Most of us are under the misconception that fit people work hard and spend most of their lives deprived in order to achieve their amazing bodies.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I'll let you in on a little secret...It's not hard to get and stay fit. It's not about hard work and deprivation.

It's all about boundaries.

Let me explain...

When you were a child your parents set boundaries around you. They were the authority on what was or wasn't acceptable behavior. You had to complete your chores before dinner. You had to finish your homework before going out to play. You had to eat all your vegetables before dessert.

If you failed to comply with these boundaries then you knew that there would be consequences.

As an adult you, and only you, are the authority on what is or isn't acceptable behavior. You are in the position to set boundaries around yourself. These boundaries serve as a framework of order around you - a rock of support in an otherwise chaotic world.

With self-imposed boundaries you can assure your success in anything...specifically with weight loss.

Your fitness boundaries have to be self-imposed—no one is going to do it for you. Don't look at this as a bad thing! Self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.

Let's face it, you've been living life without fitness boundaries.

* You eat whatever you want, whenever you want it.
* You use any excuse to avoid exercise.
* You indulge whenever it feels good.

Your Fitness Boundaries

It's time to introduce boundaries back into your life. These boundaries are the key to unleashing your ideal fit and healthy body.

1. Fitness Boundary One: What you eat

If you were to be perfectly honest with me, you could list off the foods that are unhealthy and fattening. So why are you still eating them? You know that refined, fried, processed and sugary foods are not good for you.

Place boundaries around what you will allow yourself to eat. Acceptable food items include whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.

2. Fitness Boundary Two: How you exercise

I know that you're not an Olympic athlete, but that doesn't mean that you can simply pass on exercise. By now you are well aware of the host of benefits that exercise provides. With regular exercise you'll look great, feel amazing and have more energy than ever.

Place boundaries around how often you must exercise. Choose exercise that is challenging and fun - don't be afraid to try new activities that improve your strength and endurance.

3. Fitness Boundary Three: When you indulge

Let's face it, we live in a world where indulging has become the norm, rather than the exception. When you live life without fitness boundaries, everyday is an opportunity to indulge. These indulgences all add up quickly, causing your clothes to become tight and your energy levels to drop.

Place boundaries around when you can indulge. You'll find that by limiting your indulgences you'll end up enjoying them even more.

Putting It In Action

Sit down and take a long, hard look at your lifestyle. Are you eating as healthy as you could be? Are you exercising 3-5 times each week? Are you indulging too often? Answer the following questions:

1. What 3 food items can I eliminate from my daily diet? (These should be nutritionally void items like high-calories beverages, fast food, packaged snacks, high-fat food, candy or desserts.)
2. When can I schedule exercise into my week? (Pick 3-5 days, and select a specific timeframe. Example: I'm going to exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5am-6am.)
3. When will I allow myself to indulge? (Don't go overboard here, especially if you need to lose weight. Enjoy a treat a couple times each month, and do so guilt-free knowing that you've maintained healthy food boundaries the rest of the time.

Remember that self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.

Fitness boundaries put your fitness results on autopilot. If you know what constitutes an acceptable meal, then choosing what to eat just got a whole lot easier. If you're committed to exercising 3 times a week, soon it becomes second nature.

Need help setting up your fitness boundaries? I am here to help - contact me now!


Kristy Lee Wilson

kristyleefitness@me.com

Tags: Fitness, Weight Loss

We all have a list of our favorite things. It may not be written down anywhere, but you know the things that make you happy.

The list holds your favorite foods, music, TV shows, movies and even people in your life that you can't get enough of. This is the stuff that you really enjoy. It's the stuff that makes your life worth living.

Somewhere on the list is your health and appearance. You know that looking and feeling great make a good life even better.

The interesting thing about your list is that without fail you'll always make time for it.

* When your TV show airs, you watch it or record it to watch later.
* When your favorite actor stars in a new movie, you do your part by going to the theatre.
* When you're hungry, you turn to your favorite foods.
* When the weekend rolls around, you do everything you can to spend time with the special people in your life.

Yet when it comes to exercise you automatically say, "I don't have time."

Time for TV, but no time for exercise... We live in an age where life is full. You don't have extra time anymore.

You no longer have time. You make time.

* You make time for your TV show.
* You make time for your hobby.
* You make time for your friends.

It's time to drop the charade of "I don't have time to exercise" and call it what it really is.

An excuse.

You know how to make time for your favorite things. You know you want good health. You know you want to look great. You know you want more energy.

Exercise delivers all those benefits - and more.

