Good Health: It's for Everyone!

I'm Mike Czech, a certified personal trainer and nutrition expert.  Welcome to my first column for The Patch.  It's great to have an opportunity to answer questions and give some information on a topic that seems to get more confusing everyday.  As a fitness professional for over 10 years, I have been approached by more people than I can count who ask me about nutrition and exercise.  Invariably, the question usually goes something like, "Coach Mike (that's my handle in the sports conditioning world), I need to lose 10 pounds.  What should I eat?" 

I can promise you:  Whatever my answer happens to be based on current research and latest trends, I immediately get three to four retorts as to why my advice is not appropriate for the person who just asked me for help.  So if you've ever wanted to lose some weight or get in shape and said something like this, count yourself in the greater 80%: 

"I just can't give up my wine."

"I don't have the time to exercise."

"I get really hungry at night. That's my danger time."

With 24% of New Jerseyites considered obese by the Center for Disease Control (2010), it's probably time to take stock of your own life and that of your family to see what changes can be made.  It's important to realize that because of our lifestyles, getting in shape is hard.  Nobody sleeps enough, our least expensive foods are generally unhealthy alternatives, and why anyone wants a remodeled $40,000 kitchen is beyond me when most households do not cook as many as 4 days a week!  That said, some of us still manage to break through and "Git R Done" as a famous repairman of cable television likes to quote. 

So how do we do it?  Never fear, I'm here to help.  As this column continues, you have the opportunity to submit your questions and receive advice.  But let me give a freebie right off the bat, and it's not one you may want to hear.  But this is absitively, posolutely the first step toward making the change that will get you to where you want to be: 

Make up your excuse list.  Then show it to someone. Let them tear it apart.

Why can't you do what needs to be done?  Why can't you make time for exercise?  Why can't you stop buying fattening snacks?  Why can't the kids switch from chicken nuggets to unprocessed meals that will help them grow?  I get paid lots of money to do talk about this constantly and so do my fellow professionals.  We're really good at it.  You may want one of us to partner with you to achieve your goals quickly and safely.  But until you confront your reasons why it's not getting done, you are still in the starting gate.  Figure out what is holding you back, no matter how silly you might find the reason, write it down, and share it with someone who cares and can offer advice on how to get around these things.  Post a comment here about your own issues, and we'll see if we can help you change your outlook.  All you need to do is try.