S3 Habit 4: Choose Your Carbs

Alright guys, here’s where the rubber hits the road. The last 2 weeks of Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown 2012. The last habit we want you to live and learn.

Because I truly believe if you embrace what this habit is about, and honestly abide by it for the next 2 weeks you will just feel better than ever.

Better energy levels, less cravings, feeling fuller longer –  these things can happen with a simple (but not necessarily easy) alteration in your nutrition.

So here it is:

S3 Habit 4: Choose Your Carbs

Carbohydrates are not evil in and of themselves. There is no bogey-man possessing that potato or for that matter even that potato chip.

But there are better choices we can make, and when we use carb intake wisely they can even help us lose fat.

I picked up this strategy from my nutrition coaches over at Precision Nutrition, and it was a mindset shift that made all the difference in the world to me. Also check out what our friends over at Health Ambition have to say. They are rocking the protein information.

To earn your S3 Habit 4 point, choose one of the following strategies.

Option #1: Replace your grains with greens and beans.

At every meal, even breakfast, replace any grains (toast, bagels, potatoes, rice, cereal, oatmeal) with 1 cup of veggies and 1/2 cup of legumes.

For many of you this is a no-brainer. Earlier in S3 you have added veggies to your breakfast meal, so now it is a matter of getting some beans or lentils in the mix.

One of my favorite breakfasts is eggs with black beans and salsa. Add a side of grape tomatoes or carrots, and you are good to go!

Option #2: Don’t eat any refined sugar carbohydrates – today

Sweet tooth dragging you down? Fighting low energy or mood swings? Could be you need to bust that sugar habit, and this single strategy could be the key.

So what is a “refined-sugar carb”?

• Cakes, muffins, pastries
• Cookies, brownies, and “nutrition” bars. Look at the label of that granola or protein bar, and you’ll know why.
• Candy, sugar added chocolate (90% Dark is a good choice)
• Soda and juice
• any other sweetened drink (including sports drinks)
• and of course, sugar in any form. White, brown, powdered, honey – skip it.

Be Honest With Yourself

Choose one of these two strategies each day. You can stick with just one, alternate them each day or as you choose. But you must be honest. If you choose strategy one and eat oatmeal, don’t claim your point. If you choose strategy two and grab candy out of the dish at work, same thing.

To earn your S3 point starting Monday June 11, here’s what you need to accomplish:

S3 Habit 1: Eat within 1 hour of waking or consume post-training nutrition

S3 Habit 2: Eat lean protein with at least 3 meals per day

S3 Habit 3: Eat at least 5 servings of veggies per day

S3 Habit 4: Choose your carbs, option #1 or #2

Do them all, or don’t count the point. Simple as that.

Let’s get after it these last two weeks and get it done!

P.S. – Got a question about a food choice? Bring the label in and let’s take a look together!

It’s Here – 2nd Annual Get Fit NH Outdoor Obstacle Adventure

The weather is getting nice and it’s time to get outside!

On Saturday June 23rd we will be holding our 2nd annual “Get Fit NH Outdoor Obstacle Adventure”, and you don’t want to miss it.

Even if you haven’t caught the adventure obstacle course bug (yet) you will have a blast on our course, which includes the longest slip and slide you have probably ever seen!

The timing is perfect, as the next week is a recovery week, so don’t miss it!

And don’t forget to register for “Warrior Dash NH”, being held at Gunstock on September 15. There is a crew of us already registered (most in the 10:00am wave) and we had a blast last year and expect more of the same. Register Here

2nd Annual Get Fit NH Outdoor Obstacle Adventure

Place: Get Fit NH Bootcamp Epsom

Time: 9am until we are done

Simple as that!

Check out the video from last years soiree’

S3 Success Story “So, I am finally getting it!”

Got this note from Get Fit NH Superstar Katie a couple days ago, and it is a keeper! There is so much in here to be learned, so take a few minutes to soak it all in.

Here are some good reminders that I saw in here:

• Don’t be “all or nothing”
• Make it as easy as possible
• Have a positive attitude
• Expect results WHEN you get your nutrition in order

Great job Katie, keep it up.

Coach Nancy

When I joined in January, I weighed XXX lbs according to my scale at home (which happens to be pretty much dead on with the new scale you got), and when I started S3 I weighed XXX lbs. I was doing the work, but wasn’t eating right, so not
seeing huge results.

