Coughlin Inner Circle

Your Success Starts at the End

Before I started to go into business for myself, I spent 6 months thoroughly creating, designing and planning what I wanted my company to be.

I knew if I was going to do this, I would be very methodical about everything.  No stone would be left unturned.  The following are just some of the things I had to think about before starting my biz...

How would my company be different then everyone else's?

What would my marketing strategies be?

What was my competition doing and how I could do it better?

What was the name of my company going to be?

What was my logo going to look like and how would I create it?

What would my motto be? 

Would I open a personal training gym or be a mobile business?

How would I hire trainers and how much would I pay them?

How would I keep my trainers happy so they would stay with me?

How would I get a top ranking on the search engines?

I could go on and on...The point is, I always had the END in mind. 

I knew that if I didn't know ALL the answers to these questions, I would always be uncertain of what my results would be...and in essence, I would just be another company that barely got by or even worse, would go out of business within a year or two.

Fortunately, because I made the CHOICE to plan out everything - right down to the smallest detail - my company has been a success.  Nothing has happened my CHANCE.

So, why am I telling you this?

I am telling you this because having the END in mind is crucial to your fitness goals!

So many people forget to plan before starting their fitness program and often end up getting average results or no results at all.   

Here are two examples of people with different planning methods when it comes to their fitness and health goals.

Person #1

"If I try to exercise as much as possible and eat healthy I'll get results."

Person #2

"To lose 30 pounds and drop 10% body fat this year, this is what I'm going to do."

For my strength training, I'm going to do it 3x a week.  My strength training will consist of body-weight calisthenics, free weights, bands and isometric training methods for 1 hour at a time changing my routine every 3 sessions. 

For my cardio, I will do it everyday.  I will jog in my neighborhood 4x a week for 1 hour at a time and I will take a cardio-kickboxing class at my gym 3x a week.  I will also meet with a trainer twice a month to see if I am doing things correctly.

For my meal planning, I will eat 6 small nutritious meals and drink 8 glasses of water a day.  My meals will consist of all natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, turkey, cottage cheese, fish, nuts and whole wheat foods.  I will also meet with a trainer and/or nutritionist twice a month to see if I am eating correctly.

Now, which person do you think is going to be successful?

Person # 2 of course!

Person # 2 knew exactly what they wanted to do because they planned out everything.  They knew that if they followed everything in their plan, they would achieve they're goal!  In their mind, they already had their goals achieved and worked backwards. 

So the next time you plan your fitness goals...or any goals for that matter...
ALWAYS have the end in mind, you'll be so glad you did!

Yours In Total Fitness & Maximum Success,

Jim Coughlin

How Strong Is Your Desire?

I used to be a big believer of the saying "Information is Power" and while I still think this phrase holds true...it's incomplete.

Information is just information, but it's ONLY powerful if one, it's applied, and two (most importantly), there is a burning desire behind it. The greater the desire...the greater your success will be.

Some people will typically learn the information they need to know, but at the end of the day, will never actually use it and accomplish what they want in life. Others will in fact, apply what they have learned, yet still will not be content and attain the end-result they're looking for.

It's only the individuals who utilize information WITH a strong sense of desire that truly experience infinite happiness and the abundant success they want.

For instance, my company works with three types of clients.

There's client # 1, who doesn't train hard during sessions. Doesn't follow the cardio and nutritional programs we give them. Isn't serious and cancels frequently. Learns what we teach them, but does not apply it and consequently, wastes their money. These clients have no desire.

Then there's client # 2, who does train hard during sessions. Does follow the cardio and nutritional programs we give them. Is serious and never cancels sessions. Follows what we teach, applies it and gets results...BUT, there's one big problem...

After they end their training with us, and we are no longer part of the equation for helping them with their fitness program, they return to their unhealthy ways. This leads to them becoming out of shape and/or regaining their original weight back.

So even though they applied the information we gave them during the training, they don't have the willingness to maintain it. Essentially, the information they were taught is deemed worthless because their desire just isn't strong enough.

Finally, there's client # 3, who is basically the same as client #2, however, there's one HUGE difference...

Client # 3 understands that personal training is an investment and does not use the tired excuse, "I don't have the motivation and/or will-power to train hard and eat well by myself once the training is over."

Client # 3 comprehends that being fit requires hard work and is willing to overcome any and all obstacles to achieve the success they want. These proud individuals not only apply the information they're given, get awesome results with their program, but also, they vividly grasp the most important concept of all...Fitness and health is a LIFESTYLE!

Client # 3 knows what they want, and is determined to get it. They are the true definition of DESIRE.

