You may think smoothies are a better, healthier option to soft drinks. After all, smoothies are just fruit in a blender… What could be wrong with that?
As it turns out, quite a bit.
1) Size: Smoothies often vary in size from 16 ounces to 40 ounces. Let me put that into perspective; an 8-ounce smoothie is equal to about three pieces of fruit. Do you regularly eat fifteen pieces of fruit in one sitting?
2) Processing: Many of the valuable ingredients contained in whole fruits and vegetables, things like fiber, anti-oxidants and vitamins, are destroyed in the process of making a smoothie.
With their growing popularity, you can buy smoothies anywhere – including many local grocery stores. Grocery stores are renowned for their shortcuts to efficiency, and that means most of the smoothies are highly processed. What’s more, if the fruits and vegetables aren’t certified organic, there’s a good chance you’re consuming a cocktail of pesticides and other environmental toxins.
3) The carbs: A report published overseas found that a single serving of a popular smoothie contained over five teaspoons of sugar, beating out a can of Coke. Yum!
To review: smoothies may come from natural ingredients, but those ingredients are often packed into abnormally concentrated amounts. Some smoothie makers even add artificial sweeteners – high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in particular – further reducing the health benefit.
And high-carb smoothies WILL pack on the pounds. When you blend fruits you very much increase the rate that your body can absorb the sugar. Even something that’s normally healthy, such as a carrot, takes on the fast sugar characteristics of a soda when you puree it.
Diets high in fast release carbohydrate are linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Sugary high-carb foods produce a spike in your blood sugar level. This in turn triggers an insulin response.
Higher insulin levels tell your body to start storing fat. And the more fat you’re signaled to store, the greater your eventual obesity. And it only gets worse from there… Obesity leads to heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, even joint pain from the additional weight.
The good news? The reverse is also true; a low-carb intake equates to lower heart risk. The New England Journal of Medicine reported results from Harvard researchers involving 80,000 women over the course of two decades. Those who followed a low-carb diet reduced their risk of heart disease by 30 percent.
Results of another study by U.S. and New Zealand scientists, also released last year, showed that about 3 million heart disease, stroke and diabetes-related deaths are caused by high blood sugar levels each year worldwide.
One of the authors noted that the only way to raise blood sugar is by consuming sugars and refined carbohydrates. So packing a single beverage (like a smoothie) with a high concentration of sugar, regardless of that sugar’s source, isn’t a great idea.
If you’re looking for a cool, refreshing drink that won’t add inches to your waistline, try combining freshly squeezed lemons, oranges and/or grapefruit to ice water. If you need to sweeten it up, try Stevia extract. It’s the only sugar substitute that’s not toxic or linked to side effects.
God bless,
Steve
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
The "Slow Bleed" of Compromise
One of the most memorable moments of my career as a fitness professional occurred recently when, during a brief conversation with a female client, she commented that I had “changed her life.”
That was a mind blowing thought for me.
Me? I had done this? How?
Although I will always cherish her sweet words and the joy it brought to my heart, I am going to attempt to break down and quantify what I believe she really intended.
That said, and with (hopefully) no disrespect to the woman in question, I believe she more accurately meant that I had “pointed the way” for her to achieve the success and goal attainment in fat loss, fitness and health transformation she had so long desired. She believed that I would give her correct information, encourage her and therefore she did not compromise herself in her efforts to obtain those goals.
Compromise is a killer. Sure, it may have some merit in a contextual parley, but in the average affairs of daily life, particularly in the fitness arena, it’s a suppressor of progress.
Here are 2 reasons why I say this:
1) “There, by the grace of God, go I.” At the risk of self-deprecation, many people give me way too much credit for being smarter than I really am. Don’t get me wrong, I believe I have more than the average share of intellectual capability. It’s just that I’m kind of lazy; sloppy if you will. More often than not I tend to let projects go half finished, don’t clean up as thoroughly as I should and “wing it” when it comes to tasks and jobs around the house.
However, when it comes to my professional ingestion of knowledge with regard to health, fitness, training, conditioning and fat loss I have a dogged determination and resolve to learn as much about these subjects as I can. The human body simply fascinates me and I am constantly striving to learn all that I can about how to better serve you.
I subscribe to several web sites and blogs that cater directly to fitness professionals. I get daily, weekly and monthly e-mail newsletters from medical, health and fitness professionals from around the world. I am a voracious reader and my personal library attests to as much. I listen to audio interviews and watch videos from various fitness authorities on many varieties of topics. I am not too proud to beg, borrow, pilfer and steal to get this information if I believe it will help me to help those with whom I am associated.
The bottom line, however, is that God has placed this desire for knowledge within me; I am simply an instrument of His choosing. Therefore it is He who is to be recognized and glorified. Without Him, I’m just another trainer. I will not compromise my faith and recognition of Him and the blessings He brings or those with which He allows me to be a blessing.
My growth and progress as a man of God, and subsequently my effectiveness as a communicator, I believe is based upon my willingness to either come alongside or compromise my obedience to God. In my mind, the more I align myself with Him, His Word and precepts, the better I am able to serve those who have entrusted themselves to me.
2) “Effort and Consistency” The cornerstone for successful fat loss in the Firestorm Fitness System is effort and consistency. An individual must understand that compromise on either of these two foundational principles will produce less than adequate or desirable results.
Imagine two people in dispute over a point of interest, perhaps the final price of a vehicle. The salesman suggests, “Let’s compromise; meet me halfway.” In the mind of the purchaser this may be a workable solution. But is it really? My guess is that the salesman has previously played this scenario out long before, calculated the transaction and had the actual final price in mind all along. It was never really a compromise at all, just a way to get to where he was already comfortable. I mean they both win…right?
Let’s envision another scenario: You’re at a nice restaurant. You know, the kind where they have cloth napkins and drink from REAL crystal. You’ve been following your eating regimen pretty well all week. According to your accountability chart and the 90 percent rule, you’ve already experienced all of the “cheat” meals you are allowed so as to remain on track. The end of the meal arrives and the nasty waiter announces, “We have a great selection of delicious desserts on the menu…would you like to see it?” What do you do?
Here’s one more: You have a desire to lose 25 pounds of body fat. You write down specific goals with a deadline for their achievement and enroll in a class such as the Firestorm Fitness System Fat Burning Fit Camps. The criteria are laid out and the command goes off to begin training. Do you “go all in” or do you simply go through the motions until it is time for the class to stop?
Compromised effort and consistency means that half of the work (or potential work) is done; half of the work means half of the results are achieved.
Is half ever good enough?
The lady I mentioned at the beginning of this piece is one of the few who “gets it”. She understands that a life of compromise is a life half lived. As I explained to her during that brief conversation we had, “I tell a lot of people how to succeed. Only a handful really apply what they hear and see truly extraordinary results.” I salute her because she is one of them. As I said, she “gets it.” I am very proud of her, as well as many others and I am blessed to have them as clients. Her comments brought me to tears of humility that warmed my heart.
I will never compromise in my learning efforts in order to get those kinds of feelings and blessings because they do so much to keep me striving to be the best in this business for you that I can be.
Consistency and effort + no compromise = much success.
Come get some.
God bless you,
Steve
That was a mind blowing thought for me.
Me? I had done this? How?
Although I will always cherish her sweet words and the joy it brought to my heart, I am going to attempt to break down and quantify what I believe she really intended.
That said, and with (hopefully) no disrespect to the woman in question, I believe she more accurately meant that I had “pointed the way” for her to achieve the success and goal attainment in fat loss, fitness and health transformation she had so long desired. She believed that I would give her correct information, encourage her and therefore she did not compromise herself in her efforts to obtain those goals.
Compromise is a killer. Sure, it may have some merit in a contextual parley, but in the average affairs of daily life, particularly in the fitness arena, it’s a suppressor of progress.
Here are 2 reasons why I say this:
1) “There, by the grace of God, go I.” At the risk of self-deprecation, many people give me way too much credit for being smarter than I really am. Don’t get me wrong, I believe I have more than the average share of intellectual capability. It’s just that I’m kind of lazy; sloppy if you will. More often than not I tend to let projects go half finished, don’t clean up as thoroughly as I should and “wing it” when it comes to tasks and jobs around the house.
