First off, what is a vision board? Many of you already know and probably already have one but for those of you who do not, it’s a place where you put photos or quotes of things you would like to have in your life.  Some people cut them out of magazines and some people just throw up words or phrases that they create on the computer.

When The Secret came out, vision boards were a hot topic.  It’s how I manifested my husband in 3 weeks actually.  Jeanne knew this and wanted me to share my experience with their patients to inspire them to do the same and enjoy success in all areas of their lives- esp health and wellness.

How to do a vision board:

• Find and cut out pictures that inspire you
• Arrange and attach them to a cork board or posterboad
• Be as creative as you like or as simple as you like

How to USE a vision board:

Putting the pictures on the board will excite you as you do it.  The good, positive feelings you have will help to raise your energy and vibration causing you to become a magnet for higher energy things.

But once the board is up on the wall and you see it everyday, the effect will wear off unless you use it.

• Stand in front of your creation
• Pick 1 picture to focus on
• Imagine yourself IN the picture
• Concentrate on the smells, the sounds, and the feelings of touch or air on your body
• Focus on this until you FEEL something in your body for 1-2 minutes
• Open you eyes and carry these good feelings with you all day long

Vision boards are like exercise- they only work if you practice!

for guidance and coaching on your weight loss, exercise or wellness vision board be sure to start by visiting www.6weekbeachbody.com and get your free tools and inspiration and call us at 800 571 5722

Recently I have been reading “French Women Don’t        Get  Fat” by Mireille Guiliano. I have known about the book for years but have not gotten around to reading it until now. (I have a feeling that as I start writing my book, I am also going to be reading a lot more books period!)

It’s a very cute book-several times throughout it I thought “I must be French!”  And even though I don’t fully agree with everything she says, her overall points are great and are underutilized here in the US for sure.

One of the points she makes that I have been doing for years without identifying it as a strategic behavior for me is how to eat in line with the seasons but also the time of day. Since the winter brings us heartier vegetables like squash, potatoes and pumpkin, people often are concerned with winter weight gain.

With the likelihood that winter also brings less movement (unless you do winter sports or live in CA), it makes sense that we might have this concern.  How I have always balanced my daily intake of calories during the winter, and what Mirelle Guiliano is calling “very French”, is to make soups!

Yes, soup!

And homemade preferably, not out of a can.  During the winter, I love making my vegetable nut soup. Soups are hearty but also provided loads of vitamins and minerals from more vegetables than I would eat in one sitting every day.

Making a soup is a great way to get in those veggies you don’t eat often.  Having soup for dinner balances out the calories over the day and warms your insides as you wind down for the day.

In fact, she inspired me to make a chicken rice soup today!  I got to use the leftover parsley, onions, garlic, carrots and celery from my Thanksgiving preparations.  We had some chicken to use and I was getting bored with chicken dinners so I thought how perfect!  And the weather has been chilly lately so I needed some internal warmth for dinner.

So one of the secrets to staying slim is to incorporate soups regularly into your diet.  If you make them homemade, they most likely will be healthier and enjoyed more for the effort and care you put in.  Plus, making soup is fun!  It’s a one pot meal!

Next week, I will share a few favorite soup recipes like this chicken rice I made today. Until then, happy soup making!

Written by JJ Flizanes of Invisible Fitness. www.invisiblefitness.com, Creator of the 6 Week Beach Body, 90 Day Health and Body Makevoer Program, The 30 Day JUMP Start Program and more!  800 571 5722

