3 Tips For Healthy Living on The Road With ESPN Analyst Paul Carcaterra

This week, I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with my coach, mentor, and friend Paul Carcaterra.  I have known Paul for the last 15 years, and I’ve tried to model Paul’s best qualities in my own life.  He lives by his word.  He treats his employees like they are family.  And he tells it like it is, for better or worse.  I have always looked up to Paul, and he is one of the greatest people I know. 

In our conversation, I wanted to know how, while traveling for ESPN 100+ days a year, he stays in shape (Paul will be 45 this year).

Here are three tips from our conversation for surviving, and thriving, while traveling for work:

1. Pack Your Own Breakfast-Paul brings simple non perishable items with him while traveling for his breakfast.  Easy items like oatmeal, RX bars, and fruit are always in his carry-on.  Regardless of the hotel he is in, he always has one meal in his back pocket.

2. Enjoy Yourself, But Plank Ahead-Paul goes to some of the best eateries in the country, but before he does he plans ahead.  If he is in Iowa, and he knows he is going to be crushing some of the country's best BBQ, he makes sure the rest of his diet is on point in the day (no slip ups).  When he sits down to eat dinner, he enjoys himself.  The next morning, it’s back to work.

3. 40-45 Minutes Is All You Need For A Workout-When Paul first started traveling for work, he used to have fuckarounditis when it came to his workouts.  He would hit some triceps, maybe take a jog on the treadmill, but he was in the gym loitering around for over an hour.  These days, Paul has an intention of shocking his body and making 40 minutes in the gym a constant high intensity routine.  Body weight movements, dumbbells, treadmills, you name it, he’s getting after it.  If you aren’t going to give it your all, you might as well stay in your room and watch morning cartoons. As a bonus, Paul makes sure to workout first thing in the morning.  There are no excuses to not workout when everyone else is sleeping.  He also hates it when he has a workout hanging over his head for later in the day.

If you like these tips, give the rest of the podcast a listen by clicking the link below, or watching on the Floch Fitness Youtube channel.  If you like the podcast, please consider subscribing! I put out a weekly podcast that gives insight and information on all things training, health, and nutrition.

Thanks!

Stop Making These Dieting Mistakes...

The problem is that there is an abundance of information on the internet about the “perfect diet,” which causes people to feel overwhelmed by options. At Floch Fitness, I have helped hundreds of people attain and maintain weight loss, and I want to help you too!

Here are my most common dieting mistakes…

1. Inconsistency

Unfortunately, eating really well during the week doesn’t make up for binging every weekend. Most clients I work with are frustrated because they work really hard to stay on track Sunday - Thursday, then “let it rip” on the weekends.

You really need a plan that that promotes consistency. Have a treat on the weekend, then move on. Don’t go completely overboard and have to start over on Monday.

 2. Too Restrictive

You don’t have to cut any food group out of your diet to see lasting results. If your diet has more foods on the “can’t” list than the “can” list, it isn’t sustainable. Focus on what you can have; healthy substitutions add up and can make all the difference.

Here’s the truth: there isn’t a quick fix. It’s hard work. It takes time to change your habits and take control of your health.

 3. Not Tracking Accurately

Tracking progress shows success, and success leads to motivation. I know that clients are 50% more successful when they track their food, yet this is one of the toughest things to get clients to do.

If you are just starting, jump on a scale and test your weight and body fat percentage. Grab a tape measure and at least measure your waist circumference (around your belly button). Then download MyFitnessPal and just take an inventory of what you are eating.

Do this for two weeks, then retest your weight and body fat. See what you can accomplish by just starting to track!

 4. No Support

We understand it is tough to do by yourself, which is why I have spent the last 10 years working with and learning from clients on what works, and what doesn’t.

When I look at people who were initially successful but then slip back into old habits, they tell me it was gradual. They found themselves with their clothes getting tight again and want something that is simple and sustainable.

If you know you have a competition or race coming up, you are more likely to train harder. When you have a nutrition coach providing support and accountability, you are more likely to be successful.

 5. Becoming Paralyzed/Getting Stuck

The internet and social media have created thousands of overnight "nutrition celebrities" and "experts". With so much conflicting information, and endless options, its easy to become overwhelmed and just go back to what we were doing before - and if we are trying to lose weight, what we were doing before probably wasn't working. Don't let your fear of choosing the wrong plan overwhelm you to the point of inaction. The truth is, the science behind nutrition and behavior modification goes well beyond a picture of someone with abs or a 7-day detox. Don’t fall into the “Diet Fad Trap!”

If you are falling for one or more of these mistakes, Floch Fitnes is here to help! Click the link below to set up a free assessment and we’ll put together a nutrition program that is tailored to your needs. Don’t wait, sign-up today!