Fast forward to today.  I have lost approximately 70 pounds!!  My core strength and balance has improved so much and still getting better every month.  In the old days, if I would have tripped or stumbled, I would have gone down!  – Thanks to my training at BRAND FITNESS, I am now able to recover and remain upright! 

Except for a minor knee issue that goes back to my track and field days, I have no joint pain whatsoever.  I am rounding the corner to 60 and am fit, happy and healthy.  I now can buy clothes in the regular section and don’t dread shopping for them. 

If you’re reading this be assured, YOU CAN do this!  Take one step at a time.  Set one tiny goal at a time.  My goal was just 5 pounds a month.  Even if I didn’t make my target I gave myself a pat on the back and said you can do this!  

My advice to you is ... Find a fitness studio or trainer who cares.  I was lucky to find both with BRAND FITNESS!!  I received extra help and support in their BRANDFit50 Small Group Training program and Specialty Classes.  -- it makes a world of difference to have the support and accountability for your actions.  You are worth it, you owe it to yourself.   YOU CAN DO THIS!!!”

Sandra W, Langley, BC

7 Ways to Burn more Fat
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Ready to burn your way to a leaner you?  Dropping fat tends to be a tedious process that’s slow and steady. There are, however, 7 ways to add an extra boost to your results. Keep reading to find out how...

​Boost Your Burn #1:  Track Everything
Counting calories, weighing out food portions, and keeping tabs on how far and fast you run isn’t the most exciting thing to do. But if you want to burn more fat, you need to do it.  Without tracking your intake and outtake, you will never be able to figure out the weaknesses in your fat-burning program. Once you grow accustomed to keeping track, it becomes very rewarding when you have a good day.  And since you live in the 21st century, tracking the amount of fat you consume and burn is made easier thanks to all sorts of electronic devices and apps. Make use of those that make the most sense to you and stay on top of your fat-burning game.

Read on for 6 MORE  ==>>

Haven't Changed Anything in Your Diet But Gaining Weight?


You are positive that you're not eating more food or “junkier” food but you're still gaining weight.  Is this possible?
 
Yes!  You are NOT crazy!  

And here's why ....
 


We both know that the whole “calories in, calories out” argument is an overly simplistic view of weight.
 
There's definitely more to the story than just what you're eating, right?
 
A lot of this comes right down to your metabolic rate which is affected by things like your activity level, history of dieting, body composition, and even what you eat.
 
But, let's go beyond the “eat less and exercise more” advice and dive into some of the less obvious underlying reasons why you may be gaining weight even though you're eating the same ...

Easy Meal Prep Tips
Ever wonder what it would be like to open your fridge to find a full week of healthy, delicious food that’s prepped and ready to be eaten? Sure would make sticking with your diet and achieving fat loss a lot easier… 

Meal prep is a fantastic way to keep on track with your eating throughout the entire week. 

The idea is to plan out all of your meals on the weekend, most often on Sunday, then do the shopping and the prep at one time for the entire week. This day is labor intensive, but then your food is ready-to-eat for the next 6 full days. 

Here’s my 5 Step Meal Prep Guide to make your next food prep week really simple: 

DO YOU NEED A LIFESTYLE MAKEOVER?
It happens to everyone. That moment when you realize that it's time to do something about your weight and health.  It may happen when you're looking in the mirror or standing on the scale.  Your first thought is to go on a 'diet' but as quickly as that enters your mind the ghosts of a hundred diets past return ... along with all the frustration.  Then you wonder, why bother?  The weight will come back, as it always has. Then you'll be back in front of the mirror as discouraged as ever.   The answer is not to go on another diet.  The answer is to change your lifestyle.  You've heard this before, and it makes sense, right?  So what's holding you back?

Your Lifestyle Obstacles:  Most people resist changing their lifestyle for two reasons.

1.  Change is scary   Whether you realize it or not, your life is in a constant state of change.  Though you cling to the familiar, it's a futile struggle.  Change always wins.  The most consistent thing in life is change.  Since you'll never escape it, you might as well channel it. It's time to make the change in your life purposeful and positive. 

2.  Lifestyle misconception   How many times have you heard the term 'healthy lifestyle' only to picture a health nut with celery sticks in one hand and tofu in the other?  The truth is that most people think that changing their lifestyle will be an extreme and unpleasant experience - and that's not true.  Improving your lifestyle does not mean swearing off chocolate or living in the gym.  You don't have to eat wheat germ for lunch and you can still enjoy a nice plate of pasta. The key is moderation. 

3.  Making the Change   It's time to lose your 'all or nothing' mentality.  Embrace simple, small changes that will add up to big improvements in your lifestyle.  These are your main venues for change:


What You Eat:  The solution to cleaning up your daily diet is NOT to go back on a 'diet'.  In fact, I never want you to go on a 'diet' again. (Yes, you heard me right!)  Instead I want you to make permanent healthy changes to your eating habits. 

Here are some practical examples:
I don't expect you to eat a perfect diet every day of the week - that'd be ludicrous. You should, however, make MORE healthy choices every day than unhealthy ones.

• Choose salad over chips or fries
• Eat fresh produce with every meal
• Limit desserts to one or two per week
• Cut out mindless snacking
• Drink water, not soda

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What You Do:   Exercise is a huge component to a healthy lifestyle, and quite frankly you're not getting enough of it. How often does an entire week go by without you ever lacing up your tennis shoes? Don't disregard the importance and power of a good workout.

Your new healthy lifestyle means exercising on most days of the week. This may seem tough, but I have the perfect solution - my training programs were created for busy people just like you who only have so much time to dedicate to exercise.  You'll spend 30-45 minutes with our Small Group Training programs, a small time commitment with big results.

