You Deserve it!

Here's something a good trainer friend of mine shared with me regarding what he tells his clients when they find it difficult to resist all the temptations such as coffee, fast food, crisps, sweets, etc. 

He shares with them that we often give in to these temptations by telling ourselves that we deserve it.  If we have a bad day of work we reach for that chocolate bar, or if we have to get up extra early we justify that extra cup of coffee.  We always find a way to justify these temptations, but the truth is what we really deserve is to fill our bodies with good nutritious food.  We owe it to ourselves!  If we feed our body good things then the benefits will be increased energy, improved circulation, vitality and well-being.  

Next time you are tempted to reach for those empty calories, think to yourself: Do I really deserve this?  

My Next Challenge - Check it out!

My greatest challenge yet is coming up.  It's the London Flora Marathon 2009.  I've completed 2 marathons in the past therefore that isn't my challenge.  The challenge is training through the winter!  

I've always chosen to do autumn marathons meaning most of my training has been through the summer.  Keep up with how I'm surviving by reading my running blog: Click HERE  

I'll share with you what I am doing for training, what I'm eating, what kinds of supplements I'm taking, and simply how I am getting on.

I hope that my blog will inspire you, not necessarily with running a marathon but with facing whatever challenges you have ahead of you.  I want to show you by that taking one day at a time and at times one step at a time that you too can accomplish anything.  

Whether your challenge is sticking to a new nutrition plan, an exercise plan, or something more personal, whatever it is that you too can get there.  No one said it will easy but the rewards will be life changing.

My philosophy: Stop dreaming and start doing!

Healthy Recipes For Work

Stuck for ideas of what to take to work for lunch and snacks?

If so....Check out the sneak preview to my book: 101 Recipes For TheOffice. Click HERE Included in the preview are FREE recipes for you to tryout.

I hope you enjoy these free recipes as well as reading theintroduction to my book as to why I would take the time to creat abook of healthy recipes specifically to take to the office.

If you enjoy the recipes and would like the remainder, simply click HERE Hope you enjoy your free recipes!In Health and HappinessRosa.ps. questions or comments please write to me at contact@rocofit.com

In Health and Happiness
Rosa

Is eating FRUIT the same as eating CAKE?

Could eating fruit be keeping you from reaching you're fat loss goals?

If you're trying to lose a lot of fat or simply looking to lose those last few pounds then keep reading.

Let's start from the beginning:

We all know our body needs food to provide us with energy, but how does it do this? It uses mainly carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugars that your body stores as glycogen for to use as energy.

There are two types of carbohydrates: Simple and Complex. All carbohydrates are made of sugar. Complex carbohydrates are made up of hundreds of sugars molecules, these are your startches and fibrous foods that provide you with sustained energy as they take longer to digest.

We're going to look more closely at simple carbohydrates. These consist of one to two sugars thus their name; simple. Simple sugars include refined sugars such as cakes, biscuits and fizzy drinks as well as natural sources found in fruits. Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly and give you energy quickly.

So is eating fruit the same as eating cake? Definitely not.

Fruit is full of vitamins and fibre that is important for a healthy balanced diet however, what is important is when you choose to eat fruit. The sugar in fruit is a simple sugar called fructose. Remember simple sugars are used immediately by your body for energy so if your glycogen levels are low then your body will use them, if not then your body will store them as fat.

Note: If you follow a low GI diet and are confused as many fruits are low GI it's because the liver releases fructose as fat. Fat does not raise insulin levels and therefore doesn't increase your sugar levels rapidly.

So should you eat fruit or not?

YES but it's all about timing. The best time to eat fruit is first thing in the morning for breakfast or right after a work out. The reason being at these times your glycogen levels are low. Eating fruit at this time will help in your recovery. During the day your liver gylcogen levels are more likely to be full and therefore eating simple carbs could lead to the storage of fat.

So go ahead, enjoy your fruit at the right times!

