This sounds really yummy...and great for the hot days we're already having...
Chunky Watermelon Salsa
Ready in 10 minutes •
Makes 2 Servings
2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup peeled, diced cucumber
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp minced, seeded jalapeño pepper
Juice of 1 lime
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:
Calories: 60, Total Fats: 0 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 10 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 16 g, Dietary Fiber: 16 g, Sugars: 11 g, Protein: 2 g, Iron: 1 mg
Recipe provided by Nanci S. Guest, MSc, RD
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Need to lose weight? You might need to Eat MORE!
Sometimes we don't take in enough food to lose weight. Yes, you read that right. Food is not the enemy when it comes to dropping pounds, in fact - in many cases - people sabatoge their weight loss by restricting calories so severly. Essentially, the body thinks you are starving, so it hangs onto every ounce of fat available. Here is a great article that explains our resting metabolic rate, and why it's important to know yours. There's a calculator to help you find out how much you should be eating as well! Know Your Numbers
The numbers we are talking about are your resting metabolic rate. We will discuss your metabolic rate and how it can work with you or against you when it comes to weight management. If you are a chronic dieter - and these days the majority of people are chronic dieters - you need to know why restricting calories too severely is damaging to your body and counterproductive. If you feel like you are restricting calories but not losing weight, the information in this step will help you understand why restricting calories below your resting metabolic rate (RMR) can actually work against you. Your body is a complicated "machine" and meeting its needs with high quality "fuel" is important for health and performance. The quality of the food you provide your body - especially the quality of the calories you eat to meet your RMR - is important to your health. In this step we will:
• Define "metabolism" and "resting metabolic rate" or RMR
• Explain the importance of knowing your resting metabolic rate (RMR) in weight management
• Tell you how to estimate your own personal RMR
• Explain the critical importance of meeting your RMR requirements with wholesome food
What is "metabolism" and what is "resting metabolic rate"?
Even when you are sitting at rest your body is not resting. Your heart is beating, you are breathing and your body is carrying out other functions that you are unaware of entirely. Your body may be making blood cells, your kidneys may be eliminating wastes and your liver may be clearing toxic substances from your body. Your brain is burning calories as it acts as the master control center coordinating all of these activities. This is work that your body must do to keep you functioning. This work involves making new cells or tissues, breaking down old cells or tissues, or repairing and maintaining existing cells and tissues. All of this work is collectively referred to as your metabolism. It should not be surprising that this work requires energy. You are burning calories even when you sit quietly at rest.
The rate at which your body burns calories when you are comfortably resting is called your "resting metabolic rate" or RMR
There is only one way to know for certain if you have a slow metabolism and that is to measure it. Before you go to the expense of having your RMR measured, you should know that a slow metabolism is quite rare. Shape Up America! has provided you with a "Metabolism Calculator" that you can use to estimate your RMR. We will tell you more about that below.
There are different systems for measuring RMR, but the goal of each is the same - to measure the number of calories you burn while at rest. A common system for measuring RMR involves putting a ventilated hood over your mouth and nose. Another system involves pinching your nose shut with a clip as you breathe into a mouth device. Regardless of which system is used, the rate at which your body uses oxygen while at rest is measured. Without going into the technical details, measuring your rate of oxygen consumption allows calculation of your RMR. Your RMR is the number of calories you burn over time. If we know your RMR, we can easily calculate the number of calories you burn over an entire day if you were to remain at rest.
How to estimate your daily RMR
To estimate your daily RMR, we have a "Metabolism Calculator" for you to use. Click below to use our Metabolism Calculator to estimate your RMR. The number of calories determined by the Shape Up America! Metabolism Calculator is an estimate of your resting calorie needs for the entire day.
Resting Metabolic Rate Calculator Click Here
Why you need to KNOW YOUR RMR
When you cut calories to BELOW your RMR, your body fights back. Restricting calories below your RMR is like asking your car's engine to run on too little gas. If your car is sitting in the driveway with the engine on, it is burning gas as it sits there. If you put the car in drive and step on the gas, it burns gas at a faster rate. What happens if you choke off the supply of gas to your engine? It sputters and eventually stalls. The same is true for your metabolism.
The RMR number is telling you the minimum number of calories your body needs to keep your body functioning properly.
What happens if you cut your food intake BELOW your RMR? Your body fights back. It actually DECREASES its metabolic rate. If you are eating an insufficient amount of food to meet your RMR, you will not be eating enough to maintain your body's functions properly. You can do this for a day or even two days without consequences. But chronic restriction of calories below the RMR is not unusual among dieters. This type of severe restriction can go on for an extended period of time (weeks or months), but NOT WITHOUT PAYING A PRICE. That price may be your health.
When you restrict calories too severely, your body is forced to make tradeoffs. Your body will struggle to preserve the highest priority bodily functions. Brain and heart function will be a very high priority whereas reproductive function and bone will be sacrificed.
You think you are restricting calories but if your restriction is too severe, your body will do everything it can to conserve calories. A familiar example of restricting calories too severely is the athlete or ballerina or model that is always trying to cut weight. But many people practice severe calorie restriction, not just models or athletes.
Here is what happens to a female who restricts calories too severely for an extended period:
• She experiences fatigue and becomes listless
• She may sleep more
• She finds it more difficult to exercise or work
• She damages her immune system which means she gets sick more often and for longer
• She skips her menstrual periods for months or even years because her endocrine system is thrown into disarray
• She loses her reproductive capacity (she will be unable to conceive or carry a baby)
• If she is dieting while pregnant, she may damage her baby's development
• She loses muscle tissue as her body breaks down muscle in its desperate search for calories
• She loses heart muscle in addition to skeletal muscle
• Her bones become thinner and she may experience broken bones if she falls
• Her hair becomes brittle and may start to fall out
• Her eyes become dull
• She develops skin problems
• She has bad breath because she is burning ketones
• She starts to experience mood changes
• She develops psychological changes that can develop into dementia, anorexia or bulimia
• She can eventually starve to death
There has to be a better way, and there is. Severe calorie restriction is totally unnecessary and counterproductive. The alternative is to take the long view and be willing to LOSE WEIGHT SLOWLY by restricting calories only modestly. You need to know your RMR and avoid restricting calories below your RMR. Here is what you need to know:
1. Your RMR makes up the major portion of your daily calorie needs
2. You should protect your body's RMR as you do a high performance automobile. You need to eat enough calories to meet your RMR each day.
3. A racecar requires high-test fuel for optimal performance. Similarly, your body requires wholesome food in adequate amounts to protect your RMR
4. Building healthy muscle and bone by eating the right foods and exercising will actually INCREASE your RMR and help you manage your weight
5. Protecting your RMR will pay you dividends because you will feel better and be more vigorous and active - which allows you to burn more calories.
6. To increase your metabolism:
a. Exercise daily
b. Build your muscles through strength training
c. Build bone by doing "weight bearing" exercise like walking or dancing (or any other exercise or sport that you perform while up on your feet)
If calorie restriction is too severe, the fatigue that results will undermine your exercise regimen. You will not have the energy you need to exercise. You may actually rest more or sleep more - which leads to an overall reduction in calories burned. Here is a typical scenario:
John burns 2000 calories per day of which 1600 calories per day is his RMR requirement.
John wants to lose 1.5 pounds per week, so he cuts his calorie intake by 750 calories. This leaves John with 1250 calories - some of which is from nutrient poor soda and "junk food." The 1250 calories he allows himself is well below the 1600 calories he needs to support his RMR.
This drastic reduction in calories and poor quality food causes John to feel fatigued and he sleeps a lot - in fact he starts sleeping late and does not want to go for his daily workout in the early morning.
After a week or two of feeding his body only 1250 calories a day, John is surprised and frustrated that his weight loss is not the 1 ½ pounds per week he expected. It is scarcely ½ pound per week! This is because to conserve calories, his RMR has decreased drastically and he is exercising less and sleeping more.
Food is more than Calories - USE WHOLESOME FOOD TO MEET YOUR RMR
Food is one of the great mysteries as well as one of the great pleasures of life. Food contains much more than vitamins and minerals and energy (calories). It contains many, many compounds that play an important role in protecting your health and well-being. Only a tiny fraction of those compounds have been identified and every year many more important compounds in food are found. Few have been studied adequately. We are just at the beginning of understanding how special compounds in fish and vegetables protect against cancer, how dietary fiber protects against cancer and heart disease, and how many other valuable compounds found only in food protect your health. Think of wholesome food as your health insurance policy.
No vitamin-mineral pill is a substitute for good wholesome food. EAT HEALTHY FOOD TO MEET YOUR RMR
Many of the special compounds found in food are important to keep your metabolism running optimally. To protect your health and maintain your metabolism, you should plan to meet your RMR requirements with wholesome foods. A wholesome food is a good source of protein, vitamins, minerals and many other things your body needs. Sodas, candy, desserts, chips, should not be used to meet your RMR.
Here are the foods we recommend you eat to meet your RMR requirements:
• Plenty of veggies. Choose plenty of dark, leafy greens and other highly colored vegetables each day. Learn how to eat vegetables raw or properly cooked so they are not over-cooked. Frozen veggies can be as nutritious as fresh. Canned vegetables are OK too. Aim to cover at least half your plate at lunch and dinner with veggies.
• Aim for whole grain breads, pasta, cereals and other products. Aim for at least 6 servings a day but remember that for these foods, a serving is only 1 ounce.
• Choose 2 or 3 servings of fruit each day - Don't get carried away with your portion sizes. One medium-sized apple is one serving. For weight management, avoid juice and choose fruit instead because fruit is more filling than juice. One half cup of berries or cut up fruit (pineapple chunks, melon pieces) counts as one serving. One half banana counts as one serving.
• Aim for 2 or 3 servings of low fat or nonfat dairy products a day. A milk or yogurt serving is one cup. A regular cheese serving is ½ ounce (for regular cheese) and 1 ounce for low fat cheese. Take care to use only NON-FAT or Low Fat milk, cheese and yogurt.
• For protein, choose only fish, poultry, eggs, LEAN meats, beans, and legumes. Go for a serving at every meal. One egg is one serving. One half cup of beans or legumes is one serving. 2-3 ounces of meat, fish or poultry is one serving. Trim visible fat and remove skin from the poultry before eating. Avoid fried foods and sauces. Eat your protein servings prepared as plainly as possible. Use herbs, garlic, onions, salt, pepper and other spices to add flavor.
Summary
You are not always sitting at rest. Sometimes you are running, walking, playing, doing physical labor, and doing many other activities. From the perspective of your body, this is all EXTRA work over and above the work your body must do when you are resting. When you are active, your metabolic rate moves up above your resting level because you are burning more calories. Some of the work your body does is very subtle and you are hardly aware of it. When you are too hot or too cold, your body has to do work to warm you or cool you. So temperature control causes your metabolic rate to increase. When you eat food, your body does work so your metabolic rate increases. When you digest food your metabolic rate increases as you digest and absorb food. At the end of the day, your total calories burned are determined by your resting metabolism (your RMR) PLUS all of the calories your body burns to do the extra work you performed throughout the entire day. Your Total Daily Calorie Goal covers the total number of calories you need for the entire day. Restricting calories too severely causes your RMR to decrease. The more severe the restriction the more drastic the drop. Restricting calories too severely is counterproductive because your body will fight back by decreasing RMR. Not only should you avoid restricting calories below your RMR, you should take care to make sure you eat wholesome food to meet your RMR.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Calories and Dieting .
How many calories do I have to restrict to lose one pound a week?
The rule of thumb is to create an "energy deficit" of 3500 calories in order to lose one pound. If you spread that energy deficit over an entire week, that comes to a deficit of 500 calories per day. If you subtract 500 calories from your total daily calorie goal provided by the CyberKitchen and it restricts you below your RMR, you need to back off on your restriction. That is why you need to use the Shape Up America! Metabolism Calculator to know your RMR. The average woman burns 400-600 calories during one boot camp session.
What do I do to lose one pound per week without restricting calories below my RMR?
If you still want to aim for a deficit of 500 calories per day, you can use an exercise strategy to boost your deficit. 1 hr of boot camp – pushing yourself will typically burn around that number of calories, based on the women that wear body buggs and HR monitors during class. The beauty of this combined approach is that the restriction is milder plus you reap the health benefits of exercise as you lose weight.
Article from shape up America.
Read blog below for a peek into a very successful clients' food journal!
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camps - serving Frisco, McKinney and Dallas women
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp Click Here
The numbers we are talking about are your resting metabolic rate. We will discuss your metabolic rate and how it can work with you or against you when it comes to weight management. If you are a chronic dieter - and these days the majority of people are chronic dieters - you need to know why restricting calories too severely is damaging to your body and counterproductive. If you feel like you are restricting calories but not losing weight, the information in this step will help you understand why restricting calories below your resting metabolic rate (RMR) can actually work against you. Your body is a complicated "machine" and meeting its needs with high quality "fuel" is important for health and performance. The quality of the food you provide your body - especially the quality of the calories you eat to meet your RMR - is important to your health. In this step we will:
• Define "metabolism" and "resting metabolic rate" or RMR
• Explain the importance of knowing your resting metabolic rate (RMR) in weight management
• Tell you how to estimate your own personal RMR
• Explain the critical importance of meeting your RMR requirements with wholesome food
What is "metabolism" and what is "resting metabolic rate"?
Even when you are sitting at rest your body is not resting. Your heart is beating, you are breathing and your body is carrying out other functions that you are unaware of entirely. Your body may be making blood cells, your kidneys may be eliminating wastes and your liver may be clearing toxic substances from your body. Your brain is burning calories as it acts as the master control center coordinating all of these activities. This is work that your body must do to keep you functioning. This work involves making new cells or tissues, breaking down old cells or tissues, or repairing and maintaining existing cells and tissues. All of this work is collectively referred to as your metabolism. It should not be surprising that this work requires energy. You are burning calories even when you sit quietly at rest.
The rate at which your body burns calories when you are comfortably resting is called your "resting metabolic rate" or RMR
There is only one way to know for certain if you have a slow metabolism and that is to measure it. Before you go to the expense of having your RMR measured, you should know that a slow metabolism is quite rare. Shape Up America! has provided you with a "Metabolism Calculator" that you can use to estimate your RMR. We will tell you more about that below.
There are different systems for measuring RMR, but the goal of each is the same - to measure the number of calories you burn while at rest. A common system for measuring RMR involves putting a ventilated hood over your mouth and nose. Another system involves pinching your nose shut with a clip as you breathe into a mouth device. Regardless of which system is used, the rate at which your body uses oxygen while at rest is measured. Without going into the technical details, measuring your rate of oxygen consumption allows calculation of your RMR. Your RMR is the number of calories you burn over time. If we know your RMR, we can easily calculate the number of calories you burn over an entire day if you were to remain at rest.
How to estimate your daily RMR
To estimate your daily RMR, we have a "Metabolism Calculator" for you to use. Click below to use our Metabolism Calculator to estimate your RMR. The number of calories determined by the Shape Up America! Metabolism Calculator is an estimate of your resting calorie needs for the entire day.
Resting Metabolic Rate Calculator Click Here
Why you need to KNOW YOUR RMR
When you cut calories to BELOW your RMR, your body fights back. Restricting calories below your RMR is like asking your car's engine to run on too little gas. If your car is sitting in the driveway with the engine on, it is burning gas as it sits there. If you put the car in drive and step on the gas, it burns gas at a faster rate. What happens if you choke off the supply of gas to your engine? It sputters and eventually stalls. The same is true for your metabolism.
The RMR number is telling you the minimum number of calories your body needs to keep your body functioning properly.
What happens if you cut your food intake BELOW your RMR? Your body fights back. It actually DECREASES its metabolic rate. If you are eating an insufficient amount of food to meet your RMR, you will not be eating enough to maintain your body's functions properly. You can do this for a day or even two days without consequences. But chronic restriction of calories below the RMR is not unusual among dieters. This type of severe restriction can go on for an extended period of time (weeks or months), but NOT WITHOUT PAYING A PRICE. That price may be your health.
When you restrict calories too severely, your body is forced to make tradeoffs. Your body will struggle to preserve the highest priority bodily functions. Brain and heart function will be a very high priority whereas reproductive function and bone will be sacrificed.
You think you are restricting calories but if your restriction is too severe, your body will do everything it can to conserve calories. A familiar example of restricting calories too severely is the athlete or ballerina or model that is always trying to cut weight. But many people practice severe calorie restriction, not just models or athletes.
Here is what happens to a female who restricts calories too severely for an extended period:
• She experiences fatigue and becomes listless
• She may sleep more
• She finds it more difficult to exercise or work
• She damages her immune system which means she gets sick more often and for longer
• She skips her menstrual periods for months or even years because her endocrine system is thrown into disarray
• She loses her reproductive capacity (she will be unable to conceive or carry a baby)
• If she is dieting while pregnant, she may damage her baby's development
• She loses muscle tissue as her body breaks down muscle in its desperate search for calories
• She loses heart muscle in addition to skeletal muscle
• Her bones become thinner and she may experience broken bones if she falls
• Her hair becomes brittle and may start to fall out
• Her eyes become dull
• She develops skin problems
• She has bad breath because she is burning ketones
• She starts to experience mood changes
• She develops psychological changes that can develop into dementia, anorexia or bulimia
• She can eventually starve to death
There has to be a better way, and there is. Severe calorie restriction is totally unnecessary and counterproductive. The alternative is to take the long view and be willing to LOSE WEIGHT SLOWLY by restricting calories only modestly. You need to know your RMR and avoid restricting calories below your RMR. Here is what you need to know:
1. Your RMR makes up the major portion of your daily calorie needs
2. You should protect your body's RMR as you do a high performance automobile. You need to eat enough calories to meet your RMR each day.
3. A racecar requires high-test fuel for optimal performance. Similarly, your body requires wholesome food in adequate amounts to protect your RMR
4. Building healthy muscle and bone by eating the right foods and exercising will actually INCREASE your RMR and help you manage your weight
5. Protecting your RMR will pay you dividends because you will feel better and be more vigorous and active - which allows you to burn more calories.
6. To increase your metabolism:
a. Exercise daily
b. Build your muscles through strength training
c. Build bone by doing "weight bearing" exercise like walking or dancing (or any other exercise or sport that you perform while up on your feet)
If calorie restriction is too severe, the fatigue that results will undermine your exercise regimen. You will not have the energy you need to exercise. You may actually rest more or sleep more - which leads to an overall reduction in calories burned. Here is a typical scenario:
John burns 2000 calories per day of which 1600 calories per day is his RMR requirement.
John wants to lose 1.5 pounds per week, so he cuts his calorie intake by 750 calories. This leaves John with 1250 calories - some of which is from nutrient poor soda and "junk food." The 1250 calories he allows himself is well below the 1600 calories he needs to support his RMR.
This drastic reduction in calories and poor quality food causes John to feel fatigued and he sleeps a lot - in fact he starts sleeping late and does not want to go for his daily workout in the early morning.
After a week or two of feeding his body only 1250 calories a day, John is surprised and frustrated that his weight loss is not the 1 ½ pounds per week he expected. It is scarcely ½ pound per week! This is because to conserve calories, his RMR has decreased drastically and he is exercising less and sleeping more.
Food is more than Calories - USE WHOLESOME FOOD TO MEET YOUR RMR
Food is one of the great mysteries as well as one of the great pleasures of life. Food contains much more than vitamins and minerals and energy (calories). It contains many, many compounds that play an important role in protecting your health and well-being. Only a tiny fraction of those compounds have been identified and every year many more important compounds in food are found. Few have been studied adequately. We are just at the beginning of understanding how special compounds in fish and vegetables protect against cancer, how dietary fiber protects against cancer and heart disease, and how many other valuable compounds found only in food protect your health. Think of wholesome food as your health insurance policy.
