Success or Failure is Up to YOU!

Unless you’re a professional/amateur athlete with a coach breathing down your neck during every practice, you’ll have to motivate yourself to keep going with your workout programs.

It's up to you!

Even if you have a personal trainer, they’re not with you during every training session.

Your success or failure in a fitness program or even a road race, triathlon or any other sport will be left up to you.

It’s a lot of pressure, but you have it in you.

First figure out your motivation and your “why” for what you’re trying to accomplish and use that when you’re feeling tired or having a bad day.

What's your motivation?

When it’s cold outside, you’re a little tired in the morning, or just don’t feel like doing it today, remember it’s you who decides your success or failure.

Once you set your mind to what you want to do, it’s your motivation, dedication and desire that will lead you to where you want to be.

If you are an athlete without a coach, remember that your opponents are training whether you do or not.

That’s what would get me up at 0530 to go running in the middle of winter, when everyone is sleeping warm and soundly in bed.

I’d get to the gym early and stay late, because I wanted to win more than anything.

All the motivation, dedication and desire… and my “why” were big enough to keep me going, even when I didn’t want to.

The great thing about having pursuits that force you to focus so strongly is that it crosses over to other aspects of your life as well. You know what it takes to get to your goal and whether it continues to be sports or you transfer the effort to business or any other avenue you want to pursue.

You're a SUCCESS!

Remember, Your Success or Failure is up to YOU!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

Posted under Motivational

You’re Capable of More!

If we don’t keep pushing our limits, we’ll never know our true hidden potential. Many times we achieve great strides and hang out as if that’s as good as it gets. Sometimes it’s because we don’t believe it will get better or we get complacent thinking, “it was pretty tough getting this far, I can’t push myself any harder.”

Don’t be content with where you are. You may need some patience and understanding, knowing some big goals take time, but if you want more, then believe you can have it.

Go after it!

Olympic athletes, for example, Olympic power lifters or track and field athletes are constantly pushing for an extra kilogram or an extra inch.

USA Team Trials

Even though it may not seem like much, when lifting extremely heavy or running, jumping or throwing, success is sometimes measured in small differences.

Sometimes it takes a little more effort

These small measurements may take weeks, months and in some cases years to gain.

Since the goal is an Olympic medal, these athletes, rarely quite or stay at a certain level for very long. Those who do, never make it to the elite level.

Think of this in terms of your workouts. Maybe you have a weight loss goal. It was pretty easy going in the beginning. You were losing weight and all the sudden you it a level where you were training pretty hard, but the extra inches/weight loss started getting slower.

If you really want to accomplish your goal, stick with it.

It will happen and you will break through, but if you choose to stay at the level you’ve accomplished, you may never see the real result you wanted.

Keep going, keep moving forward and you will see success in a different light. If you think you’ve achieved success now, add a little more effort and imagine where it can take you.

Celebrate ALL your victories and keep moving forward!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan

Posted under Motivational

How bad do you want it?

Goal setting is really important if you want to accomplish anything. Having a plan to accomplish that goal is equally important. You can start off in pursuit of your goal without knowing exactly how to get there, but once you get started, if your goal is sound and you really want to achieve it, the plan will start to fall into place.

Take the initial step!

The ultimate question is, how bad do you really want it?

There are times when we have to make decisions that will lead us closer to or further away from the goal we set.

If you’re burning desire to have the results of accomplishing the goal are strong enough you should be able to make decisions that will lead you closer to your desired outcome. 

As we move closer to a specific goal, we might find that it isn’t what we really want and we need to make corrections for a new goal, but that’s okay. Even though you’ve changed direction, you still have a goal. One problem people struggle with is being too afraid of making the initial commitment because they’re not certain of the path or the exact outcome.

However, indecision will withhold you from ever progressing. Understand that your path and goals can evolve as your progress through the journey. And often times you stumble upon opportunities you never anticipated and wouldn’t have discovered had you never started upon the journey. 

It’s in not having a strong goal that we find ourselves lost, without direction and making wrong choices.

Once you decide, for example, you want to lose 30 pounds, everything you do day in and day out should lead you closer to that goal.

No, you may not make the right decision every time, but more times than not you will find yourself making the ones that support your goal.

If you find that you are making decisions that pull you farther away from reaching your goal, you may need to reevaluate whether or not the goal is in line with your current beliefs.

