Fridge Oatmeal - Courtesy of The Yummy Life ;)

A friend of mine shared this link with me and it looked like a great idea! I decided to try it right away. This is how I discovered Chia Seeds. There are MANY more recipes and ideas over at The Yummy Life blog and Facebook page, these are just the two that I tried.

Raspberry Vanilla Refridgerator Oatmeal
(this I changed to my favorite, Strawberries!)

Banana Peanut Butter Refridgerator Oatmeal

Check out The Yummy Life!
Check out The Yummy Life on Facebook!

Life . . . happens

 I'm a planner by nature. A few months ago, I had it all planned out. 5 shows, ending with Nationals. Then I found out my good friend was getting married the weekend of Nationals. Meanwhile, my car broke down and needed to be fixed, and fixed. . . and fixed. I am currently driving with the Engine and the O/D Off lights on, lol. I realized as my body wasn't responding to my training, I needed a break as I had been dieting for 5 months. I also realized I needed to get my finances back in check. Competing is an EXPENSIVE hobby! Food is expensive when you are eating fresh fruits and veggies, salmon, supplements, plus hair, tanning, suits, makeup, etc etc. If you are planning your first show/season, be prepared to spend about $2k. You can definitely cut corners as I do, but you will still run about that much. I know some who spend MUCH more. I am better able to concentrate on my clients. I also had clients that wanted to train and I don't turn down work. Currently 3 of the slots I was lifting are now filled with clients. I work from approx 8am to 9 or 10pm. I commute approximately 30-60minutes each way. I am grateful for work in this unstable economy. Sometimes you never know when that paycheck will be your last.

The last blow, is my furball Tuffy having a tumor removed, finding out it is Fibrosarcoma (Cancer), discovering they did not get all of it. This is a common Cancer at the injection site of the Rabies vaccine, which is mandatory. The stories are horrendous, and  I read it as 1 in 3,000 cases have this outcome. Fibrosarcoma is locally aggressive, which means it has a tendancy to reoccur in the same spot. I then had to take her to an Oncologist. She had chest x-rays, and an obdominal ultra sound. Both areas showed clear of the Cancer. They recommended another surgery, including amputating the leg on that side. (~$4,000). They said to 'be more sure', but there really is no guarantee. I asked for the alternative surgery, not removing her leg(~$3,200). No matter how hard I tried to think it may be the 'better option', I just couldn't bear to take a perfectly good leg. The fat pad they removed(subcutaneous layer) also showed clear of cancer, so I am thinking the muscle should be safe under that as well. The Oncologist said the fascia of the muscles tends to be relatively good at blocking cancer so the surgeon would remove the top layer of the fascia. It's just a matter of getting enough skin. Well, cats definitely have extra skin, so here's hoping. Also, Radiation is recommended daily for 3 weeks, however I do not have the $7,000 that it costs. Who has this kind of money? It's not fair that there is more treatment that could be had, but I just can't afford it. What price is a life worth?

Some may think I'm "not a competitor", or what not. I'm all for "no excuses!" and all that, but I tend to overwork myself til I break. So I have had to learn to back off when I need to. The last thing I need is to stress myself out over something that is really not as important as me paying bills or saving a life.

I have had to switch my priorities temporarily. I have spent time working on my business, building it, struggling like most people to make ends meet. I have been researching what to do for my cat and I have had people message me in support and share ideas with me that I have greatly appreciated. If you are not an animal person, you won't understand. But my twins I caught as ferrel kittens, tamed and love like kids. They are just 6 and it is just unfathomable to me that I have them on a wellness plan, got all their vaccines, took care of them and one could DIE because of it. It is just not fair. She is only 6 years old. She had been glued to my side. Tomorrow is the next, more agressive(and last) surgery. I meet with the surgeon in the morning, they will operate at night. Then I must wait to get the lab results back to see if they were able to get all of it. Sit and hope. Hope I made the right decision.

