If you have been working out for a while, I want you to stop and ask yourselves "Am I where I want to be by now?"
If you started out a few weeks ago with all of these amazing lofty goals and aspirations and are on your way to achieving them... AWESOME. However, if you have stumbled a bit, I don't want you to worry. Living a healthy lifestyle (NOT short term weight loss) will ALWAYS be marked with ups and downs.
Forget what you have always heard ,read or probably thought; a healthy lifestyle has NOTHING to do with WILL POWER. WHAT? Yes, you heard me. Digging down deep for that super human strength to "be good" all the time subsequently leads to the inability or unwillingness to sustain this. In your eyes you "failed," self esteem drops, and willingness to try again decreases.
Instead of being obsessed with "will power" focus on setting up your environment to make you successful...with the least amount of effort. I don't care how together or how desperate we are to make changes-- old habits die hard. Once we become stressed,tired or emotionally drained we will always look to the external, crappy food or glass(es) of wine as a pick me up.
How to set up your environment so that you can be lazy AND succeed: If carbs are your trigger- don't even buy the crackers/muffins/pasta at the store (YES even if you have kids, they don't need the high fructose corn syrup either). If you are always looking for a sweet snack at 3pm when you are stressed - keep a stock of yogurt and fruit in your fridge at work. If you wind up eating a hefty dinner at 8pm when you get home from work - be sure to pack dinner the night before to bring to work.
I can tell you personally that I USED TO run on will power alone. I forever had blinders on; NOTHING could deter me from my goals of staying in shape and eating 100% clean (no salt, sugar, saturated fat.) This gets old quick. Eating badly tastes better, skipping workouts to sleep makes me less tired, buying lunch every day takes so much less effort etc etc etc.
The long and short of it is that I now know what my triggers are and I basically use them to my advantage. Because I am in touch with my weaknesses I work my life around ways to avoid them.
THIS is why I put so much emphasis on you guys writing down your goals all of the time; FIND YOUR TRIGGERS.
There are only so many times that you can make the same mistakes without actually taking steps to change them.
(Imagine we lived in the suburbs for a sec.) If your spouse became enraged because they backed into the garbage can in the driveway EVERY DAY on the way to work -- what would you tell them? "MOVE THE GARBAGE CAN already!" How many times is it going to take for you to ACT FIRST to avoid the inevitable???Is this sinking in ladies?
ID your problems, triggers or weaknesses. They probably pop up every day. Simply stating that "I will NEVER _________ AGAIN" hasn't worked yet; you are quite frankly kidding yourself.
Call me 646.454.0777, we can work it out together.
Oct 30, 2008
New WOMEN'S Running Program
EZ8 Running Camp in NYC. ARE YOU SICK OF YOUR GYM??
YES, you have a gym membership, SURE you've got 5 workout DVD's in your apartment, and I KNOW you "know what to do."
So let me ask you one question, how's that working out for you? No really. How many more Monday mornings are you going to wake up and say "TODAY I am going to do SOMETHING about my body."
YES, you have a gym membership, SURE you've got 5 workout DVD's in your apartment, and I KNOW you "know what to do."
So let me ask you one question, how's that working out for you? No really. How many more Monday mornings are you going to wake up and say "TODAY I am going to do SOMETHING about my body.".
What are you waiting for?? Check out my NEW fun Women's Weight Loss program EZ8 Running Camp. http://www.ez8runningcamp.com/
EZ8 Running Camp is like boot camp, weight loss, running training, personal training, and motivational training and FUN all rolled into one.
Enrollment is ongoing! Dont miss it >>>>>>
Oct 28, 2008
Watch this Video if you are a sucker!
I know that you guys are all ultra savvy consumers, right? I want to address the ridiculous commercial about High Fructose Corn Syrup(HFCS). Have you seen it? The mom pouring her kid a cup of juice is accused by another mom of not caring about her kids b/c of her drink choice. The juice mom then rebuts her comment by saying so what, it's made from corn, has the same calories as sugar, and is OK in moderation.
Watch the actual commercial here ONLY if you want to be made a fool of, because that is what this corporate propaganda and their affiliates think of you.
GUYS, DON'T fall for it!!!! HFCS is the root of all evil, truly. Many of the top nutritionists out there feel that in 10 years it will treated as the new "trans fat." (banned in restaurants, universally known as a silent killer etc.)
You must realize first that this commercial touting how wonderful HFCS is , is put out BY CORN FARMERS themselves; the very people that make money off of HFCS! This is the same as the dairy farmers putting out commercials that say "everyone must drink 3 glasses of milk a day." Uh hello, do they think we are stupid? They are just trying to sell their product and will tug at any strings they can find: your "be a better mom" card; your health card; your vanity card(this is most commonly used); your happiness card etc etc etc.
They tell you that it is fine in moderation. The main problem here is that there is a moderate amount in EVERYTHING! For example, you start your day with cereal - BAM there it is. Now on to a granola bar for a snack - POW, HFCS in your face. Next you grab an innocent turkey sandwich (w/ white or whole wheat) for lunch -SMACK, again with HFCS. Suck down a Gatorade in the gym later that night - THAT'S A WRAP! It's over, you just consumed (cleverly disguised) highly processed, chemically altered SUGAR all day long.
If you still wonder why you can't lose weight while you think you are actually eating healthy....then get your noses into those nutrition labels and start reading up! This will help you make smarter choices all around. Go deeper than the numbers on the label, you actually have to look at the ingredients section.
If you see "HFCS", "enriched or bleached or modified wheat flower", or chemicals that you cant pronounce then you are dealing with a product that although may have the same calories/fat/carbs as another, is actually WORSE for you and will cause you to pack on extra pounds.
Look at me, I am all fired up! And you should be too!
Watch the actual commercial here ONLY if you want to be made a fool of, because that is what this corporate propaganda and their affiliates think of you.
GUYS, DON'T fall for it!!!! HFCS is the root of all evil, truly. Many of the top nutritionists out there feel that in 10 years it will treated as the new "trans fat." (banned in restaurants, universally known as a silent killer etc.)
You must realize first that this commercial touting how wonderful HFCS is , is put out BY CORN FARMERS themselves; the very people that make money off of HFCS! This is the same as the dairy farmers putting out commercials that say "everyone must drink 3 glasses of milk a day." Uh hello, do they think we are stupid? They are just trying to sell their product and will tug at any strings they can find: your "be a better mom" card; your health card; your vanity card(this is most commonly used); your happiness card etc etc etc.
They tell you that it is fine in moderation. The main problem here is that there is a moderate amount in EVERYTHING! For example, you start your day with cereal - BAM there it is. Now on to a granola bar for a snack - POW, HFCS in your face. Next you grab an innocent turkey sandwich (w/ white or whole wheat) for lunch -SMACK, again with HFCS. Suck down a Gatorade in the gym later that night - THAT'S A WRAP! It's over, you just consumed (cleverly disguised) highly processed, chemically altered SUGAR all day long.
If you still wonder why you can't lose weight while you think you are actually eating healthy....then get your noses into those nutrition labels and start reading up! This will help you make smarter choices all around. Go deeper than the numbers on the label, you actually have to look at the ingredients section.
If you see "HFCS", "enriched or bleached or modified wheat flower", or chemicals that you cant pronounce then you are dealing with a product that although may have the same calories/fat/carbs as another, is actually WORSE for you and will cause you to pack on extra pounds.
Look at me, I am all fired up! And you should be too!
Sep 30, 2008
SUCCESS LIST
Many times I have people question "Where do I start, I don't know where to begin!?" For those of you who have repeated these same words I have compiled the following list for you to follow when beginning a new fitness routine.
1. One Day at a Time.
Are you starting each day by focusing on breakfast? Make sure the first meal you eat is a healthy one. Many diets have met their untimely end due to a poor breakfast, which turned into a poor lunch, which turned into a poor dinner, which turned into a poor week... You probably get the picture. If you did have a day that included some slip-ups, breakfast is the perfect time to get back on track. Just start over with a healthy meal. Don't think about the cookie you had at lunch yesterday or even the office party you have to go to tomorrow. Concentrate on today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
2. Two People To Support You.
Don't isolate yourself. Do you have two people who can be supportive and help you make sound decisions? Use the resources you have to tell what you might think are the silliest stories: How you passed up some potato chips during lunch, that you had a perfect meal plan day, or that you weighed in and lost two pounds.
3. Three Goals and Three Rewards
Create a goal system for yourself and write it down (if you haven't already). Short Term Goal- Figure out where you want to be in two weeks and write down a non-edible reward (a new CD, a movie, whatever...) If you reach your goal, make sure to give yourself the reward. If you don't reach your goal, and it may happen, look at the progress you made and set another goal. Medium range- Decide where you want to be in 2 months and make the reward just a bit larger. (New walking shoes, a day at the salon, a new pair of pants.) Long term- Figure out what your goal weight is and when you think you can reach it. Set up a vacation for that date or find another way to celebrate your achievement. Give yourself a little leeway here. Don't cancel a trip if you are 3 pounds off. The point is to look forward to something in the future.
4. Four Pieced of Fruit.
Have you been skipping that banana at breakfast and just eating two muffins, or just having cereal and milk? The fruit will help fill you up and reduce your cravings. Fruits are especially important when just starting out.
5. Five (or more) Servings of Vegetables.
Eating all your vegetables can be especially challenging. Vegetables can be harder to get all of your servings than fruit. Generally speaking, they take more time to prepare, and we only think of them as dinner foods. One of the best ways to ensure you get all your vegetable servings is to plan ahead. Although, I am a big believer in fresh vegetables, stock up on frozen and canned veggies, in case you forget to buy fresh ones. When preparing your meal, fix the vegetables first. That way there will be no temptation to just eat your entree and leave the veggies in the fridge.
6. Eat Six Times A Day
Oddly enough, one of the keys to losing weight is eating often. You should be eating six times a day. That's three small meals and a snack after each meal. The faster you can get into this eating habit the better. This will keep you from becoming hungry late at nights, when you may be tired and not have as much will power.
7. Seven Days of Exercise
If you haven't been exercising this may sound difficult. Visions of endless jogging and hours spent in the gym. Start slow and start with what is right for you. Walking every day is a simple way to begin. Even if it is just for 10 minutes, get yourself in the habit of getting up and moving. Walk during your lunch hour or visit a co-worker instead of calling. If you can, adding a couple days of free weights will help you build muscle and ultimately keep your metabolism running at a higher level.
