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Hi Everyone!

Check out my latest Lakeshore Weekly article!

WORKOUT SMARTER, NOT LONGER

This type of high interval training should be worked up to, but even beginners can modify to create their own intervals appropriate with their fitness level.

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A New Year, a new you.  We hear this statement a lot right around January 1st, along with the hype to lose weight or start an exercise program.  But what does that really mean, and doesn’t creating a new “you” just seem a little too daunting?

New Year’s resolutions are sadly often the first way we let ourselves down in a New Year. With lofty expectations for ourselves, we are quickly reminded when we revert back to our old ways that maybe it isn’t so easy to make this “new you” everyone has been talking about.

This year I challenge you to take some easy steps to keep your New Year’s Resolution for getting in shape and keeping up the progress beyond January.

When we work with our clients, we encourage them to look at a healthy lifestyle as a step-by-step goal that has some room for errors.  Remember that what separates the short term New Year’s Resolution group from the group that really follows through is your ability to rebound and get back on track despite hiccups.

Here are some simple steps to take in order to keep your resolution:
Hold yourself accountable with specific goals  It is really easy to say, “I want to lose 30 lbs.”, but there is a lot that falls in between you now and you minus 30 lbs.  Set weekly, if not daily, goals for yourself.   Keep a daily journal that not only records your mindset, but also what you did that day to bring you closer to your goal.  Seeing your effort in black and white will not only motivate you, but will also give you the kick in the pants you may need to keep it up.

Find a workout program you can truly fit into your current lifestyle
The fact of the matter remains that you are going to make sure you fulfill your work and family obligations before you fit in a workout.  You minus those 30 lbs. unemployed was not part of the goal, right?  Our Online Workouts can realistically fit into your schedule right now.

Dieting is for losers.
OK, I know that sounds a bit harsh.  But statistically “diets” don’t work.  If they do, they are short-term fixes that won’t get you the long-term results you are looking for. Commit to learning how food works with your body this year.  Think of it as research on fuel that you are putting in the most valuable piece of equipment you own–your body.  Track your nutrition on free websites such as www.sparkpeople.com orwww.fitday.com to see your results on paper and really learn the nutritional contents of what you are eating.  I promise you that this is an education that will pay off big-time.  We encourage our clients to eat clean 75% of the time.  This room for error allows you to be human, indulge every so often, and avoid the guilt.

Give yourself a “Mulligan”
Call it a “Mulligan”, call it a “Hall Pass”…but allow yourself to have it when you veer from your resolution.   This break will be just what you needed to refocus and get back to business without beating yourself up about it.

Take our “Red X” challenge.
Nothing looks better than when it is written in red.  Even teachers do it to say, “Good Job!” or “A!” in school.  We challenge you to buy a red marker and make a big “X” on the days you completed your exercise.  Shoot for 15 Red X’s in a month. Seeing this on your calendar will feel good, trust me.  Remember it takes 21 days to form a habit, and after that first month your “new you” will feel so good, you won’t want to go back to the 2011 you.

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Supersize Meals lead to Supersize Waists

One of the biggest indicators of a “good meal” often is not the ambience of a restaurant, the rare ingredients used or the popularity of the chef.  In fact, if you poll most people they would describe a good meal as one with overflowing portions.

These “Supersize” meals are leading to excess weight, heart disease and the inability for people to know when enough is enough.
When we put clients on our meal plan, one of the first questions we often get is “How much is a serving?”  We all know the Recommended Serving Suggestions or Food Pyramid, but what does that really mean in real terms.

Here are some “real life” comparisons you can make in order to eyeball your plate and know what to eat and when to stop:

• It is recommended that daily you consume 2-3 servings of lean meat.  A great way to measure this serving  is one serving on lean meat is about the size of a deck of cards or checkbook.
• For Whole Grains and Breads, the recommendation is about six servings.  One serving of bread would be one slice. Cup your hand and that is about one serving or rice or pasta.  For a bagel, imagine the size of a hockey puck for ½ bagel, which would equal one serving.
• Fruits and Vegetables are great choices and the combined recommendation is a whopping 9-10 servings per day.  One serving of fruit would be 1 small apple and 1 serving of vegetables would be the size of the bulb on a light bulb.  For berries and grapes, think of a handful for one serving.
• Dairy is important for bone health and the recommendation is 3 servings per day.  1 serving of milk or yogurt would be 1 cup and 1 serving of cheese would be the size of two 9-volt batteries.
• Finally, fats when chosen correctly are good such as nuts, olive oil and more.    Eat them sparingly, which is the recommendation.  So if you choose to eat some almonds, choose 10-15 in order to achieve one serving.

So how do you control yourself with these impressive Super-size servings? Still go to your favorite restaurant but when you order, immediately ask them to box up half of your meal for later and serve you the other half. Educate yourself on what proper servings are in order not to blow your clean eating initiative and make sure you are eating 5-6 mini meals per day instead of 2-3 large meals.

Finally, make a plan and write it down.  We often ask our clients to record a food diary—it is amazing how eye opening it is to see what you are eating and the quantities when it is in black and white.  Enjoy food but know when to say when.

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Secrets of a Fat-Burning Warrior

So you want to get ripped? In order to do so there are a few components that need to work together to lean out, build muscle and lose weight.  Believe it or not, this secret is more accessible than you think.

Here are som basic rules I have my clients adhere to that unlock the secret of a lean, ripped physique.

Eat Protein With Every Meal

While you are sitting there, reading this blog, your body is breaking down and building muscle.  I recommend my clients eat at least 1/2 g protein per lb. of body weight each day (so if you are 140 lbs., shoot for at least 70 g of protein).  Every time you eat at least 15 grams of protein, you are triggering muscle-building in your body.  And to reallyreally optimize this muscle building, eat at least 30 grams to make this last up to 3 hours after you eat!  So what has protein? I recommend my clients get their protein from lean meats such as chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, tofu and milk.  Looking for a quick 15 grams ofgrams of protein? Try eating the whites of 2 hard-boiled eggs.  Done and done.

