Summer Fitness Tips!

Summer Fitness Tips to Keep the Pounds Off!

• Food and Beverage choices (80%)
• Keep the fried foods, fast foods and red meat to a minimum.
• Look for words like: blackened, grilled, & roasted.
• Go for fruit instead of refined white flour baked goods.
• Eat lots of greens. They fill up half of your medium sized plate.
• Ask for a doggie bag to put half of the meal to go. Or share with a companion.
• Alcohol is basically liquid carbs and over 2 beers is illegal to drive! 
• Not a good idea on a family vacation!
• 1 oz. of alcohol is 80 - 100 calories
• Drinking alcohol not only gets you drunk, but it also dehydrates.
• Keep hydrated with water!
• In the hot sun without water can lead to dehydration and heat exhaustion.
• Teas and coffee are also diuretics! 

Activity Level (20%)

Just a reminder: The less activity you do without making proper food choices, the more weight you will gain.

• Just because you are on Summer vacation doesn't mean you stop taking care of your health. 

• Keep the cardiovascular training going!
• Walk, jog or run on the beach
• Ride a bicycle or mountain bike 
• It will make you feel like a kid again
• Play volleyball at the beach or regular outdoor activities.
• Resistance training is also just as important!
• The more muscle you retain the stronger immune system you will have with proper nutrition
• Most hotels and resorts have small fitness rooms with Tvs!
•  Resistance bands are great for traveling
• Calisthenics: Body weight exercises
• Pushups
• Wall Static Squats
• Superman
• Single-leg stiff-leg deadlift
• Inclined Plank
• Single-leg calf raises

Falling off the band wagon for too long will make it very HARD to get BACK ON TRACK. You will have to grow through the soreness and stiffness all over again! Why go through that? I'm a bodybuilder and post contest we usually take 1 - 2 weeks off to heal from the extensive resistance training from the contest prep. However, I can only stand taking 1 week off. I get very sore once I start training again. I can only imagine 2 whole weeks off!

Beware of False Fitness Prophets

Photo credits: womenshealthmag.com

Photography tricks: Turning the waist so it appears to be smaller

It seems like only yesterday when I decided to jump head first into opening my business. I knew that it was essential for me to document my clients progress just like I had my own fitness success. One thing I did not do was OVER EXAGGERATE or LIE ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS RESULTS. There is nothing worse than a LIAR! Why do people think they need to lie in order to seem better or more successful than others? I have never understood this, especially when we are already grown adults. I understand you are happy that you lost some weight and you are now considering being a fitness success people should take advise from, however, when you lie you lose all credibility. Imagine the day you do get caught! What are you going to say? Make a another lie to cover that lie? My policy is honesty. I do not SUGAR COAT what it takes to lose weight that is why my clients (who listen to me) have such phenomenal results. Lets take a look at what a 100 lbs. weight loss looks like FOR REAL.

My Client

Leah 26 years old lost 94.6 lbs.!

Leah came to me back in the beginning of 2013. She had always been morbidly obese or obese since she can remember. She had no hope of losing any weight and already look as if she was 40 years old. As you can see above the very obvious differences in her pictures. I have seen Facebook posts of friends saying, "Almost at my 100 lbs. mark", but I look at the pictures and they look like this:

Now, before I continue I want you all to know that this is an example of what I seen my friends posting. I'm glad she is on the track to losing weight, but she is no way close to the 100 lbs. mark. This is more like 20 lbs. lost. 

Also, some ex-clients or ex-coworkers I have had that literally lie and say the reason why the lost weight was all on there own training. I guess they too forgot I have documentation and pictures of them through their weight loss on my program. It is hilarious when I see such things, because I know for a fact that they will never look the same without my training. So they either gain the weight back or they start killing themselves at the gym. Training 2 to 3 times a day and you are not a competitor is just ridiculous! Instead of looking toned, healthy, and have lots of energy. They look too skinny, their skin begins to sag, their skull is visible underneath their skin, they are always sore for prolonged periods of time, and they are always tired. They do not understand that they are losing too much muscle and they are leaving themselves vulnerable to infection and/or injuries. 

Photo credits: whatsonxiamen.com

Tricks of photography: Changing colors the perception of the picture

Last but not least are the personal trainers who lie about their clients weight loss successes. i I have seen a post by a trainer, who happens to be an ex-client, that her client has lost 20 lbs. However, I looked at the pictures and (to be honest) she looked as if she only lost 5. I would say be weary about these people because they should know better than that! Especially, being a certified professional! However, you have to remember there are people out there that are just about taking your money and not helping you. Make sure whoever you decide to use as an inspiration, hire as a trainer or as a wellness coach is the real deal and you are seeing real results. Remember, the results do not happen unless the client and the trainer are on the same course: HELPING THE CLIENT REACH THEIR FITNESS GOALS! Beware, there are many trainers and self proclaimed weight loss gurus that really do not want you to look as good as them!

My Client

Mari 45 years went from 40% body fat to 17% in 3 1/2 months!