Find Your Balance

Balance is a necessary characteristic for all aspects of our lives, but especially in our bodies. To be an athlete, you need both strength and balance.

Christen Jackson, Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Mount Juliet and Burn Athlete, is sharing her favorite ways to stay strong. We train like athletes here at Burn Boot Camp, and we encourage you to join us.

Why It Matters

As we age, our bones become dense and our bodies can become weaker. By practicing moves that build strength and balance daily, you’ll prevent aches and pains in the future.

Balance in particular helps you perform all exercises, especially at Burn Boot Camp. Good balance promotes a full range of motion and mobility. Pair balance with strength and you’ve made a match!

For those who have been injured, you’re not doomed to a life of imbalance. Burn Boot Camp knows exactly how to work with injuries to develop the same strengths as everyone else.

Balance Exercises

Single Leg Balance – This involves standing on one foot while lifting the opposite foot off of the ground. Put your arms straight overhead to engage all of your core and one leg. Move your arms up and down slowly.

To modify up, add a weight or a medicine ball. By lifting a weight overhead up and down, you’ll improve your balance greatly. To go even further, stand on a Bosu ball and continue the movement.

Hint: Perform a few extra reps on your weaker side to increase strength to be fully balanced. 

Single Leg Deadlift – Put one foot behind you and have a slight bend in your knees. Holding a kettle bell, go down into a deadlift. As you become stronger, work your way up to having the back leg off of the ground.

Hint: Engage your core with all of these exercises for improved balance. 

Bulgarian Split Squat – You’ll need a plyometric box and your body. Stand in front of the box and put your back foot on the top. It will look like an elevated lunge!

Push through the heel on the ground to engage your legs. Don’t forget to tighten your core to stay engaged and balanced!

Bird Dogs – Get into a high plank on the ground. Lift your opposite arm and opposite leg slowly to focus on balance. Holding this position will help you work your way up to switching frequently.

Side Plank – Get into a high plank position and pivot your body to the right. Keep your arm up for extra balance or both feet beside each other.

Switch back and forth from left to right. Keep your belly button tucked in and make sure you’re squeezing your abdominal muscles.

Strength Exercises

Compound movements are the key to developing strength because it engages several muscle groups. Use 15 lbs. or more to increase your strength effectively.

Hint: If you can lift heavier than the 15 lb. dumbbells, lift heavier. If you can rep 12-15 easily, increase your weight. 

Bicep Curl Press – Begin in a bicep-curl position, curl up and push up into a shoulder press. This engages all the muscles in your arm to build that strength

Squat Press – Go into your squat with the weights by your side. Once you’re in a squat position, press up into a shoulder press. The movement should be one fluid movement!

Renegade Rows – Get into a high plank position with your hands on your weights. Lift one weight with your elbow tucked in your side, and then lift the other. Go into a push-up, and do it again!

Hint: Stay within the 12-15 rep range to increase strength. 

Super Strength

To incorporate balance and strength, practicing handstands can help greatly. Christen makes her ladies do single-arm handstands!

If you’re starting out, make sure you walk up the wall forward. This means your face should be towards the wall!

For a more advanced move, kick up with your back against the wall. Try to get the balance on one side and lift one arm up and down.

To prevent injury, push through your hands and fingers. By pushing only through your wrists, you can increase your chances of wrist issues in the future!

Check out Christen killing her single-arm handstand at the end of the video. Talk about motivation!

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

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.

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.

Carolynn Pierce, October 2013

“I started boot camp late summer of 2012 on a 30 day Groupon.  I was skeptical because I have always been afraid of lifting weights.  I always thought lifting weights caused weight gain which I now know is a common misconception!  I have for the most part been active and worked out doing different programs over the years.  I knew I wasn’t in the shape I was in before children but I didn’t realize how out of shape I was until I started boot camp!  After I had my second child, I had a really difficult time motivating myself to be consistent with working out.  I was disappointed with myself for not pushing myself the way I used to.  I started going 2-3 times per week and eventually worked myself up to 5.  I was so sore in the beginning and didn’t expect to stick with it.

But here I am over a year later at boot camp and I still attend 5 days a week.  Boot camp has significantly improved my biking, running and overall fitness level.  I have lost over 30 pounds and 14 percent body fat.  In addition, I have dropped 3 clothing sizes.  I have never felt healthier or stronger.

Devan is amazing; I could not made it to where I am without his nutrition advice, killer workouts and encouragement.  You will not find a trainer who cares more about their clients than Devan!  All of the women that go to boot camp are very supportive.  My daughters even love boot camp and it’s important to me knowing that I am setting a good example for them.  I would be lying if I said it was easy but it is definitely worth it!”

Carolynn Pierce, Iron Station, NC

We all know that the metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to yield the energy your body needs to maintain your activity capacity. Ever hear someone say that their “metabolism is getting slower” or “I have a slow metabolism”? While it is true that some people genetically have a slower metabolism than others, there is always a way to maximize your bodies ability to burn fat as fast speeds. Our metabolism is like the “dealer” of the macro nutrients when they are being broken down by the body. Put it this way, you butt, thighs, and hips will store all the pizza and wine while all the chicken breast and spinach go to your muscles! Put simply, the only REAL significant way to increase your metabolism is to build muscle. These tips below will give you a little insight on how to efficiently flush your body of toxins and prime your body to build muscle!

1. Eat Breakfast, Everyday! Never skip out on your first meal of the day. It is crucial to eat a healthy breakfast 30 minutes upon waking, breaking the fast from the night. Feeling rushed in the morning? Prep those breakfast meals the night before so it’s no hassle in the morning. Some great breakfast recipes to prep the night before are egg white muffins, overnight oats, or a protein shake!

2. Spice Up Your Life– Adding spice to your foods have proven to help rev the metabolism by kicking up your body temperature. Add cayenne pepper to your protein or start your day with a glass of hot water, cayenne pepper, and lemon.

3. Enjoy 6 small meals a day- Eating smaller meals throughout the day prevents your from binging out on one big meal,  it keeps your blood sugar in check (preventing spikes in blood sugar).

4. Pack on the Protein- Your body digest protein slower than carbs and fat, keeping you full longer. In a process called thermogenesis, your body uses 10% of your caloric intake by digestion. Protein takes longer to burn than carbs and fat, so your body expands more energy absorbing the nutrients. Another benefit of protein is that it helps retain lean muscle mass, which is the best fat burning tool you can have!

5. Don’t cut calories TOO low- Cutting you calories too low can be damaging to your metabolism. You may be tricking your body into thinking it needs to hold on to everything you eat by storing as fat.

6. Burst Training- This type of intense interval training elevated the  growth hormone and have been shown to decrease body fat and increase protein synthesis after exercise. Interval training burns more calories and fat not only during the workout but throughout the rest of the day.

7. Strength Training- Don’t be afraid of the weights! Building muscle is the most efficient way to boost your metabolism. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. This should be a given!

8. Sleep- Studies have shown that women who sleep five hours or fewer per night are 32 percent more likely to experience major weight gain. When you lack sleep, your metabolism can’t function properly, and instead your metabolism slows down. Poor sleep also causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin, which signals the body to eat more.

9. Drink MORE Water- This is a simple way to speed up metabolism and burn calories. Our body needs to stay hydrated to maintain regular body functions.

10. Don’t take Shortcuts- Take the stairs, find a parking spot that allows you to walk a little further, ride you bike to a friends instead of driving, take a brisk walk everyday for at least 15 minutes. This small changes will help you burn extra calories throughout the day that sure do add up at the end of the week!

1. Raw Almonds 

Not only does this serve as a great on-the-go snack, but this protein packed nut is loaded with Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds will give you energy with its magnesium component, help build and maintain muscle and regulate blood sugar. *Avoid salted or roasted almonds due to sodium content.

Serving Size per day: Stick to a handful (23 almonds) or 2 tablespoons of Raw Almond Butter

2. Apples

Apples have so many health benefits including weight control. Apples are a great source of fiber and made up of 85% water to help you keep that full feeling *Red Delicious & Granny Smith are best!

Serving Size: An apple a day keeps the belly fat away

3. Avocado

This healthy fat fruit is not only packed with nutrients, but it has anti-inflammatory properties and keeps that blood sugar in check throughout the day! Add avocado to any salad, use as a spread to your lunch wraps, or top you eggs with it!

Serving Size: Depending on the size, you will want to keep your intake around 1/2 avocado a day (about 4oz)

4. Soy Beans

Soy helps build muscle and burn fat. This source of protein regulates digestion, regulated blood pressure, and keeps your blood sugar in check. Since genetically modified (GM) soybeans have reached 90% market penetration in the United States select organically grown soy products to avoid GMO. Shaklee 180 Protein contains Non-GMO soy and is a great source of liquid protein to re-fuel those muscles after a workout.

Serving Size: 1/2 cups soybeans a day, or 1-2 protein shakes depending on your goals.

5. Egg Whites

Full of protein, low in calories, and one of the best absorbed type of protein. Egg whites will help you recover from your workouts, build lean muscle, and reach your fitness goals! Egg whites are great for omelets, smoothies, protein pancakes/muffins, and quick meals on the go!

Serving Size: Depending on your caloric needs, 1 cup of egg whites yields 26grams of protein and only 133 calories!

6. Quinoa

This super-grain is another great source of protein, with a complete 9 essential amino acid profile. High in fiber to promote healthy digestion, and keep you full which decreasing appetite. This food is great as a replacement of pasta, in salads, stuffed peppers (replacing rice), or just served cold with some olive oil and spices!

Serving Size: 1 cup a day

7. Grapefruit 

High in enzymes, helping you burn off that fat, Grapefruit is high in water and low in sodium to speed up your metabolism and flush excess water weight.

Serving Size: Try eating 1 grapefruit a day and see the inches come off!

8. Plain Greek Yogurt

All yogurts are excellent sources of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. What distinguishes Greek yogurt is its thicker, creamier texture because the liquid whey is strained out. Also, it contains probiotic cultures and is lower in lactose and has twice the protein content of regular yogurts.Be sure to select the plain and add your own fruit to it. Most pre-packaged yogurts with fruit in them are loaded with unwanted sugar.

Serving Size: 6-8oz a day with 1/2 cup fresh berries

9. Salmon

Full of Omega 3 fatty acids, boosts metabolism so body burn fat faster and more efficient. Stay away from farm raised fish and choose wild-caught salmon.

Serving Size: 4-5oz for your source of protein

10. Water

Last but certainly not least, WATER! This is your best tool to fight body fat. Drinking an extra 2 glasses a day will boost your metabolism by 30%! Drinking water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning will purify your colon, helping you absorb nutrients throughout the day.

Serving Size: 1/2 your body weight in ounces

Foods to Avoid

1. Salty Foods– the high sodium content will cause your body to retain more water and bloat. Stick to under 2,000mg of sodium a day

2. Soda– Diet, Regular, Grape, Orange, you name it…STAY AWAY! Soda is empty calories that aid in weight gain and is high in sugar. Stick to your water and mix it up by infusing your H2O with a lemon!

3. Sugar (Both Refined & Artificial)- Sugar is bad for us for many reasons, but just to name a few, it suppresses the immune system, promotes inflammation, raises insulin levels, and serves as empty calories in our diet. The World Health Organization recommends we only consume 10% of our daily calories in sugar (about 50 grams). We recommend swapping out your sugar in baked goods with a natural plant based sweetener such as Stevia or Raw Honey.

4. Refined Carbs

Refined carbs are white flour, boxed cereal, cookies, cake, chips, canned fruits, and anything with added sugar. It is best to stay away from these foods because they have been stripped of fiber and act as a simple carb to the body, which causes a spike in blood sugar, followed by a crash. Don’t be afraid of carbs, just be sure they are complex carbs that digest slower and are used as energy such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, fruit, veggies and natural sugars.

5. Alcohol

Sorry to break it to you, ladies! That glass of wine at dinner each night could be the cause of your unwanted belly fat. Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods we consume because our body recognizes it as a toxin. When your body draws all its attention to that glass of wine you are consuming with dinner, your body will not have the capacity to break down your food properly, therefore, converting those calories as fat. Stick to 1-2 glasses per week!

Mila Lost 35 LBS and Changed Her Life!

Up until I had my first child, I had always been fit and active.  In fact, my roommates in college used to tease me about how much energy I had – they didn’t know where it all came from!  After the birth of my oldest daughter, I soon began to experience severe hormonal imbalances which would lead to crazy moodiness and out-of-control hunger.  The doctor had diagnosed me with insulin resistance and told me to watch my carb intake, or the insulin resistance could easily morph into diabetes.  He put me on 3 different medications to control my blood sugar, high blood pressure, and increased testosterone (yes, I did say TESTOSTERONE).  However, the stress of raising young children and full-time work led to overeating and a sedentary lifestyle.  By the age of 40, I was nearly 200 pounds and could no longer see the energetic and full-of-life person I had once been.  I was extremely lethargic and was clinically depressed.  I was an emotional and physical mess and needed to turn it around!
Shorty after my 40th birthday, a friend in the neighborhood told me about the 2-week free trial at Burn Boot Camp in Huntersville, and I thought, “This is the intervention I need!”.  The following Monday, I went to my first boot camp class and didn’t know if I’d make it through it; it was tough!  In fact, I was nauseous the first week or two and I was seriously starting to question my sanity.  Devan told me that feeling sick to your stomach was a common experience for people who hadn’t exercised that intensely for awhile, and to try to stick it out.  So I continued to come every morning at 5:15, and by 30 days I had lost about 10 pounds and I was hooked!

Attending BBC 5 or 6 days a week has had huge benefits for me – I’m nearly 35 pounds lighter and a whole lot more fit than I was when I walked into class the first time.  I can’t believe how fast I can run, how high I can jump, and how long I can hold a plank!  I’ve also made friendships with an incredible circle of women, all of whom have played a huge part in my motivation to come every day.  Devan and his staff are all very positive and encouraging – the whole experience has been so rewarding, that I would recommend it to anyone looking for a workout that will finally get those “mommy” pounds off!

For the first time in many years, I feel healthy and strong.  That’s a feeling you can’t put a price on!

– Mila Cainey, BBC Huntersville

Together the duo has done a fantastic job staying committed to 7 workouts per week , a strict nutrition regiment, and strict accountability rules. Thus far both ladies have exceed their own expectations and are extremely proud of themselves. Myself, as their transformation coach, am proud as well but I know we are only half way and I am never completely satisfied. I recently had a talk with both Michelle and Brandi and explained to them that Phase 2 of their journey will undoubtedly bring harder challenges. I was happily surprised with what they both had to say.

My Thoughts Thus Far…

On Michelle

Michelle has found some motivation in her husband J. For the first 4 months of Michelle’s transformation J was by her side every extra workout. I would be pushing their adorable little children in then “dream flyer” red wagon as we ran around Huntersville. J and Michelle were very consistent and each had dropped over 30 LBS . Unfortunately  J suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon and was sidelined for about 45 days. J’s injury combined with death in the family caused Michelle’s full steam ahead momentum to slow. Now that J is healed they are re motivated together and Michelle even asked me if she could do hill sprints after a boot camp work out!  The old Michelle would never WANT to do hill sprints after a workout and that really shows me her mentality moving forward.  Michelle’s mindset has been put to the test 100 times over and she continues get mentally stronger with every challenge. Successful people understand that failure is necessary to recognize victory and no matter how many times you fall you’ll never lay down. I can guarantee you that Michelle will be a complete success in the end!

On Brandi

Brandi has simply had an unreal journey. If you thought finding someone who is mentally and physically capable of dropping 113 LBS in six months is tough, you are right. Brandi is doing an extremely rare thing and making it look easy. But she would stop me right there, and say “Whoa, easy is the wrong word to use!” Let me put this into perspective for you to let you know how extremely mentally tough Brandi Parker is. Out of 168 possible workout sessions Brandi has made it to all 168. Out of 30 weeks of extremely detailed meal logging, Brandi has turned in all 30. Out of 12 weigh-ins Brandi has been to every one not to mention she won $1,000 at a regional Shaklee Weight Loss Contest. Through Thanksgiving, Christmas,  and New Years and all the temptations that come with in Brandi has been virtually flawless. As her trainer, I am NEVER satisfied and there is no such thing as complacency in my world. I have a feeling Brandi feels the same way as she recently accepted a challenge to switch to a full on Paleo Plus Diet and take her nutrition to the next level!

Taking it to the Next Level

I have extremely high expectations as we take our journey into the summer. Brandi and Michelle are more motivated than ever and extremely excited for what is to come. I will be keeping you updated once per month with a blog post on the ladies so make sure you stay tuned and continue to show their support!

If you think this is what someone close to you needs to get motivated, please send them this link to read!

In August of 2012 I approached Brandi and Michelle with a chance for them to change their lives forever. Since then there has been a series of stories on their progress. From Michelle’s amazing resilience to Brandi winning $1,000 and qualifying for a National Weight Loss Contest, you can catch yourself through the links below! If you up-to-date do not bother with the links!

1st Entry – How Brandi and Michelle Decided to Change Their Lives Forever.

2nd Entry – Bump, Bruises, and Burn Bootcamp

3rd Entry- Has Anyone Ever Lost Weight This Fast?

4th Entry -Exclusive Video Interview with Both Ladies

5th Entry – Brandi and Michelle Holding Out the Holidays

It Has Officially Been 5 Months – This is How They are Feeling

Today, I can tell you that both ladies feel amazing. I had a chance to grab them after bootcamp and ask them a couple of questions!

Devan (me): “What was it like staying clean through the Holiday’s?”

From My Point of View…

There is only one word that comes to mind; Incredible. The dedication, commitment, hard work, flawless attitude, and amazing progress is nothing short of amazing! I am so darn proud to be able to work with these two ladies on such a personal level. They teach me something every single day. When I do not feel like going to the gym on a particular day I think of the dedication of Brandi, Michelle, and all of our Burn Boot Camp and MamaBurst family. I am going to continue to push them and we will continue to crush any limiting self-beliefs they have in the process!

They have both sets goals for the half way point coming up in March. I would like to see Michelle hit 50 lbs and Brandi hit 112 lbs! With our encouragement, support and motivation they will undoubtedly succeed!

I know they are in it to win it…and I will be at the finish line as their biggest fan cheering them on!

Well, if you ask Brandi Parker, there is a better gift this year! If you have been following the transformation of Michelle and Brandi then you know they are doing EXTREMELY well. Both gals have put forth an outstanding effort thus far and they certainly  have results to show for it.

But if you ask Brandi Parker, there IS a better gift then fitness this year!

The transformation that is taking place here in Huntersville, North Carolina is being recognized nation-wide! The #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the world, Shaklee, has taken a keen interest in both Brandi and Michelle’s stories. Every year Shaklee holds a nation-wide transformation contest and the winner receives a $10,000 prize! Shaklee was VERY interested in both gals for the contest ,unfortunately, only one could go and they hand-picked Brandi for the Regional Qualifying event in New York this past weekend!

After telling her story in a one minute speech on stage in front of 200 people. Brandi inspired the crowd and won the Regional Qualifying event by a landslide! Brandi and Michelle will continue their amazing journey and Brandi will be headed to Nashville in 8 months for a chance to win the Nation-Wide contest and $10,000!

Whether she wins or not, our Fit Moms Forever community will continue to support both her and Michelle’s as their amazing weight loss journey continues!

If you would like to congratulate Brandi and give her some support you can post a comment on our Fit Moms Forever Facebook Page.

If you would like to find out more about the Shaklee Nutrition plan that Michelle and Brandi are using to allow the weight to fall off click the link below:

Shaklee Cinch Transformation Pack

If you would like to contact Michelle or Brandi personally to get an insight to their experience you can e-mail me at devanklinefitness@gmail.com