This is my 2nd of 2 installments on why some people start and quit an exercise program in a short period of time and how they can overcome the obstacles that they face. Here are three obstacles related to this syndrome:
Stress – As I mentioned in a previous newsletter (Mental Health and Exercise), stress hits everyone in one form or another. If it is family or work-related, you may feel that just one more thing, your workout, would put even more stress into your life.
But, just collect yourself and say “Once I complete my workout I am going to feel like a different person”, and believe it. Exercise helps reduce anxiety, stress, depression and helps build up your mood so that you can tackle whatever you are stressed about. Even a short workout is better than nothing at all.
Having a Negative View of Yourself – Sometimes people will tell me “I haven’t exercised in years, so why start now?”, or “I’m too old, I’ll never be the person I want to be physically”….and the list goes on and on.
What that person is doing is self-defeating themselves in believing that they can’t stick to or start an exercise program. I remember reading the following exchange: Two women were discussing the fact that one of the woman wanted to go back to college as an adult student. She told her friend “I’ll be 50 years old by the time I get a degree!” Her friend replied, “Well, how old will you be if you don’t get a degree?”
Negative self talk ruins your confidence and motivation. It can paralyze a person into thinking that they can’t start or finish any type of project. The next time a negative thought comes into your head, stop and quickly replace it with a positive one. For example, “my co-workers ordered fast food for lunch - I made my lunch from home and it was a healthy one.”
Remember, behavioral change takes time and is sometimes hard; but once you practice it and give yourself credit, you’ll see your motivation greatly increase.
Overtraining – Some people try to do too much at once at the beginning of an exercise program. They overload themselves, burn out, and then quit. Your body needs recovery time. Take a day or two from your training or perform one light and one vigorous workout in between rest days.
Overtaxing your body will diminish your progress and this leads back to those unrealistic expectations that may cause you to quit an exercise program. Proper recovery and nutrition will yield gradual but measurable progress.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Unrealistic Expectations
In the next 2 installments of Frank’s Fitness Facts, I will discuss what I have learned in my years as a Fitness Professional in relation to why some people start and then quit an exercise program in a short amount of time. I will also provide the means to overcome those obstacles:
Unrealistic Expectations
People new to exercise – those who start, quit, start, quit, etc. – often set big unrealistic goals for themselves. This adds extra stress to their lives (which will be covered in my next installment). For example, if an individual comes to me and says “I’d like to eat healthier and drop 30 pounds of body fat”, they often get frustrated if after 2-3 weeks they are not reaching their goals. It takes effort, patience and the ability to stick to a program longer than 3 weeks.
This individual didn’t wake up one morning and gain 30-50 pounds; it took years. The way to avoid this Unrealistic Expectation problem is to set Realistic Goals. Setting and reaching small realistic goals allows you to reach your bigger goals with a minimum of stress. The same thing holds true for any other fitness goals you have in mind – gain more lean muscle, become stronger – whatever your goal.
If an individual was sedentary for years, it takes time to see results from any fitness program. Be patient and stick with it. I tell my clients that it takes at least 4 weeks or so for changes to kick in.
You’ll know it’s happening when you feel that you have more energy, you become less winded when climbing stairs, or doing simple yard work leaves you less tired.
Unrealistic Expectations
People new to exercise – those who start, quit, start, quit, etc. – often set big unrealistic goals for themselves. This adds extra stress to their lives (which will be covered in my next installment). For example, if an individual comes to me and says “I’d like to eat healthier and drop 30 pounds of body fat”, they often get frustrated if after 2-3 weeks they are not reaching their goals. It takes effort, patience and the ability to stick to a program longer than 3 weeks.
This individual didn’t wake up one morning and gain 30-50 pounds; it took years. The way to avoid this Unrealistic Expectation problem is to set Realistic Goals. Setting and reaching small realistic goals allows you to reach your bigger goals with a minimum of stress. The same thing holds true for any other fitness goals you have in mind – gain more lean muscle, become stronger – whatever your goal.
If an individual was sedentary for years, it takes time to see results from any fitness program. Be patient and stick with it. I tell my clients that it takes at least 4 weeks or so for changes to kick in.
You’ll know it’s happening when you feel that you have more energy, you become less winded when climbing stairs, or doing simple yard work leaves you less tired.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Hitting Plateaus And How To Overcome Them
Over the years I’ve had people come to me discouraged that their progress with fitness has hit a brick wall. Whether it’s weight loss or trying to build more muscle on their body, after they have been training for a few months they may suddenly stop seeing results.
This is called Hitting A Plateau, and it’s very common. Unless you change your exercise program every so often – usually every 4-6 weeks – you are almost guaranteed to hit a plateau.
