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Struggling to stay in shape? Read on…

Nope, I am not a personal trainer, neither a fitness coach, but I do know how to take care of myself… I am here to help and share what I do, since sharing is caring and I do care…

What happens is that I hear this question all the time…

“You don’t look your age! How do you keep yourself in such a good shape? It must be the Brazilian genes…” 

(I am in my 40’s – shhhhh)

I typically respond with an old joke:

“I sleep in formaldehyde” – and get some good laughs in return…

Now… With all due seriousness… What I do is not a miracle, and being Brazilian does not grant me the beauty queen title at all. So, what I do? I call it ‘smart moving’!!!

Here is my routine and if you will, my slim little secrets revealed:

1. BUY A FITNESS TRACKER:

There are tons of fitness trackers out there… Super expensive fancy ones and affordable ones are available online, at pharmacies, convenience stores… Invest a few bucks to have a daily reminder of how well or how terrible you are doing that day. It will bring you the conscientious awareness you didn’t have before and even if you decide not to move, it is a choice, not a lack of it. And if it is your choice… Stop complaining and embrace who you want to be and how you want to feel!

2. GET MOVING:

Here is my NO EXCUSES rule… Find ways to get moving no matter what. Waiting for the train/subway/bus? Walk. Waiting for the elevator? Take the stairs. Don’t have a place to workout? Go get some fresh air outside and walk! Too hot or too cold? Warm is a terrible place to be and makes you lazy! I walk every time I can, if I am talking on the phone, I am moving… If I am reading an e-book on my iPad, I am moving… There are absolutely no excuses if you really want to get moving.

3. GET CREATIVE:

No gym? No problem!!! I bet you have seen tons of videos on Facebook, YouTube and many other places where people find locations to work out at home, using chairs, walking on their building hallways, going up and down stairs, choosing to be open to seeing where else can they get some work done. I used to get my 10k steps a day walking inside my old 500 feet apartment. What is your excuse?

4. BECOME A  ZIG/ZAG ‘BALANCEUR’:

Nope, I am not vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, or whatever label some may want to give me. I am a ‘balanceur’ if I need to be something. Being the way I am physically does not necessarily mean that I starve myself or refrain from eating whatever I want and desire… What I do is… I negotiate, I balance the Zigs and the Zags… I keep track (with the help of the fitness tracker) of the calories I can eat a day, so, if I want to get a bacon cheeseburger and it will add 900 calories to my intakes, I commit to walking over my daily goal to burn the extras and EAT IT. I think it is pretty fair for both sides, the one that wants to eat and the one that wants to stay fit to agree and let go of the pressure.

5. NEGOTIATE WITH YOUR NEEDS:

We not always eat because we are truly hungry… On the contrary, most people eat to cover a need that is not being met. A few examples are love, attention, significance, appreciation, connection… When some of these desired needs are not met, we tend to find other ways to satisfy our needs with a quick fix. Some use drugs, some drink… Some eat more than needed compulsively.

When I notice I am over eating I pay attention to the moment right before I started doing it. What was missing in my life that made me seek this comfort? Find your reason and give yourself options to fill that gap. Not feeling the love? Find a volunteer opportunity and give love… I promise you will get more than you can handle in return… Bored needing some excitement? What else would bring this feeling into your life right now that could replace the food cravings? Think, think and then think again… Keep asking yourself what is the true cause of your cravings… Once you find the reasons, you will be able to negotiate with your needs as you feel necessary.

6. DRINK A LOT OF WATER, WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT:

Sometimes we get confused thinking we are hungry when we are actually thirsty… If you feel hungry, have a glass of water before… You may be surprised when you find out that you were actually, thirsty!!! Also, avoid drinking water during meals. If you have to drink something, drink before you eat or… 30 minutes later! The reasons are simple… When you are eating and drinking, you are “washing” away all the digestive juices your body is producing to digest your food. By doing that, you make your body work twice as hard and as a consequence, you waste energy that you could be using for something else with your stomach digestive needless extra workout. Also, if you drink cold drinks, you are solidifying the fat, making it even harder to digest oils and fatty foods… Have you noticed how the fat gets hardened when you put greasy foods in the fridge? It does not hurt to try…

YOUR SECRET:

What about you? Have any other tips to share? Please comment below… I have friends that eat desserts only once a week, I have friends that drink water when they feel like over eating… What do you do?

Believe me, after a while it gets easy and the rewards you get are even more appetizing than the load of food you were eating. Higher self-esteem, confidence to put yourself out there and make new friends, becoming friends with the mirror, enjoying the ego-massages with the looks and compliments you will get and the top and most important ones: ENERGY, HEALTH and LONGEVITY.

Make it outstanding!

Coach Cris.

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