Water is required in almost every one of the different processes in the body. The human brain is 95% water, your lungs are 90% water, your blood is 83% water, your muscles are 76% water and your bones are 22% water—and we are 100% sure that staying hydrated is essential for optimal health. If fact, that may even be an understatement. Yet, Americans are chronically dehydrated. It is reported that nearly 75% of U.S. adults are dehydrated on a daily basis. It is no wonder that when we fail to prioritize drinking enough water, we also struggle to reach our health and fitness goals.

If you’ve ever had a health problem, you’ve probably been asked if you’re drinking enough water. Well, the same goes for weight loss. Not seeing the scale budge? Ask yourself if you’re drinking enough water.

When we’re on a health and fitness journey, we tend to focus on eating clean and working out—so much so that we often overlook water consumption. However, water plays such a huge role in weight loss that it could be the one thing holding you back from reaching your goals. Even if we are consistent with hitting the gym and dedicated to eating healthy, we still may not see the results we want to see if we are not consuming enough water. So, for the 75% of us who fall under the chronically dehydrated group, and for those of you out there who are working to lose weight, it’s time to better understand what role water plays in weight loss and some simple ways you can stay properly hydrated every day.

Reduced Appetite

Water helps us reduce our appetite in a few different ways. Your body struggles to differentiate your feelings of hunger and thirst, which means that sometimes when you feel hungry, it could be a sign that you are dehydrated. Have you ever felt hungry, eaten something that usually fills you up and still felt hungry afterward? It’s most likely because your body didn’t need food, it needed water. Thirst disguised as hunger is common for a lot of people who are dehydrated. The problem is, when we confuse the two, often we reach for a snack instead of a glass of water, leading us to consume more calories than necessary. While calories in versus calories out isn’t everything when it comes to weight gain and weight loss, and it certainly isn’t the only way to lose weight, it still plays a role. If we are constantly eating a surplus of calories and our goal is to achieve a healthier BMI, we most likely won’t see the results we are looking for.

Solution: The next time you finish a full, balanced meal and still feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water and wait 20 to 30 minutes before you eat more food. That’s about how long it will take for your body to process the water and for you to know if you are hungry for more food or not.

Bonus: When your stomach feels like it is full, it will send signals to your brain to stop eating. Water takes up space in the stomach, resulting in feelings of fullness, signaling to the brain that it is no longer hungry, therefore reducing hunger.

Fat Burn

Water is necessary to burn fat. It is required in the process of metabolizing stored fat and carbohydrates. Without water, your body won’t be able to convert excess carbs and fat into usable energy. This process is called lipolysis. Being dehydrated slows down your metabolism because it won’t have the water it needs to process what you are consuming.

Solution: If you want to keep your body in a consistent fat-burning mode, being properly hydrated should be a priority.

Bonus: Staying hydrated encourages you to drink water instead of sugar-filled drinks, so you’ll also be cutting out empty calories.

Energy

Dehydration is one of the main causes of daytime fatigue. When you hit that mid-afternoon slump or you feel like you don’t have the energy to work out, you don’t need to reach for a second coffee or energy drink—you may just need to drink some water! Staying hydrated is going to help keep your energy levels high throughout your entire day, ensuring you have the energy you need to push yourself to work out.

Solution: Put down the energy drink and try sipping on a cup of water. You may find that you don’t even need the extra caffeine anymore.

Bonus: If you do have the energy to work out, staying hydrated will help your muscles recover faster and reduce your feelings of soreness. So, you’ll be ready to go crush another workout sooner than you would if you weren’t properly hydrated.

Need-To-Know Water Facts

Something important to know is that when you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. You don’t want to wait to drink water once you feel thirsty. You want to avoid those feelings of thirst. Drink water regularly throughout your day to make sure you prevent dehydration.

Just as important: There is such thing as drinking too much water. In this case, more doesn’t mean better, and it won’t make you healthier, either. When you drink too much water, it can cause your body to expel essential vitamins and minerals you need, throw off your electrolyte levels and dilute your blood.

At Burn Boot Camp, we like to stick to the rule of thumb that you should drink your body weight in ounces of water every day. It may be difficult to suddenly start drinking that much water if you aren’t already regularly drinking enough. In that case, start with drinking half your body weight in ounces and slowly increase that number each week until you reach your water intake goal.

We also realize that drinking plain water isn’t necessarily “fun,” but there are a few ways to make water more exciting.

Tips To Make Water More Exciting:

• Squeeze a lemon into your water.

Bonus: Lemon water is anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce bloating.

• Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with some cinnamon.

Bonus: ACV helps boost digestion.

• Sip on fruit-flavored herbal tea.

Bonus: If you prefer a sweet beverage, you can sweeten any of these with stevia.

• Switch it up with sparkling water, as long as it is free of artificial flavors and chemicals.

Bonus: Clean sparkling water is just as hydrating as regular water.

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We are constantly surrounded by social media, TV, magazines, friends, family, actors, influencers—you name it—telling us the next best thing we should be hopping on the bandwagon for, promising results. But which trending diets, foods and supplements are the real deal?

Well, the truth is, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Luckily, we know a few people who can help us get to the bottom of this. Our trainers are experts in their field—each one is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, after all. Needless to say, they have been around the block a few times and have tried a lot of these fitness trends themselves. So, who better to ask about which trends are worth the hype and which ones you should steer clear of? We asked our trainers what they think, here’s the inside scoop!

Let’s start with the diets that are better left on the trending page. Most of the nearly 600 trainers we asked agree that these top health trends are not worth the hype.

1. FAD DIETS

Keto, paleo, low-carb, Mediterranean, juice cleanses—they all have one thing in common: They are fad diets. Trainer Megan Vinyard of Burn Boot Camp Kennesaw, Georgia puts it best: “Burn focuses on long-term results. I always say that your relationship with food should be a long-term relationship as well. Keto and other fad diets, most of the time, will show results—but never long term. I always ask, ‘So you are never going to have pizza again?’ or ‘What do you do for Thanksgiving?’ or ‘Why deprive yourself when you can learn balance?’ And usually they end up losing all their progress when they come off these fads and go straight back to bad habits. Learning healthy habits and [having a] healthy relationship with food is so important. You should never single out carbs, fats or proteins but instead have a balance of all. Food is energy—especially carbs—so learning those healthy relationships is key. We focus on a 80/20 lifestyle and it works! You can be human and realistic without hurting your progress toward your goals.” 

2. FAT BURNERS

A product is claiming to be a “magic pill” that will do all the work for you without you lifting a finger—really? Yeah, we laughed too! Trainer of the Year Cody Burns of Burn Boot Camp Verona, Wisconsin has seen people looking for a “quick fix” time and time again. He says, “Most believe that if they take this magic pill or drink, they will instantly shed the unwanted fat off their body. That’s not exactly how your body works. The best way to lose body fat and gain lean muscle is by eating clean and training. A better approach is to save your money and invest in healthy whole foods and a clean pre-workout, like Ignite, to get you energized for your next workout.” 

3. SWEAT GELS

Don’t sweat it! This fitness trend goes right along with the quick-fix schemes that just don’t add up. Burn Boot Camp HQ Training Manager Jamal Gibson compares using a topical sweat gel to buying a car and car insurance—and then expecting the same car to go faster because you have insurance. The truth is, sweat gels don’t burn calories like you may think. Jamal explains the science behind the myth like this: “Sweating burns calories but doesn’t require rebuilding and repair, which continues to utilize energy for days after the incident for a workout. It feels great to sweat, but sweating is an accessory result of working out. There are many people who sweat in atypical patterns naturally. My wife doesn’t sweat nearly as much as I do when we work out together. The reason I burn more calories is because she weighs 100 pounds less than me. Stick to what you know to be true: Consistency is only beneficial with intensity. Work hard enough to get the results you desire and avoid the gimmicks.” 

4. WAIST TRAINERS

Another glamorized trend in the fitness world is waist trainers. We’ve seen the Kardashians promoting them on social media, swearing by their results. Red flags start popping up for us with the guarantee of a smaller waist just from wrapping a band around your abdomen, and our trainers are on the same page. Although waist trainers can help with posture and may make you eat less frequently due to the compression of your organs, many fitness trainers believe you’re better off keeping those bands and belts off your waists. There haven’t been enough studies about waist trainers to conclude any long-term results. What does deliver long-term results: consistently eating right, getting rest, staying hydrated and exercising.

Got all that? Great! Know that you know which fitness trends aren’t worth your time or money, here are four that you should consider.

1. SUPPLEMENTS

A whole foods approach is a great place to start to make sure you are getting all the essential vitamins and minerals from natural sources. But you may need to supplement your diet to keep your body functioning in top condition, especially with an active lifestyle. Here are two our trainers love to include in their own diets and encourage clients to try for themselves: 

COLLAGEN POWDER— Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Think of it as one of the major building blocks of bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. We know that what we put in our bodies has external effects, so adding collagen is a great start to glowing from the inside out. Trainer Jessi Drayer of Burn Boot Camp Bethel Park, Pennsylvania says, “Ever since I started taking a quality collagen protein on a regular basis, I have noticed that my complexion is much clearer, and my skin feels like it glows! On top of that, my hair, skin and nails are much healthier, and my joint pain is gone! It’s such an easy way to take care of your skin when you have limited time for skincare products.”

PROTEIN POWDER— Adequate protein consumption is truly a key to building and sustaining muscle mass. Don’t think of this as being “bulky.” Maintaining muscle takes work and is beneficial to any fitness journey. Lean muscle mass allows you to burn more calories at rest, so hitting your protein goal daily is incredibly important. Having a quality protein powder at hand allows you to ensure you hit that daily. This will also help with muscle soreness and a faster recovery time.

2. VITAMINS

Like Trainer Danielle Miller of Burn Boot Camp Gilbert, Arizona says, “Even if you eat balanced, it’s so difficult to get all of the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) your body needs. We often stick to the same fruits and veggies we enjoy, which can allow for a gap in important vitamins.” Before we dive into some different supplements, it is important to remember that quality is key here, so be sure to check your supplements for high-quality, clean ingredients before buying! 

MULTIVITAMIN— Taking a daily multivitamin along with eating a variety of fruits and veggies will set you up for success to give your body everything it needs!

VITAMIN D— We get it—you are stuck at a desk, have errands to run and can’t just sit outside and soak up the sun. Neither can we! The truth is, we don’t get enough sun in our modern-day lifestyle. So, it only makes sense that we are missing out on some good old-fashioned vitamin D. But that doesn’t mean we should forget about it! We need it to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little vitamin D can result fragile, misshapen bones in adults and other health problems like breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression and weight gain. Trainer David Rhodus of Burn Boot Camp Evanston, Illinois adds, “There have been multiple meta-analyses that have concluded supplementing with vitamin D can reduce the chances of catching the flu, improve bone health (and reduce the incidence of fractures) and decrease overall mortality rate in adults.”

MAGNESIUM — Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. You’d be shocked to know that it is involved with over 600 cellular reactions, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels and blood pressure, strengthening bones and creating protein and DNA. Yet up to 68% of American adults don’t meet the recommended daily intake! Low levels of magnesium have been linked to many negative health outcomes, including overall weakness, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease. Trainer Yonit Arthur of Burn Boot Camp Apopka, Florida  adds, “It’s incredible for helping people who have sleep issues and for people who are prone to constipation.”

3. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

This is the product of adding yeast to apple juice, which turns the fruit sugars into alcohol—otherwise known as fermentation. Although highly acidic in this state, vinegar has chemicals known as polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can curb cell damage that can lead to other diseases. More studies are needed to determine its effectiveness, but Trainer Christen Jackson of Burn Boot Camp Mt. Juliet, Tennessee says that taking a tablespoon of ACV every morning “helps aid in digestion and promotes a healthy complexion, amongst other health benefits.” This definitely isn’t something you want to drink copious amounts of. In fact, drinking more than a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar can damage your teeth, hurt your throat and upset your stomach. Our trainers like to cut the acidity by taking it with a bit of honey and a dash of lemon juice right out of a shot glass, or adding it to a tall glass of ice water and using a straw so the acidity doesn’t harm your teeth. Trainer Jordan Riding of Burn Boot Camp Exton, Pennsylvania says, “I make mine as a tea with warm water, blue agave and apple cider vinegar. I also add some cayenne pepper to help with dehydration and throat sorene­­ss.” As with anything you are putting into your body, it is important to consult your doctor to make sure adding ACV to your diet is right for you, as it could interact with certain medications or medical issues.

4. SLEEP

You can eat clean, train hard and supplement your diet with the nutrients your body needs, but without sleep you are basically a walking (healthy) zombie. But really—our trainers agree that you aren’t doing all that hard work justice without giving your body the rest it needs to recover. Sleep is the prime time for the body to get its hormones back to a healthy level. Need proof?

Sore muscles? Sleep! Your brain releases the hormones that encourage tissue growth to repair blood vessels, which restores sore or damaged muscles.

Feeling under the weather? Sleep! Your immune system relies on sleep to produce more white blood cells that can attack viruses and bacteria that protect the body from infection.

Inflammation? Sleep! Your heart rate naturally slows when you are asleep, letting it take a well-deserved break so that hormones can be used to relax other muscles in the body, which leads to reduced inflammation.

Cravings? Sleep! Poor sleep patterns can impact the level of the hormones that make you feel hungry or full. If you don’t get enough sleep, your “hunger hormone” (ghrelin) levels go up and your “full hormone” (leptin) levels go down. So you may experience cravings for sugar or salt instead of the nutrients your body needs. 

Feeling down? Sleep! After a good night of sleep, hormone, energy and stress levels are all back on track. Your body has the amazing capability to adjust and restore all of these while you’re in dreamland so that you can start your day on the right foot! A healthy amount of sleep (the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours a night for adults) helps your body feel refreshed and more prepared to face the challenges of a new day instead of feeling defeated and stressed. (Warning: A positive mood has been associated with boosted recovery outcomes and better overall well-being!)

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Don’t take the easy way out! In order for our bodies to shred unwanted body fat, they need the right kinds of fuel! Below you’ll find my 6 easy tricks to get you in the groove of making healthy choices, without thinking twice!

1. Replace All Cooking Oils with Coconut Oil

The omegas in olive oil are great when served cold, but as soon as you apply enough heat, the fats denature. Just as with any cooked food, heat can damage or alter the nutrients. However, coconut oil has a high boiling point and and will turn your body into a fat burning machine! Do not be scared of good fats. Ironically, sugar is actually what turns into unhealthy fat within your body. I like to tell all of my clients to make you’re body omega positive and you’ll feel better, burn fat faster, and reduce inflammation.

2. Switch From Your Current Bread to Ezekiel Bread

“Whole grain” or “whole wheat” bread is not what it claims to be, and it is also highly processed. Anytime you see “enriched wheat flour” or “blanched wheat flour,” run the other direction quickly! My go-to is 100% sprouted whole grain ezekiel bread with live enzymes to support bodily functions. In my opinion, this is the best bread you can eat to fuel your body. My favorite kind is cinnamon raisin. Although it has a few grams of sugar, it will keep you feeling full and satisfied!

3. Drink 24 Oz of Water Upon Awakening

Water is your body’s best friend! Start every morning with 24 oz of spring water to flush out your system. At first this will seem like a lot of water, but you will get used to it. Tip: If you really want to rev up your metabolism, throw in a pinch of cayenne pepper and enjoy!

4. Trade In Your Splenda for Stevia

Studies suggest that Splenda is correlated with heart disease and cancer. AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS! It’s essentially fake sugar and found in products like Diet Coke. If Stevia is available, make the switch! Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from plants that is perfectly healthy (when sourced correctly). I’ve watched clients make this switch and their body fat started to fall right off!

5. Lean and Green For Dinner

Eating heavy starches at night can often hinder weight loss efforts. To promote muscle, fill up on a protein-packed dinner with your favorite veggies on the side. It is perfectly okay to cook these veggies in coconut or grapeseed oil with any spice you choose!

6. Drink Almond or Coconut Milk instead of Skim Milk

Skim milk is another one of those marketing scams. Though all fat is extracted from skim milk, it is replaced with unhealthy fillers. Try substituting it for almond or coconut milk! Almond milk in particular is delicious and has twice as much calcium as cow’s milk. Chocolate almond milk is also a great substitute that even your kids will love! Tip: To make up for that extra protein you might be missing by eliminating cow’s milk, make an Afterburn shake with almond milk!

I hope these tricks are some easy ways to get yourself thinking about the food choices you make, what you’re really putting into your body, and healthier alternatives. Practice these options on a daily basis and watch your body fat fall off!

Think Smart

The holiday season is full of parties and delicious foods. It can be hard to dial in on your willpower when you’re constantly surrounded by temptations.

Shaun Nibert, the Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Greenville, is giving us his top tips on how to take on the holiday party. By learning how to navigate your holiday party the right way, you’ll have fun and stay on track.

What Not to Eat

Before you head to the dessert platter or the bar, make sure you know what to avoid. The first item on our list to avoid is eggnog. Eggnog is full of sugars and heavy cream that will ruin progress fast.

Casseroles are known for being full of artificial ingredients, like cream and sugar. Try to avoid these to the best of your ability. Even if they do have vegetables in the name like “broccoli casserole” – steer clear.

Additionally, turkey skin is another slow killer. Turkey skin contains high amounts of sodium and unnecessary seasonings that will cause bloating and dehydration.

Finally, avoid all breads and simple carbs. This means no stuffing, no cakes and no cookies.

What to Eat

If you’re actually hungry, you’ll want to treat these foods as fuel. Flocking to the vegetable and fruit trays will fill you with fiber and keep you full longer.

Try to find lean meats for your protein source. Chicken breasts, skinless turkey and certain hams can be a great way to fill up without going overboard.

Prepare For The Holidays

Don’t just dive mindlessly into the holiday party scene, prepare before you go. To prevent cravings and the urge to eat everything in sight, eat a meal of whole foods.

If you aren’t super hungry, eat an apple as a snack. The apple will help curb your appetite by absorbing natural, complex carbs.

Another rule to adhere to is the three-bite rule. If you’re eyeing something, take three-bites and move on. This will help you get your fix in without overindulging.

What about alcohol? It’s best to avoid alcohol, but if you’re going to have a drink or two, drink clear drinks. Vodka and soda is a great, low calorie option, along with some wine and spritzer.

Make sure that whatever you end up eating, you make it to camp the next day. Shaun recommends going the extra limit by getting there early to warm up to hold yourself accountable.

At Burn Boot Camp there is no day one. Don’t make excuses for yourself during the holiday. Maintain your lifestyle all year-long with this guide on how to eat smart at your holiday party!

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 pm.

If ANYONE knows how difficult it is to constantly eat a clean diet, it is me! As you may know, I have the pleasure of instructing the most motivated people in the world and sometimes my nutritional motivation suffers. So, I am going to let you in on a little secret. I have the sweetest sweet tooth you could possibly imagine. Every time I see a chocolate chip cookie my will power kicks in to over drive!

I tell you that to tell you this, you are not alone. Ultimately, Everyone has urges and everyone gives into those urges. Overall, it is the kind of habits you practice 98% of the time that truly matter. So here is a list of 5 nutritional rules to live by that will help you practice healthy habits the critical 98% of the time.

1. The Half Plate Rule – 1/2 your plate consists of veggies and fruits and the other half is split between 1/4 healthy carbs and 1/4 lean protein.

2. 5 ingredients or less – Check your nutrition labels for ingredients. If your food has 5 ingredients or less you are definitely good to go!

3. Calories to Fat Calories Deficit – Look at not only the calories but more importantly calories from fat on the nutritional information label. If you can consistently eat foods that have a difference of 100 between the two numbers those food choices are very healthy.

4. 6 inch plates – Most of us were brought up to clean our plate. If you have a giant 10″ plate you are more likely to demolish every bit of food on it. But if you clean a 6″ inch plate you are still satisfying that habit while taking in half of the amount of calories.

5. Forks down rule – Put your fork down between every bite, chew the food completely, swallow, and then take another bite. Eating slower will allow your nervous system to tell your brain when truly have had enough to eat. If you eat too fast your nervous system lags behind!

I’m always on Facebook, doing cool stuff and posting tricks and tips like these! So follow along!

How To Make A Healthy Salad

Most of the time salad can be a great alternative when you’re eating out, or for a quick lunch on the go. While this can be helpful, it can also be hurtful. Salads have the potential to be packed with sugars, high fat or unnatural ingredients found in cheeses, dressings or toppings.

Lindsay Gilbert, Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Millbrook, demonstrates 5 ways to make the perfect salad while staying clean, and how to choose the best option at a restaurant.

The Base

Romaine lettuce is a common type of lettuce for salads, but has little to no nutritional value. Rule number one is to choose a lettuce that has nutritional value and follows the ANDI score. Lindsay gives us a superfood greens, organic option.

By choosing a base with high nutrient value, you’re replenishing the vitamins and minerals that your body might be lacking. You can even buy it readily mixed and chopped!

Toppings

Toppings are the biggest culprit when it comes to making a salad unhealthy. Many people love to use nuts and avocado as toppings, but completely over-do it. It’s important to keep your fats controlled.

Instead, top your salad with vegetables first. Red, yellow, and white onions are great in a salad, as well as cucumbers, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, and more! For crunch, stay away from croutons and add some crunchy vegetables like cabbage/broccoli slaw.

Protein

Protein is the most important part of your salad. Without a protein source, you’re not going to feel full for long. Burn Boot Camp trainers are experienced with helping you understand your macronutrient values. If you’re questioning how much protein you should be eating, begin with 100 grams per day and talk to your trainer.

You have the potential to add 40 grams of proteins to your salad. Chopped chicken breast and lean turkey are awesome sources of protein. 4 ounces of chicken is equivalent to about 35 grams of protein.

Salmon is a healthy fish, but it can increase your fat intake. Depending on your other toppings, it might be a good option to choose an alternative to salmon, like Tuna. Tuna has less fat and carbohydrates, but is a lean protein.

Dressings

Choosing a dressing is the most difficult part of making the salad. It’s important to read the labels on the back of salad dressings. Lindsay uses an example of a dressing where sugar is the third ingredient. Just because it says 2 grams of sugar, doesn’t mean it doesn’t make up most of the dressing.

Low-fat and fat-free dressings are not helpful. All it means is that the fat has been extracted and replaced with other ingredients that lack nutrients.

Make your own dressing by using 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, half squeezed lemon. This makes 2 servings and you can even add other additives like dijon mustard, pepper or other herbs.

Lindsay gives us three store-bought options: Tessemae’s Soy Ginger dressing, Bragg’s Braggberry pomegranate  dressing, and Bragg’s Apple Cider dressing. They all contain clean ingredients that can help you experiment with flavors and stay healthy.

Choose Wisely

A lot of restaurants add oils and ingredients that aren’t clean to their foods. It’s important to read ingredients and ask for olive oil and vinegar on the side. If you notice too many bad ingredients, choose another option or ask to remove the unhealthy ingredients.

Stay healthy and don’t forget to tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 pm.

Kiah Douglas, Head Trainer of Burn Boot Camp Sandy Springs brings us back to the basics of how to clean up our diet and work hard in the gym.You don’t need to be a beginner to find Kiah’s segment helpful!

Kiah gives us the advice we need by breaking the segment into five helpful categories. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just beginning in your fitness journey, these tips can help you reach your fitness and nutritional goals. 

“Eat More, Lose More”

CRAP vs. FOOD is an important lesson we practice and preach here at Burn Boot Camp. CRAP is an acronym that stands for Carbonated, Refined , Artificial, and Processed. FOOD is an acronym that stands for Fruits/Veggies, Organic (lean meats), Omegas/Fats, Drink (more water). To turn your diet around, switch CRAP with FOOD.

Macronutrients

Macros can seem complicated, but they really only consist of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It’s important to reach the ratios of 45% protein, 35% carbohydrates and 20% fats to gain muscle and lose fat. Meeting with your trainer can help you dial in on how to meet those ratios so that you can fuel your body after your tough camp.

Understanding Labels

Kiah takes us “grocery shopping” to give us a great representation of how to read labels successfully so that we can meet our macros. It’s important to eat your meals with the majority of your macronutrients being protein. Kiah’s grocery shopping examples can help you get started with clean eating!

What To Eat Pre/Post Workout

A common issue found that leads to stagnant weight loss is not eating enough. It’s important to eat both pre and post workout to prepare and replenish your body. Ignite is a great way to feel more energized before a workout, but can also be accompanied by a snack like half of a banana. Additionally, Afterburn is a clean, post-workout protein that helps your body replenish what it has just burned in camp.

Experiencing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

DOMS can be experienced 24-48 hours after a workout, which is the inflammation and soreness of your muscles. This might happen to people who haven’t worked out in awhile. It’s imperative to fuel your body with anti-inflammatory foods!

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 pm.

Fall is right around the corner and, with that comes cool weather, changing colors, and eating your favorite healthy recipes for football Sunday!  Avoid your pizza cravings completely by bringing a delicious, clean dish to your next tailgate. Luckily, Amanda Berger teaches us her tricks to keeping her game day clean.

The recipes include BBC approved Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and Ezekiel Bread Pizza. With these delicious options, you’re bound to win over your tailgate guests while staying on track!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1-2 lbs of ground chicken

1/4 cup chopped carrots, celery and onion

pinch of salt

pinch of garlic paste

Hot Sauce – Earth Fare or Whole Foods

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Roll your mixture into 1-1 1/2 inch meatballs.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Ezekiel Bread Pizza

Ezekiel Bread Tortillas

Clean pre-made pizza sauce (no sugar; few ingredients)

Roasted Vegetables (your choice)

Feta, Mozzarella, etc. (only a little)

Prepare your pizza.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F.

Enjoy your healthy recipes for football Sunday guilt free & be sure to tune in to Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm at facebook.com/burnbootcamp.

Diane Eldridge is 44 with 5 children! She started her transformation in October of 2015 – losing 130 lbs total.

Being a competitive person, Diane made the choice to change her life with Burn Boot Camp. In the first two weeks, she began seeing results – and she keeps crushing her goals. Even her sons love Burn Boot Camp when they participate in Kidz Camp!

More Than Physical

Deciding to change your life for the better can be a difficult thought to process. Diane describes her experience with beginning her health journey, saying “you walk in feeling a little intimidated by women who look like bodybuilders, thinking that’ll never be me, but you never know what other people see in you.”

Her advice for her audience is to “just do it,” because while it can be intimidating to begin a health journey, it changes your life for the better.

Crush Your Goals Daily!

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 pm.

Devan Kline, Founder and CEO of Burn Boot Camp, speaks with the 3 Transform Challenge contestants on their journey thus far and their goals for the future. The challenge is a year long, beginning in March 2016 and ending in March 2017. Nina, Christina and Jen came to Burn Boot Camp in hopes over creating an all new, healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.

Who They Are

Nina and Jen are both mothers with busy lives, but say they have learned to put themselves first for 45 minutes of every day and practicing good nutrition habits. They have began to understand the value of the right nutrition and working hard in the gym to create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families. Despite the challenge, they continuously push themselves!

Christina works a challenging job helping patients who suffer from mental illness. She spends weeks on end at her job and for the longest time, couldn’t seem to build up the energy she needed to stay motivated. Since coming to Burn Boot Camp, she has given herself a whole new lifestyle that helps her feel stronger, interact with her patients daily, and influence others.

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

They all have accepted this challenge with strength and determination. They have gotten both physically and mentally stronger in reaching their goals, and none of them intend to stop.

Here at Burn Boot Camp, we work with each client to build up strength in all aspects of their lives. We offer a second home to our clients.

We congratulate these women who are taking this challenge with the best mental attitude. They will continue to dominate their goals and won’t ever stop! Continue to follow Burn Boot Camp to see their transformations and hear their stories.