Take a Cold, Hard Look - and Find YOUR Fit!

Most of the time, bene-fit is all about the warm and fuzzy.  Deep down, of course, our mission is to help you reach your goals, achieve your dreams, and find a place in your life where health and wellness come naturally.

However, in order to reach those goals and achieve those aims, we all have to do some soul-searching.  And it is in this process that I demand a very straight-forward thing of you: fess up.


The number one thing I hear from new clients that aren't finding immediate weight loss success is this:  "I'm doing everything I can and the weight is not coming off."  The statement itself irks me, since "everything you can" is actually quite extreme - as in, check everything on the list that follows:

• Are you exercising moderately for 60-90 minutes or vigorously for 45-60 minutes, 5-6 times per week?
• Are you eating a diet that contains mostly (if not only) vegetables, lean proteins, and fruits, with little to no refined carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, or polyunsaturated fats (and little to no alcohol)?
• Are you sleeping 7-8 hours per night, soundly?
• Are you drinking 60-100 ounces of water daily, and is water your only beverage other than black coffee or tea?
• Do you do meditation, attend church services, practice yoga, or otherwise fulfill your spiritual life?
• Do you spend your "personal" time in healthy relationships that support your weight loss and life goals?

If you could not answer a resounding "YES!" to everything on the list, well....then you're not doing everything.  That said, if you really are doing everything on the list (first of all, I want to know your secrets!) - you probably need to see a doctor, as there is likely a biological reason for your weight issue (like hypothyroidism or PCOS).

Now, let's get back to reality.  It is most likely that when we say we've "tried everything," what we really mean is that we've "somewhat attempted certain things."  And that's OK.  The point here is that there is a cut-and-dry road to achieving weight loss and maintaining health, and it is aligned squarely with a healthy plant-based diet, ample levels of exercise, good sleep, adequate hydration, mental health, and social support.

It's far from easy.  It usually takes a lot of help.  In fact, that's why bene-fit was founded: to make the challenges of losing weight, getting fit, and staying well easier for everyone.  

And that's exactly why, this summer, bene-fit will launch our first-ever weight loss workshop, a six-week program of education, motivation, and inspiration called "Lose Weight: Find YOUR Fit."  We'll be working with those who need to lose anywhere from 10-100 pounds in an intensive, group-oriented setting.  If you or someone you know and love could bene-fit from a program like this, email us to make sure you get all the latest registration and program information as soon as it's released.

This year, it's time to really "try everything" to improve your health and take the initiative to lose weight, get healthy, and as always - find your bene-fit.

Three-Peat Your Way to Health

Last week, I was reading through all the "usual" health and fitness blogs and I came across a simple, yet profound entry from one of my personal heroes, trainer Jillian Michaels.

She presented all of her readers with a three-part weekly challenge, and I'd like to offer the same challenge to our loyal bene-fit readers.

First, try not to say a negative word about yourself this week.  Seriously.  If all you see when you look in the mirror are negatives...well, get rid of your mirror!  We are harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else - how many times have you said something cruel to yourself that you would never think of saying to a friend or family member?  If you slip into negative self-talk, reverse it: refocus on something positive, forgive yourself, and move on.

Second, do your best to eat every meal at home this week.  Pack your lunch, bring home a rotisserie chicken if you don't have to time cook from scratch, bring fruit with you for snacks, and take the time to eat a bowl of oatmeal in the morning before you leave the house.  Take a few moments to plan and reap the many bene-fits of home cooking, including smaller portions, lower levels of sodium and sugar, and yes - actually spending time with your partner, family, or even just your pets!

Finally, try a new exercise this week.  Whether it's a new form of bicep curl or an entirely new exercise trend, diverge from your regular routine (and if there is no routine at all - work out!) and give something new and different a shot.  Whether or not you become a Bikram yoga devotee, it's a great way to get out of a rut (especially if that rut has come with a weight-loss plateau) and reenergize yourself for the daily grind.

Take some advice from the world-class fitness professionals and make this week a three-peat of health and wellness - it's easier than you think!

Just Bust a Move: 5-Minute Workouts for Busy Days

Lately, even as a trainer - where I work primarily in a gym - I've been having a hard time fitting in my regular workouts.  Laugh if you will, but between training other people, traveling on weekends, and trying to squeeze in some semblance of sleep, it's getting increasingly hard to lay down a good old-fashioned 60 minutes of exercise each day.

That said, there's no excuse.  I probably spend 5-10 minutes here and there wasting time - checking Facebook, playing with the dog, doing something on my smart phone, or replying to tweets (again, hopefully I'm not the only one here!).  What if - and let's just get crazy here - we spent that time working out instead?

It doesn't take much.  With just some simple planning and equipment "stashing," you can make those little moments of down time worth their weight in...well, weight loss!

