Fitness with a Focus

Fitness with a Focus

When I am doing a strategy session with a new client, we spend a significant amount of time talking about and defining specific goals related to their health, fitness, and nutrition. Have a goal to focus on is key to motivation and plays a very important role when challenges pop up, as they most certainly will. One of my favorite saying is “I see only my objective, the obstacles must yield” - Napoleon. Or stated another way, when the goal is big enough the obstacles don't matter.

The folks that tend to struggle the most with being consistent and persistent are those who have not set a meaningful goals or have not subdued their limiting beliefs. Others just have a low discouragement threshold or are too impatient. What I've found is the best way to move over, through or around these obstacles is to have a fitness focus that is outside of oneself, one that is far bigger than “self-gratification” or a number on a scale.

I have some personal experience with this which stretches back to my days in college. It was my freshman year that I really began to LOVE running and within a few years I was running races. I liked the challenge of racing and always trying to do better than I did at the previous race. However, there was something tugging at my heart that said “who are you running for?” I was running for my own health and fitness. I was running to challenge myself physically, mentally (racing is a big mental game). This thought kept leading me to ponder - is there someone else I should be running for? I often thought how I really wanted to run for my Lord - to bring honor and glory to Him. As I prayed, I would always express gratitude for my athletic abilities and tell God that I wanted all of my athletic pursuits to be for his glory. I received a feeling that God accepted my offering and this desire of my heart, yet there was still a nudge to run for something else or someone else.

It was not too long before I was introduced to a charity organization called Team in Training - they are a non-profit organization that fund research and patient aid for the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society. Their cause and mission penetrated my heart and I knew that this was the cause I was to run for. Even though I didn't personally know anyone who had ever suffered from these types of cancers, I felt the importance of supporting and running in honor of those who were less fortunate than healthy, fit ME. I ran with Team in Training for many years and it brought a whole new level of purpose to my training, my competing and to my general fitness.

Since that time, I've been introduced to another non-profit endurance training program called Chances for Children. Although I truly loved the people I met and the experiences I had through my involvement with Team in Training. There was something POWERFUL about Chances for Children, which called to my heart like nothing had before. Their cause and mission filled every fiber of my being. You see, their focus is to eliminate childhood obesity by teaching grade school (in many cases underprivileged kids) how to develop fit and healthy lifestyles. Chances for Children raises money to purchase running shoes for these kids, to set up running and fitness programs in their schools, to pay the entry fees for thousands of kids to run races each year and thus teach them how to set goals, work hard and achieve. As a once Fat Kid who went through my own amazing journey to fitness, and now as I am a fitness and nutrition professional, it is a dream come true to be part of an endurance training program such as Team Chances. I am privileged to be able to work with the Team Chances member athletes and soon-to-be the children and their families on their nutrition. My heart has found its home and my fitness and racing has an even clearer focus.

I encourage those of you who may be struggling with your own health and fitness and who could benefit from having a goal and focus bigger than YOU - come be part of the Chances for Children Community. Come improve your own health and fitness, meet incredible people, and make a huge impact in the health and fitness of kids all over the state. I can promise the experience will be priceless and rewarding beyond your expectations. You can learn more about Chances for Children and Team Chances at http://www.chancesforchildrenaz.com/

Melissa Guthrie

Triumph Training Nutrition & Fitness

Calling all Walkers & Runners!!
“TEAM CHANCES”
Information Meeting for 2009/2010 Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Training Programs
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
6:00 pm @ Sole Sports
(Rural & Warner in Tempe)

Whether you want to train for your first marathon or 1/2 marathon or whether you are a marathon veteran, training with coach Susan Loken and Team Chances will assist you in having a training and racing experience that is second to none! Groups forming for…Tucson Marathon, PF Chang's Rock 'n Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon and Carlsbad Marathon & 1/2 Marathon.

