Julie Adiutori and Jen Jaciw, two women who belong to The Sassy Networking group to which I also belong, will soon be walking a 1/2 marathon with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Team in Training is a wonderful organization that raises money to fund research to find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma.

Julie and Jen have put together an amazing fundraiser for their walk and I wanted to make sure to give you all the details.

Next week YOU can have a boatload of fun, AND help raise money for a worthy cause, and we’ll all be  doing something positive for folks who are battling leukemia or lymphoma right now or may battle them in the future.

Please, please tweet about this event, post it to your Facebook page, tell your friends, and, of course, make an effort to attend.

Here are the details!

Hot August Ladies Night!

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

5:30-8:30 pm

Sonya Paz Fine Art Gallery

195 E. Campbell Ave, Campbell 95008

What’s happening at the event:

Sexy Boudoir Dance lesson

Wine Tasting

Entertainment by comedian and cancer survivor Leslie Lang

TONS of raffle prizes (yep, I’m giving away two weeks FREE at one of my boot camps!)

Suggested entry fee for all this FUN:  $5.00 —-but I KNOW you’ll be more generous

If you can’t attend, but would like to make a tax deductible donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, please click on the link below

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/rnrsjha10/jadiutori

If you are healthy, be thankful.  If you are in a position to help a cause that is looking for a cure for leukemia, please give what you can.

If you are a prayerful or spiritual person, please say a prayer for my friend Skip.  He’s an amazing person and businessman, a loving father of two sons, and a wonderful husband to one of my lifelong best friends.  He deserves a long and productive life.  Your donation will help find the cure.

Yours in health,

Becky

If you’re trying to lose weight and tone up–NUTRITION MATTERS!

One of the biggest myths out there is the myth that eating healthy costs too much

Just the opposite… and I’ll prove it to you in three ways.

#1:  Cash

Here’s some sample figures courtesy of Scott Tousignant’s fitness blog…

:  2 medium size sweet potatoes $1 or… small fries from a fast food joint

:  2 red peppers $1 or… a can of soda from a vending machine

:  Bowl of oatmeal with fruit & protein powder $2 or… large bag of chips

:  6 Chicken Breasts $10 or… a sub combo from a fast food joint

:  18 eggs $3.50 or… a burger from a fast food joint

:  2 salmon fillets $15 or… large pizza

:  Loaded chicken salad (homemade) $3 or… bag of cookies

:  Large bag of oatmeal $3.50 or… 4 chocolate bars

Not much of a comparison, it is?

Yet the foods on the left would feed a family of two or more for 4-7 days.  The foods on the right? Probably 2-3 days, and you’d be feeling lousy (and bloated).

Tips to make the most expensive part of eating healthy — the cost of quality meats — go further include…

1. Use tofu fillers in chicken and beef recipes. Even if you hate tofu, you can barely taste the difference when combined properly.

2. Buy your meats in bulk online. You can find less expensive grass-fed beef and naturally-raised chicken and have it delivered to you if you live near a large city. If not, check the local farmers.

3. Eat beef and chicken only 3-4 times per week and use black beans with rice or inexpensive tuna for your other days. Try tuna cooked in a skillet with lots of veggies and some olive oil.

Jon Benson’s book The Every Other Day Dietplan (http://www.everyotherdaydiet.com/go/boomergals/video3) has over 40 pages of recipes in it to help you eat healthy and cheap… and you can still eat out and consume your favorite foods several times per week.

#2:  Your Health

Do you find yourself buying new, larger clothes every year or two? Are you aware of what you spend with regard to health care costs associated with being just 20 pounds over your ideal weight, let alone more ?  Those blood pressure meds and anti-diabetic meds can begin to add up. How about the time you miss from work with excessive colds?

Eating healthy and taking care of your body adds years to your life, and for the record, the years eating poorly takes away from your life.

Want to add that to your food budget?

#3: The Big Picture

Anyone who has been fit knows the joy it brings… the freedom you feel from wearing whatever you want… the productivity you see from increased energy… the pace at which you move during the day.

Not only are these gifts priceless, but they are also massive cash-savers. Your productivity alone can add thousands to your bottom line each year, well off-setting any costs associated with eating quality food.

The Bottom Line…

Like any good accountant would suggest, you need to look at your ROI (return on in.vest.ment) if nothing else.

What does in.vest.ing in a better body, greater health, and vibrant energy do for your life? How can that actually translate into more in.come AND less expense?

You will be surprised.

Sincerely,

Becky

P.S.  If you want some tips on getting started with shedding that excess weight… go here for a short video… and prepare to take some notes! …

it’s freee….

http://www.everyotherdaydiet.com/go/boomergals/video3 <— click.here
ch.

One  of the first tips I give to my new San Jose personal training clients if they’re trying to lose weight is to increase their fiber intake.  It’s such an easy change for most people.

When you’re trying to increase your fiber intake, you’re often adding something to your menu as opposed to taking something away! How cool is that?? The great thing about increasing your fiber intake is that you’re likely to fill up on good-for-you foods like beans, fruits, veggies and whole grain products. So it ends up being a positive situation in several ways:  you eat fresh, more healthful foods, you eat more fiber, and, you’re probably going to lose some weight (not to mention decrease your risk for heart disease, stroke, and some cancers).  What a deal!

