Monthly Archives: May 2011
Memorial Day = Fat Day? NO!
When someone has been really training hard and dieting, a day like Memorial Day can be as scary as a horror flick. No matter how great you’ve been all week long, one bad meal can blow the whole week. BUT Memorial Day can be one of the healthiest holidays of the year if you want it to be.
Think about it. Valentine’s Day is normally a fancy dinner out with high-cal gourmet foods and wine, Mother’s Day is often a buffet lunch after church, Thanksgiving is the biggest meal of the year with the most side dishes and desserts, and Christmastime is filled sweet treats. What makes Memorial Day have the advantage? It’s a grilling day!
Many other holidays are filled with casseroles and complicated recipes but Memorial Day is all about being simple. Grill up some meat and add a couple of simple side dishes and you are good to go!
Also, while many holidays are normally centered on laziness and food, Memorial Day is an active fun day. It’s a day that is normally filled with beach parties, parades, pool parties, boating, going to the park and just enjoying the great outdoors.
Cut calories on your Memorial Day:
1.) Grill white meat. Skip the steaks, grill marinated turkey, chicken or fish to get the most protein with the fewest calories and fat.
2.) Keep sides simple, using whole foods. Make skewers with green pepper, onion, mushroom, pineapple and tomato. Grill asparagus or corn, and throw in a simple salad.
3.) Make fruits and veggies your finger food. Trade chips for carrots, celery, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and cauliflower, and spice it up with a nice greek yogurt dip or hummus. Fresh fruit always is refreshing on a hot summer day too. If you MUST have some salty snacks, throw in a few pretzel thins and nuts – but leave the chips at the grocery store because if you buy them, they WILL be eaten!
4.) Don’t drink your calories. There are a lot of misconceptions about alcoholic beverages. Just know that 1gm of alcohol has 7 calories, compared to a carbohydrate or a gram of protein having 4 calories per gram. It is VERY easy to consume a LOT of calories when you drink, so be wise. If you want to have a drink in your hand most of the day, choose a sipper – like a glass of Merlot. Avoid beer on a hot day because you will likely drink a lot of it because it’s cold and “refreshing”. Instead, drink a TON of water or sparkling water with lime. If you plan on drinking something special, drink one water for every beer or soda you drink to help you stay hydrated and to help cut calories.
5.) Keep a tally. If you haven’t been dieting – you can skip this step. BUT if you’ve been dieting hard and training even harder – this step is a MUST. Keep a tally on your calories to help you hold yourself accountable. If you don’t, you’ll likely eat twice as much. Look at labels, look up calories on your iphone and keep a running total for the day. You’ll be amazed how much this helps keep your eating under control.
6.) Eat first. So you have no control over what you will be around because you are going to someone else’s house? I have an easy answer – EAT! Yep, you hear right – eat or have a big protein shake before you go to their house. You’ll be much less likely to eat their garbage and you’ll be less focused on food.
7.) Don’t feel sorry for yourself. If you are at a party and you see everyone else eating and drinking whatever they want, don’t feel sorry for yourself. Instead, realize everyone is looking at your discipline in admiration. They see a determined, focused and controlled person. If people would be honest, most of the people around you would probably admit they envy your dedication. Remember, you never know who YOU’LL inspire. Stay focused and don’t give in like anyone else. You aren’t just anyone other Joe-Schmo! You are a success story in the making! And when you reach your goal and get that rockin’ body, I don’t think anyone will be feeling sorry for you then – and they’ll remember the time you stuck with your guns on Memorial Day. (and you’ll be hoping the next holiday party is a pool party so you can show off your new hot bod!) :)
Happy Memorial Day Everyone!
Sharing our Workouts with YOU!
Many of you already know we have put together special boot camp workouts for FitStudio, which is powered by the number one fitness retailer in the nation – SEARS! Yep! You heard right! Now you don’t have to live in Florida to do our BCx Boot Camp. You can join the FitStudio community and workout with us there!
And just to make it even MORE FUN! We decided to share bonus workouts and tips with you on our BCx Blog (which you can view by clicking on the links the the RSS feed on the right). On our BCx Blog we’ll post our own workouts, workouts from BCx Club (our INTENSE BCx workouts) and other fun exercises you can add to your own routine. All-in-All, everything on the BCx Blog will be focused on workouts. No diet talk, no blogging about nothing – just pure fitness, pure sweat, pure workouts! ENJOY!
