If you love outdoor workouts, summer can be both a blessing and a curse. The warmer weather makes it easier to do things outside, but it also puts you at risk of overheating. If you’re planning out working out this summer, here are some tips from our personal trainers in Ballantyne that can help you stay cool in the North Carolina sun:

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Anytime you workout you need to stay hydrated. However, it is especially important when working out outside during the summertime. The North Carolina heat and humidity can quickly sap your body of moisture and electrolytes. So make sure to not just drink plenty of water but to also supplement your electrolytes.

2. Check The Weather Report

Before heading out, always check the weather report. Knowing what the weather will do can help you plan the ideal time to workout when it will be the coolest. Also, if there is a heat advisory, a high pollen count, or a summer storm brewing, you may want to stay indoors that day.

3. Workout In The Mornings

The hottest part of the day is generally between 10am and 3pm. So you’re more than likely going to want to workout outside of that time period. If you are dodging the heat, pick the mornings over a late night workout. It is better for your energy levels and sleep cycle to workout outside in the mornings than the evenings.

4. Wear Loose-Fitting, Light-Colored Clothing

What you wear can make a huge difference in your workouts. Light-colored clothing stay cooler than dark-colored clothing. While clothes that are loose-fitting are going to be more comfortable. In the summer, we sweat more and that sweat can get trapped in our clothing. If the clothing is too tight it can be uncomfortable and chafe against our skin.

5. Apply Sunscreen

Make sure to keep yourself protected against the damaging sun’s rays. Working out in the summer often means we’re wearing less clothing than normal, so it’s important to apply sunscreen to any areas of our body that will be exposed.

6. Stay In The Shade

Try to plan your workout in the shade. If you’re hitting a trail to run, pick one with lots of trees. If you are working out in your backyard, find a spot in the shade of your house. A little bit of shade will go along way to keeping you cool.

Working out outside is great way to get your exercise in, you just have to know how to stay cool. At Everlasting Change our Ballantyne personal trainers offer a variety of great tips and techniques for our clients. We can help you master any workout, inside or out. Call us now for 3 risk-free, complimentary sessions. We include a 30-day guarantee on all of our packages.

The Greek island of Santorini, located in the southern Aegean Sea, is home to breathtaking sunsets and cliffside towns with narrow, cobbled streets. It is currently one of the top tourist destinations in the world, hosting millions of visitors each year, with only 15,000 permanent residents.

Those permanent residents are easily distinguished from tourists. Just look for the most agile and lean, moving swiftly through the hard-to-navigate, steep terrain. The people of Santorini are in phenomenal shape.

Living in a cliffside city means walking up hundreds, if not thousands, of stairs every single day. For many it means pushing or carrying crates of water up steep inclines to homes and hotels, since the tap water is unsafe to drink.

Live in Santorini and you’d quickly have a chiseled, beach-ready body.

It really goes to show you that your lifestyle creates the body that have. And while I don’t expect you to drop everything to move to a cliffside town in order to achieve your fat loss goals, there is a valuable lesson here.

The truth is that regardless of where you live, your lifestyle is something that you control. If you want your body to look or feel differently, then all you need to do is change the daily habits that make up your routine.

For the people of Santorini that means fighting gravity by moving their bodies up and down cliffsides every day. For you it could mean adding in that hour of exercise that you’ve been telling yourself you should do. Or cutting out that sugary snack you gravitate towards after dinner each night.

Here are 5 lifestyle factors to consider…

1. TV Time: Many people are in the habit of sitting in front of the TV for hours on end after a stressful day at work. Yes, you may be worn out and need a break, but sitting on the couch, zoned out, watching TV is not the way to lose weight.

If you must watch the evening news or see your favorite show, use the time to burn a few calories. Keep some hand weights next to the couch and work your biceps and triceps. Stand up and do some squats or lunges to work your legs and buttocks. Get on the floor and do some sit-ups to tone your abs or push-ups to tone your arms. Make a change!

