Albert K. Park

This month, September, symbolizes so many new beginnings. The back to school rush, the glorious start of the NFL and NCAA college football seasons, the end of summer and beginning of fall (in Seattle’s case this means the welcome back of rain), and returning the old routine of work blues.
It also is the notorious beginning of what I call the “Weight Gain Season”. It is a potent mixture of Halloween sweets, thanksgiving feasts, Christmas parties on top of Christmas parties filled with delicious food, and finally approaches the finish line with end of the year guilty pleasures. An average American will put on around 15 pounds in the next 3-4 months before swearing to themselves to lose it plus another 20 on New Years. Does this sounds familiar? Yeah, I thought so.

I got into this industry because I absolutely have a passion for training but I also have an equally serious passion for helping people. I want to help you fight this years “Weight Gain Season” by slapping it in the face and starting your change now. How great would it be to get a jump start on that New Year’s resolution by getting into better shape by January. So when January comes around, you won’t have to worry about losing weight because your waistline will already be lean and mean. You can save your resolutions for bigger problem areas like saving up more money and not blowing it going to the bars, spending more time with your family and friends, or finally going on a trip somewhere to show off that new hard body on the beach!

Does this mean I won’t be able to eat any of the good food?


Of course not! I would never be that evil, plus thanksgiving and Christmas are my most favorite holidays of the year. (I absolutely love all thanksgiving food, mMMmm stuffing) By being on a program, it will help you maintain and keep your goals within grasp and one or two days of indulging in home cooked meals won’t phase you. It will just mean busting your ass a little harder next workout and with how high your metabolism will have spiked and the resiliency your body will have learned to burn fat, turkey and gravy won’t have nothing on you.

How do I get started?

1.) Write down your goals on paper with a pen!
Yeah Microsoft word is great and yeah I used it to write this article. But there is something about goal setting and manually writing it that makes it more genuine and real. It’s like signing a promise/contract to yourself. Who can be more real with yourself than You! The more specific the better folks.
Example.
- An example could be a goal of Fat Loss. Specifically twenty pounds and toning up the stomach and lower body. Also to gain more endurance/energy In order to play longer with the kids at the boys and girls club I volunteer at.


2.) Write down what you will have to do in order to reach those goals!
This can include starting to workout twice a week and progressively make it to four times a week. Living a healthier lifestyle by walking more and eating more clean by eating out less. This step can really be an eye opener because you quickly realize that there are a lot of little things that you can do already to start the change.

3.) Stop talking and Get started!
Don’t stare at the piece of paper with these things written on it! Go to the grocery store and buy some fresh clean foods. Get outside and say goodbye to the sun with a workout. Just get the ball rolling.

What I am going to do for YOU!

The next group of articles will be focused in helping you tackle the Weight gain Season with killer workouts, nutritional advice, and tons of great ways to stay motivated. I know it will get hard but keep reading the piece of paper with your goals on it to remind you how serious you were, are, and will be.

Nutritional advice Bonus!

This can come to you as Breaking News or repetitive banter but please use it in your fight against the Weight Loss Season.

1.) Eat 5-6 smaller meals
- This will curb your hunger so you don’t gorge yourself whenever you get a chance to eat, resulting in an increase in metabolism meaning you get to burn calories quicker and more efficiently.
- Don’t think that a meal is always something big. It can be a replacement meal like a protein shake or a light snack like apples with a little peanut butter.

2.) Eat fresh!
- No this isn’t an advertisement for Subway! This just means anytime you can cook with fresh produce, lean meats, and fruits take advantage of it. This will give you an opportunity to give your body clean calories and productive fuel to workout.

3.) Eat out LESS!

- One thing that has helped me to eat out less is reading the nutritional facts that are mandatory at all restaurants in Washington now. I found out that one of my favorite meals at the Cheesecake factory had nearly 3,000 calories in it. Woops!