As I mentioned a few days ago, a friend of mine asked for some advice on eating healthier and exercising. Like all women she wants to tone up and feel better for her overall health. Since she has celiac disease, it is a little challenging coming up with a nutrition plan for her. So I have been doing some research and wanted to share this info with all of you in case you decide you want to try it or do have this disease.

Going gluten free seems to be the latest and greatest trend among stars these days. However, anyone who is been diagnosed with celiac disease must conform to this lifestyle of eating. Celiac disease is an autoimmune genetic disease that affects the digestive system leading to damage in the small intestine and malnourishment. The symptoms of celiac disease arise when gluten, the protein found in grains wheat, rye and barley is consumed.

This type of protein is hard to avoid in any products not just bread and so gluten free diets can be hard to stick with and hard to find food to nourish your body. But there are always alternatives; you just have to do some research. The good news is that most protein powders are gluten free! But be sure to check the nutritional info! So this is a great way to add protein to your meals. You can make protein shakes, add it to your oatmeal/cereal, make protein bars, etc. Some great gluten free carbs are  sweet potatoes, white potatoes, Bob’s Red Mill buckwheat cereal, brown rice, Bob’s Red Mill mighty taste hot GF cereal, Bob’s Red Mill ground flax meal, fruits and veggies, rice cakes, organic canned beans, and specialty gluten free breads.

Curious what to drink? Water of course!! Or tea, or coffee!

Going gluten free can be difficult, but it forces you to not eat regular old baked goods and desserts which can be a good thing. However, going gluten free does not always equal being healthy. Many people who jump on the gluten free band wagon think they are being healthy but they just end up seeking the packaged gluten free products, but they are still processed foods and high in calories and carbs and missing the vital nutrients and fiber, and they end up doing more harm than good. The best option is to see the natural GF products as I mentioned sweet potatoes, oats, quinoa, buckwheat, and of course fruits and veggies. Sticking with lean protein sources, fruits and veggies should always be number one on your eating options. Before you ever make any changes to your nutrition, consult a doctor and do some research!

Here is a sample of a gluten free meal plan (this is a pre-contest phase so you’ll notice the food choices are very clean)

 Meal 1:

• 1 cup 1% No Sodium added Friendship Cottage Cheese
• 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Hot Buckwheat Cereal with
• 2 tbsp Bob's Red Mill Ground Flax Meal and
• 8 drops NOW liquid Stevia

 Meal 2:

• 6 oz baked tilapia with
• 1tbsp Smart Balance Mayo and
• 8-10 steamed asparagus spears

 Meal 3:

• 5-6 oz (pre cooked weight) Organic Chicken either baked or pan sauteed with
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1.5 cups Mixed Veggies (broccoli, carrots, cabbage, snow peas, garlic, and onions) pan sauteeed with
• 1 tbsp Gluten Free Thai Peanut Sauce (organic) and
• 4 drops NOW liquid Stevia

 Meal 4:

• 6 oz baked tilapia
• 85 grams sauteed spinach (lightly use Crisco Butter spray)
• 1 cup organic canned lentils (no sodium added)

 Meal 5:

• 6 hardboiled eggs (whites only) with
• 1tbsp Smart Balance mayo and
• 8 asparagus spears OR

• 6 oz baked tilapia with
• 8 asparagus spears

 Meal 6:

• 4 oz baked or pan sauteed organic chicken breast with
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1.5 cups Mixed Veggies (broccoli, carrots, cabbage, snow peas, garlic, and onions) pan sauteeed with
• 1 tbsp Gluten Free Thai Peanut Sauce (organic) and
• 4 drops NOW liquid Stevia

 Meal 7:

• 1 cup 1% No Sodium added Friendship Cottage Cheese

As always here is some more reading for your pleasure!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bodybuilding-helps-celiac-disease.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/are-you-a-gluten-intolerant-bodybuilder.html

Be sure to check out the recipe section, I have added some gluten free recipes!

Supplements are a great way to ensure you are getting all of your nutrients, as well as help your body recover and refuel. Personally I do not think that one feds to take every one in this list, but this is just to help you identify what would benefit you and your fitness goals. I take a multivitamin (once in the morning with breakfast), fish oil (one with breakfast and one with lunch), CLA (one with breakfast and one with lunch), and BCAA's (before and after my workout). I also take whey protein after my workouts and casein protein before bed. I believe in going the all natural way in body building so I take the least amount of pills I possibly can, but I am a big believer in protein powders, I think if you want to invest in anything start there. It is pure protein and is beneficial to anyone.

