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.

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!

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.

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.

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

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Tips For Making Your New Year's Resolutions STICK

Happy New Year!

As you probably know, at the start of every new
year Americans seeking a better quality of life
will make a healthier lifestyle and losing
weight among their top resolutions.

It's almost a given. The holidays give you an
added guilt trip and all then it's time for
a resolution. What perfect timing.

Since most people try to adopt a healthier
lifestyle and lose weight for the new year, AND
most people drop those resolutions somewhere
between February and June, I thought some tips
for making those resolutions STICK would be helpful.

Allocation: You cannot expect to make ANY change
with your health, fitness, or weight without
setting aside time. Joining a gym only gives you
access to a facility. It won't help you lose
weight. Buying the newest bestselling diet book
only informs you about the diet. It doesn't prevent you
from eating junk food.

You must block out time, and preferrablly set
appointments, to take the needed action. When
it comes to exercise, accountability is the
biggest secret. For diet, it's preparation.

Priority: Everyone has priorities. Usually family
and work rank at the top. If you don't make your
resolution a high priority, it will quickly fall to the
bottom of your list.

So what's more important than your workout? I'm
not suggesting to miss your daughter's piano recital.
But because it's during your normal workout time, it
doesn't mean you should skip it all together. You must
reschedule. Our clients that train in the morning are
always the most successful with their schedules.
Obviously not much can pop up at 6 o'clock in the
morning. Well, other than more sleep. But who needs that.;-)

Measurement: There are no overnight success
stories when it comes to weight loss. No one just
loses 100 pounds. You lose 100 pounds 1 pound
at a time. Once you have your big picture, chunk
it down and measure often. At Fitness Together we measure once a month. Seeing progress stimulates your motivational engine. As momentum builds, your
confidence grows, commitment gets stronger, and this
entire process gets easier.

On the flip side, if you are going in the wrong
direction you can quickly realize it and change
course. Measuring your progress will ensure your success.

Don't rely on yourself: Let's be honest, sometimes
you just have a sh@*#y day. Everyone has them.
It is on these days that a coach and motivator
help pick you up and keep you on track. Don't go
it alone. There's no sense in that. Get a coach. (For
more info on our coaching programs click here
)

Numbers: Don't make 10 resolutions. You won't
stick to 'em. Make 1 good one. Or if you're
feeling really determined make 3. But don't
overload yourself. You'll overwhelm and burn out.
One successful resolution is better than 5
unsuccessful.

Commitment: I have a saying, "If you're
interested, you'll fail. If you're committed,
you'll succeed."
Only you can decide if you really
want to be healthy, lose weight, and feel good
about yourself. Doing so for others, by pressure,
or any other false pretense will result in
failure. Commit. But ONLY because you want to.

Print this out and post it where you can see it daily
along with your written resolutions. You're chances of
success will rise exponentially!

To your health and fitness in 2011,

Tim Chudy
Fitness Together

P.S. If you'd like help getting fit and healthy, losing
weight, feeling good, and making 2011 your best year ever
then request a consultation here.