We all have “we’d like to haves,” but we all don’t do what it takes to get them.

Once you make your decision to go after something, stick to it until you get what you want. You may have to give up a few things in the beginning in order to move up to a higher level. As much as we’d like to, we can’t keep doing what we’ve always done and expect a different result than we are currently getting. 

Oh, and remember, have fun.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

Posted under Motivational

What are you doing with your life?

This wasn’t the blog post I had intended to send out this morning, but with the untimely death of Steve Jobs yesterday, I thought it was appropriate to change it last minute.

Steve Jobs

After reading all the posts on facebook last night about the remarkable life of Steve Jobs, I noticed an overall theme.

Most posts made reference to a reflection of  life and living it to the fullest.

Steve Jobs brought forth new ideas and innovations that have revolutionized the world. He made something of his life. He left a mark on the world or in his own words, “a ding in the universe.” 

Creating a New World

What are you doing with your life?

It’s a good question to ask, not just because we lost someone who society agrees has made a difference in the world, but we all have a chance to make the world a better place and leave our “ding in the universe.”

I have a series of questions, thoughts and ideas I think about and use in visualization exercises on a daily bases.

One question I ask myself is, “did I do everything I could today?” It’s open ended, but pertains to anything I’m currently working on or training for in that moment.

I was raised on the idea that you always keep doing more and never settle for just good enough.

Steve Jobs lived everyday striving to change the lives of Apple followers and create new and dynamic products for the world.

A Creator and Innovator

Whether you have ideas of changing the world or changing your community, you have to start somewhere. The main thing is to get started, NOW!

What great ideas do you have that could help the world?

The world has lost a great innovator and a great man and a great human being.

As we stop to reflect on a wonderfully successful life, also remember yours. You’re still here and still have time to create the passions within your heart.

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”
Steve Jobs 

Apple

One of my favorite books is “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience“, by Carmine Gallo

Here’s one final quote to leave you with today.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs[Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan

Posted under Motivational

Hey, where ya headed?

It seems easy enough to answer. But, really, where are you headed?

Where ya headed?

I don’t watch much television, but when I was lying in bed over the summer with nothing to do, but recover from knee surgery, the t.v. may have been on.

One of the shows I enjoy watching is Criminal Minds. If you’ve never seen it, it’s about a special unit of the F.B.I. that tracks kidnappers, serial killers, rapist, etc. that local law enforcement can’t seem to catch.

One of the characters, Gideon, is one of the most talented and experienced agents in the unit. One day, he’s seen too much and leaves without saying good bye. He just never comes back.

During the final scene of the episode, he’s at a truck stop. The waitress asks, “where are you headed?” Now, remember I told you he’s very intelligent and always seems to have an answer for some of the most difficult cases the unit encounters.

However, his response to her seemingly simple question was, “I’m not really sure. Nowhere in particular.” She then asks, “Well if you don’t know where you’re going, then how will you know when you get there?”

His reply, “That is a very good question.” The end of the scene his him walking out of the truck stop, getting in his jeep and driving off.

So, I ask the question again, “Where are ya headed?”

What I really mean is, where are you going with your goals? Do you have a set road map to get there? And when you arrive, will you know when that is and what it looks like?

Which way do we go, which way do we go?!?!

We like to imagine our situations as being better, but when we’re asked what we’re doing to get there, we have no clue.

Or, even worse, we use the same answer Gideon gave to the waitress, “nowhere in particular.” And then complain when we don’t get what we want or our circumstances worsen.

We’re not in control or in the driver seat of our own lives.

So, again… “Where are ya headed?”

If you know what you want, set time aside and map out how you’re going to get there. No, you don’t have to know every detail of the trip, just like driving in the dark, as long as you can see the next 100 to 200 feet in front of you, you can drive from Atlanta to Los Angeles and arrive successfully.

Start with the end in mind. What the completed picture or goal will look and feel like, and then set out to get it.

Just as you would a road trip. There may be road blocks, detours or traffic, but if you want to get to your destination bad enough, you’ll make it through to the end.

Obstacles will come

The same idea holds true for our goals, yet we tend to give up when things get hard or everything doesn’t go our way the first time.

If you want it bad enough, you’ll break through those obstacles and arrive at your goal.

