Monday, November 21, 2011

The Holiday Season is upon us!!!

I love this time of year!  I love getting together with family and friends, I love hearing all of the things my children are thankful for, I love decorating the house and the yard, I love singing along with Christmas carols, I love seeing my children's eyes light up with excitement about celebrating Jesus' Birthday and that Santa is coming, I love the yummy smells, I love the food!!!!
What don't I like?  The tightness of my clothes after I have overindulged too many days in a row, my sore stomach from eating and drinking too much of that yummy food and cleaning up dried pine needles from the floor!

I think the LIKES outweigh the DISLIKES!  PLUS I have a plan to make that even better this year, and no, I am not getting a fake tree!!!  I am planning for success!!!

My love to eat... there are not many foods I do not enjoy (although I am not too fond of greasiness so I am fortunate there).  I need to be aware of food that I consume, I need to be make sure I don't get so hungry I blow my plan, I need to make sure I support my goals and don't waste the time exercising for silly choices.  Do I plan to avoid all of my favorite seasonal treats?  NO WAY!!!

MY PLANS and SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:
  • Eat slowly and be aware of portions!
  • Make sure there are healthy choices - if I need to ask the host/ hostess then I will... I can always offer to bring a veggie plate if need be!
  • Load up my plates on veggies... NOT creamy veggies, but steamed, grilled or roasted will be top choices.
  • Make some new traditions.  There are a TON of great recipes out there that lighten up our favorite foods.  Hold back on the butter, the oil and the grease.... cut out some of that sugar... add some skim milk to your egg nog.... and add a family walk or other "moving" activity to your Thanksgiving day!
  • Do not starve myself to "save" my calories for the feast!  I am more likely to gorge because I am so dang hungry, and if there are appetizers I will more likely to eat all of the cheese platter or nut bowl and be too bloated for dinner anyways!  Maybe I will watch my calories a little more closely during the day but going into a high calorie meal starving will only set me up for disaster!!!
  • I enjoy baking and holiday treats so I will bake but I will also share my baked goods!  Some for me and my family, some for gifts... we can all benefit!
  • I will not stand by the buffet table and chat with friends while I nibble.  I will put food on my plate and move away while I chat so I am not as tempted to refill, or at least know how many times I do refill!  
  • I will make good choices with my drinks.  Avoiding high calorie drinks or lightening them up... and making sure I drink lots of water to keep myself hydrated!!!
My goal is to not gain a single pound this holiday season.  In fact, I still have 3 pounds to lose to reach my end of the year goal... so I guess I better work hard to keep my focus on my goals!

If you are interested in joining my December Challenge group we are gearing up to start Shakeology, a fitness program and plan out our meals so we can fight the holiday bulge!  I won't beat you up for making some seasonal choices BUT I will help you make some better decisions and stay accountable to your goals.  Join me at www.GetFitWithNicola.com and let me know what your goals are!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

what about the kids?

Can you believe that 43.8% of local children (of those surveyed) in Kern County are overweight or obese?  That astounds me!  Children are built to run and play and burn calories.  They have natural instincts to stop eating when they are full and they can even survive without dessert some days!!!  What is wrong here? 
I think back to when I was young and there weren't many overweight kids.  BUT I was one of the few!  I grew tall early so I probably needed a lot of food and I was eating with my older brother and my dad so I was offered a lot of food.  When I reached almost 6 feet and stopped growing up... I started growing out!  A few reasons for this that I can think of.  My parents were divorced, my dad worked and I came home after school, sat on the couch and watched TV and ate peanut butter on white bread!  It had to be the sugary kind too!  We would beg my dad for McDonalds so that was our treat dinner.  My dad was fairly fit and never had a weight problem, my brother was a football player and needed to keep pretty solid so the house was stocked with yummy food and I had free range.  ----> Lack of activity, lack of supervision, lack of education on food/ calories/ portion control, busy schedules!
This is an issue with many families today!  The only detail that cannot be changed by many families is the busy schedule.  Jobs and life don't allow much extra time... unless of course you cancel cable and video games for some people!  We can get our children more active - which does take time but it is vital to their health!  We can also help them understand the importance of being aware of what they eat!  Not nit picking the calories and worrying about every pound on the scale, but being aware of healthy foods that we can eat more of and unhealthy foods that we should eat less of.  If your kids have an insatiable sweet tooth.... limit what you have on hand for them to help themselves to.  Eat at meal times and one snack in the morning, one in the afternoon.  Once dinner is over, the kitchen is shut until breakfast!  These should be house rules for everyone!!!
Your kids are watching you!  If you are sneaking candy at 10pm, they will know!  If you are not getting any exercise, they will see!  Be a great role model and your whole family will benefit!

