Cincinnati Adventure Boot Camp for Women

3 More Recipes ...

2012-02-16T08:10:00.001-05:00

Your Life, Your Body, Your Adventure!

Way to rock it out this morning! With workouts like that, you're gonna have some rock-hard abs in no time!

Tomorrow we'll be wrapping up the first of camp with a fun NEW timed challenge that you'll use as a benchmark to show progress over these 4 weeks of camp!

You'll go at your own pace tomorrow, and you'll be working a lot of muscle and using a lot of calories.

And now, for the remainder of the recipes for the Crockpot freezer extravaganza ...

Moroccan Chicken, Chickpea and Apricot Tagine

Ingredients:

6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into large chunks ( or assorted chicken pieces, about 3 lbs)
1 tablespoon flour
2 large onions, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 -2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 inch fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
6 ounces dried apricots
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (14 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
2 (14 ounce) cans chickpeas
3 tablespoons honey
½ pint chicken stock
2 carrots, peeled & diced (optional)
1 pinch saffron or 1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and black pepper

Ingredients to have on hand day of cooking

chopped Cilantro

Freezing Instructions

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in skillet and brown chicken on each side.
In a separate skillet, heat olive oil & sauté chopped onions & garlic for 5-10 minutes.
Add chicken stock & gradually mix in flour until well mixed & not lumpy. Add honey & tomato paste & mix well.
Add herbs, spices & finely chopped ginger with salt & pepper to taste.
Finally add canned tomatoes & mix well.
Pour the above tomato, onion & spice mix into freezer bag.
Add chicken & chickpeas & mix well.
Add dried apricots making sure they are covered by juice. (Add the carrots if using.).

Cooking Instructions

Defrost bag in refrigerator overnight. Place all ingredients in Crock Pot or Slow Cooker - Cook on high for about 3 to 4 hours OR low for 6-8 hours

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Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. grated fresh gingerroot
2" cinnamon stick
1 to 2 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3-1/2 lb. chicken, cut up and skinned

Ingredients to have on hand day of cooking:

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. curry powder
2 Tbsp. cold water
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup mango chutney
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Freezing Instructions:

Combine the onion, garlic, ginger root, cinnamon, 1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder, and red pepper flakes in freezer bag. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Add to bag.

Cooking Instructions:

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove chicken and keep warm in low oven, covered. Skim fat from Crockpot. Combine cornstarch, 2 teaspoons curry powder, and water in a small bowl. Stir into juices remaining in Crockpot. Increase heat to high and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve chicken with sauce and chutney. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions and serve with peanuts, and coconut.

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Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 medium red onion, chopped 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
kosher salt and black pepper
1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Ingredients to have on hand day of cooking:

plain greek yogurt, sliced scallions, and shredded cheddar cheese

Freezing Instructions:

In a gallon freezer bag combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add the tomatoes (and their liquid), beans, sweet potato.

Cooking Directions:

Defrost bag the night before in the refrigerator. Place contents of bag and 1 cup water in Crockpot. Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Serve the chili with the plain greek yogurt, scallions, radishes, and Baked Scoops tortilla chips.

Please let us know which of these 6 meals are your favorites!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

3 Recipes ....

2012-02-15T09:33:00.001-05:00

How are you feeling?

Three days into week one and usually your body starts complaining a bit. Muscle soreness is okay (welcomed, even!) but if you have any pain that is sharp, shooting or that doesn't improve with rest, please let us know.

Seems as though I wasn't the only one who thought Monday's crock pot idea was a good one.

Several campers have emailed asking about recipes. So I'm sharing - half today and half tomorrow.

Here are the ones we plan on making and freezing this weekend.

Honey Parmesan Pork Roast

Ingredients:

1 (2-3 pound) boneless pork roast
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Ingredients to have on hand day of cooking:
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Freezer Instructions: Combine cheese through salt. Pour over roast and place in freezer bag.

To Cook: Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.

Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice roast; serve with gravy.

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Slow Cooker Ribollita

Ingredients

3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1/4 small head green cabbage, sliced (about 3 cups)
4 ounces pancetta diced
1 cup dried cannelini beans picked over and rinsed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a 2-inch piece of the rind
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Ingredients to have on hand day of cooking

4 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
5 thick slices crusty bread
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons extra plus more for drizzling
3 cloves garlic, sliced

Freezer Directions

Combine the carrots, celery, cabbage, pancetta, beans, tomato paste, parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper in freezer bag.

Cooking Directions:

Empty contents of freezer bag, 4 cups chicken stock and 3 cups water in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low, 7 to 8 hours. Leave 1 slice of bread at room temperature to dry out slightly.

Before serving, add the stale bread to the slow cooker. Cover and continue to cook, about 10 minutes. Stir the soup well, then add the grated parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the remaining 4 bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place a slice in each bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the garlic and oil into the soup. Ladle the soup over the bread in the bowls.

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Seven-vegetable Tagine

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 large cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 small butternut squash, seeded, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters
2 large carrots, cut into 3-inch chunks
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
2 small turnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and quartered
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and left whole

Ingredients to have on hand day of cooking:

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
quinoa, prepared according to package instructions

Instructions for Freezing Ahead

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric, cinnamon stick and bay leaf; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.

Place all ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag except for the cumin, salt and pepper and cilantro.

Write the following on a piece of paper taped to the bag:

Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Remove vegetables to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Cut the potatoes and cauliflower up into smaller pieces, if desired. Stir in 1/2 tsp ground cumin into the liquid in slow-cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour cooking liquid over the vegetables, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with quinoa.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Sweet Workout!

2012-02-14T09:02:00.001-05:00

What a heartfelt metabolic circuit to finish up a very sweet Day 2 workout.

With a workout that provides quality strength training, and intense interval heart rate elevation, you get the benefit of a fine-tuned metabolism, burning up calories at a peak rate.

So, if your sweetie gives you some chocolate today, enjoy a treat or two. Your can handle it when you move your body the way it's designed to move!

And chances are, you'll run into some chocolate today, or over the coming week ... over $1 billion is spent on it for Valentines Day.

People sometimes ask about the health benefits of chocolate. It's been touted over the past few years as potentially healthy.

Research published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and others have looked at the health benefits ... and there is something to it.

It starts with the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate. Antioxidants can be thought of as scavengers in the body that gobble up dangerous free radicals and other destructive molecules.

Think of antioxidants like Pac-Man - and the destructive molecules as the Ghosts in the game that Pac-Man gobbles.

Of course antioxidants aren't just in dark chocolate - they're plentiful in fruit and veggies, tea, and loads of other foods. But dark chocolate is one of the highest sources of antioxidants called flavonoids and catechins, two powerful ones.

Of course other foods are better sources of other antioxidants, so variety is key.

A recent study published in the Southern Medical Journal examined the effects of dark chocolate on inflammation, lipid levels, and the stickiness of the blood in 28 individuals.

They fed the individuals 1 oz of dark chocolate daily for 7 days.

The results:

LDL (the bad cholesterol) dropped by 6%
HDL (the good cholesterol) increased by 9%
hsCRP (inflammatory marker) decreased

While this was a short study, it can be combined with the other positive data to support the inclusion of dark chocolate into the diet. Other studies suggest including dark chocolate into a varied diet lowers blood pressure too.

Bottom Line

This isn't a "free pass" to gorge on chocolate daily - it still contains lot of calories, fat and sugar ... so if you want to include chocolate, keep those calories in check by reducing your intake elsewhere.
Aim for chocolate that has at least 70% cacao (it will tell you this on the package).
Dark chocolate does not mean a Snicker's Bar, King Size Twix, Heath Bars, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, etc. It means quality chocolate, without the added junk.

Limit that intake to about 1 oz once in awhile (not every 10 minutes). But today, if you want the milk chocolate, enjoy it!

Have a Terrific Tuesday!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Awesome time saving dinner strategy ...

2012-02-13T08:12:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the February Boot Camp session!

We're REALLY pumped up about this one ... the goal will be to hunker down and take a GIANT step toward getting you ready for spring when we shed the hoodies and sweats for tanks and shorts. :)

And we'll be celebrating the 1000^th Adventure Boot Camp workout on the final day of camp. That's 5 years of Advetnure Boot Camp!

During this time we've been so fortunate to work with amazing women, and to see such wonderful success through your commitment to a healthy and fit lifestyle.

So, we're going to create a book of YOUR stories of success!

Over the coming weeks, we'll be compiling you story about how ABC has impacted your life for the positive.
What are you able to do today that maybe was difficult before starting camp? How better do you feel day in and day out now that you're exercising consistently? How has your energy, mental and emotional being improved?

We're composing a book featuring YOU!

Please email us your story at story@healthstylefitness.com, 250 words or less, and we'll do the rest!

Okay, so my good friend, dietitian Chris Mohr, recently shared something with me that is PURE GENIUS. I'm mad I didn't think of it myself - especially because it's a time saver and I'm always thinking of ways to save time and make life simplier.

This is genius because it not only saves time and makes life easier, it also allows you to stick to a healthy eating
plan virtually stress free. And since we're getting ready for spring, healthy eating will be a critical part of that.

So think about your most stressful times of the day.

If you're like many, it's after work, or the end of a long day usually between 4 and 7. You're coming home from work, kids are home from school. Perhaps they have to be shuttled to some other activity. Everyone's tired and hungry ... and you've still got to get dinner on the table.

Some of the ways to get around this:

1) only cook 3 or 4 days a week and use leftovers the other days. It takes less time to get dinner on the table and clean up is easier. The majority of cooking happens on the weekend, or when you're not as busy.
2) freeze meals ahead of time so all you have to do is defrost and reheat or cook.
3) choose slow cooker dishes, so you just have to toss the ingredients in the Crockpot in the morning and dinner is ready when you need it.

All of these are great strategies -- but then here's the one Chris recently shared with me:

Freeze ahead slow cooker meals.
You prep everything for the slow cooker (including seasonings, sauces, etc) and place it in gallon size freezer bags with directions on what you need to do the day you make it. The night before, place the bag in the fridge to defrost, then dump everything into the Crockpot the next day, and presto - dinner is done 8-10 hours later.
I like this more than freezing already prepared meals because 1) it's a fresh meal and 2) these meals take up less space in the freezer allowing you to plan ahead more meals.
Carolyn and I will be doing a big 6 meal prep session this coming weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.
Do you have a favorite meal-time time saver (that doesn't involve take out)? If so, let us know!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE
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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Time to Celebrate!

2012-02-03T08:09:00.001-05:00

Some SERIOUS kicking booty was going on over these past 4 weeks.

New routines. New formats. And lots of MUSCLE CONFUSION! (If you were wondering why you're still a bit sore, that's it right there).

Jennifer, Linda, Michelle, Katie, Kelly, Amanda and I are majorly impressed by your fortitude and diligence.

Many people right now are struggling with SAD, losing a family member, loved ones in accidents, and so much more in terms of the challenges life sends our way.

Keep these people in your thoughts, several are campers.

And thank you for doing whatever it takes to keep on keeping on, whether you're facing adversity or not.

Daily exercise is one of the very best things you do for yourself, of course I'm not telling YOU anything new here. Just saying thank you and appreciating all that you do to make it happen each morning.

Because far too many are still making their rationalizations as to why they "can't" get the necessary movement their bodies need.

And so NOW it's time to CELEBRATE you, your hard work, and your accomplishments.

Over the next week make a list of EVERYTHING that is better because you're working out. Make it as LONG a list as possible. There are AT LEAST 100 things that we don't realize are better because we start the day with a refreshing, energizing workout.

There are MORE things FORGOTTEN than remembered because our alarm clock goes off before our neighbors and co-workers.

Let that list you make sink in ... FEEL IT and OWN IT. Because THAT is the key to keeping on keepin' on.

As we said earlier in the week, this is just the beginning. Regardless if this is your 4^th year in camp or your first 4-week session, keep moving forward. Getting better. Who knows where this thing will go, what having optimal HEALTH will provide for you.

But one thing is certain, it will give you tons more opportunities for even more good stuff in your future!

The fastest way to change your mental and emotional outlook is to radically change your physiology. You know how that feels. You experience it every day by 5:50, 6:10, and surely by 6:30am.

The second way to change how you feel is to change your focus. We can watch the news, or we can reflect on how far we've come and the good stuff.

We can watch Braveheart, Forest Gump, Erin Brockovich, Hoosiers, Rudy, Pay It Forward, Sea Biscuit, Field of Dreams or Miracle ... and those flicks will lift your spirit and expand your soul with the richness of life and enthusiasm.

Make a point to put the good stuff in every day. Read or listen to positive messages. Fill your mind with awesomeness!

Next session we celebrate the completion of 5 years of Adventure Boot Camp! On February 13^th we'll kick off camp with our 980^th ABC workout. On March 9^th, we'll hit the 1000^th workout. And we'll be sure to have some fun workouts with those numbers. :)

And speaking of celebration ... in one week we celebrate YOU at the Adventure Boot Camp social. Today is the final day to register at the early-bird price of $25. Tomorrow the price goes to $35. Here's the registration link with all the details: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/ABC-Social.html.

And here's to a fantastic, restful, and recuperative week! Thank you SO MUCH for being an important part of Adventure Boot Camp!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

The hCG Diet Strikes America ...

2012-02-02T10:09:00.001-05:00

We got it going on this morning ... backside blaster, some core, and holy hamstrings!

Tomorrow we'll wrap up the first camp session of 2012 with our timed metabolic circuit that'll work loads of muscles, and burn loads more calories.

How many calories you use up each morning is dependent on a couple of factors: how hard you work and how much you weigh (185 pound person burns MORE calories than a 120 pound person).

But in using the bodybugg to track several boot campers, we've seen 400 - 700+ calories burned at camp. Some more, some less, again depending on the type and intensity of the workout (and size of the person).

So can you imagine ONLY eating 500 calories in a day?

That's INSANE.

For many Americans, they get that BEFORE eating breakfast when they stop at Starbucks.

But there is a massive wave of Americans living on 500 calories per day ... and you probably know someone swept up into this craze, the hCG diet.

People are lured into this incredibly unhealthy approach to weight loss because of the FAST results.

People are putting "skinny" above healthy on the priority list.

Unfortunately, the data since 1970 consistently shows when you go back to normal, healthy eating, the weight comes back.

And NO ONE can sustain life on 500 calories per day. All of your organs (heart, brain, liver, etc) require MORE than 500 calories per day to function.

I'm thankful that YOU don't buy into shortcuts ... or the something for nothing mentality.

So when a friend, or family member that you care about asks you about the hCG diet, share this with them.

Be prepared, though, as much as YOU are an advocate for exercise and eating a clean HEALTHY diet, they are likely just as committed to the hCG approach.

But if you care about them, make their HEALTH more important than them getting ticked off at you.

Harvard medical school calls the hCG diet, "unsafe, and irresponsible".