However, when it comes to my professional ingestion of knowledge with regard to health, fitness, training, conditioning and fat loss I have a dogged determination and resolve to learn as much about these subjects as I can. The human body simply fascinates me and I am constantly striving to learn all that I can about how to better serve you.
I subscribe to several web sites and blogs that cater directly to fitness professionals. I get daily, weekly and monthly e-mail newsletters from medical, health and fitness professionals from around the world. I am a voracious reader and my personal library attests to as much. I listen to audio interviews and watch videos from various fitness authorities on many varieties of topics. I am not too proud to beg, borrow, pilfer and steal to get this information if I believe it will help me to help those with whom I am associated.
The bottom line, however, is that God has placed this desire for knowledge within me; I am simply an instrument of His choosing. Therefore it is He who is to be recognized and glorified. Without Him, I’m just another trainer. I will not compromise my faith and recognition of Him and the blessings He brings or those with which He allows me to be a blessing.
My growth and progress as a man of God, and subsequently my effectiveness as a communicator, I believe is based upon my willingness to either come alongside or compromise my obedience to God. In my mind, the more I align myself with Him, His Word and precepts, the better I am able to serve those who have entrusted themselves to me.
2) “Effort and Consistency” The cornerstone for successful fat loss in the Firestorm Fitness System is effort and consistency. An individual must understand that compromise on either of these two foundational principles will produce less than adequate or desirable results.
Imagine two people in dispute over a point of interest, perhaps the final price of a vehicle. The salesman suggests, “Let’s compromise; meet me halfway.” In the mind of the purchaser this may be a workable solution. But is it really? My guess is that the salesman has previously played this scenario out long before, calculated the transaction and had the actual final price in mind all along. It was never really a compromise at all, just a way to get to where he was already comfortable. I mean they both win…right?
Let’s envision another scenario: You’re at a nice restaurant. You know, the kind where they have cloth napkins and drink from REAL crystal. You’ve been following your eating regimen pretty well all week. According to your accountability chart and the 90 percent rule, you’ve already experienced all of the “cheat” meals you are allowed so as to remain on track. The end of the meal arrives and the nasty waiter announces, “We have a great selection of delicious desserts on the menu…would you like to see it?” What do you do?
Here’s one more: You have a desire to lose 25 pounds of body fat. You write down specific goals with a deadline for their achievement and enroll in a class such as the Firestorm Fitness System Fat Burning Fit Camps. The criteria are laid out and the command goes off to begin training. Do you “go all in” or do you simply go through the motions until it is time for the class to stop?
Compromised effort and consistency means that half of the work (or potential work) is done; half of the work means half of the results are achieved.
Is half ever good enough?
The lady I mentioned at the beginning of this piece is one of the few who “gets it”. She understands that a life of compromise is a life half lived. As I explained to her during that brief conversation we had, “I tell a lot of people how to succeed. Only a handful really apply what they hear and see truly extraordinary results.” I salute her because she is one of them. As I said, she “gets it.” I am very proud of her, as well as many others and I am blessed to have them as clients. Her comments brought me to tears of humility that warmed my heart.
I will never compromise in my learning efforts in order to get those kinds of feelings and blessings because they do so much to keep me striving to be the best in this business for you that I can be.
Consistency and effort + no compromise = much success.
Come get some.
God bless you,
Steve
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The stress of life
"May I buy pound of stress, please?"
Within the fitness and training community there has been ton of discussion of late concerning the possible negative effects of "overtraining" and "over-reaching". In order to simplify this message we won't get into definitions. However, let's define it as some form of additional work (training) that results in a "regression", or cessation of progress as opposed to progression or continued development.
It appears that when regression occurs in any training scenario many are quick to point the finger at too much training volume. I've come to understand, however, that there are potentially other factors that deserve consideration or that we simply may be ignoring.
