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Weight-Loss Challenge

July 2nd, 2012

The New Year came and left and losing weight was NOT one of my goals this year. Every year I had set a weight-loss goal for myself and I do not lose weight, so I figured out a plan for that not to happen, I will not make that a goal. At this point I was still going to the gym sometimes. When I say “Sometimes” I really mean when I had the energy to get my three children ready and piled in the car and drive across town to get to Tony Cruz XTC Sports and Fitness. I had no motivation. In January I saw a sign in the women’s locker room, it was advertising a twelve week weight loss program that had a cash prize. The competitive side of me was extremely excited to go for it, but every time I thought about it the more I second guessed my decision to sign up.

The time came when I went to the gym to sign up. I knew it was going to be tough, but would be worth it in the end. There was a pretty long line to weigh in and get measured. I really thought I would not have a chance to win. I went ahead and signed up anyway. They wrote down my measurements and weight, and took before pictures. Once a week I would meet with a nutrition trainer and weigh in. the first time I meet with my nutritionist I was introduced to Herbalife.

Herbalife is a brand name weight loss product. The Herbalife shakes are great and come in many different flavors, my favorite being Café Latte. I decided to do a shake twice a day, usually I would do a shake for lunch and dinner and eat a good breakfast, like oatmeal and fruit. I also drank the Hebalife tea; a tea that is full of natural ingredients and burns calories. Later I added Aminogen which helps break downs proteins and amino acids, it reduces bloating that is caused by incomplete protein digestion, and it promoted lean muscle mass. This diet was the most important part of my weight loss. In order to lose the most weight possible, you have to remember that diet is 70% of weight loss. The other 30 % is a strong workout routine.

Being a mom, gym choice is so important, not only for the workout routines, but also for the childcare provided. XTC has a great room in the front part of the gym that you can keep an eye on your kids. My kids really love to go to the gym. I can work out worry free. I have tried different classes at the gym and the best class I tried was the Tuesday and Thursday noon cycle class. I had a great workout doing the cardio kick boxing, but I never can keep up. The workouts are very extreme and the instructors are so encouraging. Many people love the Zumba classes but I feel so silly due to my lack of rhythm, maybe I will try it again. A couple times I did a session with a personal trainer, Sam Brown. He showed me the best workouts to do in the gym and he knew that I could not always make it out to the gym so he showed me the best workouts to do at home.

During the weight loss challenge I would weigh in with a personal and nutrition trainer, Sam Brown. I loved this because I knew that if I cheated on my diet, or if I was not working out hard, it would show on the scale. Sam pushed me to lose weight each week, and to set goals that were beyond what I thought I could do. I did a few personal workout training sessions, which left me so sore but showed immediate results. Every week I pushed myself during my cycle classes or kickboxing at XTC, and I would not cheat on my diet. I immediately was seeing the results of my hard work. The first week I lost seven pounds, and the next week I had a four pound loss. The best thing was the inches I was losing. My pants were fitting better, and then they were not fitting at all.

At the end of the 12 weeks I lost a total of 42.4 pounds and 10 inches off of my waist. I ended up coming in third in the contest, and won just over $200. But the best thing about doing the whole thing was the energy that I gain while losing the weight. I feel like I can keep up with my kids more. I actually look forward to going to the gym to workout. Not to mention, I feel better about the way I look. I am still seeing the pounds melt off and the inches drop!

Working out and dieting is hard. The hardest part is getting started. HerbaLife is more than a diet, it is a healthier lifestyle. I believe in this product so much, I became an independent distributor and now sell it to my friends and family who also want to commit to something better than processed food and drive thru food.

Texan’s are Getting Fat! and This Fat Is Happening Fast!

April 13th, 2012

We have 7 billion people on earth and 2.3 billion are expected to be obese by 2015. Wow! Doctors are not telling people to lose weight because of some conspiracy to make money.

Doctors are letting people know that you should try and lose weight because you will die much earlier than you may otherwise want to.

Heart disease is the number one early killer by a long shot and cancer is way down there in 2nd place. The point is that cancer should not be the scary disease you try to avoid, it should be becoming a fat obese person.

