An email from my client!!!!

Honestly after 1 week at home (easter break) no running and eating & drinking more than you should have, my first day back & my usual workout (5 miles run) was killing me & so unenjoyable I cut it short! I hate that I gotta get through this tough period before it gets enjoyable again. Maybe this was a bad day will try again tomorrow. Does anyone else find this?

Nutrition Facts panels can be tedious to read—and, frankly, they aren’t nearly as visually appealing as the rest of the food package and the claims on it. Which is why, unless you’re a dedicated, detailed label-reader, you might be surprised to learn that sometimes there are not-so-healthy ingredients hiding in food you’d otherwise think is healthy.

Here are four food categories that, surprisingly, contain not-so-healthy ingredients that you should watch out for:

Trans fats in margarine margarine and buttery spreads. Choosing a butter substitute can help you cut calories, but it’s not necessarily a heart-healthier choice. When it comes to margarine and buttery spreads, you’ll find all sorts of oil-based spreads in this category. "Margarine" is a product that has 80 percent fat, like butter, but because it’s made from vegetable oils, it delivers more "good" fats than butter. Many (but not all) other "soft spreads" or "tub" buttery products have less total fat as well as less saturated fat and/or fewer calories. But not all products are created equal: some contain trans fat, which, like saturated fat, raises your "bad" LDL cholesterol, but possibly even more than saturated fat does, according to research. Trans fat also lowers your "good" HDL cholesterol. Be sure to scan the ingredient list for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated." If the ingredient list includes one of these, then the product is not really trans-fat-free. (The FDA allows manufacturers to round down on the label: when a food has less than 0.5 gram trans fat per serving it can be rounded down to 0 and labeled as trans-fat free.)

Added sugars in dried fruit. Dried fruit is a great snack—delivering fiber and important vitamins and minerals, plus it’s easily packable and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Even better, 1/2 cup of dried fruit counts as one of your daily servings of fruit! But there’s a catch: dried fruit can also deliver unnecessary added sugars (an ingredient that we already overconsume)—and those added sugars can sometimes add an extra 50 calories to 1/2 cup of dried fruit. It’s difficult to know how much added sugar is in most processed foods because food manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the amount of natural versus added sugars in their products on the Nutrition Facts panel—when "sugars" are listed, the total number includes both naturally occurring and added sugars. To find out if there’s added sugar in your foods, look at the ingredient list for sugar and all its aliases: corn sweetener or syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates, invert sugar, malt sugar, syrup and sugar molecules ending in "ose" (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose).

Oils in packaged foods. Packaged convenience foods that you would assume are healthy, such as commercial salad dressings, crackers, breads, granola bars, etc., often contain palm oil and soybean oils—as well as corn, cottonseed, safflower and sunflower oils—all of which are rich in omega-6 oils. Why does that matter? Omega-6 fats compete in your body with healthy omega-3 fats, which benefit your heart and may also keep you happy. So look for products that don’t include these oils—or at least contain "high oleic" versions of oils that are rich in omega-6 fats. (These high-oleic oils are produced using plants that have been bred or engineered to have more monounsaturated fats and fewer omega-6 fats.)

Artificial sweeteners in "lower-sugar" and "sugar-free" products. Most of us eat too much sugar. On average, Americans consume 475 calories of added sugars every day (that’s 30 teaspoons), which is three or four times what’s recommended by the American Heart Association. And according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control, 16 percent of kids and adolescents’ total daily calories comes from added sugars! To cut back on added sugars, food products labeled "lower sugar" or "sugar-free" may seem like a healthier alternative. But you might be surprised to know that some of these food products—like some lower-sugar instant oatmeals and sugar-free jams and jellies—may be made with artificial sweeteners. If you want to limit your artificial-sweetener consumption, check the ingredient list for these terms: sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, erythritol and stevia.

When it comes to belly fat, it’s not about what meets the eye, but what lies beneath that is cause for concern. A visibly protruding belly, also known as a pouch, gut, or spare tire, is unsightly by some standards, but when researchers mention increased risk for chronic diseases, the fat they are referring to is visceral fat. Also called intra-abdominal fat, it lies beneath the abdominal muscle and is not visible. Even people who are not obese by measure of Body Mass Index (BMI) can have too much of it. Visceral fat is deposited around organs in the abdominal cavity. To get rid of visceral fat, you must trim overall body fat with a regular interval training, cardio & strength training regimen. Doing ab & core exercises will not burn fat, but it can help strengthen, tone and shape your abs.

A boot camp is just an exercise class that allows more variety and fun. They are perfect for all levels of fitness. Modifications are given for every exercise. You will work hard, but you will never be asked to do anything beyond your personal fitness level. Boot Camps work when you work them – meaning it is up to you how hard you want to push yourself!!!!  Also - I won’t be yelling at you – but I will push you to work outside your comfort zone (which is what we all need in order to get fitter, stronger and lose excess weight…

If you always do what you always did – you’ll always get what you always got! LOL… come by anytime!

It's officially spring and summer is right around the corner. It’s time to get more active. With beautiful weather, longer days and blooming flowers, there is even more incentive to shape up. Call me to set up your One-on-One Personal Training Session to learn the correct way to workout. 760-951-3508

The sooner you sign up - the sooner we start!!!!!

Patty 760-951-3508

The sooner you sign up - the sooner we start!!!!!

Patty 760-951-3508

ATTENTION! Fitness Boot Camp is COMING SOON!!

Give a whole new meaning to your “weekend warrior workout”.

ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Coach Patty Hartong and the CSD Park and Recreations Department are proud to offer (Fitness Boot Camp) a new and fun exercise class that generates amazing results.

Fitness Boot Camp

Saturdays @ 9: 00am

Coming Soon

What is a Boot camp?

“Fitness Boot Camp” is a type of indoor/*outdoor group exercise class that mixes traditional calisthenics and body weight exercises with interval, and strength training.

Fitness boot camps are designed in a way to push participants harder than they'd push themselves for amazing results. (* outdoor workouts when weather permits).

What exercises are included in the program? We do everything from running/walking (less than 1 mile), weight training (upper and lower body), core conditioning, abdominal work, calisthenics, plyometrics, circuit training and more! Every class is a little different from the day before and you will get a “SAFE” full body workout every week!

**Example Exercises include: pushups, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, squat thrusts (burpees), Mt Climbers, lunges, squats, crunches, plank, star jumpers and So much more...

** Modifications are given allowing for everyone to participate, no matter what your current fitness level is. The only requirement is the willingness to have fun and work hard.