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Transformation Fitness & Wellness

The 2 Surprise Things You Need to Lose Weight

I know what you’re expecting me to say. You think I’m going to say something like, “You need exercise and proper nutrition to lose weight”… right?

Well you’re in for a treat.

Those things are needed, but you probably don’t want to read another article about that stuff right now. In fact, you’re probably tired of the same old articles that you read about online – that’s why you read my stuff. 😉

Thank you for reading, by the way!

Here are 2 lesser-known things that you need to lose weight.

1) The mindset that failure is NOT possible. I’ve worked with a lot of clients over the years and one thing I regularly hear is how they’ve failed in the past. I completely understand what they’re saying and I get the sentiment. They set a goal and didn’t reach it and that equals failure.

But failure feels absolute. It feels like a giant period at the end of long run on sentence. It feels permanent. It makes me feel that the journey I was on is now impossible. Done. Over. Pack up my suitcase and head home.

However, over time I have come to think of failure as part of the journey – not the end. I like to think of it as something we all MUST go through in order to succeed.

I also like to deflate its ego a bit. Failure is not some big massive concrete barrier that cannot be overcome. While it is an obstacle, it’s more like a river in the woods that we have to cross in order to continue on the trail. It’s temporary.

It’s hard to figure out how to safely cross, but it’s possible and well worth the effort it takes. However most important are the lessons we learn as we try to cross. What works, what doesn’t, how we felt, what emotions popped up, and so on. It’s this stuff that makes the next river easier to cross.

2) The mindset that success is NOT the end point. This one always takes people for a loop. After all, we spend our entire lives being told that we must have a goal – that we need to work towards a specific point in the future and when we reach that point we will achieve success.

But I’ve come to learn that in this process we have also come to identify success as some mystical and magical place that when reached… solves all of our problems.

Success, just like failure, is not a permanent or immovable object. When we reach our goal we may have a temporary feeling of success, but it is just temporary. We spend a bit of time here celebrating our victory and our accomplishment, but then something funny happens – we start to wonder what’s next. We set a new goal.

Success is not the end point, but instead it is an indicator. It’s simply a lighthouse that guides us. When the light house allows us to reach safe shores, we may rest for a bit of time and revel in the journey thus far, but we also pick up our bags and move towards our next destination – or our next goal.

Hope you have an awesome day today!

 

Arin

I Want You to Be a Thermostat

I was at a conference once and the presenter said, “I want you to be a thermostat.  Not a thermometer.”

He then stopped talking.  The room was quiet as everyone tried to digest what in the heck this guy was talking about.

We were pretty sure he wasn’t crazy.  He was a Harvard graduate that worked with celebrities, presidents, and ultra-successful business owners.

It seemed like a long time passed before he started talking again.  He gave us a hint and said, “What does a thermometer do?”

“A thermometer takes the temperature of the room,” we proudly said – feeling all smart again.

It merely goes up and down based on the outside environment.  Said another way, if the temperature suddenly dropped then the mercury level in the thermometer would go down.

He then went on to tell us that a thermostat controls the environment.  In other words if we set the thermostat to 70 degrees, then the environment changes to meet the request of the thermostat.

The thermometer has no say.

The thermostat is the one in charge.

See the difference?

I loved this little analogy for many reasons and decided to share it with you because getting healthy is tough for many people.

They try, and fail.

They try again, and fail.

Over time they lose hope.  They get frustrated.  They feel like a failure.  They think that it’s out of their reach.  They think there’s a secret pill that will come out one day.

And there is a secret – kinda.  It’s to be a thermostat.

I gotta be honest, I never thought I’d tell someone that… lol.

A huge part of permanent weight loss is a mind shift from what you’ve done before to what is proven to work.  And what’s proven to work isn’t sexy and flashy.

Believe me, I wish I could just sell you a pill that made you drop all the extra fat that you don’t want and relieve all aches and pains.  But that’s just not reality.

Part of the mind shift is made easier when you have someone to help you on the journey.  Someone to carefully guide you through the mine fields of self-doubt, confusion, frustration, and giving up when things don’t seem to be going as you want.

Leaders, a more reasonable term for thermostats, set goals, follow through, and get the support they need to reach those goals efficiently.

I’d like to connect with you and be part of your journey.

We can jump on the phone to talk more about you and I have open times this week.  Simply reply to this email and we will set up a time.

Have a wonderful day,

Arin

Warning you could get inspired, 90lbs GONE…a life changing journey!

Jose Before.after

I am so excited to share our latest Transformation with you today!  I met Jose a little over a year ago and if hadn’t seen him since, I would be having to do a double take! As a matter of fact every time I saw him in the studio, I did.  It seemed like every week that went by, he just kept dropping weight!  In our staff meeting we would talk about client’s progress and he was always down another 10 or 20 pounds after every assessment… seriously!

