No More Excuses

By on September 23rd, 2011 in Captain Quinn's Fitness Boot Camp, Mindfulness and Living Now, Motivation | 3 Comments

Summer’s over officially. For many of us that means back to school, an uptick in work pace, busier schedules, and, perhaps, getting back to fitness and healthy eating. Sometimes that last part can get put off. In my experience as a fitness professional, there are five excuses that come up most often when I ask people why they haven’t started yet. Here they are along with my thoughts for overcoming them.

Excuse #1: “I’ll do it tomorrow…”

Start right now. Healthy eating and fitness need to be integral elements of your daily life, not something you put off because it’s not convenient right now. Find ways to make your diet and fitness convenient and automatic. Enroll in a fitness class. Find a workout buddy. Make yourself accountable to someone.

Excuse #2: “I am too old.”

You’re never too old to start exercising. The research is clear: Exercise will help you live longer, with significantly increased mobility and independence. Overall, exercise will help improve your quality of life. If you need a little inspiration, check this video out.

http://vitality.yahoo.com/video-second-act-donald-arthur-20045514

Excuse #3: “Cook healthy meals? Please! I don’t have time.”

If you don’t have time to cook full healthy meals at home, check out pre-made meal options at most super markets, or pre-order through stores like Fresh Direct.

Excuse #4: “I don’t have time to exercise”

You can get a full and effective workout in as few as twenty minutes. Drop me an email if you want some ideas on how to do that.

Excuse #5: “I’m too tired.”

If you’re like most people, you’re not getting enough sleep. Set up your environment and routine for sleep success, go to bed earlier and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep. Trust me: it can be done.

 

 

No Fitness Vacations

By on July 23rd, 2011 in Captain Quinn's Fitness Boot Camp, Fun Fitness, Motivation | 4 Comments

As I make my way north from NYC to Boston on the Amtrak Acela, en route to meet my family for the yearly Quinn Family Trip to Maine, I’m thinking about all the fun ahead. With two nieces and two nephews ranging in ages from two to seven, this week will be an active one for sure. They have unbelievable energy.

My fitness plan for the week will be primarily to see if I can keep up with their every move – literally. Spend a week building sand castles, exploring tidal pools, flying kites, swimming, playing with toys on the ground, in the water, and in the air, taking walks, playing tag, re-enacting Star Wars light saber duels, playing catch, kicking soccer balls, riding bikes, etc and you’ll know what I mean. Add to that the multiple times per day requests for piggy back rides, shoulder rides, and “Uncle Jon, throw me up in the air” requests and I’ll have no need to do anything else. I may take an occasional run or bike ride for my own enjoyment (or to get my second lobster roll of the day), but that’ll be it. I’ll be active on and off through-out the day. I’ll be lifting of things large (small people mostly) and small (Coronas mostly). I’ll run, jump, walk, bend, stretch, squat, and crawl. There will be moments of intensity and periods of extended endurance. And, there will be resting.

That’s an ideal fitness program. In a perfect world we’d all do that every day (much as all humans did up until a few hundred years ago). Unfortunately, reality requires most of us to spend our days being mostly sedentary with activity relegated to a small portion of our day – if at all. That’s why we have to actively make time for exercise in our busy and not-so-busy days. Or bodies need it to stay healthy. Even on vacation…

So, how do you incorporate exercise into your vacation? I know many people associate vacation and relaxation with sitting on a beach and not moving much. After all, your body does need to recharge, right? If that’s your thinking, I would encourage you to consider adding exercise to your vacation plan. Even just a little. You’ll be amazed at how much more relaxed and re-energized you’ll be when you return to the daily grind.

Exercise doesn’t have to equate to time spent in a hotel fitness center. Get out and move. Rent a bicycle. Go for a hike. Take a long walk on the beach. Build a sand castle even if you don’t have any kids to help. Take extended swims. Go kayaking. Climb some rocks. Take a surfing lesson. Go fishing. Walk to the restaurant instead of driving. The list is endless. If you’re fortunate enough to have children or nieces & nephews, try matching their every move for a day.

