"I want to burn calories and build muscle. Please help!"

Got this email from a lady "at her wits end":

I read your article in the January newsletter and
I’m really hoping that you can point me in the
right direction. I had lap band surgery in Dec
2009 with very little success. I originally lost
about 40lbs from my surgery to August of 2010. I
went from 293 down to 256 and hit a wall. Slowly
the weight started to return and my metabolism
slowed down drastically. I am now back up to 269
and at my wits end! I am very frustrated and
disappointed in myself. I honestly don’t know
where to start or how to get back on track.
My husband and I recently got a Y membership and
I’m excited about it, but I still don’t know where
to begin. I want to focus on burning the calories
and hopefully increasing muscle mass.

Could you please help me map out a plan to get
back on track??? Also, is it worth restarting some
sort of protein shake/supplement? I was on those
for a few months after my surgery and it seemed to
help, but now, I’m not so sure.

Thank you so much for listening and please respond
at your convenience.

Erica

My reply:

Erica,

First, thanks for your question. Being at your
"wits end" sounds terrible and I'll do whatever I can to help. But it sounds like you're ready to move forward. And that's an important first step.

It sounds like after your surgery you failed to do
one major thing... change your behaviors.

You see, whether it's lap band, HCG, PX90, or any
other fix, you not only have to change your
attitudes, but your behaviors too.

No one has ever called me without good intent. The
intent is always there. But it's after your
intent when things fall short.

And likely why you've gained back most of your
weight.

If you do not establish new and permanent
behaviors you will slowly start to slide back. Part
of our successful 'secret sauce' here at Fitness Together
is accountability and support.

You cannot fail with your intent to lose weight
combined with our structured program,
accountability to that program, and the support
along the way.

Surgery, diets, fitness dvd's, and the worst of
all, home exercise equipment all fall short with
behavior modification.

===end email===


I can tell you with certainty that buying a
treadmill will NOT turn you into a runner. (But it
makes a great drying rack for your clothes!:-)

When you're looking to lose weight, get in shape,
feel better, or whatever your goal is, make sure
your solution will help change your behaviors
and then support you with those changes. You can
accomplish both here.

To your fitness and weight loss success,

Tim Chudy
Fitness Together

Contrary to popular belief...

Contrary to popular belief the busiest time of
year for us here at Fitness Together is NOT
January 1st.

That mad New Year rush happens at big box gyms.

Starting today, January 23rd, however, is our
busiest time.

Why?

Because once people realize a gym cannot solve
their weight loss and fitness problems they call
me.

It takes 21 days to adopt a new habit. Since
roughly 80% of gym members don't actually use the
gym on a regular basis, they fail.

A gym or health club lacks accountability,
support, and guidance.

When most walk in to the gym they ask themselves,
"Now what?"

So that "solution" quickly fails.

The intent is there. Which is important. But it
lacks structure.

This is when we come in.

Our programs consist of the three core components
to weight loss and fitness results; strength
training, cardiovascular training and nutrition.
But what's more important is the accountability,
support, motivation, education, inspiration, and
customization. That's what really makes it a
successful program.

If you started a New Year's resolution or you're
trying to live a healthier life, we can help.

Download our info-pack and request a complimentary
consultation. You're not making a commitment to us
by doing so. Yet. But you will find out what a
program for YOU will look like and be able to
determine if it's the right fit.

Whether you call me or not, realize you must add
accountability, support, and structure to your
program if you want results. Joining a gym or
buying a fitness DVD will not solve your problems.

I hope we get the chance to help you.

Best,

Tim Chudy
Fitness Together
314.909.9565 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 314.909.9565 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

P.S. Great games yesterday. I'm pulling for Eli's
second Super Bowl win!

P.P.S. There's no risk and no obligation to your
consultation. All I ask is you investigate, then decide.

10 Weight Loss Strategies That Work

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and
the University of Colorado set out to determine
what lifestyle changes were needed to lose weight
AND keep it off. They began an on-going study
called the National Weight Control Registry(www.nwcr.ws).

This registry does not list all of their test
subjects. In order to make it you had to lose over
30 pounds AND keep it off for a year. So they did
a good job qualifying success.

What they found was intersting.

And the numbers they compiled don't lie.

The findings are listed into 10 lifestyle changes.

Here are the 10 habits of these successful weight
losers:

1. 98 percent of registry participants reported
that they modified their food intake in some way
to lose weight. Ok, kinda obvious. But you must
change your eating habits in some way (i.e. fewer
calories) to lose weight.

2. Most registry members reported consuming less
high-fat dense food groups and more low-fat dense
food groups resulting in a lower daily calorie
intake and greater weight loss. Eat lighter and
cleaner. Stay away from fried, high fat foods and
eat more fresh fruits and veggies.

3. 94 percent of registry participants reported
increasing their physical activity. Again, kinda
obvious. More out, less in.

4. 90 percent reported exercising, on average,
about one hour per day. Note the difference of
activity and exercise. Yesterday a client ran 1
mile and also played in a basketball game. She
asked if the game counted for cardio. I said no.
Walking your kids around the block, golfing and
gardening are all activity. But exercise is
strength and cardio training. There IS a
difference.

5. 78 percent reported eating breakfast daily.
I'll venture to say they didn't eat donuts.

6. 75 percent of registry participants reported
weighing themselves at least once a week. The
interval can and should vary, but measurment of
progress is essential. It helps you stay
accountable and also provides motivation, which fuels your efforts.

7. 62 percent watched TV less than 10 hours/week.
More TV means a more sedentary lifestyle. Do you
know how much TV you watch? Try tracking it. I bet
you'd be surprised.

8. 42% of the sample reported that maintaining
their weight loss was less difficult than losing
weight. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Because I see this
mistake all the time.

In the beginning, when you're trying to lose
weight, you CANNOT afford to cheat. You MUST
remain committed to your program and keep the 'dial turned up'. Then, once you've reached your goal you can afford to cheat here and there. If you start to backslide you simply 'turn the dial back up.'

9. Nearly all registry members stated that weight
loss led to improvements in their level of energy,
physical mobility, general mood, self-confidence,
and physical health. I won't begin to list the
benefits of losing weight and getting in shape. You're smart, and I'm sure you know there are TONS of them. Life is better when you look good and feel good about yourself.

10. For those who did regain weight, weight regain
was due, at least in part, to failure to maintain
behavior changes. This clearly tells us "diets"
don't work. If you don't continue to pay attention
to your health and fitness you will backslide.


There's a lot of wisdom in these 10 strategies.

In the book Switch by Dan and Chip Heath, they
discuss how one guy solved a major
malnutrition problem in Vietnam back in the 90s. He did so by looking at the "bright spots" of other villages without the problem.

He didn't try to solve all of the other underlying problems; poor sanitation, rampant poverty, ignorance to nutrition, etc... He looked to the villages that did not have any malnourishment problems and followed their success.

You can learn a lot by finding the "bright spots"
and then implement them in your own life.

Stop trying to find more time - you'll never have it. Stop trying to set aside enough money - you'll never have it. Stop trying to fix other problems and issues. Make a few changes that other successful people have done and lose the weight.

In addition to the weight loss registry mentioned
above our very own Fitness Together clients, maybe
some of them your neighbors, are another place to
find bright spots.

Jan just joined the FT family and starts her training program tomorrow. She said her friend of the same age lost a lot of weight last year. "And if she can do it, by golly I can do it!"

Sometimes we need to see the possiblities. We need
the motivation and inspiration of others that have
gone before us.

I hope the findings from 5,000 successful weight loss subjects and that of your very own neighbors motivates you to create change in your own life.

To your weight loss success,

Tim Chudy

P.S. So maybe you didn't start fresh on January 1st. Big deal. It's never too late to get started. Jan, whom I mentioned earlier consulted with me 2 years ago! And she's just now starting. It's your time. Schedule your consultation now.

6 Tips To Making A Successful New Year's Resolution

It’s that time of year!

Time to take an honest assessment of where you are
in life, and decide what you’d like to achieve
in the upcoming year.

It’s a sad fact that the majority of folks NEVER
see those resolutions come to fruition. That’s
why today, I’d like to share with you a few tips
that will help you stick with your resolutions, no
matter what - creating a NEW YOU in 2012!

The major reason people don’t follow through on
their resolutions is FEAR. Change is scary, and
committing to change is a scary endeavor. But
follow these tips and you should be able to nip
fear in the bud and actually accomplish what you
set out to achieve in 2012!


Get Serious - If you make "another resolution"
it's going to be just that, another resolution.
Make a resolution because you want to change
something. Don’t do it because everyone else is or
because you feel like you have to. Get serious
with yourself and do it because you want to.


Chunk It Down - However big your resolution is,
chunk it down into bite size pieces. Let’s say you
want to lose 80 pounds this year. Chunk that down
into a smaller increment. Try losing 15 pounds in
the first 2 months. Or if you want to improve your
relationships focus on one at a time. This way
you’ll build momentum and have a higher rate of
success.

Relax - You're setting a resolution to make this
year better than the last. Don't put yourself on a
tight rope with no net. If you fail with your
resolution you won’t be any worse off than where
you stand today. Take a deep breath and keep it in
perspective.

Have Fun - Yes, this is very important. Think of
something you hate. It could be doing laundry,
cleaning toilets, or even running on a treadmill.
Now picture yourself doing that every day. It's
terrible! You wouldn't last. The more fun you can
build into your resolution the easier it will be.


Research - You gotta do your homework. Talk to
your friends. Find out what they're doing. Find
out what they've done. Were they successful? Talk to your doctor, a personal trainer, a financial advisor, etc... Get on the internet, read some books or magazines. Get the info you need to make your resolution work this year.


Get Help - You can never have enough help. And you
should never be afraid to ask for help. It’s what
smart people do. Telling yourself your resolution
and going it alone is a recipe for failure. Ask
the right questions to the right people and you’ll
be a leg up.


Resolutions are tough. But do not be afraid. If
you’ve failed in the past, try and learn from what
you did wrong and make the necessary changes.

Remember that nothing happens without action.
Action, no matter how small, will help give you
the momentum you need. And once you’ve started
taking action, you’ll have a better understanding
of what you need to do to get to your final
destination.

So this year, set some resolutions... and follow
through until you’ve achieved them!

Happy 2012,
Tim Chudy

P.S. If you take my tips seriously and seek help,
please call me, 314.909.9565. I'd love to help you be successful
this coming year.

250 Miiiiillion Dollars (believe it or not this post has to do with weight loss)

$250,000,000.00 is a lot of dough.

That's the amount of money companies are making
peddling weight loss suppleme...err... scams.

You may have fallen victim to them by handing over
your money. The weight loss results they tout
are staggering. 40 pounds in 30 days, Joe Blow
loses 150 pounds, and many other similar results.
There marketing is very good. Shady at best.
But still good.

25 mil was revenue from ONE company! A
few days ago the FTC filed complaints on 10 other
operations just like it.

Which puts it in the HUNDREDS of millions.

The saddest part; the crap they sell doesn't even
work.

Solve the worlds weight problem and you should get
a BIG check. Sell snake oil and you should go
to jail.

Try as we may, we can't redefine ourselves
overnight. That's too easy. If that worked then
all of the late night infomercials and fitness
dvd's would work.

But you CAN redefine yourself steadily, over time.

A very successful client of mine sold his
business for millions of dollars a few years back.
An article in the paper dubbed him as an overnight
success story. After talking with him, he said the
article gave him a chuckle because in reality they
were "a 10 year overnight success."

That statement made me think. It opened my eyes
that as much as we might see overnight successes
or hear about 30 day weight loss stories, the
reality is it takes steady, constant, and yes,
disciplined action.

Read that sentence again.

It takes steady, constant, disciplined action.

Let it soak in.

Because until you buy into that you will continue
to search, try, and fail at whatever it is you want to do. And waste a lot of money in the process.

STOP believing in crap. Start accepting diet
and exercise does it.

To your weight loss success,
Tim

P.S. Do you need to lose 10, 20, even 50 pounds or
more? I can help. It's a proven program that even
your doctor would recommend. Let's talk.

Fitness Together client gets magazine cover!

Longtime Fitness Together client, David Hotle, was
recognized as one of St. Louis' fittest CEO's by
Small Business Monthly. Even better, they chose
him to flex his muscles for the cover!!!

It's a great accomplishment for David. But with or
without it, he's truly living a high quality of
life. And his health and fitness are a big reason
for that.

David's health and fitness success began with his
decision to change some of his habits. He noticed
himself slipping with his diet and exercise. And
he didn't like the way that limited him.

When I first met David he was soft and "flabby."
I could tell he wasn't working out. That was over 5
years ago.

Now, David is one of the fittest 65 year olds I've
ever worked with. Every time a new trainer takes
him through a workout I hear how impressed they
are with his fitness level. He pushes hard. But he
also pushes smart. He's very tuned-in to his body
and knows his limitations.

David has seen his fair share of speed bumps along
the way too. He's taken vacations, been very busy
with work, dealt with a few nagging physical
issues, but if it's one thing this guy is, it's
consistent.

