Achieve Personal Fitness Sale Update

Dearest Fitness Family,

We hope this letter finds you all in high spirits and excellent health. We am writing to share some exciting news that will undoubtedly shape the future of our fitness journey together.

As you know, Coach Catherine and Coach Mike are moving to TN at the end of summer. They have decided to move on to new adventures (and Michael’s retirement, finally), passing the torch of leadership to a new coaching team. While we will miss Coach C's guidance and expertise, we are thrilled to welcome our new coaches into our fitness family. Once all the paperwork has been approved, we will be rolling out all the information on our new coaching duo.

Change can be daunting, but it also brings opportunities for growth, renewal, and fresh perspectives. Here's why we believe this transition is a positive step forward for our fitness community:

1. Fresh Energy and Ideas: With new coaching comes fresh energy and innovative ideas. We look forward to exploring new workout routines, training methods, and challenges that will keep us motivated and engaged on our fitness journey.

2. Expanded Expertise: Each coach brings their unique set of skills and experiences to the table. We are excited to benefit from our new coaches' expertise and learn new techniques that will help us achieve our fitness goals more effectively.

3. Community Building: Change often brings people together. As we welcome the new coaches into our community, we have the opportunity to strengthen our bonds, support each other, and create an even more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.

4. Opportunities for Growth: Change challenges us to step out of our comfort zones and embrace new opportunities for growth. With the new coaching team at the helm, we have the chance to push ourselves further, set new goals, and achieve milestones we never thought possible.

5. Continuity of Care: While Coaches C & M will be missed, rest assured that the values and principles they instilled in our fitness group will continue to guide us. We remain committed to promoting health, wellness, and personal development for each and every member of our community.

In closing, let's embrace this transition with open hearts and minds, knowing that it heralds a new chapter filled with excitement, growth, and endless possibilities. Together, we will continue to support and inspire each other as we strive to become the best versions of ourselves. So even if we can’t have Coach C, we are looking forward to the next best thing!

Thank you for being part of our fitness family, and here's to an exciting journey ahead. Coach C looks forward to training the new coaches and continuing with summer boot camp sessions through the end of August. Please join her for a great summer 2024!

Warm regards,

Your Achieve Family

Coach Catherine's Favorite Things - Supplements Edition

Over the years, I have offered many different suggestions on protein powders, vitamins, energy drinks, electrolyte supplements, etc. These days I am loving a few new items I want to share...

Truvani Plant Based Protein Powder - As many of you know I have been experimenting with "cleaner" products. Products with fewer artificial ingredients and other additives that can cause inflammation. 

• This protein powder has ONLY seven ingredients, yes that is right (Pea Protein powder, Banana powder, Vanilla powder, Pumpkin seed, Cinnamon, Monk Fruit and Chia seed protein). 

• It is a plant based protein powder has no soy, wheat, dairy, gluten, or stevia. They use organic monk fruit for the perfect touch of sweetness. 

• It is certified USDA Organic as well as being non-GMO, & vegan-friendly. 

• This dairy free supplement provides your muscles with protein, allowing you to build & maintain healthy, lean muscles. 

• It satisfies your sweet tooth while boosting protein intake & supporting muscle maintenance. Plus they have many rich flavors without a chalky or grainy texture. 

• My favorite flavor is Banana Cinnamon. I love it!

ONNIT - Alpha Brain - I gave up caffeine a number of months ago in an effort to calm my adrenals down. But as you know that can be tough and I missed that "extra" edge in teaching classes. Enter Alpha Brain. 

• It helps me to combat occasional brain fog and boosts my focus.

• It contains a variety of amino acids and other herbal ingredients  for memory and focus and helps to enhance cognitive speed and lasting mental clarity. 

• The "brain vitamins" are formulated with high-quality nutrients to help support focus and include Cat’s Claw Extract, Bacopa, Oat Straw, Huperzia Serrata, as well as their proprietary blend for "Focus and Flow. If you are taking other doctor prescribed meds, please check for an contraindications.

• I really liked that it was designed to help reduce memory fog, that it is stimulant-free, and contains no caffeine, dairy, nuts, or gluten, and is paleo and keto-friendly. 

• Again, love it!

Liposomal NeuroCalm - This brand was suggested to be by the Naturopathic doctor I have been working with at Lakeside Natural Medicine. It has been a super effective nighttime solution and Michael and I both use it. 

• These sublingual "squirts" contain a blend of GABA and L-theanine and are formulated to support mental calm and a healthy response to stress. 

• Plus the liposomes bond easily with cell membranes, facilitating nutrient delivery. It has quick, super absorption and bioavailability. 

• It is non-GMO and contains no gluten, dairy or soy. And unlike most liposomal formulas, these phospholipids are not derived from soy. 

• The "Designs for Health" product line is a physician's choice for top quality professional strength supplements and has a "Science First" philosophy that focuses on the most recent research and uses the highest quality raw ingredients. 

• We use it every night!

COACH C'S FITNESS HACKS & MYTHS

This time of year, like for most of you, Coach Mike and I like a quick easy way to pull off a few quick pounds to feel better in our clothes AND to get ready for higher calorie intake from all the holiday festivities. We love a quick, easy chili recipe that we eat for both lunch and dinner. Add a dollop of low fat sour cream and a few healthy tortilla chips and you are good to go.

Healthy Chili Recipe:

We up the meat by a pound (3 lbs. for a single batch, 5 pounds for a double batch)

Ground turkey

1 onion

4-5 bell peppers

2 cans crushed tomatoes

2 cans corn (yes, not beans)

Favorite chili packets (we use 2 Alarm)

Prepare as directed. Yummy!

Coach C's Favorite December Fitness Hacks

Don’t let pumpkin pies, mashed potatoes and stuffing be the death of a year of working hard at boot camp and eating healthier. 

With decadent meals, desserts, parties and other food-filled affairs coming up in December, it can be pretty tough to maintain a healthy eating plan and fitness routine.  And we get it. Not everyone can turn down the Christmas dessert or that second tasty cocktail. And why should you? You deserve it, right? 

I am not here to tell you to say no to every delicious temptation you are faced with these holidays, because in my honest opinion, a holiday of dieting doesn’t sound like any fun at all. Trust me, I've done it! And yeah, you do deserve that dessert! 

The trick is to learn how to indulge the right way, and more importantly when to say no. It’s planning your days a little better so that you don’t feel like you want to eat half the turkey come dinner time. When it comes to exercising, there are expert hacks you can learn that will help you fit in some quick workouts, especially if you can't get to boot camp or small group. 

So, fret not my fine fitness and health-living friends, I am here to help you (and your body) survive the festive season and avoid having to set unrealistic New Year’s resolutions centered around weight loss and hours doing cardio...yuck!

1. Plan your days - Meal plans and exercise routines tend to fall away in the holidays and are taken over by unplanned and over catered dinners and lazy afternoons. 

But there is a way you can stop yourself from falling victim to the endless late-night dinners and lack of exercise. And how you do this is by planning ahead. 

For example, if you know you have a big family dinner coming up tomorrow night. Make sure you stick to wholesome and healthy meals for breakfast and lunch so that you don’t overindulge yourself at dinner. Don’t skip lunch because you know dinner will be a big meal, this is a recipe for an overeating disaster. 

My exercising hack is to wake up early while everyone is still sleeping to get in a quick morning jog, stretch session, boot camp or other workout. This will free up your day for any unexpected plans and leave you feeling energized and stress-free for the rest of the day!

Exercising during the holidays is a productive way to stay healthy and burn off those extra calories from the Christmas cookies. Plus, you start the new year on a healthy and fit note! 

2. Don’t forget to drink water

This might seem like an obvious one, but it is something many of us forget to do.

Drinking water is important for a number of reasons. For one, our brains tend to confuse thirst with hunger. So, before you dish up seconds, try drinking a big glass of water. 

In fact, you should aim to drink at least 2 glasses of water before each meal. This will leave you feeling fuller. 

With sugary drinks and cocktails flowing (check out the healthy recipes and cocktails in this newsletter), it’s also particularly important that you drink loads of water to compensate for the alcohol intake and to try and incorporate protein and fiber rich snacks such as nuts, meats and veggies to also keep you fuller for longer. 

3. Know when to say no

I get that your aunt or grandma might be incredibly pushy when it comes to everyone having a second slice of her homemade pie. But you need to learn to say no. 

Now, I am not saying you should restrict yourself or feel guilty over eating some dessert. Not at all. Have that slice of pie, eat it and enjoy every bite of it! But you don’t need that second slice. 

4. Try to fit in quick exercises

If you can’t make it to boot camp, then you can try to incorporate HIIT (high-intensity interval training) or bodyweight exercises at home. There is a wide range of workout videos on YouTube that will help you get in a quick workout of 10 to 30 minutes. Remember, every little bit counts. Or check out the At Home workout below...

Warmup – 2-3 mins

Workout:  repeat for 3-4 rounds
20 Bodyweight Squats
24 High knees
20 Jumping Squats
24 Jumping jacks
20 Push Ups
24 Criss-Cross Mt Climbers
20 Straight leg sit-ups
24Mt Climbers
10 Burpees :)
24 Jumping lunges

5. Keep burning calories as much as you can

One of the simplest holiday health hacks is to keep moving. Go for a walk with your family at the park, play fetch with your dog, go for a hike, take the stairs at the shopping mall or pop 10 squats the next time you are in the bathroom. 