Haha, remember there were no veggies on my food diary for two days??

Since S3 started, I have been eating 1-2 large salads per day, and have pretty much cut out all bad carbs and limited the good ones.  Since 4/30, I’ve lost 9.8 lbs and it feels great!  And I actually look forward to eating my big salad at dinner!  There were two occasions where I sat and ate a salad while everyone else was going to town on a bowl of ice cream!

I just want to thank you and Dean for all that you do – it’s great to have trainers that genuinely care about their clients, and go above and beyond to help them reach their goals.  You definitely push me to do more than I would have done on my own, and there are many times I find myself hearing you say “you can do anything for xxx more seconds” (like when I’m running up the hill by my house, and want to stop and walk)…

I am just really surprised with how well this is working for me – meaning, I am losing weight and it has been easy!  I was
hoping to lose 2 lbs a week during S3, but I thought that number was too high to shoot for.  I had prepared myself that I might have to start running every day to do this (like I’ve had to do in the past to see results), but I haven’t needed to. I’ve only been running maybe 1-3 times a week (short, like a mile, and when I say run I mean an 11 minute mile jog). I honestly don’t love running, so in the past I think I always failed before reaching my goal weight (and gained ALL of my weight back and THEN some) because I made my weight loss plan too difficult to stick to.  If I didn’t run 5 days a week, I would get discouraged.

The diet part wasn’t working for me because I definitely wasn’t eating enough protein, and was always hungry.  Now, I really only eat 3 meals a day.  Occasionally, I will have 1-2 plain Wasa crackers as a snack, or a piece of fruit, but I haven’t really been hungry between meals.  I think the one thing that made this easiest for me when starting off, is that I took all the decision making out f meal planning.  I don’t have to think “what am I going to make for dinner?” because I already know that it’s going to be a lean meat with either sauteed veggies or a salad or both.  Or if I’m going out to eat, I know that I am going to get a salad with grilled chicken.

Lately, I’ve made the Melissa’s Mean Green UMP shake for dinner (get the recipe here) because it’s good, cool, and filling!  Just last night my husband and I both had shakes, and he kept saying “wow, this is really good” (before he had it, he made a face when I told him I was putting flax seed and avocado in it).

Oh, and I haven’t stuck to this diet 100%.  I know in the past I’ve been all or nothing – “since I’m going to have this hot dog, I might as well eat a burger, potato salad, pasta salad, 2 beers, half a bag of chips and a bowl of ice cream”.  I’ve just tried to do my best wherever I’ve been, and allowed myself to have smaller portioned treats when I’m around certain foods.  I’ll eat my meat and salad, and have a little scoop of the yummy looking potato salad.  It was a little tough at first, but I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t really want that stuff (or at least not a lot of it – I’m satisfied
after a few bites).

Haha, sorry for the book I just wrote, but I’m just in such disbelief with how well this is working for me!  Have a great weekend and see you on Monday!

Looking forward to reaching my goal weight in the near future, thanks to your help!

Katie

Get on the Band Wagon

I got a great question from a new client, which is always fantastic. I love being able to explain why Get Fit NH’s training is different, and why we do what we do.

Susan’s question has to do with resistance bands and what the benefit is in using them in training, rather than just using free weights. I thought that was a great question, as many of our clients exposure to band training is usually the light weight therapy bands used in physical therapy or the cheap tubular bands. When faced with the 38″ loop of heavy duty rubber it is new experience. So here’s what I wrote:

***

Hi Susan,

That is a very good question regarding bands versus free weights. As you know we do use both, but at different times in the training cycle we can emphasize one over the other.

First of all understand that the body has no idea what resistance it is working against. It could be dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, bands, bodyweight or sticks and stones. All the body knows is that it met a resistance and it needs to move it.

That being said, most resistance that is used in training moves vertically, up and down against gravity. We pick things up, we put them down, so to speak. Whether we deadlift, squat or overhead press we are moving the weight vertically against gravity. Even when we are bench pressing we need to lie down and move the force vertically.

