If you aspire to fitness modeling success, the need to be fit is a given. Here's what it takes to stand apart from the rest and become the best.By: Pavel Ythjall
The X Factor: Learn The Key Ingredient To Fitness SuccessCall time, 7 a.m. My crew and I are in a West Hollywood studio. The sun is about to rise over the hills, but it's still chilly outside. The team is smoking cigarettes and joking around, their normal routine before the workday starts.
No one notices her when she walks in. She sits down by a table outside Studio A, waiting. After putting the team to work, I find the same girl sitting outside the studio, looking lost.
"Hey, how are you?" I say.
"I'm the makeup person," she says, smiling.
I nod and welcome her to the set.
She laughs nervously. "No one recognizes me like this, not in the morning, anyway."
My brain races and I quickly apologize, realizing it's a joke, and that she's the model. "Welcome! We'll have a great shoot!"
I walk away thinking, So that's the famous fitness model I booked? Uh oh...
But as soon as the shoot begins, Ashley Horner's (the girl in these photos) transformation is both immediate and intense. She catches me totally off guard. The shutter fires like a machine gun, click-click-click, and she switches poses in rhythm. The changes are subtle, a body shift here, a different smile there. But she nails each one in rapid-fire succession. READ MORE:
5 Excuses That Won’t Fly in 2011It’s 2011. Your old excuses for not getting in shape won’t work. As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) said, ZIP IT! I don’t want to hear them anymore! Read em’, then haul your excuseless butt to the gym! 1. I have no time.According to a story in a recent issue of Men’s Health magazine, Barack Obama works out for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Obama doesn’t just play basketball either. Our new president stays fit to lead with cardio and weight lifting. He also says he wishes he could train 90 minutes a day. Have you ever seen what the daily schedule of a U.S. president looks like? If the busiest man in the world can train every day for 45 minutes a day, then what’s your excuse? ZIP IT! You ain’t got one! 2. It’s too expensive.Getting in shape certainly is expensive… if you keep wasting hundreds of dollars, month after month on worthless “miracle” weight loss pills, internal cleansing gimmicks and “magic” potions that all claim to make you slim. Deceptive advertising and slick marketing for bogus diet aids is more rampant than ever. 2010 was the year of thewu-long tea scam, the acai berry scam, and, of course, the ubiquitous “cleansing” and “detox” gimmicks . Unless you put on your critical thinking cap and learn to investigate before you invest, then you’ll get scammed by 2011’s flavor of the year as well. Your quest for those elusive “6-pack” abs will not only continue to be expensive, you’ll go broke. Walking, jogging, calisthenics and body weight exercises are FREE. If you want to know what’s really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor’s bill when you’re sick. READ MORE:
 Easy Exercises for Couch PotatoesAnyone can improve their heart health and enjoy other exercise benefits — even if you spend most of your time on the couch. Get tips to help fitness newbies start exercising.By Diana RodriguezMedically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPHRead More: http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/heart-healthy-living/exercise-for-couch-potatoes.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthWomensHealth_20110305
 By K. Aleisha Fetters
Women's Health
Stuck. Fed up. Bored stiff.For every way we express our mind-numbing exercise frustrations, there's a totally simple way to break past it, says exercise physiologist Amy Dixon. Make gym time fun time with these energizing tips and bust out of your workout rut.
No ExcusesThe most important part of getting fit is to stop making excuses not to, Dixon says. We all are crunched for time, sore, and just looking for an excuse to stay in our jammies.
But no excuse is good enough for you not to take care of your health. Start taking a "no-ifs,-ands,-or-buts-about-it" attitude toward fitness.
Be FlexibleYou don't have to pack your workout into just one time slot. If you need to, break your workout into two or more smaller workout sessions spaced throughout the day. You'll get great results and will still have time for the rest of your responsibilities.
Do SomethingIf you're like most women, when you don't have a full hour to devote to exercise you opt out. For what? A few more sleepy minutes between the sheets.
But even if you can only work out for 20 minutes a day, that time will make a difference. Something is always better than nothing.
Make it a HabitFitness isn't a luxury. It's a necessity. By thinking of exercise as just one of many important health habits, working out will become just as automatic as brushing your teeth, says Dixon.
Get a GoalWhen starting or even maintaining a workout, motivation is key. Jot down your goal and post it in a prominent place like your bathroom mirror.
Whether you want to lower your cholesterol or fit into your size six jeans without a struggle, chasing a goal is the best way to keep you moving toward fitness.
No Gear NeededDon't have the dough to dish out on a fancy gym membership? Luckily, plenty of recession-proof exercise routines don't involve a gym, equipment, or cash.
These exercises have the added benefit of freeing up your schedule, since you won't have to head off to the gym to get in a sweat.
Be ConsistentWonder why the last day you skipped at the gym magically turned into a month? Because when we don't consistently exercise, fitness falls completely off our radar.
To stay consistent, Dixon recommends creating a set schedule of exercising at least three days a week. That way, on those days, you can literally check off working out. After all, what's more satisfying than checking off a to-do?