Before you begin taking anything, always consult your doctor and do some research!

1. WHEY PROTEIN
WHAT IT IS: One of milk's two proteins.
WHAT IT DOES: Whey's primary characteristic is its digestibility. Once in the body, it breaks down quickly, swiftly sending its aminos to muscle tissue. This is beneficial because there are certain times of day (first thing in the morning, before and after workouts) when the lean whole-food proteins we normally recommend (eggs, chicken breast, lean steak, fish) digest too slowly to be effective. But whey doesn't deliver only protein. It contains peptides (protein fragments) that have been suggested to help increase blood flow to muscles, which is particularly helpful before workouts, so that muscles may receive more oxygen, nutrients and hormones right when they need them.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 20 grams of whey protein (mixed in water) first thing upon waking, within 30 minutes before workouts and another 20 g within 30 minutes after training. And you can always have a scoop as a snack between meals.

2. NO BOOSTERS
WHAT IT IS: Any number of compounds that serve to increase levels of nitric oxide in the bloodstream.
WHAT IT DOES: NO relaxes the muscles that control blood vessels, which makes them increase in diameter, allowing more blood to flow through them and to muscles. Because blood carries oxygen and nutrients such as glucose, fat and amino acids, more of these getting to your muscles may help support better energy production - so you can train harder for longer - and better recovery from workouts, which means bigger muscles that can be trained more often. Blood also contains a high percentage of water, which gets pushed through those wider blood vessels into muscles to create the muscle pump you experience when you train. That pump stretches the membranes of muscle cells, which may help you by signaling the cells to grow bigger. In addition, NO may helop support lipolysis, which is the release of fat from the body's fat cells, allowing it to be burned for fuel.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Look for products that include ingredients such as arginine, citrulline, GPLC (glycine propionyl-L-carnitine) or Pycnogenol. Take one dose of an NO-boosting supplement about 30-60 minutes before workouts.

3. CAFFEINE
WHAT IT IS: Only the world's most popular stimulant drug.
WHAT IT DOES: You already know it perks you up and improves focus, but it also has been found to support a boost in muscle strength, intensity and fat loss during workouts. And it works especially well when taken with green tea extract. Caffeine promotes an increase in the amount of fat that gets released from your fat cells. Meanwhile, green tea boosts metabolic rate, which is the way the body burns fat in the bloodstream. Taking these compounds together may just be the support necessarry to ensure that the fat that caffeine has released will get burned up for energy.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 200-400 milligrams of caffeine two or three times per day, with one dose 30-60 minutes before workouts.

4. FISH OIL
WHAT IT IS: Two essential omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
 WHAT IT DOES: What doesn't fish oil do? It reduces may help support overall health, and, a biggie, it also has been found to turn on genes that stimulate fat burning.
 HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 2g of fish oil three times daily, with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

5. CASEIN PROTEIN
WHAT IT IS: The other of milk's two proteins. 
WHAT IT DOES: Though they come from the same place, whey and casein couldn't be more different. Casein is extremely slow to digest, which means it provides a steady stream of aminos over a span of several hours. That makes it ideal for certain time periods, like right before bed, when your body is about to go without food for seven to eight hours. In fact, one study performed by the Weider Research Group found that when subjects took casein protein before bed, they gained more muscle than those who took casein in the morning. Another study found that when subjects consumed a mix of whey and casein after workouts, they had improved muscle growth as compared to subjects who took just whey.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 20g of casein right before bed. Also consider combining 10g of casein with 10g of whey in your post-workout shake.

6. BCAAS
WHAT IT IS: Three aminos (isoleucine, leucine and valine) that share a branched molecular structure.
WHAT IT DOES: The unique structure of BCAAs gives them certain unique properties, all of which have physique benefits. BCAAs may help increase the length of your workouts - they can be burned as fuel by muscle tissue and they may actually help curb exercise-induced muscle fatigue. The BCAAs are also intimately involved in the creation of new muscle tissue, both as the building blocks and as the builder. Leucine, in particular, promotes protein synthesis, which is the process by which muscle grows. BCAAs may also help boost growth-hormone levels, reduce cortisol and increase levels of insulin, the anabolic hormone that's critical to replenishing muscle tissue with nutrients after workouts.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 5-10 g of BCAAs with preworkout and postworkout shakes.




