Do you do that? Q & A about our fitness services

I'm always delighted to get calls from people anxious, but nervous to start their new workout program. I enjoy encouraging everyone to get moving! I get many questions about the scope of our fitness services and our experience with certain issues. So if you are wondering...

I am actively aging (or young and able), but what if I have bad knees, bad back, recent surgeries, or other chronic medical conditions?
You've found the right trainers for you! Post-rehab and special populations exercise are complex areas of fitness that few trainers can address. We can! Both Marisa and Stephanie have experience and expertise to work with these populations to gain amazing results and resolve biomechanical issues without pain, damage or discomfort. We pride ourselves on finding ways for "anyone" to exercise.

My doctor just told me I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. I have to get my lifestyle under control. I don't want to be on all the meds. Can you help me?
You bet! If you visit the studio on any given day, you'll find people who have started with us in similar circumstances. We specialize in lifestyle change and we'll tell you what you need to know to make big changes in manageable pieces over time. We've helped many clients find new energy, vitality, and bodies they never knew before with our method and consistent follow up.

I'm the parent of or I am an overweight teen wanting to get control of my lifestyle for the future. Do you have experience with helping teens lose weight and start healthy lifelong habits?
Absolutely! Read my bio and you'll know I have firsthand experience with this. We jump at the opportunity to help a teen get a fresh start. We see great success with our constant follow-up and expectations. We provide an environment of no-excuses with a strong emphasis on building self-esteem. We don't allow the word "can't" in our studio!

How is your method and your studio different from a traditional gym?
Short answer: We view our time with each client as a privilege. We also view and honor our client's time, investment, and trust with our absolute best abilities and whole-hearted passion. Long answer: We offer a much more personalized and warm setting. We build community among our clients and we encourage frequent dialogue, assessment, and lifestyle coaching in and out of the studio. You can't hide. You can't get lost in a crowd. You can't miss your sessions and think we won't notice. We want you to learn the healthy skills you really need and actually PRACTICE them with confidence. We won't talk on our cell phones during your sessions. We won't give you a tin can, everyone does it, workout. We don't use big machines or cumbersome equipment. We are functional trainers that use specific techniques, simple equipment and bodyweight exercises, focused conditioning, and non-supplement whole food nutrition to enhance any sport and skill level. We meet weekly to discuss EVERY client in DETAIL and strategize results, workouts, nutritional helps, and solutions to each and every issue that comes up. For every 1 minute you spend with us face to face, we spend 5 minutes behind the scenes discussing and analyzing your needs and progress. We're serious about our responsibility to you!

I have tried every diet out there and worked with trainers before only to be disappointed and discouraged, how are you different from the rest?
Experience is the difference - both in personal and professional life. Honestly, I was once a newbee trainer trying new things and techniques with each new client. I was passionate and educated, but not efficient or confident. I have worked in gyms, client's homes, corporate fitness, and group fitness for many years. Every setting has been different. Every client has been different. Each year and with each client I passionately dove into research and learned something new, received more education, and walked thru life with each of them. Thru them, I've experienced herniated discs, spinal stenosis, broken necks, spinal rods, bone plates, crushed vertebrae, collapsing vertebrae, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer rehab, infertility, painful adhesions from endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, pregnancy, high risk pregnancy, post-partum weight loss, exercise with my baby, hormonal fluctuations, diabetes, pre-diabetes, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, rehab from stroke, rehab from heart attacks, mobility after mastectomy, knee-replacement, hip-replacement, frozen shoulder, shoulder surgery, knee surgery, hip surgery, laproscopic surgery, torn ligaments, torn muscles, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, migraines, headaches, dizziness with exercise, Menier's disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, ulcers, hernias, uncooperative family members, picky eater husbands and kids, shin splints, heel spurs, and more, all while training for a triathlon, preparing for surgery, trying to lose weight by the wedding, and teaching newlyweds how to shop and cook healthy. Each person brought a new challenge and a fresh perspective on how people really get lasting results. I don't just "instruct" clients and take their payment. I thoroughly evaluate clients' bodies, lifestyles, habits, schedules, willingness to commit, and history of dieting and exercise.

I truly care that you get results and I'm truly disappointed when you give up, give in and miss your sessions. We are not the kind of trainers who just expect payment from you, we expect RESULTS!

