Rantings for the week....all things new for weeks of June 18th and June 25th

I am always so amazed at how much time passes between postings. My goal of weekly posts if often trumped by Facebook postings and responses. My goal is to have this blog be where the real postings happen; where I can offer more insight than a brief status update. I would love to see some new faces in classes and am always excited when I get to bring fun new workouts to everyone or share something new that I learned...or am testing out on myself :).
 SCHEDULE: Next week's schedule looks like this (June 24th-29th):
Sunday:
8(am) Cycle @ Bay Club Marin (great ride w/ a mix up of music to hopefully hit something for everyone)


Monday:
6:30(am) XCLR8 @ SF Bay Club
4(pm) Total Body Conditioning @ JCC SF
6:15(pm) Cycle @ Bay Club Marin
Thursday: 6(am) Cycle @ Bay Club Marin


Wednesday:
6(am) Sports Conditioning @ Marin JCC
4(pm) Total Body Conditioning @ JCC SF
6:15(pm) Cycle @ Bay Club Marin
Friday:
6:05(am) Cycle Strength @ Marin JCC
4(pm) Total Body Conditioning


CLEAN EATING & SUMMER:
I have been writing posts on going Paleo and then Zone and then Paleo Zone.  I do cleanses every quarter and do shakes to start every day.  I have always believed that moderation is key in everything and listening to your own body is equally important.  I care less about which nutritional plan that folks choose, I care more about finding something that works and being able to stick with it.  Make sure that every meal has protein, healthy fats and good carbohydrates.  I love that plate that is more than 50% of vegetables, but if that is not you now, just work up to it.  I see so many folks try to make too many drastic changes at once only to get frustrated or feel overly restricted.  If you eat in moderation to support your activity level (or weight loss if that is your goal) and you feel good ~ that means, healthy, strong, rested, energized, etc...then you are on the right path. 


SHAKEOLOGY:
In an ideal world, I would have enough time in the day to prepare every single meal from scratch and ensure that every single meal had all of the nutrients that I need and want in my daily diet to meet all of my nutritional needs...but guess what, life's too busy, that can get too expensive and I needed to find ways to cut corners on time/prep without cutting corners on nutrition.  I have been a huge proponent of shakes for breakfast for the past two years.  They are easy to make and I can toss a lot of vegetables/fruits into them (namely lots of spinach/kale).  I have tried a lot of different brands over the past two years (Isagenix, Whey Factors, Vegan, Sun Warrior just to name a few) but about 2 months ago I started drinking Shakeology after a friend gave me a sample.  These shakes pack everything that I need into one package!  Awesome - no more adding chia, maca, flax, goji berries, acai - it's all in there.  Dollar for dollar, it ended up being an easy switch. 


My favorite recipe for the chocolate: huge handful of spinach, 1/2 fuji apple, 8 ice cubes, 4 oz unsweetened almond milk, 12 oz water, 1 heaping scoop of chocolate shakeology.  I freeze it the night before and let it thaw early in the morning so it is like a thick shake for breakfast.  Another favorite recipe is 8 oz almond milk, 6-8 oz. water, frozen banana, 6 ice cubes, 1-2 tablespoon almond butter.  I have done the 3 day cleanse will the shakes with great success and run them every month.  This is the first product that I can get behind enough to agree to offer it to everyone...if you want to give it a try, email me.  I keep a few samples on hand @ $5 - but the monthly pack is far less.  Check out the ingredients for yourself @ http://myshakeology.com/esuite/home/basefitmarin.


LACROSSE BALLS
Folks, everyone should have one of these in their bags...or two or three for that matter.  These are fantastic and can easily replace a roller as we can't all fit rollers in our bags.  Lacrosse balls can be used to target the scapula, calves, hamstrings, anterior deltoid, gluts, pec minor, hip flexor, IT band.  This allows for some serious self-help to work out those kinks and tight areas.  These are a cheap and excellent find @ Sports Basement in the Presidio @ $3 a pop.  Wondering exactly how to use them, why not check out Kelly Starrett's Mobility WOD page (he's the owner of San Francisco CrossFit and is seriously AWESOME): http://mobilitywod.com/ - just type in the area of the body you need to work on and you will get a nice list, along with instructional videos.  I ran into a trainer at the JCC SF and he had two in his pockets and says he keeps them in every bag, his car, his house, etc as they are his "go to" piece of equipment to target those tight spots.  Gotta love these.  Grab a few and check out Mobility WOD.


INDOOR CYCLING (aka, Spinning)
I love indoor cycling for cross-training when I can't get outside for a run or on my bike.  I get a lot of questions about calculating Max Heart Rates (MHR) and finding training zones.  It isn't as accurate as factoring in your resting heart rate, but it is definitely better than 220 less your age:


Females: 210 minues 1/2 your age minus 5% of your body weight  = Est. MHR
Males: 210 minues 1/2 your age minus 5% of your body weight + 4 = Est. MHR


From the above, you can calculate training zones:
For Warm Up/Recovery/Cool Down is 50%-70% of your MHR
       MHR x .50 = ___(this is the lower end of the range)
       MHR x .70 = ___(this is the higher end of the range)


For the Working Zone or Higher Caloric Expenditure Zone
       MHR x .80 = ____
       MHR x .90 = ____

For those who wear heart rate monitors and prefer to ride in these zones vs. perceived exertion (Borg Scale) - the above is a good calculation.

