The last two weeks I’ve been talking to you about avoiding the end of the year weight gain but let’s get serious for a moment. You’re going to eat a LOT of food this Thursday. You know it. I know it. And that’s ok. I’m sure you’ve been working out just a little bit harder to prepare for it, right? And I know you’re going to get a good workout in on Thursday before you chow down, right?

Now, besides that, I also want to remind you one thing you do NOT want to do on Thursday is

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We’re getting to that busy time of year where a lot of will be grabbing meals on the go.

As my bootcamp ladies know, I encourage you to keep a cooler with you at all times packed with the healthy foods you need to keep you on track toward your fitness goals.

However, there may be times when this is not possible ( I think these times are actually a lot less than most people fool themselves in to believing).

When you must eat out follow this simple tip:

Avoid these 3 food categories:

Deep fried foods -try grilled and broiled meats and vegetables

Refined starchy food -French fries, rice, pasta

Any sodas, juices, or other sugary foods -Drink water

This eliminates the major food sources that do the most damage to you fat loss and fitness efforts.

Sure the people you are eating with may give you a hard time for not “enjoying” yourself. But misery loves company.

You know these are the steps you need to take to reach your goals.

Stay focused!

Sarai D. Jones

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Let’s be honest for a moment. You’ve seen the advertisements for weight loss pills-you know the ones with those amazing before and after pictures-and you’ve wondered to yourself…do they work?

Diet pills are everywhere, most of the “fitness” magazines you buy are nothing more than a few articles mixed in with the supplement ads.

You probably know someone who is dabbling with diet pills or maybe you’ve tried them yourself. Have you ever wondered how they work?

Weight loss pills can be broken down into 3 basic categories:

1. Appetite Suppressants: These work just like it sounds. The appetite-regulating region of your brain (the hypothalamus) is tricked by blockage of the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result you feel like you’ve just eaten a big meal, so you’re less likely to overeat.
2. Stimulants: These types of weight loss pills used to contain a combination of ephedra and caffeine to raise energy expenditure (thermogenesis) while also reducing appetite. You’re probably aware that these pills were proven in some cases to be deadly, so ephedra was taken off the market. Stimulant pills now contain other ephedra-like substances, vitamins and caffeine. The idea is to increase energy and boost metabolism.
3. Fat Blockers: These pills inhibit the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat during the digestion process. The goal is to prevent a percentage of the fat you’ve eaten from being absorbed into your system.

So we return to our burning question. Do the pills work? Here’s what the diet pill companies say:

• “You’ll lose 30lbs in 30 days”
• “Achieve rapid weight loss results”
• “Burn calories and fat 24 hours a day”
• “Fights fat and delivers rapid weight loss”

Those claims are amazing…too bad they are just that-claims. It’s so tempting to imagine that those benefits could be gained just by swallowing a pill. Tempting enough to make diet pills a multibillion dollar a year industry. Hmmm, makes you wonder that if that many diet pills have been taken then why don’t we all look like swim suit models yet?

While diet pills showcase a few star subjects, none of whom live on your block, the world is full of real people who have lost weight and improved their lives with exercise and healthy eating. Check out these proven benefits of exercise:

A pill may slightly increase your metabolic rate for a time or may suppress your appetite, and you may lose a few pounds. However, a pill alone cannot produce serious or permanent weight loss. A pill cannot deliver the same results as healthy nutrition and regular exercise.

And weight loss pills have been known to give the following side effects:

• Raised blood pressure
• Increased risk of heart attack
• Cramping, gas and diarrhea
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Dry Mouth
• Insomnia

The bottom line is that true weight loss can’t be achieved by a pill.

If you really want to lose weight, if you’re looking for long term health benefits then look no farther than your sneakers. That’s right, lace them up and go for a jog. Then schedule a time to meet with me.

Together we will turn you into a walking talking billboard for the benefits of exercise.

I’m here for you

Sarai D. Jones

Get Fit With Sarai

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If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that I offer fat loss and exercise tips to help you look and feel your best.

But you know, I never want you to forget that this is about more than just getting a awesome booty.

If you are carrying around excess fat, you could be putting your health and life at risk. Especially if a lot of that excess fat is around your waistline.

