Tuesday, June 30, 2015

TFC Chick Transformation: TIA, East Carrollton Texas Fit Chicks





 


TEXAS FIT CHICKS - CHICK TRANSFORMATION - TIA, EAST CARROLLTON TFC

Date: June 2015

Name: Tia

Age: 33

Family: Married for 7 years (this December) with a 2.5 year old son (he’ll be 3 in November)

Weight or size loss to date:  Lost 6.7 lbs and 4.5 inches

Non-scale victories: I can fit into clothes I haven’t been able to in at least 4 years!  I have more energy and feel healthy.  I’ve also had a boost in my self-confidence. Why did I decide to start a fitness program?  To be honest, it was because I split my pants at work bending over!    That was a difficult realization to me that I had changed.  I had been in denial about how I saw myself in the mirror, but this was definitely a slap in the face to get me motivated to make a change. I used to do a lot of kickboxing classes.  That’s really the only kind of cardio I ever committed to.  I’ve also done yoga and Pilates, but neither were really my forte.  I was intimidated at the thought of lifting weights, so my ignorance kept me from experimenting with that type of routine.

My best friend, who is also my sister-in-law, had joined Texas Fit Chicks in Richardson.  She motivated me to try a free class at East Carrollton and I was hooked from that point on.  I hadn’t made an effort to work out because I couldn’t find the time.  I know that’s a cliché excuse, but having a full-time job (working 8:30-5:30) and a 2.5 year old, the only time I could do anything for myself was after he went to bed at 8:30 and by that time I was exhausted from the day.  So, to discover that working out at 5am was an option, even though getting out of bed at 4:30a.m. seemed unrealistic, I was willing to try so I could better myself. I’ve been a Fit Chick now for 10 months 10 months.

Changes that helped me improve my fitness:  I lay out my work-out attire the night before, fill my water bottle, and load my car with my weights and mat the night before so I have no excuse in the morning. I made more of an effort to cook at home vs. picking up dinner, so as to not defeat the purpose of waking up at 4:30a.m.! Luckily, I’m not a soda or tea drinker, I drink water all day, but I do love beer, so I switched my beer of choice from Corona to Michelob Ultra, which seems silly, but has made a HUGE difference! And thankfully, my husband didn’t put up a big fight on that one! I’ve also been making sandwiches for lunch at the office vs. eating freezer meals. I didn’t really think I was defeating myself with freezer meals because I was eating “the healthy ones” (i.e. Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones), but changing that habit has apparently contributed to my weight loss too.

My mom and dad notice a difference in me physically, they say I look stronger and my whole family has noticed an improvement in my overall mood and interaction with the family. They say I just seem happier. I’ve had some fellow Fit Chicks make comments about how svelte I look. I couldn’t make that one up, as I didn’t even know what that word meant! 

My husband encourages me. Just that “pat on the back” from him in the morning as I’m leaving, keeps me going…. My husband is my greatest moral support. His opinion matters greatly to me and I want to look my best for him. He’s always treated me like his queen and dealt with my weight fluctuations throughout our 18 years together! Yes, we were high school sweethearts for 11 years when we got married and we’ll be celebrating our 7 year wedding anniversary in December! So he knows me for all my good and bad, and he would never shame me for my weight gain, especially after having our first child, but he knew I was unhappy. He has definitely noticed a change in my body and I would say he’s happy with the results! He tells me I’m sexy more than ever now.

My favorite healthful foods:  I like pretzels and/or pita chips with hummus, snacking on carrots with light ranch dressing and I also like greek yogurt. I love spinach salads w/ strawberries too.  

Indulgences:  I like to eat, really no matter what it is. I would say Mexican food (i.e. tacos, enchiladas, beans & rice, chips & salsa) and margaritas are definitely an indulgence of mine.

My favorite exercises:  Anything working the abs, I like to pike on the ball and I also like push-ups.  I imagine that sounds crazy, but push-ups on my toes was impossible for me for months, so getting off my knees has made me feel stronger and is one of my greatest accomplishments now.  I still can’t do very many on my toes, but just getting over that obstacle has been an extra motivation for me.  My 

Least favorite:   I hate running (I must breathe wrong because I always get a cramp in my side) and jumping because it just feels awkward (i.e. squat jumps or high knees).

