As most of you are still feeling Old Man Winter ( not me, I live in Houston for a reason), the countdown to Spring Break, Memorial Day and believe it or not, Summer is on!  

If there's one thing I preach everyday to my clients and anyone else who will listen, results take time.  One good meal doesn't make you thin and one good workout doesn't make you ready for the beach. Consistency is the key to enjoying long term success.  

But, you can be foolish with your efforts and you can be smart with your efforts. Burning body fat is not rocket science.  It's doing small things every day that give you the results you crave.  

As I sat down to write a blog with my personal favorites to turn your body into a fat burning machine, I remembered an article that http://www.bodybuilding.com/ posted at the beginning of the year.  

No need to write any more unless I want to plagiarize this blog. This is the article you need to read to keep your body a fine tuned fat burning machine!  

Cheers to your health and fitness!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/50-fat-torching-tricks-fire-up-your-fat-loss.html

Right about now you may be thinking of investing in a personal trainer to help you reach your 2014 goals.

Most go at it alone in the beginning and then realize they need some extra help.  So, right about now I start getting the phone calls/texts/emails saying "Help me Kathy!"

If you're in the market for a personal trainer to help you, great! Here's some things you should look for and EXPECT when you hire a certified personal trainer.

1) Education and Certification:
I'm not saying that years of experience as an athlete or hanging out at a gym can't add some benefit to your training, but let's face it- you are paying for a level of expertise above and beyond what you can research on the Internet.  

Your trainer should be certified or have a 4 year degree in the field of physical fitness. This shows a level of professionalism above others who claim to know it all,  but haven't shown the level of dedication to get certified.

2) Ask for a consultation first.
If you and your trainer do not know each other, ask for a consultation.  I meet with every client first so we can discuss expectations, ask questions, etc.  I want my client to feel comfortable with me and the gym.  As well, I want an opportunity to visit with the client and have a better understanding of their goals.

Do not hire a trainer without a free 15-30 minute consult first. Ask lots of questions - the only dumb question is the one not asked.  Let me be clear, this is not a workout but a "get to know" session.  Actual gym time is charged.

3)  Look around and ask for referrals.
If you belong to a corporate gym (24 Hour Fitness, Lifetime Fitness, etc) then take some time to watch the other trainers as they are working- you will get an idea of who is competent and who is not.  Ask your friends and family for a referral.

4) Sessions begin on time.
Your trainer should always be on time.  Even if you're not on time, your trainer should be on time.  You are paying for the session so when you show up is your business, but trainer tardiness is inexcusable.

5) Professionalism in the gym.
If your trainer is walking around with their cell phone and not paying attention to you, this is a big problem.  I do have to handle a text every now and then but my phone is not part of my training equipment.

Visiting with others in the gym is also a big No-No.  I enjoy the camaraderie with members and other trainers but I don't abandon my clients in order to visit with a non- paying client.

6) Be smart with your training time.
Do not let a trainer watch you warm up on the treadmill as you're paying him/her to do their own thing.  I ask all my clients to arrive early so they can be ready when it's THEIR time. Unless the client and I have decided mutually that cardio will be part of their workout, I do not have a client pay me while I watch him/her run on a treadmill.

7) Giving every client the same workout.
Does your trainer understand your goals?  Does your trainer have your best interest at heart?  If you belong to a gym and have an opportunity to watch some trainers, make sure they are keeping it fresh for everyone.

8) Do not give up a huge amount of money up front.
Do not pay for a huge package of sessions up front without trying out the trainer. I've heard of trainers selling themselves by offering huge discounts but the catch is you have to buy a large number of sessions up front. If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is.

9)  Make sure you can get a copy of your workout.
You have a right to a "hard copy" of your workout.  If you are working out with a trainer who isn't keeping track of your workouts or writing anything down, then you might be getting the same workout as the client before you and the client after you.

If you are following body part splits or certain programs for increasing weight/sets/reps then I understand.  But, at any point in time, your trainer should be able to give you a hard copy of your workout if asked.  Be clear on the policy before you commit to a package.