The Mayo Clinic calls it "unsafe ... and life threatening".

And here's an article from the Dr. Oz website ...

The FDA is warning consumers that over-the-counter HCG products marketed as "weight-loss aids" are unproven and illegal. Harmful effects from these products should be reported to your health-care professional and to the FDA at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm.

Which of the below statements is true about the hCG diet?

Many dieters swear by it.
Doctors say it doesn't work.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls hCG supplements illegal and fraudulent.

What's remarkable is that all these statements are true. Let's take a close look at the hCG diet to separate fact from fiction.

What is the hCG diet?

The hCG diet combines extreme calorie restriction with daily shots of a hormone produced by pregnant women called human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG).

How much can you eat on the hCG diet?

Very little. The hCG diet requires that you eat only 500 calories a day. You would hit your daily limit with one turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese and mayo.

Can you lose a lot of weight on the hCG diet?

Yes. If you don't eat, you'll lose weight. Skipping meals and extreme restriction of food has been used by dieters for decades to try to lose weight. If you stick to a diet of only 500 calories a day, it's possible to lose 5 or more pounds a week.

If you lose weight fast, then why don't doctors recommend it?

You don't keep the weight off. Decades of research have demonstrated that if you diet by eating only 500 calories a day, you regain a lot of weight after the diet ends. It turns out that these crash diets lead to no more weight loss after one year than if you modestly reduce calories and increase exercise.

It's also unsafe. Common sense tells us that starving is not very good for our bodies. In fact, scientists have proven this as well. If you only eat 500 calories a day, there are serious health risks. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has already investigated over a dozen deaths linked to these very low calorie diets as far back as the 1970s. Click here to review their findings. Of course, many people won't die from the hCG diet, but many will develop other health problems like hair loss, constipation and gallstones - a painful condition that often requires surgery.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Non-Stop KILLER Work!

2012-02-01T08:56:00.001-05:00

You should definitely be feeling pretty good today - elevated energy and enhanced endorphin flow! Give yourself a big pat on the back for a job WELL DONE, knocking out another tremendous workout!

We went virtually non-stop this morning.

In Oakley, I joked about how in our "guys" boot camp the guys spend half of the workout on their backs, catching their breath, resting, and "fixin' to get ready" for the next series of exercises.

LOL!

I'd love to see the guys in Adventure Boot Camp.

In fact, every summer we do a big workout at Ault Park where the guys are invited. I love my brothers, but they just can't hang with the ABC women!!

(Please don't share this with them ... I don't need any dudes emailing me all upset :).

Okay....

Now is the time to schedule your post-boot camp evaluation with Michele.

Click here to access the schedule online ... Michelle is starting on Friday (9:30am to 1pm) and then all morning on Saturday (7am - 1pm).

Additional times are available during the week (all next week) as well. With the wrap up to the 12 week challenge, it will be busy.

Please note, if you cannot find a time that works for you on the schedule, please email us at eval@healthstylefitness.com and we'll find a time that works.

For those want to keep their progress moving forward into the February 13^th camp session, you can click here for the "Express Check Out" link, to bypass filling out the health history and registration form.

Today let's talk about something the plagues many of us ...

... Portion Control!

Today a "large" order of fries from McDonalds' weighs the same as 1998's "Supersize" fries.

And it doesn't stop there. Check out these eye-opening figures, provided by the National Institutes of Health:

Today's 6-inch bagel has 350 calories. This is 210 more calories than a 3-inch bagel 20 years ago.
Today's 5 ounce muffin has 500 calories. This is 310 calories more than muffin 20 years ago.
Today, a large cookie has about 275 calories. This is 220 more calories more than a cookie 20 years ago.
Today, a 3 cup chicken Caesar salad has 790 calories. This is 400 more calories more than Caesar salads 20 years ago.

Keep in mind that the health experts all agree on one thing: Obesity is on the rise because people eat too many calories and do not exercise enough.

Try the following tips to reduce the quantity of calories you consume, and in turn, watch your waist slim down.

Trim-Down Tip #1: Re-program Your Mind
Most of our mothers did a great job when she taught us to "clean our plates." The problem now lies in the fact that our plate is usually loaded with more than 3 times the calories than we really need. So what's the solution?

Realize that it is O.K. to leave food on your plate. Eating everything on the plate is probably a habit now, but it is one that you can break. Focus on how you feel halfway through your meal. Are you full? If you are beginning to feel full then stop eating. Don't worry - your mom won't send you to your room and you can always wrap it up for a quickie meal later.

Trim-Down Tip #2: Slow Down
I know that this is a tough one - so bear with me. These days we are in such a hurry, we rush to work, rush to lunch, rush through errands and then rush home. And food consumption is no different. Most meals are devoured before your stomach has the chance to let you know that it is full.

Eat your next meal slower than usual. Chew each bite thoroughly, engage in conversation and pay attention for signs that you may be getting full. Once you realize that you are full, stop eating. Congratulations - you just tailored your portion down to its proper size.

Trim-Down Tip #3: Slow Down
Start every meal FIRST with fruits and veggies. Remember the Chipotle 1400 calorie burrito versus the 28 oranges (also 1400 calories)? Fruits and veggies FILL YOU UP FAST! And they're awesome for you.

Trim-Down Tip #4: Go Halfsies
I understand that it may be very difficult for you to leave food on your plate, even though your mother isn't looking over your shoulder, and even if you eat slowly. No problem - you just need to do some strategic planning. The next time you go out to eat try one of the following two options.

1) Share an entrée with a friend and order a GREEN salad to start your meal. This will cut your calories down dramatically, while still giving you the satisfaction of clearing your plate.

2) If sharing isn't an option then ask your server to bring a to-go box along with your order. As soon as the food is placed in front of you put half of it into the to-go box. You are now left with a reasonable portion and even have your next meal taken care of.

Nothing super-duper fancy or tough to do here ... all very simple, yet exceptionally effective strategies to battle the CRAZY OVER-FED culture we live in today!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

What's Next?

2012-01-31T07:22:00.001-05:00

Another change of pace, a new format, to keep the "muscle confusion" going strong, and your body making GREAT (positive) improvement.

Tomorrow we'll have the final Bring A Friend day at camp. More names will be dropped into the "hat" for a chance at a free massage for each friend you bring.

The rules and form are here: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Bring-A-Friend-to-Camp.html.

Okay, we have 3 workouts remaining in the January ABC session, and in the 12 week fitness challenge that many started back in late October.

It's been quite a journey.

Some awesome, awesome, very positive stuff has been created by you all.

We'll be compiling all the AWESOMENESS starting on Friday with your post-camp evaluations. Tomorrow we'll send the evaluation schedule and registration link.

But those are just numbers. We could never account for how much your stress is reduced, or how much better you are mentally, emotionally, or how much your confidence has soared.

Although this may be the end of camp or 12 week challenge, it's really the BEGINNING of the journey.

It's the launching pad for greater health and fitness.

Last year we had some phenomenal successes in terms of body fat reduction, improvements in health, energy, and happiness. There's no question that this year will surpass last year's results.

What's puzzling is sometimes we reach our goals (or make a massive step toward reaching the goals) after a certain time period, only to be right back where we started 2, 3, 6 or 9 months later.

Why?

I'm sure there are lots of reasons. We tend to relax a little after success. Maybe a week of chilling out leads to 2 weeks, which leads to a month, and before you know it, we're back to square one.

Although I'm a BIG proponent of relaxing, reflecting on how far we've come, and celebrating our successes, I also want to encourage you to set NEW goals/outcomes or a new level of success to go after.

I want to encourage you to keep your eye on the ball.

I was telling a group on Saturday that the ONLY reason I'm shooting to qualify for the Boston Marathon is because it's my NEXT thing, it keeps me improving, and it KEEPS me focused.

Without a training goal, there's no reason for me to get out of bed at 4am on Saturday. I become less fit. And eventually I could become a slug. Seriously, I've been there.

I run and train intensely at the studio because I love how I feel when I have tons of energy. And because I'm a role model for my daughter. And because I know what it's like to be REALLY out of shape and overweight.

My mom still has that picture of me 45 pounds over-fat when I was 19. Depressing. No energy. I looked and felt horrible.

What's NEXT for you? And what's driving your next thing?

Figure that out, and the past 4 or 12 weeks will be a launching pad to an even BETTER you, rather than a peak that you look back and say, "gosh, I was in REALLY good shape back on January 31, 2012!"

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

ABC-12WC Final Week ...

2012-01-30T07:17:00.001-05:00

I think we kicked off the last week of the 12 Week Challenge with a BANG this morning!
What a workout, huh?

This year we've had more participants in ABC-12WC than ever, and the excitement is building for the Social on the 10^th!!

We will be announcing the 3 winners from each camp at the Social, as well as the recipients of the Perfect Attendance reward.

As a side note, if anyone still needs clarification on this, the Perfect Attendance reward is for campers who signed up for FIVE days per week, and came to every session (the registration page was clear on this; in fact, there was a red flashing arrow pointing it out), as well as the Cooking Classes and Grocery Tour/questionnaire.
Also keep in mind that the Perfect Attendance is an EXTRA reward. It's another special thing ADDED on top of all the other free stuff, bonuses, and prizes. First time that's ever been offered.

Speaking of the free stuff, bonuses and prizes ... each year the Cincinnati and Dayton Adventure Boot Camps give away over $35,000 in prizes and other related free services during our 12 Week Challenge. I know many of the highly regarded trainers around the country ... and their eyes bug out when I tell them our prizes and free services total over $35,000!

The next closest one (in Louisville) just gave away prizes worth $800. And, they charge an EXTRA fee to join the challenge.

But then again, $35,000 is meaningless in comparison to sound health. Just ask anyone who is losing theirs, or someone close to them is currently losing their health.

So I think it's important to remember what the real reward is. Your HEALTH and FITNESS. If you're coming to camp and sleeping just to get perfect attendance, the spirit and intent of the reward is lost. A prized valued at $448 is insignificant compared to a healthy, functionally fit, energized body.

Something we hear time and time again about Adventure Boot Camp for Women is the appreciation for the focus on positive energy. Not just received from your instructors (though we love the opportunity to be a positive, motivating force for you each morning), but from all the other women in boot camp as well. You all really value the positive atmosphere you get from the other campers and how that impacts your workout.
And of course the reverse is true, too. If you're coming to camp with a negative attitude, realize how that impacts others. Sometimes it just happens without even realizing it --we've all been there. You're feeling grumpy or overwhelmed from responsibilities at work or home, and you let that seep into your 5:30-6:30am hour of power. If this is you, take note of it -and make a point to shift your attitude. Think positive thoughts ... smile ... focus on how good you're going to feel at 6:30 ... give a high five or some love to another camper during the workout. You'd be amazed at the simple things you can do that will improve your mood...which leads to an improved workout.

And if you're really feeling burned out, sometimes that means you need to take some time away from boot camp to gain a new perspective. You could work out on your own. You could join a gym. You could find another boot camp.

But I think you'll have a tough time finding instructors that are more dedicated than this Adventure Boot Camp experience. Your instructors work round the clock in quest to continually deliver the very best comprehensive fitness program. She is committed each and every day to helping you reach your goals and stay on the path toward optimum Health and Fitness, both mentally and physically. And we can't wait to celebrate all your hard work and success at the Social Celebration on the 10^th.

Here's to an awesome finish to the 12 Week Challenge - make it a FANTASTIC week!!

Your friend in fitness,
Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE
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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Extraordinary!

2012-01-27T14:38:00.001-05:00

What a week!

Gosh, I feel like I've been saying this a lot, but y'all been kicking butt and taking names, and we're just SUPER PROUD of you!

Take 2 minutes to think about the work you've put in this week. Appreciate how far you've come, how much you've improved, and all the small things you've enhanced in just the past 3 weeks.

Extraordinary accomplishments are nothing more than ordinary things done consistently.

One workout at a time. In a week it's 3 or 5, over a month its 12 - 20, and over a year it's a complete and total new YOU!

We love your stories about how you "used" to not be able to do a pushup, and now you're cranking them out.

How you lost 85 pounds during your time in Adventure Boot Camp.

How you start each day with a boost of energy and enthusiasm.

And how much more productive and prepared you are for all the stress, chaos, and challenges we all face.

Really think about how much better you are today. Let it sink in. You absolutely SHOULD feel good about what YOU have accomplished.

Next week we wrap up the first boot camp session of 2012.

We'll finish strong.

And speaking of that, check out this 2 minute video.

Hard not to get some goose bumps as you watch.

This happens to all of us. Life isn't predictable, nor is it always smooth sailing. But it's how we deal with the stumbles in the road that matters in the end.

http://youtu.be/cM5A1K6TxxM.

Have a fantastic and restful weekend!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Cause and Effect, revisited

2012-01-26T07:58:00.001-05:00

We REALLY need to commend you, for being a part of Adventure Boot Camp.

For getting yourself to camp day after day.

For working at your pace ... maximizing your hour each morning.

Because the thing is, our health is the most important thing we have.

Of course, I'm biased since I've been a "fitness enthusiast" much of my life.

But think about it ... when we're healthy, we tend to forget about how important health really is.

When we get sick, however, we QUICKLY remember its importance.

Some people would say, "well, Brian, relationships are the most important thing in my life." Or maybe it's success, or the kids.

I can't disagree ... those are critically important things!

Yet the truth is, when health fails, we lose the foundation for relationships, for the kids, spouses, parents, career, success, etc.

The tricky part is ... MOST people (not you) take their health for granted.

It's not like someone eats a Big Mac and large fries and their health falls apart. We lose or gain our health overtime. The daily feedback to let us know if we're on the right track (or not) is not readily apparent.

Sure, we can go see the doc and she says that our blood pressure is high, LDL (bad) cholesterol is high, HDL (good) cholesterol is low. For some, that'll get them to change lifestyle behaviors.

For far too many, though, unfortunately it doesn't. Over time, the body weakens.

And even more heartbreaking to me, by the time the outward signs are there, poor health has taken a firm hold.

So, the key is to stay after the pursuit of sound health. It's not a 3 week gig. It's constant pursuit. Consistent daily steps.

And the key to making that happen is to fall in love with the Cause (in this case, the things that lead to sound health, like exercise, and eating a balanced, healthy diet).

I don't know one healthy/fit person who gets up in the morning, comes to boot camp and hates it.

Rather, healthy and fit people love workout out first thing in the morning. Granted, they likely may not have started out loving it, and maybe every single little thing about working out at 5:30am (Burpees) is not their most favorite thing in the world, but big picture, they love what they're doing.

Healthy and fit people tend to fall in love with pleasing results, while unhealthy people tend to fall in love with pleasing moments (sleeping in, eating desert every night, Krispy Kreme donuts in lieu of fresh fruit in the morning, etc).

When we don't like the Cause (in this case, working out in the morning), we wake up every morning dreading doing the things that will result in the Effects we desire, and I don´t know anyone who can sustain themselves doing what they hate for more than a couple of weeks.

