July 28, 2013

By Lisa English

Just tell me what to do! Give me a meal plan. Are squats better than lunges? Can I have (insert food)? Will I get results if I can only come to work out with you once a week? You dont understand its just not possible for me to get more than 4 hours of sleep.

Sound familiar? That is the sound of people searching for the magic answer to their daily obstacles. I get it. I HEAR YOU PEOPLE! I am one of you!

Darren Hardy, author of The Compound Effect , says that we already know all that we need to succeed. New or more information is not what you need a new plan of action is. Its time to create new behaviors and habits that are oriented away from sabotage and towards success. Its that simple.

If its so simple, this whole taking action thing, then why do we struggle so much to do it?

Because changing our habits and behaviors is hard and takes time.

We take plenty of actions each and every day, but are we engaging in those actions that we know we need to in order to achieve our goals?

Think about it. Do you go to bed when you know you should or do you stay up too late and then hit snooze 5 times the next morning? Do you pack a healthy lunch and snacks to take with you to work or do you just eat the pizza in the office and hit the vending machine at 3:00 for your sugar and caffeine fix? Do you make time for a quick workout or do you find an excuse for why you cant (kids, happy hour, too tired, no time, etc.)?

If you want something different, whether it be a healthier body, a better job, more money, more time, more energy or better relationships; then you have to DO something different than what you are doing now.

Get honest with yourself. Take a good honest look at how you spend your time and your money each and every day. If youre like me, youll find that being busy is not the same as being productive. Youll also start to see how going to the vending machine, Starbucks, eating out for lunch, and buying energy drinks (because you didnt go to bed on time) every day is costing you a lot of money. Oh yeah and staying on top of all the latest Facebook status updates (guilty!), getting to the next level of Candy Crush, and checking your email or phone every 5 minutes can add up to a lot of unproductive busy time. Its the little things we do each day that either help us or hurt us. Once you are honest with yourself about how you are spending your time, money, and energy you can then choose to change what isnt working.

Pick ONE THING to change. For some reason, we feel like we have to do some major overhaul to our lives in order to improve them. That is simply not true and it is that type of thinking that drives us to self-sabotage. You dont have to stop eating out for lunch every day in order to lose weight. You just have to stop eating crap! If packing your lunch is too much of a hassle, then figure out how to eat out in a way that supports your health and fitness goals. You dont have to get the burger and fries or fried chicken fingers. You can choose to order a grilled chicken salad. That one small change requires very little effort (far less effort than packing your lunch every day!). If time management is an issue, then designate short, specific windows of time when you will check Facebook, email, voice messages, etc. and only engage in those activities during the designated time. You can still be in the know without spending ALL DAY checking in for the latest status update or Groupon deal! J

Be consistent. This is perhaps the most important thing you can do in order to achieve success. You dont have to be perfect when making changes and adopting new habits, but you do have to be consistent. The little things matter the most. If you want to be healthier, lose weight, and have more energy, and more time to get things done then you have to act like it. Its not good enough to eat perfect for a week and then binge and go back to your old habits. Its not good enough to workout for two hours on Saturday and then do nothing for a week because you are too sore to move. Its not good enough to sleep for 10 hours on weekend nights and then spend the workweek exhausted because youre only averaging 4-5 hours of sleep each night. This goes back to picking the one thing and being consistent with it day in and day out no excuses.

Examples of small changes:

1. Exercise for 10-30 minutes most days. Walk, jump rope, do pushups. Keep it simple and do it at home!
2. Add vegetables to each main meal (or even one meal).
3. Choose grilled lean meat over fried, fatty food.
4. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier or set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier.
5. Choose nuts instead of candy when visiting the vending machine.
6. Reserve one hour of time in the morning and/or evening to check email and Facebook.

When these small changes are practiced consistently over long periods of time they become habits. When we are consistent with each small daily habit we will achieve success. Its just like brushing your teeth. You couldnt imagine NOT brushing your teeth every morning (that would be disgusting and youd have some serious dental problems, lol!). Find your ONE thing and practice that until you just cant imagine NOT doing it.

In another post Ill share one of my recent personal stories on how consistently focusing on the small things helped me to overcome one of my health challenges.

Until then, I want you to decide what your one small thing is and then do it! Stop wishing, thinking, asking, and regretting and start DOING one thing consistently that will help push you toward success!

Let me know how you do!

January 12, 2013

By Lisa English

Id really like to try your boot camp, but I dont know if Im in shape enough to do it I would come to your boot camp, but I dont want to look stupid in front of all the fit people I need to lose some weight first, and then Ill come to your classes I dont feel comfortable exercising in front of people I dont know.

Do any of the above statements sound familiar to you? They do to me because several of my clients have expressed these concerns before coming to train with me. Lack of time and money are two of the most commonly cited reasons for not exercising; but a growing body of evidence has shown that the fear of embarrassment is also a significant barrier. I believe that it could be even more of a barrier than time or money for a lot of people.

So if you or someone you know is intimidated by going to the gym, what can you do to get active? Im going to share with you 5 strategies that can make getting active less intimidating and more comfortable.

