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Beat YOUR Exercise Excuses by TFG Chief Trainer Zhywee

Wondering how you are going to fit your workouts when there is a gazillion things in your to do list? (Exercise must be in your to do list!).

Don’t despair – you can get to your workout! The trick is learning how to counter the excuses that keep you from exercising. By adjusting your thinking, you can overcome any hurdle.

Take control of your workouts.

It helps you get the body you want and also makes you feel more in control of your life. So stop making excuses-and start making progress!

I’m Too Tired

Unless you’re incredibly sleep deprived or jet-lagged, there’s no reason not to exercise when you’re tired. It may sound counterintuitive, but working out actually gives you more energy Inactivity produces fatigue and lethargy.

In fact, working out will rev you up. Research has shown that even 10 minutes of brisk walking can give you up to two hours of increased energy. If possible, work out in the morning. Based on studies, morning exercisers are better at sticking to a fitness regimen. It may help to work out in the morning, before you get wiped out by a demanding workday.

But if you’re just not a morning person, don’t worry. Do whenever you feel that works best for you.

Exercise promotes vigour and energy. You may have to drag yourself out at first, but if you stick with it, in time you’ll have to hold yourself back. Once you get moving, your fatigue will likely disappear. You’re getting the endorphins [feel-good hormones in your body] to release. And you’re getting the circulation going — as opposed to coming home and crashing on the couch.

I don’t have the TIME

Many people don’t exercise because they feel weighed down with work, but a good sweat session will make you more productive on the job. You’ll have less stress, a clearer head and a better perspective. You can actually get more work done after your workout than before. A recent study suggested that people who thought they were too busy to exercise really did have the time but chose not to make it a priority. Figure out how to incorporate physical activity into your workday. Try exercising at lunchtime, when many of us can steal away without missing too many calls or meetings.

It’s the most common excuse, and it’s a real problem for many of us. Life is busy, and you’ll never find the time to exercise. But you can make the time.

Your exercise doesn’t have to be a formal workout either. Try making small lifestyle changes that help you move more. You can climb stairs, walk from point A to point B, and find many other physically active ways to accomplish your daily tasks. You can divide up your stretching and strength training so it takes just a few minutes a day. And you can also make time for designated exercise.

Give up some sleep, exercise will make you more energetic, and it will help you sleep better, so you won’t miss the shut-eye. Walk with your friends instead of meeting them for coffee or lunch. Spend some of your lunch hour walking. Do more on weekends, holidays and vacations, but do something important for your body and your health nearly every day. If it’s work that’s sapping all your spare time, try exercising on the job. Close your office door and jump rope for 10 minutes, or walk in place.

You can make exercise happen. For perspective, remember that 30 to 45 minutes represents just two to three per cent of your day. And in the final analysis, it’s a remarkable bargain, since you’ll gain about an hour of life expectancy for every 30 minutes of regular exercise. In a sense, exercise will allow you to turn energy into time.

Health Promotion Board recommends at least 150 – 250 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, which may sound daunting, but actually works out to a little over 20 minutes each day. The good news is that three 10-minute exercise sessions work just about as well as one 30-minute one, and can be much easier to fit into your schedule.

I have to WATCH my kids

The answer is to multitask.

If they are infants or toddlers, exercise at home while they nap; invest in at home equipment, pedal a stationary bike while they play or read. Push them in a stroller while you walk. Join a gym that has day care. And when they’re old enough, get them involved in a game of tag or hopscotch, or build an obstacle course and race them through it. Plan family activities that will get you all moving, such as biking or swimming. Use your family time for active pursuit

Walk the kids to school instead of driving them. During their soccer games or practices, walk briskly around the field. Go biking with your kid, sign up as a family for “fun runs,” or just walk around the neighbourhood with your children. When the weather’s bad, try active video games like Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Fit.
And remember that your fitness is good for your kids as well as you. When mom or dad is more fit, has more energy, the whole family benefits. Remember, You are their role models.

Exercise Is Boring

Boredom is one of the major reasons people give up exercise. If you’ve done the same routine day after day for months, it’s time to try something new.

To keep yourself interested, try varying your activity. Experiment with new moves from magazines or books

Give it time. The first steps are hardest, but if you stick with exercise for three months, it’s likely you’ll come to enjoy it. Remember that you don’t have to walk, much less run. Everybody likes some form of physical activity — and the more you do, the more you’ll like.

You should want it and feel good about it before you do it. And it should feel good while you’re doing it.
So how do you get there? First, find an activity you love.
Think outside the box: try inline skating, dancing, or gardening. Join a sports league. Or, if you love music, try ballroom dancing. “There’s an exercise for everyone,” says Recascino. “It doesn’t have to be onerous or unpleasant.”

