Getting Started

It might seem overwhelming. You wake up one day and suddenly, you're 20 pounds heavier than you have ever been, and you're clothes aren't fitting right. What happened?

The first thing to realize is, it didn't happen overnight. You can lay the blame on life, not enough time, don't know how to get started, too much good food, but what it all boils down to is budgeting. If you eat more calories than your body needs, you are going to gain weight. The thing most people don't realize is that if you don't get ENOUGH calories your body starts to to horde them. On top of that, calorie hungry tissues like muscles get broken down. Muscles require more energy to function than other tissues and muscles are not completely essential to survival. Any sort of diets that restrict food types or calories is ultimately going to be a losing battle. In the longer run, you lose water and muscle and build more fat! Even if the scale says you have LOST weight, it won't be long before the scale says the same thing and suddenly you have to buy BIGGER clothes, even though you are the same weight!

So food and activity. Too much of one, not enough of the other. This is the magic formula. You need food. You need exercise. You need a balance of the two. Exercise will improve your quality of life by reducing all sorts of risk factors. Carrying too much weight increases your risks for all sorts of heart and artery related illnesses. Getting physically active is the best thing you can do for your body and your mind. Exercise actually will make you feel better. Most people think they have to get into the gym and sweat like a wild monkey. This is not the case.

It is true that MORE exercise is better, but we just don't have the time to get to the gym and lift weights or run for hours, or even any of tons of other organized sports and activities (which are not only a great way to get some exercise, but also a great way to make new friends!) Walking around your neighborhood, playing with your kids, doing chores around the house are all excellent ways to get your ticker thumping and to reap the benefits of physical activity. While this is the first step, it's not the only step. We need to increase our activity levels to 30 minutes most days of the week. The more intense we work, the less we need to do. Which in itself is NOT a magic pill. It's possible to work too hard, to work too long, which just ends up being uncomfortable if not painful. There are professionals out there to help you. Find a certified personal trainer. You can find them at your local gym, the YMCA, or a local recreation center. You can find them online, in the paper, or in the phone book. Ask your doctor, ask your friends. Chances are they know someone.

One last thing. It's always important to have a personal fitness trainer who is CERTIFIED by a respectable body. Do your own little investigating. Check up on the accredited body and check to see if your trainer is indeed certified. The number one concern of both you and your trainer should be safety. Start small and progressively increase. You won't get the body you want over night, but you'll start to feel the benefits within a few weeks.

I'm available in your home or office to accommodate your schedule.
Call me and let's talk about changing your life.

Understanding and dedication are the keys to changing your lifestyle. Adding exercise and activity under the supervision of a personal fitness trainer can help you define and conquer your goals as well as help you achieve healthy habits.