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1. Family time does not have to mean sit and eat.  Quality time together can be spent doing other activities.  Try to clear the table while people are slowing down to take away temptations of over eating.
2. Traditional meals probably contain high calorie ingredients such as pasta, butter, oil, cheese and sugar.  Be creative and consult some low fat cooking sources on alternative ingredients that will cut several hundred calories per dish using items like egg whites, applesauce, fruit paste, lighter versions (not fat free) and etc.  No need to tell the family–they probably won’t notice!
3. Add some new dishes to the dinner table of salads, vegetable, fruits and broth-based soups.  These are generally healthier choices so you can fill up in these and eat less “empty calorie” stuff.
4. Schedule in your exercise in the mornings.  Ask a friend or family member to join, it will help with accountability/
5. Learn to say “No Thank You”.  You do not have to try every dish prepared or eat all that you take.
6. While in preparation, only sample the food that is necessary.  You could potentially eat 500-800 calories in sampling before you sit down to eat.  Save yourself for the meal only to save some unwanted calories that may sneak in!
7. Eat ONLY until you are satisfied, NOT full.  If you sit at the dinner table for more then 2 hours, you are probably going to eat more then you need to because it’s there.
8. Keep a log of ALL of your exercise and food.  The average amount of calories for an adult between the ages of 30-55 who participates in moderate activity of 2-3 hours a week is 1800 (women)-2300 (men).  The average holiday meal including drinks can average around 2800-3200.  Logging keeps you aware of why the scale goes up and down during this time of year.
9. Create a 15 min exercise routine that you can do every during the busy times. Add things like jumping jacks, jump rope, bridge, push ups, etc.  You want to have tools outside of the gym!
10. Holidays are stressful times and sometimes depressing for some.  Exercise boosts your body’s production of serotonin, the body’s “happy drug”.   Don’t let stress win!  If you need some support hire a trainer or a coach.  You’ll be glad you had the discipline and you will be ahead of the game for the New Year!

Get your FREE copy of the 30 Day JUMP Start program workbook and audio on my site!  http://www.invisiblefitness.com

This is the perfect time to print it and use it as a daily log til the end of the year.  It can motivate you as well as be a gentle reminder that the holiday is just a DAY, not a season.

I am realizing that I need to take my clothes off.  I am writing a book.  It’s very exciting.  It’s all about how I live and maintain (and even lose) my weight over the past 10 years.

The first picture with Mom and Dad was in Kauai in August before the wedding.  I had been Gluten Free at that point for over 1 month, lost 4 pounds of water and weighed less than I did in this second photo which was in 2000.

I did the Body For Life program in 2000 basically to compete against my male roommate (and good friend who was also a trainer) at the time.  He was going to do it and we lived together- so why not?

I lost 10 pounds and 7% body fat in 7 weeks.  He lost 5 pounds and 2%.  So at that point I had won.  But the next 5 weeks I became easy on myself because what I realized is that I don’t want to WORK THAT HARD.

You heard me- I want to do as little as possible to maintain a body I love.  And that’s what I have figured out over the last 8 years.

I weight less now but I have to admit my bodyfat went up 2-3%.  And I am ok with that.  I get to indulge in wine, cheese and chocolate ALL THE TIME, enjoy my food, enjoy my workouts but not overdue it in any sense.  Once you know the tricks- it’s easy!!

I think I might have to go get a fake tan and do some new pictures…. hmmmm, fun!

If you need help losing weight WHILE enjoying your life- call me.  I can help

800 571 5722  x 84

http://www.90dayhealthandbodymakeover.com     call us- do not click through site

http://www.invisiblefitness.com

Resistance training is adding force to movement to build strength and muscle. Building muscle is the key to long term success because muscle is active tissue that requires energy (calories) whereas fat does not. If you have more active tissue, your body requires more energy. (You get to eat more!) Building muscle is key in raising your resting metabolism and vital in slowing down the effects of aging!

Not all resistance training is equal! Biomechanics, physics, mechanics and physiology are guidelines for creating any program. Genetics, age, and hormone optimization will play a role in how fast you build muscle.

Just because you exercise, doesn’t mean you are doing it right. Biomechanics is used to make sure you are not applying force to your joints that will wear them down faster. Physiology is used to make sure the time and intensity of the tension/force is appropriate to stimulate muscle growth.

Benefits of Resistance Training:

• Build muscle
• Increases bone density
• Increased strength
• Increased flexibility
• Decrease risk of injury
• Can improve joint stability
• Increase resting metabolism
• Can improve posture
• Fights aging
• Improves confidence with strength capabilities
• Look and feel better
• Improve sexual performance

Most people think they need to set aside 1 hour at the gym to do resistance training.  For some, this may be the best use of their time and make the most sense.  What I have found over the years of training people in their homes is that we often use the excuse of not having enough time. If you take 10 minutes out of your day 3 times a day, this equals 30 minutes.  On the flip side, if you wait to just find an extra 30 minutes in your day, I am sure you will not.  We all have the same 24 hours in the day.  I can help you fit it in under ANY circumstance.

Recommendations for Designing a Resistance Training Program for Novice to Advanced Level Clients

Goals: To focus on the ability of the nervous and muscular system to adapt to exercise. We will discuss how these systems change and progress toward the ultimate goal of changing body composition.

