Use your friends and family!

Before you say, "What?!?  That's an awful thing to say!"  Give me just a second to explain.  Your friends and family play a huge role in your life.  The things that they say motivate you to act in a certain way--whether good or bad.  Do their words lift you up?  Make you feel good?  Make you angry (sometimes)?  Make you decide to do something differently than what you had originally planned?  Well, that's proof that what they say can influence you.  Learn to use that for your motivation. 

Have you found that getting a small word of encouragement or even a compliment from someone makes you want to repeat the behavior that created that experience?  For example, you have been watching what you are eating and exercising for two weeks.  Suddenly, your BFF who hasn't seen you in a couple of weeks says something like, "Hey, you look like you are losing weight!  Are you doing something differently?"  Doesn't that give you motivation to keep that behavior going for another two, four, six weeks--maybe even longer?  OF COURSE IT DOES!  What about that time that you are giving a presentation at your job.  You prepare, have all of your visual aides ready, have all of your key topics memorized and you nail the presentation.  Your boss says, "I can tell you really prepared for that presentation.  You had examined it from every side and anticipated each question that was asked.  Great job!"  Doesn't that make you want to prepare at that same level, maybe even give a little more, the next time you are given that opportunity?  SURE!  I believe that, in most situations, we all want to do well and want others to believe that we do well.  We need to use that to our advantage when it comes to getting healthy.

If you have a circle of friends and family that you know will encourage you, share your experience with them.  Let them know that you are trying to get healthier, you appreciate all of their encouragement and kind words.  This does two things.  First, it will create a source of constant encouragement for you.  Let's be honest.  There are days that we won't feel like making the "healthiest" decisions.  We won't feel like working out, taking an order of fresh veggies over the greasy potato chips or saying no to the huge piece of chocolate birthday cake.  (We are human and, to some of us, those things taste great!  I'll admit that I still enjoy the "bad" foods from time-to-time.  That's not what this about though.  Stay tuned for a future post about that.)  It's those days that you look to the encouragement that the group can provide you.  A compliment or a boost can be the very thing to help keep you on track.  The second thing that this will do is build accountability.  If you know you have told someone that you are making some changes to get healthy, you've made yourself accountable to that person.  Whether they ever say anything to you or not, you know that they are watching and looking for results.  That can also be a HUGE motivator to make your decisions stay in-line.

Another thing that you should be aware of is that there are support groups available to provide this motivation and accountability.  I have a team called Team Restored for Purpose (thus, the name of this blog) that does just that.  I allow only positive feedback to be given.  It's a safe environment where you can express your thoughts, frustrations, concerns, goals, achievements and questions about health and fitness.  We help keep each other accountable and moving in the right direction.  Although I'm considered to be the coach, I'll say that people on the team probably motivate me more than I motivate them.  That's the beauty--we all work together to help each person achieve their goals.

Do you need that extra motivation and accountability?  Would you like a "safe place" to talk about your fitness goals, frustrations and successes?  If so, email me at darren.r.cline@gmail.com and tell me that you would like to be a part of the team.  It's all completely free and the team would love to meet you.  Use your family, use your friends and use the resources available.  Meet your goals and become the healthier you that you have always wanted to be!

What Time of the Day Should I Workout?

I'm gonna give you the short answer first, in case you don't want to read the rest of the post.  Many people want to know if they should workout first thing in the morning, before dinner, after dinner, before they go to bed, etc.  The answer that I have for this is really scientific and hard to grasp, so read it slowly.  Are you ready?  You should workout at the time of day that you feel most motivated.  That's it!  I know, that's not rocket science, but so many people get hung up on the time of the day as an excuse not to workout.  I've had people say, "My goal is to burn fat and the best time to do that is first thing of the morning.  I can't workout in the mornings so there's no need for me to even try.  I'd be working out for nothing."  Honestly, that makes no sense at all.  Exercise is about burning calories, increasing your heart rate, building muscle and getting healthy.  That's the main goal.  Regardless of when you are doing, it is better than nothing at all.

I'm sure that there is probably some scientific data out there to support that specific times of the day are marginally better for different results; however, isn't it better to exercise at some point in the day than not to exercise at all?  It will still bring results regardless of whether it is at 5:00 a.m. or 10:00 p.m.  Exercise is exercise.  Although your metabolism will be working at different levels throughout the day, you will still gain results from exercising, regardless of the time.

