Don't think, Just DO!

(originally an email to my Fat Loss Contestants)

Hi friends!
By now, you're just about half-way done with the contest time frame - so a combination of three things are probably happening. One - you're seeing some promising results and changes from your initial two months of hard work... Two - you're really getting sick of keeping your diet (and maybe your activity) under such strict control. And three - you're still having trouble getting started OR you've recently given up b/c you weren't being perfect (let's hope none of you are doing that!). Now, whatever category you fall under, know that there's still time to make a big change... Read on to renew your motivation!

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Do you realize how many of your daily decisions are based on emotion? Emotion can dictate... how you decide to react to your co-workers, how you choose to communicate with your friends/family, how you determine whether your day is productive and positive - or worthless and crappy, how you perceive your self-image, and even how you decide what to eat and/or what new habits you are willing to follow.

It's just a fact of life. Emotions are powerful - and many of us let our emotions decide for us. We blame our nasty moods on our uncontrollable emotions. We refuse to believe that our negative perception of our lives (or ourselves) might actually be skewed, because it's based on emotional over-reaction. And - we make excuses about our poor eating habits, saying that we can't help ourselves... when we're actually letting our emotions choose our food (bad idea!), and essentially setting ourselves up for failure!!

We can't expect to simply lose our vices, typical temptations, and addictions. It's unrealistic to think that we can stop ourselves (and our emotions) from choosing those foods/drinks simply because of willpower alone. And because willpower is sometimes not enough - emotions are sometimes too strong and too persuasive - we have to create a plan! We have to prepare our meals and decide when we will eat them. We have to provide good choices and avoid the temptations. We have to determine a schedule, complete with cheat meals, and stick to it no matter what!

And it's even more important to do this when you're trying to transform your body! Maintenance is a different story - but losing fat... come on, it's essential to have a solid plan!

But even then, a plan is not enough.

The correct mindset is the next piece of the puzzle. You must take emotion out of the eating equation. You must also eliminate emotion from your exercise plan.

Why? Because if you start thinking and analyzing and deciding how you feel about eating a meal or completing a workout, there's the chance you will back out of your plan and make an alternate, unproductive decision. Dieting is NOT fun. It's not easy to consistently eat clean for long periods of time. It's not easy to avoid using food for comfort on difficult days. And for some people, exercising is not super enjoyable. On some days, it absolutely sucks! And that's just the way it is. But you can't let your everyday feelings stop you. You can't let a passing emotion detract you from your goal. Otherwise, you'll never succeed...

So, it is important that you don't think about what you've got to do... Just DO it!

Do what you have to do. Just get it done.

Just do the exercises. Go to the gym without hesitation. There's no other choice. There's no other option. Your plan says exercise at this time... so you will exercise. Get your butt to the gym and just start going through the motions if you have to (and at least put in some effort before the workout is over!).

Just eat the meals you planned to eat. There's no other choice. You didn't bring your favorite foods home, or any other tempting foods - so there's nothing stopping you from eating what you already prepared. If you bring your food to work - that's your meal. Eating out is not an option. Eating anything else is not a choice. Eating more food just out of habit is pointless. Skipping your meals is ridiculous (because it's all right there!).

So, your mantra for this week is: "Don't think, Just Do."

Plan for success. Prepare your food and exercise schedule in advance. Take your meals with you in a cooler - take your gym clothes with you in your bag. Then, don't think about whether you like it or not. Don't think about what you'd rather be eating or what you'd rather be doing instead. JUST DO IT!

You can bring your emotions back after you've transformed. For now, leave them behind.

Just do it - I know you can stick with it!

Here's to your perseverance!

Can you handle the holidays?

(originally an email to my Fat Loss Contestants)

Well, we've made it to the start of the holiday season. Thanksgiving is this week - and I'm sure you're all looking forward to a few days off from work. I know I am!

