What is your “big, fat, reason why”; you have signed up for camp? Let me let you in on a little secret if you don’t have a “big, fat, reason why”, camp will not work for you.

Let me back up a bit. What is a” big, fat, reason why”? Here’s an example; your blood pressure is through the roof and your Doctor just told you that you are at serious risk for stroke. His best advice in addition to medication was to get on a diet and exercise regime immediately!

This hypothetical situation is a “Big Fat Reason Why”, and camp has a good chance of working for this situation.

Hopefully you’re not in that boat, so let’s go over some other “BFRW” people attend camp. And see which are the most successful.

- Fitness enthusiast (this person just really loves to work out and has probably done it all)

-This person is a rare breed and because they simply enjoy exercise they will last through the whole camp. Lucky them.

- Friends of a crazy fitness enthusiast, this person got talked into camp. These people usually don’t last.

-If this is you, make sure you come up with your own “BFRW” and keep that friend around.

- Medical issues – Obviously this is a BFRW depending on how real you believe your medical issue to be and how much you personally believe exercise and diet change will help is how well this BFRW will work for you. Your Doctor telling you it will work and you signing up for camp is not all it takes. What your Doctor actually meant when he prescribed diet and exercise was Change Your Lifestyle; the lifestyle you are currently leading is no longer acceptable. And change is not an easy thing for any of us. So take it slow, think baby steps and keep your new healthy goal in the fore front of your mind.

-Your health and your life are your Big, Fat, Reason Why. Get serious with yourself and go write down in your journal what kind of health you want to be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now, how long you want to live and how well you want to be able to play with your Grand Children and Great grand children. What are you willing to change about your current lifestyle to better your health?

- Upcoming Vacation – sorry folks if this is your “BFRW” you had better get more serious with yourself. But now you’re insulted right? Remember we speak from experience, as camp and the diet get tougher, most women will opt for throwing a Sarong around themselves and hanging out with the pina coladas instead of getting to meet the hot scuba instructor in your rockin’ bikini.

-Making this goal work for you- Dig deeper and don’t fall into that trap, Write down your goals exactly what you want to look and feel like by the first day of your vacation, be specific write down dates and emotions dress sizes how you want to look in the pictures that are taken of you. The more specific the better your results will be. Your mind is a powerful tool when it’s given a specific task it will do amazing things to make it happen. So if this is your reason why then stop right here go to a page in your journal and start writing!

- Reunion- ooh this one’s kind of good. Why? you say, ah because other people’s opinions are so important, right? And it’s been so long since you’ve seen these peers.

-To make this goal work for you- Write down in your journal exactly what you want people to think of you. Be honest no one’s going to read this. Write down what you want to look like, how you want to be perceived, how you want the pictures you are in to look and what you want your dress size to be. Be specific. Go write now.

-Your wedding Day- Bingo we’ve hit the motherload. Although this one can still back fire on you due to all the stress. This is usually the most successful.

Why, because it has all the qualities needed for a successful goal.

1. There is a specific date you can’t get out of.

2. There is an end to the date so your mind doesn’t think it has to do the crazy diet and exercise thing forever.

3. You are embarking in a new life with someone you love so your goal is based on going towards something positive not away from something negative.

4. You can’t change what you’re wearing; most women have a dress in mind and a vision of how they want to look in the dress. Thus giving their mind a direct visual command (very important).

5. The day is 99.9% about you and you know it. It’s your day to shine and the spotlight will be on you and you alone, there is no possibility of hiding. ooh scary

Do you see why this goal works well?    It has all the attributes of successful goal setting. So if your BFRW isn’t big enough take some time now and blow it up!

We very much want you to be successful in Boot Camp,

SO GO GET YOUR “BIG, FAT, REASON WHY”

& you will never have to say;

“Boot Camp, like all the other things I have tried, just didn’t work for me”.

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Workouts are supposed to be tough, they are supposed to be challenging. Unless you are in a maintenance stage and perfectly happy with your body (which, usually, is not the case), then you are asking your body to improve from it’s current condition, which inherently means, pushing past your comfort zone or GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE!

I think some of you have a misconception that people like me bound out of bed and go “gee I can’t wait to workout today”. Wrong! Most athletes, myself included, have to drag themselves out of bed just like you, with the little devil on their shoulder, screaming “but I don’t want to, not today, just let me sleep in, Plllleeeaaaasssse”. So what’s the difference, one simple thing, discipline. We have disciplined ourselves to tell that little devil to shove it, at least 90% of the time.

So how do you discipline yourself? Start by acknowledging your successes, little victories. Every single day write down something you did right, something that went better in your workout, some improvement that you noticed. Did your jeans fit a little looser, today? Did you make it further up the ramp on your morning jog? Did you hit the snooze button, one less time?

