The time has come. January has come and gone and so have many New Year’s resolutions.  While the fitness centers become packed like sardine cans and diet plans sell like hot cakes, the commitment to health and fitness spreads like wildfire.  This sounds good in theory, but in actuality it is the ultimate setup for failure.

Part of setting fitness goals is finding out what motivates you and drives you to make a lifestyle change and commitment to a healthier life.  Some of my most successful clients start a fitness program because they had some sort of epiphany that caused them to get in their car and get to the gym.   This could be a trip to the doctor due to bad blood work, not fitting into clothes, or even realizing you are out of breath when walking up the stairs.  All of these are individual reasons for wanting to start exercising and eating healthy.  None of these reasons revolve around and/or wait for a particular date on the calendar.  There is no personal connection to January 1^st or any particular date for that matter.  So why do we constantly tell ourselves that this is the ‘best time of year’ to make the choice to be healthy?  Does your body suddenly become more capable of being healthy because the media tells us we can? I’m sorry to burst the media bubble, but they usually know little or nothing about health and fitness, and everything about brainwashing the general public with false promises.

As millions of people each year resolve to be more active as of January 1^st, the percentage of people who succeed when starting a gym membership steadily declines.  Out of the millions who join a gym each year, only 5% of these people actually reach their health and fitness goals.  In addition, the average shelf life of a gym member is only 6 weeks!  You may be thinking, “How do I keep myself out of this alarming statistic? “ The answer to this question is to have a program.

Having a structured program with professional guidance is the ultimate key to success in any health and fitness goal.  Statistics show that 80% of people who participate in a structured exercise program with nutritional support reach their health and fitness goals.  This may mean having a personal trainer or group-training instructor.  Yes, it is an investment, but an investment that proves time and time again to be beneficial.  The most important thing to remember, however, is your own personal reasons and goals for your exercise program.  Know what drives YOU to exercise.  We focus so much on a resolution during this time of year, that we forget or never even know our real reason for starting a program.  If you are reading this and you already participate in a fitness program, congratulations to you.   If you are one of the many resolutions who walked into a gym this January, my advice to you is to throw your resolution away and create a solution for lifelong health and wellness.

Welcome back everyone! This week I want to talk about something that is vitally important for each of us to understand and grasp, and most importantly, do something about. Heart disease has the highest mortality rate for both men and women in this country with more than 910,000 Americans dying each year. More specifically women’s heart health is becoming more of an issue lately since it was only thought in the past that men suffered heart attacks more so than women. There are several major classifications of heart disease for us to consider, however the most significant is known as coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time. This process is called atherosclerosis, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov).

(Image from National Heart Lung and Blood Institute - nhlbi.nih.gov/)

Although high cholesterol levels are more often hereditary than not, that doesn’t mean you can’t control it by eating smart and being active regularly. To this, it has been proven over time that 90-95% of the disease process in our lives is self-inflicted. That’s right, statistics say we are not born with disease, but rather contract many illnesses through poor living habits. It’s our “life style”! When I began as a fitness enthusiast back in 1980, 18-23% of the US population was active 3-5 days a week. Today those low numbers are still consistent and true! That is scary to me. Why are we so lazy that even with daunting statistics like these, and not to mention diabetes, cancer and stroke statistics, many of us don’t want to become active in any form, much less go to a health club or enroll in a fitness program to stay or get healthy? Moreover, why do we continue to eat poor foods high in cholesterol, the very thing causing “DEATH”? Come on people and get off your buttocks and live life to its fullest. Make better food choices more often and watch your children grow up, play for with your grandchildren for many years to come, and improve the quality of your life by staying out of the hospital and doctor’s office – you’ll love yourself for it!

