Make your NYResolution actually happen!

I am sure most of you have made one of your NY resolutions to lose some weight and get back into shape. But why is it that within a few months the majority of Americans will lose sight of that particular goal and fall of the horse face first? The answer is simple; not wanting it bad enough and poor planning.

What I mean by not wanting it bad enough is "wanting" to achieve the goal but lacking the "correct drive" and not willing to make the actual sacrifices necessary to stay on track and reach the ultimate goal. Poor planning is part of it that as well.

Here is how you can make it happen!

Step 1: Set a realistic goal
This means setting an actual, realistic (achievable), rational and measureable goal. Don’t tell yourself you want to look like Pamela Anderson by March when you currently look like Roseanne Barr. Or declare you want to lose 20-lbs a week. These are not realistic.
Start off with a simple goal that incorporates a “rational” 1-2 pounds of actual fat loss per week. Anything more would require too big of a change of your current lifestyle and you risk not being able to sustain the change.
Sit down and write your overall goal on paper! ( ← VERY IMPORTANT STEP ). If your goal is to lose fat, break that overall goal into monthly goals, assuming a 1-2 lb fat loss per week. If your goal is to drop size, break it down to ½ to 1 dress size per month. If your goal is an physical activity goal (example; to run a half-marathon, or do so many pushups in one minute) determine where you are at currently and research what are reasonable increments to reach that goal.

Step 2: Plan out your program. Research what you need to do to reach your goals. If you are clueless but willing to make a financial investment, hire a good trainer or coach or an expert.

Step 3: Establish who and what could be potential obstacles and stallers and prepare how you will get around them.
- Toxic people…. Ignore them
- Spouse who won’t be doing this with you- have a talk with him or her and tell him/her what you want to do and explain why it is important to you.
- Money… budget! wisely!
- Demanding boss… treat like spouse but explain that your bettered health will improve your overall job performance and morale (this has been statistically proven)
- Each person will have different obstacles. Figure them out asap!

Step 4: Determine what sacrifices must be made for you to reach your goals.

Step 5: write out your overall program, and place these in various places where you will see them frequently. Taped to your bathroom mirror is one good place, and a reminder on your smartphone is another great idea.

Step 6: If you are religious or spiritual, include your goals in your prayers/meditations.

Step 7: Tell yourself ever day, many times a day that you CAN and you WILL!

Step 8: Now go do it! And don’t just wait until January 1. The sooner the better!

Good ol' butter

It appears experts are changing their minds about butter! Butter substitutes are full of unnatural additives and trans-fats and are sapped of any potential nutrients. If you are living a healthy lifestyle and using these products in minute quantities then your health is not at risk. You are better off with a natural choice. So fear not the real butter. Just choose a natural & organic versions or one with non additives!

O Winter... why do you make me fat?

It's the story I hear all too often. People seeking to lose weight they gained over the holidays, moreover; the winter months. The truth is, the average person only gains 2 to 3lbs over the holidays, but weight gain over the entire winter months can tally up to over 10 lbs. Leaving people even more depressed.



So what is going on here? It's rather simple. Our evolution has dictated our bodies with a unique and amazing ability to put on fat, especially in the winter. Way back in the caveman days winter meant a shortage of food along with lower temperatures, less exposure to sunlight due to hiding from the elements and overcast or snowed out skies. Vitamin D is known as the "sunshine vitamin" because exposure to sunshine causes the body to produce more of it. During the winter months you are exposed less to the sun, which in turn lowers the amount of Vitamin D that is produced in your body. Lack of Vitamin D causes a dip in serotonin which causes a less happy mood, often causing the sufferer to be somewhat depressed, lethargic & lazy (low on energy). Low serotonin levels also leads to carbohydrate cravings, especially simple carbs. Giving in to your cravings most likely causes you to stuff yourself with carbs, which in turn causes your insulin levels to spike... which then causes your blood sugar to drop... which then causes you to get moodier and serotonin drops... which then causes you to crave more carbs... and cycle repeats itself and you gain fat !



What a wonderful way Mother Nature has made it so you could survive the harsh winters of her cruel but beautiful world. But now that you know that, here are some tips to help you get through the winter sugar cravings.



1- drink plenty of water

2- don't skip breakfast

3- eat every few hours, but smaller meals

4- make sure to get a decent amount of low glycemic carbs per meal (don't go too low or too high)

5- take your multi-vitamin (with plenty of Vitamin D)

6- exercise- it helps stimulate serotonin production

7- think happy thoughts

8- don't overindulge in holiday feastings

9- don't indulge in any mindless snaking

10- Get sunshine on your skin as much as possible.

Bistro Mobile

Bistro Mobile hooked me up with 3 days of free meals for sending them my clients.
I am very very impressed with their food and the fact that they were able to whip up the meals I put together for my clients... to the gram

Today I had their Eggs w/ mushroom and a mini bagel, Waldorf Salad, Asian lettuce wraps, and a rice risotto for dinner dinner. 4 Meals for $20... you just can't beat that deal! And delivered right to my door every morning.

Check out their site and tell them Trainer Jo sent you
http://bistromobilelasvegas.com/

Ms. Bikini America Classics Update

I am proud to announce that for the 5th year in a row, I placed Top 10 at Ms. Bikini America. Stage photos coming soon.


2006 Ms. Bikini America 10th Place
2007 Ms. Bikini America 7th Place
2008 Ms. Bikini America 5th Place
2009 Ms. Bikini America 10th Place
2010 Ms. Bikini America 10th Place

I am thinking maybe I should just keep competing every year and try to make Top 10 each time, to officially become the Susan Lucci of Bikini America (always top 10 but never the winner)

VLOG Update- Gyms are NOT meat markets

Behind on updating... my apologies

One of these days, my blog will have soooo many subscribers that if I don't update daily I am going to get bomb threats ;-) The world is so right when they say new habits are harder to take up than kicking old or bad habits.


Anyways, I think the NY Resolution rush is starting for me and I'm getting a stream of leads interested in having me get them ready for their little black dresses for New Years. I am really excited because the news keeps saying the country is coming out of the recession. Unfortunately, Vegas will be the last city to feel it because our economy is a direct reflection of the nations economy but with a few years lag. And although revenues are picking up at the casinos, the job situation for us has not. And without jobs, that means fewer potential clients for me and the gloomier the overall atmosphere of local Las Vegas remains.


Anywyas, I wanted to lend out some tips for those of you looking to get started on your NY resolutions to lose weight and get into shape. They say 90% of resolution-ers fail within the first few months of the year. And of course that goes back to the fact that it it's harder to pick up a new habit than it is to kick an old one. I think that has something to do with taking up habits being like starting a business, but on a much smaller scale. Most people just jump in blindly and try to go with the flow. Getting back into shape and losing fat is not something that you can just jump in and expect immediate results. Every detail must be planned out. If planning is not part of your programming; you are heading for failure. So let's get started on what it takes to make your NY Resolution to lose weight and get into shape happen

Step 1: Set your goals
WHAT is it that you want to do? Be detailed.
(I want to lose 25 lbs and be able to run a mile without being out of breath)
WHEN do you want to accomplish this goal and is the time frame, as well as the actual goal reasonable? (I want to lose 25 lbs and be able to run a mile easily by June. Reasonable... yes!)

Step 2: Write your goal down and tack it up somewhere where you can see it every day, and often throughout the day, even if it's only 3 times. The bathroom mirror is a great place

Step 3: Discuss your goals with those close to you. Spouses, significant others, cohabitating family members, coworkers and close friends are the biggest deal makers and deal breakers. If they are not supportive, they might hinder you from reaching your goals. Be strong and be clear to them that this is what you really want and please don't get in the way by offering advice or the typical "but you don't need to lose weight!". Such saying are actually subconscious tactics to prevent you from stepping outside THEIR comfort zones. Be prepared for this type of lack of support. It's actually natural for others to prevent you from achieving happiness via ways they wouldn't.