No vitamin-mineral pill is a substitute for good wholesome food. EAT HEALTHY FOOD TO MEET YOUR RMR
Many of the special compounds found in food are important to keep your metabolism running optimally. To protect your health and maintain your metabolism, you should plan to meet your RMR requirements with wholesome foods. A wholesome food is a good source of protein, vitamins, minerals and many other things your body needs. Sodas, candy, desserts, chips, should not be used to meet your RMR.
Here are the foods we recommend you eat to meet your RMR requirements:
• Plenty of veggies. Choose plenty of dark, leafy greens and other highly colored vegetables each day. Learn how to eat vegetables raw or properly cooked so they are not over-cooked. Frozen veggies can be as nutritious as fresh. Canned vegetables are OK too. Aim to cover at least half your plate at lunch and dinner with veggies.
• Aim for whole grain breads, pasta, cereals and other products. Aim for at least 6 servings a day but remember that for these foods, a serving is only 1 ounce.
• Choose 2 or 3 servings of fruit each day - Don't get carried away with your portion sizes. One medium-sized apple is one serving. For weight management, avoid juice and choose fruit instead because fruit is more filling than juice. One half cup of berries or cut up fruit (pineapple chunks, melon pieces) counts as one serving. One half banana counts as one serving.
• Aim for 2 or 3 servings of low fat or nonfat dairy products a day. A milk or yogurt serving is one cup. A regular cheese serving is ½ ounce (for regular cheese) and 1 ounce for low fat cheese. Take care to use only NON-FAT or Low Fat milk, cheese and yogurt.
• For protein, choose only fish, poultry, eggs, LEAN meats, beans, and legumes. Go for a serving at every meal. One egg is one serving. One half cup of beans or legumes is one serving. 2-3 ounces of meat, fish or poultry is one serving. Trim visible fat and remove skin from the poultry before eating. Avoid fried foods and sauces. Eat your protein servings prepared as plainly as possible. Use herbs, garlic, onions, salt, pepper and other spices to add flavor.
Summary
You are not always sitting at rest. Sometimes you are running, walking, playing, doing physical labor, and doing many other activities. From the perspective of your body, this is all EXTRA work over and above the work your body must do when you are resting. When you are active, your metabolic rate moves up above your resting level because you are burning more calories. Some of the work your body does is very subtle and you are hardly aware of it. When you are too hot or too cold, your body has to do work to warm you or cool you. So temperature control causes your metabolic rate to increase. When you eat food, your body does work so your metabolic rate increases. When you digest food your metabolic rate increases as you digest and absorb food. At the end of the day, your total calories burned are determined by your resting metabolism (your RMR) PLUS all of the calories your body burns to do the extra work you performed throughout the entire day. Your Total Daily Calorie Goal covers the total number of calories you need for the entire day. Restricting calories too severely causes your RMR to decrease. The more severe the restriction the more drastic the drop. Restricting calories too severely is counterproductive because your body will fight back by decreasing RMR. Not only should you avoid restricting calories below your RMR, you should take care to make sure you eat wholesome food to meet your RMR.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Calories and Dieting .
How many calories do I have to restrict to lose one pound a week?
The rule of thumb is to create an "energy deficit" of 3500 calories in order to lose one pound. If you spread that energy deficit over an entire week, that comes to a deficit of 500 calories per day. If you subtract 500 calories from your total daily calorie goal provided by the CyberKitchen and it restricts you below your RMR, you need to back off on your restriction. That is why you need to use the Shape Up America! Metabolism Calculator to know your RMR. The average woman burns 400-600 calories during one boot camp session.
What do I do to lose one pound per week without restricting calories below my RMR?
If you still want to aim for a deficit of 500 calories per day, you can use an exercise strategy to boost your deficit. 1 hr of boot camp – pushing yourself will typically burn around that number of calories, based on the women that wear body buggs and HR monitors during class. The beauty of this combined approach is that the restriction is milder plus you reap the health benefits of exercise as you lose weight.
Article from shape up America.
Read blog below for a peek into a very successful clients' food journal!
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camps - serving Frisco, McKinney and Dallas women
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp Click Here
So what do I eat? Food Journal entry from successful boot camp client
Celeste F. has been with McKinney Boot Camps since October 2009...she has missed only one class, due to business travel! Very committed to her health and fitness, and brings inspiration to other women at boot camp as well. She has lost a ton of weight and inches, toned her muscle and gets asked by friends that haven't seen her in a while to share what it is she's doing!!! After walking daily for 10 years, starting boot camp changed her body, and she is also proof that journaling your food works! I'm asked all the time: "what should I eat??" and I think about her food journal and how well her day looks in the food dept. She sent me her food journal entries for a day to share with all of you...thanks Celeste!
Bfast: 6:20 am
Protein shake made in blender with 1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt, 3/4 cup frozen blueberries, 6 oz. Soy Slender choc. soy milk, 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder, and 1 tbsp ground flax seed.
Water
9:30 am:
1 cup light yogurt mixed with 20 whole almonds
1 medium apple
Water
12:30 pm:
1 Sabra hummus and pretzel single serving kit
1 pear
Diet soda (trainer would recommend water ;)
3:30 pm
1 Pure Protein bar (at Wal-Mart in pharmacy area with other protein bars)
12 fresh sugar snap peas
8 grape tomatoes
Water
6:30 pm:
1 grilled chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
large salad with light balsamic vinag. dressing
Diet soda
1 no sugar added tapioca pudding
PS - Before and after pictures coming SOON! You won't believe the change....
Community Boot Camps - serving McKinney and Frisco with Women's ONLY boot Camp!
More Info on Community Boot Camps Click here!
Bfast: 6:20 am
Protein shake made in blender with 1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt, 3/4 cup frozen blueberries, 6 oz. Soy Slender choc. soy milk, 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder, and 1 tbsp ground flax seed.
Water
9:30 am:
1 cup light yogurt mixed with 20 whole almonds
1 medium apple
Water
12:30 pm:
1 Sabra hummus and pretzel single serving kit
1 pear
Diet soda (trainer would recommend water ;)
3:30 pm
1 Pure Protein bar (at Wal-Mart in pharmacy area with other protein bars)
12 fresh sugar snap peas
8 grape tomatoes
Water
6:30 pm:
1 grilled chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
large salad with light balsamic vinag. dressing
Diet soda
1 no sugar added tapioca pudding
PS - Before and after pictures coming SOON! You won't believe the change....
Community Boot Camps - serving McKinney and Frisco with Women's ONLY boot Camp!
More Info on Community Boot Camps Click here!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
What is metabolism and WHY is it important in weight loss??
At Community Boot Camps, you not only get a great workout, but you also get trainers that know the importance of eating enough during the day to promote fat loss. YES - you read that correctly - EATING ENOUGH! If you don't feed your body, it goes into starvation mode and hangs on to every ounce of fat, not knowing if it will get the next meal. Here is a great article from Shapeup America that explains (in great depth) why you need to know your resting metabolic rate and what it all means when it comes to weight loss. On average, our clients burn 500-600 calories per workout session. Of course some burn more and some less, but that's the average that we find when clients are wearing body buggs or HR monitors that measure caloric output. Here is the article...enjoy!
Frisco Boot Camps - Now enrolling! Start any Monday - personal trainer led workout for women
Have you wished that McKinney Boot Camps had a location closer to home? Do you live in Frisco and need to lose some weight or tone up? Have you ever wanted a personal trainer but didn't want to pay 60-100 bucks an hour? Then Frisco Boot Camps is for you!
Now enrolling women for our personal trainer led boot camps in Frisco, Tx! We have 3 locations that are going on NOW! If you live in East Frisco, you would train with Toni, an AFAA certified trainer that operates boot camps MWF mornings from 5am-6am and 6am-7am!
If you live in Southwest Frisco, you would be a client of Michelle, a NASM certified trainer that operates her camps at Lebanon and the Tollway. Her classes also meet MWF 5am-6am and 6am-7am.
If you are located in Central Frisco, you would work with Marilyn, a COOPER certified trainer who holds class on M,Tu and Thurs from 5:30am-6:30am and 9:30am-10:30am.
All of our trainers specialize in training women - and will NOT ask you to do any exercise that is beyond your comfort level, or fitness level! We will work with kettlebells, resistance bands, jumpropes on occasion, agility drills, and more! Every class is different, and you will lose weight faster than ever!!
Visit us at http://www.communitybootcamps/ to sign up today and start next week!!
Community Boot Camps - Frisco Boot Camps - McKinney Boot Camps
Now enrolling women for our personal trainer led boot camps in Frisco, Tx! We have 3 locations that are going on NOW! If you live in East Frisco, you would train with Toni, an AFAA certified trainer that operates boot camps MWF mornings from 5am-6am and 6am-7am!
If you live in Southwest Frisco, you would be a client of Michelle, a NASM certified trainer that operates her camps at Lebanon and the Tollway. Her classes also meet MWF 5am-6am and 6am-7am.
If you are located in Central Frisco, you would work with Marilyn, a COOPER certified trainer who holds class on M,Tu and Thurs from 5:30am-6:30am and 9:30am-10:30am.
All of our trainers specialize in training women - and will NOT ask you to do any exercise that is beyond your comfort level, or fitness level! We will work with kettlebells, resistance bands, jumpropes on occasion, agility drills, and more! Every class is different, and you will lose weight faster than ever!!
Visit us at http://www.communitybootcamps/ to sign up today and start next week!!
Community Boot Camps - Frisco Boot Camps - McKinney Boot Camps
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Why do we train with Kettlebells in boot camp?
Variety is the key to sticking to a regimen! I read that quote this week, and it resonated with me. It's so true. I believe that one of the primary reasons clients stay with us at Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camps, is based on the fact that you will never do the same workout twice! We have several women that have been with us since July 09' and while they are now pros at what it means to do a tabata burpee series...they never know what's coming next with me! You've got to mix it up with your body to see continual results as well. Our bodies adapt amazingly well and quickly, so in order to keep seeing results, you trainer constantly has to mix it up for you!
This week we introduced the Kettlebell in boot camp. It's exciting to finally have a kettlebell for each of you in class. There are so many benefits of using the KB vs the Dumbbell. There is so much freedom of movement you have, and the exercises we are going to incorporate to our workouts will mimic real life movement patterns, natural to our body, reducing the risk of injury in daily life!