Some examples:

• The Line Dance - while standing and waiting in a line, lean from side to side, lifting each foot slightly, and pull the abs in with each "shuffle" for a small crunch contraction
• Desk-er-cize - first off, switch out your desk chair for a Swiss ball or modified Swiss ball chair.  Then, roll forward and back (using only your butt/hips to move you) while you take a phone call
• Jump for Joy - stash a small jump rope in your desk or purse and on lunch hour, spend the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes jumping rope.  You won't even notice the 10 minutes gone and you'll burn 100 calories or more!
• Burpee Blaster - recently heralded as the single best exercise you can do, try and do 10 burpees in a row without rest - and repeat until you reach 50 or reach fatigue, whichever comes first
• Push It - alternate sets of 10 pushups and 10 crunches for 1 minute at a time, resting 30 seconds in between sets.  To intensify it, add a 30-second bout of high knees at the beginning and end of each set
• Shadow Boxer - if you're in a situation where you can't access weights, "shadowbox" (mimic punching and kicking movements) to music for 5-10 minutes - here's a how-to if you're unsure what to do

One of the best parts of accumulating these short routines is that when you do have time, you can combine them into a 25-30 minute, very high-intensity circuit workout.

Do you have a a favorite 5-10 minute exercise routine that you like to do when life gets super busy?  Leave a comment for us and share your expertise!

The Power of Positivity: A Little Goes A Long Way

We all know that exercise and a healthy diet are the cornerstones of feeling great and looking good.  However, for many of our bene-fit clients, there is a third component of total wellness that is often the most elusive: positive thinking.

Too many women (and yes, some men) are down on their bodies, stressed out about their personal commitments, and intimidated by the weight (no pun intended) of their own goals.  Too many men (and yes, some women) are overworked, plagued by multiple demands from work, family and friends, and tend to shut down and internalize rather than seek help from others.  Sound familiar?

It is often to easy to focus on the day-to-day downfalls ("I ate a donut this morning at work, ugh") rather than see the moment in the context of long-term goals ("I ate a donut this morning, but I hit the gym after work and will prepare a healthy snack for tomorrow.").  Practicing forgiveness and finding proactive solutions are often the simplest ways to combat a glitch in your fitness journey; however, they're also the most overlooked.

For some folks, reading an inspiring self-help book can kick-start your positive mood - try The Power of Now or The Amazing Results of Powerful Thinking to start.  Not ready to commit to an entire book?  Check out accountability websites like HabitChanger, HabitForge, and Life Balance to help you get - and stay - on track with your wellness goals.

As we all know, though, not everything can be fixed with a few written words or a tech-savvy iPhone app.  Rather, the most important component of positive thinking is surrounding yourself with positive people - again, simple but profound.  bene-fit was built on the philosophy that social support matters, and whether your form of self-help is attending a butt-kicking Boot Camp or checking out a group exercise class at your local gym, just being around same-minded folks can really boost your mood and keep you focused.

Winston Churchill once said, "a pessimist finds difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty."  This week, bene-fit asks you to see the glass as half full, be proactive, and seek support as you take another step toward your fitness goals.

bene-fit Your Diet: Nutrition Tips That WORK

As a bene-fit personal trainer (and, full disclosure: not a registered dietitian - and the difference here is very important), it is astounding how many questions I get from clients and friends alike about nutrition and healthy eating.

Again, as a bene-fit personal trainer and co-owner of a fitness consulting business, here's some more disclosure: I love exercise.  I do not, however, love deprivation, dieting, or food restrictions.  And so I often struggle with clients who decide to engage in crash diet fads, very low calorie diets (VLCD), overzealous supplementation, skipping meals, and (shudder) the many "cleanses" made popular by celebrities and the fitness industry.

If you're seriously looking to "cleanse" your body, eliminate animal products for one week.  Subsist on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans, and cut out sugar, dairy, refined carbohydrates, meats, and eggs, all the while drinking 80+ ounces of water per day.  Without pills, powders, or potions, I have a hunch you'll feel fantastic - if you can stick to it for all seven days.

That said, you don't need to cleanse the body if you're actually eating clean in your daily life.  bene-fit recommends the 90/10 rule for our clients and in our lives.  The theory is easy: if you eat well and exercise 90% of the time, you can afford a splurge (or a day off!) 10% of the time without major detriment to your health and fitness goals.

Now, think about this in considering 90/10: in a hypothetical sample of 10 days, that's ONE missed workout.  ONE ice cream sundae.  ONE late night out with a few too many alcoholic drinks and a few missed hours of sleep.  If your indulgences are exceeding a realistic 10% of your lifestyle, it might be time to reevaluate what is "normal" and what's a "splurge."

There are easy ways to ensure that your diet stays clean most of the time, and the #1 strategy is to plan ahead.  As the saying goes, "failing to plan is planning to fail" - and nowhere more than in balanced nutrition does this saying apply!  That's where bene-fit professionals are here to help you - free of charge.

Conceptualize your meals weekly (versus daily, or worse, meal-to-meal).  Make a list of what you need to buy, and buy only that - no extras, no sweets, no "bonus" calories.  Use everything that you buy, particularly the fresh produce, and be creative with leftovers.  A steak grilled on Sunday becomes a steak wrap when refrigerated and thinly sliced on Monday.  A rotisserie chicken on Tuesday gets shaved into a chicken Caesar salad on Wednesday when mixed with some greens and low-cal dressing, while a big batch of brown rice cooked up on Thursday can supplement a halibut filet that night, get mixed into a fish gumbo on Friday, and even form the base for a filling frittata on Saturday brunch.

Want more proof that whole, unprocessed food - besides being naturally delicious - is also the best fuel?  Rachet up your workouts during your cleanse and/or clean eating week by adding distance, intensity, time, or weight to your regular routine.  Known as the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time, and type), these simple changes can make a years-old exercise routine feel like something new - and challenging.

Eat well, move more, and take the extra step toward finding your bene-fit this week!