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We get all kinds of questions from our members, especially when it comes to nutrition. People say that weight loss has about 30% to do with exercise, and 70% to do with what you eat. Local nutritionist Julie Starr-Wood offered to spread some of her knowledge with us. I wanted her to focus on the topic of breakfast. I so often hear about people skipping this meal. Some of you I see mid afternoon and they have yet to eat anything yet. Read below to get some pointers and input from Julie about this important meal. 

                                                            BREAKFAST. EAT IT….please.

I don’t have too many rules for my nutrition clients; but eating breakfast is one of them. What you eat in the first 1/3 of your day has a profound effect on your diet, food choices, and mental and physical energy through the remainder of the day. I know that sounds so “nutritionist” of me- but hey, I am a nutritionist. Being a nutritionist for several years, I have heard a lot of excuses as to why people don’t eat breakfast. I will take some time now to respond to the most common ones:

“I don’t have time”.

Yes you do. It takes an average of 2 minutes to make breakfast, and 5 minutes to eat it. We all have seven minutes- its just about making it a priority.  Anything that we aren’t used to doing feels like it takes a lot longer then it takes. It is the build-up and the anxiety of adding something new. Thankfully, we are complex creatures with the ability to adjust our behavior- set your alarm 10 minutes earlier, plan what you are going to eat the day before, and do it.

“I’m not that hungry when I first get up”.

When I say that you need to eat breakfast, it doesn’t have to be when you first wake up. Think of breakfast as your first eating episode of the day- happening between the time you wake up and 10:30. Ideally you want to eat within the first hour you wake up so your blood sugar doesn’t continue to drop and that you receive the benefits from the breakfast meal- like nutrients and calories to function. The other response I have to this excuse is that we are so easily trainable when it comes to our food routine.  If you make yourself eat breakfast at 7:30am for a week, by the following week you will most likely want to eat at that time.

“I’d rather save my calories”.

This actually brings me to my second rule, which is to never skip a meal. Don’t play games with hunger- it always wins, and it wins double-time. When people let themselves get too hungry, they often opt for higher sugar and fatty foods when they do allow themselves to eat. The other reason to not skip breakfast or any meal for that matter is that we need several eating episodes during the day in order to get the nourishment and nutrients we need.

“I can’t figure out what to eat”.

Truthfully, in my sessions, this excuse usually comes out as “I don’t like eggs” or “I don’t like oatmeal.” The things that people think you can eat for a healthy breakfast is often very limited and boring. There are so many fabulous foods you can eat, be creative- the simple guidelines to a your breakfast is that it should consist of a lean protein, some fruit or veggies, and a carbohydrate- oh, and a little fat. Protein keeps you full for longer and regulates blood sugar, as does fiber, which you can get from your fruit, veggies, or whole grains.

“I workout in the morning”.

This is a more complicated answer, but I’ll keep it short. The type of exercise definitely effects what you need to eat prior, in addition to the time of the morning as compared to when you wake up. If you don’t want to exercise on a full stomach, then split your breakfast up into two. Eat something 20-30 minutes prior, and then the rest of the meal afterwards. Make sure to drink water too.

Eat breakfast because you deserve to.  We all work long hours and have busy lives. We need food for fuel and nutrients; we need it to think, to smile, and to enjoy our days. Take a few minutes out of your morning routine to nourish yourself- it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, nor does it have to be a typical “breakfast”- leftovers actually make great breakfasts. Here are some of my favorite breakfast meals.

Two eggs, ¼ avocado, salsa, and whole-wheat wrap.

Simple Smoothie of ½ banana, ½ packet of instant oatmeal, blackberries, and spinach.

Hard-boiled egg, roasted tomatoes, hummus

Oatmeal with scoop of canned pumpkin, cinnamon, and drizzle of agave

Leftover veggie and chickpea stir fry, brown rice.

