Snacks are a problem for many people trying to lose weight. Are they a dieter’s enemy? They don’t have to be.

Problems with snacks come from failing to pick, plan, and prepare for success. In our Slim Down weight loss class we address this important issue.

PICK THE RIGHT SNACKS

Picking the right kind of snack will have a major impact on your fat loss efforts. An article at www.womensabworkout.com lists 4 healthy snack options: yogurt, peanut butter (natural), almonds, and blueberries. These are great snacks and all on the list of healthy snack options our Slim Down class participants get.

A few comments on a couple of these foods.

Be careful when selecting yogurt. Look at the fat content and whether or not there are added sugars.  Some yogurt brands have added fiber, which adds to the total calories, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Read the ingredient list on the peanut butter jar as well. Ideally, there will be two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Not really any need for more than that.

A few more simple, healthy snack options:

• Walnuts

Loaded with healthy fats. Try a handful with an apple.

• Hard-boiled Egg

Limit yourself to a couple of these a week or remove the yolk.

• String Cheese (low fat)

Another great protein source.

• Dry Cereal (whole grain)

Good substitute for chips and adds fiber.

You’ve picked well. Now it’s time to plan.

PLAN TO SNACK

We’ve all heard it over and over, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” This holds true with diet and fitness as much as anything. Picking the right kinds of snacks is a big part of the planning process. Another aspect of planning is working out your snack schedule.

Eating numerous smaller meals (5-6) throughout the day is a better idea than 2 or 3 big meals. Your snacks are part of this daily plan. The goal is not to let yourself get too hungry. For most people this means eating something every 4 hours or so. That means you should plan for a mid-morning snack, one mid-afternoon, and another at night. (The nighttime snack need might vary depending on your dinner time.)

You have your snack plan, now it’s important to prepare. A great plan will still fail without adequate preparation.

PREPARE TO SNACK

First part of preparing is somewhat obvious – go shopping! Stock your shelves with the right kinds of snacks (throw away the junk if it’s still in your pantry).

One of the things to stock up on is small bags or containers. Healthy snacks can still sabotage your efforts if the portions are too big. Take the time to weigh and count. Consider using some time over the weekend to get the next week’s snacks ready. The extra work will pay off all week long.

One more ‘P’ – PLANT. Stash a few emergency “baggies” at the office or in the car. These can bail you out when you’re feeling a little hungry or when the office donuts are getting passed around.

Snacks are the downfall of many dieters but they can be the key to weight loss success. Just pick,  plan, and prepare.

There are a few words and phrases that make our boot campers especially happy when they hear them. Here are a few:

1. Grab a Power Wheel
2. As many rounds as possible (AMRAP)
3. Bear Crawl
4. This last round is a double
5. …BURPEES!!
6. Jump Rope – 100 forward and 100 backward
7. Grab a heavy weight!
8. The finisher is
9. Last round? maintain your number!
10. Calisthenic warm-up

What are the words that make you glad you showed up for boot camp class?

Are you new to fitness boot camp? These workouts are demanding. We don’t want you to get discouraged. Here’s some advice that should help.

Get Your Mind Ready

As we like to say, these boot camp classes will kick your ass. You don’t pay for an easy workout. These sessions will be rigorous both physically and mentally. Chances are you haven’t pushed yourself this hard in a long time, maybe never. Your brain is going to try and talk you out of it. Just be prepared for the mental battle. You can win it!

Be Smart, Start Slowly

For the first two weeks, work within yourself. Don’t push too hard. Work at a moderately comfortable pace. It’s ok to go easy and or stop during any exercise as needed. Gradually increase volume and intensity as your body adapts to the stress of exercise.

Listen To Your Body

Listening to your body is critical. You have to learn to interpret the pain signals. Without a doubt you are going to be sore the day after boot camp. That kind of pain is ok. If you experience sharp pain, then stop and let the boot camp instructor know. There is nothing to be gained from injuring yourself.  It’s one thing when your body (or brain) is telling you it doesn’t want to do any more bear crawls, you can push through that, but when the message is coming from your lower back or a particular joint, then you probably want to pay attention.

Talk To The Instructor

Our boot camp instructors are certified personal trainers. They know how to train people. Even within the group setting it is possible to scale the exercises to an individual’s ability. Not every exercise that we do in boot camp class will work for every person. our job as the instructor is to modify the exercises to work for you. For instance: Just because you can’t run, doesn’t mean you can’t do boot camp class. We have several ways to help you achieve a similar result. If you are having particular difficulty with an exercise, get the instructor’s attention and tell them what is happening. They are there to help.

(Be warned. Telling Rob you don’t like bear crawls will not get you any mercy.)

There may be times when you have to stop or rest.

Be Patient But Be Persistent

Being patient with yourself is extremely important. Don’t compare yourself to others in the class unless you are competitive. Keep in mind that your most important competition is with yourself. There are exercises where we monitor performance. Our only concern is that you strive, over time, to improve your own personal performance, not that you are first in the class. Everyone has to start somewhere and change takes time. It took awhile to get your self out of shape, and it may take awhile to get back in to shape. You will get stronger. Your endurance will increase.

Having a positive attitude will make it easier to reach your fitness goals. (Easier NOT easy.)

Give it time

Fitness boot camp is a great way to get in shape but it is not magic. As with any fitness endeavor, you need to take the long term view.

Commit to the Program and then Show Up

Showing up is half the battle. It may take you as much effort to get to class as it does to do the workout. Consistency is one of the most important requirements of any exercise program. Nothing will work without it. Commit to yourself that nothing is going to get in your way. You might consider recruiting one of your fellow boot campers to help with your accountability. A little extra motivation will help.

If you’re new to fitness boot camp, this advice should be helpful. Give it your best effort. You’re worth it! And feel free to share any suggestions you have as well.

In this video I talk about why and how I started the fitness boot camp class at Fitness by Design.