Resolve: The missing ingredient

Resolution-the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.

What is your resolution? If you are like most people "Lose weight" or "Get in shape" are on the list. It seems that every year around the end of December, people start making resolutions and by early February those resolutions are distant memories. By June most people are farther away from where they want to be than ever. Sound familiar?

What is the problem? Why does this happen? What is missing? The desire is certainly there, but unfortunately, that is not what it takes. You can have a very strong desire for great health and a small belly but if you are eating doughnuts all day and the only exercise you get is walking to the kitchen during commercials, it ain't gonna happen.

The Missing IngredientNotice the last 3 words of the definition above: Firmness of Purpose. There is no definite purpose in the list above. "Losing weight" and "Getting in shape" are not goals-they are ideas.A firm purpose changes "I am trying to lose weight" to "I will weigh 120 lbs by April 15th by eating wholesome foods and exercising 3 times per week." Having a purpose changes "I'd like to get in shape" to "I will implement a structured exercise program that includes resistance training, endurance training and mobility training at least 3 days per week for the next three months". See the difference?

What is the single most important part of the process? The overwhelming desire to achieve a specific goal. I tell my clients that if they really want to get amazing results then they must be prepared to do whatever I ask to get them. Getting the results is not that complicated. It is the overwhelming desire that counts. The firmness of purpose.

Most people think -- "Well - one cookie won't hurt me will it?" I encourage my clients to think, "Will this help me or not? Is this a step toward my goal or not?" When fitting into that dress for your 25-year reunion becomes more important than the cookie, you are on your way. Once you understand this and really start to internalize it you become unstoppable.

So what are you going to do? Float through 2009 with the vague notion of better health and fitness while you waist gets bigger and your life expectancy shrinks? Or will you take control of your life and transform your desire into results? I challenge you to aim at a target and keep at it until you get there. One sure fire way to do that is to join us at the Nashville Kettlebell Bootcamp.

May 2009 be your best year yet!

Dave

PS-My favorite program for achieving (not just setting) goals is Dax Moy's Magic 100.

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone. See you next week!

It was a tough one

Often the third workout of the week in the Nashville Kettlebell Bootcamp is the most difficult and this week was no exception. This weeks Day Three consisted of three sections, one drill per section:

1. Turkish getup, done in ladders 1,2,3 reps per side. 10:00
2. Snatch or Viking Pushpress: 1:00 left, 1:00 right, 1:00 rest for 3 rounds. The pacing was medium for the first round (about 10 reps per side), fast for the second(16-18 reps per side) and slow for the third (6-8 reps per side) with rest happening ONLY in the overhead position. I called the cadence.
3. Swings: We did these on the :20 work/:10 rest for between 8 and 12 rounds.

This is one of those that doesn't look very tough on paper (or your computer screen) but there was a fair amount of high-quality cursing to be heard as the class plowed through. I didn't get any video of it this time around, but next time I'll film it. Rock on!

Don't eat and shop.....

Did you ever wonder about the nutritional content of what are you munching on while you plow though the crowded mall?

One of my clients sent me a link to THIS ARTICLE outlining some of the most horrific things you could ever put in your mouth.

Client of the Month for December 2008: Hillary

Hillary talks about her experience in the Nashville Kettlebell Bootcamp. She has been kicking MAJOR tail over the past 6 months!

"What is Kettlebell Class Like?"

Here is a look inside the Nashville Kettlebell bootcamp during the week of December, 8th 2008.

Our referral contest is still in full effect and Mark is in the lead. Bring someone next week!

Guest Post: By Jayson Hunter, Registered Dietitian

Rotate "Carbs" for Rapid Fat Loss

By Jayson Hunter, Registered Dietitian

Millions of people have tried both "low-carb" and "no-carb" approaches in an attempt to lose weight quickly. But few have tried a much safer and healthier approach known as Carb Rotation. It is a much more effective and realistic method of rapid fat loss.

There are two general approaches to Carb Rotating. The first approach is to follow a "no, no, no, high carb" program. This means you would eat no carbohydrates at all for the first three days and then eat a "high" amount of carbohydrates on for the fourth day. The fifth day you are back to eating "no carbs" again.

This plan can be effective, but you have to be very strict. It is an aggressive approach that may trigger your starvation response. Yes, the very same starvation response which causes elevation of a hormone called lipoprotein lipase. When this hormone becomes elevated your metabolism begins to slow down. And since that is the last thing anyone who is trying to get rid of unwanted pounds wants, it is not the approach I recommend.

Additionally, when people deprive themselves completely of "carbs" for three days they have a tendency to:
1) Go completely overboard with carbohydrate consumption on the fourth day of the rotation.
2) Not be able to go back to the three days of carbohydrate deprivation resulting in failure of the program.

The much more common sense approach is to follow a "high, low, no carb" program. There is much more room for error with this type of plan. It is much easier to follow and leads to much greater success.

Rotating your "carbs" in this manner allows you to shed fat and keep your metabolism elevated, which is the key to long term weight loss. There is a consistent transition with a "high, low, no" approach because every fourth day you repeat the cycle and you aren't depriving yourself of "carbs" for three days straight. And again: potentially triggering the elevation of lipoprotein lipase.

We tend to eat too many "carbs", we eat improper "carbs" and we don't eat enough protein in our diet. But by following the guidelines laid out in a "high, low, no carb" program we are manipulating the blood sugars and insulin response in our body to achieve rapid of fat loss. Rotating Carbs allows you to control and manipulate your blood sugars and insulin response so you are allowing your body to burn more calories for energy instead of storing "carbs" as fat. This means you are shedding fat and increasing your metabolism. Two very good things!

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS is the author of the Carb Rotation Diet. You can take advantage of his holiday special by visiting his site Carb Rotation Diet.