Fitness Wars: Revenge of the Girth

by: Aaron M. Potts, ISSA CFT

As of the writing of this article, May 16, 2005, we are all almost 5 months into our New Year's Resolutions.

Are you skinny yet?

Did you find your six-pack?

Does your butt look like you wanted it to in those jeans?

For a lot of you, the answers to these questions are going to be "No, No, and, I took the jeans back to the store".

Why? You are a victim of the Fitness Wars, that's why. Your Girth is winning out over your Resolution, and you are probably more frustrated now than you were when you started!

Is there some master conspiracy that is keeping you from getting in shape? Do the rules of energy in vs. energy out not apply to you? Are you in a fat-loss vacuum where the normal laws of weight loss don't work?

Of course not. Yet, you still can't lose the bodyfat, and it is likely because you are simply confused.

If you are like most people, you have gotten fitness advice from the radio, TV, friends, family members, magazines, maybe even a Personal Trainer. Who had the most to gain from giving you fitness advice?

The radio, TV, magazines, and even your trainer are all interested in getting paid for handing out advice to you. Does that make them the most qualified to help you? With the possible exception of your personal trainer, no, it really doesn't.

What about your friends and family? Let's answer this question first: Was the person who gave you the advice in good shape? If not, then the point of that question should be clear!

Fitness Wars - all of these different people and agencies trying to get you to do something or buy something.

How about a little thing that some people like to call "Back to Basics"? Prepare Thyself! You are about to be shown the true secrets to fitness success!!

1. Proper Nutrition. For those of you who don't know what that is, a good rule of thumb is that if man made it, don't eat it! If that isn't enough information for you, then consult a professional nutritionist, or do free research online. If you pay a professional, make sure they are properly credentialed. If you do the research yourself, don't believe what you find if that site is obviously more interested in your money than in your health.

2. Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. You say that you've heard this a thousand times already? Well, that should tell you something - it works! Your body is a calorie burning machine. If you are an average female, you can only burn about 300 calories at a time. An average male can burn about 400. It doesn't matter how much you exercise - if you eat more than that during any one sitting, some of it is going to be stored as bodyfat.

3. Exercise - at least 60 minutes a day. It doesn't matter what the magazines say, or what you hear on the "1-Second Abs" commercial, or who tells you anything else. Exercise - at least 60 minutes a day. It bears repeating, so feel free at this time to keep saying it out loud until you feel that you have it memorized.

4. Believe. This final step is really the most important. Most people have self-limiting beliefs. In a nutshell, that means that no matter how much education or assistance that they receive, they don't BELIEVE that they can lose weight! Let's see…. how does that saying go? "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right!" Believe it can happen, because it can. Then you will be only 3 short steps away from success.

Wow, what a revelation this article has been! In fewer words than it takes to list the dozens of unhealthy circumstances and afflictions related to being overweight, you have just been given a guaranteed 4-step system for fitness success!

Are you willing to take care of yourself and finally meet those fitness goals, or do you have another 5 months to waste?

Do yourself this one small favor. Count to four, beat the Girth, and remember that January 1st is just another day!

About the author:

Aaron Potts is a Personal Trainer and Fitness Success Coach whose customers include both consumers as well as other fitness professionals. Sign up for his free Fitness Journal at or visit his coaching site at

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