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.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
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.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
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.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Fitness Trends for 2012
The fitness industry is one of the fastest growing industries today. And it has continued to be over the last 20+ years. Americans are heavier, less fit, and unhealthier more than ever. Thus giving rise to a myriad of fitness, nutrition, and
weight loss solutions. Some good. Some not so good.
The American College of Sports Medicine released
it's survey results for the top fitness trends of
2012.
I listed a few of the top 20 here with my comments.
Educated and experienced fitness professionals.
This trend will never fade. Trainers aren't looked
upon just for the Hollywood elite anymore.
Trainers are for everyone. Just as plumbers,
accountants, and dentists are too. Smart people seek solutions to their problems from experts.
Strength training.
Jack LaLanne and Au-nold helped introduce this to
the American landscape. It's changed a bit but the
foundation is still the same.
Fitness programs for older adults.
Research shows baby boomers to have made more
income leaps than any other generation before. You
can retire with all the money in the world, but if
you can't enjoy the fruits of it then what's the use? And you don't take any of that money with you when you die. Think about it... if you've managed to create financial independence then you want to travel, be active and get out and do things. Your health and fitness is vital for that.
Exercise and weight loss.
As I've said before, you can't outwork a bad diet.
You need both diet AND exercise to lose weight.
Children and obesity.
I've talked about this many times before. And my conversations with our clients that are Peditricians only bring home this problem even more. This problem continues to grow (no pun intended) and must be addressed.
Core training.
With the majority of Americans suffering from back
pain this is a BIG area of emphasis for us. We sit in front of a computer all day, are less active day to day, and have bigger waistlines. All
of these contribute to poor core strength, bad
posture, and back pain. It can be one of the
easiest fixes... IF it's done correctly.
Group personal training.
We realized this trend and is the very reason why we launched our Small Group Personal Training program with huge success last month. The same components of our traditional one-on-one programs, but with the energy, fun, and SAVINGS of a small group.
Zumba.
I can't say I've tried this myself, but my wife has and she really enjoyed it. We also participate in St. Luke's Spirit of Women Day of Dance expo.
There was an overwhelming turnout and I've never
seen that many ladies have so much fun! Zumba was
a clear favorite.
Functional fitness.
This type of training has exploded over the past few years. It's seeped its way into all areas of fitness. Functional training is ideal for the golfer wanting to improve his stroke to the stay at home mom wanting strength and mobility to carry kids and groceries.
ACSM lists these as trends, but some will NEVER die. If you've been reading my blogs and emails for awhile now then you know your program should consist of strength training, cardio training, and nutrition. Versions and modifications of these will come and go. But the foundation will never change. Real lasting results come from those three.
To your health,
Tim Chudy
P.S. If you'd like help from an expert - specifically with your fitness, nutrition, and weight loss - set up a consultation with me. Join the other folks that have totally changed their bodies and their lives.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
5 Tricks To Keep Portions Under Control
Trick or Treat time is right around the corner.
Michelle Obama wanted me to tell you not to
let your kids get crazy with the candy this year.
And she's right.
I remember my Mom gave us a day and a half to eat
the candy we wanted. Then it went to the trash. At
the time I screamed child abuse. But, obvioulsy, I
thank her now.
These tricks are not portion guidelines. But moreso
tricks to sticking to the right portions. So, here
are 5 tricks, that you're not doing now,
to keep your portions under control.
1. Eat With Smaller Plates
Yes, it's really that simple. Eat your main meal
with a salad plate. Think about it... a lot of
restaurants, other than Golden Corral (it's always
humored me that they can get away with a name like
that) will have small portions on a normal plate.
They don't overload the plate and you can actually
see the white space.
Same goes with glasses. A serving size of juice is
4oz. That's very little than what most people are
use to. It's 4 or 5 sips. That beer mug you drink
OJ out of in the morning is enough for your entire
family.
2. Eat At The Table
Eating in front of the TV, while you're doing the
dishes, or any other activity can easily lead to
overeating. Eat at a table, sitting in a chair.
Case in point: A recent study in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that playing
solitaire while eating dampened participants'
memories of their lunch (and made them feel less
full), which, in turn, may have caused them to eat
125 calories more when they snacked later on.
3. Chew Your Food
We all eat on the go at some point during the day.
No one, and I mean no one, has ever told me they
sit down for every meal. Sadly the 50's are gone.
It doesn't exist in our society anymore. Since
we're in hurry, that also means we inhale our food
versus chewing it. Try to chew each bite 20 times.
Seriously, try it. It's a challenge.
Digestion starts in the mouth with the salivary
glands. They start digesting carbohydrates
immediately. Have you ever chewed on full sugar
bubble gum? It loses it's flavor and texture after
a few minutes doesn't it? That's because your
salivary glands are digesting the sugar.
Chewing also slows down your meal. It takes about
20 minutes for your brain to realize you're full.
If you inhale food fast enough you can continue
eat and eat and eat. If you slow down and chew
your chicken you'll give your hormones time to
alert the brain that you're full.
4. Turn Up The Lights
When you go out for a romantic dinner the lights
are low and the mood is intimate. Restaurants do
this for a reason. The same reason casinos don't
have clocks and easy exits. They want you to stay
longer and eat more. Studies have shown the
lighting in a room can affect one's appetite. Make
sure the lights are turned up and you keep dinner
to one hour.
5. Eat At UN-Healthy Restaurants
Yes, you read that right. According to research
done by Brian Wasinak, author of Mindless Eating,
"We found that when people go to restaurants
claiming to be healthy, such as Subway, they
choose additional side items containing up to 131%
more calories than when they go to restaurants
like McDonald’s that don't make this claim."
Wansink calls this the "halo effect". When you eat
at a healthy restaurant you don't feel as
indulgent were you to eat at say, McDonald's. This
caused customers to underestimate calories by 21%.
So don't feel so proud by eating at Subway.
Regardless of where you eat be mindful of what and
how much you're eating.
Implement these 5 tips today and you will lose
weight. I say that with confidence because these
aren't just 'drink diet soda' kind of tips. I bet
you're not doing the majority of these. And as I'm
sure you know, big doors swing on little hinges.
Best,
Tim
P.S. Last nights game was by far the best sporting
event I've ever been to! And I have a feeling the
Cards will steamroll the Rangers tonight. Let's go Cards!!!
Michelle Obama wanted me to tell you not to
let your kids get crazy with the candy this year.
And she's right.
I remember my Mom gave us a day and a half to eat
the candy we wanted. Then it went to the trash. At
the time I screamed child abuse. But, obvioulsy, I
thank her now.
These tricks are not portion guidelines. But moreso
tricks to sticking to the right portions. So, here
are 5 tricks, that you're not doing now,
to keep your portions under control.
1. Eat With Smaller Plates
Yes, it's really that simple. Eat your main meal
with a salad plate. Think about it... a lot of
restaurants, other than Golden Corral (it's always
humored me that they can get away with a name like
that) will have small portions on a normal plate.
They don't overload the plate and you can actually
see the white space.
Same goes with glasses. A serving size of juice is
4oz. That's very little than what most people are
use to. It's 4 or 5 sips. That beer mug you drink
OJ out of in the morning is enough for your entire
family.
2. Eat At The Table
Eating in front of the TV, while you're doing the
dishes, or any other activity can easily lead to
overeating. Eat at a table, sitting in a chair.
Case in point: A recent study in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that playing
solitaire while eating dampened participants'
memories of their lunch (and made them feel less
full), which, in turn, may have caused them to eat
125 calories more when they snacked later on.
3. Chew Your Food
We all eat on the go at some point during the day.
No one, and I mean no one, has ever told me they
sit down for every meal. Sadly the 50's are gone.
It doesn't exist in our society anymore. Since
we're in hurry, that also means we inhale our food
versus chewing it. Try to chew each bite 20 times.
Seriously, try it. It's a challenge.
Digestion starts in the mouth with the salivary
glands. They start digesting carbohydrates
immediately. Have you ever chewed on full sugar
bubble gum? It loses it's flavor and texture after
a few minutes doesn't it? That's because your
salivary glands are digesting the sugar.
Chewing also slows down your meal. It takes about
20 minutes for your brain to realize you're full.
If you inhale food fast enough you can continue
eat and eat and eat. If you slow down and chew
your chicken you'll give your hormones time to
alert the brain that you're full.
4. Turn Up The Lights
When you go out for a romantic dinner the lights
are low and the mood is intimate. Restaurants do
this for a reason. The same reason casinos don't
have clocks and easy exits. They want you to stay
longer and eat more. Studies have shown the
lighting in a room can affect one's appetite. Make
sure the lights are turned up and you keep dinner
to one hour.
5. Eat At UN-Healthy Restaurants
Yes, you read that right. According to research
done by Brian Wasinak, author of Mindless Eating,
"We found that when people go to restaurants
claiming to be healthy, such as Subway, they
choose additional side items containing up to 131%
more calories than when they go to restaurants
like McDonald’s that don't make this claim."
Wansink calls this the "halo effect". When you eat
at a healthy restaurant you don't feel as
indulgent were you to eat at say, McDonald's. This
caused customers to underestimate calories by 21%.
So don't feel so proud by eating at Subway.
Regardless of where you eat be mindful of what and
how much you're eating.
Implement these 5 tips today and you will lose
weight. I say that with confidence because these
aren't just 'drink diet soda' kind of tips. I bet
you're not doing the majority of these. And as I'm
sure you know, big doors swing on little hinges.
Best,
Tim
P.S. Last nights game was by far the best sporting
event I've ever been to! And I have a feeling the
Cards will steamroll the Rangers tonight. Let's go Cards!!!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
3 Ways To Fall Into Fitness
You can argue that Missouri weather is some of the
most erratic in the country. One day it's 90
degrees and humid. The next it's in the 50's and overcast. So it's temperamental. But I still appreciate the seasons. And now that Fall is upon us the weather is great and the scenery even better.
1. Get outdoors
This time of year is great to get outside for
fitness. Certainly there is something you can do
outside and get fit while doing it.
Walking - There are a myriad of walking trails and
paths in St. Louis. A quick Google search for
Parks or Walking paths will pull up hundreds of
options. And Forest Park is rated as one of the
top city parks in the country!
Hiking - Although we don't have mountains or ocean
cliffs to hike, we do have beautiful landscape.
There is hiking on the outskirts of St. Louis or
even a short 45 minute drive will take you into
the Ozarks.
Biking - If you're not into walking, running, or
hiking, then maybe cycling fancies you. Ever heard
of the Katy Trail? Miles and miles of bike trails
are all around the city. Grab your helmet and go!
2. Try something new and different
There is nothing like adding some spice to your
fitness routine. Trying something new can really
stimulate your exercise routine and keep you
engaged. It's very easy to fall into the same
treadmill workout, at the same time, at the same
speed, watching the same dumb TV show.
Try yoga, spinning, work with a personal trainer
or try another type of fitness class (our small
group personal training, called Pack Training,
just launched last month!). Adding in a new change
will stimulate not just your muscles, but also
your mind.
3. Try seasonal foods
Ok, so it's not a fitness tip per se. But fitness
and nutrition go hand in hand. Fall brings upon a
ton of delicious healthy foods. Try any of the
following for a delicious seasonal meal.
Apples - eat as is or include them in a recipe.
They're peak harvest is August through November
Squash - With a slightly sweet flavor it can be
paired with Fall flavorings like cinnamon, nutmeg
and ginger.
Pumpkin - The obvious Fall food. And don't think
it's only good for pie and seeds. Try soup,
fillings, or pudding!
Sweet Potatoes - With only 25 grams of carbs these
are much more nutritionally dense than their white
counterparts.
Regardless of what you do, make great use of the
Fall season. Use the weather and food to your
fitness advantage and put momentum in your favor
as we enter the holiday season.
To your health,
Tim Chudy
P.S. I mentioned our brand new Small Group
Personal Training program called PACK Training as
an option for you. Clients are raving about it!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
How To Train Like A Pro
There's a great article from the editor of Men's
Health interviewing Todd Durkin, trainer to many
top NFL athletes.
There is A LOT of useful, and applicable, fitness
advice for you to follow. Just because you don't
take snaps from a 300lb lineman, or even play a
sport, doesn't mean you can't apply these secrets to your fitness program.
As you may have heard we've launched our new Small
Group Personal Training program, called PACK
Training, where you and 2 or 3 others train at the same time in a newly equipped, fully functional training room. It is of NO surprise that most if not all of the secrets Todd mentions in this article takes place in each and every Pack session. I encourage you to take a few minutes and read the article in full, but I've outlined some of his main points that dovetail perfectly with Pack Training.
Secret #1: Work Your Weaknesses
"You would be surprised that some of our workouts
don't involve a lot of traditional "weight"
training. I like to emphasize speed, agility,
quickness, acceleration, power, and metabolic
conditioning along with my strength and
flexibility work."
This is well said. The days of doing bench press
on Monday, Squats on Wednesday, and curls on
Friday are long gone. A total body, metabolic
conditioning workout complete with core, balance,
and flexibility is where results lie. And to no surprise, one of our Pack Principles is "Train movements, not muscles."
Do you still train like Au-nold did in the 80's?
Secret #2: Pick Up Your Pace
"For me, tempo is king. I love to keep the heart
rate up during the workout...You don't need to
train all day - the intense part of my clients'
sessions is approximately 45 minutes. Get in, do
your work, and then recover."
You shouldn't have time for water cooler talk during your workout. If you're chatting with your buddies you're likely not working hard enough.
Our workouts, again, to no surprise, are 45 minutes. Come to a Pack workout and you'll see what Todd means to keep your heart rate up. He lists 8 components for a workout all of which take place with Pack Training.
Is your heart pumping so fast it's hard to talk during your workout?
Secret #3: Don't Skip The Big Three
"Pullups. Pushups. Lunges."
He's right. These exercises will never go out of
style. They're like the old pair of jeans you have
that you refuse to throw out because you'll ALWAYS wear them.
We do these 3 exercises in so many different
varieties... with weight, with jumps, one leg, two leg, decline, incline, partner... it'll blow your mind!
Are you incorporating the Big 3?
Secret #4: Avoid These Common Mistakes
1. Too much emphasis on big weights
2. Not enough total-body training and conditioning
3. A lack of variety
4. Overtraining
5. Inconsistent nutrition
6. Not getting enough sleep
I was very happy to see he mentions nutrition and
sleep. You cannot out-train a bad diet. And poor
sleep or no sleep at all is often overlooked when it comes to your health and fitness. Both VERY important.
Is your health and fitness program balanced?
Durkin gives you a lot of great information to
follow. And I, your humble fitness trainer,
encourage you to heed ALL of his advice.
Again, the article is timely with the launch of
our breakthrough small group personal training
program we refer to as Pack Training.
I invite you in to try a week of Pack completely free. I guarantee you haven't experienced anything else like it. And clients are raving about it!
"PACK training is absolutely awesome. I can’t get enough."- Erin T.
"I love the added accountability of knowing that I’m a part of something bigger than myself."- Kelly A.
"The only thing better than hearing "GREAT JOB!" is hearing it 4 times!" - Anna N.
"You guys are annoyingly good at what you do." - Ed S.
"I love it. What the heck took you guys so long?" - Marty M
But you need to take action on this. Our launch obviously won't last forever so this invitation is only good until October 31st. Call the studio today or for more details click here.
In fitness,
Tim Chudy
Health interviewing Todd Durkin, trainer to many
top NFL athletes.
There is A LOT of useful, and applicable, fitness
advice for you to follow. Just because you don't
take snaps from a 300lb lineman, or even play a
sport, doesn't mean you can't apply these secrets to your fitness program.
As you may have heard we've launched our new Small
Group Personal Training program, called PACK
Training, where you and 2 or 3 others train at the same time in a newly equipped, fully functional training room. It is of NO surprise that most if not all of the secrets Todd mentions in this article takes place in each and every Pack session. I encourage you to take a few minutes and read the article in full, but I've outlined some of his main points that dovetail perfectly with Pack Training.
Secret #1: Work Your Weaknesses
"You would be surprised that some of our workouts
don't involve a lot of traditional "weight"
training. I like to emphasize speed, agility,
quickness, acceleration, power, and metabolic
conditioning along with my strength and
flexibility work."
This is well said. The days of doing bench press
on Monday, Squats on Wednesday, and curls on
Friday are long gone. A total body, metabolic
conditioning workout complete with core, balance,
and flexibility is where results lie. And to no surprise, one of our Pack Principles is "Train movements, not muscles."
Do you still train like Au-nold did in the 80's?
Secret #2: Pick Up Your Pace
"For me, tempo is king. I love to keep the heart
rate up during the workout...You don't need to
train all day - the intense part of my clients'
sessions is approximately 45 minutes. Get in, do
your work, and then recover."
You shouldn't have time for water cooler talk during your workout. If you're chatting with your buddies you're likely not working hard enough.
Our workouts, again, to no surprise, are 45 minutes. Come to a Pack workout and you'll see what Todd means to keep your heart rate up. He lists 8 components for a workout all of which take place with Pack Training.
Is your heart pumping so fast it's hard to talk during your workout?
Secret #3: Don't Skip The Big Three
"Pullups. Pushups. Lunges."
He's right. These exercises will never go out of
style. They're like the old pair of jeans you have
that you refuse to throw out because you'll ALWAYS wear them.
We do these 3 exercises in so many different
varieties... with weight, with jumps, one leg, two leg, decline, incline, partner... it'll blow your mind!
Are you incorporating the Big 3?
Secret #4: Avoid These Common Mistakes
1. Too much emphasis on big weights
2. Not enough total-body training and conditioning
3. A lack of variety
4. Overtraining
5. Inconsistent nutrition
6. Not getting enough sleep
I was very happy to see he mentions nutrition and
sleep. You cannot out-train a bad diet. And poor
sleep or no sleep at all is often overlooked when it comes to your health and fitness. Both VERY important.
Is your health and fitness program balanced?
Durkin gives you a lot of great information to
follow. And I, your humble fitness trainer,
encourage you to heed ALL of his advice.
Again, the article is timely with the launch of
our breakthrough small group personal training
program we refer to as Pack Training.
I invite you in to try a week of Pack completely free. I guarantee you haven't experienced anything else like it. And clients are raving about it!
"PACK training is absolutely awesome. I can’t get enough."- Erin T.
"I love the added accountability of knowing that I’m a part of something bigger than myself."- Kelly A.
"The only thing better than hearing "GREAT JOB!" is hearing it 4 times!" - Anna N.
"You guys are annoyingly good at what you do." - Ed S.
"I love it. What the heck took you guys so long?" - Marty M
But you need to take action on this. Our launch obviously won't last forever so this invitation is only good until October 31st. Call the studio today or for more details click here.
In fitness,
Tim Chudy
Monday, September 12, 2011
This Food Is Keeping You From Weight Loss
A recent Harvard study published in The New England Journal of Medicine looked at long term weight gain linked to specific foods. Participants gained on average 17 pounds over the 20 year span the study was conducted. A lot gained more.
What's interesting about this study is they looked at how much specifc foods led people to gain weight over four year periods.
Can you guess what food contributed to the most weight gain?
It wasn't candy. It wasn't ice cream or cookies.
Potatoes.
Fried, boiled, mashed... any way you like 'em.
Dr. Mozzafarian, an professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said this is likely due to starches and refined carbohydrates producing bursts in blood glucose and insulin levels. This leads to an increase in hunger and thus upping the total amount of food people eat at their next meal.
Everyone I sit down with in our consultation process hears me address this problem. I call it the 'Viscous Carbohydrate Cycle'.
And the consequences don't stop with eating more food. It's also responsible for energy highs and lows, lethargy, dizziness, and depression. And there's more. Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and a slew of other bad stuff.
Are you safe?
If you pass on the potato chips at Bread Co. and opt for the apple or whole grain baguette, don't think you're in the clear. Because there were plenty of non-potato foods too.
The simple fact is this... we eat too many carbs.
We're a carb laden socitey. And if you continue to eat as you do, you will not lose weight, you will not get healthy, you will not pass Go, and you will not collect $200!:-)
In all seriousness, you must control your carbohydrate intake. I'm not saying start the Atkins diet. But you must drastically cut your carbs and increase your protein and veggie intake.
This is one of the reasons why our clinically proven, done-for-you nutrition plan works so well. It's a low glycemic, higher protein, precisely designed diet.
Ronni is down 14 pounds in 8 weeks, Anne Marie is down 11 pounds in 8 weeks, Annie has lost 3 inches in her waist in 4 weeks, Kathy lost 31 total pounds and has remained at her goal weight for over 2 years! And the list goes on.
If you would like more info on our nutrition plan and find out how much weight you can expect to lose click here.
To your weight loss,
Tim
P.S. I haven't posted in a while and there's good reason for that. We're currently in the midst of launching a new service here at Fitness Together. I can't release all the details just yet, but it's pretty exciting! This service will make personal training much more appealing and affordable for a lot of people. Stay tuned!
P.P.S. Cut the carbs!
What's interesting about this study is they looked at how much specifc foods led people to gain weight over four year periods.
Can you guess what food contributed to the most weight gain?
It wasn't candy. It wasn't ice cream or cookies.
Potatoes.
Fried, boiled, mashed... any way you like 'em.
Dr. Mozzafarian, an professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said this is likely due to starches and refined carbohydrates producing bursts in blood glucose and insulin levels. This leads to an increase in hunger and thus upping the total amount of food people eat at their next meal.
Everyone I sit down with in our consultation process hears me address this problem. I call it the 'Viscous Carbohydrate Cycle'.
And the consequences don't stop with eating more food. It's also responsible for energy highs and lows, lethargy, dizziness, and depression. And there's more. Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and a slew of other bad stuff.
Are you safe?
If you pass on the potato chips at Bread Co. and opt for the apple or whole grain baguette, don't think you're in the clear. Because there were plenty of non-potato foods too.
The simple fact is this... we eat too many carbs.
We're a carb laden socitey. And if you continue to eat as you do, you will not lose weight, you will not get healthy, you will not pass Go, and you will not collect $200!:-)
In all seriousness, you must control your carbohydrate intake. I'm not saying start the Atkins diet. But you must drastically cut your carbs and increase your protein and veggie intake.
This is one of the reasons why our clinically proven, done-for-you nutrition plan works so well. It's a low glycemic, higher protein, precisely designed diet.
Ronni is down 14 pounds in 8 weeks, Anne Marie is down 11 pounds in 8 weeks, Annie has lost 3 inches in her waist in 4 weeks, Kathy lost 31 total pounds and has remained at her goal weight for over 2 years! And the list goes on.
If you would like more info on our nutrition plan and find out how much weight you can expect to lose click here.
To your weight loss,
Tim
P.S. I haven't posted in a while and there's good reason for that. We're currently in the midst of launching a new service here at Fitness Together. I can't release all the details just yet, but it's pretty exciting! This service will make personal training much more appealing and affordable for a lot of people. Stay tuned!
P.P.S. Cut the carbs!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
5 Guidelines to a Fit and Healthy Child
News is breaking on whether parents should lose custody of their children if they are extremely obese. To no one's surprise it's sparking plenty of debate.
But this is a serious issue. Childhood obesity has tripled since 1980 and almost 20% of kids are now overweight.
This led Dr. David Ludwig, obesity expert at Children's Hospital Boston, to suggest state intervention in the most recent Journal of the American Medical Association. "State intervention may serve the best interests of many children with life-threatening obesity, compromising the only realistic way to control harmful behaviors," says Ludwig.
Regardless of opinion, I'm shocked it's even coming to this.
The problem has spiraled so far out of control it's hard to point a finger at any one thing. But fitness deserves a finger pointing. But make no mistake, this is a multifaceted problem and as it grows it gets more and more complicated.
Do you have kids? Are they overweight? Or obese?
Can you imagine having them taken from you? Your own children being taken because they're obese!
