The Last Week of Boot Camp!

Thanks to everyone who participated in 80’s Day! It was a lot of fun and there are many more fun events coming soon! I know a lot of girls have gone on the El Morro Canyon Hike and it sounds like an intense, but still fun field trip we can do as a group.

So here we are at the last week of boot camp and it’s time to for you to bring your A-Game to Boot Camp and to eating well at home. Although, boot camp is a lot of fun…EVERYONE WANTS RESULTS! 

So if you didn’t do your best this past weekend, I suggest you start this week off right and carry that on for the rest of the week. Because our Final Weigh-In is this Saturday, February 28!

So…Eat Your Snacks, Drink Your Water, Do Your Cardio on your OFF Days and Follow your Nutrition Guidelines to a T!  

To Your Success,

Your Coach, Mark

80’s Day At Boot Camp!

Great job today! I know it was a tough workout but it’s going to pay off big time.

Just wanted to remind you about 80’s Day at Boot Camp this Friday, February, 20.

What does that mean?

It means were dressing 80’s, working out 80’s, and having fun 80’s style… 

Need some ideas? Watch this.

If you have any questions feel free to give me a call (877) 331-0622 or shoot me an email.

ALSO…

Homework is Due Tomorrow. Make sure you go over your food worksheet and cross off/add any foods you love and any you don’t.

See you tomorrow,

Your Coach, Mark 

Crystal Cove Hike!

Thanks to everyone who went for our hike at
Cystal Cove. It was a lot of fun and I know it
was nice to interact with your fellow campers
without gasping for breath…

Well except for that one ramp.

I’ve attached a couple photos to this post but
be sure to check out the rest at…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxbodyfitness

To Your Health and Fitness,

Your Coach, Mark

Are You A Runner?

When people are starting boot camp, they are often concerned about their lack of running ability.  They are worried about not being able to keep up with the group or becoming injured.  People often think that jumping into a program like boot camp will be too much for them. 

We are sure you have figured out by now that all of the workouts at boot camp are scalable to different ability levels.  But when it comes down to it, running is running.  Whether you are a fast runner or at the back of the pack, you have to put one leg in front of the other and keep on moving.  If you’re in the back now, don’t worry – you won’t stay there forever!

Some people are natural runners, so they may not find this post so helpful.  But for the rest of us, running isn’t so easy.  There is a lot that affects the way you run that doesn’t have anything to do with your legs.  The way you are breathing, what you are doing with your arms, and how you are holding your hands all have an impact on your running.

Here are a few things to remember when running:

1) Keep your shoulders relaxed.  If your shoulders are tense or shrugged, your whole body will follow suit.  It is much easier to run when your body is relaxed.
2) Don’t clench your fists!  You may notice yourself running with closed fists.  Open your hands and loosen up!
3) Remember to breathe.  Once you’re more comfortable with running you may want to try to match your breathing to your running stride, but in the beginning  just try to remember to breathe.  To start, try to remember to take deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. 

When you are running do you get a pain in your side or in your leg?  You are probably experiencing a side stitch or shin splints.  These are two ailments that are common with new runners.

A side stitch occurs from tension on the ligaments that attach the diaphragm to the organs below.  Shin splints are caused by an inflammation of the tendons connecting the muscle to the shin bone.  Check out these articles on the side stitch and shin splints to learn more.

Healthy McDonald’s?

Now I know McDonald’s might not be at the top
of our lists when it comes to healthy eating but
there are healthy options available…

So if you want to get your McDonald’s fix in,
try this…

Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich
and a bottle of water

Choosing this sandwich will save you 110 calories
and 10 grams of fat compared to the Premium
Crispy Classic Chicken Sandwich!

This meal provides lean protein and contributes to
your recommended daily water intake. The
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich is a grilled
chicken breast marinated in herbs, topped with a
slice of tomato, leaf lettuce and mayonnaise, all
on a toasted sesame seed bun.

To lighten it up even more, order your Chicken
McGrill without the mayonnaise and top it with
Newman’s Own Salsa instead. This change would
cut another 80 calories and 11 grams of fat from
your meal!

Calories 420
Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 3g
Carbohydrates 51g
Fiber 3g

A really tasty and convenient choice!

To Your Health and Fitness,

Your Coach, Mark

Your First Day of Boot Camp…

It’s the first day of February Boot Camp and during the month there are some important things to remember…

1)  It’s winter and it can be very cold at 6am and 6pm.  Please check the weather the night before camp and make sure you are dressed appropriately.  It is better to wear a lot of layers that you can take off, than to not wear enough and freeze to death.  Make sure you have gloves, a hat that covers your ears, thick socks and warm clothes.  Learning to layer your clothes is going to become very important, very quickly.

2)  We know that new shoes can be expensive.  But getting new shoes can help prevent injury.  You really should have a pair that is less than 1 year old, even if you haven’t worn them very much!  We don’t want you to throw away your money so take care of your shoes!  The grassy and muddy conditions at the park can be hard on your shoes…so clean them!

3)  It has been proven that people who write down what they eat on a daily basis lose more weight then those that do not.  So use those log books.  We are here to help you make good choices, but you have to take the first step of logging every thing that you eat.

4)  Please take care of yourself this month.  If you pull a muscle, do not stretch it (if you stretch, you are just adding more micro tears).  Relax and get ice on it ASAP.  And remember, RICE, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.  That’s right…it says REST!  Sometimes you may need to take a day or two to allow your injury to heal.  But this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t exercise at all.  If you twist your ankle and can’t run or jump, shoot me an email and I’ll come up with another fun and effective workout for you.

5)  It is important to remember that we don’t own the park!  Please be respectful of the parks and help to take care of them.  If you bring water bottles, gloves, towels, or anything to the park, they should leave with you!  Also be mindful of your surroundings.  There are many obstacles at the parks such as holes, rocks, sleeping people, dogs, etc…you get the point!  Keep your eyes open as you make your way through the parks.

6)  Mark your calendars now!

• The Crystal Cove Hike is Saturday, February 14. More Details to come.
• 80’s Day is Friday, February 20. Dress in your 80’s Gear!
• Bring a Friend Day is Wednesday, February 25, 2009.  More details to come.
• Final Weigh-Ins and Measurements are Saturday, February 28.
  

To Your Fitness Success,