So, here's my advice on this question.  If you have a window of time that permits you to exercise at various points throughout the day, experiment.  Find the time of the day that you enjoy your exercise the most.  Once you find that time, dedicate that as your exercise time.  If you don't have that luxury, workout when it best fits your schedule.  When I first started, that time was 4:00 a.m. for me.  Sounds crazy, I know but I learned that, once my day started, I never found the time to exercise.  By the time I found that I did have some free time, I was already worn out from the day's events.  You can see, there is an element of commitment to this.  Find your time, commit to it and get that exercise in.  You won't be disappointed.

Contact me at darrenrcline@beachbodycoach.com if you have any questions.

Which Program is Best?

So many times I am questioned on which program is the best. My follow-up question to that is, "What are your goals?"  Without knowing your goals, it is difficult to determine which program would best help you achieve your goals. Even bigger than the program is your purpose. Yes, I said that. I'm more interested in your purpose than your program.  Don't get me wrong--I am a huge fan of the BeachBody programs. P90X, Insanity and Focus T25 have helped me reach fitness levels that I used to only dream of. I love those programs and plan to work my way through some of the others like Insanity: Asylum, Les Mills Combat and maybe P90X2. Did you hear what I said about them though?  I said, I ENJOY them. (Well, actually I just implied it, but you know what I mean.)  I'm a big believer that your attitude about a program is key.  If you know your purpose and you enjoy what you are doing, you will stay on track. Even if you know your purpose but are miserable, you'll likely quit. Likewise, if you don't know your purpose but are enjoying the workout, the likelihood of you trying something else is better, but you may lose motivation because you aren't getting the desired results. So, how do we solve this riddle?

First, determine your purpose. Do you want to lose weight?  Tone up? Gain muscle mass? Increase cardio capacity?  A combination of a couple of those?  Once you make that decision, it's time to do your homework. Not all fitness programs are created equal. Some have beginners in mind. Others are for those who are at the intermediate level while even others are for the person who has been exercising regularly for a while. Determine what program you think will best help you achieve your goals based on the purpose that you have for doing the program. 

Next, start the program. Now, you have to be fair at this point.  If this is your first exercise program, you are probably gonna hate it at first. Let's be real. You're gonna be sore, it's gonna be making you do things that make you uncomfortable and none of us enjoy that.  To make a fair assessment, you really need to give it 3-4 weeks, in my opinion. That will let you get through some of the initial soreness, allow you to push past the initial learning curve of doing the routines and you should even start seeing some results. If, at the end of a four week period you still hate the program, you may want to try to find something else that you can enjoy. 

The final step is to stick with it!  If it is a 90-day program that you have committed to, stay with it. The program is built around the time frames that are given. You shouldn't expect the results to come if you don't finish the program. Once you finish, then it's time to reassess where you are, what your new goals will be and start the process over again. 

That's it!  Not rocket science, huh?  Just a few simple steps to finding your success. So, now here are  the questions I want you to ask:  (1) What are my fitness goals? (2) What programs are out there that can help me reach my goals? and (3) Do I enjoy this program and does it keep me motivated?  Once you have answered all of those questions, you'll be well on your way to success.  Feel free to email me at darrenrcline@beachbodycoach.com if you would like information on any of the BeachBody programs. 

When Will the Results Come?

So many times this is the question that I hear--"When will the results come?"  That is truly a tough question to answer, although I'll admit that I asked that question too. Most of the time, people are really asking when will they lose weight or when will they see muscles starting to form. I want to challenge you to think outside the box on this one. There are so many different ways that you can measure results. You are really doing yourself a disservice by only watching the scales or pumping up that bicep. 

First, let's take a look at how you feel.  If you are feeling better, have more energy, more confidence, isn't that a result?  Aren't all of those positive things?  What about your clothes? Do they fit better, feel more comfortable, maybe look a little different than before?  Aren't those good results?  What about your body?  Is your digestion better?  Are you sleeping better at night?  Have your stress levels decreased?  Again, who wouldn't be happy with these outcomes, right?  Guess what?!?  ALL of these results could occur without you losing one single pound!  Even the way your clothes fit could change as your body composition changes without seeing one change at all on the scales. 

