Last night we had a wonderful event, collected lots of food for the local food pantries, worked out with pumpkins and ate some awesome grub!
Enjoy the pictures!
Crown Point Boot Camp: Enjoy Halloween, but Not Too Much
CROWN POINT | Local Crown Point fat loss expert, Angela Ramos, has information that every dieter needs to know: Halloween is when the holiday weight gain really starts.
While the month of December is typically blamed for holiday weight gain, Ramos warns those wanting to lose weight that thanks to Halloween the pounds actually start to get packed on in late October.
"The amount of eats and treats that people consume is alarming," Ramos was quoted as saying. "One of the main problems is the smaller ‘snack sizes' that the candy manufacturers have made available. Eating several ‘mini' chocolate bars is something people see as ‘ok' because of their smaller size. In other words, it becomes a lot easier to convince yourself to indulge in these gut-swelling goodies and then you end up eating even more than before!"
Ramos recommends the following three figure-saving tips he has used with great success with her own clients for keeping the pounds off while still allowing for the occasional Halloween treat during pumpkin season:
1) Workout with Pumpkins: Attend Ramos' "Freaky Fat Loss Workout" to engage in some amazingly fun and effective seasonal fat loss workouts involving only your body weight and you guessed it... a pumpkin! This high-intensity, metabolism-boosting workout will be Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 6-8pm at Inspiration Fitness. All you need is: a costume, 2 non-perishable food items (to be donated to a local food pantry), and a PUMPKIN (females-10lb, males-20lb, children-5lb). For more information call 219-779-0500.
2) Make Healthier Halloween Recipes: Ramos recommends finding some great tasting treat recipes on line that won't kill your diet for some much needed damage control this Halloween season. It is imperative to be able to think outside the box by substituting healthier ingredients where possible without overly sacrificing the taste you crave for a more figure-friendly Halloween.
3) Use Common Sense:
- Only buy enough candy so that you expect to run out before the evening is over. It's crucial to weight loss success to not have "trigger" foods lying around - the temptation is often too great.
- Allow yourself just one piece of candy in the morning and then one at night. Skip any desserts
that you would normally eat after dinner. Also, be sure to increase your exercise activity by thirty minutes on every day that you eat your two pieces of candy. This will counteract the increase in calories that you are consuming.
- Furthermore, if people indulge a bit too much it's important to forgive themselves and move on. Dwelling on the past will not help their success.
Ramos believes that we must break out of the frustrating emotional eating patterns that sabotage our fat loss efforts during the holidays.
She states: "Our brains are wired to crave the sugar-laded treats that typify the Halloween season. So, our approach has been to take the exact opposite approach with our clients. Instead of using Halloween as a reason to justify eating a bunch of junk food we spin the seasonal event to spice up our boot camp workout by using pumpkin exercises. Halloween thus becomes a fat loss tool for us and our clients- this approach is key to adopting a healthy lifestyle for long-term success."
Ramos' local Inspiration Fitness facility (www.CrownPointPersonalTrainers.com) will be holding their annual "Freaky Fat Loss Workout" on Thursday, November 3 from 6-8 pm at 1940 E. North St, Suite C in Crown Point. The event features an interval training fat loss workout using pumpkins that Ramos claims will "scare the fat off of your body." Following the workout is a healthy Halloween buffet consisting of recipes brought in by their clients. The event is open to the general public and will also serve as a fund-raiser for a local food pantry.
For more information call Inspiration Fitness @ 219-779-0500. Register for the event at http://halloweenextravaganza.viprespond.com
Crown Point Boot Camp: Best Body Challenge
Inspiration Fitness is on a mission to change the shape of Crown Point. The Best Body Challenge could help hundreds of local residents transform their bodies in 6 weeks, free of charge.
There’s no cost to participate in the challenge all we ask is that each person make a small, one-time $10 donation to St. Jude House. That’s it.
The Best Body Challenge can be likened to the fitness and weight loss contest phenomenon started by the hit TV show, The Biggest Loser. The show really focused the nation’s attention on the benefits of participating in a contest, guided by certified personal trainers, in terms of the motivation and accountability necessary for success. It’s difficult to lose weight on your own. Anyone who’s tried and struggled knows that – and unfortunately, that’s the majority
At www.CrownPointBestBodyChallenge.com, you can find the details of the challenge and provides a complete guide that can be downloaded instantly, containing instructions, questions and answers, rules and regulations, prizes awarded to winners and even a complete 6-week exercise and nutrition program.
For those that need a little more instruction and encouragement, there is a separate group called “Kick It” that will meet Saturday mornings at 8am at Inspiration Fitness. There is a small fee of $47 to participate in this group. Space will be limited.
Many local businesses have agreed to sponsor the challenge by helping spread the word and provide many of the prizes awarded to the Your Best Body Grand Champion and two runners up. “It’s definitely a town effort,” says Ramos “we couldn’t do this without a lot of help. We’re all very grateful for the way this challenge is being received and look forward to helping a lot of folks lose the weight and get into great shape.”
Crown Point Personal Trainers: Steer Clear of this Health Threat
3 All-Natural “Superstars” That Will Help You Avoid One Of The Biggest Threats To Your Health
It’s one of the worst diseases you can develop — as it poses a real threat to your health and practically every vital organ in your body.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that as many as 79 million American’s are at the early stages of this disease.
I’m talking about diabetes.
As you probably already know, diabetes is a gateway to a whole world of trouble — including heart disease, blindness, poor circulation, and kidney failure.
Basically, diabetes develops when your body can no longer control high levels of sugar in your bloodstream.
Of course, the best thing you can do for your own health is to PREVENT diabetes in the first place.
Diet and exercise are crucial. It’s the first level of defense in keeping your sugar and insulin levels in check.
But you should also use at least one (or all three!) of these safe, all-natural, sugar-busting “superstars” –
1. Gymnema Sylvestre.
This plant comes from India. It’s been used by Ayurvedic healers for over 2,000 years! Studies have shown it can greatly lower your over blood sugar over the long term. You can find it at your local health food store.
2.Cinnamon.
You would probably never guess that cinnammon lowers your blood sugar, right? But it’s powerful sugar-busting properties were discovered by accident. Researchers were studying the effects of common foods on blood sugar levels. When subjects ate apple pie, their blood sugar actually lowered! The scientists were baffled and looked into it more. They finally narrowed apple pie’s sugar-lowering effects to the cinnamon. Try sprinkling cinnamon on oatmeal or on apples for a tasty treat.
Picture from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenugreek”]
[fenugreek
3. Fenugreek.
This seed is native to the mediterranean region, along with India and China. It helps stimulate the release of insulin in your body, which helps lower your overall blood sugar levels. This is one you’ll have to find at a health food store as well.
No question, diabetes can mess up your health big time. But eat right, workout, and take one or more of the all-natural “superstars” I’ve told you about here, and you’ll be golden!
And as always – If you’re serious about taking control of your health and fitness, then make sure you take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation (an $87 value).
During this consult, you’ll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.
There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. To sign up, click here.
Crown Point Boot Camp: Skipping This Could Mean More Cravings…
Nothing can derail your best diet efforts faster than caving into a craving.
That’s why the more you learn about what causes them and what you can do to ward them off – the better off you’ll be.
Recent research suggests that skipping one important meal can cause you to cave into cravings throughout the rest of the day.
Can you guess what that one meal is? (I’ll wait…)
Breakfast!
Now before I give you the details of the study, it’s important you understand what causes cravings in the first place.
Psychological factors aside, the primary “driver” behind cravings is the hormone ghrelin.
High levels of ghrelin in your stomach tell your brain to be HUNGRY. When ghrelin levels are high, we tend to overeat because we can’t seem to get enough.
Likewise, when ghrelin levels are low, we feel satisfied. Similar to how you feel AFTER you’ve indulged in the food you were craving.
So in this study, researchers recruited healthy individuals who were NOT obese.
Here’s how they set up the experiment.
Participants were asked to come into the lab on three separate mornings.
Each time, they were say in front of a display that contained pictures of fatty foods (think cake, chocolate, burgers, pizza, etc) or healthy foods (veggies, salads, fish, etc.) Then, as they looked at each picture they had to rate how appealing that food looked to them.
Now here’s where it gets interesting…
One third of the participants were asked to eat breakfast before arriving. Once they were at the lab they were injected with a saltwater (placebo) solution 40 minutes before they looked at the screen with the high calorie and low calorie foods.
Another third of the participants were asked to skip breakfast before arriving at the lab. They were still given the saltwater solution 40 minutes before looking at the food pictures.
The final third of the participants were asked to eat breakfast before showing up. However THIS time they injected them with the hormone ghrelin 40 minutes before looking at the photos.
To keep everything controlled, the researchers did not know whether they were injecting the subjects with saltwater or ghrelin. Also, the subjects weren’t told whether the injection was saltwater or ghrelin.
So what did the researchers find out?
For starters, when subjects had breakfast and were injected with the saltwater they preferred the low calorie foods.
When subjects skipped breakfast and were injected with saltwater, they preferred that fatty foods.
And for the kicker -
When they ATE breakfast and were injected with ghrelin, they found the high-calorie (fatty) foods more appetizing.
The lesson to be learned?
DON’T skip breakfast. Doing so may be the equivalent of injecting yourself with the “hunger” hormone ghrelin. And that means more cravings throughout the day.
