Okay, here we go! A new year full of …………….excuses?
Websters defines the word excuses as such:
a. To explain (a fault or an offense) in the hope of being forgiven or understood.

Of all the faults, weaknesses, or vices that make obtaining our fitness and wellness goals, I believe “excuses” is the biggest stumbling block. Excuses creep subtly into our lives and provide the justification for why we are overweight, not as succesful or why we don’t strive to tap into our true potential. Having played collegiate sports and professional basketball in France for almost 9 years, I was constantly surrounded by excuses! My wife will even tell you that she heard the, ” if I was two inches taller I’d be in the NBA” excuse from me all the time. Yet there are numerous players in the league that are shorter than my 6’4″ frame!
So why is it so easy to continue along in the ever deepening rut of excuses. I mean let’s face it, the goals and dreams we set for ourselves are real and truly desired, but yet it amazes me everyday that we choose to choose the depressed, frustrated, empty companionship of Monsieur Excuses!
How do we recognize where those excuses are coming from? The thing I like to do is write down all my goals, dreams and aspirations. Once those are layed out in front of you, now you can start to list the excuses or stumbling blocks to each of those goals. This can be eye opening and a little painful too, be honest and true to yourself because this exercise is about CHANGE!
The biggest excuse when talking about exercise and wellness issues is that we often think we are too far gone, helpless. Here is the trick, just like baby steps. We can have an end goal BUT we cannot, must not focus on the end result. We need to focus on a small, accomplishable, obtainable action. For example, we want to, need to lose 50 lbs. Immediately we want to start a diet and exercise everyday, the problem here is that most have NEVER ever done this before so we are just setting ourselves up for failure and MORE excuses right?
Instead of focusing on exercising everyday and the end result, because let’s face it there will be lots of days when we won’t feel up to it, something more important comes up, or whatever! We have to say to ourselves, ” the only thing I am going to do is get myself inside those gym doors.” that’s it, let your trainer take care of the rest!
” all I am going to do is get home after work without stopping at the local fast food joint”
Once we start stepping over these small but damning stumbling blocks we will start to learn how to leap over them and even SQUASH the excuses that have chained us to a lifestyle we are not happy or satisfied with!
Here at LinkFit we strive to help each of our clients meet their goals for fitness and wellness. Let us all have a greater desire and commitment in achieving Our dreams and overcoming our excuses. Heres to a New You in this New Year of 2012!
NO EXCUSES!!

           I work out 4-5 Xs a week. I lift weights, do yard work around my house, even ride my bike on  the weekends. By all accounts, I’m a pretty strong and healthy guy. So how is it that I managed to throw my back out the other day by simply reaching down to pick up a sippy cup? Considering all the things I do to stay in shape–to be sidelined by a 2 oz. plastic bottle. How frustrating!

However, when I stopped to look at all the factors that went into injuring my back, I can’t say that I was completely surprised. My daughter had kept my wife and I up all night, so I only managed 3 hours of sleep. That morning, I spent 2 hours sitting in traffic and answering emails at my desk. Exhausted, and with my back already weak from sitting for so long, I spent the afternoon bent over tending to kids. Needless to say, after all that, I should have known better than to try and pick up that bottle while holding my daughter in my arms.

The big lesson? Often it’s not a lack of strength that affects our health, but an imbalance in our lives. I see it every day with clients who complain that they work out regularly but still feel weak. They come into the studio stressed out from work, exhausted from barely having slept the night before, and on their 3rd cup of coffee. Of course you’re going to feel weak! Being healthy encompasses many things–eating well, moving your body often, staying flexible, getting enough sleep at night and managing stress. Learning how to balance these aspects of life is what creates well-being.

Below are some common imbalances, which I see often, and some simple solutions to help keep your health on the right track:

Do you eat well, exercise regularly but spend little or no time improving your flexibility?
I’m guilty of this one. Being flexible allows your muscle tissue to work more efficiently, which in turn helps you move better throughout your day. Stretching, which lengthens muscle tissue and helps to re-set our body balance and alignment, also reduces the chance for injury and allows you to recover from your workouts quicker. Spend 10 -15 minutes after every workout stretching. Or dedicate an entire workout to flexibility! Yoga can be an especially good alternative addition to weight training days.

