Hi Fusers! We are diving in at day number 3 and I hope you all are staying on track. It has been difficult for me so far being a vegetarian because my meals are a bit limited and I have to keep track of my protein intake.

Since I am a vegetarian I do eat quinoa and full fat greek yogurt as in level 1. Other than that I have cut out all sugar and stick to veggies, lots of eggs, quinoa, almonds, paleo bread and yogurt for my protein. I have also been eating a lot of fat such as avocado, coconut oil and natural almond butter (no sugar and manufactured only with other almonds-no soy or other nuts).

In the beginning I was moody with headaches and hungry. I realized I wasn't eating enough so I added more snacks full of fat, veggies and protein.  I also take a daily live women's multivitamin and a probiotic to enhance absorption of vitamins and minerals and support healthy digestion. Now I am satiated and sleep like a baby! However I still miss my daily banana, (ripe-not green) with almond butter and Trader Joe's black bean/quinoa tortilla chips with hummus :(

So today this is what I inhaled:

Breakfast: Two organic omega-3 scrambled eggs in coconut oil with spinach, onions, garlic, cumin, cracked pepper, pink Himalayan sea salt, thyme and cayenne pepper. I also made quinoa flakes with cinnamon and chia seeds with a cup of three ginger tea. Oh, and did I mention I also miss my green tea full of caffeine?! Well I do.

Snack #1: Full fat greek yogurt with cinnamon and chia seeds.

Lunch: Broccoli and kale salad with tomatoes, avocado, boiled eggs and cucumber. I make my own dressing with fresh squeezed lemon, olive oil, thyme and pink Himalayan sea salt and ground pepper.

Snack: #2: Toasted coconut paleo bread with natural almond butter and cinnamon with a side of spinach salad.

Dinner: 1 cup of garbanzo beans, brussel sprouts and a kale salad with the same dressing as above with garlic and onions added.

Snack #3: Toasted coconut paleo bread again with coconut oil, 1 hard boiled egg sliced on top with fresh spinach and avocado.

Whew! I'm tired just typing all of this. But I have to say I do have more energy and sleep like a baby, but I crash earlier than usual--bed time is 10pm now.

Here's my advice to you. Make sure you plan and prep your meals ahead of time. It will seem tedious in the beginning, especially if you are cooking for several family members like myself. Although I am a vegetarian, I do cook fish and chicken for my husband and 7 year old daughter, so I understand that our time is precious. But once you have your grocery list, meals and recipes planned you will be good to go.

Okay, enough about me I'd like to hear how this detox is going for you! Please share your journey with us!

Let's go Team!

Yours In Health,

Pascha

Hi Fusers :) Hope your weekend is getting off to a great start! Classes were awesome this morning, great energy, good dedication and hard work. Can't ask for a better start to the weekend.

As many of you already know, Monday we are starting the 21 Day Sugar Detox. Here at The Fuse, we strive to consistently make healthy choices, whether it’s with food, exercise, family or work. However, we all indulge in things that aren’t healthy, we’re only human, right? Summertime often means over-indulging on many more occasions than normal, with vacations, parties, bbqs, there’s almost always a reason to over-indulge. With the start of this new school year (as parents, we see the beginning of the school year almost exactly like the beginning of the actual year) we are choosing to make a conscious effort to get back on track with our goals and training, closing down the awesomeness that is summer and moving forward.

That is why we have decided to make it a challenge at The Fuse to participate in the 21 Day Sugar Detox together, to jump-start our engines, reset our metabolisms, and rid our body of the excess toxins we’ve consumed this summer.

According to Wikipedia, the average person consumes about 24 kilograms of sugar each year, which is equivalent to over 260 food calories per person, per day. Even when we think we are following a low sugar diet, it's often surprising to find out how many foods have added sugar.

Removing sugar from your diet helps you lose body fat quickly by stabilizing your blood insulin levels (insulin promotes the storage of body fat), increases your energy by stabilizing your blood sugar (keeping you from having those sugar highs, then sugar crashes), improves the complexion of your skin (sugar zaps the collagen in your skin), and helps you taste and sleep better. All these effects sound awesome, right?!

