Quick Tip For Eating Out

October 28, 2008 By

 

We’re getting to that busy time of year where a lot of will be grabbing meals on the go.

As my bootcamp ladies know, I encourage you to keep a cooler with you at all times packed with the healthy foods you need to keep you on track toward your fitness goals.

However, there may be times when this is not possible ( I think these times are actually a lot less than most people fool themselves in to believing).

When you must eat out follow this simple tip:

Avoid these 3 food categories:

Deep fried foods -try grilled and broiled meats and vegetables

Refined starchy food -French fries, rice, pasta

Any sodas, juices, or other sugary foods -Drink water


    This eliminates the major food sources that do the most damage to you fat loss and fitness efforts.

    Sure the people you are eating with may give you a hard time for not "enjoying" yourself. But misery loves company.

    You know these are the steps you need to take to reach your goals.

    Stay focused!

    Sarai D. Jones

    Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , , ,

    One Step Closer

    October 27, 2008 By

     

    With each passing day and with each choice you make you are either getting closer to or further from your goals.

    Very philosophical right?

    On the surface I’m sure we all feel like we get this.

    But do you really get it?

    In the past I have found that most people don’t make much, if any progress toward achieving their fat loss and fitness goals.

    People often stay stuck right where they are, over whelmed by the seemingly enormous task of getting fit.

    If you feel like this is you, it’s time to break down the process of losing weight and getting fit and turn the experience into small steps you can take daily.

    See, that’s how it really works. There isn’t a magic workout that you can do for one week and expect it to get you in the best shape of your life.

    There is no perfect 7 day diet that will leave you looking like a movie star after following it for a short time.

    You’re going to finally acheive your fitness and fat loss goals by moving closer every day with a series of choices and actions:

    Make the time to work out – skip your workout.

    Eat the cookie – leave it on the plate.

    So, if you’re willing to do the work – dedicate 45-60 minutes a day to working toward your goals whether that be time spent doing a good workout or prepping your healthy food choices for the next day.

    Each and every step counts!

    Before long some of your goals will be realities.

    Sarai D. Jones

    Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , ,

    Weight-Loss In A Pill?

    October 26, 2008 By

     

    Let’s be honest for a moment. You’ve seen the advertisements for weight loss pills-you know the ones with those amazing before and after pictures-and you’ve wondered to yourself…do they work?

    Diet pills are everywhere, most of the "fitness" magazines you buy are nothing more than a few articles mixed in with the supplement ads.

    You probably know someone who is dabbling with diet pills or maybe you’ve tried them yourself. Have you ever wondered how they work?

    Weight loss pills can be broken down into 3 basic categories:

    1. Appetite Suppressants: These work just like it sounds. The appetite-regulating region of your brain (the hypothalamus) is tricked by blockage of the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result you feel like you’ve just eaten a big meal, so you’re less likely to overeat.
    2. Stimulants: These types of weight loss pills used to contain a combination of ephedra and caffeine to raise energy expenditure (thermogenesis) while also reducing appetite. You’re probably aware that these pills were proven in some cases to be deadly, so ephedra was taken off the market. Stimulant pills now contain other ephedra-like substances, vitamins and caffeine. The idea is to increase energy and boost metabolism.
    3. Fat Blockers: These pills inhibit the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat during the digestion process. The goal is to prevent a percentage of the fat you’ve eaten from being absorbed into your system.

    So we return to our burning question. Do the pills work? Here’s what the diet pill companies say:

    • "You’ll lose 30lbs in 30 days"
    • "Achieve rapid weight loss results"
    • "Burn calories and fat 24 hours a day"
    • "Fights fat and delivers rapid weight loss"

    Those claims are amazing…too bad they are just that-claims. It’s so tempting to imagine that those benefits could be gained just by swallowing a pill. Tempting enough to make diet pills a multibillion dollar a year industry. Hmmm, makes you wonder that if that many diet pills have been taken then why don’t we all look like swim suit models yet?

    While diet pills showcase a few star subjects, none of whom live on your block, the world is full of real people who have lost weight and improved their lives with exercise and healthy eating. Check out these proven benefits of exercise:

    • Increased Weight Loss
    • Strengthens Heart and Lungs
    • Improved Sleep Pattern
    • Increased Strength
    • Improved Coordination
    • Raised Self Esteem
    • Renewed Confidence
    • Feel Good Endorphins
    • Feel Younger Than Ever
    • Improved Mood

    A pill may slightly increase your metabolic rate for a time or may suppress your appetite, and you may lose a few pounds. However, a pill alone cannot produce serious or permanent weight loss. A pill cannot deliver the same results as healthy nutrition and regular exercise.

    And weight loss pills have been known to give the following side effects:

    • Raised blood pressure
    • Increased risk of heart attack
    • Cramping, gas and diarrhea
    • Constipation
    • Headaches
    • Dry Mouth
    • Insomnia

    The bottom line is that true weight loss can’t be achieved by a pill.

    If you really want to lose weight, if you’re looking for long term health benefits then look no farther than your sneakers. That’s right, lace them up and go for a jog. Then schedule a time to meet with me.

    Together we will turn you into a walking talking billboard for the benefits of exercise.

    I’m here for you

    Sarai D. Jones

    Get Fit With Sarai

    Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , , ,

    Sugar Addict Rehab

    October 25, 2008 By

     

    Do you feel like you are constantly craving sweets?

    At this time of year especially when sweet treats are everywhere it can seem like you are always waiting for the next hit of sugar.

    There isn’t a single cure-all to this problem, but in general, the less sweets you eat, the less you’ll crave them.

    Here are a couple of quick tips to help get you there:

    · Try to find a substitute– Are you craving a quick afternoon pick-me up? It might be helpful to have something else there and ready to fight off those cravings. Try to stick with things that are naturally sweet instead of those with added sugars.

    · Wait out the craving– most cravings will only last a few minutes. Try to keep yourself busy with something else for about 10 minutes. Most likely you’ll forget all about the candy at the front desk.

    · Practice delayed gratification– Instead of telling your self you can never have that treat you are craving, tell yourself you can have it in a few hours, every time your time comes up, try to push it out another few hours or even to the next day. Several years ago I delayed myself all the way to a big weight loss. Every time you achieve a goal give yourself a small reward. If you are going by the hours give yourself .50 cents. If you are going to wait a day or two, give yourself a $1 each day. At the end of the month take the cash and treat yourself to a non-food reward.

    · Don’t set your self up to fail- If you know the vending machine calls to you daily, don’t keep singles or change around. Pay at the pump for your gas and avoid going inside where you will be tempted by all the unhealthy treats and never ever go shopping hungry. You’ll spend way too much money and you’ll end up with a few irresistible treats in your home.

    I know it may seem impossible to do, but you can conquer your sugar habit, but you will need to give it time and real effort.

    Once you do you’ll probably lose weight and feel more energetic too.

    I’m always here to help

    Sarai Jones

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

    Is Your Baby Belly Killing You?

    October 24, 2008 By

     

    If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that I offer fat loss and exercise tips to help you look and feel your best.

    But you know, I never want you to forget that this is about more than just getting a awesome booty.

    If you are carrying around excess fat, you could be putting your health and life at risk. Especially if a lot of that excess fat is around your waistline.

    Medical professional now tell us that the size of your waist is a very valid predictor of your risk of heart disease.

    I have a quick test I want you to do to see if you need to be putting a little more into your fat loss efforts.

    Take your height in inches -example a 5′ 4" lady is 64"

    Measure your waist around your belly button (not the smallest part), with a tape measure.

    If your waist size is more than half of your height, then you may be at risk for heart disease.

    So for example, our 64" lady should have a waist circumference of no more than 32".

    Anything higher and she could be at a higher risk of heart disease.

    Now you take a moment and do this on yourself…….

    What do you come up with?

    If your results are a little scary for you it’s time to take action. If you came out ok, try to keep it that way.

    Either way you’ll need to take action.

    I have a few suggestions for you.

    Let me know how I can help you.

