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So, it is a reality that weight loss is a difficult task and for most of us is an ongoing maintenance. The MYTH of “I can eat anything” or “I hardly ever work out” are perpetuated by celebrities who really don’t want the public to know the things they do to stay slim. From dieting to fasting to personal training to fat farms to plastic surgery — there are lots of weight loss and body maintenance tips that celebrities do.

But don’t let their lies mislead you into thinking that you can eat anything you want. Any food can be a part of your diet. It is always the portion that gets you. One bite of chocolate does not ever get anyone, it is the WHOLE BOX that does. It is not having pizza once a year — it is having it once a week. See what I mean. You need to weigh whether that birthday cake is any good — personally, if it is a store bought cake, I am cool with skipping it altogether. And with any of those treats, it is just as good to have a few bites as a huge piece — maybe better because you don’t feel all sick and sugared out later.

So that is the diet side — now the workout side. I see LOTS AND LOTS of people every day at the Douglasville Gym where I work who NEVER EVER touch cardio equipment. And guess what, while they do build muscle, they don’t lose the fat on their big ole man gut and they don’t really slim down. Cardio is really a NECESSARY part of your workout. It is great for fat burning and it conditions your heart and lungs so I have NO idea why you would not add it. Yes, there are times that machines can be boring for cardio but there are things you can do — wear your ipod, watch tv or take a deep breath and relax and enjoy your thoughts.

Now — a major question. How much cardio should you do. I personally like every day. And I know a lot of people that do Mon-Fri — kinda like part of their job and that works for their routine. But if you are unsure of how much cardio or to what intensity, then a personal training session or two might be in order to learn how to do cardio effectively and efficiently.

Tags: Douglasville, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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I know you think it is hard but fitness, especially weight loss is a matter of numbers. It is math, basic math. Calories in LESS Calories out = Amount of weight gained.

In order to lose weight — you need to reverse the numbers and make a deficit. Best way is to approach that deficit in a multiple of ways. Reduce the calories you are consuming and burn off more.

Getting fit here in Douglasville, especially this time of year, is full of variety. And variety is the best way to ensure you stick to your program. Not only are there lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in season to add to your new eating program. There are also lots of fitness options. Hiking in all our great parks, biking on the silver comet, swimming, rowing — the list of great summer workout options goes ON AND ON. And of course, when it gets really hot and you know it will, the wonderful air conditioning of the gym is the perfect place to ensure you get that workout.

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, Personal Training, Weight Loss, fitness classes by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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Nutrition is a HUGE part of weight loss and as a Douglasville personal trainer, I try to make my clients understand that weight loss and fitness require a balance in all parts of your life. Working out, lifting weights, doing cardio, getting enough sleep, eating well…….

Portion control is one of the most critical things when it comes to weight loss and weight control. This is made even more difficult by giant restaurant portions.

If you follow the USDA portions, you need to understand the SIZE of those portions. While 6 servings of grains may sound great, remember that one serving is 1/2 cup of cooked pasta or rice. So if you look at a regular restaurant size as usually more than 5 cups — WOW — you just blew your whole day and some of tomorrow. A half a bagel — gives you more than 2 servings of grain. Eat the whole thinng and you are almost done with grains for the day! Pancakes ? A serving is ONE pancake — eat a stack of them at IHOP and bye bye your whole grain allotment for the day. While sometimes you may decide to do that — it should be a CONSCIOUS decision — so you know to watch it for the rest of the day.

Tags: Douglasville, Nutrition, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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I get a lot of people tell me how much they want to lose weight. How they would do anything — really?? – to be fit and healthy. It borders on depression and obsession but sadly, it does not always lead to fitness success.

Getting and being fit requires a lot of hard work. There is no magic bullet, no magic plan, no magic pill, no magic surgery. And even if you choose to add surgery or pills, these will only do so much.

So that said, here are some examples of what I mean.

