Keeping up with all the BS.

There is always an excuse not to work out but it's like I always say - Excuses are like the Kardashians. They sound good at first, but you quickly realize that they are just dumb and irrelevant. So why is it that we constantly look for excuses? Probably some of the same reasons why we continue to watch the Krapdashians:

1. It's easy
2. Little to no stimulation involved
3. Better than facing reality

I touch on 'excuses' a lot because it is something I hear everyday. I mean if I had a penny for every excuse I heard, well you know, I'd be really rich. I mean really rich. Rich beyond your wildest dreams. Not Oprah rich but definitely up there. Sorry, I digress.  

So, what is this all about? Your excuses! I'm going to lay out the excuses I most often hear related to exercise, fitness, and nutrition. My goal: To make you feel absurd for even thinking of the excuse. To make you feel guilty. I'm going to guilt you into working out and taking care of yourself. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

1."I don't like working out"

I DON'T CARE! You think Barack Obama likes having to clean up somebody else's mess? Do you really believe that republicans like having Mitt Romney as the GOP candidate? No, of course not. You do it because the alternative is much worse. 

2. "I just looovvveee sweets"

You know who else loved sweets? John Candy. Didn't end well for him. Clean up your diet! You don't need to eat like Madonna (said with a British accent) but a little improvement will go a long way. It's not worth the medical bills and the parking fee at the hospital. 

3. "It's so expensive to join a gym and hire a trainer"

Not more expensive than the millions of things you bought and never used, the insane amount of money you spent last weekend on drinks, the iPad 2 you just purchased because your iPad 1 didn't have an 800 mega pixel camera, or the those really pretty shoes that cause your feet to bleed but they look soooo good. I just saved you a lot of money!

4. "I will just stick with Pilates. It suits my body"

You and David Copperfield have something in common. You are both masters of illusion! Congratulations, you like to pretend that you work out but you really don't. If you are someone who only does yoga or Pilates, do me a favor and cancel your gym membership. Go home, put on your favorite Kenny G song, play the movie Beaches in the background, and wave your hands in the air for 30 minutes. You will get the same benefit. 

5. "I don't have time to work out"

Really?! You better be curing cancer. 

6."I do so well during the week but the weekends are so hard for me to stick with it"

Have you just been released from prison after 10 years? What you mean to say is that you have no will power and you like wearing size 36inch pants. 

6. "I hate cardio"

I love cellulite. 

7. "I can't get up in the morning"

You know who else can't get up in the morning? Dead people! Are you dead? No, so get your ass up and go for a run, hike, jog, or bike ride. FYI most gyms are open till midnight. 

8. "I'm too old. My body doesn't work the same"

You're right. You should probably just call it quits and head to a retirement home. Give me a break!! Look at Susan Summers! That bag of bones is still going strong. 

9. "I'm just so exhausted after work"

Could you imagine what would happen to this world if everyone shut down after 5pm? We all get tired but the secret to not being tired all the time is EXERCISE! I promise it really does work. 

10. "Nothing works for me"

Hmmm. Your body must work differently from every other human on this planet. 

That's it! Those are my top 10 excuses. I'm sure many of you have used one, two, or all of these excuses at one point or another but hopefully you saw beyond it. Hopefully I made you feel 

1) That you are not alone with your excuse(s) and 

2) You need to stop wasting your time finding reasons not to live healthy. 

The truth is that there is no secret. No magic pill or machine that is going to get you in shape and live healthier. You have to do it yourself! Nike has it right. They had it right since day one - Just do it. 

Challenge

Everyday I am reminded of the word "challenge". Sometimes, through my own difficulty or through another person's hardship. I am reminded physically, emotionally, or spiritually. It seems to always reveal itself in one way or another.

Yesterday was very different, because yesterday the word challenge redefined itself before me. I found myself standing over one of my clients. I had been here many times. I'd driven bodies and souls into the ground before. I'd collected rivers of sweat in my time. This time my eyes opened, I witnessed a rebirth. As my client kneeled over, eyes closed, sweat running down her face, and gasping for air as if water filled the room on a sinking ship, she seemed done. Ready to throw in the towel. I thought to myself, 'This was too hard. I should've gone easier on her.' She stood up tall, as if rising from the grave, took a deep breath of air that filled her body, hands placed on her hips, looked me in the eyes and said "Ok, what next?" She must have heard my thoughts. I smiled, adjusted my baseball cap, and we moved forward like an unstoppable two-person army. 

