A-Z Fitness - Support

Some people seem to have so much support in everything they do. Is that you? Not everyone has the support they feel they need, but it's needed none-the-less. Perhaps you don't feel you need the support? If not, how much better would it be if you found a friend or family member to share in your goals and ambitions? I've found blogging can be one way to find the support when I'm lacking. Don't be afraid to ask your close friends and family for support if you think they are not giving it to you. Find a friend to walk with or go to the gym with. Share your success with others in an on-line community. Do what it takes to find the support you need, you'll find it won't be difficult at all.

Tips: Make sure you pair up with someone who has similar goals in mind. If you're looking to work on cardio, pairing up with someone looking to strength train is hardly going to work unless you are simply looking for support getting to the gym. If you are still feeling support is waining feel free to comment on the support thread I've set up in my blog: Support

Remember: Never go it alone. Even if you have to do your workout's and food planning alone, sharing with someone can give you additional thoughts and motivation. Don't forget, as long as they are supporting you, you need to support them as well. Support goes both ways and making sure you are just as supportive makes for a team with positive results.

Goal: Discover who your biggest support is and make sure you are giving them as much support as they giving you. Try finding someone new to support and you'll likely find new support coming your way as well.

Last Weeks Goal: For the past few weeks I've been having a problem with looking at the big picture, one step at a time. With last weeks goal to be more realistic I decided to step back and look what I was doing. I wasn't working towards an immediate realistic approach, but how much I wanted to lose as a whole. By stopping and looking at what my immediate short short goal is, I've become more realistic in my approach and taking it one day at a time. How did you do on last weeks goal of looking more realistic on your fitness?

What fitness words starting with the letter "S" inspire you?

S11E04 - I Did Nothing Wrong

Original Air Date: 01/25/11

The contestants are given a food challenge to start the week off and are presented with some of their favorite foods. The team who eats the most calories gets to choose which team will have to work with the unknowns for a week. Most teams refuse to eat any calories but Arthur eats a chicken leg which gives him control. He sends the green (Jay & Jennifer) team to the others.

Meanwhile, the rest of the contestants on the ranch let Don know they are upset with him for throwing the weigh in last week. Jillian tries to talk to him, but Don claims he's innocent and refuses to admit he's done anything wrong.

Letters from home are next offered to both the Ranch and the Unknown teams. Whichever group can come closest to guessing the number of calories in various meals they will win the letters. The players from the ranch win the reward. Despite the tears, they are all encouraged from home not to give up. Even Don seems to take the encouragement to heart.

No weigh-in this week.

S.U.P.P.O.R.T.

It's not an article, it's a support thread. Looking for support or want to give your support to those in need? This is a chance to look for and receive specific support in your fitness goals. Sometimes, knowing others are dealing with the same thing you are, is half the battle.

The goal is to help others succeed by urging them along and giving them positive persuasion. Remind them of their objective and show your reliability. Individually, fitness can be a challenge but teamwork can help us all out.

If you need support in a specific area, leave a comment. Want to offer support to myself or others? Leave that in the comment section as well.

S11E03 - Losing Weight, You're Doing It Wrong

Original Air Date: 01/18/11
It's week three and the new trainers are finally revealed. Cara is a boxer and Brett is a fitness instructor. Both are upset with Q for taking advantage of his four week immunity, and he's not doing as much work as he should be.

Both groups meet later at a challenge although a partition divides them. Each group is challenged to keep an egg balanced on the underside of a skillet. The last person from each team will meet at a dinner with Curtis Stone. There is also a two pound challenge at stake. Marci and Denise win and meet Curtis Stone. He prepares them lunch and the one who comes closest to guessing the calories will win the two pound challenge. Marci comes closest and wins the challenge.

For the latest challenge, each contestant has a large bucket, and when filled they will be out of the challenge. The final person remaining will have the only vote at the elimination, that turns out to be Irene.

At the Weigh In: Things don't look good for Arhtur who only loses four pounds. But the twins Dan and Don both GAIN nine pounds. Irene opts to vote out Dan.

