Define Success...

If you ever feel like you have too much weight to lose, that it's a lost cause check out this guy...

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Now his trainer's approach of one day of good nutrition and one day of rewarding yourself, in my opinion, is only truly beneficial for someone with this kind of morbid obesity. Most people's weight would simply yo-yo and their average weight would stay around the same number. However, I do agree that for many people smaller steps are necessary in the beginning. If you are not a person who can jump in with everything you've got try just adding one healthy habit a week, or even every 3 weeks. Why? This will simplify the process by allowing you to focus on just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle at a time. Completely changing how you live your life can be intimidating. All too often we judge things in our lives as either successes or failures based on faulty definitions or standards.

Each person has a different level of success. This is true in any aspect of life, whether it be physically, athletically, mentally, spiritually, financially, etc. We all start at different points of the spectrum in each category. Therefore our only standard for success is ourselves. No one else out there can truly compare there life experiences to yours, there is no comparison. When success is put into it's proper perspective it can be easily obtained. For example: success for one person might be getting to an appointment on time, simple for some but a challenge for others. Another person might view success as finishing a project when they said they would, or another keeping a food journal one day this week. You get the point.

So this week let's all pick one thing in our lives that we struggle with and make a small step towards making a change. I want to encourage anyone who is reading this blog to post their one thing here, shoot, maybe you can post it anonymously if you want. Make sure it is a small and thus easily attainable step. Personally I am very bad about saving money. The only way I have been able to do this is through automatic withdrawals into a savings account. That requires almost zero self discipline. So in the spirit of us all making beneficial changes in our lives I will simply commit to placing a single dollar into an envelope each day this week. It's a small step I know, but for me it would be a successful week and hopefully lead to more successful weeks in the future. So what's your small step of success going to be this week? Remember it doesn't have to be earth-shattering, K.I.S. (Keep It Simple).

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao-tzu (604-531BC)

Do This EVERYDAY! No Excuses

Perhaps the simplest and least time-consuming thing we can do for our bodies is to stretch our muscles. Sadly, most people completely ignore this part of their program. While studies are split on the benefits of stretching prior to a workout, most experts are unanimous in recommending flexibility training both post-workout as well as on a daily basis.

After a good workout our muscles are tight from the strain we've just put them under, so this is a great time to stretch. Ideally try to stretch within 30 minutes of completing your workout. This will also assist in muscle recovery and minimize soreness the following day(s). Tight muscles put added stress on the joints and over time can cause serious injury and muscular imbalance.

Of course it is not just after a solid workout that our muscles need some TLC. Our day-to-day activities provide more than enough stress to cause plenty of muscle tension. Whether your job/day consists of sitting at a desk or on a construction site, your body is taking a beating. Your muscles are constantly working to keep you upright, move you from one place to another, and resist the self-imposed stress of our lives. For this reason we must stretch daily. The excuse I usually get is "I forgot." So here is my solution for all you wound-up rubber bands:

There are two times a day that are not only ideal for some flexibility training, but also eliminate any possibility for excuses to skip a stretch session. Those times are first thing in the morning (before you get out of bed) and the last thing at night (when you're getting into bed). Ideally you would fit some additional stretching in throughout the day, but at these two times there are no excuses. There are many stretches one can do while lying in bed and even more that can be done just beside the bed. To get you started here are three easy stretches you can do each morning:

(Perform these in this order each morning, then reverse the order at night)

The Figure 4 Stretch:
While lying on your back place one ankle above the opposite knee. Then reach behind your thigh your ankle is resting on. Pull your leg towards your chest and hold for approximately 30 seconds. This stretch should be felt in the buttock/hip of the top leg. Alternate sides and repeat 2-3 times each.

The Active Hamstring Stretch:
Again, while lying on your back raise one leg up and grasp it behind your thigh keeping the other leg extended on the bed. Allow the raised leg's knee to be bent and pull the leg toward the chest. While holding your thigh in place, straighten your knee and pull your toes toward you. Only slightly pause, then bend the knee again. This stretch should be felt along the back of the leg that is bending and straightening. Perform 15-20 repetitions on each leg 2-3 times. (remember to pull your toes toward you and keep the other leg flat on the bed)

The Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch:
This stretch is performed on the floor, if you have hard floors you may want to place a pillow under your knee or some other cushion. Place one knee on the floor and the other foot on the floor in front of you. Both knees should be bent at around 90 degrees at the starting position. If you are significantly tight you may already feel the stretch in the front of the hip and down the front of your leg with the knee on the floor. Now gently tuck your bottom under like a dog does when it is scared. Just about everyone should feel a stretch at this point, if not use a mirror or other person to check that your lower back is rounded and not swayed. If you are a bit more flexible try gently leaning forward while maintaining a tucked pelvis. Hold this stretch 30 seconds and perform 2-3 times on each leg alternating sides.