Step 4: Write down how you are going to achieve your goal. Seek out professional help if you need it. Keep in mind that 90% of successful weight losers have incorporated the professional help of a trainer and/or nutritionist or a well motivated and informed training partner. You will need a detailed program that puts your body on track. Weight loss is more than just "exercising" and "eating right".

Step 6: JUST DO IT!

Step 7: DON'T STOP EVER!

Step 8: ALWAYS THINK SUCCEED

Now go out there and get'em tigers !

Just because it's "healthy" does NOT mean it causes weight loss

.... and it does not mean you can eat gallons and tubs of it and not gain weight. People need to learn that that what is healthy has nothing to do with calories. It is calories that dictate fat gain or loss, not the level of healthiness. Healthiness just means the food is loaded with some nutrients more than most other foods, especially processed foods.

Foods that are "healthy" and still make you fat, if you eat too much!

- nuts
- avocados
- lean meat


Just a handful of foods that are healthy but for some reason, boasted as "secrets of weight loss"
- blue berries
- acia berries
- grapefruit
- goji berries
- cabbage
-



Feel free to add to my list....

America's Top 5 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants

America's Top 5 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants

Health.com, on Wed Oct 6, 2010 10:53am PDT
By Tracy Minkin and Brittani Renaud

Who hasn’t unwrapped a sandwich while driving down the highway or pulled a hard U-turn into a fast-food joint on the way home from a late meeting or soccer game? We practically live in our cars, so we need quick food, and please, we’d like it to be healthy.

Well, guess what: We surveyed the nation’s 100 largest fast-food chains, as defined by the number of locations, and found many are creating menus that look more and more like what we’d cook ourselves (if we had the time)—from nutritious soups and healthy salads to fresh whole grains and sensible desserts. Even better: They’re offering good-news Mexican, Asian, and Mediterranean fare.

Using criteria that was created with the help of our expert panel, we scored the chains on such factors as the use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability of nutritional information, and the use of organic produce to determine the 10 highest-ranking restaurants.

One big surprise: A traditional fast-food chain, McDonald’s, cracked our top 10. Sure, it’s the home of the Big Mac, but did you know it also serves a mean yogurt-and-granola parfait? Here, the standouts that are making grabbed food healthy food.


1. Panera Bread
Over 1,230 locations nationwide (and in Canada)

This bakery-cafe-based eatery wowed our judges with a comprehensive menu of healthy choices for every meal. “Variety makes it easy for everyone to choose healthy,” praises registered dietitian and panelist Marisa Moore. What does that mean for you? For starters, you can pick from two whole-grain breads for your sandwich and have an apple with it instead of chips (though the chips are fine, too—they can be baked!). Half-size soups, salads, and sandwiches make it a cinch to control portion size. Also, most of the chicken is antibiotic- and hormone-free, a rarity for large chains.

Panera also won top honors for kid fare, dishing out RD-approved crowd-pleasers like squeezable organic yogurt, PB&J (with all-natural peanut butter), and grilled organic cheese on white whole-grain bread.

We love: Delicious, nutrient-packed combos like a half–Turkey Artichoke on focaccia bread with a bowl of black bean or garden vegetable soup.
Danger zone: Sticky buns and cheese danishes are on display at the counter.

Health.com: The 50 fattiest foods in the states

2. Jason’s Deli
206 locations in the West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South

How did this up-and-comer snag second place? Largely because of its devotion to organic food: About one-fifth of all its ingredients are organic, from blue-corn tortilla chips and whole-wheat wraps to field greens and spinach. Plus, its creative salads—like the Nutty Mixed-Up Salad with organic field greens, grapes, chicken breast, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkinseeds, raisins, and organic apples—make you actually want to order the greens.

Our judges applauded the portion-control option: Reduced sizes of, say, a stuffed baked potato, are $1 less. Jason’s menu also highlights ultrahealthy sandwiches and provides the nutitional info.

We love: Being able to build any sandwich on an organic whole-wheat wrap.
Danger zone: High-sodium counts on some sandwiches; if sodium is a concern, stick to the ultrahealthy choices.

3. Au Bon Pain
280 locations nationwide

A pioneer in healthy fast food, Au Bon Pain serves up sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrees made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free chicken.

New this year: Portions, a 14-item menu of nutritious small plates—from appetizers like apples, blue cheese, and cranberries to salads like chickpea and tomato—all of which are less than 200 calories. Another impressive feature: Au Bon Pain provides on-site nutritional information via computer kiosks, so before you even order you know each option’s calories, fat, and sodium. “It’s a great way to empower customers,” praises judge Amy Jamieson-Petonic.

We love: Yummy low-cal soups, from Jamaican Black Bean to Fire Roasted Exotic Grains and Vegetables.
Danger zone: The sodium counts can get high if you don’t pay attention.

Health.com: 25 diet-busting foods you should never eat

4. Noodles and Company
204 locations in West, Midwest, South

Noodles and Company isn’t your typical greasy Asian food-court joint. In fact, it goes beyond Asian fare and cuts out the grease (only healthy soybean oil is used in sauteing). Here, you choose from three food types: Asian, Mediterranean, or American, then within each style, pick from four noodle bowl options. Lean proteins—hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken, beef, shrimp, and organic tofu—can be added, too.

The result? Tasty combos like Japanese Pan Noodles with broccoli, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, Asian sprouts, and sauteed beef. Also key: “You don’t have to chow down on a giant bowl of noodles. You can opt for a small portion,” says judge Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, Health’s Senior Food and Nutrition Editor. The small Bangkok Curry bowl has just 250 calories.

We love: The whole-grain linguine—usually hard to find when eating out.
Danger zone: The desserts. The only options are two kinds of cookies and a Rice Krispy Treat bar that checks in at 530 calories and 19 grams of fat!

5. Corner Bakery Cafe
111 locations in West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South

What sets Corner Bakery apart? A fantastic breakfast menu, which is rare in the quick-serve world. We love the Farmer’s Scrambler: eggs scrambled with red and green bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, potatoes, and Cheddar cheese. (It’s only 260 calories when ordered with egg whites.) There’s also Swiss oatmeal, a chilled European breakfast cereal made with rolled oats, green apples, bananas, currants, dried cranberries, low-fat yogurt, and skim milk.

But Corner Bakery also has healthy salads, sandwiches, and soups made with whole grains, fresh, lean meats, and vegetables, as well as great portion-controlled combinations that make limiting calories a no-brainer.

We love: Healthy oven-roasted chicken that comes on most pastas and salads.
Danger zone: You have to go to their Web site to get nutritional info.


#6 Chipotle
800+ locations nationwide

Buffet-style Chipotle gives every customer complete control over her burrito, taco, or salad. (Take that, Taco Bell!) And you get to build it with fresh, local ingredients. In fact, Chipolte won high marks for its commitment to organics, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, and produce sourced from local suppliers, which is revolutionary in a chain this big. Many of its entrees can be low-sodium, if you choose add-ins such as the fajita veggies and green tomatillo salsa.

We love: Burrito Bowls, which let you skip the tortilla—and the extra carbs.
Danger zone: The dark side of a buffet is that you can go wild. So you have to go light on cheese and sour cream.

#7 Atlanta Bread
106 locations in 24 states (Southeast, West, and North)

Someone at Atlanta Bread must be a Seinfeld fan: There are muffin tops (half the size of regular muffins) on its breakfast menu—the low-fat pumpkin muffin top has only 200 calories, compared with 320 to 640 calories for regular-size muffins. But this chain’s got more going for it than skinny muffins. This innovative bakery also features whole-grain bread, fresh sandwiches (including paninis), and hearty, healthy soups and salads. It earned high marks for great sides, too, including fire-roasted black bean and corn salad.


We love: The entree salads like Salsa Fresca Salmon Salad: grilled wild Alaskan salmon filet on greens with fire-roasted black bean and corn salsa and a pineapple-mango vinaigrette.
Danger zone: Pasta entrees at some locations are offered with bread … that’s a whole lotta carbs!


#8 McDonald’s
14,000 locations nationwide

Among the big burger-based chains, McDonald’s is leading the way in overhauling its menu to offer more heart- and waist-friendly fare. Take the Happy Meals, which you can order with a side of apple dippers (with low-fat caramel) instead of fries and low-fat milk or fruit juice instead of soda. (Now the trick is just getting your kid to go for them!) And if you’ve gotta have fries, McDonald’s are made in a healthy canola-blend oil and come in at just 230 calories for a small.

The Grilled Chicken Classic sandwich and wraps are healthy choices, too (just skip the mayo or sauce). So is the salad with Paul Newman low-fat balsamic vinaigrette. Registered dietician Moore notes that an Egg McMuffin, at 300 calories, is a smart alternative to other “calorie-laden biscuit breakfasts.” And our whole panel commends McDonald’s for spelling out the nutritional information right on the back of its tray liners.

We love: The chain’s 260- to 270-calorie Snack Wraps (choose grilled chicken) for protein without a lot of unwanted carbs.
Danger zone: Although McDonald’s made our list, this is still the land of supersizing and giant sodas. It’s up to you to request a small.

#9 Einstein Bros. Bagels
649 locations nationwide

OK, we all know that bagels are pretty high-carb, but slathering cream cheese or butter on them is what really gets you into trouble. No worries at this chain: Einstein Bros. offers healthier alternatives like reduced-fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter—a great way to add healthy fat to breakfast (or lunch). It also serves a Good Grains bagel that has an impressive 4 grams of fiber.

In the mood for a salad? You can order any in a half-size. For kids, our panel of judges gave a thumbs-up to the bagel dog (picture a Pig-in-a-Blanket with bagel-style bread as the “blanket”) and a fruit salad upgrade.

We love: The high-fiber Veg Out on a sesame seed bagel.
Danger zone: “Overstuffed” size sandwiches are a calorie nightmare.



#10 Taco Del Mar
270 locations in 22 states

You may have noticed that Baja-style Mexican cuisine—think: fresh ingredients and fish instead of beef and chicken—is a growing trend. Whole grains are easy to get here, with whole-wheat tortillas available as an alternative in burritos. The chain gets high marks for its new 320-calorie chicken burrito, available at most locations. Our judges were also impressed that Taco Del Mar banned lard from its beans and bakes its fish and taco shells instead of frying them.

We love: The 460- to 555-calorie Mondito-size burrito, which fills you up but keeps fat and sodium in check.
Danger zone: The breakfasts. In particular, steer clear of the Mondo Breakfast Burritos, which are more than 1,000 calories.

Free Basic Training Meetup in SW Las Vegas

Free Basic Training class this Saturday afternoon (10/16) in SW Las Vegas. If you are up for a Trainer Jo challenge, hit me up and I'll give you location, time and details.

Bring yourself, or bring a friend. Class size limited.
If interested, please email me at Trainer Jo at Y Mail dot com

*** Please note, all my free classes will be videotaped for purpose of self promotion & online advertising of Trainer Jo Fitness.

Workout challenge for you!

Here's a mad back workout for you to try.... I challenge you. Grab yourself some 15-lb & 5-lb dumbbells and one 5 to 8 lb medicine ball.

1) 25-50 bent over rows
( 30 sec jumping jacks or jump ropes)

2) Full Body Plank + 25 to 50 x 1 arm(left) dumbbell reverse flyes
** In push up position, hands on floor directly below shoulder, dumbbell in left hand, thumb pointing out, raise left hand towards sky.
( 30 sec jumping jacks or jump ropes)

3) 25-50x Bent over Medicine ball raises
** Bent over, holding medicine ball in hands, at the knees, raise the ball up over your head then lower to start position slowly!
( 30 sec jumping jacks or jump ropes)

4) 25 to 50x Prone Dumbbell "Y" s
**Lie on floor (place rolled up towel under forehead), in a "Y" position.
Smallest dumbbells in hand, thumbs pointing up, raise hands slowly off ground then return to start position slowly. 25 to 50 times
( 30 sec jumping jacks or jump ropes)

Rest 2 to 5 minutes then repeat two more times. Good luck
Send video if you actually do them. I'll post them on my Blog

Perfect 10 workout 1

Positive change your body starts with a positive change in your mindset

If you feel you'll finally be happy when you get the body of your dreams... think again!

Happiness won't come when your body looks its best; it comes when you "feel" your best and that state of mind will have nothing to do with how your body looks nor what the scale says.

Some of the skinniest women I know are the most unhappy in life. AND they are STILL unhappy with their bodies. Why? It's simple- they have attached their source of happiness to something other than their bodies and they have not found it yet.

Many women who are unhappy with their weight will look at a beautiful woman and think those fit, gorgeous creatures are "living the high life". The truth is most often, is the total opposite. Women who are beautiful tend to be under constant criticism, constant guard against physical & emotional sharks, and are held to even higher standards of beauty than that of the average women. Ever notice how people are quick to find many small faults in a beautiful woman and condemn her for it, yet might find one minor fault in an average women (like her weight) and then forget about it? How is it that someone so beautiful could be so imperfect... still? How could women like this be happy?

So the question now must be, are you going to equate your happiness to beauty? Or are you going to allow it to be only part of the equation?

I have an exercise for you....

Make a list of 10 things about your appearance that you are happy with.
Then make another list of 10 things in your life that do make you happy. (family, friends, pets, a running car, a beautiful home, etc). Now make a list of 10 things in your life that you normally do not notice, could possibly live without, but having it indeed makes life much much easier (example; hot running water, TV, a selection of shoes for different activities, a refridgerator, a door with a deadbolt). Now make a list of 10 things you would never notice, definitely could live without but life with it is a 'tad' sweeter (carpet, curtains, fresh coffee, filing cabinet for your paperwork, a desk, etc)

Now place the first somewhere that you can see them every day.
And every day make a new list of the other 3. Keep the old ones, and every week, go through all the lists. After a while, you will realize there is SO MUCH MORE to your life that makes you happy than your weight.


Love
Trainer Jo

Have you donated today?

The Las Vegas Animal Foundation needs your help.
Today I donated $25 and each week, I set aside
one online training session to be donated to this or
another charity that helps animals.

I dare you to match that!

https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=d444be

Hormel's Healhy Shot - 24 g protein in a 2.5 oz shot ! ! ! WHAT a Godsend !

Serving size 2.5 oz
Calories 100
Fat 0
Carbs 1 g (no sugars or fiber)
Protein 24g

Vitamin A 10%
Calcium 6%
Vitamin D 25%
Vitamin C 25%
Iron 4%
Vitamin E 10%
Phosphorus 4%

Proteins:
Hydrolized Collagen (I am going to look further into this)
Hydrolized Whey Isolate
Hydrolize Casein

Aminos Acids:
L Leucine
L Tyrosin
L Methionine
L Valine
L Isoleucine
L Tryptophan
L Threonine
L Lysine

Trainer Jo's favorite diet cheat treat

Dunkin Donuts Turkey Sausage Flatbread Sandwich






Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Sandwich
Servings 1
Calories 290
Fat Cals Fat 70
Calories: 2,000

Total Fat 8g 12%
Sat/Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 600mg 25%

Carbs 34g 11%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 6g
Protein 21g

Vitamin A 8%
Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 30%
Iron 15%

Split your workout up into shorter bouts for better fat burning

To paraphrase it all into layman's terms:
This is a 2007 study performed at the University of Tokyo that states that repeated bouts of exercise acumulating into 30 minutes, enhanced fat metabolism better than one bout of 30 minutes of exercise.... HMMMMMMM

So if you normally do 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio, imagine how much more fat you would burn if you split it up into three 10-minutes bouts of INTENSE exercise! ! !




J Appl Physiol. 2007 Jun;102(6):2158-64. Epub 2007 Feb 22.
Enhancement of fat metabolism by repeated bouts of moderate endurance exercise.

Goto K, Ishii N, Mizuno A, Takamatsu K.

Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan, and Institute of Sports Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. kagotoh@mac.com
Abstract

This study compared the fat metabolism between "a single bout of prolonged exercise" and "repeated bouts of exercise" of equivalent exercise intensity and total exercise duration. Seven men performed three trials: 1) a single bout of 60-min exercise (Single); 2) two bouts of 30-min exercise, separated by a 20-min rest between exercise bouts (Repeated); and 3) rest. Each exercise was performed with a cycle ergometer at 60% of maximal oxygen uptake. In the Single and Repeated trials, serum glycerol, growth hormone, plasma epinephrine, and norepinephrine concentrations increased significantly (P<0.05) during the first 30-min exercise bout. In the Repeated trial, serum free fatty acids (FFA), acetoacetate, and 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations showed rapid increases (P<0.05) during a subsequent 20-min rest period. During the second 30-min exercise bout, FFA and epinephrine responses were significantly greater in the Repeated trial than in the Single trial (P<0.05). Moreover, the Repeated trial showed significantly lower values of insulin and glucose than the Single trial. During the 60-min recovery period after the exercise, FFA, glycerol, and 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations were significantly higher in the Repeated trial than in the Single trial (P<0.05). The relative contribution of fat oxidation to the energy expenditure showed significantly higher values (P<0.05) in the Repeated trial than in the Single trial during the recovery period. These results indicate that repeated bouts of exercise cause enhanced fat metabolism compared with a single bout of prolonged exercise of equivalent total exercise duration.

PMID: 17317872 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Trainer Jo now recommends MD Bistro for easy diet meal delivery

Trainer Jo's Circuit 1 routine w/ Jamie Spenner

Olympia Weekend..... 2 more days! My plans for the event

I can't beleive it; the 45th Olympia is THIS weekend right here in Las Vegas. Another year has passed. I am so ready to hit the expo and meet up with my friends from all over the country . I hope there is more booths this year because last year you can tell the the state of the economy.

At 12:00, the Flex Bikini Model Search semi-finals will take place, immediately followed by the Muscle & Fitness Magazine Male Fitness Model Competition (I gotta see that one.. I hope it's successful and leads to a new male fitness model division within the NPC/IFBB federation... the guys deserve it)

Anywyays

Friday I plan to enter the Flex Bikini Model Search then head to the Weider booth to enter the Fitness Model search there. Egg whites International booth, Bodybuilding.com booth, BSN, and just chill. Then off the prejudging. Hopefully I can score a free ticket to it.

Saturday is the final call for the Flex Bikini Model Search. If I don't place, then I'll be hitting up the Wilhelmia booth for their fitness model search. And all the other booths I missed. I am sure there are parties galore; its just a matter of which one do I want to go to. And of course, the Olympia at the Orleans.

Sunday is another bikini model search. My friend Marc Thyssen has been promoting it and it's at Moorea Beach at the Mandalay Bay. IT's from 11 to 6
Go to this link for more info.
http://www.facebook.com/Josephine702?v=app_2344061033#!/event.php?eid=144268448941857&index=1



Saturday Night

Cheat at Menchies... not really... but really!

I love frozen yogurt, and even when I am dieting for a shoot or competition, I incorporate this once or twice a week into my progam. HOW? Simple.... after an intense interval workout (I mean level 4 & 5 on a scale of 1 to 5) or for breakfast before an uphill run. I live a mile from a Menchies (yeah, I'm lucky). So I will wake up, take my aminos and protein, grab a yogurt and drive to the mountain, where I will burn the whole dang meal off in 30 minutes!

A 3 oz Menchies frozen yogurt is.... NO TOPPINGS

My favorite! Peanut Butter
-140 kcal (50 Fat) 5g Fat (2.5g SatFat) 19g Carbs (13g sugar) 4g Protein

Sugar Free Chocolate
- 80kCal (0) 0g Fat (0g) 17g Carbs (6g) 5g Protein

Sugar free Raspberry
- 70 kCal (0) 0g Fat (0g) 17g Carbs (5g) 4g Protein

Sugar free Strawberry, strawberry banana & Vanilla
- 80 kCal (0) 0g Fat (0g) 16g Carbs (6g) 4g protein

Sugar Free Blueberry
-80 kCal (0) 0g Fat (0g) 18g Carbs (5g) 4g Protein



The calorically priciest one on the menu is Reeses Peanut Butter
- 189 (32) 4g (0g) 36g (25g) 5g 13%




Go to http://www.menchies.com/ni.php
for the rest of the flavors

Today's workout

20 minutes, level 4 Stepmill

5 x ..... (with 10 seconds between sets to transition)
- 30 seconds of 100-lb leg presses (x25)
- 30 seconds push ups (28)
- 30 seconds alternating split jumps (11 per side)
- 30 seconds jacknife situps (15)
- 30 seconds jump squats (24)
- 30 seconds mountain climbers (35 per leg)

Followed by
3 sets of 20 dumbbell overhead presses
3 sets of 15 dumbbell scaptions
3 sets of 25 weighted theraball crunches

Cooldown and stretches

Easy tips to speed up your metabolism

I strongly believe in the theory that each person has an "optimum level" of metabolism where their it will function at a level adequate for survival, so that minor shifts do not stress the overall system, will maintain an adequate amount of body fat for that level of overall activity allowing for minor shifts for sudden changes in environment... hope that made sense. The only time the metabolism goes over this level is when excess bodyweight could prevent immediate survival (like running from lions)

With that said, this "optimal level" is the level where one will maintain a decent amount of bodyfat for survival. Unfortunately, that level may not measure to the levels of bodyfat considered aesthetically attractive in modern society. Unfortunately, this optimal level is hard to induce nor maintain with the typical American levels of activity and dietary habits. So in order to acquire this level of metabolic burn (or at least as close as possible), here are tips/habits you should take on, and practice on a regular basis (not just every now and then)

1) Always eat breakfast, and within 1 hour of awakening
2) Get adequate sleep. Studies have show that fatigue can cause the body to store fat.
3) Eat smaller meals and more frequently
4) Stay well hydrated.
5) Exercise moderately at least 30 minutes "every day"
6) Weight train to increase muscle mass.
7) Each meal, make sure you get adequate protein, low glycemic carbs as well as mono & polyunsaturated fats (the good fats).
8) Limit saturated fat & avoid trans fats (the bad fats) as well as process sugars.
9) Weigh yourself weekly, preferably first thing in the morning after you use the toilet. (not daily, or further into the day)
10) Eat at least 3 or 4 servings of fruit & vegetables a day; for dietary fiber & necessary nutrients!

These 10 habits will allow you to raise your overall metabolism and make achieving a healthy body weight much more easily.

Reduced calorie & fat Tuna sandwhich

- 2 slices of Orowheat sandwich thins
(21 g Carbs +4 g protein + 0 g fat)
- 1 can of Starkist Yellowfin Tuna
(drained & washed of the oil)
(20 g protein + 11g fat predrained)
- 3 oz Yoplait Greek yogurt
(5 g carbs + 7 g protein + 0g fat)
-2 tbs capers
- a few slices of sundried tomatoes (rinse off oil)
- Salt & pepper to taste

Carbs- 27 g
Protein- 31 g
Fat- 2- 12 g
Calories - Approx 260-300! !