I want to share with you what Jose first told me when he requested his Initial Consultation.  He said, “I’m a 33 year old male and I work for a software company that keeps me on the road, and when I’m not on the road, I sit at a desk. I’m a heavy guy (270lbs-5’9″) and have high blood pressure. Of course the doctor tells me to lose the weight, but I’m just not quite sure how to do it. I know the basic formula… exercise and diet, but I get off track easily. I’m looking to get healthier. I don’t have a particular weight loss goal, but I would like to be able get my weight and BP down.  I’m hoping to find a healthy balance between life at home and life on the road.”  During the consultation with Jose I could see in his eyes that he was ready— ready to change his life, ready to take control, and ready to commit.

And in his first six weeks with us he proved it! He dropped an astonishing 23 pounds!  It was tremendous and we actually had another client who was trying to match him pound for pound in her journey.  I will share her story later… she is down 71 pounds right now, but in the meantime has had twins!  Jose, you have inspired more than you know!

The weight loss continued and a year later Jose Sanchez is a new man.  He is off his blood pressure medicine!  He did a complete 180 degree turn around and changed his habits and life forever in one year.  Jose wanted to focus on losing the weight, but doing it for life.  He travels a lot and needed to learn how to eat on the road, stay away from any sweets, and how to eat when he is being taken to dinner by a vendor.  We teach our clients how to live everyday life and incorporate healthy eating habits and consistent workouts.  Jose’s results are a by-product of doing just that.

One of the hardest parts for Jose was correcting his mindset about cardio, but he turned this around after 2 weeks.  He had been nervous to step foot on a treadmill, now he runs for miles!  Jose wanted me to share with everyone that, “…it is not as hard as you think it is.  You don’t have to starve yourself.  Exercise is actually fun!”  Also he said, “If I knew all this 10 years ago, (I wonder) what opportunities might have been presented.”

His main point is that this whole process has actually been pretty simple.  You have to eat right and exercise.  He kept watching his friends do the fad diets and he himself tried juicing for a bit, but then decided he needed to do it right.

Now he feels confident, no aches and pains, he can jump right out of bed, and he sweats less throughout the day.  He also threw away all his old clothes, even his suits!  We are proud to say that Jose has transitioned into a maintenance phase and is working out on his own.  We firmly believe that Jose learned and made the changes he needed for life.  Jose has changed his life forever!

Congratulations Jose, we are so proud of you and you are a true inspiration to so many!  If you want to change your life like Jose please reach out and request a Free Consultation.  We will sit down and discuss your personal goals and see if our program is a good fit.

 

Five Tips for Making Indianapolis Fitness a Priority

Committing to a Indianapolis fitness program is really hard.  It’s tough to stay motivated when you are the only one saying you have to do it.  It’s hard to see the fruit of your labors when some of them are only measurable with a doctor’s complex testing and instrumentation. It’s exceedingly easy to be consumed by the pressing responsibilities of life and it’s really easy to tell yourself that one more day won’t make a difference.

To make Indianapolis Fitness a priority in your life, you need to give yourself as many reasons and as many helpful tools as you can.  Here you’ll find five great tips for making fitness a priority in life, rather than an afterthought.

5 Tips To Make Health And Indianapolis Fitness A Life Priority

Clarify your undeniable need for fitness, enlist some help, and pencil—no pen—fitness in to make sure that you live well and live long.

Write it down—what gets done in the course of your day?  The things you’ve made time for.  Exercise should be top of that list because it is what will ensure that you are around to do more and live better.  Schedule time for fitness just as you would for getting dressed, working, and attending important meetings.  Block out your time for fitness in your daily planner first so that you make the time.  Schedule exercise in at a time that makes sense and the rest around it.

Buddy up—get a friend to be your fitness buddy; or, if a friend isn’t interested or available, partner with a like-minded acquaintance at the Indianapolis fitness  center and make him or her your friend and fitness buddy.  Having a buddy makes fitness fun and (close to) painless and helps you support each other.  You’ll find that the reasons you give your buddy to go on work for you, too!

Make a list—list all the reasons why you want to get fit and be healthy.  This helps you set fitness goals, motivates you with clear reasoning, and works as a reminder for those times when ambition is waning.  Refer back to your fitness list to see what goals you’ve accomplished, what goals need revamping or replacing, and for general motivation.

Reward yourself—create a reward system as further motivation; with one caveat—your reward cannot be food.  Give yourself something worth working for, something that promotes fitness, and something with lasting motivational power.  A spa treatment, new clothes/wardrobe, a long weekend or vacation, or new recreational or even fitness activity are some good rewards to start with.

Look to the pros—the guidance and support of a good personal trainer is unbeatable as a prioritization strategy for Indianapolis fitness.  A personal trainer will help you in innumerable ways by making exercise more enjoyable, more ‘do’-able, providing ongoing information and support, structuring a fitness program tailor-made for you, and being a general source of motivation.  You’ll find that keeping that appointment time and being accountable to someone else helps, too.

