Price: $2.50 Orange Tangerine flavor Gives you a healthy blast of energy to 
recharge your fuel tank.
Looking for more AVC Elite Training Store products? Contact Amy with product questions or to order your Bonk Breaker Energy Chews.
Wow Catalina! When Amy announced the 20M and 50K Trail Run-Trek Event on Santa Catalina Island, I was on board from the start. It had been a desire of mine since I heard of AVC Elite Training’s previous experiences there. Amy guided us through the Tough Mudder experience successfully in February 2013 and I was ready for another challenge for 2014!
Amy, our coach and mentor, worked with diligence in creating a trail running and trekking program that would simulate the terrain of the Trans Catalina Trail. Her coaching provided us with an incremental program of increased miles, trail difficulty, in addition to support in all aspects of preparation for this event. Weekly emails informed us on fluid and food intake, trail direction and any outstanding questions. Amy provided throughout hydration and fuel information helping us learn how much and when we needed to consume both. She provided products that were invaluable for our time on the trail. BONK bars and FLUID drinks were easy to digest and gave me the energy I needed to accomplish increasing miles and time on the trail.
As the weeks advanced so did our miles (and our groans)! Ten, thirteen, fifteen, miles…oh my! I am a lifelong runner and the most I had ever run in one distance was 13.2 miles (a half-marathon) so one can only imagine how overwhelming a 50K distance would seem not ever completing even half that mileage let alone 31.7 miles!
As the miles increased, so did my two nagging injuries that I have been battling off and on for years. Amy was insistent that I care for them and offered alternatives and possible remedies. I utilized Rock tape, which I had learned about from my Tough Mudder experience with Amy, as well as Sore No More. These were beneficial in coping with my piriformis syndrome and lower back issues. Amy encouraged massage, vibration, foam rolling and checking with my podiatrist to cope with a nagging neuroma that has been plaguing me for quite some time.
The next “gentle nudge” from her proved beneficial as well. Though resistant at first, I acquiesced to Amy’s suggestion in using trekking poles for our long endurance training Saturday’s in preparation for the super steep climbs that we would be tackling in Catalina. 
I must admit, I had never used poles before and was skeptical. Amy instructed me on the proper use of the poles and encouraged me to practice carrying them on my runs. She explained how to implement them on super steep climbs for efficiency and economy. These proved to be a lifesaver, as they helped take the pressure off of my injuries and allowed me to complete the required miles on our long endurance trail runs.
Finally, the day had come for all of us to head to Catalina Island. Amy made the trip carefree and a success. She arranged for our ferry ride providing terrific accommodations at a lovely boutique hotel which also included breakfast each morning for all of us.
This was so much fun as we had the whole place to ourselves taking up the entire hotel! There was a celebration dinner along with optional dinner arrangements for other nights.
This certainly took the anxiety out of our anticipated Trail Run and Trek, which was challenging and definitely an experience to remember.
Ah, the feeling of elation when I completed the 31+ miles, and ran towards those who were camped at a restaurant waiting for us! I must admit, that I was a little tired, but felt great! As with Tough Mudder, I did not experience any debilitating soreness or discomfort, which I know is directly related to the training I received under Amy’s instruction. I can’t emphasize enough, how critical Amy’s method of training has assisted me in completing this challenging goal.
A most significant aspect of this experience is the friendships I have developed and treasure with the AVC Elite Training Family. My hat is off to you Amy, as you continue to provide not just a physically challenging experience, but one that encourages growth in both mind and body.
I am thrilled to be part of the AVC Elite Training Team!
~Cynthia
Are you ready for a new challenge of mind, body and spirit? Stay tuned for another AVC Elite Special Event coming soon. We promise more adventures are on the way!
I found myself getting complacent with my workouts. I’ve always been driven and motivated, but was looking for a way to challenge myself even more. I just recently moved to Arizona from the Dakotas and realized there are a lot of things I haven’t tried fitness wise especially now living in the beautiful Southwest.
I’ve never been much of a runner… actually truth be told, I disliked running.
