Summer is only 13 weeks away!!
February 20, 2011 by Deb · Leave a Comment
New Year’s resolutions have come and gone, and Summer is just 13 SHORT weeks away………….. This means we have just 13 weeks to really hone in our nutrition and training programs to hit Summer in peak swimsuit condition….Yikes!!!
It can’t be done by dieting alone. And as a matter of fact, DIETING Sucks! I’ve been there. Where its crunch time, where we’ve put off doing what’s needed to drop enough fat to look good before hitting the lakes for the Summer, or simply put those few extra pounds on from not being as active over our lovely Winter months.
Nothing is more stressful than being just a few weeks away from vacation or Summer and realizing you have not reached your desired weight-loss goals. So, I normally start 12-14 weeks out. And rather go on an extreme DIET (which I never do……because they don’t work), I alter my food program…..change things up a bit, eat healthier, workout HARDER… and throw in cardio-intervals as necessary.
One of my FAVORITE non-diet snacks for my sugar tooth is cottage cheese mixed with Greek yogurt and a few shredded almonds thrown on top. The cottage cheese absorbs the flavor of the yogurt, the almonds add crunch… and the whole snack curves your sweet tooth.
I eat this at least once a day on top of my other meals, because it’s that good. It also packs in some great PROTEIN, which helps curve your hunger! Now, if you’re not a fan of cottage cheese, I understand. I wasn’t either until I mixed it with yogurt. Give it a try you may be pleasantly surprised! This has become my favorite #1 healthy snack of all time.
The first step to reaching your Summer weight-loss goals is to PLAN now! Don’t look back at what you didn’t do, simply look forward and then kick it into full speed ahead! If you need some help, give me a call…….
I’d love to help you reach your goals by Summer!
Email me at: debfinnestad@aol.com to set up your first consult!
Train Hard & Expect Results,
Deb 
Home is Where the Heart Is
February 16, 2011 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Well, we are already six weeks into 2011. How are you doing with your fitness and wellness program? 1 out of every 3 people statistically has already given up on their New Year’s Resolution and yet is still paying for their gym membership. Want to know the secret to staying healthy and fit? You don’t need to go to the gym to find out – see article! Once you put your heart into it…then you can get fit anywhere and anytime!
Home is Where the Heart Is
If home is where the heart is, why do so many people neglect their heart, both physically and spiritually? Is your heart suffering due to a lack of exercise or to the foods you eat? Maybe your heart is bogged down with negative emotions (anger, jealousy, bitterness, hatred, fear or resentment). In either case, the heart becomes cluttered with an emotional filth that leaves no room for physical cleanliness. Would you enjoy living in a home that is dirty, cluttered, dangerous, and gloomy? I imagine most would answer that question with an emphatic “No!” Why, then, would anyone live with a heart condition that is equally harmful and depressing?
Your heart is the central operating unit for the entire body, pumping blood, oxygen, and nutrients to every cell. It’s the home base, if you will, from which the entire body receives its commands, including the mind and its ability to think. Phrases such as, “Home is where the heart is,” “Home sweet home,” “A man after His own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14), even “homesick” are reminders of where we long to be…HOME! If you are out of shape and depressed, however, do you stuff your home and your heart with things that never fill the hole left by what you are truly seeking? If we long to be home and our heart is the “home” from which we operate to our fullest potential (when we’re healthy), we should honor that home-clean it, purify it, fuel it, and exercise it to offer maximum benefits. The rewards are even far greater than what the heart offers physically. The heart is the home to a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
The first step in clearing the filth that has entered your heart (emotionally or physically) is to change the way you think. When you recognize and accept that you are worth the effort it takes to have a clean and healthy heart, you are ready to put the following necessary steps into action:
1. Emotional triggers: Address them! Whether your triggers concern past or present issues, decide to let go and release the negative thoughts, feelings and actions that go along with that emotion. Ask yourself: Does my attitude serve me or those around me? You may be hanging onto anger and resentment even though the person against whom the emotions are directed has been set free (because she/he did not allow emotions to run her life). Do you find yourself stuffing your emotions with food, alcohol, drugs, lust or shopping, to name a few? If so, consider what your future may look like five years from now if you continue down that path.
