BACK TO SCHOOL: A+ NUTRITION

A couple of weeks ago, a few of us personal trainers were asked to sit down and put together an article for our Gold's Gym newsletter. We decided to talk about the importance of packing a healthy lunch for your children who are about to head back to school. This is what we came up with and I hope you like it.

TIPS FOR PACKING A HEALTHY LUNCH



As your busy summer schedules transition from fun in the sun to school work and sports, it is important to keep in mind that your children's bodies are growing and need proper nutrition not only at home but also at school throughout the year. Although the schools are now offering nutritious lunch options, most students will choose the least healthy: do corn dogs, tater tots, and chocolate milk sound familiar? Rather than having your child{ren} choose an unhealthy meal, try packing them a lunch with healthy, fun, and delicious options. Here are some simple nutritious ideas to keep your kids healthy through the most important time of their physical and mental development. Don't forget to keep some of these options in mind for yourself and after-school snacks.

1. Water: Dehydration contributes to most of one's tiredness throughout the day. It is important to stay hydrated with pure water to improve mental functioning and energy levels. Tip: Have your kids pick out a fun water bottle. Freeze their water to help keep their sack lunch nice and cool as well as having an ice cold water to drink.

2. Whole Grains: Complex carbohydrates keep your child's energy levels elevated longer than simple carbohydrates and allows them to feel fuller longer {white bread vs. whole wheat/whole grain}. Tip: Oatmeal, Whole Grain Cereals, Whole Wheat Bread/Tortilla's, Granola Bars are just some examples.

3. Protein: Protein helps increase your child's metabolism and aids in muscle growth, so it is important to include it in each meal and snack. Lean meats such as chicken, turkey, ham or tofu will provide ample protein for their bodies to grow to their full potential. Tips: Fried and processed meats {chicken nuggets and corn dogs} do not provide the quality protein your children need.

4. Snacks: It is important to have both carbohydrates and protein in a snack. Keep in mind that snacks are just as important as a meal. Having a healthy snack between meals will allow your child's metabolism and energy levels to stay elevated during those sleepy hours of the day. Tip: Instead of having simple sugars between meals, try including fruit/vegetables, yogurt, string cheese, peanut butter, rice cakes, and granola bars.

5. Color: There should be a fun variety of colors in your child's meal. Include different colored fruits and vegetables that they will look forward to eating in a healthy packed lunch. Tip: The more color you include, the more you know your child in eating properly and nutritiously!

SUPERHEROES IN TRAINING DAY CAMP

COME JOIN ME IN GOLD'S GYM SUPERHEROES IN TRAINING DAY CAMP



WHAT TO EXPECT: 1 full hour on diet & nutrition and 2 hours of super resistance training, core & balance, flexibility, cardio and what benefits you can achieve from each circuit.
WHEN: September 17th, 2011
TIME: 9-12pm
WHERE: Idaho Falls, Idaho
WHO'S INVITED: Everybody! Men, women and young teens {bring your whole family}
COST: $100 per person {includes free protein shakes and a post-workout lunch}
CONTACT: ME - Stephanie Woods at stephanie.fitness@yahoo.com or (208)524-4653 for more information and to sign-up

Come take part in Idaho Falls Gold's Gym Superheroes in Training Day Camp. Myself, along with 4 nationally certified trainers will be taking you through some SUPER circuits to help you understand more about fitness and how it pertains to YOUR body.

You will receive tips on how to incorporate each into your lifestyle, as well as recipes for clean and delicious eating. A post-workout lunch will be served to help refuel your mind and body.



SUPER NUTRITION: 1 FULL HOUR FOCUSED ON DIET & NUTRITION!
Have questions? We will answer all of them. Want to learn more about nutrition facts and how to read them? How about proteins, carbs, fats, and calories? Wondering why each are so important and how to use them everyday? THEN SIGN UP FOR OUR SUPERHEROES IN TRAINING DAY CAMP AND FIND OUT!

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU LOOK FORWARD TOO?
25 MINUTES OF EACH CIRCUIT WITH WELL NEEDED BREAKS AND PROTEIN SHAKES IN BETWEEN! HOORAY!

