Diet is such an important aspect to any fitness goal. Set yourself up for
success. If you struggle making time for breakfast, make breakfast for the next
three or four days so it's waiting for you with little effort. Are you trying to
get away from eating out at lunch? Make pre-packed lunches to last a few days.
Anything to get away from the pitfalls of unhealthy habits.

Just a friendly reminder, this coming Saturday is the last day to take advantage of purchasing 12 months of unlimited boot camps for the price of 9 months!

Coming soon - Couples packages for boot camp memberships!

There have been quite a few questions recently about purchasing unlimited monthly boot camps for the year. From now until the end of this month, I'll have a year long, unlimited package available for the price of 9 months ($360), a $120 savings!

In the past, I used to find some of the things I’m about to list as funny.  Now, I find a lot of them sad.  I can remember an old article I read a few years back that said something to the effect that a physically fit person covers seven miles more in a day walking than an obese person.  That’s not just about making a point to go walking either.  That’s referring to things like walking from your car to the grocery store, or taking the steps versus the elevator.  That being said, here is a list of things that I find alarming and why I’m not surprised by the obesity problem we see in America today.

1)      People always opt for the elevator over the steps.  Just walking up a set of steps is going to give your metabolism a little boost.  Let’s be honest, you really don’t save a whole lot of time using the elevator if you’re only going up a few stories. Depending on the wait, you may even lose time!

2)      People always look for the closest parking spot rather than just walking a few extra feet.

3)      People make a point to drive around for several extra minutes to get the closest parking spot while going to the gym!  Yes, this is the same as point two, but this deserves its own spotlight.  How does one go to work out and concern his or her self with taking fewer footsteps?

4)      People just stand on escalators to go up and down instead of walking up and down. This contradicts any theory about using an elevator to get somewhere faster.  Why do we choose to stand still?

5)      In schools, people have backpacks that they drag on wheels instead of actually carrying the bag.  I’ve had my share of days packed with classes with some pretty thick books… the bags really aren’t THAT heavy.  *Serious back and shoulder injuries are excluded from this point.

6)      In factories, people don’t walk the floors anymore.  Many only go from one location to another by driving a golf cart or some other vehicle.  There are exceptions to this, however, such as emergencies and having to transport tools and machine parts.

7)      People drive their cars to locations they can walk, jog, or ride a bike to.  I know people who live less than a football field away from a frequent destination and they always drive.  If it’s a nice day, why not walk?  My parents live just five blocks away.  If it’s not raining, I’m walking or jogging over to visit them.

8)      People always use the drive-through.  This isn’t a diet-themed blog, though eating fast food is another problem within itself.  Subway, however, has drive-through windows now too.  They’re really not any faster.  In fact, sometimes they’re even longer.  Assuming you don’t have more than a couple of young children to unbuckle and then buckle them back up safely, why not step out of your vehicle and walk in?

While these items won’t make or break one day, they are habits and can pave the way for many better days.  If you’re thinking of things on smaller scale like this, imagine how much you’ll hold yourself accountable for the larger scale decisions such as your actual workouts and diet. If your small scale habits are good habits, you’re setting yourself up for positive big habits.  Remember… it all adds up!  Stay active and take advantage of every opportunity to keep yourself moving!

So what do you have to add to the list that I left off?

 

This is why I recommend a smoker for anybody trying to eat right. It puts a whole new twist on your typical lean meat, it tastes amazing and keeps the food good and juicy. I was busy as could be yesterday, but threw the salmon in the smoker for a few hours while I did my chores. When I was done, it was done.

What you see here is smoked salmon for protein and healthy omega 3 fats, broccoli, and brown rice mixed with almond butter for some energy providing carbs and just a little more healthy unsaturated fats. Just be careful not to go overboard on the almond butter. 1 tablespoon will be plenty!