What are you waiting for? Call or email us.

Busy Person's Daily Strategy for Healthy Eating

Wednesday we launched our nutrition and therapeutic exercise services at McKinley Chiropractic. There were healthy snacks and recipes available for patients all day. I spoke about "Innocent Eats and Skinny Treats." It seems that an area of frequent questions is lunches on the go and healthy,easy snacks.

Here are some general principles for even the busiest person:
1. Try NOT to plan in meals, focus on eating mini-meals or hearty snacks every couple of hours. Like I always say, Food is NOT an event. Food is fuel. Create a new relationship with your meal "times" and you'll end up better nourished throughout the day. Stock up your desk drawers and glove compartment with easy, slow-perishable snacks and "tie-overs." This is especially important when you're too busy to leave your desk or after a long day at the office on the way home when you're tempted to go thru the drive-thru. (Remember,don't overdo it on one food or snack,keep variety) The intention is to prevent skipping meals and fast food.
Good examples of slow-perishables are: Unsalted Raw Nuts and Seeds, Carrots and Celery (I wouldn't leave these in the car), oranges, dehydrated fruit, soynuts, plain popcorn,cherry tomatoes, rice cakes, nut butters, grapefruit, grapes, unsweetened applesauce.

2. Dedicate some time once a week to make-ahead foods. Email me for my yummy make-ahead muffin recipes and breakfast ideas. Grill a bunch of foods ahead of time and pre-package them for on the go lunches, etc. A couple hours one day a week can stretch a long way for a week's worth of pre-prepped foods.

3. Plan in water breaks. Proper hydration is as important as healthy foods. In general, you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water. Pick your favorite sized cup and determine how many ounces it can hold. Divide your total amount of water for the day by that cup size and determine how many you need to drink in one day. Then, use that number of pennies and put them in one pocket. As you drink the water, take one penny from your pocket and put it somewhere else. At the end of the day, you should be out of pennies if you drank all your water.

4. If you have to eat out, choose places that give you some control over the preparation of the food. Places like sandwich shops, chipotle, Chinese or Japanese places that allow you to choose and watch the prep process. Most of the fat, salt, and bad ingredients that give you all the extra calories and fat in restaurant food come from the prep process in the kitchen. If you can choose to "no added oil", "leave off the mayo", "no butter", "brown rice please", "double the veggies", etc on your meals then you'll have a better chance of getting a healthier meal.

More tips later...
Eat Well. Workout Smart. Breathe.

Log, Log, Log by Stephanie

I think you will all agree that losing weight requires a lot of self-discipline, and for most of us, some form of accountability. What's the best way to hold yourself accountable? Keep a journal or log!

We require all of our clients to turn in weekly food logs, because it ensures success. I personally like www.sparkpeople.com. It's so easy to give yourself a little treat each day... because you had a hard day at work... or you walked extra today... or what ever little trip up we talk ourselves into. By logging your food,  you will see that the little "innocent" treat is destroying your results. Don't get me wrong, we all deserve an occasional treat! 

Logging will enlighten you about which food choices are too high in fat, too high in calories, too high in sugar, etc. Logging also makes it easy to find trends of bad-eating habits... such as emotional eating, eating too little early in the day and too much late in the day, overeating due to not drinking enough water, etc... that are keeping you in a weight loss plateau. 

So I challenge you, grab a notebook or start a sparkpeople account and start logging today! 

Nutrition can give you Allergy Relief!

In Central Texas, if you don't have bad allergies to cedar, ragweed, oak, elm, etc then you are a rare gem. Most people around here suffer from at least one of them and when their season hits, wooeeeee, get out the tissues! I am no exception. I was recently tested for various allergens and tested positive for all types of grasses, Class V for Cedar, Oak Pollen, American Elm, Dust Mites, some other outdoor stuff, and various others. Did I mention I have asthma? If you've ever been out to the studio, you know my property has plenty of all those trees. But, I do VERY well during all the seasons because I prepare my body, and I am VIGILANT to keep myself on the offensive instead of the defensive with my allergies. Here's how to do it. Remember you've got to do these things before, during, and after for best control of the red-eyed, stuffy nosed, grouchy headed Allergy Monster.

