There are alot of factors that go into one's success when relating to their health and fitness goals but from my experience in the past 10 years of personal training people- believe it or not- the major factor isn't the sets or reps or how hard the workout is.... can you guess what it is?

Perfect exercise selection?

Nope.

Perfect diet.

It helps, but nope.

It is actually the talk between an individuals two ears and their belief that one can accomplish their goals.

To me it seems crazy that believing you can do something would lead to so much success but without a doubt- it makes a difference.

So, on that note, start today. Tell yourself you can accomplish it. Repeat it til you believe it. Then MAKE IT HAPPEN!

S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Attainable
R- Realistic
T- Timely

Have you ever wondered how to set a goal that is actually attainable? Focus in on creating a SMART goal so that you can make sure it happens for real.

Example: Make sure your goal is measurable and something that you can say x will happen in x amount of time. Make sure you can make small changes but going from 0 to 180 well thats just not likely gonna happen. Measure the progress in small steps along the way.

If you need help, shoot us a message! :)

 The week between Christmas and New Years always seems to be a blur. Here's a few way to get back on track.
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One thing I have noticed especially recently if you don't plan for it- it probably won't happen. So when you look at the checklist above - it will seem like you need to plan and stay positive- why is that?

Both are beyond true.  Why's that?

If something's written on your schedule- its more likely to happen than not.

So in regards to the checklist- 
- Schedule your workouts-  what you plan can happen. Be realistic- 2 to 3 times a week can get you result. Put it in your calendar. For me, I have a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old- I have to plan out when or else it certainly won't happen and I own a gym. How crazy is that?  I make it as convenient as possible. I sometimes involve my little girls and I accept it may not be a perfect workout.  I make sure my husband can fully take 2 or 3 times to watch them. I do the same for him.
- Map out your meals.  Breakfast is always something quick and easy. Lunch and dinners are tougher. Crocpot meals make things easier. Also using a meal prep service for breakfasts and lunches/ dinners when we have nightly plans make it a whole ton easier. I use Kraving Thyme in Niagara Falls- they deliver to Depew/ Lancaster and I think they taste great and we save money. A brief outline for us helps a crazy ton as if you look at your week you can see where a healthy meal may be a problem.
- When you stay on track- give yourself a high five...life is busy and tough- celebrate those wins.
- Have fun- life is way too short not to enjoy it. Find joy in life, meals and workouts. Its gotta be fun- play a pump up tune, do it with friends, make the process fun!

When you start out doing a fitness program, you normally have that huge goal that is like a distant goal then if it doesn't go as quick as we want we often get defeated. The thing is along the road to hitting that, you are probably hitting a heck of a lot small wins.

This hit me yesterday as I was working with a lovely woman named Dorothy- she's 97 years young and was able to walk the furthest distance she has walked in over a year which was AWESOME. What was even better was that two of her sons along with a grandson got to see it and celebrate the success.  Her goal is just to move better and feel better but her walking that extra 10 feet was huge.

So celebrate being able to do one more pushup, a heavier weight on your squat, a faster mile time on the bike. 

The little wins add up to the bigger ones but sometimes you need the small ones to keep you going cause you cant make it from A to Z without all the in between!

If you want help with your fitness, try out our group training program for a week and see what small wins you can achienve.youtu.be/gdGfqyeCjS0

Sleep is huge when it comes to staying on track! Funny how when life gets busy that often suffers but if you get good sleep, you'll have more energy, most likely make better food decisions plus have  hopefully the energy to exercise!

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If you want to read up a little more, here is a great article by Precision Nutrition on improving sleep too!www.precisionnutrition.com/how-to-sleep-better

Protein- its huge for helping you feel full and satisfied and at 4 cal/g- it’s a lower calorie option to help you feeling full and satisfied as holiday parties are among us.
Here’s a great article on the benefits of protein: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-protein
In a pinch, my go to protein for say when I am on the road or in the gym and cooking up a piece of chicken isn’t an option is to use a protein shake. If I had to pick the Fairlife Chocolate Shake that you can buy at BJs is a great pick- lower calorie and if I am to mix up one for a fruit Smoothie I use the TLS Slim.  Tastes great when ya mix with fruit and blend it up. 

For me protein is legit one of my go to, but if you aren't a fan keep trying different types til ya find one ya like. Cooking it different ways can make a difference too!

Funny thing here. Life doesn't always go according to plan.. The same with your health and fitness... REAL LIFE HAPPENS. As I am writing this it is 10:06 pm and for anyone who knows me- I like to bed early and I am awake when people think it is still night out but guess what...I got re-energized by a meeting I went to with a handful of business owners and was like I can handle getting the stuff I was gonna get to done to tonight. 

Life throws curveballs. You will miss workouts, the thing that separates those from those who hit their goals is those that choose to keep going and not give up, who keep positive even when they feel like everything is going against them. They choose that things will get better. The space between our ears tells us more than we realize, if you choose to stay positive, you can hit more goals than you realize!

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​Stretching is one thing that’s often neglected- it normally feels good when you do it but its an easy thing to say I will do that later then well ya know life happens.
 
For most people, hips, low back, shoulders and necks get tight. As much fun as holiday gatherings are, they can bring stress at the same time. In the video below, I will go over a few stretches to help you get just a little bit looser and no equipment needed. These focus on the hips and back. Later in the week, I will give ya some for your neck and shoulders Shoot me a message if you have any questions!

Here is tip #2 coming to you…this one I am a firm believer in- break a sweat daily. In my video you’ll see below- you may hear some wind or a different tone of voice cause it was immediately after my run this morning. The thing is we left at 8am to head back home from a quick trip to NYC but one thing my husband and I both did was went for a quick 10 minute run each. We took turns but both got that quick burst in. Here is a few reasons why I suggest even a quick 10 minute workout a day even when time isn’t always seeming like its there for it.

1. It’ll kickstart some energy. Exercise gives you those endorphins/ happy feet. Even a 10 minute burst will wake ya up a bit.
2. Burn some calories.
3. Often times, it’ll help make ya think about making better food choices as ya did something
4. Releases some stress.

Short little bursts aren’t ideal every day, but when you are busy and time doesn’t seem like there’s enough. Do something quick. 

Here's a quick example of a 10 minute workout when you are crunched on time
3 rounds- 10 reps of each
1. Knee hugs
2. Frankstein kicks
3. Arm Circles- circle in both directions

Workout
4 rounds :30:15
Speed Step ups ( go up and down on a low step as fast as you can)
Incline Pushups
Single Leg Deadlift to a knee up 
Other side
Deadbugs

If you have any questions on these, shoot me a message and I will send you a quick video of what it is. Give it a try when you are in a time crunch  or heck even if you aren't motivated to a do a full workout.

Get moving :)

 
Tip #3 will be a fun/ relaxing one!

Over the next 12 days, I am going to share 1 video a day to help you stay on track during the holiday season.
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My first tip is to stay hydrated.  The video below shows a quick explanation as to why but I like reading over video so I thought I would share a few reasons why in more explanation below:
1. Improve performance- when you are hydrated your muscles and organs can properly .

2. Help you feel fuller longer which can aid in weight loss

3. Helps lubricate joints- (cartilage contains a whole ton of water so this aids here)

4. Regulates your body temperature.

5. Flushes out the not so great stuff aka waste

6 Reduces the chance of  a hangover- heck in this time of years with the holiday season upon us, this could be huge!

Alright, stay hydrated and be on the lookout for tip #2 tomorrow.