You CAN be Fat AND Fit, but why?
Yes, you heard right! I said you can be FAT and FIT. Seems like an oxymoron, but the reality is you don’t have to be 10% body fat to be “fit”. Truth be told, there are some super unhealthy fit “looking” people. Many doctors would even consider many people very healthy that the fitness industry would label “fat”.
I remember when my sister (right) did her body composition on our InBody machine. It said she didn’tneed to lose any fat. She was like, “clearly, I’m fat. I don’t understand.” I explained that the machine was saying she was a healthy teenager, not a fitness competitor. She wanted to be leaner but the machine said she was perfect when it came to her health. We sometimes focus so much on how we look, we really forget about all the rest.
When most people join a gym or start working out, they normally are wanting to lose weight. Honestly, most people are more upset about how their jeans fit than what their blood pressure is. America is so focused on looks, other life-saving benefits end up taking a backseat to what you see in the mirror. However, you don’t have to be skinny to be fit – and when people start working out, they start getting fit even if they don’t see it in the mirror or on a scale yet.
Look at UFC Fighter “Big Country” Roy Nelson (left).
He looks like he sits on the couch and drinks beer all day, but that boy has some serious power and endurance – and could outlast me any day. Of course, he’d probably benefit from losing a few pounds himself, but I bet he has an athlete’s heart and would surprise you in the gym.
Sure, carrying body fat around isn’t good for you, but if you are working out every day, you are likely pretty healthy. We have plenty of members who workout like crazy people and could outrun me any day, but they just eat too many calories. They may even eat healthy, but they just aren’t focused on weight loss or they aren’t ready to make that next step.
BUT WHY?
Here’s my big BUT (not my big BUTT!): If you are going to put all that time and energy into working out and sculpting awesome muscle under that layer of body fat, WHY hide it?!
Carrying around that layer of body fat is like detailing your HOT and SEXY exotic sports car and putting a cover on it! What a waste! If you’ve been working out, but you still are carrying too much fat, you probably have some amazing lines underneath that bumpy frumpy fat. Don’t you want all that hard work to show?
Of course Big Country’s goals are not to be a fitness model, and his focus is TOTally different than most of America’s, but for the average person – we want to BE fit and LOOK as fit as we feel. I don’t think Big Country has all that much to prove. And if you don’t like it, he’ll kick your butt anyway. haha 
OK, so if you say no, I don’t care about how I look – I understand. Not EVERYone is as vain as me. Not everyone works out for the same reason, BUT if you’ve been training hard and complaining about your love handles, you probably know in your heart you should be working on your diet as hard as you’ve been working on your training.
It’s TIME for CHANGE!
Let’s turn it up! Hit the grocery store this weekend and get all the yummy healthy foods you need to take your diet to the next level. Try cutting back your calories for just 4-6 weeks and see what your body will do! I bet you surprise yourself!!
Look at Julie! This was her before and after from boot camp. Look what your body can do in just 6 weeks. It’s a small commitment for a HUGE reward! GET-R-DONE!
DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my blog if you want more tips and inspiration! Also, if you like what you are reading, be sure to share!
Boot Camp: Fear, Tears, & Victory
If you have ever thought of doing a boot camp program where you live, this is a great inside look into a “newbie’s” experience. Common fears, thoughts, feelings (both mental and physical) and the victories discovered along the way. I recently got an email from one of out new boot campers and it touched us so much, we had to share. I hope it encourages you to try something new and go outside your own comfort zone so you too can have a story to share.
Dear Bonnie, Steve & Paula:
“Boot camp is over and I’ve got all kinds of thoughts and feelings about that – mostly gratitude. I have no doubt that you’ve each received hundreds of ‘thank you’ notes from those whose lives you touched and … here’s another one!
Thank You! What an amazing ride this has been! You are each extraordinary & amazing leaders! You put the breath back in my body! You got my heart pumping again and I feel alive! Now don’t get me wrong … I give myself full credit for finding you and falling at your feet but you helped me find the strength to stand and run! Astonishing!
