolved to eat boiled fish and broccoli for life.This is far from what living a healthy lifestyle looks like.

When the focus is on health and improving the quality of our life, becoming fit happens naturally along the way. This also allows us to let go of the stress of unrealistic fitness goals and quick fixes. The pressure to look a certain way loses its importance as we concentrate more on how good being healthy feels.

Our awareness of the importance of being a healthy person becomes primary in more ways than physical. We are mindful of eating right, how we move our bodies, and what we think about ourselves. Applying this healthy attitude and lifestyle creates the body we want in the way it should happen.

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The Benefits of Different Workouts and What Works Best For You

The good thing about workout programs is they’re individual and not universal. We all differ in fitness level, personality, lifestyle, and goals. Taking this into consideration, selecting the right workout program is an important part of our fitness journey. There’s a wide-variety of exercise modalities available to accommodate every individual and lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned athlete or newbie fitness enthusiast, there’s something for everyone. The best and most effective workout is one that you do consistently, enjoy, and works with your lifestyle and goals. 

Selecting the right workout program can be a challenge with all the different options available. A helpful tool in choosing the best exercise plan is writing down your health and fitness goals. Are you an active adult or athlete who wants to increase exercise intensity or a beginner with a desire to lose a few pounds? What about a bodybuilder trying to increase lean mass or an individual struggling with flexibility? Whatever your fitness goal, there are specific workout programs supplying these benefits.

Once your fitness goals are defined, choosing an exercise program becomes simplified. The next step includes understanding the definition, purpose, and benefits of each workout modality. The following popular exercise programs are shown to be effective for health and fitness improvement:

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become one of the most popular training methods. What makes this exercise program so appealing is being able to complete a workout in a short period of time. According to research, HIIT is a time efficient strategy to improve our health and fitness and cuts our exercise training in half.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is also referred to as high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) or sprint interval training (SIT). HIIT is a vigorous form of exercise combining interval training and cardiovascular exercise. As a participant of HIIT, you would be challenging your body with low and high-intensity work. An example would be performing a maximum sprint for 100 yards followed by a few seconds of light jogging or walking to recover. The workout duration is typically 30 minutes or to exercise exhaustion.

Research indicates high-intensity interval training is effective for reducing body fat, improving athletic performance, and flexibility. However, due to the extreme challenge on the body, some studies show it may not be the best fit for inactive individuals beginning a fitness program. In this instance, HIIT could be a progressive program implemented later once fitness and activity levels have increased. It appears to be highly favorable for active adults and athletes taking their workouts to the next level. 

Strength Training

Strength or resistance training is another popular and effective exercise modality. This form of exercise is designed to improve muscular fitness by challenging a muscle or muscle group using external resistance. External resistance can include free weights, resistance bands, or cable machines for example. Strength training can be modified to the fitness level of an individual making it a superior workout option.

Resistance training is the preferred method of exercise for bodybuilders to increase muscle strength and size. It’s also favored among new exercisers and active adults who desire to improve muscle tone and stimulate fat loss. The program is best performed using a progressive style increasing in weight resistance, sets, and repetitions as muscular strength is increased. Beginners may find it easier to start with machines before moving into more complex free-weight exercises. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends strength training at least two non-consecutive days per week for optimal results.

Besides being one of the most versatile and enjoyed ways to exercise among the general population, strength training is indicated to provide numerous health benefits. Chronic research has shown regular resistance training to reduce our risk of heart disease by lowering body fat. It’s also said to increase our metabolism, decrease blood pressure, increase bone density, and improve cholesterol levels.

Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight training or exercises take us back to the basics and a great workout option for individuals without access to gym equipment. This method of training uses body weight as the resistance to build muscular strength, lean mass, endurance, and flexibility. Bodyweight training is considered the ‘no gym, no excuses’ workout program you can perform anywhere.

Bodyweight training is still considered strength training and accomplished without free weights or machines. Another bonus to this program is no gym membership fee and time efficient because it can be done right at home.

Popular body weight training exercises include pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, planks, and squats. Advanced movements incorporate handstands and strength holds. Bodyweight training is very challenging but is easily modified to accommodate any fitness level. It is also shown to have a reduced risk of personal injury compared to weighted exercise.

