Seasonal Eating

 Instinctively I’ve always eaten seasonally. What is seasonal eating you might ask? It’s basically following the natural harvest of fruits and vegetables and eating the fruits and vegetables that are in season. Seasonal eating has become more popular along with “Farm to Table”. This is probably because more people are obtaining local fruits and vegetables instead of foods imported that travelled hundreds of miles to get to the grocery store. 

An example is during the summer, I would salads with cucumbers, lettuce, bell peppers, arugula with spring/summer vegetables and I tend to not eat salads during the winter unless it’s a warm kale salad. I can share my warm kale salad recipe later with brussels sprouts, cranberries which is delicious and is full of fall/winter vegetables. Salads are cold and eating a cold salad during the winter would just made me colder, which is a no, no. Eating seasonal is also better for your body because you are getting the nutrients necessary for that time of the year. For example, citrus fruits are seasonal during the colder months when your body needs the additional vitamin C. Eating more protein and fats during the colder months will help keep my body warmer. Finally, eating foods out of season can great an imbalance in your body and can make your susceptible to colds, flu and other illnesses. 

Certified Holistic Nutritionist

I am proud to say that I received my diploma and I am now a Certified Holistic Nutritionist! I love reading and learning about nutrition, so it made absolute sense. I learned so much, but was also surprised by how much I already knew! Interestingly one of the courses with my best grade was in Nutrition- I must brag that I got an A. I didn't do as well with my Sports & Fitness Nutrition course but also did well in Vegetarian Nutrition! I actually think that I am more knowledgeable in Sports & Fitness Nutrition, maybe I didn't study as hard.

I am not sure yet if I will pursue Nutrition as a full-time career, but so many people come to me for Nutrition advice that it made sense and I truly enjoy helping people to live healthier lifestyles. I never expect anyone to eat like I do but if I can help people to eat better, lose weight or whatever their goals might be, I am here to help!

Being Sick Sucks!

I've had the flu for the past week and as a result I have not worked out. It hit me so bad this time that I was actually said that I would consider getting a flu shot next year. Can you believe it! I can't but it was probably the cold medicine I was taking at the time (Theraflu) that caused me to utter those word. Unfortunately, I was too ill to go to the gym and I was unable to train for 8 days. That really sucked, I am training for a competition but I can't train. I am just looking forward to getting back to my routine!

Things I Noticed at My Gym this Week

After my workout on Thursday, I was waiting for my husband to get out of the men's change room. The workout area at my health club is on the upper level and the change area is on the first level. A couple had recently walked out of the change room and they proceeded to take the elevator instead of the stairs. Who goes to the gym and takes the elevator up 1 flight of stairs? I thought that was unbelievable!

On Tuesday I was walking past the group execise area heading to the cage to do some lifting and one of the trainers says to me that I look like I want to join the room full of females doing some kind of dance cardio (not sure if it was Zumba or whatever). My comment to him was why are you suggesting that I join that group...because I am a female? There were 2 guys walking past and he didn't suggest that they join the females in that class shaking their booties. Hey, there is nothing wrong with those classes and people enjoy them, but they are not for me. Besides most of the women in there had lots of booty to shake! The only group class I would consider doing is a spin class. In addition, I am not a cardio bunny, no thank you!

"In order to achieve something greater than the masses, you're going to have to be able to sacrifice more than they can"

Things you never hear people say..."I have a craving for spinach"!

Why is it that we always have craving to eat foods that is not good for us? Yesterday I had a craving for chocolate. Lucky for me, I now have a new acquired taste for dark chocolate and I don't really like milk chocolate anymore. I've never been a fan of those cheap chocolate bar you can get at convenience stores or at the front check out area of grocery stores. There is a CVS right next to my job and I went looking for chocolate. I was unable to find dark chocolate and just left without anything. Trader Joe's have some really delicious dark chocolate (including yummy chocolate truffles) and I thought I would stop on my way home to quench my craving. Guess what? I completely forgot, I guess by the end of the day, my craving was gone!