By all means, if you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can always throw the Captain Quinn road warrior workout into the mix to up the intensity:

http://www.captainquinnfitness.com/fitness-on-the-road/

However, as long as you make a point of being active several times a day a part of your vacation, you’ll sleep better each night, you’ll enjoy yourself more, and you’ll feel much, much better when you return.

Happy Birthday, America! Have a wonderful holiday!

Summer Runnin’..Had Me a Blast

By on May 23rd, 2011 in Captain Quinn's Fitness Boot Camp, Fun Fitness, Motivation | 8 Comments

I’m one of those people who loves to use holidays, major events and milestones, and vacations to start things, end things, or take stock of where I am with various endeavors in my life. As I write this, I’m somewhere over the middle of the country en route to a two day intensive coaching/masterminding session in San Diego with a small group of extremely successful, incredibly inspirational fellow fitness boot camp and personal training studio owners from around the world. Through the course of this holiday weekend, i’ll definitely doing a little of everything: starting, stopping, and assessing.
As one of the new members of the group, this weekend for me will require me to share my vision for helping as many fellow busy Brooklynites as possible “Have fun, get fit, and meet the healthier, happier, hotter” (him or her) along with my corresponding business plan and strategy with all 25 of them. Then, in the 15 mins that follow, I’ll put my ego aside and sit down humbly and listen as the best of the best tell me all the things I ought to change, improve, or stop doing altogether. I’ll commit to very specific goals for the next 3.5 months and, when we meet again in Septemebr, I’ll stand up once again and report on my progress. Hopefully, I’ll get more than a little positive feedback on the things that are working and I look forward to being able to share my experiences to help them improve their boot camps.
What we all share – and what is most amazing about working with this group – is a burning sense or purpose or, I dare say, obligation, to improve the lives of as many possible people in our towns and cities around the world.
…and this brings me to my point in writing this email. Before I lock myself in a hotel conference room for the weekend to improving my fitness business (and better serve you!!!), I wanted to give you a few thoughts on how you might use this weekend to impact your health and fitness endeavors.
As I see it, you have five options this weekend. Only you know what you need to do or really want to do, but read through each of these and think about what you’ll be feeling on Tuesday should you chose one or another.
Most importantly, before you think about your own life this weekend, please take a moment to pause and reflect on the sacrifice that so many have made in the service of your country over the last two plus centuries.
Your memorial Day Fitness Options
1. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry for on Tuesday We All Cry
Maybe you’re planning on starting a new fitness or nutrition program next week. I know many recent “recruits” at Captain Quinn’s Boot Camp are planning on getting started next week. Maybe you’ve been kicking ass for weeks or months at boot camp or with a personal trainer or in a personal fitness program and you want to fully enjoy the benefits of all your hard work and not think about anything other than eating whatever and doing whatever you want for a few days. Whatever the cases, you’re going all out to attend and fully enjoy every possible Memorial Day party, event, BBQ, pub crawl, live band karaoke event, or concert you can possibly fit into your weekend. Some nutrition programs recommend a cheat day each week. All exercise programs should include rest days. If you chose this option, this  weekend will be your Super Cheat and Super Rest weekend. Just remember: the longer and deeper you dig the hole, that harder it is to climb out.
2. Use it to Lose It
You’re already on a nutrition and exercise plan and things are going well. This is your big chance to employ some of the tehniques you’ve learned in a challenging environment. this weekend presents multiple opportunities to sleep in, skip your workout, eat great food in a great many high-calorie forms, crack open all those great summer beverages…wait…I’m getting off track and imagining how I would have spent my weekend…but you get my point. Its a mine field out there if you’re trying to watch your weight. However, with a little preparation, some mindfulness, and some minor self discipline you can not only make it through this weekend without veering from your goals, but you can prove to yourself that can even be possible to exceed them – and still enjoy those BBQs. When this weekend is over you’ll be really proud of yourself and super charged to keep on rocking toward your goals
3. Slow Down; Don’t Fall Down
You’re somewhere between the first two. You’ll be careful but you won’t be too worried if you don’t exactly stay on track. It’s a holiday weekend but you don’t want to completely fall off track.
4. Turbo Charged Jump Start
You’re planning on starting a new program or
picking up the pace in an existing program and this weekend, while others are sleeping in and eating BBQ and beers all day, you see an opportunity to hit the after burner. You have a long weekend so why not do an intense workout Saturday and Monday? Get through the hard part of getting started and facing the possible initial shock and soreness while you’re not working (i know not everyone has the weekend off but you you get my drift). When you get back to from the holiday weekend, you’re well on your way to establishing a new pattern which leads to a new habit…and ultimately lasting transformation.
5. Save the Labor for Labor Day
This weekend marks the beginning of three months of not caring about exercise or nutrition. It’s summer time. You want to relax, recharge, and skip the work. If you fall into this group I’m shocked that you’re still reading this but know that you’re not alone. The average American gains 15-20 lbs each summer. Scary, eh? I’m here in September if you need me…