7. CREATINE
WHAT IT IS: An amino-acid-like compound that occurs naturally in muscle tissue
WHAT IT DOES: Creatine's most basic function is to help muscles create fast energy during exercise. Taking supplemental creatine may help increase the amount of energy the body has to draw upon, supporting increased endurance and strength. The compound also draws water into muscle cells, increasing their size and causing a stretch that can yield growth.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 2-5 g of creatine (depending on the form you use) before and after workouts with pre- and post-workout shakes.

8. BETA-ALANINE
WHAT IT IS: A nonessential amino acid.
WHAT IT DOES: When beta-alanine meets another amino acid, histidine, a beautiful thing happens: They get together and form a compound called carnosine. Carnosine has been suggested to improve muscle size, strength and endurance and support fat loss. Since the amount of carnosine the body can produce is directly dependent on how much beta-alanine is present, it makes sense to supplement with beta-alanine.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 1-3 g of beta-alanine immediately before and immediately after workouts.

9. CLA
WHAT IT IS: A healthy fat that just happens to be an omega-6 fatty acid.
WHAT IT DOES: Although other omega-6 fats are not so healthy, primarily because Americans tend to get too much of them in their diet, CLA is different. Numerous studies suggest it supports fat loss while simultaneously promoting muscle growth and strength. It's main mechanism appears to support a boost in metabolism. It also appears to promote burning more fat during sleep, thereby sparing muscle tissue.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take about 2g of CLA three times daily, with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

10. CALCIUM
WHAT IT IS: An essential mineral.
WHAT IT DOES: Just about everyone knows that calcium is intrinsically linked to bone health, but did you know that it's also required for muscle contraction? Without adequate calcium, muscles won't contract properly. And research suggests this unassuming mineral can also help spur fat loss. This may be because calcium decreases the amount of dietary fat that's absorbed by the intestines and suppresses a hormone called calcitriol, which is responsible for reducing fat burning.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 500-600 mg of calcium twice a day.

11. VITAMIN D
WHAT IT IS: The sunshine vitamin.
WHAT IT DOES: New research keeps coming; most of it supporting Vitamin D's ample health benefits. Vitamin D is associated with greater muscle strength - interacting with receptors on muscle fibers to activate genes that increase muscle strength and growth. As a plus, D may help support fat loss, especially when taken in conjunction with calcium.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take about 2,000 international units of vitamin D twice per day at the same time you take calcium.

12. GREEN TEA EXTRACT
WHAT IT IS: The active ingredients in green tea, particularly the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate.
WHAT IT DOES: EGCG blocks an enzyme that normally breaks down norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter/hormone related to adrenaline that increases metabolic rate and fat burning, keeping norepinephrine levels higher. Green tea extract also has been suggested to help support enhanced muscle recovery after intense workouts, as well as aid in supporting healthy joint function.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take about 500 mg of green tea extract standardized for EGCG three times daily before meals, with one dose about 30-60 minutes before workouts.

13. B COMPLEX 100
WHAT IT IS: A series of essential vitamins.
WHAT IT DOES: Think of it this way: B makes you buzz. The suite of B vitamins is critically involved in helping your body derive energy from the nutrients you eat and helping get oxygen to muscle tissue. Feeling rundown and lacking energy? It's likely because you're deficient in B vitamins, a common trait of hard-training individuals. Certain B vitamins have additional benefits - riboflavin can help the body digest and use the protein you're eating to make sure you're building muscle properly, and folic acid, in addition to being essential to fetal health, is involved in NO production in the body.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Look for a B complex 100, which will provide 100 mg of most of the B vitamins, including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5) and pyridoxine (B6), as well as at least 100 micrograms of cobalamin (B12), folic acid (B9) and biotin (B7).

14. VITAMIN C
WHAT IT IS: An essential vitamin.
WHAT IT DOES: At the first sign of a tickle in your throat you probably start main-lining the C. That's good, because the vitamin has been suggested to help support immune system function. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is also involved in the synthesis of hormones, amino acids and collagen and, on top of all that, it destroys free radicals, created from exercise and other stressors, that break down nitric oxide. Sparing NO from free-radicals helps support higher NO levels, and higher NO levels may promote increased muscle endurance, a reduction in exercise-enduced fatigue and increased support for lean muscle growth and strength.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Take 1,000 mg twice a day with meals.