HERE ARE NUTRITIONAL APPROACHES TO ALLERGY RELIEF that will help the body deal with it's reaction to allergens.

Stay hydrated! Water, water, water... The body is always at it's best when it's properly hydrated.

Avoid refined sugar! Sugar lowers the immune response and leaves us more vulnerable. Read labels and avoid it. This is especially important for kids who suffer with allergies. Watch out for those sugar cereals, soft drinks, energy drinks, desserts and flavored yogurts! No corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

Eat Anti-inflammatory foods. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Increase Omega 3s. Our inflammatory response is largely regulated by essential dietary fats. Eat more cold-water fish, such as salmon, at least once or twice a week. Wild Alaskan salmon has higher concentrations of omega-3s than farm-raised fish. Remember deep fried fish doesn't count! Olive oil has the bonus of being rich in anti-inflammatory omega-9 fats. BUT!!!! Do NOT add olive oils to everything you eat, it's still fat and you can get too much of a good thing.

Increase fiber and anti-oxidants. This means eating plenty of high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables like dark leafy salad greens, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, onions and garlic which all have powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Non starchy, high-fiber berries and kiwi also pack a big antioxidants punch. Quercetin, which helps to reduce inflammation and stabilize mast cells involved in allergic reactions is found in apples and onions. Carotenoids like beta carotene and lycopene found in carrots, tomatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, pink grapefruit, are also important nutrients.

No thanks to Dairy foods. There are many reasons to avoid dairy, but as far as allergies go, dairy products are known to increase mucus production and increase asthmatic symptoms. Personally, this is the number ONE thing that helps me. That means no yogurt, cheese, milk, etc.

More food for thought. Beef is a known “concomitant” allergen to cedar and juniper. It can exacerbate these allergies also.

Bananas, citrus fruits, melons, chocolate, and caffeine can also exacerbate allergies in some people. Do your allergies get worse on the days you eat these fruits?

If you have a ragweed allergy, avoid chamomile and canteloupe.

In years past, I have suffered immensely during this season. I used to sneeze all day and then get so exhausted from the symptoms, I'd crash in the afternoons tired and cranky. While I still feel my body fighting the allergies, it's MUCH less than in year's past. I still sneeze when I walk outside and I have blown my nose a few times in the last couple of days, but my body is able to deal with it much better. I'm not tired, my eyes are not itchy, my throat is fine, and the sneezing and runny nose pass after about 10 minutes. In years past, I would do my best to achieve dietary excellence by eating to prevent my allergies with the tips mentioned above. I eat plenty of the right fruits and veggies for the fiber and essential nutrients. I eat only whole grains, no refined grains or sugar. I add flax to my smoothies in the morning. And, I drink plenty of clean water. So, what is the difference between this year and year's past? Juice Plus+, which has powerful anti-oxidant fruits and veggies. It's vine-ripened, pesticide-free whole fruits and veggies juiced and dehydrated in capsules. I still strive to keep by body prepared for allergy season with good eating, but now I give my allergies a second big punch of fight with Juice Plus. That's another reason I'm a raving fan! It's proven with clinical research to raise the levels of anti-oxidants in the blood. If you're sniffling and rubbing your itchy eyes in the next few days, get to the grocery store to stock up on God's healing produce, and try Juice Plus+ . Visit the website marketplace to read more about it and try it or call me 512-350-9177. www.bodyinteriors.com

The longer you strive for dietary excellence, the better prepared your body is to deal with the allergy season. Start today and continue year round to get the best results!

Beautiful day outside

Today is a day of love for living in Texas. It's just perfect outside. 77 degrees, blue skies, soft breeze. I've been taking clients outside to enjoy their workouts in the breeze. So fun! Today I'm going to set up the open air "Cardio Lounge". I'm really excited at the whole concept. Imagine being able to treadmill, bike, etc in the open fresh air. Everyone's gonna' love it.
Off to more fresh air...
-Marisa

