What’s in your overalls?

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What’s up my fellow fitness friends! John here and I’m back with another kick butt Monday Motivator to get you primed and ready to attack your

health and fitness goals.  I’ve got an awesome quote by my main man, Mr. Thomas Edison who said this:

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

So I ask you, “what’s in your overalls?”

Do you miss opportunities because you’re not willing to do the work?  Are you a pessimist and looking at all the difficulties and challenges rather than the optimist that sees the light at the end of the tunnel?

This may seem obvious but too many of us create our own roadblocks.  You can either choose to prevent yourself from achieving your health and fitness goals or you can search for opportunity in EVERYTHING that life throws at you…no matter how difficult that may be.  When you start seeking solutions rather than focusing on the problem and look for opportunities in life, a whole world of possibilities opens up in front of you.

You have to have the wherewithal to STOP.

Action Item for the Week:

When faced with challenges or temptations in respect to your health and fitness….eating out at a restaurant, debating whether or not to workout, watching your calorie intake, holding yourself more accountable, etc. You need to STOP and follow these rules.

S eek the opportunity

T rash the negative thoughts

O pen yourself to solutions

P rogress towards positive outcomes

If you can do that with everything you encounter, you will never miss opportunities.  In fact, you will begin to CREATE positive opportunities and outcomes in everything you do….just remember to STOP. :-)

Until next time, have a terrific week!  I’d love to hear your comments below!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer

 

San Jose Bootcamp – The No B.S. Guide To Fitness Resolution Achievement

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Hey there my faithful fitness follower!  John here and I’m back with a killer blog post and your NO B.S. Guide to Fitness Resolution Achievement.  Now for my disclaimer:  if you are a total procrastinator, make excuses all the time with your fitness goals and are not ready to face this cold and perhaps harsh reality then stop reading now.  If on the other hand, you are amped for 2012, are ready to achieve some serious results and can’t wait to kick some ass and take some names then read on. ;-)

But first, a No B.S. Cold, Hard Truth – A majority of people do not achieve their fitness resolutions.  Yep, that’s right, quite a shocker I know.  Unfortunately, on a national level, we stink at fitness and although our yearly resolutions start off with the best of intentions, they never quite reach liftoff.  So as you read through the guide below, think about your past experiences with your fitness resolutions, how you can change your ways and how you can make 2012 your best year yet!!

Your NO B.S. Guide To Fitness Resolution Achievement

1) “Napkin Resolutions” don’t count

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that they wrote their resolutions on a napkin (that they cannot find) or that all of their resolutions are “in their head” I would be quite rich…ok maybe not rich but I’d be having a helluva time at Nickel City.  Sorry but this won’t cut the mustard.  If you are serious to achieve you need a concrete, detailed action plan on how you’re going to do it.  I prefer to have clients type them up and post them where you can see them but if you have beautiful handwriting then go for it, but use real paper por favor.  Think of things like will you join a bootcamp in san jose? Hire a personal trainer in campbell? Watch On Demand? Join a gym?  How many days per week of exercise?  What time? What will your nutrition look like?  Will you review progress monthly or quarterly?

2) Rome wasn’t built in a day

Don’t be overly ambitious with 17 fitness resolutions and your plan to achieve them in 3 weeks.  Not going to happen.  Re-read number one and then focus on your Big 3.  That’s it.  #1 is a weight loss or bodyfat loss goal.  #2 is a dress/pant/swimsuit or shirt goal.  #3 is an event goal.  Example: I want to lose 20 lbs.  I’d like to fit into a size 6.  I’m going to complete my 1st 5K.  Then go the extra step and make sure it is specific as to When achieved by (be realistic but don’t push it out too far).

3) If you eat and drink like crap, you will look like crap

Nothing new here folks.  Calories in vs. calories out and types of food choices make an unreal difference in your physique.  You must shop for your food, cook your food and plan your meals.  If you leave it up to chance then chances are you will eat crap.  Also, water is the Numero Uno liquid in your life (no, not vino). You need to consume a minimum of 50% of your bodyweight in ounces each day.  Make it happen.

