The Importance of a Pre-Workout Snack

Working out on an empty stomach is at the top of the list of workout don'ts! Not only will you not have any energy to get you through the workout, but you'll most likely end up fainting. Eating something will not only prevent you from being hungry while you exercise (helping you to focus your complaints on how many lunges your trainer is making you do this week), it will also help prevent low blood sugar and up your muscle and liver carbohydrate reserves. You will have more energy to sustain your workout and less likelihood of feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or disoriented.

Skip candy and other treats, heavy foods, and big portions so you don't feel bloated when working out. Instead, choose snacks that are low in fat and fiber, low in simple sugars, and high in carbohydrates. These foods will digest quickly and prepare your body to really work and get the most benefits from your workout regime.

Tips to Stay Energized All Day

If you read yesterday's entry, trying to find the motivation to workout when you're not energized is pretty hard. With the hot weather, smoke-infested sky and a long day at work, I had to muster up all the energy and motivation I had to drive to class. Today I found some great tips on how to ensure that you will wake up refreshed and recharged, remain alert throughout the day, and wind down just in time for a good night's sleep.

I know I'll be using these tips!

When to Wake Up

Instead of: Sleeping in

Try: Getting up at the same time and bathing yourself in light

This enables your circadian rhythms, which are governed by your body's "master clock" in the hypothalamus gland, to stay in sync with the 24-hour day. In the absence of light, your body's sleep-wake cycle wants to delay by an average of 12 minutes every day and work on a 24.2-hour rhythm.

When to Drink Coffee

Instead of: Downing your Joe first thing

Try: Having a latte later in the day

That's when you'll really need it. Caffeine keeps you operating at a high level by blocking the effects of adenosine, a sleep-inducing brain chemical that accumulates as the day wears on. By the time adenosine builds up to the point where you start feeling sleepy—generally, late in the afternoon—the effects of your morning caffeine will have worn off.

Time Your Meals

Instead of: Grazing all day long

Try: Eating your meals at the same time every day

Your body's caloric needs are closely tied to its other daily rhythms, including when you get up and go to bed and when you expend the most energy (during your late-day fitness walk, for example). What will make you tired: skipping a 7 a.m. breakfast or a noontime lunch if your body expects it. Chaotic eating leads to greater hunger and overeating.

Get Pumped Before a Workout

Instead of: A light snack

Try: Music

Exercise a great energy booster, but what if you're too tired to workout? Put in your earphones while you lace up your walking shoes: Music will help you forget you're whipped. Load your iPod or make a CD with your favorite up-tempo tunes. If you're the literary type, an audiobook can also help distract you from feelings of fatigue.

A Steaming Monday Workout

Driving to bootcamp for the 6 p.m. class, the temperature gauge in my car read 100 degrees! The blazing fires spreading across nearby San Gabriel Valley communities didn’t help either, as it contaminated the air quality and left a blanket full of smoke causing a grey sky. It was certainly one of those days where you just wanted to head straight home, turn on your air conditioner and just veg out on the sofa.

Once a devout Walnut Women’s Bootcamp attendee, the last few months saw sporadic visits, and I knew I had to get back into my routine and headed over to the Walnut facility, knowing that it would literally be one Hell of a workout given it gets pretty hot in there despite the various fans. Upon arriving, the 5:00 class seemed pretty packed, mostly with a couple of newbie’s, while the 6:00 class had only six of us participating. Usually a popular time slot for class, everyone else was probably doing what I was thinking about earlier.

As the class began, we all complained of the heat, but still made our way through the rigorous workouts that consisted of side lunges with those damn sandbags, sliding the weight sleigh across the floor and a couple of other tortuous exercises that Mike had us doing. I have to admit, it was quite a workout, and it felt like a furnace in there! Usually I could go on with no water breaks until the break in the middle, but today called for several trips to my water bottle in between stations. By the end of class, I was totally spent, but felt really good that I went. Attending bootcamp on such hot days really gets you sweating, making you feel like you really achieved something that day in class! Word to the wise: make sure to really hydrate these steaming last days of summer, so that you don’t drop while in class…oh, and urge yourself to go even though you don’t want to; when it’s all said and done, your body (and jeans) will thank you for going!

