Watch Pounds and Inches Melt Away

Congratulations Diane Dubuc!

Diane is the latest My Stronger Self Member of the Month.   Diane took advantage of our free 2 week trial, joined and has been working

Diane - BEFORE

hard ever since. She’s lost over 25 pounds, 24 inches and 6% body fat just by trusting in Lori’s advice, working hard, and staying the course.  You’re going to see Diane not only at her 2 strength classes every week but also several of our cardio classes and boot camp.  If you read her story as well as look back at past stories from some of our successful members there is a consistent theme: hard work, commitment to making their exercise appointments, and positive energy! Diane is a “cut-up” in class but still remains focused on the exercise as well as pushing her classmates to not give up. We’re so proud of you Diane and look forward to watching you continue to melt away those pounds and inches! You absolutely deserve the title of “Member of the Month”!

Read about Diane’s story below.

“Last winter I had surgery on my rotator cuff and spent 6 weeks in physical therapy.  This derailed my independent attempt at working out and losing weight.  However, now, in addition to losing weight, I needed to work on strengthening my shoulder.  I started at My Stronger Self in May 2011 with the free 2 week trial, and I really liked it.  I joined and started by doing strength classes 2 days a week, and I now go 4 times a week plus the free bootcamp every Saturday.  I really enjoy the classes, and the

Diane - AFTER

instructors are always encouraging and push me to my full potential. When I started at My Stronger Self, I had limited mobility in my shoulder, and needed modifications for most exercises.  After less than a year, I can do push-ups, lift weights, and I can fully extend my arm!  Additionally, I have lost 24 inches and at least 30 lbs.  Although I sometimes whine about the workout during class, I am truly committed to being there, and I enjoy every minute of it!”

Thanks for sharing Diane … you look AMAZING!!!

Lori Murphy, Personal Trainer and Fat Loss Expert, takes all your health and fitness related questions every Tuesday. Today, she answers a question from Bob in Hartland about why when he runs on a treadmill 5 days a week for 45 minutes he’s not seeing the same weight loss results. Next, Lori answers a question from Mary in Wixom about whether lifting weights for women will make them large and bulky. Email us your questions to FitForLife@MyStrongerSelf.com or visit our website at www.MyStrongerSelf.com

Getting Rid of Stubborn Belly Fat!

We’re getting a lot of great questions … keep them coming. Michell posted her question about how tough it’s been to lose that belly fat despite 6 days of cardio exercise a week. It’s a trouble spot for a lot of us and I have a few suggestions on how best to shake things up to get the results you’re looking for. Another question came from Amanda and she’s wondering what’s the best workout for a beginner.

If you have a question about health and fitness that you’d like answered leave us a comment here or contact us via email at FitForLife@MyStrongerSelf.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Visit us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/mystrongerselffitness

Why Won’t the Scale Budge?

Join us every Tuesday on the My Stronger Self Fitness Studio Facebook Fan Page for our “Ask the Trainer Tuesdays” segment. Leave us a comment with any health and fitness questions you may have for our Fitness Expert, Lori Murphy.

Today, Lori answers the questions about why strength training is important and the all too familiar question of why it seems that scale won’t budge some weeks!

Leave us your questions and we’ll be sure to get them answered in one of our next segments of “Ask the Trainer Tuesday”.

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyStrongerSelfFitness

Visit our website for more information: https://www.MyStrongerSelf.com

Apple Peanut Butter Granola Rings

Click Here to Download the Recipe in PDF Format

• 1 cup Cinnamon-Pecan Granola (recipe below or use your favorite Granola)
• 1/4 cup natural-style peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 red or green apples, cored and cut into 6 rings
  

  Apple Peanut Butter Granola Rings

Cinnamon-Pecan Granola:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp water
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Cooking spray

To make the granola:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Combine brown sugar and 1 Tbsp water in a medium microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in oil and cinnamon.  Add oats and pecans, stirring until coated.  Spread oat mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes or until browned, stirring twice.  Spread mixture in a single layer on wax paper to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

For apple rings:

Place 1 cup of the granola mixture in a small dish.  Combine peanut butter and honey in a small bowl, stirring until smooth.  Spread mixture evenly on 1 side of each apple slice.  Sprinkle evenly with granola.  Enjoy!

* Please note, while the picture shows apples cut in half, the recipe calls for making 3 rings per apple.

Servings: 6   Serving Size: 2 Rings   Calories: 179   Fat: 10.1g

Carbs: 20.4 g   Fiber: 2.5 g   Protein: 4.3 g

Recipe courtesy of Eat Yourself Skinny

Smart Choices for Real People Recipes

A lot of you, who weren’t able to attend our “Smart Choices for Real People” Cooking Class with Renee Chodkowski, have been asking for copies of the recipes. We’ve included some of the highlights below as well as pictures to tempt your taste buds, but make sure to check out Renee’s website, www.GreatFoodini.com for hundreds of other awesome recipes.

Enjoy the slide show … Click to Download

Gazpacho Dip

8oz Fat Free Cream Cheese         2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Cilantro

1/4 c Fat Free Sour Cream          1/3 c Salsa

1 or 2 Cloves Pressed Garlic          Chopped Cucumber, Tomato & Green Onion for Garnish

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, cilantro and salsa, mix well. Spread onto a serving platter. Top with cucumber, tomato and green onion. Serve with pita chips or your favorite.

Kale Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean and stem kale – any variety. Thoroughly dry kale with paper towel or in salad spinner. Cut bigger kale leaves into smaller pieces – about the size of a playing card. Spread out on baking sheet – drizzle, brush or spray with a little olive oil; sprinkle with sale and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Renee also shared her recipe for Marinated Greek Salad and Michigan Cherry Walnut Cookies (aka Phyto Cookies!)

