90-Day Challenge Update - The Future is Still In Front of You...

Ok, so it’s time for me to re-visit my 90 day challenge goals.  I have to admit, my 90 day challenge is going mediocre at best.  The reason I say this is that my exercise has been OK but not as consistent as I would like.  My nutrition has also been OK.  I give myself an 8 out of 10 on most days but there have been too many 6 out of 10 days recently.  I also know that I actually ENJOY eating a 10 out of 10 lifestyle (meaning nothing fried, processed, dipped in butter, packed with preservative, etc).

I have let stresses a busy schedule get in the way and have caught myself eating out more than I’d like.  So I would say I have been “convenience” eating.  I know exactly when it’s happening and there isn’t a lot I can do at the moment when I’m starving and I’m out and about.  My decisions become limited to what’s around me when I am in that situation (do you feel this happening to you a lot as well?).  So the lesson learned here is PREPARATION.  When I have properly prepared myself with a container of left-overs, healthy grab-and-go snacks like nuts then I can feed my muscles, keep my metabolism up and hold off hunger until I can make a better and non-rushed decision on what food I will eat.  So again, being prepared is so important.

One other point I would like to make is about motivation and analytical measurement.   When I say measurement, I mean anything from stepping on the scale and getting your weight, doing your body fat % or taking circumference measurements.  I am going to do some measurements this week to see where I’m at even though I would guess they aren’t where I want them to be.  Taking measurement and seeing where I am, extremely motivates me. This is because I know it’s in my power to improve.  The numbers does not drive me by any means but I look at it with an athlete’s perseverance and mentality.  If I make an error or mess up, the game isn’t over.  I need to pick myself up and get back in the game.  A perfect example is the MVP of the World Series this year, Brian Freese.  He made a crucial error in game 7 by dropping a fly ball early on.  He could have hung his head, pouted and thought “man, I messed this up for my team.”  But he didn’t.  He got right back in there, didn’t let the past affect his future and hit the game-winning homerun.  He chose his own fate. You can choose yours as well.

Measuring, however, can be de-motivating to some people.  If you think that taking your measurements will cause you to be upset, cloud your goals and vision of what you are trying to accomplish……..then DON’T DO IT!  You need to know yourself on this one and you know yourself best. 

If you’ve made mistakes and aren’t happy with where you are at right now, don’t feel bad or hang your head.  Your future is ahead of you and you are in control.  If it is a lack of knowledge and you just don’t KNOW what to do next or what goals you should have then seek counsel.  We would be happy to answer any of your questions at Boot Camp U whether it’s about exercise, nutrition, motivation, energy, goal setting, etc.  Just talk to your trainer or ask me by emailing robyn@bootcampUaustin.com.  My passion is helping people realize a healthy lifestyle of activity and proper nutrition…..so FIRE AWAY!

~Coach Robyn

What does a trainer eat? By Coach Robyn

A lot of people ask me about what to eat and what foods I eat personally.  Well, when it comes to what I eat....it's really no secret.  Nothing crazy, nothing special, nothing too out there.  I shoot to eat foods as close to their natural forms as possible.  I do eat meat.  I have tried to go without and know that I am not getting the quota for the amount of protein that I need and I am not willing to get it from other sources (or at least all of it).  Yes, I do like legumes, lentils, beans, etc but I know that I cannot eat enough of those to get the 100 grams or more of protein I shoot for in a day to keep my metabolism up and ensure that I maintain or (in the case of my 90 day challenge goals of gaining lean muscles mass) gain muscle mass.  If you are one of these people, then please do NOT be vegetarian.  Being a vegetarian or vegan is very difficult and takes a lot of planning and preparation.  If you are willing to spend the extra time learning about how to use a vegetarian lifestyle to maintain good health then I am all for it.  If you are just going to eliminate meat and animal products without increasing protein from other sources, then I am not.

Whether you are a meat eater or not, protein shakes are highly effective at getting the amount of protein that you need.  I use Advocare's Meal Replacement Shake every morning because it has 24 grams of protein and time-released carbs and then I fill in the gaps throughout the day with Muscle Gain protein. The reason I like Advocare's protein is that it is a very high quality, pre-digestive protein that your body can use (aka it is bioavailable) within 15-20 minutes.  Getting this protein to your muscles in a quick fashion helps your body use it to grow, recover and build muscle which all leads to increased metabolism.

Back to what I eat.  Well, most of the time when I cook for myself, I load up on a ton of different veggies from Sprouts or the Burnet Road Farmer's market.  I also make sure I have a good protein source like Salmon, Chicken, Turkey, Lean Beef or sometimes Pork.  If at all possible, I'm buying from the farmer's market or something that is local.  When I cook, I am not gonna lie....I just cut everything up, throw some olive oil in a pan with garlic and span fry it up.  There are many others ways but this is my preferred for taste and amount of time it takes.  Yes, I am a creature of convenience as well.  This is usually my dinner.

For breakfast (or for me it's a mid-morning meal since I usually get up early and have a meal replacement shake), it's most likely 2-3 eggs, some leftover protein from the night before's dinner and some random veggies like peppers, onions, kale, spinach, etc

Throughout the day, I'm snacking on nuts, carrots and hummus, avocados, apples with peanut butter and my leftover meals.

And that's about it!  There's really nothing left for me to include here.  It's pretty simple......at least for me.  I have learned what foods effect my body negatively over the years and I simply try to stay away or reduce the consumption of them all together.  Fried food is completely OUT.  Frozen meals GONE.  Breads and Pasta, drastically reduced.  Fast food (the traditional kinds).....well I don't even consider what they serve "food" so absolutely not.  Dairy....not anymore. I stick to clean foods.  Fruits, veggies, lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbs.

Supplements are essential in my world.  Out of all the brands and company out there, Advocare is the only one I've come across in which I absolutely trust that the product does what it says it does.  I just know I can trust each and every single one of Advocare's products.  Not to mention that I feel a noticeable difference when I take them as well as increased results when my clients do.

Here's what I had for dinner this evening which is pretty typical a few nights per week.  I had a burger with avocado on top, portabella mushrooms, kale, onions, squash and cabbage. This meal took me about 30 minutes to make start to finish.

~ Coach Robyn

DELICIOUS SPARK PIE!

You work hard at boot camp.  You deserve a treat some times.  Try Spark Pie!

Muscle Gain/Spark Pie Ingredients

Muscle Gain SPARK Pie Recipe

2 Pkgs. or 2 scoops Advocare Mango-Strawberry Spark

1/4 C Water OR any fruit juice

1 Sm Pkg. Strawberry Jello (or Jello of Choice) 

2 1/4 C Vanilla Greek Yogurt (0% Fat) (make sure it's the kind with 20+ grams of protein per serving)

1 ~ 8oz Cool Whip

2 Scoops of Advocare Vanilla Muscle Gain 

1 Low-Fat Graham Cracker Crust or the Mini/Individual Graham crust are great! 

Directions:

Microwave 1/4 water or juice to a boil. Stir in Jello, and SPARK until dissolved. Add and stir in Greek Yogurt and Muscle Gain. Fold in Cool Whip then pour into Graham Cracker Crust. Refrigerate 4 hours or you may freeze....Taste Amazing and Kids love it too! 

We added some fruit on top to make it pretty and add great flavor!  We also made another version with a chocolate crust.  Used Cherry Spark with Cherry Jello,   Chocolate muscle gain and chocolate cool whip. Then sprinkled crushed dark chocolate pieces over it  Also very delish! 

This is a great substitute for a traditional dessert.....especially when you're on the 24-Day Challenge! Nutrition can be fun!