Avoid negative thinking for optimal fitness

The difference between CAN and CANNOT are only three letters. But three letters that can mark the difference in a persons life direction.

How many times have you found yourself frustrated because "you feel" you can't do something?

How many times have you found yourself sabotaging your own efforts in whatever you may be doing in life just because you don't believe in yourself?

I'm not referring to the person who gets frustrated for, whatever reason may be, yet easily moves on and is able to maintain an optimistic outlook on things. I'm referring to the person who is overly critical of themselves. Nothing ever seems to be good enough. Everything is always viewed from a negative perspective.

Admittedly... at some point in our lives we've all been there or have experienced similar thoughts, even if just for a brief moment. So then, where do we draw the line? What makes it different for some people to take on a bad moment or bad day and move on while others stay in a state of agony, criticism, negativity and darkness?

Based on my life experiences and of those who surround me I can honestly say, at least in my opinion, that it boils down to a few things from: the way we've been brought up by our parents, work and school environment, siblings, social stereotypes, broken relationships, scars from the past, culture, eating disorders, depression, obsessive compulsions, etc. 

As a fitness trainer I see a huge connection between fitness, health, relationships, work, finances, family, sports and overall life. When you learn discipline and apply it to your fitness regimen that tends to rub off on to things in your life. Being fit gives you a sense of confidence, builds morale, makes you a better spouse, a more productive employee or a happier boss, makes you smile often and enjoy life in a better way.

I'm not saying life is perfect just because you make time to exercise. However you do develop a different perspective. Today for example a new training client of mine told me that she would feel proud of herself by sticking to a fitness program and achieving her goals of getting fit, toned, and increasing her overall performance. Her connection to starting an exercise program and life, is the fact that she already quit smoking, is dropping soda drinks and wants to become a role model for her daughter while enjoying life with her husband.

Can you think of a better outlook than that?

My point is that you either CAN or CANNOT.... but the choice is yours. Life doesn't has to be a constant struggle. And if you do find areas where you are most challenged, there are ways to make things easier or at the very least become optimistic.

The first thing you can do that will go a long way is to avoid negative thinking. Fight it as much and as bad as you can.

When it comes to exercise don't focus on things your body is not ready to do or may be impossible to do for many reasons. Focus on the things you can do and make sure you do them right. There are many people who are physically challenge and for them many exercise methods and styles of training are out of the question, however they find ways to overcome these obstacles in a constructive manner.

In my years of training I've seen many people with disadvantages, nursing an injury, beginners to exercise, very obese, etc. I would say however that a good majority of them have taken the challenge to better themselves and have done so in a positive way, finding and discovering what they really are made of.

Sadly the others have a tendency to complain, criticize, sabotage their efforts, become needy, always giving half the effort, draining themselves and those around them with negative talk, and ultimately most end up quitting.

If this is you STOP! Don't do this to yourself. Believe in your ability to change and be better.  Focus on the things you CAN control and not on things you can't. Don't compare yourself with other people, don't minimize your accomplishments, instead invest the energy on creating a positive environment and positive thinking.

 

Even if you feel life has dealt you a bad hand (I know s*** happens), it doesn't defines you and you don't need to feel sorry for the rest of your life. So change that and become more optimistic. Find the positive in different things that life may throw at you.

When it comes to exercise never quit and always do your best within your own circumstances.

Don't approach life with a defeated attitude or you'll miss the opportunity to reach your full potential. Use your mind the right way (POSITIVE THINKING) and you'll soon notice how better exercise, work, relationships and life in essence will be.

It's not about you, it's about me...

"Nobody who ever gave his best ever regretted it"

During the course of the last three weeks we held our 3 annual Holiday Fat Loss Challenge. The main idea of the challenge is to help people stay focused on fitness and healthy living, thus improving their performance, losing weight and burning fat.

The holidays always seem to be that time of the year when all you've worked for goes out the door. This fat loss challenge helps prevent that by empowering you to make better decisions, to commit to exercise and healthy eating habits.

Although it's a challenge, it is not one of competition say like in the sports field. Sure there is a prize for first and second place... so a little bit of friendly competition is welcomed. But you don't go head to head against anyone, you go head to head against you.

This challenge is about betterment; what you where yesterday - today must be better. There is no such thing as limiting self improvement. When you're hungry for something, you never stop improving.

When this is the case, we find ways to get better at a given exercise, to master a move, to learn new techniques, to improve our nutrition, to build our self esteem, to gain more confidence and to push ourselves beyond what we may think we can do, rather to reach what our true potential is.

