Hey Bodifit Community,it doesn’t get any simpler than this… but simple works!
All,invest in a Whole Body Workout: This means doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work your upper body, lower body, and core) at least three - five times per week with a day of rest between workouts.
FOCUS on the Power of Intervals: Interval training is scientifically proven to burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following your workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice!
Eat Early and Often: Eat immediately upon waking and then every two to four hours to starve fat and feed muscle. By continuously fueling your furnace, and eating some animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you’ll also keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day and prevent overeating.
Think Fiber First When Consuming Carbs: Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous, cruciferous green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals. For optimal fat-burning, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body best tolerates starches and sugars.
Live by these 2 training and nutrition rules and you will have a body to be proud of… I guarantee it...
SEE YOU ALL AT BOOT CAMP THIS WEEK.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Cardio could actually be making you fatter!
Cardio could actually be making you fatter!
Okay, let’s clear one thing up here.
I have nothing at all against aerobic training. I have no vested interest in writing it off.In fact, you may see me jogging at Lost Mountain Park or up and down Acworth Due West Rd. I do this for pleasure NOT for rapid fatloss results.
A quick recap on my background, I’m a personal trainer and my mission is to help individuals permanently take control of their health and their lives by
empowering them to nourish their bodies and develop effective exercise plans.
I consider myself a great motivator whose approach is heavily focused on metabolism-boosting to help my clients turn their bodies into fat-burning machines.
You’re bound to have some misconceptions and resistance to change so let’s look at some of the most common ones:
1- I’ve never seen a fat runner:
I’ve never seen one that looks healthy either!
Question. Who’s leaner-a long distance runner or a sprinter? You’d bet it was the one that did the most cardio right? NOPE. That’s a NOPE. Sprinters- who never run longer than 30 seconds at a time are much the leaner of the two athletes. We’ll look at why later.
2- But Cardio Burns Calories:
Yep, I won’t argue with this, steady state cardio DOES burn calories WHILE you’re doing it, but what about the other 23 hours of the day when you’re not exercising. This is where we’re falling down. Other types of exercise can burn calories LONG after training
3-What about the fat burning zone?
Total myth. FULL stop.
Okay the fat burning zone is a concept that states that the body, your body will become more efficient at burning fat. Sounds great huh? Well actually, it’s the opposite. Think about it, if your car is efficient at burning fuel, doesn’t that mean it burns less?
So why would we choose an exercise that means we end up using LESS fuel.
You see the ONLY tissue in the body that can BURN fat is MUSCLE. Aerobic exercise actually DECREASES muscle mass.
So the very thing that keeps your metabolism high and your body burning calories ALL DAY LONG, is the very thing that you're losing- Skinny runners anyone?
I’ll quickly explain how this works:
The longer we engage in higher-level aerobic activities, such as those typically included in a workout, the more we secrete a nasty little group of hormones called 'glucocorticoids', with the stress hormone 'cortisol' chief amongst them.
One of the lesser-known qualities of cortisol is that it is catabolic in nature, meaning that it breaks down muscle tissue along with fat in order to metabolise this stored energy for immediate fuel.
Why is this bad?
Well, it's our muscles that give shape and definition to our bodies. If we lose muscle faster than we lose fat, then proportionately we're fatter, even if the scales tell us we're several pounds lighter! In a society that places a higher priority on what we weigh, this is a difficult concept to grasp, but nevertheless it's true just the same.
So what do we need to do?
Well,apart from the resistance work that I always talk about.
There is also anaerobic exercise- Basically, the opposite of aerobics.
Anaerobics are activities that are carried out 'without oxygen' (note: in anaerobic exercise we're never truly without oxygen, it's just that oxygen cannot meet the demand of the activity) and involve higher-intensity, shorter-duration bursts of activity to produce the training effect.
Some of the benefits of this type of training include:
Massively increased metabolism,
Shorter, more effective workouts
Higher calorie consumption
It is anabolic in nature, meaning it actually promotes lean tissue- remember the very thing we need to get and stay lean!
Try sprinting "as most of you know - my favorite" for 1 minute, recovering for 2 minutes repeating 6 times. You can do this on a bike, rower, treadmill, whatever you like.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON’T BELIEVE ME:
• A 2004 diet study that shows a simple change can increase dietary compliance and fat loss (by 96%) -- (and it's not "eat less"!)
