What's Coming Up

I just wanted to make a quick post about what is coming up in Fitness Done Right. I have been checking out fitness programs online for you to see what is good. In the next few weeks I will be posting reviews of what I consider to be the best programs available. If you have read my articles, you will know that I do not support diets, diet pills, or stupid contraptions that you see on TV. These will be reviews of legitimate fitness programs created by certified fitness trainers. All of them will also cover proper nutrition and mindset. It is my hope that you will be able to find the solution to your diet and fitness needs in one of these routines. It doesn't matter if you are wanting six-pack abs or just to have your clothes fit better, I think one of these will work for you.

I'll be back in a couple days with the first review.
Good health to all,
Mickey B

Meal Plans for Fat Loss - What's Right for You

Of the three mandatory components for a successful fat loss and fitness program, the proper meal plan is probably the most difficult and most misunderstood. Most people do not understand that when it comes to eating the right foods in the right amounts at the right time, it is not a case of "one size fits all". Let me give you an example:

I recently saw an interview conducted by a certified nutritionist. He was at a hotel that was completely filled with bodybuilders. They were there for the annual Arnold Classic bodybuilder competition. Every year the hotel restaurant and most of the other eating establishments in that area change their menus to accommodate these athletes. They add all the foods that bodybuilders are known to eat. Now, here is what caught my attention: the interviewer pointed out that in spite of what these restaurants had done, every single athlete had brought his own food. They understand that their meal plan must be specific for their own needs.
This is a perfect example of why most diet plans don't really work, and why the few that do work aren't as effective as you would like. So what are your options? Let's face it, most of us are not adequately educated to determine a proper plan. That being said, we should all know by now that processed foods are not friendly to our bodies. Here are some ideas for you to start a healthy eating plan:

1. The Starter Plan - When you go shopping for groceries, stay out of the inner aisles. If it comes in a box or a can don't buy it. Do your shopping in the produce, meat, and dairy sections. You need whole foods, not junk that is loaded with chemicals and preservatives. When it comes to things like chips and cookies, don't keep them in the house! Any good meal plan will allow for a cheat day. Save the garbage empty calorie food for then, and go out to eat it. Watch your sugar intake. Food manufacturing companies are sneaky with their labels. High fructose corn syrup and honey are also sugar. Drink lots of water and green tea.

2. The Better Plan - There are many fitness programs available online. Most of the trainers that create these programs are certified trainers. Some of them are also certified nutritionists, who have done a lot of research on what foods are best for the different body types. A few of the more well known are Isabel de los Rios, Tom Venuto, Mike Geary, and Joel Marion. There are many others that are just as qualified, but I wanted to give you a place to start looking. These trainers offer meal guides and plans to people who sign up for their training. They will give you a plan based on your body type and your fitness goals. Most of these plans are affordable and come with support from the trainer and his or her inner circle.

3. The Best Plan - Set an appointment to meet with a certified nutritionist in the area in which you live, and have them design a custom plan just for you. Your nutritionist will ask you a gazillion questions to get the information they need to create the most ideal plan for you. They need to know your body type (ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph or somewhere in between), what type of work you do, your activities, allergies, stress level, etc. Be honest with them, so they can help you to eat exactly what you need, when you need, and in what portions you need. The only real drawback to this plan is the expense. The services of a really good nutritionist can run into thousands of dollars. The man being interviewed at the bodybuilder contest paid $5000 to his nutritionist.

I have given you three possible choices for improving your chances of having a successful fat loss and fitness program. I cannot make the decision for you. Each of these plans is far better than what most people are doing now. My personal recommendation is the second plan for the majority of people, however, if you can afford it, by all means go with option three. At the very least, please begin using the starter plan. You will be amazed with how well it will make you feel.