And by the way … if you’re serious about taking your health and fitness to the next level, why not take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (an $87 value)
During this consult, you’ll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.
There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. To sign up,
click here
Crown Point Boot Camp: Use these “Diet” Tricks to Banish Cravings and Stay on Track
One of the hardest parts of following a nutrition program and trying to get fit is dealing with cravings.
For most people, a craving can lead them to ‘falling off the wagon.’
That’s why it’s so crucial to learn different strategies that can help when that strong craving strikes.
Here are 4 things you can do:
Drink water
More often than not, being thirsty can be mistaken for hunger or for a craving. So next time you get a craving, drink 2 tall glasses of water. Wait 10 – 15 minutes and then see how you feel.
Snack on protein
If you ever get cravings at night, this can help. Next time you’re craving sweets or feel like eating something “bad” for you, have some protein. Maybe some turkey breast, chicken breast, or some lean deli cuts. Protein is not only nutritious, but also helps increase your leptin levels, which is the hormone responsible for telling your brain to give you that “full” feeling.
Drink green tea
Numerous studies have been done on the positive effects of green tea and your body’s metabolism. Not only does it act as a metabolism booster, but studies show it may also help curb your appetite. 1 – 2 cups whenever you’re craving sweets or fatty foods can help.
Eat more fruit
If you’re the kind of person who has those terrible “sweets cravings” pay special attention. Eating a piece of fruit can satisfy that intense craving. What’s more, fruit is chock-full of nutrients and antioxidants that are good for you. Make sure to choose fruit that’s low on the glycemic index and glycemic load scale. Good choices are apples, red grapes, kiwi fruit, and blueberries.
So there you have it. Next time you get one of those strong cravings, pick one or more of these tips to follow.
You’ll be glad you did. Not only will it keep you from “cheating” but it’ll also help give your body the nutrition it needs to stay healthy and fit.
Little tips like these are what separates those who are successful at making their fitness goals come true and those who don’t.
That’s why if you haven’t already, you might want to consider taking advantage of your FREE fitness consultation (normally $87).
During the consult, you’ll get those little tips and tricks — tailored to YOUR body — that’ll help you achieve your goals sooner than later.
There’s no obligation, and you’ll receive actionable advice you can use right away to put you on the path to a new, healthy and fit YOU!
To get started, click here.
How to Slash Up To 5 1/2 Years Off Your Brain’s “Age!”
You probably already know that exercise and proper diet keeps your body “young.”
But did you know you can also keep your mind young (quite literally)?
In fact, I’ve just come across a study that suggests you can reverse your brain’s age… by up to 5.5 years!
The study, published in the prestigious British medical journal The Lancet, set out to find if folic acid could affect mental performance.[1]
Dutch researchers took 818 participants aged 50 – 70 and split them into two groups.
One group received 800 mcg of folic acid daily for three years
The second group received a placebo.
At the start of the study, all of the participants were given a battery of memory tests to measure cognitive performance.
So what happened?
The group that took folic acid showed a HUGE improvement on the standardized memory tests given at the end of the study. In fact, they did so well that they knocked 5 1/2 years off their ages when it came to their test performance.
And that was the AVERAGE. Some folks erased even more years on their mental “age.”
Bottom line: If you want to keep your memory sharp, seriously consider supplementing with 800 mcg of folic acid daily.
You can find it at most grocery and health food store.
In the end, keeping your brain healthy should be just as important as keeping the rest of your body in tip top shape.
This is especially true if you’re nearing your 50s.
It’s estimated that anywhere from 50-75 percent of Americans over 50 complain of mild memory problems.
And as the baby boomer generation continues to age, it’s expected that around 7.7 million will develop life-threatening mental decline (diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s).
So do everything you can to keep both your body AND mind in great shape.
As for brain health, in addition to taking folic acid, you can start walking regularly. A study in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that walking just 40 minutes, 3 times a week can expand the size of your hippocampus – an area of the brain that’s heavily responsible for your memory.[2]
And, start drinking more green tea. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the polyphenols in green tea can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by stopping the formation of beta-amyloid proteins (one of the toxic proteins believed to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s.)[3]
Follow the tips I’ve given you here today, and you’ll be on the path to having a sharp memory and a healthy brain for years to come!
And by the way … if you’re serious about taking your overall health and fitness to the next level, why not take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (an $87 value)
During this consult, you’ll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.
There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. To sign up, click here
References:
[1] Durga, Jane, et al.”Effect of 3-year folic acid supplementation on cognitive function in older adults in the FACIT trial: a randomised, double blind, controlled trial”The Lancet, Vol.369, Issue 9557, Pg.208 – 216, Jan. 2007
[2] Erickson, Kirk, et al.”Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory” PNAS, Jan. 31, 2011
[3] Green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits beta-amyloid-induced cognitive dysfunction through modification of secretase activity via inhibition of ERK and NF-kappaB pathways in mice.Lee JW, Lee YK, Ban JO, Ha TY, Yun YP, Han SB, Oh KW, Hong JT. J Nutr. 2009 Oct;139(10):1987-93. Epub 2009 Aug 5.
