How and Where to Start!

It has been two years of being healthy and working out and the two most common question I get today are "Joe how did you do it?" and "How do you keep going?" and my answers is always the same.   I take it one day at a time!

This prompted a very interesting conversation while at Tough Mudder last weekend (another blog post soon on that one).   The conversation started while talking about how to lose weight, how to be healthy, and the habits that people form in doing so.  

We started to talk about how people succeed, fail, and the goals each person sets.   Goals are extremely important and should be set!   How do you set them?  How do you measure success?   What is the definition of a goal?  All of these things are topics to think about before you start your journey as well as something to think about after you've been doing it for a while.  So this goes back to my statement earlier "I take it one day at a time".   This phrase holds more power than most people realize.   It is the catalyst to everything after it.

When starting out this to me was the reason for my success.   If you set your goals to far out than you are setting yourself up for major failure.   You cannot expect to plan 3 months out and hit a goal.  Some people might and it's a very small percentage but most of us will fail.   So where do you begin?   The day you decide to begin is your first goal and that goal is to get through that day!  Concentrate on not drinking the extra soda, eating the treats at work, waking up early for your first workout, etc.   This day should be all of your focus and energy!   After your first day your next goal is to get through the next day and the day after that.   After a while you can increase your goals and start worrying about each week, then each month, then 6 months until you get to the point where you can set a goals 90-180 days out and know that your are in the right mindset to accomplish that goal.

It doesn't have to be a drastic change either.   You are not going to go from unhealthy to healthy overnight.  Why put yourself in the mindset that you are going to change overnight and all of a sudden be a health machine?   Set the goals for each day.   This could be as simple as you are going to track what you eat for breakfast and not eat sweets.    These two things are big accomplishments and are worthy of success.   The next day maybe it is the same goal but now you are going to track breakfast, lunch and not eat sweets.   You can see where I am going but all of these small changes will create instant gratification which will then create habits for long term success.

All in all the key is a day at at time!   Don't set unrealistic goals for yourself.  Find what works for you and take it one day at a time until you're where you want to be.    Right now I am "coaching" a handful of people to keep them motivated.   On in particular has been doing this exact thing.   we started off with a day and we are up to three weeks at at time for both work outs and eating.   She has been tracking her food and it is becoming second nature to her.    It has taken 5-6 weeks so far to really start to see changes but the short term goals and planning have helped her drop 15lbs so far.   Now that these goals are there and she is taking it a day at time the habit has been formed.  Working out and realizing what she eats is isn't task it's part of the daily routine.   This isn't a massive secret but a lot of people just don't know where to start.  You sometimes just need a little nudge in the right directions to get you going.

Here are some other tips to help with success and keeping you on the right track.

1. Take pictures before you start and keep taking pictures either weekly, monthly or what ever interval you want.   This can be a great check to see how you are doing and what you want to change.

2. Track everything you eat for a while.   This will truly show you what you are putting into your body and for most people this is a huge eye opener!

3. The scale isn't your your end all!  It's a tool and it isn't the end all of tools.   Use things like doctors visits for blood pressure, cholesterol etc.   How do your pants fit, how do your clothes fit, can you start to see your abs, maybe you think your arms are getting bigger.   all of these thing are indication of change not just a number between your feet.

4.  Drink tons of water!   Your body is made up of it so make sure you are putting it in there.   It is also a great way to flush your system of your cravings from sugar and caffeine.

5.  Keep a journal or a blog.   that way you can look back and see how you've done

6.  Tell your story.  People like to here how you did it.   Inspiring others can be a huge motivator and it is for me.

7.  Don't diet or take short cuts.  losing weight isn't something you do overnight.  healthy weight loss for long term success isn't a quick program it is a slow, steady and some times frustrating process.   Stick to it and you will look back and be happy.

8.  Find a food and learn about one food a day.  Maybe it is the difference of a complex carbs vs. simple carbs, different protein types, how vitamins and supplements help or hurt you.   These things can help you understand what you need to make your body work and perform the way you want it too!

Again thank you for reading and good luck.  Feel free to contact me if you like.

email - mrjag79@gmail.com
follow me on twitter @mrjag79
Facebook - Joe Grady

The Road Less Traveled

High Cliff Half Ironman June 16, 2012

I hated High School was never good at books, never good at studying much but I had an English teacher that made us memorize "The Road Less Traveled" by Robert Frost.  Although I can't remember all of it anymore it seems parts of it are somewhat fitting as I look back at my last two years.    For those of you who may not know the poem it talks about a persons journey down a path.  That person contemplates the hard and easy way of do things.   The two roads are both available to this person as all people do this person has a choice of a well traveled path and one path less traveled on.  It symbolizes where the majority of people choose to travel.   It shows how they follow the crowd.   It also symbolizes how some people will take the path less traveled and yes it may be harder but makes you question if it is worth the work.