Change Your Mind To Change Your Weight

Have you ever wondered why you struggle to lose weight? Let’s face it – You know that you should change your eating habits. You know that you should get more exercise, drink more water, and get more sleep. So why don’t you do it? Are you just too lazy? Obviously not, or you would not have gone on any diet nor tried any type of exercise program. I guess you just don’t have any willpower. Oh wait, that can’t be true either. I mean, just look at all the things you have accomplished in your life. You learned how to walk, talk, read, write, do arithmetic, cook, clean, ride a bike, drive a car, and take care of your family! That’s a pretty impressive list. So what is the problem with losing weight and getting fit? The answer is easier than you think. You just need to change your mind to change your weight!

Say what? I’m not talking about the mere act of deciding to do something differently. You see, you may not know this, but your conscious mind does NOT control the paths you follow in life. Your subconscious mind does. That is the mind that you must change to achieve success in changing in your weight. Consciously, you can make decisions to accept or reject any piece of information presented to you, but your subconscious does not have that ability. It can only receive and accept everything that your five senses detect. Stop and think for a minute about every negative comment you have heard in your life: you’re not strong enough; you will never be able to do that; your genetics will keep you from ever being pretty or handsome or skinny; nobody will ever want to marry you; you’re not good enough to be successful.

It’s kind of sad, isn’t it? This type of negativity stays with you, and as a form of protection, your subconscious mind directs your actions towards safety. It prevents you from taking actions that it perceives will lead to heartbreaking pain.

What if I told you there is a safe and pain free way to change that? Would you be interested enough to check it out? There is a way to tear down the roadblocks your subconscious has built. You can develop new thought patterns. You will be able to synchronize the two sides of your mind. You will gain control of your actions!

Can you see yourself standing in front of the mirror admiring the new you? What’s that – no flab flapping under your arms when you move, no roll around your middle? Awesome!

So what’s the secret? Well, it really isn’t a secret. This method of changing your mind has been around for over sixty years, and it is even endorsed and practiced by the medical profession. I know you’ve heard of it. I am talking about hypnosis. Now, don’t start envisioning those stupid stage shows, where somebody starts acting like a chicken or barking like a dog. Those are strictly what they seem – stage shows! With hypnosis, you will still be in control, but you will be in a relaxed state that allows you to be receptive to suggestions. Imagine being calm and relaxed listening to a soothing voice that is suggesting healthy thought patterns to you, and giving you actionable ideas to achieve weightloss. You will find yourself behaving differently and realizing that this is due to the hypnotic suggestion, and you will be pleased.

I highly recommend hypnosis, not just because it works, but because it worked for me. You can go to a doctor that practices hypnotherapy, but that can get really expensive. If the therapist is really good, you will probably spend a couple hundred dollars or more for one session. Some people have learned to do auto-hypnosis. I couldn’t get the hang of it myself. What worked for me was a series of CD’s produced by a professional. I was able to use them at home at my convenience.  Another nice feature is that I was able to re-use them whenever I struggled with any particular issue.

Don’t just take my word for it. Check it out for yourself. Hypnosis is very safe and extremely effective at helping you rid those negative obstacles in your subconscious that are preventing you from losing weight. You’ll be really glad you did!

Do You Want to Burn Fat and Get Fit – Do This First

If you want to burn fat and get fit, the first thing you need to do is get control over the six inches of gray matter between your ears. You may think that you already are in control, but the odds are against it. Most of us have learned some degree of control over our conscious thoughts, but in reality it is our subconscious mind that controls our actions. You see, we can decide whether or not to accept information that we receive consciously. If something doesn’t ring true, we just scoff at it and say, “I don’t believe that.” However, our subconscious mind accepts every piece of data that it has ever received from our five senses. Did you know that it is estimated that children hear the word “no” 40,000 times before they ever go to school. This is because adults were trying to protect them from injury. “No, don’t stick that in the wall plug. You could get electrocuted!” This constant repetition of negativity, reinforced by a statement of dire consequences, goes a long way toward developing a subconscious negative outlook. We can consciously say that we want to eat right and get into shape, and we can consciously believe that is the correct thing to do. Unfortunately, our subconscious prevents us from taking the correct path toward that end.