TRY SOMETHING NEW EVERY WEEK
With the new year, I decided to try something new...or work on something that I suck on every single week (if not daily).  There are some things that I KNOW I suck at...coordination is a struggle for me.  I tend to count in my head a lot...funny given that I am supposed to work at BPM of music (on the beat, half the beat or double the beat)....thankfully I have some "soul and rhythm" which saves me.  Mu current nemesis is the childhood loved activity of jump roping.  I grew up in Oakland (yep, that's right) and on our playground and the park near us, I used to jump double dutch at incredible speed and there would be 3 or 4 of us jumping at the same time.  Fast forward and now in my 40s, I am challenged to get my wrists to work at the same speed as much jumps...or rather at double that pace (hence the "Double Unders").  I suck at double unders and I swear often with every attempt.  The Benchmark workouts with Double Unders make me want to run for the front door....wishing it would just click and I would magically be able to string together 50 at a time.  But let's be honest, I know and you know...there is no magic pill, no secret, no easy way out - this is hard work and it is going to take lots and lots of practice for me to get these down.  I do practice and I have the lashing battle wounds (my battle with the speed rope) to prove it...on my calves, butt and arms...but once I get them down, all the hard work will be worth it. 

...SOOOOOO, I challenge you to try something new or to commit to working at something you are not good at and commit to getting better.  This is about progress, not perfection.

I won't rant on any further, but will leave you with this one message....own and live it, because you are awesome!

Enjoy the weekend!
Amy
  

Pelo Fitness, New Classes, CrossFit, Isagenix and Paleo/Zone!

This is a crazy busy quarter for me at my full-time job and I just realized that it has been an entire month since I last hit the blog. It seems like I start this draft and it takes FOREVER to get these posts done.

 Let's catch everyone up on all the changes!
Pelo Cycling & Fitness ~ this fantastic cycling and small group training studio is having its Grand Opening on Saturday, March 31st!  Pelo is in San Rafael in Montecito Plaza ~ great location just off the freeway in Central San Rafael, with parking and right across the street from SR High.  I will be teaching classes on Thursdays @ 11:45(am) and hope to take on other cycling and TRX classes soon.  The website is live http://www.pelofitness.com/ so check it out!!! 

New Classes/Class Changes ~ I am also now teaching @ the Bay Club (SF/Marin) and am going to be adding another outdoor class on Sundays.  Check out the schedule:
  

Time/Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
6:05(am)		Marin JCC Spin (alt tues)	Marin JCC Total Body		Marin JCC Cycle Strength
6:30(am)	SF Bay Club BOSU Boot Camp
7:45(am)							Small Group training @ Drake Track (5-8 people)  Email for Sign Up Info
8:30(am)				Dojo Skills & Drills
9:30(am)						Private Training available by appt only 9:30-10:30(am) or later in the day by advance request
11:45(am)				Pelo Cycle			11:15(am) -Outdoor Boot Camp (5-8 people) Starts April 15th.  Email for sign up info]
4(pm)	JCC SF Total Body Conditioning		JCC SF Total Body Conditioning		JCC SF Total Body Conditioning
6:15(pm)	Bay Club Marin Cycle

CrossFit.  As you all know, I love CrossFit and I love that I have been able to carve out time just for me to focus on my workouts, pushing through my plateaus and making time to workout with Mark (before kids we did so many of our workouts together - families that exercise today, stay together :o)).  I dislocated my shoulder (long time shoulder injury the pops out easier than I would like) while carrying my uber heavy backpack, another back and holding onto the upper rails when I got pushed while the bus was moving quickly - out pops the shoulder.  While the shoulder heals and I have to modify basically all of my workouts, I realize that the intensity with the modifications cannot be mirrored...which means I have to supplement to compensate.  This really magnifies the need to stay healthy and strong to avoid so many modifications.  It also helps me understand why this time has been so difficult for Mark during his shoulder injury recovery.

On a completely thrilled that I am doing the Level 1 Training this coming weekend with the folks of NorCal CrossFit.  Why so soon into my CrossFit journey?  Two-fold really: (1) it is going to make me a better CrossFitter.  With 14 years in the fitness industry, it is going to help me immensely to have the workouts, exercises, science and breakdown of programming ~ I am empowering myself with the knowledge I really want to have better, more effective and more frequent workouts; (2) I have decided that I really want to work towards being a CrossFit kids coach.  Working with kids is so great in so many ways and this is the time when you have the ability to make a big difference in their lives.  I love how excited my son gets when he talks about going to CrossFit on Saturday mornings.

