Lucky13Fitness - Blog

Healthy Donuts?!?! YUP!

5/17/2019

Who doesn’t love a good donut?!?

My favourite treat is from a place in Maine called Holy Donut.

They make their donuts with potato flour and a lot of love.

We will head there maybe 4 times per year, while we are up in Maine, as a special treat.

[note the picture of my son Chase eating his first donut. He’s in love now!]

But, it doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to know that donuts really aren’t something to have as a staple in your diet.

They’re really nutritionally empty and they won’t help you reach any of your health and fitness goals.

BUT

That doesn’t mean there aren’t alternatives that are much healthier…. Which you can eat with a little more regularity…. Without the guilt.

Cue the Strawberry “Donut” Cakes…

As summer approaches and strawberries come into season, its the perfect time to try this deliciously yummy treat.

GIMME THE STRAWBERRY DONUT CAKE

Go ahead! Have at it!! Make those for your next gathering of friends, office party, Memorial Day BBQ, or just on a random Tuesday!

Bon appetit!

Where Will You Be?

5/10/2019

I want you to take a minute and ask yourself a question.
Ask yourself where your health & fitness will be two years from today if you make the changes you need to make.
Where will it be if you let go of the habits and behaviors that are holding you back from reaching your goals?
How will your clothes fit?
How will your happiness in the way you look have changed?
How much more confidence will you have in yourself ?
How much less will you be worried about your cholesterol, blood pressure, A1C, and overall health?
Now, ask yourself a second question.
Ask yourself where your health & fitness will be two years from today if you don't make the changes you need to make.
Where will it be if you let certain habits and behaviors continue to hold you back from reaching your goals?
Will things get worse?
Will you get injured or develop a medical condition or disease?
Will you be less social and less apt to do the activities you once enjoyed?
Will you be satisfied with way things are?
Getting to where you want to go isn't confusing.
It requires letting go of the behaviors and choices that hold you back and replace them with behaviors and choices that will lead to where you want to go.
But let me leave you with a reminder:
Those two years are going to pass either way.
Whether you are willing to be better in order to achieve more, or are ok with the status quo, that time is going to pass...
...and it will pass quicker than you think.
So if you want more...my suggestion is to make those changes you need to make in order to be more.
And if you want my help, just email me: michelle@lucky13fitness.com and we'll find a way to work together to make those changes.

More Important Than Planning...

5/8/2019

It seems like so many of the people I talk to think that if they have the perfect plan, things will be awesome.
Whether it's the perfect workout plan, nutrition plan or overall life transformation plan...
...they're a plan away from success.
Unfortunately, that's just not how things work.
Having a plan is important and valuable, but do you know what's more important and more valuable?
The ability to adapt and persevere.
See, at some point the plan will either be rendered obsolete or it just won't work in the first place no matter how well thought out it is.
The unsuccessful person will be crippled by this.
They'll panic and dwell on all the things that went wrong.
In truth, they'll start acting like a victim.
But the successful person is different.
Sure, they won't be happy about the new dinner recipe that burned in the oven, the boxing gym that shut its doors for good, or work fiasco that put a wrench in their evening workout schedule...
...but they'll adapt and they'll persevere.
I think that those adverse situations reveal a lot about someone.
They shed light on whether or not a person will be successful in the long run.
Because, let’s face it, there is no such thing as “life without stress or obstacles”, so we can’t spend our time trying to avoid every pitfall out there.
Instead, we must spend time learning how to adapt to the obstacles and getting comfortable with pushing through hard.
It’s a fact of life that we must accept.
And, as a bonus, it makes for a pretty amazing character development 😉
In my opinion, this is an imperative trait for any person who wants to be strong- inside and out.
I'd take the Mike Tyson quote to heart:
'Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth.'
The ability to pick yourself back up and continue moving forward - even after your plan goes awry - is one of the ways you can be sure you’ll succeed.
And if you want my help in developing this 'winning' trait, it's something I preach and teach with all my clients.
Just shoot me an email: michelle@lucky13fitness.com and we'll see how I can help.

What a PhD, $1,000,000 & Weight Loss Have in Common

5/7/2019

You might be scratching your head after reading the subject line of this email, wondering what the heck a PhD, $1MM, and weight loss have in common.

I believe there are 5 important things that tie these 3 topics together.

1. DESIRABLE: if you randomly polled people, most would think it a good thing to have a PhD, $1MM, or lose weight. They all are things that people want.

2. MANY MORE PEOPLE WANT IT THAN ARE WILLING TO WORK FOR IT: it takes a lot of hard work to make $1MM.. Not many people want to work for that money, but LOTS of people would take it if it dropped in their lap.

The same is true for weight loss. People talk all the time about how they’d love to lose 10, 20, or even 50 pounds. But the number of people who are actually willing to put in the work to get there is much, much smaller.

3. DOES NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT: *winning the lottery is a rare exception. Most millionaires will tell you it took years, even decades to earn their million(s). The same applies for a PhD- it takes years to achieve.

Weight loss does not happen overnight. Sadly, most people think it does because of the deceiving programs out there that dupe people into thinking the false claims are true.

4. TAKES CONSISTENT EFFORT, TIME, AND WILLINGNESS TO PUSH THROUGH HARD: it’s not an easy road to go from $0 to $1MM… often people try many things and fail on their journey toward success and wealth. It’s not a simple task to get a PhD- take classes, do research, pick a topic for a thesis and then defend it.

And, it’s certainly not easy to lose the weight you want and transform your body & life. It will take time, consistent effort, and a commitment from you to push through hard… through tough times, and rough times.

The people you see in the world who HAVE these things- a PhD, $1MM (or more), or an incredibly fit and healthy body- they wanted that particular thing more than anything else in their life at one point in time. And they put all of their effort into getting there.

The last common trait of these 3 topics is the most important:

5. IT IS POSSIBLE: plenty of people in the world have PhD’s, there are a lot of millionaires out there, and there are heaps of people who have lost weight successfully.

I believe you can have any of these that you desire… heck, you are capable of all 3!

Now, I’m not an expert on helping people get PhD’s or becoming millionaires…

...but I am an expert on helping people lose weight and transform their bodies & lives.

So if you’re ready to take your weight loss head on, I’m here to help you every step of the way.

Just shoot me an email: michelle@lucky13fitness.com with “WEIGHT LOSS” as the subject and we can set up a time to chat.

STOP TRYING

4/30/2019

There’s a phrase in the English language that threatens so much of our personal & professional success.

A single phrase- made up of just a few words - that gives us permission to give up on ourselves when it counts most.

It’s the phrase that is holding you back from transforming your body and life to the next level..

It’s the phrase “I’ll try.”

To borrow from wise Yoda: DO, OR DO NOT. THERE IS NO TRY.

When you are on a journey to make changes to your body & life, there are many new and different things you’ll have to do.

Things like drink ½ of your body weight in ounces of water per day, eat a serving of fruit or veggies at every meal, exercise 3-5 times per week, meditate daily, acknowledge gratitudes, etc.

If you frame things as “well, I’ll try”, you are already giving yourself permission to give up.

You are already planting the seed in your own head that you’re not capable, or good enough to make these things happen.

You are feeding your self-doubt, which only slows down and even paralyzes your attempts to become a better person, inside and out.

You are giving yourself the “out” because saying “I’ll try” means you never fully committed to doing it in the first place.

Instead, reframe how you think and speak, as it relates to things that are new & challenging.

Don’t put yourself up against an enormous challenge and then say you’ll try to get it done.

Insead, choose less aggressive challenges that you can confidently accept.

Instead of saying “I’m going to try to get to bed earlier”, say “I am going to be in bed by 9:30 pm each night.”

Instead of thinking “I’ll try and exercise every day this week”, say “I am going to exercise 3 times this week, and if I get more than it’ll be a nice bonus.”

Stop undercutting your own ability to take action and change the course of your life.

You DO have the power to make better choices.

You DO have the ability to take small actions daily to become 1% better.

You DESERVE to make a full-fledged commitment to your own transformation.

Stop trying and start DOING!

Sculpt Your Shoulders & Strengthen Your Hips with This Exercise

4/29/2019

I filmed a quick video the other day demonstrating some plank variations that work the body from head to toe...specifically helping to sculpt the shoulders and strengthen the hips.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Do You Follow?

4/29/2019

There are a handful of successful people that I admire, and aspire to emulate.

One of them is Seth Godin. (if you don’t know of him, Google “Seth’s Blog”)

Yesterday he shared a story on his blog with an amazing lesson that really stuck with me, because it reminded me so much of how it applies to the fitness world.

The story, in a nutshell, was about a person who looks up a recipe, follows it but makes some on-the-fly substitutions or changes and then says “the recipe didn’t work” when the final product doesn’t turn out as desired.

Seth’s point was that it’s fine to be creative and add your own touch to things, but perhaps it would work better to just follow the damn recipe as listed first…

...get a good understanding of how it’s supposed to go, and then make some edits or changes.

The quote at the end is what’s been playing over and over in my head:

In the age of unlimited access to recipes, the hard part about getting good advice isn’t getting it. It’s following it.

I think this lesson is SO applicable to fitness and weight loss.

It’s sooo easy to get advice and information on exercises, recipes, workouts, etc. that can assist with weight loss, getting toned, gaining muscle, and looking & feeling better.

The difficulty lies not in being able to access this information.

In fact, I just Googled “workout for fat loss” and got 155,000,000 results.

The trouble, however, is in following the advice / information.

This is the #1 reason people struggle to lose weight.

They either can’t stay motivated or focused enough to follow the plan for more than a few days or weeks.

Or

They “follow it” but with lots of edits / changes / their own approach.

