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Don’t Weigh Heavily on Your Scale
Thursday, May 16th, 2013
BATON ROUGE—Find yourself obsessing over the scale on a regular basis? Stop! When you’re focused on exercising and eating healthy to lose weight or even tone up, many gym-goers rely entirely too much on the scale readings. Instead, judge progress through other means of measurement.
LA Boxing Baton Rouge’s personal trainer, Stacey DeJohn, said the numbers on the scale can often deceive someone who is trying to track their progress.
“I tell a lot of members to draw their focus away from the scale because it can be misleading, to a degree,” DeJohn said. “People either forget or don’t realize the differences in density between muscle and fat. A pound of fat has a much larger volume than a pound of muscle”
According to William D. McArdle of “Exercise Physiology”, 1 liter of muscle weighs 2.3 lbs while 1 liter of fat weighs 1.98 lbs. Of course this may vary due to numerous factors including race, being extremely lean, or being extremely obese.
DeJohn said people often use the scale as a tool for motivation. They may see one or two pounds slide off and it gives that person some reassurance that they are getting closer to their fitness goals. However, tipping the scale into the heavier direction does not necessarily mean you’re losing the battle.
“I often see clients increase in body weight and get discouraged. Yet, tracking their workouts in terms of reps, pace, and intensity, these numbers tell a much different story. Their energy levels are higher, their cardio threshold is increased, and they have much more strength,” explained DeJohn.
Checking your weight every morning and every night often leads to a motivational bust. “In the morning your body is dehydrated and nutrition deprived. Of course you’re going to weigh less in the earlier hours than mid-day after you’ve replenished yourself with fluids and food.”
Instead of driving yourself crazy over the fluctuating numbers of the scale, find simple alternatives to determine whether or not your fitness program is leading you down the right path.
“It’s more about what you see in the mirror and how your clothes fit than what the scale says. The numbers are not always 100 percent accurate in explaining the changes your body could be going through. You may not be happy with the scale but pleasantly surprised by the change in your waistline,” DeJohn said.
It’s important to take measurements of key areas, such as the waist, thighs, shoulders, and chest. These numbers provide an actual record and history of your progress. She also suggests taking a picture of yourself before you start your workout regimen, and then again at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks, and compare the pictures to see the change in your body.
“Since you look at yourself every day and you’re around the same people all the time, it might be harder to actually see the change,” she said. “But once you put the before and after pics side by side, it’s a whole different world.”
To discover more or get started on a fitness regime of your own, contact LA Boxing Baton Rouge at 225-291-5269 (Sherwood/Coursey) or 225-341-3105 (Perkins/Acadian).
Further reading:
Dustin Johnson Hits the Road to Glory
Monday, May 6th, 2013
BATON ROUGE—LA Boxing’s Muai Thai Specialist Dustin Johnson recently signed a contract enlisting him in one of the biggest opportunities of his life. On Saturday, May 11, Johnson will join seven other fighters from North America, in the Road to Glory tournament in Milwaukee, WI.
The tournament, starting with eight fighters, determines what single fighter will walk away with a prize of $20,000 and a contract to fight in Glory. Glory is the world’s premier stand-up fight league, featuring the very best kickboxers from around the globe.
“All of the guys in the Road to Glory tournament are world class fighters,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be hard, but I don’t care. That’s always been my mentality.”
As part of Johnson’s training for the tournament, he traveled to Amsterdam to train at Mejiro Gym, home to well-known fighters including Peter Aerts and Rob Kaman.
“Rob Kaman is the whole reason I got into kickboxing,” Johnson said. “Pretty much almost every single great kickboxer has come from Mejiro.”
Johnson was anxious to train at Mejiro because of its history and prominence in the fighting world, but he also wanted to put in the best training in preparation for the Road to Glory.
“The thing about Mejiro, it’s the most unassuming gym you’ve ever seen,” he said. “I can only describe the training as extremely spartan. You walk in, and when training starts, the door to the training room shuts, and once that door shuts, it’s balls to the wall.”
