Ally's Angels, Author at Ally's Angels & Alphas

How Important is the Healthy Breakfast?

Three reasons why eating a healthy breakfast will help you transform your day!

Hey Angels, it’s Ally!

I got this question by e-mail recently and decided I should go a little in-depth…

One, so I could answer the question entirely, and two, so I could address this topic in front of all the people who go to the gym, yet skip breakfast every morning.

Have you ever heard the saying “the breakfast is the most important meal of the day”?

Of course you have, everybody has, but I today I want to answer the question “why”.

Why is breakfast so important?

Now… by the time breakfast rolls around, you’ve probably spent the last 6 to 10 hours in your comfy bed while your body has been using up all its precious resources.

This means that the first meal of the day is supposed to replenish these resources and give you an energetic jump-start you can use to attack the day!

Aside from giving you the energy to be productive and focus on your tasks, the proper breakfast also speeds up your metabolism and helps you burn more calories throughout the day.

Which means skipping it can throw off your body’s rhythm of fasting and eating.

And that’s a no-no!

When you wake up, your blood sugar is usually low, but your body needs it to make your muscles and brain work at their best.

I get it – many people skip the morning meal because they’re in a rush to get to where they need to be.

But let me tell you why those extra minutes aren’t worth it.

Here are the three reasons why breakfast is the most important meal of the day:

1. Energy Throughout the Day!

Breakfast is not only the most important meal but also the most often skipped – and that’s a shame!

The only reliable way to get the energy you need to dominate your day is to eat a morning meal packed of healthy nutrients.

When we wake up in the morning, our glucose stores are low, which means we have low energy. We need food to fuel ourselves up, and pancakes and burgers won’t do the job. What our bodies need in the morning is a meal that includes each of the three macronutrients: protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.

The protein will provide us with sustainable energy because it takes longer to digest than carbohydrates. It would be best if you choose lean, low-fat, and nutritious foods such as eggs (or egg whites for those who watch their fat and cholesterol intake), peanut butter, and low-fat or fat-free dairy.

Fats are equally important, as long as you stick to good fats and avoid the unhealthy ones. Try to eat mono and polyunsaturated fats and avoid saturated (or worse, trans fats). You can sprinkle chopped almonds or walnuts over low-fat yoghurt or oatmeal. Also, use olive or canola oil in the pan when making eggs. Another alternative is low-fat milk and cheese.

Let’s not forget about carbohydrates. Every cell in our body relies on glucose for fuel, especially our brain cells. Carbohydrates provide quick fuel in the form of glucose so your cells can function properly. You can provide your body with carbohydrates in many ways!

Simple carbs include fructose, galactose, glucose and sucrose which are easily digestible and converted to energy. You can get these from foods like fruits, vegetables, and packaged foods which have added sugar. Regardless of what type of sugar you ingest, your body will convert it to glucose, and it will enter your cells to meet your body’s energy needs!

However, keep in mind that surpassing your daily sugar intake will force your body to store it as fat, resulting in weight gain. It’s not necessarily wrong to eat sugar in the morning, it all comes down to the quantity.

2. Concentration and Focus!

The calories you take in the morning provide resources that your brain uses throughout the day which elevates your short-term memory. However, according to the “Journal of Adolescent Health”, eating too many calories in the morning could harm your ability to concentrate.

Eating a heavy meal could leave you feeling drowsy and sluggish, making it more difficult to focus and remember important things. However, a meal which is too light in calories won’t provide your brain with enough fuel to function properly.

It would be best if you aim to take between 350 and 500 calories from your breakfast for the most benefit when trying to improve your learning retention and sharpening your focus.

The perfect morning meal should include a healthy mix of complex carbohydrates, protein and fat. This mix of nutrients will increase your memory and allow your brain to get the energy it needs to focus.

Carbohydrates are essential in the morning because they have the biggest impact on your long-term memory!

A research conducted by the University of Toronto found out that eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast increases performance on short and long-term memory tests among participants, regardless of whether or not they were active gym-goers.

3. Impact on Weight and Gym Performance!

One of the easiest and simplest ways to lose weight and fat is by eating breakfast!

Studies show that by eating a substantial meal in the morning and reducing your caloric intake at night (also known as front-loading), you may be able to lose more weight than by doing the reverse.

That’s because your body follows a daily cycle, usually divided into two 12-hour periods, which are dictated by daytime and nighttime.

Your body naturally uses its resources more efficiently in the morning than it does in the evening. This is known as your circadian rhythm or “internal clock”.

Eating breakfast helps your body work in its natural rhythm which supports your weight loss goals and improves your performance in the gym.

You may think that skipping breakfast will reduce your caloric intake, but researchers say otherwise. Skipping your morning meal makes you more prone to overeat later in the day, often leading to weight gain.

Nutritionists agree that eating breakfast is a great strategy to help you avoid overcompensating with high-calorie, less nutritious options later in the day!

Conclusion

So, did you change your mind about breakfast?

It’s a fact – having a healthy first meal in the morning is essential when you want to live a healthier, energetic, more productive life.

If you’re in a rush in the mornings, prepare your breakfast the night before or simply make one which is quick and easy – such as. Things such as eggs and oatmeal are a fast and healthy option that will get you energetic, focused, and full – at least until lunchtime!

Remember, having a small breakfast is always better than skipping it.

Talk to you soon,

Ally

Full-body Workouts or Split Training – Which is Better?

Honestly, people ask me this question so many times a day; it’s not even funny!

Since the dawn of time, men and women in the fitness community have all been searching for the best way to structure and schedule their workout routines in ways that will help them achieve their goal weight/physique faster.

For most people, it’s simply not enough to just lift weights and run a few miles on the treadmill.

Most people want the exact process, system, or solution that will get them to where they want in the fastest, most comfortable way possible!

And that’s okay! We’re all wired this way – our brains are always looking for the best (and most of the time this means easiest) solution to the problem we’re facing, so it’s only natural that we like to separate things in a binary way and choose the right path.

We’re either doing weightlifting or bodyweight, weights or cardio, isolation or compound movements, high-reps or low-reps, full-body or split training and so on.

Today, you’re going to learn all you need about full-body workouts and split training regimes so you can rid your routine of that binary, limited way of thinking.

As with all our binary-thinking tendencies, what’s truly “right” for you can only be determined after you have all the information.

Whether you’re entirely new to the gym or have been going there religiously, we’re all always looking for the “right” way to organize our regime.

Some people love going all-in, training their entire body, and busting a sweat every time they step in a gym. Others, on the other hand, prefer to maximize the attention they give to every single muscle.

For you to find the best possible routine that will help you achieve your goals faster, you need to know what you’re getting into down to the tiniest detail. You have to find out what best fits your schedule, fitness level, and the goals you set, and I’m here to help you do just that!

I’m going to list all the pros and cons of both types of training, so you’ll be able to sculpt and train your body just the way you want to.

Let’s get into it!

Full-body Training

A full-body workout means you are exercising your entire body and stimulating all of your major muscle groups in one session.

It’s an excellent option for people who engage in different sports or types of fitness besides resistance training. It’s perfect for beginners, and coaches often recommend that everyone who is new to the gym starts off with two weeks of full-body workouts as a way to “warm-up” the body before entering a split day routine. However, this doesn’t mean that full-body isn’t just as effective on its own.

It’s also the best option for those looking to lose a lot of weight.

In this type of training, you’re working on your body as a whole. Statistically, more women prefer this method.

Pros;

1. More energy expenditure – more calorie burn!

The first (and in my opinion most important) benefit of full-body workouts is that you’re maximizing the number of calories you burn every workout. This makes this method of training perfect for those looking to lose a significant amount of weight.

When you’re training your entire body in one session, you’re expending more energy than you otherwise would because all of the major muscles in your body are getting taxed.

A workout consisting of squats, deadlifts, dips, and shoulder presses will take more out of you than your regular old biceps/triceps days.

By working on all of your major muscle groups in one go, your body is naturally going to release more energy, resulting in way more burned calories!

On top of that, that session is going to be like a reality check for your whole body. All the glycogen depletion, muscle stress, and microtrauma you’ve just caused your body gives you the perfect opportunity to load up on rich nutrients and achieve a super-compensatory recovery!

2. Higher frequency per muscle group and overall body balance.

Bodybuilding is about frequency. The more times you stimulate a muscle to grow, the more it will grow. (granted you get enough rest)

If you’re working out full-body three days a week, that’s a frequency that will always keep your major muscle groups stimulated and growing! If you want to use training splits to hit all your muscles three times a week, you’ll likely be doing at least two workouts a day. Sort of impractical, if you ask me.

When you’re training full-body and putting the same amount of emphasis on all your muscles, you’ll be growing your body in a balanced, more natural way. Chances are you’re not going to worry about muscle and strength imbalances.

3. Helps you save time.

If you travel a lot or you’re always juggling a busy schedule and can’t dedicate more than 2 or 3 days a week for the gym, full-body training is for you. Even though workouts tend to be long, you’ll be saving time in the long run. The time and energy you need to go to and back from the gym are also a part of this equation.

In terms of saving time, going to the gym twice a week is always better than going to the gym 5-6 times a week, regardless of how much time you actually spend in there.

Cons;

Extremely taxing on energy.
Increasing the training volume is hard. – Adding more intensity and exercises over time without making your workout too long can be tricky.
Long workouts.
Higher chance of overtraining. – For some people, even training full-body three days a week is a lot. The added frequency in which you hit different muscle groups can easily lead to overtraining. Don’t train full-body two days in a row.

Split Training

Working out on a split means you’re separating your muscle groups into different workout days. This way, you can put more emphasis on specific muscles and reach intensity levels that you wouldn’t be able to achieve in a full-body workout.

For example, you can train your chest on day 1, back on day 2, legs on day 3 and so on. You can combine muscle groups into different split days, but the golden rule is working out the bigger muscle group first. (For example, do back and biceps instead of biceps and back.)

This higher intensity and focus on specific muscles naturally makes split training more appealing to men.

Pros;

1. Heavier weights.

And a lot of them!

Think about it – because full-body workouts tend to burn more calories and use up more energy, they’re a lot more fatiguing overall. But for those who want to develop strength in specific exercises like the squat or bench press, this overall fatigue is counterproductive.

Consider the fatigue caused to individual muscle groups when compound movements are performed. After 3 or 4 compound movements, it’ll be harder for you to lift as heavy as possible. If you’re working on strength and size, you have tax each muscle group enough to overload it and let it adapt. Unlike full-body regimes, split training allows you to control that fatigue, and perform your best on specific exercises.

2. Focus on individual muscle shaping and definition.

If you want to spend more time getting broader shoulders, you can.

If you want to spend more time getting stronger, leaner legs, you can do that too.

Training on a split gives you freedom! It allows you to choose for yourself which part of your body you want to work on and improve. You have full control over the development and definition of your physique.