4) You smell like alcohol

Not to mention it carries a whopping 7 calories per gram consumed which is never good for the waistline.  Alcohol is a toxin to the body and the more of it you drink, the less your liver wants to help you with metabolizing bodyfat.  I highly recommend a mini detox of some type to get you ready for the New Year, get rid of toxins in your body, refuel you with some healthy nutrients and prime your metabolism.  (This is part of our 6 week BTC and has helped TONS of our bootcampers.  Keep an eye out for details about this sweet bootcamp workout and nutrition program. :-) )

5) Thrive on your workouts like an addict

No, don’t develop hypergimnasia, just grow to love it!  Find the good in every workout with how you feel!  How much more energy you will have, confidence you will possess, a tighter body, more endurance, better figure, and on and on!  When you feel guilty, sluggish and irritated that you didn’t fit in a workout, you’re getting there.  Make it a part of your lifestyle.

6) Check the Ego and the Excuses at the door

Hey I’m all for gettin stuff done myself.  But when it’s something that’s out of my area of expertise I get help (just ask Sara about directions or Scott about putting together desks and cabinets. :-)   If you are not certified in fitness and have a weight problem, eating problem or just need some accountability and help, then GET IT!  Check the ego and all the other excuses on why you “Can’t” stay consistent with your workouts at the door….I don’t want to hear them.  We all have busy schedules and chaotic and sometimes traumatic moments of our lives.  These are the times you are thoroughly tested and the EXACT times when fitness is the antidote that will help you feel better, not to mention keep you on track to achieve the results you desire.

7) Brainwash your friends

Support structures are imperative and extra accountability is vital.  Get them all hyped up with you on fitness, health and nutrition and create an Uber-network of support so that you all are not given the opportunity to slack off.

8 ) Reward the Shit out of yourself

In today’s day and age of overachievers we forget to do this quite often.  Instead we critique ourselves to no end on why we haven’t achieved more.  This is no bueno so switch gears! Create small markers of achievement for every goal and reward yourself accordingly.  Example: Every 5 lbs of my 20 lb goal I have a small reward and they get bigger as I get closer.  1st 5 is a HR monitor, 2nd 5 is a new Shirt, 3rd 5 is a Spa day, and Ultimate Goal reached is a 2 day Vacay!  As you set up your concrete plan, get these written out as well!  They can change but the fact that they are written and somewhere you can see them is an extra motivator!

9) Never, Ever, Ever, Give Up

Here endeth the lesson.

I hope you enjoyed the NO B.S. Guide to Fitness Resolution Achievement!  Now get those resolutions typed up and get ready to take some serious action and OWN 2012!

And be sure to leave a comment below!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer

Campbell Bootcamp Monday Motivator 11-22-10

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Good Morning!! And welcome to this week’s Monday Motivator to pump you up for the week, set your mindset straight and get you on track to kick butt with your fitness goals!!

A lot of us have self-imposed limitations.  We think something is beyond us whether it is too hard, too much work, too substantial of a goal or whatever the case may be.  The quote below discusses this and I really enjoyed it.  I think you will too! :-)

“If you think you are beaten, you are.  If you think you dare not, you don’t. 

If you’d like to win, but think you can’t it’s almost a cinch you won’t.

Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man;

But soon or late the man who wins is the one who thinks he can.”

-          Origin Unknown

Ok, now go back and read that again a lot slower.  Let every word and its meaning soak in.  It all boils down to how you think!!

I am a huge proponent of PMA or having a Positive Mental Attitude.  Especially when it comes to your fitness goals, it is always easy to put things off and develop a negative attitude towards any possible achievement.  Setbacks occur, challenges arise and that’s just the way it is.

Most of us know that going into it…so what is it that separates people that achieve all of their fitness goals from the ones that don’t?  You guessed it….Mindset!

The winners and achievers all had a positive mindset and even though they might have had some tough times they did not let it get them down. 

For example, let’s say you want to lose 20, 30, or even 75 pounds.  As humans all we want is that instant gratification and “I want to lose it faster” approach.  Did you ever stop to think how many YEARS it has been since you were last at that weight?

It is that horrible to think that it could take you 3 months, 6 months, or even just over 1 year to achieve that goal?  Is it really that significant amount of time?  The answer is NO.  And the reality is that the achievers don’t dwell on this factor! 

They realize that if they are losing weight and bodyfat and that if things are fitting better and they get small rewards of buying new clothes and they feel fantastic that they are on the RIGHT PATH!  And that sooner or later…..they are going to win because they THINK THEY CAN.

So it’s time to check that negative mindset at the door my friend and start thinking solely in a positive manner.

