Weekly Fitness Challenge - Week of 10.19.09

Why Drinking Water Is Important For Health and Fitness:

It is a fact that you need water long before you feel thirsty. If you feel thirst – you are already dehydrated.

Your body is estimated to be about 60-70% water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temp. and provides the means for nutrients to travel to your organs. Water transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

You lose water through urination, talking, breathing, and by sweating. If you are very active, you lose more water than if you are sedentary. Drinking coffee, alcohol and/or taking diuretics or diet pills result in the need to drink more. These things actually dehydrate you, but make your body think that you actually are getting the amount of water that you need.
Symptoms of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles, lower back pain, headaches, constipation and fatigue. A strong odor to your urine, along with a yellow or amber color indicates that you may not be getting enough water. Note that riboflavin, a B Vitamin, will make your urine bright yellow. Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration.

How Much Water do You Need to Drink?

To Calculate Your Exact Hydration Needs Pertaining To Your Exercise Duration, The Weather and Your Weight Go To:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/tools/hydration

Twenty percent of your water need should come from the foods you eat. The rest of your water need should come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice.

Drinking Enough Water

It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Be sure you have water handy at all times by keeping a bottle for water with you when you are working, traveling, or exercising. If you get bored with plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor. There are some brands of flavored water available, but watch for extra calories.

Sources:
Spigt MG, Kuijper EC, Schayck CP, Troost J, Knipschild PG, Linssen VM, Knottnerus JA. "Increasing the daily water intake for the prophylactic treatment of headache: a pilot trial." Eur J Neurol. 2005 Sep;12(9):715-8.
Armstrong LE, Pumerantz AC, Roti MW, Judelson DA, Watson G, Dias JC, Sokmen B, Casa DJ, Maresh CM, Lieberman H, Kellogg M. "Fluid, electrolyte, and renal indices of hydration during 11 days of controlled caffeine consumption." Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Jun;15(3):252-65.

Think You're Running Correctly? No more aches and pains!

Many of us have been running for years, but have you stopped to see if you are running correctly? If you experience foot pain, knee pain, shin pain and even back pain when you run, it is very likely that your body is out of alignment and putting unnecessary pressure on joints and muscles by over-compensating. I gave out this article to the Core Fitness Runners and felt that it was important to share with everyone.

Developing proper running form is somewhat complex since each person is different. It seems as though some people are born with good running mechanics while others are not. There are some who believe running form should not be manipulated and cardiovascular fitness should be the emphasis of a training program to become more “fit.” However, not addressing the simple biomechanics of running will lead to poor economy.

The overall goal for running, besides preventing injury, should be to improve economy, which means decreasing the amount of oxygen that is used to move the body over distance. Improving economy can have a positive impact on performance and, for some, requires retraining the neuromuscular system. Retraining the way the brain initiates complex muscular movements can produce a decrease in performance in the short term. However, taking the time to train the body to run properly will lead to more positive gains in the long term and thus will help to improve a person’s economy as well as reduce the risk of injury.

The initial steps in developing a more economical run form include training the body to run more efficiently. Whenever running form is needed to be improved, running to practice should be the emphasis and more importantly, adequate time should be allowed to schedule the retraining of the neuromuscular system. Fitness will be a byproduct of running to practice and can be later developed once proper mechanics are learned.

Here are some basic guidelines that will help to improve overall run form:

1. Place head in a neutral position without looking up or down. Focus on looking at the horizon and relax the neck and facial muscles.
2. Maintain a slight forward lean (initiated from the hips with the butt “tucked in”) but not too much to where it would increase braking forces and stress to the hips, knees and back. Too much of a forward lean will cause a decrease in stride length because the hips will be rotated backward. Keep the hips forward by imagining someone is pulling you forward with a rope tied around your waist.
3. Keep your arms moving in a straight line (or close to) to minimize the amount of side to side motion as it wastes energy and could negatively affect hip mechanics.
4. Decrease heel striking (emphasize midfoot striking) to minimize the braking and impact forces that are placed on the lower extremities. To do this, increase cadence to around 90 strides per minute (measured on a single leg) and plant the foot as close to under the body and the center of gravity as possible.
5. Minimize vertical oscillation or bouncing. In other words, run forward and not up and down.