SUPER RESISTANCE: Building your muscles one rep at a time
SUPER CORE & BALANCE: Strength begins with a super strong core
SUPER CARDIO: A heart healthy workout for lifetime endurance
SUPER FLEXIBILITY: Stretch your way to flexibility

COME JOIN THE FUN!
Contact me - Stephanie Woods - at stephanie.fitness@yahoo.com or (208)524-4653
Cost: $100 and that includes protein shakes and a post-workout lunch afterward.

MY ONE WEEK TRANFORMATION ON AN UNHEALTHY DIET

Many of you already know that over a week ago, I found out I was very sick and I was unable to do my figure competition. I was devastated. I had worked so hard for 3 months. I even took a whole month and really focused on trying to put a little more muscle on my frame {and succeeded} and then 8 weeks before my competition, I went to my cutting phase. I was ready. My diet was clean, on schedule to the T and I was lifting heavy weights 5 days a week. I was a well oiled machine. Yes, I still have some area's on my body that I'm trying to change and mold, and I'm determined that I will get where I want to be soon enough. This process takes time, but I was ready for my competition. Then my competition dreams were squashed by my health. I had so many supporters and so many get well wishes. Thank you to all of you! You helped pull me through my rough week. I had some great advice from many people, "Take care of yourself and your health, there will always be other competitions, but there's only one of you." I really needed to hear that! It's true! So, thank you!

As soon as I found out that there was no way I could compete, I decided to do my own little mission. A test if you will. As a personal trainer, the biggest and most frustrating thing to deal with is my client's diets. I see them work so hard in the gym, they do what I tell them to do, they're focused and driven, yet their biggest complaint is, "why can't I lose weight?" These clients of mine workout 4 to 6 days a week, and their right....they're not losing weight like they should. I have also gone out of my way to show them what they should be eating, how often they should be eating it and how many macro's they should be bringing in each day. Simple right! They have someone telling them how to fix their diet, so why are they still not losing weight?

I'll tell you what it is. It's their diet! They're not listening to me. They think they are listening to me, but they're not. They think they eat healthy, but they don't. They workout every week, but all of that hard work goes out the window the moment they stuff food in their mouths. Diet is crucial! It's 80% of the hard work. Exercise is only 20%.

I am proof of this! Here is proof! Diet is everything! I decided to take an entire week off from eating clean and healthy. I did not worry about my calories, I did not keep track of my food. I ate what I wanted and whenever I wanted. Here are my BEFORE pictures. These pictures were taken 4 to 5 weeks before my 'unhealthy diet test'.







Now, here are my AFTER pictures. This is after eating anything I wanted, not sticking to a schedule, over-eating, and skipping meals. I actually never went out to eat this whole week. The food I ate was strictly from my home, so you can imagine what more of an impact my diet would have been had I been eating out at fast food joints and restaurants all week.







Gross right! I must be pretty brave to post these pictures, but I really want to prove to you HOW IMPORTANT DIET IS. Like I said before, it's crucial.

Here is what I experienced during my "unhealthy diet week":
1. Indigestion
2. Bloating
3. I gained 15 pounds....in 1 week!
4. Heart Burn
5. Difficulty Sleeping
6. No energy or motivation....none at all!
7. Difficulty breathing, I almost felt like my stomach was shoved up into my chest and I kept breathing really heavy. Even my husband kept asking me, "why are you breathing so hard?"
8. Acne
9. My entire mid-section - GONE! I've got love handles!
10.I feel gross....literally plain icky! Even my face gained weight!

Now, here's another shocker: I worked out almost every day that week. I was still doing cardio and strength training galore. So, another thing I would love to point out, is even though you're exercising, if you're not paying attention to calories, carbs, fats, and proteins, you'll never be able to achieve your goals, no matter how hard you work. I had also gone camping the weekend of my test, so many of my foods were camping foods, which I know many of you will be tempted with this summer.