The sandwich thins may be too small for the entire mix, so set aside the rest and chow down

Bon apetit

Mild food poisoning?

Ugh, today I got awaken by a strange beeping noise that sounded like it was coming from inside my bedroom. So I got up to investigate and WHAM, I felt the room spin like I just got off the Gravitron (remember that ride at the state fair that looked like a space ship and spinned so that you were literally able to walk on the wall)

Anyways, i trecked through it and still managed to finish a 45 minute cardio session on my home stepmill. With plans to train plyos at 7 then off to my nightjob from 9 to 4.

Wish me luck

Happy Labor Day

I wanted to wish you all a happy and safe Labor Day.

Now that the holiday weekend is nearing it's end (outside of Las Vegas, that is)
take a moment to feel gratitude for the things you have in your life that you normally do not show gratitude towards. The air your breathe. The sheets on your bed. Clean and clear water running through pipes. A fridgerator to keep your beverages cold. etc.

Millions of workers throughout history of America have contributed to the very simple yet unnoticed luxuries you enjoy today. America is still a land of dreams and plenty and thanks to the hard work work of each and every American who has made our lives possible. Each person has contributed something to society, whether it be in the form of entertainment, building the home you live it, teaching your children how to read, the doctor who helps you become well, the cashier at the corner store where you pay your gas, the barista who made your coffee this morning, the farmer planting new seeds, the cop directing traffic when the signal lights go off, the bagger at the grocery store who made sure your eggs were safe, the construction worker who made sure there were no potholes on your road, YOU and the very job you do! We all not only work for ourselves, but to keep our nation & American way alive.

Blessed we all are!

Coconut - the miracle nut !

Coconuts are an amazing lil' fruit... I mean nut!

The soul seed bearing entity of the Coconut Palm tree, coconuts offer a plethora of nutrition not commonly known to Americans. Spanish settlers dicscoverd the funky furry nut on the ground and named it "coco" for monkey face. But despite it ugly appearance and a bad rap for being high in saturated fat, coconuts are a highly functional food (it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content). And in many Pacific Islander societies, the oil of coconut can cure almost all diseases. Along with the entire palm itself having many uses, the coconut palm tree as a whole, is considered the "Tree of Life".


I could go on forever on all the benefits of coconuts. But I will focus on two important aspects for the sake of this blog: coconut oil and virgin coconut water.

First of, virgin coconut water is an amazing electrolyte drink and is low in sugars, carbs and is 99% fat free! (1) Coconut water contains Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium & Iron. More than double the potassium of bananas ! Calcium is necessary for bones but particularly in muscle contractions which makes it electrolytic. Instead of Gatorade, consider the switch because coconut water does not contain high fructose corn syrup that Gatorade has, and it's 100% all natural... not one bit of processing involved. Although studies show that Coconut water is not significantly better than plain water or the typical Gatorade-like sports drinks, "fresh young coconut water, a natural refreshing beverage, could be used for whole body rehydration after exercise."(2)

As for coconut oil....


"The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. There are two methods of classifying fatty acids. The first you are probably familiar with, is based on saturation. You have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Another system of classification is based on molecular size or length of the carbon chain within each fatty acid. Fatty acids consist of long chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. In this system you have short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).

The vast majority of fats and oils in our diets, whether they are saturated or unsaturated or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Some 98 to 100% of all the fatty acids you consume are LCFA.

The size of the fatty acid is extremely important. Why? Because our bodies respond to and metabolize each fatty acid differently depending on its size. So the physiological effects of MCFA in coconut oil are distinctly different from those of LCFA more commonly found in our foods. The saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are predominately medium-chain fatty acids. Both the saturated and unsaturated fat found in meat, milk, eggs, and plants (including most all vegetable oils) are composed of LCFA.

MCFA are very different from LCFA. They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help to protect against heart disease. MCFA help to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease. It is primarily due to the MCFA in coconut oil that makes it so special and so beneficial.

There are only a very few good dietary sources of MCFA. By far the best sources are from coconut and palm kernel oils." (1)

If you could understand all that... what it boils down to is that coconut oil is the best fat on earth and you should replace all your oils in your cupboards with it!



And before I forget..... the kind of coconut water you want is from an immature, not ripenened, young coconut. One where the meat hasn't formed yet. Coconut water is what the meat is formed from. So when you go to the grocery store, unless it says "young coconut" don't buy it unless you want the nut for its meat.






References
(1) http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
(2) Journal of physiological Anthropology & Applied Human Science. 2002 Mar;21(2):93-104.

Make Sushi Healthy

I am here at Banzai Sushi for a quick lunch on a beautiful Friday afternoon.

After reviewing the menu, I realized many rolls are not very good for a fitness diets so I decided to write this to tell you how you can eat at your favorite sushi joint and still confirm to your mealtime macros.

First off, understand the terminology. "Sushi" has been adopted by mainstream America as the part of Japanese cuisine focused on raw fish. Sushi is directly translated as "flavored rice" in Japanese. The Asian diet is centered around rice, not the meat as it is here in the US and most western cultures. Much of sushi is cooked, especially in many hand cut and tempura rolls.

"Nigiri" is Sushi that is typically made with raw fish and consists of a small portion of rice and a thin slice of fish laid on top, served in portions of 2-5.

"Sashimi" is true raw fish, sliced and served to you by itself, or on a bed if something artistically constructed but not necessarily meant to eat. Make sure your sushi joint is reputable and not in trouble with the Health Dept. I was a victim once of Sashimi at a joint that was close to it's death for serving old fish; the food poisoning was horrendous!!! They were shut down less than a month later!

"Maki" is the Japanese word for "rolls". There are "classic rolls" which tend to be the same from restaurant to restaurant. They tend to be very simple consisting of one particular meat or fish, rolled up in a log of rice, then cut in to inch thick slices. Alaska roll, California roll, Philadelphia roll... These are all traditional Classic rolls and are less expensive than the "Special rolls" and this is where sushi chefs start to get fancy and original. And these are also the rolls you need to be careful of because the fat and carb counts can skyrocket per roll!

As I go over the menu, I notice a real tasty roll... BUT... I can tell I'm looking at 500 calories+ just for one roll. It consists of rice, avocado, crab salad, cream cheese and it's tempura deep fried. That is 4 strikes out of 5, right there. Those are 4 ingredients to avoid;

Sushi NoNo's

- Cream cheese
- Avocado
- Crab salad ( mayo keeps it together)
- Yum Yum sauce (this is a mayo based sauce)
- anything fried (deep or tempura)

If your sushi chef is cool (most are, politeness is an Asian virtue) he/she will be absolutely ok wirh excluding any of these ingredients from the roll. And if he/she is really cool, you can special order your roll with exactly what you want.

Another thing to consider, unless you are a bodybuilder in bulking phase or a large built guy, avoid All-You-can-Eat specials. The temptation can be too great and most joints won't be very accommodating to your special needs.

So next time you hit up your favorite sushi joint, you'll be educated in the art of sushi, you now know the 5 enemy ingredients and you know that although sushi is relatively healthy, it doesn't mean you are immune to weight gain! And you ladies know to avoid the All-U-Can-Eat specials.

Trainer Jo's recommendations
- anything on the Nigiri menu
- ladies limit yourself to 4-6 pieces
- gents limit yourself to 6-8 pieces
- 1-1.5 classic rolls for ladies
- 1.5 to 3 classic rolls for gents, depending on your lean body mass
- rolls with cucumber instead of rice as the log.... Here you can eat more depending on size of roll. This varies from joint to joint
-Sashimi..... FRESH

Sept2,2010intro

Scared of the egg recall, but love eggs.... try Eggwhites International

With the enormous amount of negative press about the salmonella outbreak caused by tainted eggs, why not consider this safer alternative; Eggwhites from Egg Whites International Go to: http://www.eggwhitesint.com



Pure eggwhites, processed to remove all microbes, sliminess and it's safe. You can even pour it into your OJ to add some protein.



TRAINER JO'S Morning Orange Power Smoothie

1.5 cup OJ
1/2 cup Egg Whites International
2 tsp Benefiber
2 tsp of fat free powdered coffee creamer
1 scoop Amazing Grass Green Superfood (or any other green superfood or even wheat grass)
1 serving of Glutamine or L-Glutamine


1) In a blender, crush some ice & the OJ
2) Add all the other ingredients individually until well blended

Healthy, low cal breakfasts ideas for you

Ladies, this is for you. If you are trying to lose fat, skipping breakfast could very well be worse than downing a dozen large pizzas. Why? Because what you consume within the first couple of hours of awakening, dictates the tone of your metabolism for the rest of the day. The potential metabolic downward shift could be as much as 50% of your optimal metabolic rate. It is recommended you eat a well balanced breakfast within an hour of awakening.


BREAKFAST IDEA 1

Ladies (up to 200 lbs)
- 4 large egg whites + 1 whole egg (cooked any way you want... no traditionally frying, though)
- 1/3 cup of dry old fashioned oatmeal (sweeten with stevia)
- 1 mini box of raisins (11 g carbs )
- Orange flavored zero calorie drink

Gents (175-250 lb)
- 6 egg whites + 1 whole egg
- 2/3 cup dry old fashioned oatmeal (sweeten with stevia)
- 20 grapes
- Orange flavored zero calorie drink
- 1 cup cooked old fashioned oatmeal


BREAKFAST IDEA 2

4 oz Extra lean turkey patty (Jenny O, 97% fat free) (Guys make it 6 oz)
1 Orowheat multi grain sandwich thin bun
1/4 sliced avacado
2 slices of tomatoes or 2 tbs salsa



BREAKFAST IDEA 3

Baked Fitness Eggwhite Bake

1 small whole wheat pie crust
3 oz of cooked (sliced or diced)
4 egg whites (set aside)
3 oz turkey sausage
1 cup chopped spinach
1/4 sliced avacado

- Combine all but avacado in a small baking dish (I like to use small pie pans so I can store in fridge for later)
- pread out the avacado on the top
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes

Trainer Jo's NO MERCY Legs 1 (not for the novice)

Hey guys, here is a leg routine for you to try sometime. It is intense, so make sure you eat & hydrate well before attempting it. There are two parts to this workout; one is an intense interval routine, followed by 3 traditional leg exercises targeting your glutes, hams and quads

You will need access to the following
- Leg press machine
- 25 lb Olympic plate
- yoga or exercise mat
- interval stop watch or timer (if you have an iPhone, download the app called "Rounds"- you can set it for multiple intervals, with time between each interval).
- water and towel

Set your interval timer for 30 seconds, with 10 seconds between each interval to give you enough time to transition from exercise to exercise. You will be doing a total of 5 different exercises.

Exercise 1 (30 sec) - Leg presses (first set, no weight- just the weight of the sled)

Rest/transition (10 sec)

Exercise 2 (30 sec)- Crunches with 25lb plate on chest

Rest/transition (10 sec)

Exercise 3 (30 sec)- Split jumps

Rest/transition (10 sec)

Exercise 4- Superman planks

Rest/transition (10 sec)

Exercise 5 (30 sec)- Squat jumps

REST 2-4 minutes..or as long as it takes to get your heart rate down. For those of you who are just starting out, you may only be able to one round of this. For your more advanced trainers, set your goal to finish 5 rounds, the proceed to the leg workout

LEG WORKOUT

Single leg presses
- On leg press, aim for 10-20 reps, depending on your strength. Guys add weight so you can get a good set out of 10-20 reps.

Reverse Barre Lunges (3 sets of 10- 20 reps)
- Stand with your feet directly under the barre, both hands on the bar in front of you
- with the opposite leg, begin to go back into a reverse lunge, but do not let your foot rest on the ground behind you.
- you should end up in a reverse lunge position but with only your front foot on the floor, all your weight on your heel (so you really feel it in your glute) and your torso should be completely upright with your head directly above your torso, arms straight holding on to the bar (which is preventing you from falling all the way backwards).
- Your knee should also be directly above your heel. to make this exercise more effective, the fulcrum of the entire exercise should be on your knee. From your foot to your knee, should never move, pivoting on your knee, feeling the tension on your glute.
- make sure your other toe never touches the ground behind you.

Side Lunges w/ 25-lb plate. (3 sets of 10- 20 reps per side. Finish one side at a time. Do not alternate)
- start with a sumo squat position
- lunge towards one side, making sure you knee does not go over your toe
- push off with heel back to start position... repeat.


Stationary lunges w/ 25-lb plate. (3 sets of 10- 20 reps per leg. Finish one side at a time, Do not alternate.)
- stay in lunge position
- your legs should all bend to form right angles when you lunge down
- try to keep the tension on your glute, but pushing off with your front heel

A hot potato or a cold one?

Past few years, carbs have been demonized by a segment of the weight loss community that promotes low carb diets. But if you are active in vigorous exercise, you don't want to sacrifice your carbs because it will compromise your workout, therefore your results.

In the fitness modeling community, yams and sweet potatoes are rendered as one of the best carbs to eat to prevent insulin spikes and blood sugar drops. Potatoes, depending on how you prepare them, can range from high glycemic all the way to the low end.

First off, know that on the high end, baked russett potatoes take the prize
Surprisingly, boiled then chilled yams win on the low end ! ! No wonder a baked potato leaves you hungrier than sweet potatoe salad.


Here's a easy & tasty way to try yams

Boil yams until they are tender, cut them up into 1/2 inch slices. (don't remove the skin)
Spritz with grapeseed oil and sprinkle with Truvia and Cinnamon
Chill for an hour

wow...... quick and painless. No need to reheat. And for the sake of it's glycemic rank, you won't want to reheat them !!!

Trainer Jo's 2010 Fitness Bikini Contest schedule

September 11, 2010 NPC Tournament of Champions (tentative; based off results of new diet plan)

Sept. 18, 2010 WBFF World Championships in Ontario Canada (tentative)

Sept. 24 & 25- FLEX Bikini Model Search at the Olympia

October 23- Fitness America California- Bikini California in San Diego

October 30- NPC Border States

November 6 -NPC Las Vegas Classics

Nov. 19 & 20 Fitness & MuscleMania weekend in Las Vegas- Model America & Bikini America Classics

Spice up your diet (and health) with these spices and addatives

A well planned out fat burning fitness diet can be very boring since complex recipes make it hard to count calories and are therefore discouraged. But with some forethought and planning, it doesn't have to be tasteless.

Here are 6 spices you can add to your fitness diet that will not only make bland chicken breast tasty, but are also good for your long health term health.

((Whoa... 5 of them start with a C and the 6th starts with a G))

Curry /Turmeric (India) an antioxidant rich yellow powder that helps fight some cancers, Alzheimers and joint inflammation

Cardamom (India). Stimulates the GI, relives indigestion and helps alleviate intestinal gas.

Cinnamon (from the bark of a tropical tree) common in dessert dishes. Helps improve circulation, is a natural anti-inflammatory (to releive pain) and can be a sedative. It is also beleived to help diabetics with blood sugar control as well as blood pressure control.

Cloves. These are the premature buds from an evergreen tree. Its oil has been used for centuries to alleviate tooth pain and as an antiseptic in mouthwashes. It also has anti-inflammatory properties great for arthritis. Used to also help reduce congestion and stimulate digestion.

Cumin (Mediterranean). High in Iron & Manganese and helps with digestion and bloating.

Ginger (Asia) a common root in Asian & Indian foods, especially desserts and served with sushi. It is rich in antioxidants, helps with intestinal gas and nausea (due to motion sickness, pregnancy morning sickness and hangovers).

