Exercise Archives - Page 2 of 2

August 22, 2017August 16, 2019

Are you feeling sorry for yourself and can’t lose weight?

This is the journey of Sharyn Bortle: 50 year old first time bride (and soon to be step-mom), athlete at Training for Warriors Athens, and survivor.

Cancer, a complete hysterectomy, and feeling sorry for herself caused Sharyn to have a hate-affair with her inability to lose weight.

Although this isn’t a story about Sharyn’s Ovarian Cancer, it is a story about how steroids, a complete hysterectomy, and feeling sorry for herself caused her to gain a lot of weight and lose a lot of self esteem. “I don’t know if anyone can relate, but it is hard out there for an overweight, pale, bald woman!” she exclaims. For 47 years she had always been thin, even if not in her head.

Sharyn had a gym membership elsewhere and two, thirty minute sessions per week wasn’t getting her where she wanted to be. Her fiancé has been a member of SBG Athens for many years. She noticed the profound change in him when he isn’t able to attend classes regularly. Sessions with her admittedly, amazing personal trainer, didn’t make her nearly as happy and she was close to her breaking point.

She began to explore the SBG website to see if there was something for her. She knew she didn’t want to “roll around with strangers and swap sweat.” She researched the Training For Warriors (TFW) program and saw a mix of activities she thought she would love. “I could feel my 16 year old athlete coming out” she said.

Sharyn joined TFW Athens the middle of May this year and hasn’t missed a class since July 1. In full disclosure though, she hasn’t seen any weight loss or loss of inches to talk about. “BUT, and this is very important, I am NOT discouraged. Why? Because I feel great, I look healthy, I am making friendships, I am keeping up with life,” she says enthusiastically. Some days she even feels like she is out in the lead. She thinks that is a real testament to the atmosphere at SBG/TFW.

She knows that physical results will come eventually. In the meantime, Sharyn is forming meaningful relationships, learning about her potential, and concerning herself with her attributes instead of her flaws or short comings. Most importantly, she understands that she is worth it, worth budgeting financially, and allowing herself the “luxurious necessity” of daily trips to the gym. “Perhaps this understanding just comes with age, as I just turned 50, or with the understanding that your good health can evaporate in a single doctor’s visit – but either way, one deserves to take good care of oneself,” she concludes.

I leave you with the top three tips that helped Sharyn transform:

“These come to mind because they are so apropos for life in and out of the gym”

‘Chest up’; ‘Elbows in.’ Back straight’ – TFW Coaches
‘Don’t Apologize.’ – Coach Steve
‘You Got This.’ – TFW Teammates

Do you struggle with some of the same things with which Sharyn struggled? You CAN make that change and TRANSFORM your life also!

Do you want to learn how to drop 10-15 pounds?
Need help with your nutrition?
Looking to start a fitness program?
We have just the thing for you. Click the button below and learn more about our 28 Day Transformation Challenge today!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

July 26, 2017August 16, 2019

Are You Battling Depression, Anxiety, and a Lack of Motivation?

This is the first in a series of blogs devoted to individual members of our Tribe. They are sharing some of their history, both prior to and during their time at TFW Athens. They tell of struggles, fears, concerns, and questions about wanting more from life. There is a Hero’s Journey in all of them. They each recognize that which they are lacking, search for guidance, “Slay The Dragon”, and provide insights to others on a similar quest. It is our sincere hope that contained herein, you the reader see there is help for you within these walls. Join the fastest growing group fitness program in the world at TFW Athens and “Bring Out The Warrior Within!”

This is the journey of Tiffany Hope Rogers; student at Training for Warriors Athens

Life before she started training at TFW Athens was filled with depression, anxiety, and a lack of motivation.

She was enrolled at a “regular gym (machines and cardio)” the year prior to joining TFW. Suffering from headaches and constant fatigue, Tiffany decided she would “rather waste money monthly for the 12 month contract I signed than actually go to the gym”

Tiffany was looking to get in shape and practice a form of self care. “Trapped in an unhealthy relationship”, she was in need of self confidence and something to fill her time “with some form of positivity.” She started TFW through a 5 week trial program. She remembers her consultant, Ashley, being super motivational, and although she couldn’t perform the basic exercises “there was no shame at all.”