Yogurt with walnuts, ½ banana, drizzle of honey

Be creative! Think outside of the box. Don’t be rigid- the more realistic you are the better. There are plenty of choices out there if you don’t want to eat your breakfast at home- grab an egg white wrap or oatmeal at a café or coffee shop.  Lastly, there will be times where the choices aren’t the best, don’t skip the meal, opt for the better choice.

Eat. Live. Enjoy

If you would like to speak to Julie and get your you know what together before the New Year, you can contact her through her website:  http://www.jswnutrition.com/

Protein packed salad!

Kale & Sweet Potato Salad

A few years ago while living in San Diego where there were endless choices for healthy food eateries I came across this "salad." I'm a sucker for warm foods especially when it starts getting cooler out. I am also a sucker for something I can make once and have the rest of the week since I am always on the go. This salad is also delicious when served cold.

Ingredients:
Kale- put in pan with water and a little vinegar and cook til bright green(this batch got a little neglected)
Sweet potatoes- I use two, just cut into little pieces and roast (I also added parsnips this time which are a great addition)
Scallions- 3 scallions chopped
pine nuts- roast them first in a pan (any nut will do, i have used almonds or cashews whatever is on hand)
QUINOA- this is my FAVORITE. a great carb alternative, PACKED with protein. I bought the regular white and the red kind from whole foods. soak and then just boil until they look like little snails.

Combine all those ingredients and ENJOY! I do sometimes make something to "dress" it with, but it is yummy and sweet without any dressing at all. Enjoy!

Testimonial from our Body Challenge Winner!

Our winner of the summer's body challenge had this to say after her 3 month 3x/week experience:

"Taking my first class at Boston Pilates Plus was an immediate attraction/addiction. I have never done a workout in 45 minutes that immediately left me feeling muscles I was not sure existed and had me feeling those muscles days later.  After my first class I went home logged on and immediately bought package deals and started hitting BPP a couple times a week.

 I love that each teacher brings a unique (and slightly painful) twist to their classes and that despite the fact you always use the same machine each workout is very different. (Ironically as I write this my glutes are KILLING me from class.)When Jody offered the summer challenge I decided to take her up on the offer….three times a week for three months, couldn’t be that bad right? And eventually my hope was it would get easier. After many months at BPP one thing is for sure, it is still not easy and I still feel the burn!! (and coincidentally hear Jody’s voice taunting... pulse, pulse, pulse)

Since I started BPP in February I am down fifteen pounds and many inches, my clothes fit better and I feel more energetic and stronger. SPX has been my greatest addiction yet!! I highly recommend anyone to try it and would be shocked if people do not feel the burn and love it!"

We see you getting stronger and more confident every day in class, but is always great to hear how it really makes you feel. Keep up the good work everyone! I think we may have to think about a Winter challenge.....

lets ROCKOUT together

One thing is for sure, alot of you are ready for a bit more of a challenge. While our regular 45 minute classes are already butt kickers, many of you have been wanting something just a bit more challenging. We have just the thing for you! Starting this Sunday we will have an advanced level 60 minute ROCKOUT class.

What does this mean? Well with 15 extra minutes that gives us alot more time to really get into those muscles and get that burn ALL OVER. You may see some cardio moves mixed in, maybe some longer moves, or maybe just a WHOLE bunch more moves. Whenever people ask about how to make things harder, the easiest way to do that is to do it slower, or do it longer or BOTH!!!

We know you will love this addition and so will your bodies! Since the class is longer you will need to purchase these classes separate from your already scheduled classes. You can try it out for $18 a class and after that you can buy a 5 or 10 pack of classes.

As soon as popularity and demand grows we will add more of these classes so that more people can access these elongated classes. This class is NOT for beginners. There will be little explanations of set up so that we can move quickly and get the most out of our time together. You should have around 3 months experience and be ready to work it!!

If you have any questions feel free to ask!
bostonpilatesplus@gmail.com

WHY CAN'T I LOSE WEIGHT? Metabolism Boosters

I have been hearing so many people, mainly women, complaining that once they hit 40 their bodies just do not work like they used to. This almost always means that they are not able to lose weight as easily as they did in their 30s. There are so many reasons for this. After 40 your metabolism slows down about 10% every 10 years. Dr. Oz had some tips on his show today on how to combat this problem.