I read the following statement in an article recently: "Typically, urges to eat are often driven by our emotions, and in some instances, physiologically, by our brain chemicals".
I saw an interview with Janet Jackson recently and she spoke about being an "emotional eater" and how she has had to learn how to overcome those "emotional urges".
The next time you are about to stop at that fast food restaurant and before you bite into that cheese burger and french fries, stop to think if there is an emotional response to that urge!

I want to grow up to be like Ernestine

Ernestine Shepherd is 74 years old and is the worlds most mature (notice that I didn't say old) bodybuilder and I want to grow up to be just like her! I saw Ernestine's picture in a magazine a few months ago and of course I was impressed. She looks amazing and looks like she can kick ass!

Last month I made the decision to compete in the Capital Tournament of Champions in Washington DC, and recently found out that Ernestine will be in the same competition. Lucky for me we will not be competiting in the same division or class so I won't have to be concerned about a 75 year young woman kicking my butt and putting me to shame! I can't wait to meet her!
You go girl!

Never Listen When Someone Fat Talks to You About Nutrition

"Never listen when someone fat talks to you about nutrition". Those words were written in an article I read by Tim Henriques who is the Director of the National Personal Training Institute of VA. I thought it was funny. His thought is that this was common sense -  why follow those who don't have the passion to follow their own advice?
I would like to include "never listen when someone fat tells you that they are going to start working out". Chances are they are not going to start anything, or even if they do, they will not continue. Don't tell me what you are going to do, tell me what you have done! I work with this lady who for the last 3 years continues to say that she is going to join a gym or going to start walking and so far nothing. I just want to say to her, I've heard that before! There is always an excuse. People can always find excuses for not exercising but really there is no excuse. Just Do It!

Ways to Spot a Useless Personal Trainer

I recently read an article written by Charles Poliquin and the title of the article was 10 Ways to Spot a Useless Personal Trainer. I read the 10 ways and some of them were pretty obvious to me. Of course while I was working out at my gym, sure enough I spotted a useless personal trainer. This woman was training a female client, an older looking client who was overweight and she definitely looked like she needed a personal trainer. She needed a personal trainer who would focus on her workout . I usually zone out and don’t pay too much attention to people at the gym unless they are in my way. Incidentally this trainer was using the seated cable machine that I wanted to use. I stood by waiting for them to finish and they were so much into their conversation taking about Ricky Gervais and the Golden Globes etc, etc, that they didn’t even notice that I was waiting. Of course I left to train another body part, since my patience was wearing thin and came back and they were still using the machine chatting and chatting and chatting. So below is a list of Ways to Spot a Useless Personal Trainer:

1. He never records anything.
2. He is more into entertaining you than training you.
3. Program design is a function of the equipment closest to the person he is interested looking at.
4. He talks to you about random stuff while you are doing your set.
5. He tells you about his personal problems.
6. He uses his cell phone to take calls, make call, or text while you are working out.
7. His video does not match the audio. He doesn’t practice what he preaches!
8. He has never taken a class to expand his horizons and his knowledge on the basics of training: such as anatomy, program design, stretching, etc.
Finally, to me this is one of very important. You have been training with him for but you still see no improvements or gains!

Nike Training Club Butt Blaster Workout

I did the Nike Butt Blaster Workout on Thursday. It is a 15 minute butt workout focusing on the glutes. It is a serious workout, my glutes and hamstrings were still sore 2 days later.

This workout included 1 minute intervals of hip lifts, split jumps, side lunge with rotation, cross back lunge and side plank with leg lifts. I did 3 sets of all of the above. Hope this workout gives me a "bubble butt"!

The Month After Christmas

Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house

Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste

At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!

When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).

I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;

The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese

And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt

And prepared once again to do battle with dirt---

I said to myself, as I only can "You can't spend a winter

disguised as a man!"

So--away with the last of the sour cream dip,

Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished

"Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie--not even a lick.

I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,

I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore---

But isn't that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.

Happy New Year to all and to all a healthy meal plan!

Capital Tournament of Champions

This is the show I plan on competing!

New Nike Training App

I recently downloaded the new Nike Training App and I love it. It is a full-body training App and it includes 90 drills of strength, cardio, interval and core training. The App allows you to choose your goals and your level of fitness (beginner, intermediate or advanced) so everyone can do it regardless of fitness level. The length of the workouts varies from 15 to 45 minutes and they include a warm-up at the beginning and stretching at the end. Each workout includes a step by step video demonstration. You can select music from your iTunes Playlist to set to your workout. A Nike professional trainer guides you throughout each step of your workout but you can pause your workout at any time to view the video instruction. Finally, when you are done you get a summary of your workout (which can be posted on Facebook). After completing a series of workouts there is an opportunity to get Rewards! The rewards vary from personal training advice to recipes for smoothies.


I started using the intermediate level and so far have done the 30 minute workouts. The workouts I’ve done so far are certainly challenging. Whenever I don’t feel like going to the gym I do train with my Nike App at home. I basically use them instead of boring cardio machines. In addition to the cool things about this App, the best part is that it is “free”!

Happy New Year

Face it, 2011 isn't going to change shit. You are not going to wake up January 1st with all your problems gone. Everyday is the start of a new year, a new you. So why don't you make your 'fresh start' today ?

My 13 year old nephew had the quote above on his Facebook page and I liked it so I told him that I would use it. I liked it because it is so true. Every year people create New Years Resolutions (NYRs), only to give up on them 3, 4 weeks or months later. NYRs are only goals and they can be set at anytime so why give up on your NYRs half way thoroughout the year? Just set a new GOAL!

I never really create NYRs, but instead I create goals for myself. One of the goals I have this year is to do another competition. I am looking at one in early June. It's a Fitness Universe competition. I think my body is better suited for that federation. Once the promoter provides more information for this event (later this month), I will post details. The countdown starts now!

What's Wrong with People?

I work with this woman who lost some weight, about 20 pounds and she looks great, absolutely great and the weight lost suits her physique - she has a relatively small frame so the weight lost looks great on her. Her weight loss is a result of exercise (cardio and weight lifting) and eating healthier. Now who wouldn't be happy for her, right? Of course not everyone. Another person I work with happen to mention her weight lost to me and she actually said the following "I told her that she didn't need to lose that much weight, before she had some good size, big hips and looked healthy". I had to bite my tongue when she said this although I've heard her said before that "fat people are healthy" before. Needless to say, this woman is at least 60 pounds overweight and can't walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath, and she thinks that she is healthy! What the f*#$%! The sad part is that she really believes this! I really, really need to rant about this...

This is the same woman who for Thanksgiving Dinner her family had 8 regular sized pies (4 pumpkin, 4 apple and 2 sweet potato) to serve 10 people. Do you really need 8 pies for 10 people? This is the same woman who always asks for extra dressing when she orders salads. This is the same woman who every year (since 2007) says that she is going to start kick boxing. This is the same woman who stops for dinner at the food court at the local mall on her way home. This is the same woman who eats pork rinds? Whatever the hell pork rinds are or made off. You think someone needs to give her a clue because she is clueless!

The Dark Food of Food Science

I recently read this article in the "Experience Life" Magazine which is the magazine we get with out Lifetime Fitness membership. It is an extremely interesting and enlightening article. The link to this article is below:

Below is a snippet from the article by Catherine Guthrie.

Show me a chicken nugget and I will show you the world. The world, that is, of highly palatable foods engineered by the food industry to go down easily — in some cases, to quite literally “melt in the mouth” — while also stimulating us to crave more.


Commercial foods like chicken nuggets, French fries, chips, crackers, cookies and pastries are designed to be virtually irresistible. And, for a lot of reasons most of us don’t fully understand, they are.


http://elmag.com/ScaryFoodScience

4 Drinks to Avoid

1.Coffee drinks with full-fat dairy, artificial flavorings and extras such as chocolate sprinkles. These can pack as many calories (and fat) as a meal. A better option is a plain coffee with soymilk or, better yet, antioxidant-rich green tea.


2.Sugary cocktails. Whether it’s a margarita or a pina colada, cocktails pack a double dose of calories due to alcohol and sugar - some can top 800 calories in one drink. Better options are a glass of red wine (60-100 calories) or a light beer (about 100 calories).

3.Non-juice "juice drinks." Before buying juice, read the label and make sure it is 100 percent juice (not just “made with” real juice) and check for sweeteners and calories. Many of these products are no better than drinking sugar water. Even 100 percent juice can spike blood sugar and promote weight gain, so mix it with plain or sparkling water or green tea to lower the glycemic load.