I would love to help you brainstorm on how you could bring better nutrition and more activity into your families lifestyle!!!  Please contact me or go to my website.  You can also find me on Facebook - just send me a message why you are requesting to be my friend :)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Life is too short NOT to be healthy!!!

Exercise is hard work!  Lots of things are hard work!  Exercise though is imperative to good health and longevity!  The bright side... exercise can be fun!  You just need to find the exercise that you enjoy!
Anything that moves your body, offers some resistance, raises your heart rate... work a little harder and longer at it and you can register it as a workout! Gardening, mowing, dancing, even dog walks!  Calorie burning is calorie burning!  Some people do fancy workouts at the gym, some use DVDs, some play their Wii... you just need to find something, or a combo of things that work for you and DO IT!!!!

The other important detail is calories!  Life is too short NOT to enjoy that cupcake and that glass of wine... yes and no!  Totally depriving yourself can be a pathway to disaster and uncontrollable splurging!  BUT moderation, limiting and setting yourself up for success is vital to making any forward progress!  If you don't say no to the occasional treat or the daily glass of wine at times, chances are you are never going to burn more calories than you take in and you won't see any changes on that scale!  I bet you don't even know how many calories you eat on a daily basis!  and I bet it is more than you would guess!!!

My favorite tools for losing a few pounds:
  • Get an accountability buddy!  If you have someone, or a group of people, who you workout with, talk about your workouts with or just keep up with on FB, you are setting yourself up for success!  You are less likely to give up if you have a friend rooting for you or even better... depending on you :)
  • Food journaling.  If you write down every bite you put into your mouth, you are going to rethink that little candy bar from the Halloween bucket and that half of a PB&J sandwich your kid didn't finish!  Just the idea of writing it down can be a diet assistant ;)
  • Set yourself up for success! If there is a food that you just cannot pass up... don't go near it!  Do NOT buy it for your kids and plan to not have any... we all have our weak moments so why risk the temptation. Surely your kids like some things that you aren't crazy about... so get those instead!
  • Eat breakfast!  Studies show that people who eat a healthy meal early in the day set themselves up for success.  You are less likely to grab something unhealthy on the run or at the coffee shop and you will have more energy!
  • Schedule your workouts so they are non negotiable!  Just like a doctor or dentist appointment!!!  Also, if you plan them for first thing in the morning you are less likely to get too busy!!!
  • Find workouts that you enjoy!  If you like to Dance, try Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam or TurboFire; if you are hard core you will LOVE Insanity; if you want to get ripped, how about P90X or P90X2; limited for time, try 10 Minute Trainer; if you are just starting out and want to work your way in, try Slim in 6, Power 90, ChaLEAN Extreme plus many more!
I have a Fitness Challenge under way with workouts, Shakeology and meal planning.  I also have an accountability group so you can benefit from the momentum of others and share your own story!  I would love to help you reach your fitness goals... you just need to take the first step and decide to go for it!!!

Learn more about the Challenge here:

Friday, October 21, 2011

What's the Beachbody Challenge?

What’s The Beachbody Challenge?

The Beachbody ChallengeIt’s a health and fitness transformation competition. Commit to get fit and share the results you achieve with any Beachbody® program. You’ll automatically get a free wristband, a free T-shirt, or BOTH! If your transformation is selected as the BEST in your age and gender category (18 – 29, 30 – 39, 40 – 49, 50+) you could win up to $100,000! Ready to win?
I will be personally coaching a Challenge Team made up of five individuals that are taking the Beachbody Challenge.  Please CONTACT ME if you are interested in participating with my team.  I will send you all the details.  If you already have a fitness program in mind, let me know that as well.  I’m going to try and pair people together that are doing the same program.  People in my Challenge Team Groups will commit to:
  • Following a Beachbody fitness program
  • Drinking Shakeology on a daily basis
  • Learning basic nutritional theory and eating to fuel your body for workouts and recovery - we will work off the nutrition guide with your program or preferable a tailored plan available to Club Members on the Beachbody site (also gives you 10% off products)
  • Posting daily accountability in a private Facebook group viewable only by members of the Challenge Team
  • FINISHING!  This isn’t about starting, it is about finishing!
You do not need to be on a Challenge Team to participate in the Beachbody Challenge.  The Challenge is open to everyone.  What we are offering with the Challenge Teams is an added measure of accountability and personal coaching.  We have used the concept of Challenge Teams for several years now and we’ve found that the people participating have much better odds of success.