And if you have only two muscle groups to worry about, instead of your entire body, you’re going to give more concentrated attention to those two, which will result in specific muscle overload and adaptation. Split-based training helps you prioritize.

3. Better recovery.

If you’re working out all muscles groups 1-2x a week, you’re giving your body enough time to recover and grow.

With full-body training, anything more than three workouts a week will burn you out and make you wish you went for a split routine. With split-based training, you are far less likely to overtrain.

4. Making changes is easy.

Switching up your workout and adding/removing new exercises is easy when you’re only targeting one muscle group instead of your whole body.

Making these types of adjustments in your training split is as easy as focusing on different body parts on different days – but you have to be responsible with all that freedom!

Cons;

Going to the gym 5-6 times a week.
Less calorie burn.
Possible muscle and strength imbalances. – just like we’ve seen with the gazillions of fitness models that are walking around with arms five times the size of their calves.

To wrap-up…

Full-body training is for the beginners who want to set a great foundation, for those who want to focus on cardio and weight loss, for those who don’t have as much time to work out, and for the advanced lifters who want to push themselves to the absolute max.

Split routine training is for fitness models, bodybuilders, and advanced lifters. It’s for those who need that extra degree of control over the development of their own body and those who don’t mind going to the gym 5-6 times a week.

I want you to stay away from that binary way of thinking (this vs. this) and realize that different periods of your life are going to require different versions of you.

Today, you might be completely comfortable with your split.

Tomorrow, the full-body training option might seem more viable.

That’s why in this post I wanted to lay out all the information in front of you so that you can make the right decision for yourself.

It’s a fact that both of these methods offer great benefits, so don’t let your coach or anyone else downright tell you what’s best for you in your situation.

So I urge you, regardless of where you’re at in your fitness journey, try both of these for a week, see which one you like best, then stick to it until you’re sculpted sexy!

The Most Common Gym Injuries (and how to stay safe)

Hey Angels, it’s Ally!

When was the last time you experienced a workout injury?

I’m asking you this because injuries happen when we least expect them – and today, I’ll give you the ultimate preparation for them, by teaching you how to see them coming.

If you’re a regular gym-goer, you’re probably already aware of all the setbacks an injury can cause. What you might not be completely aware of is that in the society we live in today, media is bombarding us with information about fitness, and mantras that repeatedly reinforce the belief that we always need to push harder and reach beyond our limit.

Even though I support the belief of continuous struggle toward growth, but the continuous exposure to this “no pain, no gain” attitude has done nothing but hurt athletes in the long-run.

Today, we’re talking about workout injuries. I believe this is one of the most important topics a fitness enthusiast needs to learn about – if you want to guarantee yourself a long, healthy, and productive fitness journey, knowing how to avoid, prevent, and treat a workout injury is nothing short of a necessity.

Even small injuries like a sprained ankle or abnormal muscle strains, if ignored and not treated, have a higher chance of happening again and becoming a big problem in the long-run.

You’re going to learn about the most common injuries that occur in the gym, how to see them coming, and what you should (and shouldn’t) do to make sure you’re training safely and productively.

Let’s get started.

Here are the four most common gym injuries, and how to stay safe from each one!

1. Back Strains – according to statistics, this is the number one most likely injury for the regular gym-goer! The majority of people develop weak back muscles due to long hours of sitting at school, work, and home, and when the time comes to put heavy stress on the back, people tend to overextend and put on a load they can’t handle.

Even a sudden, sharp twinge in your lower back is a sufficient sign that you’re probably putting too much stress on it. Squats or deadlifts are two of the most common and basic exercises, yet they wreak havoc on your lower back if you’re not using proper form. Twisting motions, sideway bends, and heavy loads strain your lower back.

To stay safe, you need to learn how to maintain a neutral back. To do that, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your spine should touch the floor under your lower back, and this posture allows the natural curve of your back to absorb stressful exercise.

Especially if you’re new to weight lifting, get your form correct first. Beginners should first try the leg press or hip sled before moving on to squats. If you’re unsure of your form, ask a qualified personal trainer.

By lifting with your legs and not your back, you can gradually strengthen your back muscles with lower intensity exercise!

2. Shoulder Strains – your shoulder joints have a wide range of motion. This easily allows for injuries that are related to heavy loads, poor posture, and bad form.

Four main muscles – the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis comprise the rotator cuff, surrounding and stabilizing your shoulder joint.

Dislocating your shoulder or damaging your rotator cuff can be detrimental to your fitness journey. If at any point in your workout you feel shoulder pain – don’t push through it. If you feel pain when trying to reach behind you, this may be a sign of a strain of the rotator cuff. It typically results from repetitive overhead activity. Athletes like basketball players or swimmers should definitely stay away from heavy movements like military presses in the long-run.

To stay safe, let your shoulders rest and strengthen your rotator cuff muscles as part of your upper-body routine. By using good posture, avoiding heavy overhead exercises, and staying away from behind the neck lat pulldowns, you’ll put less stress on your shoulders and promote a balanced, gradual, productive growth process.

3. ACL/PCL & Knee Injuries – this refers to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) – injuries especially common in women. These are injuries of the knee ligament and are also common in athletes that play any sports that involve jumping, rapid changes in direction, or intense running.

If you’ve ever experienced sudden knee pain, swelling, a feeling of looseness, or an inability to put any weight on your knee without pain, this is a situation that calls for medical attention. If ignored, it can take you off your feet for months, and even require surgery.

Pain related to running and putting on pressure on the knees is also known as “runner’s knee”. It occurs when the bones in the lower leg are not lined up correctly, which causes an abnormal tension between the kneecap and the thigh bone – causing pain and possibly even tears in the ligaments.

To keep your knees healthy, incorporate exercises that strengthen the quadriceps and hip flexors. Seated and lying leg raises, butterfly stretches, bridges and lunges can help strengthen your quads and hips, easing the tension you put on your knees.

4. Pectoral Injuries – if you’re one of the women who enjoy a heavy bench press now and then, pectoral injuries are something you should seriously consider. Losing control of a dumbbell or barbell at the wrong moment can lead to what feels like a tearing sensation, and the chest and upper arm often turn black and blue. If you experience a pec tear, you should immediately see an orthopedic surgeon to determine if the injury needs surgery.

Feeling stress in your pectorals when working out can be a sign that you need to give your chest muscles more rest.

To stay safe, make sure that the weight you put on your bar is not only one that you can lift, but one that you can control.

So far, we’ve looked at the most common types of injuries relating to weight lifting.

We’ve analyzed what they are, why they happen, and how to stay safe from their setbacks!

After taking a look at the specifics, I want to say a few words about the general idea of healthy, productive training.

Staying away from injuries is a critical factor to your fitness longevity, and if for example, you’ve had knee problems in the past, you at least know what to look for – you know where the risk is.

But if you’re trying to get the fundamental knowledge on how to stay safe from injury, here are my top four tips to not only avoid but prevent injury.

First, always start with a warm-up. The Harvard Special Health Report concluded that warming up your body pumps nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your muscles and speeds up your heart rate. Getting blood to the muscles helps them more amenable to stress and change, which will help you avoid workout injuries.

Second, put your focus on your weaker muscles. Adding strength training and core work to your routine will help you maintain a balanced development. If your muscles are adequately proportioned and your core is fit, your body won’t wear down or have to compensate for certain movements!

Third, eating a balanced diet and hydration. We can’t not mention this. What you eat and drink is crucial to your workout. Not only will the right carbohydrates give you energy, but they’ll replenish your glycogen stores and promote better recovery. Protein after a workout is just as important, helping you repair the muscles you just put stress on.

And finally… listen to your body.

To conclude, I want to summarize by saying this – the truth is your body will give you all the signals you need to back off at the right time.

If you see no progress in certain areas, if you feel like you have less control of the weight you’re working with, if your knee is feeling achy, if your shoulders feel a little loose, if your soreness lasts for more than the usual 24-48 hours, or if you’re just plain tired…

Then it’s time to realize that long-term progress is what you’re genuinely after and that it’s better to take a week or two off when you see the symptoms of an injury, as opposed to overtraining and trying to push forward as much as possible.

I believe the majority of workout injuries can be prevented with proper rest and recovery.

So that’s why I’m bringing your attention to this today…

If you have even the slightest feeling that your body is telling you to stop and back off for a bit, listen to it.

Because when it comes down to it…

Those periods of complete rest and recollection on your routine are when you truly grow and move forward in your fitness journey.

Don’t skip them in the name of the “no pain, no gain” attitude.

It’s not worth it.

The Importance of Flexibility in Physical Fitness

Hey Angels and Alphas, do you remember the five main fitness components?

I’m talking about cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, body composition, muscular strength, and muscular endurance.

Out of these five, which one do you think gets overlooked the most in the fitness community?

You guessed it – flexibility!

Most weightlifters disregard flexibility because of their lengthy routines. Some people argue it has no benefit for the heavy lifters, and some deny it even exists!

But jokes aside, we have to address this topic. After all, what we’re all after is physical fitness – this means more than going to the gym three to five times a week. It means more than lifting weights and doing cardio. Physical fitness means feeling free in your own body, and flexibility is just that.

Today, I want to talk about what flexibility is, what it isn’t, and give you an overview of all the benefits you get for those extra five minutes of stretching at the end/start of your workout.

Let’s begin!

What is flexibility, and what does it truly mean to be “flexible”?

Flexibility is the ability to move your joints effectively through their complete range of motion – the level of tissue extensibility that a muscle group has. Every muscle group has a different level of flexibility and range of motion, but you can always improve them with the right training, even at an older age.

Having flexible joints is crucial when it comes to living a healthy, pain-free lifestyle.

As one of the leading components of fitness, it plays a monumental role in productive physical activity. If you’re a football or basketball player, flexibility plays a huge part of your overall fitness profile. And in activities as gymnastics, it’s honestly the most important physical attribute.

By stretching and training your body to become more flexible, you allow your body to perform deeper movements while building more strength and stability.

To become “flexible” and reap the performance benefits, you need to have a balanced routine of static and dynamic flexibility training. Static training aims to develop muscle elasticity and joint mobility and improve overall flexibility, while dynamic training is all about the full range of motion of your muscles during daily activities such as sports.

Due to being so neglected in the weightlifting community, flexibility remains misunderstood by most people.

We often believe flexible people are those who can bend down and touch their toes, or squat to the ground, and even though that’s true, flexibility goes beyond the ability to do a single stretch.

When you improve your overall flexibility, your muscles and joints will have a higher range of motion, you’ll be able to perform tasks with ease, and your body will feel more balanced and comfortable while you’re going about your daily activities!

Challenge: bend over and touch your toes to test how loose/tight your hamstrings are.

How do we train to become more flexible?

There are three factors you need to consider when training for flexibility: muscle length, muscle elasticity, and joint structure. While genetics are going to be the main deciding factor in the formation of your joint structure, you can still improve your muscle length and elasticity through exercise and physical activity.

There are a few different types of stretching you can do to improve flexibility, but the best way, of course, will be a balance of all three.

