IT’S NEVER ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY, IT’S ALWAYS HOW YOU COMMUNICATE IT….RIGHT?
I’ve listened to numerous audios about color personalities, and how to convey to different people a message that relates to them…so its how you communicate is how you get results.
Conversations occur constantly in every area of your day-to-day life. We don’t even notice how many interactions or conversations we had by the days end, but they happen, so that lame I’m not good at talking to people is out the window…we communicate daily. What may start out as workplace small talk could potentially become a huge step and growth in your career or even a new opportunity to share what you do outside of the workplace.
When promoting your services or business, a higher level of professionalism may be expected. So being authentic and genuine should be your number one skill but also having a balance of being forthright and directive.
While we can’ t have every possible interaction or conversation become successful, here are some key points as you look to polish your interpersonal and communication skills and, at the same time, become more authentic in your delivery.
1) Get more information before making a statement. Don’t jump in too fast with your “I know for a fact” and Statements to prove the point is incorrect, creates hostility in the conversation, and the channels of listening shutdown. Also….don’t jump to conclusions. Pause, and ask another question to either get more information for a full understanding of their position or to have them expand so you can gain more understanding.
4) Lay it on the Line. Be REAL and authentic! Telling people that you are new, or don’t know all the details yet, you are a work in progress, etc..only shows your authenticity. Honesty shows you are humble, and the conversation will allow people to connect more with you when you come across “human”.
6) After being a good listener then be a problem solver. You don’t always need to get a result, sale, or a paid service in your conversations. Listening to your customers needs, and being a helper or problem solver will create a strong bond and relationship. Your solution may not even be one that you can provide for them. Just be that person who is genuine and will recommend or help even if it doesn’t directly benefit you.You were born with 2 ears, and 1 mouth…so do twice the listening
7) Develop your Small Talk. “Nice weather we’re having” can get old real fast. Start to develop your initial small talk more than the obvious. You can use your surroundings, kids, something in common, or a compliment. Everyone likes to feel valued. Even if you know everything in the area, maybe ask for their opinion, or suggestions, or advice on the situation. I.e.: Have you eaten at this restaurant before? What is the number one item I should not miss?
Developing your conversational skills is just that, a skill. To some people, it comes a lot easier. Even chatty Kathy’s aren’t always successful at this, just because they are outgoing and chatty. Having a point, directing the conversation with leading questions, and having a genuine interest in helping them in their needs will help you develop stronger relationships and a new following.
Listen to Jay speak….I think you will dig what he has to say: www.thebuildersmindset.com
I was doing my daily reading this morning...I wanted to share some of what I read from the blog of Seth:
-------------------
The first rule of doing work that matters
Go to work on a regular basis.
Art is hard. Selling is hard. Writing is hard. Making a difference is hard.
When you're doing hard work, getting rejected, failing, working it out--this is a dumb time to make a situational decision about whether it's time for a nap or a day off or a coffee break.
Zig Ziglar taught me this twenty years ago. Make your schedule before you start. (A Daily To-Do List) Don't allow setbacks or blocks or anxiety to push you to say, "hey, maybe I should check my email for a while, or you know, I could use a nap."
If you do that, the lizard brain is quickly trained to use that escape hatch again and again.
Isaac Asimov wrote and published 400 (!) books using this technique.
The first five years of my solo business, when the struggle seemed never ending, I never missed a day, never took a nap. (I also committed to ending the day at a certain time and not working on the weekends. It cuts both ways.)
In short: show up.
---------------------
The next part is written to all, but speaks mainly to myself....replace the we's with I's and verbalize for yourself....
We have our job to do, we've taken it upon ourselves to make a difference in peoples lives. In order to do that, we have to show up, become a student of what we do as a coach, take the necessary steps daily to become successful. Whether it takes 1 year or 4 years in your solo business to really begin to make a difference, it will be worth it. It may possible be the greatest decision you ever committed to. I have often thought this, successful people whether that be business, athletics, or art, EXPECT the results the desire. Plan for it, articulate it, process the goal. We can either turn ourselves into a helper of others, which in turn will create a business for us that may indeed pay us the rest of our lives, or we can have a hobby, which we will pay for the rest of our lives. The choice is yours.
