Category Archives: Weight Management

Fitness Defined

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What comes to mind when you hear the word “fitness”?

Top answers:

  • Athlete
  • Exercise
  • Having a perfect body
  • Being a bodybuilder
  • Skinny
  • Strong
  • Working out in a gym all the time

All of these associations make sense. But I’ve found that fitness is much more than the above, and to get to where we want to be to embody truly vibrant health, a mindset check is in order.

Technically, the definition is fitness (n) : the condition of being physically fit and healthy.

90% of the time, fitness plans fail. Why? Because they address only our bodies, like most of the above associations, and like the first part of the formal definition. But there are two very important words at the end: AND HEALTHY. Those two words make the case that fitness encompasses so much more than only our physical selves.

While fitness is unequivocally connected to the state of our bodies, at the same time, our bodies are interdependent with our mind and environment. Fitness is a fluid state, not only about form, but function. Our bodies are affected by our our innermost mind, will, and emotions: the three elements that make up our soul.  In my experience, if our souls are overworked and spent, our bodies will feel the effects. If we’re mentally fatigued, our bodies lack energy. The sum of our whole well-being is made up of all the parts of us.

Personally, I’ve tried so many times in my life to make positive changes in my body and life just by making external changes to my exercise and diet. Feeling strong and healthy has always been important to me, and I understand that for me, I need to be intentional with my healthy choices to feel my best. But so many times, I’ve tried to work my way from outside to inside, sure that if I could just get my eating under control, or work out enough, that I would feel better and BE better. But this approach was never meaningful for me long term. I failed to connect the positive changes I wanted to make with a deep purpose, or WHY I wanted to make them, and so I wasn’t fully working on my fitness. I was only working on my body. While external physical training definitely has value, by nature, it doesn’t create fully realized value, or wholeness, in and of itself.  Wholeness is realized when we figure out our own holistic “why”, and commit to building our chosen habits from there. Why do you want to be physically fit and healthy at this point in your life?

I’ve created successful fitness programs for myself and many others for the last fifteen years. And I know there’s just no need to spend your life in a gym to be fit and maintain results. Who has the time? Do it if you love it; a gym itself is a tool to work with. Long-term, if you want to create evergreen effectiveness in managing your well-being, think about why YOU, as a person, want to upgrade your health. Like dedicating money to a long term sound investment, dedicating time to the pursuit of well-rounded fitness will benefit you many times over.

What do YOU need to be successful? How will investing in yourself energize your health, and give you the gift of fullest well-being for life?

Social support is vital to the process. The hardest part is usually getting started. You have the power to take the next small action that will get you closer to the positive change you want! I’m here to help. Send questions to me at blendablebalance@gmail.com.

Why Fitness Fails

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We all know a story of someone who lost a lot of weight using some kind of short-term diet or exercise. It worked for them, so maybe you tried it, and maybe it worked…or didn’t. And even if it DID work at first, it probably didn’t last.

I am SO OVER the schemes:  detoxes, cleanses, low carb, high carb, high fat, low fat, no fat, diet pills, waist trainers, body wraps, infomercial products, not there for it. The American “diet” industry brings in over $65 billion each year. The commercial fitness equipment market only approaches one billion, but is projected to grow to about 13 billion annually by 2022. That’s a lot of toys that claim to change your body in “just thirty minutes a week!”

Most of that commercialization is about motivating you to spend money buying the promise of a better body. You’re sold a method instead of a system, and almost any new method is going to produce a short term result. But by nature, that result cannot be sustained. That’s why over 95% of people who lose weight regain it within a year. That often feels like a personal failure, and then it’s onto the next method. Those disheartening results tell us something, and it’s NOT that we are failures: there has to be a better way!

Method = Short Term Quick Fix

Method = Money Pit

Method = An Endless Loop of Failure By Design

Using methods can look like this: buying new, fancy exercise equipment. Under-eating calories every day. Joining a gym. Going on a low-carb diet. Methods only work if you never stop using them. Some people can do one specific thing their whole life, like count calories, and be successful but…spoiler alert, I am not one of them! I need a holistic system to make it all work, and I’m willing to bet you do too.