Medical professional now tell us that the size of your waist is a very valid predictor of your risk of heart disease.

I have a quick test I want you to do to see if you need to be putting a little more into your fat loss efforts.

Take your height in inches -example a 5′ 4″ lady is 64″

Measure your waist around your belly button (not the smallest part), with a tape measure.

If your waist size is more than half of your height, then you may be at risk for heart disease.

So for example, our 64″ lady should have a waist circumference of no more than 32″.

Anything higher and she could be at a higher risk of heart disease.

Now you take a moment and do this on yourself…….

What do you come up with?

If your results are a little scary for you it’s time to take action. If you came out ok, try to keep it that way.

Either way you’ll need to take action.

I have a few suggestions for you.

Let me know how I can help you.

Sarai D. Jones

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How many of you own 4 or more weight loss or exercise books?

Who has 5, 6 or more?

Why do you have so many?

Are you looking for the one ultimate nutrition strategy or exercise program that is going to really help you do it this time?

So here’s the part where you probably expect me to tell you that I’ve got it. That my Booty Bootcamp program is the magic bullet you’ve been looking for.

I’m not going to do that today.

Sure, I do think my workout and nutrition system is one of the best out there, but do you want to know the real reason most people fail at their weight loss attempts?

The list could actually take up a months worth of blog post but let me tell you just a couple:

1. They are looking for a short-term quick-fix solution - They go into it thinking about losing 10lbs asap so they can go to their class reunion looking better. They are not focused on making PERMANENT changes to their lifestyle that will not only help them reach their goal now, but will keep the unwanted fat from returning.

2. (And I think this is the biggest culprit) Lack of consistency – Here is the complete honest truth, almost any weight loss and exercise program will give you some measure of results. Yes the better the program, the better and quicker the results. But for all intents and purposes if you pick a plan and then stick to it day in and day out. Giving it 100% effort, you will get some results.

The problem most women have however is that they will do good for a few days, even a few weeks and then life happens and they allow themselves to become distracted from their weight loss goals.

One of the most compelling reasons I can give you to seek the help of a fitness professional is the accountability a good fitness professional will hold you to.

The ladies in my Booty bootcamp program know that when they don’t show up I call, text or email them to check on them and give them that little tap on the conscious that they may need to stay focused. If they start to miss too often, I call them on it and help them re-focus.

Sure maybe it’s cheaper to get a book, read a magazine or check a website out for weight loss tips, but is it really cheaper if you don’t actually use it?

If you are in the Sacramento or Livermore Ca areas and you’d like some help with that, get in touch with me.

I’m always here to help

Sarai D. Jones

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As women we tend to spend so much time worrying about getting the number on the scale to drop that it’s easy to get discouraged when your weight loss slows for a time.

Many times we get down on ourselves simply because something as trivial as a number tells us we’re out of shape. Some women look and feel fantastic in every respect, but if the number on the scale doesn’t match expectations, they’re miserable and may even give up on their program.

That doesn’t make sense.

While the scale can be good for giving you a general idea of your health, the numbers on the scale can be the most discouraging and frustrating part of a fat loss program.

Your weight fluctuates constantly every day and you may not even know or understand why. Some of the most common are:

• Time of day
• temperature
• the day’s activities
• water level

all can skew the numbers one way or the other. In reality, you could be getting discouraged over something that’s not really accurate

Also remember when you workout hard and eat right your body gains muscle while losing fat -this isn’t shown by the number on the scale.

It’s shown by:

• inches lost
• in the way your clothes fit better than ever
• performance -how much more fit you are now than at the start
• in how you look and feel amazing
• all the compliments you receive!

Stay focused on the important things; being healthier and feeling amazing. The rest will fall into place. Promise.

I’m here for you

Sarai Jones

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Are you eating right now?

Do you ever find yourself snacking away without paying attention to how much you’re eating?

Maybe you’re focused on a movie or the ball game or a great super informative blog . This is a
sure-fire way to gain weight.

When your goal is to drop pounds it is important
to practice the art of eating mindfully.

This means that when you eat you should
stay tuned in to your level of satiety so that at the first sign of fullness you
will stop.

It a simple habit to get into, but start paying attention today to how many times you ate without REALLY being aware of the taste, smells and textures of your food.

If you could have 2oz of chocolate that you are truly present for and fully enjoy vs popping piece after piece of chocolate goodies into your mouth just think about how much weight you could lose.

Fitness is a journey of many steps. Make conscious eating your next step.

Being conscious also applies to your workouts. Can you sleep walk through your current routine?

Let me wake you up

Booty Bootcamp

Sarai Jones

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Can you remember a time when you felt completely discouraged with your body?

It’s easy to beat yourself up when the body that you have is miles from the one you want.

When negative emotions flood over you resist the urge to get down on yourself, rather turn the tides in your favor.

You may have heard the expression ‘emotion creates motion’.

This is a very powerful tool. Channel your dissatisfaction with your body into ‘motion’. Take control of your body and put a plan into action.

Need help taking the next step?

email me today!

I’m here to help.

Sarai Jones

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You can never have too many ideas for a healthy meal.

Check this one out.

Enjoy!

Curried Chicken and Veggies

This chicken and veggie dish is light and delicious. Yogurt and curry flavors blend for an enjoyable new chicken experience. Enjoy it as a tasty lunch or a protein packed dinner.
Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…

• 5 oz boneless raw chicken breast, diced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 5 cups raw mushrooms, sliced
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups China peas
• 1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons curry powder

1. Put 2 teaspoons olive oil and the diced chicken in a non-stick pan. Cook chicken until browned, then add chicken broth, yogurt, curry powder and cornstarch, stir constantly. Heat until thick sauce forms, then simmer for 5 minutes.
2. While chicken is cooking put 2 teaspoons olive oil, mushrooms, bell peppers, and china peas in another non-stick pan. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
3. Place an equal amount of vegetable on 2 plates and top with equal amounts of chicken.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 373 calories, 13g fat, 35g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 32g protein.

Check out my website for more great recipes

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How many times have you told yourself that you need to lose weight?

I’m not talking about a couple pounds either – I’m talking about 20 or more pounds of extra fat that you’d like to see disappear.

Maybe you are even considering signing up for personal training in the Livermore or Elk Grove area.

I’ve come to notice a trend. Most people psyche themselves out before they ever start losing the weight. It’s as if the enormity of their goal simply puts them into shut down mode, and they give up on the idea entirely.

Has this ever happened to you? You try out a diet or exercise plan for a week or so, and then you get frustrated when your body looks the same as before. So you give up.

Weight loss isn’t a speedy thing. It takes time to gain weight – many people put on weight for years and then expect to lose it in a few weeks or months. It doesn’t work that way.

So instead of pressuring yourself into losing 50 pounds in two months, how about sticking with a realistic, proven way for long term weight loss: Small changes to your lifestyle over time will make the difference.

In practical terms, make it your goal to drop one pound a week.

Now, this may not seem like that much, but if you did this consistently for one year it would result in 50 lbs lost. All it takes are small changes in your daily lifestyle. Let’s break the process down…

How to shed a pound a week: Burn 3500 extra calories.

It really is that simple. Try the following three steps:

1. Record your normal weekly exercise – look at everything from walking to participating in sports to exercising in the gym. This is your starting point. You need to burn an additional 3500 calories on top of your normal weekly exercise. If you don’t currently exercise, then this step is really easy for you, a simple blank page will do.
2. Record your normal weekly food intake – this may be hard to do honestly, but remember that you are only cheating yourself by not recording everything. Calculate the total number of calories that you eat in an average day. In your quest for dropping inches you shouldn’t exceed your normal daily caloric intake – you should, rather, work at slowly decreasing that number. Remember, we are going for a 3500 calorie deficit each week – this can be done by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) as well as a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).
3. Chart the difference – now that you know your starting point for both calorie exertion and calorie intake it is time to turn the tables in your favor. Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity, and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier selections. Record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it often. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see your progress written down on paper.

Remember, if you burn up 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week.

Here are some practical ways to lose calories:

Weight loss doesn’t have to be allusive. Make small changes each and every day toward a healthier, fitter you. Remember that small changes make a big difference.

I’m always here to help –

Sarai Jones
email me today!

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