10) Be wary of trainers that push their own supplement sales.
It's one thing to suggest supplements but it's another to be pushy and claim that results will not be met unless you buy them - and buy them from the trainer.  This is totally unprofessional.  


Ahhhh- but guess what....your trainer also has expectations of you as well.  I'm known to be a tough love trainer but my clients know from the beginning what to expect of me. 

1) Take responsibility for yourself.
I'm not responsible for you 24 hours/day.  What you do when you leave me is your choice.  I give you my full attention when you are with me but if you leave and make poor decisions , that's on you.

2)  Don't slack during your workouts.
Don't be upset by the results you get if you aren't putting in the work.  Be committed to your workouts and your trainer.  

3) Be committed to your schedule.
Your trainer has reserved days and times each week- be respectful of their schedule and if you have to cancel, do it in timely manner or expect to be charged the full amount of the session.

4) One workout doesn't make you a fitness model.
Good quality results take time.  Have realistic expectations and give the process a chance.

5) You can't out-train a bad diet.
80% of your fitness success depends on a good meal plan.  If you are busting your butt in the gym but not following a quality meal plan the other 23 hours/day, you can forget seeing results. Period.

As always, feel free to email me with questions or comments.  kathy.laucius@yahoo.com

Thanks for reading and cheers to your health and fitness!

How's your 2014 health and fitness resolutions working out so far?  You've probably figured out right about now that all the motivation in the world isn't going to take the place of proper planning and execution.  

You went into this month like gangbusters and then WHOA...this stuff is hard!  Planning your gym time, shopping for clean food, preparing it and following through with your meal plan is challenging, but it doesn't have to be so overwhelming that you throw in the towel. Start small habits now that will lead to a lifestyle that lasts forever.   

My best advice is to take each week at a time.  Each week poses different challenges so assuming that the same approach every week will work will not only set you up for setbacks, but it may derail you all together.  

Here are my tips for a successful week:

1) Review the calendar for the week and sync with other family members.  Plan your workouts and put them on the calendar. Sync with your family AND KEEP THE APPOINTMENT.  If you leave working out to a "how I feel when you I wake up" mentality,  it will not happen.  There will always be something to get in your way.  Pack a bag with your clothes, IPOD, gloves and get to work.  Don't plan your workouts for 5am if you're not a morning person.  You couldn't pay me (well maybe) to workout before 7am.  I know my body and I don't function well before that time.

2) Plan your workouts.  If you're not following a designated program or working with a trainer, map out a plan for each week. Know what you are going to do each time you go to the gym ....and be prepared to have a back up plan.  If you planned to work legs but every machine is being used, have an alternative plan to work another body part.  

3) All crap food gets thrown away on Sundays.  Crap food manages to make it's way in the house with entertainment leftovers, cheat day splurge meals, etc.   We don't always plan for crap food to make it's way in the house but it does....throw it away and make a fresh start.

4) Plan your dinners first.   Say what Kathy??  You want me to plan my dinners for the week?  What about the other meals? 

This has always been my "trick" when working with my clients from a nutrition aspect.  And this is why....so many times we go along in our day and eat great, right?  Healthy breakfast followed by your healthy snack followed by your healthy lunch followed by......UH OH - WHAT AM I GOING TO EAT FOR DINNER?  Welcome to your Diet Disaster Hell.

This is the time of day most people are starting to feel their blood sugar crash, they are pissed at the world for eating all this healthy food and not getting to eat their 3:00pm M&M's and Coke .  Maybe they are hungry & experiencing cravings because they've started to cut out the crap and the instant gratification isn't what it used to be (for now) ?  They say "middle finger to this" and eat poorly- which leads to choosing the wrong foods for dinner. 

Try this instead:

*Sync calendars so everyone is on the same page re: the commitments for the week. 

* Plan for the number of meals to be eaten in the home & how many family members will be in attendance.  Get every one's input for meals and plan ahead for possible leftovers to be used for lunch the next day.