Static stretching means moving into a position that lengthens your target muscle, then holding that position for up to a minute. – exercises include the standing hamstring stretch, the triceps stretch, and the figure four stretch.
Dynamic stretching means moving in and out of a position that lengthens your target muscle, also known as ballistic stretching. This stretching often involves using subtle bouncing movements to put pressure on and off the tissue. – exercises include the leg crossover, the page turn, and the spinal twist lunge.
Active stretching, also known as isolated stretching. It refers to moving your joints through the complete range of motion of the muscle, holding the stretch briefly, then going back to square one and repeating. This stretching method is the most famous among athletes for fixing muscle imbalances and preventing injury. – exercises include the quad stretch, the psoas stretch, and the IT band stretch.

All three of these types of stretching are essential, but you don’t need to do them for hours and hours to reap their benefits. You don’t need a special class or machine. Stretching is something you can do pretty much anywhere. You can just put on a YouTube video about stretching exercises and have everything you need to become more flexible!

However, the best approach you can take is to create a stretching program that focuses on your individual needs and imbalances and incorporate it into your regular routine. Similar programs start with a series of stretches that warm you up and lengthen the muscles all around your body, improving joint mobility and range of motion, and preparing you for more intense exercise.

To improve flexibility, all you really need is 5 or 10 minutes a day.

Another workout method that might help is cross training – this refers to a few different cardio and strength exercises such as lunges or swimming strokes.

Lunges will strengthen your quad on one leg, and lengthen your hip joint on the other. Swimmers often have super flexible upper backs and torsos because proper swimming strokes effectively stretch these muscle groups.

Note: You should perform flexibility training after a proper joint warm-up – it’s the only way productive stretching can take place.

The benefits of flexibility!

Aside from gym performance, flexibility is a crucial part of everyday activities and has a positive effect on your overall well-being. Even getting up out of bed and carrying around groceries becomes more natural for someone who’s flexible.

This added level of physical freedom is why flexibility training is so crucial – not only will it help you handle all your physical tasks with more ease, but it’s truly a necessary part of everyone’s life (especially when you consider that your level of flexibility tends to decline as you grow older.)

Do you think you only get better posture, less joint pain, and more freedom in your own body?

Think again!

The list of benefits goes way beyond that, but I’ve managed to bring it down to the big three…

1. Reaching peak performance.

To reach your full potential in the gym, you must utilize the full capacity of your muscles so you can exhibit all your strength and power. You need to work on muscle length and mobility because tight and stiff muscles aren’t going to provide all the explosiveness you need for intense exercise.

If your biceps are tight, you’re not going to be able to perform the full range of motion of a curl. If your hip flexors are tight, you’re not going to be able to extend fully while running. Flexibility changes that – it enhances movement and mobility.

Flexibility will also improve your strength in the gym because having flexible muscles will help you adequately distribute tension along the muscle group, and your joints will become strong and mobile enough to support your movements.

Once you increase your flexibility, you essentially allow your body to move and perform more effectively.

2. Improving physical and mental well-being.

One thing you have to realize is that flexibility improves not only muscular strength and endurance but also your ability to perform aerobic training. Full range of motion is vital for fluid movements such as swimming and sprinting.

It also decreases soreness, especially in athletes who work out at a much higher intensity level.

And it’s not only physical fitness! Stretching helps you relax and enables you to take tension off your body. Taking the strain off leads to not only better physical performance, but more mental toughness. By stretching and opening up your body, you’re guaranteed to get a feeling of relaxation that calms your state of mind. It’s a way to unwind.

A focus on muscular pliability also improves your posture and allows for proper body and joint alignment, aiding in the correction of muscular imbalances.

3. Less pain, fewer injuries.

To top it all off, flexibility is also a massive factor in injury prevention.

It’s no wonder stretching exercises are such a big part of injury rehabilitation, sport-specific preparation, and post-workout recovery.

The more flexible you become, the more you’ll be able to withstand physical stress. Ridding the body of muscle imbalances (by strengthening underperforming muscles and stretching the tight ones) will also reduce your chance of getting injured.

When your muscles become looser, you’ll also feel less pain and aching around your joints.

To conclude…

The key benefits of flexibility are:

Better performance in daily activities
Better joint health
Better posture and muscle balance
Better gym/sport performance
Muscle cramp prevention
Pain and injury prevention
Relaxation and stress relief

Now if this doesn’t sound like a good list of benefits, I don’t know what does!

If you’re someone who is serious about working out, you can’t miss out on one of the major fitness components.

It’s undoubtedly one of the most overlooked parts of fitness, and it’s going to bring a massive benefit to anyone who chooses to incorporate it into their routine!

Flexibility is more important now than ever before – don’t let it take a back seat to big biceps and rock hard abs!

The Benefits of Lifting Heavy for Women

Many people like to think that heavy weightlifting and bodybuilding, in general, is a guy’s thing. The general advice is that women shouldn’t engage in it, because they will become “bulky”.

They can train gymnastics, swimming, and other sports but not weight training. There is still a negative stigma in society about women who engage in heavy weightlifting.

Shucks! We’re here to prove them wrong.

I’m happy to say more and more women start training with weights and competing in bodybuilding competitions. I adore that fact, and I’m here to give you eight reasons why weightlifting is a no longer man-exclusive sport.

I will be talking about what benefits can women get from weight lifting and why should every woman engage in some type of resistance training.

Let’s get right into it.

1. You’ll Burn More Fat

The Turfs University did a study which separated overweight women in two groups. One group engaged in weight training twice a week, resulting in lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle in the process. The other group, which only dieted without weight training, lost only 9.2 pounds of fat but gained no muscle in the process.

There is a simple fact which can explain these results – when you do an intense weight-training program, your metabolism is elevated, and you continue to burn fat for several hours after you have finished your workout.

If you do a regular cardio exercise, you’ll stop burning fat shortly after you have finished your session.

2. You’ll Build Your Ideal Shape

Whether you want to look great in a dress, rock a bathing suit on summer vacation, or to have shapely arms in a tank top, weight training is the best way you can do that. It’s not only the best but also the fastest way you can reach your aesthetic goals. To achieve these goals, you should train with progressively heavier weights.

Some of you may think “But my goal is to lose fat”. It doesn’t matter. If you commit to losing fat by doing a lot of cardio and bring your fat percentage down into the teens (which is very lean for a woman), you won’t like what you see. You’ll have little to no muscle to work with on this body fat level, and you’ll be a skinny girl with no curves to be seen.

It’s essential for you to understand that your muscles will give you your desired shape. So if you want to be lean and look great in whatever dress you rock, lifting weights is the way to go.

It would be best if you aim to do at least three sessions a week for better results.

3. You’ll Strengthen Your Bones

As we age, our estrogen levels drop and this lead to postmenopausal women to be prone to osteoporosis. Estrogen is the chemical which is responsible for bone building.

Numerous studies show a positive correlation between resistance training and bone density. When your bones feel your muscles pulling, bone growth is stimulated. Women who lift weights regularly can have an increase in bone density and offset the bone loss.

4. You’ll Be In a Better Mood!

Women are twice as likely to develop clinical depression as men, yet most of these women don’t do anything to combat these feelings. When training, your body releases norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin which will help you achieve a sense of well-being. Weight training also leads to an increase in energy, better and higher-quality sleep, and a feeling of accomplishment and control.

5. Higher Life Expectancy!

Women who spend time in the weight room are typically active for more extended periods. That’s because weight training strengthens your muscles and improves your bone density. The upper-body strength helps you combat postural issues which can lead to back and shoulder issues. An increased hip and leg strength aid in mobility and balance.

So if you want to look and feel better for the rest of your lives, you better start hitting the heavy weights!

6. You’ll Improve Your Posture

In our everyday lives, nothing is abused more than our posture. Sitting all day at work and having bad walking patterns lead to many problems with our posture and most importantly, injuries. Proper posture will prevent that and help you have better power transfer in athletics.

You can combat a bad posture by strengthening your body. Exercises such as rows and scapular retraction (a move where you squeeze your shoulder blades back and together) help you enhance your postural muscles. Core strengthening also helps with improved posture by strengthening the entire torso area. Resistance training will also help you improve weak muscles which affect your posture.

7. You’ll Speed Up Your Metabolism

The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As we age, we lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. If you have never done resistance training and you die, up to 25% of the weight loss may be muscle loss. If you start training with weight and combine it with dieting, you can preserve and even rebuild your muscle fibres. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you’ll burn all day long.

8. You’ll Get Stronger And Be More Confident

If you have never lifted weights in your life, your everyday tasks such as carrying children, lifting grocery bags and picking up heavy suitcases must be challenging as hell. If you start hitting the gym, however, more frequently you’ll have an increase in functional fitness and will have no problem doing all of those things.

Researches show that regular weight training can make you 50% stronger in only six months. Being stronger and having more power is very empowering feeling. It will not only improve your physical activities but also will build emotional strength by boosting self-esteem and confidence. It also builds character as to build muscle long-term you have to be dedicated and disciplined.

Conclusion

As you can see, weight lifting has a tremendous amount of benefits for women! We feel and look better when we train with weights, and our overall quality of life improves. You should realise by now, that weightlifting is not exclusive to women or men, but it’s for everybody who wants to improve their lives!

Whether you want to look good, build muscle or even compete as a competitor, heavy weight training is one of the best things you can do not only for yourself but also for the people around you. Remember, if you improve yourself, you can help others grow, and that is all that matters.

Autoimmune Diseases

How to identify, treat, and stay fit with an autoimmune disorder.

The United States is currently experiencing an autoimmune disease epidemic.

With over 60 million affected Americans today, the statistics show autoimmunity has increased threefold over the last half-century.

It’s ranked the third leading chronic illness in the US, behind heart disease and cancer, accounting for over $100 billion (with a b) in annual healthcare costs.

Autoimmune diseases aren’t a specific, labeled group of conditions that are easy to identify. More than 80 different autoimmune disorders exist. Their symptoms often overlap, making them hard to even diagnose.

Today, we’re taking a deep dive into what they are, how we can better our condition, and how we can make working out a beneficial and healthy part of our lifestyle, even with an autoimmune disease.

What Are Autoimmune Diseases?

First of all, no matter what type of autoimmune disease you have, they all start in one place – your immune system.

Your body’s immune system is a complex network of cells and organs which protect your body against foreign substances, bacteria, cancer cells, transplant tissue, and so on.

The primary purpose here is to keep your body healthy and to keep these foreign invaders out.

To do that, your immune system produces antibodies which, when released, attack these invaders until they’re good and gone.

An autoimmune disease is when that same immune system begins producing antibodies that attack your body’s own tissue, instead of fighting infections.

This often happens in response to certain triggers, which is why treatment for autoimmune diseases focuses on reducing the activity of your immune system.

As I said above, there are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, and a lot of them have really similar symptoms.

This makes diagnosing them a long, frustrating, and stressful process, both for you, and your doctor.

Blood tests that search out autoantibodies in your body can help doctors diagnose these conditions with precision.

Often, the first symptoms are things such as fatigue, fevers, muscle aches, and inflammation which causes redness in specific body areas, heat, pain, and swelling.

These diseases often get worse in their so-called flare-up period, and in certain periods, the symptoms may get better or even disappear. That period is called a remission.

Of course, treatment depends on the type of disease you have, but in most cases, the primary goal is to help your body reduce inflammation.

Your doctor might even prescribe corticosteroids or other drugs that reduce your immune system’s response!

Here are some of the more common autoimmune diseases, and what they entail:

Type 1 diabetes – destroying cells in your pancreas
Rheumatoid arthritis – joint inflammation (and the surrounding tissue)
Celiac sprue disease – a gluten reaction that causes damage to the lining of the small intestine
Scleroderma – a connective tissue disease that causes changes in muscles, blood vessels, organs, and the skin
Systemic lupus erythematosus – affects skin, kidneys, brain, and other organs
Psoriasis – a condition that causes redness, irritation, and flaky, silver-white patches on the skin
Vitiligo – white patches on the skin caused by loss of pigment
Inflammatory bowel diseases – a group of inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine
Addison’s disease – insufficient adrenal hormone
Graves’ disease – overactive thyroid gland

If you suffer from any of these conditions, chances are you already know about it.

But for those in the early stages of development, it’s essential for you to know the symptoms that come along with autoimmune diseases, so you can start treating them immediately and make small changes to your daily and fitness routine that will help you ease your condition.

Symptoms and Treatments

When it comes to the early symptoms of autoimmune diseases, a lot of them are very similar, and they include:

Muscle pains
Fatigue
Trouble concentrating
Numbness in the hands and feet
Hair loss
Fevers
Swelling, redness, and skin irritations

Individual diseases can also have their own unique symptoms. For example, type 1 diabetes causes extreme thirst, weight loss, and fatigue. Inflammatory bowel syndrome causes bloating and nasty belly aches.

And with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, the flare-up and remission periods in which the symptoms come and go are clear to identify.

So, when should you see a doctor?

Aside from your usual check-ups with your health provider, recognizing any of these symptoms that occur on a regular (or on-and-off) basis is a good reason to get yourself tested.

Different specialists treat different types of autoimmune diseases, but all of them should be able to identify your symptoms and point you in the right direction.

Endocrinologists treat conditions of the glands like Graves’ and Addison’s disease.
Rheumatologists treat diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, and any joint-related issues.
Gastroenterologists treat diseases such as celiac, Crohn’s disease, and problems with the GI tract.
Dermatologists can help you treat any skin condition (like psoriasis) related to autoimmune issues.

Treatments can’t cure autoimmune diseases, but bringing down inflammation and controlling your immune system’s response to your triggers is vital for your quality of life and well-being.

Of course, every condition will have different complications when it comes to changes in your lifestyle.

One thing we know for sure – fitness and working out are both crucial for the people who want to live and overall healthy lifestyle.

So now, let’s look at how we can help our bodies and use fitness as a powerful tool to help us stay fit despite our condition.

Using Fitness to Improve Lifestyle and Better our Condition

It’s a fact – 2 in 3 adults in America are considered overweight or obese. This pandemic results in a lot of health issues for the general population – such as autoimmune diseases, endocrine dysfunction, diabetes, cancer, stroke, dyspnea, disabilities, and the list goes on.

For the people who suffer from an autoimmune disease or any other chronic pain issue for that matter, exercise can be both a blessing and a curse.

We all know moving is essential to our well-being, but too much of it can cause a reaction in your body that will create a flare-up in your condition, and put you in harm’s way.

What people don’t tell you is that exercise WILL help you manage your symptoms and flare-ups.

Your body was designed to exercise! It can withstand heavy loads, aerobic work, and endurance training, and this results in incredibly beneficial physiological adaptations that increase your body’s efficiency on so many levels.

Autoimmune diseases and chronic pain conditions feed off of inflammation, and if you’re working out right, and eating right, this lifestyle will help you reduce the inflammation (and the pain it causes) in your body.

On top of all that, the right workout routine will essentially “teach” your body to adapt to a particular pain response, which can help you get through the sometimes painful daily activities. Your body needs to leave its comfort zone, and learn that being uncomfortable in an otherwise safe environment will teach you how to handle your symptoms appropriately.

In my practice as a coach, I’ve seen people transform regardless of their condition using the right method I’m about to share with you right now.

If you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, your workout should primarily focus on adapting your body and building a base of strength and flexibility.

A number of medical studies have found that exercising in that manner has positive effects on reducing the symptoms of such disorders, including the chronic pain and fatigue that they sometimes come with.

Both short-term and long-term exercise programs have shown remarkable results.

On the other side of the coin, research has also shown that physical and psychological stress can aggravate your symptoms. Exercise often increases cortisol levels, which causes stress to the body.

So, there’s only one challenge in front of us – finding a workout program that creases enough work to get you fit and healthy, without overworking your body and risking a flare-up.

As you can see, both the benefits and the potential risks of exercising are not to be ignored.

You have to find a way to balance both of them if you want to live a healthier lifestyle, look better, and go about your life worry-free.

To conclude…

I can say that symptoms of autoimmune disorders are NOT to be ignored, and they sometimes come and go over time.

In my practice, I’ve found that two schools of thought exist among people with such disorders.

For those who can (but don’t do it) exercise is viewed as a dull, tedious, pointless waste of time.

But for those that do take the time, exercise is therapy. For them, it’s a required part of their day, helping them develop emotional and physical strength, and helping them manage their symptoms, inflammation, and stress, so they can be insured they live a life of optimal health.

I hope this blog post was educational and gave you some perspective on the benefits of working out with such a disorder.

I want you to know I’m always looking for ways to help, and if you need an expert you can trust on this matter, feel free to book your free consultation call.

How To Stop Binge Eating

How we can identify the binge eating disorder, overpower it, and break free from it.

Now, don’t get me wrong – treating yourself is not a bad thing.

If you’re dedicated to your fitness goals, you’re working hard, and you’re (for the most part) on your diet, a little cheat meal or cheat day every so often works wonders to keep your motivation going strong.

But sometimes, we lose control.

And a huge problem for most people lies in not recognizing a little disorder called the Binge eating disorder (or BED).

It can turn your cheat meal into a cheat day, that cheat day into a cheat week, and next thing you know, the only thing considered cheating on your diet would be eating a salad.

That’s not what we’re going for.

Today, I want to take a look at this (extremely) common disorder, and show you what you can do to identify it, and stop it in its tracks, once and for all.

The binge eating disorder or BED is characterized as regularly and compulsively eating large amounts of food, rapidly at the point of pain or discomfort. Binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the USA as it affects 3-5% of the general population with 3,5% of women and 2% of men being affected.

Don’t get me wrong – we all have moments in which we eat a just a little more than necessary, but BED is much more severe than that.

People with this condition have the feeling that they are out of control while eating. They often overeat and do it too quickly, even when they aren’t feeling hungry. Because of this behavior, it’s likely that they eat alone and feel shame, guilt, and embarrassment about their condition.

There is a difference between BED and bulimia, as people with bulimia will try to “undo” the effects of binge eating by vomiting or using laxatives. People with BED may vow to stop their emotional eating, but the shame and stress make them binge again and again.

Millions of people suffer from BED. A large portion of them are obese, but that isn’t always an effective indicator when identifying the binge eater.

After all, BED can affect everyone no matter the age, race, gender or body type.

If left untreated and uncontrolled, this little overeating habit can even be life-threatening.

So… what exactly causes it?

What Are The Causes of B.E.D?

The unhealthy relationship between food and people with BED is part of a much larger and significant problem – mental and emotional issues.

The exact cause of this disorder is unknown but most likely can be attributed to a combination of psychological, behavioral, and environmental influences.

Statistics show that you’re more likely to develop BED if you have:

Family history – If you have parent or siblings with an eating disorder, the risk for you to develop one is much higher.
Psychological issues or negative self-worth – Certain thought patterns are closely associated with BED, including depression, anger, anxiety, and negative feelings about yourself, your body, and your accomplishments.
A history of restricting calories – people who have this disorder can differ in body types, but most of the times they have repeatedly tried dieting.
Traumatic experiences – people with post-traumatic stress disorder can often develop BED as a form of an escape from the pain.
Personal problems – having issues with your closest people can lead to binge-eating behavior.
Been fat shamed or bullied – many people diagnosed with BED report having a long personal history of dieting for those exact reasons.

As you’ve probably noticed, a lot of these causes have nothing to do with body type, workout history, or actual food preferences.

They’re psychological – certain bad experiences and associations that worsen the relationship between the binge eater and their favorite tasty foods, and make him or her develop continuous, uncontrolled cravings.

If you’re finding yourself in any of these causes, you might potentially be experiencing the symptoms of BED, without even knowing it!

Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms and Behaviors

Someone who has BED displays clear and specific signs and symptoms that easily help us indicate their condition. Some of them include:

Eating unusually large quantities of food when you are not hungry, or when you are full
Eating faster than normal
Eating until you feel uncomfortable
Feeling embarrassment, shame, depression, disgust, or guilt about binge eating
Eating alone or in secret so that others cannot see you binge eat
Feeling “out of control” when you are eating, like you cannot stop

You may also experience certain physical complications as symptoms of BED, such as:

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Type II diabetes
Gallbladder disease
Fatigue
Joint and muscle pain
Osteoarthritis
Sleep apnea

And some of the psychological conditions linked with BED include:

Feeling bad about yourself, your body, or your life
Poor quality of life
Problems functioning at work, in your personal life, or while socializing
Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse disorder

Even though BED symptoms and behaviors are easy to spot, successfully addressing it will require a mix of therapeutic approaches.

It would be best if you had a team of mental health providers, medical providers, and nutritional experts which can help guide you toward a safe and effective treatment.

If left untreated…

BED comes with many health risks including physical, emotional and social. Up to 50% of people with this condition are obese.

This disorder is a high-risk factor for gaining weight and becoming overweight – the reason for this is obviously the increased calorie intake during these “binging episodes”.

Obesity on its own comes with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

What’s worse is, studies show people with BED having a higher risk of developing these health problems compared to obese people of the same weight who don’t have BED.

Other problems associated with this condition are having difficulty sleeping, chronic pain, asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome.

In women, the condition leads to higher risk of fertility problems, pregnancy complications, and development of polycystic ovary syndrome.

People with BED also experience difficulty socializing as 13% of them say they can’t even function properly in social settings.

So as we can see, ignoring these binge eating episodes is NOT an option.

If the symptoms of this disorder are left untreated, complications are guaranteed.

And that’s not what I want for you.

So how do we take care of this harmful disorder, and make sure it doesn’t come back?

Simple… you fight it from within.

Treating, overcoming, and moving forward.

If you even suspect that you’ve recently experienced a BED episode, it’s best that you immediately seek medical attention. BED is a disorder which requires proper diagnoses and medical treatment.

If it’s left untreated, it can get worse, and in some extreme cases, it can become life-threatening.

It would be helpful before the doctor’s appointment, to make a list of symptoms which you are experiencing.

You can include personal information like your family’s history of eating disorders, stress, recent life changes, and a typical day of eating.

Don’t be afraid to talk about your emotions and thoughts even if they don’t seem related to binge eating – it’s essential to give your provider a clear picture.

Your doctor will ask you questions about your daily food intake, your mindset about it, how quickly you eat, and so on. If you want to stop BED, you have to be honest and open up about the emotions you have suppressed.

You may want to consider having a conversation with your doctor about if he had worked with similar patients before, how he approaches the treatment, and what he sees as the primary goal for your recovery.

An effective treatment plan may include assistance from a variety of medical specialist, health and wellness experts, and mental health practitioners. That’s because everybody has his unique signs and symptoms.

This “team” of specialists can help you stop binging by addressing the underlying influences and unhealthy habits.

Working with these kinds of people will motivate you to reduce your food intake, make healthy long-term changes, and ultimately overcome BED.

Aside from the obvious, the best way to treat this disorder is to think of it as something emotional rather than physical.

If you realize the underlying cause of your problem, you’re one step closer to solving it by yourself.

Different types of therapy can be incredibly beneficial for disorders such as this one.

And if you find it difficult to be honest with yourself, and you feel like you might need a little help, these are the therapy types that I recommend:

Psychotherapy – a trained therapist will work with you to figure out the root cause of your binge-eating episodes and help you overcome them.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – this is one-on-one therapeutic counseling which treats mental disorders, including depression. A cognitive behavioral therapist may allow you to express your thoughts and feeling, helping you rethink the way you think about yourself, your body, and your accomplishments.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy – this is a short-term treatment which focuses on the way people interact with others. An interpersonal psychotherapist can help you address any social or communication issues which encourage you to eat a.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy – this form of cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients remove self-harming behaviors and negative thinking. If you undergo this therapy, you can learn how to solve problems better, cope with stress and regulate anxiety.
Group or Family Therapy – social support is a crucial component of overcoming BED. It’s essential for your family to be able to talk about your condition and its effects on you, especially if you’re not the only person in the family experiencing these episodes.

As with every such disorder, it’s completely treatable!

If you suffer from B.E.D, it’s vital for you to realize that recovery is a journey of treatment, healing, and personal growth.

It’s not about buying what’s on the prescription.

It’s about being patient, taking care of yourself, and choosing the right way to treat yourself.

I want you to live your life healthier, and happier than you’ve ever been.

You shouldn’t think (not even for a second) that your disorder defines your future.

We all grow and experience changes, and sometimes a few bad experiences can leave us hurting for a long time, without even realizing it.

Remember – your journey of health, fitness, and balance starts when you decide it does. No disorder, doctor, or number on a scale can tell you otherwise.

As we learned, B.E.D is psychological – it’s a result of your past experiences, decisions, and environment.

But the good news is…

It ends exactly when you decide it does.

The Benefits of Lifting Heavy for Women

Many people like to think that heavy weightlifting and bodybuilding, in general, is a guy’s thing. The general advice is that women shouldn’t engage in it, because they will become “bulky”.

They can train gymnastics, swimming, and other sports but not weight training. There is still a negative stigma in society about women who engage in heavy weightlifting.

Shucks! We’re here to prove them wrong.

I will be talking about what benefits can women get from weight lifting and why should every woman engage in some type of resistance training.

Let’s get right into it.

1. You’ll Burn More Fat

If you do a regular cardio exercise, you’ll stop burning fat shortly after you have finished your session.

2. You’ll Build Your Ideal Shape

It’s essential for you to understand that your muscles will give you your desired shape. So if you want to be lean and look great in whatever dress you rock, lifting weights is the way to go.

It would be best if you aim to do at least three sessions a week for better results.

3. You’ll Strengthen Your Bones

As we age, our estrogen levels drop and this lead to postmenopausal women to be prone to osteoporosis. Estrogen is the chemical which is responsible for bone building.

4. You’ll Be In a Better Mood!

5. Higher Life Expectancy!

So if you want to look and feel better for the rest of your lives, you better start hitting the heavy weights!

6. You’ll Improve Your Posture

7. You’ll Speed Up Your Metabolism

8. You’ll Get Stronger And Be More Confident

Conclusion

WBFF PRO-AM show in Australia

One of our most successful weekends in our history of preparing athletes for this incredible @wbff_official brand.

This weekend saw the inaugural WBFF PROAM show in Australia and the Santa Monica show in Los Angeles for our amateurs.

Overall this weekend we saw 6 of our athletes achieve PRO STATUS – taking out their categories in STACKED lineups of like-minded athletes chasing that elusive WBFF pro card. Many of these athletes were first timers in the WBFF and competing in general so their showings were extremely exceptional.

We also had 2 wins in the Pro categories which saw them win the championship title status and take over $7000 in prize money. To say we are proud of coaches is an incredible understatement and I am so happy with us not only backing up the team of the year title, but exceeding even our own lofty goals. You are are champions. Full results below.

Placings

Abbie – 1st place Fitness Diva Short + Pro status. Top 5 bikini
Amber – 1st place fitness diva medium + pro status.
Sarah Dalton – 1st place fitness 35+ & pro status
Sarah Dalton – 4th place diva fitness model short
Sarah Wachjo – 6th place diva fitness
Donna – 6th place fitness 35+
Kelly Daymond – 9th place fitness 35+
Kane – 8th place fitness tall
Hannah – 10th place fitness tall
Ashleigh – top 10 bikini medium
Gavin – 8th fitness model
Kelly Flanagan – top 10 bikini tall
Sarah Wachjo – top 10 fitness model
Shanon Hanrahan – 3rd place fitness model
Stephanie Wassens – top 10 bikini model
Suzanna M – top 10 bikini model
Tayah Pickervance – top 10 bikini model
Tiana – 3rd place bikini model

Pro titles

Fresh – 1st place Pro Fitness model
Daniel – 1st place Pro Muscle model
Kayla – 3rd place pro bikini model
Milla – 2nd place bikini pro diva

Amazing pro debuts by

Frida
Maya
Suzanna P

Amazing amateur debuts for

Alisa Motorina
Alicia bloom
Anna Kroehn
Hilla Sukar
Ibanez Taylor
Jackie Perry
Krisna Morris
Lina Revelo
Matilda Murray
Trish Speesa
Ruby Mcmullen
Sandra Angela
Vanessa McFall
Victoria Carter
Shannon Mulders

Santa Monica

Taryn – 1st place bikini + pro
Lexie – 1st place bikini + pro
Cindy – 1st place fitness + pro

Competition Prep Process

Do you want to get on stage as a competitor and be in the best shape of your life?

If you’re already competing or just aspiring to step on stage for the first time, you’re probably trying to reach that perfect balance of being in great shape, looking stunning on and off stage, and actually enjoying the process while staying healthy.

Let me first say, I have amazing respect for anyone who has the commitment to compete in a fitness competition, be it bikini or bodybuilding.

I know how tough the process is and that’s why today I want to share with you my tips and tactics so you can avoid all these mistakes other women in the industry make.

When you decide you’re going to be in a competition, the first and most essential thing is making a commitment that you’re going to go through with it to the end.

So, you want to compete as a female fitness or bikini competitor?

Sometimes you can already be in shape when you decide you’re going to do a competition.

The fact is this – knowing where you’re at now can help you manage your expectations and set clear goals.

We’ll talk about diet and training further, but for now we’ll emphasize how important it is to take your time with this and be patient.

Unless you stay lean year-round, what will work best for you is slow and steady dieting first, then the competition prep.

Always be aware of the competitions you want to do, but don’t lock anything in.

When you’re closer to the needed stage shape you can easily choose a date, make a plan, and work on the specific things you need in order to reach first place.

If you’re in shape and you’re just wondering about it, but you have a strong work ethic and like new experiences – definitely go for it.

After you decide what show you want to do, all you have to do is see what the requirements are. Every organization can have different ways of judging and criteria. Submit your form, take any drug tests, put together your posing routines and let’s do this!

Pre-competition Diet

Being 12 weeks out from a show is a wonderful feeling.

First things first, if you’re not an expert on diet and nutrition, this is the point where you can hire someone to help you with this. Most people assume you already know everything if you’re someone who competes in a lot of shows.

That simply not true! It’s okay to seek help from experts and trainers on whatever area you might be lacking.

So, the 12 week point is when you eliminate all junk food from your diet. Focus on drinking more water, and eating a lot of meals each consisting of some form of protein, carbs, and a little fat. Make sure to track every calorie you take in and tailor your daily plans around that. Limit all sugary foods, candy and desserts to a minimum.

A question I get asked a lot is… what about carbs? It’s different for everyone really!

Do you tend to store fat easily? Are you sensitive to carbohydrates? If you are, keep your carbs similar or equal to your protein.

Do you tend to stay skinny? If you have a fast metabolism and it’s hard for you to gain a lot of weight, add some carbs to your diet but keep the protein high.

Make a plan for yourself based on your characteristics, and if you follow the first week perfectly, you’ll have no problem going through to the end, I promise!

By being consistent with your intake, you can figure out what you need more (and less) of. Listen to your body. Not having enough energy means you need more calories.

Manage your macronutrient ratio. Even though low carb diets are popular among women, but it’s not a good strategy here. The contest prep is a lot easier and predictable when you’re taking in carbs. The only downside – your hunger and energy levels will vary, but you’ll still be leaner in the end.

For protein, don’t set it higher than 1.3g/lbs of bodyweight and start with 1g/lbs while carbs and calories are still high. Too much protein (1.5g/lbs+) leads to poorer digestion and more water retention/bloating.

For calories, the average is 14-17x your bodyweight depending on your frame and activity level.

We won’t go into food choices in detail, but this is what you should be eating for the most part: meat like fish and chicken, eggs, low-fat dairy, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice and oatmeal.

These foods will be the most convenient and delicious options when you’re prepping for a contest.

To get an idea of how to balance calories, you won’t really be dropping calories for more than 150-200kcals per week, more like 100kcals. It depends how much cardio you’re doing, but make sure you’re adding training instead of removing food next time you feel like you need an adjustment.

Pre-competition Training & Cardio

Okay, so your diet is on point now, you go in the gym and you’re ready to build that dream body!

See, a lot of new competitors get lied to. They’re being told that in order to get leaned out, you need to increase reps and decrease weight – for a fat-burning workout.

This will indeed increase your heart rate and get you to burn calories, but a lot of your hard-earned muscle will go away with it. When your goal is to lean out and keep your muscle, that’s not a good way to go.