Yikes over Hurricane Ike

I admit I have very little time for TV watching. I'm terribly under-informed about local news and national politics. Rest assured, I read all the time. I'll keep up with international news farely regularly. Mostly, I'm a health geek and read exclusively that area. All of this to say that I've made many efforts to watch the news the last few days to see the path of Hurricane Ike. A few days ago, the news said it was headed straight for us. I'm NOT an alarmist by any means, but the news was making me wonder if I should be in this case. They kept reminding - Go fill up your gas tank, buy the needed groceries, stock up on batteries, eek, ah, panic, and franticly prepare. It's headed straight for us! Everyone was expecting the worst and preparing for it. I waited 25 minutes in a long line just to get gas. This morning I went to pick up some needed groceries (I would have gone with or without a hurricane) and the aisles where picked over and shelves bare. Now, the path has changed and we're set to get rain and winds. Nothing on the level that was expected before. No need for panic, just a bad rain storm. Yet everyone has a filled gas tank, plenty of bottled water, batteries to light up a stadium, and bread to feed an army. For what?

Okay, you want to know what I've been thinking this whole time since the hurricane preparedness started, "If people will prepare for the catastrophe of a storm, why will they not prepare for the catastrophe of a major health crisis? Which, in many cases, is much worse, more intrusive, more life-changing, more expensive, more inconvenient, and more depressing. " I'm not down-playing the need to prepare for a hurricane, I'm simply making the point that there are MANY hurricane-like events in life that have to do with our health, and we do little if anything to prevent them or prepare for them. I'll be the first to tell you obesity can kill you! Poor eating habits can kill you! Lack of exercise can kill you! Lack of consumption of fruits and vegetables can kill you! Being constantly stressed out can kill you! That may seem extreme, but all of those poor lifestyle choices can lead to degenerative diseases and ultimately death by those diseases and conditions. I so wish that we knew exactly where, when, to what intensity, etc. that a hurricane will hit. But, we just don't know for sure. We can only go by "models" and the knowledge and experience of meterologists and past research. Well, we've actually more research and knowledge about your health and it's demise than we do about weather. Based on what experts know about obesity, lack of exercise, stress, fruits and veggies, and other poor lifestyle choices, you should be doing SOMETHING to prepare for a possible health storm. What are you doing to prepare or prevent? Or are you just going to take your chances and play the odds? Just so you know, the odds are really against you....

Back Home...

I'm back in Texas. I came home to a clean house and flowers from my sweet hubby. What a wonderful surprise. I've hugged and kissed the family and it feels good to be home. On the airplane I tried to start catching up by evaluating clients nutrition plans and logs. It was an emotional flight. I went from "Good choice!" moments to "What were you thinking?" frustrations for hours. It just made me realize, we've got work to do. So, I'm spending the rest of the day loving on my family and sharing photos of little David, but tomorrow I'm going to breathe fire and fairies on all of you who need a kick in the butt to keep motivated! Diet Coke and a granola bar is NOT breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, I got it out. Sorry, but not really.

Eat right today, please.

It's a Boy!

On Friday, Sept. 5th at 11:43am my new nephew David Michael Coibion was born. His stats: 7lbs 6 oz and 20 in long. He's just a sweet bundle of "mmmmmmm!!!" I feel so blessed to have been here in Atlanta for the birth. Even though I've given birth twice myself, I had never seen a baby born from the other side. There are no words to describe the flood of emotions or the shear joy of the moment. Without realizing it, I had tears streaming down my face as I watched little David cry for the first time and take his first breath in a new environment. Overwhelming in the best way. My time here in Atlanta has been wonderful. It's been fun to take a vacation for such a special occasion. I haven't had much time to think about fitness or nutrition (well actually I've been managing the meals and making sure that Karin gets the best nutrition for breastfeeding and Jake for his gastro issues, anyway...), but I've been walking around in awe of the human body and what it is capable of. And when I'm not busy cooking or helping out, I've got a 7 lb blessing breathing softly against my face as he sleeps on my shoulder or my chest. Peace, relaxation and thoughts of my sweet boys when they were that age. They grow so fast. I realize that I didn't memorize enough moments or take enough pictures or spend enough time just enjoying the tiniest details of every passing day as my boys have been growing. This trip has certainly changed my perspective on priorities and savoring every moment with my kids while teaching them the importance of a balanced life. I go home tomorrow with a new excitement to see my handsome hubby and the boys to enjoy them in new way. I've actually missed everyone at home and all my clients. At different moments throughout the day I thought of "Oh, I should tell this person about this... or that..." or I hope Stephanie is having a good day. Or, I hope I gave Kristin the right info, etc.

