Yes, you read right. Here is your chance to ask Boot Camp trainers Laurel, Mike, Nigel, Ricky and Brett any deep, burning question you may have about workouts, training and more!

Here’s how to submit your question:

1. Post your question in the comment section of this blog post.

2. Don’t forget to put your name so we know who to reply to.

3. Don’t hold back! Remember there are no dumb questions.

After we’ve received your comments, we’ll answer them in a video and post it to the blog and our social media accounts.

Ask away!

The main attraction of Halloween is the candy. Months prior to the big night, stores begin stocking up on all kinds of delicious Halloween-themed treats, tempting us all to get in the Halloween spirit and stock our homes with our favorite candies.

The holidays are the time when most people start to gain weight. It starts with the Halloween candy and continues with the big Thanksgiving dinners and holiday parties, but the cycle can be broken if you plan ahead– let’s start with Halloween.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to resist the temptation to overeat Halloween candy:

• Buy a candy you don’t like.
• Keep track of how many trick-or-treaters you actually have. Don’t overstock on candy.
• Do not buy your candy ahead of time. Buy candy to give out to trick-or-treaters the day before or the day of.
• Give your kids a little bag and take them to a few houses. Constricting the bag size will limit the amount of candy entering your home after the holiday.
• Set boundaries for yourself and your kids by using moderation. You don’t have to binge through the candy in a couple of days. Make it a special after-dinner treat to select one piece of candy to eat.

Did you know that most people will gain between 5 and 10 pounds between Halloween and New Years? It seems like we start with Halloween candy and then it’s an unhealthy eating free-for-all until we buckle down and set our New Year’s resolutions.

We tell ourselves that it is okay because it is the holidays. It becomes okay to bring candy, doughnuts, cakes, cookies and other treats to share with our coworkers. We tell ourselves that one won’t hurt. The truth is one WON’T hurt, but most people don’t stop there. Before you know it, you’ve gained weight. You find you can no longer fit into the outfit you planned to wear to holiday parties.

We at Boot Camp Fitness and Training decided to change that. A group of  boot campers have decided that we are going to be in shape, fit and looking hot for the holidays with our Transformation Challenge.

The 12-Week Transformation Challenge is open to all Boot Camp Fitness and Training members. Transformation winners are chosen based on weight loss, waist measurement and percentage of body fat. The last challenge began Oct. 6, but it’s not too late to enter a whole new way to reach your goals. Start your own Transformation Challenge.

First thing is to set a long term goal with a deadline. Your goal must be realistic and measurable. Just saying you are going to lose weight is not enough. How much weight? By when?

Break that goal into weekly goals. What do you need to do to reach your bigger goal? It’s proven that keeping a food journal works. There are plenty of online sites that are great for tracking your food intake.

• Exercise has to be a priority. Make sure you are working out at a medium to high intensity most days of the week. Weigh and measure your food for a while. You will be amazed at how much you were underestimating the amount of food you were eating.
• Switch out processed carbs for fresh fruit and vegetables. Vow to eat smaller meals more frequently rather than just 2 or 3 big meals a day.
• Eat breakfast!

There are so many weekly goals to choose from. Just remember: Keep it simple! You don’t have to change everything at once. Pick one or two weekly goals.

Daily goals are also important. It will keep you focused on creating good healthy habits. Maybe a goal is to eat breakfast or bringing your lunch to work rather than going out. Maybe it’s to eat healthy snacks through out the day or to “close the kitchen” after dinner.

Creating your own Transformation does not have to be hard. Just keep in mind that it has to be things you are willing to to. If you are not a runner, it makes no sense to make it a goal to run everyday. Don’t set yourself up for failure. You’ve been failing long enough.

Keep it simple, keep it achievable and before long you will become that person you’ve always wanted to be.

The Three Step Program: Lose 3 to 4 pounds in 4 weeks!

Losing just 3-4 pounds in four weeks just doesn’t sound very exciting does it? It probably doesn’t make you want to leap off the couch, run to the phone with your credit card in hand.

What is it about spending $19.95 or $29.95 that makes a weight loss program or exercise gadget work? There must be something to it because we Americans are spending an incredible $30 billion a year on weight loss products. That number is mind-boggling. At Boot Camp Fitness and Training, we don’t claim to be financial experts, but it seems to us $30 billion could really go a long way in wiping out poverty, disease, or feeding the hungry.

