ShopOrganic- a site I SWEAR BY!

Depending on where you live, it can be hard to access the type of foods you need, or want to be consuming. In fact half of the reason Americans are so drastically overweight, out of shape, and in poor health is due to the influx of eating out of convenience, and a lack of having access to the RIGHT kinds of healthy foods.

I know the concept of shopping online is foreign to most of us- we're stuck in the "brick and tile" concept of what it means to do grocery shopping BUT, if you don't have access to a good grocery store with an excellent organic section- then I recommend finding an online source and ordering in what you cannot pick up.

I've already driven over an hour to go to a Whole Foods Market or a Wegman's (since Lancaster is covered in freaking Giants, UGH) so ordering in some of my groceries is a huge relief! www.shoporganic.com has EVERYTHING you could want organic, and some things you maybe have never heard of. With sections catered SPECIFICALLY to certain diets; lactose intolerant, vegan, gluten free, and raw foods- there is a wide variety of products for everyone.

I have a dairy intolerance so finding calorie free non dairy creamers, whip creams, and other light treats is hard in my area. Shoporganic.com comes through! They also carry RAW UNPROCESSED NUT BUTTERS, with no salt, no sugar, and no additives! Hell they even carry organic dog food.....:)

I HIGHLY recommend checking out shoporganic.com and ordering in the items that are WORTH IT- the items you cannot find in your local grocer. TRUST ME- your health will thank you for it!!

My Mocha Java Protein Shake

Mix together:

• 1 scoop Jay Robb Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
• 1-2 packets of Stevia
• 3-4 ice cubes
• 1 cup cold brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 TBSP unsweetened Hershey's cocoa

Blend until smooth- I LOVE this shake post workout!!! It's a yummy pick me up the reminds me of what a mocha frappuccino would taste like (even though I've never had one!!!)

***For muscle gain add TWO (2) scoops Protein Powder, 1/4 cup low fat or 2% milk, and 2 TBSP Hershey's Chocolate Syrup***

5 Ways to Choose Better Meat

This post is about one of my FAVORITE foods- MEAT, and considering I eat a lot of it- this is a major concern of mine! I'm willing to bet, that if you're reading this you consume a lot of meat as well. Even though many would argue that a vegan diet is a healthier way of life, AND it is possible to thrive and survive minus meat, the fact of the matter is that animal proteins are among the most bio available and complete. They are a good source of B Vitamins, iron, magnesium, amino acids, and zinc- all of which can be hard to get into your diet through other means.

Most people who "don't" eat meat, do so because they either think it's high in fat, causes ill health, OR they're worried about the environment or the treatment of animals.

My father is the farm manager at Rodale Research Institute, a leading research institute dedicated towards the research and growth of organics. He also sits on the United States Organics Board and helps set the standards by which organic foods are indentified. Thus I am a huge supporter of organics- and want others to be too- but that aside, getting YOU guys the info is important so you can make your own choices! The bottom line is- whether you eat meat or don't, read on...

Our current industrial agricultural system has a created a situation in which we should ALL be concerned for the animals, the environment, and our personal health. Why? Because it's centralized on subsidized feed crops and concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs. Contrary to popular belief the sustainable movement isn't say "no" to meat, it's just advocatinf that you choose a better KIND of meat, i.e become a more concientious meat eater! Here are 5 ways you can choose better meat- for the animals, the environment, AND most importantly- your health;

1. Understand the issues...
REALLY understand them! I have one statement to make here- bluntly put CAFOS are hell on earth. They're like concentration camps for animals, cruelty is a systematic part of how they do things- and knowing too much about CAFOS would turn ANYONE away from eating meat- myself included- and I LOVE meat! I don't know anyone that can argue this point- cows raised standing in their own fecal matter, pigs confined to gestational crates, chickens subjected to beak cutting and crowded into windowless warehouses, etc etc.

Animal welfare is only one reason to shift away from industrial meat. There are others, including the pollution produced by factory farms. Talk about an environmental concern. Did you know that the worldwide livestock sector accounts for nearly 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions? That's more then the world's transport emissions combined. I was shocked when I read that quote- as I'm sure you just were! The bottom line- the way we raise animals is not only NOT humane, it's not ecologically sustainable.

We have ramped up production to unprecendented levels, creating an excess of animal waste. Feed is another factor. To raise more cows, chickens, and pigs in limited spaces we've altered their diets to go heavy on soy and corn- commoditied subsidized by U.S tax dollars. About 50% of all corn and 90% of all soy goes towards feeding livestock- NOT towards human consumption. It's incredibly polluting and energy intensive way of producing food.

2.Look for greener pastures...
So what's the problem with the corn and soy diet? Well it's this- cows are ruminants, and were never meant to eat corn. Period. When you change their natural diets for the sake of large scale production it has health consequences for them. Since we consume cows, it thus has health consequences for us. Feed lot beef is overly fatty and contains an abnormally small amount of omega 3 fatty acids and too much omega 6- which is the kind of fat linked to heart disease and cancer.

Consider the diet with which we evolved. As hunter/gatherers we got about 50% of our calories from meat, we couldn't overdose on omega 6's because they're most abundant naturally in grains, which wasn't readily available in quantity in the past 5,000 years. Now we're getting 10-20 more times omega 6's then we need as a result of dietary changes- more grain is abundant and our meat is altered. In changing the diet of the animals that we eat, we've tampered with something essential and we are paying the price at higher rates of cancer,heart disease, depression, obesity, and autoimmune disorders.

HOWEVER- and this is a BIG HOWEVER, when you choose GRASS FED beef, the inverse is true! You get fatty acids in balance and a healthy dose of health protective CLA (conjugated lipoic acid). When cows are eating the diet they were designed to eat they have healthy fats and are rich in antioxidants. The entire scope of consuming meat changes.

3.Accept the real costs...
By real costs I mean this- there is no getting around the fact that healthier, earth friendly meats cost more. Shop around as much as you can but be willing to stretch your budget a bit. And remember what you're investing in- yes it is more expensive but thats only because the hidden costs are not offset. Organic farms, or small local farms don't get subsidized- you don't pay through your tax dollars. You have to ask yourself if you'd rather be supporting an extractive economy, based on pulling resources OUT of the earth and pouring garbage into your body, OR do you want a support a sustainable, eco friendly economy that fuels your body the way nature intended?

4. Expand your palate...
Another way to get more for your money and to literally "get more from your meat" is to consider using all parts of the animal. You can do this by saving the bones and making stock, or finding creative ways to utilize more parts of the animal. Small farmers won't have all cuts in stock at all times, since they're working on a smaller scale, they're working with a few animals only at a time rather then hundreds of thousands. Small scale farmers can help you choose another cut (i.e skirt steak can substitute for flank steak) or help you adapt your recipe according to what's available. I recommend looking at http://www.grassfedcooking.com/ for more recipe ideas.