Truthfully, the quick fix does not exist.

It’s not that methods can’t ever work…they can!  But the reality I’ve observed for every one of my clients is that there HAS to be a framework in which methods operate, in order to create lasting change. Just as you can’t expect to achieve maximal results by doing exactly the same exercises, sets, and reps over and over, you need to address more than just muscles when you’re changing your body and your health.

System = Long Term Solution

System = Real Return on Investment

System = An Ongoing Path to Sustainable Positive Results

A great fitness system is one that takes you and all aspects of YOUR health and life into account. You realize measurable, sustainable results within hours, days and weeks, and if you work consistently within your own personalized plan, you get results that never quit. Your dedication + the right support at the right time = forever success.

The quick fix does not exist. If you want to be confidently fit forever, develop and embrace your own system! I use a holistic approach, finely developed over many years, that can help you realize your highest level of well-being. Your system, because fitness is personal, and defining it for yourself makes success sustainable.

Dedication to a well-rounded program created specifically for you will achieve amazing results. Respect where you are now, embrace positive change, and forever upgrade your life.

Learn more about coaching and reach out with fitness questions here.

I explored psychology as a concentration in college, and although I was engaged and did well, it wasn’t quite right for a career path. However, studying critical thinking, motivation, personality and social behavior in-depth planted some important idea seeds for me. Here are a few that helped me get my head on straight about my own fitness and health:

  1. Conventional wisdom is so often wrong. Just because you’ve heard it (or read it on the Internet) doesn’t make it true. Some sources are better than others and there is SO MUCH INFORMATION out there about what to do or not do, that I find many people reaching out to me aren’t sure of exactly where to start.
  2. Action comes before motivation.  In the brain, you literally create and strengthen new ways of thinking and behaving by taking action. You also have the power to stop bad habits in their tracks and create lasting good ones by using intentional rewards and focusing on one small action at a time.
  3. Personality counts.  No two people keep themselves healthy by doing the exact same things.  How do YOU gain the most energy?  What makes YOU happy? Knowing who you are and taking into account your life situation and current resources are paramount.
  4. You need other people.  Even if you are more introverted than extroverted, you’ll benefit so much by potentially stepping outside of your comfort zone and acting on the guidance of true expertise. You may need friends/loved ones/your tribe to cheer you on to do your best. It can be much easier to overcome unhealthy habits and create better ones with a trusted friend, and/or a whole tribe lifting you up. This was key for me personally in creating long lasting healthy eating habits.

Want to know more about how to create space in your brain and your life for positive change?  I’m all about supporting what works for you in a real, fun and uplifting way. Reach out to me directly at blendablebalance@gmail.com with any questions.

The Truth About Weight, Genetics, and Intensity

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You know a guy from work lost forty pounds by swearing off carbs. Your spouse dropped four inches from their waist after walking six miles a day. Your best friend went vegan and gained tons of energy, morphing into the best shape of their life. But when you try to do what they did for the same amount of time, you don’t lose much fat, and may even feel physically sick. What gives?

It turns out that genes and body chemistry can have a significant effect on the outcome of your efforts.

Unsurprisingly, most people, about 88%, respond to higher intensity exercise versus a lucky 12% who will be able to lose fat and manage their weight with lower to moderate intensity work. On the diet spectrum, there seems to be a more even split: about half of people lose fat on a lower carb diet, while the other half responds more to low fat eating.

This explains to some degree why many people spend hours in the gym and get no tangible results. Most people cannot rely on a thirty minute, steadily paced elliptical workout to create change in their bodies beyond a week or two. It’s just not intense enough. Moreover, modes like weight training with heavy resistance and CrossFit can deliver results because they create a higher intensity that has the potential to produce those results.

The caveat, however, is that most people should not start with a high-intensity workout like this. To safely and sustainably progress in your weight loss as well as overall fitness, you need to dedicate plenty of program time to overall movement quality: soft tissue, mobility and stability work. Otherwise, you may be losing weight, but your high intensity moves are likely exacerbating existing imbalances further and pre-disposing you to sub-optimal structure and function, as well as injury.