8. Eight Glasses of Water a Day.
It is hard to believe this can actually help you lose weight. It makes sense that eating well should help, but how does adding water help. Your body needs lots and lots of water. More than most people give it. Water keeps the body in balance. Besides, sometimes we can mistake thirst for hunger, leading to a snack instead of old H2O.
9. Nine Different Activities in Your Workout.
Don't let yourself get bored doing the same exercises repeatedly. Half an hour worth of sit-ups or walking the same route every day can be boring, even for the most motivated exerciser. By trying different things, you will actually be working your muscles in a more productive manner. Our bodies become accustomed to exercises we do all the time and start becoming more efficient and burning fewer calories while performing them.
10. Ten Minutes of Journal Time a Day.
Take time to reflect and write down some of the frustrations you may be having. Being aware of how you feel mentally can help you feel better physically. Your journal doesn't have to just be what you ate and how far you walked. How is dieting making you feel? Frustrated, confident, grumpy, or proud. All of these may cross your mind at one point or another. Writing them down may be a good way to cross them out of your mind.
1. One Day at a Time.
Are you starting each day by focusing on breakfast? Make sure the first meal you eat is a healthy one. Many diets have met their untimely end due to a poor breakfast, which turned into a poor lunch, which turned into a poor dinner, which turned into a poor week... You probably get the picture. If you did have a day that included some slip-ups, breakfast is the perfect time to get back on track. Just start over with a healthy meal. Don't think about the cookie you had at lunch yesterday or even the office party you have to go to tomorrow. Concentrate on today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
2. Two People To Support You.
Don't isolate yourself. Do you have two people who can be supportive and help you make sound decisions? Use the resources you have to tell what you might think are the silliest stories: How you passed up some potato chips during lunch, that you had a perfect meal plan day, or that you weighed in and lost two pounds.
3. Three Goals and Three Rewards
Create a goal system for yourself and write it down (if you haven't already). Short Term Goal- Figure out where you want to be in two weeks and write down a non-edible reward (a new CD, a movie, whatever...) If you reach your goal, make sure to give yourself the reward. If you don't reach your goal, and it may happen, look at the progress you made and set another goal. Medium range- Decide where you want to be in 2 months and make the reward just a bit larger. (New walking shoes, a day at the salon, a new pair of pants.) Long term- Figure out what your goal weight is and when you think you can reach it. Set up a vacation for that date or find another way to celebrate your achievement. Give yourself a little leeway here. Don't cancel a trip if you are 3 pounds off. The point is to look forward to something in the future.
4. Four Pieced of Fruit.
Have you been skipping that banana at breakfast and just eating two muffins, or just having cereal and milk? The fruit will help fill you up and reduce your cravings. Fruits are especially important when just starting out.
5. Five (or more) Servings of Vegetables.
Eating all your vegetables can be especially challenging. Vegetables can be harder to get all of your servings than fruit. Generally speaking, they take more time to prepare, and we only think of them as dinner foods. One of the best ways to ensure you get all your vegetable servings is to plan ahead. Although, I am a big believer in fresh vegetables, stock up on frozen and canned veggies, in case you forget to buy fresh ones. When preparing your meal, fix the vegetables first. That way there will be no temptation to just eat your entree and leave the veggies in the fridge.
6. Eat Six Times A Day
Oddly enough, one of the keys to losing weight is eating often. You should be eating six times a day. That's three small meals and a snack after each meal. The faster you can get into this eating habit the better. This will keep you from becoming hungry late at nights, when you may be tired and not have as much will power.
7. Seven Days of Exercise
If you haven't been exercising this may sound difficult. Visions of endless jogging and hours spent in the gym. Start slow and start with what is right for you. Walking every day is a simple way to begin. Even if it is just for 10 minutes, get yourself in the habit of getting up and moving. Walk during your lunch hour or visit a co-worker instead of calling. If you can, adding a couple days of free weights will help you build muscle and ultimately keep your metabolism running at a higher level.
8. Eight Glasses of Water a Day.
It is hard to believe this can actually help you lose weight. It makes sense that eating well should help, but how does adding water help. Your body needs lots and lots of water. More than most people give it. Water keeps the body in balance. Besides, sometimes we can mistake thirst for hunger, leading to a snack instead of old H2O.
9. Nine Different Activities in Your Workout.
Don't let yourself get bored doing the same exercises repeatedly. Half an hour worth of sit-ups or walking the same route every day can be boring, even for the most motivated exerciser. By trying different things, you will actually be working your muscles in a more productive manner. Our bodies become accustomed to exercises we do all the time and start becoming more efficient and burning fewer calories while performing them.
10. Ten Minutes of Journal Time a Day.
Take time to reflect and write down some of the frustrations you may be having. Being aware of how you feel mentally can help you feel better physically. Your journal doesn't have to just be what you ate and how far you walked. How is dieting making you feel? Frustrated, confident, grumpy, or proud. All of these may cross your mind at one point or another. Writing them down may be a good way to cross them out of your mind.
Sep 3, 2008
100 Calorie Snack Packs, What's the Deal?
Today, I would like to address the "Snacking Issue"
This is one important issue that our Nutritionists always bring up in our Lecture during the first week of boot camp. She talks about making changes in your diet according to where you are or how far along you are in the process.
