Holidays are Coming...what's your plan to avoid weight gain? Texas fit Chicks Bootcamp trainers can help

I love the saying "Failing to Plan is PLanning to Fail." When it comes to the holidays and food temptations, this is critical to your success. Those of you that are already clients at Texas fIt Chicks, know that our trainers won't ever expect you to eat perfectly all of the time. We encourage you to have a "cheat" day or meal once a week, otherwise you will feel deprived and less likely to succeed. Over the next couple of months though, the holidays bring with it stress, change in routine, travel and lots of heavy and fattening food. That's why the average American will gain around 7lbs over the next 2 mos. I want you to set a goal today. Losing weight will be a challenge, but it can be done with planning and flexing that will-power muscle! Another goal could be to maintain and not GAIN. That will also take some flexing of your will-power muscle, and having a plan you stick with.

Decide ahead of the parties to plan for your treats. Decide in advance that you’re going to have one or two treats per event and then enjoy them. Educate yourself on what's in that latte that you are enjoying daily, and if it's enough to replace a meal, decide if you want that or pie after dinner? Choose which indulgences you want to have, and compensate later in the day or the next day with healthier choices. I do well when I have a plan. So if we are going to be gone for 5 days, I will plan to exercise 3 times and then pick and choose what I want to "spend" my calories on. When there's a plan and a goal ahead of time, it makes a huge difference in my behavior.



Eliminate food cues that cause impulse eating. This is called “stimulus control.” Don’t forget, if you don’t buy it, it won’t be there for you to eat. Use a hunger scale from 1-10. “1” is VERY hungry, “10” is VERY STUFFED, and “five” is CONTENT. When you feel the cookies call, ask yourself, where am I on the hunger scale? If you’re a “one,” “two,” or “three,” then you need to find a healthy meal or snack. If you’re a “six,” “seven” or “eight,” then you need to find something else to do other than eat.

Sometimes just pushing away from the table when you are full is the trick. Listening to your body and knowing when you are full is when it's time to stop. Don't eat just because everyone around you is ~ think of your goal often, but enjoy your treats when you do indulge! I have been one of those statistics and come back from being away for Christmas with an extra 5 lbs to lose. It's very frustrating and takes so much work to lose it!

If you want guidance of a female personal trainer through the holidays, but don't want to spend a ton on private training, check out our women's only bootcamp! We offer Indoor Bootcamp for MckInney, Frisco, Allen, Plano, Prosper and Dallas - with women trainers. Our boot camp will help you lose weight and tone up. We have women of all fitness levels in our camps and also offer a 5 week nutrition plan for free! We use things like Kettlebells, Resistance bands, BOSU trainers, Medicine Balls and Stability balls to get you in the best shape of your life. The only thing you bring is a yoga mat and set of dumbbells. We provide the rest!
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Why do Texas Fit Chicks strength train in bootcamp? Osteoperosis, fat loss and MORE!

Many times women are scared to lift weights. They don't want to look like bodybuilders or get buff! Please understand that if you lift correctly, and under the guidance of a trainer...that won't happen. Resistance training is critical to keeping your body healthy and our bootcamp design incorporates this in our training design.

Getting older is not fun...but you may know that already. Along with our metabolism slowing down each year after 35, muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. "But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age."

Strength training also helps you:

• Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• Control your weight. As you gain muscle, your body gains a bigger "engine" to burn calories more efficiently — which can result in weight loss. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.
• Reduce your risk of injury. Building muscle helps protect your joints from injury. It also contributes to better balance, which can help you maintain independence as you age.
• Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won't fatigue as easily.

Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bone mineral density is lost, usually affecting postmenopausal women. Estrogen is a vital element in bone health. After menopause, bone density is the most vulnerable, as estrogen production decreases. Simultaneously, muscle mass decreases with age at a rate of approximately 15 percent per decade, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Keeping your bones strong starting at an early age will reduce your risk of brittle bones down the road.

Our bootcamp is guided by female personal trainers that specialize in training women only. You will have a well-rounded program designed with targeted training to transform your body for weight loss, toning and all around better health! Our clients enjoy weight loss of 8-10lbs after 3 days a week in our 5 wk sessions. We also provide a FREE 5 week nutrition plan to get results faster! Our camps will never try to sell you supplements, shakes, or anything else! We just want you to get the results you want...and have fun doing it!

Find one of our bootcamps near you - with locations in Dallas, McKinney (Stonebridge Ranch near Adriataca) and Frisco Texas. Have questions?
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Top 5 reasons to join Texas Fit Chicks Bootcamp

Here are the top 5 reasons to join a Texas Fit Chicks bootcamp near you!

