What if I’m Really Out of Shape?
Is Boot Camp Right for Me?

-Nina James, Santa Monica, CA

Dear Nina;

That’s what we’re here for! NOBODY will be left behind or asked to complete more than they are capable of doing safely. We will give you modified, low-impact drills as an alternative to strengthen your body so that you will be able to condition weak areas while still participating in the class. While some exercise experience is helpful, men and women of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate. We just ask that you give it your all. Each day’s session will slightly increase in intensity as your fitness levels improve. Go to Tiger Fitness Boot Camp>

-The Tiger Fitness Team

Is This One of Those
“Scream in Your Face” Boot Camps?

-Jillian March, Santa Monica, CA

Dear Jillian;

No, we all get enough of that just driving around LA!

Our approach is to strongly encourage with motivating, positive affirmations, uplifting quotes, and we convince, not confront.

We aim to keep you focused on the task at hand. Abuse, harassment – we don’t go there, even if you want us to. If you want verbal abuse, join the military or get back in your car!

For positive reinforcement, however, come and enjoy the camaraderie of a competitive team atmosphere at TigerFit Boot Camp! Go to Tiger Fitness Boot Camp>

-The Tiger Fitness Team

Customize Your Weight Loss Strategy Los Angeles!

A new report on obesity is out—and the numbers are shocking. According to Trust for America’s Health, and organization whose goal is to make disease prevention a national priority, 31 of our 50 states have seen a rise in obesity within the last 12 months.
 

The report lists Mississippi as our heaviest state, with obesity rates at 29.5 percent. That means that nearly 1 in every 3 people in the state of Mississippi are clinically obese—and the numbers continue to rise! While the numbers may not be this drastic in Santa Monica, you have probably seen a change in shape of the average physique around town.

What about your weight? Have you seen the numbers on the scale climb north in recent years? If so, you are certainly not alone, and the question that undoubtedly lies at the forefront of your mind is why? Why has your weight increased? And what can you do about your own weight loss challenges?

Trace it Back
A little addressed fact about weight gain is that everyone gains weight for different reasons. So often we hear about one-size-fits-all weight loss solutions that take little or no consideration of how the extraweight piled up in the first place. To experience true weight loss it is important to understand why you gained it in the first place.

Think back to the time in your life when your weight was just right. Were you in your teens? Your twenties? Or maybe your thirties? Picture yourself as you were at your ideal weight. Now when did things change?

Was it a gradual addition of pounds that accumulated over a span of multiple years? Or did you gain it all at once? Check out the following weight gain triggers and determine which one is responsible for derailing your weight loss goals.

• College: 
The college years are some of the easiest for gaining weight. In fact, a recent study by Cornell University found that on average, college freshman gain about 0.5 pounds a week – almost 11 times more than the average weight gain among 17- and 18-year olds and almost 20 times more than the average weight gain among American adults.

• Marriage: 
There’s nothing like holy matrimony to encourage a barrage of calories to overtake your diet. Late night comfort snacks are always more enjoyable when you have someone to share them with—and who better than the person who pledged to stick by your side through sickness or health? Weight loss needs to be a team effort!

• Pregnancy: 
Talk about a great time to gain weight! And we’re not just talking about women here—most men admit that they gained ‘sympathy’ pounds right along with their wife. Hormonal changes along with strong encouragement from everyone you know to indulge in anything their heart desires leave most pregnant women with a feeling of entitlement when it comes to food.

• Career: 
Though you may not realize it, your career choice plays a major hand in your weight. Those who go from an active lifestyle to spending 8 hours a day behind a desk and another 2 hours commuting almost universally gain weight. Conversely, people who spend their 8 hours in constant motion find weight loss a natural byproduct of the job. Fortunatel for resident of Santa Monica, many local business stress wellness programs for their employees.

Chart the Difference
Each and every one of the bullets above has one thing in common. They all set of a particular emotional trigger in you that then leads to overeating and inactivity. I think “they” refer to it as emotional eating. So did you figure out the event in your life that led to your current weight? Good.