The body is a synergistic organism. In other words, it works as a unit on the whole. Stick a needle in your foot and your whole body reacts. As such, I believe the body cannot differentiate between stresses; it's all just a physiological LOAD on the body. Think about it as different spouts (stressors) that are pouring into the same pool (the body). It isn't what "spouts" are flowing freely, it's about how much water is in the pool! Your body can't differentiate between physical stress and relationship stress.
Let's discuss stresses: Imagine you're having financial difficulties, relationship issues, college finals and family illness all at the same time. Is it possible that a twice a day intense training routine is, more than likely, going to "break" you than if everything else in your life was great? Of course. What is wonderful about this particular scenario is that it's one of the only such stresses that you can completely control.
It's vitally important to view the body as a complete unit. If a client is sick, some of their bodily functions are driven to fight off the illness. Because of that, their ability to train is compromised and assuredly reduced. Most coaches understand that.
I believe it's the same when other factors (money, relationships, career) are taken into account.
In my experience, any client with high stress in their life responds better to higher intensity, lower volume routines. Short, sweet and to the point. Training volume seems to be the key norm in controlling "overtraining".
There are some pretty cool methods of assessing a client’s ability to train. They include things like sleep quality, mood, appetite, soreness, facial freshness, a desire to train, and more on a scale of 1-5. It's completely subjective but low scores show that your body is not ready for heavy workouts.
It's just a monitoring system -- but in my experience most coaches pay almost ZERO attention to recovery issues, and almost 100% to training issues. I try to keep an eye on folks and look for "signs " of diversion from training intensity and address them as needed.
Here's the cold hard fact: You don't get better by training...you get better by RECOVERING FROM training.
Let's have a flashback from my 25+ years in this business...anytime one of my elite level athletes have had recovery issues with respect to training, it almost always was an indication of some external "stressor" going on in their life. I remember an instance where one athlete suddenly began to backslide and stop making progress when his father went into the hospital for a quadruple by-pass. This was the only thing that I could discern that had changed in his life.
Consequently, at the general public level, the trend is to see people do too much work for their results. I could probably eliminate almost 40% of the average individuals program and see no drop off in results.
Are they overtraining as indicated by most professionals? I don't think so. However, I believe they are doing too much training to achieve their results and thereby limiting training effectiveness. This tends to be a bigger key actually. It's the "One is good, ten is better" syndrome.
Observing training volume in relation to the results is a useful tool. And you also have to consider all the other stresses going on at the same time. It's not just how many sets or reps you are doing, it's the total level of "Stress" that your body is experiencing that counts.
Now you think about that.
Steve
Within the fitness and training community there has been ton of discussion of late concerning the possible negative effects of "overtraining" and "over-reaching". In order to simplify this message we won't get into definitions. However, let's define it as some form of additional work (training) that results in a "regression", or cessation of progress as opposed to progression or continued development.
It appears that when regression occurs in any training scenario many are quick to point the finger at too much training volume. I've come to understand, however, that there are potentially other factors that deserve consideration or that we simply may be ignoring.
The body is a synergistic organism. In other words, it works as a unit on the whole. Stick a needle in your foot and your whole body reacts. As such, I believe the body cannot differentiate between stresses; it's all just a physiological LOAD on the body. Think about it as different spouts (stressors) that are pouring into the same pool (the body). It isn't what "spouts" are flowing freely, it's about how much water is in the pool! Your body can't differentiate between physical stress and relationship stress.
Let's discuss stresses: Imagine you're having financial difficulties, relationship issues, college finals and family illness all at the same time. Is it possible that a twice a day intense training routine is, more than likely, going to "break" you than if everything else in your life was great? Of course. What is wonderful about this particular scenario is that it's one of the only such stresses that you can completely control.
It's vitally important to view the body as a complete unit. If a client is sick, some of their bodily functions are driven to fight off the illness. Because of that, their ability to train is compromised and assuredly reduced. Most coaches understand that.
I believe it's the same when other factors (money, relationships, career) are taken into account.
In my experience, any client with high stress in their life responds better to higher intensity, lower volume routines. Short, sweet and to the point. Training volume seems to be the key norm in controlling "overtraining".
