One week down...

Hey guys,
I'm so proud of you for completing your first week of bootcamp! You're doing a great job! Be loud and proud of the healthy changes you are making in your life. Remember that social support can be the #1 factor for success in fitness programs.While the support can come from your spouse, sibling, child, parent, friend, neighbor, co-worker, it's a proven fact that individuals have a greater chance of sticking to an exercise program when they have to be accountable to someone like a personal trainer (aka me!). Please contact with with any questions and/or concerns you have. If I don't know the answer to something, I will find out! Don't try to do it on your own. Social support is important in your quest for better heath, fitness, and fat loss.
Nutrition is the second most important factor for success. Make sure you are keeping a nutrition log. Most people have no idea how many calories they are eating each day. I am including some great info from Isabel De Los Rios, CSCS, a holistic nutritionist and exercise specialist in New Jersey and the author of The Diet Solution Program. Exercise is the third most important factor, and you are all on the right track by participating in this bootcamp program. Check out all the great nutrition stuff below. And sample meal ideas are coming soon! My next post will contain interval training ideas.
Take care and be good this weekend!
Tiffany

Nutrition Principles:
1. Include a Protein Source at each meal.
Protein is everyone’s answer to lean muscle and a high, fat burning metabolism. Eating protein at every meal and for snacks will help to control your blood sugar levels and leave you feeling full and energetic throughout the day. One of the biggest mistakes people make in their eating is they don’t include enough protein at each meal (some people even go all day without ANY protein). If creating a lean body and fat loss is your goal, protein is a must at each and every meal. Your protein sources will include grass fed meats, poultry, organic eggs, and wild fish. (A detailed list can be found below.)

2. Include a Healthy Fat Source at each meal.
Unfortunately many people have been falsely led to believe that fat is making them fat. Well this is only partially true. It is the hydrogenated, highly processed, trans fats and unnatural fats that are making everyone fat. Healthy fats (that are found in nature) actually help your body burn fat. Your healthy fat sources will include: extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, all nuts (except for peanuts and cashews), raw butter, avocadoes, and the fats naturally found in whole organic eggs and meats. (A detailed list can be found below.)

3. Include a Fibrous Carbohydrate at each meal.
You do not need to go on a low carbohydrate diet to get lean, you just need to choose the right carbohydrates to burn tons of fat off your body (and keep it off). Not only will a serving of fibrous carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) give you the energy and vitamins and minerals you need. You will also get the added benefit of a huge amount of fiber, which has also been proven to accelerate weight loss.
Your healthy fibrous carbohydrate sources will include:
• All vegetables
• All fruits (in their natural form -> no juices)

4. Only include a serving of Complex Carbohydrate Post Workout
Complex carbohydrates like brown rice, potatoes and other natural grains are wonderful foods, but are very dense in carbohydrate content and calorie content. Your body only needs 50-100 grams of total carbohydrates per day to function well. Considering that 1 cup of cooked brown rice contains 45 grams of carbs, it is very easy to go well over your daily necessary amount if carb dense foods are included in every one of your meals. That is why we save these foods for after your workouts. If you don’t workout on a particular day, you are better off excluding these foods from your meal plan for that day. Your Complex Carbohydrate sources will include: Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Millet, Quinoa, Sweet potatoes and Beans.

5. Eat every 2-3 hours, totaling 5-7 meals each day.
Fueling your body consistently during the day keeps your metabolism cranking all day long. I am not suggesting you gorge yourself with food until you feel overly full – just eat several small, well portioned meals. A sample eating time schedule may be: 8am, 11am, 1pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm. You won’t feel hungry when you are consistently fueling your body the right way.

6. Drink ½ of your Body Weight in clean water each day.
Most people who are suffering from digestive disorders, headaches, muscle and joint pains and obesity are really just extremely dehydrated and can quickly remedy some of their symptoms just by drinking an adequate amount of water each day! Drink a minimum of ½ of your bodyweight in ounces of clean water each day (that means no tap water). So a 200 lb person should be drinking 100 ounces of water each day. If you drink coffee, you need to add 8 ounces of water for every cup of coffee you have.

7. Avoid all Processed Non-Foods
Most processed foods can be called non-foods” because the ingredients label describes more of a science experiment than anything that can be called a food.
It is these processed, toxic foods that are keeping and making our country so fat. This includes packaged cakes, cookies, frozen meals and so called “health bars.” Chances are if a product has a long shelf life, it has been infused with a high amount of toxic substances to keep it there. And do you know what these toxic substances do to your body? They make you fat. And worse yet, they make it impossible for your body to burn fat. (A list of foods to avoid can be found below).


8. Eliminate all processed sugar and artificial sweeteners
Refined sugar causes weight gain and is one of the leading causes of obesity in the world. Sugar is also extremely addictive (causing feeling of highs and lows in the body similar to most drugs). Fortunately for those looking for a lean, defined body, once you stop eating sugar, your addiction will quickly disappear. People who are “on” sugar crave it all the time. People who are “off” sugar, don’t even miss it. Unfortunately, many times when people decide to give up sugar, they quickly resort to artificial sweeteners, but artificial sweeteners are not the answer. Sorbitol, saccharin, aspartame and sucrolose may actually be worse for you than sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners cause weight gain by disrupting your body's natural hormones. So it is equally as important to eliminate any food that contains the above mentioned sweeteners. (A detailed list on how to find sugars and sweeteners in your foods is found below).

