Glycemic index

Happy Saturday everyone! How was bootcamp this morning?

As your Mama Bootcamp Food Coach, I (Allison, aka Allibrew) would like to share some information on the "glycemic index" (or GI) to help you build better snacks. Understanding the basic concept of the GI can greatly aid in your ability to combine foods in a way that helps to keep your blood sugar even, preventing spikes and "bonks". You will also reduce cravings and maintain a good energy level.

From the South Beach Diet website:

What is Glycemic Index?

Glycemic Index or GI Index is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels. It measures how much your blood glucose increases after eating.
Low Glycemic Index index food (less than 55) produce small rise in blood sugar and insulin level. Foods with GI index between 55 and 70 are consider intermediate-GI foods. High Glycemic Index food GI numbers (more than 70) make our blood sugar and insulin levels rise fast.

Research shown that low GI foods can:

• improve glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes.
• benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. 
• low glycemic diet reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.
• prevent heart disease.

Building Snacks
My basic snack formula is this:

1. Choose a "vehicle" such as whole grain bread/toast, oatmeal, crackers, or fresh fruits or veggies.
2. Add some protein and/or good (monounsaturated) fat such as nuts or nut butter, seeds, avocado, lowfat dairy or soy products, lean meats.

Fresh fruits and veggies offer so much in terms of nutrition and disease-fighting antioxidants but some (especially fruits) can have a higher glycemic index. On their own, these foods can create fluctuations in blood sugar, but pairing higher glycemic index foods with a little protein and/or monounsaturated fat will make a world of difference.

Snack examples:

• Apple slices with peanut or almond butter
• Mandarin oranges and a small handful of almonds
• Oatmeal with bananas and walnuts
• Raw veggies and hummus

For more information on the glycemic index or to look up the GI rating of common foods, visit the South Beach Diet Plan website, here.

For more food tips, recipes, and more, check out my healthy living blog GetNatured. Suggested posts:

7 Ways to Combat Cravings

My Layered Approach to Fueling for Exercise

New! Videos page

A new MBC Videos page has been added to the Mama Bootcamp blog! This page contains body care and workout videos featuring our own Lorri Ann Code. Check it out!

Seasonal produce

Eating produce that is in season where you live offers a multitude of benefits. Not only will you be eating "green" by reducing the amount of travel that your food requires to get to your table, but your health will benefit as well. Produce that is grown near where it is sold is fresher, healthier (fewer nutrients are lost because it hasn't traveled for days to get to you), and tastes better. 

Here are a few resources to help you find fresh produce near you:

• Local Harvest will help you to locate farmers' markets and family farms near you
• What's in season? This list (also available on the Mama Bootcamp Printable Resources page) will help you build your shopping list!
• Placer Grown- if you live near Placer County, California, this website is incredibly helpful!

Food Rules

These tips are taken from (some paraphrased) Michael Pollan's "Food Rules". The book goes into detail about each of these (and more- there are 64, total). Some of these are funny but they are all very true!

1. Eat food. Mostly Plants. Not too much.
2. Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
3. Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot.
4. Avoid food products that make health claims.
5. Pay more, eat less.
6. Eat slowly, with other people whenever possible, and always with pleasure.
7. If it arrives through the car window, it isn't food.
8. Eat all the junk food you want--as long as you cook it yourself.
9. Avoid food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high-fructose corn syrup.
10. Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle.
11. Get out of the supermarket whenever possible. (Use the Farmer's Market)
12. Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.
13. You are what, what you eat, eats too.
14. Eat well-grown food from healthy soils.
15. Do all your eating at a table.
16. Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does. (Think "snack shop" at Chevron!)
17. Consult your gut. (Eat until you’re 4/5 full.)
18. Cook and, if you can, plant a garden.
19. Be the kind of person who takes supplements. (Although don’t necessarily take supplements).
20. Eat more like the French. Or the Italians. Or the Japanese. Or the Indians. Or the Greeks.
21. Regard non-traditional foods with skepticism.
22. Don’t look for the magic bullet in the traditional diet.
23. Have a glass of wine with dinner.
24. Pay more, eat less.
25. Eat Meals.
26. Eat wild foods when you can: Wild greens have higher levels of useful phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids. Wild fish have higher omega-3 levels than grain-fed farmed fish.
27. If it’s a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t.
28. Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of your milk.
29. Buy smaller glasses and plates.
30. It's not food if it's called by the same name in every language. (Think Big Mac, Chee-tos or Pringles.)
31. Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it.
32. Break the rules once in a while.

Trainer Tip: Running Stairs

Stair running is a great, high-intensity workout that helps build speed, power and cardiovascular fitness. Stair running is also a great addition to any agility training program because it builds quickness and foot speed while getting an excellent sprint workout.

Running stairs provides a cardiovascular benefit similar to that of running and is a great way to build sprint power. Many athletes run stairs at a stadium, but you can also look for a local outdoor stairway or a stairwell in a building with about a hundred steps.

If you haven't done stair workouts before, you should plan to start slowly and gradually build up your time and intensity. Stair running uses muscles you may not have used before and overdoing your first workout will result in unnecessary muscle soreness.

Stair Running Guidelines
- Make sure you warm up prior to your stair running workout.
- Begin by walking one step at a time.
- Avoid running stairs on your first few workouts.
- Do no more than two stair workouts a week.
- By week three you can begin running, perhaps two steps at a time.
- Use the return to the bottom as your rest interval, and then do another set.
- Work up to about ten sets per workout.
- Add stair running into you workout routine on your high-intensity training days or as part of an interval training workout.

Always stop your workout if you notice any injury warning signs.
source

Marilyn Delgado
Mama Bootcamp Elk Grove
[find your mojo]

Take a deep breath!

Here's a training tip from yoga coach Maria:

Breathing is one of the greatest POWER tools we have. It connects us to the life of our bodies, relaxes our minds and increases oxygen.

Take 3 deep breaths and hold for the count of 10 on the third breath. Repeat 5 times 3 times a day!

Name 3 things you are grateful for!

Decide to live a Healthy and Happy Day Every Day!

Trainer Tip: FEEL YOUR POWER!

From Coach Marilyn:

When you can do 12 reps of a move with perfect form for two workouts in a row, it's time to increase the amount you're lifting by up to five percent, says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., author of Get Stronger, Feel Younger.

So in other words - GET THOSE 8's in your hands!!!

Home workout: Core

Working out at home or on the road? Here's Lorri Ann with a great core workout you can do anywhere!

Trainer Tip: Tune in to get the most out of your workout

Here's a great tip from Coach Cassie about how to get the very most out of every workout:

"I have learned throughout the years how to get the best out of my workouts. One important thing to do is learn how to "tune in" to your body.

While you are doing your resistance training, be sure to "focus on the muscle". For example, if you are doing upright rows, don't just use your arms to pull back. Instead, what you really should focus on is your back muscles (our lats, rhomboids etc) and not the arm movements back and forth.

Time is precious, and I don't like my clients to workout in vain...so next time you are working out...think of the muscle you are trying to strengthen, and concentrate on contracting and relaxing that muscle...tune into it...and you will see great results in no time!"

Trainer Tip: It's HOT out there!

Worried about running/working out in the heat? Here's some information from Coach Marilyn (excerpted from Runner's World) magazine:


According to William Roberts, M.D., medical director of the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis-St. Paul, ambient temperature is only a small factor in predicting heat stress. "At Twin Cities, we've had cases of heatstroke at 50 degrees," he says. "And there have been marathons in Rio de Janeiro without any problems. So much depends on your acclimatization levels." Dr. Roberts has researched cases of fatal heatstroke among athletes and found that the runner's general health and use of medications were contributing factors, just as important as dehydration and weather conditions.

He offers this checklist to determine if you're ready to run in the heat. If you answer "no" to any of questions 1 through 6 or "yes" to question 7, Dr. Roberts advises either exercising indoors or keeping your run very short and very easy.

1. Are you acclimatized--have you been in similar temperatures during the last two weeks?

2. Are you well rested (having gotten at least seven hours of sleep last night), and have you been in cooled/air-conditioned environments for some part of the last 24 hours?

3. Are you hydrated? (If you are hydrated, your urine will be pale yellow in color. If it is dark like apple juice, you're dehydrated.)

4. Are you healthy--no recent illnesses?

5. Are you well nourished?

6. Have you avoided alcohol in the last 24 hours?

7. Are you taking medications with ephedrine or other prescription medicines that might interfere with your thermal regulation (information you can find in the literature that comes with the medication or get from a pharmacist)?
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The bottom line is: listen to your body. If you didn't get cardio in on the hot days, forgive yourself and get back to it as soon as possible. Mama Bootcamp wants you to to train injury (and heat stroke) free!

Remember...water tastes good!!

Trainer Tip: Keep your back healthy!

If you have ever had a back injury, or had your back "go out," you know just how important a healthy and strong back are for every day living.

How to get, and keep, a strong and healthy back? Here's Lorri Ann with the Mama Bootcamp BACK ATTACK!




Keep your back healthy, eat your veggies, stay hydrated and create an outstanding day!

Are you drinking your water?

Another friendly reminder to drink your water!

Other than the fact that water tastes refreshing and clean, there are so many other benefits of drinking 80 ounces or more of water every day. Here are just a few…

• Being hydrated reduces/eliminates headaches
• Being hydrated fights fatigue/give you energy
• Drinking water is an appetite suppressant (most of the time that you think you are hungry, you are actually thirsty)
• Water helps kidney functioning properly
• Water helps Liver metabolize and flush out fat and toxins
• Burn 30% more calories when hydrated
• Being hydrated will give you beautiful skin and hair
• Your body is over 80% water (need I say more)

Find your mojo with 80 ounces of water a day!

But wait, there’s more! Drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body as well:

• 2 glasses of water after waking up; helps activate internal organs
• 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal; helps digestion
• 1 glass of water before taking a bath; helps lower blood pressure
• 1 glass of water before going to bed; avoids stroke or heart attack

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!!

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"

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.

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!

Tips from the Trainers - Big Fat Arm Set

One of the staples of the Mama Bootcamp training regimen is the Big Fat Arm Set (BFAS). No, that doesn't mean it will make your arms "big" or "fat" - just the opposite. This set targets the major muscle groups in the arms to help you create long, strong beautiful muscles. Add this set to your regular workout routine and get ready to show off your strong toned arms.


Here's the Mama herself with a BFAS video tutorial:






Create an outstanding day!