Fall is in the air and we’re covering back up.  Make your Statement IN or OUT of the Gym with your Off the Shoulder GYM DOLL pull over!

Details HERE

GYM DOLL’s Unite

In the Kitchen with Wild Will

Looking outside, it is clear that summer is no longer here. It is now officially Fall! I love the fall season for one major reason and that reason is PUMPKIN!! This time of year everything becomes pumpkin spiced or flavored. My personal favorite is Pumpkin bread; I could eat it all day every day. However, if I did eat traditional pumpkin bread day in and day out my body would become very doughy; pun fully intended. So I have decided to create my own recipe for Protein Pumpkin Bread. This is by far one:  Wild Will’s Protein Pumpkin Bread!

Ingredients

1 ½ Scoop of Casein vanilla protein powder

3 TBSP Egg Whites

¼ cup plain Greek Yogurt

½ cup canned pumpkin

2 TBSP Truvia

¼ cup Coconut Flour

1 TBSP Nutmeg

2 TBSP Cinnamon

1 TBSP All Spice

1 TBSP Pumpkin Pie Spice

(Yes I know pumpkin pie spice has all those spices however you need to add the extra teaspoons to cover the Greek yogurt taste)

¼ cup water

Directions

Very simple!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl.

Mix all ingredients till you have nice thick dough (more…)

This Time baby, I’ll be bullet Proof

Some of you may remember last Fall when I was “prepping” for my 1st Fitastic booth showing on November 16^th. I had done prep for 9 weeks and dropped nearly 50lbs. I felt great, I looked great but my attitude was not great. I didn’t have a bad attitude, I had the wrong attitude. I kept telling myself 9 more weeks, now 8 more weeks and then I can eat the foods I want. I followed my meal plan 100% for 9 straight weeks and as soon as November 17^th hit it was BAM back to the way I used to eat.  Only temporary I told myself, I earned it I said, I’ll be able to bounce back. Um…Nope! Not so much. I put about 25 of the pounds back on within a few weeks and learned a very hard lesson early in a career as a future competitor.

My mindset was all wrong. I had this mindset that this meal plan, this life was temporary and it wasn’t. That was never the deal Coach and I made; it just reared its head throughout the 9 weeks.  I would go fill up on gas and see a candy bar and think only a few weeks and then you’re mine. I would drive past Taco Bell, only a few more days. I just told myself I would eat badly for a few days and then go back on prep. Problem was I had denied myself for so long, and only thought it was temporary, that when I started to eat some of those foods again I couldn’t stop. My one time a week cheat meal turned into a few times a week cheat meal. I wasn’t prepping my food like I was. I wasn’t nearly as disciplined. I was also around the wrong group of people.

I had just switched to the Orland Park location with Life Time Fitness. Most of the male trainers were “bodybuilders” and by that I mean they sometimes competed in local shows and took huge amounts of performance enhancing substances. Since it was then into the winter months, it was all about bulking. Which Coach wanted me to do but not in this way. I would see them pound down food, so I thought well I’m bulking too and did just the same. It was a lot of bad influences. Then I quit Life Time and turned my life upside down which lead to lots of added stress which lead to stress eating, which in my mind was OK because “I was bulking”.

Well the past is the past my friends!

I am currently “prepping” for two shows this fall to represent Fitastic; Badger State in October and Kevin Noble in November. I am following a (more…)

Ever had “one of those days” where you have to force yourself to get up, get dressed, and get your butt in the gym? I’ll be honest. Even I have those days every now and then. Today happened to be one of them. For about two hours this morning I kicked around the thoughts, “Maybe I won’t go today. I’ll work extra hard tomorrow. One day isn’t the end of the world. Come on Heather, get up and go. Ok, fine!” I knew that had I decided not to go, I would regret it later. So I got myself in gear and finally made it to the gym.

As I’m going through the motions trying to find my happy place I catch myself looking in the mirror picking myself apart between every set. Why can’t my progress come quicker? Why aren’t my shoulders rounder yet? Why are my calves so stubborn? Why can’t next year be here so I can be a lean machine again? But do you want to know what bothered me more than any of these things? I’m wishing time away. As if it doesn’t already go by fast enough. I have caught myself doing so on more than one occasion. Wishing to see what the results will look like in 6 months. In one year. In 5 years. I know they say times flies when you’re having fun, but I can’t believe how quick this last year and a half or so went! Did it go by so fast because it really DID just fly by or because I’m wishing for this or wishing for that to come sooner and letting time pass me by?

   I need to learn to SLOW DOWN which is hard to do when the word slow is not in my vocabulary. I have enjoyed the journey every step of the way. The good, the bad, and everything in between. But I need to always remember that as long as I am giving 110%, the results WILL come just as they have all along. Sometimes I get caught up in where everyone else is not thinking that I too will be just where I’m supposed to when the time comes. I have friends who are already looking lean and mean for the upcoming fall shows and watched Olympia competitors completely shredded making history that make me second guess myself. Hello Heather! Half the fun of getting back up there is what it takes to get there!

So maybe my shoulders aren’t as round as I’d like yet. They sure are a heck of a lot bigger than they were since I competed in June. Sure, my calves are pretty stubborn. You better believe this next year they’ll take (more…)

Cheat meal myths-HBombs

 Well first let me start off by saying I hate the words “cheat meal.” It’s not something that you should feel the need to hide or feel guilty about. I prefer to use the words “treat meal.” After all, it is nice to treat yourself to something good after working hard in the gym all week! So let’s talk about a couple of myths that come along with this.

 Myth #1: Treat meals will hinder your progress.

  Treat meals CAN definitely hinder your progress if you’re having them too often or completely gorging yourself every time. I have a friend who once told me their old coach said to go out to eat on Saturday nights and eat until you want to puke! Yea, DON’T do that. I generally have 1 SOMETIMES 2 treat meals a week depending on whether I’m in prep for a show or not. In prep I limit myself to one a week (none once I hit the 4 week out mark), and usually have it on a day where I am expending a large amount of calories to refuel my body. Also, I try to have it on a different day from week to week to keep my body from getting used to it. Treat meals can be a good way to shock the body and keep your metabolism in check. The morning after a treat meal I always wake up feeling tighter and more filled out believe it or not! They are also a good way to keep you from slipping up on your diet. When you have something to look forward to you’re more likely to stick to a structured plan in the meantime. Be smart about it. Remember portion control. Sure, have an appetizer with your meal OR dessert OR a drink or two. A treat meal is not an excuse to go on an all out binge!

 Myth #2: A whole cheat day can’t throw me off course. 

   Think about this. It’s the weekend and you decide to make a hearty breakfast at home with your significant other, meet for lunch at Applebee’s with your parents, snack throughout the day, head to dinner with your friends at Olive Garden, then out for drinks afterwards. Let’s just say on the low end you consumed around 3,000 calories between 3 meals, a breadstick, salad, and 4 jack and diet cokes. This isn’t including anything between meals, if you added an appetizer at lunch, a dessert with dinner, traded those drinks for margaritas, etc. For reference 3,500 calories=1 lb. Maybe in the grand scheme of things 1 lb doesn’t seem like a lot, but it will take you longer to burn off those calories than it did to consume them. Is one day worth the time it will set you back and the way it will cause you to feel? Again, be smart!

 Always have your goals in mind. What is most important to you? Enjoy things in moderation, but know when enough is enough!

 Cheat Meal Facts-Wild Will

 That’s our girl Heather laying the smack down on the myths behind cheat or as we now treat meals. It’s time for Wild Will to bring your facts regarding the ever controversial treat meal .

 Fact #1: A treat meal WILL keep you on a steady lifestyle meal plan

It’s not just about prepping for show. It’s mostly about prepping for life and (more…)

Make leg day the best day in your routine with your own OH MY QUAD!  Tank and/or V-neck

Available in these exciting varieties:

MEN’S

Neon Green V-Neck

Neon Blue V-Neck

Black Soft T

Military Green Soft T

WOMEN’S

Neon Pink Tank

Neon Blue Tank

Neon Green Tank

Pink V-Neck

Pink Tank

Make your Statement in Style!

- Team Fitastic

Don’t you know that you’re Toxic

“You’re Toxic I’m slipping under, With a taste of your poison paradise, I’m addicted to you, Don’t you know that you’re Toxic” ~Britney Spears

Given all the media hoopla around the food and drinks going into our bodies’ one would think Britney Spears sang this song about the

Has NO background in health or nutrition. None!

Pumpkin Spice Latte. Or maybe she was singing about Soda, or candy, or chocolate bars or any other sugary snack currently on the market. Then again it doesn’t even have to be sugar, the word “toxic” is getting add to food articles the same way “style” gets added to fashion correlation.

So I’m here to bring the truth about what “toxic” actually means. Not from a source known as the “FoodBabe”with no educational background in nutrition or fitness. Now don’t get me wrong here, I am not an advocate of downing sugary foods and drinks filled with fake sugars. We all know those are not healthy. Scare tactics and false information however is a huge problem. It causes people not to trust any source of information and attempt to convince us that everything is bad for you to just screw it and join the “it’s ok to be fat movement” because we’re screwed anyways. That is the problem here folks. You have these so called experts using words they don’t understand. You will read here what toxicity and toxin actually mean. Along with the facts on what kind of toxicity is an actual problem.

As always let’s start with the science.

Is this on your food label? No. Then its not TOXIC

Toxicity is defined as the degree to which a substance can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell (cytotoxicity) or an organ such as the liver(hepatotoxicity).

A Toxin is defined as a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; synthetic toxicants created by artificial processes are thus excluded.

Gee, now does any of that happen when your drink a Pumpkin Spice Latte?

So thanks to use of false statements we have everyone doing “detox”. It’s all about getting the “toxins” out of our bodies. This is done by (more…)

September Athlete of the Month

 IFBB Pro Ashlee Adams

As we enter September and the summer season changes to fall, we at Fitastic are changing as well. Our Athlete of the month is transitioning to Transformation and Athlete of the Month. Going forward our featured person will be a mix of Athletes and every day folk all of whom have overcome both mental and physical transformations. You will also be hearing from our featured person directly. This inspirational person will be writing their story in their own words to bring you closer to them. Along with five interview questions asked by myself (Wild Will) to dig deeper into their story, their struggle, their success. You will also be able to follow him or her for the month as they pick an exclusive Training Program from Fitastic. Get excited for updates, pictures and videos as they take you through their Fitastic development and results. Those of you currently on programs can follow along right with them. We are a community at Fitastic; we support, help and inspire each other.

We are kicking off this new season with a BOOM!! Our September Athlete Ashlee Adams as you will soon read began using serious drugs and abusing alcohol at a very young age. Read her story on how she pulled herself out from becoming just another junkie with no future to becoming a Bikini IFBB Pro this year at Chicago Jr. Nationals. Fun Fact: Ashlee is our first IFBB Pro. Here is her story.

Before Fitness

“My story starts when I was in middle school, I was very active- involved with cheerleading, track, and gymnastics. Great student, great family as well. However around 13 years old I got myself involved with the wrong crowd of people. I started drinking and using drugs around this time and I continued to use substances until right after I turned 21. My grades started to slip, I was missing school, had been in and out of jail numerous times before I even graduated high school. Eventually everyone caught on and my family had tried so many times to get me help but at that point in my life people, including myself, thought I was a lost cause. At 17 when I graduated I moved to Chicago where I attempted to attend college at an art school, I had completely given up on any sort of fitness or wellness at this time and started drinking and using drugs every single day. Towards the end of my freshman year of college I started to realize I had a serious problem but I still wasn’t willing to give it up or get help for myself. I moved back home to Grand Rapids, MI and my life continued to be a complete chaotic, messy blur for the next 3 years. I lost all my friends, family had no idea how to help me anymore, my mental state was so out of line that I couldn’t see reality what so ever. I was depressed, alone, scared, lost, and confused. I had attempted suicide more than 3 times, was in and out of hospitals, and couldn’t think of anything except when and where I’d get my next drink or drug. I had shut out everyone, completely changed into a different person and had lost all hope. I completely lost myself to the disease of addiction and it wasn’t until 3 weeks after I turned 21 something hit me. I had reached a bottom, got the gift of desperation and found some willingness inside of me to change. I checked in to Brighton Recovery Hospital the next day and stayed for 60 days. At Brighton was where I found fitness. I remember we had a counselor named Mike- real old school, straight to the point guy. He also ran the gym… we had one treadmill, one elliptical, some machines and a punching bag. He taught me how to hit that bag harder than I have ever hit before. He told me to pick up an old punching bag, throw it over my shoulder and run down the hall. He screamed “that bag is all the weight you’ve been carrying for years Ashlee, do you feel that?” I came back to the gym and he told me to hit the bag with a baseball bat as hard as I could as many times as I wanted to. I have never felt a more freeing experience in my life! Brighton Hospital had saved my life in more ways than one. (more…)

In the Kitchen with Wild Will

Protein Oreo Cookies

I’m back! Don’t worry if you thought my treat ideas had dried up you were sadly mistaken. I am coming back in big, huge way too. Fitastic’s very own Fitness Diva Heather Hayes made a special request. Heather is a big fan of Oreo cookies. Just go through her Instagram feed (HBombs) and you will see multiple pictures of her Oreo obsession. Sadly Heather, like all of us living a healthy lifestyle is not able to eat Oreo cookies on a day to day basis. She came to me along her teammate Aimee with a request to find or create a recipe for Protein Oreo Cookies.  After a few attempts and failures I have created a great tasting Oreo cookie that you can eat guilt free. Now these are not like your standard Oreos. The cookie itself is quiet thick and dense. Still moist but dense, this way you want be able to eat a bunch of them in one sitting. One cookie should satisfy your need, maybe two if you are bulking. Please post your comments and special requests on my Face Book page (Will Wilson). I will do my very best to create a healthy alternative for nearly any dessert or snack food you give me. Be sure to follow all our Fitastic antics on Twitter @feelfitastic and Instagram @teamfitastic. Join the movement.

FOR THE COOKIES

1. 1 egg
2. 1/4 cup unsweeted applesauce
3. 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4. 1 tsp baking powder
5. 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
6. 1 TBSP cup honey
7. 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
8. 1/4 cup almond meal

FOR THE FILLING

1. 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
2. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3. 1 1/2 scoop vanilla casein protein

(Short on time? Or have a peanut butter craving? Skip the cream filling and use peanut butter instead)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Combine almond meal, cocoa powder, egg, applesauce, vanilla, honey, baking powder and chocolate protein powder. Plop into Oreo sized cookies on a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
2.  For the frosting, blend cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and vanilla casein protein. When cookies are cooled, place frosting between the cookies.

(more…)

You’ve experienced the previously blogged Science of Fat Loss benefits to Strength Training, Eating Habits, H.I.I.T., and now the 4th and final component to sustainable Fat Loss that will lead the healthier life that you deserve…

SLEEP- The strategic implementation of Strength Training, Diet and H.I.I.T principles to accelerate “Fat Loss”, have been proven to improve healthier lifestyle behaviors over the last 20 years in my committed experience. I would be providing the COMPLETE method of sustainable Fat Loss an injustice if the importance of proper and adequate rest wasn’t at the forefront of the processs.  Besides, Who doesn’t feel amazing and energized after a complete uninterrupted night of sound sleep?  Sleep and rest have its obvious extrinsic benefits, but it’s a lack of result oriented awareness of hormonal and chemical messages that sleep provides.

If anyone were to ask me what is the single most important thing they should be doing right now to lose fat immediately, short of changing what’s on the end of their fork, I would emphatically respond with a focus on their SLEEP!  This will literally get them in the direction of change overnight.  Even one poor night of sleep you will make you (more…)