The cooler weather has arrrived, the daylight hours are shorter, the snow will make walking a lot more challenging, and we're sure to all enjoy the festive food season, in one way or another.  No wonder we have a harder time keeping active and losing  weight during the winter months, that are now ahead of us, again. 

So, is it impossible to lose weight and get in great shape at this time of the year? Just wait until January 1st, and you will see lots of infomercials, and tons of sports stores, capitilzing on "New Years Weight Lose Solutions".  It's the usual theme every January, people flocking to the gyms, purchasing treadmills or other fitness equipment for their home, going on a diet, buying a 'how-to-get-fit book, or joing a new bootcamp. The bad news is, many people will give up, come mid-January or February!  We have all been there, and  done that!  Why do many people give up? It's because, you can't buy "MOTIVATION";  you must create it, and maintain it! It's the only way! 

Imagine being motivated everyday to keep active, to make time in your busy day for your health. Imagine having more energy, sleeping better, feeling better, being fit, having more strength, a smaller waist, more stamina, a more postive Winter attitude, faster legs for skiing or hockey. Imagine having  inspiration to help others to be happier, fitter, and healthier. Imagine being a motivated fitness Ambassador, a role model to your friends and family.

There is a saying, 'if you want learn something, then become a Teacher'!  Become a teacher of motivation! Now, IMAGINE getting in shape! It's so much easier when you're motivated!

Step 1: Imagine, Dream, Set Goals.  Step 2: Take Action.  Step 3: See Results.  Step 4: Your motivated to keep on going because you got results! 

That's how you'll really be motivated for the long term. Do you want some of my motivation? I have lots of motivation, and I would love to share it with YOU! Sign up for my free Newsletter from the main page of this website. You will read about other  Fitness Ambassadors who are real People, who are really keeping motivated despite all the challenges they face.

Happy Winter!

Wendall Hughes          

Happy Fall Everyone.

Have you noticed how, at this time of the year, our lives become a bit more routine!  Even if you don't have kids who are going back to school, the Fall season seems to put most of us into a more structured and organized lifestyle. This actually makes it easier to get back on track with our fitness program.

One of the biggest challenges with losing weight and getting in shape, is being organized, by following a plan and not allowing too many distractions to force us off track.  In the Fall, many people will hire a trainer, join a gym, and purchase a piece of fitness equipment, because they can keep up a pretty normal schedule until about the 15th of December, then the holidays kick in and they will fall off track again until January 1st rolls around.

That being said, even at this time of the year, we are still deluged with many daily distraction at home, with our family, social commitments, at work, etc. Usually, the first thing we tend to give up, is the time we have scheduled for exercise. We may not make it to the gym, or we may cancel the session with the trainer, because something came up. 

Making time for your health, being motivated, and staying on track with your health and fitness, is not always easy! The reality is, there will always be distractions, but if  you have a "WHY "you will find the way to stay on track.

What I have found, not only with my own lifestyle, but also with others who maintain an active lifestyle, is that we make exercise a priority. At times, even those who are super disciplined, have missed days. We are human, after all. It's that reason, the WHY that wakes us up at 4.30 a.m. (at least in my case), to run or to do weights, or whatever our preferred activity is, before our busy day begins. It's the WHY, that even after a tiring day, that motivates us to find the energy, to do the exercise at the end of the day. It's that why that will help us schedule our workout at lunch time, when we otherwise may be sitting at our desk answering tons of messages, while downing a quick snack.

Why do you want to lose weight or stay in shape? Your WHY has to be stronger than the hundreds of distractions you face everyday.

Why do you want to lose 20 pounds? Is it to be smaller and lighter? Why do you want to be smaller? Is it to fit in your clothes again? Why? Is it because, when you are smaller, you feel better about your self? Why? Do you see where I am a going with this? It's not only about the 20 pounds, but why you want to lose the 20 pounds!

To sum things up, use this time of the year to "Fall" back on track. Make a list of all your whys, reasons, that will keep you on track, long enough to see the results and feel the benefits that will motivate you in the long run. When you have a moment, send me your WHY's and I will post them up to inspire other readers!

Happy "Fall" Back on Track Season.

Wendall Hughes 

Hi, my name is Wendall Hughes, and I am a Personal Trainer and the Owner of WendallsFitness.Com, a Personal Health and Fitness Training Company, that is based in the City of Ottawa, Canada's National Capital. I've been a full-time Personal Trainer since 1993, and I welcome you to my website.

We currently have openings to meet with you, and guide you on your journey to your health and fitness goals. For those of you who are looking to make improvements in your health and fitness, lose weight, or require a little motivation to get started, or stay on track, we can provide you with personal training in your own home, or at your office, or online. We are available to assist you, even if you simply require a consultation, or a program design, or have just purchased some new training equipment and you would like some pointers. We are the specialists in home fitness training, and we have a wide range of solutions and programs to suit your health and fitness needs. Your health is important, contact us today: email: wendall@wendallsfitness.com or call 613-422-1991.

WendallsFitness.Com is extending west of Ottawa to Kanata and Stittsville, with a new team member, Joann McCann, married, and a mother of three, who has joined Ottawa's Wendalls Fitness Home Team of Trainers and Ambassadors. Joann will focus her home training visits in the areas of Kanata and Stittsville, and she will be taking on new clients as of September 2011. She has always lead an active, healthy, balanced lifestyle. Raising three children and working full time, Joann can easily relate to clients with busy lifestyles. Her energy and vitality is very contagious, so prepare to have a lot of fun mixed in with fitness. Joann's schedule will fill quickly as she is an experienced and well educated fitness expert. To meet with Joann, please contact Wendall at WendallsFitness.Com at 613-422-1991.

Although I am a Personal Trainer in Ottawa, Canada, I have coached clients in various parts of Canada, and even internationally, like Brazil. In over 18 years of personal training, I have never trained anyone north of Hudson Bay, in a remote Inuit Village, where I currently have a client. My client has some very interesting challenges to her health and fitness training. Not only does she have to deal with a wide range of extreme weather conditions, wildlife, and bugs the size of small dogs, but she never knows what type of food that she will eat from week to week. Getting access to fresh fruits and vegetables is nearly impossible, and food costs are so high that you might have to swap a weeks pay for a loaf of bread. Yet, with all these challenges, she is doing remarkably well with her fitness program that I designed for her. She is a model to the rest of us because, if she can find a way, so can the rest of us. 

About Wendall's Running: I recently participated in Ottawa's National Capital Race Weekend at the end of May, where I had the pleasure of running the 5 km and 10 km races, with my clients, and then I also ran the 21 km race on my own. This race weekend event continues to grow every year, now with over 40 000 runners in all the events. If you participated in this event as a runner or supporter, I would love to hear your comments.  I ran the Ottawa Marathon back in 1981, when there was just over 300 runners in all, running in this race, and at that time, I finished in 11th place overall, with a time of 2 hours and 43 minutes. I continue to run Marathons today, and I've certainly slowed down for sure, but I'm inspired to keep going because of my running Mentors.

One Of My Running Mentors: I want to make a special mention of a friend of mine, Mr. Dan Fricker, who has ran the Ottawa Marathon about 29 times. It was reported in the local Ottawa Sun, that this year's Ottawa Marathon was Dan's 91st Marathon. Dan is now over 75 years active, and he continues to illustrate, that age has no bearing on committment to leading a very active lifestyle; and by the way, his wife of over 84, also ran in this year's Ottawa Race Weekend, in the 21 km event.  Go Dan and Yolande, Go.  Dan Fricker, back in the day, was my college counsellor, and it's been wonderful to have stayed connected with him over the years.

I ran my favorite 20 km hill race, in Brome Lake, Quebec, in June. The very first time that I ran this race was in 1980. During the past 31 years, I have ran this tough, but incredibly scenic race, over 20 times. It's become my very own personal test and evaulation of my running performance. Some people might say, that the best part of this race event, now with over 4000 participants, is the free beer and the world famous Brome Lake Duck, that they serve as post race refreshments. See, there is reward for a job well done! If you would like to know more about this race event, google Tour de Lac Brome, and meet me there in June 2012.

I'm now in training for my next race, which will be coming up this September 2011, and that is the CANADA ARMY RUN, here in the City of Ottawa, and I expect that it will be a sold out event. 

Having been a runner for over 35 years and logging over 120 000 km, I really appreciate the benefits of a strong cardiovascular system.

What is cardiovascular exercise? Cardiovascular exercise is basically any type of movement that requires you to maintain an increased heart rate over a period of time, usually more than 20 minutes to receive benefits.

People often ask me how I maintain my fitness habits when I am travelling.
Simple! Here are a few basic tips that I share with them….

I subscribe to the idea of E.L.M.O. (Eat Less More Often).