Hello SGT Peterson’s loyal followers!

Because we believe in inspiring camaraderie between our staff and clients we would like to invite you all to this invitation only event. While no actual invitation is physically required to attend. Please consider that only current, and former SGT Peterson’s clients or team members may come with a significant othe

r. In addition to the people perviously mentioned, each guest is able to bring as many as 3 friends. Please RSVP on the facebook please. 
ood (burgers,hotdogs,chips) and drinks (water, beer, and soda) to buy. If the weather is bad we will be meeting a SGT Peterson’s to play games, eat, drink, and be merry! If you would like to help out with the event or have questions please email info@sgtpeterson.com. Usually people bring interesting dishes to share with everyone. By no means is this require but it is encouraged. We have four of these types of events each year, so keep your eyes open in the gym, on our facebook page, or on SGT Peterson’s blog for info on upcoming events.

P.S. If you are not into playing football, or you are hurt or injured please come anyway. We usually have 20-30 people just hanging out having fun. People often bring other games to play outside. If you are new to SGT Peterson’s you must come, or we will know you didn’t and make you do 100 burpees next time you come in for a workout =)

-SGT Peterson

Please register here facebook event

TIP #1– You Need to Start With Warm Ups
Warm up exercises are simple and short exercise that don’t require a great exertion of strength but allow the body to become prepared before moving onto more rigorous and physically demanding exercises. Incorporating warm up exercises and stretches into your pre-workout routine will ensure you’re both mentally and physically prepared for your workout thus helping to avoid strains, muscle soreness and injury inside the gym.

TIP #2– Stretch
Stretching is probably one of the most important and often overlooked injury prevention techniques we should incorporate into our workouts. After performing some simple warm up procedures, loosen your muscles by performing stretches. When done effectively this will allow your muscles to become loose and prepared for your workout, helping you to avoid any unnecessary strains caused by insufficient preparing. You also (and more importantly) need to stretch after you work out. This will insure that your muscles will not unnecessarily tighten up leading to potential injuries over time.

TIP #3– Get Good Personal Trainer (and if you can’t find one, at least a good spotter/lifting partner)
When working out it’s not always easy to find another person to tag along and exercise with you. A personal trainer not only is there to motivate and hold you accountable to your workout routine, but they will also make sure you get the most out of your workout without pushing you too far. If you don’t have a regular workout partner that can help you and offer you spotting support when you need it in the gym it is important to find a person who can while doing any of the exercises that require a spotter. Examples of such exercises are squatting, benching, dumbbell raises etc.

TIP #4–Use Correct Form and Technique
When implementing your exercises it is important to concentrate on using the proper technique for each exercise. Exercises that use resistance such as squats where you’re working against the weight on your shoulders require specific techniques that can be both learned through observation and practice. Start small, you don’t need to start with a lot of weight when learning a new exercise or even continuing an exercise you haven’t performed in awhile. Allowing yourself to become comfortable with the exercise and performing the correct technique can spare you from unnecessary injuries. If you want to add a new exercise to your work out but haven’t done it before, don’t be afraid to ask someone who knows the exercise well. They can show you the correct form to use and allow you to observe them while doing the exercise so that you can safely and effectively perform the exercise.

TIP #5– Stop Weight Lifting Overkill, Get Your Rest
A lot of people out there forget the importance of rest. It is essential, let me repeat… ESSENTIAL that your muscles get the proper rest that they need after a workout. This means when you rest, you rest… no “light” workouts for that day, or “quick sessions” just give your body a break and rest. Why? It is of paramount importance to understand that rest is as important to building muscles as the exercises themselves are. Simply put, if you don’t rest, your muscles will struggle to grow. The “safe” amount of time to wait for muscle repair is around forty-eight hours; some would argue that twenty-four hours between workouts is more than enough. Depending on what kind of shape you are in, either is correct– what is important to understand for injury prevention is that when your muscles are performing at full (rested) capacity, you are going to be burning more calories and ultimately building more muscle.

TIP #6– Sleep, diet, and breathe
Not only will getting a proper amount of sleep kick your metabolism into gear, it will give you more energy, alertness, and better mental concentration during your workout. This will lead to a more effective routine, as well as the ability for your body to restore torn tissue quicker. Also, maintain a balanced diet (including essential protein for muscle repair) and make sure to engage in proper deep breathing techniques when exercising. This will give you more energy and concentration during exercise, and prevent injuries and strains due to lack of oxygen in the blood stream from improper breathing techniques.

i. Chandler, J., Kibler, B., McMillan, J., & Richards, D. (2001, November). Squat Safety. American Fitness,19(6), 43. Retrieved May 29, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

What is the difference between people that are seemingly able to make anything happen and others that simply seem to fail at everything( I do realize there are many people in between) ? Sometimes regardless of how bad you have it you just have to keep getting back up. I think it is that simple, some people just are quitters and do not persevere though the hard times to make it happen. Most people either it into one categories or the others. 

1. People that make it happen, these people hold themselves accountable for there actions with self discipline. 2. People that don’t make it happen, these people generally need someone else to hold them accountable or they would just go out a screw off. You can use Pratoe’s principle with this and see how it really is. 1. People that make it happen and the vital few 20%, that get 80% of the results. 2. The people that need others to hold them accountable are the 80% of people that only get 20% or results. The choice is yours, which one are you? I would like to think that I am in the first categories, but in the end of the day I think no one is always one or the other, but a combination of the two. Lets face it, we are all human. It’s not really about who is better then someone else, its really more about who is more self disciplined.  I  personally have no problem remaining self disciplined 80% of the time, but 20% of the time I am just going through the motions just doing the bear minimum. The best a person can do is to recognized which mode they  are in. If you are making stuff happen, keep that going as long as you can because we all know it’s easier to keep a wheel going with a few little taps once its started. If you are noticing yourself get lazy, go get some exercise and slam an overly caffeinated drink to get your momentum going again.  At least that seems to work good for me =) The one thing that I have found in my years of leading people trough exercise programs to included Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines, is that everyone is different. You are the only one that knows what gets you going and keeps you going. I say once you have that figured out stick with it and make it happen. Do what you need to to get started and focus on maintaining it for as longs as you are able because we all know it is so hard to get started. JUST DON’T STOP. What I have found is people find excuses to stop, like they get sick, have a fight with there significant others etc. Don’t let anything stop you from doing what is important to you, its your life. You, and only you are accountable for your actions. If not today, you will be held accountable. So keep your attitude positive, control what you are doing right now, and make a basic plan for the future because we all know that tomorrow is not promised. Don’t spend to much time thinking about tomorrow, or you will be stuck in what I call “Analysis Paralysis Mode”. Until next time, make your future happen, you are the only one that can! If you have  a hard time keeping yourself going try working out with others people in  a group workout, or hiring a personal trainer and doing personal training workouts one on one. There are many types of group workouts. Here are a few to try in the Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Twin Cites of Minnesota. For the best workouts in Minneapolis check out these links Spinning, Boot Camps, Kettle Bells, Pilates, Yoga, Crossfit and to may more to list. Or take a look at Charlotte Anderson’s  The Great Fitness Experiment blog and / or her book for a more comprehensive look at workouts in the Twin Cities metro area check out her article in the Minneapolis Startribune. For tips that you can use in your home or on your own check out her latest article in Shape Magazine. P.S. I would like everyone to know that I in no way, shape, or form endorse Lifetime Fitness. I worked for them in the past and there is no way I would give them my money again. For the most part, 80% of companies that get money from Wall Street are evil, and the only thing they care about is quarterly profits.

Another great plaque I’ve seen on military leader’s desks said “Your poor planning does not constitute an emergency on my part”. Last but not least, one had a grenade on it with a number tag on the pin you pull to activate the grenade. It reads, “The complaints department takes a number. This is why today in my business one of our core values is humor. If you can’t make fun of yourself, who can?
I have read many leadership and self-help books over the years and it seems like each one touts their simple process or system. So here are SGT Peterson’s three rules to live by.

#1 – Control Your Attitude

Regardless of how bad today or the long term outlook is, you can always control your attitude. You can put a smile on your face and attack the day with optimism. This is something you always have the choice to do. You can inspire others to have a better day just by the way you conduct yourself.

For instance, an American’s bad day might be you wake up late, miss breakfast, and don’t even have time to shower before you rush off to work. You then start your day with your boss waiting for you in his office with a few things to speak with you about. He goes on to tell you your salary will be cut by 15% because of the financial crisis. Then you go to lunch and reach for your debit card only to find that you forgot your wallet at home. Lastly, on the way home from work you run out of gas.