I understand how hard it is to find the motivation to stay consistent and to push yourself. Make exercise a no-brainer - contact me to get started on a lifestyle enhancing program today.

Here are simple ways to move more:
While none of the above are meant as substitutes for a solid exercise routine, they are great ways to become more active and to improve your lifestyle.

• Watch less TV
• Stretch stiff muscles every day
• Play at the park with the kids or grandkids
• Go for a jog or brisk walk
• Do some pushups every morning (knees are ok)
  
  

Your lifestyle is the balance of all the choices that you make regarding your body. Swing the balance in your favour - make a majority of your choices health conscious. 

So the next time you're in front of the mirror you won't worry about your weight.

You'll relish it.

Marion Brand
BRAND FITNESS
Langley, BC  778-726-0590
www.brandfitness.ca

AGING YOUNGER

Although the aging process is hard-wired into our systems and cannot be stopped this doesn't mean that we are completely at its mercy. On the contrary, individuals are able to significantly, and sometimes dramatically, influence how quickly or how well they age. The foods they eat, activities in which they choose to engage, environmental toxins to which they are exposed and numerous other factors have been shown to either “accelerate” or “slow” the aging process.  

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This is your life, and your chance to live it to the fullest.  Enjoying Family, Grand kids, Travel, Hobbies with a little help from yourself.  Take the time for YOU, by staying active and eating healthy.  This is YOUR Life to Enjoy! 

BRAND FITNESS has functional training programs specifically for Adults, aged 50 and up, in Langley, BC.  Finally, there are safe programs for Baby Boomers and Seniors!  Our BRANDFit50 Small Group Training is a 30 minute session with your Certified Coach leading you towards success.   Let's keep doing what we're supposed to be in life.  ENJOYING!!    FEEL BETTER ... LIVE BETTER!

Book your FREE BRANDFit50 Session below, or find out more about our program HERE.  We want to start helping you LIVE THE BEST HALF OF YOUR LIFE! 
​
Marion Brand
BRAND FITNESS
www.brandfitness.ca
778-726-0590

Your Holiday Party Cheat-Sheet
How would you like a cheat-sheet for getting through holiday parties without putting on a single pound? You're in luck, because below we have outlined 5 shortcuts to avoid gaining holiday party pounds.

Short Cut #1: Eat a sensible meal before the party.
You should always arrive at parties with a full stomach. We realize that this goes against the popular trend of starving yourself before a party, and that's exactly why most people gain weight. Since your stomach will be full, you'll have the clarity to pick and choose the treats that you really want, rather than stuffing yourself with everything in sight.

Short Cut #2: Bring a healthy dish to share.
Don't worry if the party that you're going to isn't a potluck - the hostess will love you, for being so thoughtful, and you'll have a healthy option to enjoy. 

Short Cut #3: Never drink calories.
Do you realize how quickly calories add up? Alcoholic beverages and sweet holiday drinks are simply packed with calories. These calories don't take up much room in your stomach so you're left wide open for even more calories. 
Your best strategy is to avoid these beverages altogether, and stick with water. Aim to drink 2-3 glasses of water at the party. 

SKINNY JEANS - 7 Easy Steps to Success 
I know, I know—you are sick and tired of weight loss solutions being classified as “easy”, but stick with me as I explain how it really can be easy. Most weight loss solutions fail because they only offer a partial solution to your weight gain and do not truly address your weight gain triggers. This means that the few pounds you do lose will come flying back on with astounding speed. In order to attain and sustain healthy weight loss you need to include the following seven steps: 

• Step 1)  Education—A little know-how goes a long way 
  
• Step 2)  Resistance Training—Muscle tone burns fat 
  
• Step 3)  Cardio Training—Strengthen your heart, shrink your waist 
  
• Step 4)  Nutrition—Eat to be fit and healthy 
  
• Step 5)  Challenge—Avoid the dreaded plateau 
  
• Step 6)  Support & Motivation—Guarantees your success 
  
• Step 7)  Hey, this is fun!
  

These seven steps are what make a person lean, toned, fit and strong – for a lifetime. Download our Ebook this month, and dive into each topic in depth.  This will give you all the “gems” you need to effectively reach your fitness goals. 

4 THINGS TO DO TO STAY YOUNG 

• Exercise HARDER, not longer.  Workout intensity is what it's all about, not 'time' working out. Find ways to increase your workout quality, not quantity!
• Eat less food-especially sugar!  The older you get, the lower your caloric requirements. This doesn't mean you shouldn't eat, but small frequent snacking is the way to go, and calories should be altered daily depending on your activity level.
• Get some sleep. Sleep increases GH production, along with many other things that repair breakdown from the rigors of living. Sleeping 7 to 8 hours a day will keep your body tuned and ready to run.

• Take care of your skin. Drinking water is a huge factor for overall health, but nowhere will the effects of dehydration be more obvious than on your skin. You should drink six to eight glasses of water per day, at a minimum, and more when it's hot or you're exercising.

I'd like to recommend a program (FEMALE FAT LOSS OVER 40) that you can use at home with little to no equipment. You'd be surprised at how easy it is to meet your fitness and fat loss goals when you have a great plan. Even if you hit the gym or a boot camp, this is a great option for when you're time strapped on some days.   Also a perfect program when away from home ... on Holidays or  away for Business.

In Fitness and Health,
Marion Brand
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PS You'll find some great support to stay fit and look young here: Female Fat Loss Over Forty.

A Protein Shake after you workout will fuel your body, feed your muscles for recovery and bring up your glycogen (blood sugar levels).

This is an important step to any fitness routine.  Have a shake or Protein/Carb snack within an hour after your workout for optimal results.

CONTACT US to get started on our high quality supplements

Marion Brand