The kettlebell has a displaced center of gravity. Think about your daily activities and the movements required. Most of our activities require some sort of balance, lifting, pulling with things not centered in the palm of your hand and even weight on both sides of it! Some examples of this would include: carrying the groceries, walking a dog and for many of us, carrying around a little one! We all know that the weight and movement required to balance for that can be very challenging! When you swing the kettlebell - the momentum pulls it away, but you counter it by pulling it toward you. As the weight is pushed or swung overhead, immediatlely you establish your center of gravity and stabalize. Your core will become the supportive functional structure it is meant to be. 'Your upper back, including your neck, will become strong and stable. KB sculpting will create and reinforce strong muscles and bones, conditioning them statically and dynamically from every angle, while maintaining your center of gravity.' This is all done while also giving you a great cardio benefit. If you are in boot camp with us, you know that it's not long before you are working up a sweat and breathing heavy! You get a great 2 for 1 with the KB - cardio and muscle sculpting...AND it's fun!
You can expect the following benefits from your time spent with the kettlebell...
Increased Energy
Increased aerobic/anaerobic capacity and reduction in both active and resting heart rate
Optimized lung function
Improved balance and coordination
Enhanced joint stability
Enhanced or maintained bone density
Elimination of muscular imbalances
Not to mention the cosmetic Results....
Fat Loss
Reduced, slimmer waistline
Leaner Thighs
Improved posture, especially for the often underused and neglected upper back
Reduction of cellulite
Tighter stomach and core following pregnancy
Of course, you will not see those great cosmetic benefits if you don't have good nutrition for the other 23 hrs of the day that you aren't in boot camp...but if you do, expect those results!
Kettlebells are a great addition to our workouts, and I hope you are enjoying the benefits!
-Melody
Texas Fit Chicks
http://www.texasfitchicks.com/
Ordinary Women...Extraordinary Results!
This week we introduced the Kettlebell in boot camp. It's exciting to finally have a kettlebell for each of you in class. There are so many benefits of using the KB vs the Dumbbell. There is so much freedom of movement you have, and the exercises we are going to incorporate to our workouts will mimic real life movement patterns, natural to our body, reducing the risk of injury in daily life!
The kettlebell has a displaced center of gravity. Think about your daily activities and the movements required. Most of our activities require some sort of balance, lifting, pulling with things not centered in the palm of your hand and even weight on both sides of it! Some examples of this would include: carrying the groceries, walking a dog and for many of us, carrying around a little one! We all know that the weight and movement required to balance for that can be very challenging! When you swing the kettlebell - the momentum pulls it away, but you counter it by pulling it toward you. As the weight is pushed or swung overhead, immediatlely you establish your center of gravity and stabalize. Your core will become the supportive functional structure it is meant to be. 'Your upper back, including your neck, will become strong and stable. KB sculpting will create and reinforce strong muscles and bones, conditioning them statically and dynamically from every angle, while maintaining your center of gravity.' This is all done while also giving you a great cardio benefit. If you are in boot camp with us, you know that it's not long before you are working up a sweat and breathing heavy! You get a great 2 for 1 with the KB - cardio and muscle sculpting...AND it's fun!
You can expect the following benefits from your time spent with the kettlebell...
Increased Energy
Increased aerobic/anaerobic capacity and reduction in both active and resting heart rate
Optimized lung function
Improved balance and coordination
Enhanced joint stability
Enhanced or maintained bone density
Elimination of muscular imbalances
Not to mention the cosmetic Results....
Fat Loss
Reduced, slimmer waistline
Leaner Thighs
Improved posture, especially for the often underused and neglected upper back
Reduction of cellulite
Tighter stomach and core following pregnancy
Of course, you will not see those great cosmetic benefits if you don't have good nutrition for the other 23 hrs of the day that you aren't in boot camp...but if you do, expect those results!
Kettlebells are a great addition to our workouts, and I hope you are enjoying the benefits!
-Melody
Texas Fit Chicks
http://www.texasfitchicks.com/
Ordinary Women...Extraordinary Results!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
What happens at McKinney Boot Camps?
A common question that I hear is "What do you all do in boot camp??" When I used to train at a gym, my training style was unlike most. I never put my clients on the traditional weight machines. Instead, I used the fun stuff like the BOSU trainer, resistance bands, free weights, jump rope and medicine balls. Before becoming a personal trainer, I learned that I have a very short attention span at the gym. I would constantly be looking for new ways to train, and loved trying out new equipment that wasn't bolted down to the gym floor. It just made sense to transition to training outdoors in the boot camp atmosphere. You will find that training with 10-15 other women is so much fun, and the group dynamic is not like anything you will find at the gym.
So what do we do at McKinney Boot Camps? We do lots of high intensity interval training, and incorporate "tabata training" into many of our workouts. Tabata training is a fantastic way to burn calories, and you will hear that term many times when you join us. What does it mean? Basically I will give you a compound exercise (uses many muscle groups at once), you will do that full out for 20 seconds, then a 10 second rest. Repeat 8 times, and that's a tabata sequence. The high intensity training raises the metabolic rate causing you to burn more calories after your training is long over with. We also incorporate kettlebells, medicine balls, agility ladders, jumpropes and more to have fun and tons of variety during class.
Here's the latest testimonial from a client that's been with us for many months now:
I'm a mother of six, and help my husband run our chiropractic office. I've always struggled with balancing exercise and family even though I know being fit helps every other aspect of your life. Mckinney Boot Camps is the first program I've been able to stick with for more than a few weeks. Melody is a wonderful trainer, and the group of women is awesome! The workouts are fun and definitely work. I've lost inches and pounds, but more importantly I have more energy to run and play with my kids. Mckinney Boot Camps has helped me establish a routine, and I feel so blessed to be involved with this fabulous program! - Sharla B.
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
So what do we do at McKinney Boot Camps? We do lots of high intensity interval training, and incorporate "tabata training" into many of our workouts. Tabata training is a fantastic way to burn calories, and you will hear that term many times when you join us. What does it mean? Basically I will give you a compound exercise (uses many muscle groups at once), you will do that full out for 20 seconds, then a 10 second rest. Repeat 8 times, and that's a tabata sequence. The high intensity training raises the metabolic rate causing you to burn more calories after your training is long over with. We also incorporate kettlebells, medicine balls, agility ladders, jumpropes and more to have fun and tons of variety during class.
Here's the latest testimonial from a client that's been with us for many months now:
I'm a mother of six, and help my husband run our chiropractic office. I've always struggled with balancing exercise and family even though I know being fit helps every other aspect of your life. Mckinney Boot Camps is the first program I've been able to stick with for more than a few weeks. Melody is a wonderful trainer, and the group of women is awesome! The workouts are fun and definitely work. I've lost inches and pounds, but more importantly I have more energy to run and play with my kids. Mckinney Boot Camps has helped me establish a routine, and I feel so blessed to be involved with this fabulous program! - Sharla B.
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Friday, March 26, 2010
...but the term Boot Camp scares me....
When people ask me what I do, I say that I am a trainer and run a boot camp in my area. Sometimes I get those that are intrigued and ask lots of questions about it...but many times I get people whose eyes get big and they tell me they are now scared of me that and the term "boot camp" :)
Many women are intimidated by the term "boot camp"...and for good reason! Typically you think of a drill sargeant cussing and screaming at recruits and beating them down with crazy workouts until they are at the point of passing out, or dropping out!
Our womens only boot camp is nothing like that....so no need to be scared. I am the furthest thing from a drill sargeant, and will probably (at least try to) have you laughing at least half a dozen times, while you are sweating and enjoying the ever changing workouts. Yes, I did say enjoying. :) Our class is formatted to where if you hate what we're doing, no worries - we will be doing something different in 2 mins anyway. Absolutely ANY level of fitness can participate. We tailor the program that way, so you are working at your own level.
Our trainers work very hard to bring our clients workouts that are consistently different, and in my free time I am always on the look out for new and fun ways to work our body. If you sign up for one of our 5 week sessions, expect to make a couple new friends, lose several lbs, lose several inches and gain more energy, endurance and sometimes more attention from the man in your life as well ;) Funny how husbands love for their wives to sign up...I'm sure it's because they are worried about your cardiovascular health right??!! :)
As your trainer, I want you to change the way that you look at exercise and diet. I give you great workouts - but also preach the critically important piece of weight loss, nutrition. Most of my clients start with boot camp because they want to lose weight, or get into a bathing suit..and you will accomplish that with my program. But my goal for each and every one of you is that you get to a point in your fitness, where the external benefit (looking good in your jeans) is just a side effect of what working out does for you. At that point, you will rely on the energy that working out gives you. The stress relief exercise provides for daily life. The praise your doctor gives you at your yearly physical because your blood pressure and cholestoral levels are fantastic - and so on. There are so many benefits of working out, and I hope that you will feel enjoy them all....AND feel good in your shorts this summer :) We allow new clients to begin any Monday - so email for more info or to join us next week!
Until next time.....
~Melody
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Many women are intimidated by the term "boot camp"...and for good reason! Typically you think of a drill sargeant cussing and screaming at recruits and beating them down with crazy workouts until they are at the point of passing out, or dropping out!
Our womens only boot camp is nothing like that....so no need to be scared. I am the furthest thing from a drill sargeant, and will probably (at least try to) have you laughing at least half a dozen times, while you are sweating and enjoying the ever changing workouts. Yes, I did say enjoying. :) Our class is formatted to where if you hate what we're doing, no worries - we will be doing something different in 2 mins anyway. Absolutely ANY level of fitness can participate. We tailor the program that way, so you are working at your own level.
