Tips to succeeding with food

Deits don't work, good habits do!!
 
1.  Know how many calories you should be eating!!  NEVER eat below your BMR.  Use this calculator to figure out what your BMR is, and then never eat below that number.  In fact, to find out how many calories you are currently eating to maintain your current weight, use the following formulas:

• If you're sedentary (little to no exercise):  BMR X 1.2 =
• If you're lightly active (light exercise 1-3 x/week):  BMR X 1.375 =
• If you're moderately active (3-5 days/week): BMR X 1.55 =
• If you're very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week): BMR X 1.725 =
• If you're extra active (very hard exercise/job/or 2x training/day):  BMR X 1.9 =

Example:  I weigh 170.  My BMR is 1559.  I'm gonna say I exercise very hard so I'll multiply 1559 X 1.725 and find out that I'm eating 2689 calories (on average) to maintain my 170 pounds.  So if I wanted to lose weight I could cut back to eating 2100 calories/day and I'll lose one pound/week.  That's because 1 lb = 3500 calories!

2.  Keep a journal.  And there's an app for that!!  I love to recommend Shaklee 180 app because, of course, it already has the Shaklee protein drinks and snack bars programmed into the app.  It also has a scanner to scan bar codes of other foods you're eating.  Another great app is My Fitness Pal.  

3.  Measure your food.  So if you did the calculation above and don't believe you're eating as many calories to maintain your weight as it says you are, think again!!  We so often under estimate our portions and therefore eat way many more calories than we realize.  Remember too you can use your eyes to help you with portions.  The size of your palm (not including fingers) is the size of the protein you should consume.  The size of complex carbs, like a sweet pot or brown rice, should be the size of your fist.  And veggies are free to fill half your plate with veggies!


4.  Plan ahead.  Never shop hungry.  Have pre-cup up veggies, maybe some frozen baggies of brown rice and lean meats on hand to cook on your George Foreman.  This would make throwing together a healthy dinner very easy.

5.  Pack a cooler.  This is a must for our on-the-go lifestyles.  You can pack nitrate/nitrite free deli meats, hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese and yogurts, raw veggies w/ hummus, fresh fruit and nuts.  You can also heat up in the microwave, at work, left overs like chili and dinners from home.

6.  Drink plenty of water.  Drink half your body weight in ounces/day

7.  Take a Shaklee Vitalea (multi) & Omega OR Vitalizer strip daily (contains the mulit, omega, B & C and probiotics) daily!

8.  Plan to cheat!  Yes!  About twice/week indulge a little on something you love.  But first make sure you eat a portion of healthy protein.  This will stabilize your blood sugar before indulging.  Never cheat when you're hungry!  Enjoying a cheat meal or snack is another exercise in discipline, but when allowed, will help you stay on your healthy eating plan as a lifestyle!

Here is seeing you succeed in all your goals!!  Please reach out with any question you have about fitness or nutrition!

Dedicated to your success,

Sara Oliver
Master Trainer, Owner
Adventure Boot Camp Trainer

Bay Area TX Adventure Boot Camp
www.GetToBootCamp.com
www.GoodHabits.MyShaklee180.com

How to stay well this winter!

Today I want to mention the importance of 2 Shaklee supplements for your immune system. I believe, outside of me not having missed taking my Vitalizer strip in over 4 years, there are 2 other products that have kept me well for the past 4 years.  I used to get broncitius every year!!  It would turn into weeks and weeks of hacking and coughing!  No more!

In fact, over the weekend that tickle started in my throat and I started to get a cold (that would turn into the broncitus junk!)  But what I start to do is faithfully take Nutriferon (It boosts your Interferons in your body.  It's nutrition for your interferons, thus it's called Nutriferon!)  

And I also start taking Defend & Resist, and guess what?  I'm already feeling better and over this little cold!!

Order these 2 products today!!  You can & should take Nutriferon daily, but the Defend & Resist you only take when you start to get sick.  So don't wait until you feel bad to order it or you won't have it in time! 

And if you can take the Vitalizer strip, I would highly recommend it.  Another way to at least get started though would be to take the multi vitamin, which is only $23 for a 2 month supply!  It's called Vitalea and comes for Women, Men and Gold for those over 50.  And the Gold can be ordered with or without Vit K.

Here's to feeling our best in life!
Sara Oliver
www.AdventureBootCamp.MyShaklee.com
www.GetToBootCamp.com

Want results ASAP?

I was reading a devotional this weekend about prayer.  It was saying how when we pray we want an answer ASAP, right?  Well, the point of this devotional was to communicate that prayer needs to switch from an ASAP mentality to an ALAT mentality:  As Long As it Takes!  Pray without quitting, in other words.  His timing is always best, but we need to keep praying!

I like that.

And I believe it applies to health & fitness as well.

We need to stop comparing ourselves to others.

We need to stop being so hard on ourselves.

We need to stop weighing ourselves everyday.

We need to stop wanting to lose 5 pounds a week and wake up to the fact that the right kind of weight loss is slower than that!

We need to realize that if we will just commit to this healthy lifestyle, focus on the daily habits necessary to get the results we want, then they will come!  As Long As it Takes!

Will you commit to that?  Commit to clean eating?  Commit to exercising 4-6 days/week?  As Long As it Takes?!  

Let's DO THIS!!  

It's a lifestyle!

Have a fit, healthy, and fabulous day!

Sara Oliver
www.GetToBootCamp.com
www.AdventureBootCamp.MyShaklee.com
 

To detox or not to detox....that is the question!

Is eating clean hard for you too? 

It is for me.  So I thought I'd share some secrets with you today to help get you back on track, or maybe begin the journey of clean eating for the first time.  

When I find myself back in a rut and not making healthy choices, I know it's time to do a quick detox!

Have you ever heard the word detox?  Well, detox can get a bad rap from some trainers, but all it means to me is setting aside a 3-10 day focus of eating clean (no processed foods, basically only food God made, and basically how we should eat the majority of the time). 

This "detox" time period allows you to commit 100% to only eating real food.  When you set aside a time frame to do this, you can mentally tackle it.  It's much easier to commit to eating perfect for 3 days, than say, the rest of the year, right?

But what ends up happening is that you feel so AMAZING after 3 days of eating clean, and you rid yourself of cravings, that you end up eating clean for another couple of weeks (or months) at least before possibly reverting back into old habits.

The key is making those visits back to old habits less and less until you really are only indulging in sweets or high calorie "junk" on occasion (not regular enough at all to make you gain weight back).
I usually do a detox eating plan for about week, maybe 2-3X/year.

So I'd encourage you to go on a 3-10 day detox plan.  Here is a simple one you can download for you to consider following.  I'm starting this plan today and plan to commit for the next 7 days!
 
You'll notice this plan eliminates meat for the first few days.  This just allows the body to work on clearing out the digestive track so better absorption can follow.  You'll be eating a ton of veggies and fruits and getting your protein from Shaklee 180.  The supplements listed at the bottom are optional.

What's great is you are not going to count calories for the next 7-10 days, but you will lose weight....I promise!

Hope this helps to refocus you and get you back on track, where we all feel our best!!

Yours in health & nutrition!
Sara Oliver
www.GetToBootCamp.com
www.AdventureBootCamp.MyShaklee.com

Yummy, Healthy Recipes! Green Mac & Cheese Anyone?

That's right!  I made some Green Mac & Cheese last night, and it was yummy and a hit with the family too!  I blended spinach with the milk before blending in the cheese.  Check out the recipe at the link above.

I am trying lots of recipes this summer from my good friend, Brooke Thomas, owner of 360 Your Life.  Her blog is amazing and she has awesome nutrition tips on getting your whole family enjoying more nutritious food!  Yesterday we made her fruit ka-bobs and Green Mac & Cheese!!  



Oh and I also made Brooke's Love Crunch!  A great dessert option.  All so yummy, packed with good nutrition, and family hits!!  Enjoy checking out her blog today!

Pick out 2-3 new recipes to try each week this summer.  You're sure to find some yummy and healthy options to get you on a healthier journey!  It just takes planning and then doing.  Get the kids involved.  Show them what you do to plan the family meals.  Then take them to the store with you and let them pick some fruits and veggies!!

Yesterday I took my kids with me to HEB around 10:00.  Even though I'd eaten a yogurt around 9:30, I was so hungry when we got to HEB.  I guess my metabolism was still burning like crazy after yesterday's workout!!  Anyway, I went in and bought bananas and a bottled water.  I ate the snack and THEN bought my groceries!!  Saved me from buying food not on my list.  I was suppose to eat a piece of fruit for my mid-morning snack anyway!

Dedicated to your success,

Sara Oliver
www.GetToBootCamp.com
www.AdventureBootCamp.MyShaklee.com

How to get back on track with your nutrition!

The answer?  Make a Plan!!

And yes I have some great ideas for you!!

For clean eating, plan out your day with REAL food that you enjoy. Any fruit and veggies you like, nuts and seeds, and lean meats. Take 1 day/week to plan it all out, buy it and get it all in baggies.

Example day:
Breakfast: Smoothee for breakfast. Have your blender ready the night before. Add milk of your choice, 1/2 frozen banana, frozen blueberries and some Shaklee 180 protein powder. Blend and go!! (There are many other great tasting recipes for smoothees!  You can find one that you'll love and crave!)

Snack: yogurt with fruit.  I just discovered this yummy Chobani brand that I love!  It's only 100 calories and this coffee w/ dark chocolate is great!!  Drink a glass of water.

Lunch: salad with avocado and strawberries and lean meat! Drink a glass full of water

Snack: 1/4 cup of nuts and fruit.  Drink a glass of water or some green tea!  I drink the Shaklee 180 pomegranate tea for a metabolism boost!  I love it hot!!

Dinner: protein the size of your palm, complex carb (sweet pot OR brown rice) the size of your fist and half a plate full of veggies (either baked, steamed or a big salad!!)

If you need another snack before bed keep it to less than 100 calories. A spoon of peanut butter usually does the trick for me!!

As you can see, everything before dinner can be on the go and pre planned and packaged the day before. Buy yourself a small cooler to throw your snacks into so you can take it to work with you!! Having a plan with be the key to your success!

Take some time to plan out different dinners to cook at home and buy all the ingredients for the next 7 days. Write your menu and post it in your kitchen so you'll remember what your plan is later in the week.

I keep dinners simple. Lean meat in the George Foreman or grill, steam or bake some chopped veggies drizzled with olive oil and add a sweet pot or steamed brown rice!! Dinner is done!!

What questions or comments do you have?  I'd love to hear from you!

At first if may seem overwhelming but give it a go!! You can do it!

Dedicated to your success!
Sara Oliver
www.GetToBootCamp.com
www.AdventureBootCamp.MyShaklee.com

Getting on a soap box

Today I want to talk about what our ultimate goals are.  This email may be for those of you who are within 5-10 pounds of your goal weight, but I'd like everyone to read the email all the way through and I'd also love your feedback!!
 
Please choose from the following what goal you are striving to achieve the most:

• To be at a healthy weight I can maintain with exercising 4-6 days/week and eating clean the majority of the time.  To be happy with what body that brings to me.
• To be skinny at the cost of losing some muscle because I love weighing: ____(fill in the blank).  When I am at this weight I feel my best (mentally).

Ok, so yes I am setting this up.  

I'd like to present to you an argument today that the scale isn't the whole story!!  And that option one is the goal and I hope you can grow to want more than option 2!!

We reach a place in our weight loss journey where obsession can take the place of what was once a good goal setting journey.  We started out wanting to lose weight and we did it!!  (Let me say again this argument is for those of us who have reached our goal weight but are now facing another delimna)  

We reached our goal.  Now what?

Are you happy?  Content with what you see in the mirror?

This is what may surprise many of you: I have never met a women that is 100% happy with her body!!  And let me tell you, I've trained some beautiful women with what the world would call, perfect bodies.  But not to them.  Not in their eyes.

This is what is sooooo interesting to me!  And something, as a fitness professional, I struggle with sometimes. 

Heaven forbid, I help you reach your goal weight and never set you up to be emotionally stable/happy & spiritually strong enough to be ready for the thoughts of critism that will still arise in you about your physical body!

So there, I said it.  We will continue to look at what we don't like about our bodies, all the while admiring in others their best features. 

Once our goal weight is achieved, my hope and desire for us all would be that our goal changes away from a number on the scale, and instead to being healthy.  (Nothing wrong with weighing ourselves and keeping weight gain in check)  But what I'm saying is that we then begin approaching fitness as a lifestyle that will produce low cholesterol, and a strong heart, clean arteries, strong bones, a longer life to enjoy with others, more flexibility, greater energy to enjoy life, better sleep, and to decrease our risk for disease. 

A word of caution:  if you instead continue to focus on becoming thin at the cost of losing bone denisty, etc, then what good is being thin?

Only you know what habits you are living out day in and day out.  I'm not preaching to anyone specifically, rather a word of caution and a word to encourage us all to pursue a balance in nutrition that fosters health!  Health in mind and body.  Not a way of eating that is unhealthy to just to fit into a certain size.  

Does that make sense?

Yours in health,
Sara Oliver
www.GetToBootCamp.com
www.GoodHabits.MyShaklee180.com