Even though I enjoy exercising now and wouldn’t miss a workout session unless something really drastic happened, there was a time when I only did it because I knew I had to to lose weight.

Notice the moobs and gut and just know that it got worse.  Way worse.

There were times when my motivation was lagging and I found it really hard to push myself though a workout.  And even if I did make it thought the workout, because I couldn’t push myself as hard as I thought I should have, I would feel that my whole plan to lose weight/fat was thrown off and I would never reach my weight loss goal.  Forget the body of my dreams.

At one point things seemed to be getting worse as I had, what I thought, was one bad workout after another.  The whole idea of working out started to become even less fun than it already was.  It seemed like I was always playing catch up and I was destined to fail at my weight loss goals like so many others before me.  Sound familiar.

I felt like a weak failure and that I was quickly losing my battle with the bulge.  And that is definitely not what getting the body of your dreams should be all about

Thankfully I learned some things along the way.  Some strategies here.  A few tips there. Either finding out for myself or getting help from others.   All of which got me to my present body.

These motivational tips can also help you destory your lack of motivation and self doubt right when you are about to give up exercising for the day.

Or forever

So take the 7 tips I have included below and put them to use now (I mean right now) and you will never think of skipping a workout ever again.

1.)  Visualize.  - Find a quiet place and turn off all distractions.  Once you are focused, I want you to visualize the body you want and will get if you workout.  When you have that body in front of you I want you to focus on the parts that you really want to change.  See that flat stomach, those firm thighs, the strong shoulders, those toned arms and whatever else you are looking to achieve by working out.

Once you are done visualizing your dream body, remind yourself that you can only get it though hard work and exercise.

Visualize your perfect body.

2.)  Write everything down. – And I mean everything.  Write down what your goals and expectations are, your clothes sizes, your height, weight, circumferences and where you would like the aforementioned numbers to end up. Write down how you felt after your workouts.   Or how you felt after you blew one off. Even write down things that happened because you now workout but didn’t expect (i.e. better sex).

The next time you feel like blowing off a workout read the things you have written.  Seeing the changes that have occurred due to working will inspire you to make them even better.

3.)  Don’t stop moving.  - It has been shown that it is what you do for non-structured exercise that really determines how fit and healthy you are.  (see Fat Loss is NEAT).  So no matter where you are and what you are doing, MOVE.   Walk around, jump, hop.  Just do something.

Once you start you will want to keep going.  Like Newton discover: an object in motion wants to stay in motion.  Not moving around and just sitting there can make you want to keep doing the same.

MOVE ALREADY.

Follow her example and keep moving.

4.)  Do a 5 minute workout. – Really don’t feel like working out.  Do this.  Go to the gym (or where ever you workout) and tell yourself that you will workout for just a few minutes.  And mean it.  Have absolutely no intention of continuing.  Plan to stop at the designated time.

If you get to that time and you still want to stop.  By all means stop.  But remember: an object in motion wants to stay in motion.  Your chances of actually stopping and pretty low.

5.)  Take a caffeinated nap. – I do this a lot myself with a cup of green tea.

Feeling slow and tired?  Try this.  Make a cup of tea or coffee.  Once you finish drinking it (quickly is preferred), set a timer (if necessary) and take a 15 – 20 minute nap.  If you really are tired, you will fall asleep but after about 20 minutes the caffeine will kick in.  Instant Energizer Bunny.

Try not moving when that happens.

6.)  Get ready. –  This works the roughly the same way as #4. Next time you don’t feel like working out gather everything up that you will need to workout.  Get your clothes, your shoes, your sweat bands and any equipment you might need and gather it up like you would for a workout.  Once you have done all that, you probably won’t want to have done it for nothing and will decide to work out.

7.)  Just do it. – Be like the athletic company, named after the Greek goddess of sport, and JUST DO IT.  Turn off that lard ass couch potato in your head and JUST DO IT.

JUST DO IT.

JUST DO IT.

That’s where you want to be.

Why are you still sitting there?  JUST DO IT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

Have any other tips that you use to motivate yourself.  Leave a comment below.  You just make keep someone on track that might otherwise give up.

Your friend and trainer,

Paul F. Sweatt

Wellesley’s Best Fat Loss Motivator and former lard ass couch potato.