Let’s see what’s in store for the rest of the week’s classes!

Simple Ways to Eat Healthier: Part II

The previous post provided simple ways to eating healthier for a better you, and we're giving you some more useful tips that will help you on your journey to become fit and healthy!

Dessert shouldn't have a straw.

There are tons of drinks that sound healthy but are actually just sweetened water. Don't let the labels fool you! If it's not skim milk, plain H2O or regular coffee or tea, it's really a desert you drink, loaded with tons of calories and God knows what else. For a healthier drink on the sweet side, try lemon or mint iced tea or sparkling water with a splash of juice.

Fuel up in the morning, not at night.

Have your biggest meal in the morning instead of at night. Try aiming for a healthy, calorie-packed breakfast and a lighter dinner. You also won't be able to burn off all the calories from breakfast if you eat a larger meal at night, too!

Your hips are not for storage.

Once you slice and sauté your way to a fabulous feast, you don't have to finish every bite. If you keep eating even after you're full, you are using your body as a storage unit. If there's enough left over for lunch tomorrow, pack it up and put it in the fridge. Otherwise, toss scraps in the trash.

Cut yourself a break sometimes!

If you attempt to try some of these suggestions, but occasionally crave a fast food fix, a slice of pizza or a brownie, just go for it (in moderation, of course). You can happily resume your healthy plan once you satisfy the urge. It's okay to indulge every once and a while as long as you remember your initial goal of getting fit!

Simple Ways to Eat Healthier: Part I

For some reason, eating healthy is always easier than it seems. For many, we usually make it a goal to eat healthier, but never follow through, making excuses as to why we can't stick to it. It's time to stop making excuses and start taking action with these simple ways to eating healthier!

Greeks know best!

A plate of grilled fish and fresh vegetables and a glass of wine is a delicious meal that is actually good for you! According to health professionals, consuming a Mediterranean menu can help lower your risk for heart disease and keep you slim.

If it has to be made in a lab, don't eat it.

You know that fruits and veggies come from trees or the ground and eggs come from hens, but do you know where that Pop-tart came from? Unprocessed, whole foods will give you the most benefits, while processed foods usually nix much needed nutrients such as antioxidants and fiber, and even when chemists add them back, nothing stacks up to Mother Nature.

Check the back of the box first.

Always read the ingredients from the back of the box instead of looking at what the front says. The more ingredients, the more likely it has visited a few processing plants where something artificial was mixed in and the front of the box won't tell you that.

The crunchier, the better.

Snacks that offer a big, satisfying crunch when you bite into them—we mean apples, celery, snap peas and nuts, not chips—keep your mouth busy longer than food you slurp. "

You can always have more tomorrow.

You will not die of a food shortage and you're body won't shut off if you don't finish everything on the plate. Anything you eat after you're full doesn't even taste as good. Never eat more than you can handle just because you think it won't be there tomorrow.

A frozen berry beats a fresh doughnut.

Purchasing organic local produce is better for both the environment and your health, but when the nearest farm is hours away, don't default to a package of Oreos.

Boost Cardio By Knowing Your Target Heart Rate

We all know that in addition to attending our regularly Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp sessions, we need to fit in some cardio to increase our weight loss efforts. However, not many know that in order to get the most effective cardio workout, you'll have to measure your heart rate to know if you're in your "weight-loss zone."

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as over doing it with cardio, which is why you need to know how fast your heart should be going while running, jogging, swimming or doing any other type of cardio exercises.

Here's the formula on how to figure out your Target Heart Rate (THR):
1. 220 – age = MHR
2. MHR – RHR = HRR
3. HRR x % of HRR (40%) = % of HRR
4. % of HRR + RHR = THR

To find the maximum intensity of your workout, replace 40% with 85%. For example, for a 24-year-old with a RHR of 80, the target heart rate zone would be 126-177 BPM.

During your workout, measure your pulse again for 10 seconds and multiply it by 6 to see if your BPM falls in your THR zone. If it is too high or too low, adjust your activity’s intensity and re-measure your pulse.