15. MULTIVITAMIN
WHAT IT IS: A blend of adequate amounts of major micronutrients.
WHAT IT DOES: Put simply, a multivitamin/multimineral complex fills in all the nutritional gaps in your diet. And, although we suggest you supplement separately with calcium and vitamins B, C and D, you should still take a standard multi. It may help support against the possibility of deficiencies in some of the other vitamins and minerals that can result from reduced food variety or calorie intake (read: dieting) and increased vitamin loss from exercise. Being deficient in many of these micronutrients can lead to low energy levels and restrict muscle growth, strength gains and fat loss.
HOW TO TAKE IT: Look for a multi that provides a minimum of 100% of the daily value of C, D, E and most of the B-complex vitamins and at least 100% of zinc, copper and chromium. Take it once per day with a meal, such as breakfast.

I am so sorry that I have not posted in a while. With school starting and my work schedule, every day has been crazy busy. But I have gotten into a good schedule and working on my own healthy eating and exercise again. Since I took a vaca from exercising, I decided to stick with my same workout and reps to ease myself back into it and revitalize my body again. In a week or two I will lower my reps and increase my weight lifting, while decreasing my cardio (if I can!!).

Recently I have been chatting with a friend about eating more healthy, but how to keep it from not being boring. Often we associate healthy eating with boring and bland food such as oat meal and brown rice. These are two great healthy options and keep you feeling full, but often it can get boring, which is why we need to remember to treat ourselves at least once a week to give into those cravings and reward ourselves, but to stay on the health train and not binge. My advice is always add fruits, veggies and spices to anything you are making. Add some strawberries, apples or bananas to your oatmeal,a nd maybe with some cinnamon and milk if you want. For rice, add some steamed veggies and spices to make it flavorful. Always add some dry rubs and spices to your meats, or marinate them in some dressing for about 10min before cooking. There are so many recipes and different styles of cooking too. Cook on the grill, the over the stove, etc. You can make a soup and put your veggies, meat and potatoes all in one meal. Or make a wrap with meat and veggies, or of course a large salad with everything but the kitchen sink!

Play around with your food and see what you like best and don't be afraid to spice up your food. It doesn't have to be boring, but it does not have to ooze of butter and salt either. Try this recipe for crepes or change it up and make it for dessert by adding some chocolate and fruit! http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/recipes/entrees/1238-ratatouille-veggie-stuffed-crepe.html or a quick breakfast!
 http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/dietrx/1654-quick-a-easy-breakfast.html
Or some healthy grilling ideas for dinner! http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/healthy-grilling-marinades?page=6
 

 

I think I have figured out the reason I have been struggling to get back on track. I think I am burnt out and have been overworking my body. For a while there I was doing a ton of cardio simultaneously with lifting weights, in addition to running on my off days and sometimes not even giving myself much of a break. I was becoming obsessed with eating way too clean and exercising too too much every day and not giving myself a break. I think I didn’t increase my calorie consumption which I should have since I was doing so much exercise, and somewhere along the line I ran out of energy. My body became tired very quickly and it wasn’t being fueled with enough food.  I was not eating a cheat meal a week and deprivation of cheat food definitely leads to binging at some point or another on bad food.

I was actually doing more harm than good to my body which led me to this exercise slump and cheat food rage. I could have also injured my body in the process since I was not taking good care of it. But, since I have a few days until school starts I think I will take a break from exercising but try and stay active by walking a lot, doing some yard work and trying to run outside. I think I am going to spend this time with my parents since all of my sisters have just recently moved away to college L And I am the only one living at home so it will be nice to have a little mini vaca before I begun all the hard work ahead of me and take some bonding time with my parents. Than when I start up again next week I can fall in love with exercising again, because I really love it, and for a while there I was not looking forward to my gym time and I was burning myself out.

The key to good health and wellness is to listen to our bodies and find what is right for us. We all lose and gain weight differently and we need to be aware of our bodies needs. We can be educated on what to do, but sometimes our goals can lead us a stray and striving for perfection can make us a little nutty. Being too healthy can hurt our bodies too. We need to give it breaks and rewards as well. I think that a good break allows us to relax a little and reap in the rewards of all the hard work we have put into our bodies. And by the time our mini break is over, once we get back in the gym we will fall in love with exercising all over again, at least for me this usually works. After a mini break it is like rediscovering the world of health and fitness again and I have that momentum to go in with a great plan and conquer it!