To your success in the close of this year and into 2012 and beyond
- Coach Burgan
Interested in creating more in 2012? I'm looking for Entrepreneurs. Click here for more information
-------------------
The first rule of doing work that matters
Go to work on a regular basis.
Art is hard. Selling is hard. Writing is hard. Making a difference is hard.
When you're doing hard work, getting rejected, failing, working it out--this is a dumb time to make a situational decision about whether it's time for a nap or a day off or a coffee break.
Zig Ziglar taught me this twenty years ago. Make your schedule before you start. (A Daily To-Do List) Don't allow setbacks or blocks or anxiety to push you to say, "hey, maybe I should check my email for a while, or you know, I could use a nap."
If you do that, the lizard brain is quickly trained to use that escape hatch again and again.
Isaac Asimov wrote and published 400 (!) books using this technique.
The first five years of my solo business, when the struggle seemed never ending, I never missed a day, never took a nap. (I also committed to ending the day at a certain time and not working on the weekends. It cuts both ways.)
In short: show up.
The next part is written to all, but speaks mainly to myself....replace the we's with I's and verbalize for yourself....
We have our job to do, we've taken it upon ourselves to make a difference in peoples lives. In order to do that, we have to show up, become a student of what we do as a coach, take the necessary steps daily to become successful. Whether it takes 1 year or 4 years in your solo business to really begin to make a difference, it will be worth it. It may possible be the greatest decision you ever committed to. I have often thought this, successful people whether that be business, athletics, or art, EXPECT the results the desire. Plan for it, articulate it, process the goal. We can either turn ourselves into a helper of others, which in turn will create a business for us that may indeed pay us the rest of our lives, or we can have a hobby, which we will pay for the rest of our lives. The choice is yours.
To your success in the close of this year and into 2012 and beyond
- Coach Burgan
Interested in creating more in 2012? I'm looking for Entrepreneurs. Click here for more information
Recommended Reading: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Show-Up-Every-Day/dp/1450753493
This Thanksgiving, give thanks for a healthy holiday
Taming the feast
At
Christmas, we have gifts and usually a big meal. For the Fourth of July, we have fireworks and BBQ.
At Halloween, we have costumes and candy. For Thanksgiving, we have a food...more food...and desserts.
Although many holidays incorporate delicious foods, during Thanksgiving,
it becomes the main attraction. It may taste scrumptious, however, the
traditional Thanksgiving feast might seem less appetizing once
nutritional factors are considered.
According
to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the average Thanksgiving
dinner contains about 3,000 calories. If the additional snacking that
tends to occur throughout the day is taken into account, the total
caloric intake for the day adds up to approximately 4,500. "A
160 lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours,
swim for five hours or walk 30 miles to burn off a 3,000-calorie
Thanksgiving Day meal," said Dr. Cedric Bryant, ACE chief exercise
physiologist.
Although
one day of indulgence will not necessarily destroy your health, there
are some simple things you can do to make Thanksgiving more nutritious
and less calorically dense.
Before you dig in
- Eat breakfast
Skipping this meal could lead you to overeat at dinnertime. (Thus the reason I use a simple breakfast/meal solution with Shakeology - The Healthiest Meal of the Day.
- Have a salad or some fruit and veggies before leaving home or prior to your meal
This way you will feel fuller and less likely to overeat, this is the same way I use Shakeology, do you know whats in Shakeology?, Take a peak.
- Fill up on water
With zero calories, water is a great way to stay hydrated and feel fuller without increasing your energy intake.
When you cook
Prepare your stuffing outside the bird with whole wheat bread
Using whole wheat bread will help you get more whole grains as suggested by MyPlate. By preparing the stuffing outside the turkey, it will not absorb fat from the drippings.