If this is way to difficult for you to do, simply buy a heart-rate monitor that will measure your heart rate and notify you if you are not working at your predetermined target zone.

Diamond bar Bootcamp Lunge Workout

Hello,
if you're looking for a great exercise that emphasizes
the legs, but works the whole body look no further
that lunge w/ zercher hold or front hold.

This exercise really hits the legs, but also nails
the core and spinal erectors, not to mention the arms.

So, check out this video, and let me know what you think



Hope this helps,
Eric Bonilla
Diamnd Bar Bootcamp

Getting Back Into the Flow of Things: How to Restart Your Exercise Habit

It's summer and everybody knows that summer equals vacations (most of the time). While vacations are great for the mind, body and soul, getting back into your exercise regime after a vacation (or any prolonged absence) might not be so easy.

You're well rested, feel great, but your body doesn't seem to want to work with you as you go back to your daily (or weekly) exercising habits. Now, the question is: how do you start again? Once you have an exercise habit, it becomes automatic. You just go to the gym, there is no force involved. But after a week, one month, two months or possibly a year off, it can be hard to get started again. Here are some tips to climb back on that treadmill after you’ve fallen off.

Don’t Break the Habit - The easiest way to keep things going is simply not to stop. Avoid long breaks in exercising or rebuilding the habit will take some effort. This may be advice a little too late for some people. But if you have an exercise habit going, don’t drop it at the first sign of trouble.

Reward Showing Up - Keep track of your exercise routine and how often you do it. Reward yourself with something you've been wanting when you finally find yourself back in the exercising rhythm you were used to before you took your leave of absence.

Enjoyment Before Effort - After you finish any work out, ask yourself what parts you enjoyed and what parts you did not. As a rule, the enjoyable aspects of your workout will get done and the rest will be avoided. By focusing on how you can make workouts more enjoyable, you can make sure you want to keep going to the gym.

Start Small - Trying to over do it your first time back to working out isn’t a good way to build a habit. Work below your capacity for the first few weeks to build the habit. Otherwise you might scare yourself off after a brutal workout.

Before you know it, you'll be right on track with where you left off before you took your little (or long) break from exercising!

Tips On Overcoming Your Weight Loss Plateau

In each and everyone's weight loss journey, they'll hit a plateau and won't see any results. It's really unavoidable. You can be working out all the time, watching your diet and religiously sticking to each and every one of your weight loss goals. So what's the deal, right? Such plateaus are predictable and explainable.

Why? Because Basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the energy required to keep the heart pumping, lungs expanding, kidneys filtering and all other vital bodily functions going when the body is at rest—accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the calories you burn and depends, for the most part, on body mass. When weight-loss occurs, body mass goes down. Therefore, so does BMR.

So for example: Let's say you weight 162 pounds and consume 1,900 calories a day. In order to lose a pound a week, you've got to cut between 500 and 600 calories per day. So you restrict yourself to 1,400 calories, and the weight comes off easily. But suddenly, after your sixth week on this diet plan, you've noticed that the scale isn't moving downward anymore. This is because with the weight loss, your BMR has also declined, and where your body used to burn 1,368 calories per day, now it's using only 1,080. At this weight, there's less of you to move around, so you burn fewer calories working out and waste fewer calories as heat. All in all, your daily calorie expenditure is now pretty close to what you're taking in. You've hit a new—and probably very annoying—equilibrium.

Here are some tips to beat the plateau to continue your weight loss:

Don't Give Up! You may feel stuck, but you're probably still losing weight—just not enough to register on the scale.

Work Out Harder(Or At Least Strive For A Few More Reps When Doing Each Station At Bootcamp)! Increasing physical activity is particularly useful for moving beyond a plateau, because exercise both uses calories and builds muscle. Place a goal in mind when at each station and force yourself to stick with it.

Eat More Protein! There is some evidence that shows that shifting fat and carbohydrate calories to protein calories may help preserve BMR during weight loss. But don't overdo it—twenty-percent of daily calories from protein is as high as you should go.