A-Z Fitness - Really Realistic

Sometimes in our journey to fitness, we become over excited and tend to make big plans. It's good to think big, but are you being realistic in your goals and ambitions or are you dreaming? Wanting to lose 20 pounds is great, but are you expecting to lose that in a week or two? Shows like the Biggest Loser might make you think it's achievable, but it's not realistic. Let's keep in mind, the contestants on the Biggest Loser are on a fitness ranch, with personal trainers, working out several hours each day. Is that something you will realistically do? Probably not. Also, be realistic in what you eat. Suddenly deciding to cut off every food you like isn't very realistic either. Before long, you'll be craving the foods you've cut off and likely over indulge. As I've said before, it takes baby steps. Make your goals attainable and realistic and you will have better success.

Tips: If you are realistic about your goals and want to do all you can besides joining the Biggest Loser there are other options for you. Join a gym, hire a personal trainer, join Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers is nice because of the support, motivational encouragement from the team leaders and the help in tracking. If these are viable options for you, go for it. Looking for ways to be realistic in your goals without spending money is also doable. Get an ipod and go for a walk in the mornings, or take up running. Perhaps you have a friend who'll run with you. There are various games now available to help keep you active. Having fitness goals can be realistic without having to spend lots of money on a monthly basis. There are also various web-sites designed to help you track your daily calories, some are free.

Remember: Sometimes it's easier when you are not think about your ultimate goal. If you want to be realistic, think small. Being realistic and tackling smaller goals will help keep you focused and give you the confidence to succeed. Being unrealistic or merely planning and wishing to get in shape will only aggravate and disappoint you.

Goal: It's time to review your immediate goals. What are your immediate goals and are they realistic? Remember to think short term, make a realistic goal for the next week. Losing one pound a week can be realistic, losing 5-10 not so much. Try making a realistic weight-loss goal, a realistic exercise goal or a realistic dietary goal. Feel free to share it here.

Last Weeks Goal: What small steps did you make this week to change the quality of your food? I made a point to put out fruit this weekend, and I bought myself several packages of gum to lay around the house. Having a quality food within easy reach can sometimes make or break your decision to eat an unhealthy food.

What fitness words starting with the letter "R" inspire you?

A-Z Fitness - Quality Control

Last week we talked about how much you eat, the quantity. This week we're talking about quality. It's the kind of yin-yang of healthy eating. Watching your quality will help you focus on quantity, watching your quantity forces you to keep better tabs on your quality. So why watch the quality if you are watching quantity? Remember the old saying, 'you are what you eat'? If we put nothing but junk into our body, we shouldn't expect our bodies to perform well. Watching calories is fine, but if all the calories are a result of doughnuts, McDonald's, beer and nothing more, we won't feel satisfied, we won't feel refreshed and we won't feel motivated.

Tips: If you are unsure what changes you can make, don't be afraid to ask for help. If you are like me, you'll likely have many friends who are into fitness and will consistently offer suggestions for quality foods to try. Or perhaps post a comment in an open forum like twitter, facebook or something similar. You'll be surprised to find how many people are willing to give you great ideas for food substitutes. As an example, I just posed the question "Looking for suggestions to change to better quality food when snacking. 100 cal bag of chips fine or something else be better?"* I received back the following list of suggestions; Raw carrots, broccoli, an apple with natural peanut butter, stove popped popcorn, protein shake, parsnip chips, the entirety of the fruit and veg chart. So even if you can't think of a better quality food to substitute with, there are others who'll gladly offer suggestions.

Remember: Choose foods that will give you lasting energy throughout the day. Snacking on carrots rather than chips will keep our bodies satisfied. Craving something sweet, there is nothing like the natural goodness of a fresh fruit. Sometimes people are prone to eat less fruits and vegetables even if they are watching what they eat. True, chocolate might taste better but it certainly won't have the lasting effects healthier options will have.

