Think Pink

For the entire month of October, Burn Boot Camp is thinking pink. We are honoring survivors and fighting for a cure by posting positive messages and sharing stories.

Melissa Howard, a member at Burn Boot Camp Harrisburg, is sharing her Breast Cancer story. Her mission is to empower and inspire women like her!

Melissa’s Story

Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27. The diagnosis came as a shock because Breast Cancer did not run in her family.

In 2007, Melissa had a Lumpectomy which helped her ability to have children. Finally, after five years of treatment and hormone therapy, she and her husband  were able to have a little girl.

Additionally, Melissa decided to join Burn Boot Camp last May after her fight with Breast Cancer. Not to mention, Melissa feels excitement to go to the gym now!

Melissa finishes her segment with these words: “I’m praying for you. Don’t be afraid to give up the fight. In addition, find a way to join the community like Burn.”

Positive women empower other women! Stay tuned in to Burn TV for more amazing stories this month.

We’re finishing up our Top Ten BBC Exercises with CEO and Founder of Burn Boot Camp, Devan Kline and fellow fitness expert, Daniel Ballard. They finish the Top 10 off with some exercises to work our whole body. With all 3 exercises, Devan and Daniel walk us through how to work our way up to the exercises – it’s how we get stronger!

Exercises:

Deadlifts – Daniel shows us the proper form for a Deadlift. This exercise is serious and works our legs – which is a big muscle group. To mod up, add more weight! Form is everything here.

Pull-Ups – Devan demonstrates several variations of Pull-Ups. He walks us through how to work our way up to unassisted pull ups. His exercises range from pull-ups on the TRX to negatives on the bar.

Chest Press – Daniel finishes off the last Top 10 exercises with a Chest Press. He explains how form here will help us be able to do Push-Ups on our toes and go up in weight with our Press.

These exercises are all about putting in the work to finally be able to do a full, unassisted pull up – or a deadlift with heavier weight. Keep working hard in camp.

Watch the video below for proper forms and modifications. Be sure to tune in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 pm.

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!

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

I am SO darn proud of Michelle and Brandi!

As you probably already know, Brandi Parker, Michelle Sellers, and I made a committment to take on their obesity head on in our own rendition of the hit T.V. show, Extreme Makeover – Weight Loss Edition. They have agreed to allow us to follow them on their journey through my Fit Moms Forever Blog.

Read how I approached Brandi and Michelle One Month Ago and asked them to commit themselves to possibly one of the most challenging feats a human can face. They both committed without hesitation and are not looking back, not for one second.

Four grueling weeks of 7 Burn Boot Camp Workouts left Brandi with a mild right knee issue and Michelle with painful shinsplints that would hold most people back from pushing themselves to the limit. Not in our house. They both have been able to work through painful boot camps with the support of Michelle’s husband ,J, and her toddler, Lilly, mimicking me by telling Michelle and Brandi to “Push it, push it!” Long story short, injuries did not hinder them one bit.

There were bumps and bruises that took a toll on the bodies of both Brandi and Michelle. But their attitude and dedication has been relentless. Brandi and Michelle have parlayed my Burn Boot Camp for Moms program, a turn-key weight loss meal replacement plan from Shaklee Nutrition’s – Cinch Inch Loss Program, and an undeniable desire to change their lives forever all into the AMAZING results they saw in September.

As part of our commitment contract the gals are required to turn in nutrition logs detailing their Shaklee Program. Once again, not one slip. Of course there is always room for improvement but they both have mastered the most challenging part of this whole journey. It generally takes 21 re-occurrences to form any habit and they have been virtually flawless for 31 days in a row. It is safe to say that both gals are on the fast track to cutting their weight in half!

With that being said….drum roll please…here are Brandi and Michelle’s results from September!

Brandi Parker

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August 29th,2012

Weight – 364 lbs

Body Fat % – 59.4%

Total Inches – 177″

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October 1st, 2012

337 lbs (-27 lbs)

44.6% (-14.8%)

168.5 (-8.5″)

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Michelle Sellers

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August 29th, 2012

Weight – 240 lbs

Body Fat % – 44.6%

Total Inches – 145.5

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October 1, 2012

224.6 lbs (-15.4 lbs)

38.6% (-8.6 %)

137 (-7.5″)

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**Note from me to Michelle and Brandi** – I want to let you know how amazing you both are. I have the utmost respect for both of you for starring this challenge right in the face and owning it. We are going to continue to work and there will continue to be bumps in the road. It it how you roll over those bumps that define you who are. You two are the definition of inspiration I am SO DARN PROUD OF BOTH OF YOU!!  Let’s show everyone how we roll! I ALWAYS got your back!

These ladies have something they want to tell you! I will be interviewing them on camera and will put a  blog post together with their video!

Make sure to encourage them on on our Burn Boot Camp Facebook Page!

The Fit Moms Forever “Do-it-yourself” kitchen raid!

From 5:30 am workouts to doing 100 yard sprints in the pouring rain, Brandi and Michelle are absolutely pushing themselves to their limits and beyond. Last week as I finished up with my 5:45 pm Burn Boot Camp I see Brandi and Michelle drive into the parking lot at the same time black clouds begin to roll in. Pouring rain is an understatement. It was like a monsoon of hail size rain drops that literally soaked through our shoes into our socks. As Michelle and Brandi finished up with their 100 yard sprints I could hear the water being squished between their toes from 45 minutes of pure saturation. Talk about dedication? I knew they have what it takes, last week they both began to realize that themselves. This picture is right after our “Rain Run”….look how SOAKED we are!