There are some pretty cool methods of assessing a client’s ability to train. They include things like sleep quality, mood, appetite, soreness, facial freshness, a desire to train, and more on a scale of 1-5. It's completely subjective but low scores show that your body is not ready for heavy workouts.
It's just a monitoring system -- but in my experience most coaches pay almost ZERO attention to recovery issues, and almost 100% to training issues. I try to keep an eye on folks and look for "signs " of diversion from training intensity and address them as needed.
Here's the cold hard fact: You don't get better by training...you get better by RECOVERING FROM training.
Let's have a flashback from my 25+ years in this business...anytime one of my elite level athletes have had recovery issues with respect to training, it almost always was an indication of some external "stressor" going on in their life. I remember an instance where one athlete suddenly began to backslide and stop making progress when his father went into the hospital for a quadruple by-pass. This was the only thing that I could discern that had changed in his life.
Consequently, at the general public level, the trend is to see people do too much work for their results. I could probably eliminate almost 40% of the average individuals program and see no drop off in results.
Are they overtraining as indicated by most professionals? I don't think so. However, I believe they are doing too much training to achieve their results and thereby limiting training effectiveness. This tends to be a bigger key actually. It's the "One is good, ten is better" syndrome.
Observing training volume in relation to the results is a useful tool. And you also have to consider all the other stresses going on at the same time. It's not just how many sets or reps you are doing, it's the total level of "Stress" that your body is experiencing that counts.
Now you think about that.
Steve
Sunday, April 15, 2007
How to truly plant a seed
A successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
"It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose from one of you."
The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued.
"I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO"
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
About three weeks later, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Four weeks, six weeks, ten weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil; He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and a notice was sent to all of the young executives of the company to bring in their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened.
Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed and a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back.
"My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO.
"Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
Suddenly, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed; Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!"
Jim couldn't believe it. He couldn't even grow his seed. "How could he be the new CEO?", the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead, it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest.
Therefore, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Two thousand years ago Paul wrote to the church at Galatia the same story but with fewer words, "What you sow, so shall you reap". (Gal. 6:7)
We are grass that will wither and die but the incorruptible seed of Gods Word will live forever, Sow it daily into the life of your family! (1 Peter 1: 23 - 25)
God bless you,
Steve
"It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose from one of you."
The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued.
"I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO"
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
About three weeks later, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Four weeks, six weeks, ten weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil; He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and a notice was sent to all of the young executives of the company to bring in their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened.
Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed and a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back.
"My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO.
"Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
Suddenly, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed; Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!"
Jim couldn't believe it. He couldn't even grow his seed. "How could he be the new CEO?", the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead, it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest.
Therefore, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Two thousand years ago Paul wrote to the church at Galatia the same story but with fewer words, "What you sow, so shall you reap". (Gal. 6:7)
We are grass that will wither and die but the incorruptible seed of Gods Word will live forever, Sow it daily into the life of your family! (1 Peter 1: 23 - 25)
God bless you,
Steve
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Understanding how to use motivation for success
Have you lost the motivation to get results by this summer?
If you've answered "Yes, Steve!" to this question, a better understanding of what motivation truly is will help to move you back in the direction you desire.
There are two very basic types of motivation available to us: A) Extrinsic, or external motivation, and B) Intrinsic, or internal motivation. External motivators can work for a while, but have little long term results. True success comes from an understanding of internal motivation and how it affects us and how we can put it to work for us.
Grasping the true nature of the three levels of intrinsic motivation will teach you how to reach a new level of commitment that will stick for good!
The first stage is "fear-based motivation" which is an emotionally charged form of motivation.
In this stage you may fear getting any heavier. You may be frightened that you are starting to look like your mom. Maybe you had a health scare like a bad blood test result or recent illness.
The fear based stage is good in that it motivates you to do something about your situation. The problem is that it is not long lasting. Once you take action and the problem begins to fade, you resolve the fear. As the fear dissipates, you will either go back to your old behaviors and relapse or move up to the second stage of motivation.
The second stage of motivation is what we refer to as "feedback-based motivation."
