The Power of 7

That is the number of meals/snacks that should be eaten in a day.  With that said let me quantify this statement with, these are smaller meals and healthy choices!  Eating crap food seven times a day is still crap!  You need to eat several meals throughout the day with the most important being Breakfast, do not skip this meal. 

When you wake up in the morning, first thing is to down a glass of water, not just eight ounces but sixteen or more and then get ready for the day and have/grab your breakfast before you go. 

I have mentioned things like avocado, tomato, and cucumber or grain cereal, that is not processed, like steel cut oats.  In a couple of hours you can have a snack like almonds, pecans, carrots, tomato, or bell pepper, just go with easy stuff. Enjoy your lunch, however do not be surprised if you have had a snack or two before lunch.  The mid day is usually a tough time so ensure you have healthy choices for snacking and avoid the vending machine, it is all poison!  Have a good snack and be flexible, if you have a long day get an extra snack in there so you can make it home for dinner and that your not starving for the commute where you might be tempted to stop for the all-to-easy fast-food!  Fast-food is of the devil!  It is poison, danger!  Look at a previous post about preparing snacks/meals in advance so you have the healthy choices at hand.

Alkaline Ionized water is the best water for you, more will follow about this phenomenal water and where you can get it, benefits to your body, and why you need it today!

Have you drank your gallon of water today?  Stay on track you can do it!

Friends at OR

Some of the Progression7 crew hung out at Outdoor Retailer this weekend to strengthen relationships with some sponsors.  The weekend was successful and we even made a video or two while out there.  Jane worked hard with TruFit who has a mission very similar to ours and really wants to make a difference.

They have some cool training equipment that will hopefully be incorporated into some gyms throughout the valley.  Real X Gear with their Xtreme Cooling Towels was another great company that can help contestants as they go through the contest and more about them will follow in an upcoming workshop.

The biggest thing that was taken away from the expo was that you have to ask for what you want.  When you want something or need to achieve a goal, oft times you can get it done through the help of others.  No one can help you if they are not aware of a need, ask, let someone know what you seek and how you want to get there and see what happens.  You can do a lot, more than you know, however you cannot always do it all yourself.  Ask for help!

Plan and plan

 More can be accomplished in a day if you have made a plan for the week of what can and should be done.  Devote time each week to plan each day of the week and the tasks you need to complete.  In the evening review the plan for the day and the tasks you finished.  Look a head to tomorrow and adjust your plan to compensate for something you may have missed. 

 Make notes so when you review your week and plan for the next you will know where you have been and if you are on track for where you are headed!

Remember to add a gallon of water to your daily routine!!  Put it on your schedule!

The Core Crew

Big ups to everyone who helped out with the initial weigh in!  We are so excited for another contest to begin!  Congratulations to our contestants who are putting themselves out there to make a difference in their lives, we welcome you and introduce you to "The Crew"  So much more will follow on the website, however be sure to follow this blog so that you can get all the latest information as well as daily (most days) tips.

Slow your roll

Hello contestants of the BFC, there are so many wonderful people who came to the weigh in today, it was a very exciting day!  The next seven weeks will be amazing, props to "the crew" who volunteered their time to make this event successful.  Everyone was on their A game today!

Today after I met a lot of great people at the Big Fat Contest weigh in at Murray Rec Center, I was hungry and thought I would stop off at Rumbi Grill.  I order something a little different than my usual Brown, Jamacian Jerk, Steak action and went with the pork(why didn't I snap a pic). It was a great meal and after I was finished eating I looked at my wife's plate and she had less food than I did, which is unusual because I put away a lot of food.  Then it hit me, I used chopsticks which required me to eat my food slower and to get less in my mouth.  So if you want to work on portion control, use chopsticks!   If you are not good with using them, that is okay you will eat even less.  Anyone can use them with some practice, however the point is that you need to be deliberate in your consumption of meals.  Chew your food, make a game of it, at least 20 times you have to chew before you swallow.  By eating slower you will eat less since it takes time for the stomach to let your brain know that you are full.  In addition to that only eat until you start to feel full, do not eat to the point of being "stuffed".

Did I mention that you should drink your gallon of water?!  You are doing great keep it up!

Change is Slow

Did you wake up one morning and found that you had gained 60 pounds, or that you were a chain smoker, or an alcoholic? I didn't think so!  Changes are slow with the exception of certain drugs that you should not even try once because they are so addictive.  With that said, why do you expect change to be rapid?  Imagine if change was rapid and you gained 40 pounds one day and then lost 35 the next, what would that do to our bodies?  I don't think it would be healthy.  Healthy changes take commitment, whether you realize it or not you are committed to unhealthy choices even without trying to.

Today is the day to make a change!  Note that I said a change, as in one.  Another mistake is trying to change a lot of things, get focused!  Pick one thing you want to change and then make a plan of how you will achieve that change.  I want to drink a gallon of water a day because I know it is good for me.  Now tell someone else about this change you want to make, because now you are accountable to them.  Stay focused on the change you want to make and you will get there!  We head in the direction we are looking.  Have you ever been riding your bike or driving and you look to see if someone is behind you or in the other lane and you find your self drifting in the direction you were looking.  Use your natural tendencies to work for you, no need to reinvent the wheel here!  Be strong! Stay focused!  You can do it!  You have infinite power!  Decide!  Do!

Motion is the potion

There is magic to be had for your body by just doing some movements throughout the day instead of simply sitting at your desk!  Move around!  Motion is the potion that will help you feel better!

 Core focused motion!

Moving does more for your body tone than anything else!  Doing simple little exercises at your desk while working or getting up the correct way will help you to strengthen your core as well as burn calories without putting forth a huge effort.  Turn your day in the office to an exercise plan that will make a big difference in how you feel.  The stairs are your friend, use them instead of the elevator.

 Pretend the bench is your chair, no dumbbells in your hands

When sitting at your desk, sit at the front of the chair, do not "sink" into the chair.  Pull your core tight, pulling your belly button to the back of your spine.  Feet together. Keep your shoulders straight and back, the spine should be flat, especially keeping your core tight that forces the lower back to be flat instead of curved in(Check example above).  Remember to breath while doing this.  When you have your core position correct, flex your glutes, making them as tight as you can and hold it for a couple of seconds then release for a second and tighten again, repeat this over and over.  You should begin to feel a burn, this is a workout without a lot of work, while at work!

If you have a hard time getting the position on your chair correct, imagine you are sitting on a balance ball.

Water Works

Drinking more water is one of the single most important factors in weight loss! How much water you should drink comes down to your commitment to your weight loss! A minimum recommend amount is a gallon per day, yes you read that correctly. A gallon of water each day helps to flush the toxins and fat from your body. " Pee, poop, and sweat is how your body releases fat"-Jeromy Williams So start drinking your gallon right now, your body will thank you!

Food Challenge

You have spent weeks losing weight and doing great when you have a day where you have not eaten enough food and cravings come on strong.  "Challenge yourself about food and drink 32oz of water before you eat it" says trainer Jeromy. When a craving is strong and food challenges you, challenge food back by doing healthy things before you eat some "bad" food.
By drinking a lot of water you will not feel hungry and may conquer the craving moment,  either way you will eat less of what you shouldn't and you will focus on the healthy things you do.  The calm comes after the storm, just continue to improve.  "If your going to eat something unhealthy like double stuff Oreos, enjoy it, savor it and then get over it." -Jane