I explained to them that at the beginning that there will be some bumps and bruises that we face along the way. I addressed it on day one and they acknowledged it. Into week two Michelle’s calf muscles have been extremely sore and Brandi has been faced with a nagging knee injury. An injury may slow down the pace they can move their body, but will certainly not slow down the mindset of these two. I just tell them to “Keep Moving” and keep moving they do. Both knew that things were going to be difficult as they are challenging their body to do something it has never done before, but just how difficult it would be to overcome an injury is a question still in their minds.

Being a professional athlete I know the difference between being hurt and being injured. This week will be a test on the girls. This is one of many unprecedented challenges that they will face throughout this journey. Being overweight and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is a challenging enough. Doing it with only one good leg will be a challenge that will solidify the rest of their transformation.

We have a weight in at the end of this week and I am VERY excited to see how much weight both Michelle and Brandi have lost. I know that both ladies are changing and I hear them being complemented every single day from their support system at boot camp and at home. I cannot tell you how proud I am of these two for doing what they are doing. Standing in the pouring rain, staring down the impossible and saying “bring it on”! Stay tuned for a weigh in announcement at the end of the week!

Garden Fresh Salad

In my professional career as a business owner and a personal trainer I have come across and wide variety of personalities. Most of these individuals are moms who are looking to take control of their lives and get into shape after giving birth to children. Those little bundles of joy are the greatest blessing you can be given, unfortunately, they take a toll on the female body.

Getting back into pre-baby shape can seem like an impossible feat. But as the famous Adidas quote goes, “Impossible is nothing.” Some moms may carry their baby’s left over weight for 20 years before deciding to do something about it. Today, life is so busy that is easy to use different excuses to put your own health on the back burner. The most common excuses I hear are things like,

“My children take up too much of my time.”

“The gym is too far away.”

“I could never get back into shape.”

“I am too over weight and I can’t do that.”

Let’s face it. The reality is that we can all exercise. We all can make time, there is a gym within 10 minutes of every household, and there have been millions of people who are overweight who made a commitment to change and succeeded. The REAL question to ask yourself is, “Do I really want to?” Acknowledging that you want to make a change is the first step to success.

A Choice.

Find your big “why”. Everyone and their brother is telling you that a change is needed but you must intrinsically WANT to change. Why do you want to be a healthy mom? To set an example for your kids? To make yourself happy? To make your significant other happy? To live a long life free of illness? Which ever way you cut it, you have to want to help yourself before anyone else can help you. First, make a choice and decide why you want it, seek help, and devise a plan to get there!

A Challenge.

If you think losing weight and getting into the body you desire will be easy, think again. If it was an easy task there would be no need for people like myself who specialize in helping you get fit. The old saying goes, “Health is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise” but I disagree with that statement. The revised version that breeds TRUE success is, “Health is 100% nutrition and 100% exercise”. Being 100% committed to reaching your health goals is the only way to guarantee success.

Lets not sugar-coat things here, exercise is painful and few people actually enjoy it. Holistic nutrition is difficult and few people have the mindset to change their lifestyle. Those who can commit to getting 30-60 minutes of exercise 3-6 times per week at the top of their   priority list are guaranteed to be successful with some nutritional guidance. Your health must become a priority over everything else in your life because without your own health you have nothing. It may sound selfish but your kids, significant other, friends, and family will all benefit from you bettering yourself.

A Change.

Commitment and consistency are the key elements. You must know going in that it will be hard but if you can commit to a challenge, change will be inevitable. Excuses can be made all day long but at the end of the day excuses will leave you overweight and unhealthy. Think about how good you will feel when that first 10 lbs. comes off, think about the way your husband will be so proud of your hard work, and think about the way you will look at yourself in the mirror.

A world of feeling good and excellent health awaits you. What is stopping you? Millions before you have done it in similar situations and the only thing stopping you from your goals is yourself!

If you know someone who would benefit from this blog post please forward it to them and let them know you care!

What do you eat then? Your pre-workout meals should consist of GOOD fats and high in protein. Good fats burn fat and bad fats store extra blubber. Use pure sources of good fat mixed with pure sources of protein for optimal fat burning and mental focus. When we think of good fats with we think of Olive Oil and Canola Oil for the most part, right?

Did you know this?  – When heated over 160 degrees F Olive Oil actually turns into a Trans Fat (GREASE)! 160 degrees is about the “2” setting on your stove top burners! Thought you were eating healthy?

– We have all heard of the Canola Plant, right? Wrong, no you haven’t because there is no such thing! Canola Oil is manufactured in Canada and stands for the Canadian Oil Low Acid and was nick named Canola Oil to trick us. This oil is hydrogenated and basically the same as vegetable oil. So choose GOOD fats!

Here is a couple ideas of pre-workout meals that will optimize fat burning:

1.3 Scrambled Egg Whites, 1 Whole Egg cooked with 1 TBSP of Coconut Oil (Good to add spinach)

2. Full Fat Butter Spread on Ezekiel Bread Toast (non-pasteurized)

3. Pina Colada Smoothie-

•  ½ cup crushed organic pineapple in juice
•  ¼ cup full fat cottage cheese (non-pasterized)
• 1/2 cup Almond Milk
• ¼ tsp coconut oil
• ¼ Natural Vanilla Flavor
• 3-4 ice cubes

4. Breakfast in a Cup –

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup Almond Milk(use more or less to adjust to desired consistency)
• 1/2 cup Almond Butter
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• dash organic cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla
• 1 cup spinach (optional)

5. Shaklee Protein Meal Bar – To research ingredients go here =====>> Shaklee Cinch Bar

Does it shock you that eating fat actually burns fat? Go ahead and type “pre-workout meals” into Google right now and see how many say eat “slow burning” carbohydrates! Not to worry thought because I always got your back!

Forward this to your friends that cook with Olive Oil and think they are being healthy!