Success Stories: Cammie Sahyoun

This past year with Mama Bootcamp has been a life changing experience. As a mom of two young boys and a full time elementary teacher I found myself getting caught up in the business of life. I wasn’t taking time for myself, eating well and not motivated to work out. I found myself often overwhelmed, tired and stressed out. Diabetes, obesity, anxiety and heart disease run in my family and I could see how easy it would be to go down that path. It was time to make a change so I could be healthy and enjoy myself, my family and all that life has to offer.

That change came last June 09 when I signed up with Lorri Ann and Mama Bootcamp. Lorri Ann tailored a workout for my busy schedule and showed me the tools I needed to eat healthy and meet my goals. I loved meeting at the weekly boot camps and getting the inspiration by the coaches and others to stay on track. I completed two sessions then signed up for tri-training. I hadn’t ridden a bike in years or swam for any distance since highschool but I was inspired and ready for the challenge. I found myself loving to workout, eating healthy and best of all the results. I went from 41% body fat to 19%. I lost 25 pounds and 75 inches. Size 10/12 to 4/6. Before Mama Bootcamp I could barely run a mile and throughout this year I ran a 5K, 12K and successfully just finished two mini-triathlons. Mama Bootcamp has made numerous positive changes in my life. I can now say I am healthy in many ways and loving it! Can’t wait for what is next!

Before:41% body fat, 169 lbs, size 10

After:19% body fat, 145 pounds, size 4

Kristin's Story - Week 6

Hello Mamas!

Well, it’s here…week 6 is coming to a close. Is it crazy that I have butterflies in my stomach just typing that? I’ve actually come a long way mentally since my post last Friday. I am no longer worrying about tomorrow and what the measurements say or don’t say. I’m excited to see how far I’ve come and to map out my goals for the next six weeks. I know a lot of you are journaling your food, water intake and exercise, but are you journaling your thoughts, feelings, triumphs and frustrations? If not, I highly recommend it. Somehow typing everything out sort of releases any frustrations and helps me to acknowledge the positives that I might otherwise overlook. Just something to ponder…

This week I’ve noticed another big boost in my strength. Side plank with staggered feet instead of kick stand, push ups don’t feel quite as deadly and my runs are getting faster. The best part is that I no longer curse my instructors under my breath during core workouts. Ha! Now that’s what I call serious improvement.

I’m in a routine with my diet and other than a little bit of restaurant anxiety I think I’ve got a good handle on it. I had a few pieces of red licorice after a particularly stressful afternoon, but once again I didn’t have anything with me to substitute so at least I’m seeing a pattern there. Planning, planning planning…I’m working on it.

See you next week with my 6 week stats!

“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” - Jim Rohn

Trainer Tips: Express workout for busy people

One of the number one reasons people don't exercise (or stop exercising) is because they just "don't have time." Most don't realize that you don't need a lot of time, or stuff, to get a good workout in.

Here's a 20 minute Express Workout that can be done anywhere, anytime!

1) Do 20 PUSHUPS. One of the best exercises you can do, push ups work your abs, upper back (helps get rid of back fat!), lower back, triceps, shoulders and entire core

2) Do 20 BICYCLES. This specifically targets the abs, contributing to overall core strength.

3) Do 20 DIPS. Great for the arms and chest, can be done on a coffee table, bench or even the side of your bathtub.

4) Do 20 alternating stationary LUNGES. These provide an awesome leg workout targeting the gluts, hamstrings and quads

5) Finish with a 60 second WALL SIT. Your knees will thank you and so will your thighs!

Run this as a circuit, starting with #1 and ending with #5. Work yourself up to repeating the circuit 4 times - it should take about 20 minutes and you'll feel great!

Have a few minutes to spare? Squeeze in that workout!!

What kind of oats should you eat?

Are you confused about which kind of oatmeal or oats to buy? It might surprise you to learn that a faster cooking time doesn't necessarily mean a healthier choice.

Try to avoid "quick oats" that contain added sugar and/or salt. Otherwise, choose the oats that you enjoy the most based on texture and cooking time.

Here are the numbers:

Kristin's Story - Week 5

Five weeks down and one to go before my mid-point measurements.  I'm a little nervous.  It's silly, I know.  I just can't help feeling a bit of trepidation as I think about next Saturday.  You're probably thinking that I fear the numbers, right?  Honestly, that's not really it.  I'm more fearful of what my reaction will be to those numbers.  If they are lower than I want or expect will I be disappointed and frustrated?  Will those feeling set me off track?  If they are better than I imagined will I get overconfident and allow myself to ease off?  These are the things that I've dealt with in the past.  I've lived both scenarios and neither will get me to my goals.  I can tell you right now that I am so thankful that Lorri Ann will be there to give me my results.  It's so great to know that she will be there to remind me that any progress is good progress.  She will have great advice on how to step it up a notch and take it to the next level.  Either way, she'll be there coaching me through it and I know that will make all the difference in that moment. 

