Coppell Personal Trainer and Boot Camp Weight Loss and Fitness Tip of the Week – Choices:  Living a Healthy Life is a Choice

Dallas area Personal Trainer and Boot Camp Weight Loss and Fitness Tip of the Week – Choices:  Living a Healthy Life is a ChoiceDo you ever do something “just out of habit?”  For example, when you’re thirsty, do you grab a coke or some other sugary drink “out of habit?”  Or when you want a snack, do you grab a handful of chips or a cookie, “out of habit?”  Habits form because of the choices we make.  If we consistently make bad choices concerning our health, whether done consciously or subconsciously, they can sabotage our ability to live a healthy life.

Think about it… everything you do, every single moment, you have a choice.  Sometimes there are big choices in life, such as, “Should I look for a new job that will make me feel more fulfilled or just stay in my current job where I feel secure yet unchallenged?”  Other times there are very small choices, such as, “Should I read the paper or catch up on email?” Regardless of the moment, the choices you make throughout your day and life build on each other and define who you are. 

Someone much wiser than me once said, “There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy.”

Taking the path that is harder on you emotionally, mentally, or physically will more times than not reap much bigger rewards than the easy path.  Regularly making those tough choices is the only way you can change bad habits into good habits and is essential for living a healthy life.  Although this may be a frustrating and daunting task, the good news is that it is all within your control.  Remember, when it comes to your health, nobody but you can completely know what to choose.

When you started the GetYouInShape program, you received a copy of “Lifestyle Habits to Change.”  This would have either been on at the Coppell or Dallas Boot Camp Orientation or in your first few emails. Whether you have just started the program or whether you have been doing it for some time, go back to that document and review it to see if you can improve any of your habits. It contains a number of lifestyle habits that if you have them, you will have a better chance of reaching your overall goal and increases your ability to maintain your goal tenfold.   

Start small.  Pick one or two habits to work on and determine what choices you will be confronted by with your current habits and then decide what positive, healthy choices you will need to make in order to change your behavior and ultimately create new healthy habits.

I recognize that turning everyday choices into healthy habits isn’t done overnight.  So make sure you have defined what success means for you — big and small.  Consider what it means to be successful, this minute, this hour, and this day.  Then recognize your moments of success.  Resisted candy – success!  Did cardio for 30 minutes – success! Drink water instead of Coke this week – success!  Every time you make the right choice, it leads to another success and nothing breeds more success than success. 

Along your journey to a healthier you, you are going to encounter A LOT of choices.  I have included a few inspirational quotes below that might help you with your journey.  Copy and display them where they can serve as a helpful reminder that choices are all within YOUR control and that only YOU can make good choices to take control of and create a healthy lifestyle.

 “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”                                                                           Denis Waitley

 “Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself.”                                Robert F. Bennett

“Tough Times never last, but tough people do.”                            Rober Schuller

Written by:  Julie McCan, CPT    Julie is on the www.GetYouInShape.com team of personal trainers. Get You In Shape has is a Fitness Company in the Dallas, TX area. Coppell boot camps, Dallas boot camps, Private Personal Training, 40 Day Challenge, weight loss, sports performance and nutrition are the main services of Get You In Shape. Get You in Shape serves the Dallas, Coppell, Irving, Valley Ranch, Carrollton, Highland Park, Flower Mound, Southlake, Grapevine, Plano, Frisco, and other Dallas areas.

Kids Boot Camp Coppell, TX – Pictures from the Get You In Shape Kids Boot Camp. If you are close to Dallas, Coppell, Lewisville, Valley Ranch, Carrollton, Irving, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Highland Village, or other Dallas cities, this boot camp is close to you.

Get You In Shape has Fitness Testimonials, Fitness Tips, Nutrition Programs, Fitness Boot Camps, Private Personal Training, Online Training, Fitness Products, Weight Loss Plans, a Blog, and more. If you are in Coppell, Valley Ranch, Lewisville, Irving, Carrollton, Las Colinas, Grapevine and surrounding Dallas, TX cities, the Get You In Shape Coppell Boot Camp is near you.

