Welcome December Boot Campers!!

Hey Boot Campers,

Welcome to the December Session!! I hope you all had a great Turkey Day!!!

How was your first workout AM Campers! As for you PM Campers, you can look forward to Forever 21’s with Coach Anna!

First, I wanted to Introduce Turbo-Kick to the Max with Coach Anna. Here are the Details…

Join us for Turbo Fire (High Intensity Interval Training) meets Cardio Kick boxing and Burn up to 1,000 calories per class!
What is Turbo Fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRGTuvoEgdA

Here are the dates for the Coed Cardio Kickboxing class…

Saturday, December 4th
Saturday, December 11th
Saturday, December 18th

NEW Time: 8:00-9:00am

Where: Max Body Studio, 19055 Bushard Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92646

Taught by Coach/Trainer: Anna Shaw, Turbo Kick Certified

Fee: $5 cash per person/per class

Classes will fill up fast so please let me know if you’d like a spot reserved!

Also, We’ve got some important dates to remember this month so here they are…

• The Fit for The Holidays Weight Loss Challenge Ends This Saturday, December 4! So CHALLENGERS, push yourselves this week and let’s see some big numbers!
• Regular Boot Camp Half-Way Weigh-Ins will be held next Saturday, December 11.
• Bring-A-Friend week is December 13-17.
• Regular Boot Camp 4-Week Weigh-Ins will be held December 20-24

Committed to Your Success,

Mark

MBBC Footage!!!

Here’s a little footage from yesterday’s boot camp…

 

MBBC Holiday Party!!!

Boot camp Holiday Party!

Join us for food, drinks, and a white elephant gift exchange!

The best part? NO TRX INVOLVED!!

WHEN: Saturday, December 18^th @6pm–??

WHERE: TBD

*Gift exchange optional, but it’s going to be fun 🙂

$20 limit on a “fun” gift of your choice

*Please feel free to bring your own drinks or finger foods to share.

Skinny margaritas and a few appetizers will be provided.

 

*RSVP by December 15^th please:

via email @ Kira.Sandifer@gmail.com

Phone/text @ 480-239-0955

Directions will be distributed ASAP!

Hope you can make it 🙂

 

9 Way To Help You Stay on Track this Holiday Season!

The Thanksgiving-to-New Year’s holiday season can be a fun time of celebrating with friends and family . . . but if you’re not careful, it can turn into a 5-week festival of overeating, too. Not only is this period associated with heavy winter comfort foods, but seasonal treats and big holiday meals can be a minefield for people trying to stick to a fitness plan. It’s no wonder so many people end up dieting in January just to make up for their recent excesses.

But as someone committed to gaining and maintaining a fit body, you should know that it is possible to enjoy the season without feeling deprived or looking like a party pooper. Follow these tips, and you can have a fun time and maintain your weight—or end up even leaner than before.

1. Forget the preemptive diet. A new British study found that lots of women crash-diet before the holidays in the expectation that they’ll overindulge during the season itself. But your goal should be to learn healthy eating habits that you can stick with over the long term, not to lose weight now just so you can gain it back later. That’s likely to lead to a yo-yo dieting cycle, which could lower your metabolism and make fat loss more difficult than ever. Instead, make the decision now that you’ll eat reasonable portions later (even on Thanksgiving), and you won’t have anything to make up for.
2. Stick to your workout program—or start one. Here’s another reason why you should: Exercise and eating right go hand in hand. When you’re working out, the food you eat goes toward energy and muscle, not fat. And you’ll naturally want to eat foods that fuel your body, instead of junk that detracts from your performance. And if you do indulge in occasional treats, your regular workouts will help prevent them from doing much damage.

Remember, you’re building a habit of fitness that will last you a lifetime. When better to work on it than the busiest period of the year? You’ll learn how to devote time to your own well-being every day, even when you have a lot of other things to do. And when your friends and family see you getting leaner and fitter while they’re poking new holes in their belts, you’ll be an amazing inspiration.