On a much less introspective note, my big moment this week came when I wore a pair of capri pants to work that I haven't been able to wear in quite a while.  It was an amazing feeling to not only be able to wear those pants but recognizing that they fit so much better than the last time I wore them.  Awesome!   My pants are more comfortable, and I'm becoming more comfortable in my own skin.  My confidence and energy have increased by leaps and bounds.  I'm feeling really good these days.  I'm going to take those thoughts with me next Saturday.  Numbers are great, but you can't beat getting your Mojo back!

Have a great week!

K

Success story: Jen!

I started Mama Bootcamp with the amazing Lorri Ann in her Saturday morning class about a year ago because my sister wanted someone to do it with her. She unfortunately did not stay in it long, but I continued because I started to see how much better I felt after each workout!

Then, right before the holidays when I was wanting to amp up my workout routine some more, Lorri Ann started pumping everyone up to train for a mini triathlon. I thought since this is her passion and I knew I could swim a lap, ride a bike, and walk a block that I could train for it.

The training was challenging at times, yet so rewarding and they were some of the best workouts I have ever done! Then on Saturday, June 5th I completed my first mini triathlon in 2:31:14; four minutes faster than my goal! To tell you the truth, the training was harder than the actual race! So hats off to you, Lorri Ann, because you prepared me exceedingly well! I loved it and will be back out there to do it again! I am now currently training to do my first half marathon in October!

  

It is so nice to hear my friends and family say, “you look good, Jen!” What is even better is that I feel good and I am excited to remain active and live a healthy lifestyle!

One of my goals was to become fit and to learn how to make exercising part of my daily routine. That has definitely happened because of Mama Bootcamp. I lost a total of 39 inches, 5% body fat, 3 lbs, and went from a size 6/8 to a size 4. I am now more toned and fit than I ever have been and I guess I am now an athlete too, since I finished my first mini triathlon all thanks to Lorri Ann and Mama Bootcamp! 

Mama Bootcamp gave me the tools to live an active and healthy lifestyle and I am so grateful for that. So, even if you sign up for something to do with someone else and they do not continue, stick with it because you never know you could find something new to fall in love with.

Saturday Switch: Making healthy muffins at home

(Photo via GetNatured)

Muffins, as healthy as they may seem, may be loaded with calories and fat. Consider this example: one single blueberry muffin from Costco contains 610 calories, 32 grams of fat, and 40 grams of sugar! Yikes!

If you are careful about which muffins you choose or, better yet make your own, they can be a good breakfast or snack food.

Here are 4 tips for making healthier muffins at home:

1. Reduce the sugar by half. If your recipe calls for 1 cup, only use 1/2 cup.
2. Replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat or spelt flour.
3. Replace 25% of the flour with protein powder or wheat germ.
4. Replace up to 3/4 of the fat (oil, butter, etc.) with unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas.

Tip from the Trainer - Foam Rolling

Diet and exercise are essential to better health, and so is proper body care. A great way to stretch out those muscles that work so hard is foam rolling.

Do you have tired or sore muscles? Here's LorriAnn to show you how to use the foam roller to treat those "issues with your tissues"

Kale chips

Have you ever tried kale chips? Don't let the appearance scare you away; these are a delicious and very nutritious snack!

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale (the regular curly kind), washed, thoroughly dried, chopped
Olive oil
Sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Make sure that the kale is thoroughly dry and toss it with enough olive oil to lightly coat the leaves. 
2. Roast for about 17 minutes, or until kale is lightly browned and crispy. 
3. Add sea salt to taste and enjoy!

Did you know...? Kale is a excellent source of many vitamins and minerals:

(Chart via http://www.whfoods.com)

Mama Bootcamp Stretch Chart

Feel free to print this and post it somewhere that will remind you to stretch often!

(download a .PDF copy here)

Do you know how much sugar you're eating?

Each cube = 1 teaspoon of sugar:

Success Story: Dana!

Dana before:

I considered myself an active person or at least I had convinced myself that I was active. I belonged to a local gym for a number of years but my attendance there was quite rare. I would make an effort (about once a year) to start a workout routine but I lacked self-motivation. No one at the gym cared whether I was there or not as long as the payments kept coming. I did enjoy other activities which included playing on a coed soccer team once a week (weekend warrior) and occasionally playing golf with the family. Although I wouldn’t admit that I had a weight issue, with each passing year the pounds continued to creep higher. This was just a fact of life for me along with getting older. Again, my lack of self-motivation to make any changes was holding me back.

Last August, a friend of mine asked me to come with her to try out a program called Mama Bootcamp. I went along to try it with her, but wasn’t convinced that this would be any different than belonging to my gym. Boy, was I mistaken! Mama Bootcamp was the motivation that I had needed to change my life. The education I received for healthy eating habits and the accountability through the “measurements” was the push I needed. By the end of my first 12-week session I had reached my goals and beyond. My greatest success was that I had been able to jog again after 15 years of suffering through a chronic ankle injury. On Thanksgiving Day of last year, I completed my first 5K Run (not walk) event. The feeling I had that day truly made me thankful for many blessings, including my new life thanks to Mama Bootcamp.

Dana after:

I am now into my fourth session with Mama Bootcamp and I am participating in the Tri Training. I had gained the self confidence to believe that I could complete a triathlon. Two weeks ago I finished my first triathlon and I am considering doing another one in August. The cross training that I have experienced in the past few months has been awesome. I am 43 years old and in the best shape of my life. I have lost 49 inches and 22 pounds and went from having 39% body fat to 17%. This has been a transformation from my old self to a new and healthier self. Thank you to Mama Bootcamp for your inspiration and special thanks to my trainers, Lisa, Holly, and Lorri Ann.

Saturday Switch: Zucchini "pasta"

Are you trying to reduce calories and increase your intake of vegetables? Give this a try!

Thinly slice raw zucchini into "noodles" with a potato peeler and enjoy topped with your favorite red sauce. 

A cup of raw zucchini only contains about 20 calories but provides you with about 1/3 of your daily requirement for vitamin C (more if you top the "noodles" with a tomato-based sauce).  

Kristin's Story: Week 4

So many thoughts running through my head tonight…it’s been quite a week. Let’s see…almost immediately following my last post, I dropped the ball on my food journal for a few days and ended up confessing my lapse to Lorri Ann on Saturday morning. I just sort of blurted it out after boot camp was over. I’m not even sure why…other than the fact that my homework packet was only 3 pages long and I figured she would probably notice. Ha! It’s actually funny looking back on it because I was worried about what I would say on the blog this week. Lorri Ann said not to worry about it and to just say what I said to her. Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that?! So yes…I had a bit of a slip last week. Work was insane and I hardly had time to put food in my mouth, let alone write it down. At least that’s what I told myself and Lorri Ann during my confession. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it had less to do with my crazy week and more to do with the fact that I went into the week unprepared. Ahhh! The truth comes out!

We came back into town after the long holiday weekend and I crashed headlong into my work week without grocery shopping or putting together my grab-n-goes. So when I was glued to my desk for 12 hours at a time, I was stuck there without things to eat. I managed 10 minutes to run over and grab a salad at lunch, but that was it. I had a quick breakfast, a salad around noon and then dinner when I got home. On boot camp nights that meant going from noon to 8pm without food. Eek! Not good. This is one girl who is not into the whole Sumo wrestler thing! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask your coach..they’ll be happy to fill you in.

I’m happy to report that I made a major grocery run on Sunday and I am back to packing my food for the day and logging my meals online. My water intake is much better this week and I’m still on-track with four boot camps per week. I’m also thrilled to report I have lost 4 pounds in 3.5 weeks and I‘m certain I‘m losing inches as well. Exciting stuff!

Tip from the Trainers: DRINK YOUR WATER!!

If you have ever tried to diet, increase your fitness level, or read a fashion magazine you know one of the first rules is "drink plenty of water."

Why is water such an important part of living you best life? Lots of reasons!

Our bodies are made up of 50-60% water. Water regulates our body temperature, helps our breathing, carries nutrients, disposes of waste, and helps our muscles to function more efficiently. Our brains are made up of 75% water, blood 82% and lungs almost 90%. Just three days without water can cause death. But you already knew that, right? Nonetheless, most people are chronically dehydrated.

Staying hydrated is a great way to improve weight loss and general health. The more hydrated you are, the faster your metobolism works. When a body is dehydrated, the liver has to assist the kidneys and can't metabolize fat nearly as quickly; this results in a slowing of metbolism and an increase in remaining fat. If your body isn't used to getting water, it retains it in ankles, hips and thighs. However, once your body realized a steady flow of water is coming, and will keep coming, those stores are released resulting in weight loss. A mere 2% dehyration results in burning up to 30% fewer calories during exercise.

Increasing your water intake is one of the easiest, fastest and most effective ways to improve your health. And its FREE! Take your water bottle everywhere with you, and drink to you health.

Create an outstanding day!

This blog/post is not intended to provide medical advice, and was not written by a physician.

Source here.