6. Research some healthier recipes for holiday classics

If you have to bring a meal for the festive feast, why not make it a healthy one? There are a ton of healthy takes on classic holiday meals that are just as delicious and much better for your health.  

7. Relax

With all the shopping, socializing and parties, it can be hard to find some time to kick back and relax. You need to do your best to limit your stress. You can do this by saying ‘no’ to a few parties or just taking some time out for yourself. You deserve it. 

8. Be kind to yourself

It’s been a long year and you have worked really hard to get where you are now. Take a step back and spend some time writing down everything you accomplished this year. It can be as simple as running a 5km or as big as a promotion. Reward yourself for a job well done. 

This is also a great time to set your goals for the new year. Not sure where to start, let me know I can help!

Coach C

Coach's Secrets & Fitness Hack (NEW ongoing segment)

Ok ya'll (I am starting to practice my southern accent); let's get down to the nitty gritty. I want you to continue to have the BEST experience possible with your fitness and nutrition journey, so I have created a fast and simple food list PER YOUR goals. Check it out and let me know your thoughts. Or better yet, read it, do it and SHOW me your results!

GOAL: Lose fat, get toned and build muscle (Cutting plan food list)

• Black coffee or caffienated tea

• Egg whites

• Fruits (low sugar)

• Vegetables (fiberous versus starchy)

• Chicken breast/Turkey/Fish

• Salads

• Whey protein (or other protein powder) 

• Creatine

• Sweet potatoes

• Brown rice

• Brown or sour dough bread

• Greek yogurt (low fat, plain)

GOAL: Lose fat, while gaining lean muscle (Body recomposition plan food list)

• Egg whites

• Chicken breast/Turkey/Fish

• Potatoes

• Whey protein (or other protein powder) 

• Creatine

• Any vegetable

• Rice

• Salads

• Low sugar protein smoothies

GOAL: Build muscle (Bulking plan food list)

• Rice (white or brown)

• Chicken breast/Turkey/Fish/Beef

• Whey protein (or other protein powder) 

• Whole eggs

• Creatine

• Peanut butter

• Bread

• Soy

• Pasta

• Olive Oil

• Greek yogurt

Need a NEW Challenge to ge you going as we head into 2024?

I had a few campers ask me what “I” do when I want to tighten up a bit or pull off a few pounds. This question has perfect timing. I have been holding steady at 150 lbs (thanks Covid), not bad BUT as I prepare to turn 54 in December, I wanted to do a little body recomposition and shoot for 142 lbs as a birthday present to myself. See below, MY quick list on how to get it done fast and efficiently.

1. Sleep 7-8 hours a night (or nap to make up for and overnight lacking)

2. Up my protein intake to 1 gram of protein per pound of body that I WANT to weigh

3. Drink at least 1 G of water a day

4. Lift heavy weights 4-5 days per week/cardio at Level 2 for 20 mins/5 days per week in week #1 and then up it with small increments as/if needed (I am also adding two days of 10 mins of POWER/Plyometric cardio per Dr Peter Attia MD suggestion in his book Outlive)

5. Decrease my reaction to stress

6. Alcohol to 4 servings/week, starchy carbs 2-3 times a day (focused around my workouts)

The above done consistently, using MyFitnessPal every few days to make sure I am in my caloric range, IS THE PERFECT PLAN FOR SUCCESS. Good luck and let me know how I can help you with your next goal. Oh and P.S., do not over think this, IT IS THIS SIMPLE!

IS MY BLOAT GLUTEN OR FRUCTANS?

Do you find that you bloat often when eating out? Are “healthy fruits and veggies” giving you gas or belly bloat? Some people who think their bodies are sensitive to gluten may, in fact, be intolerant to fructans, polymers of fructose that occur in large quantities in wheat products.

This naturally occurring carbohydrate also is found in many fruits, vegetables and legumes. So if someone truly has a fructan intolerance, they would benefit from cutting out more than just foods that contain gluten.

However, if you suspect that a fructan or gluten intolerance is causing digestive issues, it’s best not to immediately eliminate either of the substances from your diet forever — the foods containing fructans and gluten can be beneficial and should be included in your diet if you’re not actually intolerant.

Here’s what you need to know when considering whether to avoid fructans:

What foods contain fructans?

Wheat and onions are the biggest sources of fructans in most Americans’ diets. However, there are other foods high in fructans, falling into two categories: those that also contain gluten and those without gluten.

Gluten-containing, high-fructan foods: wheat, spelt, rye and barley.

High-fructan foods that don’t contain gluten include:

• These fruits: watermelon, grapefruit, nectarine, persimmon, plums, pomegranate, ripe bananas, dates, prunes and raisins

• These vegetables: onions, shallots, leeks, asparagus, artichoke, beets, Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, fennel and snow peas

• Kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, mung means, navy beans and split peas

• Cashews and pistachios

• Garlic and inulin (aka chicory root) and some soy products

Low-fructan foods:

• These fruits: limes, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, blueberries, clementines, lemons, grapes.

• These veggies: arugula, bean sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, potatoes, etc. Click here for more low fructan foods.

What does a fructan intolerance look like?

People who have trouble digesting fructans may experience gas, bloating, belching, constipation or diarrhea. Some people are bothered by their symptoms significantly enough that they miss work or school, but others experience symptoms more as a nuisance rather than as an interruption to their day.

Digestive symptoms can almost always be linked back to diet, but fructan intolerance is just one of many possibilities when you experience these types of symptoms.

How do I determine if I should avoid fructans?

Someone with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or IBS-like symptoms might benefit from either a short-term fructan elimination in their diet (where they would slowly reintroduce fructans) or a low-FODMAP diet (also with a subsequent reintroduction).

The low-FODMAP diet, while fairly complex, has been studied and found to be effective for IBS.

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Fructans fall into the oligosaccharides group. A low-FODMAP diet avoids foods high in these sugars and fibers because they’re easily fermented by intestinal bacteria, leading to IBS symptoms.

If you suspect a fructan intolerance, the best approach is to avoid fructans for two to four weeks. If digestive symptoms improve during that time, then you’ll know there’s a problem digesting fructans. After the initial elimination, gradually add fructan-containing foods back into your diet one at a time to determine your individual intolerance. Recently I took out high fructan fruits and veggies and added low versions into my weekly plan and have GREAT success in cutting down and out the bloat.

Why shouldn’t I eliminate fructans altogether if I determine I have an intolerance?

Fructans can be a beneficial part of the diet — they can be considered prebiotic, meaning they feed the good bacteria in the gut. Additionally, fructans have been linked to improvements in blood glucose, triglycerides and the improvement of lipid metabolism and immune function.

A diverse diet supports the most diverse gut microbiome, which in turn supports good health overall.

Furthermore, stress and anxiety over having to avoid certain foods can lead to an increase in the symptoms we’re trying to improve with a low-FODMAP or low-fructans: diet. And social isolation related to unnecessary dietary restrictions can be harmful.

A final word on diagnosing food intolerances or sensitivities

Don’t continue to avoid foods high in FODMAPs or fructans indefinitely. Elimination should always be followed by a careful, systematic reintroduction. Reintroduction helps us identify which fructan-containing foods are most bothersome and in what quantities.

The suggestion is to keep a detailed food and symptom diary to help you determine which foods are best avoided long-term. Consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist if you need help sorting through the details. 

Adapted from https://health.osu.edu/wellness/exercise-and-nutrition/should-you-be-avoiding-fructans#:~:text=People%20who%20have%20trouble%20digesting,with%20digestive%20issues%20quite%20frequently.

UNPOPULAR OPINION

We have all been lead to believe that at a “certain age” you cross some invisible, silent line that all of sudden makes it soooo much harder to lose body fat and get in shape. But, sorry to say, the data does not suggest this. Your metabolism doesn't slow down all that much as you age. In fact,  data suggests that our metabolisms don't really start to decline again until after age 60. The slowdown is gradual, only about 0.7% a year. So, did your metabolism slow down or did YOU slow down (while losing muscle, drinking a few more glasses of wine, consuming less protein and generally eating more calories)? Be honest!

YES, age affects weight and body composition but not as directly as you may think. Many adults think they are doomed to fat - gain across the lifespan due to hormonal changes like menopause in females or the consistent decline of testosterone in males. The truth is, these hormonal changes make weight loss a little harder BUT not impossible. Herman Pontzer and his research team at Duke University studies just how much metabolism changes as we age and the answer is, surprisingly less than you think. Pontzer and an international team of scientists analyzed the average calories burned by more than 6,600 people ranging from one week old to age 95 as they went about their daily lives, in 29 countries worldwide. 

In a 2021 paper titled "Daily energy expenditure through the human life course” Pontzer and his team found that decreases begin around age 60 and average out to a decline of around 0.7% per year. It's also true that as we age we experience large scale changes in how we live. Ask the person you know who plugs in each night for a myriad of news shows, reality TV and Netflix. More sitting, less walking, more eating. Yep, it is true.

