Holiday Body Blitz (Part 4 Holiday Parties)

We all live in both anticipation and fear of the holidays. Grandmas and Nanas and Nonas and

Great Aunts who can all whip up the best traditional feasts and pinch your cheeks as you eat it.

Unfortunately, you know that their secret ingredients are a 50/50 mix of love and lard. And if
it’s your turn to host this year, you can’t be the person who doesn’t have a full fridge, gallons of
eggnog, and at least a pound of turkey for each of your uncles and cousins. So how do we get
through the holidays without ruining all the work we did the rest of the year?

- Bring Your Own: At any type of party, bring a dish! Most parties I’ve been to are seriously
lacking in salads, fresh veggies, and fruits, so it doesn’t hurt to add some low calorie fare
to the high calorie indulgent foods. Nobody has to know your spinach dip is low calorie.

- Send them Home: If you are hosting the party, a very important action is to send your
guests home with food…don’t even ask; pack it for them and send them home with it.
That way you’re not left with tempting leftovers during the “hangover” period. If you’re
hosting a potluck, do some organized planning ahead of time. If 15 people are coming
over, you don’t need 15 dishes (especially because you know this ends up being at least
five plates of cookies and brownies). Once you have a couple appetizers, a couple side
dishes, and a dessert accounted for, just tell the rest of the people they can bring soft
drinks, plates, napkins, etc.

- Clear the Table: If you’re hosting, serve the meal in courses, clear the table and pack up
the leftovers immediately once everyone’s kind of “done eating” that course. If the
turkey, salad, potatoes, and desserts are all sitting there for three hours, you’re going to
have three servings. The longer it’s in front of you, the more of it you’ll eat.

- Go The Distance: Don’t sit within arm’s reach of the cheese plate. If you have to
stand up, put your drink down, and lean over Aunt Mary to get to them, you’re not
going to have as many.

- Cleaning Crew: Offer to help clean up when dishes need clearing during the meal or
afterwards. If you can spend some time in the sink and suds instead of in front of
whatever’s on the table, not only will you be your mom’s favorite for helping clean up,
you’ll eat a little less.

Holiday Body Blitz (Part 3 - Meal Protocols)

I’ve designed an extremely effective rapid fat loss meal protocols for you to follow. Stick to it religiously excluding the 10% cheats that you plan for yourself. YOU MUST STICK TO YOUR PLAN. ANYTIME YOU CHEAT NEEDS TO BE PLANNED. DO NOT BREAK THE RULES.


Rapid Fat Loss Meal Protocols

• 2 “Regular meals”

- Protein+greenvegetables+oil/fat

• 2 snacks

- Cheese, nuts, small shake, piece of fruit, greek yogurt or cottage cheese

• 1 “workout meal” within 1 hour after workout

- Protein+greenvegetables+starchy carbs

• Hyper hydration

- 16 ounces of water with each snack, 8 ounces with each meal

• Belly blasting boosting supplements every morning such as a B vitamin supplement and a green tea extract

The Do's and Don'ts of Holiday Eating

Thanksgiving has come and gone and the holiday season
is in full swing I know how hard it is to resist all
the celebrative eating and drinking (and the weight
gain that comes with it) so I put together for you an
awesome guide to eating during the holidays. I was going
to put this on my MVP Boot Camp Blog but decided to only
offer it to you as a subscriber to my e-mail list.

DON'T try to convince yourself that you're going to
eat less after the holiday event therefore it's ok to
eat what you want during the event. You will not have
as much motivation to diet once the event has passed.

DO eat smart for the 3-5 days leading up to the event.
You'll look even better when you turn up at the event
and you will feel less guilty when you enjoy yourself.

DO dress sexy. Wear something tight, do your hair up,
put on your highest heels etc. This way you will feel
less likely to indulge in a huge dinner.

DO position yourself as far away from the appetizer
table as possible

DO bring your own dish to the occasion. Nobody has
to know that it's healthy or low calorie and at least
you'll know how many calories and the ingredients that
are in it.

DO send people home with food if you are hosting a party.

DO sit at the table as far from the unhealthy food
options as possible. If you have to keep standing up,
putting your drink down and reaching across Madea to
grab a piece of bread you're not going to have as many
pieces as if it were right in front of you.

Stick to these guidelines and I promise you will
keep the weight off while everyone around you gains
another 4-8 pounds!