While all of these are huge positive effects, there will most likely be some negative effects during the first few days of the cleanse. Just like any type of detox, as you clean your body from the inside out and rid it of what it is addicted to, the body suffers a bit on its path toward getting healthier. The most common negative symptoms reported on this cleanse during the first 2-3 days are headaches, cold-like symptoms, low energy, irritability, bloating, and sporadic sleep. However, many people experience no negative symptoms, and for those who do, it's mainly just the first few days.

You can find out more info from the 21 DSD website and purchase their book if you choose. Basically, the program is designed in three levels, introducing Level 1 participants to a life without refined foods, but not excluding all grain, legume and dairy products. Level 2 goes on to exclude grain and legume products while Level 3 is a strict Paleo diet with additional modifications specific to The 21-Day Sugar Detox's goals for participants in breaking their sugar and carb addictions.

Foods you should be avoiding completely are anything with sugar in it (agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, raw cane sugar, sucrose), alcohol, fruit, breads, candy, cereal, dairy, anything with flour, oatmeal, potatoes, soy, tortillas, vinegar, white rice, pasta, and seitan.

What can you eat? Lots of delicious food! All veggies (except potatoes), up to 1/2 cup of sweet potato a day (especially for athletes or if your energy doesn't spike back up after the first few days of the detox), eggs, avocado, coconut oil, fish, ghee (clarified butter), lemon and lime, nuts, olive oil, free-range chicken and turkey, grass-fed beef and lamb, quinoa (Level 1 only), seeds, tomatoes and unsweetened chocolate.

We will be posting regularly on Facebook, the blog, and Instagram (follow The Fuse Fitness on Instagram and/or post pics of your meals and #thefusefitness) about what we're eating, links to meal ideas and recipes, and how we're feeling, both what's challenging and what's making us feel good. We highly encourage you to participate with us and share your meals, your struggles, your highs and ask any questions you'd like. We're in this together and it's just 21 days to a better you!!

So, let the games begin!!

Yours in Health,

Kristin

As we stated in our previous blog post, Mom always told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, Mom also made sure we ate lunch. She packed our lunch daily, including snacks, in our He-man, Star Wars or Hello Kitty lunch box.

Planning lunch can be difficult. Many of us skip lunch, eat quickly at our desk and/or grab fast food and unhealthy snacks. This blog post will discuss how we can overcome lunchtime bad habits and focus on making healthier lunch choices.

Bad Behaviors

Many people skip lunch because they get too busy at work--we all know someone who only eats once or twice per day. Most likely he or she is not in great shape and is unaware of the harmful effects this has on the body.

Skipping Meals

Skipping meals during the day can cause overeating in the evening, resulting in harmful metabolic changes in the body. When you skip a meal your fasting glucose levels increase, which causes your metabolism to slow down and cling to fat. According to The American College of Endocrinology, if this behavior continues long-term it could lead to diabetes.

Desk Dining

Another bad habit many people struggle with is eating quickly while working. According to the Business Dayton Journal, a new survey reveals that fewer than half of all employees leave their desk to take a lunch break each day, and one out of every five workers polled said if they do take a lunch break, it is eating at their desk. What is the harm in that, you're eating lunch right?

Wrong. Let's face it; it's hard to enjoy lunch if you have to eat in a hurry at your desk. Desk dining means that you are probably eating while distracted and your brain does not register that your body is eating. "Eating at your desk encourages mindless eating, and overeating," says Susan Moores, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Most cultures take a mid-day meal to enjoy food as well as a physical and mental break.

Eating on the Fly

Under constant stress, your body will start to crave rich and sugary foods. That is why many people end up going to the pizza parlor down the street or grabbing a donut from the vending machine in the office. However we all know that this behavior will end up having long-term health consequences. On the other hand, taking time away from your desk may go a long way toward relieving stress and boosting energy. Now you need to plan ahead and apply basic rules for healthy eating.

Meal Planning

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." --Benjamin Franklin

Planning meals ahead is not rocket science. It simply means carving out one or two hours a week. Just like bad behavior can become habitual, so can good habits. Prepare your lunch and snacks at night. Maybe use dinner clean-up as a time to make your lunch with leftovers. If you are a parent, make your lunch at the same time you make your children's. Our family uses the Mr. Lids containers to pack our meals and snacks, this way we can eat balanced, hot meals.

Lunch doesn't have to consist of a sandwich, salad and fruit. Make complete meals you will actually enjoy and keep you satiated. Most of time we eat leftovers from dinner, or since sandwiches are not my favorite, I grab something prepared in the refrigerator section of the grocery store such as a quinoa salad. No matter what food category/diet you consider, it is essential to understand you need a balance of fat, carbohydrates and protein to live well.

What To Eat

Fats We all need fat and there are three main types: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The right fat is good! It coats our cells, joints and keeps our brain functioning. Every fat or oil contains a mixture of all three, which you need to be healthy. You can get adequate amounts in seeds, nuts, fatty fish, avocado and oils. We should aim to get between 25-35% of our calories from fat. However, you should treat trans fat like the plague! If the food has a shelf life of 60 years like the Twinkie, imagine what it can do to your insides.

Fiber Fiber-rich carbohydrates are also necessary for our body's main source of energy and metabolic boost. Without it our muscle tissue would break down and our brain would turn to mush. We should aim to get 45-65%of our daily calories from carbs. Avoid processed carbohydrates and eat fresh vegetables and fruits. If you eat grains such as rice or bread, remember they are calorie dense, meaning it has a large amount of calories in relation to the amount of space it takes up. You can easily inhale a large portion without realizing it. It's better to eat calorie dense carbs during breakfast or right after workouts to make use of the energy source. Try to stick to veggies and some fruit the rest of the day.

Proteins Last and not least--why is protein so important? Proteins are essential for forming bones, collagen, cartilage, fuel, stabilizing blood sugar, helping control weight, and are responsible for building, repairing and maintaining muscle tissue. We should aim to get 10-35% of our daily calories from protein. Although protein is important, people go overboard and take in too much. This can cause an increase of fat, toxins in your kidneys and you can lose muscle and bone calcium as well as have muscle weakness. Healthy proteins come from many food sources whether you eat meat, are a vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or on a paleo meal plan. Here is a sample list: eggs, milk, meat, nuts, beans, avocados, dates, figs, bananas, cherries, apricots and grapes. There is something for everyone, just keep track of the amount you consume.

A few years ago, a couple of staff members at Epicurious decided to create a healthy lunch challenge for over 1300 aspiring child chefs, choosing a winner from each state. Click HERE for the winning healthy lunch recipes to get some great lunchtime ideas. The grand prize for the winning chefs and their parents was an enormous celebration at The White House to meet Michelle Obama (read about it HERE). Very inspiring!

Where to Eat

Vow to yourself that you will get up from your desk to eat. Walk to a bench down the street, sit at a conference room table, or eat with some colleagues. Take 15 to 30 minutes to eat and chill out. If you are at home, eat with the TV and computer turned off. Enjoy the time with your family to share both food and conversation.

In the End

So what did we learn? Never skip meals, step away from your desk, plan your meals or grab a healthy, balanced, prepared meal, exclude trans fats, always eat healthy fat, fiber-rich complex carbohydrates and healthy proteins.

Our bodies function best when we eat healthy and balanced meals every two to four hours. Please feel free to share your favorite healthy lunch ideas!

"Eat like a king in the morning, a queen at lunch and a pauper the rest of the day." --Adelle Davis

Yours in Health,

Pascha at The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers! Happy Saturday everyone! You guys all did a kick-ass job this week with your workouts, thanks for keeping us constantly inspired :)

All through July we've been talking food at The Fuse. Unsurprisingly, a lot of us like to eat :)  We've been sharing awesome healthy recipes on our Facebook page, supporting one another in eating clean, and even exchanging some healthy, homemade snacks. It's a good community we have over here I tell ya. This post is going to cover the importance of eating breakfast. Which is awesome, because I sorta love breakfast :)

Remember when you were a kid, and your mom constantly proclaimed, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” It turns out mother knows best, as usual.

