Gotta Have Fun With It

So I clearly have not been updating my blog on a regular basis and I apologize for that. I came back from the Europa in April - needed to regroup and focus on work and decide what is next for me but yet what is best for me at the same time. I am working hard at my full time job - in home personal training and my bootcamps. It's always a constant struggle with marketing yourself, keeping up with clients and trying to obtain new clients yet working with a pretty inconsistent schedule most of the time.

After taking some time to decide what is next for me in terms of competing - I have decided to do my best in order to bring a much better package to the Europa in Hartford, CT in July. I need to be better conditioned and leaner, which always seems to be so difficult for me, yet with some different training tactics - I'm hoping I can get there!!!! With that being said, I thought that the above picture was appropriate. I'm focusing more on having fun with my training for this next show...switching it up with some boxing classes and taking it away from the gym. When you're having fun - it makes a world of difference! The above picture is from a recent Sunday Session at Cathy Savage's studio where it was an 80s themed day - too fun!!!!!! Get out there and have fun with what you do!

We Live and Learn

Ok, so I've clearly been slacking in my blog - it's almost been 2 weeks since I last posted! As many of you know, I competed in the Europa Show of Champions in Orlando, FL about a week ago. The plan was to compete in fitness all along but due to a hamstring pull, I decided to not cancel my tickets but to still head to sunny FL and compete in bikini (where I had originally won my pro card in).

It was great to meet up with a lot of people that I have not seen in a while, especially my roomie, another fellow IFBB bikini competitor, and my VPX gang. Over the years, I've met many people in the industry so catching up with them was a pleasure. And yet - there are still so many people to meet, so it was quite the show to make new friends.

I went in to the weekend not feeling my absolute best as I couldn't give it my all towards the end because of my leg, especially when it came to training and cardio. Doing the NY Pro Fitness show just 2 weeks ago, didn't help my leg either but that show was just so much fun and I wouldn't trade that experience in! Needless to say, I didn't look my best so I didn't do my best. Overall the weekend was a HUGE learning experience for me. The bikini division is still so new with the NPC/IFBB so I still feel that they are feeling the grounds for what they are looking for and that certainly confuses me. But with anything new, you just need to do it a couple times to figure it out.

Coming home from the weekend, disappointed doesn't even come close to how I felt with myself. I was down and out for the count. Buttt - I didn't let that consume me and make me feel bad for myself. I realized what had happened and just needed to move on and that's what I'm doing. Competing in fitness for me won't be happening for the remainder of the year unfortunately as I feel it's going to take some time for my leg to heal plus I really want to focus on my physique as well as strength/flexibility for fitness. However I can't conclude 2010 with my last show, so with that being said I'm aiming for another bikini show in the summer. I feel that this will give me enough time to make some serious changes and to really bring my A game next time. So yes, I plan on redeeming myself for me!

With this particular experience as well as many life experiences, we live and we learn. We can either sit and ponder/mope about things or move on with positivity and that's what I intend to do! I've got some fuel now to add to this fire and I'm ready to do some damage next time :)

Savage Support

This weekend marks my 2nd pro show of the year...the Europa Show of Champions taking place on April 16-April 17 in Orlando, FL. The original plan was to compete in fitness for this show however due to a hamstring injury, I will not be competing in fitness but will instead be competing in bikini. I had originally received my pro card in bikini last year, so I am very excited to step on stage to rock the new pro bikini division and to "sass it up" more so than I did in fitness just a couple of weeks ago. Although my hamstring kept me from performing my routine at this show, it will not keep me from strutting my stuff on stage - that's for sure! I am thrilled to rock it out in Orlando.

At every show I've competed in since 2006, I've had my huge support system of all my Savage Girls including my wonderful coach, Cathy. Sadly this will be the first show where hardly any of them will be there. Instead of feeling down and out, I am excited to branch out and to reconnect with other competitors and to meet new competitors - these shows are always such great experiences for me. And I will certainly be in touch with my Savage family back home, keeping them "in the know" as the weekend progresses. They have provided me with so much knowledge and information over the years, that I feel so privileged to go out there on my own and to represent our family and team and to make them proud!

