Griffen Fitness - Newsletter

December newsletter

Greetings healthy people,

jumping for joy!

Time flies and it’s nearly the end of the year. Have you had a good 2008? Is there anything you’d like to change? Perhaps exercise more and eat healthily?

Then you might be interested in the Boot Camp that life coach Eilidh Macdonald-Harte and I are running in February 2009.

WeightShed Boot Camp is a boot camp with a difference – be the first to read the press release below...

What’s in Season for November / December

It's good to eat seasonal fruit and vegetables, so here's a list of what's in season locally:
apples, beetroot, carrots, chestnuts, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips, pears, potatoes, pumpkin, turnips, red cabbage, sprouts, swede.

Easy Recipe: Roast Vegetable Soup

serves 4 (or two with leftovers to freeze)
½ celeriac
2 carrots
1 large potato
1 sweet potato
Olive oil
1 onion
1 – 4 cloves garlic
Vegetable stock
Coriander or other fresh green herbs
tempting tatties
- Chop the vegetables roughly (you can choose other root veg, but try to include celeriac as it adds a lovely fresh flavour to the soup) toss in olive oil in the biggest roasting pan you have.
- place on the middle shelf of your oven on 180 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Chop the onion and peel the garlic and mix into the roasting veg, leaving the garlic whole
- Return to the oven for another 30 minutes or until done but not too crispy.
- Have a wee nibble on the veg if you wish, then toss the rest into a big saucepan.
- Cover with hot vegetable stock and simmer on a low heat to infuse the flavours.
- Cool and blend. I added some fresh coriander before blending, then some more after it was zizzed.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and natural yoghurt. This recipe is fab for a wintry weekend afternoon.

Resisting Temptation Hint of the Month: Eating Slowly
How fast do you eat? Are you a scoffer or a nibbler? Eating slowly and taking smaller bites can help you lose weight. This happens for a number of reasons.

Firstly, you give your body a better chance to realise when you’re satisfied, as it take 20 minutes or so for your brain to register that you’ve eaten enough. Secondly, you will enjoy your food more as it’s not hoovered up in an instant, but relished over time. Lastly, if you eat slower, you will masticate (chew) more and therefore assist your digestion. Your digestive system actually starts from the moment you put food in your mouth and your saliva gets to work. So avoid an uncomfortable bloated feeling by eating smaller and more considered bites. Especially important over the festive season where there tends to be a lot of sitting around and indulging. Enjoy!

Fad or Fab: Fast Wicking Clothing
You know the situation, you’ve worked up a sweat but as soon as you cool down from a run or a cycle in your soggy gear, you freeze. Advances in technology mean that this no longer needs to be the case. It is very rare for me to be spotted in cotton in winter, instead I opt for ‘fast wicking’ fabric. This is a synthetic blend of fabric, which draws moisture away from the body, so you dry off quicker. Handy in hot weather, but even more valuable in the depths of winter where you don’t want your muscles to freeze up after a workout. I find the best source for fast wicking clothes is actually in outdoor shops (i.e. Black’s, Tiso, Millets). A fast wicking shirt under a warm fleece with a waterproof shell jacket over the top is all you need for running about in the winter. Also be sure to buy tops with zips so you are better able to control your body temperature. It’s much more comfortable than soggy cotton layers. Fast wicking clothes get the two thumbs up from me. Now all they need to do is make some fashionable robust fleeces!

Try Something Different: Have a Bash at Boxing
Sparring, or boxing with a partner wearing pads, is a great upper body cardio workout that also helps with balance and coordination. Cardio boxing can burn 350 – 500 calories per hour, depending on the intensity you want to take it to, and can also tone your arms beyond belief! You can either try kickboxing class or book in for a Personal Training session where we can use boxing gloves and pads. It’s a great laugh and also a fab way to burn calories…

Article of the Month: A boot camp with a difference
Keeping in shape isn’t difficult… when you know how. You can easily change the way you look at diet and exercise and enjoy healthy living and feeling wonderful about yourself.
Life Coach Eilidh Macdonald-Harte and Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen combine forces to bring you a new concept in boot camp – learn to change your habits as you exercise your way to fabulousness.
Are you already planning your New Years’ resolutions? Dreaming of finally losing weight, being slimmer, lighter, healthier and determined to succeed at it in 2009? Believe it is possible and achieve it with this unique, life changing experience, as you learn to train your mind and your body to create a whole new you.
The Concept
Participants will spend an intensive week working on breaking bad eating habits, freeing themselves from cravings and working out to the max. Learn how to stay on track permanently and shed those unwanted pounds. Both Eilidh and Tracy have a track record in motivating and focusing their clients to achieve and maintain their healthy new attitudes and bodies. So the success you experience at WeightShed Boot Camp will have long lasting effects because you will be provided with the mental tools and workout techniques you require for permanent change.
The Result
It’s a unique programme of fitness and mind training, to transform your expectations of yourself and make real and long lasting changes to your lifestyle. It’s a workout for the mind and body…
Expect success, it's yours WeightShed Boot Camp.
The Details

Be prepared for an intensive non-residential week at
Stewart’s Melville College, Edinburgh from 8.30am – 4.30pm each day.
Monday 16th - Friday 20th February 2009.
Cost is £650, with an Early Bird booking opportunity to book and pay for your course by 9th January 2009 for £550. Price includes all materials; your own Polar Heart Rate monitor to keep, your WeightShed Boot Camp Manual, Gym Bag, lunches, snacks, and hot beverages.
Enjoy all the benefits of this exciting week without a residential price tag. You will be able to go home in the evenings and digest and practise what you’ve learnt on the course that day.
Accommodation can be arranged for those visiting Edinburgh.

Find out more at weightshed-bootcamp.co.uk

And Finally…

Click here for a clip of a truly outstanding BMX ‘flatland’ rider. Some of the physical stunts BMX riders (and skaters) get up to are truly outstanding feats of strength and balance. I think this guy is from Oz (judging from the sunshine!), and it will be great when Edinburgh’s skaters / riders get their own facility at Saughton Park…

Have a happy and healthy festive season,

:)
Tracy

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December newsletter