5 Steps to a New You in the New Year!

Ready to get healthy and fit as your New Year’s Resolution? Awesome, here’s your 5 step plan.

COMMIT.  Write down your goal (whatever it is: lose weight, get fit, be more active). 

Put it on your mirror. If you’re like me, then put it in the app that you see every morning that’s like looking in the mirror!

For me, it's my FitBit app. 

CHANGE

You didn’t get to where you are by accident. You won’t achieve long term health goals by doing the same things. CHANGE YOUR MIND. Get new information that will help you achieve your goals.

EAT WELL

Eat real, whole foods. The SAD (Standard American Diet) is a pile of falsehoods, big food influences and politics. If you were born after 1950, you don’t remember a time when this nation ate the way it should. 

Ignore the food pyramid or MyPlate – eat real, organic veggies and grass fed beef or free range chicken. Don’t be afraid of fat, you need it to burn calories, absorb and process vitamins and for good brain function (especially cholesterol!)

PARTNER

Find someone you can partner with to be accountable for your commitments – and also as someone to encourage you and work with you towards that goal!

GET MOVING

Don’t wait, get moving. You can start just by getting 10-15 minutes of walking/movement a day. 

Work your way up to 30 minutes in five minute increments. That’s your baseline. Don’t anticipate weight loss (likely you won’t lose any) but look for some cardiovascular endurance and general strengthening. Hit some stairs along that route too. After that, come back here and you’ll find available programs that will help you meet your fitness goals.

YOU CAN DO IT.  You were designed for greatness. Engage.

Yours,

Phillip

Want help? Contact me @NoGuiltFitness (http://twitter.com/noguiltfitness) or on Facebook http://facebook.com/noguiltfitness

I'm a Girl, I don't want big muscles!

The good news is ladies, that unless you want big muscles and specifically train for big muscles, you won't get them!

So lets start at the beginning of the conversation.

Me (to female): Lift weights.

Female: I don't want big muscles.

Me: It's not a problem, unless you specifically train to gain muscle mass, girls don't get big muscles.

Female: Why not?

Me: Well, lots of reasons, many of them the same reasons why guys can lift weights and not all look like The Rock. The biggest reason is that girls are just different than boys.  Specifically, guys have more testosterone than women, and they also by default have more naturally available upper body strength.  It's not that you can't get big, but most women (unless they're body builders) just end up stronger with nicely toned figures.

Female: Well, I'm not worried about being strong, I just want to be healthy.

Me: That's great! If you want to be healthy, you want to be strong. Especially because as women age (like everyone) they loose bone mass. For women that problem is more serious because of menopause. The best way to prevent getting that bent over old lady look is to lift heavy (builds bone mass) and make sure you do some good postural exercise.

Female: That's great, but I'm not really that worried about menopause or old age just yet.

Me: That's OK. Need to tote around that computer bag? How about that huge Coach bag you're holding.  Have kids? Need to hold them? Strong arms are a plus! 

Female: OK, I can see that, but really, why should I do all the squats you've mentioned before?

Me: Well, besides strength in your legs being key to maintaining your independence while you're older (think - "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!" ) those squats are going to get you some nice glutes. Additionally, if you want to burn serious calories, you want to hit the biggest muscles in your body  - so there's good short term benefit too :D

Female: OK, you've convinced me.

Me: Wow. I really wish it was that easy in real life. But I'm glad you get the idea. Hope I've allayed any fears you might have had. Now go hit the weights!