Here is what my diet consisted of for that one week:
Fruits:
-Watermelon
-Oranges
-Grapes
-Apples
-Bananas
-Blueberries

Meat
-Rib-eye Steak
-Lil Smokies w/ BBQ Sauce
-Sausage Links
-Scrambled Eggs w/ cheese
-Chicken Thighs
-1/2 Brat

Junk Food
-Powdered donuts
-Snickers Bar
-Smores
-Cinnamon Yogurt Pretzels
-Oatmeal Cookies
-Trail Mix
-Chips & Salsa
-Popcorn
-Cupcakes

Beverages
-Water
-Sunny D
-Regular Mountain Dew
-Protein Shakes
-Chocolate Milk
-Whiskey
-Coffee w/ Sugar Free Creamer

Veggies
-Broccoli
-Carrots
-Cauliflower
-Tomatoes
-Edamame
-Ceasar Salad w/ Croutons
-Spinach Salad
-Potato Salad

Others
-Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal
-Banana Protein Pancakes
-Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich
-Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread
-Light & Fit Yogurts
-Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
-Hummus
-Peanut Butter
-Quaker Rice Cakes

I didn't measure my food. I just ate it. I didn't count calories. I didn't count carbs or protein. I just ate like most people do for one whole week. I still ate healthy foods too. Lots of it, but of course I through in tons of odd carbs, empty calorie drinks, and yummy junk food into my diet.

I'm guess on average I ate around {each day}:
Calories: 4000-5000
Fat: 200g = 1800 calories
Carbs: 600g = 2400 calories
Protein: 150g = 600 calories

THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH! WAY OVER THE TOP! But do you really know how many calories and macro's you're bringing in a day. Do you keep track of it at all? Here's a question for you, "Is your biggest problem area your belly? Why won't your ab muscles show up?" Here's proof. My belly is a mess, it sticks out and my ab muscles are gone! Just after one week of unhealthy eating. Now do you understand how important CLEAN EATING REALLY IS?

*** Now comes the fun part! How long is it going to take me to fix what I've done to my body? I know it's going to take a lot longer than just a week. Next week, I will do another blog post that's going to focus on my new diet to get me back to the way I was. I will include what my calories are going to be each day, as well as my fats, my carbs, my proteins. I'll even put down my workouts and what my goal is in the end. Wish me luck! I wish you the best of luck too!

EGG WHITES INTERNATIONAL

I've been ordering from Egg Whites International for about a year now. My family and I go through a ton of egg whites! I use them in almost all of my recipes. I find myself ordering 2 to 4 gallons at a time and I do this about once every 2 months or so. Like I said...we eat a ton of egg whites! Ha ha!



I always stick with the best and I found that the best brand for me is through Egg Whites International. They're always reliable, their packaging is safe and secure and they always offer FREE SHIPPING. *LOVE IT*

Egg whites are one of the most important dietary supplements when dieting, bodybuilding, and it also comes down to just wanting to eat healthier. This is what I use and I will always use them. That's how much I trust their product and brand =) Thanks Egg White International for offering me the best!

CAPELLA DROPS

Some of my recipes, you'll start to notice have flavored Capella drops in them. I LURV ME some Capella drops. They are not sweetened, just flavored. And they're potent. You won't want your tongue to come in contact directly with Capella drops. It feels really funky and almost makes my tongue feel numb {Yes! I tried it and it wasn't very fun! Ha ha!}. A little bit goes a long ways too! They have some great flavors to choose from and I as you can tell I have several. Actually I have more than this, but I didn't feel like pulling them all out. Ha ha!





You can use these to flavor anything and everything. From your yogurt, protein shakes, oatmeal's, pancakes, omelets, french toast....you name it! There are also some flavor drops for your water too. These one's are sweetened to make your water taste even yummier and most of them are some type of fruity flavor. I haven't bought any flavored water one's yet, but I think that's what I'm going to try getting in my next order. For now, I just have the regular Capella Flavor Drops and here are some of my all time favs:
1. Graham Cracker
2. Toasted Almond
3. NY Cheesecake
4. Pumpkin Spice
5. Vanilla Cupcake

You can order these from Netrition.com They cost about $4.50 each and like I said a little goes a long way, so they'll last you awhile. They have a TON of flavors, so go check em out! You'll love them!

ABDOMINAL FAT

We are starting a new trend at Idaho Falls Gold's Gym next week. We're going to be doing a newsletter every month, to help all of your clients and gym members know what's going on with Gold's, as well as tidbits on fitness and nutrition. They asked me to pick a body part and write a small little "fact" that I would like to talk about. I chose to talk about abdominal fat.



ABDOMINAL FAT

“No matter how developed your ab muscles are, they won’t be visible if they’re covered in a layer of fat.”

There are 2 different types of abdominal fat.
1. Subcutaneous Fat – Found OUTSIDE of the muscle wall {the pinchable stuff}.
2. Visceral Fat – Found UNDER the muscles and surrounds all of our vital organs.