And, when things don’t work out the way they want, they blame the program.

They yo-yo, get frustrated, and ultimately give up.

Being able to properly follow advice / information is critical for fitness success.

And, you don’t have to do it alone.

If you’re sick of trying and failing, make the commitment to do it the right way.

Invest in a Coach who not only gives you the advice / info (that’s a no-brainer), but who helps you to follow it every step of the way.

In my opinion, the support, accountability, and motivation from a Coach is far more valuable than the sheet of paper they hand you with a workout plan on it.

If you’d like help with the follow-through, simply email me: michelle@lucky13fitness and let’s chat about how I can help.

4 Keys to Fitness Success

4/26/2019

If you want to be successful in your fitness endeavors, there are a few things you cannot ignore. One of them is NUTRITION. As the old adage goes, "you can't out-train a bad diet."

But nutrition that supports your fitness doesn't have to be difficult or cumbersome.
It's pretty straightforward, and when you incorporate a high-quality supplement, it makes things even easier.
Below I've broken it down into 4 simple areas:

1️⃣ PROTEIN
Protein is absolutely critical for anybody who exercise. In our experience, we find that eating about 80 - 120 grams of protein to be ideal for most of our clients.

To put that into perspective, 1 ounce of meat has 7 grams of protein. 1 egg also has about 7 grams of protein.

So, if you needed 100 grams of protein per day and you were to divide that across 4 meals you’d need about 25 grams of protein per meal...or 3-4 ounces of meat.
For me, on days where I'm carting my son Chase to activities, or putting in a long day of work at the studio, I rely on smoothies.... I throw a serving of Eniva protein powder into a smoothie and its 25 grams of protein on the go!

2️⃣ FRUITS & VEGGIES
Next up on the supportive nutrition list is large amounts of vegetables (at least 7-9 servings per day) along with some fruit (0-2 servings depending on goals).
The veggies tend to be the toughest for most people, but they’re super important as they're full of good-for-you micronutrients - vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

To further support my body’s micronutrient needs, I always supplement with Eniva's Vibe - an antioxidant, mineral, vitamin & whole food supplement. Vibe has also been shown to have DNA protective qualities.*
I mix it with 20 ounces of water and it really helps me stay hydrated, cuz it tastes so good!

3️⃣ HEALTHY FATS & OMEGA-3'S
Healthy fats from wild-caught fish, grass-fed meat, free-range chicken and eggs, avocados, and certain seeds and nuts are also critical for health.
There’s also a mountain of evidence showing the benefit of supplementing with Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids - just be sure to use an ultra-pure source.
I typically take 2 Eniva Omega-3's just after my first meal of the day.

4️⃣ RECOVERY AIDS
Helping your body to recover and replenish after a workout is critical. Without proper recovery, the next workout isn't as powerful and results can quickly diminish.
Not to mention that injury lurks when we are tired, sore, and not at our best.

There are a number of wonderful products in the recovery category, but one that I want to highlight here is Eniva's Muscle Aid.

Muscle Aid plays a central role in energy production, especially during anaerobic conditions (mostly what we do in our workouts at Lucky13Fitness).*
Muscle Aid also has a really neat “side effect” - it reduces/eliminates soreness from intense workouts! We actually call it our “anti-soreness juice.” HA!

Unrelated to training benefits, the primary ingredient in Muscle Aid (malic acid) has also been conclusively demonstrated in research studies to be a very effective chelator of aluminum from the body.* It's able to dissolve aluminum complexes and reduce the accumulation of this substance in various body tissues and organs.

Putting this all together…

You can boost your fitness results to the next level by making sure that you fuel and recover in the right way.
To support your training and recovery, be sure to provide your body with good nutrition that includes high-quality protein, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Plus, if you’re working out hard, you want to maximize performance, and/or you want to reduce soreness, be sure to supplement accordingly.

Eniva Health has a Fitness Pack that provides you with outstanding nutritional support for your workouts. It includes:

Vibe
Omega-3 Efacor
100% Whey Protein Isolate
Muscle Aid

The Fitness Pack is our PACK OF THE MONTH and it’s on sale for ONLY $99.
Purchase at Lucky13Fitness or order online at http://bit.ly/2Vf0u6X by 4/30 to SAVE $33!

FREE Workout for a Great Cause!

4/24/2019

Part of our mission at Lucky13Fitness is to help people feel better than they have in a decade...or ever before.

Feeling better comes not only from physical exercise and healthy nutrition choices, but also from doing things for others.

In fact, science shows that acts of kindness activate the release of dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter in the brain. Helping others has also been linked to reduced rates of anxiety and depression.

When we do something for others, and also boost our own mental health at the same time, everyone wins.

And that’s why we believe it is imperative to keep giving back to others, to the community, and to one another.

With that, I invite you to SAVE THE DATE:

On Saturday, May 11th, Lucky13Fitness will host a charity workout event to help give back to a fantastic local organization, LABBB Educational Collaborative.

