Archives for December 2013

Hello. I hope you’re having a great holiday season! We only have about two weeks to go in the year. Christmas is coming next week and there’s lots to do. What do you have planned for next year? I’m sure you want to be further ahead 12 months from now, right? I’m sure there are things you want to do. Things you want to have accomplished. Well, I really think that 2015 is going to be great!! Think of everything we got done in 2014, there’s no reason we can’t keep it going, right?

You see what I did there? No, I didn’t make a mistake. I just wanted to make a point.

The point is this:

The next 12 months are coming. What are you going to do about it?

Do you want to look back at 2014 a year from now and be proud of what you’ve accomplished or do you want to look back at all the excuses you made to yourself and wonder where you could have been. Yes, it’s easier to sit on the couch. Yes, it’s easier to surf the internet. Yes, it’s easier to say that you just don’t have time. We know the truth, though. The funny thing is that you knew the truth at the time, too. You know whether you really did what you could to reach your goals in 2013 and if you didn’t, then it’s time to step up and really make the decision that 2014 WILL BE DIFFERENT!!

I’m not going to say much more about that but I do have just thing to ask. Please don’t say that you have goals if you’re not willing to do anything to meet them. If that’s the case, then your real goal is to stay just where you are. You might not like where you are, but if the thought of going outside your comfort zone just a little bit is too terrifying to even contemplate, then I submit to you that you’d rather maintain your current position then do anything about it. Therefore your actual goal isn’t change.

What are your real goals and, more importantly, what are you willing to do to meet them?

Happy holidays, everyone!! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are getting ready for a great Christmas and New Years.

We’ve had a fantastic season so far and Kristi and I are really looking forward to our Christmas present to each other. We’re seeing The Book of Mormon this Saturday!

Foam Roller and a Lacrosse Ball: Not everyone needs a foam roller and a lacrosse ball. You just do if you workout or don’t workout. Really, though these tools help you if you’re sore, hurt, tight, inflexible, or if you just want to put yourself in the best position to get a great workout! Every one of my clients starts their session with some kind of work with these tools.

Converse All-Stars: I don’t care what color. These are still the best shoes to lift in. I don’t have time to get into too much detail but here’s a few reasons why:

• they keep you low to the ground
• they help your balance
• they allow the muscles in your feet to work
• they give you better stability

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and are getting ready for a great Christmas and New Years Day.

I’ve had some new clients over the last few months and one of the most common things I’ve been seeing is confusion over what they should be eating. If you do a quick search for ways to lose fat you’ll find methods and terms like Paleo, Intermittant Fasting, Atkins, Low Carb, IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros), South Beach, The Plan, and so many more I could quite literally go on for years.

The bottom line is that there are many ways to accomplish your goals as long as you follow some basic principles. I just want to go over a few of them so you can finish 2013 and start 2014 on the right track. I’ll just do them at random.

1. The best plan is the one you’ll follow. 

What good does it do to put together the “perfect” meal plan if it’s full of food you don’t like or just makes you completely miserable? Yes, if you want results you need to step out of your comfort zone, but be honest with yourself about what you’re willing and able to do. I’ve had people tell me they can’t lose weight because it’s too hard for them to eliminate bread. You know what I tell them? You don’t have to! There are other ways!

Now on the flip side, don’t expect to get much in the way of results if the only concession you’re willing to make is to eat just a few less french fries with your Big Mac each night.

2. How much protein? Here are some general rules about protein intake:

For weight loss, eat about 1 gram per pound of lean body mass per day. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds and are 25% body fat you have about 150 pounds of lean body mass, so you should eat about 150 grams of protein per day.

For weight gain, eat about 1 gram per pound of body weight per day.

For general maintenance I’d recommend somewhere in the middle depending on your activity and the type of exercise you’re doing.

Also, there really isn’t any set rule for how to break it up. Generally speaking the total is what matters.

3. Don’t eat processed junk (most of the time). Most people would do just fine with their nutrition if they simply stopped eating processed junk. If it’s made of chemicals or has trans fats, don’t eat it.

4. Eat good fats. Don’t be afraid of healthy fats. Many vitamins and minerals need fats to help break them down, fats can be used as a great source of energy, eating healthy fats also teaches your body to use fat as fuel. These are all good things.

Some good fat sources include:

Fish oil, olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, some cheeses, eggs (yes eggs. THE WHOLE THING INCLUDING THE YOLK), nuts, natural peanut butter.

Do be careful about amounts though, because even good fats contain a fair amount of calories.

5. If you’re trying to lose fat you have to restrict calories. Sorry. There’s no way around this.

6. If you’re trying to lose fat you have to feel a little hungry sometimes. Sorry. There’s no way around this.

7. Sugar doesn’t have to be the enemy. Would you like to be able to lose weight eating pizza and ice cream every Saturday night? I’ve had clients do just that, but the catch is that the rest of the week their diet is dialed in 100%. You can have those crazy indulgent nights if you want to (and sometimes it’s actually helpful) but they have to be part of an overall plan if you want results and the crazier those nights are the more dialed in you have to be the rest of the time.

Let me know what you think and if you have any questions. Have a great day!

Mitch Rothbardt, CPT, PN Lean Eating Coach, FMS
2861 Grove Way in Castro Valley
510-754-7113
MitchRFitness@gmail.com
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