Training for my 1st Bikini Competition! The Journey Begins...

Hey TW Family,

I know I haven't posted in a while but I'm BACK!!! I’ve signed up for my first Body Sculpting Competition.

 NO I’m not body building lol I’m just leaning and really defining my body. This is one of my favorite Pro competitors:

 

Anyway, as a Trainer/Nutritionist I eat well and work out regularly but with only 12 weeks until the competition I’ve kicked my training up A LOT!

My plan is to 5 days of intense cardio (MMA Style), 6 days of full body workouts and the 7^th Day Self Defense & Yoga as my active rest.

My diet is STRICT no sweets, no cheats, no white, no processed,  worst of all NO DRINKING!!! DURING THE HOLIDAYS!!! UGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Also as some of you know I have a toddler. Miss Charli will be 1 years old on Monday so needless to say this new Lifestyle has NOT been easy. The last few days NOTHING in my training program has gone as planned. LOL

 

First, I planned to get up an hour before her in order to get my 1^st cardio workout of the day. NOPE! Woke up late! All of a sudden Miss thing has night terrors so we didn’t get much sleep and my phone died overnight so I didn’t have an alarm L

So I said I’ll just get to my evening class early. Do an extra 30 minutes of cardio before class. NOT! Lost my keys. Couldn’t get to my class. I had to workout ALONE!!! Im blaming that one on baby brain lol so what if she’s 1 I still have baby brain!

So I said I’ll workout at home. This was at 6pm. Someone wanted all of Mommies attention. She was late for her second nap so she was fussy. Long story short I didn’t get her to sleep and me ready to workout until 9pm.

Now, the workout I had planned required gliders, jump rope, and dumbells. Although I had a  jump rope I wasn’t going outside at 9pm it was FREEZING! I only had one 20lbs weight here and no gliders so I had to use my daughter Baby Can Read Flash Cards as gliders (lol don’t judge me)

Of course, mid workout about 50minutes in my love decides she wants to wake up. So I had to pause my workout momentarily. I turned off my motivational music to workout with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the background and do all of my ab work with her 25lbs sitting on my stomach or legs.

I say all that to say: I GOT IT DONE!!!!

I had a million reasons to quit. I had several obstacles to climb. I had a bunch of excuses that I could have given but I still GOT IT DONE!!!

I’m not sharing this to brag. I’m sharing this so hopefully it can motivate YOU!!! If you REALLY want something whether its to get in a dress, do a little striptease for your boo thang, get off medication, regulate your blood sugar YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Just don’t give up!!! STOP MAKING EXCUSES! GET IT DONE!!

 

If you need help creating a plan to work for your busy lifestyle I’m here just inbox me. All you need is motivation!!!

 

Meals for Yesterday (11/18):

Breakfast: Oatmeal with Strawberries, Blueberries & Rasberries w/ Lemon Water

Snack: Almonds with Dried Cranberries w/ Lemon Water

Lunch: Orange Chicken, Brown Rice & 12oz of Low Sodium V8

Snack: Carrots & Broccoli w/ Lemon Water

Pre- Workout: Black Coffee

Dinner: Orange Chicken & Veggies w/ Lemon Water

Snack: Almonds & Dried Cranberries

 

ORANGE CHICKEN RECIPE:(Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free) Awesome Crispy Orange Chicken

A Recipe by Diana Keuilian

 

 

 

Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

50 mins

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

• ½ cup orange juice concentrate (no sugar added)
• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Zest from one orange
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Dash red pepper flakes
• 2 packets Stevia
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite sized pieces
• Dash salt and pepper
• Dash granulated onion
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 green onions, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the orange juice concentrate, coconut aminos, olive oil, orange zest, red pepper flakes and Stevia in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil on medium-high.
3. Generously season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and granulated onion. Add chicken to hot skillet and brown on all sides.
4. When chicken is almost fully cooked, add the orange sauce, stirring to coat all of the chicken. Cook, uncovered, simmering the sauce until thickened and fully sticking to the chicken.
5. Garnish with sesame seeds and freshly chopped green onion.