*If cooking isn't your bag and you're used to eating out or take out, invest the same money into healthy takeout meals made fresh each day.   Many companies have order forms online.  You place your order and have the food delivered to you or you pick it up once/week. PLEASE don't buy Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice or Weight Watchers frozen meals - it's sodium laced processed junk.  Invest in yourself and buy fresh meals.

5) Pick a designated day to shop and cook food:  For me, I prefer to shop on Sundays. I spend about 1-2 hours chopping up vegetables, making 2 days worth of rice and preparing up 2 days of protein ( chicken, fish & turkey).  You can also make your meals and freeze for the week.  I prefer to cook fresh every few days. 

6) Organize your refrigerator and pantry.  Have your food readily available and in plain sight.  The easier you can reach for food after a workout or first thing in the morning, the better your results will be.

7) Keep a food/exercise journal each week.
This is always my "go to" solution for organization.  You may think you remember what you ate or how long you did cardio, but by the end of the week your brain is fried.  Keep a journal for each day. This is a great way to track progress and poke holes at your routine and make it better each week.

8) Make a check list for each day/night.  I have a list I follow every night before I go to bed: pack gym bag with clothes, pack supplements and food, charge IPOD, etc.  I even remind myself to set the coffee pot-THAT would not be a good thing to forget.  

9) Plan your Zzzzzz's. Try to stick with a designated bed time and wake up time each day. Sleep is usually one of the most ignored components of fitness.  Your body needs it. Deprive it and it will set you up for all sorts of chaos, not to mention slow down your progress.

10) Plan for obstacles. That's right.  Plan to have the best laid plans come to a screeching halt for one reason or another.  If you have to miss a workout or your healthy dinner just turned into a night with your colleagues or family, tell yourself that it's not the end of your journey but another chance to learn how to work through the obstacles. 




I know it's hard.  I've been there and still work every day on my lists and keeping everything in check.  But, everyday you put the wheels in motion is one more day closer to the finish line.

Thanks for reading and cheers to your health and fitness!

Another year- another chance to get it right.  If your health and fitness is at the top of your "to do" list this year,  I have great news!

This can be done. It's just a matter of staying consistent, putting one foot in front of the other and most of all, remember that the outcome is entirely up to you!

You are not waiting for the CEO of a company to call you in for an interview, you're not praying over your lottery ticket and you're not investing in risky stocks. You see where I'm going with this?  This is not a game where your odds are one in a million - this outcome is completely up to you.  YOU make it happen.

Let's get started!

1) Understand and define your motivation.  What is your goal?

* Maybe your goal is to get off your blood pressure or cholesterol medicine?
* Maybe your goal is to get ready for Spring Break or summer vacation?
* Maybe your goal is to stop the cycle of constantly starting over?
* Maybe your goal is to become more healthy to keep up with life demands?

Whatever your goal may be, write it down and keep it visual.  

2)  Keep an activity journal for a month. Do you know what you do in a day?

Write down your sleep pattern, all meals, exercise and time spent at work ( commute included).  You cannot set up a plan without knowing your current demands of life.  It's amazing what happens when you write this down (or use an app) and really see what's going on with you.
* I've mentioned this before in previous blogs - there is no way I would be where I am today if I had not taken the time to keep a journal of my daily life.  This helped me realize my strengths/weaknesses and make me more productive when planning my day.

3) Make a plan for a LIFESTYLE ( and be prepared for the plan to change).

So, you have a realistic idea of what your day looks like? You're not going to get up at 4 am to workout if you go to bed a midnight, right?  You're not going to eat egg whites if you hate eggs?  Make your plan work for you, not against you.

And wait- just as you have a handle on everything, your daily life and commitments may change. Get a hold of the basics that keep your routine in place so you can be ready for the "unexpected".  

Personally, I must spend about 20-30 minutes getting myself ready for the next day.  I pack my gym clothes, food, supplements and even set the coffee maker.  One thing I've learned about myself is that I'm totally useless in the morning.  I will not be prepared for the day unless I get my act together the night before.

4) Enlist some buddies or a professional to keep you motivated.  

Support and encouragement is huge during this process. It's so important to surround yourself with people who believe in you.  Don't waste your time with those that say it's too much work or effort.  