Yet, falling in love with the Causes produces the Effects you want, leading to YOU achieving your goals much faster and with seemingly greater ease ... because we all perform better when we enjoy what we´re doing.

It may take 3 weeks, 3 months, or 9 months. But the cool news is, research shows when we exercise consistently for a period of time, we develop an enjoyment for it.

So Kudos to you for keeping after the cause ... many of you are amazingly fit and exceptionally healthy today. Others are on the right path, and the effects are just a matter of time and consistency.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Super Championship Effort Today!!

2012-01-25T08:49:00.001-05:00

Now that was a CHAMPIONSHIP effort today!

We have been duly impressed with the efforts here in our 3rd week of camp! Boy, it's so awesome to watch how much your fitness has advanced over time!

Speaking of championship, here's some interesting Super Bowl Eating Trivia ...

Did you know that the Average American eats approximately 1500 calories during the Super Bowl game? That's not counting calories before the game.

When you consider that most women who are striving to lose weight, 1500 calories is generally a good number to shoot for on most days (+ or -).

The calculation begins with your basal metabolic rate (number of calories you burn for 24 hours at complete rest - most women are between 800 - 1100 resting metabolic rate) + daily caloric needs + daily exercise calories = number of daily calories that you burn in a day.

If you want to figure out YOUR precise number, download this Gold Standard Calculator (it's an excel file created by us): http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/CalorieCalc.xlsx .

The calculator gives you the maintenance, 1-pound lost per week and 2-pounds lost per week calorie numbers.

Note, we're using the Harris Benedict Equation - it's widely considered by science as the MOST accurate formula. Please avoid rushing out to the internet to use other's calcuations ... they tend to be WAY off.

The formula is straight forward, yet over the years the greatest challenge in helping others lose excess body fat is getting to the calorie deficit. And it's not that people aren't trying, it's just that it's difficult to really know how many calories you've burned during the day and how many you've consumed.

But not anymore!

The BEST tool I've ever found that solves this dilemma is the bodybugg arm band (as seen on the Biggst Loser). It's simple. You tell the bugg what your goal is, what you're eating, then it keeps you up to date on your progress. Very effective. Click here for a short video demo.

And right now we're offering a handful of bodybuggs for a 4-week rental program. For more information, you can email Jennifer, our certified bodybugg coach.

Back to the Super Bowl. Here are some interesting facts on food consumption:

8 million pounds of guacamole are consumed.
Nearly 15,000 tons chips are consumed (yes, that's TONS of chips)
Super Bowl is officially the biggest eating "holiday" of the year, recently surpassing Thanksgiving in some research
Its estimated that $50 million is spent on Super Bowl Sunday food alone

Now if you look at the Super Bowl as part of your 10% when you relax the rules, perfect. When you follow the 90/10 eating principle, you can certainly enjoy special occasions with friends and family.

When you have a big eating day, the key is that you simply get right back on track with healthy eating habits the next day.

And if you're looking for healthier Super Bowl snack options, we have several you can get on the ABC facebook page (by clicking the "Notes" tab at the top left menu bar).

Oh, before I let you go today (and to avoid another email from me :) ... we're looking for photos of YOU for the Adventure Boot Camp Social. Any photo of you finishing or running a 5K, half, marathon, rock climbing, fitness events, etc! The Social night is ALL about YOU and we want to display your accomplishements! All photos can be emailed to Jennifer at jennifer@healthstylefitness.com. Thank you!!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

10 Ways to LOOK AMAZING for Spring!

2012-01-24T07:19:00.001-05:00

A great morning and a great workout to kick Tuesday off with a nice dose of mental and emotional clarity, and a boat load of energy!

Tomorrow is Bring a Friend Day at camp! It's so much fun to share the boot camp love at the crack of dawn! :) Just a couple of "rules"... 1) your friend must be female, 2) she'll need to print and complete this form and bring it with her in the morning and finally 3) she will need a set of weights and a mat for tomorrow's workout.

Remember, everyone will get a ticket with your name on it, dropped into the bucket with a chance for a FREE massage for EACH friend you bring. (One massage given away per camp location).

Today we want to talk diet. It's something you hear from us a lot - and you've likely heard (a million times) to eat your fruits and veggies. More specifically than that we recommend filling half of your plate with fruits and veggies.

This approach is a great way to 1) eat more fiber, 2) eat more food - since fruits and veggies are naturally low in calories and fat and 3) eat a greater amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In a nutshell, it's a GREAT way to eat a huge volume of food, with a HUGE amount of nutrients, in exchange for very, very few calories.

Consider this: Can you eat a Chipotle Burrito in a single meal? Of course. Most of us have. Depending on how you "build" the burrito, it can range from 900 - 1450 calories. Wowsers! For some, that BIG burrito is an entire day's worth of calories.

Can you eat 28 oranges in a single meal? Probably not. After the 8^th, 9^th or 10^th one you would start to feel exceptionally BLOATED and FULL! That's because of the rich fiber and water content.

Realize that eating a 1400 calorie meal (whether it's Chipotle, or your personal favorite) is the equivalent of eating 28 oranges.

When you fill up your plate with half fruits and veggies ... YOU EAT A LOT LESS! And you put the right stuff into your body, if the goal is looking and feeling AWESOME.

And this recommendation was FINALLY adopted by the USDA's Myplate campaign, which is designed to get Americans to eat healthier.

Unfortunately, last month the marketing research group NPD discovered that Americans are following MyPlate guidelines only 2% of the time. That translates to seven days out of the year!

Clearly we can do better. If you don't want to be average, consider these ways to increase your fruits and veggies.

1. Load up an omelet with fresh veggies (seriously, think handfuls of veggies since they'll cook down). Watch here: http://youtu.be/L8nD8A7phwc.

2. Use fresh berries as the base of oatmeal instead of the topping.

3. Have a salad for a meal at least once a day.

4. Make veggies convenient. We chop peppers, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower and divide into baggies so they are easy to grab for a snack with hummus or guacamole.

5. Defrost frozen strawberries slightly and use in place of jelly for a PB & J sandwich.

6. Add frozen fruit such as blueberries and strawberries to yogurts, cereal and cottage cheese.

7. Add a cup of your favorite frozen fruit to vanilla protein powder with water or FF milk, blend into a smooth milkshake. Delicious!

8. Add 4 handfuls of spinach into chocolate protein powder with water or FF milk, blend until smooth. I know ... until you try this one you think, "disgusting!" Surprisingly, it's awesome.

9. Make 2 vegetable sides with dinner each night. Have a side salad as well. Not sure what to prepare, consider either of these basic preps:

Roast veggies on a baking sheet at 375 for 45-60 minutes. Cut up veggies, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Great for cauliflower, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, squash, parsnips, onions, etc
Saute' in a pan with minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Great for greens (spinach, swiss chard, kale, etc), asparagus, green beans.

10. Frozen bananas are a wonderful sweet treat. When bananas begin to brown, peel them and place in a Tupperware container in the freezer. It takes 24 hours for the banana to freeze completely.

If you want a Top Body Fat Reduction Strategy to Look and Feel Amazing for Spring ... eating AT LEAST 10 servings of fruits and veggies EVERY DAY will be your fastest path.

Do you have a favorite way for getting more fruits and veggies in? If so, let us know so we can share ... But clearly there are lots of ways to do better than 7 days a year!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Crazy ... or Good?

2012-01-23T07:32:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend I was looking at my project list and the corresponding deadlines thinking, how in the world will I get all this stuff done?!?!

Cool, I'll just work like crazy over the weekend and start knocking stuff out!

Wrong! My brother is in from Tai Pei, my mom is flying in, and regardless, I have a wife and daughter that I need to spend some weekend QT with.

Oh, well maybe I'll skip my Long Workout on Saturday and catch up?!?!

Wrong again! Something's are non-negotiable. My training and family time are the few on that list.

And besides, if I work 24/7, I get burned out and become far less productive.

I moved from feeling a sense of panic to frustration to resentment to talking myself back into a calm state.

Yet the reality is, that list IS still there, even though I was feeling calmer.

It seems to me that many of us strive, strive, strive to be more, have more, do more.

I even see this in my daughter. She rips open 14 presents on Christmas morning and then later that day says she needs the new Barbie that she sees in an ad. Huh?

Nothing brings out my father's Marine Corps tone than my daughter acting like she doesn't have enough.

I think what many of us forget to be in our day to day of striving, wanting, pursuing is ... GRATEFUL! Include me on that list!

I'm good with wanting more. I'm good with striving to become better.

But the thing I think that really messes us up is a lack of appreciation for what we already have, who we already are, and what we've already created.

If you want to feel really good about your life ... write down 5 things that you are EXCEPTIONALLY grateful for.

If you struggle with that list ... think about something that IF it were gone, you're life would be pretty bad.

I'm thankful that I can run. This time last year my left knee was broken, resulting in my quadricep shutting down, giving me a ton of low back pain, resulting in an inability to move pain-free. I'm so thankful that today I can run!
I'm thankful I have a job. I'm thankful I live in a country where opportunity is abundant. I once lost my income, but I was able to recreate it through diligence, hard work and creativity. The average salary around the world (with the US factored in) is $2 per day. We're pretty darn fortunate here in the US.
I'm thankful I have a laptop. Okay, sure there are more meaningful things to show appreciation for. But, my main computer's hard drive at work kicked the bucket last week, meaning I'm without my calendar, iTunes (needed for boot camp playlist), etc. So I totally missed getting prepared for some key stuff, since the reminders didn't happen. But, hey I'm typing away here on my laptop ... for that I'm grateful!
I'm grateful for Adventure Boot Campers that get me out of bed. It would be way too easy to sleep in every day if I didn't have someone counting on me. And this goes for my running partner too!

You see the point. Gratitude really is everything. It's hard to get more if we don't appreciate what we already have. And man, we all really do have a ton.

If you've lost a job, or someone you love, or life feels totally out of control, or you're struggling with getting your nutrition down, or if you're battling with a case of SAD ... I'm not saying it's easy to always get to a feeling of gratitude. It takes work and persistence sometimes ... but gratitude it's the key to creating the life that you desire.

Jot down 5 things YOU are grateful for ... and keep that with you ALL day long!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Staring down the enemy ...

2012-01-20T07:58:00.001-05:00

Shew--whee, that was fun! At least it was a blast to watch all of you working so hard this morning during your "hour of power"!

Thanks for showing up, working hard and motivating each other to start the day with a mega-boost of energy, mental crispness, and productivity.

A busy schedule is a lot easier to tackle when you get the mental, physical and emotional enhancement first in the morning.

And tackle is exactly what we want to do when it comes to those things that trip us up the most with eating healthy and exercising regularly.

Yesterday we asked you to think of the ONE THING that sabotages you the most. Today we're going to start to stare it down and find some solutions around it.

The easiest part will be coming up with the solution.

The more challenging piece is in implementing it. That's because we tend to battle against our deeply rooted habits and learned behaviors.

Change "being hard" is just reality ... but that's not an excuse for why we can improve in any area we choose.

Keep in mind though, you've been doing X (the thing you want to change) for years, probably decades. So it's not very likely that in 3 days, or 4 weeks, you're going to master the change.

Just as the undesirable behavior that want to change was developed through repetition. The new desirable behavior requires repetition, over and over until they are as worn and ingrained as a cement pathway.

Which is why we do them over and over. Time and again. Despite wanting to take a different path. If we just expect ourselves to do differently we're not being very realistic. Recognize that you must plan and think about what different path to take or else you'll end up back on that same ole' road.

And this is critical. Don't let PERFECT get in the way of POSSIBLE. It's 100% possible to change behavior ... but if your expectation is you've got to do perfectly or not at all, nothing will change.

Work diligently toward what you want, BUT allow yourself the room to mess up.

Think about a 14 month old learning to walk. If she waited to take her first step until she could walk perfectly, she'd still be crawling at 39 years old. Treat your change the same as you would your daughter. Have patience when you don't do it perfectly .

So let's start with some solutions for those behaviors that trouble us the most. These are based on a lot of the emails I received in response to yesterday's newsletter.

I picked one enemy that is within your control and one that is not. Next week we'll offer some more strategies ....

1. IN YOUR CONTROL. Being tired -- namely, staying up too late.

We all tend to do it. But at the end of the day I am to blame if I choose to stay up until 11 pm or midnight when I could have been fast asleep at 9pm. If you procrastinate going to bed, or get caught up in things that keep you up for hours, then try this:

Schedule a bedtime each night and make sure you HONOR it. Even if you're lying in bed reading (as long as it's not something electronic like a Kindle, iPad or computer, which can activate brainwaves that keep you up longer), you are still more likely to fall asleep sooner than if you were doing other things in your house. But note: if you are the type to get so engrossed in a book that you read until all hours of the night, choose to flip through a magazine instead. Save the book reading for weekend nights.

Sleep is CRITICAL. Our immune system is greatly compromised without sufficient sleep. And studies prove time and time again that our productivity drops SIGNIFICANTLY without it. Make sleep a priority.

2. NOT ALWAYS IN YOUR CONTROL. The See Food Diet -- if unhealthy food is around, it's much more challenging to say no. This usually is the case with work situations. Work situations can be a challenge because you are required to be there and there may be other triggers present as well (stress, boredom, fatigue, deadlines, etc). Consider bringing your own food when possible. It's hard to say no when others around you are eating. So having a healthy breakfast of your own when bagels and donuts are out, or pulling out homemade trail mix when the cookies come around can be lifesaving.

Now for the implementation. Pick a solution and practice implementing it for a month straight. YES, this may be a challenge. Yes, you will not always be successful. But mental strength and NEW BEHAVIORS are learned the same way old behaviors are. Through repetition and practice. Repetition and practice. Repetition and practice. Then eventually the new behavior becomes more and more ingrained! So decide what you're going to do, pick a date and get to work!

Have an AWESOME weekend! You've earned it. :)

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

What throws you off?

2012-01-19T07:32:00.001-05:00

Another great effort today!

Mixing it up again with the backside work today. Resting your heart and lungs, other muscle groups, so that tomorrow we can get back to some high level intensity!

For those that indicated you'd like to join the crew on Saturday, January 28^th for rock climbing ... the cost is $18 per person, for 2 hours. We need a minimum of 10 to get the group rate, and the 12 - 2pm time is available at Rock Quest in Sharonville. Click here to register!

I'm keeping today's email brief because I want you to think about something.

What is the one thing that trips you up when it comes to diet and exercise? The thing that usually means other supportive habits or behaviors often follow suit in a downward spiral (or reverse positive momentum pattern).

It could be not getting enough sleep...
Not grocery shopping...
Giving in to impulse decisions like hitting up the vending machine or sleeping in...
Snacking when bored...
A bad day, week, or month ...

And the list goes on.