    Sarai D. Jones

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

    The Secret To Weight Loss Success

    October 23, 2008 By

     

    How many of you own 4 or more weight loss or exercise books?

    Who has 5, 6 or more?

    Why do you have so many?

    Are you looking for the one ultimate nutrition strategy or exercise program that is going to really help you do it this time?

    So here’s the part where you probably expect me to tell you that I’ve got it. That my Booty Bootcamp program is the magic bullet you’ve been looking for.

    I’m not going to do that today.

    Sure, I do think my workout and nutrition system is one of the best out there, but do you want to know the real reason most people fail at their weight loss attempts?

    The list could actually take up a months worth of blog post but let me tell you just a couple:

    1. They are looking for a short-term quick-fix solution – They go into it thinking about losing 10lbs asap so they can go to their class reunion looking better. They are not focused on making PERMANENT changes to their lifestyle that will not only help them reach their goal now, but will keep the unwanted fat from returning.

    2. (And I think this is the biggest culprit) Lack of consistency – Here is the complete honest truth, almost any weight loss and exercise program will give you some measure of results. Yes the better the program, the better and quicker the results. But for all intents and purposes if you pick a plan and then stick to it day in and day out. Giving it 100% effort, you will get some results.

    The problem most women have however is that they will do good for a few days, even a few weeks and then life happens and they allow themselves to become distracted from their weight loss goals.

    One of the most compelling reasons I can give you to seek the help of a fitness professional is the accountability a good fitness professional will hold you to.

    The ladies in my Booty bootcamp program know that when they don’t show up I call, text or email them to check on them and give them that little tap on the conscious that they may need to stay focused. If they start to miss too often, I call them on it and help them re-focus.

    Sure maybe it’s cheaper to get a book, read a magazine or check a website out for weight loss tips, but is it really cheaper if you don’t actually use it?

    If you are in the Sacramento or Livermore Ca areas and you’d like some help with that, get in touch with me.

    I’m always here to help

    Sarai D. Jones

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

    It’s Just a Number

    October 16, 2008 By

     

    As women we tend to spend so much time worrying about getting the number on the scale to drop that it’s easy to get discouraged when your weight loss slows for a time.

    Many times we get down on ourselves simply because something as trivial as a number tells us we’re out of shape. Some women look and feel fantastic in every respect, but if the number on the scale doesn’t match expectations, they’re miserable and may even give up on their program.

    That doesn’t make sense.

    While the scale can be good for giving you a general idea of your health, the numbers on the scale can be the most discouraging and frustrating part of a fat loss program.

    Your weight fluctuates constantly every day and you may not even know or understand why. Some of the most common are:

    • Time of day
    • temperature
    • the day’s activities
    • water level

    all can skew the numbers one way or the other. In reality, you could be getting discouraged over something that’s not really accurate

    Also remember when you workout hard and eat right your body gains muscle while losing fat -this isn’t shown by the number on the scale.

    It’s shown by:

    • inches lost
    • in the way your clothes fit better than ever
    • performance -how much more fit you are now than at the start
    • in how you look and feel amazing
    • all the compliments you receive!

    Stay focused on the important things; being healthier and feeling amazing. The rest will fall into place. Promise.

    I’m here for you

    Sarai Jones

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

    Daily Activities For Weight Loss

    October 14, 2008 By

     

    Let’s talk briefly about exercise vs. activities.

    Walking your dog-activity

    Going for a 30 minute run-walk session – exercise

    Painting, pulling weeds and general home improvement-activity (yes, even if you sweat and you are sore)

    Booty Bootcamp class -exercise 🙂 of course

    Parking as far away from the door as possible when shopping – activity (ok, maybe incidental exercise)

    Doing 20 minutes of circuit work at the gym or in your living room (my personal gym) -exercise

    Can you see a difference?

    There are times when my ladies experience a plateau. I always ask them what they are doing on their "off" days from boot camp. Usually I get answers like going for a walk, walking around at a fair, working on their house, etc.

    I know these activities may leave you a little fatigued and maybe even sore but they are not enough of a stress on your body to make it change.