The name breakfast was coined to represent the meal that would break the fast after the night's sleep, and would provide energy for a long day of work. The pros of eating a healthy breakfast are huge, while the cons can have some pretty negative effects.

First the Bad News

Many people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight. Consume less calories in the morning, create a little deficit and the pounds will shed, right?

Wrong. When the body is in a prolonged fasting state, such as when you have not eaten since dinner the night before and you skip breakfast, the body begins to panic that it might not get food any time soon. As a protective instinct the body begins to store fat (think of bears prior to hibernation). Consequently, instead of shedding weight the reverse can happen.

Simply put, the body breaks down and when you resume eating normally (not skipping breakfast/meals) you might actually gain weight because your metabolism has significantly slowed down and cannot burn calories as effectively. Double whammy.

The Good News

By eating a healthy breakfast, you are revving your metabolism and kicking it into gear for the day. This in effect, helps you to lose and/or manage your weight. You will be able to have more control over your hunger throughout the day, helping reduce the urge to overeat because suddenly you're “starving”. You will be more likely to make nutritious and healthy food choices all day long, because you will have helped stabilize your blood sugar levels, which helps keep sugary and carb cravings at bay. Also, your mind will be clearer and you'll experience increased energy levels and higher productivity. You can't go wrong with these benefits.

What to Eat?

Healthy breakfast choices include foods high in protein, fruit, and veggies. Keep away from sugary, processed foods (muffins, sweetened cereals/oatmeals, donuts, pastries) and include whole, nutritious foods. A few ideas that don't take much time are eggs scrambled with veggies (spinach, kale, mushrooms, onions, peppers), protein smoothie (almond milk, frozen fruit, handful of spinach, protein powder), make ahead frozen protein pancakes, Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, a banana with almond or sunflower seed butter, or leftovers from dinner the night before. Breakfast does not have to be a certain type of food. Think of breakfast simply as a time of day. Don't feel limited in what you can eat, leftovers could be a great, healthy choice.

So whether you're trying to lose weight or simply maintain your healthy weight, remember what mom told you, breakfast IS the most important meal.

Yours in Health,

Kristin at The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers!

When I look back to when I was a school-aged kid, I remember having arts and physical education everyday, as well as a few recess breaks. We painted, played music, did theater, played dodgeball and capture the flag, ran relays, jumped rope.....daily. And we were all the better for it.

Sadly, the number of overweight children in the US has tripled in the last 20 years. One in 3 American children today are overweight or obese. This makes them prone to diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and poor academic performance.

Over the last few years, we have battled a crippled economy. School budget cuts and the move toward standardized testing have significantly impacted the role of arts and physical education in our children's lives.

In 2002 the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, and the federal government moved toward assessing standardized test scores in math and reading as a means to creating school budgets. This means more time must be spent on these subjects and less time on non-tested subjects. The more a school falls behind on these overall scores, the less time and school budget is spent on non-tested subjects, including arts and physical education.

However, research shows that arts and physical education are invaluable to our children. Art teaches children so many valuable lessons, including how to respect different points of view, how to commit and follow through, how to think abstractly, as well as gives children a means to communicate their feelings. Exercise is equally important; it increases blood flow to the brain and endorphin levels, which help reduce stress, improve mood, and calm children.

Children who participate in art and physical education regularly are less likely to miss school, able to concentrate better, demonstrate less disruptive behavior in class, have higher self-esteem and have higher test scores in reading and math. Sounds like a winning combination.

The Fuse Fitness and 4Cats Art Studio, both located just off the Colusa Circle in Kensington, have partnered together to create Art Fu, a unique summer camp to help combat the decline of arts and physical education in our schools. This awesome, all-day camp (9:30am-4pm, M-Th) starts the day off at 4Cats, where campers will spend the week learning and exploring a specific artist and creating a masterpiece to take home. The afternoon will be spent at The Fuse, where campers will learn Kung Fu with Sifu De. This camp is a fantastic opportunity for our kids, who sadly do not get enough of art or physical education in school.

