How to Lose 10 Pounds in 30 Days

1. MAKE SURE YOU AREEQUESBFIT IN A CALORIC DEFICIT OF 500 CALORIES PER DAY

2. DO YOUR BEST TO EAT YOUR IDEAL BODY WEIGHT IN PROTEIN GRAMS I.E. 200LBS = 200 GRAMS

3. WORK OUT 4-5X A WEEK TO BURN AT LEAST 500 CALORIES PER SESSION

Soda REPOST

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8049673/what-soda-does-to-your-body/?hid=c3fac09e68b5726ee2a2d62731690c60a5acaeb1&did=9629856-20230713&utm_campaign=daily-nosh_newsletter&utm_source=etg&utm_medium=email&utm_content=071323&lctg=c3fac09e68b5726ee2a2d62731690c60a5acaeb1

Bodies Are Made in the Kitchen (Bodies by Halcyon)

https://youtu.be/VN7jSRQAiTs

What Can You Do With Fitness?

https://youtu.be/IybSrB2pFDk

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT PROGRAM.

This two-week program should help you conquer mental blocks, and help you win “The Battle of the Bulge”

REMINDER: This blog is not a substitute for sound medical advice. Please consult your Primary Care Provider.

DAY 0 – INTRODUCTION OF HABIT (SUNDAY)
Habit Challenge: Record what you eat
For the next two weeks, I challenge you to ‘record what you eat’.
There is a lot of value in the actual act of recording what you eat.
It’s a behavior that truly takes seconds to minutes a day to do, but each
and every time you pull out your app or diary, you remind yourself of your
healthy living desires and strategies.
It’s through regular and conscious effects and reminders that new habits
are formed, and any behavior that helps you to keep your goals and
intentions at the forefront of your busy mind is a good one.
The point of this habit is change.

A food diary is
simply a source of information to help inform your decisions, as well as
an incredibly powerful habit-building tool. So this is not a calorie counting
habit.
Recording what you eat isn’t meant to replace your dietary strategy;
it’s there to supplement it. Whether you’ve been intermittently fasting,
following a Paleo or low-carb plan, or even just doing your own thing, food
logging, regardless of its imperfections, oversights, and shortcomings, may
be just the thing you need to figure out why you might be stuck.
How can I personalize this habit?
Choose how often you feel comfortable writing down what you eat. Is it for
just one meal a day? Two? Just the snacks? Or all meals? Any amount will
do. Choose how you’ll write down what you eat. On a paper journal? In your
progress log? On a food logging app? You won’t have to share any of your
notes. They’re only for you.
The You Are What You Eat Program
How can I make this habit easy?
The first step is to scale the habit to something you are 90-100% confident
you can do for 6 days of the week. You might want to track specific meals
(just breakfasts, lunches, or dinners), or decide that journaling on paper is
easier than an app for you.
Have one day off per week from completing the habit.
This is very important: whatever you pick, it should only take you one to
two minutes to complete each day.
What can I piggyback off of?
Look for an event you can use as a reminder to write down what you eat:
after your morning coffee, getting to work, after your workout, getting
home from work, when an alarm goes off on your phone, whatever you
want. Just pick a pre-existing habit to use as your reminder.

TO DO: Create your personal version of the habit to commit to this
challenge!
Here’s a template:
I am 90-100% confident that I will [insert habit] for 6 days a week after I
[insert what you’re going to piggyback off of].
Here’s an example:
I am 90-100% confident that I will record what I eat on paper for 6 days per
week after I finish my last meal of the day.
P.S. Don’t worry about making this perfect. We’ll help you adjust.
The You Are What You Eat Program
DAY 1 – START OF HABIT REVIEW (MONDAY)
How was Day 1? Did you complete a personalized version of the habit?
Today, after completing your habit for the first time, I want you to answer
these two questions:

