The media and today’s popular fad diets talk a lot about counting calories. So much so that many people are confused about the truth. Calories are simply a tool to measure how much energy is contained in a given food. The more calories a food contains, the more energy it provides your body.
While calories do provide you with the energy required to perform your daily activities, they are in fact the key to losing weight and accomplishing many fitness related goals.
If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. Consume fewer calories than you burn and you’ll lose weight. It’s just that simple.
Many marketers of diet programs will try to convince you that you must consume specific ratios of calories from protein, carbohydrates and fat in order to lose weight effectively. The simple truth of the matter is the number of calories you consume determines how much you weigh. The kinds of calories you consume determines how you’ll feel.
Sure, you can lose weight following a low carb diet. But you’ll start to feel tired, irritable, and lethargic. Instead of putting so much focus on the kinds of calories to avoid, instead focus on how many calories you need, and how many total calories you actually consume.
A pound of body fat contains about 3500 calories. If your goal is to lose some excess body fat, start by lowering the amount of calories you eat by 500 per day. Over the course of a week, you’ll have consumed 3500 calories less than you need, resulting in the loss of one pound of stubborn body fat.
Losing fat really is that simple. Burn more calories than you take in and weight loss is inevitable.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Truth About Calories And Weight Loss
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Starting A Fitness Routine
In case you're wondering my last 2 post are newsletters that I sent out to my subscribers. If you're not a subscriber yet go to http://www.maplewoodbootcamps.com/ to subscribe.
The first week of our September boot camp has ended and we're starting up our 2nd week. It was awesome saying hello to old faces and meeting new one's. The first day we started off with fitness testing. Campers were required to do push ups, situps, 1/4 mile run and a 5 exercise circut. They were timed and their results are recorded. On the last day of camp we will do this routine again to compare and monitor everyone's progress.
Intially when starting a fitness routine you will experience some muscle soreness as your body adjust to the exercises. It's important to that you eat a well balanced meal before and after your workout to help fuel your activity but also to decrease muscle soreness and speed up recovery prior to your next workout.
One of my favorite pre and post work out snacks is a serving of lowfat organic chocolate milk. Fatty foods are slow to metabolize and do not provide the immediate fuel needed during a work out. Lowfat chocolate milk also has just the right balance of carbohydrates and protein to keep you going through your work out and to speed up recovery afterwards. Not to mention that it is delicious.
The first week of our September boot camp has ended and we're starting up our 2nd week. It was awesome saying hello to old faces and meeting new one's. The first day we started off with fitness testing. Campers were required to do push ups, situps, 1/4 mile run and a 5 exercise circut. They were timed and their results are recorded. On the last day of camp we will do this routine again to compare and monitor everyone's progress.
Intially when starting a fitness routine you will experience some muscle soreness as your body adjust to the exercises. It's important to that you eat a well balanced meal before and after your workout to help fuel your activity but also to decrease muscle soreness and speed up recovery prior to your next workout.
One of my favorite pre and post work out snacks is a serving of lowfat organic chocolate milk. Fatty foods are slow to metabolize and do not provide the immediate fuel needed during a work out. Lowfat chocolate milk also has just the right balance of carbohydrates and protein to keep you going through your work out and to speed up recovery afterwards. Not to mention that it is delicious.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Can You Think Yourself Thin
Wouldn't it be great if we could attain the body of our dreams just by thinking about it? What if I told you that your mind actually plays the most important role in your success in getting fit? Sounds crazy, but it's true...Our subconscious mind has one all-important job, and it succeeds every time. What is this job? To prove that your beliefs are true.
Note the wording here:
To prove that YOUR BELIEFS are true. Not to point out what is actually true. Nope, though what a difference that would make.Your beliefs are the truth for your life. It is that simple. Whether or not these beliefs are in fact true doesn't matter. If you believe something to be true, then your subconscious mind will perceive the universe around you in such a way that makes this belief true.
Here's an example, if you believe that in general people like you then when you meet a new person your subconscious will point out reasons why this person does indeed like you. You will interpret their smile and handshake in a different way than someone who has the belief that no one likes them.
So how does this relate to your fitness level? If you have the belief that getting in shape is hard, that eating healthy is boring, or that weight loss is elusive then you will find getting in shape to be very difficult. If you think of yourself as a fat person, or an out-of-shape person, or just an average person then your subconscious mind will do everything in its power to keep you that way. Wow - isn't that amazing? Take a minute... let that sink in.
