Weight Loss Challenge!

Attention to all members at Anytime Fitness in Aurora! We are running a weight loss challenge sponsored by Anytime Fitness and IHRSA! Prizes to be announced!

The "I Lost It at the Club" Challenge Runs from January 11-March 5th!

Set up an appt with me to get your bodyfat tested / measurements taken!

The Challenge is free! I will also be giving nutrition advice / workouts / recipes to all who participate.

Can't wait to see what the next few months will bring!
Let's get FIT!

GOODBYE SWEETNESS!!!

Well, today was the last day that I am eating sugar or artificial sweeteners until Christmas Eve. That is the challenge I have given myself to stay on track and avoid weight gain over the holidays. So I decided to involve my clients at the gym.

WANT TO PARTICIPATE?

It's pretty simple (but maybe not too easy!). Just pick something you are going to give up from now until Christmas. Pick something that is keeping you from achieving your fitness goals.

For me, it's chocolate, cereal, diet pop, cookies - anything with sugar or artificial sweeteners. You may think that's too strict and "OH MY GOODNESS WHAT WOULD I EAT!!!!!??????"

Well, I will tell you that last time I did this challenge, I did it for 18 days and lost 7 pounds and felt pretty great! The goal this time is too stay off the "crack" as I call it! I will be eating: chicken, fish, eggs, turkey, raw & steamed veggies, sweet potatoes, and a small amount of fruit. I will drink only water.

This is something i "HAVE" to do. I have no choice. If I do this I will be a success. If not, I will live in a continuous cycle of yo-yo dieting for the rest of my life and never achieve my fitness goals. I know this is the truth. God will help me and be my strength as I turn my addiction over to him. That is the only way!

OK! The 2nd part of the challenge is to pick something you are ABSOLUTELY & POSITIVELY going to do to help achieve you fitness goals! Mine is to use trigger point therapy on my IT Band 3 x week with a racquetball. My IT Band is soooooo tight it hurts just to touch it. This will lessen my knee pain and allow my muscles to get stronger!

I will list some of the things my clients are giving up and doing to give you some ideas as they sign up!

Here are some things they are GIVING UP:
sugar
pizza
lays chips
energy drinks
pasta
nut butters (all nut butters not just peanut butter)
bread

And here are some of the things they are DOING:
stretch more
get to the gym 4 x week
do 30 min of cardio 3 x week
make workouts more intense
Add 2 more cardio sessions per week
ETC

You Get the IDEA!

Join us and LET's BE FIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!

POST-Turkey Day Challenge!

WHO is ready for a challenge? I know a lot of my clients are!! Me too! So, after Turkey Day, I am starting a challenge for myself and anyone who wants to join in!

This will be a NO SUGAR - NO SWEETENER CHALLENGE. Why? Because I am addicted. Bad. I hate the idea of going without my splenda packets, crystal light, or coke zero. And it is NOT good for my body!!! It makes me crave more sweets and I end up ruining my diet. I have given up sweeteners before and tried and failed many times, but I will keep trying until I have OVERCOME! I am starting this weekend. I will probably sleep a lot. I will probably cry. But I will make it. You may think that seems weird or dramatic, but that's what happens when I stop. I go through withdrawal.

I also plan on getting the book "THE END OF OVEREATING" by David Kessler.
He was the former FDA Commissioner under Presidents Bush & Clinton. In the book, he writes about how the FDA is corrupt and food companies are doing everything they can to make us ADDICTED to their foods. I think the FDA and these food companies are trying to kill us. Maybe not intentionally, but I don't think they give a crap about people just money!

I will review the book as I read it while doing cardio. :)

INSPIRATIONAL PERSON #1: Nick Vujicic

Nick was born without limbs. He has an amazing outlook on life and a great relationship with Christ. Just watch the video... And grab some tissues!!! WOW!

See Nick's Video Here

INSPIRATIONAL PERSON #1: Barb Guerra

I am always looking for things to keep myself and my clients motivated! Seeing others achieve the unthinkable is always motivating for me!!! All you have to do is believe in yourself as these people do and you can achieve anything!!! I will post an Inspirational Story as often as I find them to keep us all in the right mindset!

INSPIRATIONAL PERSON #1: Barb Guerra
She was in an accident at 2 years old and had both arms amputated. She had to live her life using her legs and feet to do everything, even applying makeup, cooking, driving, and changing diapers. She is a fitness competitor and mother of 2!

To read about Barb please visit her website and blog:
http://www.fitnessunarmed.com
http://barbieguerra.blogspot.com/

Should we eat like cavemen?

I have always been searching for the perfect way to eat for my body. Everyone is different. I have always felt that my body was "carb-sensitive." Such that when I eat carbs, (breads, potatoes, chips, and even rice, oats, and sweet potatoes.) - I tend to get sleepy and crave more carbs. Same thing with sugar. I have been a sugar addict all my life. So bad that it even led me to binge eat and be bulimic at times. I have not shared that with many people. But now I feel ok talking about it.

I am currently reading the Paleolithic Diet and Good Calories, Bad Calories. This blog will rpresent my journey. I am giving up starches and sweets except for a cheat meal once a week. I may or may not eat that cheat meal depending on how I feel.

So far I have lost 3 lbs cutting out carbs. I know that is water weight. My clothes are fitting a bit better. I will post pictures and stats after a few weeks.
I feel much better after a few days of crying and depression, which I believe was my body going through sugar withdrawal.

Today I made a dish with:
3 omega-3 hard boiled eggs
1 tuna pouch (180 calorie pouch)
4 tbsp fat free mayo (I am not ready to give up dairy)
2 cups shredded broccoli, cabbage, carrots
2 cups shredded red cabbage
2 tbsp relish
2 packets of splenda
1 sliced apple

I will eat this throughout the day.
Cardio Kickboxing tonight. :)

Back To School!!!

I am currently working on my ISSA Sports Performance Nutritionist Certification.

When I think about my childhood eating habits here is what comes to mind:

Eating a whole box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in one sitting.
Making a batch of Rice Krispie Treats and eating only that for every meal until it was gone.
Eating 1-2 large pieces of chocolate cake when I got home from school.
Never being able to eat 1 serving of ice cream. More like 2 large bowls!
Eating 5-6 oranges at once.
Always getting a Super-Sized Value Meal at McDonald's - never a small meal!
Trying not to eat too much at lunch during school so I could stay thin. So instead of eating a lot I would just stick to 1 little debbie snack and a Hawaiian Punch. Lol (CRAZY!)
I was a size 6 all through high school and college but I was never happy with my body and thought I was overweight! NUTS!
Never thinking twice about what I ate. If it tasted good I was going to eat it. I would just exercise more if needed!
Eating out almost every meal throughout college, except for ramen noodles.
I was in love with peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.
Diet Pop was our staple drink at my house. Forget water!

And here are some things I tried to lose weight:
Atkins
Raw Food Diet
Juicing
Excessive Exercising
Diet Pills
Ephedrine
Smoking instead of eating
starving
protein drink only diets
tuna only diets
protein only diets
vegetarianism
bingeing & purging
fasting
liquid diets

I remember reading every diet book I could get my hands on starting at a very early age (since my mother was always on a diet.) All my relatives were overweight too. Luckily my parents raised us to play sports (I swam for 12 years) and they were triathletes themselves. So I was always active up until my knee surgeries. Then the weight started piling on.

My main goal is to find a healthy balance for both my body and my mind when it comes to nutrition. I love exercise! I love weight lifting! But nutrition has always been my struggle. This blog will help me help others as I am learning. Enjoy! :)