1. What did I do well today?
2. What did I learn today?
   These questions are so important that I want you to reflect on them every
   day.
   The truth is, the most overlooked factor in building new habits is bridging
   the gap between what you want to do and the behavior that you’re trying
   to make it automatic.
   You’ve got to close the loop between your intention and your behavior, and
   it’s as simple as answering these two questions.
   So here they are for you again:
3. What did I do well today?
4. What did I learn today?
   DAY 2 – DAILY LESSON TO REINFORCE HABITS AND
   ACCOUNTABILITY (TUESDAY)
   As you do your habit today, reflect on what your mind is telling you about
   the habit.
   What ideal or fantasy do you have about this habit?
   What story are you telling yourself about it?
   Now turn your attention to the reality of doing the habit, and be curious
   abut what the habit is actually like.
   08 The You Are What You Eat Program
   DAY 3 – DAILY LESSON TO REINFORCE HABITS AND
   ACCOUNTABILITY (WEDNESDAY)
   There’s a tendency to treat a habit like a chore, and rush to move on to the
   next thing you need to do.
   Notice the rush to move on, and instead, try to slow down and enjoy the
   habit.
   
5. Enjoy this learning process, and reflect on the sense of accomplishment
   when you’re done doing the habit.
   The more you can give yourself this positive feedback during the habit
   change process, the better, because positive reinforcement is what keeps
   you doing the habit over time.
   DAY 4 – WEEKEND WIN (THURSDAY)
   It can be difficult to stay consistent with a habit if you have a lot going on in
   your life, or if you take a break from your normal routine.
   The perfect example of this is the weekend. So let’s set you up to win this
   weekend.
   How? By doing an easy version of your “Record what I eat” habit for the
   weekend.
   This should be so easy that it should require as much energy as brushing
   your teeth.
   Today, I want you to plan how you’ll track what you eat this weekend.
   09 The You Are What You Eat Program
   DAY 5 – DAILY LESSON TO REINFORCE HABITS AND
   ACCOUNTABILITY (FRIDAY)
   No matter what level you are currently at with your nutrition, a daily food
   log will provide so many benefits.
   I will agree with those who say food logging also comes with its
   shortcomings and inaccuracy, but here’s the truth…
   It’s science – you can’t outrun the law of physics.
   If you consistently eat more calories that you burn, you’ll tend to gain
   weight.
   Some people may gain weight incredibly quickly, some incredibly slowly,
   but due to the conservation of energy, if you happen to consume more
   energy than your body burns, you will dutifully store some of that energy
   for the future.
   There’s no more readily available source of energy information than
   calories.
   Sure there might be flaws in calorie counting, yet currently it is our most
   accurate number to track energy in our food.
   Knowing what you’re currently eating (and when) leads to better results.
   Studies have shown those who use a food diary lose twice as much weight
   as those not tracking.
   From my own coaching experience, those clients who log the most, achieve
   the best results. Just a coincidence? Surely not.
   Food logging on this program isn’t going to replace the good dietary
   strategy that we’re putting in place – it’s there to support it. Nor is this a
   habit that you must keep doing for the entire program – but we’ll come
   back to it again.
   The You Are What You Eat Program
   We’re using it now to help you create more awareness of your current
   dietary habits. So that over the coming months you’ll know how to
   personalize the habits we work on. You’ll know the areas you need to
   improve the most.
   You’re laying the foundations for incredible results. Keep up the great work
   and enjoy your weekend!
   DAY 6 – NO DAILY LESSON (SATURDAY)
   DAY 7 – WEEKLY GROUP REVIEW (SUNDAY)
   When you complete the habit today, take a minute to reflect on the past
   week or so of doing the habit.
   5 What was it actually like, as opposed to the fantasy you had about it
   before you started?
   5 What have you learned?
   5 What do you appreciate?
   5 What obstacles have come up, and are there ways to overcome them
   for next week?
   Consider writing a short journal entry about these reflections, to solidify
   your learning. Treat habit formation as a learning process, a way to learn
   about yourself, your mind, mindfulness, resistance and more.
   DAY 8 – ADJUSTMENT OF HABIT (MONDAY)