NUTRITION

Calories: 282     Fat: 12 g     Carbohydrates: 12 g     Sodium: 505 mg     Fiber: 1 g     Protein: 35 g    

 

Workout for (11/18):

 

PRE WARM UP STRETCHES:

Slow Round Kicks, left and right (1 min seconds each direction)

Hip Rotations, clockwise and counterclockwise (30 seconds each direction)

Arm Rotations, forward and backward (30 seconds each direction)

Wrist Rotations (30 seconds each direction)

Ankle Rotations (30 seconds each direction)

Side Bends with Arm Reaches

Slow Round Kicks, left and right (1 min seconds each direction)

 

Warm-ups: 1 minute each

Squat Jumps

Lunges

Jumping Jacks

Inchworms

Mountain Climbers

 

 

10 Plie Squats w/ 20lbs,  20 Uppercuts W/ 4lb weights, 10 Tricep Pushups to Alternating Row (3 rounds)

 

10 Bent-over Dumbbell Back Rows, 10 Dumbbell Bicep Curls 20lbs, 10 Pike Push Ups for Shoulders (3 rounds)

 

TABATA: 180 BURPEES/ HALF PLANK

 

Jab, Cross, Hook... Left foot forward, 2 jabs with left hand, Cross with right, Hook with left (2 minutes)

 

Jab, Cross, Hook… Right foot forward, 2 jabs with right hand, Cross with left, Hook with right (2 minutes)

 

10 One-legged Squats (10 each leg), 10 Pushups (explode up to clap), 10 Chops l/r 20lbs  (3 rounds)

 

10 Glider Push Ups w/ Elbow to Knee Touches (l/r), 10 Dumbbell Clean-n-Press (l/r), 10 Walking Lunges with Side Twists (3 rounds)

 

Jab, Cross, Hook, Roundhouse Kick... Left foot forward, 2 jabs with left hand, Cross with right, Hook with left, Kick with right foot (2 minutes)

 

Jab, Cross, Hook, Roundhouse Kick… Right foot forward, 2 jabs with right hand, Cross with left, Hook with right, Kick with left foot (2 minutes)

 

TABATA: TUCK JUMPS

 

10 GLIDER ROLL OUTS, 10 SLIDE THROUGHS, 10 PIKES (3 ROUNDS)

 

Hitting Happy Hour Healthily

Is happy hour at one of the local bars part of your weekly routine? Do you want to have a good time with your friends without being worried about all those extra calories from booze? Or maybe you want to prevent hangovers? You don't have to give up alcohol just to lead a healthy lifestyle. Just don’t overdo it. Drink only on your “cheat days”. Whether you're heading to happy hour, a birthday party, or an informal event, there are a few things you can do to enjoy your favorite drinks without sabotaging your diet or feeling sick the next day.

 

Avoid Mixed Drinks

 

A single cocktail can exceed 600 calories. In general, mixed drinks contain a lot of sugar, alcohol, and fruit juices. Instead drink your alcohol straight on ice or cut it with a little lemon to make it smoother. You’ll save money and calories this way!

 

Make a Spritzer

 

Do you love wine? Mix it with water or half club soda, and then add some ice! This is a great way to reduce your caloric intake and prevent hangovers. A glass of sprizter has only 50 calories. If you're trying to lose weight, choose red wine. It has fewer calories and keeps your heart healthy.

 

Drink More Water

 

Match each alcoholic drink with one glass of water. This helps prevent dehydration and hangovers. Alcohol has diuretic effects. When consumed in excess, it may cause dehydration. By drinking water, you can prevent thirst, headaches, dizziness, and migraines. This will also reduce the absorption of alcohol into your body.

 

Stick with One Type of Alcohol

 

Each alcoholic drink has a different composition and flavor. Mixing several drinks will lead to a hangover. Choose beer or wine or rum or cognac, but don't have them all in one night.

 

Take Dietary Supplements

 

Vitamin B12, B Complex, and Vitamin C help prevent hangovers and support liver health. The human body uses up a lot of vitamins and minerals when metabolizing alcohol. If you're planning to go to a party, take some dietary supplements before leaving home. www.shoptotalwellness.com offers a wide rang of vitamins and minerals that will boost your energy, combat hangovers, and keep you fit.

