Challenge Yourself!! Keep the Love Alive

Having a set routine is great. Don’t get me wrong. But do you ever get in a rut and even though you love your routine, you just aren’t motivated by it? I’ll have times like this and feel like the fun has been taken out of working out. And for me that’s a total red flag because I LOVE working out, just ask anyone who knows me, it’s just what I DO. I think it’s easy to get a little too comfortable in your routine and lose that motivation to push yourself to that next level so don’t be afraid to switch it up. There are many ways to sculpt your body but one of the most important things is that you feel energized when your done and that you enjoy it. take your favorite classes and choose the type of training you love. You’ll not only be more likely to stick with it, you’ll feel good and LOOK GREAT.

Here’s an example of a routine I put together to switch up my normal workout:
HIIT & ABS




1) 5 min warm-up on treadmill

2) 5 min incline intervals

3) Abs Routine:
20 Reverse Crunches on bench holding 10lb weight in between feet
20 Reverse Crunches on bench w/out weight
20 Stability ball pike roll outs
20 weighted crunches w/ 25 lb weight plate
20 leg raises w/ reverse crunch up @ top
3 sets-facing front, left side, right side of 15 weighted rope crunches

4) Repeat Steps 2 & 3 three times

5) Warm down with 5 minutes treadmill walking and stretching

So next time you feel like you’re getting in a rut and just going through the motions rather than pushing and challenging yourself, try something new: boot-camps, take your workout outside or try making up your own workout. There's no right or wrong workout, each person is at a different point in their fitness journey. Focus on challenging YOURSELF and take back your motivation!!

Green Mint Delight

I wanted to share my latest obsession for my post workout smoothie. I try a lot of different things and love to create new recipes for my post workout shakes. This one is the GREEN MINT DELIGHT

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen spinach
1 scoop favorite protein powder
8-10 ice-cubes
1 cup almond milk/water (your choice)
1 scoop SoTru organic greens (found @www.sotru.com)
1/2 banana
Stevia or all natural sweetener (sweeten to your liking)

Combine all ingredients into blender and blend until creamy. ENJOY. Repeat as desired.

This shake not only takes amazing, it's packed full of antioxidants, 7 servings of vegetables, protein and will curb any sweet tooth you have. BACK AWAY FROM THE ICE CREAM!

Frozen spinach makes a great addition to smoothies, its low in calories and FULL of benefits. Blending frozen spinach with the other ingredients gives you a fresh and minty taste (thanks to the SoTru organic greens powder which has a minty flavor) It's full of antioxidants, vitamin C and E. It's also an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium.

One of the reasons I have been adding spinach to my shakes is for its magnesium content. Lately I've been having various symptoms, I wasn't recovering from workouts, feeling weak, my muscles were always sore or aching, I had tension headaches, back pain, anxiety, my nervous system felt fried and I craved chocolate constantly. I did a little research of my own and found I may be deficient in magnesium so I found ways to naturally increase my levels by adding dietary rich foods into my meals. Spinach is one of the richest sources of magnesium and one frozen cup contains 117mg or 29% of your required daily amount. Not only is this an easy way to increase your dietary amounts, frozen spinach is cheap, all natural and readily available.

Healthy Food Finds

ALMOND CHEESE!!!

I'm constantly trying to find alternative high quality LEAN protein sources to keep things interesting with my meals and have heard about almond cheese for a while. I finally picked some up on my trip to Sprouts and am completely sold! It's absolutely delicious. So far I have made-

Fajitas w/ melted cheddar cheese tortillas

Protein Pizza w/ veggies and shredded almond cheese

Cheesy Broccoli

Nutrition Facts: Lisanatti Almond Cheddar Cheese Serving Size 1 oz
Calories: 50 Fat: 1g Protein 7g

It comes in cheddar, jalepeno jack and mozzorella. You should be able to find it at your local health food store eg: Whole Foods, Sprouts, or in your natural or organic food section at your local grocery store. Give it a try, you won't be dissapointed!

30 Calorie Chocolate Milkshake!!

Your probably thinking this is some gross weight loss shake that sound too good to be true.. Well I promise you, ITS NOT! All natural ingredients, filling and a great way to squash that ice-cream craving.

Ingredients:

1) Wondercocoa (found at Whole Foods) this stuff is amazing. Pure cocoa powder. 20 calories per tbsp. With 2 g fiber. What's not to love?!

2) Guar Gum (also found at Whole Foods) a gluten free, wheat free, natural fiber used for thickening, used in products such as pudding and ice-cream. Guar gum has the natural ability to bind with water molecules in order to create the creamy textures we know and love.

3) Truvia- all natural zero calorie sweetener

Directions:

Combine 6-8 ice cubes, 1 heapting teaspoon Wondercocoa, 2 tbsp Truvia, and 1/2-1 cup water in blender. Blend mixture for about a minute or until all ingredients are mixed. Add in 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of Guar Gum powder and continue blending. You may need to add more or less depending on your desired consistency. Blend until mixture resembles a thick chocolate shake.

And ENJOY!

