Interlacing stories of Starbucks employees, the CEO of ALCOA, Michael Phelps, a compulsive gambler, Target, and the findings of MIT researchers, Charles Duhigg presents an intriguing case for the role of habits in everyday life in his bestseller “The Power of Habit.”  Among this wide collection of stories, Duhigg unearths the story of Eugene Pauly, a patient that has taught the medical society more about habits than any other single individual (p. .  Pauly, or E.P. as he is referred to in medical research, suffered from viral encephalitis, which ultimately destroyed a portion of his brain.  Through years of researching E.P. was able to form new habits even without an ability to consciously remember them.  For example, he could take a walk and return to his house, although he was not able to describe what his house looked like or even his address.  Through careful study of his life after the disease, an understanding of how habits work was formed, their strength and ability to subside both in conscious and subconscious thought, and their ability to override all else, including common sense.

For the personal trainer, it is imperative to understand the habit loop in your life and the lives of your clients.  Recognizing the habit loop is the first step.

Cue        →           Routine          →           Reward

Understanding this loop is the difference between a client getting up early to exercise and enjoy a healthy smoothie before work and a client sleeping in and swinging by the donut shop on the way to the office.  Each of these scenarios entails the cue – routine – reward loop and yet each has vastly different consequences.  Changing outcomes, for clients and for yourself, requires an understanding of the habits that form them.

Today’s Opportunity:  Begin to notice the habits in your life.  What is the cue for you to exercise?  Pick up a cookie?  What is the reward you enjoy after each?  Habits are everywhere in our lives, recognizing them is the first step to harnessing them to create the life you want. 

If you’re following along with the Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner ideas presented earlier, you may be thinking, “But wait, I’m going to have to eat more than that!”  And, yes, you’re probably right.

Enter Fit Nut Five Snacks – great ways to keep your metabolism revved up, keep your hunger at bay, and most importantly, keep you from engulfing a box of Oreos while you prepare dinner.  While these snacks may not involve all five groups in the Fit Nut Five nutrition plan, they still revolve around the same basic principles – protein, fruit or vegetable, and healthy fat.  Wash it down with a tall glass of water and you’ll be geared up for the next challenge at work, at home, or on the sporting field.  If you’re using this as a late night snack, try adding a cup of herbal tea to help with satiety and relaxation.

And now, the snacks of champions:

1.  Carrots, Celery and Hummus

2.  Apple Slices and Almond Butter

3.  Greek Yogurt, Blueberries and Walnuts

4.  Frozen Grapes and Slivered Almonds

5.  Smoothie Snack

Blend until smooth:

6 ounces orange juice

1 cup frozen pineapple or peaches

1 handful of fresh spinach

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp of vanilla whey protein

Simple, not easy, is key here as well.  As with most things that determine success, the ideas are relatively simple. It’s the consistent application that becomes difficult.  It’s a simple idea to plan your dinners on the weekend, pick up all of your groceries, prep your food the night before, and choose steak and a salad over pizza and cookies, but when it’s been a long day at work, you’re stressed and the kids are hungry, it’s much easier to roll through a drive-thru or go for that aforementioned pizza.  Unfortunately, the easy choice rarely leads to achieving your goals.  Choose wisely…

1. Dinner of Champions

4-6 ounces of lean red meat per person, depending on caloric needs (eye of round, top round, bottom round, and tenderloin are your best options)

Broccoli, steamed (buy a bag of fresh broccoli florets from the produce department, pierce the bag with a fork and microwave on high for 3 minutes, serves 2)

Small salad with spinach, carrots, tomatoes, black beans, and 1 tbsp of olive oil

2. Fit Nut Five Stir Fry

4-6 ounces of chicken per person

Stir fry vegetables (packaged fresh in the produce aisle) or any combination of broccoli, carrots, squash, zucchini, cabbage, onion, tomato, or bell pepper

Black beans (fresh or canned, 1 can serves 2)

Olive oil or Avocado (if going asian, use 1 tbsp olive oil per person; otherwise, try a sliced avocado on top)

Seasoning to taste (low sodium soy sauce, Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle, Fiesta Lime, Lemon Pepper, and Garlic and Herb are all great choices)

Cook the chicken in a skillet (or use pre-cooked chicken), add in the chopped vegetables and a dash of water and stir fry uncovered for 2-4 minutes, add the black beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking, serve in a bowl and top with olive oil or avocado and seasoning.