Group Training

Group training is an excellent workout choice for those who like the push of being in an exercise class environment. This mode of exercise is led by an instructor and performed by a group of individuals. Gyms or boot camps commonly offer modified versions to exercise accommodating all fitness levels. This makes for a fun, active and social exercise experience.

Group training formats can include muscle conditioning, body pump, yoga, Pilates, step, and kickboxing. The wide variety of class options creates an ever-changing workout atmosphere helpful to avoid burnout. Also, the classes are typically well-structured, effective, and completed within a one-hour duration.

Working out with friends is another way to describe group training. When we exercise with others, it provides an accountability factor not given when we train alone. Group settings are shown to keep us motivated and interested. This is important for continued success and maintaining our fitness.

Yoga

Yoga is considered holistic therapy with the purpose of creating strength, awareness, balance, and harmony within the mind and body. There are many disciplines of this exercise method, one of the most popular being Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga focuses on physical applications to strengthen the body along with exercises to center the mind. This practice also emphasizes proper nutrition to detoxify the body and breathing techniques supporting relaxation.

Yoga includes physical posturing to strengthen the body, increase flexibility, promote relaxation, and enhance our concentration. Research indicates yoga as a safe way to exercise to improve physical function along with mental and social well-being. It’s also indicated to help with stress-relief, improved energy, and vitality. 

Closing thoughts:

Regular exercise is an important part of achieving and maintaining our health and fitness. The great news is we have options in what works best for us, our body, and individual goals. Research indicates strength, aerobic, and flexibility training should be included in a well-balanced exercise program. Providing this variety is something to keep in mind while planning the best workout routine for you. Many individuals opt to include a supplement program along with their exercise routine. Certain supplements, such as whey protein, are shown to benefit workout recovery. This or other supplements can also be beneficial but it’s always a good idea to discuss with your doctor.

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I prepared this article as a compensated feature post for Life Extension and you can read more about them below:

About Life Extension: Life Extension has been helping people stay healthy and live better for more than 35 years. Life Extension is committed to sourcing the highest quality raw materials, and creating the best supplements since 1980. Life Extension provides the latest research on health, wellness, nutrition, & aging. Offering unique, premium quality dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, & hormones. Visit our website at http://www.lifeextension.com and connect with us on social media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest! 

We Control What Our Body Looks Like

The truth about health and fitness is we either want it or we don’t. Let’s face it, many of us come up with reasons not to exercise or eat healthy. We even sound pretty convincing. Unfortunately, all the reasons in the world eventually catch up to us in the form of illness or injury.

What we fail to realize is how much our lifestyle impacts our health.The food we eat, how we move and rest our body is truly our medicine. Many of us continue to walk around in an unhealthy body and come to accept this existence. We are missing out on how good we're supposed to feel and look. Our body reflects our lifestyle. True story.

I want to believe all of us have a strong desire to be healthy people. Working in the health and fitness industry, I certainly hear this loud and clear. We talk about wanting to feel and look better, but what continues to be lacking is the action required to make this happen. More often than not, healthy living isn't a priority.

Living a life of excuses will not change our health or appearance. It only guarantees us not to feel our best most often accompanied by unhappiness. Change takes changing our daily habits. The body we have is controlled by what we do. I'm sure we can all agree on that statement. Let me clarify my reference is to the general population who have the ability to get healthy. Some medical conditions and illness are out of our control, but I have seen those who struggle to live the healthiest lives. Another true story.

Our first step to change our body for the better is owning our current lifestyle. This includes admitting we are making excuses not to eat healthy, exercise, sleep more, reduce stress and the list goes on. It's important to understand why health is not a priority.

Admitting our part in creating an unhealthy body can piss us off and it should. It's in that frustrated moment we can really be honest about our life and body. That proverbial slap in the face is often the beginning of getting serious about a healthy lifestyle becoming our medicine. Think about these things:

• We're responsible for replacing reasons with action. 
• We're capable of taking care of our health and making it a priority.
• Having a fit body can happen at every age and it's never too late to start.
• We control what our body looks like. 