Whether you go on a cruise, an African safari or a low-key trip to the beach, warm summer days are the best time to get away from it all.

But wait – did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?

Between missed workouts, extra large restaurant meals and indulgent snacks, lazy vacation days will quickly add inches to your waistline.

So before you pack your bags for your next adventure, read the following 6 Vacation Tips and come home fitter, not fatter.

Vacation Tip #1: Make a Decision

Before you leave home, make the decision that you will NOT gain weight while on your trip.

This is the easiest step to take to make sure that you avoid weight gain, but it is also the most overlooked. Instead of leaving things to chance, harness the power of creative visualization that has been proven time and time again by go-getters such as Michael Jordan, Einstein, Napoleon and Andrew Carnegie.

Visualize what it would be like to return home fitter than when you left. Take a moment to let yourself feel the excitement that you’d experience.

Remember what accomplishing your goal feels like – this will keep you motivated throughout your trip and will help pull you through the inevitable tempting situations that you’ll face.

Vacation Tip #2: Get Moving

It’s easy to spend vacation days sprawled out by the pool, but the inactivity will quickly add up to extra pounds.

Choose to be active and you’ll burn calories all day long while indulging in fewer unnecessary snacks. The following ideas will get you moving:

• Go on a brisk walk each day of your trip. You’ll see new sights while burning off excess calories.
• Always take the stairs rather than the elevator. Talk about bonus calorie burning!
• Go on a jog in the mornings before your daily activities, or jog in the evening after the day winds down.
• If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each day. Swimming is a fun way to get in a full body workout.
• If your trip takes you to a place of natural beauty then go on a hike. Even while hiking at a slow or moderate pace you’ll burn plenty of calories.
• Play some sports – beach volleyball, a game of hoops, Frisbee, or bike riding are all great ways to have fun while keeping fit.

Vacation Tip #3: Indulge with Portion Control

You have no choice but to eat out while on vacation. Whether you’re enjoying 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you’ll be met with the same problem: huge portions.

While it is tempting to simply eat it all – you are on vacation after all – this will quickly lead to extra pounds. Use the following tips to keep your portions under control:

• When you order your meal ask for a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it into the box before you even begin to eat. This will force you to eat a healthy portion.
• If you would rather not carry around a to-go box, ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime don’t be afraid to ask for the lunch-sized portion.
• Pay more, and eat less. Take quality of food over quantity.
• Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
• Eat slowly, and eat foods that have been prepared slowly – that means no fast food.

Vacation Tip #4: Eat Natural Sweets

One of your biggest enemies when it comes to vacation weight gain is…sugar.

The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. The average person on vacation consumes even more than that.

Even though sugary calories taste great, the sweet pleasure comes at a high price. Here’s what I mean:

• Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in blood sugar levels), which causes you overeat.
• Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth!
• Sugar weakens your bones -making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth – making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
• Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).

So instead of eating that ice cream cone or chocolate éclair, satiate your sweet tooth with a piece of juicy fruit.

Vacation Tip #5: Don’t Eat Fried Foods

While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, it’s really not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: don’t eat fried foods. While this is always a good plan to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.

A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry – so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.

Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into French fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.

Other disasters that fried foods increase your risk for include:

• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Clogged Arteries
• High Blood Pressure
• Obesity
• Acne

If I still haven’t convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are not fun…especially while on vacation. Need I say more?

Vacation Tip #6: Do this Hotel Room Workout

If your hotel doesn’t have a gym, or if you’d simply prefer the privacy of your room, do this hotel room workout:

• Body Weight Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
• Body Weight Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
• Push Ups: Get into the push up position (depending on your fitness level choose to go off your knees, push off of the wall, or assume the traditional position). Inhale as you lower your chest down. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
• V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

Well, now you have 6 tips that will keep away the unwanted vacation pounds. You may even end up losing a pound or two while away.

But let’s be honest, you want to lose more than a pound or two. You want to lose all of those extra pounds.

You may feel that the secret to achieving weight loss is just that – a secret. A mystery. You try, and try, and try but your goals are never met. Your dream body continues to stay out of reach.

In my experience the people who are unable to lose weight aren’t failing due to laziness. In fact, those frustrated with their weight often put in a lot of effort – but on the wrong things. A fad diet. The latest exercise gizmo. An ineffective routine at the gym.

It’s not that you aren’t willing to put in the effort – you’re just doing the wrong thing.

Think about this for a moment…What if this was the summer that you took control of your body? The summer that you threw your fat clothes away…the summer that you were proud to put on a bathing suit…the summer that your doctor congratulated you on your improved health…the summer that your family and friends – and that special someone – showered you with compliments.

It’s possible. Even more possible than you think.

The thing is that you need to direct your effort in an effective way.

This is where I come in.

You see, for me weight loss isn’t a mystery. It’s my passion. I have a proven method that will dramatically transform your body into one that you are proud to be seen in.

However, I can’t promise that it will be easy. You’ll work hard, you’ll sweat and you’ll even feel sore. And before you know it you will be telling everyone you know about the amazing results you’ve achieved.

So as you plan your next vacation, why don’t you also give yourself the gift that you really want – a new body. A tighter body. A stronger body. A healthier body.

I am here to help you do just that. Call or email now to schedule your first body-transforming workout.

Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals – something that you will appreciate while on vacation and at home.

You deserve it.

You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won’t budge.

Read the following 7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.

Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.

• Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you’ve always wanted.
• Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject it.
• You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal.
• Give up the belief that you can’t achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.

Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.

• Believe that something MUST change. You can’t be wishy-washy about it. You can’t be considering it. You can’t even be pretty sure about it. You’ve got to be rock solid.
• Believe that YOU must change it. You can’t pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It’s on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss enough to make it your personal mission.
• Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn’t matter. When you put your mind to it, you’re able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you’ll be unstoppable.

Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.

• Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
• Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
• Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it’s no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must.

• The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don’t give up until your goal has been achieved.
• Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting, and you’ll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule.
• If you don’t give up, then you’ll never fail.

Blocker #5: Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you’re weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits.

• Don’t eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat.
• Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
• Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:

• Review your goal. Is it specific and measurable? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? Focus on your goal when the going gets tough.
• Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace.
• Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won’t get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.

Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

• Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results.
• I am passionate about seeing you achieve results – don’t waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes.
• When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I’ll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most.

Get serious about your results and begin the last weight loss program that you’ll ever do.

Call today to schedule your first workout. You’ll find my contact info at http://www.traintosweatt.com.

Have you made progress or did your motivation sizzle out?

Most people wait around for motivation to strike them like a lightning bolt. Well, I’ve got news: motivation isn’t something that happens to you – it’s something that you create for yourself.

If you don’t feel motivated to achieve your goals, it is likely due to mental roadblocks that hold you hostage. Read the following 21 Mindset Tips and prepare your mind for success.

1.)  Success comes first in the mind, so visualize yourself accomplishing your goals.
2.)  Remember, you are the only person who can hold you back.
3.)  Forgive yourself and love yourself despite past failures.
4.)  Decide what is important in your life, and focus on that.
5.)  Conquer each negative thought the moment it enters your mind, when it is weakest.
6.)  Give up the idea that things won’t go right unless you worry about them.
7.)  If you bring the body of your dreams to the point of resolve, then you’ll soon be living in it.
8.)  Look towards your future, if you believe the best is yet to come then it will be.
9.)  You become what you think about most.
10.)  The margin between success and failure is very small and easily bridged by determination.
11.)  Start your day by accomplishing your hardest task first.
12.)  Set small attainable goals, rather than one monumental goal.
13.)  Convince yourself that exercise is fun, and it will be.
14.)  Know your big reason why.
15.)  Create a motivating play list of songs to use as the sound track to your workout sessions.
16.)  Every decision you make leads you either closer toward achieving your goal, or farther from it.
17.)  If you think you’re a fat person, then you’ll stay fat. If you think you’re fit, then you soon will be.
18.)  Once you’ve set your goal, your attitude either pushes you toward accomplishment or failure.
19.)  If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, you will likely end up someplace else.
20.)  You can have the body of your dreams, but first you must give up the belief that you can’t.
21.)  You can only have two things in life: excuses or results.

If you’re sick and tired of making excuses, then contact me today to get started on a results-driven fitness program.