Motivation:  The best thing I’ve seen posted on the TFC Facebook page is that “slow progress is progress.”  That is so true with this camp. This is not a quick fix scheme and it takes time to change your body for a more permanent lifestyle. It took me awhile to realize that for myself. I was discouraged because for months I had hit a plateau with my measurements, same weight, same inches, no physical results – even though my family noticed a difference in my mood almost immediately.  I will never forget one morning in my car after bootcamp, I was starting to cry because I felt like it was all for nothing since I wasn’t seeing any results, and one of my fellow Chicks rolled her window down and told me “Don’t give up.”  She was and still is an inspiration to me and I am forever grateful that she cared enough to make that one small comment to change my outlook and make me better!  So if anything about my story can encourage another Chick to get started or to just continue her journey, I would hope that she would know that every little bit counts, you just have to go for it!

I hope I can continue to make this fitness journey a part of my life both physically and mentally.  It is a challenge everyday and I have to push myself.  It’s become a part of who I am and I just want to make myself a stronger, healthier woman for myself and my family.

Wendy Lee
Director
ACE-certified Personal Trainer
AFAA-certified Group Instructor
Texas Fit Chicks  


What is Texas Fit Chicks? 
We create a fun environment for women to lose weight and get FIT! With over 125 camp times and locations across the state of Texas, we are the leader in womens' fitness. Our trainers are all (female) nationally certified and have a true passion for helping other women GET fit or STAY fit! Designed to be modified for all ages and levels of fitness, Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp will change the way you look at fitness and yourself! We think every woman should have access to a trainer, at an affordable price. We believe that there is no need to yell, scream or intimidate women into working out and pushing themselves. Our trainers encourage you to push to the next level in a safe and effective way. You won't ever get bored or do the same workout twice! We have many clients that have been with us since we started, in 2009.
Our program is designed to dramatically change the way you look and feel in as little as 4 weeks. Our workouts and female fitness experts can help you reach your goals, in a healthy, sustainable way. Texas Fit Chicks includes a full body composition from your trainer before and after your session, and a free meal plan from a nutritionist to maximize your boot camp results. This plan includes family friendly recipes and printable grocery lists to make healthy eating simple.
For a full list of our locations, please visit our website www.texasfitchicks.com Are you a certified trainer interested in joining our team? Find out more here: www.fitchicktrainers.com

Monday, June 29, 2015

Stonebridge Ranch Day Family Color Run - July 26th



Hey Fit Chicks and Trainers! Let's all get together for a fun 5K! We've arranged a discount for you to purchase an entry to the race. Please use this code! TXFITCHICKS 

This is a color run taking place in McKinney! All runners and walkers are encouraged to come! This will be great for us all to do something fun and active together on the weekend! 

We also will be ordering TFC tanks! If you don't have one or would like a new one please make sure to follow this link to make your purchase use discount code colorrun for 15% off!! 



Start time for the 5K is 9:30 on July 26th!! Let's meet at 8:30/45 at the race check in location

LINK TO REGISTER: http://www.playtri.com/sbrcolor
Use code: TXFITCHICKS

Stonebridge Ranch Beach and Tennis Club 
6201 Virginia Parkway 
McKinney, TX 75070


Tuesday, June 23, 2015

TFC Chick Transformation: Carla!!!



CHICK TRANSFORMATION - Carla 
East Carrollton Texas Fit Chicks 

As of 6/16/2015 I am truly blessed to have found Texas Fit Chicks. 
Name: Carla
Age: 34

Family: I have no kids, but I am currently engaged and I have an awesome bonus child (step child for those confused about the bonus part. LOL)

Weight or size loss to date: 20 lbs and 6 inches! 

Non-scale victories: I ordered my wedding dress January 17th 2015. I tried it on 6/17/2015 and it fell off! I mean it literally slid right down after I zipped it! Needless to say, I’m going to wait a few months before I have it altered. LOL. 

In the beginning… 
My fiancé proposed September 15, 2014 on the beach in San Diego. Later while on vacation, I was reviewing the photos we had taken and realized just how big I really was. This was a huge eye opener and I made a vow to lose weight before the wedding because there was no way I was going to enter a marriage when I was not at my best. I want to offer my husband the best of me and that includes being physically fit. 

