Fall In Love!

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 This past weekend I had the pleasure to work with a small group of people at a meeting room at The National Golf Course of Kansas City. It was a wonderful experience followed by luncheon on the patio overlooking the 18th Hole. I’m grateful to my hosts Sue Martin and Hannah Weis for asking me come. It was great fun!

On the drive back to St. Louis I had four hours to think about the process of losing weight and getting fit. As we discussed in the workshop Saturday the key to happily ever after is

          1. Motivation — Discovering your WHY, and
          2. Mindfulness.

However, you can’t begin to evaluate your hearts desire until you meet a prerequisite. You have to love yourself enough, and that starts with accepting yourself. The idea of accepting yourself unconditionally is difficult for most people. Usually we have opinions about ourselves that were formed from the time we were small children.  Don’t even try to beat yourself up if you think you ruined your own kids. You did the best you were able to — at that time in your life, and so did your parents. So don’t be angry with them either. Now: start to love yourself more.

Where do you start? Stop being critical. Don’t over-analyze your looks. Because you are who you are. Don’t compare yourself with other people. Honestly, you will never grow up to be anyone else. Don’t make judgments based on what you had or did when you were younger. It’s a measuring rod you will never be able to measure up to. This is bad self-talk. When your mind is hacking through everything in your life, finding wrong, passing judgment you can’t find a single moment to cultivate love. Give your mind a counter punch — Lovingly!

Begin to relax — meditate — focus — be Mindful daily. Finding even 5 minutes several times throughout the day will help you find peace. Then you will be better able to interrupt your mind as it tries to tear you down. Soon you will see those lies for what they are — false, and based out of fear and insecurity. I know this is an oversimplification but this conversation has to be written in generalities because of our differences. The common thread we all have is the need to be accepted and loved. Go within to see how great you are. It will give you more security than all the money in the back or public acclaim.

I tip my hat to the people who came to the workshop on Saturday. You obviously love yourself enough to make an effort to learn how to be Mindful! Good for you!

Be Well!

When Fitness Success is Old

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Not all my readers are beginners. Most of you have been at this for a long time. Fitness for you is old hat and you are bored. Who can blame you? The same old thing over and over — WHY? What’s the point? To break this down I want you to think about who you are and how you feel about yourself. Then answer the following questions:

  1. Are you depressed,
  2. Are you upset,
  3. angry,
  4. have mood swings?
  5. Is there a void in your life?

Of course not! Because you take care of yourself. You’re eating the right foods. You exercise and move your body. In your world taking care of your health is as important as breathing! Living any other way is out of the question because without that approach life is bleak. The alternative is an individual who answers YES to all of the five questions listed above.

KarenKeep your focus on the positive in your life. Don’t feel stagnant because you’re a whole lot better off than the majority of people in this country. Compare yourself to those people in your neighborhood. People who are out of shape represent where you could be if you didn’t take care of yourself. When you see someone who isn’t fit recognize that you are seeing how the human body responds to lack of good habits. Don’t judge.

We judge ourselves harshly enough. With those judgments we think we don’t measure up. What destroys us most is looking back at what we used to be. How much we could lift, how fast we ran the mile or wind sprints. Time marches forward and if we keep comparing ourselves to what we use do be, how we used to look, the clothes we used to wear we will cease appreciating who we have become BECAUSE of our past.

This picture of myself was taken 35 years ago while I was training for a Body Building contest. I could look at that and think several things such as:

“Those were the days.”       “If only I could look like that again!”      ”Poor me, I’ll never be as good as I was then.”

Truth of the matter is — I’ll never be as young and naive as that girl in the picture. It was her sacrifices and experiences that make me the person I am today. She made me a better health coach, a better individual than she was. When I look at her I thank her for all she taught me. In actuality you are closer to the old you than you realize. Be kind to yourself.

Be Well!

The First Lady’s “Let’s Move!”

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I take my hat off to the First Lady for her efforts to help our children live healthier lives. When Michelle Obama launched her “Let’s Move!” campaign in 2010 she set out to have food manufacturing “rethink the products..(they’re)…offering”. To a conference of the Grocery Manufacturers Association she said that making changes with parents and schools wasn’t going to be successful unless the advertising stops targeting children with images of sugary, fatty food. Well, that went over like a ton of bricks! Seems the food and beverage groups which spent $83 million lobbying during the last three years of the Busch administration have upped their spending to $175 million since Obama took office*****.