2. Sleep: Most adults need an average of eight hours of sleep each night. Is that a lot more than what you’re currently getting? Then you may be interested to know that if you’re not getting adequate amounts of rest, you’re more likely to be hungry, overeat, and gain weight.

How does this work? Something like this.

If you’re tired, you won’t feel like cooking a healthy meal, and you’ll opt for fast (fattening) food instead. This very same lack of energy will also likely cause you to skip a workout. On top of that, sleep deprivation causes your metabolism to slow down, which promotes fat storage.

3. Drink Choices: Lasting weight loss is about changes. Unfortunately, some of the changes one must make are difficult. If you’re one of the millions hooked on soda, alcohol, or other sweetened beverages, your weight goals may remain out of reach until you replace these drinks with water. You should also know that your brain often confuses thirst with hunger.

So at the first sign of hunger, don’t grab a snack or calorie-filled drinks. Instead, grab a glass of water.

4. Breakfast: Want to know a secret to successful weight loss? Eat breakfast! Try cutting calories by skipping breakfast, and you’ll be excessively hungry by mid-morning. As a result, the healthy calories you would have eaten at breakfast are replaced with calorie-filled snacks and an over-sized lunch.

Once again, fitting breakfast into your busy schedule may mean dramatic lifestyle changes. But research shows that the habit of eating a healthy breakfast is key to losing weight and keeping pounds off. Get to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual and set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to give yourself time to eat breakfast.

5. Physical Activity: Weight loss is about burning more calories than you consume. Remember the people of Santorini and their all-day exercise! Therefore, it should make sense to you that dieting and exercise must go hand in hand. If you want to speed up fat loss and keep it off, add or increase the amount and intensity of physical activity in your daily life.

For many people, this is the most difficult lifestyle change of all, but the benefits are well work it. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of intense exercise on most days of the week. When exercise is a normal part of your everyday routine, it’s more likely to stick, and your body will become slimmer and more toned.

The quickest and most permanent weight loss comes as a result of a combination of healthy eating and consistent, challenging workouts.

I’m here to help you meet your fitness and weight loss goals.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will get you on the fast track to your best body ever.

Stick With It

These five lifestyle changes aren’t always easy to make, and change won’t happen overnight. Chances are, you’ll have occasional setbacks. But don’t give up!

Each day is a new beginning, and it starts out with no mistakes in it. Begin each morning with the resolve to not only stick with your healthy eating habits, but your lifestyle changes as well.

If you aren’t happy with your current body then feel free to reach out to me. It’s my goal to help each and every one of my clients achieve their best body ever.

You’ll see quick and satisfying fitness results when you join my exercise program.

Call or email today – let’s get started!

Mango Chutney Chicken Salad

This summer salad is a refreshing way to serve chicken. Tender mango chutney, creamy Greek yogurt and fresh, crunchy greens make this one tasty meal. While typically creamy dishes contain loads of fat and extra calories, this one stays healthy with the use of nonfat, plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What you need

Serves 5

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger root, minced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 ripe mangoes, chopped
Juice from 2 limes
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of red pepper flakes
1 ½ cups non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Dash of salt and pepper
3 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
4 cups salad greens

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger root and sauté for a minute.

2. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for a few minutes.

3. Add the mango and spices. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, until everything has softened.

4. Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

5. Combine the yogurt, mustard, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Place the chopped chicken in a medium sized bowl and mix in the yogurt blend.

6. Prepare each plate with a pile of greens topped with a scoop of chicken and a spoonful of chutney.

Nutrition

One mini muffin equals: 286 calories, 6 fat, 185mg sodium, 22g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, and 35g protein.

When you’re a busy professional, tension headaches can be part of your life. When you get a tension headache, it’s natural to just reach for some medicine and go lie down in a dark room. However, working out may be a better way to relieve your tension headache. Tension headaches are caused by muscle tension from stress. Working out relieves that muscle tension. It also helps relieve the stress that caused the tension. Plus, exercising helps increase the blood flow which can also help ease some of the pain.

