Posts Tagged Matt Hoover
Road Trip Time…
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on July 6th, 2010
I will be heading out soon for the San Francisco Triathlon soon. I love road trips so I volunteered to drive the equipment down from Seattle. The trip is scheduled to take 12 hours. That is a long time to be in the car alone; especially when you consider that in the past, that is where I turned my eating common sense off.
I have been doing really well. I have found that the more I plan the easier it is for me. Wow, what a revelation! Planning works! I will be packing my food and drink so that when I stop at the gas stations all I have to do is fill up and leave. Rest stops will be at the ever so clean confines of the interstate rest areas.
Gas stations make sense, but why the rest areas? Because for me, there is little enjoyment in stale candy from a vending machine. I know that if I stop at the rest areas I will be in a safe zone as opposed to stoping at a convenience store or restaurant. I’m not avoiding; I’m planning.
Another thing that I will be doing is listening to T.Harv Eckers Millionaire Mind CD’s. I have listened to them before and it is time to brush up on some things. What a better time to do it than alone in the car with no distractions. Car trips don’t have to be wasted time. I am going to use this time to make my mind sharper.
I feel like I have a pretty good plan in place now it is time to execute it. I will let you know tomorrow how it goes.
See you tomorrow!
Back to Work…
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on July 5th, 2010
The holiday weekend flew by. We went camping and had a pretty good time. I have to say that after spending two weeks in Utah, my tolerance for cold weather has greatly diminished. As soon as we got our campsite set up, Suzy and I headed out for a bike ride. It was a great way to start off our weekend.
For some reason I thought it was a good idea to have smores on the campfire that evening. I don’t even like smores, but when I get around a campfire it sounds like a good idea. It wasn’t. I had 2 of them and proceeded to get a violent stomach ache before going to bed.
The next morning was pretty chilly. I had planned on going for a swim but when I felt the water I decided against it. Instead we went for a little walk. Saturday was a pretty lazy day. I felt like I ate too much but considering my past trips to the mountains I did pretty good.
The thing I noticed when I got home was how my lack of structure over the weekend affected me mentally. I was a little growly and just didn’t feel like myself. It seemed like because I wasn’t planning my days as I have been lately, that I felt like I could easily slip back into old habits. I definitely don’t want to do that.
So today I am back at it. Planned meals, planned workouts, and a planned schedule. I feel better and more energetic. For a guy who always thought of hiumself as just being able to “roll with it”, I am really liking this structure thing. I feel more productive, I value myself more, and I especially am valuing my body and the way I treat it.
Big Weekends Don’t Have to Mean Big Weight Gain….
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on July 2nd, 2010
I can’t believe it the 4th of July weekend already! The timing of this holiday couldn’t be better for me. I have now been home for a week from The Biggest Loser Resort and it has been great. One of the lessons that I learned was the importance of planning ahead. In the past, our 4th of July camping trip was a guaranteed 15 lb weight gain weekend.
What’s going to make this one different? I have come to realize that having a good time doesn’t have to revolve around consuming mass calories. I have a plan. Today I am going to share my plan with you in hopes that is will help you have an enjoyable and successful holiday.
For me camping has been a weekend of snacking aimlessly on Chex mix cheese snacks, eating a burger or hotdog whenever the urge hit and drinking cases of pop. Yes pop, I know for some of you your choice of beverage may be different.
It may sound like a bummer, but this year we actually planned a menu. Last year we went to the store and bought whatever sounded like we might want to eat. We had a ton of food and of course we couldn’t let it go to waste so I tried my hardest to eat everything. Waste not want not right?
I have discovered that the coolers that we have that work so well at keeping our junk food cold also work well for fresh healthy foods. We have chicken, steak, stuff for salads and will be able to eat the same way we eat at home. We are bringing our almond milk and cereal for breakfast, we will omelets one morning as well. For lunch we got things to make turkey sandwiches.
Suzy and I talked about how and whn we would do our workouts and specifically what those workouts would be. I am confident that this weekend will be one of the best we have had as a family. We intend to stay active with our little boys and take them hiking and swimming in the lake as often as they can handle. My goal is to have the boys completely exhausted when it come time for them to go to bed.
Lets make this weekend an active one. Regardless of where you live there will be tons of activities to stay active. Maybe this is the year you hit a July 4th fun run or start an annual whiffle ball tournament. You might be surprised at how willing people are to join you in doing active things if you just mention it.
If you know you are going to be going to an event that is focused on food and imbibing, get your workout in ahead of time. One last thing, make sure and revisit your health goals this weekend before heading out and ask yourself if you are doing what you need to to reach them. Holidays are not a free pass. Take some time this weekend for yourself and do the things that you know are going to keep you moving forward.