• A 1998 study that showed that the addition of 45 minutes of hard aerobic training, 5 times a week for twelve weeks - had no effect on fat loss
• A 2007 study - that showed the addition of 50 minutes of aerobic training, 5 times per week for six months - also had no effect on fat loss
• A 2008 study showing 40 mins of aerobic exercise three times per week for 15 weeks actually resulted in the participants gaining fat!
• A study from 1994 showed a specific cardio training method that actually reduced body fat (actual skinfold measurements) nine times more than traditional cardio training -- despite taking less time, and actually burning less calories per session!
• Another study (1999) showed that the addition of a specific resistance training program increased fat loss by 35% over diet and aerobic training.
• That same study also showed that 3 aerobic sessions of up to 50 mins, for 12 weeks (36 sessions) only increased fat loss by one pound over dieting alone
• A 2002 study on metabolic resistance training-type approach to training - and showed an elevation of metabolism for 38 hours post workout.
Please feel free to post any comments:
Okay, let’s clear one thing up here.
I have nothing at all against aerobic training. I have no vested interest in writing it off.In fact, you may see me jogging at Lost Mountain Park or up and down Acworth Due West Rd. I do this for pleasure NOT for rapid fatloss results.
A quick recap on my background, I’m a personal trainer and my mission is to help individuals permanently take control of their health and their lives by
empowering them to nourish their bodies and develop effective exercise plans.
I consider myself a great motivator whose approach is heavily focused on metabolism-boosting to help my clients turn their bodies into fat-burning machines.
You’re bound to have some misconceptions and resistance to change so let’s look at some of the most common ones:
1- I’ve never seen a fat runner:
I’ve never seen one that looks healthy either!
Question. Who’s leaner-a long distance runner or a sprinter? You’d bet it was the one that did the most cardio right? NOPE. That’s a NOPE. Sprinters- who never run longer than 30 seconds at a time are much the leaner of the two athletes. We’ll look at why later.
2- But Cardio Burns Calories:
Yep, I won’t argue with this, steady state cardio DOES burn calories WHILE you’re doing it, but what about the other 23 hours of the day when you’re not exercising. This is where we’re falling down. Other types of exercise can burn calories LONG after training
3-What about the fat burning zone?
Total myth. FULL stop.
Okay the fat burning zone is a concept that states that the body, your body will become more efficient at burning fat. Sounds great huh? Well actually, it’s the opposite. Think about it, if your car is efficient at burning fuel, doesn’t that mean it burns less?
So why would we choose an exercise that means we end up using LESS fuel.
You see the ONLY tissue in the body that can BURN fat is MUSCLE. Aerobic exercise actually DECREASES muscle mass.
So the very thing that keeps your metabolism high and your body burning calories ALL DAY LONG, is the very thing that you're losing- Skinny runners anyone?
I’ll quickly explain how this works:
The longer we engage in higher-level aerobic activities, such as those typically included in a workout, the more we secrete a nasty little group of hormones called 'glucocorticoids', with the stress hormone 'cortisol' chief amongst them.
One of the lesser-known qualities of cortisol is that it is catabolic in nature, meaning that it breaks down muscle tissue along with fat in order to metabolise this stored energy for immediate fuel.
Why is this bad?
Well, it's our muscles that give shape and definition to our bodies. If we lose muscle faster than we lose fat, then proportionately we're fatter, even if the scales tell us we're several pounds lighter! In a society that places a higher priority on what we weigh, this is a difficult concept to grasp, but nevertheless it's true just the same.
So what do we need to do?
Well,apart from the resistance work that I always talk about.
There is also anaerobic exercise- Basically, the opposite of aerobics.
Anaerobics are activities that are carried out 'without oxygen' (note: in anaerobic exercise we're never truly without oxygen, it's just that oxygen cannot meet the demand of the activity) and involve higher-intensity, shorter-duration bursts of activity to produce the training effect.
Some of the benefits of this type of training include:
Massively increased metabolism,
Shorter, more effective workouts
Higher calorie consumption
It is anabolic in nature, meaning it actually promotes lean tissue- remember the very thing we need to get and stay lean!
Try sprinting "as most of you know - my favorite" for 1 minute, recovering for 2 minutes repeating 6 times. You can do this on a bike, rower, treadmill, whatever you like.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON’T BELIEVE ME:
• A 2004 diet study that shows a simple change can increase dietary compliance and fat loss (by 96%) -- (and it's not "eat less"!)