- Replace the butter with olive oil and chicken broth
When preparing your turkey, you can save up to 400 calories while still maintaining flavor by doing this.
- Use a low-fat cooking method for the turkey
Rather than frying your turkey, grill, broil, roast, or bake it to allow for more fat to drip away.
- Refrigerate the turkey drippings before preparing the gravy
This way, you can skim off some of the hardened fat, reducing the amount that goes into your gravy.
- If you have time, prepare the cranberry relish yourself
You
can make cranberry relish yourself by just adding together two cups of
fresh cranberries, one granny smith apple, one navel orange, and a
little honey. The preparation does not take long, but it will save about
100 calories and cut the sugar of this side dish nearly in half
compared to canned cranberry sauces.
- Use non-fat or reduced-fat milk in your mashed potatoes
These substitutions for 2% or whole milk will incorporate less fat without dramatically impacting your recipe.
As you eat
- Make MyPlate your plate
Don't think about Thanksgiving dinner as a buffet. Consider the kinds of foods and portions suggested by MyPlate. By choosing smaller portions, you can sample more of the different foods.
- Use smaller dishes
People
have a tendency to fill their plates, so if you have a small plate, you
will usually end up eating less food. It may seem obvious, but smaller
dishes really do encourage smaller portion sizes.
- Avoid eating the skin on the turkey
This will significantly reduce your intake of fat and cholesterol.
- Go for the white meat
A
serving (for which the portion should be just slightly larger than a
deck of cards) of white meat is 124 calories, compared to 286 calories
for the same amount of dark meat.
- Use a tablespoon to pour your gravy
By using an actual tablespoon instead of the spout of the gravy dish, you will have better portion control.
- Enjoy your pumpkin pie
Like
any dessert, pumpkin pie is high in sugar. However, compared to another
popular dessert, carrot cake, pumpkin pie tends to have about half the
calories and half the fat. Pumpkin pie also trumps pecan pie. While the
pecan nuts contain healthy fats, this is not enough to compensate for
the unhealthy corn syrup found in most fillings. Additionally, pumpkin
can be a great source of beta-carotenes, an antioxidant that supports
the immune system. Furthermore, pumpkin is high in fiber, which will
help you achieve a sense of fullness and curb your desire to continue
eating.
Sources:
To your health this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season.
-Coach Burgan
-Coach Burgan
I have a simple point for all you folks today. Whether you
have a good day or a bad day, and whatever happens during the course of
the day, one thing is always the same - you. So much of what determines
the kind of day we have depends not on what happens to us during the
day, but how we choose to react to it.
I'll give you an example. One thing a lot of folks like to complain
about is having to get up early in the morning and commute to work. But
is it really so bad, or do we choose to think of it that way? The good
news is that we can make any day better simply by changing our
perspective.
Instead of thinking man, it sucks to have to get up for work, we can try thinking thank goodness I have a job to go to in the morning.
Instead of thinking I hate getting stuck in traffic commuting to work, we can try thinking thank goodness I have a car to drive to work in.
The only difference is our perspective. If we keep the proper
perspective, it can help us realize that there are blessings in our
lives that we all too often overlook or take for granted.
Today, ask yourself: Where's my perspective? Where is your Builders Mindset? What is your 1 Year Plan?
Its amazing what picking up a good book or a even a magazine with an inspiring article will do for you these days. In the fast pace of life we often get sidetracked by everything electronic....but ya know something there is a little place called a library right down the road from most of us, that if used regularly could very well change your life.
I've been doing some introspection lately, and have really been focused on the power of the internet. There is so much out there, however if you can harness in on a few specifics, you very well could turn your life from the doldrums you currently are experiencing to a life that you have been dreaming of.
It takes a step, it takes some planning, but it can be done...the question becomes do you want it as bad as you want to breathe? Perhaps you do....watch and decide.