DON’T DO IT! Yes my friends, you know what I mean. The time is poised for most Americans to look in the mirror and tell yourself that this is it. This is the year you are going to change things for good. This year is going to be different. This time I am going to stick to it! This year my New Year’s Resolution will work! I am dialed in to success, just watch me, I’ll be fit and trim by March. Sorry to say, but no you won’t. Unfortunately, you will probably fail once again to get on a healthy kick, start to eat right and exercise regularly. The odds are so against you in so many ways that if I were a betting man, I would give you a thousand to one odds that your resolution will not make it past your 6^th workout, or into the month of February.

That’s right, in fact, smart money says if you join a gym, 95% of you will be disillusioned in less than 2 weeks and if you dare buy a piece of in-home fitness equipment, 97% of it will not be used inside of six months ever again, except to hang clothes on it or the dog’s leash… Yeah, I know, pretty sad and not very motivating, isn’t it? You think you would expect more from a professional trainer like me, a so-called “health & fitness expert”, right? Well don’t shoot the messenger as the saying goes. These are statistics that have been calculated for the last 40 years by the fitness industry’s top data agencies, IHRSA and Club Industry. 95% of all new gym members will never reach their goals, never see their 6^th workout session and will continue to pay for their membership even though they never show up again. Sound familiar? The purchase of in-home fitness equipment as stated above is true as well. This is the worst time of the year to “try” to get serious about fitness. July is a much better month but any month is better than January. Why does the dropping of a ball trigger fitness commitment, or lack thereof? Gym owners salivate at this time of year and why not- they see it as free money. You’re not coming back, plain and simple.

Do something different this year and get some professional help. Whether you join a gym or hire a personal trainer at a facility or in your home, get some help from an educated, experienced, and certified fitness coach who will motivate you and make you accountable. 

That’s how you will be able to stick to your resolution and become a part of the 5% that actually succeed. It’s not easy to get in shape and stay healthy, that’s a fact, but it is simple once you have a plan and your goals in hand, and a little help from a PRO! Good Luck and Happy New Year everyone.

Boy do I have something to say to you this week and I am puzzled at what I just witnessed.  Now first, don’t get me wrong, I am not putting down anyone or disrespecting anyone overweight. I am in the business of having clients who are overweight but wanting to get better, and I have earned a very respectable reputation by my peers and clients alike for more than 30 years because of the work I do. I don’t have a problem with people being overweight, but I do have a problem with someone purposefully mistreating their body.

I just came from the website, Fit2Fat2Fit, by a trainer named Drew Manning. He is a personal trainer from Utah who purposefully wanted to put on 60-70 pounds in order to lose it again. He claims he is doing it to motivate and inspire people to lose weight.

When I first heard about this marketing hook back in May, of course the first thing I said is this guy is desperate for clients.  It’s a marketing scheme/gimmick for new clients and more attention in this world of social media frenzy and immediate contact to the world. I watched his first kickoff video and must say he makes a nice appearance on video, speaks well, and is a good-looking trainer when in shape. As a “fat guy”, using his label, I am not interested in looking at him. Why would anyone intentionally make themselves look like that, eat like that, and live like that? Yes, of course he is going to beef up his twitter followers and Facebook friends, who doesn’t want to watch a train wreck? Nice move Drew – you got ‘em!

Hey news flash for anyone who thinks this is a good idea to “solve” a problem, “fix” an issue, or really “help” people feel better about themselves. It’s not! Let’s get something straight; food is the most powerful drug in the world, that is a medical and physiological fact and the statistics support it. We don’t have 68% smokers of cigarettes, pot, alcoholics, and heroin or crack addicts but we do have 68% obesity rates.

The other issue I have is that Drew is “obsessed” with fitness and his body, and now he is going to go to the other side and be “obsessed” with overeating. Give me a break brother! I  watched you gorge several donuts down your throat today at one time, not only did I waste my time, but do you really think a person struggling with their weight would enjoy watching this? I hope not and you are not helping anyone in my opinion – you are mocking them actually!

