And with our self-promises of next year being “the year”, we give ourselves a convenient excuse to take all of November and December off.  Because after all, next year it’s all gonna change!

But then next year rolls around and you have your resolution set.  And you do a pretty good job of sticking to it…for a week or 2.  But then all of a sudden old habits creep back and you are back in the same position you were in.  Waiting for NEXT year.

Sound familiar?  It should.  A new study showed that only 12% of people achieved whatever their New Year’s Resolutions were. 12%!!

That means for every 100 people to “commit” to change, 12 did it.  That’s pretty discouraging if you ask me.

And for the most part it isn’t really that your goals are unrealistic.  Usually they’re quite achievable.

The problem is you are running into battle unarmed.

You’ve had to make whatever resolution it is for a reason.  You’ve had some habit you could not break yourself of.  But all of a sudden you expect it to magically disappear on January 1st.  As the 88% of failed New Year’s resolutions will back up, that’s just not going to work.

Look, if you are trying to change something it’s obviously important to you.  Why are you setting yourself up for failure?  You need to be prepared for change before it will happen.  It’s like a soldier running into battle.  Yeah, he can be the most patriotic fighting machine with all intentions of taking down the enemy.  But if he just charges full steam ahead without bothering to bring any equipment or support, it won’t end well.  So if you are ready to “go into battle”, here’s what you need to do:

1. Gather Intel: This is probably the biggest culprit in the success or failure of a resolution.  You can’t go into battle just blindly firing.  You’ll fail every single time.  You need to  learn the ins and outs of your enemy and what it will take to defeat them.  And to do this, you’ll need expertise.  If you have a goal of losing weight, a trainer or a nutritionist would be a great start.  Want to make more money?  Then you need to learn what to do, perhaps from a business coach or a financial planner.  You may think you know your enemy, but there are experts that know them better, and you’d be foolish not to take their advice.
2. Battle Plan: You’ve got your intel now.  You know what it’s going to take to defeat your old habits.  So you need a plan of attack.  Maybe for years you’ve said “I am going to lose weight”.  That’s not a plan, that’s a dream.  HOW are you going to insure victory?  “I am going to lose weight by doing 3 strength training workouts and 3 cardio interval workouts per week, as well as following the meal plan from my INTEL.”  Now THAT’s a plan of attack.  You know what you’re attacking and how you’re gonna do it.
3. Rally the Troops:  Intel: Acquired.   Battle Plan: Set.  Now it’s time to assemble your army!  Can you try to go into battle alone?  Sure.  But what happens if you go down and it’s looking like you’re finished?  Your men (or women) come and pick you up and keep you in this fight!!!  If I was going into battle, I would much prefer having 10 people going with me than just myself.  So who is this army?  You need to assemble a team of those who you trust and you know will be there to support you.  It could be your friends, parents, siblings, trainer, nutritionist, co-workers.  Anyone who you know is pulling for you!  And you need to let them know your goal.  So when the time comes and you need to get helped back up to your feet, they’re ready to help.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Retreat: A retreat and defeat are not the same thing.  Sometimes the enemy will just pulverize you.  You know if you keep going like you’re going, it will be game over. You might take a vacation and eat like crap and not work out.  And for many this is enough to make you quit and lose the war.  But you’re not going to let that happen this time!  So fall back, regroup, and make any adjustments you need to your battle plan.  Start with step 1 over again as the situation dictates.  No war is won in one battle, and the best laid plans often need to be adjusted.  So if you feel like you’re losing the battle, adjust and continue the fight.
5. Celebrate the Victories: Sometimes, depending on your goal, the war can take several months or even years.  And it might feel like there is no end in sight at times.  Keep track of your progress and reward yourself at important milestones.  It will boost your morale and reinforce your new behaviors.  Is your goal to lose 50 pounds?  When you hit that 10 or 20 pound mark, give yourself something special.  Maybe some new shoes, an ipod, a massage, or whatever else you like .  Just make sure you pick a reward won’t hurt you in your fight.  If you are trying to lose weight, rewarding yourself with a new Lazy Boy recliner might not help your cause.

So there you have it.  A sure-fire way to win The Resolutionary War.  So let this be the year that you commit to finally making all the changes you’ve been putting off or failed at in the past.   And if you’re looking to lose weight and tone up, I’ve got your intel, a “No Fail” battle plan, and am ready to join the ranks of your troops, so just contact me at casey (at) caseygeorge (dot) com!

Casey

Fast food companies partner with Hollywood and have all sorts of action figures from popular movies at their restaurants.

And corporations do the same to sell all kinds of thing – including vitamins – for children.

Have you ever taken a good look at the labels of the leading brands of kid’s vitamins?

On there you’ll find:

Aspartame, which is a VERY controversial artificial sweetener.

DiCalcium Phosphate, which is used in the “feed” that poultry eats.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, which NOBODY needs to be ingesting.

And all sorts of artificial colors.

Does that look NUTRITIOUS to you???

Ok, I know what you’re thinking:

“Yeah, that’s great. But what other choice do I have? If it doesn’t TASTE good, my kid’s not going to take it.”

Well, I may just have the answer to your prayers. But your child’s taste buds are going to have to decide. As a proud Prograde Partner I’m THRILLED to let you know they have just released an all-natural children’s vitamin. And they’ve gone to great lengths to taste test it with kids.

