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Laura@LauraForteFitness.comCheck out the video of our St. Petersburg Spartans! This was our very FIRST Spartan 1,000 Challenge.
If you missed it, or if you are ready to beat your time from your first one, we will be doing another one in May!
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Are you finally ready to make the scale drop in 2012? Do you feel sluggish, your clothes don’t fit like they used to, and you would like to feel healthy and fit? Have you made a New Years Resolution to finally make time and lose a 
few (or more) pounds?
92% of all New Years Resolutions end in failure. Millions of Americans will hit the gym and be all about fitness for the first few weeks of January.. maybe the first two months.. and then stop.
Why?
They don’t plan for success. They don’t have the accountability to keep going, clear goals before them, and most importantly a plan of action on how to get there.
If you have a SMART goal, accountability, support from friends and family, a plan on how to get there, and the drive to achieve your goal, you can be part of the 8% who actually follow through this year!
Are you ready?
1. Write down your goal. Go ahead, do it now! Statistics show that people who write down their goals have an 80% higher success rate of achieving them. Make sure your goal is SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time bound).
Rather than say “I want to lose 30 pounds by June”, commit to exercising 3 – 4 times per week and mark the days on your calendar with what type of workout you will be doing. I like to put “legs day” or “3 mile run + abs” on the calendar so I know exactly what I will be doing.
Rather than say “I won’t eat any more sweets”, commit to something attainable. Give up soda at lunch, or pick one day out of the week that you stop eating gluten and dairy. Or – add something. Commit to eating at least one salad every day.
2. Makeover your mindset. You’ve moved on from thinking “It’s impossible to lose the weight” to “Maybe I could actually do this”. Brainstorm potential issues and find a solution for them before you even get started.
What hasn’t worked in the past? Did you try to get in shape alone? Did you not have a plan for what to do at the gym? Figure out the mistakes that didn’t work and make a plan that will work this time!
3. Write down a plan. Outline what changes you are going to make in your life with fitness, nutrition, sleep, stress, quitting bad habits (like smoking, eating late at night), and any goals you have for 2012.
Really take time to think about what is important to you and the steps you are willing to take to get there. Remember – don’t do them all at once! Be part of the 8% and make a plan for change.
4. Take ACTION!! Find a fitness/nutrition program that is right for you. Look for an environment that is supportive, challenging, and a complete program that includes everything you need. Go ahead and sign up. Once you do, you will already feel a sense of accomplishment! Sign up for our 6 Week Body Transformation Challenge!
5. Take your goals (written in step 1) and your plan of action (written in step 3) and put them in a place you will see every day.
Don’t skip this step, because it is very important!! Read your goals once in the morning, and before bed at night. It will make a big difference if you do this! (I can bet those 92% are not doing this.)
6. Visualize yourself achieving your goal. See yourself crossing the finish line at the race, or fitting into a special dress or pair of slacks without holding in your breath. Remember what you are working so hard for!
Many professional and Olympic athletes consider this just as important as their daily training. Studies have actually shown that elite athletes who spend more time practicing visualization techniques actually performed better in competition!
Here is a short worksheet you can use to help you set your goals. I send this to all of our boot camp members when they begin our program included in their Bay View Boot Camp Manual.
What is your Goal?
(Write down the SMART goal from above)
My Goal: ___________________________________________________
Now, decide what steps you need to take to achieve your goal. (list 3 plans of action)
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
What hasn’t worked in the past?
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
What will you do different this time?
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Your Action Plan:
What is it? ____________________________________________________________
When is your start date? ___________________________________________________
Why did you choose this as your goal? _________________________________________
Who are you sharing it with? _______________________________________________
What is your time frame (finish line)? _________________________________________
Hint: Don’t use try or can’t, use “will & can”. Create positive words and actions!
Success will come with a plan. Sit down, take time to do the steps above, and commit to it by writing it down in your calendar. Make it REALITY. How many times have you had the same New Year’s Resolution? Now is the time to succeed. You can make this happen!
Are you looking for a nutrition and fitness program to fulfill your New Years Resolution? Join us for our 6 Week Body Transformation Challenge! You will receive unlimited workouts, accountability from me (and your partner), a list of everything to get at the grocery store, and recipes to make every night. Take action NOW and sign up before the Early Bird window ends on December 31st!!
Committed to your health and fitness success for a healthy 2012!
Laura
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We all know it is important to exercise.. but what benefits are you really getting? I’m going to break down why it is so important to maintain a regular exercise routine.. especially during the holidays!
5. Avoid the holiday bulge. On average, Americans will put on 8-12 pounds during the holidays that are difficult to get off. Don’t let that be you!!
4. Increase your energy level. Spend an hour on YOU exercising (you deserve it!!), and you will find yourself with TONS more energy that you can give to your family during the busiest time of year. It is worth it!!
3. Improve your health. Lowered cholesterol, blood pressure, better joint mobility and LOTS of other health benefits are associated with exercise. Exercise has been responsible for many of my clients lowering or even removing themselves off of medications. OF COURSE consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen and most importantly before any medication changes.
2. Be in a better mood. You feel AWESOME after a great workout – which makes you feel 
better about yourself the rest of the day. Lower your stress level and get in the holiday spirit this year by exercising at least 2-3 times per week!
1. Look great and feel great at your holiday parties!! Ring in the New Year feeling and looking your best. Don’t wait until 2012 to get started on your New Year’s resolutions!
Here are a few of my favorite ways to stay motivated to exercise during the holidays.
– Reward yourself with new exercise clothes for keeping up with your workouts and/or reaching a goal!
– Sign up for the Turkey Trot or Jingle Bell Run with your family and friends.
– Find an exercise/running buddy to hold you accountable during the holiday season.