The cool thing about bands is that they create resistance in multiple planes of movement. Horizon, vertical, diagonal and rotational. This is the way our body moves – in all vectors and all directions. Imagine trying to do a standing chest press with dumbbells – the load still wants to move down, not out. With a band we can create an effective horizontal push while standing, which is a much better position to train than lying or even sitting down.By using bands we can train efficient movement through the entire range of motion in all directions. This also helps with overall mobility and flexibility. Bands also cause us to need to actively decelerate the load in all planes of motion.

Another reason we use bands, particularly when we are training energy systems (cardio) is the ease at which we can transition through different exercise movements. You can use one band, transition from movement to movement and never have to slow down. Way more fun when you don’t have to rest!

Don’t get me wrong, I love lifting heavy loads with free weights. The great thing about working with bands is that they help us get better at those basic lifts by working all the supporting musculature. As my friend Dave “The Band Man” Schmitz says, we “Get Better With Bands”.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that flat strap of rubber that weighs next to nothing can’t kick your butt. Have you tried training with a green one yet? 🙂

Great question Susan!

Coach Dean

P.S. Want the best bands out there for your on the road or vacation training? Check out ResistanceBandTraining.com

Thank-You For Voting Get Fit NH

For the second year in a row Get Fit NH was voted 2nd place as “Best Fitness Center or Health Club” by the readers of the Concord Insider and YOU. 

We really appreciate all the support, and are humbled and extremely honored you would take the time to vote for us. Considering that the 1st and 3rd place winners dwarf us in size, I think we did pretty good! 🙂 

You Guys Rock! 

Did you Catch the 5K Bug?

Last week’s Rock-N-Race was a blast. The crowd was enormous, the weather was great, we met friends, and supported a good cause. There are many reason other than running that we love to participate in organized outdoor activities.

There are two more outdoor events that Get Fit NH will be participating in the next few weeks or so.

The Arthritis Foundation Walk will feature Coach Erin leading the charge with a warm up. Get Fit NH has actively supported the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run for the last three years. We’ve also led the warm up at the walk for two years. Its a beautiful walk along the River in Manchester. There is not an entry fee but simply run on donations. Sign up to walk with Coach Erin on Thursday, May 31 at 6:30pm.

The Leap 5K is a relatively new race in Concord. It benefits scholarships for the Leap Preschool.

Register Here to join us on Saturday, June 9th at 9am for a family 5K.

I look forward to seeing you during the summer and hearing how you are getting outside more and more.

Coach Nancy

Healthy Eating Is Expensive…

Well at least that’s what I hear.

There are many different ways to look at it, but the bottom line is eating healthy does not have to be expensive, however it does take a change in mindset and the willingness to plan and prepare.

Compare buying a box of Cheerios to a bag of whole oats. Cereal is expensive! Buy that bag of oats and put the difference into a bag of frozen berries.

There is a difference between filling your belly (a box of mac and cheese anybody?) and fueling your body for health and performance.

Here’s a couple recipes that my family enjoys and are really easy to make. In fact Dean and I eat the “Saturday Night Special” almost every Saturday night – It’s that good!

Saturday Night Special

• 1 pound medium shrimp (I use frozen)
• salt to taste
• 3-4 garlic cloves or 1 Tablespoon garlic
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cup spinach

Heat a pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until you see the edges begin to brown. As soon as the garlic starts to brown, add the shrimp, tomatoes, and spinach to the pan. Spread the shrimp out evenly to cook. Cook until shrimp turns pink and the spinach is very wilted.

Makes 2 servings, and each serving contains 1 serving of protein and 2 servings of vegetables.

Let’s add up the cost…

$5 for the shrimp, remember I used the frozen

$.25 garlic, probably even less.

$1.50 for the cherry tomatoes. The package cost $2.98 but I didn’t use it all.

$ .75 I’m just guessing here. The package was huge and I only used 2 cups. After this meal I’ll still have the tomatoes and spinach to make a salad at another time. I had the olive oil and lemon juice on hand as part of my normal kitchen stocking items.

The Grand Total?

$7.00  – That’s It!

Total cost for this meal for two.  And the best part is it  takes under 10 minutes to make!

