I'm baaaaaaaaack! After 4 weeks of focusing on my health and fitness in Utah at Fitness Ridge (now The Biggest Loser Resort), I'm finally back home on the east coast. After portion controlled, healthy foods and hours and hours of daily workouts - what were the results? Well, here's a breakdown of the numbers:
168: Number of hours exercised
1,080: Number of approx miles hiked
33,600: Number of calories consumed
98,500: Number of approx calories burned
12.5: Number of pounds lost
6.4: Percent of body fat lost
13: Total number of inches lost
So, there you have it. 28 days of working my you know what off! Was it worth it? Absolutely.
By the way, what I didn't tell you was that at the end of week 2, I got sick. In the middle of week 3, I had to go to urgent care to deal with a cough that was deep in my chest. Try working up your heart rate up while you're hacking a dry cough! But I figured I could either cough in my room, or cough on the hiking trail. And while my body wasn't up to par, I took the medications and continued to give it all I had.
So now what? My plan is to continue with my healthy eating and focus on 60-90 minutes of exercise a day. I'll also be looking to make fitness a lifestyle, including more walking, bike rides, and other activities that keep me moving. My fitness level has increased tremendously, so now, an hour of cardio seems like child's play!
Finally, I want to share one number with you that I am most proud of.
My first day, the hike made me realize how out of shape I was. I was huffing and puffing, barely able to complete the 4.5 miles. And even though I did, it took me almost two hours. Well, on my last day, I did that hike again and guess what? My time was 1 hour and 14 minutes! I knocked 46 minutes off my time in just 4 weeks! I couldn't believe how much my physical ability has improved.
So, if I can do it, you can do it. If getting healthy is one of your goals, now is the time to go for it.
I'll leave you with one final thing - when you begin to eat healthy and exercise, you fitness level will increase exponentially compared to the number of pounds you will lose on a weekly basis. So focus on getting fit - the rest will naturally follow.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Do You Suffer From the "If...Then" Syndrome?
As I finish up my last week at Fitness Ridge (now The Biggest Loser Resort) in Utah, I was talking to someone about how great my experience has been when they said "Well, if I had that kind of time, I'd get healthier too."
My response? Bull.
Now, I admit that I have fallen victim to the "If...then Syndrome" on many occasions, but I've worked hard over the years to cure myself. Maybe you've been a victim of the "If…Then Syndrome" as well. Not sure? Take this quick quiz and see if any of the following statements sound familiar:
"If I had lots of money, then it would be easier to live a healthier lifestyle." --Well, Oprah has more money than anyone. We've all heard about her continuous struggles with weight.
"If I had more time, then I could workout and get fit." -- Well, I met someone who retired at 32 and had all the time in the world - and he was a 100 pounds overweight.
"If I had more support, then I would be able to stay motivated." --Newsflash - motivation comes from within. Only one person can be on the treadmill at a time - YOU. Only one person decides what goes in your mouth -- YOU.
And the "If…Then Syndrome" doesn't only relate to health and fitness. What about in your career? Do you have any "if…then" statements there? How about your relationships? Any "if…then" scenarios there? What about any other goals you have but have yet to reach? How many "If...Then" phrases are lurking in those goals?
But there is good news. There is a cure! And guess who has the cure for this syndrome? That's right...YOU do! So stop making excuses and make the necessary choices to do what you need to do to get what you want!
If you've ever taken my Get R.A.D.I.C.A.L Coaching Program, you know the "R" stands for "Realize you are where you are because of the choices you've made. If you want different results, you will have to make different choices."
I'll be leaving Utah on Sunday and reentering the "real world". You might be curious as to the results. Well, it won't be long now. I'll share all the numbers on Sunday!
My response? Bull.
Now, I admit that I have fallen victim to the "If...then Syndrome" on many occasions, but I've worked hard over the years to cure myself. Maybe you've been a victim of the "If…Then Syndrome" as well. Not sure? Take this quick quiz and see if any of the following statements sound familiar:
"If I had lots of money, then it would be easier to live a healthier lifestyle." --Well, Oprah has more money than anyone. We've all heard about her continuous struggles with weight.
"If I had more time, then I could workout and get fit." -- Well, I met someone who retired at 32 and had all the time in the world - and he was a 100 pounds overweight.
"If I had more support, then I would be able to stay motivated." --Newsflash - motivation comes from within. Only one person can be on the treadmill at a time - YOU. Only one person decides what goes in your mouth -- YOU.
And the "If…Then Syndrome" doesn't only relate to health and fitness. What about in your career? Do you have any "if…then" statements there? How about your relationships? Any "if…then" scenarios there? What about any other goals you have but have yet to reach? How many "If...Then" phrases are lurking in those goals?