Mindful of this, I recommend working with a knowledgeable, professional coach who can help you address your weaknesses and heal imbalances before progressing appropriately. You’ll prevent pain and injury and feel good in your body. Then, you can build your workout intensity and continue progressing in your fitness and weight management goals.

I’m happy to answer any questions you may have! Please reach out to me directly at blendablebalance@gmail.com.

For further reading on some of the genetic science, check out Rock Star Research.

What’s Your Soul Food?

The landscape used to look very different in America.  Prior to WWI, most citizens were farmers, working and eating from the land.  Farm-to-table wasn’t a hipster movement but an actual way of life.rockyridge

When I was little, I was only allowed to eat real food for the first few years, albeit a slice of birthday cake here and there.  As I got older, fast food became more ubiquitous because of convenience and the fact that it tasted good, so everyone in the family would eat it.

As a result of the Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, pizza, and Chinese food, I got lazy.  I barely knew how to cook when I left college, and when I moved to CA I was mostly surviving on frozen food from Trader Joe’s.  Thankfully, I learned the basics of cooking soon after moving.

I’ve never felt better than when I make dinner every night: fresh veggies, something with healthy fat and protein, green salad, and complex carbs.  A serving of each seems to be in perfect balance with whatever my body needs.  When I get away from that, my energy and well-being suffer.

Food is truly natural, un-processed, and has few ingredients.  Non-food is processed, probably comes in a bag or box, and may have six ingredients or sixty.  Just because something is edible doesn’t make it food.  Just because you grew up eating something, doesn’t make it food.  Just because it tastes good, doesn’t make it food.  Check your habits at the door and question everything you think you know about food and eating.  When you open your thought process, rather than chasing the latest “diet”, you’ll be able to make the choices that are best for your health and your well-being: true soul food.

I like the 80/20 guide: eighty percent of the time, eat fresh things (food) that originally came from the ground, not a factory.  The other twenty percent of the time, enjoy stuff you like that’s fast, processed (non-food) and/or not the healthiest choice.  Not 80 percent salad, though.  Change it up regularly so you and your taste buds don’t get bored.  (Plus 20 percent for whatever your cupcake equivalent is!)

Pro tip # 2: add three fresh vegetables (two green) and two fresh fruits to your daily eating.  Have fun with it by looking up healthy, delicious recipes that use in-season, thus more affordable veggies.   Simply planning more and adding produce will have you well on your way to higher-nutrient eating and more energy to live life and meet your goals.

[Photo: Santa Teresa State Park, San Jose, CA]

Diets Don’t Work! What To Do Instead

lyon1Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, vegan, juice cleanses, raw food, gluten-free…there are a lot of diets out there.  Every one of them markets itself as the “right” one for you, and does so brilliantly.  You’re unhealthy because you eat carbs (Atkins).  No, because you eat the wrong kind of carbs (South Beach). Actually, you don’t eat enough meat/animal fat (Paleo).  Whoa, you shouldn’t be eating anything from an animal ever (vegan)!  Time to “detox” (juice cleanses) and make sure your body has enough “living” enzymes (raw food).  And wheat is definitely ruining your digestive system (time to go gluten-free)!

I don’t believe in defining any food as inherently bad – REAL food, that is.  Allergies and sensitivities are one thing, but food itself is not bad.  In fact, real food is delicious, energizing and satisfying.  More to come on food vs. not food; right now we need to reclaim the four-letter D-word.

Did you know that the word “diet” comes from the Greek root “diaita” meaning “way of living”? A diet is not what you don’t eat, not a fad, and not something you “go on” to lose weight.  The way we currently use the word doesn’t work for me, and TRAINER NEWSFLASH: it doesn’t work for anyone.  “Diets” fail almost 100% of the time.  Weight is re-gained, and you have “failed”.  But a “diet” was never the answer, failure was inevitable, and it’s not your fault.   You’ve been set up.  Most people do not realize this.  The diet and weight loss industry is worth over 20 BILLION dollars for a reason, and that’s because a lot of people buy the hype.  We buy it because we need an answer to this problem of how to eat, enjoy our food, and stay healthy in the age of technology.  How on earth are we supposed to do all three at once?

