Monday, December 28, 2009

How to make your New Years resolution last…

Do you make a new years resolution every year? Is it the same every year?

Did you know that Fitness, weight loss, better health are at the top two or three for most people every year.

Why is that?

You know that your life is more fulfilling when you feel good about yourself, have more energy, are looking great, and all that equals feeling great.

Every year most people fall away from their resolution by February or March, and that’s a long time for most people.

How do I make this a life change rather than a flash in the pan, one day declaration?

Here is how to keep your fitness resolution…

1) Set attainable goals.
Write them down and put an attainable timeframe on your goals. I.e., 5 pounds down in January, 5 pounds in March, Half marathon in April etc. Big pipe dream goals are a set up for failure so be reasonable and be sure you can get it done.

2) Keep yourself accountable.
Most resolutions fail because they are a “one time” declaration on New Years Eve on a whim. If you are serious, pick someone in your life that will help you stay accountable to your goal daily, monthly, and yearly. Share the details and be sure they are ready to help you achieve. (You can always send it to me; I will keep you on track)

3) Commit your goal to yourself and your family.
Share your goals for the year with your family and friends. The more you talk about it, the more you will feel a sense of commitment to your goals and the more people will ask you about how you are doing.

4) Stay strong
Lets not sugar coat this, changes to lifestyle are tough. It takes determination, focus and support from friends and family. Focus on the people that support and encourage you. Keep in mind there will be the negative people but you can defeat them with your success. I believe in you.

Please use me as your resource to help you achieve your goals for 2010.

Heres to a new and prosporous you in the new year.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Be Stress-Less and present today

My good friend Michelle sent me a note this morning that made me stop and examine where I am at this moment today. I hope it helps you stop and appreciate your life, family and friends.

Today is a new day, saturday before Christmas.

Cookies are being made, houses need to be cleaned for guests coming over, gifts still need to be bought and wrapped.

Stress levels are at an all time high.

What one thing are you going to do today to stay stress-less?

Im going to remind myself that there are so many more blessings in my life and focus on the present moment.

Life flies by so fast, at a blink of an eye. We can miss that moment of joy or sharing if we consume ourselves with those stress activities.

Take a moment to stop and look around. Check to be sure you are present in your surroundings.

Enjoy your family and friends. Tis the season of giving.

Give the gift of yourself - fully present and aware and see what happens.

Give it a try, I am.

let me know how it goes.. respond here or send me an email greg@lefeverwellness.com

Enjoy your day.

Thanks again Michelle, a well timed gift.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Holiday Calorie Control Tip #3

So far we've talked about creating a PLAN to control your calorie intake during the holidays. And part of that plan was really watching your alcohol intake because it can lead to bad eating decisions.

Now let's talk more about enjoyment. Yes, you CAN enjoy your favorite foods. But enjoy them by savoring them, not devouring them.

Chew your food slowly.

That might not seem it, but that is a BIG TIME tip.

Enjoy your favorites by taking your time eating them. That may mean finding a quiet space to eat when at a loud party. But it will be worth the little bit of extra effort.

And it's going to take about 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full. So take your time. Enjoy every bite with zero guilt.

Again, this might seem too simple, but it's not. It really can be this easy if you stay focused on your plan.

Also, remember that TONIGHT is the last day to save 15% on ALL of Prograde Nutrition's awesome products. Their huge Holiday Sale ends at 11:59pm EST.

http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/specials.html

Yours in health,
Coach Greg

PS - Again, Prograde Nutrition's HUGE Holiday Savings ends TONIGHT. As a proud Prograde Partner I really cannot recommend their products enough. And I don't know that they'll ever again offer 15% off all their products like they are this week.


http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/specials.html

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Holiday Calorie control tip #2

Yesterday we discussed how crucial it is for you to have a PLAN to control your calorie intake during the holidays. Today's tip is even more simple and expands on the premise.

Plan on staying away from the booze.

Look, a drink or two isn't going to be the end of the world. But when two turns to three...

I'm not getting on my soap box here. I'm just telling you something you already know:

Booze leads to bad decisions. And in this case, we're talking about bad eating decisions.

When alcohol enters the equation even the best laid plans crumble. The extra calories from the cocktails is one thing. But really it's the extra calories you chew that start to add up.

One piece of cake turns to two...

A handful of chips turns into a a bag...

The dip sitting in front of you mysteriously vanishes...into your belly...

You get the picture. ;-)

Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Just be conscious of what alcohol does to your decision making.


- Rememeber, Prograde Nutrition's HUGE Holiday Savings ends TOMORROW night.

You definitely want to get over to http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/specials.html right NOW and place you order to save 15% on all their killer products. It's my duty as a proud Prograde Partner to remind you ;-)

Holiday Calori Control Tip #1

I know you know this.

You know you know this.

Fail to plan, plan to fail.

You can't just HOPE you're going to behave yourself at holiday parties. You can't just do the same old things you've been doing. You can't just miss breakfast. have a light lunch and then go to a party filled with temptation and not go a little insane on the cheese platter ;-)

You have to plan your meals.

You have to plan your workouts.

You have to set your goals in stone.

You don't want to be the person that comes out of the holidays 5 to 10 pounds heavier, do you?

