BRENDA PAPIERNIK, SKINNY JEANS BOOTCAMP, BUTTERFLY BEACH, MONTECITO

Moving to California from the East coast made a huge impression on me spiritually and physically. Seeing the beautiful
 landscape of the West Coast inspired me to be active and outdoors as much as possible. It truly became my lifestyle.
 I’d like to bring this same inspiration to my clients. Not only am I helping people achieve good health, I am also getting
them to appreciate and utilize the nature and beauty around them. My workouts are driven by the outdoors, from beach
workouts to mountain hiking to ocean surfing/swimming. I train outdoors with little or no equipment. Some of my best
workouts focus on exercises that use only the resistance offered by your own body weight.

On a personal level, I enjoy hiking, skiing, beach running, boxing, aerobic exercises, yoga and meditation. These
activities help me maintain balance in my life, which I think is a very important aspect of healthy living. Santa Barbara
is the perfect environment to live a healthy lifestyle, and I help my clients achieve this. With so many options for
outdoor activity, my programs can either enhance some one’s gym workouts or provide a good alternative for those
unmotivated to go to the gym. This environment allows me to keep it fresh and interesting for my clients.

My passion is helping people gain strength and endurance, lose weight, gain energy, and feel great. I love knowing I help
 people feel better about themselves in achieving their health goals. I enjoy working with people of all ages and fitness
levels, encouraging, motivating, and inspiring them to achieve their maximum fitness potential. I believe that anyone can
reach their fitness goals by working hard. I have patience, determination, and guidance as clients progress to a healthy
 body and mind.

My desire is to help others become fit and healthy as a means to truly living life to its fullest. My philosophy about fitness
is that any type of exercises can and will tap into the body’s wisdom and connect the mind, body and spirit. I believe
the trainer/client relationship is “team work” and as a team we will reach the client’s goal. I enjoy the one-on-one
relationship that is built between the trainer and the client and I thrive on the direct impact that I have on their health
 and lives.

The appeal of boot camp is that clients have a chance to work out in a team environment and meet others with like-minded
fitness goals. I am eager to get started with boot camp and becoming a motivated and inspirational addition to this industry.

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on March 9, 2010 at 12:53 pm, filed under Bootcamps, Santa Barbara, Skinny Jeans Bootcamp Instructors and tagged , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Lose it! Keep it Off!

I recently read this article in Berkeley Wellness letter about losing weight and keeping it off (stopping the yo yo dieting) and it truly sounded like the workout ‘regime’  I’ve been following with my trainer- Scott Crawford – for over a year. It’s encouraging and exciting to think I will be able to maintain the great results I’ve had – just by continuing to do what I’ve been doing and staying focused. I’ve lost body fat  – and at an accelerated rate when I combined a more structured diet plan with my workouts. We tracked  heart rate, body fat measurements and food journal with Teri Tom, MS, RD – and I dropped from 22% body fat to 16.8% in a month and a half! And the best part about it – I feel great!

The National Weight Control Registry has been looking into information on over 5000 people who maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds for more than 5 years.  Here are the successful strategies that these maintainers had for losing the weight and keeping it off:

1. Eat a high carbohydrate, low fat diet. Most calories (55-60%) should come from ‘good complex’ carbs – like whole grains, veggies, fruit and high fiber foods – NOT high sugar foods. 24% of calories come from fat and the rest (16-21%) from protein.

2. Be aware of calories consumed – total calories count – no matter what you eat.

3. Eat breakfast

4. Monitor and watch yourself – weigh yourself once a week and keep a food journal of what you eat

5. Exercise – A LOT – 60-90 minutes a day. Carve out time every day and plan to do something. Look for ways to keep active during the day and walk. Walking is the #1 activity.

And one more point about protein. Most Americans consume way more protein than they need -and you don’t need more protein if you exercise. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is .8 grams/day for each kilogram (2.2 lbs) of weight. That would be 64 grams for a 175# man and 47 grams for a 130# woman. (1 ounce of chicken  or 1 cup milk = 8 grams) …so it adds up quickly.

By Bonnie Crouse

This entry was written by bcrouse, posted on February 24, 2010 at 9:24 am, filed under Experiences, Food, Life is Fitness, Lifestyle and Spa, Nutrition and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

We are all Different for a Reason

My friend recently sent me a message saying that in the past 15 minutes, she had eaten 5 Cookies and Cream Good Humor bars.  She followed that up with the fact that she went to her freezer for the 6th, but then remembered that she had eaten it for breakfast.

My first reaction to this is quick.  Envy.  Followed by a shaking of my head.

You see, this friend is 5′7″ and weighs maybe 110 pounds.  She is skinny as a rail, and has been her entire life.  I remember when we were growing up together, her mother couldn’t find pants that fit her because she has always been skin and bones.  The pants that fit on her waist were too short.

My second reaction is how actually BAD that is for someone’s body.   All of that sugar and preservatives and colorings and chemicals just isn’t good for you.  Follow that up with the chemistry that then wreaks havoc on the inside trying to deal with all the fat and calories.

I on the other hand have to watch every little calorie that I put in my body.  Always have.  Always will.  I have embraced this as I am who I am and I have the body that I was born with.  My calories just want to stick around – they want to join my thighs.  (In all fairness, my thighs are pretty fun to hang out with… )

So am I happy that I can’t eat a box of ice cream bars?  Yes, actually.  Why would I want to do that to my body?  Perspective is everything and so I am taking this time to be thankful that I am not that skinny girl that can eat whatever, whenever I want.  I have the opportunity to be mindful of what goes into my body.  I wish the same for you.

Melissa Beaugrand, SOMA GET FIT CHEF.

This entry was written by mbeaugrand, posted on February 23, 2010 at 12:03 am, filed under Experiences, Food, Lifestyle and Spa, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Is Having Good Posture a Drag?!!

Is having good posture a drag?  Good posture can be easier than you think.

Most people donʼt know how to sit or stand with good posture in a way thatʼs comfortable. We have never been taught how to balance our bones and move with the least amount of stress on our bodies. In fact, not only can it comfortable to sit and stand but it can feel easy and very freeing

How about walking?  Wouldnʼt you like to be able to walk anywhere, either a hike or into a room with poise and confidence and fluidity?  It has nothing to do with age.  It has everything to do with learning how.

Do you find yourself getting short of breath?  You can learn how to breathe freely , giving yourself more energy and a better voice!

The principles of the Alexander Technique enable us to change anything thatʼs getting in the way of our mind and bodies having lightness and ʻfree flowʼ, throughout our day, no matter what our activity.  Our overall health changes and top to toe pains and strains diminish dramatically.

For more info visit: www.alexandertechniquewithjune.com or www.alexandertechnique.com

This is a guest post from  June Chadwick, Image via bgh.com


This entry was written by Soma Get Fit Guest Writer, posted on February 16, 2010 at 1:19 pm, filed under Alexander Technique, Bodywork, Lifestyle and Spa, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

« Previous Entries