I am in no way the skinny guy pointing the finger and neither are several of my relatives who have found themselves in the fat category. Most of us here in Texas can relate and by 2015 over 30% will be in the obese category. Not overweight, OBESE! ¡Ay, caramba!

In several examples in my own family we have seen a steady easy decline in becoming less fat and no longer obese.

That word obese sounds really bad! It should sound bad because it causes heart disease and if you want to die in your 40’s – 60’s depending on how long that fast working heart can hold out you just keep on eating that ice-cream my friend.

But don’t let this hard talk discourage you, I realize there are some very weird and bizarre completely out of this world psychological reasons why the ultra-obese can’t seem to break the habit of eating so much.

I am not about to pretend I understand these underlying deep psychological reasons that keeps people on the continual road of obesity. I feel for you and I admit I don’t have the answer for you and I don’t pretend to think it will be easy for you to change your lifestyle.

For many of us who are not ultra obese you should be thankful…you don’t have these psychological issues that morbidly obese people have to contend with. For you a simple high protein diet during breakfast, more protein for lunch and a low calorie dinner before 7 pm is all you need.

Combine this perfectly healthy diet with a workout routine of only 30 minutes a session 3 times a week and you have made some life changing habits.

So this is about all I have for you regarding being a fat Texan…most of us have been there including me. It isn’t just about trying to stay skinny and healthy but life is about much more than that…check out these very helpful tips for a much more fulfilling well rounded life. 30 Habits that will Change your Life

Also please come by Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports, where I have been working out. I have lost 25 pounds, my sister in law has lost 42.4 pounds and my brother in law has lost 20 pounds.

12 Week Weight Loss Challenge Final Weigh In at XTC Fitness

April 9th, 2012

Our workplace implemented a Fit City Challenge workplace environment about 1 year ago. What we have seen since then has been nothing short of remarkable. Each employee and their family got a full family membership at the new Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports mega-gym in Tyler.

I have personally lost 25 pounds with only some minor changes in my diet and some major changes in my activity level. I have a job where I sit at a desk all day and do various tasks on the internet. My workout of choice is the group kick boxing class at XTC. If I were to incorporate a strict diet I could have very easily lost another 10 pounds but I am in no hurry as 170 pounds at where I am at now is great!

My co-worker Luke has lost 20 pounds since he started working out and he does a combination of the spin group class and the kick boxing group class. Luke’s wife does the spin class routinely and she enrolled in the 12 week weight loss challenge.

This challenge offers a significant amount of money at the end and Hannah could very likely win some of it. Hannah has lost close to 40 pounds and at the weigh in we will know for sure if she made it to the 40 pound mark. The weigh-in is today so wish her luck!

I can say with all confidence that the change in the workplace from being active and concerned about health has given us a much more positive energetic environment while here. Nathan was skinny to begin with and is the co-worker with the least amount of weight loss. What Nathan has gained is a significant improvement in his cardiovascular abilities on the basketball court. In the past Nathan would be huffing and puffing while on the basketball court during a pick up game. He routinely has more speed and stamina when playing his friends in basketball which is a significant improvement in his sports performance prior to incorporating the XTC group kick boxing class into his daily exercise regimen.

Nathan feels much more awake at work since he exercises during his lunch break. Luke has noticed that he has clearer thinking while at work and his immune system is much better than it has ever been. I have noticed a much improved immune system because I rarely get sick although my allergies to pollen still persist. I also feel upbeat after my lunch workout and a stronger ability staying on task for the remainder of the day.

In conclusion, we will find out today if Hannah won either 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the 12 week weight loss challenge. It will be great if she won a prize but even if she doesn’t she still plans to enroll in the coming 8 week weight loss challenge they will be kicking off after this one is finished.

 

What is the Least Amount of Work You Need to Do To Stay in Shape? Scientists Now Have the Answer!

February 16th, 2012

short interval workoutA recent study at McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario took a group of volunteers to study what the bare minimum you need to do to keep yourself in shape. The number of minutes may astonish you as it can be done in 20 minute intervals only twice a week to see very good health results for your heart and physique.

The study used sedentary healthy middle-aged men and women as well as middle-aged older patients who actually had heart disease. Some of the things tested were maximum heart rate, and peak power output on a stationary bicycle.

