Client Spotlight: Claudia

September 2010

late November 2010

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY FRIEND, CLAUDIA

I love sharing success stories and Claudia's is one of my favorites. Claudia became my client after the birth of her beautiful baby boy. We had to get her ready for her winter wedding in Mexico. Now, let me tell you about Claudia.. she's a driven, competitive woman with an iron-will. We knew we had a deadline and we both knew it would be tough. We started after her doctor gave her the green light and Claudia hit the ground running.. literally. Claudia kept her diet clean and her workouts high energy. Over the months we spent many hours together in Tabata oblivion. There were times we ending up flat on the floor in pools of sweat. We incorporated TRX training, body weight training, kettlebells and Pilates. In every workout, Claudia gave me 110 percent effort, even when her little one had kept her up at night. On her own, Claudia added in running and INSANITY for the days we weren't together. After only 105 days, Claudia lost over 32 inches. She lost over 8 inches in her abs! This is the note she sent me along with her gorgeous wedding picture. "LOOK AT THOSE ARMS..." And who do I have to thank for looking so good????? Shawn T???? Noooooo!!!! Tracy!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a geek.. that note made me cry. I'm sooo proud of my beautiful,inspiring friend.

PILOXING is coming to ST. Louis

St. Louis Fitness Club is proud to be the first to bring the hottest workout, PILOXING to St. Louis!! Come try the latest Hollywood fitness craze! PILOXING uniquely blends the power, speed and agility of boxing with the beautiful sculpting and flexibility of Pilates. It is a fat torching, muscle sculpting, core-centric interval workout, guaranteed to whip you into shape. PILOXING is the brainchild of Swedish dancer and celebrity trainer Viveca Jensen. COME JOIN US FOR THE OFFICIAL ST. LOUIS LAUNCH PARTY WHEN: SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2011 WHERE: ST. LOUIS FITNESS CLUB 3525 HAMPTON STREET ST. LOUIS, MO 63139 TIME: 11:00 AM -??? COST: FREE!! DRESS: PINK AND BLACK SPACE IS LIMITED!! RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY Please let us know which class you would like 11:00 AM or 12:30 pm contact: tracy@stlfitnessclub.com or phone 314.768.0809 or STL Fitness Club at: 314.351.2780 For more information click here

Clean Stuffing Muffins

STUFFING MUFFINS

Clean eating doesn't have to take a back seat to traditional Thanksgiving recipes. One change you can make in your holiday cooking is to ditch the prepackaged stuffing mix. Every package of stuffing mix I picked up at the grocery store, had High Fructose Corn Syrup. Pepperidge farm to Stove top.. These companies have some explaining to do!!! Remember that HFCS makes it hard to know when you're full so you eat more food! If you are in charge of the stuffing, try this recipe for stuffng mix You can choose clean,grainy breads or at the very least, interesting breads like marbled one. I like this recipe because you can prepare the 'stuffing mix' up to 3 months a head of time. "Herbed stuffing Mix": ( this works well as croutons also) 30 slices firm-textured bread cut into 1/2 -inch cubes,1/3 cup cooking oil,3 Tbs. instant minced onion,3 Tbs. parsley flakes, 2 tsp. garlic salt,3/4 tsp. ground sage and 1/2 tsp. seasoned pepper or seasoning salt. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Put bread cubes in two 13"X9"baking pans. Toast cubes for 45 minutes, stirring occationally. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Stir in remaining ingredients.Lightly toss to coat thoroughly.Cool. Store in an airtight container, in a cool dry place.Use within 3 to 4 months.---Makes about 12 cups. Use as needed. Another idea is to take your stuffing mix and make it in muffin tins to keep your serving size in check. Rachel Ray has a yummy Apple Onion Stuffed Muffins recipe. If you like, you can replace the chicken stock for vegetable broth and have a clean, veg version of this deliciousness.

Tosca Reno Giveaway!

OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY!!