Goal: Do your utmost to watch the quality of what you are eating. Is there a food choice you can substitute this week? Try a piece of gum instead of eating a snack. Cut up some fruit for dessert instead of eating a cookie. Changes start with small steps, and slowly changing the quality of what you eat will have lasting effects.

Last Weeks Goal: What did you notice when taking note of portion sizes consumed by yourself or others? Did you make the effort to keep tabs on this, if so you likely took some interesting notes. What were your observations? Care to share?

What fitness words starting with the letter "Q" inspire you?

*This question was posted on twitter so I had to keep the message short, thus the grammatical errors.

S11E02 - Doughnut Stompin'

Original Air Date: 01/11/11
Irene is really upset about her mother going home, but more bad news comes when Alison tells the contestants those with the mystery trainers beat their weigh-in percentages. As an incentive, the contestants on the ranch are told if they beat the other teams percentage they will all win immunity for the week.

But the other team plays dirty pool when they send the contestants at the ranch a box of donuts. Arthur realizes he's very tempted to grab one so everyone decides to stomp on the box of donuts. Arthur takes the remains to the dumpster, though is still tempted, despite them being stepped on and mushed.

The challenge for the week has the contestants making a bridge across water with air mattresses. The winner of the challenges gets a three pound advantage. The contestants from the ranch lose, but win the weigh in anyway. All teams are safe for the week.

S11E01 - The Mystery Trainers

Original Air Date: 01/04/11
11 teams arrive on the ranch and discover Bob and Jillian are not the only trainers this season. 5 teams will have the option of working with the new trainers, and receive four weeks of immunity. Each team work together towards completing 5K on a treadmill. The order the contestants finish will determine who gets to pick which set of trainers they want to work with; Bob & Jillian or a mystery two.

Choosing the Unknown Trainers:
Yellow (Justin & Rulon)
Grey (Moses & Kaylee)
Pink (Denise & Sarah)
Red (Jaquin & Larialmy)
Brown (Ken & Austin)

Teams with Bob & Jillian:
Aqua (Marci & Courtney)
Green (Jay & Jennifer)
Orange (Ana & Irene)
Purple (Hannah & Olivia)
Blue (Jesse & Arthur)
Black (Dan & Don)

At the weigh in: The Orange team falls below the yellow line and the rest of the teams decide to send home Ana and keep Irene.

A-Z Fitness - Portion Control

What you eat is only as important as how much you eat. Feeling guilty because you are craving a piece of lasagna? Why feel guilty? There is nothing wrong with eating your favorite food, especially when you keep it under control. Who says you have to bury your plate with your food? Keeping portions under control means you can enjoy more foods. Don't be fooled by restaurant gimmicks making you think eating more in your meal is a better value. There is no value greater than your health. For example; the typical meal ordered at McDonald's when it first came out carried about 590 calories with 20g of fat. That's typically what's in the 'kids meal' now. The typical person ordering a 'value sized' meal can have as many as 1310 calories and 51g of fat. And that's on the low side! Choose wisely, and you can enjoy your favorite foods from time to time, choose poorly and motivation for your fitness goals will wane. Conclusion? Eat smart.

Tips: Try to keep fruits and vegetables the first focus on your plate next to your protein. Don't be afraid to have that extra helping of peas and carrots either. Vegetable are seldom what you need to look out for when it comes to portion control. Just watch things like potatoes, which can add up the calories. The piece of meat you eat doesn't have to cover your plate either, a portion the size of a deck of playing cards is perfect. Sometimes, buying smaller plates will help you make sure your portion sizes are small. Why not give that a try?

Remember: The harder you strive to keep your portions under control, the easier it will be to enjoy foods you like, guilt free. Having a piece of pizza isn't so wrong, eating an entire pizza - no good. Are you used to larger portions? Unsure what is a safe amount to eat? That's when you need to talk with your doctor or dietitian and find out what your caloric goal should be for the day. It'll be much easier to plan your portion sizes, when you know how much you should be eating.