This is why we have a society in the shape that it is in. Instead Drew, why don’t you show people how to live with moderation and not be all or nothing? I have been a trainer for 30 years and been in good shape and great health all along. My three (3) favorite foods start with the letter P; Pizza; Pasta and peanut butter. All high calorie, high fat foods. But I can have them without getting fat or unhealthy because I eat them in moderation according to my lifestyle and activity levels. This way I can still enjoy life with balance my man, balance. The rest comes from self-control.  Over the top with anything is unhealthy and shouldn’t be promoted by so-called health professionals such as you.

What clients and the public really want is to learn how to enjoy food and not deprive themselves, while still remaining healthy and fit. Your doughnut-eating orgy associates forever in the minds of overweight people that doughnuts can never be eaten – wrong again. Moderation and activity is key. So what’s next? Going into a crack house and smoke some crack for six months so you can see what that is about as well? Then picking up a couple bottles of gin and booze it up so that you can show people how to get sober? Yeah that’s the ticket.

This blog is harsh because it is something I’m passionate about. I spend my life teaching and training people how to lose weight and how to live a healthy lifestyle. As a marketing grade, I’ll give you an “A”; as a trainer and health professional who is supposed to lead by example without being ‘obsessed’, I give you a “FAT F”.

How do you feel about Fit2Fat2Fit and Drew Manning? Is he making an meaningful impact to his clients? Is he absolutely insane? Should someone put themselves into serious health risks for publicity? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Hey everyone; my deepest apologies for being out of touch with you through my blog- but it has been fast and too furious with the opening of my new group training facility here in Dyer! WOW the response has been overwhelming with 72 new clients in 5 weeks. I am not trying to brag at all, my staff and I are totally blown away at the response and our clients have never had so much fun with exercise. Have any of you tried it yet?

You may already know that only 20-23% of the U.S. population exercises on a regular basis with approximately just 16% visiting a health club monthly. By nature we as Americans hate the words “exercise”, “fitness”, and “workout”. “Workout?…you want me to ‘workout’ after I just worked a 12 hour day; no thanks”. That is what so many people say on a regular basis and that is why we have 68% overweight and obese conditions in this country. It is a shame if you ask me, a darn shame. With excess weight comes health problems guaranteed! From heart disease to diabetes to cancer to joint displacement to depression, excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle will eventually make you ill and even lead to early death.

For the 30 plus years that I have been involved in this great field of health & fitness and with helping people get healthy & fit, I have seen the struggles we all have with staying consistent with regular activity and healthy movements, I personally have struggled over the years myself. So allow me to recommend looking into group training as a new way of getting fit. The concept is sweeping the nation right now and when done correctly, it will make exercise a fun activity to you, build comradery with others, add motivation, accountability and structure to your life and you will be the better for it. Not to mention the reduced training fee that you will experience as opposed to a one on one session that costs a lot more.

Of course, be aware of all the new comers to this area-health clubs and certain trainers are notorious for jumping on the bandwagon just to make a buck. Try to find a group training facility near and around your home or place of work that specializes in this area and has the right “system” to help you get real, measureable results. Because without results, trainers are useless. Demand results whenever you are paying a premium price.

Tell me about your group training experiences- I would like to know and maybe help you to find the right environment.

Today we have a special guest post from Louis DeNicola, from Fleetly. Louis enjoyed our post about using technology to help attain your fitness goals and wanted to contribute to our blog. Read his bio at the bottom.

Okay, I know the headline looks like something you’d see on a magazine cover at the checkout line but this actually is one of my favorite exercises, the plank.  I was inspired to take a second look at the plank by my friend who is a personal trainer and model.  He said he does a 10-minute plank every day in order stay in shape and keep his stomach looking good.  So I tried it out and it’s hard, I maxed out at about 2 minutes.   However, just as with any exercise, practice makes perfect (although I’m still nowhere near the 10 minute mark).