That single piece of information will prove to be priceless in your quest to return to a healthy weight. But your work isn’t done yet. Strap your thinking cap back on because it is time take a walk down memory lane.

Close your eyes and go back to that life changing event that triggered your weight gain. What changed in your lifestyle? To help sort things out, we have broken things down into two specific behavioral categories.

Eating Habits: 
Did your eating pattern change at this time in your life? If your weight gain occurred in college then maybe you went from eating 3 square meals to an all-you-can-eat buffet style cafeteria.

Or if marriage was your weight gain trigger, then maybe you went from eating small meals to fattening comfort food. Pregnancy brings on the perfect environment for a change in eating habits.

You go from eating normally, to eating ‘for two’, to munching on your baby’s snacks right along with him! Your job can also dictate your eating schedule. Residents of Santa Monica work long hours and have early meetings that causes them to grab a donut or chips from the vending machine.

And lets face it. If your job, marriage, or lifestyle is stressful then comfort food also known as junk food becomes your best friend – at least while you’re eating it.

Activity Level: 
The second category that leads to weight gain is your activity level. Simply put, what kind of exercise were you doing before your life changing event and how does it compare to your current exercise regime?

Chances are good that you were doing more exercise before your weight gain began—which means that you are doing less exercise today Go ahead, think back to the exercises or physical activities that you used to do and compare them to your schedule today.

Now you should have a pretty good idea about why you’ve gained the weight that you have—don’t stop here! We have many different weight loss strategies that you read about in our Tiger Tips section.

Fasting for Weight Loss is Dangerous for Your Health

Q: Quick! What’s the fastest way to shed those unwanted pounds?

A: Quit eating, right? Wrong.

Fasting is no way to eliminate those unsightly pounds. Your body needs food. You need to eat to lose weight. Sure, I know it sounds pretty obvious when I put it like that. You know giving up food altogether isn’t really an option. Certainly not a healthy one.

Any smart, health-conscious individual knows that staying healthy involves more than essentially wiring your jaw shut. But I’m constantly surprised at the number of people who take up fasting as a weight loss method. Or even as a way to improve their overall health and “vitality.”

Problem is, lengthy fasting is dangerous. Again, your body needs food. Fasting (or any low-carbohydrate or very low calorie diets) deprives your body of the calories and nutrients your body needs.

This leads to a lack of glucose, the essential and preferred energy for the brain. In response, your body starts to metabolize sugars from protein, which over a prolonged fast can lead to muscle wasting. Probably not what you were going for.

Here’s a partial list of potential side effects caused by fasting, (or any extreme food-intake reduction and rapid weight loss:) Prolonged hunger. Depression. Reduced sex drive. Fatigue. Irritability. Fainting. Sinus problems (especially post-nasal drip.) Muscle atrophy. Rashes. Acidosis. Bloodshot eyes. Gallbladder disease. Even seizures. And, in severe cases, malnutrition can lead to death.

Nothing on that list that sounds appealing, does it? Does it?

Sometimes these fasting diets promote rapid weight loss – up to 2 pounds a day! What they don’t tell you is that rapid weight loss can lead to gallstones. Ouch. And reduced sex drive? Irritability? What’s the point of shedding some extra weight and reshaping your body if you can’t enjoy it, right?

Seems pretty clear that intense fasting runs counter to good health.

But still, fasts of all kinds are constantly being promoted to “purify” or “detoxify” the body. By far the most well-known of these fasting programs is The “Master Cleanser,” also known as “The Lemonade Diet,” invented (term used loosely) by Stanley Burroughs and popularized by his book of the same name first distributed in the 1950s.

While there are numerous anecdotal accounts from individuals who followed his program regarding its health benefits, there is no scientific evidence that the “Master Cleanser” has any health advantage (beyond a possible placebo effect.) Still. Fifty years after his book was first published.