And if you want to actually LOSE weight during the
holidays like many of my personal Kettlebell Bootcamp
clients, then check this out.....

On Thursday I'll be opening up a special bootcamp
workout and nutrition plan that will actually help
you drop an entire pants size during the holidays
without being on a miserable diet.... and the best
part is that I'll be offering it at a RIDICULOUS price.

The only catch is that I can only take on 20 people.
Once these 20 spots are filled, I won't be able to
accept any more people until the New Year so keep your
eyes peeled on Thursday for this one time deal.

What makes us fat and how to avoid it

There are lots of things that can contribute to putting on weight or make it harder to slim down. Personal Trainer, Jamie Johnson tells us more.

Here are my top ten causes and what to do about them:

1. Eating too much
The most obvious cause, yet still the one hat most people tend to be in denial over. The easiest ways to reduce what you eat are to use a smaller plate, replace half your meal with extra vegetables and cut out unhealthy snacks.

Most people either eat too much or, more commonly, don’t realise that some of their favourite foods are actually very calorific. Mistakes such as eating too many carbs or eating foods high in saturated fats are easy to make and can be done completely unknowingly.

2. Drinking too muchThis usually extends to alcohol, but also sugary drinks like Coca-Cola. Did you know the average person will have to run for nearly two hours just to burn off the calories in a bottle of wine? I have seen clients shed pounds very quickly just by drinking half their usual weekly alcohol amount.

3. Stress
Being stressed causes the body to store fat, as well as having many other serious health effects. Therefore, dealing with stress is essential. Stress also has indirect effects such as making you less inclined to exercise or to comfort eat and drink more. It can also lead to…

4. Too little sleep
Studies have shown that people who sleep six hours per night or fewer are likely to be more overweight than contemporaries who sleep eight hours or more.

5. Getting olderAfter the age of 30 our bodies are slowly dying. Depressing isn’t it? Our metabolism slows down, cells regenerate less effectively and we need fewer calories.

Unless we are actively trying to do more exercise, we will find the same diet we ate in our twenties will be more than we need after 30, so we’ll gain weight.

6. Losing muscle
This is also linked to getting older, but can strike at any time if you change the way you train. If you drop regular weight training to do more aerobic exercise you may find you need fewer calories.

Conversely, adding weight training to your workout will help you lose weight more quickly than aerobic exercise alone.

7. Becoming less active
Do you spend more time at work? More time sat at a desk? More time sat in front of the TV because you feel tired? More time playing computer games? Drive places you used to walk or cycle to?

It can creep up on you and suddenly you find you are less active as you get older.

8. Crash dieting
Dieting makes you fat! Especially fad diets that involve only eating one food type or drinking lots of shakes. They work in the short-term because you eat far fewer calories, but as soon as you eat normally again you gain all the weight lost and a bit more.

The key is not to ‘diet’ but to learn to eat healthily in a way that can be sustained in the long-term.

9. Using the wrong scales
Not bathroom scales, but the wrong way to asses whether you have too much fat. According to weighing scales or the BMI measurement, Jonny Wilkinson is obese. The phrase ‘big boned’ is often used jokingly, but some people can be heavier on scales without actually being unhealthy.

The best way to assess whether you have unhealthy weight or fat to lose is to use a variety of measures, including an actual measurement of fat to assess whether the weight on the scales is unhealthy fat, or healthy muscle or bone.

10. MetabolismOnly if you have exhausted all of the issues above is it worth checking there is not an underlying medical issue, such as an underactive thyroid, making weight loss difficult.

People often use a slow metabolism as an excuse for weight gain and whilst all metabolisms are different, usually the solution is actually easier to reach and less difficult to overcome.

How You Can Eat Everything on Thanksgiving… and Not Feel Guilty!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and you’re probably getting ready to celebrate with your family and friends – with great food.

This is the time of year when most people put on a few excess pounds. I mean, how can you avoid it? All that turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet-potato pie, green-bean casserole … it’s so easy to over-indulge now and worry about your waistline later.

But here’s some good news. You don’t have to pack on any pounds this Thanksgiving. You can stay on track and still enjoy your favorite foods. Here’s how:

1. Work out when you wake up. Before you sit down to watch the football games tomorrow or turn on the oven, do a quick workout. You’ll feel more energized, you’ll burn calories and you’ll continue to burn more throughout the day. Short bursts of moderately intense exercise work best. I suggest tying my MVP Kettlebell Boot Camp Workout. Do this fun and challenging workout and you’re done for the day!