Compare to a sub sandwich picked up at a convenient location

1 Large meatball sub  $5

1 small bag of chips $1.19

That is $6.19 without tax for just one person. (PS – potato chips are not a veggie)

***

Mexican Scramble

• 2 eggs
• ¼ green pepper
• ¼ of onion
• ¼ cup of black beans
• 2 Tablespoon of salsa

Heat up a pan to medium. Saute the onions and green peppers. Remove from the pan. Scramble the eggs, add the black beans, onions and green peppers, and the salsa to the pan. Continue to cook until it is all hot. You can make this into an omelet too.

This recipe contains 1 serving of protein and 1 serving of vegetables.

And the cost?

$.30 for both eggs

$.05 for the green pepper ( a whole green pepper cost only $.19)

$.15 for the onion

$.17 for the black beans (I could have gotten these cheaper if I had cooked them myself)

$.10 for the salsa

Would you believe 77 cents?

Compare to a meal at a local fast food place for breakfast

• 1 Coffee
• 2 Donuts

Combo Meal price $3.59  No protein, no veggies!

Got more money saving ideas? Let’s here them!

Habit 3: Eat At Least 5 Servings of Veggies per Day

Can you believe that next Monday, April 28th, we are halfway through S3?

Time Flies!

With that halfway mark comes the introduction of the 3rd habit.

Habit 3: Eat At Least 5 Servings of Veggies per Day

Vegetables (and fruit) are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. There is no substitute for the power of vegetables as part of your nutrition plan.

Your mom is not the only one who knew the scoop on how great vegetables are for you. Here’s what Dr. John Berardi over at Precision Nutrition has to say:

“Eating higher levels of veggies and fruits are associated with a lower incidence of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Colon, prostate, cervical, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid, and breast cancer
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• and a lot more that aren’t on this list…”

Here’s a pretty cool graphic (also from PN) that illustrates another great thing about vegetables – they fill you up, literally!

Getting in 5 servings a day is much simpler than you might think, so no worries – ok?

When it comes right down to it 10 servings per day is where we want you to be, but you gotta start somewhere, right?

Think about it.

If you have a salad for lunch with 4 cups of spinach and 15 cherry tomatoes, you’ve got your five.

That’s not that hard, now is it?

Here’s a handy list, with amounts, to get you started:

5 broccoli florets
10 baby carrots
1 tomato
4 slices of onion
1 cup of leafy greens (spring mix)
15 cherry tomatoes
0.5 bell pepper
1 cup of spinach in a Super Shake
1 banana
6 strawberries
2 plums
15 grapes
1 apple
1 peach

Important notes:

Eat 3-5 servings of vegetables for each serving of fruit. Veggies First.

There are no potatoes or corn on this list. That is not an accident.

Other vegetables to try: cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy
Check out this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vegetables

So how do you score your point starting in Week 5 (Monday May 28th)?

By doing S3 Habits 1, 2 & 3

• S3 Habit 1: Eat within 1 hour of waking or consume post-training nutrition
• S3 Habit 2: Eat lean protein with at least 3 meals per day
• S3 Habit 3: Eat at least 5 servings of veggies per day

Make It Happen!

When Bad News Turns into Good

Claudia, one of our superstars in Epsom, had an incident last week but it didn’t slow her down one bit. She inspires those at 9AM and I’m sure she will inspire you too.

S3 Nutrition Knowledge 101 Seminar

Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown Team Transformation is in full swing, and the competition is close! Keep building those habits and logging those points – your team needs you!

Next week we are going to be hosting the “S3 Nutrition Knowledge Seminar” in order to help you get even more out of all the work you have been putting in.

You won’t want to miss it, as we will be rolling out more details about Habits 3 & 4, and answering the following questions:

1. What’s wrong with eating cereal for breakfast?
2. Isn’t that a lot of protein to be eating? Isn’t that hard on my kidneys?
3. What’s your deal-io with whole grains anyway?
4. Why do you hate milk so much?
5. What do you eat – tree bark?
6. Don’t you know eating healthy is expensive?

All actual questions we have received.

We will spend some time going over the “why’s” and “how’s” of the S3 habits, and taking some time at the end to answer some questions.

S3 Nutrition Knowledge 101 Seminars

Seminar 1: Get Fit NH Concord. Tuesday May 22nd. 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Seminar 2: Get Fit NH Epsom. Wednesday May 23rd. 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Keep Making It Happen,

Coach Dean