Your motivation is fueled by all the various forms of feedback that you get from various outside factors: You see the scale needle plummeting to the left. Friends and family members turn their heads (toward you) when you walk in the room. Clothes are starting to slide off your body (time to put another notch in your belt!). Maybe members of the opposite sex are starting to notice and you dig the new attention.
The problem with feedback based motivation is that it has to end. What happens when your clothes can't get any looser? Friends and family members that complimented you early on quit commenting about your weight by the third or fourth time that they see you. What happens when the scale can't go any lower? As the feedback begins to diminish, your motivation may begin to fade and you will move to one of two places. You will either fall back to your old behaviors and gain your weight back, or you will move into the third stage of motivation.
The third stage of motivation is based on an innate or inner drive that encompasses the "big picture."
In this stage of motivation you come to understand that eating right and exercising isn't a "have to," it's simply a part of who you are and what you do.
When a person reaches this stage, (and this is the BEST stage to live) self motivation is based not on weight loss, but on living a lifestyle of health, fitness and wholeness. It's coming to terms with the fact that you are in control of your destiny and that each choice and decision has a consequence.
In this stage: You have an inner desire to continue with your program no matter what life throws your way. Your coping skills have become a natural part of you so that eating wrong and not exercising seems harder than eating right and training regularly.
Once you get to the third stage, you have arrived and success is relatively easy. In fact, it simply becomes a part of who you are and what you do. Your goal should simply be to get to that third stage, because permanent success is tough without it.
Make the decision TODAY, now in fact, to work toward getting to the third stage. It will take consistency and effort coupled with the right attitude, but it is a destination worth striving for.
God bless,
Steve
If you've answered "Yes, Steve!" to this question, a better understanding of what motivation truly is will help to move you back in the direction you desire.
There are two very basic types of motivation available to us: A) Extrinsic, or external motivation, and B) Intrinsic, or internal motivation. External motivators can work for a while, but have little long term results. True success comes from an understanding of internal motivation and how it affects us and how we can put it to work for us.
Grasping the true nature of the three levels of intrinsic motivation will teach you how to reach a new level of commitment that will stick for good!
The first stage is "fear-based motivation" which is an emotionally charged form of motivation.
In this stage you may fear getting any heavier. You may be frightened that you are starting to look like your mom. Maybe you had a health scare like a bad blood test result or recent illness.
The fear based stage is good in that it motivates you to do something about your situation. The problem is that it is not long lasting. Once you take action and the problem begins to fade, you resolve the fear. As the fear dissipates, you will either go back to your old behaviors and relapse or move up to the second stage of motivation.
The second stage of motivation is what we refer to as "feedback-based motivation."
Your motivation is fueled by all the various forms of feedback that you get from various outside factors: You see the scale needle plummeting to the left. Friends and family members turn their heads (toward you) when you walk in the room. Clothes are starting to slide off your body (time to put another notch in your belt!). Maybe members of the opposite sex are starting to notice and you dig the new attention.
The problem with feedback based motivation is that it has to end. What happens when your clothes can't get any looser? Friends and family members that complimented you early on quit commenting about your weight by the third or fourth time that they see you. What happens when the scale can't go any lower? As the feedback begins to diminish, your motivation may begin to fade and you will move to one of two places. You will either fall back to your old behaviors and gain your weight back, or you will move into the third stage of motivation.
The third stage of motivation is based on an innate or inner drive that encompasses the "big picture."
In this stage of motivation you come to understand that eating right and exercising isn't a "have to," it's simply a part of who you are and what you do.
When a person reaches this stage, (and this is the BEST stage to live) self motivation is based not on weight loss, but on living a lifestyle of health, fitness and wholeness. It's coming to terms with the fact that you are in control of your destiny and that each choice and decision has a consequence.
In this stage: You have an inner desire to continue with your program no matter what life throws your way. Your coping skills have become a natural part of you so that eating wrong and not exercising seems harder than eating right and training regularly.
Once you get to the third stage, you have arrived and success is relatively easy. In fact, it simply becomes a part of who you are and what you do. Your goal should simply be to get to that third stage, because permanent success is tough without it.
Make the decision TODAY, now in fact, to work toward getting to the third stage. It will take consistency and effort coupled with the right attitude, but it is a destination worth striving for.
