Here’s a peek at the forecast for May 11th & May 12th:

Register now or day of event. For more information click here.

The topic of shedding or losing weight is nothing new. So why then does everyone search for the quick fix or the one diet, magic shake , new trend, or little pill to solve this to do this for them ? That alone is a huge case study on the psychology of human behavior.

People assume that if you’re fit and healthy that it’s easy as I hear a barrage of reasons of why someone can’t lose weight. It’s simple, the bottom line, deep deep truth is, they’re not ready or don’t want to. I realize I’m putting myself out on a limb when I make a statement like this, but you’re still reading and you might be thinking, wow, how awful of me to say this.

I’ve heard it all, about the “why’s”  the “yeah buts” and “if onlys” to last me a life time. Just like I’m probably shocking you with my direct writing of my opinion here, as I normally am quite conservative in my blog entries. Now I am a compassionate and caring fitness professional and I do know first hand from my own experiences with illness and medical conditions, that sometimes medications or other real health matters offer a true layer of challenge that needs to be treated and approached in a different manner.

My daily dose of health! My reminder that my health is golden. View from my lanai on Maui

There is a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow and the pot of gold is your health. But the clients I help and train are truly successful and will do anything and everything I suggest 100%, not half way, because they know I’ve been there. I walk the talk and I know what it’s like to be down and not as fit as I’m supposed to be.

If you didn’t know this about me, I’m the trainer who broke her legs in April of 2009 only to be in a wheelchair for three months, completely atrophied from the waist down, and still train from my wheelchair. My body changed, turned to mush, but the inside of my heart and brain did not. I did not give up and I was committed to myself and my clients more than ever. I had the fire.

What is your fire?

We often need a jolt to really shock us out of unhealthy habits or help us make that mind shift. What can sometimes happen is an unexpected health event, such as a heart attack, or blood clot or maybe a diabetic episode, or like me a stumble that ends up badly.

Your health matters and so do you as a person. I’m not saying this will happen to you, and I’m not saying you should wait until something of this nature happens. Please avoid these health events. There is a lot of life to live so please start right now!

Take the reigns, and take charge of your life. Think of the possibilities of how your life would look and feel in so many ways when you decide to do just that. Notice I didn’t use the word “if.” ?  Toss the Kleenex and wipe your tears of frustration and keep reading.

Shedding weight is more than just dieting, one has to be really ready so the results can be real and for life.  And by the way, dieting doesn’t work. It’s a word that causes us to fail.  So starting today, please take the word “diet” out of your vocabulary and replace it with simply “better food choices.”

Support in your corner is usually your own team of health professionals, loving friends and family; there to cheer you on and hold you up when you hit a bump in the road or feel you can’t go on.  No one expects you to do it alone, so reach out and ask for help. So here are my tips to help you get started:

Ten Tips To Help You Start Shedding Weight for Good

1. Make the decision – Just do it and commit.

2. Get a full physical from your physician and ask for a full blood work up.

3. Find a qualified, certified, personal trainer in your area that will be there for you in and out of the studio. You need someone to help you safely plot your training course that encourages you and makes you accountable. In my opinion trainers ( some are qualified ) are not fully qualified to monitor your nutritional needs and often are out of their scope of practice, so best to ask if they are RDs a Registered Dietitian. The best combination is to have both working together in your behalf. Trainers can offer great nutritional resources and offer fabulous guidance. I am certified by NASM.

4. Pretend you are flying at 10,000 feet above your life now, then zoom up to 20,000 and envision what you see yourself doing after you’ve shed the weight. What does that new life look like to you?  What are you wearing? What sport are you enjoying? Notice yourself smiling!

5. Get in the mind set that this will be work, it will be sweat and it will be being very uncomfortable 80% of the time when you train. If it isn’t you will not get the results. The remaining 20% of the time is you strutting around in your new, strong healthy body!

6. Allow for the normal ups and downs and side-way moments, but keep them brief pull up your shorts and keep moving. Surround yourself with people that inspire you, motivate you and make you happy. Shake the ones that are energy suckers, lazy or are negative Nellies.

7. Go Public: Tell the world, your friends and especially your family that you need them to support and help you not sabotage you. Expect some to feel intimidated and uncomfortable. This is not your problem, don’t take their stuff on. Having the world know your desires really makes it real. For example, start a blog, or make a FaceBook Page and let others cheer you on. You’ll help others too!

8. Toss away all the clothes you never want to see again, also known as “fat” clothes. Get rid of them now. This is a crutch tactic I see time and time again as a fall back just in case. In case of what?  You need to use your pants as a hot air balloon experiment. Get rid of them now

9. Take photos and measurements, make copies. Put them in your car, on the refrigerator, on your closet door. Photos do motivate. Take another set of photos six months from there. Weigh yourself once week not every day.

10. Start a daily food journal and do it religiously for 21 days. Guess what though, if you don’t enter each item you are only cheating yourself. My clients who really really do this well with every single entry recorded lose 50% of the weight faster than those who don’t.  There are great food diaries online or even better, phone apps to help you.

Every person is unique and has different needs, desires and goals. Being a healthy person is in your reach. Ask yourself what is getting in  your way of losing the weight you need? Is it as simple as, “you”?

The world is hard enough these days but the one thing we do have control over is our body. There is no time to waste,  your life is waiting for you!

We’d love to hear from you about your successes and how you’ve made a healthy life change. What was your “fire” that helped you make that life decision?

Quick resources to help you get started: Some of my clients use MyFitnessPal phone app. It auto populates and is easy and fun and I love to see the results of their hard work.   I also like Fit Day phone app.

Mahalo for stopping by and may good health find you. I wish you the best.

Suzie Cooney, CPT

Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC

Suzie is available for consolations and personal training on the island of Maui, Hawaii. She is also successfully coaching folks from around the world via SKYPE. Feel free to contact her through this website for more information. Don’t miss more great tips. Sign up today!

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Special Trainer’s Note from Suzie Cooney, CPT
 

 How to Be “Pro Self”

You can waste a great deal of time trying to find your waist line if you’ve tried without success. Are you on track after you’ve made countless New Year’s Resolutions year after year? Having a pro in your corner can make all the difference and save you lots of money, calories and improve your overall “life” performance.

Let’s face it shedding weight and getting toned, in either order can be difficult, frustrating and take a really long time if you don’t know how or where to start. We all need a cheerleader, a person to hold us accountable besides our boss or spouse; someone that can find a “fun” way to make it all happen.

If you’re ready to really get real, I’m real serious about helping you. It takes two and I can’t do it alone, so if you’re ready to hold yourself up, look in the mirror and start loving what you see, how you feel, you’re halfway there. You’re amazing!

I’m available via SKYPE world-wide or in person while you’re on Maui, or if you live local even better. Your health matters, how you feel about yourself matters. You don’t have to be a pro surfer, just the pro of yourself to be ”pro self.” Make the time, make the investment and your life will change.

Suzie Cooney,CPT
Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC

 Questions? Feel free to contact me through our website.

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Aloha salad lovers. I can’t remember when I first discovered the delicious taste of tamari seasoned pumpkin seeds but I recently discovered how amazing they taste on top of any salad or as a healthy snack. Nutrition for me and my clients has to be simple with no hype or nonsense.  The food I eat has to give me energy and be easy to prepare.

Pumpkin seeds have long been known as a great source of protein, about 12g for one cup. Along with a reasonable source of Omega 3’s and 6’s, and a decent amount of potassium, ( 588mg ) this raw green seed offers a great deal of nutritional value. These little seeds are also loaded with zinc, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and iron.

Although the calorie count is a bit on the higher side, like 285 per cup, if the serving for your salad is a quarter (1/4) that’s only 71 calories. I’ll take it! Think of it as sustained energy in the bank for later.

You certainly can enjoy raw and I do occasionally in my energy trail mix, but to add a little zing and flavor, I reach for the low sodium tamari seasoning. This is usually found in the Oriental food section of most health food stores, near the soy sauce.

The brand can find easily is organic and gluten free, no MSG called San J Tamari

First I preheat the oven to 350. I take two cups of organic, raw pumpkin seeds place in a bowl and lightly drizzle over the tamari seasoning, just enough to coat. I turn over with a spoon and then spread out on cookie sheet with sheet of parchment paper for about 5 minutes. They brown and bake quickly so keep a close eye on them. You may hear a few pops and then they’re ready. Let them cool on the cookie sheet

Now I have a delicious salad topping or incredible snack to put in my energy mix.

My salad dressing of choice is a quick blend of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a teaspoon of honey and honey mustard, and a twist of fresh pepper and sprinkle of chia seeds.

Our garden on Maui has a melody of healthy dark greens, such as kale, spinach and a very exotic dark spinach called tatsoi along with a huge spicy bed of arugala and other greens that add so many amazing flavors. I will also cut a little basil and cilantro to add the variety of flavors.

I try to tell my clients and friends that nutrition and food doesn’t have to be complicated, simple is better, especially if it’s as good as these pumpkin seeds.

Let us know what you think and if you have any tips to share, please feel free to leave a comment or post.

