Are you looking to strengthen your core while trying to get the six pack abs you’ve always wanted? On this segment of the Today Show along with Colleen Oddegard and Paul Schadt, I will show you a few exercises that you can do at home or while on the road to help you keep in a good routine!
You have to see where you want your life to go if you ever expect to get there.
Success is in the eye of the beholder, you must determine what you consider to be your success.
Then create a plan of action, steps that can get you to your goal.
Stop, breathe, focus, see yourself accomplishing the task at hand.
Visualize your success. Each moment of your life offers the chance to put your plan to action.
Take advantage of every chance you’re given, we never know how many chances we’ll have.
Own The Moment.
– Know The Goal
Learn how to make time in your busy schedule for fitness to ensure you’re living your healthiest life possible!
One of the best ways for us to get the nutrients and protein we need is with great Protein Smoothies.
Here are 10 of my favorite recipes. Some are made with caffeine drinks like coffee and green tea, but all of these can be substituted with any liquid you like, almond milk, coconut milk, water and will be just as tasty! 
This is also a great way to get the kiddos to get there greens if they’re not particularly big fans. Spinach has no real over powering taste when in your smoothie which is why I’ve included it in most of our recipes!
Enjoy!
Coffee Blueberry Blast
4 oz Almond Unsweetened Almond Milk or Water
6 oz of Black Coffee
1 Serving Vanilla Protein
½ Cup Organic Blueberries
1 Cup of Spinach
5 Ice Cubes
Chocolate Raspberry Rush
4 oz Almond Unsweetened Almond Milk or Water
6 oz Black Coffee
1 Serving Chocolate Protein
½ Cup Organic Raspberries
1 Cup of Spinach
5 Ice Cubes
Apple Peach Wake Up
4 oz Unsweetened Almond Milk or Water
6 oz Organic Green Tea
1 Serving Vanilla Protein
½ Peach
½ Apple
1 Packet Organic Stevia
Cherry Kale Crisp
4 oz of Unsweetened Almond Milk or Water
6 oz Green Tea
1 Serving Vanilla or Strawberry Protein
1 Cup of Organic Kale
½ Cup Organic Cherries
5 Ice Cubes
Coconut Almond Butter Banana
8 oz Unsweetened Coconut Milk or Water
1 TBS Organic Almond Butter
1 Serving Chocolate or Vanilla Protein
1 Banana
1 Cup Spinach
5 Ice Cubes
Tropical Fruit Freeze
8 oz Unsweetened Coconut Milk or Water
½ Cup of Pineapple Chunks
½ Cup of Organic Strawberries
1 Serving Vanilla Protein
1 Cup of Spinach
5 Ice Cubes
Orange Ice Crush
12 oz of Unsweetened Almond Milk or Water
1 Whole Frozen Orange
1 Cup of Kale
1 Serving Vanilla Protein
5 Ice Cubes
Chocolate Peppermint
12 oz Unsweetened Almond Milk or Water
2 drop peppermint extract
1 Cup of Spinach
1 Serving Chocolate Protein
The warm weather rolls in and we slowly start to come out of the winter hibernation rut that has kept us away from our passion to run! As the flowers and trees bloom new life and the energy of the sun hits us we become energized and look to be active outdoors! My favorite time of year!
As your trainer I have to remind you to not jump right into your old running routine without taking care of the few essentials to be sure it is a safe and healthy running season for you! Running can be hard on the body if not done correctly so here are my top 3 ways to get yourself started! Whether you’re new to running or have been running for years, these 3 to-do’s are key to making this your best running year yet!
1. Start Smart: What are you wearing on your feet? This is the most common question I’m asked by readers, “how often do I change shoes?” and while the answers can differ from person to person, anywhere from 3 months to 5 months if you’re using them often is a safe bet. Don’t skimp on the sneakers, if your soles lack support, it can lead to lower back pain, knee pain and other injuries. The support of your sneaker is very important and I always recommend seeing your local running specialist store so that they can check your gait, record your stride on video and let you know what your foot is doing (pronate – supinate) so that your shoe insures your safety. If you’ve been following me, and live in Charlotte NC, definitely go see the guys at Charlotte Running Company you can click that link to see their locations, but they’ll do this foot, stride, shoe analysis free of charge and you’re guaranteed to learn a lot! They have a huge selection of my favorite brand running sneakers Brooks and a lot of different styles and colors like the ones shown in the picture which are my running shoe of choice the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 15.