5. Stay local if you can...
When it comes to creating sustainable food systems local is always the trump card, ALWAYS. I know locally I get much of my bison/buffalo from a local bison ranch. Finding a small, local farmer is usually the healthier choice for you, the animal, the farmer, and thus the local economy. If you're unsure as to where one exists near you, check out http://www.localharvest.org/, http://www.eatwild.com/, or http://www.eatwellguide.com/. Better yet connect to your local sustainable food movement. If you live in the city or suburbs consider driving out to get your meat or have it shipped to you from a small family run farm. The cost of transporting meat is minimal compared with the cost to the environment or your tax dollars put to work on CAFO meat. Its far better to buy grass fed from a state away. If you have to shop at a grocery store, or you just prefer to- READ LABELS CAREFULLY. You have to do your homework here. Briefly- here's a cheat sheet:

• USDA ORGANIC: This is the ONLY (I repeat the ONLY) label with real muscle. It means its regulated by the United States government. It guarantees the animal was raised without hormones or antibiotics and was grass fed or fed organic feed. It ALSO specifies that the animal needs to be alotted a certain amount of space for livestock management (thus eliminating CAFO issues).
• CERTIFIED HUMANE: This is an independent certification, and its the go to label for small animal welfare. The standards of this certification address minimum food and water requirements, shelter requirements, as well as humane conditions for slaughter. Standards are different depending on the animal- turkey, chicken, pig, goat, cow, sheep etc.
• ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED: This is the creme de la creme of animal welfare labels, and according to most experts this label has the most rigorous standards for the humane treatment of animals.
• GRASS FED: This term can be used loosely, but cuts marked "American Grass Fed" or "AGA Pasture Finished" are preferable, they meet stringent standards set by the American Grassfed Organization
• FREE RANGE or CAGE FREE: Ideally this would be taken to mean uber happy chickens running around free in a field- but since these terms are un-certified there's no guarantee. The only way to know for sure is to call the company and ask..and even then who knows. Bottom line is it's a term- easily manipulated for marketing purposes. Un certified= unsure.
• ANTIBIOTIC or HORMONE FREE: These terms mean what they say they mean, but again they're not certified so there's no way to know for sure...
• NATURAL: I personally LOATHE this term and wish it was BANNED from usage by the food industry. It's appealing, sure but it's on EVERYTHING and it means NOTHING. It's misleading and misused, minimally regulated, and ultimately nothing more then a marketing ploy to make the consumer think they're getting a "healthier" product. Disregard this label entirely.

When you go out of your way to buy a piece of pork from a pig who was allowed to root, or a cut of steak from a cow that was allowed to pasture, you CAN feel good about eating it. It's good for animal, it's good for the environment, and ultimately good for your health and long term- your wallet.

Now Offering Personal Health Retreats!

I'm thrilled to announce that I'll now be offering personal health retreats! After the request of a few clients, I decided to finally open up this option!

Personal Health Retreats are the ultimate fitness experience- come and spend time with me in beautiful Pennslyvania and learn one-on-one from me, the ins and outs of healthy living! Let me show you, in person, how to effectively change your life to meet and exceed your goals! My health retreats are offered as both day long excursions or weekend getaways and be customized to meet your specific needs! With a variety of learning and training options, my retreats allow you to go one-on-one with me in a way which can be life changing!

Personal Health Retreats are offered with the following focuses;

1. Competitor- posing, dieting, and training will all be covered! The ultimate in pre contest motivation!
2. Nutrition- education, meal planning, cooking, grocery shopping, time management and more!
3. Exercise- come and get your rear in gear with me!
4. Combination of one or more of the above! Customize your own health retreat- the ultimate fitness experience!

Click Here to learn more and to contact me for rates and availability!

Three Organs that make you FAT (or Skinny!)

Can't guess which three they are? They may surprise you, but the three organs in all of us that have a clear control over whether we're fat or skinny are;

1. Liver
2. Thyroid
3. Adrenal Glands

Combined, these three organs rule your metabolism and when they're not working up to snuff it becomes very hard for your body to build muscle, burn fat, and reap all the benefits from healthy eating and consistent exercising. It's REALLY important to remember to care for these organs when you consider your diet and lifestyle- flushing, detoxing, and cleansing these organs will help keep your body's metabolism revved.

Rather then tackle all three right now (and risk overwhelming you guys) I'll start with the liver, and save the thyroid and the adrenal glands for subsequent posts.

The liver makes proteins that regulate blood clotting, neutralizes toxins in the blood, produces immune agents to fight infection, generates bile to help digest fat, and stores glucose for energy. Your liver is basically the metabolic factory of the entire body, although most people don't realize it. The liver has the potential to make you a fat burning or a fat storing machine depending on how you care for it.

There are several ways in which your liver burns fat;

1. It manufactures bile acids, which act like laundry detergent (so to speak). They break down the cheese fries you ate last night.
2. Bile acids also switch on the activity of brown fat- a caloric incinerator that burns calories rather then storing them.
3. Bile acids also carry excess fat to the small intestines for disposal. If your diet is high in fiber from fruits, veggies, and whole grains then the unwanted fat is washed from the body via the bowels.

Your liver also has the detox job in the body- it works to detoxify everything you eat, drink, swallow, smoke, rub, or otherwise work into your bloodstream. Almost every substance found in your body or put in your body including chemicals, bacteria, hormones fungi, viruses, and parasites are filtered through the liver for removal. I tend to think of the liver as your body's garbage disposal. It works NONSTOP to clean up and remove junk from your body.

This makes your liver very vulnerable to overload. When overload occurs your liver ceases to operate optimally, and it cannot remove or detoxify all of the junk that comes its way. Nor can it do a good job of breaking down proteins, fats, or carbs. The body will start to poison itself.....this is often what happens to people who are chronically sick with headaches, inflammatory diseases, and skin disorders. Many of these chronic problems can be attributed to a sick liver. Toxins that cannot be processed by the liver (due to overload) escape into the bloodstream and weaken your immune system. The result can be autoimmune disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, arthritis, and firbomyalgia. The body, in essence, turns on itself.

Creepy-I know. But the general public tends to think that as long as they're not throwing back booze every night the liver will take care of itself. NOT TRUE. We have more toxins in this country then the rest of the world, in fact third world residents have healthier livers then we do. They simply don't have chemically enhanced or additive laden foods or foods pumped up with hormones. In this country more people then ever are overweight and sick and health professionals are beginning to look inward for the answer- to our livers.

The following are some symptoms of a sick liver;

• Weight gain (in the midsection)
• Cellulite
• Bloating
• Allergies
• Gluten intolerance
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hormone imbalance
• Hypoglycemia
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Yeast overgrowth
• Skin disorders
• Sleeplessness
• Bad breath
• Disorientation of confusion
• Itchiness
• Discolored stools

If ANY of these sound like you- it COULD be an overworked liver, in which case some damage control is needed. The liver is repairable- it can be restored and rejuvenated with a little TLC. Giving your liver some love will help your body burn fat more efficiently (weight loss) and will help make you less vulnerable to dietary indulgences. You won't have to "panic" when you indulge in a cheat meal or treat food as long as you get back to clean eating immediately after.

To help take care of your liver I recommend the following;

• Drink PLENTY of water-at LEAST two to three liters of pure water a day to help detox the body and assist the bile acids in flushing out the toxins. Add some lemon for flavor if needed- remember that water with lemon is a natural fat metabolizer and can burn fifty to seventy calories a day just from drinking it!
• Eat organic if you can! It contains fewer toxins and makes things easier on your liver
• Supplement with liver friendly herbs. I take milk thistle to help cleanse my liver. Milk thistle acts as an antioxidant in the liver, which means it fights free radicals. Other liver healers are licorice root, skullcap, red clover blossom, and slippery elm bark. You can find liver cleanse supplements that include blends or all or some of the above
• Increase your fiber- mostly from fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
• Get enough B Vitamins. B Vitamins are involved in the movement of fat. If in doubt take a B Vitamin multi.

One organ down- next up- THE THYROID!!!! :)

Keep Holiday Pounds at Bay with 15 of my Healthy Holiday Tips!

Every holiday season, I hear clients of mine vow the same thing, "I will NOT gain weight this year." Yet another holiday season passes and statistics show that on average, women (more so then men) gain an average of 4 lbs in the two weeks between Christmas and New Years. That doesn't even take into account Turkey Day!! No matter how much we "vow" to not gain weight, it seems the holidays often get the best of us. I say it day in and day out to my clients, but I'll say it again- YOU NEED TO PLAN. Not having a plan is a surefire way to failure. Don't just talk the talk when it comes to the holidays, walk the walk! The following are 15 of my healthy holiday tips to help keep you ON TRACK and PLANNED this holiday season!

Tips 1-5: NUTRITION

1. Never arrive to a holiday, or holiday party hungry. NEVER. Before a big party I eat all of my planned meals for the day, just as I would on any normal day. This helps to keep me from overconsuming at the event. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves during the day to make room for the big meal, and this is a surefire way for weight gain. Another tip of mine? Drink a protein shake RIGHT before you walk in! I take one scoop of my Jay Robb protein powder in a blender bottle with water and chug it immeidately before I walk through the door. The protein helps to fill me up and prevent me from making split second poor food choices!

2. Enjoy some java and tea! Hot beverages help to keep you full, longer. Sipping on some flavored coffee or some freshly brewed hot tea also keeps your hands and mouth busy when you mingle. If I get sweet cravings at night I opt for a cup of decaf flavored coffee with some sugar free creamer. If I'm really hungry I'll add a scoop of chocolate protein powder to the hot coffee in a blender and make it a midnight mocha snack!

3. Be picky about the foods you indulge in. It IS the holidays, and I understand certain foods surface during the holiday season that you may not have the chance to eat any other time of the year. For example, my mom makes these insanely delicious mini pecan cookies around Christmas that she does not make during the rest of the year, so I choose to eat one or two of those, as opposed to all the other calorie laden foods at my family's house for the holidays. Skip the junk that you see day to day throughout the year and instead hone in on the one or two treats you absolutely LOVE that you cannot have any other occasion!

4. BE PLANNED! I cannot say this enough. Do not head to a holiday get together or a holiday meal without a plan. If you're headed to a buffet plan to load your plate 3/4 of the way full of fresh fruits and veggies from the veggie platter. The other 1/4 of the plate can be for sinful delights.I also recommend you bring a bottle of water and drink plenty of water to keep full. Sick of plain water? Add in some flavored Stevia packets ( I love Stevita drink sticks, I carry them in my purse!) or some lemon or lime slices for a light citrus flavor. When your body is thirsty it'll trigger false hunger signals because food contains a lot of water. Drink lots of water or hot tea to keep your hands busy and your mouth and belly full at parties!

5. Bring healthy food with you. Now I'm not saying you need to walk into a party with a cooler in tow (although if you wanted to hats off!) but stash your purse full of some healthy munchies. I recommend carrot sticks, celery sticks, rice cakes, 100 calorie snack packs of raw unsalted almonds, and maybe an apple or some fruit. Don't get caught in a sticky situation with nothing to eat but the garbage in front of you. Keeping "grab and go" snacks with you in your purse can help you out in a pinch if munchies get the best of you!

Tips 6-10: TRAINING & EXERCISE

6. Workout on the day of the party! I mean it- I always feel better, internally and externally, if I'm exercising. I'm a firm believer that exercise and nutrition play off of each other. By this I mean they help balance each other out- eating better propels you to exercise, and exercising propels you to make better choices nutritionally. If you physically feel great, healthy, and energized, you're not going to want to load your body down with crap, and mentally you won't want to ruin the amazing workout you just had by eating the wrong things.

7. PLAN AHEAD! If the gym you typically go to has reduced hours or is closed, or if the weather is keeping you from getting to your daily facility, then you need to have a backup plan. Invest in some workout DVDs, some exercise bands, or some light dumbbell weights so you have "at home" options in case. I keep my P90X DVDs on hand along with my doorframe pull up bars and my exercise bands so if I'm stuck at home I can still get a solid workout in! Don't make excuses, make results- be sure to plan ahead for less then optimal circumstances!

8. Sign up for a holiday run or run/walk! Locally, there's always a huge holiday fundraiser in the park for the local Humane chapter- in which owners run/walk with their dogs. I sign up every year because not only does the money go to a good cause but I also get the exercise from running or walking the 5k with my pooch!

9. If you're crunched for time with holiday shopping and party planning, up the amp on your workouts by intensifying your training. Incorporate supersets into your training to cut down on your gym time or throw plyos into your weight training to increase the cardio burn! Use your rest periods between sets actively by doing jump squats, pop squats, box jumps, or crunches to keep your heart rate up and increase your calorie/fat burn. Circuit style training not only cuts down on time but it keeps you moving which increases your body's fat burn. Don't skimp on the gym because of a time shortage, rather adjust your workouts accordingly so you have time to both train well AND shop well!

10. Look for oppurtunities to squeak in extra exercise! Park far away from the mall entrance, and walk briskly to and from the stores to get the heart rate up. Walk your dogs, go for a walk with your husband or significant other, enjoy a holiday post meal walk with friends or family. Going bar hopping? Park far away from the bars and bring a coat! Take advantage of every oppurtunity presented to burn some excess calories off!

Tips 11-15: BEHAVIOR & LIFESTYLE

11. Volunteer! I don't mean at the homeless shelter (although that's amazing too!!) but I mean to help out with the holiday meals! Take some initiative and offer to make a dish or a dessert for the big dinner. I ALWAYS offer to help my mom out by bringing a dish or a dessert. I opt to make low calorie, low sugar, or low fat versions of holiday favorites to cut calories. I include fruit in my desserts if possible and stay away from unhealthy, high fat, high sugar ingredients. That way I know there's at least one dish at the dinner that won't KILL my waistline!

12. Avoid the downward spiral- this is a good tip year round, but especially during the holidays when temptation lurks around every corner. If you mess up one day, or eat something junky for one meal, do not allow that one single step back to become an entire downward fall. Get back on track ASAP. Plan your next healthy meal and begin to make better decisions IMMEDIATELY. Chances are one slip here or there will not kill your fitness goals, what WILL kill them dead in your tracks is the continual over-eating or the continuous binge that can occur when people begin to let themselves slide.

13. It's in-evitable, people are going to be pushing food at you from all angles this holiday season. Be prepared, and plan ahead for what you're going to say when this happens. I know I sometimes just say that I'm full, and I'll take some food to go. Then, when I find the nearest trash can- in goes the food. Don't feel pressured, just feel PREPARED to politely decline food. Your family isn't going to understand why you don't want a second serving of Grandma's calorie laden potato filling, so be prepared with a response when they ask for an explanation!

14. Reward yourself- and not with food! Plan small rewards for yourself during the holiday season. It's important to set marks for yourself and give yourself a well earned pat on the back for adhering to your plan. For every week of scheduled workouts you complete or every week of planned meals you stick to- REWARD YOURSELF! Whether it's with a new winter hat, a manicure, or a cute holiday top- giving yourself small, NON food oriented rewards can help you feel good about what you're doing!

15. PLAN AHEAD. Everyone's schedule gets full around the holidays, so make sure you pencil in "workout" time and "food prep" time when you plan your week. Commit to 3-4 workout sessions a week, even if they're only 30 minutes each, and stick to that schedule. Leave your phone in the car if need be, or plug into your IPod to tune everyone else out, but make sure you get to the gym and get focused. Adjusting your workouts is one thing- cutting them out entirely is another. Careful planning and some clever strategy will ensure you get the job done!

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Think Big....as in BIG V-TAPER!

Consider training rear delts on back day to help blow up your V-Taper....it's true! Although nothing is black and white in bodybuilding or figure, and I always say there's more then one way to skin a cat, I've noticed growth in my own V-Taper as a result of training my rears on back day, NOT shoulder day.

Many back exercises already recruit the rear delts into the picture- bent over barbell rows, reverse grip bent over rows, one arm dumbbell row and seated cable row all call on the rear deltoids to aid in the movement. If this is the case (and it is) why not train rear delts with back?

If you're into the science behind this- here goes: The rear deltoids extend the humorous via horizontal abduction- in which you bring your arms from a beginning point of being in front of the body, to your sides. So obviously it's no surprise that the rear deltoids aid in back exercises- especially rowing movements where you are bringing your elbows BEHIND the plane of your body.

Your rear deltoids assist the lats, rhomboids, and middle traps during back movements, yet are considerably LESS active in movements like overhead shoulder presses, which are chiefly accomplished through your front and lateral deltoids, as well as some triceps. I hope you guys are all still with me on this- basically what I'm saying is there's an arguable case FOR training rears WITH back, not WITH shoulders.

Now granted I have friends who would never consider doing this- some argue that BECAUSE the rear deltoids aren't as fatigued when trained with shoulders you can focus on them better. If they're highly fatigued after a number of exercises (back exercises) then you cannot focus on them as well. Some hit rears a bit on back day and a bit on shoulder day as well (just be sure to allow 48 hours between these two workouts to recover!)

The following is ONE of the many workouts I've used to blast my V-Taper- i.e my back and rear delts. I do not train traps, as big traps aren't desirable in a figure girl, but if you DO train traps, you can easily work some trap exercises into this routine as well. I alter sets and reps according to where I'm at in my training and what my physique goals are, so feel free to insert sets and reps you prefer!

BACK/REAR DELT ASSAULT

1. Wide Grip Lateral Pulldown: Sets, 4. Reps, 15, 12, 10, 8 *I go as wide as I can and focus on form, not weight. I arch my lower back, drop the bar to my chest, and keep my elbows in front of my body as much as possible so I hit the ENTIRE lat (full range of motion.)
2. Reverse Grip Seated Cable Row: Sets, 3. Reps, 10,10,10 *Because of the angle of the arms in relation to the body this is an EXCELLENT lower lat movement. The underhand grip will call the biceps into play a bit, so keep backward lean to a minimum and aim to pull the bar directly towards your midsection.
3. One Arm Smith Machine Row: Sets, 3. Reps, 12, 12, 12*I like doing these on the smith machine because the smith machine is stable, so you don't need to worry about balance as much, therefore you can use more weight (if you want). You can also shift muscle emphasis using hand placement so play around-just be sure to keep that back STRAIGHT.
4. Neutral Grip Front Pulldown: Sets, 4. Reps, 15,12, 10, 8*A neutral grip allows you to go a bit heavier then an overhand grip. This is a great lower lat exercise. Don't swing when you do these, again arch your back, minimize leaning and pull the bar straight down into your upper chest.
5. Supported Two Arm Dumbbell Row: Sets, 3. Reps, 12, 12, 12 *I use an incline bench, adjusted to about 45 degrees. I LOVE this exercise because the bench removes torque and the need for stability- you CANNOT swing or overcompensate with other muscle groups on this exercise! You'll probably have to use lighter weights then you may think in order to really hit the back and rears. I usually feel these in my middle and upper traps a bit as well.
6. Bent over One Arm Cable Lateral Raise: Sets, 3. Reps, 10,10,10 *Next to dumbbells I love cable exercises the most because they provide constant tension, especially in the start position, whereas the dumbbell does not. Since the resistance is horizontal this makes the start position difficult, this may be one you use lighter weight on. I take a wide stance, bend my knees a bit, keep my back flat and use either a palm in (neutral grip) or overhand grip. Try to keep the angle of your elbow the same and force the rear delt to work. This is form exercise, not weight.
7. Reverse Pec Deck Fly: Sets, 3. Reps, 10,10,10 *One of the only machines I like, because rear deltoid exercises are so form based most people don't do them properly. The machine forces your body into the right position by locking your arms (so to speak). Use a palm down neutral position and keep your chest into the pad the entire time. Bring your arms back as far as possible by squeezing your shoulder blades together. I tend to hold these for a count.
8. Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly: Sets 3. Reps, 15, 15, 15 *I go high rep on these, with minimal rest between sets to burn out my rears. I stand legs bent a bit, wide stance, back straight and hold two dumbbells, palm facing inward. Really use the mind to muscle connection to bring the weight back, if done right these will burn out your rears perfectly, which is why I love to finish with them!

Are You a Sugar Addict?

The biggest reason people get fat or gain weight is sugar. I work with overweight clients who tell me ALL the time "I don't really like sweets." Yet after examining their diets I see that they're loaded with bread, pasta, yogurt, and cereals- all foods that are laced with hidden sugars. They don't eat plain oats or oatmeal for example, they eat a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal containing 12 grams of sugar. If this sounds like your dietary habits, trust me, you're addicted to sugar, whether you realize it, or not.

Sugar has ZERO nutritional value. It weakens your immune system. It throws off your metabolic functions and is highly addictive. In fact, it's the leading food additive in the U.S food supply and is making us a nation of sugar junkies. It's practically in every product you eat now. In fact, the average American (hold onto your undies this stat is CREEPY) downs about 30 teaspoons of added sugar DAILY. Um that's about 480 NUTRITIONALLY EMPTY CALORIES A DAY! EW.

Refined sugar is technically called SUCROSE or table sugar. But the other sugars you need to run from are DEXTROSE (corn sugar), FRUCTOSE (fruit sugar), MALTOSE (malt sugar) and LACTOSE (milk sugar). Don't even get me started on artificial sweetners or sugars, that's another post for another time!

It's sad that sugar is marketed as "natural", an advertising term I wish we would eliminate. Somehow the public has started to equate natural with healthy, when it's anything but. There's nothing natural about sucrose. 90% of the original source (sugarcane or sugar beets) has been removed. The brown color is lightened by chemical bleaching. Yum right? What's left is white sugar, stripped bare of all it's minerals and vitamins.

Sugar isn't just bad for the waistline, it's bad for your HEALTH. When sugar is found in natural foods and plants, such as apples, berries, or even sugarcane, it comes in it's God intended package (so to speak) complete with vitamins, enzymes, and minerals needed for complete digestion. When it's found in sugar packets or candy, or baked goods, etc it contains nothing of any good. The body actually has to borrow from its stores of nutrients in order to digest it.

I could go on and on about what sugar does to the body- it makes you fat, it grows cancer, it kills your immune system, hell it gives you wrinkles! Sugar does the following;

• Gives you weight gain
• Slows your metabolism
• Can make you irritable or depressed
• Gives you constant cravings
• Mental confusion
• Yeast infections
• Chronic fatigue
• Migraines
• Damage to vital organs
• Coma or death (in uncontrolled diabetes)

Sugar is cleverly hidden in virtually EVERYTHING we eat, especially processed and packaged foods from breads and crackers and soup to sauces, entrees- even diet foods and low fat foods. So here's my guidelines for sugar:

CHOOSE FOODS with 5g or LESS of sugar. The body doesn't register anything 5g or less so this is optimal.

Some of the worst offenders include breakfast cereals. Suppose you start your day with the "good for you" bowl of Raisin Bran, well you just ingested 20g of sugar, about the same in NINE (9) Hershey's Kisses! A packet of Quaker Instant Oatmeal, like Maple and Brown Sugar or Apples n Cinnamon includes 13+ grams of sugar!! Don't TOUCH THIS CRAP. Opt for whole rolled oats, plain, and add in cinnamon and Stevia to sweeten. Consumer Reports found that eleven popular breakfast cereals contain at least 40% sugar by weight. That's AT LEAST as much sugar as you'd get in a glazed doughnut.

Sugar hides in foods under clever names like beet sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, maltodextrin, maltitol (sugar alcohol), mannitol (sugar alcohol), sorbitol (sugar alcohol), sucrose, turbinado sugar, or of course, chemically FAKE sugars like aspartame or sucralose (i.e Equal and Splenda). These sugars are in everything from protein bars, protein powders, to shakes, to breads and dairy. Don't waste your time reading ingredients, you'll be so overwhelmed you'll run screaming from the store. Eat foods with 5g sugar or LESS per serving, you'll be fine!

BUT FIRST:

Are you a Sugar Addict? Take the questionnaire to find out!

Answer "yes" or "no" to the following, and be as honest as you can be!

1. Do you snack frequently on sweet foods or drink sweet beverages between meals?
2. Do you often feel shaky, weak, or irritable after eating sugary foods?
3. Do you eat sugary desserts most days of the week?
4. Would you describe yourself as chronically tired most days of the week?
5. Do you usually put sugar in coffee or tea?
6. Do you use sweet condiments (jams, jellies, syrups, and the like) daily?
7. At parties do you gravitate towards the sweets?
8. When you were a kid did your parents give you sweets for being good?
9. After eating sweets do you feel euphoric, only to have your mood plunge later?
10. When you get cravings are they mostly for bread or sweets?
11. Do you suffer from frequent headaches?
12. Do you usually grab a doughnut or bagel for breakfast?
13. Do you drink soft drinks (including diet drinks) daily?
14. When you go to the snack counter at the movies do you buy candy?
15. If you order an alcoholic beverage is it usually something sweet like a pina colada, frozen margartia, etc?

If you answered YES to 3 or more of these questions, chances are- YOU'RE A SUGAR ADDICT.

COMING SOON!

With Nationals behind me and a bit of an offseason ahead of me, I finally have the time needed to dedicate to the creation of a VIP section to my website, www.alli-fitness.com!

I'm looking forward to housing my collection of recipes, articles, supplement reviews, training techniques and tips, as well as videos of myself training, exercise instruction, and cooking!! I'll also be hosting my personal daily nutrition journal and exercise log in my members section as well as posing videos, and tips for preparing for photo shoots AND contests! There will be entire sections dedicated to cooking, recipes, and nutrition, as well as my "competitor's corner" which will house a wealth of information about prepping for a show, diet and training methods, nutrient manipulation, supplements for weight loss AND muscle gain, and much much more!!

My VIP section is still grossly "in the works" and has a ways to go, but once launched I'm looking forward to REALLY sharing my passion for this sport, for nutrition and exercise with the public! Access to the VIP section will be done through a variety of options including a one time fee as well as monthly fees and will allow the user access to a REALM of information about health, fitness, training, nutrition, beauty, as well as insight into my personal training and exercise regime. It will be a great way to interact with me, and with other users as well! I'm looking to establish an interactive network of support so all users can not only read my materials, but interact with myself, AND others as well!

Be sure to check back for updates, and look for the VIP area to launch in early 2011!

I Pray. Do you?

Those of you who know me, know I truly believe in a holistic view of health- meaning I believe that complete health comes from physical, mental, emotional, AND spiritual health- combined. Yet of all the things I've blogged about, written about, and emailed my clients about, spiritual health has seemed to have fallen by the wayside. I guess that's because of all the things I've written about, the fact that I pray daily is something I've been rather sheepish about. Confessing that I believe in God and work to cultivate a relationship with Him is something that's been harder for me to discuss- I guess because along with owning up to a connection with God, comes the "Jesus Freak" connotation. You know what I mean. The "holier then thou", "believe as I believe" Bible thumping hands raised in the air in obnoxious worship type personality that drives everyone (including me) MAD with annoyance.

Well, it's safe to say I'm NOT one of those. Not even close. My prayers are pretty simple. Most times they feel more like conversations then anything formal. In fact sometimes they're hardly prayers at all, more or less comments to God throughout the day, statements made when I'm flustered, or declarations made during dark moments. "Okay, God, little help here", I'll say, or I'll ask for direction on how to do or say the right thing. I try to open my heart up so the next day will be just a little bit better. I don't tell many people I do this, especially most of the fitness people I tend to surround myself with. A sport so focused on the body does not tend to be a foundation for "God discussion." I know most people tend to get uncomfortable as soon as the God topic comes up. I know I did. In fact some of you are probably twitchy right about now.

Since I've started making a living in fitness and nutrition I've been realizing more and more just how many divine little mysteries lie in our everyday lives. Who figured out how to connect the muscles in the body? Who propels the body to run, to lift, to jump, to swim? Who figured out that some beets should be red, others golden, and some swirled like candy canes? What blessed entity invented cacao pods and vanilla beans or figured out that salt can preserve or brighten anything? What are we to make of a hundred different varieties of lettuce and the brilliant combinations of apple families and different oranges and pears and potato varieties? Who created melons and pork and peanuts? Or the miracle that is peanut butter??

Things get mysteriously divine if you start thinking about the way the body works and the way our bodies metabolize and handle different foods. When you consider food varieties and the miracle that is nutrition, you start to think about the miracle of the human body- what it can do, what it's capable of, and what we do with it on a daily basis as athletes.

So much of what we do is grounded in faith- we try a certain exercise because a trainer told us to- and we have faith it will work. We do the same with our nutrition. Because someone told us oats and sweet potatos over doughnuts and cereal, we have faith. We take chances grounded in what we're told because we have faith we are doing the right thing. And once we tried those exercises, or those foods, we became believers, because we saw they worked. We spread the word to others, who tried them in faith as well, they became believers. Entire cultures have been built on similar levels of faith and trust.

Maybe you can argue away all of that "magic" through cold hard science. It's not God but science that dictates how our bodies work, how we metabolize food, etc. Well, fine. So let's move to something you CAN'T use science to argue about. Can the cold hard facts of science explain that magic moment that settles into a person's eyes when they LOVE a new exercise? Or the look on a woman's face when she sees that scale drop 5 lbs? What about the explanation of the way it feels to run, steady and strong? People glow when they exercise, when they eat right, when they feel GOOD about themselves. To me, those types of moments, those "zen" moments ought to be proof to ANYONE that something greater then us is at work here. It's part of why I have faith, but it doesn't explain why I pray my ass off daily.

I suppose I don't discuss it because I don't want to give the wrong impression. Maybe it's because I'm afraid it makes me look weak. I suppose I assume some people will scoff. There are assumptions that come with praying, and the last thing I want is to be lumped into the "religious zealot" category of Bible bumping crazies.

There is a saying that "religion is for those who fear hell, and spirituality is for those who have been there." Now I'm not saying I've been through a hurricane, but I have been through my own little piece of hell, and I have been tested. Being tested strengthens faith, and that's the kind of faith I want. The kind that's been tested, messed with, spit on, and scorched. The kind that's prevailed. I've struggled with my own number of demons, both internal and external, and maybe I just needed to stop doubting my own experience with faith in order to openly admit that I pray.

Religion produces people who are judgmental- of themselves and others. Spirituality produces an open heart, and open mind, and a loving soul. There is a peace and patience that comes from a deep spiritual relationship with God. I strive every day to see this world as a beautiful world, and to be open to God's presence in it. It's what's seen me through trials. It's what's strengthened my faith, both in myself and in God.

So even now, when I'm down on myself, or when I'm scraped to the bare metal and I'm struggling, I think about trying to see the world as a beautiful place, a place I should be gratefu to be, despite the odds. Praying helps me to do that.

Throughout my life I've wafted in and out of hell, sometimes for short vacations, sometimes for day trips, and sometimes for extended stays I thought would NEVER end. And I know I will have more trials. When I do, I will pray my way through those as well. Without shame. Without embarrassment. And with an open heart.

So whomever you pray to- Buddha, nature, God, or other, just make sure you work to cultivate the peace and patience and spirituality within yourself....with an open heart. :)

I don't need a trainer.... do I?

"I don't need a trainer. I know what I'm doing."

I hear this ALL the time. Over and over again people seem to redundantly think they don't need assistance in the area of working out or of nutrition. And the fact of the matter is, you do. No matter how intelligent you are, or how advanced you are in your knowledge of exercise and fitness, you need a trainer. In fact, in my opinion, the more advanced you become the more you'll need a trainer. Typically its those of us who are advanced who require a second opinion or another way of doing things to prevent us from becoming stagnant in our own approach.

I'm not just posting this because I'm a trainer. I'm posting this because I'm a trainer who HAS a trainer. I'm a trainer who trains other trainers. Ultimately, I'm a person with a deep belief that everyone and anyone who wants or needs to know about working out and eating right needs to enlist the help of a trainer. Unfortunately being a trainer is a grossly underpaid and under recognized profession in our society. There seems to be this "do it yourself" approach when it comes to exercise and nutrition, which I find odd because in most other areas of health we are the first ones to run screaming for the aid of doctors and specialists. Yet when it comes to working out and eating right- we skimp.

Now we all know the benefits of having a trainer include things like "proper form" and "exercise execution", but I believe the need for a trainer goes much much deeper then that. I know how to lift, I know how to perform a dumbbell curl, and most anyone with reading or pictorial skills can sit down at a gym machine and read the operational instructions. But how do you string together exercises to create a mass building routine? How do you train to get lean? What about weight loss? What if I want to lean out while retaining my lean muscle? How do I sculpt or re-structure the shape of my back or shoulders? How can I downsize my legs? How can I enhance my quad sweep? See where I'm going with this....? Enter a trainer.

What about nutrition? What to eat? How much? When? How often? Post workout? Pre workout? The list can go on and on. Enter a trainer.

But trainers do far more for their clients then simply direct in terms of nutrition, supplementation, and exercise. They motivate, support, and encourage. For me that's the most meaningful aspect of having a trainer- having someone 100% behind you, in your corner pushing you to do better, to be better, and to carry on when it gets hard. It's important when you're trying to be focused on physique goals to surround yourself as best you can with people who will foster a "fitness friendly environment" and be supportive of you. Trainers do just that. They understand, they listen, they re-route, and they motivate. There is no point in embarking on a fitness goal, in investing in a gym membership, or home equipment, or beautiful tupperware containers for food prep, or expensive organics if at the end of the day you go tumbling off the wagon at the sight of pizza. Having someone there to hold you in place and help keep you centered is invaluable, and worth every damn penny I promise you.

Whether you need someone in person, or are looking for a trainer online- my advice to you is this- TRY A TRAINER. Be picky, hunt around, inquire ask questions, but get out there and get information. Hiring a trainer could be just the push you need to take you to the next level with your fitness!

Be your own biggest fan

As most of you may know, I'm 1.5 weeks out from Nationals in Atlanta GA. This will be my 4th show of the year, and it's been one long year of continuous dieting. Sufficient to say, despite how much I love my lifestyle and love competing, there are some days when it's hard. When you get this close to a show and you've been dieting for so long, the physical exhaustion can easily seep into your mental state, and that's where problems occur. For me, at this point, I'm usually so tired, sore, and depleted, that it becomes a mental challenge to not only push myself through my workouts, but to push myself to even get up off the couch.

There are times when I feel very alone in all this. Despite being blessed with a solid support system, there are moments when I'm in the gym, I'm sweating, I'm tired, I'm plugged into my IPod, and I feel nothing but isolated. Alone. It's times like that, when you REALLY need to dig deep and remember why you're doing what you're doing. Because at the end of the day, you ARE alone. Despite any support you may or may not have, your dreams will never be as important to someone else as they are to you. My Pro card will never be something my parents dream about, or my trainer dwells on, because even though they want it for me, they don't want it for themselves, and wanting something for yourself is where true passion occurs.

I know many of you reading this may not be "vying for a pro card", or on your 4th damn contest prep of the year, but negate that extreme for a minute and insert yourself into this saga. How many of you wake up and feel like doing ANYTHING but eating egg whites and oats? How many of you feel like doing ANYTHING but going to the gym? How many of you sit out to dinner with friends and family and feel so isolated because they're guzzling cheese fries, wine, and greasy burgers while you nit pick at a chicken salad with vinaigrette? How many of you are TIRED of explaining your cooler to co-workers? See my point? No matter where you are in the process of your goals- there are moments that, well, frankly, SUCK. There are moments of isolation. Moments where you feel alone.

And that's OKAY. Be your biggest fan. Dig into that isolation and really give yourself a chance to shine. Find out what YOU'RE MADE OF. You'll be amazed at what you can do without the help out outside resources. You don't need anyone to go to the gym with you, to diet with you, to hold your hand on the path to your goals. You can do it yourself. Dig deep and believe that with all your heart and suddenly those moments of isolation become moments of peace and reverence. There is a deep rooted confidence that comes from a TRUE belief that you CAN do something- whether it be step on stage, shoot for that pro card, apply for that new job, or work off those last pesky 5 lbs.

Your goals may hold weight with others, but they will never be as important to anyone else as they are to you- so make it YOUR mission to treat that with a sense of sacredness. Cultivate your goals. Learn to depend on yourself, be your own biggest fan, and find peace in the "sometimes" isolation of your journey.

And let the successes be many :)

Attitude is EVERYTHING

Here's one thing you may be surprised to learn about me- I love to eat. Literally. L O V E to eat. Meaning I just "enjoy" the act of eating, of putting food into my mouth with no second thought. In fact about 2 years ago, during an offseason I hit an alltime high weight for me at a whooping 160 lbs (to put it in perspective for you, I compete at around 130). You can imagine how crappy I felt, and looked.

These days the story is entirely different, and it's not because I suddenly stopped loving to eat- it's simply because I put a lot of time and effort into my attitude about food in general. Attitude really is everything, and in order to change your body, you have to change the way you think about food, and the attitude you have about the gym.

Despite being a competitor, I'm not very different from many of you- I get cravings, I miss certain foods, I fight through hunger, I deal with social pressures to eat, and there are days where I don't feel like moving let alone going through two a days in a the gym. But that's where my ATTITUDE comes into play.

Change does not happen overnight, nor does it come easy. I can never say this enough. But consistency and a positive attitude will lead towards life changing habits, and nothing can outdo the power of the mind. It may take some repetition and practice, but when we can tap into the emotional aspect of a desired behavior it has more staying power- and most of us who want to overindulge, eat our faces off, or lay around the house can admit, it's emotional/mental.

It didn't take me long to discover that if I change my thought process, I could (almost) create a mantra for what I wanted to achieve. Instead of saying things like, "I really should go to the gym today," which makes it sound like a chore, you would say, "I WANT to work out today because it will relieve stress," or "I WANT to work out because I WANT to drop those last 3 lbs". All I did was change the vocabulary, yet it also altered my entire attitude! It will help put you in the right frame of mind to not only get in a solid workout, but hopefully get to the gym more frequently.

When pizza or peanut butter are calling me, instead of saying, "I SHOULD eat chicken and asparagus" I say, "I WANT to eat chicken and asparagus because that's the fuel my body needs," or "I WANT to eat chicken and asparagus because I WANT to present my best package on stage at Nationals in 2 weeks."

Next, pair this attitude adjustment with a visual. I personally have my own vision board full of motivating quotes and photos that keep my inspired. It hangs in my office and I update it, alter it, or add to it as often as I want to. The key is to look at it repeatedly. I write "PRO CARD" on post it's and place them at various spots in the house. ANYTHING to keep your focus is well worth the while.

Thirdly, surround yourself with like-minded people. I cannot emphasize this enough. Most of us are fine, on our own, yet when we surround ourselves with family or friends, or are places in a social setting, we fall headfirst off the wagon. My best advice is to surround yourself with people who are health conscious, like you, and will ENCOURAGE you to stay on track, not try to derail you. If you have to go to a party- my advice is to drink a 1 scoop protein shake with some unsweetened almond milk or nonfat greek yogurt beforehand to help fill you up. Carry snacks with you, like rice cakes, raw almonds, celery, baby carrots, etc so you have munchies of your own while you're there. Better yet- prepare a healthy dish to bring with you so you know for a fact at least one food option will not throw you off track with your diet.

Applying this principles, along with re-routing your mindset can not only maintain your focus, but help fuel and feed your determination as well. Through small, daily, consistent behavioral changes, what was once a simple desire will eventually become a deep seated passion. Trust me, I'm proof. I now gain no more then 5-10 lbs in an offseason, and I feel and look better, inside and out. And remember, when an urge or desire becomes that strong, you are virtually unstoppable. NOTHING derails the power of a focused mind. NOTHING!

Plyos- Ladies Listen Up!!!!!

It's no secret that nearly every woman out there wants a firmer butt and tighter legs. Myself included. In fact one of the focal points of my training all year has been to try to find the right combination of exercises to tone and trim my own legs for the stage. I've tried everything- heavy lifting, light lifting, different cardio, running, etc and the bottom line is PLYOMETRICS have really done the trick for me. Granted I do some track work (sprints etc) and I hit the stepmill daily, but infusing plyometrics into my workouts and training like an athlete has really done the trick for my lower half.

Plyometrics generate fast results- the rapid change in movement from static (i.e the bottom movement of a squat) to dynamic (exploding in the air as in a squat jump) shocks your muscles so you see results pretty quickly. It's also a great way to up your intensity and add some variation to your workouts- I was really resistant to plyos when I started them, but now I LOVE them. They're challenging, intense, and they really get my heart rate pumping. More so then traditional weight training I've found (especially where my legs and glutes are concerned) that the high impact, explosive motion of plyos tones and trims much better.

The exercises I recommend the most in terms of Plyometrics are:

1) Squat Jumps or Pop Squats

2) Lunge Jumps

3) Line Jumps

4)Power Skips

5)Step Ups with Knee Raise

6) Box Jumps

7) Power Jacks using a box

Plyometrics can be incorporated into your workouts in a variety of ways.

One way you can add plyos into your workouts are to incorporate them into your traditional weight training for added intensity and cardiovascular burn. For example when I train arms- I also do plyos. Since I no longer lift heavy sets on my arms ( I don't need ANY more size there) I am lifting just to maintain and tone. Rather then taking traditional rest periods in between sets, I'll incorporate plyometric exercises to ramp up my heart rate and increase my body's ability to burn fat. For example;

Dumbbell Bicep Curls 15-20x

Squat Jumps 25x

Repeat (NO REST)

Another great way to incorporate plyometrics into your workout is to infuse them into your cardio routine. My own personal form of satism is to mesh plyos into my stepmill workouts to break up the monotony of walking uphill. For exmaple, I'll do 5 minutes on the stepmill, then jump down and do 15-25 reps of lunge jumps or squat jumps, then get right back up on the stepmill. I repeat that interval;

5 minutes stepmill (level 8-10)

20-30 lunge jumps or squat jumps

repeat

It gives me a rush and really revs up my heart rate- you will SWEAT doing this!

The third way is to string together a series of different plyometric exercises and do them back to back. I do this once or twice a week in place of a cardio session. Just 30 minutes will do the trick. I'll perform a series of maybe 6-8 plyometric exercises back to back. One routine I like is:

1) Squat Jumps (15x)

2) Lunge Jumps (30x)

3) Line Jumps (20x)

4)Power Skips (2x across aerobic room)

5) Mountain Climbers (60 seconds)

5)Step Ups with Knee Raise (20x each leg)

6) Box Jumps (15x)

7) Power Jacks using a box (15x)

8) Walking Lunges NO WEIGHT (1x across aerobic room)

REST TWO MINUTES. REPEAT CIRCUIT AGAIN.

I'll do that circuit several times, about 30 minutes worth total. I'm in a full sweat by the time I'm done and the impact these explosive movements will have on your glutes, hamstrings, and quads is incredible.

Ladies if you want tighter, rounder glutes, I'm telling you- PLYOS are the way to go!!

Post Workout Nutrition- Chugging Sugar to Burn Fat...???

You've heard the hype- it's everywhere, especially in magazines, in pull out training routines, and on the internet- the notion that chugging sugar (60-70g worth) post workout will help you burn fat.

That's the statement- but what's the slant?

It does seem counter intuitive, but believe it or not, that is standard, and science-based advice for post workout nutrition. Post workout nutrition has been well researched and there is evidence that taking in simple carbs - usually glucose or dextrose with maltodextrin (plus whey protein) in the form of a post workout drink - is an ideal post workout recovery “meal.” The other piece of the puzzle with this is that you consume this post workout recovery meal within 30-45 minutes.

Most of the research says that the sooner after the workout you take post workout nutrition, the better (which is why you see so many people these days chugging down workout drinks while still at the gym… in the locker room, etc.) That said, here is where I tend to get controversial, because almost everything you read and everyone you talk to these days tries to convince you that if you’re not drinking a post workout shake, all the time, regardless of your goals, you are some kind of nut case with a “death wish” for muscle loss.

I'm not trying to underscore the importance of post workout nutrition, because it is VERY important- but there is more then way to skin a cat (so to speak). What I mean to say is that what you consume post workout should be based upon your personal GOALS, not what is the popular school of thought in the media.

So is it really a must that your post workout nutrition comes in the form of liquid sugar or simple carbs + whey? What if your goal isn't muscle gain but fat loss?

After reading a lot of the research out there and taking into account real world results (on myself and my clients), my opinion is that a large whole food meal does the job just fine, especially in the context of a 6 meals a day "bodybuilding style" nutrition program. Personally, I don't use shakes at all on a contest diet, I use them in the offseason, but even so I take in a 1 scoop whey protein shake and consume one small apple. I don't do anything fancy and I certainly do not consume 60-70g worth of sugar. I think you could use whole food or a drink and get great results either way, and how you approach post-workout nutrition is going to depend a lot on what your goal is at any given time. If your goal is gaining muscle mass or maximizing endurance training, you might approach it differently than if you were on a strict fat-loss program or in a contest prep.

On a muscle growth program, I would say it’s a great idea to take advantage of the commercial post-workout drinks available to you because it’s hard to eat enough calories to gain lean body weight and to pack on some quality muscle size. Among a list of other benefits like increased protein synthesis, decreased exercise-induced cortisol, glycogen replenishment, and improved recovery, post workout drinks provide a convenient and easy way to get more calories and that will definitely help muscle size.

On endurance programs, recovering from workouts and keeping glycogen stores topped off are important objectives, so again a post workout drink with plenty of carbs - yes, the simple variety - is beneficial. Where I suggest caution is when you’re shifting gears from muscle gain into fat loss.

My personal preference is to continue focusing on the importance of a good post workout meal, but to take my post workout nutrition in the form of solid food with the same complex and natural carbs I eat in all my other meals. Your nutrition should ALWAYS bolster your primary objective- so if your primary objective is fat loss, I can't see where taking in a large amount of pure sugar post workout is a solid approach. It might assist muscle growth or enhance recovery, or help restore your glycogen, but it won’t encourage fat loss.

Keep in mind, that you’re very unlikely to store calories consumed after intense training as body fat, because your muscles are “hungry” and like sponges for soaking up carbs and protein after the workout, so you don’t need to worry about that, but I can tell you from my personal experience as a figure competitor and a coach that you will almost always get leaner, faster with whole food (especially people with an endomorph body type who are carb sensitive). This is probably due to the thermogenic nature of whole food and the obvious fact that refined sugar is simply not fat loss food. Anytime you eat anything processed (Shakes and refined sugars included) your body metabolizes it differently then it would if it were whole food.

Because post workout nutrition is so important and because commercial post workout drinks can be so beneficial in so many ways, one way to tackle this fat loss issue if you’re already using a drink, is to leave your post workout drink in during the early stages of your fat loss program and then if your fat loss slows down or you plateau, the drink is the first thing to get cut as you make your fat loss diet stricter. I may use shakes up until 6 weeks out from a competition, but I usually have them removed from my diet by the 5th or 4th week and replaced with a whole foods meal.

As always, adjust your approach NOT by the information you read in the magazines or by the conventional wisdom you hear in the gym, but by the actual results you are getting in the real world, or results backed by some scientific research that will help gear you towards your results. Slant everything towards achieving your primary objective with maximum efficiency!

So my first suggestion would be to determine what your goals are, and then, if a post workout recovery shake fits into those goals- go for it. But if fat loss or leaning out are your main concerns, I recommend whole food meals everytime- simple sugars have no business in a fat loss program or a pre contest diet....

Tame the Post- Contest Rebound beast FOR GOOD!

Nothing can prepare a newbie for a post contest rebound, nothing. In fact, being a seasoned competitor myself, I still get nervous about the post contest bloat. Seems to me thats when the REAL battle begins. I've seen competitors go from veins and abs and sucked in faces, to swollen hands and toes, stomachs porking out over pant lines, and cheeks that look like they're holding back mouthfuls of nuts....all within a day or so.

So how to avoid the dreaded rebound? The first steps to avoiding a drastic rebound are to understand possible causes;

1) REBOUND from drug use- Steroids, thyroid hormone and many other bodybuilding drugs all have the potential to cause bloat when administered or discontinued. I am not knowledgeable about specific effects of various drugs or how to deal with it; I have only seen the aftermath. In time, water bloat will subside; however, Growth Hormone bloat of the abdomen is pretty much irreversible. If you choose to take body building drugs, which I am not suggesting or advocating, you should ensure that you are medically supervised and that you are prepared to come off them as well. Make sure that your liver-specific enzymes and blood lipids are within acceptable ranges

2) REBOUND from water retention (due to drastically reducing it for a show)- When you cut your water intake dramatically, your body releases a hormone called ADH or Anti Diuretic Hormone. This hormone works to hold onto every little drop of fluid in your body. When you are not drinking anything, it may not make you over bloated BUT when you reach for your trusty gallon jug after the contest, your body will hoard all of this fluid; the situation is further complicated if you have screwed up your sodium balance in extracellular fluids.

3) REBOUND from sodium, since you are no longer eating squeaky clean- Processed “junk” foods, avoided in the months before contest, are generally loaded with sodium. Therefore, whether you use sodium condiments or not, your body typically becomes accustomed to a low-sodium diet, simply because of your dietary restrictions. In the cases of severe sodium depletion, as many people feel compelled to do before a contest, your body releases a number of hormones which work together to retain sodium. Blood sodium levels are very tightly controlled; therefore, the body will not excrete any when the intake is very low. If you have sodium loaded and depleted, while loading and then cutting water, then you will pee out massive amounts of sodium and water, but the concentration of sodium in your blood will stay the same, which results in dramatically reduced blood volume.

Now you have absolutely no prayer of getting a pump and additionally, the combined sodium and water retention after a contest is a recipe for bloat.

- You may try watching your salt intake after the contest, in combination with drinking a lot of fluid. The cleaner you eat, the less water you will hold on a regular day. Specifically, limit most condiments, sauces, high-salt dairy (cheese) and high-salt meats (cold-cuts), while eating mostly fruit, vegetables, whole grains and non-preserved lean. Maintaining a great physique in the off-season requires that you eat in a contest-prep like manner most of the time! While there is more flexibility, the primary difference in your diet should be simply eating more food and maybe adding in some whole, natural dairy and fruit which most typically do not eat on a contest diet.

4) REBOUND from carbs- Over-eating carbohydrates in particular has varying affects on different individuals; however, if your body is used to only 150g/day and you increase it to 500g the next day after a few hearty meals, you will be bloated! Most competitors I know have either been low carbing it the entire diet (think ketogenic diet) or have certainly been low carbing it for a few weeks before the show- some as low as 12 and 24g a day.

You cannot thrive and rebuild in a continuous state of near-ketosis, so an increase in daily carbs is warranted. But be careful after the contest, I’ve found that 2-3 diet-free days will destroy my look for several weeks. If you plan to compete again soon or want to do photo shoots, mind your diet after the contest too. Period. Add additional carbohydrates in slowly, and have the additional calories in the morning and before and after your workouts, when the extra energy will work toward muscle building and muscle sustaining goals!

5) REBOUND in your mind- simply put you're gaining weight and not used to seeing yourself like this- You will need to gain some fat to improve; however, you should still look like a highly fit person if the weight is added appropriately. Bear in mind that while it's not healthy to maintain a contest state of lean-ness year round, it's ALSO not healthy to have a 30+lb weight fluctuation. Numerous hormones, like over 20, influence the hypothalamus, the main feeding center of the brain. Appetite and eating is influenced by a variety of factors including hormones, environment and the rate at which you lost the weight. For instance, after a contest, the primary motivating factor for your diet is instantly gone, which can bring on a binge. Also, the post-contest gorging is often ritualized; however, it is never good for your body to do so. You are not enhancing your future contest efforts by doing over-consuming- and in the meantime you're putting a huge stress on your mental, physical and emotional state.

Appetite Hormones Include:

- Leptin: Secreted in proportion to fat mass. Leptin signals to the brain that you have enough fat mass and don’t need to eat more, therefore it works as an appetite suppressant. As you diet, leptin levels go down a whole lot, so you do not feel satiated.

- Ghrelin: Works opposite of Leptin– is an appetite-stimulating hormone that is increased as you diet

- Adiponectin: Appetite suppressant that acts like and is complimentary to Leptin

- TNF-alpha, CCK, cortisol and countless others, discovered and undiscovered, influence your appetite.

So what’s my point? It is not purely a matter of will power to eat in a reasonable fashion post-contest! There must be a plan set in place to eat an appropriate and beneficial diet post-contest! Personally, I continue to record my foods in my MemoryFinder journal and give myself a range of acceptable calorie levels and a macronutrient % target. In fact I usually have a post contest eating plan already laid out before my show is even over so I have no room for error or guessing. By keeping myself accountable, I can eat more in a controlled fashion and optimize my weight gain for the next contest! It’s a lot of work, but it is what it takes to compete seriously!

So what tips can I offer?

1. Drink plenty of water post contest

2. Watch sodium intake and limit foods high in sodium

3. Have a plan in effect for after your show so you know what to eat and how much. Your foods should still be similar to those on a contest diet, clean, healthy, whole, natural foods geared towards your goals!

4. Do not eliminate cardio- simply cut it back.

5. Take a few days off of lifting to allow your body to regroup

6. Increase your calories slowly- do not do it all at once. I recommend upping calories by 10% a week until you reach your desired maintenance calories or macro %'s.

So enjoy that initial post contest cheat- but don't allow a cheat to turn into a binge, which turns into a week long or month long gluttony. Trust me- your mind, body, AND soul will thank you! And when your next contest comes around, you'll be that much closer to your goal!