But without the schedule of work, your normal eating habits (all those habits you've been improving for these past two months!) can easily spin out of control. And your exercise schedule can also just as easily disappear. So, for this coming extended weekend, it's important that you try to remain loyal to your new healthy eating habits AND your exercise routine.

Even if you're traveling or you've got family in town... schedule in some exercise! Be careful of serving sizes. Continue to eat small meals every 2-4 hours (except maybe on Thanksgiving Day... that can be a "cheat day"). Eat lots of fresh veggies. Consistently choose clean, whole foods - and plan in advance 1 or 2 specific times for treats like pie and cookies (don't just snack on 'em all day!).

Since Thanksgiving Day is definitely a big eating day, and you are no longer used to eating a gigantic meal in one sitting - to minimize the effects of the day, you can a) plan a quick, challenging morning exercise session before the munch fest, and b) make sure you are practicing clean eating habits on the days leading up to Thanksgiving and all the days following.

Remember, most folks decide to throw their nutritional rules out the window during this holiday (and they tend to continue this pattern and let good nutrition slide throughout the remainder of the holiday season). But there is no reason for you to do that! I KNOW you can control yourself. That serving of mashed potatoes and gravy (that is 4x the size of a normal serving!) or that extra slice of pie is just not worth it when you're already on the way to becoming a healthier version of you. It's not worth it! And you don't need it.

While others are gaining an average of 7-10 pounds this holiday season, you will be LOSING weight. Imagine how jealous those folks will be come January 1st!

So, don't give up on yourself and your goals. Don't give in to a moment of weakness. Enjoy some good holiday food in moderation, then be done with it. You don't need to have those extra holiday splurges just because you want them, or just because everyone else is eating them. (And I'm not just talking about sweets... I'm talking about drinking extra beers that you normally don't drink during the week, eating massive turkey sandwiches and huge servings of your favorite dishes, or just overindulging in anything throughout the next 5-6 weeks). There's no good excuse this holiday season for throwing your progress out the window.

Yes, it will be hard to resist all the goodies and alcoholic beverages at holiday parties (Keep a bottle of water in hand at all times! It'll give you something to put in your belly, and no one will be upset that you're not getting drunk...).

It will be easy to just stop exercising because you want to relax, you have out-of-town guests, or you need to get your holiday shopping done. But you are on a mission. The goodies and beverages will always be there, so there's no need to overindulge NOW - and exercise will not take much time away from all the other stuff you need to get done or all the down time you want to enjoy. Just go get it done.

Okay - so your goals for this week are:
- To maintain your weight and body composition (We'll go back to losing next week...)
- To enjoy your favorite foods in moderation
- To plan your cheat meals (remember, you only get 3-4 per week!), and stay clean the rest of the time
- To exercise as much, or almost as much, as you always do
- To be prepared to return to your plan of action as soon as Thanksgiving weekend ends!

Have a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend. Get some rest and enjoy some time w/ friends and family. And good luck shopping at the sale events, if you are that brave!
I will be talking to you again next week. And I expect you to be proud of the control you displayed this weekend.... YOU are in control of your decisions, and I'm super confident that YOU can successfully beat your temptations. Good luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Kim Ball

Consistency is Key

(originally an email to my Fat Loss Contestants)

Good afternoon, friends!
Hope your weekend was successful.
If not, here's a thought: only 10 days til Thanksgiving... can you eat clean every day until then? (there's a new mini-challenge for you!)


Okay, so we know that consistency is the key to fat loss. We know that you consistently need to be in caloric deficit in order for your body to willingly give up its fat stores over a period of time.

That means... every day, you eat just a little bit less. Almost every day, you incorporate exercise (to keep the metabolism elevated, and to help increase the gap b/w caloric intake and caloric expenditure). And every week, you plan and prepare your healthy meals and your infrequent cheat meals - so there's nothing left to chance. And so your decisions will be predetermined, instead of being based on emotion and mood (remember... don't think, just do!).

