Breakfast on the Go

When I initially meet with clients and discuss their daily food intake, breakfast is one meal that usually falls by the wayside. Excuses are they got up late, had to get the kids ready or just did not think about it. Breakfast is the one meal that should not be missed. Here are some reasons why you should eat breakfast:

• When you wake up, your body has not consumed food since (preferably) two hours prior to going to sleep. During sleep, your body is on its longest stretch of the day without food, still functioning and using energy (calories). When you continue this stretch of time without eating, your body responds by diminishing its metabolic rate and burning fewer calories to conserve energy. By eating breakfast, you jump start your metabolism for the day.
• Research has shown repeatedly that when people eat breakfast, you have a better chance of losing weight and keeping it off. When you skip meals, you get really hungry and make poor choices for your next meal because you want to eat anything in sight.
• When you eat breakfast, you are more focused and alert. Eating breakfast helps improve memory and positively affects tasks that require your attention.

Here are some on-the-go breakfast ideas:

1. Precooked hard-boiled egg whites
   
2. Celery sticks with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter
3. Single serving of yogurt or cottage cheese
4. Fresh fruit
5. Whole wheat toast or multi-grain English muffin with low-fat cheese
6. Precooked turkey bacon

The main point is to eat something to avoid slowing your metabolism down and overeating later in your day!

Success Comes From Support

Do you have a friend that shares your goals and desire to get healthy? You may have differing specific goals, for example she or he wants to gain muscle definition and you need to focus on weight loss. Regardless of what your differing specific goals are, you both want to get healthy, which is most important. All plans to get fit and healthy should include making smarter food choices, cardiovascular exercise and strength training. You can do it together! You are more likely to be successful when you have someone to support you through the journey. Working out with someone else makes you less likely to blow off the hard work. Surrounding yourself with people who support your goals will inspire you to eat right, exercise consistently and stay motivated. Ok, maybe you do not have similar schedules and cannot work out together, you can still talk about your body transformation journey with the triumphs and frustrations that come your way. This will also help you stay motivated. When you go out to eat, dine with that person so you will stay accountable to each other. If you are tempted by foods, you can decide together what are the healthiest options.
You should also tell other people that are closest to you what your goals are. Those that truly care and love you will be supportive and help you along the way. You are not alone.
Even if you do not have people in your life that would make good partners, role models or fans, there are people out there that want to make the same choices as you. Seek them out by networking with co-workers, church members and neighbors. Maybe someone wants to hire a trainer but does not want to do it alone. That would be a perfect opportunity to connect with that person if you share a similar desire. If you surround yourself with people who support you and want to see you succeed, chances are you will.

You Are So Worth It!

Change is uncomfortable and sometimes painful. It requires some struggle, but is so worth the effort. Every time you push yourself physically, you grow stronger and more confident in your abilities. It becomes easier each time, but you have to try. If you don't try, how will you know? You have to have faith in yourself to know you can achieve anything you put your mind to. You are so worth it!
There are many reasons that prospective clients hire me. It could be that they want to lose weight, strengthen their body for everyday movement, develop their core muscles or have visible muscle tone without flexing. The range varies, but the number one issue that most people need help with is the motivation to push them to the level they are seeking. Getting people on track is what I do, but the desire to change has to come from within.
When one struggles with change, there could be a myriad of reasons but two that have a very strong presence is fear and doubt. These feeling are very crippling psychologically, which limits abilities. For example, if you want to lose weight and have gone through the motions of starting, stopping and starting again you should stop and ask yourself, "What is really holding me back?"
Once you uncover your reasons, start the process of positive self-talks and know you can achieve change. Your thoughts are very powerful and drive you to action. If changing your body to be what you want has been a struggle so far in life, know that you can take that step. It starts from within because you are so worth it!

Why Bodyweight Exercises?

Bodyweight exercises are the ultimate challenge for functional strength and I create a means for all of my clients to perform several of them during a session. Some examples are push ups, pull ups, dips, squats, walking lunges, split squats and mountain climbers, to name a few. Everyone has varying strengths and capabilities so I program what works for each individual to challenge them.
A few weeks ago I started a client and she stated, "My ultimate goal is to be able to do a pull up." This was interesting because the common goal is to lose weight, increase energy or move better. If you think about it, you perform bodyweight exercises everyday. You carry your body weight as you walk, get in and out of a car, walk up a flight of stairs and stand up from a chair or commode. If your body weight has increased and you are finding it harder to walk the flight of stairs, get in and out of the car or get up from a chair, it is so important to strengthen the muscles that functionally move you. That is why I challenge all of my clients, no matter what level they are to move their body weight. What also strengthens during these exercises is the core. This area of the body has to be strong to keep you balanced and maintain a strong spine. (I am keeping this short and simple) You walk taller and are lighter on your feet when your core is strong. The same client that had the goal of doing a pull up, stated she was more mindful of pulling her tummy in (engaging the core) and felt more balanced going up stairs. This was after two weeks of sessions. Another client stated that after a week, she was able to stand from sitting with greater ease.
The reason I teach the proper form of bodyweight exercises is because you can do them anywhere and anytime. No equipment required . . just you. The hope is that my clients are performing these exercises on their own for continued strength development to maintain the fit individuals they have become or will become.