Here is a great article on overtraining and when it can be too much http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/training/1323-how-much-is-too-much.html And here is a great one for getting back in the ring and burning off those extra calories http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/cardio/1219-burn-1000-extra-calories-a-day-and-lose-weight-fast.html

Following a diet, changing your routines and saying no to junk food is all relative to wanting to lose weight or healthy up. But don't think that everything will get accomplished at once, and that just because you set goals for yourself, that you will never fail. Because we are all human, and yes we fail but we get back up and try again. That's what makes champions and what will help us reach and exceed our goals and expectations of ourselves. Looking back all summer, I was pretty strict with my eating and exercising, so the past couple of days when I slipped up, I was ready to just be a fat person again and not care, and enjoy my sweets. But honestly I went on sweets over load, and do not even want to see chocolate or ice cream for a long time. But the fact is, a few extra calories of junk in a few days is not going to erase all the hard work I put in all summer, and it shouldn't. Because it takes at least 4 weeks to see any changes in your body, 8 weeks  for friends and family to notice, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world. But don't wait for the 12 weeks, celebrate every week! Because every goal accomplished, little or big is a celebration of your hard work and dedication. And if you need some extra motivation, imagine you completing all your goals and setting new ones to break!

As we all know, when we look at someone’s body who we admire or envy we most often think of those tight washboard abs. But how do we achieve that for ourselves? It takes a lot of hard work and dedication in the gym and especially in the kitchen. We cannot spot reduce abs, and to uncover them we must have a low percentage of body fat, which is even harder for women since we are meant to have more fat on us (because our bodies are made to carry babies!). However, this does not mean it is an unattainable goal, it just means we have to work a little harder. But keep in mind that our genes almost always play a role in abs, some of us are born with good genes to easily attain abs while others might have to do a little more cardio or be a little more careful with their eating. The secret to abs is always cardio though, with a mix of abs exercises and of course a healthy and clean meal plan. Here is some good ab advice http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/training/1603-ab-advice-nicole-wilkins.html  Personally for me, I have horrible ab genes and have to be super strict and do a ton of cardio to even have a flat stomach, let alone see my abs! But we all have them and I am determine to get them just like everyone else!!

Also, another topic I have mentioned before is recovery and rest for muscles from all the hard training we put our bodies to. Those rest days can be complete rest days which means only doing the day to day activities, or active rest which can include some sort of light exercise such as walking or yoga, etc. Active rest is imperative to build muscle and recover. This article gives a little more background on the subject http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/training/1610-active-rest.html  And if you may be looking to switch things up or challenge your body here is a great circuit workout to try http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/training/1591-circuit-training.html Circuit training burns more calories since it gets your heart rate up and it is also done in a shorter amount of time so it is great for a quick work out day. I like to weight train four days a week and do cardio and abs two days, and the last day is my rest day from all exercising activities, but find what works best for you and stick to it!

I mentioned yoga as a great active rest activity, but another kind is bikram yoga. I have not tried it myself but I hear wonderful things about it. Many people use it to shed some extra pounds and because they just like to sweat a lot! It is an intense form of HOT yoga. It’s great for weight loss, cardiovascular activity, stretching, reducing pain, circulation, and even balance. Check it out! http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/alternative-styles/1487-bikram-yoga-what-a-why.html

As I mentioned yesterday, since I had been treating myself all weekend it has been extremely hard to get my mind set back on the healthy track. This morning and last night my cravings were intense and I could not resist! I came home from work very late and I will admit to eating a nice size of ice cream and some fudge. It was oh so good. I had been starving at work and planned to come home and just sleep but that was impossible as my stomach kept growling. However instead of grabbing some fruit, veggies, or cottage cheese I went straight to the freezer. There was a new kind of Phillies ice cream with chocolate and graham, all I have to say is delicious! This morning it was calling my name too even after I ate breakfast! I know I am so ashamed of myself.

However, I got up the courage to get my butt to the gym and it felt so good to feel my muscles working hard and that is the best motivation for me. I tried reading some health magazines but my mind was not in it. Everyone says exercise and healthy eating go hand in hand. I definitely agree it works the best for me. After putting in all the effort and hard work who wants to throw it all away with some crap food that is nutrient dense and will not fuel your workouts either. While working out I could feel the ice cream, it did not feel so good. Now I know why ice cream is not on the list for pre-workout or breakfast food!

These past couple months I have had great will power in saying no to junk foods and simply telling my mind they are not in my nutrient meal plan. As I struggle to get back on track, I know I will get there because I have gotten there before and it is all in how much we want it and how much we are willing to work for it. Here’s a great article for getting back on track and making steps towards your goals http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/12_fitness_planning_steps.htm  And another great one for pre and post workout meals http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/pre-and-post-meals-bookend-your-workouts.html

I just want to stress that for me it is not all about just being SKINNY. My goals are to gain muscle strength as well as be lean. This is why I am doing a muscle gaining and cutting phase. I want to feel and be strong in my body and my mind. By being strong enough to say no to the bad food most of the time and rewarding my body with nutritious food it can use to fuel my lifestyle and workouts, and in turn my body will grown in strength and endurance. My body and mind will be healthy, which is what we all strive for. I have learned so much about what food can do for your body and it really is the best medicine for your body. When I look at junk food and I know how much extra sodium, salt, etc. is in there and that is not what my body needs, so that helps me avoid junk. I eat to live not live to eat. My clean eating and whole foods method works to fuel my workouts and I will be increasing my food consumption when I do my muscle gaining phase in order to lift more weight and become stronger, but then when I go into my cutting phase I will be able to lose fat quicker because I have more muscle. Here is a great nutrition 101 breakdown http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/nutrition-good-bad-better.html And another great forum on incorporating cheat meals http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/cheat_meal_use.htm

I am so sorry for my absence in my blog writing, but I took a little venture and went camping!! It was a lot of fun and nice to be excluded from technology and just be in the moment. It was a great experience and my first time actually sleeping in a tent! We had a nice spot under the trees and were surrounded by natures finest. There were many other elaborate trailers there with their families, but I liked the tent experience and cooking over the fire and everything. If you have never tried it, I suggest doing so it’s a great get away and really puts you at peace. Sitting by the campfire at night and roasting marshmallows, and just being able to relax and enjoy the wild. We were also by a small river and the water running made it even more peaceful. I was nervous I would have trouble falling asleep with all the crickets and noises but I had no trouble, and being able to wake up to the sun shining is wonderful. Also, there is always a nice trail to run at camp sites!

  Of course the issue is that you do not have many cooking options but we came prepared with healthy food and cooked on a mini grill and over the fire. For breakfast we had eggs and turkey bacon and lunch we cooked up some burgers and veggies. Dinner consisted of some broccoli and salmon burgers! They were delicious, however we had sweet potatoes to cook but they took entirely too long over the fire. Instead we treated ourselves to some ice cream. I got white chocolate truffle ice cream with dark raspberry filled candies, it was amazing! Matt got a combination of cotton candy, party cake and something else, and that was delicious as well! When I cheat, ice cream is always the way to go!

Yesterday I also went to Knoebels Park and had ice cream again! I know I am really making this weekend a complete cheat week! I had a small bowl of party cake ice cream and then proceeded to help my uncle eat his banana split! It was oh so delicious; they really know how to make them there! The vanilla chocolate and strawberry ice cream was delicious with its peanuts and pineapple toppings. I don’t think I have had one in a couple of years, and everything always tastes so much better after you have not had it for a long time. Moderation is key and when you do treat yourself make it a good one!

Today I have had a little struggle getting back on track. I woke up with chocolate cravings! So I had oatmeal and fruit for breakfast with some m&ms. I know I know I feel badly about it now but sometimes you just have to satisfy those cravings, just don’t binge and get right back on track with your healthy eating! Reading a health article or magazine always helps me, or looking at your goals. Here’s a great link for camping preparations! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/10_healthy_camping_tips.htm

Eating healthy on a daily basis is oh so difficult but as always I stress preparation as the number one key for success. So, if you are thinking about going grocery shopping, or have decided to purge your pantry and go healthy here’s a good article http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/grocery_shopping_women.htm and another for a budget friendly list http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-100-dollar-diet-healthy-grocery-list.html

As life goes, we all have the choice to make our own decisions and choose the option that is best for us. This applies to training as well. My question today is, is there a specific or right or wrong time to train? Many people will give you different answers, but in all honesty it is totally up to you. Are you a morning person or a night person? That is how I always answered this question for myself. Growing up and playing sports I was used to playing team sports in the afternoon after class, however when faced with the option I always loved waking up and exercising. I find that I have the most energy and I can function better and it is what my body responds best to. Now it’s not to say I cannot exercise any other time, but as the day moves along I find myself needing to grab an extra cup of coffee or some sort of energy jolt to plow through my exercise routines. However, sometimes we don’t have the luxury to choose based on our schedules or other routines in life. So we must adjust and do what is best for us.