This weekend doesn’t have to be one of weight gain and overeating. Make it a great time and enjoy.
See you on Monday
Are You Living Out of Fear or Without Fear?
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on June 30th, 2010
Researchers have diagnosed over 2000 known phobias or fears. That is a huge number of fears that people struggle with everyday. Here is the interesting part. Guess how many of those 2000 diagnosed fears we are born with. Think about it for a minute, the answer may surprise you. Those same researchers have found that humans are born with 2, that is right, TWO innate fears. The fear of loud noises and the fear of falling are the only fears that we are born with. The rest are learned.
So the question is, how do we learn to overcome our fears? We have to do exactly that, learn to overcome fear. Any habit that is learned can be unlearned. Unfortunately, sometimes unlearning habits is harder than learning them. Often it takes longer and come sometimes be physically uncomfortable but it can be done.
The thing about fear is that it must be faced. We will never overcome fear by running from it. The first step in overcoming a fear, or fears is to identify that fear. Second we must acknowledge that fear and third we need to develop the steps we need to take to beat that fear.
Our minds are like a giant storage cabinet. Inside those files are all of the experiences we have had throughout our lives. When we face a situation we draw form those files to decide how we are going to react. That is the key. WE decide how we are going to react to a situation. If we have operated out of fear most of our lives, we will more than react with fear.
In order to stop living out of fear we must reprogram and refile our reactions. It starts with one act of courage. It starts by decidng that we are going to react to situations differently than we have in the past. After we react positively enough times those old negastive files will be replaced ant thrown out with the trash. It will become easier and easier to react in the way that will move us forward toward where we want to go.
As I said earlier fear and old habits can be unlearned. The process does take longer than initially learning something because we must first unlearn and then relearn the new habit. The act of unlearning takes work. We have to commit to our new thought patterns and choose to implement those new ideas at the appropriate times rather than reacting as we have in the past.
This can be difficult because even though we may know our habits haven’t been working they are familiar to us and therefore easier even if the results we have achieved have been less than ideal. In essence, we may have to be uncomfortable as we begin facing our fears. As we relearn our new habits, that uncomfortableness will subside and will become easier and more natural.
Today is a great time to start facing our fears and stop living out of that fear. become fearless!
See you tomorrow!
Home Sweet Home…
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on June 28th, 2010
I am home! After an amazing two weeks in Utah at The Biggest Loser Resort, I am now on my own. Let me tell you there is nothing like jumping right back into real life. While I was gone Rex turned 3 years old. We had a party before I left, he went to a Mariner’s game for his actual birthday and yesterday was his party for everyone.
I got home late Saturday night. Sunday I made breakfast from the resort cookbook. After breakfast, Suzy, myself, and the boys walked to the store to get the things I would need to prepare meals for the week. One of the benefits of me going to Fitness Ridge is that Suzy now has an extra chef in the kitchen. This week I am making all the meals.
We got back from the store and put the boys down for a nap before the big party. I had been preparing myself mentally all morning for the birthday party. I knew that there was going to be food there that wasn’t that great for my calorie count but I knew I could survive.
I am writing down all my food so I can track my calories now. I knew that I had budgeted in for the hot dogs that were going to be served as well as any other “incidentals”. I did pretty good compared to my past bbq antics. This time something felt different.
Rex blew out his candles, for the third time in a week, and the cake and ice cream were served. I had a small piece of cake and a little ice cream. When that was done I grabbed a cupcake and bit the top off it and threw the bottom away. When I was done eating, I went and sat by my brother in law to talk a little bit. I had been sitting there about 5 minutes when my eyes started to water and my stomach started churning.
I jumped up and ran to the bathroom because my cake, cupcake, and ice cream were on their way up. I got in there and it was all over. I vomitted. About ten minutes after that I had another round. This time there was someone in the bathroom so I had to go throw up outside.
I’m not telling you this to gross you out. When I sat there afterward, I realized that I had only been putting healthy and nutritious things in my body for the last 2 weeks. My body had gotten use to those things that quickly and that is what it wanted. My body was telling, and showing me, that it doesn’t enjoy the cake and ice cream like it use to and that it would rather have the nutritious food I had been fueling it with the previous 2 weeks.
That is what I will be doing. It is definitely not worth it to me to feel how I did yesterday. To top it off, I woke up this morning feeling like I had a hangover similar to the ones I use to get when I spent a night out drinking. Will I never have cake or ice cream again? Of course not. I will eat those things again just not like I have in the past.
My body learned how to crave healthy and nutritious foods while I was at the resort. I am going to give my body the foods that I know are going to help me reach my goal of being lean and fit. To do anything else is a disservice to myself and my body.