 

The Picky Eaters Guide to Healthy Eating

 

 

Got a picky eater in your house? While most people are happy to try new flavors, picky eaters stick to a limited number of foods. They often have a hard time eating healthy and getting enough nutrients from their diets. Adults who are picky eaters have trouble losing weight or switching to healthier foods. For this reason, they can become malnourished easily.

 

So how can you get the nutrients you need when you don't eat certain foods? Here are some tricks that picky eaters should know:

 

Mix What You Like with New Foods

 

Picky eaters usually have a number of favorite foods. If you hesitate to try new recipes, try to gradually change your existing meals. For example, you could hide veggies in sweet foods, combine broccoli with mustard, add new fruits to your favorite smoothies, and use avocado instead of melted cheese or butter. The trick is to include new, healthy foods with a neutral taste into your diet.

 

Make Healthy Substitutions

 

Meeting your daily nutrient requirements is not easy when you're a picky. However, you can make healthy substitutions in your diet to get the nutrients required for optimal health. Salmon is a great source of vitamin D. It's one of the few foods containing this nutrient. What if you hate salmon? Well, you can replace it with whole grains. Bran, oats, and fortified cereals are rich in vitamin D as well.

 

Want to increase your calcium intake? Swap your dairy milk for almond milk which has double the calcium.

 

Go Organic as much as possible! It makes a world of difference on your digestive system. There is a big difference between eating a McDonalds burger or eating a homemade Organic burger. The McDonalds burger has been pumped with so many additives, chemicals, & preservatives it can barely be called “food”. Your body is forced to store fat just to protect your from all of these toxins. BUT if you opt for an organic homemade burger you’ll get that great taste without all of the extras.

 

Take Dietary Supplements

 

Picky eaters can take dietary supplements to meet their nutrient requirements. Many online health stores, such as www.shoptotalwellness.com, offer high potency supplements for people of all ages. Coral calcium, chewable vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, COQ10 and other products are made with all natural ingredients and contain essential nutrients. Some improve cardiovascular health and boost your immune system, while others remove toxins from your body. You can take single-nutrient supplements or multi-vitamins and complex formulas such as Life's Essentials Plus, Active Women’s Multi, ActiveMen’s Multi, and Liquid Multivitamin 

 

Superfood supplements such as Ultragreens & VitaBarely are perfect for the picky eater who doesn’t consume enough fruits & vegetables in their diet. Just a teaspoon in your drink is equivalent to a serving of veggies!

CUT YOUR SUGAR CRAVINGS & HELP THE TROOPS!

So Halloween is over now but you still have a lot of tempting left over candy sitting around. You’ve probably been snacking for weeks and now you’re starting to see those numbers on that oh mighty scale creep up.  Talk about SCARY!!! Don’t worry I have a few quick & easy solutions to your problem. I’m going to teach you how to not only cut the cravings but to help the troops while doing it!!!

So let’s step back for a moment, why do we crave sugar in the first place? I mean besides the obvious reasons: it tastes good!!!

Carbohydrates are one of the three essential macronutrients.  It provides our bodies with calories that are necessary for the production of energy. There are two classifications of carbohydrates: simple & complex.

Sugar is an example of a simple carbohydrate meaning it is quickly digested by the body due to its “simple” structure. When your energy levels are low we tend to crave sugar because it gives us a quick energy boost. The problem with this is that sugar is full of calories has very little nutritional value and it drops our blood sugar just as quickly as it spikes it causing us to crash.  

Guess what happens after we crash… You guessed it…. We crave more sugar!!!

On the other hand, complex carbohydrates including whole grains and vegetables are mostly rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Due to their complexity, they take a little longer to digest, and they don't raise the sugar levels in the blood as quickly as simple carbohydrates but they provide long lasting energy production.

They are nutritionally dense and keep you energized longer!!!

So what causes our energy levels to drop? Here are just a few of the most common reasons:

1.     Stress: Adrenals are hormone glands that produce adrenaline which provides the body with energy. When we are stressed we tend to overwork the adrenals which depletes the body of energy. Since carbs(sugar) provide the body with a quick energy boost we tend to crave sugar when we are stressed.

2.     Food Allergies: The adrenal glands also produce cortisone to manage inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by food allergies including but not limited to wheat and dairy allergies.  Many people suffer from food allergies but are unaware. So if you are continuously consuming foods that you are allergic to than you will deplete the adrenal glands therefore depleting your body of energy causing you to again crave sugar.

3.     Blood sugar disorders: such as Diabetes will cause your blood sugar to drop. When your blood sugar drops the only thing that can restore it is a quick releasing carbohydrate. So it is very important to balance your blood sugar. Exercise and a healthy diet has been very effective as a treatment for blood sugar disorders. You may also include All Natural Supplements such as BLOOD SUGAR FORMULA

4.     Addiction: Carbohydrates stimulate the release of our natural mood enhancers serotonin and endorphins. This is why when we are depressed we tend to crave sweets but when we overindulge they not only make us feel good but they cause us to crash!

5.     Artificial sweeteners: such as aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda), and saccharin (sweet n’ low) are actually sweeter than sugar so they have been said to intensify our cravings for sweeter foods.

So how do we fight the cravings?

1.     Balance your blood sugar. If you eat small meals multiple times a day ideally every 3-4 hours your blood sugar shouldn’t drop. This can be difficult for those who are used to skipping meals since their body has adapted to eating once or twice daily. They may not feel the typical hunger pains to let them know to eat. It is best to set a timer for every 3-4 hours and keep healthy snacks handy until you get used to eating more often.

2.     Replace sweets with fruits. Like sugar, fruits are also a simple carbohydrate so it provides the body with a quick boost of energy but the fiber in fruit also slows the absorption of the sugars so you don't get as high a sugar rush or as low a crash. Keep fruits handy at all times. Pack fruits for lunch; keep apples, oranges, bananas, and raisins at your desk and in your house.

3.     Slow down the sugar rush. The same way that the fiber in fruit slows down the absorption and balances the sugar rush; mixing high sugar foods with high fiber foods has the same effect. For example, M&Ms in your trail mix, Dipping Apples in Caramel, Dipping Bananas in Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Strawberries, etc.

4.     Switch to Healthy Sweeteners. Whether baking or sweetening your coffee choose xylitol (a vegetable sugar), stevia, or coconut sugar instead of table sugar or artificial sweeteners. The sweeteners not only taste good but they are safe for diabetics, better for you dental health and more nutritionally dense. Order yours here or your local health food store.  NATURAL SWEETENERS

 

5.     Chew gum. If you are addicted to sugar you may not crave it only when your energy levels are low. You may crave it for its mood enhancing abilities. Much like a smoker trying to quit chewing gum helps! Choose a gum that is sweetened with xylitol. Make sure that it contains no artificial sweeteners so never choose sugar free. You will most likely find this gum at health food stores or supplement stores. Whenever you get a craving chew away!

6.     Get tested! As I mentioned earlier many people don’t know that they are allergic so if you suspect that you have a food allergy try eliminating the foods for at least a week. If you notice that you are more energized, don’t have digestive issues, if you suffer from eczema and your skin clears than you may have an allergy. Reintroduce the food to your diet and if the symptoms reoccur chances are you have a food allergy.

7.     Stop Stressing! This one is easier said than done and honestly deserves its own blog. There are several factors that contribute to stress. Some as small as waking up to an alarm or some as huge as hating your job. The key to managing stress is first identifying your stress then finding ways to manage it. Some stressors are avoidable so we have to learn to separate ourselves from those stressors. Those stressors that are not  avoidable such as family life, work, mourning we must learn to cope. You may need to seek professional assistance in this matter. There are also supplements such as TRUE CALM that will help the body to better cope with stress and balance your hormones.

Now the good stuff! How can I help the troops???

8.     GET RID OF THE TEMPTATION! If you have candy, twinkies, and other junk foods sitting around which this time of year most homes do than it makes managing your cravings 10 times HARDER! Clean out your cabinets, toss the junk or better yet donate your candy. Visit TROOP TREATS to donate your candy to the troops and even get a toy for your child!

Can't Out Exercise A Bad Diet!

 YOU CAN'T OUT EXERCISE A BAD DIET!

A phrase commonly heard in relation to weight loss is “Calories in vs. Calories Out”. It was once thought that as long as you burn more calories than you consume that you will lose weight. Once upon a time that may have been true but thanks to the processing of foods, food chemicals, skipping meals and larger portion sizes this isn’t always the case. What you put into your body and when you put it into your body is just as important as how much you put into your body! 

Over the past 8 years I have assisted over 1000 clients with their weight management efforts. I have worked with middle schoolers all the way to senior citizens, multiple different nationalities, genders & body types. Weight loss for EVERYONE is different! I have had women participate in my classes who worked out twice as hard, made more dietary changes, were the same age, nationality & body type as another participant who barely broke a sweat, ate what they wanted and still lost more weight! It is unfair but its life!

So, if the theory that calories in vs. calories out was true than those clients who worked harder should have had the better results! Right?

Truth is all of our bodies are different and all of our bodily needs are different so now the question is how do we know what we need???

It’s simple really? LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!!

Think of your body as if it were a car. When all of your fluid levels are filled, you’re feeding your car premium gas, and its getting regular maintenance it runs smooth! When your fluid levels get low, or you leave it sitting too long, put in cheap watered down gas then it doesn’t run as smooth. As the driver you can feel the difference right? Then what comes next: the lights come on: check engine, oil light, gas light, etc. these are the warning signs right before the car breaks down! The same thing goes for your body: as long as you are feeding it throughout the day (5-6 small meals) then you are full, feed your body organic nutrient dense whole foods (premium gas) and exercise (regular maintenance) then your body will be in optimum condition. When you don’t do these things than the lights come on: obesity, diabetes, stomach aches, joint problems, etc. before you shut down!

Your body knows exactly what it needs so that you don’t even have to count calories. Counting calories can be exhausting! Your body has a set point weight which is best for you. Everyone doesn’t have to be a size 2 to be healthy. If you feed your body enough nutrients than it will naturally return to its set point.  My set point weight is between 125-130lbs. When I eat a well balanced diet I maintain between 125-130lbs. When I cut up like I have this summer: drinking multiple times a week and eating out multiple times a week I have maintained 138lbs. Even though my exercise regimen actually increased from instructing 4 classes a week to instructing 7 classes a week. I still gained weight!

So if we’re not county calories how will we know when we are feeding our body enough? Once again, listen to your body! Hunger is a sign your body is not getting enough nutrients if you are eating nutrient dense meals multiple times a day you won’t ever get hungry! On the flip side if you are feeding your body sugar laden, chemically processed, man- made foods than your body is not going to get the nutrients that it needs.  One of the main reasons we overeat is because we’re not getting enough nutrients from our foods.

Focus on these few factors and you WILL lose weight, body fat, feel more energized, and most importantly be HEALTHY!

1.       Feed Your Body: Food is energy! Taste is just a bonus! The purpose of food is to give us the energy we need to maintain & the nutrients we need to survive. If you do not adequately feed the body (for example, skipping meals or consume very low calorie diets of 1200 calories or less daily) than instead of burning calories throughout the day your body will hold on to most of the calories storing them as fat for energy. You should consume 4-6 small meals a day. This will boost your metabolism, burn more fat throughout the day, and give your body the nutrients it needs to fight off illness.

2.       Alkalize Your Body: Alkalize your body refers to shifting the pH of your body. When you eat a lot of processed foods, sugars, meat, and other acid forming foods you must balance them out with more alkaline forming foods such as green vegetables & fruit.

The body has a hard time handling high levels of acid. It may store acid in fat cells making a person over-weight, it may line the walls of your arteries with cholesterol which leads to heart problems, or it may leach calcium out of your bones to neutralize the acid. Since, body fat is there to protect your organs from toxicity.  Some people will find that they will lose weight on a more Alkaline Diet mainly due to the system being flushed out better from drinking lemon water and alkaline foods as we rid our bodies of excess acids.

3.       Avoid Chemicals in Food: Chemicals in foods such as Aspartame (artificial sweetener), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Food Dyes, Preservatives, Additives, Olestra (a fake fat commonly found in fat free products), Nitrites & Nitrates, Trans fats, etc. all have ill effects on the body. First, many of these chemicals cannot be properly digested in the body so they stick around in our colon and create several problems. They cause hormonal imbalances which lead to weight gain, they are cancerous, create blood sugar issues which also cause us to overeat, and so much more. It is best to go Organic as much as possible. I have had clients not make any changes to their exercise program but simply switched to an organic diet and the weight fell off!!!!

4.       Serving Sizes: The body can only properly digest about 400-600calories per meal. When we consume these large meals containing 1000+ calories the body has no choice but to store it as fat. Some of the undigested food will linger in your stomach causing stomach pains, due to the lack of fiber & water in some meals some of the food will stay in the colon for days, weeks or longer creating what I like to call “swollen colon syndrome” or a “pot belly”.  Instead split that meal in two so your body can take the nutrients that it needs from it and eliminate the rest!

5.       Supplements: The same way “Calories In vs. Calories Out” was based on the old days so is the common misconception that you can get all the nutrients you need from your diet. This may have been true in the 50’s but in 2012 its better safe than sorry. Even when you go Organic, choose only the “Healthy” brands, eat fruits & veggies unless you’re farming everything yourself you can never be 100% sure what is going into your foods. There was a rumor (or maybe the truth) a few months ago that Kashi (one of my favorite brands) was genetically modifying the soy in its products. Truth is you don’t know who to trust! So I like to think of my Multivitamin as my insurance policy. If I’m not getting all of the nutrients I need from my diet hopefully I’m making it up with my multivitamins. 

    

      Warning: Dietary supplements are not a very well regulated industry so for the best on the market visit www.VitaBarOnline.com (All supplements from the site are All Natural, Mostly Organic & Approved by me!)

     This all can be a lot to take in! I KNOW!

     You probably heard of some terms & chemicals in your food that you never heard of or thought to look for, right?

      The Food Industry counts on you not knowing about these dangers and they hop on the new “health kick” by plastering things such as “Fat Free”, “0 Trans Fat”, “Whole Wheat”, “High Fiber”, “Low Sodium” and “Sugar Free” all over the boxes but unless you know how to read your nutrition labels for yourself you could be eating all of the dangerous & fattening chemicals listed above.                       

      

      So I am going to help you even further!

      

      First, I’m offering a FREE Teleseminar:

FREE TELE- CLASS:
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!
w/ Fitness & Fat Loss Expert Killa Candise

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at 7:00pm

Listen in while you're in the gym, at home, in the car, or at work!

                 

              All the Tools You Need to Become Sexier, Healthier You

  

             * Stress Management

             * Healthy Eating on a Budget

            * Make Time for Your Health- Tips for Scheduling Meals

            * Take Charge of Your Nutrition- Cleansing & Calories

            * General Guidelines for Weight Loss

            * Food Combining Principles

            *  Reading Nutrition Labels

            * Supplements 

*          * AND... The #1 FAT BLASTING SECRET USED BY CELEBRITIES

REGISTER NOW:

EMAIL YOUR NAME, NUMBER EMAIL ADDRESS &MAILING ADDRESS TO ADMIN@TOTALWELLNESSDC.COM!

SPECIAL BONUS FOR THE FIRST 20 PPL TO REGISTER

Second, I know many of you don’t have the time to stay in the grocery store for hours reading every label, putting together your own meal plan or preparing your lunches plus snacks every morning so I have crafted several new Nutrition Programs including:

Goal Setting, Grocery Delivery, Guided Grocery Shopping, Personalized Meal Plans, Basic Meal Preparation, Kitchen/Pantry Clean out, Made for You Healthy Lunch Boxes, Save $$$ using Discounts & Deals on Recipe Ingredients and more!

CLICK HERE:

 NEW NUTRITION PROGRAMS

FOR MORE INFORMATION