If it makes exercise more enjoyable for you, it’s OK to watch Phua Chu Kang or read while you’re on the exercise bike or treadmill — just don’t forget to pedal or run. If you like music, hook yourself up to headphones and a portable player. You can also “read” with your ears: rent, buy, or borrow a book on tape and turn it on while you exercise. For extra motivation, listen to the book only during exercise; there’s nothing like an engrossing tale to make the time fly.

Working out with a group also helps many people. To find a group, look through local sports publications or on the web. Or simply recruit several friends. Sign up for a class you’ve never tried, like kickboxing, African dance, yoga, Pilates or Fitness Bootcamp.

And, every once in a while, try something totally new. Mix it up so you don’t get bored.
And if all else fails, just remind yourself that convalescing from a heart attack or colon cancer surgery is significantly more boring than the exercise that will keep you healthy.

I’m too OLD

Not likely. Old age is not an illness, but it does require modifications. It’s never too late to start; before you use the calendar to cop out of exercise, remember that frail institutionalized octogenarians benefit from strength training. Exercise will actually make your body “younger” at any age.

I don’t know how

Sure you do. Almost any physical activity counts. Even if you’ve never mounted a bike or held a racquet, you can walk, climb stairs, and do simple strength and flexibility exercises. You can also learn new skills from books, videos and lessons.

It hurts

Most likely you’re doing too much too soon or too little stretching and warming up. Learn how to prevent, recognize and correct common exercise-induced aches and pains. If you can’t do it yourself, get professional help. Exercise should not be painful, and No Sweat exercise shouldn’t even feel hard.

Bottom line, you need to make exercise a priority. If you know of any more common excuses and how to counter attack them, share with us! We would love to hear from you!
)

Love,
Coach Zhywee
Add me in Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/zhywee
http://www.facebook.com/teamfitnessguru

Your Body is Now Conditioned for Fitness

NOW WHAT?

It’s time to Raise the Standards and Step up to the competition. You are your own competition.

In order to progress you have to STEP UP.

If you keep the level maintain and not increase your Standards. You will be that – at maintanance level. We’re now into the Performance Level.

In order to improve you have to STEP UP!

Walk faster. Jog longer. Climb Higher.

If you think you cant, You MUST. Do you want to get your body to love fitness and endorphins that you’ll crave to exercise beyond these 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and more? Start NOW.

STEP UP!

Assignment 4

STEP UP!

It’s time to Raise the standards. Raise the bar. Raise YOUR BAR.

(a) What can you improve and how much more of it will you do?

Some areas you want to talk about – the domains of your life pertaining to Fitness -

1. Physical (Progression, Intensity, Duration, Variety, etc)
2. Social (More workout time with family, play sports with friends)
3. Psychological (Confident, Self Esteem, Energetic, etc)
4. Knowledge (Learn new exercises, Read on Nutrition, etc)

Please include Before, Current and After today plans.

Eg:  “Prior to joining the programme, I can’t climb more than 3 floors. Now I’m able to do 10 without panting. I’ll push myself to the next level and will do 15 in my next workout!”

(b) OPTIONAL – What have been stopping you from working out and raising your bar since 4 weeks ago?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in fitness and health,
Coach Sharm
Master Trainer
TeamFitnessGuru.com

Add me on Facebook : Sharm@TeamFitnessGuru.com
Add me on Twitter: sharmTFG
Add TeamFitnessGuru on Facebook: Search for TeamFitnessGuru

Sharm (Hisham Musa) is a fitness consultant in Singapore to many high profile clients since 1998. He is equipped with a Master of Science (Exercise and Sports Studies) degree from Nanyang Technological University, (NTU) with 7 distinctions. He also has a Bachelor’s degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Postgraduate in Physical Education and Sports Science from NTU. Armed with international certifications, memberships and affiliations with the American College of Sports Medicine & National Academy of Sports Medicine, he stays current with the latest in the fitness and nutrition industry. He is NCAP 3* certified and is undergoing TRX Master Trainer development. His expertise have been featured in ChannelNewsAsia’s documentary – Vanity the Slim Society, Ch5 & Ch8 Lose To Win Reality TV, The Straits Times, & The Sunday Times. Magazines: Shape, Timeout, Women’s Weekly (Panel of Experts), The Finder, Her World. He is the owner of FitnessBootcamp.sg – the most creative fun group fitness workouts that has more than 500 individual signups in 5 months, with clients losing 10kgs of FAT in 3 months. Sharm shares how you can lose weight and get fit fast at Teamfitnessguru.com

Copyright TeamFitnessGuru.com™ 2010

Dear Friends,

Running around for sessions, meetings, losing voices, getting injured, rushing here and there for our TFX Fitness Bootcamps, corporate clients, personal training clients, HPB’s Lose to win 2, etc – It’s been an exciting week for TFG Fitness Professionals.