For me ... it's lack of structure that can lead to a reverse positive momentum. I tend to lose the structure of my training AFTER I complete a key fitness goal, like running a marathon/half. There's a much needed recovery after a long period of intense training ... and so when I'm recovering (training at about 60 - 70% of normal volume and intensity), I tend not to eat as clean.

So spend some time thinking about that ONE THING for you. There may be more than one that does trip you up, but there's probably one that stands out either in terms of frequency or how much damage it does to your efforts. So focus on that one.

Identify it. Label it. And say it aloud. "When I do X____, this happens."

Tomorrow we'll talk about ways to handle it.

And if you want to share, drop us an email and let us know what it is. We may just address your particular concern in tomorrow's email.

I will out much of the day (morning meeting, training run, then radio interview) so if you don't get a reply, please know that I do read EVERY email that I receive.

Oh, and don't forget to rest up. Tomorrow's gonna be an AWESOME cardiovascular wrap up to a pretty darn AWESOME week 2!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Fast, Intense = Best Results!

2012-01-18T09:42:00.001-05:00

Metabolic chest, back and circuits are the way to go!

Fast, intense, and 100% results producing. Google long cardio versus hard circuits ... the science is undeniable.

And once again, you showed up and crushed it today!

Adventure Boot Camp Dog Tags!

Now is the time to order you Adventure Boot Camp "Survivor" Dog Tag.

They are available to any camper, and a perfect way to remember your 4-weeks of GREAT work! Please click here to be included in the order for dog tags, and let us know how you'd like your NAME to appear.

Rock Climbing!

Last year the Adventure Boot Camp crew went rock climbing ... and so we're wanting to know if you'd be interested in doing that again on Saturday, January 28^th (the only date we can make work with the current camp schedule). If so, please let us know here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cincinnati-and-Dayton-Ohio-Adventure-Boot-Camp-for-Women/155829614449268. We'll compile the feedback on facebook and make a decision this week!

It was so refreshing to read everyone's Stay on Track ideas yesterday.

I really liked the consensus that just because we buy a new calendar, doesn't mean that's the only time of the year for reflection, and creating a new plan.

Too many start the year so fired up and sprint off into the marathon of diet and fitness resolutions only to drop out of the race after the first mile.

The key is, in my option, we need to guard against taking on too much at one time. Many of us fall into this trap (me too!).

Sure, you want to kick the processed sugar habit, start to train for the Flying Pig, do boot camp everyday at 110% intensity and lose 10 lbs by the end of the month ... we understand the urgency to make things happen and the importance of having goals.

Just not so many in such a short amount of time. Focus your efforts on one or two things. There will be time to add more later.

Remember this, quantum change does not require quantum action - it's the result of a few basic things repeated daily.

Master the basics, and you master success!

Instead of a massive overhaul to every behavior and EVERY area of your life, pick just one or two.

For some, maybe it's making exercise a consistent habit. Your goal may be to work out consistently 3, 4 or 5 days per week for 2012.

Maybe it's a total number of workouts you'll do, say 200. Then you just break it down by month, and then weekly. You'll be working out about 4 times per week. Chunking it down makes the big goal manageable.

For others that have been in the exercise routine for a bit, perhaps you'll target something relative to your diet.

Again, rather than trying to eliminate everything in your diet and not being able to maintain it for longer than a few days, pick one or two behaviors that will stretch your comfort zone and produce big results. Things like:

Ditching all liquid calories like soda, sweetened tea, sports drinks.
Eating foods with 5 ingredients of less. Boy, if you can do that one alone ... holy smokes your health, energy and body will change substantially!
Cutting out snacks after dinner
Refusing to eat out (including convenience stores, fast food, and sit down restaurants)
Eating 10 fruits and veggies EVERY DAY
Eliminating processed foods (following the 5 ingredients or less rule above will take care of this one)

Because you are only selecting one or two behaviors to attack, overtime (like over this year) they are all very achievable. You master one, move on to the next. The stacking effect is unbelievable.

No more crazy liquid cleanses or silly deprivation tactics that don't work long term. Having to take a special "juice" or crazy concoction, or eliminating a food group isn't productive, and ALWAYS has a rebound yo-yo effect on the body. It's a marketing ploy (scam really) done by a company that doesn't really care about your long term well being. They're just hoping you fall for the latest slick commercial so they can separate you from some of your money.

So pick your "thing" for the balance of January - something related to diet and exercise and hit that goal. And be well on your way to an even healthier, fitter, leaner you in 2012.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

How to Stay on Track in 2012 ...

2012-01-17T08:30:00.002-05:00

That was some serious core crushing work y'all got in this morning!

Tomorrow we've got a GREAT metabolic circuit designed to firm the rest of your body, and keep your calorie burn crankin' through lunchtime.

If you have a friend you'd like to share the workout with tomorrow, please forward her this email (or this form: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/ABC%20guest%20release%20form.pdf).

Here are the guidelines ...

Your friend must fill out the "friend" form, indicating that she is physically capable of participating. We need to know she's allowed to exercise! Click here to download the form.
She'll need to bring a mat and a couple pairs of dumbbells
Your friend will need to meet with your instructor during the warm up for a few guidelines and recommendations to maximize her workout experience

So for today's message, I want to thank YOU! You all shared some GREAT strategies for staying on track with your health, fitness and nutrition, and wrote today's message.

You can open up the file here: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Stay-on-Track.pdf

Have a Tremendous Tuesday! We'll see you tomorrow for some metabolic fun!

Your friend in fitness,
Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE
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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Recording your Milestones ...

2012-01-16T07:34:00.001-05:00

Now THAT's kicking off the week with a bang!

Simple, yet exceptionally effective exercise that works!

No fancy smancy equipment needed. In fact, you could have used 2 rocks and gotten a tremendous workout this morning.

Although it was on facebook over the weekend, several of you asked for the link to the WCPO feature on Adventure Boot Camp that aired on Saturday. Here is the complete interview: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/WCPO-Video.html .

If anyone knows of a good media coach, please LMK ASAP! The deer in headlights look (at the beginning) and foot tapping must stop!!! ;)

Moving on ...

On Wednesday we have our first of three Bring a Friend Days at camp.

Here's how it works: You invite a friend to share the workout with you. You'll email this form for her to fill out: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/ABC%20guest%20release%20form.pdf .

For every friend you bring to camp this session, you'll get a ticket with your name on it to drop into the bucket for a chance to win a free FULL HOUR massage during the week off from camp!

Here are all the guidelines of Friend Days: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Bring-A-Friend-to-Camp.html .

So, this past week Carolyn (my wife) and I finally got to organizing our basement.

Organization is NOT a strength of mine. I'll throw random stuff into boxes just to get it out of the way.

Holy smokes ... there are now about a billion boxes we're going through to figure out if there are keepsakes we don't want to pitch or give away.

One of the keepers that I found was a notebook from 2009 called "Year In Review". It was a simple book where I jotted down some of my favorite milestones and memories that year.

Of course, I had forgotten about many of them until I re-read the notebook ... and wow, how fun to relive each one!

Which got me thinking that we all need to capture those aha's, breakthroughs, milestones, and memories.

So a really fun and simple way to keep track of moments and memories of 2012 is to make a memory jar you keep around throughout the year. (Here's a cool example: http://tinyurl.com/792nrq6) .

Anytime you have a memory, funny story or keepsake you want to keep, you jot it down on a piece of paper and toss it in the jar. At the end of the year you can reflect on everything that happened by reading the pieces of paper.

And the more I thought about it I realized you can do this with so many things.

Fitness milestones. Words of Positive Encouragement. Goals You've Attained. Each time you have a rock star fitness moment, jot it down and throw it in the jar. Or perhaps you are proud of yourself for getting up for camp 5 days in a row - write yourself an "I Totally Rock!" note and put it in the jar.

When you're unmotivated or need some encouragement, open up the jar and see how far you've come!

The best part of keepsake jars is that they let you enjoy the journey. Too often we become so fixated on what we want to accomplish that we don't allow ourselves to appreciate the process, or we forget how much we've already achieved. And when we finally reach our goal we forget about all those moments and things we did daily to allow us to get there.

So start collecting those moments and end up with your GOALS and a great experience at the end of the year!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Post Workout EASY Meals ...

2012-01-13T16:02:00.001-05:00

We're hearing some great feedback on today's new fitness challenge. Seems as though Adventure Boot Campers are up for a challenge in 2012!

This has been a VERY strong start to camp ... recharge your batteries this weekend. Sleep in. Take a hot bath. Ice any achy joints. Get a massage.

And feel VERY good about the work you put into camp this week. Next week you're gonna feel like a brand new woman!

So, we've been talking a lot lately about shaping your life and making the most of 2012.

But today we're switching gears back to some basic nutrition. How to fuel your body ... and most importantly how to fuel your body post-workout.

Let's face it. Morning time is limited - between the workout, showers, getting yourself and/or others ready for the day and getting out of the house - it's no wonder people "forget" to eat breakfast.

But that's a big mistake. Because not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day ... but your post-workout meal is also critical to your body and seeing results.

So here are some great post-workout meal options that take very little time - particularly when you plan ahead to prepare them.

1. Soaked oatmeal. Cover 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats with almond, soy or skim milk in a Tupperware container. Sprinkle with cinnamon and 1 Tbsp of dried fruit. Let soak overnight and breakfast is ready to go in the am!

2. Boil 1 dozen eggs on the weekend and grab 2 with a piece of fruit for a fast meal or snack.

3. Individually package 1 oz serving of raw nuts into snack size Ziploc bags. Grab one package with an individual serving of Fage Greek yogurt.

4. One teaspoon of organic nut butter (peanut, almond, soy ... whatever you like) ... softened in the microwave in a bowl (30 seconds or so). Mix the nut butter with whole grain cereal (I like Kix for this one, it tastes like CAP'N Crunch, but without the junk), and then sprinkle a scoop of chocolate Beverly International Muscle Provider. This is amazingly GOOD!

5. Make a batch of Mini Mushroom & Sausage Quiches on the weekend and freeze in packages of 2. Grab 1 package out of the freezer, microwave for 60 seconds and eat with a piece of fruit. *Note: this is NEW go-to breakfast favorite!

Mini Mushroom & Sausage Quiches

1 dozen mini quiches | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup 1% milk

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray (see Tip).
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.
Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.
Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.

Nutrition

Per quiche : 90 Calories; 5 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 105 mg Cholesterol; 3 g Carbohydrates; 9 g Protein; 0 g Fiber; 217 mg Sodium; 108 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.

A good-quality nonstick muffin tin works best for this recipe. If you don't have one, line a regular muffin tin with foil baking cups.

There you have it - great, nutritious meals on the go that will refuel your body and start your day off right!

Have an AWESOME weekend. If you're up tomorrow, tune into WCPO, channel 9 to watch Adventure Boot Camp on the morning news (segment airs between 8:10 and 8:30am). We'll be talking about women's fitness ... we'll be talking about YOU!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Holy Hamstrings!

2012-01-12T09:58:00.001-05:00

Boy we worked the core and hamstrings today, huh?

For many, soreness will linger this week. As we get into week 2 a lot of that will dissipate.

But here we are, 4 sessions down, and building back our positive momentum of consistent exercise!

Quick Note: As we move into that time of the year where snowfall is a possibility, please take note of our Weather Line phone number: 513-407-4665, EXT 104. In Springboro that number is: 937-458-3673 (EXT 104).

On mornings that we have hazardous driving conditions, we will update the Weather Line by 4:45am, giving you the status of camp for that particular morning. Save that number above in your phone so you have quick access to it.

So, this week we've been talking about Big Rocks and Eating Frogs when it comes to being more effective day to day.

And we've covered the whole "New Year's Goals" thing quite a bit (in December). There's nothing like the feeling of a clean slate. We of course think this could occur anytime -- why just use January 1st?

Tons of you emailed yesterday (thank you VERY much ... you were a HUGE help for the upcoming interviews) sharing what you do to stay on track. It was AWESOME, and very inspiring to hear all the cool stuff you all do.

In fact, we'll compile it and share it with you soon so we can all learn new strategies for "staying the course".

But the one thing that happens too many times to too many people in January is that they state things they'd like to achieve without any real plan behind them. And anything worth achieving requires action.

So today I like to share this video from motivational guru, Tony Robbins, on how to make 2012 a great year.

I'm a big believer in learning from experts. Tony sometimes gets a bad rap (or sometimes people make fun of his exceptional energy and enthusiasm), but the truth is, he has some amazing strategies that can make a MASSIVE positive impact on people's lives.

So take a look - it's only 4 minutes ... but take it to the next level by having pen and paper ready, so you can put your plan for whatever it is that YOU want to improve upon in 2012 into action.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Can you help?

2012-01-11T08:23:00.000-05:00

Whoa ... that was some SERIOUS work today!

We got in, got down to business ... and now have gotten on with our day (with tons more energy, mental clarity, balanced emotions, psychological goodness, etc)!

Thank you for putting in the effort.

Today's email is PACKED full of great nutritional value ...

... but before we got to that, I need your help!

It's that time of year where everyone is talking about New Year's Resolutions.

Truth of the matter is, probably most have forgotten about the thing they said they'd change 11 days ago.

That is everyone, except YOU! We know you're serious about making progress ... it's not some passing annual ritual without substance for Adventure Boot Campers.

At any rate, I have a radio and TV interview coming up, and one of the things we're talking about is staying on track with your New Year's Resolutions.

So, I want to feature what YOU do to stay on track with your health and fitness. Hit reply on this email, and let me know the things you do to stay on track. And then tune into WCPO (channel 9) Saturday at 8:40am and I'll share them!

Switching gears ... workouts like today create the groundwork for looking pretty AWESOME when the weather turns for the better in springtime.

And speaking of spring makes me think of veggies - yet we still have 3 months or so of winter ahead of us.

Thank goodness we have winter veggies that are just as flavorful and nutritious and abundant right now.

And one of those veggies that is available right now is a SUPERFOOD!

KALE.

Part of the Brassica family that also includes brocoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

What's important is that kale is a superfood. Meaning it contains powerful compounds that have been shown to be effective against stomach, colon, breast and ovarian cancer.

Plus, it's high in vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, and potassium. Kale is good for your eyes, your bones and decreases your risk of dementia.

Now is an ideal time to purchase a big bag of baby kale greens and add them into our diets as much as we can.

If you haven't tried it before - or are just looking for new ways to try it - consider one of these.

1. Mixed in a salad with spring mix. It adds a heartier flavor and variety to your normal everyday green mix.

2. Mixed in a smoothie. I recently tried this smoothie recipe from Health Magazine and loved it!

Berry-Kale Smoothie*

In a blender, combine 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup shredded kale, 1 cup ice, 3/4 cup fat free yogurt (I use Fage Greek Yogurt ... it tastes AWESOME and is equally GREAT for you), 1/2 banana, 2 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp almond butter, and 1 Tbsp wheat germ. Blend until smooth.

*Note - there are 2 servings here.

3. Sauté kale greens with olive oil, kosher salt and garlic and drizzle with fresh lemon juice.

4. As a snack, kale chips are great when you want something with crunch but not calories!

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. As a soup, like the one below. It's so good on a cold winter's night!

Roasted Tomato & Rosemary Soup with Kale & Potatoes

Serves 4

4 yukon gold potatoes
1 bunch of lucinato kale
1 container of vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup of wine
4 stalks of celery
3 cloves of garlic
1 yellow onion
1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
4 sprigs of rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 slices of bread for bread crumbs or croutons
olive oil
canola for frying croutons
sea salt & fresh ground pepper

For prep; dice onion, celery and garlic. In a large stock pot on medium heat add garlic, onions and celery with a drizzle of olive oil. Add 4 sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme (leaving them on the stem, you will remove them later). Pour in a cup of white wine. Cook till tender and add 4 potatoes that have been cubed. Season with fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Add a can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes and the vegetable broth (about 5 cups). Add an additional cup of water and simmer on medium-low heat for a few hours stirring occasionally and adding extra seasoning or water if necessary.
Remove the sprigs of herbs. Before you are ready to eat, chop kale and place in the soup. It's better when the kale is vibrant and still partially firm. If you put in the kale early in the cooking process it turns to mush and loses flavor. For topping, drizzle with a little olive oil and breadcrumbs. To make breadcrumbs; cube bread into small pieces. Add to a pan on med-high heat with canola oil. Turning frequently until golden brown. Season with salt and place on paper towels to absorb any extra oil.

There you have it ... 5 awesome ways to put this SUPERFOOD into your diet!

My "One Thing" this week (and moving forward into 2012) is eating at least 10 servings of fruits and veggies every day. What's yours?

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Eat that Frog!

2012-01-10T07:24:00.001-05:00

If you were in camp in December, you might remember me talking about "putting the big rocks in first, each day" (http://cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-are-your-big-rocks.html) .

In short the concept is, let's knock out the MOST important things in our day FIRST, then everything else will fall into place.

If your relationship with your spouse is your NUMBER ONE priority in life, then make sure you nurture that FIRST before other things.

If it's the kids, your workout, nutrition, a work project ... whatever the MOST important things are for you, take care of those first.

I've identified my Big Rocks as:

Daughter/Wife - not that the rest of my family isn't equally important, but I live with these two and make a concerted effort to spend quality time daily with each of them.
Adventure Boot Camp Email and Daily Workout.
My personal workout.
Spending time working on one priority work project so I can "kick the can" a little further down the street each day.

It's not that I don't have other things to do ... but rather, these are the MOST important things.

When I get these 4 items done each day, I feel very accomplished. And most days I can add other things in AFTER knocking off those MOST important items.

Another way of saying this is to "Eat That Frog".

Do the most important task, the one that will make you feel the most accomplished, the one that is the most important, the one you're MOST LIKELY to procrastinate on, FIRST thing each day.

Then everything else by comparison feels relatively easy to knock out.

Here's a cool 90 second video explanation: http://tinyurl.com/6oe3fqc

Thank you to Lourdes in Springboro for sharing!!

Day two at Adventure Boot Camp is in the books! Our momentum is picking up ... and soon will be in full swing!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Making 2012 YOUR Year!

2012-01-09T18:07:00.001-05:00

Your Life, Your Body, Your Adventure!

It was great to be back this morning and kick off 2012 the right way -- with Adventure Boot Camp Women and a little sweat!

Here's to a fit, healthy, and prosperous new year.

And before we get into what you want for 2012, a little reflection on 2011 is in order.

So much of how we think about our lives and mark our memories is based on the "big ticket" items ... weddings, babies, change of jobs or cities. And yet, each day we are given opportunities to create wonderful memories that shape us and our lives to an even greater degree.

We encourage you to think back on last year and pay attention to the day to day discoveries and changes you made.

Here's why. Sometimes it takes us a bit longer to reach our goals than we first anticipated. By focusing on the changes you are making, rather than the outcome, you gain a new perspective into how much you are truly growing as a person.

Maybe you expected to remove 30 excess lbs last year - but you only removed 5. If that 5 lbs came from cutting out 2 sodas a day, or by exercising more consistently, you are MUCH better off than if more weight was removed by crash dieting or doing behaviors you couldn't sustain.

Changing behaviors isn't a linear process.

It's curvilinear which is more like building a snowball. The hardest part of building a snowball is packing the first pieces of snow together and making them stick.

And when you're changing old habits, the first days and weeks of doing something new are the most uncomfortable and difficult. But then, suddenly it gets easier from there. You've got the structure down ... and you're building momentum.

Likewise, the more behaviors you successfully adopt in the direction of your goals, the easier it becomes to reach your goals. That 5 lbs last year will make it easier to reach the remaining 25 this year.

It's the power of moving forward.

So instead of coming up with a TO-DO with big ticket items for 2012, think of the steps it'll take you to get there. Focus on the process.

Example: for me I've outlined the following processes to reach my health, fitness, and performance (running) goals:

I'm eating 10 servings of fruits and veggies each day
I'm making sure I consume 150 grams of protein daily, 30g in 5 meals
I'm working out 5 days per week: M, T, W, Th, Sa
Until May 1st, I'm having a weekly calorie deficit of 1750, or 250 calorie deficit per day.

These are all process goals, or behaviors. If I focus on these day to day, week to week, I'll put myself in the best possible position to reach my outcome goals of being a certain body fat percentage, body weight, a specific fitness level, and achieve a particular running time for the Flying Pig half marathon.

What are the steps YOU need to take to reach your desired outcomes this year?

Let's focus on the processes ... and let's enjoy this journey together in 2012.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Thank you!

2011-12-23T08:26:00.001-05:00

Today's email going to be brief...

...and can be summed up very well with two words. THANK YOU!

And frankly, I cannot believe that we have another year behind us. 10 camps. There is lots and lots to be thankful for.

Thank you for the great effort over these 4 weeks. Thank you for being a special part of Adventure Boot Camp in December when you could have done other things. And thank you to the many of you that have been a part of camp for the past year, some the past almost 5 years.

We are blessed to be a part of your lives.

We have the next 2 weeks off from camp (week of Christmas and week of New Years), then we're back at it for the first session of 2012 on January 9th.

Many of you are coming down to the studio over these 2 weeks for a few studio workouts. There are several small and medium size group workouts happening (women only) if you need to burn up some calories and feel good over the break.

Here's one that you can actually do at home ... it's a brief 20 minute routine that'll crank up your heart rate, work all of your muscles, and have you feeling awesome (maybe perfect Christmas morning to boost your energy): http://www.cincinnatifitness.com/5.html .

If you'd like to join any of the classes here at the studio, the details are here: http://www.totalfitnessmakeover.com/ABC-Classes.html

Thank you so much! Here's to a wonderful holiday season, and a terrific 2012 for you!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

See you in the New Year!!!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T07:57:00.001-05:00

The Snowball Effect ...

2011-12-22T07:50:00.001-05:00

Work well done today on the hips and glutes!

Tomorrow we'll wrap up the Holiday Adventure Boot Camp session with round two of the 15 minute personal challenge that we started 3 weeks ago. Then we'll have some more ABC fun ... and conclude with an ABC celebration of YOU and all your awesome work!

This time of year, we (and others) talk a lot about goals, and planning for the new year, reflecting on the things that worked well, and those things that didn't turn out as anticipated.

And I realize that sometimes goal setting is hard for some people.

So here's a cool twist on it, called the Snowball Effect.

To illustrate, I'll share a personal example ...

One of my goals for this year was to complete 250 workouts - which translates to about 5 workouts per week on average.

I came up a little short - today I will hit workout 228. I'll end the year with around 334 workouts. Considering knee surgery on June 30th and some modifications to my plan as a result, I'm very happy that I was able to get really close to the goal.

My goal for 2012 will be another 250 workouts (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Sat - off days on Friday and Sunday). Each workout has a very specific purpose. Some are full body strength training, some are very specific strength training focused workouts for better running. Some workouts are done at high intensity on a track, some are easy steady state runs, some are long runs, and I build in one recovery workout every week.

So a goal of 250 workouts in a year (or 5 per week) is what we call a process goal -- it's not an outcome that I'm looking for (e.g. lose 10lbs, run a 7:30 mile pace, finish Flying Pig Half in a certain time, qualify for the Boston Marathon), although those are also important - it's a simple "do this" goal that I can make constant progress towards.

I often talk with people who are interested in losing body fat and decide that they will start daily cardio, strength training 4-5 times per week, eat six small meals, cut calories by 20% and reduce their processed food intake.

These are all great goals -- but most people are trying to do too much at once. John Berardi (a nutrition guy) says that studies show if you want to make one change in your life, you have an 85% chance of success.

However if you try to change two things at once, your chances of success drop to around 35%. Three things at once? Almost zero.

The solution to this is to use the goal snowball. Here's how it works:

1) List five or six behaviors you'd like to improve or change to reach your goals. What do you need to be doing that you're not currently doing? What non-supportive habits do you need to kick? What positive habits do you need to instill?

2) List these things from easiest to hardest.

3) Focus your attention on the first thing on your list (the easiest one.) Spend two weeks just focusing on achieving that goal so that it becomes a habit.

4) Once that change has been ingrained, move up to the next item on your list and focus your efforts there.

5) One by one, knock out these changes and/or goals.

For example: Maybe you don't get enough sleep, struggle to wake up in the morning, and feel tired throughout the day. First goal might be to go to bed 30 minutes earlier every night.

Second goal might be to add 5 fruits and veggies to your diet each day, if currently you're eating only 2-3 servings.

Third goal may be to make sure you always eat breakfast.

Fourth goal? Reduce portion sizes at 3 out of 5 meals...and so on.

So in 10 weeks or so - you're getting more sleep (reducing the chance of missing boot camp + giving you more energy during the day), eating more of the foods (fruits and veggies) that are critical for weight loss, and eating breakfast everyday (which is also a key factor in fat loss) while consuming fewer calories overall.

These goals would "snowball" into a bigger overall effect with long-term success ... whereas trying to do all these things at once would likely result in overwhelm, frustration, and a very slim chance of success.

Make sense?

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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What Would YOU Do with $86,400.00?

2011-12-21T09:09:00.002-05:00

Now that was some serious kick-butt holiday cheer this morning!
I was floored by how you all went after the workout with non-stop intensity.
Amazing. Think about how many suicides, burpees, and jump squats you did today! Simply awesome!
So, this time of the year we're all running short on time, sleep, and important stuff sometimes gets put onto the back burner as we rush around fixin' to get ready for Sunday (or whatever day(s) you celebrate your holidays).
Here's something to think about ...
... Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your personal account for your use.

However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.
The first set of rules would be: Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

You may not simply transfer money into some other account. You can only spend it.

Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day.
The second set of rules: The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, "the game is over!" It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right? Maybe even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?

ACTUALLY this GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

What we didn't do that day is forever lost.

Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time.... WITHOUT WARNING.

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
We talked about "putting the big rocks into your jar first" way back in week one of camp.
And I think this time of year, when we really feel "short" on time, that concept is MORE important than ever.
You're already doing that ... you're getting to your workouts FIRST THING before your day starts. That's critical. Doing so gives you more energy to tackle the day. And, it guarantees that nothing will sidetrack you when you wait to work out after work. That typically doesn't work so well.
Other big rocks, especially this time of the year, include taking care of You! Plan a tiny bit of downtime into your day to allow you to catch your breath, recharge mentally, and give you the energy to keep on keeping on during the holiday crazies.
Big rocks that are a good idea include connecting with the most important people in your life. Planning your day before it starts (before you jump onto email and you're sucked into the great abyss) so you're more productive/effective, reading and writing your goals so you stay on track, and preparing your meals for the week (at least one day during the week) to ensure quality nutrition.
My guess is ... you're already doing most of these ... or you have done these at some point. Just make sure the holidays don't derail your awesome momentum and progress.

Because our seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Keep track of how you're spending your 86,400 seconds each day ... and make sure that spending is working for YOU!

Your friend in fitness,
Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE
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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

It's been a good year!

2011-12-20T08:05:00.001-05:00

I have a feeling that December has been, and will continue to be a good, good month for you!

My guess is that you're ending 2011 better than you started it. That in many ways you are 355 days more enriched, wiser, happier and healthier.

Because you've been busting your backside at 5:30am each day.

You're going to be starting the new year way ahead of those still lining up their ducks. And, just imagine where you'll be at the end of 2012!

Well, we're here to help you finish the Holiday Adventure Boot Camp session strong. Tomorrow will not disappoint ... The 12 Days of Christmas.

A fun themed day where we'll be combining some serious strength toning exercise with heart rate cranking moves.

And it'll be our final Bring a Friend Day in 2011. Here's the form if you're bringing a guest tomorrow: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Bring-A-Friend-to-Camp.html .

As we wind down our Holiday Adventure Boot Camp session, make sure you get the MOST out of our 3 remaining sessions tomorrow, Thursday and Friday, since we won't be seeing you for the 2 week holiday break (camp is off the week of Christmas and New Years, and starts back on January 9th).

Okay, so quickly grab a piece of paper and a pen. I'd like you to make a list of all the things you have accomplished in your time at boot camp.

Reduction in blood pressure?
Better cholesterol profile?
If you were on medicine, have you been able to reduce or eliminate some or all of it?
Can you do full push-ups? Or, how many MORE can you do today?
Jog/run continuously?
What about your body? How has that changed?
Are you more tone, more fit, do your clothes fit better?
How about your skin ... more radiant?
And what about your confidence?
How has your energy improved? Do you feel more alive?
What about your mental & emotional energy?

Often we get fixated on only the physical aspects of change when we're busting our behinds working out day after day.

Of course, we want to see positive improvement there ... but sometimes the improvement in energy, mental & emotional clarity is the precursor for the physical changes.

List all of these things that have improved since you began committing to working out with us.

Why is this important?

This is the time of year most people reflect on the past 11 months and look ahead to what they'd like to accomplish in 2012.

And what better way than to focus on What you've done right already?

It sets a great tone because immediately you've focused on your successes ... on the positives. It becomes easier to build on your successes when you're looking ahead to the New Year. Too often we've grown so much, that we forget how far we've come.

So, ask yourself, what did you do right this past year? What did you accomplish? What did you improve? Then get out the pen and start writing ... take stock and feel GOOD about how much positive progress you've made!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Strong. Healthy. Confident. Daughters!

2011-12-19T07:37:00.001-05:00

Mixing it up a bit this morning with 8 exercises in a row, doing each for a bit longer than normal!

You all did a great job with the change. They key to getting results is (1) changing the routine, and (2) working at your personal best!

Today the emphasis was on the backside, tomorrow we'll shift a similar routine to the core and add in come great cardio.

I want to share something that a good friend shared with me recently ... and this is going to be a little bit off the beaten path from our normal message.

It's my hope that I don't turn anyone off by sharing my perspective on an area that I have no personal (direct) experience. I tend not to talk about stuff that I have not experienced myself.

But here goes anyway, hoping this might be valuable to someone.

Last week my friend ventured out to a store to pick up a dress for an upcoming holiday party.

She overheard a mother and daughter in a clothing store talking about a pair of pants. The teenage daughter was trying to convince her mom to buy a pair of black pants, and the mom kept insisting her "butt was too big to wear them."

Mom and daughter went back and forth for a minute, and then the daughter finally shrugged her shoulders and turned away.

As my friend shared the story with me, mentally I fast forwarded 8 or so years to when Kayla (my 5 year old) will be a teenager and I became acutely aware that raising a girl will pose a very real challenge that I didn't experience with my son.

Not because Kayla is a girl, but because she will be burdened with a million body image messages in just a few short years.

AND. Some of those messages will come from people whose opinion carry A LOT more weight than magazines and TV.

Moms. Dads. Sisters. Brothers. Aunts. Best Friends. Etc.

I know nothing about what kind of conversation this woman has with her teenage daughter about her body or how she should feel about it.

I just know that our children adopt the attitudes, beliefs, and feelings that we hold. Our kids model our behaviors.

You may or may not have a daughter -- if not, think of a niece, grandchild or young female you know.

How would you like her to feel about her body? What words, beliefs and attitudes would be empowering?

Strong. Fit. Healthy. Beautiful. Wonderful. Glowing. Confident.

I'm obviously not a woman, so mine is an interesting (different) perspective. Yet, I have a mom, a step-mom, a wife, a daughter ... and I'm fortunate to be surrounded by amazing women every single day.

And in my opinion, real beauty comes from an inner source or energy. It's not easy for me to describe ('cause I'm a guy, we struggle with that kinda stuff), but beauty is abundant when a woman feels good about herself.

It has far less to do with height, weight, skin complexion, age, wearing the latest fashion, etc.

Beauty comes from a natural, innate source. And, it is amazing, and powerful.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Your personal decree ...

2011-12-16T07:39:00.001-05:00

How are you feeling?

The end of week 3, most people are tired. If you've been coming to camp day in and day out, you SHOULD be tired.

This weekend, pamper yourself a little. I know, you still have a long list of holiday prep to knock out.

But, carve out a little bit of time just for you. Power nap on Saturday. Maybe a bubble bath. Massage from your favorite guy. Definitely get some rest.

Next week we wrap it up for 2011. The final week of Adventure Boot Camp before the 2 week break and the start of the new year.

Maybe this weekend, or sometime between now and 2012, reflect upon the past 12 months. Look at what's great, and what be even better, so you can keep moving toward what you want, and continuing growing.

Take a look at these 4 questions:

1. How do you feel right now ? And I'm not talking about "my butt is sore from this AM's workout" ... but as a whole, how do you feel as we get ready to put a bow on 2011?

2. What are the lessons you have learned this year and how are you going to use them next year?

3. List 10 things you are most passionate and excited about in your life. If your knee jerk response is, I don't have 10 things. You do. You're just not focused on them regularly. Ask instead, "what are 10 things I COULD be passionate and excited about in my life?" We can watch the news and get depressed ... or we can watch, read or listen to something that inspires our soul. Take stock of all the cool stuff in your life.

4. Write a decree for 2012. What is your year going to look like? "I am so happy and grateful for 2012 because...."

Go ahead and think about these, then write them all down. Give them some thought -- maybe you can set aside 30 or 60 minutes this weekend, all distractions aside (iPhone, Facebook, TV, email, even kids!).

I say this because I want you to think about YOU. 30 minutes that will reconnect you with you. During this crazy busy over-committed time of the year, this will recharge your battery, just like your morning workout.

Have an wonderful weekend! I'm looking forward to getting back home and seeing you on Monday for the week 4 finale!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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Holiday Struggle: Too many...

2011-12-15T07:24:00.003-05:00

It seems as though the "Holiday Struggle" theme of yesterday's email hit home with a few of you.

So we're back at it today, with one more holiday struggle, and today is pretty obvious ...
... too many calories.

Really, unless you plan on checking yourself into a spa for the next two weeks, it's gonna be hard to avoid.
There's the food YOU make at home (for your family or other people), the food that people give TO YOU, and the food that's brought into work.

And that's not counting work parties, neighborhood gatherings and family functions that take place in the last 2 weeks of the year, either.

Today, let's tackle the home environment.

Tip #1. Instead of baking cookies for others, consider other baked goods that you can give as WHOLE THINGS. For example, banana bread, pies, cakes. Most of these are less time-consuming to make than individual cookies, and you won't be tempted. I mean who's going to give a pie to someone with a piece cut out?

Tip#2. Consider GIVING away things other than baked goods. Fruit baskets are great choices and many people actually welcome them this time of year, when they've been inundated with other junk food. Make your own for a fraction of the price of store bought.

Tip#3. I know I'm going to get grief about that tip above. Too many of you have family and friends who EXPECT cookies and goodies at home and at the office. My best advice? Make healthier cookies. They will NEVER know. Go to Eating Well Magazine and find some cookies to try this year. Now remember, they aren't calorie free, and they aren't a perfect option. But at least they will have fewer calories and better ingredients and are a BETTER choice.

Tip#4. When you are baking at home, those little BLT's (bites, licks and tastes) add up. Don't start cooking until after you've had a protein rich breakfast. My pick - veggie omelet (add in some turkey or beans if you like), piece of fruit and 1/2 sprouted grain English muffin. Your body will be busy digesting that breakfast for hours and you'll be less tempted to snack. If baking is an all day event, plan a decent lunch and take a break to eat. My pick would be a grilled veggie and hummus wrap with spinach and sliced avocado.

Tip#5. If you will be baking at home or you just have lots of goodies in the kitchen, brush and floss your teeth after every meal. A clean fresh mouth will make those treats less tempting. Consider chewing peppermint gum as well and if possible, avoid the kitchen. Out of sight, out of mind.

Tip#6. Are you inundated with food related gifts from family and friends? I almost hate to say it, but re-gift. You can appreciate the thoughtfulness without having to "appreciate" it. Pass on the thoughtfulness to someone else.

Tip#7. What's your reason for NOT overindulging this season? If you don't have one, you should come up with something that will make this a season that is defined by something other than the goodies you can indulge in. With no real reason for sticking to clean eating, you'll be much more likely to convince yourself a little bite here, and a little cookie there won't hurt. As a personal example, my reason for avoiding all those foods that I love, but wreak havoc on my waistline, is because I HAVE to stay lean for my upcoming Fying Pig training. I run better when I'm lighter. There's WAY less stress on my body at 180 lbs versus 190. And running just feels better at a lighter weight. I couldn't possibly eat tons of junk right now, knowing that it would derail my goal to kick the Flying Pig's butt in 2012.

The easiest place to control excess calories this holiday season is your own home. Watch what food you bring in, encourage company to take leftovers and goodies with them or give away what you can.

It's not the food that makes the holidays, it's the memories you make.
Have an awesome Thursday! One more workout and then it's the weekend!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE
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Holiday Struggle: Not enough ...

2011-12-14T08:46:00.001-05:00

I'm told that some serious hard core work was happening this morning at 5:30am.

Great job today!

Yesterday we talked about the challenge at work with all the goodies that make their way into the office.

Yet, that may not be your biggest "holiday struggle" ...

For many, our biggest challenge over the next couple of weeks is ...

... LACK OF SLEEP.

When we're rushing to fit it all in, sleep is typically the first to go. We stay up later than we should knowing that we "just need to get through the next couple of days...week or month." And yet, even though we may finish a project or task by staying up later, that sleep deficit bleeds into the next day.

Lack of sleep is more than just self-imposed 'punishment' for not being able to get everything done.

It can lead to weight gain, difficulty concentrating, make you less productive ... and can flat out ruin your holidays.

So if you're already putting sleep on the back burner to start crossing things off your holiday to-do list, take a moment and consider what really needs to get done.

Ask yourself, what do you want to create the most this holiday season? Instead of telling yourself you need to have a perfectly decorated house, homemade goodies for every acquaintance you can possibly think of, the ideal holiday present for everyone on your list, in addition to being perfectly dressed, etc, maybe you pick a 'theme' for the season.

Focus on ONE thing and let go of or delegate the rest. I know it sounds easier said than done ... but how many years have you tried to pack everything in and watched the month vanish in a blink of an eye?

Here are just a few trade-offs to consider so that you may go to bed earlier each night.

Purchase gift cards instead of presents for people on your list. Easy one stop shopping and little gift wrapping involved.
Hire someone to clean your house. Just for December.
Pick one or two key rooms to decorate and let go of the rest.
Bring your presents to a professional gift wrapper. Or shop at stores that offer gift wrapping with purchase.
Having a party? Have it catered and/or hire a bartender and enjoy the opportunity to visit with family and friends rather than spending your time in the kitchen.
Shop online. You can knock out your list in NO TIME ... you don't have to spend hours battling traffic in and out of the mall ... and almost everything is on sale with free shipping!

And yes, I know, sometimes you DO NEED to stay up later than you'd like. Here's your recipe for the next day.

1. Take a nap if you can. 15-25 minutes. No more or else you'll end up creating a cycle that could make falling to sleep at night harder.

2. Lay off the caffeine after 11am. I know, sounds like it's impossible...but it's not. Suffer through the sleep deprivation for the day, and sleep more soundly the next night.

3. Drink plenty of water and focus on protein and veggies. Avoid simple carbohydrates like processed foods such as cookies, cakes, candy, crackers, etc, which is what your body will be craving when you're tired.

4. Don't skip Boot Camp. The exercise will help to make you feel energized. If you can't make it out of bed in the morning, get outside for a quick 15-20 minute walk in the brisk air. Invigorating.

Bottom line, ask yourself if staying up late to do whatever you need to do is really worth it? Are these expectations you have of yourself necessary or even important to you? If not, maybe it's time to let some of them go.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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Holiday Hotspots: The Office (Friend & Photo Day tomorrow)

2011-12-13T07:39:00.001-05:00

The Tabata Trio was a FANTASTIC wrap up to a tremendous Tuesday workout!

Another GREATworkout is in store tomorrow (the Metabolic Muffin Top Meltdown), at a time when burning excess calories sure helps us manage the holiday season.

Because those calories are coming from everywhere! Including work. Or should I say, "especially" work!

The office often means serious diet disaster when it comes to the holidays. There’s clients, reps, patients, and business associates who send or bring in all sorts of goodies.

There's the staff office parties which typically means a catered lunch or... ten, depending on where you work. And then there's your co-workers. Those who like to show off their superb culinary skills by bringing everyone in the office high-calorie, delicious homemade goodness. And insist on watching you try "just one."

Add to all of that, the end of year work stress that leaves you short-fused and sleep deprived, and now you are primed for a sugar-laden caloric bomb before noon!

Here's our top tips for handling this:

1. Recognize that just because food is there, doesn't mean you have to eat it. Are you eating because you're hungry? Or because you're bored and you CAN? Before you indulge in anything at the office, take a moment and think about why you are eating. If it's a one of kind treat, offered only once a year, then maybe it's worth the calories. If it's something you could get again tomorrow, why bother?

2. TAKE the time to prepare and bring your lunch every single day from now until the holiday craziness has passed. And not just any old lunch - think of some of your favorite, clean lunches and bring those, so you won't be tempted by the trays and trays of sub sandwiches in the break room. Pack snacks too. Things that are easy and portable are string cheese, raw nuts, fresh fruit. Always aim to eat some lean protein and fiber so you will stay full for a longer period of time.

3. Handle the food-pushers assertively. When they offer you tempting goodies, say politely, "It looks wonderful and I'm sure it tastes fabulous, but I am (insert one of the following: full, limiting how many sweets I am eating this year, cutting back on in between meal snacks, etc). The key is to be appreciative, but also direct. If they persist, again, look them directly in the eye, and say, " Honestly, first name, I'm _______(repeat your rationale). Leave it at that.

4. Lastly, the most simple and direct tip I can give you. Avoid the food. Don't hang out where food is stored or sitting out. You'll constantly have to tell yourself "no" and repeating "no" over and over doesn't actually increase your conviction, it weakens it. It's like exposure to a cold or illness. The greater (more frequent) the exposure, the greater the chance you will catch the bug and give in.

Alright ... have a wonderful day... gear up for the Metabolic Muffin Top Meltdown in the morning! Also, tomorrow you can bring a friend (the form she needs is here: http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Bring-A-Friend-to-Camp.html and we also will take a group photo (for you to keep - remember to bring your ABC shirt!)

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Write Your Own Huge Goals ...

2011-12-12T07:25:00.001-05:00

Wall Sits, Walking Lunges and the Metabolic Chest kicked off week 3 in grand style today!

You just might be feeling it a bit in the arms, chest, quads and glutes tomorrow. Remember the best way to get rid of soreness is movement - later today, and at camp again tomorrow!

Reminders! We're placing your order for the Adventure Boot Camp dog tags today at noon. Please click here to be included in the order for dog tags, and let us know how you'd like your NAME to appear.

Wednesday is photo day in camp ... please bring your long sleeve blue shirt for your group picture.

Okay ... one thing we've noticed over the years helping others achieve their ideal health, fitness, energy and body, "New Year's Resolutions are merely excuses for what we don't want to start today."

And we know that's not true for YOU. YOU are actively and regularly showing up to boot camp each morning, regardless of the "time of the year".

Boot Campers are highly committed women who know there isn't a season for getting in shape or attending to their health and fitness needs.

I'm a huge proponent of writing goals and working daily to achieve them.

However, I'm not a big fan of waiting until January 1st to change or improve an area that I'd like to resolve.

What's magical about THAT day?

It all starts with the decisions we make EACH day.

The holidays are just a convenient excuse. It's true that there are more demands on us, time IS tight, and stress levels ARE higher.

But again, we always find the time for those things that we value most.

Here are some of my favorite Goal Achieving Strategies to help you set and achieve whatever you want, today, not January 1st.

1. Write Down Your Goals. When you write them down (ideally daily) they stay in the forefront of your mind, and they don't get push to the backburner by daily issues and challenges.

2. Don't judge your own goals - and don't let anyone else judge them either! If you are second guessing yourself, or your spouse, co- workers, or anyone else is second guessing you, you'll struggle with the goals you set. Assume there is NO limit, NO "ceiling" and NOTHING can get in your way. With that being the case, what can you dream of being, doing or accomplishing?

3. Think HUGE. What's the one goal that REALLY makes you step outside of the box (comfort zone) that is so easy for us to live in? Is it a certain body weight, certain look, certain professional position, etc? Nothing is out of your reach, as long as you put the time in to achieve it.

4. Write your goals in the positive. Rather than "I want to lose this weight I've struggled with for years," write "I weigh xxx lbs by January 30th, 2012" (or whatever date you choose). Or, "I feel significantly more energy and I eat better when I exercise 5 days per week, and will continue doing so throughout 2012."

5. Be sure your goals are YOUR goals. If your goals are influenced by anyone but you, you'll never truly "own" them - and in the end, they will not give you the energy needed to persist until ...

Here's to an awesome Week 3!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

5 Healthy Holiday Gifts...

2011-12-09T08:50:00.001-05:00

Is there a body part you don't feel, yet?

I posed that question at the end of our workout this morning to a camper and she said ...

... her hair. That's the only part left that's not so sore.

Yeah, so this week has been killer!

And today you blew up a ton of calories, just like a boxer going all out, round after round.

We (your boot camp instructors) noticed some incredible performances today ... some of you looked like you were jumping rope, running suicides, hamstring sliding, metabolic backing, and gut blasting like you had a pot of coffee before the workout!!

We love to see that kind of effort, always, but especially this time of the year when everyone else is overly stressed, and holding onto the false belief that they "just don't have time for exercise" during the holidays. That's just crazy talk!

You don't not have time for exercise when life gets a little stressful! Or said differently, we ALWAYS make time for what we value most. :)

Okay, I got an email from a writer this week asking for healthy gift ideas ...

... so it sounded like a good topic for today!

1. Fruit of the Month: every year we give this to others, always getting rave review. It's the gift that keeps on giving ... and you can choose those with just fruit, raw nuts, sometimes different cheeses, etc. It's a great gift particularly when you can't always get REALLY fresh produce in the winter months here in the Midwest ... the fruit is always fantastic! [www dot harryanddaviddot com]

2. Edible Arrangements are great, one time gifts to give ... they look great, they present well, and they taste even better! http://www.ediblearrangements.com/

3. A boot camp gift certificate is something you can ask for and/or give! http://www.cincinnatifitnessbootcamp.com/Gift-Certificate.html

4. A kitchen tool to make life easier! Something like a crock pot, rice cooker or veggie steamer. Last week Jennifer demonstrated an egg cooker and an awesome veggie chopper. These will help the gift recipient prepare healthy food more easily and quickly. Throw in a few recipes for a tasty soup or a meal that includes steamed vegetables to get her started.

5. A cookbook/magazine subscription: A healthy cookbook is a great idea ... there are a ton out there, that don't require you to be a trained chef, but offer some healthy meal/snack ideas to try. Or a magazine subscription if you like the variety -- I love Eating Well (http://www.eatingwell.com/) and Clean Eating (http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/).

I will see many of you on Monday for a GREAT start to week 3. Then I'll be in Texas for the rest of next week for training/education, while Kelly keeps the fun going strong!

Have a FANTASTIC weekend.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

24 Days Away ...

2011-12-08T08:12:00.001-05:00

Leg cranks. High plank walks. I can tell by the look on the faces that it's been a challenge week. 80% of the workouts are in the books ... one more good one tomorrow, than we can get our R&R in.

We'll wrap up week 2 with the Boxer Routine tomorrow.

If this is your first boxer workout, we won't be actually boxing ... or doing any punching or sparring. :)

Rather we'll be simulating the energy output and effort of a boxing match - 3 minutes of work, followed by 1 minute of rest.

It will be a great send-off toward the weekend.

Adventure Boot Camp Dog Tags!

Now is the time to order you Adventure Boot Camp "Survivor" Dog Tag

They are available to any camper, and a perfect way to remember your 4-weeks of GREAT work! Please click here to be included in the order for dog tags, and let us know how you'd like your NAME to appear.

Also, THIS Saturday at 10am here at the HealthStyle Fitness Studio we have a special Shoe and Bra fitting educational class for you.

It's estimated that 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra for working out ... and probably at least that same percentage of people are exercising in the wrong shoes.

This is the perfect opportunity for you to learn about proper fitting, and the comforts that come with wearing the RIGHT fitness attire.

To join us, we need your RSVP to prepare the room: please email FIT@healthstylefitness.com to confirm your attendance.

OK, let's fast forward a few weeks...

It's December 31st. 11:59 PM. You're out with friends.

It seems to happen every January. Or right before January 1.

We resolve to better ourselves in some way: mentally, physically, spiritually, financially, in relationships. . .

Statistics say that about 75 percent of us stick to our goals for at least that first week of January.

From there, the numbers drop drastically.

What I know from working with women in Adventure Boot Camp, when it comes to fitness resolutions, our numbers are WAY higher than the statistics.

In other words, ABC women take their health and fitness seriously. Sure, we may hit a speed bump or two now and again, but ABC women tend to get right back on course.

So now, with another New Year just around the corner it, once again, holds promise and possibilities.

What do you want for 2012?

Now is the time to get prepared to take full advantage of a "clean slate".

Consider making a Start/Stop List ... a list of things you want to STOP doing in 2012, along with a list of things you want to START doing.

Also, consider a More of/Less of List ... where you reflect on things you're currently doing that you'd like to do MORE OF, and a list of things you'd like to do LESS OF.

Example, in 2012 I'm going to do more speaking. For some reason in 2011 I didn't speak much to groups ... and it's something I love to do. Also, on my LESS OF list is going to be less silliness on Facebook. By nature I am a very silly person, but I tend to waste a lot of time by posting the random crazy thoughts that pop into my head (especially on Sundays between 1 & 4pm).

What do YOU want to START/STOP ... and do MORE OF/LESS OF?

What will 2012 bring you?

More specifically, what will YOU bring to 2012 to make YOU better!

Whatever it is you want, write it down, get clear on it, and continue to work toward it with perseverance!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

We store fat in 3 places ...

2011-12-07T08:11:00.001-05:00

The Burpee/Row metabolic circuit is a doozy.

Not only is it challenging ... and not only did you kick some serious butt ... but some on your may have felt it in the low back. Make sure you take a couple of extra minutes today to stretch that area with cat stretches, hamstring stretches, and the knee to the chest stretch. That's critical, especially for those with low back tightness.

Today let's address one of the most frequently asked questions about getting results when starting a fitness program. Here's the question ...

Q: Hey, Brian! Even though I have come EVERY DAY this session and last (28 workouts) and have really tried to make healthy choices when eating, I still have yet to really see any difference in my body! I maybe have noticed a little more muscle in my arms, but the scale hasn't changed. My clothes are fitting better, which I'm happy about. I feel like I am getting a great workout every day (the best I've ever had, by far actually). Should I do something in addition to boot camp? Running or something? I really want the answer to be no, but I really want to lose some weight finally! Let me know what you are thinking.

A: Oh, that darn scale!!

It's been a thorn in my side for well over a decade of helping others achieve a body they are happy with!

Below is a review of the fat loss process, but please make sure you also click through the link to the article "Throw Away Your Scale" below for an understanding of why your scale might not be changing as quickly as you prefer.

But to answer your question, you might consider adding some extra cardio in 2-3 days per week, maybe for 20 minutes each session to start. Extra cardio can definitely help, but be careful to progress slowly to avoid over doing it.

Cardio will elevate your calorie burring, however, it's critical that you strive for a 500 - 1000 calorie deficit at least 5 days per week to allow your body to use stored body fat as energy, over time leading to a smaller, firmer version of you.

And that you work at your optimal ability in camp each morning.

Remember ...

Some people drop the pounds relatively quickly when they incorporate proper eating and exercise. Others seem to lose a little more slowly. If you perceive it to be slow for you, it's important to remember that we're all different and will respond differently to the same lifestyle changes.

But just because we might "lose" slower than our friend or spouse, we need to keep in mind that we ARE making progress. Often we over-focus on the aesthetic change - how we look. In addition to how your body looks, eating right and consistent exercise improves our energy, reduces stress and back pain, improves our mental outlook. There are many, many benefits to sound nutrition and exercise ... and most of those benefits are precursors to weight reduction.

So until you get to the body that you're excited about ... make sure you also focus on the OTHER awesome benefits! More energy. Better mood. Improved health markers (lower BP, better cholesterol profile, more efficient heart), etc.

When it comes to body fat reduction, here's what we need to know.

We store body fat in essentially 3 places - under the skin (subcutaneous fat), within our muscles (intramuscular fat), and around our organs (visceral fat). Studies suggest that we tend to lose fat first in muscle. Although fat loss is fat loss, sometimes a newer exerciser becomes disappointed when the fat that she can pinch and pull (subcutaneous) doesn't seem to be decreasing. And when you combine that with a lack of perceived dropping of pounds on the scale (go to Throw Away Your Scale), she grows frustrated after only a few weeks of exercise.

You're on the right track. As the intramuscular fat reduces, the subcutaneous fat (under the skin) reduction will follow.

Talk to others in camp that have lost 10, 15 ... all the way up to 80+ pounds. Allow their habits, rituals, beliefs, etc., to inspire you!

And, if you feel you aren't losing fat, change your standard of measurement. Body composition is the gold standard in terms of measuring change over time. Taking circumference measurements can also give you a relative good gauge of your progress. You're clothing will fit better in due time (as you've already begun to notice).

Instead of focusing on the numbers (lost), focus on the behaviors that ultimately lead to your ideal body shape and all the wonderful benefits of great health and fitness. For example, if you have four workouts planned for the week, allow that to be your gauge of progress rather than a scale number or other measurement. Consistent follow through using the right approach will surely allow you to achieve your goals ... and have you feeling very happy with your body!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Here we go ...

2011-12-06T08:11:00.001-05:00

Yeowsers that was a GREAT workout this morning!

We love seeing those red faces and perspiration after all the effort you put into today's routine.

And that's what a challenging (or "hard") workout is supposed to be. Challenging YOU where YOU are. Pick it up when you need to ... slow it down when you need to.

Using lots of energy (translation: calories), lots of muscles, and cranking up your heart rate.

It's smart exercise. Effective movements. Not crazy, silly, or (pardon me, I tell my daughter we don't use this word, but I'm making an exception right now) stupid exercise.

Brace yourself, I'm about to rant.

Close your eyes if you're not in the mood ... but know that I share this to enlighten you, or really to protect you from the goofballs out there.

There are some silly crazy things offered as "fitness" in the industry that we love.

Recently a long time mentor, Juan Carlos ("JC") Santana, share a video with me which, if I didn't come to expect this level of stupidity, would have made me insanely mad.

Here's the video: http://youtu.be/BDDyxXyf6UU . You really don't even need to watch past the first 15 seconds to get the picture of horrible trainer ideas. Words like "appalling" just aren't strong enough.

I wish this was an isolated incidence of crappy training.

Unfortunately it's becoming more and more acceptable.

By and large, trainers are uneducated and inexperienced in the areas that should have minimum industry knowledge & practice standards in order to help clients.

Far too many trainers share information and develop workouts that are silly at best, crazy and potentially life-threatening at worst.

And recently my frustration hit an all-time high.

First, I got a call from a 23 year former soccer player after she "blew out her knee".

She thought the knee injury was due to running 8 miles. But this is a woman who runs half marathons, has been in Adventure Boot Camp for Women for a while, and is young and very fit.

Turns out she joined a CrossFit program when she moved away for grad school.

It should be noted that I have no qualms in general with the CrossFit concept. Work hard. Perform challenging compound and complex movements and metabolic circuits to maximize the workout hour.

That's what we do in Adventure Boot Camp.

However, with a growing cult-like following, it seems like some of the CrossFit instructors follow the philosophy that harder is ALWAYS better.

On day one, here's what our 23 year old friend was told to do (keeping in mind, there was no progressive warm up):

50 reps of the following (with the goal to "use as much weight as possible and go as FAST as you can" per the trainers) - kettlebell swings, burpees, roman chair, squat w/ overhead med ball throw, squat with overhead barbell press, walking lunges, superman's, pull ups, box jumps, jump rope (either 50 doubles or 150 singles)

It was called "The Filthy Fifty".

Well, that sure was filthy, so much so our young athlete blew out her knee the next day running. Too much stress on the connective tissue and structures created a ripe environment for a knee injury.

And instead of thinking the workout was the villain, she blamed the blow out on running. Something she's been doing since age 6 with relative ease.

Hard, gut wrenching exercise is DUMB if the ONLY reason it's being done is because it's hard and gut wrenching.

Education and experience are required to develop a discerning eye for proper progression, modifications, and a clear understanding that a template workout (AKA: the WOD, or workout of the day) does not fit all. Unfortunately, our friend was continually implored to "use more weight" when she was already overwhelmed by the workout.

And unfortunately, this is just another example in a long history of bad trainer ideas.

Here's the problem ... and this IS the problem.

It is WAY too easy to become a trainer. People do not need any formal education or training. And MOST states do not even require certification. And even IF someone has a certification, 98% of those are laughable (or can be obtained in an 8 hour home study course).

You surely wouldn't turn your taxes over to someone that didn't go to college but rather got a "certification" in an 8-hour tax course.

You wouldn't want a surgeon operating on you after a weekend crash study program on open heart surgery.

So why should we trust the one thing most precious to us, our health, our fitness, and our ability to function effectively, to someone without the skills and knowledge to help us get better?

Shortcuts don't work. They never have. The industry needs higher standards. Right now there are no standards. And to me, that's SCARY!

Many of you have been a part of Adventure Boot Camp for a long time. Some are here for 4 weeks. Regardless, we appreciate you very much, and take your health and fitness very seriously. For those in camp for only one session, choose your future fitness professional wisely. Choose one that doesn't buy into the "something for nothing" philosophy.

Rant over. I just had to get that off my chest and let you know that YOU deserve a professional fitness experience. Not craziness.

Have a GREAT Tuesday ... and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

5 Tips for Success ...

2011-12-05T08:11:00.000-05:00

Another fantastic effort this morning!

The glute kickback with the mini-band and the Metabolic Back series are quickly becoming ABC favorites!

Both are new, which means it'll take a little bit of time before we really master the form ... but that's coming!

We've talked before about how your nutrition is more important than exercise when it comes to burning (losing) body fat, so today let's share a few tips to keep you moving along towards your goals.