I'm so excited to announce PhiBetaFit's first GIVEAWAY! If you follow our blog, then you know that Tosca Reno's books are part of my personal training bible. My clients are successful because they've joined us in the Eat-Clean lifestyle. Even celebs like Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman are fans! Our lucky winner will receive two of Tosca's Best books. Eat Clean Diet Recharged and her brand new, hot off the presses, Your Best Body Now! Pictured above are my personal copies but our winner will receive their prizes from Amazon.com CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 9! Good luck!!! HOW TO ENTER 1. You MUST be a follower of my blog. Please leave your GFC (Google Friend Connect )name in the comments so I can check. 2. Leave your email address so that I can contact you. 3. TWEET about this giveaway! (leave a link so I can find it!) 4. BLOG about this giveaway! Either by doing a blog post or putting it in your sidebar (leave a link to your blog!) 5. REFER a friend! Tell everyone you can about this giveaway so they can follow and enter too! Make sure your friend mentions your name, each time your name is mentioned will earn you one additional entry! (i.e. 10 people say you referred them to my blog, you will get 10 additional entries!) ***each number will equal 1 point. Each point = 1 entry, the more entries the more chances of WINNING! All entries will be put into a hat and my son, Hunter, will be picking the Winner!

Get Ready for our first Giveaway!!

COMING SOON!

Get ready for PhiBetaFit's first Giveaway! Keep checking back for the announcement and how you can be a winner!! We promise you won't be disappointed!! Be sure to follow us so you can stay updated!!

Super Model Booty Blaster Workout

Super Model Booty Blaster Workout

This ultra fast workout will give your booty Super Model defination and lift . The best part is you can do it quickly at home, or outside if you have 15 minutes to spare. Equipment: 3-5 pound weights (optional) Stairs for step ups. How: Do the exercises in with a quick pace. Rest 30 seconds in between rounds. Repeat 3 times through. If you are just starting out, begin with 1 round. How Often: 3 x a week, every other day for fat shredding results. *Warm up first by marching, jogging, or jumping jacks, jump rope, for 5 minutes . 1. 20 Deep Squats Feet Parallel, shoulder width apart. Weights in hand. Squat down and come up to full standing. Tip: Sit your booty way back in the back seat of the car with chest on the dashboard. As you come up, make sure you squeeze the booty at the top of move. 2. 20 Jump squats with no weight. Feet shoulder width apart. Squat down and jump up. Land softly. Dynamic movement will reshape the legs and booty! The pace is quick! You'll feel this! 3. 20 Plie' Squats Feet are wider than shoulder width apart. Toes are turned out. Squat deep and quick. Press through the heels. Keep your shoulders back and abs tight. Squeeze squeeze Squeeze! Weights are optional. 4. Step ups-15 each side Stand facing step. Step up with one foot, lift back leg and squeeze booty at the top of the move. Step down and switch legs. The pace is quick, but keep squeezing and control so you don't lose form. Weights are optional. 5. Walking Lunges -16 total Stand with feet shoulder width. Step out with right leg into deep lunge. Lift the left leg and step through into deep lunge. The pace is quick but take care to keep good form. Always squeeze the core and booty during the exercise.Weights are optional. After 3 rounds, be sure to stretch out your lower body for slinky, sexy muscles!