As you might already know, TFG strives to give over and above what is required of us (beyond agreements, contracts, tenders, etc). In short, we love to overdeliver. This takes a lot of time and energy.  We’re very passionate about our work and of course our client’s route to success. The time and energy spent is definitely worth it.

Our blog posts and assigments that we create for you are some of the many overdelivering methods that we do. As we’re pressed for time at this period, for our weekly fitness posts, we’ll be consolidating them. For now it’ll be a general blog post each week – dedicated to each one of you who take part in TFG’s workouts – no matter who you are. So please feel free to comment and do your online assignment as requested.

On your end, think about it. Overdeliver. You have your workouts with us twice or thrice a week – can you overdeliver and step it up to 5 times a week of workout (3 or 4 times on your own)? I’m sure you can. Show us Tell us in the comments below. Overdeliver – you deserve the best from yourself.

Your dedication to getting fit is truly inspiring and I have to say that most of you are shining stars – not only that you have a high level of motivation for yourself, but to cheer your teammate on, to nudge them a little further, to work and move together as a TEAM.

Let’s now take it a notch higher and increase the tempo – let’s progress and increase the intensity from where we left off!

Take Massive Action

If you’ve been riding the wave passively.. I urge you to step it up and make it an ACTIVE one. We’re all forming a habit here – to have exercising and making healthy living part of our lives. In case you’re not sure of what action to take – here’s two broad things you should do:

1. Energy Expenditure
   Increase your physical activity
   3 to 5 times a week
   30 to 60 mins each time
   Moderate Intensity
   Make it fun and social
2. Energy Intake
   Lower your food consumption
   Eat 5 *small* meals a day
   Have 20% less, portionwise
   Choose healthier food options
   Learn to love salads (with a little dip)

Just like a smoker who is addicted to nicotine, a lot of us are addicted to food (me included). A lot of willpower and strength is needed to say no to changing our eating pattern *initially*, and if you’re able to do so, you’re on your way to a beautiful and healthy life.

The reason why some of us are NOT losing weight yet.

Some are not losing weight / not losing a lot of weight.

First of all, are you working out enough and eating lesser already? If not, what are you waiting for?

From the data we collected, on average, we’ve lost about 3 kgs so far – which is GREAT. It is in accordance to Health Promotion Board’s Weight Loss guidelines. A 1kg a week weight loss is healthy and is also recommended by the ACSM (leading international fitness authority).

We also have individuals who have lost 5 to 6 kilos in the second week!! Nice – while it is a little too fast a rate for us (who’s driven by guidelines and recommendations from research), we are also aware that this is possible and good IF you’ve been good and exercising – BURNING CALORIES. If you’ve been on a Crash Diet – that is totally unacceptable and not recommended as it is (1) unhealthy (2) results in a Yo-Yo diet which means you will gain back the weight that you’ve lost in the near future. We want permanent weight loss. However, if you’ve been exercising (5 times a week), thats great! Do remember that your bodies need a lot of rest and sleep to recover from working out hard, so…. please remember to sleep and rest. This should be a lifestyle change.

For those who have not lost weight. Do not despair! Please allow me to go into a little bit on this:

To healthily lose weight, you should

1. Increase Muscle weight
2. Lose Fat weight

By increasing muscle mass, you’d have a stronger and more functional body (based on the exercises that we do), and it will also increase your metabolism.

Increasing metabolism helps you to burn fat while you’re resting, eating and even sleeping! You’ll also burn more calories when you’re exercising.

As we increase our muscle mass, our weight may increase – this is healthy and good.

To see a weight loss, you will need to burn Fat weight – if the fat loss is greater than the increase in muscle mass, you will see a net weight loss.

There are many instances that the muscle weight increase as much as the loss in fat – which in turn shows NO CHANGE in weight.

For example:

Muscle increase by 10kg
Fat decrease by 10kg

Your weight will remain the same, your strength and endurance have increased (this is great!) but your fat content would have gone down by 10kgs!

How should you measure Fat Loss?

Based on the above, the personal trainers at Team Fitness Guru always go for the:

1. Reduction of inches in your waist and hips instead of the change in number on your weighing scale.
   For men, you should use your belt as a gauge.
2. The drop in shirt/ dress size.
3. The before and after photo
4. The comments and remarks from friends, family members (they may not notice this if they see you everyday) or people who you’ve not met for a long time.

How should you measure success after every week?

Besides the numbers, we also know that regular physical activity promotes holistic wellness

1. More energy (Yes now you know that exercise creates energy!)
2. Improve mental health – reduce stress, boost confidence
3. A feeling of happiness! – Exercise releases endorphins (happy hormones)
4. Improvement in your sleep
5. Increase in fitness levels – cardio, strength, flexibility, balance, function, agility, etc (Some of you are able to climb up staircase all the way up easily now!)
6. Increase in bone density (reduce the chances of arthritis) – by doing the modified weight bearing exercises
7. Improve body chemistry – cleans your arteries of fatty plaque deposits (LDL) & halves the level of insulin (lowers the chances of diabetes)
8. Improve internal mechanisms – Our bodies also process carbohydrates more efficiently, this in turn stabilises your blood sugar so that you will less likely to be hungry but rather have more energy

For those who REALLY, REALLY need to see the weight loss as measured by the weighing scale.