Now, if YOU reading this right now just so happen to be classified as client # 1 or client # 2...Don't get all huffy and puffy on me...Do something about it! Make the change to-day!

You are ONLY limited by your desire to achieve the fitness level you want. You're only given one body in this lifetime. Treat it like the sacred temple it was designed to be.

Excuses you may have or problems that may present themselves along the way have NOTHING to do with the intensity of your desire.

You too can follow in client # 3's footsteps, but only if you make the conscious decision that fulfilling your fitness goals is a priority and will do whatever it takes to make them a reality.

I wish you all the best!

Yours in Total Fitness & Maximum Success,

Jim Coughlin

P.S. If you're ready to start fulfilling your desire to get into the best shape of your life - there are two things you can do...One, hire one of my kick arse personal trainers by clicking this link - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/free_consultation.php ...
Or two, you can buy my new book "Home Fitness Secrets to Success - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/homefitness_book.php                                                                    Whatever you choose, it's a win-win scenario!

P.P.S. The book comes FREE should you decide to go with our personal training services.

Cardio Done Right

When I first started out as a personal trainer I followed the cookie-cutter methodology for clients to do cardio 2-3x a week and to do it either on an empty stomach in the morning, 3 hours after they have eaten or very intense for short periods at a time.

Doing cardio on an empty stomach in the morning burns 300% more fat because your blood sugar levels are at there lowest, so your body taps into your fat stores more quickly. If you do cardio right after you have eaten, it takes a minimum of 20-30 minutes for your body to burn off your blood sugar, THEN burn off your fat.  (Important Note: It is very important to be hydrated before starting this)

Doing cardio three hours after you have eaten is smart because it usually takes this much time for your body to digest your food, so, you are more efficient

Doing cardio very intensely for short periods of time helps you burn more total calories as opposed to doing cardio at a moderate pace for a longer period of time.

I knew that by prescribing these methods clients would get the best results. But as I continued to train, I knew they could do better and that something was missing.

Then one day it hit me like a freight truck...Frequency! Why not have clients do cardio EVERYDAY!

I had read in numerous publications that doing a lot of cardio would contribute to your body losing muscle and also increased the risk for injury, so naturally, I was somewhat intimidated by recommending this.

However, I also knew that using these precautionary measures was the reason why my clients weren't achieving results...or not what I had in mind for them anyway.

So, in addition to motivating and guiding clients with their strength training, I started to have them follow this new cardio regimen and sure enough as the weeks and months went by, the results were staggering!

Why?

Because doing cardio on a daily basis positions your body to do one and one thing only...Burn calories!

Let's say you were to go for walk 2 times a week for 30 minutes at a time. You would burn 300 calories (150 calories per walk) and you would speed up your metabolism for a short time there after.

Now, let's say you were to walk 7 times a week for 1 hour at time. Your body would burn 2100 calories (300 calories per walk) and you would be speeding up your metabolism everyday.

That's a difference of 1800 calories!

And just so you know...if you were to jog/run, the numbers I just mentioned would be DOUBLED! (Nice, huh?)

Now, you're probably saying, "7 days a week? ...I don't have time for that!"

Well, I'll follow with this question:

"Would you like to get in shape?" OR

would you rather "Get in shape in HALF the time or less?"

If you are only doing cardio 2-3 times a week, you are basically postponing your results. You are writing off 4 to 5 days out of the week whereas you could be exercising on those days and getting that much closer to your goals.

This may seem like common sense, but it is often overlooked. The general public is always looking for a "solution" or "fix" that will magically help them get into shape. Unfortunately when it comes to exercise, there are no short cuts.

Fact is, there will NEVER be a solution or short cut! I hate to break it to you, but the only solution is HARD WORK. Period! People don't like to hear this, but it's the truth.

So forget all the wimpy stuff you've read! Do cardio everyday and you'll soon discover that more IS better!

Yours in Total Fitness & Maximum Success,

Jim Coughlin

P.S. It doesn't matter if you are in horrible shape. You could easily walk 15 minutes everyday. Once you have gotten use to that, you could increase the time to 30 minutes, then 45 and eventually an hour. After you have become accustomed to walking, you could start to do intervals (walking and jogging) and then once you feel comfortable with that, you then could start to run.

P.P.S. Once you become a seasoned cardio guy or gal, try finding a hill or some hills where you live...running up hills is the BEST and HARDEST cardio workout you can do...period. 

Our server was temporarily down today

Just wanted to let anyone who emailed me, contacted our company or submitted us a "Free Consultation" form know that our server was temporarliy down today.  Feel free to resubmit your inquiry and we will be in touch asap.  I apologize for this inconvenience.