I believe that exercise belongs on your list of favorite things.

Make It A Favorite: How do you turn something that you've dreaded into something that you enjoy?

1. Block the Negative: Your thoughts play a big part in determining your favorite things. Block out any negative thoughts you may have about exercise. Focus your energy on creating a positive attitude that will get you excited about hitting the gym, rather than dreading it.

2. Focus on the Benefits: With exercise you have so much to gain and nothing to lose. Exercise makes you stronger, sexier, happier, and gives you more energy. Pick the benefit that moves you the most and fixate on it.

3. Get Guidance: The easiest way to put exercise on your list of favorite things is to experience it at its best. Get onboard with one of my personal training programs and I'll show you the most effective and enjoyable techniques that will get you into the best shape of your life.

Kristy Lee Wilson
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Tags: Exercise excuses

Whose fault is it that you’re out of shape?

If you go by what you hear in diet ads then you believe that it’s anyone’s fault but yours.

The big diet companies think that if they put the blame on you, then you wouldn’t buy their bogus pills. So they put the blame on your cortisol levels, your modern diet (ie fast food), or your busy schedule instead of where it belongs - which is squarely on your shoulders.

Sure, you have obstacles that get in your way - your schedule, your job, your kids, the weather, your knee injury from college…but ultimately you have the body that you accept.

I’m going to repeat that so it will really sink in.

You have the body that you accept.

Embracing the blame for your current weight is not a bad thing - it’s empowering. Think about it. If it really wasn’t your fault, if it really was due to a long list of variables that you have zero control over, then you’d be stuck. You’d have no way to change.

The Secret Behind ‘Before and After’ Pictures

Allow me to pull back the curtain for you on something that the diet industry doesn’t want you to know. You’ve seen countless before and after pictures documenting weight loss as a result of a diet product. Well, there is more involved than just the diet product, and it’s the same across the board.

Look into the eyes of any person in their before picture and you’ll see that they are disturbed. The body they have is no longer in sync with the body they can accept.

They changed the body that they accept.

Now look into their eyes in the after picture - see the sweet satisfaction? They now own the body that they decided they could accept. And what a great feeling that is.

Your Time To Transform

Whether you realize it or not, you already posses everything you need to transform your body, but it all starts with taking responsibility for the body that you have today. You have your current body because until this moment you’ve been OK with it.

Oh sure, you aren’t thrilled with it, and you even talk about losing weight and getting fit, but you haven’t changed what you’ll accept. Here’s how to transform your body in 3 steps:

Step One: Get Disturbed

You’ve heard it said that emotion creates motion. This is essential when it comes to losing weight. Just like those folks in the before pictures, to transform your body you must first decide that you can’t live another day in the body you currently have.

It’s time to get your emotions stirred up. Make a list of all the reasons that you must lose weight and get fit. Get disturbed!

Step Two: Get Focused

Without clarity it’s very hard to get where you want to go. Now that you’re disturbed with the body you have, it’s time to decide what the body you can accept looks like.

I want you to think in concrete and specific terms. Just like the captions under those before and after pictures - “Suzy lost 25 lbs”, “Mike lost 8 inches from his waist”, “Jenny went from a size 18 to a size 6″ .

Get a clear picture in your mind of what you’ll look like in your after picture and visualize what the caption will read.

Step Three: Get Moving

The time spent between your inspiration (now) and your action determines whether you will succeed or fail. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck between inspiration and action - there is always something that you can do right now.

Don’t you agree that you’ll be happier living life in a fit, healthy and attractive body, rather than the body you have today? Of course you’ll be happier.

I’ve helped scores of clients just like you finally lose their unwanted weight.

I am here to take you from your before picture to your after picture, however, you need to bring something to the table - you need to make up your mind about what you’ll accept of yourself.

Kristy Lee Wilson
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Tags: Weight loss goals, fitness goals

When it comes to living healthy. A negative attitude can sabotage the best laid plans for your fitness and health goals. Living well is a direct correlation with a positive attitude. Keep smiling and try to surround yourself with positive people and influences, while you look for the good in daily business and personal activities.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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Tags: Positive thinking

February is the month that most people revert to their pre-New-Year's-Resolution habits. Have you given up on your fitness goals yet?

"If you are looking for an excuse to fall off the wagon, the universe will provide one."

That was the lesson that Oprah shared in her recent confession about her ongoing struggle with weight. Oprah knows how it feels to fall off the fitness wagon; in the January issue of The Oprah Magazine she described her recent 40 pound weight gain.