In addition to miraculous and rapid weight loss, this “Lemonade Diet” has been touted as a means to cleanse one’s system and regain energy and health. But here’s a hint it’s all hooey: It’s called “The Lemonade Diet.”

Don’t get me wrong: I’d love it if the answer to all our health needs has been sitting in some kid’s curbside stand all this time, but the old adage, “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is…” leaps to mind.

Still not convinced? Still tempted by the prospect of downing the Kool-aid (er, lemonade) and shedding some weight?

Here’s something you probably didn’t know: Mr. Burroughs, the illustrious inventor of The Master Cleanse, was convicted of second-degree felony murder, due to his “alternative” medical practices. (California Supreme Court case People v. Burroughs, 35 Cal.3d 824, 1984) He was also convicted of practicing medicine without a license, and the unlawful sale of cancer treatments.

The California Supreme Court described the facts as follows: During the first meeting between Lee [Swatsenbarg] and defendant [Burroughs], the latter described his method of curing cancer. [It] included consumption of a unique “lemonade,” exposure to colored lights, and a brand of vigorous massage administered by defendant. Defendant [Burroughs] remarked that he had successfully treated “thousands” of people, including a number of physicians…

During the 30 days designated for the treatment, Lee would have to avoid contact with his physician. Right. While seeking treatment for cancer, avoid contact with his licensed and trained medical physician.

Not surprisingly, the jury found that the patient’s subsequent death was a homicide committed by Burroughs while engaged in the felonious unlicensed practice of medicine. Hence, Burroughs was convicted of felony murder.

Strange that this fact never gets mentioned when promoting this so-called “Master Cleanse.”

Get Off of the Weight Loss Carousel Santa Monica!

Try as you might, dieting just doesn’t work As of right now, dieting has hit an all-time high across our nation and in Santa Monica, a surprising fact in light of the record breaking obesity rates of the day. More people than ever are obese and continue to turn to dieting as a solution to weight loss.

It’s not Working
According to the National Institutes of Health Studies, 98% of people who diet and lose weight gain it back within 5 years, and 90% gain back even more than they originally lost.

That’s enough to scare any dieter off the wagon and into the nearest fast food joint!

If diets don’t work, then why do we continue to dabble with them? This is a great question, and one that is easily answered. People want a quick fix to their weight problem. Results are desired immediately—not as a result of months or even years of healthy living. People are also looking for a no-brainer. Fad diets tell them what to eat, when to eat it and even how much of it to eat! No brain power required.

Why Don’t Diets Work?
Now that you have come to terms with the fact that diets simply do not work,let’s get into the nitty-gritty of why they don’t work. The average weight loss diet operates on one age old premise.

Cut calories, cut calories, cut calories.
This is implemented by placing layers of restrictions on what you can eat, when you can eat it, and how much of it you can eat. All of that red tape results in you placing a less-than-normal number of calories into your mouth each day. As a result many fad dieters in Santa Monica will see an immediate drop in weight.

If It Only Stopped There…
But things don’t stop there. As soon as a few pounds are lost the diet is placed back on the shelf (probably alongside a dozen other fad diet books) and their life in Santa Monica returns to normal. Let’s pretend that over the course of abiding by the fad diet you lost 10 pounds! Wow – congratulations! So now you are back to eating your normal daily quota, but a major change has happened in your body due to the lost weight. Your calorie requirements have gotten smaller.

And since you have returned to your ‘normal’ portions only one thing will happen. You gain all of the weight back…and then some. Thus goes the dieter’s dilemma. Round and round and round you go on the weight loss carousel.

But I Still Want to Lose Weight!
There’s got to be a solution, right? Well, considering the fact that fit, lean people are walking the earth (just go hang around your local gym for an afternoon—you’ll see ‘em) there must be a solution to the dieter’s dilemma. Here it is:

Forget about the quick-fix, focus instead on lifestyle. Oh, I know, changing your lifestyle is hard.

