What you have to do to SEE your 6-pack. It's there...we promise!

Throughout the years, I have had many women ask me what to do - in order to get a flat stomach. Doing a thousand crunches isn't going to get you there - if you miss this critical part of the process....losing the fat that covers them up. I read a great analogy that describes this perfectly:


If you have ever been to Colorado in the summer, you enjoyed looking at the scenic rocky mountains. The terrain is rough and the edges are jagged and rocky. If you went back to the same spot in February - the tops of the mountains look smooth, and don't have that rocky appearance. But you know it's there - underneath the snow.


We have got to get rid of the "snow" to see the chiseled abs you are creating at bootcamp. We do lots of bodyweight exercises that call your abs into play, so it's not just about crunches. During boot camp, our high intensity cardio intervals will burn fat and help to get rid of our extra "snow".....the critical piece of actually SEEING your six pack!!!


Texas Fit Chicks is a Womens fitness boot camp serving women in: McKinney, Plano, Allen, Frisco, Prosper, Lucas and Melissa

Click here for our website

Diets Don't work

You can't walk into a book store without seeing shelves of books on how to lose weight. Titles all try to grab your attention with promises of how to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks, and get into a smaller dress size by Saturday night. These "diet" plans seem too good to pass up, and many of us (including your trainer) have bought into at least one of these gimmicks.

You name it, I've tried it: South Beach (I was off and on phase 1 for about 2 yrs), Atkins, The Zone, Body for Life, and yes, even the Cabbage Soup Diet. I would lose after a week or two of deprivation - get into some smaller sizes - go back to regular life, and gain it all back....plus some more. There is no way to maintain eating like that in the real world, and what you are losing when you do those type of programs is water weight and lean muscle mass. It's a vicious cycle when you are in the midst of those type of "diets" and what's worked for me is good old fashioned exercise and smart food choices. Eating small portions throughout the day to keep metabolism up, drinking enough water and including filling fibers and proteins do the trick.

Don't buy in to the fad diet of the month....it might work temporarily, but the lasting effects on your metabolism and the possible loss of lean muscle mass which takes hard work and time to build, isn't worth it! Eat right, exercise and drink enough water, and even though it will take longer to lose than a fad diet - you will keep it off and be healthier for it!

Maintain - Don't Gain!

Make it a goal this holiday season...to maintain and not gain! Here are a few food ideas that will keep you feeling full, to minimize reaching for another piece of pie!

Include Lean Proteins throughout the day. You will feel more full after a chicken salad vs a garden salad (just be sure not to drench it in high fat dressing!). Your body uses up more calories to digest protein - which makes you feel more satiated. You will stay full longer. It also builds muscle, so the more lean tissue you have, the more calories you will burn overall. Thus the reason for our weight training during boot camp! Examples of lean proteins include: fish, nuts, beans, cheese, yogurt, shrimp and skinless chicken breast.

Filling Fats - Healthy fats take longer to digest, which can prevent you from overeating by keeping you full between meals. Mono- and Poly-unsaturated fats are known for their protective heart benefits, which is important for long term health. Healthy fats include: unsalted, unroasted nuts, avocados and olive oil* . I love to keep raw almonds in a ziploc baggie in the car - for when I am out and need a filling and quick snack. *all in moderation*

Low Calorie Fiber - To keep your metabolism revved up - you want to eat several small "meals" throughout the day. Fiber rich fruits and veggies are filling and give you the antioxidants that fight disease, with very little calories. You want to include colorful fruits and veggies - organic if possible

Maintain...Don't Gain

So the parties have begun! This weekend kicks off the month of December, with temptations at every turn. My previous post gives you tips on how to