Being healthy and having a fit body is achievable for all of us and should be our lifetime goal. Dependence on prescribed drugs for self-imposed health conditions continues to increase and becoming an epidemic problem. Let me clarify certain medications are required for a small percentage of the populous but not for the general population who can get healthy. Many cholesterol lowering and blood pressure medications can be discontinued when weight is lost and body composition improved.

The problem is accommodating an unhealthy lifestyle justifying it with reasons that really can't be validated. A healthy lifestyle is not an occasional event and requires full-time effort. Life is the event we need to be fit for and we only get one chance to do it right.

The bottom line is results can and will happen, but the choice is up to you.

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Make Progress Your Goal and Forget About Perfection

Fitness is about progress and not perfection. Many of us struggle with a perfectionist personality to the point of interfering with our quality of life and derailing fitness attempts. When our focus becomes more realistic, not based on comparisons or the way we think fitness should be is when awesome stuff happens.

First, allowing ourselves to be a beginner is important. No one starts at the top and sometimes we even need to start over due to an injury or illness setback. I speak from experience when it comes to being knocked down from an injury and although the setback was difficult, I applied a progressive program to recover. There is nothing pretty or perfect in hard work and if you look good at the end of your workout, it certainly wasn't done correctly.

We can put so much pressure on ourselves with exercise programs doing too much too soon. Somehow we take on this belief that we should be at the same level as a seasoned athlete. This only leads to discouragement and frustration. It takes months and years to develop our fitness levels. If your goal is to run a marathon, it takes baby steps of progression and adaptation to this type of program. The same applies to muscle development. We certainly are not going to see a bicep cap after one session of resistance curls.

When we approach our fitness programs with a progressive attitude, it's more realistic and enjoyable. Progressive simply means:

• starting where you are
• accepting where you are
• not comparing yourself to others
• doing what you can
• mastering what you are able to do
• then moving forward to the next level

Progression is what gets us to the next level of fitness without injury and with a healthy body and mind. Let's say you struggle to perform a pull-up and hang there stuck on the bar. First, the pull-up is one of the hardest body weight exercises to perform and we have all been in this position as a newbie.

Believing your first attempt should be a successful body lift with head over that bar is unrealistic. It takes a progressive training program of slow back strength development to accomplish this challenging exercise. Those who can perform one or more pull-ups have been doing this exercise for years and have built enough back strength to perform the exercise. This is called realistic fitness progress.

Progress includes modification to exercise to build strength. Let's take another look at the pull-up and apply realistic methods of progression. In order to build back strength over time to achieve the goal of performing a pull-up, implementing modifications is necessary and may include:

• negative pull-ups (starting at the top and lowering yourself slowly)
• using a spotter 
• bench spot
• Gravitron machine (removes a percentage of your bodyweight for easier lift)
• TRX straps or resistance bands hooked around feet 

Consistency with modified exercise and building strength will enable you to progress and eventually perform the exercise without assistance.

Progression can also be applied to incorporating healthy foods into our nutrition.  Begin slowly by eliminating one thing like soda, and replacing it with drinking water and herbal tea. This process continued over time will enable you to adopt healthy eating as you eliminate unhealthy food choices. The goal should be to eat healthy 80 to 90% of the time without feeling deprived. Implementing eating well using progressive methods is shown to be less stressful, enjoyable and lifetime sustainable.

Life is already hard enough without making a healthy lifestyle feel like a burden with unrealistic expectations. Applying progressive methods to our workouts and daily food intake creates a positive outlook mentally and physically. It enables us to feel accomplished with our programs and feel good with each step taken toward our goals. 

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Be well and Stay Healthy

       

Are You Taking Responsibility For Your Fitness?

Face it, we're all responsible for our health and fitness. I'm not talking about medical illness out of our control, but the everyday individual who has the ability to get healthy. This is the majority of us, right?

In this world of comparison, it appears many of us want someone else's body instead of our own. Why is that? It really is a projection of what we want for our own life but not willing to put in the effort. That may have hit hard, but let's get down to the honest truth about our health and lifestyle. You may be tired of hearing 'what's your excuse' but the question is somewhat relevant.  