Visit Renee’s Facebook Page and “like” it as well as her website.

The Great Foodini on 

The Great Foodini Website 

Renee Chodkowski & Lori Murphy

The Importance of Cardio Training

I wanted to talk to you this week about the importance of cardio training. I read an article on About.com by Paige Waehner and I thought I would share it.

I get asked the question many times each week. How much cardio should I be doing? You should be doing it at least 5 days a week. This does not mean you have spend hours everyday doing cardio. If you are doing it at home 20 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio depending on your fitness level. Cardio is not just for weight-loss. It has so many other benefits. You should also cross train. Go to our website and take a look at our current class schedule.

Our Bodies Were Made to Move

People used to have to farm for their food. Hunt for their food. Cook their food all day. So they were getting a workout constantly. Preparing every meal was hard work. Not anymore! Now we drive in the car, go to a restaurant, buy food at the grocery store, and the worst … sit at a desk all day.

If you have one of those sedentary jobs (sit at a desk all day) think about how your body feels at the end of the day. Do you have tight muscles, and aching back, feel exhausted even though you have not done anything physical? Maybe your shoulders burn from tension and your head hurts from staring at a computer screen for too long. Now think about how your body feels after a workout. Your muscles are warm and flexible, the blood is pumping through your body and providing oxygen and energy. You feel energized, confident, and proud of yourself and  ready to take on the world. It’s much different, isn’t it? Our bodies are made to move – not sit around all day and yet, that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Next, take a moment to remember all the benefits of cardio exercise:

• Weight loss
• Stronger heart and lungs
• Increased bone density
• Reduced stress
• Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer
• Temporary relief from depression and anxiety
• More confidence about how you feel and look
• Better sleep
• More energy
• Setting a good example for your kids to stay active as they get older

Notice that weight loss, while a big focus for many people, is only one benefit of cardio. Despite that, weight loss is often our only goal and not just for health, but to look good. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good, having that as our only goal can make exercise harder. Why? Because losing weight takes time … what happens if you don’t see results on your timetable? Where will your motivation go if the scale doesn’t cooperate? Open your mind to other reasons to exercise … you might just find new ways to make exercising easier.

Cardio for Better Quality of Life

Appearance is important. That’s why I take a shower every day,

ZUMBA

make sure my clothes match and check that I don’t have anything green stuck in my teeth. But I worry that we’ve gotten so obsessed with how we looked that we no longer care about how we feel. If you look at the benefits listed above, all of them translate into feeling good now and in the future. Despite that, we still seem more entranced with getting six-pack abs than feeling good, both physically and mentally.

Have we forgotten that being active can make our lives better? Moving around increases blood flow to our muscles, strengthens the heart and lungs and teaches the heart to work more efficiently. Not only that, when you exercise you set a good example for your kids to do the same which could mean a better future for them.

If all this is true, why isn’t that enough to get moving? Why do so many of us struggle with being active? Part of it might be how we think about ourselves, our bodies and exercise.

Congratulations Bobbie Whitton!

Bobbie is the latest My Stronger Self Member of the Month.  For those of you that don’t know Bobbie, she is a Mom of two handsome boys that like most parents keep her very busy. Both of her kids play travel hockey and as many of you know, that requires a lot of time plus she attends school and works.  But Bobbie is a die-hard when it comes to making her 2 strength classes a week. She does whatever it takes including hitting the 6am class!  Weight loss is not always the reason people walk through our doors. As you read Bobbie’s story, you’ll see why it’s important to stay active even if you don’t need to lose weight.  We love having you here Bobbie… you’re focused and fun to workout with. Thanks for showing us how to “get it done” every week and for being such a positive influence on each and every one us! You’ve worked hard and absolutely deserve title of “Member of the Month”!

Read about Bobbie’s experience at My Stronger Self

Bobbie Whitton

“Almost two years ago I started with Lori at My Stronger Self, and it’s been the best fitness experience! Two years ago I was starting to notice a loss in muscle tone and feeling fatigue. I have always tried to exercise on my own, but realize that it’s not the same as having someone push you to do more. I love the strength and confidence that I’ve gained as a result of working with My Stronger Self. I am committed to getting to my classes each week; and therefore I’m extremely satisfied with my progress and results. Life will forever throw curve balls into your schedule, but thankfully Lori offers many class times so that your health and fitness don’t have to take a back seat. I want to be healthy for a long time; and I’m certain I’ve found the way to do it! Don’t ever give up on yourself… you’re worth it!”

Bobbie Whitton

Howell, MI

Smart Choices for Real People Cooking Class

January 19th at 630pm

Eat more good foods, eat fewer bad foods, move more and learn how to do it easier with My Stronger Self Fitness Studio and Renee Chodkowski – “The Great Foodini”!  This is a fun mini-class with lots of good food and a cookie loaded with phytonutrients that you will LOVE! Cost is $15 for Non-Members and $10 for Members. Pre-registration is required and payment due at time of registration. Space is limited and fills up fast, register TODAY!

Inspiration to Make Your Resolutions Stick in 2012

I ran across this video on and it really struck a chord with me. I caught a glimpse of what I felt like being overweight and out of shape. I’ve seen it in the mirror, felt it in my body and seen that hopelessness in myself and others. The video’s message is powerful and invokes a feeling that life transformations can and do happen. You’ll see the transformation in Ben before he’s even at his lowest weight. Which maybe is the point … happiness doesn’t necessarily come from hitting your number (or whatever your goal may be) it comes from doing. “Do Life” is Ben’s motto and I agree because it’s not the ”wanting” that gets you there it’s the “doing”!  By moving closer to our tangible goal, we get a glimpse of the intangible … Happiness. And that’s the inspiration that keeps us pushing forward, one tiny step at a time.

Enjoy the video!

Lisa Bender