I'm going to make this short and sweet.  My objective is to get you moving.  So, here goes.

If you were to wake up tomorrow morning and read the above to-do list, how would it make you feel?  Would it start your day off on a positive note?  I mean c'mon, we all want to watch our dreams die, right? Wrong! 

We all want to soar higher than the heavens.  We all want to make an impact.  We all want to reach our health and fitness goals.  We all want the body that makes the heads roll.  Yeahhhhhhhh, you know what I'm talking about :)   But are we willing to do what it takes?  

I'm not going to make this a long blog post on why and how you should write your goals out.  I'm sure you probably have heard and read about that already.  Instead, I would rather just instigate your heart to take action.  

So, I'm just going to leave you with this thought.  Do you see the above to-do list?  Well, if you don't make your OWN list of goals for tomorrow, consider the one above YOURS.  Why? Because statistics state that if you're one of those who refuses to write down your goals, you will probably never fully reach any of them.  Heck, why not take the one above.  Settle for nothing or even less than that and be satisfied with it.  The to-do list above is yours if you keep refusing to do what it takes to get it done.  Tomorrow skip your workout.  Tomorrow, get fat.  Tomorrow watch your dreams die!  Or...maybe not.

Instead, begin to make those goals reality.  First, see them.  Write them out.  Keep them short and concise.  Share them with others.  Tell me about them.  I want to hear what they are.  Go get them.  Is that your pen I hear scribbling?

Watch what you say!  Do you realize the impact that your words have on your behavior?  If you keep taking your words for granted, they will keep taking you further away from your goals and your ultimate body. 

Let's take the word, hope, for example.  Hope can be a horrible thing!  Do I have your attention yet?  Good.  Now follow me.

I hear this word being used almost on a daily basis by clients and friends.  They say, "I hope that I can stay on the meal plan this weekend"..."I hope that I find the energy to hit that cardio with intensity"..."I hope that I can lose this final 5-10 Lbs".  I Hope...I hope...I hope. 

What are they really saying?  I can tell you what they're saying.  They're saying, I wish.  I wish I could eat clean this weekend.  I wish I could lose this last 5 Lbs.  I wish I could get stronger, leaner, tighter...whatever.  It's all just wishful thinking.

Yes, hope in its ultimate reality is a beautiful thing.  In fact, the word hope if used properly and in the right context can bring new life .  But we're not talking in the biblical or spiritual sense here.  No, we're talking with language that we know and use every single day in common conversation.  And in this culture, the word hope is nothing more than an expression of longing.  Unfortunately, this does NOT help to condition your mind for success since you have spent years of your life "wanting" certain things but not always getting them.  Again, it goes back to wishful thinking.

Your words shape your thoughts and your thoughts shape your actions.  Ever hear someone say this: "I just look at food and I gain weight."  This is a sure way to set your mind against you in more ways than you can ever imagine.

Your mind is very complex organism.  If you believe your thoughts, they are real to you regardless of whether they are true or false.  Now consider how serious that is to your behavior.  It is imperative to ALWAYS think and speak positively about yourself and your actions.  Is it easy?  No.  But will it change your life?  Yes!  Your thoughts are shaping your destiny.

Let me give you an example.  This is a true story based on my own personal experience.  No, this is not typical.  But hey, I'm not typical :)  Here goes...

This story goes back about 15 years.  I was in the gym and trying to break a new bench press record.  My body was totally shot and drained.  But, as tired and weary as my body was, my mind was far worse.  I had nothing left.  I mean, I was spent.  Sometimes all the years of mental training in the world just can't give you everything you need.  This was one of those days...or so I thought.  My friend took the barbell off the bench and I grabbed the 485 Lbs in my hands.  I said, "I got it!" 

As I lowered the bar to my chest, I could feel the weight was not going back up.  Ever been there?  Well, it landed on my chest and I pushed but couldn't get it up.  I was not happy.  As I got up from the bench a guy in the gym came up to me and said, "Hey, it's not your day.  We all have our days big boy.  Save it for tomorrow."

