Monthly Archives: July 2012

Shoulders & Biceps WOD

For those of you who wonder how my morning routine goes it’s usually something like this:

I get out of bed and make breakfast anywhere around 8:00-8:30. I make my favourite protein pancakes (1/2 cup oats & 4 egg whites) and top them with 1 tbs of natural peanut butter and sprinkle on some Truvia. If this breakfast wasn’t so dang amazing, I probably wouldn’t wake up quite so early since I don’t have to. So good thing it is! After this, I usually do a little bit of reading or homework while I sip on coffee or my pre-workout. Head to the gym around 9:30!

Today I worked on shoulders & biceps. Shoulders are my strongest point and biceps are actually one of my weaker ones. So here’s the workout that I came up with today….conclusion- I felt totally EXHAUSTED afterwards! Hope you give it a try and let me know what you think!

The exercises are paired in two’s because I do supersets. A superset is where you do one exercise and do the next one right after, rest for 60 seconds and then repeat. This saves time and it also keeps your heart rate up throughout the entire workout.

The number of reps/sets I do depends all depend on the amount of weight I use. If you’re going heavy, try not to go over 10 reps. If you’re lighter, aim for 12-15.

1. Isometric Curls- 4 sets of 10

Clean and Press- 4 sets of 10

2. 21′s- 4 sets of “21″

Shoulder press- 4 sets of 10

3. Disco arms- 3 sets of 12

Cable curl- 3 sets of 12

4. Hammer curls- 4 sets of 10

Lateral raises- 4 sets of 10

5. Concentration curls- 3 sets of 8

I also added in leg raises for a quick ab exercises and ran 30 minutes on the treadmill.

Lately, I’ve been reading on my social media sites about a lot of people that indulge on the weekends and then beat themselves up about it for a day or two. Don’t! It’s actually not so bad to surprise your body with an out of the ordinary meal and it keeps you from binging. As long as it’s a cheat meal and not a cheat day, there is no reason to grieve over it. Embrace that one meal and think about all the new goals you have planned for the next week. If this isn’t your thing and you have a “all or nothing” kind of attitude, find another way to reward yourself. Personally, I have channeled my desire to “splurge” by buying something small to wear at the gym for a little extra motivation instead of food. Something like a new pair of shorts, running shoes, a tank top, ipod arm band or maybe just a regular piece of clothing or jewelry. Doesn’t need to be expensive whatsoever but it’s a better way to reward yourself than eating a triple cheeseburger! Follow me on Pinterest for fitness clothing and other fun workout gear:)

These are my new babiesss…love Asics! What’s your favourite running shoe brand?

Competition Update 7/28

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Well today is 14 weeks out from my first NPC competition and I’ve been in contest prep for three weeks now. I told y’all that I would update you with my progress from time to time so here it goes!

I’m 13.5 % body fat at the moment (last time I checked I was 18%). In 20 days, I’ve gained 6 pounds of muscle and lost 6 pounds of fat. That right there is proof that what the scale tells you doesn’t always give you an accurate idea of your progress because I still weigh the same! I’m so incredibly proud of myself for all the hard work that I’ve been putting into this competition so far! Sticking to diet 100%, no cheat meals, cardio 5 times a week (sprinting, running, stepmill), drinking a ton of water and going to bed around 11 every night. Rest is crucial for muscle growth!

The biggest challenge I have faced at the moment is figuring out how to always have my meals with me when I need to eat. I bought a cooler, so the times I need to be out of the house during meal times aren’t so inconvenient. I may receive a few weird looks here and there but that’s perfectly fine with me:)

Another challenge that I’m already discovering is that you must be your own biggest supporter. Some people may not understand why you’re doing what you’re doing but they don’t need to. In the end you’re going to be proud of yourself no matter what anybody said.

On another note, I’m going to start adding a couple things to this blog. I’m going to write book reviews on the latest books I pick up. Reading is one of my all time favourite pastimes and lately there have been SO many great novels out! I hope y’all are book lovers like me:)

Protein Powders

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Most bodybuilders or regular gym goers have personal preferences when it comes to protein powder based on taste, effectiveness and consistency. Once you find one that works for you, stay in a healthy relationship with it and don’t cheat! I’m loyal to my powders because they’ve helped me so much in my recovery process so I can build lean muscle faster. There are so many, all with different amounts of carbs, protein, amino acids and various benefits so here are a few I like.

Optimum Nutrition

The all around (best taste/effectiveness/bang for your buck) protein powder, in my opinion and most everybody else’s, is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey. They make a regular Gold Standard and also a Natural Gold Standard, but I prefer the regular. Any flavor (cookies and cream, chocolate, mint chocolate, vanilla ice cream, etc) tastes amazing. With 24 grams of protein, 120 calories, and very little fat, this powder gives your body the absolute best nutrition needed after an intense weight lifting session.