Strength training for Weight Loss

Strength training for Weight Loss Many people are not conscious that strength training for weight loss is a very important approach and is also critical in not regaining the weight? Any exercise program started does not have to incorporate huge weights but should involve basic weight training. The most common approach to weight loss is to go on a diet which reduces calories. The underlying fundamental is that lowering calories leads to weight loss, and thia argument has some merit. To reduce weight, a deficiency in calorific intake is necessary but this is only half of the full picture. Unfortunately the fat we have stored does not require calories it just sits there. It is the muscle mass beneath the fat layer that burns calories. Often people who are very heavy have a strong muscular system beneath the fat because this has been necessary to support all the weight that has been carried around. The normal everyday actions such as getting to work, walking, getting groceries and the like builds up the muscles and this is advantageous. The worst thing we want to do is lose the muscle mass while we are losing fat and this is the risk if we starve ourselves to lose body fat. The muscle mass reduces because it is no longer required to support all of that weight and it is no longer receiving the calories required to maintain it when you are on a diet. If you lose muscle mass then metabolism starts to slow down and any little surplus food will now be converted to fat which in counterproductive. Strength training for weight loss is one of the best solutions to this issue. By utilising strength training for weight loss, not only do we lose fat, finish up with more muscle mass, but also the gains will be quicker. With the reduction in body fat out muscles will begin to show increased definition. A lot of body fat is layed down external to our muscles, but it can also be stored internally, which gives the muscles some bulk when we carry too much fat. This intramuscular fat will be burned with a strength training for which may reduce the overall size of the muscle but it will now look like lean muscle and it will continue to burn calories just during maintenance. Losing muscle is way easier than gaining it back so any program needs to maintain the muscle that you already have. is not actually the objective that people are really seeking. It is usually the loss of fat that is the target and the workout should reflect that objective. in order to retain the muscle mass when reducing weight we need to incorporate a strength training for weight loss regime. With a diet that severely restricts calories all that initially happens is that the body uses up the glycogen stores in the tissues and organs to get the energy needed to keep going. This leads to the reduction in sugars and water but this is not a reduction in fat. To recap, weight reduction is not essentially the goal, we are looking to lose fat. We need to get away from our fascination with the bathroom scales and look at objective ways to measure body fat instead. Not many people own a set of calipers but they are not expensive and this is a worthwhile investment. These measure the fat layer at specific, and repeatable points on the body. Charts are available that will pinpoint where these measurements can be taken. You will find that these locations are in different spots for men and women because fat is deposited differently in each. Wrapping up, a strength training for weight loss program will greatly help achieve the objective of lowering body fat. During this process we will engage our existing muscle mass which will assist in producing a lean body while maintaining a balanced calorific intake.

RockStar Abs Series Part two: Drop it like it's hot SUGAR

Jorge Cruise and Dr. OZ . BELLY FAT CURE!

In my 20 plus years of being in the fitness industry, the question I've probably been asked the most is "How do I get flat abs?" Our RockStar Abs series will give you great tips, workouts and nutritional information so you finally get the abs you want! Part TWO: Drop it like it's hot! Sugar SUGAR SUGAR What you need to know: In part one we talked about HFCS and it's effects on bellyfat, weight loss and health. Now it's time to address sugar. Fact: Belly fat is unattractive as it is unhealthy. Good news: You can get rid of it . It's all about keeping insulin low.    Why?  High insulin causes your body to store belly fat and lock it in place.  Two hundred years ago, the average American ate 2 pounds of sugar a year. In 1970 we ate 123 pounds of sugar a year. Today we average 152 pounds of sugar a year. That's 3 pounds of sugar or 6 cups a week! That's 31 teaspoons a day! ** Remember: 4 grams of equals 1 teaspoon. A typical 12 ounce can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar. That is the equivelent of 10 teaspoons of sugar! Imagine drinking a super large gulp of soda. It's around 64 ounces and it contains 53 teaspoons of sugar! Sugar = Belly fat! Where are the hidden sugars and how do I find out how much to eat? Be a label sleuth!! Names for sugar on labels: Sugar Honey fructose* Glucose maple syrup corn syrup Sorghum Sorbitol Brown sugar Lactose* Dextose Molasses Maltose sucrose   Fruit juice concentrate High Fructose Corn syrup According to Jorge Cruise, best selling author of 'The Belly Fat Cure' we need to keep our daily consumption at 15 grams of sugar a day. *Remember though: This does not include naturally occurring sugars found in fruits (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). For more on the Belly Fat Cure, be sure to visit Jorge Cruise's blog Check back for more RockStar Abs!

