by Shelton Matsey
It's a New Year and New decade and a time for New resolutions. As you may know New Year's resolutions tend to go "in one year and out the next". So what separates those that keep and achieve their New Years resolutions as opposed to those that do not? Well this year has been an eventful one for me and I was able to achieve a majority of my 2009 resolutions. This was the first year that I was able to stick to my resolutions. So I have provided you with ten tips for 2010 to help you keep and achieve your resolutions this year, so 2010 can be your best year ever! Follow these steps for all aspects of your life not just your fitness goals and we will do big things together.
"The secret to productive goal setting is in establishing clearly defined goals, writing them down and then focusing on them several times a day with words, pictures and emotions as if we've already achieved them." -Denis Waitley
1. Don't shoot too high - Set your year up for success by setting attainable goals that will lay a foundation for continued goal setting and reaching as the year progresses. If you set your goals to high you will naturally give up before the battle is even started because you will feel that they are unattainable.
"If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way." -Napoleon Hill 2. Set up a Social support network - You may have heard that you are the average of the five closet people to you. This applies, to your financial situation, your weight and other aspects of your life. Find people that share some similar goals and work together to reach them as a group. Set group goals as well as individual goals so that everyone can achieve success together. 3. Set up rewards - Reward yourself for hitting your goals. If your goal is to lose weight then set a reward of shopping spree for new clothes or tickets to a sporting event.
“You get what you reward. Be clear about what you want to get and systematically reward it.”-Bob Nelson 4. Be Flexible - If things aren't working the way you planned then don't give up but readjust your goals by setting a new time frame to achieve them or just redefining your goals altogether.
5. Stay positive - You have to have a positive mindset to achieve positive results. If you don’t have a positive mindset you will do things that will sabotage your efforts to be successful in your achievement of your goals. 6. Determine your why - Determine why you want to achieve your goals and keep that in the forefront of your mind. If you want to lose weight so that you can run around with the kids then let that be your why. If you want to lose because you have a history of heart disease in the family and you want to break the cycle then let that be your driving force. When things get tough, you can then revert back to your “why” and then it makes it easier to stay focused on the task at hand. 7. Write it down - it is one thing to say you have a resolution, it is quite another to commit pen to paper. When you put it on paper you are more likely to stick to the goal and then you have it as a reference when you lose sight of it. One of my tricks is to post it all over the house, at work and other places to keep me on track. 8. Don't beat yourself up - It does no good to beat yourself up over setbacks. To often people have setbacks then they beat themselves up over it and this ultimately leads to them getting off track. You have to understand that there will be setbacks along the way and look at them as part of the process of growth. If you didn’t have these setbacks then the attainment of your goal would not be as fulfilling. "I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom." -George Patton
9. Be specific - Don't have general goals like "I will lose weight and get into better shape". Instead have goals that are specific and measurable, for example "I will lose 22 pounds and get down to a size 8, and 23% bodyfat by April 13th"
10. Program your GPS - You have your destination programmed, but you need to figure out the route there. If your goal/destination is to get lose 3% body fat, then how will you do that. You have to determine the plan to make it there. How will you change your nutrition plan, what sort of exercise regiment will you start, etc.
The holidays are hectic, and there’s never enough time for all of your errands and events. It’s tempting to try to save some time by cutting back on your workouts, but that is a huge mistake. You risk losing the lean muscle mass you’ve worked so hard to build, not to mention a fall off in strength. Is it really that big of a deal? You bet! Most of the calories you burn during the day are a result of your resting metabolic rate which drops as your lean muscle mass drops. Do the math. If you’re burning fewer calories each day and increasing your caloric intake in this season of cookies, parties, and seasonal treats, you will gain unwanted fat and inches over the holidays. The good news is that you don’t have to fall into that trap. Protect yourself from holiday fat by following a few simple strategies.
1.) Perform at least one intense strength training session per week
Research shows that a single strength training workout during the week effectively maintains strength and lean muscle mass at those times when you simply cannot train as frequently as you usually do. That’s it. If you can manage at least one good strength training workout, you can prevent fitness regressions and keep that muscle tone through the holidays. Hitting the gym for three total body strength workouts during the week is the best way to prevent weight gain. Add cardio interval workouts on three non strength-training days, and you’ll maximize fat burning.
2.) Hit Your Totals
Keep focused on the big picture: totals are more important than timing. If you have a goal of performing 100 push-ups during the day, your body doesn’t care if you do them all at once or in several sets throughout the day. When you simply can’t manage twenty minutes to complete a total body workout, sneak in your squats in any spare moment. Waiting for the turkey to rest before carving it? Do a few quick reps. Hitting your totals by the end of the day ensures that you will burn the same number of calories and build your muscles as effectively as if you did all of your exercises in a single sustained workout.
Of course the hitting your totals strategy is not ideal – it is a back-up plan when all else fails. Twenty minute interval training workouts provide your body with the optimal conditions and result in superior results, but when you can’t squeeze in the ideal workout, go for an effective alternative like the “Hit Your Total Workout for the Holidays” workout.
To hit as many of your body’s major muscle groups in the shortest time possible, select multi-joint, compound movements like deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, and squats. Here’s a plan to help you create your own workout to hit your totals. Use your current strength and fitness levels to set the repetition ranges. Using your own body weight, some resistance bands, or a few adjustable dumbbells, you can easily do these exercises at home. Work your plan three times a week with a day of rest between each workout. The plan is flexible, so you can attack it as a circuit (several reps of each exercise throughout the day) or sequentially (knock out all of one exercise before you move on to the next). Don’t forget to alternate between Plan A and Plan B for variety.
The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays
Plan A-
Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total
Plan B-
Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)
3.) Rage Against The Machines
This holiday season avoid those “conveniences” that make us lazy and fat. Of course you have to drive to the mall, but instead of circling the parking lot for the spot closest to the door. Park in the spot furthest from the door so you can do a little more walking. Take the stairs and avoid elevators and escalators. Taking all of those steps do add up. Carry those bags yourself – don’t dump them in the car or ask the kids for help – and burn a few extra calories. Stay on your feet and stay active.
4.) Engage in more outdoor holiday activities
Get up, get out, and enjoy the season! Start a snowball fight. Go tramping through the snow. Find a sled. Shovel the walks and drives yourself or help out by shoveling for an elder or infirm neighbor who can use a hand. Build a snowman. Take advantage of a winter wonderland to increase your activity and burn more calories while having a great time.
The trees have shed their leaves, it’s dark before dinner, and holiday commercials are becoming a mainstay on radio and television. Obviously Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Some people equate Thanksgiving dinner with gluttony and the absolute need to loosen ones belt after dinner. It’s hard not to see the connection between buttery mashed potatoes and gravy, grandma’s stuffing, and rich pumpkin pie and the inevitable weight gain. Even the green beans swim in creamy soup and fried onions.
The good news is that there is a nutritional superstar on the table. The same turkey that draws oohs and ahs when it comes to the table is lean, mean fat busting machine. Packed with lean protein, the turkey contains very little fat (as long as you remove the skin). It supports fat burning and lean muscle growth while elevating the metabolism.
While fat and carbs provide the body with energy, protein is the only macronutrient which builds and repairs the body’s tissues. If you participate in strength training and cardio interval training, you need regular protein intake. It accelerates the process of repairing muscle damaged by high intensity activities. What’s more, if you want to maintain the level of muscle mass you already have, you need a bit of protein every two to four hours.
This protein intake is essential to fuel your metabolic engine. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories (and fat!) you burn on a daily basis just to sustain the muscle tissue. It takes nearly twice as much energy for your body to digest protein than fat or carbs, and it’s also less likely to be stored as fat. So allow yourself a smidge of those traditional foods that you just have to have, but pile up your plate with turkey.
Another benefit to your Thanksgiving turkey is its size. A fifteen pound turkey will yield nearly seven pounds of meat. Turkey leftovers are easy to prepare and will save you time during the hectic holiday rush. Having a little trouble thinking of what to do with that extra meat? These “better body” recipes use lean turkey protein as a foundation. Be creative and enjoy!
Turkey Salad
Ingredients:
- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes
- 1⁄4 red bell pepper
- 1⁄4 green bell pepper
- 1⁄4 red onion
- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayo
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.
Makes one male serving and two female servings.
Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up
- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey
- 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 Whole Grain Tortillas
Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes or microwave until soft if you are short on time. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!
Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze
Turkey Medallions:
- 6-8 oz. Turkey
- Non-stick spray Turkey Seasoning
Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.
Cranberry Glaze:
- 1 Cups Dry white wine
- Turkey or chicken stock, as needed
- 1 1⁄2 Cups Dried cranberries
- 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted
- Pinch of Salt
Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.
Turkey Shepherds Pie
- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey
- 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy
- 1 small can whole kernel corn
- drained 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1 cup of water
- 3 cups steamed cauliflower
- 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots
- chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic
- minced 1 bell pepper, any color
- chopped Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.
Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.
Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.
Turkey Florentine
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
- 2 tablespoons smart butter
- 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine
- 2 cups diced, cooked turkey
- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1
- (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip
- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Non-stick cooking spray
Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Turkey Green Bean Casserole
- 1 bag of frozen green beans
- 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast
- 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.
BRING IT!
Shelton Matsey