Our trainers work very hard to bring our clients workouts that are consistently different, and in my free time I am always on the look out for new and fun ways to work our body. If you sign up for one of our 5 week sessions, expect to make a couple new friends, lose several lbs, lose several inches and gain more energy, endurance and sometimes more attention from the man in your life as well ;) Funny how husbands love for their wives to sign up...I'm sure it's because they are worried about your cardiovascular health right??!! :)
As your trainer, I want you to change the way that you look at exercise and diet. I give you great workouts - but also preach the critically important piece of weight loss, nutrition. Most of my clients start with boot camp because they want to lose weight, or get into a bathing suit..and you will accomplish that with my program. But my goal for each and every one of you is that you get to a point in your fitness, where the external benefit (looking good in your jeans) is just a side effect of what working out does for you. At that point, you will rely on the energy that working out gives you. The stress relief exercise provides for daily life. The praise your doctor gives you at your yearly physical because your blood pressure and cholestoral levels are fantastic - and so on. There are so many benefits of working out, and I hope that you will feel enjoy them all....AND feel good in your shorts this summer :) We allow new clients to begin any Monday - so email for more info or to join us next week!
Until next time.....
~Melody
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Losing weight...it's not just about the workout
As a personal trainer and womens boot camp instructor, 90% of my clients list weight loss as a goal. Most women can very quickly tell you about the body part they aren't happy with! In the past, at the gym for a workout, I would scan the room and find the person that looked more fit than me, and not feel so great. Comparing myself to others never worked, and did nothing more than make me feel bad in the end. I never understood why I didn't get the results I worked so hard for at the gym. What I have learned (the hard way) is that there will ALWAYS be someone that is further along with their fitness than me...and the way to find contentment is to stop comparing myself to others.
Here's a challenge. For the next week, write down 3 things daily that you love about yourself. I can't tell you the number of negative things that women say about themselves when I am doing a body assessment. It is always only their perception, but you know the saying - "my perception is my reality"....really re-think the way you think about yourself, and turn it into something positive!
Boot Camp can and will change your body...IF you also incorporate good nutrition. The numbers that I see from my clients are always fantastic after 5 weeks of boot camp IF they have been watching what they eat along with the workouts. The high intensity training intervals along with the workouts I design will torch calories and build lean muscle mass. They will do nothing to change your physique though if you are taking in more calories every day than you burn. Here are just a few reminders of how many calories are in what we as women love...chocolate. It's a great occasional treat (especially the dark chocolate which will give you antioxidants)...but in little portions and only occasionally :)
One Hershey's milk chocolate bar is 300 Calories and 18g of fat
McDonald's 12 oz chocolate Triple Thick Shake is 430 calories. Would that few minutes of indulgance be worth an HOUR of boot camp???
Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip Dazzler is 1270 Calories!! That's roughly 2-3 sessions of boot camp!!!! YIKES!!
I love the combination of chocolate and almonds...so I have found a treat that I enjoy when that craving hits me....one sugar free fudgcicle (60 cal) with about 10 raw almonds. It hits the spot and gives me a healthy treat!
Until next time....
~ Melody
Personal Trainer
Owner McKinney Boot Camps
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Here's a challenge. For the next week, write down 3 things daily that you love about yourself. I can't tell you the number of negative things that women say about themselves when I am doing a body assessment. It is always only their perception, but you know the saying - "my perception is my reality"....really re-think the way you think about yourself, and turn it into something positive!
Boot Camp can and will change your body...IF you also incorporate good nutrition. The numbers that I see from my clients are always fantastic after 5 weeks of boot camp IF they have been watching what they eat along with the workouts. The high intensity training intervals along with the workouts I design will torch calories and build lean muscle mass. They will do nothing to change your physique though if you are taking in more calories every day than you burn. Here are just a few reminders of how many calories are in what we as women love...chocolate. It's a great occasional treat (especially the dark chocolate which will give you antioxidants)...but in little portions and only occasionally :)
One Hershey's milk chocolate bar is 300 Calories and 18g of fat
McDonald's 12 oz chocolate Triple Thick Shake is 430 calories. Would that few minutes of indulgance be worth an HOUR of boot camp???
Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip Dazzler is 1270 Calories!! That's roughly 2-3 sessions of boot camp!!!! YIKES!!
I love the combination of chocolate and almonds...so I have found a treat that I enjoy when that craving hits me....one sugar free fudgcicle (60 cal) with about 10 raw almonds. It hits the spot and gives me a healthy treat!
Until next time....
~ Melody
Personal Trainer
Owner McKinney Boot Camps
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Monday, February 15, 2010
Biggest Loser 5K Experience
A couple of weekends ago, I was given the opportunity to participate in the Biggest Losers' 5K walk/race at the Cotton Bowl here in Dallas. Apparently, they were highlighting the unflattering fact that Texas is home to 5 of the "fattest cities in America". While listening to a radio show in the morning, after dropping kids off at school, I got lucky and was one of the 25 people that called in to get a spot!
I quickly recruited as many women as possible from McKinney Boot Camps to come with me! With very short notice, we were able to get 7 together, and all headed down to the cotton bowl at 6:30am on a very chilly Sunday morning. Most of the girls that went with me are 5am boot camp girls....so giving up their Sunday morning sleep in was a bit of a sacrifice :) It was early, and cold - so after a trip through Starbucks for some of us, we were off.
We arrived at the Cotton Bowl and surprisingly, there weren't many people in the parking lot. We assumed there would be hundreds, if not thousands there to take part. After bundling up and heading towards the entrance, we saw a door marked "extras" to the right and headed in. Once inside, we found the sign in desk and got to choose which contestant we wanted to pair up with! The excitement was in the air....and we knew we were going to be a part of something really fun.
While I can't post yet which contestant we chose or even which ones remained to date, it was an amazing, inspiring and FUN day. Knowing the format of the show and the length - we may only be a small segment of that particular episode, but we took much more than a t-shirt away from the experience. Everyone will have to tune in to episode 15 - supposed to be sometime in April (though with Olympics there might be some delay)...but that's the one that we are on. Something amazing did happen at that event, and I want everyone to watch....it's very cool. So, to say all of that..had to tell you all one thing that I asked the contestant we were paired up with - what they ate when they wanted a treat :)
This has become a treat that I enjoy and wanted to share....very simple and really yummy.
Greek yogurt with frozen berries...so delicious.
Calls for 1 C plain greek yogurt - then go ahead and sweeten with something natural like a packet of truvia, or stevia to taste...then mix in berries (I use mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) and enjoy! It's very low calorie and sort of an ice cream like treat......
Can't wait to share all the details of our day...but that's it for now ~
Melody
Ordinary Women....Extraordinary Results!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Warm Up...why is it important??
So I am guessing that many of you, like me, don't really enjoy the warm up phase of the workout. I am one of those with the thought of lets just get to it...and get busy! Warming up before exercise (especially the high intensity workouts) is crucial for many reasons. Without getting too technical...I have broken it down to a simple explanation that might help you (and me) appreciate that 5-7 minutes we spend before class getting warmed up.
You are less likely to get injured if you have warm muscles. Since activity boosts the bloodflow to the muscles...they are oxygenated and thus more pliable. Or more flexible and ready for what's coming. They are warming up for the exercises that are going to call on them. Another great benefit is that increased bloodflow helps get rid of lactic acid (the exercise induced waste products) from working muscles. You know "the burn" you feel when you're working a muscle hard? That's a buildup of lactic acid you are feeling. The discomfort of "the burn" makes people want to quit the exercise before they are really tired. Therefore, you get longer workouts and ones that are more productive!
Love the analogy of a car on a cold morning. If it's freezing outside and you start the car - yes, it will crank up most likely and run...but it will run better once it warms up and has a few minutes to get going.
SO.....next time you are about to exercise think about the fact that the 5-7 minutes of warm up is essential for you to exercise to your fullest potential and not fatigue too quickly, or have to stop due ot the excess lactic acid! Give yourself all the best tools possible for the hour you are taking out of your day to do something good for yourself!!
Next post will be about the importance of stretching :)
~Melody
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Ordinary Women...Extraordinary Results!
You are less likely to get injured if you have warm muscles. Since activity boosts the bloodflow to the muscles...they are oxygenated and thus more pliable. Or more flexible and ready for what's coming. They are warming up for the exercises that are going to call on them. Another great benefit is that increased bloodflow helps get rid of lactic acid (the exercise induced waste products) from working muscles. You know "the burn" you feel when you're working a muscle hard? That's a buildup of lactic acid you are feeling. The discomfort of "the burn" makes people want to quit the exercise before they are really tired. Therefore, you get longer workouts and ones that are more productive!
Love the analogy of a car on a cold morning. If it's freezing outside and you start the car - yes, it will crank up most likely and run...but it will run better once it warms up and has a few minutes to get going.
SO.....next time you are about to exercise think about the fact that the 5-7 minutes of warm up is essential for you to exercise to your fullest potential and not fatigue too quickly, or have to stop due ot the excess lactic acid! Give yourself all the best tools possible for the hour you are taking out of your day to do something good for yourself!!
Next post will be about the importance of stretching :)
~Melody
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Ordinary Women...Extraordinary Results!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Healthy Recipe Ideas
So some of us aren't great cooks, including me! I look for recipes that have a small list of ingredients, that I can actually pronounce...and don't have to search all over the store to find them :) That being said, I found these yummy looking easy recipes in my fitness magazine and thought you might enjoy them. My kids actually love these. Here goes....
Lean Chicken Bites
Cooking Spray
2 Skinless Chicken breasts, raw
1/4 C egg whites
1/2 C instant oats
1/4 C sliced almonds, crushed
1 T Italian Seasoning
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1)Preheat oven to 350. Coat baking sheet w/ cooking spray. Cut chicken into strips. Pour egg whites over chicken strips to coat
2)In a blender, combing oats, almonds and seasonings. Place chicken strips in a large ziplock bag with oat mixture and shake
3)Remove chicken from bag and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins.
Nutrition Info: Calories: 270, Total fats 8g, Sat. fat 1g, Trans fat 0g, Cholesterol 80mg, Sodium 140mg, Total Carbohydrates: 11g. Dietary Fiber, 3g. Sugars 1g, Protein 40g (WOW!) Iron 2mg
Salmon and Asparagus Pasta
Ready in 20 mins - makes 4 servings
8 asparagus spears, cut into chunks
4 oz uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
1 C low fat ricotta
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C reserved pasta water
4 salmon fillets, cooked and flaked (about 1 lb)
sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1)Blanch asparagus (to save time, blanch in a colander placed in the pasta water as it boils), then run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Boil Pasta.
