The Executive Edge

With Calgary's cold weather and challenging snowfalls it's easy to burn huge amounts of extra calories. Go skiing, shoveling snow, snowboarding , shoveling snow, long walks, shoveling snow you get the idea.

Did you know that you can create a caloric deficit by not only eating small
portions of the right types of foods, but also by being more active throughout the day?

It's true. Take every opportunity to be as active as possible throughout the
day. The more active you are, the more calories you'll burn, and the easier it'll be to create a caloric deficit for maximum fat loss.

Exercise doesn't have to be limited to the track or the gym. You can greatly
increase the amount of physical activity your body gets (and the total calories you burn) by making small lifestyle changes to be as active as possible throughout the day..

Here's a few simple examples:

- Get in the habit of taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

- Keep your sport shoes in the car so you're always prepared to get out and
be active when you have some extra time. You could take a brisk walk or
shoot some baskets after lunch, before returning to work.

- Choose a hike or a bike ride instead of a movie.

- Play with your kids in the backyard rather than dropping them off at the
video arcade.

- Park a extra few blocks from work ( in the spring) and walk the rest of the way.

Any extra bit of activity adds up and over the long-run, makes a big difference in how much fat you lose. By simply meeting friends for a walk or bike ride, or a game of tennis or racquetball, instead of "happy hour", for example, will save you 700 or more calories (i.e. burn 350+ calories and save 350+ calories on drinks you would have consumed).

By doing this just once a week, you can lose an extra pound of fat a month!
That's 12 pounds of fat a year simply by having fun playing instead of drinking once a week. Of course, if you made this simple change 2 or 3 times a week you could enjoy double or triple the fat loss.

Key points to remember:
1. Take advantage of every opportunity to be more active throughout the
day to help create a caloric deficit.

Although today's lesson might seem obvious, it's often overlooked. Most
people only consider calories with the foods they eat and their exercise
routine. But your body is burning calories throughout the day and the more
active you are, the more fat you'll lose.

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10 Habits of Successful Losers…

Welcome back to camp and congratulations to everyone who trudged through the snow in their neighborhood, or who could have stayed in bed due to having today off from work! It’s in those moments of decisions to move forward, even if it doesn’t feel easy, that define who we become.

Before we get into the meat of today’s email, here’s a check list to make sure you’re getting the absolute most from camp each morning (returning campers, you’ve seen this before – you may or may not need a refresher). If you have theses 7 areas covered, you’re going to be pleased with your results in 2 weeks!

Okay, here are 2 quick questions answered and then 10 simple steps you can take (starting today) to bring you closer to your health & fitness goals:

Q: Are Protein shakes important and should I have one a day?

A: Most definitely, most women ( and Men) only get about 60% of their protein needs met every day when they're NOT training . So you can imagine that when you are training you get even less ,percentage wise. A shake a day should have 25 – 40 grams of protein in one shot so you have a better chance of hitting your 120 grams
(women) and 140 (men) per day when your are working out with weight 3- 5 times a week.

Q: I'm hungrier than ever — do I need to up my calories to meet what I'm burning during boot camp?

A: It depends what your goals are — if you're trying to lose weight, then it's important to burn more calories than you eat. However, if you're trying to maintain weight or gain muscle, than adding some extra foods (calories) won't be a problem. The key is where you get those calories from … stick with smart food choices, like raw nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit and veggies, hummus, egg-whites, etc. It's also important to keep in mind that exercising 1 hour each morning doesn't give you the liberty to go hog wild and rationalize that "since you exercised, you can enjoy that latte and muffin in the morning, Quarter pounder and fries for lunch, and pizza for dinner." Sorry to be a “buzz killer”, I just want to make sure you’re on track to reach your goals!!

10 Habits People who Lose Weight Follow:

1. Don't watch TV or read while eating; both activities distract you and research suggests you can eat as much as 30% more calories when not paying attention!
2. Write down what you put in your body — the simple act of writing it down helps with success.
3. Write your goals, daily — the more you can verbalize them and see them, the more likely you are to achieve them!
4. Plan ahead — keep healthy snacks in your car or desk at work, always have fresh fruit and veggies available, and don't let yourself get to the point you're so hungry you'll eat anything in site.
5. Split a meal at restaurants — portions are so big these days, 1 meal easily feeds 2 people. You save calories AND money!
6. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store — this is where all the useful foods are, the foods that will help you reach your goals – lean meats, fruits and veggies. Avoid the aisles like the plague, except for toiletries!
7. Never shop hungry — it's amazing how everything in sight looks good when you're hungry. At the very least buy a piece of fruit when you first get to the store to curb your appetite!
8. Cook ahead — spend some time on a Saturday or Sunday prepping meals for the week. This will help you make smarter eating decisions.
9. Move more — the less sedentary your life, the better. Boot camp is great, but try to move more throughout the day. Take the steps over the elevators and escalators. Walk at lunchtime, walk up and down the hallway when talking on the phone, park far away from the store (over time, it truly adds up!). It always cracks me up to watch people circle the parking lot at the gym, trying to find the closest spot to the door, then walk/jog on a treadmill for 45 minutes. Huh? Remember, a simple 100 daily caloric deficit equals a 10 pound weight loss in a year!
10. Make small goals along the way — If you have to lose 100 lbs and you see it as one big goal it may never happen. Plan the small goals along the way as well.

Today was a GREAT start to the week!

Have an awesome Monday, see you tomorrow!

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