3. Soup de Fagioli

1/2 pound lean ground beef or lean ground turkey

Carrots, shredded

Zucchini, diced

Red kidney beans (fresh or canned, drained and rinsed)

White kidney beans (fresh or canned, drained and rinsed)

Tomatoes, diced (fresh or canned)

Onion, diced (optional)

Marinara Sauce, 1 jar (we prefer Bertolli’s Organic Olive Oil, Basil and Garlic

Chicken or vegetable stock for desired soup consistency

Olive Oil, 1 tbsp per person

Cook beef or turkey until browned in large skillet, add in remaining ingredients and simmer until zucchini is cooked (8-12 minutes)

4. The Quick and Easy

Chicken breasts or tenderloins, 4-6 ounces per person, raw or pre-cooked

Green Beans, fresh, 1 lb

Red Potatoes, 1 per person, diced

Olive oil and lemon pepper

Combine diced chicken breasts, green beans, and diced potatoes in a large mixing bowl.  Add olive oil and lemon pepper and mix until well-covered.  Spread on a foil-lined cookie sheet and place in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-25 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

This meal can be prepped the night before by combining all ingredients in a mixing bowl and keeping in the refrigerator.  Add in a small salad to boost your green vegetable intake.

5.  Steak and Fries

Lean red meat (eye of round, top round, bottom round or tenderloin), 4-6 ounces per person

Sweet Potato, 1 per person

Olive Oil and seasoning

Salad with kiwi fruit and pineapple

Slice the sweet potato into 1″ strips and toss with olive oil and seasoning of choice (black pepper and sea salt are a delicious, simple combination).  Place on a foil-covered cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.

Trim and grill or pan fry the steak.

Build a salad with your choice of spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli slaw, and sliced kiwi fruit or diced pineapple.  The citrus helps aid in digestion, gives a boost of vitamin C, and adds a zing to the salad.  Use an olive oil or vinaigrette dressing.

One of the best ways to stay on top of your game is to NEVER stop learning! We have both been blessed with several incredible mentors and learning opportunities, however, on a daily basis we have found reliable blogs with practical tips to implement directly into a client’s training plan. With that said, here are 5 blogs we frequent which provide great information several times per week.

1. Alwyn Cosgrove

Alwyn is the owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, CA. He is an industry leader in helping people clients burn fat, and his gym is consistently rated in the top gyms throughout the United States. He claims to be “changing the way fitness is done.” Check him out at www.alwyncosgrove.com.

2. Endurance Corner:
This site is a source for motivation, training, and nutrition geared toward endurance athletes. The site has a wide variety of expert contributers and can be found at www.endurancecorner.com

3. Mike Reinold:
Mike is the head physical therapist for the Boston Red Socks. He provides resources for physical therapists, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and clients interested in decreasing pain for a specific condition. He provides great explanations of why people typically get injured and what you can do to keep your body healthy. For more information visit www.mikereinold.com.

4. Real Food University
This nutrition blog encourages readers to “forget the latest diet trend and eat real, “naked” food”. They provide recipes to keep healthy eating from becoming boring. Check it out at www.realfooduniversity.com and click on the “New, Start Here” tab for more information.

5. Crossfit
Crossfit claims that their “specialty is not specializing”. They believe that fitness should vary by degree, not kind for the variety of people that train by their method. The folks at Crossfit have even made fitness in itself a sport with the invention of the Crossfit Games. They provide a workout of the day or “WOD” at www.crossfit.com. A quick warning, these workouts are meant for people who are in great shape to begin with. If you are a beginning exerciser, please consult a fitness professional prior to attempting these workouts.

What are your favorite blogs for fitness inspiration?