Training for the Road to Glory is different than training for a standard one-man fight.
“I could be fighting any one of these guys and each one has his own unique style, so I have to be prepared for anything,” Johnson said. “My stamina training is top priority because fighting three times in one night is ruthless.”
Johnson, along with the seven other fighters in the tournament, will be put into a drawing during weigh-ins the night before the competition. After weigh-ins, each person will find out who their first opponent is. The winner of the competition will have to win all three fights, each consisting of three three-minute rounds, under standard kickboxing rules.
“I could be facing a guy who is a great boxer in one fight and then a guy who is great with his knees the next, so I have to be ready for anything,” Johnson said.
Since his return from Amsterdam, Johnson has applied the techniques he learned at Mejiro to amp up his two-a-day training sessions.
“It’s the mentality that they take to training, even while you’re shadow boxing, you’re focused to do damage,” Johnson said. “It’s the mindset, when training starts, training starts, and you’re training to knock someone’s head off.”
While it is an honor to be asked to compete in the Road to Glory, Johnson is well-aware of the challenges that face him.
“The biggest challenge is the fighters themselves,” he said. “The best fighters are there and that’s the toughest challenge, but in my opinion, if you’re not actively seeking out the best opposition you can face, then you’re not a fighter, you’re just a pretender. I’m more likely the underdog in this, I know the odds are against me but if there’s a way to win this I’m going to find it.”
For Johnson, the Road to Glory is the test of his kickboxing career.
“I’ve always wanted to fight the best guys and be on the biggest stage,” he said. “If your goal is not to be a world champion or to be the absolute best you can be, you shouldn’t be doing it. I’ve always wanted to be competing on the world stage and this is my chance. It’s do or die.”
Weight Loss Decision Leads to Martial Arts Stardom – America Now
Wednesday, January 30th, 2013
Copyright 2013 America Now. All rights reserved.
The jungle sounds and lion roars spilling from a small workout room at L.A. Boxing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana can mean only one thing: The Little Ninjas are hard at work.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Jessica Guedry puts the mini-martial artists through their paces.
Two years ago, Guedry admits she would not have made it through the first 10 minutes.
“I was about 260 pounds. I guess I was just looking for something, a way to lose weight and get in shape,” she says.
Guedry had tried diets and exercise on her own with some positive results, but after losing 50 pounds, she reached her weight loss plateau. That’s when a friend suggested boxing classes.
Gabe Miller, owner of L.A. Boxing, remembers the day Guedry walked into his gym.
“She was really shy. It was almost like she wouldn’t look you in the eye,” he says.
At 210 pounds, Guedry was not ready for the intense workout slugging heavy bags.
“I tried my first class. It kicked my butt for sure! I was hooked. From then on, I was in here five, six nights a week,” says Guedry.
Five months later, she was down to 160 pounds and the heavy bags were not enough of a workout.
“Trainers started noticing how good she was on the bags,” says Miller. That is when trainer Josh Mancuso talked Guedry into climbing into the boxing ring.
“Oh my gosh,” Guedry says as she remembers that day. “Sparring; they punch each other. I didn’t want to get a bloody nose. I didn’t want to lose any teeth.”
From the boxing ring, it was a short hop to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which Guedry calls her life right now. BJJ is a sport of throws and chokes, and big guys grabbing all over each other practiced mostly by mixed martial arts fighters.
GREAT Holiday Gift Idea!
Thursday, December 6th, 2012
Searching for that PERFECT GIFT for the holidays? Look no further! LA Boxing Baton Rouge is now offering an AMAZING Gift Pack to compliment your under-the-tree treasures.
Watch your fiends and loved ones light up when they unwrap their very own Boxing Gloves, Hand Wraps, and 1-Month Membership to Baton Rouge’s premier facility for boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and brazilian jiu jitsu! Their membership will allow access incredible amenities including:
- Unlimited Classes
- Free-Weights, Strength Machines, & Cardio Equipment
- Online Nutrition Guide to Track Results
At LA Boxing, we focus on guiding each and every member to his or her fitness or training goals. We provide the most comprehensive instruction in a safe, clean, and exciting atmosphere.
