/ en jarrett@mc2design.com Copyright 2011 2011 09 13 /blog/aaron-and-jordan-rodgers-off-season-training/ /blog/aaron-and-jordan-rodgers-off-season-training//#When:15:50:14Z Recently both Jordan and Aaron Rodgers gave us the nod to upload a video of their training together. Check it out here on YouTube! These guys are not only two of the hardest working, talented, and determined athletes I've had the privilege of training with, but they're dang entertaining to watch too. Huge thanks guys for letting us be a part of it all! News Worthy 2011-06-15T15:50:14+00:00 /blog/covered-in-flavor/ /blog/covered-in-flavor//#When:17:55:54Z Oven Roasted Salmon with Garlic, Ginger, and Kale By Sarah Blakley      Yields 2 Servings Overview: This recipe is an easy one that is packed with flavor!  You can even make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready!  I’ve used the powerful flavors of Asian cuisine with a simple cooking technique that results in a scrumptious meal. By using ingredients like garlic, ginger and a small amount of soy sauce, you get a flavor-packed bite without the fats or sugars.  And since salmon naturally has its own fats, there is no need for added butter or oil.  Nestle the salmon on a bed of kale (or spinach), wrap it all up in foil and bake it together!  You’ve got an easy, flavorful meal that is healthy and truly delicious. Ingredients: Two 4-6-oz. salmon filets 4 cups of fresh chopped kale (or 6 cups of baby spinach leaves, packed) 4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped 2 tbsp. of fresh ginger, finely chopped 2 small green onions (or 1 large), chopped 5 large fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 tbsp. of dry white wine 2 tsp. of fresh lime juice 2 tsp. of soy sauce (sodium reduced) salt and pepper to taste Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking dish with foil.   Spread the kale or spinach in a single layer on the bottom of the dish, and season with salt and pepper.  Add 1 tsp of white wine, 1 teaspoon of fresh lime juice, 2 tsps of soy. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp chopped ginger, 2 of the garlic cloves (chopped), 1 large (or 2 small) chopped green onions, 5 chopped basil leaves.  Place salmon in “bed” of kale and nestle down into it a little.  Add the remaining chopped garlic and ginger, and top with a dash of soy sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover tightly with foil so no moisture can escape.  Place on middle rack of oven and cook for 15-17 minutes.   Suggestions: If you choose to use spinach leaves instead of kale, using 6 cups will seem like a lot but the spinach shrinks in size when cooked (because of the water in the leaves). You can always add as much as you’d like of kale or spinach…they’re so good for you!  This is also a great dish to make for a group!  You can prepare each serving by putting the kale/spinach on top of a large piece of foil, topping with the salmon, and making a “boat” with the foil to hold the liquids and everything else…just fold the edges of the foil upward and seal together on the top to form individual pockets!  Place them all on a baking sheet and cook the same way you would with 2 servings. To prepare ahead of time, just do everything except the liquids.  Add them right before you put it in the oven!  Substitution for Salmon:  Halibut works so well in this preparation because it can also stand up to the heat and flavor.  Chicken works too!  Just slice chicken breasts into strips, pan-sear them 1 min on each side (do not cook them all the way through), then place on top of the kale or spinach.  Cook at same temp of 425 for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! ~Sarah 2012-03-10T17:55:54+00:00 /blog/greetings-whole-body-fitness-foodies/ /blog/greetings-whole-body-fitness-foodies//#When:18:31:18Z Greetings Whole Body Fitness Foodies Many of you have been begging us for recipes to spice up your nutrition programs. We have heard outcries but, unfortunately lacked the kitchen skills to provide you with the recipes you want so badly. I’ve said it before; we have the most amazing clients in the world. Many of you while on your own journey to health have come up with the amazing ways to prepare healthy meals and add variety. Thanks to all of you it is my pleasure to introduce our newest Blog all about, you guessed it, food! Healthy, Whole Body Fitness approved, recipes provided by one of our clients. Allow me to introduce you to my friend, fit mama, and foodie Sarah Blakley. Sarah is currently a member of Whole Body Fitness and is on a fitness and nutrition program designed by Angelo Poli. Sarah’s love of cooking with fresh ingredients and devout interest in quality, flavorful food led her to become a self-taught cook. Sarah and her husband have three sons, and a large group of family and friends who enjoy weekly get-togethers with great food. Her recipes are family-friendly, fit into an active lifestyle, and promote healthy living with good nutrition. Her weekly blog posts will give you the nutrition options for your daily life that help promote healthy living and help you reach you fitness goals. Happy Healthy Eating Everyone Ashley Poli WBF Food Blog by Sarah Blakley Blog 1. February 20, 2012 “Who Says Snack time is just for Kids?” Recipe 1.0 – Turkey Wrapped Asparagus Spears with Raspberry Drizzle Overview: A fun and healthy snack that has Flavor! No need for fork and knife either . . . it’s easy for your on-the-go lifestyle. Lightly seasoned asparagus spears wrapped in turkey slices, drizzled with fresh raspberry sauce for color and a little sweetness. Yum! Ingredients: 3 oz. of lean turkey, sliced (organic or natural, no pre-sliced deli meat)
 6 asparagus spears 1⁄4 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed to room temperature salt and pepper to taste Preparation:
 Asparagus: Prepare a bowl of cold ice water and set to the side. Heat a shallow pot of water over high heat until boiling. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water. Add 6 asparagus spears to the water, and blanch for 60 seconds. Remove the asparagus and transfer the cold ice water bowl. Let them cool in the ice water for 2 minutes. Remove and pat dry with a paper towel.