# 5. We make it FUN. Seriously....you can use the word "fun" and "exercise" in the same sentence. It IS possible to enjoy the best hour of your day with us ~ and sometimes there are tears from laughter. There is NO REASON to dread or fear the hour with your trainer, and we work hard to make sure it's something you actually look forward to! Constantly changing up your workout, bringing in our trainer toys like stability balls, BOSU trainers, Resistance bands, Kettlebells and more, you won't ever get bored or do the same workout twice! We know that our bodies adapt and plateau if you do the same thing day in and day out, so you will see constant change for the better if you follow our workout and nutrition plan!

# 4. You will Meet New Chicks getting fit. We sometimes do workouts that involve partner work and interacting with the chick next to you. That makes it fun...especially when you find out that your kids go to the same school or you live on the same street (it's happened!). We also have bi-monthly Girls Night out so that you get to see that chick in her make-up and no sweat! It's a great opportunity to make some new friends and enjoy life with fun new people in it.

# 3. Affordable Accountability. Let's face it. Sometimes we just need someone to motivate us to get up and show up for our workout! With our bootcamps, you've got a personal trainer that's looking out for you. No more signing up for a gym membership and never going. We make it impossible to fade off into the crowded gym background. If you're not there, we are checking in on ya to see why....and keeping you on track with your goals. Enjoy access to your personal trainer via email anytime and get a expert on your side to get you to your fitness goals!

# 2. It'll make your Doc happy. No more dread over the yearly physical! Our chicks have enjoyed lower cholesterol, stronger bones and rave reviews from their doctors after training with us. Everyone knows that exercise is good for you, and there are way too many physical benefits to mention here.

And the #1 reason to start with Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp is....drumroll please....
You will love THE RESULTS!!
Our clients enjoy a 10-12 lb loss and 8-10 inches after a 5 wk bootcamp with our 3 day/week program and nutrition plan. They enjoy more energy, stronger bones, decreased stress levels all while under the guidance of experienced fitness professionals.

Do you have specific fitness goals? Do you have a certain amount of weight to lose, or a pair of jeans that you want to get back into? Don't leave it to chance. Let one of our nationally certified personal trainers create the program that will get you where you want to be, at a fraction of the private training cost.

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Texas Fit Chicks bootcamp serves women of McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Plano, Prosper and Dallas Texas

Free Total Chick Makeover - should we choose you?

Are you ready to completely change your life? We are looking for a woman that is dedicated to changing her life in a positive way....and wants guidance at every step. Yes the holidays are coming. Yes there are things that get in the way. But if you can fully devote the next 15 weeks to us, we guarantee that you will feel the best this holiday season than ever...at no cost to you!!

For the special chick that is ready for serious change, we are GIVING AWAY an incredible 15 weeks of BootCamp, Personal Training, Private Nutritional counseling and a Professional Photo session at the end of your session with us! This is for a woman who is serious about making significant changes to her life and convinces us that she's the one that should be selected!

Our total chick makeover includes:

15 weeks of boot camp with Texas Fit Chicks bootcamp

7 hrs with nutritionist with Amy Haynes, RD
Individualized meal plan and coaching with Amy Haynes, RD
15 personal training sessions with Texas Fit Chicks trainer
After makeover photo session with Still Moments Photography

If you would like to be the chick that we choose for this amazing opportunity, send an email telling us why you think you should be the one. Convince us! All entries will be kept confidential, and winner will be notified by phone, so please put that in there as well. Include a photo if possible. This contest is open to all chicks over the age of 18, including current clients of Tx Fit Chicks bootcamp. We will take all submissions until Oct. 10. Email your entries to: trainwithmelody@gmail.com Good luck!

Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp now includes Meal Plan

At Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp, our trainers always encourage clients to journal food. Weight loss comes only with exercise AND good nutrition. No matter how hard you work during a boot camp session, you will not see results if, over the next 23 hrs of the day, you make bad choices regarding nutrition. It's critical to do both when weight loss is the goal.

There is plenty of information on nutrition online, but how do you know what's accurate? There is lots of mis-information out there, and now our clients have to guess no longer. A good resource for anyone is MyPyramid.gov.  My Pyramid is an interactive, internet-based program in which you can receive personalized plans for either weight maintenance or weight loss base on your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. The pyramid emphasizes grains as the largest component of an individual’s dietary intake, followed by vegetables, dairy, fruits, meat and beans, and small, discretionary amounts of oils and sweets. My pyramid, unlike the original Food Guide Pyramid, shows a figure climbing stairs to reinforce the importance of physical activity in developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

If you want a more customized calorie intake meal plan though, you now get that for free as a client of ours! Texas Fit Chicks has partnered with a registered dietician in the area that has created a 5 week meal plan available only to clients that are currently in a bootcamp session! Amy Haynes, RD is an instructor at the Dallas Culinary Institute, and offers private nutritional counseling as well. Combining her recommendations and your trainer led workout in boot camp WILL get you the results you want! You will lose weight, tone up and enjoy the many other health benefits that come from taking care of yourself in every area.

Texas Fit Chicks is excited to announce new locations and times of our women only workouts. All classes are led by nationally certified FEMALE trainers - it's a motivating friendly environment - and we don't sell any supplements unlike other boot camps in the area. Here are our locations and times:
Stonebridge Ranch BootCamp - Mckinney Tx - 5am-6am, 6am-7am 7pm-8pm
Frisco Texas - 5:30am-6:30am, 8:30am-9:30am
Dallas, Tx - Northaven Park  9:30am-10:30am
Click here for additional information

Why do we do Tabata training in boot camp?

Question: Would you rather do 4 mins of all out effort when exercising...or spend 45 mins to an hour on a treadmill at the same pace. If you're like me, there's no comparison. 4 minutes is the best choice!

How effective can just 4 minutes of exercise be? ... Very. You will be amazed at how intense the four minutes of exercise will feel. The intervals tax both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. To be clear, this isn't "eight sets of eight," although the goal of doing eight reps in each of the 20-second clusters is about right. Instead it's "as many reps as I can get in" during the twenty seconds, followed by ten seconds rest.

Credit for this simple and powerful training method belongs to its namesake, Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided documented evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity intermittent training. After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity in his subjects, along with a 14% increase in their ability to consume oxygen (V02Max). These results were witnessed in already physically fit athletes. The conclusion was that just four minutes of Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise. Anaerobic capacity benefits cardiovascular and muscular condition!

A true tabata is an all out effort on the exercisers part. Full out effort for the 20 seconds 8 times through is needed to be a true tabata. When we do tabatas at boot camp everyone is at a different ftness level, so the exercise will be shown with a modification for beginners....so that everyone can participate!

I am all for time management - can you spare 4 minutes today?
Texas Fit Chicks will get you to your fitness goals!

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Texas Fit Chicks - Boot Camp for women in McKinney, Frisco, Little Elm and Dallas

How is Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp is different than the rest?

Do you want a trainer that screams at you as if you were in basic training? Would you like to be punished with an extra set of 50 pushups if your water break lasts a bit longer than the rest of the class? Does it sound fun to you to workout when it's 30 degrees outside with a 12 degree windchill? Do you want a trainer to tell you that we are all going for a 2 mile run at a 9 minute/mile pace and if you don't keep up you will be humiliated in front of everyone else?

If you answered yes to ANY of those questions, then Texas Fit Chicks bootcamp is NOT for you!

Our philosophy is simple - there are many ways to lose weight and encourage our women without screaming, punishing or demeaning anyone in the process. We encourage and motivate in a positive way ~ and this allows for women of any fitness level to feel comfortable in our classes. We also go indoors for bootcamp in rain or when it gets cold outside ~ so we can focus on the workout and not on the weather! Check out this testimonial from one of our fit chicks that has been with us for over two months now....

My first 5 week session of boot camp was challenging and it was great! I came into the boot camp at fitness level 0 and talked my mom into joining as well. In high school I played every sport possible and was in great shape but after being out of school and out of athletics for 3 years, that shape went more circular (hey its a shape!) :). I remember looking at my mom our first monday of boot camp and seeing the what the heck have I gotten myself into look reflecting on both of our faces. Over the past 15 sessions, those looks are no longer there and we both enjoy coming to boot camp in the mornings. I was never uncomfortable about my size or my fitness level because Melody makes every exercise do-able for each person no matter what their fitness level, age, or size. I loved having Melody as a trainer, she is so much fun and so are the women in my class-they make it impossible to see working out as torture. After my last session, I lost 5lbs and 13 inches. I have already paid for my next 5 weeks and cant wait to see the results at the end! I would recommend this boot camp to anyone and everyone!
Brandie W.

