“Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone.” Go Ahead…Get Uncomfortable!

A lot of people say that they hate to exercise. Probably because of the uncomfortable feeling of being out of breath while your heart is pumping furiously. For me, when I get to that point, I acknowledge that it’s hard, but I also realize that this is where I need to be for my internal furnace to burn fat. Are you getting to that point during your workouts? Where is the actual point when our body says "enough" and starts burning fat?

Our muscles are primed to burn fat, and it is our most concentrated form of energy. When we begin to exercise, we burn glucose and glycogen, but it only takes a matter of minutes to shift to fat. It is not an abrupt switch, more like a smooth transition that works better as the body becomes more fit.

At first, glucose and glycogen are the main energy sources. The brain immediately sends a signal to the fat storage areas to send fuel then to the lungs to start breathing faster and deeper to supply more oxygen and start removing carbon dioxide, the exhaust gas from muscular work.

The actual speed and ease of the shift from anaerobic to aerobic reflects the level of fitness. Warming up or starting slowly also helps the process, because it gets the signal sent earlier and helps shunt blood flow to the working muscles.

Even after we have made the shift to fat burning, we continue to burn some glucose. This causes lactic acid to be produced in the muscles, which then goes to the liver where it can be recycled back into glucose.

The human body really is an amazing machine. So, get uncomfortable and get your internal furnace fired up. Make your workouts count!

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/How_the_body_burns_fuel_during_exercise

Run, jog, walk, or crawl…just get there!!

Ok…here we are in 2013 already.  I’ve always heard that the older you get, time flies faster. Wow, is that ever true!!

February will mark the fourth year starting point of my eating clean and working out journey/new lifestyle.  I’ll never forget how, when, and why I started which is what I want explain in this post.  No matter what makes you decide to change - never finishing a diet, not working out, feeling like crap, sick of not being able to fit into your clothes, whatever…there’s always the starting point with good intentions and high hopes.  After all, you have to START to be able to FINISH! 

The finish line is to be at a healthy weight, looking good, having more energy, and feeling great about your body.  But, this has to be a continual process throughout the rest of your life.  Depending on where you’re starting from, this process can take a lot longer than you want it to. Hey, gaining weight doesn’t take long at all, but losing it can take a long time.  It really sucks, but it’s totally doable!  Make sure that you KNOW this, UNDERTAND this, and are willing to NOT give up during your process.  That is the reason so many gyms are empty by the end of March.  Every New Year gym newbies give up way too fast because they’re impatient and have expected to see immediate results.  Don’t be one of them.

Goals are great!  I’m so glad I made mine.  Just make sure that you have short-term goals and long-term goals.  You will be sadly disappointed if you think you’re going to look like an IFBB pro after a couple of months. Remember:

·      “Plan” how you’re going to attack it

·      “Know” what is realistic for you

·      “Envision” what you’re working towards

·      “Don’t overthink it”…just keep doing it

Cleansing the inside of your body by eating clean and sculpting the outside of it through weight training, will change your life for the better.  Quit thinking about it and DO it.  This time next year you will feel incredible about your accomplishments.

~ YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOU. ~ J

Whoa…Simmer Down Now!!

                  http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81958481/

Of course, that saying always reminds me of the funny skit on Saturday Night Live years ago with Cheri Oteri playing Nadeen, the “Simma Down Na” lady.  I’m referring to it because with Thanksgiving over and Christmas right around the corner, this is the time where diets can spiral out of control. 

Before your eyes and taste buds take over your brain, think about what lies ahead for you this year.  Keep in mind that it’s much easier to maintain than it is to pig out and try to get rid of it in January like most people do every year.  Save yourself the misery by acknowledging the bad food and drinks that you know will be plentiful in the weeks to come.  Keep a clear vision of how you want to look and feel at the beginning of the year and stay focused on YOUR body and YOUR actions to make it your best. 

There’s nothing wrong with tasting things that look good or having a sample.  Just don’t let that turn into a free for all that has you regretting it the next day, week and even months later.  It is so NOT worth the instant gratification of eating it at the time. 

Keep everything in perspective, try not to lose control, and ask yourself this:  “IS THE INSTANT GRATIFICATION WORTH SABATOGING MY LONG TERM GOAL?” If you ask yourself that every time you get ready to binge on something terrible for you, I’m confident that you can control what could be “food frenzy freak-outs” that do nothing but make you overweight, unhealthy and sad. 

Take a minute and think about what lies ahead for YOU.  As I always say, YOU are in control of what YOU put into YOUR mouth.  YOU are in control of molding and shaping your body into how you want it to look with the proper fuel/diet and working out.  “Simma Down Na”…and control yourself so it (bad food) doesn’t control YOU.