What to do when what you're doing doesn't work.

Hey Phitties!

I just checked in on my progress. I've actually expanded a bit (1/4 inch I think) rather than reducing. But why? I'm exercising (both aerobic and anaerobic) I'm eating well. What's the story? Why haven't I reduced my inches or my weight?

Has this ever happened to you? I bet it has. But what do you do? You swear you're doing everything right, but alas, nothing is working as you anticipated! Well, we've got the answers.

1. DON'T quit! Whatever you do, don't give in to despair or discouragement. Keep at it!

2. Re-evaluate what you're doing.

• Are you lifting? Maybe you're putting on muscle, think if going for reps and tone rather than bulk.
  
• Are you walking, running, hitting the bike or stair-master? Maybe you should amp up your workout by going faster or further or using some type of interval training.
  
• Are you watching your diet? Some types of diets are better than others for different people. For example, I couldn't loose an * ounce * on The Zone. Try South Beach, avoid Atkins. Personally (as long as you can get the right foods) I really liked the diet in Ultra-Metabolism by Dr. Hyman. At the moment, I'm working on something that's a bit of a blend that eliminates processed carbs (so I can still eat something whole wheat - the real kind that you have to cut with a saw, not just a knife), gives me LOTS of veggies and fruits and still allows me protein (must have for me).
  
• Are you taking supplements? Maybe drinking lots of protein powder or using creatine isn't the best idea for you while you're trying to loose weight.
  

3. Make the changes. Maybe you just need to not have that bagel in the morning. Maybe coffee causes inflammation for you and makes it harder for you to loose. Oh - here's a tip. If it's warm where you are and you've switched your coffee intake from hot to cold - did you add cream to your coffee too? More sugar? Look for the hidden cost of the food and beverages you're consuming.

Ok, that's a lot for one post - but you should have the idea now! (1) Keep at it. (2) Re-valuate. (3) Make changes. Remember, you CAN do it. Stay the course and you'll be phit and phab in no time!

How to make the right choice to get to your goals.

Hey Phitties!

This is a tip that's true for phitness of the physical type as well as mental, emotional and spiritual types. And, since as people we are more than one dimensional - I thought you enjoy knowing how to SUCCEED.

And here's your answer.

It's always hard making the right choices about what you do. Go to bed early, get up early, write one last post, exercise, eat right - whatever! The good news is you can always make the right choice! How? Do the thing that gets you to your goal, that moves you one step closer to your future, that helps you to fulfill your PURPOSE. If you do that - you'll make the right choices - I guarantee it.

Now - if you don't know what your purpose is, or what your destiny is - then check here and learn!

Destiny AG

Now go ROCK the world!
-PhillyMac

You are the measure of my success!

I have decided to become one of the next "big" internet personalities, because my goal in life requires the scope of reaching thousands and thousands of people.

Part of that goal is to make everyone I come in contact with realize how awesome they are and to motivate them to be the best they can be. To break out of whatever box they're living in and experience new and fulfilling vistas in life.

In order to do that, I need to know what I can do to best serve you. I would like to start with the friends and build. How can I make your life so much better, help you to feel so incredible that you are willing to refer me as a person and persona to your friends? What can I do that will make you so excited? What value can I offer you? Let me know and help me to help you while reaching the world!

- Phillip (a.k.a PhillyMac)

The Mind Matters

Hey Phitties!

I've been planning to post for a couple of days - but I thought exercise was more important. Not that I don't love ya :-) Thanks for waiting till I got back.

So, you see the title. The mind matters, and in exercise as well as life, it always does. Because exercise happens in the mind first before it happens in the rest of reality. Why is this so? Just because it's how we're made. But the truth is, that where ever your mind or heart is set - you will follow. Sound airy-fairy? It's not.

From a spiritual perspective it was said clearly in the New Testament. "Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also." But it isn't just a spiritual principle - it's a principle of life, success and it's provable by science. It's a fact that our mind is a goal achieving mechanism. It works to help us reach that which we have set in it. But you don't just have to believe me - you can read about it in the classic book Psycho-Cybernetics. This book is the foundation for a lot of "self-help", "positive thinking" literature. The difference between this book and a lot of other books is that this book as testing behind it - not just rah rah!

So - about that goal seeking mechanism. One of the things that studies have found is that we can't do things by force of will alone. If that was so, most people wouldn't have any bad habits. But, we CAN accomplish whatever we want when we essentially program our mind (put in the goal), then let it help us towards our goal. The bad news is that this works to our good and bad. It's like the old computer standard GIGO (pronounced with a long I) - garbage in, garbage out. If we seed our mind with crap, the thought that we're tired, or we just don't want to exercise - our minds will help us facilitate that. However, if we put in our minds the urgency of our need to exercise, we graphically imagine the benefits of the exercise - then our mind will help us to exercise! Instead of providing excuses for us not to exercise - it will provide reasons FOR us to exercise. And, there are times when that can even help us to overcome our tiredness or desire to sit on the couch with a bag of chocolate chip cookies. (Yah - like I'm the only one who likes to do that right?)

So, take a minute or two before you go to bed tonight and program your mind. Put exercise in, put emotion around the benefits to you of doing that exercise. Then let your marvelous mind make the difference. The results are in folks - the mind matters!

Remember - you ROCK. Now get out there and do something amazing!
- Phillip

PS Next post: how to find the motivation you need to succeed.

Exercise before bed - Phit and Phinish!

I know - you think I'm CRAZY! You're right! Crazy to be PHABULOUS. And if you want to be, you can too. So, what kind of exercise? The kind that keeps burning calories while you sleep! What's that you say? Burn calories while you sleep? You're high! NO! I'm not! And what is this miracle exercise?

Well... it's not "an" exercise. It is SEVERAL. Anything that builds muscle! Crunches, squats, pushups. But here's the secret. Don't do big routines - do one exercise till exhaustion. Fatigue yourself. Then, if you need to take a shower. Go to bed. Let your body rest - build muscle and burn calories and fat! Trust me, you'll be phit sooner than you think!

And, for you married type couples, there is a GREAT exercise that you can do before going to sleep too. :-D And guys, one particular variant is a killer ab workout that makes my abs burn every time.

Why mornings are great for exercise!

1. You get it done.
2. You jack your metabolism straight away.
3. You get it done.
4. You now have the opportunity to supplement what you've done during the rest of the day (yes, do more/other excercise).
5. You get it done.
6. You have a feeling of accomplishment.
7. You get it done.

Getting back to that feeling of accomplishment. Don't brush that off to quickly. Why? Simply because we respond to our mind's images of ourselves. That's not just theory or self-help tosh, it's scientific. So, when we accomplish something, we feel better about ourselves, see ourselves in a different light and we think more positively. Sure, positive thinking isn't everything - but it sure beats NEGATIVE thinking - which is never anything but poison to our minds, hearts and spirits.

So, get out, get it done, reap the rewards. Walk taller, happier and more confident because you ROCK!

Work - Workout

You don't always have to go to the gym to get a workout. Get one right in your cube - especially your abs! Seriously. Try this. Take a deep breath, then blow it all the way out, even using your abs to get every last oxygen atom out. Then, hold your tummy there and squeeze for 2-5 seconds. Do that a few times every 30 minutes and you'll have a pretty good ab starter workout for the day.

And remember - tight abs make you feel uncomfortable if you eat to much - so their helping you with that appetite too!

Instant Motivation

Would you like instant motivation to get fit? Want to have fear struck into your heart? Need that last jolt to get over the hump and take care of yourself? Go grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.

Oh STOP. Here's my point before you go all PC on me. When I went in to pick up a few items - healthy items mind you, frozen mixed fruit for my smoothie, stevia for my coffee (yes, my vice) and my green tea - I just could not believe the general state of the people that were grocery shopping. Don't misunderstand me, these people weren't a few pounds overweight. They were fat. Obese. Multiple spare tires. And what was in their grocery carts? Junk. Processed snacks, high density no nutrition carbs, loaded with saturated fat meat products. And that wasn't the worst of it. You're probably saying, what could be worse?

Their KIDS. All miniature versions of the parents. It was like watching the adult Michelin Man with a kid version coming down the aisle. And it was SAD! Pathetic even. These parents were not only dooming themselves to half existence's because of their poor choices - they were dooming their children!

So, why is that instant motivation for me? Here's why.


See those four girls? My behavior impacts their lives. My eating habits impact how healthy they will be. My choices determine if they will or won't have an active, loving involved parent - or some sack of spare parts that just exists on the couch.

So, go to Wal-Mart. See what your future might look like. See what the future of your children might look like. That should give you some *instant* motivation.

Note: This post does not imply that the people I saw shopping are "bad". It does say that for 98.5% of them they have made horribly BAD choices regarding their diet. They may be caring, loving and concerned people who contribute to their communities and their work places- BUT - regardless they are killing themselves, condemning themselves to shadows of the existence they could live due to their eating habits. My hope is that they also start to notice that Wal-Mart has a great produce section and is expanding their line of organic products and that they'll help themselves and their children by making better choices in the future.

Phab Phitness - The importance of abs

Hey Phitties!

This is a critical one for you while you're trying to get phit - do your abs! Yes, there are a bunch of reasons to work your abs, many of which I'll cover a different time. For now I'm going to tell you one that is a little thought of secret - it keeps you from eating!

"Huh?" you say. "Really!" I say! "But why?" you ask, "is abdominal work an appetite suppressant?" No! Not as in a chemical one anyway :-) But it does help! Here's the deal - especially when you first start and your abs feel the burn. During the day as your stomach gets stretched in the normal course of eating - you feel it. Your tummy will even hurt - not in a stomach ache kind of way - but in a "HEY!! You're stretching me out!" kind of way. Ironically, you may even feel kind of bloated - even though you're not anymore than usual. And, you could even wonder why your pants feel tight - only to go and check them and find out they aren't! It's your abdominal muscles my phab one! They're working for you!

Now here's the even cooler thing - it's mentally re-enforcing your work too! It's giving your brain signals, and you start thinking - "man, I'm not having that bag of M&M's because I'm not going to undo this!" Watch and see - you'll know it's true!

Tomorrow my Phitties!

- PhillyMac

Phab Phitnees - Measurement

Measure! Measure again. Yup. Why? Because when you measure you can see where you're going. You can see (in most cases literally) if you ate to late last night. For example:

My starting waist size was 38 1/4. This morning it is 38 1/2. Why is that? Usually with me it's because I had too much after 8:00 (gotta lay off the soy milk). Of course, I could be bloated too. But that's why you track it. Find out your tendencies. Of course - it's also great to rejoice when you see it go AND stay down!

Now get out and exercise!

PS (my weight was down a 1/2 pound though - more about weighing yourself, how and why l8r!)

Phab Phitness - Last Tip of the Day

Don't eat anything else! Stop now! If you want to gain weight, then you eat right before bed. But... if you want to look phabulous? No late night eating! And even better - stop by 7:00-8:00 somewhere. You'll be glad you did!

Phab Phitness - Start Exercise the Right Way

Hey phaboulous ones!

So, if you're getting phit, how do you start? Simple and slow is the key.

1. Stretch. It doesn't have to be the mother of all stretches, but make sure your legs are stretched they are you most important asset! Do it every day.

2. Start! Do something today. Walk, if you can jog and you want to, jog. Sure there may be some of you out there that can do more faster - I used to too - but for the rest of you start with something that won't *hurt* you first. It's important to get the body used to moving before you push too hard. Start too fast and you end up with injuries.

3. Hydrate. Don't go nuts, you don't have to. Sure there are lots of people that tell you to drink gallons of water. You don't have to. Better, drink a couple of litres for the day (two of those little Aquafina bottles) and drink some iced green tea - way better for you.

That's it for now. Stay tuned, I'll be adding more information as we go!

- PhillyMac

Phab Phitness - Get a great start

Hi. First, I'm not really doing a "day by day" thing here. It's more that I want to provide what you need to do starting day one. And, I'm not doing something critical right at the moment (because it's 3:13 am and I'm awake!!).

So, first things first.

For day one of getting into fabulous shape

* sleep the night before. especially so you can get up early.
* morning: measure! Measure everything you can. Weight, body mass index (if you have the tools to do it), inches (waist, but hips - especially if you're a female), thighs, chest (and bust as necessary). Write it ALL down. This is critical. Don't do it and you won't succeed.
* exercise!

Welcome! - Here's the Deal

This is PhillyMac Phitness - and I'm PhillyMac - your phantastic host. If you're here to join me in the journey to fitness, then welcome! Glad to have you aboard.

Here's the Deal
I'm 50-something (51+ at the moment) and I've been pretty athletic my entire life. However, I still can put on weight, and I did put on quite a bit! So, now, I'm loosing the weight - over 50 - with a system that already knows all the old tricks. The question is - how am I going to do it? Join me and I'll share with you the secrets to getting it done - no matter your age! And believe me, if I can do it, you can do.

So, that's the deal, so come with me. I'm holding nothing back, I'll have no regrets - lets get Phit and Phab together!

Best - PhillyMac