If weight loss is what you are after, you might have to lower your calorie intake and increase your physical activity. The first thing is to determine the number of calories you are consuming. Your caloric intake may be too low or too high for your daily physical activity. This where keeping a daily food journal can be helpful.
Often adding strength training to your regular exercise routine can help you to get off your plateau. The added muscle helps to offset the metabolism-lowering effect of dieting (bad word!) and losing weight. The more muscle a person has on their body frame, the higher your metabolism will be.
The key, though, of getting past your plateau is to vary your program. The body is very adaptable. When you keep doing the same thing over and over again, the human body knows what’s coming – hence, no
changes. Keep it fresh and you’ll likely find yourself on the right path again, getting closer to your fitness goals.
If you still cannot overcome your plateau by yourself, it may be time to call a qualified, Certified Personal Trainer for assistance.
This is called Hitting A Plateau, and it’s very common. Unless you change your exercise program every so often – usually every 4-6 weeks – you are almost guaranteed to hit a plateau.
If weight loss is what you are after, you might have to lower your calorie intake and increase your physical activity. The first thing is to determine the number of calories you are consuming. Your caloric intake may be too low or too high for your daily physical activity. This where keeping a daily food journal can be helpful.
Often adding strength training to your regular exercise routine can help you to get off your plateau. The added muscle helps to offset the metabolism-lowering effect of dieting (bad word!) and losing weight. The more muscle a person has on their body frame, the higher your metabolism will be.
The key, though, of getting past your plateau is to vary your program. The body is very adaptable. When you keep doing the same thing over and over again, the human body knows what’s coming – hence, no
changes. Keep it fresh and you’ll likely find yourself on the right path again, getting closer to your fitness goals.
If you still cannot overcome your plateau by yourself, it may be time to call a qualified, Certified Personal Trainer for assistance.
Friday, February 17, 2012
The Frightening Reality Of Heart Disease
February is Healthy Heart Month, so I would like to continue with some more information on the heart.
This article is for the ladies in the audience:
According to a report by “Advancing Women’s Heart Health Through Improved Research, Diagnosis and Treatment”, an estimated 8.6 million women per year will die from some sort of heart disease.
Heart Disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States. Almost 50% of women are expected to die from this disease or from a stroke. On an annual basis more women, not men, die annually from heart disease.
Both heart disease and stroke are often preventable by maintaining a regular exercise routine and following a healthy way of eating.
Always consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
This article is for the ladies in the audience:
According to a report by “Advancing Women’s Heart Health Through Improved Research, Diagnosis and Treatment”, an estimated 8.6 million women per year will die from some sort of heart disease.
Heart Disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States. Almost 50% of women are expected to die from this disease or from a stroke. On an annual basis more women, not men, die annually from heart disease.
Both heart disease and stroke are often preventable by maintaining a regular exercise routine and following a healthy way of eating.
Always consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Mental Health and Exercise
As a Fitness Professional I would like to cover how exercise can help alleviate stress or help people cope with depression. Almost everyone, during their lifetime, gets stressed out or depressed to some degree.
There is evidence from researchers that certain levels of physical activity can affect mental health in a positive way.
Stress - Research, over the last 10 years, shows that people who engage in physical activity are capable of managing this “silent killer” more effectively than those who are less fit. It appears that moderate intensity aerobic exercise is the method that helps to reduce stress.
Correct intensity levels of exercise performed 3 times per week for at least 20 minutes seems to have the most influence on helping people to cope with day-to-day stress.
Depression – People who are diagnosed with depression have said that exercise has helped them, in many cases, to cope with mild depression.
Cardiovascular and resistance training seem to offer anti-depressive effects. Research has shown that improvements can be felt after 4 weeks, but the greatest effects come after 17 weeks.
It stands to reason that if you feel or look better physically, you will often feel better mentally.
Anxiety – Again, exercise comes into play to reduce anxiety. Low-moderate-high intensity exercise is most beneficial. If you are not sure what level of intensity is best for you,, consult with a Certified Personal Trainer.
Research shows that, to receive the most benefit from any type of exercise, an individual should train anywhere from 10-15 weeks.
To Recap:
Exercising on a regular basis has so many positive benefits; why do so many avoid it?
Of course, before embarking on any exercise program, consult with your physician.
There is evidence from researchers that certain levels of physical activity can affect mental health in a positive way.
Stress - Research, over the last 10 years, shows that people who engage in physical activity are capable of managing this “silent killer” more effectively than those who are less fit. It appears that moderate intensity aerobic exercise is the method that helps to reduce stress.
Correct intensity levels of exercise performed 3 times per week for at least 20 minutes seems to have the most influence on helping people to cope with day-to-day stress.
Depression – People who are diagnosed with depression have said that exercise has helped them, in many cases, to cope with mild depression.
Cardiovascular and resistance training seem to offer anti-depressive effects. Research has shown that improvements can be felt after 4 weeks, but the greatest effects come after 17 weeks.
It stands to reason that if you feel or look better physically, you will often feel better mentally.
Anxiety – Again, exercise comes into play to reduce anxiety. Low-moderate-high intensity exercise is most beneficial. If you are not sure what level of intensity is best for you,, consult with a Certified Personal Trainer.
Research shows that, to receive the most benefit from any type of exercise, an individual should train anywhere from 10-15 weeks.
To Recap:
Exercising on a regular basis has so many positive benefits; why do so many avoid it?
Of course, before embarking on any exercise program, consult with your physician.
New Year New You - Or - New Year Same You?
“Insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Benjamin Franklin
Well…the holidays are over and the Super Bowl is fast approaching. At least I’ll look forward to this one since the Giants are playing.
This year the big story remains the economy. For the past few years people have changed their spending habits, even if they don’t have to be frugal. I’ve always believed that this is a good idea – I don’t believe that anyone has money to just throw away.
But….what if you go for a low-cost alternative to something and end up actually paying more in the long run? Do you go to a doctor or dentist because their price is less expensive, or do you choose your physician by his or her expertise?
A couple of weeks ago a woman came in for a consultation. She told me that she had been going to a local fitness studio for over 4 years with little or no results. She finally (!) decided that she didn’t care for them because they did not do any type of follow up to check her progress. I discussed our services with her and she told me she would get back to me with her decision; she was going out of town for a week (coincidentally a large portion of the general population has to go “out of town” after they have had a consultation at our Studio).
In any case when I told my wife about this consultation she told me that I would never hear from this woman again. She said that this woman, like so many others, was used to going to a “discount” studio and would probably never want to pay more than she was paying, even if it meant that she wasn’t getting the results that she wanted to get.
On the other hand, last week my wife congratulated one of our clients on her 4-Year Anniversary with our Studio. The client told her that she couldn’t believe it had been four years; the time had gone so quickly. This particular client had gone to a discount studio before coming to us, and was unhappy with the results she had achieved there. She told my wife that she was so happy she invested in her health at our Studio. She said she knew that if she tried to exercise on her own she probably would never make the time. Also, she loves the fact that she knows she is doing every exercise correctly, because her trainer makes sure she uses correct form at all times.
So, what do you usually get at these “discount” studios? Most of them offer interval training, which is just moving from one machine to another for 4-5 minutes at a time. Rarely does this entail any type of progression so results, if any, are a very long time in coming.
I actually saw a website for a fitness facility where you could sign up on-line for any group class. This means that, without any prior knowledge of how fit you are or what limitations you have, you are just put in any group class with members that have much more or much less experience than you have.
What these Studios do provide is economy; perhaps $30 per month in membership fees. They also often provide a type of social gathering place versus an actual exercise facility.
How are we different from other facilities? What we provide is a Personal Training Studio where serious clients achieve their fitness goals. We work with every client closely to make sure that each and every session maximizes that client’s strengths so that they are not wasting their time or money in any way. The Value we provide well exceeds the cost of our services.
We readily admit that we are not for everyone. Some people just like to say that they are exercising, and others actually are. And I know that our clients are definitely in the latter group.
2012 – New Year, new things, new ways to make the most of your life and make things “better”. Will you go the “economy” route, or actually do something more to get and stay fit and healthy?
Remember, if you do the same thing over and over the same way you will get the same results – no matter how hard you want to believe otherwise.
Well…the holidays are over and the Super Bowl is fast approaching. At least I’ll look forward to this one since the Giants are playing.
This year the big story remains the economy. For the past few years people have changed their spending habits, even if they don’t have to be frugal. I’ve always believed that this is a good idea – I don’t believe that anyone has money to just throw away.
But….what if you go for a low-cost alternative to something and end up actually paying more in the long run? Do you go to a doctor or dentist because their price is less expensive, or do you choose your physician by his or her expertise?
A couple of weeks ago a woman came in for a consultation. She told me that she had been going to a local fitness studio for over 4 years with little or no results. She finally (!) decided that she didn’t care for them because they did not do any type of follow up to check her progress. I discussed our services with her and she told me she would get back to me with her decision; she was going out of town for a week (coincidentally a large portion of the general population has to go “out of town” after they have had a consultation at our Studio).
In any case when I told my wife about this consultation she told me that I would never hear from this woman again. She said that this woman, like so many others, was used to going to a “discount” studio and would probably never want to pay more than she was paying, even if it meant that she wasn’t getting the results that she wanted to get.
On the other hand, last week my wife congratulated one of our clients on her 4-Year Anniversary with our Studio. The client told her that she couldn’t believe it had been four years; the time had gone so quickly. This particular client had gone to a discount studio before coming to us, and was unhappy with the results she had achieved there. She told my wife that she was so happy she invested in her health at our Studio. She said she knew that if she tried to exercise on her own she probably would never make the time. Also, she loves the fact that she knows she is doing every exercise correctly, because her trainer makes sure she uses correct form at all times.
So, what do you usually get at these “discount” studios? Most of them offer interval training, which is just moving from one machine to another for 4-5 minutes at a time. Rarely does this entail any type of progression so results, if any, are a very long time in coming.
I actually saw a website for a fitness facility where you could sign up on-line for any group class. This means that, without any prior knowledge of how fit you are or what limitations you have, you are just put in any group class with members that have much more or much less experience than you have.
What these Studios do provide is economy; perhaps $30 per month in membership fees. They also often provide a type of social gathering place versus an actual exercise facility.
How are we different from other facilities? What we provide is a Personal Training Studio where serious clients achieve their fitness goals. We work with every client closely to make sure that each and every session maximizes that client’s strengths so that they are not wasting their time or money in any way. The Value we provide well exceeds the cost of our services.
We readily admit that we are not for everyone. Some people just like to say that they are exercising, and others actually are. And I know that our clients are definitely in the latter group.
2012 – New Year, new things, new ways to make the most of your life and make things “better”. Will you go the “economy” route, or actually do something more to get and stay fit and healthy?
Remember, if you do the same thing over and over the same way you will get the same results – no matter how hard you want to believe otherwise.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
What are you waiting for?
First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Safe and Happy New Year!!
And talking about the New Year:
They have probably already been talked about with family and friends, already been written down, and soon will be splattered across all the social media outlets for all to see. No, I’m not talking about your famous Christmas cookie recipe or your big holiday party plans. I’m talking about your New Year’s resolutions!
That’s right, that list of things you are going to change when January 1st, 2012 gets here, or maybe Jan. 2nd, when the hangover has subsided. Each year millions of people make grand plans for a new direction in their life. Ambitious goals such as quitting smoking, saving money, drinking less alcohol, and my personal favorite (and BY FAR most common)….GET IN SHAPE!
Go ahead and prepare yourself for the Facebook status updates declaring their commitment to become fitter and healthier in 2012. “Time to get in the gym baby, it’s 2012, woo-hoo!” or “Getting my pump on, it’s a new year and that College Reunion isn’t far away!”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am always happy to hear someone who is ready to make a change and finally make an investment in the one thing you only get ONE of, YOURSELF (sorry, no lease agreements on that body of yours), so any kind of decision in that direction is great!
My question is, if it truly was that important to you, if you genuinely were ready to dedicate yourself and make the sacrifices necessary to achieve your goals, WHY ARE YOU WAITING? You see, the fact that you are willing to place other things ahead of your supposed “priority” contradicts your entire resolution. Instead of saying you are going to get in shape and live a healthier life in 2012; you should say, you’re going to find some time between your busy work, horrible eating habits, and hectic social schedules, to exercise a couple of times per week.
I hear about it all the time. A new year rolls around and all of a sudden the gyms are full and everyone is on a mission to fulfill their new, lofty fitness aspirations. When they realize in this world of instant gratification that they have a chosen a resolution that requires a lifetime of commitment, they lose the determination they thought they had and slowly disappear from the gym.
The fact is a very small percentage of people actually keep the resolutions they make, especially when it comes to “getting in shape.”
The reason for this is, a resolution is a waste of time. Anything that is important to you is NEVER worth putting off until it is convenient, popular, or trendy to do so.
If someone told you that you were going to lose your job if you didn’t start performing better, would you wait until 2012 to start being a better employee? Probably not. Why? Because having a job is important to you.
You may say I’m comparing apples and oranges, but I contend your body and health are far more important than a job could ever be. So, as noble and worthy as your supposed resolutions may be, are they important to you? If so, WHY ARE YOU WAITING?
Now that I have destroyed your hopes and dreams and shattered hope for that new life you were going to start in 2012, what can you do? I want you all to understand I write this from a place of experience. I am definitely not “casting stones” because I have been guilty of this myself. I can’t begin to count how many resolutions I have made that ended up as a miserable failure, so trust me, I’m not preaching to you.
I’m coming to you from a place of care and understanding to inspire and motivate you to be the best you can be TODAY and not wait another minute to do so! Too many times I see people procrastinate and not do what they need to do, only to delay the inevitable.
People, it’s NOT going away. At some point, you are going to have to address IT. Whether it’s 2011 or 2012, your IT is not disappearing, so why not begin to the journey today?
I want you to be honest with yourself, how badly do you want it? Are you willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES? Or are you simply making promises you can’t keep? The answer is up to you, what’s it going to be?
As always, thank you for taking time to read my newsletters. My hope is that I can motivate you to be the best YOU that YOU can be today! Dare to be great and never be told you can’t do something.
And talking about the New Year:
They have probably already been talked about with family and friends, already been written down, and soon will be splattered across all the social media outlets for all to see. No, I’m not talking about your famous Christmas cookie recipe or your big holiday party plans. I’m talking about your New Year’s resolutions!
That’s right, that list of things you are going to change when January 1st, 2012 gets here, or maybe Jan. 2nd, when the hangover has subsided. Each year millions of people make grand plans for a new direction in their life. Ambitious goals such as quitting smoking, saving money, drinking less alcohol, and my personal favorite (and BY FAR most common)….GET IN SHAPE!
Go ahead and prepare yourself for the Facebook status updates declaring their commitment to become fitter and healthier in 2012. “Time to get in the gym baby, it’s 2012, woo-hoo!” or “Getting my pump on, it’s a new year and that College Reunion isn’t far away!”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am always happy to hear someone who is ready to make a change and finally make an investment in the one thing you only get ONE of, YOURSELF (sorry, no lease agreements on that body of yours), so any kind of decision in that direction is great!
My question is, if it truly was that important to you, if you genuinely were ready to dedicate yourself and make the sacrifices necessary to achieve your goals, WHY ARE YOU WAITING? You see, the fact that you are willing to place other things ahead of your supposed “priority” contradicts your entire resolution. Instead of saying you are going to get in shape and live a healthier life in 2012; you should say, you’re going to find some time between your busy work, horrible eating habits, and hectic social schedules, to exercise a couple of times per week.
I hear about it all the time. A new year rolls around and all of a sudden the gyms are full and everyone is on a mission to fulfill their new, lofty fitness aspirations. When they realize in this world of instant gratification that they have a chosen a resolution that requires a lifetime of commitment, they lose the determination they thought they had and slowly disappear from the gym.
The fact is a very small percentage of people actually keep the resolutions they make, especially when it comes to “getting in shape.”
The reason for this is, a resolution is a waste of time. Anything that is important to you is NEVER worth putting off until it is convenient, popular, or trendy to do so.
If someone told you that you were going to lose your job if you didn’t start performing better, would you wait until 2012 to start being a better employee? Probably not. Why? Because having a job is important to you.
You may say I’m comparing apples and oranges, but I contend your body and health are far more important than a job could ever be. So, as noble and worthy as your supposed resolutions may be, are they important to you? If so, WHY ARE YOU WAITING?
Now that I have destroyed your hopes and dreams and shattered hope for that new life you were going to start in 2012, what can you do? I want you all to understand I write this from a place of experience. I am definitely not “casting stones” because I have been guilty of this myself. I can’t begin to count how many resolutions I have made that ended up as a miserable failure, so trust me, I’m not preaching to you.
I’m coming to you from a place of care and understanding to inspire and motivate you to be the best you can be TODAY and not wait another minute to do so! Too many times I see people procrastinate and not do what they need to do, only to delay the inevitable.
People, it’s NOT going away. At some point, you are going to have to address IT. Whether it’s 2011 or 2012, your IT is not disappearing, so why not begin to the journey today?
I want you to be honest with yourself, how badly do you want it? Are you willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES? Or are you simply making promises you can’t keep? The answer is up to you, what’s it going to be?
As always, thank you for taking time to read my newsletters. My hope is that I can motivate you to be the best YOU that YOU can be today! Dare to be great and never be told you can’t do something.
I am my own person...and the "Couples Syndrome"
Hello everyone….and this is actually Laura, not Frank. I thought I should, on occasion, get into the act. Well…Halloween is only a couple of days away…then Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year has certainly flown.
I’ve been encountering something lately that I call the “Couples Syndrome”. But, before I get into that, let me tell you a little bit about my past.
Before I met my husband I was in a relationship that, I came to realize, was not healthy. Joey was a friend of my cousin; he used to belong to a local band and was a singer for many years. He was attractive and always had a lot of girls after him. When I met him and began dating him many of my friends thought I was extremely lucky.
What they didn’t know is that he was lazy and hated to work. He was also very insecure and was always critical of everything I did, how I looked and dressed. I always worked in Manhattan and so I had to dress up for work on a daily basis. Whenever I purchased new clothes he would beg to see them, and then tell me how much he didn’t like them. He also always dismissed my job as being trivial.
It took me a long time to realize what he was doing to my self-esteem but, thankfully, through my friends and family I finally broke off my relationship with him. I vowed that no other person would ever allow me to feel bad about myself.
I came to realize that I deserved to have someone that supported me instead of trying to tear me down.
Now…let’s get to my “Couples Syndrome”. For some reason, in the past few weeks we have had couples visiting our Studios looking for information on our services. In most cases one partner is more excited about starting an exercise routine, or needs it more.
I had one couple where the woman told me how out of shape she was, gave me a list of her medications and “knew” she needed to start an exercise program. Then both of them asked to set up a complimentary workout session for the next day. Of course, the next morning the man called to cancel.
What happened? What I believe is that one partner was really interested in our services and wanted to help herself, while her partner was not interested and so talked her out of it. Why would he do that? Maybe he was afraid that she would start looking better and he would be left behind.
But the bottom line is that he just didn’t support her, which is very sad.
Through the years we have had many clients like this. The female client that had to stop coming to work out because her husband complained that dinner wasn’t on the table when he got home; the husband that always cooks fattening foods while his wife is trying to lose weight; the woman who has been coming to our Studio for years and her husband has no idea, because he is so unsupportive.
I believe that if you truly care about someone you support them in whatever they want to do, as long as it is not harmful to them or others. My husband has always been supportive to me, and I’m the same way with him.
So, are you your own person? Or do you allow your partner to make the wrong decisions for you? Think about it….
I’ve been encountering something lately that I call the “Couples Syndrome”. But, before I get into that, let me tell you a little bit about my past.
Before I met my husband I was in a relationship that, I came to realize, was not healthy. Joey was a friend of my cousin; he used to belong to a local band and was a singer for many years. He was attractive and always had a lot of girls after him. When I met him and began dating him many of my friends thought I was extremely lucky.
What they didn’t know is that he was lazy and hated to work. He was also very insecure and was always critical of everything I did, how I looked and dressed. I always worked in Manhattan and so I had to dress up for work on a daily basis. Whenever I purchased new clothes he would beg to see them, and then tell me how much he didn’t like them. He also always dismissed my job as being trivial.
It took me a long time to realize what he was doing to my self-esteem but, thankfully, through my friends and family I finally broke off my relationship with him. I vowed that no other person would ever allow me to feel bad about myself.
I came to realize that I deserved to have someone that supported me instead of trying to tear me down.
Now…let’s get to my “Couples Syndrome”. For some reason, in the past few weeks we have had couples visiting our Studios looking for information on our services. In most cases one partner is more excited about starting an exercise routine, or needs it more.
I had one couple where the woman told me how out of shape she was, gave me a list of her medications and “knew” she needed to start an exercise program. Then both of them asked to set up a complimentary workout session for the next day. Of course, the next morning the man called to cancel.
What happened? What I believe is that one partner was really interested in our services and wanted to help herself, while her partner was not interested and so talked her out of it. Why would he do that? Maybe he was afraid that she would start looking better and he would be left behind.
But the bottom line is that he just didn’t support her, which is very sad.
Through the years we have had many clients like this. The female client that had to stop coming to work out because her husband complained that dinner wasn’t on the table when he got home; the husband that always cooks fattening foods while his wife is trying to lose weight; the woman who has been coming to our Studio for years and her husband has no idea, because he is so unsupportive.
I believe that if you truly care about someone you support them in whatever they want to do, as long as it is not harmful to them or others. My husband has always been supportive to me, and I’m the same way with him.
So, are you your own person? Or do you allow your partner to make the wrong decisions for you? Think about it….
I would never call you fat....
Hello again everyone….and I hope you had a great Summer. That is, of course, despite the locusts, earthquake and hurricane…. Let’s hope the Fall is a little more calm.
As the owner of a fitness studio I get various trade publications. Last month I noticed an advertisement for a marketing agency. It pictured a woman with the caption, “Don’t Call Me Fat.” I imagine the message was that, to sell your studio’s services, you shouldn’t be aggressive in how you word your advertisements or talk to potential clients.
Well, I would never call anyone fat. It’s rude and insulting and it’s just not my way.
But…how do you get the message across to those that are “weight challenged” that they are literally killing themselves by being overweight and out of shape? Sometimes being politically correct just doesn’t get the job done.
I often get people coming into my Studios for information, especially in Williamsburg, that are 40, 50, 60 or even 100 pounds overweight. The typical scenario is that they have (or are on the borderline of) diabetes, have high blood pressure, have no energy and are on medications for all of the above, or more.
I don’t go house to house drumming up business; these people come to me supposedly for help. But when I try to provide a solution, and ask for a commitment, suddenly the tune changes. I have heard every excuse imaginable why someone cannot start a health and fitness program; so nothing is new or surprising to me or my wife.
What is sad is that I have come to realize that some people just can’t be helped. I know that, as a fitness professional, I probably shouldn’t feel that way but there is such strong evidence to back up my feelings.
Last month we began providing Free monthly Seminars in our Studio on healthy living and nutrition. Free!! Unfortunately we have had a very limited response. My wife thinks that part of the reason is because people probably think that these Seminars are a way to introduce our services. The truth is that our services are never mentioned before, during or after the Seminar. As our fitness coach said, “Can’t people believe that we are trying to do something good?”