• A 1998 study that showed that the addition of 45 minutes of hard aerobic training, 5 times a week for twelve weeks - had no effect on fat loss
• A 2007 study - that showed the addition of 50 minutes of aerobic training, 5 times per week for six months - also had no effect on fat loss
• A 2008 study showing 40 mins of aerobic exercise three times per week for 15 weeks actually resulted in the participants gaining fat!
• A study from 1994 showed a specific cardio training method that actually reduced body fat (actual skinfold measurements) nine times more than traditional cardio training -- despite taking less time, and actually burning less calories per session!
• Another study (1999) showed that the addition of a specific resistance training program increased fat loss by 35% over diet and aerobic training.
• That same study also showed that 3 aerobic sessions of up to 50 mins, for 12 weeks (36 sessions) only increased fat loss by one pound over dieting alone
• A 2002 study on metabolic resistance training-type approach to training - and showed an elevation of metabolism for 38 hours post workout.
Please feel free to post any comments:
Monday, November 24, 2008
Turkey Day
Hey Friends, It is estimated that the average person eats in excess of 3,000 calories at the annual Thanksgiving feast, which is why many experts consider it to be one of the least healthy meals of the year. However, where some people may gain a pound of fat or more from this single meal, you could be one of the few smart ones who eats more turkey on Turkey Day and less of the other high-fat and/or high carb foods like stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and all those tasty pies!
Look, you can still enjoy your favorite seasonal treats in moderation, but the key is to first fill up on turkey (and fruit and veggies) to leave less room for the former.
After all turkey is loaded with lean protein that will help you build muscle, burn fat, and control your typically insatiable holiday appetite.
So Eat up and Happy Thanksgiving!
Look, you can still enjoy your favorite seasonal treats in moderation, but the key is to first fill up on turkey (and fruit and veggies) to leave less room for the former.
After all turkey is loaded with lean protein that will help you build muscle, burn fat, and control your typically insatiable holiday appetite.
So Eat up and Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
FAQ about Boot Camp
What is Bodifit by Mercedes Boot Camp?
Bodifit by Mercedes Boot Camp is a 4-week fitness program led by renowned fitness expert Mercedes Hughes or one of our expert Bodifit Boot Camp trainers. Most camps begin at 5:00 a.m., last 1 hour in length, and are held Monday thru Saturday (additional times may be offered -- please check our schedule). You will be motivated, encouraged, and inspired. And you will have fun while getting a fantastic workout in a non-threatening environment. RESULTS GUARANTEED!!!
Is boot camp for me?
If you can answer "YES" to any of the following questions, then boot camp is for you!
• Do you need to be held accountable?
• Do you need motivation?
• Do you need to jump start your fitness program?
What if I'm not very physically fit?
NOBODY will be left behind or asked to complete more than they are capable of doing safely. Women (and men) of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate. Each day will slightly increase in intensity.
What exercises are included in the program?
We do everything from running/walking (less than 1 mile), weight training (upper and lower body), core conditioning, abdominal work, calisthenics, plyometrics, circuit training and more! Everyday is a little different from the day before and you will get a complete workout every week!
Exercises include: push ups, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, squat thrusts, lunges, squats, jump roping, crunches, the plank, relay race, star jumpers and more...
Where are the camps held?
Whittier Mill Park
Candler Park
Echo Mill
The Broadlands
North Cobb High School
Kennesaw Mountain
Boots Ward
Bentwater
Worship of God Church
How often will we meet?
Boot campers will meet every Monday through Friday for one hour during the program. All participants will be expected to arrive on time. Camp starts promptly at the scheduled time! (Additional camp times are available.)
Check Bodifit schedule for upcoming camps.
What do I need to bring?
You need to bring an exercise mat, one set of hand weights (5-10 lbs for women and 8-12 lbs for men), running shoes, workout towel, a water bottle, and a sense of adventure. These items can be purchased at any local Target, Walmart or any other sporting goods store.
What will I get out of participating?
Guaranteed results!!! You will make a dramatic improvement in your physical well-being. Our camp programs include exercises designed to:
firm your butt and thighs (for the ladies),
flatten your stomach,
reduce body fat, and
increase strength and stamina.
By losing fat and gaining muscle, you'll lose inches and gain strength -- and you'll look and feel better. In addition, you'll meet great people who share your same goals for acquiring a healthy mind and body.