In order to get relief for a tension headache from exercise, you’ll want to do low impact exercises. Since you’re in pain, it can be difficult to do a full fledged workout. You’ll also need to make sure that you take the time to properly warm up before working out. That will help you ease into working out when you are in pain. Here are some options our personal trainers recommend for relieving tension headaches.

Yoga: Yoga is a great workout for tension headaches because it is meditative, focuses on breathing, and stretches out your muscles. You’ll want to focus on poses that help relieve stress in your head, neck, and back. We recommend:

● Cat/cow pose
● Eagle arms
● Child’s pose
● Standing Forward Fold
● Dolphin Pose
● Reverse Prayer
● Seated Spine Twist

Light Cardio: Another great option is light cardio. Walking on a treadmill, low impact cycling, or a slower session on the elliptical can help release the tension. If you don’t have access to the gym because you are at work, you can take a walk around the neighborhood.

Resistance Training: Resistance training is great for relieving tension. Grab a set of resistance bands and work your arms, shoulders, and back. Working with resistance bands daily can also help prevent headaches as well. So if you get them frequently, you should consider adding upper body resistance training to your routine. Talk to your personal trainer for some tips.

Finally, if your headache is so bad that you can’t imagine working out, a foam roller can be really helpful. Using a foam roller on your head, neck, and back can help you relax while removing the physical tension causing your headache.

Working out regularly can help you reduce your stress and may help prevent your tension headaches. To find a workout that fits into your busy life, contact Everlasting Changes. Our personal trainers in Charlotte will work with you to make sure that your work out works for you. Call us now for 3 risk-free, complimentary sessions. We include a 30-day guarantee on all of our packages.

You’ve busted your hump for months now. You’ve eaten right, exercised, and you’ve finally reached your fitness goals. However, now you have a new problem, you’re left with excess skin. When you gain weight your skin stretches to accommodate your body size, that skin doesn’t always bounce back when you lose weight. That is especially true if you lost weight quickly. The excess skin can make you feel like you are still miles away from your dream body.

Can You Get Rid Of Excess Skin After Weight Loss?

Exercises That Can Help Tighten Skin

Support Your Skin With A Healthy Diet

We’re about halfway through the year now. Which means for most of us, we’ve already dropped our New Year’s resolutions. All the promises we made at the beginning of the year to eat healthier and workout are still important to us. It’s just that our obligations have gotten in the way. It happens, but it doesn’t mean we need to wait all the way until next year to reset our goals. Here are some steps you can take to recommit to your fitness resolutions.

Let Go Of The Past

If you weren’t able to cut out sugar or hit the gym everyday, it’s okay. Fitness is a process that requires a lifestyle change. Just because you weren’t able to reach your goals in the past, doesn’t mean you can’t reach them in the future. If you focus on the past, it can be really demotivating. So just let it go and focus on what you can do today.

Re-Evaluate Your Goals

Ambition is great when making fitness goals. You should always shoot for the moon. However, sometimes we set unrealistic goals and then when we don’t meet them, drop them entirely. Was your goal to cut out all sugar? That’s a great goal, but if it’s not realistic, you can still look at reducing your sugar consumption in a new way. Maybe start by cutting out sugary drinks, then build up to cutting out sugar.

Make A Plan Of Action

Once you’ve reevaluated and restated your goals, make a plan to help you achieve them. Now you know what barriers you face. Maybe you can’t get to the gym everyday because of your busy work schedule, but you can take the stairs at work everyday. You can take a walk over your lunch break. Think about what barriers there were to your resolutions and find creative solutions to get around them.

Work With A Professional

One of the best things you can do to keep your plan on track is to implement a system of accountability. A great way to do this is to work with a professional personal trainer or join a group fitness training program. Doing so affirms your commitment to your resolutions and will introduce you to people who can help you stay accountable to your new goals.