2. Where and When: If you have not been running for a while, it’s not a great idea to jump back into your 6 mile or more jaunt. Lets see how the body is feeling, start of with 1 or 2 miles on your first day, just to get your feet back under you as the saying goes. Give your shins a chance to feel the impact of the ground, so that they can heel up, be stronger and get you ready for the season. A great idea is to write out a schedule of runs to help you stay focused. Maybe start with 2 miles, wait a day and increase gradually. Figure out your long run goal of the year, and work up toward it, so that when that day comes you are strong and you’re ready! Choose a good place to run, not a busy road with no side walks. If you can find a dirt running track, go with that, if you’re in the Charlotte NC ara there are some great runs, the Ballantyne Greenway, and McAlpine Park are two of my favorite places! Finally pick a good time. The hours of 11 to 4 may be more challenging come summer time. It will hot and humid. If you can go early, or even as the sun starts to set, you’ll be in great conditions.
3. Why? Have you thought about training for a specific race? This is a great way to stay focused and to work toward a goal. The race does not have to be competitive, in fact I highly recommend getting some friends together to all run a race for charity. They are always such a great time, 100’s sometimes 1000’s of people getting together for a cause, I get goose bumps just typing about it because they can be so rewarding. Stay tuned for some upcoming posts on races that I’ll be attending to run for a cause, and if I can meet you there, I’d love for you to say hi!
There you go, three easy ways to find your stride as you begin your running journey! Running is a life long journey, a true marathon of a sport, no matter if you run 1 mile or 90 miles, take in the moment, enjoy the challenge, enjoy the scenery, and most important, make it fun!
‘Know The Goal’
As we start to look at the changes we want in our life it’s important that we realize one thing…
Change only happens if… WE MAKE IT HAPPEN
We meaning I in my case and we meaning YOU in your case.
I recently wrote about the 2 year anniversary of my 90 Day Health Transformation and the response I got from so many 
people was truly touching. There were a lot of “congratulations I’m inspired” to “how in the world did you last 90 days”.
It was not easy, but it was not impossible. Here’s an example of how changing perspective of WHY we are doing something can make change less difficult.
I had a conversation with a friend just the other day and she mentioned her “love” for frappuccino and how it’s a part of her daily routine which helps with the sanity aspect of life, but is also the biggest thing that may keep her from her health goal. I get it, we all have them, and when it’s a part of your routine, it can be tough to even think about letting go of.
My response was this, as she was holding her baby tight to her chest.
If I told you giving up Frappuccino for 90 days would ensure that your baby would remain healthy would you do it?
No hesitation at all… YES!
Of course you would, because you gave yourself a WHY. So many times we are willing to go to great lengths for others, but not for ourselves. When I did my 90 days, during month 2 friends would tell me, “Chris you can have a vodka soda, it’s low calorie, it won’t affect your body as much”.
Sure they were right, buuuuuuuuut they were wrong.
I wrote down a goal, a plan, and I signed the paper committing to finish the full 90 days.
So maybe if the paper I signed said I could have vodka soda in month two I may have hit my goal, but it didn’t and the reason we stay committed to anything is to show ourselves that if we want something bad enough, all we have to do is follow the plan.
WITH DISCIPLINE EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
Here’s how we start. We write down on a piece of paper four things.
What we want to change: For me it was to get under 10% body fat and be in my best health for my B-Day!
For you it may be eat healthier, to build muscle, to lose body body fat, or to just be happier with yourself!
Why we want to change: For me it was to prove to clients that when you put your mind to something and commit to a goal you truly can achieve anything you want in life.
For you it may be because Heart Disease runs in the family, or to avoid Diabetes, or maybe for your children to have a great role model who can exercise with them!
When we want to change: For me it was 90 days, not an entire lifetime and it was worth it because I wanted it.