- Don’t “say” you are coming to the gym 3 times a week but then blow each one of your appointments off for something more urgent. Most people can make it to the gym 3-5 times a week without a major life adjustment. You may not be able to attend specific classes at specific times but somewhere in your week — there is time. For people who are very busy, I suggest working out on your own or with a trainer as opposed to doing fitness classes. There are some amazingly awesome fitness classes here in Douglasville. But if you can’t be there at 5 or 6 or whenever the class starts, it becomes really easy to just blow it off completely.

The concept of personal training is to do something different. FIRST, you have an appointment so there is — or should be! – an incentive to show up. Don’t show and lose not only that chance to get professional help with your fitness, but also lose the money you invested in that session. That’s right — personal trainers are like any other service professional, don’t show up and you still pay for it.

But there really is not a reason why you should be blowing it off. You should put your appointments at days and times when it works for you. Is Monday a horrible day with getting kids to school and long work hours from the weekend — hmmm, then maybe not Monday — you get the idea.

There are extremely busy people in the gym every day getting and staying fit and you can be one of them if you learn that it is a priority.

Here are a few time saving tips to “find’ your free time:
1-How much time do you spend social networking online. While MySpace and Facebook are fun things for young kids, they should not be eating HOURS per week of adult time. If they are, you have time to workout.

2 – How much time do you spend watching TV. If you spend, like most adults, several hours per evening, then guess what, you have time to work out. Learn to get your shows on demand or tivo or Itunes or watch a program on the tv at the gym.

3 – How much time do you spend checking e-mail and reading blogs. Limit this to a once a day activity.

A few of these things are items that have only been around for the last decade or so. And they are major time drainers. I am not asking you to be less social, I am just asking you which is more important, a MySpace layout for people you either already know or don’t know at all — or your HEALTH.

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, Weight Loss, fitness classes by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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I have lots of people tell me almost daily that they are doing EVERYTHING but are just not getting results. Now, to me — this means you are not DOING EVERYTHING

And I do not mean that in a cruel way. Sometimes — actually MOST OF THE TIME – these people believe they are really stepping it up and not getting there. Well, here are some things that can trick you into thinking you are doing it all — and these things all mess with your fitness and weight loss results.

1 — Liquid calories — are you drinking a lot of juice, soda, iced tea, coffee drinks — these all contain hidden calories and can add up to hundreds of calories a day.

2 — Cardio — are you doing all the cardio that your personal trainer has told you that you need. Remember 45 minutes does not include the time you took to stop and talk to someone, the time you spent getting started, etc. And if you are using an elliptical — are you working out INTENSELY enough? It is too easy to just go through the motions so if you are not sure, change to the treadmill for a week and see if you notice the difference.

3 — Strength training — do you do a strength training workout? A fitness class, even one with weights is not strength training. You need to lift weights regardless of your age to build not only bone density but muscle density which burns calories even when you are not working out.

4 – PORTIONS — this is perhaps the BIGGEST issue for a lot of people. How much is a cup? Take out a cup and actually measure a cup of cereal. Put 2 cups of salad onto a plate. It is very difficult to get a hold of your portions if you don’t. You end up eating too much of things your should limit and too little of fruits and vegetables.

5 – Restaurant Meals — It really does not matter what you eat in a restaurant — it is rarely healthy. Even “grilled vegetables” are usually brushed with butter so they look better. So really, try to learn to eat at least a few of your meals at home. You will be healthier, more in control of your diet and you will save money. If you are not sure of what to cook, I have a whole site dedicated to that very topic with tons of healthy recipes and new ones added every day so if in doubt, have a look at Douglasville Weight Loss

6 — Are you actually hungry. Addicts are told to be careful of what they call HALTT — hungry, angry, lonely, tired or thirsty. Well, some people are addicted to food and to their eating habits. So ask yourself this same list of questions. Are you ACTUALLY THIRSTY?? Are you just bored and lonely and watching TV? Are you eating more from habit and less from need?

I hope these help you get control on some of the things that can be sending you off the rails. If you still do not see results, I would suggest at least a handful of personal training sessions to get you back on track because there is more going on.

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, Nutrition, Personal Training, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
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