ALL Team Chances Information Meeting Dates
June
· 23rd Tempe

July
· 21st Maricopa
· 22nd Tempe
· 23rd Scottsdale
· 29th Phoenix

August
· 4th Maricopa
· 12th Tempe
· 13th Phoenix
· 19th Scottsdale

Location of Meetings
Tempe…Sole Sports 1006 E. Warner Rd. Suite 104 Tempe, AZ 85284
Scottsdale…Endurance Rehab 9376 E. Bahia Dr. #D103 Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Phoenix…Endurance Rehab 4440 N. 36th St. Suite 240 Phoenix, AZ 85018
Maricopa…Chamber of Commerce Maricopa

Pre-Race Sports Nutrition Tips

We are days away from the PF Chang's Rock 'n Roll Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona on January 18, 2009. Not only will I be running the marathon with a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I am also assisting my Team Chances running team in being nutritionally prepared for a stellar race experience. (For more info about Team Chances go to www.chancesforchildrenaz.com)

Whether you are running a 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, marathon or participating in a multi-sport race, what you do or do not do nutritionally these final days can have a significant effect on your race. So remember a few things…Choose nutrient rich foods and steer away from empty calories. Your body requires pure nutrition to heal, repair, and prepare for the physical demands it is about to undergo. For example if you have the choice between a snack of a chocolate chip cookie or an apple – choose the apple!

What, When & How Much Should I EAT the morning of my race?



If you are not sure what to eat before the race, you’ve got a couple more days to figure it out. I hope you know by now what foods work best for you before running: Maybe it is one of the following: oatmeal & fruit, bagel & fruit, english muffin/toast & fruit, a (non-dairy) smoothie, a Bakers Breakfast cookie, pizza, turkey sandwich, peanut butter & banana sandwich, pancakes & fruit, cereal & fruit with rice, almond or oatmilk, whole grain muffin & fruit, chicken noodle soup, etc.? Go with what is familiar and with what you know agrees with your digestive system.

Second, now that you’ve determined what you’ll be eating for breakfast you want to determine how much you should eat and at what time. Remember that not only will the type of food you eat effect your race positively or negatively, but also the volume of food. It is better to eat a little bit lighter pre-race breakfast and then do a booster (light snack – like a banana, half a bagel or a GU) 30-45 min before the race and then do more fueling during the race RATHER THAN eating TOO MUCH for breakfast and feeling like you have a brick in your stomach from the start of the race (been there done that – uuugh!!). For example: You’ve determined that you’ll have a honey whole wheat bagel w/ 1 TBS almond or peanut butter and a whole banana as your pre-race breakfast. You have determined you need to eat breakfast 3 hours before race start in order for digestion and absorption to be complete.



Does It Matter What I Eat 48 Hours Before The Race?


This is also the week to pay close attention to what you eat the last 48 hours before race day. Determine what foods will work best with your body – remembering to avoid super spicy foods, a lot of dairy, too many high fiber foods (especially if you are not use to eating a lot of fiber), heavy meats, and high fat foods. I recommend keeping your meals light and clean. Carbs that typically settle well are rice, pasta, potatoes, light wheat breads, pita bread, tortillas, etc. Stick with vegetables that don’t upset your digestive system like salad greens, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, jicama, etc. (i.e. some people have a hard time with cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions and bell peppers). Go with light protein sources – fish, chicken, tofu, small portions of lean beef or pork. Beans & legumes may work okay for some people because they are an awesome source of complex carbohydrates and plant-based protein (however they can cause some digestive upset for some people – if these cause even minor gas or digestive upset please don’t eat them until after the race). You also want to time your pre-race dinner appropriately. It is best to not have this meal be too heavy, eat to the point that you are comfortable to slightly, comfortably full, and try to have this meal 3 to 4 hours before bed time. It is a really good idea to stay away from alcohol for at least 48 hours prior to race day (if you must drink save that for post-race).