I am trying a few things, such as the Cancer Diet. I am trying the Cottage Cheese/flax oil mixture, but so far she is not liking it. I have a lot of friends/family friends who are fighting caner and are swearing by it, at least feeling better. I have also ordered the Cat Cancer supplement. Both have lots of rave reviews. Who knows? I'm willing to try anything. Because of this search, it has also changed a bit of how I view my diet. I am going to be trying a few new things. More plant-based fats and new ideas. I will be sharing that with you as well. In case you are interested, or find yourself dealing with Fibrosarcoma, Cancer in either pets or people, I have included the links I have found or have been shared with me. Life is always changing. I have learned that no matter how well I plan, I must always have a backup plan, or be ready, willing and accepting to change that plan.

For more info on Fibrosarcoma in Cats:
http://www.vetinfo.com/cfibro.html

Dr Johanna Budwig's Diet & Protocol:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healingcancernaturally.com%2Fpet-cancer-cure-testimonials.html&h=pAQEiEdX6
(This is the link for dog & cats, but it's from the more extensive diet for people)

ES Clear by Pet Wellbeing
http://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-cancer

Getting Back to "Normal"

Well, here I am...1 1/2 months after my last show.(NPC Governor's Cup, March 24th, 2012) and here I am, back up to 136lbs, 20%BF which is where I was in November. It's not inspiring, it's not something I post a lot about, but it's life.I am not sucking in or posing in these photos. Just me.

I let myself pretty much eat what I wanted. Which I totally enjoyed! Don't get me wrong, I started every day well, but by the end of the day, all I wanted was CAKE!! Being a competitor and trainer, you are also under a LOT of scrutiny. I could be eating something and someone will come up and ask how many grams of sugar? or oh that must have preservatives! or any other derrogatory comment they feel entitle to as I'm struggling finding my own balance.

So now I'm at that point where I am once again enjoying making my healthy food. Things that I was afraid to eat before(dairy, cottage cheese, cheese, tuna, whole grain bread - HEALTHY things!) I am now eating. And I am back in control. From this point on, I want to diet in a more healthy fashion. I can't have a diet where I can NEVER have something, or completely cut something out.

I have finally been convinced that I have enough muscle. I keep wanting to build more, but it seems as the Figure gals are coming down in size, so I need to concentrate on getting as tight as possible. My goal is to diet my way back down 10lbs, and the once I am in the 125lb range, I will Diet hard for 4 - 6wks to get Stage Lean. Because my life, job, schedule and sanity are important to me. And I believe my body responds better that way.

I am currently trying the method and supplement in Jim Stoppani, PhD's "7 Scientific Steps to a Camera Ready Body". This is also a test run for me to see how it works, and if it works as I think it will, I will use it for my competition prep. You can see it through the link below.

7 Scientific Steps To A Camera-Ready Body 

by Jim Stoppani, PhD Jun 30, 2011

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/7-scientific-steps-to-camera-ready-body.html

Clean French Toast

2 Whole Eggs

2c Egg Whites (I use Lana's Egg Whites)

6sl Alvarado St. or Ezekiel Bread of your choice

* Originally I actually made this with Eggos. ;) Low Fat Whole Grain, sometimes the cinnamon or other flavors. 

Super quick & easy! Here I used Alvarado St. Sprouted Wheat Cinnamon Raisin. Because it has flavor, I didn't add anything to my eggs. If I use plain Ezekiel Bread or Alvarado St. I'll add sweetener, cinnamon or whatever spices I feel like that day.  

 

 When picking a Whole Grain bread there are a few things that are KEY. First, it should not list 'flour' as a major ingredient. Flour is overly processed. As you can see on the label above, this bread is made of whole grains. The LARGEST contributing ingredient is listed first and then in descending order. The main ingredient above is Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat Berries. I had fiber and protein, some breads have a little more protein. 

Here are the ingredients - very few. 

You have your carbs(bread), fat(yolk/coconut oil), and protein(egg whites). 

Just soak your bread in the mixture for a minute or two until soft.

I used coconut oil which has MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides/fats)

Brown on both sides as desired.

This made 3 servings for me, and one piece to try! ;D

Post-Traumatic Diet Issues

Competing is not something i would ever recommend to someone with even a SLIGHT eating disorder. I get scared enough when I have clients that try insane things to lose weight(I don't mean theories, I mean I've had clients take drugs, take out all carbs, eat only salad, think if they work out 8hrs a day to burn 3,500cals they can lose a pound a day, etc etc). I would gear them more to a performance based goal so they can see their progress and eat to fuel their work. Competing in the bodybuildling world is completely judged on appearance, and leanness. You can be THE ROCKSTAR at your gym - but it's just not good enough. Cuz onstage, you can still be nothing. You start hating every ounce of fat on your body, and umm...HELLO?! We're women, we REQUIRE body fat! Not just for survival and brain function, but hips, ass, boobs, etc. CURVES! This is my story of how I deal with it.

 

I have always had an issue with my diet. Whether its that i get bored, i like trying different diets, i love food, oh I LOVE eating at different restaurants!...whatever. I binge eat. I dont purge, i dont go to the gym and workout like crazy. I just EAT! I accept it. Because i know that the rest of the time this is not a problem. So when i come off a show, even though i like my food and think ill be ok, once i start eating, its like i cant stop. This is not uncommon in this sport. But you go off track and then have to lose it all to start again.I can gain 20lbs in 2 weeks. Funny enough, last time, people noticed my changes within DAYS when I was leaning out. I gained 20lbs in 2 weeks, no one noticed. And I asked. lol

Protein Donuts! Recipe on my blog!

Now, this has always been me. I will eat anything not nailed down for 2 weeks, and then ill just kinda forget to eat for a few. Ill get busy at work or what have you so it always evens itself out. Maybe my body's way of coping with the stress i put it through.But when you diet, things get blurry, especially if you are dieting HARD. You get wrapped up in it all.  You start feeling like you can NEVER eat NORMAL again, whatever "normal" is to you. You feel like society will look down on you if you have dinner with your family. If you are calculating your ratios on your own, you may find yourself stranded at the end of the day with a calculator and notepad trying to figure out how you can get x amount of calories that are left with them being x grams of y. OMG!

And sometimes you just have to stop the madness and come back to the real world for a bit and regroup. Step out of the spotlight, spend time with your friends and family without them having to hear you drone on endlessly about your diet. Allow yourself and THEM to enjoy a meal without revolving it around your tupperware. It does alienate you from those around you. Some i could care less about. The people that say "let me know when you're done with your shows and we can go out" just wont hear from me. If you need me to drink or eat junk to be in my life...you can wait...indefinitely. But my dear family and friends, yes i will enjoy some time with them.

This is what i go through. ME. I have studied exercise and nutrition all my life. Dieted since i was in Jr High. Always played sports since my mom took me to a swim class at age 3. Masters degree in Kinesiology, minor in Sports Nutrition. I've competed in about 15 shows over the last 10 years. And afraid of a damn piece of fruit! I rebel. I eat. And there's a reason. The body(and mind/freedom) have been deprived so long, as in a famine. It is re-feeding itself to store for the next famine. It's a very hard thing to try to balance or moderate. So I eat. And I let myself because once it's run it's course, I can be me again. And then i come back to what i know to be true. And my energy comes back. My sanity comes back. Some people will eliminate food groups and eat competition clean all the time. Thats fine and we all live the life we choose. You have to do what resonates with you.

With that being said, what i like about it is that it does regulate my eating patterns by having a plan. I learn how to manipulate food and macronutrients in various forms to attain the appearance i desire. I love competing. But too much of anything can consume you. Dieting too long will take a toll on you, body and mind. It's funny because when I get to this point, no matter how great I've been on my diet and how much I like my food...as soon as that day hits...and we're all backstage...you KNOW we ALL have our goodie bags! And I realize I'm sane! I about DIED at NPC Governor's Cup when Figure went up DEAD LAST! I felt like there were just 12 of us sitting waiting for HOURS as EVERYONE else broke out the boxes of homemade cupcakes and cookies, Easter candy etc and all shared them around. errrr...I was hoping they'd just LEAVE! lol But I realized I was normal, and yes everyone rushes to BJ's or Cheesecake Factory for that celebratory meal. IT IS NOT CHEATING! After 12 weeks of doing what 99% of the population wouldn't even consider doing, ONE MEAL is well deserved!!! (most of us have...a lot....more)