The personal trainers at Everlasting Changes can help you recommit to your fitness resolutions. We offer nutritional coaching and flexible private and group training sessions to help you find a way to achieve your goals that works with your busy lifestyle. Call us now for 3 risk-free, complimentary sessions. We include a 30-day guarantee on all of our packages.

There are many complex reasons that make fat loss a challenge, reasons that go deeper than simply calories-in versus calories-out.

I’m talking about the life issues that get in the way of your success.

Here are 5 things that block fitness results along with the solutions to unlock your best body.

1. You are crazy busy.

Let’s face it, you work too much, commit yourself to too much and don’t even get enough sleep most of the time. The fast-paced way you live leaves you exhausted, stressed and hungry for comfort food. You even begin to feel too busy to take care of your health.

It’s time to reprioritize. Let go of your perfectionist standards and remove a few commitments from your schedule so that you are able to cook healthy meals, exercise and get a good night’s sleep. Remind yourself that taking care of your health is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.

2. You don’t want to wait for the good stuff.

Just as you wish to avoid pain, you are also an expert in seeking out pleasure—namely food. This served the cavemen well, but these days it ends up as extra pounds around your waist and thighs.

There’s good news: extra calories are not your only option to stimulate the pleasure center of your brain. Find an activity or two that make you smile and indulge in those regularly.

A walk outside
A good book
A night out to the movies or theater
A spa day

You can also retrain your brain to crave the pleasure of exercise-induced endorphins. Talk about weight gain kryptonite!

3. You don’t want to be bothered.

It’s in your DNA to avoid pain and seek out pleasure. Unfortunately, this works against you when trying to get fit. In your mind, it’s painful (or at least uncomfortable) to deny yourself the tasty food that you crave and to exert yourself with exercise.

There’s a simple way to work around this obstacle: Find something painful about being out of shape to motivate yourself towards healthy eating and exercise. Focus on the negative impact your current shape has on your health, self-esteem and lifestyle. Convince yourself that the pain of being out of shape is much greater than the discomfort of losing the fat.

4. You don’t deserve it.

I don’t agree with it, but you sure act like you don’t deserve to live the good life in the body of your dreams. Take a moment to think back on all the times you have self-sabotaged your weight loss efforts. If you don’t believe deep down that you are worthy, then you’ll never give yourself a chance at a fit body.

I believe that you deserve to have a healthy body—and I urge you to dig deep down to uncover why you don’t. Once you conquer your feelings of unworthiness, getting on an exercise and healthy eating plan will be easy.

Take the time to take care of yourself. You DO deserve it.

5. You are afraid.

You’re afraid to start because you just might fail, and wouldn’t that be embarrassing? You’re also afraid to start because you just might succeed, and change makes you uncomfortable – even if it’s change in the right direction.

When you decide to get fit you will need to go through a bunch of changes:

New diet
New exercise routine
New friends at the gym
New clothes
New self-image

Focus on all of the ways that shaping up will make your life better. Envision that better life everyday so that it goes from being new and scary to familiar and comfortable.

I want to personally help overcome every obstacle standing between you and your ideal body. Call or email today to get started on a program that will change your life and body forever…in the best way!

Time For Something New … Fat Loss

Your body adapts quickly to any repetitive routine. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. This holds true for your workouts.

When your results stop then it’s time to try something new.

The workouts that my clients enjoy are never boring or repetitive. Come join us!

Salmon Power Scramble

It’s important to start your day off with a healthy serving of protein and veggies. This recipe delivers both as salmon, broccoli and egg whites combine for the perfect protein-packed breakfast. Add a side of avocado for healthy fats and a serving of fruit for a delicious start to your day.

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What you need

Serves 2

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup fresh broccoli, cut into small pieces
5 egg whites
8oz grilled or smoked salmon, separated into small pieces
dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until tender.

2. In a small bowl combine the egg whites, salmon, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add to the skillet.

3. Cook until egg whites are set, flipping at least once.

Nutrition

One mini muffin equals: 225 calories, 7g fat, 557mg sodium, 6.5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 33g protein.