I know you are all trying to be consistent. But a week of perfection, followed by a weekend of uncontrolled eating - that just doesn't cut it! Or, more realistically for some people: three perfect days, two semi-perfect days, then a weekend of indulgence. Or even: one perfect day, a handful of almost perfect days, one horrible day, then back to perfect.

Does any of this sound familiar? What's the point if you can't control yourself?! If you won't, then no one else will! And it's easy to forget, but... every little bit counts when you're trying to lose!

You NEED to be consistent. But are you really being consistent enough?

How do you know if you are truly sticking with your healthy habits enough to make progress? Are you tracking your consistency? Do you have a good idea as to how consistent you need to be?

Well, here's a hint.

Research has shown that there is very little difference b/w eating clean 90% of the time versus 100% of the time. Any difference is very small and insignificant. However, persons who drop below 90% adherence to a diet tend to find that their progress often comes to a halt. So, you should be striving to eat healthy, supportive meals 90% of the time - and you can feel free to "cheat" 10% of the time.

That means, if you are consistently eating 6 "meals" per day, then you are consuming 42 meals per week. Ten percent of 42? That's 4 cheat meals. Plan 'em into your weekly eating schedule.

If you are eating less frequently, you get less chances to cheat. If you are eating more frequently (but hopefully keeping the meals/snacks a bit smaller), then you get more chances to cheat.

But "cheating" doesn't mean binging. It simply means that you get to indulge in a food that you aren't normally advised to eat. A favorite food, a couple alcoholic beverages, or a sweet treat, for instance.

So - this week, you have homework. I've provided a link to an "adherence table". I want you to print it out and track your eating habits. For example... when eating meal #1 on day #1; put an "x" in that specific box if you consumed a healthy meal, put an "o" in the box if you chose an unhealthy meal, and put a "-" in the box for a missed meal. Continue tracking your meals every time you eat during the day. Tally up your total meals at the end of the week, then tally up your healthy meals. Type the number of healthy meals into your calculator, divide by the number of total meals, and write down the percentage that you come up with. That's your adherence, your compliance, your dieting consistency.

Will you be 90% consistent? I sure hope so. I really want to see each of you succeed!

I can definitely tell you, from experience... even 70-80% consistency may keep you at weight maintenance. And weight maintenance will be great - when you finally get down to your goal body composition. But, right now, we're not trying to maintain. We're trying to lose! And to do that, we need to consistently eat a little bit less, make better choices, and minimize the cheats. Consistently.

Alright, friends - time to see how consistent you really are... if you pass the consistency test, good for you! But if you adhere to healthy eating way below the 90% mark, then you're not doing the best you can. Plain and simple. So, you need to do better.

Remember, without consistency, your efforts will not give you the results you want.
(And without tracking your eating habits, you won't know your consistency! So give it a try.)


*If you need help deciding what's considered "healthy" and what is not, please contact me for options, or simply sign up for my affordable online nutrition program: http://www.deliberatemovement.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=32

Your future testimonial - imagine the words and pictures!

(Originally an email to my Fat Loss Contestants)

Hey there!

How is your progress coming? I'd love to hear about the changes you've made so far, or even the challenges and struggles you might be dealing with.
If you have a moment in the next couple days, give me a quick update! I'm always around if you're looking to brag a bit, or if you're just seeking a little extra advice/support...
(even those of you who are NOT in the Fat Loss Contest)

So -
I've been pondering the idea of adding testimonials, before/after photos, and client success stories on my website, www.deliberatemovement.com.
Wouldn't YOU like to be one of those success stories?

I know that the prospect of revealing your transformation to the online world is not your sole reason for wanting to become leaner, but it really is an exciting thing to look forward to. And I'm speaking from experience! Take a look at my testimonial, transformation photos, and success story on my competition coach's website...

http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/kim-b.html


My story was just recently added to the "Lean Bodies Consulting" website run by my former coach, Erik Ledin. And I'm really proud to have a whole page dedicated to my own fat loss process. I know that my words and pictures are going to inspire and motivate other people that visit his website. Especially those who are striving to reach the same goals that I had.

