myfitnesshut

Busy moms are awesome! They juggle many tasks at the same time and they still make time to love those around them! After all this, busy moms somehow find time to exercise!

Client Q: Do you have any suggestions for fitting in exercise during my busy week?

Mark’s A: Here is a good tactic that I use all the time: exercise at the location where you are currently. Many days, I fit in 15-20 minutes of exercise while waiting for a client training session. Take advantage of “DEAD TIME” during your day and exercise. Twenty minutes of exercise here and 20 minutes of exercise there works just fine.

Heather (all-world busy mom), a good friend of mine, is one of the busiest people I know. She has also made a commitment to fitness. She shared this personal story with me and here is an exerpt from it:

“Over the past three days or so, I’ve gained a better understanding of why women of my age (the specifics of which is an irrelevant detail) lose track of their gym passes and the will to fight the good fight on personal fitness.

I’m nowhere near quitting. I’ve done this for too long and believe that exercise tones a lot more than my body. It smooths out the rough spots in my emotions; it gives me spiritual muscle for Life’s considerable challenges. It gains me “thinking time,” enhancing my sense of perspective. It makes me smile more and wrinkle less.”

Click here and read the rest of the story. Have a great workout today!

I hope you can see a pattern forming with these articles! Yeah, that’s right! Personal trainers are just like you when it comes to fitness struggles. The major difference is this: personal trainers should maintain a high level of fitness and have solutions to your fitness questions.

So, let’s talk about accountability partners (social support) today. Personal trainers need accountability partners too! An accountability partner is very important to help you succeed with your fitness goals! Don’t try to reach your fitness goals alone!

My accountability partners include:

1) My clients. They expect and deserve a trainer who will “walk the talk.” I often give clients a “freebie” (we workout together).

2) Friends. Chris, Brooke, Jonas, Rachel and Jackie know if I have been working out and vice-versa. We know what “where have you been?” means.

3) Admittedly, some personal trainers are “out of shape.” Those of us who are serious about fitness keep each other in check.

Who are your accountability partners? Don’t have one yet? Get one or more ASAP! You need some accountability partners to help you reach your fitness goals!

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my weekly Fat Blaster eNewsletter!

There is a myth about personal trainers: since we love to work out (well, most of us do), we never have to “make ourselves” workout! Trust me, that is not true. There are some days that I just don’t feel like working out. Actually, when you are around something all the time, you have to be creative sometimes to keep it interesting. After I have designed tons of workouts for clients, what will be MY workout routine? For instance, this summer I started a routine that I will workout in the heat as much as possible. This sounds crazy but I love to be drenched in sweat and 100 degree heat accomodates me!

Life happens. Sometimes the events of life make it tough to do your job or anything else. Personal trainers are motivators. There are some days that I don’t feel like motivating people. But guess what? I find a way to do it and I ALWAYS feel better.

So, what’s the point? The point is this: we all have days when we have to make ourselves workout. Depending on your situation in life, you might have alot of days that you have to “will yourself” through. The commitment to fitness will get you through it. You will feel much better after that tough workout. I know I ALWAYS do!

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my weekly Fat Blaster eNewsletter!

This question was asked by a BuddySlim fitness buddy!  She can tell you who she is if she wants!

Client Q: Mark, I have a question? What do you struggle with? I think of you as this fitness god, but let’s know you better…. ya know.

Mark’s Q: Great question! I’m definitely not a fitness god! But I made a commitment to fitness years ago and that’s the key! But, I had alot of help! Let me explain:

1) I grew up in sunny New Mexico so I played outside almost everyday. That leads to an active lifestyle of games, walking, running, etc. Fun exercise is the best exercise. Even today, I do exercises that I like (there are tons to choose from)!

2) I participated in organized sports from age 5 to age 21. Along with genetics, that’s how I shaped a lean, athletic body. From there, all I basically had to do was maintain what was built.

3) I didn’t own a car until I was 23 years old so I walked and biked alot. Again, this helps lead to an active lifestyle (OK, I bummed alot of car rides too)!

4) I grew up in a time when kids came home from school, did their homework (well some of the time anyway) and then went outside and played games til dark (now kids are on MySpace and FaceBook til dark).

