PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY – SATURDAY, MAY 19

Annual Fitness Fundraiser to Benefit Military Charity the Boot Campaign

Which Supports Soldiers Returning From Combat

Who:   Pushups for Charity is all about getting fit, having fun and making a difference. It’s an alliance of many of the world’s most respected fitness professionals who have come together to support worthy charities by providing free fitness coaching and exercise programming to all who participate in a Pushups for Charity event, or sponsor someone participating.

It was founded in 2010 by Net Profit Explosion president Sean Greely who created the event to encourage people to give back while embracing a healthy lifestyle. Past events have raised over $250,000. This year the event is aiming for a record $500,000 donation to The Boot Campaign, a non-profit that donates proceeds to a group of partner charities that work with soldiers healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, “When They Come Back, We Give Back”.

What:  On May 19th, 2012 over 100 gyms across the country will challenge individuals to raise monies for the charity by seeing how many pushups they can do in 90 seconds. Participants enlist the help of friends and family for sponsorships, with donations of as little as $0.50 per push up.

Where:           

Inspiration Fitness

1940 E. North Street, Suite C

(219) 779-0500

When:

Saturday, May 19, 2012

9am – 11am

Get Fit. Have Fun. Make A Difference.

Check out the Push Ups for Charity 2012 site and register for the event at:

www.PushUpsforCharity.com

*Local gym reps are available for interviews with local media.

Media Contacts:

Erin Cook and O’Ryan McKinney

Jensen Communications

626-585-9575

erin@jensencom.com or oryan@jensencom.com

Picture from Allrecipes.com

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds),
cut up
Directions:
1.     In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first seven ingredients; mix well. Remove 1/4 cup for basting and refrigerate. Add chicken to the bag; seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2.     Drain and discard marinade from chicken. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes. Baste with reserved marinade. Grill 20-30 minutes longer or until juices run clear, basting and turning several times.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Katie Bologna

When Angela told me I was going to be eating and training like an athlete, I thought she was setting the bar too high for me. I am sure I thought “what have I gotten myself into?” I was scared. I didn’t want to have to think about getting fit, I just wanted it to happen.  I didn’t want to change my lifestyle and push myself.
It took some time for me to realize that what I put into my body and my VIP training sessions totally relied on each other. Something clicked about two months ago and I have really seen the scale move in a good direction. I have gained so much knowledge about diet and exercise and I owe it all to the Inspiration Fitness Team. Thanks to them and some dedication on my part, I am a healthy 40 year old mom, wife, and woman.  And I know what it takes to get in shape and stay that way.
Katie Bologna

Everyone knows walking is great for your overall health. Your Crown Point and Valpo Boot Camp Trainers will always suggest adding in extra activity to your week. But sometimes, walking can cause aches and pains. You don’t have to “grit” it out and hope it gets better on its own.

Here are 4 solutions to the most common aches and pains folks report to our Crown Point and Valpo Boot Camp Trainers when walking:
Lower back pain.

It’s pretty normal to feel an ache in your lower back — especially when you first start walking. This is normally caused by tight hip and thigh muscles, which can cause you to twist your hips with each stride you take. The solution? Try putting your hands on your hips to keep your hips from rotating too much. Try to keep them square with the direction you’re going in. Also remember to always stretch after walking. The more flexible you are, the less you’ll experience this pain.
Shin Splints.

http://www.sxc.hu

Another common one, especially with new walkers. It’s caused by an imbalance between the muscles that help you lift the foot off the ground and then place it back. A major cause is over striding. Keep your feet under you. Don’t over extend on your strides. Also, make sure you wear a shoe with a low heel instead of a high, wedged heel. This will help correct the imbalance, and ease the pain.
Swollen fingers.

http://www.sxc.hu

If you’re fingers end up bigger than when you first started walking, it’s from swinging your arms too much. Try to not exaggerate the swinging motion as you walk. Also, periodically bend your arms to create a 90 degree angle and make a fist. Tighten it and then open and  stretch out the fingers. This will help recirculation of the blood that’s causing the swelling.
Sore knees.

http://www.sxc.hu

Sore knees after walking doesn’t mean you’re getting old. It just means your posture while walking is too far-forward. This placed extra stress on your knees. Make sure to stand up straight, and keep your shoulders back. Your hips and shoulders should be in line with each other. Also, keep your strides underneath you. Don’t over extend yourself.