You get all the benefits above by being in the programme, plus the ability to make exercising as a lifestyle beyond these three months.

But if you’re really looking at weight loss and not seeing it on your scale, and you’re unhappy about it -
DO A REFLECTION.

1. EXERCISE (Caloric Expenditure)
   Have I exercised enough in a week as prescribed by the trainers?
   5 times a week is recommended, if not, go for 3 or 4
   Are you training hard enough? – Ensure that you’re working at a level that is of a *slight* discomfort
2. FOOD (Caloric Intake)
   Have I lowered my food intake?
   Am I eating the right things?
   Am I still eating after 7pm?

Always check and balance. Correct your lifestyle habits and find solutions.
NEVER, EVER GIVE UP.

Assignment For This Week

A lot of us set goals and work very hard for the first few weeks and then it fizzles after that. We need to tap the power of our brains to push us and endure in the pursuit of our goals. One of the strategies is to list down our motivators.

We’re all driven by these two motivators.

(1) Why do you want to lose fat and gain fitness?

(A) To avoid pain (fear of failure)
(B) To gain pleasure (promise of reward)

(2) Accolades – It’s nice to be nice. This is your chance to thank your teammates and friends at your workouts (names would be great)

List them down and check back here whenever you’re feeling down and have a reduction of enthusiasm! ____________________________________________________

Let’s increase the momentum and push forward – together!
Do remember to go for a fun physical activity at least 2 or 3 more times in a week and eat *Not* to the point that you’re full. Stop earlier.

You’ve already the knowledge on how to achieve your goals effective and efficiently.

You must now Take MASSIVE ACTION towards your goals.

Dedicated to YOUR success,

Coach Sharm, MSc
Master Trainer
TeamFitnessGuru.com

www.facebook.com/singaporepersonaltrainer
www.facebook.com/teamfitnessguru.com

Copyright TeamFitnessGuru.com 2010

Sharm (Hisham Musa) is a fitness consultant in Singapore to many high profile clients since 1998. He is equipped with a Master of Science (Exercise and Sports Studies) degree from Nanyang Technological University, (NTU) with 7 distinctions. He also has a Bachelor’s degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Postgraduate in Physical Education and Sports Science from NTU. Armed with international certifications, memberships and affiliations with the American College of Sports Medicine & National Academy of Sports Medicine, he stays current with the latest in the fitness and nutrition industry. He is NCAP 3* certified and is undergoing TRX Master Trainer development. His expertise have been featured in ChannelNewsAsia’s documentary – Vanity the Slim Society, Ch5 & Ch8 Lose To Win Reality TV, The Straits Times, & The Sunday Times. Magazines: Shape, Timeout, Women’s Weekly (Panel of Experts), The Finder, Her World. He is the owner of FitnessBootcamp.sg – the most creative fun group fitness workouts that has more than 500 individual signups in 5 months, with clients losing 10kgs of FAT in 3 months. Sharm shares how you can lose weight and get fit fast at Teamfitnessguru.com

Copyright TeamFitnessGuru.com™ 2010

Week 2 : LEARNING MODE part 2

Dear Friends,

Thank you for attending all the bootcamp sessions and doing your own workouts. Thank you for having faith in TFG fitness coaches to prescribe your exercises for you. Thank you for being there for your teammates and fellow bootcampers. Thank you for  working smart to achieve your goals.

To our HPB friends, thank you for creating this opportunity for all of us (TFG, HPB, Participants, etc)  to work together as a team to attain ONE common goal – better health for all.

If you’ve noticed, the intensity have been increased, and now there’s less talk and more action.

Announcements

1. Safety rule: Always remember that you are free to choose which exercises and intensities that you want to work on during your workouts with TFG trainers. Listen to your body.
2. Remember to utilise your low calorie meal vouchers at kopitiam.
3. Visit http://www.facebook.com/Losetowin to post your comments and views for HPB
4. Do your homework at TeamFitnessGuru.com for TFG coaches, your fellow bootcampers and most importantly – Yourself
5. For our Muslim bootcampers and GXers, Ramadan is approaching. Kindly read and adhere to the safety guidelines here.

Be inspired

On Saturday, we introduced to you Mr Khairul from Chartered Silicon partners – He was one of our Lose To Win 1 bootcampers. Looking fitter and leaner than ever, he will be attempting his first 42.195km Marathon end of this year.