Try: apples, grapefruit, lemon, cataloupe, organces, blueblerries, cherries, blackberries or strawberries.

Enjoy!

There's still time to get in shape for summer!

Summer is very near and as the weather becomes warmer and you try to find ways to cool yourself down with nice treats such as a cold beer, a chilled glass of wine or even a deliciousous ice cream, think twice! As the old saying goes 'a moment on your lips, a lifetime on your hips!'

Ice cream is very high in fat and sugar, as well depending on the kind of ice cream you’re eating it may also contain colourants and preservatives. Alcohol as well is high in sugar and contains 7 calories/ gram. It may not sound like much however if you consider that fat contains 9 calories/ gram, you can almost think of drinking as the same as drinking fat…yikes!

Before you add on those extra empty calories, remember that you no longer have that nice winter coat to cover up with, summer means wearing slightly more revealing clothing.

What to do? Here's a solution!

As a treat in place of ice cream, make yourself a fruity smoothy. Mix organic bio live yoghurt, frozen mixed berries, and a bit of agave nectar. The yoghurt makes it creamy, the frozen berries makes it thick and cool and the agave nectar is a natural way of sweetening it. Agave nectar can be found in most health food shops and some super markets. It's a natural sweetner for the agave plant in mexico and is low GI, meaning it won't give you a sugar spike.

Rather than the ice cold beer and wine, try having sparking water with lemon and/ or fresh mint to taste, also add a bit of agave nectar. This is an excellent refreshing drink.

Make the smart choices now and you're still in plenty of time to shed those few pounds before summer is truly here!

As well to give yourself an extra boost to shedding those pounds, start moving your body as well as thinking about what to eat. Try resistance training to build muscle and help burn fat. Your body burns more calories at rest to maintain muscle than fat.

What should you do? As the weather becomes warmer, it’s a great idea to work outdoors.

Try training with a friend in the park. There’s no need to carry equipment around with you, you’re body weight is the best portable weight!

Try this circuit:

1) 5 Press ups
2) 5 forward lunges
3) 5 reverse lunges
4) 5 dips off a bench
5) 5 squats

Do this circuit 5 times with a 2 minute rest in between each set. If you’re still feeling quite energetic then have a few short races with your friend. Choose a tree or something approximately 100m’s away. Have a rest and do it again!


Enjoy the nice weather, look great and feel great all at the same time!

Remember to sign up to my FREE NEWLETTER http://www.rocofit.com/newsletter

Powerful Weightloss Tools!

Want to look the best you've ever looked? Feel better than you've ever felt? Be the best you you've ever been?

I'm sure the answer is YES!

How to do it you wonder?

By Effective Goal Setting and Pre Empting Excuses. Sounds simple, but don't underestimate the power of these tools.

Here are 3 steps to getting you closer to a healthier, happier you!

1.Goal Setting. This is the most important of all 12 principles! Without a clear goal, then you can not have clear direction. The most important thing about goal setting is that it is realistic and very specific. For example it's not enough to just say you want to lose weight, or even to say that you want to lose 10lbs.

Here's what to do:

Choose a date in the future including the day, month, and year; it's a good idea to choose a date that may be significant to you or a date that's linked to special event.
Next describe where you will be when you know you have achieved your goal. Will you be in your room in front of the mirror? Will you be sitting at your desk in your office? Be specific!
Finally how will you know you achieved it. Will you be doing up your belt and realise you've had to tighten it a few notches? WIll you be putting on your favourite outfit and realise if fits perfectly? What will you look like and feel like from head to toe?
Get the picture? Start to live that moment as if it has already happened.

2. Visualise Your Goal. It's critical that you don't go through the hard work of setting your goal simply to forget about it. Visualise it every single day! Choose a time in the morning or a time when you're on your way to work, basically a time when you know you have a few minutes to reflect on and live the moment in which you have achieved your goal.