If you are looking to jumpstart your fitness or lose weight - we offer bootcamp in Frisco, McKinney and Dallas for women. Texas Fit Chicks BootCamp is affordable personal training and will get you the results you want!
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Brides-to-be enjoy success with Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp

The wedding season has arrived, and we have several new brides to be that are seeing great results with Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp! Here's the most recent testimonial from our client Kelly..

"Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp is a great way for any bride-to-be to get in shape for her big day! Not only is it a great workout but you have the opportunity to exercise with a group of fun and positive women. Also it is a great way to release some of that pre-wedding stress!" - Kelly F.

Another Client had great results after just 2 sessions with us, and is still a boot camp girl 3 mos after her wedding! Corrie B. says...

I have been with Texas Fit Chicks since January. In preparation for my April wedding. I could not shed the weight that I had put on. I googled bootcamps in McKinney and they showed up... Every workout was amazing. My body started to change within the first month and I began to be encouraged by my loss of inches. I am now on my 4th or 5th 5 week session and will continue signing up. It has become a part of my weekly routine... If I miss bootcamp for whatever reason, I get so mad at myself. Melody, the lead trainer, designs calorie burning and muscle toning workouts that have left me 20lbs lighter and 25 inches slimmer and counting. There is no yelling like traditional bootcamps. In fact, there is more giggling then anything else. This camp has changed my life and ALL of my friends, coworkers, and family have loved watching my body transform!! My new hubby likes it too! :) - Corrie B.

Whether your goals are weight loss, you want to tone up, or you just want to have a great group of women to workout with - you will love boot camp, and get amazing results...guaranteed! Make it a Bridal Boot Camp for the entire wedding party! We are nationally certified female personal trainers that will get you to your goals. All fitness levels welcome!
Click Here for more info on Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
Womens Only Fitness Boot Camp with locations in Frisco, McKinney and Dallas, Texas
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Why should I lift free weights vs machines at the gym?

The female personal trainers at Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp know how to get women the results they are looking for. When training at a gym years ago, the routines I set up for clients never involved putting them on weight machines. I was always getting equipment like the BOSU trainer, resistance bands, medicine balls and dumbbells - which kept my clients interested and coming back for more. Using free weights (dumbbells) during boot camp is far superior to the machines for the following reasons...

• You can't do compound exercises with machines. Rarely will you find only one muscle group being worked during boot camp. Compound exercises call on several major muscle groups at one time, increasing the calorie burn and building more lean muscle mass.
• Free weight training doesn't only train the main muscle groups, but also the muscle groups that stabilize our joints.
• Using free weights allow for natural movements that aren't limited by the design of a machine.
• Most machines are designed for the size of an avg. male....enough said!
• Free weights are more FUN! There are thousands of exercises that can be done with a set of weights. Machines limit you to 1 maybe 2.

It's important when lifting free weights to be under the guidance of a personal trainer. Want to have a trainer but not spend upwards of $50+ per hour? Check out our Personal Trainer - Women only Fitness Boot Camp - where you can train for as little as $11.60/hr!
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
Classes in Mckinney, Tx ~ Frisco, Tx ~ Dallas Tx
Start any Monday - All Levels Welcome!
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Healthy Chips? Recipe is here...plus an easy way to lose a pound!

Healthy chips DO exist!
Here's a great recipe I found in my favorite fitness magazine "Oxygen" for this month...Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Chips with Greek Yogurt Ginger Dip
Ready in 20 mins - Makes 2 servings
YOu will need:
1 sweet potato, peeled
Sea Salt and ground pepper, to taste
1/2 C low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tsp Honey
1/2 t ginger, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a veggie slicer to cut potatoes into very thin slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 5-7 mins.
In a bowl, whisk together yogurt,honey and ginger. Serve with chips

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 120
Total Fat - 1g
Saturated Fat - 0.5g
Cholesterol - 5 mg
Sodium - 60mg

Want to lose an extra lb in 24 days with just one little change in your habits? Give up the full calorie soda...like Coke or Dr Pepper - they have around 140 cals for the 12 oz can! You will lose 1lb just by doing that...but if you want to lose more, check out one of our women only boot camps in the N. Dallas area!
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Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp

Brandies' experience with Texas Fit Chicks boot camp

My first 5 week session of boot camp was challenging and it was great! I came into the boot camp at fitness level 0 and talked my mom into joining as well. In high school I played every sport possible and was in great shape but after being out of school and out of athletics for 3 years, that shape went more circular (hey its a shape!) :). I remember looking at my mom our first monday of boot camp and seeing the what the heck have I gotten myself into look reflecting on both of our faces. Over the past 15 sessions, those looks are no longer there and we both enjoy coming to boot camp in the mornings. I was never uncomfortable about my size or my fitness level because Melody makes every exercise do-able for each person no matter what their fitness level, age, or size. I loved having Melody as a trainer, she is so much fun and so are the women in my class-they make it impossible to see working out as torture. After my last session, I lost 5lbs and 13 inches. I have already paid for my next 5 weeks and cant wait to see the results at the end! I would reccomend this boot camp to anyone and everyone! - Brandie W.
Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
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Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp for Women only

Tricks to Curb Hunger

Do you ever find yourself mindlessly eating? In the kitchen too often between meals...scrounging through the pantry? I have found a few tricks that help curb hunger when I've already had enough calories for the day...

Drink lots of water - Often times people confuse hunger for thirst. If I think I'm hungry, drinking a full glass of water before reaching for a snack many times does the trick. Most people don't drink enough water throughout the day. Adding lemon or fresh cucumber can make it more interesting if you need it!

Chew Gum - There are studies out there that indicate chewing gum can reduce the desire to snack....I like to chew cinammon gum (sugar free) and find that it really does do the trick!

Add Nuts to your diet - Unsalted/Unroasted nuts have protein and healthy fats which promote the feeling of being full. They take longer to digest, and if you have a glass of water w/ 12 raw almonds, it's a healthy snack that will keep you satisfied!

Make sure you are eating frequently throughout the day and not letting yourself get too hungry...keeping your blood sugar at a steady level so that you don't find yourself starving and reaching for the first thing you see! Ask yourself this question before you eat...Am I really hungry? It's amazing how many times people eat out of habit or boredom, without thinking about it.

Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
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Snacks that can Sabatoge your training

YOu work hard at boot camp, and want to spend the next 23 hrs of the day working towards your goal of weight loss. Some things that might sound like healthy choices but are hiding lots of sugar and might sabatoge your training....here are some examples:

Granola ~ Check the label. Depending on the brand, some granola can have as much as 30 grams of sugar per serving!!

Protein Bars ~ Another one that can sound OK but some have as much sugar as a candy bar! Be sure that yours has less than 7 grams.

Bagels ~ Some can have up to 390 calories and so many carbs that will eventually turn to sugar and stored as fat!

"Veggie Chips" ~ Basically potato chips with lots of salt, fat and not much fiber

Instead of choosing those for snacks during the day....try this instead:

Celery w/ Almond Butter ~ This is a great snack, 2 T of almond butter and 4 stalks of celery...really fills you up and is super healthy

2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites w/ Slice of Ezekiel Toast ~ Egg whites give you tons of protein, fill you up and are a low calorie snack!

Low Sugar Protein Bar ~ I don't (and won't) sell any type of supplement, but when I am at the store and choosing my protein bars, I always buy "Pure Protein" bars. Around 20g of protein and 3 g of sugar.

Apple w/ Handfull of Raw Almonds ~ Don't go for the roasted or salted kind...the extra sugar and sodium is something you don't need. The bulk raw almonds are the best, and the apple will give you more fiber!
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Another health benefit of boot camp

Not only will you change your physique with Texas Fit Chicks boot camp, you will also make your doctor happy! One of our boot camp clients visited with her cardiologist this past week, and he was so happy with what she is doing and how her health has improved! She is a young 62 year old, and is an inspiration to us all! Another reason to become a fit chick is for the health of your bones.

Throughout life, our body breaks down and removes old bone tissue - replacing it with new tissue. During childhood and teenage years, the body makes more bone than it takes away...but starting in our 20's production drops off. To help build and protect our bones, we need weight bearing exercise. We incorporate strength training with a sound cardio program during boot camp. It's important to also get your calcium and vitamin D....which is needed for the body to absorb the calcium. Don't smoke and limit alcohol as well.

I read a great quote this week that is so true..."Those who say they don't have time to exercise will have to find time for illness sooner or later".

Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp
http://www.texasfitchicks.com/
Click here to email for more info on a boot camp near you texasfitchick@gmail.com

Chunky Watermelon Salsa....

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

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

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!

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

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Pictures of some boot camp fun

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!

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

...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

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

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

http://www.texasfitchicks.com/

Ordinary Women....Extraordinary Results!

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!

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

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!

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

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

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


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


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


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

Click here for our website

Diets Don't work

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

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

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

Maintain - Don't Gain!

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

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

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

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

Maintain...Don't Gain

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