Are we human or are we dancer?

LOVE this song!

My shout out to Bethenny Frankel!

I recently downloaded Bethenny Frankel's audiobook "Naturally Thin" and there was one suggestion she made that I absolutely love. She talks about downsizing.

"When it comes to plates, size matters." Ok...brilliant. I don't know about you, but our dinner plates are huge. You can put 2 servings on a plate and it still looks kind of empty. So you add more food to the plate to fill it up a bit and end up eating more than you wanted to begin with. So... the solution here is eat off of smaller plates. We are a country that super sizes our portions, so many of us don't even know what a single portion really even looks like. Or when we do measure out a single portion it just looks so much smaller than what we are used to.

So here it is...make a change. You don't have to go out and buy all new plates. Just buy a few smaller ones and test this out. Your plates can be used as a guide as you retrain yourself to downsize your portions.

Here is the challenge for this weekend. Try eating your dinner from a salad plate. Your cereal from a rice bowl. And my absolute favorite was Bethenny's suggestion to invest in 1/2 cup ramakins. Use these to portion out your treats or cheats...like chips or a scoop of ice cream. Excited to try it? I was! Little things can make a big difference. And as you become comfortable with these portions at home, you'll be able recognize a portion when you are at a restaurant or party. Did you know some restaurant portions serve FOUR people? The servings are out of control and we feel guilty if we only eat 1/4 of it. Well no need to feel guilty, recognize a portion or eat a little bit more if you happen to be hungrier that day and take the rest home. No need to lick the plate clean. You can start tomorrow. Be done and done with oversized portions and make sure to enjoy your meal without the guilt. Baby steps to a healthier you!

Britney did it AGAIN

I have to admit, I love me some Britney! Album comes out next week, and I am looking forward to it. Britney you did it again girl, topped the charts!
Song of the day

Do something crazy...it's WEDNESDAY!

Wednesdays are crazy days for me, so why not make them a little crazier. Let's make Wednesday our day to try something new, drop a bad habit or do something crazy!

We have 2 more days of intensive camp and the ladies are totally rocking it out! I am super excited to say that most if not all of my students this week have taken on the challenge of eliminating sweeteners and all that fat free/sugar free wannnabe food...awesome! Even if you are not in camp this week, I encourage you to try and do the same.

Now how about trying something new? Try KOMBUCHA.

http://www.synergydrinks.com

It's been used around the world for centuries to help promote health and wellness. Check out some of the amazing properties of Kombucha. Makes you want to drink want right now, doesn't it?

Kombucha:
increases energy levels
decreases appetite
improves digestion
promotes healthier skin and hair
stronger immune system

Get a little crazy and try it :) I would love to hear what you think of it.

Check back tomorrow as I give Bethenny Frankel a shout out for her really great advice and of course share it with you as well. Also stay tuned as I will be announcing the dates for Master Class, Summer Shape-Up Intensive Camp, summer camps and more classes.

Enjoy the rest of your crazy Wednesday!

Just added to my quote page:
"You don’t set out to build a wall. You don’t say I’m going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that’s every been built. You don’t start there. You say I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. …. You do that every single day, and soon you have a wall."

Song of the day

Song of the day

Our Early Morning Secret

Dancer Sculpt camp workouts burn alot of fat....ALOT...up to 30% more than a routine you may be doing. Really? Yes, really. And here's just one reason why.

Our 75 min class starts at 5:30 AM. Working out in the morning versus later in the day burns more fat. In the morning your levels of stored carbohydrate and blood sugar levels are really low...because you have not eaten for approximately 8 hours. This is the most efficient state for your body to burn more fat and less carbohydrate. And if you workout on an empty stomach..you burn even more fat. Is this really true??? It is and it's really simple.

You burn more fat because the glycogen (carbohydrate) isn't available in the morning after not eating for so many hours. So if the primary source of energy isn't there...then the body uses the secondary source...body fat.

Early morning workouts with moves designed to give great muscle tone and a feminine physique. That's our early morning secret.

Isn't this a good reason to be a morning person ;)

Song of the day

Fun song...great for plies!

Want to be in a music video?

So maybe you have heard me play Shannon Micol's "Haunted" in class? I am a huge fan of hers! Want to be in her new video, check out her website for all the details!

Come enjoy the music and be part of the video!



Shannon Micol - No More Cinderella
www.shannonmicol.com

EXTRAS WANTED FOR MUSIC VIDEO! RSVP to be an EXTRA for Shannon Micol's music video and be entered to win one of several door prizes at the video shoot on April 7, 2011 at 9pm, Great Hall 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto

Be Done and DONE!

So what's the first thing I tell my students? Drop the artificial sweeteners and the fat free food...be DONE AND DONE with it!
Somewhere along the line we decided that drinking diet coke like it was water was ok because it was calorie free. And there was no way we should drink anything with calories like fresh juice or even a regular coke. Hundred calorie packs, fat free food, sugar free food replaced REAL food. What's in this stuff??? Really what are you eating when you eat this stuff? Is it doing anything for your body? Are you eating it because it will help you reach your goals and get more fit?

OK it's actually just the opposite. Eating this stuff is most likely making you hold on to weight. I know it's a hard habit to break...but try it for one week or even one day. Drop the sweeteners (yes splenda too) and the fat free junk. See how you feel and how your blood sugar becomes more stable and how you are actually LESS hungry. Not to mention your abs, less bloated and flatter..you will notice it within the first few days. Promise! I won't even go into the labeling and studies about the sweeteners causing cancer in rats. Google it if you want more details.

So what can you drink instead? Here are a few things to try:

Water ;) Add some lemon or orange slices if you don't like it plain
Green Tea (unsweetened of course)
Kombucha - this stuff is amazing in every way
Diluted juice or you can mix it with seltzer
Hint Water (Infused water/no calories)
Craving soda? Drink regular soda..drink 1 just not everyday
Fresh juice - Carrot,beet,ginger is my favorite! Not to mention all the antioxidants you get in one glass.

So as we start another session of camp tomorrow, this is the first thing I tell the ladies that they should change in their diet...and not look back. Be DONE AND DONE!!! I don't think any of my students regret giving up sweeteners and they have all seen changes....for the better. So try it for one day, two days, one week....can't wait to hear about your progress!

Song of the day