Please visit our websites, www.thefusefitnessstudio.com and www.4cats.com/berkeleyhills to sign up today!

Yours in health,

Kristin @ The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers! Happy May! What gorgeous spring weather we've been having :) Summer is just around the corner, and let me tell you, I couldn't be happier about that. Today's blogpost is written by our resident guest blogger, Beverly Aabjerg. Enjoy!

Get Ready for More

In April we encouraged everyone to "Just Give Up" one bad habit. Here at The Fuse Fitness, members gave up everything from chocolate to Facebook, kettle corn to junk T.V. With April behind us, the results are in, and most people have kept their promises! Why have Fuse Fitness members been so successful? Is it because they posted their commitment publicly? Or perhaps because they are checking in with each other so frequently. Or maybe because people are encouraged by participating in this challenge with a group rather than struggling alone. Is it "misery likes company" or "the more the merrier", or a bit of both?

If you accepted our April challenge, good for you! Give yourself a pat on the back and keep up the good work. Think about whether or not you might want to continue keeping this "bad habit" out of your life. Look at the pros and cons of continuing to moderate this behavior.

May Challenge

Now in May, we encourage everyone to adopt a behavior that they know will increase their health and/or quality of life.  Some ideas Fuse members are thinking about include working out one more day a week, taking yoga classes, meditating everyday, getting a long-avoided physical exam, eating at least four servings of vegetables a day, and drinking green tea. Now is as good a time as any to take hold of your life and do something you know would be good for you.

Don't Go Alone

This challenge is not something you have to do by yourself. Enroll your friends and family to take the challenge with you. Post the challenges on the fridge and check in with each other a couple times a week. Acknowledge and encourage each other. And have fun living well!

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers! This spring The Fuse Fitness is focusing on healthy behavior changes. In April the challenge was to give up at least one bad habit and in May we will be inviting you to commit to one new good habit. Today we want to talk about something in between - giving up a little to gain some good.

Not All Good or All Bad

We realize that not all habits are all bad or all good. For example, watching television, is not all good or all bad. According to the Economist Magazine, it is the number one way Americans spend their leisure time, on average about four hours a day.

However, if you know you could be in better shape, is watching four hours of TV a day the best idea? Now, before you panic, we are not saying give up TV all together, but how about giving up an hour and instead going for a walk, doing some gardening or taking you kids to the park before parking your butt on the sofa.

Take a Look at Your Lifestyle

Think about your social life. Are there some ways that you can modify your behaviors to include a little more activity? Here are just a few ideas to consider:

What about going bowling with friends and having a couple of beers instead of sitting in a bar all night?

Do you love to go out for dinner? Why not park ten blocks away from the restaurant and walk to and from dinner? Enjoy some exercise and a quiet conversation with your dinner date.

Instead of jumping on the internet and social media sites after dinner, take a 15 minute walk and then spend 15 minutes doing 50 jumping jacks, 20 sit ups and 10 push ups.  Now get on your computer and surf the net. In that half-hour you will have not missed anything online and over time that 30 minutes of exercise will help you a lot.

Take the Challenge

We invite everyone to examine their life. Where can you carve out some time from an activity that garners few health benefits and shift that time over to doing something that will make you healthier and happier? Challenge yourself, your friends and family. Give a little up to gain some good.

What are some of your ideas for modifying your lifestyle to include more activity?

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers!

This is not an early April Fool’s Day joke, what we mean is just give up one bad habit.

"Give It Up!" is April's fitness challenge. The challenge for all of us is to give up one bad habit for 30 days.

At Least One Bad Habit

We all have at least one habit that undermines our health and fitness goals. The challenge is to give that habit up for 30 days. If after 30 days you want to return to your old ways, it is your choice to do so. You can give up any bad habit you want, such as a bad eating habit, like giving up chocolate, or a behavior, like watching TV while you eat. Think about the one thing that you know you want to change, big or small.