I could never do that…

By on April 18th, 2011 in Goal Setting, Marathon, Motivation, Running | 9 Comments

As I type, I’m watching live web coverage of the 115th running of the Boston Marathon. I love the marathon. My favorite day of the year in NYC is NYC Marathon Day. If I’m not running it, I’m doing my best to be the loudest fan everyone of the 40,000 runners has ever had.

 

I think that’s what is most inspiring about the sport. Everyone runs or wheels the same course on the same day. From elite runners who finish in just over two hours, to people like me who take more than twice as long, to people with physical and/or personal challenges that would make getting through an average day difficult for most of us – but who still cross that finish line, everyone is unified by one common purpose: Reap the benefits of months and months of training and give it your very best for 26.2 miles to cross that finish line.

 

You’ll hear me talk about marathon running many times in these posts. Today my point in writing is to address a sentence I hear spoken far too often from far too many people when I mention that I’m a marathon runner. I was guilty of saying it more than a couple of times once upon a time. Five simple words:

 

“I could never do that.”

 

Now when it comes to marathons, I understand not everyone has an interest. Maybe you don’t enjoy running. Maybe you enjoy running but have no desire to for hours at a time.  I get that.

 

Its why I always immediately ask my follow up question: “You WOULD never do that or COULD never do that?”
Its when I hear “I think I would like to do that but I never could,” that I go to work. I try to explain that if you can walk (or wheel!) from one side of a room to another, you can run a marathon. All you need are two things: commitment and time.

 

Make the commitment to train for 4-6 months and go do it…one step at a time, one mile at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time. The race itself is simply the culmination of all that time spent training.

 

I’ve trained for five marathons but, due to two unrelated (and very annoying) injuries and a schedule conflict, I’ve only actually run two.  Nevertheless, I made a commitment to myself three years ago that I would run the NYC marathon every year for the rest of my life and every year around this time I begin the months of training that lead up to Marathon Day in early November.

Each year it becomes more and more clear to me that 90% of the satisfaction of marathon running comes from the training. Gradually taking my – ehem – relaxed  winter body and transforming it over the summer and fall months to a body capable of running safely and comfortably 26.2 miles in one day reminds me that I’m capable of doing anything I want to as long as I put in the time and effort.

This lesson applies to all of us in every endeavor of  life. Whether starting and maintaining an exercise program, committing to a healthier lifestyle, learning a new skill,  starting a new job, improving an important relationship, or facing just about any challenge, when you commit the time and energy to succeeding and remove the fear of failure from your mind, the joy and satisfaction you will gain cannot be taken away.

 

Why? Because you create it yourself – just like training for the marathon one mile at a time, one month at a time, one summer at a time. I have had and will again have bad days running. Days when I’m just not in the mood. Days when I don’t have the energy. Days when I don’t think I can complete that final mile. But, when marathon day comes – even if life throws me a curve ball and I don’t get to run the race – I still have a body and, more importantly, a MIND that is ready to run a marathon. Nothing can take that away…except maybe sitting around on my duff all winter…but that’s a story for another day.

 

What is your mind, heart, and body capable of doing if you simply stop saying “I couldn’t do that,” and dedicate the time and the effort?

