That’s good.

But this isn’t: More than half of those resolutions are abandoned (or broken) on January 2.

Another 10 percent will be forgotten (or broken) on January 3.

By April 1, more than 90 percent of those good intentions will have mutated into regrets and rationalizations.

It’s a shame… but this isn’t going to happen to you.

I am 100 percent sure that 2010 will be the best and most productive year of your life. You will make more money, enjoy better health, and accomplish more than ever before in a single year.

And you’re going to start today. Not tomorrow. Today.

You do it by making a simple commitment. So do that right now.

Take out a piece of paper and write: “2010 will be the best year of my life.” Then sign it and put it someplace where you will see it every now and then. This a contract with the part of you that wants to succeed.

Making that commitment is the most important thing you can do today. It is the step that sets you in motion, the critical first step on the path to accomplishing all your major goals.

But the next step – and this is critical too – is to have a proven system to accomplish those goals.

What will YOU DO to make this year Different?

Perform Better has all kinds of fitness goodies that any fitness nut would love – here are some suggestions.

Fitness Bands

Simply one of the most useful products ever.  The 1/2 inch and 1 inch will be the most useful for Most people.  I use these all the time instead of cables – awesome stuff.

Jungle Gym and TRX
Body Weight Training Rules! With these tools you can put your whole gym in your gym bag and take it with you. The Jungle Gyms are awesome for personal use, but if you want the Best pick up the TRX. It has special loops for your feet which multiply your exercise options endlessly. Andy strong enough to pull a bus! (yes, I HAVE tested that =)

Foam Rollers and Massage Sticks
Know what to do with sore muscles? How about self massage – cool toys I use all the time.
For those who don’t want hardcore, use the first softer ones. If you are an extreme athlete or much over 200 use the second which is reinforced with a pvc pipe. And “the stick” is awesome for hitting detail point on yourself and personal training clients.

Other cool ideas include kettlebells, bosu and exercise balls, and fitness books and dvd’s.

http://www.performbetter.com?kbid=2655

I hope this helps you solve some of your Holiday Shopping woes =)

Now let’s talk more about enjoyment. Yes, you CAN enjoy your favorite foods. But enjoy them by savoring them, not devouring them.

Chew your food slowly.

That might not seem it, but that is a BIG TIME tip.

Enjoy your favorites by taking your time eating them. That may mean finding a quiet space to eat when at a loud party. But it will be worth the little bit of extra effort.

And it’s going to take about 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full. So take your time. Enjoy every bite with zero guilt.

Again, this might seem too simple, but it’s not. It really can be this easy if you stay focused on your plan.

Also, remember that TONIGHT is the last day to save 15% on ALL of Prograde Nutrition’s awesome products. Their huge Holiday Sale ends at 11:59pm EST.

Plan on staying away from the booze.

Look, a drink or two isn’t going to be the end of the world. But when two turns to three…

I’m not getting on my soap box here. I’m just telling you something you already know:

Booze leads to bad decisions. And in this case, we’re talking about bad eating decisions.

When alcohol enters the equation even the best laid plans crumble. The extra calories from the cocktails is one thing. But really it’s the extra calories you chew that start to add up.

One piece of cake turns to two…

A handful of chips turns into a a bag…

The dip sitting in front of you mysteriously vanishes…into your belly…

You get the picture.

Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Just be conscious of what alcohol does to your decision making.

Yours in health,

David Hoffmaster

PS – Rememeber, Prograde Nutrition’s HUGE Holiday Savings ends TOMORROW night. You definitely want to get over to Prograde right NOW and place you order to save 15% on all their killer products. It’s my duty as a proud Prograde Partner to remind you

You know you know this.
Fail to plan, plan to fail.

You can’t just HOPE you’re going to behave yourself at holiday parties. You can’t just do the same old things you’ve been doing. You can’t just miss breakfast. have a light lunch and then go to a party filled with temptation and not go a little insane on the cheese platter

You have to plan your meals.

