Top 10 ab exercises

Everybody want to look good on the beach. Everybody want to look good in mirror selfies. Everybody wants to feel good about what happens to their shirt when they lift their hand over their heads.

Everybody wants abs.

The problem is that when you go to the beach or the volleyball courts you don't see a lot of abs. The last time you went to the beach did you did as many hot abs as you saw people doing crunches at the gym? Somehow I don't think so. Likely you saw a lot of this....

Hold on to your hats because today I am going to give you the top 10 ab exercises to help YOU get those flab abs that you have always wanted! 

Are you ready? Are you ready for those killer abs that you thought only the girls in the bikini magazine could have? Here you go. The top 10 ab exercises based on my 15 years experience as a personal trainer and fitness coach! 

Super secret special EXERCISE #1: BURPEES. Wait. What... What? How do burpees work the abs? What about crunches? 

TRUTH: You can't spot reduce. You can only bust your ass to burn calories so you can eliminate fat. Most people will drop fat all over and the fatty layer on top of your abs may be stubborn but it will come off. 

Check out Teresa's abs! NO CRUNCHES!

Burpees are the best exercise out there to get your heart rate up, help you develop functional strength and flexibility and get you super fit. 

The process to developing killer abs is SIMPLE: Lower your body fat. Burpees are the best way to do that.

Here is a video showing you how to modify a burbee:

EXERCISE #2: Thrusters. This is also know as a squat to press. You can use kettlebells, a barbell or dumb bells.It really doesn't matter as long as you have weight in both hands and do a full squat and lock your arms out overhead when you come up.

This is a great core stability exercise and a real leg burner. You utilize the biggest muscles in your body (glutes) and well as your shoulders and arms. Make sure that you start with light weight and progress in weight a reps slowly. Here is a short video showing you how:

EXERCISE #3: Running (or walking FAST and HARD) with INTERVALS. Don't forget the intervals part. What is an interval? It's a period of hard work followed by a period of period of rest. The interval time doesn't matter as long as the rest is no more than double the work. If the work is 30 second then the rest should be 30-60 seconds. 

A great interval workout is: 20 minutes of minute HARD, minute easy. Simple and efficient. Here is another: Each hard interval is followed by rest of the same amount of time. 1-1-2-1-1-3-1-1-2-1-1. The time combinations are almost limitless. You can do this on grass, on the roads on hills, on trails or on a treadmill. 

Don't get sucked into the concept of long easy run all the time. They are OK but if you want to shed fat you need to do intervals.

EXERCISE #4: Kettlebell swings. I love kettlebell swings. We were just doing some last night and they were really killer. Swings can be a little technical but with some good instruction and a low starting weight they can be really beneficial. Before doing swing with challenging weights MAKE SURE you get some instruction from a qualified coach. If you do these wrong you can get hurt. 

If you do them right you will prevent injury, have a strong back and sexy abs. SO DO THEM RIGHT!

EXERCISE #5: Sumo deadlift high-pull. (SDHP) I joke because when I write SDHP on the board I have people that have been working out with me for years that STILL ask what it is. Really...?!

The SDHP is great exercise that is easy to learn and easy to transition into during a quick metabolic workout. Just like the swings it is important to use good form and to be careful when you add weight. Make sure to challenge yourself as you get more proficient but don't be too aggressive. You doing want to get hurt! 

EXERCISE #6: Push-ups. We do hand release push-ups which most everybody can do. Here is quick video showing you that those are: 

 

A lot of people shy away from push-ups because they are hard. That is exactly WHY your SHOULD be doing them., The modification for the hand release push-up is to simply come up on your knees then lift your knees off the ground at the end. You will be amazing how many people can do this when they think they can't! 

EXERCISE #7: Jump rope. Jump rope for on minute without stopping and see if you are out of breath. I dare you! 

EXERCISE #8: Box jump. Same as number 7. Do 60 seconds of box jumps and your body fat will be running for the hills.

NOTE: If you are VERY overweight (i.e. 100+ lbs) you should avoid #7 and #8. The impact if you are very heavy is going to likely do more hard then good. Advice from a qualified professional is ALWAYS a good idea. 

Jumping up onto a "box" doesn't have to scare you. Start but jumping up onto something just a few inches off the ground then stepping down. Slowing add height and jump down on two feet as you get stronger and feel more confident. Box jumps are a REAL heart rate shocker. LOVE THESE! 

EXERCISE #9: Pull-ups. Another body weight movement that will rock your world. I am OK with assisted pull-ups because most people can't do full on pull-ups. Make it a habit of doing full range on motion (chin over bar, elbows locked at the bottom) on each rep and CHALLENGE yourself. 

EXERCISE #10: Air squats. My suggestion on air (body weight) squats is to do a lot of them and the touch your but to something. A bench or a medicine ball work great. Don't sit (Unless you are just staring off. If you are then that is a great modification!) 

Why not weighted squats? I really truly believe that for weighted squats to be of benefit you need to be really strong and most people are not. Air squats are easy to perform and you can do them anywhere. No equipment is required and they are super easy to transition into. 

Did you notice something about this list?

No crunches. No ab machine. No bicep curls. No elliptical trainer. 

Why do people continue to go to the gym and focus on exercises that don't do them any good? I just don't know. 

The real question SHOULD be this: How do you use these 10 exercises to get abs?

Do them as much as you can with varied weight, varied reps, varied order and shock the crap out of your body. 

Do you want to see that we do for workouts? I post my daily workouts on Instagram. You can find me @RICKCOPLEY. I also post a lot of my workouts on my other blog. CLICK HERE to jump over to my "No Excuses" blog. (ricksnoexcusesbolg.blogspot.com)

ONLY 6 DAYS left to register for the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge. This program was so popular in July that we decided to open it up for August. Time is limited. As soon as you register you will have access to the program and to the accountability group.

Register TODAY ---> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/30-day-clean-eating-challenge-august-tickets-12434448771

If you have any questions PLEASE contact me and I will help you. My personal cell number is 352-989-6795. 

If you got value from this post please share. THANK YOU!

To your success! 

Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

 Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Rick's No Excuses Blog

Instagram: @rickcopley 

352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

p.s. Did you hear that Rich Froning is the fittest man on earth for the 4th straight year! Guess what supplements he uses?

It's NOT ok

It's not OK to be overweight. It's not OK to wake up feeling like crap everyday. It's not OK to smoke or drink alcohol to excess. It's not OK to be broke. It's not OK to steal. It's not OK to drink and drive. It's not OK to be on blood pressure medication at 29 years old. It's not OK to eat fast food....

It's just NOT OK.

So why is society so accepting of behaviors that are just plain NOT OK?

Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe it's some political correctness. Nobody wants to hurt anybodies feelings. We all want to have rights in our free society.

Yeah, man, it's cool. You have the right to be healthy because you are an AMERICAN. Nobody is going to make you eat right and exercise. You have rights!

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.... and FREE HEALTH CARE. That's what this country is all about? Right?

We accept these type of behaviors from people because it's apparently OK.

We don't judge people. We don't want to put other people down. We don't want to stand in the way of other peoples "rights".

It disturbs me to no end that liqueur stores will gladly sell booze to a homeless person that just collected nickles and dimes for hours on the street corner. What is wrong with that picture?

It disturbs me that a morbidly obese person can walk into a McDonald's and order a super size Coke with their fries, burger and dessert.

How about a doctor giving medication for blood pressure to a person that smells like cigarette smoke?

I could. Go on. All. Day.

I am here to tell you that it is NOT OK to abuse food and drugs. It is not OK to steal, drink and drive or not workout. It's just not OK. Stop accepting this type of behavior from those that you love. Don't accept it from yourself. If you are doing these types of things you are BURDEN to those of us that do not.

Health cares costs are SKY HIGH because people don't workout or eat right. SKY HIGH. People die, MANY people die because they CHOOSE to drink and drive, smoke and do so many other harmful things.

I just don't know why. I just don't know.

It doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter that excuse that you have used in the past. It's time to stop accepting this bull shit from yourself and from others.

Enough is enough. Take control and take responsibility. Remember my new friend Brittany that I introduced to you the other day. Girl needs to lose a lot of weight and she is still in her 20's...

Guess what?

She chooses to no longer accept being who she way. She has taken life by the horns and knows....

So...what say you? Are you pissed off? Did I offend you? Good. Get to work and show me that you can do it. Today is the day. There is no tomorrow. 

Teresa and I are starting a group 24 Day Challenge VERY SOON. Send me a quick email and I will help you get signed up if weight loss is your goal. 

You are a champion. Thank you for reading. Please share if you find value. THANK YOU!

To your success! 

Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

 Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Rick's No Excuses Blog

Instagram: @rickcopley 

352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

Are you coachable?

The biggest success in life come when you are coachable. The lesson here is simple. Want more from life? Become coachable.

I had a lot of good qualities as an athlete when I was young. Being coachable clearly wasn't one of them.

It took me a long time to learn that one. Really wish I had picked it up earlier. More about me later....

So what does it mean to be coachable and how can YOU be coachable?

First we should look at the people that are un-coachable and PROUD. We all know these people. These are the one that will squawk all over Facebook, "I did it all myself with diet and exercise" or the people you know that are going to this or do that and create an entirety new way to do the thing that millions have already done another way.

Do you get my drift on this one?

One of the principles in Jack Canfield's AWESOME book, "The Success Principles" is SUCCESS LEAVES CLUES. In other words if you are trying to do something that many people have done doesn't it make sense to learn from their victories and their defeats.

This is the essence of being coachable. This is a lesson that we all need to learn.

If you have a task at hand, a goal, a desire, a dream....the first thing you need to do is to find someone that has done what you want to do and emulate them. Do what they did.

It is also a good idea to be COACHED by someone that has helped others do what you want to do.

I would go as far as to say that the MAIN REASON people fail is they do not seek out guidance from people that have failed and succeeded before them.

Here is your action plan to achieve virtually ANY goal. Ready?

1. Define your WHAT. It's to be CLEARLY define and stated in the present tense. "I am feeling proud and fit weighing in at 130 pounds SO THAT I can be an energetic mother."

Where did I get this from? Did I make this up? No. It came from Jack Canfield's book. If you start making up new ways to succeed based on what you made up then you are setting yourself up for failure. Get guidance. The top success coaches ALL say that you need to know what you want before you can do anything about it.

2. Define you why. This is along the same theme as number one. It need to MEAN SOMETHING. Thus the SO THAT statement.

3. Get help and accountability. FOLLOW A SYSTEM that works. Posting on a Facebook asking a bunch of people that don't know what they are talking about is not the best practice. Find someone that has had proven results helping others and seek guidance from them.

4. Create an action plan and stick to it. The action plan is going to be one that fits your needs but it is going to be one that has worked for others like you.

This is how people succeed. They define what they want, they know why they want it, they get help and accountability and they get to work.

So many people get lost in this process. USUALLY it comes down to people that think it is some big fat badge of courage or something to say, "I did it one my own."

Nobody cares if you did it on your own. It doesn't make your accomplishments mean any more. It just means you are stubborn and uncoachable.

The fact of the matter is that somewhere, someone JUST LIKE YOU did what you are trying to do. There is a system and method. Why make up your own when you can just copy someone else?

I can't tell you the number of times that I have heard people tell me all this crazy stuff they are trying to do to lose weight. Most of those programs don't work.

So to close out today's short post I want to share with you a personal story about me as a young athlete.

I had lot's of success as a runner back in the 80's and early 90's. To be honest I was a handful for my coach. I didn't seek guidance when I should have an I did my own thing more than I should have.

If I could go back I would change one thing and one thing once. I would have trusted my coach more and been more coachable.

I can't change that but you can change what you do. Seek guidance. Be coachable. Succeed. 

It's a winning formula.

My wife and I have helped many hundreds of people succeed in the area of weight loss. We do offer distance coaching to people to help them they their workouts. If you live far from us we can still guide you.

We are here to help. Call me if you you need a coach (352-989-6795)

If you think that there may be people out there in your Facebook world will you please share this post. You might be able to change someones life.

To your success!

Rick Copley | Your Best Fitness Coach  | "Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

 Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page |Rick's No Excuses Blog

Instagram: @rickcopley 

352-989-6795 | rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

The Awkward Runner

You all know someone like this.

They run by your house everyday or perhaps on the treadmill every day. They are ALWAYS out there come rain or wind or heat or cold. It just doesn't matter to the awkward runner. They are committed.

Problem is that they hate it.

Problem is that they aren't getting good results.

So why do it?

Perhaps its you.

Perhaps you run all the time because you think that running is the best exercise. Perhaps you know someone that lost 100 lbs by running or that runs really fast. Perhaps you do it because you think you really HAVE TO run.

I am here to tell you that you don't.

Believe me I see it EVERY DAY. Last night I was sitting no my porch and I saw a guy jog by in our neighborhood. Man, he looked like he was SUFFERING. I think it was the same guy that I saw last week going up the hill by my house like he was in the throws of the death zone on Mount Everest.

Dude looked like he was about to croak.


What is the point?

Why stress yourself our both physically and emotionally trying to run or be a runner when it just isn't for you?

I am going to keep today's post short. I have 3 points to make with you that I think will help on your journey.

1. You are going to need to get uncomfortable on your journey to a better you. Honestly it's going to be hard so be ready for it. 
2. You need to vary your discomfort and for the love of God don't try to "run" 5 miles when that's not your cup of tea. Run a mile then walk or get on the rower or in the pool or something. Just don't try to be a runner if you are not a runner. 
3. If are going to become a runner then do it in short distances. If you feel like you are shuffling along then you have gone to far. If you can only run for 30 seconds at a good pace then so be it. Next time run for 45 second then increase the time that you are running steady and night DYING till you can do a few miles at that pace.

I love running and I am a runner. My fitness these days isn't what it used to be so I don't go out and try to run for 10 miles anymore. I'll run 3 miles and like it.

You should do the same if you want to get a benefit from your workouts. Don't beat yourself up trying to become a "runner". There are other ways to skin a cat.

Have you read my "No Excuses" blog yet. It's really a great way to stay motivated on your journey. Will you please click over and take a look? It's really special to me.

Check it out ---->   http://ricksnoexcusesblog.blogspot.com/

Are you struggling with your running and want to learn how to improve? Shoot me an email. I may be able to help you.

If you could share this post I would appreciate it. I hope that you got some value from this blog today. It is our mission to help as many as possible!

To your success!

Rick Copley, Your Best Fitness Coach 

"Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

Rick's No Excuses Blog

Instagram: @rickcopley 

352-989-6795

Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page 

P.S. Teresa did a powerful blog yesterday. He perspective on stuff always blows me away. "Your Dream Body" ----> http://ladygurusfitkitchen.blogspot.com/2014/07/your-dream-body.html

Top 10 Weight Loss Mistakes

Before I dive into today's topic I want to explain a little bit about the tittle of this post.

Normally I would keep things in a positive light. Normally I would tell people to not focus on what's wrong but instead focus on what is right.

Why be normal?

Really. People are so different and some people can't ever reached some ways. Hopefully today's post will help people that have failed to try again and learn from their mistakes. Hopefully someone reading this post will someday succeed.

Today I want to make a difference in at least one persons life. Maybe it will be you?

Lets assume that you want to lose weight. At least that was the goal. You either are not succeeding and still trying or you have given up. Or maybe you are just getting started and want to succeed. No matter where you are on the journey this information will be valuable to you.

Top 10 Weight Loss Mistakes 

1. Lack of a defined purpose. If someone says to you, "Why do you want to lose weight?" What do you say?

Do you say something like, "My brood pressure is high" or "My doctor said I need to lose a few pounds" or "I have a Reunion coming up" then you are already heading down the wrong road.

Seriously. In the grand scheme of things how much does it matter if you look like you are 40 at your 20 year reunion instead of looking like you are 60? Do you really think your high school classmate from the 90's are going to be impressed by your 10 pounds of weight loss? You will NEVER look like you did at 18 so why the hell are you trying?

Showing up at the gym because SOMEONE ELSE said you should is also a recipe for failure. When you show up at the YMCA to tell the wellness coach "My doctor said I need to workout" well then what you are REALLY saying to yourself is, "I'll show him...this is not going to work."

Never do something because someone else says you should.

If you show up at the gym with tears in your eyes saying, "I need to be able to keep up with my 2 year old because she can run faster than I can..." or "I feel like I am not going to be around to see my kids graduate high school...." or "I am discussed by what I say in the mirror this morning..." then you are on the right track.

There is nothing in this world that is worth a crap that you will accomplish without having a strong purpose. Find your purpose and you are on the right track.

2. Going on a diet. I am about to offend MANY people in the next paragraph. My advice is that if you have thin skin and are offended easy then stop reading. My advice is that if you are a professional blamer and excuse maker you may want to close your browser now.

Shit's about to get real.

Diets are stupid. Diets don't work. Diets will never work. Diets are a short term solution to a long term problem. Diets are an amazing scapegoat for people that really don't want to change. Diet plans are simply a money making tool for people that don't care about you.

There. Hopefully we weeded out posers and the people still reading are the ones that actually want to lose weight.

This article is about the mistakes that people make and not necessary a detailed explanation of what you do. There are lot's of other articles about what to do. To learn how to EAT PROPERLY and not ever again "diet" check out our 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge.  For more advice on eating the right foods via pictures I suggest that you follow Teresa on Instagram. You can also follow Rick on Instagram. This is not dieting. It's about eating right!

Did I hammer that one one? "Going on a diet" doesn't work. It just doesn't.

3. Wanting to lose the weight before working out. I don't think I have ever met anyone that lost weight and then decided to start and exercise program. Losing weight is about synergy and balance. It's about empowering your body to shed fat and built muscle. It's about loading up your body with nutrition and growing your fitness though metabolic conditioning.

If you tell people that you want to lose the weight then you are going to go to the gym then you are setting yourself up for failure. Trust me. This plan doesn't work. It's a stupid plan. I will use this Cars.com commercial over and over again because it is total awesomeness....

4. Don't get help. Have you ever run into that person that says, "I'm going to do it on my own."

Why?

What is the purpose behind that? I put on on this weight and I am going to lose it all by myself? I don't need help. How narcissistic. Really, whats the point?

I see it all the time. It's just an excuse. You need help. You either needs an accountability group, a coach, a trainer, or something to hold you accountability. You need support.

What truly successful person do you know that says they did it all themselves? It's just silly but many people say it. Your accountability doesn't have to be defined by someone else. Don't get me wrong. You don't need to spend a lot of money on a personal trainer or some exclusive membership but you do need help; we all do.

5. Focusing on one aspect of exercise. Running to lose weight. Yoga to lose weight. Zumba to lose weight. The Stairmaster to lose weight.

I know. We ALL know someone that lost 100 lbs by running. Maybe we saw a YouTube video of someone doing Yoga and the weight falls off.

Those are anecdotal. People win the lottery also. You aren't going to run out and buy a ticket just because some retiree in Iowa just won $160 million....

Please tell me you wouldn't do that?

Your body will quickly get accustomed to what you are doing and it will stop shedding fat and start shedding muscle pretty quick. You must vary what you do!

6. Doing the "circuit" at the gym. This is a hard one. People tell you all the time at the gym to do the circuit. The trainers tell you. Sorry, folks. The circuit at the gym is the opposite of helpful long term.

Here is why.

First you may start shedding some fat and gaining some muscle. You body quickly adjusts and the fat loss will slow. You will gain muscle in a "non functional" way which can lead to injury. When you get injured you aren't as likely to work out. It's a vicious cycle.

You must do free weights and functional movements to lose weight and gain fitness. The circuit is very much like a diet. It look good in the beginning and you will likely get some quick results. In the end is is simple a short term fit for a long term problem. It is the "easy" way out. We all know how taking the easy way out works in the end, right?

7. Counting calories. I can hear the protests now. "But I read in BLAH BLAH magazine.... They said in Weight Watchers..."

Don't get me wrong. Excess calories can be a bad idea.

The reality is that it's not about calories but it is about quality. 

We are doing a program called the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge. One of the participants asked me yesterday why there was no "portion sizes" listed on the program. Isn't portion control a problem?

Ask people that are over weight why they are overweight. You will get a variety of answers. I would bet a slice of pizza that NONE of them will say they they were force-fed broccoli and salads growing up.

I would argue that you really can't over eat high quality food. When you count calories you also can find frustration in a number that means nothing. We are all different and trying to figure out what number you need is silly. Nourish yourself if a balanced way and you will lose weight. Period.


8. Letting lame excuses slow you then stop you. We have all seen people get a head of steam and start to lose weight. Then they lose it.

Sometimes it's the lame excuse that we actually let ourselves believe.

"I have a blister."
"I had to work late."
"I didn't have a clean shirt."
"I have no money."
"My knee is sore."
"My back is sore."
"I'm spending to much time away from home." (READ Spousal Sabotage)
"I have a cold."
"My family is in town."
"I had to let the dogs out."

You get the point. Sometimes we have a valid excuses to workout but usually it's pretty lame. Once you accept one excuse it becomes easier to accept others until eventually you forget that you were trying to lose weight all together.

Now do you see shy number one is so important? If your purpose is strong enough....

9. Have unrealistic expectations. Sometimes I'll ask people during a consult what weight they would like to be. I have heard a weight before and asked the follow up questions, "Why that weight?"

Sorry, folks. for most of us over the age of 25 your high school weight is not a good goal. Setting weight loss goals is a GREAT idea but not silly goals. Set mid range goals. Losing 10 lbs in a month is a great goal. Losing 100 pound in a year is a great goal. Getting to same high school weight at 40 is usually not such a great goal.

10. Not understanding the importance of supplementation. As we age it gets harder and harder for our bodies to absorb nutrition. Also, as the years go by the nutrition density of our food is going down down down. These two double whammies are impacting us all. It also means that we NEED supplementation. 

If you want to learn about absorption and supplementation I encourage you to go this here link and watch the 30 minute video. It is the best video out there about the importance of supplementation: https://tomorrowschampion.com/seminar/  (Mark McCoy is a dude that knows a heck of a lot more that I do)

If you aren't using the correct supplements then I definitely thing you should. As you know we use Advocare.

Here is a quick 4 minute video telling you more about the company.

If you want to get started no some products shoot me a quick email with your phone number and I will call you help you get on the right path.

We help people. It's what we do. My email is: rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com and my personal cell number is 352-989-6795. Give me a shout if you want some help. There is no harm is seeing what it is that we can do for you!

As I was compiling this list I did think of others reasons. Hopefully you get the point and I will stop at 10. It really isn't one of the 10 but people really do fail at weight loss simply because they give up. One of the 10 leads to frustration and quitting. Maybe more than one. Maybe all 10.

Tomorrow I will do part two of this article. Part two will be the top 10 things that people to do to successfully lose weight. Make sure to check back tomorrow for that one. You will get a ton of value!

Do you like these articles? Do they make a difference in your life? Maybe there are people out there in your Facebook world that would also need this. Can you please share with them?

We would appreciate that!

The 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge is open for 36 more house. It closes on Tuesday, July 8th at midnight! 

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/30-day-clean-eating-challenge-tickets-12176164235

To your success!

Rick Copley, Your Best Fitness Coach 

JOIN OUR TEAM! 

"Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

352-989-6795

Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page 

Spousal Sabotage

More often then not I like to do blog posts about inspiration and positive stuff.

Today is going to be a little bit of a downer.

I think that it is important. It is important to know why some people struggle with weigh loss and with fitness and self improvement. It is important to know what some people have issues that others do not have.

Today we are going to talk about what I call "spousal sabotage".

We get married because we fall in love with someone. We get married to someone because they have or share qualities that we possess or want to possess. We get married for these general reasons. It's different for all of us but the fact remains that we get married.

The challenge is that it's not just about you or about me. It's about TWO PEOPLE who have to share feelings, a bed and a checking account.

It can get complicated.

I want to talk about the health of you and your partner.

When we get together generally we are going to be similar. Of course some people may like to work out more than others. Some people may be a little more fit but generally you aren't going to see a mobility obese person with a bean pole. True?

OK, stay with me.

As you grow together those similarities are going to more exaggerated. You see, you and your spouse are going to pretty much eat the same food and live your lives together. The unhealthy will get more unhealthy and the fit will stay fit together.

I know I am generalizing but I think it is pretty much the truth. We seek out people that seek us out. More often then not the more healthy people will gravitate towards each other and the same is true for the unhealthy. We tend to stay that way over the years.

This is where the challenge takes place. I am going to assume that two people are together because they share similar health values.

What happens then both are over weight and not very active yet one person catches the vision of being healthy and the other does not?

This is when you see spousal sabotage.

Let's look at a couple named Cathy and Bob. (A real example but I changed the names to protect the guilty)

Cathy and Bob are over weight. They aren't very active and the lead an unhealthy lifestyle. They join the local gym because, is a moment of weakness, they decide that their 4 year old twins need healthier parents.

Cathy catches the vision.

Cathy signs up for boot camp classes and frankly doesn't care that she is 50 lbs heavier then everyone in the class. She want to be a good mom for her kids. She wants to be healthy and active for her twin boys.

Bob goes once, get sore and decides that his excuses are more important than his boys and stops going. He gives his blessing to Cathy and she soldiers on.

The weeks and months go by and Cathy starts seeing some results.

She is happy and loving the changes in her body.

Bob starts bringing home pizza. "You were at the gym so I picked up pizza for us and the boys. I got your favorite."

Little comments are made, "You are going to the gym again. We miss you!"

Then one day Cathy misses 6am workout class. "We missed you yesterday Cathy! Where we you?"

"Bob shut my alarm off."

"Oh...."

Then finances some into play. "Why are you spending so much for a personal trainer....?"

Now instead of being inspired and motivated Cathy is stressed. Cathy stops getting good results. She gets sore and hurt. Some weight comes back on. To make Bob happy she stops going 4 days per week and drops to 2 days.

Eventually it's just not worth it and Cathy quits.

You think that I make this stuff up? This is a 100% true story.

Here is the deal.

Making changes is very hard. It's REALLY hard to flip that switch and get super uncomfortable. It's even harder to have two people do the same thing at the same time.

The lagging spouse probably doesn't even know that he or she  are sabotaging his or her loved one. That is the sad part! "I thought you needed some rest so I shut your alarm off..."

Bull shit.

You shut the alarm off because you are feeling left out and ashamed that you aren't making changes and becoming more for your kids. You are being selfish really. 

The sabotaging spouse may not see it that way but it is the truth.

So, my message to you today. Don't be the sabotaging spouse. Don't "support" your spouse. Get off your ass and join her and grow with her. In the long run no change can happen long term if your spouse is going to sabotage you. Sadly.

You think this doesn't happen? My gosh. It's happens more than you can possibly imaging.

Do this health and fitness thing together. Health sabotage will never lead to something good. Never.

Are you looking for something that you and your spouse can do together?

How about out 24 Day Challenge program. This supplement bundle from Advocare has changed SO MANY lives. Check out some of these couples who have made the decision TOGETHER to change their lives. See what teamwork can do?

If you want to learn more about the 24 Day Challenge watch this short video then get with your favorite Advocare distributor and have them help you to get started. If you have NEVER used products before the Teresa and I will be glad to help you out! : www.advocare.com

Thank you for reading. Did you find today's post valuable? If so then pay it forward and like, comment and share. We always appreciate that. You also just never know who out there needs help. You could help change a life. Will you please share? 

To your success! 

Rick Copley, Your Best Fitness Coach 

JOIN OUR TEAM! 

"Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

352-989-6795

Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page 

When the sun comes up

I am talking to you.

You are wanting to finally lose that weight. The pounds need to come off. Your are determined this time. You are ready. You want this so bad.

It's going to be hard.

Each day when you get excited the sun will set. You will go to bed and all that excitement, all that drive, all those good decisions from yesterday are going to go away and it all states over again tomorrow.

The sun will set.

Do you really want those results? Do you really want to be a better parent and roll model? Will you feel that way what the sun comes come back up?

Anybody can read a book and get fired up. Anybody can get excited by a Facebook post or a motivations video. That's easy. Those aren't the people that succeed long term. The people that succeed long term are the ones that still find that motivation when the sun comes back around.

You see it doesn't matter how much you do today. It doesn't matter that you want to do a marathon so you ran for 10 miles.

It doesn't matter that you want to lose 100 lbs and you made good choices today.