Get You In Shape has helped many people get their lives back on track and change their lifestyle into a healthy lifestyle. Programs include sports specific training, weight loss programs, boot camps, wellness plan, nutritional plans, core fitness training, strength training, toning and more. Clients include athletes (basketball, golf, football, tennis, baseball, volleyball, softball, and track) corporate executives, professionals, weekend warriors, cheerleaders, dancers, models, stay at home moms, and anyone looking to get fitness results. For more information about our programs in Coppell, Valley Ranch, Las Colinas, Lewisville, Carrollton, Grapevine, Irving, and other Dallas cities, visit http://www.GetYouInShape.com
Fitness Boot Camps, Weight Loss, Personal Training, Nutritional Programs

Kids Boot Camp Coppell, TX – Pictures from the Get You In Shape Kids Boot Camp. If you are close to Dallas, Coppell, Lewisville, Valley Ranch, Carrollton, Irving, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Highland Village, or other Dallas cities, this boot camp is close to you.

Get You In Shape has Fitness Testimonials, Fitness Tips, Nutrition Programs, Fitness Boot Camps, Private Personal Training, Online Training, Fitness Products, Weight Loss Plans, a Blog, and more. If you are in Coppell, Valley Ranch, Lewisville, Irving, Carrollton, Las Colinas, Grapevine and surrounding Dallas, TX cities, the Get You In Shape Coppell Boot Camp is near you.

Get You In Shape has helped many people get their lives back on track and change their lifestyle into a healthy lifestyle. Programs include sports specific training, weight loss programs, boot camps, wellness plan, nutritional plans, core fitness training, strength training, toning and more. Clients include athletes (basketball, golf, football, tennis, baseball, volleyball, softball, and track) corporate executives, professionals, weekend warriors, cheerleaders, dancers, models, stay at home moms, and anyone looking to get fitness results. For more information about our programs in Coppell, Valley Ranch, Las Colinas, Lewisville, Carrollton, Grapevine, Irving, and other Dallas cities, visit http://www.GetYouInShape.com
Fitness Boot Camps, Weight Loss, Personal Training, Nutritional Programs

Boot Camp Staring October 1 in Coppell.

*Workout and get pushed by others.
*Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*12 Sessions for one Month
*$180 total. That is only $15 per session
* 5:45-6:45am
* Only the first 20 people get in, so sign up now to reserve your spot!!

Boot Camps are very popular today because it is done in a group looking for the same results YOU want. They he motivate you by working out with a group that will get on you when you miss class because you slept in. Are you ready for a kick start? Need help in the exercise department? Brad Linder’s Get You In Shape will be starting a Boot Camp in Coppell October first.

If you are interested in learning more about the boot camp or to reserve your place, email Brad.

Drop and give me 20

Not long ago, boot camp  workouts were the thing. In many cities, you could sign up for a program, meet in local parks and kill yourself with workouts that resemble the physical training of soldiers. Well, you don’t have to train like a soldier to lose weight and get in shape. Make your own boot camp workout for a challenging circuit training workout.

What is The Boot Camp?

Boot camp workouts are efficient because you work your entire body– heart and muscles–by going from one exercise to another with no rest. The workouts involve calisthenics like pushups, jumping jacks, crunches and other body weight exercises…the difference lies in the intensity. In boot camp, your challenge is to take your body to its limit. You work, you sweat and, best of all, you burn calories like crazy.

Boot camp workouts are:

• A great way to burn lots of calories.
• Efficient – you work your whole body in a short period of time.
• Fun – each exercise is different so you don’t get bored.
• Easy to fit in to a busy schedule – You can do it anywhere with little equipment.
• As challenging as you want them to be.

Boot Camp Workout

U.S. Considers Nation-Wide School Standards.

By Randolph E. Schmid
Associated Press

Millions of American children soon could be saying goodbye to regular colas, candy and salty snacks during school hours.

Concerned about the rise of obesity in young people, Congress asked the Institute of Medicine to develop a set of standards for foods that would be available in schools.

The Institute responded Wednesday with a two-tier system designed to encourage youngsters to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and to avoid added sugars, salt and saturated fats.

More Body & Health news

“The alarming increase in childhood obesity rates has galvanized parents and schools across the nation to find ways to improve children’s diets and health, and we hope our report will assist that effort,” said Virginia A. Stallings, head of the committee that prepared the report.

“Making sure that all foods and drinks available in schools meet nutrition standards is one more way schools can help children establish lifelong healthy eating habits,” said Stallings, director of the nutrition center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“Foods and beverages should not be used to reward or to discipline for academic activities or behavior,” she added.

And don’t think their recommendation applies only to children. The committee also urged that Parent Teacher Associations adhere to the same standards, as should food items sold at school fundraisers.

Foods sold in school cafeterias under federally assisted lunch programs already must meet nutritional standards. The IOM recommendation covers items considered competitive with those foods, such as items sold in vending machines and other food and drinks sold in the school but not under the federal program, an area often profitable for the schools.

The standards would not apply to bag lunches that students bring from home.

The report now goes to Congress for consideration. Copies will also go to the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Education and it will be available for state and local school boards and administrators and the food and beverage industry. Putting the recommendations into practice would involve federal, state or local laws and setting school standards and policies.

The report drew prompt praise and criticism.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said: “For the first time, we have gold-standard recommendations for school nutrition standards from one of America’s most distinguished scientific bodies. And as it turns out, they are also just common sense — promoting fruit and vegetable consumption, and also seeking to reduce things like calories, fat, and sodium.”

Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the “recommendations offer a tool kit for local, state, and federal policymakers who already know that we need to do more much more — to promote sound child nutrition and prevent childhood obesity.”

The School Nutrition Association, which represents school food service directors, applauded the report but said it believes “it will be ineffective in making change happen.

“Any voluntary guidelines, such as those of this report, are unenforceable and present a major challenge for schools to incorporate,” the Association said.

The Center for Consumer Freedom worried that the report could lead to a government “no child with a fat behind” program.

Under the recommendations, foods listed as Tier 1 would be allowed at all grade levels during the school day and during after-school activities.

These foods would have to provide at least one serving of fruits, vegetables, whole grains or nonfat or low-fat dairy, would be limited to 200 calories for snacks and would have limits for fat, sugar and salt.

Examples of Tier 1 snacks were whole fruit, raisins, carrot sticks, whole-grain low-sugar cereals, some multigrain tortilla chips, some granola bars and nonfat yogurt with no more than 30 grams of added sugars. Entrees could include such items as fruit salad with yogurt or a turkey sandwich. Beverages would be limited to plain water, skim or 1 percent milk, soy beverages and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.

The IOM recommended that, because of their calorie content, juices be limited to 4-ounce servings for elementary and middle-school students and 8-ounce portions for high school students.

Tier 2 foods would be available only to high school students and only after school hours.

These foods would also be limited in calories, salt, sugar and fat and the drinks could have just have five or fewer calories per portion and no caffeine; they are not vitamin- or mineral-fortified, but may be carbonated and may contain flavoring or a sugar substitute.

Examples include single servings of baked potato chips, low-sodium whole wheat crackers, graham crackers, pretzels, caffeine-free diet soda and seltzer water.

Sports drinks would be available to students engaged in an hour or more of vigorous athletic activity, at the discretion of coaches.

The committee said fortified water should not be available in either tier.

The Institute of Medicine is a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, an independent organization chartered by Congress to advise the government on scientific matters. 

source: comercialalert.org

By Gay Frankenfield, RN
WebMD Medical News

Jan. 14, 2000 (Atlanta) — Obese boys and girls have significantly lower self-esteem than their nonobese peers at age 14, according to a report in the January issue of Pediatrics. The researchers also found that obese adolescents with esteem difficulties are more likely to engage in such risky behaviors as smoking and drinking alcohol. Doctors say effective weight control should focus on lifestyle issues rather than strict diets and calorie counts.

Researchers collected data from over 1,500 white, black, and Hispanic children at age 10 and followed them for four years. Self-esteem was measured using a standard psychological tool, body mass was calculated from height and weight, and tobacco/alcohol use was reported via questionnaire.

The data showed that self-esteem was not significantly different between obese and nonobese children at 10 years of age. But by age 14, significantly lower self-esteem was observed among obese boys and girls of all races. But the effect of obesity on self-esteem in white and Hispanic girls was significantly greater than it was in black girls. In all of the teens, low self-esteem was associated with feelings of sadness, loneliness, and nervousness. Additionally, the obese children were more likely to use tobacco and alcohol.

The chief investigator says the findings have implications for psychological well-being. “Our findings and [those of] others indicate that early adolescence is a critical time for obese children,” says Richard Strauss, MD, director of the Childhood Weight Control Program and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. “Because this is when they’re developing their sense of self-worth.”

“The focus should be on healthy food choices and eating right rather than strict calorie counts,” says Strauss. “Increasing physical activity and watching less television is equally important. Also, this and other research suggest that teen-age girls smoke cigarettes to control their weight. That’s why an expert committee has recommended that smoking cessation be an integral part of childhood obesity treatment.”

Psychiatrists say parents who enforce strict diets may actually be contributing to a poor self-image. “Enforcing a strict diet informs children that parents are in charge,” says Robert Begtrup, MD, a child psychiatrist and associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. “This denies children a sense of control and reinforces their low self-esteem. It’s also probably too soon to panic about obesity in early adolescence. At 14, kids still have a lot of growing to do.” Begtrup tells WebMD that allowing adolescents to guide obesity treatment is a good approach.

“Parents should make an appointment with the pediatrician and let their child take charge during the visit. That way, a safe and effective plan of treatment can be developed that the child buys into,” says Begtrup, who was not involved in the study “Parents also need to look in the cupboards and make adjustments in order to support their child’s efforts.”

“Our findings demonstrate an association between childhood obesity and low self-esteem, but a true causal relationship is only speculative,” says Strauss. “Depression, weight gain, and home environment are additional factors in need of study. Investigation in these areas may help identify interventions to improve self-concept.”

Vital Information:

• Obese teens have significantly lower self-esteem at age 14, compared to nonobese teens.
• Effective weight control programs should focus on eating healthy foods and increasing physical activity, not counting calories.
• Parents of obese children should allow them to guide their own treatment.

© 2000 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.

There is so much we can do as adults to education our own children and the children around us to help them learn about healthy. Whether the kids we know are obese or not, informing them about good food choices is a priceless education.

We all can attest to the fact that schools are the last place that children learn about healthy eating habits. Coming from the education field myself, I see what is on the menu. It not a pretty sight. If anyone has been tuning into “Shaq’s Big Challenge” Tuesday evenings on ABC, you already know that it is schools nationwide that have this problem. We want our kids to do well in school and participate in extracurricular activities, yet we allow them to consume harmful foods everyday at lunch.

I know it is not an easy problem to fix. Money is the biggest factor that plays into the cafeteria problem. Therefore it is not just a simple change that needs to be made. How difficult has it been for some schools to be convinced to remove Coke machines from schools. Sure, removing the machines meant the schools would be taking a financial hit. “Oh, that would mean less money for school programs and supplies”, administrators would cry! Well, how about we focus more on the health of our kids by taking away the temptation in school to pour pounds of sugar down their throats every year, instead of short term programs. Yes, programs and supplies are important. However, it is more important to be examples good nutrition and look out of the overall child, not just the academic part of them.

Talk to you kids today about what they eat. Even if they are active and physically fit, doesn’t always mean they are getting what they need in their diet every day. Thin doesn’t always mean healthy.

Source: Cynthia Linder M.S., Certifications in “Coaching Healthy Behaviors in Children” and “Providing Dietary Guidance” from the world renowned Cooper Institute in Dallas, TX.