2)Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta, lemon juice and, once pasta is done, water. Toss with asparagus, pasta, salmon, salt tand pepper.
Nutritional Info Per serving: Calories 353, Total Fats: 15g, Sat. Fat: 5g, Trans fat 0g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 124 mg, Total Carbs: 27g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Sugar:5g, Protein: 33g, Iron: 2mg
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Best Healthy Snacks for weight loss - Texas Fit Chicks Bootcamp
One of the best lines I have read lately is: You can't out-train a bad diet! This is so true. Nutrition is so critical when trying to lose weight. It's so common for people to workout and then think that since they worked out, they can eat that burger :) The only thing is...a hard workout for a solid hour might burn 400-500 calories (if you're working pretty darn hard)....but the burger, fries and soda is well over 2,000 for just one meal. You see how that math just doesn't work when trying to lose unwanted pounds.
Choosing the right combination of foods will help keep your blood sugar in check and your cravings to a minimum. With each small meal, include some protein which will keep you feeling full. Healthy snack ideas include:
Handful of raw, unsalted almonds with an apple
Celery stalks with unsalted almond butter (1T)
1 Part-skim cheese stick
Hard boiled Egg (or just the egg whites)
2 cups of 94% fat free popcorn with handful of peanuts
Lettuce wrap with Bibb lettuce and deli turkey
1 cup lowfat yogurt
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Those are just a few snack ideas - I have a recipe that many of my clients (and their husbands) love, it's called "Twisted Tuna". It's a fantastic healthy spread that you can use on bread for a sandwhich, a whole wheat wrap (Thank you Gina for that idea :) or with stalks of celery. I like to make a big batch of it on Sundays - and it lasts all week.
Here's what you need and how it's done:
8 cans of chunk light tuna packed in water - drained
1 cucumber seeded and chopped (use more if you love cucumber)
1/2 red onion (more or less depending on how much you like onion)
1 8oz container of weight watchers whipped cream cheese
Combine all tuna together (make sure you drain it)....then combine it w/ entire tub of whipped cream cheese. Stir in the cucumber and chopped onion and that's it! You're done! Super easy and oooooh soooo yummy :) VERY high in protein and low in calories. One serving is actually considered 1 can of tuna....so you can divide this up into 8 servings.
At the start of each week, I also boil 2 cartons of eggs (18 ct)....then pop them back into the crate and refrigerate. Hard boiled egg whites have about 20 calories in each...and you can eat up to 6 egg whites....and only have 120 calories! Tons of protein in these...and excellent for those afternoon hours when I get hungry before dinner. Just have one egg and I'm happy. My kids love them as a quick snack. If I'm having oatmeal for breakfast, I will eat a couple of egg whites w/ it to add the protein.
Water should be your new best friend if trying to lose weight. It's amazing how many times people confuse hunger for thirst. 4:00 for me is the time of day when I need to drink a big glass of water. If I don't - I find myself scrounging through the pantry for junk...even though I just ate 2 hrs ago, and really shouldn't be hungry. I find when I drink a big glass of water, I am typically not that hungry....just needed to hydrate. Obviously, there are times when my body for whatever reason really does need to eat...but most of the time I just need more water.
I shoot for 3 liters a day of water. Especially if you are working out - and breaking a sweat - 90 oz is a good goal. The recommended 64 oz is just not enough if you're working out.
Food journaling is a fantastic way to track your calories and eating habits.
It's good from several different standpoints...
1) You re-think eating junk when you know you have to write it down
2) You are able to see what times you're hungry in a typical day
3) You can track what snacks/mini meals kept you full and satisfied until the next time to eat
4) You can make sure you are eating enough - and not dropping below the 1200 calorie mark
5) You can journal how you feel physically after eating.
It's amazing when you really start eating properly, how when you eat the junk, your body doesn't feel right. Your energy level isn't what it could be, and fatigue is constant. Set a goal for yourself, to change one bad habit a week...until you are where you want to be physically. For example - if lattes are your thing - try replacing that with hot tea....or not getting one every single day. Let that be your "cheat" for the weekend. If you do things right 90% of the time, you will be ok. I am all about moderation, and you may very well see me sometime getting Milk Duds at the movies....because you have to have your cheat times. Just not every day.
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
Ordinary Women....Extraordinary Results!
Choosing the right combination of foods will help keep your blood sugar in check and your cravings to a minimum. With each small meal, include some protein which will keep you feeling full. Healthy snack ideas include:
Handful of raw, unsalted almonds with an apple
Celery stalks with unsalted almond butter (1T)
1 Part-skim cheese stick
Hard boiled Egg (or just the egg whites)
2 cups of 94% fat free popcorn with handful of peanuts
Lettuce wrap with Bibb lettuce and deli turkey
1 cup lowfat yogurt
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Those are just a few snack ideas - I have a recipe that many of my clients (and their husbands) love, it's called "Twisted Tuna". It's a fantastic healthy spread that you can use on bread for a sandwhich, a whole wheat wrap (Thank you Gina for that idea :) or with stalks of celery. I like to make a big batch of it on Sundays - and it lasts all week.
Here's what you need and how it's done:
8 cans of chunk light tuna packed in water - drained
1 cucumber seeded and chopped (use more if you love cucumber)
1/2 red onion (more or less depending on how much you like onion)
1 8oz container of weight watchers whipped cream cheese
Combine all tuna together (make sure you drain it)....then combine it w/ entire tub of whipped cream cheese. Stir in the cucumber and chopped onion and that's it! You're done! Super easy and oooooh soooo yummy :) VERY high in protein and low in calories. One serving is actually considered 1 can of tuna....so you can divide this up into 8 servings.
At the start of each week, I also boil 2 cartons of eggs (18 ct)....then pop them back into the crate and refrigerate. Hard boiled egg whites have about 20 calories in each...and you can eat up to 6 egg whites....and only have 120 calories! Tons of protein in these...and excellent for those afternoon hours when I get hungry before dinner. Just have one egg and I'm happy. My kids love them as a quick snack. If I'm having oatmeal for breakfast, I will eat a couple of egg whites w/ it to add the protein.
Water should be your new best friend if trying to lose weight. It's amazing how many times people confuse hunger for thirst. 4:00 for me is the time of day when I need to drink a big glass of water. If I don't - I find myself scrounging through the pantry for junk...even though I just ate 2 hrs ago, and really shouldn't be hungry. I find when I drink a big glass of water, I am typically not that hungry....just needed to hydrate. Obviously, there are times when my body for whatever reason really does need to eat...but most of the time I just need more water.
I shoot for 3 liters a day of water. Especially if you are working out - and breaking a sweat - 90 oz is a good goal. The recommended 64 oz is just not enough if you're working out.
Food journaling is a fantastic way to track your calories and eating habits.
It's good from several different standpoints...
1) You re-think eating junk when you know you have to write it down
2) You are able to see what times you're hungry in a typical day
3) You can track what snacks/mini meals kept you full and satisfied until the next time to eat
4) You can make sure you are eating enough - and not dropping below the 1200 calorie mark
5) You can journal how you feel physically after eating.
It's amazing when you really start eating properly, how when you eat the junk, your body doesn't feel right. Your energy level isn't what it could be, and fatigue is constant. Set a goal for yourself, to change one bad habit a week...until you are where you want to be physically. For example - if lattes are your thing - try replacing that with hot tea....or not getting one every single day. Let that be your "cheat" for the weekend. If you do things right 90% of the time, you will be ok. I am all about moderation, and you may very well see me sometime getting Milk Duds at the movies....because you have to have your cheat times. Just not every day.
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
Ordinary Women....Extraordinary Results!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Eat well...lose weight...the healthy way!
So glad to be a part of McKinney Boot Camps and proud of all of your hard work!!
Let's work together to make this the best year for your health and fitness. If you are just joining us, get ready to: feel better, have more energy, define your muscle and lose inches!
I found this recipe and tried it over the holidays...perfect for a cold day - and I love anything that cooks itself in the crock pot all day! This is healthy, cheap and easy to make, and full of protein...
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Makes 10 cups
Time to cook - 7 hrs
1 lb dried red beans
3/4 lb smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Creole seasoning
Hot cooked long-grain rich (go for the brown rice)
Garnish: finely chopped green onions, finely chopped red onion
1)Combine first 8 ingrediants and 7 cups water in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on High 7 hrs or until beans are tender
That's it! Here is the nutritional info:
Per Cup (w/ 1 cup rice)
Calories - 407
Fat - 2.1g
Protein - 19g
Carb 77.1g
Fiber -11.7g
Iron - 5.8m
Enjoy!
Remember - if you are a current client of McKinney Boot Camps - and refer a friend that joins us, you will get 3 free boot camp sessions!
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Let's work together to make this the best year for your health and fitness. If you are just joining us, get ready to: feel better, have more energy, define your muscle and lose inches!
I found this recipe and tried it over the holidays...perfect for a cold day - and I love anything that cooks itself in the crock pot all day! This is healthy, cheap and easy to make, and full of protein...
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Makes 10 cups
Time to cook - 7 hrs
1 lb dried red beans
3/4 lb smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Creole seasoning
Hot cooked long-grain rich (go for the brown rice)
Garnish: finely chopped green onions, finely chopped red onion
1)Combine first 8 ingrediants and 7 cups water in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on High 7 hrs or until beans are tender
That's it! Here is the nutritional info:
Per Cup (w/ 1 cup rice)
Calories - 407
Fat - 2.1g
Protein - 19g
Carb 77.1g
Fiber -11.7g
Iron - 5.8m
Enjoy!
Remember - if you are a current client of McKinney Boot Camps - and refer a friend that joins us, you will get 3 free boot camp sessions!
www.mckinneybootcamps.com
Thursday, December 10, 2009
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
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
Saturday, December 5, 2009
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!