If you don't plan your strategy from preventing it, well, you can PLAN on getting some new clothes that fit your new size.

This is far from doom and gloom. You can still enjoy your favorite foods at parties. You can still have a great time.

But what you can't do is just free-for-all it and stuff your face with everything put in front of you. You know that.

Tell you what: Plan on taking a nice 30 minute walk this weekend and do some solid thinking about what your plan will be. And when you get back home, put it on paper and commit to it.

And think about how great you'll feel about yourself when January comes after you've followed your plan. Oh, and be sure to reward yourself to by doing something special for yourself.

Yours in health,
Coach Greg

PS - As a proud Prograde Nutrition partner I have to remind you Prograde is having a heck of a Holiday Blow Out on ALL of their awesome products. Everything you need, including the coupon code to save 15% on all Prograde Nutrition products is right here: http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/specials.html
Hurry because this deal expires this Friday, December 11th at 11:59pm EST.

Monday, December 7, 2009

3 fruit and veggie tips

It's recommended that we eat 6-10 fruits and vegetables a day. Here in the States it is reported the actual average of fruits and veggies eaten each day is just 2.

Yup, just 2.

Now, I don't know where you stand on this, but overall, it really is a sad state of nutritional affairs.

But do not despair! It's not that tough to get more fruits and veggies in each day.

Here are some super simple tips to get you started:

1) Buy 'em pre-chopped

Look, I can be lazy, too ;-) There's nothing wrong with not wanting to go through the hassle of having to chop up fruits and veggies. If you want to buy them pre-chopped go ahead. It's much better for you than not eating them.

2) Carry 'em with you

Load up a plastic baggie with your pre-chopped veggies and bring them to work. Seriously, see how easy this can be!

3) Add real fruit to your yogurt

Have some yogurt for breakfast and add some fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. It's that simple!

Bonus tip: A great way to provide your body with the nutritional foundation you need each day is a Whole Foods based multi-vitamin. I'm a proud Prograde Nutrition partner and they have a terrific product called VGF 25+ that is made from 25 veggies, greens and fruits.

The best part is you can try Prograde's VGF 25+ for FREE! (There's just a small S & H charge)

http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/vgf25-free-trial.html


Feel the difference in yourself after just a month. Get on it. thery are Free.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

It’s the season to talk about the much publicized turkey nap - caused by the evil Tryptophan!

Most interesting to me is that during the other 11 months of the year you don’t hear anyone talk about needing a nap after eating a turkey sandwich…..hmmmm wonder why?

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A small bit of science- tryptophan is an amino acid that can have effects on relaxation. Tryptophan helps the body produce the b- vitamin niacin, which, in turn, helps the body produce serotonin, a chemical that acts as a calming agent in the brain and plays a key role in sleep. – ok enough science.

FYI - Other foods that are considered sources of tryptophan are dairy products, beef, poultry, barley, brown rice, fish, soybeans, and peanuts. - Do you need a nap after these?

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Here are 5 reasons you may feel sleepy after a big holiday meal;

Heavy Carbohydrates – A heavy carbohydrate meal will increase insulin levels, which lowers competing amino acid levels in blood, creating an increase in the relative level of tryptophan in the blood. Serotonin may then produce a sleepy feeling.

Fatty food – A meal rich in fats slows down the digestive system and requires lots of energy to digest. Blood flow is redirected to your stomach rather than the rest of your body, leaving you with less energy overall.

Alcohol - Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. A few drinks as part of the holiday celebration can add to the nap-factor. (Too many can add to the lampshade on your head factor)

Overeating -Your body requires a great deal of energy to digest a large meal (particularly high fat and high carbohydrates). When your stomach is full, blood is directed away from other organ systems, including your nervous system. And of course you know by now…you will feel the need to snooze.

R&R - Often the most relaxing part of the festivities is likely to be the meal. No matter what you may have been doing throughout the day, Thanksgiving dinner provides an opportunity to sit back and relax – followed by a big meal…. guess what? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A couple of quick tips to keep your energy levels up at Thanksgiving:

1) Snack on the fruits and vegetables (minimal dip) to keep calorie count down.
2) Eat a balanced turkey dinner - balance turkey or protein, a good helping of veggies and smaller servings of potatoes, breads etc.
3) Reasonable serving sizes - Eat one plate of food and be finished. Try everything but keep the servings sizes of heavy carb and fat foods small.
4) Beverages – be aware of high calorie celebratory drinks – especially alcohol. Have a couple for the entire day.
5) Exercise – get a workout in before your festivities to increase your metabolism and burn calories – a great healthy start.

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Most of all – enjoy your time with friends and family. We all have so much to be thankful for – stop and take a minute with your family to be thankful.

I am thankful for all of you!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Price of luxury… Another lesson from the Biggest Loser

So there they were, the black team who wins a night of luxury AND TEMPTATION

And, they have the opportunity to choose fancy food, wonderful liquor, massage, pedicure, no workout for a day, etc… they were so excited that they had it all right in front of them.

Let’s back up a bit – The losers have been giving it everything they have to lose life changing amounts of FAT every week. They vowed to never be that fat again. They are dedicated, watching their diet, pushing past limits they never thought they could conquer.