3. Be careful with comfort foods. When it’s cold outside, you may be tempted to cocoon indoors with hot, hearty meals and snacks. This isn’t necessarily a problem if you make fitness-friendly choices. But if lousy weather or a lack of sunshine makes you crave carb-heavy dishes, prepare them with healthier carbs such as root vegetables and whole grains, not macaroni or mashed-potato flakes. And make them part of a balanced meal, not the whole thing.
4. Moderate your treats. More than any other time of year, the holiday season is associated with lots of “special” foods—turkey and stuffing, pumpkin pie, candied yams, green-bean casserole, latkes, Christmas cookies, etc. Some of these would put you way off your food plan, even if you managed not to stuff yourself the way so many people do. But others are just fine when eaten in moderation, or can be made much healthier—in fact, you couldn’t do much better than a meal of turkey, baked yams, and fresh green beans.
5. Plan ahead for parties. Cocktail parties can be the downfall of any food plan, but they don’t have to be. First, if you’re expecting to be served treats or hors d’oeuvres instead of healthful food, have a protein-rich snack before you go. It’ll prevent you from gobbling up appetizers or sweets out of sheer hunger, and will help keep your blood sugar steady even if you do have a few cookies or crab puffs. If there’s a buffet, watch your portions carefully; it’s easy to pile on the food, especially if there are a lot of choices you want to try. And if it’s a potluck, bring along a dish that’s both tasty and healthful—it’ll guarantee there’s something good for you to eat, and others will probably appreciate it, too.
6. Don’t stress out. A recent study at the University of California, San Francisco, confirms what you already know: You’re more likely to eat high-calorie comfort foods when you’re under chronic stress. And the holidays can be a perfect storm of stressful conditions and sweet treat availability.

You probably can’t avoid the annoyances that come with too little time or money, holiday crowds, or lengthy family get-togethers, but you can keep them from getting you down. If you’re working out regularly, you already have a leg up on the average person, because exercise helps reduce tension and create an upbeat mood. Help yourself even more by doing something relaxing for a few minutes each day, whether it’s yoga, meditation, or simply listening to calming music. And if you do start feeling stressed, stop for a few seconds and take slow, deep breaths instead of reaching for an extra snack.

7. Don’t abuse the booze. Yes, a glass of wine or champagne can be a nice way to celebrate the season, and it’s pretty much obligatory on New Year’s Eve. But too much drinking has all kinds of negative effects: extra calories (which your body will burn while storing carbohydrates), lowered inhibitions (which can lead to overeating, or behavior that will require an apology later on), and a feeling of sluggishness or worse the next day that can derail your fitness plan. As long as you’re an adult and don’t have problems with alcohol, an occasional drink or two is fine—but if your cheeks get as red as Santa’s regularly, eventually your belly will resemble his, too.
8. Avoid the food-gift trap. You could stay away from heavy sweets all year and still find it hard to resist grandma’s special fudge, even if the box contains 2 full days’ worth of calories and enough sugar to fuel an army of hummingbirds. So what should you do with food gifts? Store-bought baskets of fatty sausages and “cheese food” are fine to regift (or donate to a food bank), but homemade goodies are trickier. You’ll have to be polite and enjoy a little, preferably in the giver’s presence. Leave the rest out for the family to share, or bring it to work (where it’ll probably be devoured quickly). If it’s a treat you really love, divide it into small pieces and freeze them in individual baggies, so you won’t be tempted to eat it all at once.
9. Give yourself a break. If you do overindulge at some point, don’t beat yourself up about it, or decide to give up entirely and start over in January. As long as you have a consistent fitness program, you’re unlikely to lose the progress you’ve made. Just Keep Pushing Play every day, go back to your food plan, and look forward to your healthiest holidays ever.

By Ben Kallen of Beach Body

 

Easy & Yummy Taco Soup… or is it chili?

