Welcome to the Crew!
Body Basics is introducing a new Fitness Coach to our team! Mike Donelan brings with him almost 30 years of experience in the fitness industry. He has worn many hats along the way, some of which include health club owner, personal trainer, and rehab specialist. Mike looks forward to sharing his expertise in corrective exercise and rehabilitative exercise with all of us at Body Basics.
“We Have it Backwards!”
While on my adventure of seeing new places and meeting new friends, I (Jenny) have run into a variety of people who are always eager to talk about fitness and nutrition. One particular new friend stands out in my mind. I met Katie in Montgomery, Alabama while our husbands were attending a month-long Air Force school for Captains. Katie and I developed an instant friendship, and we immediately began sharing things about ourselves as if we were old friends.
Katie admitted that she has struggled with her weight for most of her life. She continues to work to eliminate those last few pounds in order to strive for a healthy body. Her focus has always been on the idea that before she could be healthy, she must first eliminate the weight. After many conversations about the importance of exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and stress management, she started understanding more about what comprises a healthy lifestyle. An English teacher by trade, Katie perfectly articulated the misguided thinking that she and so many others have about living a healthy lifestyle. “I think we have it backwards,” she said. It dawned on Katie that her continuous quest to live a healthier lifestyle is not about losing weight to be healthy, but rather, it is about being healthy to lose weight! It was her “ah-ha” moment.
The “Ah-ha” Moment
As Fitness Coaches, we are thrilled when our clients have their “ah-ha” moment. Something clicks in the client’s mind, and they begin to see more clearly how they got to the point where they are now. The client will also start understanding what they need to do to change for the better and to achieve their goals. Everything starts to make sense. It is the moment of truth in which unsuccessful habits of the past are released, and the client is free to move forward toward their goals.
Katie’s “ah-ha” moment came to her one evening as we were sitting down to dinner at a local barbecue restaurant with our husbands. We were getting ready to enjoy some good southern pulled pork, fried okra, and collard greens. In the past, Katie would have considered this meal to have “blown her diet.” But that night, it clicked. Katie recognized that it was okay for her to eat this “forbidden” food even though she was making an effort to eliminate weight. What Katie realized was that her endeavor for weight loss involved more than just simply calories in vs. calories out. She was able to eat the meal without feeling guilty, because she had been working hard to make many healthy changes in her life. Katie was eating healthier throughout the day, drinking more water, exercising six days a week, working on getting more sleep, and taking care of herself mentally and emotionally. When she stopped putting the sole focus on food, she allowed herself to actually enjoy her meal instead of eating it with a guilty conscience. Of course, moderation is the key when it comes to foods like southern BBQ, so neither of us finished our huge plates of food. Needless to say, we had a wonderful, tasty, guilt-free meal and were happy and totally satisfied. Best of all, Katie was able to stay on track and continue toward her weight elimination goal.
“Weight Loss is a By-Product of a Healthy Lifestyle”
As our clients, you have most likely heard us say the words, “Weight loss is the by-product of a healthy lifestyle.” Simply put, once healthy lifestyle changes are being made all around, the weight will start to disappear. For example, if you find that you are carrying around extra weight, think of that weight as a reminder of the not-so-healthy decisions you have made in your life that helped lead you to where you are now. Once healthier choices are made and unhealthy habits become a thing of the past, that extra weight will fade, too.
A Healthy Lifestyle
So, what makes up a healthy lifestyle? There are many facets of your life that make up the whole person. These facets are all connected and relate to one another. If one of these facets is not working properly, it will make the whole process of healthy change more difficult.
We like to picture a wagon wheel. There are many “spokes” that make up the wheel. Each one is equally important and if one is missing, the wheel fails to move forward. Consider each of the following elements to whole-body health:
• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Sleep
• Stress Management / Mental Health
• Emotional Health
• Water
We encourage you to put emphasis on each of the above spokes that make up your wheel of life. Once you start making healthy lifestyle changes to each spoke, your goals will be achieved!
Move Forward!
Let us stop our backwards thinking and start moving forward! Throw away the idea that you must eliminate weight to become healthy and concentrate on being healthy to finally eliminate that excess weight for good! Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.
Sleep Well
Body Basics is happy to introduce our first guest author of “The Pulse!” The following article was submitted by Carol Bartol of Imagine Wellness, Tucson, AZ.