And now faced with temptation away from the watchful eye of their trainer, they get a chance to step up or step in it.

They chose the luxury and seemed to forget all about their hard work and dedication.

And in one night, at one meal, they show what can happen when you give into temptation and peer pressure. The group of 5 consumed 15,000+ calories at the table before they went to the bar and kept drinking.

WOW! 3,000+ calories per person before the bar at one meal!

That equates to a pound of FAT each!

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Lets sum this up.

I know all of you work hard for your fitness, health and weight loss, and we have talked about this many times, but watching someone else do it and realizing you might do this too, really hits home.

I am the first to say you have to live and enjoy life. Taste great foods and enjoy your friends and family.

However, Moderation and portion sizes are the key to keeping your hard work and success in tact.

Here are a few tips how to stay in control:

1) Plan your meal – Even at a restaurant, plan on choosing either just an entrée and healthy sides, or a little taste of appetizer or a few bites of desert and share and entrée. Either way, have a general idea of your entrée choice and stick to your plan. Don’t be swayed by others choices or peer pressure, “oh one meal won’t hurt you”. Yes it will.

2) Portion size – This is the key to keeping things in control. Keep your portion sizes of high calorie items small. No bigger than the palm of your hand. Even better, share with someone else to ensure you keep it small. Load up on fresh veggies to help fill you up.


3) Trade offs
– If you have the choice of appetizer, bread or chips before a meal, or desert, etc. Choose one! - Make the choice of a small appetizer or a couple bites of desert, not both.

4) Awareness – Be aware of the calorie content of your choices. Even small amounts of all high calorie items will add up to too many calories. Keep your veggies steamed without sauces. Choose marinades over cream sauces. Choose steamed or grilled over fried to keep your calories down.

5) Intensity – And just in case you over do it – Get to a high intensity workout first thing the next morning to fire up your metabolic furnace and stay on course. Check out a couple of quick workouts at my blog, www.lefeverwellness.blogspot.com



Be well and enjoy life

Friday, November 13, 2009

The Salad Bomb

Is your salad making you fat?

Was your immediate response to this question- no, it’s a salad.

Let's be sure.

Most people who are on a plan to lose weight immediately add salads to their meal plan. Good thinking, add more greens and fiber.

However, they also want it to taste really good so they add cheese, bacon bits, creamy dressing by the bucket full- and now you have a calorie bomb.

This is can likely be more fat and calories than eating a burger

Here are tips to making a high nutrient, lower calorie, great tasting salad.


1- Add chopped nuts or seeds- keep them raw or roasted, not candied. These add nutrients, fiber and the crunchiness enhances the satisfaction of your meal.



2- Add bright veggies or fruit. The bright color is appealing and adds nutrients and great flavors. Use your imagination and experiment.

3- Add protein. Grilled fish, chicken, even lean beef. Mixing the protein slows digestion, repairs muscles and adds to your fullness.

4 – Put the dressing in the bowl first – Measure and pour your dressing in the tossing bowl first and then add the ingredients to toss. This controls the fat content of the dressing and makes for a lighter salad. Remember that even olive oil is 15 grams of fat per tablespoon and adds up quickly.Now you have a tasty, healthy salad. Enjoy. Be well

Coach Greg

www.coachgregsbootcamps.com

www.lefeverwellness.com


P.S. Are you enrolled for our holiday fat blast session? Thanksgiving to christmas week?

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

More holiday Tips to keep you on track:

Be aware of how much you are eating.

Avoid continuous snacking or grazing while you are socializing. Get a small plate and eat only what’s on it. Don’t keep going back for more. You can rack up calories fast with some drinking and eating even before you have the meal.

Be done after one plate

a sure way to sabotage your diet is to go back for seconds. One plate is plenty. Let your meal settle while you socialize. It takes a bit of time for your brain to register that your belly is full, so give it a chance and don’t overeat. A second plate could launch you into a 2,000+ calorie meal. Yikes.

Check the previous tips to help stay focused.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

butt and leg workout

Tight buns and toned legs for the holidays. get on this workout and you will see results.

Hoop Squats

Cone lateral

Jump lunges


Serious leg and butt toning work.

These are some of the moves from our irvine boot camps and newport boot camps.

Go for 20 seconds each exercise and move quickly to the next.

Repeat the circuit 3 times to get the burn. enjoy.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Top 2 tips to eliminate holiday weight gain

Hey everyone

Now is the time that so many of us struggle with our fitness and weight gain.

Holiday parties, Halloween, thanksgiving...

How do you get through it without adding the holiday pounds?

my top 2 (there are more) tips to keep you on the good side of the holidays.

1 - Exercise the day of your event -
Get in a good circuit, full body workout. Utilize, weights, bands, body weight, and cardio moves of your choice. Pick your favorite 4 exercises (or check my favorites over to the side of the page)- 20 reps or 20 seconds high intensity for a minimum of 4 rounds. Try for 6 rounds for maximum calorie burn.

2 - Be aware of how much you are eating and drinking -
Be sure to eat before you go to an event (extra tip) and try to not stand near a snack table while socializing. Also if you are having multiple courses, be aware of your portion sizes. don't be bashful about eating only a small portion of everything rather than finishing everything - if you finish it all you could be running up to 2000+ calories. Yikes.

More Holiday survival tips soon.....

And the BEST way of all to kill of the calories is of course training with your friends and me at Boot Camp. http://www.lefeverwellness.com/ for info.

Our next session starts THIS week and runs up to thanksgiving. Just in time.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

check out all the goodness today at ChefJamie.com good food, good pumpkin workout tips, and chef jamie. Find a great chicken recipe and let me know how you liked it.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Dieters Beware!!

It’s the beginning of the new season.

Not the fall season, but “Fat” season. It actually starts at Halloween, not Thanksgiving or the December holidays.

----Most of us have done it, talked about it, even joked about it…the 5 or more holiday pounds we start putting on about now.

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of gaining weight this time of year and trying to lose it after January with a meaningless resolution.

Well, actually I do know about you, and I know you don’t like it either!!

____________________________________________________________________
Ok, so let’s work together this year and do something different…Let’s NOT put on the holiday pounds!

My goal is to be asked the questions (and I’m expecting to hear back from you that you were asked)…..”Hey, are you losing weight?” “How did you do that with the all the junk food and holiday parties?”

Being successful in keeping off the extra fat pounds will take some planning and effort.

This is the first of a couple of “Slim” holiday newsletters with tips to help you make a positive change for yourself and your families by staying healthy and avoiding the holiday fat.

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Here are a few tips to keep the pounds off and still enjoy a Halloween treat.

1) One of the biggest things is to delay buying any candy until closer to Halloween!!!!! If it’s in your house, it presents an unnecessary temptation. How often do you eat something just because its there?

2) Allow yourself just one piece of candy (small size) in the morning and then one at night. Skip any desserts that you would normally eat after dinner.

3) Only buy enough candy so that you expect to run out before the evening is over. It’s crucial to weight loss success to not have “trigger” foods lying around – the temptation is often too great.

4) Increase your exercise activity with one of our fat burning circuits or the Fit Body Band Program (http://www.fitbodybandprogram.com/) every day that you eat your two pieces of candy. This will help counteract the increase in calories that you are consuming.

5) If you indulge a bit too much it’s important to forgive yourself and move on. (Enroll in the boot camps to get back on track) Dwelling on the past will not help your success.

6) Substitute your chocolate fix with something healthier. Fruit veggies or (my favorite) a peanut butter Craver (http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/)

Plan to stay healthy and let me know how I can help you!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Time article - exercise wont make you thin

  • Wow! The recent article in Time magazine why exercise won’t make you thin has really caused a stir in the fitness and health industry.
    http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857-1,00.html

    It caused a stir in me when I read it. In my opinion, this article puts a slant on only one factor of health and missed the big picture of health and fitness.

    Although I don’t agree with some of the content and how it’s presented, let’s take this opportunity to put a positive spin back on exercise and learn the balanced facts to weight loss.

    1) Exercise makes you hungry.

    Yes it does. The basic premise here is that you increase your metabolism, which burns more calories. This creates a need for more calories to replenish and restore your energy and rebuild muscle.

    The key here is not the extra hunger; it’s the food you choose to replenish your energy. If you go and eat donuts and pizza after a workout on a regular basis, then yes exercise will NOT help you get thin. And you will likely gain weight.

    If you are choosing the right calories with a good quality workout shake or a balanced meal of lean protein, veggies, good complex carbs, then YES you will promote lean body mass and weight loss.

    A regular daily diet including; lean protein, lots of high nutrient green, yellow, and orange veggies, low in saturated fats and simple sugar carbohydrates, will help promote quality muscle, develop good eating habits, and diminish the want for the nasty after workout junk food.


    2) All exercise is NOT created equal.

    The article doesn’t reference the type of exercise used for the studies. We already know that high intensity circuit type resistance training burns significantly more calories than just cardio. And if a daily walk is the only level of exercise for weight loss, this will not get you thin – particularly if your diet is full of high calorie and fat foods or you are a carbohydrate junkie.

    3) Without Diet and exercise you will NOT lose the weight.
    Our mantra at boot camp and with private clients is; you can out eat the best training program. I know this because I’m not perfect and I have done it.

    Your food and calorie intake is the key to any weight loss program. Actually its probably 80% or more important than exercise alone.

    Put a good quality diet together with some intense circuits and you have the recipe for weight loss. I’m certain that this is a recipe that Jamie will support.


    4) Its not all about the weight loss. What else will you achieve from exercise?

    The article focuses primarily on weight loss. Hopefully if you read this and were not familiar with the benefits of both diet and exercise to be healthy and fit, you were not discouraged about exercising. There are so many other possible benefits to exercising alone:
    -Lean body mass
    -Lower cholesterol
    -Clear mind
    -Camaraderie
    -Increase energy
    -Increase bone density
    -Increase strength
    -More agility to play with your kids and grandkids
    -Overall lower risk of disease
    …You get the point.

    Bottom line to this article is that if your goal is to lose weight and form a lean fit body the recipe is exercise AND diet. Not just exercise.

    If your goal is to enjoy where you are in life and eat what you want, then keep up an exercise program 3-5 times a week that burns tons of calories. Butt still watch what you eat for your overall health. It can catch up to you before you know it.