Through all of my years competing, I can honestly say that I am in the best place ever physically, mentally and emotionally. I feel the most confident I have ever been and am just so excited for this upcoming show. Details to follow!

Baked Pears with Cranberries and Walnuts

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
3 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place quartered pears in a baking dish. Drizzle pomegranate juice over pears. Sprinkle cranberries and walnuts over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until pears are tender.

Serve with juices and fat-free or low fat frozen vanilla yogurt.

Tangy Chicken Kebabs

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into pieces
4 ounces plain nonfat yogurt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 small to medium zucchini, cut into thick rounds.
8 grape tomatoes


INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine yogurt, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Spoon into a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Add chicken pieces. Seal bag, pressing out air. Move chicken pieces around in bag to cover with yogurt and spice mixture. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Soak 4 wooden bamboo skewers in water.

Preheat broiler or grill.

Thread chicken, zucchini and grape tomatoes onto sticks. Spray briefly with cooking spray. Broil or grill for 5 minutes per side. Serve with whole grain rice.

On to the Next One...

So my show plans for the beginning of this year have changed. The plan was to compete in fitness at both the NY Pro and Europa Show of Champions in April then to compete in bikini at both the NY Pro in May and the Europa in July. However due to a serious hamstring pull that happened the week before the NY Pro fitness show, I have decided to focus only on bikini shows for the remainder of the year. I am feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions because I worked so hard on my physique and routine to compete in fitness however after pulling my hamstring then depleting for 1 show and doing my routine full out that night, I came back to Boston with my leg feeling worse unfortunately. I have not been able to train legs nor have intense cardio sessions and it's totally bumming me out so leaning out and working on my conditioning would have been tough to go further with fitness right now. I am lucky that the pull isn't that horrible, I can still walk and still compete so I have to look on the bright side. I'm focusing on rocking some bikini shows with a killer off season in order to bring a super tight package next year for fitness again, I really can't wait!

So watch out for me in Orlando, FL next week as I debut in my first pro bikini show! I'm hoping to show the judges out there that I have a versatile look and yes, you can cross over between 2 divisions such as bikini and fitness. I'm excited to see what happens. Stay tuned!

1st Pro Show is a Wrap!

I am home and have successfully competed in my first IFBB pro fitness show. What an amazing experience I had! Leading up to this show, I was filled with a mix of emotions ranging from anxious, nervous, happy, excited, etc. It was a roller coaster ride to say the least. But looking back on my whole experience and presence at the show, I can say that I gave it my all and performed at my best. Granted, I did have some obstacles with being a newbie and crossing over from bikini to fitness and the worst of it all - pulling my hamstring a week before show. But I held my own, walked on that stage with my head high and stood in that line up with the best of them! I am so proud of myself.

I met some amazing women who welcomed me with open arms and helped to calm me down before the show. For that, I am truly thankful. I felt like I belonged and honestly, that's all that I wanted. I knew going in to the show that I wasn't the ideal physique that they were looking for - I did have that "bikini" look but with a little bit more muscle and I wasn't as lean or tight as some of the girls but I came in with the best package for me. I'm so glad that I took that enormous leap to cross over and just went out there and did it. By doing so, I learned a lot! My goal is to keep competing in fitness however I probably won't be competing in fitness for another year or so. With the pull of my hamstring a week before the show, it messed a couple things up for me and I really want to give that time to heal. I also know that my physique is not where it needs to be right now in order to do some damage on the fitness stage again. Therefore, I'm going to be competing in 2-3 bikini shows this year, have a kickass off season where I can build some more and then jump right back into fitness at the NY Pro show again next year....I'll know to give my body more time to lean down and get tighter, overall bringing a much better package to the stage. It'll also allow me to work on some serious strength moves and flexibility so I'm super excited!

Next up for me is the Europa Show of Champions in Orlando, FL in just 2 weeks! Back to hitting the gym and some clean eats - hoping to rock the bikini world now! So excited for where I'm at both mentally and physically right now...gotta keep working hard to that goal!

