Fall Resolutions

It's that day of the week again, the one we all do not look forward to...Monday. However this particular Monday marks the last day of August and for most, pretty much the last day of the summer. Once September hits, we are all right back into the swing of things, whether it's with school or work. We're leaving those lazy days of summer behind us and moving right on in to the fall.

I like to think of this time of year as a fresh start. It's the start of a new season and in essence, almost a "clean slate". Were there things in the summer that you wanted to get done but didn't? Are you looking to set a new goal or overcome a new challenge? Take the time to think about that...what would you like to see happen this fall that maybe didn't in the summer. During the summer, we can get easily consumed with family/friend outings, bbq's, beachtime, and just summer laziness in general. What would you like to see happen this fall? Maybe set a fall resolution...resolutions are not just for the beginning of a new year.

For me, I'm looking to constantly challenge myself, and not just physically and with strength. This fall I'd like to see all of my hard work from the summer pay off by obtaining some new clients at the gym. I'd like to get some new clients that really challenge me as a trainer, clients that ask questions and really make me...work! Did I just say that? The only way I can grow is to be challenged, it's the only way I can and will learn. So that's my resolution - to keep on growing, learning and challenging myself. Stay tuned for updates on this one!

Taking a Breather

Needless to say, this has been 1 crazy week! I have been super busy with clients at Healthworks as well as training people outside of the gym. I have so much going on that I always catch myself at one point in the day and have to remind myself to take a breather, which is what I am doing right now. My day started bright and early at 5:30am, as it does every day, and I have been going nonstop with clients until now (1:30pm)! Phew...breathing here!

I still have a lot of stuff to catch up on and have to get my own training in, but wanted to take the time to update my blog as I know you all REALLY want to know what's going on with me lol. I'm off to Atlantic City tomorrow morning for the weekend to work an event and am really excited as I've never been to Atlantic City before and I love visiting new places. I love taking the time to explore on my own - and by exploring I mean running/walking around the city and getting in a workout at the same time haha! Here's to a great weekend in a new city!

Keep Pushing For It

I just got home after a kickass workout at the Cathy Savage Fitness studio with the one and only, Paula Harvey (otherwise known as Lil P). Paula is a little bundle of fire and energy that choreographs many fitness routines as well as trains many of Cathy's clients with functional and plyometric workouts. She also helps many of us with our stage presence/walking and posture. Did I mention that she is also an amazing yoga teacher? That woman sure can do everything! Geesh!

After training clients and running bootcamps all day, it can sometimes be difficult to focus on my own training and making sure that I am pushing myself as much as I push others. Don't get me wrong - I certainly train hard. However, after tonight's workout I am realizing that I need to push myself harder. When I workout with Paula, she pushes me to a place that I never knew I could get to. After an hour with her, I feel amazing and stronger than ever!

With that being said...I think that this relates to everyone in their everyday lives. This doesn't have to just be about training and workouts. Do you want that promotion at work? Are you currently doing everything in your power to get there? Really think about it - if not, push harder! We tend to get to a comfort zone that we can never get past. Write down your goals, what you want to achieve, where you want to be strong and succeed and...make it happen. We are each strong in our own separate ways. Strength is not just about the physical aspect - it is also very mental and emotional. If you had to pick just 1 thing - what would be your greatest strength????

Meal Preparation - One of the Many Tasks of a Fitness Competitor

Being a bikini and fitness competitor, I am often asked by others who do not compete about my diet, nutrition and meal preparation. Whether you compete in bodybuilding, figure, fitness or bikini, or if you're just living a healthy lifestyle, one thing is for sure - we must be prepared when it comes to our meals!

I typically eat 5-6 small meals a day, which are comprised of protein, veggies, fruits, good fats and whole grains. My protein choices usually consist of egg whites, chicken, tuna, lean ground turkey or beef, white fish, whey protein powder and cottage cheese. For veggies, I usually stick with a lot of green veggies like spinach, green beans, asparagus and broccoli (especially when close to a show) and for fruits I like any type of berry, apples, grapefruit and kiwi (again, these especially when close to showtime). My starchy carb choices are primarily oats with a sweet potato or brown rice thrown in every now and then. My good fat choices range from nuts/nut butters (natural peanut butter, almonds, etc), olive oil, Udos oil, avocados, etc.

A typical day when dieting close to a show may look like the photo above (*note* currently 4 weeks out from show):

MEAl 1

Egg Whites

Oats

Blueberries

MEAL 2

Egg Whites with Asparagus

Oats

MEAL 3

Chicken with Green Beans and Salsa

MEAL 4

Protein Shake

MEAL 5

Cod with Asparagus

MEAL 6

Cod with Asparagus & Udos Oil

In my off season, I add a lot more variety to my diet by adding more exotic fruits like mango or pineapple and more colorful veggies like tomatoes and carrots. For the average healthy individual, the key is to spice it up and to have a lot of variety with your food so that you never feel deprived and more importantly, so that you get a lot of your recommended vitamins and minerals from your food.

In my off-season, a typical day could look like this:

MEAL 1

Egg Whites

2 Kashi Waffles

Peach

MEAL 2

Cottage Cheese

Natural Peanut Butter

Apple

MEAL 3

Chicken

Brown Rice

Stiry Fry Veggies

MEAL 4

Tuna Lettuce Wrap

MEAL 5

Shrimp

Sweet Potato

Green Beans

See how much variety I can incorporate into my diet while keeping it enjoyable at the same time! Its all about spicing it up and thinking outside of the box. I love to cook, so that makes my meal preparation a lot easier. For others, it can be a challenge to say the least!

Think about what you typically eat in a day - is it planned or are you always on the go deciding last minute how to fuel your body? Even if it's just for 5 minutes, think about your body and what you like to eat / what you enjoy. Now take the time to just jot down a couple of meal ideas, maybe even put it into action and plan 2 for the next day (2 is a start!).

Try not to use the average excuse of "I'm too busy". Believe me, I'm busy too and even I can get it done. You just need to take some time to plan and then prepare and it doesn't have to take that long (think frozen fruits and veggies, etc). As discussed in my previous blog - take the time for you because your body certainly deserves it. You wouldn't fuel a Porsche with sand instead of gas now would you? So what makes you think that fueling your body with donuts and candy is better??? Just something to think about....get it done! I know you can!

Staying Positive

Do you ever start your day waking up feeling great and ready to tackle what lays ahead for you? You have a big smile on your face as you face the world another day ready to succeed...it's a great feeling isn't it?! You're on Positivity Road and then all of a sudden you bump into Negative Nelly, Debbie Downer or Miserable Mary. That feeling of conquering the world quickly disappears and you're now left feeling just like Nelly, Debbie and Mary...negative, down and miserable.

Why is it that we let these people so easily bring us down to feel the same as them? The truth of the matter is that they don't bring us down - we let them bring us down. We can so easily and quickly get wrapped up in their world and feelings of negativity, that our feelings of waking up great and ready to conquer the world dissolves. Why do we let this happen?

I challenge each and every one of you to take a few deep breaths next time you encounter Nelly, Debbie and Mary. Stay positive, maybe say something positive and then be on your way. If anything, maybe Nelly, Debbie or Mary will get a taste of your positivity and rebuild their own from yours.

The key to a happy life is staying positive and happy!! Don't let anyone bring you down!

Making Time for Me

Today (Friday) marks the start of another summer weekend. I have not had the chance to fully enjoy a summer weekend until now and I am so excited! I have typically been working 6-7 days a week and now that I look ahead, I'm finding that I have tomorrow off from everything - could this be for real? LOL I'm not used to this empty space in my calendar and sadly, don't know what to do with myself. Of course, I'll get in my training but when that's finished - then what? Sometimes we get so consumed by our everyday lives that we never get to stop and take time for ourselves and that's exactly what I'll be doing tomorrow - making it a day for ME! Don't get me wrong, there won't be anything crazy happening like a spa day or a shopping spree but I'll be able to get in some training, yoga and dare I say some beach time?!

I'm realizing that everyone needs a day off - a day off to themselves, to relax, to enjoy their family, friends, etc. We can't keep going full steam ahead or else we get burnt out very quickly making it a not-so-pleasurable experience not just for ourselves, but for everyone else around us. Make sure you have that day off - to maybe get some errands done you've been putting off for quite some time, to tackle the yard work (at least it'll get you outside), to grab lunch with a family member or friend you have not seen in quite some time, to just enjoy "your time".

I'm looking forward to "my time" tomorrow - look at your calendar, when's "your time"?

Starting on a Clean Slate

So today marks my very first entry in my new blog and I'm very excited about it. I've heard about blogging here and there and never quite grabbed the concept of it until now. It seems as if it's such an easy way to stay connected with family and friends and to let everyone glimpse into my life and have a taste of my world from day to day.

The summer is coming to an end and I feel as though I didn't even have a summer. I've been working my butt off since May! I've hardly had days off but I feel that in the end, it has most certainly all been worth it. I was in the corporate world for many years after I graudated college and am now just finally pursuing what I enjoy .... personal training! I am very motivated and passionate about fitness and health and only want to pass on this motivation and passion to others. The start was pretty rough but I can gladly say that I'm finally on my way and feel confident about my future in the industry.

On top of being busy as anything with work, I'm gearing up to compete in September at the NPC Team Universe show in NYC and in November at the FAP Nationals in Las Vegas. Taking last year off from competing helped me to put alot of things in perspective and I am now doing what I enjoy and what makes me happy. I love setting goals, sticking to them and seeing through them. With my competitons, these are very personal challanges that I face but ones I won't be backing down from anytime soon. These shows help motivate me, push me and challenge me unlike no other. And through it all, I've made the best of friends and formed some amazing support systems. All of this is greatly due to my wonderful coach and staff, Cathy Savage Fitness.

Keep checking in to see how I'm doing with my preparation for fall shows!!!!