Jim Coughlin

How to Get Lean and Mean for the Beach

As you may or may not know, I’m getting married June 9th.  And given the fact that Brighid and I have been planning this wedding (or should I say Brighid has been) for well over a year, we want everything to be perfect.  I won’t go into all the details, but let’s just say, there’s A LOT involved and it’s gonna be one helluva day. 

One of the details I will mention however is my plan for getting lean and into great shape.  This is not to say I wasn’t in shape before or that after the wedding, I’m going to let myself go...as most-typical males do.  As you’ve read from my previous articles, I’m all about maintaining a healthy, fit body as a permanent lifestyle.

But…I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t feel a strong sense of urgency because of the wedding, and being that it’s only a couple months away…it is definitely crunch time!

It goes without saying, but if there are ANY pictures you take in your life…no doubt, the wedding pics are definitely at the top of the list.  These pictures and/or videos will be viewed again and again and again.  So, you better believe I’m going to do whatever it takes to get into the best shape possible for the big day. 

So what is my plan?

Well actually, it’s pretty simple.  There are 3 components.  One, I follow the exercises from Home Fitness Secrets to Success - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/homefitness_book.php everyday.  Two, I run, jog or jump rope everyday.  Three, and most importantly, my nutrition plan is absolutely impeccable. 

And when I say impeccable, I mean it. 

Practically everything I eat comes from a natural source.  That means nothing is processed or man-made.  If it is man-made, it’s something whole-grain - like shredded wheat or it is a scientifically engineered food – like protein drinks or bars.  But for the most part, it’s ALL natural.  I do cheat occasionally, but it’s only 1-2 meals a week…if at all.

Below is what and how I have been eating every day for the past 3 months and because I have achieved such amazing results…I will continue this meal plan for many years to come if not forever... (by the way, you don’t have to wake up at 4:30 in the morning, unless of course you want to be a personal trainer)

4:30am – 1st meal – 1.5 cups of original shredded wheat
                                 2 cups of skim milk
                                 ½ a grapefruit
                                 12 ounces of water

7:30am – 2nd meal – 17 oz Myoplex protein replacement drink
                                 12 ounces of water

10:30am – 3rd meal – 1 cup of egg beaters, 1 whole egg   
                                 2/3 cup of oatmeal
                                 1 banana
                                 12 ounces of water

1:30pm – 4th meal – 6” Subway Chicken breast w/ lots of veggies
                                  1 bag of Sun chips
                                  12 ounces of water

4:30pm – 5th meal – 4 oz Chicken breast
                                 6 oz Yam
                                 1 cup of broccoli
                                 12 ounces of water

7:30pm – 6th meal – 4 oz salmon   
                                 6 oz of green beans
                                 6 oz potato
                                 12 ounces of water

10:30pm – 7th meal - 17 oz Myoplex protein replacement drink
                                 12 ounces of water

Now, you may be thinking…

“That looks really bland and boring...or
“I can’t eat that many times a day...or
“I don’t like protein drinks...they taste funny...or
“Is it possible to only eat 3 meals instead?
...or basically any-thing that says you don’t like these types of foods or meal plan. 

Well, if this is the case…you’re NOT going to get lean.  You may get into decent shape, but that’s about it.  80% of your results comes from your nutrition…end of story. 

While there are similar foods you can eat, these foods provide the staple and are the foundation for helping you burn pounds of fat and getting you the beach body you want.    

All of these foods have 5 things in common.  They’re low in fat, low in sugar, low in sodium, high in protein and high in fiber.  A perfect combination for helping you get super-lean FAST. 

You’re essentially eating the Rolls Royce of foods – lean meats, protein replacement drinks and/or bars, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plenty of water.

Portion size, meal frequency and hydration levels matter as well.  As you can see, I eat every 3 hours, about 2500 calories and about 80-100 ounces of water per day.

About  2-3 months ago, I weighed 205 pounds and was 13% body fat.  Since eating these types of foods everyday combined with regular exercise - as I mentioned earlier. Well, I am now down to 7% body fat and weight 192 pounds! (Pictured to the Left)

Now, if YOU want to do the same or if you have questions…I’m your guy. 

I’ll be glad to help you design a nutrition and exercise program that will help you look smokin hot and confident in your bathing suit this summer. 

Although I’m completely booked with personal training clients right now, I do have a couple openings for phone consulting services aka Dial-A-Trainer - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/dial_a_trainer.php ...If you’re interested call 1-800-845-9016 to book your time today...I look forward to speaking with you!

Yours in Total Fitness & Maximum Success,

Jim Coughlin

p.s. Don’t let the summer season pass you by…get the killer body you deserve...Call Now - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/dial_a_trainer.php or hire one of our top trainers today - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/free_consultation.php