Sadly I see to many people get lost in the numbers, and I'm not referring to this challenge particularly, but life in general. We get caught up in the moment that we lose the essence of our journey and don't realize all the things that we have accomplished.

Take a moment and look at yourself. Picture yourself a few months ago, a few years back... Now compare that with whom you are today and who you want to be tomorrow. Life is constantly changing, we don't think, we don't feel and we don't look the same as 10 years ago nor will be 5 or 10 years from now.

The question is are we changing for the better? Change will only occur when we allow it to happen; and that goes both ways. One can change for better or take a turn to worst. Personally I've experienced both sides and I've been responsible for it.

I've shed tears, blood, sweat... I've been up and down, I've developed unhealthy pride and been brought down to earth and beneath... I've been humbled. I'm not where I thought I would be 5 years ago, my life has changed drastically. But in the process I've discovered new things about myself, I've open new chapters and have grown as a person.

I know I haven't reached my full potential, perhaps I never will... that will not stop me from growing. I have a plan for growth and every step I take I cherish my defeats and my triumphs, because I learn much from both.

I will continue to grow physically, mentally and spiritually that much I know. And every step I take becomes an opportunity to grow, to take on new challenges and for self-improvement. 

The above doesn't means one must not take pride in accomplishments or on the other hand be contempt with losing. I hate losing!!! In the words of Herm Edwards 'I play to win the game'... But I've lost many times on and off the basketball court; and each of those times I've learned about myself many things.

Last night watching the Lakers lose to Chicago in the last seconds of the game was painful. It could be attributed to several reasons, but they lost period. After the game they interview Kobe and instead of complaining he said "I saw a lot of positive things... Defensively, we were terrific. We did a good job, and we're just going to get better."

Self-improvement and betterment of the team.... In the game of life things are a bit more complicated, but the essence is the same. As I stated at the begging of this article: 'when you give your best, you have nothing to regret'.

My two cents to wrap this up:

• Make a commitment to improve to grow every day
• Do not focus on the mundane or on other peoples perspective
• Value the process that will get you to your destination
• Always give your best
• Rejoice in your achievements: 1 pound lost Yei! The main idea is that no matter the how small or big your feat... it is yours to rejoice over
• Do not look for inspiration - become the inspiration
• Never quit, never give up

My next post I'll write about our Fat Loss Challenge results and the stories behind them.

Mind-fitness

"To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear"- Buddha

If I could use my strength and athleticism into work in my mind, I think I might be unstoppable. There's a powerful connection between the mind and body. One can affect each other. Sometimes it's the other way around - the mind controls the body.

Our thoughts can control our actions, our moods, our performance and ultimately the end result.It can work for the best or it can be our worst enemy. It's a hard fight we must deal with and can not run away from it. 

For example, what happens when you decide to embark on a mission to get in shape? What is your line of thinking? Are you truly committed, do you know what to expect and the sacrifices you must do to get to the place you want to? I've noticed most people don't set realistic goals. They think that by showing up once in a while to the gym, boot camp or working out at home maybe once a week, and allowing themselves to "cheat" or "treat" themselves every time with food without making any significant changes; that will be alright to get results. 

No wonder after just a few weeks they are complaining about the lack of results. What are you complaining about? If you are not willing to do what it takes, there's just no way you will ever see real results!!! 

If you go out every day and stuff yourself with crappy food, sweets and alcohol; don't expect much. But don't lie to yourself either. Sometimes the greatest lies we tell are often the lies we tell ourselves. Ask yourself: Is my way of thinking supporting my goals and building my body for success? Or does it sabotage my efforts? 

It's all in the mind. If you tell yourself you can't do it - you won't. If you tell yourself you will, you can and you must... then you will most surely find a way and stick to it cause it's that important to you.

My most successful clients have one thing in common - they want it bad and they believe in themselves no matter what.

Don't get me wrong; sometimes its not easy, in fact most of the time its not. If you're like me, which my mind never seems to shutdown, you can understand how frustrating sometimes this can be. May thoughts can cross your mind, from the positive to the negative. Thinking alone can make you exhausted... 

Why am I telling you all of this? If you don't control your mind it will control you, and it becomes hard to perform and be your best. What happens when it's workout time and you feel exhausted already? Will you ditch the workout and convince yourself you can do it another day? Everyone has days in which we don't feel like working out or we are "too busy" to fit it in. If I where to skip a workout every time I don't feel like it where would I be?

