Stayfitanywhere’s Blog

Do you want to make a lifestyle change?  Most of you reading this will say YES.  Are you ready to make a lifestyle change?  Read more to find out.

I first saw the stages of change model in a psychology class I took in University and saw it again in a workshop I took at a Can Fit Pro conference.  The stages of change model is a tool used to assess a person’s readiness to make a change in a particular behaviour.  This model is most often used with drug addicts or alcoholics, but can be used for any behaviour that needs to be changed.

Your lifestyle is a set of behaviours that defines who you are, so in order for a lifestyle change to take place behaviours must change.  If you would like to see a change in your body there are two areas that most people need a behavioural change: Physical Inactivity and Nutrition.  When I look at client’s nutrition habits these are behaviours that most often need to be changed: not eating breakfast, skipping meals, drinking too many calories, and eating highly processed foods.  In terms of physical inactivity the behaviours that usually need to be changed are: too many screens (TV, computer, video games, etc), and work schedule (time management).  All of these things eventually tie together but you can’t change everything at once, it is too overwhelming, it is best to start with one and once you have accomplished one the rest will follow (but only if you choose). 

Is one of the behaviours above the reason you aren’t achieving your ideal body?  Take a look at the condensed model below to see where you fit in.

Stage One: Precontemplation

You have no interest in changing your behaviour because you don’t see your behaviour as being a problem. 

Stage Two: Contemplation

You are aware of the behaviour that needs to change, you are weighing the pros and cons of change. 

Stage Three: Preparation

You have decided to make a change and are researching what it takes to make a permanent change.

Stage Four: Action

You are consciously making decisions to change your behaviour and have strategies in place to help you succeed.

Stage Five: Maintenance

You have made the change and have developed coping techniques to avoid relapsing to your old behaviour.

Stage Six: Termination

You are no longer tempted by your old behaviour.

Relapse

The return from action or maintenance to an earlier stage.

If you took the time to read this you are past the precontemplation stage and are on your way to making a permanent lifestyle change.  Contact me with any questions you may have or if you would like my help in achieving the body you have always wanted!

Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1

jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com

Monday and Thursday #FitTip at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere

This Saturday, April 24th, StayFitAnywhere will be hosting an Open House to officially open our new private personal training studio. The SFA training studio is located in the West End/Coal Harbour neighbourhoods of Downtown Vancouver, 1732 Alberni St. The Open House will feature great guest speakers, tons of prize giveaways from SFA and local businesses, and demonstrations of exercise techniques and equipment. Please feel free to stop by and learn how you can StayFitAnywhere between the hours of 10am and 3pm. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact info@stayfitanywhere.com.
Speaker Schedule
10:15am – Josh Neumann will be presenting “Staying Fit Anywhere” (www.stayfitanywhere.com)
11:15am – Rick Hall will be demonstrating the AFX: Foot Strengthening Device (www.afxonline.com)
12:15pm – Cliff Harvey will be presenting “Starving to Death on a Full Stomach” (www.cliffharvey.com)
2:15pm – Andrew Burchell will be presenting “12 Keys to Fat Loss” Get his FREE eBook here http://www.stayfitanywhere.com/index.asp?scn=56

You will not want to miss these speakers and this event. There will be plenty of prizes to be won along with special discounts offered on all of our services at the Open House.
See you all on Saturday,
Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1
jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com
Monday and Thursday #FitTip at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere

If you drive a high performance car you most certainly would spend a few extra pennies per litre to buy the highest octane gas in order to keep your car running at peak performance and maintenance free. I don’t think I will get too many arguments on this point… so why is it that we don’t treat our bodies with the same respect and care we treat a car? To further exaggerate this point when your car breaks down (even if it isn’t a high performance car) most people go directly to a mechanic and pay whatever it takes to have their car repaired. I ask the question again… why is it that we don’t treat our bodies with the same respect and care we treat a car? This morning’s thoughts are all about the fuel we put in our bodies, and please don’t take this information for granted question it, be critical of it and get informed. Finally to drive my point home, everyone does a little bit of research before they buy a car, they ask what the mileage is, any accidents, and kick the tires… does this happen when you buy your food?

• Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution – If you haven’t had a chance to watch this show, it is a must. It is an eye opener, even if you already know a lot about nutrition and food. PVR this show, and watch it with your family and friends. Jamie truly wants to make a difference in the world and is using his celebrity status to do good for the world! Do you know how a chicken nugget is made? Jamie shows you, and if you needed another reason to stay away from highly processed food he delivers it. Know what fuels your body!
• Bigger Stronger Fast Documentary – A couple of weeks ago I watched a fantastic documentary on steroid use in the USA by Chris Bell. Chris explores discusses the pros and cons of steroid use and delivers some interesting facts, leaving it up to you to make your own decision on steroids. By no means do I advocate the use of steroids to gain a competitive advantage in athletics or to improve your aesthetics, but again it is important to be informed. Chris also touched base on the supplement industry in a couple of ways and probably my favourite scene in the movie was when Chris showed how easy it is to make your own supplement. Chris hired a couple of labourers and created his own “proprietary blend” of ingredients into a capsule and bottled them. He applied a label with same-day before and after pictures and within 24 hours he had a supplement that was ready to be sold in stores. What about FDA approval? Not necessary. There has to be some governing body right? Nope. It costs about $1 a bottle to make some “Magic Pill” that can be sold for $40-60 a bottle without even having to prove if it works or what side effects it may have. Now this isn’t the case for all supplement companies, and the regulations are different here in Canada, but again be informed on what you are putting into your body!
• lovejamgirl.blogspot.com/2010/03/27310.html - A friend of mine from high school wrote the following blog post and her messages are great, don’t take my word for it read it and develop your own opinions. Know how much water you are using on a daily basis. Eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables! We have come a long way with anti-smoking laws and warnings, it took a shift in culture to get to this point and we now live in a society where smoking isn’t as socially acceptable as it was years ago. This same shift is what it is going to take to make people aware of the food they are eating and what it is doing to their health. Heart disease kills more people than cancer, cigarettes have a health warning, should a high fat, highly processed Big Mac have a warning too?
• If you use twitter, first of all you better follow StayFitAnywhere (www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere), and here is an article that highlights 50 nutritionists you should follow on twitter, 50 Nutritionists You Should Follow on Twitter. Twitter is a great tool to get short bits of information on a variety of topics that you find interesting.

You will only have one body for the rest of your life, start taking care of it as if were a $100000 car.
Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1
jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com
Monday and Thursday #FitTips at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere

On Tuesday February 9th, I again presented my famous ‘12 Keys to Fat Loss’ seminar at the Kerrisdale Community Centre.  I always love presenting this or any other of our seminars.  What I love even more is the fact that delivering the exact same lecture is different every single time.  A different audience always brings about different curiosities and I must elaborate on different areas every time I present.

One woman asked me a fantastic question after the lecture was over:  ‘Why did you write this ebook?’  I must admit, that the question caught me off guard initially.  But after a moments reflection, I replied: ‘to spread the message!’  If you have read the ebook version of ‘The 12 Keys to Fat Loss’, then you couldn’t have missed all the frightening statistics in regards to obesity, weight gain, sugar intake, and inactivity.  75% of North Americans will be overweight in 5 years time.  Collectively, it seems that the actions we are currently taking to be fit and healthy, are not working.  And it is going to cost us!  Inactivity is currently costing the British Columbian health care system $211 million a year. Can you imagine what it is going to cost us in 5 years time?  10 years time?  

If you haven’t read the book, you can download it for free at www.stayfitanywhere.com.  All we ask is that you forward it to one person.  Help us spread the message that we must change our actions in order to be fit & healthy as a nation.  If you would like me to present this or any other of our seminars to your group or your work colleagues, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Happy Training

Andrew Burchell

Clinical Exercise Specialist

aburchell@stayfitanywhere.com 

I have been sent a fantastic nutrition article and I would like to share it with you all, http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/201001/diets-fitness-nutrition-wellness-intro.html?utm_source=Outside&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Dispatch.  If you don’t have time to read it here is a rundown of what it is all about and my favourite quotes.  The author, John Bradley, dedicated a year of his life to trying out 6 different nutrition plans.  He gave himself 8 weeks on each plan and had regular visits with a doctor for health screening as well he kept a journal of how he felt while following each plan (something everyone should do when trying to figure out the foods their body agrees with most).  The 6 nutrition plans he followed were: The Abs Diet, Paleo Diet for Athletes, The Mediterranean Prescription, The Okinawa Program, Nutritionist, and MyPyramid.gov.  Find descriptions of each of these plans in the article. 

My Favourite Quotes from the Article:

Eat as many vegetables as you can, plus healthier versions of most of the foods you already like, and find activities you enjoy. But don’t forget that sometimes health and happiness depend on big, festive meals and afternoon naps. If your pants get tight, eat less and exercise more. I can get behind that.  JN’s thoughts: This is one of the best statements I have ever read… It keeps things really simple and addresses the fact that you should spend more time doing the activities you love and the importance of happiness in the pursuit of the body you are looking for.

It (mypyramid.gov) forces you to pay attention to everything you eat. You realize quickly how hard it is to get in sufficient produce and how quickly calories, fats, sodium, and cholesterol add up.  JN’s thoughts: Again tracking what you put into your body is a great wake up call to even the healthiest person.  Spend 2 weeks recording when and what you eat and drink (even if it is a pop and a piece of pizza at 3am) and how you feel after you eat.  You will likely begin to see patterns and what needs to be fixed and if you can’t find the patterns talk to an expert.

Bradley’s Conclusions: What did I learn in the end? Lean protein, good fats, healthy carbs. More specifically: modestly sized meals consisting of lots of produce, a bit of lean meat now and then, and grains that haven’t been bleached and pulverized into submission. Also, olive oil is good, and snack on nuts and dates.  JN’s thoughts: Eating doesn’t have to be complicated, read the above sentence again.  What am I going to have for dinner?  Pick a vegetable or two, choose a lean piece of meat, and find some whole grains… and if you want dessert have a piece of fruit.  The above sentence also reminds me of one of my favourite sayings: eat organic, you know like your grandparents did. 

A last bit of advice: Once you’ve settled on a nutritional approach, cheat. Every now and then, eat whatever you want and wash it down with what’s on tap. Knowing you can do this will make it easier to eat well the rest of the time.  That’s it. It may not be completely scientific, but I bet it’s closer than anything you’ve tried. I also bet it will work.  JN’s thoughts: Instead of calling it cheating let’s call it an exception to the above rules, because there are always exceptions to the rule and this includes food and drink.  However, be careful these exceptions don’t turn into new rules!

As Bradley says no one nutrition plan will work for every individual, just as no one fitness program will work for every individual, so try a few nutrition and fitness plans and see what works best for you.  If you are stuck for ideas on both send me an email and I will help create a solution that works for you.

Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1

jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com

Monday and Thursday #FitTips at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere

I recently had a friend send me a youtube clip.  I honestly wasn’t suprised after viewing it.  The funny thing is, people know better, but yet, a place like this exists for a reason.   However, I’m pretty sure most individuals who go to his joint probably aren’t regulars and probably don’t order the “Quad” burger.  Take a look at the youtube video YouTube. Imagine trying to burn 8000 calories during one workout.  If an average person person burns 1000 calories hiking the Grouse Grind, that would make this a very very long day.  For most of us who don’t consume 8000 calories in one sitting and are still encountering obstacles to shed the excess fat, we have some very easy solutions. They are found in our new eBook, 12 Keys to Fat Loss, a simple guide to weight reduction.  You can find it on our site Free @Stayfitanywhere.com Combine the knowledge of Fat Loss and the knowledge of body awareness with Stayfitanywhere’s Online Personal Training and you will have a complete package to a healthier and active lifestyle. Find all of our services at Stayfitanywhere.com

~joe - BCS, PTS
jcheng@stayfitanywhere.com

On Wednesday January 20th, I presented ‘Functional Exercise Strategies for the Workplace @ HEABC.  This was a follow-up lecture to ‘The 12 Keys to Fat Loss’ which I had presented there two weeks earlier.  During that ‘12 Keys to Fat Loss’ lecture, the common frustration and barrier to why people could not get in enough exercise was time.  And while ‘The 12 Keys to Fat Loss’ lecture really seemed to motivate the group to get going with their exercise, this follow-up lecture was geared at showing them the strategies on how they could actually create time and fit in some simple exercises while they were at work. 

During this lecture, we covered the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) guidelines for:  Fat loss, Cardiovascular Fitness, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Strength, and Muscular Flexibility.  I then forced the group to think up some strategies, by giving them a piece of paper with a muscle on it.  In groups of 4, each had to figure out how they were going to get a resistance training exercise and a stretch for the muscle that they given while they were in their desk.  This exercise really forced them to think and get creative.  I then shared some of the Stayfitanywhere strategies for fat loss, postural conditioning, back pain relief, and mental energy & alertness.  Overall, I think this group really learned a lot and made them rethink the way we must exercise in the 21st century.