2. Action Plan: Put a specific plan in place for every day. Journal your eating, exercise, feelings and actions. Such accountability will develop into a daily pattern or habit. Hiring a coach/Personal trainer or checking in with a close friend also works wonders to keep you accountable.
3. Measure: Take time each week to check in and measure your results. There is no greater motivator than seeing the progression that leads to one’s goals.
4. Reward: When positive results are clearly shown, a healthy reward is key to encouraging you to continue reaching new and perhaps even greater goals.
Once you get to the “heart of the matter,” you will appreciate that home indeed is where the heart is-and that taking care of your heart is critical for you and for those who love you most.
Blessings Always,
Deb
You are Responsible for Your Results!
June 23, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
I want you to take a few minutes to think about this statement. You are the only one that can create results for yourself.
I am proud of the results of so many of you, but the reason every one of our successful members is seeing results is because they are taking responsibility for their own actions. Our fitness program (along with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, gym memberships, etc.) and my workouts WORK if you work the program.
People like to blame everything and everyone but themselves for their lack of results. But YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR RESULTS. Sorry for the tough love, but this is 100% true.
I care about all of you and want to help you reach your goals. So if you have been having trouble staying consistent and have been making excuses or placing blame externally for your lack of results then MAKE A LIFE-CHANGING DECISION RIGHT NOW TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY FOR YOUR OWN RESULTS! You will be amazed at what this one important decision WILL DO (not might do) for your results.
“My will shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man’s doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny.”– Elaine Maxwell
I am here to HELP all of you reach your personal goals, but only YOU can make them happen!!
Train Hard & Expect Results,
Deb
Have you lost 16-32 pounds in 2010?
April 22, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Today marks the 16 week mark of 2010.
It is important to pull the bus over right now and be honest with yourself about how the first 16 weeks of 2010 went:
Do you have more energy?
Are you generally in a better mood?
If weight loss is one of your goals, have you lost 16 to 32 pounds (1 to 2 pounds per week)?
Are you getting more tone?
Are your clothes feeling loose/are you losing inches?
If you answered yes to at least 1 of these questions, then Congratulations! You are “in the game” and you should be proud of yourself.
If you answered no to all of the questions, then it is time to re-commit and change your approach.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. – Albert Einstein
Now is the time to alter what you are doing so that you can accomplish the fitness and/or weight loss results that you deserve. You and your health are worth investing your time and energy into to so make today your January 1st and start kicking butt!
Maybe you need some help? Here are some tips to get you going:
- Hire a personal trainer….I happen to know a few good ones at CrossTrain!
- Get a workout partner
- Sign up for REV
- Try a free workout class
- Increase intensity on the circuit
- Increase your weights….when is the last time you increased your weights??
- Sign up for Jump Start for help with your food
- Make appointments for your workouts and KEEP them!
- Eat more fresh fruits and veggies!
- Drink you WATER!
Now start TODAY and kick some Booty!
Train Hard & Expect Results,
Deb
How did the first 12 weeks of 2010 go?
March 30, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Yesterday marked the 12 week mark of 2010. Did those 12 weeks fly by or what?
It is important to pull the bus over right now and be honest with yourself about how the first 12 weeks of 2010 went:
Do you have more energy?
Are you generally in a better mood?
If weight loss is one of your goals, have you lost 12 to 24 pounds (1 to 2 pounds per week)?
Are you getting more tone?
Are your clothes feeling loose/are you losing inches?
If you answered yes to at least 1 of these questions, than Congratulations! You are “in the game” and you should be proud of yourself.
If you answered no to all of the questions, then it is time to re-commit and change your approach. Now is the time to alter what you are doing so that you can accomplish the fitness and/or weight loss results that you deserve. You and your health are worth investing your time and energy into to so make today your January 1st and start kicking butt!
Train Hard & Expect Results,
Deb
“Without dietary intervention, can you successfully transform your body through exercise alone?”
March 2, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
And the answer? Not so much.
In fact, in the studies I have read, even 3+ hours of exercise per
week failed to lead to substantial fat loss in the absence of
strategic dietary manipulations.
Clearly, your diet is critically important to truly changing the
way you look and feel.
But what about exercise? Is it worthless, or does it make
considerable difference when combined with exercise?
To get the answer, we turn to a recent review conducted by the
Harvard School of Public Health just this year.
The review analyzed data from 18 different research studies, all
of which studied the effectiveness of a diet + exercise
intervention vs. diet alone.
The results? In both short term and long term studies, diet +
exercise resulted in greater overall weight loss than diet alone
each and every single time.But even more important is the body composition data. When
looking solely at scale weight figures, it may appear that the
diet + exercise only slightly edges out diet alone. But when
analyzing the actual body composition data, diet + exercise
always results in much more fat loss and much less lean body
mass loss.
This is extremely important for a couple reasons:
1. Lean body mass retention is critically important to keeping
metabolism high as each lb of lean muscle requires approximately
50 calories per day to maintain.
2. When speaking of “transformation”, losing 20 lbs of pure
fat will have you looking and feeling infinitely better than
losing 10 lbs of fat and 10 lbs of muscle. I mean, amazingly
different.
Just imagine what your body would look like right now if you
dropped 10 lbs of pure body fat and added 10 lbs of lean muscle.
That’s the power of diet + exercise vs. diet alone.
And to that end, I’d recommend combining diet
tips with the following training advice:
1. Optimal training doesn’t require hours upon hours of time
in the gym. 45 minutes, 3-4 times a week is all that is needed
to reap the benefits of including exercise in your transformation
process.
2. Intensity trumps time. Work out shorter, but harder. Gauge
your workouts not by how long you go, but by how hard you go.
3. Combine both strength training and interval training for the
best results.
If you’re really looking to transform your body, combining
optimal training with solid nutrition will have you off to a
great start. But to maintain that momentum, two other
components are necessary: unstoppable mindset and ongoing
support.
Believe in yourself; believe in the change to come.
Deb
May I “ash” you a Question?
February 17, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Happy Ash Wednesday! Forty-six days of Lent. A time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. I want to encourage you to fast in a way that honors God.
I plan on giving up sleep (an extra 30 minutes daily) to spend more time in the word and in meditation. What will you do to show your dedication and faith?
Following are some tips that I hope will inspire you today. As you grow more in mind, body, and spirit, you will feel more content and full of joy!
Mind
”Mind your Ps and Qs!” It was something I heard a lot as a child. At the time that phrase meant “Please” and “Thank you” (not sure how they got Q from thank you). These days I believe in minding your Ps and Qs in a different way: Positively and Questions. What positive thoughts are you absorbing, and what questions do you challenge yourself with on a regular basis? The new Ps and Qs you mind could change your outlook on life. Learn to accept positive affirmations and to ask quality questions daily.
Body
It may be difficult to swallow, but the average person’s metabolism slows by 5% each decade, starting at age 35. To create an increase in a declining metabolic rate you should NOT crash diet any more than you should continue with the same ol’ exercise program. It’s best to eat 5-6 small healthy meals throughout the day and to change up your exercise program by increasing tension/weight, distance, speed, or even the type of workout altogether. Want to see results? Try something new that will challenge and speed up your metabolism.
Spirit
Sometimes the road less traveled may seem difficult, but the key is to go down the path that is paved for you. Some of the most rewarding moments happen along the bends of a winding path. You may not be able see what is ahead, but you have the faith to move forward anyway. This “blind faith” offers an opportunity to learn and grow beyond your comfort zone.
Deb
Have you fallen off the wagon and need help to get back up??
February 16, 2010 by Deb · 2 Comments
Every once in a while you need a swift kick in the butt to get you back on track and living to your full potential. I recently received a kick in the butt from a mentor. She actually called me ‘WEAK’, can you believe that? Not weak physically, but mentally. I was coasting through life and she let me know it. Are you ready for your butt kicking? Watch this quickie video clip from the movie “Rocky Balboa“. In this clip Rocky gives his son the kick in the butt that he needs to get back on track and living to his potential.
Okay…you need to view this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uASVzkrEKgs This is what we discussed after viewing clip….maybe some of you can relate? Let’s discus some of the key points from the Rocky Balboa Speech…
The first important point thing that Rocky tells his son is, “When things got hard you started looking for something to blame.” Now let’s turn this back to you and your fat loss journey. Have you found yourself in a situation where things are going really great… you’re working out regularly, eating well, and feel awesome, then after four to six weeks something happens… you’re faced with a challenge or obstacle and you fall off the wagon? What is some of the self talk that goes on in your head when this happens and what do you tell others? Do you say, “Here I go again, I always end up sabotaging myself.” Do you say, “I’m just too busy to workout regularly, I’ve got kids and my work schedule is demanding.” Do you say, “That diet didn’t work, it’s too strict.” Or do you blame it on the genetics that your parents passed down to you? Where do you look to place the blame when the going gets tough?
Let’s take a look at the next point that Rocky makes to his son. “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward… how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” Again, we’ll use this statement and compare it to your fat loss journey… It’s absolutely important that you give each workout your very best effort. Hit each workout hard! It’s absolutely important that you give your best effort to following a healthy nutrition plan. Hit it with your best shot! But that’s not what will ultimately make you successful at burning all that unwanted body fat from your physique. The defining moments of winning the fat loss game are the ones where you get hit hard by an obstacle or challenge and you get back up stronger than ever before and continue moving forward toward your goals. Those moments where you feel at your lowest, whether you missed a few workouts because you were sick or you go way overboard on junk food while you are out with your friends at a party, these are these are the moments that you actually want to experience because they help you grow as an individual and become the best that you can be. Obstacles and challenges happen for a reason. They are not designed to make you fail… they are designed to help you succeed. How’s that for a mindset shift?
Let’s take a look at another important comment that Rocky tells his son, “If you know what your worth than go out and get what you’re worth, but you’ve got to be willing to take the hits and not pointing fingers and saying you ain’t where you want to be because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!” Do you know what you are worth? Are you willing to go out and get it even though it means that you are going to have to take some hits and get knocked down several times along the way to receive what you are worth? I know that you are worth more than you may be thinking at this moment. Take some time and really think about what you are honestly worth. I also know that you are better than the effort that you have been putting forth. How do I know that? Because we can all do better. We can all dig deeper. We can all push our limits. We can all experience a new level of greatness.
Here’s one last important statement that Rocky makes in this clip, “Until you start believing in yourself you’re not going to have a life.” Wow! How’s that for a kick in the butt? That’s some serious tough love, but if you have seen the movie you know that it was exactly what Rocky’s son needed to hear. Rather than get defensive he took that hit from his dad, let it soak in, and used it to explore who he really is and what he is really worth.
We all have goals and dreams, but do you believe that you will achieve them? I mean deep down with every ounce of your being believe that you will achieve them? Losing weight is not easy. Maintaining that weight loss is not easy either. Believing in yourself is not always the easiest thing to do as you may have experienced. Striving to continuously discover new ways to improve yourself, your body, and your health, takes a heck of a lot of work. But the rewards are always well worth the price that you had to pay in order to achieve them. No one and nothing is holding you back from achieving the body and life that you deserve except for yourself. Take responsibility. Take massive action. Take the hits and keep moving forward. Focus on your goal and don’t stop until you’ve achieved it. Turn your WISH into a MUST! Don’t just HOPE for it to happen… EXPECT it to happen.
Embrace the challenges that you are faced with and use them to sculpt the body and life that you deserve. Carve out a new path and lay down the pavement for others to follow so they too will experience the incredible successes that you are about to achieve. It’s never to late to get back into the game! Make your new start TODAY!
Deb:)
Will there be a New “YOU” in 2010?
January 5, 2010 by Deb · Leave a Comment
There will be if you want it bad enough!
There will be if you “CHOOSE” to create a new “you” in 2010.
Make no mistake about it….a new you will be created in
2010 regardless of what you decide.
Your skin is completely replaced every 30 days, the cells in your
blood stream will be replaced in the year 2010, and so will every
bone in your body.
It’s called cellular regeneration.
The trillions of cells in your body will respond to your
self talk and thought commands in 2010.
Here is the GOOD news!!
You get to decide right now….will I do what I have
always done, and get what I have always gotten, or will I take
control and help shape and create the new me that I want in 2010?
You and only you have the power to choose.
Do you want to be:
Confident
Successful
Unstoppable…in 2010?
You can be, you simply have to choose to.
Is it easy?
NO, everything worthwhile takes some effort on your part.
Can you do it?
You bet, and with CrossTrain’s help it will not be that hard
at all. (Well, it will be a lot easier with our support!)
Are your ready?
Let’s get started
My job is to give you the tools you need to create an incredible
new “you” from the inside out. You will become a healthier you, a more successful
you, a confident you, an unstoppable you and a more Spiritual you!
Your job is to digest the information, follow the steps,
take action, and most important of all….visualize
the new “YOU” that you want to be……EVERY DAY.
STEP ONE
Starting today I want you to start visualizing the new you that
you want to create. Think of yourself as a movie producer.
Create a short movie in your mind and replay that movie every
night when you go to bed. Create as much detail as possible; picture
yourself in the home you want, the car you want, with the loving
person you want to be with, earning the income you want, etc.
Look in the mirror every morning and say this:
“Every day I am becoming the person I have visualized in the movie
I play back in my mind, God will help me become that new person and
I will help others in their quest to recreate themselves
as I become the new person I know I will become.”
VERY IMPORTANT!!
Say this statement with faith that your transformation has ALREADY
BEGUN!
Now get going and create your first blockbuster movie ….YOU!!!
Deb
Setting Health & Wellness Goals for 2010
December 29, 2009 by Deb · Leave a Comment
3 important steps to setting your 2010 goals:
1) Write them down
2) Set big goals
3) Set specific goals
Write Them Down:
Goals that are not written down are still dreams. You have to put them on paper to make then tangible and real. So grab a piece of paper and start writing down all your goals (big and small). Then post them on your fridge (this is scary, but it makes you commit to your goals and announces them to your family) where you will see them every day.
Set Big Goals:
What type of goals have you set for yourself in the past as far as getting fit and losing weight? Are they big goals or modest ones that you are generally sure you can accomplish?
Have you ever dreamed of accomplishing something and then talked yourself out of it by saying something like “I could never do that!” If so, I want you to re-consider.
You can do anything you set your mind to – you just need to take baby steps, not make excuses, and have a plan to pull it off and then stay consistent and make it happen.
Have you thought of finishing your first 5K? How about a sprint triathlon? Does this sound crazy? Maybe, but YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO.
And let me ask you an extremely important question: When was the last time you accomplished something great without being scared? Honestly, think about this. Being scared about your goals means that you are challenging yourself and are setting yourself up to do something beautiful and amazing.
Set Specific Goals:
I suggest you write down specific goals like “I am going to do three 30 minute Interval Workouts” instead of grey goals like “I am going to exercise more”.
I also suggest writing goals like “I am going to eat breakfast every morning, watch my portions and have healthy snacks mid-morning and mid-afternoon every day” instead of “I am going to eat healthier”.
You get the point. Write down specific goals and then as I mentioned above, post them on your fridge.
Remember, goals that are not written down are still dreams. Start turning your dreams into goals and then eventually into accomplishments by taking this important first steps today!
If I can help you in anyway please let me know!
Make 2010 your healthiest yet!
Deb
