Cincinnati Adventure Boot Camp for Women

Which Zone Are You In?

2009-07-15T12:22:00.002-04:00

How often do you change up your routine?

Most of us get in the same routine ... wake up, go to camp, workout, drive home from camp, get ready for work (and/or get kids ready for something), drive to work, sit at work, come home from work, drive kids to activity X, make dinner, go to bed, repeat.

We all benefit from routine & habit. The various patterns that we run over and over and over allow us to do things easily, efficiently and without much thought.

When was the last time you had to concentrate on brushing your teeth? I mean really focus on it? Sort of silly, huh? But there was a time that brushing your teeth required effort (I know, we’re teaching our 2-year old how to get all of her teeth, not just the 4 in front!).

Or how about driving to work or a friend’s house that you go to over and over?

Hey, there are some mornings I wonder how in the world I got to work, I was so engaged in thinking about what we’re going to do at boot camp or what my day has in store. And I no longer have to consciously think that “I need to get off at the Red Bank Road Exit #9 and go about a mile, and then when I see Cincinnati TaeKwonDo, my work will be next door on the left.”

Routine can be good, or it can be bad.

Do you have automatic pilot habits that support you? Or do they hinder you in achieving the life that you want?

Here’s a funny pattern that I notice – people come into camp and set up their mat in the same exact spot every morning. Like we do different things on the other side of camp or something?!?!

It's funny how we all get into a comfort zone. Even down to the foods we eat.But change is good!

Case in point -- you've added boot camp to your morning routine. And that's good.

Often when I ask people about the foods they eat, fruit in particular, I get the same answers "apples, bananas, oranges...what else is there?"

Improvement & growth happens when we get out of our comfort zone and grow!!!

That's why we do some of the things in camp that we do -- challenge you to push some very heavy things (last camp it was a truck), challenge you to sprint at your top speed, challenge you to do more pushups, lift more weight, take less rest, etc. All these are things you likely wouldn't do without the extra push.

I was reading an interesting article over the weekend and it quoted a coaching legend, John Wooden. Some players were "slacking" a bit during practice. Coach Wooden kindly went over to them and said "you're only giving 50% today. That means you're leaving 50% on the table. Tomorrow, you can't give more than 100% -- that's the most anyone can ever give. So what you leave behind today will never come back to you ... you can't give 150% tomorrow to make up for today."

So true, so true. And that's why I want to remind you to continually get out of your comfort zone.

Take one more step, finish the end of a set - even when we say rest, walk, run, sprint THAT much harder, do just 1 more pushup, talk to someone you don’t yet know in camp, and so on.

THAT is the only way you'll ever get better – asking your body to do more than it’s capable of doing today, and tomorrow it becomes better.

What 1 or 2 things can you do for our last 2 ½ weeks of camp to get out of your comfort zone and the most from camp? Try some new fruits and veggies? Change a sabotaging eating pattern? Use 12 or 15 pound dumbbells in lieu of 8 & 10? Cut down on your rest periods at camp? Get more rest in the evenings?

And as a side note, I’m totally okay with everyone setting up at base camp in the same exact spot every morning – I was just being silly with that one! But it is an interesting pattern to observe, right? Some of you were freaking out this morning, and all I did was set up the stereo and truck on the opposite side of camp!!

Okay, so the message is, write down the 1 or 2 things you’re going to do better or differently…and then starting today, let’s get to them!!

Enjoy your Wednesday! It’s already off to a great start!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Short 'n Sweet Today...

2009-07-14T12:32:00.002-04:00

As promised, today’s email will be short and sweet – just a couple of reminders, and then an announcement!!

Bring a Friend! Tomorrow you can bring your best friend, sister, mom, daughter, co-worker, or neighbor to join in the Adventure Boot Camp fun - she'll be seriously impressed with what you're doing every morning at 5:30am!

Order Your Dog Tag! We would like to give each camper an Adventure Boot Camp "Survivor" Dog Tag at the end of camp. I highly recommend that first time campers have one as it's a fun reminder of your boot camp experience. They are available to any camper (at no cost) who would like one. Please click here to be included in the order for dog tags. We'll be placing our order on Thursday by 10am. Orders yours today – it’s a great way to commemorate your hard work and success at camp!

Exercise Form Class Tonight! Tonight, and one final time on Thursday of this week, we're offering a no-cost biomechanical movement class here in the studio at 5:30pm.Essentially, this a class designed to help new boot campers learn proper form and technique to master the exercises we do at Adventure Boot Camp. It’s not a “workout”, but rather an opportunity to develop correct body alignment & positioning, technique and muscle memory, to help you maximize your form and results.All you have to do to register for tonight or Thursday’s class is to reply to this email!

Optional Military Style Boot Camp on Thursday! On Thursday we’re going to offer an option for those who’re looking for a seriously kick up workout. We’ll start together as a group with our traditional boot camp style of training at 5:30am, and then by 5:50 am, I’ll take a group around Crossroads church for a real military style workout. It’s non-stop, working your muscles intensely, and keeping your heart pounding for 35 solid minutes.

Linda from our studio will lead everyone else through the normal style of Adventure Boot Camp workout for the balance of camp – she’s done a great job in this role in the past.

So, it’s totally up to you which option you choose on Thursday!

And finally…

The Next 5K Running Group Starts Next Week! Have you ever wanted to run a 5K, or improve your 5K time? Our next 5K running group starts on Tuesday, July 21st – click here for details!

Have a wonderful Tuesday - see you tomorrow for our first Bring a Friend Day!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

What Supplements Should You Take?

2009-07-13T07:53:00.003-04:00

What a great start to the week!! A little muscle shaping and heart thumping to kick out any weekend cobwebs – it feels so good to get the blood flowing and the good hormones cranking, and be done by 6:30am!

So I must confess that I did received a few emails referencing last Wednesday’s email).

They went something like this…

"I JUST got off my treadmill and you're telling me it's useless!"

"Is an elliptical better?"

"Should I not use the treadmill anymore?"

"Is it really THAT bad?"

I didn't mean to cause such a stir, simply just trying to share some different insights into what it truly means to workout...and workout for real!

Now, if you want to use the treadmill on occasion, that’s totally fine -- but if it's your sole source of physical activity, you'll struggle to get the results you want.

Just mix it up!

I'm all for walking on it while watching TV – that’s much better than just sitting.

Or if it's a rainy day, hot day, or a super cold day, and you wanted to get some movement in, kick up those intervals on the treadmill.

Deal?

Alright, another question that keeps resurfacing and came up again on Friday, was about supplements.

In a nutshell -- should you take them?

The answer isn't as easy as yes or no...it's somewhat individual, with a few "general" recommendations that everyone would benefit from. Here they are:

Omega-3 fat
Vitamin D
Multivitamin
Meal replacement shake

Omega-3 fats, like those found in fish and fish oil, are truly incredible. Almost all the dietitians I talk with suggest that everyone would benefit from adding them to their daily routine. Of course eat fish too, like salmon and others, but I would still suggest taking an omega-3 supplement. My favorite brand is Nordic Naturals -- clean, quality, pure, high concentration.

Vitamin D is one of those vitamins that a bunch of really, super smart nerdy scientists are talking about right now -- and they're talking about the abundance of research supporting higher intakes of this vitamin. They'll soon be updating the dietary recommendations and vitamin D is one that will surely be increased. How much should you take? Around 1000-2000 IU's/day ... particularly if you don't get out in the sun, since our bodies can make D from the sunlight. To make it easy -- the product I like is Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega + D (omega-3 plus vitamin D). (Nordic Naturals products are available in most grocery stores and whole foods type stores.)

A multivitamin used to be the one thing I suggested all adults should take ... I'm changing my tune to say that omega-3's and D are even more important, but most would benefit from a basic multivitamin too. Nothing fancy. It doesn't have to be GNC Mega Woman horse pills. The basic product my family and many clients take is Nature's Made Multivitamin. It's inexpensive, yet is a brand that can be trusted for quality, and you can buy it anywhere.

Other supplements to consider would be calcium and iron ... these two are particularly common for women who have low dietary intakes; however, not all women need to take these.

I also like a meal replacement shake to fill in my nutritional gap if I cannot get to healthy food easily…and it’s a great way to get some nutrients in 30 minutes before a workout.

And over the past month I’ve been taking FRS or Quercetin, the Lance Armstrong All Natural Energy Drink, to help keep my energy strong as I ramp up my training for a Half Marathon, while working a lot of hours and being a daddy. I’m not a big supplement guy, especially when it comes to the over-hyped energy drinks that causes you to crash (or have other undesired side effects), but this one truly impresses me. More info Quecertin here.

Of course, first and foremost though, eat REAL FOODS. No supplement will ever, can ever make up for a poor diet. That's like having your hand chopped off and thinking that putting a band-aid will stop the bleeding. Eat clean.

Consider supplements as an "extra" to a healthy diet. Keep exercising. And you'll continue on your path toward success.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

It's 100% Up to You!

2009-07-10T10:53:00.004-04:00

What a great week we’ve just finished.

Thank you for all the hard work that I’ve personally witnessed in Oakley, and that I’ve been told about in Blue Ash, Springboro and Florence!

It’s your diligence in getting to every boot camp session, and your hard work that pays off in optimal results!

Give yourself a pat on the back.

And along with that, today we talk about…

How to Make Camp Work for You!

You’ve heard me say, “Go at your own pace, one that is challenging for you as an individual” probably several times now.

I don’t say this over and over and over to be a broken record or to be annoying. Challenging your body, wherever it is today, is the ONLY way you improve.

So, if you’ve been in the last 5 camps, this means you’re going to have to use heavier dumbbells, go faster on cardio type exercises, and push yourself to the point of really being fatigued. Throw in quality nutrition and rest in the evenings and on the weekends and you’ll improve.

This formula works for EVERYONE. Work Hard + Quality Nutrition + Recovery Time = Outstanding Results. Officially that’s: WH + QN + RT = OR

I think Einstein would be proud of my formula!

Here are some tips for returning campers to maximize your experience: reduce your rest time – when the 30 seconds is up for the group, you can extend that by going a little longer (so cutting down on any rest time between set 2 & 3 for example). Also, when it’s time to transition from one exercise to the next, you minimize any down time (like chatting with your neighbor) and get into the next exercise quickly.

If you’re a first time camper, you also must challenge your body at optimal levels too.

Working hard = results for everyone.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Lance Armstrong or Dara Torres or just starting exercise for the first time in 10+ years. Work at your maximum ability, and you’ll improve.

