Breakfast anyone?

More often than not when I interview a new client I get a resounding "No" when I ask the question do you eat breakfast? This is perhaps one of the biggest mistakes we make on a day to day basis with our health and well being. I can not over emphasize the importance of eating a nutritious breakfast.

Studies show that individuals who consume a nutritious breakfast daily have "healthier diets," as well as a reduced risk of Cardiovascular disease. The reduced risk of Cardiovascular disease could be contributed to the amount of fiber typically seen in a nutritious breakfast such as oatmeal, or bran cereal (minus the tablespoon or more of sugar!) Some studies suggest that diets high in dietary fiber will reduce free cholesterol.

Assuming you didn't wake for a midnight snack your body has been in a fast for the past 8 hours. Which if you're not getting 8 hours you should, but that's for another day :) By passing up breakfast you are asking your body to perform at fasting levels. No wonder you feel sluggish! Not to mention the fact that the next time you eat, your body will store every ounce available because it doesn't know how long the next fast will be. This will likely mean extra pounds. If by this point you're not convinced of the importance of eating breakfast then email or comment and I will give you a thousand other reasons.

In an effort to make sure I address all potential excuses for not eating breakfast below are several quick and tasty recipes for a nutritious breakfast.

Cheesecake in a cup:

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup 1% or skim milk
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 banana
2 teaspoons vanilla whey protein powder
6 ice cubes
**blend, pour and go*** quick and nutritious





Hearty Oatmeal:

3/4 cut old fashioned Oats
1/2 cup berries (frozen or fresh)
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed (ground)
1 Tablespoon or less brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
**2 mins in the microwave and you're on your way**




On the weekend a great Saturday morning addition:



Multi-grain pancakes:

A little more effort is required here but I can assure you it will make plenty for the weekend and week, and they are worth the effort!

3 whole eggs
4 cups milk (skim or 1%)
3/4 cup canola or olive oil
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups Oatmeal
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ, toasted
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon ginger
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon cloves

Mix wet ingredients with brown sugar. Combine remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Mix together wet and dry ingredients. Leave batter to rest for 15 mins or overnight to allow oatmeal to absorb moisture. Use 1/3 cup to pour batter on heated and greased griddle cook until bubbles form and edges turn slightly brown. yields 10 servings at least!

Hope you enjoy these additions and look forward to hearing from you in the future!

Happy Trails,
Josh

Welcome Spring!

65 degrees one day and snowing the next! Guess that is why we love Colorado. Spring is by far my favorite time of year. I love to see our world come alive with color. The trees start to bud, the grass is turning green (hopefully) bulbs are popping up out of the semi frozen tundra everywhere we look we see God's amazing creation.

What better time to leave the gym behind and take our exercise outdoors. The front range is full of opportunities to take our workout regime to new heights. Below is a short list of the wonderful opportunities waiting outside your door.

• Bike ride on the miles of city and county maintained bike trails traversing the city and foothills
• Take a walk and get some Vitamin D (sunshine :)
• Take your workout to the nearest park it is amazing the workout you can get on the kids playground (email me if you would like a list of suggestions :)
• throw a Frisbee
  
• Pick-up basketball game
• Numerous outdoor activities (fly fishing, archery, hiking, mtn. biking, etc...)

We limit ourselves when we don't take the time to look outside the box, and see all that is available to us. One of the best ways to break through a training plateau is to try something new and different. Our bodies are amazingly efficient and yet we seem surprised when we do the same thing day in and day out, yet expect different results. That is the very definition of insanity! So, what are you waiting for get out and enjoy what God has given us!

Cheers,
Josh

Been a While

When the new year started I was planning on doing a better job with keeping up with my blog. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Life has a way of becoming incredibly busy in very short order.

I hope this post finds you all doing very well, and look forward to seeing and hearing from you all and how things are going in the new year.

School is going to be very busy this semester, but looking forward to the challenges that this semester will bring.

Stay tuned more to come in the next few days, I promise and thanks for not giving up on me.

Until next time!
Josh

Welcome 2010!

Got Goals?

It's the first week of 2010 and I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "any New Year's Resolutions?" I find this somewhat comical that we need to wait for the New Year to make changes to our lives that will probably make them substantially better. With that being said today is the day, tomorrow is too late for if you wait you will be working on the same goals come 2011!

I turn 30 (yeah that's right 30!) next month, so I am determined to make this my best year yet one that I can look back on and say look at what I accomplished this year. I challenge you to do the same in 2010. What will this decade look like for you? New career? New you? Below are a few of the goals that I have for myself and my family in 2010 please feel free to list any that you have set for yourself or your family in 2010.

1. Start composting and add two more garden boxes in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint while enjoying the benefits that fresh veggies have to offer.
2. God willing, welcome a new child into our family through adoption. This one is obviously more difficult for me to control, but preparing a loving and welcoming home is easily within my control
3. Hold captive "Stinkin Thinkin" recognize the things that I am good at and work harder on the things that I am not or be willing to let those "things" go.

What will define this year this decade for you? We all know the definition of insanity so create an environment of change this year and do your best to live it!

Best of Luck and God Bless in 2010

Josh

Start Now!

Merry Christmas! I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful time with family and friends over this most wonderful time of year. Seems that we too had a very white Christmas.

Getting the opportunity to reflect on the past year as we look forward to 2010 I have an array of things to be so very thankful for. I have a beautiful family, a thriving business in tough economic conditions, and an opportunity to make 2010 my best year yet.

I think often as we approach this time of year we think of all the resolutions that we hope to start the first part of the new year, but I say why wait? Start Now! There is no time like the present to:

1. Read a book for fun or one that will challenge you to grow spiritually or personally
2. Take a step forward in your career by taking some classes at the local community college
3. Make a committment to an athletic event such as Bolder Boulder, first marathon, etc.....
4. Make a personal committment to better not only yourself, but your family as well

Time spent waiting for the new year is time wasted. Any time of the year these additions to your personal resume are going to be improvements. There's always a time for looking back on the things that we have done, however, that time is not nearly as valuable as the time spent looking forward! Here's to your best year yet!

As always I'm here to help you achieve any goals or aspirations so please feel free to post your goals or resolutions for 2010 here and well create a community of accountability.

Cheers to 2010!

Josh

Heart of the Rockies Half Marathon

For those of you who don't know I teach a multi-sport class Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Old Town Athletic Club. The first part of November my core group, Heidi, Cori, Heather, Doug and Arlene decided to sign up for the Heart of the Rockies half-marathon! Very proud moment for me as a trainer!

I did not do a good job of getting everyone together for a group photo after the race so the photo above shows Heidi, Jennifer (Heidi's friend) and Cori at the finish line. We had brunch after the race at my house, it was a fun day. Sorry this is so late needless to say school, family and work have been extremely busy.

Congrats Crew Nice Work and looking forward to the next one already!

Until then run hard

Josh

Correct Execution of the Lunge

The Lunge is one of the best lower body exercises that I know of. It is a great way to challenge balance as well as muscle strength and endurance. Check out the video to see the correct demonstration of the the lunge and one of the most common errors when preforming this exercise.

It's always a good idea to allow the lower body to rest a day between workouts. Add this exercise to your lower body routine you'll be guaranteed to see results.

for beginners start with 2 sets 12-15 reps with body weight only
for the more advanced routine 3-4 sets with a weight that allows for 8-10reps.