Instead of owning the behaviors creating an unhealthy body, we tend to place blame where it doesn't belong. We blame our spouses, friends, and even media personalities for spouting unrealistic goals. Are they unrealistic or just our way of justifying the state of our health?

What it comes down to is no one but you and I can make health happen. It's an individual choice to be healthy or unhealthy. It seems like a simply stated sentence but very much accurate. No amount of misplaced blame is going to help any of us reach our goals. We can't put up a defensive posture because others are doing what we're not willing to do. In order to change our health and fitness, it requires owning our current health status. 

Part of owning our fitness is getting rid of the reasons and excuses so often used to not live healthily. Unfortunately, excuses have become acceptable behavior and our health is suffering the consequences. Being over fat and obese has grown to an epidemic status with over 30 percent of the American population adversely affected.

The excuse of being too busy should be null and void. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and the choice of how the time will be used. Fitting in an hour workout a few times per week isn't unreasonable and shouldn't be considered a burden. Eating healthy actually takes less time and money than dining out, but we are so hooked on fast and convenient to consider this option. The mindset about health and fitness requires re-evaluation. Don't you agree?

Nobody likes to hear, what's your excuse and it seems to ruffle feathers all over the place. Honestly, it's a question to ask yourself in front of the mirror. Forget about anyone else. Are you happy with your health and fitness? Are you owning your role in causing the problem? If not, why?

When we start accepting responsibility for our actions, stop comparing to others, and implement a fitness solution is when positive changes begin. No one but you can make the choices to move past the excuses and the feelings that keep you from getting healthy.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

How Weekends Can Hold Us Back From Reaching Fitness Goals

We all look forward to the weekend or free days off. Enjoying a break from work and personal R&R can't come soon enough sometimes, right? The weekend actually allows us more time to work on our fitness programs, but many of us don't look at it that way.

The weekend typically includes three days (counting Friday night) of social drinking, parties, and indulgence in unhealthy foods. Many of us completely abandon our fitness goals. We somehow think what we do on the weekend doesn't impact our efforts and healthy lifestyle. This is far from the truth. Every choice made affects our fitness in a positive or negative way. Weekends seem to lean more toward the negative.

I admit to letting my hair down a bit on the weekend. However, I don't agree with living an unhealthy lifestyle for three days. How could I exemplify what living healthy means to my clients, you, myself and family? Actions speak louder than words and living the life is what maintains my fitness goals.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having a cheat meal or even day. If not done correctly and in moderation is when fitness goals can fail. Moderation is knowing how to moderate. A treat day doesn't need to turn into a cheat weekend nor should it. Those partaking in this yo-yo behavior often feel guilty for eating off track all weekend and mad at themselves for gaining a few pounds.

Enjoying a few indulgences in life is realistic, balanced and considered healthy. When done right and in moderation, a cheat meal actually helps our body burn fat more effectively and maintain our hard earned muscle. Living a healthy lifestyle includes knowing how to moderate cheat meals, not feel guilty, and getting back on track after the indulgence.

Studies show mixing up the nutrition and throwing in an occasional splurge meal benefits the body similar to how muscle confusion works performing a different exercise program. Long-term caloric restriction can deplete our body of essential nutrients and muscle glycogen. Enjoying a cheat meal or day can benefit both physiologically and psychologically. Supplying our body with additional energy from extra treat calories is shown to boost our metabolism, hydrate our muscles, and create a better physical working environment.

Regardless of where you are in your fitness program, learning how to moderate splurges will make or break the success of reaching goals. How we think about food intake and what we eat will be the primary reason we're fit or fat. Eating healthy should be a lifestyle and not looked upon as a punishment or burden. If we see eating healthy as unenjoyable, this can drive us to those unhealthy rebel weekends of mindless eating.

The weekend isn't a free pass to make unhealthy choices over a three day period. If we're truly eating well and performing regular exercise, we would feel strange not to continue over the weekend. Our fitness brain should always be on directing us to choose nutritious food, not empty calories. If you're struggling with eating right and getting off track over the weekend, it could mean taking a look at how you're preparing food. Does your healthy food taste good?

