There is not any FAIRY DUST OR WAVE OF THE WAND TO LOSE WEIGHT!

     It seems like yesterday when I think about the adventure I had reaching my fit and healthy goals. I remember being just like everyone else when it came to working out. I only worked out when I was gaining too much weight. I only did the cardio classes and machines I liked. I never really lifted heavy weights because I feared that I would get ginormous.  I would do the latest fad diet or take the popular weight-loss pill. I used to eat all those weight-loss meals with no real results I wanted. I had cellulite up and down my legs and just assumed that I had BIG BONES. All of these things I did never helped me get to the goals I wanted. Yes, I would lose maybe 10 lbs., but I would gain it back because I would stop working out and (what I thought was) eating healthy. 

     Unfortunately, the majority of you all out there that believe you can just lose weight with a magic pill, don't have to change your intake of types of foods, and not workout. However, if this is so true then why haven't you all reached your ultimate fitness goals? Remember, you don't have to look like me. I want to look this fit. I'm a figure competitor and this is the body type that is required. Plus, I love the way I look and really don't give a damn what anyone else thinks about me. If you feel that way about yourself then great! So, don't be hating the girl or girls you see that are fit! 

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     Now, if you really want to lose weight and be healthy, then you really need to change your habits. You have to start looking at your body as if it was your car. You all know that if you do not keep your car periodically maintenance, eventually it will break down. It is the same thing with your body. If you put bad gas in your car, it will run poorly and backfire. It is the same with your body. The difference is that you can't be put back together like a car can. When your car breaks down you simply buy the part, pay for labor and your car is back on the road in a few days. Your body will not bounce back this fast if it needs a body part to be changed. Do you understand what I'm telling you? 

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     Eating mindlessly and empty calories (food with zilch nutrition value) is only going to make you gain unwanted pounds, drain up your energy levels for work, screw up your health, mess up your hormones and even lead to depression. For you to reach your goals you have to be in it 100%. Food is 80%. Cardio and resistance training is 20%. There is no other way around it. I call them the 3 Amigos! You have to have all three whether you want to gain muscle, lose weight, or maintain 

weight. 

     When you decide you are ready for a change, then start out with a journal. Write down what your weight is, what your measurements are, your short-term weight loss goal you want to reach for the month and your long-term weight loss goal. Next, take some pictures of yourself. Pictures speak thousand words. Our minds tend to play games on ourselves so having these different stats will help you see the whole picture. See if you can get your weight done with a weight machine that breaks up your body into parts. This means: lean muscle mass, body fat %, body fat in pounds, and water. Don't worry about weighing what society says we are supposed to weigh. Worry about your body fat going down, your muscle going up and your measurements going down. I have found that weekly assessments works better for my clients than monthly because they know that they can't mess around on the weekends. Which are the days that always sabotages everyone! On the other hand, only take your new pictures monthly. If you have done everything right, then you will see a big difference in 

your pictures.

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Reach your fitness goals!

Candace

Keep Track of Your Progress the Cheap Way!

     You finally decided to make the plunge to reach your fitness goals you will come to find out that some things you need might be out of your range of your expenses. This should not be the reason why you just throw up your hands and quit! When I began my journey I did not have a lot of money to spend on a personal trainer so I did the next best thing. I learned how to do it for myself! I used the Internet, Discovery Health, Dr. Oz's Real Age, and pictures to document my progress.

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     First step you should take is buy a journal. A journal is super cheap to buy at your local dollar pr grocery store. Write down the date, your feelings about starting this journey, your weight and measurements. You need to know where you start from because you will never reach your full potential if you mindlessly go through this. You can easily mess up an entire MONTH worth of weight-loss in one weekend of partying and eating whatever you want. This can easily result in a 6 - 10 pounds gain that you will cry about later. It is sad that many health and weight - loss/ management publications indicate that the average weight gain is 10 pounds a year, but this is true only if you are a fit and active individual which the majority of society is not. I have been a personal trainer for many years and I have seen people gain this amount in one weekend!

     Second step is to take pictures of yourself. Pictures speak a thousand words. There is nothing like the reaction I get from clients who have had their photos taken before and updated every 4 weeks. Our minds are designed to play games. You will never be able to see what others see if you do not take a pictures to document your progress. Even I have this problem. When I prep for contests I always take pictures to make sure I am seeing the changes I need to achieve. My clients always tell me how the can see the progress, but I cannot know for sure unless I see my updated progress 

photos. 

Image Credits: oxygenmag.com

     Third step is to search on the Internet or buy fitness magazines to help teach yourself how the train. I began my journey this way. My husband was a trainer for many years and would not teach me how to work out. I asked countless of people knowlegeable in fitness industry here in the Rio Grande Valley to no avail. My husband just felt he did not have the time to teach me. In addition, I believe the fitness professionals I asked in the past really just did not want me to know how to get fit. There never was a clear indication on what to eat, how to workout, or how much time train. Fitness magazines and online fitness websites like Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness for Her, & etc. give detailed directions on how to eat and how to train. You just have to use the information to your advantage. 

    In conclusion, having these simple tools will help you keep track. Write down your food, workouts, and feelings throughout the entire process. It will be an awesome feeling to look back at where you started and how much progress you have reached. Remember, your goals are not the responsibility of others. So, do not be suprised  if you have a gym partner and they stop going to the gym or walking with you. You need to do this for yourself, your health, and your family. Just like a car needs maintanence so does your health. Do not wait until it is too late!

Candace