ABS-Solutely

So you want to narrow your waist, flatten your abs and become the envy of all your friends, right? Of course you do – who doesn’t?

Well, here is yet another reason to get slim and trim: recent studies suggest that an excess of fat deposits around the abdominal region significantly contributes to the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.

Whether your motivation for attaining great abs is rooted in the health benefits or in looking phenomenal then this is one blog you simply must read all the way through.

Why is it that so many people wish they had great abs, but never quite get there?

Contrary to popular belief, doing millions of crunches will not sculpt your abs. The key to creating an enviable midsection lies in your ability to effectively challenge your abdominal muscles and your nutrition. The “crunch” movement only targets your “upper” abdominal muscles, the ones found between your rib cage and belly button. Imagine you are doing a crunch – better yet, get down and do one – notice where you feel the burn. Those are your upper abs. To effectively develop your abs, focus on strengthening your upper, lower and side abdominal muscles. In order to achieve an overall look of symmetry your fitness program should target all three parts of your midsection. A surefire way to kick up the intensity, and thus the results, of your workout is to add resistance training. By working your body against resistance you open up the possibility for greater muscle stimulation and that equals greater results.

Oh yeah, just one more thing…in order to show off your breathtaking abs they need to come out of hiding. This means burning off the layer of fat. (No matter how big or small it may be.)

The following two pronged approach works every time:

First, consistent exercise is needed to burn off stored energy. I recommend interval training over steady state cardio. What is interval training? A short definition is  – short, high-intensity periods of exercise alternated with periods of low-intensity exercise or rest. An example for a beginner might be 30 seconds of a quick paced mountain climber or high knees followed by 30 seconds of walkouts or marching.  Why train with intervals?  Interval training has been shown to be more effective at fighting fat and improving your health than just hopping on the treadmill for the normal 30 minutes. While there can be a place for this kind of training, intervals have the advantage of being a more effective workout in a shorter period of time, with better results. Why? Because your body continues to work after the workout is over – steady state cardio does not do this.

Second (and just as, if not more important), to uncover your abdominal muscles we have to discuss….your eating habits. I’m sorry to say it, but the food that you put in your mouth has a direct effect on the size and shape of your waist. As the saying goes “Abs are made in the kitchen”…

Use these three pointers to slash fat:

• Eat small meals frequently throughout the day and avoid overeating.

• Processed foods should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely.

• Load up on vegetables and lean meat.

Contrary to popular belief we all have abs, it’s just a matter of doing what it takes to see them.

To your best health,

Coach Nancy

Healthy Fish Fingers

This recipe solves the unhealthy dilemma of frying by baking these family favorites instead.  The crunchy texture and fresh taste will leave a smile on your face long after your plate is empty.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound cod fillets, partially thawed
• 1/2 cup almond meal, divided
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 cup 1% buttermilk

Instructions:

1. Cut fillets into 3/4-inch strips; set aside. In a shallow bowl, combine ¼ cup of the almond meal, parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon peel, paprika, thyme and garlic salt. Place buttermilk in another shallow bowl and the remaining almond meal in a third bowl.

2. Coat fish strips with plain almond meal; dip into buttermilk, then coat with seasoned almond meal mixture. Place on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with peanut oil. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. Bake at 425 degrees for 15  –  20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Don’t Dabble with Diabetes

No Fun!

Diabetes is a deadly but often (maybe even usually) preventable disease. Some things about diabetes you may not know:

• There are over 246 million people worldwide with diabetes. Imagine ALMOST EVERYONE in the United States with this disease – that’s how many people.

• Every 10 seconds 2 people develop diabetes, and 2 more die of the disease.

• Approximately 80% of Type II diabetes is related to being overweight or obese.

The good news is that diabetes can be prevented, controlled, and even reversed with the proper care and nutritional practices. What are some steps you can take today?

• Eat more vegetables.

• Exercise 3-5 days per week

• Eat whole foods. If it comes in a box, don’t eat it.

Put them into daily practice!

Get your weight under control, eat optimally for health, and get regular exercise – Diabetes is a Disease you Don’t want to Dabble with!

To your best health,

Coach Nancy

Help Me, I’m Frustrated!

Often times I’m approached by a frustrated person who can’t seem to drop the weight they need to. They tell me that they exercise, they eat healthy, and they drink plenty of water.

“So why can’t  I lose weight?”, they ask.

Not only are they frustrated, but they are getting close to losing hope that they will ever lose the stubborn pounds that plague them.

Do you want to know what I ask them? It is a simple question that usually reveals the problem behind their inability to lose weight.