*Remember, while stretching the goal is to feel a mild discomfort. Straining is the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish.

The Chop Squat

A great, dynamic, and functional exercise is what I call the "Chop Squat." To perform this exercise you will need a medicine ball or some kind of weight you can grasp with both hands.

Begin by holding the ball/weight over your head with both hands. Place both feet approximately shoulder width apart (it's better to err on the side of too wide of a stance with this particular exercise). Be sure that both feet are facing directly forward. As you begin to squat lower the ball/weight to the floor being sure to keep both elbows straight throughout the motion. Maintain the knees in direct alignment with the toes keeping your weight on your heels. Stick your bottom out as you squat and keep your chest up and eyes/head forward. As you reach the bottom of the squat the ball/weight should touch the floor between your feet (or at least be near to the floor). In order to protect your spine be sure not to round your back at any time during the squat. If you cannot maintain a neutrally positioned spine throughout the exercise either shorten the squat (not as deep) or choose a lighter weight. The Chop Squat is completed when you reverse the motion and return to the starting position. That is, standing up straight and raising both arms overhead keeping the elbows locked throughout the motion.

Perform 10-15 repetitions doing 2-3 sets based on your current fitness level. When performed correctly this exercise will strengthen every muscle in your body. I will try to post a picture or video clip of this exercise soon.

Royal Family Kids Camp Ride For Hope

Last Saturday our church (Seaside Community Church) had a bike ride to raise funds for this year's Royal Family Kids Camp. The camp is for children that in the local foster care system, most have been abused and/or neglected. They range from 6 to 11 years old. Every summer we hold a camp that is designed to build trust and show them God's love. It is 100% free for the children to attend, so our church covers all the expenses. In order to raise the necessary money we have different fundraisers with the bike ride being our largest. We have a 50 mile route and a 20 mile route. Each person is asked to raise $200 to participate. We had a total of 95 riders this year! We were able to raise about $27,000 for this year's camp! That is almost the entire amount we need.

Both rides went smoothly, and everyone finished safely. I personally had not been on my bike more than a couple of times in the past few months, so I was pleased to have the 50 mile ride as well as I did. A big thank you to everyone involved.

Update

Hey everybody, sorry for the long break between posts. I have been consumed with openning the new training studio (Purpose Fitness). Things are beginning to come together, just a few more finishing touches and waiting for the city to finalize everything. All in all it should be just a couple of more weeks before everything is completely finished and then we will have a big grand openning. I am looking at a couple of local charities to get involved with. I would like to have a silent auction and raffle at the grand openning to benefit a local organization. It looks like we'll be able to get some pretty cool stuff for the auction/raffle. Keep checking back for updates as I will be posting the grand openning date and a list of some of the auction/raffle items. Hope all is well!

Some Basic Nutritional Guidelines

When you're trying to decide what to eat, or better yet planning your meals for the next day, try to follow these simple guidelines:

1) Balance Isn't Just for Yoga. Each meal should consist of approximately 60% Carbohydrates*, 30% Lean Protein**, and 10% Healthy Fats***.

2) Think FIBER. Fiber does a lot for us, it keeps our bad cholesterol down, keeps our colon clean, and keeps us satisfied longer (so we're less likely to over-indulge).

3) Be Creative! You don't need a ton of salt and butter to make something taste good. Try crushed red pepper flakes, jalapenos, garlic, or other spices. Salt and butter are not only hard on your body, but they also mask the TRUE tastes of your food.

4) Your Body is a Fireplace. If you throw a log on a fire every couple of hours it keeps burning. If you wait too long before throwing on a new log the fire burns out and all that's left is a pile of logs. Your body works the same way. Feed your body every 2-3 hours to keep your "fire" (metabolism) burning. If you wait until the work day is over and scarf down a big dinner you're just throwing a bunch of logs in a pile (see waistline for details).

5) Gas up Before Starting Your Trip. If you leave for a trip in a car with an empty gas tank you're not going to get very far. Your metabolism is the same way. If you're waiting to eat breakfast longer than about 45 minutes after you wake up, your metabolism (like your car) is going to slow to a stop. Again, refer to your waistline to see what happens when your metabolism stops burning.

Hopefully these five simple guidelines will help you achieve your fitness goals and by the way, this is NOT just for people who need to lose weight. You're overall health and ability to perform will benefit from adding these to your daily routine.


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*Carbohydrates: vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.

**Lean Proteins: chicken & turkey (white meat), some pork, lean ground beef, eggs and fish.

***Healthy Fats: avocado, fish oil, ground flaxseed oil, fish, nuts, legumes.

"What's the first thing I should do?"

If you want to lose weight, put on some muscle, or improve your tennis game start with what you're fueling your engine with.

Maybe the easiest and most effective place to start any new program is a food log. I know, most people immediately go to the eye-roll when they hear "food log." But study after study show how important it is to plan and write down what you are putting into your body.

Often it takes less than a week to realize that we really don't think about what we put into our mouths. Our thought process is usually something like "I'm hungry, what SOUNDS good?" Not what IS good, but what SOUNDS good. But no matter what your goal is 80% of your results will come from how you feed your body. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight you need to limit calories just enough to create a deficit but not so much that you slow your metabolism and thus reduce the amount of calories you burn through out the day. You may think you are eating healthy, but are actually restricting your calories too much and missing the optimal weight loss window for your body. Not to mention whether or not you are getting proper balance in your meals can also affect your metabolism as well as cravings. This is true for any goal you set, there is an optimal range and quality of fuel that your body operates within. Without fully knowing what you are putting into your body can slow, or even reverse, any progress towards accomplishing your goals.

So what should you be keeping track of? There are many types of food logs/journals out there. You can visit a book store and pick through some books until you find one that you like or just grab a piece of paper. Each person is different, choose whatever you will stick to.

The basics:
Anytime you put anything into your mouth to consume and digest it you should write it down in your log/journal along with what time you ate it. You will also want to note the amount of calories of each meal and add up the total for the day at the end. Here's where people get fussy. "I don't have time, or want to add up all those calories." Or, "How can I figure out how many calories are in each piece of food I'm eating?"

Let's start with the time issue:
The easy solution is fill out your food log the night before. This serves two purposes: to plan your meals ahead of time, and we all have 5-10 minutes before going to sleep. The planning aspect is the best and will significantly increase your ability to reach you goals. No last minute, grab whatever is there, or drive-thru windows! You can have tomorrow's menu already figured out, calories calculated, and cut back on time spent thinking about what to eat. This is a great way to set yourself up for success, whatever your goals are.

Now for the math issue:
Today we have calculators, but even better we have computers and the internet. You can search the content of just about any food item you can think of on websites like and several others. Not to mention the nutritional content is put on the label for you. Again, sitting at your computer for a few minutes the night before with your food log/journal can really make things easier for you and SAVE you time in the end.

In summary, food logs/journals are invalueable tools in reaching any fitness-related goal. Keep track of times of meals, contents of the meals, and the amount of calories in each meal. Keeping track doesn't need to take very long, especially if you plan ahead. Also, if you're a routine-oriented person or get the hang of things quickly, you can ditch the food log after only a week or two. Of course, each person's learning curve is different and many people simply need the accountability of a food log to stick to their goals, so it may be better to maintain a food log for a longer period of time. Remember, food logs create awareness and accountability neither of which are bad to have.

(To develop a nutritional program to reach your goals contact me at mseward@fitnessmatt.com or your preferred professional.)

"I Can't" vs "I Can"

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13

Suggestions/Comments

This is a new venture for me, my first blog. So I am posing the question, "What do you want to see on this blog?"

 My first ideas are: to review fitness and health related articles and fads, post some tips regarding fitness/health, post descriptions of exercises and stretches, discuss some fitness myths that are out there, some wellness tips, and encouraging quotes. My hope is that this blog will be as interactive as possible. That it can be a daily resource for anyone trying to live a healthier lifestyle.