How do you know?

      When talking about exercise, healthy eating, fitness programs or routines, there is so much information out there it's a wonder how any of us can figure it out. How do you know what's right for you? How do you know what's bullshit and what's legitimate? How do you know where to start?
      None of us truly knows. It's a matter of trial and error. And, yes that's it.
      It means trying lots of different things until you find what you like and what works for you. If you like something, do it. If not, don't. Although when changing habits, we sometimes do have to grit through things that can be uncomfortable for a while. But, that's not to say that you have to suffer to lose weight or be in pain to think you're making gains in the weight room, you don't and you shouldn't. It all comes down to finding what you like and what works for you. I like seeing if I can do push ups while balancing on four medicine balls, or seeing if I can jump onto the COR bench and land in a squat without face-planting.

      I'll give you some examples of my progress. It's taken me about 3 years to get to where I am now with the way that I eat. I started by gradually cutting down, then out all together adding sugar to my coffee. I started drinking a ton of water. I started including healthier snacks like fruit instead of crackers or chips. I started cooking more for myself and eating less processed foods and more whole foods. Now, I feel much more in control, I feel much less bloated and run down, I know what I'm eating and will quickly notice if a food makes me feel gross. So, even though it's taken a long time and a lot of trials, I'm confident now that what I eat will fuel my body in the way that I need.
      It's taken me much longer than that to get to where I am now physically and with my workouts. When I first started working out regularly I thought that how my body moved was just how it moved. That I couldn't change that. I was wrong. The prime example of this for me was how I performed squats. I would see other people getting deep into their squats while keeping an upright posture and all the right parts were doing all the right things and I knew I wouldn't be able to do that. I was too stiff, I was not strong enough, I just wasn't made to do that, are all the things I would think. But, now years later and thousands of squats later, I continue to get better. In this photo, I'm using the BOSU ball as my
guide point for my depth. Who would've thought that I'd be able to maintain my position like that? Not me. But, there it is. Not only have my squats improved, but everything has improved. And, that's with problems like tendonitis in my elbows and other minor injuries that are fairly regular for me. Even with set backs, I've improved and I continue to improve and continue to get stronger.
      My point is that things take time and they take a lot of work. I know that no one wants to hear that, but it's the only reality for any lifestyle change. I encourage my clients to just take things one at a time and before you know it, all the goals are met and it's time to start making new ones. So, we may not know what to do or where to start, but I don't think that matters if you try. I know that if you try, you'll find the best way for you.

these changing times........

      Things move too quickly for me sometimes.
      In my business, you'll get left behind if you don't keep up with the changing times. Today's technologies, the ever increasing desire for instant gratification, the ever increasing pressure to have an impact and a strong presence online and on social medias. I fear that I am behind the times. I'm a self proclaimed computer and technology dunce. I spend as little time on the computer as possible. However, in order for me to generate an online presence, I need to utilize these technologies and I need to utilize them well. I'll keep working on all that.
      But, let's slow down for a minute. Let's remember what we're doing here. Life moves quickly and if we don't slow down, if we don't have patience, we're gonna miss everything. Let me relate this idea to health and fitness practices. We are inundated daily with the latest and greatest diet or exercise plans, all of which leave out what I consider to be the most important aspect of change which is: you can't undo a lifetime's worth of bad habits in 10 days (or whatever the latest gimmicky product claims). So, what does that mean for the individual looking to make a healthy change? Well, it means patience and understanding are the first steps to making long lasting changes.
      Have patience with the process and take the time to understand how to make the process of making a lasting change can work best for you. We're all different, our needs are all different and our processes are all different.
      My goal is to aid you in that process, to help you understand that it might take a year, it might take longer ,it might take a lot of trial and error, and that is absolutely OK. In my experience, it's the time and the work that must go into making a change that can be the most difficult part of it all. And, as much as we'd rather not admit it, no matter how fast the world changes, that won't. It will continue to take time and work to make lifestyle changes that will last.
      As much as I need to catch up with the technologies, I will always be a bigger proponent of a 'slow and steady, wins the race' approach to health and fitness goals. Don't miss out on experiencing making a healthy change that will stay with you forever by opting for a quick fix that will most likely not last.