Here are some running drills to teach proper run mechanics:

1. Butt kicks. To do these properly, don’t simply kick the butt with the heel. Rather, initiate the kick by lifting the knee first so that your heel kicks your butt but your hip is flexed and not extended. These should be done without forward movement until the technique is first learned. Then progression to a slow jog can be initiated for 50 to 100 yards. Remember to land on the mid/forefoot when placing the foot back on the ground.
2. High knees. Begin standing without forward movement and slowly raise the knee up and bring the foot down to the ground to strike the mid/forefoot. The emphasis should be on a high knee lift by engaging the hip muscles and the ground strike to teach proper foot placement mechanics. Progress from a slower to quicker speed, first done in place then progressing to a run of about 50 to 100 yards.

The above two drills are the most basic but fundamental of all running drills. There are many other advanced drills that can be incorporated after these are mastered.

3. Strides. These are short bursts of increasing speed over about 10 to 15 seconds of running. Perform these after a few sessions of butt kicks and high knees so that those two drills are learned first. Strides teach the neuromuscular system how to initiate and respond faster and increase overall cadence. Begin with no more than three to four sets of strides.

Following these general guidelines will begin the process of developing a more economical run form. These principles along with the running drills should be completed at least two to three times per week before scheduled run training or as stand-alone neuromuscular training sessions.

Remember, run to practice first. Improved fitness and economy will develop throughout practice.

If you need help with running or just want to get some extra cardio, ask about Core's Fitness Runners!

Source: PT on the Net

MOST EFFECTIVE LEG EXERCISES

Quadriceps exercises are important in keeping your legs strong to allow for the highest level of flexibility, as well as to prevent injury. Developing your quadriceps not only helps to guard against muscle injuries, but can also help to support the knee joint and protect it from injury.

Squats

Squats are undeniably the king of all quadriceps exercises and tops the list as the Most Effective Quadriceps Exercise. Squats involve more than 256 muscles in one movement! Squats will not only build your quadriceps, Squats will also help build the hamstrings and lower back as they are two of the major secondary muscles being use. Besides developing your quadriceps, the huge testosterone boost an intense set of squats will give you will even help you build your upper body.

Muscles targeted while performing Squats are the Quadriceps. Secondary muscles (Synergists/Stabilizers) used while performing Squats are Gluteus Maximus, Adductor Magnus, Soleus, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius, Erector Spinae, Rectus Abdominis and Obliques.

Barbell Lunge

Barbell Lunges are an intense quadriceps exercise that you can use to tone and shape your legs. Barbell Lunges focuses on the quadriceps muscles and also works the hamstrings and gluteus maximus muscles in the process. While we all strive to develop our quadriceps, some are known to overlook the less obvious muscle groups. The hip adductors and abductors are prime examples of overlooked muscle groups. Although they are relatively small and barely visible, when compared to the overall quadriceps, they add to the hip stability and over all thigh mass and are critical to athletic performance. Barbell Lunges are known to be a great quadriceps exercise while also contributing significantly to the development of hips adductors and abductors. For those reasons Barbell Lunges is rated one of the Most Effective Quadriceps Exercises.

Muscles targeted while performing Barbell Lunges are the Quadriceps. Secondary muscles (Synergists/Stabilizers) used while performing Barbell Lunges are Gluteus Maximus, Adductor Magnus, Soleus, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius, Erector Spinae, Tibialis Anterior, Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus.

Keep changing your variations of the exercises and the weight to keep your muscles guessing! These also work your core! Anything were you have to hold your form yourself and not use a machine, incorporates you core muscles!! ;o)

The Dangers of the Desk Job

If you're like me and a large percentage of the working population that have desk jobs, we spend long hours sitting and starring at a computer screen. This unnatural posture, caused by improper sitting, results in increased neck, mid and lower back, shoulder, and leg pain. In particular, sitting for long periods of time causes your hips to be flexed for a prolonged period. Also, there is a tendency for the shoulders and head to fatigue under the constant influence of gravity which leads to rounding of the head and shoulders. If typing is a large part of your job, carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist, might also be imminent. So, we know we still have to work, what should we do?

Having your body in alignment is the key to neuromuscular efficiency, the ability of the nervous system to communicate effectively with the muscular system. In order to do this, you have to work on fixing any postural distortions you might already have. (Shameful plug: get a free fitness assessment at Core!). Some of these distortions include having your feet turn out uncontrollably during a squat, shoulder elevation during a seated chest press, and an excessive forward lean when walking on the treadmill, just to name a few*. Once you've done the stretches and exercises to fix any distortions, you can properly train. This will prevent injury and keep you from placing more stress on joints and muscles that are not properly aligned.