For you it may be a life long change, maybe there’s not a specific time you want to do, but either way set small goals with a timeline so you can measure your success
How we will make change happen: For me this was the plan, the single things I was going to commit to in order to work toward that goal, and I said all along, even if I didn’t hit the goal, so what, I was going to stay committed to my plan to prove that I do have some control over my life in a world where we do not control much.
For you, this is the same, the same for all of us. We must break down our large goal into smaller actions that can get us there. That’s all this is. Small Actions that lead to a greater result!
So that’s how you can do it. Start to think about it today. We have our 6 week program starting April 12th, make your when the 6 weeks, commit to the things you know will help you get to your goal. Give this some good thought, and make no mistake about it, six weeks of commitment looks a lot easier on paper than it is to do in real life.
Think hard, write it down, sign your name on the commitment line, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!
The 6 Week Summer Shape Up is the perfect time to do it!
‘Know The Goal’
CB
If you’re not familiar with CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) I’m excited to share why it can help support body fat loss.
However before we do, let me, as I always do, preface this with “There Is No Magic Fat Loss Supplement”
The only way to truly lose body fat in a healthy sustainable way is with proper diet and exercise. Why we would add 
supplements to our nutrition plan is to simply add more of the good stuff we can get from food while not having to over eat.
CLA is a perfect example of that because it is a good healthy fat that can be found in meats and dairy products, but in very low doses. These same meats and dairy products contain high levels of bad fats as well, so we couldn’t get a sufficient amount of CLA just from food in a healthy way. If you’re looking to understand fats more, after reading this article be sure to read my article “Good Fat Bad Fat”
According to clinical studies, in order to aid in fat loss we need around 3 grams per day, which is why this naturally occurring fatty acid is a great choice for a supplementation. These studies showed that over a 12 week period subjects that took CLA saw an increase in lean mass and a decrease of 3.8% in body fat versus the subjects who did not take CLA.
So while I will always lean toward the healthy diet and exercise program to lose body fat and get into our best health there are times when adding a supplement, especially a natural supplement such as this can help us to achieve our goals.
When purchasing your CLA you always want to try the best product you can find so be sure it contains Tonalin, ask for your CLA with Tonalin by name. The brand I personally use is called Lipocor advanced CLA formula which I purchase at my local NUTRISHOP. If you’re in South Charlotte, Ballantyne or Gastonia area definitely go check them out. Scott and his team are very knowledgeable about all the products so if you have questions, I recommend stopping in and saying hi!
If you’re looking for ways to help your fat burning progress, give CLA a try and see if it can work for you!
“Know The Goal”
When days are busy and you want to ensure a healthy nutritious dinner using a slow cooker is a GREAT way to do it.
See how to make my Slow Cooker Lime Chicken!
To get this recipe and for more great recipes DOWNLOAD MY FREE E-BOOK
In The Kitchen
I give you my favorite slow cooker recipes!
Enjoy!
Great momentum can sometimes be slowed up by unforeseen circumstances.
Maybe you get sick, or someone in your family gets sick.
Maybe you have an injury that keeps you from the physical activity that you want to do so bad.
When these things happen its important that we adjust our perception away from the “why me”.
Sometimes a forced rest period is the best thing for us, a time to reset and refocus so we have clear sight to finishing the goal.
Bend, Don’t Break
You may have to waiver from the original plan, but that does not change the end goal. The only thing that changes is the immediate action we have to take to get there. During these times it’s easy to lose our focus, to throw our hands up in frustration and think we’ve lost our momentum, or ruined our progress.
Its ok to waiver from the original plan, as long as you stay in tune with the end result you were striving for. When faced with obstacles it’s ok to not be perfect, adjust to the moment, regain composure, Bend Dont Break!
Photo by@ Wanda Koch Photography
Know The Goal
Can consuming fat actually be good for you?
Not only can consuming fat be good for you, it is 100% necessary to include in your diet to promote good heart health, good emotional well being and also to help promote the loss of body fat!
Yes, to burn more body fat you need to consume fat. Now comes the part you need to know; there are good fats and bad fats!
