Disclaimer
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, neither by photography, xerography or any other means of hard copy duplication, by broadcast or transmission, by translation into any kind of language, nor by recording electronically or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in critical articles or reviews.
ISBN: 978-1467920995
Forth Printing June 2007
Cover Design by Naiser Design
Editing by Creative Persuasion
Printed in the United States of America
About the Author
At age 45, Greg Ryan’s career began thirty years ago as a professional fitness trainer. In 1986 he won his first of two Michigan bodybuilding championships. He won his second title in 1988. In 1990 he moved to Los Angeles California, where his knowledge enthusiasm and skill attracted the attention of fitness guru Kathy Smith.
During this time Greg ran one of the largest personal training businesses in LA. Attracting numerous high profile movies stars such as Brooke Shields, Bridget Fonda, Connie Sellecca and many more.
Greg built a reputation for exercise and behavior change and in the fall of 1992 appeared on the Today Show and Good Morning America.
In 1994 Greg returned to college to further his knowledge in Physical Therapy. During this time Greg’s gift of motivating individuals led him to production of his own television segment on FOX TV.
1997 Greg relocated to Louisville, Kentucky were he built and operated a private clinic specializing in obesity and diabetic weight loss programs. Numerous bodybuilding titles, movie star clients, over a dozen authored books and counting; this has made him one of the most experienced and sought after experts in the business. Today Greg has acquired almost a hundred thousand hours of personal training to go with his well rounded career.
From the Author- Ryan’s Hope
I am Greg Ryan, a fitness expert with a strong belief that fitness, nutrition, and mental balance are critical components of total well being, but that wasn’t always so. Do not let this straight forward book fool you. It will require you to think long and hard about fixing your weight issue. What I have learned over my career is in the next few pages. And the price for getting you this information has cost me thousands.
My career began in the eighties. I never found myself going to a health club, much less taking time for myself, until I was in college. I had to occupy my time between classes some how, so one day I went to the gym.
I grew up without self-discipline, confidence, or faith in myself.
I was raised on a farm, which required a lot of discipline, but not self-discipline. Exercise to my parents was harvesting the crops during the summer. Nutrition was just a matter of eating what was convenient.
As a youth, I was overweight and short. In my late teens, during the first few years of my career and with the help of a few close friends, I was fortunate to have discovered three very important things about myself that changed me forever: hope, belief, and motivation.
Hope
As I worked on getting in better shape, I began each day with a glimmer of hope. Hope that I could do something with my life by exercising; hope that I could help someone else through my own experiences; and hope that someday I could give back what life was giving to me.
“You can live a month without food. You can live a week without water, you can live five minutes without air, but you cannot live a second without HOPE.”
Even today, there are times I do not feel like exercising, eating right, and especially working on correcting bad habits. However, it’s that bit of hope for the future that keeps me going, even if it’s just for one more day.
“All you need is a little bit of HOPE!”
Belief
My father taught me to work hard, have faith, and treat others with respect. It was easy for him to say, but not so easy for me to follow. Treating others kindly was much easier than having faith in myself. Life was scary for me growing up. I was afraid of not meeting the expectations of those around me. I didn’t know what direction to take in life or what advice to follow. When I first stepped into a health club, it was equally as frightening.
I had two friends that exercised with me on a regular basis. The confidence they had in me started positively affecting my attitude and fear of failure. After awhile, I noticed those fears I had about myself slowly began to disappear.
Then one day it dawned on me. Somewhere, down deep inside, I believed I was doing something good. I suddenly knew that with the advice of my father, having realistic expectations, and a one-day-at-a-time attitude, I could change.
With a little bit of hope, mixed with some faith, I knew I could really make things happen. “When you know that you know that you know…” This quote had a deeper meaning for me now. The more I thought about the good I was doing for myself, the more I believed in me.
Motivation
As I developed more confidence, I started to realize how important it was for this change to come from me inside out. Looking better, having more energy and getting physically stronger are great things to experience, but what I am most grateful for is that my heart was also changing. I felt better about myself. I had purpose and I was doing something positive.
