Elite Physique

We all are looking for THE secret to weight loss and good health.   We see fit models on T.V. telling us about a new diet or revolutionary piece of equipment that is going to melt the fat away, or even worse the dreaded diet pill.   So we buy it, in hopes that with little or no effort we will look just like the model.  But in reality we use the product a few times and the fat doesn’t just melt away like they told you.  Frustration sets in; you stop, and end up with a garage full of equipment you don’t use any more.  What most of miss as we are running around looking for those magic solutions to our problems, is that the secret to our success lies within ourselves; not on T.V. or in a magazine.  That’s right the answer has been there the whole time.   We’ve been too busy looking for other people to come up with the solution we forgot to look in the mirror.   You know the saying, “If you want to hide something put it in plain sight.”   Drum Roll….the secret to your success lies in the decisions you make every day.   Those little ones that you think don’t matter.  Guess what they ALL matter!  That coke you grab instead of water, the piece of cake at the office party, the fast food you pick up because it’s easier than cooking, or skipping a workout.  Now these decisions by themselves may not seem like a big deal.   Will they harm your health the next day, probably not.  But one day in the future all these tiny decisions you made will catch up leaving you unhealthy and unhappy.  You will look in the mirror and wonder what happened.  There was not one big decision that led to where you are now.  If it was that easy, of course you would have made the right BIG decision, this is your health and who would intentionally make a bad decision when it comes to your health?  Fortunately all is not lost, there is still time to work on making the right choices and this is where education and some consistent good decision making will come in.  Now we are not going to sit here and say it will always be easy.  Life just isn’t that way.  But we are talking about your health; this is the most precious commodity you have.  No matter how much money or fancy “things” you have, if your health goes you may not be around to enjoy them.  Your life is not a sprint it is a marathon, but it’s a great marathon.  We want to help you enjoy the journey.  If we can help please let us know.
Yours in health,
Colleen & John

Have you ever attended a party or gathering where someone has made you feel guilty for making healthy choices?  We’ve had a few clients bring this to our attention recently, so we wanted to address this issue. We have also had this happen to us.  Usually it goes something like this,”The Riddles are here so we can’t eat the___________(insert unhealthy food).” The funny thing is we are busy looking for healthy choices, enjoying everyone’s company, and not paying attention to what others are choosing.  We would dare say our clients are probably doing the same. These comments usually come from the guilt people feel for the choices they are making and have nothing to do with you.  The simple explanation could be,  “misery loves company.”  These people are not happy with themselves, so they project their guilt to make you feel bad for trying to better yourself.  It may even go a little deeper…maybe they won’t or can’t make the commitment to themselves, and your success makes them face this fact.  Now we don’t think these people do this to hurt you intentionally, but it can still make you feel uncomfortable.  Do not let these situations get you off track.  You have decided to give yourself the best gift of all, the gift of health, and you should never feel guilty for that.  We just want you to know that you are not alone on your journey to a healthier you and we are here to help however we can.

Yours in health,

John and Colleen.

P.S.

One way to stay on track is our Coaching Program.  Here is what one client had to say about her experience.

“Whether you want to get your fitness program started, back on track, or kicked up a notch, Elite Physique’s coaching program is for you.  I not only lost weight and inches, I also gained a renewed appreciation for what good nutrition and exercise can do for your both personally and professionally.  Partner with Elite Physique  to discover your best self.”

Leigh G.

Time.  There never seems to be enough of it.  We get up, have a morning routine and we’re off to work.  We come home 9-10 hours later, and the after work routine begins.   Finally, exhausted, we climb into bed for, hopefully, a good night’s sleep.  The alarm wakes us in the morning, and we do it all over again!  Then, for a brief moment we get our heads above water, and WOW, it’s already March.

Where did the time go?  One of the unfortunate things about time is that it keeps on ticking whether you notice it or not. This brings us to this week’s email; finding that little time for yourself.  So take a deep breath and let’s focus on you for just a moment.  We always seem to fall to the bottom of our to-do list.  We maintain our homes because it’s an investment (well it use to be).  Same thing with your car; you change the oil, tires and then have it tuned up.  When does your body get a tune up? We say the time is NOW!

If you are going to achieve this it’s going to take a little planning on your part, but the “you” time will be more than worth it.  Here is a link to some tips on helping you plan your day: Managing Your Time.  Now, of course we would like you to take this new found time and exercise; your body will be very thankful.  With just 30 minutes a day you can spike your metabolism and burn calories.  Do this properly and you can burn calories all day.  Check out this link: Interval Training Well, we’ve helped you find some time and how to use it wisely.  There is only one thing left to do and that’s DO IT this part is up to you (just remember we are here to help you!)

Yours in health,

Colleen and John Riddle

P.S.

We also offer over the phone/online coaching to help keep you accountable and guide you to success!  Call or email for details.

In response to last week’s newsletter, one of our readers asked, “How can we prepare our bodies for the upcoming flu season?”

We’ll as you guessed it does start with what we eat. Up to 70% of our immune function is located in our digestive track.  Two flu-fighting compounds are Probiotics (the good bacteria), found in low fat Greek yogurt and Quercetin (antioxidant) found in red onions, broccoli, berries, and apples.  These seem to have the biggest positive effects.

Another way to combat the flu is….drum roll please….Exercise! Exercising on a regular basis reduces the amount of cortisol in your body. Cortisol weakens your immune system, not to mention causes fat to be stored around the belly area.  Stress and lack of sleep are large contributors to the amount of cortisol released into the body.  This is a sure fire way to knock down your immune system.  Exercise helps you sleep and relieve stress!

Now there is a fine line with your exercise, you want to stay around 70-85% of your maximum heart rate.  When you exercise above those numbers for a long period of time, like training for a long distance event,  can lower your immunity for up to two days. If you find your self training for a strenuous physical event make sure you are giving yourself plenty of time to recover.

If you already have the flu make sure you listen to your body.  Rest, drink plenty of fluids, and stay home from work (your fellow co-workers will appreciate it).  As you recover, start out with low intensity exercise.  Exercising too strenuously too soon can cause a relapse.  Take it slow, don’t worry, those intervals you want to tackle will be there for you the next week.

This was a great, timely question please keep them coming!

Stop rubbing your eyes you did read it correctly, you can burn calories in your sleep. How you ask? You can burn calories at rest and while you sleep by ramping up your metabolism.  First what is your metabolism? The process of metabolism establishes the rate at which we burn our calories and determines how quickly we lose weight, or worse, gain weight.  As we get older our metabolism naturally starts slowing down.  You start to notice it around age 25 after that it slows down approximately 5 percent each decade. So compared to the 25 year old you burn about 100 calories fewer a day every 10 years.  The average 45 year old person could put on 12 pounds a year if they don’t exercise.  You can see how this quickly adds up around your waist line.