celebrities


The Biggest Loser, Plus How to Find Your Fitness Mojo

biggestloser

 

Have you seen the latest article written by a contestant about the Biggest Loser?

If not, read  the first person account of the goings on behind the show right here:

http://nypost.com/2015/01/18/contestant-reveals-the-brutal-secrets-of-the-biggest-loser/

Surprise! BL is not a show that depicts the true process of losing weight and exercising! I have to be a little snarky here because as a trainer, it’s obvious to me that the show is dangerous. In coercing (and rewarding) extremely overweight and deconditioned folks to sprint on treadmills and lift heavy weights for hours, I’m surprised there haven’t been more injuries than the above article suggests.

I’m also put off by the way they push their sponsor’s “foods” as healthy.  The one time I watched the show last season (I swear, it was only once!), the trainers were making “Strawberry Mouse Cups,” which consisted of sugar-free Jello paired with Cool-whip Free. They then threw in like two strawberries. Ummm…this is not food, and I hope that people don’t think that they have to resort to these types of “snacks,” if they want to be healthy.

New Year, New You!

Anyway, we’re moving right along into 2015 and I have been trying to come up with an inspiring blog post about how this year is going to be YOUR YEAR. How you should take the opportunity to do something wonderful for yourself- namely, eating healthy, and getting to the gym more frequently. Or to get into any kind of workout at all, in the case of some people.

I’m realizing that I can’t write that blog, because I won’t be the motivation for you to start your healthy lifestyle.

Please understand. I want so badly to be the reason that you decide to get stronger, fitter, and better in 2015. I became a trainer because I wanted to make my love of exercise and wellness someone else’s love too. I suspect (and hope) that my friends and clients will recall how they’ve tried new exercises, eaten new things, gotten up early for an extra workout because of something I have said. I’m always thrilled if I can inspire in that way. But here’s a thing I’ve come to understand about someone who has not been able to make fitness and healthy eating a regular part of their lifestyle:

Motivation comes from within.

Yes, that statement is cliche but it’s said for a reason. I know you can do it, but the most important thing is that you want to.

If you’re ready, I offer online training for those that need a little guidance:

The 4 week program includes:
Weekly, 30 minute phone calls or skype to discuss the exercise and nutrition plan, your progress, and areas that need improvement. These meetings are vital to ensure you are doing the program correctly and sticking to it!
Exercise program based on your fitness level and goals
Nutrition planning, including shopping lists
Nightly email check-ins to keep you accountable to the plan

This program is great for beginners and for those with experience as it is as close to training with me in the real world as possible.
Email me at [email protected] or message me for information!

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motivational-running-quotes-2

 

Say No To Botox! Eat these Beauty Foods Instead!

Renee Zellwegger exploded the Internet last week, and got us talking about aging and beauty…again. Seems this topic comes up every time a celebrity goes a little too far with some sort of plastic surgery and offends everyone with their new, yet frozen, face. Yikes!

Luckily for those of us without Tom Cruise’s bank account (c’mon, the man does NOT age, something is going on there), there are foods that we can add to our diets to boost collagen production. Collagen is connective tissue that creates a mesh holding our skin, bones, and organs together. Collagen production thrives in a high antioxidant, omega fatty acid, and mineral diet. When collagen production is strong, skin is firm and supple. As we age, collagen production slows, causing us to lose that firmness. Boo!

Besides the foods listed below, I take NeoCell collagen and vitamin C supplements every night before bed. When I take them regularly, I definitely see my nails grow and my skin glow. It takes a month or two to see results, so be patient if you give them a try!

Collagen Boosting Foods

Note: Brazil nuts make several appearances on this list. Unfortunately, they’re not my favorite, but I’m going to start to eat a couple a day. Hey, I need all the help I can get! 

Selenium protects skin from sun damage. It neutralizes free radicals which deteriorate collagen. Sources include Brazil nuts, eggs, and oysters.

brazil nuts

Zinc reduces dry skin and inflammation, and promotes cell growth. Sources include Brazil nuts, turkey, sprouted seeds, kiwi, potatoes, dark green veggies and red and orange fruits and veggies, like tomatoes and papaya.

Omega Fatty Acids fight dry skin and provides an ideal environment for collagen production. Find OFAs in brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines.

health-benefits-of-omega-3-fatty-acids-featured

Vitamin C and E  are directly involved in collagen production. Sources include red and orange fruits and veggies (watermelon, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, oranges), dark leafy veggies, and of course, brazil nuts.

Catechins are phytonutrients that strengthen collagen by linking the fibers together. Sources are green tea, chocolate, apricots, apples, and raspberries.

healthy green tea cup with tea leaves

You know your mouth is watering. It’s green!