5) Drum Roll Please.....BE CONSISTENT!

Consistency is the key to the finish line. Don't try to fool yourself with thinking that 2 days ON and 2 days OFF is going to get you to the finish line.  If you want to have a lifestyle that allows for some "cheats", then you will need to put in the work today.  The work you put in today is the answer you are looking for...one foot in front of the other!

6) Patience is a virtue.

Yes, our mothers told us "there would be days like this". You will not see changes overnight.  Patience is a MUST when you set out on your journey.

7) Take REST days.

As the adrenaline starts to take over your daily life, remember that rest is still important for your success. Make sure your weekly plan allows for one day of total rest.  You may not feel like you're accomplishing much, but your body will thank you with awesome results.

8) Visualize your success.

What does your goal look like for you?  Do you see yourself running a 5K?  Do you see yourself learning to cook and prepare meals?  Do you see yourself making exercise a daily habit?

If you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything!







Hey peeps- I know this is hard.  I've been there, done that and bought the tourist T shirt.  Don't make this harder than it needs to be for yourself.  Make up your mind to be the best you can be!

Thanks for reading and cheers to your health and fitness!

Happy New Year!  Another year in the past and another year ahead full of promise and success.  I know many of you are evaluating your current fitness level so I decided this was the time to reprint a blog from earlier this year...just remember....don't overthink it...put one foot in front of the other and keep going!
It's not Rocket Science - Consistency is the key to success.


I've been fat, thin, fat, thin, chubby, pregnant twice, fat again and thin again...you get the idea.

As someone who struggled most of the early years with eating right and exercise, I have learned a thing or two about how to be successful and stay successful with my health and fitness.

I've been blessed to turn my passion into a career and help others with their fitness and nutrition goals. 

Today I want to share the top 10 things I've learned through my fitness journey and hopefully inspire someone out there to keep going!! 

1) It's never ever too late.  

I didn't start my fitness journey until my mid-thirties and got into the best shape of my life by the age of 40 and never looked back. I am proud to say I've stepped on stage as a national figure competitor - something I never thought was possible and I did it at the ripe age of 42.  Before kids, I couldn't run from here to the mailbox.  A half-marathon & some 5K's later, I can now run without the feeling of throwing up all over myself.

But even more than past accomplishments, I'm happy and healthy and feel like I'm 25 - not 45!  

2) You can't out train a bad diet. 

This one doesn't need much of an explanation but WOW- if I had a dime for every minute I've spent doing extra cardio so I could go home and eat like a pig, I would be on a private island counting my money.  It doesn't work peeps.

3) Taking time for yourself is not selfish.  

Selfish is treating your body like crap so you aren't of any use to others in your life.  Make yourself the priority so you can make others a priority in your life.  And while you're busy making yourself the priority, make sure you have a good support system to surround yourself...going at it alone without anyone to cheer you on or help you stay focused is not a lot of fun.

4) Stop weighing yourself every day.  

The scale is not your friend.  The scale will lie to you. It will tell you that you're having a good day when you're really not ( i.e. I guess I can have that extra slice of pizza) or tell you that you're having a bad day when maybe it's just a little water weight...so you starve yourself.  Either way it's a bad idea.  

Rely on measurements and the good 'ol "zipper" test to give you an accurate "picture" of what's really going on with you.

5) Results don't come in a pill.  

You WILL have to bust your ass.  You will have to eat right and drink your water.  You will have to plan your food and exercise sessions.  There isn't a Fitness Fairy that does it for you nor does it come in a fancy pill. Complaining about your current situation does nothing to fight the fight.  Make up your mind to get it done.

6) Results, GOOD and LONG LASTING  results will take time.  

No, you can't lose 5 lbs before the weekend (and expect to keep it off)  and you won't suddenly have toned muscles after 1 week in the gym. Unrealistic expectations will create unrealistic results. 

Consistency is the key to long term success.  The bodies you admire in the gym or in the fitness magazines were created with patience and consistency, not gimmicks.

7) Eat to live don't live to eat.  