Sunwarrior

Vegan? Vegetarian? Sunwarrior protein has got you covered. As found on their website: “Sunwarrior Classic Protein uses an old world process, combining the endosperm and bran from raw sprouted whole grain brown rice, to create the first completely hypoallergenic protein, containing all essential and non-essential amino acids in a perfectly balanced profile. Sunwarrior Classic Protein has the highest amount of (non soy) raw, whole-grain sprouted, vegan protein of any product available.”

For a person who doesn’t speak that language, this stuff is good. Real good.

MRM

One of the other top protein powders is MRM 100% All Natural Whey. No artificial flavorings and highly recommended by fitness model, Jamie Eason (if you don’t know who she is- look her up!) This protein is “clean” because it has nothing artificial in it, unlike many other powders, but yet it is still whey. Tastes good too, but only comes in chocolate and vanilla. Also great for the wallet!

Those are just three powders that I have found to be great choices. There are many others, such as Vitamin Shoppe’s store brand “Body Tech“, Dymatize Elite Whey and MyoFusion. Just remember to always read the labels when you buy your powders and it never hurts to do a little research on your own. Bodybuilding.com is the best place to buy your supplements as well as read up on how well they work. Every powder is “rated” and you can check out all the different flavors all in one place:) Good luck finding your perfect powder!

Holding onto Humility

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As I am a member of various Facebook workout groups and a strong community of fitness lovers on Twitter, I read a lot of comments that are a cry for moral support. There’s this ever-struggling debate between yourself and others. Who do you trust- your own opinion or others? Do you ask them for advice on how to eat right and how to look a certain way but not trust them when they give you corrections on your form and workout ethics? Are you offended when people correct you in the gym and try to show you the “correct” way to do an exercise? Honestly, for a long time, I struggled in this area. I would walk in the gym thinking I looked the part and I felt like I really knew what I was doing…but then somebody would walk up to me and say “can I show you how to do this more effectively?” They would then proceed to take my weights away and show me the “proper” form. How do you deal with this? Are you he kind of person to march off, annoyed and frustrated that somebody had the gall to correct you…or would you humbly say thank you- I really appreciate the help. It’s not about being perfect. Nobody is perfect at anything. When I started out, I needed that help. I needed somebody to show me the correct way to do a deadlift or a squat, because if they hadn’t I might have injured myself or I could STILL be doing bad form to this day. Heck, now I’m marching up to people and saying “hey will you watch me do this and tell me if it looks right?!” If I’ve learned one thing from my journey to better my body, it’s that you need to stay humble. You may have a rocking body and perfect form but you weren’t always like that. Somebody had to teach you those things. And now it’s your turn to teach somebody else.

Another thing I’d like to talk about is stepping out of your comfort zone. A huge part of getting in shape is walking into the gym. That first step can make ALL the difference. It shows you have courage. It proves you are humble. It means you know you have work to do and you’re there to get that work done. Whether you are overweight, skinny-fat, muscle-less, or already beefed up, there is nothing shameful about going to the gym and giving it all you’ve got. I hear so many girls say they’re too intimidated to go into the weight room with the boys and that’s why they hang around all the cardio machines. Well guess what- the magic happens OUTSIDE of your comfort zone! Don’t be afraid to pick up a weight and try to work something out. Don’t be offended if somebody tried to correct you. That’s the beautiful thing about people who are into fitness- they want to help others. Nobody is “ahead” or “above” anybody in the weight room. EVERYBODY has room for improvement. There’s no one goal, that’s why people are in there day after day after day. There’s always room to grow..room to improve…and room to better yourself. Inside and out.

Why Diets Don’t Work & Benefits of Green Tea

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Just wanted to reiterate a few things today about diets in case anybody needs a refresher-

What’s one of the most common ways to break a diet? Binging. Those who rely on fad diets tend to lose sight of moderation. Once the diet is over, they go right back to their old habits. You go 10 weeks without any chocolate and then the first moment the diet is “complete” what’s the first thing you do? Buy ten boxes of chocolate. Why? Cause you feel you deserve it. That’s precisely why fad diets do not work.

More reasons to quite dieting forever-

1. They set you up for failure

2. They make you FEEL like a failure

3. They focus on what you CAN’T have, not what you can

4. They are only temporary

5. They leave you feeling lost and confused afterwards

6. They don’t create life long habits

But just let me remind you… you are not a failure and you CAN create lifelong habits. By eating clean, you can learn how to navigate your way around the grocery store with a clear mind. Leave all the confusing fad diets behind…they don’t work because your body can’t adjust to one diet and then switch to another one. That’s why “yo-yo” dieting occurs. Your body will get so used to one thing and then the minute you switch to another diet, it’ll fluctuate and try to get used to that one. With a balanced and healthy clean diet, you’ll start to crave fresh fruits instead of candy. You’ll start to want a colorful dinner plate filled with green, orange, red and yellow veggies instead of cheesy Mexican platters or carb-loaded pasta dishes. I hope this is making sense, I want nothing more than for you to put down the fad diet meal plans and pick up the Eat Clean Diet cookbook. Best decision you’ll ever make.