Her testimony was filled with valuable insights for anyone else prone to relapse. There was a hidden cycle that I found in her story - one that exposes the process of falling off the wagon.

1) You Fall
Your fall off the wagon could take place in a single moment, or it could be the result of a drawn out process. Oprah described her fall as one that happened slowly as a result of health problems. These health problems became her reason for not exercising.

Illness, vacation, holidays, changes at work or any other change in your schedule are all things that'll get you off the wagon. Once you're off the real damage begins.

2) You Surrender
There comes a point after you fall off the wagon that you simply throw your hands up in the air and give in. For Oprah this was a dramatic moment. "I started eating whatever I wanted - and that's never good. My drug of choice is food. I use food for the same reasons an addict uses drugs: to comfort, to soothe, to ease stress."

This is the most destructive part of the cycle. You remove all expectations from yourself and as a result you plummet into an unhealthy realm. The progress that you've made toward your goals is lost and even more weight is gained.

3) You Hit Bottom
Inevitably there comes the moment when you hit bottom. Your body shows the new weight gain and you feel awful about it. For Oprah it was a sobering moment. "I felt completely defeated. I thought, I give up. I give up. Fat wins." She went so far as to say, "I felt like a fat cow. I wanted to disappear."

While hitting bottom is never a fun experience, it is a necessary one. The pain must become great enough for you to turn it around and take the control back.

4) You Take Control
Now comes the good part. When you hit bottom you were out of control, now you're ready to once again grab the reigns. Oprah says that "These days I've put myself back on my own priority list."

She plans to get an hour of exercise five or six days a week, as well as eating healthfully and reordering her life to include time to replenish her energy. Her new goal is to be strong and healthy and fit.

Have you fallen off your priority list, like Oprah fell off hers?

The time has come to put yourself back on that priority list. The time has come to decide that you are worth it.

I'm here to help you do just that. Contact me today to get started on an exercise program that will change your body and your life...


Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson
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It would be great if you could train for a week and see magical results, but that's not how Getting in Shape and improving your health works. Just like Getting out of shape does not happen in one day, you will not see results immediately when you start any type of fitness training program. Be Realistic, Be prepared and Set Short, Medium and Long Term Goals. When you make your fitness goals realistic and attainable you will ensure a greater success for sticking with your fitness program for life.

Kristy Lee Wilson
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Tags: Fitness Goals, Fitness Results

New Year's day...it never fails to evoke feelings of hope and renewal, but is it really a trap?

You've been handed a proverbial clean slate - another chance to shrug off your bad habits and reach for your dreams.

In an attempt to bottle that New Year's vigor, you'll make a few New Year's Resolutions. But before you put pen to paper, you ought to know this:

It has been reported that 92 % of all New Year's Resolutions end in failure.

That means that less than 1 out of every 10 people will successful accomplish their resolutions in 2009.

Ouch - those statistics are brutal. Who in their right mind would take the time to make resolutions when failure is that imminent?

As your trusted source for fitness advice, I'd like to coach you though this sticky situation. Yes, most people fail to achieve their New Year's Resolutions. However, I am going to clue you in on what the 92% do wrong and teach you what the 8% who succeed do right.

First up, the 92% who failed. These well meaning folks shared a common mistake that put the nail in their coffin before they'd even begun.

They bit off more than they could chew.

In all the excitement of becoming a better person and changing their life in the New Year they made the crucial mistake of committing to do too much. But reality set in, a few weeks or even days into their reformed life, and they gave up.

The 92% gave themselves an easy way out. They approached their resolution with an 'all or nothing' attitude. Once the 'all' became too tough they opted for 'nothing'. And just like that another resolution ended in failure - end of story.

Now let's examine the 8% who succeed with their resolutions year after year. The key to their success is quite simple (you may have even guessed it by now).

They set realistic goals.

I'll repeat that... they set REALISTIC goals.

* Instead of resolving to lose 50 pounds by June, they commit to exercise 3-4 times each week.
* Instead of resolving to give up all carbs, they commit to bring healthy snacks to work instead eating from the vending machine.
* Instead of resolving to drop 3 sizes in 3 months, they commit to losing 1 pound each week until they reach their desired size.
* Instead of resolving to never eat out again, they commit to eating healthy all week and rewarding themselves with one meal out on the weekends.

Did you see the difference?

If you want your resolution to stick then think of something simple and realistic. Sure, it certainly won't sound as cool as the resolutions that the 92% make - but they aren't going to keep theirs anyway.

