This month's salute takes a different spin. Congratulations goes to Brett McInerney. Brett is working hard to put on some lean muscle mass. His efforts have rewarded him with a gain of 11lbs of lean body mass. He has lost over 3% bodyfat as well while gaining lean muscle. Brett has put 3.5 inches on his chest, an inch on his arms, and 2.5 inches on his legs. It can be even harder sometimes to put on muscle mass than to lose bodyfat, so great job! Congratulations Brett and keep up the hard work!

1. Forget Supersizing
In an attempt to give the customer some bang for their buck, restaurants and fast food chains often offer ridiculously large portions of often high-fat, high- calorie food. For instance, if you were to order the Fajita Steak Quesadillas with guacamole at a Chili's restaurant, you would be ingesting 2020 calories -- more calories than you should have all day! There are solutions to this dining-out dilemma; order an appetizer or kid's meal to keep your portion size in check or ask for a doggie bag with your entree and put half away for another meal as soon as you're served.
2. Soup or Salad
One way to control how much you eat is to curb your appetite before you dig into a big meal. Try starting each meal with a course that will fill you up a bit, but while ingesting only a few calories. Munch on a salad or vegetables and no-fat dressing before you start your main course. Another option is to begin the meal with some clear broth which you could also add veggies to. Have a glass of water or tea five minutes before you eat, and fill up a little more while making headway on the eight glasses a day you should be having.
3. Chew on This
Chewing your food slowly and savoring each bite is an enjoyable way to keep yourself from eating more than you realize. And always wait 20 minutes before you go for seconds -- that's how long it takes your body to realize that it is full. Make sure to stay away from the computer or television, and try to engage in conversation while you have your meals. It will take you longer to eat, and make the time more satisfying. Another easy way to slow down your consumption -- eat with chopsticks!
4. Ditch the Deep Dish
Recent studies have shown that people will often eat much or all of what is put in front of them regardless of how much it is or how hungry they are. If you're a victim of empty plate syndrome, you may want to clean out your china cabinet. Eating from small bowls, glasses and plates makes you less likely to overeat. One helpful hint is to use coffee cups rather than large bowls when eating something such as ice cream or cereal. Never eat directly from the bag or the box, and try storing leftovers by dividing them into single serving containers.
5. Visual Aid
It may be difficult remembering how much of what is OK to eat or determining whether what is on your plate is a proper serving size. Learning what the healthful serving sizes are for varying foods and being able to remember them is an important step to successful portion control. For instance, a bagel should be no larger than a compact disc, and a serving of chocolate should not exceed the size of a package of dental floss. Visualize these comparisons the next time you eat, and if your portion seems too large, save some for later.
This information is brought to you from the American Dietetic Association.

It's that time again! Body Works will be holding it's 3rd Biggest Loser Challenge. Our weight loss competition will begin April 1st and last for eight weeks. There will be a $20 buy-in. This ensures accountability and holds participants responsible for active participation in the contest. The winner will receive the entire pot of entry fees. In past competitions, this has been over $200!!! The winner will also receive two free personal training sessions! We hope you will all enjoy the contest and work hard to win! Good luck to everyone and feel free to contact us with any questions.

This is a great light, summertime dessert for those with a sweet tooth, but still wanting to watch the calories!

• INGREDIENTS
• 24 oz fresh strawberries
• 1 (2.1oz) package sugar-free cook and serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (.6 ounce) package sugar-free strawberry flavored gelatin
• 2 cups water
• sugar free whipped topping (if desired)

• DIRECTIONS
• Rinse and slice strawberries
• Distribute them evenly in a 9/10 inch pie pan
• In a medium saucepan, combine pudding mix, gelatin mix, and water
• Stir well and bring to a full boil
• Pour mixture over strawberries and refrigerate for 4-6 hours
• Top with sugar free whipped topping prior to serving, if desired

• NUTRITION INFORMATION (yields 8 servings):
• PER SERVING:
• Calories: 58
• Fat: .3g
• Carbs: 8g
• Protein: 2g

Perhaps the River Run has inspired you or you want to get ready for next season's charity runs.... Whatever your reason for deciding to begin to run, here are some tips to help get you started.

Running (or jogging, which some see as simply a slower form of running) is one of the most effective, time-efficient workouts around, but if you, well, get off on the wrong foot, it's hard to stay motivated and easy to get discouraged.

But starting a running program doesn't have to be difficult. It's simply a matter of finding what works best for you!
First, make sure that running is alright for you physically before you begin training. Individuals who should probably bypass running in favor of walking include those with orthopedic or heart problems, or other medical conditions which need to be discussed with your doctor.

Next, finding the right shoes is a key element to proper training. Nothing can derail a running program faster than sore feet and legs. Good-fitting running shoes can help prevent shin splints, blisters and sore muscles. Aside from comfortable clothing, little else is required.

Good running posture is also an important component to preventing soreness and even injury:
Keep your head level, avoid bouncing and lean forward slightly from the ankles, not the waist.

Keep your shoulders down and relaxed.

Strike the ground first with your heel, then roll to the ball of the foot, pushing off from the toes.

The best way to halt a running program in its tracks is to do too much too soon. A minimum of 20 to 30 minutes, three days per week (with days off in between) at an intensity of 50 percent to 85 percent of maximum heart rate is the standard recommendation, but may be tailored to suit individual speed or endurance goals.

Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

Take time to warm up before, and cool down after, a run.

Never increase mileage more than 10 percent per week.

If anything hurts, take time off until it feels better.

Follow a strength-training program on alternate days to help reduce upper-body fatigue.

Like any activity, running isn't for everybody: If you don't enjoy it, don't do it. But if you do, take your time, progress slowly and allow your muscles to adapt to the rigors of running.