HIIT--stands for "Help I'm In Trouble". Just kidding...

Torch fat with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). I thought this would be an especially good blog topic for the day after Thanksgiving because performing HIIT within 12-16 hours after a big feast will help reduce the amount of fat stored in your body from that feast. 

Before I go into the science speak, I'll cover the main points of what HIIT is and how to perform it. Then if you want to know more, please check out "Part 2" which will be posted in my blog at a later time.

What is HIIT? It is alternating between very intense bouts of exercise and lower intensity exercise.  Examples: sprinting 30 seconds alternated with a slow recovery jog or walk of 60-120 seconds. It can be performed on any cardio machine: elliptical, bike, treadmill, or the Marpo Rope Trainer. It could be performed outdoors or on a track. It does not have to be limited to cardio. It can be performed with weights too. For example: alternate 30 sec to 1 minute of Kettlebell swings with 30 sec to 1 minute of recovery. HIIT sessions should total 20-30 minutes with 5-10 cycles of intervals depending on your interval lengths. Always begin HIIT sessions with a 3-5 minute warm up and conclude with a 3-5 minute cool down. 

How do you know you are working at a high intensity? If you feel that you could go longer or that it was easy after finishing 20-30 minutes, then you were not doing HIIT. The high intensity intervals should be very intense intervals followed by recovery intervals. You will know if you are "in the zone". HIIT it!

"Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result." -Bob Proctor

Accountability--what is it? Accountability can be defined as "clear commitments-that in the eyes of others-have been kept." Adjectives that describe accountability are responsibility, willingness, obligation and answerability, just to name a few. It's walking your talk and it's coming through on your word. It's keeping the commitments that you made to yourself or to others. 

Why is accountability important? Accountability is fundamental to your personal success in reaching your goals in life. Accountability provides positive reinforcement for reaching your goals--it is the glue that ties commitment to the result. 

There are two types of accountability and both are important. There is "personal accountability", in which you hold yourself accountable without reliance on others, and there is "structured accountability" in which you have an accountability partner or group of accountability partners who help hold you accountable. Having structured accountability will help increase your chances of success in meeting your goals...we need each other. Whether it's a team of people with similar goals, a friend, a coach, a trainer, your significant other or family member, I encourage you to find an accountability partner. I have a couple of very reliable workout partners who push me hard and coaches to whom I answer to...accountability partners help us succeed. Not only is "structured accountability" important, but equally important is "personal accountability". While we need each other to achieve goals, ultimately, your goals are your own and are up to you to achieve them. No one can do it for you. Achieving goals takes hard work, discipline and commitment. You must own your choices. Whether you choose effort or excuses is up to you. The recipe for success is having both structured and personal accountability. 

3 Key Points:

1. Don't go it alone. There is strength in numbers. Find a partner, a buddy, a group exercise class, or some method of structured accountability. 

2. Don't make excuses. Have self-accountability. There are no excuses. There are only choices. Own your decisions. Own your goals. 

3. Never give up. 

Happy Saturday from Fit-Nick's Blog: Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can. The challenges we face in life are part of our story...use them as fuel to burn for your journey. Dump toxicity, drama and negativity from your story. Mindfully practice positive thinking and goal focused thinking. Be mindful also of the characters you allow to become part of your story. Develop meaningful relationships where all parties can grow. Keep company with those who uplift you, inspire you, love you and call forth your best. Shake off disappointments, set-backs, and any regrets from yesterday. Clear your mind with each new day and remain present to the opportunities of today. Approach each new day with a grateful heart and a positive, productive, purposeful attitude. You are the author of your own story...

Today's FitNickSpiration: Don't focus on outside circumstances that are beyond your control. Instead, focus on what you can control--your mind, your thoughts and your attitude. Focus on your goals and how you're going to achieve them. Learn to select your thoughts each day the same way you select your clothes each day. What attitude will you "wear" each day? You have a choice as to the quality of your thoughts. This is a power we all can and should cultivate. Pay attention to which thoughts you allow to prevail. Mindfully choose positive and productive thought patterns. This builds mental strength. Harness the power of positive mental energy.

Today's FitNickSpiration: What do you want more? Change or comfort? The average tendency is to travel the path of least resistance and the average person is content to pursue their goals as long as it doesn't get too uncomfortable or difficult. Don't be average. Don't be mediocre. Challenge produces change. Champions endure the challenges and difficulties and are committed to do whatever it takes to succeed. Average people question the price of discipline to win, but champions pay the price of discipline, determination and commitment. You get what you pay for. Will you quit when the going gets tough or will you pay the price for success and reap the benefits? Develop mental toughness. Don't accept mediocrity...you deserve better.

"Adopt an attitude of flexibility. If there's one emotion to cultivate to guarantee success, it's the ability to change your approach. Throughout your life there will be situations you won't be able to control. Your ability to be flexible in your rules, the meaning you attach to things, and your actions will determine your long term success or failure, not to mention your level of personal joy." (Anthony Robbins)

We must remain committed to our goals and yet allow ourselves to be flexible in our approach. Why is this attitude of flexibility important? Because in life, things do not always go as smoothly as planned. We encounter obstacles and challenges daily and must learn how to stay the course even when the sea is not smooth. When we take an attitude of flexibility, we are able to bend with the wind rather than break. We do not give up on our goals just because we encountered an obstacle, we instead, stay committed to our decisions and goals even if we must take another approach. We should all have plans in place to reach our goals; however, we should also have contingency plans in place in case unexpected circumstances change our original plan. Unexpected circumstances are no excuse to dump our commitment to what we said we were going to do to achieve our goals. If we adopt a flexible approach by keeping contingency plans in place, we can adjust our sails when the seas get rough and stay the course. For example, I workout in the evenings, but I keep a contingency plan for the early morning when I know that I will be unable to workout in the evening due to schedule conflicts that sometimes arise. A pre-planned rest day on the weekend may become a make-up workout day if I missed a workout day during the week due to unavoidable circumstances. I can honestly say that other than illness or planned vacations, I've never faltered on keeping my 5 day/week workout commitment because I keep contingency plans in place to make sure my workouts are accomplished each week regardless of what comes up. Contingency plans sometimes require sacrifice (getting up earlier to get a workout in before the day gets in the way), but this is part of being flexible and committed to your goals. Learn to be open minded and flexible in your approach and your strategies to accomplishing your tasks. Don't allow unexpected circumstances to frustrate you or discourage you from your goals to succeed. Simply focus on how you need to adjust your approach and redirect your path in order to accomplish your goals for the day. Don't dump your goals due to a change in plans, instead change your approach...be flexible. There will never be the perfect setting, the perfect environment, the perfect conditions...life is full of unexpected changes and circumstances...we may perceive these situations as obstacles, but when we become flexible in our approach, we can use obstacles as stepping stones on our path to accomplishing our goals and achieving our dreams. Don't change your goal, change your approach. Stay focused on your goals. Think about your goals--what plans do you have in place to meet your goals and what contingency plans do you have in place? How can you be more flexible in your approach and strategies?

Attitude is the control center of your life. "Your mental attitude is someting you can control outright and you must use self-discipline until you create a Positive Mental Attitude - your mental attitude attracts to you everything that makes you what you are." (Napoleon Hill) Have an attitude of success and a mindset of positivity.