As the title says this will strengthen your core but I’m not saying this alone will give you a visible six pack. It won’t. In order to do that you need to exercise and control your diet until

you lose enough body fat.  For men you need to get fat down to about 10%, for women that number is more like 18-20%.  If you have a layer of fat around your core, building up the muscles underneath may even make you look bigger!

Back to the plank.  I know it can get boring just lying there, which is why I’ll go over some fun variations, but the concentration and muscles required to keep your body raised are incredible.  I’ll be including links to high quality video examples hosted by Fleetly, a website and iPhone app platform for discovering and tracking exercise that I work for.

Bonus: If you saw this week’s episode of The Office you know that there can even be some funny ways to pull off a good prank while planking.

Plank:  First, position yourself stomach down on the floor with only your toes and forearms on the ground and elbows directly under your shoulders.  Keep your abs tight by pulling your bellybutton into your spine, and keep your body in a straight line while you hold the position for as long as you can.

Tips – Use a mirror to keep yourself in check, and make the simple plank harder by placing your elbows in front of your shoulders instead of directly under them.

Opposite Arm-Leg plank:  Let’s make it a little harder now by adding some movement.  Start in the standard plank position and keeping your hips in line lift your right leg a couple of inches in the air and your left arm straight out so that it is in line with the rest of your body.  Hold this position for a few seconds than go back to the starting point.  Repeat with the opposite arm/leg.

Tip – Don’t go to fast with this one or you can get rug burns on your elbows.  It hurts.

Knee-To-Elbow Plank:  More movement means even harder.  Start from a plank and lift your right leg and left arm.  Bring your lifted knee to your lifted elbow underneath your body and then return them to their extended positions.  Perform as many reps as you can and then switch to the other arm/leg.

Tip – Keep your butt down!

Okay that went from “easy” to much harder.  Now let’s change it up a bit and use the same type of activity to work on the oblique muscles.

Side Plank: Lie on your right side with your right arm bent and forearm on the ground.  Push with your right forearm and keep your body straight as you lift yourself into the air to create a triangle.  The only thing touching the ground should be your right forearm and your right foot.  Hold for as long as possible before you switch to the other side.

Tip – Once again a mirror is your best friend with this one.

Side Plank Reps:  Get yourself back into the side plank position described above.  Now lower your hips until they are an inch off the ground, and then bring them back in line with your body.  Repeat and then switch sides.

Tip – Don’t forget to breathe

If you still think the plank isn’t hard enough, or can’t be a little fun, try this final move out. It’s great because it is a compound movement that works out your chest, triceps, and to an extent, your deltoids at the same time.

Push-up to Side Plank:  Start by getting yourself in position to do a push-up, feet on the ground and arms extended under your shoulders.  Keep your back straight just like in a plank.  Now begin by doing a push-up, slowly lowering your body towards the ground and then pushing it away.  As you are pushing yourself up rotate your body and take your left hand off the ground.  Supporting yourself with your planted right arm, fully extend your left arm into the air so that your stomach is facing left and only your right hand and foot are on the ground.  Lower yourself down, do another push-up, and repeat the same exercise but lift your right arm up this time.

Tip – Do this exercise with free weights in your hands for an added challenge.

There it is, my favorite exercise and a few variations to keep it interesting and challenging.  Not only can you do these anywhere they don’t require expensive equipment or a lot of time.

Louis DeNicola is a Business Development intern at Fleetly, the first fitness app available on the web and iPhone that analyzes your goals, body type and workout history, along with the combined results of all users, to benchmark your changing Fitness Level.  A University of California at Santa Cruz alumni, Louis moved to New York to experience living in a city.  After being introduced to the tech startup scene in NYC he has become interested in everything entrepreneurial and dedicates his time to learning what it takes to create and scale successful companies.  In addition to finding potential partners for Fleetly, Louis helps support the online community and regularly contributes to the Fleetly blog.  He also maintains his personal blog where he chronicles his reading adventures.