When choosing a between meal snack it is important to remember that all calories are not created equal. Let's look at 100 calorie snacks from Nabisco, for instance. Great, 100 cals. Doesn't sound like a lot and in fact its not. Unfortunately those calories come from simple starchesthat your body breaks down very quickly. If you don't use that energy up in that next half hour or so , it gets stored as excess energy: FAT. (On the flip side, complex carbs take longer to break down in the body,therefore can be burned off all day long and therefore have less of a chance to be stored as fat.)
Lets take a look at those seemingly innocent snacks:
*There is little to NO FIBER (to keep you fuller longer , keep digestive tract running appropriately
*NO PROTEIN (to help build back the muscle that you broke down in class therefore leading to muscle wasting and slow metabolism)
*NO VITAMINS/MINERALS/ANTIOXIDANTS (to replenish what you burned off, rebuild skin/organ/immune system, fight cancer diabetes/heart disease/high BP)
*HIGHLY PROCESSED, LOTS OF SUGAR & CHEMICALS to maintain years shelf life (leave you feeling dehydrated, drained of energy when insulin/blood sugar peaks then plummets, nudges you towards seeking out another poor choice)
*TONS of SALT -upwards of 250 mg of salt for a handful of food is OUTRAGEOUS (leaving you bloated accounting for daily changes on the scale, dehydrated, tired and "thirsty" [no pun intended] for a sugary drink.
Look, if you are used to eating brownies as a mid day snack, then yes, 100 calorie snacks (cheese nips, oreos, snack mix) are the way to go! You have made a smarter choice here b/c these packs teach you portion control. Unfortunately that's all they teach you. I can stick 100 calories worth of cheese fries in a bag and market it as a "100 calorie snack" and I wouldn't be lying, but is this healthy? NO! You wouldn't be fooled by that so why get scammed by Nabisco??
So if you are not eating brownies as snacks and you are at a different place in your weight loss regimen then what are you supposed ot eat? Girls, I am glad you asked. It's time to go to the next level. AWESOME snacks that will leave you full, help replenish protein to build lean muscle, give you energy, hydrate you, contain calcium, make you happy etc etc:
-low fat yogurt plain flavor (with fruit or nuts on top)
-nuts (unsalted of course)
-fruit! grapes, apples, peaches, bananas, etc etc
-sliced veggies with olive oil and vinegar drizzled on top (takes 3 mins cut the night before, or no minutes if you did a batch of them already on sunday night)
-natural peanut butter by itself or on fruit/1 slice of wheat toast
-tuna fish with lemon (keep a can opener in your desk at work and lemon in the fridge
-avocado and beans
-oatmeal (with fresh fruit/nuts/berries on top)
-low fat cottage cheese (NOT fat free, too much salt) with something fun on top
-sweat potato (can easily be thrown in the microwave at work)
-small salad with protein on top
-salsa (read the label! some have tons of salt) and veggies
Once you break the sugar addiction, realize that you must plan these snacks the night before, and get away from the quick fix options you will see a world of difference. This difference will manifest in not only the way you look but the way you feel!
It is importantly for you to be cognisant of the calorie/fat/salt/protein content of your food. AND you have to also go another step and read the ingredients to uncover what is behind those numbers. They say "the numbers don't lie" but when it comes to food, most often they do.
Good luck, and if you want more info like this then ask me! OR you can come down to Waldbaums in Oceanside Long Island tomorrow night 7-8pm. SIGN UP HERE>>>
This is one important issue that our Nutritionists always bring up in our Lecture during the first week of boot camp. She talks about making changes in your diet according to where you are or how far along you are in the process.
When choosing a between meal snack it is important to remember that all calories are not created equal. Let's look at 100 calorie snacks from Nabisco, for instance. Great, 100 cals. Doesn't sound like a lot and in fact its not. Unfortunately those calories come from simple starchesthat your body breaks down very quickly. If you don't use that energy up in that next half hour or so , it gets stored as excess energy: FAT. (On the flip side, complex carbs take longer to break down in the body,therefore can be burned off all day long and therefore have less of a chance to be stored as fat.)
Lets take a look at those seemingly innocent snacks:
*There is little to NO FIBER (to keep you fuller longer , keep digestive tract running appropriately
*NO PROTEIN (to help build back the muscle that you broke down in class therefore leading to muscle wasting and slow metabolism)
*NO VITAMINS/MINERALS/ANTIOXIDANTS (to replenish what you burned off, rebuild skin/organ/immune system, fight cancer diabetes/heart disease/high BP)
*HIGHLY PROCESSED, LOTS OF SUGAR & CHEMICALS to maintain years shelf life (leave you feeling dehydrated, drained of energy when insulin/blood sugar peaks then plummets, nudges you towards seeking out another poor choice)
*TONS of SALT -upwards of 250 mg of salt for a handful of food is OUTRAGEOUS (leaving you bloated accounting for daily changes on the scale, dehydrated, tired and "thirsty" [no pun intended] for a sugary drink.
Look, if you are used to eating brownies as a mid day snack, then yes, 100 calorie snacks (cheese nips, oreos, snack mix) are the way to go! You have made a smarter choice here b/c these packs teach you portion control. Unfortunately that's all they teach you. I can stick 100 calories worth of cheese fries in a bag and market it as a "100 calorie snack" and I wouldn't be lying, but is this healthy? NO! You wouldn't be fooled by that so why get scammed by Nabisco??
