Most of us are "habitual" people. Once we get into a "habit" of doing something, we often don't even think about it — we "just do it." Don't get me wrong, habits can be a very good thing when it comes to, say, getting up every weekday morning and getting to work on time. And habits can be a not so good thing when it comes to, say, eating three huge scoops of Chunky Monkey ice cream after every meal, followed by a cigarette.

But what exactly is a "habit"? Glad you asked. Any time someone has developed a habit (good or bad), they've mastered the combination of three principles: knowledge, skill, and desire. Knowledge is the "what" (the ice cream is in the freezer…and it's speaking to me). Skill is the "how" (get a big bowl, a big spoon, dig in, and devour). And desire is the "why" (because it tastes so ridiculously, decadently, Chunky Monkey good…duh!).

Congratulations. We've mastered the art of eating ice cream, and created a habit. Easy!

When it comes to good habits (running a marathon, eating "real" foods, lifting weights, doing yoga) the same three principles apply. And with a little effort, we can figure out the "what" and the "how." But the reason most of us don't stick with our fitness and nutrition program? We don't have a strong enough "why." How often are you reminding yourself "why" you're doing this? Have you written it down? Creating the "why" is a powerful motivating force. The more personal and emotional it is, the more impactful it will be.

Here are two examples. "I wanna buy some exercise equipment because I heard cross-training is good for you." Or, "I want to cross-train with a state-of-the-art machine three times a week and get in the best shape of my life by June 1st. I want to prove to myself I can do it, inspire my children, lose weight, have more energy, and then celebrate my success by buying new clothes for a trip to Jamaica." Now I ask you, which "why" is more likely to create a habit?

Speaking of that state-of-the-art cross-training machine, the Reebok elliptical is making its QVC debut this Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Get Fit with Rick. Can't think of a better reason "why" you should watch!

Enjoy the journey!
—Rick

January 15, 2010



Well, we're officially in mid-January, 2010. How's the journey going?? Are you gaining momentum with your New Year fitness goals? Or are you, like so many people, still locked into post-Holiday habits, and the "Whole You" means "Whole lotta cookies"?? Are you locked into doing things the "same old way"? Don't fret! There's hope! It might be time to Stretch your Fitness potential.

We all fall off the Fitness Bandwagon every now and then. Sometimes from bad habits, sometimes from aches and pains, or even injuries. I once "tweaked my back" when doing squats at the Gym. Ouch! It meant going to a physical Therapist, limited movement, and not working out.

It also happened to be the best thing that ever happened to me. What? "Tweaking your back"… a good thing?? Yep. Here's why. Though I didn't realize it at the time, I wasn't stretching enough after my workouts. My hamstrings were tight as piano wire. My hip flexors were tight, my entire lower back was tight. When I did that final rep during squats, my body was telling me something: "You need to stretch, buddy!!"

Real fitness is not just one type of exercise. Not "just" jogging, or "just" weight training. To be truly fit, it means aerobic training, strength training, relaxation and yes, stretching! That's why I love P90X so much. It's an incredibly varied workout program. And since I started incorporating the Yoga DVD (one of many varied DVD's in the workout), my back is telling me something very different. it's saying "Thank You for Stretching your Fitness Potential!"


Enjoy the journey!
Rick

With all the information out there about metabolic rates, glycemic index, high protein, and low carb, one may be inclined to utter the phrase...ahhh!

Let's face it — it's confusing. And the thing is with all the info out there concerning food and definitions, we may forget the one word that actually makes the difference. All the difference: CALORIE. Yes, the calorie. Though endless books and endless blogs have been written on healthy eating and weight loss, a short, simple phrase may sum up a lot of confusion: want to lose weight? Burn more calories than you take in.

That's probably not going to work with most publishers. But it's the truth. It's all about the calorie. That's why I respect the work and wisdom of Harley Pasternak. His program is real, focused, and based on sound nutrition. No fads. Just the facts. Now there's info we can really use!