Goal: Keep an eye on your portion sizes this week. Make a concerned effort to identify where this is not taking place. You don't even have to target yourself in this exercise, watch how others eat at work, the mall, or the local restaurant. Do you feel others are keeping an eye on portion control? If not, identifying it will help you to make wiser decisions. If they are, it'll motivate you to do the same. Keep track of what you see, especially the best and worst offenders.

Last Weeks Goal: Where did I put my notes from last week? Oh, that's right I organized them in a folder and are sitting right here. How did you do in your organization? Did you create a binder or start keeping everything in a folder? Share your story.

What fitness words starting with the letter "P" inspire you?

Jeffrey Scott’s – Best of his Blogs 2010

Most of my friends know I maintain two blogs. One dedicated to health and fitness and one for my creativity. I’m proud to say I’ve kept up with both this year. So for those of you only familiar with one of the two, I’ve decided for the first time ever to do a cross-over blog. And why not, I’m a creative person and both illustrate that in various ways.











January
Tegan - Will You Miss Me
An interesting poem I wrote. But can you tell what it’s really about?
Carrot Sticks – Biggest Loser (No Motivation)
I began to recognize my fitness was slipping. I wrote a few observations as to why.

February
Tegan – Haiku
In 2009 I wrote several Haiku’s. In 2010 I wrote one last one. Follow the links to view more.
Carrot Sticks – Biggest Loser – Top 5 Faults With the Show
I’ve always been a Biggest Loser fan, but at times it can irritate me. Here’s why.

March
Tegan – Travel Preparations for London
Two month from the actual trip, I began making lists.
Carrot Sticks – Feed Me Seymore
Random thoughts on how I can do better at what I eat and what my downfalls are.

April
Tegan – Loss & Love
For a month, I worked on a short story on Facebook. I reprinted it to my blog.

May
Tegan – I’m Nothing
Sometimes a poem hits me. Here is one I wrote this year.
Carrot Sticks – Procrastination vs. Motivation
You can either procrastinate or be motivated. Here are my thoughts.

June
Tegan - Fuse CD Review
I discovered a new CD and wrote a review. The artists read it and enjoyed it!
Carrot Sticks – Tracking Disaster
I tried to become more serious about my tracking, but I failed.

July
Tegan – Interview With An Admiral
I had a nice chat with Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars.

August
Tegan – Who is River Song?
I’ve got a firm belief, but this was one farcical theory.

September
Tegan – I Tweet Therefore I Am
Another poem, this time based on…. Twitter???
Carrot Sticks – A-Z Fitness (Atmosphere)
In hopes of making myself more accountable, I began a new fitness series.

October
Tegan – Doctor Who (The Early Years)
I give in to my nerdyness and begin writing a Doctor Who themed series.
Carrot Sticks – Jillian Michaels – GoDaddy Commercial
A funny commercial Jillian is now appearing in.

November
Tegan – Time Travel Museum
Can you find your favourite time machine in the time travel museum?
Carrot sticks – Top 9 Way To Tell If You’ve Been Watching Too Much Biggest Loser
With a lot of my posts centered on Biggest Loser, I wondered if I watched too much.

December
Tegan - Jelly Babies
I did a photo shoot with… candy???
Tegan – Saturn Girl Selling Telepathic Telecommunications
I guess I’m a true Legion of Super Hero nerd to come up with this.
Carrot Sticks – Tastes So Good
I wrote a song parody and why junk food tastes so good.

That’s not all I wrote in both logs, but it gives you pretty good idea. If you enjoy both, why not subscribe and follow both? You’re bound to find something you like sooner or later. ;)
Jeffrey Scott

A-Z Fitness - Organization

So far in this series I've talked about many things including blogging, goals, lists and nutrition labels. In these weeks I've given you written goals. Now is the time to concentrate on how you keep everything together. Hopefully, you don't have several lists in one place and a pile of notes and memos in another. If so, you'll need to organize everything. But why is this important to your health and fitness? Because if you are taking the time to make notes, you need to have everything organized so you can review it when you need to. Continual review is essential and organization is key to making sure you can find the notes you want to keep track of. Organization not only makes things tidier, it also means your review will be more enjoyable. Pulling your hair out because you can't find the one article you saved means you'll be less likely to review in the future.