So what can we do to reprogram our subconscious? The three most common methods used to achieve this are meditation, hypnosis (both regular and auto-hypnosis), and the conscious practice of positive thinking. Let’s examine each of these methods.

1. Meditation. This is used by many people to help them calm their mind and balance their physical, mental, and emotional health. Many in the medical profession are recommending this practice as a way to relieve things like insomnia, anxiety, and even to lower blood pressure. Don’t get all hung up on the religious aspect of meditation. Concern yourself more with using this method to develop a sense of inner peace. A peaceful mind is less likely to act in a negative manner. There are many different ways to practice meditation, but I won’t go into them here. I just want to let you know that this is a viable option for you.

2. Hypnosis. While meditation involves the absence of all thought and to just be, hypnosis uses concentration on a specific thought in order to affect a desired result. This includes things like smoking cessation, burning off fat, reducing stress, or even pain management after surgery. The American Medical Association put its stamp of approval on hypnosis all the way back in 1958, and since then it has been used by countless people to take control over their lives. You have options here. You can go to a licensed psychologist who incorporates hypnosis into his treatments, you can learn auto-hypnosis and treat yourself, or there is my favorite, you can purchase professionally made CD’s and listen to them in the privacy of your own home. I think you will be amazed at how well these work to help you gain control of your life.

3. Positive Thinking. This is the first option that most people choose, most likely because meditation and hypnosis make them think of something they saw in bad movie or a phony stage show. Positive thinking isn’t something you can develop overnight. You have to devote a certain amount of time every day to practice this method. You must verbally speak positive messages. Remind yourself of specific times in your life when you successfully accomplished something. Think of awards that you won. Concentrate on how those accomplishments made you feel. Don’t forget to include any times when you set a goal for yourself and achieved it. Achieving goals is a tremendous confidence booster, and one thing that successful people have in common is self-confidence. While this is the most difficult of the three methods discussed, it is highly effective, so don’t shove it aside.

Please do not get discouraged because you have not been able to burn fat and keep it off. For those of you that think you have never succeeded at anything, I would like to remind you that once upon a time, you could not walk, talk, clothe yourself, feed yourself, tie your shoes, ride a bike, drive a car, or read this article. Those are some pretty impressive accomplishments, and you CAN go on to even greater achievements. I have confidence in you, but you must believe it yourself before anything will happen. Good luck, I’m rooting for you! Now, start gaining control over your life!

Without These Three Components You Cannot Succeed at Burning Fat and Getting Fit

If you desire success at losing fat and increasing your level of fitness, there are three components that you absolutely must have. Without any one of the three, you will find it extremely difficult - if not impossible - to achieve any type of long term success. The three things you must have for successful fatloss and fitness, in order of importance, are as follows:

1. The right mindset. The vast majority of overweight people will say they want to lose weight and get into good shape. You may have said this yourself. I know I certainly have! So why don't they do it? Actually, there are two primary reasons.

First, they consciously are not willing to put in the necessary work. It's hard, it's uncomfortable, and it takes time. How many times have you heard someone say, "I'm going to try this new diet I heard about at work." You can't "try" a diet! You either do it or not. Phrases like, "I'll try" or "I'll do my best," are merely expressions we use that allow us to say, "It didn't work," when, in fact, we actually gave up and quit!

The second mental problem is subconscious. This is the big one. Most of us have been programmed since early childhood for failure. It is not our fault and really not our parents' fault either. It was done for protection. By the time we started school, we heard the word "NO" approximately forty thousand times! I lack the space here to teach you how to overcome the negativity in your subconscious mind, but I will tell you this: it IS possible to reprogram your mind, and when you do, amazing things will happen in your life!

2. The right eating plan. I am not talking about going on a "diet." I will tell you right now, DIETS DON'T WORK! What I am referring to is a lifestyle change. You must learn to eat the right foods, in the right portions, and at the right times. So called diets are too restrictive. Nearly every diet plan eliminates one of the basic food groups. They are called basic for a reason - your body needs them. When your diet says no-no, your body will begin to crave the forbidden food. If you are eating properly, your body will get the correct amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates. You will also be eating whole foods, not processed junk.

