Rule #1: Act as if you are already as fit as you would like to be
 

 

 

Don’t wait to get in shape, start acting “as if” today. You must start to act like a fit person now in order to become one. What I mean by that is act like one, eat like one, talk like one, dress like one….live that lifestyle. When you take those action steps you will realize that progress comes much faster than anticipated and you will be fit before you know it. Whether this sounds crazy or not, I know it works because I have used this with my clients and all our Renton Results Boot Camp members.
 
The mind-body connection is stronger than you think. I’ve seen both sides of the coin, people losing weight only to gain it back just as fast if not faster. On the other hand I have seen people change their lifestyles, their bodies, and become empowered for life. The only difference was the mindset!
The people that never really saw themselves as fit (even when they became fit) are the one’s that put the weight back on. The first step is changing your mindset and acting “as if”.

 

Rule #2: Get out of your comfort zone!
If you want to see some serious changes in your body then you have to do what your body is not used to. In most cases this means taking your body out of your comfort zone. Your comfort zone is where things are easy, it just doesn’t feel like you’re giving it much effort (or you may be giving it some effort but it’s not enough). If what you are doing with training, nutrition or anything else to do with changing your body, and it feels easy and comfortable, then I have news for you – you’re not going to transform your body!

When you are training you have to push yourself and challenge your body beyond what you’re used to. For most people a good example would be getting of the treadmills where the pace is nowhere close to challenging, and start doing training with weights and high intensity cardio intervals. Try going outside of your comfort zone on a daily basis whether it is with training or nutrition (such things as preparing healthy meals the day before and doing some sprints or bodyweight intervals).

Think of the habits that are keeping you from reaching your goals and start stepping out of your comfort zone.

 

Rule #3: Fuel your body the right way!
Get out of the mindset of starving yourself to get in shape! Eat more often, not less. The goal is to get your metabolism revved up and to do that you need to eat healthy food throughout the day. Start learning to fuel your body with unprocessed whole foods every couple of hours. That will really get your metabolism burning.
 
You bust your butt in the gym to change your body, so you also have to fuel the body to get the nutrients to where it needs them while continuing to keep an elevated metabolism. Starving yourself and not giving the body enough nutrients will create catabolism (muscle breakdown) which will slow the metabolism down and make you put on body fat.

 

Rule #4: Train hard or don’t train at all!
 
Someone that is looking to get fit and change their body shouldn’t be scared of lifting challenging weights and working at higher intensities. The only way to get out of your comfort zone is pushing yourself while you are training. The lean, defined and toned person you are trying to become looks the way they do because they have muscle, the very thing some of you are afraid of building.

In recent studies they compared weightlifting to aerobics. Both groups lost a 26 lbs of weight on the scale, but the group that did strength training lost only fat, while the aerobics group lost 8 lbs of their weight from muscle (not good!). When you lose muscle your metabolism slows down and that’s something that is a big no no for you.

The priority of the workout is to boost your metabolism, burn calories, build muscle, burn fat and create and afterburn effect (where you are burning calories long after your training session). The best way to accomplish this is some form of strength training, like the cardio strength training we do at Renton Results Boot Camp.

Push the intensity and don’t be afraid to lift heavier weights. If you want to be fit and confident then forget pink dumbbells, machines, aerobics and endless cardio.

Rule #5: Forget the number on the scale and get hooked on feeling fit!
 
Being fit is not only motivating but it can become addicting (what a great addiction to have). If you can tap into the sensation of being confident, fit, empowered and sexy and really tune in to how that feels, you’ll do anything to get that. Forget the scale for once and get hooked on experiencing the feeling.

If you ever had your ideal body in the past, think back to how great you felt. Visualize this feeling right when you start your challenge. No dessert or salty treat tastes as good as lean and sexy feels. It’s a high and its addicting. A truly fit person focuses on how they look in their clothes and how they feel. This is what should inspire you and motivate you to keep going and stay on track.

Rule #6: Obstacles will arise, anticipate them and keep it moving!  

 

As in any journey, you will undoubtedly have obstacles along the way. Just make sure they do not throw you too far off track. Successful people see obstacles as opportunities to be challenged and to learn about themselves. You should feel the same way, keep yourself focused and get right back on track.
 
You may get injured, sick or have an emergency in the family. It happens….to everyone. If you have a purpose and a focus that will pull you through your obstacles like a magnet and get you back on track to reaching your goals. If you anticipate them and know they are coming then they won’t be as much of a surprise. Take them on as a challenge and remember that the journey is just as important as the destination.
 
The biggest obstacle most of us might encounter is getting a bug or getting sick. You may be motivated and want to train right through the sickness but that is in most cases the wrong choice. When you are sick your body’s main objective is to fight the virus so it cannot repair muscle and replenish energy stores. A better choice is to take a break and rest up so you can come back sooner and feel good enough to hit the workouts hard. You’ll be back in no time and better than ever!
　Rule #7: Keep a journal or blog.

 

Keep a journal you like to write in and fill it with motivational sayings, pictures, goals, or anything else that will help you stay focused. You could also start a blog and write about your experiences, workouts, how you feel. This can be helpful as people will comment on it and support you as well as keep you accountable.