In the meantime, try these tips that will help prevent postural distortions.

• Get up and stretch every hour (or more frequent if possible), especially your hips and wrists!
• Get an ergonic office chair, keyboard and mouse to keep your hands and back in a natural position.
• Ladies, try and refrain from crossing your legs at your desk, but do try sitting closer to the edge of your seat to keep your posture.
• Keep your monitor at eye level to refrain from straining your neck
• Even if you're tense, focus on pushing your shoulders down, away from your ears.
• Drink lots of water! This will not only keep you hydrated, but the frequent bathroom trips will keep you moving throughout the day.
• If you really want to work on stabilization and posture, toss out the office chair and go for a stability ball, there's no slouching on that thing!

I hope this information was helpful, remember to see a Core Health and Fitness expert personal trainer to get properly assessed. It will make a world of a difference!

Best of Luck!

Amy Willis - NASM CPT

* It is recommended to get properly assessed by a Certified Personal Trainer before diagnosing postural distortions.

Source: National Academy of Sports Medicine

TAKE TIME TO ENJOY YOUR FOOD

Eating more slowly gives your body a chance to tell your mind that it’s full, so that you stop eating before you go overboard. In a preliminary study presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity’s Annual Scientific Meeting in 2004, study subjects ate less when they were instructed to eat more slowly. Slowing down between bites allows you to recognize your feelings of hunger and satiety so you have a chance to realize when you’ve had enough—then stop before you clean your plate and later regret it. (I actually have to cover my plate so I will STOP picking at it!)

Here are some practical tips for chewing more thoroughly and eating more slowly:

• Give yourself enough time to eat—at least 20-30 minutes just to eat the meal, plus additional time to prepare it.
• Don’t eat amidst distractions, like the TV, computer, or while driving.
• Be fully present while you eat. Notice the smell, temperature, texture, color, and subtle flavor differences of each food you consume.
• Take smaller portions, taking a break before refilling.
• Put your fork down after each bite.
• Eat mindfully, chewing each bite as many times as necessary to pulverize any texture.
• If you’re eating in a group, be aware of the speed at which others are eating. Challenge yourself to be the last to finish.
• Start by finding out how quickly you currently eat your meals. (You may be surprised to find out that breakfast or lunch at your computer is over within 5 or 10 minutes.)
• Then, work on adding time to your meals, aiming for each meal to take AT LEAST 20 minutes.

I know I am guilty of eating to fast also, it's a crazy fast pace life we all have I know, we should slow down and try to enjoy it more!!

In Health and Fitness,
Stephanie :o) "GET UP AND TRAIN!"

Lose Belly Fat!

How? Stop eating the wrong stuff. Let's take a look at the little things that can really add up around your midsection and what they will actually cost you in cardio minutes.

Breakfast:

My favorite coffee shop! And probably yours too!
Blueberry Muffin:
420 Calories / 20 Whopping Grams of FAT / 49 Grams of Carbohydrates / 28 of which come straight from sugar!
Cardio = Almost 1 full hour on the elliptical! For one silly little muffin that won't even tide you over till lunch!

Add a Cafe Mocha (Just a Grande though!):
330 Calories / 15 Freakin' Grams of FAT / 43 Carbohydrates / 33 of Which come from SUGAR!
Cardio = 3 miles of running (pretty fast) - about 30-40 minutes - of RUNNING!

TOTAL = A WHOPPING 750 CALORIES / 35 GRAMS OF FAT! / 92 GRAMS OF CARBS!
CARDIO = 1 AND 1/2 HOURS OF CARDIO

Are you willing to spend an EXTRA hour and 1/2 for a Blueberry Muffin and a calorie packed coffee?

Instead....from home....:
Grab an english muffin - 120 calories / 2.5 grams fat / 25 grams of carbohydrates and pair it with a fried egg (with Pam) 91 calories / 6.2 grams fat / 0 carbohydrates

Coffee from home - Add 1/2 Cup Light Creamer - 83 tiny little calories / 4.2 grams of fat / 11 grams carbohydrates

TOTAL = 294 CALORIES / 6.7 GRAMS OF FAT / 11 TINY LITTLE CARBOHYDRATES
CARDIO = 30-35 SHORT MINUTES OF CARDIO

......Choose wisely! Is it really worth it to spend an extra hour and a half and not even create a caloric deficit? Not for me!