I will be testing the waters on incorporating exercises into my regular classes and really fine tuning my teaching/coaching skills as well as focusing on my own workouts.  Persistence and dedication are key to success and progression always leads to improvement.  I am excited for this next chapter and even though I know that this is a long journey, it is one worth the wait.

Isagenix ~ if you haven't heard about Isagenix nutritional cleansing...listen up.  There are a lot of folks in the traditional fitness community that do this cleanse seasonally.  I try to do it at least twice a year and am on the tail end of the cleanse (the liquid fasting days).  This is a 9 day cleanse with 2 pre-cleanse shake days to move your body to an alkaline state.  Here is how it works:

2 Pre-Cleanse Days: shake in morning, 400-600 calorie lunch, shake for dinner and isagenix snacks 2 hours post lunch and 1+ hours post dinner.  Lots and lots of water.  Emergency snacks are cucumbers and celery.

Days 1 & 2 are liquid cleanse fasting days.  You drink a liquid amino/vitamin drink 4x a day, you have the isagenix wafer snacks and drink tons of water.  In between all of this you can have emergency celery and cucumbers (which I always have) and 1/4 apple if your blood sugar tanks (I try to avoid this unless the fasting days fall on days when I teach a lot of classes).

Days 3-7 looks just like the pre-cleanse days with 2 shakes and a 400-600 calorie meal.  Depending on my teaching schedule, sometimes I do the 400-600 calorie meal for lunch and sometimes for dinner - just depends.

Days 8 & 9 are liquid cleanse fasting days.  You drink a liquid amino/vitamin drink 4x a day, you have the isagenix wafer snacks and drink tons of water.  In between all of this you can have emergency celery and cucumbers (which I always have) and 1/4 apple if your blood sugar tanks (I try to avoid this unless the fasting days fall on days when I teach a lot of classes).

Typical weight loss for the cleanse is 5-8lbs.  I was shooting for 8, but I will land at around 5/6.  When Mark did the cleanse, he lots 15lbs and my sister-in-law lost 10lbs (they didn't do any of the emergency food/snacks) - what results!  It is a great way to purge toxins, decrease sugar cravings and jump start weight loss.  It is such an easy cleanse to follow - thinking about doing a cleanse?  I strongly suggest Isagenix - check it out: www.isagenix.com

Paleo/Zone Blocks ~ coming off of the cleanse, this seemed like the perfect time to move to the Paleo/Zone block eating.  I've talked about Paleo for awhile now, but using the Paleo diet coupled with the Zone blocks is about to take it to the next level.  During the cleanse, I have been using the Zone Blocks for my 400-600 calorie meal.  Based on my size and activity level (I do a lot of sitting all day long) I am choosing 3 block meals and 1 block snacks. 

What does this mean?  For the meals, I get 3 blocks of protein, 3 blocks of fat and 3 blocks of carbohydrates.  The Zone Block food list has good and negative Carbs and portion sizes for all proteins, fats and carbs.  An example is: 3 oz chicken over 3.75 cups of cooked broccoli and the fat would be 3 tsp of fat - which I easily accomplish by cooking the chicken and broccoli in coconut oil.  If you choose nonfat proteins such as egg whites, you have to double the fat.  For the 1 block snack an example would be: 1 boiled egg, 6 almonds and 1/2 cup strawberries. 

So an example of my entire day would be, Breakfast 3 block meal, Lunch 3 block meal, 1 block snack, Dinner 3 block meal and 1 block snack. 

Surprisingly, even though I was only able to have one 3 block meal Tues-Sat of this past week, I was not overly hungry.  I was more thirsty than usual, but I would expect that during the cleanse.  Many CrossFit gyms have excellent handouts on Paleo/Zone eating and there are many resources online - be sure to check them out....OR email me for more info.   

That is the wrap up for the month.  Looking forward to seeing folks in class and meeting a lot of new people in new classes starting this month.

Have comments or questions?  Send me a message @ basefitmarin@yahoo.com

Want to join us for the Sunday outdoor trainings?  Email me with questions and to reserve a spot.

Happy Sunday Folks!
~ Amy

Workouts & The Schedule

Happy President's Day Everyone!

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the long weekend with family and friends.  My weekend has been filled with fun family time...a really treat when our scheudule is usually jam packed with running all of the errands that we can't get done during the week.

This week's workouts are going to focus on strength the first part of the week, so get ready to pick up the heavier weights, slow down the pace and work on getting that form right.  I know that I often sound like a broken record, reminding folks to watch the alignment, track the knee over the ankle, to engage the core, square the shoulders...sometimes it sounds like that Charlie Brown adult voice that we used to laugh at as kids, but I promise you, those reminders are to keep you all safe, so you can keep on working on those goals to be the fittest, healthiest you that you want to be.

Everyone seemed to lack the track style warm up we did a few weeks ago, so we will likely bring that back on Friday for the workout and then ramp it up with some high rep, high intensity drills.

I will be posting some new recipes later this week as we did some testing in the kitchen, coming up with spicy pork chops, the Paleo candy bar, perfecting simmered greens, spicing up baked kale, crafting fruit only desserts and finally perfecting cauliflower rice.