For healthy non-competition what i have always been taught, and i believe in to this day is 80/20. If you are healthy/eat clean 80% of the time, you can have that treat 20% of the time.This time, I made the decision I always say I'm going to make. 80/20. I will get to my goal, 125 MY way. 80/20. A cheat meal. Honestly, I prefer the term 'treat' because the word 'cheat' is negative and makes me feel like I should be hiding in a closet eating it. Sometimes I'll 'quantify' my cheats. One "Cheat Meal" is a dinner at a restaurant- dinner dessert apps, the works! Sometimes you really need to shock the body also. OR, I'll allow myself Two "Treat Meals" which I qualify as a healthy option that might not be on my plan, for me this would be my soup and salad at Panera Bread.

I am at peace with myself. Sometimes I get mad at myself, yes. But everyday is a new day and one bad day is nothing when I know I have a history of success. You could get LAST place at a show. Forget that. What did you learn? Who was watching you, who did you inspire to try to make changes? You may not even know it. Those people at your gym, your friends, your family...they think you won. My dad tells my story as if I've won every show. :D I hear people promote me like I'm AMAZING! lol and yet my inner dialogue beats myself up. If you're a competitor, listen to yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself...just hard enough. ;)

Being Fit AND Happy (originally published Dec 2010)

(This was the first article I had written upon the request of a dear friend for her e-magazine. It is really what started my writing. )

Being Fit AND Happy!

As a certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor I have worked with many types of people, each with different goals and backgrounds. So many times people ask me the "secret" for losing weight. Not only have I researched different methods and supplements, but I have also tried quite a few of them myself. As someone who has competed in Bikini and Figure competitions, I have seen many things that are used and pushed to be used, but believe that the best trainers will not try to sell those things. While supplementation and overly strict diets may work temporarily, they are not sustainable nor do they make you feel good. Supplements usually only help while you are taking them so unless you want a life-long commitment, its better to train your body to do the work naturally. Any strict diet is hard to adhere to as it creates a barrier to normal social gatherings with friends and family. Also when you eliminate food groups or macronutrients (such as fat, carbs or meat) it creates an imbalance which can lead to fatigue, moodiness or anemia. In the end, anything done to an extreme will fail.

            Exercise is crucial in any fitness or health plan. I like to avoid the use of the word “diet” as it has built up a negative connotation over the years, and triggers a response in people of something that is restrictive and painful. No matter what your body type and goal, a combination of strength, cardio and flexibility training is crucial. I find that people tend to gravitate to either strength training (usually men) or cardio (usually women). Cardiovascular activity is crucial for heart health for both sexes. The better trained you are cardiovascularly, the better able to process oxygen and ‘energy’ your body will be. The body will be able to pump blood more effectively, and able to extract oxygen from that blood more efficiently. Strength training keeps the body strong. Women especially need to do strength training to fend off osteopenia/osteoporosis which is a weakening of the bones. If you challenge your body, it will adapt, by having stronger muscles and bones. Also, posture is one of my great concerns with clients as we tend to sit all day and sometimes night in front of a computer monitor or TV. So many young people walk into the gym already slouching, and it pains me to think of what they will look like 20 years from now. I make sure to get in lots of back exercises, such as rows and reverse flies to help this. Flexibility is the third component for any fitness regimen. You want to keep your muscles as flexible as possible to prevent injury and keep your range of movement as much as possible throughout your lifespan. Many back injuries and pain are caused by tight hamstrings or hip flexors, and also weak abdominal muscles. General guidelines for healthy adults less than 65 years of age set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2007 are as follows:

Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

            The other key aspect of any program is nutrition. Many people look up a ‘diet’ online, or in a magazine. These are general concepts and each person is very different in their requirements. You should not cut out a food group completely. Many fad diets say to cut out carbs, bread, or dairy. Carbohydrates are the main fuel for your body. They are the first energy source your body looks for as it is easily broken down for activity. They also are the main energy source for you brain and heart. When there is no carbohydrate/glycogen in the muscles to serve as fuel, the body must then break down the secondary source of fuel, which is a much slower and more complicated process. They body also must break down protein and this results in some loss in muscle tissue. Also, high protein/low carbohydrate ketogenic diets are not good for the bone systems and can quicken osteopenia. 

 You can have a balance in life and in your nutrition. I usually ask people what they normally eat, what they can’t eat and what they can’t live without, and then create an outline of something that is similar to that. Portion size and food matching is a great way to make your food make sense without feeling like you ‘can’t eat something’. Also, there are definitely healthier options to a lot of foods. A big situation I see is people not eating enough when they are trying to lose weight. A female should never eat less than 1200 calories a day, and men should never go under 1500 calories. This is to cover basic body function. You then need to add more for being a functional person, and that also depends on your level of activity in your job.  

            With these general concepts out of the way, I would like to say that this is completely attainable to any person. You do not need to go to a gym, or ride a cardio machine 30 minutes a day. It definitely would be easier to do the more intense cardio option to save time, but if you can’t do that, you can choose something that fits you. You can do 10 minutes, three times a day. Riding your bike to the store, walking to lunch on you lunch break, walking your dog are all easy ways to get your activity in without having to dread a “workout at the gym”. For a lot of people it’s mental, and I see this in myself. There are days I don’t want to do anything, so I do an intense 15 minute workout, and I feel great afterwards. Strength training can also be done at home, with a quick full body workout. Squats, lunges, pushups, chair dips, crunches and planks can easily be done anywhere and without equipment. If you add just one piece of equipment to that such as weights, resistance tubes, ball, bosu, etc. you can do a lot. So many activities are great to do with groups of people and can fit into your social calendar. Examples of more social fitness activities are trampolining, hiking, biking, white water rafting, skiing/snowboarding, wakeboarding, kayaking and surfing. All of these count as great activity, but are even better because it is real life work for your body, and a break for your mind.

            If you get your activity in, and eat well-balanced proportioned meals, keeping fit and healthy becomes easy. You will start doing more active things without thinking about it. It is especially good if you have a group of friends that like to do these things as well as you can reinforce each other in your healthy lifestyle.

So go out, round up some fun people, join a group, get active and enjoy your world!

Nicole M. Thompson, MA 
UCSB, Sociology, minor Group Ex & Personal Training
SJSU, Kinesiology: Exercise Physiology, minor Sports Nutrition,
specializing in Exercise & Pregnancy
NPC Figure & Bikini America competitor

New Leaf Fitness - My Results!

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague of mine Don Goodwin (DG23 Fitness) asked: 

• Would knowing exactly how much fat our burning at each beat of heat rate help you?
• How many fat cals per minute
• Basically knowing exactly what heart rate you metabolize fat best without sacrificing muscle?

My answer, of course, was yes! So we scheduled an appointment for me to come in and do the New Leaf Exercise Assessment Test.

My Background
I started dieting this season in November. I did have a cheat day for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve. But I have been dieting from then until my show March 24th. I looked at my intended last show (San Jose, July 14th) and realized that at 16 weeks away, that would have been 9 months of dieting! That's TOO MUCH! I also realized that when I had gained weight, I gained muscle. When it was time to lean out, it just wasn't working. I was overdieting, overtraining, stressed, and under rested. As the show approached I would be doing about 1 hour of cardio a day and when show time came I didn't feel lean enough and I felt like my muscle wasn't there.
I had been trying to get into my 'Target Heart Rate Zone" of 65-85% of my Age Predicted Max (220-age).