In closing I want to share a quote I read recently, "Leadership is the gift of sacrifice for the benefit of another, and legacy is the inheritance you create for those who follow," it continues... "Legacy leadership is possible when you operate outside of comfort.... Those who push themselves toward dreams that are bigger create the possibility for reaching what is extraordinary and what will impact others even after the leader is no longer physically present." - Dr. G
Find your ability to step up, and step out to lead through the Builders Mindset. Will your next 12 months look the same as the past 12 months?
I've been doing some introspection lately, and have really been focused on the power of the internet. There is so much out there, however if you can harness in on a few specifics, you very well could turn your life from the doldrums you currently are experiencing to a life that you have been dreaming of.
It takes a step, it takes some planning, but it can be done...the question becomes do you want it as bad as you want to breathe? Perhaps you do....watch and decide.
After watching that...are you ready for a change? Do you feel it burning in your soul shouting I can be better than I am? I know I do I practically have it memorized I posted some more on leadership below, but first take a look at what your next 12 months could look like at The Builders Mindset
So this brings me to some essential elements that I have recently been enlightened to in regards to leadership, which I think is a learned trait paramount to one's success.
- Intentionality - Approach your mission your cause and your customers with a vision, intending to do something great. Have a well thought out plan, a strategy that meets your purpose and causes you to set a stage for a transfomation, and is really authentic, which leads me to #2.
- Authenticity - Are you true to the person you say you are? Have you branded yourself and are acting in accordance to that brand?, "what you see, is what you get" type of leadership. All to often we are guilty of professing one lifestyle and actually living another. DON'T DO THAT! Do you realize the detriment you cause yourself the moment you are caught with your pants down?! Immerse yourself in accountability and self development doing so keeps you authentic, keeps you focused on your cause, and thus people will embrace you and move forward with you. Otherwise....you become you are pretty opaque..the opposite of the next point. Be don't see the real you.
- Transparency - If you are operating from a place in your business or life that shows you...your innermost you...they see your true person. How you act in their presence is how you act when they are not there. There is no fear of it being any different when you are gone, therefore the same leadership is followed based on them knowing and trusting you...your influence.
- Influence - We are as leaders influenced by others, as well as consistently influencing others. How is yours? Is it ethical? Do you understand your power of influence? You must know and understand this in your sphere as a leader. To make the impact both lasting and legacy creating.
- Impact - Are you making a difference in the lives of others? Are you driven for their greater good? If you are driven by the possibility of creating future leaders, who will walk in your steps you will leave them with valuable lessons.
In closing I want to share a quote I read recently, "Leadership is the gift of sacrifice for the benefit of another, and legacy is the inheritance you create for those who follow," it continues... "Legacy leadership is possible when you operate outside of comfort.... Those who push themselves toward dreams that are bigger create the possibility for reaching what is extraordinary and what will impact others even after the leader is no longer physically present." - Dr. G
Find your ability to step up, and step out to lead through the Builders Mindset. Will your next 12 months look the same as the past 12 months?
Want The Best Results and Savings?
Choose one of 3 Challenge Packs
Introducing the Brand New Beachbody Challenge Packs. I’m excited to be offering these packages. Not only will they help ensure you reach your personal health and fitness goals but they are going to save you money.You are not alone
You don’t have to do this alone, when you order one of the Beachbody Challenge Packs you have the option of being added to a Private Accountability Facebook Group where others are doing the challenge along with you. Get the support and accountability you need to keep motivated and most of all, GET RESULTS!Each Challenge Pack includes:
- Shakeology®—get the nutrition you need with your favorite flavor(s) delivered through Home Direct.*
- Choice of one of Beachbody’s top fitness programs
- 30-day trial membership to the Team Beachbody® Club** where you’ll get all the support you need
Let’s Breakdown these Beachbody Challenge Packs
3 Packs to choose from:
Challenge Pack 160
- Choice of one: Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam, Brazil Butt Lift, Slim in 6, or Power 90
- Shakeology Home Direct (bulk or individual packets)
- 30-day Trial to Team Beachbody Club
- Cost: $160 w/Free shipping (save $25.75)
- Choice of one: 10 Minute Trainer or Body Gospel
- Shakeology Home Direct (bulk or individual packets)
- 30-day Trial to Team Beachbody Club
- Cost: $180 w/Free shipping (save $26.33)
- Choice of one: P90X, Insanity or TurboFire
- Shakeology Home Direct (bulk or individual packets)
- 30-day Trial to Team Beachbody Club
- Cost: $205 w/Free shipping (save $44.69)
How to order your Challenge Pack
Step 1 – Click Here (opens in a new window)Step 2 – Click the “Take The Challenge” button.
Step 3 – Sign Up For A Free Team Beachbody Account
Step 4 – Fill out the “Commit to get fit Beachbody Challenge” form. Be sure to check the box to commit at the bottom.
Step 5 – Click “Commit to get Fit” button.
Step 6 – Select the Challenge Pack You want to use, also select the program in that pack you want to workout with. The Club Membership is optional uncheck the bos if you do not wish to use the VIP services if Team Beachbody. Note: The frst 30 days will be free of charge and you if you cancel within the first 30 days you will not be charged. I recommend you at least check it out for the first 30 days to see if it’s something you can use to your advantage.
Step 7 – Enter Payment Information
Step 8 – Send me an Email to fitbyburgan@gmail.com requesting to be added to a Private Accountablity Challenge Group on Facebook (optional).
*With Shakeology Home Direct, you’ll receive this item every 30 days, shipped directly to your door and billed to the credit card used today in the amount of $119.95 a month (or about $4.00 a day!) and includes FREE shipping to your doorstep. You may cancel at any time to avoid future charges.
**After your first 30 days, you’ll be automatically billed to continue your Team Beachbody Club membership at a cost of $2.99 a week, billed $38.87 per quarter in advance to the credit card you provided today. You can cancel anytime to avoid future charges.
When it comes to business growth, personal growth, or any other
kind of growth, the number one thing that determines how much we can
grow - and the number one obstacle to us growing - is ourselves. Nothing
beyond our own fears and limitations can place more of a boundary on
our growth. But what, really, are our limitations? Are they real? Or do
we just perceive them to be real?
This reminds me of a scene from The Matrix. In case you haven't
heard of it, The Matrix is a movie about people who are trapped in a
digital world that keeps their real selves enslaved. The main character,
Neo, has the power to save humanity from this world. But he can only
have this power once he realizes he has it. He can then do things that
he didn't know were possible.
The scene I remember is the skyscraper scene where Morpheus shows
Neo that he can jump so far, he can go from one skyscraper to another
far away from it. But for Neo to do this, he must truly believe it. He
must know it deep down in his being. It's not an inability to jump far
that would stop him from making the jump, but rather his doubt about
being able to make it.
When Morpheus tells Neo that he can do it, Neo expresses doubt. And
to that, Morpheus gives him some profound advice: "Free your mind."
Free your mind.
Like Neo, we all believe in our limitations sometimes. And like
Neo, they aren't really limitations unless our doubt allows them to be
real. If we believe in ourselves and not our limitations, we cease to
have them.
In the end, Neo learns to fly high into the sky. He overcame his
doubt and realized his limitation was as fake as the digital world he
was a prisoner in.
That sounds like a lesson we could all learn from. If we allow
ourselves to be a prisoner of our own fears and doubts, they will
establish limits on what we can accomplish - and who we can be. But if
we realize that it is our own beliefs that are what hold us back - if we
free our minds - we can free ourselves of those limitations and
accomplish more.
And we, too, can fly as high as we want to. Whether this be in our Spiritual Life, our physical life or financial. We can obtain that which we set to do. I look forward to walking this journey with you, and hope you make the choice....the red pill or the blue pill. :p
-Coach Burgan
What is your 12 Month Path? Do you want to change your fitness? - We can get you started on your own challenge right now: Take the Beachbody Challenge
Perhaps it is to take control of your life, and embark into a career on the internet..lets see what a 1 Year Plan can do for you. Here is My 1 Year Plan.
So after reading a great blog with some info that I found extremely valuable I felt that I should put this together for my readers. So I hope you enjoy the read, and battle the freshman 15!
Alright well back-to-school time doesn't just affect students. It's the time of year when everything changes—for everyone; the days shorten, the weather cools off, we get really busy, and the holidays are looming around the corner. As opposed to those frivolous days of summer, your schedule is now probably booked. In short, it's the easiest time of the year to let your health slide.
This is when it's important to remember that the "freshman 15" isn't just for freshmen. All of us, students or not, face these seasonal lifestyle adjustments—and the lapses in fitness and healthy diet that accompany them—every year. Autumn is beautiful, but it's also the toughest season to transition through. Here are 10 ways to make it to New Year's without having to make a resolution to spend all or part of next year fixing what went off the rails during the fall.
Schedule your sleep. As our days get busier, we tend to push projects later and later into the evening. To fuel those longer hours we eat . . . and eat. This is one major cause of the freshman 15: the infamous all-nighter. A recent study showed that when doctors are doing their residencies and are forced to work extremely long hours, famously foregoing sleep in the process, they each gain an average of more than 20 pounds. As available daylight decreases, it's common to find yourself making alterations in your daily schedule, with sleep often losing out, so schedule your sleep just like you do your work and exercise.
Plan your meals. Plan your weekly meals ahead of time so you don't resort to unhealthy "convenience" foods. If your schedule is insane during the week, try taking an hour or two on Sunday to shop and strategize. Put healthy meal and snack options in your car, your office, your backpack, or anywhere you're likely to find yourself hungry. Trust me, the energy you get on the back end of this planning will far exceed the time it takes to plan, especially when you consider how you'll feel if your diet is fueled by fast food.
Carry water everywhere. When we're busy, we'll often forget to drink water, especially as the weather cools off. Then, in this dehydrated state, we often confuse thirst for hunger, and we eat. You can avoid this by making sure there's water everywhere you go. Carry a water bottle and refill it at every opportunity. Have an extra bottle in your car, your backpack, at your desk, etc., and behave as if you're in a race each day. Force yourself to drink a glass of water every hour that you're working or studying.
Be realistic about alcohol. Another big contributor to the freshman 15, alcohol, is very high in calories (7 calories per gram) and very low in nutritional value. Every drink you consume is about 200 calories of nutrition that you aren't getting from your diet, or that you're consuming additional calories—overeating—to replace. And this is before we consider the calories you need to consume getting rid of a hangover. If you're a drinker, you'll never be faced with more temptation than during the fall. So plan for it. Prior to going out, consider the number of drinks you want to allow yourself and stick to it. Another helpful tip is to carry that water bottle with you socially as well and drink a bottle for every cocktail you have. This will help fill you up so you aren't drinking alcohol to quench your thirst, which happens often at social events. Drinking that water will also keep you hydrated and minimize the effects of your hangover. One other helpful hangover cure is to have a glass of P90X® Results and Recovery Formula® at night after you've been drinking. Consuming these calories right before bed may be not be ideal, but it'll minimize the damage the alcohol will do to your body, which should lead to less overeating and more productivity the next day.
Plan for parties. Parties happen—and there's not much you can do about it. Even if you aren't social, the party will find you. Many offices are like the one in that Seinfeld episode where the coworkers find any excuse to celebrate, usually with cake or other sugary treats. And with fall comes many such opportunities to indulge. Beginning with Oktoberfest, you'll find a relentless stream of perfectly good excuses to ruin your health that lasts right through New Year's. Plan ahead and decide just which occasions will be worth the indulgence. That way you'll be fully armed with reasons when your coworkers show up in your office singing, "Get well, get well soon..."
Begin a morning ritual. One of the easiest ways to live a healthy lifestyle is to begin each day by doing something positive. During the summer, we often let this slide because, well, we can. With long warm days to look forward to, there always seems to be time to do something energetic. As the days shorten, making the effort to be healthier takes more discipline. Beginning each day with something healthy, even something as brief as a 5-minute ritual of breathing deeply, stretching, and thinking about positive things you want to accomplish with your day, can give you a whole new outlook.
Find a healthy nighttime ritual. Many of us undo an entire day's productivity in the last few hours before bed. This is particularly true when we're busy and/or stressed because we want to unwind, which often means cocktails and/or desserts in front of the TV. If you can find a healthier way to unwind, you'll do yourself a world of good. And even if you can't get away from the cocktail/dessert/TV habit, adding something at its end, instead of just sacking out, can reverse much of the damage. Stretching in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to make that transition. Following up your stretching with herbal tea and some relaxing reading can have you hitting the sack with a much more positive attitude. Another way to help yourself get in that positive ready-for-bed headspace? Yoga Booty Ballet® Master Series Pajama Time or the Yoga Booty Ballet Relax and Unwind bedtime meditation CD, both of which are designed with end-of-day relaxation in mind.
Make a positive New Year's resolution now. Instead of waiting until New Year's to undo and repair the damage caused by a fall-into-winter slide away from your fitness goals, make a resolution to get there, starting today, with improved fitness and health. Just think about how much better your goals can be for next year if you finish this year on a positive note. Why put yourself through the work of digging yourself out of a hole you make deeper from now through the end of the year? Instead, set yourself up, beginning right now, to have a banner New Year.
Cut yourself some slack. You can't be perfect, and, frankly, who wants to be? You've got to live. By planning ahead with goals in mind, you'll be far more able to relax about the holiday season, and maybe even enjoy it a little too. So make a plan and do your best to stick with it, but don't forget to make enjoying the season and having some fun part of that plan.
So it is with 10 points that we can make a change. We can stick to it...we can even join a challenge group full of accountability.
If you want to really change your next year take a look at this: 12 Month Plan.
Here is to your fitness and financial success in 2011 and into 2012!
-Coach Burgan
Alright well back-to-school time doesn't just affect students. It's the time of year when everything changes—for everyone; the days shorten, the weather cools off, we get really busy, and the holidays are looming around the corner. As opposed to those frivolous days of summer, your schedule is now probably booked. In short, it's the easiest time of the year to let your health slide.
This is when it's important to remember that the "freshman 15" isn't just for freshmen. All of us, students or not, face these seasonal lifestyle adjustments—and the lapses in fitness and healthy diet that accompany them—every year. Autumn is beautiful, but it's also the toughest season to transition through. Here are 10 ways to make it to New Year's without having to make a resolution to spend all or part of next year fixing what went off the rails during the fall.
Schedule your sleep. As our days get busier, we tend to push projects later and later into the evening. To fuel those longer hours we eat . . . and eat. This is one major cause of the freshman 15: the infamous all-nighter. A recent study showed that when doctors are doing their residencies and are forced to work extremely long hours, famously foregoing sleep in the process, they each gain an average of more than 20 pounds. As available daylight decreases, it's common to find yourself making alterations in your daily schedule, with sleep often losing out, so schedule your sleep just like you do your work and exercise.
Plan your meals. Plan your weekly meals ahead of time so you don't resort to unhealthy "convenience" foods. If your schedule is insane during the week, try taking an hour or two on Sunday to shop and strategize. Put healthy meal and snack options in your car, your office, your backpack, or anywhere you're likely to find yourself hungry. Trust me, the energy you get on the back end of this planning will far exceed the time it takes to plan, especially when you consider how you'll feel if your diet is fueled by fast food.
Carry water everywhere. When we're busy, we'll often forget to drink water, especially as the weather cools off. Then, in this dehydrated state, we often confuse thirst for hunger, and we eat. You can avoid this by making sure there's water everywhere you go. Carry a water bottle and refill it at every opportunity. Have an extra bottle in your car, your backpack, at your desk, etc., and behave as if you're in a race each day. Force yourself to drink a glass of water every hour that you're working or studying.