Tips: One of the best ways to organize your notes is to keep a binder. A loose-leaf notebook is okay if you are simply taking notes, but sometimes its interesting to keep other items along with your notes. Attend a gym? Keep essential material with your fitness notes. Do you attend classes like Weight Watchers? They provide lots of useful information, keep all motivational material in your binder. Do you use a fitness coach or personal trainer? Include all your schedule times in the binder.

Remember: Keeping all your notes, thoughts, lists and motivational material in one place will make it easier to review. What better reason to keep everything together than to do a review from time to time. Include pictures or success stories along with everything else, in an organized fashion, and your biggest inspiration will be you.

Goal: Organize all your fitness material in one place. Even if you don't go as far as creating a binder, simply keeping things in a folder is still better organization than in several piles here and there. Do you already have things organized? Your goal then is to do a review. Is there anything you can include? Is there information you could weed out? Now is the time to do so.

Last Weeks Goal: Were you able to accomplish last weeks goal? It was a fairly simple task of reading nutrition labels and taking notes and comparing favourite foods. Did you learn anything looking at the labels? Did you decide to make any changes after what you discovered? Or are doing well in what is being put into your body? If you eat a lot of organic food, you are one step ahead of the game as processed foods have so much more junk added to them. But working on this task, you'll have noticed it for yourself.

What fitness words starting with the letter "O" inspire you?

A-Z Fitness - Nutrition

No matter what your goals for fitness are, keeping tabs on your nutrition is paramount. Without being aware of what you are eating, or more importantly what's in what you are eating, you will have little success. For the most part, anything we purchase in the store has a nutrition label. When's the last time you took a peek at what you are eating? There are key things to look for: Carbohydrates, Protein, Fat and Fiber are just a few things to search for. Foods higher in fat are certainly not good for you, but you probably know that already. A little isn't bad, you'll find fat of some sort in most foods you eat. The trick is discovering how fiber and carbohydrates relate as well. The higher the carbs and protein, the higher the calories are generally going to be. So if you keep tabs on calories you'll want to be aware of that.

Tips: Everyone has a set number of calories they should be eating in a day. Do you know what yours are? Slight changes in fiber, protein and carbohydrates can affect how good the calories you eat are. A quick search on-line and you'll find dietary calculators which can help guide you in making proper choices.

Remember: Let's face it. Not all calories are created equal. It's not like the old trick question, which weighs more a pound of lead or a pound of feathers because 100 calories of fruits is certainly not the same as 100 calories of a Twinkie. That's why you need to identify what you are eating, and how it affects the food you are eating.

Goal: Keep an eye on nutrition labels. Compare a few of the same items and you'll see big differences. Cereals for example can differ wildly. This week take a 'comfort food' and really look at the nutrition label. If your comfort food is something like home baked cookies, your task might be a bit more daunting but it can be done. Just keep track of the nutrition labels of all ingredients as you make the cookies.

Last Weeks Goal: What did you discover when searching for your motivation last week? Did you find anything new to motivate you? Or did you discover your original motivations were enough?

What fitness words starting with the letter "N" inspire you?

A-Z Fitness - Motivation

Motivation is probably the most important thing you can have when you want to do weight loss or maintenance. Without it, there is no drive to do what you want to accomplish. A few weeks back we talked about having an initiative. The initiative is nothing without motivation, though. You can find motivation through various sources. You can be inspired via friends, family or even those you see on TV. I've always been a big fan of the show Biggest Loser, and though I'm not sure that's the best way to lose weight, it's certainly effective. What motivates me more than anything is when the contestants keep the weight off. At one point I weighed over 300 lbs, and was properly motivated to lose 100 lbs. My motivation somehow slipped and I gained about half of it back, but I'm proud to say I've found the motivation once more and have been doing well at taking it back off.

