Guide to the Better you

  There are few things as exciting as new boot campers eager to make serious lifestyle changes and make up for lost time in their quest to get fit and healthy.   Their motivation and passion are contagious, and watching transformations is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being a trainer. But in their excitement, many boot campers make a common mistake – overtraining.   The thinking goes like this:   “If 20 push-ups are good, then 30 must be better,” or “If 35 pounds challenges my muscles, then I’ll really get ripped if I do 50!”   In other words, more is better and leads to faster results. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case, and taken to the extreme can lead to getting hurt and MISSING workouts.   As with most things in life, moderation and consistency in fitness are the keys to success .   Too much of anything can be a bad thing, and there is no need to do more than the minimum needed for maximum results.   For example, consider m...

  Have you noticed?  The days are getting a little shorter, store aisles are full of school supplies and you may have seen a school bus or two making practice runs in your neighborhood.  All this can only mean one thing:  it’s back to school time! If you are like most people, you are not quite ready to say goodbye to the relaxing days of summer.  Late nights and lightly-scheduled days are a welcome break after a year of early mornings and homework deadlines.  Those slow days of summer are such a welcome break! But with the approach of the new school year comes the necessity to ease back into a routine that helps your children succeed.  Changing routines can be tough under any circumstances.  But when our routines change from ‘fun and relaxing’ to ‘less fun and somewhat stressful,’ it can be even tougher to pull off! The best way to lessen the shock of a new school year is to ease your children into their school routine before school starts. Getti...

  There’s a reason why celebrities and other highly successful people use coaches and trainers:   IT WORKS.   And that is why so many people are turning to personal trainers to help them move from mediocre to excellence in their pursuit of health, fitness and weight loss. The reality More than 91% of people who start an exercise program quit early —even before their new routine becomes a habit, and 61% will give up within the very first week! 1 Why?   Because changing your lifestyle is hard.   In spite of all the infomercials and ads claiming that you can lose weight and transform your body in thirty days (or six weeks at the longest), the truth is, getting fit requires a lifestyle makeover that takes ·          Time ·          Determination ·          Support   If any of these components is missing, the odds of success plu...

  Plenty, it turns out, and it has everything to do with what you’re eating this summer.   Even though summer brings with it an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, making it easier to eat healthily, it also brings added risks. What could taste better during the lazy, hazy days of summer than fruity cocktails and rich ice cream?   Unfortunately, these are the foods that can spell danger for your blood sugar level.   The few minutes of pleasure that you derive from those cold, sugary treats can pave the way for decades of chronic illness. Blood Sugar Basics When you eat sugary treats, your blood sugar levels rise.   Your blood sugar level is a measure of how much sugar or glucose is circulating in your bloodstream. Too much glucose in your blood is dangerous, so your body works hard to lower the levels.   It does this by releasing insulin, a hormone which enables your cells to absorb the excess glucose.   The danger comes when you continue ...