The boot camp routine works. Period. We have marathon runners who become better marathoners with Adventure Boot Camp. We have lifetime exercise enthusiasts who become stronger, leaner and faster in Adventure Boot Camp.

Yet it’s YOUR responsibility to go at the pace that will deliver the results you’re looking for.

Your friend cannot do it for you, nor can your boot camp instructor. It’s 100% up to you! Always.

I’m in your corner. And I don’t want you to just go through the motions over the next 3 weeks, and then tell me (or your boot camp instructor) that you’re disappointed with your results.

We’ve got an hour together M-F, so let’s get into camp, work hard, and then get on with our lives!! Done by 6:30am!

Time for Rest!

And for first time campers, make sure you get plenty of rest this weekend. Your body is tired, especially if you’ve been in camp all 5 days.

Think of boot camp as the stimulus that causes your body to make positive adaptations (changes). . . as you rest. By "rest," I'm not only referring to sleep, although that should certainly be adequate if you want to see results. I'm also referring to the pursuit of a relaxing hobby, days off from work, or sitting at home enjoying some music.

There is a crucial balance between stress and recovery, and while positive stress (exercise) properly applied can lead to the body making exceptional progress, it will only do so if there is adequate "down time."

It might be helpful to realize that there are opposing forces at work, and if the balance isn't quite right, results can be slowed. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and has been referred to as the "stress hormone." During periods of elevated stress, cortisol levels are increased. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, which means it allows the body to cannibalize its own tissue. It does have an important purpose. The gradual breakdown of tissue allows you to continuously build new, healthy cells. Cortisol also makes certain that if the body's energy needs suddenly go up due to an extreme stress, there are plenty of amino acids floating around to be converted into glucose and used as fuel. We access those amino acids in a stress-induced state by breaking down muscle.

There are other hormones that are more geared toward enhancing positive response. Growth hormone has received much attention lately and people have come to believe it's a drug. It isn't a drug, but a human hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland and it plays a vital role in anabolism (tissue building) and protein synthesis as well as in keeping metabolic processes at optimal levels of performance.

Growth hormone production is increased when you rest, and further increased when you enter deep sleep. Without adequate rest and sleep a cortisol-dominant environment can prevent you from seeing the results you're working so hard to achieve.

Translation: Get plenty of rest, enjoy some down time and relaxation, replenish your body with wholesome food and your body will respond in a very positive way!

Have an awesome weekend! Alicia, Leigh, Annie, Michelle and I look forward to seeing you on Monday, well rested, and ready to rock ‘n roll in week number 2 of Adventure Boot Camp!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

10 Fat Loss Strategies...

2009-07-09T11:15:00.003-04:00

Whew, nice work this morning!

We definitely worked the hips, glutes and hamstrings rather intensely today!

For those in Oakley, thanks for your patience with my failing voice – I woke up this morning and couldn’t talk, a bummer for my favorite 5:30am activity. Hopefully all will be better tomorrow.

Tomorrow at Boot Camp!

Tomorrow we’ll start camp with our normal warm up, then we’ll go into a 1-minute pushup challenge, followed by a timed 1-mile run, jog or power walk. You get to choose the pace with which you perform both challenges – we do both to measure progress over the 4-weeks of camp.

When someone goes from 7 pushups to 24 in 3 weeks, it's a really empowering feeling. So, don’t stress about tomorrow. Everyone completes the 2 challenges to the best of their current ability. Then we’ll watch your ability improve in 3-weeks from tomorrow!

Today, we’re going with a short, but still important message, talking about very simple strategies to enhancing weight loss -- in fact, changing your body, losing fat, or simply improving your health doesn't take a major life overhaul...

...all you need to do is make minor lifestyle changes to your diet. Here it is in a nutshell -- 10 very simple strategies you can start as soon as you're done reading this email. You may have heard some of them from me before. Maybe they're new. But you can never get enough reminders.

Ready?

Plan ahead. If your only options are a vending machine and fast food, try to pack meals and snacks the night before. That way you're never left with your stomach growling during the day or on your way home. Planning will allow you to be successful.
Don't taste foods while cooking. While this may not seem like much, just an extra 100 calories each day means at least a ten pound gain at the end of one year. Simply tasting foods can easily exceed that.
Cook in bulk. Do this on a Saturday or Sunday, when you have more time than during the week, and use those leftovers throughout the week for lunches and dinners.
Exercise in the morning. When your workout is “in the books” by 6:30am, your done and can focus on other priorities. And research does show morning workouts have a higher impact on elevating metabolism than afternoon or evening workouts.
Shop for the week. Plan the meals for the week on a Sunday and shop for the items needed that day. If your refrigerator is empty on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, for example, it's likely you'll turn to fast food!
Write your goals daily. Keeping a diary of goals helps with permanent success. Then you can look back and reflect on your progress.

Include a fruit and/or vegetable in every meal. That way you are getting your nutrients in and avoiding snacking on something that is unhealthy. It will also keep you fuller longer and keep you from overeating later on.
Use vegetables as your base and build meals around them. For example, fill up a bowl with sautéed veggies and add pasta on top of them. This way the bulk of your meal is low calorie, high nutrient vegetables.

Earn your carbohydrates through exercise. The more you exercise, the more carbs you can eat, but always pick quality, high fiber carbs.
Use fresh herbs as a replacement for sodium. They are loaded with flavor, high in nutrients, but have zero calories.

That’s it from me today – I’m giving all you busy ladies a break from my long windedness today!! ;)

Have an incredible Thursday – Leigh, Annie, Alicia, Michelle and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, bright and early, in your favorite parking lot!!

Just think, one more day, then it’s the weekend – time for some much needed R and R!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

How to Get the Best Boot Camp Results...

2009-07-08T19:18:00.004-04:00

Wednesday’s workout is officially in the Adventure Boot Camp books!

I got a few comments today about how challenging the workout was…and yeah, this is boot camp, not some boring gym workout that produces few, if any, results!

Results only come one way – you have to earn them through hard work!

Now, that doesn’t mean exercise until you throw up, or hurt yourself in the processs.

But we all know what we’re capable of, and if we want results, and the best experience possible, we must push ourselves!

And my job is to create challenging workouts!

So I love it when I hear, “Geeze Brian, it’s only day 3, that was hard today!”

Hey, I hope you know that I care about you, and I want the best for you. I’m not going to take you down and unhealthy or unproductive path. ;)

Nice work today!

Remember to stretch and move throughout the day to help with soreness. Here's a video of stretching you can watch as a reminder - click here.

Alright, let's talk about the most useless piece of exercise equipment you might have in your house!!

Guesses?

Well, I can actually name several ... Thigh Master, Ab Lounger, rockers, rollers, and so on.

But this one may surprise you.

It's the treadmill.

"WHAT? A treadmill? C'mon, Brian, how dare you knock the beloved treadmill that I spent $1000's on and spend many hours on each weekend. It's what I do when I go to the gym too -- set that baby to 4 mph, walk for 60 minutes, and get a great sweat."Well, I'm here to tell you it's not my favorite.

I guess I should clarify so you don't come hunt me down ... it's not my favorite as the ONLY piece of exercise equipment you use.

Sure, if you are a runner, yeah it’s okay to use the treadmill when it’s super hot in the summer, or super frigid in the winter as you’re training for your next event. But you’re getting no ground reaction force from it, so I’d only use it occasionally if you’re training for a 5K or 10K or marathon.

But for those “non-runners”, when people often use treadmills, they get on there, walk at a medium pace for a looooooong time.

Here's what's wrong with that.

It's boring.
It's not effective
You'll hate exercise if that's all you do.
It will ultimately cause muscle imbalances since you don't have to use the back of your leg to push you forward, like you do when you're outside. The motorized belt does it for you. Therefore, your hamstring and butt go virtually 'unused' -- and the last thing any of us need are weaker butts.
And it's boring (it's so boring it had to be mentioned twice).

None of those seem like a way to make a lifelong habit, do they?

And that's why we might be doing some sprints in an upcoming session (something to look forward to, eh?). Arguably the greatest exercise for the back of your legs...butt, hamstrings, calves. In fact, you may notice your abs are sore after sprinting, even your obliques, depending on your form and how hard you sprint.

Want to do this on your own?

Find a fixed distance, time yourself going as hard as possible, then repeat that as many times as you can keeping that same pace or faster.

Once your time falls below the set time. Stop, cool down, stretch...

...and repeat in a few days.

That's a workout to try for the week off between boot camp sessions.

Last summer I visited the local track once a week. I would do 10 - 100 yd dashes, then call it a day for the workout. 15 minutes, in and out, but HIGH INTENSITY.

That's what gets you results. Slow walking on a treadmill doesn't. Endlessly spinning your feet on an elliptical doesn't. Ramping up that intensity, so your heart feels like it's coming out of your chest, does.

Now please don’t think I’m saying low intenstity cardio has zero value – it definitely has some value. But optimal results and improvement come at the higher end of intensity. Remember we talked about the 70/30 cardio rule during toward the end of the nutrition webcast? That 30% is where sprints or suicides come in…and they’re coming to an Adventure Boot Camp near you soon!

And one more note - whether you walk, run, sprint or what have you ... it doesn't matter. The key is that you go as hard as YOU can.

So, we’ll do more intense cardio related stuff a couple of times each week to maximize fat loss and improve your fitness as quickly as possible.

Have an awesome Wednesday and congratulations on your efforts through our first 3 days of Adventure Boot Camp!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

You're Our Next Success Story!

2009-07-07T09:17:00.004-04:00

Before we get into the topic at hand today, I want to remind you that we have our first correct form and body alignment class this evening at 5:30pm here in the studio with Gabe, our Corrective Exercise Specialists.

This is a no-cost class to help you master proper form for optimal body function. 2 spots are open for tonight, 4 more for Thursday – just hit reply and tell me what night works best for you.

Also, we have nationally well known physical therapist, Brian Schiff, in camp on Thursday helping you out with any structural ailments you may have. So many of us struggle with low back pain, shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle issues, and Brian will be in camp to steer you in the right direction for relief!

I want to give you all the resources you need to maximize your Adventure Boot Camp experience. And I want it badly for you. I want you to transform. I want this 4-week program to be the greatest lifestyle jump start you’ve ever experienced. I’m in your corner, I’m your ally, your health and fitness friend and supporter. And Leigh, Annie, Alicia and Michelle feel precisely the same way. We’re here to serve you!

See, we got into the business of helping people not to become famous or to live some sort of fairytale life. Not a chance in this industry, unless you’re a trainer to the stars, and who wants that lifestyle of being at some celebrity’s beckon call 24/7? Not me!