**DHHS.gov

RockStar Abs series: Drop it like it's hot

Gwen Stefani and Ryan Reynolds have RockStar Abs

In my 20 plus years of being in the fitness industry, the question I've probably been asked the most is "How do I get flat abs?" Our RockStar Abs series will give you great tips, workouts and nutritional information so you finally get the abs you want! Part one: Drop it like it's hot! HFCS: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP How many items can you find in your local grocery store that do not contain High Fructose Corn syrup? It's not easy. In fact more and more products are being spiked with HFCS all the time. What is it? It's a sweetner that is made from cornstartch and is very inexpensive to produce. It's used to sweeten food and prolong shelf life. The FDA has deemed that HFCS is HFCS is Not natural. Fact: The U.S Production of HFCS went from 3,000 tons in 1967 to 9,227,000 tons in 2005. ** What you need to know is that HFCS is a very cheap ingredient that is much sweeter than sugar. HFCS helps the processed food industry boost their profits while it boots our fat-storing hormones. Glucose is metoblized in the cells: fructose must be metabolized in the liver. It tricks the body into not releasing insulin and leptin. Those are two hormones that should be released when you are 'done' eating. Studies have also shown that HFCS also increases triglycerides, and high triglycerides prevent leptin from working in the brain. >>You can't tell when you are full.<< HFCS is good for companies because you eat more of their food! The diet food industry is a billion dollar industry. The US is at it's highest obesity rate of all time. If diet foods worked wouldn't we be skinny.. ah but then they would be out of business! Eating HFCS allows you to consume way more food so super- sizing your drinks leads to super-sizing your meals which leads to super- sizing your gut! Studies have also shown that you eat more for the next 24 hours! Do your homework Read your labels. You will be surprised to find out how many foods (including diet foods) contain HFCS. Some items that can contain HFCS diet deserts breakfast cereals Fast food 'healthy' yogurts Soda Applesauce condiments Fruit Juices High fiber crackers Breads of all kinds cough syrup dill pickles cereal bars peanut butter chocolate milk . The list goes on and on. You can find alternatives by eating clean and being a label sleuth. Smucker's makes an Organic Natural peanut butter that contains, just peanuts. There are many many other reasons to kick this franken-chemical to the curb. The correlation between the high obesity rate, Diabetes,and the increased use of HFCS is in itself reason to say no to this poison. We don't need it. Our bodies don't require it. IT HAS NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. Don't eat it! If you want to take a big step in cleaning up your diet for health as well as weight loss and flat abs, then make your first step to remove HFCS! You can read more about HFCS online or in **Master your Metabolism by Jillian MIchaels Sugar Shock by Connie Bennett University of Florida More resources/studies here!

Yummy Tomato soup

Yummy Fall Tomato Soup

Since the fall season has begun I've been addicted to Panera's Tomato Soup. I wanted to make something equally as yummy for home and I think this recipe is spot on. Plus, this recipe doesn't have HFCS as the Panera version does. It's super easy and fast. I made this batch with Vegetable broth and I embellished it a bit with a tad of half & half just to give it some body. That's your call. I also toasted one piece of Ezekiel bread in the toaster oven and cut it into croutons. YUM Yummy Tomato Soup 　serves 4 1 tbsp olive oil one table spoon minced garlic 1/4 tsp chili flakes 3 small cans diced fire roasted tomatos 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth 1 tsp basil flakes 1. Heat a large soup pot to medium heat. Add Olive oil, garlic and chili flakes. Cook for one minute. Add tomatoes, basil and broth. Bring to a boil. 2. Puree with your Imersion blender or blend it on low speed in your blender. 3. Optional: 1/8 cup of half/half to the pot. Per serving (without cream): Calories: 103 protein: 5 grams Carbs: 20 grams Fat: 3 grams Fiber: 5 grams sugar: 14 grams, sodium 710 mg Per serving (with cream): Calories: 143 protein: 6 grams Carbs: 20 grams Fat: 5 grams Fiber: 5 grams Sugar: 15 grams Sodium 725 mg Enjoy!

