What should a youth athlete eat?

Benefits of whole grains:
-They're high in fiber, helping us maintain a healthy GI tract
-They're slow to digest, helping us maintain energy levels
-They're loaded with vitamins and minerals, improving our nutrient density
-They're satisfying, helping us control appetite

Food for thought:   If there's a cartoon on the box or package, leave it on the shelf!

*The recommended dietary allowances suggests an intake of 2200-2500 calories for 11-14 year old females and males. 
-The numbers will fluctuate pending activity level

The importance of fiber
-Fiber helps sustain energy over a longer period of time, slows the digestion of food.  It helps lower the risks of heart disease, obesity, certain cancers and diabetes. 

Kids are picky eaters=
1. Make it fun for them- cut up fruits and vegetables in the shape of fun things, tell them about eating the colors of the rainbow.
2. Research suggests it takes about 12-15 times of introducing a new food before a child may truly like or dislike it. Don't stop after 1 attempt.

Protein
1. Protein is crucial for recovery and repair
2. Protein should come from a variety of sources
3. Additional protein can and should be consumed through whole foods. 

Fats
If it's solid at room temperature, ditch it- instead opt for olive, canola, and flax oils, along with raw nuts, avocados, and fish. 
Trans Fats
-Ditch partially and fully hydrogenated oils it is still trans fats even if the label says 0 grams of trans fat.

Benefits of Breakfast
1. Improved cognitive performance
2. Higher test scores
3. Decreased body weight
4. Increased iron intake
5. Increased calcium intake
6. Increased folic acid intake

Breakfast ideas
1. Rolled Oats
2. Cheerios
3. Raisin Bran
4. Bran Flakes
5. Most Kashi Brand cereals
6. Oat Bran
7. Wheatenna
8. Shredded wheat
9. Eggs w/some mixed veggies
10. Yogurt with fruit
11. Fruit and natural peanut butter
12. Raw nuts and dried fruit
**This is not a comprehensive list just simple ideas

**Children should not be forced to eat or clean their plates. Or saying you can't eat dessert unless you clean your plate does not teach the child to listen to when they are actually full and encourages the child to please others and ignore natural hunger cues

Simple Nutrition Tips
1. Encourage higher quality foods
2. Eat Breakfast daily
3. Eat calories, don't drink them
4. Decrease trans fat foods and the intake of high sugar, high fat drinks, snacks, and foods in a general way to improve the quality of the diet, without limiting growth and development.

Food for thought
*Research suggests when children are allowed to be part of the decision making process, they will be more likely to follow through with the outcome because they play a role.  When talking with kids, have them speak up and figure out different solutions together. 

Mineral Needs
1. Calcium- Bone mass
2. Iron- Essential for blood cell formation 
3. Zinc-Hormone production 

Vitamins Under consumed
1. Vitamin A
2. Vitamin C
3. Vitamin B6

How Fluid Losses can negatively impact Performance
1. Increase heart rate
2. Decrease in cardiac output
3. Decrease muscular endurance
4. Increase core body temperature
5. Muscle cramping from electrolyte loss (Sodium and potassium)
6. Decreased Balance
7. Reduced strength and power
8. Heat Exhaustion 
9. Heat Stroke

Primary Fluid
Primary fluid should be water closely followed by skim milk

Are you getting enough zzz's?

Notice when one gets a full night of sleep how much better you feel the next day.  With today's go, go, go society sleep is a necessity but often gets overlooked.  An adult needs to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night, children more up to 10-11 hours.  If your noticing your fitness goals are slipping away because lack of sleep your not alone.  Millions of Americans are sleep deprived.  It's time for us to take a look at why we are not getting enough sleep.  Is it because you are watching tv?  Are you up late night eating?  Are you working out to close to your bedtime?  Do you have a set routine every night before bed?  Personally I like to read before I go to bed.  It's my way of unwinding and it stays the same every night so I mentally know I need to start winding down and get a good nights rest.  So try to go to bed an hour earlier if you don't usually get enough sleep.  You might toss and turn but eventually your body will give in after you quite your mind and you will get a good nights rest.

Get those Bikini Abs!

Here is a great workout to help tone up that mid-section to get those abs in tip top shape for swimsuit season!!  Preform each crunch for 15-25 reps depending on your fitness level repeat 2-3 times again depending on your fitness level.

