This week we will be offering 20% off all of our products at Fit For Life including Jay Robb Protein Powders, Carlson’s Fish Oils, Creatine, Massage Sticks and Foam Rollers. The sale will run through this Friday.

We are located at the corner of 22nd and E street. Our hours are 5am to 6pm Monday – Friday.

If you have children, please read this article. After clicking the first link, click the second pdf file for a list of Juices that tested safely.

http://www.inhabitots.com/2010/06/11/85-of-kids-drinks-snacks-could-contain-high-levels-of-lead/

http://www.envirolaw.org/documents/ProductsTestedforLeadFINAL.pdf

The Bakersfield heat is finally here. I am pretty sure it is going to be hot from now until September. Boot Campers really need to pay attention to their hydration levels, especially the evening class. To ensure proper hydration make sure to drink good, clean water first thing in the morning. One rule to live by is to drink 8 ounces of water right after brushing your teeth, wait about 15 minutes and then eat breakfast. Drink another 8 ounces within about 20 to 30 minutes after you have eaten to help digest food correctly. Now you can have your coffee. Another rule for hydration is to get enough water for your body weight. If you take your lean or ideal body weight and divide it by 2, you now have a goal for the day. Remember: if you drink caffeine add another 8 ounces for every cup of coffee or tea. Caffeine will act as a diuretic and it will force water out of your body. So, make sure to replace what was lost.

When choosing water, try to drink spring water. Fiji and Evian are great choices because they have a good amount of natural minerals that your body needs. Try to avoid water that has just been filtered, they do not deliver any minerals at all. In fact, filtered water has been shown to strip nutrients away from your gut. I know that there are those who will say water is water, but I have been educated on the subject to know better.

Gatorade is tempting when it is hot. The problem is the sugar content. Most of the Gatorade products will have almost as much sugar and calories as a soda. If you are doing an activity for over an hour and plan on going for another hour or longer, Gatorade will be effective. The average person doing the average workout will be just fine with good water.

Eating breakfast is the most important thing that you can do to become a healthier individual.  Study after study indicates the link between skipping breakfast and obesity.  I have seen this connection in my training for years.  Some of the excuses I hear all the time are:  “I am just not hungry in the morning” or “The thought of eating in the morning makes me sick.”   My response to these excuses are always the same:  “You will stay overweight then”.  I cannot help you lose weight correctly if you do not do this simple task.  I usually suggest eating something small to let your body get used to eating in the morning.  You could eat a piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter or a small serving of cottage cheese and fruit.  If the thought of eating food in the morning does not appeal to you, drink your nutrition.  If you start your day with a balanced protein shake you will start your metabolism in gear resulting in the ability to burn fat.   People who do not eat in the morning almost always reach for caffeine.  The problem with caffeine is that it is not real energy, it tricks your brain and triggers your fight or flight response (cortisol).   By triggering cortisol, you will make your body the perfect fat storing machine.  This is great if gaining weight is your goal.  If you like caffeine in the morning, make sure it is not a replacement for actual nutrition.

Below is an excellent article on the effects of skipping breakfast.  Please read it.  I was amazed at some of the other negative effects that were caused by opting to not eat breakfast.

Skipping breakfast very bad for health

Breakfast has always been said to be the most important meal of the day. But researchers say it could be even more crucial than previously thought, with those who skip the meal more likely to have an unhealthy lifestyle.

Missing breakfast can be seen as a way of saving time in the morning, or of losing weight.

But the Finnish researchers say those who miss breakfast tend to smoke more, drink more alcohol and take less exercise than those who make time for the meal.

And those who missed the meal were likely to be fatter, possibly because they are more likely to have unhealthy snacks mid-morning to boost their energy levels.

They were also likely to be less well-educated, making it harder for them to get a job.

Eating patterns

Researchers asked 5,500 teenagers and their parents if they ate breakfast, and if so, how often.

They were also asked about their education, weight and drinking habits.

It was found children of parents who skipped breakfast followed their example.

Dr Anna Keski-Rahkonen, who led the research at Helsinki University, told a national newspaper: ‘Children of breakfast-skipping parents were much more likely to skip it themselves.

‘During early and mid-adolescence, disordered eating patterns are very strongly associated with health-compromising behaviours like use of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.’

She added: ‘Smoking, infrequent exercise, a low level of education, frequent alcohol use and a high body mass index were all associated with skipping breakfast in adults and adolescents.

‘Our findings suggest that this association exists throughout adulthood.

‘Individuals who skip breakfast may care less about their health than those who eat breakfast.’

Replenish

Amanda Wynne of the British Dietetic Association told BBC News Online the research was interesting.

But she said: ‘Just because people who skip breakfast also have these adverse health behaviours, it doesn’t mean that one leads to the other.

‘Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, because it replenishes your body’s energy levels in the morning.

‘Studies of schoolchildren have shown eating breakfast improves their concentration levels in the morning.’

And she said people who were trying to lose weight were more successful if they had breakfast.

‘People who skip breakfast tend to go on to have a snack mid-morning, usually something unhealthy like a chocolate bar.’ The research is published in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The first thing that I will say about eating out is that it should be your second option. There is no question that your first option should always be eating at home or eating something you prepared from home. The most important factor that a restaurant deals with when it comes to what they serve us is taste. This is why most items on the menu are so high in sodium. Salt can make anything taste good. The problem is that you only need about 2000 milligrams of sodium a day. Most items that you buy will have almost a whole days worth of sodium in it. Another problem with food at restaurants and especially fast food chains is quality. Many food chains buy really cheap meat, vegetables and other ingredients to insure profits are good. So what is good for their bottom line is not always good for your behind. Kidding aside, I just want you to remember that quality matters and eating at home is where you will be able to control quality.

I eat out, we all eat out. If you can try to live by the 80/20 rule. Try and eat at home or eat  foods that you prepare 80% of the time while eating out only 20% of the time. Those who do not follow this rule, really struggle with being healthy. 

Here is a list of places where you can find some healthy items on the menu. If you eat out a lot, you might want to purchase the book Men’s Health put out called “Eat This Not That.” This book is full of good choices at most fast food places.

1. Chipotle - This is my favorite place to eat out. Chipotle does a really good job of partnering with farmers that provide them with high quality meat, rice, and vegetables. Remember quality matters. I usually recommend people eat a bowl or a salad. The tortillas that hold the burrito together are around 250 calories. So, just eliminate the tortilla, get a small amount of sour cream if any and light cheese. Have your bowl or salad with an iced tea or water and you are good. No chips!

2. Lassen’s Deli - The deli and salad bar at Lassen’s is full of high quality organic ingredients. They have great sandwiches and soups. One of my favorite sandwiches is the chicken salad sandwich. All of the ingredients that make up their sandwich are fresh. Unlike Subway. I always think that it’s funny when Subway says eat fresh and every single ingredient in the sandwich is processed and full of preservatives. If you go to Lassen’s for lunch, you can pick up something for dinner in the deli like wild salmon or just grab something in the store for later like a free range chicken.

3. Coconut Joe’s - I like the simplicity at Coconut Joe’s. You can order a 1/4 chicken with rice and beans. The tri-tip is very lean and is also a good option. They have good salads and their chicken soup is a full on meal. They have fresh fish on the menu as well. Be careful with all of the cakes and other temptations though.

4. Sequoia - This is my favorite sandwich spot. The meats are pretty high in quality. The menu is full of healthy options. The portions are pretty big, so if you order a sandwich, you might consider splitting it into two. You could eat the other portion later in the day. Along with all the healthy menu choices you will also have to have some discipline and stay away from the cookies, cakes, chips etc.

5. Flames and Skewer’s - This Mediterranean spot is really good for Bakersfield. Traditionally Mediterraneans food has always been healthy. The quality is decent and there are plenty of healthy choices on the menu. The meats, chicken, beef, and lamb are all prepared healthy and can be put in a salad or you can order a plate. Just be careful with the extra carbs. The pita bread is really good, but is high in carbs.

6. Moo Creamery - I was not expecting to find healthy food choices at Moo Creamery, but to my surprise, they have plenty of healthy choices. The quality of food is much higher than your average restaurant. They make almost everything from scratch. The salads are really good and healthy. My favorite time to go to Moo is at breakfast. The eggs are the best quality that I have had in Bakersfield. They do have ice cream, cookies, brownies etc. So go there with the intent on eating healthy.

7. Carl’s Jr. - Out of all of the fast food restaurant, I think Carl’s Jr. is the best choice. They have a really good barbecue chicken sandwich. The burgers are flame broiled instead of fried, so that makes them a bit healthier. The 6 dollar low carb burger is a good option. No fries, onion rings or anything along those lines.

8. Chick-fil-A - The grilled chicken is really good here. You can again, go with a chicken sandwich or salad. Stay away from the fried chicken. Any chicken that is breaded and fried should be avoided when you are trying toeat healthy. Once again, no fries!

9. Baja Fresh- Baja Fresh is a good choice if you are craving Mexican food. I like the side by side plate with chicken. The fish tacos are also good and healthy. They offer bowls so go with that instead of a burrito to save yourself about 250 calories. The only problem I might have with Baja is the sodium level. Remember, if this is the only meal you eat out, you should be ok. I will never tell you to eat out every meal.

10. Rubio’s- Rubio’s is similar to Baja fresh. Always look for whole pot beans both black and pinto. Try and avoid re fried beans and Tortillas. Just like the other Mexican places try and get a bowl. Rubio’s fish tacos are really good, with rice and beans on the side.

I could list more but I think that you can see a running theme when it comes to eating out and making smart choices. You can go to any restaurant and make decent choices. Places like Cafe Med, Uricchio’s, Mama Tosca’s, Tahoe Joe’s etc. will all be able to make you a good chicken or steak salad. Just try and avoid all the white bread thrown at you. If you lack discipline you might ask for a to go box as soon as your food comes to avoid eating the huge portions that are served at these type of restaurants.

Hopefully this will be helpful in your quest to living the 80/20 rule in order to be healthy. If you are shopping for fresh, high quality foods every 3 days or so, you should not have to eat out so much. When you open the fridge you need to have healthy food in front of you. If not, you will be tempted to go and hunt for food. If you do end up driving around hunting, try to refer to this list.

Good Luck. (more…)

I came across this site the other day that had a really good tool on it that can help you set a weight loss goal. Go ahead and click on the link below to determine what calorie base you should be shooting for on a daily basis. It should only take 30 sec.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php

I like that little tool because it is realistic. This formula is the same formula that everyone uses. If you have ever went to a weight loss clinic like Jenny Craig, they have used this formula on you. Then you had to eat gross boxed food that met those calorie needs. Most Dieticians and Nutritionists use this formula. In fact we use it in our assessment’s when you come to us on weight loss goals. Of course we go above and beyond just calorie reduction. In our Nutritional Assessment, we cover food quality, Metabolic Typing, Meal Timing and how to shop.

Now, I have been known to be critical against super fast weight loss diets and programs. That is why I am not a big fan of  ’The Biggest Loser.” I do not like the show or the contests that gyms and others try and promote.  Healthy weight loss should be 1 to 3 pounds a week. On the show and in these contests, they use calorie reduction based diets that drop your calories so low that you end up losing a bunch of lean tissue. Remember you want to shed fat not muscle. Losing dramatic weight like 10 to 15 pounds a week is never healthy. This is why 90% of the people on that show and in these contests gain the weight back and for most add more than before they started. That is known as the Oprah Effect.

In Boot Camp, weight loss for some can take a few weeks. If you are building lean tissue with all of the squats, lunges, hills, push ups and countless other resistance movements that we do, your scale weight could stay the same. Now your close will start fitting better, you will feel stronger and have a ton more energy. If you are patient, through this process and resist the temptation or advice to starve yourself, you will start to see weight loss soon enough. You see, when you add lean tissue to your body, you increase your metabolic rate. It is like starting out at a 4 cylinder car that is really good on gas and becoming a v8. You do not want to be a prius, you want to be a Hummer when it comes to metabolism.

Once you feel like you have put on some lean tissue, you are ready to start getting lean. Again the above formula is a good tool in giving you a calorie base to shoot for. The way that formula works is quite simple math. The activity level question is important. I like this formula for that. When filling in the blank for activity level you will have number choices from 13 to 16. I am not giving you numbers below 13, because this post is directed at people who workout.

13 if you workout at a beginner level4 times a week

14 if you workout at a moderate level 4 times a week

15 if you workout at an advanced level 4 times a week

16 if you workout at an advanced level 5 to 6 times a week

So the math goes like this. Your Body Weight____x Activity level _____( The choices above) =______ – 500= ____ Your target weight loss goal. If you divide that number by 4 or 5, you will now have total calories per meal.  Her is an example of a 200 pound person.

200 x 15 = 3000 – 500 = 2500 Total calories a day to lose. Divided by 5 meals = 500 calories a meal. Capiche

When you take away the 500 you are allowing your body weight to drop at a safe pace. This formula in combination with eating clean food every 3 to 4 hours and always drinking a protein shake right after you workout will help you become as lean as you want to be. Good luck and if you have any question do not hesitate to email me.

Tim Gojich

When you are doing a 6 week program like Boot Camp, you need tools to help keep you moving and working towards your goal. You know that eating the right foods at the right time is crucial to really accomplish what you set out to do in Boot Camp. You know that getting enough rest is important to help you recover from workout to workout. One thing that I think that you might be overlooking is the importance of massage or self Myofascial Release, here is the definition:

Myofascial release is a form of soft tissue therapy used to treat somatic dysfunction and accompanying pain and restriction of motion. This is accomplished by relaxing contracted muscles, increasing circulation, increasing venous and lymphatic drainage, and stimulating the stretch reflex of muscles and overlying fascia.^[1]

In English that means applying a light massage to your muscles. It is extremely important to keep your muscles healthy and knot free. Stretching alone will not work for keeping length in your muscles. Imagine a long tube. If I tie a knot in that tube and begin to stretch it, what happens to the knot. It remains and gets even tighter. This is where you need to do self myofascial release on that muscle.

Most of us can not afford to go get a massage everyday or even a few times a week.  I do encourage our clients and Boot Campers to try and get a real massage at least twice a month, but for the purpose of keeping your muscles functioning properly on a day to day basis I recommend using a tool like “The Stick” or a Foam Roller. We have been using these tools for the last 5 years and have had great success with them.

The correct amount of pressure used to self massage with the stick or roller is seven pounds. We want to massage the soft tissue. If you go beyond that, you are into the deep tissue. Unless you are a skilled massage therapist, you should not go deep in the muscle tissue. This is why a lot of trainers and therapists do not recommend the roller. It is easy to go to deep with the foam roller. The Stick on the other hand is easier to control pressure. Below is a good video on using the Stick. Remember we do sell the medium sized stick at our gym for $39 and you will get 10% off with your wristband. You will not find it cheaper anywhere. It is a good investment. I use my Stick everyday.

I will cover the foam roller in part 2 of this blog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3kdMles-Dw&feature=player_embedded#

The recipes for protein shakes that I posted below can be used as a meal replacement, or as a great tool to help you build lean muscle and burn fat after your workout. Before your workout begins, you have a responsibility of fueling up. The food ratio that you choose is vital. Remember before and after you need a 2 to 1 to 1 ratio of Carbs, Protein and Fat. If you use any of the recipes below as a pre and post workout shake. You will make about 14 to 16 ounces of total shake. Then you will split it into two. You drink one serving one hour or 30 minutes before and the other half within one hour of your workout. It is that simple, one shake becomes two servings. Now I promise you that after drinking a pre workout shake, then doing Boot Camp followed by a post workout shake you will be a fat burning machine. Keep in mind that when your metabolism is in high gear, your appetite will go up a bit. I recommend having a whole food meal planned for two to three hours after you post workout shake. If you do not keep the fire going with food, you will slow your metabolism down. So, it is your responsibility to provide the fuel for the fire. We will most definitely supply the workout responsible for your overall fat loss.

Graph 1. After 10 weeks of exercise the group that performed nutrient timing (blue) experienced significantly better gains in lean (muscle mass) and fat loss as well as a lower body fat percentage. Note: the benefits were achieved without calorie restriction. All results have been peer-reviewed and published by the American College of Sports Medicine.

The Boot Camp wristband that you received is more than a way of showing you paid for our class. We have been doing the “Show Your Wristband” promotion for a couple of years now. The list includes healthy eating spots and services. I am very greatful to work with the people on our list. I feel that any business that offers a healthy choice to the people of our city is doing us all a great service. I do plan on growing the list of partners to give you Boot Campers as many healthy options as I can.

Keep in mind, the wristband has to be the current color. If you are ordering food, they will only give you a discount on your item, so do not try and order for like 5 people. Please be sure to thank them for the discount.

Here is the updated list:

Fit For Life Personal Training

10% discount of all supplements(Jay Robb Protein, Fish Oil, etc)  & services including nutritional assessments.

2204 E St.

Bakersfield, CA 93301

Lassen’s Natural Foods & Vitamins

10% Discount on all items in the store and deli

4308 California Ave.

Bakersfield, CA 93309

www.lassens.com

Sequoia Sandwich Co.

15% Discount at the DOWN TOWN LOCATION ONLY. The discount is for the individual wearing the wristband. The discount WILL NOT be recognized for others.

121 18th St.

Bakersfield, CA 93301

www.sequoiasandwich.com

Snider’s Cyclery

10% Discount off of all bike parts, accessories & clothing.

2700 Union Ave.

Bakersfield, CA 93305

www.sniderscyclery.com

Therapeutic Body Work

$20 off an hour and $10 off half an hour massages.

Cherie Barrow

1701 F St.

Bakersfield, CA 93301

(661) 472-2808

Coconut Joe’s

10% off purchase.

4158 California Ave.

Bakersfield, CA 93309

www.coconutjoes.com

Chipotle Mexican Grill

1 Free Burrito, Salad or Bowl on WEDNESDAY’S ONLY. The discount is for the individual wearing the wristband. The discount WILL NOT be recognized for others.

4950 Stockdale Hwy.

Bakersfield, CA 93309

www.chipotle.com