The April 2012 Special Report: How Washington went soft on childhood obesity reminds us that the side with the biggest bucks wins! No matter that the campaign to make our kids healthy is the passion of the First Lady. I believe this puts Michelle Obama in the same category as Jamie Oliver. Both trying to bring awareness and a revolution to the health and welfare of our children — both were shot down.

Oliver, during his second season of Food Revolution was pulled from ABC during the May Sweeps in 2011. Although ABC says they’re still behind the series viewership just wasn’t where it should have been. The fact that fewer people watched during the second season tells me that at a grass-roots level people weren’t interested in making the changes for their health — nor for their children’s health. Why is it people cannot see a reason to change? The emphasis is fitness and health, not looks as some of the critics of “Let’s Move!” suggest. People are dying folks! Children are affected with both physical and mental issues from excess weight. Add to that the emotional struggles and ridicule an overweight child faces at the hands of their peers we have a serious problem.

To her credit Michelle Obama hasn’t stopped her campaign, although it’s more watered down than when she started. Her office never responded to the special report on Washington going soft, but I can imagine she was disappointed. As a mother she understands the importance of her children eating healthy foods and exercising.

So now, three years after it started, the “Let’s Move!” program is a mere shadow of its former self. The ball is back in our court. Personal fitness and exercise is what the campaign now teaches — with no more scrutiny of the food industry. We’re in this alone folks. Stick together and look for healthy food choices. Join the Obamas and Olivers of the world and be an advocate for good nutrition and fitness.

To the First Lady I’d like to say, “Thanks for trying!”

Be Well!

May 17th is Food Revolution Day!

***** These figures are based on The Reuters analysis of records from the Federal Election Commission, the Secretary of the Senate and the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics.

Time for Exercise

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The following is an excerpt from The Zen of Weight Loss: A Mindful Livable Approach to Fitness

Chapter 21  Zen of Health Promotion 

Excuse Me
What’s the purpose of an excuse? It’s an attempt to get off the hook by justifying or overlooking a shortcoming or obligation. Let’s take a look at the granddaddy of excuses; “I don’t have the time.” The recommended exercise time is a minimum of 30-minutes a day, although recent studies suggest this is only a starting point and our bodies really need more.

Start here: elevate your heart rate for 30 minutes or longer and you’ll begin to experience some benefit. Exercise puts a spring back in your step, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and fights off diabetes with a little extra work. Choosing not to exercise actually exercises the choice to tempt disease and illness. Excuses are not great supporters of self-esteem, mindfulness, or fitness. You aren’t thinking right when you try to exonerate yourself from health! Who in their right mind takes flight from health or embraces illness? The mature way to handle health promotion is to accept that daily exercise is as much a routine as brushing your teeth.

A dear friend in Virginia had a very different lifestyle than Karen’s. She was a massage therapist dedicated to the earth
religions. She embodied a free-spirit approach to life. She was a beautiful mother of two wonderful children. She didn’t go to doctors, instead optioning for a homeopathic approach to health and fitness. Generally, a homeopathic approach complements disease treatment systems (i.e., traditional western medicine). To complement a system doesn’t mean to ignore all of its practices. Conversely, she didn’t exercise or keep track of her body. When her breast cancer was diagnosed, it was already Stage III. She fought a valiant fight that ended 18 months later. Could she have warded off death had she had been in touch with her body? If she had been diagnosed earlier would it have made a difference in treatment options and the prognosis? Nobody  knows. Statistics suggest that regular mammograms and self-exams
decrease mortality from breast cancer. The tragedy is that she didn’t keep up with her body and it got away from her.

Fitness lends itself to being in touch with your physical self. Just about everybody gets sick at one time or another. People who are fit are likely to get sick less often. When illness tags people in “good shape” they have more physical, mental, and emotional resources to fight back and are apt to heal quicker. The Surgeon General advocates regular exercise as a core strategy for becoming a “Healthy and Fit Nation” (2010)** The report is blunt, “Today’s epidemic of overweight and obesity threatens the historic progress we have made in increasing American’s quality and years of healthy life.” The facts are irrefutable; extra pounds hurt the body and shorten the prospect of living long and prosperously.