You have to plan your workouts.

You have to set your goals in stone.

You don’t want to be the person that comes out of the holidays 5 to 10 pounds heavier, do you?

If you don’t plan your strategy from preventing it, well, you can PLAN on getting some new clothes that fit your new size.

This is far from doom and gloom. You can still enjoy your favorite foods at parties. You can still have a great time.

But what you can’t do is just free-for-all it and stuff your face with everything put in front of you. You know that.

Plan on taking a nice 30 minute walk this weekend and do some solid thinking about what your plan will be. And when you get back home, put it on paper and commit to it.

And think about how great you’ll feel about yourself when January comes after you’ve followed your plan. Oh, and be sure to reward yourself to by doing something special for yourself.
Yours in health,

David Hoffmaster

PS – As a proud Prograde Nutrition partner I have to remind you Prograde is having a heck of a Holiday Blow Out on ALL of their awesome products. Everything you need, including the coupon code to save 15% on all Prograde Nutrition products is right here.

Hurry because this deal expires this Friday, December 11th at 11:59pm EST.

Whew! It’s always a little crazy here the week after Thanksgiving. Everyone wants to get back on track after taking a few liberties during the Holiday weekend

So today I don’t have very much time to write to you – at all. But as a proud Prograde Nutrition partner I had to let you know that their Whole Foods based multi – VGF 25 + is now available on a trial basis.

It’s made from 25 veggies, greens and fruits. Hence the name, VGF.

It contains 7 nutrient classes:

• Enzymes
• Phytonutrients
• Amino Acids
• Essential Fatty Acids
• Micro AND Macro Vitamins and Minerals

What’s really cool is you can try Prograde’s VGF 25+ for FREE!

(There’s just a small S & H charge)

Ok, gotta run. Talk to you soon.

PS – You can see all the natural ingredients they use to make VGF 25+ at http://pps.getprograde.com/vgf25-free-trial.html

It’s that time of year again, time for Thanksgiving! People tend to associate Thanksgiving dinner with gluttony and horrible holiday weight gain. Blame  the stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and the pumpkin pie for that, but leave the sexy turkey out of it! Turkey is packed with lean protein that elevates metabolism and promotes fat burning and lean muscle growth at the same time. It is also a very lean protein, meaning there is very little fat in it, (remember to remove the skin though!).

Protein is the what your body uses to build lean muscle and burn body fat (fat and carbs simply provide energy). More specifically, regular protein intake is vital in repairing your muscles from activities like strength training and interval cardio training. In addition, getting enough protein every 3-4 hours is essential in maintaining your current levels of lean muscle tissue.

This is important because the more lean muscle tissue you have the larger your metabolic engine, thus the more calories (and fat) you can burn on a daily basis since lean muscle tissue requires lot of energy to sustain and repair itself. Muscle Is Your Metabolism!

Protein is also less likely to be stored as body fat, and the mere act of digesting protein requires more than twice the energy to digest than carbohydrate and dietary fat. So, if there is any food choice that you can truly get away with overeating this holiday season, it will be turkey.

One of the other key benefits of having turkey is that it is easy to prepare a lot of it at once, so you can save a lot of time in meal planning and preparation. (think the Sunday Ritual) Time most of us desperately need during the Hectic Holiday Season. You can roast a big turkey, and then have tons of meal options for days. Just think of what you can do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers!

Here are some great Healthy Recipes using the holiday bird – Enjoy!

Turkey Salad

- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes

- 1⁄4 red bell pepper

- 1⁄4 green bell pepper

- 1⁄4 red onion

- 2 Tbsp olive oil mayo

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up

- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey

- 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese

- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

- 2 Whole Grain Tortillas

Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze

Turkey Medallions:

- 6-8 oz. Turkey

- Non-stick spray

- Turkey Seasoning

Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.

