Earlier this week, the 7 week challenge ended and we now have a new group of winners to prove their dedication to living healthy and getting in shape. These people have spent weeks pushing beyond their limits and reaching the goals they tried so hard to get. Stay tuned for updates with the complete list of winners and their results, as well as pictures.
How to keep the commitment
By: Ruben Palacios
Are you following through with all your fitness resolutions? Are you still motivated, do you see a difference in how you look and feel? If any of your answers are NO, read everything below and truly understand the process of accomplishing your New Years resolutions.
NORM PHASE
The Norm phase is adapting to your fitness training commitment by learning that you can press through the tough days when you do not feel like training – and still get in a great workout. Every successful, long-term training individual knows — feeling bad at the beginning of the workout, often means this will be the best workout of the week.
PERFORM PHASE
The Perform Phase is achieved when fitness training becomes internalized, and fitness training becomes a part of who you are. The Perform Phase occurs when you have experienced the first three phases and begin to train consistently. Repetition eventually becomes habit, and that should be the ultimate goal of every fitness plan. Training can’t be a choice. Fitness training is just something that you do. It must become a part of who you are. During the first eight weeks of beginning a new fitness plan, you will not only be making positive physical changes, but there are also many positive mental benefits.
THE STRATEGY THAT WORKS
The best strategy is simply to be mentally prepared to experience all four phases … in advance. Identify the phase you are currently experiencing, and with maturity and confidence, work through the mental aspects of fitness training by sticking to the plan even on the tough days. This is the real test! When you reach the Perform Phase, maintaining the fitness plan is much easier. But you can’t achieve this level until the first eight weeks are completed and fitness training begins to become apart of who you are. For a free fitness consultation contact Ruben Palacios at Fitness Results (909) 305-0188.
The above was written by San Dimas trainer Ruben Palcios. Rueben is writting a column for the San Dimas community newsletter on health and fitness, so make sure to pick up a copy soon!
New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Done Right
By Ruben Palacios
Ok so you didn’t take my advice in the last article about maintaining your weight over the holidays and the New Year is here. Let me guess, you want to be one of the 4% who actually achieve their new year’s resolutions? I have the solution. First take a deep breath and close your eyes. Now I need you say this out loud and repeat 3 times. “I will stop making excuses and face the facts! This is the year I get in shape and extend my life”. Now open your eyes and reach for the closest phone and dial (909) 305-0188 and ask for Ruben. You have now committed yourself to this year’s fitness resolution. Imagine that: A new year’s resolution you won’t renew next year. Here’s a fitness crash-course I put together to help encourage you to make the most important phone call of your life.
Step 1: HIRE A PERSONAL TRAINER.
I cannot stress this enough. Do not think you can do this on your own. When your car breaks down or you get sick, you see a professional to handle things. Why should your fitness be any different? When someone walks into Fitness Results, we first do a full assessment: posture analysis, fat-to-muscle ratio, strengths and weaknesses. Once we know the basics, we design an individualized workout and nutritional program for your individual needs. You don’t know how many people tell me that a good trainer is too expensive, but then turn around and spend the same amount of money on a Coach Hand bag or Nintendo Wii. Buying material things won’t extend your life, investing in your health can.
Nutrition is responsible for approximately 70% of what you look like. A proper diet should have a small caloric deficit based on what you should be consuming while making sure there is enough protein to build and repair muscle, enough carbohydrates to provide energy and enough fat to ensure cells reproduce and stay healthy. A small, balanced and controlled meal every three hours is a good start. You won’t feel hungry throughout the day and you’ll speed up your metabolism. A good rule is to drink 10 cups of water per day. Even the slightest bit of dehydration can make you feel sluggish and hold you back.
Step 3: EXERCISE.
Strength training should be performed a minimum of three times a week to create the maximum amount of change within the body. With strength training, the goal is to increase the body’s metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more calories throughout the day. Resistance training will build muscle, which in turn requires the body to burn more calories on its own. Example: gain 5 lbs of muscle and burn an extra 300 calories a day without lifting a finger. In addition to strength training, cardio workouts will promote a strong heart, burn fat, and maximize the results of your workout in the least amount of time. There’s a tendency for people to focus solely on cardio and that will never give you complete results. Doing cardio alone will give you weight loss on the scale which might give you immediate satisfaction but it wont last long cause this reduction in weight has come from losing water retention and quality muscle. True Fitness Results come from reducing BODY FAT.
The following is an article written by Ruben Palacios for the December isssue of the San Dimas/La Verne community newsletter. He is a columnist and we will be posting his January and February articles soon.
A martini and a handful of Chex mix at the office party, Grandma’s fruitcake, the plate of gingerbread cookies from your neighbor. Eating all those goodies will definitely cost you a pound or two this holiday season. To burn off the calories in one gingerbread cookie, you will have to swim 18 minutes. The martini and party mix will take 47 minutes on the bike. And the fruitcake? Take an 84-minute walk. Most of us have no idea what a calorie is worth. The following exercise calculations are for a 155-pound person; add time if you’re lighter, subtract time if you’re heavier.Some of the numbers are downright depressing. A Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is 38 minutes on the bike — add 81 minutes if you grab a piece of coffee cake. It will take 72 minutes to walk off a half-cup of Ben and Jerry’s Butter Pecan, ouch! The holidays are one of the trickiest seasons for dieters. People tend to gain 5 to 10 lbs during the holidays and they don’t typically lose it by spring. Most Americans underestimate how much they’re actually eating by as much as 40 percent. Holiday foods are loaded with fat and calories so do your self a favor and start a customized workout plan that includes both cardio and resistance training a minimum of 3 times a week. The health benefits of resistance training include increased strength and muscular coordination, more muscle mass and higher bone density in men and women of all ages. An increase in muscle mass contributes to a higher basal metabolic rate, which can help in weight control. Check out these 5 simple ways slow down fat consumption from holiday foods:
The holidays are not an ideal time to try to start a diet. Rather, your goal should be to maintain your weight during this time frame. If you should decide to indulge in a piece of chocolate fudge or some other decadent dessert, don’t berate yourself. Simply cut back on calories elsewhere during the rest of the day or add a few extra sets of resistance training to your workout routine. For a free complementary consultation with Ruben Palacios, call Fitness Results at (909) 305-0188.
Fitness Results would like to thank Toady, KFROG, Chick-Fil-A, and the KFROG listeners for a great morning on Saturday January 26. Listeners were invited to an exclusive training session with Toady, who has now lost a total of 20 pounds and 28 inches overall. It was a great morning as the people met with the trainers for their own personal assesments and training, while learning quite a bit about their health and how to become healthier. Toady was on board to train as well as speak about her own success at Fitness Results. Participants were then treated to a delectable feast of sandwiches and wraps brought in by Chick-Fil-A. The winner of the 6 weeks of training was Vanessa Rose, who is more than excited to train. We will keep you posted on her results.
(Toady from KFROG with 6 Weeks of Training winner Stephanie Russo)
(The Chik-Fil-A Mascot)
(Trainer Leonard Mendoza with 6 Week Challenge Winner Yvette Patterson)