Be Kind to Yourself

Getting Back to The Habit of SittingI like to send little notes to my daughter to keep her spirits high while she is away at college.  I thought an excerpt of a recent note to her might brighten your day too...

"We create the highest value not by focusing solely on our strengths or by ignoring our weaknesses, but by being attentive to both. Nowhere is this more critical than in the way we see ourselves.  "Loving oneself is no easy matter ...because it means loving all of oneself."

It is through this embracing self-acceptance that we're freed to both acknowledge the obstacles we face and build the capacities we need to perform at our best."  - FromThe Way We're Working isn't Working, Tony Schwartz

New 4-Week Fat Loss Challenge Starts Feb 1

I’m holding a 4-week fat loss competition, starting February 1, 2013 to March 1, 2013.  

Over my years as a trainer I've seen two important areas which help people lose fat and keep it off.  One is the creation and tracking of "small habits", and the other is having a definite reason to get the weight off...(losing or gaining money) in this case.

For this competition I will be posting specific tips and suggestions on how to create, and most importantly keep going with the small habits that lead to long lasting fat loss.  Plus I will be giving you eating and nutrition strategies that have proven over and over again in helping clients to lose bodyfat.

This competition will be held here at DietBet.  

On DietBet, players each add $40 to the pot, and the total is divided up among the “winners” at the end of the game. DietBetting is not winner-take-all like The Biggest Loser. Everyone who loses at least 4% of their starting weight will get an equal share of the pot. DietBet supplies referees to verify weights using a photo-based weigh-in process.  

As an added incentive, the person who has the most impressive transformation, captured by both measurements and photos will receive $100 off their next boot camp. 

How to measure bodyfat?

I’d prefer that you use the most accurate tools, such as the below. Many of the above can be found at high-end gyms or nearby hospitals. No matter what, you must use the same tool (and ideally the same person) for your “before,” progress, and “after” measurements. 

Bod Pod

DEXA or DXA (pay per session)

Hydrostatic weighing (dunk tank) (pay per session)

I will have a hand held fat loss analyzer available too.

How to measure inches?

Get a simple tape measure and measure four locations: both upper arms (mid-bicep), waist (horizontal at navel), hips (at widest point below waist), and both legs (mid-thigh). Total these numbers to arrive at your Total Inches (TI). Changes in this total will be meaningful enough to track.

Take good "before" pictures (front, side, back) and weekly progress pictures.

How to track your habits? 

If you have an iPhone, I recommend using the Lift app for motivation and tracking your small habits.  It's only available for iPhone, but look on their site to be notified about the Android option.  I will be suggesting the habits to add in an upcoming article.

You are not alone

To anyone who joins this competition I will be available to answer your questions via email.  I may also create a separate group site where everyone can join in and interact.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up here and let’s see what you can do among supportive competitors.

I bet it's more than you think. See you in four weeks!

Calendar Reminder for The Rest of 2012

Just wanted to remind and update you all.

Regular class days and times, except for Thanksgiving Day which there will be no classes.  Personally, I be spending Thanksgiving at an Indian friend's house.  She's a great cook and we'll be having a combination of Indian and typical Thanksgiving Day food.

How to Lose Fat

If you haven't already lost as much fat as you'd like, here are 4 areas to focus on: 

1. Genetics -  I had to say this because you know it's true.  I'm sure you know friends who can eat just about anything and still stay thin.  It's unfair, but that's the way it is.  Some people are just born lean and slim.  Don't be discouraged though, training and eating right can create improvements in everyone, including you.
2. Persistence & Discipline -  Probably the most challenging and the number one reason why you won't lose the fat and keep it off relates to persistence and discipline.  Losing fat and keeping it off has to come from something deep inside you.  No one can make you work out.  No one can force you to choose healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and healthy protein sources.  Luckily, persistence and discipline can be developed and practiced.  When practiced enough, they turn in to habits.
3. Planning - Each day can be looked at as an opportunity to better yourself.  As you plan your day, write in the time you will spend exercising.  Where will you be eating today?  Will you be going out with friends?  Will you need to bring lunch and snacks?  We encounter frustrations when the day passes us by rather than planning and living it from our values and priorities.
4. Minimizing Distractions - Sift out the garbage and distractions from your life.  What's more important to your happiness and long life, more time posting on Facebook, or walking outdoors with your children?  Zero in on what contributes to your core.  Your time is limited, make sure that you are focusing on what matters most to your health and happiness.

Hopefully you begin to implement these tips (except for the first one).  Don't over complicate fat loss.  Be kind to yourself and do a little better each day.  Don't waste your time with gimmicks and supposed short cuts.  Deep down inside you know what has to be done.  Take action today...your body and your family will thank you.

If you found these fat loss tips valuable, share this article on Twitter, Facebook, or Google Plus.  I'd really appreciate it.

Three Minute Audio on What You Must Do To Lose Fat

I'm an avid reader to say the least.  The latest book that I'm reading is the One Minute Entrepreneur.  (Finally switched to using the Kindle too, really nice for highlighting and making notes.)