220 - (33) = 187(maxHR)   x.65 / x.85 = 122 - 159bpm.

precisionnutrition.com

I had been trying to get into that zone, but most of the time it was a struggle for me to even get into the 120's! I felt like a slacker or out of shape. My legs would start burning so I thought I know I'm working! I would teach 2 cycle classes in one day and my legs would definitely feel it the next day. I always joke about how I HATE CARDIO! I say "I only do it when I get paid!", why I love teaching! I can lift until I can't walk anymore, I'm definitely a lifter.

Introducing New Leaf Fitness
I arrived to see Don on Saturday at 10am. Pre-test protocols were:

• no caffiene on saturday

• no food after midnight friday night/sat morning.

• no workouts for 24 hours. On friday you need to be completely rested

• no alcohol friday/saturday.

• only water sat am

• please wear clothes you feel comfortable jogging in.

The exercise test measures your metabolic rate during exercise. This is where you’ll learn how many calories your body burns while exercising; whether those calories come mainly from fat, carbs, or a combination of both; and at what intensity level you burn calories most efficiently.

The Test
 The test was performed on a treadmill at a pace I felt comfortable with. First I put on a Garmin chest strap to record my Heart Rate. I wore a neoprene mask which was attached to the analyzer and sent readings to his laptop. We added some speed or took the incline up every minute to track my heart rate and where it went as the analyzer measured the content of the air I was exhaling to determine what fuel source I was using. The test takes 15 minutes and once the information needed is gathered you cool back down and your done!

 My Results
Here are some of my charts. What I found is totally going to change my training!

Once I get past 123bpm, I'm burning almost NO fat!

As I am in the range of 85 - 95bpm, I am burning most of my calories from fat. 85%-88%. I was more highly efficient at this lower rate that a lot of people.

My HR Threshold is 127bpm. My VO2 Peak is 35.5

Donald had been interesting in seeing what my results would be since I am a Figure competitor (body building type training) and had just done a competition. My results were definitely unique.
- My HR Threshold is 127bpm. The highest sustainable intensity of exercise that my body can sustain and still burn fat efficiently.
- My HR Peak is about 148bpm.
- My Aerobic Base HR is about 118bpm. This is the highest intensity at which my body still uses fat as it's dominant fuel.
- My VO2 capacity at 35.5 was pretty high in relation to my size which led Don to suggest I would make a good sprinter.

Light Bulb Moments: 
He asked me if I lifted more, when I wasn't doing as much cardio, did I tend to lean out easier? YES!
He said I would probly be a good sprinter. - I actually ran sprints in high school and love to race quick, but DO NOT ask me to 'go for a run'!
I burn Extremely efficiently, almost ALL fat at the lower zones. Then, when my 'predetermined zone' occurs(according to age charts) I burn NO FAT. This means a few things:
- I am burning mostly Carbohydrate, but a byproduct of that is Lactic Acid, which explains why my legs get tired so quickly.
- When you use Carbohydrate, you end up depleting your stores causing you to be tired, and starving for them after the workout.


 Moving Forward
Taking all this information, we can create a program for me. Below is a sample cardio workout which shows how long I should work out at each of the 3 zones to 'Build my Base".
Short Term Goal: Work between 86 - 122 bpm to burn MOSTLY fat and spare the proteins(muscle tissue) that I work so hard to build.
Long Term Goal: Using interval training, I will gradually be able to become more efficient at burning fat at the higher heart rate zones. As I become more efficient, I will be able to work in higher HR Zones, while still burning mostly fat, hence burning more calories and more fat overall.

So I will be working at keeping my heart rate down while teaching my classes, and lifting 5-6x/week. I currently teach a base of 3) 60min cycling classes (which I will incorporate interval training) and 3) Aqua classes. I teach those on deck and my heart rate was actually in the fat burning range.  
I will also be looking to incorporate some track workouts into my training. He suggested a 3:1 recover/work ratio. I am thinking of doing 100m sprints, followed by walking the other 3/4 of the track to recover. He also mentioned to me that if you are burning fat, you should feel better after a workout. Also if you are working in the right zones of your interval training. If you are burning carbohydrate, you will feel like death and be starving to replenish your glycogen stores in the muscle.

For more info:

www.newleaffitness.com
www.facebook.com/DG23Fitness