For the turkey: cut 3 large turkey slices in half to total 6 strips of turkey. Wrap each asparagus spear with the turkey, season with salt and pepper.
 Raspberry Drizzle: Using a fork, mash the thawed raspberries with 1 tbsp. of water in a small bowl. Drizzle over the turkey wrapped asparagus. The drizzle may also be used as a dipping sauce. Suggestions: Use this raspberry drizzle as a sauce for many of your snacks or meals! It can be drizzled over grilled chicken or shrimp, and could also be used for a dipping sauce for celery stalks or apple slices. Kids love it too because it’s sweet and colorful! Prepare ahead of time and store the wrapped asparagus in airtight containers in your refrigerator. Keep the drizzle separate, and take it with you in a small container when you’re on-the-go for dipping!   Homepage, News Worthy 2012-03-01T18:31:18+00:00 /blog/why-college-sports-link/ /blog/why-college-sports-link//#When:21:45:52Z For many of you reading this blog for the first time, the athletic recruiting process is a new experience. If you’re like I was four years ago, the more you learn, the more confusing, complicated and frustrating it can be.  Add to that the approximate time commitment required to successfully manage your son/daughters recruitment and you’ll soon discover that the hours and job duties are equivalent to that of a part time administrative assistant. When things got frustrating and confusing, I seriously considered spending a couple thousand dollars for a recruiting service. My motivation for doing that wasn’t predicated on my lack of knowledge about the process. By that time, I had already learned enough to run a successful campaign. No, I wanted to buy the marketing and access that my son and I hadn’t developed earlier on our own. After three years of research, traveling to 24 football camps, combines and 7 on 7 competitions in seven states, and meeting coaches and recruiting experts, some having more than 40 years of experience in this business, I learned how imperative it was for student-athletes to start this process early, aggressively market themselves and develop personal relationships with college coaches. It’s the primary reason why I started College Sports Link. At College Sports Link we’re committed to preparing families for the athletic recruiting process by providing the tools, resources and direction necessary help student-athletes not only maximize their athletic scholarship opportunities, but also compete at the next level. If you want to learn how to run a successful athletic recruiting campaign, contact Greg Fishback at 530-518-3709, or click on this link for more information: Homepage 2012-02-20T21:45:52+00:00 /blog/the-effects-of-higher-admission-standards-and-the-ncaa-academic-eligibility-center/ /blog/the-effects-of-higher-admission-standards-and-the-ncaa-academic-eligibility-center//#When:20:49:36Z At the conclusion of my son’s freshman football season I was approached by the head football coach about pulling Nelson up to play on the varsity team starting sophomore year. At that time, I was unaware that a number of college coaches had already requested information about him. This was the beginning of our recruiting cycle. For most parents, the college recruiting process doesn’t even register in their consciousness until senior year. Even after the coach had told me that Nelson may have an opportunity to get recruited, I figured we wouldn’t have to think about it until after his junior season. Boy was I wrong! As it turns out, Nelson had NOT been on a college bound track since he started high school; in laymen’s terms, he wasn’t university material. As a consequence, he wasn’t scheduled for any of the required academic courses needed to be admitted to a university. When it came to scheduling high school classes, I assumed that his high school counselors or his mother (who is also a teacher at the high school) would take care of that. Working as a team throughout the recruiting process will be an important topic covered in the near future. I learned the hard way that there is a lot more to getting a college athletic scholarship than just being a good player. In fact, according to Joseph Rigney, Director of the American Coaches Federation, “college coaches are often finding that the hardest part of recruiting is getting past the eligibility phase. It’s complicated and getting more so every year”. If college coaches, who make their living doing this are having a difficult time keeping up with these things, you can see why families would too. Which core courses meet the NCAA requirements, how many credits are required in each; GPA, ACT and SAT scores as they relate to the NCAA Sliding Scale; Clearinghouse registration and when to