Tips: Don't have the right motivation? Talk to someone you know has the proper motivation. Or simply talk to your friends and family and let them know what your goals are and ask for their help. You will be surprised how supportive they can be, and that's the biggest motivation of all.

Remember: Motivation can be tricky. Unlike a goal, motivation can be easily lost. Keep a firm grasp on what you are shooting for and never lose focus of your motivation. Also, it's not like you can only have one thing motivate you. As stated above, there are several things to motivate you. What motivates you?

Goal: Last week you were making lists, did you make a list of what motivates you? If not, it's your goal for this week. Find what motivates you, this time be more specific. If family motivates you, name each person who motivates you. Does a particular feeling motivate you, (a feeling of accomplishment), list it. What about a particular picture? What else can you find to motivate you?

Last Weeks Goal: The goal for last week was to make a few lists, of food to shop for or exercises to try. What did you come up with? Did they help and possibly inspire you?

What fitness words starting with the letter "M" inspire you?

Tastes So Good

(Sung to John Mellencamp's "Hurts So Good")

When I was a fat boy,
Said put away those junk food ways.
Now that I'm getting thinner, so much thinner
I crave for those fattening ways.

With a treat like this, with a snack like that.
Lord knows there are things I can eat, oh no
I must resist, I will not give it up.


Tastes so good,
Why does junk food, always taste so good?
Eating well don't taste like it could.
Junk food, tastes so good.

Just have to keep exercising,
and trying' to give myself a little less flab, yeah.
Yet junk food is so invitin', sugary sweetness on my tongue.
So, what can I do? Come on, what can I do?
Sink my teeth into these scones? Oh no!
Something better to chew, 'cause I won't give it up.

Tastes so good,
Why does junk food, always taste so good?
Eating well don't taste like it could
when junk food, tastes so good.

I ain't talkin' no big meals.
I don't plan to, ignore my health,
I ain't talkin' no fake deals
maybe, 'I could walk around, all day long.
Walk around, all day long.'

Tastes so good.
Why does junk food always taste so good?
Eating well don't taste like it could
when junk food, tastes so good.

Tastes so good. (Come on tell me now),
Why does junk food always taste so good?
Eating well don't taste like it could
when junk food, tastes so good.

J.A.Scott

A-Z Fitness - Lists

Writing lists can be an effective tool to losing and maintaining your weight. How? If you think about it, the best way to keep active on your goals is to keep track of them. What better way than to make a list of what you want to work towards? But goals aren't the only thing a list is good for. Make sure you take a list with you to the grocery store. I've been in a grocery store and I know how easy it is to be tempted by special deals and offers or foods less healthier than what you are planing on purchasing. So you've got a grocery list and a goal list set up, what else can you do? Why not make a list of exercise routines you'd like to try. Stair climbing, track, spin class; put them in a list and set about doing them.

Tips: I've said it before and I'll say it again - Kiss. 'Keep it Simple Sally.' The point being, one or two key words are all you need for each item on the list. Keeping a list helps keep your thoughts and ideas in order, so don't over complicate it.

Remember: Your lists do not have to be 800 pages novels. A simple list will be an easier list to remember and work on. The more complicated you get, the harder it will be to maintain. Check things off your list as you go along.

Goal: Before your next stop to the grocery, make a list of the items you want to pick up, make sure the foods are healthy. Don't be afraid to put a snack on the list, as long as its not a trigger food for you. Already write a grocery list? Concentrate on your goals. Make a list of all minor and major goals you are working towards. Can you think of a few new ones to add to the list? Can you think of something else to make a list of? Why not share it with us here?

Last Weeks Goal: I know you all did a great job on last weeks goal, right? It was a fairly easy goal, and a way to give appreciation to your friends and family. I really took this goal to heart this week and did what I could to give kudos to those I appreciate. I gave a few through my twitter account, on my facebook account, through various comments on web sites and of course live in person to those I know personally. How did you do? How did you give kudos to those you appreciate? How did you feel afterward?

What fitness words starting with the letter "L" inspire you?

A-Z Fitness - Kudos

It's said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That may be true, but ultimately people are more flattered when they receive kudos from a loved one. Kudos are what you give people when you appreciate something they have done, to acknowledge the hard work they have put in on a particular task. So how do kudos relate to fitness? It's true, you can give yourself 'props', but how much more will someone else appreciate receiving them? The more you recognize how others are doing in their fitness goals, the more you'll focus on your own. And you never know, you might receive a few of your own.

Tips: Don't be surprised if someone thinks you are 'after something'. True, it does seem in this day and age the only time a person gives kudos they are trying to receive something back; either fishing for a compliment back or some sort of favour. However, a true appreciation for someone is to NOT expect anything back. To solve this problem, send an anonymous note or preface a verbal compliment with "I was thinking how much I appreciate you for", and then give a valid reason for why you appreciate them. The intended recipient will realize its more sincere and less likely to think you are 'fishing'.

Remember: There are different ways to give kudos. A pat on the back, gift card or note of appreciation is as effective as a verbal accolade. Also, you don't have to reserve your appreciation for only fitness goals. There are many things you can appreciate someone for; being a good mother, a caring person, keeping a bedroom nice and tidy, working hard for the family. Certainly you can think of something you give a person kudos for.

Goal: This week I've got a unique goal to work on. Instead of trying to give yourself kudos, try spreading it to other people. Truly, the best acclaim one can receive is from another person. Everyone enjoys knowing they have done a good job or are appreciated. Try to give away either three kudos in a single day or try to give one out each day to a different person. Especially at this time of the year will it be more appreciated.

Last Weeks Goal: So how did you do on your goal from last week? What substitutes did you make? Was it a continual effort all week long or did you try once? Even trying a single time can be helpful as you'll likely keep it in mind for later use. As always, even though it's not this weeks goal, doesn't mean you can't keep working on it.

What fitness words starting with the letter "K" inspire you?

A-Z Fitness - Junk Food

Having the right attitude about junk-food is certainly helpful. When I say junk food I mean candy, fast food, bakery, soda, highly processed foods and stuff of this sort. Of course when I mention junk food, generally people know exactly what I mean. Sure, it might taste good while you're eating it, but it certainly catches up with you. You know what they say, 'A moment on the lips, forever on the hips'. It's so much easier to take in the calories than to burn them off. Did you know McDonald's medium size French-fries has 380 calories and 19 grams of fat? A Starbucks Caffè Mocha has 260 calories and 8 grams of fat. A piece of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake can have as many as 1000 calories per serving? That's a lot of sit-ups! Something to think about next time you have a craving for junk food.

Tips: You can still eat out or buy snacks without it being 'junk food'. Look for foods low in calories, low in fat and unprocessed. These foods are much healthier for you and make you feel better physically and mentally.

Remember: Junk food is just what it says, junk. Americans especially have gotten into the habit of using junk food to replace wholesome nutritious meals, and I'm just as much at fault as anyone. Sure, it's fast and easy but at the end of the day, it takes it's toll on the body.

Goal: Try replacing a high fat item you enjoy for a low calorie one this week. Enjoy French fries with lunch? Try a bag of baked chips. Drink Caffè Mocha's in the morning? Why not replace it with a regular black coffee. Enjoy cheese cake? A cheesecake flavored yogurt will do the trick. Can you think of other substitutions you can make? Why not make a list and share them here?

Last Weeks Goal: So what did you decide was your ultimate initiative for wanting to keep fit? Did you figure one out? I kept coming back to thinking my main initiative is to encourage others. Of course I've been struggling with my weight for a few weeks so I wonder if that's enough? How about you? What did you come up with, and what did you discover about yourself because of it?

What fitness words starting with the letter "J" inspire you?

Top 9 Ways To Tell If You've Been Watching Too Much "Biggest Loser"

9. You know who Alison Sweeney is but have yet to watch one episode of 'Days of Our Lives'.




8. Your friend offers you a piece of Trident Sugar-Free gum and you correct her saying, "You mean Extra Sugar-Free gum".




7. Someone calls you a big loser and you take it as a compliment.




6. Your last nightmare featured the local gym and Jillian Michaels.




5. Uncontrollable guilt grips you every time you use bottled water instead of a Brita Filter.




4.You complain the Biggest Loser contestants used to inspire you, instead of make you angry.




3. You own a T-shirt that says "Team Bob".




2. You refuse to eat Thanksgiving dinner unless a Jennie-O Turkey is used.




1. Every Tuesday night you're sitting on the couch eating a pint of ice cream.

A-Z Fitness - Inspiring Initiative

Having the right initiative is very important for succeeding any fitness goal(s) you might have. Without it, you'll never properly be in the right frame of mind. Your initiative is what fuels your goal. Having a goal of losing weight is great, but without the proper initiative it simply won't work. It can be something as simple as wanting to feel better about yourself, wanting to look better, or wanting to eat healthier. Somewhat related to a goal and your motivation, having an initiative will get you started in the right direction, because motivation isn't enough.

Tips: To find your initiative, ask yourself why you want to achieve your goal. The answer will likely be the same for each goal you have.

Remember: Your initiative is a lot like a goals, but one initiative is what inspires you more than anything else. It's very important to figure out what yours is because it'll be different for everyone.

Goal: This week you are assigned the task of making sure you know what your ultimate initiative is. If you feel you have various reasons for wanting to keep fit, compare them and determine what is primary. I've got to admit, I've been trying to work towards several goals, with a main initiative. So this week I'm making sure I complete this goal personally.

Last Weeks Goal: Last week you were going to change one bad habit. Which bad habit did you try to break? How well did you do? Fall a little short? Don't worry, change takes time and with the right support and motivation you can do it! I may not be a professional fitness trainer, but I can offer my support to anyone that needs it.

What fitness words starting with the letter "I" inspire you?

A - Z Fitness - Hard Habit to Break

I've been working on this fitness blog for over 8 weeks now. You might say writing these articles has become a habit for me. But what really is a habit? A habit is something you do repetitively, on a continual basis so that it's second nature. So how does this relate to your health and fitness? Not surprisingly we have habits when we eat, whether we recognize it or not. The bad habits we've formed when it comes to something as simple as getting a drink or quick snack can be very important. We may need to break a habit when it comes to our exercise routine as well, or perhaps lack-there-of. The key is to identify the habits we've picked up, and change as many bad ones as we can.

Tips: Try replacing your regular soda with a diet soda. You'll be surprised how satisfying many diet sodas can be. Even better, try switching to water. Do you worry water may be too bland? There are many 'mix-ins' available for water. Most are low in calories and surprisingly taste very good. Have a craving for chips or candy? Why not try a piece of gum. It'll keep your mouth busy, and you'll enjoy the taste of the many varieties and flavours available. What about other bad habits? Make a list of what you feel your bad habits are, put a star next to the ones you feel are the most important to change.

Remember: Much like gaining weight, you didn't pick up a habit overnight. Going 'cold turkey' is not usually very effective. True, you may struggle, but if you keep with it and 'exercise' patience, you'll be surprised how many bad habits can be reversed. Keep in mind not all bad habits are food related.

Goal: For the next week, make it your goal to change one bad habit and stick to it. You don't have to change all your bad habits, take it one step at a time. Once you beat one, the others will fall in line (with a little work).

Last Weeks Goal: Last week your goal was to create a new goal for yourself. Was it weight related? Did it involve dropping a clothing size? What goal did you create and how have you been doing with it? My goal for the past year has been to stay away from soda, even diet. I'm happy to report I've done great with it so far. Drinking water is second nature to me now, I don't even miss soda.

What fitness words starting with the letter "H" inspire you?