– Go for a walk or toss around the football with your family after a big meal. This is a tradition in the Forte family. :)
– Ask for a personal training package or boot camp package for Christmas!
I hope this gave you a few new ways to stay motivated during the holiday season.
*Action* – Please let us know what works for YOU by commenting below or onour Facebook page.
You made the decision and took the first step to better your health and fitness. It feels great! You are on the way to a new you! Maybe you started a new gym or fitness program, or maybe you began a new way of eating. Or.. just maybe you started BOTH!
You did everything that was called for: stocked your kitchen with healthy choices, planned for success by marking on a calendar each day that you would hit the gym, you even threw away all the junk food that you had purchased the week before.
Then.. life happens. We do the very best we can – we resisted the urge to eat a bagel even though a batch had just come out of the oven next door. We didn’t steal any candy out of the Halloween candy basket at work. But.. one day it happened and you overslept (missed the 6 AM workout) and didn’t have time to prepare your green smoothie before running out the door.
The better we plan, the better the chance we have to succeed – but we are human and sometimes we fall off the wagon. It happens! But what you decide to do from that point forward is what separates you from everyone else. The choice is now YOURS to recover quickly and get back on track so that you can smash that goal you wrote down on Day 1 of dropping 7 pounds before the holidays.
Here are some tips to recover quickly and overcome the obstacle that got in your way. It was only a small delay – accept it as that and move on!!
1. Read the goals you set for yourself on Day 1 and tape them up on your mirror, refrigerator, front door.. wherever you go most in your home.
2. Have a support system in place – or find one now! Maybe it is a friend, or family member. It could even be your trainer! Share your goals, wins, and even your slip ups with that person – they will help keep you on track.
3. Keep a fitness journal to record your progress. Write down both your workouts AND what you eat during the day. If you had that small setback – write it down for what it is, but then remind yourself of the days you stuck to the plan! Keep at it and stay committed.
4. Remind yourself it isn’t all or nothing. It takes time to change your lifestyle for better health. If we could snap our fingers and eat healthy – everyone would do it! Nobody WANTS to slip up – it happens. But what separates you from the pack is picking back up after the fall and reminding yourself what you will look and feel like at the finish line.
5. Make a motivational collage. Cut out pictures of role models that you admire, a body that inspires you, and phrases that motivate you. I was recently introduced to Pinterest – it is an awesome resource to find motivational pictures!
6. Remind yourself WHY you are on a plan to better fitness and health. Are you looking to tone up by the holidays? Looking to fit into a special dress or pair of slacks? Just want to feel better and have more energy each day? It is worth it if you come back to the plan and pick up where you left off!
7. Take ACTION. Just lace up the running shoes and you are already half way there! “No matter how slow you are, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.” Just get in a 15 minute workout – you will feel SO much better afterwards!
If you can relate to this and you are ready to pick back up where you left off, TAKE ACTION and try your very first class at Bay View Boot Camp! You will be in a group of extremely supportive, positive individuals who are looking to achieve their goals just like you!! You can even try us out for a free week trial – so you have NO EXCUSES! You’ll also have me to coach you to stay on track and accountable.
Call me today at 727.754.0111 or email me at laura@laurafortefitness.com. Making the call is the first step!
I was watching the Cross Fit games the other night on ESPN (incredibly inspiring) and the top athletes kept smiling during these EXTREMELY tough workouts. It totally inspired me and made me think of the ways I motivate myself during hard workouts. I wanted to share with you a few new motivation tips to keep you on track for your goals – whether they be weight loss, training for an event, increasing muscle tone, or upping the intensity of your workouts.
Here is your motivation checklist :)
Climb over your first obstacle in a mud run. Champions Mud Bash is coming up in November – so start training so you will be in shape to compete at this awesome challenge! The Bay View Boot Camp team will be running this together – so start training with us NOW to get fully prepped for the race!! Check out our Upcoming Events page on our website for more information. I ran it back in June.. here’s a photo of our team! →
Go on a new route in your run. The weather has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL this week – fall is starting early this year (yay!) – so take advantage and go for a run or bike ride outside! Try a new route other than the one you normally take – taking in new scenery will re-motivate you and keep things interesting.
Try a new activity. If you are more inclined to do resistance training or go for a run, try doing something completely different! Try taking a paddle boarding class or even a hula hooping class! (One of our members recently did this and said it was a blast.) Mix things up once in a while to keep it fun! If you haven’t tried it yet, come give one of our boot camp classes a try! We are offering one week free to all newcomers, so come check us out!
Plan out your workouts and change them up at the gym. Not only will this keep things more interesting, but it will help with muscle confusion so that your body doesn’t plateau. Make sure you are both pulling and pushing weight for resistance training, doing interval training, and trying out new exercises.
Set goals! Make a goal for yourself – it can be a goal weight, 5k time, or # of completed workouts on the calendar. Set milestones for yourself along the way and reward yourself! Go get a massage or a facial after hitting some of your goals. Also tell your friends and family and let them enjoy your successes with you!
Keep a training calendar! Hang a wall calendar and mark off days in a Sharpie marker when you worked out! It is gratifying to see big red check marks throughout the week. Also keep track of your workouts – which days you went on a run, boot camp, cycling, etc.
Sign up for a race! Here in Florida, ’tis the season for 5ks, half-marathons, duathlons, triathlons.. you name it. Look for a race a month or two away and sign up. Actually, do it right now – go ahead and register for a race! Check out our Upcoming Events tab for some local St. Petersburg races.
←This is a photo we took of the view at boot camp class during our 6 AM class!
Hope you found some of these tips helpful! Please feel free to add your own favorites in the comments section below. If you would like to take advantage of the one week free trial, email me at laura@laurafortefitness.com and I will give you all the details!!
To your health and fitness success!
Laura