I currently celebrating two years of health.   It was today two years ago I decided to change my life.   My beginings were humble and small.   Small changes were in order, food, exercise, and mental processes.   I started by going on very short runs 8/10s of a mile and worked my way up.   Did some work out programs that were discussed in earlier blogs, changed my food habits, and looked to inspire people.

Two years later I look at where I started and where I came and think of all I have accomplished.    almost 70lbs lost, multiple running races most notable for me was my recent Half Ironman, bike races, and overall fitness!  I feel as though people respect me more and that I have earned it!   I have made it such a habit that my life isn't going back.  


"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."
I continue to look down the road less traveled to more races, increased challenges and other ways to inspire and be health. I truly believe I took the road less traveled and I can honestly say it has made all the difference 

Thanks for checking in and sorry for the long delay in my posts!

- Joe

MY TRANSFORMATION AND INSPIRATION!!!

This is the video I made to look back on what I have accomplished.    If you want to see it in a higher quality please check it out on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dodhPKZ2R6E.   Thanks again everyone

2012 New Years Resolution!

My new years resolution is to lose weight!    My news years resolution is to be healthier!  My guess is many of us know people that are making these types of resolutions.  Maybe you are one of them.  

Lets think about these type of resolutions.  Are they realistic?   Are you or they destine to fail?  Maybe but maybe not so lets break down the average persons thought process (FYI I have been there so most of this comes from personal experience).

It is the end of December and the holidays are over.    You have spent the last month and half at family/friend  gatherings eating an insane amounts of food, drinking, indulging in anything and everything because of the holidays.    At the end of it all you step on the scale or look in the mirror and think "I need to lose this holiday weight".

Another scenario is you have been unhappy with how you look or have a bad image of yourself so you determine that the new year is a great time to start as the new year is a new slate and is a great marker for your progress!  

No matter what the scenario the gyms are now up on memberships and diet companies have seen and influx of new clients.   And here is why I think most people fail.

1.  Going to the gym and walking on a tredmill or using an eliptical isn't going to do much for you.    You have to understand your heart rate, your calories burned and muscles used.  you may see some short term results but nothing long term  

2. People go to the gym and then go home and think that they can eat what ever they want.   I just went to the gym so i can have a couple of cookies, I can eat at burger king.

3. Lack of patience!   guess what it didn't take one day for you to get the way you are.    it isn'mt going to change over night and to make matters worse it is going to be harder to make yourself look the way you want.   It sucks but you have to have patience!    working out for a week isn't going to magically shed whatever weight.

4.  We find reasons not to do things.   We find excuses.   This is the worst but an excuses to me at this point is a lack of committment both mentally and physcially.   I have kids, i'm to busy, work was crazy so I need to relax, and so on.    THIS IS THE BIGGEST REASON FOR FAILURE!  stop giving yourself excuses and do it!   get it done and stop eating things you shouldn't be.   

I am not saying that you shouldn't go to the gym and walk on a tredmill or use an eliptical machine.    I am however saying that you need to understand how your body works if you really want to succeed.    That type of information isn't as hard to find as you may think as the internet has been a huge tool for finding information.   Ask anyone if they feel guilty if they worked out and then ask the same person if they feel guilty for missing a workout. 

If you want to succeed you need to understand what you eat in  day.    Find a website that works for you and track everything you eat in a day.   My guess is you will be suprised as to how much junk you are putting into your body.    your sugar intakes, simple carbs, lack of proteins, vegatables and healthy food.    This will allow you determine what you should and shouldn't eat.   combine this with your excercise and it is amazing what can happen

Once you have figured out your diet and by diet I don't mean starving yourself i mean figuring out what your body needs to be healthy.    you can than determine how much food you require for both your day to day living as well as the fuel for your workouts.    This will not only help speed up your metabolism to help you burn more fat but also regulate your blood sugar, keep you more awake, and give you more energy to work and to exercise.  

All in all I wish all people the best in their resolutions.    I hope everyone the best but I encourage you to look at yourself and determine if what you are doing is actually working.   Don't fall into your same routines.   you need to mentally commit in order to physically change.  your will power has by far the largest portion of your success.   Your will power gets you to the gym, off of the couch, stops you from eating the food you shouldn't be and gets you on track.  

 Good luck to you all and stay committed!!!!!