After her first class with the rest of the tribe her nervousness (to the point she though she would be sick) quickly faded. “The coaches were always so supportive and empowering. They know the right balance of encouraging someone to push harder and pushing someone to the point of being discouraged”; a difference she finds very important. Tiffany loves her fellow training partners and the judgement free environment. “I swear- somehow the gym does a good job of attracting good people.”

Although Tiffany has lost weight (and all while earning her Master’s and studying abroad) it is not the thing for which she is most focused. “I feel as though the most significant results I have had is feeling both mentally and physically stronger.” About a year and a half after entering TFW Athens she “felt so much better”. Although a combination of factors has led to her discontinuing both her anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications; she contributes a lot of that to going to the gym.

I think Tiffany does a great job below in explaining the power of TFW.

“I have gained a significant amount of confidence and self-worth- something not as easily numerically measured but so valuable to my everyday life. You start the program not being able to do an appropriate squat and then you hear your coach say your squat with a barbell on your back looks perfect and you say to yourself, “Okay…Now I am officially a badass.” How much weight did not really matter, there was no competition with anyone else besides myself, and then I just made the decision to feel awesome. I think actually being stronger helps too- I have had to move a couple times in a short period of time and having the ability to pack and move my stuff without completely tiring myself out was definitely a needed change.”

Her favorite part of TFW is that the gym is very holistic, family orientated, and community involved. She has been able to take both nutrition and self defense seminars. Additionally, she thinks it’s awesome that SBG (where TFW is located) takes the time to give back to the community in the form of: blood drives, toys for tots, food drives, road beautification, self defense seminars for children and women, and a 501(c)3 booster club to help youth students compete). “I think this alone is what sets SBG apart from other gym in Athens/Georgia.”

Here are the top three tips that helped Tiffany transform:

“Despite popular belief it is okay for women to……eat protein and lift heavy.
If you need to ask your team for help (for someone to run with you or give you extra encouragement) it is completely okay to ask. That is the point of having a tribe/familia (different terms have been used in this tip).
Sometimes the most important thing you can do for yourself is just make it through the door.”

Do you struggle with some of the same things with which Tiffany struggled? You CAN make that change and TRANSFORM your life also!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

April 27, 2017August 16, 2019

If not for your health, how about your wallet?

The Rising Costs of Being Obese

Let the following statistics (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/economic/), about the increasing costs of medical expenses faced by obese individuals, sink it.

“Several investigators have evaluated the cost of obesity on an individual level. Finkelstein and colleagues found that in 2006, per capita medical spending for obese individuals was an additional $1,429 (42 percent higher) compared to individuals of normal weight. (7) Cawley and Meyerhoefer, meanwhile, found that per capita medical spending was $2,741 higher for obese individuals than for individuals who were not obese-a 150 percent increase. (1)

Thompson and colleagues concluded that, over the course of a lifetime, per-person costs for obesity were similar to those for smoking. (10) In middle-age men, treatment of five common obesity-related conditions (stroke, coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol) resulted in roughly $9,000 to $17,000 higher costs compared to normal-weight adults.”

Most people don’t make great decisions when it comes to their health. This is best evidenced by the nurse taking care of you at the hospital that is far too heavy and prone to smoke breaks during her shift. S/he knows they aren’t modeling healthy behavior for their patients, or themselves; but that doesn’t keep them from ingesting thousands of empty calories, smoking, and/or not exercising.

I have found that speaking to someone about their poor health now, or the future, is often met with dismissal. There is always a litany of excuses about why a person is unable to start on a path to health and wellness. These take the form as follows:

Too busy taking care of others
Too busy working
Don’t know how to get started
Don’t know how to eat healthier
Afraid of going to a gym because they are heavy
Fear of being judged because of their weight
Don’t have the money to invest in a gym membership
etc., etc,…

Keeping in mind the difficulty I have faced over the years speaking to someone’s sensibility, I would like to take a different approach. Forget for a moment the physiological toll being obese takes (this list is long), the monetary toll is astounding.