Loss of muscle mass is mainly due to crash diets because it blows through your muscles. You have to USE your muscles so you don't LOSE your muscles. Muscles burn 3 times more calories than fat cells.
People lose muscle mass most where you have alot of surface area in places like your core! Hmmn lucky for you those are our targeted areas at BPP. Our ENTIRE focus is to gain muscle and burn fat. When you want to stop in class and take a break think again! It is past that burn that you will get even more benefit from SPX. Often when people complain that they "HATE" a particular exercise my response is "you hate the ones you need the most." Those exercises that may be more difficult do not mean you should give up on them you should work harder at them because that is likely hard because it is a problem area. Start in a modification and then work your strength up to the variation of that pose. When you push yourself past your comfort zone you will gain confidence and the strength to get to that intensity everytime. That intensity will give you RESULTS.

We all need a balance of diet and exercise but diet does not and SHOULD not equate to eliminating important foods from your daily intake.

Here are some cheap metabolism boosters:

• oolong tea helps fight off fat builders. It is low in caffeine so you can drink alot of it too! 

• black pepper- spicy foods help you lose weight, goes really well with tomato juice which is also super healthy for you! (bloody mary's anyone? virgin of course...) Replace your salt with pepper for flavor in your foods.

• beans- have a lot of soluble fiber which help lower insulin levels which helps prevent fat from growing. They help you feel full so you don't get full on wasted calories. (just don't eat them and then come to class ;-) )

• ice water- in order to digest it you have to warm it up which consumes calories (thats about 70 calories a day if you drink 8 glasses of ice water per day.)

Even if that weight does not seem to come off, know that someone who exercises regularly is a whole lot healthier than a skinny person who does not.

Be Well!

Testimonial

I just received this AMAZING testimonial from one of our clients at BPP.

"Growing up I was constantly involved in competitive team sports, mainly involving running and sprinting.  I continued on throughout college and thought in order to get a solid workout, I had to spend hours sweating away on a treadmill, doing cardio classes, or following a specific lifting routine that I would eventually tire of in just a month.  Like so many, I wanted to see the results, as well as enjoy the precious free time I had while working out.  I had tried pilates DVDs as well as mat pilates at my gym, and though I noticed a difference initially, my body soon became accustomed to the workouts as they became easier.  I decided to try Boston Pilates Plus after reading about the machines and the results they promised.  The first class was difficult and though I was sore the next day, I had never experienced such a full-body workout, let alone in just 40 minutes!  After taking just 3 classes my boyfriend had already noticed the difference and I could feel myself becoming stronger throughout my body.  Though I was used to keeping up with others during classes or competing in a sport, this was the first class that truly taught me how to compete with and challenge myself to work harder every class.  After a month I had dropped 1 size and just 3 months later I am down almost 3 sizes and far more toned at 33 than I have ever been at a younger age.  In addition to molding my body into a leaner and stronger form, some of the best parts of these classes are the women I’ve gotten to know over the past few months (all loyal attendees) and the amazing instructors who support, encourage, and motivate us all through our sweat sessions.  The movements are intense but short, and the results are amazing!  I have been more than pleased with these classes and have finally found a workout that is changing my body in ways I have always wanted.  I encourage anyone and everyone to simply check it out.  You will not only notice a difference in your body, but you will walk away feeling stronger and happier about your body.  Too many people complain that they can’t change something, but with this class, you can change your entire shape.  I am absolutely addicted, so I hope to see you there!" KS


You can imagine how happy I was reading this, and I hear it all the time but when someone takes the time to put into words what SPX means to them it makes me remember why I moved back to the east coast to share this workout that I knew people would love. 


Keep up the good work and please share your experience with us!



Peace, Love and Bungee kicks a plenty!