That heart-felt motivation became the glue that has kept me going for all these years. No matter what you do in life, if you have purpose, and if it is good for others, life will be rewarding.
Your MOTIVES must come from within. Listen and follow your heart. Greg Ryan
Over the years I have achieved quite a bit. I have the education and experience in fitness educational programs, health club management, body building championships, business ownerships, movie star and world class athlete clientele and professional speaking engagements. In 1993, my life change dramatically. I had reached a pinnacle in my career. I was at a point where decisions needed to be made on what I wanted to do next. After much soul-searching, I established a mission statement.
“Work with people who want to change their lives from the Inside-Out through healthy behaviors, smarter eating and effective exercising.”
What I have learned in twenty years of working one-on-one with people comes down to this simple book. This is what I do now. I help people change inside and outside.
Preface
Professionally speaking I believe stress (what ever form), superficial thinking (appearance driven), and just plain laziness is killing American’s from the inside out. There are so many diet and exercise programs out there, yet we continue to get more over weight year after year, why?
At the end of the day it’s an internal issue that drives the bus of the exterior packaging. Not the most popular to speak about, but it is the TRUTH and you deserve to hear it. Doesn’t guarantee you will listen though. All I can do is, lead you too the water, the drinking is your choice. And it is a matter of life and death.
Stress
We live in a chaotic world, with stressors coming at us from every direction; mostly self imposed. We’ve grown accustom to this mindset so much we easily brush it off as a normal life, but when most need an outlet for the stress what do you; you eat, drink and or suppress activity? Depression and disease arise and the only bearable thing to do is numb the pain by denying the obvious.
Superficial Thinking
The bold and the beautiful, that’s the focus. Forget the inside, put your money in the pills, surgery’s and fantasy fitness guru. Sure your chin may look better, but you’ve lost your soul in the process. Is it worth losing your heart for the sake of your eyebrows, inner thighs or hair? How sad and how desperate we’ve become in trying to beat the ageing process. A battle you will never win.
Laziness
People just don’t care anymore; no self esteem left. If you did you’d be off the couch, in the shoes and on the streets walking. Most have lost their confidence to do anything. “What’s the use, why start now?” You say. Let’s be honest, excuses are cop - outs. You can and would make the effort if you wanted too.
What I have learned in all this years comes down to this simple book.
This is what I do; I help people change inside out. I’m not the same person I was before I started exercising and eating right.
I’m not because I decided along time ago that I didn’t want to continue being the unhealthy, low self esteem guy going down the same road. I just couldn’t deal with my life the way it was turning out.
I will admit fame, fortune and being extremely fit has been emotionally attractive, but in the end it was empty. I needed more, I wanted more than just looks; I wanted to be happy, full of life and at peace inside. Do you? If so then in the end changing from the INSIDE OUT is what you need to do.
Contents
Introduction
Part I
The INSIDE OUT Concept To Weight Loss!
Chapter 1: Change or Be Changed
Chapter 2: Inside or Out- An “All In” attitude
Part II Motivations and Desires
(Awareness- Determine How You Are
Motivated)
Chapter 3: Exercise Resistance-
Why do you resistance exercising?
Chapter 4: Pure Motives and Deep Desires-
What are your Intentions?
Part III Behavior Change
(Acceptance-How to determine why you behave like you do?)
Chapter 5: Faith, Hope and Love
Chapter 6: Getting Real
Chapter 7: Icebergs
Part IV Tools and Support
(Assistance- How to create a good support system)
Chapter 8: Road Maps
Chapter 9: The Inner Sanctum
Chapter 10: Boundaries
Part V Nutrition
(Appetite- What is your psychology behind the eating habits?)
Chapter 11: In or Out?
Part IV Exercise
(Activity- How to workout smart not hard?)
Chapter 12: Just Move It
Chapter 13: Goals Change, Decisions Don’t
Chapter 14: Your Next Move
Part IV Why Wait?
Why are you waiting to start?
Chapter 15: In a Nut Shell
Chapter 16: Straight Talk
Addendum- Extra
The Ten Commandments on Lowering Body-Fat