A good friend of mine invited me on a trail run one day and I was hooked. I had run a marathon before, and told myself “never again.”
Trail running is an entirely different sport than marathon running or road running. There are so many things about it that I love…the scenery and terrain alone make it such a beautiful experience and a nice change from simply running out on the road.
I decided to join a training group with a common goal in mind while actually learning from a seasoned, serious coach, Amy Van Cleve. I have had the time of my life!
After meeting Amy, I knew it would be a lot of fun, yet challenging. Amy sent out detailed fueling, hydration and heart rate information weekly. It really helped me to make sure I was on track. She called to see how I was feeling after a couple long trail runs. She has so much heart and truly cares and wants you to meet your goals.
I found myself getting hooked on trail running as we continued our training for Catalina. I wanted to go further and get faster which I was accomplishing throughout each trail run. I learned how much is involved in good training such as proper fueling and becoming a more efficient runner by running correctly.
I learned how effective foam rolling can be along with proper recovery. I’ve learned so much about my body and all there is involved in becoming a successful runner. It isn’t just about tagging on mileage as I have learned from Amy.
What amazes me is how 3 months ago a 10 mile run left me sore and tired. After learning how to train the “right way” while training under Amy’s coaching and preparing for Catalina, hitting those long endurance Saturdays of 20+ miles seemed relatively effortless!
So after a 50k trail run with extremely steep climbs, and serious declines, loose gravel trails and 10 miles of pavement to finish it off, I can honestly say that I feel like a million bucks!
It amazed me, to wake up the next morning and didn’t have an ache, anywhere! I feel I’ve learned so many valuable lessons along the way. I’ve definitely learned I’m capable of so much more than I imagined.
Amy is an awesome coach and will push you with your best interest in mind. She knows everyone is different and we all have different goals. Now with Amy’s guidance, I finished a 50k on the Trans Catalina Trail (on Catalina Island) which was an amazing experience on all accounts! Now that is awesome coaching!
~ Twyla
Are you looking to escape complacency in your fitness regime? You too are capable of more than you imagine. Let Amy help you discover new strength, enjoyment and recovery in your fitness journey.
If you’re like most of us, you know the common weight loss mistakes. Perhaps you had to learn them the hard way like many.
Are you tired of failing to achieve your weight loss goals? Then you’ve come to the right place. Below are the three steps required to achieve the permanent fat loss you desire.
Real food is not stuff that doesn’t look like anything in nature. It’s not sweetened drinks. Real food doesn’t come in boxes or cans whose ingredients can’t be pronounced. Real food does not use artificial colors, sweeteners, texturizers, or preservatives.
Real foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and poultry, fish, whole grains and good fats. When you eat real foods like these, your body can be nourished like it needs to be.
When you’re nourished, wonderful things can happen, including:
All of which mean: You Iose weight and keep it off. And you are extending your life by eating REAL food, not processed foods that are loaded with nothing but junk!
One of the biggest mistakes a person can make is going hours on end without eating. Not only does this slow down the metabolism (again, think starvation mode), it causes a severe drop in blood sugar causing “fog brain” and fatigue.
Long gaps between eating can make you feel down right miserable, making it difficult to function throughout the day and doing nothing for weight loss. Slowing your metabolism induces fat storage rather then fat loss.
Exercise is absolutely imperative in maintaining a healthy weight and for overall health. We live in an extremely sedentary world sitting in front of computers, our phones, watching TV, etc. Sitting for hours day in and day out is killing us. It leads to not just weight gain, but to diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
And the older we get the more we need to move. Lean tissue continues to decrease with age and that lean tissue is our metabolism. You lose that having minimal muscle and those pounds will continue to pack on! The message is simple, you have got to move.
Find a training program that you will stick with and gives you results. Make sure you are working up a sweat and not just going through the motions of a workout. It is important to push yourself and challenge yourself – safely of course!
Achieve sustainable success and create healthy lifestyle habits that will not throw your body into a tailspin by destroying your metabolism and make you sick later on. (Fad diets, poor eating habits and no exercise, will ALL do this.) Stop sabotaging yourself and avoid the enduring negative consequences that can follow.
