Lean Mean Fighting Machine

Before we get to the actual blog ..... I want to share a picture of my beautiful bride.  We had an exciting day, filled with lots of laughter and love :) Awww

Ok now on to the information....

Our body and mind are the most important systems we own.  We need to listen and be in tune to what is happening in our lives.  Being a personal trainer, I get lots of why questions.  Why does my (elbow/ knee/ back) hurt- why do I feel A or B, why can't I sleep, and why do I have no energy???....My answer to these questions is to be aware of what is going on.  Be your own scientist.  Look at your surroundings, look at the people you are around, what are your habits, and what are you eating???  Which leads us to the focus of this blog...pre-workout energy.  As your own scientist ask yourself, am I eating foods with lots of vitamins and nutrients?  Is it picked from a tree or dug from the ground?  Or are you chomping on empty calories, sugar filled choices that have been constructed in some manufacturing company?  Before you work out think of yourself as a fine tuned machine that needs fuel.  What are you going to do to make this lean, mean, fighting machine run properly?



Jane Fonda
Fine tuned machine

Rock Balboa
Fine tuned machine

                                        











                                       

Here are some pre-workout suggestions to help keep you fueled and energized:
A) An apple, pear, or banana with a table spoon of natural peanut butter
B) A hand full of walnuts or almonds or mix both
C) 1 slice of whole wheat bread with almond butter
If it is not to late in the day, a cup of tea or coffee has been shown to improve cardio vascular performance and help with blood flow.   Also, water is a must!  Drink plenty throughout the day. 
Now, if you are making poor choices all day and then an hour before your workout you decide your going to have an apple and peanut butter, do not expect miracles to happen :)
Bottom line, be true to yourself.  You need sleep and quality nutrition to function properly.  Be aware and make beneficial choices.  Most of the time the answers are right in front of you.
Stay healthy and Live The Healthy Life!!!

Guy Schiavone

 

Power of Habit

Hello Everyone-  I took a little time away from my blog writing in preparation for my upcoming wedding in June!  We are having a low key, back yard wedding and are so looking forward to it! 

This is a review on a book that was suggested to me by one of my clients entitled The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.  Habits influence all aspects of our lives, sometimes helping us and sometimes hurting us.  Habits are the actions we subconsciously repeat on a regular basis.  They can seem automatic.  One of the main themes in the book is what Duhigg refers to as the habit loop.  It consists of three parts- the cue or trigger, the routine, and the reward.  If you want to stop an unhealthy/bad habit or you would like to start a new one-like exercising daily :) you first need to identify the routine.  The routine is the behavior you want to change or create.  Next, you need to find out what the cue for this routine is.  What triggers you to perform the habit?  And finally, what is the reward?  What causes you to repeat the behavior?  The basic premise is to understand what is triggering you to engage in your habit and to reroute the trigger to a more positive outcome. 

Here is an example of a habit loop taken from the book that Duhigg went through himself.  Let's say everyday around 3:00 you get up from your desk and go and buy some chocolate chip cookies from the vending machine and then go visit a co-worker before returning to your desk.  Over the past few months you have realized that you have put on an extra 5 pounds from the new habit you've developed. You decide you want to stop this unhealthy habit before it gets out of control.  What is the habit loop?

The routine- Going to the vending machine and buying cookies, talking with co-workers and then returning to work.

The cue- Ask yourself: Where are you?  What time is it?  What is your emotional state? Who else is around? What action preceded the urge?  In the cookie case, the cue was he was at he desk around 3:00 bored and no one else was around.
The reward-In this insistent it would seem like the obvious reward is the cookies.  However, Charles found out that it was the social interaction after he bought the cookies that he was seeking at three o'clock in afternoon.  He was not hungry but needed a mental/social brake.  Like a scientist he experimented with his 3:00 cue and found out that if he just got up around 3 and walk to a friend's desk to chat for 10 minutes he did not need or want the cookies!  

Here is an example of a habit loop for exercising.  The routine is jogging, the cue is having your running shoes and clothes ready to go, and the reward is the endorphin rush or sense of accomplishment you feel after you have finished your run.

Over all I thought it was a great book and definitely recommend it to you all.  Give it a read and let me know your thoughts.