Life offers two roads: the easy and the hard. My client reminded me of what it means to ignore the easy road and to accept the challenge. To fight the fight and move forward. We often look for excuses, look for a way out, a reason to give up, a reason to surrender before we even step into the ring. Stop taking the easy road. Challenge yourself and the reward is something that can never be taken away. Nothing worth achieving is done easily. I was reminded of this yesterday. 

Now, I challenge you. Are you up for it?

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Guaranteed to Make You Sweat!

"Danny, I don't have the time to do cardio!"
- Anonymous

Take some time off of these activities:

1. Facebooking and Twittering
1. Trust me, all your friends will be fine with one or two less updates on your day.
2. Watching TV
1. DVR was created so that you can workout even more!
3. Going straight home after work
1. The permanent dent you have created in your sofa could use a break.
4. Cruising the mall
1. I'm a guy, need I say more?

Now do you have 20 -30 mins? Then, here is my gift to you.

*There are 3 different variations to this routine. Choose according to your fitness level!
*What you need: Treadmill, jump rope, and a towel.
*This routine calls for a squat thrust AKA burpee.

1. From a standing position, drop to a squat position with your hands on the ground near your feet.
2. Throw the feet back, putting yourself into a push up position.
3. Again pull the feet forward to a squat position with hands on the floor.
4. Stand again.
5. Repeat many times.

Level 1
The New Kid on the Block
5 min warm-up on treadmill
START!
Min 1 @ 4 mph
Min 2 @ 5 mph
Min 3 @ 6 mph
Min 4 - Jumping Jacks
Min 5 - Squat Thrust *as many as you can perform for 1min
REPEAT CIRCUIT 4 TIMES

Level 2
Fight Club Wannabe
5 min warm up on treadmill
START!
Min 1 @ 7 mph
Min 2 @ 8 mph
Min 3 @ 9 mph
Min 4 - Jump Rope
Min 5 - Squat Thrust with Push Up *as many as you can perform for 1min
REPEAT CIRCUIT 4 TIMES

Level 3
You Crazy!
5 min warm up on treadmill
START!
Min 1 @ 9 mph
Min 2 @ 10 mph
Min 3 @ 11 mph
Min 4 - Weighted Jump Rope
Min 5 - Squat Thrust with Push Up *you better move like bullets are coming at you
REPEAT CIRCUIT 4 TIMES

You Welcome!

The Best Part of Breaking Up, Is Making Up!

YOUR LAST RELATIONSHIP WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS...

Gym: What's wrong? 

You: Nothing!

Gym: Why are you so mad at me?

You: You are so judgmental, that's why! All you do is look at me and judge! I don't do enough. I do too much. Like you're so perfect!

Gym: Well, guess what? I hate being used. All YOU do is use me. Special Occasion? "Let me see if I can lose 10lbs in one workout. "

You: I do not! I use you other times too...

Gym: First date, seeing an old friend, PMS, went out last night and drank too much, & my favorite..."I want to show off this super duper cute workout outfit I just bought"

You: I hate you. 

Gym: I hate you. 

You: I think we should break up. 

Gym: I don't care. Do whatever you want. 

You: Why are you trying to hurt me? 

Gym: Oh please! Drama queen. Just get out. 

You: No, you get out!

Gym: It's my house! 

You: Whatever. 

 Make sure this never happens again!  Read on. 

THE FOOL-PROOF GUIDE TO A LOVIE-DOVIE GYM RELATIONSHIP

1. Find a gym that you are compatible with on every level. 
1. Location, price, classes, trainers, parking, etc...
2. Don't let others pressure you into joining. Do it when you are ready. 
3. Go on a few dates first. 
1. Every gym offers a trial period.
4. Bring your gym home to your friends and family...so to speak of course! Ask your f&f what they think. 
5. Be committed. 100%! Don't go into any relationship half-assed. 
6. Treat each other with respect. 
7. Do your research!
1. Know everything you can about this gym and what they are about. 
8. Check out the gyms track record. 
1. Consumer reviews on Yelp are a great resource.
9. See what the gym is willing to give you.
1. Free sessions with a trainer. 
2. Free month of membership
3. Multi-vitamins
10. Feel comfortable at the gym. Always. 

OUT INTO THE WORLD YOU GO!

Best thing about a break up with a gym? You don't have to worry about that awkward moment when you run into each other out on the town or that drunk text you send at the end of a long night. Honestly, your gym doesn't have feelings and won't care who you date next. 