Week of Pro Debut

It is finally here...my pro debut! To answer any and all questions that people may have...yes, I received my IFBB pro card in bikini however I will be crossing over and making my pro debut at the IFBB Pro Fitness show this weekend - Saturday 4/3/10 in NYC. I'm really happy to be competing at the Tribecca Center of Performing Arts again as this is where I received my pro card last year, so it has significant meaning to me.

It's been a long journey to get here - many weeks were spent training hard yet questioning myself at the same time...wondering "what on earth am I doing?". I was stressing myself out to no end thinking of who I would be up on that stage with and who I would be competing against. These women are all super talented, I mean that's why they're pros right?! They've been doing it for years - they have the muscle maturity that little 'ol me just doesn't have. I was constantly analyzing the show and these women and comparing myself - I was driving myself nuts! But just a couple weeks ago, I stopped. I realized that I'm training hard, dieting hard, and simply bringing the best package to the IFBB NY Pro for ME, no one else. I have a great routine that I LOVE and is just so "me".

Needless to say....I'm over stressing myself out and simply just excited and ready for my pro debut. I'm excited to showcase what I've worked so hard for and to simply rock it out with the best of them on stage. I've certainly had obstacles in my way this time...a lot of injuries! The latest being a pulled left hamstring but I'm trying to rest up in order to give my routine my absolute all on Saturday. I simply can't wait! What an experience this is going to be!!!!!!!!!!!

To The Limit

Have you ever pushed yourself further and further towards a particular goal? Have you gone that extra mile in order to do so? With today being the official 2 week mark to my first IFBB Pro Fitness show (NY Pro 4/3/10), I am feeling an overwhelming bucket of emotions. I feel like I've worked hard, I've dieted hard, I've pushed myself and tested myself. I have done so because I feel that I have to prove myself - prove myself to everyone that I deserve this and I can rock it out with the best of them. I clearly have many obstacles in my way, such as my physique not being up to parr with most of the IFBB Pro fitness girls but I'm bringing the best package for me and I feel confident in that...it's about the best that I can be, not what someone else brings to the stage. Every day I do question what the heck I'm doing and therefore this whole journey is really proving it to myself that I can do this and that I WILL belong up on that stage. I am constantly critical of myself and hard on myself and get frustrated, upset and aggravated with myself but yet I keep on pushing. I get emotional because I feel the pressure...the pressure to do the best that I can. I know that certain people are particularly hard on me because they see potential in me and know I can succeed. I want to make people proud but most of all, I want to make myself proud and that's what I intend to do. 2 weeks! I'm on it, I'm going to be organized and structured and kill it. I'm going to bring the best that I can to that NY stage and rock it out. Because at the end of the day, doing the best that I can is all that really matters.

"All you need is love"

Honey Soy Broiled Salmon

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 scallion, minced
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tsp fresh minced ginger
1 lb center cut salmon fillet, skinned (cut into 4 portions)
1 Tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:
Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.


Tips:
How to skin a salmon fillet: Place skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.
To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add seeds and stir constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

Arnold Weekend Recap

I'm back home from an amazing weekend in Columbus, OH for the 2010 Arnold Classic Sports Festival Weekend. It was great to spend the weekend with my coaches at Cathy Savage Fitness as well as teammates. I was also able to reconnect with friends in the industry who I sadly only get to see at events such as these so that was a treat.

The weekend started on Thursday evening where some of my teammates competed in the 2010 Arnold Amateur Bikini & Fitness divisions. The show was an overall success and greatly organized. My teammates rocked the stage as usual while all of us in the audience went crazy supporting them and cheering at the top of our lungs! Big shout outs to my close friends Jess Kenney who placed 5th in the bikini short class, Annette Perry who placed 1st in the bikini short class and Nicole Moneer who placed 2nd in the bikini medium class. They truly shined on stage!