This is ALL good news though. You can still make awesome progress with your body and body composition, strength and fitness well into your senior years! It is never too early to start OR to continue. The idea of fat loss and weight loss as you age is much worse that actually losing the weight.

We think it’s:

• Grueling cardio

• Starving ourselves

• Eating boring and bland food

• Being hungry all the time

But in reality it’s:

• More protein/whole foods

• Less mindless snacking/drinking your calories

• Lifting weights with consistency

See it’s really NOT that bad!

You got this!

Coach C

Best Personal Choices for Best Results

Are the choices you’re making today moving you closer to the results you want tomorrow?

There are certain things that those who are successful at achieving their fitness goals do on a regular basis. If you’d like to succeed at improving your health and fitness, try committing to this approach:

Find your WHY:

You’ve heard it before, probably from me – if there is a will, there is a way. Without a compelling force, success is so much more difficult. The motivation and inspiration to stick to your program and achieve your goals is within you. You have just got to find the right reason – the reason that will make you so emotionally charged that you will take action every day, make the changes and stick to them regularly – no matter what! There will always be days that you won’t feel motivated to workout or eat healthy. They key is that you do it anyway, most of the time. It is never a question of ability, it is a question of consistency!

Discover what it is going to take for you. And remember, everyone is different. What is going to motivate me is not necessarily going to motivate you. Keep asking yourself why, why, why and get to the heart of the matter!

What have you done TODAY?!

A month-long effort is not going to get you where you want to be. In order to achieve any goal, you must stick to your game plan on an ongoing, long-term, consistent basis.  Getting off track for a week is no big deal if you are consistent in your efforts.  But if you are regularly tempted away from your program, you will not succeed.

Consistency and persistence are the keys to manifesting any goal. Remember, that if you want to be healthy and fit ten years from now, it is not what you do over the next six weeks that matters, it is what you do over the next ten years. A commitment to health and fitness must be followed for the rest of your life. There are no short-term, quick fix solutions. Researchers have found only one characteristic common to those who succeed with exercise. All such people move towards their goal one step at a time. They are committed to constant, never-ending improvement.

In practical terms, it means that regardless of anything else – busy work schedules, lack of energy, lack of time, feeling old, feeling lazy, hating exercise – they make no excuses!  They keep exercising, taking their long-term goals and splitting them up into smaller goals. They take it one day at a time.

Lazy or sick?

Sometimes you wake up and just don’t feel like working out. A critical part of exercise consistency is being able to effectively assess whether you’re being lazy or just need a day off.

If you’re tempted to press the snooze button and you fall right back asleep, that’s a sign your body may need some extra rest. If you just lay there awake, you may just need to motivate yourself to get up and get moving. What was your WHY?

If you’re feeling tired and lazy, try to get up and open the blinds, grab some water and walk around. Usually by moving around, you will start to wake up and feel better. If you’re still feeling exhausted, the rest may be more important.

Clearly outline your goals and action steps.

The biggest difference between those who succeed and those who don’t has nothing to do with intelligence or beauty or money or time…but those who succeed know exactly what they want and are willing to do what it takes to get it!

So, be very clear with your goals for all aspects of your life…physically, professionally, mentally, socially, travel and relationships. Paint a very vivid picture of what your dream life would look like. Write it down! The brain processes things differently when it’s written down and you read it.

Grab a sheet of paper and create a list of all the fitness goals (or any goals you have for yourself) you would like to achieve. Write down anything you have ever thought of achieving with regard to your own individual health and fitness. Which health and fitness goal, if you achieved it, would make this year unbelievable? Have you ever wanted to hike the Grand Canyon, complete a marathon, cycle through Italy, learn to Rock climb, or would you just be happy with working out 4x/week consistently? What are your health and fitness dreams?

Setting goals is the key to success. But, it is not enough to say, “I want to get into shape.”  Effective goals are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reward-based and have a time frame.

Here are some examples of SMART goal setting:

• Hike the Grand Canyon for 1 week this Aug

• Run for 30 minutes 3x/week and complete 24 workouts by May 1st

• Boot camp every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday until July 1st

• Train for and complete the Half Marathon on July 14th

• Work out with a personal trainer 2x/week

• Sign up for the Rowing course that starts June 1st

• Drink 3-4 liters of water every day through June 1st

• Eat 5 small meals/snacks every day by May 31st

• Train and compete in a Sprint Triathlon on June 25th
  

Each goal is clear, easy to measure your success and has a deadline. Go back to your fitness wish-list and make sure each goal is specific, measurable, attainable and time-framed. Revise all your goals to make them as SMART as possible. But don’t stop there.

Successful goal-setting requires two more things. Be prepared to reassess and reevaluate your goals on a regular basis and reward yourself once you have achieved a goal.  For example, treat yourself to a massage, a new outfit, new sneakers or a trip.  Then set your sights on the next goals. Go back to your goals and attach a reward to each one. Be sure that the reward is motivating enough to encourage you to stick to your plan.

Taking Action

Be a Human Doing, not just a Human Being. 

You can’t just set goals and dreams, you actually have to DO something.

If you are undertaking a major lifestyle change, the big picture may be a bit overwhelming. Take the big goal and split it into small, easily achievable goals and itsy, bitsy baby steps. It will help you succeed on a regular basis and that will give you the momentum you need to reach the ultimate goal. It’s called “Results Momentum.” No matter how small or insignificant the action step is, if you do it, it will give you the belief and self confidence to achieve the next goal and the next goal and soon you will be there!

Go back to your fitness wish list. Take the top three goals from your fitness wish list and break them down into smaller goals and action steps that will act as milestones towards your ultimate goal.

For example, if your ultimate number one goal is to complete a half marathon this summer, here’s how you’d break it down into smaller action steps.

• Enroll in the local half-marathon running clinic that starts on April 1st

• Purchase new footwear and clothing by April 1st

• Consult with a personal trainer for 2 sessions to get help with designing fitness training program by April 15th

• Schedule 3 runs a week with friends

• Register now and pay for the local 10km fun run mid-way through my training program

• Register now and pay for the half-marathon event on July 1st
  

Avoid the Law of Diminishing Intent

This law states “the longer you wait to take action, the less likely you are to take action.” So, take action right away! It doesn’t matter what it is…anything that points you in the right direction towards your goals. Everyday, do something that brings you closer to achieving your dreams.

Yours in health & fitness,
Coach C

Staying Motivated Past Your New Year's Resolutions

Winter has well and truly settled here in WI given the cold temps and recent snowfall. And as a trainer, I know getting motivated can be harder than it seems when it is dark AND cold! Spring – never mind summer – seems very far away still. It’s that time of year when comfort food (or drink) seems so much more tempting, and the urge to stay inside instead of going to workout is almost overwhelming. So why bother fighting it? We can always start a new regime when spring rolls round, right?

We all know it’s hard to stay motivated during winter. Baggy sweaters and cold weather seem to sap all motivation to eat well and exercise properly. However, there are many arguments for staying healthy over winter and improving your lifestyle, positivity and wellbeing.

Discover the benefits

Staying motivated means focusing on the benefits. Even when it’s cold, there are plenty of reasons to get to your workout. Exercising outside, if you can get outside a few times per week, lets you benefit from fresh air and Vitamin D, which helps to absorb calcium, maintain bone strength and strengthen the immune system. Exercise can help to beat those winter blues. After just 10 minutes of exercise, the brain releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals serotonin and dopamine, which can help reduce anxiety and depression. Thank you boot camp and Small Group! Also, staying active can help conditions such as arthritis – a condition whose symptoms can often worsen over winter. And of course, there are always the physical factors to consider. While it may be cold now, summer – and its accompanying wardrobe – will be here eventually. Maintaining a healthy exercise regime over winter means there won’t be that pressure to get back into shape come spring.

Set goals

Having a goal or target is one of the easiest ways to get motivated. If you are not sure how to do this, let me know, I can help. This could be a beach vacation, a triathlon or perhaps a wedding or some other event. It could be losing a few pounds, reducing body fat, or fitting into a certain outfit. Whatever your goal(s) may be, SET THEM and focus on them.

Train for an event

Training for an event is another great motivator, as it gives you something to strive for. For me, I love prepping for vacations where I know I will be in my swimsuit during the winter. You could train for a marathon, fun run or an endurance event. Check out this list for upcoming events in MKE. https://www.eventbrite.com/d/wi--milwaukee/fun-run/ Or better yet, join us in our Achieve training group training for the Pleasant Prairie and/or the Tri-ing for Children Sprint Triathlons.

.

Reward yourself

Work toward a big reward for reaching your big target – such as a new outfit or a weekend away – but you can also work toward smaller rewards; little things you can look forward to at the end of each workout or each week. Having an all or none view is NOT always the way to approach your goals. And remember this reward DOES NOT have to be food or drink.

Use your resources

Can’t do it alone? Get a personal trainer. A personal trainer is a paid motivator, helping you push yourself when you lose your resolve. Trainers can also help achieve certain results, so if you want to improve your fitness, get great abs or lose weight, a trainer can get you there. I love what I do, let me help!

Get a buddy

Get a buddy; exercising with a friend keeps you accountable, pushing you both to exercise when you may lose motivation apart, especially for early morning workouts. You could also join a running club, walking club or boot camp, or try activities where other people are always involved, such as dance, martial arts or rock climbing.