In the past, my fitness routine involved waking at 6 am and jumping on my treadmill for 30 minutes and then lifting 5 pound weights. Yes, only 5 lbs, that’s all I had at the time. LOL

I was motivated to join Texas Fit Chicks after realizing that I needed to step my fitness game up a notch. I needed real personal training, something that would challenge me and motivate me at the same time. I found that in TFC. My trainer Wendy and the fellow chicks have been nothing short of awesome and have motivated me when I didn’t think I could go on.

I started Texas Fit Chicks December 29, 2014 as a free week preview. After that first week, I was hooked and I immediately signed up for 6 months. I eventually made a full commitment to a year. 

I didn’t change my eating habits immediately, but I soon realized that I would have to in order to reach and maintain my fitness goals. I now track everything that I eat and it has really helped me stay on track and cut out the bad food. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a cheat meal every Saturday but that just helps me to stay on track for the rest of the week.

In addition to Texas Fit chicks, I work out 3 additional days a week and I have a fitness challenge that my friend and I vow to do every month. We talk daily to ensure that the other has worked out and completed the challenge for the day. We hold each other accountable no matter what! 

My life now… 
I’ve noticed that I FEEL healthier…I have more energy…and my confidence has been boosted tremendously! 

I love to cook and my lifestyle has definitely changed in that aspect. I look for ways to make all of my dishes healthier while still keeping them delicious. My family hates veggies, so I’ve created way to sneak them in and they absolutely love it…they have no clue! LOL

Other people’s reaction to my change is usually funny to me. People are truly astonished, especially the ones that have not seen me in a while. I usually get “WOW, you look amazing!” 

My fiancé always compliments me, but sometimes I will just catch him staring at me and then he will say…”Damn you look good!” LOL
My favorite foods include veggie pasta! I absolutely love veggie pasta! And spinach…I can’t forget that. Spinach eggs with feta and sea salt is one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast. LOL
My favorite workout move has to be squats and leg lifts. My least favorite is running. 

For anyone looking to start your fitness journey, I just want to encourage you and tell you to NEVER give up! Get up…get through it because you are guaranteed to feel better afterwards. Let nothing hold you back unless you are sick and really can’t workout. Even if you are tired, get up and do it! Once you start seeing results, it becomes addicting and you will fall in love with working out. No excuses! 

I will continue on my weight loss journey and even after I reach my weight goal, I will continue to maintain my weight because I never want to become as unhealthy as I was. This is not a temporary thing…this is a lifelong journey of being fit and eating healthy. 

I LOVE Texas Fit Chicks! 



Wendy Lee
Director
ACE-certified Personal Trainer
AFAA-certified Group Instructor
Texas Fit Chicks  


What is Texas Fit Chicks? 
We create a fun environment for women to lose weight and get FIT! With over 125 camp times and locations across the state of Texas, we are the leader in womens' fitness. Our trainers are all (female) nationally certified and have a true passion for helping other women GET fit or STAY fit! Designed to be modified for all ages and levels of fitness, Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp will change the way you look at fitness and yourself! We think every woman should have access to a trainer, at an affordable price. We believe that there is no need to yell, scream or intimidate women into working out and pushing themselves. Our trainers encourage you to push to the next level in a safe and effective way. You won't ever get bored or do the same workout twice! We have many clients that have been with us since we started, in 2009.
Our program is designed to dramatically change the way you look and feel in as little as 4 weeks. Our workouts and female fitness experts can help you reach your goals, in a healthy, sustainable way. Texas Fit Chicks includes a full body composition from your trainer before and after your session, and a free meal plan from a nutritionist to maximize your boot camp results. This plan includes family friendly recipes and printable grocery lists to make healthy eating simple.
For a full list of our locations, please visit our website www.texasfitchicks.com Are you a certified trainer interested in joining our team? Find out more here: www.fitchicktrainers.com

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Boot Camp - Kicking It Up a Notch!!

Boot Camp -- Kicking it up a Notch



You've probably seen plenty of tips on preparing the night before for an early workout--get your clothes and water bottle ready, set the alarm, put your gear in the car, etc. But how about during boot camp?