3. No Excuses. At the start of each day think of potential moments or situations that may put you off track. Come up with a plan before they happen. For example if you know you have to meet a friend for dinner, think ahead and choose a place that you know will have healthy meals that you can choose from. If you know you're going to have a busy evening, fit your exercise in to the morning or at lunch. Be one step ahead, all the time!

I know this is just the start of a HEALTHIER HAPPIER YOU! Go for it! Give it a try

Fix your broken bum!

If you work long hours in an office and spend a great portion of that time sitting chances are you're suffering from a broken bum!

A well functioning bottom is crucial for good posture. Your glutes are the largest mucle in your body, they're responsible for stabilising your hips and protecting your lower back. Chances are if you suffer from lower back pain or knee problems the reason could potentially come down to your glutes not working properly.

What to do? Here are two very effective exercises that will not only fix your bum to improve your posture and hip stability but will have you looking great in those jeans!

Exercise #1 Side Glute Raises
My friend Laurie takes you through this exercise. This is a great one to start with! Go here to have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azt0TnyhlXM

Exercise #2 Reverse Lunges
I take you through my favourite exercise to get those glutes fired! Go here to check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZDkAK6CDQM

Combine these two and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how great your glutes will feel!

----------------------------------------------------------------

Remember if you'd like to receive more information on health, fitness and motivation. Simply sign up to rocofit's newsletter. It's easy, just click HERE

Flat Abs Fast!

There are many programs and books out there promising you FLAT ABS. I'm not about to tell you how bad they all are, what I want to tell you is that all the good ones ALWAYS include a nutrition component.


The truth is, you can do as many crunches and sit ups as you want, you might become stronger but you won't see that 6 pack until you've lost the fat.


Here's the fastest way to lose fat:


1) Eat every 2-3 hours
2) Eat breakfast and include protein
3) DRINK Water
4) Eat the right foods (cut out wheat, alcohol, sugar, caffeine and dairy other than yoghurt and organic butter)




Here's a perfect day:


8am: Breakfast (scrambled eggs and smoked salmon)

10:30am:Snack (Apple and 12 Brazil Nuts)

1pm: Lunch (Chicken and avacado sandwhich made with wheat free rye bread, and sliced

carrots and cucumber with houmus)

4pm:Snack (Plain bio live yoghurt with chopped mango and mixed seeds)

7pm: Dinner (Chicken breast with roasted peppers and courgettes and baked sweet potato

wedges)


There's no secret to flat abs, no need to spend money on fancy programs, simply work hard at your nutrition, exercise regularly and the flat abs will come.


Here's a few of exercises from my colleagues and I to get you started: (Click on each exercise)


The PLANK
The CURL
The LEG THROW This is quite advanced. Ensure your lower back is pressed in to the ground. Only do this exercise when you feel you are strong and would like to move to the next level.


Save your money, commit, put the hard work in, and enjoy your results!
---------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------
Feel like every day is like the next? Have a look at the most AMAZING LIFE CHANGING program. You won't regret it. CLICK HERE for the Magic 100, You won't regret it! It's changed my life, I've never acheived so much in such a short time.
---------------------------------------------------
In Health and Happiness
Rosa.

What's Your Creed?

My friend Dax Moy author of the Magic 100 has just put together a short video of his creed. A couple minutes of your time to watch this can change your life!

Click HERE to watch.

You'll want to START LIVING each day like it's magic!

This has has trully inspired me and has me thinking of what my own creed is. Have you thought of yours? Go for it! Check out the short clip.

Life's too short to let each day pass you by, days quickly turn into weeks, weeks to years, years to decades...before you know it you're wondering where the time went.

Don't look back and think 'if only'. START LIVING each day like it's a gift, BE YOUR BEST, encourage those around you to be their best.

Live every day likes it's Magic !

STOP dreaming about your dreams and START living them!