Meet Shovnne Abalos: A Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp Member!

Shvonne Abalos is fairly new to training. Having joined in April, she first started out taking two classes a week, but has now signed up for three after seeing fast results! "I saw improvement after the first month," she says. "I've lost an inch and a half around my waist, one inch around my waist and half an inch on my chest so far."

What keeps her coming back for more is the various circuit training exercises done at each session. "You get a vareity of exercises each time you attend class," she says. "No session is ever the same." She also enjoys how small the classes are, usually attending the 5 pm and 7 pm classes throughout the week.

Get results like Shvonne and maximize the number of sessions you take! You'll notice inches off your body the first month just like she did.

Covina Bootcamp SandBag Training

Hello,
I have someting a little different today.
If you're looking for a great muscle building
safe fat burning workout- Look no further than
sandbag training. It's fun, easy to learn and you
will get amazing results.

Checkout part 1 of Walnut Womens Fitness Bootcamp
Sanbag training

Let me know what you think:)



Hope this helps,
Eric Bonilla
Lose 20lbs in 12 weeks

10 Smart Eating Tips

1. Practice Portion Control. Turn down seconds, and eat five smaller meals rather than three large ones.

2. Try the A-B-C-D-E-F Diet. This means limiting alcohol, bread, other starchy carbs, dairy, extra sweeteners and fats.

3. Make It Champagne. It's the best choice among alcoholic beverages if you must drink while on a diet.

4. Keep a Food Journal. Write down everything you eat during the day. Once you're conscious of your intake, you'll be surprised by how quickly you'll change your diet.

5. Eat Your Breakfast. A healthful breakfast will help stabilize your blood sugar, and you'll feel energized all day.

6. Snack Smartly. Take a supply of fruit, roasted nuts, or whole-grain crackers to work daily so you always have something good on hand.

7. Load Up on Veggies. At meals eat more steamed, grilled or raw veggies, and you'll have less room for calorie-dense meats and grains.

8. Don’t Fall for “Fat-Free.” Just because a food is labeled fat-free doesn't mean it's low in calories.

9. Stay Hydrated. Drinking water helps keep the complexion clear. It will also help you flush out toxins and prevent dehydration headaches.

10. Ban Bloating. The day before you have a big event, avoid high-sodium edibles like processed food, soup, sauces and cheese, which can cause fluid retention.

By following this eating tips and continuing a weekly exercise regime (like attending Bootcamp at least twice a week), you'll notice a difference when looking in the mirror!

Covina Bootcamp Classes

Hello,

The other day one of the bootcampers from my Covina Bootcamp
came to me frustrated because she wasn't dropping body fat fast enough.
This is coming from someone who is working out 5 days a week and never misses.

Usually when this scenario occurs it's nutrition
check this video out and see what happened:)

Covina Bootcamp Classes


Hope this helps,
Eric Bonilla
http://www.walnutwomensfitnessbootcamp.com/

Flat-Belly Food For Summer

Summer can totally ruin a person's diet. All the weekend BBQs, family gatherings for the summer holidays and vacation splurges can really hinder your weight-loss efforts. Here are some essential summer foods that are considered bulge-battlers. The more you consume these foods, the better your chances of keeping those abs flat throughout this skin-baring season.

1. QUINOA:It's basically whole grains that contains twice the belly-filling protein as regular cereal grains, fewer glucose-raising carbohydrates, and even a handful of healthy fats.Penn State researchers found that dieters who ate whole-grains lost twice as much belly fat as those who stuck to white-flour products—even though they'd consumed the same number of calories. You can easily start your day off with a bowl of of cooked quinoa as an alternative to your traditional oatmeal.

2. GREEN TEA: A study by Japanese researchers found that participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than those in a control group. It's safe to say that green tea is one of the best beverages for your health, which is why it has become so popular!

3. AVOCADO: There are many rumors out there that avocados are fattening. Well, they are, but here's the good news: they are filled with healthy fat. It's teeming with healthy monounsaturated fats (also found in olive oil), which have been linked to lowered LDL cholesterol levels and weight loss. In fact, a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the healthy-fat Mediterranean diet (that included loads of avocados) was more effective than a diet that avoided fats altogether—so go ahead and indulge!