I have to share a few highlights from my journey:
I’ve lived in the area for about 2 years and everyone I’ve met so far either doesn’t exercise or they have a home gym of some sort so I was lucky to find you on the internet. As with most people’s stories I reached that point when I had to make a change in my life – fast. For me that day was April 9, 2011. Time was on my side because a new boot camp was scheduled to start on April 18th.
MapQuest directed me to your door and I marched in and slapped my deposit check on the counter and then quickly marched right back out before I talked myself out of it. I held my breath until the 18th.
Day 1, Orientation:
I opened your front door and it was standing room only. It seemed that everyone knew at least one other person and the whole place was loud with chatter. I suddenly felt like I was the only one who had no clue about what they were supposed to do. (I’m 5 feet tall so it’s pretty easy to get lost in a crowd.) I’ll never forget what happened next … through the sea of rear-ends and elbows this gorgeous face appeared with a smile that lit up the shadow I was standing in. Bonnie, you greeted me like a VIP!
I seriously thought there was a case of mistaken identity for a second and then I realized you really are just that cool.
The way you spotted me in the pack and talked directly to me. You didn’t keep looking all around the room – you looked right at me until you were sure I understood what the agenda was. And then you gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. I felt like your personal guest and I knew I was in the right place. Thank you Bonnie!
We all crammed into the boot camp room and I met Steve and Paula for the first time. Steve immediately began shouting commands … line up, arms out … hold them up! The room was really crowded and somehow I got pushed right up to the front row – so close to Steve his breath moved my hair when he bellowed. There is actually a picture of this intense moment on the boot camp bulletin board (I’m the first one in the ‘Live United’ t-shirt & glasses). Still holding our arms up and keeping them up I felt my eyes puddle.
Yep, I shed my first tear within the very first 3 minutes of boot camp. Why? Because that was the moment I really realized the terrible shape I was in and that this was going to hurt. How did I let myself get like this?!
Day 3
Steve makes me laugh so hard my ‘sip of water’ came out of my nose! Just when I was beginning to take myself too seriously and get far too focused on the struggle – Steve cracked jokes – hilarious! It was the perfect diversion. Thank you Steve! (pictured right wearing a wig in another boot camp class)
Day 4
Paula makes me cry. Those f-ing burpees! (Please pardon my implied profanity. Sometimes there is just no better word.) This was a real breakthrough for me. I was coming in waaay last on everything and getting really frustrated. This particular time everyone was finished, taking a breather and drinking some water but I still had 10 more burpees to do – now with a full audience.
I thought my sweat hid my tears but Paula was dialed in. She stood right by me and said, “I want everyone to cry! That tells me you care! That tells me you really want this!”
Then she intuitively knew exactly how to motivate me … she announced, “These burpees are kicking her butt – but look at her form! These are perfect burpees! Good job Lis!” Suddenly I was no longer ashamed of coming in last – I was showing off! And the way she said my name – no ‘a’ just like family – really made me hear her. Thank you Paula!
Day 6, Saturday Yoga with Steve:
I’ve never watched a man get into a yoga pose and demonstrate tremendous flexibility, balance and strength while articulately explaining the how and why of the posture and throw in off-the-wall humor at the same time.
So instead of coming off like some ego maniac demonstrating an impossible act, he made a very difficult posture seem like any goof ball could try it.
And I did. And I was amazed by what I could do. Steve walked around the room helping us make corrections or adjustments and as he passed by me he put one finger on my shoulder and said, “nice job”. It was the last day of the first week and I had no strength left but that atta-girl made me want to work twice as hard. Thank you Steve!
I could barely walk that first week. I wore a baseball cap to work everyday because I could not lift the hairdryer.
I went home early from work twice and just called in sick all together that first Friday. It was the most physically challenging, painful, wonderful and rewarding week of my life! I’ve never hurt so much but been so proud of myself at the same time! I just completed week 4 but it didn’t seem like anything compared to week 1. (You told me so!)
Paula has this amazing ability to make time fly … like when we’re making a chair on the wall or holding plank … legs on fire, can’t breathe, she’ll start dancing around the room and make crazy faces at everyone which always made me laugh which forced me to breathe. Or she does lines from movies and we have to guess who it is. Or music trivia – rock & roll of course! Next thing you know 1 minute has passed or even 2!
Paula you pushed me further than I ever dreamed I could go. You showed me where I needed to improve or pick up the pace and you ALWAYS pointed out when I was good at something. You motivated each of us uniquely – like a tailored fit. By the 2nd week I realized that everyday I just wanted to make YOU proud and I ended up proud of me. Thank you Paula! I just wish you had been my algebra teacher in high school. I might have figured that stuff out too.
I also need to thank Andy at the front for always being so helpful and hospitable. He is a wonderful compliment to the work you do there – really special. Most of us could be his mother but he didn’t discriminate. Many times our squad would be running a warm up lap in the front parking lot at 5:30 AM and he’d smile and cheer us on while wiping down the front door windows. He helped me with my In-Body twice and both times he was very knowledgeable and supportive. He remembered my name on my 3rd day.
I’ll never forget dragging in at 5:15 AM and there he was with a big smile on his face, “Good Morning Lisa.” He remembered all our names! Nice touch.
Steve and Paula – you are very different people but both of you found those critical one on one moments that helped drive me and inspire me and when it was all said and done neither of you wanted the ‘thanks’.
Both of you exuded such humility those last days and just kept pushing it back on us, “no thank YOU”, “this is what I love to do”, “You did the work”, “you’re why I get up so early”, “look at the progress you made”, “thank yourself”.
Truth be told – none of us could have made it without either of you. Thank YOU! I’m sure I speak for many people when I say – when my weight is up, my energy is low and my self esteem tanks. All of these things that each of you do everyday from that first hello – renewed my spirit. I feel like myself again. I still have a long way to go but I’m on the right track. How do you say thank you for that?!”
Sincerely,
Lisa Evans
DIET: Good Word or Bad Word?
DIET: MISERY, DEPRIVATION, BORING, DEPRESSING
If you want to start a debate or ruffle a girl’s feathers, just say the word DIET really loud and it will get as much attention as yelling out a cuss word. I don’t think of it as a bad word, but my experience with diet is a lot different than many others. 
Look at blue cheese dressing. Some people may LOVE blue cheese dressing but if I mention that word to my mom or dad, they don’t think “delicious”. They think of being hung over the toilet puking their guts out FOR 24 hours when it gave them food poisoning nearly 35 years ago. That bad experience left such a bad taste in their mouth, they never had the dressing again.
DIET: THE HEARTBREAKER
I think this is how prior dieters feel about going on a new “diet”. It’s like trying to date again after a really bad relationship. Do you really want to put yourself out there only to be hurt again? Before I met Steve, I was crazy about a guy that I wanted so badly to be “the one”. After a few months dating him, I began to realize he was not “the one” at all and I could wish it all day long but he was not the man God had intended for me. I broke up with him and cried for days. Although it was my decision, it hurt so badly.
Before that, I never really had a lot of dates and the guys I did date never liked me as much as I liked them. One disappointment after another takes a toll on you. Then I met Steve – just weeks after breaking up with that guy I was wanting to be “the one”. I always used to say, “if I think that guy is pretty awesome, but he’s not the guy for me, the guy God has planned for me must be REALLY AMAZING!” Thank the LORD I didn’t give up because Steve was amazing (and still is of course!). We were married 8 months later.
I say ALLLLL that to say THIS: Whether you are talking about a bad dining experience or a bad relationship, you could always just give up trying, but think of all the opportunities you would be missing. Sure, you may feel “safe”, but like my grandmother said “A ship in Harbor maybe safe but that’s not it was built for”. Someone also just tweeted “Every man dies. Not every man really lives. ~ William Wallace”. What we do with our life is totally up to us. We can continue to LIVE, and get hurt occasionally, or we can begin dying now. The choice is ours.
If chills go up and down your spine every time you hear the word “diet”. Maybe you just had a bad experience. It’s not fair to treat every diet the same – just like it’s not fair to treat your NEW man like your OLD one.
Your life is all about trial and error, and your diet is no different. Just as one relationship can make you miserable and another make you feel amazing, diets can do the same.
WHAT DIET MEANS TO ME
DIET: HAPPY, HEALTHY, THIN, SMART, PROUD, OBEDIENT, FREE…
For me, diet means: feeling skinny, energetic, sexy, happy, healthy, confident, disciplined, in control, balanced and strong. It means eating the foods that I love and that LOVE ME BACK! It means fantastic flavors, whole foods, juicy fruits, savory vegetables, nuts, creative salads, delicious smoothies, homemade popcorn, refreshing water and feeling GOOD after you eat instead of feeling like a FAT piece of stuffed LARD full of regret.
When I think of dieting, I think of the times I looked the best, I think of people, like my friend Kristia Knowles (left) who looks amazing – and it’s not just because she works out, it’s because she eats right and feeds her body what she needs to look that good.
WHAT DIET DOESN’T MEAN TO ME
Diet DOES NOT mean celery sticks, chicken broth, diet pills, starvation, depriving myself, crappy pre-packaged foods I don’t like, food that tastes like cardboard or a 5-step plan with expensive supplements you “have” to buy to get skinny. Diet means eating clean, eating healthy, fueling my body by giving it what it NEEDS, not necessarily what my taste buds WANT, but SURELY what they enjoy.
DIET for me is forever if I want to live long, feel good and look my best.
FATTY FOOD = FATTY FEELING
Ironically, some of my old foods I used to eat a lot like french fries, nachos, hamburgers and pizza make me think bad words. When I think of those foods, I no longer think of how they TASTE but how they make me FEEL – sluggish, fat, gross, full of regret, disappointment, shame, disgusting, tired, stuffed, sick and lazy. They sure didn’t USED to make me feel that way, but once I started eating clean, I noticed a difference in the way the foods made me feel and I started associating the way I feel with the types of food I ate.
It’s truly much like relationships. My prior relationships did not give me the same feeling that my relationship with Steve gives me. I was left unfulfilled, disappointed, not valuable, disposable, never good enough, sad and alone. A failed diet can give you those same awful feelings but you can’t give up! Never, NEVER give up!
So, when I mention the word “DIET”, if your blood started boiling as if you just saw your old boyfriend who treated you like a piece of trash, believe me – they are not all created equally and it’s time to give DIET another chance.
When you find the “right one”, it will treat you right and you just may fall in LOVE!
BCx Workout: “BUTT WHY?”
LOWER BODY BCx BOOT CAMP WORKOUT
FitStudio teaser (from our 6-week boot camp coming soon to FitStudio, powered by Sears)
TOOLS:
20LBS SAND BAG (who says you need weights!)
2 1-GALLON WATER JUGS (or dumbbells)
JUMP ROPE
FLOOR MAT (or towel)
You can still do this workout even if you have nothing. Pretend to jump rope and use your own body weight as resistance – the workout will still be very challenging. If you want to be creative, look around your house and use something of weight to add to your program, like our 1-gallon of water suggestion.
BCx TIP: 1 Gallon of Water weighs 8.33lbs
WARM-UP: Rhythmic (140 BPM)
TIP: Get music to set the pace at www.MotionTraxx.com – available FREE!
8 Jogs & 8 jaxs (4 sets)
8 Shuffle touch (shuffle to the right, touch the ground, shuffle left and touch) & 8 two-step hiesman (4 sets)
8 squat arm circles & 8 side to side reach over (with both arms out, lean and stretch arms to the extreme left & then right) (4 sets)
3 minutes jump rope
*REMAIN AS LIGHT AND BUOYANT ON FEET AS POSSIBLE
PT TEST (entire circuit done for time)
100 jump rope
25 sit ups
25 push ups
25 burpees
100 jump rope
Document time.
SQUAT/DEADLIFT (2 rounds)
Tools: 2 1-gallon water jugs
This mission is not for time. Emphasize technique an form.
(COMPLETE SQUATS, DEAD LIFTS, AND LUNGES WITH WATER JUGS OR DUMBBELLS)
25 squats (with jugs on chest or on the shoulders)
15 straight unilateral 1 leg deadlifts Left side, then Right with jugs (also called 1-leg Romanian dead lift, looks like an oil pump going up & down – pictured left)
25 step back lunges/25 knee repeaters L/R (jugs)
25 bridges (bilateral)
20 bridges (unilateral) L/R
(repeat)
TIPS: SQUATS MUST BE PERFORMED WITH MIDLINE STABILIZATION AND BUTTOX BELOW KNEE WITH KNEES TRACKING STRICTLY OVER TOES. UNILATERAL DEAD LIFT MUST BE EXECUTED WITH STRICT MIDLINE STABILIZATION (CORE TIGHT & BODY CENTERED). BRIDGES ARE EXECUTED WITH A HIGH LIFT THROUGH THE HIPS SQUEEZING GLUTEALS AT END RANGE.