If you journal your workouts and write down your improvements, it’s scientifically proven that you will improve faster and to a higher degree.

Here are some ways to tell if you are rockin’ it at camp.

-You show up, 3 days a week.

-You work out on your own, on the off days.

-When you show up you actually give it your all.

-You notice improvements, in the following areas: You’re able to run further, or it’s easier to run the same distance you used to, you recover quicker. You no longer feel like puking, regularly at camp. You notice improvements in your strength. You’re not as sore. Your clothes are fitting better. You’re feeling more energetic the rest of the day. You’re sleeping better at night. You’re friendlier. These are all signs that you are Rockin’ it!

Ways to tell if you are doggin it-

-You make it to camp once or twice a week.

-You don’t work out any other time but at camp.

-You show up to camp, but really don’t put any effort into it. As if somehow just showing up was enough.

-You haven’t noticed improvements in the above mentioned areas.

-Everyday there’s a different excuse as to why, you can’t work out.

-You experience pain that travels around the body, today it’s my knee, yesterday it was my ankle. This is called “chasing the pain” your body has learned that by sending you a pain signal it can get out of something. Yes, the body is that smart!

Watch out for these pitfalls. When you get back in touch with your body you will know. When you are doggin’ it and when you’re rockin it or if you just need a little break that day.

Last Friday, my training plan called for an 8 mile run, I knew I was not feeling it, but I went out there anyway. (*If you ever feel real low energy one day, go ahead and start your workout About 20 minutes into it you will either turn the corner and start feeling better or you will feel worse, if you feel worse it’s time to pack it up and go home.)
And about 20 minutes into the workout I felt really bad, so I hobbled home like a sick little puppy. Before I let myself beat myself up too badly I looked at my workout journal. Turns out I had, had a pretty Rockin’ week and had just hit a mini wall. So I got in the tub, had some chicken soup and took 2 days recovery instead of just 1, because that was a sign that I had pushed a little too hard that week. Today I’m back on the horse and feeling great. Had I not been journaling my workouts I would have not only felt physically bad, but I would have been beating myself up for nothing!

So journal your workouts, how you feel and how you are improving everyday! And you’ll be successful, in your journey to optimum health.

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How can a decision be a bad thing? Decisions are great right? They move us forward, they change the world, without decisions we’d be nowhere. Well let me introduce you to the decision trap.

The decision trap is the point at which you placate yourself by making a decision. Let me create a scenario for you. You just got up from a really big lunch, you’re feeling good, you’re full, but you’re feeling a little guilty, so you make the decision that starting tomorrow you’re going to cut out the carbs. Protein and veggies all day, it’s going to be great! And you’re going to keep that going for 2 solid weeks! It’s going to be amazing! After all you’re mind is set, You’ve made the decision. And now you feel good about yourself.

What I have just described is the decision trap. The decision you just made is absolutely useless it will last, at best, until tomorrow morning when you wake up and then it will be thrown out the window.

Beware of the trap. But how can you tell when the decision, is a solid one, that has some substance to it? Well one way is to call your self on the game. If you are sitting on the couch telling yourself you will start working out tomorrow, get up and go walk, even if it’s just for 10 minutes, reinforce the decision you just made with “action”. That is how you break the cycle.

When you make a decision, be careful that you are not just making yourself feel better at that moment, you’re brain is so smart, it knows all the tricks. The decision relieves your guilt and makes you feel better. By recognizing the pattern and calling yourself on it you can stop the habit, simply but recognizing that it is happening.

Once you make a decision, the next step is to take action, even if it’s a tiny little step, that reinforces the decision and will wake your brain up, that this is more then just “smack” you’re talking here. If you make the decision to go on a diet tomorrow and you immediately go to the grocery store and purchase said items for the diet, you’re brain will start to go “hey maybe she’s serious”.

Step #1 making the Decision to do something. This is actually the easiest, of the steps.

Step #2 Taking Action, taking a step in the direction of that decision. At this point you will probably meet with a little resistance, that is normal. Picture the universe, sending you a little test. It’s asking you “Are you sure this is something you really want?” That’s when you push back and twice as hard and say “Yes!” And like magic at that point it will get much easier.

Step #3 Follow through- Follow through is everything!

There’s a saying that goes. You don’t make the decision to jump out of a plane until you’re floating in the air.

So now that you’re in camp, make sure you follow through! Teach yourself that your decisions mean something. Your word needs to mean something to you, first and foremost!

Popularity: 6% [?]

Ok think about your physical body and answer this question as quickly as possible.