With the holiday week, my schedule has changed up a bit, so if you are trying to get to a class, here is the schedule:

Marin JCC: Wednesday (Total Body) & Friday (Cycle Strength)
SFBC: Tuesday (Kick It)
Marin Dojo: Thursday (this is our small group training on skills)
JCCSF: Wednesday & Friday ~ I will be posting the workouts from the past few weeks shortly

If you can't get to a class, be sure to pull one of the workouts from the workout page.  You don't have to make it a long workout, just make it really intense.  Remember, whatever you choose to do, commit to your workout.

Enjoy the day!

Teaching Schedule

Wow ~ sometimes time just gets completely away from me.  I had committed to posting a few times a week and that hasn't been happening.  My class schedule is starting to evolve and expand a bit, so here it is for the upcoming week:

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
12-Feb	13-Feb	14-Feb	15-Feb	16-Feb	17-Feb	18-Feb
7:45(am) B.A.S.E. Workout	6(am) - Total Body (Marin JCC)	6(am) - Cycle (Marin JCC)	6(am) - Total Body (Marin JCC)	9(am) Body Sculpt (Dojo)	6(am) - Cycle Strength (Marin JCC)	Not Teaching
	4(pm) - S&S (JCCSF)	5:30(pm) - Kick It (SFBC)	4(pm) - S&S (JCCSF)		4(pm) TBC (JCCSF)

The Sunday workouts are open to anyone who wants to join us, but is capped at 8 people.  Email me if you are interested in joining us.  Plan to arrive @ 7:30(am) to warm up/stretch with the full blown workout starting at 7:45(am) until 8:30(am).

For the time being, I will be subbing out my Saturday morning spin classes at the Marin JCC so I can spend some time focusing on my own workouts and programming.  Be on the lookout for changes coming to the above schedule soon. 

Starting in March, I will be added to the morning schedule at the SF Bay Club.  More details once that schedule is solid.  In March the Thursday class @ The  Dojo in San Anselmo will shift to 8:30(am) and will be a 45 minute strength workout. 

Also, we are changing the name of the 4(pm) classes at the JCCSF to better mirror the class and set it apart from similarly named classes.  Don't worry, the workouts will be the same, just the workouts will change. 

Looking forward to seeing you all in class soon!

~ Amy

Sundays @ 7:45(am) ~ BASE outdoor workouts starting in February

Folks - starting in February - the 5th to be exact, we are heading outdoors for the B.A.S.E. workouts.  We kick off on Sunday, February 5th and have 2, possibly 3 remaining spaces left for Sunday mornings.  These workouts will incorporate TRX, weights, bands, balls and body weight exercises.  All you need to bring is your yoga mat, I will provide everything else.  Email me at basefitmarin@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining and would like more information. 

~ Amy

HIIT Workout from 1/7/12

As promised, here is the workout we did yesterday morning. Enjoy the ride!

Warm Up - 7 minutes
Ride w/ HR @ 80% of MHR - 4 minutes

HIIT Intervals
FR - 30/30 - 3xs
WFR - 30/30 - 3xs
SI - 30/30 - 3xs
FR - 60/60 - 3x
WFR - 60/60 - 3x

Active Recovery w/ Pyramid Climb for 6 songs - SI, MLH, MH, MHH, HH, MHH, MH, ML, SI

Finish w/ Flat Road Stretch - 4 minutes

b.a.s.e.Fit is moving outdoors ~ get lean, get energized, get strong!

The weather has been AMAZING ~ seriously, AMAZING!  I had planned to wait until spring to launch the outdoor boot camp, but the weather is really allowing us to explore doing this earlier in the year.

I am launching an outdoor bootcamp early Saturday/Sunday mornings (yes, get it done early so we can all get out and enjoy the weekend) and two evenings a week (this schedule is pending, but I suspect we are looking at Tuesday/Thursday evenings).

These workouts will incorporate: weights, body weight, TRX, plyometrics & short bursts of intense cardio.   Boost energy levels and blast fat with these workouts.  You will hit your goals whether they be weight loss, strength or increasing energy levels.  

Classes are limited to 6 people (we need 4 to have classes) and are $12 per person. 

Workouts are in San Anselmo:  Email me @ basefitmarin@yahoo.com for signup, locations and schedule.

Get outside and enjoy this weather!

Amy

Official Day 5 - 21 Day Sugar Detox

Wow - the week is flying by.  It feels like I was launched into the new year.  I had hoped that I would be the one choosing the direction of the leaping...sometimes life gets in the way!




http://www.the21daysugardetox.com/

 I wanted to recap my official first week of the 21-Day Sugar Detox since many of you know that I am a convert from a primarily grass-eating vegan moving towards a grass-fed white meat eating gal.  I will very soon post why I started eating meat on this blog and my journey to better health, but,  if you want to read more, check out my other blog @ http://fiturbanmommymayhem.blogspot.com/  where I blog about the mayhem that is my life sometimes.