Let's take a look at something else.  Now, this may make you feel uncomfortable, and even a little weird, but I stand by it. The first thing you should do is take some pictures. I recommend you getting into as little clothing as you are comfortable with and get some snapshots. I'm not talking about anything indecent or distasteful. Get on Google or YouTube and search for before and after pics and you'll get the idea. I know this is a tough request. I know it may be out of your comfort zone. How do I know this?  That's how I felt too. I didn't do it. I didn't like what I saw in the mirror. I didn't want to see it, much less immortalize it in a picture. Then, once I started having success, I was so excited that I didn't really think about it. Once I reached my first weight loss goal, I could produce an after pic but had nothing to compare it to. Fortunately, I found a snapshot that someone had taken of me just a few months before I started. Had it not been for that, I would have nothing. Now, I use those pics and new ones to keep me motivated. I can honestly say that I haven't lost any weight at all in the past few months; however, my body has changed quite a bit. I see it everyday. It's impossible for me to see the changes UNLESS I have a point of comparison. Those pictures provide just that--a point of comparison that will show your success. 

Of course you can look at other things as well--tape measures, endurance levels (are you getting stronger in your workouts), scales, BMI, body fat percentages, etc. to monitor your progress. I just wanted to offer you a few other important things to consider when you are asking the question, "When will the results come?"  Stay on course and stay true to yourself. Even if you blow one meal, one day or one week, don't stop. That's not a license to lack commitment. It's simply encouragement to tell you that you can always regroup and get back on track.  Take control and achieve the results that you want!

Don't Start On Monday!

Ok, this is purely a personal preference but, I think starting anything on Monday makes it even more challenging. Whether it's a new exercise program, new meal plan or both, Mondays are just not the optimal day (in my opinion) to start. Why?  For a large number of us, Mondays are the beginning of the work week. You are already stressed about what the week will hold even before it starts. Adding the extra stress of new meals or starting an exercise regimen tends to make Monday even more stressful. If you are stressed, you'll be less likely to follow through and more likely to not see the value in what you are trying to do, especially on day 1. Remove that possibility!  

I prefer starting something new on Sundays. That's the true beginning of the week and, by Monday, you're already feeling accomplished because you've made it past day 1!  Also, many of the exercise programs that I use follow the pattern of having the fourth day as a recovery day. Starting on Sunday will cause that day to fall on Wednesday, which is normally what we consider our "hump day". The rest day is usually on the seventh day. That will fall on Saturday and who doesn't like a break on Saturday, right?

I realize that this isn't a cookie cutter solution, but if you take these concepts and apply them to your schedule, it may be this small change that can make a big difference in you staying motivated. If you can keep your motivation level elevated, you've already won half the battle! 

Why Am I Here?

Welcome to my blog!  This first post will focus on the purpose of this blog.  On January 15, 2012, I started a fabulous journey.  It wasn't to an exotic island or some picturesque location.  It was a journey to a new life. 

Throughout my life, I have struggled with weight problems.  My weight has gone up and down so much over the past 20 years, sometimes I felt like a yo-yo.  I was never an athletic person growing up.  Just a regular kid with a weight problem.  I used to make the statement that I was born wearing "husky" pants.  The first time I ever lost a substantial amount of weight was between my junior and senior years of high school.  I weighed 188lbs going into the summer and lost 40 pounds by fall, weighing in at 148lbs.  Sounds pretty good, huh?  Wrong!  I did it the completely wrong way. I ate only one meal per day and that meal wasn't even a healthy one.  I justified myself by saying that I could "eat what I wanted" for that one meal, since it was all I was eating.  With the metabolism of a 17 year-old, it was an effective plan--not healthy, but effective.  At least, it was for a little while.   

After high school graduation, I started college.  By the end of my freshman year, I had gained 20 pounds.  I attributed it all to stress, of course.  Over three years, I gained another 15 pounds or so.  Getting me up past the 180 pound mark by college graduation.  Over the summer, I lost about 15 pounds, putting me back down to 170 for my wedding.  I thought I finally had it under control.

Over the next five years, I would go on "diets" to lose weight when I thought I needed to.  Up fifteen pounds, down ten; up 18, down 20.  The roller coaster dieting became a way of life.  Diet this month, but blow it next month.  When I learned that my wife was pregnant with our first child, I decided at that point that I wasn't going to be a "fat daddy".  So, I started the process again--this time, for good. 

I had a strong start and actually lost my magic number again--40 pounds.  My starting weight was 208lbs (20lbs heavier than I had ever started from in the past).  I brought it back down to 168lbs, which I felt good about.  I mean, hey, I'm back down to my "wedding weight".  Why not feel good about that, right?

After the baby came, so did the old ways.  Again, trying to be concious of my weight, I would go on and off diets thinking that each one would be the last time that I would have to do that.  Each time, I was met with failure.