Khairulnizam Jemaat
In 3 months, reduced weight by 13.2kg from 85 kg (BMI 28.1) to 71.8kg (BMI 23.7)

Some of you also expressed concerns about your age, in relation to fitness. Listen to your bodies and workout accordingly. Allow me to introduce Mr Raghu, 57 years young who lost 11% bodyfat in 3 months. He was best cadet (male) for Lose To Win 1.

Subramaniam Raghuraman (Right), from Eutech Instruments
In 3 months, Reduced by 9kgs, from 72.6kg (BMI 28) to BMI 24.6.
Lost 4 inches off waist and 11% body fat.

At 57, averages 1000 calories expenditure per workout.

Fitness Empowerment

If you’ve noticed, TFG’s workouts for LTW Workplace Challenge is a Holistic Fitness Empowerment Programme. It catapults you into changing your fitness lifestyle. Take what you’ve learnt here with us and use it in your daily lives. The trainer’s goals for you are Long Term. We want you to learn how to enjoy exercises and do it effectively and efficiently such that you’ll continue your workouts AFTER these three months with us.

For a start, use the Empowerment strategies in your own workouts on your own. 2 or 3 more times a week for about half an hour. Put on your earphones and crank the volume up of your iPhones!

__________________

Homework for week 2

At TFG, we integration of the mind and body is crucial, hence  physical activity must be complemented with sharing how you’re feeling, finding solutions to challenges that will obstruct your route to success. hence it is imperative that you complete your homework

(A) TEST on this Saturday!

Yeaps! We’ll do a quick check if you can recall verbal and visual cues to doing 3 exercises, with effectiveness and safety in mind.

1. Half Squats
   • Chest High, Feet Shoulder width apart
   • Sit into a virtual chair, Hands in front
   • Butt to the back
   • Knees behind your toes
2. Forward Lunges
   • Chest High, Take a step forward
   • 90 degree angles at both knees
   • Back knee nearly touching the floor
   • Knees behind your toes
3. Push Ups
   • Hands across the chest
   • Make a plank – ensure ankles, knees, hips and shoulders are aligned (No Bukit Timah hills)
   • Lower your chest to the ground, Head in front of shoulders
   • No praying
4. Modified Push Ups
   • Hands across the chest
   • Knees on the ground,
   • Make a plank – ensure knees, hips and shoulders are aligned (No Bukit Timah hills)
   • Lower your chest to the ground, Head in front of shoulders
   • No praying

(B) OFFLINE Homework

1) Do 4 or 5 physical activity sessions (30 minutes or more)  by yourself or with your friends. You have 2 bootcamp sessions per week – that means 3 sessions without your trainers.  Play sports, go for a brisk walk, do bodyweight exercises, climb up staircase, etc. Just move!

2) Cut back your food consumption by another 10%. Which means, you should be eating 81% of your normal food consumption prior to session one of bootcamp. Throw or give the other 19% away. You should not be wasting the ‘extra’ food in your body – it’ll just be converted to fat if you don’t burn it away.

(C) ONLINE Homework

FITNESS PROGRAMME ANALYSIS

Short answers will do, if you don’t have a lot of time for this.

1) Write down the STRENGTHS and benefits of your exercise programme (Lose To Win programme and Your own workout).

Hints:

• The benefits of exercising (Other than weight loss) – think of other areas in your life (eg social, confidence, health, energy, business, family, medical costs, etc)
• The strength of group training
• The advantage of working with professional trainers

2) Write down the WEAKNESSES of your fitness programme. Als0 include what problems that may stop you from achieving your fitness dream now?

Hints:

• The cost of exercising, if any (what stops you from working out)
• The obstacles that’ll be in your way to going for LTW Fitness Bootcamp and your own exercises
• The obstacles that will stop you from eating 10% less and healthy food.

3) What are the SOLUTIONS to (2) the weaknesses that you listed down.

4) Tell us how many kilos you’ve shed so far AND/OR how much better you look and feel!

Looking forward to reading your analysis. Let’s share and find solutions for each other!

Thank you and live healthy. You should have a total of 4 to 5 physical activity sessions in a week, and enjoying them all.

Yours in fitness and health,

Sharm, MSc (NTU)
TeamFitnessGuru.com
www.facebook.com/singaporepersonaltrainer

PS: If your company is interested to engage Team Fitness Guru for your Fitness Programmes, kindly send your enquiries to mail@teamfitnessguru.com. We do corporate bootcamps, GX (Group exercise) classes, fitness/nutrition workshops, corporate fitness and weight loss programmes.

Share/Save]]> http://www.teamfitnessguru.com/ltw2wpc2/feed/ 75 http://www.teamfitnessguru.com/ltw2wpc1/ http://www.teamfitnessguru.com/ltw2wpc1/#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:24:12 +0000 sharm http://www.teamfitnessguru.com/?p=1775 LOSE TO WIN 2 Workplace Challenge

Week 1 : LEARNING MODE

Lose To Win! Woosh!

