I’ll get to the big news in a minute. But first, the secret…

I just implemented a Corporate Wellness Program with an insurance firm in Clayton. We’ve put together an 8-Week Challenge to help everyone get motivated and in their best shape! It’s a ‘Biggest Loser’ Challenge in-a-box if you will.

Last week as we were going through their Fast-Start Orientation we covered goal setting.

This step is often overlooked with an exercise program. But it’s so important! If you don’t have anything to work towards, then you’ll end up just spinning your wheels. And that’s not productive.

To help ensure weight loss and fitness results you must set goals.

As I spoke to the group of 20 or so, most hadn’t heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Your goal must incorporate each category. I’ll break them down one by one and give you a few examples.

Specific – Your goal must be specific. “I want to lose weight” is not a goal. That’s simply a wish. But, “I want to lose 18 pounds” is a specific goal. Now we know where you are (your current weight) and where you want to go (your current weight minus 18 lbs.).

Measurable – Goals must have some form of measurement. Weight is easy. You step on the scale, and then you step off the scale. What about getting in shape? How do you measure that? Maybe it’s walking up a flight of steps without panting. Maybe it’s to run 30 minutes without stopping. Whatever it is, make sure your goal can be measured.

Attainable – I’ll admit this is my least favorite. I like to be aggressive with my goals. And I hope you do too. But keeping a foot in reality is important. For instance, a goal for me “To make it in the NBA” would not be realistic (no matter how much I would like it to be . I’d be setting myself up for failure. Make your goal aggressive, but attainable.

Realistic – This one is somewhat like attainable. Losing 30 lbs. in 30 days is not realistic. Nor is it safe! Give your goals some boundaries. When setting health and fitness goals you must keep physiologic abilities in mind. When losing weight, 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week is a safe estimate, but having a resting heart rate of 30 or doing 1000 pushups in a minute is not realistic.

Timely – Last but certainly not least. I heard someone say once, “Nothing would ever happen without a deadline.” And you know what? It’s true. Without a deadline or some sort of timeline, the chances of follow through are slim to none. Adding a time element creates a sense of urgency. Going back to the goal of “I want to lose 18 lbs,” adding “in 12 weeks” now gives you your deadline. Always, always, always have a deadline.

Goal setting is always our first step when setting up a health and fitness program. A SMART goal is one that works. Take out a pen and paper now and write down some goals. Make sure each one includes each category. (If you have an ipod, stay tuned… my brother’s company is putting together a SMART goal App as I write. I’ll keep you posted!)

To your health and fitness success,

Tim Chudy

P.S. If you think your company might be interested in the “8-Weeks to Your Best Body” Corporate Challenge please call me directly at 314.863.7799.

P.P.S. Hope you had a great holiday weekend. Over the past couple of years you may remember me mentioning my girlfriend Joella. Well, I took a surprise trip to New York City over the weekend and popped the question. She said, “Yes!” making me the happiest guy in town!  I couldn’t be more excited and thought I’d share the awesome news with you.  I love you Jo.

Posted under Fitness Tips, health, Personal, Weight Loss Tips

My Great Uncle Joe passed away last week.  You may know of my Uncle Joe. I’ve mentioned him before and you can even find him as one of our SuperClients of the Month.

Uncle Joe died at 103 years old. He was a common man with an uncommon character. My Grandpa Chudy, his younger brother, was the same way.

The Chudy family wouldn’t be the only ones to tell you what a great person Uncle Joe was. At 103 years old his visitation and funeral were well attended. Everyone from his mailman to his bowling buddies at the senior center, even his girlfriend! were there to celebrate his life and say goodbye. It’s sad to see him go. But I don’t know if anyone could’ve asked for a better life.

He was born in Czechoslovakia in a small farming town. He came to America through Ellis Island and eventually settled in St. Clair, Michigan. He barely spoke English, but was a fast leaner and developed friends right away. He married his love, Helen, and remained married until she passed in the early nineties.

I’ll never forget what he told me about my Aunt Helen. After a stroke she was put into a nursing home to be taken care of. After one week my Uncle Joe refused to keep her there and brought her back home. The nurses warned Uncle Joe how much work it would be and cautioned him against it. They told him he wouldn’t last 5 days. “5 years Timmy. 5 years I took care of your Aunt Helen.”   Wow. I’ll never forget the sacrifice he made so she could stay at home. Never.

Uncle Joe was a common man with uncommon character. And I, along with many others, will miss him.

It wasn’t just the length of his life, but the quality of his life. His life was still rich with relationships. His family and friends were everything to him. And he still had a positive outlook on life. That’s why he made our SuperClient of the Month.

At 103 years old you have to be healthy and to not only keep, but to foster those relationships.

Late last week as I was waiting in line for my coffee I glanced at the Health section of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The cover story read, How well you age can depend on you.

My Uncle Joe would have agreed. You can read the full article here:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitness/story/9686C8BF2F4F2EBD86257610007545FE?OpenDocument

The article goes on to divide aging into essentially 2 categories: genetics and damage. You control one, but not the other.

Thankfully the Chudy genes are strong, but I could easily neglect them. Smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, all that bad stuff can counteract good genes. But my choice to live a healthy lifestyle will lead me to live long years. Hopefully into my hundreds.

You see, most people I talk to care more about quality than quantity. I’ll be willing to bet you don’t care to live to a specific age, but you want to live well to whatever age that might be. You want to be willing and able to reap the work you’ve put in. You want to have the relationships and enjoy the time with those people you love most. 

My Uncle Joe would tell you to “Keep busy and stay active.” It worked for him. And I hope you make the choice to live a healthy lifestyle.

To your health,

Tim Chudy
Fitness Together

P.S. If you would like more help request a complimentary health and fitness consultation here. Or, if you’re not quite ready, you can download our infopack here.

Posted under health

I was having dinner last night with some friends
when my buddy’s wife said that he actually did the
grocery shopping this time. And that’s a big deal.
Because Andy hates the grocery store. When they go
shopping together he complains because she takes
such a looooong time. But so do I. In fact, I
like going to the grocery store. But I also know
what I’m doing, what I’m looking for, and what I
should avoid.

Maybe you like it. Maybe you hate it. But unless
you have a loving spouse that does it all the
time, there are a few tips to stick to when
heading out for your food.

1. Shop the perimeter. The aisles have fresh
produce, meat, and dairy. The aisles in the middle
contain boxed, packaged, and wrapped stuff, which
is a lot of times highly processed and not good for you.

2. Keep a list. And stick to it. A list gives you
boundaries to work within. It also prevents you
from grabbing random food items – particularly
ones that are bad for you. Make a list at home
when you have a clear head. This will save you
time and money.

3. Don’t shop when you’re hungry. This is the
BIGGEST mistake of all. What will you do in a
store with food of ANY choice when you’re hungry?
You’ll buy it! And buying Fruity Pebbles or Ding
Dongs may sound good at the moment, but will only
make you feel bad later. Go shopping once you’ve
had your meal. And if you have to go on an empty
stomach make sure you have a list!

4. Take your kids. After a nutrition consultation
with our clients we provide them with a ready-to-
go grocery list. This is a great time to bring the
kids along to teach them and instill good habits.
The earlier you do this the better.

I remember when I went to the grocery store with
my mom and dad I would try to sneak Froot Loops
into the shopping cart. I was always caught and
told to put it back. I didn’t like it at the time,
but I learned what a good breakfast was. And what
a good breakfast was not.

The next time you go grocery shopping keep in mind
these tips. They’ll help you stay on track and
stay healthy.

Now go eat something healthy,

Tim

P.S. If you’d like some help with your meal
planning and grocery shopping send me an email or
request a nutrition consultation here.

P.P.S. Our next Spring Boot Camp for Women
starts next Monday 5/25. We’re now offering
morning and evening classes! Go here for more
info or call 314.863.7799.

Posted under health, Nutrition Tips, Weight Loss Tips

Sleep more.

Ha Ha. I’m kidding of course. We all know getting the right amount of sleep prevents us from getting tired. But if you’re like most of the people I talk to, you can’t always get a solid 8 hours. So how do you keep from getting tired? Even downright exhausted.

Well there are things you can do to increase your energy levels even if you don’t get a lot of sleep. And I’m not talking about a double shot espresso or Red Bull. There are natural steps you can take to help increase your energy levels throughout the day.

And it’s important to mention what kind of tired you are. One of our clients came in the other night for her workout and she was exhausted.

“How are you feeling Kim?”

“Tired. I have a huge proposal tomorrow. I’ve been working all day and I still have a lot to go. But physically I’m ok.”

What Kim knew is that she was mentally fatigued and not physically fatigued. Once she left her work at work and started her workout her energy levels soared! She was smart enough to differentiate between mental and physical energy.

And that’s a BIG secret! Mental fatigue is usually related to stress. Once you acknowledge this you can cope with it through exercise, meditation, or something else that makes you happy. This will help return your energy level while not relying on foods and drinks to ‘pick you up’.

Ok, now that you know there’s a difference between mental and physical fatigue we can talk about the five steps to never getting tired again.

1. Make a schedule and stick to it. We’re creatures of habit. Making a regular schedule for eating and sleeping will have a profound effect on your weight loss.

2. Eat 5 -6 times per day. You’ve been hearing this for years. And I’ll admit it’s hard. Eating helps boost metabolism. And doing it in smaller spurts throughout the day will help keep your metabolism burning and prevent you from crashing mid afternoon. 

3. Don’t use food or drinks to give you needed energy. This only cures the symptom of being tired. Your goal should be to cure the problem. Relying on sugary foods and drinks will only add weight while giving you a temporary fix on your energy.

4. Schedule a power nap for 15 minutes on days you don’t get enough sleep. While naps do not necessarily make up for inadequate or poor quality nighttime sleep, a short nap of 15-30 minutes can help improve mood, alertness and performance. And you’ll be in good company. Winston Churchill, JFK, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Einstein, Thomas Edison and George W. Bush are known to have valued an afternoon nap.

5. Make sleeping seven to eight hours per night a priority. No one likes to admit they watch a lot of TV, but studies and surveys tell us we all watch too much. Replacing one hour of TV or internet with sleep will help you turn 6 hours to 7 or 8.

Put one or more of these five steps to use and you’ll increase your energy throughout the day. For my full article on sleep you can visit the Fitness Expert Network here.

Now go eat something healthy,

Tim

P.S. Thinking about a change in your life? You can schedule a FREE health and fintess consultation here.

Posted under health

Your last chance to register for ‘Bring on Spring’ Boot Camp is about here.  If you want to Lose Weight, Tighten, Tone and Firm Your Body, and Drop Dress Sizes Fast then this might be for you!

The deadline for registration is tomorrow Saturday, March 14th at 5pm. And we only have a few spots left. So you must act fast! You can register for your FREE class here.

Boot Camps are a FAST and FUN way to get FIT and FIRM. If you’re looking to get started with a health and fitness program then this will give you the kickstart you need. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or starting from scratch, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.

And don’t worry about the weather. We’re holding it inside still. And yes, it’s early in the morning. But that’s because all you’ll have to sacrifice is your sleep. Get up, get in, get out, and get on! What’s 12 measley hours of sleep in exchange for a fit and firm body…energy out the wazoo…and getting back into those old jeans!?

Register today! You have a little more than 24 hours to do it. Don’t delay. Do this now while it’s fresh on your mind.

If you have any questions just give me a call, 314.863.7799. I look forward to seeing you there!

To your health,

Tim

P.S. You can ‘Try Before You Buy’ and see if this is what you’re looking for. Click here to sign up and see if it’s a fit!

Posted under Fitness Tips, health

I just finished my cup of coffee from
Starbucks. They were brewing Sumatra today. It’s
one of my favorite beans. From the Asia/Pacific
region, it has virtually no acidity with herbal
notes and earthy aroma. Good stuff.

But that’s not what I want to tell about today. It
was what was on the outside of the coffee cup that
I wanted to share with you.

In my last post I gave you the key to unlocking your
potential; Decide, Commit, and Do.

Well, if you’re a Starbucks customer you’ve read
their ‘The Way I See It’ comments on the side of
the cup. These are comments and thoughts on a
variety of topics and from a variety of people.
From famous Hollywood actors to normal everyday
Joe’s. Some good. Some not so good. But this one
today was good.

Anne Morriss, a customer from New York City said
this:

“The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply
liberating – in work, in play, in love. The act
frees you from the tyranny of your internal
critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself
up and parade around as rational hesitation. To
commit is to remove your head as the barrier to
your life.”

Wow! VERY well put Anne.

I call that internal critic head trash. But
commitment does free you from that nonsense going
on upstairs. Over the years I’ve heard more
rationalizations than you could ever imagine.
Admittedly, some of my own.

You will continue to listen to them until you
commit. So take the step today and make your
commitment! Free yourself from the parade of
rational hesitation.

To your health,

Tim Chudy

P.S. – Ready to commit? Click here to
register for a complimentary consultation.

P.P.S – Not Ready For A Consultation Yet? No
Problem. Click here to receive your copy
of our complete information pack.

Posted under health