Once a Year Special Price Starts Today

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

I am very grateful to those of you who have attended Boot Camp this year.  I get a lot of joy in helping you and sharing in your progress and spending time with you in class.  I sincerely appreciate you.

To those who've trained with me for some time, you know that I try to be as reasonable as I can with your payments and the fee that I charge for the Camps.  And you also know that I don't offer gimmicks, or advertise throughout the year.  I'd much rather have a smaller, more dedicated clientele, rather those looking for a quick fix from misleading marketing hype.

So, this brings me to the special for 2017.

Starting today and ending on December 9th, you can prepay and save 15% on as many Camps as you'd like for 2017.  You can buy as many months as you like at the discounted rate, or pay for the whole year. It's totally up to you. You'll just need to decide how committed you are, and how this fits into your budget.  

But, remember that this special offer ends December 9th.  

Payments can be made in person by bringing me cash or a check, or I can accept payments online via Venmo or PayPal.

Note that rates will be going up in 2017.  I want to purposely keep the classes small, and provide a more personal experience.  

As the world gets busier, my desire is to dig deeper and share what works with you.  More noise, more soundbites, and more distractions are not the answer to better health and fat loss.

For 2017 I will be buying some new equipment, and really helping you to stay focused on what matters, and what produces results.

Thanks so much!

Schedule for Thanksgiving Week and December

A quick reminder that this will be a very short week.

You only have Monday and Tuesday to train.  Make the most of these days.

In years past, I've held class on both the day before, and the day after Thanksgiving.  Many said they would train, but few showed.  

This year I will take off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  I find that I'm a better trainer, with some regular days off.

Speaking of off, after Thanksgiving I will be reducing my time on social media.  I will have someone cover and post on the Facebook Page, but if you need to reach me, please email me.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I want to keep the focus of updates and news here on the site. 

Calendar:

November 23,24,25 no classes

December 1, new Tues/Thur Camp begins

December 2, Mon/Wed/Fri Camp begins

December 23 no class Christmas 

December 26 no class Christmas

Jan 2 no class New Years Observed

Stressed out, or strong?

This election time has been one of the most stressful times I've seen for my clients.

There was a look of disbelief, sadness, and numbness in their faces.

Today more than ever, it's important to exercise, eat well, and do what you can to reduce your stress.  Maybe easier said than done, but important to do so.

October 2016 Boot Camps

Hard to believe that it is October already.  I sincerely hope that you have been putting in the work towards your health and fitness.

Sadly, with more and more information being thrown at us, I see many people caught up in the noise, rather than bearing down and getting the work done.  

You have choices. Focus on directing your own path, rather than being a victim of what the media and others would like you to do and believe.

Camps start on Monday the 3rd, and Tuesday the 4th.

You can pay via credit card or Apple Pay through these links.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday AM Camp 13 classes for $175

Monday/Wednesday/Friday PM Camp 13 classes for $175

Tuesday/Thursday AM Camp 8 classes for $125

Tuesday/Thursday PM Camp 8 classes for $125

Now You Can Pay For Boot Camp With Apple Pay or Facebook Messenger

I've hooked up my website to accept Apple Pay, as well as regular credit cards

Also, now you can pay via Facebook Messenger if you'd like.

Contact me with any questions.

Improve each day

Running near Echo Mountain in Altadena

Review, refine, and improve on your habits each day. Our time here is very limited.

It saddens me to see people wasting days drifting further away from better health because they've chosen to eat poorly, and skip workouts.

Know that as your coach I'm not here to sugar coat things. I'm here to push you.

Refine your evening rituals

The more years I put in as a trainer, the more I believe that positive results come from refining your habits and disciplines.

Rarely does someone change radically...it's usually the small repetitive changes that add up to huge changes.

One area to work on is sleep.

I recently passed these suggestions along to one of my clients...

Do you get off the phone/computer early enough in the evening?  Do you use "Flux" on your computer to reduce the eye strain?  Also, the iPhone and iOS devices have an evening setting called "Night Shift" which dims the device.

How about a good sleep mask?

Is your bedroom calm, dark, and cool?

Refine these, as they all help towards your goal of fat loss.

September Camp Details

The September Boot Camp classes start on Thursday and Friday of this week.  

No Classes on Labor Day.

A reminder that classes meet 2x or 3x a week, either in the morning from 5:45 - 6:30, or in the evenings 6:00 - 6:45.  

Twice a week is $135  
Three times a week is $165  

Please contact me with questions, and to secure your spot.

Thanks, Coop  
P.S.  Current boot campers please let me know if you will be returning in September

Emails and questions

I'm going to be posting more questions and emails here on the blog.  I hope that you find them beneficial.

8-29-16  Do you have any "extremely strict" meal plans laying around you can send me!!!? I do so much better following!
No sardines, please!!!

