The last time I lost a lot of weight was after suffering from hypothyroidism for three years. Those were three miserable years of weight gain, fatigue and depression. After the doctor wanted to put me on anti-depressants, I said enough! I began cleaning up my diet and got on a regular exercise program. It always takes a lot of trial and error and tweaking at first, but eventually I had created a whole new lifestyle for myself. Just six months later I found myself in the best shape ever and with more energy than you can imagine. What’s interesting about that is that I had been bodybuilding since I was 18 years old, but now, at age 32 I was in the best shape of my life!

So here we are, nine years later. After I had struggled for a long time to overcome the economic crisis of 2000 / 2001, another crisis hit in 2008 / 2009. I found myself constantly worried, working all the time – how could I not, I had to pay the bills, and eating. Part of it was that I thought I might not have food tomorrow, so I better eat today, and part of it was that food was all I had, my comfort, my love. While a lot of what I ate was healthy food, I was definitely eating too much of it. Eating chocolate every day didn’t help either.

The unhealthy eating combined with the stress caused by worry and too much work made me literally gain weight every week. It was outright scary. Plus, now that I am over 40, my body has decided that my midsection is the best place to store fat, and we all know that this is the most dangerous fat to have. Before I knew what was happening to me, I was 30 pounds overweight.

Fear and the desire for a better life made me take control again, and just like before there was a period of trial and tweaking, but now I am on a weight loss journey. I have already lost 11 pounds and now it is time to share the system that I have developed with you. It turned out to be the same system I used successfully in 2001.

Over the next couple of weeks I will share with you step-by-step the system I use for losing 30 pounds, from nutrition to exercise to mindset and meditation, and even supplementation. I will reveal all of my best secrets, so that hopefully you will join me on this wonderful journey.

If you want to make sure you don’t miss a step, sign up to receive blog updates via e-mail on the right hand side. If you are already on my e-mail list, I will definitely let you know about the next installment of this series. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Feel free to leave your comments or questions below.

Were you all enthusiastic about your New Year’s resolution a couple of weeks ago, but by now have lost your motivation and stopped going to the gym?

That’s something that happens to many of us. Here are some reasons why, and what you can do about it now:

1. When you first get started on a goal, you are full of enthusiasm and know no boundaries. You go all out with no sense of self-limitation, but before long learn that you do have limitations. That’s when your enthusiasm begins to wane. What you should learn from this is to hold back. Don’t let yourself do everything you want to do. Only let yourself do 50-75 percent of what you want to do. And plan out a course of action where you slowly increase over time. For example, if you want to go running, you might think you can run 3 miles at first. But instead of letting yourself do that, start by only running a mile. When you’re doing that mile, you’ll be telling yourself that you can do more. But don’t let yourself! After that workout, you’ll be looking forward to the next workout, when you’ll let yourself do 1.5 miles. Keep that energy reined in, harness it, so that you can ride it even further.
2. Give it time, be patient! I know, this is easier said than done. But the problem with many of us is that we expect quick results. When you think about your goals, think long term. If you want to lose weight, you may see some quick initial losses, but it will take a long time to lose the rest. If you want to run a marathon, you won’t be able to do it overnight. If you don’t see the results you want soon, don’t give up… give it time. In the meantime, be happy with your progress so far, and with your ability to stick with your goals. The results will come if you give it time.
3. Setting goals is important, but you also need powerful reasons to achieve them. Know your reasons, give them some thought… and write them down. If you have loved ones, and you are doing it for them, that is more powerful than just doing it for self-interest. Doing it for yourself is good too, but you should do it for something that you REALLY REALLY want to happen, for really good reasons.

So please, don’t become a statistic! Keep motivated and working towards your weight loss goals!

I’ve put together an entire system to help you do just that. It’s called “Kick-start Your Fitness Resolution” – a fast, easy, and fun way to help you make 2009 your best year ever.

This system will teach you how to set goals, chart your progress, and most importantly how to stay motivated. But that’s not all, it comes complete with a workout video which you can follow along with no equipment to get you started on your resolution A.S.A.P.

And it doesn’t even end there… How would you like to join a community of like-minded people, going through the same struggles you are, motivating each other and holding each other accountable? And don’t forget, I will be there with you every step of the way to support you, answer your questions and give you what you need to succeed.

Check it out here, right now:
http://www.CoachBiggiKickStart.com

There’s no other more complete system or more affordable way to have your own Personal Trainer.
Join the new fitness revolution.
See you on the other side.

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PS: If you haven’t gotten your hands on my report yet, go here to sign up for my newsletter and receive it for free.

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Is what is best for one person really best for any other person as well? Do you, your friend, your mother all lose weight the same way? Can one program really be best for everyone?