Chipotle Mahi Mahi

Chipotle Mahi Mahi with Mukimame I love it when the Rock Star chefs for me. He's much better than I am. He made this recipe up on the fly and it was spectacular. Prep time was about 15 minutes with the chopping. Ingredients: green onions 2 chopped home grown tomatoes olive oil 2 small onions (sliced) juice from two limes 1 bag of frozen Mukimame red pepper flakes chipoltle pepper spice 2 mahi mahi steaks Put Olive oil in frying pan over low heat. Add onions and tomatoes. Next add Mahi Mahi steaks in and season with lime, red pepper and spices. Steam the Mukimame in the microwave (don't steam it in the bag though) then add it to the pan and cover. We season to taste so we probably use more pepper than most people. This dish is fast, yummy and completely modifiable! Great protein, Omega's and flavor

Boxing for weight loss is a TKO

It's all about the Pink Gloves

One of my very favorite ways to train is with Cardio Box Focus Training. This style of workout is something that not a lot of people have done in their past trainings. It's both fun and challenging. Cardio Box Focus Training uses boxing gloves for the client and focus mitts for the trainer. The focus mitts are sturdy gloved pads that have a target in the center. They are held by the trainer in various positions for the boxer to punch. They are moved quickly for the boxer to hit at different angles. The goal of our training is to work punch combinations, foot work, and basic cardio box skills to improve fitness. Other benefits are improved hand eye coordination, improve defensive and offensive skills, condition the body and sharpen reflexes. Focus training is an exceptional calorie burn and fat blaster. Benefits include: Fat burning, weight loss Stress release Unique training for muscle confusion Muscle memory and development of quick thinking One of the things that I love about Cardio Box Focus training is the fun factor. Many people start off feeling unsure of themselves and their coordination but with a very short time are punching with confidence and always come away feeling successful. I love how the sound of a great punch makes them smile. Many women tell me that it is empowering and a great stress relief. Pink Gloves are where it's at. These gloves have such a high cool factor and draw a lot of women to Cardio Box Focus Training. Of course, the guys get to use the red pair, but the Pink gloves are the star of the show. I can't think of a better marketing tool to introduce people to this training format but I know they stay with it because the results are a TKO!

Tabata is the secret to shredding

Tabata: My new Obsession

This past week, I've introduced a fresh training method to my clients. It's called Tabata and it's brutal. It lasts only 16 minutes but when you are done, it feels you just sprinted the NYC marathon in cement shoes... but in a good way. I'm met with bliss and agony and a sense of accomplishment you don't get with Wii fit. If you are in the mood to shred.. this is your game! Be sure to download your own Tabata worksheets here Here's the skinny on Tabata.

The Tabata protocol is a high-intensity training regimen that produces remarkable results. A Tabata workout (also called a Tabata sequence) is an interval training cycle of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for a total of four minutes. In a group context, you can keep score by counting how many lifts/jumps/whatever you do in each of the 20 second rounds. The round with the smallest number is your score. Credit for this simple and powerful training method belongs to its namesake, Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided documented evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity intermittent training. After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity in his subjects, along with a 14% increase in their ability to consume oxygen (V02Max). These results were witnessed in already physically fit athletes. The conclusion was that just four minutes of Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise. Although Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked exercise cycle machine, you can apply this protocol to almost any exercise. For example, a basic Tabata workout can be performed with sit-ups. The more muscles used the better, so use full knees-bent sit-ups. Sit-up non-stop for 20-second intervals, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for a total of 8 cycles. Tabata Timer!! AWESOME! How effective can just 4 minutes of exercise be? ... Very. You will be amazed at how intense the four minutes of exercise will feel. The intervals tax both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. To be clear, this isn't "eight sets of eight," although the goal of doing eight reps in each of the 20-second clusters is about right. Instead it's "as many reps as I can get in" during the twenty seconds, followed by ten seconds rest. It helps to be able to see a wall clock with a second hand during your four minutes of fun. Stop at twenty seconds, rest ten seconds, and go again. Watching the clock helps with your focus and also in keeping count of the eight cycles... Here is a longer Tabata workout example. This workout consists of 4 separate Tabata Intervals, each 4 minutes. The total workout will last 16 minutes. Always begin with a moderate warm-up and cool down session. And if you are not already in good shape, check with a doctor before trying. * Jump Rope * Pushups * Squats * Chin-ups or Pull-ups Note the 10-second rest periods in the Tabata workout are important, both physically and mentally. Not only do they allow partial recovery, they also provide psychological relief. Switching back and forth from work to rest makes the workout go quickly. Plus, it allows you to train at a higher level of intensity, which what intervals are all about. Tabata Timer!! AWESOME! Another good exercise for Tabatas is the "squat thruster." The squat thruster is one of the great lifts being made popular by organizations such as CrossFit. Take two dumbbells and hold them at shoulder height. Squat down, pushing your rear-end back, keeping the dumbbells on the shoulders. As you rise up, press the bells to the overhead lockout position. You can either press as you rise or use the momentum to help "kick" the bells overhead. Keep your weight in your heals and go light! A 25 pound dumbbell in each hand is a very difficult thruster workout! Pretty much any form of cardiovascular exercise that uses a large number of muscles can be tailored to fit Tabata interval workouts, so feel free to be creative. In addition to the exercises mentioned above, use them with sprints, burpees, a jump rope, the heavy bag, treadmill or rowing machine. Lessen the likelihood of injury by choosing a rate of intensity suited to your level of conditioning - be conservative. Incorporate variety into your Tabata workouts. A few sessions per week will offer plenty of intensity. Article Source: Ezine articles

