When I hear the same excuse over and over, it gets me to questioning why certain things are easy for some and not others. A good amount of the time it comes down to how you look at things, or your perception of the problem.
For example, I have heard several times that eating 6 meals a day is just too hard, it doesn’t fit a person’s lifestyle, and it takes too much time.
What frustrates me about these reasons is that they are really not true. It’s not hard at all, in fact in can be easier than three meals a day. If you eat three meals a day and snack occasionally, it does fit your lifestyle. It takes no more time than fixing and eating three meals a day, and can even take less time. Here’s why:
6 meals a day is easier than 3 meals a day
The key here is to remember that what you are really doing is dividing each of your three meals in half, so it’s actually just 6 half-meals. Instead of eating a sandwich and two pieces of fruit for lunch, eat half of your sandwich and one piece of fruit for lunch, and then have the rest a couple hours later when you are hungry. For breakfast, have a bowl of protein fortified cereal and make a protein shake to save for a mid-morning snack. Have a normal dinner or divide it into two smaller meals. Not hard.
6 meals a day fits most lifestyles
Most people have breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snack a few times during the day. That’s what you’re doing when you eat 6 meals a day. Eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacking. At night, you can choose to call it a latenight snack, or make a smoothie and call it dessert! It’s what most people do anyway.
6 meals a day is faster than three meals a day
When you reduce the amount of food you eat during your main three meals, you also reduce the amount of time you spend eating them. This means you save time in the morning, at lunch, and at dinner time if you so choose. You can wake up a few minutes later and go for a walk or get some extra work done during lunch time. You might even be able to squeeze in a workout where you used to be eating! Most snacks take a maximum of ten minutes to consume, and can often be eaten while you are doing something else, like walking, taking a coffee break, etc.
It comes down to perception – if you see a lifestyle change as a struggle, it probably will be. But if you are able to look at eating with a different perspective, you will find that changing your point of view can change your life!
Photo by Barbie Hull (www.barbiehull.com)
By generating electricity and conserving space and energy, Total Body Turnaround is the first fitness facility I know of that generates some of its own electricity. I'm laying the groundwork to build a gym that exclusively uses a combination of solar and pedal electricity and is just as comfortable and effective as any other gym.
Come by sometime for a free spinning session!
I've been training clients and leading circuit classes in the new Green Microgym and it's really fun! There's plenty of room and everything you need to get a great workout. Additionally, it's private, comfortable, and you can play your own music on the stereo!
It's a 600 square foot former artist's studio in Greenwood
Above is a picture of how it looks now, but it will look so much better when I get the chance to paint, etc.
You won't have to pay a gym membership fee here, because at first it will be only personal training and classes. As we get things dialed in, there may be the opportunity to come in on your own.
Obviously, I'm excited to have this space and make it just the way I want it. My main focus will be to keep things simple and only use good quality equipment. Also, I want to have an open space for the possibility of having small group yoga, pilates, and movement classes in the future.
On Sunday, September 9, I'll be hosting a pre-open house for those of you who would like to put their two cents in on what kinds of improvements would be best for the space, so if you're into that sort of thing, please get back to me and I'll let you know the time and address. I'll serve some drinks and healthy snacks.
I look forward to working with you in the coming months!
A fresh perspective and a little guidance can maximize your potential.
I'm available for Personal Training at Total Body Turnaround, a Green Microgym in the Greenwood neighborhood in Seattle. I also do outdoor workouts and can work with you in your home.
Call me at 206-226-7347 or email me at adam@NWtrainer.com to talk about your goals and how we can reach them together.
My Mission:
By catering to your individual interests and lifestyle, I maximize your potential with simple, fun, innovative and effective techniques. I make workouts fun and efficient so you get results without getting bored. Using only natural and sustainable resources, I offer a whole body, whole life philosophy based on extensive research and personal experience.
Working with a personal trainer is about taking control of your health. You’ll be taking advantage of my expertise and skills to get you on track and keep you moving forward. All you have to do is show up, work hard, and have fun.
My best customers are up for anything, willing to make healthy decisions 24/7, and are always looking to improve themselves. This attitude enables you to leave every workout saying, “That was awesome!”
My clients don’t need to be convinced they should work with a personal trainer, and they don’t need a miracle worker to get them to the gym and keep them going. They already have made the decision to put their health as such a high priority that exercising everyday is a given.
Once you have made this decision, it’s my job to watch and listen. I find out what you want out of a workout, what you need to learn and work on, and what will keep you interested and motivated. We might lift weights to build muscle, do interval training to burn calories, or go outside and move! All workouts and programs are designed based on the best current traditional theories and techniques available to help each individual reach your goals.
Adam’s Bio
Certifications: MIT, CPT, CSCS
NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and ACE Certified Personal Trainer with a Masters in Teaching from The Evergreen State College. NOLS Graduate (Outdoor Educator, Sea Kayaking).
Specialties:
Personal training for lifelong health, strength, power, flexibility, and sports specific training for recreational competitive athletes.
Experience:
I have worked at Sound Mind and Body Gym, Seattle and Anytime Fitness in Seattle
I currently work at Total Body Turnaround, a Green Microgym in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, in individuals’ homes, and lead outdoor fitness groups in parks all over the city.
Availability:
Monday through Saturday, various times throughout the day.
Why do I do what I do?
To help people live high quality long lives.
I recently went to a fitness forum in Vancouver Washington, where we got some great nutritional advice from a registered Dietician. Nothing fancy, but some great information:
From Dana Sturvetant, MS, RD
On eating:
Dieters think: Do I deserve it? If I eat heavy food, I try to find a way to make up for it. I feel guilty when I eat heavy foods. I usually describe a day of eating as either good or bad. I view food as the enemy.
Non-Dieters think: Am I hungry? Do I want it? Will I be deprived if I don't eat it? Will it be satisfying? Does it taste good? I deserve to enjoy eating without guilt.
On Exercise:
Dieters think: I focus primarily on calories burned. I feel guilty if I miss a designated exercise day.
Non-Dieters think: I focus primarily on how exercise makes me feel, especially the energizing and stress-relieving factors.
On Success:
Dieters think: How many pounds did I lose? How do I look? What do other people think of my weight? I have good willpower.
Non-dieters think: While I'm concerned with my weight, it is not my primary goal or indicator of progress. I have increased trust with myself and food. I am able to let go of "eating discretions." I recognize inner body cues.
Recommendations:
1. Decide to change from a deeper place.
2. Make a firm commitment to do this for a lifetime.
3. Find what works for you rather than letting an "expert" tell you what to do.
4. Improve your health and let your weight loss be a side effect.
5. Identify other ways to judge your success.
Success Stories
