Thanksgiving is on Thursday and with it comes anxiety for those trying to lose or maintain weight. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you have a strategy and some general awareness of what you do and consume.  This piece isn’t about being “good” on Thanksgiving.  It is about how to get through the day with a common sense plan that will allow you to enjoy family, friends, and food in moderation and guilt free!

Step 1: Get your preliminary calories burnt: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday represent a HUGE opportunity to implement quality workouts.  It doesn’t matter if it is Spinning, Zumba, a solitary jog or a strength/interval session; just plan out your activities for the 1st three days of the week!

Step 2: If there ever was a time to practice the 85% rule it is this week.  The 85% rule is simply making the best food choice possible 85% of the time so when presented with something decadent and delicious it can’t really harm you.  Want to use the 90% rule Mon-Wed?  That is fine, too.  The idea is 
“clean eating” where you will focus on fruits, veggies, low fat dairy, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Step 3: We are asking you to be proactive on Thanksgiving.  Almost every town or municipality will be hosting a turkey day 5K event and a lot of gyms are hosting special Thanksgiving workouts.  Even if you can’t make it the gym or don’t want to race, lace up the shoes and go for a 30-45 minute walk or run in the morning to offset calories you will be consuming later in the day!

Step 4: Shake it up!  I am a BIG fan of using protein shakes for a quick and convenient breakfast but on Turkey Day we are going to do two shakes: One for breakfast and one for lunch.  Add some fruit in between and drink plenty of water!  The brand we love at Integrated Wellness Concepts is Designs for 
Health Whey Cool (high-quality protein from grass-fed, GMO-free sources) and can be ordered on our website at www.integratedwellness-concepts.com

Step 5: Don’t pick around food but stay away from what you know.  Often times we will pick around the dinner/dessert table in an attempt to not eat a specific item.  The problem is we nibble on useless stuff like cheese and crackers and at the end of the day, eat what we were avoiding in the first place.  We suggest going ahead and eating what you want.  Simply eat the foods you want in moderation but try to avoid the “normal” foods you eat all the time…. like cheese and crackers.

Step 6: Know when to stop.  The Hunger-Satiety scale is a great tool that can help you determine when enough is enough.  We would like you to stay around a 5 or 6 on the scale which would be comfortable, neither hungry nor full.  If you find yourself between 7-10, you have overeaten and did not listen to your body.

Step 7: Bust some calories on Black Friday.  Instead of beating down crowds of shoppers, beat down some calories and get back to your normal workout and eating habits.  Most of us will have the day off and Friday is a great chance to reaffirm your commitment to your goals!  Trust us when we say you will feel 100% better mentally and physically!

Follow this 7 step process and you will be ready to roll on T-Day.  

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

I cannot help but chuckle when I visit other gyms and watch their training staff demonstrate what I call 
“circus workouts” to woo and attract new clients.  Stuff like standing one legged on a bosu ball with a 
dumbbell over their head while trying to catch a tennis ball with one eye closed.  And people fall fr it.  
Why? I suppose because it looks cool, innovative and cutting edge.  In reality, it will do little to enhance 
your performance and will most likely lead you to the emergency room.  At Integrated Concepts we 
have a rule: If the exercise you are performing will not benefit you in everyday life, boost performance 
or is too risky for the client to perform safely, we do not perform that exercise.  No matter how cool it 
looks.  Simple programs produce results and we are going to tell you why!

Let me start by saying that there are a lot of programs out there that will produce results if you:

A. Believe in the plan

B. Stick to the plan

Unfortunately most of us have exercise/nutrition A.D.D. and have great difficulty adhering to, believing 
in or sticking with a specific program long enough to see results.  However, fitness philosophies are 
important.  At IWC, we believe 100% in our philosophy so here it goes: Keep it simple.  We focus on 
workouts that focus on movement patterns, large muscle groups, interval training, recovery and 
appropriate nutrition (which is an entirely different blog topic).  

According to IWC personal trainer Nick Lape “I focus on movement patterns and work large muscle 
groups first.  We use all of our muscles on a daily basis so it makes sense to train them in the same 
fashion.  There is no need for fancy, convoluted programming when simple exercises in the right order 
will do the trick every time.”  

Are Nick’s workouts boring?  Not a chance!  Nick has an amazing following and a growing client base 
because he understands that simple workouts produce results.  Just understand that simple doesn’t 
mean boring.  He incorporates everything from slam balls, battle ropes, TRX, kettlebells and more.  If 
you are physically and mentally ready for those movements!