I have to confess, I've been keeping a secret....sort of

Here it is:

In the last 6 months I have accomplished more than I could have possibly hoped for or dreamed of. I've set goals and have achieved all of them. These include:


1. Successfully changing careers

2. Writing 2 books (Both will go on sale in the next month)

3. Purchasing my first flat

4. Generating mailing lists of thousands of people

5. Finding brilliant clients and maximizing my weekly appointments

6. Going on 2 vacations in last 6 months (I want to go on 1 every 3 months)

7. Running Berlin Marathon in under 3:42 (my goal was for under 4 hours)


I list these not to brag but rather to share with you the idea that you too can achieve your dreams, most importantly you can do it NOW and not in a years time or several years time.


How did I do it?

I used Dax Moy's (One of the UK's Top Fitness Experts) Magic 100. It really is Magic! It has changed my life. For the first time I feel like I'm living my dream rather than just dreaming it.

I say I kept this a secret simply because I never thought to share it with you and all the other members of my mailing lists.

I simply told my friends and family about it. It wasn't until I was talking to a friend about my newsletters and my success that I realized that I need to share this information with as many people as possible.

After all I truly believe that you are only as successful as your ability to positively impact the lives of others.

Click Here to start living your dream and not just dreaming it!

Once you've started living your dream email me your success stories, I'd love to hear them!


In Health and Happiness

Rosa.
contact@rocofit.com

Are you a grape or a raison?

If you're drinking at least 1 litre of water for every 25kg then
CONGRATULATIONS you're a GRAPE! No need to keep reading, unless you want to reaffirm what a great thing you're doing for your body. If you're not drinking enough water then keep reading, you're a RAISON!

We all know that water is vital to health! So much so that without
it we could not survive, yet many people do not take drinking water
as seriously as they should.

If you're not drinking enough water here are a few side effects you
may be already experiencing or may experience in the near future:


Effects of dehydration:

Weight gain
Headaches
Tiredness
Constipation
Sore back
Muscle cramping
Dry skin
Viscous blood
Poor muscle tone
Kidney stones
Water retention
Heartburn
Stomach aches
Depression, Irritation
Nausea

Sadly I could go on but I think you get the picture! Ready to start
drinking more water? Here are some tips to get you started.

1) At the start of each day fill a couple of bottles of your required amount for the day. This will prevent you from guessing at the end of the day if you've had enough

2) If you don't enjoy the taste of water, try adding a couple of
lemon slices

3) Set yourself timers to remind yourself. It's so easy to get
caught up in a project for several hours and then realise you
haven't had a sip in hours

4) Try drinking herbal teas. There are several out there, so even
if you've tried a couple and didn't like then, keep trying. A few
nice one's are chamomile, peppermint, ginger, fennel, and
dandelion.

5) Keep bottles in your bag, car, office, where ever you spend time

Once you find what strategies work best for you, the next step is to
not become frustrated by the amount of times you find yourself
running to the bathroom. This will slow down after a few days.

What's happening is your body is actually ridding itself of
excess water. Over the period of time that you haven't been drinking
enough water your body has gone in to 'survival mode', it simply
wasn't sure if or when you were going to give it more water,
therefore it held on to the little water it had. You may have
seen the visible signs through being bloated or puffy around
your ankles, hips and thighs.

Remember water is vital to survival, treat your water intake with
the same seriousness that you would if you were ill and were
prescribed medication.

For those of you that read last weeks newsletter and are now
cutting out wheat, gluten, caffeine, alcohol and dairy (with the
exception of organic butter and bio live yoghurt) you may be
finding that a lot of your symptoms are associated with a lack of
water. Increasing your water will help your body rid itself of
the toxins now that you're eating high quality natural foods.


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Tell a friend. If you have a friend that you know wants to
make changes to their lifestyle and would find similar information and
support valuable send them to http://www.rocofit.com/newsletter/ for their rocofit newsletter


In Health and Happiness

Rosa