4.Soda. There just isn’t anything nutritious about soda, whether it’s diet or regular. If you’re a soda addict, break the habit by eliminating soda as a treat, and stop reaching for it automatically with a meal or as a thirst quencher.

My New Gym - LA Fitness

As a result of my recent move, I had to change health clubs and unfortunately I am no longer with Lifetime Fitness. I really liked Lifetime. Unfortunately I had to find a new gym and it wasn't easy. I ended up getting a membership with LA Fitness. So far I have not been there too frequently because I am also working out at home doing P90X and kettle bell workouts. The purchase of my membership included a training session with a trainer. Honestly, I wasn't impressed. Of course during my workout with this trainer, I was asking a lot of questions. It's my nature to ask questions, I feel that's how you learn, by asking questions. This trainer was a bit annoyed by my questions, and I wasn't impressed by his answers. I guess his clients don't generally ask him questions. This guy didn't want to explain to me why he was making me do10 sets and 10 reps of each exercise. Of course after the training he proceeded to try to sell me training packages. NOT! I was not at all interested, I've trained with many trainers and I have only found a few that I really like mainly because they want to train me the same way as they train their clients who never or rarely workout. Basically they trainer didn't do any type of fitness assessment to determine my fitness level. Some men can't even do a pull up and most women cannot so why on earth is this trainer looking at me like I am crazy when I tell him that I want to do pull-ups.
On my second visit to LA Fitness, another trainer approached me wanting to workout with me (another way of trying to sell me a membership). I tell him that I working legs so he takes me to the Smith Machine to do squats. No thanks I said, I prefer using the squat rack. I don't like using the Smith Machine for squats since it reduces the range of motions. Instead I tell him that I want to do squats using the cage. So we then head over to the cage and then he suggests getting me one of those pads that goes around the bar. Nope, I said to him, I don't use those. Most trainers will tell you that it is best not to use those and I've read it many times. So I was not impressed. Upon asking him about his certification, I find out that his certificate isn't from an ACE, ISSA or any where I know but from some weekend course he took at LA Fitness. Whatever, this dude wants me to train with him? Not gonna happen in this lifetime! I wish there was a Lifetime Fitness closer by my house or work!

Kettlebell Workout

I finally got all of my kettlebells and I've started doing kettlebell workouts. I Googled kettlebell workouts and there are so many workouts you can do with kettlebells. I did all of following:

Kettlebell Twists arounds,


1 hand Kettlebell Swings

2 hand kettlebell swing

Squat Press

1 Arm Row

Burpee

Russian twist

Overhead press

Chest press

Upright Row

Alternating Suitcase deadlifts

Overhead lunges

Forward lung with a twist

I was going to try to do the turkish getup but I should have started with it and I was spent.

PX90 Workout

I recently started doing the PX90 Workout and I love it! It was my husband's idea, he purchased the workouts and he wanted a workout buddy. This was very surprising since he never wants to workout with me. I think it's because he knows that I will kick his butt! Actually the truth is it's because when we are lifting together there is such a large height difference that he has to change the racks and weights all the time, which is a pain. 

I was really surprised that I like the PX90 workout as much as I do. I started working out in high school during the summer doing workout tapes. I've done all types of tapes from Jane Fonda to Billy Blanks Taebo so I felt that I was regressing, since I've now become such a hardcore weight lifter :)! But I really enjoy doing the PX90 workouts. I like that there are push ups, pull ups, weights and yoga are all incorporated into the workouts. I am also still going to the gym to lift once a week. This is my 2nd week of PX90. I also enjoy that I can do it at home and don't have to go to the gym. 

We are starting a home gym in our basement and I recently purchased some kettle bells. I think I will do PX90 for 90 days and I'll see what results I'll get. Today was a plyometrics workout, so far so good.

Today is National Dance Day!

National Dance Day is a grassroots initiative encouraging the nation, young and old, to move!

On this day, individuals, families, organizations and communities from across the nation are encouraged to come together and dance. Any style of dance is welcome and imagination is recommended in order to get the most out of this celebratory day. So get up and dance!