However a GOOD day in Africa might start off with a cup rice and beans (if you are able to get some from the aid worker that gets robbed half of the time by the local militia.) This is the same Militia that rapes and pillages towns and enslaves young boys in their militia for life. It’s a good day if they don’t get you or a lion, crocodile, or hyena doesn’t eat you alive.

Interestingly enough people in these smaller countries are usually happier than people in larger, more modern society. In Africa they are just happy to live, and they do it using these three simple principles. They may not want too, but they do it because they have to. It’s too bad that so many people in America are accustomed to complaining about things while being unhappy. They could be making things happen with a smile on their face like the less fortunate third world countries around the world.

#2 – Control What You Are Doing Right Now!

That means you are the master of your body and universe. If you want to stop drinking or lose weight you will have to make a decision to change your behavior, and it must start today or the procrastinating and self-depreci

ating will never end. Stop making excuses, and demand results by making it happen NOW!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aznUqcpgF6M

Today’s blog post is about leaders and managers and how they differ. The main difference between the two is that leaders inspire people and managers make people do things. That’s the biggest fundamental difference. Leaders stand up for what they believe in even when it’s politically unpopular or it could cause them harm.

People follow leaders because they show up first, leave last, and do what the right thing is regardless of what other’s think. Leadership, to me, is measured by the actions of somebody when the shit hits the fan. A leader is the person who eats last, who pays themselves last. A CEO of a company should never pay themselves before their workers.

Managers, on the other hand, are people who want to go home early and go on vacation all the time. They hold people accountable with a number and from a distance. They’re not ‘in the fight’ so to speak. They’re often hypocrites who say they’re going to do something differently when they’re in management and once they get there they do the same as everyone else! They take the easy way out by putting numbers on everyone and when people don’t hit numbers they’re gone.

At the end of the day, when you want to do something difficult in your life, such as getting in shape, you need to go to someone who’s done something similar to that and follow them. A leader isn’t always someone that’s a boss, coach, or someone who’s appointed. Many times it’s someone within your team, or an informal leader.

Is there something that you want to do differently in life? Here’s how: Find someone that you want to be like, someone that does what you want to do everyday. Follow that person and people like them as much as possible and you will be able to get the things you want.

So why do people follow other people?

Some people think that great leaders are able to get people to want to do things that work on their purpose, cause, and passion. Others subscribe to the belief that great managers are needed to make people do things. Still others tell people that fear is the best motivator, or some type of incentive. I, however, prescribe to the belief that if you lead by example and leave no one behind, that anything you want to accomplish will happen. I also believe that when decisions are made it must always be a win, win, win for all parties involved, otherwise someone will have resentment over the issue.

Why can some people get others to do the “work” for them?

I would say it boils down to beliefs, and taking care of your people. In the military, sergeants take care of their soldiers much like you would take care of your own child. In turn the soldiers take care of the Sergeant, not because they have to, but because they know he has there back when they need it. In the end of the day it is about team work, and knowing what to expect when you need someone’s help.

Why do some people manage, and still have the ability to get results?

Managers usually use fear as a motivator to get people to act a certain way. Be it loss of a job, loss of a relationship, or both. Managers are masters of manipulation. They make people do things by holding them accountable to a number that everyone needs to make to hit a quota.

How are mangers and leaders different?

It simple, managers make people do things because they have to.
Leaders make people want to do things of their own free will.

The choice is your’s on two fronts. You can choose which way to be with your followers, and you can choose which types of these people that you follow. I know some of you are reading this and thinking, I don’t lead anyone, I just work at a desk, etc. But that could not be further from the truth. Everyone has someone who looks up to them, whether that be a kid down the street that doesnt have a dad and you help him fix his flat tire, or a coworker that has lost their way and needs to be cheered up that day. We all have a chance to choose what we do each day.

I know that everyone that is reading this can think of at least 2 or 3 people that look up to them. In all, lead by example, don’t leave anyone behind and I promise that your life will be much more fulfilling and you will get what out of it exactly what you put into it.

My personal proven process is what I call the rule of 3 and it is a win, win, win. This is what helps guide me when things get into what most people call the grey area. The other rule that I often apply also has 3 parts.

1. You can always control your attitude
2. You can control what you are doing right now
3. You can plan for the future (I have found that less is more in this department)

In all, after much deliberating and applying the rules to this decision, I had to go back to what I love, the Military and sharing it with the young people in the community. So I am now serving in the Minnesota Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion!