Exercise is only part of the equation.  We have all heard that diet is the key to fitness success - at least 70-80% depending on who you ask!  If you want to change your physique, change the way you view food.  
Don't get me wrong- I LOVE food- all kinds - I'm not even prejudice to fast food. I could throw down on some fried chicken or pizza and not blink an eye.

But, I've had to learn to view food as FUEL and treat my body to the right gas....not give it crappy food which results in bad fuel.

8) Weight training will get you further than hours on the treadmill. 

Yes- I was one of those in the beginning- spent hours doing cardio and ignored the need for weight training.   
The key to having a strong metabolism is to have muscle on the body. Muscle gives the body a more tight and lean appearance.  Do not fall victim to " I'll start with cardio- lose some weight and begin my strength routine".  Big mistake.  Do your cardio AND weight training for a balanced physique.

9) Keep track of your food/workouts. 

There is NO way I would be where I am today if I hadn't taken the time to keep a food journal ( and this was before the age of fitness apps!).  It was the number one factor that led to my success- I'm convinced of it. 

I wrote down everything I ate for years.  I educated myself on calories and macro nutrients.  I still keep track of my food on a weekly basis.  Success rates almost triple when a journal is kept for at least 4 weeks.

10) Failure to Plan is a Plan to Fail.  

I know we've all heard this one before but let's face it- it's part of the process.  Schedule your workouts, plan your meals, plan for obstacles and plan for success. That's right...plan for success.

Well, here we are, the end of my local client's 12 week Lifestyle Challenge.  The twelve weeks may be over, but the journey continues for a lifetime!




HERE IS THE RECAP:

Beginning weight: 156 lbs
Current weight: 144 lbs

Beginning waist measurement: 35.5 inches
Current waist measurement: 30 inches

Beginning body fat: 30%
Current body fat: 21%

From the beginning, I stressed my client was NOT on a diet or drastic exercise program.  We worked together on a meal plan that consisted of 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats for 1500 calories/day.

She maintained 3 days of weight training as well as 5 days of cardio- using a mixture of HIIT ( high intensity interval training) and moderate cardio sessions.  Her total cardio hours averaged around 5 hours/week.

As I've always said, this fitness stuff isn't rocket science.  Once you make up your mind to move from one state of existence to another, the only thing that stands in your way of success is YOU.

In my client's own words, here is her story to describe the last 12 weeks.  I encourage you to read these words carefully- because I feel she speaks for many in the same set of circumstances.

Greetings to the end of my 12 weeks of changing my lifestyle.  That is the only way I can describe the program.  While I did train ( and I mean really TRAIN HARD) , something else happened along the way.  I learned to train my mind in order to train my body.

The key word for me was "MY".  It isn't anyone else's body, mind or life.  I had two choices:  Follow the current course and cry every time I got dressed or shopped for clothes or alter the course.  If you think it was that easy, please read on.

In the last update, I had struggled for two weeks with a plateau on the scale.  The challenges did not end there.  I had an old injury rear it's ugly head and I spent 2 weeks in physical therapy.  Cardio was non-existent and resistance bands replaced dumbbells.

Again, Kathy's words resonated in my head:  " So what are you going to do?  Go backwards?  "  I certainly felt I was going backwards but Kathy reminded me that every step forward was a step in the right direction and doing something is always better than doing nothing.  

Her words gave me a renewed determination to finish what I started!  The physical therapist released me to do cardio and Kathy increased my cardio each day with only 10 minutes- I felt like a new woman!  It was such a minor adjustment but it yielded tremendous results- both mental and physical.    It also showed me there is ALWAYS  a way to get it done!

The 12 weeks may be over in the history books, but this is my life and it's ongoing.  Going backwards will never be an option again.  


BRAVO!  I really can't stress enough that while you're in the middle of changing your body and health, your mind is the key to success.  I'm not about just changing your physical appearance, I want to help change your mind as well.

I hope the honest testimony of my client has helped to inspire someone thinking about taking the next step toward their goals!

Thanks for reading and cheers to your health and fitness !
Kathy