Do you exercise regularly, but don’t get enough sleep?
If you are having trouble falling asleep at night, it could be because you are exercising too late in the evening. The body needs time to wind down. Try switching your workout to mornings or during lunch breaks. Also, you’ll need to watch your caffeine intake. Never take anything with caffeine up to 6 hours before you go to bed. The ideal rest scenario is 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If this is not possible (and as a father, I know how hard this can be!), I suggest a minimum of 6 hours. 15-20 minute power naps can work wonders for people who don’t sleep well during the night. Avoid exercising strenuously on the days you haven’t gotten enough rest. Better yet, give your body a day off.

Does your exercise program involve only doing cardio or only strength training, but not both?
Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs. This type of exercise helps control your weight and prevents disease. Cardiovascular exercise also provides you with more energy throughout your day and keeps you from feeling fatigued. If you only lift weights, you’re neglecting your body of these tremendous benefits.

Conversely, if you only focus on cardiovascular exercise, you’ll miss out on the benefits of strength training. These include increased metabolism, increased lean muscle and improved muscle function and balance. Another big benefit to including strength training with cardiovascular exercise is injury prevention. Try implementing a high intensity interval weight training and cardio session to get double the benefits.

Do you exercise regularly, but have unhealthy habits outside of the gym?
What you put into your body is as important as what you put out. Don’t sabotage all the hard work you put into exercising. Eating the right foods plays a major role in the way you look and feel, don’t negate all the sweat and effort you gave by hitting the drive-thru or snacking on empty calories. Here are some ideas for what best to put into your body for long-term health:

*Closer to nature is always better with food and drink, organic if possible.

*Avoid or eliminate processed sugar, salt and flour-A great way to do this is to simple monitor your carb intake, try and keep it low.

*Make dinner one of your lightest meals- maybe implement some salads here.

*Hydrate throughout the day, not just when you’re thirsty- JUICE & SODA DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS PROPER HYDRATION!  If anything they decrease it.

How Do Low-Carb Diets Work?

Does this describe you: 

• You feel like eating even though you just finished a meal.
• You feel urges to eat throughout the day, not necessarily related to a meal schedule or even true hunger?
• You feel fatigued, fuzzy-headed, or have difficulty concentrating without a “pick me up” snack between meals?
• You frequently feel sluggish after eating, especially after a meal rich in starches and sugars? 

 The low carb diet was around long before Atkins. In fact, bodybuilders were using a modified low carb diet back in the 50’s while the Atkins plan really gained prominence in the 70’s. 

 What’s the problem with Carbs?
Sugary carbs, especially table sugar (sucrose), used to be seen as causing adverse health effects for diabetics and people with symptoms of impaired glucose tolerance or insulin insensitivity. Although a high sugar diet can cause problems for these groups, most nutritionists now view refined white flour foods (most of which have a high GI-value) as causing more glycemic health problems, such as insulin resistance, and digestive disorders.  

Low carb diets typically lead to:

• More rapid weight loss than (say) the more orthodox lower-fat diet programs. However, clinical trials show that weight-loss between these two diet methods tends to equalize after the first six months.

• Improved weight control as a result of reduced hunger and fewer appetite swings due to more stable blood glucose levels.

• Extra fat-burning, which (in theory) raises metabolic rate, (because muscle tissue needs more calories to sustain it, than body fat) which makes it easier to lose weight. 

By restricting carbohydrates drastically to a mere fraction of that found in the typical American diet, the body goes into a different metabolic state called ketosis, whereby it burns its own fat for fuel. Normally the body burns carbohydrates for fuel — this is the main source of fuel for your brain, heart ,and many other organs. A person in ketosis is getting energy from ketones, little carbon fragments that are the fuel created by the breakdown of fat stores. When the body is in ketosis, you tend to feel less hungry, and thus you’re likely to eat less than you might otherwise 

As a result, your body changes from a carbohydrate-burning engine into a fat-burning engine. So instead of relying on the carbohydrate-rich items you might typically consume for energy, and leaving your fat stores just where they were before (alas, the hips, belly, and thighs), your fat stores become a primary energy source. The purported result is weight loss. 

If you are interested in implementing a low carb approach into your diet come and talk to either me or Ryan and we can help get you started and provide some tips. 

(of course anyone looking to add a low carb diet should consult with their physician first)