So if you are not eating brownies as snacks and you are at a different place in your weight loss regimen then what are you supposed ot eat? Girls, I am glad you asked. It's time to go to the next level. AWESOME snacks that will leave you full, help replenish protein to build lean muscle, give you energy, hydrate you, contain calcium, make you happy etc etc:
-low fat yogurt plain flavor (with fruit or nuts on top)
-nuts (unsalted of course)
-fruit! grapes, apples, peaches, bananas, etc etc
-sliced veggies with olive oil and vinegar drizzled on top (takes 3 mins cut the night before, or no minutes if you did a batch of them already on sunday night)
-natural peanut butter by itself or on fruit/1 slice of wheat toast
-tuna fish with lemon (keep a can opener in your desk at work and lemon in the fridge
-avocado and beans
-oatmeal (with fresh fruit/nuts/berries on top)
-low fat cottage cheese (NOT fat free, too much salt) with something fun on top
-sweat potato (can easily be thrown in the microwave at work)
-small salad with protein on top
-salsa (read the label! some have tons of salt) and veggies
Once you break the sugar addiction, realize that you must plan these snacks the night before, and get away from the quick fix options you will see a world of difference. This difference will manifest in not only the way you look but the way you feel!
It is importantly for you to be cognisant of the calorie/fat/salt/protein content of your food. AND you have to also go another step and read the ingredients to uncover what is behind those numbers. They say "the numbers don't lie" but when it comes to food, most often they do.
Good luck, and if you want more info like this then ask me! OR you can come down to Waldbaums in Oceanside Long Island tomorrow night 7-8pm. SIGN UP HERE>>>
Aug 26, 2008
Bounce Back From Diet Slip-Ups
So let me guess?! You’ve been committed to changing your lifestyle for months now by eating better and exercising regularly. Suddenly, an opportunity to forget your diet for a few hours appears. In a moment of weakness, you indulge in a pint of your favorite ice cream (it was on sale!) or an evening of pizza and beer with your friends (but I don’t get to see them very often!). Don’t beat yourself up! You can get past this! In this article, we’ll take a look at how to recover from diet slip-ups: forgive yourself, get back on track, and don’t overcompensate.
Forgive yourself
It’s inevitable that all of us are going to meet temptation along the road of reaching our fitness goals. If you give in, it doesn’t mean that the goal is lost forever! The first step in recovering from a diet slip-up is to simply forgive yourself. Acknowledge the fact that what you consumed isn’t going to help you reach your goals, and then write it off. It’s not worth the energy to feel guilty or upset, or in the worst case, purge what you’ve eaten. This is a dangerous road to walk down and can lead to permanent health problems. You ate it, it’s in the past, acknowledge and move on!
Get back on track
The most important part of recovering from a diet slip-up is getting back on track. Just because you’ve eaten a big dinner and dessert doesn’t mean that the diet’s over! Many of us use this event to excuse ourselves from continuing on our fitness paths. “Well, that’s it, it’s over, I’ll start again next month.” No! Get right back up on the horse the next day; follow your fitness routine just like the slip-up never happened. This is important no matter where you are on the path to better fitness. If it happens soon after you’ve started your fitness routine, it’s more tempting to quit because you haven’t invested too much time into it.
Never overcompensate
“I had a huge dinner last night, so to make up for it, I’m just going to skip lunch tomorrow.” No! Once again, you need to get back on the right track and continue as if the slip-up never happened. It’s tempting to think that the calories you’ve consumed can be “evened out” by consuming fewer calories the next day, but unfortunately our bodies don’t work like that. The calories that you consumed last night have already been absorbed, and you need a minimum amount of calories everyday so your body will work at its best, so skipping a meal the next day won’t do you any favors.
Still Slipping up?? Email me at Laura@EZ8RunningCamp.com and I will email you a FREE custom Food Journal so that you can take the 1st steps towards getting on track.
Forgive yourself
It’s inevitable that all of us are going to meet temptation along the road of reaching our fitness goals. If you give in, it doesn’t mean that the goal is lost forever! The first step in recovering from a diet slip-up is to simply forgive yourself. Acknowledge the fact that what you consumed isn’t going to help you reach your goals, and then write it off. It’s not worth the energy to feel guilty or upset, or in the worst case, purge what you’ve eaten. This is a dangerous road to walk down and can lead to permanent health problems. You ate it, it’s in the past, acknowledge and move on!
Get back on track
The most important part of recovering from a diet slip-up is getting back on track. Just because you’ve eaten a big dinner and dessert doesn’t mean that the diet’s over! Many of us use this event to excuse ourselves from continuing on our fitness paths. “Well, that’s it, it’s over, I’ll start again next month.” No! Get right back up on the horse the next day; follow your fitness routine just like the slip-up never happened. This is important no matter where you are on the path to better fitness. If it happens soon after you’ve started your fitness routine, it’s more tempting to quit because you haven’t invested too much time into it.
Never overcompensate
“I had a huge dinner last night, so to make up for it, I’m just going to skip lunch tomorrow.” No! Once again, you need to get back on the right track and continue as if the slip-up never happened. It’s tempting to think that the calories you’ve consumed can be “evened out” by consuming fewer calories the next day, but unfortunately our bodies don’t work like that. The calories that you consumed last night have already been absorbed, and you need a minimum amount of calories everyday so your body will work at its best, so skipping a meal the next day won’t do you any favors.
Still Slipping up?? Email me at Laura@EZ8RunningCamp.com and I will email you a FREE custom Food Journal so that you can take the 1st steps towards getting on track.