   If all went well last week, and you didn’t struggle or skip the habit for more
   than a day, I recommend that you lengthen the habit this week. If you’ve
   struggled, keep it the same as last week or make it even easier.
   011 The You Are What You Eat Program
   For example, if you’ve just been writing down what you’ve ate for breakfast,
   then extend that to lunches too.
   Or if you’ve been writing down everything you ate on paper, try an online
   food app to see a more detailed report of your diary.
   Never make too big an adjustment so that it becomes too difficult.
   This slow change process of expanding the habit a little at a time helps
   overcome the resistance of the mind to change and discomfort.
   Each step isn’t difficult, so your mind doesn’t rebel much. Gradually the
   habit becomes your new normal and you can expand a bit more, pushing
   your comfort zone a little at a time.
   DAY 9 – DAILY LESSON TO REINFORCE HABITS AND
   ACCOUNTABILITY (TUESDAY)
   This week is often the week that people quit doing the habit, even if they
   were fairly motivated and successful the first week.
   Why? The mind gets tired from continuous focus and effort, and wants to
   quit.
   Today I want you to notice your resistance.
   Watch for any resistance you have doing the habit today, or reflect on recent
   resistance you’ve seen in your mind.
   Be curious: what does this resistance feel like? Is there a way to accept
   the thing you’re resisting, accept the discomfort, relax into it, and find
   gratitude for it? What is good about the discomfort?
   The You Are What You Eat Program
   DAY 10 – DAILY LESSON TO REINFORCE HABITS AND
   ACCOUNTABILITY (WEDNESDAY)
   It’s possible you’ve missed a day of doing your habit…if not then you likely
   will in the next week or two.
   When you miss a day or two, you can either feel bad about it, and possibly
   get derailed completely, or you can flow around it and not make it a big deal.
   There will always be disruptions – due to travel, crises, big work projects,
   exhaustion, forgetting, illness, other priorities – and these disruptions
   very often lead to people quitting the habit.
   A key habit is learning to flow around the disruptions and just keep going.
   Put aside the idea of doing things perfectly, and instead embrace the new
   landscape that you need to adjust to.
   Even if you haven’t missed a day yet, start adopting a flow mentality today.
   DAY 11 – WEEKEND WIN (THURSDAY)
   Missing a day of doing the habit isn’t a big deal, but if you miss a second
   day, it can sometimes trigger a downward spiral.
   You might feel bad about missing two days, making it likely you’ll miss a
   third day, and feel so bad that you just avoid thinking about the habit.
   To avoid this downward spiral, you might create a new rule for yourself:
   never miss two days in a row.
   So let’s set you up to win this weekend and achieve your habit.
   Today, think about your super easy, almost effortless version of the habit
   for the weekend.
   How and when will you do the habit this weekend?
   The You Are What You Eat Program
   DAY 12 – DAILY LESSON TO REINFORCE HABITS AND
   ACCOUNTABILITY (FRIDAY)
   We’re almost at the end of the ‘Record what you eat’ habit challenge.
   For the next few days, pay attention to your motivation levels – is it as high
   now as when you first started?
   If it is dipping, this is probably because the reality of doing the habit for
   this long isn’t something you’re used to.
   This is a great opportunity to turn from your expectations for this habit,
   to learning what other things can motivate you. Other motivations you
   could explore: the joy of doing, the pride of accomplishment, the feeling of
   satisfaction when sticking to something, tackling difficulties, the love of
   learning.
   These are all great motivations to explore for any pursuit. Stay focused this
   weekend and remember to have some fun in the process!
   DAY 13 – NO DAILY LESSON (SATURDAY)
   DAY 14 – END OF HABIT REVIEW (SUNDAY)
   Over the last two weeks you’ve completed the ‘record what you eat’ habit
   challenge – nice work!
   Today, take a minute after practicing your habit to reflect again on the past
   week of doing the habit.
   What has the habit been like and how have you done?
   What have you learned?
   What parts or how much of this habit will you continue to do?
   The You Are What You Eat Program
   Consider writing a short journal entry about these reflections, to solidify
   your learning. Treat habit formation as a learning process, as a way to learn
   about yourself, your mind, mindfulness, resistance and more.
   