I won't get into a political discussion. But I will discuss the health implications.
If your child is overweight, obese, or maybe you're afraid of their future based on his or her current habits, then your attention to the 5 guidelines below is vital.
We're now seeing children with problems such as type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, and breathing and liver problems that could kill them before the age of 30. Like I said, this is a serious issue.
I've listed 5 guidelines below to start or re-start your kids on the right path to a fit and healthy lifestyle. I believe this is fundamental to every child's upbringing.
1. Don't rely on sports
It's great if your child plays soccer, baseball,
or other sports. But studies have shown that less
than 25% of student athletes receive the
recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise.
Depending on the sport, team, level of play, and
other factors will determine just how much
physical activity your child will get through
their sports. Be careful not to scapegoat their
fitness on this.
2. Turn off the TV
And the video game. And the computer. And the
phone. And the whatever else kids are playing with
these days. I could make a safe bet you sit at a
desk for most of the day. So you know what
that can do to you and your physical activity. Now
think of your kid doing that their entire life.
You didn't have a Nintendo when you were a kid.
You probably built tree houses and played freeze
tag. Try suggesting freeze tag to your kid and
they'll look at you like you have three heads. But
you can set rules for TV, video games, etc...
Force them outside and into activity.
3. Look in the mirror
I talked about this earlier in the year and it's
resurfaced due to its importance. I also have
specific experience with this.
The seed for fitness and nutrition was planted by
my dad. He exercised three or four times a week.
He made us healthy lunches when we were in school.
And we weren't allowed to have a Nintendo. And
that seed blossomed.
Maybe your kid won't become a personal trainer.
But you can bet you'll be instilling good LIFELONG
behaviors in them. This alone is priceless. If you
are not a proactive model for fitness and
nutrition in their life something or someone else
will be.
4. Positive reinforcement
Praise your child when they have fun playing a
specific sport or when they do well at a certain
activity. Encourage, even inspire, them to keep at
it and get better. Creating a positive association
to exercise and eating right goes a long way.
A study in the journal Health Psychology showed
kids more likely to sign up for team sports when
they were encouraged and supported by their
parents. And to no surprise the kids that did not
receive support sat around more. Support,
encouragement and inspiration are crucial.
Especially when it comes from mom and dad.
5. Schedule events around activity
I remember going to a friends birthday party in
5th grade and we played Super Mario Brothers the
entire night. I played maybe 5 minutes. But I was
the worst gamer there. That's because as I
mentioned earlier, our family didn't have a
Nintendo. I threatened to turn my parents into the
state on charges of child abuse. Their answer;
"I'll give you the number to call."
A lot of my birthdays were at the pool. (there's a
bonus to being born in July). But whether it's a
birthday, play date, or just something to do on
the weekend you can find something active and fun
to do.
All five of these guidelines can be put into action immediately. I invite your questions and comments below on this subject. If your child needs help with their fitness please contact me. We've trained kids as young as 6 and up through college. Each is different and needs vary. Click here to find out more.
Best,
Tim
But this is a serious issue. Childhood obesity has tripled since 1980 and almost 20% of kids are now overweight.
This led Dr. David Ludwig, obesity expert at Children's Hospital Boston, to suggest state intervention in the most recent Journal of the American Medical Association. "State intervention may serve the best interests of many children with life-threatening obesity, compromising the only realistic way to control harmful behaviors," says Ludwig.
Regardless of opinion, I'm shocked it's even coming to this.
The problem has spiraled so far out of control it's hard to point a finger at any one thing. But fitness deserves a finger pointing. But make no mistake, this is a multifaceted problem and as it grows it gets more and more complicated.
Do you have kids? Are they overweight? Or obese?
Can you imagine having them taken from you? Your own children being taken because they're obese!
I won't get into a political discussion. But I will discuss the health implications.
If your child is overweight, obese, or maybe you're afraid of their future based on his or her current habits, then your attention to the 5 guidelines below is vital.
We're now seeing children with problems such as type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, and breathing and liver problems that could kill them before the age of 30. Like I said, this is a serious issue.
I've listed 5 guidelines below to start or re-start your kids on the right path to a fit and healthy lifestyle. I believe this is fundamental to every child's upbringing.
1. Don't rely on sports
It's great if your child plays soccer, baseball,
or other sports. But studies have shown that less
than 25% of student athletes receive the
recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise.
Depending on the sport, team, level of play, and
other factors will determine just how much
physical activity your child will get through
their sports. Be careful not to scapegoat their
fitness on this.
2. Turn off the TV
And the video game. And the computer. And the
phone. And the whatever else kids are playing with
these days. I could make a safe bet you sit at a
desk for most of the day. So you know what
that can do to you and your physical activity. Now
think of your kid doing that their entire life.
You didn't have a Nintendo when you were a kid.
You probably built tree houses and played freeze
tag. Try suggesting freeze tag to your kid and
they'll look at you like you have three heads. But
you can set rules for TV, video games, etc...
Force them outside and into activity.
3. Look in the mirror
I talked about this earlier in the year and it's
resurfaced due to its importance. I also have
specific experience with this.
The seed for fitness and nutrition was planted by
my dad. He exercised three or four times a week.
He made us healthy lunches when we were in school.
And we weren't allowed to have a Nintendo. And
that seed blossomed.
Maybe your kid won't become a personal trainer.
But you can bet you'll be instilling good LIFELONG
behaviors in them. This alone is priceless. If you
are not a proactive model for fitness and
nutrition in their life something or someone else
will be.
4. Positive reinforcement
Praise your child when they have fun playing a
specific sport or when they do well at a certain
activity. Encourage, even inspire, them to keep at
it and get better. Creating a positive association
to exercise and eating right goes a long way.
A study in the journal Health Psychology showed
kids more likely to sign up for team sports when
they were encouraged and supported by their
parents. And to no surprise the kids that did not
receive support sat around more. Support,
encouragement and inspiration are crucial.
Especially when it comes from mom and dad.
5. Schedule events around activity
I remember going to a friends birthday party in
5th grade and we played Super Mario Brothers the
entire night. I played maybe 5 minutes. But I was
the worst gamer there. That's because as I
mentioned earlier, our family didn't have a
Nintendo. I threatened to turn my parents into the
state on charges of child abuse. Their answer;
"I'll give you the number to call."
A lot of my birthdays were at the pool. (there's a
bonus to being born in July). But whether it's a
birthday, play date, or just something to do on
the weekend you can find something active and fun
to do.
All five of these guidelines can be put into action immediately. I invite your questions and comments below on this subject. If your child needs help with their fitness please contact me. We've trained kids as young as 6 and up through college. Each is different and needs vary. Click here to find out more.
Best,
Tim
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
How To Lose Weight
If I asked you how to lose weight, how would you
answer?
I know you could come up with something. Atkins
diet, take the stairs everyday, cut out soda.
Maybe you'd even suggest starving yourself!
All of those answers are potentially right. But if
it's an easy question to answer, why is the
majority of our country still overweight? And why
do we still struggle to find lasting, permanent
results?
These are good questions. And ones you should ask
yourself if you're trying to lose weight.
Just a few days ago Good Morning America reported
how a woman lost 300 pounds. Certainly no small
feat. You can see the 3 1/2 minute video here.
Wanna guess how she did it?
It wasn't the HCG diet. It wasn't with surgery or
a gimmicky infomercial product. And it definitely
wasn't by starving herself.
She lost 300 pounds by eating better and
execising. She exercises 7 days a week; 3 days with her trainer and 4
days of cardio. She eats 3 meals with snacks.
When asked what her secret was she had this to
say: "There is no magic bullet. It's hard work. It
is simple sweat equity."
Well said Shannon.
I'll never say you can't lose weight using the HCG
diet or having bypass surgery. You can.
But if you want true lasting and permanent weight
loss and fitness results then changing your diet
and exercise is THE ONLY way. Not too mention
feeling better, stronger, fitter, more alive day
in and day out. Because losing weight and feeling
like crap isn't fun. And surgery and pill-popping
won't help that.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
There will be a percentage of peole who make
excuses why they can't do what this woman did. Her
situation is different. She had more weight to
lose which makes it easier. She doesn't have 3
kids and a full time job like me. And the list
goes on.
I hope you're not in that percentage of excuse
makers.
Realize this... until you stop making excuses
for yourself, you will NEVER permanently lose
weight. You must exercise and eat right. And that
means you must find reasons to do so. NOT excuses
not to.
A good little exercise would be to make a list of
those reasons and post them where you can see them
daily. Then list out your excuses and tear them up
or burn them. This little action will liberate you
from those excuses and contribute to your future
weight loss success.
If you need help with your fitness and nutrition
program we're here for you. All you have to do is
ask.
Good luck!
To your weight loss success,
Tim Chudy
answer?
I know you could come up with something. Atkins
diet, take the stairs everyday, cut out soda.
Maybe you'd even suggest starving yourself!
All of those answers are potentially right. But if
it's an easy question to answer, why is the
majority of our country still overweight? And why
do we still struggle to find lasting, permanent
results?
These are good questions. And ones you should ask
yourself if you're trying to lose weight.
Just a few days ago Good Morning America reported
how a woman lost 300 pounds. Certainly no small
feat. You can see the 3 1/2 minute video here.
Wanna guess how she did it?
It wasn't the HCG diet. It wasn't with surgery or
a gimmicky infomercial product. And it definitely
wasn't by starving herself.
She lost 300 pounds by eating better and
execising. She exercises 7 days a week; 3 days with her trainer and 4
days of cardio. She eats 3 meals with snacks.
When asked what her secret was she had this to
say: "There is no magic bullet. It's hard work. It
is simple sweat equity."
Well said Shannon.
I'll never say you can't lose weight using the HCG
diet or having bypass surgery. You can.
But if you want true lasting and permanent weight
loss and fitness results then changing your diet
and exercise is THE ONLY way. Not too mention
feeling better, stronger, fitter, more alive day
in and day out. Because losing weight and feeling
like crap isn't fun. And surgery and pill-popping
won't help that.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
There will be a percentage of peole who make
excuses why they can't do what this woman did. Her
situation is different. She had more weight to
lose which makes it easier. She doesn't have 3
kids and a full time job like me. And the list
goes on.
I hope you're not in that percentage of excuse
makers.
Realize this... until you stop making excuses
for yourself, you will NEVER permanently lose
weight. You must exercise and eat right. And that
means you must find reasons to do so. NOT excuses
not to.
A good little exercise would be to make a list of
those reasons and post them where you can see them
daily. Then list out your excuses and tear them up
or burn them. This little action will liberate you
from those excuses and contribute to your future
weight loss success.
If you need help with your fitness and nutrition
program we're here for you. All you have to do is
ask.
Good luck!
To your weight loss success,
Tim Chudy
Monday, April 25, 2011
Snooki's Secret to Weight Loss
I've never seen an episode of Jersey Shores. And frankly, I don't care to.
But I do know Snooki. A name like that demands attention.
Snooki knows a BIG secret to achieving weight loss
results.
But you know this secret too.
You might not know you know it. But you do know it.
This secret isn't some special piece of equipment
or any particular exercise. It's not even a new diet or supplement.
Would you like to know what this secret is?
The secret is sacrifice.
You see, sacrifice is essential when it comes to
losing weight. You must sacrifice something. Often times many things.
Sacrifice is defined as 'destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else'.
You can't get something without giving something (up) in return.
You know it.
I know it.
When it comes to your weight loss, it's making sacrifices that will help you get rid of the pounds.
"If I weren't here (working out) I'd be sleeping. It's been a good decision. A no-brainer really."
One of our clients said that to me after I inquired about his program.
He sacrificed a little sleep.
Snooki is sacrificing booze.
"I just have to quit the drinking so much. If I do drink, it's going to be, like, vodka and seltzer ... maybe like two or three."
Sheesh. Ok, maybe she's not sacrificing all that much. (I guess if
you have 12 drinks 2 or 3 is a big change.:-)
What are you sacrificing to lose weight? What have you 'destroyed' or 'surrendered' in order to lose weight?
Fast food is a popular one. Sweets, eating out, TV, the list goes on and on.
The fact remains, if you are not making any sacrifices, you will not lose weight.
Taking a pill is easy. Buying some abdominal contraption is easy. There's no sacrifice in that.
Nothing good and lasting comes with ease. Sacrifice is a must.
A good homework assignment is to list out at least 3 sacrifices
necessary for you to lose weight. Feel free to post them in the
comment section below and I'll give you some feedback.
To your weight loss success,
Tim
P.S. By the way, giving up booze except for vodka is pretty weak. That's like saying you'll give up McDonald's except for the Quarter Pounder. Make your sacrifice worthwhile.
P.S. A gentle reminder that we're here for you when you're ready. With swimsuit season around the corner it might not be a bad idea to set your appointment.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Half of Americans do this. Do you?
According to a new study released by the Center for Disease Control over half of U.S. adults use supplementation on a daily basis. This is way up from the last study conducted in 1988.
This isn't surprising. The health and exercise boom over the last 25 years has been dramatic. More men and women are taking control of their health and looking to not only cure symptoms of poor health, but prevent them as well.
In my opinion, there are 3 supplements everyone should take. And I'm not peddling snake oil. It's not choosing a blue pill or red pill, or drinking some chemical cocktail.
This is sound, scientific supplementation. Safe and effective. Consider it a foundation to your health.
1. Multi-Vitamin Mineral
This is your starting point. Studies have shown only 3% of people actually get the proper amount of vitamins from their diet. I think that's even a stretch. So maybe you eat a healthy diet. Maybe you don't. The fact is, an apple today is NOT what an apple was 30 or 40 years ago. We eat more genetically modified foods, more microwave dinners, more fast food, and less good nutritious food. A multi-vitamin mineral is a must.
2. Fish Oil
Fish oil has been gaining rapid popularity over the last few years. It's benefits for the heart, joints, and brain can't be overlooked.
Heart disease is still the #1 leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fish high in Omega 3's each week. But most don't... even during the Lenten fish fry season.
3. Nutriferon
This might be a new one for you - unless you've heard me endorse it before. Nutriferon is simply a blend of plant extracts that increase your body's natrual interferon, a critical activator for your immune system.
This supplement has been proven by study after study. My wife, a big skeptic at first, was so sick for a two month stretch I lovingly forced her to start taking it. She's glad I did. She's now a huge advocate for Nutriferon and what it can do for your immune system.
If you're not supplementing at all, these 3 should be your starting point. Think about taking the other two if you're only taking a vitamin. And most importantly if you're at risk for heart disease or get sick a lot, 2 or more times a year, then add fish oil and Nutriferon IMMEDIATELY!
It should go without saying, but be sure to look for high quality supplements. There's not just a lot of stuff that can be harmful to you, but there's a lot of stuff that is NOT helpful. That would be supplements with fillers and ineffective ingredients.
Remember that you're putting this stuff in your body to help prevent, promote, or cure your health. And this is the very reason why we choose Shaklee products. For over 50 years, generations of families have relied on Shaklee to do what no other company can do - make products that are naturally safe AND proven effective.
Every product that goes into every bottle is designed to improve health, work without compromise, and be gentle on the planet.
That's guaranteed safe and effective. And they have the science and testing to back it up. I'm not only excited to recommend their products, but proud.
If a company doesn't guarantee safety, if they're open to 'test the waters' with certain ingredients, run the other way.
If a company doesn't test their products, if they don't have any studies in peer reviewed journals, if they're quick to put out a product, run the other way.
Don't grab the cheapest stuff. There's typically reason for it's price. Do a little homework on the supplement, the company, their standards for research, testing, and manufacturing.
Whenever I talk about supplementation there are a lot of individual questions that come up. For that reason I'm offering a complimentary 'Supplemenation Audit' to answer any questions you have and discuss what supplementation might be appropriate for you to introduce to your diet. I'll only be doing this til the end of the month so don't tell yourself you'll get to it later. Just click here to request the audit and we can set up a time convenient for you.