Being obese is going to bankrupt you. Being unhealthy in general is expensive. Reread the first two paragraphs again. The amount of money an obese person will spend in a year/lifetime is staggering.

I’d like to share a quick story with you. My brother, Adam, was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes a couple of years ago. He ate himself into that condition and at the time of his diagnosis was around 70 pounds overweight. As a provider of health and fitness (and co-owner of SBG Athens with me) he was far from a good role model. This was something he knew but seemed somewhat powerless to remedy. I believe he battled with it on a daily basis.

Learning that he had diabetes and finally having a doctor tell him he was at risk of losing his sight and his life, he decided to do something about it. Not all people are like Adam though. His IQ and intellect allowed for him to study and research his disease (as well as his stunning knowledge of strength and nutrition) to the point that his doctor consults with him on his own treatment. I don’t believe for a second my brother is the only person ever to walk into a doctor’s office and be told they were on a path which ended in death.

I understand that most people aren’t willing to do the research and learn about how to be healthy. It can be pretty simple though. You can get out and walk, stop snacking, eat smaller meals, and drink water instead of soft drinks just to name a few. As a one time business mentor told me, “You either do it yourself, or pay someone else to do it for you.” What that means is, you either cure yourself by learning about proper nutrition, weight loss, strength training, etc.; or pay someone else to do it for you.

Think about how much money you will spend on hospital visits, cardiac surgeries, increased insurance fees, and on medications. Don’t forget the money lost due to absence from work (as well as lost time with your family and loved ones), and long term disability. These are the costs you will pay for being unhealthy. Why instead wouldn’t a person choose to invest their money in a fitness program that can alleviate those expenses over time? If you aren’t willing to make a decision with your head, maybe I can get you to make a decision with your wallet. It certainly can’t hurt any more than you are presently hurting yourself.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

March 24, 2017August 16, 2019

Diet Problems Solved With One Question

Do you have difficulty selecting the right kind and amounts of food to eat throughout the day? If so, you will want to read this article from TFW Founder, Martin Rooney about the secret question he discovered to solve all your nutrition and diet issues. Answer the question correctly and watch your life change.

As a “fitness guy,” you might think working out and eating right is easy for me. Maybe you believe I spend my time in between multiple workouts a day eating Brussels sprouts and grilled chicken with nothing but a smile on my face because of some enhanced ability to delay gratification.

Perhaps you imagine I am also impervious to the confusion caused by the latest diet fad and just munch on celery sticks while dreaming up my next warrior workout.

I wish I could say you’re right, but I can’t.

Just like you, I face daily challenges in terms of my health and fitness. My biggest health challenge isn’t getting to the gym.

To be honest, my toughest health obstacle has to do with my eating.

Click the image below to download the 5 TFW Weight Loss Myths

TFW Athens

But just like I love to train, I also love to eat.

When it comes to eating, however, satisfying my body and mind is not so easy. I have learned overloading your plate isn’t as positive as overloading your deadlift.

If you also have some challenges with your eating, I have great news!

I have a way to help. Before I give you the answer, I want to ask you 10 QUESTIONS about your past diet practices:

Have you ever eaten too much to only ask “Why did I just do that?”

Have you ever found it difficult to stop eating until your plate is empty?

Do you ever select a restaurant according to how much food you get per serving?

Do you ever eat so fast you didn’t even notice the taste or texture of the food?

Do you care less about the quality of your food as the amount increases? (Buffet anyone?)

Do you find yourself snacking at work because food is there?

Do you ever eat out of boredom?

Do you find yourself eating for entertainment or out of emotion?

Do you ever feel bad or guilty about the things you ate?

Is your family or social life centered around food or drink consumption?

If you answered “yes” to any (or many) of the QUESTIONS above, you are just like me.

I have been a culprit of eating too much, thinking consistent exercise was a license to eat whatever I wanted, eating when I was distracted, inhaling jars of “natural” peanut butter because I thought it was healthy, and racing up for seconds to make sure I got as much food as possible before I got full.

I have realized I have some mental programs that create challenges with my eating. If you answered “yes” to some of the questions above, maybe you have some bad eating programs too.

Why do you have these mental programs about eating?

You can blame your post-Depression era parents or grandparents.

You can blame the marketers and the fast food companies.

You can blame the starving people from around the world you were warned about as a child.

Go ahead. Blame the carbs.

Blame the fats.

But that won’t help you.

You need to do something to “change the program” and I have one

QUESTION that can help.

This is the QUESTION I now ask before every meal and it is helping me.

This QUESTION helps me to take and eat less food.

This QUESTION allows me to leave something on my plate.

This QUESTION taught me not having seconds is ok.

This QUESTION stops me from stuffing myself when I am no longer hungry.

This QUESTION has been so powerful for me, I want to give this gift to you.

Here it is: “AM I FEEDING MY BODY OR MY MIND?”

How does it work?

Right before you are about to eat, ask yourself the QUESTION. If you decide you are feeding your mind, make the appropriate changes, omissions or additions to your meal.

Answering honestly will help you to determine whether the food choice is right, the amount of food is right, and if the timing of the food is right for your body.

Face it, you already have all the answers.

You know what is and is not good for your body and when you need to eat. Use the QUESTION so your mind doesn’t allow you to act confused. Fruits, Vegetables, Lean Meats, Water. Start there and feed your body before your mind worries you about the difficulty with going gluten-free.

Food is a drug.

People who have overcome challenges with drugs still face those challenges every day. The plan to stay drug-free is simple:

Use effective strategies to avoid bad habits and take it one day at a time.

For your challenges with food, take one meal at a time. The effective strategy is to ask, answer and adapt to THE QUESTION.

Now I know you may have one QUESTION of your own:

“Is it ever ok to feed my mind?” My answer is, “of course.”

Whether you want to call it a cheat meal, a treat or a sweet indulgence, I think you need to keep your mind happy too.

But this is not a license to allow your mind to destroy your body.

Constantly indulging your mind at the expense of your body is not the answer.

If you have a sweet tooth, have a taste of chocolate, not the whole bar.

If you like steak, cut it in smaller pieces and save some for later.

Want some ice cream? Have a small cone, not the whole gallon.

But which ever you choose, when you are treating your mind, do not forget to ask yourself the QUESTION.

Can it be that simple?

Give it a try and see for yourself.

Are You Feeding Your Body Or Your Mind?

The answer could set you free,
Martin

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

March 24, 2017August 16, 2019

Exercise Doesn’t Have To Be Scary.

The Secret to Every Successful Diet And Fitness Program

Sometimes the big secret to doing something is just showing up. In this article from TFW Founder, Martin Rooney, he will help you overcome the possible fear and doubt you may currently have about joining an exercise and fitness program. Enjoy the article and I hope you find that which you should really be fearful.

People are naturally afraid of things like heights, snakes and spiders. Put most children and adults up on something really high or hand them a python and they will give you the same reaction.

Fortunately for you (unless you are a skydiver or collector of reptiles,) you probably don’t have to elicit these inborn fear responses very often.

Unfortunately for you, however, since there are centers of your brain always on the hunt for things of which to be afraid, when old fears start to disappear from your life, your brain is excellent at creating new ones.

I see this fear creation ability first hand at almost every gym I visit around the world.

Recently we held an orientation for the new members of our TFW program. I thought this hour-long event was to introduce and explain to the 25 new people about the program and how to best benefit from the training, but I was wrong.

Instead, I realized I had to remove the fear all of these people have about joining and participating in an exercise program.

How did I know?

Terror is easy to read on the faces of your audience when you are standing in front of them.