And you think walking around the Rose Bowl on Tues & Thurs is good cardio???

My reply:  

Extremely strict... (Note I'm not suggesting to eat this way forever)

Avoid white carbs, such as bread, cereal, potatoes, pasta, fried foods, rice

Eat protein, egg whites with yolks sparingly, chicken breast or thigh, Grass-fed/organic beef, pork, and fish

Eat limited beans if you have a craving for them

Vegetables, spinach, asparagus, peas, broccoli, lettuce

Drink lots of water

Have one cheat meal per week, if the rest of your week has been spot on.

Walking around the Rose Bowl, is just that...walking.  It's good for your mind and for your heart, but as far as burning calories...it's going to take a lot of walking to burn fat...and knowing your busy family life, neither you nor most of my clients have time for leisurely strolls.

I prefer that you do some type of sprint program like this...

Warm up as necessary, be it on a treadmill, bike, or outdoors on hilly terrain, then, "sprint" for 45 seconds...and I mean all out like you want to vomit...

Then rest 5 minutes...

Then sprint again for 45 seconds

Do this 6 times, repeating this pattern

Cool down as necessary

Do this 2-3 times this week.  Let me know how it goes, and we will modify it for next week.

When Boot Camp is not the best answer

I often see clients who have super hectic lives.

You know...working crazy long/stressful hours at work, not sleeping enough, or other serious situations in their everyday life.  In some of these situations, it's oftentimes possible to reduce the commotion with better planning, or making time for exercise the priority.

But for some, life it just too busy to add more stress, meaning Boot Camp.

Adding more stress to your body from exercise may not be the best solution.  

Before committing to Camp, really examine your current situation.  Getting your personal life in order, working on the bigger issues, may be better for you in the long run.

Figure out if exercise is a high priority, and if so make adjustments.  If you aren't really ready, or can't commit right now, then don't beat yourself up.

It's more about the discipline, focus, and consistency, rather than the flashy movements.

What often grabs attention these days, is whacky, almost circus-like movements.  You know the ones that seem to be popular on social media.

But I really believe that lifelong results come from consistency and showing up to do the basics.

Of course it's fun to try the new and flashy exercises, but always come back to committing to the basics.

What to do when you are trying to "lose a little weight" and suggestions of what to do on the days away from Boot Camp.

Here is my response to client...The weight comes off when all pieces of the puzzle are working together.  Meaning, if your sleep is sufficient, your exercise is challenging and frequent, and your eating is on target 85-90% of the time.

I think these days that most people are more sedentary, all of these areas have to be worked on and always improved.  

With eating it comes down to eating whole, nutritious foods. Lot's of protein, vegetables, some fruit depending on fat loss goals, and some healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oils, avocados, and nuts and seeds in moderation.  Things not on this list, make it harder to lose fat.

As far as doing exercise outside of camp, I usually suggest "sprint" work.  Doing any activity be it walking, biking, or on some type of gym-like machine...but doing sprints for 10-45 seconds, and then recovering for 1 minute.  Repeating these rest/sprints 6-10 times, and then a sensible cool down.  The whole idea is to push your body past it's comfort point, and then recover.

Calendar:

September Camps begin on Thursday Sept 1, and Friday the 2nd

No classes on Labor Day, Monday the 5th

August Camps Begin on August 1 and 2

This has been a busy month.  I was at a big fitness conference for 5 days.  I'll be sharing some details of what I learned here on the blog, but here are some of the main points.

1.  Move - be it Zumba, mountain biking, dancing, etc..  Experiment and see what fits with your personality.  You've got to find something that will keep your interest, and that you can do frequently.

2.  Lift weights - Don't depend on attending a class to burn calories or lose weight.  Build a "muscular" body so that you burn calories all day long.

3.  Eat smart - Eat a wide variety of proteins, vegetables, nuts/seeds, healthy fats, and fruit.  Your specific needs depend on your level of activity.  Don't overthink this.  If you think it's junk, it probably is and is best to avoid it.

4.  Sleep - You are brighter, stronger, faster, have a stronger immunity, less chance of obesity and diabetes (and more), if you get proper sleep.  Get into an evening ritual of winding down, and getting off the gadgets.  (Treat yourself like a little kid, from the good old days...taking a bath, changing into comfy sleep attire, and reading a positive story.)

You must take care of you.  Stop the excuses.

The August Boot Camps begin Aug 1.

The MWF morning class is pretty much full.   

The other times/days do have spaces available.  

Morning classes meet at 5:45 am - 6:30 am
Evening classes 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm

There will be 14 classes for the M,W,F Camp, and the cost is $175
And 9 classes for the Tu/Thur option at $145

Summer 2016 Paleo Challenge Starts August 1

I know you guys have been asking me to run another Paleo Challenge, so here we go.