Fitness Coaching Series - Phase 1 - Goal Setting - Complete

Congratulations Fitness Coaching Clients!

Phase 1 of the Fitness Coaching Series - Goal Setting is complete! Give a big congratulations to ....Karee Gonzales.....Tracie Steele.....Jessica Clements......and......Melanie Derks for completing all steps of Phase 1 and setting some pretty powerful goals!

You have succeeded in setting some incredible goals for yourself. The steps that you have taken during this self-assessment phase will be critical in helping you achieve your goals. You have all been very accountable to yourselves and because of that I feel confident that you are absolutely ready to achieve these goals and would like to reward you for your efforts and help you take this goal setting to the next level by achieving real results.

My gift to you for your hard work and diligence over the last 10 days is to provide you with everything that you will need to help you achieve your 30 day goal....

• Your Very Own Personal Trainer For a Full Month ($520.00 Value)
• A Fully Customized Meal Plan ($150.00 Value)
• A 1 Month Membership To Core Fitness Run Club ($40.00 Value)
• One-on-One Weekly Fitness Coaching Calls With Me For a Full Month ($200.00 Value)
• A 1 Month Membership To Core's Online Nutrition Software For Food Journaling,
• Meal Planning and Accountability - Priceless ;o).

That's over $900.00 worth of fitness and nutrition tools to help you achieve your very important 30 day goal! The trainer that you choose will help drive you to your goal full speed ahead! Our coaching sessions will help keep you focused and moving through the next Phase of this Coaching Series which is Behavior Modification. This one will take a lot of personal work and accountability, and if you are willing to do the personal work, your trainer and I will provide all the accountability you need!

Your training will start September 7th. I will be contacting each of you individually to talk about your availability for training. After I gather that information, I will set you up with your amazing trainer! I am so excited for you all! There is not one thing that you will be missing that you will need to help you achieve your 30 day goal.

Was it worth the effort? I hope you are all very excited! I am VERY proud of each of you and can't wait to talk to you to set up your training. I will contact you via e-mail or phone within the next 48hrs to set up all the details. CONGRATULATIONS!

Sadie Catania
Owner / Operator
Core Health and Fitness
www.CoreFitnessHouston.com

We all know this-but sometimes we need a reminder!!

"The working out is important, but some people don't understand, it all works hand-in-hand. It's your nutrition, your weight training, and also your cardio activity. So you've got to do all three to get that look and FEEL that you want, to keep the weight off and reach your goals. It's like a twin engine plane, you might can get off the ground with one engine, but you need both of them to run like it should!!" :o)

Fitness Coaching Series - Step 4 - Phase 1 - Goal Setting

Hi guys! I have been trying to post the Step 4 Information all day! I am not sure why the blogger doesn't like my formatting. I can't figure it out. I am just going to go ahead and send it all to you individually via e-mail to start working on. I will continue to try to post it here though!

Thanks!
Sadie Catania, NASM CPT
www.CoreFitnessHouston.com

FITNESS COACHING SERIES - STEP 3 - FROM PHASE 1 - GOAL SETTING

FITNESS COACHING SERIES

Phase 1 – Goal Setting

STEP 3: Getting Emotional, Getting Clear and Getting Honest, So You Can Finally Get Out of Your Own Way! (Wink)

FOUR PARTS TO STEP 3:
1. Set one emotional reason why you want to achieve each goal.
2. List the one main reason why you have not achieved each goal already.
3. Make a list of the number one obstacle you will have to overcome to achieve each goal.
4. List one major step that you will take to prepare to not allow the obstacles you listed stand in your way ever again.

Part 1 - Set One Emotional Reason Why You Want To Achieve Each Goal. (1 Point)
“The moment you get emotionally involved with your goal, it instantly and automatically begins to move into physical form.” – Bob Proctor, Goal Achiever Program

Having specific and measurable goals that you have set specific dates for will get you out of bed early in the morning for Fitness Boot Camp or to Total Body Training after a long stressful day at work. The secret to staying motivated all the time is to set emotionally charged goals – put them in writing - and stay totally focused on those goals day and night. You can never take your eyes off of the goal. Nothing can stand in your way – not even YOU! So GET EMOTIONAL! Dig deep. Why do you want to achieve this particular goal? What is it about this particular goal that will feel like a real achievement for you? Is this goal really what you want? Or, do you want to achieve this thing because you think it will bring you the thing you really want? Spend some time thinking on that one. You may need to revise your goals after a few of these questions, but that it completely OK. I want you to get real honest with yourself.

Part 2 - List the One Main Reason Why You Have Not Achieved Each Goal Already. (1 Point)
Blaming breeds resentment. The above step is where the real personal growth starts. There is no blaming allowed here. You must accept full responsibility for the actions that have either landed you where you are now, or have kept you from going where it is you say you want to go. What’s really going on? You are not allowed to use any “excuses”. Do not mention work hours or stress, children, family, money, friends, nature, lifestyle (ex. We eat out all the time at work.), a busy schedule on anything that will allow you to continue to use it as an “excuse” or “reason” to not achieve your goals. This is a tough one for some of us. I want you to really focus on something as you begin to sort through everything to come to the one main reason you have not achieved a certain goal – what is going through your mind as you are eliminating all of the things that I say you can’t use as an excuse? Become aware of all of the things that you have been telling yourself are the “reasons” why you have not achieved this important exciting goal or why you have let yourself get to where you are now. As you cut away at all of the reasons you have been giving yourself and everyone else – clarity will emerge. You will almost feel like a weight has been lifted when you finally realize that you have complete and total power over your life and achievements. Bottom line. You are in control. At any moment – you can begin moving rapidly toward your goals and nothing and no one can stop you because you will find a way to complete your daily actions almost 100% of the time. The power is in the very present moment. You have control at every moment. You have to stop checking out during those moments when you decide to eat an unhealthy meal or something that does not move you closer to you goals and the life that you deserve. Stop checking out when you are making the decision to not go train when you know deep down that you need and want to. Stop checking out. You have an opportunity to gain priceless insight in that moment right before you make a decision to do or not do something that will move you closer to your goal. Stop, just for a second and become aware. That’s it. Just become aware. Why are you getting ready to eat that or decide to “just skip today’s plan for training”? What comes up? Do the “reasons” or “excuses” you are hearing in your head involve the things and people I mentioned above? Is that what is really going on right at that moment? Or is it just what you are telling yourself to justify the action that you are about to take or not take? In that moment – get clear. Are you getting in your own way? Is there any way that you can make a better decision? Even if it is not the exact plan, is there another option that will move you closer to your goal instead of further away from it? The power is in the present moment. Get present and be honest.

Part 3: Make a List of The #1 OBSTACLE You Will Have to Overcome to Achieve Each Goal. (1 Point)
Hint: These obstacles probably have a lot to do with the things that trigger the moment before you choose to make an unwise decision to not train or eat unhealthy.
What makes you want to sabotage yourself? What is it that keeps coming up that makes you pull through the drive through or choose that item on the menu? What is it that continuously keeps you from your training regimen? These are obstacles that will need to be addressed and prepared for. They may involve other people or things like work. This is not the same as an “excuse” when reviewing it in this way. You are simply looking for the things that trigger you to “check out” and make the decisions that keep you from achieving your goals. Here you will address the number one thing that seems to come up the most often to make you eat unhealthy or not train on a planned training day.

Part 4: List One Major Step That You Will Take to Prepare to Not Allow the Obstacles You Listed Stand In Your Way Any Longer. (1 Point)
This is a very critical step to overcoming anything that has every gotten in your way in the past, whether it is you or something outside of your control. Life happens. Craziness is all around us. We do not have to allow it to impact us or our goals in a negative way. We simply must plan and prepare for the general things that come up most often. There will always be some level of chaos, scheduling mishaps, extenuating circumstances, simple mistakes (ex. I forgot my lunch in the fridge.), a child’s unexpected illness or injury etc…. It’s simply a part of the way the world works around us. These circumstances do not have to become insurmountable obstacles. The key to not letting it become an “excuse” for where you are or where you are not is to have a very solid plan.

You are almost to the finish line! The more time, energy and thought you put into this Phase of the Fitness Coaching Series – the more valuable your reward will be.

I will be sending each of the contestants a worksheet to complete and send back to me to make sure that you guys are completing each step thoroughly. You can copy and paste onto the worksheet from what you have already sent me. Just make sure that each block is filled out completely. Let me know if you have any questions. Best to e-mail me with questions at sadie@corehouston.com

Good Luck! We are almost there! Reward is within reach!!