I want to work with women who are 100% committed to enhancing their health and fitness so they can be better moms, more accomplished professionals, better friends, happier and more productive in the areas that are most important to them.

That’s what turns me on!

That’s what turns all of us on here at Adventure Boot Camp for Women!

There’s nothing better in my world than to get emails like these – click here.

I want every single one of you to be a success story!

So let’s talk about success ... in all aspects of your life.

You are successful -- some may define that as being a great mother, wife, friend, sister, etc -- others, may add in being successful as a business owner, employee, or manager.

And women across boot camp are successful in different ways.

So why is weight loss so difficult for people- especially those who have experienced sweet success in other parts of their lives?

In previous boot camps I’ve said exercise doesn't work by itself, and the success is in the nutrition...but, really, it's not ALL in the nutrition. There's more to it than food.

People who set out to lose weight often make it all about food-what they should and shouldn't be eating. Some add exercise into the mix and ask, how much do I exercise?

While those are all parts of a good program, the irony is that, in the end, people who are successful at overcoming issues with weight tackle something else much greater. It's more about how they view themselves and their lives than about what they should and shouldn't eat.

A lot people know what they should and shouldn't be eating, and they know they should to be active. It's not magic.

But there is truly magic -- not a magic bullet, per se, but magic.

And here it is: Treat weight loss like you treat your business, your career, or how you nurture your children and other important relationships. High achievers understand hard work & dedication can result in professional success. But so many people don't want to follow that same rule to lose weight.

Instead they want to jump on the next miracle bandwagon. When it comes to our health, we're used to taking a pill and having our symptoms go away. I think that's part of the problem. We're always looking for the miracle, or the quick, easy solution.

Taking care of YOU can be difficult. A lot of times taking time for you might feel selfish, like I always say, taking care of you is the most important thing you can do ... for everyone.

Why do I tell you this?

Well, the magic of weight-loss/weight maintenance success comes with realizing some simple truths:

Give up on the shortcuts. Successful weight loss takes work, discipline and, more than anything, knowing exactly what you want. This is the same, whether you're trying to lose weight, or simply get stronger. Shortcuts don't get you what you want.

Never do anything that's temporary. When you make a change in your life, let yourself know that you're making a lifetime commitment to giving up some things and adding others. When it comes to exercise, for example, you don't incorporate it into your lifestyle only until you lose weight but, rather, for the rest of your life. Exercise is a lifestyle for so many of the boot camp women, so to NOT exercise when on vacation, or under stress, or when they’re tired just isn’t an option.
Understand why you struggle with weight. When people struggle with their weight, it's usually not because they hate exercise or love certain foods. Most people have an emotional component that's tied to why they don't exercise and why they're comforted by food. Understanding the emotional component is extremely important in successful weight loss. What are your triggers? Are you unhappy in your career? Your relationship? Friendships? Why does food satisfy something other than physical hunger?

Balance is key. The most successful people find balance in life. Focusing too much on weight loss can impede your success. Never say, "I'll be happy when I reach this weight." There are only two outcomes to that thinking: Either you don't reach the weight goal or you find out that weight wasn't the source of your unhappiness. Weight is a symptom of what you must identify and overcome.

Don't make it about numbers. I don't see the magic in striving to reach weight-loss numbers. Your ideal weight is individual. I've found that most people are pretty realistic about what they'd like to weigh based on what makes them feel and look good. And that doesn't mean model-thin.

Take the first step today. Change your thinking. Remember: There are no gimmicks. Weight loss, and a healthy, optimally functioning body requires long-term thinking. You have to exercise and gradually modify the way you eat over time. Crash diets, where you narrow food choices to the point of deprivation, will cause you to rebel and fall back into old eating habits.

Wow, long message today, but a very important one. I’m here for your success, which is why I spent the past 2 hours composing these thoughts. Remember, I want it badly for you. I want you to be a complete and total success story!!

Alright, so on that note, keep moving today to help with soreness. And we look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning, bright and early for another fun workout!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Nice Job on Day One!

2009-07-06T12:28:00.003-04:00

What a great start to camp! How did you like those Tabatas?

Today we worked our quads, chest, shoulders, triceps, and heart rate. Tomorrow we’ll work the opposing muscle groups: glutes, hamstrings, back, biceps, core/abs, and more heart rate elevation.

On most days after camp you’ll get a follow up email designed to support your 4-week efforts through empowering you (and a little education) to reach for your maximum potential.

So in that spirit, today we’ll share the importance of consuming proper nutrition, finding your own zone, and what to do with muscle soreness.

But first, I want to encourage you to set one or two specific goals for the next four weeks (if you haven't already). I mentioned this during the nutrition webcast, and I encourage everyone to establish even just one primary goal that you can focus on. See, whatever we focus on expands. Whatever we pay attention to we manifest, we create. Pick one goal that the next four weeks are centered around and you’ll be amazed at how you move toward the achievement of that goal.

What is your goal for the next four weeks?

It could be anything…

eating 8 servings of fruits and veggies every day
if you’re striving to lose weight, maybe it’s having a 500 calorie deficit every day of camp
making it to every session of camp
getting 7-8 hours of sleep 5 nights per week
getting to momentary muscle failure on set 2 & 3 of each series
eating 20 grams of protein with 5 meals per day
drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day
eliminating sugar

Remember, whatever you focus on becomes reality. Look at your goal every day!

One more thing, on Tuesday and Thursday this week at 5:30pm here in our studio we're offering a no-cost biomechanical movement class.

Essentially, it’s a class designed to help new boot campers learn proper form and technique to master the exercises we do at Adventure Boot Camp. It’s not a “workout” per se, but rather an opportunity to develop correct body alignment & positioning, technique and muscle memory, to help you maximize your form and results.

It’s an opportunity to learn from our Corrective Exercise Specialist, Gabe Hogue, in a smaller group setting. And as such, we’re limited to 10 people in Tuesday's session, and another 10 in Thursday’s session.

To join in the correct exercise form class, please reply to this email – it’s open on a first come basis.

Okay, onto the topics of the day…

Starting Adventure Boot Camp for Women, even if you’re accustomed to regular exercise, is often accompanied by muscle and connective tissue soreness. As you likely know, it’s just part of the process and the good news is it WILL get better. Click here for the recommendations on what to do to minimize muscle soreness.

Along with soreness, remember that you are unique in your abilities, experience, limitations and conditions in starting camp. Focus on becoming the best version of you. Don’t worry about your friend, workout partner or anyone else in camp – all that matters is how much you improve. Click here to find your own zone at camp!

Oh yeah, one last thing…I need your help!! My goal is always to make boot camp as fun and effective as possible. And one of the ways we make it fun is to listen to upbeat, high energy music.

Please send me a couple (or more) of your favorite workout songs. Remember, they should be up tempo songs, high energy, rock the house (and clean) music.

Click here to send in your music requests!!

Have an awesome Monday and welcome to a fun, little crazy, and intense four weeks!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Next Week's Make-up Session...

2009-06-26T09:51:00.003-04:00

What a strange 24-hour period.

Incredible storms overnight.

Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson passing.

And our phone system down (thanks to the storm).

It looked bleak this morning, but thankfully, the skies parted and we were able to get camp in!

We know some of you tried to call the weather line, but without the phone system you were unsure what to do about camp this morning.

So, the Oakley and Florence camps will be offering the 1-minute pushup and 1-mile cardio challenge again on Monday!! If you missed today, and want to see how much you’ve improved over the past 3+ weeks, please plan on doing your field challenges first thing on Monday at camp.

And, congratulations to the Blue Ash ladies for completing an incredible 4-weeks of camp!! Enjoy your rest next week.

And also, the Springboro ladies will be doing Survivor Camp Monday morning, and Oakley & Florence will have their 2 make-up session on Monday and Tuesday.

For Oakley, Alicia will be leading camp on Monday – she’s a former Oakley camper, and current Blue Ash instructor. Get prepared ladies, she’s the nicest toughest instructor I know. She’ll smile and tell you she ‘loves ya’ while whoopin’ your booty! You’ll have fun with Alicia on Monday!!

Then on Tuesday, Leigh, the Springboro instructor, will be leading camp. Leigh can’t wait to catch up with all her Oakley friends as she too brings her own up-tempo style to camp!!

I’ll be in South Carolina helping my in-laws move, but trust me when I tell you I’m leaving you in very good hands!!

Okay, so since I'll be gone, this will be my final official boot camp email, and today I want to share with you a really fun recipe.

But first, I just want to share with you that it’s been a real privilege and honor having you in Adventure Boot Camp for Women. I speak for Annie, Leigh, and Alicia when I say we are incredible grateful to have had this opportunity to work with you over the past 4 weeks; and we all hope that in some way you have been enriched through Adventure Boot Camp – we certainly have been by getting to know you!!

Thank you so much!!

Alright, here's a fun recipe, one that is guaranteed to be a huge hit for the entire family (and quite healthy too)!!

“YES” Ice Pops

With this recipe, you can always say YES to dessert!

Ingredients:
1 Cup White Grape Juice (no sugar added)
½ Cup Water
1 ½ Cup Frozen Mango
1 Frozen Banana
1 Apple, peeled and sliced
½ Cup Frozen Broccoli
½ Cup Frozen Peas
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (Beverly is my favorite, no sugar) *
8 Popsicle Molds

*On the protein powder - depending on the taste and how big the scoop is, you may want to start out with ½ a scoop and slowly sneak your way up to a full scoop!

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients into the blender (or Vitamix) and blend until smooth.
Taste the mixture.
It must be sweet enough that you only taste the mango and banana. If it’s not sweet enough, add more juice or more frozen mango or banana.
If it’s too thick, add more juice or water
Work with the mixture until you get it right for your family. Pour this bright green mixture into Popsicle molds and pop them into the freezer!

Then when the kids ask for dessert, you can say “YES”! Even if they don’t eat all their veggies and protein at dinner; you’ll know their getting what they need at dessert!

(Courtesy of my coach, Stacey Martino)

And we got a lot of requests for quickie meals that can be prepared in 5 minutes or less, and have 5 ingredients or less! All for under 300 calories.

Remember, a "meal" doesn't have to be something that takes you 30+ minutes to prepare. These are quick, easy options that go a long way in terms of reaching your physical goals (and helped one of my clients lose 10 pounds in 21 days):

Here they are....