My next lecture will be ‘The 12 Keys to Fat Loss’ at Sunset Community Centre (6810 Main street) on Tuesday, January 26th at 6 pm.  This is a very informative, very motivating, and very potent lecture that is sure to get people moving more.  All the information of this lecture (and much much more) is available in Ebook version, available as a free download at www.stayfitanywhere.com in PDF format.  

If you or your company are interested in having these or any other of my lectures at your office, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Happy Training…while you’re working… and getting paid for it!

aburchell@stayfitanywhere.com 

On Wednesday, January 6th, I presented the lecture version of our Ebook, ‘The 12 Keys to Fat Loss’ at HEABC.  This is hot topic right now in January, as ‘losing those extra pounds’ again remains number one on the list of New Years resolutions.  I had a group of 12 attend this lecture and all seemed keen to soak in the material.  Even though I let all the attendees know that all the information in the lecture was available in Ebook version, I still had numerous participants furiously taking notes.  I even had one blind lady who recorded the presentation in audio format.  How cool!

It always amazes me that no matter how many times I give this or any other lecture, every one is always so incredibly different.  Even though the material is identical, the group of participants is different, and therefore, different curiosities and questions always arise.  In this particular group, we had a curiosity about ‘finding time’.  As I explained that ‘time’ is always the biggest barrier to exercising consistently, one woman shared how there isn’t enough time in the day to exercise.  I quickly explained that this was precisely the reason that I was there.  I explained that we must CREATE the time in our schedules to make it happen!  I then explained that by doing simple exercises, such as a squat, at work you can fit in the daily exercise that you need.  And since you’re at work- you’re getting PAID to do it!!  How great is that!  

My next lecture will again be at HEABC on Wednesday, January 20th, and the topic will be ‘Functional Exercise Strategies for your Workplace’.  In this lecture, I elaborate on the specific exercise strategies that you can do at work to ‘Stayfitanywhere’.  I think it is safe to say that the woman who claimed that ‘there isn’t enough time in the day’ will definitely be attending this one!

Happy Training! 

I have spent the holidays in Calgary with my family, and although we have indulged in big meals, treats, and drinks we still managed to get some activity done on a daily basis.  Following are the activities we did, some can’t be done in every city in the world but if you need help finding some activities contact me and I will create a fitness solution specific to you and your location. 

·         Went to the gym with my dad for a workout.  A gym is a great place to get a workout done but you don’t need a gym, great workouts can be done anywhere, ask me!

·         Shovelled snow off the driveway.  This isn’t the most fun workout but it is a workout and can be a great way to sneak an extra 10-15minutes of movement into your day.  (Unfortunately I missed out on the big snowfall in Calgary that had the whole block out shovelling in order to get cars out of the driveway, shoot!)

·         After Christmas dinner we grabbed the toboggan and walked to the ravine and went sledding for 45minutes and then walked home.  Fun to go fast down a hill, and then the added benefit of walking/running back up the hill!

·         We headed to Lake Louise to snowboard/ski.  Sunshine, great snow, and amazing views all while getting a great workout… and because it is so much fun you spend all day doing it!

·         I taught my mom some simple exercises that she can do in the living room, she even saw the improvements in her skiing technique from these exercises.

The one thing I missed out on this year during my stay in Alberta was skating on an outdoor rink, maybe next year.  There are plenty of ways to incorporate activity into your day, the key is finding activities that you truly enjoy.  A great goal for 2010 is to perform at least 30minutes of activity every day, it doesn’t have to be 30minutes straight, it can be broken down into 3 – 10minute segments.  So grab a calendar and plan out activities for the month of January!

Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1

jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com

Monday and Thursday #FitTips at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere

With big dinners looming around every corner don’t forget these holiday eating tips.

·         Don’t starve yourself throughout the day, still eat 4-5 times a day 2-3 hours apart

·         The majority of your plate should be covered with vegetables

·         Go for yams instead of mashed potatoes

·         Be careful with gravy

·         Slow down while you eat and converse with your family and friends

·         After you finish your first serving wait 10-15 minutes to see if you really need a second serving

·         Eat desserts in moderation

·         Plan a 30minute post dinner walk

Enjoy spending time with your family and friends!

Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1

jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com

Monday and Thursday #FitTips at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere