5 Tips for a Lean and Long CORE

The “CORE” isn’t one muscle. Its several abdominal muscles all working together to keep your spine supported as it carries the weight of your upper body around on your legs. Please keep in mind that the 6-packs you see in magazines are not the norm in everyday life. That does not mean to says they are not attainable but the models you see in those publications often go through a regime of diet and fasting prior to a shoot to get that ripped look. (Not to mention the aid of Photoshop)

So what can you do to look your best in your shirt pulled up selfie in the mirror? LOL!

1) Get to Work: Find a workout program that challenges you and you can stick to. All the sit-ups and crunches in the world aren’t going to get you that long lean look if you aren’t regularly burning fat and calories. Remember to find an activity you enjoy  that you can do long enough, hard enough, and often enough to see results!

2) Balance: There are five main movements of the “CORE”, Stabilizing, Flexion, Rotation Right, Rotation Left, and Extension. You need to train in all these areas to have balance and strength.  Here are some basics:

• Stability: Plank Exercises, (More)
• Flexion: Crunches 
• Rotation Right & Left: Bicycle Crunches and Russian Twists
• Extension: Superman

3) Get off the Floor!: Training the “CORE” doesn’t always mean crunches. Here are some amazing exercises that are fun, challenging, and engage those tummy muscles!

• Medicine Ball Toss
• Bear Crawls
• Ball Slams
• Wood Choppers
• Inchworms
• Walking Lunges with Twists

4) Avoid Alcohol and Processed Foods!!: Nothing destroys that lean long look than the bloating effects of alcohol and the Munchies! Drink plenty of water and avoid the bad stuff when you can. Simple.

5) STRETCH!!!: Devote 10 minutes a day to your stretching. Not only is it an extra calorie burn, it will relax you, prepare you for your next workout, and give you a moment to acknowledge all the work you’ve done so far.

Dedicated to your success,

Sean Gogarty

SGO Fitness

The Key to Weight Loss Success from Samantha Hua

I cannot bear to hear another woman tell me she’s going to wait until she loses weight before she can travel, date, take a dance class…you fill in the blank.  What has our society done to us that we feel like we can’t live life until we look a certain way.

Don’t you understand that you’ve put on the weight because there’s not enough joy, pleasure, treat, and enjoyment in life.  Because those things have been lacking, we often gravitate towards a quick food treat.  But…it’s so temporary, then we have to keep going back for more.  You keep searching for more food in your pantry hoping to satisfying some crazy cravings that never subside. We are full of responsibilities that our balance is completely screwed and the body is crying out.  Weight gain is only a symptom and a biological response to the stressors you’ve accrued.

If you fall in this category, I’d say “go and do it.”  Whatever “IT” is that you can’t do because you’re waiting to lose the weight.  You’ll find that once you get started, you’ll build relationships, move your body, and love life so much that you no longer need to eat the junk to feel satisfied, attract positive people who will delight you, and end the neglect of your body.

I see it constantly!  The people who finally embrace finding more and more joy in their life and not feeding the “I must lose the weight” fire, are the ones who truly succeed.  As my boyfriend says about his child’s tantrum, “if there’s no audience, there’s no concert.”  Ignore your “need to lose weight” tantrum and you will be free to fit into your skinny jeans again with ease and with so much fun.  Stop the torture and your body will start responding.

Join me.  Cheers to living and to life!!!

Samantha Hua

For more support, contact:

http://www.HappyFoodHealth.com

Weight Loss, Peer Pressure and Holiday Pitfalls

With Memorial Day come to a close and the BBQ’s and long weekend celebrations coming to an end how did you do? Did you stick to your goals? Did you get your exercise in? Did you keep track of how you ate?

Holidays and parties are some of the hardest times to keep on track with your weight loss goals. Here’s a few reasons why:

1)  Unhealthy Food in large supply

2) Unhealthy Portion Size

3) Alcohol in large supply.

4) Social Pressure to be part of the party

5) People who don’t understand what you’re trying to do.

The first thing we need to address is if you fell off the wagon this weekend, get back on. You have not failed, it’s not all lost, and you haven’t destroyed everything you’ve worked for these past few weeks. A single weekend of bad choices won’t kill you. A lifetime of them will.

Second, how do we deal with these pressures and temptations? This past memorial day weekend Sarah and I visited the in-laws while participating in a 30 day Primal/Alcohol free challenge. It was tough at times to keep on track but we succeeded. Lets go through the above list and see how we can overcome some obstacles.

1) Unhealthy Food: Pack healthy food for yourself. For our challenge we had limitations on what we could eat so we packed up what we needed and brought it with us! Feel uncomfortable bringing your own thing? Bring enough to share and make it part of the weekends eats! You just might help someone else choose healthy too!

2) Unhealthy Portion Size: All those bowls of potato salad and other tempting dishes spread out before you! How to survive? Grab the smallest plate you can and stick with it. Being forced to go back to the table to get another serving will help you think twice. (Only have big paper plates? Rip it in half!)

3) Alcohol…..ooooh! A tough one. The majority of calories consumed on long weekends come from what’s in your glass. If you really feel uncomfortable when everyone around you has a beverage, substitute! Get a bottle of club soda and fill your glass with ice and some lime. The bubbles and taste will give you enough kick to keep you sated and keep your thirst in check and the act of having a drink in your hand will keep people from badgering you to have another.

4&5) Social Pressure: When people question why you’re not having a drink, helping yourself to the buffet, taking part in Dad’s famous bacon wrapped burger, or make remarks about the choices you’re making remember:

You are on a journey to improve yourself and your life. It is your journey and no one else’s. You make the rules and you pay the consequence when you break them.

If someone puts down your choices it is only because you are holding a mirror to their own shortcomings and bad decisions. When someone feels bad their natural reaction is to try and make you feel bad so they feel better.

We have to live like no one else now so We can live like no one else later.

Food Trivia Answers

Here are some of the trivia answers from last nights Food Trivia Adventure Friday’s Dinner   out:
Mozzarella Sticks		1 Full football Game	760
Club Sandwich		Run for 1 hour	860
Sweet Potato Fries		wash the dishes for 2 hours	390
Brownie Obsession		< 2 hours of working out with SGO	1222
Glass of beer		2 hours of heavy petting	243
Total:			3475

Food	vs	Exercise & Activity	Calories
1 pound of Fat		Run a Marathon	3500
Big Mac Meal		Hike Cowles Mountain Twice	1000
Chilli’s Texas Cheese Fries		2 full NBA Basketball Games	1960
Chilli’s Cobb Salad		Chop 240 Pieces of Wood	430
Mixed Salad with Oil & Vinegar		8 minutes of “Quickie” Sex	47
8 oz T-bone Steak		1 hour of Cycling	402
11 Nacho Doritos		Waching Dishes 1 hour	150
Banana		Shopping at the Mall (22 minutes)	72
Starbucks   Venti Frappuccino (pumpkin spice)		1 30 minute Zumba Class	375
Home made mashed potatos		Run 2 Miles	237
Outback Garlic Mashed Potatos		25 Minutes of Bootcamp	305
Friday’s Dinner out:		4 1/2 NFL Football Games	3475

A Contract with Myself.

I _______, promise to make a commitment to my health & wellness…

 

I will LOVE myself.

I will acknowledge that I DESERVE this and that I am worth it.

I will beleive in myself.

I will not give up.

Even if I slip up, I promise to not beat myself up, but to get back on track.

I will be brave & bold.

I will try new things.

I will educate myself.

I will be dedicated to my goals.

I will trust the process and understand that it wont happen overnight.

I will feed my mind with positive thoughts.

I will feed my soul through positive actions.

I will not be jealous of others for acheiving their goals, (or for winning,) but instead be understudies to their success.

I will praise them for reaching them because I know they have faced their own struggles.

I will do it for MYSELF first.

I will do it for my family.

I will do it for my friends.

I will do it to inspire others and create a better world.

I will do it to LIVE a Long, Healthy, & Happy Life!

This is my Mission and my Mission starts right now!

Calories in Food vs. Calories in Exercise

Recently we ran a trivia quiz for a group of high school students participating in our fitness program. We gave them a list of fast food and restaurant meals and had them guess what the approximate calories from exercise they’d have to burn in order to earn their favorite meals.

We had so much fun I thought I’d share with you the same list. Remember, diet is as important and exercise! Are any of these foods in your diet? If so, you decide whether they’re worth the punishment.

Earn what you Eat!  

Fast Food Hamburger  540 calories = Run 5 miles

Can of Coke  150 calories = Stand for 1:30 hours

Chef Boyardee Mini Ravioli  239 calories = 30 minutes of or 600 Pushups

Lean Cuisine spaghetti & Meatballs  299 calories = 2 hours of Washing Dishes

Twix Bar 284 calories = 1 hour of Stretching

Big Mac Meal  1350 calories = 2 hours of Martial Arts

Starbuck Mocha Frappaccino  500 Calories = Walk 5 miles or Shop for 4 hours

Carls Junior double 6$ burger  1520 calories = 3 hours of Soccer (non-competitive)

Carls Junior Fries 470 Calories = 4 hours of Studying

Carls Junior Shake 610 Calories  =  2 hours of Situps (3600 situps)

Total Carls Junior Meal : 2600 calories = 7 hrs of wood chopping (4200 pieces of wood)

Chips & Salsa: 250 & 72 = 322 calories = 1 hr Coaching Sports & 1 hr on the Phone

Fish tacos: 400 calories  =  One 30 minute Class Workout  (Full Effort)

On the Border Fish tacos: 2100 calories =  One Month of 30 minute classes (6 classes)

Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries 2900 Calories = 8 hours of Hiking

Chilli’s awesome blossom: 2710 calories  = 10 hours of Frisbee

Chilli’s brownie sundae: 1290 cal  =  2 hours of Hockey

Chilli’s Texas Cheese Fries: 2120 calories  =  30 hours of sleeping ( 4-5 days)

Chilli’s Ribs: 2170 Calories = 21 hours of making out

Total Chilli’s meal: 8612 calories =  2.5 Marathons

SGO Fitness

9 Inspirational Tips to Keep Your New Years Resolutions

Well…It’s Jan 18^th!  We are fast approaching February.  And how are you doing with your New Year’s Resolutions?  Most likely many of you are just now starting to face the music.  It’s getting tough right?!  Well DON’T GIVE UP!  Here’s 9 Great Inspirational Tips to keep you on track:

 

1)      Set Realistic Fitness Goals: This is such an important tip.  It can be very overwhelming, and people are more likely to fall off the wagon, if they’ve set unrealistic large goals.  This doesn’t mean you can’t eventually accomplish a large goal.  But you should think about setting your goal plan to a smaller scale.  For instance, make reasonable small goals that will lead up to your main goal, (such as lose 5 pounds in 4 weeks, or finish a 5K in a month, etc.)  Please, consult your Trainers if you need some help setting some realistic goals.  That is what we are here for!

2)      Get Pumped:  Always go back to your original goal and keep that in focus.  Try to remember that where you will be in 6 months has everything to do with what you are doing now!

3)      Get Inspired by Others Success Stories:  Look to your fellow Bootcampers.  Watch weight loss shows like “The Biggest Loser.”  Or check out some Fitness Magazine articles.

4)      Reward Yourself:  How do you reward yourself without giving in to your previous vices, or throwing your healthy diet out the window?   It’s called MASSAGE!  It not only feels amazing, but is recommended for better performance and injury prevention!  Schedule one once a month, if you can or, if massages aren’t your thing, maybe another form of rewarding yourself might drive you such as a movie night out, or get yourself a new book, or maybe go to the next tip: number 5!

5)      Buy New Workout Gear: This gets me every time!  Once I buy a pair of kicks, I can’t wait to lace em’ up and take them for a few test drives!

6)      Find a workout buddy:  You are more likely to show up for your Saturday workout if your Bestie is expecting to sweat with you.  You are also more likely to stick to a program when you exercise with a friend!

7)      Try a New Physical Activity: Open your mind and don’t be afraid of the unknown.  You may discover new things that bring you joy!  Go hiking, take a dance class, go for a bike ride.  You may love it!

8)      Sign Up for a Race:  Registering for a 5K Run, Sprint Triathalon, or Obstacle Course Race is a great motivator.  Not only are we all inherently competitive, but it gives us a deadline to work towards.  The proceeds benefit a good cause, and they are super FUN!

9)      Get your Mind Right & Lose the Excuses: We have all heard the saying, “misery loves company.”  If you are a “Debbie Downer” you are only hurting yourself, keeping yourself from achieving your goals and reaching your full potential.  Eliminate all of those negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.  Positive Energy is a must for success!

REMEMBER…You can accomplish anything with the right attitude, hard work, & dedication.  Your friends at SGO Fitness are here to support you every step of the way!

Have a great rest of your week everyone!

Dedicated to your success,

 

Sarah Gogarty,  ACE-CPT

Founder

SGO Fitness

Turkey Toss Workout

SGO Fitness Turkey Toss!!

Thanksgiving is a time of large meals, turkey and family gatherings. We decided to help keep our bootcampers on track this year by holding our inaugural “Turkey Toss” bootcamp Thanksgiving morning. Bootcampers were challenged to a 3 circuit workout with the added bonus of tossing one of our 15-20 lbs “Turkeys” as far as they could. The winners won some fabulous prizes and we all had a great time earning our Thanksgiving meals!

Check out the video below for a glimpse of the action!

http://youtu.be/bCI6mCLkZw4

Dedicated to your success,

Sean & Sarah Gogarty ACE-CPT

SGO Fitness

Top 5 Reason to Join a Bootcamp!!

SGO Fitness

Reason #5: They’re Affordable

If you were to go to the gym and pay a personal trainer to plan your workout every day it would cost you at least $50-$70 a session. Bootcamp memberships usually run around $100-150 for a month of classes. That’s like getting a trainer’s expertise for $13.00 a session! Big Box gyms would go bankrupt if they offered you those prices!

Reason #4: They’re Functional

For years people trained in a very simple and functional way. They stood up, picked heavy stuff up and put it over their heads. Then all of a sudden someone invented a machine where you sat down and moved one muscle at a time and the gym as we know it today was born. Bootcamp programs use the environment around them as their equipment. This means you train using movements you’d do in everyday life, making you a more efficient and functional human being.

Reason # 3: They make you look good naked

You’ll accomplish more in 1 hour during bootcamp than 3 hours at the gym. Bootcamp programs are designed to give you the biggest workout in the shortest amount of time. You show up and the trainer whips your butt! By using bodyweight, high repetition workouts and equipment such as medicine balls, resistance bands, and agility ladders, the trainer is able to help you build strong lean muscles rather than huge muscles. You’ll look more like a lean and sexy athlete, rather than a hulking Arnold.

Reason #2: Team Work!

Working out with a motivated group of people feels so good! From the time we were little kids we’ve done things in groups. From swimming lessons to learning CPR we learn and work in teams. So why should you work out alone? Nothing feels better than pushing yourself to succeed and having the person next to you cheer you on. You’ll build friendships as well as muscles.

Reason #1: They’re FUN!!

The simple question is: “When was the last time you went to the gym and laughed during your workout?” I guarantee during your first bootcamp, you will work hard, sweat like crazy, but most of all you will have one of the best times of your life! Remember how fun it was as a kid to run around and play? Get ready because its playtime. Get out there and join your local bootcamp!!

SGO Fitness

6 RULES FOR WEIGHT LOSS & EATING

6 RULES FOR WEIGHT LOSS & EATING

Here is a simple list of rules to live by when it comes to healthy eating. If you stick to these practices and pay attention to what fuels you, you’ll be in great shape!

1.       NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST!

Breakfast is your most important meal of the day! (I know you’ve heard that before)

Here’s a question for you: If I asked you to fast for 8 hours starting at 10am tomorrow would you be hungry for dinner at 6pm? Of course! Your body would be begging you for fuel! So why do we skip breakfast when we haven’t eaten since the night before? Fuel you morning right and the rest of your day will be a lot more enjoyable.

 

2.       SNACKS WITH A PURPOSE

Snacking for fuel is important and positive. Snacking because of cravings and boredom makes you fat. Plan out your snacks in advance and look forward to them (healthy snacks like apples and a handful of nuts) rather than wander the halls for a vending machine and empty calories.

3.       PORTION CONTROL

Since 1977, hamburgers have increased by 97 calories, French fries by 68 calories, and Mexican foods by 133 calories, according to analysis of the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey. Buy smaller plates and bowls and pay attention to what the waiter puts down in front of you. Eating everything on your plate was important when you were a growing child. Now you’re an adult growing isn’t helping.

4.       WATER

Americans consume more calories from beverages than any other source. Stick to water as your beverage of choice for 30 dayS. Only water! See the difference. You’ll lose weight, perform better and look better overall. Want it to taste better? Throw a slice of lemon in there. (Or rock out at bootcamp. It’ll taste like the Nectar of the Gods after an hour of exercise!)

 

5.       WHOLE FOODS

My simple rule is “If it comes in a box, can or wrapper, the ingredients are crapper”…well not the best rhyme but true . Try to eat as much unprocessed food as possible. The more ingredients the worse it is for you. Another tip: Shop the edges of the grocery store, not the aisles. Do that alone and you’ll save yourself a lot of calories and added salt.

 

6.       SIT AT THE TABLE

The simplest and best thing you can do for you and your family. Set the table and enjoy a meal together. Even keeping it a family ritual just once a week gives you the opportunity to point out what is and isn’t healthy at the dinner table. If you’re single, set the table and focus on the food in front of you. If you concentrate on the experience of a healthy meal you’ll make healthy choices while your eating.

Dedicated to your success,

Sean Gogarty

SGO Fitness