Why Your “Gut” Could Be Key To Losing Extra Fat by Crown Point Personal Trainers
Who knew?
Recent research suggests your “gut” could play a role in helping you lose that stubborn belly fat.
(Ironic, I know!)
How’s this possible? Well, it’s all thanks to the “inner ecosystem” that lives in your body.
We’ve known about the “good” and “bad” bacteria that can thrive in our digestive systems. But here’s what we didn’t know…
“Good bacteria,” also known as probiotics, can help burn off abdominal fat. This is as close to “spot reducing” as you can get!
The study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, studied the effects of probiotics on 87 overweight participants.1
One group drank 200 grams of milk with a probiotic supplement.
The second group drank 200 grams of milk with nothing else.
This was done daily, over the course of 12 weeks.
The results?
The milk-with-probiotics group lost nearly five percent of their abdominal fat!
But it doesn’t stop there… they also lost over three percent of their subcutaneous fat (the fat that’s just underneath the skin).
The control group that did not supplement with probiotics had no significant change in bodyweight or fat loss.
Pretty amazing, right!?
This supports another very recent study that suggests probiotics can be helpful in fighting obesity overall.
Researchers from Lund University in Sweden explored the effects of lactic acid bacteria on rats given a high-calorie diet.2
One group of rats were given the lactic acid bacterium from the uterus and into adulthood.
The second group did not receive the bacterium.
Both groups ate the SAME amount of food.
Those that got the bacterium weighed significantly less than those that didn’t.
So how can you get some “good” fat-fighting bacteria into YOUR gut?
Here are a few tips:
1. Stay away from sugar and fructose.
Sugar serves as fuel for the growth of bad baceteria, yeast and fungi. All the kinds of wrong things you DON’T want growing inside you.
2. Eat more fermented foods.
Anything pickled is a good bet, like cabbage or cucumbers.
3. Natto.
This is a popular Japanese dish. It’s fermented soy beans and it’s rich in “good” bacteria.
Photo from http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html
4. Probiotic supplement.
This is another option if you don’t like eating fermented foods. You can easily find this at your local health food store.
And by the way … if you’re serious about taking your health and fitness to the next level, why not take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (an $87 value)
During this consult, you’ll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.
There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. To sign up, click here
References:
1. Kadooka Y, Sato M, Imaizumi K, Ogawa A, Ikuyama K, Akai Y, Okano M, Kagoshima M, Tsuchida T., “Regulation of abdominal adiposity by probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055) in adults with obese tendencies in a randomized controlled trial”.Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jun;64(6):636-43. Epub 2010 Mar 10.
2. Karlsson CL, Molin G, Fåk F, Johansson Hagslätt ML, Jakesevic M, Håkansson A, Jeppsson B, Weström B, Ahrné S.”Effects on weight gain and gut microbiota in rats given bacterial supplements and a high-energy-dense diet from fetal life through to 6 months of age.”Br J Nutr. 2011 Mar 30:1-9.
3 Steps to Your Best Body with Crown Point Boot Camp
Over the last 6 months , I have been working on a book with some of the top fitness elite from all around the world. In the process of writing this book, we all agreed to reveal our top secrets that will help you achieve the body you’ve always wanted. Everyone was held to the same code, share the best secrets you’ve got.
The great news is that we got everyone to agree, and the book that we all wrote together, “3 Steps to Your Best Body in Record Time: America’s Leading Fitness Experts Reveal the Proven 3-Step System to the Body You Always Wanted…In Minimum Time !” is coming out TOMORROW!
Just for purchasing the book tomorrow on Amazon.com, and helping us get off to a great start, I’ve put together a huge bonus package for you!
I will send you a link to buy the book tomorrow on Amazon, but here’s a sneak peak at all the great stuff you’ll get JUST for spending $19.99! Click here to check out the bonuses!
Just for purchasing the book tomorrow on Amazon, and helping us get off to a great start, you’ll get all of these great bonuses!
I will send you a link to buy the book tomorrow for just $19.99, and once you buy it, just email your Amazon.com receipt to bonus@celebritypresspublishing.com and they’ll send the bonuses right over to you!
Until Tomorrow!
Coach Angela Ramos
Inspiration Fitness Expands to a New Facility
Inspiration Fitness will be moving by the end of June.
Take a brief tour of our new facility:
We are going to celebrate with a week long Open House in
July. I hope we see you there!