Friday we all headed to the famous Arnold Expo where every supplement company had booths. We walked around, got to visit friends working booths and overall just had a good time with each other. Later that night we watched the IFBB Women's Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure finals. As a new IFBB pro who will be crossing over into fitness, it was amazing watching these talented women get on that Arnold stage and perform. It definitely got me amped up for my pro debut!

Saturday we made our 2nd trek to the Arnold Expo, although this time it was a lot busier and we could hardly walk around! We stayed for a good amount of time and then wrapped it up quick lol. I was fortunate to shoot with the talented Lianna Saadi later that afternoon then instead of going to the after party, a bunch of us went out for a late dinner filled with good food, good drinks (none for me though lol) and some good laughs - a great way to end the trip.

Weekends like these put a lot in perspective for me. I have great friends, great coaches and great teammates. I am so lucky to be surrounded by such positive and inspirational women!

2010 Arnold Sports Festival Weekend

The 2010 Arnold Sports Festival weekend is finally here and I am so excited! The sports festival weekend kicks off on Thursday 3/4/10 and runs through Sunday 3/7/10. The weekend is filled with sports events from table tennis to power lifting, an expo comprised of fabulous sports supplement and training companies and the much anticipated Arnold Classic Bodybuilding, Ms International Female Bodybuilding, Figure International and Fitness International championships. It's a great weekend for me to meet up with old friends and to meet new ones.

Events such as these get me very excited as I can't wait to reunite with old friends, watch friends compete and to network and meet new people. It's also going to get me even more motivated for my upcoming spring shows. I love being a part of this industry and always learning more and meeting more people. It's so great to have so many similar people with similar interests in 1 city - it's all happening in Columbus, Ohio!

For many of you going - I'll see you there!

Do You Have Your Support Team?

How many of you out there truly have 100% support from your family, loved ones and friends in whatever goals & dreams that you have and wish to accomplish? 100% support doesn't mean saying "I support you" - anyone can say that. 100% support means really being there, really having your best intentions at heart and really being there for you every step of the way, through good and bad times.

When I first ventured on this fitness journey to start competing in fitness/bikini competitions, everyone around me thought that I was a little nuts and wondered why I was doing it. Did I have something to prove? Had I lost my mind? The answer was simple...I did it for me. I wanted to do more with my life. I was sick of just going through the every day motions of going to work, etc. I wanted more and deserved more out of life - we all do. However the difference between many of us is that some of us choose to just sit there and go through the motions every day while others go out there and actually make it happen. I made it happen. I changed up my routine - I changed up my workouts and my nutrition. I changed up who I started hanging out with as I found that although certain people said that they were there for me and supported me, the truth is that they really did not.

I learned through this whole process who my true friends are. My family will always be there for me regardless. Will they always approve of me bringing my own food to family events? Nooooo but they still love me for me and now understand what I do and why I do it, they've seen how happy it makes me and how determined I am. I've created a whole new support team in the form of team mates, women of all ages who are there for me through my best of times and worst of times. These women inspire me and motivate me and keep me pushing forward for more. To have a support team like this only drives my confidence and makes me a better person as I hope I do the same for them.

Regardless of whatever you're going through in life, create your support team. Find the people who inspire you and motivate you to keep pushing you further towards your goals. Take each day one by one and cherish in the good times and learn from the difficult times. A support team is so important in all aspects of life. This is what keeps me going and I'm sure it will keep you going as well. Surround yourself with positive people and get rid of the negative people who will only bring you down. Live your life and reach for those goals because every baby step you take will ultimately get you there. A support team standing behind you and rooting you on makes all the difference.

Above All Things...Love Yourself!

Today marks Valentine's Day. For some people, it's a day full of love, comfort, being with who's important to you and it's most likely filled with flowers, chocolates and teddy bears lol. For others, it can be a day to take pity on themselves for not having a significant other to share the day with. I usually don't understand why people can get so wrapped up in today, after all - it's just another day. We shouldn't let 1 day make us feel more or less important than any other day.

Today I was fortunate to spend a couple of hours with some truly amazing and inspiring women. As usual on Sundays, I headed to my coach, Cathy Savage's studio in Norwood, MA (www.cathysavagefitness.com) - little did I know what was in store for me today. We had our usual session...caught up, worked out, laughed and practiced our posing/walking in our heels. How very sexy for Valentine's Day! But the end of the session brought a lot to every women's attention and made us open up our eyes. Yes, Valentine's Day is all about love and loving others but very rarely do we take time to love ourselves. We can get so caught up in pleasing others and taking care of others, that we never take time to take care of ourselves, to love ourselves. We all participated in an exercise in which we all had to go around the room to state something that we loved about ourselves...something physical about us as most women have twisted views of themselves and their bodies. It was a great opportunity for us to go around and...love ourselves, our beings and our bodies. We are women and we're proud of who we are. It was so wonderful to all come together in a positive manner to celebrate who we are on this day - what a bonding experience.

Yes, it is certainly important to love others and to take the time to take care of those who are important to us and who we hold close to our hearts. But we cannot do that until we are truly loving ourselves. It is only then that we can fully love others and spread that wealth. I am realizing that I am very confident in who I am today and proud of the woman that I've become. I love me and am celebrating myself today! I urge you all to take the time to think about what you love about yourselves and to celebrate yourselves as well...it's a great gift!

Happy Valentines Day! xoxo

Consistency is Key

We all know that weight loss doesn't just happen overnight or within the blink of an eye. It requires hard work, focus and most importantly...consistency. You cannot achieve anything in life without consistency. As a certified personal trainer, I've heard many stories of people wanting to lose weight, but after a couple weeks and no results, they steer off track and head right back down the same road they were traveling on before. Nobody stops to realize that this road led them nowhere in the past...so what makes them think that it will lead them somewhere in the future?

If you are serious about your fitness goals and results, you must be ready, both mentally and physically, to put in the time and work required of you. Achieving a goal requires work and is certainly not easy by any means. The key is to stay focused and to stay on your path. While dieting for shows in the past, I've sometimes steered away from my diet thinking that if I have a bite of something here or there that it won't ultimately hurt me. However the truth is that these little things add up and in the end, I was not being consistent therefore I saw no results. Once I stayed on track and focused on the goal, I was well on my way to the stage.

Take the time to write down your fitness goals. Next, map out a plan of attack - maybe these fitness goals require more gym time, yoga for flexibility, more time in the kitchen cooking healthier meals and snacks. Whatever you find that will help you to get there...stay on top of yourselves and hold yourself accountable. Remember, consistency is key and consistency will pay big dividends in the end.

Healthy Superbowl Snack

BBQ Portobello Quesadillas
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 Chipotle Chili in Adobo Sauce (minced) or 1/4 Tsp Ground Chipotle Pepper
1 Tbsp plus 2 Tsp Canola Oil
1 Pound Porotbello Mushroom Caps (diced)
1 Medium Onion (diced)
4 Whole Wheat Tortillas
3/4 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Instructions:
Combine BBBQ sauce, tomato paste, vinegar & chipotle in medium bowl.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring until the onion and mushrooms begin to brown, approximately 5-7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the BBQ sauce, stir to combine. Wipe out the pan.

Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread 3 Tbsp cheese on half of each tortilla and top with one 4th (about 1/2 cup) of the filling. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.

Heat 1 Tsp oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 2 quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3-4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tsp oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve.

Time is a Ticking...

Ok folks...I am officially a little over 8 weeks out from my first pro show of the year. If you're wondering how I'm doing and how my prep is going, let me fill you in - I AM FREAKING OUT! Yes, you read that right...my usual, calm, collected self is getting nervous and scared. Now do I normally get nervous for shows? Yes, but only when I'm just about to walk on that stage and strut my stuff. I'm getting nervous so soon because I feel like there is a lot of pressure on me this year - I certainly don't want to make a fool of myself that's for sure. I'm afraid because I feel as if I won't fit in. This is a whole new ball game from what I'm used to and I'm hoping that I can just do my thing and "hang" with the big boys (or should I say the big girls lol). I'm grateful and so excited but my nerves are taking over the best of me. I keep 2nd guessing myself and that, in turns, makes me more scared. I'm realizing that I just have to keep on doing what I have been doing, train hard, be smart and just be me because in the end, that's all that I can really do. I have a fabulous theme for my fitness routine this year and the choreography is amazing. Now it's just time to buckle down, practice and get it done! If all goes well, I'll continue with fitness as I love the challenge however I'm also competing in bikini this year too. It'll be interesting to see what better suits me. In the meantime - it's dieting, cardio, lifting, yoga and routine practice! Oh and maybe some work and sleep mixed in there too! Keep checking back on me!

He's Married Y'All!

I am home from the "dirty south" y'all! On Friday morning I boarded a plane to the Carolinas to take part in my best friend, Jamie's wedding to Scarlett. A bunch of us headed down to the south to take part in the wedding festivities and what a great time we all had together. We certainly stuck out like sore thumbs as we clearly didn't belong in the south but needless to say, it was great to be together and to share in Jamie and Scarlett's big day!

Wedding Bells....

No, not for me! LOL I feel like this has been in the works and talked about for so long - my best friend, Jamie, is getting married this weekend to his fiance, Scarlett! A bunch of us are headed to South Carolina this weekend to take part in all of the wedding festivities. I'm so excited to get all of us together in order to celebrate. With everyone's busy schedules and with Jamie no longer living in the United States, it makes it difficult to all get together so this is a treat - stay tuned for pics!!!!

Reaching New Heights

So the past week I was clearly in a fog. It was a rough week for me. Do you ever have those days or weeks when everything just happens all at once and you feel so stopped in your tracks? Everything left me feeling down and out and not wanting to do much. I even hauled my training and was so disappointed in myself for that. I guess I just needed it to pass and now that it has, I'm feeling back in action and more like myself again.

As of this past Saturday, I am officially 11 weeks out from my first pro show of the year and to say I'm nervous is quite the under statement. I am having all these feelings of self doubt along with so much pressure for what lies ahead. Questions keep flying through my head like "will I be ready?", "will I look ok?" and "will I fit in?". I've second guessed myself so much within this past week that I've needed people to just reassure me that I can do it. I have the best support system and friends who believe in me and for them....I am pushing through and reaching new heights! It's back on.

Chicken & Spiced Apples

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 apples, preferably Braeburn, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/8 teaspoons herbes de Provence, (see Note), divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Instructions:
Toss apple slices with lemon juice and cinnamon in a small bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Mix 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small saucepan to a 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the seasoning mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon butter to the pan; heat over high heat. Cook the remaining chicken in the same manner.

Add broth, lemon zest, the remaining 1/8 teaspoon herbes and any accumulated juices from the chicken to the pan. Cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve with the sautéed apples.

Energizing Smoothie

ENERGIZING SMOOTHIE
(makes 3 servings, 1 cup each)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups orange juice, preferably calcium-fortified
1 banana
1 1/4 cups frozen berries, such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and/or strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat silken tofu, or low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar, or Splenda Granular (optional)


Instructions:
Combine and blend until creamy.

That Time of Year

This time of year is always somewhat sensitive for me and my family. For those of you that don't know me, my mother died unexpectedly in a car accident 20 years ago. That day forever changed my family and threw us all into a world wind. My family has never been the same since. Some years I'll find that I am completely fine and the day doesn't phase me at all. However some years I get into a little emotional rut and go figure, that happened this year. I think it's mainly because this year marks the 20th anniversary of her death. I was completely fine at work all day yesterday, got my training in and then once I got home, it hit me - wow, it's been 20 years! I have not been the same since. I am hoping that I can kick this when I wake up tomorrow. It's great to remember and it's great to celebrate her and to be close with my family. I just don't like being an emotional rut and not myself, as it's not like me at all.

Here's to the celebration of my mom's life and what she left behind. I love my family and know she'd be proud of all of us.

Vote for Me!