It doesn't matter that you bought that bikini two sizes to small and you worked out for 2 hours. 

None of that matter long term. 

What matters is that you create that thought in your mind that you will never quit and you will do it again tomorrow. When the sun comes back up you need to feel that same way.

Are you ready to make that decision? 

If you are then do it. To help you here are 5 simple strategies to tie you motivation from today to to actions tomorrow. 

1. Tell people. Tell people that know you and like you. Tell people that will harass you when you when tell them you want to lose weigh then crack open a Pepsi at lunch. Tell them to give you a hard time then vow to listen to them what they start to do it!

2. Belief cards. Get up everyday and read a belief card that says, "I feel GREAT and look FANTASTIC weighing 125 lbs" or "I am a CHAMPION running a 5k in 30 minutes flat". This will remind you everyday. Read at bedtime and when you get up. Set a reminder on your phone! 

3. Get up EARLY and get SOMETHING done. The first thing you do when your feet hit the floor in the morning needs to be working towards you goal. Just do something. 

4. Plan your day the night before. This is critical. Who else gets up in the morning and wonders what is for breakfast? These are the same people that go to bed at night and wonder why they didn't workout. 

5. Drink Spark! I know it sounds weird that somehow a drink will change the way you think and feel but it is true. The mental focus and clarity that Spark gives you is unmatched. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE about Spark. Everyone that I know that drinks Spark is happy, successful and achieving their goals. Could be anecdotal but I don't know. How do I do a blog everyday and stay in such great shape? Check out my "Spark stalkie". (I call it a Sparkie!) 

I want to finish today with a quick story. 

When I used to race XTerra (off road triathlon) I would always go to the bike course the day before the race and ride it so I knew what to expect. Without fail I would always lie in bed excited about the race. Fired up as a matter of fact! I had to learn how to put that excitement to bed so I could use it the next day. 

You need to do the same thing. I learned how to go to bed visualizing the transitions so that when I got up the relaxed intensity that I felt would propel me to do my best. 

Use the strategies that I mentioned about to achieve long term results. 

Don't you dare ever give up. 

Take 30 second to think of people in your life that you know need some help getting healthy. 

You have some names, don't you. Do you want to help them? I have two strategies for you. First thing you can do is direct them to this blog. There is a ton of awesome content and value here. The second thing if you REALLY want to get them the help they need is to have them send there email to me at rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com . This way we can contact them directly and see if one of our programs is right for them.

Thank you for reading! To your continued success when the sun comes back up! 

Rick Copley, Your Best Fitness Coach 

JOIN OUR TEAM! 

"Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

352-989-6795

Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page 

Train Wreck

I remember the first time I heard the term "train wreck" as it relates to fitness.

The year was 1998 and I was just getting my feet wet working with a company called Fitness Management Systems. We traveled around the Boston area doing "heath fairs".

One day we were doing blood pressure checks and I remember vividly a guy who had a crazy high reading. It was something like 195 over 110. This dude was over-weight, had bad knee issues and obviously his blood pressure was sky high.

He was a train wreck.

It's not a scientific or clinical term. It's simply a label for someone. Right or wrong it just is what it is.

How does one become a train wreck? Can it be fixed?

The essence of a train wreck is that it really can't be fixed. Well... it CAN but it is going to take a massive under taking an a lot of time.

Most people that fall into this category are older and have never committed to an all out effort to change. You can fix a train wreck in the real world but it takes cranes and a lot effort.

Someone become a train wreck when physical problems start to mount and one causes the other.

Lack of actively and poor diet causes weight gain. Weight gain causes health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure and knee programs. This leads to more lack of activity and medication which causes more issues. You can't exercise so you are unhappy. This leads to more weight gain and more health issues.

You get the point.

I bring this point up for a reason today.

I want to share a story with you.

A few months ago Teresa and I sat down with her aunt. This is T's mom's sister. She lives local and she has always "struggled" with her weight. She was in her late 60's.

I say "was" because she passed away on Tuesday.

She was a "train wreck".

She had many health issues. When we talked to her she did the Advocare Herbal Cleanse and lost 8 lbs in the 10 days. She decided not to continue to do the rest of the 24 Day Challenge. I don't know if it would have made a difference or not. In the end she died and it is very sad.

People should live past their late 60's.

How does someone get to the point where you don't seem to have any control and more? Gosh, I just don't know.

I have seen so many people over the years that have been in that situation that it is truly sad. I wish there was an answer but there is not.

Sorry for the sadness in today's post. Life isn't always wine and roses. Sometimes there is bad news out there.

So what can you do?

Don't be a train wreck. Don't EVER let yourself get to that point that things start spiraling out of control. Be a leader for the ones you love. Put the right things in your body, the right thoughts in your head and move the legs that God gave you. 

People don't just wake up as "train wrecks". It always starts with a few pounds here and few pounds there. It's always an injury or sickness that get's people sidetracked. It always starts somewhere and the bad things gain momentum.

Don't accept that. Get off your ass and do something each and everyday. If you are already in a bad place change one thing today. Tomorrow change another thing...and the day after that... and the day after that....

I am sad for Teresa's mom losing a sister. I know it has strengthened her resolve to stay healthy for her grand kids for years to come.

I hope that your resolve is strengthen as well. I hope that you see that it is easier to do it TODAY because tomorrow may be to late.

Now get out and make that decision to change your life for the better. You can do it. You are a champion!

Part of your health journey should be supplementation.  I believe wholeheartedly that you need to supplement your healthy diet with micro-nutrition that helps all your food intake work the right way.

We love and trust the Advocare line of supplements.

If you want to learn more I am hosting a free conference call tonight (Thursday, June 26th). Will you join us?

Advocare Product Training Conference Call
Thursday, June 26th 9pm EST
559-726-1000 code 342621
No sign in. Just dial in and listen.
Q&A at the end! 

To your success!

Rick Copley, Your Best Fitness Coach 

JOIN OUR TEAM! 

"Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

352-989-6795

Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page 

BodyPump

I did something completely out of character while we were away on vacation.

Yes, I took a group exercise class.

Clearly not my thing but it was BodyPump so at least it was a little like what I am used to. I always tell people to do something different so I figured I'd follow my owe advice.

It was a valuable lesson for me. 

I admit that I am a fitness dork. I don't just workout. I think about the workout. I don't mean that I think about the actually movements. I mean that I think about what others are thinking and why I am doing what I am doing.

Strange but true.

I really feel that I look at things from a pretty unbiased perspective.

Really. I look at a workout from the perspective of not only what results I am others are getting but I also think about the workout from a "would I do that regularly" perspective and a "why would I do that regularly" perspective.

Who is still with me?

So I took BodyPump. If you want to know what the class entails CLICK HERE for a great description.

First off, I want to say that the instructor was awesome. She had amazing energy, was knowledgeable and she clearly enjoyed teaching the class.

Trust me. The instructor in a program like this can make or break the class.

The workout was hard and it was different than what I am used to. The weights were less but the repetitions we super high. Some of the muscle specific exercises were hard for me because I rarely will workout that way.

I hadn't done a bicep curl in years.

If you like a predicable workout with predicable moves that follow a flow, a beat and good music then this is a great workout. If that is how you like to workout then it is perfect for you.

For me it wasn't what I feel comfortable doing.

Don't get me wrong. I believe in shocking the body and doing something it is not used to.

I'm just not into the music and the predictability aspect.

I guess that I am weird that way.

Now, going back to what I was thinking during the workout.

Truth be told. I think way to much during the workout.

I got to thinking about the way that people workout and what they like. I was thinking about how some people think this way or that way is the best or more advantageous than this or that.

Who are YOU to say what is right for ME?
Who am I to say what is right for YOU?

That is the point. We are all different with what we like to do and the way that we like to train. Some people enjoy showing up every week, getting their steps and weights set up and doing a routine that is similar but a variation of the one the week before. Some people like the music and the predictability of the time.

It's just not me.

I want to show up with a goal and a task. Run 1 mile. Do 50 push-ups, 100 jump rope and 15 sit-ups. Rest 1 minute and do it again. I have a goal. I have a mission. I bust my butt at MY PACE to get there. It's what I like and it's how I get the best results.

BUT THAT IS ME.

You may be different.

One of the questions that I used to get as the Wellness Director at the YMCA was, "What is the best cardio exercise?" 

My answer was always the same, "The one that you are going to do."

Is BodyPump the optimal way to train your body? If you like it and will do it consistently then it certainly is. What is better BodyPump or sitting on the couch?

The answer is obvious.

In summary I will tell you this: There are many ways to skin the fitness cat. If you workout 4-6 times per week and vary what you do then you will get good results. Period. The end.

There is no best way. Just get your butt moving and keep it moving.

I hope that you got value out of this message. If you did then we would appreciate it if you shared with people that you know. Referrals are the life blood of our business.

Tomorrow's blog is going to be super powerful. I am going to talk about our "30 Day Clean Eating Challenge."

This is our biggest and best program yet. The value is out of this world. If you are a person who likes patience (Like I am!) you can check out the Facebook event page.

One last thing today. If you want to learn more about the Advocare supplements that we use religiously we are doing a live conference call Thursday night. Dial in and listen if you want to learn about the products that are changing lives all over the country!

AdvoCare Product Training Conference Call
Thursday, June 26th, 2014 9pm EST
FREE call. No sign in required. Just dial in.
559-726-1000 code 342621 

To your success,

Rick Copley, Your Best Fitness Coach 

JOIN OUR TEAM! 

"Empowering YOU to be a champion" 

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

352-989-6795

Your Best Fitness Coach Facebook Page