Here’s how to enter:

STEP 1: COMMIT TO GET FIT — get a FREE WRISTBAND

Tell us which fitness program you plan to follow, state your goals, and start tracking your progress. You’ll want to take a “before” photo to remember what you looked like and submit your results when you’re finished. For making this simple commitment, we’ll send you a FREE WRISTBAND.
(It’s okay to skip step 1 if you’re already in shape and want to submit your fitness results.)

STEP 2: SUBMIT YOUR RESULTS — get a FREE T-SHIRT

Got results from your Beachbody program? It’s time to submit your transformation story. Send us your “before” and “after” photos, transformation stats, and tell us your story. We’ll give you a FREE T-SHIRT and you’ll have a chance to win additional prizes.

YOU CAN WIN up to $100,000!

If your entry is selected as the top transformation in your age and gender category for the month in which you entered, you’ll win $1,000 and a shot at the Grand Prize.
Plus you’ll have a chance to win:
  • Daily Prizes: $500 just for logging your workouts in the WOWY SuperGym® after you commit to get fit or submit your results.
  • Quarterly Prizes: $5,000 and an expenses-paid trip
  • Bonus prizes for drinking Shakeology® during your transformation.
Ready to WIN? Enter now.
The Beachbody Challenge 2011 – 2012 Official Contest Rules:

Monthly Contest Rules

Quarterly Contest Rules

Grand Prize Contest Rules

FAQ

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

How to Compare Shakeology

The Big Shake-Off: Like Comparing Apples and… Tang

Shared from Carl Daikeler's blog www.carldaikeler.com

October 18th, 2011

How To Compare Shakeology
Or, “How Do I Really Know If This is Worth the Money When Everything Else Costs Less?”
There are many “protein shakes” and meal replacements that are less expensive than Shakeology. But  comparisons – based on the simple “protein shake” or even “health shake” are usually off the mark because of intangibles like quality of sourcing, efficacy, and the delicate balance of incredible health benefits and delicious flavor that is unique to Shakeology.
When we developed Shakeology, our goal was to fill a void in the marketplace where the benefits of the shake would live up to the promise of the line “The Healthiest Meal of the Day.”  Shakeology was designed for people who want more than protein, and for people who really expect  the health benefits being represented by the ingredients on the label. With Shakeology not only do you get what you pay for, but because it tastes so good and the attention to every detail is so complete, you get more than you pay for.
To really know whether a product measures up to Shakeology, you need to keep some things in mind:

How Much is “Enough”?
We are proud of Shakeology’s 70+ ingredients. Other shakes will trumpet the number of ingredients they have too. But are the ingredients they are counting actually good for you?
Are they derived from whole food sources? They are in Shakeology! Too often the “magic ingredient” has been isolated from the enzymes and phytonutrients which actually are what is needed to make the “magic ingredient” effective when consumed.
And does the competition formulate for the synergistic benefits between the ingredients, or just slap together whatever is hot in the media? Shakeology was specially formulated for the collection of ingredients to work together like a symphony; this combination is so effective some people report dramatic benefits within the first week. We’re not just talking about weight loss here, we’re talking meaningful health benefits; regularity, energy, vitality!
Other supplements point to one or two individual ingredients and build a “story” around their super food attributes…  that’s like saying you can put Michael Jordan on a team of amateurs and still have a championship caliber team. Shakeology’s specially selected ingredients work like the dream team, all working together so YOU get the health benefits from the healthiest meal of the day.

Vanilla?
If the shake you’re considering is vanilla, how do they achieve vanilla flavoring? Our research indicates that it is impossible for the superfoods, adaptogen herbs, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients and digestive enzymes to co-exist and taste good in a vanilla flavor, unless the vanilla flavor is achieved chemically and artificially. (It’s the “dirty little secret” of the flavoring industry even though labeling guidelines still allow this artificial flavoring  to be called “natural vanilla flavoring”) Other companies are willing to use that labeling loophole for their benefit. But not Shakeology.
So here’s the question; are you drinking the shake so you can enjoy vanilla, or so you can get the incredible health benefits from a shake that doesn’t taste like a “health drink”? We call Shakeology “the healthiest meal of the day” for a reason, and we plan on doing what it takes to live up to that.

