BE READY

Success happens when we’re ready. So GET READY and BE READY the best you can. Be prepared for anything. With regards to health & fitness, this means having some type of plan and executing this plan with appropriate Nutrition & Exercise. So what are you doing about this today? #haveaplan #austinpersonaltrainers #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

MY OWN WORKOUTS?

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKOUT FOR ME LOOK LIKE? This is a question I do get fairly regularly. And honestly, the answer could be a lot of different things, depending on the day. Keep in mind, I started lifting weights at 12 years old. I’m 47 now. I’ve worked professionally as a personal trainer since 2005. It should be understood that I’ve learned a few useful things (you’d hope so anyway), many of which were probably by accident or mistake. Key components? Creating a realistic plan that fits your lifestyle and schedule. Make smart exercise choices. Don’t do too much. Don’t do too little. Do that sh*t with 100% consistency. And with near-perfect form. Yes, my nutrition is pretty good. Yes, my sleep is pretty good too. Balance is needed with everything in life. And I mean every-thing. But to be clear, there is no magic. No secrets. No drugs or supplements either. Well, maybe a little Creatine Monohydrate but that’s it. The most important element? CONSISTENCY. My best advice? Create an intelligent plan. Choose the components wisely. Execute with absolute precision and a tenacity that delivers results and a sense of pride. Rinse & Repeat. Enjoy the process. #exercisejournal #exercisejourney #exercisemotivation #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers

YES, YOU NEED TO SQUAT

Yes, we all need to SQUAT. Today, I will show you three popular versions. Squatting is a strength exercise. I would argue that it’s the best strength exercise. Why? Because it’s a fundamental human movement. It helps with everything. Losing the ability to squat easily makes living harder over time. Trust me. You don’t need any equipment to get the basic benefits. With that said, adding weight (in any form) will help if you want to get really strong. The main thing you need to know is that you just NEED to do it regularly. Even once a week would be a great place to start. Things fall apart quickly as we get older. This, my friends, will help. #squatting #kingofallexercises #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

WHAT ABOUT EXERCISE?

Exercise is only movement. When we were kids we probably called it “play”. It helps to think of that way as adults too. Too often, exercise becomes work or another job. That’s a great way to sabotage the future. My recommendation? Don’t do anything you hate. Find things that can learn to enjoy. Then do them often. #exerciseismedicine #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

FAT LOSS IN THE NEW YEAR

WANT TO LOSE SOME BODY FAT? Consume fewer calories each day than you are right now. Be consistent. It’s not rocket science. We tend to make it complicated. Exercise is important for so many reasons but exercise would not my first choice for fat loss intervention. Improving food and beverage habits would be. People often make the mistake of overdoing the “under-eating and over-exercising” thing. Don’t do that. Be reasonable but also be very consistent. Let’s signify “consistency” as being longer than a year. Learn to eat some vegetables. Dark leafy greens would be a great place to start. Consistently get 7-8 hours of sleep each day. If you want to add more movement, try walking faster and more often. 10,ooo steps isn’t a magic number but it’s pretty darn good. Perfect the Goblet Squat exercise. Could you do a few reps with half your body weight? I’ll talk more on this later but for now, just know that fat loss is not complicated. It’s just not easy because we too often get in our own way. #fatloss #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

3 BIG Fat-Loss Mistakes

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Sample MEAL Log (it’s ok if it’s not pretty)

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FAT LOSS+FOOD CONTROL

Welcome to the New Year. And because it’s a New Year, we both know that a lot of folks would like to trim down. It may be you. It may be me. It may be just a few pounds, it may be a lot. Regardless, it’s all the same. I’ve been working with people for a long time. Losing unwanted fat mostly comes down to one thing… calories. America eats and drinks too many calories every day. It adds up in the form of body fat. But for many, it’s sneaky. I believe the main reason is that we have too many “encounters” with food each day. These encounters each count as a Meal. Over a lifetime, we get used to feeding frequently. Some big, some small. They add up. Before long, we’re unaware and unable( or unwilling) to change. But with no change in food comes no change with the body. Simple to understand but difficult to improve. Control takes positive frequent practice. But first, we must be mindful of it. #fatloss #mindfuleating  #mindfuleatingtips #austinpersonaltrainer #auatinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 8

Today, final exercise, #13 the DEADLIFT+CARRY. Ok, maybe that’s two. Just think one. I really wanted to keep my list under twelve but I just couldn’t. So I guess now you get the baker’s dozen, or what some call, a lil’ LAGNIAPPE. (Look for a highlight video of all 13 exercises next week). So the DEADLIFT… It used to be called the HEALTHLIFT. Best exercise under the sun (besides walking)? Possibly. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. It depends…which version you do, what equipment you choose, what your form looks like, how many reps & sets you do, your frequency, how does it feel, etc. All I can say is that there is most likely a safe version most anyone can handle, so long as you don’t have conflicting serious medical condition. The majority of everyone I’ve ever worked with has been able to do some version of the Deadlift. I prefer to add a “carry” to it any and every chance I get. In my mind, this makes the movement much more functional with a ton of real-world carryover. In fact, a great real-world substitute happens when we do things like carry luggage or use a grocery basket. If either of these is heavy enough AND picked up from the ground, they would certainly count as a “deadlift” and it’s trusty companion, the “carry”. My point, it’s a great exercise if and when done correctly and practiced appropriately for each person. I think it may even be one of the greatest exercises of all time. You should at least become acquainted with it. Of course, don’t do anything stupid. You should know that a lot of people do. Lol And don’t let the doctors blindly scare you aware before exploring the many safer versions and potential benefits. #deadlift #trapbardeadlift #hexbardeadlift #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 7

#11 Turkish Getup+Carry (Unilateral Horizontal Push). #12 Lawn Mower Rows (Unilateral Horizontal Pull). As some of you might have noticed, I like to modify most exercises. I do this to find a version that works best for my body and my goals. I urge you to do the same. This requires safe exploration and imagination, both good things that have wonderful carry-over to other areas. I know some of these videos are long. I would make them shorter if I could. Soon, I’ll get back to shorter videos. For now, I’ve got one more video to cover my final favorite exercise. Can anyone figure out what it might be? Next video out in a couple of days. By all means, leave me some comments or questions. I’m mostly here to be of some help. #bssbbooks #turkishgetup #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox