Follow My Lead

August 21, 2008 By

 

Alright, this is going to sound strange, but hear me out…

A few months ago I signed up on a website called, www.Twitter.com (some of you may remember).

Over the last few weeks especially, many of you have been asking me for a sample meal plan or for my food log. So to make things easier and accessible to all, I have decided that a great way to use this nifty little site is to post what I am eating all day everyday.

I will be posting all of my meals, snacks, and nutrition tips over the course of the day so you’ll see exactly what I eat each day to get and stay lean.

I know, websites like this can seem a little funny(or “young”)at first, but I’m using it to help YOU out and I think once you start using it too, you’ll really like it.

So I’m committing to you that I’m going to post all of my meals each day, showing you how to eat fast, nutritious foods even when you are traveling or are really busy.

I’m holding myself accountable to you. By doing this, I’m going to be more focused on eating healthier than ever because I don’t want to have to report to YOU that I’m cheating on my diet.
(And if I do cheat, feel free to call me on it & tell me to get back on track!)

For many people, being ACCOUNTABLE to others is their #1 way to stay motivated and on-track with their diet and exercise program.

So head over to this site and “follow” BootybootCamp to see what I’m eating at every meal.
http://www.Twitter.com/bootybootcamp

You’ll also get little insider nutrition tips all day long.

By the way, you should follow my lead and start posting your daily diet and exercise
somewhere for someone who is holding you accountable.
I would love to have you posting on this free twitter site with me or you can post here on my blog.

Accountability is one of the major MOTIVATION SECRETS to success.
Check me out here:www.Twitter.com/bootybootcamp

Stay in touch!

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Fat loss, Mental Health, Nutrition Tagged With: , , ,

Healthy Pizza

August 18, 2008 By

 

Healthy eating is not always the easiest thing to do.

I know I am always looking for the answer to the question "What’s for dinner?" (or lunch)

One of our Elk Grove Boot Campers,Renee, came up with this tasty version of a veggie pizza.

I can already think of quite a few variations using my favorite vegetables. I’m sure you will too.

Make the recipe as is, or use it as jumping of point to many creative dinners.

Give it a try!

Veggie Pizza

La Tortilla Wheat (80 cal)

1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese (80 cal)

1/4 cup of tomato sauce or pizza sauce (30 cal)

4-6 marinated artichoke hearts cut up it (depends on brand but about 100 cal)

1/2 cup of mushrooms (10 cal)

Bake at 375 until edges are light brown about 10min

Total calories=300

Its Yummy and filling!!

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Nutrition, Recipes Tagged With: ,

Negative Body Image In Women- Our Final Steps

July 21, 2008 By

 

Have you been looking at things with a more critical eye?

It’s hard to let go of the dream isn’t it?

Even when that dream holds us down or makes us feel bad.

We strive and strive and can never seem to look like that girl in the magazine but when we are told it is all an illusion we just can’t get our brains to believe it.

Keep working on it. This doesn’t happen overnight.

Today let’s go over our last two steps to help us achieve a better image of ourselves.

Step 4

Just the facts

Describe yourself to yourself but not in the emotional self-hating way we have ingrained in us.

Instead of I have mousy brown hair state the actual facts: I have light brown hair.

Instead of I have these ugly wrinkles around my eyes say what they really are: I have 3 lines around my eyes that are about ½” long.

If you talk about your looks without the extra emotional loading, it leads to greater self acceptance.

Step 5

Dress the part

Steal a secret from the pro’s, wear only what is flattering to you, what plays up the good parts from your “likeable” list and makes you feel good about the way you look.

Don’t wear things just because they are hot right now. If it pinches, bulges or does any otherwise less than flattering things to your body, leave it on the rack.

One of the reasons the stars always look so good is because they only wear what makes the best of their assets.

Every time you see them all you notice is how great their arms are, or their legs, or how great of a smile they have.

By diverting attention away from the negative you only see the positive.

It works like a charm for them. Give it a try.

I have taken several posts to discuss this issue because I’m really passionate about it.

Every day I speak with women who spend the first 20 minutes of our meetings telling me every negative thing about themselves in very unkind detail and I wonder would they ever talk to a friend that way?

Look outside your own mirror.

How you see yourself and how others see you when they look at you are usually miles apart.

Think of your best friend. What is one thing she is constantly complaining about in regards to her looks? Do you see it the same way? Do you think she is making a big deal over nothing?

Now look at yourself. Are you doing it too?

Your negative body image probably doesn’t reflect what other people see.

Keep improving

No I’m not talking about "fixing" things, I’m talking about taking actions in your life everyday that make you feel proud of who you are.

Get involved in a regular workout routine like Booty Boot Camp, change just one thing about your diet over the next 30 days, take the time to value your body as much as your mind. It is not a prisoner on this journey of life; it is the only vessel you have to get you through this thing called life. Treat it well.

Soon we are going to talk about the changes you are going to make in the next 30 days.

Yep YOU!

Stay tuned

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Mental Health Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Negative Body Image In Women PT 3

July 17, 2008 By

 

So you’ve had several days to practice your likeable list.

How’s it going?

I know I had to force myself to look myself in the eye while doing it, but it’s gotten easier these last few days.

Today let’s tackle two more steps

Step 2

Don’t believe everything you see

The next time the Victoria Secret catalog comes in the mail or you are watching the latest music video on Mtv tear what you see apart!

I know that seems catty but think about it…..

Is the models face liberally coated with makeup? Does her hair look perfectly mussed by a team of 20? Has she been air brushed? Or do you see lots of women walking around with skin that incredibly smooth?

This is not to be bitter and tear down other women; this is opening your eyes to the truth so that you can stop programming your brain to think you have to look like these images of women who don’t even look like that themselves!

I recently read an interview with Ayisha Taylor, a model/actress,comedian, where she talked about that at 6 feet tall and a size 6 she was told she was “too fat” so her hips were airbrushed in the final photos of a particular photo shoot to look more like a boys hips.

Unbelievable!

Do you see why it is critical that you stop programming your brain to compete with what you see in the media? It is truly impossible.

Step 3

Look at the positive

The grass is not always greener on the other side. You may dislike your small chest but your large chested friends may envy that you can wear a spaghetti strap top without it looking like you are showing all your goods to the world.

Find the positive in who you are and realize that in every weakness there is a strength.

I know many of you are connecting with what I am talking about.

I’d love to see a comment posted on the blog

Stay positive!

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Mental Health Tagged With: , , , , ,

Negative Body Image In Women PT 2

July 11, 2008 By

 

Negative Body Image in Women, we talked yesterday about it.

Now let’s take the first step to improve it.

Well actually before I get to the first step let me ask you…..

How committed are you to actually making a change in the way you see yourself?

See, you can read this information and think it sounds good and all.

But sitting there nodding your head in agreement is not going to make your life any better.

Action is the magic word.

As silly as you may feel doing some of these steps we are going to talk about over the next several days follow through with them and you will start to move closer to a more accurate image of yourself.

OK, so you are committed and ready to go?

Step 1

Make a “likeable” list of things about yourself.

What are the things about you that people often compliment you on?

Do people often notice your smile?

Your eyes?

Your shoulders?

Your laugh?

Write those things down first then start to add to it.

Go on, you know there are things that you like about yourself that you would never admit to anyone.

Write those down too.

No, it doesn’t mean you are conceited or self-centered. It just means that you understand that despite not being perfect you are OK (I know that sounds dreadfully corny but work with me here) :-).

Read this “likable” list daily

Twice daily if you really want to drill it into to your brain that a change is coming.

And to make it even more effective, read it to yourself in the mirror.

Lock the door if you have too but give it a try.

It’s amazing how embarrassed you can get talking to yourself in the mirror

But it works!

Do this step today.

I’ll give you the weekend to practice it.

We’ll talk about step 2 in a few days.

You can change if you want too.

We’re here to help!

Post a comment and tell us how this feels for you. We’d love to hear it.

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Mental Health Tagged With: , , ,

Negative Body Image In Women

July 10, 2008 By

 

Negative body image in women is a never ending battle.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “accept yourself” or “love yourself”.

I have to tell you for the longest time I have battled these sayings. I just couldn’t swallow this whole “I love my faults” thing.

Wasn’t happening for me.

The connection I had always made of this way of thinking is women copping out of trying to be healthier or to improve themselves.

But as I go along on my fitness journey I have come to realize that the true spirit behind that saying “love or accept yourself” couldn’t be further from my thinking.

The reality is that we women tend to spend so much time comparing ourselves to others and trying to “fix” ourselves physically due to negative body image, that we forget to truly enjoy our life, health, family, and yes, our looks!

How do you see yourself?

Does your husband or boyfriend think you have a cute button nose that you describe as pug-like?

Do you envy your friends that are 5’ 7’ and loathe your 5’3” frame?

Or at 5’7” do you feel like a giant?

We are so bombarded with images that try to tell us that super thin women with large breast and cellulite free legs are the norm. They try to tell us that all they do is pilaties and 20 minutes of cardio, and that they eat whatever they want……… UH huh.

They are lying.

Do not believe it.

While some women may have in fact been handed the ultimate genetic combo plate, most of the women we see in the entertainment world everyday don’t want to tell you about the plastic surgeon, 3hrs a day of personal training 6 days a week, the personal chef, and master photographer that makes sure they look like perfection in each and every shot.

Oh yeah, and the baby nurse or team of nannies that take care of their children while they work at their full time job of looking perfect!

They are paid to make it look easy. That is the lie we are being sold.

The result of all this false advertising are negative body image issues. This negative body image often results in feeling of shame and anxiety in social situations, as well as depression.

Well as you know at Fit Bodies 2 Go our motto is: When Average Is Not Enough!

What does this mean?

Well a lot of things, but one of them is not being the average women who starts each day with a list of what they hate about themselves and the long “to do” list of what to fix.

We want you to wake up and say “I love this about me and I think I’m going to work on this to make me even better”

Now this takes time and training.

Yep, you must train your brain to think differently.

There are a few simple steps you can take to start this process.

Over the next several days I will outline a few of these basic steps you can take to improve your body image and self- esteem.

I want to help you improve ALL of you, not just the outside

Please post your comments on this issue below. It’s always helpful to know you are not alone in how you feel.

Stay healthy

Sarai Jones

P.S. Want to start improving your outside while you work on the inside?

Join us at Booty Boot Camp!

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: , , ,

Exercising In The Heat

June 21, 2008 By

 

Exercising in the heat can be a tricky prospect.

We are usually so excited to get out of the stuffy gym and our office jobs that a little heat doesn’t bother us. But as summer comes into full swing, if you are considering exercising in the heat, it is important to understand exactly how to do so safely.

Make sure to talk to your doctor about starting an exercise regimen and issues about heat and hydration. And remember there is no one-size-fits-all prescription. The best way to figure out what works for you is practice. After about two weeks of working out in the heat you should have a beat the heat formula that works for you.

Here are some things you should keep in mind while you try to figure out your own plan:

Give yourself time to adjust- Acclimate yourself gradually. Try to expose yourself to the high heat of the day every day even if for just a few minutes. It’s just about impossible to stay in an air conditioned building all day and then jump right into an outdoor exercise routine. Take a few minutes in the middle of each day to spend some time in the heat so you can be better capable of adjusting. I would also suggest being outside for as long as possible before you actually begin you exercise session.

And most importantly, if you are just completely new to outdoor exercise like Booty Boot Camp, or you are new to exercising altogether take it easy for the first two weeks. It can take just about that long for your body to get used to the heat.

Pay attention to you Water Intake and Diet Everyday– Not only will paying attention to your diet and hydration daily accelerate your fat loss results, but what you eat and drink the day before exercising in the heat can affect your performance and safety on your workout day as well. It’s not enough to know how you feel right before going out to exercise in the heat, if you are already tired and dehydrated from the day before exercising in the heat can bring on problems faster.

Drink water– And I don’t just mean right before you are about to work out . Be sure to drink throughout the day (stick to non-caffeinated beverages, preferably water). To maintain good hydration for a moderate summer workout, drink 20 ounces of water two hours before exercise, at least 8 ounces of water shortly before getting out in the heat, and then a gulp every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. A person of average weight should drink at least 12 cups of water a day while exercising in the heat; an overweight individual needs even more. If you’re thirsty then you are already dehydrated; drink before you feel a need to. The body cools off by sweating, and as long as you remain hydrated, the body is able to cool itself off. When you become dehydrated, the problems start.

Eat regularly- The heat can decrease your appetite, but it’s important to eat normally. Try to eat small meals 5-6 times per day. Include lots of fruits and vegetables. Aside from being nutritious, fruits also tend to help with hydration.

Exercise Early or Late-During the summer months get out before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. to exercise. Try to avoid exercising in the heat between 10:00 am and 2:30 pm.

Dress the part-wear loose clothing (preferably made of cotton or sweat-wicking fabric). Avoid open-mesh jerseys and tank tops; they expose you to too much sun. Light-colored clothes best reflect the sun. And wear sunblock (SPF 15 or higher), a cap or hat and sunglasses. You can also keep cool by wearing a wet bandana or an ice pack scarf around your neck.

Stay in the shade- Try to exercise as much as possible in the cooler shade.

Use common sense:

  • Don’t keep exercising if you feel dizzy, faint and/or nauseous.
  • Take special care. If you are very underweight, very overweight, pregnant or an older adult. Many experts recommend you maintain a moderate intensity level–60 to 70 percent of predicted maximum heart rate–when exercising in the heat. Stay fully hydrated at all times and take many rest breaks.
  • Slow Down. When the temperature hits the 90s, don’t expect to go at your workout at 110%.
  • Be careful about trying to keep up with friends who are more fit or may even have a higher tolerance for heat as well. Just realize you are going to move a little slower.

Inevitably, heat and humidity will slow you down. The good news is that as the summer wears on, you’ll get somewhat used to the heat and humidity, and the same level of exertion will be easier. That acclimatization is the key to avoiding problems,

Enjoy your workout!

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Coping With Emotional Eating

June 9, 2008 By

One challenge we often face when it comes to our fat loss progress is how to control our eating from an emotional standpoint. This can be a huge problem for a lot of women.

For most of us food is forever attached to emotion based on the environment we grew up in. Just by the way certain foods made us feel when we were young, we attached emotion to it long before it consciously became “comfort food” or a reward.

It’s only natural as we get older to extend that and use food as a coping mechanism for things we try and deal with.

So what classifies as emotional eating? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: , , ,

Alcohol And Fat Loss

June 4, 2008 By

Summer is just about here and it’ll soon be time for picnics, barbecues and pool parties.

When it comes time to decide on an adult beverage, you need to know just what that margarita or beer is going to do to your get lean program.

Here are the facts:

  • Alcohol first passes through the esophagus as it travels to your stomach
  • From there, 20% of the alcohol is absorbed immediately by your bloodstream. The remaining alcohol travels to your intestines and is absorbed from there. [Read more…]
Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , ,

Convenient And Healthy Dinner Ideas

June 2, 2008 By

 

As you know by now I highly recommend using the Dramatic Dress Size Reduction Diet during your first 30 days with Booty BootCamp (www.30dayjumpstart.com). Time and again people are seeing amazing results.

Did you know Mary Ann K. from our Elk Grove camp has lost 9lbs during her first 3 weeks? That’s fantastic!

However some of you have chosen to tackle the diet arena on your own and are looking for healthy, affordable and convenient dinner options for you and your family.

One of my favorite convenient, healthy options is a dinner prep kitchen. There are several around; Dinner My Way, Dream Dinners, My Girlfriends Kitchen to name a few. In these prep kitchen all the real prep work has been done for you. All you have to do is assemble the dishes according to your families preferences and store them in you fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat. Most dinners cook up in less than 30 minutes and any that take longer simply need to be thrown in the oven or crock pot, no supervision needed.

But as with any eating out you still must make healthy dinner choices if you want to continue losing body fat at a rapid pace.

What should you look for? Most prep kitchens have the nutrition information listed right next to their choices. Take a look and check for these things:

Fat- Try to stay in the single digits unless the fat is higher due to a healthy fat like Olive oil or from Salmon.

Protein- Look for at least double digits on this one. You need protein to build lean, sexy muscle tone.

Carbohydrates- First what are they from? If it’s white rice or pasta toss it and prepare your meal with a whole grain version. Next you’ll want to consider portion size. The portion size of the pasta or rice is usually far more than you want to be taking in during this last meal of the day. Keep your portions in check and you can drop the calories and carbs considerably. In the end I try to have the carbohydrate count match the protein pretty close. Less is always ok.

Sodium- If you have high blood pressure or want to avoid it try to keep your daily total in check including your dinner selections. 24oo-3000 mg/day is the general guidline

Here are a few of the heathiest choices from this months My Girlfriends Kitchen menu:

Sesame Orange Chicken Tenders- Brown rice instead of white and keep portion at 1/2 cup

Lemon, Thyme and the Steak is Tender- Fat content is a little high but some is from healthy olive oil so we’ll it slide

Siesta Chicken Stew (Slow Cooked)

Shrimp Scampi a la Garlic

Enjoy!

Next post let’s talk about alcohol and fat loss

Stay healthy!

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , ,
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