As a trainer I am always preaching a balanced diet, made up of good protein, carbohydrates and yes fat. In fact, when creating your meal plan you want to have 20% of your caloric intake per day come from fat. A useful number to remember is the number 9. Every gram of fat is equal to 9 calories. For example, if you are on a 1200 calorie diet per day, 20% of your calories would be 240 calories from fat, which would equal 26.6 grams of fat.
Now before you jump up and down excited about having a scoop of ice cream to make up this 20% we must discuss the difference between good fats and bad fats. For years we’ve been told that a lowfat diet is the best way to lose weight, and when we walk through the grocery store it seems as though there are more and more ‘low fat’ products to choose from. If they’re so low in fat and supposed to help keep us from getting fat, why are 2 out of every 3 people in this country overweight?
When reading the back of labels you’ll sometimes notice four different types of fats broken down under the fat category. They’re Saturated Fat, Trans Fat, MonoUnsaturated Fat and Poly Unsaturated Fat.
Let’s start with bad fats, they’re Trans Fats and Saturated Fats. Both of these fats lead to elevated levels of bad cholesterol and will increase your risk of heart disease. Some saturated fat in our diet is necessary to have for proper body function and you will find it in some of our foods, such as red meat, or coconut. Trans fats are by far the worst fat there is, and unfortunately can be found in many of our commercially processed and prepared foods. Here’s a quick list of products that are high in BAD fat, both Saturated and Trans Fats.
Saturated Fat
– Ice Cream
– Butter
– Cheese
– Whole Milk
– High Fat cuts of Beef, Pork
– Chicken with the skin
Trans Fat
– Fried Foods (Fried Chicken – French Fries – Breaded Fish )
– Commercially Baked Goods (Cookies – Cakes – Donuts )
– Packaged Snack Foods (Crackers – Chips)
– Candy of any type in a wrapper
– Stick Margarine
The most important thing you can do is start reading the labels and stay away from saturated and trans fats, the less you put in your diet the better your chances of slimming down and getting healthy.
So with that being said, let’s talk about good fats, and those are the Polyunsaturated Fats and Monounsaturated Fats. Both of these are excellent for the body, they promote a healthy heart, they promote healthy emotional well-being and best of all they will actually help you burn more body fat! Here’s a quick list of sources of both Poly and Mono Fats, Good Fats!;
Polyunsaturated Fats
– Walnuts
– Fatty Fish (Salmon – Tuna – Trout – Sardines)
– Seeds (Sunflower – Pumpkin – Flax – Sesame)
– Tofu
Monounsaturated Fats
– Olive Oil
– Sunflower Oil
– Avocados
– Nuts (Almonds – Pecans – Macadamia Nuts – Cashews)
These are great sources of GOOD fats and should be incorporated into your daily meal plan. Some good ways to get them into your diet could be:
– Add a handful of nuts to your diet as a snack
– Add avocados to your diet
– Snack on fresh olives or make a tapenade dip
– Create your own salad dressing using olive oil, sunflower oil or sesame oil
Another component to look for when choosing GOOD healthy fats is to look for Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Found in many types of fish, Omega 3’s are found in Polyunsaturated fats and have shown in clinical studies to:
– Reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke
– Reduce inflammation, and the pain of arthritis
– Protect against memory loss and dementia as we age
– Reduced the symptoms of depression again leading to healthy emotional well being
In summary it is important to know you absolutely want to incorporate GOOD fats both Poly, Mono and some saturated in to your diet, and anywhere from 20% to 30% of your daily caloric intake should be made up of GOOD fats. Try not to rely on Fat Free foods as they are processed and usually high in sugar and carbohydrate content. A healthy diet is a diet with balanced nutrition, and this is what will lead you to great long term health.
Staying away from BAD fats is easier then you may think, don’t go after fast food, as there are no nutrition facts given, stay away from foods that are high in sugar such as candies and ice cream.
Start to add a couple of GOOD fats per day, maybe adding olive oil to your salad, or grabbing a handful of almonds as a snack!
Taking a little step each day toward a healthier lifestyle will take us a long way for many years to come!
Know The Goal