Get up and get it done

It can be hard getting out of bed when it’s dark and cold. Give yourself some extra encouragement by setting a thermostat timer to warm your bedroom, and set your alarm to play songs that motivate. And pull out a fun outfit for your morning workout, it can help get you excited about your day.

Try something new

Winter can be the perfect time to change up your workout routine or add something new.   Maybe muster yourself for a Saturday morning boot camp twice a month. Or, since we still have snow here in WI, you could try your hand at skiing or snowboarding.

Use technology

Technology can be a great motivator. If you have a smartphone OR use a Fit bit, Apple watch or Garmin, play with the fitness tracker. Check into boot camp or small group or post a picture from your workout using your phone and remember to get your steps. Mark your calendar with workout sessions and treat them as actual appointments. Create a countdown to summer. Listen to great tunes!

Be flexible and keep it simple

Don’t set any rigid rules – make exercise fun, not a chore. Use a routine that’s simple and easy to start. Don’t worry about setting aside one long period of workout time. Instead try to accumulate exercise throughout the day. But bear in mind, National Guidelines recommend at least 30 minutes of activity per day and 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

You got this!

12-Week Challenge – Achieve Personal Fitness (1/7-3/31)

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Phone#: _______________________________________________________________

Preferred Email: _______________________________________________________

COACHES RESPONSIBILITY:

- Provide effective weekly workouts for muscle building & fat loss

- Support client with goal creation & maintenance; nutrition support and weekly videos

- Suggest “off” boot camp & small group training ideas

o Nutrition suggestions and accountability

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY:

- 80% + adherence or as close to it for achieving YOUR goals

- Choose best nutrition strategy BUT DO NOT obsess over anything

- Lower stress in life OR your response to stress

- Make good sleep a priority regimen

- Weekly water intake adherence at 1 gallon OR MORE

- Weekly nutrition adherence as well as focus on Pre and Post workout adherence

- Exercise 5-6 times per week

- Check-ins as decided upon (weigh ins, photos and assessments to stay on track)

OTHER:

- Photos, scale weight and measurements, etc.

- Assessment dates OR close to them:

o Week #1 (Date ) ____________________

o Week #3 (Date ) ____________________

o Week #5 (Date ) ____________________

o Week #7 (Date ) ____________________

o Week #9 (Date ) ____________________

o Week #12 (Date ) ____________________

CLIENT GOALS : (4-8 ONLY)

1. _____________________________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________________________________________

7. _____________________________________________________________________________________

8. _____________________________________________________________________________________

Other Info:

NON NEGOTIABLES:

1) Drink 1+ gallons every day, sleep 7-9 hours a night, lower reaction to stress

2) Use whole food and nutritional supplements as suggested, increase protein intake

3) Cut back on fried food, candy, sugar, alcohol and no more than three fruit servings per

day and other NON-nutrients BUT work in treat meals as needed for sanity and for

social events.

Date: ____________________________________________________________

Client Signature: ________________________________________________

Coach Catherine Signature: _____________________________________

Reaching your Goals in 2023

What are the most important actions people who succeed at fitness take on a repeated basis? Read on to find out...

USING AN ACCOUNTABILITY BUDDY

If your motivation starts to wane, you need someone to help keep you on track! That is where a "workout buddy, " a class, a group or a personal trainer/coach can help immensely. When it's cold and dark outside and you are tired and just "don't feel" like working out; who will make sure you do it anyway? it can be just one person or a group, but who will be there to hold YOU accountable.

Surround yourself with people who are motivating and/or who have achieved the goals you have set for yourself.  That energy, discipline and grit will rub off and help keep you inspired. 

DO WHAT YOU LOVE

If you don't love your workouts, you won’t do them long enough to experience results. It’s ok if your workouts are challenging, but ask yourself how you can add some element of fun to each training session whether it’s music, a friend, a fun group, a distraction like TV or beautiful scenery. If you loathe each workout session, you will quickly find reasons to skip them. Or join boot camp where it is always fun and different.

DON’T GET HURT

If you suffer an injury, it can set you back and sideline any goal that you’ve set for yourself. Make sure that you are warming up and cooling down, practicing good technique, following proper progressions and not being too aggressive in the beginning. Be smart about how you approach your health and fitness goals and if able, hire a trainer or coach to oversee your program to assure you are following safe protocols. If you don’t have the resources to see a trainer weekly, hiring one to design a program that you follow on your own and then check in with them every 1-2 months for program updates, can be incredibly impactful for safety, progression and accountability. 

BECOME A PROJECT MANAGER

Treat your health and fitness goals like a project manager would tackle a big project or plan an event. Start with the end goal in mind and then work backwards. Ask yourself what goals, action steps, initiatives, and deadlines need to be established. Create checklists to help you stay on track. Schedule in workouts and healthy habits to assure you prioritize your health and fitness.  Work the plan and your goals will become a reality.

Undertaking a major lifestyle change can be overwhelming. Take your ultimate goals and split them into small, easily achievable goals. It’ll help you succeed on a regular basis and that will give you the momentum you need to stick to the plan.  

By following the tips above, you will set up a framework for success and will be well on your way to your goals.  It’s so much easier to get to your destination if you’ve got a map! 

And as always if you  or a friend needs help, please ask, this is what I do!

Sprint Triathlon Group Training

As many of you already know, Achieve Personal Fitness (Milwaukee Adventure Boot Camp) is sponsoring clients who would like to join in the training of and participate in the upcoming 2023 summer sprint triathlon events. There are many triathlons happening in WI this coming summer but the two we are focusing on are the June 25th Triathlon Pleasant Prairie and the July 30 Tri-ing for Children in Dousman, WI. Now, that sentence was a mouthful, I get it, and training for something brand new can feel scary and overwhelming. BUT training together takes a lot of the perceived pressure off you as an individual and allows you to train in a less anxiety-filled atmosphere WITH your fitness family.

I have been speaking with Lauren Jensen McGinnis, PT with Tri Faster Coaching and she had some really good suggestions for our group as we head into our group training this January/February/March. As a general rule, it is the swim aspect of these events that gives people the biggest pause, so we plan to tackle swimming first.  If we join the Tri Faster community, our training sessions (swim and eventually cycle and run) will be discounted, so that is always nice. AND Lauren has offered an additional sponsorship discount for our group and will donate 50% of our swim registration fees back to us.  If you choose NOT to become a Tri Faster member ($95 which also includes a team top) you can STILL join any Tri Faster Masters swim session that they offer.

This time of year it is always a struggle to find an indoor pool that is open for group swim training BUT Tri Faster already has a location they use, Greenfield High School. The schedule is listed on their website for January 4 - February 24, 2023 and you/we can choose how many days a week you/we, would like to train. See below the current WINTER 2 sessions (8 sessions for $120 for non-members,  $100 for TF members, Drop-in fees: $20- Non-member/$15 for TF members).

But if these times do not work for you/us, Lauren has a Feb 27 – April 21 schedule in the works since she runs training groups consecutively January through June. She also has a number of very qualified coaches on her staff that helps with the training protocols, so we are in very good hands.

Mondays - 1/9 - 2/20 (5:45-6:55 am)

*MOST open spots for our group training. Coach Mike and I will be joining this group since boot camp will be moving temporarily to Wednesday morning through the end of February.

Wednesdays - 1/4 - 2/22 (5:45-6:55 am)

Fridays - 1/6 - 2/24 (5:45-6:55 am)

https://trifaster.com/workout-classes/swimming/masters-swim/

As an added benefit to our training, we will be holding a Sprint Triathlon Training 101 Zoom session with Coach Lauren on Monday 1/9 @ 6:30pm for anyone who would like to hear from the expert what to expect, things to be aware of, our group training expectations as well as to answer any questions you may have. This also means that for most of January and February, we will NOT have boot camp sessions on Monday mornings BUT we will have them on Wednesdays instead.

Keep your eyes open for more details.

Lauren Jensen McGinnis is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Triathlon 101 with Coach Lauren and Milwaukee Adventure Boot Camp
Time: Jan 9, 2023 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88273255266

Meeting ID: 882 7325 5266
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,88273255266# US (Washington DC)
+13052241968,,88273255266# US

For those who have questions about the bike and run training, two other programs that Tri Faster holds are Tri Faster Train Together Endurance Cycling and Tri Faster Train Together Treadmill Running. These sessions are held on Sundays at the Greenfield WAC and maybe something we look into after the swim segment has been addressed. But remember, our goal as a team, is to enjoy our training, get good time under tension in order to avoid injury AND to prepare for a new physical and mental challenge. So get your goals ready and solidify your New Years resolution to get training and participate in a sprint triathlon.

P.S. For those who already know you are “all in” and to get the most out of the Tri Faster Masters Swim workouts, Lauren suggests obtaining a pair of swim fins before you start the session. This is highly encouraged. You can bring any brand of fins similar to the TYR Cross Blade fins. BUT please consider shopping locally at Emery’s Triathlon, Cycling and Fitness.

 https://www.emerys.com/product/tyr-crossblade-training-fins-65970-1.htm

PLAN A PROACTIVE THANKSGIVING

Many of us are still dealing with Halloween candy and now Thanksgiving is coming. It’s enough to take even the most-disciplined, die-hard exerciser off track.
 
In America, Thanksgiving dinner goes hand-in-hand with an all-out gorge fest until you’re about to burst. A retreat to the couch follows because you’re just too stuffed to move. It doesn’t have to be this way – everyone always regrets it afterwards. Remember last year’s moans and groans “Ugh, I shouldn’t have eaten the second helping of stuffing and sweet potatoes!”
 
This season, I’m going to help you be more proactive!
 
It’s estimated that the average American can consume 5000+ calories on Thanksgiving Day. Most people enjoy a bigger than usual breakfast, Thanksgiving meal and we can’t forget the left-overs later in the evening. Now if you were an Olympic Athlete this wouldn’t be too much of a problem but since the only activity most people do on Thanksgiving is the walk from the kitchen to the TV, Thanksgiving can wreak havoc on your health. Side note - perfect day for an early morning boot camp at home or with family!
 
Plan a Healthy Thanksgiving Meal:
Yes it will still taste great! If you’re in charge of dinner or helping to plan, keep these tips in mind:
 
• Schedule the meal earlier in the day. Thanksgiving dinner between 2:00-5:00 will allow some time for the body to digest the heavy meal before you hit the sack. Or do Thanksgiving the European way – schedule Thanksgiving as an all- day celebration and serve small dishes every hour or so. This seems so much healthier and civilized than mom busting her butt all day long preparing a meal that is consumed ravenously in 5 to 10 minutes. Spread the calories out throughout the day and you’ll be less likely to feel awful.
 
• Minimize the carb overload – Instead of preparing sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing and rolls choose only one or two of these dishes. It will save a ton of calories and you’ll feel less ‘stuffed!’ (pun intended!) I almost always save my carbs for dessert.
 
• If you are planning for guests who may be coming from all around the state; you may be a 2022 version of a “socially distanced” holiday, then while they are arriving, have a vegetable platter available for them to munch on
 
• Serve a delicious soup as the appetizer
 
• Serve a beautiful salad
 
• Serve two or three different types of vegetables at the table
 
• Use skim or semi-skim milk for all your recipes
 
• Serve water with dinner
 
You can have Dessert:
But before dessert is served, go for a beautiful walk around the neighborhood. Or plan some fun activities while you allow your body to process the meal. For example, plan a fun game of charades with the family or pull out the holiday decorations and have the family help get your house looking festive. Or maybe burn MORE calories by raking some leaves.
 
Get your Workout in!!:
Get in a quick workout or take a run, walk or bike ride around the neighborhood. It doesn’t have to be a full hour either; if you don’t have the time just go hard and strong for a quick 20 mins (check out the Turkey Burn workout). Coach Mike and I always plan a workout during our stay up north before our larger caloric intake so our bodies are more apt to use the extra calories.  If you’ve got family visiting, do it first thing in the morning before people wake-up. A workout will actually make you feel better and help to suppress your appetite so you’re less likely to overeat. And consider ramping up your workouts over the next week so you’re expending a little more energy in anticipation of the increased caloric intake on Thursday 11/24.
 
You can still enjoy a wonderful dinner and atmosphere without having everyone feeling bloated and horrible for the rest of the evening and suffering a Thanksgiving hangover the next day!
 
Forward this email to everyone who is celebrating Thanksgiving this year so you’re all on the same page!
 

Enjoy!

An Abundance Mindset – Do You Have One?

I've got a question for you:

Are you regularly just crushing your goals - or are you like most people, getting crushed instead?

Overwhelmed, misdirected energy and poor planning are a few of the cornerstones of failure - but the biggest reason we fail?

MINDSET!

Yup. When they say, “IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD!”... they’re right!

Looking at research recently for one of my past mentor's upcoming book on the science behind mindsets; it sets the stage for positive, lasting change - and mindsets that prepare you to fail - before you even start.

There’s a lot that goes into setting yourself up for success with a positive growth mindset.

Your first action step:  If You Do NOTHING ELSE, Do This: Stop Lying to Yourself

We tell ourselves mean, nasty lies every day. Right now, think about the untruths you’ve told yourself this week.

·       “You don’t deserve to be thin/fit/whatever!”

·       “No one likes you.”

·       “You can’t do it!”

·       “You’re not enough/not good enough.”

I might know all of my clients personally - and I can tell you this: EVERY ONE OF THOSE MESSAGES IS A LIE. And every time you utter and think it, your physical and emotional bodies believe it. Your cells believe it. Your immune system believes it. Your metabolism believes it.

Every time you’re tempted to think a lie, replace it with a truth:

·       “I’m trying hard every day!”

·       “I’m enough!”

·       “I’ve got this!”

·       “I can do this!”

·       “I’m close to achieving my goals!”

Your body and brain are listening and reacting to everything you think and utter. Give ‘em the good stuff and you’ll set yourself up for SUCCESS.

Where you mind goes your body will follow!

I've got your back!

Your coach always, 

Coach C

The Hateful Eight: Enemy Fats That Destroy Your Health

In boot camp we talk a lot about nutrition. Lately, Coach C has been giving morning “nutrition nuggets” in order to get campers to think more seriously about healthy eating. Below is a great excerpt from an interview with Dr. Cate Shanahan

Most Folks Don’t Know They’re Eating Seed Oils

The average American gets 80% of their fat calories from seed oils, which are high in unstable fatty acids that break down into toxins when you cook with them and when you eat them for years and years. This problem is pushed under the rug and nobody is talking about it. The American Heart Association wants to keep it that way. The Hateful Eight are…

-Canola

-Corn

-Cottonseed

-Soy

-Safflower

-Sunflower

-Grapeseed

-Ricebran

Seed oils Weaken Your Immune System

Eliminating the high-PUFA seed oils (polyunsaturated fat) is the NUMBER ONE best thing you can do to help your immune system beat Coronavirus. Here’s why.

The virus is not what’s killing most of us under the age of 65. For the elderly, or for those who are otherwise immuno-compromised, the sheer viral load can be too much for the body to deal with. But for the rest of us, the real threat is not the virus itself, but the way your body responds.

Most of the folks under 65 who have to be admitted to the ICU are there because their body fat is full of inflammation-promoting high-PUFA seed oils. In other words, if seed oils were removed from the equation, then there would be nobody under 65 in the ICU unless they’ve got a rare immune deficiency disorder or are in the middle of chemo for cancer or have something else very serious that’s going on.

What I’m talking about goes way beyond flattening the curve; the sheer volume of the curve would be reduced. If the Hateful 8 weren’t disrupting our metabolisms and forcing our immune system to produce dangerous levels of inflammation, kids are still at school, restaurants are still opened and people are still going to work.

During the interview, I also made the point that everyone under 65 who had a serious case of corona also has an underlying metabolic condition–whether they know it or not. Even those thin people who’ve written articles about their experience, like Mara Gay, a reporter for the NY Times who looks glowingly healthy.

As fit and beautiful as she appears in the NY Times piece, I’m certain her metabolism is not in good shape. Your metabolism has to be very damaged indeed for it to cause visible signs of poor health. But it doesn’t have to be particularly damaged for it to fail you when the time comes for your immune system to rise to the challenges involved in what may be the ultimate metabolic test: fending off potentially deadly infections.

I’m so sure that seed oils are the underlying cause of metabolic disruption that I’m calling for a challenge. Show me a single person under 65 without a serious underlying disease or immune deficiency whom ended up in the ICU who had been categorically avoiding vegetable oils for the prior 5 years and you’ve proven me wrong.

Keep in mind, I’m not just talking about avoiding trans fats from hydrogenated oils, which a lot of people think are the only bad fats to pay attention to. I’m talking any of the Hateful 8, hydrogenated or not.

Type 2 diabetes wasn’t common enough to be recognized as a disease, even among the obese, until we started eating seed oils. Most metabolic disease is also related to excessive seed oil consumption. This discovery is the reason I started writing The FATBURN Fix.

Your Immune System Needs You to Be Metabolically Fit

Doctors are so poorly trained in metabolic disease that most can’t begin to appreciate how powerful the wrong dietary advice they typically dish out is disrupting your health. We tell you to avoid saturated fat and when you do you’re going to end up eating unhealthy amounts of PUFA. And so most doctors unknowingly give out nutritional advice that only makes people sicker. When our dietary advice fails to help our patients, we sometimes avoid the subject altogether by ignoring abnormal lab results and telling you “all your tests came back normal.”

That’s my best explanation for why half the adults in this country with metabolic conditions like fatty liver and prediabetes aren’t told they have the condition, and therefore don’t have any reason to believe they’re at risk for additional complications of metabolic diseases or at risk of suffering from serious infections.

Many other common conditions are also metabolic. For example, if you’re a person who suffers from frequent migraines, seasonal allergies, occasional asthma, you almost certainly have an unhealthy metabolism. These seemingly minor underlying conditions are enough to make a viral pneumonia potentially life threatening. Many common chronic diseases and habits are driven by an underlying metabolic disorder, which itself is driven by having body fat full of pro-inflammatory PUFA.

It’s not that migraines or allergies disrupt your metabolism. It’s that the underlying condition that causes migraines, allergies, and many other seemingly unrelated metabolic illnesses, is too much PUFA in your body fat.

Most people in the ICU are not eating, and that’s when these seed oils are going to be released from your body fat–during fasting.  When released into the bloodstream these PUFAs interact with enzymes that are part of your virus-fighting, immune-response team. Their function is to promote inflammation, in fact, that’s one of the key reasons a healthy diet includes about 2-4% PUFA. But the problem is, on a modern diet with 10-20X the normal amount of PUFA, our body fat releases 10-20X more PUFA into the bloodstream and we get 10-20X more inflammation than we can need.

That insanely high level of inflammatory chemicals in our bloodstream, lungs and other tissues causes metabolic pandemonium. We start drowning in our own fluids and can’t oxygenate our blood. Inside our arteries and veins, the platelets that are supposed to form clots only in response to cuts instead start clotting randomly inside uninjured vessels, causing neurological problems, heart attacks and strokes. Our immune system starts mounting attacks on innocent bystander proteins, like those in our blood vessel walls, causing rashes that are the hallmark of the new Kawasaki-like, life-threatening COVID-19 complication in children and young adults.

Four Steps to Start Eliminating Seed oils From Your Body Fat TODAY

1.      Make your own salad dressing. Even if you buy your organic, GMO free dressing at Trader Joes or Whole Foods, chances are it’s made from one of the hateful eight oils. This applies even if the front of the bottle says made with olive oil. You always need to read the ingredients. So take a snapshot of this hateful 8 and keep it on your phone. Or better yet, use this one that gives a little more detail.

2.      Take a good look at the ingredients in what you eat. Scan anything with an ingredients list for one of the members of the Hateful 8 clan. If you want alternatives, here’s a shopping guide to finding vegetable oil free products available in some of the most common grocery stores in the USA.

3.      Support restaurants that refuse to use the Hateful 8. There are numerous excuses you will hear why a restaurant doesn’t use olive oil or another healthy, traditional fat. Canola is heart-healthy. We use soy instead of peanut because of peanut allergies. It’s a neutral taste that people prefer. It’s got a high smoke point. Those excuses are the best marker I know of for a chef who has lost his passion. Whenever we’ve found a chef that proudly tells you he only uses olive oil and butter, or any of the good fats, we’ve also found the food coming out of the kitchen to be absolutely the best.

4.      Find out how much vegetable oil is in your body fat. While there’s no direct test other than doing a subcutaneous fat biopsy and sending it to a lab for a full analysis, which you can’t do unless your part of a research study, you can get a decent idea of how your body fat is impacting your metabolism by finding out if you are insulin resistant. Ask your doctor for a HOMA-IR test. If he doesn’t know what it is, in most states in the USA you can order a test yourself. And select the “Insulin sensitivity Test, HOMA-IR.” It only costs about $45. Or ask your doctor to order two tests at the same time: fasting glucose and fasting insulin level. And given the reality of no direct testing, I created a clinical questionnaire to aid in assessing your recovery from PUFA overload.

Adapted from: https://drcate.com/the-hateful-eight-enemy-fats-that-destroy-your-health/ - d

Body Image Blues

As a professional in the health & fitness industry, I hear too often people who refer negatively to parts of their body….

·       “My legs are so fat!”

·       “My butt is so big!”

·       “I wish I could lose this muffin top!”

What is sad are the people who get caught in the thought process of “If I could just lose this extra 20 pounds, then I’d be happy” and sometimes, even when they do lose the weight, they’re still not satisfied. If you believe that you’ll be happy once you lose the weight, you’ll never be skinny enough to be happy.

It’s a vicious cycle and it never ends unless we learn to love the body we have as it is right now, not tomorrow or next month or next year. It’s ok to want to make health improvements to be at your personal best, but you can’t hate and despise the state you’re in now. Making these lifestyle changes is about believing you deserve to be healthier! Love yourself enough to take the time out to exercise and eat well.

It’s not about making the changes so you can look like someone else or love who you are. If you make changes with this as you ultimate goal, it may be tough to succeed and you may be miserable for life! Take my word for it. I’ve seen it happen time and time again! Body hatred and dissatisfaction are hardly reserved for only the morbidly obese. In fact, many women who clearly have very little body fat to lose, are not happy with their body proportions.

One aspect of gaining control is in understanding the role of negative and irrational thinking.  We are often our own worst critics and can be so hard on ourselves. Here are some examples of things you may have said to yourself which may sabotage your efforts:

·       I missed boot camp today. I’m a total loser!

·       If I don’t starve myself, I’ll get fat!

·       Since I pigged out at lunch, the whole day is ruined. I might as well stuff myself today and start all over again tomorrow!

·       Things always go wrong! I’m such a failure!

·       It’s not the diet program that’s wrong, it’s me!

·       I might have lost 10 pounds but I can’t go to the beach until I’m a perfect size 6!

·       I’ll be happy once I lose the weight!

·       My thighs are the fattest I’ve ever seen!

·       If I lose weight, then my boyfriend will pay more attention to me.

·       Why do I have such bad will-power?

·       Why couldn’t I just have been born with a perfect body?

·       I’ve got to lose 20 pounds within a month to get ready for my vacation or my holidays will be ruined!

·       I’ll always be like this!

·       I can’t seem to do anything right!

·       Why would anybody love me?

Here’s some tried and true steps to learn how to love your body and improve your body image.

Step One: What’s Realistic For You?

·       Is there a history of excess fat in your family?

·       Which parts of your body or your physical attributes are you satisfied with?

·       What is the lowest weight you have maintained as an adult for at least one year? When did you feel the healthiest?

·       Based on your genetic predisposition, your age and the amount of time you want to spend exercising, what type of “ideal” physique is achievable for you?

Step Two: Manage Negative and Irrational Thoughts

·       Listen to your thoughts at the times when you feel worst and listen for irrational/negative thinking.

o   Dispute these thoughts by asking “Why is this so?”, “Where is this negativity coming from?” and “Could there be another possible explanation or interpretation?”

o   Imagine repeating what you’ve said to a close friend or child? We could never imagine talking to others as we talk to ourselves. The next time you catch yourself thinking irrationally or negatively, ask yourself if you’d ever speak this way to another human being. You deserve the same type of respect you’d give anybody else! Remind yourself that if you continually practice negative self-talk, eventually, you may actually start to believe your own words. Your self-esteem can end up taking a real beating.

·       Displace continuing irrational beliefs by techniques of

o   Thought stopping (when worrying, think of a stop sign and then pleasant thoughts)

o   Stress management (when worrying, participate in your favorite relaxation techniques like massage, reading, baths, journal writing etc.)

o   Learn to live in the moment and to experience true joy in your life.  Stop worrying about the past or the future.

o   Each night before you fall asleep, write in a journal or make a mental note of what was the best part of your day or of something that you experienced that you really appreciated or enjoyed.

·       Live today!  Self-hatred takes a lot of time and energy.  Obsessing about your body weight, nutrition plan and exercise program leaves you tired and depressed.  Deciding to not enjoy the here-and-now because you’ve decided to wait until you lose the weight will leave you feeling deprived and will often lead to more negative feelings and behaviors.  Remember that thin thighs, a small butt and a 6-pack set of abdominals is not the ticket to a meaningful existence.  Fill your life with interesting experiences and people and you’ll enjoy a much higher quality of life.

Step Three: I Need a Little Help From My Friends!

Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who inspire, challenge and support you.  Boot campers are a great support system! Keep people around who are part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Hope the above reminder you how beautiful you are, no matter your size!

Yours in health,

Coach Catherine

Achieve Personal Fitness Open House: Come join us to celebrate

We are super excited about LOTS of things (our health, our families, our clients) this year and very fortunate to be celebrating our 15th year in business. To help us, we are promoting our friends and clients with women-owned businesses. Check them out below and stop by for some great deals and super promotions!

Cabi Style-Consultants Sale Racks (Nancy Munroe & Jenny O'Donnell
Check out their current/Spring Cabi samples at 1/2 off and past seasons/vintage items will be priced at 60-75% off and more. They will be doing a "round number" promo for vintage too ($20 for all sleeveless tops, $35 for jackets, etc). Lots of great pieces to spice up your current wardrobe.

Tiffany's Dessert Bar (Tiffany Gilmore)
Tiffany's Dessert Bar prides itself in sourcing the finest ingredients for its confectioneries. All baked goods are made from scratch with many organic ingredients. Tiffany also has gluten and nut-free "bakes" to fit any allergy needs. Samples will be on hand to taste - yummy!

Beautycounter (Sharlene Byrne)
Great beauty products with no hormone disrupting chemicals (skin care, bath & body, makeup). Leading a movement to a future where all beauty is clean beauty. Their collective mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Formulate, advocate, & educate—that’s their motto. The Beautycounter line has something for everyone.

Elysian Beauty & Wellness (Dr. Lori Albright)
Inspired by her personal interest in holistic medicine, she started training in Aesthetic and Wellness Medicine in 2016. Lori is certified in neuromodulator injections, dermal fillers, microdermabrasion, microneedling, platelet rich plasma therapy, body contouring with CoolSculpt and CoolTone, acoustic wave therapy, mesotherapy, chemical dermal peels, bio-identical hormone replacement, medical weight loss and sclerotherapy.