For any and all assistance with programs like this, hit us up today!!

halcyonfitnessgroup@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/hfg16onthebook

Instagram: kbates_fitpro

BMI: On Point or Obsolete? REPOST

All credit goes to the ISSA.

https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/is-bmi-really-a-good-measure-of-your-health?utm_campaign=blog&utm_medium=web&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=bmi–measure-of-health

BASICS: STRENGTH TRAINING

REMINDER: THIS SITE. HALCYON FITNESS GROUP, LLC, ITS PARENT COMPANY MAGNA INTERNATIONAL ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IJURIES THAT MAY HAPPEN IN LIEU OF HEAVY WORKOUTS OR ANY KIND OF TRAINING PERIOD. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER FOR ALL THINGS HEALTH/WELLNESS RELATED.

Over the years, we’ve given you some of the best, sensible and effective tips on dieting, lifting and even lifestyles. Today is no different. This post will start off a new series, The Basics. This periodic series is all about working out, foundational exercises, preparation and the mental state it takes to succeed.

One of the most integral components of building a good strength training workout routine is having a firm grasp over what type of exercises you should be doing to complete each workout that you do.

The exercise selection you choose to use is going to determine which muscles in the body get worked with each session you do, the type of strength gains that you experience, as well as the nature of your muscle growth and development.

Generally speaking, there are two main types of exercises that can be performed in a strength training workout routine based around weight resistance. These are free weights and weight machines.

Weight machines are where most beginners start off with their workout program plan. These are machines that will essentially guide you through the entire movement every step of the way, so you never have to worry about what you should be doing next or controlling the range of motion.

Because of this, if it is your first time performing weight training activities, this tends to be most comforting. You can sit in the machine and it will direct you the entire time.

This also means that you’ll be at a slightly decreased risk of injury as there’s a much lower chance that you’ll drop a weight on the body or move out of proper form, which can cause an injury to immediately occur.

By using weight machines, you can focus on the muscle contraction taking place, getting a good feel for the weight lifting form of activity overall.

Weight machines also tend to be a good option for those who are suffering from any form of back pain because for the most part, your back will be supported the entire time throughout the exercise.

You’ll be sitting against a back pad, which will give you all the support and cushioning that you need.

The drawback to weight machines however is that first, you must be at a gym to use them. Most people will not have the space or the financial means to bring weight machines into their home. Therefore weight machines will be used primarily by gym-goers.

The second drawback to weight machines is the fact that you will not get as much core activation when you use them.

Which now brings us to the option of free weight training. As just mentioned, free weights are great for calling the core muscles into play as they’re going to be working hard every step of the way as stabilization muscles to keep you balanced and upright.

Furthermore, free weights are also going to require muscle activation deep within the muscle cells as well in order to keep the movement more stabilized overall and you executing it properly and with ease.

This can create stronger more functional muscles overall, so can be of greater use of participate in any team sports or related activities.

Free weights also don’t lock you into a certain pattern of movement. With machine weights, if you’re very tall or very short, you may find that the machines aren’t entirely comfortable for you to use, and this can sometimes also increase your risk of injury.

With free weights, that won’t be a problem.

Finally, the last big benefit to free weights is the fact that they’re perfect for those who want to utilize a home gym. With a simple set of exchangeable dumbbells that span over a range of different weights, you can build a full body workout that can be done whenever it’s convenient for you.

For those who prefer the home workout over the gym environment, this is clearly ideal.