What if you are constantly just being negative and critical about yourself? This often results in a self destructive thought process. Don't you think that will affect how you see yourself, your drive to exercise and to eat healthy? In fact it can also damage your business and personal relationships. You may start thinking I'm single for a reason, I look ugly, I'm unlovable; - or if you are in a relationship you may feel fear to expose yourself and to be intimate,cause if you are not happy with the way you look you have convinced yourself that your partner isn't either. 

Listen, whatever it its that could be mind troubling to you STOP putting yourself down. Believe in yourself and control your mind, make it work for you.

In my case I have found that exercise and sports is a great way to channel my emotions, release stress, clear my mind and at the same time to open it for newer thoughts. You might see me in the gym with a piece of paper and a pen writing stuff down while working out; and its not my training program cause that's already mapped out. However I'll admit it hasn't erased my problems, my past failures and regrets. But it helps me stay sane and in control most of the time.

That's the way of the mind, my brother calls it like having a search engine built in. You think of something or someone says a word or you read  it and puff! all these memories, and mixed emotions pop out of nowhere. That you can't avoid, but you can control which path to live by. Use it as a learning experience, enjoy live, believe in yourself. 

Physically: Don't put things in your body you know are not good for you; keep your body away from situations you know aren't good for you and do work hard to be in optimal shape.

Mentally: Don't judge yourself or others too hard; knock off the guilts and resentments.Use every experience as a learning and growth opportunity. 

Take care of your mind and the body will follow.

Big time story - worth reading

I want to share a story with you today. I seriously want you to pay attention, because I know you've been down this road one way or another. This is about one of my clients, Jesse Sosa. He's a real person, with his own struggles and issues, starting with his weight.

The day I met this guy I knew by the look in his eyes that he was serious about his plan for life. He wanted to live and needed help to get it done. Though as he says, he had tried everything you can imagine, nothing had worked (and whatever did temporarily almost killed him) and so he was frustrated and depressed but not about to give up. And I'm glad he didn't...

During the last 12 months he's lost 19% body fat, over 100 pounds and lost 12 inches off his waist line. Talk about a transformation!!!

Although he still has a long way to go, I want you to read personally what this journey has meant for him… This is his story as he wrote it in a letter to me.

"My name is Jesse M. Sosa.  Since childhood I have struggled with weight problems.  I have tried every diet and every diet pill that you can name.  Some worked temporarily, but eventually had consequences and the weight came back.  Around 1986, I lost weight to about 200 pounds. 

Jesse at 303

On the outside I looked great, but the weight loss was not attained in a healthy manner and it almost cost me my life.  I was taking some diet pills which affected my vital organs.  I was very fortunate not to have permanent damage and have checked out to be healthy, but nonetheless overweight. 

In 2009 my weight topped to an all time high of 414.  I was wearing clothes 5X and my waist was 60, and my body fat measured at 60, really un-measurable, way over the morbid fat count.  I knew that I had to do something different, if I wanted my quality of life to change. It was not easy, and I knew it would not be overnight.  I had to realize that I had not become overweight overnight and that it would take making changes for life that would help me attain my goals. I make short term goals in route to my ultimate goal.

One of the most important changes I had to make were my eating habits.   

I was eating once a day and not the proper foods. Although I worked with fruits and vegetables, these were not part of my diet, ever!! I had to learn to say no to a lot of foods which were not allowing me to lose weight (Not easy).  I had to learn to eat smaller meals throughout the day. The portion sizes had to change.

Another change I made, was realizing that I had to get out of my comfort zone and get to exercising.  I had to realize that just because my work requires long hours, that this did not replace an exercise regime. I knew I had to surround myself with positive and supportive people who would encourage me to continue with my plan for life.

This is when I met fitness coach, Eduardo Lorenzo at the gym. He took the time to explain the value of proper nutrition and also about proper supplementation, and how these combined with a solid exercise program would help me lose weight, body fat and get control of life again. Ed works with me with my exercise regime and modifies the exercises and routines as required.  He’s been very supportive and encouraging. 

Since working with Ed, (about 12 months) my weight has dropped from 414 to 303 as of December 2010.  My waist size is at 48 (down from 60). I am wearing 2X clothes  (down from 5X) and my body fat is at 41 (down from 60%).

I reached my short term weight loss of 100 pounds in one year by December 2010.  I realize that I still have a long way to go in order to reach to my ultimate goal.  I know I will achieve my goal in a safe and healthy way by staying with my plan and with the help of my fitness coach Eduardo Lorenzo. I cannot stress enough the difference Ed has made in my plan for life."