So, before you go on your next GymHarmony.com date, learn from your past relationships and go into this one knowing exactly what you want and don't want. Use my fool-proof guide and you will be in a happy, long term, symbiotic, and healthy relationship...with a gym before you know it. Happy dating! 

To Commit or Not To Commit? That is the question!

com·mit·ment

   [kuh-mit-muhnt]  Show IPA

noun

      

1. a pledge or promise; obligation.

2. A 10 letter word that instills fear into your very soul. It penetrates so deep, that some of us become frozen with anxiety and doubt! 

3. A dark cloud that settles over you and only you, preventing you from ever reaching the sunlight!

Examples:

• Your girlfriend asks you, "where is our relationship going?" 
• How do you handle it? - You freeze!
• A co-worker invites you to come to his/her birthday party. 
• How do you handle it? - Come up with some lame excuse that you can't go. Really though, you are afraid that you won't know anyone there. 
• Your good friend calls your phone? 
• How do you handle it? - Don't answer! You'd rather listen to a voicemail message than engage in a conversation for more than 1 minute. Back to Facebook! 
• A personal trainer offers you a free session. All you have to do is book it!
• How do you handle it?
• Schedule and flake at the last minute. 
• "I'm gonna wait till I am in better shape" - (insert sarcasm here) Of course, makes sense!
• "I'm not looking for a personal trainer right now" - Why would you take something for free???
• Treat them like the end of a bad MATCH.COM date and say, "Sounds good! I'll call you..."

Whatever the situation, we are all guilty of letting the fear of commitment get to us. I'm here to provide you with a foolproof plan to slay the commitment dragon!  

Daniel Saltos' Baby Steps for People Dealing with Fitness Commitment Phobias

AKA - "DSBSPDFCP"

1. Start small. 
2. If you get overwhelmed, breathe. 
3. Join a gym.
4. Be realistic. 
5. Find healthy foods YOU like. Not the ones Jennifer Aniston likes in the latest issue of Cosmo. 
6. Ask questions when you're not sure. 
7. Don't let the gym rat who lives next to you and runs 12 miles a day, intimidate you. 
8. Go at your own pace.
9. Challenge & Reward yourself. 
10. Share your experience and success with someone who needs it. 

Commit to yourself

Before you can move forward, in any aspect of your life, you have to be willing to commit to yourself. No one is going to do it for you. 

Commit to a Trainer

After committing to yourself, you decide you are ready to work with a trainer. You must choose the right one. You do not want a trainer who tries to transplant their head onto your shoulders. The right trainer should understand your needs first, and build from there. In the many years that I have been a trainer, I have never had anyone say, "this is the worst decision I ever made!". Everyone gains something; a better body, knowledge, confidence, their youth, lower cholesterol, a TV role, or just a friend.

In summary, stop being afraid of that friend's phone call - You will have a stronger relationship. Go to that birthday party where you don't know anyone - You might meet some amazing people. Get on that treadmill - You'll find it doesn't bite. Take that trainer up on his offer - It just might be the best decision you ever made. 

"If you deny yourself commitment, what can you do with your life?" - Harvey Fierstein

 

 

The Six-Pack Mystery!

You're in the gym 9 days a week. You do 1000 sit-ups a day. You run, spin, cross train, cross fit, and most probably yoga-it as well. Yet, after all that, you still still can't seem to get that Ryan Gosling like mid-section. Those Gerard Butler - 300 - abs of steel! Well, keep reading because I'm going to demystify the secret behind great Abdominals.

The fate of your abs lies in the answers to the four questions below:

1. How frequently do you train your abs?  
2. What kind of exercises are you doing to target your abs? 
3. How much cardio are you doing each week? 
4. What is your diet like? 

1.  How often should I train my abdominals?
In order to answer this question, I must explain that your abs work the same way as your back, chest, arms, and legs. A muscle is a muscle and, just as you wouldn't work your arms everyday, you shouldn't work your abs everyday either. I hear it all too often, "I do 500 crunches a day", "I've been doing my 9minute ab video 6 times a week". Your abs need rest just like any other muscle!  

TRAINER TIP: Make sure to give your abs a day or two of rest between each training session. For more advanced clients, one day of rest between sessions will suffice.

2.  What exercises are best for getting a six pack?

We all know the crunch, the sit up, and the leg raise. These tried and true exercises are the staple of any ab routine, but as the great philosopher Abdominus Theolepus said, You wouldn't eat chicken for dinner every night! The bottom line- results require variety! Variety includes increasing your rep scheme, trying some different and new abdominal exercises, and using weights to get that pack to really pop!