So, I kinda indirectly fell into the “fitness lifestyle.” Stated another way, I had alot of “social support” to help me stay fit. Social support is a leading indicator that you will stay on the fitness track!

The commitment to a fit lifestyle will lead to the body changes you want and give you lifetime health. I always tell people to commit to this lifestyle first and the health and “hot body” will follow!

Anyway, one of my weaknesses is sweets. I love sweets! I try to find replacements for them. So, instead of soda, I will drink water or unsweetened tea. And candy! Instead of eating a whole bag of M&Ms, I try to eat a few! And, some days I just flat out cheat. If you make the commitment to fitness and hold to good nutrition about 90% of the time, you will be just fine.

Unlike some trainers, I stress health and commitment first because that’s really where the problem issues are! The commitment to a fit lifestyle trumps all other fitness commitments and will help you to overcome the obstacles and failures along the way.

A fitness god I am not—I am committed to fitness! Stay tuned for parts 2 through 5 of this series and I’ll let you know about other weakness that “this trainer” has!

To get more fitness and nutrition tips, subscribe to my weekly Fat Blaster eNewsletter!

Two days ago, I heard yet another advertisement for a quick weight loss pill or powder! It promised results “the easy way!” After 100 years of weight loss history, doctors and fitness professionals agree that the best solution for fat loss and weight loss is proper nutrition and regular exercise.

How about common sense? Name one thing in life worth having that didn’t take alot of hard, smart work? Is your health worth the hard work? So, the next time you hear about one of these new weight loss pills or powders, just ask yourself the simple questions. You will come up with the same answer every time! Have a good workout today!

July and early August are traditionally heavy vacation months for many people (gas is $4 a gallon!)! Your workouts don’t have to take a vacation! Just be a little creative and you can have fun on vacation and still workout. Here’s a good goal: try to at least maintain your pre-vacation body fat and weight upon return from your vacation!

The picture above is my vacation condo location in Kissimmee, FL. It was easy to run in this location (just watch out for the alligators)!

Sometimes the location of your vacation can make working out fairly easy. For instance, if you are going to the mountains, hiking is an ideal exercise activity. And, if you are going to be close to a beach, running in the sand is a good exercise. If you are staying in a hotel, most hotels have exercise rooms. Just plan your workouts along with your vacation. Afterall, you want health and fitness to be a part of your lifestyle.

Here are some more pointers for your workouts during vacation:

1) Take your stability (swiss) ball and a set of dumbbells with you. You can get in a good 30 minute workout anywhere with these two pieces of equipment.

2) If you don’t want to take any equipment, then you can always do a bodyweight workout.

3) Take a jump rope with you. A 30 minute jump rope workout always works.

4) Plan fun games (such as water basketball, water polo, relays) with the family. The best exercise is fun exercise.

5) Visit the local health club where you will be vacationing. Some health clubs have agreements with your health club. A new workout atmosphere can be great motivation.

6) Plan a family hiking expedition if the vacation location allows for this type of activity.

7) Take your workout DVDs with you. They will probably work in your hotel television!

Stay on your nutrition plan at least 85% of the time! This is a tough one but you can do it!

I think you get the idea. Have a great vacation and stay safe!

Need more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my weekly “Fat Blaster” eNewsletter!

There is no doubt about it: 60% to 70% of your exercise goal success or failure will depend on a good nutrition plan! I can give you a great menu plan to follow day to day. It is up to YOU to follow the nutrition plan!

Here is another fact: research has proven that you will have a better chance of succeeding with your nutrition plan and fat loss if you keep a food journal! By logging your actual food choices, you are holding yourself accountable throughout the day. You will also be forced to plan your meals better.

In your food journal you should note:

1) List food, calories and serving sizes for every snack or meal. List details such as meats, drinks, vegetables, fruits, etc. For each meal, list why you ate–such as you were angry, sad, happy, hungry, etc. This is very important because moods can affect food choices! You need to know your motivations for eating!

2) Did you eat at home, at a fast food joint, restaurant, etc. Eating on the go can wreck your nutrition plan! Include this information with every meal.

3) Compare your food journal with your nutrition plan every day! This is the ultimate check on yourself and your eating habits.

A food journal will also help protect you from binge eating.

If you need more exercise and nutrition tips, subscribe to my “Weekly Fat Blaster” eNewsletter!

Enjoy your cookouts, barbeques and tailgates tomorrow and this weekend! I know I will! And, that includes eating good food! But, I won’t skip my workouts! The workouts keep everything in check! Here are some tips to help you navigate through the holiday food minefield:

1) Don’t stop or slack off on your exercise program this July 4th weekend! And, if you aren’t exercising, then this would be a great time to start. I have a goal of at least trying to maintain my pre-holiday weight during the long weekend (1 week vacation for some).

2) Go easy on BBQ sauce and other sauces. They are loaded with calories.

3) Stick to your normal nutrition plan as much as possible during the holiday. Go back to your normal nutrition on Monday!

4) This rule always applies to any day—if its fried, let it slide!

5) Alcohol has calories too—7 calories per gram to be exact. Don’t tank it too much!

6) You don’t have to eat until you are stuffed! Just eat enough to satisfy yourself.

7) Don’t spend all of your time eating during the holiday. Walk around the mall for a couple of hours, walk the pets everyday, play pick-up games, cut the lawn, etc.

Drink lots of water and you will eat less.

9) Allow yourself one dessert a day (or a sample of a few) It’s okay since you are going to exercise tomorrow—-right?

10) Here’s something that also works for the July 4th holiday: start your day with a workout and toward the end of your day take a long walk in the park or at the lake.

Happy 4th! Be careful out there!

Need more fitness tips? Subscribe to My Fitness Hut’s Weekly “Fat Blaster” eNewsletter!

Have you looked at your beginning-of-year fitness goals to see how you are progressing? Did you fall “off track” months ago? Have you given up? The good news is this: you can get started again on your exercise program today! If you are “on track” to meet your fitness goals, that is great! Keep up the hard work! Reassess your fitness goals. You may have underestimated what you are capable of achieving with health and fitness.

If you need help, download my “Fat Blaster eBooks”

Starting today and every Friday thereafter, I will answer the client fitness question of the week! I just thought that if one person is asking a question, then there must be many others with the same question. And, real questions lead to real answers and real results. Call me or email with your fitness question! People want to know the answer!

So, here we go! Question numero uno!

Client Q: “I am working out 5-6 days a week for 1-2 hours every workout. I’m not losing any weight and I’m starting to get frustrated and skip some workouts!”

Mark’s A: There could be many factors including:

1) Your body might have reached a plateau. Weight often comes off easily at the beginning of a workout program. But then your body adapts to your workouts. When this happens, you need to vary your workout routines and intensity. Do different lifts for the different body parts, such as substituting bench presses with stability ball dumbbell presses or doing step-ups and lunges instead of leg presses and squats. A shorter, more intense 30 minute full-body circuit weight workout will work better than a 1 hour weight workout when you are trying to lose body fat and weight. A circuit workout is one in which you do one exercise after the other with little or no rest between exercises. Also, change up your cardio routines such as rotating treadmill, bike, elliptical, stair-stepper and swimming or do sprint cardio intervals.

2) It is more important to lose body fat and lose inches than it is to lose weight. Have your body fat percentage checked and your circumference measurements done by a trainer to see how much fat and inches you have lost. Muscle weighs more than fat, so your body could be shrinking. Don’t worry, the weight loss will take care of itself.

3) Longer workouts are not always better. You could be over-training. Shorter, more intense workouts burn more fat. An intense 20 minute interval cardio session at 75%-85% maximum heartrate will give you more health and cardio benefits than a 1 hour cardio session at 65% maximum heartrate.

4) You need to know your basal metabolic rate-BMR (how many calories your body would burn each day if you did nothing). Base your daily caloric intake on your BMR and activity level. If you don’t eat enough (severe calorie restriction), your body will store fat because it thinks you are starving. You will gain weight even on the days you work out really hard if you take in more calories than you burn.

Continue to eat right and exercise. When you do that, you will win the fitness war even if you lose a few battles along the way. You probably need to exercise smarter! Keep exercising and eating healthy and your heart, mind and body will thank you!

Call me or email with your fitness question! People want to know the answer!