I hate my_____! (fill in the blank) That was, way too, easy right?

Ok now, try this one, I love my ___________! Did you find that a little more challenging to answer? Hopefully, not.

My point is that we all have that body part, we hate! Yes, each and every one of us. I have never met a person that didn’t want something to be different on their body, bigger, smaller, wider, narrower, longer, shorter, rounder, etc. etc. etc…

And, in my experience, the really weird part is the more weight someone has to lose does not necessarily determine the level of unhappiness with their body. People seem to be equally unhappy with their bodies!

So today’s exercise is one of the toughest exercises we have. I would like you to look in the mirror and accept yourself as you are, today. Stay Do Not leave, I know I lost a lot of you right there, but read on. I suggest that, you must! I repeat! Must learn to love and respect your body, now at the point it’s at, today!

Why, because your opinion and attitude towards your body will remain the same whether you lose the weight or not. That’s right if the song you sing says, you’re slow, then you will tell me you are slow whether you run a 20 minute mile or a 7:00 minute mile. You have to learn to change your opinion, now, because it doesn’t work the other way around. This is one of the grooves in your record. If you’re constantly calling yourself fat, you will continue to think you’re fat whether you have 10 lbs to lose or 100 lbs.

Wouldn’t it feel nicer to change your body from a place of love and respect, rather then distain? Think of it this way, If you had a 4 year old and you were trying to get him to learn to pick up after himself, do you think it would be more constructive to tell him you hated him because he left his toys all over the house or Do you think you might have a more positive outcome if you explained the benefits of putting the toys away, and praised him when he accomplished what you were after. Seems ridiculous when you say it about a four year old, right? Then why do you treat your body differently?

In Japan, a man by the name of Masaru Emoto has spent years studying the effects that his thoughts and words had on a glass of water. I’m not going to go into the whole study here if you want to see it in action, rent the movie “What the bleep”, (a totally trippy movie about Quantum physics). In his study he took a glass of water and wrote a word on the glass, like “Love” and let it sit. He then took another glass and wrote the word “Hate” on it. He placed the glass, in the same setting, all things being equal. What he found time and again is that when the water was placed under a microscope, the water that came from the glass marked “Love” would have beautiful shapes, like snowflakes and the water that came from the glass marked “Hate” began to stagnate, more rapidly. We played with this ourselves at home by taking two, fresh, strawberries and placing them in separate containers. On the outside of one container we wrote the word love and on the other hate. The results were quite interesting and even though we were skeptical the strawberry marked with hate, grew moldy much more quickly then the one marked love. Coincidence, maybe, but in the end, which state would you rather walk around in? I’ll choose happiness and love and if I’m wrong at least I enjoyed the ride.

I want you to imagine the effect those same thoughts have on your own body. You are made up of millions of cells. Each of those cells is like a little self contained universe, every time you think a negative thought about that body part, every cell in your body hears you and reacts. If you say I’m fat, I’m ugly, guess what, You are absolutely right! And you have just given yourself a command to make it so. You create your reality and your brain will always find a way to make you right.

You will always have something on your body that you would like to be different, that is human nature and that is actually a positive trait, to always be striving to better yourself. Imagine if everyone in the world didn’t have that need for things to be improved. It is part of our make up, as human beings, to want things to be better and to always be looking for what is wrong. But that does not mean that you have to Hate that which you want changed. You can do it from a place of love and gratitude. You can thank your legs for everywhere they have gotten you, for the fact that you have them at all. You can thank your stomach for helping you bear children. You can love your stretch marks and be grateful to them.

Now does that mean that you should just give up changing your diet and exercising because I’m saying accept yourself as you are? Absolutely not! I cannot stand the people running around saying big is beautiful and promoting obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle! What I’m saying is that change can occur from a place of respect for your body and your health and the more you can learn to love yourself right now. Exactly as you are the better!

This change, in attitude, is actually very difficult to do, because it is so engrained in your habit pattern to talk to yourself from a negative perspective. You will have to train yourself to be nice! Figure out what you say, to yourself, most often throughout the day. We all have a self dialogue, or maybe you think more in pictures, how do you picture yourself? Part of your work now is to stand in front of a full length mirror and truly look at yourself. Look in the mirror and say “I deeply and completely accept myself”. Think of all the good things your body has accomplished for you. Start listing reasons why you are grateful for your body. When you can look in the mirror and feel a genuine sense of gratitude and love for your body, then change can occur from a positive place and your goal is accomplished. You would be shocked at the amount of people that aren’t even capable of looking in the mirror. If you have learned to avoid looking at yourself, then it may take weeks, to change this pattern, it may happen quickly, you’ll know when you catch yourself thinking positively about yourself, rather then beating yourself up. Treat yourself with respect first and then others can do the same.