So, when you’re asked, “Where are ya headed?” You will be able to say with confidence, “I’m heading (in the direction of my goal!)”

Have fun with this!

YOU have arrived!

Save travels and see you when you return!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

Posted under Motivational

Variety is the spice of life… Why not spice up your workouts?!?!

Are you bored with your workout routine?

It’s easy to get into the same ol’ routine day in and day out at work and in daily life, but when it comes to workouts, it seems people get bored easily then quit.

Really Bored!

I think it’s because most people go into a workout routine already dreading it because of the misunderstanding that it will not be fun. Yes, I agree, with part of that. If you find yourself at a gym that pushes memberships and doesn’t follow up with good classes and a fun environment, then it would be easy to say the classes are boring; the gym atmosphere is dull and would find yourself wanting to quit.

Some of the responsibility does lie on us as fitness enthusiasts to figure out what we find fun and use it to get great workouts in.

For example, if you hate riding a bike, spin class or riding outside for exercise isn’t going to be for you, but if you love to dance, then Zumba would be a great way to get a full body workout while doing something you love.

Trinity Instructor Betsy Sexton teaching Zumba!

Working out and exercise doesn’t always have to be in the gym. Parks provide a great back drop for lots of natural obstacles and challenges for doing everything from incline push ups to jumps up and down on a wall. We utilize some of this while in our outdoor boot camp.

Trinity Boot Camp with Instructor Stacy Wyman

Another reason to change it up and add different workouts to your routine is so your body doesn’t get use to the same exercises and movements.

I use the example of “taking the stairs” all the time. Remember when you decided to start taking the stairs at work rather than riding the elevator?

Running Stairs

The first week or so you may have been out of breathe, a little sore or both, but after a few weeks, the tiredness lessened or went away completely, and there was no more soreness.

This is because your body adapted to the changes and it’s now become routine. Just as your mind gets bored, your body does too. If you really want to see fast results, continue to change up your workout routines. From changing up exercise during weight training to adding in a couple different classes a week, like kickboxing, pilates and body sculpting, you’ll be guaranteed great workouts with a variety of different moves.

Trinity Kickboxing Class

Adding variety while keep it interesting for you and your body. So, start adding some variety today!

Posted under Motivational

You against yourself, PERIOD!

Lately, it seems, more than normal, that folks are really beating themselves up. I think since the economy isn’t very consistent, people are still worried about job security and weight loss has always been a struggle for most people in our society, now more than ever people are not giving themselves a break.

When going after anything big, there will be setbacks!

Often times, we give ourselves the easy way out. If things get too hard, we find a reason to quit. If we don’t like the our environment or the people around us, rather than changing it, we use it as an excuse.

But, that’s not what I’m talking about today. I’m talking about the ones in the trenches, the ones putting forth the effort to change, but are having some setbacks.

When we plan a weight loss program, it is set in an ideal world situation. Meaning, we don’t think in advance that there may be times where things don’t go our way. But, rather than give up, we need to step back, take a breather and look at the big picture.

If you don't believe... who will?

For example, I have a client that has lost 70 pounds in less than 6 months. Over the past couple weeks (maybe a month now) she’s, in her mind, fallen off the wagon. She’s even apologized to me for failing.

But, I don’t think she’s a failure. She already lost 70 pounds! That alone is pretty freakin’ awesome! (wouldn’t ya say?)

Sometimes we need to give ourselves a break and understand that our plan, whether for fitness and weight loss or finances or relationships, may have setbacks. This isn’t a time to get upset and throw in the towel. Take this opportunity to reflect on what you did right, examine and make corrections to the things that could be done better and keeping moving forward!

The best way to stay in a positive mindset is to surround yourself with positive people. They don’t necessarily have to have the exact same goals, but they should have a champions attitude when faced with adversity. They will be there for you and you for them when they need support.

Believe in Yourself! You can do Anything!

And remember, it’s you against yourself, the best you that you can be. Don’t compare yourself to where others are. You aren’t them. You are YOU! If you feel you aren’t living up to your potential then you need to change that, but if you’re consistently comparing yourself to others around you, you will always come up short.

The main thing is to never lose sight of your goals and never give up on yourself! Believe YOU can… and YOU WILL!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan

Posted under Motivational

Simple vs. Easy Part 2

In part 1 I explained the difference between simple vs. easy terminology. Today, I’m going to explain a “simple” program that you can start using right now.