In fact I want each of you to POST a comment below with at least 1 of your POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS for the week. :-)

Have a terrific start to your week!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer

San Jose Monday Motivator 10-18-10

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Good Morning!  John here, welcoming you to another Monday Motivator to help jumpstart your week so you can attack your fitness goals.

Dreams are important in life and especially important with your fitness goals.  John Updike said this about dreams:

“Dreams come true; without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.”

Have you dreamed about your perfect physique?  About how things would look with having fitness as a part of your lifestyle?  What about the confidence you’ll have the next time you’re on the beach with your new body?

What I’m getting at is that VISUALIZATION is a key process and aspect of your fitness program.  I want you to dream about your ideal body!  No, this is not being vain or self-absorbed.  This is just you painting a picture of what you really want to look like and it will help complement all of the fitness goals that you wrote down when you embarked on this journey.

Here’s what I want you to do:

 1)      Look at all of your fitness goals and if you need to make them more specific, do it.

2)      Close your eyes and start picturing your ideal body and your ultimate end goal.  Don’t be shy, just do it.

3)      Look at your surroundings and get specific.  Where are you? (vacation? Beach?) what are you wearing? (designer clothes? Bathing suit? Birthday suit? :-)

4)      Describe how you feel.  Are you confident?  Do you feel good?  Satisfied?

5)      Make sure you are detailed in your visualization and when you’re done make sure you hold on to that mental picture! 

Visualization is a powerful tool to help you in your fitness and fat loss goals.  So start dreaming away and then get your butt to bootcamp and let’s do this. :-)  And if you haven’t started yet then email us at info@fastactiontraining.com and get started before the holidays hit!!

Have a terrific start to your week!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer

Fitness Goals And Financial Planning?

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What’s up!  John here and I’m back with another post that I hope hits home about the importance of planning out your fitness goals and having a true idea of what you want to achieve.

Recently, I started working with a great financial planner, Brian Hsieh of Waddell and Reed in Campbell, CA.  However, it was our initial consultation that I want to talk about because Brian and I joked about how the questions he was asking me are very similar to those I ask and challenge all of you with.

First we talked about my current financial status and background so he could get a glimpse of my current situation and why I came to him (I knew I needed help!).

 How it relates to you:

 With your fitness goals it is always important to figure out where you’re at first before you wildly decide where you want to go.  (For example, if you have been out of exercise for a while, don’t go run a marathon next week. :-)  That way you are ready to create a realistic plan for achievement rather than being totally confused where to start.  Also, it’s important that you are honest with yourself and understand that you most likely need some HELP.  Whether it is a personal trainer, a nutritionist, or something in between, that’s what experts are for.

Next we talked about my immediate financial goals as well as 1, 3, & 5 year plans.

How it relates to you:

Goal planning is HUGE!!  What do you want to achieve?  Although for fitness I would use smaller markers such as 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.  Then you can take these goals and chop them up into small achievable bits and get at it!  When you clearly discuss and write these things down they can seem daunting.  However, once you dial in the 1 or 2 things you can do on a daily basis to achieve them it makes it a cinch!

After that was WHY these financial goals were important to me and what MOTIVATED me to want to achieve them.

How it relates to you:

Hello?  McFly?  This is the bread and butter of any fitness program.  In my Fast Action Training Campbell Bootcamps all of our trainers strive to be as motivational as possible but in the end it is up to YOU.  What are the real reasons you want to lose weight and bodyfat?  Here are some of the ones I’ve heard from clients in the past…do any sound familiar? 

  • I want to be alive and kickin for my kids and grandkids
  • I have had some relatives pass away at a young age and I don’t want that to be me
  • I am sick of not fitting into my clothes
  • I’m irritated when I go up a simple flight of stairs and get winded
  • I’m embarrassed when I go to big public places…especially the beach
  • I really want to wear a swimsuit and right now I wouldn’t
  • I want to increase my self-confidence and self-esteem
  • What else would you put here??!!

In a nutshell, it is important to talk about your fitness goals, the REAL reason why you want to achieve them and why you’re motivated to achieve them.  Then you can develop a roadmap to success and bask in the glory that is the “new you.” :-)

Have a great day and if you enjoyed the article I’d love to hear your comments below!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer

Monday Motivator 8-23-10

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Hey there! John here with another Monday Motivator to get you ready to rock your fitness goals for the week.  And don’t forget to leave a comment in the comment section below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I know at times your fitness journey can be overwhelming, exhausting and downright difficult.  But consider this great quote by Mr. John Ruskin, the English art critic and social thinker:

“The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.”