Clients always report excellent results, so join in starting Monday, August 1.

In our last Paleo Challenge, the top 4 participants lost a total of 70 pounds.

Past participants have said...

Nicole says..."I've lost a total of 15 pounds since I started boot camp, with 10 of those since starting the Paleo Challenge."

Michelle says..." Stepped on the scale this morning and I'm down 10.5 pounds since the start of the challenge."

Sal says... "Weight at the beginning of The Paleo Challenge was 228 lbs. Weight at the end of the challenge was 210 lbs.  My waistline in the beginning was 42in., and now is 38in.  Initially, I was a bit skeptical about the challenge. I noticed I had a lot more energy during the workouts and throughout the day.  I also started sleeping better, which I think came from having a good diet. I’ve decided that I am going to continue with this diet because it’s a necessary life change.    I've been riding the bike to work and going uphill minus 18lbs. makes a huge difference!

Here are the details

The 2016 Summer Paleo Challenge begins August 1, 2016, and runs for two months, ending on October 1.  

Here are some of the basics when it comes to following the Paleo Eating Plan.  (Please look over these to decide if you are up to the challenge.)

• Eat real food
• Do not eat or drink dairy.
• Do not eat grains.
• Do not eat sugars of any kind, real or artificial.sugars of any kind, real or artificial.
• Do not eat processed foods.
• Do not drink alcohol, in any form.
• Get 8 hours of sleep each day.

Details and Guidelines of the Challenge

• Cost: $25 to be put into a kitty. (To be paid online, or if you train with me, it can be in person, by August 1, 2016.)
• 3 'Before' pictures taken on or within 2 days of August 1, 2016.  Front view, side view and back view. Men are in shorts and Women are in shorts and sports bra/bikini top.  (See example here.)
• 3 'After' pictures are taken (on or before October 1, 2016)
• Your beginning and ending scale weight.
• Your Body Measurements:
  Belly: Place the measuring tape over your belly button and measure around your body. 
  Hips: Place the measuring tape across the widest part of your hips/butt and measure all the way around while keeping the tape parallel to the floor.
  Chest: Place the measuring tape around the biggest part your breasts/pecs and measure around while keeping the tape parallel to the floor.
  Thigh: Measure around the largest part of the thigh. Measure and record both legs
  Upper arm: Measure around the largest part of each arm, above the elbow. Measure the same portion of the arm every time.
• Winning is based on improved body measurements and weight lost.
• Stephen will pick the winners.
• The Grand Prize Winner takes home 75% of the kitty plus 1 month of boot camp classes.
• The First Runner-up takes home 15% of the kitty plus 1 month of boot camp classes.
• And the Second Runner-up gets 10% of the kitty.
• Past winners have taken home some really cool Paleo Cookbooks too.

Details of the Paleo Plan

Each day you should be doing 3 things.

1.  Eat Paleo

2.  Exercise

3.  Sleep at least 8 hours

1. Eat real food. Meat, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, oils. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re fresh and natural.
2. Do not eat dairy. This includes butter, cheese, yogurt and milk (including cream in your coffee).
3. Do not eat grains. This includes bread, rice, pasta, corn, oatmeal, and also any gluten-free pseudo-grains (quinoa, etc).
4. Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter!
5. Do not eat sugars of any kind, real or artificial.  No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Truvia, Stevia, etc.sugars of any kind, real or artificial.  
6. Do not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, processed bars like Zone and Balance Bars, dairy-free creamers, etc.
7. Do not drink alcohol, in any form.

Coaching and Support

Free, private coaching group via Facebook page with recipes, workouts, tips, accountability, and any support I can help you with. 

How to Sign Up

Simply click here to sign up online.  Once I receive your payment notification, I will email you more information, and invite you to the private Facebook group.

Simplifying things...

With so many different ways to share information these days, such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Email, Twitter, Messenger, etc., I'm trying to simplify the way I can get information to you.

I'm going to focus on the blog (which you are reading here now), and email.  I may lose some people, but my hope is that you'll get used to checking here for updates.  

With so many distractions these days, I really believe that your time is precious, and not to be wasted surfing social media.

So, starting today, I will post updates here first.  Book mark this page for all news.

Some tips about the layout of the blog.

First, at the top of the page, you'll see news of upcoming events.  Second, on the top right, you'll want to click on "Blog".  That's where I'll be posting tips and updates.

Once you've clicked and arrived at the blog, I will post important dates in a Calendar section at the bottom of each blog entry.

Your time is precious.  I hope that you'll come here to the blog and get the information and your questions answered...and get back to doing what needs to be accomplished.

And of course clients, I'm available via email.  stephen@bootcamppasadena.com

Personalized help, sending me your food/sleep/exercise diary

I try to make your Boot Camp experience as personalized as possible.  When it comes to eating there are some basic tips such as eating a wide variety of proteins, lot's of vegetables, some fruit, and some nuts and seeds.  But I also offer a more personal approach where you can email me what you ate, how many hours you slept, and if you did any exercise outside of class.  