Protein:
When it comes to comparing protein quality, you need to look closely to see the truth:
“Say NO to soy”
Does the competition use ANY soy in their formulation? Soy protein contains estrogen-mimicking compounds that can interfere with your hormones, and on top of that most of the soy in the marketplace is GMO (genetically modified), two important reasons why we don’t use soy in Shakeology.
It is our general opinion that many people are consuming too much soy in the pursuit of health – and thus perhaps producing too much estrogen which can cause many adverse issues in the body.  Do a little research of your own on the topic, and you will be as shocked as we are at what you will learn about soy.
Likewise, if a company is promoting that their protein is “more absorbable”, be careful. Protein sources like Whey Protein Hydrolysate have been shown to trigger a much higher insulin response in the body. That’s not an outcome we would tolerate in any health shake, much less Shakeology.
Our protein source is whey protein isolate, which is more than 90 percent pure protein. Plus, Shakeology is loaded with digestive enzymes-and lactase, that’s the enzyme that breaks down lactose and is found in over-the-counter products like Lactaid®.  Don’t confuse whey protein concentrate with “isolate”. Whey protein concentrate is the least pure form of whey protein made. The benefits of “isolate” vs. “concentrate” is that the fat has been removed to achieve “isolate”. The fat in whey protein is what carries toxins consumed by the animal. That’s the reason Shakeology can be used by so many people who are lactose-intolerant – because those toxins have been removed through the isolate process.
We also look at the source of every single protein batch that shows up at the manufacturer.  If we find the manufacturer is cutting a corner by bringing in protein from farms that use hormones or are ok feeding inorganic materials to their cattle, we tell them to find another source.  This is the kind of scrutiny that other companies just don’t give their product, and it’s the kind of attention to detail which doesn’t show on the label. (But it does show in how you feel when you consume the product over the long term!)

Glycemic index tested…
In terms of sugar, many protein shakes have 1g of sugar or less. This is because they are using artificial chemical sweeteners (check the label for sucralose, aspartame, or sugar alcohols). Shakeology’s small amounts of sugar comes from natural sources which are easily processed by the body and in fact has been tested and certified by an independent lab to have a Low Glycemic Index of 24 – that’s lower than most fruits (an apple is 36 and an orange is 43)!
What is not in the base, they may suggest you add later:
Other shakes don’t cost as much as Shakeology at first glance, but they also don’t contain the full profile of  vitamins and minerals or whole-food sources of anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, probiotics or digestive enzymes. We’ve seen competitors make you buy a separate vitamin pack for $150 per month! And if you want chocolate flavoring you have to buy a separate flavor packet for an extra $25 a month. If you want metabolism boosting effects and appetite control, you have to buy 2 additional products at $50 each. Once you add it up, this is hardly a “good deal” and it is usually questionably healthy..
To achieve the benefits of Shakeology we’ve seen competitors charge between $250 and $335 per month! $120 doesn’t seem expensive when you realize all of the benefits Shakeology delivers.

SUMMARY:
Formula: 70+ of the healthiest ingredients from whole food sources from around the world (including anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamins and minerals VS. protein, fillers, artificial coloring, and isolated glamour ingredients
Winner: Shakeology

Protein Source: Shakeology’s 15g of pure whey protein isolate plus 2g from plant sources VS soy, hydrolyzed whey and/or whey concentrate blend.
Winner: Shakeology


Taste: Rich chocolate or greenberry Shakeology Vs. chemically derived artificial-flavored competition?
Winner: Shakeology

Price: $120 for Shakeology  VS. Oops! It’s impossible to compare lesser formulations on price. But if you add in all the separate vitamins and flavoring agents the other companies ask you to buy to (try and) match the benefits and nutritional content of Shakeology, you would easily spend over $300 every month – that’s  2 ½ times the cost of Shakeology!  Sure, chocolate milk is cheaper than Shakeology. A vanilla soy shake can be cheaper than Shakeology – until you try to add what Shakeology’s got, and match what Shakeology can do for you, and then it’s no contest.
Winner: Shakeology

The best comparison is results. From weight loss and reduction in cravings, to regularity, to healthier cholesterol levels, to energy, to an overall sense of well being… We give a bottom-of-the-bag money-back guarantee on Shakeology because we KNOW people will be amazed at how they feel. Shakeology is the winner by a total knock out!
Speaking of knock outs, check out Katie F.’s full Shakeology success story here on Thursday!




Ask me more about Shakeology and how it can work for you at www.myshakeology.com/nicolabx











Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Pushing yourself gets results

Just over a week ago I ran in and placed second in my age group in a local mud run called the Volkslauf.  It is termed "the Ultimate Challenge", designed as a Marine course, put on by volunteers with proceeds going to local charities. You can select a 5K or a 10K race when you sign up!  I have run the 10K 3 times but this year decided to opt for the 5K for two reasons.  One, my daughter's soccer team had a 10:45 game and I am the coach :); Two, I didn't do much training for this event!

What... no training?  Well, this isn't entirely true as I did throw in a few runs with my dog over the last month and a half.  How then did I do so well?  I do exercise 5-6 days a week.  I am currently following the program ChaLEAN Extreme which involves a lot of strength training, plus I get a big dose of cardio in my weekly Turbo Kick class!  Apparently my regular workouts count as some pretty serious training!

I really pushed myself on my run.  After I waited in line to get over the first obstacle I realized that I would get to rest before every obstacle due to the crowds!  So I ran a great run!  I launched into the mud pits and offered help/ accepted help getting over all of the bigger obstacles... plus I managed a few on my own!

A key thing I learned in past years is that you are not finished until you cross the finish line!!!  There were 3 others within one minute of my time and I bet we were all getting out of the mud pit at the same time and they stopped for a photo op ;)  Don't get me wrong, the completing the Volkslauf is accomplishment enough and shows you have achieved a good level of fitness, but after running it a few times you set your goals a little higher!

On that note I think I will train next year!!!  Getting to the front of the pack from the run would clear congestion for the obstacles... a partner in crime would be handy to help get over the obstacles... who is in?  Next October I am going to crack that 48 minute time down to hmmmmm, how about 40?!?!??!

Even if you are not gunning for a top scoring time I have some great tools to help you get ready for an event like this, just give me a shout!

These pics are from last year's race as my photographers did not make it in time ;)  
Photo 1 is the 1/2 mile slog through Dog Ditch, second is my favorite obstacle that I can get over without help, and the last photo is the pose before the finish line that I did not pause for this year!!!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Butt kicked and back on track!


Sometimes we all need a kick in the butt!  I am a healthy eater.  I usually choose a salad when I go out for dinner.  I rarely bake as I know I will eat half of whatever I make.  I buy lots of fruit and vegetables and choose whole grain over white anything!  My problem?  I eat too often and too much!  I took the rule of "eat every 2-3 hours" a bit too far!  Sometimes I would have a little handful of almonds as my snack... then I was hungry and realized I could add a few more calories so I grabbed some dried apples... it might sound silly and insignificant but it got out of hand and then I was eating regular meals and reaching into the cracker box along with my kids as well... all of a sudden my clothes were getting snug and I was even exercising 5+ days a week! 

It is all about choices and self control!

I drink Shakeology every day too which I love.  I realized though that I had started drinking Shakeology more as a quick snack, so when I drank it quickly I looked for another snack before it had a chance to fill me up!  Just like a meal... if you eat leisurely and wait a few minutes you will often find that you are in fact satiated, vs when you wolf it down and go for seconds then feel absolutely stuffed!  We need to be sensible.
I decided it was time to hit the Shakeology cleanse again.  3 Shakes a day for 3 days plus a few pieces of fruit, a salad with lean protein, green tea and lots of water.  So on Sunday I got down to business.  I avoided Sunday morning pancakes with the kids, I only had a piece of fruit between meals instead of my regular 4 snacks, I steamed a 4 oz piece of tilapia in some leftover soup and put it on my salad with the veggies that were in my soup, plus my 3 shakes during the day.  Monday went well too.  I watched my friends enjoy a glass of wine while our kids were at Catillion... I will have one next time!  On the way home we drove by El Pollo Loco for dinner to go.  I had a chicken leg (not super lean but that is the best I could do) to go with my salad I made at home.  Tuesday I had a meeting- had a few pieces of fruit at the meeting plus creamer in my coffee!  Through the three days I was never ravenous.  I did get hungry, I did look longingly at some carbs but hey, it was only 3 days! 
This morning, Wednesday,  I am down 4 1/2 pounds, I feel great, my belly is flatter and I have not even been tempted to indulge in snacks all morning!  The ultimate goal in 3 days isn't really massive weight loss, it is only 3 days after all, but retraining my cravings and appetite!   
Refocusing on what I NEED vs what I WANT!   
I am healthy already, I don't want to starve myself, but I do feel better when I am comfortable in my clothes and in my appearance!  It sure feels great to be back on track!

There are many "health drinks" or "shakes" out there to choose from.  I like Shakeology because it is made from 70 whole foods including many Superfoods (watch where the ingredients come from here).  There are no secrets about the ingredients, they are all listed on the bag.  The product is included in Foodfacts.com with a super high rating.  Here is a chart comparing Shakeology to some other leading health shakes.  See for yourself where things fall!  Head to my website for FREE coaching and contact me with any questions. www.GetFitWithNicola.com