People who exercise have a much lower risk of ever having to face many illnesses on the nation’s menu of health crises. That said, the report goes on to state that, “Americans need to live and work in places that help them practice healthy behaviors.” The Zen of Weight Loss is health promotion. But what if, just for a moment, time is a barrier to a successful fitness routine? Journal about the time not spent working out, grabbing quick bites at the convenience store after pumping gas, and whatever took place during your regular time at the gym. Pick a few choice words that best describe the reflection in the morning mirror and the body state that finally hits the pillow each night. Are you moving towards or away from your goal?

Watch Dogs 

Making time for daily exercise is a bit like having two watchdogs named Timex and Rolex. Your love is whole-hearted

Jeri Levesque, Ed.D.

Jeri Levesque, Ed.D.

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Karen Fili Sullivan

and you can trust the results. The list of excuses can be rather lengthy, but here are a few rebuttals:
• No money? Try cutting out one soda a day, at $1.50 each. That saves $45 a month. Many gym memberships can be had for less than $40 a month. Work with the staff about the sign-up fee. That amount is always negotiable. Just keep talking, if the staff balks, move on to another gym willing to waive or reduce the fee.
• Don’t know how to do exercises? You may need to pay for an initial orientation and workout plan but after that you can be on your own. Ask the staff to give you a tour and explain what each machine does for body fitness. Try a free group intro lesson to see whether group workouts fit your style. If you don’t feel a good fit with staff and other clients, find another gym.

• Embarrassed to be there in revealing clothes? Then don’t wear clothes that make you uncomfortable, select loose fitting shirts and pants that cover your body.

• Too many candles on your cake? On the wrong side of the centennial divide? Sorry Dear Heart, but health promotion and disease prevention are two concepts being championed by many Baby Boomers! It’s never too late to begin to exercise. Lots of Karen’s clients are in their 70′s and 80′s. Why tempt fate? Stay on top of your game and buy into fitness.

Be Well!

See www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/obesityvision/obesityvision2010.pdf

Gathering Diet Advice

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We are gatherers. We collect information, ideas and opinions. I’ve moved several times in my adult life. Collecting information has been an important step when establishing a home in a new city. Think about what you give up when you move to a new town. Basically you start over establishing relationships with a number of people and businesses.

  • ChurchThe is the first house we owned. This picture was taken on a recent visit to the east coast.
    This is the first house we owned. We took this picture on a recent visit to the east coast.
  • Gym
  • Physician
  • Chiropractor
  • Hair Stylist
  • Nail Technician
  • Grocery store
  • Mechanic
  • Pharmacist
  • School District when your children are still younger
  • Restaurants
  • Parks
  • Entertainment
  • Friends
  • Pool and Swim Team

I’ve always used the rule that three time’s a charm. Let’s say I need a chiropractor. I ask people who they use and when I get the same name three times I make an appointment. It’s worked very well through the years. Then I form my own relationships with these people. Sometimes I have to make changes but often I settle in with the people recommended through my search.

The same applies when designing your fitness plan. You do need to ask for feedback, but the rub comes when people keep asking and never act on what they learn. They don’t make a decision and move on it. That’s why people fail with their plan and never reach their goals. Two FALSE Premises keep us from believing our choices are right.

#1 We believe everyone else has an organized life and are doing a better job than us.

NOT TRUE

Within the life of any human being is conflict and triumph. The joy of being human is we can work our way through adversity. Bouncing back is what people do! There is no finish line, stop acting like other people have arrived ahead of you.

#2 We often believe we were better when we were younger.

NOT TRUE

Your beauty has only increased over time. Experience has taught you to be more loving, caring, and discerning. A younger you had a lot more optimism. Don’t let your experiences bring hopelessness. They should be used to support you the remainder of your life. You can avoid pitfalls!

Usually you can be the decisive adult. Someone who is confident in life and in your work. When it comes to changing your body all bets are off. When faced with losing weight, fixing your cholesterol or blood pressure all reason is thrown out the window. As a trainer I normally see a panicked knee-jerk reaction. Instead of eating right and exercising you keep looking for how to lose weight. Not giving your body time to respond to the routine makes you act like a group of kids at their first T-Ball game. Charging from one side of the field to another instead of holding your position and playing the game.

Try the 3 Question method. Ask your doctor or an evaluation of your health and take any recommendations they may throw your way. That counts as one. Then search carefully for the next two sources of data. You only get three! Try asking a personal trainer you may know, or seek out a personal trainer. (Now, you get three more questions while you search for a personal trainer! When you find that three sources name the same trainer then you can set an appointment with that person.) Back to the plan. Now ask the trainer what they think will work for you. Next seek the advice of one more person. The question should be:

How do you stay so fit and trim? OR How did you get your weight off?