Write down your goals and keep them in front of you whether it is in your journal or on your fridge (you will definitely see them there). The least you should be doing is tracking what you eat, your workouts and how you feel. You wouldn’t believe how much that will help you in the long run with changing your lifestyle.
 
Rule #8: Surround yourself with supportive people, and keep the crabs out of your life!
 
 If you have ever went crabbing (since I live in Seattle I know a little bit about this) you may notice that once you catch the crab and put them in the bucket, you can leave them there all night long and none of them will get out. The reason is that if one crab tried to climb out the others would pull him back down. If he kept trying then the other crabs would pull his legs off to keep him in the bucket. You would think that they would let the crab get out and then realize they too could get out themselves. This is not the case and in essence it reflects human nature. When someone is doing things to become successful or better themselves, whether it is to start an exercise program or eat more healthy (I have found this to be the single most problematic issue with my past clients as they have significant others, family and friends that do not want to be helpful on the nutritional front), other people will try to drag that person back down to their level and keep them from being successful. The thought process is that if that person succeeds they will make everyone else look bad. INSTEAD they could join in and make the same positive changes.

So the next time you are out and your friends are asking you to “just have one drink”, or persuading you to stay up late because “you can miss one workout”, remember that it is an aspect of human nature and you will continue to experience it……but think about those people as just a bunch of crabs.

Don’t let the negativity get to you as it can be poison to your success.

Surround yourself with supportive people that are uplifting and motivating. Surround yourself with people that have been there and done that, from whom you can take advice that will help you in your challenges. Ask yourself who is in your inner circle and out of those people who is supportive and who is a crab? Start being conscious about who you are spending time with. If they are feeding you negative thoughts it will be extremely hard (hint: impossible) to undo them.

A great support group is the

www.RentonResultsBootcamp.com 

where everyone is motivated to reach their own goals and conquer their challenge while uplifting each other. No crabs allowed!
 I spent a little extra time on that rule because it is so important!

Rule #9: Attitude is everything!   

Attitude is a choice and you can choose to have a new one at anytime. Your attitude towards fitness will determine whether this will be a lifestyle change, so make that choice! If your attitude towards fitness is that it’s too hard, time consuming, and not worth it, you’ll never make it a priority, and it will never become a lifestyle.
 

 

Rule #10: Willpower is overrated, have strategies in place.
 
One of my colleagues, celebrity trainer Valerie Waters says “strategy trumps willpower”. I agree with her 100%. “Even studies show that willpower is in limited supply – meaning, resist the cookie now but it might be hard to resist later. It is way more important to build in good strategies.”

Having strategies is one of the important factors of being fit. For instance, I tell all my clients and boot campers to eliminate anything from their house that is trigger food (ice cream, cookies, chocolate, etc…..whatever it may be for you). Have healthy snacks in the house and don’t even test your willpower.

Find strategies that will keep you from relying on willpower. If you tend to get of track at a certain time of day then make sure you have some nuts or a protein shake ready so that you don’t eat food that doesn’t match your goals. If you know you can’t control yourself when going out to dinner then limit dinner to once a week (or even better every two weeks).

Rule #11: Stop rationalizing and making excuses!

 

 

Excuses, excuses, spare me your excuses! I have heard just about every excuse imaginable from my clients (honestly there are too many to list). Everyone has an excuse or their own rationalization for why they can’t lift more weight, do another rep, eat healthier or push a little harder. You’ll always be able to find one – always! Stop putting the blame on someone or something else and take ownership of your body. There can always be an excuse why not to start today.
There’s another thing there is no room for “kinda, sorta, maybe.” If I ask you if you’re sticking to your training and nutrition program, there is only a yes and no answer. “Kinda”, “somewhat” or “I am but…” means NO. Try really means “I’m giving myself an out because I’m planning to fail.” Don’t expect to get the body you want with a maybe.
If some of these sound familiar to you then stop making excuses (I’m only listing a couple because this could really go on forever).

 

“I don’t have enough time!”
Really? This one drives me crazy and may be the most common excuse. Here’s the secret: You don’t find time – you make time! You will never suddenly have all this extra time to train and prepare your meals. The good news is it takes less time than you think. But you do have to want this, you only get one shot at life and it flies by.

You should think of time as being equal to life (this is a great tip that I got from Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove). Replace the word time with the word life from now on. When you don’t have enough time you don’t have enough life to get in shape and reach your potential physically and mentally. Time = life.

What do you want in your life? Is it to be fit confident and empowered, then take time. Or decide that your life is not worth it.

“Work is hectic. I have too much to do at work.”
This goes back to excuse number one. You have to make time. Life is passing you by while you’re busy working. Take time for yourself every day and realize that exercise will give you more energy at work and help make you more productive. If you have to wake up earlier to exercise then do it. No excuses…

Ok I’m tired from just writing these excuses but you see where I’m going with this.

I hope these rules were helpful at making you take the next step in your fitness goals. Remember the best time to start was last year, the next best time is TODAY.