On another note, I wanted to talk about how I’ve been handling my own cravings. When I want something sweet, nothing hits the spot as well as a warm mug of green tea with truvia. Yeah, I know, you’re probably thinking I’m lying and that I actually really want chocolate (which sometimes I do) but 95% of the time, green tea settles any cravings I may be having. Plus it comes with a ton of benefits that won’t affect your waistline for the worse.

Some of these are-

1. Speeds up metabolism (even more so than pure caffeine)

2. Reduces risk of heart disease

3. Contributes to mental awareness

4. Helps fight the risk of breast cancer

5. One of the most antioxidant-rich drinks available

6. Lowers cholesterol

7. Can be a helpful detox

As if these reasons are enough to go out and buy yourself some tea, it taste amazing.

Preparing for My First NPC Competition

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Yes, you read that correctly…COMPETITION. I’ve finally made the decision to compete! As much as I wish I could do figure, I’ve decided this first go round will be the bikini division. I’m still giving it my 100% effort and I’m going to work my booty off every single day. Bikini could actually be the perfect fit for me. Whether I’m in the gym or in the kitchen, I’ll be consciously thinking of that moment when I walk on stage and how badly I want to have my best shot at this.

With this new goal of mine also comes a new diet, new workouts and a few limitations here and there. I’m saying goodbye to the cheat meals for the next few months and unfortunately I won’t be coming up with any new fun recipes to share with you guys. But I WILL be logging and recording this process every step of the way. I can use all the motivation and encouragement I can find, so please keep up with me and read my posts as I experience what it’s like to be a bikini competitor for the first time.

Starting out, I want to share what my new workout routine will look like. At the moment I’m only doing cardio 4 times a week: 3 days of 30 minute moderate intensity and 1 day of HIIT (high intensity interval training). As the weeks continue, my coach will start to add on more and more cardio as needed.

For strength training:

Monday-Legs, hammies, abs

Tuesday- biceps, shoulders (30 minutes cardio)

Wednesday- Back (30 minutes cardio)

Thursday- 20 minutes HIIT, abs

Friday- Legs, glutes

Saturday- Chest, triceps (30 minutes cardio)

Sunday- Active rest

So, for now, that’s what I have when it comes to exercise.

Diet, is a whole ‘notha story. Still eating clean of course, but I’m trying to lose body fat and weight so I’m in calorie deficit at the moment.

My cart looks something like this

All delicious foods that we know and love:) Plus oats! Can’t forget the oats!

Since I’m eating the same foods every day, I’m cooking in bulk even more.

This will probably last me….5 days?

I stocked up on some Mrs. Dash and today I cooked with the fiesta lime. Who doesn’t LOVE salt free seasonings? I think this is a perfect instance to say ~~winning~~ SCORE!

Link

I have a recipe to give you guys today that I absolutely love! It came right out of the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook by the lovely Tosca Reno. I did NOT make this recipe up myself but the pictures below are mine:)

Bison Burgers & sweet potato fries

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml olive or safflower oil
• ¾ cup / 180 ml finely chopped onion
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup / 60 ml oat bran or oatmeal ground in a coffee grinder
• ¼ cup / 60 ml cooked, mashed sweet potato
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml molasses
• 1 tsp / 5 ml crumbled, dried oregano
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml sea salt
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb / 454 g ground bison

Preparation

Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Cook the onion until soft and golden. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together egg whites, oat bran or oatmeal, sweet potato, molasses, oregano, sea salt and pepper.
Stir in onions and bison. Mix the ingredients together with clean hands until just combined. Take a handful of the meat and create a flat patty. You can get your family involved here too, so they can make patties that fit them. Just make sure they use clean hands.
Grill the patties for 7-10 minutes on each side or until the burgers reach desired doneness.
If you would like to store the patties in the freezer to use later, wrap the patties individually in parchment paper. They can be stored for up to one month in the freezer.

BISON BURGERS – The Eat-Clean Diet®.

YUMMY!

I’m not really a pro at handling raw meat, still kinda grosses me out. But since my mother and me were doing the cooking this night, she forced me to get over my meat handling fears and man up:) They turned out pretty juicy, I must say!

So after experimenting with this recipe, I have fallen in love with bison. It’s easy to cook with and a great option for somebody who likes the texture and flavor of red meat but not so much the heaviness.

Oh yes. For the sweet potato fries, I thinly sliced 3 sweet potatoes (thinner the better) and lightly coated them with olive oil, a bit of sea salt and some cajun spice. Put them in the oven on 425 degrees and bake them for 30ish minutes, flipping them over after 15 minutes.

I encourage you to check out the rest of her cookbook. So many amazing recipes and ideas that make healthy cooking taste delicious.

moonfitness.net

Simplifying Your Diet and Fortifying Your Body