Rooibos tea

Are you frequently foraging in the kitchen looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth after a meal? If you've never had Rooibos tea, it can be a nice calorie-free alternative to rich dessert foods.

Rooibos, or African red bush, tea is naturally caffeine free and has a slightly sweet flavor. It is said to be full of antioxidants and is purported to help with allergies and colds, improve digestion, and improve your skin and complexion.

You can buy basic Rooibos or flavors such as Belgian chocolate, apricot, raspberry, vanilla, caramel, mango, and more. If you don't have a store with a good tea selection or a tea shop near you, try these online vendors:

Amazon
Teavana
Adagio

Body care by Lorri Ann

All of my Mamas are so excited about beginning their healthy life style that they sometimes forget that part of their new lifestyle has to be body care! We are huge believers in training injury FREE. Here are 5 tips on how to keep your body feeling good and looking great:

1. Stretching: I can’t tell you how many times I would throw on my running shoes without stretcthing before or after! I thought stretching was a waste of my time and I did not need to do it because I felt fine. That is, until I started having a chronic hip problem. I was advised by my doctor that I had to stretch and the whole problem was related to me not making the time. I now hold my stretches for 30 to 60 seconds and just make it part of day! And guess what? I have no more issues with my tissues!
2. Foam rolling: I love foam rolling! It literally irons out all of the knots and tight spots. It alleviates soreness and helps your body heal. You should foam roll a few times a week!
3. Ice plunge: This is fabulous for heling your body recover after a hard workout. It speeds the recovery process, healing micro-tears in the muscle fibers, increases circulation, and flushes waste products from your body. The best place to ice plunge is in your bathtub. Water temperature should be 54 to 65 degrees fahrenheit. Stay in the water for a minimum of 5 minutes, maximum of 10 minutes. Do not finish with a warm shower or bath because the body slowly warming again is actually part of the process. This is one of my favorites!
4. Massage: Who doesn’t LOVE a great massage? But besides being a wonderful experience, it is actually healing and therapeutic. Depending on your training schedule, once a week to once a month is preferable.
5. Hydrate: water, water, water! There are sooo many fabulous benefits to drinking your water. Mama Bootcamp recommends 80 to 100 ounces of water every day. One of the first signs of dehydration is fatigue and the second sign can be a headache. Also, water flushes toxins and free radicals out and helps your internal organs do their jobs more efficiently. Water helps your kidneys to do their job and your liver to metabolize fat and flush out toxins. You will burn 30% fewer calories if you are even 2% dehydrated! Your skin and hair will also reap the benefits because water is moisture from the inside out!

Enjoy these tips and remember body care is just as important as your workouts!

Success Story: Cathy!

Cathy before:

With a sedentary lifestyle and sitting at a computer all day, my hips and shoulders were starting to give me pain. Plus, I had been steadily packing on the pounds for several years. I was feeling down…a lot.

Then one day in January, I was sitting in my hairdresser’s chair with goop all over my hair when I started talking about an upcoming cruise. I mentioned how depressing it was to think about donning swimwear in public and that’s when the magic happened. Caprice White (you might know her as a fellow bootcamper) started telling me about a new fitness program that she had recently signed up for, Mama Bootcamp. She described how great the workouts were and what it had done for her. I was definitely intrigued, so she suggested that I give the “Main Mamma”, Lorri Ann a call— right there on the spot—goop and all. She used her own cell phone to make my call.

The minute I heard Lorri Ann’s voice and her zest for life, I knew Mama Bootcamp would be good for me. I just had no idea it would be this FUN!

First and foremost the workouts are outdoors, “rain or shine” and I love that! I’m not really a machine kind of person. But it’s more than the workouts. It’s the nutrition and the encouragement to drink lots of water and the mindset for positive change. I am jazzed by the camaraderie of like-minded women coming together for motivation. I feel that everyone around me is experiencing the same excitement.

Lorri Ann really cares; therefore her trainers care, which in turn makes the boot campers care. Her enthusiasm is contagious. If you follow her advice you WILL lose inches. As living proof, I lost 31 inches all over my body in my first 12 weeks and went from a size 14 to a size 10! I jogged/walked my first 5K at the Mama Bootcamp Fall Fun Run and the “firsts” are still coming. I had never run a mile in my life without stopping and I just broke through that barrier. I am now finishing my second 12 weeks and the mojo just keeps building on itself!

Cathy after:

To wrap this up with a little kick, my first official day just happened to be my 55th birthday. Rock on 2010! I love life again. And speaking of loving, it’s done great things for my own love life! Don’t wait for a birthday, or a cruise, or any special occasion, though. Do it now and you will be prepared for that special occasion when it appears.

Lorri Ann inspires lifestyle changes. I am eternally grateful for Mama Bootcamp!