By the time our second child arrived, I had relinquished to the thought that I was just going to live out the rest of my life as a heavy person.  Obviously, it was just my genetics or I wouldn't have this life-long struggle.  I just decided to accept that I would always have a weight problem.  "I'm gonna eat what I want, when I want it because it doesn't make a difference anyway!", I would say. And that was the mentality that I embraced for the next few years.

Fast forward to January 2012.  I am now 35 years old, a beautiful, loving wife, two lovely daughters, a great job, nice home--yep, I was living the dream.  Now, here's where you probably think I'm going throw out the heart attack story or something devastating like that.  Sorry if you have been building up to that. I don't have anything like that to give you, but please read on.  I think you'll like how the story ends.

It's January 2012, post holiday season and I'm scrolling through my phone, looking at FaceBook.  As I'm scrolling down through the posts, I see part of a picture.  I see that there is someone who has a sweatshirt that looks just like mine.  In my mind, the only difference is, this guy is much larger than I am.  Then, I scroll down to till I can see the face of the fine gentlemen.  Guess who I came face-to-face with?  Yes, it was me.  I couldn't believe that I had let myself go so far.  I weighed 236 pounds.  If you are thinking, "That's not bad for a man", please keep in mind I'm only 5'8".  Also, this was the heaviest I had ever been in my life.  It was seeing that guy face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball that made me wake-up.

I began this story by stating on January 15, 2012 I started a journey.  That was day 1.  I set a goal to lose 70 pounds.  Within that large goal, I broke that up in to 7 small goals.  All I had to do was lose 10 pounds, 7 times.  70 pounds sounded rediculously hard.  10 pounds, 7 times sounded achievable!

I started getting up at 4:00 a.m. and doing workouts with Tony Horton.  For those of you who don't know him by name, he's the creator of the great fitness program called P90X.  Every day, I "met" with Tony in my living room and he put me through an awesome workout.  By the end of the first 90 days, I had lost 40 pounds.  Not bad, for a start.  That meant I was now down to 196.  I still had 30 pounds to go. Over the next 180 days, I continued my regimen of diet and exercise. I exercised six days each week, an average of about an hour each day.  By the time I had finished up my third round (9 months later), I had met my initial weight loss goal!  Needless to say, I WAS PUMPED!  As exciting as that is, this is where the story actually starts getting good. 

Upon reaching my weight loss goal, I decided to write a note of thanks on Tony Horton's FaceBook page. I wasn't expecting any type of feedback or anything like that, it was just an outlet for me to express my thanks for the program. A day or so later, to my surprise, I received a response!  No, it wasn't from Tony, but it was from a BeachBody coach!  (BeachBody is the company that makes P90x.)  Coach April invited me to be a part of her team, a group of great people who were there for one reason--get healthy and encourage others who are doing the same. I joined the team (Empowered 4 Life), made several new friends, and realized that there was a great support group available to help people who wanted to get healthy. Over the next few months, i dropped another 20 pounds through the Insanity program. That's when I decided to get actively involved. 

I decided to also become a BeachBody coach so that I, too, could help people who were on the same journey as me. I knew that there had to be other people who were struggling with the same issues that I struggled with and I wanted to help. I created my own team, consisting of just a few friends and family members who were also interested in bettering their health. Over time, that team has grown. It's still pretty small, but definitely growing.  

That brings me, finally, to the answer of my question:  Why am I here?  It's actually quite easy. I'M HERE FOR YOU!  That's it. I'm here to help you. I'm not a fitness guru or a personal trainer, although I may be working toward that in the near future. I'm a coach, plain and simple. I'm here to help motivate you and keep you accountable. As a BeachBody coach, I have access to several resources that will help answer questions that you may have.  I can recommend exercise programs, assist you with things like determining your recommended calorie intake and help you with some healthy meal options.  I can also introduce you to my team, Restored For Purpose.  I chose that name because I feel like my life and body have been restored for a true purpose. So many times, we feel like we have no purpose in this life.  I place all of my trust in God. He has provided me this opportunity to help others and I want to do the best that I can to fulfill this mission.  

Here is where you come in.  If this interests you, follow my blog. If you would like to be a part of my team, email me at darrenrcline@beachbody.com. I'd love to have you on board.  If you know of someone who would be interested, share a link to the blog with them. I'll be posting motivational messages, program reviews and information that can help you in your journey.  I'll share my theories on exercise, diet, life changes, etc.  Like I said, I'm just a regular guy who is doing his best to live a healthy life and help others do the same. I'm looking forward to meeting you.  Will you go in this journey with me?