Nineteen inches in six weeks

Weight Challenge Week 13

We are closing in on the end of our 16 week Weight Loss Challenge. Our total group loss to date is 300 pounds!!! If you want to keep up with our weekly progress click here to see our overall stats! Our spotlight today is on Amanda. Amanda lost 18 pounds and 31 inches in 90 days. How did she do it? Amanda is following The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged!: Lasting Fat Loss That's Better than Ever! by Tosca Reno. She is living proof that eating right is the key to success in weight loss! That and a lot of hard work in our training sessions! Check out Amanda's before and after pictures! Are you ready to see results like Amanda? Grab Tosca's book and start today!

P90X THE RUMORS AND TRUTH

P90X WHAT'S NEXT? THE RUMOURS THE TRUTH

P90Xer's stand up and take notice. You've done rounds, hybrids, mashups, P90 Xtream and now what? Now is the time to move on to Tony Horton's P90X One on one! GET TONY HORTON ONE ON ONE NOW

Client Spotlight- Sarah

This is why I love my job!

This is my client, Sarah and she owns Low Plank! Our goal was not just to get Sarah in shape but to include her children in her at home workouts. This is the infamous "You Can't Change Film with a Kid on your Back" move. Execute this move by holding Low Plank while your small child provides instability and/or weight. Sarah sent me this pic with a note that said "She (her daughter) just keeps saying 'Again, again!' ". Sarah is following the The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged!: Lasting Fat Loss That's Better than Ever! She has also been soda- free for over 3 weeks! She's lost 17 inches and one full pants size in 30 days through Clean Eating and training. INSPIRE!!!

Better body through Box Jumps

Pump Leverage Group Ex experience does Jump Training

Athletes from a wide range of sports use plyometric training to help them reach peak physical condition. When used correctly, it can be a highly effective form of power training, especially when combined with a suitable strength training program. Plyometrics refers to exercise that enables a muscle to reach maximum force in the shortest possible time The muscle is loaded with an eccentric (lengthening) action, followed immediately by a concentric (shortening) action. Many athletes use it to improve their vertical leap. However, it also bridges the gap between power and speed. In our Pump/ Leverage class and in my Personal Training, I use jump training for my athletes. Not every client wants to improve their sports performance but for many venturing into jump training, it provides immediate feedback on their progress. The above video showcases the athletes jumping the highest level. What is not shown, is that we started this drill on a 4 inch platform. Many of the class members had never done jump drills. It was exciting to see them safely leave their comfort zone and increase their athletic performance on the spot. Other Benefits of Plyo/jump training include building lean muscle building bone density preventing bone loss.   Plyometrics may aid injury prevention Plyometric drills may aid in the prevention of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries. However, plyometric drills must be performed with adequate warm-up and a gradual buildup period because some drills - with lateral movements - can actually cause ACL injury if they're not performed correctly. Box jumps are not the only plyo moves out there. I frequently add moves like jump squats into my clients sessions. These are basic and do wonders for shaping the lower body as well as giving a great cardio interval. As with all training, I follow the school of thought.. "if the result is not worth the risk, do not attempt" Every client has a unique goal but everyone can benefit from training that is tailored just for them. FYI to prevent joint issues and overuse, we use cross training techniques and limit our heavy jump training to once a week.

Dr. Oz's Sugar Wake up call

Dr. Oz Wake up call How sugar/carbs effect your body! If you don't think Diabetes effects you? Watch this video! Bright side: Most diabetes is preventable!!!

TRX Thursday

TRX THURSDAY

Just some eye candy for your Thursday HBO's Thomas Jane knows how to make suspension training look easy. Have you joined the TRX movement? Do you want to get insane results? Get your TRX here~! If you are in St. Louis and want to train with me, we'll rock the TRX to get you the celeb body you want! Contact me at the link at the top of the page!

Week 3 Results

Weight Challenge Week 3 Results!

Week Three was grueling. There were triumphs,upsets, heart breaks, and sore muscles this week. We had a blast at the Saturday Crew Recess Challenge. We played hot potato, ran relays, and kicked it into high gear with the Confidence Course games. Watch Susan run the Confidence course. Can you beat her score? Week 3 Team results 1.Smokin Hotties 2. Dream Team 3.Fab 4 4.KrunchTime 5.Kyle's Team 6. Gut Busters Special high-five to Sue (above) for taking the 1st place spot losing 12 pounds and 5.11 percent! Everyone is bringing the heat! Way 2 Go! For more pics and videos from this weeks challenge click here

Caramel Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Caramel Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal Makes 1 serving Ingredients: 1/2 cup dry oats 1 cup water 2 T liquid egg whites sugar substitute to taste dash Cinnamon 1-2 sugar-free Caramel Torani syrup 2 T unsweetened organic applesauce 1/3 sliced apple 1 T raisins 1/8 t baking powder Directions: Mix the above and pour into an oven proof dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Nutrition: Calories 250 Calories from Fat 27.0 Total Fat 3g Saturated Fat 0.5g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 59.61mg Total Carbohydrate 48.74g Dietary Fiber 6.84g Sugars 19.66g Protein 8.75g Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/caramel-apple-pie-baked-oatmeal/#ixzz0rgc67jvT Note: I made this without the Torini syrup and used a packet of Truvia.  I also added ground flax.

Bosu Core Challenge

Bosu Core Challenge I am always looking for ways to challenge the teams I train. When you are working with different fitness levels, it's not always an easy task. I have had great luck using the Bosu Balance Trainers to train core. This exercise requires our team to balance on the Bosu's either in the kneeling, or seated position. Our team mate, Norm was in charge of 'chucking' the 4 pound med ball to the members and they in turn must 're-chuck it back to him. This might look, seem easy but it's actually not. It requires core strength and ninja focus to balance with the extra instability of catching/chucking the ball. The farther the member was away from Norm, the more of a challenge it was. Kelly was seated at an angle, so she had more rotation in her chuck. I especially like this exercise, because it is fun, the team always has a great experience and we finish feeling successful. When training on the BOSU, it's amazing to me, how quickly our bodymind realizes what it is being asked to do and DOES IT! Success breeds success!

Dierbergs Haul

Dierbergs Haul Yesterday, we were in the county and stopped at Dierbergs for a few items and I almost fell over. Dierbergs has a very large 'organic' health food section that made me think I was in a Whole Foods. Not only did it contain bulk supplies of staples like Quinoa it had a freezer section. Now I know, that not every item in the 'health food' section is a proper choice for clean eating, but it was exciting to find more than one option for the items I already use. I have never seen the Ezekiel 4:9 cereals. Dierbergs carried all 4 varieties. I'm pretty much a Grape Nuts eater, so this opens some new possibilites. For you lable junkies, check out the ingredients and nutritional breakdown by clicking here. Sugars= 0g, Fiber 6 g Protein=8gm I also found several varietes of Ezekiel and Genesis bread and muffins!

Steaz is a product I'm not familiar with, but I found this flavor, Black Cherry Sparkling Green Tea is sweetened with Stevia. Zevia is a brand of diet soda that is sweetened with Stevia. They are actually good. We bought the Ginger / Root beer. Granted, these are items are treats and not on my daily menu. It's nice to have choices. It's likely that Whole Foods carries many of these items, but our closest WF is a bit of a trek. Thanks to Dierbergs STL for making these items accessable.

Best Eat Clean Bread Choices

Fiber-iffic bread choices for fat loss PS. I'm in the FREEZER section!

Navigating your way through the grocery store is tricky when you are trying to 'eat clean'. Deciding what to buy can be tricky, especially when product labels are deceiving. We know we need fiber in our diet but what are the best sources? Let's start with a quick overview of why fiber is important. "Fiber helps to keep our bowel movements regular and ward off certain diseases. Carcinogens in our intestines bind to it and move through our colon more quickly than they otherwise would, reducing our risk for colon cancer. Fiber also helps transport cholesterol out of our body, reducing our risk for heart disease. Fiber makes us feel full sooner and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, slowing down our rate of digestion and keeping us feeling full longer. Due to its greater fiber content, a single serving of whole grain bread can be more filling than two servings of white bread. Fiber also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed."** Bear in mind that labels reading "whole grain" are made with the COMPLETE grain kernal. Don't be mislead by lables that read "100 % Wheat" or Multi-grain, or "wheat colored" products. Most wheat bread is white bread with caramel coloring added to give it more of a 'natural' look. What kind of bread is a good choice? The company Food For Life brings some of the best fiber products to comsumers. The Ezekiel 4:9 breads are a perfect choice for clean eating. From the Food for life website: What Is The Difference Between Enriched White Breads And Sprouted Food For Life Breads? “Enriched” Breads are made from the endosperm of the wheat kernel (the inside portion), which contains few vitamins and minerals (most carbohydrates). The milling of grain into white flour requires the removal of the bran and the germ. During this process, important natural fiber and bran are lost (including 21 vitamins and minerals). 5 vitamins and minerals (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid) are added back into the flour and are thus, called “enriched”. By contrast, Food For Life sprouted breads are made from freshly sprouted grains which contain all of the fiber, bran, vitamins and minerals of the original grain plus an average of approximately 100% increase in those vitamins and minerals. I love the Ezekiel 4:9 English muffins. The Rockstar and I often split an Ezekiel Mc Muffin for breakfast. It's very filling and having the protein (egg)and fiber together keeps me going. I struck gold at Dierbergs markets in St. Louis. They seem to stock more Ezekiel products than my local city grocers. Remember, the Ezekiel breads are in the freezer section. If your market doesn't carry it, let them know you want it! If you are looking for Food for life products in your area, check out the store locator on their website. **thanks to Calories per hour's fiber tutorial

Body Weight training: Triceps

Body Weight Training -Triceps

We've been incorporating more body weight training into our workouts with great results. Taking bodyweight training to my clients was a brand new experience for many of them. Last Saturday, our team used the Lebert Equalizers for tricep work. I asked them to execute this move to their personal best. I asked them to stop when they broke proper form. It didn't take long to burn out those triceps. One thing that is interesting is that we had lifted free weights and this team had no trouble getting through full sets however, once we switched to bodyweight training, everything changed. We all did fewer reps but felt the work so much more! When you use your EQ you can adjust it to your fitness level simply by changing your position. Two of our team members were new to body weight training so I placed them in a beginner position. Kelly and Rob have trained with me for quite a while so they were able to rock out more reps with a straighter back. Have you tried the EQ? What is your favorite move?