Simply eat clean and train smart. Your body will love you for it in more ways then one.
Have you ever tried – and failed – to lose weight? You are not alone.
But the good news is that you can achieve the weight loss you desire in three simple steps. And equally important to maintaining a healthy weight is avoiding common traps we all face. Explore these four common weight loss mistakes and you’ll be prepared to embrace the three steps to long-lasting fat loss I’ll cover following.
When you restrict calories by eating next to nothing, fasting or using liquid/juice diets, you might initially take off some pounds. But then your body catches on to your game.
Then you go into starvation mode in order to preserve your fat stores in case no more food is coming for a while. As a result, your fat burning metabolism slows WAY down to keep you alive on less food.
This means you start losing less or no weight at all even though you are eating next to nothing. Plus, when you stop severely restricting calories and eat your “old way” again, your body will burn even FEWER calories than it did before because you slowed down your metabolic rate. So you put the weight back on and then some.
Same thing applies when you eliminate food groups from your diet, use meal replacement bars or shakes (like Slim Fast) or try to trick your brain into thinking you’re full (e.g. Sensa).
Your body is smart and knows that it needs complete nourishment. That means proteins, whole grains, veggies, fruits and good fats.
If it doesn’t get everything it needs, the starvation mode is triggered as previously discussed. It doesn’t matter if “shakes” you drink have a bunch of vitamins added to them. Your body knows the difference between synthetic nutrients and those that come naturally from food.
Our bodies are designed to best use nutrients as they occur in a complete, real food. Anything less than that will make your body feel as though it’s not nourished properly…and leave you feeling hungry all the time.
When someone who eats large meals or always has seconds and thirds tries to simply to cut back and eat less, they’re pretty much miserable. Eventually they start sneaking a little more, then a little more, and soon they’re right back where they started.
Or they eat try to eat their dinner on a luncheon-sized plate…but pile it 6 inches high! Or they might successfully eat less at meals but cave into snacking later on, which completely negates any calorie savings they may have achieved by eating a smaller dinner.
Some people even take the dramatic approach of having gastric bypass surgery–so your portions are automatically “controlled” because your stomach is a fraction of its original size. Sadly, the success rate of this about 2% rarely working and can be downright dangerous.
Some diets take the work out of meal preparation and planning by having you buy their pre-packaged meals and foods. This can be VERY costly and often are processed foods to boot..bad news!
As long as you stick to eating their prescribed meals, you will probably take in fewer calories and Iose weight. But as soon as you’re “on your own” again, guess what happens? Yup, the weight comes right back on!
So what can you do if you desire to lose and keep weight off both safely and effectively? Stay tuned as next I’ll share the three steps to permanent fat loss.
There’s a lot of buzz lately about detoxifying and/or cleansing the body in regards to weight loss. Is this weight loss worth the risk? What is actually happening when a detoxification or cleansing diet is implemented in trying to achieve weight loss?
Detoxing and/or cleansing diets are diets consisting of basically juices, herbal teas and/or raw foods ingesting very few daily calories. The concept is that by only consuming these things the body will shed toxins and will function better, have better mental clarity and most of all…..lose weight!
Be aware that much of detoxification and cleansing theories are backed by people wanting to make money, pushing products that are not FDA approved nor backed by valid research of efficacy.
Reports of mental clarity, intensified creativity and heightened concentration are only backed by anecdotal evidence. These reports in actuality are explainable by the very notion that one is paying attention to what one is consuming and making prudent and judicious choices therefore the “heightened mental awareness or clarity.”
What is actually happening when detox or cleansing diets are used for weight loss?
These detox and cleansing diets are short term weight loss gimmicks which do nothing to promote healthy life long nutritional habits while wreaking havoc on the body’s metabolism preventing it from running strong and efficiently for a lifetime.
The bottom line is that the human body is one of the most complex machines on earth. The fact that its sustainability has been going on for centuries is evidence that our bodies have evolved to perfection in many ways.
Keep healthy and strong. Ditch the detoxification, cleansing and fad diets.