Enjoy the journey!
—Rick

Greetings! Is it me, or does it seem like just yesterday I was blogging about our 2009 fitness journey? So long, 2009, and hello brand-new decade! In order to help make 2010 your best year yet, allow me to remove a few words from your "fitness vocabulary". Those words are "don't" and "lose". Yes, of course, many of us want to lose a few pounds, and we're constantly telling ourselves, "Don't eat that!" But in this decade, how about choosing a few new words? Words like "gain" and "get". Gain stamina, gain strength, gain confidence. Get real about the foods you eat, and about the balance between mind, body, and spirit.

Getting real about the "Whole You" is one of the reasons I'm excited about the new Vita Blender coming to QVC. It's about getting real food, getting real nutrition, and gaining real energy. There's a lot of so-called "healthy foods" out there, that (in my opinion), may not be helping you on your journey. Processed "healthy" crackers, diet sodas, sugar-free, but loaded with fat, etc. The list goes on. The Vita Blender is a great way for busy people to get back to "real foods" that are an incredibly important piece of the fitness puzzle. And they can taste great to boot!

I'll be blogging as the weeks go on, and look forward to hearing your feedback about your goals. You're not alone here. We're in this together. So "get" going, "gain" the strength to say, "I can do this!" Look out decade…hello 2010!

Enjoy the journey,
-Rick

Hi everyone!

I’m incredibly excited about premiering the PowerFit on QVC in just a matter of days! It’s been a long time since I’ve been on air. Though I’m a little nervous, QVC feels like home, and I know that it'll be a great experience. What’s so special about this particular visit is that, over the years, I’ve never been able to share my personal approach to working out. So, to be able to share it on air with viewers who expect nothing less than top-quality products from QVC — that’s a dream come true!

Here’s a little bit of background on PowerFit and what led me to develop this approach. After the birth of my second child, I struggled to lose the weight — and I mean struggled! I tried to do total body workouts, but didn’t have the time or the energy to do them like I used to. So, I decided that I'd go with a split approach, working certain muscle groups on certain days so that my body had plenty of recovery time between workouts. I also started using bands, finding that my workouts left me feeling energized and my muscles developed longer and leaner. My new philosophy on working out became “working out shouldn’t wear you out!” And like any busy woman knows, you just don’t have time to spend hours and hours working out. So, I set a very basic goal of 20 minutes per day with the expectation that I'd commit to five days a week. I also cleaned up my nutrition to include lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of water. And that’s pretty much it! It’s not rocket science — it just works!

I can’t wait to see old friends and make new ones as I start on this next part of my fitness journey with QVC. I hope you’ll tune in on April 19th at 9:30p.m. ET and April 20th at 4:30 p.m. ET. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Stephanie Huckabee
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Well, January has come to an end! Time is a jet Plane, it moves too fast. That means , for now, we’re wrapping up our January "jump start" to get Fit with Rick. I want to thank you for watching, for Emailing, for blogging, and, most importantly, for taking action on your Fitness Goals. As I said from the beginning, if we can motivate even a few people, we're actually doing some good here. The response has been incredible. But here's the question: Now that January is over, and much of the Fitness "Buzz" is gone, will your resolution and motivation be gone as well? Don't let it happen! Set SMALL Goals. Set yourself up to win. Celebrate your success (but don't do it by eating an entire Pepperoni Pizza)! My goal of getting down to a certain bodyfat percentage by the end of January is close, but I'm not there yet! If you're not there yet, you will be. If you want it. Whatever you do, keep it going. Keep in touch... and... enjoy the Journey!

Rick

Advertisers have known for years that one of the quickest ways to communicate on an emotional level is through MUSIC. So in order to inspire you in this addition of Rick's Fitness Journey, allow me to put a song or two in your head: These Boots are made for Walkin', Born to Run, Walk on the Wild Side, Ready to Run, Walk on, The Long Run. Do those songs, in any way, give you the slightest hint what this Blog might be about!!??
Here's the deal. While fitness fads come and go, there's one tried and true method of Fitness that has been around since we started, well, walking upright! It's walking. Or running, if you've got the motivation. And here in the heart of winter and the New Year, QVC is offering a phenomenal product: It's a Brand New and made-only-for QVC. It's Sunday's Today's Special Value, a New Reebok Treadmill. From the console, to cushioned deck, to the fantastic Value, it just might be time... to Walk this Way.

