Here’s what I’d tell Angelina Jolie and others.....

I meant to send this out a while back, but I've been a little busy. :)

Who saw the Oscars?  I don’t know if you saw it, but movie stars nowadays are so SUPER skinny…

I mean, I know the camera adds 10 lbs, so it’s a good idea to stay trim if you’re on tv. But really? I bet Natalie Portman has to run around in the shower to get wet. And if Angelina Jolie would just turn sideways she’d probably disappear. Not to mention that thing sticking out of her dress (some say it was her leg). I can only imagine the diets these girls get on.. and how extreme they must be. So with that in mind, I want to give you MY 2 cents on the controversial subject of…

DIETS
In this email I’m not going to tell you “diets are bad”…

I mean, I’m not a fan. But I don’t want to sound like a broken record… I believe that in the end of the day everyone should do what they’re most confident about. So in this email I want to point out some dieting ‘reminders’. The way I see diets is that they are an ‘entry-way’ to a healthier lifestyle. Kinda like a kickstart to your eating habits. I definitely see them more as the start of a MARATHON, rather than just doing a short sprint. So it’s important to have some flexibility when you diet. It’s a personal thing, so make your own rituals to make this journey comfortable for you :)

Here are some samples…
1- It’s OK to have dessert
The only ‘but’ here is that you should try to have your dessert on your ‘cheat day’.
If you eat superclean 6 days out of the week, it’s actually a good idea to go out of whack for one day.. if anything to trick your metabolism so it doesn’t get used to your diet-low calorie levels.

2- You can have unlimited amounts of veggies
On a diet you’re restricted to limit MOST food… except for the non-starchy vegetables. Like broccoli, spinach, snap peas, kale, asparagus…

3- Salads are not your best choice
More often than not, salads are calorie bombs. If you hate salads, don’t make yourself angry by eating them :) They rarely will fill you up unless they’re loaded with wrong stuff, like croutons, cheese, dressing, etc.

4- Have patience……….
Patience is one of the best traits anyone can have. When losing weight, getting fit, enjoy the process as much as the result.

You will always have more goals to come that you’ll want to conquer, there will always be more challenges ahead. So why not enjoy the “now”… knowing that every day you’re getting a little better.

And remember, 365 days of getting a ‘little better’ is a whole LOT better at the end of the year =)

Yours in health,
Greg DiRenzo, M.S.
Performance Coach, Trainer
"S.M.A.R.T.fit" - THE NEXT BIG THING!
"Small Hinges Swing Big Doors"


Nothing is hard.... it just takes time!

Fastest Results You’ll Ever Get.....

Hey, Greg here with Lakeside Fitness Center – hope you’re having an awesome day!

This email may be one of the most important ones you read all day.  I’m not just saying this to make you read it… it’s because this one is about mindset & positive thinking… something I’m super passionate about.

Ever since I read “Think & Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, things in my life literally changed. Not instantly, but close.

That was one of the many many many books I’ve read over the years that has provided me with a little "knowledge".  Although this wasn’t part of my 12 month challenge last year, I chose to re read it as part of my "52 book challenge" in 1 year… (I got to 56!!!)

After I read that book and let its’ content sink in, I felt like something changed.

I know this goes against popular thought, but most people believe that change has to be worked at for months or even years. We expect to try and fail numerous times before we ultimately give up or succeed.

So how does this relate to your fitness goals?

Well, how many people do you know struggle with their weight? They want to make a healthy change by getting in shape, but the change never seems to take hold?

Or what about you? Is there something in your life that you want to change? Do you have weight to lose?

Do you have high blood pressure? Do you have a pair of pants that you wish you could fit into?

What is keeping you from making a positive change in your life? According to Anthony Robbins, it's the getting ready to change that takes time. In the end there's a single instant when the change occurs. Robbins goes on to outline three specific beliefs that you must have in order to instantly create a lasting change.

Belief #1: Something MUST change. (kind of like my Risk vs. Reward philosophy I always talk about)
Do you sort of want to get into shape, or do you absolutely have to lose the weight? Does dropping a few pounds sound nice, or is living another day in your current body unbearable? In order to make a lasting change you must be convinced that the time has come.

Belief #2: I (and nobody else) must change it.
It is vital that you take full responsibility in making the change. Sure, others may assist you, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to need this change enough to make it your personal mission—no one else will do it for you.