But again, your child will have to decide if it tastes good or not. So that’s why you can try Prograde Essentials for Kids for FREE! (Yes, there is a small S & H fee)
Just go to this link right now and discover how Prograde Essentials for Kids delivers the nutrition your child needs and deserves.

http://tinyurl.com/KidsMultiVitaminFreeTrial

Yours in health,

Casey “The Boss”

PS – Again, I understand, and so does Prograde, that your child MUST love the taste of their new chewable vitamin for kids. That’s why you can try it for FREE. http://tinyurl.com/KidsMultiVitaminFreeTrial

1.) Perform at least one intense strength training session per week

Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass.  So if you want to stay away from the Pillsbury Doughboy look for the new year, hit at least one all-out, balls to the wall, strength workout each week. Aim for three total body strength workouts per week if you are really serious about keeping off the weight. To maximize fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.

2.) Hit Your Totals

Your body is a moron. In other words, it cannot differentiate between 100 push-ups performed in a row versus 100 total push-ups performed in a day. When you honestly cannot find a five to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden chunks of time during the day to get in a certain number of daily repetitions for a certain number of exercises that work your entire body. Is it a commercial break during The  Biggest Loser? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Using this method throughout the day will lead to big numbers by the end of the day that will burn the same amount of calories in addition to creating similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.

It is important to note that this “Hit Your Totals” routine is merely a back-up option to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise (You know, as in the ones we do during the best boot camp in Wilmington, Boss Fitness Boot Camps). Short rest periods between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as the long rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. However, it comes down to effective (“Hit Your Totals”) versus optimal (20-10 or the dreaded 50-10 Total Body Circuit Interval Training Workouts), so be sure to at least be effective this holiday season!

Make sure to pick multi-joint, compound movements that hit as much of your body’s major muscle groups in the shortest amount of time possible (e.g. squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Use the plan below as guide to build your own “Hit Your Totals” workout. Adjust the repetition ranges accordingly based on your current strength levels. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands (they’re awesome because you can just chuck them in your suitcase). Perform this plan up to three times per week, resting a day between workouts. Make sure to alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).

The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays

Plan A-

Body weight Squats:  100-200 total

Push-ups: 50-100 total

DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total

Plan B-

Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Lift: 50-100/total per leg

Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total

DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)

3.) Rage Against The Machines

Machines have made us an incredibly out of shape and overweight society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! Now I don’t mean to say that you cannot drive to the mall during the holidays. However, when you get to the mall, try to park further away so you can do more walking to get inside. Avoid using elevators and escalators and opt for the stairs; all those steps truly do add up. Instead of having your naughty kids carry the bags, burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself. Just get up, move and don’t let some car or robot or machine or Segway get all the workout.

4.) Engage in more outdoor holiday activities

I have been in some pretty incredible snowball fights in my day. Though I was always having a blast while pelting my friends behind cleverly built snow forts, I was never aware of how exhausting a good snowball fight can truly be until I came indoors afterwards. My snowsuit was soaked with sweat and I had spent the last 30 minutes or so in total fight or flight mode. Talk about an awesome way to burn calories without even thinking about it! Get outdoors this holidays season and throw around the football or have your very own “Ice Bowl.” Once again, all these calories here and there truly do add up and could make a difference between you fitting in your pants or ripping your pants by the time the clock strikes midnight this New Year!

1.) Perform High-Intensity Activity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.

2.) Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body is a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. This means that the next time that you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!

3.) Do NOT Gorge Yourself

Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.

4.) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event

A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival. This way you won’t lose any friends by eating their entire dinner platter and you’ll save your midsection from a fluffier existence!

5.) Eat  Vegetables FIRST

Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choicesand try to eat your veggies (2 servings) first.  Then move onto your lean proteins and save the carbs/desserts for last. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. At least this way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition and you are not putting yourself at excessive risk for sickness and/or other health concerns.

6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!

Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps decrease appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!

7.) Do NOT Eat Again Until Hungry Following a Large Meal

Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach, unless you goal is to do the stop, drop, and roll drill. Only when you are hungry again should you resume your normal eating plan following a big holiday meal.

8.) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal

What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. Again, I am not recommending that you eat in such an extreme manner, rather I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.

9.) Never Eat Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed

Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!

10.) Portion Control is Key!

Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!

11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol

One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), for at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!

12.) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible

Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!

13.) Avoid Eating Meals that are High in Both Fat and Carbohydrates

The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs

Kim Vann!

November Client of the Month, Kim Vann!

Kim has been one of my personal training clients for a couple years now, but over the past 4-5 weeks has really buckled down on nutrition.  And, guess what…it worked.  She dropped 20 pounds in the month of October and is just getting started!  I can’t wait to see what another couple months will do!  There were several other one-on-one personal training clients in the running, including:

John Hepner

Alex Sotelo

With the Boss Fitness Boot Camps rolling out in October, there was a major increase in competition.  And it really would not shock me to see a camper step in and steal the title next month.  Some of my standout campers who were in the running this month included:

Lori Carr

Alex Garner

Amanda Korzep

And just so you guys know my criteria, here’s what I consider.

• Amount of Weight Lost (1 pt. per pound)
• Number of New Clients Referred (1 new client doubles points, 2 new clients triples points, and so on)
• Attendance (the more you attend sessions, the higher the points)
• “The X-Factor” (discretionary points based on my judgment.  May be awarded for things such as “Standout Performer”, “Perfect Attendance”, “Helping to Promote Boss Fitness”, etc.)

So that’s it for this Month.  Kim, just let me know what size shirt you want and I’ll get that ASAP.

And everyone else, kick some ass this month and you might just win your own Boss Fitness T-shirt for becoming Client of the Month.  You can’t get them any other way, so work it because you know you want one.

Bonnie Smith!

It was actually a very close race and I had a tough time deciding between the final 2, but in the end Bonnie’s consistency really helped her edge out the competition. She is consistently dropping 1-2 pounds per week and has really had a lot of gym members take notice of her progress.  So congrats Bonnie, and you’ll be getting a Boss Shirt as soon as I get them printed