9. Eliminate all Wheat from your meal plan.
Most people are highly intolerant to wheat and wheat containing products. This is confirmed by the high prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation and conditions such as gluten intolerance and chrohn’s disease. You may not necessarily be “allergic” to wheat (where you would have a severe reaction) but you may be highly intolerant to it (where you always feel bloated, suffer gastrointestinal distress, or just can’t get that pooch in your lower abs to go away). When people eliminate wheat from their diets the results are miraculous. They are able to achieve a lean body in a shorter amount of time and feel much healthier and energetic in the process. Wheat containing products are most breads, baked goods, cereals, cookies and crackers. (A detailed list can be found below.)

10. Do not microwave your food.
Avoid using a microwave. While this opinion is controversial, many believe that microwaving food is not healthy for the body. And anything unhealthy for the body can put an incredible amount of stress on your digestive system and your liver. Without these organs and organ systems functioning properly, it becomes extremely difficult for your body to eliminate and metabolize unwanted fat from your body. If you eliminate the use of the microwave, you can reach your fat loss goals much faster.

11. Include a high quality Omega 3 supplement in your meal plan.
Healthy fats in wild fish and nuts like walnuts are some of the best oils for the human body. Unfortunately we would have to consume a large amount of salmon and walnuts everyday to get the necessary amounts. An easier approach is to supplement your meal plan with a high quality Omega 3 supplement. (A list of high quality Omega 3 sources can be found below.)

12. Designate one “Reward” meal per week.
A wonderful benefit to your cheat meal is that you will never feel deprived. If you want some cake, just have it. If you are following all of the above principles on a consistent basis, having a slice of cake, a bowl of ice-cream or some pizza once per week will not stop you from losing belly fat.

Points to Consider:
*Keep pasteurized dairy to a minimum.
Contrary to popular belief, pasteurized dairy does not help in the fat loss process.
Some people tolerate dairy well, while others suffer from extreme “intolerance”. If dairy causes you bloating, gas, and/or GI distress, you are better off eliminating it from your meal plans or keeping it to a minimum. If you are intolerant to pasteurized dairy, you may actually do better drinking and eating un-pasteurized dairy. Pasteurization and homogenization use high heat temperatures that kill off all of the naturally occurring digestive enzymes found in raw milk and your body can have a difficult time digesting it. This is why some people who have a hard time digesting pasteurized dairy actually feel great drinking raw (un-pasteurized) milk, because all the naturally occurring digestive enzymes are still intact.
Whichever dairy you decide is best for you, always make sure it is organic, so that it is free of growth hormones and antibiotics.

*Calorie Counting
When you follow these 12 nutritional principles, it is unnecessary to count calories. But there are sample meal plans included for both men and women to give you a good idea of what the right portion sizes are for you. If you still feel you are eating too much food, cut the portions back a bit until you feel satisfied (without the overly full feeling). Our bodies are equipped to tell us when it has had enough food. It is just up to us to accurately listen to what our bodies are telling us. So don’t eat beyond your “good” feeling point but also do not walk around starving.

Food sources:
Protein Sources
• Grass Fed Beef, Bison, Lamb, Pork (lean), Venison
• Free Range (preferably organic) Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Cornish Hen,
Quail(this includes white and dark meat)
• Whole Organic Eggs
• Wild Fish (all varieties, except for Tuna which should be consumed 1 time
per week maximum)
• Cottage Cheese (preferably raw and organic)
• Raw Nuts (not including peanuts or cashews) **Nuts will also be included
under healthy fat sources.
• Raw Nut Butters (except for Peanut Butter and Cashew butter)

Fat Sources
• Organic, extra virgin olive oil
• Fish Oil (liquid or capsules)
• Cod Liver Oil (liquid or capsules)
• Flax seed Oil
• Organic, Raw Butter
• Avocado
• Organic, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• Raw Nuts (not including peanuts or cashews) **Nuts are also included under
healthy protein sources.

Fibrous Carbohydrate Sources
• All vegetables
• All fruits (in their natural state -> no fruit juices or dried fruits)

Complex Carbohydrate Sources
• Brown or Wild Rice
• Barley
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Oatmeal
• Rye
• Spelt
• White or Sweet potatoes
• Beans (all varieties)

Sources of Clean Water
• Best bottled water sources: Evian, Volvic, Fiji, and Trinity
• High Quality Water Filters for your sink

How to spot sugar
The following words all mean “added sugar”
Hint: the words “syrup”, “sweetener”, and anything ending in “-ose” can usually be assumed to be “sugar”. If the label says “no added sugars”, it should not contain any of the following:
• Corn Sweetener
• Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
• Dehydrated Cane Juice
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit Juice Concentrate
• Glucose
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Honey
• Invert Sugar
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Maltose
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Rice Syrup
• Saccharose
• Sorghum or sorghum syrup
• Sucrose
• Syrup
• Treacle
• Turbinado Sugar
• Xylose

Remember, your body doesn't care what the label says. It's all just "sugar"!

How to spot artificial sweeteners
Sucrolose (Splenda)
Saccharin (Sweet n Low)
Aspartame (Equal)

Eliminate these wheat products
• Bread
• Cereal
• Crackers
• Pasta
• Baked Goods
• And anything that contains “wheat” (even whole wheat) in the ingredients
list

Dairy products
• Raw Milk and Raw Cheese may need to be purchased at specialty shops or
online. Visit www.realmilk.com or www.organicpastures.com for more
information.
• Raw Cheese (in many varieties) can be found at Whole Foods, Health Food
Stores and many local supermarkets.
• Make sure pasteurized and homogenized Milk and Cheese are Organic

High Quality Omega 3 supplements
The following brands proved high quality Omega 3 supplements:
• Prograde Nutritional Supplements
• Nordic Naturals
• Carlsons