Belief #3: I CAN change it.
Don't let past failures get in your way. The truth is that you do amazing things when you put your mind to it. Believe that you are capable of losing weight or making any other positive change in your life.

Why do most people fail to make lasting change? They leave it up to willpower. This works for awhile, but you'll always revert back to what's comfortable. The solution?

Change what you're comfortable with.

You've probably heard that humans are motivated by two things: 1) to avoid pain and 2) to gain pleasure.

When you want to change a behavior pattern the key is to associate pain with the behavior that you don't want and pleasure with the behavior that you do want.

You know that you want to lose weight and that to do so you need to quit eating comfort food late at night.

You also know that you need to start exercising on a regular basis. Up until this point your brain is trained to associate pleasure with eating comfort food late at night and to associate pain with exercise.

It's time to retrain your brain to feel good about exercise and to feel bad about eating late at night. Think about all of the negative things about being overweight and connect these unpleasant thoughts to your late night snack. Now think about all of the wonderful things about being in shape and connect these pleasant thoughts to exercise.

You are capable of making a big change in your life. Come in and ask for a free fitness evaluation to help you construct your program and path, and why not bring a friend for a trial.  Remember, you have what it takes to make that change, in order to swim you eventually have to push off the wall in the deep end!

Remember, change can happen in an instant!

See you soon,
Greg

Try this out (it’ll change things..)

Try this out (it’ll change things..)

 

What are your habits?

 

Do you eat the same thing for lunch, go through the same exercise routine, and fall into bed at the same time each night?

 

Or maybe you've made a habit out of eating whatever looks good, avoiding the gym, and staying up as late as possible.

 

John Dryden famously said, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us."

 

Confucius said, "Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them."

 

And Aristotle noticed that, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

 

It's pretty clear that the habits you adopt will shape who you are. When it comes to your body, the two habits that define your physique are your eating and exercise habits. In fact, everyone that you know who is in great shape has dialed in these two important habits.

 

If you aren't happy with your body, then simply adjust your eating and exercise habits.

 

Aaaaand here’s how:

 

FIRST…

Decide on the ONE habit that you would like to develop. It's tempting to pick up 3 or 4 healthy habits, but choosing just one new habit is realistic and doable.

 

 

I’m talking about stuff like this:

• Do not eat after 9pm each night.

• Bring your lunch to work instead of eating fast food.

• Exercise 4 times a week after work for 45 minutes each time.

• Only eat fruits and veggies as your afternoon snack.

• Get up early and exercise for an hour each morning.

 

SECONDLY…

Write your new habit down on paper. Also include your 3 main motivators for developing this new habit, the obstacles you'll face, and your strategies for overcoming these obstacles.

 

 

Here's an example:

• My new habit is to go to Bootcamp 3 times each week.

• My 3 main motivators are to feel confident in my bathing suit this summer, to have more energy, and to fit into my skinny jeans.

• The obstacles I will face are not having the energy to go to my session after work, not having enough money to pay for Bootcamp, and not having my spouse's support.

• I will overcome these obstacles by doing my workouts before work instead of after work, so I have more energy, cutting down on frivolous spending to ensure that I can afford it, and asking my spouse to join me so we can get in shape together.

 

THIRD…

Commit fully to your new habit, in a public way. This could mean posting it on Facebook, or simply announcing it at the dinner table. Put yourself in a position where you'll be embarrassed to give up on your new habit.

 

FOURTH…

Keep track of your progress. You could keep a detailed journal or simply make a check mark on each calendar day that you successfully exercise your new habit.

 

FIFTH…

Keep yourself publicly accountable. This means either status updates on Facebook or verbal status updates at the dinner table. Your friends and family are in a position to offer you support, so don't shy away from those close to you.

 

SIXTH…

When you fail, figure out what went wrong so that you can plan around it in the future.

 

SEVENTH…

Reward yourself for your success.

 

AND THEN…

Once your new habit becomes second nature, usually in about 30 days, feel free to add a second habit by going through the same 7 steps.

 

This is truly a gamechanger. Really, do this and your life will change. It’s mostly in your hands, but if you need help in any way – as always - reach out to me anytime =)

 

 

Greg DiRenzo, M.S.

Performance Coach, Trainer

"S.M.A.R.T.fit" - THE NEXT BIG THING!

"Small Hinges Swing Big Doors"