 Sometime the incentives of a longer, thinner, stronger, healthier life are not enought to motivate you to get to the gym or do that workout DVD.
It happens to everyone. Don’t despair — I am here to help.
Print this blog and stick it in your workout clothes drawer, gym bag, or maybe even on the fridge for some other incentives to get your sweat on!
- Working out helps you perform better at work (most successful CEOs are gym rats)
- It helps increase your sex drive (increased circulation is one reason)
- Gives you what I call an “attitude adjustment” (no more yelling at the hubby after a workout!)
- Takes the stress knots out of your back and shoulders (from a day at the computer)
- Gives you time to think. (I have gotten the best ideas and sorted out the toughest problems while jogging or lifting weights)
- It wakes you up and gives you energy (coffee substitute!)
- Makes you want to eat better and take care of yourself in other ways. (I crave a salad and water after a workout instread of wine and cheese.)
- Social networking *off* the computer. (You can meet new friends at the gym in the staff, salespeople, class instructors, and other members, or do your favorite workout DVD — like the Military Wife Workout or Booty Camp - with your best friends at home.
So … you can have more fun, wake up, solve your problems and de-stress. It’s all in your power, so take control and put on those sneakers!
For more fitness motivation, new workout moves, music playlists and fitness DVDs that squeeze a full hour workout into just 30 minutes, visit www.nikkifitness.com
Fitness, Fit it in.
Tags: motivation sex http://military-fitness.military.com/2009/02/incentives-to-go-to-the-gym.html#more-174
 Mr. Hill was my 10th grade advanced placement economics teacher many years ago in a small farming community in California where I grew up. The laws of economics in his world were simple: The Handy Dandy Guide (HDG). Mr. Hill would pace the front of the class shouting his mantra, “It’s simple people,” his passion for the subject evident, “two and six of the Handy Dandy Guide!”
One might begin to wonder if this seemingly bristly man was up to something. Nearly twenty years later, I’m posing the same ideals to a different audience. “Two and six!” According to the National Council on Economic Education, the second and sixth principles of economics are:
2. All choices involve cost.
6. The consequences of choices lie in the future.
If my first blog about weight loss motivation was intrinsic in nature, it would only be natural that the next bit of information should touch on extrinsic motivation. Namely, why and possibly for whom would you change your purview about fitness? What would motivate you to dust off your home gym equipment or grace the doors of the gym past April when the New wore off the Years Resolution?
Yesterday after being scraped and polished, the conversation turned from cavities (which fortunately, I didn’t have) to health. My dentist’s motivation? Future grandchildren. He didn’t want to be chair-bound when they came for a visit.
Needing to change your habits? How are you to get from where you are now to where you want to be? It’s about goal setting, what’s yours?
I was calling clients in the back office of the gym where I train and I noticed a black and white photo of a famous person with a thin, muscular frame. The photo had a note. The message was the front of house manager reminding herself that her goal was to look like her best version of that famous person. Why is this important?
 I’m hungry right now! It must have something to do with that I jogged around my neighborhood in 20-degree weather. I didn’t run as far as I normally have in the past. The roads were covered in black ice. Why did I do it? I still have a fitness goal, whether or not I could make it to the gym. The bottom line is that I’m motivated and excited about changing my body, and I am enjoying the process.
My inbox is filled with questions about how to lose weight after having a baby, surgery, etc. Some want to know how to get in shape in order to join the armed forces or manage their diabetes. My husband and I have over 100 free workouts on www.startfitness.com, with many of the fitness programs designed to answer common inquiries.
However if the information is out there, why are people still asking the same question? They are asking because they are hoping I’ll infuse them with something that will add a little resilience to their daily routine, something that might inspire them to get started or to continue toward the prize.
If I could call each person up personally, I would start off with:
Step one – Find what motivates you!
I spoke with one of our Boot Camp recruits some time ago. Over the course of an hour I learned that she was working out 4–5 days a week. Her diet only needed a couple of tweaks and she was losing a little weight, but not as fast as she would have liked. It wasn’t until the end of the hour when I uncovered another layer of information that I believe was the source of her not reaching her physical fitness goals.
She was unhappy in her job. She was working 10–12 hours a day and wasn’t taking any time to feed her spirit. Many of us do not realize that our physical fitness and our emotional/spiritual fitness are intertwined. I suggested to her what I am suggesting to you — find a resting place where your spirit can rejuvenate.
A strategy that works for me — I listen to a motivational speech or read an inspirational book when I’m stuck in a rut. Although it may not have anything at all to do with physical fitness, I am more likely to get my body going when my spiritual fitness is enriched. When I am feeling depressed, the last thing I want to do is “spirit fingers” in some overly enthusiastic group exercise class at my local gym (not that I really ever do spirit fingers, but you get the point).
My favorite motivational messages have a religious theme; it’s simply my preference. You may not agree with me or like any of my favorites, and that’s okay. It’s not the point that I am trying to make. I am encouraging you to find what works for you.
You will first have to first deal with your emotions before you ever touch a dumbbell or do a squat.