I look at these and make suggestions.  Unfortunately, some clients who need the most accountability don't commit to sending me their daily "check in".

I asked one of my long time clients Christie,(who has had excellent results) to share with you how she does it.  We are talking years...that she has been doing this consistently.

Here's what Christie has to say...

"So it's really hard to stay on top of food. I think it's even harder than finding time to exercise. With exercise, you get that immediate endorphin rush and the pay off is pretty immediate. With food, you don't feel anything until it's too late and you've eaten so much, you're bloated and miserable. 

Keeping a food log is honestly easier than it seems. If you can scroll your Facebook or Instagram feed, you can write in a food log.  Let's not lie to ourselves, we do most of this scrolling while sitting on the toilet in the mornings anyways. Which is exactly the time I compose my daily food and exercise email to Coop. 

I have been sending Coop daily food logs pretty much every day for several years. Unless he or I say we're going on vacation, we are in constant communication. In fact, I moved to Orange County and can't workout at camp but I still send emails. Accountability is key. I send photos and report my habits so that I can make tweaks the following day. It's amazing what a difference a small adjustment makes. It's just hard to see where to tweak on your own. Coop never punishes me for my over eating or slips in diet. He redirects and offers suggestions on how to undo a night of drinking way too much vodka. I never feel shame to admit I ate that donut in the teachers' lounge. Hell, I like life and I'm not going to deprive myself too much. I just need the self-awareness that is so important to getting and staying healthy. 

I also make sure I take photos of what I eat. I already Instagram most of my meals so why not attach them to the emails? I assure you that Coop will not judge you on filters used. 

Having the visual definitely helps and on days where I'm attaching over 4 food photos, I know I better watch my intake that day. 

I personally spend a lot of time on my phone playing cat games so it's no biggie to take 1 minute to write and send a food log. My cats survived, I'm sure yours will too." 

Calendar:

July 1, 2016 New MWF Camps Begin

July 4th, 2016  Holiday - No Classes

July 5, 2016 New Tu/Thur Camps begin

"The best way to get better is to decide who you want to become."

What a simple yet powerful quote via Seth Godin.

So often the missing piece to a client's success is his or her decision to committing to making it happen.

I can see the determination on a clients face when she has decided that enough is enough, and that change must happen.

There's no need to read more articles, watch more people exercising on reality TV or Instagram...it's time to decide.

Decide to stop making excuses.

Decide to show up and put in the work.

Decide to wake up early, knowing that it ain't going to happen later.

Decide to commit time to preparing healthy food.

Decide to get off the computer or your phone early in the evening so you can get proper sleep.

Perfect Weather for June Boot Camp

You can chuck those excuses of it being too cold or too dark to come to Boot Camp.

If it seems like time is speeding by, and you never quite get going on a fitness program, then I welcome you to come and train with us. Let me worry about the programming, you just show up.

Having said that...you do need some structure in your life before thinking of training. If you aren't getting enough sleep, and your life is already out of whack, adding more stress from exercise is NOT going to help you. Make sleep a priority, and eating well a priority. You can't get by for too long abusing yourself. It will catch up with you, trust me.

If health and fitness are really important in your life, then act like it. Eliminate the nonsense, and anything that interferes with your progress. Fight for yourself like you mean it!

If Boot Camp is an option for you, then here are more details... The MWF morning class is pretty much full. (Those who are currently in the class have a secure space.) Current Boot Campers please let me know if you'll be returning or not.

The other times/days do have spaces available. If you can't make it into the MWF morning class, please attend the Tu/Thur Camp, until a spot opens for you.

Morning classes meet at 5:45 am - 6:30 am Evening classes 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm

There will be 13 classes for the M,W,F Camp, and the cost is $175 And 9 classes for the Tu/Thur option at $135

Stephen

P.S. Note to Active Boot Campers, please confirm with me if you haven't already if you will be continuing in this June Camp. Thanks.

Yes For Memorial Day

Regular class schedule for Memorial Day.

If you've been training hard, eating right, and on track with your goals, and feel like you need a day off, go ahead and take it off.

On the other hand, if you've missed, show up and put in the work.

Making up a class

If you are in the Monday, Wednesday, Friday AM class,  you are welcome to come on a Tuesday or Thursday AM class, or any evening Monday - Friday at 6:00 PM. 

If you are in an evening camp, unfortunately, I don't have space for you to come to a MWF AM class, but you could make up on a Tuesday or Thursday AM class, or any evening Monday - Friday at 6:00 PM.

Just drop me a quick email letting me know why you missed, and which day you'll be coming to make up.

I don't carry over classes to the next month.

Hope that makes sense.