    And as always, schedule a free assessment with me if you want to find out where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there.

    Live well

    Coach Greg

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Turn Fat into Muscle??

This subject surfaces at almost every boot camp and training session I start….You want to turn your fat into muscle.

You may have heard from your friends or someone at the gym that by following a proper diet and exercise program, you can actually turn body fat into muscle… So can you do it? NO!

Fat and muscle are two separate entities.

What most people really want is to get rid of the fat and gain quality muscle.
Bottom line = You must burn fat and build muscle to get that physique you are wanting.

So, should you jump on the stair climber or bike and pedal for hours with cardio to burn fat? No.

The quality muscle in your body is the “power plant” for burning calories and expending energy. Think of it as a car engine - step on the pedal! The more quality muscle = more calories burned and a fitter looking you.

How to best build and maintain quality muscle and burn the Fat:
1) Add a protein to every meal – chicken, fish, eggs, light dairy, yogurt

2) Try to eat about 50% of your calories in protein (see step 1)

3) Grill it – Cook your meats on the grill to keep them lower in fat and super tasty. Nothing fried!

4) Add resistance training (weights or boot camp) a minimum of 3 days per week.

5) Add cardio activity at least 3 days per week. Perform your cardio in an alternating intensity. Two-minute Warm-Up, then 30 seconds of high intensity cardio, then 30 seconds of recovery at medium intensity.
Repeat and burn!


I look forward to reports on your progress – please send them to me to share and inspire others.

Be well & Rock it,
Coach Greg

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Holiday Fitness tips and workout

Its a beautiful weekend and I know most of us will be celebrating with friends and family.

So lets have a quick review of keeping our fitness progress in tact this weekend.

1) Get in a workout in the morning before a party or BBQ gathering to get your metabolism firing. - see below for a quick workout.

2) Don't skip meals early in preparation of saving calories for later - this usually leads to overeating and storing ALL the calories you eat later.

3) Be aware of how much you are eating - grazing adds calories fast. One plate at meal time and be done.

4) Enjoy your meals - choose the foods you really want to eat, enjoy them, and skip the ones that you are eating just because they are there.

Be well - remember the men and women of our armed services.

See you all next week in boot camp.

Here is the schedule of class Numbers for the next boot camp session starting next week and the 2/3 day passes.

East Bluff:
6-7am 3482.202
9-10am 3483.202

Newport Coast:
9-10am 5600.202
6:30-7:30pm 5602.202 (this may become 6-7pm, we will decide after the first day)

2 day pass - 5606.204
3 day pass - 5606.203

Here is your workout for the weekend -get your family involved too

Make a quick intense circuit - 20 high intensity and 10 seconds rest (only 10)
1-squats - drive from your heels
2-jumping jacks or cardio equivalent
3-active plank (shifting weight back or side, lifing arms etc)
4-skull crushers

Or choose from my video list - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UhKsX0uubM

crank up your metabolic machines

Coach greg

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Why am I famished

I’m exercising more but WHY am I so hungry?”

Many of my clients have stepped up their fitness program with extra training sessions and increased intensity, or they are new to fitness (maybe due to the reality that summer is coming and a swimsuit is eminent) and are asking the same question: ”Why am I so hungry?... I’m eating healthy, but feeling famished in the afternoon or evening.”

Sparing you the boring scientific answer, your body’s metabolism is kicking in high gear. Which means that when you exercise you are burning a lot of calories (hopefully 300+), and if your workout is a mix of strength and cardio circuits, you will create an after burn of calories hours later.

Gotta love that!

What this ultimately means is that you are burning more, and your body needs more quality calories and nutrients to replenish, restore and recover from your workouts.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can eat anything you want because you are a metabolic machine. This hunger feeling can drive you to making lousy food choices.

You still need to manage a higher amount of calories burned versus caloric intake to drop those fat pounds.

Here are a couple of tips to help you not feel so hungry and keep you moving positively toward your fitness and weight loss goals:

Eat within one hour of your workout. Get in a balanced meal or high quality protein shake that includes carbohydrates, protein and fat. Even if you are on a carb-restricted diet, this is the time to give your body the carbs! It wants them to replenish energy stores and repair muscles, so make a good choice of brown rice, pasta or whole grain bread with your balanced after workout meal.

Eat five meals every day – you’ve probably heard this by now, but here it is again. Your metabolism will stay on fire if you feed it every 2 to 3 hours. And to help curb your appetite, this is necessary. If you wait 4 to 5 hours between meals, you will feel famished and this can lead to poor choices or calorie holding by your body.

Eat quality foods – when you are feeling hungry be sure to have quality foods on hand for a meal or to snack on. Lean meats and bright green, yellow or orange veggies are your best choices. Fill up on the veggies!

Drink 80 ounces of water daily – sometimes your body will mistake hunger for thirst. Before you give in to additional calories because you think you are hungry, drink 8 to 10 ounces of water and wait a five minutes. If it’s been a couple hours since your last meal, then eat. If you were really thirsty, your perceived hunger will go away.

Keep your meal size small – your 5 meals a day should be smaller in portion size to allow your body to efficiently utilize the calories that you are eating. Eating large meals will result in storing the extra calories and that can equal fat. Yuk!

Implement these tips in your daily routine and you will excel with your fitness plan.

Please email me your progress and questions…I love to hear from you.

Be Well and Rock it,

Saturday, April 11, 2009

How to keep your holiday Party calories and Fitness in check

Ok group - as with any holiday or big event, we typically celebrate with a huge, nap inducing, belt unbuckling meal. That doesn't keep you on track with your fitness and weight loss goals.

Here is a list of 10 Tips to help you stay dialed in and on track with your program. There is a lot here so pick a couple that are most relevant for you and put them to practice.

1) Workout before the big meal – The number one way to stay on track is to get your metabolism burning before you party. Get in an intense full body workout – use a strength / cardio circuit to keep the after workout calorie burner on high.

2) Eat before the Big Feast – Have something healthy before you go to the Family Dinner party or restaurant. A ½ turkey sandwich, chicken salad etc. Arrive at your event content instead of hungry. Show up hungry and you are much more likely to overeat all the chips and fatty snack foods and then the big meal. This could result in a 2000-3000 calorie meal.

3) Find the bright foods – look for the fruits and veggies. There has to be an appetizer veggie tray or some veggies planned for the meal. Try to lightly steam to retain the crispness and nutrients for all recipes. To ensure there are fresh veggie dishes or you can offer to bring one yourself. No doubt you are not the only one looking for healthy.

4) Bake or grill instead of fry - Simply that. Think of all the Bake or grill opportunities that you can utilize instead of frying.

5) Drink a glass of water 15-20 minutes before you sit down to eat. Your stomach will have something in it and your brain thinks your belly was fed a small amount, which helps to avoid overeating.

6) Be aware of how much you are eating. Avoid continuous snacking or grazing while you are socializing. Get a small plate and eat only what’s on it. Don’t keep going back for more. You can rack up calories fast with some drinking and eating even before you have the meal.

7) Manage your Portion sizes – keep your starchy carbs as meal complements, not main dishes. This helps reduce overall calories and keeps blood sugar lower.

8) Fill your plate with veggies – Load up on steamed veggies or salad instead of potatoes, rice or breads. This keeps your calories in check and your nutrient value higher.

9) Start with protein – start your meal with a few bites of protein and then get into the carbs. Proteins are slower digesting and will mix to help keep your blood sugar levels from rising quickly as with high carbs.

10) Be done after one plate – a sure way to sabotage your diet is to go back for seconds. One plate is plenty. Let your meal settle while you socialize. It takes a bit of time for your brain to register that your belly is full, so give it a chance and don’t overeat. A second plate could launch you into a 2,000+ calorie meal. Yikes.

Have a happy and healthy Easter weekend

Coach Greg

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Enhancing your daily walk

I’m frequently asked “how can I make my walk more efficient and calorie burning?”
Walking is great, it gets you outside in the fresh air, can be social when you bring a friend, or relaxing to clear your mind…very nice.

Nice for those reasons, but not the highest calorie burning exercise.

My top two suggestions for increase your calorie burn on a walk:

1) Increase your movements – the more you move the more calories you burn. Swing your arms, take a full stride, and stay loose.

2) Add some resistance moves – adding resistance moves is the best way to increase muscle usage, increase your heart rate and burn more calories.
a. Add in squats when you are waiting for stop lights
b. lunge across the street (watch for traffic-sprint if necessary)
c. add some tricep dips at a small seating wall or park bench
d. Perform 20 jumping jacks every ¼ mile.

You get the idea. Be creative and enjoy yourself. And of course always use good form.
Be well

Monday, March 23, 2009

Sweet potato fries for fat loss

Here is a great recipe from my friend Jayson Hunter for Sweet Potato Fries - yummy

Be sure to keep your serving size moderate and include a quality protein and some greens to balance your meal.

Enjoy!
1.5 pounds of sweet potatoes1/4 cup olive oil1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt1/2 tsp paprika1/4 tsp cinnamonWash well – I like to leave the skin on for fiber and nutrients or you can peel the skin from the sweet potatoes.

Cut sweet potatoes into half-inch strips. Place them in a large Ziploc or sealable bag.

Mix the other ingredients into a small bowl and stir well. Pour into the sealable bag and close.

Shake the bag to mix up the liquid mixture amongst the sweet potato strips.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F and spread the fries onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray or use foil to line the baking sheet.

Place fries into the oven for 30 minutes. Spread the fries around and mix them up every 10 minutes during the 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve.

Here are a few variations:

Use Yams instead of Sweet Potatoes to lower the glycemic index even more and utilize more of the calories for energy.

Leave the skin on to add fiber, which in return lowers the glycemic index.

Use olive oil, garlic (either powder (also garlic-herb salt free seasoning) or roasted garlic pulp), sea salt, a little ground red pepper and a little parsley instead of the ingredients below to give them an entirely new flavor.

Try all the variations and give them your own flare. Send me your ideas and I will share with our group.

Have a healthy afternoon

Coach Greg

Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Price of luxury

The Price of luxury… Another lesson from the Biggest Loser

So there they are, the black team who wins a night of luxury AND TEMPTATION –

And, they have the opportunity to choose fancy food, wonderful liquor, massage, pedicure, no workout for a day, etc… they were so excited that they had it all right in front of them.