Remember that the whole point of making a New Year's Resolution is to become a healthier, happier and more successful person. Small changes done consistently will make a big difference.

If your New Year's Resolution has to do with losing weight and getting into great shape (and whose isn't?) then guarantee your success by working with a fitness expert who can show you the ropes and guide you to success.

I'd love to team up with you - together we will transform your body in 2009!

Contact me today to get started today.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson
Contact me

Tags: New years fitness resolutions, fitness goals

Wouldn't it be great if we could attain the body of our dreams just by thinking about it? What if I told you that your mind actually plays the most important role in your success in getting fit? Sounds crazy, but it's true...

Our subconscious mind has one all-important job, and it succeeds every time. What is this job? To prove that your beliefs are true. Note the wording here: To prove that YOUR BELIEFS are true. Not to point out what is actually true. Nope, though what a difference that would make.

Your beliefs are the truth for your life. It is that simple. Whether or not these beliefs are in fact true doesn't matter. If you believe something to be true, then your subconscious mind will perceive the universe around you in such a way that makes this belief true.

Here's an example, if you believe that in general people like you then when you meet a new person your subconscious will point out reasons why this person does indeed like you. You will interpret their smile and handshake in a different way than someone who has the belief that no one likes them.

So how does this relate to your fitness level?

If you have the belief that getting in shape is hard, that eating healthy is boring, or that weight loss is elusive then you will find getting in shape to be very difficult. If you think of yourself as a fat person, or an out-of-shape person, or just an average person then your subconscious mind will do everything in its power to keep you that way.

Wow - isn't that amazing? Take a minute to let that sink in.

The great thing about our subconscious mind is that we can train it to work for us instead of against us. All we have to do is change our belief.

I'm sure you have heard the term "Believe and Achieve" - many schools have this painted on their walls and it is even printed on T-shirts. Well, the concept is absolutely true and when applied can bring success to your door faster than you thought possible.

It won't help if you simply think that it 'isn't impossible' or that 'it could happen someday.' These aren't true beliefs.

In order to have your desired result you need to truly believe with every fiber of your being that you will achieve this goal. If you are overweight then close your eyes and picture yourself fit. If you have fifty pounds to lose then think of yourself as fifty pounds lighter.

You will always be what you believe yourself to be.

I have to admit something...I believe that everyone who comes to me can and will get into the best shape of their lives. This belief is so strong that most often my clients also begin to believe in themselves, and amazing results are achieved.

What proof? Contact me today to get started on a personalized fitness plan that will change your shape and improve your quality of life. I believe in you - now it's your turn.

Take the first step by contacting me today – Because whether you believe you can or you can't... you'll always be right.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson
Contact me

Tags: Positive thinking, self belief,

It happens to each of us at least once on our weight loss journey. We go on vacation and live a little only to come back and step on the scale. When we do, we’ve gained back some weight and are disappointed. Or, you could be an emotional eater who is going through a personal crisis that results in added pounds.

The next step is the most important one. The choice is between struggling to recover and continuing to slide back into old habits. Before the choice is made, we must realize something about ourselves. It’s okay to slip up. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Forgive yourself and forget that it ever happened.

Setbacks are a part of weight loss and any kind of goal we set in life. There has yet to be a time when everything in our life went according to plan. If it did happen for you, you need to write a book and let the rest of us off the hook. Assuming that it has not, it is something that we must learn to deal with or it will crush us to dust.

If you wisely choose to struggle and recover, try to discover what caused the setback in the first place. The answer will help you to not repeat the same pattern again. A common cause of setbacks in weight loss is emotional eating. Unfortunately, you don’t find out that you are an emotional eater until you get emotional and begin to eat.

Emotional eating is not normal eating. Emotional eaters eat to relieve stress. You don’t have to be hungry. The act of eating something that pleases you releases those same “feel good” endorphins as exercise. It’s a cruel joke, I know, but there it is. The trick is to pinpoint emotional eating before you’ve gained too much weight.

Struggling is not pleasant for anyone. As you battle back, your mind may tell you that you messed up. Learn to ignore it by replacing that negative feedback with positive words of encouragement. Accentuate the positive things about yourself. Are you a star on your job? Tell yourself how good you are at what you do. If you have kids, bask in the knowledge that you are a great mom or dad.

Take on a partner. This person can be trying to lose weight also. They will be in charge of telling you the truth and not just what you want to hear. You will do the same for them. By pointing out the good attributes of someone else, you will learn to do it for yourself.

Weight loss is a lifelong process. Even when you lose the weight, you must work to maintain that loss and continue to be healthy and fit. Don’t give up so early in the game. Learn to deal with setbacks and get on with working towards your weight loss goals.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson
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Making the decision of where you will go to exercise is a very important step in reaching your fitness goals. A lot of factors contribute to this decision, and each one should be considered well before you start exercising. Once you have made a decision on where you will go to exercise, you can then move on to deciding how you plan to work out.

Exercising at home has many advantages. The finance department is one of the best advantages. With the gas prices being what they are today, it is quite obvious that you'll save money on fuel as well as wear and tear on your vehicle by choosing to exercise at home.

Gym memberships can often be quite expensive and may include other things that you don't really need such as child care or swimming pools. You also won't need to be concerned about the latest trends of exercise gear as you most likely will be exercising by yourself at home.

Keep in mind that working out at home does require a bit of financial obligation. Even though you may plan to run, it is very important that you have good quality running shoes. This statement applies to any type of equipment that you may purchase to use at home. If you go out and buy cheap equipment, you'll probably end up getting hurt or getting frustrated because you aren't making any progress.

Along with the financial gains, exercising at home may also help those who don't like to work out in public. If you are worried about how you look in gym clothes, it is very comforting to know that the only person who has to be with you when you exercise at home is you. Also, when you exercise at home, you don't need to worry about time at all.

Those of you who are motivated by being with people you know or come to know while working out away from home, a gym may be a better idea. At the gym, you'll also have more of a selection of equipment as well, far more than you'll have at home.

If you need other services than just weights and equipment, the gym may have just what you need. If you plan to swim a triathlon, you'll find the swimming pool at the gym to be just what you need to prepare yourself. Swimming is also a great exercise for your body and cardio, as it will work muscles in your body that you probably didn't even know you had.

Gyms will also offer you classes that you may find very motivating. If you attend class on a regular basis, you may be motivated enough to continue so you don't have to defend yourself when asked where you've been or what you have been doing. You can also meet new people in class, or just help others along if you choose.

All in all, making the choice of exercising at home or at the gym is a choice you should make based on your goals and personal preference. The most important decision you'll need to make is to determine what type of environment you want to be in and how you want to accomplish the fitness goals you have set for yourself.

Once you have given it some thought and weighed out the pros and cons, you'll have no problem making the choice. Always keep in mind that once you've made your choice, you can always switch if you aren't happy with the choice you made.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson
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It is not difficult for most people to stick to a workout program for the first month or so. It’s fun and the gym is full of electric energy. You can’t help but go and be a part of it. Slowly though, your momentum begins to slow and you start seeing the inside of the gym, or the track at the high school, less and less.

What can you do? We all have our off days. Work drives us crazy, the kids are screaming, and on top of that we burned dinner. Okay so all of these things don’t happen at the same time, but they could. The last thing on your mind would be driving to the gym or throwing a workout tape in the VCR.

The problem with exercise is that when you miss one day it is easier to miss the second, and then the third day, and so on. Even when you enjoy it, other factors come into play. Family, work, stress, and things outside our control can all derail us at some time or another.

On the other side of the coin, you workout each day and watch what you eat. When you step on the scale after all that hard work and it hasn’t budged, that is not encouraging. It is a blow to the stomach and can send some people for the ice cream in the fridge to sooth their heartbreak.

I know many people, especially women, who ban themselves from using the scale. You can stand on it to find out your starting weight, but then use your clothes and how you feel physically as a guide for gauging how well you are doing with your weight loss program. This can make a huge difference to your self-esteem and will help keep you going.

Stay motivated by remembering why you decided it was time to lose weight in the first place. Losing weight can be the difference between living a healthy life and being on medication for conditions that are a result of obesity for the rest of your life. Knowing that you may not be alive to see your kids grow up, or grow old with your spouse can be a major motivation.

It is not the one cupcake or the one time you eat too much pizza. We all have times when we eat what we want as a way to kick back. It is falling back into our old bad habits that are the problem for most of us.

Another way to stay motivated is by changing your thinking. When you are stressed, exercise relieves stress. You don’t have to go to the gym. You can work in the garden. Ripping out weeds is a good workout and a way to beat the stress in your life. Imagine each weed is a problem you are gaining control over and pull baby pull.

Whatever it is that matters most to you, remind yourself of that fact when you feel like giving up. Post it on the wall in big neon letters if you have to, just don’t throw away the progress you’ve made. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day and you’re weight won’t all come off that fast either.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson
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Tags: Exercise, Motivation, weight loss