Suzie Cooney, CPT
Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC

Also, to join our confidential mailing list and receive lots of great tips and more, go here:

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References: Nutrition Data http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3141/2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatsoi

ALOHA & HAPPY NEW YEAR

What a way to surf into the New Year or as they call it SUPsquatching.

photo by Erik Aeder

This photo was sent my way via Matthew Murasko as he said I could share the mayhem with you all. This crew is absolutely nuts and they are definitely having the most fun here!  My crazy friends Matthew Murakso and famous waterman Archie Kalepa are doing all they can to keep this “thing” on the face of this big wave here on Maui’s N. shore and Matthew is trying to make sure it doesn’t pearl!  And the REAL crazy thing about this photo, Archie IS the fin.  He is steering with his leg I think.  ( C4 gets credit for the craft )

Archie Kalepa was inducted to the Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame this past September. Read article here: http://www.lahainanews.com/page/content.detail/id/508532.html

You can meet Archie and learn more about his history and his legendary life as a Hawaiian Waterman at Maui’s TedEx Maui event, this Sunday January 13th, 2013. Here’s more about Archie and the event:

http://tedxmaui.com/2012/12/29/speaker-spotlight-archie-kalepa/

Well, it’s all in fun and sometimes you gotta let loose!  The guys are a bunch of great and inspiring ones. They will always have your back and will always be wearing the biggest smiles.

Mahalo Matthew and see you all at TedEx Maui.

Suzie Cooney, CPT
Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC

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Aloha everyone!  Here is my list of some of my “favorite things” that are sure to excite and motivate the fitness fanatics or those who are re-entering fitness, or simply want to change up their routine. Tune in here and listen to my radio segment from my weekly health and fitness radio segment on the Maui Breakfast Club, December 10, 2012 and find the perfect healthy gift.

Click Here to Hear Suzie Live

The training equipment I suggest here is appropriate for all ages and all levels of fitness. I like to keep things simple and functional as not to overwhelm people but to allow them to get the results they desire in a very easy and efficient way so they don’t get bored nor does there body. Click here to listen now.

My Favorite Health & Fitness Gifts:

Gift Certificate for a Personal Trainer: Having someone in your corner is so helpful. Whether your trying to shed 5 or few more pounds, prepare for an event or race, or simply want to have a personal program designed to keep you on track and mix it up, a well qualified personal trainer can help. Check for certification such as NASM, make sure they are insured and have a good reputation in the community.

Indo Board Balance Trainer:  FREE SHIPPING UNTIL DEC 17th Order here  Everyone knows that I am a huge fan of this equipment. It not only helps the surfers and standup paddlers in your life, but if your’e just coming off a knee, ankle or hip injury this functional training equipment can do wonders and help strengthen the weakest core muscles, improve your balance and leg, hip and knee strength.

The Scosche Rhythm Monitor : Get Yours Here  Employs Bluetooth Technology with your iPhone. I use it for stand up paddle interval training and love it for my clients who track their beach running, cycling and more.

I Love that my Scosche Rhythm Monitor goes around my arm and not my chest!

  Surf or Stand Up Paddle Board: I ride Naish Boards. Check out their HUGE selection Naishsurfing.com This is the ultimate cross training equipment. I have clients that come to me from around the world to paddle and train and the one thing they all have in common? They’ve discovered the huge health benefits of SUP.

Listen here to my past show: The Health Benefits of SUP 

See my article and listen to radio show: Shred to Shed Weight  SUP

Pictured here, the women's line, Alana 10 6.5

Swiss Ball or Stability Ball – Best size for all is 55cm. Available at most sporting good stores.

Kettle Bells: Suggested weights  15lb, 20lb or 25lb if  your conditioned. One will do. Available at most sporting good stores.

Check back here for more shows as the topics for December include:

KNUI 900AM  Maui Weekly  Mondays @ 7:25am  KUNI.com

Tis the Season to NOT Tip the Scales: Tips How NOT to gain weight. Don’t worry, relax and just kiss under the mistletoe it burns lots of calories!

Best Ways to Beat the Holiday Blues: Go For a Surf or SUP paddle : Why the holidays can be stressful, signs of depression and how to manage everything, from annoying relatives to nagging self induced forms of pressure. Learn that it’s okay to ask for support and take care of yourself.

Throw Away Your New Year’s Resolution List – Get Real –  Why they just don’t work and how to set yourself up for a year of success!

Mahalo for stopping by today and we wish you a healthy, surf-filled holiday.

Suzie Cooney, CPT Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC

To join our confidential mailing list and receive lots of great tips and more, go here:

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