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Monday, November 11, 2013• Huntington Beach, CA 92647
This time of year is always a time of reflection to appreciate all that we have to be thankful for. Our family, friends, homes, jobs, and other material things often come to mind when we think of all we have to be thankful for. But what about our health and fitness?
We should also give thanks for our workout routine and the early mornings we spend together each weekday. What’s there to appreciate about an hour spent sweating? Plenty—the benefits of exercise go far beyond trimming and toning. Exercise might make you live longer, lead a happier life, and improve your work productivity.
Without good health and a solid fitness base, so many daily activities would be difficult and take more time and effort. Not to mention, check ups with the doctor may not be so positive. All those push ups, squats, planks, and lunges pay off in so many ways. So, take a moment and appreciate all the hard work you put into your fitness routine each and every morning. Be thankful for the strong, healthy body you take care of. I'm so thankful to all of you who join me each morning and make such an effort to stay fit, healthy, and happy. Fit, fun, friends!
We all know someone who has been touched by breast cancer, whether it’s your mother, your sister, your wife, or maybe even you. We are all inspired by someone. With INSPIRED as our theme this year, we hope you will be INSPIRED to join us for our 22nd Komen Orange County Race for the Cure and help us to serve women and save lives. Whether you run, walk or stroll – join the movement that started it all and discover with every step your power to make an impact. - See more at: http://www.komenoc.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1068750#sthash.UycD3CDj.dpuf
We all know someone who has been touched by breast cancer, whether it’s your mother, your sister, your wife, or maybe even you. We are all inspired by someone. With INSPIRED as our theme this year, we hope you will be INSPIRED to join us for our 22nd Komen Orange County Race for the Cure and help us to serve women and save lives. Whether you run, walk or stroll – join the movement that started it all and discover with every step your power to make an impact. - See more at: http://www.komenoc.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1068750#sthash.UycD3CDj.dpuf
Our current session
began on October 28th ...
but join us ANYTIME camp
works best for you!
First week of camp
is still only $19!!
Get 5 body-sculpting workouts, a 5-day meal guide, and unlimited support and guidance for one low price. New and returning campers (those who haven't attended camp yet this year) can check out camp for the week for only $19 - that's less than $4 per class! Simply choose your week of attendance in either the month of November or December and get ready to tone up and slim down. If you decide you want to continue after your first week, first month specials are available to continue your body-sculpting camp session.
Can't make the first day or week of a camp session? No problem! Join in and start camp anytime it works best for your schedule. Simply call or email us with questions on attendance and accommodating your schedule. We'll work with any schedule, any time to make camp work for YOU!
Get started now with a special you can't pass up! Spaces are limited.Reserve your spot NOW!
Stay tuned for our special3-Day Holiday Fat Burn Camp meeting November 25-27th. It will be the perfect way to stay active and burn a few calories before Turkey Day! More info to come ...
Join our next race ...
The Resolution Run
Taking place December 15th
in Costa Mesa,
this race benefits our
camp meeting location -
Edison High School
It’s the end of the year! Holiday Parties, New Year’s Eve, and family gatherings threaten to take a toll on your plan to stay healthy and fit. Well, fear no more! Edison High School along with the McKenna Claire Foundation have come to the rescue with the Resolution Run, a 5K and Kids Fun Run. The race will take place at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, on December 15, 2013. The course will be scenic and diverse, consisting of half dirt and half pavement. Walkers Welcome!
This race will kick start YOUR resolutions for the New Year. The event will benefit Edison High School’s Athletic and Academic programs, as well as the McKenna Claire Foundation and their funding of Pediatric Brain Cancer research.
This will be a great day for Huntington Beach and the surrounding communities, McKenna Claire Foundation supporters, and Edison High School Families. Join us on Saturday, December 15th.
1/3 cup flour (any flour will work - can use almond flour to keep the recipe gluten free)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Stevia packets or 2 extra tbsp brown sugar
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp milk of your choice (cow, soy, almond, rice, etc)
2 tbsp oil, or omit and increase milk to 1 cup
1 tbsp ground flax seed
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F and grease a 10-inch round pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine first 7 ingredients and stir very well.
In a separate bowl, combine all liquid ingredients with the flax and whisk.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir and mix completely, then pour into the pan and bake for 35 minutes. (The pie will still be gooey after baking, but that's okay!).
Allow to cool completely before transferring uncovered to the fridge to "set" for at least 6 hours before trying to slice.
Nutrition Facts (per slice)
Calories: 55
Calories from fat: 6
Total Fat: 0.6g
Total Carbs: 11.7 g
Protein: 1.2 g
Yields 8 slices. The nutrition facts are based on using the extra milk and omitting the oil from the recipe.
Pumpkin pie is such a staple for the holidays. How can you not finish Thanksgiving dinner without a slice of pumpkin pie?! However, pumpkin pie is not very waistline friendly. A slice of Costco pumpkin pie averages 300 plus calories, 11 grams of fat, and 48 grams of carbohydrates. Sure, it taste great. But so does this crustless pumpkin pie.
This recipe is crazy. You could actually eat the entire 8 servings of pie and still consume less fat and fewer calories than if you ate just one slice of many traditional pies. Not that I’d recommend eating an entire pie in one serving! But this crustless pumpkin pie, with its rich and almost custard-like texture, is so good you might want to do just that. I know what I’m making for Thanksgiving … and Christmas and New Years!
Exercise of the Month
Froggers
Froggers are a favorite at camp. Okay, maybe they're not, but they sure do work well! They are very deceiving in that they look and seem very easy to do, but they hurt so good. The first 10 reps don't seem so bad, but after 15, 20, or 30 reps, your thighs are burning and your buns are fatigued.
Froggers effectively work the quadriceps, gluteal muscles, calves, and hip adductors. They are able to work all these muscles with little to no impact. They are a great exercise to build lower body strength without having to exert a lot of energy or endure high impact.
Here are the steps to complete a frogger:
Come into a squat position with feet hip distance apart.
Bend forward and grab your ankles in your hands. Depending on your flexibility, you can grab just below the knees. You should be bent forward from the waist while in the squat position.
For beginners who need more upper body support, bend forward just slightly at the waist and rest your hands on your upper thighs.
Once in position, begin squat pulses not allowing the knees to completely straighten. Keeping the knees bent keeps the muscles under tension throughout the entire exercise. The froggers might feel like doing little "booty bounces".
Do as many reps as possible in 30 seconds or try to complete two sets of 15-20 reps.
To take a look at a similar exercise, take a look this video of Plie Squats. The froggers will most resemble the squat pulses at the end - Fitness Magazine Plie Squat Video.
Inspiration of the Month
Slow Progress is Better Than No Progress
During my years of teaching camp, I have seen a lot. I’ve seen great progress and goals achieved, frustration over goals not quite reached, goals be achieved only to be lost after stopping their fitness routine, and everything in between. I’ve heard this saying many a times - “I am doing X, Y, and Z, and I am not seeing any progress. I am getting frustrated and think I am going to quit.”
It’s easy to want to see the results now. We are not patient by nature. However, achieving optimal health and fitness will continue to be a work in progress. Can we reach a new milestone and be fitter, leaner, stronger, and more energized after a session of boot camp? Yes! Can we reach our short-term goals, like ideal weight and body fat? Yes! Are we going to be a better version of ourselves after four weeks of hard work? Absolutely! Are we at the end of our journey? Not quite. Is there more we can strive to accomplish and do to continue to better ourselves? You bet!
So, this journey of health and fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. It's going to take slow, steady, consistent work that becomes a lifestyle and routine. A sprint can get you there quickly, but it's usually not going to be a result that lasts over time. Slow and steady wins the health and fitness race!
Here are a few things to help keep you focused and on the finish line as you complete the long race:
Focus on the positive
Think about what you’re already doing well and try to do it better. If you’re having a hard time with your meal planning on a given day or two, focus on what you find fun, like boot camp, taking a walk after dinner, a weekend yoga class or bike ride. Eventually the results from that will influence your other behaviors.
Make daily challenges & successes
Instead of having one big goal, make daily ones that focus on the actions you need to take. Take time to celebrate the little things. Write a success story for yourself everyday. Celebrate journaling all your food on a given day, eating 5 servings of vegetables, making it to boot camp on a morning you really didn’t feel like rolling out of bed. You probably did more in a given day than many of your friends.
Get tools to make it fun
If your goal is to eat more fruit, buy kitchen tools like apple slicers and melon ballers. If your goal is to make it to camp everyday, create a fun calendar that you can fill in and check off for each day you attend. Create a pin(terest) board full of motivating quotes that you can look at for inspiration. Buy a cute, colorful water bottle if your goal is to drink more water. Find those little ways to make any goal and the journey to get there more fun!
Invest time in getting ready
You take time to get ready for a work each morning or for a special night out with your main squeeze, so why not take time to get ready to be healthy? Setting aside time to prepare yourself to be healthy and make healthy choices during a busy week makes all the difference. Plan ahead by using your meal plans, creating a shopping last, and really planning out what’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the week. Set aside the time to prep these meals.
Personally, I shop methodically through the aisles of Trader Joe’s every weekend and buy everything I need for Sunday night through Saturday morning. Then, I take 15-20 minutes each night to prepare my breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the following day and have it ALL set and ready to be quickly grabbed and put in my lunch pail at 4:55 am. Yes, it takes time and I can say it’s easy because I don’t have kids to worry about prepping for as well. But carve out that extra time for YOU.
Give yourself credit for all you've done so far and remember that you'll get there if you stick with it. Be the turtle, not the hare! Turtles live forever, so they must be doing something right?! Keep plugging away and know that I'm on the sidelines cheering you on! You can do it!!
Slow progress is better
than no progress!
RegisterNOW to reserve your space and start your making progress towards your fitness goals.
FirstLight Fitness
SSD Training, Inc.
14013 Spectrum
Irvine, Ca 92618
(714) 333-6481
After teaching group fitness and boot camp classes for over six years, Samantha decided it was time to turn her love of fitness and passion for teaching into her own business. FirstLight Fitness was inspired by the early morning classes she has taught for the last six years and the rising sun she sees each day while spending her mornings training the clients she loves! Samantha is excited to grow the FirstLight Fitness family and offer programs that appeal to a variety of clients and interests. ?Samantha earned her Bachelor’s Degree (B.S.) in Kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton with an emphasis in fitness and health promotion in 2006. She completed her personal fitness trainer certification through NESTA that same year. Samantha went on to further her education and completed the occupational therapy assistant program through Santa Ana College in 2010. She is a certified and licensed occupational therapy assistant (COTA/L) currently working in pediatrics. ? Sam spends her mornings motivating and training her beloved clients, and loves starting her day off active and outside. Throughout the rest of her day, she works for a local school district servicing children with a variety of unique needs. She finds both to be equally challenging and rewarding, and loves that she has the opportunity to help others. ? Samantha actively pursues continuing education opportunities in both fitness and occupational therapy. She would like to further her fitness education with additional personal training certifications as well as specializations in Pilates and yoga.
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