Dear friends

Thank you for making the decision to get fit and lose weight via this wonderful programme by the Health Promotion Board. You’ll find that in the next three months, you’d be fitter, stronger and posess more energy than you’ve ever had

On behalf of all your fitness coaches here at Team Fitness Guru, I’d like to say that it was nice knowing each and everyone of you. The enthusiasm you showed was amazing.

For those of you who are so excited to share your thoughts and do your online homework, you can start doing so first now, and check back again for more information later.

Work efficiently and effectively for success.

We made a lot of good friends from last year’s LTW1. Team Fitness Guru is honoured to assist them in your weight loss journey. And now, one year later, we’re here for the LTW2 participants (yes thats you!) with new and improved workouts and exercise prescription.

Well many others have and they’ve seen results – 12 kilos in 12 weeks? Really, thats easy – but requires work and determination. TFG’s long term goal is to get all of you to love fitness and have a high exercise adherence beyond 2010. (Yes some of last year’s LTW participants will be doing half/full marathon end of this year – I’ll introduce you to one of them soon).

Follow our guidance and instructions – we’re confident you’ll be on your way to SUCCESS. Need reassurance? Enjoy watching our clients’ testimonials here

Safety Rules to Follow

• If you are not feeling well or have flu like symptoms, you are not to allowed to join in the exercise sessions
• You are to free to choose if you want to workout or stop working out with TFG’s Fitness coaches at any time
• You are free to choose which (1) exercises or (2) intensities you want to do. Should you feel it is too hard or unable to do so, you can choose to not to do the exercise.
• If you need to see a medic, please inform your fitness coach and buddy first.

Be inspired

Lose to Win 1 Best cadet (Male), Subramaniam Raghuraman (Right), from Eutech Instruments
In 3 months, Reduced by 9kgs, from 72.6kg (BMI 28), now BMI 24.6. Lost 4 inches off waist and 11% body fat.

Lose to Win 1 Best cadet (Female), Ashirdahwani Asmawi (Left), from Tan Tock Seng Hospital
In 3 months, reduced weight by 13.2kg, from 96.6kg (BMI) 28.7 to 83.4kg (BMI 23.4)

A few more numbers for you

• Khairul lost 7kgs in 3 weeks
• Yuen-En Chong lost 8kgs after 6 weeks
• John Hoe – Weight drops from 153.6kg to 143.1 kg (10kgs) after 6 weeks
• Chris – Lost 11kgs in 6 weeks

If they can do it, I’m pretty sure you can too.

For everyone: Learning Mode

The first 2 weeks are strictly on ‘learning mode’. Do not work too hard and force yourself. The goals for this week are to get to know each other and learn the basic exercises.

Your Offline ‘Homework’

As mentioned during bootcamp this week – you have to know this very basic principle and equation to losing fat and weight

Weight loss = Caloric Intake < Caloric Expenditure

What do you have to do now?

• Increase your caloric expenditure – Aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week. Climb 5 Storey of stairs by end of week.
• Lower your caloric intake – Eat, but eat lesser. Do not eat to the point that you’re full. Lower your food intake this and next week by 10%.

Your Online  ‘Homework’

For any kind of intervention that is related to fitness, there are always the physical and mental angles that we should work on.

For this week, I need you to fill up the bottom portion of this blog post (Speak Your Mind Tell us what you’re thinking)

Here’s some guidelines :
For Both (1) Workplace challenge bootcampers and (2) Community challenge GXers

First of all, please introduce yourself – and from which team you’re from (eg: Team A bootcamp, Pasir Ris CC GXers)

A) What are your fitness goal?
B) What are the reasons why you want to achieve your goals?
C) How do you intend to achieve it?
D) Write what you feel about your Fitness coaches and teammates.

(E) Whenever you complete a physical activity of at least 10 minutes, TELL US HERE! Just come back and keep adding to the comments. Inspire us!

Oh by the way, add me on Facebook, will you?   http://Facebook.com/singaporepersonaltrainer

Sharm
Master Trainer
TeamFitnessGuru.com

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For our Muslim friends who are fasting during the Ramadan month,

In the morning

Please wake up for breakfast – drink lots and lots of water for sahur. Eat low glycemic index (GI) food such as wholemeal bread or brown rice too – this will release energy slowly and is the smarter way to eat. Eat lots of vegetables as they will make you fuller longer, plus they have a high nutrient density. Hint: Enjoy Broccoli – they’re the superstars of vegetables!

