Top Ten Fall Fitness Tips

As a full time exercise enthusiast and coach I am always working on ways to motivate and lure others into fitness.  I love studying and analyzing why we do what we do.  Here are some tips based on some recent client interactions and commons struggles I face when trying to help others reach their fitness goals.

#1.  Set goals each and every week (write them down).

#2.  Be OK with modifying your goals and updating as you go.

#3.  Shoot for 5-6 days of exercise each week (mix cardio, strength and flexibility).

#4.  Enjoy the Fall weather and get outside when you can – don’t take it serious everyday.

#5.  If you miss a scheduled workout, move on and try again.

#6.  Ask yourself why you didn’t reach your goals in the past & make adjustments.

#7.   Rest – If you are finally reaching your goals make sure you take some time off.

#8.  It’s easy to get too bogged down in all the details.   Keep it simple.

#9.  What is your reward?  This is important to know.  We all need a REWARD.

#10.  Be proud of the work you do!  Keep it up and you will get results.

I hope you find these simple tips helpful.  Check back each month for some new motivation (if I reach my goals of updating monthly.).

Coach Gibby

Balance | Theme of My Week

What a great time to reflect how we use our time.  As we sprang forward an hour last week our nights were pushed later and we can now get that one last thing done before the sun goes down.

I know this post is a bit late since we observed daylight savings last weekend, but I challenge you to use this coming week to track how you use your time and reflect on it.  I had lots of “plans” this past week and instead of reaching any of them I filled my days with MORE.  More is not always better.  This is where balance comes in.  I recommend finding balance in your day, week, and year: physically and mentally.

Triathlons require a balanced training plan to make sure you are ready for each activity.  Your training plan can certainly be customized to favor one event over others, either your weak section or your favorite.  This all depends on your goals.  If you do not implement a balanced plan you will find out on race day which area you should have paid more attention to.  Even worse, if you do not practice balance in your training it may result in injury.

In addition to triathlon training I would like to add how important balance can be to your personal life as well.  I have been struggling the past few weeks with this balance as my work load and training load have been increasing.  My race event is only a month away, so it’s easy to want to fill any free time with training.  I am always seeking ways to help find this balance.  I heard news this past week of a high school friend who passed away suddenly and it caused me to reflect on how I spend my time.  The first step to finding balance in life is reflection.

How do you find and practice balance in your fitness plan?  I recommend a scientifically proven NASM OPT training plan.  I also strongly recommend incorporating Yoga into your weekly plan.  The more you cross train, stretch, use a balanced workout plan and stay mentally strong the better you will reach a balanced fitness level.

Thanks for reading J

Move More. Live Healthy+

Jason

Les Mills RPM....Certified Instructor

After several months of sweat, dedication and perseverance I am officially a Les Mills RPM certified instructor.  More to come on this, but so happy to share the good news with you.

More on Les Mills training - Post I

http://trifitsolutions.blogspot.com/2012/09/set-goals-challenge-yourself-keep-your.html

Les Mills training - Post II

http://trifitsolutions.blogspot.com/2012/12/les-mills-rpm-update.html

Come join me at my next RPM class!  Move More.  Live Healthy.

Happy New Year! Resolutions…

There is lots of talk about New Year resolutions so to change it up a bit let’s kick off 2013 with a plan to achieve better Focus, Fitness and Faith.  It’s estimated that only 40% of resolutions are maintained or achieved past 6 months.  If we put some energy and effort into these three areas of our lives we can accomplish new levels of greatness.  Let’s create new habits that will enrich our lives for the long run.

Focus - Finding Focus can be tough.  In today’s multi-tasking world this is more difficult than ever.  How do you find yours? As we begin a new year it is a great time to spend some time thinking about how you can create better focus in your life.  I find my best focus while running, riding and swimming.  Other ways I find focus include writing, listening to music, practicing yoga and reading.  Challenge yourself to focus on what is important to you.

Fitness - Record your baseline and set some realistic benchmarks for all levels of your fitness.  Think beyond physical fitness and include goals for financial, mental, family and your community.  Set SMART goals.  Create a plan to reach your goals and be ready to work hard.  It is best to set goals with different deadlines.  I recommend setting a goal for each of these areas to achieve by the end of today, the week, the month, mid-year, end of year, 2 years, and 5 years.

Faith – This is a very important yet very personal aspect of finding balance in your life.  Today I want to share the below blessing with you.  This Irish blessing made an impact on me this past weekend, may it stick with you throughout the year.

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

May the hand of a friend always be near

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Les Mills RPM Update...

“A great reminder about setting goals, challenging yourself & keeping your chin up.” - continued...


As many of you may already know from my earlier blog post I spent a weekend back in September to become certified as a Les Mills RPM spin instructor.  As I got further into this I realized it was not just a  long tough weekend it was much more than that.  Les Mills programs are successful because of their process and their quality control.  It's been a challenge to balance this with family and work.  I had to file for an extension on my final video submission which was due November 16th and took a short break from learning release 56 so  I could examine my purpose and goals.  I had until December 21st to submit my video with my extension request or I would have to re-enroll in a new class and start from scratch.

I filmed yesterday and finally submitted my video and have now co-taught 4 classes and 4 classes on my own :-).  I made several mistakes on the video, but hope it was good enough to move to the next level.  It is becoming more natural and I love motivating people to push hard and experience the magic of an RPM class.  Below are a few action shots of me teaching at the Gold's Gym in Forest Acres.  I will keep you posted once I am on the regular schedule and not just a "substitute" so you can come experience it for yourself and help me fill the class.  Come get in shape and reach your goals!

I would also like to mention what a great group of people I met during this process.  All of them with similar goals and passion for fitness.  I am very blessed to be a part of this group.

**A special thanks to David, Brenda, Dan, Margaret, Courtney and Todd for all of your support.  I look forward to the ride :-).

May God Bless you

Week 8: Daily Routine & Habits

This week we will focus on habits.  Breaking bad ones and creating good ones.  First let’s identify the habits we want to keep in our daily routine:  going to bed early, drinking lots of water, and knocking out 5 cardio workouts each week.  What?  These are not your habits?  Now is a great time to begin making these your habits.  When I kicked off this 9 week fitness blog my goal was to engage you to check in weekly for a little motivation and a little direction.  I am here to help you reach your fitness, health & wellness goals.  Make it about the journey, focus on your goals and have faith.

Pick three bad habits and three good habits to focus your energy on this week.  Keep track of the number of times you act on these habits and write them in your fitness journal.  You will better understand your weaknesses and strengths so you can set new goals and reach new levels in 2013. 

Tips for week 8:

-         Pack fresh fruit &veggies to snack on throughout the day

-         Pack your running/walking shoes if you travel

-         Exercise while waiting.  (Kids at practice, car in the shop, etc.)

-         Go to bed early a few nights this week

-         Involve other family members and friends in your fitness plan

-         Drink LOTS of water

Keep up the great work!

Week 6: Balance...Need I Say More?

Working on your core strength and flexibility is a great way to build a foundation for building great fitness.  Yoga would be a great activity to incorporate into your weekly schedule.  Many yoga positions focus on balance and will provide great benefit to reduce injury, aches and pains.  If you cannot participate in a yoga class don’t let that keep you from working on your basic core strength and flexibility.  You can incorporate this into every workout. 

You can work on balance in your workouts in more ways than you may think.  Beginning with some light stretching and warm-up exercises and ending with a cool down and light stretching is a great way to balance out your workout.  Each week you can not only balance your individual workouts but your weekly workouts as well.  Make sure you mix up your daily exercise routines to help create a balanced full body workout.  Exercise is no different than anything else in life so overuse can cause problems and you should always practice moderation.

In regards to balance, balance in your life this is the most important take away this week.  Spend some time this week focused on finding balance in your personal, professional, physical, and mental life.  I wish I could tell you I was an expert in this, but instead I will tell you to practice what I preach not what I do J.

Focus + Fitness + Faith = Balance

Jason

It's all about the journey...

It’s all about the journey…

So whether you are just beginning or getting ready for your next event you need to remember you must enjoy the journey.  Start by keeping a journal.  I have always been a journal writer and although most of my journal entries are pretty boring and probably something none of you would enjoy reading they generally do help me focus on what motivates me and what holds me back.

I wanted to kick off a series of posts to help encourage all of you to first, visit my blog frequently and second, create habits in your life for a healthier you.  I am working on some basic workout routines that I will share soon, but first I want to have some regular readers – You.  Please check in weekly for an update on my 9 week plan.  Ask questions, discuss & reach your goals!  I am working on having a more interactive site and will be setting an “office hour” soon so you will know when I am logged in and available to answer fitness questions LIVE.

Here is my 9 week plan which will get us to Christmas:

Week 1:  Getting started:  Get a journal, tell your friends & family about your decision to get healthy, and set some goals.

Week 2:  Watching your intake:  This information will be basic but useful.

Week 3:  Stumbling is normal:  A few setbacks are O.K.

Week 4:  Sleep:  Getting more of it with lots of benefits.

Week 5:  Embracing Change:  Every 3-4 weeks mix it up.

Week 6:  Balance:  Need I say more?

Week 7:  Review week:  Time to turn it up a notch.

Week 8:  Daily Routine enhancements:  Breaking bad habits

Week 9:  Progress check + Next 9 week planning

I am excited about this new 9 week blog venture and know that as we create this and implement change it will grow into a powerful tool.  I also know that all of my plans are subject to change just as they always have been so let me know if there is something you would like to see and I will try to implement it into our plan.

“Focus, Fitness & Faith”  - Tri Fit Solutions

Rest Days | whether you want them or not

Since my last post I competed in the Lake Murray Dam Tri and began training for the Governor's Cup Half Marathon.  Work has been super crazy this past month and to top it off I have been battling a virus or possibly strep throat (my youngest tested positive for strep a few weeks ago and I always like to catch what the boys bring home).  It is amazing how quickly you can go from being in peak condition to feeling like you cannot get out of bed.  I still have a slight cough, but am finally beginning to get back to my training and yours!

I have not taken so many rest days in a while and actually believe they may have been good for me.  I am a cardio junkie so rest days usually consist of an "easy" workout instead of a normal or hard one.  So if there is one lesson to take away from this post, it is take your rest days.  Rest will help you perform better and stay healthy for your training days.  Another lesson if you are up for two...If you have had too many rest days due to sickness or a busy schedule, get back out there.  I realize it is hard, even for a cardio junkie, but once you get back on routine it comes back quick.

Now that I am back on the mend - please tune in for more posts.
Stay well & on course.

Coach Gibby

Focus | Fitness | Faith - A New Mission

I have been busy working on a logo to capture my vision of helping others find their Focus, Fitness and Faith.  I do love training and competing in triathlons and want to share my love of this sport with others, but more importantly I want to help others find happiness.  The more I dig into why and how I want to help people the more I realize there is so much more to getting in shape and reaching temporary fitness goals.  I believe we all must reflect on what we really want and why?  It is so easy to get side tracked and to focus on the wrong things for the wrong reasons.  Although my mission statement is still work in progress I am committed to help others mentally, physically and spiritually.  I want to make a difference with my abilities and skills that will transform lives and provide a better future for others, their families and our world.  I believe if we strive for balance in our lives we can accomplish great things.

My Mission: "To help others reach their health and wellness goals with a well established plan that includes focus, fitness & faith.

I believe we can all make a difference and find happiness when our intentions are pure and goals realistic.


A good friend shared the below scripture with me while cycling and I found it helpful in my quest.

"Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.  Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you:  A prophet to the nations - that's what I had in mind for you."  Jeremiah 1:5