Friday, December 4, 2009
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
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
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Holiday Temptations
It's coming - the yummy meal for Thanksgiving and desserts you typically don't include in your every day diet. These are some ways to make holiday baking a bit healthier, without feeling deprived. Found a great article that I wanted to share, for those of you that get to cook next week - hope you enjoy it!
When cooking Bread Puddings and Fruit Breads:
Use This: Mini-muffin pans
Not That: Souffle' or baking dishes - it's automatic portion control!
Just don't forget to adjust baking time :)
In puddings and Pudding Pie Fillings:
Use This: 2% Milk
Not That: Heavy cream. This swap saves 700 calories per cup (about an hour and a 1/2 of high cardio boot camp!!!) It will still have a nice, rich body, but so much less fat
In Fruit Pies:
Use This: Half the Sugar
Not That: All the sugar. For every cup of sugar you don't use, you will save 744 calories (Approx 1 hr and 40 mins of boot camp!!). It doesn't change the chemistry of the pie, so you can go as low in sugar as you like.
In Cookies and Crusts:
Use This: Half whole-wheat pastry flour and half all-purpose flour.
Not That: Just all-purpose flour. Whole wheat has 12 grams of filling fiber in every cup.
In Brownies, Chocolate Cake and Fudge:
Use This: Three tablespoons of cocoa powder
Not That: One ounce of baking chocolate. Substituting cocoa powder peels off 85 calories and 13 grams of fat!
In Cheesecake:
Use This: Part-skim ricotta cheese
Not That: Cream Cheese. You'll double the amount of hungar fighting protein and cut the fat by close to 60 grams for each cup you use. It's much less heavy and caloric than cream cheese
In Brownies, Cakey Cookies and Fruit Breads:
Use This: Pureed Pumpkin
Not That: Oil. Pumpkin Puree keeps baked goods deliciously moist, and for every 1/2 cup you sub out, you'll save more than 900 calories (Approx 1 hr 45 mins boot camp!!) and 100 grams of fat!!!
- Article from Womens Health - Dec 2009
When cooking Bread Puddings and Fruit Breads:
Use This: Mini-muffin pans
Not That: Souffle' or baking dishes - it's automatic portion control!
Just don't forget to adjust baking time :)
In puddings and Pudding Pie Fillings:
Use This: 2% Milk
Not That: Heavy cream. This swap saves 700 calories per cup (about an hour and a 1/2 of high cardio boot camp!!!) It will still have a nice, rich body, but so much less fat
In Fruit Pies:
Use This: Half the Sugar
Not That: All the sugar. For every cup of sugar you don't use, you will save 744 calories (Approx 1 hr and 40 mins of boot camp!!). It doesn't change the chemistry of the pie, so you can go as low in sugar as you like.
In Cookies and Crusts:
Use This: Half whole-wheat pastry flour and half all-purpose flour.
Not That: Just all-purpose flour. Whole wheat has 12 grams of filling fiber in every cup.
In Brownies, Chocolate Cake and Fudge:
Use This: Three tablespoons of cocoa powder
Not That: One ounce of baking chocolate. Substituting cocoa powder peels off 85 calories and 13 grams of fat!
In Cheesecake:
Use This: Part-skim ricotta cheese
Not That: Cream Cheese. You'll double the amount of hungar fighting protein and cut the fat by close to 60 grams for each cup you use. It's much less heavy and caloric than cream cheese
In Brownies, Cakey Cookies and Fruit Breads:
Use This: Pureed Pumpkin
Not That: Oil. Pumpkin Puree keeps baked goods deliciously moist, and for every 1/2 cup you sub out, you'll save more than 900 calories (Approx 1 hr 45 mins boot camp!!) and 100 grams of fat!!!
- Article from Womens Health - Dec 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Hungry Girls Lord of the Onion Rings
So every now and then we all crave comfort food...but don't want to blow what we have done at boot camp. Thank you Jolene for sharing this recipe with all of us...I can't wait to try it!!! She said it's amazing!
Ingredients
1 large onion
1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
Dash of salt
Optional: additional salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.
Yields: Makes 1 humongous serving
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the ends off of the onion, and remove the outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2-inch-wide slices, and separate into rings.
Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour Fiber One “breadcrumbs” into a small dish and mix in salt, and any optional spices you like.
Next, fill a small bowl (just large enough for onion rings to fit in) with egg substitute. One by one, coat each ring first in egg and then in the “breadcrumbs” (give each ring a shake after the egg bath).
Evenly place rings on a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping rings over about halfway through.
Ingredients
1 large onion
1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
Dash of salt
Optional: additional salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.
Yields: Makes 1 humongous serving
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the ends off of the onion, and remove the outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2-inch-wide slices, and separate into rings.
Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour Fiber One “breadcrumbs” into a small dish and mix in salt, and any optional spices you like.
Next, fill a small bowl (just large enough for onion rings to fit in) with egg substitute. One by one, coat each ring first in egg and then in the “breadcrumbs” (give each ring a shake after the egg bath).
Evenly place rings on a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping rings over about halfway through.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Thank you Rhonda for this recipe!!
This one requires the Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix packet - and I have no idea who sells that around here ~ but she says this one is really yummy!
Ingrediants:
1 Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup milk (I would use skim)
4 cups water
1 12.5 oz can dicked chicken or 1 cup cooked chicken shredded (optional)
In 2 quart (or larger) stockpot, combine soup mix, diced tomatoes, milk and water.
Bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If desired, add cooked chicken and heat through - about 5 mins.
Serves 8
This one requires the Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix packet - and I have no idea who sells that around here ~ but she says this one is really yummy!
Ingrediants:
1 Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup milk (I would use skim)
4 cups water
1 12.5 oz can dicked chicken or 1 cup cooked chicken shredded (optional)
In 2 quart (or larger) stockpot, combine soup mix, diced tomatoes, milk and water.
Bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If desired, add cooked chicken and heat through - about 5 mins.
Serves 8
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Why weight train?
The NUMBER ONE way to prevent osteoporosis is through resistance training!
Muscle training helps you lose body fat.
Muscle training helps muscle coordination.
Muscle training is good for the cardiovascular system.
Weight training raises you BMR which means you burn fat even while your sleeping.
Weight training helps the body regulate hormone production.
Resistance training gives you energy.
Resistance training decreases the risk of developing adult onset diabetes
Resistance training increases the HDL (THE GOOD blood Cholesterol)
Weight training does NOT make women have big muscles, just toned ones.
Muscle training helps you lose body fat.
Muscle training helps muscle coordination.
Muscle training is good for the cardiovascular system.
Weight training raises you BMR which means you burn fat even while your sleeping.
Weight training helps the body regulate hormone production.
Resistance training gives you energy.
Resistance training decreases the risk of developing adult onset diabetes
Resistance training increases the HDL (THE GOOD blood Cholesterol)
Weight training does NOT make women have big muscles, just toned ones.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Fitness Tip of the day
So I have a few fitness buffs in the family...and one imparticular is also keeping up with a fitness blog...thank you Josh for your great explanation of the following important info that is good for all of us to remember!!
First, a calorie or Calorie (also Kcalorie) is nothing more than a measurement of energy in food. All Carbohydrates (all Carbs, whether simple or complex) have 4.5 Calories per gram, all Protiens have 4.5 Calories per gram and all Fats have 9 Calories. NOTICE that fat contains twice the energy per gram and is the easiest to maintain on the "bodies economy" (what it cost's your body to maintain functions) that is why your body wants to store it so bad when it recieves certain signals.There are also different types of Carbs, Protiens & Fats. The most important to pay attention to are the carbs & fats. We want to avoid simple carbs (sugars, white flour products) and try to consume the complex fibrous carbs (oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, etc.) We also want to avoid the saturated and trans Fats and when we consume fat try to consume the mono-unsaturated “healthy” fats like cooking with virgin olive oil instead of Crisco, butter, and other choices.
No quick fix diet can substitute a pattern of healthy eating...you work hard at the gym but the other 23 hrs of the day can either sabatoge all that work...or enhance your results!
Next time you have to make a food choice, ask yourself...Is this going to help me reach my goal? If the answer is no, reconsider and decide if at that moment if it's worth it. Sometimes, it is. Just try to be concious of everything you decide to put in your body and just becoming aware can bring about change in your behavior for the better!
First, a calorie or Calorie (also Kcalorie) is nothing more than a measurement of energy in food. All Carbohydrates (all Carbs, whether simple or complex) have 4.5 Calories per gram, all Protiens have 4.5 Calories per gram and all Fats have 9 Calories. NOTICE that fat contains twice the energy per gram and is the easiest to maintain on the "bodies economy" (what it cost's your body to maintain functions) that is why your body wants to store it so bad when it recieves certain signals.There are also different types of Carbs, Protiens & Fats. The most important to pay attention to are the carbs & fats. We want to avoid simple carbs (sugars, white flour products) and try to consume the complex fibrous carbs (oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, etc.) We also want to avoid the saturated and trans Fats and when we consume fat try to consume the mono-unsaturated “healthy” fats like cooking with virgin olive oil instead of Crisco, butter, and other choices.
No quick fix diet can substitute a pattern of healthy eating...you work hard at the gym but the other 23 hrs of the day can either sabatoge all that work...or enhance your results!