Because of my crazy schedule, I opted for smoothies all week long for breakfast.  I made them the night before, froze them and then take them out at 4(am) when I get up and they are thawed by the time I am in the office at 9(am).  Everything has to be simple and fast or it doesn't work with my schedule.  Surprisingly the smoothies are good.  I think that the 1/2 frozen barely ripe banana masks some of the ingredients that I might not like so much.


I had cut up lots of vegetables over the week as snacks to have with guacamole - cucumbers, carrots, jicama, celery.  I also had coconut chips (seriously, I love these way too much - dangerous) and kept almond butter on hand (freshly ground from WF) - 1 tsp does the trick for me.


Lunches were generally egg-veggie scramble w/ either salad topped with avocado or sliced grilled chicken over lettuce and lots of shredded vegetable topped with guacamole (I am really into avocados at the moment).  Again, for me it has to be simple for me to be successful.


Dinners gets challenging because I am also cooking for my kids.  I have to generally start with a snack for myself while I prep dinner as I am usually hunger and have to avoid eating their food or overeating.  This has been full of mishaps from issues from vomiting to negative food sensitivity reaction, too bad sleeping from eating too late to trying recipes that bombed.  Each week I am making greater strides at getting better - but even cooking chicken is sometimes challenging for me as I am new to meat cooking.

Yesterday was actually the first day that I did not crave fruit - perhaps I am over that hump.  What hasn't changed yet is the overwhelming exhaustion I feel and the digestive issues.  I keep on moving around how I eat and what, but one thing is certain - the two smoothies that are part of the 21-Day Sugar Detox are permanent keepers - filling, yummy without the sugar spikes I get from my normally fruit loaded smoothie.   I wish I could nap midday, but no such luck.  I will continue to make adjustments and starting next week, I will go back to posting pictures and adding recipes.  This week was completely nuts with work and I feel a bit shell-shocked.  Thank goodness for the Spirulina added to my smoothies to keep me going.

For those of you who are doing the 21-Day Detox with me, I would love to hear how you are all doing and what has worked well for you.

~ Amy

Finding inner motivation & drive...sometimes it's hard

It is the New Year, a time where folks are feeling energized and excited and ready to tackle their New Year's Resolutions, I am...well, for lack of a better word, bored.  I need a new challenge and I don't mean teaching challenge, I mean something that is just about me and my own goals.  Something that is going to force me to step it up a notch.  I need something that is a swift kick in the butt and is going to make me work until I feel as though I have given 150%.  I am going where so many have gone before ~ heading on over to our local Crossfit.  Sure, I won't ever train members where I teach to do Crossfit, but that doesn't mean that I can't embrace it.  That doesn't mean that I shouldn't push myself to be stronger, fitter, leaner...maybe a little meaner (in the good sort of way) - why not, I am already working on the eating cleaner.

I don't ever want to get too comfortable with life.  I don't want to lose my passion and excitement for what I love most - fitness/nutrition.  I want to continue to challenge myself to excel and become a better me in every way. 

Stop and think about your motivations, your goals and your purpose.  When you have one of these every time you set foot into a gym or start your workouts, say it to yourself and you will have a more effective workout.  It doesn't have to be grand, one more push-up a week or perfecting my squat or even staying for the stretch portion to increase flexibility.  Don't worry if you don't have the best day - tomorrow is another day!

Make small changes every single day.  If you are new to exercise, start with 15 minutes a day and add another 5 minutes each day.  Keep it simple.  Follow some of my workouts.  Clean up your diet a little bit each week.  If you set small, attainable goals, you have a greater chance of success.  If you drink diet soda, swap it for water infused with lemon or lime.  Soda, diet or not, has sweeteners which spike insulin levels and cause you to gain weight/store fat.  Look in your kitchen and count how many food items you come from a box, can, jar or package.  Can you possibly swap some of those out (just to start) with food from their natural sources? 

Have questions, there is now a Community Questions Box on my blog.  Feel free to use it often.

Remember, even trainers/fitness instructors fall down, have bad days, cheat, lack motivation, get bored, get too busy...but we approach each new day as an opportunity to start over again and be better.

~ Amy

Tips for Success ~ 21-Day Sugar Detox

I started the 21-Day Sugar Detox a week early to test out food portions, recipes, snacks, etc as I know how planning is the key tom success.  I work full-time, teach @ 3 different gyms, commute about 3 hours per week, have two kids, am trying to launch a new business and do all of the food planning for our family.

If you haven't downloaded your copy yet, download now @ www.the21daysugardetox.com and be sure to enter your email address as Diane updates the manual throughout the program and you will receive an updated manual and supplement via email.


Here are my tips:


(1) Take Diane's food list and be realistic about what you will actually eat when you grocery shop.  Trying a bunch of new meat recipes may lead to becoming discouraged and frustrated when the food doesn't taste the way that you hoped.  Take her list, pick the foods you know that you like or will eat and shop from that list.  After week 1, you can get creative if you'd like, but learn from me.  I made about half the recipes in Diane's manual and tossed out about 6 of them as I just couldn't stand the taste.

(2) Keep it simple - seriously folks, keep it really simple.  The easier it is, the easier it will be to stay on track.  We used Romaine lettuce in lieu of tortillas, bread, etc for just about all of the meat dishes and all were tasty.  I cut up lots of fresh vegetables - carrots, jicama, celery, broccoli, celery, etc. for dipping in fresh guacamole.  Add meat to really big salads (I didn't do this well test week 1 and I will definitely do next week).

(3) Watch portion sizes - for every meal, 2/3rd should be vegetables and the 1/3 should be protein & fat.  Watch the fat as it should be about 10% of your meal.  I made the mistake of too much fat in week one and it did not sit well with my stomach at all.  I am making some bigger changes this week.

(4) Eat when you are hungry, but don't let yourself get to the point where you are starving.  I made this mistake last week as well.  I am used to keeping fruit and nuts in my bags as quick snacks - which I didn't do this week.  On those days where I was out running errands, etc I went way too long without eating and then ate way too much when I was able to get to food.  I will plan better for this week.  If you know that you are someone who needs to eat 6 small meals, do that - but keep them small.

(5) If you have a crazy schedule and don't get home until later in the evening and know that you won't be eating until 7(pm) or later, make this your lightest meal - maybe salad topped with grilled chicken and sliced avocado.  I made this mistake as well and when it was time for bed, I was incredibly uncomfortable.  I will make this adjustment this week and eat lighter in the evenings as I am not able to eat before 7:30(pm) most evenings due to commute and the kids.

(6) Get some exercise every single day and try to exercise early - WHY?  The endorphines set the tone and your mood for the day.  Also, it sets your metabolism for the day.  It also results in you eating less over the course of the day...yep, it's true.  Be sure to subscribe to this blog as I am going to upload a video later in the week that shows how you can use what you have in your own home right now to use to be able to do a complete workout in your own living room. Set our alarm 30 minutes earlier and don't listen to ANY excuses that may enter your head.  Start small if you don't normally exercise - 15 minutes day one and add 5 minutes each and every day thereafter.

(7) Plan to fall asleep earlier than usual.  Holy smokes folks, this was a big change for me.  If I didn't shower by 8(pm), there were problems for me as my body basically shut off between 8:45/9(pm) all week.  I feel asleep no matter where I was - even sitting at the table in front of my computer.  I have a 4(am) wake up time, so falling asleep at that time is probably a great idea. 

Stay tuned for more tips and posts during the official kick-off to the 21-Day Sugar Detox which stats tomorrow!

Get ready to be a better and healthier you in 2012!
Happy New Year Everyone

~ Amy

Let's Get It Right ~ Pick up heavier weights if you want to lose weight.

In my classes I try to push members to pick up heavier weights, especially those who have been lifting the same weight for months.  I always remind them that they can drop to lighter weights if needed, but they should start heavier.  The key is to not go so heavy that it compromises your form, it doesn't make sense to pick up a heavy weight if you don't have full range of motion and no one wants to increase the risk of injury.

I hear so many women say that they don't want to pick up heavy weights (and I am talking about picking up 8lb, 10lb, 12lb weights not 25, 30, 35) for fear of getting to big and bulky.  Guess what - it won't happen!  Women don't have enough testosterone in their systems to get big like men.  I can promise you that picking up 8lbs instead of 3lbs is not going to lead to bulk.

I know that none of us want to face the fact that getting older means you have to adjust your workouts - what you did in your teens, twenties and thirties doesn't necessarily work.  I know both men and women who grew up doing lots of cardio-based sports and never had to worry about their weight...until they hit their late 30s/early 40s and then they started gaining weight...gaining fat.  They spend hours on cardio equipment at the gym (steady state cardio...we will save that post for another day) and go on calorie limiting diets only to either see no change or lots of yo-yo changes to their weight.  The HARD REALITY - as we age we lose muscle mass.  Loss of muscle mass also means that metabolism starts to slow down.  Want to shed pounds and lean out the body, then you have to find ways to get that metabolism going again.  The key is to get it going and keep it going so that you lose the weight AND keep it off.  Developing lean muscle mass requires lifting heavy enough weights. 

How heavy is heavy enough?  I hate to tell you, but light weights is not enough.  The key is to safely use heavy enough weights to stimulate muscle growth (NOT BULK, growth) ~ what does that mean?  It means that if you can do more than about 16 reps with the weights in your hand, your weights are not heavy enough.  Continuing to test the waters by increasing the weight you choose by 1-2 lbs every few weeks will allow you to progress safely.  The key is that the weight is heavy enough for you to reach muscle failure within 6-12 reps.

Why should we lift heavy weight - ESPECIALLY if weight loss & lean muscle mass are your goals:

(1) In order to lose weight, you need to rev that metabolism.  Guess what - a pound of muscle burns 10-20 calories per day, while a pound of fat only burns about 5 calories per day.  I am no mathematician, but more lean muscle = more calories burned...I like those numbers.  By speeding up the metabolism, weight loss is much easier - let's shed that layer of fat that is covering up those muscles.

(2) Lifting heavier weights increases your resting metabolic rate - what does that mean?  It means that you will be burning calories all day long.  Compare this to cardio based programs where you only burn calories during the actual workout.  Over a 24-hour period, you will burn more calories from lifting weights than you will from cardio alone.  Who doesn't want to make their body a calorie burning machine?!?

(3) A pound of muscle is more dense than a pound of fat.  The more lean muscle mass you have, the smaller you look/are.  Again, who doesn't want a slimmer look?

(4) By strengthening muscles and increasing bone density, you will reduce the risk of injury doing the activities you like to do in every day life.  I have heard stories of people side-stepping down curbs, tripping, losing their balance, etc resulting in injuries that could be avoided if they had strong muscles and bone density.

(5) Guess what - your own body weight is also an effective tool, so do exercises which will have you reach muscle failure within 6-12 reps.  The key is to push yourself hard enough to reach muscle failure.  Think push ups, pistol squats, pull ups, etc

Good luck!

New Year’s Resolutions ~ 2012

I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions, but this year is different.  This year I have a long list of resolutions.  When you decide to make resolutions, it requires you to take inventory of your life, what you do and don’t like, how to approach or change the things that you can control and how to shift my perspective on those things I don’t like, but cannot currently control.

Goal One: Improve my Fitness Levels.  This year I realized that so much of my time is committed to work – both fitness and non-fitness, not leaving time for me to reach my own fitness/health goals.   In 2012, I am going to make changes to my work schedules  to carve out time to focus on my own workouts, to get stronger, to build endurance, to improve my flexibility.  In 2012 I will allow myself to be taught more and not worry about teaching all of the time.

Goal Two: Clean Eating.  I started the year so well, no gluten, no sugar, no dairy and then as the year went by, I wasn’t as diligent.  I allowed my diet to get “dirty” ~ it was harder to keep off weight and I became sluggish.  In 2012, I am going to hold myself accountable and I have enlisted friends to also hold me accountable.  I am racing straight into 2012 with the 21-Day Sugar Detox

Goal Three: Spend More Time with my Kids & Husband.  You may not think that these are fitness/health related, but they so are.  The more time I spend with my kids, the more time I spend running around and playing with them.  The more time I spend with my husband, the better our relationship gets and the happier I am ~ the happier our home is.  Happiness and Health go hand in hand.  If you are unhappy, your health is compromised.

I am setting goals for 2012 because I don’t want to allow myself to get too comfortable ~ I want to challenge myself to reach new heights, to excel in new ways, to be better than I am today. 

What are your goals for 2012?  Write them down?  Got fitness goals?  Enlist friends; they will hold you accountable;  they will help you succeed!

The 600 Rep Workout!

Merry Christmas b.a.s.e.Fitters!  This is a festive day for most and includes lots of tasty treats, delicious Christmas Dinner, alcoholic drinks and decadent desserts...we all want to indulge (at least to some degree) in these tasty treats.  Make those indulgences a little easier by getting in a workout early.

The 600 Rep workout is one of my favorites.  You have 10 exercises @ 30 reps each and you repeat a total of 2 times to hit the 600.  Only allow yourself to recover for 2 minutes after the first time through and then again at the end.

Get dressed, put on some music and even grab your kids (if you have young kids like I do, they will love doing this workout with you).  Don't forget to spend about 8-10 minutes warming up, getting the heart rate up, stretching a bit...which you should do before any workout.  Don't forget to cool down and stretch @ the end too.

The Workout

1. Jump Lunges
2. Dive Bomber Pushups (make it harder by taking opposite knee to opposite elbow when you come back to the start).
3. Hindu Squats
4. Mountain Climbers
5. V-Ups
6. Single leg Squat Jumps (if you can't do single, do both, if single 15 on each side)
7. 3 Series Pushups (wide hands/narrow feet, medium width both, narrow hands/wide feet - alt all 3 don't do 10 of each in a row)
8. Side Plank with Knee Crunch (15 on each side)
9. PopUps
10. Reverse Plank with Glut Lift (keep core enganged and don't let the butt hit the floor).

Enjoy!
Amy

Tabata Timer Workout!

I LOVE Tabata Timer workouts!  They kick my butt every single time I do one of them.  I love the puddles of sweat on the floor.  Anyone can do the workout because you can add progressions to make it more difficult as your fitness level improves.  I love 20/10 for warm ups and then 60/30 to really bust it out.

For the 20/10 - max effort for 20 seconds with active recovery 10 seconds, I like to move from push ups, to V-Ups to Squats with Heel raise.  The key is maximum effort without compromising form.

For the 60/30 - Max effort for 60 seconds with 30 seconds to recover, I like to use those big dynamic exercises that get the heart pumping:  Burpees, Samurai Squat Jumps, Pop ups, Speed Skaters, Mountain Climbers, Army Crawl, Lunge Jumps, Push up variations, V-Up variations, etc.

