Carbs Don't Make You Fat - FAT DOES

     

Don't say it! Not the dreaded C-word! Sometimes I think girls believe that just saying the word "carbs" will make them fat. What do you think of when you think of carbs? Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and beans? Somewhere in the ballpark? Ever since the whole "low-carb" craze hit, people have all but banished these amazing foods from existence. This fallacious belief could be having a negative effect on your weight loss. In just a few short minutes you will see that carbs are not the enemy and hopefully find the balanced way to enjoy these not only delicious but nutritious foods again. 

The Skinny on Carbs

There are good carbs and bad carbs just as there are good fats and bad fats. So, how do you know which is which? Pasta, sweet potatoes, brown rice, beans and wheat bread are categorized generally under complex carbs, nicknamed "good carbs" and soda, candy, artificial syrups, white rice, white potatoes, and other desserts like pastries and cookies are simple carbs aka "bad carbs". I know this can be confusing because technically, fruits and vegetables are simple carbs. Here's the difference: the fiber found in fruits and veggies changes how the body breaks down and stores these simple carbs for energy later. These healthy simple carbs are processed more like a complex carbohydrate. When in doubt choose the carbs closest to the earth. Everydayhealth.com has a great article on good carbs vs bad carbs.

The Higher the Climb the Harder the Fall

 We have all heard of a "sugar rush"or maybe even had a few. A sugar rush comes from a massive spike in your blood sugar from eating simple carbohydrates. For instance, it is mid-afternoon and your workday is dragging, you go to the vending machine and get a caffeinated soft drink for a quick pick me up, you feel a little more alert and a get a boost for a short time, an hour later you are fading fast, feeling more tired than before you had the soft drink. That is an example of the peaks and valleys of a simple carbs sugar dump into the bloodstream. The worse news is those simple sugars are easily converted into fat cells. Complex carbohydrates breakdown slower releasing a more even energy supply over an extended period of time. It is the more efficient energy source. So look for whole grains, whole wheat, whole oats and brown rice and you can enjoy these without F.O.G.F (fear of getting fat). Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

Shhhh....Secret Fat-Loss Recipe Below

1) Make sure you are eating the right amount of calories for your activity level. (Find BMR here)

2) Subtract about 500 calories from your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and set that as your daily limit

3) Carb Cycle- 2 Low Carb Days to 1 High Carb day choosing mostly vegetables on low carb days

4) Only eat complex carbs when you are going to be ACTIVE. Choose veggies or fruit otherwise

5) Exercise (weights & cardio for 45-60 minutes 4-6 days a week burning 500+ calories each time

6) Hydrate, sleep and repeat! 

Of course, a personal trainer is an invaluable resource to help you build a specific program tailored to you but this will give you an idea of how to lose 1-2 lbs a week and feel great doing it. 

IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

Nutrient Timing is Vital

People get so caught up in not eating at all after 5pm...that is NOT the problem! Your body doesn't go into fat storage mode magically at 5pm. It is on 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If I start my day at noon and go to bed at 3am on a regular basis, dinner time for me could be 10pm. The time is not important. The activities in which I will be engaging are crucial to carb choices. Simply, choose lean, clean, colorful carbohydrates and lean proteins for dinner. Think of complex carbs as a ENERGY SOURCE. You don't need to put more gasoline in your car just to have it sitting there overnight, right? You can fuel up in the morning. Same for your body. You don't need bread, pasta or rice at bedtime just to lay there over night. When you get up to go about your busy day is when you need that fuel so "carb up"in the morning. 

Wrapping It Up

Don't believe every fad diet you see on t.v. The truth is low carb diets are not healthy for long periods of time. There are vital nutrients that your body requires daily and balance is everything. It is not just a cliche. Focus on good quality whole grains and oats, nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits and veggies. Make sure you are eating complex carbs only when you are going to be active for the next few hours. Hydrate (around a gallon of water a day), relax your mind/reduce stress whenever possible (that is another blog regarding stress, cortisol and weight gain coming soon) and sleep for as close to 8 hours as possible. 

That, my friends, is one of the major keys to leading a truly balanced and healthy lifestyle. I am always here when you need me. I love questions and dialogue, comments, feedback and even constructive criticism from qualified readers. We are on this journey together. The only way to improve our health is to constantly educate ourselves and each other, to lead by example and encourage one another along our journeys. Until next time.....

NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Golf Fitness Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Online Health & Fitness Coach & Healthy Lifestyle Expert

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Delicious Guilt-Free Tuna Salad- Zero Carb & Virtually Fat Free!

If you love tuna salad as much as I do then you know how easy it is to take something so lean and clean such as tuna and turn it into a   Diet Disaster. MAYONNAISE & EGG YOLKS were my favorite part of my mom's creole tuna salad growing up. Sorry mom, had to change it up! Back in the day before I became a fitness and nutrition coach, I used to scoop half a jar of mayo into the bowl over the tuna (packed in oil of course) before I ever added a single vegetable. I couldn't even imagine throwing away the yolks! She's all growed up now, kids and things have changed for the better! I have found a way to get my favorite snack, wipe out roughly 99.9% of the cholesterol, virtually ALL of the fat and pack in loads more flavor. Nothing to lose but weight if you give this recipe a try.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

-5oz Premium Wild Caught Tuna
                                (In water)

-2 Hard-boiled Eggwhites -chopped

-2 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard

-3oz Fresh Raw Spinach (chopped)

-1/2 cup Bell Peppers Assorted                                         (chopped)

-1 clove Elephant Garlic (diced)

-1/8 cup chopped Scallions

-1/8 cup chopped broccoli

-Salt-free spice of your choice
(ground chipotle chili pepper shown)

INSTRUCTIONS: Are you ready?

1) PUT IN BOWL

2) MIX WELL

3) ENJOY! 

NUTRITION FACTS

Calories: 225

Protein: 37g

Carbs: 0g

Fat: 2g

#FunningOut... not WORKING out! Make Fitness Fun

Personal Trainer and Expert Fitness Coach, Dom Spain

I get this ALL the time! How do you stay so fit? How can you workout EVERYDAY? The key is NOT "working out" everyday! I have found a way to make fitness playtime for me and my clients! People are more likely to stick to a program that doesn't feel like work. All you have to do is identify what activities are fun for you. It will differ for every person. Once you figure out what your "funning out"
program is you can identify others on your same game plan and join in the fun! The focus of this blog is to give you MY story of how I find a way to make my job as a personal trainer/ fitness lifestyle coach and my personal workout program fun. I don't wake up in the morning and say, "Ugh, I HAVE to go to work"or "Gawd, I HAVE to workout". I am actually REALLY excited that I GET to go to work and that I GET to workout! Hopefully, after reading this you will find your own way to put the FUN back in fitness!

Make Your Workout A Game! 

Who doesn't love games, right? I know I can't turn down a good game ever. Find out what kind of gamer you are.  Do you like trivia or boardgames or video games? You can incorporate certain qualities of each of those types of game into your workout. For example, I love stategy games. So Battleship is my go to game. I see the gym floor as a battle field. While I am doing my cardio or warm up I look out across the "battle field" and I scope out my opponents. I see who is using what machine I need and I size them up. How many sets are they doing? How many reps? Are they the camping type that sits in that SAME machine for an hour or are they skilled enough to move around and do a circuit? Once I get a handle on "who" they are as a gymponent I get ready for battle. I wait until the perfect moment and I TAKE command of that machine. Stealth and precision. I get in I do my set and I get out before they ever even knew I was there. I walk away feeling like James Bond. DOM FOR THE WIN! I know it may sound silly but I tell you what, I am so focused on the game that I lose sight of the fact that I am working out! I just feel like I am playing around. Give it a go. It may or may not work for you but how can you know if you haven't tried it? 

Make a WAGER! I BET you can't....

Put something on the line for yourself. If you set a high goal and you HIT it then you reward yourself with something else that is fitness related. For me it is apparel. I love to buy new workout clothes. If I hit my goal then I leave the gym and go to the store of my choice and buy a new shirt or bottoms. If I blow my goal out of the water then I buy a new pair of workout/running shoes. What I did was I set myself up with a challenge that was ALMOST impossible. Being a highly competitive person...even I jump on and just DO IT...only then did I find out that 10 mph was TOO SLOW!! I would never have known if I didn't challenge myself. That goal that seemed impossible (especially if you ever hear a treadmill picking up speed to 10 mph... it sounds like a plane taking off!) was suddenly a piece of cake. I pushed it up to 12 mph and found my next goal. I created a new challenge for myself by simply challenging myself in the first place. Now, I am aiming for 13mph. Just like any other bet there has to be something to lose. So, If I don't hit my goal I have to do another 15 minutes of my least favorite cardio. Let's be honest....I HATE running so I will do whatever it takes to not have to run for 15 minutes. Bottom line, set a goal that seems impossible and work your tail off to get the prize!
with myself....I HAVE to beat the system. I HAVE to win. So set your eyes on a goal...a challenge. I told myself, "You are not very good at running. I bet you can't sprint at 10 mph for 45 seconds. I get the treadmill running at 10mph and (link to my video of this moment >)  

Challenge a Friend by Calling Them Out

People love being called out because we are so competitive and honestly....quite an arrogant people.

OH, no she DIDN'T!"comes to mind as I am writing this. I get it all the time. A workout friend will post themselves doing something and say something like, "Ohhhh, Dom Spain! Look what I just lifted! Isn' t that MORE than you in this exercise?" Uhmmmm.... oh HELL NO! I get to the gym and lift more and send it right back and say, "Hmmmm valiant effort but NO, I GOT this!" It just goes back and forth. We are playing a game of who is better, who is stronger, who can do more of whatever but really what we are doing is holding the other person accountable and making one another better. Try it with your closest fitness friends and see what happens.

Wear Funky Shirts! (not the smelly funky kind, please)

Wear something that pushes you every time you look in the mirror. I love when I am teaching my classes or training a client if I am not wearing my company DomSpainFitness apparel seeing one of my signature altered graphic tees looking back at me reminding me that I am stronger than yesterday or skilled in every position or whatever it might say. It pushes me to do that statement proud. No matter where I go, I am representing that statement and myself. It is really hard to make ridiculous decisions wearing a shirt that says, "Make Muscles Not excuses!"

Have a Signature Victory Dance

Mine is an old school running man! Every time I do something that makes me proud I will bust out my signature ( and quite amazing if I may say so myself) MC Hammer Running Man and a Hammer Style dance! If you have ever workout with me you have seen this! No compliments necessary on my mean dance moves. I literally LOVE working out because it is MY TIME. All about me and nobody else. If you are a mom like me, or a wife or a boss or whatever....we spend our whole day focused on other people. The gym or home, wherever you workout, is YOUR time to just PLAY and give your body and yourself a little love. If we don't care of ourselves, how effective can we be at taking care of others? It is ok to self love. As a matter of fact, I CHALLENGE you to a game of SELF LOVE! I BET you can't love yourself more than I can love me! Are you up for the challenge. Post pictures and tag me and I will accept your challenge too! As always, this is a journey that we are on TOGETHER. I am right here with you. It's us against ourselves. Let's go out there and make ourselves PROUD today! GAME ON!

Until, next time.....

Vacation Diet Survival Guide: Party On & Weight Off

It is FINALLY that time! VACATION TIME! No work, no errands, no routine. Time to let your hair down and break out your comfiest flip flops, bathing suit and sunscreen (if you are fortunate enough to be vacationing somewhere sunny) or maybe it's your snow boots and earmuffs. 
Either way, you get

My festive WATER JAR 4th of July 2015-West Palm Beach, FL

my drift. Usually the first thing to be compromised on vacation is your diet. Am I right? Yes, I am. I know this because I just got back from vacation and...... GUILTY! While my recent trip to West Palm Beach, FL for the holiday weekend was a total cheat weekend and we ate at fancy restaurants and shared indulging 4 star dishes (only a half splurge since we literally shared one naughty dish when dining out instead of getting two and having leftovers) I was inspired to write this article about how NOT to do what I just did. The purpose of this blog post is to remind myself of how I stayed on track when I was competing in fitness and figure competitions and traveling/vacationing at the same time and to help you prepare in the future with reaching your fitness goals without having to cut yourself off from all the vacation fun. Read on and I hope my trusty tricks help.

HAVE A PLAN - Call ahead to plan out your workout options. If you are staying at a hotel call for information about the facility equipment and hours. Find a workout plan for what the facility has available. For instance, in my hotel this past weekend I had access to an elliptical, two treadmills, a recumbent bike and dumbbells up to 75lbs. I planned cardio, a routine for free weights and scheduled a workout time in the lull between festivities.  If you are visiting with family or friends scope out the nearest gym and ask what day pass fees are. Learn where outdoor trails or parks are so you can schedule in a 30-60 minute workout. Ask your family and friends in advance if they would join you so they can get it in their minds and try to commit. Suggest outdoor activities with loved

one. Staying healthy on vacation is simply about CHOOSING to and COMMITING to the PLAN.

GEAR UP -  Pack several days worth of workout clothes and sneakers, extra socks and underwear just to have a safety net and less opportunity for excuses. Let's be realistic. Speaking from experience (GUILTY!) we get LAZY on vacation. Enjoying the freedom and much needed relax mode. Understandable. Nobody is perfect and when we are on vacation, staying up later than usual, maybe drinking more than we should it is really hard to get up and workout in the morning but not nearly as hard as trying to workout in jeans and sandals should the beastmode bug bite you so GEAR UP and be prepared!  I always...literally always say,  "It is better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them."

BRING HEALTHY FOODS- Bring clean snacks like almonds, fresh and dried  fruit, protein bars, granola bars etc so you can avoid fat loaded, sodium ridden junkie munchies.  I really enjoy taking one evening before the trip to prepare well balanced meals to pack in the cooler as a healthy option. I take a couple pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast and a couple pounds of tilapia or steak and bake it all at the same time along with chopped vegetables and whole sweet potatoes. Cook them until they are done, let them cool down a bit and then weight and measure them

into tupperware bowls. Seal and label and put the majority of them in the freezer after they have met  room temperature. I label them and put the intended date and time on post it and place it on a corresponding meal. For instance, if I am going on vacation for the weekend I would pack 4 meals in the cooler (3 frozen and one cold. Take one out of the freezer whenever you consume one). I label them  Early Snack Saturday, Late Snack Saturday, Early Snack Sunday and Late Snack Sunday. If I end up not eating them all they are frozen so I can have them another time. Again, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I'm not trying to Nutrition Nazi you. You can choose whatever healthy foods you like, obviously. I just prefer these and used it as a personal example.

DRINK RESPONSIBLY- Always eat healthy starchy foods before you begin drinking. Studies show that drinking on an empty stomach leads togetting drunk faster, says Anahad O'Connor from the New York Times. Most people make horrible choices when they are drunk due to lowered inhibitions. We tend to eat a lot more of what is a lot worse for us. It is proven that eating a meal before drinking allows our body more time to break down alcohols and absorb it more slowly. 

Bottom line, prime your stomach before you start drinking and you will consume a lot fewer bad choice calories. The drink choices could also save you calories and help keep your diet on track. Try a tonic water or soda water for a mixer versus sprite, cola or juices. Choose a light beer over a heavy lager, etc. Every good decision counts. 

DINE WISELY - It is absolutely impossible to avoid restaurants on vacation in my humble opinion and honestly, who wants to do that? I adore getting dressed up and hitting the town. I am absolute foodie so part of my joy of traveling is dining out but there is a way to dine out and not PIG OUT! I would never suggest not trying a delicious dish at a great restaurant or going to your friends favorite pub, not in a million years but I will say there is a way to manipulate the menu and split the caloric burden. For example, we went to a wonderful restaurant and decided that we would order one appetizer and one entree  between the two of us. We were worried that it might not be enough food but surprisingly we had to leave a few bites on the plate. We took our time, enjoyed the view, the conversation, the ambiance and the decadent food but we made the conscious choice to not  gorge ourselves. You can have the experience without the caloric expense (lightens the wallet burden too). Try it out! You might surprise yourself.

DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP- At the end of the day, you are ON VACATION! Enjoy yourself. The whole point is to unwind and relax your mind so you are refreshed for the grind when you get home. I am certainly not saying go stuff your face and lay around all trip long but if you don't get in any exercise or go out and eat things you know are bad for you....just enjoy it, chalk it up and get back to business when you return. It helps to front load (do a few extra sessions the previous week) on cardio and weight lifting to create a bigger caloric deficit before you

West Palm Beach July 4, 2015

go just in case you don't get to workout. I teach group classes throughout the week so the week before this past 4th Of July vacation I took my classes as I taught them. I workout side by side with my classes as well as rode my bike everywhere instead of driving. Bottom line- you are not going to gain 10lbs in a week so don't stress. I know people who have gained that in 10-14 days so don't go crazy, please. If you work hard, eat clean and live a healthy life it is ok to just ENJOY without regret. Life is about choices so make good ones. Life is about balance. Too much of anything is too much. I am always just a reply away if you have any questions or comments. I would love to hear them! I am on this journey with you everyday too. One day at a time. What good is life if we can't enjoy it's simple pleasures? HAPPY VACATION! Work hard to play hard. Until we meet again.... 

Eat Less Sugar.. You're Sweet Enough!

By Any Other Name, It's STILL Sugar!

     

"Food isn't getting healthier...the food industry is just getting stealthier."

                                      -Dom Spain, CPT, GFS, CES

 

     How are we supposed to defend ourselves against added sugars if we are not even aware that it's lurking in the nutrition label shadows? I like to think of sugar as the Jason Bourne of diet assassins. It can hide in many different places, operate under many different names and just when you think you have a handle on this healthy eating thing BAM... it catches up to you. It is a tactic that large food corporations have calculated to keep the sales of their products high. It came as no real surprise to me that we consumed a staggering 10.8 million metric tons of sugar in just the United States this past year. I could go on and on about the negative health effects of consuming too much sugar but let's be honest, we already know that for the most part. What I don't think enough people understand is what to look for and what to do to counter this "low-carb" calamity. What I aim to accomplish with this article is bringing cognizance to the hidden sugars agenda in hopes that you will spend a bit more time not just "taking their word for it". 

The First Step to Sugar Survival is to Identify it by it's Many Names 

     A rule of thumb that I learned when I was a newbie to the health and fitness world is anything that ends in -ose is typically a type of sugar. If you have ever been  grocery shopping EVER you have heard of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS on some labels). That does not mean that if it doesn't end in -ose that it isn't a sugar so keep looking. The obvious ones are anything with "syrup" or "sugar" in the name. We are getting more health conscious every year so we know agave and honey are not as healthy as added sweeteners as once believed. Just knowing that the industry is trying to hide these sugars is reason enough to take a closer look and regain control of your nutrition. 

Stealthier Sugars: 

• Diatase 
• Diastatic Malt
• Ethyl Maltol
• Maltodextrine
• Muscovado
• Panocha
• Sorbitol
• Treacle
• Turbinado

How Does this Help Me Lose Weight?  

     When the body encounters sugars, it will try to use them for energy. If there is more sugar than your body needs the liver (the sorting factory) will store the excess by converting into fatty acids through lipogenesis. These fatty acids are  then packaged into small fat molecules called triglycerides for later energy use. We do NOT want this excess sugar because is converted DIRECTLY into FAT if the body has no immediate energy use for it. Sugar is not REALLY the enemy but with it hiding in just about everything we consume by one nomer or another the EXCESS sugar consumption is the enemy. Simply put: HIGH BLOOD SUGAR = HIGH BODYFAT 

What's the Deal with Artificial Sweeteners?

     The sugar substitute argument has strong opinions for and against the health benefits. These alternatives are attractive to consumers looking to lose weight due to the fact that they add virtually zero calories to your diet.  You will have to do your homework and read up on the pros and cons of sweeteners. I have my own personal opinion and I would be more than happy to write another article on the science & statistics for the major sweeteners on the market. For now,  let's cover the basics. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic alternatives to sugar that can sometimes be a derivative of a naturally occurring substance such as an herb, beets or sugar itself. They are known as intense sweeteners because they are significantly sweeter than regular sugar so you don't need as much to sweeten something to the same level. 

     Do yourself the service of taking a closer look. You might come to the conclusion that how your body absorbs these sugar alcohols or sugar derivatives may be very different than how someone else absorbs them or that it is not about the overall calories as much as the rise and fall of your blood sugar and storage timing.  The Mayo Clinic has tons of valuable researched articles on sweeteners that I found integral in forming my sugar substitute stance. 

     I am always eager to engage in discussion and answer any questions I can. I am here on a fitness journey as well. I would love to hear comments and ideas for new blog topics. If you have blogs that you have learned from please don't hesitate to send me a link. We are never to big or too experienced to continue feeding our minds and bodies well. Until next time.....

Building Healthy Fitness Habits: The 3 R's of Getting Fit!

What The Heck Am I Doing Wrong?

     
     I believe my having been in the U.S. Army and being the mother of a tough, athletic preteen boy has caused me to speak bluntly and directly when it comes to reaching a goal. This is how I break it down for my son, for my clients, for friends or anyone that asks of me HOW to reach a fitness/sports goal because this is how I would want someone to break it down to ME.... 

   If being amazing was EASY then EVERYONE would be! Period. You determine how amazing you are going to be by how HARD to work and how much you DEDICATE yourself to your goal. So, why do some people succeed where others fail? Here is what separates the good from the GREAT in my humble opinion: HABITS

    Successful people have created the environment for success whether by choice or by chance. They make necessary choices to get to the end goal and its not always the fun choices. Instant gratification is the American way, it seems, but what are we trading for the instant pleasure versus staying the course that leads to long term rewards? You want to reach your goals but you have no idea how to? You are NOT alone. I have a simple road map that can help you sort and simplify your fitness routine.

THE 3 R's of Getting Fit

I didn't come up with this concept on my own. This is a proven psychological study from some of the brightest minds in behavioral psychology research today. Dr. BJ Fogg has done extensive research at Stanford on changing habits and Charles Duhigg has an amazing book on transforming bad habits into good habits. Duhigg's book refers to the three steps of the "Habit Loop"as cue, routine, reward. BJ Fogg uses the word trigger instead of cue. I prefer reminder because the army instilled the Art of Acronyms in me and it gives us the memorable "3R's". Terminology aside, rest assured that there is ample science backing this process.

Where The Heck Do I Start?

 Simply put, to create an environment for success you have to create a new system to support positive behaviors. Habits are created by the actions you choose over and over again, day after day. It is what makes you who you are and it is a DIRECT REFLECTION of your fitness progress. 

With all the different programs and fitness fluff floating around in the world it can be overwhelming to find something that makes sense AND works for your lifestyle. Sifting through all the fads is really a simple feat. DON'T BE SHEEP! Stop following cookie cutter workout programs. Fitness is about getting up and getting moving and repeating it until it becomes a good natural habit for you. Knowing your quirks and ticks is the key to building a BETTER BODY. Your body will tell you what it needs if you are open to keeping a keen "ear" so LISTEN UP!!!!!

THE PROCESS OF HABIT FORMING

Your phone buzzes an alert for an incoming text message, you reach for your phone to check who it is from and what it is about.

1. Reminder: The trigger/cue/reminder is the buzzing that initiates the behavior to check the alert.
2. Routine: The actual behavior is checking the text message. When the phone buzzes, you check the message. 
3. Reward: The benefit you gain from doing the behavior. You are rewarded (or punished depending on who the text is from) by finding out what the buzzing was about.  

If the reward was positive enough it makes you want to repeat the process the next to the reminder happens. If you repeat the process enough times it becomes a HABIT.

How Do I Build Healthy Fitness Habits? 

Pick a Reminder that is already a regular part of your routine. Something that you do automatically without needing to be prompted to do it. For example, waking up and going to the bathroom to brush your teeth and shower before you begin your day. You don't need to think about doing these things. They are just a part of your routine. Attach a healthy habit to some of these actions. 

Reminder: My pre-bedtime shower. I shower, brush my teeth, pull my hair up, go to my room to get my night gown on.

Routine: I put on my night gown and while I am near my clothes I also set out my workout clothes for the next morning at the foot of my bed, shoes and 

all.

Reward: I make better choices because I am prepared. My outfit is already set out. I don't have to think about what I am going to wear. It is much harder to make poor health decisions while wearing fitness clothes (proven). I hit my alarm clock, wake up wash my face, brush my teeth and IMMEDIATELY put on my workout clothes. 

I repeated that enough times to where it is no longer something I have to think about doing. It is just a part of my routine now.

REMINDER: Make 2 lists. In the first list write down several things that you do everyday without fail. 