Since this is a blog and not an article, I’m not going to go into specific details, but you will have a clear understanding of what needs to be in a program in order for you to be successful at weight loss.

First, if you are going to see long lasting results. I’m not talking about quick fad diets that drop 10-15 pounds in 15 minutes, just to gain 25 pounds or more when you stop using it.

The program I’m referring to is a long lasting, life changing, body transforming program that you can use forever!

Let’s get started…

There are 4 components or what I like to call “The 4 Pillars”  that must be addressed if a weight loss program is going to deliver results.

The first is Supportive Nutrition. This is where most people fail from the beginning and the most difficult of all 4 components to understand. Simply (like how I through that in there) follow what we call at Trinity, the “Rule of Three.”

Fresh is Best!

Make sure you have a visually equal portion size of a lean protein, starchy carbohydrate and a fibrous carbohydrate with every meal. Have a meal every 3 to 3.5 hours. Limit saturated fat. That’s any fat that’s stays solid at room temperature. Avoid hydrogenated oils, processed and simple carbohydrates and remember, if fat loss is the goal, sugar is out!

Second is Moderate Aerobic Exercise.Too much emphasis is placed on this component by well meaning, uneducated personal trainers and most weight loss and diet books/programs out there.

Get your heart rate up!

With a combination of low calorie diets and excessive amounts of cardio which burns calories, the body goes into a calorie deprivation mode. Rather than burning fat, the body holds onto fat (because it can survive off fat longer) and feeds on muscle to stay alive.

This decrease in muscle tissue slows metabolism, slows fat burning and gives the “fat skinny” person look. If you’re not familiar with my “fat skinny” person term, it’s someone who looks good in tight clothes, but won’t be caught dead in a bathing suit, because they have no muscle tone or definition. It’s all flab.

Whether you’re going out for a bike ride or chasing your pet around the coffee table, get your heart rate up for 10-20 minutes.

Next is Challenging Muscle. Muscle is where metabolism lives. If you want to burn fat, you have to increase muscle. The more lean muscle you develop, the higher your metabolism. The fastest way to develop muscle is to use full body workouts with a cardio aspect added within the workout.

Lifting weights burns fat faster than doing cardio!

For example, Squats, pushups, split squats, pull ups and jumping jacks, would be a simple workout (definitely not easy) but a great way to work the upper and lower body and adding a cardio aspect with split squats and jumping jacks

And finally, the one that most programs forget to include is Rest and Recovery. Several years ago there was a huge ad campaign referring to the “stubborn belly fat hormone.” Do you remember what the hormone was called? It’s Cortisol.

We are constantly bombarded with stress. Stress at home, work, driving, etc. Some stress is good stress. An example of good stress is working out. But, the majority of us encounter negative stress. This bad stress could be being late for work and sitting in traffic.

There are several ways to manage Cortisol levels. One way is to stay active. Keeping an active lifestyle helps burn up Cortisol so it’s not sitting there adding to fat stores. If going out for a run or hitting the gym isn’t an option, taking time to shut down can also help with Cortisol too.

Music helps you relax and unwind

Several of my clients are executives of corporations and can’t leave the office in the middle of the day, but they can close their office door, turn off the lights and listen to some relaxing music to help them de-stress and unwind.

If you take these 4 pillars and use them according to the way I outlined, you will see success! I guarantee it.

As I said in Part 1, this program is simple to lay out. Simple to understand, Simple to break down into parts and apply each, but it’s not EASY!

That was Easy!... Yeah, Right!?!?

There are no “EASY Buttons” when it comes to weight loss. Now, I’ll be honest, most of my clients, members and seminar participants that stick to the program and see extremely satisfying results; like, 20, 30 and even 75 and 100+ pounds lost; will tell you, it was a lot easier than they thought. However, saying it was as easy as the infomercials and ads claim it to be is just not realistic.

Are you ready?

Let’s get started!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan

Posted under Fitness Routines, Motivational

Simple vs. Easy

We see these two words every day in pretty much every aspect of our lives.

Today, I want to focus on them in relation to fitness, exercise and weight loss.  These words are frequently used in radio ads, billboards and street signs and in the infamous infomercials promoting products, gizmos and gadgets that are safe and “easy” to use. Or it’s so “simple”anyone can do it.