Next time you have to make a food choice, ask yourself...Is this going to help me reach my goal? If the answer is no, reconsider and decide if at that moment if it's worth it. Sometimes, it is. Just try to be concious of everything you decide to put in your body and just becoming aware can bring about change in your behavior for the better!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Halloween Temptations
It's coming....the beginning of the holiday season and c-a-n-d-y.....especially if you have little trick or treaters in your house. My kids end up with a ton...and I've been known to snatch a little "good chocolate" once in a while. In the journey to your goal...ignorance isn't bliss. It seems easier to eat a "mini" size candy bar or two and then that turns into another one 2 hrs later, etc. Here is a little guide to let you decide when that moment hits - whether or not it's worth indulging. Sometimes there is nothing else that can take the place of the treat, but if weight loss is a goal, you need to re-think those sweet treats more often than not....here goes
This is a list of treats that add up to 100 calories...which can take 10 minutes of running at 6.0 on the treadmill to burn off. (Makes a difference when I think if it that way :)
5 Starbust fruit chews
2 Twix Minis
1 1/2 Snack Size Twix
1 1/4 Snickers Fun size bars
4 1/2 Tootsie Roll Midgees
8 Dots
3 Milky Way Midnight Minis
13 1/3 Brach's Candy Corns
1 2/3 Snack Size Peppermint Patties
This is a list of treats that add up to 100 calories...which can take 10 minutes of running at 6.0 on the treadmill to burn off. (Makes a difference when I think if it that way :)
5 Starbust fruit chews
2 Twix Minis
1 1/2 Snack Size Twix
1 1/4 Snickers Fun size bars
4 1/2 Tootsie Roll Midgees
8 Dots
3 Milky Way Midnight Minis
13 1/3 Brach's Candy Corns
1 2/3 Snack Size Peppermint Patties
Halloween Temptations
It's coming....the beginning of the holiday season and c-a-n-d-y.....especially if you have little trick or treaters in your house. My kids end up with a ton...and I've been known to snatch a little "good chocolate" once in a while. In the journey to
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thought for Friday
Great job this morning girls....it was our "weights day" and all those lunges will have our legs ready for a nice long walk tomorrow :) You all were fantastic and worked really hard!!
Ok - so here's a thought for the weekend. As women, we all tend to compare ourselves to other women starting from a very young age. I would challenge you the next time you find yourself doing this to remind yourself that there will ALWAYS be someone that has already gone a little further with their fitness level, and there is ALWAYS someone that has a bit further to go - to get to where you are.
Even if that comparison has to be the extreme. There's a show on TLC (I think) called "Big Medicine" or something like that....watch that sometime. The next time you think you are "less than" another with your fitness, try to think about those folks and be grateful that you don't have as far to go as they do. So focus on the "I am really happy that I have come this far" rather than the "oh why can't I look like that?" With a little practice doing that, you will come to appreciate where you are at this moment, and continue to strive for improvement daily :)
I hope you all have a great weekend and looking forward to Monday with everyone!
-Melody
Ok - so here's a thought for the weekend. As women, we all tend to compare ourselves to other women starting from a very young age. I would challenge you the next time you find yourself doing this to remind yourself that there will ALWAYS be someone that has already gone a little further with their fitness level, and there is ALWAYS someone that has a bit further to go - to get to where you are.
Even if that comparison has to be the extreme. There's a show on TLC (I think) called "Big Medicine" or something like that....watch that sometime. The next time you think you are "less than" another with your fitness, try to think about those folks and be grateful that you don't have as far to go as they do. So focus on the "I am really happy that I have come this far" rather than the "oh why can't I look like that?" With a little practice doing that, you will come to appreciate where you are at this moment, and continue to strive for improvement daily :)
I hope you all have a great weekend and looking forward to Monday with everyone!
-Melody
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Yummy Protein Shake
I am not one that can just mix the powder with water, shake and drink. If you are...more power to ya, but if you're like me ~ you need a little more to get it down. So...after lots of playing around with it, I have come up with a yummy way to make a shake.
First you start off with a scoop of protein powder...if your stomach will allow it. My body has issues with whey, but after trying all different types, I found the brand Designer Whey to be the one that I can tolerate the best. So - 1 scoop of powder
then add 1 cup of skim milk or water (or soy milk if you have issues w/ milk) - and stir well so that all the powder is dissolved.
Here's the trick to getting a really creamy, milkshake consistency shake....frozen banana. What I do is throw a bunch in the freezer - skin and all - before the bananas become ripe. The closer they are to green, the less sugar they contain. Grab one out of the freezer, run it under water for a couple seconds - get a knife and peel it. Then chunk it up in 3 little parts, put it in the cup. Throw in some ice over it all...and blend! I use the magic bullet - it's a great little gadget that you can get at a couple diff. places (Kohls, dept stores)....you get about 4 mugs w/ it, and the base where the motor is. So instead of having to wash a big blender daily, you drink the shake right from the mug and throw it in the dishwasher. Very easy.
I have found something else that is even better on the stomach - but harder on the wallet...it's Muscle milk light. I substitute the powder for this...but everything else stays the same. You can get a case of 18 for $24 at Sams. It's lactose free, and only 100 calories, but lots of protein. Just another option in case the whey doesn't work for you!
First you start off with a scoop of protein powder...if your stomach will allow it. My body has issues with whey, but after trying all different types, I found the brand Designer Whey to be the one that I can tolerate the best. So - 1 scoop of powder
then add 1 cup of skim milk or water (or soy milk if you have issues w/ milk) - and stir well so that all the powder is dissolved.
Here's the trick to getting a really creamy, milkshake consistency shake....frozen banana. What I do is throw a bunch in the freezer - skin and all - before the bananas become ripe. The closer they are to green, the less sugar they contain. Grab one out of the freezer, run it under water for a couple seconds - get a knife and peel it. Then chunk it up in 3 little parts, put it in the cup. Throw in some ice over it all...and blend! I use the magic bullet - it's a great little gadget that you can get at a couple diff. places (Kohls, dept stores)....you get about 4 mugs w/ it, and the base where the motor is. So instead of having to wash a big blender daily, you drink the shake right from the mug and throw it in the dishwasher. Very easy.
I have found something else that is even better on the stomach - but harder on the wallet...it's Muscle milk light. I substitute the powder for this...but everything else stays the same. You can get a case of 18 for $24 at Sams. It's lactose free, and only 100 calories, but lots of protein. Just another option in case the whey doesn't work for you!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Nutrition
One of the best lines I have read lately is: You can't out-train a bad diet! This is so true. Nutrition is so critical when trying to lose weight. It's so common for people to workout and then think that since they worked out, they can eat that burger :) The only thing is...a hard workout for a solid hour might burn 400-500 calories (if you're working pretty darn hard)....but the burger, fries and soda is well over 2,000 for just one meal. You see how that math just doesn't work when trying to lose unwanted pounds.
Choosing the right combination of foods will help keep your blood sugar in check and your cravings to a minimum. With each small meal, include some protein which will keep you feeling full. Healthy snack ideas include:
- Handful of raw, unsalted almonds with an apple
- Celery stalks with unsalted almond butter (1T)
- 1 Part-skim cheese stick
- Hard boiled Egg (or just the egg whites)
- 2 cups of 94% fat free popcorn with handful of peanuts
- Lettuce wrap with Bibb lettuce and deli turkey
- 1 cup lowfat yogurt
- 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Those are just a few snack ideas - I have a recipe that many of my clients (and their husbands) love, it's called "Twisted Tuna". It's a fantastic healthy spread that you can use on bread for a sandwhich, a whole wheat wrap (Thank you Gina for that idea :) or with stalks of celery. I like to make a big batch of it on Sundays - and it lasts all week.
- 8 cans of chunk light tuna packed in water - drained
- 1 cucumber seeded and chopped (use more if you love cucumber)
- 1/2 red onion (more or less depending on how much you like onion)
- 1 8oz container of weight watchers whipped cream cheese
Combine all tuna together (make sure you drain it)....then combine it w/ entire tub of whipped cream cheese. Stir in the cucumber and chopped onion and that's it! You're done! Super easy and oooooh soooo yummy :) VERY high in protein and low in calories. One serving is actually considered 1 can of tuna....so you can divide this up into 8 servings.
At the start of each week, I also boil 2 cartons of eggs (18 ct)....then pop them back into the crate and refrigerate. Hard boiled egg whites have about 20 calories in each...and you can eat up to 6 egg whites....and only have 120 calories! Tons of protein in these...and excellent for those afternoon hours when I get hungry before dinner. Just have one egg and I'm happy. My kids love them as a quick snack. If I'm having oatmeal for breakfast, I will eat a couple of egg whites w/ it to add the protein.
Water should be your new best friend if trying to lose weight. It's amazing how many times people confuse hunger for thirst. 4:00 for me is the time of day when I need to drink a big glass of water. If I don't - I find myself scrounging through the pantry for junk...even though I just ate 2 hrs ago, and really shouldn't be hungry. I find when I drink a big glass of water, I am typically not that hungry....just needed to hydrate. Obviously, there are times when my body for whatever reason really does need to eat...but most of the time I just need more water. I shoot for 3 liters a day of water. Especially if you are working out - and breaking a sweat - 90 oz is a good goal. The recommended 64 oz is just not enough if you're working out.
Food journaling is a fantastic way to track your calories and eating habits. It's good from several different standpoints...1) You re-think eating junk when you know you have to write it down (2) You are able to see what times you're hungry in a typical day (3) You can track what snacks/mini meals kept you full and satisfied until the next time to eat (4) You can make sure you are eating enough - and not dropping below the 1200 calorie mark (5) You can journal how you feel physically after eating.
It's amazing when you really start eating properly, how when you eat the junk, your body doesn't feel right. Your energy level isn't what it could be, and fatigue is constant. Set a goal for yourself, to change one bad habit a week...until you are where you want to be physically. For example - if lattes are your thing - try replacing that with hot tea....or not getting one every single day. Let that be your "cheat" for the weekend. If you do things right 90% of the time, you will be ok. I am all about moderation, and you may very well see me sometime getting Milk Duds at the movies....because you have to have your cheat times. Just not every day.
It helps me to think about food as simply fuel for my body, rather than looking at food as an event....So go and have a healthy day....or if today's almost over, set a goal for tomorrow! :)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Monday ~ cone drills and plyometrics
Had lots of fun Monday with agility drills and plyometrics. Also brought back fond memories of P.E. as a kid with the bear crawls and crab walks! Definetly got our heart rates up for a great workout!
Friday, August 28, 2009
August Boot Camps
So we are in the midst of another fun session of McKinney Boot Camps ~ and having a fabulous time! This morning we did some agility drills, running and plyometrics. Excellent work out and we are burning around 500-600 calories in an hour! Monday we used resistance bands and did some Tabata training. Over the weekend remember to journal your food so that you don't undo everything you did this past week!
Looking forward to Monday morning
~ Melody
Looking forward to Monday morning
~ Melody
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