Well sure, a major reward for your “toil” is going to be awesome results, a tight and defined figure, kick-butt energy and a myriad of other benefits. :-)

It’s still good, however, to think about what type of person you have become through such hard work because it’s not always a walk in the park.

Think about how exercise is now a daily part of your life and routine.  How you schedule it into your day without even thinking, how you purposely take the stairs instead of the elevator to work.

Think about how eating healthy is now a desire instead of a chore.  How you consciously make good choices instead of bad ones and the feeling of control that gives you you’re your desired figure.

Think about how much you enjoy workouts instead of dreading them and how now you get upset when you can’t exercise as much!

This is when you know you have made it.  And even if you’re not 100% of the way to that fitness goal, now it’s just a matter of when…not if. :-)

As your san jose bootcamp instructor it is my pleasure coaching you along the way.  And remember that if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.  I’ll always do whatever I can to help you on this journey.

Have a terrific start to your week!

 Dedicated to your success,

 John

Finding Inspiration

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Hey there!  John here and I hope you are kickin butt with your fitness and fat loss goals.  Enjoy the post on finding inspiration and if remember to forward and share it with friends and family with the links at the bottom!

A lot of times people will ask me, “John don’t you ever relax and not work out? Don’t you get tired of it sometimes?”

My answer: “Of course I relax sometimes and occasionally hit a lull in workouts.” (contrary to popular belief I am human just like you :-) .  Even me, the San Jose personal trainer has his moments from time to time.

For example, after vigorously training last year for an Olympic Triathlon, I took a full week off of exercise…partly to let my body recover and partly because I was a bit over it. :-)   However, I did keep my nutrition in check during my “off” period and took care of my body in other ways such as foam rolling and PNF stretching.

So the question is, how do you find inspiration to continue to do your workouts and your quest for your ideal figure?

1) It all starts with what you really want. 

No I’m not talking about “Hey I want to lost 15 pounds.”

I’m talking about “I want to lost 15 lbs and tone up my body so I can fit into my jeans I used to wear before I had kids.” That’s what I’m talking about.

2) Then you need to dig even deeper….

WHY do you want to achieve these goals?  What is it going to do for you?  How will you feel when you obtain them?  Will it change anything for you?  Is there any reward when you achieve it (like maybe a shopping spree :-) ??

Be specific about this and uncover all the emotional attachments you have to not only GETTING into great shape, but STAYING in great shape.  Sometimes, once people achieve their goals they don’t feel as excited to continue on maintaining their great shape and fitness and this can be dangerous as it could lead to regressing right back to where they started.  As a bootcamp instructor and personal trainer for San Jose and Campbell I have seen this many times so don’t let this happen to you.

Instead, think more about all the great benefits exercise gives you in terms of energy, maintaining that great figure you have achieved, more self-confidence and perhaps even the ability to indulge in some finer foods every now and then :-) Not to mention that sometimes you just feel like wonderwoman or superman!

3) Get Creative!

Another way to stay pumped up with your fitness and fat loss goals is to stay creative!  Keep your workouts fun, challenging and changing.  This is one of the main things we do in Fast Action Training! (which if you would like to try for a week free, you can click here!)  You can even get out on the weekend and do a kick butt outdoor workout!  (For some additional hints on exercises you can do on a playground check out the “PlaygroundWorkout” I created.)

4) Sign up for an event!

One of the ways that I like to keep myself inspired to do exercise is to challenge myself with various events.  For example, after signing up for the San Jose Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon, I also signed up for the Wharf-to-wharf.  This allowed me to train and get ready for a 10K and then keep my training up for the big 13 miler!  And for those of you that know me, I’m not the biggest fan of running! :-)

So go online and find an event that you can start with.  Maybe it’s only walking a 5K but it is something!  And something to motivate and inspire you to exercise more frequently and hopefully with a bit more intensity ;-)   Who knows, maybe I’ll schedule an official Fast Action Training race and we’ll all sign up and stay inspired together!

Good luck and stay motivated!

Dedicated to your success,

John

P.S. I’d love to hear your comments below and perhaps what inspires and motivates you to exercise!