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From The Lexington Herald-Leader:
We have all had moments where we fall down and lose focus. It happens to us all but we must have a plan to get back up. I call this preparing for chaos in my book. Follow these steps:
Come join us Saturday July 27th at 9am for Fitness for a Cure, hosted by Fitness Plus 2. 174 Bellerive Boulevard next to Kroger’s. We will be running a charity bootcamp for the American Diabetes Association. Cost is $10 with 100% of the proceeds going to the ADA. The fitness coaches from Fitness Plus 2 will take everyone through a 30 minute, tabata style workout with a nutrition Q and A to follow. The entire community is invited for this special event. We will meet in the parking lot of Fitness Plus 2, next to Kroger’s. We will have a landing page for people to go and donate to the ADA for the bootcamp and for any other reason. Please come out with us for Fitness for a Cure! As many know, I am in the process of writing a book; titled “12 Steps to Fitness Freedom.” In the book I discuss a variety of topics but one in particular that is supremely important is goal setting. In the video below I discuss how to set goals and keep accountable to them. In my book I will be discussing, in more detail, the strategies it takes to have “fitness freedom.” Enjoy.
Let’s think about the quote above. What is separating all of us from achievement? Is it us? Could it be that we are actually afraid of accomplishing what we set out to do? Bingo! The previous section talked about the Power of the Why The Power of the Why and how to find it. Now lets discuss the importance if that why. As described previously, the why gives reason behind decisions and clarity behind things that are not yet understood. The importance of this is to initiate movement and action. Because in order to achieve any goal, you must have action. Your why will keep you motivated through the hard times, because there will always be hard times. Life is not perfect and neither are you. However, each and every one of us is powerful enough to accomplish anything we set out to do. I have a lot of experience in training and motivating others, not just in fitness but in life. I have always had a sense that deep down people are not afraid of failure but rather afraid of achieving. When you achieve something people will expect you to do the same every time. This adds responsibility and adds the component of hard work. Now, don’t get me wrong I am not calling out people, talking about how lazy they are. Quite the contrary, I am saying that in our subconscious we have a deep fear that we CAN accomplish any and every thing that we set out to do.
Here is the deal the first step to accomplishing anything is you have to believe it is possible. Here is an example; people once thought that running a mile in under 4 minutes was impossible. It wasn’t until 1954 that Roger Bannister broke the 4 minutes barrier, running a mile in 3 minutes and 59 seconds. 42 days later another man ran a mile in 3 minutes and 58 seconds. Fast forward to present day and the world record for the mile has lowered 17 seconds and now running a mile in under 4 minutes is the STANDARD by which all middle distance runners are judged. Do you see what happened there? Once one person did it, everyone else knew it was possible. You think that you are the only person in the world sitting there at your computer, reading this article with 50, 60, 70, 100 pounds to lose. The reality of it is people are doing it every day and so can you! All you have to do is believe. The last step (yes I only have 2 steps here, this is not a 12 step process!) you have to have an undying commitment to your goal. Whatever the goal is, it does not matter you have to love it, marry it and live it. It is you and it is a part of you. Do what ever it takes, throw caution to the wind and do it! I believe in you, you must believe in you. Do not be afraid of climbing your personal Mount Everest! GO DO IT!!!! Read the rest of… First things first, I am not an endocrinologist (only play one on TV J) and I am not a registered dietician. I like to think of myself as a problem solver, a MacGyver of sorts. Because in all reality that’s what we do as trainers, we solve problems with the knowledge base that we have, no matter how unconventional it is. With that said, there are a lot of theories out about people lose and gain weight. With the rise of obesity at an unparalleled high, people are trying to get healthy and lose body fat in record droves. From Atkins diets to the Zone diet, to the weird tropical fruit diet and my favorite the carrot stick and apple diet (holy cow!), people are trying to find the quickest way to lose weight. The fact is there is no easy way, if it were easy the obesity rates would not be where they are now. We would not be spending billions of dollars on medications that control weight related diseases. This is not an easy process by any stretch of the imagination. However when I look at weight loss books and these fad diets, I rarely see anything about a person’s hormones. When in fact it is your hormones that decide where and how much fat you store. That’s a fact. Throw the calories in vs calories out out the window, your hormones are in the driver’s seat. Lets take a look at them:
Fat Burning Hormones- hormones that when present in your body, will help you burn body fat Growth Hormone-released from the pituitary gland (brain), it travels down through and works in the liver. It has anabolic (building muscle) and lypolytic (losing fat) properties. A key function is building up collagen and cartilage. Without it your muscles fall apart. Stimulated by protein and intense exercise (not light exercise) Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1)- made by the liver and triggered by growth hormone. Function is to give the body fuel between meals and does it through releasing stored sugar and fat. Stimulated when the stomach is empty. Glucagon-raises blood sugar by tapping into the fat reserves. Helps control blood sugar between meals and is stimulated by dietary protein and intense exercise Adrenaline- main hormone that releases fat from fat cells. Triggered by exercise. Thyroid Hormones (T3 and T4)- speed up the metabolism, increase the size and number of mitochondria Testosterone- stimulated by exercise and countered by estrogen. Read the rest of…  Photo courtesy of Thom Karmik One of the most critical bits of advice shared with me by my friend and nationally-celebrated mental performance coach Jim Fannin, was to never dwell on the past, keep my mind focused on the present, and when a setback occurs, say “Next!” and move onto the next challenge. As a writer, I have to break the rule a little bit. After a nearly 13 hour ride in the $1000 no limit Texas hold-em tournament in the 2013 World Series of Poker — the same event last year in which I made the final table and won nearly $70,000 — I busted out when my Ace King suited (a very good hand) was beat by a pair of Jacks (a slightly better hand. I finished in the top 400 out of the nearly 3000 entrants — not too shabby, but far short of my goal of winning the championship bracelet. I’m proud of how I played, and I don’t have any regrets. The trouble is that when you play the conservative “tight/aggressive” style I employ, you need to occasionally get dealt some good opening hands. And unlike last year, when a top hand appeared in my grasps when I really needed it, this year, in the 13 hours of play, I never was dealt any of the best 3 hands — Aces, Kings or Queens.