Finish Line Nutrition for Optimal Recovery


Remember that post-race nutrition is extremely important as well. You will be tired, depleted and you will either not feel like eating anything or you’ll feel like eating anything and everything. Plan your post-race meals now. Your body requires high quality, pure nutrition as much after the race as it does before the race. You will want to balance carbohydrates and proteins in every meal post-race. Most importantly remember to get nutrients in your body as soon as possible after the race. If you do not feel like eating – a smoothie, chocolate or strawberry milk are a great post race beverage. Avoid the tendency to load up on high sugar, high fat, nutrient poor foods like cookies, candies, burgers & fries, & deep fried anything. Whole grains, lean meats or plant-based proteins, fresh fruits and veggies and healthy fats (like raw nuts, avocadoes, olives, etc) are what your body requires the most! Some salty foods will help to replenish the salt lost through sweat and will help your body absorb fluids to properly rehydrate. If you rehydrate with sports beverages these will have sodium in them. Alcohol is not the rehydration beverage of choice - it actually dehydrates the body, it hinders proper carbohydrate and fat metabolism, and provided plenty of empty, non-nutritional calories.



Eat Right! Train Smart! Perform GREAT!

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Sports Nutrition during the Marathon Taper

Fueling for the Marathon: Two Weeks to Race Day

Over the past several months you’ve been diligently training and building up your mileage week by week. You’ve improved your cardiovascular fitness, your muscle strength and endurance, in the process you’ve depleted your muscle glycogen stores and caused micro-damage to muscle fibers and connective tissue. Race day is fast approaching and on this day, you will likely demand more of your body on that day than you did on any of your training runs. Therefore, these final two weeks of “tapering” are vital to how you will perform on race day. You are reducing your weekly mileage now, in order to give your body more time to recover, replenish and heal. It is not uncommon to feel as though you are losing fitness and/or gaining weight – do not worry it is only an illusion. Your fitness level will be maintain through the taper training and any weight gain you may experience if not illusionary will be a result of your body filling up the glycogen stores (the carbohydrates stored in your muscles along with water do weigh something). Now is not the time to cut back on calories, nor is it the time to over consume. Smart fueling now through race day will greatly increase the likelihood of a fabulous race experience.

The following are some guidelines for proper fueling during “Taper”:

Low levels of muscle glycogen will result in early energy depletion and fatigue. In order to keep glycogen stores full for race day your daily intake should be as follows:

Daily Carbohydrate Intake = 60-70% of total caloric intake
Or use the following calculations:
o 6-7gm/kg body weight for 1 hour training daily
o 8 gm/kg for 2 hr training daily
o 10 gm/kg for 3hr training daily
o 12-13 gm/kg for 4+ hr training daily

Carbohydrates are your body’s favorite energy source and the primary fuels source during exercise.

Recommended Carbohydrate Rich Foods: whole grain cereals, whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, winter squash, oats, barley, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables

Daily Protein Intake = 12-15% of total caloric intake
Protein requirement can also be calculate using 1.3 x kg body weight (there are 2.2 lbs per kg)

Lean Animal Protein &/or Plant-based proteins are important for muscle repair and growth, regular physical training tends to reduce muscle protein breakdown and protein loss from the body.

Protein Rich Foods: lean beef, chicken, fish/seafood, pork, beans and legumes such as lentils and split peas, tofu, tempeh, eggs, low fat cottage cheese, low fat cheese, nonfat/low fat milk and yogurt.

Daily Fat Intake = 20-25% of total caloric intake

In general, no less than 15% of your daily caloric intake should come from fat. Women of reproductive age need at least 20% of total calories to come from fat. Don’t exceed 25% of your total calories from fat, as the body prefers muscle glycogen for fuel over fat, also fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates. Note: much of your fat intake will come through the meat, dairy and nut-based products you eat.

Healthiest Fat Sources: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Olive oil, plant-based oil, coconut oil, avocados, olives, raw nuts & seeds, all-natural peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, flax and fish oils (i.e. the fat in salmon).

Foods to Limit or Avoid During Taper:
Limit high-fat protein foods like hamburgers, fried chicken, extra cheese because these foods take longer to empty from your stomach and can contribute to sluggishness. Limit sugary sweets like candy, cookies, candy bars, cakes, ice cream, candy bars, doughnuts, pastries, etc. Limit overall junky foods like French fries, onion rings, potato chips, most crackers, all fried foods, and alcohol.

The final two days before the race your intake should shift to:
75-80% of calories from Carbohydrates
10% of calories from Protein
10-15% of calories from Fat




To Your Success!

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Fight Childhood Obesity and Reduce Your 2008 Tax Liability

Are you willing to join the crusade against Childhood Obesity?

I have a huge personal mission to eradicate this unnecessary epidemic. In case you don't know, I was once the "fat kid". Fortunately, I was introduced to exercise and healthy eating when I was 12 yrs old and it has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I have spent the last 14 yrs living in complete freedom when it comes to my weight, my health, & my relationship to food and exercise; even more, I get to enjoy that freedom for the rest of my life. I wish the same blessing for all children who struggle with their weight.

If you've struggled with your weight at any age, you know how it can have a negative impact on other areas of your life. Currently over one third of our children 6-18 years of age are suffering from obesity. Not only does this dramatically affect the quality of life during their important formative years, it seriously impacts their health & well-being for the rest of their life.

How you can you help me & the children of Arizona!

I've recently taken on a volunteer position as nutrition coach for TEAM Chances for Children AZ. Chances for Children is an organization whose mission it is to fight childhood obesity by providing nutrition education & fitness programs to children in Arizona, so that they can begin a healthy lifestyle now. Team Chances is a fundraising team training to walk or run the PF Changs Rock 'n Roll 1/2 marathon & marathon on January 18, 2009.

Along with the athletes who I am coaching, I am training to run the full marathon and fundraising to assist the less fortunate children of Arizona. I invite you to assist me and consider making a generous donation to the cause and give these kids a chance to succeed in life. To make an online donation – go to www.chancesforchildrenaz.com/teamchances/melissaguthrie. Click the orange link at the bottom, enter your donation amount and be sure to type Melissa Guthrie in the blank box. If you prefer to make a donation via check, please make your check payable to Chances For Children and contact me for the mailing address.

NOTE: Donations made by Dec 31, 2008 are tax deductible for your 2008 taxes. And if you are in Arizona you can receive a tax credit for your donation! See Tax Credit info below.

To learn more about Team Chances and how they are making a difference inthe lives of 1000s of children in Arizona and how you can get involved inthe crusade (see http://www.chancesforchildrenaz.com/ calendar for more details):

Thank you for your support,


Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast



Tax Credit for the Working Poor – Dollar for Dollar Credit on your Return
The state of Arizona provides an excellent incentive for you to help the working poor. If you donate money to a “Qualified Charitable Organization, Helping the Working Poor”, you can receive a dollar for dollar credit on your Arizona state return. You can use the credit to reduce your tax liability (dollar for dollar). If you are already due a tax refund, the credit simply increases your refund!

This credit is the Working Poor Tax Credit and you can receive a credit of up to $400 (married filing jointly) or $200 (single taxpayer.) The Working Poor Tax Credit can be taken in addition to the credits for public school contributions and/or school tuition organization contributions.
To be eligible for this credit, you must have itemized deductions and deducted charitable contributions on a prior year’s Arizona tax return (1996 or later). This prior year is your baseline year. You must exceed the baseline year contribution by the amount you donate to the qualified organization. The amount you donate to the qualified organization becomes your tax credit. The working poor donation can also be included as an itemized deduction on your Federal tax return if you are itemizing deductions.

Please refer to Arizona Form 321 and instructions for the annual reporting requirements of the credit on your Arizona individual income tax return. For information on the tax credits, visit the Arizona Department of Revenue Web site here http://www.enewsbuilder.net/eletra/gow.cfm?z=ascpa,308455,bbMlQj3h,2730778,bdyqNHV.

Every Child Should Have The CHANCE To Succeed In Life!

I am currently serving as the sports nutritionist for a running team that is training for the PF Changs Rock 'n Roll Marathon on January 18th, 2009. The team is part of a non-profit organization call Chances for Children (http://www.chancesforchildrenaz.com/). Chances for Children's mission is to eliminate childhood obesity in Arizona by providing fitness and nutrition education programs to underprivileged school children in greater Phoenix area. Having been the "fat kid" myself, I am honored and excited to be part of the Chances for Children team. Members of Team Chances not only train to run the PF Changs Rock 'n Roll Marathon or Half-Marathon, they also fund-raise so that these school children can have opportunities they otherwise would not have. Because of the success Team Chances is having, hundreds of children get brand new Nike running shoes, they get running programs set up at their schools, and they get to participate in local races for free, and much more.



I love Chances for Children's mission, however it is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to do. With at least one-third of all children and youth falling into the over-weight and obese category, this puts our children at risk for low-quality of life, all types of disease manifesting themselves in their teens or young adulthood, and even premature death. Not to mention the emotional and social implications of being overweight. Having been on both sides of the fence, I know the heavy (pun intended) burden of being overweight. I know the feelings of being unhappy in my skin, not liking myself, being self-conscious and being teased by the other kids who were a healthy weight. It is not a fun way to live - at any age. I also know the freedom, the fun, the joy, the confidence, the peace of mind, the energy that comes through being healthy. I believe that the body’s natural state is to be lean, to be healthy and disease-free, and energized. I wish everyone could know how it feels to live this way.

I believe that I went through the experience of being an overweight child for a specific reason. I believe God blessed me with this challenge and with the tools, resources and opportunities to overcome it so that I could help countless individuals around the world who are dealing with being overweight or obese. But it is not just about achieving a healthy body weight; it is really about life success. Yes, I was able to achieve my ideal body weight, which I’ve maintained for over 13 years. Even more importantly, as a result of my childhood weight issue I learned life skills and principles of success that I have been able to apply to all aspects of my personal and business life.



The success I achieved in my own health and fitness truly has served as a model of success for my entire life. At a very young age, I learned about the importance of staying true to correct principles, as I committed to achieving my goals through proper nutrition and exercise. Fad diets, weight loss medication, starving myself, binging & purging, and any other unhealthy practice was not a consideration, not an option. Even at times of major frustration, when I wondered if the weight would ever come off despite all of my healthy eating and exercise, I would not give into the "quick fix" mentality so highly promoted in the media. I learned the importance of consistency, as I set a daily exercise routine and faithfully followed through. I learned that you cannot manage what you cannot track, as I committed to keep a daily food diary of everything I ate and drank (which I still do on a regular basis). I learned the joy of accomplishing goals – both big and small. I experienced the rewards of persistence and resolve of never giving up, even when the results were not happening as quickly as I would have liked and as I faced bumps in the road. I learned how to make decisions based on what I really want in the long – term, as opposed to what I want right NOW. As I would look at the pizza, milkshakes, chips, cookies, French fries my friends were eating, I would ask myself, “what do you want more? Melissa, would you rather have the cookie now or would you rather move closer to your goal of 112 lbs?” By asking myself that question, I learned that I was the one with the power, not the food. I learned the difference a positive mental attitude makes, as countless physicians and health care provides told me I was just going to have to accept that I’d always be heavy; they said it was in my genes and that I was just a big boned, husky girl (for those of you who know me – that is FUNNY!). I learned the power of positive self-talk, affirmations, and visualization. I began by writing my goals in the present tense and posting them all over the house, by taking the beautiful dress I wanted to fit into and hanging it on my closet door where I could see it everyday and imagining how great I would feel and how good I would look wearing it. I also put a penny in my shoe every morning when I got ready for school and every time I felt that penny in my shoe I’d tell myself things like “I love my lean, healthy body. I am a lean 112lbs.”

I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to share my experience with people of all ages and that I may assist them in reaching their goals. It is most important to me that I reach those young people who have so much of life in front of them. It is my hearts desire and my mission to assist them in achieving optimal health and fitness, such that they may reach their full potential, live long healthy lives, succeed in all areas of their lives, and contribute greatly to society.



To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Exercise Physiology
BSc Nutritional Science
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Ex. Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner


If you would like to know more about Chances for Children and/or Team Chances, please visit http://www.chancesforchildrenaz.com/.
If you would like to know how to contribute to the Chances for Children Fundraising program, please contact Melissa
If you are local to Arizona and would like attend the upcoming Chances for Children Silent Auction on Nov 11th, please contact Melissa.
If you would like more information about Melissa’s Nutrition and Fitness Coaching Services, please contact Melissa