Hummus and veggies (Tribe is a good product we often get in the store)
Plain yogurt blended with fresh or frozen fruit (it's your own, fruit flavored yogurt -- except this has real fruit, not sugary junk like most on the market)
Adventure Boot Camp Trail Mix -- fresh fruit, raw nuts, sprinkle of dried coconut (if you like coconut)
Hardboiled egg and fruit -- sprinkle some salt and pepper on the egg, even cayenne pepper if you want some kick, and enjoy the ENTIRE egg with a piece of fruit.
Cottage cheese and fresh fruit (try the whipped options if the "chunks" bother you).

There you go! Easy to prepare, fast options that will support your health, fitness and body transformation goals!!

Have an awesome weekend and once again, Thank You for being a part of Adventure Boot Camp for Women!!

And for those who have registered for the July 6th session, we look forward to seeing you in 10 days!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Nice Work Today!

2009-06-25T11:35:00.003-04:00

If you were in camp today, your heart rate might still be thumpin’ a bit, and your core might be talkin’ to you tomorrow (just a bit).

We worked it, eh?

And hopefully the change of pace was fun for you!!

Before we get into today’s email, here are a couple quick reminders:

Tomorrow’s Boot Camp! Tomorrow we will start camp with the one-minute push up and 1-mile cardio challenge - do your best and you will surely notice improvement over the previous evaluation!

The challenges are not about comparison to others, but rather comparison to you! It’s always thrilling to see someone shave a minute off the mile cardio challenge, or go from 7 pushups to 17…in just 3 weeks!!

Then after the challenges we’ll go through the workout designed by the Survivor Tribe champs…and then immediately after camp we’ll have our…

Boot Camp Celebration – please join your fellow campers in celebrating your success. We will be passing out Adventure Boot Camp Dog Tags, photo's, and a few award!!

Also, if you didn’t receive the email yesterday to schedule your evaluation, please contact Leigh at leigh@healthstylefitness.com to get scheduled right away as spots are filling up fast! (If you prefer calling, you can reach Leigh at 937-458-3673 ext 111).

And now, in an attempt to clarify the confusion over carbohydrates…let’s discuss…

Earning Your Carbs!

A couple of days ago I was talking with a boot camper who was really confused about carbohydrates.

Frankly, it’s easy to see why.

For years the popular diets encouraged us to eliminate carbs or at the least to minimize them.

These diets were essentially telling us that ‘carbs make us fat’!

Hmmmmm…..

Yes, they certainly can add to our waistline, if we eat too many (but that’s true anytime we eat more calories than we burn).

Carbohydrates truly are incredible for you ...

... or they can be terribly bad for you.

An apple is a carbohydrate. Strawberries, blueberries, and every other piece of fruit and vegetable are carbohydrates.

So are soda, cookies, cakes, and pastries.

There is obviously a big difference among those.

The key with carbs -- they should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving and less than 5 grams of sugar. PER SERVING.

And the other key is to "earn them" -- and that means through exercise.

Think of your muscles like the engine in your car. And carbohydrates like the gas that fuels your engine.

Your engine requires gas if you want to drive. Likewise, your muscles require carbs if they want to move.

If your car just sat in the garage and was never used, it wouldn't need gas. But the more you drive it, the more gas you need.

The more you move, the more carbohydrates you need. Hence the reason I say "earn your carbs." Earn them through physical activity.

And the key is that most of them should come from fruits and veggies -- that's how you get to the levels we recommend -- a minimum of 10/day (fruits & veggies combined).

Make sense?

And one more thing…bleached, enriched & processed carbs, when you eat them, it’s like putting regular unleaded gas into a high performance sports car that requires premium unleaded.

Our bodies are high performance machines. Yes, they will run on crappy fuel, but you’ll need MORE of it (leading to too many calories), and our body’s won’t respond well on the junky fuel.

Put the right fuel into your body, and you feel great, you experience optimal energy, reduced stress, and function at your peak capacity!!

So, stock up on fruits, veggies, 100% whole grains, and you’ll be ready to take on the world!

And I also recommend raw nuts ... I say “raw” because there is nothing added. No oils, sugars, salt, or other flavorings.

There is 1 ingredient -- nuts. That's what I love and they are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and loads of antioxidants.

Portion them out (1 ounce or the amount you could fill in an Altoid Tin container – you know, those curiously strong mints), combine them with a piece of fruit, and you've got a perfect small meal.

Alright, again tonight get lots of rest – it’s been an intense week.

We’ve got one more session tomorrow, then it’s the weekend!! Oakley & Florence, remember 2 make-up days next week…Springboro one make-up on Monday…and Blue Ash, you all get to rest all of next week. You all have earned it!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Info for Tomorrow’s Camp…

2009-06-24T13:02:00.002-04:00

Nice work again today!

Should you every find yourself stuck in the mud or snow, you now have experience pushing a heavy vehicle!! And that’s something you can be proud of, for sure!!

CardioBlitz & Ab Blast is Tomorrow!

You will only need your mat tomorrow, so you can leave your dumbbells in the car until Friday morning.

Tomorrow will be a little different in that we’ll be focusing on elevating your heart rate and working your abs in a fun format. For those who love strength training, you’ll get plenty of that too!

Get to bed early tonight, be fully rested for tomorrow. A few of the campers in the Oakley group look worn out! Take care of yourself – remember that sleep is a foundational component of a healthy, fully functional, vibrant body.

It’s Post-Camp Evaluation Time!

Later today we’ll be sending a separate email for you to sign into scheduling system to get set up for your post camp evaluation. We have times open on Friday and Saturday morning…as well as next week.

Make sure you schedule your evaluation soon as the times typically fill up quickly!!

For those who are registered for the July 6th boot camp session, we’ll use your post-camp evaluation as your starting place for the July session.

And speaking of the next camp session, we currently have 12 spots available in the Oakley camp before it’s officially sold out. If you are planning on keeping your momentum going into the next camp session, you can Click Here to register for camp and by-pass the long health/medical history registration form (as long as your history hasn’t changed).

If you are an annual boot camper, you’re all set for the next session!

Boot Camp Celebration on Friday!

Please join us on Friday, immediately after camp to celebrate your great work over the past 4 weeks!

We’ll be sharing some coffee while I pass out a few awards, your Adventure Boot Camp dog tags, and our group photo!

And don’t forget, although we’ll celebrate on Friday, Oakley and Florence still have 2 sessions next week – Monday and Tuesday; and Springboro has one session on Monday – same time and place!!

And finally, earlier this morning I sent out the daily update – if you missed it, you can read it here: What is a Calorie?

Have a great Wednesday – we’ve been working hard the past 10 days – give your body some rest this evening so you can maximize your efforts over the next 2 days!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

The Power of Social Support & A Positive Mindset...

2009-06-23T08:23:00.002-04:00

Whooooweee, I love to observe 10/10/10!!

This simple workout transforms sleepy, groggy, not fully functioning individuals into vibrant, enthusiastic, high-energy, awesome, feeling great and ready to take on the world women!

Exercise is truly the very best way to start the day! Yeah, I’m biased, but I think I can make a fairly good case for its ability to jump start the day in a very positive way!

Speaking of positive…

Yesterday I had a stimulating conversation with a friend talking about the power of social support.

Essentially, it’s the power of influence – when you hang out with friends who are positive, we tend to absorb their positive outlook.

Think about someone you know that you absolutely love to hang out with – someone with great energy & enthusiasm. Generally that person has lots of friends due to her positive nature. When you’re with that person you feel good, her energy has a direct impact on your energy.

Research shows that when you surround yourself with people who are successful, happy, fit (or whatever you strive to become), you become more like them.

And on the flip side, research also suggests if your friends are negative, overweight or gossipy, you will be too.

But if they have healthy habits, again, you too will follow.

In a nutshell, that’s social support. You're surrounded by the your friends' influence.

And we all deserve to be surrounded by positive, successful, uplifting support and positive energy every day.

Likewise, strive to minimize negative conversations -- whether it's gossip, politics, body image, etc. That negative downward spiral is a slippery slope that can lead to a place none of us want to go.

If you have a friend who is down, pick her up. Help her focus on all the positives her life life vs. the negatives.

Encourage her to surround herself with successful, positive, uplifting people.

So, how does the social support help with fat loss?

We all need positive influences in our lives. Others who support our goals vs. knocking them down, or putting up way too many road blocks, making it a seemingly impossible struggle.

You start the day off perfectly -- boot camp is the first thing you do -- you're surrounded by dozens of other women working towards similar goals.

The key is then to continue with that positive energy you receive from camp and you will achieve whatever you want. Just when any negative thought crosses your mind -- reframe that thought into a positive one.

For example, we have several veteran boot camp ladies who struggle every day with various joint pain.

I spoke with one women in particular this morning – she may need knee surgery in the future, her ankle is swollen and tender right now.

But when I asked her how her knees were holding up during 10/10/10, in her usual positive manner she focused on the weight that she’s lost (reducing the stress on her knees) and how good she’s feeling by starting each day with exercise.

That's the power of a positive mindset! She could complain about the discomfort, but instead focuses on the good stuff she’s experiencing.

And she’s not alone – we all have challenges that we could focus on all day long, but that’ll only make us feel miserable.

Remember, whatever situation you are facing, there are still positives.

Think of what you DO HAVE, rather than what you don't; what you CAN DO vs. what you can't; what IS POSSIBLE instead of what isn't.

We all have positive things in our lives, regardless of what life may bring – it’s our job to focus on those good things we do have.

Here’s a short video on the creating a positive focus through powerful questions! If you can develop a daily ritual of asking these questions, how cool would your life be?

Boot camp radically changes how you feel – just notice the difference in how you feel at 5:30am versus 6:30am – it’s a very different feeling. When you add to that feeling a positive focus throughout the remainder of your day, regardless of life’s circumstances, that’s when life becomes incredible.

Sometime today, watch that video and really answer the questions, and notice how you feel (probably not a good exercise while you’re working, unless your boss and co-workers aren’t around)!!

Have an AWESOME Tuesday - See you tomorrow for our final Bring a Friend Wednesday!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

3 Strategies to Minimize Over Eating...

2009-06-22T08:12:00.004-04:00

Welcome to week 4! Hard to believe we’re in the last week of camp already, huh?

Well this is the week we’re mixing things up a lot to keep your body guessing in order to maximize your 4-week results!

So tomorrow we’ll do the often requested, 10/10/10. Ten exercises, ten reps for each exercise, striving to go through ten rounds of all ten exercises. It’s fun. It’s intense. You’ll work your muscles and heart rate, big time, but at your own challenging pace!

Ok, so now it is official! Summer started yesterday, June 21. And what a great way to kick it off with Father’s Day!

