Best Way to Lose Weight

The one question I get all the time whenever I tell people I am a personal trainer is "What is the best way to lose weight?"  Well let me make this as simple as I can, 80% of your weight loss is in how you are eating.  This whole weight loss game is based on calories in calories out.  Here are the rules to follow:

1. If you want to lose weight stop eating all the crap.  You HAVE to throw out all that shit in your cupboard once and for all.  Oh and please don't get me the excuse but "my family likes to eat it so I have to keep it in the house"  I have news for you, THEY DON'T NEED TO EAT IT EITHER! So do yourself a favor and throw it all out.

2. Calories in calories out.  If you want to see that scale move in the right direction you have to be really honest with yourself as to how much you are actually eating.  We as Americans are used to eating bigger portions and as a result we eat more than we think we do.  If you have a problem with this part there are a few things you can do to remedy the situation: 1) Plan your eating, everything from portion size, time, and what you are going to eat.  If you have a game plan there is less of a chance you will fall off the wagon.  Take notice that I said "less of a chance" you have to make a commitment to it and stand by it which means at times you'll have to make sacrifices.  At times sticking to it is going to be emotional, extremely hard and you're going to feel like there is a war going on inside of you to not follow what you said you were going to do. Just stick to it and you will come out the other side a stronger person.  2) Track your food.  For me and a lot of my clients MyFitnessPal is a great tool to track how much was eaten and how many calories have burned.  I would HIGHLY suggest that you to download this app, or if you don't have a smart phone then go old school and write it down with a pen and a piece of paper.  Whatever you do track it its the only way to get a solid idea about how much you have eaten.  3) Cut out the sugar, not just because it is high in calories but it also messes with your insulin levels.  Insulin regulates the amount of glucose in the blood, and if this gets out of whack then the body doesn't know that it has eaten to much and we never feel full.  Not to mention there are so many studies done about how addictive sugar can become for people.  It's just an awful cycle and your best bet is to just keep it out of your diet all together. 

3.  Working out. Ok here's the thing to all of you cardio queens who get on the treadmill and run for 90 minutes.  Running isn't going to get you thin and sexy.  You have to lift weights!!!!!!  There is no way around that.  For the ladies reading this, LIFTING WILL NOT BULK YOU!!! If you restrict your calories and do cardio the only thing you're going to look like is a smaller version of your fat self.  I am on a mission to make this world a sexier place and lifting weights is the only way to do it.  I can show you thousands of pictures of women who lift weights, are not bulky and look damn good.  If you don't know how to lift then hire a trainer to teach you.  If you're reading this post then you have to be of genius level of intelligence and will pick up on it fast. Oh and a bonus to lifting the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism... The better you look... And so on.  So get your ass to the free weight section STAT!

4. Fat burners don't work.  There is no magic pill that will help you lose weight the only one that did that was Hydroxy Cut with Ephedra but they stopped selling that a long time ago because people were killing themselves by taking to many.  So its back to the good old fashioned way of discipline and commitment.  

There has never been an over night success when it comes to weight loss.  Weight loss is not rocket science it's really very easy but we make it harder than what it needs to be.  In the beginning of this post I said that it was simple I didn't say it was easy.  However what you can look forward to is a job well done and a body that shows how hard you have worked.  So get after it and let me know how it goes.  If anyone of you reading this needs a little help or motivation email me fitnesswerqs@gmail.com and we can talk.

4 Life Lessons I Have Learned from the Gym

4 Life lessons I learned from the gym.

Ok lets just cut the crap and dive right into it:

• This is the only place on earth where your failure makes you a success.  With every set that you complete to failure it signifies how hard you pushed you mental, emotional, and physical limits to the max without stopping and breaking all of your own barriers.  The iron never lightens up as we do as humans, it’s always cold and unforgiving of what you can do and what you can’t do.  It’s up to you to push through the weakness and do just one more rep and if you don’t… Well then its your loss, you had the chance to be the great one even if you were the only one who noticed.  If you give up to soon you will never know how boundless you could have been and that in itself is what keeps me coming back for more and keeps me working when the work will never be done.  Just one more rep.

• Only discipline is allowed in this house.  I was talking to a friend the other day and he was telling me that his group of friends doesn’t get the reason why he goes to the gym all the time. Of course they don’t get it, they don’t go to the gym so they don’t understand what it means; the soreness and why that warrants bragging rights for that week, the Ruler of the World feeling as you’re walking to your car after a leg day workout, or after spending months working towards a single goal to finally achieving it to have only a moment of glory because its back to work to refine it and turn another physique weakness into a strength. This is a life style, sure there are people who workout so they can look good for Saturday night’s short sleeved Affliction (douchey move btw) shirt, but they still follow the rules of discipline and dedication to the body they created and want to keep.  This is not the place for excuses, the faint of heart or the lazy spirit.  The gym is a place for priority and a place to practice discipline and follow through.  Check the rest of the shit at the door.

• The gym is vainer than any Hollywood Red Carpet Event.  In life in general it's every person for themselves and the gym is the most authentic place to find that.  Everyone shows their true colors with the first set as they check their body out as they warm up.  I have people tell me all the time “I don’t want everyone looking at me!”  People come to the gym to work on themselves, which involves a definite level of narcissism and vanity.  There are giant mirrors everywhere and if you just look around at a glance everyone is using them to check themselves out.  I can couldn’t tell you what the guy on the bench next to me is wearing but I can tell you how my ass looks in these pant I’ve got on or if I think I need to start hitting cardio more and backing off the pizza on the weekends.  But then again I’m not here to check out the guy next to me I’m here to check myself out and to work on me.  Anyone can tell you I can be the biggest bitch when I am working out, when the head phones go in, the game face on, and that means I’m here to get work done. I don’t care about you or anyone else when I am in that moment the only thing I’m worried about is me.  My advice if you’re feeling averse to walking in the gym; walk in there like you own that shit, like you’re a seasoned gymer and know what the hell you’re doing.  People will look you up and down then decide that you’re good and will leave you be to go back to checking themselves out.

•  Average Joe to hero in just a short time.  I see more success stories about people that come to the gym and change their ENTIRE lives because they started working out!  I’ve seen so many people that were at very best very mediocre then decide to make a change then the rest of their life changed with it because they start to get a confidence that they didn’t have before, they start to expect more of themselves and the people around them, they become more optimistic, and learn how to create their life instead of just living it.  These aren’t people who have anything special they are just Average Joes that decided to make a change, stick to it, and become something better than what they were before which is something that anyone can do with a effort and consistency.  Not many other places allow you to become elite like that without paying huge monthly dues.  Here you can be a hero for $30 a month.

Going to the gym has taught me so much about myself as a person, my limits as I perceive them and what they actually are.  It has taught me a lot about people and how different yet how alike we all are, and has helped me form closer and tighter bonds with my friends because it is an unspoken understanding of the one another.  This place is for connection of minds, body’s, and souls.  This is more than a hobbies it’s a passion.  This place is more than something I do.  It defines me and has given me character and resolve.  It has given me glimmers of hope and purpose even in my darkest days and has been the one consistent thing in my life that has been in a constant transition, even when I stray it’s always waiting for my return and lets me pick right back up where I left off.  The gym is the by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. 

Day in the life: 3/100

Day 3:

I almost didn’t do this today, because idk if it’s a little pretentious or is boring or maybe both to read about my days…. If you are reading this tell me honestly what you think. I’d love to hear it from your perspective.

5a wake up.  Dammit I’m tired!  Looks like it’s a walk on the treadmill (but I still did it)

830a only 2 clients this am.  I thought I had two new ones starting with me… Not the case got text messages from both of them last night about not being able to afford it. 

831a Back to worrying about how I am going to make all of this work.

845a Drive past my house (and by that I mean the one that I am spending all of my money on to buy it out right)…  Continue to drive around.  Even though I think most drivers are idiots there is something serene about the open road.  Especially when you can roll the windows down even just a crack.

10a Back to the office gonna do some $hit.  I have to make up for those 2 clients I lost. Dare I say marketing?

1130 I’m hungry….  Not really but I need some comfort food… Panera Mac and Cheese is just what the doctor ordered.  I know that is far from the way I told you I was going to eat… Give me just this one time without judging. Ok?

12p had my come to Jesus moment with myself…  I have to get out there and meet people, get known and stop being such a sissy!!!

4p My favorite person is coming to pick me up…. Maybe to look at furniture or maybe a movie  300 possibly?!  Either way… I love my evenings with him xox.

Life lesson today: Being an adult is really hard and it comes with a lot of REALLY tough decisions that you never know are the right ones or not.  I think sometimes you just have to trust yourself to make the best decision with the choices that you have in front of you.

100 Day Journey: Day 2

3/7/14

3a Awake. I slept maybe 3 hours.

4a workout legs and cardio.  I need to pick up the slack on my lifting I’ve been really lazy lately.  When I don’t have consistency my workouts suffer because I get sort of a “I’ll start tomorrow” kind of mind set.  That being said I still worked out and brought it home hard with the cardio.

Breakfast is a muscle milk and a piece of pita bread

530a first client

746a checking off my to do list. I’m going to work on marketing today. I HATE MARKETING! Have I said that before?

10a looking at more houses.  Since we’re paying cash our price point isn’t that high and we have ended up looking at some real winners. (there is a touch of sarcasm there)

1030 all done looking at houses.  It’s a shame people don’t take care of their things better.

Time to eat: Protein shake… Again

11a one more crack at getting my stuff out of the monsters house.  Hopefully he’s not there.

1115 no such luck.  He’s home and I was lucky enough to have had him meet me at the door. In and out.

2p relator talked me into a house that’s really cute but the location sucks, but our other choices…  Well lets just say that homeless people would think twice about living in the houses I’ve been looking at.

230 Placed my offer. Now we wait

330p Luke gets to the gym. So now I have my buddy to talk to

430p get the counter offer….. SOLD!!!  Whoa I am a home owner! That is so wild to think about! And I own it... Not paying on it... But own it.  And my 100 day journey ends here:  Thank's folks for reading along. Just leave your comments at the end.  I'm out!  lol j/k you're not rid of me that easy.

530 celebratory dinner at Red Lobster.  We have never been there, we only went because we had gifts cards.  Luke has a thing for gift cards. Also by now both of us are so hungry I’d eat anything!!!!  I definitely didn’t eat awfully bad but it definitely wasn’t good either.  But whatever, I’ve been getting better and I didn’t finish my whole plate nor did I order dessert like last weekend.  Olympic Gold for me!!!!

927p time for bed. Tomorrow I have to get on the ball to get more clients.  Clients have been dropping like flies and I haven’t replaced them.  That’s a scary spot to be in.

Goals for tomorrow:

Kill my workout (just cardio)

Kill my diet (no shitty food)

Kill my business building (just be awesome)

100 Day Journey Day 1

Well lets start with a brief recap on my adult life:

I have had more ridiculous relationships than I care to talk about.  I have had more jobs than I can even count, mainly because I “didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life” so I just drifted until I finally came to a halt in August of 2011 at LA Fitness and rekindled my passion for kicking peoples rear ends into shape.  So after 2 years of working there and trying to start my own biz personal training and failing miserably I was finally fired for having clients outside of LA Fitness leaving me with no choice but to start my own business, which was a blessing because I needed the kick out the door and God’s way of telling me I can accomplish so much more (or at least that’s what I think he was telling me). 

Let me also qualify all of this by saying I never wanted for anything when I was growing up and discipline wasn’t a really big value for my parents.  My mom is just to sweet and is uncomfortable reprimanding and my dad well… I don’t have to many nice things to say about him because when he’s around I have to walk on eggshells and worry about him getting mad and irritated with me for no reason.  To say the least home life has always been tense and up until recently I always thought it was my fault because I had an “attitude problem” when I was a teenager. 

So in short having a lack of discipline I have never really been able to step up to the plate and hit a home run because when the going gets tough, I give up.  Well this is where the real Kristin Bogie needs to stand up and this is where I want to show all of you that you can do it too and what you have to do to make it your dreams come true!  Enough is enough and time to move onward and upward!!!  

My Biggest Dreams and Goals:

1.     Own a house

a.     This right now is number one for so many reasons…..  I’ll explain later

2.     Become a top IFBB Pro Figure Competitor

a.     As of right now I have only competed 3 times with pretty half assed attempts and I haven’t been on the stage in 3 years because I have gained almost 50 lbs (yes I said 50, rebounds are a bitch) and haven’t been able to take it off and keep it off.  This has been one of the biggest points of pain for me because I know I have the genetics to do it but don’t have the mental stamina to do it.

3.     Own a chain of gyms

a.     All I own right now is a business name, but hey you gotta start somewhere.

b.     Oh and Luke (my fiancé) and I have some plans in the works right now.  You’ll hear more about those later.

4.     Be a world renowned speaker traveling the world speaking about health and fitness

a.     I have only spoken in front of my undergrad and MBA classes for presentations.  I’m not sure how I am going to make this one happen

5.     Be the most disciplined person I know.

a.     Baby steps right?

6.     Pay for my kids college out right

a.     I have no school loans and want to pay that forward

7.     Have an awesome retirement

a.     I’m not sure doing what… Probably just being awesome.

Alright so I think I am going to do this whole journaling thing in a timeline format:

3/5/14

830p Get into a huge argument with my dad because he got rude with me for no reason… Again…. I’VE HAD IT WITH THE ATTITUDE and I fired back and then got myself officially kicked out of “his” house.  This is where my #1 goal comes in I knew it was only a matter of time before shit hit the fan.

*Which also means I have no place to cook my food and do the diet I had planned for myself. L

9p Got to Luke’s house…. Talked about it a little bit then tried to fall asleep because of my 330 wakeup time, 9p is LATE!!!

3/6/14

130a finally fell asleep

330a alarm goes off.  Yep not waking up and try to consider how much more I can sleep before I HAVE to get up to be at the gym for my 530a client…. 

456a: outta bed and to the gym to train

730a consider going to breakfast at Denny’s and getting a stack of pancakes to sooth my emotions.  Justifying that I am not prepared for today and I can just start tomorrow.

8a nap time…. Oh I mean meditation.  I can’t help it if I fall asleep

830a wake up and start on my to do list.  I DON’T FEEL LIKE DOING MARKETING!!!!  To be honest it scares me to put myself out there.  Inner dialog: “What if someone finds out that I’m not that good at what I do?!?!”

So I Facebook and blog instead…  Loop hole and avoidance!  I’m getting good at that.

1045 heading out the door to scout on some houses, I just hope we find one because I’ll be sleeping in my “meditation” chair until we do find one

1p back to home base. Found a house that could work.  Fingers Crossed

130p Had a protein shake and 2 cliff bars…. At least it wasn’t the Panera mac and cheese that I wanted to eat! 

145p More house hunting.  They are all starting to look the same!