It’s November and although some days have been a little “chillier” than others, we still have lots of sunshine which isn’t a bad thing at all 🙂  However, on those colder mornings, do you ever think a nice bowl of Soup would be really hit the spot for dinner tonight? This recipe that a boot camper passed along to me sounds really good. She’s tried it a couple times, and says that the next day some of the liquid has absorbed so it’s more like a chili, which is actually a good thing. You can pour a big spoonful over some brown rice, use as a taco filling in a whole wheat wrap, or even as a topping on some home-made baked chips. Dice up some healthy avocado, light shredded cheese and have a delicious dish in no time at all. Give it a try…you can make it ahead of time so dinner is waiting for you when you get home, it freezes well, and is packed w/ great things like protein, fiber and let’s not forget flavor!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground lean turkey or lean beef 93-95% lean
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 (1 oz.) package hidden valley ranch dressing mix
• 1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning Mix
• 2 (160z) cans beans (black bean, chili, pinto or kidney-low sodium if available)
• 1 (16 oz) can whole kernel corn (frozen okay to use to)
• 1 (8 oz) can Mexican-style tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz) can diced tomatoes (any flavor)
• **if you don’t have can’s of stewed tomatoes or corn on hand, you can always throw a jar of chunky salsa in there 🙂

How to make it:

• Brown meat & onions and drain.
• Mix Ranch & Taco seasonings into meat.
• Add rest of ingredients, undrained to mixture.
• Simmer 1 hour

Enjoy!!

Why We BOOTCAMP!!!

Whether yesterday was a rest day for you, or found you charging through the park in these lovely cooler temps, let’s just take a moment to reflect on why we’re all busting our booties at boot camp.  Sure, we all know the basic reason that people start a diet and exercise program – the #1 reason people change their life style is to lose weight, or nip small gains in the bud. But there are so, so many other amazing benefits that come from living an active lifestyle that don’t have anything to do with the numbers on a scale or how your clothes fit.   Let’s go through the basic 7:

1) Exercise improves your mood – Exercise stimulates chemicals in the brain which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.  And when you’re happy and relaxed, the world’s just a better place, right? Don’t worry about readingThe Secret, just go lace up your tennis shoes.

2) Exercise combats chronic diseases – Exercise can help you manage high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and regular physical activity can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

3) Exercise helps you manage your weight – This one is pretty self explanatory…the more calories you burn, the easier it is to manage your weight.  But do not forget – more exercise DOES NOT equal more snickers snackers.

4) Exercise promotes better sleep – A boost in activity can provide a better night sleep, which is good for not only you, but all those around you….especially if you wake up at 5am!

5) Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs – Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently.  Big deal? Heck yea! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy. Like….

6) Helloooooo Mattress Gymnastics!  Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life – Exercise improves circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. Woohoo!!

7) Boot Campers can all attest to this one! Exercise can be (GASP!) fun – Whether it’s bear walking all over a park, hula hooping in your backyard or hiking with your kids, exercise can be a fun group or family activity.

So take a moment to put yourself on the back for being a hardcore bootcamper!! And on those days you need a little extra motivation to get out to the parks, play this on repeat: “I am a Boot Camper.”  A Study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Activity found that people are more likely to engage in longer bouts of exercise if they see physical activity as a core part of their identity.  So you don’t see yourself attached to a couch or work chair, do you?! NO WAY! Let us know what you work in day to day, aside from bootcamp, to make sure you’re staying active!

Have a great Monday!

Mark

HAVE  YOUR BAKE AND ZITI TOO

Craving pasta? Don’t give in and order take-out! Some of those dishes can have up to 1000 calories and 50 grams of fat…no thanks! I found this recipe on Hungry-Girl.com. You can even add some extra lean ground turkey breast to add a little protein… much lighter in calories but not in the flavor department 🙂 Ingredients: 5 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) uncooked whole-wheat or high-fiber ziti or penne pasta 1 cup thinly sliced onion 2 cups chopped brown mushrooms 1 tbsp. chopped garlic 2 cups fresh spinach 3/4 cup low-fat/light ricotta cheese 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided 2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain well, place in a large bowl, and set aside. Meanwhile, bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and raise temperature to medium high. Continue to cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes. Add spinach to the skillet and, stirring often, cook until spinach has wilted and excess moisture has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ricotta cheese and basil. Transfer contents of the skillet to the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add tomatoes and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Toss gently to mix. Spray an 8″ X 8″ baking pan with nonstick spray, and carefully fill with contents of the bowl. Evenly top with Parm-style topping and remaining 2 tbsp. mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven until entire dish is hot and cheese on top has melted, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, and then serve and enjoy! MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe Calories: 286 Fat: 7g Sodium: 455mg Carbs: 41g Fiber: 5g Sugars: 7g Protein: 16.5g Enjoy! From Hungry-girl.com

A new spin on veggie burgers!

A boot camper passed this recipe on to me and it sounded like something some of you might enjoy 🙂 We all know that black beans and brown rice are two healthy food choices. How about creating delicious veggie burgers using both these high fiber, nutrient dense ingredients?

15 oz can black beans (250 g cooked from dry)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 T taco or chili seasoning
4 T salsa

1. Mash beans. Add remaining ingredients.

2. Let sit in fridge for 30 minutes (sometimes over night to firm up which is recommended).

3. Form into 8 patties. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes a side.

Makes 4 (2 patty) servings, each with 159.7 calories, 0.8 g fat, 29.7 g carbs (6.8 g fiber), 8.6 g protein

Enjoy!

See you at boot camp 🙂

5 Smart Snacking Tips

Hey  Boot campers, we’re halfway through our Fit for the Holidays Challenge already! I know many of you are doing your best and making great choices at meals and snacks times. Sometimes though, we need a little variety.  Are you getting bored with that apple and string cheese you eat as one of your snacks ever day? Snacks don’t have to be boring. It’s time to mix it up! Snack smart and you will feel much more satisfied until your next meal.

Here are 5 Smart Snacking Tips to Help You Slim Down…

1) Stop Constant Cravings: Are you craving something sweet or salty? It’s okay to have a little bit, but don’t over indulge. A great way to control your portions is by eating a 100-calorie pack. You will get a little of that salty or sweet treat you are craving without going crazy. Eat the 100-calorie pack with a piece of fruit or a lean protein (rolled up deli-style turkey) to round out your snack and fill you up. Make your own 100 calorie ready packs with your favorite nuts, seeds or a little bit of dried fruit (watch the sugar content).

2) Avoid Liquid Calories: I am aware that people in the Max Body community like to indulge in the adult beverages every once in a while. But on a daily basis, you should think about the calories you are drinking. If you drink regular soda, juice, Gatorade, or most of the vitamin infused waters, you are drinking a lot of calories. Switch these out for plain old water or even there diet alternatives.

3) Prepare For Snack Attacks: If you are following the Max Body Fitness Eating for Fat Loss Nutrition Plan then you know you should eat 5 – 6 smaller meals a day. Most of us have gotten pretty good with this, but sometimes, life just gets in the way. So be prepared. Make sure you always have a zone bar, mixed nuts, or some other healthy snack with you so you can avoid grabbing whatever is available.

4) Think Baked, Not Fried: Having chicken with your snack? Eat baked or grilled chicken. Want to indulge and have some chips? Eat baked chips (But only once in a while). You get the point…stay away from ALL fried foods.
5) Nutritious Nibbles: Mix up your snacks by eating fresh veggies and hummus, trying new foods, eating greek yogurt, hardboiled egg or an apple with peanut butter.

If you have any questions nutrition questions be sure to shoot me an email at mark@hbpersonaltrainer.com and I’ll be sure get back to you as soon as I can.

To Your Fitness Success,

Your Coach, Mark