We did a 90-90-60 Tabata workout at The Dojo this past Thursday and it was so much fun and everyone was drenched in sweat....everyone brought it and totally kicked butt.

You can download the Tabata Timer for your iPhone in the Apps section. 

Try it out! 

21 - Day Sugar Detox Starts January 2nd - Join the Group!!!

b.a.s.e.Fitters!  2012 is just around the corner and one of my top goals is a cleaner diet (yes, I am far from perfect and continue to be a work in progress). 

I am so excited to announce that a group of us will be doing the 21-Day Detox from Balanced Bites.  21 Day Sugar Detox - download your copy and join us today.  Diane's book has recipes, tips and she will provide you with emails to support and keep you focused on your goal.

If you are local, follow the program and come workout with me. Strength is in numbers.  I will hold you accountable. Your friends will hold you accountable.  You will hold yourself accountable.  Not local?  Don't let that stop you, discourage you or give you an excuse not to participate!  I will be posting regular body weight workouts that you can do in your own home...NO EXCUSES!  Got kids, guess what ~ put on some music and let them dance around while you do my workouts.  Got a job?  So do the rest of us!  Set your alarm earlier, get up and commit to starting your day with my workouts.  Everyone loves a good endorphin rush to kick off the day.

I teach classes 6 days a week and offer personal training sessions 4 days a week...so seriously folks ~ no excuses!

Click on the link above and get ready to hit the ground running in 2012!

Why I LOVE TRX!

I am a huge fan of TRX ~ Love the idea of body weight and suspension training exercises.  I love that TRX can be done anywhere that you can mount the suspension trainer...that means that I can always take my door anchor and pack it in a suitcase and be able to workout anywhere at any time!

I have injuries ~ yep, it sucks, but I have them.  I have wrist injuries that will prevent me from every being a Crossfitter or from performing a handstand in Yoga (which really saddens me I must say).  I have also dislocated each of my shoulders a few times, so coupled with my wrist issues, I can't do unassisted pull-ups or chin-ups....which again, saddens me as I love how strong the back becomes when these exercises are added to the workout.

My injuries are why I love TRX most, why I can achieve the same results as pull-ups with TRX without worry of my wrists and shoulders.   TRX is adaptable for all fitness levels and can be modified to accomodate physical limitations due to injuries, age or mobility issues.  TRX is also so amazing at increasing ROM (range of motion) because you work against your own body weight to move into stretches and exercises that might be incredibly challenging outside of TRX.

I am so incredibly fortunate that I get to bring this fantastic to members and to create new and innovative workouts that will increase strength, flexibility and endurance. 

If you haven't tried TRX yet, get to a class! 
TRX Training

Want to take a TRX Class with me?  I will be teaching TRX @ The Dojo starting in January.
The Dojo (San Anselmo)

Ping me to find out more!

Happy Holidays Everyone ~ Keep it healthy, Keep on Moving and Keep it Happy!
~ Amy

It's Workout Wednesday Folks!!!

b.a.s.e.Fitters!!!  Get up early and get your workout in.  I will admit it, I am a total endorphinoholic!  I thrive off of the endorphines released from exercise and bank on those in the morning to jumpstart my day.  When I workout first thing in the morning, I am happier, more relaxed and ironically eat less over the course of the day.

This morning's workout is going to pack a serious punch!!!  Don't let the 6(am) start time scare you...in my book, there is no better time to get that heart pumping.  In the mornings our heads are clear and we can focus on the breath, the form and each movement. 

Can't do this workout until later?  That's okay because any time that you can commit is the best time for you!

Try out this condensed version of what we are doing today.  You don't need weights for any of these exercises.  Just starting out?  Do 10 reps of each exercise.  Keep that core engaged (think about drawing the naval up and in towards the spine).  Want to hit it hard, do 30 reps of each and repeat 2-3 times total:

- Jump Lunges
- Dive Bomber Pushups
- Hindu Squats (arms come behind calves with fingertips to touch near heels)
- 3 Series Hand pushups (wide hands/narrow feet; mid-hand/mid-feet; narrow hands/wide feet...don't do 10 in each position, that's a lot easier than moving between all 3)
- Single leg squat jumps
- Side Burpees with Knee Tucks
- Sumo Squat Twist Crunch
- Reverse Plank Glut Lift

Enjoy!

December promises....

I downloaded this picture about a month ago as a reminder to stay on track with my workouts and clean eating during the holidays.  Holiday parties, holiday baking, less sleep, more of everything...except exercise can take its toll.  I keep this picture to remember why I get up every morning, why I try to make healthy choices and why I need to keep on pushing.  Those rock hard abs are not a gift, they come from hard work, sweat and a lot of dedication. 

December is almost over, but think about the promises you want to make to yourself, the goals that you want to set for 2012.  Write them down.  Set a time frame to hit your goal.  Keep a food diary.  Keep a workout diary.  Share them with a friend; friends can hold you accountable ~ hold yourself accountable!
 
Come take a class with me...I will definitely hold you accountable.