Aug 15, 2008
2000 SIT UPS and ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT
(And It's NOT Fitting Any Looser)
When people ask me what I do for a living and they hear that I am a physical 
therapist, their eyes glaze over as they say with complete disinterest “OH, ok.” Because I am completely co-dependent I try to win them back by hitting them with “I am also a personal trainer!” NOW I’ve got their attention.
9 times out of 10 the next thing said is (with index finger and thumb pinching their love handles) "What exercise is the best to get rid of THESE??" I bet this kind of situation doesn’t happen to people who work in finance or in restaurants. Trainers get the luxury of hearing (and sometimes seeing) everyone’s "problem areas".
So they sit attentive and anxious, waiting to hear my magic answer. They want me to hand over the cure to their life long battle with the "muffin top.” Since this isn’t my first time answering this question, I brace myself before I give my stock (but tireless) respnose: “SORRY, BUT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCING.”
Now, we are in an immediate fight. All of a sudden THEY have become the fitness expert. I get to hear about what their mom told them, what Joey Meatballs said at the gym once, how all of those infomercials for the ab lounge/ab roller/body by jake machines MUST be out there for a reason yada yada yada, RIGHT!? (Their tone of voice taunts me to agree with this “hear say” and misinformation.)
Look, unfortunately there IS no such thing as spot reducing. Sorry. Tricep exercises don’t make your arm fat go away, leg lifts don't make butt fat go away and 2000 crunches CERTAINLY wont make your stomach get smaller. It is scientifically impossible.
SO WHAT DOES???? If this is your 1st time reading this newsletter, you get a pass . But the rest of you BETTER know this answer, especially if you are in my boot camp. Do me a favor and write it down now so you will never forget. What gets rid of belly fat, is the combination of resistance training (weights), cardiovascular training (biking, running, elliptical) and a KILLER diet.
You lose body fat from the entire body, little by little, over time. You may see it leave from certain places 1st (like the face or the boobs), but this has everything to do with genetics and zippo to do with which particular exercise you choose to do that week.
Once again, there is no quick fix or magic exercise to lose inches in your problem areas. To make your stomach flat and tight you must be doing it all and giving it your all, every day. (Put that in your pipe Body-by-Jake.)
therapist, their eyes glaze over as they say with complete disinterest “OH, ok.” Because I am completely co-dependent I try to win them back by hitting them with “I am also a personal trainer!” NOW I’ve got their attention.
9 times out of 10 the next thing said is (with index finger and thumb pinching their love handles) "What exercise is the best to get rid of THESE??" I bet this kind of situation doesn’t happen to people who work in finance or in restaurants. Trainers get the luxury of hearing (and sometimes seeing) everyone’s "problem areas".
So they sit attentive and anxious, waiting to hear my magic answer. They want me to hand over the cure to their life long battle with the "muffin top.” Since this isn’t my first time answering this question, I brace myself before I give my stock (but tireless) respnose: “SORRY, BUT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCING.”
Now, we are in an immediate fight. All of a sudden THEY have become the fitness expert. I get to hear about what their mom told them, what Joey Meatballs said at the gym once, how all of those infomercials for the ab lounge/ab roller/body by jake machines MUST be out there for a reason yada yada yada, RIGHT!? (Their tone of voice taunts me to agree with this “hear say” and misinformation.)
Look, unfortunately there IS no such thing as spot reducing. Sorry. Tricep exercises don’t make your arm fat go away, leg lifts don't make butt fat go away and 2000 crunches CERTAINLY wont make your stomach get smaller. It is scientifically impossible.
SO WHAT DOES???? If this is your 1st time reading this newsletter, you get a pass . But the rest of you BETTER know this answer, especially if you are in my boot camp. Do me a favor and write it down now so you will never forget. What gets rid of belly fat, is the combination of resistance training (weights), cardiovascular training (biking, running, elliptical) and a KILLER diet.
You lose body fat from the entire body, little by little, over time. You may see it leave from certain places 1st (like the face or the boobs), but this has everything to do with genetics and zippo to do with which particular exercise you choose to do that week.
Once again, there is no quick fix or magic exercise to lose inches in your problem areas. To make your stomach flat and tight you must be doing it all and giving it your all, every day. (Put that in your pipe Body-by-Jake.)
Aug 11, 2008
SOCCER MOMS GET BACK IN SHAPE, As kids get back to school
9 AM CLASS JUST ADDED TO ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP IN NYC
We really cater to the mama's in NYC. You can finally enjoy this nyc boot camp for women at the glorious hour (while the kids are at school!) -- 9am.
The kids are beginning their school year, its time for you to GET YOUR BODY BACK! Boot Camp in Battery Park City & Central Park starting 9/8 at both 5:30am & 9am .
Get fit and fabulous with other like minded women!
Battery Park 9:30am & 5:30am CLICK HERE to register!
We really cater to the mama's in NYC. You can finally enjoy this nyc boot camp for women at the glorious hour (while the kids are at school!) -- 9am.
The kids are beginning their school year, its time for you to GET YOUR BODY BACK! Boot Camp in Battery Park City & Central Park starting 9/8 at both 5:30am & 9am .
Get fit and fabulous with other like minded women!
Battery Park 9:30am & 5:30am CLICK HERE to register!
Jul 23, 2008
SO YOU THINK YOU ARE SO HEALTHY, EH?
Here is a short list that I have compiled of foods that mascarade as "healthy" but really are GARBAGE and can single handedly sabotage your quest for a healthy lifestyle (notice i didn't say "diet").
To find out EXACTLY what to eat CLICK HERE for the next GROCERY SHOPPING TOUR IN NYC AND Long Island! (But more on that later.)
*Deli Turkey --Tons of SALT and preservatives not found in the real thing (the root of so many evils and the cause for the scale going up and down by 3-5 lbs a day.) Healthier option: low/no fat ground turkey meat. Little to nothing added but the bird.
*Low Fat Peanut butter-- so they took out some fat and replaced it with SALT (approx160 mg/serving). This was the good-fat, people. You are better off having the real thing, just make sure to buy "Natural Peanut Butter."
*Granola/Trail mix-- saturated fat and cholesterol up the wazoo. Plus, lots of unhealthy chemicals added to keep the a very long shelf life. Better option: fruits, veggies, make your own mix: walnuts, peanuts, almonds, raisins, dried fruit etc.
*Juice -- sugar!!!!!!! Typically, your morning glass of OJ has comparable levels of sugar as soda (beware: see the next item for numbers). Always choose water instead. Add pieces of lime, lemon, fruit, cucumber to spice it up.
*Soda, even diet-- FYI a regular coke has 10 Tsp of sugar! (YES T-E-N teaspoons), Yuk. The "diet" version isn't any better, I am afraid. Chemicals are put in that make it taste sweet, these chemicals trick your brain into thinking it is actually getting something sweet. BUT when it realizes it's been fooled, it then craves the actual thing and you go off on some sort of sugar-crash-binge-frenzy. Keep in mind this may take a few days to build up. I am sad to say that "sugar free" drinks are just as bad and have the same effect (crystal light being one of them).
I can already hear you saying "well, diet soda is better than having a regular soda, so what's the big deal." WHATS THE BIG DEAL??? You might as well have said "I had the burger only, it was better than eating that AND the fries." GASP! (Maybe you DO say that, I don't know).
The point is you wont achieve greatness (IE a healthier lifestyle
that LASTS) by relying on the "Better Than" mantra. Knock it off and get honest with/ yourself. I promise you might just be surprised by what you find. WARNING: You will have to fight hard. people always want to sabotage your quest. They will say "Come on, you can have just one piece of [insert bad food here], you've been working hard all week." These people just don't want to feel bad about themselves and what they are shoving in their mouths. You HAVE TO be the different one, it WILL pay off.
Still not sure what to eat?? You are in luck!
The next "Grocery Shopping Tour" will take place August 28th from 7-8pm in Whole Foods in Chelsea!
I will take you through the store teaching you how to read labels, debunk common myths on eating for weight loss, show you how to shop fast and healthy for you and your entire family and much more!
To find out EXACTLY what to eat CLICK HERE for the next GROCERY SHOPPING TOUR IN NYC AND Long Island! (But more on that later.)
*Deli Turkey --Tons of SALT and preservatives not found in the real thing (the root of so many evils and the cause for the scale going up and down by 3-5 lbs a day.) Healthier option: low/no fat ground turkey meat. Little to nothing added but the bird.
*Low Fat Peanut butter-- so they took out some fat and replaced it with SALT (approx160 mg/serving). This was the good-fat, people. You are better off having the real thing, just make sure to buy "Natural Peanut Butter."
*Granola/Trail mix-- saturated fat and cholesterol up the wazoo. Plus, lots of unhealthy chemicals added to keep the a very long shelf life. Better option: fruits, veggies, make your own mix: walnuts, peanuts, almonds, raisins, dried fruit etc.
*Juice -- sugar!!!!!!! Typically, your morning glass of OJ has comparable levels of sugar as soda (beware: see the next item for numbers). Always choose water instead. Add pieces of lime, lemon, fruit, cucumber to spice it up.
*Soda, even diet-- FYI a regular coke has 10 Tsp of sugar! (YES T-E-N teaspoons), Yuk. The "diet" version isn't any better, I am afraid. Chemicals are put in that make it taste sweet, these chemicals trick your brain into thinking it is actually getting something sweet. BUT when it realizes it's been fooled, it then craves the actual thing and you go off on some sort of sugar-crash-binge-frenzy. Keep in mind this may take a few days to build up. I am sad to say that "sugar free" drinks are just as bad and have the same effect (crystal light being one of them).
I can already hear you saying "well, diet soda is better than having a regular soda, so what's the big deal." WHATS THE BIG DEAL??? You might as well have said "I had the burger only, it was better than eating that AND the fries." GASP! (Maybe you DO say that, I don't know).
The point is you wont achieve greatness (IE a healthier lifestyle
that LASTS) by relying on the "Better Than" mantra. Knock it off and get honest with/ yourself. I promise you might just be surprised by what you find. WARNING: You will have to fight hard. people always want to sabotage your quest. They will say "Come on, you can have just one piece of [insert bad food here], you've been working hard all week." These people just don't want to feel bad about themselves and what they are shoving in their mouths. You HAVE TO be the different one, it WILL pay off.
Still not sure what to eat?? You are in luck!
The next "Grocery Shopping Tour" will take place August 28th from 7-8pm in Whole Foods in Chelsea!