Call or stop by today to get more information on our Holiday Gift Pack.
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9 Healthy Holiday-Eating Strategies
Thursday, November 15th, 2012
9 Healthy Holiday-Eating Strategies
By Karen Asp
Fend off holiday weight gain with these easy eating tricks.
The Strategy 1: Bring Your Own Food
Contribute a healthy dish to a gathering to ensure there’s something you can indulge in.
Tricks to Try
Eat the best-for-you offerings first. For example, hot soup as a first course―especially when it’s broth-based, not cream-based―can help you avoid eating too much during the main course. Stand more than an arm’s length away from munchies, like a bowl of nuts or chips, while you chat so you’re not tempted to raise your hand to your mouth every few seconds. Concentrate on your meal while you’re eating it. Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the smell, taste, and texture of each item. Research shows that mealtime multitasking (whether at home or at a party) can make you pop mindless calories into your mouth. Of course, dinner-party conversation is only natural, but try to set your food down until you’re finished chatting so you are more aware of what you’re taking in.
The Strategy 2: Don’t Go Hungry to the Mall
To cut down on the lure of the food court, never go to the mall on an empty stomach.
Tricks to Try
Plan your shopping route so you don’t pass the Cinnabon stand a dozen times. The obvious reason? Both sights and smells can coax you to eat, and with some vendors purposefully wafting their aromas your way, saying no can feel impossible. Choose a proper restaurant over the grab-and-go food court whenever you can. And request a table away from loud sounds and distractions, which can cause you to eat more. The bright lights and noisy hard surfaces can speed up the rate at which you eat and lead to overeating. Avoid fast-food places that emphasize red in their color schemes. Red has been shown to stimulate the appetite more than many other colors, and many restaurants add it to their decor, in everything from the flowers on the table to the squiggles on the plates.
The Strategy 3: Keep Track of What You Eat
Maintain a food diary to help you stay committed to your goals during this risky eating period.
Tricks to Try
Weigh yourself daily and use that number to guide your actions. (Food diaries are helpful, but only if you’re totally honest and diligent about recording every morsel you eat.) Research has shown that women who step on the scale every day and then act accordingly, either increasing their exercise or being stricter about their eating, are 82 percent less likely to regain lost weight than those who don’t weigh in as often. Zip yourself into your favorite pair of slim-fitting pants once a week and note how they fit. Too tight? Adjust your eating and exercise habits. Just right? Keep up the good work.
The Strategy: Eat Before Going to a Party
Before going out, have a healthy snack to curb your appetite.
Tricks to Try
Eat breakfast. This has been shown to prevent overeating later in the day. Limit the number of high-calorie foods on your party plate. Research has shown that when faced with a variety of foods with different tastes, textures, smells, shapes, and colors, people eat more―regardless of their true hunger level. Cutting down on your personal smorgasbord can decrease what you end up eating by 20 to 40 percent. Choose foods wisely, filling your plate with low-calorie items, such as leafy green salads, vegetable dishes, and lean proteins, and taking smaller portions of the richer ones. That way, you can eat a larger amount of food for fewer calories and not feel deprived. Pop a sugar-free mint in your mouth. When you’ve had enough (and don’t want to eat more), the feeling of a fresh palate can curb additional craving.
The Strategy 5: Keep Healthy Snacks at the Office
Stash healthy foods in your desk at work so you’re not as tempted by the treats piling up at the office.
Tricks to Try
Try to keep communal office goodies out of view, either in an area that isn’t as highly trafficked as the kitchen or the break room, or in dark containers or covered dishes. In one study, people ate 26 percent more Hershey’s Kisses when the candies were in clear dishes versus white ones. And when the chocolates were placed six feet away, the average person ate only four a day, as opposed to nine a day when they were within arm’s reach. Before you allow yourself a splurge, do something healthy, like eating a piece of fruit, walking around the office for five minutes, or climbing a few flights of stairs. Plan on taking whatever tempts you home, and delay the daily indulgence until just before bedtime. At that point, you’re less likely to crave another treat immediately than you would during your afternoon coffee break, especially if the whole box is no longer around.