But there is good news. There is a cure! And guess who has the cure for this syndrome? That's right...YOU do! So stop making excuses and make the necessary choices to do what you need to do to get what you want!
If you've ever taken my Get R.A.D.I.C.A.L Coaching Program, you know the "R" stands for "Realize you are where you are because of the choices you've made. If you want different results, you will have to make different choices."
I'll be leaving Utah on Sunday and reentering the "real world". You might be curious as to the results. Well, it won't be long now. I'll share all the numbers on Sunday!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Was B.B. King Right?
The Thrill is Gone...
That was one of B.B. King's most well known songs. And over the last couple of days, I've been asking myself if the thrill is gone from my time at Fitness Ridge (now The Biggest Loser Resort). The first week, I was excited, exhausted, and yet amazed at what my body could do. Week two, I knew what to expect and, feeling good about the results from week one, I challenged myself more. But now, it's week three...
*Six am seems to roll around much faster and I've started taking a few extra minutes in the bed.
*I'm also wondering - has that exercise instructor's voice always been that irritating?
*And - do we have to stretch after every class? I don't think my muscles can get any longer!
*Finally, walking into breakfast - I wonder if I'm really in the mood for another Monday morning of egg whites, soy cheese, and whole wheat English muffin.
Have you ever decided to do something that would change your life for the better and started out with so much enthusiasm, you knew there was no way you could be stopped? Maybe it was a savings plan. You faithfully set aside 10% of your income - until one paycheck it was 5%, and then finally, nothing at all. Or maybe, you were going to finally write that book, so you wrote everyday for at least an hour - until you skipped a day, then a week, and now it's been months or years. Perhaps it was a workout plan that you faithfully stuck to - until you overslept, got home too late, or were just too tired.
The "thrill" can last a few days, maybe weeks, and sometimes months. But you must understand that the thrill must go. It's part of the cycle. Think about your first day on a new job. How long did that feeling last? Or when you first started dating someone you really liked. Didn't that feeling of infatuation eventually pass?
There's nothing wrong with losing the thrill. It's what you do when the thrill is gone that matters. That's when the rubber meets the road. When REAL change begins. You're either going to honor your word to yourself, or you are going to once again let yourself get sidetracked with excuses. And that's the decision I had to make during week 3.
So what have I done during week 3? I've gotten up and hiked - everyday. I've worked out at every session. And I ate the egg whites, soy cheese and whole grain muffin. I stopped trying to find excuses and focused on my goal. I'm proud to say I am still going strong. I made a promise to myself to get fit and healthy and I plan to keep it - even though the thrill is gone!
That was one of B.B. King's most well known songs. And over the last couple of days, I've been asking myself if the thrill is gone from my time at Fitness Ridge (now The Biggest Loser Resort). The first week, I was excited, exhausted, and yet amazed at what my body could do. Week two, I knew what to expect and, feeling good about the results from week one, I challenged myself more. But now, it's week three...
*Six am seems to roll around much faster and I've started taking a few extra minutes in the bed.
*I'm also wondering - has that exercise instructor's voice always been that irritating?
*And - do we have to stretch after every class? I don't think my muscles can get any longer!
*Finally, walking into breakfast - I wonder if I'm really in the mood for another Monday morning of egg whites, soy cheese, and whole wheat English muffin.
Have you ever decided to do something that would change your life for the better and started out with so much enthusiasm, you knew there was no way you could be stopped? Maybe it was a savings plan. You faithfully set aside 10% of your income - until one paycheck it was 5%, and then finally, nothing at all. Or maybe, you were going to finally write that book, so you wrote everyday for at least an hour - until you skipped a day, then a week, and now it's been months or years. Perhaps it was a workout plan that you faithfully stuck to - until you overslept, got home too late, or were just too tired.
The "thrill" can last a few days, maybe weeks, and sometimes months. But you must understand that the thrill must go. It's part of the cycle. Think about your first day on a new job. How long did that feeling last? Or when you first started dating someone you really liked. Didn't that feeling of infatuation eventually pass?
There's nothing wrong with losing the thrill. It's what you do when the thrill is gone that matters. That's when the rubber meets the road. When REAL change begins. You're either going to honor your word to yourself, or you are going to once again let yourself get sidetracked with excuses. And that's the decision I had to make during week 3.
So what have I done during week 3? I've gotten up and hiked - everyday. I've worked out at every session. And I ate the egg whites, soy cheese and whole grain muffin. I stopped trying to find excuses and focused on my goal. I'm proud to say I am still going strong. I made a promise to myself to get fit and healthy and I plan to keep it - even though the thrill is gone!
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