I will take you through the store teaching you how to read labels, debunk common myths on eating for weight loss, show you how to shop fast and healthy for you and your entire family and much more!
Jun 16, 2008
Forming Good Habits with NYC Adventure Boot Camp
Stacy Papakostas Speaks Out!
Making the commitment to improve your habits is a great first step on the road to better health and fitness. However, this first step is quickly followed by making the actual changes, and this can be quite a challenge. Don’t lose hope if you find all the changes too difficult in the beginning, because eventually they’ll come to you like second nature. Here are a few tips to help change your old bad habits into successful ones.
Replace One Bad Habit at a Time-
It can be so demoralizing when you realize that a lot of your bad habits need to be changed. Try changing one thing at a time and then moving on to the next one when the new good habit has become engrained. For example, if you have a problem with snacking between meals, try reaching for an apple or carrot instead of a bag of chips. Or if you have the habit of going through the drive through or parking as close as you can to the entrance of the grocery store, try parking and walking in or parking far away from the entrance, so you can get your legs moving.
You Don’t Have to Go Cold Turkey-
The hardest part of making a lifestyle change is breaking yourself of all the bad habits that you’ve accumulated. The truth is, you don’t have to be a perfect angel overnight, and no one expects you to be! Improving your health won’t happen instantly and you’re going to have setbacks along the way.
Keep Track of Your Progress-
Starting a new fitness or diet regime can be difficult in the beginning because you can’t always see the changes right away. In our culture of immediate gratification, it’s easy to be disheartened when you don’t see results in the first week. A great way to combat this is to keep track of your progress. There are several ways you can do this, whether you choose to measure the length of time you’re able to run or swim, or measuring yourself with a tape measure or calculating your BMI. If you have difficulty staying on track or sticking to a plan, you may consider joining a boot camp that is right for you! We will ensure that you safely and effectively meet your goals!
Here at NycAdventureBootCamp we are big on the three C’s- COMMITMENT, CONTROL & CONSISTENCY! Make the first step and Commit and we will gladly guide you through the rest. Whatever your health and fitness concerns are, we are confident that we can help you achieve your goals! If you are interested in speaking with a personal trainer, please sign up for a. We can discuss your goals and see if we are a good match. What are you waiting for?
Not only can boot camp help you define your fitness goals and provide a fitness routine to help you achieve them, but checking in with your personal trainer from time to time can also give you another valuable tool – accountability. Sometimes, all you need to make the right decisions, such as choosing a salad instead of a cheeseburger or doing your exercises instead of making excuses not to go, is remembering that you’ll have to explain your actions when you meet up with someone. Plus, when you do slip (and don’t worry when you do), we the professionals will be there to help you back on the right path and encourage you to keep up the good work.
For Battery Park And NEW Long Island camp Info email me at Laura@AdventureBootCampNY.com or call me directly at 646.454.0777
Making the commitment to improve your habits is a great first step on the road to better health and fitness. However, this first step is quickly followed by making the actual changes, and this can be quite a challenge. Don’t lose hope if you find all the changes too difficult in the beginning, because eventually they’ll come to you like second nature. Here are a few tips to help change your old bad habits into successful ones.
Replace One Bad Habit at a Time-
It can be so demoralizing when you realize that a lot of your bad habits need to be changed. Try changing one thing at a time and then moving on to the next one when the new good habit has become engrained. For example, if you have a problem with snacking between meals, try reaching for an apple or carrot instead of a bag of chips. Or if you have the habit of going through the drive through or parking as close as you can to the entrance of the grocery store, try parking and walking in or parking far away from the entrance, so you can get your legs moving.
You Don’t Have to Go Cold Turkey-
The hardest part of making a lifestyle change is breaking yourself of all the bad habits that you’ve accumulated. The truth is, you don’t have to be a perfect angel overnight, and no one expects you to be! Improving your health won’t happen instantly and you’re going to have setbacks along the way.
Keep Track of Your Progress-
Starting a new fitness or diet regime can be difficult in the beginning because you can’t always see the changes right away. In our culture of immediate gratification, it’s easy to be disheartened when you don’t see results in the first week. A great way to combat this is to keep track of your progress. There are several ways you can do this, whether you choose to measure the length of time you’re able to run or swim, or measuring yourself with a tape measure or calculating your BMI. If you have difficulty staying on track or sticking to a plan, you may consider joining a boot camp that is right for you! We will ensure that you safely and effectively meet your goals!
Here at NycAdventureBootCamp we are big on the three C’s- COMMITMENT, CONTROL & CONSISTENCY! Make the first step and Commit and we will gladly guide you through the rest. Whatever your health and fitness concerns are, we are confident that we can help you achieve your goals! If you are interested in speaking with a personal trainer, please sign up for a. We can discuss your goals and see if we are a good match. What are you waiting for?
Not only can boot camp help you define your fitness goals and provide a fitness routine to help you achieve them, but checking in with your personal trainer from time to time can also give you another valuable tool – accountability. Sometimes, all you need to make the right decisions, such as choosing a salad instead of a cheeseburger or doing your exercises instead of making excuses not to go, is remembering that you’ll have to explain your actions when you meet up with someone. Plus, when you do slip (and don’t worry when you do), we the professionals will be there to help you back on the right path and encourage you to keep up the good work.
For Battery Park And NEW Long Island camp Info email me at Laura@AdventureBootCampNY.com or call me directly at 646.454.0777
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