• Switching from your daily mocha java frappacino (which is l-o-a-d-e-d with sugar) to plain coffee isn’t fun.

• Resisting the urge to following your nose through your favorite Santa Monica drive-thru for a quick bite (why does fried food smell so good?) and sticking with a baggie of carrot sticks isn’t satisfying.

• Ignoring the couch after a long day of work (yes, I know your couch looks lonely, but trust me it can live without you for another hour) and cranking through an hour of exercise seems ludicrous. And weight loss is the last thing on your mind.

• Turning your nose up to a bowl of comforting ice cream just before bed (preferably the kind with chocolate swirls) and reaching instead for a piece of fresh fruit feels like torture.

So Why Do It?
We live in the world of give-it-to-me-now. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to have everything you desire right at your fingertips. You shouldn’t have to work for anything. I’m sorry, folks. It just doesn’t work that way. If you want to enjoy the benefits of confidence, good health, including a lean, fit body, you have to become acquainted with one powerful weight loss virtue.

Will Power.
Just because you want to eat it (a donut, a burger and fries, a candy bar, a slice of pizza…) doesn’t mean you should! It is a little thing called will power that keeps fit and healthy people at their ideal weight. If you think that the Santa Monica hard body that runs around your block is immune to the powerful draw of delicious fat-laden food—you’re in for a surprise! Chances are that the fitness buffs you know love unhealthy food even more than you do. It’s a weight loss fact!

Well, Why Do They Look So Much Better Than Me?
You already know the answer by now, but I will indulge you. They have will power to just say no to unhealthy food 9 times out of 10. Did you catch that last part? 9 times out of 10. Because even the buffest guy and thinnest gal take the occasional opportunity to treat their taste buds to something other than lean meats and veggies. But they don’t treat themselves everyday of the week.

You Can Do It To!
If you truly want to lose weight and to improve both your appearance and your health then listen up Santa Monica! I am not going to insult your intelligence by telling you what foods you shouldn’t eat and what exercises you should do. You know all of that. However, I will give you this one piece of advice that, when followed, will result in the body of your dreams:

The next time you reach for an indulgence and the little voice in your head says “Maybe I shouldn’t….” listen to that little voice. Put down the croissant and pull on your gym clothes. Weight loss is as simple as that Santa Monica! Now go get ‘em Tiger!

Supercharge Your Weight Loss Goals Los Angeles!

Enjoy great food and then burn fat effortlessly in your sleep! Does that sound too good to be true? Believe it or not, the following tips have been proven to help raise your metabolism, which causes your body to burn fat 24-7. These minor changes in the way in which you eat will jump start your metabolism and turn you into a calorie burning machine. Read on for simple and easy ways to feast your way to a faster metabolism.

Before you start any weight loss plan it is important to get yourself into the right mindset. Have you started weight loss programs in the past only to abandon ship a few days later? Are you skeptical that you will ever reach your fitness and weight loss goals? Wait—don’t give up hope!

This time, instead of forcing a drastic and strict diet upon yourself, try incorporating a few of the following tips into your daily life. You don’t have to lose all of the weight at once, but you do need to make at least one small step in the right direction everyday. Remember, every journey is made up of many small steps in the right direction! Keep making healthy improvements to your lifestyle and, before you know it, you will arrive at your goal.

1) More is better
Eating small meals throughout the day increases your metabolism, while eating too few meals throughout the day kills your metabolism. The first thing that you need to know about how to eat to burn fat is this fact: Eating small meals every 3-4 waking hours will increase your metabolism and reduce fat storage. This is a proven weight loss fact that bodybuilders, models, athletes and lean people everywhere abide by.

2) Get the Good Stuff
Eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple sugars. Your body is in constant need of carbohydrates to be converted into glucose and used as fuel. When your body has extra glucose it will be stored as fat for later use. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, take longer to break down into glucose and will therefore be less likely to be stored as fat than simple carbohydrates such as table sugar, or fruit sugar. Also, complex carbohydrates often contain more nutrients than simple sugars. Santa Monica Farmer’s market or a trip to Whole Foods offer a wide variety of compley carbohydrate choices.