Secondly, the exercises you should be performing are relative to the condition you are in at the 
moment.  If you are brand new to exercise you probably shouldn’t be doing kettlebell work or high 
impact movements.  This doesn’t mean you won’t eventually perform these moves.  I have women in 
their 60’s doing kettlebell work but we have been training for years to get them in the condition where 
they can safely perform these exercises.  Many trainers will throw their entire repertoire at you to 
impress you enough that you will train with them….whether you are ready for these workouts or not 
(please refer to the segment on trips to the ER).

Finally, we have long- standing relationships with our clients but a BIG bonus of training with IWC is that 
you will understand how to perform your workout whether you are training with us or on your own.  We 
don’t make our clients dependent on us by developing programs so complicated you feel overwhelmed, 
lost or discouraged.  If you are feeling those things a red flag should be going up because the last thing 
you should be feeling in your workouts is overwhelmed, lost or discouraged.  Those feelings typically 
don’t fall in line with achieving your goals or sustaining lifestyle change.  IWC trainers teach you how to 
perform your current workout and then progress you appropriately as your conditioning improves.
If you are currently working out on a regular basis and aren’t seeing results we want to know why?  If 
you aren’t working out and are contemplating adding physical activity to your life, we want to help!  No 
matter where you are in your journey, the fitness professionals at IWC can help you create a program 
that is simple, safe and produces results.  Give us a call at 314-482-5796.

Most people fail to recognize the opportunity in front of them over the next 10 weeks, will eat their way through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, gain 5-10 pounds and then swear that 2015 will be different as they 
make a veiled attempt to exercise and eat right the 1st week in January.  Or in other words, will do the complete opposite of what we are about to share with you.  You have a choice and we are going to provide for you the plan that will allow you to enjoy this holiday season looking and feeling great!

1.  Start moving: Regular physical activity (3-5 days per week) is an absolute must if you want to lose weight before the 2014 holiday run.  We recommend activities that will give you the biggest bang for your buck such as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Spinning, Zumba and/or small group or 1 on 1 training.  Oh, and if you want max results we suggest 5 days of activity.  Yes, you are busy but this is war against weight gain!

2. Shake it up: Do you skip breakfast or make bad choices for lunch?  To jump start your weight loss, use meal replacement shakes to get the ball rolling.  We recommend Designs for Health Whey Cool shakes.  They taste great, mix well into smoothie recipes, is produced from hormone free, grass fed cows and are higher quality than the products you are purchasing at the super cheap super store.  You can get your whey cool by visiting our website at integratedwellness-concepts.com/supplements.  For the 1st five days of your strike have a shake for breakfast, a mid-morning snack (Greek Yogurt and a piece of fruit), a shake for lunch, a mid-afternoon snack (almonds and a piece of fruit) and a healthy, properly portioned dinner). After the 1st 5 days, continue replacing breakfast with a Whey Cool shake and start planning healthy, properly portioned lunches.  It will take work on your end but if you can master this you will lose weight and save money by not eating out everyday.

3. Get water logged: The formula is simple.  Divide your weight in half and that is the number of ounces you need each day.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you need to drink 75 ounces of water each day.  Yes you will be in the bathroom a lot in the beginning but your body will adjust and you will jump start weight loss. 

4. Plan parties around physical activity: Social events will begin gearing up but that isn't an excuse.  If you know you will be in a setting where extra calories will be consumed hit the gym a little longer and a bit harder to offset the damage.  Parties and social events are a problem only if you let them become a problem.  

5. Actively manage stress: Uncontrolled stress causes increased levels of cortisol production which promotes belly fat and slows your metabolism.  You are already exercising (a great stress eradicator) but other strategies such as meditation, air breaks (getting up and away from your work station) or massage therapy are awesome ways to manage stress.

6. Find a buddy: Corner a pal and get him/her to commit to losing 5 pounds before Thanksgiving.  The power of accountability has resulted in many weight loss success stories.  Get a friend, family member or co-worker to join you in the preemptive strike! 

Follow these six tips and you will be lean, mean and looking good on January 1, 2015 which will give you even more to be thankful for!

IWC logo gear is now available at 
www.integratedwellness-concepts.com/apparel! 
Come check it out!