The Strategy 6: Manage Portion Size
Take sensible portions so you don’t end up eating too much.
Tricks to Try
Use smaller plates and serving utensils. Try a salad or dessert plate for the main course and a teaspoon to serve yourself. What looks like a normal portion on a 12-inch plate or a troughlike bowl can, in fact, be sinfully huge. In one study conducted at the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, even nutrition experts served themselves 31 percent more ice cream when using oversize bowls compared with smaller bowls. The size of the serving utensil mattered, too: Subjects served themselves 57 percent more when they used a three-ounce scoop versus a smaller scoop. Pour drinks into tall, skinny glasses, not the fat, wide kind. Other studies at Cornell have shown that people are more likely to pour 30 percent more liquid into squatter vessels.
The Strategy 7: Control Your Environment
You plan to use sheer willpower during large family dinners.
Tricks to Try
Eat with a small group when you can. One study found that dining with six or more people can cause you to eat 76 percent more, most likely because the meal can last so long. (After an hour of staring at the stuffing, you’re more likely to have seconds.) At a big sit-down supper, be the last one to start and the second one to stop eating. Sit next to a fellow healthy eater (there’s strength in numbers). Or sidle up to that uncle who eats slowly, so his pace can slow yours. Wait for all the food to be on the table before making your selections. People who make their choices all at once eat about 14 percent less than do those who keep refilling when each plate is passed. Keep visual evidence around of what you’ve consumed so you don’t forget. Leave an empty bottle of wine or beer in view and you’ll be less tempted to drink more.
The Strategy 8: Keep Up the Exercise
You’re determined to squeeze in at least one or two workouts a week, no matter how busy you get.
Tricks to Try
Break it up. If you don’t have time for your daily four-mile walk, do a few 10- or 15-minute spurts of exercise throughout the day (to accumulate the surgeon general’s recommendation of 30 minutes a day). They can be just as effective at maintaining overall fitness as one continuous workout. Tell yourself that all the running around you’re doing (cleaning for houseguests, dashing through a million stores to find the perfect presents) can help keep your weight in check. In one Harvard study, people who were simply told that they did enough in their daily lives to meet the surgeon general’s recommendations lost weight and body fat without consciously changing a thing. A possible reason? Believing that what they were doing was having a positive effect may have led to subtle changes in their overall health behaviors.
The Strategy 9: Choose Your Indulgences
You intend to stave off feelings of deprivation by allowing yourself a “cheat” day a week.
Tricks to Try
Plan in advance to eat a little more and be a little more flexible at this time of year, when you face daily temptations. That way, you can savor the culinary joys of the holidays a little more often and you’ll be less likely to binge. For instance, rather than inhaling four sugar cookies on your cheat day, allow yourself one as a dessert when the mood strikes. Then make one little switch during the day to account for those calories―maybe skipping that morning latte or cutting out an afternoon snack. Choose your indulgences wisely. Instead of wasting calories on foods that you can have at any time of the year, pick items that are truly special and unique to the season, like your grandmother’s candied yams or your daughter’s first batch of Christmas cookies.
For more information visit REAL SIMPLE
LA Boxing Women’s Self-Defense Seminar
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012
Baton Rouge can sometimes be a dangerous city. With crime rates on the rise, simply walking in your neighborhood or shopping around town can often leave one feeling vulnerable, unsafe, and afraid. Well…it’s time to fight back!
LA Boxing Baton Rouge is proud to announce the Grand Opening of their second location on Acadian & Perkins by hosting 2 Women’s Self-Defense Seminars with 5-Time World Muay Thai Champion and Former WEC Lightweight World Champion, Rob McCullough! Don’t miss out on either one of these amazing sessions of street survival skills as McCullough will lead you through situations of Evading An Attackers Strikes to Defending Yourself On The Ground.