- JESSE M. SOSA

..................................

I've been fortunate to have met Jesse, he's a real great guy and cares for his life and those around him. Seeing first hand some of the struggles he has faced and how together we've been able to overcome many things; reinforces the primary reason as to why I am who I am and do what I do. 

Just like everyone else along this journey he's gotten depressed, tired and fatigued at different stages. But as I constantly remind him "its about the bigger picture" and looking back I'm glad we've been able to stir the boat back on its course. I'm looking forward to the next several months as we continue to work on the next stage of his plan for life! I'll try to get more pictures of his before and and after and update this post with his success along the way...

Guys and ladies seriously, if you've got some fat to lose, excess weight, are unhealthy and you know you've been down that road before STOP wasting your time and money on fad diets, phony programs and phony trainers that don't produce body and life changing results. 

FITLORENZO COACHING  PROGRAM is open for men and women who are serious about their life and truly want to better their fitness and well being. If you are willing to invest the time, work, commitment, dedication and are motivated to get started don't wait Let's Work On Your Plan For Life. 

Contact me today for details and your Free Consultation. 

Call 941-301-9352 or e-mail me. 

Don't forget from now till the end of January you can even save more. 

Click here for details: 25% OFF Discount!!!

 The team FITLORENZO offers a variety of services from Personal Training, Youth Fitness & Sports Conditioning, Strength & Conditioning Boot Camp for women, Yoga, Body Rolling, Public Speaking Events on health, fitness & wellness, nutrition coaching and much more.

Procrastination affects your life

“I’ll start tomorrow." "I'm too busy today”. Is this you? Delaying things, putting them off and constantly stalling can kill your dreams and goals, you might has well see procrastination as the grave in which success is burried in.

Honestly, how many times have you said “tomorrow, not now” when what you really meant was “I really don't want to do this or never”? I think that most of us are procrastinators to an extent (Let's admit it we've all put off things once in a while).

But seriously when we tend to say “I’ll start exercising tomorrow or on Monday I'll start my diet.” Do we really meant it? Maybe we do believe we will and to an extent maybe it is our intention to "eventually do something"...

Perhaps its the rush and adrenaline that comes from a sudden moment of enthusiamiasm, passion, desire or commitment. It could be something as simple as you coming across and ad on TV or on article on a magazine, maybe it's an online post or a conversation with a friend, a good look in the mirror or just reflecting on your life and its events; whatever it is... for that moment it gives you the sense of strength, you feel resolved and committed to your goal. It feels as if nothing can come between you and the promise of tomorrow.

But then tomorrow actually comes... And once again, we face that same decision: to do or not to do? That is the question. Now C’mon (you say to yourself), it’s just one day right? Seriously, how bad is it? Truth be told: Is one more day actually one more day? The answer, of course, is that postponing for one day probably isn’t the worst thing ever; except that one day is never one day. One day becomes two, two days becomes three, and three days becomes months and years.

So even though putting things off occasionally is not a big thing, when procrastination affects your performance, productivity and even relationships in life (these could be business relationship, love or friends), this is the time to reconsider your way of thinking. In my opinion: putting off until tomorrow what you should be doing today is a problem that keeps a lot of people from achieving their goals; being those that you've set with someone or those you set for yourself.

I'll let you in on a little secret: "tomorrow is the busiest day of the week"... hence, you and I both know it can't be done tomorrow, so you'll have to do it later, down the road, someday... if you actually ever get to it.

Then again, last time I checked neither tomorrow nor someday are a day of the week. So if you say Monday I'll start exercising, or Tuesday I'll start eating better (at least start eating breakfast).. or Wednesday night I'll tell the girl of my dreams, how much I love.. or on Thursday I'll send my resume to that and this company: Just do it! Don't wait for the next day or tomorrow or someday...

So lets assume, that today, you want to go from a life of self procrastination to a person of action; how do you get there? Keep in mind it won't happen overnight. But it does starts with changing the way we think. We need to figure out first why we tend to stall, avoid and delay things. Maybe it is out fear of failure, perhaps we have already tried other diets and failed, maybe exercise seems like a tough thing to do, maybe the idea of changing jobs or applying for a new one seems scary or our past failures in prior relationships makes it though for us to approach someone or doing something and getting rejected or hurt. So we then decide to hide, delay and put things off... this could be fatal.