READY TO JOIN.....CALL MERCEDES AT 678.594.6737
Bodifit by Mercedes Boot Camp is a 4-week fitness program led by renowned fitness expert Mercedes Hughes or one of our expert Bodifit Boot Camp trainers. Most camps begin at 5:00 a.m., last 1 hour in length, and are held Monday thru Saturday (additional times may be offered -- please check our schedule). You will be motivated, encouraged, and inspired. And you will have fun while getting a fantastic workout in a non-threatening environment. RESULTS GUARANTEED!!!
Is boot camp for me?
If you can answer "YES" to any of the following questions, then boot camp is for you!
• Do you need to be held accountable?
• Do you need motivation?
• Do you need to jump start your fitness program?
What if I'm not very physically fit?
NOBODY will be left behind or asked to complete more than they are capable of doing safely. Women (and men) of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate. Each day will slightly increase in intensity.
What exercises are included in the program?
We do everything from running/walking (less than 1 mile), weight training (upper and lower body), core conditioning, abdominal work, calisthenics, plyometrics, circuit training and more! Everyday is a little different from the day before and you will get a complete workout every week!
Exercises include: push ups, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, squat thrusts, lunges, squats, jump roping, crunches, the plank, relay race, star jumpers and more...
Where are the camps held?
Whittier Mill Park
Candler Park
Echo Mill
The Broadlands
North Cobb High School
Kennesaw Mountain
Boots Ward
Bentwater
Worship of God Church
How often will we meet?
Boot campers will meet every Monday through Friday for one hour during the program. All participants will be expected to arrive on time. Camp starts promptly at the scheduled time! (Additional camp times are available.)
Check Bodifit schedule for upcoming camps.
What do I need to bring?
You need to bring an exercise mat, one set of hand weights (5-10 lbs for women and 8-12 lbs for men), running shoes, workout towel, a water bottle, and a sense of adventure. These items can be purchased at any local Target, Walmart or any other sporting goods store.
What will I get out of participating?
Guaranteed results!!! You will make a dramatic improvement in your physical well-being. Our camp programs include exercises designed to:
firm your butt and thighs (for the ladies),
flatten your stomach,
reduce body fat, and
increase strength and stamina.
By losing fat and gaining muscle, you'll lose inches and gain strength -- and you'll look and feel better. In addition, you'll meet great people who share your same goals for acquiring a healthy mind and body.
READY TO JOIN.....CALL MERCEDES AT 678.594.6737
Friday, June 29, 2007
Women: End Emotional Eating
Women: How To Stop Bingeing, End Emotional Eating And Avoid Diet Relapse
In a study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, Susan Kayman and colleagues set out to discover the difference beteen women who took off weight and kept it off succesfully (maintainers), and those who took off weight but eventually regained it all (relapsers). They found many differences between relapsers and successful maintainers, but one of the differences stood out like a sore thumb…
Relapsers were emotional eaters who lacked skills to respond to and cope with stress and unexpected problems.
While almost all of the women reported stressful issues or problems, there were major differences in the way the relapsers and maintainers coped with their problems.
Very few relapsers used problem-solving or confrontive ways of coping with their problems as compared with maintainers.
Instead, they were more likely to use emotion-focused or escape/avoidance behaviors for coping such as eating more, sleeping more or just wishing the problem would go away.
Relapsers reported using food to make themselves feel better when they were upset. They also attributed weight gain to unexpected or unpredictable stressful life events.
Maintainers, by contrast, confronted their problems directly and looked for alternative ways to cope with them (other than eating)
These included relaxation techniques, meditation, exercise, focusing on productive work, seeking social support, getting professional help, or talking out their feelings with other people they trusted.
This by the way, confirms previous research in the area of addiction recovery which found that a person who has made a successful behavior change will return to a previous negative pattern if a stressful situation occurs and no coping skills have been developed to deal with it.
Another big difference between maintainers and relapsers was conscious awareness (or lack of it)
70% of relapsers ate unconsciously in response to emotions.
Maintainers, on the other hand, were vigilant and conscious of EVERYthing:
They were conscious of the quantity and type of food they ate
They were conscious about the amount of activity that they needed personally to maintain their weight
They consciously worked to “keep in shape” after they reached their initial goal
They were conscious that they felt uncomfortable in their clothes after they gained even a little weight such as a few pounds after a vacation
They intentionally wore close-fitting clothes to keep themselves aware of their bodies, which prompted them to exercise more eat less if their clothes felt tighter.