Sadie Catania
Owner / Operator
Core Health & Fitness
www.CoreFitnessHouston.com

Want to become an AMAZING RUNNER?

JOIN CORE FITNESS RUN CLUB!

Core Health and Fitness Run Club starts this Saturday August 22nd at 10am. We will kick it off with an orientation at the club and then head over to Meyer for a trial run. We will go over all questions and details and still get in some cardio! Woo hoo! If you are interested in joining - contact amy@corehouston.com.

Can't wait to see you there! No better way to blast fat than to run it off training for a crazy race!

In health & fitness,
Sadie

FITNESS COACHING SERIES - PHASE 1 - STEP 2 - DEADLINES & DAILY ACTIONS - GOAL SETTING

STEP #2: SET REALISTIC DEADLINES FOR LONG AND LONG AND SHORT TERM GOALS.
BREAK DOWN THE SHORT TERM GOALS INTO 3 DAILY ACTIONS
THAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS. POST THAT
YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS TASK ON FACE BOOK AND OUR BLOG AND
SEND IT TO SADIE@COREHOUSTON.COM IN A WORD DOCUMENT.
(ADD ON TO YOUR PREVIOUS WORD DOCUMENT)

Example: I will lose 8lbs in 30 days (2lbs a week is more than reasonable!).

Tip: - Because there are 3500 calories in 1 lb of fat - I will need to create a caloric deficit of
7000 calories a week (3500 calories for each lb I want to lose per week).
This means that I need to create a caloric deficit of 1000 calories a day in order to lose
2lbs per week.

30 Day Goal and Daily Action Plan: (Each term goal and daily actions should follow)

My BMR is 2200 calories a day. (See office for your BMR measurements!)

**In order to create a caloric deficit of 1000 calories a day for 7 days a week - I will:

Daily Action #1: Eat 1200 calories on days that I do not work out. (1000 calorie deficit)

Daily Action #2: I will eat 1700 calories on days that I do work out, but will burn off 500
calories minimum during Total Body Training tonight. (1000 calorie deficit)

Daily Action #3: I will prepare my breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks no less than the night
before my day begins. (PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING!!!)

American College of Sports Medicine has established guidelines for healthy weight loss. ACSM recommends 1-2 lbs a week of weight loss to be healthy and reasonable. Some people think that this is "too slow", but must realize that if you lose more - that beyond 1-2lbs it is a loss of muscle (slowing your metabolism), hydration (making you feel and look more bloated) and sometimes even bone density (I think the risk of that one explains itself).

It’s possible to lose more than two pounds per week, but if you do, most of the additional weight will usually be in the form of water and muscle. When you lose water weight, you will gain it back immediately as soon as you re-hydrate yourself. When you lose lean body mass, your metabolic rate slows down and your body goes into survival mode - which means - your body will begin to "store" away fat thinking that it may be in a situation of famine and it needs to reserve as much "energy" (fat) as possible in case you run out of food! Don't starve yourself! Eat 5 small meals each day and no less than 1200 calories on any given day-and you will lose weight rapidly. See Sadie, Stephanie. Tara or Jake for more information on what exactly you should be eating for your body type, fitness level, activity level and goals.

Don't forget to send EXACT DATES for your 3 goals along with 3 daily actions for EACH GOAL that will move you closer to your ultimate 30, 60, 90, 120 day or 1 yr goal!

POST ON OUR FACE BOOK, OUR BLOG and SEND TO SADIE@COREHOUSTON.COM in a WORD DOCUMENT!

Who will receive the training prize for all 10 steps and all 20 points!!! Point check on Thursday!!

Participants in Fitness Coaching Series - Phase 1 - GOAL SETTING:

• Cathy Holladay
• Paige Hopkins
• Jessica Clements
• Kerri Gonzales
• Allison Stroud
• Melanie Derks
• Tracie Steele
• Jennifer Holt (Non-member & CLOSE FRIEND!) ;o)

Can't wait to get your docs and see your posts!