My wife and I had my parents over for a grill out – and this is sort of funny, it was the first time I’ve actually prepared food on a grill! I’ve never even owned a grill.

So Saturday I found myself at Lowe’s learning about grills, and thankfully, my father is an incredible cook, so he showed me the ropes in terms of preparing tasty food on the new grill.

Hey, I can’t believe I waited this long, grillin’ is fun!

And summer is the season for lots of outdoor festive eating – and that fun can easily turn into over indulgence & guilt if you’re not prepared.

As you've heard me say more than once, one eating episode (like a barbeque or Father’s Day cook out) won't break you. What's important is that you return to healthy eating behaviors at the very next meal.

You don't want to wait until Monday morning....

You never want to rationalize, "well, I blew it, I might as well give up now"...

And you certainly don't want to beat yourself up over the choices you've made.

Balance means that you allow yourself to indulge every once in a while and when you do, you allow yourself to enjoy it.

Yet too often, I see clients set themselves up for a vicious cycle of indulgence and deprivation. They "rationalize" their behavior so they can indulge when they have a party, a social event... or just because they want to. Once they've indulged, they feel so guilty, they end up doing a 180 and deprive themselves for days. Once they feel they've punished themselves sufficiently or been "good" for awhile, they repeat the cycle. And guess what?

It doesn't work. Days of restriction or over-exercising don't compensate for the overindulgences. What's worse is they begin to tell themselves things that aren't necessarily true.

They say:

“I have no willpower”

“I can't resist sweets”

“I'm bound to gain this weight back....”

The irony is, the more they say these things, the more they do these things. And, the more they do these things, the more true those statements become. They actually think them into action!

So, today I am challenging you to step out of your own way.

Create an action plan for handling difficult situations - whether that's a party, an office luncheon, or the chocolate cake staring you down in your kitchen or the donuts that co-worker brought in for his birthday.

Identify those situations that lead to overeating or skipping workouts. Write them down.
Come up with 3 strategies you can use to either avoid that situation OR handle that situation differently. (If you are having a hard time with this, email us and we can help!).
Practice implementing those strategies.

How you see yourself, and what you say to yourself are just as important as the behaviors you choose each and every day.

And we hope you choose to see the awesome, strong women you are!

Some very simple, but highly effective strategies to avoid over-eating (emotional eating, stress-induced eating, eating out of boredom, social excessive eating) include:

Going for an easy 10 - 20 minute walk. Movement often quells emotional hunger and allows you to focus on something other than food. And it takes you away from the eating environment.
Reading something you enjoy. From fiction to non-fiction, your focus moves away from food and toward something that is of keen interest to you.
Review your health and fitness goals, along with one key action step you want to take right away, or the next day. Again, this focuses you on where you’re going, on something positive, in lieu of the food. And, studies show that when you focus on your goals before bedtime, you achieve them at a much higher rate – a win/win strategy.
Load up on the fruits and veggies at a party - almost every social function has a fruit or veggie tray. And when you eat those healthy options, it leaves a lot less room for the less healthy options.

Remember, eating when distracted (watching TV, checking email or facebook, and social settings like parties) leads to 30% more consumption – so, always have an awareness of your eating environment. Your kitchen or dining room table is the best place to eat.

Great start this morning to a great week 4 at camp!!

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow for 10/10/10!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Next Week at Camp…

2009-06-19T12:54:00.004-04:00

Great work today and phenomenal job this third week of camp!!

Survivor camp is all about working hard, non-stop for an entire hour, and that you did!

And next week, we’ve got some more fun in store:

Monday we’ll have a kicked up base camp routine.\

Tuesday we’ll be doing 10/10/10 – 10 exercises, 10 repetitions for each exercise, and 10 rounds of all ten exercises. You’ll go at your own individual pace on Tuesday.

Wednesday we’ll have our final Bring A Friend Day.

Thursday will be the CardioBlitz and Ab Blast day for some heart pounding, mid-section shaping fun!
And, Friday we’ll do our 1-minute pushup and 1-mile cardio challenge, then the workout design by the Survival Tribe that completed today’s challenges first, and then Adventure Boot Camp Celebration!!

It’ll be another awesome week!!

So, if you are a 5-day per week camper, your body is likely very tired after this intense week of camp. Get some rest this weekend – always remember, the most effective way to bring about positive change in our health, fitness and body is to work intensely, push beyond current fitness levels, then give the body the nutrition and recuperation it needs to get stronger, healthier, fitter, and leaner. Down time is now needed.

And that downtime not only reduces fatigue, but also stress. In times of stress, cortisol is triggered, which increases your appetite and promotes fat deposits around your midsection. Not only does this keep you from improving your abs, studies have shown extra belly fat is also associated with heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. So, make sure you take a break this weekend!

Make-up Boot Camp Sessions:

After next week, the Springboro Adventure Boot Camp will have a make-up day on Monday, June 29. The Oakley and Florence camps will have make-up days on Monday AND Tuesday, June 29 & 30. Please mark these days on your calendar.

"Live" Nutrition Workshop!

For anyone who would like an opportunity to join me tomorrow morning at 9:30am for our "Live" nutrition workhop here in the fitness studio, please reply to this email. We'll be offering a bonus session to allow you to hear the important components of eating healthy for losing body fat, and ask any questions you may have. There are 6 spaces open, availabe on a first come basis.

And finally, with a week remaining (and some change for Springboro, Oakley and Florence), how are you going to finish Adventure Boot Camp for Women? Revel in your accomplishments in the first 3 weeks of camp, and then make a decision today to finish STRONG next week!

Take 2 minutes to watch this inspirational video about finishing strong, regardless of your current challenges: http://www.swiftpage1.com/SpeClicks.aspx?X=2T0JJPDXDX0UFI6900Y9WW.

Have an incredible, and relaxing, weekend!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Tomorrow's Boot Camp...

2009-06-18T10:41:00.003-04:00

One more workout, then it’s the weekend!!

And tomorrow will be fun.

We want to mix it up a bit and create a little variety, so we’ve got Survivor Camp all queued up for you!

When you come in tomorrow you’ll check in with your instructor who’ll give you a colored band that you can put around your wrist. We’ll then show you where your tribe is setting up their mats and dumbbells.

Each tribe will then have 24 challenges to complete – some challenges will be for a time period, others for a number of repetitions.

And the tribe who finishes all 24 challenges first, will claim ownership to the coveted yard gnome (click here) until the next Survivor Camp (sometime in July or August)!! They’ll also be awarded the opportunity to design next Friday’s workout.

So, be prepared to have fun, crank up your heart rate and work your muscles intensely! And you might even find yourself engaged in some friendly group chants!! We’ll see...

And tomorrow, immediately after Survivor Camp, we’ll take a group photo – remember to wear your pink Adventure Boot Camp shirt for the picture!!

Alright, as I was leaving camp this morning I had a conversation with a lady that was wondering what she could eat quickly for a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.

Essentially, successfully nutrition all starts and ends with proper planning. You’ve heard the saying, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”? Well that statement couldn’t be more true when it comes to eating in a manner that energizes the body while allowing you to lose any unwanted fat.

How many times how we found ourselves hungry, but without a healthy choice readily available? When the body is ready to eat, we tend to consume whatever we can find first! And if you don’t have a healthy option, that’s when trouble happens!

Here are two options:

Always have on hand a good quality meal replacement shake. As many times as you may have heard me talk about shakes, they can be a life-saver (or at least a nutrition-saver). They are easy to make - shaker bottle + water + scoop of protein shake = meal done, 30 seconds or less!

Prepare a recipe that you can use several times during the week. My wife and I like to prepare our food for the week on Sundays and we always make several servings to give us healthy options, regardless of how busy we may get during a crazy week.

Need a recipe that works perfectly in a pinch?

Tasty Veggie Protein Rice

Typically rice is filled solely with carbohydrates, but this recipe loads quality whole grain rice with protein and fibrous carbs. Egg whites, broccoli, celery, mushrooms, onions and spinach mix with brown rice to create a tasty, filling and healthy meal or quick snack. Top with salsa for an extra flavor kick.

Servings: 2 (remember, you can double or quadruple the recipe and have several meals/snacks for the week)

Here's what you need...

1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 diced celery stalks
1 cup raw spinach
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
1/4 cup long-grain brown rice
6 egg whites

Steam the broccoli until just tender. Coat a medium sized pan with cooking spray, add the steamed broccoli, chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, diced celery, and raw spinach. Cook on medium heat until the spinach has cooked.
Add the chicken broth, soy sauce and rice to the vegetable mixture and simmer until the liquid is gone.
Add the egg whites and stir until the eggs are completely cooked.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 380 calories, 1.8g fat, 54g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 33.1g protein

One serving = a full meal, ½ serving makes for a perfect snack.

Always be prepared with healthy food options at work, when you travel, even at home, and you’ll rarely find yourself in that dreaded situation where you NEED to eat, and the closest option is the snack box at work, or the McDonald’s down the street.

Have an awesome Thursday, and get fired up for Survivor Camp in the morning!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

How Many Calories Did We Burn Today?

2009-06-17T13:42:00.004-04:00

So, how are you feeling? Remember last Friday I mentioned that we were kicking things up a bit this week?

Now, always keep in mind that you can take a break as needed. Go at your personal best – hard if you need to, easy or rest when you need to recover.

Adventure Boot Camp is all about challenging you where you are today. Tomorrow, next week or next camp you’ll be better than today – it’s just how the body responds to stimulus (exercise). Every day you’re getting better and better. Stay after it, where ever you are today, you’re doing well!

Okay, I’m super-excited about the remainder of the week. Tomorrow will be fun, and then Friday will take fun to the next level.

On Friday everyone will join a tribe to take on Survivor Camp! Each tribe will have a tribal leader and will be knocking out several challenges as a group.

Then after Survival Camp, we’ll be taking a group photo that everyone can keep as a reminder of your hard work during your 4-weeks at Adventure Boot Camp! Don’t forget to wear your pink boot camp shirt on Friday.

So, in our remaining time together, what kind of results are you after?

Fat loss?

Strength gains?

Enhanced energy?

The ability to function better in life?

Maybe all of the above! Makes sense -- these are all positive changes for sure!But what does it take to get you there?

Well, nutrition. We’ve covered that one for sure. And that brings up a question that comes up regularly. Just how many calories do we burn in boot camp?

You know, some of the gym equipment has fancy-schmancy calorie readouts saying just what your sweat is "earning" you -- well, those machines are crazy wrong, they way over estimate calorie expenditure. In fact, when Leigh raced the Quarter Pounder with Cheese last week, the treadmill said 55 calories, and her bodybugg said 28. Huge discrepancy!