    When you are tying to remove excess fat off of your body you must give your body a reason to let go of the unwanted pounds.

    If you go outside and run for 2 minutes and walk for 2 minutes for a total of 30 minutes do you think your body might have a reason to let go of some L-B’s so you can handle it next time?

    If you spend all day Saturday painting your family room do you think your body will rev up to get in shape for the next marathon painting session?

    The activities I mentioned earlier will cause you to burn more calories than siting on your couch or in front of your computer. And in the overall scheme of things, the more active you are the better.

    But please do not buy into a false sense of accomplishment that because you parked at the far end of the parking lot or you took the stairs to the 3rd floor you got your exercise in for the day. Good for you for getting those extra calories burners in, really, I mean that. Keep it up.

    But to make big dents in you excess fat and to truly progress to your goal, you must have a focused plan to get you there.

    If you need some help with that I have a suggestion or two.

    You know I just want to help you. I’m always here.

    Sarai Jones

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

    Why Aren’t You Motivated?

    October 13, 2008 By

     

    A good dose of motivation can change your life almost overnight.

    The best part of my job is seeing my female clients achieve amazing results. Whether they drop a
    few sizes, lose the baby weight, get off their blood pressure meds, or shrink their waist the excitement is always contagious.

    There really isn’t a clear way to describe the euphoria that settles in once you’ve realized your
    fitness goal. You have to experience it.

    Though each successful client is unique with different goals one element unites them.

    They are all highly motivated.

    You see, I am in a unique position. I know how to get you (or anyone else who starts with my Booty Bootcamp) into great shape. I can coach you through a 50 pound weight loss. I can guide you to a healthier body. I can even train you into a toned athlete.

    But there is one catch.

    You’ll need to be motivated.

    See, saying that you want to get into great shape isn’t enough. You need motivation-and that’s just half of the equation. The other part (and the most important) is ACTION.

    Nothing happens until you take action.

    You can want it, think about it, mull it over, ponder it, plan it, and then re-plan it. But nothing happens until you take action.

    While I may not know your story-it’s probably safe to assume that you are dissatisfied with your body and know that you can improve your fitness level. You want to look better, to have more energy, to experience fewer aches and pains, and to enjoy sweet satisfaction as you achieve your goals once and for all.

    I know that all of my successful clients were once in your shoes. They wanted to change their bodies. They felt urgency. And then they did what most fail to do. They took action and contacted me.

    But there is more to it than that. They then committed to a program, put in the exercise,stuck to their diet and met their goals. There’s nothing more gratifying than getting back into those skinny jeans that now sit in the back of your closet.

    Those that take massive action get massive rewards. And those that simply talk about losing weight will continue to put weight on, pound after pound. I hate to put that way, but it’s the truth.

    So what do you want?

    To drop 20 pounds

    To feel younger

    To look better in your birthday suit

    How bad do you want it? How much motivation do you have? Enough to take MASSIVE ACTION?

    The rewards are great IF you do.

    I am always here to help

    Sarai Jones

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

    The Art of Eating Mindfully

    October 9, 2008 By

     

    Are you eating right now?

    Do you ever find yourself snacking away without paying attention to how much you’re eating?

    Maybe you’re focused on a movie or the ball game or a great super informative blog :). This is a
    sure-fire way to gain weight.

    When your goal is to drop pounds it is important
    to practice the art of eating mindfully.

    This means that when you eat you should
    stay tuned in to your level of satiety so that at the first sign of fullness you
    will stop.

    It a simple habit to get into, but start paying attention today to how many times you ate without REALLY being aware of the taste, smells and textures of your food.

    If you could have 2oz of chocolate that you are truly present for and fully enjoy vs popping piece after piece of chocolate goodies into your mouth just think about how much weight you could lose.

    Fitness is a journey of many steps. Make conscious eating your next step.

    Being conscious also applies to your workouts. Can you sleep walk through your current routine?

    Let me wake you up

    Booty Bootcamp

    Sarai Jones

    Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: ,
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