NPC Arizona Open July 2011

This last weekend was the Arizona Open and I wanted to share a few photos and experience of my first BIKINI show! This was the second show I've done. My first was earlier this year in March- The Natural Western USA in Mesa, AZ. I did not place at this show, and I'm not going to lie, I was extremely disappointed and ended up taking judging very personally. But after I got over the disappointment I was able to recognize all the things I learned through this experience and that alone was worth it.

Competing can be very tough. It is emotionally, physically, and mentally draining. But you must always remember that no matter what the result of a show, winning a trophy doesn't shape who you are. Those 10 judges aren't critiquing your personality, morals, values, or anything that makes you YOU. They are simply comparing your body and what they see on the outside to everyone else on stage next to you. Sometimes you just won't be what their looking for, and you have to be okay with that. Never forget to recognize your accomplishments and be proud of what you brought that day. It takes a whole lot of hard work, sacrifice, and perserverence to make it on that stage. Knowing that you brought your best and gave it your all puts you in first place no matter what the official results say.


2 Corinthians 4:16;18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Mint & Green Tea Please!!

Right now I am 3 days out from the NPC AZ Open and at this point every little thing matters. I wanted to share one of my tips to make sure I’m coming into the show looking my absolute best. If you’ve ever competed, you know the last week you are pretty hungry, tired, and the one thing keeping you going is the thought of that stage a few days away. In these critical pre-show days I focus on all natural drinks such as unsweetened tea to make sure I don’t hold unwanted water and ensure my body is functioning well. I make a huge bottle of mint/green tea and drink it during the day. Hydrate hydrate hydrate!! I have noticed huge improvements in my digestion as well as clearer skin. It also helps keep my hunger at bay. The benefits are numerous!!

Green Tea
Filled with antioxidants that eliminate free radicals that can damage DNA
Stabilizes cholesterol levels
Beneficial in preventing clogged arteries
Boosts your immune system
Promotes weight loss- the polyphenols found in green tea help dissolve triglycerides-a substance found in the liver and small intestine made up of mostly sugar and fat
Stimulates the metabolism
Helps fight off infections
Reduces acne and slows the aging process to prevent wrinkles
Contains vitamin c and numerous minerals including chromium, manganese, selenium, and zinc

Mint Tea
Helps the digestion of fat
Aids in treatment of mental fatigue, stress, headaches
Stimulates digestion
Effective in relieving intestinal gas and indigestion
Can aid in warding off the common cold

To make your own just add 1 mint tea bag and 1 green tea bag to a cup of boiling water. Let cool then add to a large water bottle of water. Bigelow makes a great tea. Easy, affordable, all natural-ENJOY!

Natural Muscle Building Supplements

A huge component in building your best body is what you "feed the machine" to promote recovery and growth. I spend hours preparing healthy meals and coming up with new creative ways to cook favorite dishes, without the unwanted fat and preservatives found in traditional marinades. To save you some time I wanted to share a few natural supplements that can be of huge benefit to your muscle building diet.


GARLIC: Garlic has a laundry list of benefits and is an extremely versatile spice that can be added to numerous dishes. Add chopped cloves to stir fries or sauté with onions and peppers. No matter what creative idea you come up with, chances are it'll taste great.

Garlic is high in antioxidants and can help reduce cell and tissue damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by lending one of their own electrons in order to create a stable bond. Free radicals can wreak havoc on your body and contributes to numerous diseases as well as chronic fatigue syndrome
Garlic increases the production of carbon monoxide in the body which helps regulate cardiovascular functions and is a critical part in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. Without this balance of CO, you’re more likely to experience cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and inflammation – all which will inhibit muscle growth
Allicin-the active ingredient in garlic is also known to enhance testosterone production-a critical element in muscle building

GINGER: Another multi-use herb that will help you achieve optimal health- Ginger is widely available and a budget friendly supplement that will far exceed your expectations. I’ve begun adding grated ginger to salads and can personally attest to the many benefits of this herb.

Ginger treats a multitude of gastrointestinal issues. It helps with gastric emptying and actually stimulates digestion by moving food and waste through your system; cleansing the colon, reducing gas, and indigestion
Hinders the absorption of cholesterol and is an effective diuretic for reducing water retention
Ginger is also very high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the considered a fountain of youth as they can actually reverse the effects of aging caused by free radicals

PEPPERCORN: Personally I love this spice. I grind it fresh over chicken while BBQing and that alone makes it taste amazing. You can put it on salmon, steaks, mix with lemon juice and olive oil for a great dressing on salads, over eggs- the list goes on. Here are some of the ways you too can benefit.

Peppercorn aids in digestion and increases the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach which is necessary for the digestion of proteins. When there’s not enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach, food is unable to be fully digested and will end up causing heartburn, indigestion or pass on to the intestines and create additional problems
Ground peppercorn can also increase sweating and has diuretic abilities
Peppercorn is yet another great antioxidant for eliminating free radicals
The outer layer of the peppercorn also stimulates the breakdown of fat cells- and who doesn’t love a little extra fat burning.

So there you have it, a few spices you can add to your meals that don’t add extra calories or fat to start maximizing the benefits of your muscle building diet. When you start reaping the benefits from these additions, you’ll never go without them again.