So look deep into yourself and try to understand the cause as to why we are putting off our goals and even responsibilities? For example if in weight loss if you have over 50 pounds to lose and think it might be impossible you will condition your mind to believe that and so you are starting your journey with a defeated mindset, and at the very first sign of obstacles or when you hit a plateau its easy to quit and give up or just delay your ability to actually start doing something. However you will not lose 50 pounds in two weeks, sometimes you lose a few here and there, some weeks maybe you can't see much difference in your body mass... but that constant resolve to do what is right and keep exercising will get you there and that is the key to success. Every step of action you take forward will make you better.

Setting realistic goals, writing them down, keeping a food journal and just regular exercise will help condition your mindset for change and to continue taking productive action steps instead of delaying or putting things off.

I read a quote from Og Mandino and it said: “I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids.

With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek to rest. I will act now for now is all I have.

Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now.

Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place.

I am the person.”

Look, if you want to accomplish something, anything in life: lose weight, shape your physique, start a new career or a business, fall in love, better your relationship, whatever your goals may be: YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Don't put it off til "tomorrow" or "someday"... Make TODAY the defining moment to stop procrastinating and chase your dreams.

- ed

The Decision: Exclusive Interview with Thomas Lorenzo

The suspense surrounding Thomas Lorenzo free agency has come to an end. AP reports that Thomas Lorenzo is headed to Dell.

And in an exclusive interview Fitlorenzo was able to sit down with Thomas Lorenzo and find out what was going through his mind. When asked what's new he only said "its been exciting this whole process". Due to the unprecedented attention and interest sorrounding Thomas Lorenzo decision we have decided to make this announcement on a international level, using the Internet.

FL: What have you thought about this process?
Thomas: This process was not easy. These types of decisions involve many things, what type of products and services will I provide my loyal customers? Can I generate enough income to help those around me like my family, my friends, and my community? There’s a lot of stress on making this type of decision because it’s not about the money but what am I representing....

FL: Have you enjoyed the free agency process?
Thomas: Yeah it allowed me to focus on business, life, soul searching, my overall fitness conditioning... I've lost weight, I gave myself time to become a better me and thanks to the Fitlorenzo Training System I am reaching that goal. Ed as my fitness and personal coach he kept me focused and motivated through this journey... I also got a lot of support from friends and family so at the end I am a better person...

FL: Did you know from the beginning that Dell was your destination?
Thomas: I was leaning towards Dell; they give me the best opportunity to help my customer’s succeed. But we had looked at options in Florida, Puerto Rico and even Costa Rica. But at the end Dell demonstrated my same passion to excellence and commitment to be great.

FL: Now that you have landed at Dell… What's next?
Thomas: Hard work! We are assembling a dream team if you will, so I will do some recruiting to make sure we get the players that we need to reach our goals and take the company to the next level. I guarantee my work and my service always, so I need the players around me that want to play at that level.

FL: Did you consult someone or maybe who has been your biggest influence?
Thomas: Wow that’s a hard one, so many people where part of the process. My mom, my brother and trainer Ed and even customers that have become friends helped me get to this point. People like Roberto Adelardi, Javier Alapont, Jean Hernandez, Silverio Saladin, Henry Chavarria and so many others... Like I mention it was a tough journey so I needed to be in fit condition both mentally and physically. Ed gave me a good beating with his online program a new life style that helped me get from 225 down to 194. When you're fit you are also energize, you’re ready for anything and that’s how I feel today, ready to help my customers reach their goals as Ed help me reach mine.

FL: How does this affect the rest of the league in your opinion?
Thomas: Look out… We are doing history. We are going after it really hard. One of my goals this year is to help us win the Customer Satisfaction award and we going for it all. I have lots of friends on other teams but when you step out on the field your customer doesn’t want to know about your friends they want results. AND WE ARE GOING FOR IT!!!

FL: Do you have any additional comments you'd like to add?
Thomas: Yes I want to thank everyone in this process this journey… I want to thank Dell for putting me in this position to succeed. Thanks to my customers – all we do is for your success and we will continue with that tradition in Dell. And thanks to Ed and Fitlorenzo, they gave me the support, the faith, the new life style. I recommend anyone that wants to take he’s or her life to the next level GET ON BOARD WITH FITLORENZO…

Fitlorenzo wants to thank Thomas Lorenzo for his time in this exclusive interview. Also we want to thank all of our readers and folks who have tuned in for this broadcast. Proceeds of this event will go somewhere.