Let’s back up a bit – The losers have been giving it everything they have to lose life changing amounts of FAT every week. They vowed to never be that fat again. They are dedicated, watching their diet, pushing past limits they never thought they could conquer.

And now faced with temptation away from the watchful eye of their trainer, they get a chance to step up or step in it.

They chose the luxury and seemed to forget all about their hard work and dedication.

And in one night, at one meal, they show what can happen when you give into temptation and peer pressure. The group of 5 consumed 15,000+ calories at the table before they went to the bar and kept drinking.

WOW! 3,000+ calories per person before the bar at one meal!

That equates to a pound of FAT each!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lets sum this up.

I know all of you work hard for your fitness, health and weight loss, and we have talked about this many times, but watching someone else do it and realizing you might do this too, really hits home.

I am the first to say you have to live and enjoy life. Taste great foods and enjoy your friends and family.

However, Moderation and portion sizes are the key to keeping your hard work and success in tact.

Here are a few tips how to stay in control:

1) Plan your meal – Even at a restaurant, plan on choosing either just an entrée and healthy sides, or a little taste of appetizer or a few bites of desert and share and entrée. Either way, have a general idea of your entrée choice and stick to your plan. Don’t be swayed by others choices or peer pressure, “oh one meal won’t hurt you”. Yes it will.

2) Portion size – This is the key to keeping things in control. Keep your portion sizes of high calorie items small. No bigger than the palm of your hand. Even better, share with someone else to ensure you keep it small. Load up on fresh veggies to help fill you up.

3) Trade offs – If you have the choice of appetizer, bread or chips before a meal, or desert, etc. Choose one! - Make the choice of a small appetizer or a couple bites of desert, not both.

4) Awareness – Be aware of the calorie content of your choices. Even small amounts of all high calorie items will add up to too many calories. Keep your veggies steamed without sauces. Choose marinades over cream sauces. Choose steamed or grilled over fried to keep your calories down.

5) Intensity – And just in case you over do it – Get to a high intensity workout first thing the next morning to fire up your metabolic furnace and stay on course. Check out a couple of quick workouts at my blog, www.lefeverwellness.blogspot.com



Be well and enjoy life

Coach Greg
www.lefeverwellness.com

P.S. Newport Boot Camp starts Monday – Its swimsuit shapeup time!

Newport Coast - M/W/F
9am class # 5600.103
6:30pm class #5602.103

East Bluff - T/Th
6am # 3482.103
9am #3483.103

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Dining Out Without Regret

Ok Group - Vaentines Day is coming up fast. Guys if you havn'e made your reservations yet, you had best get some god recepies and get prepared to cook. Here is a great healthy one from our very own Celebrity Boot Camp Chef Jamie Gwen check it out http://www.chefjamie.com/?q=node/162 (and there are tons of other great recepies and info from Chef Jamie on her site-you will be a super star in the kithcen)

If you are planning to eat out this weekend, here are some tips that will help you keep your diet and fitness success in check and not blow it all in a day.

We all work hard during the week to eat well and be healthy but what happens on the weekend? We’ve all said it and probably done it…”I’ll just eat what I want tonight, it’s my cheat night”

I agree that a cheat day is important in a good eating plan, however, don’t let that day ruin all your hard earned progress.

Going out to eat is a nice break in the week and should be an event that you enjoy, rather than one you get home from and feel miserable either physically, psychologically, or both.

All it takes to enjoy a meal out is a bit of planning and some awareness. Here are some tips to help you stay on track with your eating plan and still enjoy your night out.


1. Don’t go out feeling over hungry or “starving”. This could lead to overeating and over drinking.

2. Call or go online and review the restaurant menu. Look for healthy dishes, substitutions, and preparation choices.

3. Eat appetizers at home before you go out. Chose fruits, vegetables or some other low carb/low fat alternative. There are tons of great recipes. This will help avoid the craving for the high calorie high fat restaurant appetizers.

4. If you have to wait for a table, don’t wait at the bar. Order a drink and move to another area to socialize. This will also help decrease the possibility of over drinking and eating the dreaded “bar food”.

5. Ask for lower calorie healthy substitutions. Ask for steamed veggies or dressing on the side and avoid high calorie cream dressings. Ask for different sauces that have good flavor and lower fat.

6. Select meat and other dishes that are prepared by barbecue, broiled, roasted, and fresh. These methods help reduce the fat content

7. Avoid all fried foods. The fried foods are either high fat and calorie or higher fat and calorie. Either way, you work too hard to allow a fried dish to ruin your progress and possibly clog your arteries.

Most restaurants now have healthy items or are willing to substitute and prepare a dish to your request. Next time you go out, review this list to keep the tips fresh. Remember, you only get one body.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Fattest day on the calendar

Happy Super Bowl weekend everyone

You may have heard……Super bowl has achieved the not so honorable top spot as Americas #1 most fat filled gluttonous day on the calendar.

Even more than thanksgiving you ask?

Yes!

Thanksgiving, although highly caloric if not well planned, at least has the opportunity of some healthy food choices; roasted turkey, green beans, sweet potatoes, corn…

Not so much the Super Bowl which seems to have become a fiesta of all things fried and highly caloric; fried wings, French fries, potato skins, chips, dips, shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with bacon (ouch a fat and cholesterol bomb) – you get the point.