Check out Get Fit with Rick on Sunday at 6 PM EST!

Enjoy the Journey,

Rick

Confused about which workout is best? That's great! OK, you may be thinking "Wait a minute buddy, why would confusion be a good thing? what am I supposed to do, try everything?" Ahh... yep. In fact, one of the single best things you can do for your fitness routine is... not have a routine! Having a set fitness routine is one the reasons people have trouble losing weight. Why? because your body adapts to the exercise. It's really that simple. It literally "gets used to" doing that movement. In Fitness-speak, it's called "plateau". So what to do? Mix it up! If you've been doing Pilates four times a week, get out and run. Working out with weights and the Total Gym every day? Take a week off and just do cardio. Your body will say, "What's going on here? This isn't what I'm used to?" And it will have to work different muscles in order to help you achieve the goal. The result? Time for you body to get to work and burn some fat. It's one of the keys to a lifetime of fitness, with the added benefit of never getting bored! In this case, confusion is a good thing.

Need some items to help you mix it up and keep your body "confused"? Join me on Sunday January 4th, 2009 at 6 PM EST for my new show Get Fit with Rick! Check it out!

Enjoy the journey,

Rick

Greetings friends on the Journey! Welcome to that crazy time of year. A time that can cause stress, and yet be filled with many great memories. Those great memories also involve relaxation, and food! Lots and lots of food. When we think of words to describe Fitness (working out, eating right, discipline, and focus), it sounds like Holiday and Fitness go together like ketchup and ice cream.

The truth is, if we're going to make this work, and not wake up on January first quoting that old commercial "I can't believe I ate the whole thing", we're going to have to make some time for Fitness. But when?

It's time to really take a moment and look at your schedule. Could you take a few minutes in your busy morning to work out for 15 minutes? A few minutes of Pilates to end your day? A walk during your lunch hour at work? Or, when you're not relaxing and shopping on QVC, and you happen to venture to the Mall, how about doing a little Mall walking? Working out and shopping! Maybe it's not an oxymoron after all! See you on TV, and enjoy the Journey!

Rick

Time to Invest It's time to invest! OK, OK, before you berate me, lecture me about the current Global Economic situation, and begin the QVC Community Mutiny, let me explain. It's time to invest... in your health. It's time to grow your Fitness stock portfolio. And if you take action now, over the long haul, you will reap the rewards.

There's so much happening in the world right now that is out of our control. We stress, we worry, we read bad news, and then worry some more. Growing your Fitness Stock is something that, yes, You Can Control!! And research is showing that as we age, it's becoming more and more we important to do so.

We've ll heard of Osteoporosis. Less familiar is Sarcopenia, the age related decline in muscle mass and function. It can contribute to loss of stability, los of control, and may result in you falling faster than your 401K. The great news is: You can combat it, and maybe even prevent it.

The decline is muscle mass starts in our 40's and really ramps up in our 50's and 60's. Various forms of exercise are a powerful remedy. I'm a huge proponent of weight training, for both men and women. But even aerobic fitness like walking on a Reebok Treadmill , will help maintain lower body muscle. A study at John's Hancock Center for Physical Activity at Tuft's University showed that nursing home residents in their 80s (yes, their 80s!!) could more than double their strength using progressive training. Men and women could not only slow the rate of muscle decline, they could actually grow muscle.

Now that's a smart Investment. When it comes to you Fitness Stock...it's time to Buy.

Enjoy the Journey!!

-Rick

Remember the saying, Spring Forward, fall back? It's a nice reminder to know which way to set your clock when it comes to "daylight Savings Time". Fortunetely and unfortunetely, it's also a metaphor for many of us when it comes to our Fitness Journey. As soon as Spring rolls around, People have a tendancyy to suddenly "get motivated". they begin working out, and eating right. Something about the thought of wearing a bathing suit mere weeks away may have a little something to do with that. Gym memberships go up, sales on dietary supplements go up, and there's usually a surge in the category of Home Fitness Products as well.