2. Drink a protein shake. Immediately after your workout, drink a protein shake. Protein shakes are great meal replacements. And with Thanksgiving being such a busy day, you probably don’t have a lot of time to prepare a healthy breakfast. A protein shake will give your muscles the nutrients they need to rev up your metabolism. Plus, they taste great. Chocolate is my favorite.

3. Keep healthy snacks on hand while cooking. Instead of snacking on the rich food you’re cooking, put out a vegetable or fruit platter for munching. This will help you avoid temptation, so you can enjoy the food you’re cooking later without guilt. Want to dip your vegetables? Use some balsamic vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing.

4. Try a little of everything. When it’s time to sit at the table for dinner, serve yourself a little bit of everything. But do your best to keep your plate 70 percent protein and veggies and 30 percent of the other stuff. This way you won’t feel deprived, but you’ll still stay on the right path.

5. If you’re gonna drink, drink in moderation! You know what? If you’re following the previous steps, you’re already way ahead of the game. And you deserve to enjoy yourself … hey, it is a holiday! The next day, just begin your day with a workout and tons of water and you’ll be fine.

I wish you the happiest and best Thanksgiving ever. And I hope these five tips will allow you to enjoy this amazing holiday without feeling the slightest bit of guilt!

Lots of Energy, Love, Peace, and Happiness!

Here's tips to stay in shape duing the Holidays

With all the food and family around, it's easy to fall off the exercise wagon during the Holidays. Here are a few tips to follow.

--Do this for you! Setting personal goals rather than goals based on others' perceptions will help you feel more successful.

--Have a Positive Mental Attitude! Believe you can accomplish what you set out to do!

--Assess Barriers: Know what might get in the way of you achieving your goals.

-- Do something you like - Make sure you are doing something you like to do.

-- Personal trainer: Meet with a good personal trainer for a personalized training program.

-- Always be willing to try something new, it can help you overcome a barrier.

-- Reward yourself along the way to achieving your goals with a new outfit or iPod etc.

More people are sticking to their exercise regimen. YMCA and national statistics indicate 56 percent of people who join fitness centers are still members two months later. That's 18 percent higher than just three years ago. The YMCA says the increasing success is because of increased public awareness of the benefits of regular success.

Eating tips for the Holiday Season

The number one goal for the majority of Americans is to lose weight. But keeping up with your weight loss goals can be tough during the Holiday Season. Eating right and exercise are fundamental; they’re critical for weight loss. Your body has to be set up in order to burn fat and to lose weight in the first place. Here are some nutritional tips to follow during this joyful time of the year:

1. Eat Your Breakfast - I love eating breakfast, because I need to fuel up early in the day. Eating a good solid breakfast to start your day helps supply you with the fuel you need to get started, especially if you are incorporating an early morning fitness program into your day. You need the fuel to get your engine going in the morning. Do not starve your body early, because you may have the tendency to binge-eat later. Your body gets into the craving mode. Feed your body early!!

2. Food From God is Best - We should eat all foods that were created by God and avoid all the foods that are created by man. The things that were provided to us by God and by Mother Nature are the things that we should be eating every day. So, that would mean free-roaming chickens and grass-fed cows that were treated the right way, vegetables that grow out of the ground and fruits that grow on trees. If you thought to yourself, was this provided to me by God and Mother Nature? If the answer is yes, most times it is something that you should eat. And if the answer is no, you should probably stay away from it.

3. Eat Home Cooked Meals - A mother’s cooking is one of the most beautiful things that exist. A mother cooking Sunday dinner for her entire family can’t be beat, because she does that out of love. It’s one of the most wonderful things in the world. Anybody that remembers that is still feeling great inside. And it’s not because her food tasted good, it’s because of the passionate way it was made with love and good intentions for the family.

4. Flush it Out - Water does the body good when it comes to good health. It is absolutely impossible to lose weight without water. Your body flushes the toxins out of your body via water so it will not lose fat. When your body loses weight, it actually metabolizes through the fat and the fat has to leave the system. And the way the fat leaves the system is with water. So, if it has no system to get out, then it would be absolutely impossible to lose weight. Water also lowers your desire to eat, and also helps keep your skin looking smooth and young.