This Is My Confession…
I’m baaaaaaack!!
So I fell off the grid for a little bit. Where was I you might ask? Oh I was just over here binge eating and feeling sorry for myself. Yes, you read that right. I fell OFF the wagon! The holidays had come and gone, and here I was 8 pounds later wondering what on earth had happened. Halloween and Thanksgiving were a breeze to get through. Having a treat every so often, a holiday meal, then right back on track. Then December rolled around, and that was where it started to get ugly. I started to have a bit of shoulder pain that was getting progressively worse. The worse it got, the angrier I got. Then I also started having huge feelings of resentment. Mostly because of my experience from my last show and some instances prior to that as well. Being so restricted, hours of cardio a day, weeks of no carbs, having zero life outside of prep, pushing important things to the side, wasting my entire Sundays driving over an hour for posing, a workout, and critiques that completely belittled me 99% of the time, missing out on an awesome sponsorship opportunity, believing many things I came to find out later were a lie, feeling like I had let people down, and so much more. All of this started to weigh very heavy on me.
My once to twice weekly treat meals started turning into, “Oh, someone brought cookies to work today! I’ll just have a couple!” or “I don’t feel like making anything tonight. Let’s order a pizza instead.” My 6 days a week at the gym had dwindled down to 3. I had an excuse for anything and everything. This has never been my mindset, but somehow I just let it continue to spiral out of control. There was one night the beginning of this month my boyfriend and I went out to dinner and a movie and of course I stuffed myself to the max. When we got to the movie there was a man next to me who (more…)
Transformation of the Year 2014-Mary Sandberg
MARY SANDBERG!!! TRANSFORMATION OF THE YEAR!!!
Let us introduce all of you to Mary Sandberg our first Transformation of the Year 2014. We featured Mary’s amazing transformation story back in November. In her story Mary relieved her battle with an eating disorder at a young age. Her battle with food and diet pills that followed her into adult hood. Then her triumph over past demons to transform her body and mind to a happy and peaceful state. In this interview we catch up with Mary to see how things have changed for her since being named Transformation of the Month for November. Along with her current plan for health and fitness in 2015.
Mary Sandberg Transformation of the Year! (Link to Video)
Top 5 Foods to keep you warm this Winter
Top 5 Foods to keep you warm this Winter
Well it’s cold outside here in the Mid-West. The cold can have a negative effect on our health. The cold can cause us to want to stay inside were it is warm. The cold can cause us want to move less and eat more “comfort food”. Well fun fact you can’t build your summer body with your winter coat still on. So here are some top foods to eat to help keep you warm. This way you won’t feel the need to stay in, avoid the gym and make poor choices nutritionally.
#1 Homemade Soups
Hot soups seem obviously for the winter months, but the timing of the foods are important. A soup, such as a beef and vegetable, in the evening can help keep the body warm through the night. Be sure to notice that we said HOMEMADE soups not store bought. It’s time to bust out the crockpot and get creative; start with a chicken broth or beef broth. Then add your meats and veggies.
#2 Whole Grains
Oatmeal all day every day! Oatmeal can be used to add more whole grains to any meal. Eating hot rolled oats can give immediate warmth to the body. Not only that, but grains are filled with B Vitamins and magnesium. This will help your thyroid and adrenal glands better regulate the body’s temperature during a time when they slowdown from the cold.
#3 Spice it up!
Not too spicy now though. Spices such as cayenne pepper can make you sweat which will cause you to lose body heat. Focus instead on cinnamon, cumin, paprika, nutmeg and all spice to help increase your body’s metabolism and generate heat. Fun Fact: Most of those spices are in (more…)
I’m so HardCORE!
I’m so HardCORE!
On Thanksgiving I brought my Tupperware of grilled chicken and broccoli to the dinner table; I’m so HardCORE! At the company Christmas party everybody was eating cookies. I was drinking a protein shake; I’m so HardCore! At Christmas dinner my family had ham and pie. I had tilapia and greens; I’m so HardCORE! On New Year’s Eve while everyone was out drinking I was getting in my last gym session at night, alone; I’m so HardCORE!
Who else saw all these posts on people’s Face Book wall all Holiday season long? Come on let’s not be shy we all saw them and rolled our eyes!
These posts were everywhere. Letting the world know how hardcore they are. They never break, they are always ready, they are a beast and you need to know it! Alright then, fine, you are super hardcore; enjoy your day. I’ll be over here living a life filled with balance and happiness. Have a nice day.
We see this all the time. People bragging about the sacrifices they made to get where they are. How we need to be impressed that they are so dedicated that they gave up everything to get to the top. At least now we know why we have the phrase “it’s lonely at the top”. I am not impressed with anyone who gives up everything to reach their goals. I am impressed when a person is able to reach their life goals while maintaining friendships, a great family life, true balance. That is impressive. I believe that the people who are constantly letting us know that they are so hardcore can’t admit they have made some wrong choices. Rather than admit that, they instead hide behind this wall letting the world know that they are better than you. They make more sacrifices than you therefore they will win over you. Basically folks the subtext of someone telling you how hardcore they are is someone telling you how much better they are than you.
For example; if you love the meme “Like if going to the gym is the best part of your day”you need to reevaluate your life. The best part of your day should be coming home to a loved one, or to family and friends. The gym is an awesome place, I love it, and I love the results I get from it. BUT!!! The gym is not a friend, it does not love you back, and it will never (more…)
The Top 5 Benefits of Strength Training
The Top 5 Benefits of Strength Training
Your goal, your age, your gender; it doesn’t matter when it comes to the benefits of strength training. Regardless of goal, age and gender everyone needs to do some form of strength training. Your goal, age and gender will play a role in what style of strength training you should look into. Not everyone needs to be under a heavy bar in the squat rack. Not everyone needs to grab the lightest weight possible and crank out hundreds of reps. The programming is different for each. The benefits however are the same for all. Here are Fitastic’s Top 5 benefits of strength training.
#1 Overall Health
Consistent and proper strength training will
- Increases HDL – High Density Lipoprotein (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL – Low Density Lipoprotein (bad cholesterol).
- Reduce the risk of diabetes and insulin needs.
- Lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Lower high blood pressure.
- Lower risk of breast cancer – reducing high estrogen levels linked to the disease.
- Decreases or minimizes risk of osteoporosis by building bone mass.
- Reduces symptoms of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)
- Reduces stress and anxiety.
#2 Body Composition (Body Fat)
Strength training has a boosting effect on your metabolism. When your metabolism is boosted your body will burn more calories at rest (1lb of lean muscle burns 3500 calories). With your metabolism boosted your body will start to build lean muscle tissue which causes body fat reduction. You may not see much in terms of pounds lost but you will see decreases in your body fat measurements (tummy, hips and thighs)
#3 Physical Strength for everyday activity
When you are properly building your strength your body will naturally become stronger. Therefore making daily activity less taxing then it once was. You will find yourself able to walk up flights of stairs without running out of breathe. Be able to grab a box off a high self or off the ground with ease and less risk of injury. Carrying heavy objects will also not be as difficult as it once may have been. This is more commonly called (more…)
Detox Infusion for Healthier Skin
Mixing and creating new concoctions in your Infuser is half the fun and creates great conversation around the water cooler. Combining some simple ingredients in your filter can aid in healthier skin appearance due to the ingredients valuable attributes and elements. ALL NATURAL DETOX- No pills, No lotions, No potions required
Add: Lemon, Cinnamon, Strawberry, Mint, Apple, and Fill with Water.
The benefits of these combined natural ingredients have been long known throughout history and can give you that healthy skin you yearn for.
Infused Lemon & Cinnamon
Enjoying all the Seasonal flavors is one of the best enjoyments of life! The combination of Lemon and Cinnamon infused in your water is no different; enjoy the benefits of another Fitastic favorite:
LEMON & CINNAMON
Lemon: Due to the intense sour flavor of a lemon it’s not often consumed alone, but are extremely popular and beneficial when added to your meal planning. A significant source of Vitamin C, lemons are a possible source for lowering stroke risks, can help fight the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer, and assist in maintain a healthy complexion.
Cinnamon: Not only does the scent of cinnamon remind us of Fall and the Holiday’s, it carries a powerful punch in the benefit department. Packed with antioxidant potency, cinnamon also promotes curbing of appetites and regulation blood sugar levels.
Infused Strawberry & Lime
However you like your flavored water, we bring you all the benefits and delicious variety that the Fitastic #motiv8nu4real Fruit Infuser offers:
Strawberries- The tiny strawberry is packed with Vitamin C, Fiber, and particularly high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols. Among being in the top 20 fruits for it’s antioxidant praise, strawberries also host great manganese and potassium
Limes- These citrus squirts are beneficial in promoting weight loss, enhancing skin care appearance, improving digestion, and adding relief from constipation.
Aside from the nutritious benefits, the Strawberry & Lime combination is a delightful blend of week and sour sure to entertain your tastebuds and keep you well hydrated. Drink Up
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