Healthy foods not only taste good but are great for you. Enjoy the texture and flavor of vegetables, fruits, and raw nuts. Indulge in lean proteins on the grill like salmon and chicken breast. Learn how to cook with herbs, spices, and marinades. Eating right doesn't mean eating bland.

Eating right along with the occasional splurge meal is what will enable you to reach and maintain those fitness goals.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

     

Good Intentions Require Action to Achieve Our Goals

I was reading my daily devotion today on the subject of intentions. I was immediately drawn to the title and felt it was speaking to me personally. Can you relate?

We all have good intentions, dream about fulfilling them, but somehow they get pushed aside and forgotten. Well, not really forgotten, because they continue to dance across the pages of our thoughts. At least this is the case for me.

Are you guilty of not following through on good intentions to make something happen? Starting that fitness program or promise to eat healthier? As I read further, I understood the importance of  writing down the intentions, to begin a plan and follow through with action.

Moving from intention to action takes a plan. This applies in most everything in life from painting the house, spending more time with family, to adopting a healthy lifestyle. It's really staying true to taking care of the important things in life.

What has helped me is setting up challenge systems where I complete three goals of intention for that day. Today I plan to get in a morning workout, help my ailing father to the doctor, and meet up with family later this evening for example.

Another goal was writing this blog and I was stumped at what to share with you at first, but enlightened after reading my devotional. It's amazing how things happen like that.

Having good intentions are great but remain thoughts until you put them into action. Goals to improve your health and fitness won't happen without effort. Follow-through is what will create better health, a fit body, and overall improved quality of life.

Those things we think about all the time must come to the forefront of our actions. Has a family member or friend been on your mind to call?  Pick up the phone. Has date night with your spouse been put off for months? Time to bring on the romance. Are the intentions to exercise four times a week not happening? Get your calendar, schedule your workouts and don't cancel. Do you want to eat better at home and reduce dining out? Write a healthy food list and head to the store.

Every active step we make is a step closer to fulfilling our goals and taking our intentions further than our minds. It's important not to get stuck in the 'thinking about it' process without any action. Good intentions only go so far and although they may sound good, living it out through our actions is what really counts.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

                                                

How We Use The Scale Can Derail Our Health and Fitness

The scale game starts as innocent accountability for weight loss and turns into a game of just how much we can get away with cheating on our program. Who is guilty? The scenario typically looks like this...

The fitness program is going great and the weight is coming off at a healthy rate. Suddenly, we begin validating food rewards for a job well done well above what's considered moderation. 

We challenge the scale to see how far we can push those numbers because we think there's leeway. Besides, we're doing such a great job and deserve a weekend of pizza, beer, and pastries, right? Wrong. This is a risky gamble and not a definition of living a healthy lifestyle. 

The purpose of obtaining a healthy weight is not to yo-yo back and forth. It means taking our health seriously and maintaining the lifestyle. If the scale gets in the way of that, it's time to toss it, especially when the 'scale game' derails our health and fitness goals. Relying on the mirror and how our clothes fit would be a better accountability tool at this point. 

We're not hurting anyone but ourselves when we play games with our fitness efforts. There is no half-way living a healthy life. Not giving our best to achieve our fitness goals is evident in more ways than a scale measurement. Do you like what you see in the mirror? How do you feel overall? These are also great ways to know if you're being true to your fitness program. 

The scale game robs us of being able to achieve our best health and body. When the purpose of the scale is to justify eating off track or exercising less, it removes the positive benefit of keeping track of our weight. Weighing one time per week for accountability can be a healthy thing, but when it turns into an ugly game of number manipulation for a food frenzy this is the opposite of being healthy. 

Success will never come from games or lack of commitment to your goals. The results will come from consistent healthy food choices coupled with regular exercise. The scale has nothing to do with our choices and is simply a helpful tool to let us know how we're doing with our weight loss program. When it is misused, it really can be detrimental to our goals. 

If the 'scale game' is an active part of a health program then it really isn't a health program. This may be a good time to dump the scale and start applying healthy accountability methods that align with our fitness efforts. 

Remember, it's all fun and games until your jeans don't fit anymore. 

  

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Be well and Stay Healthy