The sad part is that 95-98 percent of people who lose weight on these quick weight loss programs, gain it all back between six months and three years. Research also shows that 90 percent of these people gain back more than they lost. The failure of weight loss programs is so great that a leading researcher has said, “Dieting is the leading cause of obesity in the U.S.”

You can’t watch daytime or late night TV without being bombarded by the next great miracle product guaranteed to help you get that “body you’ve always dreamed of”. There are products that guarantee that you will lose 10 pounds in six days, 20 pounds in two weeks or that promise you can lose weight while you sleep. Wouldn’t that be great!

So, what is the big weight loss secret? First of all you must really believe that it is okay and healthy to lose only 3-4 pounds a month, sometimes you may lose more and sometimes less. You must be satisfied with the fact that the slower the weight loss, the better the chances of the weight being fat loss and not water. More importantly, this way of slow and steady weight loss is conducive to long term, life time success and health. Just say no to quick fixes!

The rest of the secret you have been hearing and reading about for years — it’s called healthy eating and exercise. Make it part of your life. Don’t make this about getting into a certain size or losing weight for a wedding or school reunion. Do it so that you live a healthy productive life. Do it so that you can get out there and play with your kids without passing out on the grass because you can’t keep up. Do it so that you can model healthy behaviors for your children.  Do it so that you feel good about yourself. Do it so that you don’t die.

Start your program by picking just one or two behaviors a week and start making changes. It could be as simple as eating breakfast, giving up sodas, or other sugary drinks. Try eating smaller portion sizes or saving sweets for just one night a week. It might be cutting back on alcohol or taking healthy meals to work or school. You may set aside 15 minutes or more a day to walk or play with your kids. The point is don’t change everything at once or you’re setting yourself up for failure. Of course if you want to reach your goals quicker, than do a little bit more. But once again watch out for the all or nothing approach.

Don’t waste anymore of your hard earned money supporting the $30 billion diet and weight loss industry. You have everything you need within yourself to lose weight or get in shape. So, stop making excuses, quit looking for that quick fix and get out there and take back control!

Eating a wholesome, healthy diet is key to losing weight. But just like that old phrase, “Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing,” so can eating too much — even if it is healthy food.

So how do you know if you’re overeating?

Simple. Start by measuring how much food you eat. Pay attention to the serving size listed on the package. Are you eating the serving size suggested? You might be surprised to find you are eating 2-3 servings instead of one.

Here are a few handy one serving size measurement tips:

• Meat/Fish/Poultry: 3 ounces. You can measure this by size of your palm (don’t count your fingers) or think of the size of a deck of cards.
• Milk/Yogurt: 1 cup or the size of a tennis ball.
• Pasta/Rice: 1/2 cup cooked or the size of a small fist.
• Bread: The size of a CD case is one slice of bread, 1/2 of an English muffin, bagel, pita bread, hamburger bun or one 6 inch tortilla.
• Cheese: 1 ounce or the size of your thumb.
• Fruits: 1/2 cup of berries or chopped fruit. One medium sized apple, orange, banana or peach. Larger fruits can be more than one serving.
• Vegetables: 1/2 cup cooked or the size of a small fist.
• Cereal: 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, grits or cream of wheat or one ounce of ready-to-eat cereal — about the size of a baseball.

What does the phrase “health foods” mean to you? Expensive? Time consuming?

Staying on track with a healthy diet can be tough with a tight budget and a busy schedule, but with a little bit of planning, it’s possible.

ChooseMyPlate.gov offers the following “Healthy Eating on a Budget” tips:

1. Don’t go food shopping without a list — Create a grocery “game plan.”

• Plan out your meals for the week before you hit the grocery store. Buying only what you need for the week will save you time and money, and sticking to the list will keep you from impulse unhealthy purchases.

2. Compare “unit prices” on food items.

• The unit price of an item will tell you the cost per weight of the item. Comparing the cost and the weight will give you more bang for your buck. Compare unit prices by using this equation: TOTAL PRICE/SIZE = UNIT PRICE.

3. Buy produce that is in season. It’s usually cheaper and tastes better. Click here for ChooseMyPlate.gov’s produce guide to find out what’s in season now.

4.  Meat can be expensive. Some healthy low-cost protein choices include beans, legumes, eggs and canned tuna. Try buying family-sized or value packs of meat and freeze what you don’t use to cut your meat costs.

5. Cut out sodas and other beverages you don’t need. Drinking tap water instead of buying sugary drinks will save you money and calories.

For more healthy eating on a budget recipes and tips, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.