The mission of LABBB is to design and deliver special education services that promote academic, social, and career independence in the most inclusive settings possible. They do this work right here in our back yard of Burlington, where they support people from preschool through adulthood.

We will host a FREE workout for all to attend… if YOU show up and have fun, Lucky13Fitness will donate on your behalf!

Please share with friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else who would like to help others!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS & REGISTRATION!

Thank you in advance for helping us to uphold our mission of helping others be their best.

What You Need to Know About Paleo

4/23/2019

The Paleo Diet came into mainstream media and conversation about 7 - 10 years ago.

It has been around long enough to have THOUSANDS of people develop opinions that either vilify or canonize the approach.

Google gives 120,000,000 results to the search term “The Paleo Diet”, making it seem that everyone has something to say about it.

I first heard of it in 2012 via a friend who was involved with Crossfit, where the trainers encouraged the members to do a 30 Day Paleo Plunge.

All of a sudden, my own personal training clients had a million questions for me regarding this new way of eating that was all the rage.

I studied up a lot on it and even immersed myself in it for 40 days.

(it just so happened to be Lent, that’s why I chose the 40 day time frame)

In short, I ended up continuing this way of eating, even after Lent was over.

Since those first 40 days, I have done countless hours of reading, listening, and educating myself on the pros and cons of the Paleo Diet.

Here’s what I believe are the Top 10 Things You Need to Know About The Paleo Diet:

This approach is centered on eating lots of fresh fruits & vegetables (organic when possible), pasture-raised and organic animal proteins such as beef, pork, fowl, fish, eggs (organic and pasture-raised), seeds & nuts, oils [avocado, olive, coconut].
Quality of food matters… a lot. The health benefits associated with Paleo are largely connected to the enhanced health benefits of food that is local, organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed/finished, and wild caught. Eat these sources as often as possible.
Make vegetables the star of every meal. Eating large amounts of fatty meats & little to no fresh vegetables is NOT the correct approach.
Stress less about calorie counting. Following Paleo guidelines results in eating less food that is highly nutrient dense & satiating.
Weight loss will typically occur, especially when starting Paleo. This is likely reduction in retained water, body fat, and overall inflammation due to processed foods.
Don’t get caught up in the minutiae. There’s no singular Paleo Bible you MUST follow; just adhere to the basic framework and adjust to meet your own needs.
Increase in energy is typically one of the first changes. Omitting refined sugars, processed foods, grains, and other high-calorie, low-energy foods results in a natural uptick of sustained energy.
Keep caffeine & alcohol to a minimum (or omit altogether). Having a cup in the morning is just fine, but more than that is not advised. A 4oz serving of red wine is also acceptable.
Don’t think of it as a “diet.” Rather, think of this approach as a shift in lifestyle and nutritional approach. This approach can be sustained for an entire lifetime, if you stick to the framework and allow for some wiggle room.
After following a more strict approach for ~ 30 days, each person can test adding certain foods back into their diet. For example, I now eat goat cheese with no issue… it’s technically not Paleo, but it works for me. Cow dairy, on the other hand, is something I’ve 100% omitted from my diet, and feel better without it.

There you have it - the most important things I believe you should know about the Paleo Diet!

If you have any questions, or would like to chat about incorporating this approach into your own life, just email me: michelle@lucky13fitness with “PALEO” in the subject line.

EMBRACE THE WIN

4/23/2019

It’s pretty safe to say that all successful people have at least one thing in common: they set goals.

(and then they achieve them. That part seems obvious, but it actually isn’t 😉)

Successful people set goals financially, in their careers, with health, fitness, and other personal development.

Having a specific, measurable outcome helps hold people accountable, notice if they get off track, & set a plan for success.

I always say:if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there.

Goals are great…. To me, and for my clients, they’re non-negotiable.

However, we as humans have this funny way about us whereby we have a very tough time embracing and appreciating the many wins we achieve en route to the Big Goal.

We tend to be so hard on ourselves, microscopically picking apart any imperfections in our efforts or performance that we completely forget to celebrate a victory.

I see this all the time in the fitness world:

A person has the goal of losing 20lbs and becoming more healthy & fit.

They get so hellbent on making the end result happen that they forget to embrace and celebrate the wins along the way.

Things such as cooking and meal planning for the first time...making exercise a part of the daily and weekly routine… incorporating a gratitude practice or mediation…. And losing 1, 2, 5 or 10 pounds all happen without appreciation or recognition.

They get brushed aside as not "really mattering" because the Big Goal hasn't been reached.

But, ALL of these things are critical parts to the overall process of losing 20lbs.

You cannot lose 20lbs without losing, 1, 2, 5, 10, and so on first!!

Why is this important?

Big Goals usually require a lot of time and effort to achieve.

They can take years or even decades to reach.