Don't you want to be the inspiration for others too??

Okay, okay. I know that your first goal is a little more selfish. You probably want to transform yourself for personal reasons first and foremost - to be healthier, to feel more energetic, to be stronger, to be around longer for your family/loved ones, to prevent disease, to look amazing naked, etc, etc...

BUT - sometimes those intrinsic motivations don't quite get you far enough. They don't coax you through the tough times, temptations, and moments of weakness. On their own, they aren't always strong enough to get you to put down the chocolate, pick up the veggies, or get your butt to the gym when you're tired.

So, external motivators - like preparing for a photo shoot, fitting into a spectacular dress for an upcoming event, having the tape measurement for your waist read "30 inches" by your birthday, posting an "after" pic on Kim's website (yes!), running a half-marathon, or knowing that you might be a source of inspiration for others just because you reached your goals... those can all work to lead you to your desired end result too!

So, check out my own testimonial page... http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/kim-b.html
And imagine what yours might look like.
Start to develop the script in your head, and fantasize about those photos of you and your new hot body! There's nothing stopping you, my friends! (But yourself!)

Open up your imagination - and keep your dreams alive.

*And if you're not one of my clients, but you need help w/ your exercise or nutrition plans, contact me through my website (www.deliberatemovement.com) - and start your journey toward your very own testimonial page today!

What will life be like...

(Originally an email to my Fat Loss contestants)

Do you realize how much easier everything will be when you weigh less?

It's so exciting to think about the changes you will be going through! And to use some of those upcoming changes to keep you motivated, focused, and unaware of temptations and roadblocks. Visualize yourself at a lower weight and a better body composition. How will things become easier?

Of course, exercise will be easier. You'll have less overall weight to move around - plus, if you've been incorporating strength training like a good little exerciser, you'll be stronger too.

Walking up stairs or bending down to pick something up will be easy and nearly effortless.

Your joints will stop hurting because of the excess weight they have to support, or the simple lack of mobility. Movement will become easier and more enjoyable.

Your breathing will become more productive - both during exercise and in everyday situations.

You will be able to sleep more soundly.

You'll have more energy. Your body will work more efficiently.

Temperature control will improve. Fat is an insulator, so too much fat can trap excess heat in your body. Get rid of the fat, improve your ability to cool off!

Posture will straighten out - and better posture will often alleviate some of your bothersome aches and pains.

Oh, and your sex life will improve! Your stamina will progress, our hormonal profile will be more balanced (more sexual desire), and the male anatomy tends to, a-hem, improve in dimension when pounds are dropped. Now, isn't better sex something to look forward to?

So, stick with your clean eating and your exercise program. And you'll soon experience some of these exciting improvements!

How do you want to be described?

(Originally an email to my Fat Loss contestants)

Good afternoon, hard workers!
Or at least I hope you've been working hard...

Here's my thought for this week -
The mind is a powerful thing. It determines how you respond to any and every situation that you're presented with. It decides how you choose to perceive the world, your life, and even yourself.

I'm sure you have descriptive words that you can assign to yourself. Words for your personality, your demeanor, your appearance, your state of health, and your day-to-day existence. You've adopted these words - these personal "labels" - over the course of your lifetime. They describe who you are. They describe what you look like. They describe your weaknesses and your strengths.

But did you know that these "labels" are NOT set in stone?

You can change yourself any time you want! And maybe there are things that you enjoy about you - that you don't want to change. But, obviously, there are things that you DO want to change. That's why you've entered into this contest. And maybe it's not just your appearance or your body composition. Maybe it's your self-confidence, your relationship with food, or your ability to control yourself.

But whatever it is, it CAN be changed. It simply starts with a shift in your mindset...