Anyways, as the author stresses, the answers to the most difficult problems in business are often solved by focusing on the "simple" basics.

This got me to thinking about fitness and fat loss.

I've been in the fitness biz for a long time now, over 15 years as a trainer, and the "simple" basics are still the only way to guarantee long lasting success.

I've created a short, 3 min audio of the 3.  Have a listen here, and most importantly...take action.

*Want to make sure you receive the latest news via email, sign up here.

Be Magnificient

Do the Work Book by Steven Pressfield

Great quote...

"The deeper the source we work from, the better our stuff will be - and the more transformative it will be for us and for those we share it with."

Do the Work, Steven Pressfield

Not Safe For Work, Warning...But Very Funny Re:Ironman Training

"I take responsibility for my own happiness."

Take a few minutes to watch this video from Pam Slim over at, Escape From Cubicle Nation.

Don't blame others.  Take action today.

Nigel Marsh: How to make work-life balance work

Thanks to my buddy, Dave Quevedo for passing this along to me.

Nigel Marsh's website.

So you want to be a personal trainer

Nice find by Mike Boyle

Surf Training in Costa Rica with Oakley

Treinamento na Costa Rica 2011 from Oakley Esportes on Vimeo.

"By experiencing minor discomforts, you train yourself to be courageous."

"If you periodically experience minor discomforts, you will grow confident that you can withstand major discomforts as well. So you won't fear experiencing such discomforts at some future time. By experiencing minor discomforts, you train yourself to be courageous."

A Guide to the Good Life

"Don't settle..."

"We satisfy ourselves because we settle for less-even when we think we are getting more.  Never be satisfied."

"...work until there is absolutely no trace of you left."

-Kensho Furuya in Kodo Ancient Ways

Merry Christmas

“Every hour you train, you are one hour closer to your enlightenment." - Rev. Kensho Furuya

Photo credit: rasenkantenstein

“Every hour you train, you are one hour closer to your enlightenment." - Rev. Kensho Furuya

Monday Motivation

Seafood Watch, Do You Have This iPhone App?

I just installed the nifty Seafood Watch App from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

From the Monterey Bay Aquarium website..." Our new iPhone application brings the latest Seafood Watch recommendations directly to your iPhone or iPod touch. Now you can make sustainable seafood choices quickly and easily—whether you're eating at your favorite restaurant or shopping for dinner. And at a time when the world's oceans are severely overfished, your seafood choices make a big difference."

Here's the link to download the free app:  Seafood Guide - Monterey Bay Aquarium 

He identified what he really wanted and ordered his life around that.

From "The Art of Non-Conformity"...

..."Murakami focused on what he would gain instead of what he would lose.  He identified what he really wanted and ordered his life around that."

..."it's all about embracing life to the fullest and ordering your life around a few key priorities.  To make that happen, you'll need to look carefully at all of your current obligations to determine which ones are actually necessary and which can be eliminated."

Information Overload, Streamlining, and Minimizing

Information Overload

I've been struggling a lot lately with this.  Tons of emails, messages from Facebook, Twitter, etc..  It's really distracted me from what I do best...which is developing programs and helping you with your specific situation.

I'm working on how best to provide you with results, and a lot of this other stuff is really getting in the way.

This means that I will be streamlining some things which may affect you.

A few things that will happen right away is that I won't be responding to direct messages on Facebook or Twitter.  I will be monitoring the boot camp page and will be posting updates (automatically), but I may not see your message there.

I will not be monitoring Twitter at all, but once again auto posts will be there.

Contacting Me

The best way to contact me is via email at: Stephen(at)bootcamppasadena.com.  I see email first, and during regular business hours 6a-5p, Monday - Friday.   I will try to respond as quickly as possible.

Calling me

For clients, you should have my cel phone number.  Once again you are always welcome to call me during those hours above.  If for some reason you don't have it just let me know and I'll gladly give it to you.

For people hoping to join the boot camp, please call (626) 609-7399, which is my voice mail.

Contacting me here on the blog

This is a great option, and one that will help a lot of people.  If you can share your questions here in the comment sections, your other boot campers will learn too.  I receive your comments via an email alert so I am usually quick to respond.

A Change in Billing by 2011

By next year I hope to implement a better system of payments.  I like to be as fair and flexible  as possible, but lately this too has gotten out of hand.  I say this not to be an ass and I hope that you don't take it that way...I'm just trying to focus on helping you, and I can't do that by being a bill collector/bookkeeper.

Minimizing Distractions

One of the most important parts of my business is being very truthful with you.  I like to practice what I preach.  If I preach balance, clean eating, good sleep, etc., I want you to be sure that's how I'm living my life. These past couple of months have not been in line with this, so that's why I'm changing a few things.

I truly believe that life is too important and too short not to be lived as we design it.   I know that I'm a lot happier when I live in this manner.

I hope that these changes will benefit you too.

I'm learning and experimenting all the time, and I'll share with you what I learn.