From these findings emerge two of the very first steps that are absolutely necessary for you to end emotional eating and prevent diet relapse:
1. Develop greater conscious awareness
2. Develop alternative behaviors and coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and emotions
It takes courage to directly confront your problems and strength to overcome them, but you can’t even begin to solve a problem unless you are aware you have one. It all begins with AWAREness.
One of the best ways to increase conscious awareness of your eating habits is to keep a nutrition diary at least once in your life for a period of at least 4-12 weeks.
many people are catching on, as reflected in the popularity of sites like fit day, which lets you log in your daily food intake, while others keep extensive written journals.
People who are struggling with relapse and weight regain, but who refuse to admit that calorie counting is important, who find keeping journals to be too much like work, or who don’t at least find some other way to raise their awareness about what and how much they are eating, are likely to continue to struggle.
In a study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, Susan Kayman and colleagues set out to discover the difference beteen women who took off weight and kept it off succesfully (maintainers), and those who took off weight but eventually regained it all (relapsers). They found many differences between relapsers and successful maintainers, but one of the differences stood out like a sore thumb…
Relapsers were emotional eaters who lacked skills to respond to and cope with stress and unexpected problems.
While almost all of the women reported stressful issues or problems, there were major differences in the way the relapsers and maintainers coped with their problems.
Very few relapsers used problem-solving or confrontive ways of coping with their problems as compared with maintainers.
Instead, they were more likely to use emotion-focused or escape/avoidance behaviors for coping such as eating more, sleeping more or just wishing the problem would go away.
Relapsers reported using food to make themselves feel better when they were upset. They also attributed weight gain to unexpected or unpredictable stressful life events.
Maintainers, by contrast, confronted their problems directly and looked for alternative ways to cope with them (other than eating)
These included relaxation techniques, meditation, exercise, focusing on productive work, seeking social support, getting professional help, or talking out their feelings with other people they trusted.
This by the way, confirms previous research in the area of addiction recovery which found that a person who has made a successful behavior change will return to a previous negative pattern if a stressful situation occurs and no coping skills have been developed to deal with it.
Another big difference between maintainers and relapsers was conscious awareness (or lack of it)
70% of relapsers ate unconsciously in response to emotions.
Maintainers, on the other hand, were vigilant and conscious of EVERYthing:
They were conscious of the quantity and type of food they ate
They were conscious about the amount of activity that they needed personally to maintain their weight
They consciously worked to “keep in shape” after they reached their initial goal
They were conscious that they felt uncomfortable in their clothes after they gained even a little weight such as a few pounds after a vacation
They intentionally wore close-fitting clothes to keep themselves aware of their bodies, which prompted them to exercise more eat less if their clothes felt tighter.
From these findings emerge two of the very first steps that are absolutely necessary for you to end emotional eating and prevent diet relapse:
1. Develop greater conscious awareness
2. Develop alternative behaviors and coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and emotions
It takes courage to directly confront your problems and strength to overcome them, but you can’t even begin to solve a problem unless you are aware you have one. It all begins with AWAREness.
One of the best ways to increase conscious awareness of your eating habits is to keep a nutrition diary at least once in your life for a period of at least 4-12 weeks.
many people are catching on, as reflected in the popularity of sites like fit day, which lets you log in your daily food intake, while others keep extensive written journals.
People who are struggling with relapse and weight regain, but who refuse to admit that calorie counting is important, who find keeping journals to be too much like work, or who don’t at least find some other way to raise their awareness about what and how much they are eating, are likely to continue to struggle.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Nutrition
Are u busting your butt working out and not getting the results you deserve?
If so, listen up. You have to fix your nutrition. No more foods from a bag or a box. Switch over to more fruits and vegetables.
Now I know you're not just going to wake up and eat 10 servings of vegetables tomorrow.
But you have to make little changes every day, week, month & year. We can always get better. So this weekend, start with one new item from the produce aisle to help control your appetite, regulate your blood sugar, and burn body fat.
If you want to lose fat, live longer & healthier, and have more mental and physical energy to get through your day, you need to put premium fuel in your body's engine.
NOT GREASE.
Start by eating several small meals each day, focusing on protein and fiber-rich foods.
Combine that with your Boot Camp workouts and you'll feel like a million bucks.