What is very exciting is that one person who did come to our first seminar asked my wife for further information. This person said that they had become even more motivated to live a healthy lifestyle by listening to our Fitness Coach; and they then decided to become a client!
I often wonder why some people are so afraid of healthy living and fitness. What are their fears?
Are they afraid that they will actually look and feel better, have more energy and stamina, and maybe even begin to “like” eating in a healthy manner?
You only have one life to live; isn’t it better to live that life feeling the best you possibly can? Or, do you honestly not want to be helped?
Well, either way, I would never call you fat….
As the owner of a fitness studio I get various trade publications. Last month I noticed an advertisement for a marketing agency. It pictured a woman with the caption, “Don’t Call Me Fat.” I imagine the message was that, to sell your studio’s services, you shouldn’t be aggressive in how you word your advertisements or talk to potential clients.
Well, I would never call anyone fat. It’s rude and insulting and it’s just not my way.
But…how do you get the message across to those that are “weight challenged” that they are literally killing themselves by being overweight and out of shape? Sometimes being politically correct just doesn’t get the job done.
I often get people coming into my Studios for information, especially in Williamsburg, that are 40, 50, 60 or even 100 pounds overweight. The typical scenario is that they have (or are on the borderline of) diabetes, have high blood pressure, have no energy and are on medications for all of the above, or more.
I don’t go house to house drumming up business; these people come to me supposedly for help. But when I try to provide a solution, and ask for a commitment, suddenly the tune changes. I have heard every excuse imaginable why someone cannot start a health and fitness program; so nothing is new or surprising to me or my wife.
What is sad is that I have come to realize that some people just can’t be helped. I know that, as a fitness professional, I probably shouldn’t feel that way but there is such strong evidence to back up my feelings.
Last month we began providing Free monthly Seminars in our Studio on healthy living and nutrition. Free!! Unfortunately we have had a very limited response. My wife thinks that part of the reason is because people probably think that these Seminars are a way to introduce our services. The truth is that our services are never mentioned before, during or after the Seminar. As our fitness coach said, “Can’t people believe that we are trying to do something good?”
What is very exciting is that one person who did come to our first seminar asked my wife for further information. This person said that they had become even more motivated to live a healthy lifestyle by listening to our Fitness Coach; and they then decided to become a client!
I often wonder why some people are so afraid of healthy living and fitness. What are their fears?
Are they afraid that they will actually look and feel better, have more energy and stamina, and maybe even begin to “like” eating in a healthy manner?
You only have one life to live; isn’t it better to live that life feeling the best you possibly can? Or, do you honestly not want to be helped?
Well, either way, I would never call you fat….
Let Me Tell You A Story
I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer and have gone on vacation. Just around the corner school and football begins.
Let me tell you a story – or some stories:
A couple of weeks ago a young woman came in to speak to my wife about our services. She told my wife that she wanted to lose about 75 lbs., and they discussed our different packages.
She also said that she found it hard to make commitments, so she wouldn’t be looking for a long-term package. After further discussion she asked if she could come in for a complimentary session.
Now this woman is a couple of years away from 30. I met with her and she also told me that she wants to lose about 75 pounds because she has hopes of having children and she realizes that being overweight could complicate a pregnancy.
After just a few minutes into the comp session I had to have her lie down on her back and put a cold towel on her forehead. I actually cut the session short because I knew she wouldn’t be able to finish even a 30 minute basic session,
We then sat down to discuss our packages, and she said she wanted to only try us out – so she purchased 3 sessions, or one week. Needless to say, she only came in two times and told our fitness coach that she “was going to exercise on her own”!!
OK…now who is kidding who? This young woman is “never” going to exercise on her own. Not yet 30 years old and unable to do even the simplest exercises.
But, I will tell you where she is going to be at 30 years old…..probably 100 pounds overweight with high blood pressure and diabetes, if not something worse. And, what about the baby she so desperately wants? Even if she does become pregnant all that extra weight will be a hazard to her pregnancy. And when the baby comes….what kind of an example is she setting for her child?
As my wife often says….everyone wants to lose weight and become fit…but no one wants to actually do the “work”.
On the flip side, my wife spoke to a young woman a couple of weeks ago who has cystic fibrosis. She told my wife that she wants to become stronger because this disease has sapped her strength.
If anyone had the excuse not to exercise, this young woman does. But she wants to push herself to become more fit and healthy. The only reason she hasn’t started already is because her doctor feels that she isn’t ready. She told me she’s seeing her doctor next month and hopes to begin a routine as soon as she is cleared.
A few months ago we had a Groupon campaign. Groupon is an on-line special deal service, and we offered an Evaluation plus 2 Fitness Sessions for a discounted price.
I had a young woman come in a couple of weeks ago to redeem a Groupon. She was over 300 pounds, with a body fat index that was so high that it could not be measured. I did an Evaluation and then discussed the results with her. Not only was she obese and out of shape, but her eating habits were extremely bad.
While discussing her eating habits she told me that “In Williamsburg the restaurants give you large portions.”
What??? So if someone puts a whole roast pig in front of you it means that you should eat the whole thing??
She contacted me a few days later to say that she had asked for a refund from Groupon because the experience was “not what she expected.”
What did she expect? That she was going to a gym where they would just tell her what she wanted to hear? A gym where they would ignore her true needs and let her go on using their equipment without getting any real results?
My wife said that most people just don’t want to hear the truth; so when they “do” hear the truth they ignore it or run the other way.
I own a fitness studio which is, of course, a business. Bringing in new clients is part of that business.
But….fitness and health is more than just a job to me; it’s my passion. And it has been my passion for over 30 years.
It frustrates me when I see people, especially young people, being so flippant about their health. To some people being 50, 60, 70 or 100 pounds overweight is nothing!! They would rather go to a doctor and be prescribed pills for ailments that can easily be avoided with just a little work.
There’s that word again – “work”.
As my wife says, these people must think that miraculously the fat is going to disappear; they’ll wake up one morning 50 pounds lighter just by dreaming about it.
Well….that’s not going to happen. Nothing worth having comes easy. And most things that come easy are not worth having.
Let me tell you a story – or some stories:
A couple of weeks ago a young woman came in to speak to my wife about our services. She told my wife that she wanted to lose about 75 lbs., and they discussed our different packages.
She also said that she found it hard to make commitments, so she wouldn’t be looking for a long-term package. After further discussion she asked if she could come in for a complimentary session.
Now this woman is a couple of years away from 30. I met with her and she also told me that she wants to lose about 75 pounds because she has hopes of having children and she realizes that being overweight could complicate a pregnancy.
After just a few minutes into the comp session I had to have her lie down on her back and put a cold towel on her forehead. I actually cut the session short because I knew she wouldn’t be able to finish even a 30 minute basic session,
We then sat down to discuss our packages, and she said she wanted to only try us out – so she purchased 3 sessions, or one week. Needless to say, she only came in two times and told our fitness coach that she “was going to exercise on her own”!!
OK…now who is kidding who? This young woman is “never” going to exercise on her own. Not yet 30 years old and unable to do even the simplest exercises.
But, I will tell you where she is going to be at 30 years old…..probably 100 pounds overweight with high blood pressure and diabetes, if not something worse. And, what about the baby she so desperately wants? Even if she does become pregnant all that extra weight will be a hazard to her pregnancy. And when the baby comes….what kind of an example is she setting for her child?
As my wife often says….everyone wants to lose weight and become fit…but no one wants to actually do the “work”.
On the flip side, my wife spoke to a young woman a couple of weeks ago who has cystic fibrosis. She told my wife that she wants to become stronger because this disease has sapped her strength.
If anyone had the excuse not to exercise, this young woman does. But she wants to push herself to become more fit and healthy. The only reason she hasn’t started already is because her doctor feels that she isn’t ready. She told me she’s seeing her doctor next month and hopes to begin a routine as soon as she is cleared.
A few months ago we had a Groupon campaign. Groupon is an on-line special deal service, and we offered an Evaluation plus 2 Fitness Sessions for a discounted price.
I had a young woman come in a couple of weeks ago to redeem a Groupon. She was over 300 pounds, with a body fat index that was so high that it could not be measured. I did an Evaluation and then discussed the results with her. Not only was she obese and out of shape, but her eating habits were extremely bad.
While discussing her eating habits she told me that “In Williamsburg the restaurants give you large portions.”
What??? So if someone puts a whole roast pig in front of you it means that you should eat the whole thing??
She contacted me a few days later to say that she had asked for a refund from Groupon because the experience was “not what she expected.”
What did she expect? That she was going to a gym where they would just tell her what she wanted to hear? A gym where they would ignore her true needs and let her go on using their equipment without getting any real results?
My wife said that most people just don’t want to hear the truth; so when they “do” hear the truth they ignore it or run the other way.
I own a fitness studio which is, of course, a business. Bringing in new clients is part of that business.
But….fitness and health is more than just a job to me; it’s my passion. And it has been my passion for over 30 years.
It frustrates me when I see people, especially young people, being so flippant about their health. To some people being 50, 60, 70 or 100 pounds overweight is nothing!! They would rather go to a doctor and be prescribed pills for ailments that can easily be avoided with just a little work.
There’s that word again – “work”.
As my wife says, these people must think that miraculously the fat is going to disappear; they’ll wake up one morning 50 pounds lighter just by dreaming about it.
Well….that’s not going to happen. Nothing worth having comes easy. And most things that come easy are not worth having.
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