A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. -Lao Tzu No doubt you’ve heard this saying before. Maybe it’s becoming a bit of a cliché. But I challenge you to rethink the idea of the first step. The first step happens even before you sign up for the race, walk into the gym […]
As an adult human, you need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Whatever your goal (to get bigger, leaner, stronger, healthier, faster, etc), prioritizing sleep will help you accomplish it. Many of the benefits of training do not happen in the gym. They happen at night while you’re sleeping. Often sleep-deprived people rationalize their poor […]
After almost 18 years working with people in the fitness and wellness fields, I’ve come up with my 3 ground rules for helping clients while taking care of my own wellbeing. Walk the Walk: I pride myself on this one. I have never and will never ask a client to do anything I don’t […]
Do you have health and fitness goals and resolutions? You need both. A goal is the finish line. Once you’ve accomplished it, it gets crossed off your list. It’s done; You lost 10lbs, hit that PR at the gym, or completed a race. Resolutions, on the other hand, are the intentions that drive you to […]
Do you have an over-arching theme for this year? I summed up my goals and resolutions in one word: ENERGY. This is the year of ENERGY. For me energy means mental focus and attention, physical strength and endurance, and prana or vital life force. My resolutions are centered around cultivating, protecting, and healing […]
One of the most important habit formation strategies you can adopt is from Gretchen Rubin’s book Better Than Before. It’s the strategy of TREATS. Rubin explains that treats differ from rewards because rewards have to be justified and treats are little indulgences that you get no matter what. What’s the problem with rewards? […]
Do you want to know the secret to having great days, to having more time and energy to workout, to being more productive, to making healthy choices all day long? The secret is: A great day starts the night before. Here are my 10 tips to make tomorrow amazing! Sleep (quantity). Like it or […]
We are motivated by both external and internal factors. We are extrinsically motivated when we complete a task solely to earn a reward, fulfill an obligation, or avoid negative consequences. Intrinsic motivation, however, means doing something for the sake of doing it. It’s the things we enjoy, the job we’d do even if we weren’t […]
I am in a serious relationship . . . with the barbell. And like every successful relationship, it takes work, though mostly on my part. I schedule our time together and I make it a priority. I can’t stand being away from the barbell for more than two days. The barbell will not agree to […]
Is your enthusiasm for exercise fizzling out? Are there more excuses than workouts lately? If you feel your routine slipping and you want to do something about it, here is my best advice to avoid completing falling off the fitness wagon. Evaluate your current stats: Record your weight, body fat percentage, resting heart […]