Cranberry Glaze:

- 1 Cups Dry white wine 

- Turkey or chicken stock, as needed

- 1 1⁄2  Cups Dried cranberries 

- 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted

- Pinch of Sea Salt 

Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Shepherds Pie

- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey

- 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy

- 1 small can whole kernel corn

- drained 1 cup of chicken stock

- 1 cup of water

- 3 cups steamed cauliflower

- 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots

- chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic

- minced 1 bell pepper, any color chopped

- Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.

Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.

Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.

Turkey Florentine

- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

- 2 tablespoons smart butter

- 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine

- 2 cups diced, cooked turkey

- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1

- (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip

- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt

- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

- Non-stick cooking spray

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Turkey Green Bean Casserole

- 1 bag of frozen green beans

- 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast

- 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup

- 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese

- Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Or ham.

Or some shrimp cocktail.

Eat it, and only that, until you’re full.

Protein is, by nature, very filling.  And by filling up on lean protein, you’ll
avoid other, potentially more destructive food items at the buffet.
And best yet, you still leave satisfied.

Another benefit of protein is that it also helps your body process
carbohydrates more effectively by stimulating the release of the hormone
glucagon—a hormone which helps to control blood sugar and curb the fat-
storage properties of insulin.

So if you do indeed add some carbs, they’ll become much less of a threat
to your waistline.

Strategy #2:  Do NOT Drink Calories
Calories in beverages are wasted calories.  They do nothing to increase
satiety or fullness, and can very easily tack on a serious amount of caloric
damage to any evening.

If it has calories, don’t drink it, plain and simple.
If you’d like some variety beyond plain water, drink green tea or add Emergen-C.

Just please, do NOT fall victim to 500 calories of fat-fertilizing high fructose
corn syrup.  Simple avoidance, great benefit.

Strategy #3:  Be “Normal”
Most people don’t eat anything else all day leading up to the big event in order to “save up” the calories.

Big mistake, and for several reasons.

First, when you go into a meal or party incredibly hungry, you will
absolutely overeat to a much higher degree than you would otherwise.

Bigger portions of calorie dense, fatty/carb-laden food = WAY more
calories than you would have naturally eaten throughout the day.

Secondly, eating nothing only to follow it up with a big, high-fat/high-
carb/high-calorie meal leads to a greater percentage of those calories than
normal to be stored as fat.

Strategy #4:Get Up Early and Workout
I am meeting 4 other people serious about their health and working out Before I eat.

That way the extra calories can actually be put to good use to build muscle instead of packing on fat.

There are No excuses!

Strategy #5:  Delicious Protein Pancakes Recipe

It’s been a great year here at My Fitness Coach / Hot Mommy Fitness. And I’m very grateful for you being a part of that success. This week being Thanksgiving I want to make sure I’m showing you how grateful I am.

But before I do…

Let’s get serious for a moment. You’re going to eat a LOT of food this Thursday. You know it. I know it. And that’s ok. I’m sure you’ve been working out just a little bit harder to prepare for it, right? And I know you’re going to get a good workout in on Thursday before you chow down, right?

Now, besides that, I also want to remind you one thing you do NOT want to do on Thursday is skip meals so you can stuff yourself with one big one. That’s a no-no.

You still need to start your day right by boosting your metabolism with a solid breakfast. So to help you out with that I’ve got a gift for you from me and my buddies over at Prograde Nutrition. It’s a delicious Protein Pancakes recipe.

Thanks to the protein in the recipe your blood sugar won’t go crazy like it can just by eating a huge stack of pancakes with sugary syrup. Nope, this recipe will fill you up, nourish your body and give your metabolism just the boost it needs.

You can get the Protein Pancakes recipe here: http://pps.getprograde.com/prograde-pancake-recipe.html

Be sure to let me know how you like it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

PS:  If this was helpful to you, please forward to friends!  And you can get content like this delivered right to your inbox with my weekly Fitness Now! Newsletter.