In the evening

For breaking fast – I know you’re hungry, but please eat slow and drink lots of water. I’d suggest you eat a bit for 3 minutes, then do your Maghrib. Then return back to have your dinner proper. This strategy allows your brain to get the signals from your stomach that your body is getting food and energy, and this ensures that you won’t eat too much (as compared to a one time dinner sitting where our brains only get the signals much later after you take your first bite). Eat low GI food if you can. And do not eat anything after 10pm.

During workout

For the workouts, do attend all sessions – you are free to sit out and rest at any time – only do the exercises that you can do. Our goal for you is to *MOVE* as much as you can, even if it’s only at 60% intensity

If you feel unwell during workout, please rest at the side.

Remember, the safety rule to adhere is that You are free to CHOOSE which exercises and intensities that you want to work on.

For workouts in the evening

For Community GXers, please break your fast accordingly (dont eat too much as you’re exercising a few minutes after that). You are encouraged to do your prayers straight after breaking fast. Do join us straight after that. GX workout starts at 7.20pm but you may join in (slightly later if need to) after your religious obligations

On behalf of TFG Chief Trainers and Fitness Coaches,

Yours in health and fitness,

Sharm, MSc (NTU)
TeamFitnessGuru.com

Quick Summaries

1. Set SMART goals – Aim for Aim for weight loss of not more than 0.5 to 1kg per week or 10% over 6 months.
2. 150 to 250 minutes of Moderate Intensity Physical Activity (start low intensity and increase intensity / duration / frequency / gradually)
3. Watch your Plate and Mind What You Eat
4. Join us at http://facebook.com/teamfitnessguru for health and fitness tips

Workout

1. Workout 3 to 5 times a week at moderate intensity, either alone, with your friends and/or families.
2. If you’re interested to join Team Fitness Guru’s workouts, check out http://FitnessBootcamp.sg for more information. Remember to SMS/Text the trainer in charge – locations, timings, mobile numbers here http://fitnessbootcamp.sg/locations
3. If you’ve been given a free TFG workout pass, please email the following details to mail@teamfitnessguru.com

• Your full name
• Email address (facebook email addresses are best)
• Mobile Number
• Organisation/Company
  
• Date/location/time you’re joining
• Who gave you the free pass?

Kindly note that your pass will expire on the last day of the month you were given the pass.

Corporate workout

Kindly check out http://teamfitnessguru.com/corporate and email us at mail@teamfitnessguru.com for investment details.

Assessment Tools

Weight Loss Motivation Questionnaire
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/data/hpb.home/files/whp/health_fac/newsevents/HR_Toolkit_Motivation_Qn.pdf

Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology)
http://uwfitness.uwaterloo.ca/PDF/par-q.pdf

Assessment Tools from the American College of Sports Medicine (online)
http://www.myexerciseplan.com/assessment/

DigiTools available in HPB Online

BMI calculator
http://www.knowyourbmi.sg/knowyourbmi.aspx

My Health Journal
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthtools/item.aspx?id=3450

Exercise Videos: funFITT, Tone & Stretch

http://media.hpb.gov.sg/HOP3/Videos/funFITT/funfitt_4min.wmv

http://www.hpb.gov.sg/digitools/channelvitem.aspx?id=4306

Mobile Diet Tracker
http://hpb.techstudio.mobi/diettracker/index.jsp

Food Intake Assessment
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/ere/ere070301.asp

Cooking Whole-grains

Getting it Right
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/digitools/channelvitem.aspx?id=6502

Fitness Magazine Articles

Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, thank you so much for your interest in our Corporate Healthy Weight @ Work Workshop, that is sponsored and endorsed by HPB and NTUC WDS. This is a HPB initiated project.

Before we proceed further, I’d like to invite you to subscribe to our Facebook page so that you’ll be updated with the latest development on these projects. You do that here http://www.facebook.com/TeamFitnessGuru by ‘liking’ the page.

Here’s the scoop about the workshop.

(A) Corporate Healthy Weight @ Work workshop

Objectives for employers:

1. To encourage employers in cultivating healthy lifestyle practices among employees, which will translate to higher productivity, reduce the need for unnecessary health-related expenses and boost morale among employees.
2. To increase awareness on BMI and healthy ways to manage weight

Objectives for employees:

1. Learn healthy lifestyle practices
2. Learn to manage healthy weight levels

This is a 1 Hour Talk for a max of 40 people (includes a 10 minute Q&A) – conducted in English

Topics Include:

1. Know your BMI
2. Obesity – Causes and Risk Factors
3. Concept of Energy Balance
4. Tips on How to Start and Maintain a Weight Loss Programme (includes Goal Setting, Managing Expectations & Weight loss misconceptions)
5. Overview of HPB’s Programmes at Workplaces

Company’s Investment for (A):

Total investment for the lecture is $526, but your company will only pay $100 after subsidies. Here’s the process:

1. Your company pays $200 to Team Fitness Guru (Fitness Guru Private Limited)
2. After which, your company writes in to NTUC WDS who will sponsor S$100 cash to your company for each unit of workshop

The relevant parties will get in touch with you when the payment process is streamlined.