Kim looked at the clock a dozen times that night 2:00 o-clock, 3:30, 4:15. She tossed and turned in frustration. I have to get a good night’s sleep or I’ll never be able to give my big presentation in the morning. Why can’t I drift back to sleep like I usually do?
As Kim lay in bed her thoughts returned to the previous evening. Perhaps I shouldn’t have had that double latte on the way home from work, but I thought it would give me energy. And maybe I shouldn’t have stayed up until mid-night working on my presentation.
Kim’s story is not an unusual one! How many of us have found ourselves in a similar scenario? A disrupted sleep pattern, even for just one night, can create additional stress for our bodies. The good news is that we can ensure a healthy nights sleep with just a few simple changes in our nightly
behaviors. Here are a few bed-time tips:
1) Try to decide your optimal sleep hours (Most people feel best on 7-8 hrs). It is difficult for your body to recover from several nights of sleep deficit. In fact, recent research identified poor sleep as one factor in weight gain.
2) The best hours for our bodies to heal are between 11 PM and 1 AM. So, try to be asleep as much as possible during these precious hours.
3) Wind down gently from the day. Allow yourself time for relaxing activities in the evening. Try skipping the night-time news before you go to bed. (Most of it is about violence or disappointments and it sets the tone for disrupted sleep.)
4) Know your own body’s response to caffeine. If it keeps you awake, limit your caffeine to morning, or skip it entirely. (Some people can actually sleep peacefully with a cup of coffee before bed!)
5) Try to eat your evening meal before 8:00PM so you have time to finish digesting before lying down. Many people with acid reflux or hiatal hernias find that they are eating too late at night.
6) Write your next day’s To-do list before you turn in for the night. That way you won’t wake up in the middle of the night, thinking about all the things you have to do the next day.
7) If you do wake up during the night, avoid the temptation of looking at the clock. It will only make you feel anxious. In fact, many researchers suggest that you turn your clock so the number display is not staring at you during the night.
8) Try to allow yourself to wake up naturally about the same time every morning. Your body will give you the signal that it is rested!
9) If you find that you still need some assistance in falling asleep, there are some excellent natural supplements such as valerian root, chamomile, and melatonin. Consult an experienced wellness counselor to see what might work best for you.
10) Lastly, go to bed with peace and gratitude in your heart. You will wake up with it still there!
About the Author:
Carol Bartol RN, MS,CS is an RN, certified herbal specialist, and lifestyle counselor. She is the founder of Imagine Wellness in Tucson, AZ and has assisted people in enhancing their physical and emotional wellness for many years. You may contact her at 520 797-4099, or at imaginewellnessinc@msn.com.
Imagine Wellness
7493 N Oracle #111
Tucson, AZ 85704
imaginewellnessinc@msn.com
520 797-4099
Announcements and Events
Welcome Back Cile!
As many of you know, former Body Basics Fitness Coach (now Firefighter), Cile Brown has been hanging around the studio recently. This is because she is assisting in coaching the 6:00am and 7:00 a.m. groups on her days off from firefighting. cile will only be working a couple of days a month, so we encourage you to take advantage of her unique style! You are guaranteed a fun time and a great workout! You can call the studio for her guest coaching times.
Welcome back cile. We’ve missed you!
Nutrition Corner – Hooray for Grilling Season!
By the 4th of July, Jason and I will have lived in a hotel room for a total of 45 days. The biggest struggle, short of living out of our suitcases, is eating healthy and being creative using minimal cookware and appliances. This is why we are very thankful that it is summertime and the perfect weather for firing up the grill!
Dining out on a regular basis while living in a hotel room is tempting due to its convenience, but it can quickly become a strain on the wallet, as well as the waistline. Grilling is a great way to cook up a healthy, tasty meal in no time!
Benefits of Grilling
Grilling is a healthy option because you can cook food with little to no fat that comes from cooking oil, butter, etc. Grilling can give your foods a smoky flavor that really helps satisfy your taste buds. As one of the most versatile methods of cooking, you can grill almost any type of food and have it be a success at the dinner table!
Grill Vegetables and Even Fruit
The grill isn’t just for meat anymore! You can grill just about any vegetable and give it a flavor that is delightfully different from conventional stove-top methods. You can also grill fruit! “Stone” fruits (peaches, plums, cherries, apricots) are best because they hold up better on the grill than some other, softer fruits. A little olive oil and some salt and pepper are all you need to make the flavors pop! Similar to roasting vegetables in the oven or sauting on the stove top, grilling helps bring out the natural sugars in vegetables and fruit, caramelizing them and giving them a nice, sweet flavor.