Is weight loss easy?

But, is it true?

Is weight loss simple?

Is weight loss easy?

Is it both?

In the past, I’ve seen clients and seminar attendees use these two words interchangeably. They really aren’t the same.

Dictionary.com defines simple as

“easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.: a simple matter; simple tools”

And the definition of easy is

“not hard or difficult; requiring no great labor or effort: a book that is easy to read; an easy victory.”

So, is staying on a fitness plan simple and/or easy?

Well, if you’ve ever tried losing weight and failed, you would probably disagree with both, right?  But, is it that weight loss isn’t simple and/or easy or was the approach doomed from the start?

There are so many weight loss solutions out there promising to be the simplest and easiest program, but 99% of these programs don’t work.

this one looks simple and easy!

They don’t focus on nutrition, lack the proper exercise routines and in some cases just flat out leave it all behind and the promise is in a drink or a pill.

In our desperation to lose weight and get the sexy toned body we see others with, we tend to leave common sense behind.

this is definitely easy.

Over the past 12 years, I’ve created programs for a wide range of clients. I’ve trained stay at home moms, business executives, CEO’s and professional athletes. The approach with each was different and although the motivation to exercise was also different, the concept of program design was the same.

All these programs have one thing in common, they are all SIMPLE! Remember the definition of simple is “easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.: a simple matter; simple tools”

But, I must admit they are not EASY!

You'll need to work in order to see results!

I think we go into a weight loss program wanting results, but like I said earlier we leave common sense behind and start to believe the ads. “This is going to be easy!”  When the results we’re looking for don’t come as quickly as we’d like, we start to lose faith in our ability to lose weight and stick to a program.

It doesn’t have to be that way.  There is a simple approach that works for everyone. But, it’s not easy.

If you’re a client/member of Trinity or have been to one of our fitness and nutrition seminars, then you’ve heard me speak about the simplicity of weight loss and how quick anyone can see results if they follow a well-designed program. But, I’ve never said it would be easy.

Our society today has really pushed the… Gotta have it NOW revolution to an extreme level. Everything from Quick Weight Loss to Fast Food on every corner, to reaching hundreds or even thousands of people instantly through social media, we’ve started to believe that everything in life can and will be easy.

Our society is becoming lazy at an early age!

But, it’s not the case with everything. Some things like weight loss, you still have to work for… and work a lot, but it is certainly achievable with the right mindset.

If you’ve seen anyone walking around with the body you want, they didn’t get it easy. (yeah, maybe some took short cuts “steroids” but that will catch up to them) I’m talking about the folks that followed a program, stuck to the program and made the program a part of their life and found a new way to live healthier and happier!

No, it’s not going to happen overnight, but it will happen.

The main thing is once you find a program that works, stick with it, follow through and you will see the weight loss and body you’ve always wanted.

Part 2 will cover the “How to” for following through with your fitness goals and see them a reality!

Posted under Motivational

(this is a personal post today!)

Man oh man, it’s been awhile since our last post!

For those of you who didn’t know or are new to our blog,  I had surgery in May to fix a torn ACL, meniscus and fractured Tibia.

After the staples came out

It was a routine surgery, but had a few complications afterwords.  Blood clots and the beginning of pneumonia!  So, I was out for a little longer than expected.

In the ER with 130 RHR! OUCH!

But, now everything is getting back to normal (as far as recovery and rehab go) and my daily routine consists of  physical therapy, working out and some office work.

Yes, I have needles in my ears! Acupuncture to help with the recovery.

To give you an update on the happenings at Trinity…

The Tae Kwon Do Team competed at the 2011 AAU National Championships.

We brought home an impressive 3 GOLD and 2 Bronze!

Team Trinity at the 2011 AAU Nationals

Check out this awesome highlight video of them training for nationals and competing!

2011 Trinity TKD Team – Road to Nationals

Congratulations Team Trinity! 3 Gold 2 Bronze!

Trinity had its 6th birthday in August!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I didn’t realize back in January 2011, that the goals I set may not get to pass because of my set backs. But we all go through them at some point.

There are only 4 months left in 2011!

But, we have 4 months to get caught up and accomplish our GOALS!

Remember this when things get tough!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan

Posted under Motivational, Personal