What are your favorite “beauty foods”? Let me know on Facebook.com/blitzyourbody or on Twitter @AmyBlitz1

Don’t Let Tracy Anderson Ruin Your Workout

“I get it. You want lean, strong legs (and a tight, lifted butt). The problem is, in the quest for toned thighs, we often overdo it and end up with big old bulky legs…I’m not saying don’t ever run or spin or use the leg press machine at the gym, but doing so several times a week can create thigh thickness…” –Tracy Anderson

Thank you, Tracy for warning me off my favorite exercises like running and spinning. I wouldn’t want to (gasp) get “bulky” legs from putting on any unsightly muscle.

SIGH.

First, Tracy is wrong.  I regularly take spin. I weight train my legs with both heavy and light weights. Up until a month ago when I injured myself, I ran several days a week. While I’m not rocking a thigh gap (and wouldn’t want to anyway), my legs aren’t bulky. Spinning and running are endurance exercises, which use slow twitch muscle fibers. These muscles do not bulk. Also, unless she is genetically predisposed with the ability to put on a lot of muscle, the only way for a woman to bulk is to eat. That’s it. Anybody that looks like is body builder is probably working very hard for those results.

Which brings me to my next point: even if it were possible for spinning and running to add bulk to legs, SO WHAT? Why does everyone assume that a woman doesn’t want to “get big”?  Because I’m a female I need to be stick thin? If my pursuit of a nice booty means my thighs get a little bigger, than so be it.  And I’m not the only one who feels this way. This group of sporty people just started their own jean company for muscular legs: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/barbell-apparel-denim-jeans-for-athletes_n_5192767.html

Instead of worrying about putting on too much muscle, which again, is not likely if you are a lady (sorry, I never met a dead horse who I did not want to beat), why not celebrate the fact that we are working out? For some, it’s a miracle that they can squeeze a few spin classes into their busy schedules. Let’s be happy that we’re exercising and getting stronger, not stressing over a stupid fear of looking “too big”.

Women’s fitness has come a long way. We say things like “Strong is the new sexy” and I think we actually mean it. Although sometimes that sentiment is accompanied by pictures like this-

29565-Strong-Is-The-New-Sexy

 Oh no! Somebody should tell her she forgot to wear her pants to the gym!

-the evidence that the ladies are killing it at the fitness game is right there in every Crossfit and BodyPump class. Besides being the consumers, we’re also leading the charge to create new ways to get your sweat on. The hottest boutique cycling studios, Soul Cycle and Flywheel, were created and are currently run by women.

Let’s keep running, spinning, swimming, or doing whatever the hell it is we like to do and celebrate that we can improve our bodies and our minds through exercise. I’m on my way to a spin class. I hope I see you there.

Next week I’ll share some vegetarian recipes and products I’ve come across during my 3 month diet experiment. Got any tips on how to be a healthy vegetarian? Let me know on Facebook.com/blitzyourbody or Twitter @AmyBlitz1

I’m So Bad…And That’s Ok!

I came across a blog the other day about the problem with “diet mentality.” You know, that feeling of failure and lack of willpower that comes from being “bad”at the dinner table. The declaration of a food fail or “food shaming” seems to be the way some of us relate to each other lately as we all try to squeeze into our skinny jeans.

Amy Schumer totally nailed it in her April 8th sketch on her show that highlighted this trend. If you haven’t seen it, check it out here:

 

Amy-Schumer

Love her!

Does confessing our food sins really make us feel better? Or does it actually hinder real progress by constantly focusing on our failure? If we always take for granted the good things we do and only stress about the negative, then how can anyone expect to actually stick to a healthy lifestyle?

Let’s change our mindsets. Eating healthy and exercising is a reward for our bodies, not a punishment for being ‘bad’. True, it’s easier to just hang on the couch. And sometimes it’s difficult to pass by the good cupcake place without stopping in. But eventually it becomes easier to make the choice of good health. And when you do, you should CELEBRATE IT! And if on one of those days you actually go in and get the damn cupcake, don’t beat yourself up afterward.

Read the original blog post from WeightPsychology.com here: http://www.weightpsychology.com/blog.php

As for my own diet experiment with Paleo: it’s still going well. Vin and I are both cooking up some amazing food!

photo (17)

Paleo Crispy Buffalo Chicken with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.

Made by Vin. Recipe at http://stupideasypaleo.com/

 I had a major cheat with some pizza the other night since we were out celebrating my girl Lisa’s birthday.

AND THAT’S OK!

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