Motivation For Change

What would be your motivation to make a change to your health for the better? So many times I've had people come to me specifically because someone they know, family member or friend, make a turn for the worse due to lack of healthy eating and exercise, or worse, die of a heart attack or other issue from not making simple lifestyle changes. Usually these people see themselves going in that direction as well and only come to me because they become afraid of such a fate. But why wait until you lose or almost lose someone dear to you before you wake up and change your life? Why not take pride in yourself and take care of yourself now? Usually it's because most people want a quick fix; an easy way out. When they can't find one or everything they've tried doesn't work, they give up. Don't give up on yourself. Quick fixes don't work; it's the easy, lazy way out. There are ways to be active that are fun and it really is easy to learn how to eat the foods you love properly so that your food works FOR you and not AGAINST you. You just have to make some lifestyle changes. These changes may be difficult at first, but a couple weeks of sticking with it and it will become your new habit and will get easier and you'll find that you actually are happier. It does take some effort, but nothing that is really worth it comes easy. So my point is: Please don't wait until someone you know and love is taken from you or until something happens to yourself before you make simple changes to better your health. Understand that if you make the effort to change, a family member or friend may see your changes and might just be motivated to make changes of their own. You may just save a life. It's incredible how much good you can do by doing something good for yourself. So think long and hard about what would make you want to make that change. Is it a good reason? And what is stopping you from starting now? Why wait?

Can You Lose Weight In a Specific Targeted Area With Specific Exercises?

Can You Lose Weight In A Specific Targeted Area WithSpecific Exercises?

I’ve heard this question time and time again.  To answer this question simply, the answer isno.  But why?  And how do you lose weight and tighten upproblem areas?  First you need tounderstand the difference between “toning” and “burning fat”.

Toning is basically building muscle up to a desired level toachieve shape and firmness.  If you havebody fat to lose, the best way to reduce body fat is with increasing musclemass (this does not mean that you have to look like a bodybuilder….building yourmuscles in the slightest way will allow your body to burn more calories at restper day, so massive amounts of muscle are not necessary unless that is the lookyou are trying to achieve).  Whileincreasing your muscle mass, you will also be toning those muscles.  YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT!  You have to work your entire body, evenly,and eat properly to reduce your body fat percentage.  You can do thousands of crunches and abexercises each day, for example, but if you have a beer belly, trust me, no onewill see those strong rock hard abs you have under all that fat.  You will burn some calories, but doingcrunches alone will not reduce your body fat. BUT, if you have been working your entire body, have trimmed down andhave a “problem area”, you CAN help tone it up by doing exercises specific tothat area, more often than your other areas, to build the muscle up, which inturn will FIRM up the area.  You CAN spotbuild, but you cannot spot REDUCE.  Soharden those areas up a bit, periodize your eating to lower your body fat, andsee your body change and look more appealing to YOU in the mirror.  And remember that THAT is the goal….to makeYOU happy with the way you look.  Do nottry to change your outer appearance to look like someone else, to fit in, or toget someone to like you.  Do it forYOU.  For YOUR health and wellbeing.  To make YOURSELF happy.  If your reason is for yourself, then you willbe more apt to stick with it instead of getting frustrated and quitting becauseyou are doing it for some other outside source. So get up, get moving, and GET STARTED! Don’t overwhelm yourself…make a timeline of goals, however long, andmeet each smaller goal to get to your big goal. You’ll feel more productive if you can meet a small goal every two tofour weeks or so, or even every week if that works for you!  Now, put a big smile on your face, beconfident in yourself, and start now…not tomorrow or next Monday.  Amaze YOURSELF.

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME!!

Miranda Hoffmann, CFT

mirandaCFT@gmail.com,937.239.0180

The Best Secret To Losing Weight...

The Best Secret To Losing Weight?

Consistency.  Find a workout schedule and meal plan that works for your lifestyle so that you can be consistent with it.  You can pay top dollar for a personal trainer and nutrition plan, but no matter how great the workout regime and meal plan is, it won’t work unless you are consistent in following it.  If you don’t make the effort to change, neither will your body.  For example, if you don’t feed your body every three hours or so, your body will then store anything you eat as body fat, no matter how healthy it is, in case you do not feed it again for a long time.  Your body needs fuel to work.  If you don’t give it the fuel it needs, it’ll put whatever you do give it into storage for later usage, which means less energy for you.  Show your body that you care and that you will feed it consistently and see the changes start to occur.  Your body will trust that it will get what it needs to survive and will burn the rest, giving you more energy which in turn will allow you to work harder and burn even more calories.  It’s a win/win situation once you STAY CONSISTENT.  The same idea applies to working out.  You cannot workout here and there, sometimes once a week, sometimes four times a week….you must be consistent to allow your body to make the necessary changes so that you look and feel better.  Just like a parent must be consistent in teaching their children good behavior, you need to be consistent in teaching your body what you want from it.  Eat healthy, move your body, get great results.  And as always, if you need guidance on these subjects, I’m here for you! Consultations are always free. 

Miranda Hoffmann

937-239-0180  mirandaCFT@gmail.com