Training should be the same. Continue using your routine, it doesn’t matter what split or range it is. Keep the weights as heavy as you can through your prep period. Keep in mind it can be difficult doing that when your energy levels and strength drop on a caloric deficit.

The proper route is increasing the intensity. Any type of workout can become a high-intensity workout. Decrease rest periods, negatives, do super-sets, drop-sets, and you’re good.

Your heart rate should really go up, you should be sweating, and your muscle will definitely be burning!

In terms of your overall training strategy, many factors come into the equation of the best training plan will be for you.

Too many of us would rather do more, in the effort of quicker results. This doesn’t work effectively and it will devastating long-term for you, as your body is a very intricate system of other smaller systems.

You rock up to the gym and know exactly how you have to train and what you need to eat and do to get the most out of your body.

Making it so much easier to just follow through and get the job done, especially when you know what your weak points are and you can work on them.

A big part of your will most likely be cardio.

Cardio… is only sometimes a must. It’s often time done WAY too early, and too often. This is something that you should avoid at all costs as it will give your body the stimulus it needs to change without overdoing it.

Also, you need to understand whether you respond better to High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or slow, long stretches of cardio for fat loss. The right adjustments will help you get better results.

Unless you have tried it out you won’t know.

If you are doing cardio, without knowing your training history, I can only give you points of reference you can test for yourself and see how you feel.

You can start with 3 30-minute sessions a week and move from there.

If you’re dropping your calories but not losing fat, or you feel like your cardio isn’t enough, feel free to add a few minutes every session! But if you’re maintaining a balanced progress while only doing those 3 30-minute sessions, you’re good to go!

Keep your cardio to sprint intervals, tempo intervals, and long duration moderate intensity sessions!

You can progress from 3 cardio sessions per week all the way up to a maximum of 4-6 if you feel like it’s necessary.

It’s really important to watch out for the intensity and overtraining – especially on a caloric deficit.

A word on hiring coaches…

It’s really a big help to have someone look from the outside in and give you honest feedback.

Here’s the thing, if you’re hiring a coach…

…Pick one coach, and listen ONLY to their advice.

Once you have the right training plan and you’re following through with your diet, you should have no problem going on that stage, being your best self, and rocking it!

Post Competition

It doesn’t matter if you won or not, it’s an amazing learning experience.

Let me just tell you first, post-competition diets are a thing.

You don’t want to look great on comp day, have an incredible time, and then happily binge cheat meals…

Rapid fat and weight gain post comp is something you must avoid.

Firstly, realize that the race isn’t over once you walk off stage.

Your body can very quickly gain fat, and this is especially true when you have prepped incorrectly and your bodies systems and the hormonal environment is screaming for help.

Post comp rebound is common, but it doesn’t have to happen for you. And this is where the term ‘reverse diet’ comes in.

Slowly adding back more food into your diet and taking away exercise will leave you with a highly functioning metabolism, happy hormone levels, and great look.

All of this information might be a little overwhelming.

And I know… competing for the first time can be scary, but it is well worth it.

Stick to the plan, stay motivated and don’t be afraid to lean on others when you are struggling.

You will make a lot of mistakes the first time but don’t beat yourself up, learn from them and be better the next time.

And most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself and be proud of all that you have accomplished.

Good luck and happy competing!

Nutrition as the key to your body composition goals

With Summer almost over, the holidays are just around the corner!

With the thought of how near the New Year is, you might be tempted to hold off on your body composition goals until January when you can get a fresh start and shake off the holiday weight!

But really, why wait for January? You can start making small changes to your routine TODAY that will really help toward achieving your goals, reducing your body fat percentage, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The earlier you tackle your body composition goals and start working on your workouts and diet, the sooner you can make it a part of your life and do it habitually – so you do not have to think about it at all!

The first step to setting goals is to have a clear picture of where you are right now, where you want to be, and how to get there. Once you’ve considered the bigger picture, you can narrow it down to what habits need to be built, and what habits need to be let go!

Today, we’ll take a look at the essential things you need to keep in mind when you’re trying to build a lifestyle that will get you to your goal – and keep you there.

1. Creating a balanced diet

A good foundation for your nutrition plan is figuring out how many calories you need to be taking in. This is based on what you put in your body and how much you exercise (or how much you move daily).

In order to achieve your goal, you need to establish a healthy and achievable level of protein, carbs, and fats, and stick to it! Your body needs all these things in order to function properly – especially if working out is part of your lifestyle!

There are thousands of calculators online that will help you figure out what your calorie intake should be. Once you know how much you should be taking in, you can easily adjust your diet in order to match your level of exercise.

That way you can create a trackable, sustainable system for you to follow that will get you to where you want to be in no time!

The next step is understanding your metabolism.

You know these people who can eat everything they want – and stay skinny?!

You might even be one of them, and let me tell you, it’s HARD for them to gain weight (and some of them really want to).

Think of your metabolism like a fire. When you put quality fuel in there, like a log (i.e. wholesome foods like high-quality protein, slow carbohydrates, and healthy fats), the fire burns for a longer period of time. When you don’t fuel the fire enough, or you fuel it with paper or twigs (like refined carbohydrates and sugary foods), it dies down.

Understanding your metabolism is super important when trying to reach your body composition goals – but it’s not as easy as it seems.

Sometimes it can be obvious what you need to do, and sometimes you might need some help from an expert.

Speaking to a doctor or registered dietitian can help you tailor your balanced diet to your personal health and medical history. They may be able to provide you with additional guidance or recommendations to improve or maintain your current health. Your doctor is most likely aware of your health and medical conditions and may be able to give you general recommendations for certain foods or a diet pattern that can help you achieve not only a balanced diet, but one that may improve your overall health. They may also be able to refer you to a local dietitian for additional help.

After you have checked in with your doctor and you have a nutrition plan going, it’s time to go shopping! A well-stocked pantry can be a great tool for maintaining a balanced diet.

Stock up on shelf-stable foods for quick and easy balanced meals: canned beans, no-salt-added canned vegetables, canned tuna or chicken, 100% whole grains (like quinoa, 100% whole wheat pasta or brown rice) and nut butter, frozen items like frozen vegetables (without sauces or seasonings), frozen fruit, frozen pre-cooked grains (like brown rice or quinoa), low-calorie frozen dinners (for busy nights) and frozen proteins (fish or chicken).

And always keep a supply of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy (like low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese and lean proteins (chicken, fish, pork or lean beef).

Now, here is where we have to briefly mention supplements.

If you’re always busy with work, juggling 10 things at once and you don’t always have the time to cook a delicious meal – that’s where supplements come in!

They’re one of the best ways to make your diet sustainable and easy to follow on a busy schedule. But I don’t believe everyone needs them. A lot of people (especially men) rely on them in order to see results! I suggest using them only after you’ve been following a solid workout and diet plan for a while.

Only the people who are serious about their goals but can’t manage a balanced diet should be the ones using supplements.

So now that we know the elements of a balanced diet, let’s talk about how we can turn it to habit – and that habit into a lifestyle!

2. Turning your diet into a part of your lifestyle!

Here’s something my first coach ever told me – if you want to change your life, start with your environment.

If you want to make this sustainable, you can’t do it without a little change.

Let’s start with your refrigerator. You have to throw away all the sugary stuff from in it – chocolates, fruit juice, barbeque sauce, ketchup, etc.

The best way to avoid binging unhealthy foods is simply by surrounding yourself with MORE delicious and healthy options!

If you ever feel that you want to eat something sweet – go for an apple. It will suppress the cravings and it’s always on point with your diet.

Also, keep the 80/20 rule in your mind.

It simply states that if you follow your diet for 80% of the time, you’re good!

Remember, this is about building a lifestyle and making it sustainable.

I believe a lot of people end their fitness journey because they try to force themselves to do something they don’t want to do.

In order to make your goal long-term, get to it, and stay on it after you’ve achieved it, you have to reason with yourself. You can’t just tell yourself what to eat and what not to, and expect your body to follow.

Your body will want everything you try to suppress.

And suppressing it for long will just lower your energy and get you on a downward spiral of being unmotivated and unhappy.

That’s not what I want for you!

I want you to have a balanced, flexible diet.

Flexible dieting is the best way to keep yourself motivated and still push forward toward your goal!

Many alternative diets (keto, low-fat, vegetarian) are very prescriptive, with very rigid rules and little compatibility with people’s tastes and preferences.

There are some rules of course, but as the name suggests, flexible dieting is nowhere near as stern as other diets tend to be. A flexible diet opens up people’s choices as there is little emphasis on making people only eat certain types of food (although eating a variety of foods and vegetables is encouraged).

The diet is essentially based on establishing a daily calorie target (the most important factor in weight control) and slightly looser target ranges for Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats – allowing you to treat yourself and enjoy the foods you love!

Everything we’ve discussed so far will help you set your body composition goals.

Remember, no one knows you better than you!

You can always benefit from working with a fitness and nutrition coach, but you are the best person to set goals for yourself.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to what you’re willing to do (and let go of), what improvements you’d like to see, and how far you’re willing to go with it.

But the first step to doing this… is actually pretty simple and easy to take.

You need to know where you’re currently at and what you’re going to do – and that means getting your body composition tested and deciding that you’re going to create a nutrition plan that you will follow until you get to your destination.

That way you can set goals for yourself that will make your entire fitness and nutrition journey motivating, successful, and most importantly, enjoyable!

Building Your Fitness Brand – 3 Steps to a Successful Personal Brand

The internet has given a lot of fitness lovers the opportunity to start their own fitness brand.

I feel that phrases like ‘personal branding’ and ‘marketing’ are thrown around so much nowadays, nobody can really understand what they mean. They’re always backed-up by “researched” mumbo-jumbo that speaks to you about broad concepts instead of what will help YOU improve YOUR business.

Today, let’s take the process of developing such a business and break it down to the actionable steps you should take if you want to develop your personal brand in the fitness industry!

1. What is a Personal Brand and How To Create One

For starters, we need to know the difference between branding and marketing.

Marketing is getting the word out for what you do. If you’re a fitness coach, that includes being on social media, running ads, funnels, getting people to visit your website, all of that.

Branding is all about the experience people get when they work with you. It’s a lot more emotional than rational and has to do with everything from the way you work with (and who you work with) to the way you present yourself online – your name, your logos and colors, your voice, your copywriting, even the comments you leave under other people’s comments.

Think about that – is the presentation and copywriting in your website too serious? Or too sweet-sounding?

There’s hardcore, pushing people to the edge coaches, there’s the laid-back, fitness lifestyle type coach, then the wellness coach, the diet coach…

You need to find a niche of people you can help with your knowledge and expertise. One of the biggest mistakes that I see a lot of personal brands making is trying to appeal to everyone.

We all work with different people who have different interests, so “developing your brand voice” means finding out who you want to be online and focusing on that target market.

You do that by:

Making sure your website copy, your social media content, your talks, interviews and marketing materials all have the same style, vibe and energy. This builds trust within people and increases the exposure you get by making you more easily recognized online.
Making sure you always have a clear next goal in mind and making them bigger over time.