Oh no you didn't!  I wanted to rip him open.  But at that moment my competitive nature took over my roughneck attitude (rare for me), and I made the following wager.  I said, "Hey, who are you talking to?  You don't know me, man. How about you put your money where your mouth is."

He said, "What do you mean?  I didn't mean anything by it.  Really.  Sorry if I offended you."   I said, "No, you didn't offend me.  You just pissed me off.  And that, will cost you."  He said, "Wait a minute.  I'm sorry."  I said, "No, I mean COST you money as in I want to make a bet with you.  How much weight just fell on my chest?" 

He looked at the bar and did the math.  Then he said, "490 Lbs."  I said, "Ok.  What if I add another 20 lbs to that bar?  Do you think I can get it?"  He said, "No way.  The 490 landed on you.  How you going to get 510 Lbs? "   I said, "I got $50 that says I will get it up." 

He turned and said, "You're on!"

At this point, we had at least a dozen people gathering around us to watch this.  My training partner put another 20 Lbs on the bar and shook his head.  His exact words to me were, "T, T, you're crazy man."  I smiled and said, "This is no time for compliments."

It was then that I got completely focused in my own mind.  I shut out everything and everyone and I began to do some extreme visualization techniques.  And, a whole lot of prayer :)

I grabbed the bar and my partner lifted it off and gave it over to me.  I pressed it up for 3 full reps.  Not one rep.  Not two reps.  But Three! I got up, turned to the barbell and said, "You lose."

That was not only a new bench press record for me that day, but a mental awakening like never before.  I mean, I knew the power of my mind was vast, but I had no idea the depths stretched so great physiologically and physically.  I still practice those visualization techniques to this very day.  Needless to say, the $50 bucks meant nothing to me.  I told the guy to keep it.

Your words are shaping you in far more ways than you may even understand.  Stop using words that tear you down.  Stop using words that negatively impact your thoughts and actions.  Speak positively about yourself ALL of the TIME--no matter what!  No more words of hope....ONLY victory that is and will be.  Speak positively in the present and future tense and watch things change in your life.

If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times.  "I Just need to lose this 20 lbs for the Wedding or Reunion."  

So what happens?  Well, the wedding or reunion comes and goes.  Yup, maybe the 20 lbs was lost in time.  But what followed was so painful and horrible that is has now left you in a cycle that is crippling you emotionally and maybe even physically.  In fact, you can't even go near the mall or clothing store because you can't stomach what the mirror is reflecting back.  Sure, you lost the 20 lbs.  But now it returned with excess pounds--many, many extra pounds.  The "diet" you tried only took you back even further in your pursuit of your dream body.

Any of this sound familiar?  Fast weight loss by way of a quick diet or panacea program will always result in being worse off than when you started.  Do diets work?  Well, yes, maybe for a short time.  However, in the end, trust me you will regret BIG TIME what it did to your body and your metabolism. 

In this post I don't want to address the physical and metabolic ways in which a diet can truly ruin your body, but instead take you deeper into the HOW and WHY the "diet mentality" will always fail you and why you may always seem to be running in circles around the same approach.

1.  Undefined Values-  This one is huge and it's the very foundation you build your life on.  If your reason for getting into shape is to look good for some upcoming event, then what happens when the occasion is over?  Where will you find your motivation then?  Most do not find any reason and so they go back to where they were--only worse.  You must build your vision for your dream body on true and meaningful values.  Values such as: Being healthy inside and out.  Looking and feeling young so that you can enjoy a long life with family and loved ones. Setting an example for those in your life who may look up to you.   Ask yourself this, "What's most important to me about getting healthy and having a great body?"  Then list those values.  There is NOTHING wrong with wanting to look lean, hot and sexy.  In fact, you SHOULD want that.  But it must go deeper if it is to last a lifetime. Build your goals on values.