A new member of a fitness program is easy to spot. When the new members entered the building last night, I could immediately recognize most of them were anxious.

Unlike walking into a movie theater, restaurant, or mall for the first time, these people were downright apprehensive.

I was saddened when I saw this behavior, because I realized the current message about exercise being portrayed to people must be too “extreme,” “insane,” and “hardcore.”

Gone are the days that people gladly get a new pair of running shoes, an outfit and join the gym. Now people procrastinate searching the web about training only to get terrified and confused by the concept of having to go “Paleo” and the prospect of tearing off the palm of your hand after switching to “beast mode.”

To be clear, exercise is not scary. And at TFW we will prove it.

You see, sitting on the couch and eating fast food is scary.

Lifting a bar with weights off the floor while working out is not dangerous.

Lifting too much food to your mouth without working out is dangerous.

Running, jumping and sweating is not going to disable you.
Cancer, diabetes and heart disease will disable you.

Click the image below to download the 10 Reasons Why Someone Should Drop 10 – 15 Pounds

TFW Athens

Fitness is not the enemy here. Obesity (which can be the cause of all the other diseases I mentioned) is the enemy here and I want you to be more afraid of that.

During the evening, as I talked about the expectations for the program, I could see the fear start to melt away. The initial anxious scowls were turned into optimistic smiles.

But I had to wonder:

“What about all the people that didn’t come tonight because they were too afraid? What about the people around the world that walk up to a gym door, but can’t muster the courage to open it and walk in?”

That was the moment I knew I had to write this in hopes at least one reader is empowered to use the “Most Important Aspect of a Successful Fitness Program.”

The highlight of the orientation was not me presenting, but my wife and another TFW veteran named Michael sharing the results our program has produced for them. Both testimonials about how the program has helped them in terms of weight loss, muscle gain and the reduction of health risks was valuable, but each of them shared the secret to succeeding at anything:

YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP!

Michael let the group know he spends his days driving for work and had gained over 50 pounds. He knew he was eating the wrong things. He knew exercise was important. He heard it from both his doctor and his kids.

Notches on his belts his tailor was telling him too. But he said nothing happened until he committed and SHOWED UP the first day. My wife shared similar challenges and just the simple action of SHOWING UP wiped that fear away enough to let her get started.

Do any of these make you nervous about starting something new?

•Fear of Failure

•Fear of Change

•Fear of Injury

•Fear of Rejection

•Fear of Reality

If you are fearful about starting anything new like a fitness program, career choice, musical instrument or even writing a blog, the secret of SHOWING UP will make those nerves go away.

Action is the magical cure to your fears and you don’t need a prescription to get it. Action is where the fear ends and the excitement begins.

SHOW UP and you can no longer let the first step be what’s holding you back.

SHOW UP and your calling, art, passion becomes more believable.

SHOW UP and your potential will start to come through.

The first thing I did at the orientation was congratulate the attendees on his or her courage. When they looked back quizzically, I reminded them they had already taken the most courageous step: they SHOWED UP.

Now I am challenging you.

A warrior is defined as a fighter.

A warrior is also defined as being brave.

And bravery is not the absence of fear, it is SHOWING UP in spite of it.

Time to SHOW UP,
Martin

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

This is the journey of Sharyn Bortle: 50 year old first time bride (and soon to be step-mom), athlete at Training for Warriors Athens, and survivor. Cancer, a complete hysterectomy, and feeling sorry for herself caused Sharyn to have a hate-affair with her inability to lose weight.

This is the journey of Tiffany Hope Rogers; student at Training for Warriors Athens

Life before she started training at TFW Athens was filled with depression, anxiety, and a lack of motivation.

The Rising Costs of Being Obese

This is the journey of Sharyn Bortle: 50 year old first time bride (and soon to be step-mom), athlete at Training for Warriors Athens, and survivor.

Cancer, a complete hysterectomy, and feeling sorry for herself caused Sharyn to have a hate-affair with her inability to lose weight.