Choose between 2 convenient locations at 2 convenient times for only $25! Session A will be held at Acadian/Perkins (3731 Perkins Rd) from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Session B will be held at Sherwood/Coursey (4520 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd Suite 110) from 2:00PM to 4PM.
Register NOW by clicking the session of choice! Space is limited!
Session A – LA Boxing Acadian @ 10:00AM
Session B – LA Boxing Sherwood @ 2:00PM
Letters To LA Boxing Baton Rouge – Robbie Whiddon
Thursday, August 23rd, 2012
Below is a letter written to Gabe Miller and the LA Boxing Baton Rouge Staff and video from Robbie Whiddon, a dedicated member and incredible person.
Gabe,
I just wanted to take a minute to thank you and the staff at LA Boxing Baton Rouge. I started my weight loss journey at 269 lbs, right now I am at 225. 20 more lbs and I will be back at my post Navy bootcamp weight. I never thought I could be in this kind of shape again.
As you know, in November of last year, while driving home from LA Boxing, I suffered a terrible accident that almost cost me my life. I had a torn left side vertebral artery due to a freak auto accident. The tear was sending blood clots into my brain, in turn, causing 3 major strokes and a series of ” shower strokes”.
For the first couple of weeks afterwards I lost use of my hands, and I lost the ability to speak normally. The Neurosurgeon was amazed that that was the only damage that I suffered , and the only explanation for the minimal damage, and my extremely rapid recovery was the fact that I was in very good cardiovascular health and my body didn’t ” freak out” while all of this was happening.
My lack of damage and ability to recover rapidly can be directly related to you and your staff at LA Boxing. Thomas Webb, Hans Marrero, Blake Savoian, and a very special thanks to Josh Mancuso for challenging me to step foot in the door. I am forever grateful. I know that y’all can never understand the collateral effect that your work has on peoples lives but I am living, breathing proof that the work is important and at times can be life saving. Thank You for that.
Your staff is not only knowledgeable, but compassionate as well. Over time I have come to consider these guys my friends, not trainers.
In summary, the shape that LA Boxing had me in when I was injured probably saved my life and, at the very least, kept me from suffering any permanent damage from the accident. As of today I am fully recovered with NO residual effects from my accident. I am a changed and much more appreciative man but no physical damage, and in my opinion (and my Neurosurgeon’s too) I owe it to LA Boxing.
Sincerely,
Robbie Whiddon
LA Boxing to throw some punches in Acadian-Perkins Plaza
Tuesday, August 7th, 2012
By Steve Sanoski
Published Aug 7, 2012 at 9:00 am (Updated Aug 7, 2012)
Since opening his first LA Boxing franchise at South Sherwood Forest and Coursey boulevards in late 2009, Gabe Miller has heard from many members who live on “the other side of town” and wish the gym had a location closer to their homes.
“As the crow flies it’s only about five miles from the Southdowns and Garden District neighborhoods, but it feels like the other side of town to people who live there,” Miller says. “We had a lot of members who wanted to continue, but they were just tired of fighting traffic and were finding it hard to make classes.”
Miller hopes he’ll get some of those former members to rejoin when he opens his second LA Boxing franchise in the Acadian-Perkins Plaza next month, next to Juban’s restaurant. The new location will encompass about 7,500 square feet, which is only about 1,500 square feet smaller than Miller’s original Baton Rouge franchise. The amenities and training classes offered at the new location will also be similar to those of the original.
It will be located in a space made available earlier this year by Tuesday Morning, which it swapped locations in the plaza with Parish Hardware and Lumber on Perkins Road; the hardware store downsized its space in the center.
“We started looking for a location in that area about two years ago, but it was really hard to find one that fit everything we were looking for,” Miller says, adding that the ample parking at the shopping center and high visibility, among other things, made it the right fit. Miller plans to have the gym open by Sept. 15, with a grand opening to follow in early October.