But guess what?? It's not Spring! It's Fall, and for many of us on this Fitness journey, we have a tendency to "Fall Back" as well. Summer's over, the bathing suit are tucked away, the roomier sweaters are coming out of the space Bags, and before we know it... it's Baking Season! Time for some comfort food! Halloween candy! Here come the Christmas cookies! I'll start working out again on New Year's Day!

As a Life long Fitness buff, I know this very well, and have fallen into myself. That's why it's all the more important, even critical, to be aware of the dangers of "falling back", and losing all you've been working for over the past months. Don't let that happen! Why not see this as the "BEGINNING" of a new season? It's a chance to truly take some time and go to the next level, while others are "falling back".

One way to do it, and make it feel "fresh", is to try something "New". Need fresh motivation? New ideas? P90X , is filled with them. From Yoga, to Plyometrics, to weight training, it has a lot offer. It might even transform your "Fitness Fall" into an opportunity to "Spring Forward".

Oh, and don't forget to set your clocks.

Enjoy the Journey,

Rick

Hey everyone!

I’m really excited you’re starting Rockin’ Body. I loved making this program, because you know how much I love music. And this program’s got something for everyone—a little rock, a little disco, some Madonna . . . Seriously, if this won’t get you on your feet, nothing will! You’ve seen the results other people have gotten and I know you can get them too.

Start off with my “Mark It and Move It” exercise. Even if you don’t think you can dance, this will show you how you can break down all the moves in Rockin’ Body so you can get the most out of every workout you do. If you follow the workout schedule and stick to the eating plan, I know you are going to get AMAZING results! So, I hope you go ahead and have as much fun doing these workouts as I had making them. I can’t wait to check back and see what results y’all are getting.

Watch me live on Friday August 15th at 1:00AM ET and again at 11:00PM ET with Rick!

Peace out,

Shaun T

Yes! A virtual "high five" to those of you who have been joining us on this Fitness Journey. Now, while you may actually burn a calorie or two by clicking on this Blog, it takes more than "index finger exercise" to become a healthier you! And if you're looking for immediate results, or the promise of losing ten pounds in ten minutes...sorry. I wish I could promise that! While on your Fitness Journey, instead of "instant", start using a new word ... "investment".

You've all heard of the "get rich quick" schemes, the "sure thing" stocks, and the "instant millionaire" promise of the lottery. But for most people (including my friend Suze Orman), it's the investors who are in it for the long haul, who see results over a long period of time, that are the real winners.

Seeing Fitness as a long term investment in "you" can be a powerful force. But how long an investment? For some, it's a life-long journey. But we all want to see results and celebrate along the way. We all want an occasional "High Five"! OK, so let's decide: If you've never exercised before, can you start with Five Minutes? Five Days? If you're determined, can you give it five weeks. If you can, here's a big "High Five" to you!

But for those of you who want to really take charge, there's no better time than right now! Why? You have an opportunity to pick any Fitness item, On-air and online, and take FIVE MONTHS to pay! If you make that choice, and commit to five months, I can almost guarantee your will see a "payoff" in your investment. Whether it's a Motorized Treadmill, P90X, The Total Gym, Pilates, The Firm, you name it. Using Five EZ payments may be your key to a lifetime of Fitness investing.

Need Five reasons to get you started? OK! Exercise can:

1. Build Strength!
2. Give you more Energy!
3. Lower your resting heart rate!
4. Strengthen your bones!
5. Makes your clothes look better on you, and give you an excuse to shop for new clothes!

Thanks for "taking five" to join us on this Journey,

Rick

Greetings ! How goes the Journey? I can't tell you how great it feels to hear from the folks at QVC.com, who tell me: They're clicking on your Blog! Cool! I love reading the responses. It's obvious that you have a desire to share your stories while on this Fitness Journey. Keep 'em coming!

Today's topic is a touchy one: Men vs. Women (let the hate mail begin!). Look, the fact is, women have the upper hand on us guys in ways too numerous to count. You're smarter, nicer, more nurturing as parents, and you always seem to know where that missing sock is hidden. Guys don't stand a chance! Unless, of course you choose to start a fitness/ weight loss program with your husband. What happens? After two weeks, when you feel like you're just getting in the groove, Charlie walks out of the closet and says "Honey, look, I'm putting my belt on the third loop instead of the second!!" You smile, and congratulate his success. But secretly, you want to kill him. It's not fair! If you've read the articles about men losing fat quicker than women, you're not alone. Some studies are suggesting that men and women may process, store, and use fat differently, both while exercising and while at rest. So the first lesson is: Don't compare you're success to his! Although you're going on this journey with others, and having a partner has proven to be helpful, this is Your Journey. And your body is unique to you. By the way, how does this work? Some facts: Fat storage takes place when there is a surplus of energy supplied to the body; more than what's required to meet present needs. These excess calories will be stored in the form of a triglyceride molecule, which consists of three fatty acids held together by a glycerol molecule acting as a backbone. These triglycerides will usually be stored in the body fat cells, called adipocytes, however, a small amount can also be stored within the actual skeletal muscle, forming intramuscular triglycerides. The muscular storage form, however, is vastly smaller than what's stored in the rest of the body, typically about 2000 calories worth of fat in the muscles in comparison to 50,000 or more calories stored in the body fat cells. When fat is needed for energy by the body, the stored triglycerides in the body fat cells will be broken down during a process called lipolysis and then used to fuel the muscles in need.

It is important to note that men and women typically carry fat differently on their bodies; females carrying a greater portion of it in the hip and thigh area, while males tend to focus their fat in the abdominal region. Additionally, females do have a higher essential body fat requirement due to the fact that their bodies must be capable of giving birth and their reproduction system will require more body fat stores. A healthy body fat level for women is the 20-25% range, while males can bring their body fat down to 10-15% and still be considered healthy. In order to effectively decrease body fat stores, you are going to have to mobilize the fat, which is the process of releasing the fat from the storage site.

The bottom line? A combination of cardiovascular fitness and resistance training that's right... for you, not him. If you really want to fire up the metabolism, do them both at once. How? like The Firm! It works. It's done in the privacy of your own home, and the women on the DVD are "real people", with real results. You can even do it with Charlie! (Or your husband, you choose).

All the best,
Rick

Junior's cheesecake. Balboa desserts. Those TV food displays of Gwen Mckee's Best of the Best cookbooks filled with Monkey bread, death by chocolate, pecan pie, and Mac and Cheese. As I write this Blog at 10:30pm in my home office, my mind wanders... to those mouthwatering foods I've splurged on while backstage at QVC.... to that bag of chips just sitting there... waiting for me in our kitchen pantry. Wait. I think it's calling me. "Yo! dude! I'm here. What are you waiting for? Stop trying to fight the urge. Get the salsa, the tequila, and let's get this party started!"

I read some of these advice columns from the Fitness Pros, and while I appreciate it, I have to wonder: Am I alone in these cravings? Do these people never splurge? Should I feel guilty? If I'm alone, who's buying all that cheesecake?

While we go on this Fitness journey together, we have to realize there are going to be some DETOURS along the way. Some of them might involve Holidays, Family picnics, Reunions, weddings, and Tuesday nights when the kids and/or the boss have driven you to the brink... and the only way out is an entire bag of Chip's Ahoy cookies and a cold glass of milk.

The point is, it's OK. Every so often. Give yourself a break. I've been there. The question is, are you going to get your butt back on that Reebok Treadmill Tomorrow? The sooner you acknowledge it , and get back on the Journey, the better off you'll be. And the fact is, the whole purpose here is to enjoy your life! And if you're working out, meeting your goals, and following your plan, why NOT have a piece of Junior's Cheesecake every now and then. It's good stuff!

Enjoy the Journey!

Rick