We all are wired differently. Just look at what motivates you, for example. Some people are motivated by internal desires, like wanting to look good in that bikini or feel better in one’s body. Others want to lose weight for an external reason, like an upcoming wedding, or being able to play with your grand children.

Then there is fear! The fear of pain and disease, maybe even of dying. Being over-weight carries many health related dangers. You risk becoming diabetic, getting high blood pressure, damaging your knees and other joints that have to deal with the extra weight, etc.

So motivation is one factor. People also experience different results depending on whether they choose dieting or exercising. While it is said that a combination of the two is the best way to lose weight and keep it off, many people have lost weight by dieting alone.

What it comes down to is that you have to ask yourself what it is that motivates you. What are you willing to commit to in a weight loss program? What has worked for you or not worked for you in the past? Answering some of these questions will help you decide what type of weight loss program might best suit you.

Now that you have deeper insights into your motivation and what works best for you, you are ready to begin your search for the best weight loss program. Lots of information can be found online and I encourage you to not only read the sales page for the product, but search for user feedback away from that web site as well.

A type of web site that might be very helpful with your evaluation and decision on the right program for you is a review site. A site like that will oftentimes compare several products for you and give you insider information, making it much easier for you. I wish you luck in finding the weight loss program that works best for you!

Most weight loss products offer great benefits to the user, but not everyone will have the same experience and results when using them.

Even Weight Watchers figured that out and came up with a second system for those people that just couldn’t do the strict counting of points. Different people just work better with different dieting rules and systems.

Other people don’t like to diet at all and prefer to exercise instead. I always recommend combining the two. Clean up your nutrition and get moving to expand more calories.

A good weight loss review will be written by someone that has actually used the product they are reviewing, and I think you’ll easily be able to tell.

On a good weight loss review site, you can often get a product tour that is not even available on the sales page for that product. Getting a sneak peek like that is a great benefit!

Even with the help of a review site, you might not end up purchasing the right product for you the first time around. This is normal, as getting to know ourselves and our motivations is the journey we all take when trying to lose weight.

Losing weight is a journey. Whatever you do, please remember that you deserve a fit and happy life. So keep on going! Don’t give up when a product doesn’t work for you, because the next one might just change your life!

I wish you a wonderful journey to health. Remember, you and your loved ones deserve it and there is nothing more valuable than your health!

Scenario 2: You have incorporated exercise into your lifestyle. Congratulations, you are doing well! However, after hours at the gym and lots of sweat lost, you still haven’t lost any weight.

What is happening? Well, first of all, I want you to be proud of the changes you have made to improve your health. While weight loss might have been the only goal on your mind, I am sure you have noticed other improvements. Don’t give up yet! The problem is that it takes both, a regular exercise routine and a healthy, sustainable nutrition program.

How to start an exercise program: It does depend on your current health and physical condition, but I believe that everyone should be able to incorporate a daily walk. Begin with that, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. Slowly increase the time and intensity of your walks, and maybe mix it up with some bicycling or hiking. Next it is very important to incorporate resistance, core, flexibility, and balance training into your workouts as well, when it comes to overall health benefits as well as weight loss. The best weight loss results can be achieved with a combination of cardio and resistance training. Now, I might be biased, but I think the best and safest way for anyone to at least begin an exercise regime is to work with a Personal Trainer. This will assure that the exercise you do is effective, and most importantly that you don’t get injured. Plus, it’s nice having someone hold your hand when trying something new.

How to change your nutrition for weight loss: Great news! I don’t want you to starve yourself. Rather, you’ll change what you eat, how often you eat, and how much you eat at one meal. A few basics to start with are:

1. Eliminate white flour and sugar from your diet.
2. Eat 3 – 5 small meals daily.
3. Don’t eat three hours before bed.
4. Eat a combination of lean proteins (i.e. fish, poultry, beef, egg whites) and vegetables with every meal.
5. Eat 5 – 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Check out http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/ for help.

How to make time for exercise: It’s hard being the perfect everything these days, isn’t it? Fitting exercise and healthy nutrition into your and your family’s lives isn’t easy. It doesn’t have to be all that hard either. The good news when it comes to exercise is that it all adds up. You can benefit from three 10-minute workouts as much as from one 30-minute workout! That’s right! Do a little bit whenever you can fit it in. Walk your kid to school, walk to the restaurant at lunch time, and then walk the dog in the evening. Done.

How to fit in healthy meals: There are ways to fit healthy and balanced meals into your life without a lot of time and effort, by using quality supplements that offer both, the best of nature and the best of science. I am going to write more about this subject in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, please feel free to browse my online store and stock up on healthy treats for your whole family.

Technorati Tags: weight loss,diet,exercise,nutrition,supplements

Here are some of the diet changes I suggest for better health and weight loss:

1. Eat more vegetables
2. Eat protein with your breakfast
3. Stop eating 3 hours before bed time
4. Eliminate white flour and sugar

The main lesson that I have learned when it comes to eating healthy is that it can only be accomplished with planning. You cannot improvise proper nutrition!

You will probably agree that the first two changes are easier to implement. It is easier to eat more of something than eliminating things from our diet. So those are the changes we want to start with.

Eat more vegetables

First we can add vegetables to our diet by having snacks. At home or at work have items like baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli, or cauliflower at hand. To make eating those a little easier you might purchase a simple hummus dip. This will actually add some protein, which provides a desirable balance of carbohydrates and protein in your snack.

Next replace some items you are currently eating with steamed vegetables. For example the loaded potato or fries could be replaced with steamed broccoli. Or, instead of having bread with your meal, have vegetables instead. You will get more nutrition and fiber and less calories in your meal making this simple change.

Eat protein with your breakfast

Step two assumes you are already eating breakfast. You are, aren’t you! I am sure you’ve heard it often enough, but breakfast is a very important meal. If you feel you are not hungry in the morning a possible reason could be the coffee you are drinking first thing. Coffee is actually an appetite suppressant! Please, have at least a small meal in the morning! When you combine your oatmeal or cereal you typically eat for breakfast with some protein – for example eggs, a protein shake, yogurt, or nuts – the carbohydrates will be absorbed much slower giving you a steady blood sugar level and with that a steady level of energy. Now you have the added benefit of not arriving starved at lunch and being able to have a smaller portion at lunch time.

Stop eating 3 hours before bed time

Next you will want to stop eating anything 3 hours before bed time. This step clearly requires planning, as I am not suggesting you skip dinner. The closer to bed time you eat, the bigger the chance the unused energy will be stored as fat. Ideally you want to start out with larger meals in the morning, and then have smaller meals as the day progresses. This way you will have the energy you need for activity and little energy while you are at rest. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Eliminate white flour and sugar

The last step is clearly the largest and most difficult. So, before you eliminate, you will replace. First replace any white flour (cookies, white bread) with whole grain flour. Sugar can be replaced with natural sweeteners like stevia or agave syrup. The really good news about sugar is that your body only craves it when it gets it. If you make it through the initial cravings they will eventually go away. When you slowly incorporate balanced meals containing protein and vegetables into your diet, the cravings for sugar and unhealthy snacking will vanish. Yes, it isn’t easy to make these changes, but remember that it’s okay to slip sometimes, just don’t use it as an excuse for failure. Just get right back in the saddle the next meal or the next day. You can do it!

I have to add a plug here for one of my favorite nutrition books. Mark Hyman’s UltraMetabolism has taught me a lot about real food, metabolism, and toxins in our environment, nutrition and as a result in our bodies. I highly recommend this book!

Technorati Tags: diet,nutrition,weight loss,goal setting,New Year’s resolution,protein,carbohydrates,sugar,white flour,natural sweetener

Unfortunately it’s not an overnight miracle. It is good to have goals for the new year, but just like any other goals they need to be broken down into smaller intermediate steps.

So let’s say your goal is to do resistance training three times a week and cardiovascular training five times a week. The first thing to work on is frequency. You can simple start at one workout each (weights and cardio) a week. And let’s also say each workout is 20 minutes in length. That’s progress, isn’t it? You will do this for the first two weeks. Then you step it up and add another workout of each type. And so on…

After two months you have reached your goals of three resistance training sessions and five cardio sessions a week. You have gotten fitter already and probably increased the intensity of the workouts as you progressed.

Now you apply a similar principle to the duration of each workout for the next two months, slowly increasing each training session until you reach a maximum of 60 minutes per session. I do not recommend going over one hour for each session, but also think that 45 minutes for weights and 30 minutes for cardio is a good medium for anyone interested in increasing their fitness level and / or wanting to lose weight.

If you take this approach the chances of reaching your goals are much better, plus your body will appreciate it too. It’s better to ease into this exercise regime than shocking your body and beginning it overnight. This would be a lot more painful and difficult for your body to keep up, which is probably the main reason the gyms clear out again by March!

So it is not too late! You can start anytime and don’t even need to wait for a Monday. Today is Wednesday and it is still very possible to fit the first two workouts in. Let me know how it goes!

In my next article you’ll learn how to break down your diet goals.

Technorati Tags: exercise,goal setting,New Year’s resolution,weight loss,resistance training,training principles