The Health and Fitness Truth Blog

From what everyone keeps boo-hooing about, the economy is taking a downturn. Sometimes I feel like we are just making it worse with all the negativity and doom and gloom-convincing ourselves the sky is going to fall? But, my opinion notwithstanding, things are changing. I think it is key to buckle down and not spend in excess, but the ONE place it is a grave error to cut back on is self care- especially exercise and healthy eating. I have found in the past that the second that we feel economic hardship, the first thing that goes is the gym membership or personal training expenses, when, in reality, these are the times we MOST need to exercise and eat well in order to combat stress!  I have had members at my previous gym stop their memberships because they lost their jobs, but they keep their tanning appointments and nail appointments??? What kind of prioritizing is that?

At Personal Best, we are well aware personal training is an extra expense, and we want to make things affordable for you! We have a variety of training programs and classes that can allow you to spend less but still keep healthy and sane.

From yoga classes, to bootcamps, to Nordic Walking classes to group training sessions, these are all great ways to cut costs, but still have the superb customer service, accountability and expertise you have consistently experienced with Personal Best. For more information on these money saving programs, see the enclosed flyers Group Training Hudson and Hudson Bootcamp or contact us via email at kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com

I have always counseled my clients to allow themselves one meal a week to eat the foods they may consciously avoid when trying to lose weight. For most people, that may mean going out to dinner on a weekend evening and splurging a bit: having dessert, or maybe a tasty appetizer or the homemade lasagna you have been craving (note I wrote OR- this is not a license to gorge). While this kind of controlled “splurge” rarely if ever impacts weight loss efforts, unfortunately, many people take this one meal splurge to mean a weekend of overeating.

A recent study published in the journal Obesity confirmed this trend. Their study followed 48 adult subjects for one year, asking them to keep a food journal throughout the year. The study demonstrated a 36% increase in calorie intake on Saturdays alone, compounded by a significant decrease in physical activity on Sundays. Imagine the impact of taking in more calories one day, and then exercising less the next!

If you have felt stuck with your weight loss, and feel you have great exercise and eating patterns throughout the week, you may want to explore this problem further. Keep a food journal over the weekend (some of my clients are afraid to do this- and there is a reason why!) to track where you go awry. And, although you do not need to kill yourself with exercise on Sundays, don’t sit on the couch the whole day either. A pleasant walk with family, a game of tennis with friends, swimming at the beach; these are all light activities that still burn calories and can make a difference in your weight loss efforts over time.Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Weight loss takes incredible diligence 90% of the time. An occasional controlled splurge, a day off from hard exercise- these are all smart ways to balance your efforts. But if your weekends are a license to gorge, you need to change this, or your weight loss goals may not be achievable.

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. To me, it signals a new start, a new season, the end of the lazy days of summer. Cool crisp air, beautiful foliage, fresh pencils, organized notebooks, new school clothes! These are the things I think of when I think of fall!

Summer can be a time of vacations and overindulgences, which are welcome after the long winter, but summer can also be a time of too much sun, too much food and drink and lots of lazing around at the beach.  I feel we are so lucky to have the seasons here in Massachusetts, as each season can end, and a new season can start, giving us opportunities for change and forward movement. Fall is the perfect time to get back to our goals and our regimens as we redefine our self commitment and our schedules.

 I ask all of you to take the time over the next two weeks to put in writing your goals and self-promises for the fall. Your goals could be related to frequency of exercise, or weight loss, or trying something new, or giving up soda! All are valid and inspirational.  Goals should be achievable and realistic, and make sure to create long and short term goals. Be specific! Make sure that your goal sheet also includes HOW you are going to achieve the goals. What actions will you take to be successful? This means putting thought into scheduling and planning- the action stage- which is essential for forward movement.  Merely dreaming of your goals is only the first step! You must write them down and then take specific actions to achieve them. Post your goal sheet where it is visible and use it as a tool for self accountability. You’d be surprised how motivating it is to see your own promises written down in front of you each and every day. They will serve as a reminder of the commitment you have made to your self improvement.

Have a wonderful fall!

I have been working in fitness since 1988, and have spent quite alot of time working specifically with women as either a fitness instructor or a personal training/strength coach. I have many success stories to tell, and won’t bore you with those, because what I really want to discuss are the stories which did not result in success.  What determines who succeeds in their fitness goals and who does not?

 Well, one very clear characteristic of someone who sees a lack of progress and success, is the client who comes to me with the difficult challenges of being both obese and depressed.  Women who come to me ( and some men as well- but this does not seem to be as great a problem with men) who are very obese, and have emotional issues such as depression, rarely are successful at losing weight through personal training alone. I often wondered- is it me? What am I doing wrong?

 Well, recently I have come to the conclusion it is NOT me. In fact, in speaking to other trainers, some of whom are THE BEST in the industry, we all agree, the combination of depression and obesity is rampant and debilitating.  So- what is the answer for the client and the trainer? How do we solve this problem?

I believe that to be successful at weight loss, the client must address the depression/emotional issues first, and a personal trainer is NOT the right person to address emotional trauma or depression. Many clients come to me thinking that if they fix the outside first, the inside will fix itself. BUT, this rarely happens, as the inside is what is prohibiting success and progress! In order to lose weight and get healthy, one must be upbeat, resilient, patient, and never give up. Clients with a history of emotional issues or depression may not have these instrinsic characteristics. They do not YET believe in themselves, and thus, can not invision THEIR success.  A therapist or psychologist is the best equipped person to deal with the pain of depression or past trauma and current emotional issues and, until the client  agrees to see a therapist to deal with the emotional issues, they may never unlock the “key” to their success. 

So- which came first- obesity or depression? Well, it certainly makes sense that if you are very obese, and you can not walk, or exercise or find clothes that fit you and are judged unfairly by others, you will be depressed about it.   But not all of these people are “clinically” depressed. There are some people who were average weight, but because of illness, or injury or lack of education, gained weight over the years and are depressed about it. This is often an easier case for a trainer than a client who always has been depressed or who has had emotional trauma issues, and thus has always been obese BECAUSE they eat for comfort and coping.  Either way- it is essential that these types of clients seek professional therapy when necessary in addition to ”exercise therapy” through a personal trainer.

The final word:

Clients- get therapy for emotional issues that are holding you back from your own success and do not expect a personal trainer and exercise to be a cure all.

Trainers- take a detailed health history specifically noting any psychological issues or history of depression, and refer these clients out to an expert as soon necessary.

Research has proven time and  time again that keeping a food log increases weight loss success by 60-70%. Unless you know your successes, your pitfalls, your weaknesses, or just plain old bad habits- it’s hard to change them. Seeing your food detailed throughout the day gives you a great picture of what you need to work on, right? Unfortunately, one of the biggest issues my clients have in keeping logs is finding the time to do them. Yes, I know, excuses, excuses. But some may be valid- as keeping a detailed food log takes time and planning,  and doing a log for weeks on end can be challenging. So, in an effort to find easier ways for my clients to be successful in journaling, and to offset excuses, excuses, I will ask the client to tailor the log to their specific issues.  First, I always ask them to do whole day detailed logs for three days to one week to assess the problems. Then, once problems are identified, we can tailor the logs more specifically. For example, if day time eating has  been shown to be healthy, but night time is problematic, I will ask my clients to do a food log just from 4pm on. This is so much more doable- and  lessens the likelihood of finding an excuse not to do it. Or, if unconscious snacking is a problem, and meals are not, I ask the client to write down every snack they eat that is not during a meal. This simplifies and amplifies things, as seeing just the problematic eating really hits home. If you are having problems keeping food logs, try this, and see if it eliminates your excuses!