To start out no one exerted their peak performance on the stationary bicycles because they were all out of shape and the older people with heart disease were flat-out not in good health.

The study required the group to exercise in only short intervals and do no other longer form of exercise at all during the week. The exercise routine used is similar to how athletes train in short bursts of activity with short rest periods in between. These bursts of activity followed by short rests allow athletes to improve their speed and endurance but little was known about the benefits of using this type of routine in a short weekly minimum only program to improve ones health.

With the new routine of only two interval exercise sessions a week established within the group the study began. The intervals only last 20 minutes and this only twice a week but the health benefits from this program were downright surprising.

I have heard on several occasions from my health conscious dad that the American Heart Association and many other health organizations recommend a 30 minute workout of continuous moderate intensity exercise 5 times a week for establishing good health.

Kickboxing group class at Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports

This study suggests that only two 20 minute interval exercise sessions could significantly benefit your health. Since most Americans do not exercise at all any bare minimum requirement on exercise that requires less time and energy can only be seen as a motivation factor for getting out there and doing at least this considering the huge health benefits such little work offers.

We are not saying to stop longer forms of working out but if you have serious time constraints to working out these bare minimum workout numbers may motivate you to at least get started with something as simple as two 20 minute sessions two times a week. This is not too much to ask now is it?

So to summarize what you need to do to begin the bare minimum workout routine is to first establish your 90 % maximum heart rate. Simply subtract your age from the number 220 and that is about the number you want to be at. You can get a heart monitor watch at almost any sports and fitness store or even Walmart. To begin you will need to complete 1 minute of strenuous effort at about 90 percent of your maximum heart rate and then follow that with 1 minute of easy recovery. Do this routine 10 times for a total of 20 minutes and you will receive the following benefits if you do this 2 times a week.

 

  • Significant improvement in the functioning of blood vessels and heart (Even for those with heart disease, the benefits outweigh the risks)
  • Prompts the creation of far more cellular proteins that are involved in the creation of energy production and oxygen.
  • Insulin sensitivity is improved as well as blood sugar regulation.
  • Lowers risk for Type 2 diabetes.
  • For those who have diabetes one workout session improves blood sugar regulation throughout the following day and especially after meals.

I workout at Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports and do their 45 minute kickboxing class during my lunch break. This local Tyler gym offers over 80 group exercise classes a week and if you do not have a lot of time you could workout for 20 minutes and leave class early. Do this two times a week and you will make a significant impact on your health. You can view their class schedule here. If you would like to watch their commercial and learn more about their gym please visit their website: Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports Tyler Texas

 

 

 

Exercise in your Happy Zone

September 19th, 2011

Hopefully your doing some type of daily exercise already but for most of us we aren’t and so I am here to get you going on something small but good.

I recommend you have a goal of twenty minutes of exercise or movement of some kind a day. You can even break up this into two 10 minute intervals.

These small steps will be easy to adapt to and once you are comfortable doing this try increasing the time to 30 minutes and than once more to 45 minutes.

You will need to minimize soreness since this is likely very new to your body so have this routine vary every other day to begin with.

As you get more comfortable with the routine try adding a day or two until you are working out 5 days a week.

One of the easiest forms of exercise to start out with is to do a brisk walk.

As long as you keep your heart rate at around 65 – 85 percent you will accomplish about as much as you would through jogging.

The way to determine if you are in your target heart rate is to still be able to carry on a conversation while sweating a little in the process of your workout.

To calculate what your low end target heart rate should be for your age take the number 220 minus your age (mine is 35) 220 – 35 = 185. Now multiply 185 by .65 and you get 120 beats per minute. Your high end target heart rate would be 185 x .85 = 157 beats per minute.

If you are 35 years of age you can safely workout within the range of 120 – 157 beats per minute so long as you are not huffing away and are still able to have a conversation.

Some people may prefer to push themselves much more than this but this is really all you need to do to begin getting into a good workout routine.

A group exercise class at a Tyler gym works very well for me because each person can workout at their own intensity while an instructor leads the class.

You can read more about my local Tyler gym group exercise experience here