Visceral fat is the hardest to burn off. It is also the most dangerous kind of fat. Having excess fat at the waist has been linked to several disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. The best way to get rid of both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat is diet and cardio. You could do a million crunches, but until you clean up your diet and do a little extra cardio, your ab muscles will never “pop out.”

JEN-FIT

I came across Jen's page through some friends on facebook. I instantly fell in love with her and I couldn't believe the things this girl was capable of. She's competed in fitness competitions and loves to run marathons. Oh, how she inspires me! Jen is one amazing woman!



Jen Grothe put out a cookbook called '75 Ways to Love your Oatmeal'. If you have never seen this cookbook before, you've seriously been missing out! One of the biggest foods in my diet is oatmeal. I eat it almost every day! Jen designed TONS of recipes to help make eating oatmeal more fun and enjoyable. This girl is genious!

I've been making lean recipes for some time now, but I've never attempted a baked oatmeal before. The first baked oatmeal I attempted to make was Jen's Blueberry Cheesecake. It was so good! I tried a few others and fell in love with them as well. That's when I started making some of my own versions of baked oatmeals. I love trying new things and combining new ingredients to make the perfect oatmeal. Not only that, but it got me started on designing even more recipes. From protein pancakes to french toasts to YOU NAME IT! If you don't see me at the gym, I'm at home whipping up a new recipe.

So, when it comes right down to it, I have to thank Jen. She inspired me to do more with my recipes and she doesn't even know that I exist. Funny how that works! I'm hoping that one day, I can meet her in person and talk to the whiz behind all the baked oatmeals. Thanks Jen! YOU ROCK!

You can find Jen's blog HERE and her facebook page HERE. Go check her out! Read her story. Trust me! You'll love her! Also too, go HERE to check out her cookbook.




Netrition -
The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore!

EASTER CANDY + CRAVINGS = PURE EVIL

*H*A*P*P*Y* *E*A*S*T*E*R* *E*V*E*R*Y*O*N*E*

Last night the Easter bunny came to my house and asked so kindly if I would help him fill my children's Easter baskets, so he could hop around hiding all of the eggs. I was reluctant at first. In all honesty {and in previous years}, I've always been more than happy to help him out. And every year, while I helped him fill my children's Easter baskets with toys and goodies, I would nibble on a piece of chocolate. Suddenly one piece of candy became two, then three. Then along came the peeps! Oh, marshmellowey goodness! By the time Mr. Rabbit and I were done, I would have downed several sweets, to the point where I lost count. It would be time for Mr. Rabbit to go and he would give me a kiss on the cheek and wish me a Happy Easter and hop away to visit the next house of dreaming children. Oh, how I love you Mr. Rabbit! You're one swell cuddly bunny. But, the moment he was gone, I felt gross. I can't believe I ate all that candy!

So, this year, I wasn't too eager to help him out. I wanted to turn my back and tell him to do it himself. The thought of chocolate peanut butter filled eggs and marshmellow peeps made my mouth water and stomach growl. Why do these darn sweets tempt me so bad? I have good days and I have bad days, and the night before Easter was a bad day! The temptation alone was killing me! I thought to myself, "Just one piece. One piece isn't going to hurt me." But, I know myself all too well. Like previous years, I could never stop at just ONE piece and to this day, I'm still that way.

I need to stay stong. I'm STILL working on my body to get it to where I want it to be. So, why throw away all of my hard work on some meesly Easter candy? My brain keeps trying to convince me, that one piece won't hurt. But, do I really need this piece of candy? It's not going to fuel my body, it's just going to satisfy a craving. An endulgent. I DON'T NEED IT! I'm strong and I can do this!

I turned back around to face Mr. Rabbit, took a deep breath and said, "I would love to help you with the baskets!" And I did! And guess what? I stayed strong. I'm going to be honest and tell you it was HARD. It definitely wasn't easy! But, I did it! I didn't nibble on one piece of candy. And you know what? This morning, I feel great! I'm proud of myself for not giving into my cravings. On another note, this morning has been really hard too. Watching my kids chow down on their delicious candy's has me weak in the knee's. Once again my stomach is growling and my brain is telling me, "just one piece." NO! I can do this! I'll feel better about myself if I don't eat it. It's going to be a tough day.....but my body will thank me for it later ;)

Happy Easter Everyone! From my sweet cravings and temptations to yours! I know you will fight the same battle today as I did. You've got the willpower to resist your cravings and urges. Trust me! You do! You just need to dig deep and find it. I promise if you turn away from the sweets today, you'll be so happy with yourself the next morning. You'll feel stronger and laugh in the face of weakness. You can do this! I know you can! If you've already dipped into your kids' Easter stash, it's okay! Start eating better right now! Don't start Monday. Don't start next week. Start right now and love yourself more for it. I hope you all have a fun, fit and healthy Easter!




Netrition -
The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore!

TORANI & DA VINCI SUGAR-FREE SYRUPS

By now, you're probably wondering what is Torani or Da Vinci sugar-free syrup. I use Torani or Da Vinci syrups in many of my recipes. These sugar-free syrups help add flavoring and sweetness to my meals. I even use a Tablespoon in my coffee every morning. I suggest having a few of these on hand. There are TONS of flavors out there, but you're most likely to use the vanilla and caramel flavorings the most.



You can find these syrups at almost any store. You'll find them in the coffee aisles. Also, I've been able to find them at many health food stores as well as Netrition.com .

If you head to Netrition.com, you'll find tons of fun syrup flavors to choose from, compared to trying to find them in the stores.

Torani and Da Vinci syrups are sweetened with splenda and have no calories, no carbs, and no sugars. It's like a freebie when it comes to cutting calories in your diet! Woo hoo! Just what I like!

Nutrition Facts - 1 TBS
Calories: 0
Fats: 0g
Carbs: 0g
Protein: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0g

DEE'S CEREAL

I came across Dee's Cereal through a friend. She suggested that I might like cooking with it and you know what.... I DO! This cereal is fantastic! It has everything you can possible think of in it, except the kitchen sink. Dee's Cereal came about when a man, named Dee Jardine, was suffering from diabetes and decided he needed to change some things in his life, including his diet. He came up with his very own cereal called Dee's Cereal.



Here's what's in it:
Organic Whole Wheat
Organic Yellow Corn
Sweetened Cranberries
Garbanzo Beans
Sunflower Seeds
Banana Chips
Oat Bran
Oat Groats
Flaxseed
Brown Rice
Sesame Seeds
Rolled Oats
Raisens
Barley
Almonds
Millet
Spices

Long list of yummy healthy foods, right? Well, to be honest, this stuff looks like bird seed to me. But, I went to the store and decided to give Dee's Cereal a try. I really liked it! Not only can I have it plain and heat it in the mircrowave like a bowl of grits. But, I can bake with this stuff too!

My only complaint, is it's a little pricey. AND I could only find it at my local health food store in the fridge section. But, to me, the price is well worth it. It's super yummy and packed full of amazing complex carbs. Perfect for sculpting a lean body =) I store it in my fridge to keep it fresh and it's definitely one of my favorite foods to bake with. *Protein muffin recipe coming soon*

Nutrition Facts for Dee's Cereal {1/3 cup}
Calories: 210
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 33g
Protein: 7g




Netrition -
The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore!

HOW IMPORTANT IS A FOOD SCALE?

It is very important! I use mine every day, several times a day, and I'd be lost without it! Even while Zack, my husband, is on his bulking cycle, he is always measuring and weighing his food.



The only way a person can lose fat or even gain muscle, is you've got to count! Count your calories. Carbs. Fats. Proteins. They are all important and you've got to have the right amounts throughout the day for them to work properly together. You want to get the best results for your body from your food, right? Start weighing your food and meals. It is SUPER IMPORTANT.

If you're not familiar with a food scale, I promise you, they're really easy to figure out and they hardly take up any room. They're even small enough now, that you can take them anywhere and they travel pretty well. You can find them for pretty cheap and you can find them in almost any store. I bought mine online through CSNstore.com. They had many to choose from and had great prices on them. The one I bought is "The Biggest Loser" brand. I LOVE MINE! I don't know what I'd do without it!

You need to be consistant with your food and diet. The best way to know how much you're eating is weighing your food. My suggestion.....go get a food scale. You'll love having one and you'll begin to wonder how you've gone so long without one.




Netrition -
The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore!