Setting Realistic Fitness Goals You Can Stick With

Having a realistic mindset when setting fitness goals is important. And there are a few things you should know to feel successful along the way. 

Take it Slow

Many of us can jump too far ahead wanting instant results. Unrealistic expectations can derail how you feel about yourself and your fitness program. The goal is to avoid frustration and maintain a positive outlook.

Part of being successful with your program is learning to slow down and allow yourself to be a beginner. This will take being patient and trusting the process.

If you have reached your goals and fallen back into unhealthy habits, this is for you as well. Recovering from injury will also require being patient and conservative with your fitness.

Stay Consistent

Fitness takes time and consistent effort. Achieving your goals is a life-long progressive program. We are always a work in progress.

And there will be times you don't feel motivated and must depend on a disciplined lifestyle to keep going. And that is the important thing - not to give up. And discipline helps you stay consistent.

Staying consistent is what develops a healthy life, body, and mind. Remember it's what you do all the time that matters.

Stay Positive

You can't develop a positive life in a negative mind. Staying positive is so important in health, fitness, and life. And this takes daily work and choices.

We all have blah days and can feel overwhelmed with our fitness program. When results are slow, sometimes staying positive is difficult. 

What is helpful in these moments is reading positive affirmations, talking your feelings through with a supportive spouse or friend, and not lose focus on the realistic expectations of all fitness programs.

Helpful Tips

The following tips on how to set realistic fitness goals will be helpful:

• Allow yourself to be a beginner.
• Adopt the mindset that fitness is a life-long journey.
• Results don't happen fast so be patient with your progress.
• It's ok not to know everything at once.
• Start where you are and enjoy the process.
• Take one day at a time and avoid jumping too far ahead.
• Healthy weight loss is 1lb to no more than 3lbs per week.
• Muscle takes time to build, be patient.
• It will feel hard and that is normal, keep going.
• Maintain a fitness journal and repeat healthy weeks.
• Baby steps create big results.
• Avoid quick-fix diets and fitness gimmicks.
• Workout 3-5 days per week for at least 30 minutes. (this is doable)
• Drink more water, eliminate soda, decrease alcohol. (you can do it)
• Focus on today and making healthy choices.
• Don't expect to lose 20lbs in one week - stay realistic.
• Avoid comparing yourself to others.
• Each day you will become healthier, stronger, and better.
• Start by making 3 healthy changes per day and repeat until it's a habit.
• You can do it!

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It's Never Too Late and You're Never Too Old to Get Fit

It's never too late and you're never too old to get fit and healthy.

 

Many people are still believing the myth that aging is a negative process that comes with wrinkles and limitations. This is far from the truth. Older people are living longer, staying healthy, confident, and happy.

I have seen men and women become their fittest at 70 and beyond. Age is being redefined as beautiful and an exciting time of becoming the person you always should have been. Age being just a number is really true and exemplified by so many fabulous older people today.

Personally, I don't care if my body is aging because it doesn't define anything about me. All I know is that I'm an older version of myself that is better than I was before. And my mind and body feel youthful and strong.

What has really helped with fitness at every age is having a positive attitude. And making the choice to dump unhealthy habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Aging well has become a time of personal development and strength for many people embracing their age. 

Each day is an opportunity to change for everyone. Your age doesn't limit your ability to accomplish anything in life including your fitness goals. 

Aging Well Tips

The most important thing is to remain realistic and adopt a healthy lifestyle that is sustainable and enjoyable.

Using a food journal may help keep you accountable. You will be able to honestly track your food intake and make appropriate changes to start eating healthier.

Use a fitness journal to schedule your workouts. You will not always feel like exercising, but it will be important not to cancel on yourself. Stay disciplined through the process and it will eventually become a habit that is a regular part of your life. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. 

This is not a quick fix so mentally prepare for a lifestyle change. The time will pass anyway so you might as well be working on health improvement. Fitness is also not about perfection but progress as you strive each day to be healthy.

Have a positive attitude. There will be days when it feels really hard and you may even want to give up. Hold onto knowing you are stronger than any negative thoughts.

More Helpful Tips:

• Eat a wide variety of nutritious foods that include lean proteins, good carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Get to bed at a decent hour and try for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
• Exercise 3-4 times per week to start and progress as you get stronger.
• Include weight resistance training 1-2 times per week to start.
• Keep a food journal for accountability ... be honest with yourself.
• Dump the junk food and replace it with healthy food options.
• Pay attention to portion sizes and read food labels.
• Eat several small meals per day and do not allow yourself to feel hungry.
• Weigh-in only one time per week, pay attention to how your clothes are fitting, and how you look naked. Dump the scale if it becomes a frustration.
• Make time for prayer and positive self talk to keep up the motivation.
• Set realistic small goals to start like losing 10lbs or signing up to walk your first 5K. 
• Hire a qualified personal trainer for guidance and motivation if going it alone feels too overwhelming.

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More is Not Always Better to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

When it comes to fitness more isn't always better. Overtraining, over supplementing, and consuming too much protein can adversely affect your body.

More is not better, better is better.

Getting fit and maintaining a healthy body is a simple process. It really doesn't require eating loads of protein or grueling workouts to reach your goals. All it takes is a consistent effort of eating right and exercise. Quality over quantity.

Focused workouts utilizing differing energy systems of the body throughout the week is sufficient. What this means is mixing up cardio, weight training, core work and flexibility for a well-balanced program. Exercising at least 4-times per week is shown to maintain a healthy body according to research.

Active rest days are a great way to have fun when not performing a structured workout. Enjoy being active and healthy is the point.

Food for Thought

Thinking about nutrition in a healthy way is also important. Eating more than is required of any macronutrient can backfire your good fitness intentions. Consuming a balance of whole nutritious foods including lots of veggies, lean proteins, and good fats in appropriate amounts is what maintains optimal fitness.

We require a certain amount of each macronutrient and over-consumption of one can actually have adverse health effects, just as eliminating healthy foods can cause nutrient deficiencies. More is not better, better is better. 

Effective Exercise

Spending hours in the gym thinking this is beneficial to your fitness is inaccurate. This is a perfect example of how many think more is better. Overtraining can have adverse effects on your body, not to mention an increased risk of exercise burnout.  

Over-use of joints and even muscle breakdown can occur when the body is overtrained. Overtraining syndrome is shown to decrease your immunities, decrease muscle growth, and increase stress levels.

Another problem is exercise addiction that may occur for those feeling guilty eating off track and psychologically beating themselves up in the gym. Obsessive exercise to relieve food guilt can increase the risk of overtraining syndrome. 

Appropriate workouts are focused and effective taking no more than an hour to complete.

Final Thoughts

What it comes down to is being fitness smart. This means not believing more is better. It allows you to enjoy the process of getting healthy with proper nutrition and workouts.

Often times, basic, simple but challenging workouts provide the best results. You are able to maintain your body without overworking to the point of burnout or injury.

Also, it's important to stay away from fad diets. Remember if it's too good to be true - it is. The only proven scientific claims to successful fitness are eating right and exercise. 

The takeaway is simply to eat right, exercise consistently, and enjoy a balanced life. This is true fitness and nothing more to it. More is not better, better is better.

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Maintaining a Healthy Perspective About Fitness is Important

I adopted a healthy lifestyle years ago and never looked back. Today it's my state of being and natural existence.

In fact, my passion for health and fitness has become my occupation. When you do what you love, it really doesn't feel like work. It's a sharing and teaching of how I live my life. It feels awesome to be able to provide this gift to so many people.

How I Feel About Fitness

I am realistic about health and fitness. I don't teach perfection but celebrate progress. Fitness is not about a restrictive lifestyle but a healthy balance of eating right most of the time and regular exercise.

I also don't believe in taking fitness to an extreme where it feels like a burden. What I do encourage is a positive mental game and a healthy perspective about health and fitness. This includes enjoying the food you eat and the exercise you perform. Living healthy should feel like a happy daily existence.

I Stay Realistic About Food Intake

I am all about eating organic, non-GMO, and cooking at home. This allows me to be in control of what I'm eating and selective with splurges. Life and fitness are about balance and indulgence is part of the equation.

Being selective with splurges gives me the freedom to decide if my calories will go toward a favorite dessert or even an adult beverage. I certainly will not turn down a piece of my Mom's homemade lemon meringue pie. I also enjoy a nice glass of red wine during the week on occasion.

I do my best to eat healthily and sometimes this means my food isn't always organic. Realistically, unless we're growing our own food in untainted soil, none of us are truly 100 percent organic consumers.

We can get too complicated with food intake which is actually a problem with eating healthy today. As long as your focus is on doing the best you can, that is good enough.

Workouts are Effective Not Extreme

I believe workouts can be effective without being extreme and drawn out. I don't spend endless hours in the gym to maintain my body. In fact, studies indicate an effective workout can be completed in 60 minutes or less. I also feel my workouts are a healthy outlet and not a punishment for eating crappy. I make sure to get in 4-5 workouts per week with at least two recovery days. I would describe my healthy lifestyle as realistic, sustainable, and mentally positive.

My Best is Good Enough

Doing my best means doing what works best for me and my body. And that's good enough.

Fitness is individual and not universal so we can't compare our fitness programs and results with another person. The truth is we could all eat the same, and perform the same workouts, and not look the same.

Doing my best is based on daily personal improvements and that is the beautiful part about health and fitness. It will be different and look different for each of us. And the acceptance of this is so important for self-love and body positivity.

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How You Feel About Your Body Is Important

Fitness includes so much more than weight loss or workouts. Being a healthy person involves discipline for each day, creates awareness, and instills conscious living. It means being mindful of how you feel about your body and how you treat your body. 

Health Starts in Your Mind

Fitness is a lifestyle that goes way beyond the physical. Living this way starts in your mind and motivates you to live a quality life.

It involves daily choices for becoming a healthy person. When health remains the focus, you are being mindful of treating your body with the utmost care.    

The Problem

What often happens is feeling overwhelmed with trying to be perfect. And this morphs into frustration, insecurities, and not treating our body with the love it deserves.

We can put so much pressure on ourselves to reach a certain weight or squeeze into skinny jeans that we lose sight of how being fit is supposed to feel. A healthy body should feel good but instead many of us accept that fitness is an uncomfortable burden.

And we often accommodate pain from unnecessary extreme workouts on a daily basis. Instead of listening to what is best for our body, we accept exercise methods not appropriate for our fitness levels, medical issues, or not enjoyable mentally.

The pressure to reach unrealistic body goals too quickly has derailed what health should really include for each person. The focus isn't on health but on a temporary goal based on outward appearance.

Healthy lifestyles are meant to be enjoyed for a lifetime, not just for a few months.

Mindful Fitness

A fit lifestyle includes regular exercise that is effective and enjoyable. It doesn't have to be extreme but challenging enough to maintain a healthy body. It also means being mindful of nutrition and eating foods containing a high nutrient value. Consuming nutritious foods will help you feel energized and their antioxidants provide numerous health benefits including protection from illness and disease.

Rest is also important to maintain a healthy body. Without adequate sleep, your body will not be able to recover from the demands placed on it through workouts, stress, and the overall daily grind. Being mindful of your sleep habits will help improve your health and fitness.

A healthy life also requires a balance of work and play. We often lose sight of our inner child replacing it with the busy demands of adulthood. Staying young at heart helps reduce your stress and enables you to enjoy life more. Having a mindful balance of work and play creates a positive, happy mindset that looks forward to shutting down to recharge the mental batteries.

Health and Happiness

The reality is you can enjoy life and live a healthy lifestyle at the same time. This is accomplished by making health a priority and being consistent with your choices. Being fit doesn't mean slaving for hours in the gym and eating boiled fish and broccoli at every meal. This is far from what living a healthy lifestyle looks like.

When the focus is on health and improving the quality of your life, becoming fit happens naturally along the way. This also allows you to let go of the stress of unrealistic fitness goals and quick fixes. The pressure to look a certain way loses its importance as you concentrate more on how good being healthy feels.

Your awareness of the importance of being a healthy person becomes primary in more ways than physical. You are mindful of eating right, exercising your body, and think positive about yourself. Applying this healthy attitude and lifestyle creates the body you want in the way it should happen.

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How to Reach and Maintain Your Fitness Goals

Once you reach your fitness goals, are they really done?

I hope the answer is a resounding -  NO. Because maintaining your fitness is a lifetime process.

Without maintaining your fitness, what was all the hard work for? Life is the event deserving of your best healthy self. Sure, you may be motivated by a special occasion, or to fit into a swimsuit, but those are only short-term goals. 

Staying fit means you're in this for the long haul. You have made a personal commitment to a healthy lifestyle and enjoying a quality life through the process. 

Healthy Lifestyle Goals

Living healthy is a continual process of eating right, regular exercise, and plenty of rest. When you work hard to lose weight, reduce body fat, and gain muscle, just letting all that go doesn't make sense. For example, it has taken me decades to develop mature muscle. Without continual challenging workouts and proper fuel, I could easily lose it to deconditioning.

Staying fit also means being happy and comfortable with your new lifestyle. You are in a good place physically and mentally. It allows you to enjoy the fruits of your fitness accomplishments. Sometimes your confidence can be boosted to the point of self-challenge with fitness competitions or marathons. This can be awesome and rewarding. Most of us just want to feel really good about our body and health.

What Happened?

Unfortunately, many individuals fail to maintain their fitness goals and return to unhealthy habits. This is probably one of the hardest things to see as a trainer and can be difficult for the individual who worked hard to achieve so much. What happened? 

People are looking for temporary fixes instead of lifelong results is what happened. Diet culture has caused a lot of confusion about fitness with restrictive diets and extreme exercise not sustainable for people. Unfortunately, these untruths about health and fitness have many people believing that fitness is a burden. Wearing that bikini felt great for a minute, but once that event is over, unhealthy habits return along with an unhealthy body.

The real problem is not learning fitness as a sustainable lifestyle that is enjoyable. It will be important to change your mindset about health and fitness to stay fit. 

How to Stay Fit

Staying fit requires living healthy full-time. This means dumping diet culture philosophy and moving into a healthier way to take care of your body. Taking care of your fitness in a realistic, sustainable, and fun way is the best of health maintenance.

This is done by following healthy guidelines used to reach and maintain your goals including:

• Eat healthy 80-90 percent of the time. 
• Consume a wide variety of healthy macronutrients. 
• Consume a mostly plant-based diet (60% of food intake should come from plant foods) 
• Exercise at least 3 days per week (5 is optimal).
• Strength train at least 2 times weekly.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Maintain flexibility by stretching post-workout.
• Get plenty of sleep (6-8 hours).
• Reduce stress by balancing your priorities and enjoying more free time.
• Meditation/prayer is helpful.
• Maintain a positive mindset.

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Fitness is a Process You Achieve One Day at a Time

Believing anything happens quickly is not realistic. Fitness is a process of small changes creating large results over time. No magic wand to instantly provide a chiseled physique or bikini body. You may want that, but not how it works. Quick fix thoughts only set us up for frustration and failure.

One Day at a Time

Achieve fitness one day at a time. Biceps don't suddenly appear after your first day in the gym. What does occur when you apply fitness daily is progress. The muscle will show up but give it time to work, grow, and build. It's like a fine wine or great simmering stew. The journey will be rewarding but patience is required.

Fad Fitness

One of the worst things you could do is jump into a fad diet or take unregulated fat burning supplements thinking this is the answer. Read the small print on any of these pseudo-fitness deals. "Best results when accompanied with a healthy diet and exercise program" is what you'll find.

All that needs to happen is to follow the small print which is the best advice on those bottles. In fact, any results achieved comes from implementing a healthy nutrition plan and exercise. You're the one doing the work, not what's in those bottles.

Healthy Lifestyle

Fitness done daily will take time and effort but the lifelong results are the reward. A healthy lifestyle is a journey and not a destination. There's no need to feel rushed or stressed about getting fit. It's really a simple process often over-complicated. Find healthy foods and exercise you enjoy to stay motivated and keep you coming back for more.

Avoid jumping ahead in your mind to what you want now - focus on today. What are you doing today to reach your fitness goals? Did you exercise, eat healthily, and get plenty of rest? Awesome! Celebrate your daily achievements. Write them down if it helps. Stay positive even when things aren't showing up as fast as you think they should.

Health is Personal

We're all different in how our bodies respond to change. Comparing to friends or people you see at the gym is the thief of joy. You're not here to be or look like someone else. Your job is to become your best healthy self through daily choices. Who cares if your friend lost 5lbs and you didn't reach that mark. Fitness is not about who is faster at achieving results.

The goal is getting fit and loving yourself through the process. The days are going to pass anyway so focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle the right way. Today is what we have, tomorrow isn't promised and yesterday is gone. Be in the now with your fitness and you'll get there one day at a time.

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Excuses Will Not Change Your Body or Health

The truth about health and fitness is you either want it or you don’t.

Let’s face it, many of us come up with reasons not to exercise or eat healthy. We even sound pretty convincing. Unfortunately, all the reasons in the world eventually catch up to you in the form of illness or injury.

What we often fail to realize is how much your lifestyle impacts your health. The food you eat, being physically active, and rest is truly your medicine.

Many people continue to walk around in an unhealthy body and come to accept this existence. Living this way causes you to miss out on how good you're supposed to feel and look.

The true story of health is your body reflects your lifestyle.

Make Your Health a Priority

I want to believe all of you have a strong desire to be healthy people. Working in the health and fitness industry, I certainly hear this loud and clear. We talk about wanting to feel and look better, but what continues to be lacking is the action required to make this happen. More often than not, healthy living isn't a priority.

Living a life of excuses will not change your health or appearance. It only guarantees you not to feel your best and is often accompanied by unhappiness. Change takes changing your daily habits. The body you have is determined by what you do. I'm sure we can all agree with that statement.

Let me clarify my reference is to the general population who have the ability to get healthy. Some medical conditions and illnesses are out of our control, but I have seen those who struggle this way live the healthiest lives.

Change Takes Change

The first step to change your body for the better is owning your current lifestyle. This includes admitting you are making excuses not to eat healthy, exercise, sleep more, reduce stress and the list goes on. It's important to understand why health is not a priority.

Admitting your part in creating an unhealthy body can be hard to face - but necessary. It's in that frustrating moment you can really be honest about your life and body. This is often the beginning of getting serious about a healthy lifestyle.