Achieve Personal Fitness (Catherine & Michael Andersen)
Achieve delivers continued support, motivation, education, fun, and results-oriented programming. APF offers fitness training and coaching for individuals and groups. These services include personal training, small group training, Adventure Boot Camp, nutritional consulting, and corporate wellness training. Catherine & Michael believe in making the community a healthier and happier place by providing clients with the tools to achieve a healthier, more physically fit version of themselves—no matter what their current fitness level.

Since you (our clients) have helped us get here, we are also doing hourly drawings for great prizes for anyone who attends the Open House (no need to be present to win after you have entered the drawing):

• $50 off a membership

• $100 off a membership

• 3 FREE Personal Training sessions

• 1 FREE Nutrition Consult

…and more! Come celebrate with us!

6-WEEK "GET FOCUSED" CHALLENGE

Ok Achieve Challengers, here we are, the last week of the "Get Focused" Challenge. I have not heard much feedback so I am assuming all is well, or that everyone has opted for doing the 1 gallon a day challenge instead....;) Either way, the point is to get focused on something positive. Let me know how I can help this last week.

1. Last week, week #6

2. 6-week "Get Focused" Challenge with support for the areas YOU need

3. Week #6, what has been working for you, keep doing it. What has not been working, stop doing it and change something up!

4. Week #5 Mantra - You have three choices: you can GIVE UP, you can GIVE IN, OR YOU CAN GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT!

5. Week #6 Mantra - Does it hurt? Or is it really hard? Because it is ok for things to be hard!

HERE'S THE DEAL - HOW DID IT GO?

Ok, so I KNOW goal setting and progress is tough. Did you have a list of lofty goals that you were going to crush this 2022? Now, here we are months later and a 6-week Challenge done and maybe you haven’t crossed off as many things as you were hoping for. Maybe some of your initial goals are no longer viable or realistic given changes that have occurred. Does that mean you just move on, unfocused, and without a plan? Absolutely not. Rather than focusing on what didn’t work out, follow these steps to get refocused and turn things around.

Review and Reassess

The first thing you do, to get your goals back on track, is to review and assess your goals to see if they are still achievable. Not sure how, PLEASE ask me, I can help. Keeping in mind the new timelines and changes that may have taken place since you initially set them. If the goal is still something you want to accomplish then you may need to adjust due dates. You might also want to think of the best way to complete the task given your current situation. Be realistic if the goal needs to be modified or altered. Also, be prepared to get creative with how you want to reach your goal.

If your priorities may have shifted since you last visited your goals, that is OK. Situations change and it’s important that we adapt to what is currently going on, not work against it or get stuck in the past. This can be as simple as changing the method in which the goal is achieved or as involved as doing a complete overhaul of your current goals. Whatever the case, it’s important that your goals reflect what is currently happening and what is realistic for you to accomplish given your circumstances.

Set Up Daily Tasks

If you’re coming off of a goal hiatus the aim is to get momentum going again. Big goals are great but they can seem distant and overwhelming. To combat this it’s important to set up daily tasks that are designed to help you reach your end goal without feeling defeating. These tasks should help make you consistent with taking daily action to achieve your goals. By doing something small every day you’ll chip away at your goals without all of the overwhelm that can build up.

Because these are daily tasks it’s a good idea to write them down so you are clear on what the objective is for each day. The bonus of setting up daily goals is that gets momentum flowing and puts you in a positive position to accomplish what you set out to do. When you cross something off your list each day you’re left feeling much more positive about your work than simply grinding out work with no direct clear direction. One task every day can have a massive impact as it sets up strong habits that are compounded over time.

Get Rid of What Isn’t Working

Just because something worked in the past doesn’t mean it’s the best solution for your current situation. It’s important to not be stubborn about how you accomplish your goal because this can lead to frustration and delay. Things change and sometimes situations are fluid which is why you should review your goals regularly. It’s imperative that you’re adaptable and willing to change your methods to best support your goals. Getting rid of the things that aren’t working makes room for more efficient methods.

Do it Scared

If fear is paralyzing you from moving forward and keeping you stuck – you need to just start. Lock in on your goals and take messy, imperfect action. It’s better to fail forward than to remain stagnant. When you fail forward you discover what will work and what won’t cut it much quicker than waiting for perfect conditions. Moving forward, even when you’re uncertain, ensures that you are learning constantly and making yourself adaptable.

Failing can seem scary, especially if you’re a perfectionist, but if you want to reap the rewards sometimes you have to be willing to get things wrong in the process because rarely will things ever go 100% your way.

If you’ve been putting your goals on the back burner it’s time to bring them back to a roaring boil. Don’t let overwhelm keep you from making progress. Reassess, set up daily tasks, ditch what doesn’t work, and don’t be afraid of failing forward.

HERE'S WHAT I DO

• I love the points made in the above segment. When I realize my current situation is not conducive for a goal I set, I re-evaluate either the timeline OR the goal itself. Then change the one least important.

• When life starts to overwhelm my goal(s) I sit back and take a breath. Sometimes just stopping to chill and think helps to alleviate the "stress" that maybe affecting your goal progress.

• If I realize a goal is no longer important to me, I talk about it first, then ditch it for good or just for later.

• I work best when I have something I am working toward, if three goals is too may, just start with one good goal and get going.

• If it is important enough, you will find a way, if it is not, you will find a way out

FAQ:

Have a question, ask! I am glad to answer it.

Staying Motivated During the Winter Months

Winter has well and truly settled here in WI given the cold temps and recent snowfall. And as a trainer, I know getting motivated can be harder than it seems when it is dark AND cold! Spring – never mind summer – seems very far away still. It’s that time of year when comfort food (or drink) seem so much more tempting, and the urge to stay inside instead of going to workout is almost overwhelming. So why bother fighting it? We can always start a new regime when spring rolls round, right?

We all know it’s hard to stay motivated during the winter. Baggy sweaters and cold weather seem to sap all motivation to eat well and exercise properly. However, there are many arguments for staying healthy over winter and improving your lifestyle, positivity and wellbeing. Here are a few;

Discover the benefits

Staying motivated means focusing on the benefits. Even when it’s cold, there are plenty of reasons to get to your workout. Exercising outside, if you can get outside a few times per week, lets you benefit from fresh air and Vitamin D, which helps to absorb calcium, maintain bone strength and strengthen the immune system. It may not be the same workout you do for summer boot camps BUT exercise of any kind, can help to beat those winter blues. After just 10 minutes of exercise, the brain releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals serotonin and dopamine, which can help reduce anxiety and depression. Thank you boot camp and small group! Also, staying active can help conditions such as arthritis – a condition whose symptoms can often worsen over winter. And of course, there are always the physical factors to consider. While it may be cold now, summer – and its accompanying wardrobe – will be here eventually. Maintaining a healthy exercise regime over winter means there won’t be that pressure to get back into shape come spring.

Set goals

Having a goal or target is one of the easiest ways to get motivated. If you are not sure how to do this, let me know, I can help. This could be a beach vacation, or perhaps a wedding or some other event. It could be losing a few pounds, reducing body fat, or fitting into a certain outfit. Keep your eyes open for more Achieve “Get Fit” Challenges throughout the year.

Train for an event

Training for an event is another great motivator, as it gives you something to strive for. For me, I love prepping for vacations where I know I will be in my swimsuit during the winter. You could train for a marathon, fun run or an endurance event. But remember, staying motivated is NOT always about how your look; how you feel, sleep, and function are also great indicators of proper motivation. Check out this list for upcoming events in MKE. https://www.eventbrite.com/d/wi--milwaukee/fun-run/

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Reward yourself

Work toward a big reward for reaching your big target – such as a new outfit or a weekend away – but you can also work toward smaller rewards; little things you can look forward to at the end of each workout, each day or each week. Having an all or none view is NOT always the best way to approach your goals. Small changes yield big results.

Use your resources

Can’t do it alone? Get a personal trainer. A personal trainer is a paid motivator, helping you push yourself when you lose your resolve. Trainers can also help achieve certain results, so if you want to improve your fitness, get great abs or lose weight, a trainer can get you there. As a coach and personal trainer, I love what I do, let me help!

Get a buddy

Get a buddy; exercising with a friend keeps you accountable, pushing you both to exercise when you may lose motivation apart, especially for early morning workouts. You could also join a running club, walking club or boot camp, or try activities where other people are always involved, such as dance, martial arts or rock climbing.

Get up and get it done

It can be hard getting out of bed when it’s dark and cold. Give yourself some extra encouragement by setting a thermostat timer to warm your bedroom, and set your alarm to play songs that motivate. Having your workout clothes prepared and ready the night before also helps keep you motivated for that next workout!

Try something new

Winter can be the perfect time to change up your workout routine or add something new. Check out the “new” Saturday offerings each month at Achieve.  Next “new” class is Anaerobic Cardio Threshold on March 12th at 8am. Or, if we have snow here in WI, you could try your hand at skiing or snowboarding. Some friends of mine take ballroom dance courses when it is cold outside. Variety is the spice if life!