2.  Afraid of Failure-  I get this one all of the time.  I sometimes will go back and forth with possible clients who tell me they tried everything else and failed.  "So Tony, what makes your program any different than the rest?"  We are afraid to fail and sometimes it can keep us in places of pain indefinitely.  We don't want to keep making the same mistakes over and over again so we stop doing anything at all.  But think about it, is the alternative working for you?  No.  Inactivity will always rob your dreams one day at a time until you can't even see them anymore.  Lose fear for focus.  Focus in your values and where you want to go and then set a plan down.  Find a program or meal plan that aligns with those values and goals and give it all you got.  Failure will always be a part of life but you can learn how to USE it and not be USED by it.

3.  Fear of Being Judged-  Many are scared that those around them will just beat them over the head with the endless comments.  "Another fat loss program, huh?" ... "Are you going to fail that one like you did the last one?" ...  "Why are you exercising so much, what's wrong with you?" ... "Keep eating chicken like that and you will turn into one."  Well, cluck--cluck--cluck goes Tony.  So what!  If I can't live for my priorities, my body and my health, who will do it for me.  Listen, everybody has something to say.  Let it ride and roll past it.  Explain your values and goals to those closest to you.  Ask for their support.  If they give it, great!  If not, move on.  Will you want to come to the end of your life with your fallen dreams built on this lame excuse?

4.  Fighting Change-  We are creatures of habit.  Most people hate change.  Change of schedule.  Change of lifestyle.  Change of meal planning.  Yet, without change there is NO growth--period!  As difficult as it may seem, change can and will bring about all that you ever wanted in life.  Not only that, but the very things you feared can and WILL become habits...healthy habits.  Embrace change.  The key is to do it slowly and with your eyes wide open.  Diets fail but lifestyle changes last forever.  Think about it.

5.  I Can Do it on My Own!-   I'm sorry but no you can't.  Well, at least not long term, especially if your goal is to be your absolute best.  Even the best of the best need support, accountability and empowerment.  Surround yourself with others who share the same goals and hold the same values.  Hire a trainer or coach.  Read books and enroll in courses which can influence and guide you into a healthy lifestyle.

Diets are temporary.  Lifestyle changes that are built on growing goals and dreams lasts forever!  Go get yours :) 

Is that really all it comes down to?  That's what they say.  Calories in...calories out is the holy grail of weight loss.  Well, at least to many.  Especially with some of these internet fat-burning gurus.  Almost on a weekly basis I will get new clients who share horror stories about how the trainer (many Online) they are working with straight-out told them they were LYING!  The conversation would go something like this:

Client: I can't lose any weight.  I'm eating healthy.  What do you think is the problem?

Trainer: You're probably eating more than you're telling me.

Client: But I'm not Mr. Fat-Burner.  I follow your plan exactly. 

Trainer:  You think you follow my plan.  But you're eating more.  Stop the snacking and lying to me.

Client: But I'm not.  I follow the plan to the letter and do the workouts exactly as you prescribe.

Trainer. Listen, lying to me is only lying to yourself.  Stop eating stuff off plan and get with the program.  Buy my latest book or CD which talks about this issue.  I need to go now.  Calories in and calories out.  The sooner you get that, the sooner you will stop living in that unhealthy, obese body.

Basically, the above depiction is almost the exact conversation that one of my clients had not too long ago with this trainer.  Is it really all about the calories in and calories out?  The latest studies seem to want to confirm that over and over again.

According to a recent study by the New England Journal of Medicine, it didn't matter what the participants ate, only how much they ate. 

The study lasted two years and followed 811 overweight participants.  In the end, the results showed that it didn't matter what kind of foods were substituted, if the calories were low enough in range, they lost weight.  If not, they gained.

Frank Sacks, principal investigator and professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at Harvard School of Public Health states the following about the current study as it “really goes against the idea that certain foods are the key to weight loss,” notes . “This is a pretty positive message. It gives people a lot of choices to find a diet they can stick with.”  

In other words, eat whatever you want and so long as you stay within caloric deficit range, you will lose weight, right?  WRONG!  What studies like these fail to take into account is that many people suffer from other issues that play a major role in their weight gain --hormonal issues, food-related sensitivities which impact their body chemicals, thyroid problems, metabolic damage and on and on.

While I agree that many have an issue with sometimes consuming too many calories, it goes much deeper than that.  We are all different and our bodies can behave in very unique ways based on a host of variables.   For instance, some people can eat one type of food at a certain time of the day and have a greater chance of it being stored as body fat due to insulin response.  Just one example.

How many people have you known who have literally lived in a caloric deficit for months on end, and yet still not shed one single pound?  I bet you know someone.  Bottom line, we need to appreciate that there are valid reasons why simply implementing a deficit is not the end all, be all.

I think the first thing to consider is that many are over-measuring portions.  Once you get very specific with measuring, you start to see things change.  Another problem is this: some people eat snacks that are just much higher in calorie than they realize. You NUT lovers know what I mean :)  Those nice handfuls of peanuts and cashews equate to BIG calories.

Yet, at the end of the day, be encouraged and know that you may need to work with someone who can implement more than one approach to your weight loss program because your body just may REALLY be fighting on a few battlefields--NOT JUST CALORIC DEFICIT!!

In the end, if your MIND is in LINE with your GOALS and EATING, nothing can stop you from overcoming any and all things.

No matter what, though, some of these trainers need to find a new line of work.  People need to be empowered and inspired,  and yes, held accountable, but not called liars!      

STOP THE INSANITY!

If making excuses was the sport of football, some of us would win the Superbowl all of the time.  Unfortunately, we find it way too easy to make excuses and we hide behind them almost with pride sometimes. 

Why?  Why do we make excuses?  Knowing some of the triggers can sometimes bring about a definitive commitment to move forward and stop procrastinating.  I have TONS of reasons but only want to get some discussion going here :)

Here are a few reasons:

1.  We have our priorities all Wrong!  I can't count how many times a client told me that they "deserved" a glass of wine after work. What!  Why? Explain that one to me.

2.  We want things NOW and we're impatient.  Instant gratification Baby!  McDonalds Mentality.  Fast drive-thru to my dreams.  This is why the info-mercial world majors in health and weight loss.  People keep buying into the hype.

3.  Making excuses is EASY.  Eating healthy and training can sometimes be challenging and difficult.  But, think about it, which one pays better?

4.  We believe tomorrow will always come.  This one is HUGE and in many ways, very sad :(

5.  We do not have solid Goals.

I think your dreams are worth more than a piece of cake, glass of wine or something passing.  What about you?  Do you struggle with this?  Have you overcome making excuses?  How?

What's the best way to have a fat burning machine of a body?  Build Muscle!  It doesn't matter if you want to look lean and sexy or big and hard, muscle is the anabolic furnace that keeps the body burning more calories around the clock--even while you sleep or rest. 

I love building muscle.  In fact, the gym is where I thrive and my soul and spirit soar.  Sound a bit too romantic?  Good.  Because it is.  I have a love affair with the weights that literally takes me to another place.  While I'm training, my heart and mind feel at home...truly at home.  Some fear muscle.  They worry about looking too bulky.  This can be the case for many of my female clients.  I put them at ease and help them to understand that muscle is the fountain of youth and it gives you the ability to shape and mold your body into the beautiful sculpture you desire.  You should NOT fear getting too muscular since it just doesn't work that way unless you are a genetic oddity. Muscle creates incredible visual illusion depending on distance and angle.

For instance, in the picture of me above, I'm probably more than 10 pounds heavier than I am right now.  However, from a distance you would think I was bigger and harder now, than in that picture.  As you draw closer, however, you would see the opposite and see me yet leaner.  In reality, although I'm lighter and tighter now than in the picture above, my muscles are actually bigger than ever.  I don't care of you're 17 or 70 years old, muscle will enable you to achieve your dream body.  Okay, so are you ready to implement one of my favorite techniques?

Here it is.  It's called Reverse Pyramid Overload.  In a workout routine, a standard pyramid would look like this:

15 reps
12 reps
6 reps etc.
4 reps etc.

However, in a REVERSE pyramid, you would do the heaviest sets first (after a warm up or two).  So a reverse pyramid would look like this: