Saturday, May 26, 2012

Fat Makes You PHAT

The first thing to do when you want to lose weight is to cut back on the fat, right? WRONG. Whoa now, settle down. When I say fat is a good thing, I'm not talking the fat you get from your fully-loaded double cheeseburger and heaping plate of macaroni and cheese. No, I'm talking healthy fat, brought to you by such kick-butt foods as nuts, olive oil, sesame seeds, avocados, etc.
When you eat the right kind of fat, you're doing that body of yours a huge favor. How? Let's chat about the benefits of healthy dietary fat for a minute. 1. It builds muscle: Dietary fat is a key player, as it performs many essential functions in your body. One of these essential functions is the production of testosterone, which is a main trigger in muscle growth. 2. It strengthens bones: It is a necessity for the production of estrogen, a bone-building hormone. 3. It maintains your girlish figure: Always seem to be noshing in between meals? Healthy fats promote a feeling of fullness between meals and snacks. By controlling hunger, you'll reach your fat-burning goal faster as you keep a check on your caloric intake. 4. It keeps your ticker healthy: Healthy fats are great for your heart. Monounsaturated fat is the premier fat for cardiovascular health. Research shows that upping mono fats in a cholesterol-lowering diet lowers harmful LDL and increases beneficial HDL cholesterol. Mono fat also reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. 5. It protects your peepers: Especially when you consume foods high in carotenoids, which are free-radical-fighting pigments. 6. It optimizes food power: To unleash vitamins A, D, E, and K from tomatoes, spinach, and carrots, your body needs a touch of fat to full aborb them. So munch away on that yummy plate of greens drizzled in a healthy dressing (and I don't mean bleu cheese dressing; think more along the lines of an olive oil vinaigrette) or better yet, toss some avocado slices on top. MAJOR YUM.
I'm constantly munching on carrots dipped in tahini sauce (for those of you unfamiliar with the goodness of tahini sauce, it's just made from sesame seeds), celery with almond butter, or celery with sunflower seed butter (all found at your local supermarket). An apple with almond butter is another fave. Seriously, I'm addicted to this stuff. Just a few bites satisfy me, keep me full, and keep my body happy. MAKE SURE that your healthy fat of choice is preservative-free. If peanut butter is your go-to dip, then peanuts should be the ONLY ingredient. Some local supermarkets have machines that grind peanuts/almonds right before your very eyes into delicious, natural butter. This way you definitely know that no yucky preservatives are sneaking their way in and hijacking your health benefits.
Coconut oil is also EXTREMELY good for you. It stays stable at high temperatures, unlike other oils. Almost 50 percent of the fat in coconut oil is of a type rarely found in nature, called lauric acid. This is a "miracle" compound because of its unique health-promoting properties. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties. Coconut oil is also nature's richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs. LCTs are large molecules, so they are difficult for your body to break down and are predominantly stored as fat. But MCTs, being smaller, are easily digested and immediately burned by your liver for energy ~ like carbohydrates, but without the insulin spike. MCTs actually boost your metabolism and help your body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it, so it can actually help you become leaner. Coconut oil has actually been shown to help optimize body weight, which can dramatically reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Besides weight loss, boosting your metabolic rate will improve your energy, accelerate healing and improve your overall immune function. And for all you worker-outers: Several studies have now shown that MCTs can enhance physical or athletic performance. And finally, coconut oil is incedibly good for your heart. The truth is this: It is unsaturated fats that are primarily involved in heart disease and too much sugar and processed foods, not the naturally occurring saturated fats, as you have been led to believe.
Happy feasting!!
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Saturday, May 19, 2012

SHOCK AND AWE

We've all heard that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, right?? Well, guess what? it really does. Reflection time: Bust out your own personal highlight reel. Think about your greatest achievements and favorite moments. Were they maybe a step or two outside of that comfortable little circle in which you usually operate? For me, this much is for sure: Pretty much all of my moments of triumph went down when I bit the bullet and forced myself to do things that made me uncomfortable. I remember being terrified for my first marathon. I'd never run a three-mile race, let alone a 26.2-mile race!! It was my first race ever and it basically felt like baptism by fire. But guess what?!!!!! I DID IT!! And so can you.
So maybe running a marathon doesn't top your bucket list of dreams. Or maybe you simply have a goal of improving your strength or cardio endurance. Whatever it may be, more than likely, you'll have to step out of that zone. One great example of this is my dad. For years he's been doing the SAME. EXACT. CARDIO ROUTINE. For years. And for years I've been after him to change it up. Why? Because your body gets used to fitness routines and if you don't spice it up every six weeks or so, then it's not nearly as effective as it was the first go-round. Your body doesn't have to expend as many calories, because it has become accustomed to the routine and basically gets bored. Just like with mental fitness: You can't read the same vocab list over and over and over and expect to expand your knowledge and learn more words. Just doesn't work that way, right?? You can spend the same amount of time working out or studying, yet the more you do it, the fewer benefits you'll reap. If you know that list of words, you could spend an hour studying them every day, and really not gain much more. Same concept applies to fitness. You can feel like you're killing yoursef at the gym, and you may be exerting the same amount of effort every day, but the more you do that same routine, the fewer calories your body will burn. Whether you're aiming to be physically fit or mentally fit (and well-rounded!), you MUST keep that body guessing.
So my dad finally took my advice and has been trying out different cardio machines. Then he really got crazy and followed some more of my advice and has been doing interval training (2-3 minutes hard, 30 seconds-1 minute recovery). I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!!! He commented on how hard it is. My response? "GOOD! Then you know you're doing something right and giving your body the workout it needs." It's so true. Unless it's your rest day or you're injured/sick, your workouts should never be easy. I've been doing P90X for years, but I maintain intensity by increasing weights, adding more reps, switching up the order of the routines, performing hybrid workouts, etc. YOU GOTTA KEEP IT FRESH.
But keeping it fresh doesn't necessarily mean that you have to go out and find a whole new workout. Like I said, I've been doing P90X for years, yet by changing up the weights and other elements, I'm still preventing complacency. The idea is to keep your body in SHOCK AND AWE. The good news?!! When you constantly switch it up, you don't have to work as hard to get results. Or as long. TRUTH! By forcing your body to adapt every few weeks, then it scorches more calories by just trying to keep up and adjust. However, it's important to note that you should stick with a certain regimen for at least a month (ideally six weeks), in order to allow it to take full effect.
Some tips for working outside of your comfort zone: 1. Strength in numbers -Especially when you're first trying out something that's totally new to you (i.e. a cardio junkie hitting the weight room for the first time) it can seem less intimidating with a buddy by your side. 2. Remind yourself of your goal -It can definitely be a challenge to do something you're not used to doing, so keep in mind what it is that makes it worth it 3. It's only temporary! -The discomfort won't last forever. So take a deep breath, suck it up, and go get 'em!!
4. Remember: THIS IS WHEN CHANGE OCCURS!! -If if you're not willing to sacrifice a little comfort for change, then you must not want that change badly enough.
GOOD LUCK!
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Friday, April 13, 2012

Muscle Mania!

So as you know, I'm all about finding a fitness routine that you love and adore so that you too can develop a love (or at least like!) for fitness. However... there is one caveat: You must incorporate some sort of strength training into your regimen. Really. This is pretty much non-negotiable. Well, that is, only if you want the best results and the tightest tush. Up to you.



Why, do you ask, is strength training so darn important? Consider the following:

1.The more muscle you have, the more calories you're burning, even while at rest.

More calories are used to make and maintain muscle than fat, and you're
going to love this: Strength training can boost your metabolism by as
much as 15%! So you're torching those calories even while sitting on your
bum watching Law & Order:SVU.