And in talking with campers who are wearing the bodybugg arm bands during camp (the ones also being use by the Biggest Loser contestants), calorie burn is in the neighborhood of 320 - 500+ calories on any given day. This of course varies with what we do each day, but on days we have intense movements like mountain climbers, burpees, lateral shuffles, suicides, and multiple movement exercises (Like the lunge side raise) it bumps it up a bit. It also depends on how much effort YOU put in. But 400 - 500ish is a good average.

So, does that mean you eat an extra 500 calories each day to make up for your loss? Not if you want results.

In fact, if you make no other dietary changes, that 500 calorie deficit each day of camp would theoretically equate to about 1 lb of weight loss each week. Over the course of a 4 week camp, it would come to around a 4 lb weight loss.

If, on the other hand, you add more calories to your diet because you rationalize that you "need it" with the extra activity, you'll likely maintain your body weight. And, yes, there is more to it than just body weight, but we wanted to cover this important question.

Speaking of nutrition, we got a question from a camper asking about the added nutrients that you need, now that you're active.The answer may surprise you.

Nothing. You don't need anything additional.

What you DO need is to continue to clean up your diet. Ramping up your fruits and veggies, replacing junk carbs for quality grains, and crappy fats for clean ones, is really all you need.

So here are the 5 strategies that will guarantee results:

Aim for 10 fruits and veggies (total) daily (yes, that says 10 per day).
Replace all calorie containing beverages with their non caloric equivalent (water with cut up fresh fruit is amazingly refreshing).
Ramp up the intensity of your training (got that one covered).
Practice active recovery on your off days -- if you're 3 days/week, include other activities on those off days, if you're 5 days/week, choose to be active on a weekend day.
Replace any junk carbs (white bread, white flour based products, soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juice, sugar, etc) with whole fruit or veggies (that will help you achieve #1 as well).

If you can do all 5 of the above, you will see great results! You’ll increase your energy, you’ll be amazed at how good you feel, and yes, your body’s appearance will be changing in very positive ways.

If you add a multi-vitamin, great! If you add a protein shake in each day, awesome. But there’s nothing that you need to add to your diet if you’re eating clean. There is nothing that you can consume that will burn or melt fat. And if a supplements promises a great workout, be careful – anytime you “ramp up” on an energy drink or pill, there are side effects (some mild, some more severe).

A healthy, clean diet delivers the BEST results. Period!

Alright, awesome efforts were notices from Springboro to Blue Ash into Oakley and down into Florence this morning. Stay after it…we’ve got some more fun in store this week!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

How to Eliminate the "Stubborn" Areas...

2009-06-16T13:21:00.002-04:00

Ouch!! Those hips and glutes got some serious work this morning! And some of you realized quickly that there’s some lingering soreness from yesterday’s routine!All that emphasis will certainly firm up those targeted areas...but to reduce those areas, that's what the other 23 hours in the day is all about.

Today's article was written to clear up the confusion about reducing trouble areas. Please go to http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Spot-Reduction.html to learn the truth about spot reduction!

And as you know by now, exercise brings with it a whole host of positive benefits from feeling better, to enhancing health and energy, reducing stress, to increasing personal and professional productivity, reducing illness (the list goes on forever), yet nutrition is the critical link that allows the body to lose excess, unwanted body fat. Last week’s video demonstrating how easy it is to out eat your exercise drove home that point!

Would you like another resource for making better food choices? If so, you’ve got to watch the trailer for the new movie, Food, Inc here: http://www.foodincmovie.com/.

In fact, this is such an important film that we're going to organzie a group viewing – more info to come!

Bring A Friend Tomorrow!

Tomorrow you can bring your best friend, sister, mom, daughter, co-worker, or neighbor to join in the fun - she'll be seriously impressed with what you're doing every morning at 5:30am!

Have an incredible Tuesday, see you in the morning, bright and early!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Are You Feeling Good?

2009-06-15T09:33:00.005-04:00

Great work today – Monday workouts are awesome in that they transition us from a relaxing weekend into a productive and energy filled week.

Sometimes getting started on Monday morning is a challenge, but anytime something feels challenging, that’s the perfect cue that we need to face the challenge head on.

Yeah, in the moment it’s easier to stay in bed and justify that you’ll come to camp tomorrow. But you know the difference in how you feel mentally, emotionally, psychologically and physically when you workout.

One of my favorite motivators, Tony Robbins, says: “Our destiny is created in the moments of our decisions.”

What decisions can you make today that could take your life to a new place? What decisions have you been putting off that you know deep down you need to take?

I know, some will read this and just blow off those questions, and that’s okay, but if you’re real & honest with yourself, what could you do today to make your life better?

We’re officially at the half way point in camp.

Time for reflection…

What have you done well in the first half of camp?

What could you do to improve even more over the next 2 weeks?

Seriously, take a moment to reflect and establish 1 or 2 things (maybe challenging spots for you) that you can really hone in on over the final 2 weeks of camp. Yes, I know you might be at work, or chasing the kids around right now, but find a few minutes today for reflection on what you’ve done well, and where you’d still like to go in our time together.

Some suggestions might be:

Going for momentary muscle failure on the second and third sets of each series. It doesn’t matter how much weight your holding, just that you get to muscle failure toward the end of each exercise in sets 2 and 3.
Getting perfect attendance in the final 2 weeks of camp.
Going for a 20 minute walk or jog before dinner to burn a few more calories, inject some more energy and curb your appetite a bit.
Eating only fruits and veggies when you feel the need to snack.
Reviewing your goals twice throughout the day.
Eliminating excessive sugar or unnecessary late night eating or eating when bored or eating while distracted (eating in front of the TV or Computer leads to 30% more consumption!).

Whatever it is, focus on it every day. This isn’t hocus-pocus, this actually works!!

Announcements!!

On Wednesday, we have our second Bring A Friend days at camp - feel free to bring your girlfriend, sister, mom, daughter, co-worker, or neighbor to join in the fun!

On Friday we’ll run Survivor Camp and then have photo day where we take a picture of the group – plan on wearing your pink Adventure Boot Camp shirt for the picture!

Alright, the first workout of our third week of camp is in the books – kudos to you for kicking off your week with some heart-pounding, energy-boosting, feel-good exercise!!

Oh, and speaking of feeling good, did you see the USA Today article on exercise and feeling good long after the workout is over?? If you missed it, check it out here!

Have a great Monday!! Remember to set 1 or 2 key areas that you’d like to improve over the next 2 weeks… and we look forward to seeing you in the morning!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Back into The Groove...

2009-06-12T07:59:00.002-04:00

Boy does it feel good to get back into the swing of camp!!

Today we did a full body routine and added a little intensity to make up for missed time.

Although we cannot control Mother Nature, for me the worst part of having a rain out day is the interruption in momentum.

This issue isn’t ‘well I missed my workout and now I’ve lost my gains (in fitness) or I’m gaining weight’. It doesn’t happen that way. We don’t get fat in a day, a week, or even a month.

It’s a slow accumulation process over a long period of time. We can’t get fit or fat in a day!!

But the issues is more mental and psychological. We feel good after a workout and that’s been interrupted a bit this week.

So, here’s what we can do – stay focused on why you joined Adventure Boot Camp – keep reviewing your goals and know that anytime we have an interruption, we just have to get right back on that “horse” the very next day.

The absolute worst thing that can happen is when we let an interruption completely through us off course for a long period of time.

Let’s focus on what we do have – 2 full weeks of camp + 2 make up days on June 29 & 30. That’s a lot of kicked up exercise left. Today (and next week) we have the opportunity to create a foundation of positive momentum, one that can carry us through for a very long time.

All you have to do is get back on that horse. Get back into the routine. Know your powerful reasons why you want to get fit. And we’ll get there!

And, today was a great start!!

And speaking of momentum … how’s your nutrition coming along? Are you taking the steps each day to nourish & energize your body with low-fat proteins, wholesome grains & lots of fruits and veggies? If you’re shooting for a weight loss goal, are you achieving a 500 – 1000 calorie deficit each day? Are you writing down everything you put in your mouth?

Stay focused on quality nutrition – it’s the key to your success.

In fact, here’s a silly, but impactful video on how easy it is to out eat your exercise. Click here to watch Leigh on the treadmill race Gabe eating McDonald’s!

Have a great weekend – we look forward to seeing you on Monday, bright and early!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Awesome Workout!

2009-06-10T10:20:00.003-04:00

Great workout today!

If you brought a friend, please encourage her to walk a lot today and tomorrow as she’ll likely be feeling that same soreness you experienced last week. The glutes, hips, hamstrings and biceps got some SERIOUS attention today!

And tomorrow, we’ll shift our attention to the quadriceps (thigh), chest, shoulders, triceps (back of the arms), core, and definitely your heart rate!

We’ll be doing a new routine where we do some pushups at one end of our parking lot, then we’ll do some type of strength/cardio exercise across the parking lot (like a walking lunge, or lateral shuffle) to the opposite side. Then more pushups…and we’ll keep going back and forth at your own pace.

We tested the routine on Saturday morning and it really cranks up the heart rate, while shaping and toning your body.

Thinks to keep in mind: (1) go at your own pace, (2) you can rest at any time, (3) we can modify any exercise in the series, and (4) make it as challenging as is appropriate for you.

So, we’ll be shooting for 10 pushups each time we’re at the end of the parking lot, which is a change from the video we showed last Friday. (Click here to watch the video again).

And, remember, if 10 pushups is too much, then you can stop at whatever number of pushups is appropriate for you. Okay?

Alright, yesterday I got a lot of questions about weight loss, so I’m going to get into a little more Q & A:

Q: Brian, my question to you is what is a good breakfast cereal to eat? Are any of them good?

A: As we talked about yesterday, most breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar and high in processed/refined carbs, ones that can slow the body’s natural fat loss process and can lead to food cravings. Look for cereals that contain 5 or fewer grams of sugar/serving, and have a least 3 grams of whole grains, and ideally do not have “bleached” or “enriched” in their ingredients.

Personally, I love whole oats, heated up with water, then I add ¾ of a scoop of the Beverly International chocolate protein powder. Sometime I’ll add a small handful of almonds in too – if this sounds unapplealing to you, give it a try. It’s surprisingly very good! And you’re feeding your body two super foods (whole oats – from the oval can, not those sugar added small packet varieties; and almonds) and getting sufficient protein as well!

I also like whole grain shredded wheat (NOT the ones with frosting on one side) and the low sugar variety of cheerios. Remember, you can add in some tasty protein powder to sweeten it up a bit if you need.

