Testimonial: Laura

Congratulations to BWell Fit client, Laura!  Laura competed in her first bikini competition on Saturday, March 27.  Wow she looked amazing and we are very proud of her.  Laura was definitely the photographer's favorite...can you blame them?  Her body is smoking but she also has a wonderful personality and is a joy to work with.  Thank you for choosing BWell Fit!

Laura's Personalized Program included:

• Complete health, fitness and nutrition assessment
• Fitness and Nutrition program
• Conditioning training - 3 days a week
• Strength training - 2 days a week
• Stretching and recovery - 5 days a week
• 1700-1800 calories a day - 25/50/25
• Monthly assessment and program modification

Tip to Your Health: Eat Breakfast to Lose Weight

Did you know that eating breakfast will help you to lose weight? Yes, it is true! Eating breakfast is one tool you should use to fight the battle of the bulge and keep it off.
One of the most obvious reasons to eat breakfast is that it gives you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. When you have fuel, you have the motivation and energy to engage in your regular daily activities as well as extracurricular activities such as playing with your kids or going to the gym.

A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose) which equals more energy. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity…less calories burned means more unwanted weight.

Skipping breakfast sometimes mean skipping much needed nutrients that your body needs to function during the day. Eating breakfast gets you on track to make healthy choices all day. People who regularly eat breakfast tend to eat a healthier diet, typically one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day too.

Studies show that breakfast eaters are less likely to overeat and snack during the day. When you skip breakfast, you may feel hunger pangs later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix, such as chips or candy bars from the vending machine. In addition, prolonged fasting — which occurs when you skip breakfast — can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity. I have heard of people skipping meals, especially breakfast, because they are trying to lose weight. They are actually doing the exact opposite; although they may lose weight initially, the increase fat storage capacity will cause them to put on weight easier and faster in the future.

Unfortunately, more Americans are skipping breakfast. If you're one of them — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.

Here's our recipe for a great way to start the day with Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal with Berries

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quick or old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons 100% pure pumpkin
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries or blueberries (great antioxidants)

Directions:
Cook oatmeal according to directions.  Add fruit to cooked oatmeal.  Place in bowl.  Top with pumpkin and syrup.  Makes 1 serving.

Tips:
1. Serve with skim milk
2. Adjust amount of ingredients to as desired

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 198, Calories from fat: 25, Total Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Soduim: 55mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Fiber 5g, Sugars: 9g, Protein: 7g

Join our Affiliate Program

Earn Extra Cash helping others get fit and healthy

Do people often ask you for advice or referrals? Do you want to help your clients, friends, family and others get fit and healthy? Would you like to earn extra revenue?

 

BWell Fit would like to invite you to join our affiliate program.

 

BWell Fit’sAffiliate Program can benefit your business in the following ways:

• Provide your clients added value to work with you
• Set you apart from other services because we know that you are in a competitive industry
• Earn additional revenue for simply doing what you do now through our referral program. We will work with you to put together a system that works best for you
• Expose your services to other markets and potential clients that may not have heard of you
• Give you an innovative platform to market your services and products
• Provide additional programs for former clients and those who have found love and are planning a wedding, starting a family or focusing on other “non-dating” parts of their lives. BWell Fit also has a division that caters to brides, grooms and their entire wedding party and guests
• Additional discounts for your clients
• National and local exposure. Our Doctor affiliate has been featured on Oprah, The Dr. Oz Show, Extra, The Discovery Channel and Travel Channel. Linda and Toneka are well known fitness competitors, representatives and personalities

For more benefits and information on our Affiliate Program contact info@bwellfit.com or call (877) 319-1133

Ask the Expert: Can Weight Lifting Make Women Look Bulky?

Q: Will weight lifting give me a manly look? I want to tone my arms and shoulders but don't want to look bulky or lose my boobs. Are there certain exercises that can prevent this?

A: The changes of you building the type of muscles that would make you look like a man, are highly unlikely. This is one of the misconceptions that women have about strength training. Just lifting weights alone will not build muscle, give you bulky arms or reduce breast size. Lifting weights will help you to lose weight and get the toned look you desire.

We all think of bodybuilders, both men and women, and think everyone will look like this when we strength train. What everyone needs to realize is that to build muscle it takes a very disciplined strength training routine, a nutrition plan to fuel your workouts and proper supplementation. Realize that bodybuilders are training in the gym at least 4 hours each day, 5-6 days a week to ave the muscle gains that they have. Also, women do not produce enough testosterone like men, so this is another reason why women will have difficulty building muscle.

As women, we should not be afraid of working out and lifting weights. We should have a fitness regimen that consists of total body strength training with lifting weights (5lbs-10lbs), cardiovascular training and stretching. We all want those toned arms and legs right? The only way to have this is to incorporate strength training into your diet.
Remember the more lean muscle you have the more calories you will burn which means you will have less fat deposits.
Here are a few examples of great compound movements that will not only increase your strength, develop your muscle tone, strengthen your core and provide a great cardio workout that will burn calories.
 

• Prone Dumbbell Row

• Squat Jumps

• Also pushups are another great exercise that will tone your entire upper body! To add a little spice and variation, try the “Ms. America Sash”

• Ms. America Sash

So it’s ok to pick up a weights ladies!
If your interested in having a personalized training and nutrition program to help you get your body lean and toned, please visit our website, http://www.bwellfit.com/ today for more information on the right program for you!

Tip to Your Health: What to do about Sugar

Why you shouldn’t eat too much sugar


• Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease

• Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.

• Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia

• Sugar contributes to obesity

• Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes

• Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein

• Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress

• Sugar can cause gum disease

How much sugar you should eat

• The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 8 teaspoons per day of added sugar based on a 2,000 calories/day diet. That's 32 grams if you're reading labels, and about 6% of your total calories for the day. Sounds like a lot, but believe me... it's not.
32 total grams sugar/ 4 grams per teaspoon = < 8 teaspoons added sugar/day


What to do about Sugar…reduce the amount of sugar that you eat

1. Read labels – You should have 32 grams sugar or less total per day

2. Try to obtain your sugars naturally–which should be primarily from fresh, whole fruit.Fruit juices, even if they are 100 percent fruit juice, are all-natural sugar but they are very high in calories–it’s best to avoid beverages with high calories, including fruit juices, sodas, lemonade and other sweetened beverages. Learn to enjoy your iced tea for its natural flavor, rather than for the flavor of the sugar that you pour into the glass.

3. Rather than adding syrup or honey to foods like waffles or pancakes, try topping them with sliced fresh fruit and a dollop of vanilla yogurt.

4. Look for whole-grain cereals without added sugars, and top with sliced bananas, berries or other fruit that appeals to you. This applies to both cold cereals and hot. Oatmeal is delicious with some mashed banana stirred in for sweetness.

5. Keep healthy snacks around, like whole fruits, cut vegetables, whole-grain crackers, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese, so you won’t be tempted to eat sweets instead.

6. Help your kids develop healthier habits–if they are old enough to read labels, give them a list of all the names for sugar and ask them to become “sugar detectives.” They will enjoy finding the hidden sources of sugar in foods, and it will help to educate them as to how much sugar is added–sometimes where you least expect it.

      Names for sugar: sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, raw sugar, 
         turbinado sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, confectioner’s 
         sugar, maltodextrin, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup and molasses.

7. Instead of baked goods for desserts, try fresh fruit with a bit of chocolate syrup. One great trick is to take ripe bananas, peel and place them on a foil-lined tray in the freezer. Frozen bananas taste just like ice cream and will satisfy your sweet tooth for significantly fewer calories.

8. If you add sugar to cereals, beverages and fruits routinely, try to gradually reduce the amount you use. You may not really know the true flavor of these foods because you have “masked” the flavor with sugar. Fresh fruits in season should be deliciously sweet–no added sugar necessary.

Ask the Expert: 5 Fitness Tricks for Better Sex, Part 2

Q: They say that being in better shape helps improve your sex life. How is working out going to make me last longer or have better sex? Since I am not one to pass up a good thing, can you add a little something for my wife too (wink, wink) ;)

A: Since we couldn't get all the juicy tricks for better sex in the last newsletter, we are giving you more yummy goodies.

For a quick recap, click here.  Now for the good stuff:

Ask the Experts: 5 Fitness Tricks for Better Sex

Q: They say that being in better shape helps improve your sex life.  How is working out going to make me last longer or have better sex?  Since I am not one to pass up a good thing, can you add a little something for my wife too (wink, wink) ;)

A. Experts have long said that people who are in better mental and physical health tend to have good sex lives.  There are three primary components of fitness, they say "Endurance, strength and flexibility."  If you are in shape, you have more aerobic endurance, muscular strength and overall flexibility-- all of which can aid a person during sex.

Don't forget the increased blood flow to the brain and those parts down there that make you want to jump your mate.  Studies also point to the release of neurotransmitters that generally make people feel good.

When you are feeling good, you are more likely to want sex and enjoy it more.  You will also avoid injuries like cramping and muscle pulls during sex (yes, it happens).

People who are out of shape are often less motivated to have sex.  They tend to tire easily, have a lower sex drive and less stamina than those who work out.

So the moral of the story is get your butt in shape!

Here are 5 Fitness Tricks and Positions for Better Sex

1. Get your mind right – Brain fitness is very important since this where it all begins.


a. Ladies

i. Take the time to mentally get prepared for sex. This includes believing you are sexy and beautiful. We are all sexy and beautiful in our own way so you might as well own it. Repeat: “I am beautiful, I am sexy” over and over in your head. Studies show that when we tell ourselves something repeatedly, we will start to believe it. Many men believe that confidence is one of the sexiest things about a woman. Exuding confidence will quickly boost you from blah to hot.

ii. Now, think sexual thoughts. Think of your favorite fantasies and include your partner. When I played sports in school, the coach would make us replay a perfect race or competition in our head. I would picture myself running the perfect race and getting the perfect time. This mental exercise always improved my race and time. Use this when it comes to sex and you will find that your sex life will get better.

iii. Begin foreplay long before the act begins. Send your honey sexy texts, notes or long sexy stares across the table. Flirt and tease him so by the time you two are about to do the act, you are both ready to go. Now begin the traditional foreplay.

iv. Meditations can be used to enhance your sexual experience as well as other parts of your life. Invest in meditation books, audio books, etc…

b. Gentlemen

i. Please apply all the above

ii. We are going to take it a step further for you. Nature has blessed you with the ability to reach orgasmic climax faster and more frequent than women. It is going to take your lady a little longer to reach climax so try to prolong the act for her. When you are in the act, one of the best ways to prolong the experience is to think of something non-sexual. Some of the things I have heard guy friends use as orgasm blockers are station wagons, graveyards, work, getting up in the morning, and other visuals that are totally “un-PC” to mention. Use this mind trick to keep you going longer.

iii. Don’t go in with a loaded gun, release beforehand. This way you can focus on pleasing her and not worried whether you are going prematurely unload.

2. Get your heart in check – interval training 2-3 times per week to increase stamina. This means that you will last longer. Remember when you first started running? The first time, you were out of breath, your legs were cramping up and you were feeling a burning sensation in your chest. The more you ran, the longer you could go with less of the embarrassing symptoms we mentioned earlier. You can transfer that stamina to the bedroom. Try this interval training 2-3 times a week to get your heart in check.

a. Treadmill

i. Warm up with a 3-5 minute brisk walk

ii. Take the pace up another notch so that you are almost running for one minute

iii. Take the pace up to a run for a minute

iv. Back to near run for a minute

v. Take it up to a fast paced run

vi. Repeat

vii. The total time should be 20 minutes or more. Start with 10 minutes which is warm up, 2-3 run intervals, 2 minute cool down

3. Total body workout 2-3 times per week

Sex is very physical and will require you to use all your major muscles whether you know it or not. Your fitness routine should include exercises for the following muscle groups:

i. Deltoids (shoulders) – Try Lateral extensions, shoulder press

ii. Biceps – Try bicep curls

iii. Triceps - Try triceps extensions

iv. Chest – Try pushups or bench press

v. Back – Try pull ups, lat pull downs, fly’s

vi. Abs/Core – Try bicycles, plank holds

vii. Quadriceps – Try lunges

viii. Hamstrings /gluteus maximus– Try squats

ix. Calves – Try calf raises
The better shape you in the more confident you are sexually and the better you can perform.

Now this was just foreplay, come back next time for our last 2 steamy tips....next up positions!

 

Ask the Experts: Flexible Spending Account

Question: I have until the end of the year to use my Flexible Spending Account, does your company accept insurance and can I use the money in my Flexible Medical Pay Account to cover some of the costs of working with BWell Fit.

Answer: YES YOU CAN!! We are happy to announce that BWell Fit is able to accept insurance and FSA/HSA for some of our services that could help you detect signs of and prevent serious illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. This illness can be prevented and controlled with proper nutrition, fitness and lifestyle choices. Contact us today for a list of covered items: info@bwellfit.com or call (877) 319-1133.

So what is flexible spending arrangement (FSA) or Flexible Spending Account? It is one of a number of tax-advantaged financial accounts that can be set up through a cafeteria plan of an employer in the United States. An FSA allows an employee to set aside a portion of his or her earnings to pay for qualified expenses as established in the cafeteria plan, most commonly for medical expenses but often for dependent care or other expenses. If you need to improve your health and wellbeing of if your goal is to lost weight while improving your lifestyle, contact us for a list of offers and programs.

As the New Year approaches, employees and their dependents around the country are rushing to get check-ups and stock up on needed items before the deadline to use their current account. Otherwise, they'll lose the money left in their 2008 flexible spending accounts. While most people know that they can use the account for check-ups, prescription medications and treatments, you can also use these resources to better your health and prevent illnesses and disease.