Three Organs that make you FAT (or skinny) PART 3 of 3: ADRENAL GLANDS

Here it is, the third and final chapter in my triplet of the three organs that can make you FAT or SKINNY: the adrenal glands.

The adrenal glands produce the hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine, DHEA, and cortisol. Cortisol happens to be your fat storing hormone so what happens to your adrenals should be I M P O R T A N T to you!! All of these hormones help your body naturally cope with stress by triggering the release of sugar from the liver and muscles into the blood as an instant fuel source.

DHEA is a sex hormone and a natural fat burner. In my opinion it's the mother of all hormones because most of our OTHER sex hormones are derived from it, primarily estrogen and testosterone. The important muscle building and fat burning hormone declines naturally with age, which makes it even harder to be thin and fit. Therefore- you want to do everything in your power to keep your adrenal glands healthy so they can produce these important hormones.

Considering all your adrenals do, they take A LOT of abuse. We batter the hell out of our adrenals with bad nutrition, lack of sleep, drinking,smoking, and medications. But the GREATEST enemy of the adrenals is our reliance on caffeine containing products, like coffee, soda, and energy drinks.

Now don't get me wrong, caffeine has MANY benefits for the body- in moderation. If you're hitting more then 2 cups of coffee a day (even I fall prey to breaking this rule) you're at risk of overtaxing the adrenals glands. Trainers and competitive athletes tend to be the WORST adrenal abusers. Because of our schedules we rely on coffee and because of our emphasis on our physiques we tend to abuse fat burners as well (many of which contain caffeine and other stimulants that fire on the adrenal glands).

Most weight loss and sport nutrition supplements contain caffeine, and many contain proprietary blends which pair or couple caffeine with other thermogenic enhancing ingredients- i.e double trouble on your adrenals. Again, this is not to say you need to AVOID fat burners altogether, but tapering and cycling on and off fat burners is advised to help keep your adrenal glands from getting wiped out and overworked.

When the adrenal glands get overworked by caffeine and other factors they eventually can't produce hormones in sufficient amounts or can't utilize all the hormones they do produce. Basically they get wiped out. Period. The condition is called "Adrenal exhaustion" and it makes you a slow metabolizer, tired all the time, and generally, unwell.

Some symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include;

• Weight gain, especially in your midsection
• Weakness
• Blemishes
• Insomnia
• Lethargy
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Memory problems
• Food cravings
• Poor immunity
• Allergies
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Premature aging

So what to do? Well for starters stick to the 2 cups of coffee a day- for those of you who wonder how much that is- one cup = 8 ounces, so go from there. Over 16 ounces of coffee a day and you're too much. AND you need to add energy drinks and caffeine including sodas into that mix as well!

And as far as supplements go- use with caution. I recommend staying on a fat burner no longer then 6 weeks at full dosage. Taper for a week to two weeks, then come off for two weeks cold. During that time I recommend supplementing in with natural supplements that bolster the health of your adrenals. One I've used in the past post show which has proven VERY effective at helping my adrenals recover is:

PLANETARY HERBALS ADRENAL COMPLEX

Adrenal support supplementation is crticial, especially if you're daily taxing your adrenal glands (like I have) through caffeine consumption and taking fat burners/thermogenics.

5 Ways to Choose Better Meat

This post is about one of my FAVORITE foods- MEAT, and considering I eat a lot of it- this is a major concern of mine! I'm willing to bet, that if you're reading this you consume a lot of meat as well. Even though many would argue that a vegan diet is a healthier way of life, AND it is possible to thrive and survive minus meat, the fact of the matter is that animal proteins are among the most bio available and complete. They are a good source of B Vitamins, iron, magnesium, amino acids, and zinc- all of which can be hard to get into your diet through other means.

Most people who "don't" eat meat, do so because they either think it's high in fat, causes ill health, OR they're worried about the environment or the treatment of animals.

My father is the farm manager at Rodale Research Institute, a leading research institute dedicated towards the research and growth of organics. He also sits on the United States Organics Board and helps set the standards by which organic foods are indentified. Thus I am a huge supporter of organics- and want others to be too- but that aside, getting YOU guys the info is important so you can make your own choices! The bottom line is- whether you eat meat or don't, read on...

Our current industrial agricultural system has a created a situation in which we should ALL be concerned for the animals, the environment, and our personal health. Why? Because it's centralized on subsidized feed crops and concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs. Contrary to popular belief the sustainable movement isn't say "no" to meat, it's just advocatinf that you choose a better KIND of meat, i.e become a more concientious meat eater! Here are 5 ways you can choose better meat- for the animals, the environment, AND most importantly- your health;

1. Understand the issues...
REALLY understand them! I have one statement to make here- bluntly put CAFOS are hell on earth. They're like concentration camps for animals, cruelty is a systematic part of how they do things- and knowing too much about CAFOS would turn ANYONE away from eating meat- myself included- and I LOVE meat! I don't know anyone that can argue this point- cows raised standing in their own fecal matter, pigs confined to gestational crates, chickens subjected to beak cutting and crowded into windowless warehouses, etc etc.

Animal welfare is only one reason to shift away from industrial meat. There are others, including the pollution produced by factory farms. Talk about an environmental concern. Did you know that the worldwide livestock sector accounts for nearly 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions? That's more then the world's transport emissions combined. I was shocked when I read that quote- as I'm sure you just were! The bottom line- the way we raise animals is not only NOT humane, it's not ecologically sustainable.

We have ramped up production to unprecendented levels, creating an excess of animal waste. Feed is another factor. To raise more cows, chickens, and pigs in limited spaces we've altered their diets to go heavy on soy and corn- commoditied subsidized by U.S tax dollars. About 50% of all corn and 90% of all soy goes towards feeding livestock- NOT towards human consumption. It's incredibly polluting and energy intensive way of producing food.

2.Look for greener pastures...
So what's the problem with the corn and soy diet? Well it's this- cows are ruminants, and were never meant to eat corn. Period. When you change their natural diets for the sake of large scale production it has health consequences for them. Since we consume cows, it thus has health consequences for us. Feed lot beef is overly fatty and contains an abnormally small amount of omega 3 fatty acids and too much omega 6- which is the kind of fat linked to heart disease and cancer.

Consider the diet with which we evolved. As hunter/gatherers we got about 50% of our calories from meat, we couldn't overdose on omega 6's because they're most abundant naturally in grains, which wasn't readily available in quantity in the past 5,000 years. Now we're getting 10-20 more times omega 6's then we need as a result of dietary changes- more grain is abundant and our meat is altered. In changing the diet of the animals that we eat, we've tampered with something essential and we are paying the price at higher rates of cancer,heart disease, depression, obesity, and autoimmune disorders.

HOWEVER- and this is a BIG HOWEVER, when you choose GRASS FED beef, the inverse is true! You get fatty acids in balance and a healthy dose of health protective CLA (conjugated lipoic acid). When cows are eating the diet they were designed to eat they have healthy fats and are rich in antioxidants. The entire scope of consuming meat changes.

3.Accept the real costs...
By real costs I mean this- there is no getting around the fact that healthier, earth friendly meats cost more. Shop around as much as you can but be willing to stretch your budget a bit. And remember what you're investing in- yes it is more expensive but thats only because the hidden costs are not offset. Organic farms, or small local farms don't get subsidized- you don't pay through your tax dollars. You have to ask yourself if you'd rather be supporting an extractive economy, based on pulling resources OUT of the earth and pouring garbage into your body, OR do you want a support a sustainable, eco friendly economy that fuels your body the way nature intended?

4. Expand your palate...
Another way to get more for your money and to literally "get more from your meat" is to consider using all parts of the animal. You can do this by saving the bones and making stock, or finding creative ways to utilize more parts of the animal. Small farmers won't have all cuts in stock at all times, since they're working on a smaller scale, they're working with a few animals only at a time rather then hundreds of thousands. Small scale farmers can help you choose another cut (i.e skirt steak can substitute for flank steak) or help you adapt your recipe according to what's available. I recommend looking at http://www.grassfedcooking.com/ for more recipe ideas.

5. Stay local if you can...
When it comes to creating sustainable food systems local is always the trump card, ALWAYS. I know locally I get much of my bison/buffalo from a local bison ranch. Finding a small, local farmer is usually the healthier choice for you, the animal, the farmer, and thus the local economy. If you're unsure as to where one exists near you, check out http://www.localharvest.org/, http://www.eatwild.com/, or http://www.eatwellguide.com/. Better yet connect to your local sustainable food movement. If you live in the city or suburbs consider driving out to get your meat or have it shipped to you from a small family run farm. The cost of transporting meat is minimal compared with the cost to the environment or your tax dollars put to work on CAFO meat. Its far better to buy grass fed from a state away. If you have to shop at a grocery store, or you just prefer to- READ LABELS CAREFULLY. You have to do your homework here. Briefly- here's a cheat sheet:

• USDA ORGANIC: This is the ONLY (I repeat the ONLY) label with real muscle. It means its regulated by the United States government. It guarantees the animal was raised without hormones or antibiotics and was grass fed or fed organic feed. It ALSO specifies that the animal needs to be alotted a certain amount of space for livestock management (thus eliminating CAFO issues).
• CERTIFIED HUMANE: This is an independent certification, and its the go to label for small animal welfare. The standards of this certification address minimum food and water requirements, shelter requirements, as well as humane conditions for slaughter. Standards are different depending on the animal- turkey, chicken, pig, goat, cow, sheep etc.
• ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED: This is the creme de la creme of animal welfare labels, and according to most experts this label has the most rigorous standards for the humane treatment of animals.
• GRASS FED: This term can be used loosely, but cuts marked "American Grass Fed" or "AGA Pasture Finished" are preferable, they meet stringent standards set by the American Grassfed Organization
• FREE RANGE or CAGE FREE: Ideally this would be taken to mean uber happy chickens running around free in a field- but since these terms are un-certified there's no guarantee. The only way to know for sure is to call the company and ask..and even then who knows. Bottom line is it's a term- easily manipulated for marketing purposes. Un certified= unsure.
• ANTIBIOTIC or HORMONE FREE: These terms mean what they say they mean, but again they're not certified so there's no way to know for sure...
• NATURAL: I personally LOATHE this term and wish it was BANNED from usage by the food industry. It's appealing, sure but it's on EVERYTHING and it means NOTHING. It's misleading and misused, minimally regulated, and ultimately nothing more then a marketing ploy to make the consumer think they're getting a "healthier" product. Disregard this label entirely.

When you go out of your way to buy a piece of pork from a pig who was allowed to root, or a cut of steak from a cow that was allowed to pasture, you CAN feel good about eating it. It's good for animal, it's good for the environment, and ultimately good for your health and long term- your wallet.

Think Big....as in BIG V-TAPER!

Consider training rear delts on back day to help blow up your V-Taper....it's true! Although nothing is black and white in bodybuilding or figure, and I always say there's more then one way to skin a cat, I've noticed growth in my own V-Taper as a result of training my rears on back day, NOT shoulder day.

Many back exercises already recruit the rear delts into the picture- bent over barbell rows, reverse grip bent over rows, one arm dumbbell row and seated cable row all call on the rear deltoids to aid in the movement. If this is the case (and it is) why not train rear delts with back?

If you're into the science behind this- here goes: The rear deltoids extend the humorous via horizontal abduction- in which you bring your arms from a beginning point of being in front of the body, to your sides. So obviously it's no surprise that the rear deltoids aid in back exercises- especially rowing movements where you are bringing your elbows BEHIND the plane of your body.

Your rear deltoids assist the lats, rhomboids, and middle traps during back movements, yet are considerably LESS active in movements like overhead shoulder presses, which are chiefly accomplished through your front and lateral deltoids, as well as some triceps. I hope you guys are all still with me on this- basically what I'm saying is there's an arguable case FOR training rears WITH back, not WITH shoulders.

Now granted I have friends who would never consider doing this- some argue that BECAUSE the rear deltoids aren't as fatigued when trained with shoulders you can focus on them better. If they're highly fatigued after a number of exercises (back exercises) then you cannot focus on them as well. Some hit rears a bit on back day and a bit on shoulder day as well (just be sure to allow 48 hours between these two workouts to recover!)

The following is ONE of the many workouts I've used to blast my V-Taper- i.e my back and rear delts. I do not train traps, as big traps aren't desirable in a figure girl, but if you DO train traps, you can easily work some trap exercises into this routine as well. I alter sets and reps according to where I'm at in my training and what my physique goals are, so feel free to insert sets and reps you prefer!

BACK/REAR DELT ASSAULT

1. Wide Grip Lateral Pulldown: Sets, 4. Reps, 15, 12, 10, 8 *I go as wide as I can and focus on form, not weight. I arch my lower back, drop the bar to my chest, and keep my elbows in front of my body as much as possible so I hit the ENTIRE lat (full range of motion.)
2. Reverse Grip Seated Cable Row: Sets, 3. Reps, 10,10,10 *Because of the angle of the arms in relation to the body this is an EXCELLENT lower lat movement. The underhand grip will call the biceps into play a bit, so keep backward lean to a minimum and aim to pull the bar directly towards your midsection.
3. One Arm Smith Machine Row: Sets, 3. Reps, 12, 12, 12*I like doing these on the smith machine because the smith machine is stable, so you don't need to worry about balance as much, therefore you can use more weight (if you want). You can also shift muscle emphasis using hand placement so play around-just be sure to keep that back STRAIGHT.
4. Neutral Grip Front Pulldown: Sets, 4. Reps, 15,12, 10, 8*A neutral grip allows you to go a bit heavier then an overhand grip. This is a great lower lat exercise. Don't swing when you do these, again arch your back, minimize leaning and pull the bar straight down into your upper chest.
5. Supported Two Arm Dumbbell Row: Sets, 3. Reps, 12, 12, 12 *I use an incline bench, adjusted to about 45 degrees. I LOVE this exercise because the bench removes torque and the need for stability- you CANNOT swing or overcompensate with other muscle groups on this exercise! You'll probably have to use lighter weights then you may think in order to really hit the back and rears. I usually feel these in my middle and upper traps a bit as well.
6. Bent over One Arm Cable Lateral Raise: Sets, 3. Reps, 10,10,10 *Next to dumbbells I love cable exercises the most because they provide constant tension, especially in the start position, whereas the dumbbell does not. Since the resistance is horizontal this makes the start position difficult, this may be one you use lighter weight on. I take a wide stance, bend my knees a bit, keep my back flat and use either a palm in (neutral grip) or overhand grip. Try to keep the angle of your elbow the same and force the rear delt to work. This is form exercise, not weight.
7. Reverse Pec Deck Fly: Sets, 3. Reps, 10,10,10 *One of the only machines I like, because rear deltoid exercises are so form based most people don't do them properly. The machine forces your body into the right position by locking your arms (so to speak). Use a palm down neutral position and keep your chest into the pad the entire time. Bring your arms back as far as possible by squeezing your shoulder blades together. I tend to hold these for a count.
8. Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly: Sets 3. Reps, 15, 15, 15 *I go high rep on these, with minimal rest between sets to burn out my rears. I stand legs bent a bit, wide stance, back straight and hold two dumbbells, palm facing inward. Really use the mind to muscle connection to bring the weight back, if done right these will burn out your rears perfectly, which is why I love to finish with them!

I don't need a trainer.... do I?

"I don't need a trainer. I know what I'm doing."

I hear this ALL the time. Over and over again people seem to redundantly think they don't need assistance in the area of working out or of nutrition. And the fact of the matter is, you do. No matter how intelligent you are, or how advanced you are in your knowledge of exercise and fitness, you need a trainer. In fact, in my opinion, the more advanced you become the more you'll need a trainer. Typically its those of us who are advanced who require a second opinion or another way of doing things to prevent us from becoming stagnant in our own approach.

I'm not just posting this because I'm a trainer. I'm posting this because I'm a trainer who HAS a trainer. I'm a trainer who trains other trainers. Ultimately, I'm a person with a deep belief that everyone and anyone who wants or needs to know about working out and eating right needs to enlist the help of a trainer. Unfortunately being a trainer is a grossly underpaid and under recognized profession in our society. There seems to be this "do it yourself" approach when it comes to exercise and nutrition, which I find odd because in most other areas of health we are the first ones to run screaming for the aid of doctors and specialists. Yet when it comes to working out and eating right- we skimp.

Now we all know the benefits of having a trainer include things like "proper form" and "exercise execution", but I believe the need for a trainer goes much much deeper then that. I know how to lift, I know how to perform a dumbbell curl, and most anyone with reading or pictorial skills can sit down at a gym machine and read the operational instructions. But how do you string together exercises to create a mass building routine? How do you train to get lean? What about weight loss? What if I want to lean out while retaining my lean muscle? How do I sculpt or re-structure the shape of my back or shoulders? How can I downsize my legs? How can I enhance my quad sweep? See where I'm going with this....? Enter a trainer.

What about nutrition? What to eat? How much? When? How often? Post workout? Pre workout? The list can go on and on. Enter a trainer.

But trainers do far more for their clients then simply direct in terms of nutrition, supplementation, and exercise. They motivate, support, and encourage. For me that's the most meaningful aspect of having a trainer- having someone 100% behind you, in your corner pushing you to do better, to be better, and to carry on when it gets hard. It's important when you're trying to be focused on physique goals to surround yourself as best you can with people who will foster a "fitness friendly environment" and be supportive of you. Trainers do just that. They understand, they listen, they re-route, and they motivate. There is no point in embarking on a fitness goal, in investing in a gym membership, or home equipment, or beautiful tupperware containers for food prep, or expensive organics if at the end of the day you go tumbling off the wagon at the sight of pizza. Having someone there to hold you in place and help keep you centered is invaluable, and worth every damn penny I promise you.

Whether you need someone in person, or are looking for a trainer online- my advice to you is this- TRY A TRAINER. Be picky, hunt around, inquire ask questions, but get out there and get information. Hiring a trainer could be just the push you need to take you to the next level with your fitness!

Be your own biggest fan

As most of you may know, I'm 1.5 weeks out from Nationals in Atlanta GA. This will be my 4th show of the year, and it's been one long year of continuous dieting. Sufficient to say, despite how much I love my lifestyle and love competing, there are some days when it's hard. When you get this close to a show and you've been dieting for so long, the physical exhaustion can easily seep into your mental state, and that's where problems occur. For me, at this point, I'm usually so tired, sore, and depleted, that it becomes a mental challenge to not only push myself through my workouts, but to push myself to even get up off the couch.

There are times when I feel very alone in all this. Despite being blessed with a solid support system, there are moments when I'm in the gym, I'm sweating, I'm tired, I'm plugged into my IPod, and I feel nothing but isolated. Alone. It's times like that, when you REALLY need to dig deep and remember why you're doing what you're doing. Because at the end of the day, you ARE alone. Despite any support you may or may not have, your dreams will never be as important to someone else as they are to you. My Pro card will never be something my parents dream about, or my trainer dwells on, because even though they want it for me, they don't want it for themselves, and wanting something for yourself is where true passion occurs.

I know many of you reading this may not be "vying for a pro card", or on your 4th damn contest prep of the year, but negate that extreme for a minute and insert yourself into this saga. How many of you wake up and feel like doing ANYTHING but eating egg whites and oats? How many of you feel like doing ANYTHING but going to the gym? How many of you sit out to dinner with friends and family and feel so isolated because they're guzzling cheese fries, wine, and greasy burgers while you nit pick at a chicken salad with vinaigrette? How many of you are TIRED of explaining your cooler to co-workers? See my point? No matter where you are in the process of your goals- there are moments that, well, frankly, SUCK. There are moments of isolation. Moments where you feel alone.

And that's OKAY. Be your biggest fan. Dig into that isolation and really give yourself a chance to shine. Find out what YOU'RE MADE OF. You'll be amazed at what you can do without the help out outside resources. You don't need anyone to go to the gym with you, to diet with you, to hold your hand on the path to your goals. You can do it yourself. Dig deep and believe that with all your heart and suddenly those moments of isolation become moments of peace and reverence. There is a deep rooted confidence that comes from a TRUE belief that you CAN do something- whether it be step on stage, shoot for that pro card, apply for that new job, or work off those last pesky 5 lbs.

Your goals may hold weight with others, but they will never be as important to anyone else as they are to you- so make it YOUR mission to treat that with a sense of sacredness. Cultivate your goals. Learn to depend on yourself, be your own biggest fan, and find peace in the "sometimes" isolation of your journey.

And let the successes be many :)

Alli's CHOCOLATE BANANA CHUNK MUSCLE GAINER SHAKE
1 banana 2 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder 4 tablespoons cocoa/hot chocolate powder 2 1/2 tablespoons 100% Natural Creamy Peanut Butter 2 cups lowfat milk 6 ounces lowfat yogurt 3 tablespoons evaporated milk or powder milk Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. If you like a thicker shake I suggest adding some ice, although this tends to thicken well on it's own due to the banana and yogurt. Randy LOVES this shake... it's a GREAT post workout muscle gainer!!! This shake is for bodybuilders or athletes; NOT for couch potatoes..... don't slug this down unless you're moving some SERIOUS weight in the gym!

Eating Strategies....Muscle GAIN!

Eating Strategies for Muscle Gain

How do I incorporate eating with my exercise schedule so that I gain muscle? Regardless of what type of nutritional plan or diet you are on, you need to make sure you are eating ENOUGH or the RIGHT food at the correct TIMES in order to optimize muscle gain. Let’s talk about my basics to eating to gain muscle- note that when I say gain muscle I mean MUSCLE, not fat, not water weight. I'm talking about a well constructed solid muscle gain!

1. Eat more calories; Just as your body needs to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight or bodyfat, it will need to be in calorie surplus in order to gain muscle mass or size. Caloric surplus means you're eating more calories then your body burns off. To gain mass you'll need to be eating about 18 to 20x your bodyweight in calories. Your body will use the extra calories to repair muscle tissue that is damaged by heavy workouts and to build new muscle.
2. Eat more protein. Without protein your body will not be able to generate new muscle. Protein provides the necessary amino acids to build and repair muscle. To build muscle you'll need AT LEAST 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight, if not more.
3. Eat more often to gain muscle. To gain muscle you'll need to be eating A LOT more calories then you would otherwise. So for example, if your goal is 3,000 calories, there's no way you can cram that into 3 meals, so you'll need to look into eating several smaller meals spread out across your day. The body cannot handle that many calories in one sitting, typically it will store the excess as fat. To enable your body to assimilate and use the calories you'll have to reduce you meal size and increase your meal frequency. It typically takes about 2.5 hours to digest a meal so you'll want to be taking in another meal just as you finish digesting one. Shoot for every 2-3 hours.
4. Drink More Water! To make sure your muscle stay hydrated drink plenty of water. Dehydration can happen easily if you train hard. A dehydrated muscle takes longer to replenish itself then a hydrated muscle. Water increases your vascularity, rids the body of toxins, aids in healthy digestion, and helps keep your body from retaining excess water. Protein generates metabolic waste products that have to be dissolved in water, without enough water the kidneys cannot rid the body of this waste.
5. Learn to love healthy fats. Dietary fats play an essential role in hormone production, which in turn is responsible for growth and strength increases. Many people still believe that eating fat makes you fat. This is absolutely false. In fact, there is a very popular muscle gain diet that been around for years, called the "Anabolic Diet" that requires you to eat only fat! Butter, bacon, and heavy cream are all on the menu. Though quite extreme, this diet does work. Most people are overweight because of a diet high in simple carbohydrates, not from eating fats. If your diet is too low in fat, your body will actually make a point to store any fat it gets, because it doesn't know when it will get more. A low-fat diet will also lower testosterone levels, something we do not want when trying to gain weight. Studies have shown that dietary fat has a direct relationship with testosterone production. An increase in dietary fat intake seems to bring on an increase in testosterone levels. The inverse is also true. A decrease in dietary fat intake is usually accompanied by a decrease in free testosterone levels. However, you don't want to increase your intake of saturated fats. Saturated fats are what cause disease and coronary problems. Though you will always have some saturated fats in your diet, your main focus should be to increase your intake of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).
   
   EFAs are unsaturated fats that are necessary for thousands of biological functions throughout the body. Because they cannot be manufactured by the body, the must be provided by your diet. These fatty acids not only help increase testosterone production, but they also aid in the prevention of muscle breakdown, help to increase your HDL level (good cholesterol) and assist in hormone production. To get your recommended amount of EFA's, I recommend supplementing your diet with either Udo's Perfect Oil Blend (which combines omega- and omega-6), or Cold-Pressed Flaxseed oil (which is mostly omega-3)
6. Take a multi-vitamin All of the other products on the market will help, but they are not essential. So, I will only touch on two vitamins supplements.Multi-Vitamins and Antioxidants.
   If you want to gain muscle, you must make sure that you are not deficient in any vitamin, mineral or trace element that your body needs. I know many people are going to disagree with me, but I believe that in this day, we absolutely need to supplement our diet with vitamins and minerals. I know that those who are against using vitamins are going to say that if we "just eat a balanced diet. . . ", You know the rest.
   Well first, eating a balanced diet is easier said than done. America is the most overweight country in the world. Most people don't even know what a "balanced" diet is. Balanced with what? Experts will continue to spout, "eat a balanced diet," while Americans feast on nutritionless fast food and sugar.
   Second, not only do our bodies have to deal with the ever-increasing external stresses of everyday life, they also have to combat nutrient-depleting exercise. Food today is, for the most part, nutritionless - almost totally void of the body strengthening vitamins and minerals it contained one hundred years earlier. Instead, we now ingest over-processed, fiberless meals, and under-ripened vegetables grown in barren, over-farmed soil, laden with pesticides.
   
   How healthy can that be? If you want to ignore the facts and continue on about "balanced diets," fine. It's your decision. But I, for one, eat a balanced diet, and I still take a multi-vitamin supplements. Many mult-vitamin manufacturers try to put "everything" in their product, but it's not necessary. At minimum, your multi-vitamin should contain the USRDA (recommended daily allowance) of vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, K and the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, selenium, and possibly iron (for women). Men should find a multi-vitamin without iron. You typically get more than enough iron from your food. Extra iron is needed only for menstruating women. It should also contain other essential nutrients like biotin, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum and pantothenic acid.
   
7. Develop food preparation strategies. I addressed this in another post in this blog
8. Take antioxidants! An antioxidant like Vitamins A, C, E, Glutathione, Glutamine, and Selenium are essential in preventing free radical damage, which is accelerated after the heavy trauma of weight training. Antioxidants protect other substances by being oxidized themselves.
9. Rest more frequently! Rest is the most overlooked "skinny-guy/girl secret". If you don't rest, you won't grow. Simple as that. Your body does not build muscle in the gym, it builds muscle while resting! The key to successfully gaining weight is eating enough calories, training hard and then resting. No diet adjustments will make up for lack of rest. If you train hard in the gym, then you should be resting your muscles as much as possible. If you do not give them time to rest and repair, you will not grow. Period.
10. Be Consistent. O.K., so you want the secret to gaining muscle mass fast? Well, here it is: CONSISTENCY. You can have the best diet, the best training schedule, join the best gym that has the best equipment, but without consistency it's all worthless. Over the past several years, I've talked to dozens of people who have successfully transformed their physique. Though most of them trained in totally different ways, there was one common denominator that appeared throughout each success story: Day in and day out, they followed their pre-determined plan, consistently, without fail. You must find the determination and drive within yourself to consistently put one foot in front of the other and see this through. If not now, then when?

Women & Weights- TIPS for Success!!

1. DON’T BE AFRAID OF WEIGHT LIFTING
The primary concern women have when it comes to weight training are, “I don’t want to get big or bulky”. I can refute this with 100% confidence- because whenever a woman stops me and compliments me on my physique or asks questions about how I train I ALWAYS attribute my success to weights! Getting "big and bulky" is simply not something that occurs naturally for women. It takes so much time, work, dedication, proper food and training to gain even a pound of muscle that it is impossible for a normal woman to get “too big”. We just don’t have the hormones in our bodies to allow for that.

With the right training, nutrition and guidance, infusing the use of weights into your workout will actually make your muscles hard and lean. The more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism and therefore the faster you will lose body fat. There is no other way to do this than to start a resistance training program in combination with the proper nutrition and cardiovascular regimen. With a realistic fitness program, there is no way your muscles are going to grow “too big or bulky” but rather you will shape up and look fit. I understand women’s concerns but free yourself from your fear and start weight lifting to achieve your ultimate goals! Unsure about where to begin with weights? Start shopping online for a fitness trainer or coach- stop in at your local gym and ask about personal training services. Hit the bookstore and pick up a book on resistance training or grab a copy of FitnessRX or Oxygen Magazine!

2. CHANGE AND VARIETY ARE KEY
Change and variety are the keys to success and keeping your workouts fresh! Change not only adds variety and keeps your mind from getting bored, but also allows your muscles to continually respond! Once your body and muscles get use to a training program, it is easy to hit a plateau and stop responding We only change when we are forced outside of our comfort zone, and our bodies are NO different. That’s why it’s important to consider constant change from weight, reps, sets, rest periods, etc. There is a time and a place for every type of training; it just depends on your goals and your body type. That is what makes things so fun! This is a journey and a learning experience, so change and variety will help keep the interest level high and maximize results.

3. GOAL SETTING IS KEY!
It is important to set goals and re-evaluate your goals every 4-6 weeks to track your success with what worked and what didn’t work. Don't be afraid to refocus, reset your goals, and make adjustments! Keep track of your workouts and how your body is responding so you can make the appropriate changes necessary to keep your body growing and changing in your journey towards your goals. Record how you feel, what you did that day, what you ate, etc. Our bodies are machines and work extremely efficiently. Bodies get used to whatever stress we may put on them and adapt quickly. It is essential to constantly be re-evaluating our goals and progress so we can continually allow the body to make improvements.

4. WEIGHT TRAIN FOR YOUR BODY!
I believe men and women should weight train differently. Since the majority of women are looking to tone and sculpt, I find using moderate weight and more plyometric training works well for achieving beautiful curves and shape. I also believe that women should train their glutes and hamstrings a few times a week, since that tends to be the trouble area for most women. It is important to build the muscle density in the glutes and hamstrings to keep them tight and round. Men tend to focus on building where as I believe most women are looking to sculpt and tone. These are two totally different way to approach training, and both women and men should consider what their goals are before jumping into a certain style of training.

5. KEEP THINGS FUN!
Sometimes following the same regimented program can get monotonous and boring. Those are the times you want to quit. When times get tough remember that if it was easy, everyone would do it. During the times you feel less motivated, follow your heart and do something fun. Pick a fun class to get you pumped up and motivated. Try taking a class such as spin, boot camp, aerobics, hip hop, kick boxing, or even yoga. Incorporating a class to your weekly program adds spice and keeps things fun and exciting. Not only do they keep you on track and focused but they add a great bit of variety to keep your body continually stimulating different muscles and constantly guessing. You can also keep things fresh and exciting by incorporating fitness into your daily life. Get outdoors! Try riding a bike, hiking, taking your dog on a walk, playing tennis with your family, doing yard work with your kids, or making time for an outdoor run. There are so many ways to keep variety in your program to keep things fresh, exciting and most importantly, FUN! Exercise is meant to keep us healthy, but that doesn't mean it's meant to be dull or un-interesting!

6. CARDIO
I emphasized the importance of weight training- but cardio is important as well! Combine both weight training and a reasonable cardiovascular program to obtain the results you are looking for! Lifting weights does not equate to mass and bulkiness therefore women should not focus their training on solely cardiovascular, but rather building muscle which is going to keep your muscle bellies hard and full rather than soft and flat. Doing endless amount of cardio is only going to break down muscle tissue and therefore will cause a decrease in metabolism, over time, from the lack of muscle. The goals is to add muscle to keep your metabolism high and also to keep you round, full and curvy. The goal should be to increase lean muscle tissue and supplement cardio to burn the excess body fat to maintain a lean physique. Focus on your weight training and diet and use cardio as a secondary source of exercise to stay in good cardiovascular shape and to burn that excess bit of fat but do not use cardio as a sole means of working out! Combine BOTH weights AND cardio for the most effective program!

7. BE REALISTIC!
Do not focus on the media for a means of what is “in shape” and do not simply look at photos of women in magazines to define what YOUR body should look like. Be aware that what the media considers attractive is NOT realistic and I believe their portrayal of what women “should look like” is absolutely criminal. It’s a shame that young viewers have this to go by when they are growing and learning about their own bodies and self images. The majority of images seen in the media are women that are completely unhealthy and as I like to call it “skinny fat”. Yes they may be fitting in to a ridiculously small size pant but their body fat could still be higher then recommended. Your goal, in getting in shape, shouldn't be to "get thin" or to imitate some "idea" of attractive you've seen or heard, rather your goal should be to gain the best physique your are capable of gaining. Be the best version of yourself! It is important to be truthful with yourself about what is obtainable, maintainable, realistic and healthy for everyday living!

8. GOOD COMPANY & GOOD SUPPORT
Surround yourself with people who are supportive and keep pushing you to achieve your goals. Training, along with being very physical, is extremely mental, in my opinion, more mental than physical. You need to have the proper support group that will keep you on your toes, pat you on the back when you did something amazing and also those that will pick you up when you may have fallen. Following a fitness program is a journey and the journey is not possible without the support and love from others. Be aware that you may need to step outside your typical support system to find these people. Seek out a fitness trainer or coach, others in the gym you train at, join an online fitness forum or community, or start a blog. It is essential to find a network of like minded fitness enthusiasts who have similar fitness goals!

9. BE PREPARED
Always be prepared for days when you can’t make it to the gym or the rain is pouring and you don’t feel like leaving the house. Traveling? Busy at work? Crunched for time and simply can't get to the gym? Snowed in? Keep an emergency fitness bag handy for those unexpected days. I suggest a light pair of dumbbells, a yoga mat, resistance bands and some good music or your favorite workout video. With a few key items and a little preparation you can still get a great workout NO MATTER what else is going on outside or around you!

10. TIME AND HIIT!
It is important to be realistic with the amount of time you have to workout everyday. Most people are crunched for time so the best bet is to get a killer weight training workout in combination with cardiovascular training to utilize your time wisely. Get the most out of your workouts with HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training to maximize your workouts. I know I posted some sample cardio intervals in an earlier post! Jump on a machine in between isolated exercises, or if you do not have a machine you can incorporate active rest periods such as jump rope, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, flutter kicks, plyometric exercises or anything that will keep your heart rate up. Try utilizing interval training to maximize your cardiovascular time or adding in a few sprints or jogs into your workouts. Get your heart rate up, utilize those weights, GET IN AND GET OUT and GET INTO THE BODY OF YOUR DREAMS!

Need help achieving your fitness goals? Getting your nutrition on track? Getting your feet headed in the right direction? Visit www.alli-fitness.com for more details on how YOU can get started TODAY!

Weigh THIS!

I was wrapping up my brutal hamstring workout today when a woman stopped me to compliment me on my physique. I was extremely flattered and was happy engaging in conversation with her, and then she said, "If you don't mind me asking, how much do you weigh?" I smiled and said, "How much do you think I weight?". She guessed 135. I smiled and said "actually I weight closer to 145 right now". She looked surprised and said, "WOW that much??"

Which got me thinking- about how OBSESSED society is with this concept of weight. We're counting calories, squeezing in and out of jeans, measuring food and spending countless hours on the treadmill all for the satisfaction of what- seeing the number on the scale go down? What is weight really? What does "bodyweight" mean to you? Have you ever asked yourself that? Why is the number so damn important?

In all reality the number on the scale has NOTHING to do with how you look. It has nothing to do with how you feel. It doesn't effect energy or your ability to hop into that coveted mini skirt confidently, it's simply, just, a NUMBER.

In my opinion, it's an over-rated number at that. We're all concerned about weight loss- but are you concerned about where that weight loss is coming from? Do you care if it's fat loss or not? I'm going to guess that the answer to that question is a resounding "YES". I know it's a yes for me! But losing fat is NOT the same as losing weight and I think that distinction needs to be emphasized here. Losing weight can mean a multitude of things- fat weight, water weight, muscle weight etc..... whereas fat loss means EXACTLY that- LOSING FAT. It means sustaining your lean muscle while effectively shedding body fat. Which option sounds better to you? Losing water weight and muscle, or losing FAT?

What does "bodyweight" mean to you? It's merely a number on the scale. A number that only reflects what you weigh as a whole. It doesn't detail the composition of that weight, nor does it break down how much of you is fat, how much is muscle etc. So why is the number so important to everyone? No one else has to know what you weight, but others can tell if you're physically in shape or out of shape. They'll notice if your jeans fit nicely, if your body is lean, if you have great muscle definition, and if you carry yourself with confidence, but they are not going to stand there and wonder "what does she weigh".

Yet I hear it all the time- "I want to lose 30 lbs" or "I want to lose 5 lbs". How about "I want to tighten up" or "I want to be toned" or "I want to feel better and get in shape"? Let's say you begin eating well and training hard and you drop 10 lbs. That's incredible, but what if that 10 lb weight loss also came accompanied with a muscle gain of 5 lbs? Muscle weighs more then fat so that MAY mean that stupid scale won't budge. Does that mean you're a failure? Does it negate the advances you made in your physique? Of course not. If you're tighter, more energized, more defined, or simply smaller and fitting into your clothes more comfortably, then how have you failed?

Bottom line in all this- YOU HAVEN'T. But you have to start re-examining how you measure success in health and fitness. Getting the scale to move is not where your focus needs to be- because if it is, ultimately you will feel you've failed. Focus on how you feel, how you look- let the mirror be you guide. How do your clothes fit? Do you look and feel tighter? More toned? GET AWAY FROM THAT SCALE and focus on the successes that are occurring for you daily in the way you look and feel. I can tell you from experience that two things make for happier, healthier, more physically fit and toned individuals: FAT LOSS, and MUSCLE GAIN. Neither of those are reflected in the number that scale will give you. Step back, step away, and step into the light! You'll be thankful you did!

Eating Strategies....

Eating Strategies.

How do I incorporate eating with my exercise schedule so that I lose weight? Regardless of what type of nutritional plan or diet you are on, you need to make sure you are eating ENOUGH or the RIGHT food at the correct TIMES in order to optimize weight loss success. **NOTE, these strategies are pertinent to weight and fat LOSS. I will repost at a later date with lean muscle gain or bulk!**

Let’s talk about my basics to eating to lose the most fat. Now this is designed to be coupled with a targeted strength and cardio plan, so if you are not exercising you can ignore all these strategies. Exercise and nutrition are two halves of the whole that will make up your dream physique so unless you're willing to step into the gym, save yourself the time and stop reading now.

1. Eat every 2-3 hours; about five to six meals a day. Each meal, or eating opportunity, should be similar in size and calories.
2. Eat complete, lean protein each time you eat. Complete proteins are: lean read meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and dairy products. Protein Powder (whey) can be used but whole food is preferred for the majority of your meals.
3. Eat two servings of vegetables during as many of your meal opportunities as you can. Fruits can be eaten 1-3 times a day, but veggies should be your primary source of good, fresh, wholesome foods. Don’t drink juice- too high in added sugars and calories. If you want Vitamin C…don't be lazy, peel an orange.
4. Eat the starchy carbs (potatoes, oats, rice, grains, breads, cereals…not beans, carrots, and corn because you can have them anytime) within three hours POST exercise OR first thing in the a.m.
5. Learn to love healthy fats. Enjoy mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil. Incorporate flaxseed oil, fish oil, or ground flax seed into your daily regime.
6. Rather than having a treat (100 cal snack pack, pudding, Skinny Cow, etc.) each day, have one or two free meals a week where you eat rich satisfying foods. Then get right back on track. **For more info on free meals you can always email me AllisonMoyer@live.com as this concept becomes confusing for most**
7. Develop food preparation strategies. I will address this in another post!
8. Have healthy variety but make sure you can live with it. I eat the same foods day in and day out for my contest prep, but when I'm not prepping for a show I incorporate different sets of food, different carbohydrate sources, protein sources, food combinations, etc. This helps to keep me from getting bored and nutritionally in a rut.
9. When you workout, get in a protein/carb shake IMMEDIATELY after your workout. Around 200 cals should do it for most people. Not eating after a workout of more than 30 minutes of moderate-high intensity will cause you to burn LESS CALORIES during the next 24 hours.
10. Plan your food for the week. This is SO important! Again, I will address this in another post.

Try doing the above without counting calories. If you are math nerd and need the facts…I rarely advise a client to be under 1400 cals a day unless their goal is extreme fat loss or contest prep. Most active women should eat between 1400-1750 cals a day. 1400 for non-active days and 1750 for active days. Non-active days are your days off and active days are considered as 30+ min. of moderate-high intensity work or better. When I work with clients I rank them in terms of activity levels which go more in depth then just active and non-active in order to give me a more accurate caloric profile.

If you take your diet a step further (but is not necessary following the guidelines), you will eat your macronutrient breakdown into: 25-30% fats, 30-40% protein, 30-40% carbs. If you're in contest prep this may change- your protein will more then likely increase and carbs and fats may decrease.

This is the nuts and bolts of eating. Let's talk now about the other side, the mental side of healthy eating. I know PLENTY of trainers/coaches who neglect the mental side of eating, which I think is a HUGE dis-service to their clients. So much of adhering to an exercise program or nutritional plan is mental.

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Eating for Health vs. Eating for Pleasure
Changing your body to arrive at a fit and healthy look means eating for optimal body function. Fueling your body with the right foods makes your workouts more effective, your sleep more sound, your body functions more timely, and your skin, nails, and hair shine. The right foods can make an incredible difference in how you feel and act all day long in addition to positively changing the way you look.

However, the reverse is true. Feeling lethargic and no strength as a result of following a poor diet is common. Eating for pleasure versus eating what your body needs can sometimes lead to eating useless junk that the body derives no pleasure in processing. While it might feel good or taste good in the moment, your mood, weight, and body functions will be altered by this useless junk that we also tend to overeat when we start. In the end, eating crap all day makes you feel like crap and your workout will be crap, too. It's as simple as that. The age old saying "Junk in junk out" has truth to it.

Get Out Your Journal
You need to create an effective eating plan based around your lifestyle and how you intend on fitting your healthy eating around your work or family schedule. Plan it out on paper or purchase a journal. List when and what you are going to eat so that you don't have a reason to get off plan. Also, it is important to plan for any obstacles that might occur and mess up your plan. Always having some rice cakes, raw veggies, meal replacements or even fruit available will help you compensate for any shortcomings that might challenge your eating plan.

Every day record your diet and the timing of your meals. If you're a client of mine on my Lifestyle plan you'll record your food and discuss with me. Journal what you can do better or differently. Talk about what works for you and get help from your friends, family, trainer or coach.

Keep Your Goals In Sight
Always have your goals in sight. Put them on the fridge, on your desk at work or in your car. Just so that you are constantly reminded what you really want to achieve. This may be a photo of a physique you admire, a picture of your past self, a photo of a reward you'll give yourself when you reach your goal. This will help keep yourself focused and help curtail any urges that might creep in to spoil your healthy eating day. Whenever you feel weak mentally and just want to pig-out on junk food visualize how you want to look and you'll soon come back in line with your diet plans. The thought of having a great physique that you're proud of or shimming back into your skinny shorts, sure outweighs the short-lived enjoyment of junk food.

Have a Support Team
Although losing weight or maintaining our weight is up to us, we all need a good strong support team who will help us through the mentally and physically tough times. By including your family and friends along with your coach or trainer they will soon become apart of it. They will be there to stop you when you feel like eating un-planned junk meals, and if they're really great they might even make some nutritious meals for you! They will help to motivate you when you need encouragement and will push you to move forward when you fall into a slump. So make your quest for physique improvement a team situation and you'll feel much better for it.

Be a Mentor
Another great way to keep yourself on track is to become a mentor to someone else close to you who wants help improving his or her body. Firstly, they will turn to you as they will view you as a trusted source of information and advice on how to achieve their goals. Then furthermore you will become a role model to them. They see you being strict with your diet and training and achieving great results and they want to do the same. In this situation, being a role model makes you more accountable for your actions as you want to set an example. It is always harder to let someone else down who is counting on you for guidance and motivation, than it is just to let yourself down. Furthermore, you'll feel great by actually making a difference in someone else's quality of life.

Am I Carb Sensitive?

It's no secret that the same diet causes different reactions in different people- different metabolic types predispose our bodies to respond differently to macronutrients- carbs, fats, and proteins. How our bodies look physically from our diet and how we feel after eating is all tied into our metabolic or nutritional type.

One of these- is a type that tends to be carb sensitive which means your body responds negatively to large, or even in some cases small amounts of carbohydrates.

BUT before you run off screaming that your're carb sensitive you need to be real about your diet. A few days of "eating good" doesn't constitute as enough of a pattern to determine carb sensitivity. More often then not it seems people confuse being carb sensitive with being junk sensitive. They're shoving down sugar filled lattes, candy bars, 100 Calorie Snack Packs, Skinny Cows, lowfat Snackwell's, nonfat cappuccinos and anything else filled with sugar you can shake a stick at. To REALLY find out if you're carb sensitive or not you need to lay off processed foods before you jump to any conclusions. Stick to a diet of lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean dairy. Make it a goal to eat clean for a MONTH (now don't panic if it sounds better say 4 weeks or 30 days!) before making an assessment about your carb sensitivity.

For more information on what I mean by eating clean, I suggest "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno. It's a wealth of information for someone unfamiliar with eating clean.

NOW rather then dazzling you with the fun scientifics of carb sensitivity and metabolic typing etc, I'll simply state for you in plain English, the symptoms to pay attention to where carbs are considered;

Say, for example, you eat some whole grain pasta. Shortly thereafter you may feel bloated, puffy, lethargic and tired, and gasy. Even simple sugar meals like nonfat yogurts or pasta may make you feel uncomfortable and uneasy.

If clean carbohydrates make you feel this way then you are probably carb sensitive and need to work on reducing them in your diet and/or properly timing them.

Another symptom can be difficulty leaning out or losing weight, especially with women. You might rock and roll on calorie restriction and then hit a wall- while this can be for many reasons, sometimes simply adjusting your carbs, eating more protein and some moderate fats and TIMING your carbs will make the difference.

I'll use my own diet as an example of timing my carbs- I try to take in the bulk of my carbs at two main time periods- in the morning, and after I work out. Of course my contest diet is it's own demon, and none of these rules apply, so I'll use my offseason diet as more of a guide;

Meal 1, upon waking:

1/2 cup oatmeal

2 TBSP honey and cinnamon

1/2 cup egg whites

1/4 cup Fat Free shredded cheese

Meal 2:

3/4 cup egg whites

1/2 cup spinach

1 piece Ezekiel Bread with spray butter

Meal 3:

6 ounces grilled chicken

2 cups broccoli

1/4 cup diced red onion

Meal 4, POST WORKOUT;

1 scoop protein shake

1 small apple

Meal 5:

5 ounces 99% lean ground beef

2 cups spinach/spring mix

6-8 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup cucumber

1 piece celery sliced

4 TBSP spicy brown mustard

Meal 6:

1/2 cup cottage cheese with 2 TBSP sugar free jelly

1 ounce nuts

OR

1 scoop casein protein blended with water and 1 TBSP natural peanut butter

** I don't care much for milk, I'm not a milk drinker so you won't see it in my diets. Most dairy I do care for (like yogurt) is loaded with simple sugars. If you ARE going to eat yogurt, I suggest taking it in during the beginning of the day (i.e before lunch). If I feel I don't get enough calcium in my diet I add in a calcium supplement**

I encourage people to eat like this if they are truly carb sensitive and then plan to have one day a week, or more often if needed, where they abandon the diet temporarily and recharge the metabolism. That day they get to have a free meal, or a period of free carbs, or maybe even a few days or a week where they break their diet. If you live relatively lower carb this is an excellent chance to "refeed" or "carb up" and fool your body. Eat carbs you normally don't and in quantities you typically avoid. There is a deeper science to this, but I won't get into it here and now! I WILL warn you, the next day or two your scale will go crazy. Do yourself a favor, just don't weigh yourself. It's your body reacting to the carbs. Give it a few days to normalize and then you will probably see the scale go down shortly after.

Again- this is touch and go on the topic- by no means am I getting into the science of all of this here and now- later date maybe. But, using my diet as an example, you can see how timing carbs can sometimes help with carb sensitivity!