Across the country, there are about 75 LA Boxing franchises. Along with the two Miller now has in Baton Rouge, another franchisee has announced plans to open five of the gyms throughout the New Orleans area over the next 18 months. Miller says he has about 750 members currently, and hopes the addition of a second location will boost that figure to around 1,000.
Weight loss decision leads to martial arts stardom for BR woman
Sunday, July 29th, 2012
CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO & FULL STORY
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 5:22 PM CDTUpdated: Jul 27, 2012 5:22 PM CDT
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) -
The jungle sounds and lion roars spilling from a small workout room at L.A. Boxing on Sherwood Forest Boulevard can mean only one thing, the Little Ninjas are hard at work. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Jessica Guedry puts the mini-martial artists through their paces.
Two years ago, Guedry admits she would not have made it through the first ten minutes. “I was about 260 pounds. I guess I was just looking for something, a way to lose weight and get in shape,” she says.
Guedry had tried diets and exercise on her own with some positive results, but after losing 50 pounds, she reached her weight loss plateau. That’s when a friend suggested boxing classes. Gabe Miller, owner of L.A. Boxing remembers the day Guedry walked into his gym. “She was really shy. It was almost like she wouldn’t look you in the eye.”
At 210 pounds, Guedry was not ready for the intense workout slugging heavy bags. “I tried my first class. It kicked my butt for sure. I was hooked. From then on, I was in here five, six nights a week.”
Five months later, she was down to 160 pounds and the heavy bags were not enough of a workout. “Trainers started noticing how good she was on the bags,” says Miller. That is when trainer Josh Mancuso talked Guedry into climbing into the boxing ring.
“Oh my gosh,” Guedry says as she remembers that day. “Sparring; they punch each other. I didn’t want to get a bloody nose. I didn’t want to lose any teeth.”
From the boxing ring, it was a short hop to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which Guedry calls her life right now. BJJ is a sport of throws, and chokes, and big guys grabbing all over each other practiced mostly by mixed martial arts fighters.
“Tap, snap, or nap” is the mantra BJJ grapplers live by. Opponents either tap the mat to surrender or risk a broken bone and unconsciousness. At just over five-foot-five and 150 pounds, Guedry got a few stares her first day on the mat. “They didn’t take me seriously at first,” she laughs. “I don’t think they thought I was going to stick with it.”
She took the same determination she had poured into losing weight and focused it on her new sport. Guedry quickly tore through the women’s competition in Louisiana and Texas, but she is slow to boast about her accomplishments. Miller does that for her. “She’s competed in multiple tournaments. Won multiple tournaments in multiple divisions,”
Earlier this summer, only eight months after first stepping onto the mat, Guedry found herself at the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Long Beach, CA, a rookie in the midst of the best grapplers in the world.
Guedry made it to through the tournament with only one loss and became the first Louisiana Woman to place in a world BJJ championship, ever.
Miller marvels at the transformation. “She came in here to lose weight – to shed a few pounds – to now, one of the top women’s Jiu-Jitsu grapplers in the world.”
Guedry may have surprised the field in Long Beach, but coach and training partner Mancuso had a feeling Guedry possessed the qualities it takes to be a champion. “She’s not blessed with any more than anybody else, but she’s got determination, and the will to work. That’s what’s brought her to the level she’s at.”
Guedry credits her gym family for her success. “My teammates are my family. They’ve just changed my life completely.” But her success on the mat and all the weight she has lost is second to what she has gained. “Confidence, first of all, a better understanding of myself, if I say I’m going to do something, I find a way to do it, now.”
Miller agrees. “It looks like it’s changed the way she looks at herself. It’s changed the way she looks at life.”
Guedry is not resting on her success. She hopes to be back in world competition next year with a real shot at bringing home the gold. This weekend, she takes her game to the next level, competing against men. “It’s just not fair to the other women in the tournament to have to fight her,” says Mancuso.
Win or lose, come Monday, Guedry will be back in the gym, honing her skills and shaping little ninjas into the next generation of BJJ champions. “You never stop learning. That’s the beauty of Jiu-Jitsu.
Copyright 2012 WAFB. All rights reserved.