TRAINER TIP: Here is a list of some of my favorite ab exercises.

• Bicycles 
• Ab strap knee raises
• Plank - standard & side planks
• Weighted sit-ups 
• Medicine ball russian twist 

3.  Cardio time...again?

Most people either spend too much time on cardio or too little. If you are one of those people that goes to the gym and jumps on the treadmill for 90 minutes...Stop it! If you are the opposite of a gym rat and do absolutely no cardio...Get to it! Truthfully, cardio is necessary but, just like you've heard me say before, moderation is key. Too much cardio burns through muscle and too little cardio packs on the fat.
TRAINER TIP: Although you should be active most days, for cardio, I recommend the following:

1. To maintain your current fitness level/weight: 2 days a week for 30 minutes
2. To lose weight: 4-6 days a week for 30 minutes. 

4.  You are what you eat!

This is going to be short and sweet! You want to be lean, you gotta eat lean. Quit the KFC. Quit the basket o' bread before dinner at Red Lobster. It's that simple. You can't expect to eat donuts and have Ryan Reynolds abs or Heidi Klum's hour glass physique. 

TRAINER TIP: Stop eating the bad foods and start eating the good foods. Lots of veggies, salads, and lean meats. Stop eating the all those foods high in fat, sodium, sugar, and carbs. 

There it is folks! If you are tired of carrying around love handles filled with anything but love and tired of pouring out buckets and buckets of sweat and getting nowhere, then re-assess, re-evaluate, and start new with the above plan that will get you that six pack you have always wanted. 

TRAINER TIP:  A good personal trainer will always increase your chances of six pack success.

I'm on a diet...AGAIN!

Since I was a young lad, I have seen commercials offering rapid solutions to your weight loss woes. Slim fast, Richard Simmons, Atkins, NutriSystem, The Cabbage diet, and Ephedra! They all promised the same thing - Weight loss faster than Captain Kirk could say "warp speed ahead" (Yes, that was a StarTrek reference) and looks that would have your neighbor's husband or wife at your doorstep asking for some sugar!

Doesn't matter who you are, we all have a similar goal - Look good in those jeans!

The problem? Here's a short list

• Not eating breakfast.
• Eating too much at dinner. 
• Not drinking enough water. 
• Snacking too much throughout the day. 
• Heavy on the starches - Rice, pasta, and breads. 
• Lite on the good stuff - Veggies, fish, and lean meats
• Forgot to take your vitamins this morning? 

The solution?

• Balance
• Balance
• Balance

What is balance? In short, it is a state of equilibrium. A state where there are no extremes and where all things are in harmony. It is my opinion that this is the real key to success when dealing with your weight. I have seen my clients try diet after diet and fad after fad in order to lose weight. Ultimately, what ends up happening? 

• Your "diet" restricts you so much that binge on the weekends.
• Eventually you come off the diet and you mysteriously put the weight back on. 
• You lose 10lbs at first but can't seem to lose any more. 
• You find yourself saying, "Oh my God, this diet sucks!", way too much.  

Im not going to mislead you by thinking that I have a pill that gives you balance because I don't. If I did, I would be writing this blog on my private island, with my private jet parked next to my bentley in front of my mansion that was handmade by a famous French architect. Point being, balance isn't easy. It takes hard work and dedication, but the reward is far greater than any pill or diet can give you. 

Here are some tips that I utilize for myself and for my clients that may help you find balance. Final bullet list, I promise. 

• Don't 180 your diet. Instead of changing everything all at once, try stages and steps. 
• Cheat meals instead of cheat days. 
• Keep a log! I can't tell you how much this helps. 
• Be realistic. Don't aim to workout 9 days a week if you can only make it 2 times a week. 
• Don't restrict yourself to the point that you feel like a prisoner on death row. 
• Every time you want to cheat or over indulge, remind yourself of what your goal is. 
• Day by day. Step by step. Don't overwhelm yourself with wanting instant results. 

So instead of buying into the next infomercial or going to the health store to pick up the latest fat loss pills, do something for yourself. Go for a run in the morning. Eat a healthy breakfast. Have some almonds as a snack. Salad for lunch. Apple. Sensible and light dinner. Get 8hrs of sleep. Wake up and take it one step at a time. I promise that if you practice moderation and balance...you will go much farther than ever before.