Think about it, my company, for the last three years, has been run much like a military unit. Because of my time working with some of the top business people in the Twin Cities and arguably the country I have improved myself not only as a leader, salesperson, marketer, but as a person and a human being. This go around, serving and leading soldiers will be much easier for me. Last time I didn’t even have a clear idea of what my purpose, cause or passion were. Not only do I have that defined, but I have a much larger tool box to pull from to inspire the future leaders of our community. I also have many mentors that have an outside the normal military box way of doing things that I can call on to help when things get challenging!

The best part about the whole thing is I get to work with new soldiers until they get ready to join their first duty station. This often means for their first 2 years in the guard I will be leading them. There is nothing that I take more seriously then leading soldiers, especially during war time. It is the most responsibility that anyone can have, and it makes me feel alive! So if you know anyone that is interested in being a part of something that is larger than themselves, please have them contact me and I will be more then happy to help them find out what the military is all about, and how it can help them improve them and everyone around them.

SSG Tim Peterson
Recruiting, Retention and Attrition Management NCO
Minnesota Army National Guard
651-775-5901

Ingredients:

- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 3/4 cup frozen berries
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (I used 1/2 scoop in mine this morning because I eat a lot of protein throughout the day already)
- 1 scoop greens mix (Also used a half scoop of this; I found a LifeTime fitness brand at the apartment I am staying at so I threw it in there and love it.  You can probably get something similar at a Whole Foods/Lunds type store.)
- A couple ice cubes

Instructions:

- Put it all in a blender
- Mix it together
- That’s it

Nutrition:

Calories: 326
Carbs: 45
Fat: 4
Protein: 32
Fiber: 6

*After looking at the nutrition information this one is making me wonder a bit. It is pretty high in carbs and protein (you want to shoot for around 30 g of carbs and 20-25g of protein), and fat and fiber could be a tid bit higher (YOU NEED TO EAT GOOD FATS TO BURN FAT and FIBER = FULLNESS).  If you take flax or fish oils that would be a great way to get your fat in if you are going to have this shake.

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#2 – For the chocolate peanut butter lovers

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#3 – Home-Made Protein Bars: Save money by making a giant batch of your own simple protein bars! The ingredients list is short, but they add up to make a delicious snack that will help fuel your body post-workout when coupled with some high fiber fruits or veggies.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup NATURAL peanut butter or almond butter (the only ingredients in the peanut butter we used were peanuts and sea salt)
- 1 cup honey (better than using sugar or artificial sweeteners)
- 11 scoops of whey protein powder (we were running low on this, so we could only use 8 scoops; we used GNC Pro Performance Vanilla)
- 2 ½ cups dry, uncooked oatmeal
- 4 tablespoons water

Instructions:

- Combine peanut butter and honey in a large nonstick pot and warm over low heat until it is easily stirred
- Add protein powder, oatmeal and water to mixture and stir (will be thick and difficult to stir, good for the pipes)
- Press into a 9×13 pan with the bottom of a measuring cup and let cool
- Cut into 16 equal bars
- Wrap each bar individually in foil or saran wrap and store in Tupperware to prevent hardening
- Refrigerate until post workout….Enjoy!

Nutrition:
(per serving, yields 16 servings)

Calories: 287
Fat: 10
Protein: 21.4
Carbs: 34

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#4 - Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

- 1 cup Low Fat Organic Cottage Cheese
- 1 cup Oatmeal
- 7 large egg whites (or 4 whole eggs)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Real Maple Syrup

Instructions:

- Put oats in to a blender or food processor, and blend until it is the consistency of flour
- Then add in the cottage cheese, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon
- Once the mixture is blended to the consistency of pancake batter you are ready to go!
- Using a ¼ measuring cup, add pancakes to the griddle, when they are no longer getting little bubbles popping up and they look “dry” around the edges you are ready to flip!
- Then just check the other side and when it is golden brown you are all set to eat these bad boys!
- Top with a tsp per cake of maple syrup for taste and enjoy!

Remember, there is a difference between wanting something and having the willpower to do it. Stop just wanting to eat better, stop just wanting to get more sleep, stop just wanting to get exercise in, and stop just wanting to be in the shape you desire to be – FIND THE WILLINGNESS TO DO IT AND DO IT. We here to inspire, motivate and believe in you, so put in the hard work and some great things will happen!!