Growing up, I was a competitive swimmer. After giving us our workout, our swim coach would bark, “Remember! Pain is weakness leaving the body!” Later, I would find out this was a United States Marine Corps mantra, but that saying has not only always stuck with me, but also gotten me through many a workout and over the years, I have adopted it as my modus operandi.

The next time you feel like giving up, repeat those words, or anything else you find motivating, and give it a few more minutes or a few more reps. Visualize yourself transforming from what you used to be. Visualize yourself breaking away from those bad habits. With every bead of sweat that trips from your pores, you ARE getting stronger and you ARE getting closer to your goals!

Remember, you’re doing a fantastic job. Keep up the good work and know that you CAN work through any tough obstacle you come across!

How to Stay Motivated to Keep Exercise Exciting

It can be easy to lose your motivation if you get bored with your exercise routine. Here's how to spice up your routine.......

So you have done what you thought was the hard part: You started a regular exercise routine to get fit and healthy. But now you're finding out that keeping up with it is as hard as starting out in the first place. You need to keep exercising, but how do you do it without getting bored and losing motivation?
Motivation to keep Exercise Exciting
Ask yourself what makes fitness fun. What motivates you most and keeps you focused and centered on a workout? These methods can help you stay focused and interested in your exercise routine:

* Find a buddy. Working out is often more enjoyable when you do itwith someone else. Find a Friend who will exercise with you , and won't let you back out of your gym dates.

* Set goals and a schedule. If you don't plan time for exercise and dedicate yourself to it, it's hard to stay motivated. Schedule times and dates for workouts on your calendar, and jot down what you plan to do and goals you want to accomplish.

* Push yourself. Don't work out to the point of injury , but push yourself during exercise routines - don't give up because you don't feel like it or you're tired. Push yourself to go a little harder or a little longer, and you'll feel great afterward.

* Listen to music. If you're on a treadmill, running or walking outside or just using a stair-climbing machine, pump yourself up with some favorite music: high-energy, fast-paced songs can give the boost you need to get through your exercise routine.

* Cut out the routine from your exercise routine. You're more likely to lose motivation if you stick to the same workout routine, so come up with options so that you don't get bored. Take a Group X Class you have never experienced before, walk one day, run another, hop on a bike, or try a different weight machine.

* Eat for exercise. Don't exercise on an empty stomach, but don't eat a huge meal right before exercising, either. Stick to a healthy, balanced diet for lots of energy, and have a light, healthy snack before a scheduled workout so that you don't feel hungry.

To make working out a part of your lifestyle, you may need to occasionally come up with new and fun ways to exercise. Just keep your end goal in mind - better health, fitness, and happiness - and find ways to enjoy your workout.

Weight Loss and Wellness, Loredana Petrucci, Psy.D.

Weight loss, exercise and nutrition may be something that you have been thinking about and achieving. With all the hype of weight loss, it is valuable to think about other factors in your life that comprise your health: your wellness! What do you think about when you hear or read the word wellness?
Wellness can be defined in many ways. It has very subjective meaning. Most often, it is described as the following:

Social Wellness
Occupational Wellness
Spiritual Wellness
Physical Wellness
Intellectual Wellness
Environmental Wellness
Financial Wellness
Mental Wellness
Medical Wellness
Dimensions of Wellness

How are you doing and feeling about each dimension of wellness? What dimensions would you add to these? What is at the center of your wellness circle?
Rate your satisfaction for each. List your goals for each.

Weekend #3

As you head into the third weekend of the competition, remember you have some tough opponents. Many of you are in the gym on a daily basis! The records are showing the pounds are being shed. If you want to win this competition, you need to bring your A game! There is no time for slacking in the gym or cheating with your diet. If you do, know there is an opponent out there who is more determined than ever. You will get left in the dust.

This next week is going to present some challenges. The first two weeks, everything is new, exciting, and fun. Now you are heading into the third weekend. All the planning and goal setting may start to seem redundant. You may start to lose enthusiasm. This could be your first major hurdle. GET OVER IT! If you stick with it in three more weeks, you will have created a habit.

Bottom line for this weekend- Don't lose focus! Remind yourself of you goals, why you started this competition, and keep on rolling!

Awesome job to each and every one of you! You have kicked butt in classes and we are all super proud of your dedication!

In case you didn’t know, Canton Club is hosting a happy hour this Friday, the 16th from 4-8pm at Blue Hill Tavern. If you think it is impossible to join the fun AND stay on track diet-wise, think again! As Rachel S pointed out earlier (shout out!), it IS entirely possible to have a good time without feeling totally deprived! Here are some tips:

Steer CLEAR
* When choosing mixers, opt for clear things like soda water over sugary things like Coke. Try adding a splash of cranberry and/or a twist of lime!
* Drink a glass of water and try eating something fibrous, like a small salad, for every alcoholic drink you have
* Stick with clear liquors over high calorie liquors

Don’t Deprive Yourself
* If you choose something calorie-laden, split it with a friend. Savor each bite and focus on it – don’t just gulp it down!

Do Some Recon
* Most restaurants post their menus online. Browse it BEFORE your event and pick out some healthy choices. You’ll have a game plan and will be less tempted to choose something you’ll regret later

Don’t forget: there are a lot of great classes offered on Friday! Get your workout in BEFORE you go out and you’ll be able to enjoy yourself that much more!

** Please, please, please do not drink and drive! Hail a cab, call a sober friend, or even hoof it home! **

Photo Courtesy of www.outregallery.com

It's totally normal to be a little sore when you're just starting to work out. But as you progress, you need to pay attention to the way in which your body is reacting to what you're doing. If you do 20 lunges after not having done them for awhile, you will be sore the next day - that's how you know the lunges worked those dormant muscles, just as you intended. If you keep doing 20 lunges every day, after a while you will stop feeling the soreness, and that means the move is not productive anymore. It's important to keep yourself challenged in order to get results.

When it comes to intensity, you will learn to use your own judgement. If your effort feels too easy, it probably is. Stop slacking and increase the intensity!! If it feels too difficult or your form is compromised, decrease the intensity. You will find your abilities change as you move forward. If you stop seeing the number on the scale drop, chances are you are coasting on your workout. REV it up!

Weight Loss: Be SMART and REWARDING

One key to weight loss involves being SMART
Being SMART is being Specific, Measured, Appropriate, Realistic, and Time-bound For example, if your goal is to increase your exercise, then, you r written SMART goal on your “to-do” list would be: exercise on the treadmill for thirty minutes before book club on Tuesday evening at 6:30pm. Write some of your SMART goals that you would like to add into your routine or lifestyle.

Another key to weight loss is REWARDING yourself!
You have accomplished many goals, and are continually striving to achieve more! Before starting your next goal, think of something that would gratify you. Is there something that you would like to reward yourself with (i.e.. massage, piece of art, shoes). Set up your rewards so that they happen often. For example, if I follow my nutrition plan for the next seven days as I have intended, I will treat myself to a membership to that Health Magazine that interests me.

To sum, I encourage you to be SMART and REWARDING for your well-earmed weight loss!