However if you do feel like you could use some more energy try switching up the times or if you don’t have much time do a short cardio session and then weight lift later, or vice versa and it will help break up your workout so it is not as long and you won’t feel like your exercising forever and you’ll have more recovery time and energy for both sessions. If you cannot adjust your workout session I do suggest drinking a small cup of black coffee about twenty minutes before you exercise or if you must do it all at once, do your cardio after your weight training. I know I know, it does not taste great, but trust me it works! I only began drinking coffee four years ago at college and in the last year have just begun to not use as much sugar/creamer and in the past few months just begun to drink it black. If you do choose to drink it black make sure it is a decent quality, because if it is a cheapo brand it will taste disgustingly like mud! Also if you are a midday exerciser, make sure you have some sort of clean carbs/protein mix to fuel your body because food is fuel and we do need it to live. Starving our bodies is not the way to go. Many of you may know that by starving our bodies for long periods of time, our body goes into saving mode and holds onto all our fat even more because it has no new fuel to survive on which makes it harder to lose weight (i.e. body fat). The trick is to eat often and eat clean. Here is a little more explanation to this theory http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/fat-loss/1279-eat-more-lose-more.html

Another issue I would like to highlight is doing cardio in the am on an empty stomach. This is totally a preference issue and can be argued for and against till the end of time. Personally I cannot do this because I wake up and my belly needs food as fuel to do anything let alone begin exercise! When I sleep I am obviously not eating and I try to get 8 hours of sleep tho I often run on 6 hours, but this is the longest period of time for my body to not be fueled and so it needs that food asap. Eating within one hour of waking is optimal! There is research to back up doing about 20min of cardio on an empty stomach and it is supposed to be the best for targeting fat burning in your body, but honestly I just cannot do it. I love morning runs outside but I need at least a protein bar or cereal or something to get me motivated. I think it is a theory you can try if you want but if your tummy grumbles when you wake up, don’t even try it!

Here’s a great argument for morning exercisers http://amanda-russell.com/fitness/tips-and-advice/is-there-really-a-best-time-to-exercise/ and here is a good one for best time for cardio http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek34.htm and best time for weight training http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek70.htm Here is some advice and explanations http://www.jameskohler.com/Burn-Fat-and-Preserve-Muscle-with-Effective-Cardiovascular-Training-Methods.html

As always, my advice is to listen to your body first and then decide what is best personally for you. We are all different shapes and sizes and have different goals and lifestyles, so there is never one clear cut answer. Happy exercising and WEDNESDAY to you! 

The more I get into fitness, the more every muscle and body part seems just as important as any other. The glute muscles are ones that I have often over looked and it shows, because I have always had a very nonexistent butt! However throughout the years it has gotten way more tight and toned from incline running, the elliptical and especially from squats and lunges. There are so many variations of squats and lunges that your glutes should be amazing! I decided to pick up the latest edition of Oxygen's other magazine, GLUTES! It is amazing what your butt can do for you. By strengthening the glutes you can help your knees and hips and take some stress off of them when you are working out, if your glutes are stronger. Also, the butt is something all women strive to show off as one of their assets. So even if you have none, or yours if flat as a pancake, or its super perky, your glutes and your other muscles will thank you for working them out. Every week I do legs and it amazes me that my glutes are always sore the next day, which means there is always room for improvement! As always, a clean diet is imperative to see results. 

As always here is some more reading on glutes! http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/win-the-day/1173-booty-building.html 
Bikini Pro Jaime Baird has great glutes!
http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/lifestyle/cover-model-insider/1504-cover-model-insider-with-jaime-baird.html 
So does cover girl Ainsley McSorley
http://www.oxygenmag.com/Cover-Girls/Cover-Girl-Insider/Glutes-Special-Ainsley-McSorely.aspx