My mind just never stopped with all the emotions brimming to the surface. The only thing that made my mind clear, my breathe slow, and my heart sing was looking as little David, holding him, cuddling him, kissing his soft cheeks, watching him sleep, cheering him on as learned to nurse or open his eyes. Deep cleansing breathes and deep renewing energy to go home and keep reminding everyone about taking time for themselves, remembering what's important, taking care of the fragile body that's a gift (not a burden), and living vibrantly to enjoy the special moments like the birth of new love. My heart is full and I have new memories to draw from when life gets hectic. I'm sure I'll force myself to read this post again and again.....

Headed back to Texas tomorrow...

Travel to Atlanta, Baby Bootcamp

What a day! Started the day as usual and trained the morning clients. Then off to San Antonio to fly out to Atlanta. Got here in the late afternoon. My sister -in-law Karin greeted me with a 40 week belly and warm hugs. Read about the Coibion baby news at http://coibionfamily.blogspot.com We wasted no time and headed out directly from the airport for a smoothie and a pedicure. Got to have pretty toes for the new baby! It was relaxing and fun to catch up. As soon as we got to her house, it was time for baby bootcamp. We practiced our acupressure locations for labor (which really did make some things happen), did some stretching, ate a lite dinner, and headed for a long walk. We've had some contractions tonight, so we'll see. Tomorrow's plan is a doctor visit, some shopping, and more walking, stretching, and massage until that baby makes his or her grand appearance. Can't wait...

So, I had a busy day. How about you? Did you get any exercise in? I managed to get in workouts in 2 states including a 2 mile walk and stretching. I also ate really well. Breakfast as usual, a grilled sun dried tomoto paninni for lunch, pineapple smoothie for snack and a fabulous chicken and veggie soup for dinner. What about you? I challenge you to make the time, make the choice, and make the change... more tomorrow and maybe a baby....

Labor Day Fresh Start

Okay, It's Sep 1st and last night Dan and I spent hours working on fixing the blog problem on the website and getting caught up on some web maintenance. Last Friday, Stephanie, Kristin and I had a meeting to review surveys, plan, and just have some quality time together. We decided on many new changes to help improve our quality of services and follow up. We've been so busy lately that our goings and comings have been short and sweet with little time to really talk about how business is doing. We also decided to close the afternoon and evening schedule to focus more time on our existing clients and begin a waiting list. Wow, a waiting list. I have to pinch myself at the thought of having so many clients among us that we actually have a need for a waiting list. Awesome! Thanks to all the clients who look so good that we just keep getting people beating down the door to get on the schedule.

On to more interesting things. You'll be surprised to note that I actually made brownies yesterday with Zeke. If you don't already know, I'm not much of a baker. I don't have a sweet tooth and most dessert items are really not worth it to me for the calorie and fat hit. But, my sweet boys have a mean sweet tooth and when I asked Zeke what special thing he would like to do, he said "Make brownies!" So, off we went to the store to find the ingredients for a healthy brownie. You know it was going to be healthy somehow, it's ME we're talking about. I had found a couple of recipes on the internet to try but we ended up buying a mix from the store from the gluten free, whole food section. We made them adding some choco chips and they turned out fantastic. Dan was shocked that something with no real sugar could be so good. He's a good judge. Sugar is certainly his thing. I know, how could he marry me? I don't know, love is blind and I guess that extends to taste buds too. Unfortunately, I threw away the package and took out the trash before realizing that I needed to note the brand name for next time. I'll look when I'm at the store next time, because I'm sure you're wanting to know which one. Someone remind me...

I'm off to pack for my trip to Atlanta. I'm so excited! Karin and Jake, my sister and brother-in-law are due to have their baby next week and I'm crossing my fingers to be there for it. I really love being an aunt even though I'm so far away from the niece and nephew. I get to spoil someone elses kids since everyone seems to spoil mine. I'm actually paying for the extra bag on the airplane because I'm taking so much stuff for them. Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, random gifts, it's so fun. I'm off....

Remember, eat well. Workout Smart. and Breathe Deeply. Great day to you!
-Marisa