Q: I feel more toned in general but have not lost any weight so far. I am eating better also. So my question is when on average should a camper start to see some weight loss? I'm assuming there is some exchange of fat and muscle in the beginning, but when can one expect weight loss?

A: Good question! Yes, there is a trade-off in the early stages of starting a fitness routine, combined with eating in a manner that supports body fat reduction. The bathroom scale simply cannot distinguish between positive gains and negative losses. Focus first on how you feel and how clothing fits. Pick a favorite outfit of yours that might be a little snug right now…and use it as a gauge. In other words, try it on every so often, and you should find that it starts to fit better.

And, to really understand what’s going on in your body right now, click here to get the full scoop!

But, always remember, you must have a calorie deficit to lose unwanted body fat!

Q: Please share some examples of foods 'that take longer to break down and require more energy to digest'.

A: Alright, so here is a list of 10 more Super Foods that should surely be a part of your regular lifestyle (in no particular order). Remember, exercise without proper nutrition will lead to frustration in terms of losing unwanted pounds -- nutrition is where all the action is!

1. Spinach -- it's dark, it's green, and it's loaded with nutrients. Add a handful to eggs or egg whites in the morning, use it as a base for salads, add handfuls into spaghetti sauce (it will cook down to nearly nothing).
2. Raw walnuts -- they're a healthy source of fat, pack some quality protein, and those who eat 1 serving each day weigh less. How's that for some incentive?
3. Green tea – great source of anti-oxidants, speeds metabolism and so much more. But, it has to be actual brewed green tea, not the bottled high sugar stuff with little actual green tea.
4. Blueberries -- since we're now in June, pick up some fresh blueberries and mix them in yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, or make a smoothie with them.
5. Sweet potatoes (and yams) -- technically they're not the same thing, but for our purposes we'll lump them together. We love the orange color; it's there because of a nutrient called beta carotene, which is great for your health! Use these in place of plain baked potatoes.
6. Wild salmon -- fresh or canned, it's a real doozy and packs a powerful dose of omega 3 fats and vitamin D, which are great for your heart, your skin, joint pain, and so much more. It's great on the grill in the summer or try canned salmon on a salad in the winter.
7. Broccoli -- this offers a unique ingredient called sulforophane. Just know that it's been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. Try it on salads, in eggs, or use it as a snack with hummus.
8. Black beans -- they're an excellent source of fiber, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and also adds some quality protein to the diet. Add 1/2 cup to salads, use them in soups, or add them to tacos to boost the nutrient quality.
9. Yogurt -- this has some "goodies" that your belly loves. Not the outside of your belly, but the inside -- the live bacteria in yogurt are fantastic treats for the good bacteria in your body. This is particularly true if you're on antibiotics. Watch the "fruit on the bottom" varieties, which pack more sugar than we'd like.
10. Red Bell Peppers (and orange and yellow) -- remember, we like dark colored veggies and fruits. Each of these have unique colors because of their vitamin and mineral content. Try a veggie wrap with hummus, add them to an omelet, or top a salad with them.

Wow, another long email. But, I’d rather be accused of being “long-winded” than accused of not providing enough information to support your efforts in achieving your very best health, fitness & body!

And by the way, when was the last time your gym emailed you every day?

;)

Have an awesome Wednesday – and Get Ready for Some Serious Heart Thumping, Muscle Toning Fun tomorrow morning!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

Pushing Through the Challenge...

2009-06-09T08:12:00.003-04:00

Wow, today was a “challenging” workout, for sure!!

I love to say “challenging”, rather than hard or difficult, because we all are capable of pushing ourselves just a bit beyond our own current capabilities, and it’s that Challenge that allows our bodies to improve.

Going through the motions doesn’t stimulate improvement, it’s pushing through a challenge!!

Keep working diligently, bring your muscles to momentary muscle failure, push through, even if mentally you don’t think you have it. We’re always capable of more than we give ourselves credit for.

Don't Forget to Order Your Dog Tag!

Everyone has an opportunity to order an Adventure Boot Camp "Survivor" Dog Tag, and if you’re a first time camper, it’s highly recommended that you get one as a fun reminder of your boot camp experience and a token of your hard work and success during our 4-weeks together. Please click here to be included in the order, which will be placed today at 10am.

Bring A Friend Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our first of 3 Bring A Friend days at camp - feel free to bring your girlfriend, sister, mom, daughter, co-worker, or neighbor to join in the fun - she'll be seriously impressed with what you're doing every morning at 5:30am!

Okay, I’m going to share a few questions I’ve received over the past week…

Q: Why is frequent eating the recommendation?

A: A few reasons -- you want to keep your internal "furnace" going – think of your metabolism as a furnace – wholesome foods stoke your metabolism (sugar, bleached, processed, enriched foods do not). Eating more frequently also prevents you from reaching that intense starvation feeling where you can eat anything in the entire house.

Remember, an eating episode can be something like a handful of raw nuts and a piece of fruit, yogurt and fruit, veggies and hummus, etc. I’m not suggesting a buffet style meal each time you eat.

Q: Is Diet Coke Okay?

A: Well, I suppose it’s better than regular soda, from a calorie standpoint, for sure. I’d prefer everyone consumed lots of water, and some green tea; the less "artificial" ingredients we can put in our body, the better we'll be. After all, they are artificial...and there is some research that suggest diet drinks lead to weight gain - Click here for the video “Are Diet Drinks Killing Your Diet”

Q: What is metabolism? What can you do to improve it?

A: Metabolism is the sum of all metabolic processes in the body. Now you may be saying, "Thanks Brian - that textbook definition was clear as mud!” Okay, you want the non-textbook definition?

Well your total metabolism is made up by a number of things. You have:

1. Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) - the number of calories you burn by breathing, maintaining your cells, and keeping yourself alive. In general, REE is higher in men and younger individuals, individuals with more lean muscle tissue and taller individuals.

2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) - you burn more calories by eating and breaking down food than you do at rest. That's why nutrition experts suggest eating small, frequent meals throughout the day rather than 2-3 large ones; each time you eat, you get a little boost in your metabolism. And certain foods, like protein, have greater thermic effects than carbohydrate and fat. Now, I don't want to convey that means eat more food and live off protein - because you don't burn that many more calories and we absolutely need whole grain carbs and essential fat.

3. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) - this refers to the calories you burn in activities other than exercise. Walking, standing, pacing, shaking your leg when you sit at your desk, fidgeting. It all adds up. In fact, in a study done at the Mayo Clinic, researchers found that lean individuals expended 350 more calories per day than obese men and women because they spend on average about 2 1/2 hours more per day standing up and moving around!

4. Exercise Expenditure - the number of calories you burn doing exercise like boot camp, walking, running, etc. The higher the intensity of exercise, the greater the energy expenditure.

So, if you believe your metabolism isn't working for you, you do have many things within your control.

Make sure you're exercising -regularly. Got this one covered with Adventure Boot Camp.
Choose to move - on the days you don't have boot camp, or even when you do - decide to move more. Spend more time standing, walking, playing with the kids or grandkids - those calories add up over time.
Choose small frequent meals of lean protein and complex whole grain carbohydrates and whole fruits and vegetables that take longer to break down and require more energy to digest.

Make sense? Three take home points.

Everyone has a metabolism.
Exercising increases metabolism.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals that includes protein will increase metabolism.

Have an awesome Tuesday...we look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning for our first Bring A Friend Day!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

3 Foods that Sabotage Your Results...

2009-06-08T10:07:00.004-04:00

Welcome to week 2 of Adventure Boot Camp for Women!!

Nice efforts were witnessed in Oakley, Blue Ash, Springboro and Florence this Monday morning as we worked the hamstrings (back of the legs), glutes, hips, middle & upper back, biceps, core/abs and your heart rate!

Before we get into the 3 foods that sabotage weight loss efforts, a quick reminder:

Time to Order Your Dog Tag!

Everyone has an opportunity to order an Adventure Boot Camp "Survivor" Dog Tag, and if you’re a first time camper, it’s highly recommended that you get one as a fun reminder of your boot camp experience and a token of your hard work and success during our 4-weeks together. They are available to any camper (no cost) who would like one - just click here to be included in the order, which will be placed tomorrow at 10am.

Alright, so, as a personal trainer dedicated to helping people make fitness & nutrition modifications, you’ll hear me say at times, "everything in moderation."

But is that really true...

...or is "moderation" just an easy way for us to justify eating and exercise behaviors that won't lead to permanent fat loss success?

3 foods that sabotage weight loss.

As a whole, it’s okay to use term "moderation." But there are 3 foods that your body would be much happier without. And you may be shocked by these ...

Breakfast cereals
Smoothies
100 calorie snack packs

Let's delve into each of these a bit.

Breakfast - yes, it's the most important meal of the day and any hope of losing fat come to a screeching halt without it.

But breakfast cereals are JUNK! Well, 99% of them are. I don't care if the name is "Smart Start, Healthy Heart, Fat Loss Deluxe" - read the ingredient labels. Here's a food label of "Kellogs Smart Start Antioxidant" Cereal with 14 grams of sugar per serving...how is THAT going to give you a healthy heart? Frosted Flakes has less sugar per serving (and that's not a good choice either).

Instead, try this: 2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites, a handful of your favorite veggies (spinach, zucchini, squash, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc) mixed into an omelet. Add a sprouted grain English muffin on the side and you're good to go. This would be an ideal meal immediately after camp, or before you head off for your day.

Smoothies are next on the hit list of foods to avoid. I’m not saying meal replacement or protein shakes, but Smoothies…

For example, the Smoothie King website has specific smoothies for "Super Natural Mornings" – well, pardon my lousy use of English here, there ain't nothin' natural about starting your day with 108 grams of sugar and nearly 500 calories. To make it even worse, that is the SMALLEST size offered (just 20 oz).

JUST SAY NO!!

You want a real smoothie? Make your own - add 1 cup plain, non fat yogurt, fresh fruit of your choice, and a scoop of protein powder...voila, a truly healthy smoothie.

And last but not least, 100 calorie snack packs.

"But Brian," you say, "those are great for portion control."

An apple is portion control for less calories and far more nutrients.

A banana is portion control for better energy and more nutrients.

An orange is portion control for less calories and more nutrients.

Should I go on?

A small package of refined junky sugar is just, well, a smaller package of refined, junky sugar. Don't fall for the marketing scam!

Just like my wife said, if the package has to scream “Healthy Choice”, chances are really good that it’s a ploy to separate you from your money while giving your body a bunch of junk.

