We believe in a “Clean” and “Whole Foods” approach towards eating and believe that most of your daily nutrients can be consumed through eating REAL food. (Yes- it’s possible!)

You’ll see a lot of other trainers and boot camps promote supplements because it’s a great income opportunity and will boost their bottom line.  ALWAYS be sure to ask them if THEY themselves are taking that supplement – and always do your own homework.  

Remember, YOU are ultimately responsible for what goes into your mouth.

Always take the time to check your facts and make sure you are making the right choice. (even my facts)

As part of my mission to lead by example and with transparency, I promise to NEVER promote a supplement or product that I don’t personally use or wouldn’t use.  

In fact, (and I’m probably going to piss a lot of people off with this) my personal opinion of Advocare AND Visalus products is that they SUCK.  (Sorry, Mom…she hates when I say that word) 

Marketing and advertising geniuses as well as the MLM pyramid scheme have turned both of these companies into supplement GIANTS. 

Not surprisingly, if you go to either of their websites, the ingredient labels for their products are REALLY hard to find on their website.  

They only make it easy to find their “Key Ingredients” and you don’t know what ALL of that other junk is that they put in there. 

Another problem with their “Key Ingredients” is that they don’t tell you HOW much is actually there….but that’s because supplement industry is not regulated and they don’t have to. 

These “other” ingredients probably contain soy, wheat-based, or corn-based ingredients….no wonder they don’t want to post that all over their website.

They also BOTH contain artificial sweeteners. (surprised?)

AND…..if that isn’t bad enough, the Visalus “Body-by-Vi” shakes are made from SOY-BASED protein, which is HIGHLY estrogenic.  

Did you know that for women who have a family history of Breast Cancer it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to stay away from ALL soy-based products!?

If you’re looking to develop a long-term approach to a lifestyle of healthy eating, then drinking shakes regularly and eating meal replacements bars are NOT your answer.  (Not to  mention how expensive they are.)

Remember that the supplement industry is a BUSINESS.

In fact, I called advocare to get a complete ingredient list for their products and instead of music playing while I was on hold, they have a VERY convincing testimonial playing of a couple who has gained financial freedom by promoting Advocare!  It was even enticing to ME- which pissed me off even more.

So…I’m sorry to burst your bubble about Advocare and Visalus (and the plenty of other companies out there like them), but it’s important to be educated about WHAT exactly you are putting into your body.  

Now- I DO have a protein shake occasionally after my workouts if I am unable to eat real foods.  My personal choice is Jay Robb’s Egg White Protein Powder (from Whole Foods), Sun Warrior Protein Powder, or SFH Protein Powder .  

I also supplement DAILY with a Fish Oil Supplement (SFH Fish Oil) and will be writing a post about how important Omega 3′s are next week for you.

My best advice is to be educated on what you are taking BEFORE you make any supplement purchases.  Make sure all of the ingredients are disclosed.  And, as a general rule of thumb, I like to chose protein powders that have only a handful of ingredients or less.

Let me know your thoughts in a comment below!

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about your life’s “MISSION STATEMENT” and how important it is. (Click here to read it)

When I sat down to write my own mission, I was sure that with all of the ideas in my head I could figure it out in a single weekend.  But, it has taken me a LOT longer than I thought to put it together.  In fact, I am STILL not done.

Transparency is a very important part of my core values.

Everyone has their own struggles and areas of their life they want to make improvements.  And it’s OK not to be perfect!  

We are all a “Work-in-Progress.”  

Especially me……If you’re a member of my boot camp, you’ll already know this

It’s about 90% finished, and I want to share what I have so far with you.

It’s very challenging to put your MISSION onto paper, but I believe that EVERY SINGLE PERSON should take the time to do this.

Your Mission Statement will provide clarity, help you to re-define your goals, and remind you of your true purpose when you veer off track.  

It will also help to make every decision you make easier and more “black-and-white.”  The answers will either be in-line with your mission statement, or they won’t.  