Now that we know what branding is, let’s take a look at how to actually get the word out for your business, make sales, impact the lives of people, and become a voice recognized in such a crowded market!

2. How To Get Exposure for Yourself and Your Brand

Now that we know what our brand voice is and who we’re trying to help, it’s time we reach out to these people and give them value!
Always remember – you have to be congruent in all of these channels. Branding and marketing must go hand in hand like a lock and key. If one of them is missing, you risk coming across as either unprofessional or uninteresting.

Before you start getting more exposure you need to figure out one thing – where your audience is spending their time. For the fitness niche, there’s already a few great places you can go and build a solid foundation!

Here are a few ideas for channels where you can reach people online and engage potential clients for your fitness brand!

Engaging people on social media – commenting, liking, following and messaging on Instagram and Facebook.
Running Facebook and Google ads – to a landing page for a product (free or paid).
Doing webinars, live trainings, even Instagram Live – just giving out free content or promoting courses on a webinar.
Ranking higher on Google with SEO – absolutely crucial!
Local events and networking – you can meet people to collaborate with.
E-mail Marketing and collecting leads – the best way to communicate to your audience via text.
Creating a blog or podcast – giving out free content to your audience.
LinkedIn – setting up auto-responders and engaging people there.

These are only things that you can do yourself!

Keep in mind, one of the best ways to promote yourself online is to collaborate with other people in the fitness industry. If the branding is right and the energy matches between you, amazing things happen.

Doing guest posts on their social media and blogs, being a guest on their podcast, being in their YouTube videos, even on their Instagram stories. Even reaching out to an influencer is not a bad idea.

Another thing crucial to your success is to gather testimonials from the people you’ve helped. They will really help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, know what the people are thinking, and show people that you’re truly all about giving value!

What matters is getting the word out to as many as possible, right? So think about which of these channels you’re not using and start implementing them into your marketing strategy.

So, when you’re doing things the right way and people are seeing you, engaging with you, and approving of what you’re doing – how do you turn these views into profit for your business?

How do positively impact the lives of the most people while making the most sales and building your brand?

Let’s learn how!

3. Growing Your Brand and Making Profit

For someone who has been in the fitness industry for quite a long time, I can honestly say…

Every fitness industry personality is endorsing something nowadays.

And that’s a good thing!

Whether you decide to create your own product – be it a supplement, an E-book, a course, a clothing brand – or you decide to endorse others for a piece of the pie, selling products is the most obvious way to generate profit, so it goes first on our list.

Brands will have no problem paying you for representing their vision online. Mutual promotion between brands and ambassadors is a win-win way to hook your audience up with products you love using at great discounts – and get paid for it.

Chances are you’re already promoting products to your friends and community – you’re just not getting paid to do it!

But if you decide to create your own product, and you truly create it from start to finish and put a piece of yourself in it – people will love it and you will have success.

And always make sure to have a product you’re giving out for free! By doing that, the people whose ideologies your brand voice matches will become loyal followers you can keep giving to again, and again, and again.

If training and living healthy is a lifestyle for you, chances are you know a few things that can be beneficial to others.

And if you love working with people one on one and want to make a positive impact on their life – you can consider coaching as your go-to way to profit online.

Honestly, coaching others has changed my life as well.

I see so many positive, motivated and goal-driven people that it inspires me to work hard and be at my best self all the time. Watching someone’s life change in front of me and seeing them deal with their insecurities and giving them the confidence to take on the world has made me a completely different person.

And even though fitness coaching has become a huge industry, there’s still a spot for everyone who wants to do something unique and give value!

Bottom line is, the more people you help and the more people you reach, the more opportunities you’ll be open to.

If fitness is your lifestyle and you want to share that with the world – don’t hesitate and start a fitness brand!

It’s a great way to get paid for doing what you love, helping people achieve their goals and doing it while building a sustainable business. Nowadays, that can seem like a feat, but the opportunity is here, for you, now!

Now that you know the proper way to do develop a brand voice, get exposure and grow your brand, there’s just one thing you need to know…

Whether you’re going to promote brands, sell courses, or do online coaching, there’s a ton of people who love fitness, need help, and want to hear what you have to say.

Marketing is important so you can get the word out for yourself and speak to the world. But make sure your personal branding is on point – it is exactly what people will be hearing when you speak.

The Competitive Edge Podcast – Fitness Uncensored!

“The Competitive Edge – Fitness Uncensored” kicks off our series of Podcasts that seek to be a wealth of information from active competitors perspectives on the fitness industry.

From general topics of dieting all the way through to stage posing and everything in between, make sure you tune in for real time tips, tricks, advice and discussions from these 3 Australian WBFF Pro competitors. Alicia Gowans (current WBFF 35+ Fitness World Champion), Jared Hustler (Male Muscle Model WBFF Pro) & Keegan Thornhill (Male Muscle Model WBFF Pro).

This promises to be a no filter view on all things fitness, positives, negatives and all the BS that comes with it. Get the real story, uncensored!

Join our Facebook Group to stay up to date with our podcasts and discussions!

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Find our episodes here!

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On the road to Worlds: The importance of good supplements

Good supplements, like those offered by Bulk Nutrients, can mean the difference between finding that extra 1% and reaching your full potential, and being left wondering if you could have done more. And trust me, over the past 6 months while I have battled injury throughout my busiest competition prep to date, Bulk Nutrient supplements have been my saving grace!

This year has seen me persevere to overcome some pretty significant injuries, illnesses and personal challenges – so safe to say just getting to a position where I can be competitive at WBFF Worlds is a HUGE achievement! With thanks to consistent nutrition, effective lifting, a positive kick-ar*e attitude and my fav supplements supplied by Bulk Nutrients, this year I am bring to stage the best me to date! Consider yourselves all warned!

But seriously, in order to be competitive against some of the most gorgeous and talented people in fitness, who are equally as dedicated and committed to achieving their goals, I rely on the competitive edge offered by Bulk Nutrient supplements. My fave Bulk Nutrients products are Whey Protein Isolate or Thermowhey (Choc flavoured of course!), added with Bulk’s BCAAs, Leucine and Green Fusion has given me the boost I have needed to power through my workouts, recover faster and maintain a healthy mind and body. This year you’ll also find in my go to bag of Bulk Nutrient supplements,Diindolylmethane (DIM) and R Alpha Lipoic Acid (RALA), which have been great for aiding energy production, glucose disposal and estrogen metabolism.

We all know how seriously I take my nutrition, training and comp prep. Being able to push myself beyond my limits, challenge my own perceptions and drive hard toward my goals is what sets me apart. When you combine this with good nutrition, solid training, and the great range of supplements offer by Bulk Nutrients – well then you have a winning combination!

My Road Back to the Stage

Over the past couple of years my journey took a significant detour.

From winning my pro-card to finishing top 10 at World’s, being blown off course by injury and personal adversity to now targeting a return at the end of the year, the learning & growth has been painful. With my goals sternly set for a return to the WBFF Stage at the Atlantic City Pro-Am in December, the next 12 weeks will be blogged, documented & broadcasted through this site & through my social media channels. It doesn’t promise to be sunshine, rainbows & smiles but I can say it probably will have a lot of that. What it will also have though is a very real insight into the rehab, training, challenges (both specific to me & fitness competitors in general) as I lead up to stage. This blog will cover off on everything from nutrition, body maintenance, rolling, active release work, activation, training techniques & programs, cooking, fun things I do socially but also help with the overarching prep goal & more. If you are interested in following this journey with me, read the little preface below as the starting point of this new adventure.

There are no coincidences in life. None. I strongly believe this to be true & the more I rehab, heal & start to recreate my physique/conditioning the more I am seeing my broken back as a blessing. It has actually changed my structure quite significantly my waist has become smaller, my back has actually gained a greater V taper & my core has never felt this strong forced to work 100% on my bio-mechanics has meant that my actual shape has been transformed over my healing period & TBH I’m feeling so much happier with my new look. Although I am excited to regain some lost size on my delts & continue to build some leg/glute thickness over the coming year, I am simply quite content…. Content with life, with my evolving aesthetic, with how much strength I’ve gained via my challenges, with who I am as a person, with how it’s enhanced my technical coaching skills & most importantly with how much stronger my body is feeling mind, body & spirit have gained invaluable lessons during my period of trials & tribulations. All of which have expanded for the best #mevsme #buildingabetterme #evolution #aesthetic

Alicia wins the LA PRO show and takes home another crown!

It was another successful showing for coach Alicia Gowans at the WBFF Pro Show held at the Beverley Wiltshire Hotel last weekend.

She took home another crown and now adds another title to her cabinet!

She finished 1st in the Pro Diva Fitness over 35s as well as second in the overall Pro Fitness Category. What an amazing achievement from our coach.

Coach Alicia Wins Atlantic City Pro Show

Alicia has successfully completed her comeback show by winning the PRO FITNESS DIVISION at the WBFF Pro-Am show in Atlantic City.

Such a great achievement! Get yourself a coach that walks the walk and genuinely cares about your results!

Some other notable results were Giorgia Piscina WBFF Bikini Pro winning her division also! Posing client Jared Hustler winning his pro status and Tahlia Christou finishing second in her division! Bikini Pro Tash Mackenzie also looked amazing as did Mel in her transformation division!

Hectic Schedule & Intermittent Fasting

Adapt to what life throws your way and believe in yourself!

There has been A LOT of talk in recent years about the benefits of intermittent fasting. For body builders used to eating at set intervals, the thought of going for a prolonged period of time without food can seem daunting! Trust me, unless I’m dialing down for stage, I NEED and LOVE all my food. But recently, my usually in control schedule, has exploded into a colourful array of chaos.

Running multiple businesses and juggling home life, sees my schedule challenging at the best of times, but coming back from a major injury has seen my lifestyle change even more so. I love experimenting with new methodologies and finding new ways to work within my limitations. I am always researching and trying different things. So my current crazy schedule and lifestyle presented the perfect opportunity for me to try Intermittent Fasting.

There are loads of options out there for intermittent fasting. I’ve opted for the 16/8 protocol. 16 hours fasting, with an 8 hour meal window. I’ve also dropped my calories slightly due to a reduction in exercise capacity and cut my meals back from six to four, with a lower fat and carbohydrate split.

Why intermittent fasting?

Aside from Intermittent Fasting fitting nicely into my current lifestyle and schedule, I am attracted to the major health benefits that research suggests can be gained from intermittent fasting. These include:

improved metabolic efficiency and increase insulin sensitivity levels;

reduction in oxidative stress and greater mitochondrial energy efficiency; and

Increased cellular capacity to resist stress, disease and aging.

For me, I’ve found intermittent fasting has allowed me to reduce my overall body fat, maintain muscle mass and continue to make progress toward achieving my training goals, while maintaining an incredibly busy lifestyle. I’m taking baby steps but everyone of them is in the right direction – forward!