Eat real foods. Eat to fuel your body.

You can lose fat and eat the best foods in the world without relying on supplements, packaged junk, or marketing gimmicks!

So, let’s check in, how are you doing with your 2 or 3 nutrition improvements that you’re focusing on during your 4-weeks of camp? Are you on track? Do you need to refocus? If so, it’s okay, we’ve only begun week two, which means you have 3 weeks of time to dedicate to taking your health, fitness and well being to the next level!

And we’re here to help & support you on this journey.

Have a great Monday – while your friends are still recovering from the weekend, you're already off to a fantastic start to your week!!

See you tomorrow for some more heart pounding fun!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

A Preview of Next Week...

2009-06-05T09:41:00.003-04:00

The rain is gone and yeah it was a bit cooler starting camp this morning, but what a great finish to wrap up our first week of camp!!

So, you made it!! Day one probably feels like a long time ago, right?

You may have felt unsure or intimidated by the notion of starting camp on Monday, but now you know that you can do it!!

And, you’re just going to keep getting better. We’ve only just begun!

So, what should you do this weekend?

Well, if boot camp is new to you, then the answer is definitely rest. Allow your body to recover.

Exercise is positive stress applied on the body, but without sufficient downtime and repair, it will not improve.

So, you have been granted full permission to chill out this weekend. If you have kids, I realize that it won’t be a spa-like weekend, but at the very least, don’t try to squeeze in any focused exercise. A brisk walk or two is great. But beyond that, let the body enjoy some relaxation. Then you’ll be fully prepared for next week as we kick camp up a notch. (Click here for more…)

And for those who are curious, click here for a preview of something we’ll do toward the end of next week. Some of you will watch this short video and get really excited! Others, again, might doubt their abilities.

Here’s the thing – we’ll always provide modifications so that everyone can do it. Okay? And along with that, believe in your abilities. We are so much more capable than what we give ourselves credit for. You Absolutely CAN Do It!! Got it?

All you need to do, is give your best effort. That’s all that ever matters. And the really cool thing is, you will improve!!

Alright, it’s Adventure Boot Camp Dog Tag Order Time!!

We would like to give each camper an Adventure Boot Camp "Survivor" Dog Tag at the end of camp. I highly recommend that first time campers have one as it's a fun reminder of your boot camp experience. They are available to any camper who would like one. Please click here to be included in the order for dog tags. We'll be placing our order on Tuesday of next week, by 10am. Orders yours today – it’s a great way to commemorate your hard work and success at camp!

And finally, to wrap up an awesome first week of camp, I want to give you a homework assignment…

This first week of camp has been all about getting used to getting up early and working out at 5:30am.

And it’s been about understanding proper form and movement, and preparing your body (joints, connective tissue, muscles) for more advanced work.

So, in our first week together, 5 lb dumbbells has certainly been appropriate on some exercises. But, if that’s all you plan on using in camp, we’re going to have some issues!! Mainly, your progress! You are capable of more, starting on Monday!

Sure, there will be a few exercises where 5lbs is all you need (those arm circles we did today is a good example).

But, if you all you plan to bring to camp are 5 lb weights, your assignment then is to drive immediately to the store (Dick's or Exercise and Leisure) and buy bigger ones.

Realize that your PURSE weighs more than 5 pounds!

And always remember…

YOU ARE A STRONG WOMAN AND WILL NOT GET BIG, BULKY MUSCLES BY LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS ...AND FIVE POUNDS DOES NOT QUALIFY AS HEAVY.

In fact, in an ideal situation, we'd be able to bring an entire dumbbell rack to camp each morning so you could all pick much heavier weights.

Gwen Stefani, Annie Beck, Leigh Taylor Smith and Alicia Spencer use 25, 30, 35 pound dumbbells (and sometimes even more) on certain exercises!

When you perform the boot camp exercises, if you are not feeling the movement, meaning struggling, by 10 reps, your weights are too light. And be true to yourself -- if you want results, you'll be honest with yourself. You need to challenge your body to get results.

Compare this to getting a paycheck at a job.

If you want a raise, you have to go above and beyond to earn it. If you are a bean counter and count only 10 beans, everyday, you're not "earning" anything more than that. On the other hand, if you challenge yourself to count 1 more bean each day, you'll continue to improve.

Deal?

Now, I’m not advocating sloppy form -- great form, heavier weights. Week one has it’s purpose, but now we’ve got our foundation in place, and we’re moving on to better results!!

Have an awesome weekend – get some rest, heavier weights (if needed), and we can't wait to see everyone on Monday, bright and early!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

How's Your Backside Feeling??

2009-06-04T11:39:00.003-04:00

Wow, for the second time in 3 days, we really put the emphasis on the glutes, hips and hamstrings! Your biceps and upper arms got in a lot of action too!! And, we’re just one day from completing our first week together!! One more day, then it’s the weekend!

For Tomorrow…

Tomorrow we’ll start camp with our normal warm up, then we’ll go into a 1-minute pushup challenge, followed by a timed 1-mile run, jog or power walk. You get to choose the pace with which you perform both challenges – we do both to measure progress over the 4-weeks of camp.

When someone goes from 7 pushups to 24 in 3 weeks, it's a really empowering feeling. So, don’t stress about tomorrow. Everyone completes the 2 challenges to the best of their current ability. Then we’ll watch your ability improve in 3-weeks from tomorrow!

Crazy Marketing!

For those that have been in camp for awhile, you know that nutrition is more than half the battle when it comes to changing your body.

So let's talk about how easily we can all be duped...by the foods we love!

It's all in the marketing. It's incredible. And with over 50,000 products on grocery store shelves, it's no wonder ... they're all vying for your attention, essentially saying "hey, buy ME."

It's everywhere on food products and even with exercise equipment -- here are a few of our favorites.

"Made with whole grains"

"Light"

"Farm fresh"

"All Natural"

"Smart food"

And so on.

As we delve into this a bit -- the last one is a personal favorite, as a box of "Smart Food" was recently sent my way as a PR pitch. Smart Food is a new "healthy snack option" from the Frito Lay company.

It's popcorn. Popcorn without a ton of salt, and no butter, is actually an okay snack.

But when you turn over the package to read the food label on this “Smart Food”, THREE out of the first 5 ingredients are forms of sugar (invert turbinado sugar, brown rice syrup, and glucose polymers). What's funny is most wouldn't even recognize those as "sugar", but that's all they are...sugar, sugar, and sugar.

"BUUUUT it's SMART FOOD..." you say.

So I turned to my wife to complain about how marketing for these foods misleads people into eating garbage while thinking they’re doing something good, and she quickly retorted "...here's a rule of thumb, when a company has to "tell you" how great it's food is, it's probably crap!"

Hmmm, she's brilliant! How true!

How about "made with whole grains?"

Just because a product has whole grains somewhere on the label, it doesn't mean it's good. Fruit Loops boasts it's "made with whole grains."

If whole grain isn't the FIRST ingredient, there's not much in there. Carbohydrate based foods should have 3 or more grams of fiber PER SERVING.

Even Krispy Kreme makes a whole grain donut. Really?

Here's some more -- you'd think "Light" can mean light in calories, light in fat, or both ... but it can also mean "light in color." Yes, really.

Farm fresh? Useless. Go to a farmer's market and buy their foods -- THOSE are truly "farm fresh."

So here's the deal -- you don't have to worry about any of this when you follow one simple nutrition rule -- arguably the MOST important one we talk about.

Don't eat foods that have more than FIVE ingredients. You do this consistently, and you burn a few more calories than you take in, and you're guaranteed to get in the best shape of your life.

Easy enough, eh?

Okay, so I think the rain gods where happy with us today. Some rain before camp, then by the start of camp, it was done. If though, your mat was outside when it was still raining, make sure you leave it out to dry today.

Have a GREAT Thursday – and get ready for a fun conclusion to our first week of Adventure Boot Camp!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101

The Workout is Done!

2009-06-03T10:29:00.002-04:00

Nice work today!!

Doesn’t if feel awesome to know that your workout is “in the books” before most people struggle to get out of bed?

Others will start their morning sluggish, knowing that they “should” get a workout in, but they’ll think about all the stuff they “have to do” and reason that they just don’t have time for exercise.

Crazy, huh?

We know that exercise helps us feel good (mentally, emotionally, psychologically AND physically), reduces stress & fatigue, and supports us in being significantly more productive throughout our day. So really, who doesn’t have time for feeling better and being more productive?

Here’s a partial look at why starting your morning off with a vigorous workout is simply the best thing we can do:

You've certainly heard of the "runner's high" - that exhilarated feeling people get after a long, hard run. It's not a myth, and it's not just for runners. During exercise your body produces feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which foster a natural sense of well-being. It also decreases your cortisol, which is the hormone produced when your body reacts to stress. Cortisol is the culprit behind stress' many negative effects - anxiety, weight gain, elevated blood pressure and much more. You don't have to be a conditioned athlete to enjoy these benefits!
Exercise offers a healthy, natural outlet for your frustrations. What better way to release the tension than through a good, hard workout to knock out worry, aggravation and frustration?
Physical activity creates an opportunity to clear the mental cobwebs and the emotional baggage. Getting deep into your body during a workout will pull you out of your head, creating a Zen-like state that will continue well after your workout is finished. Getting out of your house and into a fun fitness setting gives you a fresh perspective and can set your thoughts on a more positive path. The mind and the body are incredibly closely connected - a healthy body goes a long way toward fostering emotional and mental health over the long term.
Interestingly, research shows that regular exercisers exhibit less physical response to stress. Now there's a positive thought!
Successful people exercise regularly. The renowned Dr. Ken Cooper has studied the impact of regular exercise on top executives for over 25 years. His research shows that CEOs who exercise consistently are significantly more productive, resistant to the demands of leadership, more successful & earn higher salaries than their sedentary counterparts.

So once again, congratulations to YOU for recognizing the benefits to kicking off your day with some fun, upbeat exercise!

Some More Resources for You!

Did you also know studies have shown that people who write down what they eat, lose more weight than those who don't keep track or don't keep track consistently? It seems as though we don't want to eat that 4th OREO when we have to record it, along with the fat and calories.

If you're not a pen and pad person, try one of following online food and exercise diaries. Here are a couple that we like:

www.fitday.com
www.nutridiary.com

In addition, if you aren't sure of how many calories and how much fat is in the food you just ate, you can look that information as well.

Check out http://www.calorieking.com/foods/.

Here’s to an awesome Wednesday!

See you in the morning, bright and early!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins

Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665, x-101