The best case scenario is typically to incorporate both forms of exercise into a workout routine, however you can definitely reach your goals by choosing to use just one or the other depending on your needs, preferences, and the availability of the equipment.

As always, KNOWLEDGE is crucial to success. Remember your limits. The basics always win.

CARDIO: The Re-Up

NOTE: THIS SITE AND ANY ADVICE GIVEN IS NOT TO REPLACE THE ADVICE OF ANY LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER FOR ANY AND ALL THINGS HEALTH AND WELLNESS RELATED.

 

This article is for those who may have fallen out of training due to the national shutdowns. This article is also for those wanting to bone up on the basics. In any event, read up. People generally do not know that exercise is quite taxing on your central nervous system. So you’re going to have to be more careful with how hard you go when working out.

If you start combining “steady-state” cardiovascular activity with weight training, you’ll get results no doubt but you’re also likely to begin overtraining yourself in a hurry.

The amount of rest you should take between training sessions is directly proportional to your individual needs and tastes.

The Recovery Factor

This is something to keep in mind. Whatever you are doing in the gym, remember to rest!!! Remember to also schedule rest days between training sessions as a way to get your body well-rested if you can before your next training session.

An example of this is recovering from lifting in order to switch over to intense cardio. You’ll need a day to complete sprint or interval training in most cases, so you’ll want to do it on days you’re not lifting.

Cardio does demand more on the nutrition front.

Some cardio is intense, so it’s going to require glucose as a primary fuel source and if you aren’t supplying this glucose, you won’t be performing optimally.

Those who choose to use a very low carb diet should avoid certain types of cardio training as you simply won’t have the fuel sources available to complete it.

If you’re using a moderate carbohydrate diet plan, you’ll need to schedule this cardio in around meals where you are consuming some carbohydrates.

It’s important that you do eat within 30-60 minutes or so before doing this session, consuming a combination of both protein as well as carbohydrates.

Essentially, you’ll want to treat it just as you would a strength training workout. The same goes for post-workout nutrition.

IN CLOSING

Cardio training, as great as it is to torch fat, sculpt and lean- can be a monster. Cardio has also been a factor in several deaths (think doctors jogging keeling over dead) while exercising. Remember to tailor your regimen to reflect the change in activity plus shoring up your nutritional needs (especially while getting used to the additional workload). Use your best judgment- plus there are a lot of trainers, coaches and the entire internet to help you. Recovery is more important than the workout itself in some regard. Learn to listen to your body and to become resilient. You’ll need that in your gym lifestyle.

As often said on this site…

Knowledge of self, knowledge period is the master key of all master keys when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle. THE BASICS ALWAYS WIN.

 

THE BASICS ALWAYS WIN.

Yes, that is one of my many “Batesisms” that I use in my writing, speaking and podcasting exploits. Here’s another one.  A free weekly meal planner- a simple seven day meal planner… downloadable, printable, etc.

Here’s to all you readers out there.

THE BASICS ALWAYS WIN.

 

HFG MEAL PLANNER (1)

 

Fitness is Generational: How the Gens Sweat it out

Have you wondered how fitness breaks down across generational lines? According to mindbody.com, the percentages of people (in the four major generations- this doesn’t account for older Boomers, Silents, GI Generation and others) who work out 3X a week or more breaks down like this:

Older Gen Zs (18-23 years old): 42% of them hit the weights at least 3X a week.

Millenials (24-39 years old): 48% of them hit the gym 3X a week or more.

Generation X (40-55 years old): 47% of them are hitting the gym 3X a week or more.

Younger Boomers (56-71 years old): 48% of them hit the gym 3X a week or more.

Americans hit the gym with a passion. More of them should (diseases, healthcare costs, peace of mind). This is good news if you’re one of those who are stat junkies like yours truly. It’s also ok news to people like yours truly who want to see more people get active, get healthier and live longer more prosperous lives.

 

THE BASICS ALWAYS WIN.