Help vote for me to be on the cover of Status Fitness Magazine - you can vote 5 times per day! Being on the cover of Status Fitness Magazine would be a huge accomplishment for me...thank you for your support!!!!! Just click on the link below....

Julie Costa

Living It Up

Over the holidays, I also celebrated my 30th birthday. To me, it was just another birthday and just another year older, but my family and friends convinced me that it was a big milestone and that we needed to celebrate. My sister and I decided to do something a little bit different and unique to remember my 30th birthday - we took a trapeze lesson! The picture above is of me conquering the art of trapeze. Although I am fairly strong and athletic, this certainly exceeded my wildest imagination in that it was really scary and really difficult! The lesson consisted of me, my sister and about 10 kids ranging from ages 3-12 - these kids looked like pros with no fears up there! I could certainly do it just like them, right? Wrong! Although very safe and harnessed in, I let my fears take over me. However the more I kept going up there and trying it again (still getting a wave of fear pass through me as I climbed the stairs), I felt a little bit better about the next attempt. In the very end, both my sister and I were able to hang upside down on the trapeze bar and let one of the professionals catch us from the other side - it was pretty cool! Will I be doing that again in my near future? Probably not LOL, but at least I can say that I will never forget my 30th birthday. Thanks to my sister for doing it with me and celebrating in the air!

New Year's Resolutions

January is into full effect and I am loving it! I am gearing up for a fabulous spring competition prep - this week's training has been right on and dieting is buckling down. I am feeling so much better after all the holiday gatherings, that's for sure. Things have been really picking up at the gym too - I am buuusssyyy but enjoying every moment of it.

With the new year, comes a lot of people with new year's resolutions. Many of these resolutions fall into the health and fitness category, specifically losing weight. Most gyms are now packed and jumping with people with all of these resolutions. I'm finding that a lot of people (regular gym goers) start to complain a lot about this time of year, in that they hate how busy a gym can get with all of the "new year's resolution people". The more and more I hear this, the more and more frustrated I get. Shouldn't we be happy that these people are getting up, out and to the gym in order to be healthier? Granted, the number of people sticking it through are not that high but can't we give them the benefit of the doubt? Instead of putting down these people, let's congratulate them on going for it. Maybe this type of support will make them stick through it longer than a couple of months? A little motivation and support can go a long way...

Organization is Key

It's that time of the year again...I am organizing, prepping and planning. Yup, you guessed it - I am entering full training/dieting mode for my 2010 spring shows. I spent the majority of today inside while it was snowing outside like crazy. I was so productive in that I wrote up all of my clients' workouts for the week as well as my bootcamp classes. I also had time to make new playlists for my IPod and figured out my weekly training schedule. I'm going to be trying out new things like hip hop classes and gymnastics classes in order to help with my fitness training, and I'm super excited! After that was all accomplished, I hit the grocery store and stocked up on a bunch of clean eats...I am ready to get cooking and prepping meals for the week.

I feel ready to enter my training/dieting for the spring season when I feel productive like I was today. It may seem easy to others to just hop right into training and dieting, but I like to write things out and get organized, it also helps to mentally prepare me for what's coming. With all that being said, I feel ready for what lies ahead...my first show is the first weekend in April and although that seems so far away, in reality it is not. I have a good solid 13 weeks to my first show of the season. So until then this girl is going into hibernation mode - you can find me at home or in the gym lol. EAT - TRAIN - SLEEP - REPEAT.....let's do this!

2010

The new year is finally here! Along with the new year, we are also entering a new decade - I am so excited! Although 2009 did bring many personal growths and achievements for me, I was ready to wrap the year up. I am ready for all of 2010's beginnings, challenges, rewards and personal growths. I am taking the next couple of days to get organized and to formulate my plan of attack for the next couple of months. Starting Monday, I am 100% back in full training and dieting mode for my upcoming spring shows. I am so excited and determined as this spring season will be the first time I step on the stage as a pro, I cannot wait to see what happens and what changes will occur during this time.

Be sure to keep checking back on my blog as I'll continuously be updating it with how my training/dieting is going!