Add to the fine FAT cuisine some (sometimes too much) alcohol and you have yourself a 5000+ calorie day. YIKES!!!

You work too hard to ruin your progress in one day

How can you enjoy a great party and keep on track with your eating and fitness plan and not feel left out?

1) Bake or grill instead of fry - Simply that. Think of all the Bake opportunities, the wings and potatoes, meats etc that you can cook in other ways than frying.

2) Eat before the party – Have something healthy before you go to the party. A turkey sandwich, chicken salad etc. Get to the party full instead of hungry. Show up hungry and you are much more likely to overeat all the chips and fatty snack foods.

3) Find the bright foods – look for the veggie and fruit tray. There has to be one at the party, stay close to it and go to it to help curb the munchies. Just to be sure, take one yourself so you know you will have a healthy alternative.

4) Workout before the game – Get your metabolism burning before you party and you will at least be burning more calories – Check out this quick but effective two exercise workout – only a few minutes to light your furnace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwYCbzp4rp8


Enjoy your day, your family and friends. Drive safe.

P.S. - I have some availability next week for additional training sessions for those who need to restart their metabolism and burn off extra fat calories. Get your spot quickly they will go fast. Happens every year.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Healthy Snack Options and Rapid Fat Loss


As a fitness expert people always ask me, "What snacks can I eat that will help me lose 'this'?" When they say "this" they are pointing to some part of their body that has a bit too much fat for their liking. (do you have one?)


You know me better than to think I will say, "Oh, don't worry, you can eat cookies, chips and candy all you want. Everyone has been lying to you. They actually make you thinner!" After all…doesn’t the packaging say FAT FREE? Red vines is my favorite for this one.


Seriously, people really do want me to tell them what they WANT to hear. Can’t do it.
But, fortunately, some people are serious when they ask that question. They really do want to know some healthy snack options for rapid fat loss.


So here's what I tell them:
· Raw almonds, walnuts or pecans (Not the roasted variety. And don't even think about the ones with sugar sprinkled on them!)
· Fruit or veggies cut up into sticks (Stay away from dipping them into things you know you shouldn't – learn to like them naturally)
· Hard-boiled eggs
· Low-fat cottage cheese
· Celery with a tbs of peanut or almond butter (again the purest most organic is best)
· Hummus (you can dip your veggies in the hummus)


Those are all great options. But realistically when that afternoon chocolate craving wont leave you alone and you really want to treat yourself…. you've gotta check out Prograde Cravers. You can find them here http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/cravers


They're made with 100% organic dark chocolate. Plus, they're only 180 calories and they're out-of-this-world delicious.


Seriously, this isn't your ordinary "tastes like chemicals or cardboard' nutritional bar and you know if I don’t like it I won’t share it with you.
Definitely check them out.
Have a healthy day,
Coach GregPS - It's best if you choose a variety of foods from the above list. But please realize, you CANNOT find Prograde Cravers in stores anywhere. They're only available through fitness pros such as myself. http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/cravers

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Need a quick easy, healthy recipe? Check out this fantastic recipe from one of my favorite Boot Campers and celebrity Chef, Jamie Gwen. http://www.chefjamie.com/?q=node/162
Cook it up with some additional green veggies
Try it and let me know what you think.
Coach Greg
Healthy Snack Options and Rapid Fat Loss
As a fitness expert people always ask me, "What snacks can I eat that will help me lose 'this'?" When they say "this" they are pointing to some part of their body that has a bit too much fat for their liking. (do you have one?)

You know me better than to think I will say, "Oh, don't worry, you can eat cookies, chips and candy all you want. Everyone has been lying to you. They actually make you thinner!" After all…doesn’t the packaging say FAT FREE?

Seriously, people really do want me to tell them what they WANT to hear. Can’t do it.
But, fortunately, some people are serious when they ask that question. They really do want to know some healthy snack options for rapid fat loss.

So here's what I tell them:
· Raw almonds, walnuts or pecans (Not the roasted variety. And don't even think about the ones with sugar sprinkled on them!)
· Fruit or veggies cut up into sticks (Stay away from dipping them into things you know you shouldn't – learn to like them naturally)
· Hard-boiled eggs
· Low-fat cottage cheese
· Celery with a tbs of peanut or almond butter (again the purest most organic is best)
· Hummus (you can dip your veggies in the hummus)

Those are all great options. But realistically when that afternoon chocolate craving wont leave you alone and you really want to treat yourself…. you've gotta check out Prograde Cravers. You can find them here http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/cravers
They're made with 100% organic dark chocolate. Plus, they're only 180 calories and they're out-of-this-world delicious.

Seriously, this isn't your ordinary "tastes like chemicals or cardboard' nutritional bar and you know if I don’t like it I won’t share it with you.
Definitely check them out.

Have a healthy day,
Coach Greg

PS - It's best if you choose a variety of foods from the above list. But please realize, you CANNOT find Prograde Cravers in stores anywhere. They're only available through fitness pros such as myself. http://lefeverwellness.getprograde.com/cravers

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