Never, I mean Ever, Skip Breakfast

When you wake in the morning, your body awakes feeling deprived.  What you choose to feed it from the get-go is one of the most important decisions you will make all day. You need food to jump-start that metabolism — shifting calories to the a.m. puts a spark in your metabolism and gets the fat burning going for the day.  Amazingly, eating breakfast in the morning decreases your risk of obesity by 450 Percent!

I recommend my clients eat about 30 percent of their daily caloric intake in the morning.  Think of food as fuel and you are “fueling up” for the day. Choose “premium fuel” and match healthy carbs and protein together to make a breakfast that will give you energy and burn fat. 

So what does that look like?  Try 3 scrambled egg whites, a piece of whole grain toast and piece of fruit.

Don’t Skip That Post-Workout Meal

After your workout the clock starts ticking.  Research shows that eating a healthy mini-meal within 45 minutes after your workout ends helps stop the fat-storing effects of Cortisol as well as produces more stem cells, which help recovery and lean muscle growth. Remember, we want that muscle growth…lean muscle does all of the hard work for us–it burns fat for HOURS after your workout.  Building muscle takes more than a weight training session.  Nutrition is a key component to aide that growth and thse two in combination can spike your calorie burn for 39 HOURS after a weight training workout.

 To learn more about an easy meal plan to help you get ripped, please visit www.coreconditioningtraining.com

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It’s no secret that I am obsessed with Interval Training. I have been teaching this technique for many years and consider it the ultimate workout for busy people because you can truly get in amazing shape without spending hours in the gym.

Interval Training is defined as short, repeated bouts of intense exercise intermixed with minimal rest. I call it “mixing it up” in my classes and online workouts and you will find that you truly can burn major calories and get an all-over workout in less than 30 minutes!

Not only are there a lot of hard bodies in my classes to back this up, there is also a lot of new research that points to Interval Training as a key component of optimal fitness.

Recently Canadian researchers found that Interval Training increased muscle oxidative capacity by 50%, muscle glycogen by 50% and endurance capacity by 100%. The subjects in the study made these phenomenal improvements by exercising a mere 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week in 2 total weeks.

Interval training not only is a great cardiovascular exercise tool, but it also will help you build lean muscles that will give you toned shape you may be looking for. When you see people who are “cut”, chances are they are partaking in Interval Training and getting the results.

So how can you do interval training at home? The first rule to remember is that rest is minimal. I often use a timer in my Boot Camps and online workouts to keep people on track, and our “breaks” are never more than 10 seconds. Try doing a cardio exercise (i.e. Jumping Jacks, Jump Rope) for 50 seconds, followed by a 10 second rest. Quickly move on to 50 seconds of pushups, followed by another 10 second rest. Repeat this for 10 minutes and you will quickly get a real-life demonstration of Interval Training and it’s effectiveness.

For more Interval Training workouts, please feel free to stop by www.coreconditioningtraining.com and see what you’re missing!

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When people decide to embark on a weight loss program, one of the first things they decide to do is to drastically reduce what they eat and deprive themselves in order to reach their goal.

The problem with this approach is that it may yield short-term results, but not only will you feel awful and have no energy, but you will also put the weight back on as soon as you return to “real life”.

Here are some foods that will give you a bang for your buck and will make you feel like you are cheating on your diet…

Fat Free Cottage Cheese

Each serving of cottage cheese has almost 1/3 protein as a sirloin steak, none of the fat and as much calcium as a cup of milk.  Mix it with some fresh fruit and have an amazing, nutritious snack.

Fresh Grapes

1 cup of grapes contains only 60 calories, whereas a cup of raisins is a whopping 450 calories!  Opt for fresh fruit and enjoy a filling, sweet snack.

Quinoa  (pronounced “keen-wah”)

This has been touted as a ”super food” and when you see its stats, you know why!  A cup of cooked quinoa boasts 5 grams of fiber, protein and potassium.  Mix it in with stir fry, toss in a salad or add to soup and enjoy.

Tomatoes

95% of a tomato is water, so they are a great way to quench an appetite.  They are filling as well as high in Vitamin C and Vitamin A.  Mix fresh tomatoes into a salad, or make your own salsa with chunky tomatoes, onions and chili peppers.

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Do this experiment for a week…Try eating your meals and snacks only at the table instead of as you pass a countertop, or in front of the TV.  Eating while watching TV will usually always lead to overeating and then promptly followed by guilt.

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Beans are one of the best sources of protein, fiber and iron.

Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are:

• Navy beans
• White beans
• Kidney beans
• Lima beans

OATMEAL

Oatmeal is loaded with soluble fiber which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system.

The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavored. Avoid the temptation to select apples and cinnamon flavor and load it with butter and sugar — you really lose out on all the health benefits. If you must sweeten your bowl of oatmeal, do so by adding fruit.

OLIVE OIL

Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those “good fats”. In fact, it’s so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down.  It is rich in mono-saturated fat, which has outstanding health benefits.

One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85% of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.

WHOLE GRAINS

Our bodies needs carbohydrates, despite what the fad, temporarily working fad diets tell you.  Avoid  processed carbohydrates such as white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice and look for whole grains to reach your carbohydrate quota.

Whole Grain foods have not been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs.

LEAN MEATS

Search for lean meats such as Chicken (bakes, broiled, grilled), Fish and Turkey which are all high in protein.  I always recommend to my clients that they consume at least 1/2 gram protein per lb. of body weight each day, and a chicken breast gets you well on your way with approximately 22 grams of protein!