I’m headed to the gym, to take on my second day of weight training under the long distance training of the world’s great poker physical fitness expert, Josh Bowen. Check it out below, and I will keep you updated regularly as always on my progress at my Facebook Page and on Twitter.
It came from my friend, Jim Fannin, a world-renowned mental performance coach, whose client list features an all-star team from virtually every major professional sport. I didn’t realize until we spoke that he has also counseled plenty of famous poker pros as well, including one of my favorites, Phil Gordon, a pro who once placed 4th in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Jim was taken aback by my negativity in the email I sent friends announcing my trip to Vegas — I had written that repeating my final table finish from last year would be “an absurd implausibility.” Jim let me know in no uncertain terms that this was the kind of attitude that could send me to the rail in a short time. To help turn me around, Jim gave me a quick coaching session that was invaluable. His mantra, to “clean my mind” and “stay in the zone” — a strategy that was brilliantly described by Tom Chiarella in this Esquire piece — requires me to wipe away all of my defensive rationalizations of sure defeat (Jim calls this my “safety net”), and focus instead on my ultimate goal — winning a WSOP bracelet. Indeed, my un-coached visualizations from last year proved prophetic. My goal — my dream — was to make the final table of a WSOP tournament. Indeed, I did, but I was so crippled by my tiny stack of chips and sheer physical and mental exhaustion, that I was soon eliminated — in 8th place. Of course, I couldn’t have been happier making the final table, but Jim urged me to think bigger this time and envision a championship.
 Click here to review and purchase Want more advice from Jim Fannin to empower your performance in any field? Check out his latest book, The Pebble in the Shoe: 5 Steps to a Simple, Confident Life. I highly recommend it!
=== I’ve also sought counsel on how to stay in the best physical shape for the grueling week ahead. (And yes, sitting for 12 hours, focused on cards, may be nothing like a day of painful physical labor, but for this broken down, middle-aged man, it is grueling!) My personal trainer, and this Web site’s regular Thursday columnist, Josh Bowen, sent me the regime below for tomorrow morning, with a picture that will help me visualize my ultimate goal. Between the visualization and the water recommendations, I think Josh and Jim are working in concert. Join me if you like:
I have written several blogs and articles on the importance of strength training, particularly as it relates to women. I have documented the reasons why women should pick up the weights. However, for some reason, some people don’t get it. Some think they are a genetic marvel that if they look at a 40 lbs. dumbbell that their quads will expand and it will prevent them from wearing pants. Remember this; any man that works out would love for that to be their problem. I wanted to take the time to profess that Strong is the New Skinny To back up my claim for those non-believers let’s look one strong hormonal difference between men and women:
So I bring this up because I firmly believe that strength training is as important, if not more important, for women than it is for women. Let’s look at those reasons:
It is said that 80 percent of communication is non-verbal. It is also common knowledge that there is a psychological effect to touching. In fact there are several scientific research articles stating that when a person is touched by a person they trust, it elevates oxytocin levels and decreases the stress related hormones. Touching has also been shown to develop relationships between two people. However, in the Western Hemisphere touching can often times be looked at as inappropriate and taboo. While that may be correct, one form of touching is always acceptable and has the power to show appreciation, respect, care and develop the trainer/client relationship we are all after; the high five. Right, wrong or indifferent I touch my clients. I give them high fives to show they have done a good job; I give them a hug when I feel they need it and I tap them gently on the muscle being worked. The power of the high five allows me to do the following:
2. Conveys to potential clients my relationship with my clients- In a gym setting, during a 60 minute session on average 14 people will watch at least 20% of the session. This is marketing at its highest! I want to produce the vibe that I care about my clients, especially for potential clients watching me. Read the rest of… |
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