4. Eggs: Usually a breakfast staple for many, eggs are packed with tons of protein. Boost your metabolism as soon as you wake up with a protein-rich breakfast of scrambled eggs.

5. Grapefruit: A grapefruit a day in addition to your regular meals can speed weight loss. The fruit's acidity slows digestion, meaning it takes longer to move through your system, and you'll end up feeling fuller, and more satisfied longer.

Diamond Bar Personal Trainer 5 exercise mistakes you're making

Diamond Bar Personal Trainer 5 exercise mistakes you're making

Meet Dolores Martinez: A Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp Member

Dolores Martinez attends our Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp classes religiously. You can usually see her at the Monday/Wednesday 6 p.m. class, as well as our 8 a.m. session on Saturdays. She has been working out here for the past six months (since about mid-January) and is happy with the results she has seen so far. Not disclosing the exact numbers in her weight loss (no woman really ever does), she did confirm that she has dropped about 10 lbs. since starting and is noticing more definition and tone to her body! She's also incorporating healthy meals into her diet, as she strives to lose a couple more pounds to really tone up.

When asked what she liked about the class, and why she continued with it for so long, she replied that she liked how every workout session was different. "I don't get bored with the exercises," she said. "Eric and Mike always tend to change it up with every session. You never know what you're going to end up doing when you get there." Dolores also mentioned that she enjoys the friendly atmosphere of the Bootcamp classes. "All the women are really nice," she said. "We've all become like a support group. It's really encouraging."

Stay tuned for more info on success stories from other members of our Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp!

Weight Loss Secrets: Eating Six Small Meals A Day

You've probably heard a million different tips on weight loss. And, while what works for some people may not work for everyone, it's fun (and instructive) to read about the little breakthroughs others have tried to slim down. Here's a good tip: eating around the clock leads to weight loss.

Now, we're not talking about pigging out all day. Instead, eating six small meals throughout the day will keep your tummy satisfied so that you don't overeat in one sitting. Never let yourself get so hungry that you end up making bad food choices. Plan out your day and prepare as much as you possibly can. Also, keep a food journal. So, by simply journaling all your food choices and changing the timing of your meals, you can track what you put in your mouth and be on your way to shedding unwanted pounds.

Try to stretch out each meal three to four hours apart. Breakfast, lunch and diner should be more filling meals, while the other three should be nutritional and healthy snacks.

Covina Bootcamp Fat Loss Tips

Hello,
If you've been looking for an intense core
exercise I just might have the exercise for you.
This exercise is great for strengthening your core
All you need is a stability ball, and you're set for an amazing
exercise. Check out the video here



Let me know what you think:)
Just hit the comment button

Hope this help,
Eric Bonilla
http://www.walnutwomensfitnessbootcamp.com/

Biggest Loser: Walnut Women's Fitness Edition Starts Today

The "Biggest Loser" is coming to Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp. Weigh-in for those interested in participating in the contest starts this week and continues for 12 weeks. There will be a $20 buy in that will in turn be given to the person who loses the most percentage of weight in accordance to their body (just like the show), along with one month of free membership! Before and pictures will be taken to monitor progress, so stay tuned for more information and progress of the contest as the weeks go by. Nothing motivates a person to shed a few extra pounds like a little competition and some extra cash!

Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp New Workout Tool: The Sandbag

At Wednesday's bootcamp classes, Eric introduced us to the 32-pound sandbags that he had just made earlier that day. Basically, he filled two army bags with various heavy things (not sure what it was) to torture us with. At first, they didn't look very heavy, but once you reached the sandbag station and attempted to pick it up, you knew you were in for quite a workout. First, he made you pick it up and throw it over your shoulder while squatting. This wasn't that bad, but the bags did get heavy after the second or third try.

For the next round, he made us pick it up as if we were curling it and then continue to bench it over our head. This was tough! But, even though you think you can't actually do the exercise at first, after a couple of tries, it really isn't that bad.

These sandbags really kick your butt! They sort of look like a mix between these two, only green and the top is held with duct tape.

Swim Suit Season is Officially Here!

Yesterday's holiday marked the start of the summer season, which also means that swim suit season is officially here. For many women, the mere thought of a swim suit is depressing...but it doesn't have to be. You can still aim to get your beach-ready body by simply focusing on your goal to look fabulous in your swim suit without wanting to cover it up with a T-shirt.

One simple thing you can do is simply cut down on your calorie intake. Most dieters know calorie reduction is essential to a successful diet, but they just don't know how to put the theory into practice.The confusion is partly due to the complexity of balancing caloric intake against weight-loss goals. Some people don't know how many calories they need to cut a day to effectively lose weight. Determining daily calorie intake can easily be done online at Web sites like Nutrition.gov and Fitday.com. But besides slashing calories, you should also find a program that's tailored to fit your goals and is practical and sustainable.

Besides being able to help you keep a regular exercise routine, here at the Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp, we can help you reevaluate your eating habits and get you started on a healthy nutritional plan that will help you look great in whatever swim suit you have before the summer ends!

No Classes on Memorial Day

In observance of Memorial Day, all classes are canceled for Monday, May 25, 2009. We will still have our Saturday class (May 23, 2009), and classes will resume Tuesday, according to the class schedule (check out the previous post on the new class schedule times).

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Fitness Tips: Walking Backward on a Treadmill

To better help reach your fitness goals, besides attending your weekly Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp classes, you should also fit in time for some cardio. For those that are tired of the usual StairMaster, try walking backward on a treadmill for 40 minutes, alternating between running and walking.

Walking backward on the treadmill is actually fun and a great way for those with bad knees to get cardio in since it puts less stress on your knees (great if you're recovering from an injury) and targets different muscles. But be warned, the backwards thing can be a little tricky at first.

Start out with a warm up at a slow pace (at about a speed of 2.5). Once you get used to it, alternate running frontward and walking backward at about a speed of 2.5-4.5 with slight incline every five minutes. It's definitely a great change, but just be careful of your balance when you turn from front to back on the treadmill!

Bootcamp Schedule

Since summer officially starts this weekend, we're offering a variety of bootcamp class times so that you can easily fit some exercise into your weekly schedule. Don't let a busy schedule be your excuse for not being able to lose those extra pounds you've been wanting to shed!

The new class schedule is as follows:

Monday-Thursday 7 p.m. (co-ed bootcamp)

Monday & Wednesday 6 p.m.

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 5:30 a.m

Saturday 8 a.m.

The great thing about the classes is that you can easily mix up them to fit your schedule, according to what class package your sign up for. With so many class times to choose from, your summer body is only a sign up away!

West Covina Bootcamp Women's Fat Loss Exercises

Hello,

I don't have to tell you- Summer is coming.
I know I must sound like a broken record ,
but it's true.

In the states Memorial Day is this weekend.
Can you believe it



Anyway to help with your Summer Fitness preparation'
and you are getting ready for summer - Right?



Here's a Fat loss exercise to put you on the right track
let me know what you think:)




Hope this helps,
Eric Bonilla
http://www.walnutwomensfitnessbootcamp.com

Phillips Ranch Women's Bootcamp Personal Trainer 91766

Hello,
Have a great fat burning exercise for you today,
guaranteed to blow torch body fat.

Imagine burning body fat from your hips, waist, and
legs.

Give this exercise a try and you'll be on your way:)




Hit the comment button- Let me know what you think:)

Hope this helps,
Eric Bonilla
http://www.walnutwomensfitnessbootcamp.com/

Walnut Women's Fitness Bootcamp- Workout

Hello,

We had a great Saturday morning workout.

You missed it:)

Here's a sample of what we did

1 Updowns
2.Stationary jumps
3. 30 yard sprints
4. ab roller with knees on disc very fun:)

Well don't forget about our saturday morning workouts

Get your weekend off on the right foot

Have a great weekend:)

Eric Bonilla
http://www.walnutwomensfitnessbootcamp.com