THE JERK (4 rounds/3 minutes) 30 seconds situps between rounds
TOOLS: 20lb sand bags & 2 1-gallon water jugs (or dumbbells)
Unlike the last Mission, this Mission can be done fast and sloppy (hence the name, you will likely be jerking that weight around and doing everything you can to get it up in the air by the time you get toward the end) .
WORKOUT DESCRIPTION: Begin by holding sand bag up to your chest (or 25lb dog or cat – just kidding) while standing in a squatting position, stand and press over head and repeat 25 reps as fast as possible. Then do 50 Buttkiks holding water jugs (yes, no rest for your arms & hands). Complete 25 presses/50 butt-kicks as many times as possible every three minutes, ending with an additional 30 seconds of sit-ups.
(3 minutes) X’s four rounds
25 Squat thrust – use 20 lbs sand bag (use any tool 10-25 pounds)
50 buttkiks – use (2) 1-gallon water jugs (count every time your right foot strikes the ground)
TIPS: DURING A SQUAT THRUST EXECUTE PRESS WITH LOAD STAYING OVER MIDLINE (IN LINE WITH MID FOOT OVER ANKLE).
- THE END -
(Protein Shake Time!)
WEIGHT LOSS: Facts people don’t WANT to hear, but NEED to hear to get results.
Dawn shares her own weight loss success story and the lessons learned along the way. Find out how simple facts changed Dawn’s life, why it’s changing people’s lives, and how it can change your life too. And NO, I don’t want your money & am not selling anything! This is just how we role – speaking the truth to all who will listen in hopes of helping as many people as we possibly can.
“I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you and Steve taught me in boot camp back in the summer of 2009. I may have cried through the first 3 weeks, but the lessons I learned I will carry with me through the rest of my life. And I plan to share them as much as possible with anyone who cares to listen. It took me many years to get to “that place” in my head where I could allow myself to lose weight. Thank you for teaching me it’s all about going through the motions physically (calorie counting, calorie burning, etc) and the weight will come off. Thank the Lord it’s all science and not about attitude!
Do you know that I did boot camp to prove everyone wrong; that I wouldn’t lose weight despite following the “rules”? I just want you to know that what you and Steve do matters. Even if you don’t reap the rewards of your efforts daily, know that you have changed MANY lives…MINE INCLUDED! I have a few of yours and Steve’s quotes that I say to myself when I need them during runs or workouts. So if you ever pass me running the bridge and I’m chanting “Get over it” don’t mind me.” — Dawn Erdwein
IT IS POSSIBLE
Many people, just like Dawn, are convinced they are different. Wether they believe it’s a metabolism issue or a hereditary curse, it is easy to believe you are a hopeless case so you can be “free” to give up.
Not so fast!! We won’t let you give up that easily. Like Dawn said “Thank the Lord it’s all science” and she’s right. Dawn didn’t have to have a good attitude. She didn’t have to wake up extra motivated for the weight to fall off. Dawn learned it’s all science and it works. All she had to do is get more familiar with her body and learn how to manage calories in vs. calories out. Unfortunately, without that knowledge people base everything they do and eat on guesses and hopes – not reality and truth.
IT IS YOUR FAULT
The first thing we tell our BCx Boot Campers is that it IS your fault. It’s not a easy pill to swallow, but the fact is YOU are responsible for YOU. You may not know how to lose weight, but you can find out. You may not know how to workout, but you can learn. You may even believe you don’t have the money or time to invest, yet we can remind you of all the time and money you invest in other things of much less importance.
NO MORE EXCUSES
After orientation, many times people will present to us their “special needs” or their long list of failures so we know that they are “special”. With every excuse, we point them back to facts. We don’t care how many times you failed on whatever famous diet plan you’ve tried. I don’t care how much your mom weighs and how many medications you are on. You can point the finger to whatever lame excuse you want, but the fact is, your weight is determined by calories in vs calories out and there is a 99.9% chance your list of excuses will not hinder your progress if you do everything right. Don’t believe me? For every excuse someone gives me, I can show you someone in their exact same shoes with even worse issues who has succeeded. As Steve said “Get over it!”.
EXERCISE IS NOT ANSWER
Once we’ve stripped you of excuses, then we tell you the facts. BCx Boot Camp will NOT get you skinny. WHAT? Yes, you heard right – you may get healthier and stronger, but unless you give the same amount of energy to your diet as you put in your training you may not lose one single pound. Yet another fun fact no one WANTS to hear, but the truth everyone NEEDS to hear.
FACT: A 250LB person has to consume approximately 3,250 calories to maintain their weight.
EXERCISE CAN’T COMPETE AGAINST DIET
Then we help you get a grip on the checks and balances of your body, educating boot campers just how hard you would have to work to erase one simple dietary mistake. Diet simply cannot compete with exercise. Let me put it this way: It can take 2 minutes to consume what may take 2 boot camp workouts to burn off. So, unless you are tracking the calories you are consuming, don’t plan on huge results. Whether the boot camper gets it that first day, or the last, once they get it – this fact will remove the film from their eyes and they will be able to see that their dream weight is actually obtainable and they will realize they actually do have control over their life and their weight.
THE GAME IS ON
As boot campers tally their calories each day, checking their “balance”, the process almost becomes a game as they begin to see the numbers on the page reflected in the numbers on the scale. It’s like putting coins in a piggy bank and then counting your money to see how much you’ve saved. Once you realize managing your new healthy lifestyle pays off, your results begin to motivate you and encourage you. After a while, you’ll no longer count calories because you will have the knowledge in your head forever.
I don’t believe in dieting – I believe in living smart and you can’t do that and be ignorant when it comes to your health. Counting calories is just grade school for healthy living. Just like you no longer have to count on your fingers to add 2 plus 2, you will be able to make more accurate decisions based on the knowledge you’ve accumulated on your fitness journey and not rely on calculators and online calorie counters.
LIVE & LEARN
As we always say, it’s not what you “DO” in BCx, but what you “TAKE HOME” from BCx that truly matters. Some people don’t “get it” until the final week of the program, some people “get it” their first day, but at one point or other, you WILL “get it” and you CAN change your life forever if you want it bad enough. Sometimes it takes learning from your mistakes, but the key is that you learn something, that you continue to grown more knowledgeable and that you are encouraged and empowered by that knowledge.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
Dawn didn’t get to prove her point that she was doomed no matter what, even if she “followed the rules”, but she surprised herself instead and proved herself wrong. Now, the foundation has been laid and what she builds on that foundation is entirely up to her – and from the looks at it, she’s reaching for the stars!!
START YOUR OWN JOURNEY
1.) Join our BCx Boot Camp program online at FitStudio for FREE and begin your own success story: http://www.fitstudio.com/programs/bcx
2.) Get support. Rally as many friends as possible to join you – whether online or in your town. The more people doing it with you the better.
3.) Join the BCx Forum and get to know your virtual workout partners. Share your struggles, questions and victories – I will be there to help you!
4.) Visit our BCx Boot Camp pages we put together to help give you the tools you need to succeed. Here is just one of the many things you will learn on your journey:
HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU BURN A DAY?
HOW MANY ARE YOU EATING (No guessing allowed!)
Do you DARE to find out? The truth hurts, but it also will set you free.
Complete this Formula to find out approximately how many calories you burn a day:
A. Choose Your Activity:
1.3 – sedentary, sitting most of the day, light housework/work
1.4 – light activity, work, housework, exercise 2-3 X a week, stand or walk at work
1.5-1.6 – moderately active, all the above activities, exercise 1 hour 3-4 X a week
1.7 – very active, all the above daily activities, exercise 1-2 hours every day
B. Choose Your Metabolism:
10 – Slow (Sleepy after a meal)
11 – Normal (normal or feel the same after a meal)
12 – Fast (Fidgety or hyper after a meal)
C. Apply Above Numbers in this Simple Formula:
Weight X Activity = _______________ X Metabolism = Approximate Calories Burned Per Day
TIP: It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. If you want to lose 2lbs a week, you should be in a 1,000-calorie deficit a day. Meaning, if you burn 2,500 calories a day, you should be eating 1,500 calories a day. You can also increase your deficit by burning more calories a day, rather than only reducing calories each day.
SHARE YOUR SUCCESS! Don’t be shy! Like Dawn is inspiring so many people, YOU TOO can share your story! You NEVER know who’s life it will impact.
Motivation is Overrated
If I had a dime for every person that says they want to lose weight but are just not motivated – I’d be worth millions. Over half the conversations I have with people are on the subject of motivation, but motivation shouldn’t determine success.
Interestingly enough, we all have things that should give us plenty of motivation to lose weight and get in shape. Our health and appearance mean a lot to us, but what people are really talking about is a feeling. People naturally would prefer to “feel” like working out. Some people only exercise on the days they “feel” like exercising. Well gosh, I would hardly ever work out if I did that!
You cannot rely on feeling motivated to help you reach your goals. It is a plan and total commitment that gets you to your goal – period. Relying solely on motivation puts your success on something that is variable. This applies to other areas of our life like putting money away or paying off debt. You only get success when you commit and follow through – whether you feel like it or not. Similar to going to work or church those days you really don’t feel like it, it has to become a priority. Like work, the discipline pays off.
Read this quote from my husband, Steve Pfiester, while shooting ABC’s Fat March. “At some point we have to take control over our emotions and our discomforts. Our pain and emotions should never dictate our actions. Emotion is important to be aware of, but not to be slave to. We need to act out of purpose in a positive mannor regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.”
So in essence, we need to quit letting how we feel affect what we do. The good news is we can cling to the fact that weight loss is pure science and it works. What you put in is what you get out. Even if you are down, depressed or feeling ehh. If you follow through, you’ll still get the same great results whether you were motivated or not.
Who says you need a flu shot in the summer? H1N1 does!
When I think of all the times I’ve come down with the flu, I picture being sick during the wintertime with my achy body curled up under the covers sipping on chicken noodle soup. However, I’ve been sick with the flu many times in the middle of the summer. Every time I’m surprised, as if the Flu should know it is supposed to be “off” during the summer months.
Although the official flu season is October through March, it’s not like we are safe year round. Of matter of fact, the Swine Flu pandemic shocked everyone when it struck off-season between May and October.
After the Swine Flu, otherwise known as H1N1, shook America local physician, Dr. Nicholas Coppola of Compassionate Medical Center, Inc said the Center for Disease Control (CDC) changed their rules. “Now the CDC suggests physicians continue to inoculate their patients until their stock runs out instead of just providing the service during season” Dr. Coppola explained.
In an effort to follow the CDC’s recommendations, Dr. Coppola will be providing free flu shots at Longevity Max Fitness, in Majestic Plaza behind Outback Steakhouse in Vero Beach, Florida Wednesday, May 25th and Friday, May 27th from 4:30pm – 6:30pm.
“Every year the flu changes a little bit, so they change the vaccine accordingly so our bodies can fight the new strain”, says Dr. Coppola. “We will get a new vaccine in October to help get people through the next flu season.”
Despite how people despise getting the flu, many people still don’t get the flu shot because they think the flu vaccine can actually give you the flu. Dr. Coppola enlightened me on the myth saying, “the vaccine is a dead virus, so it can’t give you the flu. Anyone who feels tired or achy after getting a flu shot is simply feeling their body working extra hard to build immunity in preparation to fighting the virus.”
Not convinced the flu vaccination is for you and your family? When in doubt, ask the expert. I was pleased to know Dr. Coppola, father of 3, practices what he preaches; making sure his entire family stays protected throughout the year.
Thanks to Dr. Coppola and the Compassionate Medical Center staff, you can have a greater chance of enjoying every beautiful summer day without the flu getting you down. The vaccines provided by Compassionate Medical Center are for available for ages twelve and up. Call Longevity Max Fitness at 772-778-7867 to reserve your vaccine. Walk-ins will also be available as supplies last.
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Today’s Workout
Here’s my workout today! Let me know me you do it too!
(50 seconds on, 10 seconds off)
:50 jump rope
:10 change stations
:50 Romanian squats with a shoulder press (12lb medicine ball)
:10 change stations
:50 full sit-ups on slant board
:10 change stations
:50 Turkish getups with dumbbell
:10 change stations
:50 knee ups (Roman chair or hanging)
:10 change stations
Repeat 4 times with 60 seconds rest in between
(25 minute workout)
20 alternating lunges with 10lb dumbbell
20 air squats
20 skaters
Repeat 3 times
30 minutes of cardio on elliptical