3) First Things First
Eating Breakfast literally gets your engine started and gets your metabolism going. Eating right when you wake up is vital to breaking the fast your body goes into every night and sends signals to your brain to begin weight loss. Three to four hours after you eat your body shuts down your metabolism and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine breaks out and you don’t see food for weeks. Since this probably isn’t the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds. So, in order to communicate with your body that it is healthy, well fed, and not in need of extra fat storage, you need to start your day off with a small meal and continue to eat small meals every 3 – 4 hours.

4) No More Late Eats
Your body is most prone to store foods eaten right before bed directly as fat. Although comfort food seems to taste better right before bed, it is also more prone to stick with you when eaten late at night. One Step Weight Loss Tip: It has been proven that not eating three hours before bed reduces fat storage throughout the night. If you go to bed at 10 pm, finish eating for the day no later than 7pm. Once you have made this a habit, you will be ecstatic over the longterm weight loss!

5) Bottoms Up
Drink lots of water. Water is the healthiest beverage that you can drink. Water is needed for every function of your body, including the burning of fat. Try drinking a big glass of water in the morning, before meals, while exercising, and before bed. You will be delighted with the results!

Eating Strategies that Get’s Results Fast!

You want to lose weight. You really do. 

There’s just this little problem… you love food. But diets require that you give up all the foods that you know and love in exchange for celery sticks and water. Boring! Who really wants to do that? Guess you’ll just have to deal with the extra weight, right? Wrong!

Losing weight doesn’t require that you give up your love of food—in fact, healthy weight loss encourages great eating.

And that is good news for you, beloved food lover. Great eating means never going hungry and never feeling deprived. Sound good? Read on for the simple guidelines to great eating that result in healthy and long term weight loss.

4 Weight Loss Tips to Live and Lose By:

1. Eat at least five times a day at regular intervals

2. Eat 4 oz of lean protein at least twice a day

3. Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables and fruit

4. Make every calorie count, this means every bite should pack protein, fiber and fat.

10 Essential Nutrition-Based Weight Loss Guidelines:

1. Focus on eating a variety of foods every day.

2. Eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors. Green, yellow, orange, red you get the idea. (Santa Monica farmer’s Market is loaded with healthy fruits and veggies).

3. Eat small meals frequently, preferably 4-6 times. Also avoid overeating or binge eating out of hunger.

4. Say no to extra fat! Avoid putting butter or sour cream on your food.

5. Plan healthy meals ahead of time—this will save you many calories!

6. Trade your white bread in for whole-grain bread.

7. When you feel the first shot of hunger pain, wait it out. If you still feel hungry after 10-15 minutes then eat. If you aren’t hungry any more it was likely your emotions speaking and not your tummy!

8. Stop eating before you feel full. Your brain is slow in receiving the full signal from your tummy—so give it a chance to catch up!

9. Eat fruits and vegetables first, then meats and lastly bread or other starches. This forces you to fill up on nutrient dense, yet calorie-sparse, foods first.

10. Drink water instead of soda pop. Your body isn’t able to register all of the calories in liquid, so hundreds of calories add up without making you feel full. 

10 Ways to Dining Out in Los Angeles and Santa Monica without Pigging Out

1. Don’t indulge in bread before your meal arrives

2. Substitute your fries for a side salad, fruit or a baked potato

3. Forgo your soda pop for a tall glass of ice water or tea

4. Instead of burgers, hot dogs and sausages choose sandwiches, subs, salads and lean meats

5. Always order your dressing on the side in order to regulate the amount that you use.

6. Put half of your meal in a to go box before you start eating

7. Don’t order food that is made with creamy bases, such as white sauce

8. You don’t have to clean your plate! If you are full then stop eating

9. Eat your vegetables first…rather than last

10. If it’s fried then don’t order it