As long as this third source didn’t use some fad diet or pills I can recommend you start the process of building your own plan. Start with a Personal Journal. Write down your workouts, food and goals. Discover WHY you are interested in changing your body in the first place. Dig deep until you discover your heart’s desire! Armed with that information — get down to work. Start and keep it up. Adjustments may be made along the way, but your sources (doctor, trainer and friend) can help you keep on the path. Don’t confuse the issue with more data. Stop searching and start doing.

Be Well!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Body Restoration Coaching Goes Global

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A Coaching Program

My work as a personal trainer has been in the wind for a while. Well, not the wind but on the airwaves or net-waves. 10 years ago I began developing a long-distance coaching module. I’m excited to say that the program is now available to the general public. There are limited spots available in the program, so if you are even remotely interested contact me today. (Directions below.)

Life-changing, education and research supported, fitness coaching for everyone.

My goal is to show you how to make the changes you want.

25 Years Professional Coaching Experience

Private — Face-to-Face From the Comfort of  Your Home or Office

You must want to change your body, or you wouldn’t be looking at this site. All the talk and focus about fat and weight loss probably leave you worn out and disgusted. Because it doesn’t make a difference what you do — your body doesn’t change.

In my Body Restoration Coaching Program I become your Mentor and walk you through the process to guaranteed success!

          • Find Your Heartfelt Motivation for Change
          • Design a plan to make changes in your body.
          • Develop a way to make those changes last a lifetime.

For 16-weeks you work directly with the best personal trainer and motivator I know! All joking aside, you will transform the way you attack fitness, and you will be successful this time. Learn to give yourself the attention you deserve without ignoring the people you care about in your life. Solid, scientifically backed results that last a lifetime.

No Tabloid Advice, No Quick Fixes

GUARANTEED

Never miss a Coaching Session —  Follow the Action Steps you decide you are willing to do — Keep track of your progress with Daily Journal Entries — and you will Feel Better – Be healthier, more FIT and happier with your body or I’ll return your money.

Limited Positions Available for the Body Restoration Program. Contact me today!

          1. Sign up for the ZWLClub and
          2. Ask for Coaching in the Comments on this page.

Be Well!

Pushing Beyond Comfort

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I don’t know if I’ve ever been accused of being too easy on my clients, but I believe I’m guilt of that from time to time. I try hard to step up the workouts, challenging the body and mind. I’m not patient with a client who works on the easier side of serious. With the exception of injuries – those injuries arising from play or work over the weekend. People may believe they’re seriously attacking a workout, but occasionally I get someone whose efforts are less than they should be.

Sometimes I have a talk. Often I just increase the weight and keep them working. About 12 years ago I fired a client. After a year of training three days a week I told her I wouldn’t work with her anymore. She was surprised and asked why. I itemized off several reasons:

          • She wore sweat pants and a turtle neck shirt for training — year round. (You’re going to pass out from the heat.)

            I trained Liz Chamberlain for 5 years and never had to fire her. She always worked 110%.

            I trained Liz Chamberlain for 5 years and never had to fire her. She always worked 110%.

          • She always wore her rings which were probably 20 carats total weight. (It will ruin your rings, and you don’t need to be concerned about them here. Leave them home.)
          • She refused to eat vegetables — ever. (Really, are you 2?)

I wasn’t able to continue working with her when her body hadn’t changed in a year. I didn’t want her telling people she trained with me, and yet there were no changes. She begged for a second chance, and I was pleased with the results.

We have to get out of our comfort zone if we are going to get results. We must remember that comfort — furniture, cars, and food — got us in this condition in the first place. Don’t be afraid of sweat. That’s why the shower was invented. Your trainer will know what kinds of exercises your body cannot do. They will be sure to point you in the right direction for ultimate success.

Excerpt from The Zen of Weight Loss: 

“Exercise is a form of movement that demands concentration. It can be an intensely pleasurable experience if it is accompanied by a positive attitude. Rather than consider exercise from a negative “gotta” approach, see it as a “wanna”. When viewed as a deeply personal choice of how one truly wants to spend time, the mind centers on happiness as the motivation to move the body in a vigorous manner. Conversely, if exercise is approached with the
attitude of a freshly condemned prisoner, the mind will find ways to avoid punishing its body.”

Step up to the plate and start to work harder. Then you will see the results you want to get.

Be Well!