Many vegetables are wonderful when grilled like, zucchini, squash, eggplant, Portabella mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, are especially tasty, but there are a few that you may not have tried yet.
Vegetables to try on the grill:
• Whole Bell or other peppers of all different colors, shapes and sizes. After washing and drying the pepper, rub a little olive oil on the whole pepper and sprinkle it with some salt and pepper. Place directly on the grill, turning when the outside skin starts to darken. Cook the pepper to desired firmness. You may eat the pepper with or without the skin.
• Scallions. These vegetables can also be placed directly on the grill. Use a little olive oil and salt and pepper for extra flavor and to avoid burning.
• Corn on the cob. There are several ways to cook corn on the cob on the grill, depending on your taste. You can shuck the husks first and then put some olive oil and seasonings (lime juice and fresh cracked pepper give the corn great flavor) on the corn prior to the grill, or you can grill the corn still in their husks. Just be careful not to catch the husks on fire. Other options are to wrap corn in foil, shucked or un-shucked, and place directly on the grill.
• Lettuce. Try Romaine, endive, or radicchio halved or quartered. Drizzle a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until the lettuce is crispy and browned to taste. Use the lettuce in a salad or on top of burgers or sandwiches.
Tip: Grilling baskets are great for chopped, sliced, or even smaller vegetables. Skewers are also a great way to keep the veggies from escaping through the grill grates.
Fruit to try on the grill:
• Stone fruit such as: peaches, plums, cherries, apricots
• Sliced pineapple
• Halved bananas
Tip: Slice some whole, unpeeled oranges and place directly on the grill. Grill fish on top of these orange slices to add zesty flavor to your fish.
Take the Fish Outside
Ever complain about how cooking fish on the stove or in the oven makes the house smell for days? This is the perfect reason to take the fish outside and cook it on the grill! Most fish is fine to be placed directly on the grill. However, flakier fishes, like flounder or tilapia may need to be grilled on a tray for best results.
Make it a Family Affair or Even Entertain!
Grilling is great because it can involve the whole family and the clean-up is minimal. Grilling helps take the pressure off entertaining inside and provides a great reason to spend some quality time with your loved ones outside, enjoying the summer months.
Creativity is key when it comes to grilling. Most recipes can be modified for the grill, and although it will be nice to be in our home again with an oven and stovetop along with all our pots and pans, you can bet our grill will definitely get good use over the rest of the summer. We encourage you to grab your tongs, spatulas, friends and family and fire up your grill tonight for some yummy outdoor cookin’!
Healthy Recipe: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Here is an example of a recipe that can be modified for the grill. Although the directions say to cook the chicken in a skillet with oil, we recommend taking this recipe to the grill! Just follow the recipe but instead of using a skillet on the stove, lightly oil the grates of your grill and you are good to go! Enjoy!
Recipe taken from: Everyday Food Magazine
Cool, buttery avocado makes a soothing salsa — a palate-pleasing contrast to spicy meats, such as these cayenne-rubbed chicken breasts.
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 4
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks
Directions
In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.
Client Spotlight
Jerry Turetzky – July
When you look up dedication, Jerry’s picture will be right next to the definition. Despite major medical challenges that would most likely have permanently sidelined many, Jerry continues to maintain a consistent approach to improving his health and overall well being. Jerry started coming to BodyBasics in September of 2007 via the prompting of several loved ones around him who thought it would help him to decrease pain and increase his energy. Jerry took the plunge and has been coming ever since.
Jerry thank you for the joy you bring to BodyBasics as well as you dedication. We all love having you around!
Kelly Enochs – August
Kelly is a strong part of the 6:00 a.m. small group. She is often the first to arrive and she takes her exercise very seriously. Since her start in September of 2007, she has eliminated inches all over and improved her strength to impressive levels. She is a true example of what this thing we call exercise can do for you when it is applied in consistent weekly doses.
Kelly, we are all very proud of you and we thank you for your continued enthusiasm. See you at 6:00 a.m.
Our Mission
To empower people to realize their innate abilities by providing an environment that nurtures, educates, and inspires.
Keep Up the Great Work!
We are very proud of all of you!