One at a Time

We know it is hard to change behaviors and most experts agree that by making one change at a time, you are more likely to succeed in both the short and long run.  It takes only a few weeks to train your brain and body to adjust. The goal of this challenge is to break free of a habit that you know does not serve you. At the end of the 30-day challenge, ideally you will have accomplished the following:

1. Establish your change in behavior as a habit itself.

2. Break your addiction/unconscious reactionary thinking to your behavior.

3. Feel empowered to continue to challenge yourself in making other changes.

To keep your mind from short-circuiting, remember this is only a 30-day challenge. After 30 days you are free to go back to your old ways if you choose. Hopefully you will use moderation :)

You might not want to start with giving up your most challenging habit. If you smoke daily and every night you eat cookies, pick the behavior you are most likely to be able to give up right now.

If you fall off the wagon, get right back on! One or two slips means that you are 85% effective at reaching your goal.

Remember, you do not have to go it alone. Ask friends and family to take the "Give It Up!" challenge with you. Many people at The Fuse Fitness are ready to give up a bad habit as well. So drop by the studio and see our wall of "Give It Up!"  With support it is always easier to kick a habit.

So tell us, what is one of the bad habits you are willing to give up? Do show and tell.

Good luck!

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness

Post written by Beverly Aabjerg

Hi Fusers! Today I want to talk a bit about something many people struggle with--body confidence. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with images of beautiful people with seemingly perfect bodies, it's easy to feel a little insecure about ourselves.

Hang Ups

We all have our hang ups; ask anyone, and I'm sure they will easily list off the things about their bodies that are less than perfect. Ask them what it is they like about themselves and often that answer is a bit harder to come by.

Why are we so hard on ourselves? Why is it so challenging to focus on all the positive, wonderful things are bodies are capable of? How can we aim to increase our body confidence while still working to achieve our fitness and health goals?

Letting Go

I believe the first step is letting go of an unachievable standard. Realize that most models have been airbrushed to look perfect and/or use unhealthy practices to be thin. Recognize what your body is, rather than what it is not.

Shift Your Focus

Learn to focus on and highlight your strengths. Be proud of what your body can do, rather than upset because the scale isn't where you want it to be yet. Reward yourself for getting stronger and making positive, healthy changes. And remember to keep up the good work!

Prioritize Your Health

Make your priority your overall health, not a number on the scale. It is far too easy to fixate on what the scale tells you. Changing your goals to reducing unhealthy habits and increasing healthy ones will do wonders for your body. Eat well, exercise regularly, get quality sleep, drink plenty of water--all these things go a long way.

It is such a blessing to be around so many wonderful people who value their health and bodies; let's keep the positive energy flowing and remind each other and ourselves of all the hard work we put into taking care of our health.

Team Work!

Work with friends, family members, colleagues on this: compliment people for a job well done; tell someone if they inspire you; thank someone for being a good role model; and most importantly, remind yourself of how awesome you are :)

Yours in Health,

Kristin @ The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers!

Here is Part 2 of Beverly's "Take a Rest" series. Check out Part 1 if you missed it. Enjoy!

The Benefits of Rest

What is the upside of a day or two off? One of the most important benefits of a rest day is that your body is able to  adapt to the level of stress it is experiencing. Your muscles grow when you rest.  Also, if you are more rested, you will be more focused and able to enjoy your day-to-day life.

Plus, with a rest day in place, you now have an hour or two to do something fun. A day off will leave you with energy to enjoy the other important aspects of life.

On Your Day of Rest

On your rest day do not cross-train.  Get a massage, do some light stretching or walking, just to fend off lethargy. Keep your heart rate down and your muscles relaxed.

Needing a Longer Break

If you have answered yes to a few questions listed in Part 1 of the series, you might consider easing up for a couple weeks along with taking a day or two of rest. Easing up means giving only 60 to 70% effort to your workout, using lighter weights and/or exercising for less time.

Do not worry that backing off or taking a day or two off will derail your fitness. According to American Council on Exercise, depending on your level of fitness it takes weeks before your cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength will significantly decline. The energy you gain from a rest will help you meet and maybe even exceed your goals.

What's your favorite way to unwind, relax and restore?

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness