Before your calendar gets filled up with this new “season,” fill it in with you.  Schedule time for your health and fitness.  By  ”schedule,” I don’t mean think about what you are going to do and make a tentative plan in your head.  I mean get out your calendar, on whatever device it may be on, electronic or paper, and spend 10 minutes filling in time for you.   And, once you make that appointment on your calendar, keep it.

As a fitness enthusiast, of course, I want you to schedule walks or runs or tennis matches, or something to get your body moving.  I’d like for you to do that at least three times per week-ideally, every day.  But you get to pick, customize it to you, and then write it in your calendar.   WRITE IT IN YOUR CALENDAR.  It is now an official appointment.  Now, schedule 10 minutes at some point in your day (first thing in morning or night before)  to just pay attention to what you are going to eat.  I’m not telling you to go on a diet.  I’m asking you to just spend some time thinking about how you are going to fuel your beautiful body.  Are you going to your favorite restaurant?  If so, what’s the healthiest thing on the menu?  Are you ordering out  because of kids activities or working late?  Where is the healthiest place to order?  And, do you need to look up their number now so you have it in your phone on the way home?    Just put conscious attention on the source that gives you energy and the ability to LIVE!   Paying attention to the process that we sometimes just do automatically will result in better choices naturally because you are no longer on auto-pilot.

So, here is one version of what this might look like:  a  brisk 15 minute walk every morning before the kids get up, followed  by list of planned eating that you keep in your wallet.  Another version: Mon/Wed: Yoga at 9:30, Tue/Thur: meet friend at gym; log onto LoseIt every night for 5 minutes to plan what  to eat tomorrow.   It’s not hard to plan, you just have to DO IT.  Make  your own version.  Create your own version of a Happy Fall Fitness way before Happy New Year crosses anyones lips.  And, when it does, you will be reminded that your new year started a few months back.

FYI, I’m not just a TCF client, I also happen to be the current webmaster. However, this is not a barter or mutual favor situation. I hired Traci after starting the site because I was impressed with her and her message. I pay her normal rates, and she pays mine. While I hope she will continue to favor Blitz Media Design with her web and graphic design work, she will continue to be my personal fitness trainer regardless of all else.

Just for a bit of background… I’ve fought weight issues my entire life. Like most who suffer from obesity, I’ve lost the same 40 lbs repeatedly, only to gain it back (plus a few more). As I got older, it got worse. Given the fact that I spend my working hours sitting at a computer, it’s no mystery as to why my weight soared.

However, regular exercise has never been an issue for me–I’ve done it for decades. But despite moving up to seven hours of aerobic exercise over six days a week, I wasn’t losing weight-just ending up with sore knees!

Traci and Angie looked at what I was doing, put me through some preliminary tests, and modified my workout program to suit my lifestyle and the equipment on hand. They took into account past injuries or problem areas (knees and back). The program they designed actually reduces the time spent exercising, but making it far more efficient. If something causes pain or is a problem, TCF has adjusted the plan or created new exercises just for me. I know these are just for me-my wife’s also a client, and her program is quite different.

Traci also had me start logging my calories, something I’ve never done reliably. It was an eye-opener, as those few “oh, this should be all right” snacks or food choices more than offset the exercise.

The net result:

• I’m not on a diet; my diet has simply changed permanently.
• The TCF exercise program designed for me has me only working out five days a week, and put an end to the aching joints that required post-workout ice packs!
• My blood pressure and resting heart rate have dropped significantly, and my cholesterol is down to 156!

When I started this with TCF, my initial weight loss goal was 75 lbs, as that seemed so far off. I’ve since upped that goal to what once was an impossible hope. It’s no longer a case of if I’ll achieve it, only a matter of when.

My only regret is giving away some of those clothes that I thought I’d never be able to wear again!

Craig de Fasselle

Hi, my name is Traci Fisher, and I am the creator of Total Customized Fitness.  At TCF, we don’t just do personal, small group and group fitness training!  We create Total Fitness programs that are CUSTOMIZED, to the client, to you!  And, we do that through a process we call, “Structure-Content.”

Structure is basically the logistics of your lifestyle.  And, we get at that through asking lots of questions, but there are two biggies.  The first one is, “How much time do you REALLY have to work out?” Maybe it is an hour day, 5 days a week, or is it closer to 30 minute 3 days a week, or is it really 15 minutes whenever you can fit it in and that changes weekly because of your schedule??

The second question is,  “What kind of equipment do you have access to?” Is it a fully equipped gym that you have membership to, or is it a piece of equipment that you have in your home, or maybe it’s just the body that God gave you!

Now for content!  Content is probably what you think of when you think of a traditional workout program.  But, it’s not just about reps and sets!  To get to the heart of YOUR content, we need to know two things.

The first one is, “What are your goals?!” Are you trying to tone up and lose weight, or get your best time ever on a race, or do you just want to be able to pick up your grandchild without your back hurting?

The second thing we need to know is, “What motivates you?” What do you like to do?  What will you show up for?  Content can look like a big group fitness class with loud music and lots of people, or following your own program in the comfort of your own home, or walking/running with a friend or a group or yoga or touching base with a trainer once  a week to check up on your program or having one stand next to you each and every time you work out!

So, we combine structure and content and come up with a customized program for YOU.  And, this process is important, because, LIFE HAPPENS!  Injuries, holidays, seasons, illness, vacations–they always happen, and have the power to interrupt your Fitness Program!  At TCF, we know that most of us workout for life, and don’t live to workout.  Life generally comes first, at TCF, we help create programs that fit into your life-FOR REAL!