See you tomorrow!
Headin Home!!!
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on June 26th, 2010
I’m sitting in the Las Vegas airport a proud man. I was able to find supper that was healthy and within my calorie range! Sounds like a little thing, but airports have been my place of struggle for many years. I had a salad from Baja Fresh. I asked them to hold the fried tortilla strips and cheese and had salsa instead of dressing. I ate it and am typing this blog completely satisfied. They didn’t even look at me like I was a creature from another planet when I asked them to make my salad a little different.
Next stop was to get something to drink. I’m off the pop now and thought maybe a bottle of tea would be good to drink. Guess what the second ingredient was on the “anti-oxidant rich” green tea was. High fructose corn syrup. On the diet it was crystallized fructose and phenylalanine or whatever. I got my water bottle out and filled it up at the fountain. I have worked to hard to start taking shortcuts.
Speaking of shortcuts, today I decided that rather than going on a regular hike that I was going to climb the mountain across from the resort. It really is a mountain. It was a 1 mile hike straight up the side. I found the trailhead and took off. Even though it was steep, the trail was well marked. For a while. As I climbed higher and the terrain got tougher I began to question my common sense.
About 3/4 of the way up I saw an opening that looked like a good way to go, a shortcut. From where I was standing it looked like it would definitely be easier going once I got up a short wall. I scaled the wall and was in a deep crack in the mountain. I continued about 20 feet before I came to a dead end.
I was left with two options. Sit there and wait for someone to get me or turn around and go back the way I came and try and find a different way. Well I wasn’t about to wait around for someone to figure out that I had been an idiot and come looking for me. I went back down scaled the face I had climbed up, which was much more intimidating standing on top looking down. I made it down and continued up the way I should have the first time.
When I got to the top of the mountain I thought about what had happened and how that relates to my own life and quite possibly yours. When things got a little difficult I started looking for a shortcut. I knew that if I stayed on the path I was on that I would eventually get to the top. When the good idea buzzer went off in my brain to look for the easier way, it sounded like a good plan. It wasn’t.
How many times in life are we on the right path when an easier route seems to appear. We all want to get where we want to go quickly. The problem is that often times our “shortcuts” are anything but that. We start out on the shortcut with best intentions only to find out it was the wrong decision. It is those moments that we have to get real with ourselves. We can sit there and cry and wait to be rescued or we can turn around, go back the way we came and get back on the path that we know is going to take us to our ultimate destination.
Often times when I take a shortcut I will stand there and think “Why did I do this again?’ I may stand there paralyzed by the thought of having made a bad call; almost as if doing nothing is somehow better than acknowledging I screwed up and head back to where I went off track.
I couldn’t have asked for a better lesson to learn on my last day at The Biggest Loser Resort. Today I know where I want to go and that taking shortcuts isn’t going to get me there any quicker. For me it’s time to stop taking shortcuts and stay on the path that I know is going to take me where I want to go. How about you?
No More Shortcuts!
In my next blog I will be giving a recap of my entire stay at Fitness Ridge as well as sharing my numbers from my 2 weeks there. (I am not disappointed!)
See you tomorrow!
Almost Time To Go Home…
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on June 24th, 2010
I can not believe how quickly the time went here at Fitness Ridge. I also can’t believe how much I have changed in those two weeks. I am really excited to be going home and know that I am going to be a better husband, dad, and man. I can’t wait to implement what I have learned here at my position at Vision Quest Sport and Fitness as a life coach. My time here is also going to help me in my speaking career.
When I left The Biggest Loser I was scared. I had been so focused on winning the show that I had blinders on and sacrificed in other areas of my life. I am leaving here feeling prepared to handle the real world. When I left the show I focused on all the things I could “never” eat again. Leaving here I am focused on all the things that I will be able to enjoy and the different foods I will be implementing into my diet. Diet as in what I eat daily, not as in a restrictive regimen that stresses me out.
I don’t know how much weight I have lost here and I am not really concerned about it. I know that continuing to eat the way I have learned to here and exercising daily will yield the long term and lasting results that I want to achieve.
Tonight I went to the store with some friends to get some pictures developed. As we were waiting I walked around and looked at the foods that I usually crave when I am trying to lose weight. The things that have been triggers. As opposed to wanting them and thinking “After I weigh in on Saturday, I am going to get some of this.” I looked at the calories and ingredients and thought about how much of other nutritious food I could have for the same amount of calories.
I think one of the things that is going to help me the most is having a schedule. Eating at 9:30, 12:30, and 5:30. Planning my workout times and my workout schedule. I have always prided myself in being carefree and being able to just “roll with it”. That hasn’t worked too well. I am going to structure my days for success in all areas, diet, exercise, work and personal. I am really excited.