Can't see yourself as a lean, strong, healthy person? Start convincing yourself that you can be. Start talking yourself out of those defeatest thoughts and begin visualizing what it will be like to be lean and strong and healthy. Let go of your fear - let go of your excuses. Stop blaming yourself, your parents, your slow metabolism, your genes, your inability to work hard. Simply acknowledge the person that you've been - and change to a newer, better, more improved person.

Change your labels. Stop calling yourself fat. Stop uttering the phrase, "I don't know what's wrong with me..." Stop being the victim. Stop cutting yourself down.

Take a deep breath and slowly begin stepping toward some new labels. How do you want to be described?

And while you're brainstorming some new descriptive words for the new and improved you - ones that you can consistently strive for over the next 3.5 months - I've found a blog that might interest you.
If you like to find support in the ramblings of others that are going through, or have gone through the same issues that you are, you'll enjoy a blog called "Billy's lean body quest"
http://leanbodyquest.blogspot.com/

Billy has lost 85 pounds of body fat over the past year, and he's still struggling with those old labels and issues with food. You can completely sympathize with his daily struggles - yet it seems to provide comfort that you're not the only one struggling. There's also a section in his blog called the F.A.T. Coalition, that provides links to 25 other bloggers and their quest for better health.

So, check out Billy's blog. Check out some of the other brave bloggers as well. And maybe you'll get some ideas for your new "re-labeling" project!!
http://leanbodyquest.blogspot.com/

Changing small details is NOT enough.

If you're looking to make some big changes to your health, then this message is for you!...
(originally an email to my Fat Loss contestants)

How are YOU going to transform your body in 2008?

Do you have a plan in place? Or are you simply thinking you'll just try and "eat a little better" and "workout more".

My first piece of advice for you is - you need to make a drastic change.

You need to pick one or two specific things that you can immediately alter for the better.
In the nutritional AND exercise aspects of your lifestyle.

For example, if you are a fast-food junkie, you can choose to eliminate all fast food (or limit it to once a week). You can eliminate all soda or carbonated beverages. You can save alcoholic beverages for the weekend only. You can strive to eat protein at every meal. You can change from eating 3 meals a day to getting in 5-6 mini-meals (by bringing healthy snacks with you to work and setting a timer to make sure you eat those snacks!). You can vow to eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day (then increase it to 6 next week, 7 the week after, etc, etc). You can decide not to leave the house until you eat breakfast each morning. Or you can consult a nutritional expert to help with more advanced nutritional changes. There are endless possibilities for how to improve your nutrition.

And for exercise, are you strength training 3-4 times a week? Are you incorporating interval training? Are you strengthening the whole body? Are you working out with enough intensity? Are you varying your exercise plan every 3-5 weeks? Are you allowing sufficient rest and recovery in between your workouts?

Every little thing that you change in your lifestyle can help you inch closer to a healthier body. And every little bit counts at this point. Remember, you're not trying to maintain... you're trying to create a large enough disturbance in your body so that it wants to let go of that fat. Now is not the time to just let things slide. Now is the time to be a bit more strict. Once you get down to an improved body composition, you can be a bit more lax.

So, make a drastic change NOW. And be consistent with that change. Start slow if you need to. But keep building on your lifestyle changes so that you can keep progressing forward.

Feel free to email me if you need help with your exercise or eating plans. And, please, DO update me on your progress!

I've got some emails to share...

Okay, so I've been absent from my blog for a good while now. Let me dust off the cobwebs and get this think sparkling and alive again!

The Fat Loss Contest is now one month underway. Fourteen contestants took the plunge, agreeing to transform into leaner versions of themselves by the end of January. I can't wait to see their final results!

To motivate my brave group of "losers", I've been sending a ton of inspirational emails to my contest participants over the past month. And it just occurred to me... why limit my advice to just this small group? Why not share my "words of wisdom" with all those other hard-working individuals out there who are trying to make changes and achieve optimal health?

So, starting tomorrow, I'm going to post my weekly emails right here on my blog... the ones that have already been sent out, AND the ones yet to come. I hope they inspire YOU to stay on your fitness pathway, no matter how difficult it gets!