Personal Training
Preach On
Yes, I do feel like preaching today! Before I do, I just want to share some updates with you all!
I am so happy to see that a recipe of mine featured in Onefitfoodie is now being featured on the Oxygen Magazine Website!! check it out! They are my SoyMazing Muffins and they are delcious! I am so thrilled to share this with all of you and I hope you enjoy them!
Also, OneFitFoodie now has a fan page up on Facebook so head over there and “Like” it (that is if you like Onefitfoodie)
Preach On
Whatever your health and fitness goals are…it can be quite a frustrating process. I have to eat more of this and less of that, and do this workout and make sure I eat this post workout and that pre workout, and wait…should I be doing high intensity cardio or steady state or more weight lifting or just forget it all and eat less? Each and every day we are consumed with commercials, ads, and media filled with ‘weight loss gimmicks, ideas, tricks tips and do’s and don’ts. All of the information overload can be so overwhelming to the point where, at the end of the day all you want to do is eat. Cake. And then hope that you can snap your fingers and make yourself 5 lbs thinner. Well, let me tell you that reaching whatever fitness, weight loss goals you have is NOT an easy road. It takes some work, both mentally and physically-however, with a little work on your part, the benefits are endless. You will be prepared for a lifetime of health and happiness.
I myself even was a victim of following some crazy ‘fad diet’ plans…Green tea pills, Atkins protein bars, low carb, low fat, fat free, no carbs after 5pm, crazy amounts of cardio until I never wanted to see another treadmill. Some days I would just want to click my heels like Dorothy and make all of my fitness goals be thereafter my clicking was done. Why was this so damn hard? I want to share with you some tips for making your goals a reality.
Do what you love
I know I have talked in the past about doing what you love, when it comes to exercise and I will preach this all day long. I cannot tell you how many emails I have received asking “Naomi, what do you eat because I want to eat it. Or “Naomi, what are your workouts like in detail because I want to do them” I am here to tell you that what I do, is not necessarily what you should do. I’ll say it flat out-I really dislike Pilates (sorry for all those Pilates lovers) It’s just not a class or exercise style that I have ever enjoyed. I have taken Pilates classes with plenty of instructors in different settings, and nothing about it ever ‘stuck’ with me. Sure I’d take a Pilates class with a friend if she wanted company or to try it out (as a personal trainer I like to be well rounded when it comes to fitness) but honestly? I do not truly enjoy it.
My point here is to really emphasize doing what you love and giving it 110% of your effort. If you love Pilates—go for it, take all of the classes you like. If that’s what gets you going, stick with it. Don’t just go start running crazy sprints because you saw some fitness model in Oxygen magazine running sprints in an ad. My guess is she probably was doing lots of other things other than sprints to achieve that body. Think about YOU, not anyone else
Set realistic goals
I want to lose 8 lbs this week. This would be an example of an unrealistic goal. What happens when we make unrealistic goals is that more often than not, when we do not reach them, we get frustrated and resort back to eating. Cake. I try to emphasize making health, not necessarily weight loss your goal. If you set a healthy lifestyle as your goal, you are more likely to succeed in both improving your health and attaining permanent weight loss. Don’t be too anxious in losing all of the weight right away. You will begin to discover things about your body as you go through the process. Some good, some not so good, but it is all a process, and one worth experience to the fullest. Reaching your final goal of fitting into those ‘skinny jeans’ or wearing that hot pink bikini will feel THAT much more rewarding if you enjoy the entire experience. Sure, it may take a few weeks longer to achieve it but I guarantee you are more likely to have long lasting success
Reward yourself.
No I am not telling you to go eat. Cake. Buy yourself a massage, manicure, a new dress, new workout sneakers. Say you have a weekly goal of weight training 3x this week, after you hit that goal-be good to yourself! Weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t mean that you are a slave to the gym, get home, prep food, and go to sleep. Enjoy yourself! Go pamper yourself
Maintain your relationships
When you are trying to lose weight, live a healthy lifestyle or simply incorporating exercise and clean eating into your daily routine, It can indeed take up some time. It is important to make your family and friends a part of the process. I cannot express to you the importance of having a support group of positive people. You will soon find that because you have the willpower to want to better yourself and your life, there will be people along the way trying to bring you down. These people are toxic, get them out of your way. It is jus the nature of the beast.
Bring your family, friends or co-workers with you to a workout so they can experience it! Prep food with your kids, spouse, parents—whoever it may be. Maybe one day a week will be ‘new recipe day’ and you can alternating cooking up a healthy recipe for the family!
Involve your loved ones and educate them on the importance of why you are eating these healthy foods or exercising,. Don’t worry if they do not understand at first, just keep them involved and they will soon want to be a part of this with you. Call up a friend and make a date for coffee or a movie! Being social does not mean you have to go down 5 glasses of wine and eat your heart out. Have a ‘make your pizza night’ Buy some whole wheat dough and set up a bar with fresh veggies, tomato sauce, low fat cheese and lean protein to top the pizzas with! Above all,, make your family and friends a part of the process and it will be that much more enjoyable for all parties involved!
Bottom line-Truly do what you love. Give it all of your effort, enjoy yourself and smile. Being happy and positive is contagious and share it with those around you. Compliment a stranger, share some knowledge with others and just be happy that you have this life to live to the fullest.
Enjoy!