Over time, if the little wins aren’t celebrated, the final destination can seem so far off that giving up becomes highly likely.

There are scores of wins and small victories along the way to any Big Goal.

Each win is worthy of recognition, appreciation, and understanding that small wins build upon each other to create the very momentum and possibility for the Big Goal to be achieved.

Just think back to the person who wants to lose 20lbs.

For many people this could take 6 months to over a year.

If they don’t stop to appreciate the progress along the way, it starts to feel like a LOT of effort for nothing to celebrate.

If they don’t recognize that they’re making tangible progress that will help them lose the 20lbs (AND KEEP IT OFF), they will almost certainly give up before the goal is reached.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to look for wins each and every day.

Make a habit of writing down 1-3 small wins each day, week, month.

Acknowledging wins, writing them down, and reflecting back on them in times of struggle is an excellent way to help stay focused, motivated, and on a forward path to success.

What You NEED For a Beach Body

4/22/2019

Summer is right around the corner, and frequent trips to the beach / lake / pool will be here before we know it!

Now is right about the time when people start to freak out that they will have to put on a bathing suit in just about 6 weeks… the thought of it brings about a lot of negative self talk for many.

People don’t feel good about the prospect of putting on a bathing suit and having to be in front of others.

I’ve had many conversations with people about the way they feel in a bathing suit, vs. the way they’d LIKE to feel in a bathing suit…. And they want me to help them get from point A to B.

Usually this entails:

a flatter stomach
arms that are less flabby
toned legs and thighs,
body that overall “deserves” to be in a bathing suit.

Of course, that’s exactly what we do at Lucky13Fitness- get people from where they are now to where they want to be. And we do so by coaching and motivating them to make lifestyle changes to their movement, nutrition, mindset, and more.

But the one HUGE thing missing when it comes to a wish list for a beach body is CONFIDENCE.

In my opinion, no matter what the physical presentation of a person’s body, if they do not have confidence about it they won’t be happy.

There are plenty of people who are toned and have a flat stomach (maybe even part of a six-pack) but they don’t feel confident in the way they look.

You might kill for their body, but they aren’t satisfied.

There isn’t a single description or definition of “beach body”.. We each have our own ideas in our heads about how we want to look while strutting our stuff on the sand…

….but one thing we can ALL agree on is feeling confident while doing so.

That is exactly why we place such heavy focus on Training the Brain at Lucky13Fitness.

Because it’s about more than squats and pushups to make a person’s body look good…

It’s also about developing a positive and healthy sense of self.

A sense of confidence in one’s own capabilities.

A feeling of “Hey world, this is me... think of me what you will, but I happen to love who I am and the way I look.”

When you have that attitude, showing up to a pool party or a beach BBQ will always be that much more fun, because you feel amazing inside and out.

Take the time between now and summer to work on training both your body and your brain, so that you’ll kick off the season with a strong, fit body that you will be proud of.

What Zion Taught Me

4/17/2019

I just got back from a week-long vacation hiking at Zion National Park in Utah with my wife, Jen, and our son, Chase.

We had been looking forward to this vacation for a long time…. Hiking is one of our favorite things to do, and seeing a new National Park every year is one of our goals as a family.

Vacation is always exciting- a chance to break the daily monotony and switch up the routine.

Vacations are the time when you get to plan exactly what you want to do, so you can have an amazing experience.

Holiday (for my UK people out there) is a chance to unplug, relax, and have not a worry in the world.

Right???

Well yes, but on this vacation I was reminded of something very important:

Life will ALWAYS hand you challenges, even on vacation. There’s no getting out of it, so we must learn to live with challenges in the best way(s) we can.

Let me explain…

We had this absolutely amazing trip planned: staying in a cabin on a mountain ranch, hiring a guide to take us on 2 full-day hike / bike tours, meeting with an old friend for some more hiking, and just being in Zion NP to experience all of its splendor.

Well, the day after we arrived, the National Park Service decided to close a road / entrance into the park. It happened to be the entrance that was 5 minutes from our ranch.

What was supposed to be a 12 mile simple and GORGEOUS drive for us to meet our guide and get into the heart of the park ended up being a 2.5 hour drive south, through Arizona, and back up and around to the other side.

This meant spending 4 hours per day in the car just coming and going from our hikes.

In the desert.

With spotty cell service.

And a 2 year old.

When we found out that this huge wrench was thrown into our plans, we were both pissed.

We complained to one another about it for a few minutes, and wondered “how could this happen to us on our vacation?!”

But then we decided to just ACCEPT the challenge and DEAL with it in the best way possible.

We switched our lodging to a hotel that was closer to the open entrance to the park.

Problem solved.

Seems simple, right?!

Well it was…. But it very easily could have been the reason we complained for the rest of the vacation, had a crappy time, and used this poorly timed road closure to justify a bunch of not-so-great choices for ourselves and family.

This happens all the time.

Life hands us an unfortunate challenge, and we use it as an excuse to treat our bodies and minds poorly.

Binge eat junk food; give up on exercise; drink too much alcohol; avoid sleep; neglect self-care.

And we do all of this with a justification that life treated us poorly, so we deserve ________.

But ultimately that response won't serve us well over the long haul. Life will continue to challenge us, and that kind of response over time will create an unhealthy, unhappy, sad, and resentful person.

Instead of allowing a challenge to give us permission to stop trying, or treat ourselves poorly, we must acknowledge that challenges are part of life and it is OUR responsibility to learn how to best respond in a way that preserves our health and happiness.

It is possible and it isn't that hard. But it does take a shift in mindset and a break from the "norm."

If you would like some help and guidance learning how to stay happy & healthy in spite of the challenges life has thrown your way, I’d love to help out. Just reach out: michelle@lucky13fitness.com and let's chat.

Why People Yo-Yo Diet, and How to Stop

4/17/2019

You’ve heard of the yo-yo, I’m sure.

The up and down, up and down, up and down cycle of losing weight & getting fit that repeats itself much to the detriment of the person on the “ride.”

Perhaps you know someone who has been yo-yo’ing for decades… or maybe you’ve even experienced it yourself.

In short: yo’yo-ing with diet, exercise, and weight loss SUCKS.

It doesn’t have to happen and nobody enjoys it.

So then why is this an all-too-common occurrence?

What happens, exactly, that causes people to yo-yo?

Some common answers may be:

Loss of willpower
Boredom
Getting too busy in other areas of life
Going on vacation
Seasonal events [summertime BBQ’s, holiday parties, etc]
Lack of understanding how to exercise properly
Disliking cooking & meal prep

While I agree that all of the items listed above ARE connected to losing weight & getting fit successfully, I do NOT believe that they are the reason for the yo-yo.

After working with & learning from hundreds of people over the past decade, I have come to a very strong conclusion:

The reason people can’t lose weight and keep it off is NOT because they dislike avocados or salads.

The reason people can’t seem to stick with an exercise program longer than a few weeks is NOT because life all of a sudden got busy.

The reason people yo-yo is because their stress management techniques are broken.

A person could be on a perfectly programmed training regimen, and have the absolute perfect nutrition plan in place……

…. But if the response to stress is eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s or drowning sorrows in a drink of choice, then successfully losing weight & getting fit will not happen.

How to Stop the Yo-yo:

Learn and develop healthier stress management techniques.

This is not something hard, just something that most people don’t think of as part of their “diet plan.”

Some common suggestions I share with clients are:

Take a walk
Leave the stressful situation and spend 5 minutes in another room or place
Take deep breaths for 1 -2 minutes
Use a stress ball
Write
Read a positive mantra or quote over and over for 1-2 minutes
Call a friend or family member
Exercise
Scream into a pillow (it works!!)

This is certainly not an exhaustive list… there are thousands of potentials. Each person needs to find the one(s) that work best for them.

It won’t come overnight… there will be some trial & error, and it will require a bit of sticktoitiveness.

But once something that works, there will be a less pressing need to turn toward the unhealthy things that trigger the next “down” phase of the yo-yo cycle.

With lots of practice and time, the link between stress and unhealthy responses can be completely broken and replaced with healthful alternatives that yield a better quality life.

In a nutshell: master your stress response, and you will master your life.

What Fitness & Taxes Have In Common

4/9/2019

It’s that time of year- TAX TIME! I just finished getting all of my things together over to my accountant.

And, DAMN does it feel good to have it out of my hands!

It took me 2 whole days just to gather up the info he needs and organize it enough to present to him.

The thought of actually having to input all my financial information into the proper tax forms completely overwhelms me.

Between owning a business, having accounts for myself, my wife, and our son, and having retirement / investment accounts, I wouldn’t know what to put where!

I’m just happy when I get to hand it off to someone who does this for a living, and have the peace of mind that it will get done properly and on time.

Anyway, this got me thinking about the whole process of taxes, and how lots of folks approach it differently…. But we are all after the same result.

We all want to get our information put together correctly and get it to the government before the deadline.

Nobody wants to overpay, and nobody wants to make a mistake that might cause them to get audited.

Basically, we want to do what is necessary to abide by the law and pay our share.

And it reminded me of the fitness and weight loss process.

There are many ways to go about it, but in the end people want the same thing: to look and feel better in their body… and, subsequently, in their clothes, life, relationships, etc.

And most people want to do this without wasting time or spending too much time or energy.

I actually think there’s a lot of similarity between the two areas and how we approach….

There’s the “do it yourself” approach.

In the tax world, this is called Turbo Tax.

You purchase the program for a small sum of money, and you are responsible to sit down and figure it out on your own.

The fitness equivalent of this would be purchasing a Beachbody DVD, or something similar. Once you buy it, it’s 100% on you.

The next approach is the one that offers basic help and access.

In the tax world, this means going to HR Block. You pay a bit more than Turbo Tax, but you get to walk into one of their offices and sit with one of their associates. You get the access to their computer equipment and programs, and a bit of help.

The fitness equivalent of this would be a membership at Planet Fitness.

You get the access to a gym and the equipment inside. They make sure the equipment is functioning properly and that the locker rooms are clean (most of the time).

Finally, the 3rd approach is the fully supported approach.

In the tax world, this is having an accountant.

An accountant will give guidance, advice, help, and direction not only at tax time but throughout the year.

(I email my accountant with questions at least once a month, and he gets back to me within an hour)

The fitness equivalent of this would be having a Coach.

Someone who makes sure you use the gym equipment, who cheers you on when you’re kicking A$$, and who doesn’t wag a finger in your face when you’re having a bad day.

A Coach is there to answer your questions, give you guidance, help problem solve, and more…. not just during a training session, but anytime you need it.

So, if you’ve tried the “do it yourself” or the “minimal help and access” approach, without much success or satisfaction, think about bumping it up a notch!

Have You Ever Been Fooled By This?

4/5/2019

You’re probably sick of hearing about jokes and pranks, with yesterday being April Fool’s Day.

Did anyone pull a fast one on you?

I got duped by a few silly social media posts, but that was it. PHEW!

While the subject of fooling was in the air yesterday, I got to thinking about the BIGGEST thing that can fool people, as it relates to fitness & weight loss.

The Past.

The past efforts to lose weight….feel better….look better in clothing….feel happy and confident.

Past efforts that haven’t quite turned out as great as was expected.

If you’re someone who’s tried once (or 10 times) to reach a fitness or weight loss goal, without permanent success, you know what I’m talking about.

Eventually, you feel like nothing will work.

You might even start feeling like you’re not supposed to succeed.

Maybe failing at this weight loss or fitness thing is what you’re meant to do.

This is the kind of negative self talk that can take place when a person allows their past track record to dictate or (falsely) predict the future.

And it goes for things other than fitness, too.

Relationships. Career. Personal aspirations. Finances.

It all boils down to this: all it takes is ONE try that sticks to change the entire course of your life.

So don’t let your past fool you into thinking that feeling great, looking amazing, and living a confident happy life isn’t in the cards for you.

You CAN do it.

And, if you’d like some help and guidance along the way, I’d be happy to Coach you toward your goals.

Simply shoot me an email: michelle@lucky13fitness.com, and we can chat.

You're invited!

4/4/2019

You're Invited!

Do you have an achy back?
A nagging shoulder or knee pain?
Is there an old injury that you can’t pinpoint, but causes you discomfort from time to time?
Would you like the opportunity to ask a physical therapist about it?

This is your chance!

You are invited to “Ask a Physical Therapist” Night at Lucky13Fitness.
On Tuesday, April 23rd from 5:30pm - 7pm, we will host Steve Sheridan, MSPT from HD Physical Therapy. He will be ready to answer any & all of your questions and perform mini screenings. The event is FREE, but space is limited and registration is required.

CLICK HERE to register and save your spot!

I hope to see you at this great event!

How 'bout a Creamy Chocolate Shake For Breakfast?

4/3/2019

When members first start at Lucky13Fitness, one of the first things we discuss is building a solid and positive relationship with food.

There are many details to that “relationship” but one big part is understanding that healthy food doesn’t always have to taste like cardboard!

It sounds silly, but I think this is a common misconception that many people have…. And we have made it our mission at Lucky13Fitness to debunk that myth on day one!!

And that’s why I tell everyone to start their first step on their journey by making a CREAMY CHOCOLATE SHAKE for breakfast!!!

Yep, you read that right!

There is a healthy way to make this, and it gives your body lots of wonderful nutrients while keeping the chemical-laden, processed stuff out.

I want to share that recipe with you today so you can give it a try for yourself!

CREAMY CHOCOLATE SHAKE (makes 2 servings)
Ingredients
• 2 bananas
• . cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/8 raw cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 2 tbsp raw almond butter
• Dash of sea salt
• Dash of fresh ground cinnamon
• 2 cups ice

Directions
1. Place all ingredients into the blender and blend on high until smooth.

And here’s a hack for saving time:

Double this recipe and make 4 servings on a Sunday afternoon. Put them in individual containers in the freezer.

Each morning as you get up, grab one (all ready to go!!!) and by the time you get into your car or to your office, it’ll be melted enough to drink!

This is just one of many ideas and recipes that we use to help support our members in making positive changes in their lives.

If you’re interested in learning more, simply email me at michelle@lucky13fitness.com and put “Chocolate” in the subject line 😉
And we can set up a time to chat!

You Can Actually Feel Your Body Responding to This

4/3/2019

The body is a pretty amazing machine.

The functions it performs, the ways it keeps us alive, the safety mechanisms built in.... I could go on and on!