(Please excuse the ciggy in her mouth. Of course I don't condone lighting up!)

2.The more muscle you gain, the tighter your physique.

Muscle takes up less room than fat = a leaner, tighter you!!

3. Your regular cardio workouts will be easier

The more strength you acquire, the more you'll be able to apply to your
normal cardio fitness routine

4. Helps protect those bones of yours

According to Troy Tuttle, MS, an exercise physiologist at the University of
Texas Medical School, "One of the best ways to stop, prevent and even reverse
bone and muscle loss is to add strength training to your workots." Strength
training can help you to increase your bone density and reduce your risk of
bone fractures, which becomes more of a concern the older you get. It also
helps with arthritis.




Contrary to popular belief, strength training doesn't make women bulk up. Au contraire! It makes you leaner!!! So try lifting some free weights at your gym,
or do push-ups during commercials, or use resistance bands. Any way that you can work it into your life is beneficial. Aim for at least 2x a week, but make sure that you don't work the same muscle groups on consecutive days. For example, work legs and back one day, then shoulders and arms the next. Try to add a day of rest in between your strengh training sessions.



Key tips:
1. Form is everything!!
If you can't maintain proper form, then go lighter! If your form is crap,
then you won't benefit as much as you would if you lifted the appropriate
weights. For example, performing bicep curls, make sure that you extend your
arms straight at the bottom of the rep.
2. Try to move through your sets as quickly as possible.
It's cool to take a rest when needed, but decrease as much as possible the
number of breathers you take in between moves.
3. Go heavy!
Go as heavy as you can handle while maintaining that good form. Look at it
this way: The heavier you lift, the sooner you can call it quits!
4. Do Circuits.
Super effective, super fun, and super great way to make the minutes melt
away. For example, do two sets of 12 reps of tricep dips, then jump rope
for one minute, then bicep curls, then jumping jacks for a minute, then 20
push-ups, then run in place, etc. You get the pic.
5. Work more than on muscle group at once.
Example: Do bicep curls while squatting. Again, just make sure that you don't
work the same muscle groups the next day.



Very important to remember: MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT. I repeat, MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT. So forget about that scale!!! Once you start lifting, you'll most likely start gaining weight yet your clothes will magically become smaller. You'd be surprised how much super fit people weigh, simply because they're packing around loads of muscles. Yet one more reason to stop being a slave to the scale. I mean it.



If you're unsure of where to start, then try going to classes at your local gym, or buy an at-home fitness program, or ask me for some pointers. Body Pump is a must try, whether at Gold's Gym or Beachbody's at-home version. P90X is the ultimate, and now there's even a P90X 2!! Whatever it is, shop around, find something you love, and remember to keep changing it up to keep that body of yours guessing! HAPPY LIFTING!



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Saturday, April 7, 2012

HIP HIP HOORAY!!

Source: jrtux.com via Whitney on Pinterest



Raise your hand if you would love to have bunzz of steel. Raise your other hand if instead of your booty being high and tight, it's low and...flat. Not the look you were going for, right?? How many of have you have been working that booty out like crazy and STILL not really seeing results? Frustating, isn't it? I hear you. But cheer up, Charlie!! I have the key that may unlock the secret to your success and help you achieve that dreamy derriere.


I have a question for you: Do you ever suffer from lower back pain? Do you sit for long periods of time? Do you ever get those awful charley horses whenever you're working your glutes and/or hips? (Ahhh, they're brutal, aren't they?!!) Do you have super tight hip flexors? Do you know what your hip flexors are? If you don't, you have some quick learning to do if you want that nice booty! Pay attention, because there will be a quiz at the end. Kidding.


The hip flexors are a group of muscles that flex the hip. Within this group is the psoas, which attaches to the lower back, and the iliacus, which attaches to your hipbone. Sitting actually puts these muscles in a shortened position, resulting in some tiiight hips. So all those hours that you spend with your caboose parked in front of a computer really takes a toll in a number of ways. Here comes the connection: Since your psoas attaches to the lower back, if it's tight, then this creates an imbalance. Your hip flexors are much larger and stronger than your muscles in your lower back area, so when they play tug of war, your lower back muscles will lose the fight every time. (So THAT'S why my lower back hurts all the time!) Your glutes are strong enough to counteract the hip flexors. However, they're riding the bench while your hip flexors are hogging all the playing time. Even though your glute strength is actually needed, it's getting shut down because the tightness of your hip flexors prevents your glute muscles from activating. Incredible how connected everything is, right? Trust me, exercising your brain is just as important as exercising your body. Knowledge is power. Otherwise, you'd be targeting that behind all day long and not getting anywhere.
Now that we've identified the problem, let's talk about the solution. There are actually a few solutions: Massage (either self-administered or professionally-administered), foam rolling, exercises, or stretches. Foam rolling is magic for tight muscles, so I definitely recommend you get acquainted with a foam roller ASAP.
As for exercises, here are a few:

1. Overhead Lunges
-THE exercise to open up those hip flexors of yours!! It's essentially a
regular lunge, but you hold something in your hands while you perform
them, such as a plate or medicine ball. Keep those arms straight and
outstretched directly above your head as you do your lunges. This stretches
out your fascia, which then loosens your hip flexors.

2. Reverse Lunges
-Instead of stepping forward, you just step back! This works because
stepping back recruits your bum bum, which inhibits your hip flexors, which
relaxes your hip flexors and stretches them. Mission
accomplished!

3. Overhead Squats
-These are done while holding a bar overhead. This opens up your hip area
and encourages hip flexor range of motion. By holding the bar aloft,
you're forced to remain upright, which lengthens your hip flexors. The
bonus is that it's a stellar workout for your leggies!!!


Stretching is, of course, a key component. Click HERE for some yoga poses that will open up those hips. Crescent pose (which for some reason isn't included in this link) is one of my faves for loosening my hips up. To perform it, refer to the picture below:





It's a reallly good idea to perform these exercises and/or stretches right before you do the booty workout of your choice. If you're currently in the market for one, I highly recommend Brazil Butt Lift. This workout is no joke. Ouch. It's a Beachbody workout, so if you're interested in ordering (or not, either way is cool by me!) visit http://www.beachbodycoach.com/whit13 Whatever you choose to do, best of luck!!!!

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Thursday, April 5, 2012

And The Winner Is...




Ever since I was little, my mom has always said that no matter how great someone's life looks, everyone has their struggles. Time and time again, she was proven right. Even though I grew up hearing this and watching it come true, it's still a lesson that I have to learn often.


This is especially true when it comes to comparing yourself to others. Whether you're comparing yourself to people you know or the starlets living the so-called glam life, you're setting yourself up for failure and unhappiness. Consider this an intervention, all you Facebook stalkers!! Remember:




Take away all the glitz and glam, all the Photoshop effects, all of the smoke and mirrors, and what do you have? Regular people with their own worries. You never know what is going on behind the scenes. And if you do happen to know someone who seems to always be sporting a genuine smile, then most likely this person has learned to come to peace with their life.

I am as Type A as they come. I always place so much pressure on myself, whether it's performing well in school, doing well at work, increasing my fitness level. I'm always looking at others and thinking, "Well, if they can do it then so can I!" But guess what??? I'M NOT THEM. AND THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION. Everybody is so different. We all have different genes, different personalites, different insecurities, different strengths, different weaknesses. So what if your BFF's pre-pregnancy jeans zipped right up two days after she had her bundle of joy? Who cares if your co-worker can stuff her face with fries all day long and not gain an ounce, whereas if you so much as smell a hamburger wafting your way, you immediately pack on the pounds? Repeat after me: THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION. Maybe your friend always stares longingly at your super toned calves, or your curves, or your stamina when climbing stairs without huffing and puffing the whole way up.



Turn your focus inward. Forget about your perceptions of other people and start using that energy on YOU. Nobody else has been through what you've been through, been dealt the same hand as you've been dealt. So how does it make any sense to compare yourself to others?? Everybody has their own game to play, and the only way you'll win is if you stop gawking at the other players and start engaging in your own game. Compete with yourself, and no matter what, you'll always come out on top!

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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

ready...set...GO GET HEALTHY

It's good to be back!! My fam was in town for a week, so when I wasn't slaving away at work, I was busy running around seeing the sights with them. Now that they're gone, I'm back ~ ready to attack!!


I'm actually really glad that they came, because it helped me to stay away from the gym and to eat more. I'm not going to lie, there were times when I felt like the biggest elephant on the block. My body reminded me in no uncertain terms that, yes, dairy is still enemy #1, and yes, gluten's not invited to the party, either. Thank goodness for baggy shirts and leggings!! Whenever I would feel frustrated with my body and how long it's taking to recover from adrenal fatigue, I would just remind myself that it's way more important to be healthy and honor my body than it is to be super skinny and super tired. No matter where you are in your body transformation journey, patience is essential. The harder you are on your body, the harder it is to restore it to health and the longer it takes. That's why it's so crucial to kick your bad health habits to the curb and start taking care of your body NOW. Don't wait!!! And if you're healthy now, don't stop taking care of yourself!!




Remember: Balance is the key to almost everything in health and life in general. Too little exercise is a bad thing, but so is too much exercise. Everybody has their own battle to fight in order to achieve and maintain balance.

For me, finding the motivation to exercise isn't the problem, but keeping my stress levels down is. For too long I've been too hard on my body, pounding it day after day with exercise that it just couldn't handle due to my health issues, and stressing to the max over the little things. So now I'm paying the price. Maybe for some of you, you're mellow yellow and have the relaxing thing down solid, yet you struggle to find the desire to get your sweat on. Or maybe you have a tough time making healthy food choices.


Whatever it may be, pledge RIGHT NOW to start doing right by you. My suggestion is to ease into it and pick one bad habit at a time to work on. Otherwise, you run the risk of feeling overwhelmed and eventually waving the white flag. So, take it one step at a time. Slowly build your momentum and confidence, and pretty soon you'll be feeling so fantastic that you'll be unstoppable!! Schedule monthly checkpoints in the future where you'll stop to assess your progress. As always, if you need help with anything, drop me a line!







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Sunday, March 25, 2012

STOP. LOOK. LISTEN.

That's it, I'm putting my foot down. I've dialed it down on the workouts but my body is still in rebel mode, which tells me that I'm still pushing it too hard. I was the queen of denial at first, telling myself "No, it's fine ~ I'm not going nearly as hard as I used to". However, the truth is there whether I like it or not, and the truth must be faced!! As much as it kills me to admit it, I'm going to have to take a hiatus from my beloved intense workouts.
It's so important to be in tune with your body. Not only do you have to try to figure out what your body needs, you need to then GIVE it what it needs. It's not enough to know; you must do! Sometimes the hardest part is decoding the messages that your body is sending you. Trust me, the messages are there, you just have to open those lines of communication. Forget that bogusness about "no pain no gain". If you're feeling the burn, that's a good thing. If you're feeling the pain, that's a bad thing!


SO...what is YOUR body telling you? Are you feeling sicky today? Then take it easy! Maybe a quick walk around the block is all your body is feeling today. Are you constantly hungry? Feed that face of yours (with quality food of course)!! Is your ankle killing you? Stay off of it. Try swimming or aquacise. No, seriously: it's a stellar workout!!
To maybe give you an idea of some SOS signals that your body may be sending you, I'll list a few of the alerts that my body was sending my way.
1. Chronic fatigue
-no matter how much sleep I would get, I'd constantly be tired! A major
symptom of adrenal fatigue, and mine obviously hasn't been resolved
2. I constantly felt like I was having "off" days with my workouts
-it's totally normal (and to be expected) to have those days where
you'll be exercising and feel like you're just getting back into the workout
routine after a looong break. You'll feel like you're getting punked and
somebody somehow added 10 pounds to your dumbbells!! Not to worry, all is
well! Just do your best and know it's only temporary.
With me, I knew something was wrong because I was having not just an "off"
day, but an "off" few months!


3. Constant state of stress, sprinkled in with some lovely mood swings
-again, it's normal to experience your highs and lows. After all, such is
life. What isn't normal is to always be strung out. For the typical person,
a good sweat session is the perfect antidote to stress. But I'm not your
typical person. :) If you're not feeling recharged after your sweat sessions,
then know that something is not right! If you're working from a place of
health, then exercise should help combat insomnia, boost energy, lift your
spirits, and just feel overall better. If you don't, something's up.




You also must be honest with yourself. If you're getting back into the fitness game, it's going to be rough. There are going to be days that you feel like giving up. In order to succeed and truly be in tune with your body, you must discern between laziness and sickness. Don't be too hard on yourself, but by the same token, don't be too easy on yourself, either. Sound too complicated? Then keep it simple: Do what makes you feel good. If you're not having fun and feeling better as a result, then don't do it. Now, wasn't that easy??

Click HERE for a great article on listening to your body
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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Transformation Starts NOW



So my guilty pleasure as of late has been watching The Voice. If you haven't tuned in yet, YOU SHOULD (Monday nights on NBC or Saturday evenings on E!)! It's similar to American Idol, but better (no disrespect to all you Idol fans out there!).




Anyways, there's a guy on the show whom I'm rooting for and adore. His name is Jamar Rogers and I just think he's the coolest cat ever. His is a story of struggle and triumph. He used to be hooked on crystal meth, but came clean about six years ago. As a result of his drug use, he became HIV positive. Now as you know, there's usually a pretty negative stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. What I love about Jamar is how he threw pride to the wind and told his story for the world to hear, on a major national television network no less. He didn't worry about how people would judge him, what people would say, how he would be received and criticized. Instead of focusing on his present and potential haters, he was thinking about how those people struggling with their own battles (whether they be drugs, eating disorders, abusive relationships, depression) could possibly be touched by his story and enheartened to carry on.



I'm just so inspired by him and his transformation. (If you get a chance, I highly recommend you access the link to the interview that I'll provide at the bottom of this post.) For one, I love how open he is about his previous struggles. He overcame meth addiction, his HIV diagnosis, and severe depression. It's just fantastic how he blasts through a number of taboo "conditions" that most people try to keep hush hush due to the negative stigma, for fear of being judged. Everybody has struggles (and I mean EVERYBODY) so why put on a front and pretend otherwise? Wouldn't it be more constructive and make more sense to just acknowledge the fact that everyone has their battles and put that extra energy towards helping each other? I definitely think so. Secondly, I love how he has morphed into this incredible, humble, inspirational role model. Thirdly, he turned his weakness into a strength. He could have let his struggles define him. Instead, he used them to become stronger and to reach out and relate to other people, encouraging them to overcome whatever is getting them down.





So how in the world does this apply to YOUR health and fitness? In a number of ways!!

1. It's NEVER too late for a transformation!!!
-the life you want is yours for the taking, so go get it!!



2. You are not alone
-everyone has something they're struggling with
-we can all help each other!



3. You are not defined by your [current] condition
-As Jamar and his mom point out, you may have a condition, but don't let it have
you!





4. Watch this clip of Jamar performing, because it'll make you smile (or cry!),
which burns calories, which keeps you fit! :) the dude can SING!!!!

Click HERE to watch Jamar perform

Click HERE to read the full article (the highlights are bolded in the article)
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