To your health,
Tim Chudy
This isn't surprising. The health and exercise boom over the last 25 years has been dramatic. More men and women are taking control of their health and looking to not only cure symptoms of poor health, but prevent them as well.
In my opinion, there are 3 supplements everyone should take. And I'm not peddling snake oil. It's not choosing a blue pill or red pill, or drinking some chemical cocktail.
This is sound, scientific supplementation. Safe and effective. Consider it a foundation to your health.
1. Multi-Vitamin Mineral
This is your starting point. Studies have shown only 3% of people actually get the proper amount of vitamins from their diet. I think that's even a stretch. So maybe you eat a healthy diet. Maybe you don't. The fact is, an apple today is NOT what an apple was 30 or 40 years ago. We eat more genetically modified foods, more microwave dinners, more fast food, and less good nutritious food. A multi-vitamin mineral is a must.
2. Fish Oil
Fish oil has been gaining rapid popularity over the last few years. It's benefits for the heart, joints, and brain can't be overlooked.
Heart disease is still the #1 leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fish high in Omega 3's each week. But most don't... even during the Lenten fish fry season.
3. Nutriferon
This might be a new one for you - unless you've heard me endorse it before. Nutriferon is simply a blend of plant extracts that increase your body's natrual interferon, a critical activator for your immune system.
This supplement has been proven by study after study. My wife, a big skeptic at first, was so sick for a two month stretch I lovingly forced her to start taking it. She's glad I did. She's now a huge advocate for Nutriferon and what it can do for your immune system.
If you're not supplementing at all, these 3 should be your starting point. Think about taking the other two if you're only taking a vitamin. And most importantly if you're at risk for heart disease or get sick a lot, 2 or more times a year, then add fish oil and Nutriferon IMMEDIATELY!
It should go without saying, but be sure to look for high quality supplements. There's not just a lot of stuff that can be harmful to you, but there's a lot of stuff that is NOT helpful. That would be supplements with fillers and ineffective ingredients.
Remember that you're putting this stuff in your body to help prevent, promote, or cure your health. And this is the very reason why we choose Shaklee products. For over 50 years, generations of families have relied on Shaklee to do what no other company can do - make products that are naturally safe AND proven effective.
Every product that goes into every bottle is designed to improve health, work without compromise, and be gentle on the planet.
That's guaranteed safe and effective. And they have the science and testing to back it up. I'm not only excited to recommend their products, but proud.
If a company doesn't guarantee safety, if they're open to 'test the waters' with certain ingredients, run the other way.
If a company doesn't test their products, if they don't have any studies in peer reviewed journals, if they're quick to put out a product, run the other way.
Don't grab the cheapest stuff. There's typically reason for it's price. Do a little homework on the supplement, the company, their standards for research, testing, and manufacturing.
Whenever I talk about supplementation there are a lot of individual questions that come up. For that reason I'm offering a complimentary 'Supplemenation Audit' to answer any questions you have and discuss what supplementation might be appropriate for you to introduce to your diet. I'll only be doing this til the end of the month so don't tell yourself you'll get to it later. Just click here to request the audit and we can set up a time convenient for you.
To your health,
Tim Chudy
Friday, March 4, 2011
Fitness Comes In All Forms
Last year we had our very own FT Team Bodybuilding and Figure Champs. This year, one of our team members has taken it to another level.
Barb Honchak, who was also mentioned in that post, is a professional MMA fighter and was recently ranked 9th in the world. Yes, you read correctly... 9th in the world!!!
Barb aka 'The Little Warrior' is a top ranked fighter. I've never seen Barb fight live, but I know she's a disciplined, committed, and strategic fighter. There's no surprise she's world ranked with those qualities.
When it comes to her workouts and the fitness of our FT clients, her passion drips off every rep she calls out. She trains clients with the same qualitites she fights with. And our clients love it!
Some of you may not be familiar with mma. It stands for mixed martial arts. Boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, muy thai... basically any and all forms of martial arts.
But don't be alarmed, this isn't some basement type brawl. It's a very popular sport that's gaining more and more attention. And Barb is responsible for that.
Barb is fighting next week in St. Charles. The fight is next Saturday night(3/11) at the St. Charles Banquet Center. Fights start at 6:30pm and Barb is fighting second to last. If you've ever been interested in mma this is the chance to see it for yourself. You can get more info by going to: www.sportfightingnews.com or calling 314.267.2204.
You can wish Barb good luck by posting a comment below!
Talk soon,
Tim
Barb Honchak, who was also mentioned in that post, is a professional MMA fighter and was recently ranked 9th in the world. Yes, you read correctly... 9th in the world!!!
Barb aka 'The Little Warrior' is a top ranked fighter. I've never seen Barb fight live, but I know she's a disciplined, committed, and strategic fighter. There's no surprise she's world ranked with those qualities.
When it comes to her workouts and the fitness of our FT clients, her passion drips off every rep she calls out. She trains clients with the same qualitites she fights with. And our clients love it!
Some of you may not be familiar with mma. It stands for mixed martial arts. Boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, muy thai... basically any and all forms of martial arts.
But don't be alarmed, this isn't some basement type brawl. It's a very popular sport that's gaining more and more attention. And Barb is responsible for that.
Barb is fighting next week in St. Charles. The fight is next Saturday night(3/11) at the St. Charles Banquet Center. Fights start at 6:30pm and Barb is fighting second to last. If you've ever been interested in mma this is the chance to see it for yourself. You can get more info by going to: www.sportfightingnews.com or calling 314.267.2204.
You can wish Barb good luck by posting a comment below!
Talk soon,
Tim
Monday, February 14, 2011
If you're not eating TWO servings of fish per week, please read this now
What a grorgeous Valentine's Day! The forecast
this week is very exciting given our winter so
far. I hope your Valentine's Day is full with love,
romance, and all that good hearty love stuff.;-)
And speaking of the heart, I have an interesting
fact for you.
Picture yourself grabbing a tennis ball (assuming
you don't have one at your computer) and squeeze
it tightly. Do you feel your hand grip the ball
and compress down?
That's how hard the beating heart works to pump
blood. And your heart will beat roughly 72 times a
minute; 100,000 times a day; 3,600,000 times a
year; and 2.5 billion times during your lifetime.
That's a lot of work.
Your heart is THE MOST important muscle in your
body.
And it only makes sense to take care of it. It
only makes sense to exercise it.
If you didn't know, February is heart health
month. Today's holiday is always a good reminder.
So it's a great time to assess how you treat your
most important muscle in the body.
**Do you exercise it?
There is nothing better for you than raising your
heart rate. Get your blood pumping, muscles
working, endorphins kicking, and heart pounding.
That type of exercise makes you feel good... and
proud.
**Do you give it what it needs?
Hamburgers, french fries, cupcakes, and alcohol.
I'm sure your heart enjoys a celebration once in
awhile, but a constant onslaught of that stuff is
a recipe for disaster. Try whole grains, FIBER,
lean meats and FISH, low fat dairy, fruits and
veggies. That stuff makes your heart happy!
**Do you give it more than it deserves?
In a recent survey 76% said they used a fish oil supplement regularly. I'm sure you've heard of Omega 3 fatty
acids if you don't already know their benefits.
Studies have shown Omega 3's, particularly EPA and
DHA support heart health, joint and brain
function, and even help reduce inflammation and
boost your immune system.
This supplement is a no brainer with "very little
downside to taking this supplement." It's a MUST
if you have any form of cardiovascular (heart)
disease or even a family history. And I bet your
doctor would agree with me.
**Do you really know it?
Do you know your blood pressure, cholesterol,
blood sugar and weight? You don't have to go to
the doctor to know these numbers. But you will
want to talk to her about them.
These questions should get you started. There are
more assessments to help you at www.heart.org.
If you haven't given your heart 5 minutes of
thought in the last year, give it now. You can
start by getting some fish oil. For less than a
buck a day you can take some preventative measure.
Then take advantage of this refreshing weather and
get outside and get your heart pumping.
