Health & Fitness

Tips on getting back into shape and sticking with it!

1. Write down your goals and be specific. Don't just say, "I want to lose weight." A good example may be "To lose ten pounds by May 1st". When we write down our goals, they become more realistic and easier to achieve, because they are more then just a random thought.

2. Write down what you are going to do to reach that goal. An example is: "I will lift weights and do cardio four times each week, and eat more protein." Having a plan, is like a map, and it will make your goal more attainable. Talk to a fitness expert at your gym, or begin reading magazines to learn more about how to reach your goals.

3. Take a "before" photo of yourself today! This way you will be able to see exactly what you look like. Many of us don't want to have our photo's taken, but we need to face our physical selves straight on. Keeping the camera hidden is not going to hide the weight, it may only make your situation worse.

4. Get your body composition done, so you know your starting point. Every six months, having your body composition done is very helpful. When we are trying to gain or loose weight, the scale is not the best way to track our progress. The results from a composition tells us what kind of weight we are gaining or losing, and what we are made of today.

5. Start reading fitness and bodybuilding magazines! Better yet, reward yourself with a subscription. From reading magazines such as "Muscle & Fitness", "Oxygen", "Muscle Mag", "Muscle Media", and "Flex", I have educated myself on how to eat for a hard lean body!

6. Write down what you are eating and when. This is important because you will learn what foods are causing you to gain weight, or lose it. Plus when you are writing down your foods, it�s much harder to record 3 brownies, so you choose not to eat them. You will find yourself more conscious about each food choice you are making, and you will begin to make healthier meals.

7. Eat 5 - 6 small meals a day, every three hours. When we eat often, our metabolism speeds up, and we burn more calories at rest. We also think better, have less stress, and have more energy. Since our bodies can utilize only so many calories at one time, eating more often and in smaller portions is the ONLY way to eat.

8. Eat until you are no longer hungry, NOT until you are full. *There will always be another meal! Keep busy in between meals and find other ways besides food to spend your time.

9. Work up to drinking at least two liters of water a day. One liter of this can be during your workout. At first you may find this hard, but your body WILL start to crave the water. Drinking water will help you feel refreshed, help relieve headaches, and curb your appetite.

10. Buy a Nutritional Almanac and read how many calories are in the foods you eat. As we grew up, we were not taught about foods, and how many calories were in them. Now it's time to take charge and educate yourself. I suggest reading "Nutrition Almanac" Third Edition by Lavon J. Dunne.

Workout tip for Losing Weight!

For toning and loosing body fat, train with weights 4 - 5 times a week, and do 20 - 30 minutes of cardio (bike, treadmill, stairmaster) AFTER your weights. You may work up to 45 minutes.

<------ Check out my workout video
                    Making Fitness Fun!
     Available in the Pole Fitness Studio store

Faster results will be made if you do cardio in the morning before your first meal. For 20 - 30 minutes. You may work up to 45 minutes, and don't forget your water, and ipod.
By applying the information found in these Fitness Magazines and the Nutritional Almanac, you will have discovered the way towards the REAL YOU!

Sticking with you workouts and new eating plan!

1. Only buy the foods that you know are safe to eat.

2. Keep writing down your food intake for at least the first month, and save these pages. I have mine from 1996 when I first became aware of how food works.

3. Have a friend take a photo of your every six weeks. Use each six week date as your "mini goal". Keep your photo's and food intake sheets in a binder so you can easily track your progress.

4. Post a motivational picture or statement, or even YOUR GOAL, on your fridge.

5. Go to the gym with a friend, and push each other to keep up the great work.

6. Allow yourself a cheat day once a week, when you can eat what you are craving. On the next day, you are back on track. This ONE cheat day speeds up your metabolism.

7. Patience. Remember that it took you months or years to put the weight on, so you need to be patient and stay dedicated to yourself and taking it off.

There will always be another meal, but there may not be another life.

Your diet accounts for 80% of your results, whether you are trying to gain or loose weight. Below we are discussing losing weight, and toning! If you maintain your training and eating plan, day in and day out for at least 12 weeks, you will feel on top of the world!

Training: weights and cardio: 5 - 6 days/week.
Diet: 5 - 6 meals a day, every 3 hours.

Here is a daily workout plan with diet. Please note that portion sizes will differ from person to person depending on your height, and weight. Here is what I consume each day, and I stand 5'4".

Your Keys to Success!

Drink at least 2 liters of water every day. Tea and coffee does not count, but you can drink them. Do your weights (30-60min) and cardio after your weights (20-45 min) at some point in your day, 5-6 days a week.
HINT: If you want to weigh 130lbs, eat 130-150 grams of complex carbohydrates each day. *Read magazines: 'Muscle Media', 'Muscle & Fitness', 'Muscle Mag', 'Flex', 'Oxygen' etc.....

* Stick to this for a solid 12 weeks and let me know how you do.
Have Christmas, Valentines Day, Birthdays, etc., as your cheat days:)
On Sundays of you are craving something (save it for Sundays), you may cheat, and then get back to the program Monday morning with your cardio.

* NO: Pasta, or bread except on your cheat days. Be smart when you cheat and have your really 'yummy' foods earlier, not before bed. Pasta and bread are hard to digest and make you hold water.

* Look at your calories because what ever you don't burn off by the end of your day, WILL BE STORED AS FAT (fuel). This is why your last meal is only protein and fibrous carbs. The next morning when you do cardio, YOU WILL BE BURNING FAT FOR FUEL, NOT THE CALORIES YOU HAVE JUST EATEN.

* Supplements:
Multi Vitamin (meal one), 500mg Vitamin-C (meal one),
Udo's Choice Oil (on meals instead of butter AFTER it is cooked.),
B-complex (meal 5 before bed)

*Only the mentally strong achieve their goals. Make this your year! Take BEFORE and AFTER photo's and write down everything you are eating and drinking for at least 21 days so that you learn the habit of eating right.

When I started pole dancing at age 19, I weighed a 'soft' 138 pounds. Between 1994 - 1999 during my dancing and bodybuilding career, I weighed between 101 - 128 pounds. These days, I compete in figure at 110, with an off season of 122. I feel most comfortable at 118.

Life is not about how many breaths you take but how many moments take your breath away. Make the most of yours!