Sadie Catania

Run Club Starts Aug 22nd

It's finally here! Core's very own Run Club. This club is going to serve as a building running program and is open to all levels, all ages and all race types. This Saturday we are having an orientation at Core Health & Fitness to discuss how the club will be organized, each individual's goals, measurements, and then we're going to do a run through of the course at Meyer Park. Each person will be given a training schedule and FAQ's page for their specific race or goal, then we will meet every Saturday morning at Meyer Park to discuss the "hot topic" of the week and do a group run.

Throughout the meetings, participants will be educated on zone training, nutrition, shoe buying, cross training, pre and post flexibility, injury prevention, pre and post race preparation and recuperation and so much more! Plus you will have the accountability and companionship of running with a group of people who are trying to achieve the same goals as you!

The cost of the program is a one-time entry fee of $50 and then $10 a week, with a month commitment afterwards. Being a member of run club you will get a Core Fitness Runners exclusive T-Shirt, discounts on running shoes and apparel from Fleet Feet, plus discounts at other places throughout the community. So grab your sneakers and meet us this Saturday at 10 am at Core Health & Fitness for our first orientation. If you can't make it this Saturday, our first group run will be next Saturday Aug. 30th at Meyer Park. You can contact Amy Willis at amy@corehouston.com or (713) 447-2715 for any questions. Hope to see you all there!

FITNESS COACHING SERIES - PHASE 1 - GOAL SETTING

Step 1:

Trying to achieve your goals without writing them down and looking at them each day is like trying to get to a small town 1000 miles away that you don’t know the name of and have never been to, without a map, navigation or directions. You can make some assumptions and stop and ask for help along the way, but unless you have a clear vision, specific directions and a source that you continue to use for guidance daily – you will either never get there, you will end up there by accident or you will get there one day a long time from your start….maybe. You will probably travel a long time, down a lot of roads, make a lot of seriously wrong turns and get very distracted and discouraged along the way. Does that sound like any way to reach a destination that you really want to get to and actually enjoy the journey along the way? Probably not. Zig Ziglar puts it perfectly by asking, “How could you possibly hit a target that you can’t even see?”

So Step 1 of Phase 1 is to SET 3 VERY SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE GOALS – CHOOSE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT SHORT, MID AND LONG TERM GOAL.

In this step numbers are critical. In order to achieve true success you must have goal check points along the way. You can’t have a check point if you do not have a goal that you can measure in some way. I also want you to let your deepest desires surface here. Don’t worry – we will set realistic deadlines for them later – so dream big for the mid and long term goals! The smaller one will come more quickly and the bigger ones can not be reached without achieving the smaller ones as stepping stones – here’s why: Remember that - "The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get." – Jim Rohn

If you ultimately want to lose 100lbs or run a full marathon, first you must be able to lose 5lbs or walk 1 mile. “The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

Step 1:
Set Specific & Measurable Short Term and Long Term Goals
(Don’t worry about exact timelines yet. Just set realistic goals you can achieve in 30 days, 90 days and 1 Year.)

Examples:
30 Day: Lose 10lbs
90 Day: Lose 15% Body Fat (You can choose a 6 month goal instead of 90 days if you’d like.)
1 Year: Run the Boston Marathon in 9:30 a mile or less.

1 Point = Email me all 3 goals very specific, very measureable goals
1 Point = Post all three specific, measurable goals on our Face Book and our Blog for accountability from our fitness community.

E-mail to sadie@corehouston.com & don't forget to post it too!

WELCOME FITNESS COACHING CLIENTS!

I would like to Welcome and Commend the following new clients of Phase 1 of our new Fitness Coaching Series!

1. Cathy Holladay
2. Becky Meason
3. Tracie Steele
4. Melanie Derks
5. Jessica Clements
6. Karee Gonzalez
7. Paige Hopkins

I have 3 spots left. I will close the challenge Friday at midnight. So get in while I am still giving this crazy prize away!

For those of you who are ready to put the work in to really achieve your goals - I will be posting Step 1 of Phase 1 next. Re-read the rules and get me what I need asap! Also, don't forget to post on the FB page (ours) and our Blog for 1 extra point. Remember - you must get all 20 points to get your reward! You get 1 point for e-mailing me directly the completed step and then a second point for posting your completed task specifics on FB AND on the Blog. You must do both!

Those of you who have commited should get ready to achieve some serious results over the next few months based on the work you are getting ready to put in!

Here we go.......so exciting! :o)

Tell Us Your Secret.

We've all got fitness secrets that we swear by. We want to hear yours!

Receive VERY Valuable Reward for Participating In New Fitness Coaching Series at Core Health & Fitness - On Line:

Fitness Coaching Series

The Fitness Coaching Series is designed to help you achieve your goals - absolutely without fail. It is extremely valuable for many reasons. Clients pay Fitness Coaches and Fitness Trainers thousands of dollars for this type of guidance and accountability over a period of time. This series will provide you with a tremendous amount of personal growth toward achieving your fitness goals and for free - just for being a member or client of Core Health & Fitness. To start the Series off with a bang - I will be holding a challenge with a generous fitness reward for completing the challenge thoroughly.

Rules:

1. 
   
   You must complete each step 100% - save it in a word document and e-mail it to me as completed one step at a time. You will e-mail it to sadie@corehouston.com. You will receive one point for thoroughly completing each step.


2. 
   
   You can receive an additional point for each step if you post your completed task on our Face Book Page. Sharing it with our Fitness Community will also provide you with added accountability and support.


3. 
   
   There are 20 total points possible. 10 points for completing each step and e-mailing it to me and 10 additional points for posting the completed step on our Face Book.


4. 
   
   Challenge ends August 24th. All of the above must be 100% complete by Midnight on August 24th 2009.


5. 
   
   You must be a member or a client of some kind at Core Health & Fitness - Grant Rd. Cypress, TX to participate.

Let me know if there are any questions! I can only afford to give the reward for completing the challenge away to 10 people. It is very valuable. If you are serious about achieving your goals and would like to participate - let me know asap on the Blog, Face Book or E-mail me. The first 10 people to respond will qualify. Who's in?

Step #1 of 10 will be posted very shortly.

Only $99.00 A Mo. For Fitness Boot Camp!

Total Body Extreme

Redefining Limits. Redesigning Bodies.

Total Body Extreme just got extreme in a whole new way! We want everyone to be able to train with us so we have decided to go crazy and drop our price for TBX (Boot Camp) to $180.00 for the 1st month and $99.00 a month after that! I know - it's so exciting!

Program Includes:

• A customized jump start weight loss meal plan
• Full goal consultation.
• Fitness test each month.
• Body composition analysis each month!
• Workouts - 6 days a week!
• Core, Resistance, Cardio, Balance, Flexibility Training - Every day!
• On-line food journaling - and a trainer to check it for you weekly!
• An amazing certified personal trainer to motivate and push you all the way to your goals!
• Free fitness newsletter, access to your very own virtual personal trainer and dietitian via our blog!

If you want to change your shape into the body of your dreams - get started today! Lose weight, build beautiful lean muscle, burn tons of fat fast, improve your posture and cardio respiratory fitness! You will be 100% satisfied or your money back! What's there to lose? Call today to get started 281-257-5505 - www.CoreFitnessHouston.com (Check out the testimonials!)

Twitter

Twitter feed check :)

Your Virtual Personal Trainer and Dietitian!

WELCOME:

Total Body Training, Total Body Extreme

and Core Health and Fitness Clients!

We have started this blog to give you constant access to all of our expert trainers and dietitian on a regular basis. You can use this blog to ask all of the questions that your fitness heart desires!

Use this blog for questions on:

Nutrition - Post and Pre-Workout Nutrition, "How many grams of _____should I be eating a day?" "What's the best low-calorie alcohol beverage that I can have without blowing my week?" "Anyone have a recipe for _________ ?" Anything at all that you can think of - ASK!

Fitness - "How much cardio should I do on strength training days?" "How do I get by abs flat?" "How do I get rid of cellulite?" "How do I get my biceps popping?" "Do you think I am ready to compete?" ASK ANYTHING!

This will get our community hopping with great material that everyone looks forward to and can use! If you have a question, I can assure you - someone else has the same one! You will be doing everyone a favor by asking and asking and asking!

We will also post daily fitness and nutrition tips to keep your healthy lifestyle in the front of your mind! Let us know what you want to hear about, talk about, learn about, communicate about, need support on. Anything at all! We are 100% here for you and making ourselves available in every way that we can to serve you better and better all the time!

I look forward to hearing from every single client about their progress, challenges, questions, concerns, interests, likes and dislikes.

We absolutely love our clients and members and will do anything to help you achieve your goals and get and/or keep you and your family fit for life!

In health & fitness,
Sadie Catania
Owner
Core Health & Fitness
http://www.corefitnesshouston.com/