Lent

Lent means many thing to many people.

I have never been of the belief that I give up something for a short period of time.

I have always been an all or nothing kind of fellow.

Through this season that so many people sacrifice I have done some mental exercise.

I have tried to think about things that are going on in my life and I have tried to really decipher for myself what is part of my life that makes me a better person and what might make me a bit more of a challenge.

As I have thought about this stuff over the last few weeks one thing that I have really tried to focus on is the need to be kind to others not select others but everyone.

As I have come to this realization it has been very interesting to encounter new challenges daily.

If you are tired of physically challenging yourself try on a few mental challenges as you head through the week!

Weekend!

Many people fear the weekend as bad food choices and temptations can become strong encounters.  I would say if you are looking at the weekend in this manner just flip your thought process.

You should have the most control over your time and choices on the weekend.  You need to remember socializing getting together with family and friends can have less to do with eating and drinking and more to do with visiting and spending quality time.

Shift your focus and things will fall into place for you!

Eat Less More Often

If you are stuck in weight loss or weight gain mode think about the intervals and quantities at which you eat.  Eating small portions every two hours is great.  When you starve yourself you will slow down your metabolism.  If you choose to eat frequently you will need to remember that every meal does not need to be ginormous.

Eat enough to get you to your next snack or meal.  If you eat every few hours you will be amazed at what you can get by eating for a meal.

When to work out?

There is a HUGE difference whether you are doing cardio or strngth training and whether you are trying to lose weight or bulk up.

Anyone that tries to tell yo one size fits all is blowing smoke.

Here are a few things to think about.

If you want to lose fat work out on an empty stomach as the cardio work out will go riht after your fat.  If you are trying to bulk up eat before you do cardio so you don't eat away muscle with your workout.

If you are strngth training make sure you are eating enough prtein to build and grow the muscle you are breaking down.

Goals

What is the key to a good goal?

Is it pie in the sky stretch for all you can stuff or is it to have something that you will achieve and then build on that with the next goal.  Most of us have heard that a goal should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound.

That is a SMART goal.  All goals need to be SMART if you want to achieve success long term.  You may be stuck because you have set your sights too high.  Take a look at your goals and make the proper adjustments.

If you tell yourself you're gonna lose 20 pounds in a month, there's a good chance you'll get bummed out and quit when things don't go as planned. Set reasonable targets, and make small adjustments to start; then work your way up to bigger goals. Be realistic + make changes + stick with them = success!

How is 2012 going?

It is the time of year where people dedicated to health and fitness get tired of their routine or they get stuck in a rut.

If this is the case for you....switch up your eating routine or your work out regiment.

A switch in either or both of these will shock the system and jack your metabolim or workout progress.

If you feel like you are hitting a wall or you just can't get the scale to move or increase in your weights at the gym...switch things up to pop some muscle growth or drop some extra weight!

Don't get out smarted!

Many folks are out there throwing all type's of labels and claims on things.  You need to own your evel of understanding when it comes to nutrition.  A sandwich that is higher in calories but all natural protein and quality fiber is way better for you than a pack of 100 caorie jelly beans with no food value!  You need to get educated if you are going to play the calorie game you still need nutrition.

Buying the Hype

Some things have what's referred to as a health halo around them, meaning that they're perceived as being healthy even if they're not. Notorious food fakers include granola, smoothies, and restaurant salads. Sure, some are OK, but with so many super-caloric versions out there, you NEED to check the stats before you chew. This also goes for items marked "light" or "reduced-fat" -- just because something has fewer calories or less fat than standard fare, that doesn't automatically mean it's a good choice.