 

Bye for now and enjoy Living the Healthy Life :)

Guy Schiavone

 

 

Bonus!!!  Here is a link to a write up about Andrea (my soon to be bride) It's about her passion and drive for yoga. She teaches at Roots in Burlington on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5:45am.  Give it a try!

http://burlington.patch.com/blog_posts/roots-presents-instructors-in-the-spotlight



Home Workout Video

Hey Everyone,

Happy New Year!  The holidays are over and now it's time to get serious about your weight loss/health goals. Enjoy this home workout video that will help burn calories, build strength, and make you feel good about yourself as you start the new year.  Get ready to sweat!    http://youtu.be/4KYZfmr-IZo

Thanks and Happy New Year
Guy Schiavone

Inspiring Food Video

Hey Gang,
I wanted to pass along an inspirational video that was sent to me.  It addresses some controversial points regarding our diets and how the nation has gone into a "medicated state".  It's free until November 30th so take a peek now and post your thoughts.
http://foodmatters.tv/screening-event-cinema  

Here We Go

Hello Everyone,
Here we go, the official start of the holiday seasons.  Kind of scary (no pun intended) but Halloween seems to be the new kick off to what is an endless stream of over eating, poor decision making, excess calorie consumption, and a decline in calorie expenditure.  We go from Halloween, to Thanksgiving, to December Celebration of choice (Christmas, Hanuka, Kwanzaa...), to New Years Eve, to and oh yes-Super Bowl Sunday. Ouch!  Let's add to that equation hibernation season is on it way.  At first look the numbers are not bad- the average American will gain 1-2lbs. during the extravaganza.  However, a closer look shows that those 1-2lbs. will become a permanent addition to our being!!! Scary-Real Scary!!! But have no fear the Schiavone Buster is here!

 

 

Here are strategies for the challenging months ahead and ways to keep those unwanted pounds away.

1) Take away all distractions.  Do not leave candy, pies, cookies, or unhealthy left overs around.  Destroy all evidence before it destroys you!

2) Set a goal.  Increase physical activity by 200-300 calories.  Where ever you are now, look to increase calorie expenditure by 200-300 calories per day.  Walking, biking, hiking, signing up for a new class, getting to the gym....you get the idea, burn baby burn!

3) Make smart decisions.  If you decide you are going to have a piece of Grammy Jone's world famous Apple Pie, then don't go for a second helping of stuffing.  The idea is to enjoy not to indulge.  Try to choose some things that you really want and don't over do it.

4) Go in on a half-full stomach.  Drink lots of water and try to have a healthy snack before a big holiday gathering.  You do not want to be starving and have all those calorie loaded foods in front of you. 

5)You will weigh 3lbs less after Superbowl Sunday!  Make it a goal and stick to it.  What are you going to have to do in order to lose three pounds (or hopefully more!)  by February?  Take on the challenge and feel good about yourself.

                                     Well that's it for now.  Happy Healthy Halloween!

Calorie Free- Pumpkin Carving :)

5 Must Haves

Hey Everyone!

I hope you are enjoying the summer months.  It was another successful year for the GS Fitness Boot Camp!  Everyone pushed themselves beyond what they are comfortable with or "use" to, keeping in mind their individual goals.  We went through weather that was wet and wild, hot and humid and cold- yes cold.  One morning some of the group members were shivering! I'll miss meeting with them on Monday's and Wednesday's as they were a hard working group that was fun to work with.  So to all you Boot Campers....GREAT JOB!!!!! 

I put together list of my must haves that will help you feel and look great!

1) Chia Seeds

Not my chia pet

I know what you're thinking, Chia Pets...But that's not what we're talking about here. I'm talking about the seed not the pet :) It turns out that Chai seeds have been around for quite some time.  They were considered a main component of the Aztec and Mayan diets and were used by Aztec warriors during long hunting trips.  Chia seeds have numerous health benefits.  Did you know they are higher in antioxidants than blueberries? They have a nut like flavor that are crunchy in texture.  Chia seeds are loaded in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.  They also contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, niacin, and zinc. Trust me, really good for you!  Try them in a yogurt, with cereal, and in baked goods.   


2) Greens Protein Bar
This is a high quality, healthy, and tasty protein bar!  Protein is the building blocks of our bodies.  It is not only important for muscle growth and repair but it also plays a significant role in tissue and organ function.  Protein plays a vital role in our metabolism, digestion, and transportation of nutrients and oxygen in our blood. We should aim to consume 10-15% of our daily calories from protein.  You can also multiply your weight by .37 and this will tell you how many grams of protein you should have daily.  Example 160lbs x's .37 = 59.2 grams of protein. 


3) Flaxseed
This seed is very similar to the chia.  Some studies have shown flaxseed to help prevent cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes!  Again like the chia seed it is loaded with fiber, omgea-3 and essential fatty acids.  It's also high in B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese.  It has a nutty flavor that can be used like chia seeds, in yogurt, baked goods, and cereal.





4) A Quality Multivitamin
The best way to obtain the vitamins and minerals you need is through good nutrition. However, most of us need a little extra help in ensuring that we consume all the daily requirements we need to maintain good health and feel great.  I prefer a vitamin brand called Rainbow Light.  It's a food-based product that is easy on the stomach and is available for men and woman. You can choose several different variations of this multivitamin depending on your particular needs- for example-if you're expecting or if you're over 40, or if you're a teen.
Here is a link to all there products: http://www.rainbowlight.com/




It's Guy Schiavone of
GS Fitness :)

5) An Exercise Plan
Join a gym, tune up that old bike sitting in the garage, go insane with insanity, or even better yet- work with a trainer!  I know a good one :) ------>
Bottom line you need a plan of action to get moving.  There is no way we can achieve lasting health and well-being without exercise.  Stop make excuses and stop blaming other people and/or things.  It is up to YOU-YOU can do it!



Enjoy the remainder of the summer and remember to have fun, enjoy life, smile, laugh, be thankful, and oh yeah EXERCISE!!!!!  :) 

-Guy Schiavone
www.guyschiavone.com

Yum

Hello Again,
I have a simple, healthy, spring/summer dish for you to try.  I have to give Andrea credit for this creation- she loves inventing things in the kitchen :)  You do have to be a cilantro lover in order to enjoy this one, so if you're not please pass it along to someone who is. 

Before we get to the recipe, I'd like to discuss a hot topic word we've all heard about- Organic. 

Organic is defined as food or farming methods produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals.  For example, a non-organic apple (which happens to use the most chemical pesticides) has been shown to have 30-45 different pesticides on it!  Not so Yum!  There are some health professionals that link certain pesticide to neurological damage, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and reproductive disorders. I know organic foods can be expensive, but with these products now in higher demand, prices are dropping.  I like to advise my clients to at least try and buy the products deemed the "Dirty Dozen".  They are the foods with the most pesticides and here is the list:

Ok so this might be a bit extreme-
but you get the picture

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers     
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

Ok, now to the kitchen! Here's what you'll need.

1 1/2 lbs of chicken fillet-it will serve 8-9

3-4 limes

                             

 Ingredients mixed together

1 bunch of cilantro

So I did mention this was simple, right?  Chop the cilantro and squeeze the limes into a baking pan.  Add the chicken and mix together. Feel free to add any other spices you like.  I sometimes like to add ground black pepper, Andrea likes to add some garlic. Once everything is mixed, put it in the oven at 375 for about 30-40 minutes- until the chicken is fully cooked.  I will use this for lunches during the week- sometimes in a wrap, sometimes in a pita pocket, or on a salad.  Hope you enjoy this easy, healthy, and tasty dish!

Enjoy!

Guy Schiavone

Namaste

Hey Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this beautiful weather.  I was visiting a good friend yesterday and his 5yr old son told me he has been doing his push-ups, sit-ups, and that he just started eating(taking) a chewy (vitamin) every morning-  put a big smile on my face :) That a boy Jackson!  This months blog is actually a blog cast, so hit the play button and enjoy! 
Guy Schiavone

Spring Cleaning

What a great time of year!  The birds are singing, the temperature is getting warm, and the sun is still shinning at 6:45pm!  Love it!  This is the time of year we should be making New Year's resolutions, not when it's dark, cold, and all you feel like doing is crawling under a warm blanket.  This blog is entitled Spring Cleaning and is intended to help you get a fresh start on becoming well.  It's time to dust off the dumbbells under your bed, throw unhealthy habits out the door, and put a fresh coat of muscle on your body.  Making changes for better health does not require a monumental life upheaval.  In fact studies and research have shown, if you overwhelm yourself with to many lifestyle changes all at once you will end up failing to accomplish your goals.  Start off one brick at a time until you have a solid foundation in which to take on bigger challenges.  I've put together some "bricks" in which to build on. Try to develop at least one of the following wellness habits this spring-

From left to right
Chooch, Louie, Paris

-Use a pedometer to start logging your daily steps and or miles walked each day.  It is recommended that we take at least 10,000 steps per day.  2,000 steps are approximately 1 mile for a grand total of 5 miles per day.  Chooch and his friends love steps :)  You can purchase pedometers at any sporting store and of course online.  They can range from $1.00 to $50.00.  There was a report done by a group of researchers interested in finding the accuracy and reliability of pedometers.  Their results were published in the Medicine & Science of Sports & Exercise Journal (2003,35[8], 1455-60) and here is a list including some of the top performers:

• Yamaz Digiwalker SW-701 (around $25.00)
• Walk4life LS 2525 (around $25.00)
• Sportline 330 (around $12.00)

-Keep track of your food intake.  More often than not we eat more than we presume.  All the little extra calories that get snuck in throughout the day will end up adding to be big pounds.  In fact if you eat just 500 extra calories a day, at the end of the week you will have accumulated 3,500 calories which will put 1 pound of unwanted weight on you!  Of course the opposite is true: -500 calories per day x7 days and you will lose a pound of body weight.  First step, figure how many calories you should consume  in a day and then create a calorie deficit.  The site http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/ does this all for you and I highly recommend it.  It will ask you for some basic information in order to compute your daily caloric needs.  You will then log on throughout the day and input what you eat.  It will keep track of the calories you consume and at the end of the day, show if you are at deficit or not.  Great resource!  Take some time and try it out!