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I’m going to explain this in such simple terms that if you have more than a high school education you will probably be insulted by the simplicity of it, but just in case you haven’t gotten it yet here it goes.

Many people that start an exercise program believe that they should miraculously start dropping weight and get the body of their dreams because they do the elliptical for 20 minutes three times a week, or whatever exercise it is, that you recently picked up. Spin class, kickboxing class, boot camp, poking around the gym trying to figure out what to do.

Here’s why that doesn’t work. Yes, exercise is good for you, yes you need to do it, but it cannot be used as the sole tool for weight loss and here’s why. Let’s say you join a strenuous class, like Boot Camp or a kickboxing class (the real kind where you’re actually hitting a bag) and you kick butt in that class, you push really hard and don’t let up at all during class. Well 130lb woman would burn approximately 500 calories during that class. When you start or change your exercise program, often times, your hunger will increase. Your body will notice the new demand for calories and since our bodies job is to stay in state homeostasis it will urge you to eat more so that it can remain at its current weight. You will only recognize that as being a little hungrier than usual. And you probably won’t notice that you have started finishing off your Caesar Salad at lunch instead of leaving a small portion behind. You will recover those lost 500 calories very quickly and in fact you may even acknowledge the hunger pangs and indulge, a little, assuming you can afford to, after all, you worked out. Thus actually putting on weight!

In this scenario the only way our sample person could lose weight as a result of her new class, would be to know that she takes in exactly 1800 calories a day (which is very, very, rare for someone to be accurate about their actual caloric intake). But assuming she’s a rocket scientist and knows this to be true. Then if she continued to eat exactly 1800 calories a day, every day for the entire week, (no cheating on the weekends) that would total 12600 calories for the week. If she then did her kickboxing class 3 days a week, her caloric expenditure for those classes would total approximately 1500 calories. If you subtract that from her food intake of 12600 you are left with 11,1000 calories or a deficit of 1500 calories for the week. She would need to create a deficit of 3500 calories for the week just to drop 1 lb. of fat, so it would take this person two and a half weeks to lose 1lb.

But that’s not how it goes down in real life. In real life you are not aware of exactly how many calories you are taking in, because you don’t live in a bubble and we’re not force feeding you through a tube. In real life the chef put an extra ladle of oil on the grill when he was making your egg whites and that cost you a kickboxing class worth of calories.

In real life, after a week of doing the exact same kickboxing class, your body begins to get used to it and has figured out ways to cheat and so you’re no longer burning 500 calories. Now you’re burning 475 and next week 450 because the enthusiasm is lost and so on. and then you wonder why it’s taking so long to see a change in your body. At this rate it will take about a month for this person to drop 2lbs. and that would be considered a success.

So is the answer to workout harder, find a more intense class? Not necessarily. Based on your weight there are only so many calories you can burn in an hour. When you see gyms make a claim like “burn 1000 calories in this class”. That is crap! Why, because that caloric expenditure is based on one client, that they had, one time, that weighed 300 lbs and was a professional athlete and able to move like an athlete for that entire hour and now they make the claim that the class burns 1000 calories. You on the other hand weigh half that and don’t move like a professional athlete for the entire hour. Also adding more exercise is going to make you hungrier, so if you don’t get a handle on your diet, the calories will creep in.

Is the answer to give up on exercise? Absolutely not! Our bodies are meant to move. Exercise is not an optional thing and should not be looked at as such. Sitting on your ass all day is not natural and is in fact very bad for you. If you want to be healthy you must move.

The answer to seeing results is to understand that you don’t have all the answers. What you are eating is keeping you at your current weight. You must combine “the big 4″ Strength training, Cardio, Nutrition and recovery. Stop beating your head against the wall. Enlist the help of trained professionals with a track record of success. If they can’t show you proof of people that have reached their goals using the exact same system, they’re trying to pitch you, then move on.

Another option is educate yourself, using programs like “The Nutrition Trainer” and www.Mybootcampworkout.com to figure out how to do it on your own. it is possible but no program will work unless you first acknowledge this simple fact. What you are eating is keeping you at your current weight. And as Dr. Phil says, “How’s that working out for you?”.

A good exercise program will change it up all the time, so that your body can’t find ways to cheat as quickly. If you’re going to a class that is the same every week or doing a workout program that doesn’t change, guess what, your body won’t either, it doesn’t need to, it can already do what you’re asking of it.

So to get the most bang out of your hard work, don’t neglect any portion of you new healthy lifestyle. Remember that you need all four wheels on your car to make it run and you need “the big 4” components of good health to get the body of your dreams.

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