Simple ways to incorporate these into your diet
First off, all of them but Curry/Turmeric, can be steeped into teas, which is the easiest way. If you don't like tea.

Add Cinnamon (and Splenda or Stevia) to your morning oatmeal or yams to make it sweeter.
Cardamom is great sprinkled on rice (often used in rice pilaf in India)
Ginger, sliced finely set to the side of any dish.
Curry/Turmeric- my favorite of them all, I use it on chicken and rice and squashes. And you can find curry that is spicy. I prefer it with salt.
Cloves- this is best steeped into a liquid like soup or into a tea
Cumin can be added to turkey chili to give it some flavor as well as bean dishes. But be careful because too much is very bitter


Other spices & addatives worth adding

Vinegar- Acetic acid is it's scientific name and is derived from the fermented simple sugars. Apple Cidar Vinegar has been regarded as a wonder tonic throughout human history. And the list of health benefits is endless. Added to a carb rich meal, it has been shown to help prevent a blood sugar surge/drop and has been shown to help the body absorb calcium more efficiently.

Capsaicin- the spice that makes peppers hot. It helps control hunger and very slight increase in caloric burn. Main ingredient in Paprika

Basil, an common herb, can be added to just about anything. I love it with sauteed shrimp. It's good for digestive issues and has been used to treat anxiety, memory loss. It's also good as a food preserver.

Rosemary. Another good one for memory issues, headache reliever, and minor aches and pains. Sprinkle this on lean beef or potatoes !

Garlic. Known to scare of vampires and cold bugs (in its raw form). Scientfically proven to lower cholesterol over time.

Like I said, if planned properly, you can get all of the above in one day of meals.

Meal 1
- Eggwhite omlette- sprinkle with Paprika
- Oatmeal- sprinkle with Cinnamon

Meal 2
- Grilled chicken breast- sprinkle with Curry
- Grilled potatoes- sprinkle with Rosemary
- Steamed Brocolli- add minced garlic

Meal 3
- Shrimp with Basil
- Steamed rice, Sprinkled with Cardamom
- Veggies

Meal 4
- Sashimi w/ ginger
- sushi rice
- seaweed salad w/

Meal 5
- Canned tuna
- spinach greens
- Rice- add vinegar to make it tastier

Meal 6
- Clove tea
- Cottage cheese
- fruit

Ok, did I cover them all?

Trainer Jo's Healthy Chicken Curry Dinner

Set up a rice cooker to cook some rice before hand.

In a small 9 inch wok
Boil 1 cup water with 1 tsp to 1 tbs of curry powder (however strong you want the flavor)
set aside 1 cup of cooked rice

Chop, dice or slice an entire meidum sized zucchini squash and add throw it in
add 2-3 oz of chicken breast tenders
Boil or saute this mixture until chicken is done and zuchini is of desired texture,
Remove chicken and zuchini and place it on your plate
Throw that 1/2 to 1 cup of rice into the leftover water in the wok to reheat the rice and let it absorb the curry, the strain the rice onto your plate


22-45 g carbs (from the rice)
17-26 g of protein (from the chicken)
3 g fiber & 7 g carbs (from the zucchini)
and each tsp of curry is only 7 calories !

proportions sized for an average female and an average male

Cool, low cal finds at Dunkin Donuts

OMG- just had the omlette on flat bread with turkey sausage.
SOOOOOO surprised how tasty it was for the calorie and fat content. So I decided to look up the nutritional info on Dunkin Donuts and was happy to see there was more to offer

*** Drop the cheese on any of these choices and save alot more in fat & calories

Egg & cheese English Muffin
280 calories
9 g fat, 34 g carbs & 15 g protein

Eggwhite & Cheese on English Muffin
270 Calories
- 5 g fat, 35 g carbs and 16 g protein

Egg White Veggie Flatbread
330 Calories
- 12 g fat, 35 g carbs and 20 g protein
*** Drop the cheese and save alot more in fat & calories

Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread
290 calories
- 8 g fat, 34 g carbs and 21 g protein

Egg White & Cheese Wake-Up Wrap
150 calories
6 g fat, 14 g carbs & 8 g protein
*** I'd do 2 of these and still stay just under 300 calories if you drop the cheese

Mediterranean Salad
- 220 Calories
- 12 g fat, 24 g carb & 10g protein

Ham, Egg White & Cheese on English Muffin
310 calories
- 7 g fat, 34 g carbs and 22 g protein


Ham, Egg White & Cheese on Wheat English Muffin
300 calories
- 8 g fat, 33 g carbs and 21 g protein

Nutrition 101

I am happy to forward you this from David of BodyGem

BodyGem Nutrition 101

February 5, 2010

BodyGem Nutrition 101 Basics

Food is the fuel our body uses to enable us to carry out our daily activities. In simple terms, food is energy. There are over 45 nutrients that our body needs every day.

Some nutrients have energy (calories) and others do not, but both are important to our body. A basic understanding of nutrition can help you achieve your personal health, weight and lifestyle goals.

The objective of a proper diet is to meet the body’s energy and nutrient requirements, while achieving and maintaining a desirable body composition.

These daily requirements for calories and nutrients depend on a person’s age, sex, weight, health status, Metabolic Fingerprint and physical activity.

Macronutrients:

Nutrients that have calories are called macronutrients. These include:

Carbohydrate – Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy and include starches, sugars and fiber.

Fiber – Dietary fiber should be consumed daily to improve movement in the gastrointestinal tract, keep blood sugar levels moderate after eating and to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Fiber is found only in plant foods.

Protein – Proteins are made of amino acids. Proteins are necessary for growth, maintenance and tissue repair. Good sources of protein include meats, legumes and dairy products.

Fat – Fats supply energy, essential fatty acids, and are needed to help absorb vitamins such as A, D, E and K.

Saturated Fats: Tend to raise cholesterol. Found in high fat dairy products, higher fat meats, skin and fat of poultry, lard, palm and coconut oil.

Unsaturated Fats: Replacing foods high in saturated fats with foods high in unsaturated fats can help reduce cholesterol. There are two types of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated fats are found in canola oil, olive oil, peanuts and avocados; polyunsaturated fats are found in all other vegetable oils, nuts and high fat fish.

Trans Fatty Acids: Tend to raise blood cholesterol. The best way to identify these is to look for “partially hydrogenated” oils in the ingredient list of the nutrition facts label. Found in many commercial baked products (crackers, cookies), commercially fried foods (chips), and some margarines.

Cholesterol: Foods high in cholesterol tend to raise blood cholesterol; however, saturated fat may play a more important role in raising blood cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol comes from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and high fat dairy products. It is important to monitor your cholesterol since it is directly associated with heart disease.

Micronutrients & Water:

Foods that do not contain calories include micronutrients and water. These include:

Vitamins – Do not provide energy because they do not contain calories, but they do help the body convert the food you eat into energy. This in turn is necessary for metabolism. Vitamins are abundant in vegetables and fruit. They can also be found in legumes, dairy products, eggs and meat.

Minerals – Play an important role in metabolism and are involved in the make up of the body’s structure. They do not provide energy directly but are necessary for the body to function properly.

Calcium, iron and zinc are examples of minerals.

Water – Dissolves substances, lubricates our joints, and provides a way to transport nutrients and waste.

Don't mind most of the fitness calculators when it comes to establishing your RMR

I have been blessed with the internet!

Yesterday I went online testing RMR calculators to determine people's metabolic burn and it's funny how off they all are. First of all, they do not take into consideration how much of someone's weight is fat or muscle. With muscle burning a whopping 30 to 70 times more calories than fat per pound, its no wonder they do not work.