Inspiring you to better health!

Image from Allrecipes.com

Eat Yourself Thin

Chinese Pork Tenderloin
(Serves Six)

2 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1 tablespoon black bean sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 pinch Chinese five-spice powder

1. Place tenderloins in a shallow glass dish. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sherry, black bean sauce, ginger, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and five-spice powder. Pour marinade over pork, and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove tenderloins from refrigerator while the oven preheats.

3. Bake pork in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or to desired doneness. Let stand for 10 minutes, and then slice diagonally into thin slices.

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Ready: 2 hrs 40 mins

Amount Per Serving – Calories: 222 / Total Fat: 5.5g / Cholesterol: 98mg / Sodium: 373mg / Total Carbs: 5g / Dietary Fiber: 0.3g / Protein: 35.8g

Recipe from AllRecipes.com.

http://www.sxc.hu

By now you’ve probably already heard from your Crown Point and Valpo Personal Trainers that pomegranates are good for your heart.

In fact, walk by most grocery store “health food” aisles and you’re likely to see at least a drink or two made with pomegranate juice.

If you’re not already eating pomegranates or drinking some form of its juice, here is yet another reason you may want to consider doing so …

It turns out that it could have a positive impact on reducing inflammation and joint pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). [1]

Studies have been done in the past to examine the effects of pomegranate juice on arthritis and inflammation… however they were done on rats, not humans.

In this recent pilot study, published in The Israeli Medical Association Journal, researchers recruited eight participants diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Each participant was given 10ml/day of pomegranate extract, for twelve weeks.

Also, the researchers assessed the participants’ joint status and serum oxidative status at the beginning of the study and at the end of the twelve-week supplementation period.

http://www.sxc.hu

So what happened?

By the end of the study, the pomegranate extract helped alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

On average, participants were able to reduce their tender joint count by a whopping 62 percent!

They also significantly reduced their serum oxidative status, which is highly indicative of a reduction in the body’s inflammatory response. As well, participants reduced the composite Disease Activity Index (DAS28) of arthritis by 17 percent.

The study’s authors added, “Dietary supplementation with pomegranates may be a useful complementary strategy to attenuate clinical symptoms in RA patients.”

This is exciting news for anyone with chronic joint pain. And quite frankly, your Crown Point and Valpo Personal Trainers want you to know that if you suffer from arthritis or similar pain, there really is nothing to lose in trying pomegranate juice out, and see if it works for your body.

Just keep in mind,  most of the juice sold is quite high in sugar. So a little goes a long way, especially if you’re trying to get or stay lean and healthy.

And as you would expect, the best way to ensure you’re getting plenty of antioxidants to keep your body healthy and disease-free is to eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables. The more colorful, the better.

That’s it for today.

Oh and one more thing – if you’re serious about taking your health and fitness to the next level this year, why not take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation with your Crown Point and Valpo Personal Trainers? (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. Balbir-Gurman A, Fuhrman B, Braun-Moscovici Y, Markovits D, Aviram M., “Consumption of pomegranate decreases serum oxidative stress and reduces disease activity in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study.” Isr Med Assoc J. 2011 Aug;13(8):474-9.

Photo from AllRecipes.com

Baked Halibut Steaks
(Serves Four)

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (6 ounce) halibut steaks
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly grease a shallow baking dish.

2. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir in zucchini, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Remove saucepan from heat and mix in tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper.

3. Arrange halibut steaks in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon equal amounts of the zucchini mixture over each steak. Top with feta cheese.

4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Ready: 30 mins

Amount Per Serving – Calories: 259 / Total Fat: 8g / Cholesterol: 66mg / Sodium: 385mg / Total Carbs: 6.7g / Dietary Fiber: 1.7g / Protein: 38.5g

Recipe from AllRecipes.com.

… and that this drink can keep you young and vibrant due to some special effects it has on the body?

Would you be interested in finding out what it is?

Good! Because the drink I’m talking about is widely available and pretty cheap.

I’m talking about green tea!

You’ve probably heard about it’s antioxidant effects and it’s ability to help boost your metabolism.

But here’s what you probably don’t know -

Recent research has found that green tea can have a protective effect on your genes, making you “younger” at a genetic level.

Let me explain …

Green tea has been used for ages in Asia, not only as a daily drink, but as a source of medicine used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from indigestion to preventing fatigue and improving brain function.

The source of its healing properties comes from it’s antioxidants – namely a polyphenol called Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)

Modern science has established that this and other antioxidants in green tea are far more powerful than vitamins A, C or E. [1]

So it’s no wonder that recent findings in a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition are pretty amazing.

Researchers recruited 18 healthy subjects who were split randomly into two groups.

Group 1 was given 2 cups of green tea every day.

Group 2 was given water every day.

The study lasted four weeks. At the end of the study the scientists analyzed blood and urine samples of all the participants and found that the green tea offered significant protection to the participant’s DNA.

In fact, further investigation suggested that it reduced damage to the participant’s genes by 20%! [2]

This is pretty amazing stuff! That’s because your genes determine how quickly you age.

See, at the end of every strand of DNA in your body, there are end caps known as telomeres.

The best way to understand this is to think of a shoe lace. The shoe lace is the strand of DNA.

The telomere is the plastic end of the shoe string that lets you tie it easily.

As you age, your telomeres shorten. The faster they get shorter, the quicker you age. Several factors make them get shorter, including processes in your body as well as external elements in the environment you live in (due to oxidative stress).

But if you drink green tea, you can slow down this shortening process since it protects your DNA.

The way it does this, is by extending the life of your telomeres…

A study done at the Chinese University of Hong Kong looked at the telomere length of folks who drank 3 cups of green tea per day. On average, the telomeres of the green tea drinkers were 5 years younger than those of people of the same age who did NOT. [3]

Bottom line: Drink some green tea. The benefits are too many to ignore.

If you don’t want the caffeine, there are plenty of decaffeinated brands that still have the powerful antioxidants.

Aim for 2 – 3 cups per day.

If you simply don’t like the taste of green tea, that’s fine too.

You can find the green tea EGCG’s (the antioxidant responsible for many of the beneficial effects) in supplement form.

Just make sure the supplement you get has been standardized to at least 60% polyphenols for best results.

So drink up… and stay young. Cheers!

Oh and by the way, if you’re serious about taking your health and fitness to the next level before Summer is officially here, 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. Unachukwu UJ. White and green teas (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis): Variation in phenolic, methylxanthine, and antioxidant profiles. Journal of Food Science. 2010;75:C541-C548.

2. Han KC. Genoprotective effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) in human subjects: results of a controlled supplementation trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 28 January 2011 105 : pp 171-179

3. Chan R. Chinese tea consumption is associated with longer telomere length in elderly Chinese men. British Journal of Nutrition. 2010;103:107-113.

Brenda Hardesty

A few years ago I had some life changes including divorce, moved from my hometown to Crown Point, got remarried and added 2 more children to the family.  While I loved all the changes, I didn’t keep up with my running or wasn’t eating healthy.  Two summers ago I hit the bottom.  I was so desperate to get back to running and getting into shape but just couldn’t seem to get it done by myself.  Kim Lamparski (who has been a faithful member of IFC since it began) suggested I go to Boot Camp with her.  I thought, sure, I will give it a try.  I did for one summer, loved it, but had to quit when school was back in session due to the kids schedules.  Over the winter and following summer, I would TRY to get focused again but it just wasn’t happening.  I had put on a lot of extra pounds and was feeling so terrible about myself!  Once again Kim suggested “Come back to IFC!”  I was determined to stop this ugly unhealthy cycle.

I joined back up in October and am LOVING it! I am stronger, have more energy and a lot more confidence! Since October my body fat percentage went from 25% to 18%. I love what IFC, Angela and Coach Jason has done for me!    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! Looking forward to much more success in 2012.

~Brenda Hardesty

Thomas Granandos

My name is Thomas Granados and I have been a member of Inspiration Fitness since mid-August. I had been running and doing sit-ups prior to joining IFC. That kept me from gaining more weight but I did not “feel good” after my workouts. I was looking for something different and was not interested in joining a typical gym. I originally joined the four week fitness camp and instantly saw an interesting change in philosophy to fitness. More importantly I saw results: a loss of 22 lbs, 3 inches off the waist, and gained better eating habits and overall feeling great.

From the initial assessment to the varying workouts, and where I struggled most, NUTRITION, I have received excellent coaching and continued mentoring. The staff is professional, knowledgeable, and FUN! I couldn’t be happier with IFC and am a day closer to reaching my fitness goals.