One of the coolest things I have observed about my body lately is the way it responds when I take my Eniva Chlorophyll+ supplement.

I mix 1 teaspoon with about 13oz of water and drink after my first meal of the day.

And I can literally feel my body absorbing the nutrients on a cellular level!

I get more energy, I feel more alert & my body just overall feels BETTER.

Now, you may think what I'm saying is hokey... but there's some solid science behind the benefits of the Chlorophyll+

Here’s an interesting factoid: Chlorophyll’s molecular structure is very comparable to that of hemoglobin, a vital component of human blood. The only difference is their central atom – hemoglobin has iron, and chlorophyll has magnesium.

Why is this important?

Because liquid chlorophyll performs an identical function in the human body as hemoglobin - transporting oxygen and supporting energy...
Chlorophyll is truly one of the unsung heroes when discussing the potential of nutrition.

Chlorophyll has the amazing ability to protect us from potentially harmful substances like no other food or medicine can.* It supports cellular integrity, naturally cleanses toxins from the liver and bloodstream, supports heart and brain activity, and helps the body rebuild.*
Chlorophyll is nature’s first gift to mankind, and it remains even more so today!
The bottom line: chlorophyll rocks!

Chlorophyll+ is our PRODUCT OF THE MONTH so you SAVE 25%. You can order your bottle one of four ways:

Click HERE and use promo code GOGREEN. Then pick up at Lucky13Fitness
Simply reply to this email and we’ll bill your card on file - pick up at Lucky13Fitness
Make your purchase the next time you’re at Lucky13Fitness
If you’re not local, order here http://bit.ly/2Q77f7N for delivery.

A Backwards Thing About the Human Brain

4/1/2019

I find the human brain to be fascinating… we are born with many instincts, and we have the capacity to learn and store SO much knowledge over a lifetime.

The brain is a complex, powerful, and integral part of human beings.

But, often, it does something that I think is SO backwards and SO opposite what evolution would tell us to do.

What am I talking about??

Sacrificing care for the self in order to care for loved ones.

Let me explain….

We can all relate to this in one form or another. You may have a spouse, kids, aging parents, siblings, nieces/nephews, cousins, friends, etc. that you care for deeply… and, in turn, need your time, attention and energy.

You may spend your weekends shuttling your kids around to soccer, dance, gymnastics, piano, and more.

You may spend your evenings and other free time taking care of an aging parent or a sibling who needs an extra hand.

You may even be a full-time caretaker and supporter of your spouse, kids, animals, home, and more!

I, myself, do a lot of caretaking… I am the primary caretaker of our son, Chase, who just turned 2. I take care of our 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and our cat…. I co-own and operate a business… and I have a wife whom I support in her cycling endeavours.

I get it: it’s a LOT for a person to have on their plate.

And when that plate gets too full, unfortunately, the first thing to go is self-care.

Things like exercise, healthy nutrition choices, sleep, hydration and more all get tossed out the window in the name of making more time for caring for those we love.

BUT THIS DECISION DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!

All we need to do is take a look at a mother (human or animal) with her newborn baby.

The mother’s primary job and focus is to take care of her baby.

HOWEVER, if she herself does not eat and stay healthy, she will not be able to produce the very sustenance that her newborn needs to survive.

So in some ways, she MUST take care of herself, if for no other reason than as a way to care for her child.

If you’ve ever been on an airplane and listened to the safety announcements before takeoff, you’ll hear the flight attendant say that in the event of an emergency, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead bin…. And to be sure to put a mask on yourself before assisting others.

This is a very simple and easy to comprehend example of what I’m talking about.

You cannot be a good caretaker to those you love if you let your own health/wellness decline.

You cannot provide them with the best care possible if you cannot extend that simple grace upon yourself.

Don’t let guilt trick you into thinking you must sacrifice your own care for others.

Instead work hard to create a reality where both are possible.

You and those you care for will all be better off for it.

Author

Michelle Densmore, CPT, LCSW is the founder and co-owner of Lucky13Fitness, a personal training and fitness coaching company located in Burlington, on the north shore of Boston, Massachusetts. Michelle uses her education and expertise in both the physical and mental health fields to help her clients reach their goals through behavior change. Michelle believes that "Training the Brain" is the key to change in any aspect of life, especially in the gym. Michelle trains and supports her clients’ brains as well as their bodies via (en)Vision coaching, personal training, and virtual coaching.

Michelle is also a featured fitness writer for Runner's World, Zelle, Wicked Local newspapers, and has been featured on BostInno and The Story Exchange. When she’s not training clients, running Bootcamp or teaching a Tabata class, Michelle can be found training herself for a road race or triathlon. She loves to run, lift heavy things, travel, and spend time with her family and animals.
Contact Michelle

Archives

April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
April 2018
June 2017
May 2017
August 2016
August 2015
June 2015
April 2015
March 2015
January 2015
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014

Categories

UA-53523607-1