Enlist the help of a workout buddy. Social support is one of the key drivers of success whenever we are trying something new or making a change. Having a friend to go walk with, take a class with, or to show you how to do some basic exercises can remove some of the fear factor from working out. You also get the added benefits of built in social time and accountability!

Downsize. Instead of going to a typical big box gym, go check out some of the smaller private studios in your area. These are often more intimate environments that offer a sense of community. Classes tend to be smaller and youre likely to find people just like you who are too intimidated to go to a big gym and want more out of their workout experience than just big machines and cardio theaters. For example, I own a private, in-home training studio where I offer personal training, small group or partner training, and boutique boot camps. I promote an inclusive and welcoming environment where all fitness levels, sizes, ages, and personalities can come together for a common goal. I also have a private Facebook group for all of my clients that serves as a safe, social support forum for people to interact, share, ask questions, or just observe. Its amazing to see the friendships that have blossomed! My clients show up for one another in ways that go Beyond Fitness and transcend into genuine care and concern for what is happening in everyones day-to-day lives. To me, that exudes comfort, inclusiveness, and trust. Theres no room for intimidation or embarrassment.

Try working with a personal trainer. An experienced fitness professional can help you get started with an exercise program that fits your ability level and your lifestyle. Its important to find the right fit when looking for a trainer. Research has shown that the most important traits that clients look for in a personal trainer are personality and the ability to understand the client. I always offer a complimentary consultation (either by phone or in person) so that potential clients have an opportunity to meet me and get to know me. This is a time for you to essentially interview a trainer. You will most likely know after that initial meeting if that trainer is right for you.

Work out at home. If you really just want to have complete privacy when you begin your exercise program, try doing something at home. You can exercise on your own time, you dont have to travel anywhere, and you dont even have to brush your hair or have on matching socks, lol! All you have to do is start moving and if you dont know what to do purchase an at-home program to follow. I recently launched an on-line 8-week challenge that can be done at home. It includes workouts, a nutrition plan, weekly motivational coaching emails, and bonus educational materials. You can learn more about that in the video below.

Dont let fear, embarrassment or intimidation keep you from getting healthy and reaching your goals. . This is more of a mindset strategy and perhaps the most important one of all. You have to value yourself enough to take care of yourself. You deserve to engage in exercise and not feel self-conscious. You are entitled to a healthy, vibrant, fulfilling life. All you have to do is take the first step and know that you are worth it !

November 9, 2012

By Lisa English

I often get asked for advice on nutrition. All too often people want my opinion on some diet that has worked for others or is popular at the moment. Just in the past couple of weeks Ive been asked about the Paleo diet, the HCG diet, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and a Vegan diet. Most people really want to know one thing. Is this diet good or bad?

I always start by reminding people that I am not a dietician and I do not prescribe any diets of any kind. That being said, people still want to know what and how they should eat. To help provide a little clarity to this mystery, consider the following 5 tips when choosing what diet to follow.

1. Stop dieting. Seriously, who wants to be on a diet all the time? When most people hear the word diet they automatically think DEPRIVATION and that leads straight to fear-based thinking. Fear of being hungry, fear of giving up our favorite foods, fear of not being able to have fun, fear of not being able to stick with it, and ultimately, fear of failure. No wonder diet is a dirty four letter word!

If you dont go on a diet you dont have to worry about all the things you cant have, and you dont have to feel like a loser when you go off the diet

2. Do your research. (Two of my favorite resources at the moment are The New Me Diet by Drs. Jade and Keoni Teta and Jonathan Bailors The Smarter Science of Slim.) Dont just assume that because a diet is being prescribed by doctors, or because you saw it on Dr. Oz, or because your best friend lost 30 pounds without being hungry that any one diet is right for you. There are no magic pills, shots, foods, supplements, or macro-nutrient ratios that are guaranteed to work for you. The magic happens when you search for your own answers and make your own decisions about what is right for you. This can take years and it will likely change, which leads me to my next point.

3. Get comfortable with change. My way of eating has evolved over time and that is mainly due to three things: 1) I have changed my thinking, and therefore stopped dieting; 2) I keep learning and applying new information about nutrition and how the body works; and 3) I keep my focus on what works for ME and make adjustments when Im not getting results. Changing my thinking was the most important step in getting to where I am right now. Before I changed my thinking, I was a dieter. Ive done the starve yourself all day and then binge at night diet, the its fat free so it must be good for me diet, the strict competition diet, and the now Im going to eat everything Ive been missing for the last 16 weeks diet! Some of those diets lasted longer than others, but ultimately they all failed; and I got tired of feeling like a failure.

4. Clarify your goals. This is so important with anything in life and deciding what and how to eat is largely dependent upon what we want to achieve. If you are looking to improve blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, or your health in general then you will need to choose to eat foods that produce those results. If you want to sport a six pack on the beach, then you will likely have to go beyond just eating healthy foods and choose to follow a nutrition plan that will make your abs pop! The point is that your nutrition has to support your goals, and your goals may change and evolve over time (which is why number 3 is on this list!).

5. Think long term. If you want lasting results, then you have to think about that when making changes to your diet. If you can be satisfied, healthy, and happy never eating ice cream again then go for it! I for one, know that is not possible for me, so I build it in to my nutrition plan in a way that supports my goals and works for me. This is the difference between diets and lifestyles. Diets are usually rigid and temporary; lifestyles are flexible and easy to follow over the long haul.

I dont pretend to have all the answers. I am still learning, but what I do know is that a good diet is one that supports your goals, fits into your lifestyle, and one you can stick with!

There is no one size fits all plan. You can choose an off the rack diet and see how it fits, or you can choose a custom diet designed by you. Whatever it is, own your choice!

Want to learn more about nutrition and how to find what works for you? I include nutrition education in all of my boot camps . I also coach individuals on nutrition through personal training and wellness coaching.

July 31, 2012

By Lisa English

Are you excited and grateful for each new day or are you simply going through the motions as days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, until finally, another year has passed. Do you wonder where the time went as you shake your head in disappointment that you still havent accomplished that New Years Resolution, or finished the latest remodeling project, or cleaned out the junk closet, or quit the job you hate, or signed up for that ONE thing youve always wanted to try?

If you want something different or something more out of life then you have to create it.

As a recovering analysis by paralysis kind of gal, I know firsthand what its like to dream about all the things you want as time continues to slip by and nothing changes. So, how can you finally make your dreams come true? These are some of the lessons (some very recent ones) that Ive learned and steps Ive taken to help launch me into a whirlpool of action. Im talking about the kind of action that is so unbelievable, yet so easy, that you wonder why you didnt do something sooner!

1) Set goals. Napoleon Hill said, A goal is a dream with a deadline. I work with clients all the time on setting short and long term goals and helping them identify specific action steps they will take each day, each week, and each month until they hit their target. Im quite skilled at helping others to break things down into small manageable steps, encouraging them to see their potential, and guiding them through any challenges or obstacles they may face. Ive seen people achieve what they once thought was impossible, and then go do something even bigger! Facilitating change and growth is what Im trained to do; however, I have found it difficult to apply those same skills to myself. Im human I get stuck spinning my wheels just like everyone else, which is why I decided to switch roles and become the client.

2) Hire a coach. Sometimes we are our biggest barriers and if wed just get out of our own way we might actually get somewhere. Obviously, if we could see the light then we wouldnt be stuck in the same place year after year wondering why our dreams havent come true. Thats why I hired a coach (who I continue to work with) and she has been INVALUABLE. In just one month I was able to achieve all that I have dreamt about (and more) for the last 10 years! Now my coach is not a magician or a miracle worker. She is a master of her craft; a skilled, trained expert in facilitating change and growth while instilling confidence in others. Just like me, she guides her clients and helps them to discover that they have everything they need to achieve the life they want. She doesnt set my goals for me or tell me what to do. She is my partner, my sounding board, my teacher, and my mentor. She walks beside me on MY journey, she listens carefully, she helps me to see and learn the lessons in front of me, and she accompanies me up that great big mountain and then screams and claps and celebrates when I claim my stake. As a coach, I know the sense of reward and joy she feels when I can say, I did it! As a client, I know the overwhelming sense of accomplishment, pride, joy, and confidence that is a result of MY hard work.

3) Believe in possibilities. Im never surprised when my clients experience success for the first time. I am always able to see their potential even if they cant. For me, learning to let go of my own self-limiting beliefs has been life-changing. Did I mention that in one month of working with my coach I achieved 10 years worth of built up dreams? LOL! That didnt happen by accident; it happened by design. Once I committed to living the life that I want instead of thinking about it and analyzing it, things began to happen. I worked with my coach to set goals, take action, and focus on possibilities instead of the what ifs? That was scary at first; I felt insecure about the perceived risks I was taking. Very quickly the fear was replaced with excitement, the excitement turned into action, and the action created so much momentum that instead of worrying about all that could go wrong I was too busy trying to manage all that was going right! That, my friends, is the Universe at work. Believing in possibilities creates a life of ABUNDANCE. Yes, it takes work; but its so much easier than you think. As my coach said, it is difficult to operate in a world of abundance when you are mentally living in a state of lack. All we have to do is open our eyes.

4) Adopt an attitude of GRATITUDE. This one takes practice; and like anything else, the more you practice, the better you become. The more grateful we are, the more we have to be grateful for. Its like a domino effect. Sometimes we have to practice gratitude in the midst of loss, failure, and disappointment. That doesnt mean that we arent entitled to our feelings, but we can choose to look beyond that one moment, experience, or circumstance and see all of the things around us that are worth celebrating. Some of my greatest disappointments and failures have taught me the most valuable lessons and in the end presented me with some of the most precious gifts. Ive learned to try to practice gratitude as much during difficult times as I do during good times. Its easy to be grateful when I get my way; it builds character when I choose to be grateful even when things dont work out how I want them to.

If you are not living the life that you want, its never too late to start. These four steps can help you get the ball rolling. All you have to do is take the first step and be prepared to sprint because your life vision might show up a lot faster than you think!

Are you ready to take the first step? Wellness coaching can help. Contact me for a complimentary consultation.