register; Amateur Status registration and when to register; NCAA Recruiting rules. Those are just a small sampling of the things that every student-athlete and his or her parents must face. Learn from my experience with Nelson; it is extremely important that parents, coaches, school counselors learn as much as they can about the eligibility and recruiting process before the student-athlete approaches their senior year. College Sports Link conducts free Recruiting and Eligibility Seminars for high school booster clubs and organized club team organizations. These seminars may also be held in conjunction with tournaments and showcases. Whole Body Fitness in Chico also sponsors a free seminar every month for families interested in learning more about the recruiting process. If your high school or organization would like to schedule a seminar, please send us an e-mail at: collegesportslink@gmail.com, contact Greg Fishback at 530-518-3709, or click on this link for more information: Homepage 2012-02-20T20:49:36+00:00 /blog/whole-body-fitness-girls-photo-shoot/ /blog/whole-body-fitness-girls-photo-shoot//#When:05:24:24Z Eat Right! Train Right! Live Healthy! Whole Body Fitness Girls Photo Shoot These girls know that the best way to look athletic is to train like an athlete. See the results of their athletic training in their stunning photos. Check out their photo shoot. Recent Articles 2012-02-08T05:24:24+00:00 /blog/is-late-night-eating-unhealthy/ /blog/is-late-night-eating-unhealthy//#When:19:49:13Z Q: Many people believe eating after 6pm is unhealthy, and doing so will pack on pounds, no matter how healthy you eat. Other people believe that eating late is absolutely fine, as long as you stick to healthy foods and stay away from junk. Which is true? Should you refrain from eating past a certain time, or does it matter how late you eat, so long as you eat healthy? Does your metabolism really slow down after a certain time? The answer to this debate depends mostly on what diet or mechanic you are using to lose weight. There are two basic mechanics that effect weight and body composition. 1. Calorie restriction 2. Macronutrient ratios (controlling the ratio of proteins, carbs, and fats) Low carbohydrate diets use this mechanic to force the body to burn more lipids for fuel. Note: There are many other strategies aimed at controlling hormones, glycemic load, etc, that can be helpful. These additional strategies are often combined into a diet. The primary mechanic however remains the same.  Reduce calories or carbohydrates. What happens to our metabolism at night? When we sleep at night our bodies power down into a state of extremely low energy expenditure. At this point any left over fuel in the tank is more likely to be stored as body fat. Not all fuel is the same, however. Proteins, for example, are still used even while we sleep to repair tissue. If we have excess sugars at night time it's unlikely that we will be able to burn them off and therefore store some as unwanted body fat. Pros & cons when deciding whether to include a food “cut off time” as part of your diet program: Pro: In the short run it will seem as though you are losing more weight. This is mostly because your body will be in a “fasting” state for a longer period of time in a 24 hour cycle. You will wake with less intestinal bulk and feel mildly lighter and digestively “empty”. Pro: If you are following a reduced carbohydrate program, it will ensure that you don’t unintentionally get carbohydrates late at night. Carbohydrates at night undermine the mechanic that triggers fat loss. This is especially the case when the diet is already built around that mechanic (low carbs). Pro: Most Americans consume the bulk of their calories in the second half of the day. If your weight loss plan is built around calorie restriction, a cut off time for meals can help keep you within your targeted caloric intake. Con: It’s a gimmick. No serious athletes should completely eliminate their intake at night. The same mechanic that causes us to lose more weight by going consecutive hours without food (fasting) causes us to plunge deeper into a catabolic state (feeding off our own muscles). This is counter-productive when trying to develop lean mass, recover from intense training, or improve athletic performance.  Tip: There are three basic body types. Ectomorph, Mesomorph, Endomorph. Learn which one you are. Ectomorphs will be most negatively impacted by the above mentioned catabolic effects of fasting while Endomorphs will be the least effected. Con: Many people are subject to blood sugar swings. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is more likely to effect someone aggressively dieting. Cutting off food too early in the day may impact you if you’re prone to low blood sugar. Conclusion: Based on the pros and cons it’s reasonable to conclude that it’s important to know your body type and understand the mechanics involved in the diet you’re following. If you’re following a reduced carbohydrate diet, some people see benefits from allocating less carbs in the evening while still getting some proteins and fats. When following a reduced calorie diet that doesn’t restrict carbohydrates you’ll still benefit by avoiding highly processed foods at night. It's a safe assumption that sugar before bed is undesirable for any diet. I sincerely welcome any questions or comments, Angelo Poli  SET, SPN, CFT Homepage, Recent Articles 2012-02-06T19:49:13+00:00 /blog/intelligent-exercise-selection-for-posture-and-health/ /blog/intelligent-exercise-selection-for-posture-and-health//#When:23:28:16Z Presentation to UC San Francisco on body alignment, posture and fitness.   Intelligent exercise selection for posture and health. View more presentations from wholebodyfit.   2012-01-22T23:28:16+00:00 /blog/brian-blakely-transformed-in-9-weeks/ /blog/brian-blakely-transformed-in-9-weeks//#When:15:20:41Z Congratulations Brian Blakely! He was up for the challenge. He followed his nutrition plan, show up for his workouts and stayed focused. Take a look at his transformation in 9 weeks. 2012-01-18T15:20:41+00:00 /blog/why-am-i-a-circle/ /blog/why-am-i-a-circle//#When:16:49:12Z Why am I a circle? It's true, people come in all different shapes and sizes, but in recent years more and more seem to come in the same general shape. A circle. It seems our lifestyle in general (the age of technology and eating on the run) produces an easily identifiable bulbous and sagging look towards the center circle. How did this happen? I used to be rectangular, even triangular... but now I'm a circle. There are two primary contributing factors to our increasingly spherical physiques. The first reason is that when we spend additional time in the seated or slumped position, our head and shoulders tend to roll forward and down (toward our center) and our arms internally rotate (again toward our center). Not sure if this describes you? Well, do you spend much of your time working at a desk, relaxing on the couch, driving, being driven, watching movies, working on the computer, eating, visiting with friends at the coffee shop, texting, studying, reading, playing video games, talking on the phone...?   ...by the way, what are you doing right now? You wouldn't happen to be sitting, would you? If any of these activities describe a large part of your life, you are.. well... pretty normal. Also your head is likely forward from your center of gravity (not in line with your ankles), and when you stand relaxed the back of your hands face forward instead of your thumbs. Ok, now that you've stood up and checked yourself out in the mirror (yeah, I know), let me recommend a couple things you can do to help restore yourself from a circle to any number of improved geometrical shapes. For every hour a day you spend in the seated or slumped position, I suggest performing 2 door-jam shrugs. That means if you spend 10 hours per day sitting (scary but add it up - driving to work, sitting at your desk, relaxing in front of the TV etc..) that means you would perform 20 door-jam shrugs per day! If you've never done a DJ shrug before, click here to watch a video: The second reason is because when we gain fat, our bodies are designed to hold it more or less symmetrically near the center of our bodies. Thank goodness for that! Could you imagine if we had an extra 30 pounds in our left ankle? Our Hop-Scotch days would be over! Instead, our bodies store the extra weight neatly in our stomach, thighs, and hips, allowing us to move with remarkable dexterity on the dance floor despite the need for a Doctor's note prior to preforming most popular dance moves (you know what I'm talking about)... There are a few nutritional strategies.... and yes -- I'm talking about diet -- or as some people commonly regard it, “the complete removal of life's enjoyment”. Regardless, if you're in the market for a diet, make sure you read this brief article based on years of dieting thousands of clients. There are some common elements that strongly correlate to success with dieting. Click here to view the article "Overcoming Adversity While Dieting". While as a nation we are becoming increasingly rotund, individually we can take some steps to prevent ourselves from becoming or remaining.. “a circle”. Instead we can adopt a healthy lifestyle and get in the best "shape" of our life. Angelo Poli SPN, CFT, SET www.wholebodyfit.net   Homepage, Recent Articles 2012-01-06T16:49:12+00:00