We are all a work in progress. Never give up on your ability to change your body at any age. Nutrition & exercise are that powerful.
If so, listen up. You have to fix your nutrition. No more foods from a bag or a box. Switch over to more fruits and vegetables.
Now I know you're not just going to wake up and eat 10 servings of vegetables tomorrow.
But you have to make little changes every day, week, month & year. We can always get better. So this weekend, start with one new item from the produce aisle to help control your appetite, regulate your blood sugar, and burn body fat.
If you want to lose fat, live longer & healthier, and have more mental and physical energy to get through your day, you need to put premium fuel in your body's engine.
NOT GREASE.
Start by eating several small meals each day, focusing on protein and fiber-rich foods.
Combine that with your Boot Camp workouts and you'll feel like a million bucks.
We are all a work in progress. Never give up on your ability to change your body at any age. Nutrition & exercise are that powerful.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Scale Weight
I have some clients that live and breathe by the numbers on the scale. The worst part about scales is they distort your perception of progress. Rather than enabling you to focus on how much body fat and lean mass you have gained, scales cause you to focus on your bodyweight. Keep in mind that it is possible to actually gain weight and still look thinner. (However, if you are extremely overweight and need to lose 20 pounds or more, then this statement applies less to you.) Firming up, losing inches and gaining a couple pounds is possible.
Start following a healthier lifestyle and by chance u gain some weight, you can still look thinner. Remember muscle weighs more than fat because it is denser fiber. Not only does fat weigh less than muscle, it takes up approximately five times more space than muscle.
Body composition is the percentage of your body that is fat and lean body mass (e.g. muscle, bones, etc.). Although two people can weigh exactly the same and be the same height, it’s entirely possible for one of them to have 30% body fat and for the other to have 15% body fat. The person with less body fat will actually look thinner and shapely because he/she has more lean muscle, even though he weighs exactly the same as the other person.
Take a boot camper who wants to lose 10 pounds. Chances are that boot campers doesn’t really need to lose 10 pounds, but she thinks she does because she doesn’t like that number on the scale. What she should really do instead is shift her focus to her body composition by lowering her body fat percentage and raising her lean body mass percentage. Eat a healthier diet so that u can eliminate some body fat. Increase your cardiovascular workouts, which will also help to burn body fat. Because body fat takes up a huge amount of body surface area, you will start looking thinner.
Set realistic goals - You didn't put on extra weight overnight so it is equally unrealistic to take it off quickly. Set a goal you know you can achieve.
Spread your calories around - Divide your calorie goal by the number of meals (at least five) Make sure you eat at least 1200 calories each day or you will lose muscle.
Diet foods not required - Eat regular foods rather than the "sugar free", "lite" or "fat free" versions (except soda beverages and milk) because the calories in these "diet" foods still count towards your total calories each day. Diet foods are usually not as satisfying or filling so you may eat more of them.
Drastic changes not recommended - The plan you follow to lose weight should be built on the how you eat now modified by these ten changes. A weight loss plan should be a plan you can follow for a lifetime by making small changes in the portion sizes you eat once you reach your goal weight so that you can maintain a healthy weight.
Portion control - Control meal portions.
Cook it yourself - Bake, broil or steam food rather than frying.
Some fat is OK
Sugar is not evil - You just can't afford the calories. Sugar only contains carbohydrate so use an artificial sweetener in beverages or drink sugar free soda in reasonable amounts.
Alcohol in moderation - Alcoholic beverages are just as empty of nutrients as sugar, but your liver processes them like fat. If you drink, limit yourself to one drink per day (12 ounce beer or 4 ounces wine or 1 ½ ounces distilled liquor) and then only add fat to one meal that day.
No cake - Desserts are mostly fat and sugar which will put you over your calorie goal for the day.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
2007 Bodifit by Mercedes Boot Camp
Bodifit by Mercedes has kicked off the new year with Boot Camp Fitness. A program designed to take off weight gained during the holidays and get trainees ready for bikini season.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
A Better Body
1. Get into the mindset. So many people sabotage themselves with past issues. They have no belief in themselves or drag a bad previous fitness experience into the present. You have to listen to yourself, your mind and spirit -choose to be successful in your health.
2. Understand the science. Proper nutrition is key. I recommend whole foods, High fiber, water, rich vegetables, essential fats, and lean low-stress protein, all-natural and organic when possible. There's no magic pill here but you have to understand what type and how much food matches your physical out put. Food is simply energy and synchronizing is the key for maximum results.
3. Cleanse. I recommend certain high-fiber foods and juices to pull the toxins out of the body and make the metabolism more efficient. Sometimes I prescribe an 11-day cleansing; I see people lose 10 or 15 pounds and keep it off.
4. Exercise. Make your body move. Start with what you like. Take it slow at first, then fine-tune. Build confidence, don't go full throttle at first. There’s nothing worse than guilt. Let it go.
In two weeks, you'll see a difference
2. Understand the science. Proper nutrition is key. I recommend whole foods, High fiber, water, rich vegetables, essential fats, and lean low-stress protein, all-natural and organic when possible. There's no magic pill here but you have to understand what type and how much food matches your physical out put. Food is simply energy and synchronizing is the key for maximum results.
3. Cleanse. I recommend certain high-fiber foods and juices to pull the toxins out of the body and make the metabolism more efficient. Sometimes I prescribe an 11-day cleansing; I see people lose 10 or 15 pounds and keep it off.
4. Exercise. Make your body move. Start with what you like. Take it slow at first, then fine-tune. Build confidence, don't go full throttle at first. There’s nothing worse than guilt. Let it go.
In two weeks, you'll see a difference
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Are You Looking For a Fun, Exciting and Motivating Way To Lose Weight, Tone Up and Feel Great?
Well, look no further! Bodifit Fitness Boot Camp is one of the best ways to lose weight and get in shape... and most of all... my workout is enjoyable, fun and guaranteed to get you the results you want!
My outdoor fitness boot camp is for women and men and you really need to experience a class to see and feel how great it is... I am so confident that you'll love it that I'd love to have you try it for FREE.
That's right... simply choose the location and time and then email me at bodifitbymercedes@yahoo.com and mention my blogger and the free class - you don't pay a thing. Take the first class and you be the judge...
If you are intimidated by a group atmosphere, remember, I also offer in-home personal training.
My outdoor fitness boot camp is for women and men and you really need to experience a class to see and feel how great it is... I am so confident that you'll love it that I'd love to have you try it for FREE.
That's right... simply choose the location and time and then email me at bodifitbymercedes@yahoo.com and mention my blogger and the free class - you don't pay a thing. Take the first class and you be the judge...
If you are intimidated by a group atmosphere, remember, I also offer in-home personal training.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Diet Gimmicks
Before you waste your money and your time on the latest diet gimmick, use the old rule, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
The only ways to lose weight (without surgery or prescription medications) are:1)Take in fewer calories,2) Burn more calories, or3) both.
The only ways to lose weight (without surgery or prescription medications) are:1)Take in fewer calories,2) Burn more calories, or3) both.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Fitness Goals
Hey guys - Goals, whether you want to lose weight or increase your endurance, it's important to tailor your workout to fit your goals. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? However, almost everyone I talk with... begins a fitness program finding their enthusiasm waning faster than they can say "Yes, actually, I would like fries with that." If this sounds like you, stop blaming yourself. Instead, take a look at your goals to make sure that, a) they're realistic, and b) you know exactly how to reach them.
Let me help u figure out how to reach it. This means you're gonna have to put down that phone (I know you were about to order some infomercial fitness gadget, weren't you?) and pay attention.
Join my Boot Camp Program or become a client at the gym...I can help....
Let me help u figure out how to reach it. This means you're gonna have to put down that phone (I know you were about to order some infomercial fitness gadget, weren't you?) and pay attention.
Join my Boot Camp Program or become a client at the gym...I can help....
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The Failure Cycle
Conventional diets don't work - they are based on weight-loss instead of fat-loss. You restrict yourself to a very low calorie diet or liquid diet and thinks you are reaching your goal because you are losing weight. But, because the diet is not designed to lose fat, you are mainly losing muscle weight. Upon resuming normal eating habits, u gain the weight back. So, as the cycle goes u start the same method all over again.......It's called yo-yo dieting.
The key to permanent weight management is understanding the difference between weight loss and fat loss....
The key to permanent weight management is understanding the difference between weight loss and fat loss....
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Boot Camp Workouts have attracted:
Women wanting to lose pregnancy weight, couples spending time together a healthy way, brides shaping up for their wedding dress, guys trying to banish their "beer" bellies, atheletes trying to improve their endurance and agility, individuals looking to get in shape a fun and unique way without being stuck inside the gym.
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