Why can increasing your fiber intake help you lose weight? By eating foods high in fiber, you are likely to eat fewer calories.  Fiber helps you to feel fuller faster and satisfied longer because it moves through your body more slowly than highly processed foods.  It is estimated that most of us consume less than half of the recommended 25 grams of fiber per day.

Here are some foods you can add to your eating plan to increase fiber:

• Fruit (higher fiber fruits include berries, apples and pears)

• Vegetables (higher fiber veggies include broccoli, artichokes, avocados, and sweet potatoes)

• Beans/Legumes (higher fiber beans/legumes include soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas and black beans)

• Whole grains (use barley, oats and whole wheat products in place of processed white flour products).

The moral of this story:  Eat more fiber, feel fuller longer, weigh less.  That’s it in a nutshell.

Committed to your success,

Becky

A FREE MINI WORKOUT WITH ME!

Saturday, May 1st, 2010, 8 am

Oster School —  1855 Lencar Way, San Jose 95124

I’ve been asked to take part in the festivities at the Cambrian Relay for Life on Saturday, May 1st.  In case you’re not familiar with “Relay for Life”, it’s a 24-hour event in which teams take turns walking around a track throughout the night.  It’s a way to remember those who have lost their lives to cancer, as well as to honor those who are survivors–and of course, raise money to help fund research for a cure.

Throughout the 24-hour event there are various activities going on—-so, I guess you could say I’m one of the activities!  I’ll be doing a “Wake up your Workout” warm up and mini boot camp at 8 am.  I’ll try to rouse the ones who got to take a cat nap in their sleeping bags during the night, I suppose!

I’m donating my time and some $$ to to event in honor of three former clients of mine who are breast cancer survivors:

Yvonne M. ,  Sunny C., and Diana A.

and two very wonderful ladies who lost their battle with breast cancer

Barbara Podgorny and Nancy Stoney

So, what does this have to do with YOU?

There are a few ways you can participate in the Cambrian Relay for Life:

Organize a team to walk the event

Log on here for more info:

http://www.relayforlife.org/cambrianca

Donate to a team

One of my boot campers, Tina L., has registered a team for the event.  You can support her team by making a donation here:

Support Team Walk-a-Muck

Come out to the event

Enjoy my mini-boot camp at 8 am, and cruise by the various team tents/campsites. Many teams will be running mini-fundraisers by selling items at their  campsites.

After I put everyone through a workout, I’ll be doing a drawing at Team Walk-a-Muck’s campsite.  Come by their tent and register to win a certificate for 2 FREE weeks at a lifeSport boot camp in San Jose or Campbell.

Committed to your fitness success,

Becky

You’ll have to watch the video to learn what the “prize” is for getting your workout in.

As usual, my furry sidekick, Noah, makes a cameo appearance (several, actually) in the video.  It’s amazing how he always manages to get right in line with the camera when it’s rolling.  In fact, this time, I think he’s trying to show you some version of our “core rotation” exercise we often do with exercise bands.  Maybe we could call it a “canine core rotation”?

So, if you’re game to get a quick, cardio interval workout in over the weekend, I’ve created one for you.  You don’t need to think about what to do.  I’ve thought it out for you.

Below the video, you’ll find a written version of the  workout in the event you want to print it out for reference.

Here’s the workout in case you want a written version:

Jumping jacks  (45-90 seconds)

Push ups (15 repetitions)

Jump rope (45-90 seconds)

Back extensions (15 repetitions)

Jump squats  (45-90 seconds)

Dips  (45-90 seconds)

Please watch the video for instructions on how to increase or decrease the intensity of each exercise.

I’m looking forward to your comments .

Committed to your success,

Becky

We’ll hold an early morning fitness boot camp on the premises of The Fencing Center of San Jose, located at 110 Stockton Ave., 95126.  It’s right around the corner from the HP Pavillion (otherwise known as the “Sharks Arena”).    Camp will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6:00-6:50 am, and will be taught by professional fitness trainer and lifeSport Fitness Coach,  Nichole Christoffersen.  Our inaugural camp starts on Monday, March 8th!

If you live or work near Downtown San Jose, here’s your chance to join the hottest, most results oriented workout in town!  Forget about long, boring cardio workouts on machines at the gym–let us get you moving and burning massive calories with body weight strength exercises, stair exercises, medicine ball drills and fun challenges that keep you moving and sweating.  We scale the workout so all fitness levels can participate.

Escape the cold and the rain by working out in a safe, lighted INDOOR environment this winter. We’ll then take you outside around Arena Green for some fresh air when the weather warms up and the sun shines in the morning!

Interested in being a charter member of the Downtown San Jose boot camp?  Log on to www.lifesportbootcamp.com and request a free one week trial.  Newcomers to lifeSport Fitness who complete a one week free trial at one of our other San Jose boot camp locations in February will be eligible for a 20% discount on March membership fees at the Downtown San Jose boot camp.

Plan on staying control of your alcohol intake.

Look, a drink or two isn’t going to be the end of the world. But when two turns to three in a night…… or two every night for three nights straight….well…..it’s gonna hit you in the waistline.

I’m not getting on my soap box here. I’m just telling you something you already know:

Too much alcohol not only adds up to too many calories, it leads to bad decisions. And in this case, we’re talking about bad eating decisions.

When alcohol enters the equation even the best laid plans crumble. The extra calories from the cocktails is one thing. But really it’s the extra calories you chew that start to add up.

One piece of cake turns to two…

A handful of chips turns into a a bag…

The dip sitting in front of you mysteriously vanishes…into your belly…

You get the picture.

Over-indulging in alcohol leads to disintegration of your resolve and control.

That said………..

Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Just be conscious of what alcohol does to your decision making. Stay in control.

Yours in health,

Becky

PS – Remember, Prograde Nutrition’s HUGE Holiday Savings ends TOMORROW night. You definitely want to get over to http://lifesportfitness.getprograde.com/specials.html right NOW and place you order to save 15% on all their killer products. It’s my duty as a proud Prograde Partner to remind you .  I’m going to stock up on EFA-Icon (fish oil) myself!

We’ve got you covered.

You’re cordially invited to “Freaky Fat Loss“, a boot camp style workout the morning of October 31st in Willow Glen.

Is there a catch to this freebie?  Yes, but just a small one.

We’re asking for a donation of canned goods in exchange for the free workout.

Our goal is to collect at least 150 pounds of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Here are the details:

Time: 10:00-11:15 am

Location:  1205 Pine Ave., San Jose  95125 (in the main hall of St. Francis Episcopal Church)

All registered participants will be entered into a raffle for some cool prizes!

We’ll award a prize for best costume!

Pre-registration is required.  After you register, you’ll be given additional details on what to bring to the workout.

If you’re looking for a great boot camp workout right before the “season of over-eating” begins, mark your calendar now!

Click HERE to register!

Come join the fun

So many of us are crazy busy these days, yet we hold on to the concept that the only “real” workout is an hour long run, or 1 hour of weights at the gym.  I beg to differ. When time gets short, our workouts need to change. My suggestion:  Increase the intensity, and shorten the time frame.

I asked the participants at my presentation to brainstorm a list of exercises that we could do with little to no equipment. Our list included squats, lunges, jumping jacks, push ups, dips, and a number of other body weight strength or calisthenic-type exercises.  From there we randomly picked 4 exercises and a work/rest interval plan.  Viola.  We’ve got a high intensity workout!

In the video below I demonstrate each exercise we chose, and I include beginner and advanced modifications on some of the exercises.  I also include suggestions for beginner and advanced exercises with regard to how many rounds of the circuit you should do (beginners:  you’ll be done in LESS than 15 minutes!).

Once again, my workout companion, Noah the wonder dog, manages to squeeze in another cameo appearance.  At one point in the video, he does his impression of a cow grazing in a pasture for you.

Give this quick, high intensity workout a try this weekend!

Committed to your success,

Becky

I’ve got a week’s worth of fat loss workouts planned for you!  As usual these workouts will work for any fitness level. Increase the intensity and impact if you’re a seasoned exerciser, back off on impact and intensity if you’re a newbie. Most of you have been with lifeSport Fitness long enough to know how to modify push ups, burpees, mountain climbers, planks or anything else Jackie or I throw your way.  If you’re not sure about how to execute a particular exercise, just email me at:  bootcamp(at)lifesportfitness.net

As with every workout, please make sure to warm up for 5 minutes before starting any of these workouts.

Here are 4 workouts for you to do over our week long break

Workout #1:

Cardio intervals

You choose the cardio activity.  You can walk, run, bike, swim, or use a cardio machine at your gym.

Work out HARD (like breathless hard, folks!) for 30 seconds

Recover for 90 seconds

Repeat for 6-10 rounds, depending on your fitness level

Workout #2

Body weight strength workout

Perform  1 set of 20 repetitions of each exercise.  Rest for 15 sec after each set.  Repeat the sequence three times.  For added variety, change your hand placement on the push ups each time (example:  narrow hands, staggered hands).

Push ups

Walking lunges* (20 out, 20 back)

Dips

Squats*

*(feel free to add dumbbells to these exercises if you have them)

Workout #3

Do the ” Fat Loss Weekend Workout” I posted for you last month

Workout #4

Steady State Cardio Workout (you don’t hear me promote these too much!!)

Pick your cardio exercise of choice. Do it at a steady, but challenging pace, for 30-40 minutes.  This is not a “walk your dog” or “chat with your buddy while you walk” type of workout.  Break a sweat.  Get a little breathless.  Yes, it’s  a “steady state” (e.g., all at the same pace) workout, but don’t make it a wimpy workout .

Campers who leave a comment before the end of the week that they have completed TWO of these workouts (tell us what workouts you did) get a couple of Prograde Cravers at camp next month!

Have a great week, campers!

Committed to your success,

Becky