And that is one of his biggest secrets!

As he says, "When you're health conscious, you
have a better quality of life."

Being health conscious doesn't happen for 3
months. It's a decision you make each and
every day. It's a way to live your life.

It's also important to note David's mental
attitude.

I've never seen David have a bad day. His
family, friends, and colleagues would say the
same. I'm sure he has them. But it's just another
choice he makes toward living a high quality life.

As David finishes a hard set of exercise, his
heart rate pumping, sweat dripping and breathing
heavy, his response is, "Good, good!" My entire
training team, including myself, now says, "Good,
good!" through training sessions. His positive
energy is contagious.

Congratulations David! I'm glad your hard work and
commitment to a fit and healthy lifestyle were
recognized.

Good, good!

Live by David's example and make a decision to be
fit and healthy. Decide to be positive. If you do,
I assure you, you will live greatly.

To your health and fitness,

Tim Chudy

P. S. If you read the article (linked at the top)
you saw that David and I traded training for
training.

I was 25 when I opened my business. If you can
imagine, I needed some guidance. His coaching has
been worth its weight in gold.

If you're an owner, executive, or in any type of
sales I'd encourage you to give David a call.
He'll take your business life from flabby to fit
and healthy!

Can you drink alcohol and still lose weight?

You might think this post is timely with the
holiday. Or maybe not so timely. Just depends how much
you want to drink over the Thanksgiving
holiday.;-)

Regardless, it will be helpful to know what the OK
amount of alcohol is. So keep reading and learn
something to help your weight loss efforts.

Or bookmark this and come back after Thanksgiving.
(Or the New Year if you really plan to imbibe).

Can you drink alcohol and still lose weight?

Yes, you can. But don't go and make yourself a
martini just yet. There's more to it than that.
You still have to be smart about it.

I always laugh when I see beer commercials touting
3.2 grams of carbs in beer. Or when they compare their beer to a martini served in a thimble. It's cute and obviously resonates with the weight conscious drinker. But that shouldn't concern you.

There are two things to consider when drinking
alcohol. Calories, specifically those from carbs,
and alcohol content. Which one do you think
matters more? Let's take a look at both.

Calories - All drinks have calories; beer, wine,
and liquor. But it's the cocktails that should
scare you the most. Any popular mixer will contain
most of the calories and ALL of the sugar.

Take a daiquiri for example, or any fun colored
frozen concoction. An 8 oz. glass will have almost
500 calories and over 20 grams of sugar! You can
see the damage you could do by drinking just a
couple of those.

Alcohol - It won't make you fat. Yes, read it
again. Try throwing back shots of tequila and see
if you gain weight. You won't. But add in some
sweet and sour mix, a salted rim, and 4 baskets of
chips and salsa. Now we're talking weight gain. Bienvenidos body fat!

I have an alcohol rule for losing weight. 1 drink
2x/week OR 2 drinks 1x/week. You get to choose.

Why is that my rule? Because of this one very
important fact... Concern yourself less with the
calories or sugar of what you're drinking but
think about the metabolic priority drinking does
to you.

You see, alcohol is metabolized before anything
else in the body. So have a few drinks with dinner
and you're body will go after the alcohol first
before the carbs, protein, and fat.

This is exactly the opposite of what exercise does
to your metabolism. An intense workout will create
that afterburn effect which keeps the metabolism
ramped up after the workout helping you burn calories long after your workout.

So stop thinking about carbs or even calories and
think metabolically.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when drinking.

==A glass of wine should be 5oz. A typical red
wine glass holds 12-14oz. Although you might think
you're getting lucky when the bartender tops off
your glass, you're not.

==If you're drinking a cocktail opt for real
mixers. Use real lime juice, lemon juice, and diet
tonic or soda. Most if not all pre-made drinks
will be chalk full of sugar and calories.

==If you're really trying to be aggressive with
weight loss, keep your drinks for special
occasions. Get out of the habit of having a glass
of wine with dinner or winding down for the night
with a drink. Make it more of a treat than the
norm.

The FT Team and I would like to wish you and your
family a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!!!

Cheers,

Tim Chudy

P.S. If you're struggling to lose weight I'd urge
you to schedule a nutrition consultation. Andrew,
our client of the month in October has lost 30lbs.
Lucinda, our client of the month this month has lost
70 total lbs! And Cindy, who'll be featured in December
has lost 32lbs in 8 weeks. This program flat out works.
Request your consultation here.