A popular magazine recently boasted the headline of “8 Lies Trainers Tell You.”

This quickly peaked my interest.

Lies! Me? No way.

I read the article and was not impressed. The “lies” were nothing but a bunch of fitness myths, nothing worth repeating and definitely nothing that I’ve told my clients.

Then I got to thinking about all the lies that fitness magazines try to get us to believe, and realized that this was the real story to tell.

So here you have it – 8 Lies Fitness Magazines Tell You:

Lie #1: You need fancy diet foods to lose weight.
Designer, brand name protein powders, bars and diet foods grace the glossy pages – looking gourmet and mouthwatering. And very expensive. The bold claims on these “foods” make them quite tempting, but keep your wallet in your pocket. Healthy weight loss is best gotten by eating a diet of wholesome, real foods.

• Eat real food, not expensive diet foods.

Lie #2: Transformations are simple. Eat less and move more.
So many of the one-page success stories water-down the truth about what it takes to transform from ‘before’ to ‘after’. In order to showcase their reader’s successes, one hundred pound melt-downs are condensed to a few paragraphs which undoubtedly say “Suzy ate small meals and exercised 60 minutes 3 to 4 times per week.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but massive transformations take much more effort and laser-like focus than that.

• Don’t believe that massive body transformations are easy, expect to put in hard work and dedication.

Lie #3: You need the latest fitness fashions in order to see results.
The latest fashions look great on those fitness models. Who knew that spandex could come in so many flashy colors and styles? And all the benefits of that hundred dollar tank top seem totally worth it, right? Actually your old t-shirt works just as well as the fancy stuff.

• You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on fitness fashion, the pounds will melt off just as quickly in a faded t-shirt.

Lie #4: You can still eat junk food and look like a cover model.
By now I’m sure you’re seeing the trend of less-than-healthy advertisements peppered throughout your favorite fitness magazine. A common theme is to offer “healthy” versions of your favorite junk foods. While these lighter versions may very well be healthier than the originals, its still packaged junk that will slow your results.

• “Healthy” junk food is still junk, so choose wholesome, real foods instead.

Lie #5: You can get flat abs in just a couple of weeks.
Catchy headlines sell magazines. Flat Abs in 3 Weeks! Get a Killer Core by Summer! Rock Hard Abs Fast! The truth is that real results take time. You didn’t pack on all those unwanted pounds in 3 weeks, so don’t expect to lose it in 3 weeks.

• Don’t believe headline-hype, real results take real time.

Lie #6: Pills will get you the results you want.
Fat burning pills. Cleanse pills. Vitamin pills. Super Food pills. You name the pill and it’s probably on display in a pretty ad depicting fitness models with perfect physiques. Be wary of any bottle of pills with extraordinary claims.

• Results do not come in pill form, but by hard workouts and solid nutrition.

Lie #7: Don’t eat carbs, unless it’s carbs from our advertisers.
On one page you’ll read about the horrors of carbohydrates and how cutting back will get you to effortlessly drop pounds. On the next you’ll see a super lean fitness model holding up a piece of whole wheat bread with a sassy smile. She eats this brand of bread, so you should too if you want to look like her. Which page do you believe?

• Carbohydrate intake must be controlled, regardless of its brand.

Lie #8: You don’t need a trainer to achieve maximum results.
A recurring theme in fitness magazines is the idea that you can do your body transformation on your own – no personal trainer needed. It’s a great theme for the magazine since it means you’ll keep buying the latest issue for your fitness advice. The truth is that people serious about achieve amazing transformations always seek out professional coaching to ensure their success.

• Real results are achieved with the guidance of a professional trainer.

If you have a goal you’ve yet to achieve then reach out to me.
Call or email today and I’ll get you started on a program that will make your goals a reality.

1 OZ./49 NUTS 158 calories, 13 g fat 3 g fiber Pistachios are high in cholesterol-lowering plant sterols and have more potassium than most nuts (291 mg per ounce).

ALMONDS

1 OZ./23 NUTS 163 calories, 14 g fat, 4 g fiber One ounce provides half your daily vitamin E—more than any other nut. It also supplies 8 percent of your daily calcium needs.

HAZELNUTS

1 OZ./21 NUTS 178 calories, 17 g fat, 3 g fiber These are rich in iron and proanthocyanidins, antioxidants that strengthen blood vessels and prevent UTIs.

WALNUTS

1 OZ./14 HALVES 185 calories, 18 g fat, 2 g fiber Walnuts deliver the most omega-3 fatty acids and contain the antioxidant ellagic acid, which supports the immune system.

BRAZIL NUTS

1 OZ./6 NUTS 186 calories, 19 g fat, 2 g fiber A single Brazil nut provides your daily dose of selenium, an antioxidant that may play a role in preventing breast cancer.

Try to eat all nuts raw/fancy and not roasted.  Roasting the nut does taste better but it also kills all the healthy fatty acids in the nut.   Fit-4-Life, Inc. is Cherry Hill’s leading personal training studio just minutes from Marlton, NJ.

    “Making new friends was great and writing everything down I eat in the online journal really made all the difference.  I will definitely do the next Challenge and lose another 30 or more lbs”

Elaine also did something really smart.  She got her family involved.  She made sure her whole family knew she was doing the Challenge so they could help support her, and they really helped keep her on track.

To help motivate your family to keep you on track promise them a portion of your winnings and you’ll be surprised how much they will help (Great way to get your kids involved!)

Join our next 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge by clicking here

Her and Jill Soffa (2nd Place Winner) became friends and rivals which motivated each of them to win the moolah. Now she has an extra $2040 for a girls vacation to Vegas!!

She actually had to eat more calories to lose the weight.  It went against everything she ever heard before!!

Make sure to join the next 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge starting 3/24/2012 by visiting www.CherryHillWeightLossChallenge.com

Jill was fed up with her weight and joined the Challenge with dollar signs in her eyes. She kicked total butt and lost 29.5 lbs in just 90 days. Luckily she never tossed her skinny clothes and now fits into them perfectly. Her and Lynette Rothstein (1st Place Winner) became friends and rivals which motivated each of them to win the moolah. Now she has an extra $408 for her family vacation to Florida – hard earned!!

Her knee pain disappeared too because of all the great corrective exercises we gave her and the weight loss.

Make sure to join the next 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge starting 3/24/2012 by visiting
www.CherryHillWeightLossChallenge.com

1) Use Your Imagination If you thought that imaginations were only valued in preschool, think again. One of the key points in ‘The New Psycho-Cybernetics’ is the technique of using your imagination to reprogram and manage your self image. You may have been exposed to self improvement strategies that tell you to ‘act as if’ or to ‘fake it till you make it.’ Those typically don’t work because your self image is still the same. According to Dr. Maltz, your self image is the key to changing your actions and habits. If you want to lose 50 pounds, you first have to think of yourself as someone 50 pounds lighter. Spend time in your imagination. See yourself 50 pounds lighter. Experience a day in your life at this slimmed down size. Imagine everything down to the smallest detail. According to Dr. Maltz, this imagination time will begin to change your self image to that of a person 50 pounds lighter, and your actions and habits will fall into place.

2) Reject Negative Thoughts Negative thoughts will undoubtedly arise as you use your imagination to see your ideal self. “I’m not really going to lose 50 pounds.” “I’ve tried losing weight before and it never works. I’m always going to be overweight.” “This imagination stuff is bogus. It won’t work for me.” Dr. Maltz says that the instant you receive a negative thought simply dismiss it. Don’t spend any time on it at all. The quicker that you dismiss negative thoughts, the less impact they will have on your self image. Also you’ll find that fewer and fewer negative thoughts arise once you get into the habit of dismissal.

3) Be Nostalgic For The Future It’s so easy to be nostalgic for the past, especially when you only remember the good stuff. But what good does it do for you to wish for things that are long gone? Dr. Maltz recommends developing nostalgia for the future. In your imagination you’ve already lost the 50 pounds, so start pining for the future! Your self image will lock onto that picture and your nostalgic feelings will fuel the fire.

4) I’m The Kind Of Person That…What kind of person are you?

• I’m the kind of person that loves sweets.
• I’m the kind of person that hates exercise.
• I’m the kind of person that can’t lose weight.

OR

• I’m the kind of person that eats fresh and healthy food.
• I’m the kind of person that keeps fit.
• I’m the kind of person that maintains an ideal body weight.

Your self image will fulfill any label that you put on yourself. The power is all in your hands. What kind of a person do you want to be in 2012?

How to Get Them Moving Sometimes, getting a teenager to do something is as easy as teaching a rhinoceros to fetch. Don’t let their attitude get you down. Remember your own attitude problems as a teenager, take a deep breath, and prepare to put up a fight. When you’re going into battle with your teen, try these tips out.   Click here for some great specific workout ideas with your kids
Make It Fun. Remember when your teen was a toddler? Exercise wasn’t something you forced him or her to do. It just happened, via hide-and-seek, tag, or just running all day long. Find what physical activities interest your teens, and encourage him or her to get out and do it. 

Up the Chores. Is your teen lazing around the house doing nothing, while you’re working frantically to keep everything in order? Flip your teen’s world upside down by having him or her take over some of the more physically demanding chores. Have your teen rake leaves, plant flowers, scrub toilets, and take out the garbage. It may not be the same as lifting weights, but it’ll get your teen’s body on the move!
Do It Together. If your child isn’t motivated to get in the gym on his or her own, offer to do it together. Whether you lift weights, ride bikes, swim, or hike, doing it as a family makes it easier to keep your teen on an exercise schedule.
Take It Easy. Your teen needs to exercise. There is no question about it. Just don’t let this need override your parenting know-how. Ever tried to force your teen to do something he or she didn’t want to do? Didn’t work so well, did it? Remember this when working with your teen, and encourage your teen gently. You may be surprised at the end result.
How Much? While medical experts normally recommend adults get 30 minutes of exercise five or more days a week, the same doesn’t hold true for teenagers. Instead, try to get your teen to exercise for at least 60 minutes most days of the week. It doesn’t have to be incredibly vigorous. A light jog, a game of kickball, or riding bikes will do the trick.

If you want to expedite you and your teen’s results then consider working with me on a fitness plan that will turn you both into fat burning machines.

Try This #2: Sprouted Grain Bread If you must have bread, then stick with sprouted. Sprouted grain bread is a lot easier on your digestion and is packed full of nutrients. Two delicious brands are Food For Life’s Ezekiel bread, and Manna Organics. Sprouted grain breads are often kept in the freezer section since they don’t contain preservatives to prolong shelf life. Do-Not-Eat #3: Creamy Salad Dressing You were so good to order a salad, but then you ruined it by drenching the salad in fattening creamy dressing. Just a few tablespoons of creamy dressing contain more than 20 grams of fat and hundreds of calories.
Try This #3: Vinegar Dressing Salad dressing is meant to lend flavor to the salad, not fat and calories. Vinegar-based dressings pack amazing flavor in with minimal fat and calories. You can even mix your own dressing at home. Take high quality vinegar, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, your choice of dried herbs, and a bit of olive oil.
Do-Not-Eat #4: White Rice I’m sure by now you’ve heard that white rice is not a healthy choice. Just like white bread, white rice has zero nutritional value – other than calories. Fiber and vitamins have been removed and the glycemic load will quickly prime your body for storing fat.
Try This #4: Brown Rice Brown rice has three times the amount of fiber, more B vitamins as well as other nutrients, won’t sky rocket your blood, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. That should be enough to convince you to swap your large pile of white rice out for a small pile of long grain brown rice.
Do-Not-Eat #5: White Sugar Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the epitome of anti-fitness food. Nothing will destroy your progress, expand your waist and plummet your energy levels like sugar will. If you only take away one do-not-eat food from this article please let it be sugar.

Try This #5: Fruit Don’t turn to artificial sweeteners to get your sweet fix, instead turn to nature’s wholesome source of sugar: fruit. Eat organic fruit that is seasonal and locally grown. Stay away from dried fruit and fruit juices, as these are high in simple calories.  Agave nectar is a great natural sweetener that is low on the glycemic index.
Eating right, along with challenging exercise, is the formula for a toned, lean body – so guarantee your results by teaming up with me.
Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals.

Breakfast provides the fuel that is needed by all bodies to start the day. When your child wakes in the morning, his or her tank is empty and it is time to “break the fast” so to speak.
Food gives the energy needed to function mentally and physically. Don’t believe it? Consider this: Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast before school perform better on their reading and math scores, have longer attention spans, visit the school nurse less frequently, and are better behaved in class.
As if improved school performance weren’t reason enough to get your kids into eating breakfast, kids who eat a healthy breakfast are better able to get the daily nutrients they need. They are more likely to eat recommended levels of essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium; magnesium; phosphorus; riboflavin; folate; iron; and vitamins A, C, and B12. Breakfast-consuming children also have lower cholesterol levels.
Some kids, especially teenagers, skip breakfast because they’d rather sleep in or because they think skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. Unfortunately, skipping breakfast to lose weight is a myth.
In fact, those who don’t eat breakfast are more likely to have a greater body mass index (BMI) than those who do, since skipping breakfast makes kids so hungry they eat extra calories later in the day to make up for their skipped morning cuisine.

Easy, Healthy Options

Why aren’t your children eating a healthy breakfast each day? If it’s because your family is too rushed in the morning or you think you don’t have extra time to make them a homemade nutritious meal, it’s time to change your thinking. There are plenty of easy, fast, healthy foods to have readily available for your kids to grab and eat on the way.
Any food is better than no food for breakfast, but healthy foods give your kids the energy they require to make it until lunch. A great way to knock out breakfast is to handle it the night before by hard-boiling some eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are a great source of protein and are fast and easy in the morning.  You can also get shelled hard boiled eggs at Trader Joes, and regular hard boiled eggs at Wawa
You can also keep some small yogurt containers in the refrigerator for your kids to grab on the go (get the Fage Greek Flavored Yogurts). And of course, keep whole-grain bread (Ezekiel), Thomas Whole Grain English muffins, or bagels on hand to toss in the toaster.
You can also warm up microwavable oatmeal (not instant get rolled oats or better yet Steel Cut Oatmeal). Keep whole-grain, low-sugar cereals (Try the Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereals) on hand that kids can eat with low-fat milk or yogurt. And lastly, keep fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, and pears readily available to eat on the go.
These are all nutritious options that are easy for moms or even kids to make themselves.

Good Start

So before rushing out the door tomorrow morning, make sure to give your kids a good start to the day. Fuel them up with a quick, healthy breakfast. They may not thank you, but their stomachs, minds, and teachers will.
Healthy eating goes hand in hand with maintaining a consistent and challenging exercise program. Call or email me today to get started on one of my programs that will get you feeling younger and more energetic than you thought possible.

Here is a great Must Have Breakfast Video  http://personaltrainerincherryhill.com/cherry-hill-personal-trainer-reveals-his-diet-secrets/