Taking Control During the Holidays

Last weekend I had an at-home dinner with girlfriends that always provide excellent company. The hostess is a dynamic and wonderful chef who loves to create delectable cuisine and serve you. Everything was delicious, as expected, but as I think about my experience in that setting and how most folks will sit down next week for Thanksgiving with a similar setting, I felt the need to chat about it.

During our dinner, we had wonderful conversation and how I felt after the meal was important to discuss. I was very full and slightly miserable because I know I overate. This is very common for people when they dine out or during upcoming holiday gatherings and dinners for Thanksgiving and through the New Year. I found myself talking, drinking, eating and talking then sipping and picking. I call this mindless consumption. All courses were served, so I did not control my portions. Although I left food on my plate (which was ingrained in me as sacrilegious), I still ate more than I should because I do not like to waste food (especially during these times).

As you sit down to eat during the holidays, it will bring feelings of joy to be with family and friends, but it can also bring anxiety. This is because you may be surrounded by unhealthy food choices and you fear you will indulge and overeat. This is very common for those that are currently trying to lose weight and have the goal in the back of their mind that they need to start after the holidays. If you are trying to lose weight, you want to start by adopting the following habits TODAY. You can avoid letting your fears turn in self-fulfilling prophecies.

• Before going to parties or large sit down meals, drink at least 16 ounces of water. This will fill you and your desire to eat as much will be reduced.
• Watch your food portions during these events. If someone offers to serve your food, politely decline. They probably will not have an idea that you want to lose weight and will not be mindful for you. YOU have to take charge of your weight loss, starting with smaller portions. If you cannot serve yourself, do not feel obligated to eat everything on your plate.
• If you are at a party and they have large and small plates, use the smaller plate.
• When you are done with your food, put your napkin in the plate or remove the plate, so that you will not feel the urge to eat more than you need to.
• If there are multiple desserts, choose one. You should have a serving that allows a taste but not consumption of too much. Remember to serve yourself rather than letting someone serve you, if possible.
• Finally, instead of lounging and letting the food sit while digesting, it would be optimal to let it digest with a nice 15 minute walk with your family or friends. Every person's setting will vary, but it would be something to consider to get your body moving.
  

The bottom line is that you have to control you, as no one else will. You will probably go to dinners and holiday gatherings for the rest of your life faced with the same temptations. Do you hide from them? No, you face them and succeed. Don't wait to start after this New Year. Start your journey to a healthier you today!

Eating Healthy on a Tight Budget

Let's face it, we are in tough economic times. One may think that eating healthy is a challenge to your expenses, but I am as frugal as they come and look to cut corners all the time. There are options for fresh food items and ideas to keep your refrigerator and freezer full without breaking the bank. Here are some suggestions:

Use your local Garden Farm Market for a lower cost on fresh fruits and colorful vegetables. You can also buy yams and sweet potatoes, which are a great source of fiber and vitamin A.

In the supermarket, you can purchase store brand brown rice for a whole grain and canned beans as another source of fiber and protein. Frozen fruits and store brand frozen vegetables are also very economical in lieu of fresh options. When buying meats, stock up when your favorite choices go on sale!

Finally, you can use the wholesale clubs for one stop bulk shopping. Many think since they do not have a big family, the food would go to waste. I buy for my family of two and I eat more than my husband. If you live independently, share the cost with a friend! With bulk shopping, you can save tremendously on meats. I buy chicken, fish and beef and definitely seen a difference in my food bill. The key is taking the time to portion the food for your freezer. When you are ready to cook, you take out what is needed. There are also fresh fruits and vegetables at the wholesale clubs. This would be a good option to share the cost if you live independently. Eating healthy on a tight budget is possible!

The Effects of Hard Work

Whatever your goal is, exercise and changing your eating habits takes hard work and discipline. You may want to lose weight or tone up your arms to wear sexy tops or strengthen your body to be able to perform everyday functional tasks with ease. I enjoy when I see my clients doing the work that will help them reach their goals. Most people do no have a clue as to how strong they are or what their potential is. Workouts are supposed to be challenging and I regularly push my clients to their limits so they will realize their true potential. Just this week, I challenged a client to do body weight dips because I knew she was ready. She watched me demonstrate and then the doubt appeared in her face and in her comment. "Not sure I can do that." My job is to instill confidence in my clients so they can reach higher and do better. This creates results not only physically but mentally, as well. Once she got into position to do the exercise and executed a few reps, I heard, "Wow, I did not think I could do that. It was hard, but I did it." She was so empowered that she executed the exercise. Empowerment is an element that will be reflected in other areas of her life. The effects of Hard Work are amazing.