Who is ready for swimsuit season?

The answer to that question is the 6 fearless participants in this round of 10 Week's to 10lbs Lighter.  Collectively down 56lbs since the start of the challenge 9 weeks ago.  They have been increasing their step counts with our program pedometers and getting creative with their eating. Last week's challenge was to come up with a creative way to eat more vegetables.  We've got a recipe for Vegetable Biryani and a Brussels sprout/Cranberry Slaw which you can access below.

Print off the recipes and try them yourself.

Snack smarter - Mark's Granola Bars

Every Sunday I spend a couple hours in the kitchen cooking food for the week and testing new recipes. I like the challenge of making delicious food with healthy ingredients. Lately, I've been working on a granola bar that is crunchy, sweet and satisfying. The one I developed keeps me energized through an entire tennis match, plus it is loaded with healthy fruit, almonds and oats. One batch should feed the household for a week or more.

Check out the recipe on my website.  While you are there, read up on the latest things going on at Better Living. We've developed a great cardiovascular training program done in small groups, called CVT, and have a new web-based weight loss program called 10 Weeks to 10lbs Lighter. 

As always, please let us know if we can help you with your fitness goals.

Happy snacking!
Mark Thiesmeyer, MS, MPH, RD
Better Living, Dietitian/Certified Personal Trainer

Last Chance to Sign Up!

Today is the deadline to sign up for 10 Weeks to 10lbs Lighter - our coached-approach to eating better, exercising more and weight less.  The program starts this Saturday and runs (obviously!) for the next 10 weeks.

As Joey mentioned in the last blog, it is a lot easier to manage your weight with the help of trained professionals and a team of enthusiastic participants.

Email me at mark@betterliving.biz if you would like more information or to sign up.
Program cost: $195
Program details: http://www.betterliving.biz/10weekprogram.pdf

- Mark Thiesmeyer, MS, MPH, RD

ps. I'm putting pedometers in the mail tomorrow; please sign up now!

Lose Weight in the New Year

As we head into 2013 a lot of people are making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, or to simply be more healthy.  I myself have lost 80lbs since my top weight playing football. I believe the new year is a great time to think about your fitness, yet so many resolutions fail.  Research shows the following are effective strategies for making your New Year’s resolution stick:

    

•  Make sure you are ready – Changing lifestyle can be very difficult. Can you make time to succeed? Are you willing to make the necessary changes? 
•  Do you have a good plan? – If you’re reading this blog you probably have some sort of plan or are looking for ways to make a plan.  Plan out the details and think through how you will accomplish them.  Getting help from a trainer is a great way to implement an exercise and diet plan.  
•  Can you enjoy the process? – Yes, it is important to enjoy something you set your mind to doing, otherwise, it is too easy to give up and go back to doing the things you used to enjoy.  Think of ways to have fun doing your resolution and add them to your plan. 
• Focus on short-term goals while keeping the long-term resolution in mind- Losing 50 pounds means taking 1lb off fifty times.  Set weekly goals, then monthly, etc. It took me about 2 years to lose my 80lbs. You have to celebrate your success along the way. 
•  Include others. Build a strong support team of your family, friends, co-workers and trainer. Sharing your resolution can help you stick to your new lifestyle and reach your fitness goals. 

There are still a few openings in our 10 Weeks to 10lbs Lighter Weight Loss Program. To enroll or find out more details, simply respond to this message.

Happy New Year!

Joey Smith

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REFERENCE:

Problems with goal-setting research in sports—and their solution.

Locke, Edwin A.

Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Vol 13(3), Sep 1991, 311-316.