Conventionally, “diets” are a temporary solution to an ongoing problem, so first we’ve got to re-define what a diet is.

Diet (n.) : what you eat.

That’s it.

Everything is permissible to eat, but not everything is beneficial to eat.

Some things, especially in large amounts, can cause metabolic harm (soda, beer, and refined sugar come to mind).  Does that mean you need to limit those things?  Absolutely.  Does it mean you can never enjoy those things?  Absolutely not.

I want eating to be a pleasurable experience and I believe it should be.   As a trainer, I often fine-tune how my clients are eating.  Recommendations always depend on lifestyle and goals, and eating is mindful and balanced with physical activity to derive maximum enjoyment.  It’s so much better than any depressing “diet” of deprivation, and all it takes is curiosity and a few simple guidelines.

The best news of all: it’s sustainable forever.

There’s no “going off the diet” and re-gaining what you’ve worked so hard to lose.  No “failing” and feeling badly about yourself.  Just simplicity and balance.  Savoring and splurging.  Feeding your body and mind what you need to function at your best.

So no more “diets”!  Eat mindfully, and be happy.

[Photo: Lyon Street; San Francisco, CA]

bamboo

This is a blog about fitness: the new primary care.  It starts with you.

In the modern world, self care is more important than ever.  Overweight adult Americans will be at 75% of the country’s population by 2020 (CDC 2013).  This is a national nightmare that we have yet to wake up from.  At this rate, if we don’t snap out of it soon, we’ll all be struggling with our health in a matter of years.  What kind of a life is that?  I’m not suggesting you go on an all-out juice diet, or spend hours in a gym.  I’m talking about your health: all of it, everything that you believe and do.  I’m telling you that being strong physically carries over into everything else in your life.  We’re going to talk about how you can find what works for you and re-define the terms “diet” and “exercise”.  I’m going to guide you through the fitness forest and share with you ways to eat and move and take care of yourself that will leave you happier and more energetic in the moment.  This isn’t about short-lived fads or unsustainable deprivation.  You’re going to be empowered to attain and maintain your healthiest body forever.

Why haven’t we all been able to do this already?  A major factor is the external world and its lack of support for healthy habits.  The American environment today has changed radically in the last several decades along with the technological boom.  The car, the TV, and the computer have created a world where we can easily sit over eight hours a day (in the car, at your desk, in the car, on the couch, repeat).  Just a generation ago, this was unthinkable, and there were relatively few chronically overweight and ill Americans.  Today, most of my clients fall into one of these categories when we talk for the first time:

A) Happy with their bodies, which are strong and capable, with plenty of energy to complete everything they want to accomplish in life and as clean a bill of health as possible

B) Approaching or in middle age and starting to notice weight gain and lack of energy; may have had blood work come back with newly diagnosed pre-diabetes or other concerning news

C) Dealing with significant weight gain or unhappy with their bodies, frequently sick and tired, on one or more prescription medications, and/or barely keeping it together with all of the tasks they need to complete in a given day

D) Suffering from one or more health conditions; having given up on ever attaining a healthy body or living the life they want and are coming to me in a last-ditch effort to get healthy and save their lives.

It’s time to exit the revolving door of weight ups and downs, forget needless “diet” deprivation and ditch the joyless drudgery of “exercise”.  You will enjoy food, movement, and life by learning and using a few simple tools that I’m going to teach you.  You’re going to use your external environment to engineer better health for yourself and those around you.  You’re going to free your mind from the burden of never feeling thin enough, productive enough, or good enough and become your healthiest self (at every age).  Keep reading and embrace the ideas and tools that you find here.  Come with me and with dozens of clients that have successfully adapted their lifestyles for optimal health and happiness.  I’m so excited to assist you along the way!  You owe it to yourself to find your A game.

[Photo: Bamboo Forest; Maui, Hawaii]