Your action plan is your blueprint for success.

When you travel its always helpful to know where you are going and how you will get there, this is why you take a map, G.P.S. or even directions. Well it is also important to have a well devised plan of how you will reach your health and fitness goals as well, we call this an action plan, think of it like a road map for reaching your goals. Your action plan will map out the way to go from having a goal to reaching a goal. Your goal becomes your destination, and your action plan sets up mini goals, or pit stops on your way to your main goal. For example, if your goal is to lose 50lbs this year, the 50lb loss is your destination and your mini goals or your pit stops would 5-10 lb increments. Now you know where you are going, and you know all the pit stops on the way, all you have to do now is flue your car, i.e. proper nutrition and exercise. With the proper fuel for your car you will be tooling along in no time hitting your mini goals, and pretty soon you have reached your main goal.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals!

Ok. What is a smart goal? Well it not just one that makes sense! S.M.A.R.T. goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely or Time oriented. For example, “I want to lose weight”, this is not a S.M.A.R.T. goal, the only criteria it meats is attainable/realistic. Now on the other hand, “I want to lose 10 lbs by June, so I can fit in to my favorite jeans”, this is the epitome of a S.M.A.R.T. goal, it is Specific (i.e. what do you want to do? By when? For what reason?), Measurable (you can measure progress i.e. how much was lost in how much time), Attainable (this is a goal that can be accomplished), Realistic (the goal is not so far fetched that it could not be achieved i.e. I want to lose 150 lbs by Tuesday), and Timely (there is a time line on this goal i.e. by June). The reason S.M.A.R.T. goals are so important is because they facilitate success, they allow you to see how far you have come and how much you have accomplished, and they keep you motivated.

Desire to change!

Yesterday I discussed what I believe are the most important factors for achieving change. Over the next few days I will discuss each one in more detail, starting today with desire. The first factor was desire to change, and I talked about doing it for yourself not someone else, lets take a closer look at that desire, (or reason for change). Now your reasons are your own as to why you would want to make some sort of change to your body or your lifestyle, and they are often as varied and different as we ourselves are. Weather or not you chose to share these reasons is entirely up to you. The important thing is that they come from within you and not from someone else, not because your spouse or significant other wants the change, or because society deems this change to be necessary to “fit in”, or any other crazy reason someone else may impose on you. Once your desire or reasons are legitimately from yourself you greatly increase your likelihood of success. That success is what it is all about, lets face it, no one ever sets out to be a failure. Not only dose success in one aspect of your life improve mood but it is also contagious to other aspects of your life. Once you have experienced success you become more aware that you can succeed in just about anything with enough hard work and dedication.

How is change achieved?

I think that most of the time we get so set or stuck rather in our daily routines that we perceive change as some sort of insurmountable task, although is can be difficult at first, it is not impossible. I believe that in order to archive any kind of change there must first be certain thing present to facilitate that change. 1^st there needs to be a desire, this desire needs to be your desire, not that of another. For example if you wish to lose weight than you need to be doing it for yourself and not someone else. 2^nd you need to set what are called S.M.A.R.T. goals.  S.M.A.R.T. goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely or Time oriented. 3^rd you need an action plan, or a blueprint for how you are going to achieve the goals you just set for your self. 4^th you need a system of support, weather that’s just friends and family that you have told about your goals so they can support you, or a personal trainer or training partner that will hold you to these goals and help you reach them. 5^th last but not least you need to follow the action plan you have set for your self with unwavering determination and dedication. If you do these things I am certain you will have great success. One more thing and this may be the most important!!! Remember, everyone, and I meant everyone falls down but its all about how you pick yourself back up and get going again.

This is who I am! This is what I do!

Hi,

My name is will, and I have been active all my life. But what most people don’t know about me is that I was a “chunky kid”. I started out just like any other kid, running, jumping, and playing, but before long that was no longer enough. I tried to get in to sports but that is a lot easier said than done when you are home schooled. However I managed for a short period to participate in sports (mainly basketball and soccer). I found that although these sports were fun they were not really a good fit for me. Before I knew it I found my self front and center in my first martial arts class ever. It was love at first push-up, I loved the felling I got after a hard work out, and I loved seeing my hard work pay off and seeing what I could accomplish. Next thing I knew I had abs, that right a real “6-pack”. But now that I was no longer chunky and I could see my abs, I realized that I was to skinny. So fueled not only by my love of activity but also the new found ability to change my physique, I began to lift weights in addition to my martial arts workouts.

By the time I finished my high school education and went off to college I had gone from being a scrawny 120lbs to what I felt was a manly 150lbs. However the level of satisfaction I had with my new found physique was greatly reduced when I stepped into the on campus gym and I laid eyes on some of those massive brutes that roamed those sacred grounds. How could this be? I had gone through what I thought was a huge transformation, and I still looked like a school boy compared to these monsters. So I continued working out and learning everything I could form those behemoths that were all around me. I would take advice from any one that would offer it, I would use what worked and toss out what did not, and wouldn’t you know it, all of the sudden my body starts changing again, and before to long I have guys asking me for advice. One thing lead to another, and all of the sudden I am a certified personal trainer, with a degree in Exercise, Sport and Health Education and a minor in martial arts. Man it’s a funny thing how things work out some times, I started my life out as a fat baby and a chunky kid, and all of the sudden I am considered an expert in fitness and nutrition.

That is just a little background about me and what I do. The purpose of this blog will be not only to share my fitness accomplishments but those of my clients, and in doing so hopefully inspire others to set and reach their own fitness goals for a healthier and happier tomorrow.