How often do you eat each day?

The most frequent answer that I get is 2-3 times each day.  Most of us are fooled into thinking that in order to lose weight we should eat as little as possible, this is simply not true.

The problem with going for an extended period without eating is simple: your body thinks you are starving. As a result your metabolism slows to conserve energy and when you do eat usually your portions are larger (because you are hungry for crying out loud!), above your energy requirements. Your body shuttles the excess energy (calories) into storage  – also known as fat.

Want to lose fat? This strategy is a winner!

Eat 4 to 6 small meals a day to easily kick your metabolism into high gear.

Eating smaller meals throughout the day forces your body to burn calories all day long and the results are amazing. When you begin to eat in a “grazing” fashion your body will respond by dropping unwanted pounds.

This is probably not the first time that you have heard this tip – but, if you are like most unsatisfied fitness enthusiasts, then you simply don’t do it.  Why not? As far as weight loss tips go, this is about as easy at they get, so why the resistance? Here are the top 3 excuses reasons that I hear:

1. I don’t have the time

Now you and I both know that, no matter how stressful or demanding your job is, you can still find 5 minutes every few hours for a snack. The issue here is not that you don’t have the time  – it is that you just aren’t making the time. Sure, old habits are hard to break and maybe you have a set time that you like to eat everyday. That is fine – don’t change the usual mealtimes, just add a couple of snacks throughout the day to keep from going hours on end without food, and then eat a little less at your regularly scheduled meals.

2. I tried it and it didn’t work

I simply don’t believe it. While it is in the realm of possibility, it’s not very probable that you followed it consistently (90% of the time) for long enough (at least 2 weeks) to measure results.  The formula is simple: small meals every 4-6 hours. Emphasis on the word small. These aren’t three-course meals.

3. I forget to eat

When you first start eating 4-6 small meals instead of 2-3 there will be a bit of an adjustment time. If your body is used to going hours on end without food, then you may not feel hungry when it is time for your next small meal. The key here is to be as organized as possible. Think ahead and pack small meals so that they are ready to go. With a little effort you will be eating every few hours like clockwork.

Your Fool-Proof Plan:

• Eat small nutritious meals every 3 hours throughout the day. Eat your first meal within 30 minutes of waking.

• Make sure that each meal contains quality protein, fresh colorful produce and water

• Your goal is to eat more often, not more calories each day.

• Keep a food log – write down what you eat when you eat it and take time to review your progress. Fitgoal (click here for an overview) is a tool we have purchased for each Get Fit NH Bootcamp client to use. You have your own account, Use it.

• What should you eat? Fresh fruits, lean protein and bright colorful veggies.

I encourage you to use this powerful weight loss strategy in your own quest for a fit and healthy lifestyle. Better yet, contact me and together we will create a specialized plan for your success. As a Personal Trainer I have been educated and trained specifically in assisting my clients in meeting their fitness and weight loss goals. When you are sick you go to the doctor – so when you have a fitness and weight loss goal you need to visit me – your Personal Trainer. It’s the easiest way to get maximum results in minimum time.

To your best health,

Coach Nancy

More Coffee?

“I am so tired. I need to stop drinking coffee.”

“No, what you need is more coffee!”

This was a brief conversation I heard the other day.

I don’t think any one would argue that coffee contains caffeine. And few will argue the fact that caffeine is a drug that is addictive. The conversation I heard is a common one. One person realizes they are getting hooked on a type of food and try to break that physical and or psychological connection. While they are reaping the side effects of that food a well-intentioned friend suggest more of the food instead, because “It’s not going to hurt you.”

Lets quickly look at coffee/caffeine and just a few the effects it has on the body.

• Coffee has an irritating effect on gastric mucosa and can lead to development of ulcers.

• People that are heavy coffee drinkers may develop vitamin b1 insufficiency.

• Caffeine interacts with absorption of some nutrients in the small intestines.

• Caffeine is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant, and is used both recreationally and medically to reduce physical fatigue and restore mental alertness when unusual weakness or drowsiness occurs.

Now the next time you meet someone who is trying to block a physical or mental connection with food in order to improve their health, don’t sabotage their efforts. Help them through the withdrawal period. For coffee drinkers they might be experiencing headaches, fatigue, irritability, an inability to concentrate, and stomach aches. These symptoms may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from one to five days.

Think in terms of drug addiction when you are going to stop consuming coffee or run into someone who has. They need help not to digress into the habit, not encouragement to return to their habit. They are asking for help  because it is a rough process to stop one thing and start something new.

I like coffee. I love the smell even more than the taste. I drink an occasional cup of the hot stuff and enjoy an ice coffee during the summer. I have also experienced first hand the side effects when I stopped drinking coffee. Dean and I RARELY drink more than one cup of caffeinated coffee per day, and some days we don’t drink any. Be careful with any dependency, even the “legal” ones.

I don’t think anyone would tell someone who is trying to quit smoking to start up again just because the with drawl process is rough,  so why would we recommend coffee to someone who wants to quit?

To your best health,

Coach Nancy

Get Fit NH Bootcamp Opens Expanded Concord Training Facility

Here’s some photos of Day 1 in our new Concord, NH training facility. Concord’s Best (Hippo Press, Concord Monitor) has been preparing the new space for several months and today was the day! Thank-you all for being part of Making It Happen!

Lost Dog – Please Help!

UPDATE November 10 @ 8:30am – Greta Is Home!

From Natalie:  “GRETA IS HOME!!!! We arrived back to our house this morning after taking Josh to school and she came flying around from the back of the house like a shot! She is soaking wet, so very skinny and looking a little freaked out, but seems OK. Thank you EVERYONE for your eyes and your prayers and your willingness to keep forwarding this story. You’re prayers got her home and kept us sane (sorta!!!) over these last four days. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!“

Get Fit NH Bootcamp client (and our friend) Natalie Walker asked us to reach as many people as possible, so we are posting the following from her as well as sending out an email. There are a couple of pictures of Greta at the end of this post. You can also click this link to download and print out a poster to distribute. Please forward to everyone you know.

Our female German Shepherd bolted from my son yesterday at 07:30 when he was out in our backyard with her. We have spent an exhaustive two days searching for her on foot and by car and have posted almost 200 flyers in town and neighboring towns. I am now hitting the internet and have her listed everywhere. We live in the village of Hopkinton, close enough to I-89 and 202/9 to make it possible that she was picked up by someone or spotted by people traveling this area. I didn’t know if you would be willing to send out this flyer to those you know. Again, if this is uncomfortable for you, I understand! Not offended! Just trying every thing I can think of to blanket this area of the state with her info.

Jingle Bell Run 2010

It’s that time of year again! Join us December 4th, 2010 as Get Fit NH Bootcamp supports the Arthritis Foundation at the annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk 5k!

Last year we ran to support Carrie’s Kids (Click Here for the story), with the largest team ever assembled. Please join us as we run in honor of Carrie and her kids once again.

This is a really fun event and a great opportunity to stretch your legs and support a great cause.

Please Click Here for more info and to join the team!

Autumn Apple Shake

I love the tastes of autumn – who can resist a crisp apple eaten right off the tree?

Here’s a great way to enjoy a power packed protein shake with all the flavors of apple pie!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 scoop UMP Vanilla Protein Powder
• 2 Tablespoons dry oatmeal
• 1 Tablespoon flax seed
• 3 Tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons mixed nuts
• 1 apple cored and sliced
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Add all ingredients in order to a blender. Blend until smooth. You can also add two-five ice cubes after initially blending shake. Blend again for 30 seconds for an ice cold shake.

Take A Step Towards Change

“Change is not an event.  It’s a tiny decision made over and over again. Change isn’t once. It’s daily.” – Don Kuhl

Improving our lives is a choice. It’s an individual choice. The time, the reason, the motivation, the determination, the path we take to improve is all personal.  Each person has to decide on their own when and how they would like to improve their life. We have to be ready to take the first step.

Research shows the top three ways to make life better are

• Decreasing Stress

• Sleeping Better

• Reducing Pain

Guess what? Exercise can help you do all three.

An exercise routine will be lived out one moment at a time. The quality of our life is the result of the sum of our choices.

Isn’t it amazing how much our thoughts control our actions? “I don’t feel like it” is the number one reason we, as parents, hear our kids give us for not actively playing outside. Don’t do we the same thing? Of course we are so grown up that we disguise our emotions in sarcasm “I worked hard for this big belly, I don’t want to give it up now.” Or behind in difference, “ my great grandfather smoked and drank and he lived to be 101, I’m going to go out like him.” Or even fear, “I don’t think I could survive one day at bootcamp”.

Live in the present, it’s the only “place” where you can be active. Actions happen now, not in the past or future. In-the-moment opportunities, such as taking lunch to work, working hard each training session, planning meals instead of gobbling up fast food, and being active outside of your training program.

Stop looking at what happened yesterday, you can’t change it.

Don’t worry about tomorrow, because you can’t control everything that comes your way.

Make today count – Every Day.

Coach Nancy