The following are a few of my favorite authors:
- Joyce Meyer. She has a new book out called Power Thoughts. I have read quite a few of her books and also record her show on TV. I watch it in between work, working out, housework and caring for the baby.
- Joel Osteen. When my husband went to war, during month six or seven, I read Your Best Life Now. This book is a ray of sunshine for a weary soul.
- Max Lucado. Facing Your Giants is one of my favorites.
I listen to:
- John Paul Jackson– Pushing Through the Storm
- Bill Johnson. His words are deep and encouraging to me.
 Staying focused has been a huge pimple on my butt. I know that some of us have it together and are organized and so emotionally balanced that small daily distraction doesn’t compromise their daily goals; well I'm not one of them. I'm not making any excuses just logging my journey to better health. I'm documenting my emotions as much as my actions and works.
I've been struggling the past few days to stay focused long enough to write my Log Entry, but I have been consumed with the kids being home due to the snow closure on Thursday and a sick kid home on Friday. I haven't had a clear thought till now.
Friday 2-25-11 I went to the gym did a moderate but intense leg workout. My knee is feeling better, thanks to my consistent knee therapy exercises and stretches. I’m trying to hold back on the heavier weights and push myself on increased reps. I did an additional 20 mins on the not so fun stationary bike and 10 mins on the Stairmaster. I got sidetracked with something that I needed to take care of at home with my sick son, but I mustered up the energy about an hour later and returned to the gym. When returning to the gym I started with a light warm-up and did 15 mins on the stationary bike, 15 mins on the Stairmaster and 45mins on the treadmill. Since I’m not in running form just yet, I brisk walked at 3.8 speed on an alternating course from1-8 degree incline. Every 10 mins I would pause the treadmill and drop and do 40 pushups. The pushups really helped me increase my heart rate and burn more fat.
Our friend Ginny from the gym told me that I would find my limitations with my knee and figure out a way to compromise and challenge my workouts. Well I just did!
Today 2-26-11 I did an intense but shorter shoulder workout and no cardio. I really felt the burn and have really enjoyed the changes that Shannon and I are making in the gym. I must say to the world that Shannon has been a great inspiration to me and she has accomplished so much in the gym. Starting in the gym Shannon was new to all the features of the gym and had never lifted weights in her life. Now if you would see her workout, she’s a beast. Love you Shannon and thank you for being the best workout partner and keeping me focused on my goals.
 So it’s Sunday and this is my first Good Health Log Entry. Today I’m taking advantage of a needed day of rest from the gym. The truth is I have been terrible the past year at staying consistent in the gym or merely maintaining an active lifestyle. I can contribute my slow gains and lack of fat loss to my inconsistency in the gym and finding creative active events to help me burn fat. Ok my diet hasn’t been story book either, but I’m still searching for that compromise that allows me to still enjoy good food. I can say though I haven’t eaten any sort of fast food in the past 6 weeks. It’s a start; I’ll be positive and commend myself on a job well done. It’s all about the small triumph’s that allows you the opportunity to a big reward. I must admit that having a workout partner as dedicated to the gym as I have made my workouts not only enjoyable but much easier to bear. Thank you Shannon! Plus, the healthy competition is good for the soul. Key word here is Healthy. Competition is good only when winning isn’t everything? Winning is good and important, but it should never control your self esteem or make you do things that make you look like an ass. I look forward to doing more research on this topic later and improving my ability to better sportsmanship. Since I’m not in the gym today and most of my time is being spent sitting on the couch watching the Daytona 500, I feel that it’s important that I reduce my caloric intake tremendously. I do need to maintain my protein intake and keep hydrated, but I don’t need the extra carbohydrates that will only make me fat. I really wish I had the fat ass problem, if you know me I only have “tops of legs” no ass. Why can’t my fat pool in my posterior? My workouts have been going great, and it’s been pleasant that Shannon has been so open to trying new workouts that I’ve mostly found on http://military-fitness.military.com/ . In my opinion military workouts do much more than just build vanity muscles, but actually provides overall muscle fitness and good health. I just know that it’s important to build ligaments, tendons, slow and fast muscle fibers, overall strength, joint health and endurance to be truly healthy. Ok this journey hasn’t started out totally pain-free. Actually, I recently have been suffering from moderate aching knee pain. It all started when I started to increase my intensity on the treadmill. The truth is I have been struggling with this knee irritation for some time, but usually the pain goes away in a few days. Not so lucky this time. So I have vowed to my wife that I will call our loyal and trusted chiropractor http://www.bfchiropractic.com/ Dr. Ryan Nienaber of Boones Ferry Chiropractic- for his profession opinion on the possible damage. I haven’t called yet but when I do I will update my log with his assessment. So till then I have vowed to do my knee recovery exercises that I found on http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/ and limit all knee bending exercises for 6 weeks. This sucks but I’m tired of the being a reoccurring injury. Just need to heal it properly so I can stop allowing life to happen. So now I’m off to get something healthy to eat and burn some fat cleaning the house. Good Day!
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