Neurological factors:

• neural adaptation affect activation levels and patterns of nerve input to the muscle.
• Strength gains related to learning, coordination, and recruitment
• Fiber type conversion
• Agonist/Anatagonist relationship

Hypertrophy: changes in strength can be caused by mechanisms that increase muscle size

Factors affecting hypertrophic response:

• age
• individual’s functional capacity
• nutritional status
• behavioral factors
• hormonal stimuli
• mechanical stimuli
• metabolic factors
• optimal adaptation appears to be related to use of specific resistance training programs to meet individual training objectives.

Also related to hypertrophy:

• Eccentric Contraction
• Muscle Damage: why and how
• Muscular Failure
• Psychological Failure

SAID Principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands- What you work on is what will change.

Novice: less than 3 months:

1.      Experiences difficulty stabilizing movements.

2.      Tends to perform new movements too quickly

3.      Requires only one exercise per body part to learn the movement

4.      Can only feel/control the contraction through limited ranges (if at all)

5.      Is not physiologically capable of fatiguing muscle (only loses neural control)

6.      Makes quick strength gains due to rapidly increasing neuromuscular control.

7.      Cannot differentiate fatigue from failure: good or bad pain?

8.      Has difficulty focusing on a task

Intermediate: 3-12 months:

1.      Loses stability on the last repetition only-fatigue resistant

2.      Able to increase the number of sets and/or exercises per muscle

3.      Learns new muscle movements while remaining stable from previous exercise, able to incorporate compound movements while focusing on one muscle

4.      Capable of increasing intensity

5.      Capable of perceiving proper muscle contraction through a full ROM with adequate resistance

Advanced: more than 1 year

1.      Capable of performing last rep and remain stable

2.      Capable of focusing on the muscle and the weight moved rather than form due to neural patterning or the habit of maintaining form

3.      Able to incorporate compound movements and all other aspects of intensity manipulation

4.      Workout routine is the most physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding

Number of Sets: for a goal of muscle hypertrophy at intermediate or advanced levels the number of recommended sets varies depending on proper execution of four factors.

1.      Ability to mentally focus on the target muscle

2.      Ability to execute the proper biomechanics of the movement

3.      Ability to control the exercise through both concentric and eccentric movement

4.      Ability to produce and maintain high tension to the point of muscular fatigue with the eventual goal of muscular failure

Sets:

• 6-12 sets for large body parts
• 6-10 sets for small body parts
• 4-6 sets for miscellaneous body part

Number of Reps: It has been suggested that the hypertrophic response depends on the intensity if the exercise as well as the length of time the muscle is under tension (time under tension)

Reps:

• Novice= 15 reps per set
• Intermediate/Advanced = 6-12 reps per set

Rest:

• Novice =rest time is 1-3 minutes between sets
• Intermediate/Advanced = 30 seconds to 2 minutes

Since unaccustomed stimulus helps to sustain an adaptation period, the amount of rest time should be varied from set, workout to workout or both.

Other factors:

• Speed
• Rest between body parts
• Lifestyle

* It has been reported in the past that an average 61% of new health club members drop out of the first six weeks because they see no significant change in their physiques.  If a program is designed and followed properly, everyone should experience significant advancement toward their goal within thirty days.

Modes of Exercise

1.      Selectorized equipment- good for beginners, requires less balance, artificially stabilizes load and movement, less probability of weight falling on person, range of motion is pre-set most of the time so could wear on the joints with more negative force.

2.      Cable exercises- constant resistance, body stabilizes movement, range of motion unlimited

3.      Bodyweight exercises- good for beginners, functional.  Great for home exercisers and all exercises can create a foundation for any level.

4.      Free weights- requires use of stabilizer muscles to maintain form, ROM is unlimited, requires motor skill and balance

5.      Open chain- foot is not in contact with surface, ex. Leg curl or leg exten. Better choice for uneven body or joint issues

6.      Closed chain- foot is in contact with floor, for ex. Leg press or squats, sometimes seen as more functional but not always

Increase workloads in strength training program by no more than 5% per week.

Confused yet?  Hopefully not.  I have given a ton of recommendations but have not explained WHY.  I would love to be able to help you- please email or call!

800 571 5722

www.invisiblefitness.com

Written and compiled by J.J. Flizanes, Director of Invisible Fitness.  Named Best Personal Trainer in Los Angeles for 2007 by Elite Traveler Magazine.

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