-You are what you eat!  This saying is so true.  I have a seek and destroy mission for you.  Take the next 10-20 minutes to seek and destroy any and all unhealthy foods!  Possible hiding places- cabinets, refrigerator, cupboard, pantry, in the car, office draw....  We all have a pretty good understanding of what an unhealthy and healthy food is.  Replace packaged/processed foods with whole foods (I like to call them real foods) i.e. apples, pears, bananas, carrots, peppers, celery, nuts, beans.....  Foods that have to be picked off a tree or dug from the earth. Yum real food!  These foods will help with your energy level, skin appearance, weight loss, cholesterol levels, mood, and will help you with overall health.  Your mission starts now!

Well Gang, Happy Spring :)  Use this naturally motivating time of year to make some healthy changes.  Take one step at a time and along the way, enjoy the hike. 

Trip to Mexico

Hello Everyone,
I've decided to take the blogging plunge!  Pinch my nose, hold my breath and here we go!  Yahoo!

Andrea is riding a wave

I just got back from a trip to Mexico- Sayulita, Mexico to be specific.  It is a small town on the west side of Mexico north of Puerto Vallarta which apparently was or is known for where the Love Boat used to go.  Anyways, Sayultia is known as a small fishing/surfing town which in recent years has seen some of it's charm fade away in favor to upscale boutiques and shops.  But not all has been lost.  The town has a unique blend of surfer meets reggae, meets hippy, meets old town Mexicana.  Great food and friendly people.  One of the highlight of the trip was my attempt at surfing- Notice the word attempt!  I was able to ride my first wave...on my knees that is.  Maybe next time I'll get to my feet but what great fun trying and it was a sneaky way to get some exercise in.  Ah there's the word exercise.  You didn't think I could write a blog and not mention exercise did you???  Well there it is and while were on the subject..... 

I'm kneeling a wave???

Sign in Sayulita

One of the best ways to guarantee results from a weight loss, health, and/or wellness program is consistency and LIFESTYLE CHANGES. As Brain Tracy author of Goals writes "you cannot expect to enjoy superb levels of health and fitness without your active involvement and participation every day of your life." So yes I did enjoy my nightly margarita or two and had my fair share of the local foods, however, i did not just abandon part of my life- daily exercise.  Gym, weights, treadmills who needs that when you got sand and stairs!

Workout#1 (SAND): While the grounds crew was still combing the beach i had my towel and bottle of water ready to go.  It started with 5 sprints across the beach.  Then a set of 25 sit-ups, 15 squat jumps, 40 push-ups, 15 knee-ups, and 15 plank knee to elbow for good measure.  Repeat 4X for a total of 5 sets :) Good burn!!!
Workout#2 (STAIRS): The hut I stayed in had several stairs to the the top.  One day my beautiful and smart fiancee had the brilliant idea to count how many steps to the top.  Her result....82.  So the next morning Andrea joined me for a stair work out...At the top of the stairs 25 sit-ups, down 82 stairs, 25 push-ups, and back up 82 stairs.  Set one done.  Six sets later we completed 984 steps, 150 sit-ups, and 150 push-ups. Not bad :)

What's my point, there is no vacation from living.  Exercise should be looked at as part of your normal everyday life.  Now I would not suggest a workout described above unless you are at a high level of fitness but one suitable to your individual abilities.  I can't tell how much better those pina colada's and home style tacos tasted after working hard earlier in the day. Try to apply this concept to everyday life.  The things we've all heard- take the stairs not the elevator, a 30 min. blast lunch workout, walk to the grocery store.....just find a way to be active every day.  You all have experienced a day where you had a great workout and ate healthy throughout the day and then experienced the feelings of pride, happiness, accomplishment that accompany that effort. I came across a saying in my readings that said, "don't just do it, live it!"  Your mind, body, and spirit feel alive when we are active and moving.  It was made to do so.  No more excuses!  Enjoy life to the fullest, keep moving even while sipping margaritas :)
Best,
Guy Schiavone
http://www.guyschiavone.com/

Who is that masked man!