Be realistic about alcohol. Another big contributor to the freshman 15, alcohol, is very high in calories (7 calories per gram) and very low in nutritional value. Every drink you consume is about 200 calories of nutrition that you aren't getting from your diet, or that you're consuming additional calories—overeating—to replace. And this is before we consider the calories you need to consume getting rid of a hangover. If you're a drinker, you'll never be faced with more temptation than during the fall. So plan for it. Prior to going out, consider the number of drinks you want to allow yourself and stick to it. Another helpful tip is to carry that water bottle with you socially as well and drink a bottle for every cocktail you have. This will help fill you up so you aren't drinking alcohol to quench your thirst, which happens often at social events. Drinking that water will also keep you hydrated and minimize the effects of your hangover. One other helpful hangover cure is to have a glass of P90X® Results and Recovery Formula® at night after you've been drinking. Consuming these calories right before bed may be not be ideal, but it'll minimize the damage the alcohol will do to your body, which should lead to less overeating and more productivity the next day.
Plan for parties. Parties happen—and there's not much you can do about it. Even if you aren't social, the party will find you. Many offices are like the one in that Seinfeld episode where the coworkers find any excuse to celebrate, usually with cake or other sugary treats. And with fall comes many such opportunities to indulge. Beginning with Oktoberfest, you'll find a relentless stream of perfectly good excuses to ruin your health that lasts right through New Year's. Plan ahead and decide just which occasions will be worth the indulgence. That way you'll be fully armed with reasons when your coworkers show up in your office singing, "Get well, get well soon..."
Begin a morning ritual. One of the easiest ways to live a healthy lifestyle is to begin each day by doing something positive. During the summer, we often let this slide because, well, we can. With long warm days to look forward to, there always seems to be time to do something energetic. As the days shorten, making the effort to be healthier takes more discipline. Beginning each day with something healthy, even something as brief as a 5-minute ritual of breathing deeply, stretching, and thinking about positive things you want to accomplish with your day, can give you a whole new outlook.
Find a healthy nighttime ritual. Many of us undo an entire day's productivity in the last few hours before bed. This is particularly true when we're busy and/or stressed because we want to unwind, which often means cocktails and/or desserts in front of the TV. If you can find a healthier way to unwind, you'll do yourself a world of good. And even if you can't get away from the cocktail/dessert/TV habit, adding something at its end, instead of just sacking out, can reverse much of the damage. Stretching in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to make that transition. Following up your stretching with herbal tea and some relaxing reading can have you hitting the sack with a much more positive attitude. Another way to help yourself get in that positive ready-for-bed headspace? Yoga Booty Ballet® Master Series Pajama Time or the Yoga Booty Ballet Relax and Unwind bedtime meditation CD, both of which are designed with end-of-day relaxation in mind.
Make a positive New Year's resolution now. Instead of waiting until New Year's to undo and repair the damage caused by a fall-into-winter slide away from your fitness goals, make a resolution to get there, starting today, with improved fitness and health. Just think about how much better your goals can be for next year if you finish this year on a positive note. Why put yourself through the work of digging yourself out of a hole you make deeper from now through the end of the year? Instead, set yourself up, beginning right now, to have a banner New Year.
Cut yourself some slack. You can't be perfect, and, frankly, who wants to be? You've got to live. By planning ahead with goals in mind, you'll be far more able to relax about the holiday season, and maybe even enjoy it a little too. So make a plan and do your best to stick with it, but don't forget to make enjoying the season and having some fun part of that plan.
So it is with 10 points that we can make a change. We can stick to it...we can even join a challenge group full of accountability.
If you want to really change your next year take a look at this: 12 Month Plan.
Here is to your fitness and financial success in 2011 and into 2012!
-Coach Burgan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