I think the coolest thing I have realized this week is that it is ok to appreciate the work I am doing. I am also proud to have learned that things don’t always have to be hard. If I do the things I need to each day, success in all areas will follow.
This has been a great experience. I want to thank my wife and kids, Brad and Chip at Vision Quest Sport and Fitness, and The Biggest Loser Resort for allowing me the opportunity to once again change my life!
See you tomorrow!
A Typical Day At Biggest Loser Resort…
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on June 23rd, 2010
I have had several requests to post a typical day here at Fitness Ridge. I’ll be honest, life here is much like it was when I was on the show. The main difference is that I am eating balanced meals here and I don’t have the stress of trying to put up huge numbers each week.
Here you go. At 6:30 am we leave for daily hikes. These hike typically last 2-2.5 hours. The terrain varies from sandy trails to rocky climbs to pavement. This is definitely my favorite thing to do each day which is odd because until recently I despised hiking.
Breakfast is at 9:30 am. There is usually some type of fruit and then a protein and carb. Breakfast is typically around 300 calories. Depending on your group, you may have a class session or a workout after breakfast. The classes here are invaluable and I have learned a ton. Classes are all 45 minutes long.
At 11:15 I usually have a stretch class. Kind of like yoga but more basic.
Lunch is at 12:30. Again a balanced meal usually starting with a delicious soup and then an entree made of up of fats, carbs, and proteins. Lunch is usually around 400 calories.
After lunch I have open gym where I sometimes go for a bike ride or take out a Street Strider. A Street Strider is like an elliptical machine that you ride down the road. It is a crazy workout and is a blast to ride.
2:30 is when the real work begins from 2:30 on there is a class each hour until 5:15. Classes vary. Today I had a cardio class, a pool circuit workout, and then ended the day with kick boxing.
Dinner is at 5:30 and is usually 500 calories. After dinner there are classes and tonight we had a group meeting where we discussed breakthroughs and even concerns about going home.
The day usually wraps up around 7:15 and people are free to do what they want. ie get a massage!
It is very structured here but I love that. I thrive on structure and feel like this is the best place for me to be right now. The staff is first rate and you can see their passion. I have gotten to know several great people and feel like when I leave I will continue to keep in touch with them.
These last two weeks have been simply amazing. I feel like I have made the gains I need to go home and be truly successful. I am excited for myself and my family. I am going to be more confident and successful in my business and in my home life.
I have had my ups and downs here at the resort, but it has all been worth it. Tonight I am also wishing my son Rex happy birthday! He is 3 years old today. I can’t believe how fast he is growing, but I am happy to know that because of the things I am doing here and will continue to do when I get home, I will be around for many more of both of my sons birthdays.
See you tomorrow!
Break Down….
Posted by Matt Hoover in General on June 21st, 2010
After last week, I feel a little bad to report that life isn’t a big bowl of cherries here at The Biggest Loser Resort today. It was a rough day and it all started with a genuine compliment from someone.
What are you talking about Matt? How can a compliment mess up your day? Let me explain. Last night I didn’t sleep well. I can tell I am losing weight and my body has changed a lot in the past week. I was actually worried that someone might say something today and someone did.
The reason I struggled with this is because for some reason when people tell me I am looking good or that they can tell I am losing weight, I almost always take a day off and go eat. The day turns into two and often turns into a week until I am back where I Started.
I don’t know why, but it seems like a positive comment from someone gives me permission to slack off. Rather than going out and feeding my face, I stopped into the office of one of the staff here at Fitness Ridge. As I told her what happened and how I reacted, I realized how out of line my thinking was. Rather than appreciating the fact that someone was recognizing my hard work, I was trying to make it harder on myself.
I set a goal for the day to stick to the nutrition plan and finish all my workouts. I did that. Now at the end of the day, I sit here and realize that if I am going to have long term and lasting results, I have got to change the way I see myself and more importantly the way I talk to myself.
Unless I am willing to accept praise and appreciate the work I am doing today I am always going to go right back to where I started. Things, especially weight loss, don’t have to always be hard. I have been making it hard on myself by feeling like I have to be in constant struggle in order to being doing a good job.
These thoughts have led me to struggle in other areas that I don’t need to struggle in as well. Today I finally recognized them and on top of that, I verbalized them. I made it through the day and feel that I will pick up where I left off last week tomorrow.
The focus this week. Change the way I talk to myself. I am worth it and don’t have to make things difficult on myself in order to acheive success. As one of the trainers said today, “Don’t let the only person standing in the way of your success be YOU!” Great advice at a great time.
See you tomorrow!