Think about these things:

• You are responsible for replacing reasons/excuses with action. 
• You are capable of taking care of your health and making it a priority.
• Having a fit body can happen at every age and it's never too late to start.
• You control what your body looks like. 
• What you eat in private you wear in public.

Masking the Problem

Being healthy and having a fit body is achievable for the majority. Sadly, many people are turning to prescribed pharmaceuticals to reduce the symptoms of self-induced health conditions. A pill doesn't fix the problem, it only masks the problem.

Let me clarify - certain medications are required for a small percentage of Americans but not for the general population who can get healthy. Many cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure medications can be discontinued when weight is lost and body composition improved.

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

The problem continues to be accommodating an unhealthy lifestyle justifying it with reasons that really can't be validated. This can be changed - if you want it to change.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the way to lasting health and fitness. It's not an occasional event and requires full-time effort.

The bottom line is results can and will happen, but the choice is up to you.

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Maintaining Your Fitness is The Goal

Reaching your fitness goals is a great accomplishment. I applaud your effort and hard work to make that happen.

The question is are you maintaining those goals? Is good health a continued priority and lifestyle?

Fitness is a Lifestyle

Fitness is not meant to be a temporary fix but a lifestyle of health and wellness. Sure, you may rock that swimsuit for the season but is that all fitness means?

True fitness success is when you live it daily. Eating healthy foods consistently and exercise is part of your normal routine. In fact, getting off track for too long doesn't feel right when living a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness becomes a priority and excuses no longer get in the way. You refuse to return to being overweight, sick, and nearly dead. You get the point.

Keep Healthy Habits For Life

I've seen too many people succeed at reaching goal weights, reduced body fat, and improved health and throw it all away. Somehow, thinking you can get away with returning to a few unhealthy habits backfires. You may be right back where you started or worse wondering what happened.

The purpose of dumping old ways is to learn and keep new and healthier methods. This is lacking and maintaining your health is suffering.

Adopting healthy habits means keeping them for life. Life is the event you're getting in shape for not bikini season. Forget the clothes and stand naked in front of a mirror.

Standing in your truth will let you know if you're doing a great job maintaining your fitness. I'm not talking about the body and skin changes naturally occurring with aging. We all know the difference. You also know if you are really living a healthy life.

The Bottom Line

Your body keeps the most accurate record of what you're eating and drinking regardless of what you write down. It also knows if exercise is lacking. Your body is smart like that.

Reaching fitness goals is possible when a healthy lifestyle is being maintained. In fact, maintaining your fitness is the goal.

If you have reached your goal before you can do it again. This time, look at the process of getting fit as the goal and maintain that.

Instead of having to repeat getting back in shape, why not just stay in shape. Real talk all in fitness love.

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Changing Your Body Requires Changing Your Lifestyle

HOW are you living?

Are you stuck in a rut, not feeling well most of the time, and just not living healthy?

How about feeling burned out and unmotivated?

Did you know burnout and frustration are the top reasons people give up and return to unhealthy habits? 

The problem is most of us are unwilling to change things about our life so positive changes can happen. You want the look and feel of good health but really aren't putting forth a change to experience change.

Straight up - change requires change. If you're unhappy with your health, body, or life in general, a deliberate choice to change needs to happen.  

The Struggle is Real

Sometimes it's a difficult process to implement necessary changes to better your health and life. Self-sabotage often gets in the way of your attempts to get healthy. Eating too much of the wrong things, not being able to resist temptations, and making excuses not to exercise are all examples of self-sabotage.

Getting mad about it doesn't bring about what needs to happen. Making a promise to yourself to change and following through with that change is what will make the difference in your life.

I suppose if anger was channeled into positive action and motivates positive change, then getting mad temporarily could be an OK thing. However, anger often leads to bitterness and a give-up attitude. It's best to remain positive while making positive changes. 

Change Takes a Choice

Change takes making a choice and having patience. It's also a focus on progress and not perfection. As you strive to change your health and fitness, it's important to realize it will be a journey and a challenge.

Remember challenges in life are what change you. They are the learning tools of becoming a healthy person physically and emotionally.

You have heard the saying 'do what you have always done and you will get what you have always gotten.' This is true for life, fitness, and health. Without changing what you're doing now, you will remain in the same state of unhealthiness.

It's important to start owning the unhealthy parts of your life so you can figure out what needs to be done to change each area. 

Be Honest with Yourself

Are you unhealthy, unhappy, stressed, anxious, angry or whatever question you want to answer? Why and what needs to be done to change that? Write it down.

The goal for each of us is to implement appropriate changes to create healthy change in our life. Once health is made a priority, you will start feeling better and motivated to make even more positive changes. 

What areas in the list below require a change to improve your health:

• I need to eat better
• I need to exercise
• I need to reduce stress
• I need to deal with this anger problem
• I need to have a better balance in my life
• I need to sleep better
• I need to drink more water
• I need to stop smoking
• I need to reduce my alcohol intake
• I need to start making my health priority

Improving your health and fitness reduces illness, enables you to handle stress, and creates a happier state of well-being. 

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Sorta Kinda Fitness Doesn't Work

You want to be fit, feel good and look great. Awesome!

Unfortunately, many people are going about it the wrong way. In fact, you may be searching the internet right now for the newest fad diet or quick fix to fitness.

The Problem

A common problem is our thoughts about fitness and not wanting to give up unhealthy habits for healthy ones. Instead of looking at what would be gained, there is a belief that something in life is lost. That fitness is a burdensome process.

This type of thinking usually leads to sorta kinda trying to get fit - guess what - sorta kinda results.

Sound familiar? You want results but just can't commit to a fit lifestyle. We often blame others and ourselves for eating off track and make excuses for missing workouts. When you give a small percentage to doing it right expect small rewards in return.

We are wasting too much time and missing too many opportunities to get healthy. Why is that? What is going on in your life where health is no longer a priority? Instead of trying to figure this out, unhealthy is accepted as the new normal. This is an unfortunate truth.

Other Factors

We have great intentions and even put in some effort to eat right and exercise - this is awesome! However, something happens to halt the process. Our mind plays negative games, you may hear a hurtful comment, or not seeing results can cause frustration.

Other sorta kinda fitness factors can include:

• Partying too much with friends or at home.
• Eating unhealthy processed food half the time.
• Managing only one or two workouts per week. 
• Being in denial about unhealthy habits

Resentment can also be a problem with sorta-kinda fitness. You fail to understand why you're not losing fat or not seeing muscle. This typically leads to negativity, more self-doubt, and believing fitness just can't happen for you.

Fixing the Problem

Acknowledging unhealthy habits keeping you from reaching your goals is important. If you believe nothing is wrong, nothing will change.

When you honestly start taking responsibility for your health is when true fitness happens. Fitness is a lifestyle and sorta kinda just doesn't work.

Helpful tips to adopt a healthy lifestyle include:

• Stop looking for quick fixes
• Drop the diet mentality 
• Remain realistic about your results
• Adopt a positive attitude
• Focus on health not weight
• Be patient with your progress
• Keep going

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Orci mollis, donec quam massa gravida suscipit neque sed, condimentum lacus tellus id, sodales malesuada auctor nonummy vestibulum interdum rutrum. Reprehenderit non, natoque sint, lacus sit fringilla sed, integer non, rutrum lacinia quis tortor sed pellentesque aliquet. Accumsan eu error sed, praesent magna pede curabitur mus fermentum. Mauris sem nunc at phasellus adipisicing, et sed ultricies et, netus quam arcu ante. At nibh, dapibus est scelerisque venenatis non, erat et non volutpat id nec sapien. Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus. Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut. Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu.
Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus.

Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut.

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How to Reach and Maintain Your Fitness Goals

Once we reach our fitness goals, are they really done? I hope the answer for all of you is a resounding -  NO. Staying fit by maintaining a healthy life is the real goal. 

Without maintaining your fitness, what was all the hard work for? Life is the event deserving of your best healthy self. Sure, you may be motivated by a special occasion, or to fit into a swimsuit, but those are only short-term goals. 

Staying fit through maintenance means you're in this for the long haul. You have made a personal commitment to a healthy lifestyle and enjoying a quality life through the process. 

Living healthily is a continual process of eating right, regular exercise, and plenty of rest. When you work hard to lose weight, reduce body fat, and gain muscle, just letting all that go doesn't make sense. For example, it has taken me decades to develop mature muscle. Without continual challenging workouts and proper fuel, I could easily lose it to atrophy. Did you know deconditioning of your muscle begins after two weeks of not exercising according to some studies? 

Staying fit also means being happy and comfortable with your new lifestyle. You are in a good place physically and mentally. It allows you to enjoy the fruits of your fitness accomplishments. Sometimes your confidence can be boosted to the point of self-challenge with fitness competitions or marathons. This can be awesome and rewarding. Most of us just want to feel really good about our body and health.

  

Drawbacks

Unfortunately, many individuals fail to maintain fitness once goals are reached and return to unhealthy habits. This is probably one of the hardest things to see as a trainer and can be difficult for the individual who worked hard to achieve so much. What happened? 

People are looking for temporary fixes instead of lifelong results is what happened. Fitness is considered a burden eliminating fun foods and adding uncomfortable workouts to life. This mindset isn't ready to see fitness as an enjoyable and beneficial lifestyle. Wearing that bikini felt great for a minute, but once the winter months arrive, all that fad fitness is tossed aside. Unhealthy habits return along with an unhealthy body. 

How to Stay Fit

In order to stay fit, it requires living healthy full-time. Your body achieves and maintains what the mind believes is the new motto. Falling in love with the process of taking care of your body exemplifies the best of fitness maintenance. It's important to move beyond short-term goals and into the full-time maintenance of your healthy body. This is done by following healthy guidelines used to reach and maintain your goals including:

• Eat healthy or clean 80-90 percent of the time. 
• Consume a wide variety of healthy macronutrients. 
• Consume a mostly plant-based diet (60% of food intake should come from plant foods) 
• Exercise at least 3 days per week (5 is optimal).
• Strength train at least 2 times weekly.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Maintain flexibility by stretching post-workout, or as part of relaxation technique.
• Get plenty of sleep (6-8 hours).
• Reduce stress by balancing your priorities and enjoying more free time.
• Meditation/prayer is helpful.

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Fitness Means Being Mindful Of How You Treat Your Body

Fitness includes so much more than weight loss or achieving a personal best lift at the gym. Being a fit person involves discipline for each day, creates awareness, and instills conscious living. It means being mindful of how you treat your body, how you think, and feel.

Fitness is a lifestyle and goes way beyond the physical. Living this way starts in your mind and pushes you to live a quality life. It's not just a desire but daily actions chosen moving you closer to becoming a healthy person. When your focus remains on health, you can truly say you're living a mindful healthy life.   

We put so much pressure on ourselves to squeeze into skinny jeans or tank shirts and tend to forget how being fit is supposed to feel. A fit and healthy body should feel good but instead many of us accept and accommodate pain on a daily basis. In this case, the focus isn't on health and often with a temporary goal based on outward appearance. Healthy lifestyles are meant to be enjoyed for a lifetime, not just for a few months.

A fit lifestyle includes physical exercise and not even to an extreme but effective enough to maintain a healthy body. It also means eating foods containing a high nutrient value helping you feel energized and creating an antioxidant environment protecting you from illness and disease.

Rest is also on the menu for a fit body and a very important part of the program.  Without proper rest and sleep, your body will not recover from the demands placed on it through workouts, stress, and the overall daily grind.

A healthy life requires a balance of work and play. We often lose sight of our inner child replacing it with busy demands of adulthood. Staying young at heart helps reduce your stress and enables you to enjoy life more. It creates a positive, happy mindset that looks forward to shutting down to recharge the mental batteries. Too many of us don't take advantage of this very important part of being healthy and happy.

The reality is you can enjoy life and live a healthy lifestyle at the same time. This is accomplished by making health a priority and being consistent with your choices. Being fit doesn't mean slaving for hours in the gym and resolved to eat boiled fish and broccoli for life.This is far from what living a healthy lifestyle looks like.

When the focus is on health and improving the quality of your life, becoming fit happens naturally along the way. This also allows you to let go of the stress of unrealistic fitness goals and quick fixes. The pressure to look a certain way loses its importance as you concentrate more on how good being healthy feels.

Your awareness of the importance of being a healthy person becomes primary in more ways than physical. You are mindful of eating right, exercising your body, and think positive about yourself. Applying this healthy attitude and lifestyle creates the body you want in the way it should happen.

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Be well and Stay Healthy 

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Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut. Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu. Donec a nisi vel ligula fringilla tempus id vitae nibh. Sed sollicitudin ante ultrices purus auctor auctor. Etiam turpis sem, mattis sit amet purus id, dapibus euismod libero. Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus. Maecenas luctus arcu porta accumsan viverra. Sed odio eros, dictum non augue et, tincidunt ullamcorper ex. Sed interdum rutrum efficitur. Mauris tristique quis libero a euismod. Duis tempor purus rutrum, tempor odio sed, tincidunt lacus. Nulla lacus felis, pulvinar ut metus in, tristique pretium sem. Vivamus ornare efficitur elit ut placerat. Vivamus at ultricies magna. Proin eu aliquet elit. In lacus nisi, finibus luctus est sed, consectetur congue diam.
Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus. Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut. Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu.
Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus.

Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut.

Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut porttitor leo vel nulla posuere accumsan. Suspendisse sed tortor eget justo aliquam euismod. Morbi ut massa et neque iaculis lacinia a eu est. Etiam nec enim id mi maximus consequat sed ut tortor. Nullam velit ipsum, ornare id leo a, cursus mollis nunc. Etiam dignissim nulla vel ante mollis, lobortis aliquam lectus egestas. Vivamus sit amet libero sit amet lorem dignissim varius. Nam id dictum sem. Maecenas eget nulla bibendum, accumsan arcu ac, vehicula risus. Nulla laoreet elit in lectus cursus, at tristique diam fringilla. Donec blandit, lacus sed mollis molestie, lorem lacus feugiat tortor, nec tincidunt libero dolor sit amet nulla. Sed id mi sit amet nibh bibendum aliquet. Sed scelerisque aliquam nulla, ultrices egestas elit vestibulum et. Praesent efficitur viverra ipsum a molestie. Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut. Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu. Donec a nisi vel ligula fringilla tempus id vitae nibh. Sed sollicitudin ante ultrices purus auctor auctor. Etiam turpis sem, mattis sit amet purus id, dapibus euismod libero. Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus.
Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus. Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut. Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu.
Donec bibendum urna quis orci molestie sodales. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nunc id purus vel sapien pretium varius eu id risus. Vivamus sit amet nibh sit amet eros porta iaculis. Ut interdum diam nec imperdiet elementum. Proin condimentum faucibus placerat. Donec massa justo, porttitor tincidunt eros a, vehicula malesuada tortor. Praesent nec sem ut justo efficitur tempus.

Donec dolor elit, pellentesque a massa pellentesque, euismod sagittis ipsum. Nullam a diam ac turpis iaculis vulputate. Nunc tellus libero, tempus id luctus eget, fermentum et quam. Aliquam erat volutpat. Donec sit amet nunc vitae justo dapibus dignissim. Vivamus sagittis dignissim massa, auctor aliquam nibh aliquam ut.

Nunc accumsan ex ligula, in malesuada sapien consectetur in. Praesent non lectus sed dolor imperdiet mollis a sit amet sem. Vivamus eu commodo ligula. Phasellus in lacus eu urna ullamcorper lacinia. Duis tincidunt fringilla aliquet. Vivamus id luctus tellus. Vestibulum maximus ipsum lacus, tempus suscipit augue fermentum ut. Suspendisse posuere mi lacus, vitae fringilla leo gravida eu.

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Fitness is a Constant State of Change

Change is necessary, can be a challenge, and inevitable. Sometimes we have no control over change as with the aging process or certain illness. What we can control are changes making us healthier people. That means taking an honest look at our lifestyle. What are we eating and are we exercising? How do we implement all this change? 

Change is a big part of this journey of life. None of us are exempt from the constant changes needed to make our situation better. Did you know our bodies change at every level each day without our knowledge?  

Personally, I have undergone a lot of change in this life as an athlete. My healthy lifestyle enabled me to face many physical challenges. One of the toughest physical changes was rehabilitation from injury. It required perseverance not to give up, and acceptance of not being able to perform athletically as before. 

The inevitable change often difficult for me presently are the changes occurring with the aging process. No amount of exercise is going to stop hormonal shifts and other changes I have posted about going through menopause. This transition or "the change" in life is definitely proving to be a challenge.   

We are all aging each day and our bodies changing through the process. When I was younger I didn't think too much about it. Being over 50, I can get overwhelmed by the different way I feel in menopause. I am sure many of you can relate. 

Both men and women face the inevitable changes occurring with the aging process. Whether prostate issues for men or night sweats for women, it's a situation that can add frustration to life. 

I am open about everything health related. I feel issues, even those topics that may fall into the taboo to be discussed in public are fair game. In fact, I hope we can all agree that sensitive subjects relating to health need to be addressed and shared. Why? Many people are searching for answers or at least support to not feel alone in their experience. If Dr. Oz can discuss the perfect poop shape, vaginal dryness, and orgasms, then for crying out loud, I am surely going to talk about it. 

All change can feel difficult, or extremely fantastic depending on the situation. Adapting a healthy lifestyle through eating nutrient dense foods and regular exercise will bring about a healthy body. Feeling and functioning better can be experienced pretty quickly with these changes. Although the process can feel like a challenge, eventually the change will provide an overall healthy state of mind and wellbeing.  

Change occurring with injury or illness is harder to accept and embrace, at least in the beginning. I found that it takes hard work, lots of patience, and faith first and foremost. Also, the will to want to become healthier and better no matter what that looks like. Our life may be modified but our health can still be optimal. I discovered, the only disability that exists in life is the one existing in our mind. 

The inevitable change of aging is also an area which will require patience and acceptance. We're all becoming new people every day with all this change. We don't always need to feel great about the aging process but it is a transition we need to accept. I'm not saying to celebrate hot flashes and lowered libidos because this is no fun for anyone. Our body is making hormone adjustments our thinking brain hasn't caught up to yet. It's simply our time to cut ourselves some slack and embrace the journey.

The important thing is to change those things we can control to become healthier people and let go of the rest.   

  

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Be well and Stay Healthy

                                                                            

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