God bless,
Steve
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Fat Loss is Not a Long Term Program, It is An All Out War
"Fat loss is not a long-term program."
Dan John
"Fat loss is an all out war.
Give it 28 days; only 28 days.
Attack it with all you have.
It is NOT a lifestyle choice... it is a battle.
Lose fat, and then get back into moderation.
There's another one for you: moderation.
Revelation says it best: "You are lukewarm and I shall spit you out."
Moderation is for sissies.
Fat loss is not a long-term program.
I can't prove it...I know it is true, though..."
This is a quote from one of my favorite strength coaches named Dan John.
The essence of his message resonates highly with me because it is truth. My clients who endure the difficulty of the programs in the Firestorm Fitness System Fat Burning Fit Camps go to war each training session...and they get results, fast. In 95% of the cases, what we are doing is drastically changing the intensity of their workouts as well as making major modifications in the strictness of their diet.
This isn't a popular stance to most of the unitiated and lesser acquainted few who have been decieved and lied to by the mainstream, television bred fitness trainers and "diet guru's." It also isn't a popular answer to the question, "How do I lose weight?" People want fast, easy, and seemingly magical. Sorry folks, it doesn't work like that. At least not exactly.
Several of my clients have informed me that it was much, much easier than they thought it would be. Frankly I can understand that. I mean, if you haven't gotten any results in years, then anything that provides a 2-3% bodyfat loss every month is easier than what didn't work previously.
It's like the quote from Rocky 6: "If you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth." If you're going to lose some fat, then do it. Pour yourself into it 100%.
Period.
Here are four essential steps for your own, all out war of fat loss:
1.) Get a good solid workout program that focuses on big, hard, basic moves like: pushing, pulling and squatting, as well as hard, intense and relatively short cardio.
2.) Follow the program 100% (this is the key).
3.) Keep a food log, and track every calorie.
4.) Get a food scale and weigh and measure your food.
Does this sound extreme? Yes. Quite frankly it does.
Does it work? Always.
What exactly were your fat loss and health goals again?
Lord bless you,
Steve
Dan John
"Fat loss is an all out war.
Give it 28 days; only 28 days.
Attack it with all you have.
It is NOT a lifestyle choice... it is a battle.
Lose fat, and then get back into moderation.
There's another one for you: moderation.
Revelation says it best: "You are lukewarm and I shall spit you out."
Moderation is for sissies.
Fat loss is not a long-term program.
I can't prove it...I know it is true, though..."
This is a quote from one of my favorite strength coaches named Dan John.
The essence of his message resonates highly with me because it is truth. My clients who endure the difficulty of the programs in the Firestorm Fitness System Fat Burning Fit Camps go to war each training session...and they get results, fast. In 95% of the cases, what we are doing is drastically changing the intensity of their workouts as well as making major modifications in the strictness of their diet.
This isn't a popular stance to most of the unitiated and lesser acquainted few who have been decieved and lied to by the mainstream, television bred fitness trainers and "diet guru's." It also isn't a popular answer to the question, "How do I lose weight?" People want fast, easy, and seemingly magical. Sorry folks, it doesn't work like that. At least not exactly.
Several of my clients have informed me that it was much, much easier than they thought it would be. Frankly I can understand that. I mean, if you haven't gotten any results in years, then anything that provides a 2-3% bodyfat loss every month is easier than what didn't work previously.
It's like the quote from Rocky 6: "If you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth." If you're going to lose some fat, then do it. Pour yourself into it 100%.
Period.
Here are four essential steps for your own, all out war of fat loss:
1.) Get a good solid workout program that focuses on big, hard, basic moves like: pushing, pulling and squatting, as well as hard, intense and relatively short cardio.
2.) Follow the program 100% (this is the key).
3.) Keep a food log, and track every calorie.
4.) Get a food scale and weigh and measure your food.
Does this sound extreme? Yes. Quite frankly it does.
Does it work? Always.
What exactly were your fat loss and health goals again?
Lord bless you,
Steve
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Attitude by Chuck Swindoll
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skills.
It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skills.
It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
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