The great thing about our subconscious mind is that we can train it to work for us instead of against us. All we have to do is change our belief. I'm sure you have heard the term "Believe and Achieve" - many schools have this painted on their walls and it is even printed on T-shirts. Well, the concept is absolutely true and when applied can bring success to your door faster than you thought possible. It won't help if you simply think that it 'isn't impossible' or that 'it could happen someday.'
These aren't true beliefs. In order to have your desired result you need to truly believe with every fiber of your being that you will achieve this goal. If you are overweight then close your eyes and picture yourself fit. If you have fifty pounds to lose then think of yourself as fifty pounds lighter. You will always be what you believe yourself to be.
I have to admit something...I believe that everyone who comes to me can and will get into the best shape of their lives. This belief is so strong that most often my clients also begin to believe in themselves, and amazing results are achieved.
What proof? Call me or come in today to get started on a personalized fitness plan that will change your shape and improve your quality of life. I believe in you - now it's your turn. Take the first step by contacting me today – Because whether you believe you can or you can't... you'll always be right.
Be Informed!
Make it a habit to read nutrition labels while grocery shopping. Look at the calories per serving, fat per serving, carbohydrates per serving and protein per serving. Many foods seem similar to one another, but a quick comparison of nutritional content will show otherwise.
Fruity Yogurt Pops Recipie
Almost everyone I know loves a nice bowl of ice cream every now and then - and for some now more often than then. This recipe is great to have as a healthier option to traditional fat-laden frozen treats. You will still find your sweet tooth satisfied without the guilt setting in later. Try it with your favorite flavor of yogurt. Yields: 10 servings.Ingredients
· 2 cups (16 ounces) reduced-fat strawberry yogurt
· 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple
· 1 Tablespoon honey
· 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
Instructions
1. In a food processor or blender, combine the yogurt, pineapple, honey and food coloring if desired; cover and process until smooth. Pour 1/4 cupfuls into 10 plastic molds or 3-oz. paper cups; top with holders or insert wooden sticks.
2. Freeze until firm, about 8 hours or overnight.
Nutritional Analysis: One yogurt ice pop equals: 61 calories, trace fat, 13g carbohydrate, 2g protein.
Note the wording here:
To prove that YOUR BELIEFS are true. Not to point out what is actually true. Nope, though what a difference that would make.Your beliefs are the truth for your life. It is that simple. Whether or not these beliefs are in fact true doesn't matter. If you believe something to be true, then your subconscious mind will perceive the universe around you in such a way that makes this belief true.
Here's an example, if you believe that in general people like you then when you meet a new person your subconscious will point out reasons why this person does indeed like you. You will interpret their smile and handshake in a different way than someone who has the belief that no one likes them.
So how does this relate to your fitness level? If you have the belief that getting in shape is hard, that eating healthy is boring, or that weight loss is elusive then you will find getting in shape to be very difficult. If you think of yourself as a fat person, or an out-of-shape person, or just an average person then your subconscious mind will do everything in its power to keep you that way. Wow - isn't that amazing? Take a minute... let that sink in.
The great thing about our subconscious mind is that we can train it to work for us instead of against us. All we have to do is change our belief. I'm sure you have heard the term "Believe and Achieve" - many schools have this painted on their walls and it is even printed on T-shirts. Well, the concept is absolutely true and when applied can bring success to your door faster than you thought possible. It won't help if you simply think that it 'isn't impossible' or that 'it could happen someday.'
These aren't true beliefs. In order to have your desired result you need to truly believe with every fiber of your being that you will achieve this goal. If you are overweight then close your eyes and picture yourself fit. If you have fifty pounds to lose then think of yourself as fifty pounds lighter. You will always be what you believe yourself to be.
I have to admit something...I believe that everyone who comes to me can and will get into the best shape of their lives. This belief is so strong that most often my clients also begin to believe in themselves, and amazing results are achieved.
What proof? Call me or come in today to get started on a personalized fitness plan that will change your shape and improve your quality of life. I believe in you - now it's your turn. Take the first step by contacting me today – Because whether you believe you can or you can't... you'll always be right.
Be Informed!
Make it a habit to read nutrition labels while grocery shopping. Look at the calories per serving, fat per serving, carbohydrates per serving and protein per serving. Many foods seem similar to one another, but a quick comparison of nutritional content will show otherwise.
Fruity Yogurt Pops Recipie
Almost everyone I know loves a nice bowl of ice cream every now and then - and for some now more often than then. This recipe is great to have as a healthier option to traditional fat-laden frozen treats. You will still find your sweet tooth satisfied without the guilt setting in later. Try it with your favorite flavor of yogurt. Yields: 10 servings.Ingredients
· 2 cups (16 ounces) reduced-fat strawberry yogurt
· 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple
· 1 Tablespoon honey
· 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
Instructions
1. In a food processor or blender, combine the yogurt, pineapple, honey and food coloring if desired; cover and process until smooth. Pour 1/4 cupfuls into 10 plastic molds or 3-oz. paper cups; top with holders or insert wooden sticks.
2. Freeze until firm, about 8 hours or overnight.
Nutritional Analysis: One yogurt ice pop equals: 61 calories, trace fat, 13g carbohydrate, 2g protein.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
How To Get Fat Eating At Subway
How To Get Fat Eating at SubwayYou've probably heard of Jared Fogle - he's the guy that lost over 200 pounds by only eating at Subway. His amazing story captured the attention of people all around the world.
Here it is in a nutshell:
It all started March of 1998 when Jared was a college student with a problem. His weight had skyrocketed to 425 pounds. Now that's a lot of weight for anyone to handle, let alone a busy college student. So Jared made the decision to change his life.
He knew the weight would come off with the help of a healthy, lowfat diet. Luckily for him there was a Subway restaurant located near his apartment. His plan was brilliant in its simplicity.
Everyday he ate the same thing:
Breakfast - coffee Lunch - "I ate the 6-inch turkey, tons of vegetables, including hot peppers and a bit of spicy mustard." He left off the mayonnaise and cheese and had a bag of Baked Lays® potato chips and a diet soft drink Dinner - Footlong veggie sub - again no mayonnaise or cheese.
I'm sure you know the rest of the story. The Subway diet, along with exercise, got Jared to shed the extra weight until he was a lean 190 pounds (the guy is 6'2"), and he became a spokesperson for Subway, sharing his story and inspiring millions of people.
Subway then became synonymous with healthy eating.
Ever look at a Subway napkin? It lists 7 of their sandwiches that have 6 grams of fat or less. Then at the bottom it shows you an alternative. The Big Mac and the Whopper, burgers that hold 31 and 40 grams of fat, respectively.
Wow, Subway is much healthier, right? Well, yes and no.
First read the small print. The 7 sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less are calculated with only bread, veggies and meat. So if you take your sandwich with cheese, mayonnaise, and oil (and really, other than Jared, who doesn't?) then you need to recalculate the numbers.
Here, I'll do it for you, using a 6" Roasted Chicken Breast sandwich as an example.
Food Item Fat Calories 6" Sandwich (bread, veggies and meat) 6 342 Cheddar Cheese (2 slices) 5 60 1 Tbl Mayonnaise 12 110 1 Tbl Oil 15 135 Totals: 38g Fat 647 Calories
Let's not forget the tempting side items are that so often picked up in the Subway line:
Food Item Fat Calories Wild Rice with Chicken Soup 11 210 1oz Bag of SunChips 6 140 Chocolate Chip cookie 10 210 Totals: 27g Fat 560 Calories
And just like that your 'healthy' Subway sandwich grew into a meal with fat and calorie totals that rival a Big Mac meal.
Now I know you probably don't get all of the extras when you visit Subway but, quite frankly, that isn't the point.
The point is that there is danger in classifying any restaurant as 'healthy'.
The truth is that you could gain weight eating anywhere, just like you could lose weight eating anywhere. It all comes down to maintaining a balanced diet with a reasonable calorie and fat intake.
Jared lost weight by drastically cutting calories and fat from his diet and by starting an exercise program. You too could do this at Subway or any other restaurant. But eating at Subway does not mean that you will walk out leaner and healthier.
It all comes down to choices.
Everyday you make choices that directly affect your weight and your health. Should you get mayonnaise on your sandwich? What harm will one cookie do? Will skipping your workout today really make a difference?
You get to decide.
At some point we all reach a breaking point. For Jared it was hitting 425 pounds. For you it may be when you have to buy the next size up. Or when you find your body riddled with aches and pains. Or when you're shocked by the number on the scale.
Sooner or later you will decide that you are worth it. You will decide that your health is important. You will decide that you deserve to look great. And you will do what it takes to achieve amazing results.
I'm here to help you do just that. Call or email today to get started on an exercise program that will change your body and your life...just like Jared.
Chocolate Dependency
Many of us are simply hooked on chocolate. Rather than getting your chocolate fix through a piece of double fudge brownie, try a nutritious glass of low fat chocolate soy milk instead. You still get to enjoy your favorite flavor while cutting out calories and fat.
Recipie
Guiltless French Toast with Ricotta Egg whites and nonfat milk take the guilt out of this breakfast favorite. You will be so surprised by the great taste that the fat and sugar of traditional French Toast will not be missed. Enjoy it with sliced strawberries or any seasonal fruit. Servings: 2
Here's what you need...
4 egg whites 2/3 cup nonfat milk 2 slices whole wheat bread 1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese 1 pinch salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Sliced Strawberries (optional) Thoroughly mix the egg whites, milk, salt and cinnamon. Soak bread in the egg white mixture. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook the bread until each side it set and bread is light brown. Place French toast on a plate top with ricotta and garnish with sliced strawberries and cinnamon. Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 182 calories, 1.5g fat, 23g carbohydrate, and 18g protein
Here it is in a nutshell:
It all started March of 1998 when Jared was a college student with a problem. His weight had skyrocketed to 425 pounds. Now that's a lot of weight for anyone to handle, let alone a busy college student. So Jared made the decision to change his life.
He knew the weight would come off with the help of a healthy, lowfat diet. Luckily for him there was a Subway restaurant located near his apartment. His plan was brilliant in its simplicity.
Everyday he ate the same thing:
Breakfast - coffee Lunch - "I ate the 6-inch turkey, tons of vegetables, including hot peppers and a bit of spicy mustard." He left off the mayonnaise and cheese and had a bag of Baked Lays® potato chips and a diet soft drink Dinner - Footlong veggie sub - again no mayonnaise or cheese.
I'm sure you know the rest of the story. The Subway diet, along with exercise, got Jared to shed the extra weight until he was a lean 190 pounds (the guy is 6'2"), and he became a spokesperson for Subway, sharing his story and inspiring millions of people.
Subway then became synonymous with healthy eating.
Ever look at a Subway napkin? It lists 7 of their sandwiches that have 6 grams of fat or less. Then at the bottom it shows you an alternative. The Big Mac and the Whopper, burgers that hold 31 and 40 grams of fat, respectively.
Wow, Subway is much healthier, right? Well, yes and no.
First read the small print. The 7 sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less are calculated with only bread, veggies and meat. So if you take your sandwich with cheese, mayonnaise, and oil (and really, other than Jared, who doesn't?) then you need to recalculate the numbers.
Here, I'll do it for you, using a 6" Roasted Chicken Breast sandwich as an example.
Food Item Fat Calories 6" Sandwich (bread, veggies and meat) 6 342 Cheddar Cheese (2 slices) 5 60 1 Tbl Mayonnaise 12 110 1 Tbl Oil 15 135 Totals: 38g Fat 647 Calories
Let's not forget the tempting side items are that so often picked up in the Subway line:
Food Item Fat Calories Wild Rice with Chicken Soup 11 210 1oz Bag of SunChips 6 140 Chocolate Chip cookie 10 210 Totals: 27g Fat 560 Calories
And just like that your 'healthy' Subway sandwich grew into a meal with fat and calorie totals that rival a Big Mac meal.
Now I know you probably don't get all of the extras when you visit Subway but, quite frankly, that isn't the point.
The point is that there is danger in classifying any restaurant as 'healthy'.
The truth is that you could gain weight eating anywhere, just like you could lose weight eating anywhere. It all comes down to maintaining a balanced diet with a reasonable calorie and fat intake.
Jared lost weight by drastically cutting calories and fat from his diet and by starting an exercise program. You too could do this at Subway or any other restaurant. But eating at Subway does not mean that you will walk out leaner and healthier.
It all comes down to choices.
Everyday you make choices that directly affect your weight and your health. Should you get mayonnaise on your sandwich? What harm will one cookie do? Will skipping your workout today really make a difference?
You get to decide.
At some point we all reach a breaking point. For Jared it was hitting 425 pounds. For you it may be when you have to buy the next size up. Or when you find your body riddled with aches and pains. Or when you're shocked by the number on the scale.
Sooner or later you will decide that you are worth it. You will decide that your health is important. You will decide that you deserve to look great. And you will do what it takes to achieve amazing results.
I'm here to help you do just that. Call or email today to get started on an exercise program that will change your body and your life...just like Jared.
Chocolate Dependency
Many of us are simply hooked on chocolate. Rather than getting your chocolate fix through a piece of double fudge brownie, try a nutritious glass of low fat chocolate soy milk instead. You still get to enjoy your favorite flavor while cutting out calories and fat.
Recipie
Guiltless French Toast with Ricotta Egg whites and nonfat milk take the guilt out of this breakfast favorite. You will be so surprised by the great taste that the fat and sugar of traditional French Toast will not be missed. Enjoy it with sliced strawberries or any seasonal fruit. Servings: 2
Here's what you need...
4 egg whites 2/3 cup nonfat milk 2 slices whole wheat bread 1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese 1 pinch salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Sliced Strawberries (optional) Thoroughly mix the egg whites, milk, salt and cinnamon. Soak bread in the egg white mixture. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook the bread until each side it set and bread is light brown. Place French toast on a plate top with ricotta and garnish with sliced strawberries and cinnamon. Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 182 calories, 1.5g fat, 23g carbohydrate, and 18g protein
The Start of Our Fall Boot Camp
The hazy lazy days of summer are over. For vacation I was able to go with my family to New Hampshire for a couple of weeks enjoy the the beaches in Maine, eat Barnacle Billy's delicious lobster saute and meet Senator Barack Obama.
Our new round of fall boot camps have just kicked off this week. The 9:30am started on Monday and the 6 and 7am started today. It was great seeing old faces and meeting new ones. Below is an interesting email I want to share from a fellow trainer Kevin Gianni (LiveAwesome.com)
************************************************************************************
Hi Carlos,
This might be the shortest email you ever get from me... (I've beenknown to be long-winded, yes?!)
Today is an amazing day! Why? Because I want it to be. :-) It's raining, it's a little chilly, I have about 100 things I NEEDto do before the end of the week. But guess what. Today is totally awesome!
I want you to feel the same way. Maybe you weigh a few extra pounds, maybe you're suffering from adisease, maybe your relationships stink. I can't even list all thethings that could be bringing you down.
What I want you to do is take one of these issues and flip itaround. (It take 1 minute, so you definitely have the time!) How do you do that? It's easy...Just insert the thing that's bothering you into this sentence..."(INSERT ISSUE) is the best thing that's happened to me!"
So for example, if you just ate 16 Oreo cookies and feel horribleabout it, say..."Eating those Oreo cookies was the best thing that's ever happenedto me!"Say it 10 times in a row out loud and really mean it and something magical will happen.
***************************************************************************************
Our new round of fall boot camps have just kicked off this week. The 9:30am started on Monday and the 6 and 7am started today. It was great seeing old faces and meeting new ones. Below is an interesting email I want to share from a fellow trainer Kevin Gianni (LiveAwesome.com)
************************************************************************************
Hi Carlos,
This might be the shortest email you ever get from me... (I've beenknown to be long-winded, yes?!)
Today is an amazing day! Why? Because I want it to be. :-) It's raining, it's a little chilly, I have about 100 things I NEEDto do before the end of the week. But guess what. Today is totally awesome!
I want you to feel the same way. Maybe you weigh a few extra pounds, maybe you're suffering from adisease, maybe your relationships stink. I can't even list all thethings that could be bringing you down.
What I want you to do is take one of these issues and flip itaround. (It take 1 minute, so you definitely have the time!) How do you do that? It's easy...Just insert the thing that's bothering you into this sentence..."(INSERT ISSUE) is the best thing that's happened to me!"
So for example, if you just ate 16 Oreo cookies and feel horribleabout it, say..."Eating those Oreo cookies was the best thing that's ever happenedto me!"Say it 10 times in a row out loud and really mean it and something magical will happen.
***************************************************************************************
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