To close, you absolutely MUST WATCH this video. I’ve sent it to some of you before but whenever I’m really in need of inspiration for a hard day or a long run, I watch this video. It never fails to give me a little kick in the backside…

Inspiration Interview: Steve Reynolds

By on April 9th, 2011 in Captain Quinn's Fitness Boot Camp, Motivation, Weight Loss | 7 Comments

“Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

From time to time I’ll be interviewing folks who have been an inspiration to me and others through their dedication to transforming their lives with fitness. I want to begin with my friend Steve who I’ve known for several years and who decided to give Captain Quinn’s Fitness Boot Camp a try back in June of last year.

Steve’s one of those guys you meet and instantly wish you could be more like him. In addition to having an encyclopedic knowledge of music (check out his blog) and baseball (his other blog), fronting an amazing band (click here), being an extremely compelling writer, and possessing a sense of humor that could light-up Shea Stadium (he’s a Met’s Fan), Steve is an incredibly loyal and supportive friend to all those who have the honor of calling him “friend.”  Also, if you’re ever hosting a party and your mediocre playlist is killing the vibe, just call upon the master. More on that another time but let’s just say I had a party that went from dead by midnight to dance party ’til dawn in a matter of moments because Steve stepped in and offered up his iPod and his world class DJ-ing skillz…for the next five hours.

Anyway, I digress.  Steve was good enough to sit-down with me earlier this week and here’s what we talked about. I continue to be inspired by Steve’s transformation and I’m pretty sure you will be too.

PS: There’s a little bonus at the end so be sure to read the whole thing…

So, with all the exercise options available in Brooklyn, What made you decide to begin Captain Quinn’s Fitness Boot Camp?
The short story?
I got dumped.

Ok. Any chance you could elaborate on that a bit?
The girl I was dating broke up with me right before Memorial Day weekend, and having a long holiday weekend to stew in my own juices (so to speak) was rather unpleasant. I did make one wise decision, which was not to drink. Because I figured if I went on a bender, I might not come back for a long while. That girl (who I became good friends with a few months later) had gotten me out of my rut by doing new things in New York and thinking about how enjoyable the outdoors and physical activity can be. I thought I needed somewhere to focus my pain, and boot camp seemed like a good place to start.

What were you expecting or hoping to get from it?
I was hoping to get back into some sort of shape, which I had not been in for about seven years. And I was hoping to lose weight. And I was hoping to be inspired enough to keep doing both long term, which I have been.

What kind of results did you get?
Well, I lost 40 pounds in 2010. I have tons more energy now (even with the early rising) and that’s carried over into other facets of my life…Before I started boot camp I would be exhausted going up stairs, didn’t sleep well and would generally sit on my ass at home and not have the energy to do simple tasks. Now, I actively avoid escalators and use stairs, I get the best sleep I’ve gotten in years and I find myself with tons of energy to tackle my job each day. And,
I’m able to fit into my Elvis shirt I got at Sun Studios in Memphis 10 years ago. It hasn’t fit me in six years. The same goes for my Ramones shirt from their final NYC show from Feb 1996.

Most of that in your first four months if memory serves…
Yes. And while I gained back a little bit of weight during the winter, it’s much much less than I’ve ever gained during previous winter.
HA! You and me both, my friend. A little winter padding never hurt anyone. It’s fricking cold in Brooklyn. Also, it seemed like your demanding work schedule made getting to boot camp as often as you did in the summer and fall a bit challenging. I was really impressed when you made it to two early morning classes while you were on vacation though. THAT is dedication.
Yeah..and as spring approaches, I can honestly say I am in the best shape I’ve ever been heading into the warmer months. I really hope that pays off as I’m able to do more and more of my favorite non-boot camp activities (long distance walking, light jogging) as spring rolls in.

It definitely will pay off. Instead of spending the spring getting “back in shape,” you’re building on the momentum you maintained through the winter.

What made this program different from other exercise/diet programs you’ve tried in the past?
Well, this is the first time I’ve ever had someone guide me in my exercise attempts. Previous times I did it all by myself–which is probably why I gave up come the fall. Boot camp has given me a structure that I oh-so desperately needed to keep going on my path to stay in shape.

What would you say to someone contemplating giving Captain Quinn’s Fitness Boot Camp a try?
Do it. It’s honestly the most fun I’ve ever had exercising. Captain Quinn’s positive attitude has kept me going through times where I thought I was just going to give up. And having other great people there each morning makes it more fun than I could have possibly imagined.