We meet only 3 hours a week; let's work together to maximize your results. If you think you've plateaued or are wondering if you can advance the workout, here are 10 tips on how to squeeze the most out of those precious minutes:

1. Remember, you and other chicks are here to WORKOUT! This is the hour you challenge yourself and go all out. Help yourself and the chicks around you accomplish this goal. You all do a great job encouraging each other. We can do more! If you notice new chicks, encourage them to set up closer to me so they can hear/see clearly. Newbies often set up at the ends, so let's pull them in!

2. Arrive with your gear ready, ball pumped, mats, weights, water, extra layer if needed. I normally do have extras available first come first serve. Let me know if you need to borrow, but please don't skip just because you forgot your stuff :-) Bodyweight can be gear too!




3. If you arrive late, please do a moving warm up. This will give you a MUCH better workout and help prevent injury. You can do the moves we're doing, but modified, or at least 3-5 minutes of running, jumping jacks, strength motions with no weights, mini squats, walkout planks--or even dance! Just get all your limbs moving in all directions, and do up and down movements to get the heart rate going.

4. Start the move right away! We may have new combinations of movements but we don't really add completely new exercises very often. If you see me demo a move you recognize, even if you can't hear me, please go ahead and start. You can always adjust it later. I will come around to make sure everyone knows what's going on. This is a great way to squeeze in extra reps--before I yell "go!"

5.  I understand with the music and distance it can be hard to hear me so I do fully expect to repeat myself and clarify the instructions; however if you are set up near me, then you get special duties to listen and even begin the move first--this will also help chicks who are further away. If they can see you right off doing the move, that will help them get going as I make my way over to repeat the instructions. The more I instruct while you wait, the LESS time we are actually doing the exercise. If 40 moves are planned I spend a 30 seconds instructing or repeating, that's 20 minutes of NOT working out. Please help each other listen or watch.

6. Note if you are are holding a conversation during the exercise, ask yourself if you are working hard enough! :-) For steady state cardio, you could talk, but we don't do steady state at boot camp. That would be like running for 15 minutes straight (hmm, that would be pretty easy on me!). We do intervals, so the cardio portions should be at maximum effort (should feel like you are pushing to about 85%-95% effort). Don't cheat yourself! If you're chirpin', you're not workin' (I should copyright that)!

7. During any strength training:
  • Brace the abs
  • Keep head, neck aligned (good posture all around)
  • Eliminate momentum (no swinging to get the weight up unless it's an actual swing move)
  • Breath steadily (in through nose, out through mouth)
  • Keep knees soft and pointed the same direction as your toes.
  • Stop when your form breaks. 
8. At several camps, chicks arrive early to socialize which is a great idea. Your friendship is exactly what keeps chicks returning and bringing new ones in. If there is something urgent that you absolutely need to tell someone during boot camp, please take one walking lap with her (ask first if it's OK) to share--we totally understand that tough stuff comes up and we're all here for you emotionally as well as for the workout. A few weeks ago I tapped some of you out to chat but the decision was yours to make. You each paid to be here, so let's help each other stay focused on the workout without losing too much time. 

9. I am keeping called breaks to a minimum. I want you to know your own body well enough to know when you need one. One of the best boot camp classes I've attended is where the instructor hardly said anything--it was on an indoor basketball court with loud music and terrible acoustics. All she had to do was pick up a dumbbell or point and demonstrate the move once, including modifications, and we were off! No waiting for the clock or for her to countdown--hardly any downtime. So if I start demonstrating the next move before you're done with the prior, and you know the exercise, you are allowed to go right in! Before you know it, you'll have done 10% or 15% more during the workout just because you kept the breaks short.

10. Be consistent. If you miss a workout, please do one on your own (look at past emails from me, or go to the meal plan you were given and turn to the ending pages--there are workouts right there!). If nothing else, combinations of squats, plank/pushups, and bicycle crunches will work almost everything in your body.

#soapboxisover

Thank you, chicks, for your texts, emails, FB posts, pictures, non-scale victories, and especially for your feedback. If you have a question or suggestion, it's likely someone else has it too, so feel free to communicate with me. 

Contributed By Trainer:
Wendy Lee
ACE-certified Personal Trainer
AFAA-certified Group Instructor
Texas Fit Chicks