Happy Valentine's Day,
Tim Chudy
P.S. ATTENTION LADIES: 90% of women have one or
more risk factors for heart disease. AND more
women die of heart disease than the next four
causes of death combined! Including all forms of
cancer. Do something now. Start with exercise,
nutrition, and supplementation.
this week is very exciting given our winter so
far. I hope your Valentine's Day is full with love,
romance, and all that good hearty love stuff.;-)
And speaking of the heart, I have an interesting
fact for you.
Picture yourself grabbing a tennis ball (assuming
you don't have one at your computer) and squeeze
it tightly. Do you feel your hand grip the ball
and compress down?
That's how hard the beating heart works to pump
blood. And your heart will beat roughly 72 times a
minute; 100,000 times a day; 3,600,000 times a
year; and 2.5 billion times during your lifetime.
That's a lot of work.
Your heart is THE MOST important muscle in your
body.
And it only makes sense to take care of it. It
only makes sense to exercise it.
If you didn't know, February is heart health
month. Today's holiday is always a good reminder.
So it's a great time to assess how you treat your
most important muscle in the body.
**Do you exercise it?
There is nothing better for you than raising your
heart rate. Get your blood pumping, muscles
working, endorphins kicking, and heart pounding.
That type of exercise makes you feel good... and
proud.
**Do you give it what it needs?
Hamburgers, french fries, cupcakes, and alcohol.
I'm sure your heart enjoys a celebration once in
awhile, but a constant onslaught of that stuff is
a recipe for disaster. Try whole grains, FIBER,
lean meats and FISH, low fat dairy, fruits and
veggies. That stuff makes your heart happy!
**Do you give it more than it deserves?
In a recent survey 76% said they used a fish oil supplement regularly. I'm sure you've heard of Omega 3 fatty
acids if you don't already know their benefits.
Studies have shown Omega 3's, particularly EPA and
DHA support heart health, joint and brain
function, and even help reduce inflammation and
boost your immune system.
This supplement is a no brainer with "very little
downside to taking this supplement." It's a MUST
if you have any form of cardiovascular (heart)
disease or even a family history. And I bet your
doctor would agree with me.
**Do you really know it?
Do you know your blood pressure, cholesterol,
blood sugar and weight? You don't have to go to
the doctor to know these numbers. But you will
want to talk to her about them.
These questions should get you started. There are
more assessments to help you at www.heart.org.
If you haven't given your heart 5 minutes of
thought in the last year, give it now. You can
start by getting some fish oil. For less than a
buck a day you can take some preventative measure.
Then take advantage of this refreshing weather and
get outside and get your heart pumping.
Happy Valentine's Day,
Tim Chudy
P.S. ATTENTION LADIES: 90% of women have one or
more risk factors for heart disease. AND more
women die of heart disease than the next four
causes of death combined! Including all forms of
cancer. Do something now. Start with exercise,
nutrition, and supplementation.
Friday, February 4, 2011
8 Tips To Stay Healthy For Super Bowl Sunday
Did you know Super Bowl Sunday is second only to
Thankgiving for food consumption? An estimated
14,500 tons of chips and 4,000 tons of popcorn are
eaten during the big game!!
That being said, here are 8 tips and tricks
to keep your eating habits under control come
kickoff.
1. Don't eat from the chip bowl. Portion out your
chips and dip to prevent mindless overeating.
2. And speaking of dip, offer/bring a low fat
option with toasted pita chips or baked tortilla
chips. This will cut the fat and carb content.
3. Speaking of dip...don't double dip! Dip the
chip and end it.
4. If you're going to grill hamburgers and hot
dogs, go ahead and add some chicken breasts. Grill
them with a tasty marinade. You can assume at
least a few of your guests will want a healthy
option as well.
5. Include a whole wheat bun/bread option too.
6. Stick to light beer. Always have a glass of
water with it. Sip from both of them and you'll be
surprised how much less beer you drink.
7. One dessert. Nothing more.
8. I don't have a favorite this year, but I'm
hoping for a close, exciting game (my prediction is below). But if the game
is slow and the commercials disappointing, don't
eat out of boredom. Keep the conversation going or
start a game of your own.
Most importantly, have FUN!! It's a great time to
spend with friends and family. And doing it
healthy never hurts.
To your health and fitness,
Tim Chudy
P.S. The spread is Packers by 3. I'm calling a Packers win 24-17. What's your call? Post it in the comments. If you guess it right, you win a FREE WEEK of training!!!
P.P.S. You don't have to know a lick about football. My wife picks her NCAA basketball teams by city location and mascot! Have some fun and win some free training. Good luck!
Thankgiving for food consumption? An estimated
14,500 tons of chips and 4,000 tons of popcorn are
eaten during the big game!!
That being said, here are 8 tips and tricks
to keep your eating habits under control come
kickoff.
1. Don't eat from the chip bowl. Portion out your
chips and dip to prevent mindless overeating.
2. And speaking of dip, offer/bring a low fat
option with toasted pita chips or baked tortilla
chips. This will cut the fat and carb content.
3. Speaking of dip...don't double dip! Dip the
chip and end it.
4. If you're going to grill hamburgers and hot
dogs, go ahead and add some chicken breasts. Grill
them with a tasty marinade. You can assume at
least a few of your guests will want a healthy
option as well.
5. Include a whole wheat bun/bread option too.
6. Stick to light beer. Always have a glass of
water with it. Sip from both of them and you'll be
surprised how much less beer you drink.
7. One dessert. Nothing more.
8. I don't have a favorite this year, but I'm
hoping for a close, exciting game (my prediction is below). But if the game
is slow and the commercials disappointing, don't
eat out of boredom. Keep the conversation going or
start a game of your own.
Most importantly, have FUN!! It's a great time to
spend with friends and family. And doing it
healthy never hurts.
To your health and fitness,
Tim Chudy
P.S. The spread is Packers by 3. I'm calling a Packers win 24-17. What's your call? Post it in the comments. If you guess it right, you win a FREE WEEK of training!!!
P.P.S. You don't have to know a lick about football. My wife picks her NCAA basketball teams by city location and mascot! Have some fun and win some free training. Good luck!
Friday, January 28, 2011
How To Help Your Child Lose Weight
According to the Center for Disease Control, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years. Kids today are developing Type II diabetes (formally called adult-onset diabetes), high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular related diseases. We should all be alarmed about this.
I would venture to say you had one or two 'husky' classmates when you were growing up. I don't think that's the case in the average classroom today. And this problem is only getting worse.
A new study published in Pediatrics sheds light on helping prepubescent children lose weight. The outcome was no surprise to me. I'm curious if it is to you.
The study took a group of parents and put them through a healthy lifestyle course, or a healthy lifestyle course coupled with a parenting course.
They found that children lost weight in both groups. But what was interesting was there was no significant difference among weight loss with the group receiving both courses vs. the healthy lifestyle-only group.
This means that if you only adjusted your lifestyle and ignored any parenting changes, your child would drop weight.
Does that surprise you? Like I said, it didn't surprise me.
Because that's how kids learn.
Through modeling.
Your eating and exercising habits WILL rub off on your kids. My Mom and Dad's attention and dedication to a healthy diet and their own exercise program rubbed off not just on me, but my three siblings too.
It reminds me of the funny but true anti-drug commercial from the 80's. Remember, the dad asks his son, "Who taught you how to do this stuff?" The kid responds in defense, "You alright! I learned it by watching you!"
Parents who use drugs, have children that use drugs. Parents who don't exercise and eat right, have children that don't exercise and eat right.
Take a good look at yourself and your lifestyle. Are you a good, healthy role model for your child? If your child is overweight or has a bad diet, this question is even more important to ask.
Help yourself first. Become a healthy role model for your child. And you can bet they'll follow you and live a healthy lifestyle.
If you'd like help changing your lifestyle, and thus changing your family's lifestyle please reach out to me. I'm here to help. I hope you do.
To you and your family's health,
Tim Chudy
P.S. If you know you need to do something, but aren't sure what, request our info-pack. Your progress starts with one step. And this can be your first.
P.P.S. My blog post the other week was spot on the minds of more than a few people after a freind passed me an article in the NY Times: Full Service Gyms Feel a Bit Flabby. There ARE reasons why gyms DON'T work for the majority of the population (at least 85% by some surveys). The article also mentions a lady's 50lb weight loss using a personal trainer. There ARE reasons why our personal training system DOES work. It has been proven time and time again.
I would venture to say you had one or two 'husky' classmates when you were growing up. I don't think that's the case in the average classroom today. And this problem is only getting worse.
A new study published in Pediatrics sheds light on helping prepubescent children lose weight. The outcome was no surprise to me. I'm curious if it is to you.
The study took a group of parents and put them through a healthy lifestyle course, or a healthy lifestyle course coupled with a parenting course.
They found that children lost weight in both groups. But what was interesting was there was no significant difference among weight loss with the group receiving both courses vs. the healthy lifestyle-only group.
This means that if you only adjusted your lifestyle and ignored any parenting changes, your child would drop weight.
Does that surprise you? Like I said, it didn't surprise me.
Because that's how kids learn.
Through modeling.
Your eating and exercising habits WILL rub off on your kids. My Mom and Dad's attention and dedication to a healthy diet and their own exercise program rubbed off not just on me, but my three siblings too.
It reminds me of the funny but true anti-drug commercial from the 80's. Remember, the dad asks his son, "Who taught you how to do this stuff?" The kid responds in defense, "You alright! I learned it by watching you!"
Parents who use drugs, have children that use drugs. Parents who don't exercise and eat right, have children that don't exercise and eat right.
Take a good look at yourself and your lifestyle. Are you a good, healthy role model for your child? If your child is overweight or has a bad diet, this question is even more important to ask.
Help yourself first. Become a healthy role model for your child. And you can bet they'll follow you and live a healthy lifestyle.
If you'd like help changing your lifestyle, and thus changing your family's lifestyle please reach out to me. I'm here to help. I hope you do.
To you and your family's health,
Tim Chudy
P.S. If you know you need to do something, but aren't sure what, request our info-pack. Your progress starts with one step. And this can be your first.
P.P.S. My blog post the other week was spot on the minds of more than a few people after a freind passed me an article in the NY Times: Full Service Gyms Feel a Bit Flabby. There ARE reasons why gyms DON'T work for the majority of the population (at least 85% by some surveys). The article also mentions a lady's 50lb weight loss using a personal trainer. There ARE reasons why our personal training system DOES work. It has been proven time and time again.
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Sad Passing In The Fitness Family
There was a sad passing in the fitness world
yesterday. Jack LaLanne passed away at 96 years of
age.
Jack was a fitness icon introducing fitness to men
and women long before it was considered cool.
Jack influenced the lives of thousands. He was a
walking example of health. He taught the benefits
of fitness and nutrition throughout one's life and
even joked a few years back, "I can't afford to
die. It would wreck my image."
With all the fitness advice that's available
today, including my own, I think Jack sums it up
perfectly.
"The only way you can hurt the body is not use
it," LaLanne said. "Inactivity is the killer and,
remember, it's never too late."Jack's contribution to the health and fitness
industry will likely never be matched. He was the
ultimate trailblazer. And he not only talked the
talk, but he walked the walk.
When he turned 43 in 1957, he performed more than
1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes. At 60, he swam from
Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San
Francisco, handcuffed, shackled and towing a boat.
Ten years later, he performed a similar feat in
Long Beach harbor.
The guy was a health and fitness stud. And he'll
be missed.
Rest in peace Jack.
Tim Chudy
Monday, January 10, 2011
10 Dirty Secrets Your Fitness Club Doesn't Want You To Know
I was talking with a friend the other day and she
asked me whether she should join a gym, buy a
treadmill, or hire a trainer. I hear this question
a lot. Especially around the new year.
But what do you think my answer is going to be? Hire a
trainer of course! ;-)
But a trainer isn't for everyone. I certainly know
that. But neither is a gym. So I gave my friend a
report I wrote a couple years back called, "10
Dirty Secrets Your Fitness Club Doesn't Want You
Know".
I want to give you a free New Year's gift to you
too! You can download it by clicking here.
There's a lot you should be aware of at big box
gyms. And you won't be told any of this info by
the guy or gal that signs you up for a membership.
Having been in the industry for over 10 years and
worked in big fitness clubs I discovered these
secrets. And you can learn them all in this report.
Furthermore, it helps to think about what joining
a gym really is. It's simply a place to
workout. A membership gives you access to equipment,
a pool, weird stares and more. It is NOT a solution.
Don't expect to get a support system, accountability, personal
attention from people that know you and your name,
and many, many other components for weight loss
and fitness success.
Of course the important thing is that you're doing
something to improve your health and fitness. It's
just always smart to make sure that something
actually works.
You can download the free report by clicking on
this link. No name or email is required.
To your health and fitness success,
Tim Chudy
P.S. I realize you may have already joined a gym
by now. If so, this report is even more important
for you to read. And if you still need to start something,
download our info-pack after you've read through this
report. Then you'll be ready to make an informed decision.
asked me whether she should join a gym, buy a
treadmill, or hire a trainer. I hear this question
a lot. Especially around the new year.
But what do you think my answer is going to be? Hire a
trainer of course! ;-)
But a trainer isn't for everyone. I certainly know
that. But neither is a gym. So I gave my friend a
report I wrote a couple years back called, "10
Dirty Secrets Your Fitness Club Doesn't Want You
Know".
I want to give you a free New Year's gift to you
too! You can download it by clicking here.
There's a lot you should be aware of at big box
gyms. And you won't be told any of this info by
the guy or gal that signs you up for a membership.
Having been in the industry for over 10 years and
worked in big fitness clubs I discovered these
secrets. And you can learn them all in this report.
Furthermore, it helps to think about what joining
a gym really is. It's simply a place to
workout. A membership gives you access to equipment,
a pool, weird stares and more. It is NOT a solution.
Don't expect to get a support system, accountability, personal
attention from people that know you and your name,
and many, many other components for weight loss
and fitness success.
Of course the important thing is that you're doing
something to improve your health and fitness. It's
just always smart to make sure that something
actually works.
You can download the free report by clicking on
this link. No name or email is required.
To your health and fitness success,
Tim Chudy
P.S. I realize you may have already joined a gym
by now. If so, this report is even more important
for you to read. And if you still need to start something,
download our info-pack after you've read through this
report. Then you'll be ready to make an informed decision.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
One More Thing To Making Your Resolutions STICK
Oops! I forgot to mention something.
My earlier post gave you 6 tips to making your New Year's Resolutions STICK. I'm assuming you made at least one resolution. But probably more. These 6 tips are applicable to any area of your life; health and fitness, finances, diet, career, and many others.
But I forgot to mention one BIG thing.
And it's important.
What is it?
Excuses. You must drop ALL your excuses.
Excuses keep your life stagnant. Nothing postivie comes from excuses. As a personal trainer I've heard them all. Some so bad they're on the same level as 'My dog ate my homework.'
When you drop your excuses, you are really giving yourself permission to change. Because let's face it, change doesn't come easy. We'll avoid change til we're blue in the face. But when you make a decision to change, drop your excuses, and take action, you really tap into your true potential. And YOU WILL SUCCEED.
Drop your excuses. Make a change.
Make it a great year,
Tim Chudy
My earlier post gave you 6 tips to making your New Year's Resolutions STICK. I'm assuming you made at least one resolution. But probably more. These 6 tips are applicable to any area of your life; health and fitness, finances, diet, career, and many others.
But I forgot to mention one BIG thing.
And it's important.
What is it?
Excuses. You must drop ALL your excuses.
Excuses keep your life stagnant. Nothing postivie comes from excuses. As a personal trainer I've heard them all. Some so bad they're on the same level as 'My dog ate my homework.'
When you drop your excuses, you are really giving yourself permission to change. Because let's face it, change doesn't come easy. We'll avoid change til we're blue in the face. But when you make a decision to change, drop your excuses, and take action, you really tap into your true potential. And YOU WILL SUCCEED.
Drop your excuses. Make a change.
Make it a great year,
Tim Chudy
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