1. Side Plank- You can do this exercise on your toes or bend knees to 90 degrees and keep hip off ground.  Hold for 20-30 seconds.

2. Criss-Cross Crunches- Not to be confused with a bicycle.  Lift up using your shoulders to get to your knees not your elbow.  That will intensify the stretch in the abdominals and give you more of a burn.

3. Heel-to-toe crunch- Lift your shoulders from the floor slowly; keep your eyes on the ceiling as you move. Pause, then slowly return to the start. Repeat for three sets of 15 reps; when you are through, reverse the position of your feet and repeat with your opposite arm extended.

4. Supine Leg Crunch- Slowly alternate lifting one leg until it points towards the ceiling, then the other. (Lifting each leg once counts as a single rep.) Remember to breathe and keep your shoulders lifted from the mat throughout your set.

5. Double Crunch- Lie on your back with your knees bent to 90 degrees and calves raised parallel to the floor. Contract your abs to lift your upper back from the floor; at the same time, raise your hips from the floor to direct your knees towards your chest. Slowly lower and repeat.

6. Plank- I like to end my workouts with a plank hold.  30 seconds to 1 minute.  To modify you can always do it on your knees. 

*To make it advanced you can pulse your leg up and down 15 seconds each leg.

Staying in shape on the road

Summertime often means vacations and getting out of your routine.  Summertime often means you are loosening up on your diet as well when on vacation.  So what can you do when you are on your vacation or traveling for work to stay in shape? Well most people do not want to bring equipment with them which is understandable.  If you do have a band-go head and pack that in your suitcase if not no worries.  If you do have a band exercises you can do are-bicep curls, triceps ext, squats, shoulder exercises, rows, chest press.

If you are going without equipment here are the exercises for you:
20 Dips (see picture above)
40 Mountain Climbers
15 Push-ups
15 Burpees
20 Squats
30 Crunches
12 Jumping Jacks
15 Oblique Cruches
10 Triceps Push-ups
10 Lunges
End with 1 minute Plank Hold
30 Second- Side Plank Hold
*Have a wonderful and healthy vacation- That workout can be completed once or 2-3 times if you want to really vamp it up or burn some calories.  If you only have time to do it once it is better than doing nothing at all remember.

Find you fitness niche

Everyone has a fitness niche you just might not have found yours yet.  If you don't like working out and have never found something you enjoy to do while working out no wonder it is no fun for you.  There are SOOO many opportunities now to try different classes such as yoga, pilates, kickboxing, zumba, bootcamps, PiYo, ballet classes, running classes, spin classes.  So if you think your not someone who works out try to re-think about what your likes are.  Have you really tried every fitness niche out there?  If not try something new, step outside your comfort zone and you might discover a lifelong passion.

Summer Fun

As I have been hearing from many of my friends they are very concerned with the upcoming summer months.  Summer is just around the corner and they do not feel ready for swimsuit season.  As a fitness professional I know you need to stay in shape or be within at least 5-10lbs of your goal weight before Memorial Day weekend (the unofficial start to summer).  I now will help train my friends both mentally (because they really are ready for bikini season, they just need some confidence) and physically since that is what they feel they need.  So ask yourself are you mentally not ready for the dreaded swimsuit season or are you truly physically not ready.  If it really is your not physically ready the first thing you need to do is watch your sugar intake!  Sugar is what contributes to that dreaded belly fat so tighten up your diet and you will notice your pants loosening up!  Before you know it you will mentally and physically be reading for summer!

Welcome to SaFire Training

This is my first post on my new blog!! I'm very excited to announce that I am starting my new in-home personal training business.  It is entitled SaFire Training.  I am serving the Western and Northern Metro.  I am ecstatic to go on this new journey in my life and feel the timing is right.  I have been training since 2007 and have many years under my belt from working at various gyms.  I now feel it is the time to go on my own.  I believe it is essential for anyone who does start their own business to have mentors and people they look up to and respect in which I do.  I always love learning and am not the type of person to get stuck in a rut.  I always look for the new and best way to train for each person as an individual.  My future blogs will be helpful tips for staying in shape and business tools to trainers who want to go out on their own!