Use technology

Technology can be a great motivator. If you have a smartphone OR use a Fit bit, Apple watch or Garmin, play with the fitness tracker. Check into boot camp or small group or post a picture from your workout using your phone. Mark your calendar with workout sessions and treat them as actual appointments. Create a countdown to summer and listen to great tunes!

Be flexible and keep it simple

Don’t set any rigid rules – make exercise fun, not a chore. Use a routine that’s simple and easy to start. Don’t worry about setting aside one long period of workout time. Instead try to accumulate exercise throughout the day. But bear in mind, National Guidelines recommend at least 30 minutes of activity per day and 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Data suggests that to maintain your fitness level, shoot for three (3) moderate to tough workouts a week; to improve your fitness level or lose body fat faster; you may want to up your workout days per week to five or six (5 or 6). Not sure what is the best combo, ask me!

Good luck and enjoy the rest of the month, March is right around the corner!

Coach C

6-WEEK "GET FOCUSED" CHALLENGE

Ok Achieve Challengers, we are officially half way. How are you doing? Please share your successes and challenges; I am here to help!

1. 3-weeks left
2. 6-week "Get Focused" Challenge with support for the areas YOU need
3. Week #3, this week you focused on putting your goals into practice, doing something each day to help you move closer by prioritizing them. Week #4, this week is all about staying the course. Get those blinders on and just keep powering through. The halfway mark is tough; you no longer have the excitement about starting AND you still have time before the last week (finish line) adrenaline kicks in

4. Week #3 Mantra - DON'T' HAVE TO GO FAST, I JUST HAVE TO GO

5. Week #4 Mantra - GREAT THINGS NEVER CAME FROM COMFORT ZONES

HERE'S THE DEAL

So this week I had no Achieve client questions BUT I did have a posing client ask me a great one, that I thought I would share. Her question was, "how do you eat when you are a little behind schedule for a competition," OR in our current case, a little behind for a vacation and you want to really pull off those last few pounds. Here is what the current practice is, see below.

THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE BUT MEANT INSTEAD TO BE DONE FOR 7-14 DAYS ONLY

Meal #1

1.5 serving protein powder in water OR 1/2- 1 cup egg whites

1-2 cups veggies

Meal #2

3-5 oz. grilled chicken, turkey, fish

1-2 cups sautéed non starchy veggies

Meal #3

3-5 oz. grilled chicken, turkey, fish

1-2 cups sautéed non starchy veggies

Meal #4

3-5 oz. grilled chicken, turkey, fish

1-2 cups sautéed non starchy veggies

Meal #5

3-5 oz. grilled chicken, turkey, fish, flank steak

1-2 cups sautéed non starchy veggies

Post Workout Meal ONLY

Add 1/2 cup OR 1 serving starchy carb

(Ex: 1 serving oatmeal, 1 serving brown rice OR Quinoa, 1 slice sourdough toast, 3-4 oz. yam)

1 gallon of water

NOTE: ONE MEAL A WEEK IS A REFEED MEAL LIKE PIZZA, A BURGER AND FRIES, WHATEVER YOU CRAVE BUT ONLY ONE MEAL A WEEK

ALSO, IF YOU FIND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO THE BATHROOM (#2) AS REGULARLY AS USUAL, ADD ONE SERVING OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS EACH DAY, LIKE FISH OIL TABS.

HERE'S WHAT I DO

I have not been in this situation for a long time BUT here is my plan for the last two weeks before my cruise.

Breakfast (4:30 am)

1 cup egg whites

2 cups sautéed zucchini

TEACHING BOOT CAMPS

Early Morning Snack (6:30-7am)

RTD Orgain protein shake in water

1/2 small apple

Late Morning Snack - Pre-Workout (9-10 am)

1 serving Spark (and the other 1/2 of my apple if I am really hungry)

WORKOUT - Lift with 30 min treadmill walk after @ 3.0-3.4 MPH @ 6-10% incline

Lunch - Post Workout

1.5 cups homemade turkey chili (no beans)

12 Donkey chips (my starch after my workout)

Mid Afternoon Snack

1 RTD Orgain protein shake OR 4 oz. Salmon

2 cups zucchini

Dinner

4-5 oz. Salmon

2 cups zucchini

1 gallon of water

NOTE: My "refeed" meal will be pizza and garlic bread from Salas restaurant on a Thurs OR Fri. If I cannot eat this meal WITHOUT wine, then I will opt for a burger and fries from Hollander Cafe. :)

FAQ

Have a question, ask! I am glad to answer it.

6-WEEK "GET FOCUSED" CHALLENGE

Ok Achieve Challengers, we are two weeks into this already, how is your progress? See below for your next week's focus!

1. 4-weeks left
2. 6-week "Get Focused" Challenge with support for the areas YOU need
3. Week #2, this week you focused on getting clear about your goals and making plans to address them daily. Week #3, this week we hunker down and prioritize your goals. DO NOT let anything get in the way. You have more control than you think!

4. Week #2 Mantra - LIFE IS ALWAYS MORE FUN WHEN I AM PREPARED
5. Week #3 Mantra - I DON'T' HAVE TO GO FAST, I JUST HAVE TO GO

HERE'S THE DEAL

A few clients asked that I give a sample meal plan based on the "formula" from last week's email. The key with this is to pull out a lot of your starchy carbs that are NOT around your workout and replace them with non-starchy veggies and healthy fats. Substitute foods and serving sizes as needed. This really works, enjoy!

Here is a "formula" for lunches AND dinners:

• 2 cups of non-starchy vegetables, like lettuces, bell peppers, broccoli, etc. (see list below)

• 100-200 calories of fats, like avocado, cheese, oil etc.

• 4-5 oz of protein like chicken, tofu, beef, fish, etc.

Pre-Boot Camp

• 1 serving protein powder in water OR 1/2 cup egg whites

• 1 serving berries/apple/pear OR 1-2 rice cakes

Breakfast - Post Boot Camp

• 1 serving protein powder in water OR 1/2 cup egg whites

• 1 slice gluten free OR sourdough toast

• 1 Tbsp almond butter

Mid-Morning Snack

• 1/2 cup carrot sticks

• 1 serving hummus

Lunch

• 1-2 cups sauteed non starchy veggies

• 1/4 of an avocado (2 oz)

• 4-5 oz grilled chicken

Mid Afternoon Snack

• 1/2 of a medium apple

• 1 Tbsp Almond butter

Dinner

• 1-2 cups roasted zucchini

• 4-5 oz meat protein OR a non-meat protein

• 1/4 of an avocado (2 oz)

1 gallon of water

HERE'S WHAT I DO

Ok, so I follow the above pretty closely BUT I have found that if I do not have a starchy carb for dinner, I do not sleep well. See a sample day of my daily meal plans below.

Breakfast (4:30 am)

• 1 cup egg whites

• 1/4 avocado

• 1/2 cup sauteed tomatoes

• 1 serving Spark

TEACHING BOOT CAMPS

Early Morning Snack (6:30-7am)

• RTD Orgain protein shake in water

• 1 small apple

Late Morning Snack - Pre-Workout (9-10 am)

• 1/2 of a Kodiak Protein granola bar

• 1/2 serving Spark

WORKOUT - Lift with 20 min treadmill walk after @ 3.0-3.4 MPH @ 6-10% incline

Lunch - Post Workout

• 1 Kodiak Protein Waffle

• 1 serving whipped cream (c’mon I gotta live a little)

• 1 serving sugar free syrup

• 1/2 cup egg whites

Mid Afternoon Snack

• RTD Orgain protein shake

• 1-2 cups non starchy veggie (whatever I have cooked, right now it is zucchini & red bell peppers)

Dinner

• 2 corn tortillas

• 5 oz taco turkey meat

• sprinkles of...tomato, lettuce and low-fat sour cream

• 1/4 of an avocado (2 oz) OR 1 Tbsp guacamole

1 gallon of water

*Note, the starchy carbs are bolded above

**Note, I am also eating a “no bean” beef chili AND a high meat beef stew I made in the slow cooker, so there is LOTS for the week.

FAQ

A vegetarian client asked me this week, "what would be the most optimal meat protein to include" in their meals IF they were going to add meat protein. They commented that even though they lost weight, most of the wight was MUSCLE weight NOT fat. Yikes! I always go back to the fact that you MUST eat what you like. Grilled chicken is a great choice BUT if you do not like grilled chicken, do not eat it. This client opted for chicken thighs. We discussed that this darker meat has a slightly higher fat content and that she would need to make sure to be mindful of the other servings of fat in her diet to AVOID overeating "healthy" fats. This is easy to do, so be aware of your fat servings. Another protein choice was salmon. GREAT, plan in advance and know your fat intake. Even a good thing can be overdone.

Have a question, ask! I am glad to answer it.

If you missed this last week...Non-starchy Vegetables for Volume

Artichokes

Asparagus (Coach favorite)

Bean Sprouts

Broccoli

Brussel Sprouts

Carrots (Coach favorite)

Cauliflower

Cucumber (Coach favorite)

Eggplant

Lettuce

Mushrooms (Coach favorite)

Peppers (Coach favorite)

Radishes

Salad Greens (Coach favorite)

Spinach (Coach favorite)

Tomato (Coach favorite)

Zucchini (Coach favorite)

Yours in Health,

Coach C