Defining your mission will help eliminate the “gray areas” in your life.    

Before I started working on my statement, I was pondering the idea of getting my “Life-Coaching” certification.

Being in the fitness industry for over 10 years now, I’ve learned that reaching your goals and achieving a certain level of fitness is a LOT more involved than just showing up and working out.  

Motivation sparked by your “New Years Resolutions,” an episode of the Biggest Loser, or an inspiring online story is temporary and will only carry you through the next couple of weeks at best.

You have to find your bigger reason WHY in order to KEEP going…and there are a ton of other variables that come into play: stress, nutrition, confidence, hormones, mindset, family, core values, and many, many more.  

Getting this certification would better help me to handle these other aspects that affect people lives and enable us to help people to get better results.  The certification was a lot of money, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted commit so much of my time to learning a new skill set .

However, after finally creating my mission statement, this became an easy and clear decision.

In order for me to fulfill my purpose and  stay true to my mission, getting this certification quickly became an easy YES.

I signed up for it 2 weeks ago and have dedicated a few hours each day in my planner for reading and studying.  And I couldn’t be more excited about it!

(So, just be prepared for some crazy mindset and motivational blog posts soon!)

So, with all that being said, I want to share my “rough draft” of my mission statement for Forte Fitness with you.

“Our mission at Forte Fitness is to empower YOU to become the strongest, healthiest, most confident and unstoppable “YOU” that you can be through motivation, education, and our commitment to lead by example.”

And we mean every word of that.  We are committed to YOU and to helping you to achieve your goals.  

We are grateful for the opportunity to work with such amazing people in our boot camp and are inspired by our campers every single day.  And we are committed to “walking the walk” and to lead by setting a positive example.

I’d love for you to take a second and leave a comment below with your thoughts about our mission statement…or even better, one of your own!

P.S.  I found a great blog post that can help you in your journey to create your own personal mission statement: Click HERE to read it.

Hey Weekend Warriors!

On Wednesday, I asked a few very important questions in a post about:

Who are you really?  What do you STAND for?  What is your mission?

If you didn’t get a chance to read it, take a few minutes and CLICK HERE.

It may just be the most important 3 minutes of your day!

Now…on to the workout!

If you’re unable to make it to boot camp tomorrow morning (which is going to be AWESOME…we’re breaking out the battling ropes) you can give this “Weekend Warrior Workout” a go!

It’s a cardio intensive & metabolic workout for you to try.  It’s also no joke, so feel free to tone it down if you need to!  (Lessen the number of sets or reps if you need to.)

Also make sure to warm-up before and cool down and stretch really well after!

Orlando Boot Camp Weekend Warrior Workout:  

5 sets: (no designated rest, so rest as needed (but try to minimize rest time!)

20 Double Unders (double rotations with a Jump Rope!)
20 Walking Lunges (10 on each side)
20 Push-ups
20 Regular Burpees (not Floppys!)
200 meter run (1/2 lap on the track)

I was blown away the entire weekend by spending time with such passionate, motivated, and driven people.  

One of my BEST take-aways came from a guy named Rocco Castellano. 

Rocco talked about how important it is to:

KNOW who you are, WHAT you stand for, & what your MISSION is.  

The answers to those questions are not easy- and will take time to really figure out.  

But once you do figure it out, you will truly be able to move in a direction with confidence, KNOWING that it is your purpose.  

Rocco explained that once you determine what your “Core Values” are, who you really are, and what your mission is, ANY decision that comes your way should be an easy one.  

Simply put….It’s either in line with your personal beliefs, or it’s not.  

It’s NOT about trying to be like anyone else either.

It’s all about being the BEST POSSIBLE “YOU” that you can be.  

Dax Moy (an AMAZING presenter at the conference from the UK) commits himself to excellence each and every day. 

Every single day, he works hard to become “the BEST DAX MOY he could ever be.”  He never tries to be like anyone else, but he commits to be the best “Dax” in the world, today.  

In fact he stated: “I am the best Dax Moy you will ever meet….but you’ll NEVER meet me again.”  Next time you meet him, he will be better than he is today.

Me during our presentation!

Seems a little strange because I get up in front of big groups of people to teach boot camp…but in the beginning, I used to be extremely nervous before teaching every single boot camp class!

But I had a decision to make: I would either have to face those fears to reach my goals, or continue to put them on the back burner and be “stuck” in my comfort zone.

Fast forward 3 years later, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. I LOVE teaching boot camp. But it’s not just teaching that I love.

If I never made that step, I would never have met the truly AMAZING people that are in our classes, and we would never have been able to reach out to the hundreds of people that have been through our boot camp, helping them to reach their fitness goals and build more confidence in themselves.

And…because we were always doing things a little bit differently than everyone else, some really cool people have taken notice. I partnered up with a great friend of mine, Carrie Kukuda, and we started coaching other boot camp owners about how to structure workouts properly, and give them the tools to help them to create an awesome boot camp, also!

On the Panel with John Spencer Ellis and Carrie Kukuda!

We have coached people around the world now, in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and right here in the US. Pretty freaken AWESOME!

I’m not saying this to gloat or brag, but to let you know that NONE of these opportunities would have ever surfaced if I never took that first step to face my fears.

About 2 months ago, I was invited to speak with Carrie at a pretty important fitness conference in California. The best of the best were going to be there. In fact, many of MY role models and mentors were also presenting.

We agreed to speak, and I have been nervous and an anxious wreck for the last 2 months. (just ask my husband! I definitely owe him a nice dinner for having to put up with me!

I prepared the best I could, and presented this past weekend. It went GREAT! I stumbled on a few words, but got past it and we had a TON of compliments on our presentation.

I was so relieved when it was over, and very proud of myself for stepping up and facing my fear of speaking in public.

One of the other speakers at the event, Dax Moy, couldn’t have said it more perfectly: “Work hard to become a better version of yourself EVERY DAY.”

I hope you all have a great day today, and think about facing any fears you have in your life head on. You will be amazed at all of the opportunities that open up for you when you do.

Coming Your Way Jan, Friday the 13th, 2012 

Food, Fun & Exercise… I can’t think of a better way to spend your Friday night!

The Spartan 1000 Challenge is our NEWEST Monthly Event where you will workout like a WARRIOR for the night!

It’s a Killer Workout, where there will be lots of Blood, Sweat, & Tears 

(ok maybe not blood) but definitely sweat and tears!

The Spartan 1000 Warrior Workout:

100 Jump Squats

200 Push-Ups

300 Sit-Ups

400 Burpees

OR… The Spartan Jr. Warrior Workout:

50 Jump Squats

100 Push-Ups

150 Sit-Ups

200 Burpees

Are you READY for this Challenge?  Are you a WARRIOR?!  

ANYONE can do it….. Invite your friends and family!

It will be fun, and there will be food and drinks (and showers) after!

Everyone who completes the challenge will earn their place on the “Forte Fitness Wall of Fame!” (soon to be added to the website!)

BUT….January 13th is special, because it’s going to be a POTLUCK also!

You bring your fav healthiest food to share with other Spartans, and we will bring the Alcohol!

It will be a GREAT night to bring in 2012 and celebrate like a warrior

(and it’s FREE…just bring something for the potluck!)

—–> Make sure to CLICK HERE RSVP!  <—- 

Here’s How to Redeem it:

1.  Groupon should have sent you a “Groupon Coupon” to your email inbox.

2.  Please PRINT OUT Your Coupon.  There is a unique web address on your Groupon Coupon in the “How-to-Use” section.  You MUST print it in order to see the website.

