One question I get in my inbox all the time is “What is the difference between boot camp and Zumba or Body Pump or Body Jam?”

Well the main difference is the level of service and attention you’ll get.  I want to start out by saying that there is nothing wrong with the other stuff.  It can be fun and a good workout.  It’s just that with boot camp you get a lot more.

Now I know a lot of people have tried aerobics (or I guess “Group Exercise Classes” if I want to be Politically Correct, but I don’t).  You walk in, do a class, and you walk out.  End of story.

Boot Camp on the other hand addresses all the components you need to Read more on What is the Difference Between Boot Camp and Aerobics Classes??…

It’s Turkey Time!

So on Thursday we’ll be getting our grub on to all the classics.  Pumpkin pie.  Stuffing. Mashed Potatoes.  The list goes on and on and on.

But that doesn’t mean you have to waddle out of there 5 pounds heavier.  I’ve compiled a list some killer strategies so you’ll be able to enjoy the foods you want on Thanksgiving without gaining a bunch of “stuffing”.

Tip 1:  Eat as if it was a normal day.

A lot of people go with the mindset of “Well I won’t eat until Dinner because I am going to eat a lot”…Don’t do that you dummy!  It will kill you metabolically and set you up to hold on to as much fat as possible.  When you wake up, eat breakfast.  Have your meals and snacks every 3 hours like normal.  And when you’re done eating, again resume your normal eating plan 3 hours later.  Regular feedings let your body know that it’s OK to burn fat, because it knows you’re being adequately fed.  If you fast in preparation for a meal, your hormones say “Hold up, there’s a problem.  We better hold on to these calories just in case they’re starving.”  So eat as if it’s a normal day and you’ll keep your fat-burning hormones ready to rock. Read more on Thanksgiving Day Fat Loss Survival Plan…

Year after year after year, we all do the same thing.  We say “Next year I am gonna lose weight” or “Next Year I am going to make more money” or “Next Year, I am going to get that sore taken care of.”

And with our self-promises of next year being “the year”, we give ourselves a convenient excuse to take all of November and December off.  Because after all, next year it’s all gonna change!

But then next year rolls around and you have your resolution set.  And you do a pretty good job of sticking to it…for a week or 2.  But then all of a sudden old habits creep back and you are back in the same position you were in.  Waiting for NEXT year.

Sound familiar?  It should.  A new study showed that only 12% of people achieved whatever their New Year’s Resolutions were. 12%!!

That means for every 100 people to “commit” to change, 12 did it.  That’s pretty discouraging if you ask me.

And for the most part it isn’t really that your goals are unrealistic.  Usually they’re quite achievable. Read more on The Resolutionary War…

The holidays always have a tendency to be super busy and stressful for a lot of people. However, do not let yourself get caught in the trap of not working out to make more time for holiday errands or events. It is a big mistake to risk losing the lean muscle mass and strength that you have worked so hard to build and maintain. Why you ask? Losses in lean muscle mass will lower your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for the vast majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning. This means that everyday you will be burning less and less calories which will put you at a much greater risk of putting on ugly, unwanted body fat during the holidays. Plus, losing strength will mean that the next time you start to work out your performance will be sub par and you’ll get smacked in the face with that ugly word that no one ever wants to encounter when it comes to their training: regression!  And as so many of my clients have heard me tell them before: “If you’re not PROgressing, you’re either REgressing or DIgressing.  Furthermore, there are many clever ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn per day, both from exercise and from your normal daily activities, to stay fat-free this holiday season. Use the strategies below to maintain and/or increase your current amount of lean muscle mass and maximize your daily calorie burn to best protect yourself against the deadly holiday bloat! Read more on 4 Tips to Keep You From Looking Like Santa This Christmas…