 

Well I think your fellow classmates would say the same about you. There’s nothing like a Steve Reynolds serenade while doing planks!


BONUS MATERIAL: Steve interviews Captain Quinn, shares a little bit more about his journey,  and gets a unique perspective on my musical background.

WARNING: Sting fans might be offended.

Podcast Part One

Podcast Part Two

Why Exercise and Eat Well?

By on November 18th, 2010 in Fun Fitness, Healthy Eating, Mindfulness and Living Now, Motivation, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

With just shy of 39 years of living behind me and after about two years as a fitness trainer, a great many things have become crystal clear to me. I’ll save my personal revelations about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness for future posts.

For now I want to pose one question:

Why you should you exercise regularly and eat well?

My answer?

Whatever reason you choose.

Seriously. Just make some attempt to move, sweat at least a little (the more the better; get that heart pumping), and consume something resembling nutritious food on a daily basis and you’ll be making huge steps in improving your overall health, your level of energy, your level of happiness, and quality of life. You can build from there.

I got into weight lifting in college because I was obsessed with having a muscular upper body purely for looks . In my post-pubescent mind, chicks dug a guy with muscular arms and a defined chest. (No matter how many times I’ve found this hypothesis refuted in field trials, some part of me still believes this).

I first started running regularly because I was scared shitless of being the slow guy in my Air Force ROTC class.

I learned about nutrition in my late 20s because out of nowhere my waist size started increasing by about an inch per month and I wasn’t happy with how that looked.

I became a long distance runner in 2007 because I needed a way to curb a serious drinking problem and I stuck to it because I love the way I feel when I’m running regularly. It improves every aspect of my life. (And, three years later I can comfortably say I no longer have a drinking problem.)

Are the above good reasons to exercise and eat well? Who cares?! They were my reasons and they worked. You need your own reasons. The most important thing is that those short term reason/motivations/goals can be transformed into lasting change.

It wasn’t until a couple of years ago, when I decided to become a certified fitness trainer, that I really started to see (and feel) the benefits of a well rounded approach to exercise and nutrition. From there I developed my formula for ongoing fitness success. It applies to all of us.

Jon Quinn’s Proven Formula for Fitness Success

Your motivation (whatever it may be) + Action (get out there and do something) + Fun and/or positive feedback = Return to Action (you’ll do it again tomorrow or the next day)

Return to action x 3 = Pattern (you got your ass out there more than a couple of times)

Pattern x 2 = Habit (repeat a pattern more than twice and you’re likely creating a habit).

Maintaining that Habit = Ongoing Fitness Success, Improved Health, and Increased Happiness

I challenge you to apply this formula to any area of your life in which you want to create positive change. In future posts, I’ll expand upon this in more detail but for now, give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Barefoot Running

By on November 8th, 2010 in Fun Fitness, Marathon, Motivation, Running, Weight Loss | 7 Comments

Do Something Right Now

By on July 5th, 2010 in Motivation | 3 Comments

If you still haven’t found the motivation to get moving, here’s some more. After that, check out the best of the Brooklyn Boot Camps at http://www.captainquinnsbootcamp.com

From Jane E. Brody’s column in the NY Times

“Physical inactivity,” they wrote, “is one of the strongest predictors of unsuccessful aging for older adults and is perhaps the root cause of many unnecessary and premature admissions to long-term care.”

They noted that it had long been “well established that higher quantities of physical activity have beneficial effects on numerous age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis, falls and hip fracture, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, low fitness and obesity, and decreased functional capacity.”

One of the new studies adds mental deterioration, with exercise producing“a significantly reduced risk of cognitive impairment after two years for participants with moderate or high physical activity” who were older than 55 when the study began.”

Click HERE for the rest of the article.

Brooklyn Fitness Boot Camp going the distance at 6:30 AM…

By on May 24th, 2010 in Captain Quinn's Fitness Boot Camp, Motivation, Uncategorized tags:

Fitness Tip of the Day – ANYTHING is Better than NOTHING

By on April 21st, 2010 in Captain Quinn's Fitness Boot Camp, Fun Fitness, Motivation, Walking

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