3.  Follow that website address, and you will be taken to a special page on our site.  Please fill out the form on that page with your contact information and desired starting date and time.  (Classes are filling up on a FIRST-COME, FIRST SERVE basis.  Please fill out the form as soon as you decide when you would like to start to reserve your space!

4.  Once I get automatically emailed that form, I will email you back with a confirmation of your start date, OR the next available starting date for our program.

Other Random Details:

You pick ANY Monday that you want to start over the next 6-months.  We’ll do our best to make sure you get the start date you request, however spots fill up on a first come-first serve basis.  

You’ll be emailed the meal plans, grocery lists, goal setting guide, recipes, home workouts, success manual and all of the other materials the FRIDAY BEFORE your scheduled start date.  This way, you can go grocery shopping and get everything you need to be successful and get RESULTS with the 21-Day Belly Blast.  :-)

On the Monday of your start date: You’ll get your “before” measurements before your first boot camp class.  You have your choice of ANY of the boot camp classes or times (below) for the next 21-days.  (UNLIMITED CLASSES for your 21-days) 

Boot Camp Schedule (Times & Location):

Baldwin Park: 

6 am:  Mon, Wed, Fri
6 pm:  Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs
7 pm:  Mon, Wed, Thurs
8:30 am:  Saturday

Winter Park (Lake Island Park): 

6 am:  Tue, Thurs
8:45 am:  Mon, Wed, Fri

***Our boot camp class sizes are kept smaller to make sure that everyone will get the BEST POSSIBLE experience and to ensure you are getting RESULTS!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me:

Alicia@ForteFitness.com or 407-595-9522

Come join us for our FIRST EVER Nutrition Workshop & Tasting Event Sunday December 11th!  (Limited to 15 people ONLY- RSVP below)

I am so fortunate to be able to introduce our amazing guest speaker, who is not only a world class chef, creator of her own Paleo Energy Bars, and recent winner of a Pepsi-Co grant program to join a coveted study program with California doctors, but she is my Mom!

Eileen Forte (my Mom) understands the human body and how it works.  In her own journey to better health and wellness, she has lost OVER 50 POUNDS in the past year and a half by coming up with creative ways eat healthy foods.  Combining her nutritional strategies with exercise, she has gained confidence, energy, and is the happiest she has ever been.

Now she dedicates her life to sharing this message of health and fitness and inspiring others to live life to the fullest and reach their highest potential.

She’ll be sharing some of her secrets as well as some of her delicious healthy recipes with you!

Here are just a few of the things You will Learn/Eat at the Workshop:

1. Mom’s AMAZING Pumpkin Protein Smoothies will be served and we will show you how to make them at home!  Not only will you get your own pumpkin smoothie, but you’ll get a copy of the recipe to take home with you…perfect for the holidays!

2. LEARN EXACTLY WHAT you should be eating before and after your workouts.  Maximize your workouts by knowing exactly what to eat pre and post workout to make the most of what you put in!

3. Omega 3′s and why you and your family should be taking these.

4. Food Labels- how to read them and what ingredients to avoid.

5. What to be eating in a healthy diet to reach your ideal body weight.

6. All about sugar- Good Sugar vs. Bad Sugar (it’s NOT what you think) and how they affect your body.

7. The 5 BEST Superfoods (samples included!) and why you should be using them on a regular basis.

8. The dangers of soy and why you need to stay away from it.

9. Why Almond Milk is SO much better than regular milk. And how to make if for 1/5th the cost at home!  We’ll be making almond milk for you!!

10. FRESHLY made organic juice from my new juicer!!! 

Orlando Nutrition Workshop & Tasting Details:

Date: Sunday, December 11th

Time: 12pm -1:30pm

Where: at my house!   Directions will be emailed after you sign-up.

Cost: All for $47

This Workshop is ONLY open to the FIRST 15 people who register….since it will be at my house, there’s limited attendance.

Click the button below to RSVP and Reserve Your Space!!

We hope to see you at our Orlando Nutrition Workshop (and tasting) on the 11th!