3. The right fitness program. There is a multitude of exercise programs available to you, but if you are trying to lose fat while you are getting fit, you definitely need to be using interval training. What is interval training? Interval training is a fitness program that involves bursts of high intensity work that is alternated with periods of rest or low activity. Usually the rest period is slightly longer than the high intensity work. Extreme interval training involves long periods of intensity followed by short rest breaks. What makes this type of fitness program so great? The high intensity constitutes a combination of cardio and strength training. The cardio burns calories while you are exercising. The strength training builds muscle mass which continues to burn calories for hours after you have finished your workout. Combined with the right eating plan, this program will burn fat instead of just weight, and the increased muscle mass will burn calories faster than what your fat was burning.

There are other factors that are important for fatloss and fitness, but these three are a must. First, you have to get your mind to the point that your subconscious thoughts believe you can succeed. When that happens, you will automatically begin to take steps toward success. Second, your eating habits must change to wholesome foods eaten in the right amounts at the correct times. Finally, you really to need to incorporate interval training on a regular basis into your weekly schedule.

Trust me on this. You will be glad that you did.

There Is Only One Way to Lose Weight

There is really only one way to lose weight. Before I tell you what it is, let me clarify something. When people say they want to lose weight, they actually mean that they want to lose fat so as to look firm and more attractive. Let's face the truth - nobody likes to admit that they are fat. It's embarrassing. So, what is this one way to lose weight? You have to create a caloric deficit. In other words, your daily consumption of calories must be less than your daily calorie burn, period! If you eat 1800 calories and burn off 1800 calories, your weight will not budge. It is just basic math like 2 - 2 = 0. Now one pound is equal to 3500 calories, so if you want to lose one pound per week, you will have to eat 500 fewer calories per day than what you are going to work off. How are you going to do that? Well, you have three options.

1. Go on a diet, but keep your workload the same. This is the most widely selected option on the planet, and my goodness, you do have a lot of options to choose from. Sadly, the vast majority of diet plans simply do not work because your body will not allow it. After a few days, your body recognizes the reduction in calories and goes into starvation mode. It will automatically begin slowing your metabolism down to match your food intake, and it will try desperately to store as much fat as it can. Your body prefers to burn carbohydrates and to store fat. It will even start breaking down proteins which will result in a loss of lean muscle tissue. The more effective diet plans usually involve some sort of meal plan delivered to your house. These plans tend to be low in carbohydrates to force your body to burn fat. The biggest drawback to these plans is the price, which tends to run about $300 per person per month.

2. Maintain your current eating plan, but start an exercise program. While this is practiced by both sexes, it is used more frequently by younger males. You know who they are, former high school jocks that have noticed that they have developed a belly and say something like, "Man, I've gotta start workin' out!" After a few weeks they realize that they are getting stronger, but that washboard belly they had in school isn't coming back. The problem is this: they are still eating the same junk that gave them that pot belly to begin with! You can do thousands of crunches and sit-ups and not lose that belly. In fact, your belly could get bigger because you will be increasing the size of your abdominal muscles, but you won't be burning off the fat that is covering them.

3. Consume fewer calories, and start a fitness regimen. This is the plan that is recommended by nearly every health and fitness expert. It is important to note that it is not enough to merely reduce the calories and start just any workout routine. Do not go on a diet! Change your dietary lifestyle. Start eating healthy, whole foods, and stop eating processed junk. As for your exercise, forget about sit-up and crunches. Concentrate on the large muscle groups like legs, back and chest. Muscle burns calories faster than fat, and large muscles burn more calories than small muscles. Your doctor will tell you to eat right and exercise. Your health and fitness coach will tell you to eat the right foods at the proper times, and do the right exercises in the correct manner.

The choice is yours to make. You can create a caloric deficit using any one of these methods. You just have to decide what you are really trying to accomplish. Will you be happy losing weight but not fat, or would you rather burn off the fat and build a little more muscle? Have a long and healthy life!