Your nutrition program doesn't have to be extreme. Hold up on the insane New Year's changes that are just around the corner. Make sure the nutrition plan you've chosen is sustainable. Simple diet changes go a lot farther than you might think. When I present sometimes I hear "you only covered the basics" -- well, if everyone were doing "the basics" we could move on, but until then, we're sticking to our guns and reviewing them again and again and again. Strive for a calorie deficit each day (500 calories), eat 5 servings of fruit, 6 servings of veggies each day, reduce sugar and processed food, and drink half your body weight in ounces of water - each day. That's it!! Simple and exceptionally effective, and very sustainable over the long haul. Mastering those 4 will give you the body of your dreams ... and silly diet gimmicks will be a thing of the past!
Get the junk out of the house. If it's in your house, you'll eat it...and trust me, this goes for all of us - your favorite trainers too. When I was at my in-laws for Thanksgiving, I knocked back my share of pumpkin pie and other high fat foods ... but we keep things like that out of the house. Whatever your "weakness" is, keep it out of your home.
Fill in the "diet-killing" gap. For some, the diet-killing gap is between work and dinner. For others, it's between dinner and bedtime, but for almost everyone, there is a point in the day when we suffer from mindless eating. Make sure you have alternatives...as soon as you come home from work, cut up vegetables (or have them cut beforehand) and dip them into hummus, for example. That will keep you full on a small amount of calories. Think about other snacks that would work for you -- I like pistachios because they're healthy and take awhile to eat, since you have to break open the shell. A piece of fruit and cheese, fruit and natural peanut butter, etc all work though.
Chew your food at least 20 times before swallowing. Most people eat so fast they chew only about 5 times. You'll really notice a difference and you'll slow your eating so you feel full.
Have a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup before a meal. Penn State researcher Dr. Barbara Rolls has published a lot of studies showing that this will help you reduce the amount of food you eat.

Focus on the basics -- not "low carb", not eliminating XYZ foods, no cabbage soup or liquid diets, etc. Losing fat isn't rocket science, so it's important not to over think it!

Here's to an AWESOME start to your week!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Strategies for the next 30 days ...

2011-12-02T08:09:00.001-05:00

It sure was awesome watching all the hard work in camp this morning, and throughout the week!

You made it! The positive momentum swing is in full force with a week of challenge workouts in the books.

Very well done!

Over the past month I've been reflecting a bit on 2011, and planning for 2012.

I tend to ask myself some questions as a look back, and then plan forward.

"What worked well in 2011?" "What do I want to do more of?"

"What didn't work out so well?" And "what do I need to stop doing?"

And from that 2012 is shaping up to be a pretty heavy year of education for me.

Stephen Covey often talks about "sharpening the saw" ... if all we do is cut wood all day long, our blade becomes dull. Thus, we need to step back from cutting (work, producing, etc) to sharpen the saw so that when we get back to cutting we're much more effective.

So with a lot of education and training in 2012, comes a lot of travel ... 6 trips already planned for 2012.

And a lot of travel means a lot of challenges for eating well and keeping a consistent exercise/training routine. Challenge doesn't mean impossible; it's simply more of a challenge.

The challenges arise when you consider jet leg, airline/hotel food, trying to find a place to work out (and for me keeping up with my running), etc.

The key to not allowing the challenges to derail me is to develop strategies in advance on how to handle them.

The first step is recognizing that there is an issue that isn't optimal.
Step two is to develop strategies to improve or mitigate the situation or issue.

I try to find a gym that I can get my workouts in. I call the hotel and ask if there are areas close by for running. I have eating strategies and travel rituals that allow me to arrive feeling ready-to-go and get home feeling at least somewhat fresh.

I bring food and/or make sure my hotel is near a store to get some basic groceries. I request a refrigerator and microwave for my room. And I attempt to eat at restaurants no more than one time per day maximum.

If the hotel doesn't have an adequate fitness center, I have several bodyweight workouts I can do in my hotel room.

So, the key to all of this is to plan in advance so I have my game plan in place. It leaves no room for excuses or for the unexpected to happen.

You see, strategy is the key.

Strategy, by the way, is WAY MORE effective than attempting to use willpower.

Studies show that willpower is actually in limited supply. Meaning, if you resist the cookie now, it might be hard to resist it later. It is more important to build in good strategies. So for example, if you eat ice cream every night, rather than trying to "be good" and resist it, simply remove it from the house. If you consistently visit the vending machine because you don't have time to go to lunch, your strategy might be to pack your lunch the night before and bring it with you.

So think about your next 30 days. Holidays can be stressful. Lots of parties, food, family, etc ... what is YOUR plan and what are YOUR strategies to overcome these potentially challenging situations?

Start recognizing these challenge spots IN ADVANCE and develop strategies that allow you to succeed.

Have a fantastic (and restful) weekend!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Fast Family Meals ...

2011-12-01T08:10:00.001-05:00

Those hamstrings got some serious attention today, huh? Holy smokes!

Tomorrow we'll finish strong with a NEW indoor 15 minute personal challenge (in lieu of the mile and pushup challenge).

We'll let the cat out of the bag tomorrow ... but it'll not only serve as our indoor camp benchmark for improvement, it'll CRUSH tons of calories, and send you off toward the weekend with loads of energy!

Now, onto today's topic: How to pull together fast, family meals.

We get this question a lot from campers ... because let's face it - life is busy.

And being able to put together a meal quickly that (1) doesn't require going through the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant, (2) doesn't wreck your waistline and (3) your entire family will like, can be a challenge. But it's not impossible.

We'll be sharing MORE on this on Saturday ... but here's a good start to help you out:

1. Keep a well stocked pantry, fridge and freezer. I can't say this enough, having ingredients on hand, makes life infinitely easier.

2. Look at your schedule for the week and make a meal plan. Days when time is short? Leftovers or quick, ready to grab meals are key. Days you have more time - make dinner, but double or triple the recipe if you feed a big crowd, so you can have lunches and/or leftovers the next night.

3. No time at all during weekdays? Make ahead meals on the weekends. We try to keep our freezer stocked with meals we can pull out and put on the stove or in the oven or microwave in a pinch. So take advantage of the time you do have to prepare food and make lots of extra quantities and freeze meals on Saturday or Sunday. If you're making a casserole or lasagna or soup for dinner - it takes very little extra time to put together another one, and it's simple to double/triple the quantities to stash extras in the freezer for a weeknight meal.

4. Think grocery store convenience, not fast food. This means rotisserie chicken, salad bar or pre-washed salad greens in containers, and pre-cut veggies. Yes, you may spend a bit more for this convenience, but it's far healthier AND it will probably give you a meal plus a lunch the next day.

5. Have a couple of meals you can throw together quickly from the pantry and fridge or freezer. Here are some ideas:

1. Tortilla pizzas. Items on hand: Frozen tortillas, jarred spaghetti sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese (can also keep frozen to last longer). Defrost tortillas, top with sauce and cheese, add any veggies you have on hand and bake at 350 until cheese is melted (very quick). Great for kids who want creativity to make their own.

2. Veggie pasta. Items on hand: dried pasta, frozen veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), onion, olive oil and garlic, and canned black beans. Cook pasta, defrost veggies and sauté with red onion, olive oil and garlic (add any fresh veggies you may have on hand). Toss with canned black beans (drained and rinsed), and top with any parmesan or mozzarella cheese.

3. Stuffed potatoes. Items on hand: pre-made chili frozen in small batches, shredded cheddar cheese (frozen or refrigerated), frozen broccoli. Potatoes last such a long time in a cool dry environment, so this is any easy way of combining all the necessary food groups in one simple to make meal. Defrost chili while potato is cooking, slice potato, top with chili and cheese -- serve with a side of steamed broccoli or for a non-meat version, top the potato with broccoli and melted cheese. Low fat Fage Greek Yogurt is a GREAT replacement for sour cream.

So get creative, think of meals your family likes and how you can quickly put those on the table when time is tight. And don't be afraid to try and copy flavor combinations from your favorite fast food restaurants (Big Mac excluded). I love to do naked burritos - where we use black beans as the base, marinated veggies on top, grilled chicken, salsa and guacamole -- all inspired from Qdoba.

Remember, the key is to get started (execution). You DON'T have to do it perfectly. Over time you'll get VERY effective at pulling together quick, healthy and great tasting meals ... and you'll add yet another skill to your health and fitness tool belt!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

The Key to Crushing Your "Problems" ...

2011-11-30T08:12:00.001-05:00

GREAT work today.

I'm really excited with the effort from everyone ... Y'all are kickin' it!

We're building this week ... each workout is designed to ramp up a bit more in intensity. We definitely have some fun stuff in store tomorrow and Friday.

And as we make our way through each morning's workout, make sure you're staying VERY well hydrated. It makes a HUGE difference in your energy, and your body's ability to use stored body fat as fuel.

Everyone I know has problems, or things that don't go as planned, or challenges that catch us off guard.

And when you think about it, a problem is nothing more than a situation in need of improvement.

When I look at challenges, it seems to me that we have three responses:

We can wallow in misery and be a victim.
We can create a solution and promise ourselves that this time we will handle it once and for all. This is the weird ritual many undertake every New Year`s Eve ... yet research shows that for most people the problem is only solved for a few weeks, at best.
Create a solution and actually solve the problem once and for all.

The question is: What are the people doing who repeatedly achieve their goals and create the life they want?

I think the answer lies in creating a plan that is consistent with your strengths and ability to execute that plan.

It seems that every problem has numerous possible solutions. For example, if you want to lose excess body fat, your solution might be to join a gym, hire a trainer, start boot camp, consult with a dietitian, begin a running program, etc.

The reality is that you can lose weight following any of these solutions. The key to success is never about what you do, but rather about how you do it.

Boot camp is a perfect example. There are women in camp that lost 8 - 15 pounds over the previous 4 weeks. There are some that maintained their fitness and previous weight reduction. And there are some that wanted to improve, yet stayed the same.

The solution you select is really just another word for your strategy and every strategy is dependent on execution. You can have the greatest strategy in the world, but if the strategy is not executed, then of course we won't get the results we say we're after.

My experience is that most people don't have what they want in their lives because they consistently select strategies that they cannot execute. Too many people select a solution which is not consistent with the strengths they have (or their current comfort level) and thus they can't execute it and it doesn't work.

In other words, it would be a bad idea (or strategy) to take a person that's been sedentary for 20 years and enroll her in a marathon training program. That's silly, overwhelming for the participant, and sets her up for failure and disappointment.

She absolutely COULD run a marathon some day, but the couch potato to marathon 16 week training program is intergalacticly dumb. Walk first. Then walk/jog. Then jog a little more. Strive for a 5K. Eventually enroll in a 10K. Build up to a half marathon over time. And then eventually train for a marathon.

People who consistently achieve their goals and fix their problems look first to their skills and capabilities before deciding on a course of action and a solution to their problems. Getting fit, healthy and creating your ideal figure works best when it's based on your current strengths so that you can build upon successes. If eating healthy is a strength, that's where you start ... and then you add the exercise piece of the puzzle ... and then build and build your skills and strengths until you are in total control over your health and fitness.

(Unfortunately) too often I see great plans and solutions which never get executed, and thus the goals never reached, because they are based on the skills and strengths that aren't yet developed, OR unrealistic time frames required to execute the strategy selected. Our sedentary woman example CAN run a marathon ... but plan on 2-3 years of progressive training. 16 weeks is a disaster in waiting.

Focus on YOUR current strengths, refine those, add new skills/strengths over time ... and design your solutions that are consistent with those strengths & skills.

Then, that solution becomes one that is sustainable ... and all of a sudden it's no longer a "program" ... it's your lifestyle ... it's who YOU are!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

Exercise can reshape your brain?

2011-11-29T08:12:00.001-05:00

I came across an interesting research article and I wanted to share it with you.

You see, as a trainer and fitness educator, I'm always troubled when I'd have to explain weight loss to someone.

Although we always say that weight reduction is a combination of diet and exercise - we know that the real heavy hitter is DIET. Meaning that it's A LOT easier to eat fewer calories than it is to burn them.

For example, if you walk the distance of a mile (for most sedentary folks this would take 20 minutes), you will burn about 100 calories. Not even 1/35th of a pound of fat!

Now compare that to how many calories you can consume in 20 minutes at an all you can eat buffet, or during holiday dinner. Pretty darn scary.

You see, our bodies are still genetically programmed by our predecessors of the cave man era. The days where calories were scarce and physical activity was an absolute necessity. If we didn't store calories efficiently or if we burned tons of calories when we were moving, we wouldn't survive very long.

But in today's day and age these are no longer things that threaten our survival. It's the opposite. We have an overabundance of food, most of it void of nutrient quality, and we have to do very little to eat ... and we get very little activity (unless you're an Adventure Boot Camper).

So today we have to outsmart our genetic wiring and our brain if we plan to maintain or lose weight in this food centered world.

And this is where exercise becomes important.

And it's not really about the number of calories that you burn when working out.

Rather, it's because exercise may change the way your brain functions.

Research that a good friend of mine worked on at the University of Pittsburgh found that those who exercised, ate healthier. Seems those who get up and get their sweat on make better eating decisions.

But a new study found that exercise also changes the way the brain is structured.

Researchers found "regular exercise improves output in tests that measure the state of the brain's executive functions and increases the amount of grey matter and prefrontal connections."

Translation: It appears very likely that exercisers have better inhibitory control -- and thus, are better able to say "No" to those things that don't support their goals.

Pretty important stuff. I know I don't need a research study to confirm that I eat a whole lot better after starting my day with a quality workout.

Particularly important during this time of year when saying "No" is key to maintaining your figure, your fitness, and your health!

So major kudos to you for getting your sweat on day after day ... and making sure you put your "big rocks" in before all the other stuff takes over the day!

Stay tuned -- later today I'm going to send you another email with registration info for Saturday's Cooking Class II.

Talk to you shortly!

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com

What are your "BIG Rocks"?

2011-11-28T07:52:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Holiday Adventure Boot Camp session!

This is an exciting time of the year, for sure. Many people are decorating their homes, spending time with the most important people in their lives, and just in a jovial mood.

Yet it can also be one of the most stressful times of the year too. Time is tight, lots of social obligations, and loads of "fixin' to get ready" for the holidays.

Well, we're here to make sure you start your day off with a bang ... reducing stress levels and cranking up your energy so that you can enjoy these festive 5 weeks in front of us.

Many of you are in the 12 week fitness challenge. Last week and the coming 4-5 weeks will be defining moments for you.

Thanksgiving is now behind us. Most of us ate a lot of food on Thursday. Some ate a lot on Friday (what else are we supposed to do with all those leftovers, right?).

It's time to put that behind us. Regardless of whether you feel like you did really well last week, or let your hair down a bit ... let's move on.

We all have moments where we're "less than perfect". No biggie. What REALLY matters is that we jump back on our consistent path toward better health and fitness.

In other words, don't get hung up on a bad day or two (or even several days in a row). Your structure is back, in FULL FORCE!

This guru that I'm sure you know, Stephen Covey, was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I'm sure those students will never forget.

As Dr. Covey stood in front of the group of over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"

"No," Dr. Covey replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

For me when I put my "big rocks" in first (exercise, planning my nutrition, writing my goals daily, planning my day before it starts, quality time with my wife and daughter, etc), everything else seems to fall into place.

What are the big rocks in your life? A project that you want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Exercise? Setting yourself up nutritionally for success? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others?

Remember to put YOUR Big Rocks in first and see how much more effective your life becomes.

Your friend in fitness,

Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE

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HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. | 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 | 513-407-4665, x-105 | www.CincinnatiFitness.com