Bonnie Pfiester

Have you ever heard the saying “a lazy man works twice”? It’s ironic, but we often end up doing twice the work by trying to take shortcuts in life.

When it comes to fitness, dieting is number one on the shortcut list. Most people think you should be able to physically “work” the weight off without dieting. No matter how much I encourage people to work as hard on their eating as they do in the gym; some people just have to learn the hard way.

This experience is most obvious during intense training like our Boot Camp program. Most of our boot campers have never worked as hard as they do during Boot Camp. When you’re working that hard you expect results - and when you don’t get them you are devastated. Besides, you put in the same energy as the girl next to you who seems to be dropping weight by the minute. The difference is you are trying a shortcut and your shortcut isn’t working.

Most people are overwhelmed when it comes to dieting. So much so, many would just prefer to be told what to do. That’s why diets are so tempting. Regimented diets tell you what to eat so you don’t have to think.

I refer to this type of step-by-step diet program as the “ABC Diet”. This is when a diet program gives you a list of things you can and cannot eat. At first, this seems like the logical plan, but eventually the limited selection gets old.

As you probably know, most New Year Resolutions involve money or weight loss. People often decide it’s time to get out of debt or lose a few pounds this time of year. Ironically, these two topics have a lot more in common than you would even imagine.

Over the years, I’ve watched fitness change. When I was a little girl, in the seventies, I used to watch my dad workout at home. I remember being so proud of my daddy’s muscles.

Of course back then, Arnold Schwarzenegger was just breaking out in Hollywood in movies like Hercules and Conan the Barbarian. Lou Ferrigno began busting down walls, and busting out of clothes, as the Incredible Hulk and Hulk Hogan was about to explode as a pro wrestler star.

Everyone knows it’s easy to gain weight over the Holidays. Christmas parties and yummy treats seem to replace exercise and healthy food. Once high calorie foods are in our view it’s hard to get them out of our head.

Although most people admit going off their diet this time of year, we still act shocked at how fat we feel by New Year’s Day. Did we really eat that much?

Diet and exercise is not hard but it takes time. Unfortunately time is not something most people have a lot of. Ironically, people end up wasting a lot of time because they don’t manage their time wisely. They spend too much time doing one thing, not enough time doing important things, or wasting time doing anything and everything but the right thing. When people feel as though their effort does not match their results, they give up.

I want to encourage you! Here are three simple steps to help you make the most of your time.

Have you ever wondered what Sumo wrestlers eat to look the way they do? Recently, out of curiosity, I decided to do my own research and I was shocked at my findings. The Sumo diet looked a little too familiar.

First, Sumo wrestlers typically eat only two times a day, skipping breakfast to keep their metabolism low. This is also a common practice in America. Whether it’s a lack of time or appetite, many people skip breakfast. I don’t know about you, but the next time I’m tempted to skip breakfast I’ll picture myself as a Sumo wrestler.

The next rule for the overweight athlete is to nap after eating. Their secret to gaining weight is to sleep for at least 4 hours after each meal. Although most American’s don’t take 4-hour naps, we typically return to our office chair with little activity.

How many times have you seen someone doing an exercise incorrectly? How often have you wondered if you were the one doing something wrong? Many gym members go through the motions without being absolutely certain they are working out correctly. Regrettably, people will often continue using the equipment the only way they know how – right or wrong.

As time goes by, members who basically taught themselves how to workout will begin to gain confidence in their training based on one simple fact – no one has told them any differently.

As you workout in a health club surrounded by many seemingly experienced members, surely someone would tell you if they saw you doing something wrong. Right? Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many people may notice, but are unsure how to approach someone.

One of the greatest treasures I received after my grandmother died was her recipe box. Recently, I was thumbing through all the recipes and noticed an odd number written on the top of some of the cards. All the sudden it hit me, the number reflected the calories for that dish.

One recipe, Salmon-Broccoli Bake, had the numbers “1600” noted at the top of the card. Another recipe for Overnight Coffee Cake had “3700 cal” written in my grandfather’s handwriting. It’s funny how the smallest thing can bring back certain memories.

When I think of aerobics classes I can’t help but think of Jazzercise, leotards, and leg warmers. Thank goodness aerobics classes have evolved over the years into so much more than just floor aerobics and bad styles.

Today, health clubs offer a large spectrum of group exercise like Spinning, Kickboxing, Pilates, Step, Zumba, and even seated exercise classes for seniors.

So, why is group exercise growing by leaps and bounds? First and foremost, group exercise offers affordable professional guidance. Since many people can’t afford one-on-one training, group classes are a great alternative. Whether it’s learning proper form or just being motivated, group classes offer the direction, education, and encouragement so many people need.

When it comes to luxuries, a health club membership is one of few luxuries that often proves be a good investment. However, a gym membership is commonly one of the first things to go when money gets tight.

Somehow we justify the need for television and other extras over the need to stay healthy. Don’t get me wrong, if you tried to take my satellite TV away I would put up a pretty good fight too. Interestingly enough, some of the same people crunching numbers to make wise investments are unaware of the return on fitness.

First, healthy people have fewer hospital admissions, shorter hospital stays, and lower medical expenses. One of our members recently bragged “I feel great and am taking half of the medication I needed before.” Although most of our members are just excited to feel good again, it’s also financially rewarding.

When it comes to cooking, sometimes we don’t think outside the box – the recipe box that is. It’s so easy to be a creature of habit and miss out on the opportunity to try healthy alternatives.

For instance, eggs are one of the most common ingredients used in many recipes. Meatloafs, casseroles, pancakes, pies, batters, baked goods, and sauces often call for eggs as a key ingredient. Eggs are also one of the easiest foods to substitute thanks to Egg Beaters. However, many people still have never even tried them.

Let’s look at the facts: two scrambled eggs can range from 150 to 180 calories depending on the cook’s choice of milk, butter, or oil. Although an average omelet only uses three eggs, once you add all the extra goodies, you can easily rack up 500 to 900 calories in no time – and that’s without all the popular breakfast side dishes.

Traveling can be tough for dieters; convenience store junk food, the infamous airline snack box, and combo meals all add up to a diet disaster.

There is something about traveling that makes us think we’re hungry. Let’s start with road trips. I don’t know about you, but Steve and I have the worst snack attacks when driving long distances. Although the need to feed mostly stems from boredom, the million billboards showcasing juicy hamburgers don’t help either.

Once a billboard convinces you to stop and eat, you find yourself driving down an unknown road with restaurant after restaurant calling your name. Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Denny’s, Dairy Queen, Applebees – they all have a special, or menu item, to capture your attention.