There’s only spots for 50 companies available – I suggest that you make your booking early to avoid dissapointment.

Here’s the pamphlet from NTUC WDS

If you think this workshop will be interesting  and beneficial your company, please feel free to email the link to your friends, Bosses,  Human Resource or Wellness manager.

OPTIONAL : (B) TFG Corporate Group Workplace Workouts

We have been receiving many enquiries about our corporate fitness programmes too. Would you like to have us, the Fitness Partner to HPB’s National Healthy Lifestyle Campain 2009 to be your trainers for group exercise classes at your workplace?

You can mix and match these:

1. TFX Stretch and Tone
2. TFX Kickboxing
3. TFX Quickie Bootcamp
4. TFX Toning – ABT (Abs Butt Tigh)
5. TFX Circuit Fitness
6. TFX Martial Arts (Kick Boxing, Muay Thai, etc)
7. TFX Flow Fitness
8. TFX Buddy Fitness
9. TFX Jam and Hop (Plyometrics
10. TFX Stretch Fitness  (Pilates, Yoga, Taichi, Gymnastics)
11. TFX Circuit Conditioning
12. TFX Functional Fitness

Company’s Investment for (B)

This is an optional, time-sensitive value added service from TFG. TFG will be sponsoring $302 for each group workout – so each class is $198 (Usual about $500) and lasts about 60 minutes.

1. One trainer
2. For off-peak periods only.
3. Maximum 10 sessions.
4. 20 participants maximum per workout.
5. Only available for 10 slots/companies.
6. Subject to trainer and slot availability.

You can find what our clients think about us here

Interested?

Just drop a mail to mail@teamfitnessguru.com if you’re interested with the following details:

1. Your Full name
2. Position
3. Company Name
4. Phone number (Mobile)
5. Phone number (Office)
6. Programme interested
7. Email Address
8. Facebook email address (optional)
9. Dates (day) preferred (Programme A)
10. Time slot prefered (Programme A)
11. How many people will be attending this workshop?
12. How many sessions would you like to have for Progamme B (Optional)? Yes/No

If you think the information above would be useful for your colleagues and friends, please feel free to forward it to them, or link http://www.teamfitnessguru.com/healthyweightatwork/ in your facebook / twiter status.

Thank you very much.

Yours in health,

Sharm (Hisham Musa)
TeamFitnessGuru.com

http://Fitnessbootcamp.sg
http://www.facebook.com/TeamFitnessGuru
http://tinyurl.com/healthyweightatwork

Mobile: +65 91090995
http://facebook.com/singaporepersonaltrainer

.

Dear LTW 2009 Participants

It was great meeting so many of you again last Saturday – What made us trainers and HPB proud / happy is that *MANY* of you have continued to slim down (or maintain your weight) and most importantly, look fitter and stronger.  The TFX Fit Test proved it!  We thank you for keeping up with your fitness workouts and eating right.

Hope you like the TFX Functional Bodyweight and TFX Flow Fitness that we did together. Glad you loved our Indoor GX Workouts with Zhywee and gang too. Keep up the energy

Well I’m going to keep this short and sweet (I’ll try).

TFX Fit Test - Now you know where you stand – aim for improvement in the repetitions per station. Bravo 2 – 200%,  Bravo 1 – 150%, Alpha 2 – 125% and Alpha 1 – 100%. As an example, for Alpha 1, if you could do 20 push ups, aim for 40 by the time we do the Final Fitness Assessment at the stadium in the 5th Week. Do note that the Fit Test is not official but was done for all of us so that we know how fit (unfit) we are and what we should aim to improve by the next 5 weeks.

Learn: Fitness – One Hundred and Fifty It’s simple – in one week, clock at least 150 minutes of physical activity.

Table adapted from ACSM website on 28th April 2010.

There’s no homework or assignments – but feel free to drop a comment with regards to any of the following yeah?

1. You thoughts on the workouts done (Reunion workouts) so far
2. How you can  achieve your 150 minutes minimum a week?
3. What you see in others that’s inspiring during our sessionss?

Go for it!

Oh by the way, HPB has made us the official vendor for Corporate Weight Management workshop -It includes fitness, nutrition and psychological components – the TFG way. Your company only pays $100 out of the near $600 hour lecture.   We will also provide a BMI machine for your company at location for a whole week for you and your colleagues to measure your BMI. The low cost is made possible by the generous sponsor (NTUC) and of course HPB funding. It is only limited to 50 companies, within these next 5 months. If you’re interested, kindly get your HR or Wellness manager to enquire at mail@teamfitnessguru.com

Looking forward to meeting all 80+ of you again soon on Saturday.

Your humble fitness coach,

Sharm
TeamFitnessGuru.com