Be sure to pick up the Voice-Tribune magazine | Jan.19 edition to see Milestone on page 13!  Get a sneak peek of the content here...

Dear Milestone - I’ve tried so many times to lose weight in the past, but I always tend to fall off. How can I get success this time?  -Discouraged Dan

Dear Discouraged Dan- Set a goal with a deadline, write it down and look at it daily. Identify your motivation style: learning-oriented (i.e. space out listening to educational podcasts while exercising), goal-oriented (i.e. half-marathon training), relationship-oriented (i.e. buddy system) or thrill-oriented (i.e. rock-climbing). Use your motivation style to create an action plan to reach your goal with accountability. Here at Milestone we have a program called HMR which was rated #1 Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet by U.S. News & World Report. Milestone also offers 250+ group exercise classes and aquatic classes per week.  Or, if you prefer to go a different route, you can hire one of our certified & degreed personal trainers to help.  We also recommend you find someone to keep you accountable with healthy eating, maybe texting pictures of your food back and forth as you reach your fitness goals.

Dear Milestone – How can I get a six pack? -Jiggly Julie

Dear Jiggly Julie- If you’re comparing yourself to celebrity Jenna Dewan Tatum’s abs on TV, she has openly admitted they were painted on.  So don’t feel like you need to have a “six pack” to be fit.  But, if you are committed to developing washboard abs with muscle definition, here’s a few tips: 1) The abdominal wall is most highly affected by what you eat and drink.  Decrease your consumption of processed foods, refined starches, and white sugar. Drink more water. Drink less alcohol and soda (even diet soda.)  2) Decrease stress.  Stress increases cortisol levels which translate to belly fat.  So, eliminate stressors where you can, and where you can’t, manage that stress by practicing mindful deep breathing or meditation.  Milestone’s yoga classes are offered daily and to increase relaxation you can also schedule a massage at the Oasis Spa.  3) Strengthen abdominal muscles. Milestone offers Pilates and many other core strengthening classes.  4) Decrease overall body fat percentage to tone the stomach and make the ab muscles visible.  We recommend cycling, kickboxing or any other high intensity interval training or cardio activity.

Dear Milestone - I exercise a lot… why am I not seeing results?  -Plateau Patty

Dear Plateau Patty- The definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.  With change, you get change.  The first thing we do at Milestone is offer a complimentary Fitness Coaching session, where a personal trainer will help you put together a personalized fitness program based on your goals and interests.  If you ever hit a plateau with your program, you can meet back with a Fitness Coach who can make strategic modifications to your training program. Typically, 1-2 small modifications will help you bust through that plateau!