• wake up
• brush teeth
• morning coffee
• check texts/emails/social media 

You can use these everyday actions as triggers to initiate a new healthy habit. For example: "As I am having my morning coffee I will reflect on my workout plan for the day". Another could be, "After I check my texts/emails/social media I will pack my lunch and snacks for the day into my cooler so I don't run out of healthy options". 

ROUTINE:

In the second list write down things that happen in your life without fail everyday. 

• drive to work
• stop at a traffic light
• receive a text message
• a commercial comes on TV
• get ready for bed

This list is a great list of potential triggers. Let's say you want to have a more positive attitude towards your body and fitness progress. You could use the time you are waiting at a traffic light to say (or think if you don't want people to think you're crazy talking to yourself), "At traffic lights I will say one positive thing about my appearance" or "When I get in bed for the night, I will reflect on the healthy choices I made today". 

 I believe it is the sum of small healthy choices like these that bloom into much more rewarding outcomes in life. 

REWARD: 

Celebrate your successes! Even the little ones. I don't mean with a cheat meal or something that could set you back but PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK! It is okay to give yourself a little "HELL YEAH!". When you complete your cardio or weight lifting class...give yourself a "woot woot, go me!". Take a selfie. Whatever makes you feel amazing for doing something good for yourself and your fitness goals.   

No matter how small the victory celebrate it. "I did 5 more push ups than last time. GO ME!" or "I cooked a healthy meal instead of dining out... Like a boss, GO ME!". 
   

   This is what I say to myself. You will find your own words for self encouragement. It may take some time to get used to this sort of positive self-talk if you aren't normally that kind of person but since habit forms from repeating an action over and over it is vital that you reward yourself somehow EVERY time you win a little victory. 

Give it a  TEST DRIVE!

   

   Give it this process a try and see if it helps you to create new healthy habits. The 3R's has been proven to be effective for almost any type of new habit forming. It doesn't have to be fitness. Fitness is just what I do and who I am so I try to speak from a perspective that I know well. 

The GOOD NEWS! 

I will always be right here, marching right along side you to help you along the way if you have questions or need a little extra encouraging. I would LOVE to hear from you about your successes and progress. If you give The 3R's of Healthy Habits a try feel free to leave a comment below or email me with your story. I am encouraged by YOUR SUCCESSES! Until next time.... 

References

1.  BJ Fogg has some top notch material on habit forming. If you are looking for more information on this topic check out, Tiny Habits.
2. Charles Duhigg's book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business is an excellent source of information.  
3. James Clear has a blog on the 3R's and habit forming that served as my inspiration for this blogpost. 

Welcome to the BEST of your life!

Hey FitFam! Welcome to my fitness blog! 

      I have so much to share that it is practically BURSTING through my fingers! This has been an incredible past year and I have continued to grow even more as a trainer...even after 13 YEARS of living and LOVING this career. I am and always will be a fitness and nutrition coach. This blog is to let you know what my focus is going to be and what I hope to accomplish with this blog. 

So, without further ado.....

      My mission with this blog is simplify the complicated MESS that advertising and marketing has created out of the very UNCOMPLICATED life of health and wellness. It is REALLY not rocket science
but I know how confusing it is to sift through myth after myth and product after useless product! Waist slimmers this and fad diets that. THERE IS AN EASIER WAY! Balance is absolutely everything and I can't wait to share how rewarding and FUN this fitness thing can be! 

     You can lead a "normal life"(whatever THAT is) and still lose weight, tone your body and improve your health. You can feel younger, stronger and look better than you even thought possible while simply learning the Simple Secrets of Fitness and I am here to show you how and motivate you all along the way! 

   I will share everything from healthy recipes that are easy to prepare and WICKED DELICIOUS, to workout routines for home, gym or vacation, nutrition and supplementation ideas, workout clothing, my reviews of fad diets or the latest programs out and most importantly how to GET GOING and motivate you to......

KEEP GOING!

   

 So once again, WELCOME and I truly am excited to share my experiences with you all. I want to know what YOU NEED so this is an open forum. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them in the comments! Who knows? I might even make your question the topic of my next blog! I look forward to our journey. Until next time

STAY HEALTHY MY FRIENDS! 

-Dom Spain - ISSA CPT - Healthy Lifestyle Coach