I tested a few numbers and discovered something rather shocking. Obviously, with my body fat percentage being less than 15% and weighing over 140 lbs, you would be correct to assume I burn more calories than a woman the same height and weight and at 40% body fat.... yet our numbers are exactly the same. I even calculated in a few places where an totally sedentary woman of the same numbers would require 2400 calories to maintain her weight, 2600 for a moderately active lifestyle and 2800 for a very active lifestyle.... WTF?

In 2005 I had my metabolism tested using 2 state of the art processes that measured actual oxygen consumption. The tests are required I sit still for an hour or so while the machine was able to establish a baseline of how much oxygen I was breathing in and then burning at rest. It was amazing; with breakfast I burned around 1400-1800 and without breakfast I burned about 800 -1200. So to all of you who skip breakfast, keep that in mind. Also keep in mind, this was a caloric burn for me at rest, not sleep. So I can only assume that while I am actually asleep, I burn on the low end of 800-1200 or lower.

I have always known that if "I" want to lose fat, if I keep my calories between 1000 and 1200, I'd be successful. My maintenance numbers while keeping a decent workout load of just weights is only 1400-1600 ( I figured this out for myself after years of trial and error... not math). According to all the calculators; I'd require about 1500-1800 to lose a pound of fat a week!

So here is some math, using myself as an example

If I burn 1400 calories awake but at rest, and I am up for only 16 hours a day...
1400/24 = 58.3 calories per hour... 58.3 x 16 hours (which I am awake) 933 calories I'd be burning a day at rest
800/24 = 33.33 cal/hour... x 8 (hours I sleep at night) = 266.66
if I was burning 1800 cal....
1800/24 = 75 cal/hr x 16 = 1200 calories awake
1200/24 = 50 cal/hr x 8 = 400 calories asleep


933+267 = 1200 on the low end
1200 + 400 = 1800 on the high end.

1200 to 1800 is my calculated caloric range to maintain... pretty dang close to the 1400 to 1600 I came up after trial and error..... not 1500 to 1800 to lose one pound

So now you see how I managed to determine most calculators are incorrect for ME.
Now, can YOU apply this same concept to yourself and determine your own numbers? Remember, I have a high metabolism because of all my muscle.

If you are unable to locate a facility that offers a metabolic test using oxygen consumption, locate a university with a kinesiology program. They may have one. OR you can purchase a Body Gem appartus for about less than a grand. I am in the process of getting one
http://metabolicratetest.com/

Be well and train hard my hot sexy fitness fans
Trainer Jo
Las Vegas personal trainer

All or Nothing principal... it doesn't apply to fitness

I love training my girls, but I so dislike their mindset when it comes to setting any goals and tryng to achieve them.

The other month, an online client of mine was close to her goal weight, but ended up falling off the horse when she decided to go out and party (we live in Vegas if that tells you anythng). Rather than recalculating her macros and adding some cardio to make up for the binge of beer, she got hard on herself and said screw it! I never did understand this all-or-nothing mindset we Americans have. It's almost as if we'd rather just sit and do nothing than strive for a goal. Why is something so wrong with making a mistake? Is it that the further we move from God and Faith, the more "perfection" becomes standard? The "if you can't do it right the first time, don't do it at all" philosophy.. well, it's bullshit in my book.

Fitness and weightloss is not about all or nothing. It's not about being perfect to achieve aesthetic perfection. The biggest losers in weight loss can probably admit that somewhere on their path, they strayed, then returned immediately.


Why not step off to the side of the road to smell the roses? Take a sniff and get back on your path; don't just give up and make a bed on the thorns!

Great protein shake

Great protein energy shake sure to make you feel better, give you energy and tickle your tastebuds

1 cup of almond milk
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 banana
1/2 cup raspberries
21 Tbs flax seed, psyllium or natural fiber powder
1/2 serving whey protein powder
1 Tbs peanut butter

Throw it all into a blender, add ice to your liking then chug away

Skip breakfast? Heck no, stop by Starbucks for something healthy and satisfying

I am a wakeup procrastinator, if there is such a word. I will hit snooze over and over until I know I only have 10 minutes to roll out of bed, hit the bathroom and walk out the door. Most mornings I don't have time to eat anything for breakfast. Protein shakes come in handy. But after a while, that gets really old.

So I started swinging by Starbucks (since it is literally, 2 minute walk from my house). I actually enjoy Starbucks so much, I have put many of their children through college!

My favorite breakfast is a Greek yogurt & a tall redeye (w/ light cream and 5 equals)
- not the best choice, but by far better than skipping breakfast entirely and risking my metabolism drop.

If the Greek yogurt doesn't appeal to you, may I suggest the following to suffice. Although pricey it is to eat at Starbucks every morning, but so is the weight gain that accompanies skipping breakfast and the health problems caused by weight gain. Either way, you're paying the price.


Protein Plate
330 calories with peanut butter, 260 without (about one-third of your daily protein intake)


Perfect Oatmeal (ask for protein powder to complete the meal)
140 calories for just oatmeal; 100 calories for nut medley; 100 calories for dried fruit; 50 calories for brown sugar

Vivanno
260-280 calories.
A tad high in sugar

There are actually quite a few more options on the menu, but not easy to eat on the road to work

Cheers

HINTS TO LOSE FAT, TONE MUSCLES & INCREASE METABOLISM

HINTS TO LOSE FAT, TONE MUSCLES & INCREASE METABOLISM

By Trainer Jo

Las Vegas Personal Trainer

Summerlin Personal Trainer

Online Personal Trainer

YAY MY FIRST BLOG ENTRY

- Focus on behavior change/Habits versus actual results. Results will come
Think of the process as a ball rolling uphill with the top of the hill being your goal. once you start, the ball starts to roll upwards. If you quit, the ball comes to a stop, then starts to roll backwards.

- strength train all body parts once a week. Cardio 5-6 times a week !

- try different variations of sets, reps & intensities

o Examples

§ 3 sets 25 reps intensities of 4 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 30 seconds rest.

§ 3 sets 12 reps Intensity of 4.5 with 90 seconds rest.

§ 4 sets 20 rep Intensity 3.5-4 with 45 seconds rest.

- Double your cardio. 30 minutes of moderate Intensity cardio first thing in the morning & another more intense 30 minute cardio session later in the day.

o moderate Intensity= a brisk walk, or any other mode where you can carry on a conversation without gasping for breath until the end of a sentence.

o more intense = 75-85% of your heart rate reserve (see trainer for this number)

- Shoot to eat 5 meals a day, with no more than 4 hours between meals

- drink at least 1 gallon of water a day

- never ever skip breakfast ! !

- eat all the cruciferous or green vegetables you want. try to eat at least 3 servings a day.

- plan & prepare meals ahead of time. Have shakes or bars at hand in case you can’t get to a meal in time or you are somewhere where you can’t make a meal (like in a car in traffic)

- cheat meals are expected….. after all, you are a human; a normal person. not a bodybuilder getting ready for a contest. DO NOT intend to eat mindlessly; this can lead to overeating and consuming calories you already burned. And you may end up feeling so guilty afterwards that you give up. instead, eat whatever foods you want but watch your proportions. Try to adhere to your Macros.

- avoid all saturated & trans-fats. choose fat choices such as olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, nuts, avocados & non-animal fats. keep your fat intake 10-205 of your total caloric intake

- 1 lb of fat = 3500 calories yet expends only 1 calorie a day when body is at rest… BUT… 1lb of muscle expends 30-70 calories a day at rest and takes up 1/3 of the space.

- Ladies, please don’t fear lifting heavy to build or harden your muscles. you will not bulk up like a bodybuilder. Bodybuilders spend hours and hours in the gym, eat a diet specifically for building muscle, and they also take a lot of substances (some illegal) to build muscle. It’s a full time job. If it were that easy to build muscle, they wouldn’t have to spend all day obssessed with it.

Salutation Entry

Hello and thank you for stopping by my blog

This is my very first entry, kinda just testing the waters