You’ll find these five simple tips for prioritizing fitness in your life will go a long way toward your success on the Indianapolis fitness trail.  Small changes like these can make a big impact and really help you keep your good health and well being at the forefront of your list of things that need doing.

Indianapolis Fitness Tips For Beginners

Starting on the path to better Indianapolis fitness can be a difficult road in the beginning, but those that make the commitment to stick it out will be rewarded not only with better health, but feeling better as well. There are plenty of pitfalls for those that are starting a Indianapolis fitness routine, but being aware of them and working through them don’t have to be a struggle. In this article, we’ll take a look at five tips for people that are starting on the path to better health.

Eating Right

Improving your eating habits is an important part of improving your overall fitness. A great way to think about what you eat is that it is fuel for making your body work better. A diet that is comprised of a healthy balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables will help your body work better, and you’ll be surprised to see how much more you can eat following a healthy diet than one that is made up of fast food or lots of junk food. But changing your diet doesn’t mean starving yourself – if you’re following a Indianapolis fitness routine, your body will need plenty of fuel to run efficiently.

Work Out with a Indianapolis Fitness Trainer

A personal trainer doesn’t have to be a drill sergeant! The relationship that you form with your Indianapolis fitness trainer can be a highly valuable one. Not only will he or she be there to make sure you are working out in a safe and efficient way, but they can help encourage you when you’re feeling down or that you can’t get through the next exercise. A personal trainer can also assess your needs and create an exercise program that is right for your body and reaching your goals.

Stay Positive

It’s easy to lose your enthusiasm for working out shortly after you’ve only begun. You may not see changes in your body soon after starting an exercise program and this can be very disheartening. While it’s true that you might not see changes right away, you are making great strides in ensuring that your healthy lifestyle will have a positive impact on your health and your self confidence! Try keeping track of your progress and you’ll see that, while you may not see changes overnight, the small changes will soon add up.

Get Plenty of Rest

While exercise is an important part of improving your health, getting plenty of rest is just as important. Sleep deprivation has lots of had effects, from temperament to loss of memory and concentration and can even reduce reaction time. Try to avoid exercising right before sleeping, as well as caffeinated products, and try to get eight hours of sleep every night.

Make a Lifestyle Change

Those that are willing to make a lifestyle change, rather than those that only want to lose a few pounds for an upcoming event, are much more likely to succeed. Crash dieting may help you reach a short term goal, but what will happen when you go back to your regular eating habits? Most people will put the weight they lost right back on. Making the commitment to change the way you eat and your exercise habits will not only help you reach your goal, but you’ll be much more likely to retain the good results.  There is no better way to stay on track, than to hire a Indianapolis fitness trainer!

Why Strength Training is Beneficial to Indianapolis Fitness

A Indianapolis Fitness Expert Reports! There’s a common misconception that muscle is heavier than fat, so why bother with strength training? The truth of the matter is a pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as a pound of fat. Muscle just happens to be leaner than fat and looks a whole lot better on the body. This isn’t the only reason to incorporate strength training into your Indianapolis fitness routine. In this article, we’ll take a look at more reasons why strength training is beneficial to those that wish to improve their overall health.

Beneficial for Weight Loss

Strength training is a very important factor in weight loss because the metabolism is increased as muscle is increased. The metabolism is the rate in which calories are consumed, and the rate and efficiency of the metabolism is greatly increased depending on how much muscle is present in the body. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. It has been estimated that for every pound of muscle, the body will burn 35 to 50 more calories a day. This not only helps reduce fat, but helps keep it off.

Helps Prevent Osteoporosis

Not only can strength training help with losing weight, it can also help prevent osteoporosis, which is especially important for women. Strength training can help prevent loss of bone density, which can lead to brittle bones and a host of other health issues. Not only can strength training help prevent the disastrous effects of osteoporosis, but those that are already suffering from osteoporosis and benefit from it as well, as strength training not only helps prevent bone loss, but it can also help increase it.

More Good News

While helping with weight loss and preventing osteoporosis are two big advantages to incorporating strength training into your Indianapolis fitness routine, there are many other benefits as well. It can help with cardiovascular health, prevent Type II Diabetes, and even make great strides in protecting joints. Perhaps the greatest advantage is that it can help reduce the bane of many a woman’s existence – belly fat.

Believe it or not, abdominal fat is often the result of not just overeating but stress. Our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol when we are under stress, and this hormone can increase the appetite and convert calories into abdominal fat. This fat is possibly the most dangerous of all the fat the can develop on the body because it is so close to several vital organs, putting undue pressure on them and perhaps causing them to malfunction. Not only does strength training use up cortisol, but it helps reduce the appetite and also helps reduce the dreaded belly fat.

Incorporating strength training into your Indianapolis fitness routine has so many benefits that it would be foolish to dismiss it. If you don’t know where to start in your strength training, why not consult with a personal trainer to get you started? Anyone can take advantage of a personal trainer’s expertise to make sure they are making the most of Indianapolis fitness and strength training, and to ensure they are working out safely and effectively.