Importance of good supplementation

While I am finding intermittent fasting is allowing me to continue to achieve results, my supplement regime during this period has also been incredibly important, and must really form part of any intermittent fasting protocol whether its 5:2, 16/8 or eat-stop-eat.

I’ve found using Green Fusion in the morning gives me that vitamin boost and reduces acidity, and combining it with an amino acid like Leucine helps to prevent muscle catabolization.

Training fasted can also be a challenge when fasting and using Pump FX has given me the boost I need to get through my morning workouts. I’ve been getting great results with Pump FX particularly when combined with ZMA to aid recovery and increase sleep quality.

The wrap

Whether you achieve results or not is up to you. We’re all presented with situations in life that don’t allow for us to maintain our usual routine. Some will use this as an excuse, but I choose to find ways to continually plan for my results. For the time being intermittent fasting combined with the right supplements has been a great way for me to continue to achieve results while working through challenging times without giving up on my dreams. Anything is achievable if you are willing to work hard for it, adapt to what life throws your way and believe in yourself!

Conditioning is only half the battle

Conditioning is only half the battle if you’re going to be hitting the stage!

Don’t forget the importance of nailing your stage appearance but also your presence! Posing is one of the biggest criteria!

This is a little snippet from THE WBFF seminar workshop that we ran at Oasis Health Club Mount Gravatt last weekend. Bikini Pro Tasha Mackenzie & Fitness Pro Alicia Gowans Wbff Pro gave the girls a little run through of an example walk. Excuse the choppy footage, we were taking some still photos from the video at the same time to help develop the best poses for all our girls taking to the stage in October.

Beauty, Fitness & Fashion

Alicia is a guest writer for one of the newest online magazines called Human Performance, check out her article below.

For many Australians, maintaining a fit, healthy and active lifestyle is often impeded by everyday life and seen as a chore. For World Beauty Fitness and Fashion (WBFF) Diva Pro Alicia Gowans, it’s a way of life.

Alicia is the Australian WBFF team captain, owner of Oasis Health Club, the founder and Head Coach of Ally’s Angels and Alphas and is fast becoming Australia’s most renowned fitness models. Her passion for fitness as a fully-qualified fitness specialist, with qualifications in personal training and sports nutrition, has complemented her corporate background and a Business Bachelors Degree as well as ongoing Bachelor of Exercise and Movement Science/Bachelor of Behavioral Science studies.

We had the pleasure of speaking to the down-to earth fitness fanatic, coach and elite athlete to get an idea of her meticulous preparation and routine with just under four months until her next competition. Her first and foremost point about preparation, the next one will be completely different to the last.

“No two comp preps are ever the same. Each prep is always different because each year your body changes and you need to take a different approach.” 15 weeks out from her next competition, Alicia says this period should encompass a strong focus on heavy lifting and building lean mass, combining heavy lifts with volume-based sessions.

However, Alicia’s current preparation has been hindered following a re-injuring of an injury sustained at her last World Beauty Fitness and Fashion (WBFF) World’s competition. However, you don’t reach the elite levels that the mother of two has by succumbing to injury. Injury is not a simple excuse to relax, but an opportunity to spice up the training routine and try something different. “So instead of lifting heavy I have been focusing more on volume based training utilising the occlusion or blood flow restriction training method to amplify the intensity of my sessions.” “Occlusion training is great way to still achieve significant gains in size and strength while only lifting 20-40% of your One-repetition maximum (1RM). “My favourite exercise at the moment is actually the primers that I conduct prior to every session.

“These exercises help me to ensure my engagement, biomechanics and technique are all on point even before I touch a weight. And when you really tune into your body you can feel every muscle and fibre turning on. It is really amazing to feel and a great way to connect with your body.” She has also complimented her current routine with Pilates, foam rolling, plenty of stretches, and training in high-altitude conditions. Extensive research suggests a strong correlation between high-altitude training and fat reduction. “The higher altitude forces the body to utilise more of the anabolic energy system keeping metabolism elevated for a longer period post training.”

Without an injury impairment, Alicia says there is no set-way to optimising results. A common misconception is that there is a designated workout or technique that will optimise the construction of lean muscle, fat reduction and generally optimise fitness and body image.

However, preparation is a rapidly-changing, delicate science that requires frequent adaptations. It’s all about listening to what your body desires throughout the preparation and adjusting the training accordingly. “Preparing your body for stage, and coming in on point and on time is a science! There is a lot that goes into it and it is never the same. You have to really know your body and be able to adapt to its changing needs.”

“My training is always focused on my goals, so no two training phases are ever the same. Because body building requires symmetry, shape, size and leanness it is important for me to assess my physique at regular intervals and adapt my training as I progress. “ “For me in the months leading into competition I am generally training 6 days a week, for around an hour each day. Training is predominately lifting based with minimal cardio, focusing on lean mass growth and the enhancement of my development zones from the previous competition.”

Alicia prefers the use of non-linear programming over standard progression, a technique used in foundational training, due its limitations. She states that elite athletes, or goal-driven individuals who compete at multiple competitions throughout a year can achieve far greater success adopting a non-linear program. “It’s largely because the adaptations developed in preceding phases do not get carried over into sequential phases. For instance by the time you have reached the later power phase in the progression sequence, the adaptation developed during the hypertrophy phase will have been lost.

“Depending on the training phase I will generally work my non-linear progression programs in weeklong micro-cycles that will include rep ranges and loads targeted at hypertrophy, strength and power. “For example a simple 6 day undulating program for me may focus on 2 days each of strength, power and hypertrophy, with day 7 rest or active recovery.

An undulating program simply refers to altering the repetitions in a single day’s work out, almost in a wave formation. The theory behind the process again is based upon optimising the output for an athlete’s input. Whilst you only get out what you put in, undulation is a technique that assists in maximising results. “Using a daily undulating program can often result in a further maximisation of gains, as the body is placed and continually varying stressors for growth.”

“An example is focusing initially on priming lifts which are low weight and high reps, before moving onto a heavy compound lift for high sets, low rep sand then combining this with more of a volume super-set sequence of four – five sets of 12 – 15 reps. As the preparation progresses, the importance of cardio and aerobic capacity comes into play. “As I get closer to stage, the focus of training shifts to greater volume with a steady increase in cardio, along with one or two metabolic conditioning sessions.”

And the last fortnight before a competition incorporates higher intensity, increased cardio and things really kick-off! “The last 10 days prior to a competition is what body builders describe as ‘peak week’. This is where there is a greater increase in physical output in order to deplete the body of glucose stores and continue body fat reduction, in preparation for carb loading the evening prior to stage.” “Peak week is the most exciting period in comp prep because every day you wake up and your body has changed in some way. It is like Christmas morning EVERY morning as you find new cuts or new definition that wasn’t there the day before!”

Training and optimising performance and preparation, particularly at an elite level, is never as basic as simply working out. A key ingredient to optimising performance and output is an athlete’s diet. Again however, it’s not simply about living on a diet of vegetables and protein, there is an incredible science behind an athlete’s food consumption. As an elite athlete, everything must be done by the book. “One of the biggest mistakes I see aspiring body builders making all the time is not fuelling their bodies correctly to achieve their goals. This often means either eating too little or too much, or equally as important, not eating to the right macro-nutrient splits.”

“As any elite athlete will tell you, nutrition is intricately linked to performance. You can’t expect to eat poorly while achieving optimum results. This is more important in body building than most other sports,given the package you bring to stage is the determining factor in your success. “ For bodybuilding, the diet, likewise with training methods, varies vastly depending on where the athlete sits in their competition cycle. For example, off-season training, which is built around muscle growth and development, would generally see Alicia consume between 3000-4000 calories per day.

“A standard day would normally consist of fats and protein in the morning, carbs and protein around training, and either a high fat/high protein evening meal, or something more carb based depending on my training schedule. “The challenge is always to come in on point at the right time, without losing too much muscle mass during the cutting phase.” “It is important to have as long a prep as possible so as to keep calories high for the longest possible period to avoid damaging your body or wasting muscle.

“For me coming into stage I never drop below 2000 calories, choosing a longer period to dial in, rather than a more aggressive and calorie restrictive approach. “Competition nutrition, or ‘prep’, is of course very different to off-season nutrition.” And yes, don’t worry, even the best of the best manage to sneak in a little treat every now and then. “I try to incorporate a cheat meal every so often, but I never schedule these choosing instead to listen to my body and what it needs.

However, it’s a fine line to walk when searching for a clean treat. “My idea of a cheat meal is different to most people! I particularly love Cajun crusted salmon with chilli beans, or lemon chicken with homemade sweet potato wedges and asparagus…YUM! I will always go for a clean option rather than something ‘dirty’. For any budding bodybuilders who have been inspired by Alicia’s incredible rise to the pinnacle of her sport, or her lifestyle in her eyes, the mother of two says suggests seeking professional help to filter the incredible catalogue of information is the best approach.

“Perhaps the most challenging thing when you are an aspiring body builder is that with the amount of information available out there, it can be difficult to discern what is useful knowledge, and what is just junk. This can lead to misconceptions and loads of mistakes when you are starting out.” “I always suggest any one aspiring to compete in body building or just looking to build a toned physique seek out a coach that can provide good quality guidance, especially in the initial stages of development.”

“A good coach can make the world of difference and help you lay the correct nutritional foundations and understanding. Most coaches, like myself, will guide you through both nutrition and training and this can be invaluable when you are first starting out.” “The saying ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ is very true in body building, so having someone to step you through the process can be a very rewarding experience.”

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It ends exactly when you decide it does.

Many people like to think that heavy weightlifting and bodybuilding, in general, is a guy’s thing. The general advice is that women shouldn’t engage in it, because they will become “bulky”.

1. You’ll Burn More Fat

2. You’ll Build Your Ideal Shape

3. You’ll Strengthen Your Bones

4. You’ll Be In a Better Mood!

5. Higher Life Expectancy!

6. You’ll Improve Your Posture

7. You’ll Speed Up Your Metabolism

8. You’ll Get Stronger And Be More Confident

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One of our most successful weekends in our history of preparing athletes for this incredible @wbff_official brand.

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Santa Monica

Do you want to get on stage as a competitor and be in the best shape of your life?

So, you want to compete as a female fitness or bikini competitor?

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“The Competitive Edge – Fitness Uncensored” kicks off our series of Podcasts that seek to be a wealth of information from active competitors perspectives on the fitness industry.

Over the past couple of years my journey took a significant detour.

It was another successful showing for coach Alicia Gowans at the WBFF Pro Show held at the Beverley Wiltshire Hotel last weekend.

Alicia has successfully completed her comeback show by winning the PRO FITNESS DIVISION at the WBFF Pro-Am show in Atlantic City.

Adapt to what life throws your way and believe in yourself!

Conditioning is only half the battle if you’re going to be hitting the stage!

Alicia is a guest writer for one of the newest online magazines called Human Performance, check out her article below.

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