COMMON DIET & EXERCISE MISTAKES

Many things can go wrong when you under estimate the importance of being meticulous. Before I start mentioning some common mishaps, I want to remind everyone who is JUST starting changing their lifestyle that if you right now have a lot of bad habits, been eating too much for too long time and have many many pounds to lose, you are up for a treat: in the beginning whatever good change you make will show on the scale and in the mirror. Just changing some meals from bad to better, maybe add some walking to the daily regimen you will see changes. However, as the weight drops, so do the results from doing those SMALL adjustments. The less you have to lose the more meticulous you need to be. It always gets harder and harder the better conditioned you are.

Common mistakes:

1. Reading labels on condiments, sauces etc about the calorie content but not the ingredients. In America a serving which has 5 calories or less can be called calorie free. So let us say a little tablespoon of some delicious sauce has 1 gram of SUGAR, it counts as 4 calories and thus voila calorie free. Since you forget that you think it is a free food. You heap up maybe 5 tbsp and suddenly it is 5 grams of sugar. That is 20 calories. If you do that every day for 30 days it comes up to 600 calories. That is a pound of fat in a year you might hold on to due to the little spicy sauce.

2. Forgetting that the fat burning zone doing cardio is not challenging for your body. You are just doing your time. You need to kick it up regularly or your body will get used to the routine. If it gets used to it you will see no further progress.

3. Not counting vegetables. Well, this I understand if you are following any regular diet plans where a cup of broccoli with your dry rice and chicken breast is considered calorie free due to the tiny serving of it, but when you are on the Fighter Diet you better count; 1 pound has about 100 to 150 calories. So if you eat five pounds a day it is a lot. How could you not count that?

4. Thinking you are not having carbs because you are not eating grains at lunch and dinner or after workout. Veggies have carbs. Yoghurt has carbs. There is some carbs in most protein powders. You won’t die ok?

5. Falling into the belief refeeds is a cheat day. it is not. Refeed is carb loading, not junk loading. If you spike your insulin levels with lots of carbs, then add fats, you are getting yourself in trouble since that opens up the fat cells pretty well and you can just scoop in the fats there quickly.

6. Not eating enough vegetables and then get hungry and cheat. Fighter Diet is all about preventive eating. You eat yourself FULL so you won’t SNACK later. If you just cannot stomach a lot of volume, well, then just divide it into smaller meals or snack all day on the veggie amount. However if you just don’t eat you will get too few calories and then comes the craving attack.

7. you change your weight training regimen that built your body because you believe you should do so to get leaner. No, most likely not. You need to diet and do lots of cardio. Don’t change the weight training so drastically because if you change that stimulus you will change your body’s muscle development. you want to keep it but just tighten up? CARDIO and DIET.

8. If you are well trained at a high level, you must keep on pushing the limit in the gym. In cardio too. It is not “dangerous” to get out of breathe, you are supposed to if you train intervals etc. If you can keep a poker face you are not training hard really…

9. Forgetting that in order to train hard you need to take care of your body. massage, stretching, foam rolling. Your body does not “owe” you to keep up with your demands. You have the obligation to take care of it. you do have one body only, treat it with respect.

10. relying to much on your emotional ups and downs. You should not let your emotions run your fitness life. If you don’t want to go train, ask yourself why. because you had a bad day? what are you going to do instead: watch tv?….. Stay committed. Don’t just do what you want but what you should to get to where you want.

11. Not measuring your protein sources. A lot of people read “oh a heaping scoop” and make it one an a quarter scoop just because it must be ok amount. It’s “just protein”. Well that is more calories than the scoop said on the label. Same thing with chicken, meat etc. you don’t KNOW how little 3 oz cooked is until you actually weigh it. it is ridiculously little. Protein is not calorie free.

12. Believing that protein snacks are ok to add to a restricted diet. well, no, not if you are right on spot with how many calories you are supposed to take in. protein is not less calorie rich than carbs. And if you overdo the protein, well, how good is that for your health or the environment for that matter?

13. believing that protein bars are healthy. No they are not. Seriously, check the ingredients. Does it look like health foods? Unless you use the bar for energy needs (which means you are not a dieter, you are into performance or NEED extra calories, for instance you are a distance runner going into hard workout) or it is some kind of fiber supplement bar (I am creating one without crap!), then there is no reason to eat bars. Tastes good? well, hell yeah, check the crap in those bars and you see why!

14. Being afraid of being full. Hey, those fibers and veggies add bulk in your stomach and intestines momentarily. it does not mean you are getting fat. And don’t you dare weigh yourself throughout the day with all that. Seriously. If I did I would be around 130 lbs and I weigh in at 115 on a good day….

From Fighter Diet Blog.

GLYCEMIC INDEX VS GLYCEMIC LOAD

What is the difference between glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL)?

Your blood glucose rises and falls when you eat a meal containing carbs. How high it rises and how long it remains high depends on the quality of the carbs (the GI) and the quantity. Glycemic load, or GL, combines both the quality and quantity of carbohydrate in one ‘number’. It’s the best way to predict blood glucose values of different types and amounts of food. The formula is:

GL = (GI x the amount of carbohydrate) divided by 100.

Let’s take a single apple as an example. It has a GI of 40 and it contains 15 grams of carbohydrate.
GL = 40 x 15/100 = 6 g

What about a small baked potato? Its GI is 80 and it contains 15 g of carbohydrate.
GL = 80 x 15/100 = 12 g
So we can predict that our potato will have twice the metabolic effect of an apple. You can think of GL as the amount of carbohydrate in a food ‘adjusted’ for its glycemic potency.

Want to know more about this subject, go to:
FAQs Common GI Questions

HOW TO PET AWAY THE PET HAIR

For all of you cat and dog owners, who are having problem with the shedding seasons... When you can't believe your eyes how much hair is being rejected from your beloved animals body and stuck to your clothes, furniture, bedding, and winds down on the floors and rugs like a lovely carpet of fur. Well, I have a tip to share with you in order remove some of those stubborn hairs off of your animal's body that sometime don't get stuck in the brushes, and it's a bit more pleasant to the animal than brushing.

Arm yourself with a vacuum cleaner standing by to hoover it all up and get out your gorgeous dishwashing gloves. Slip the gloves on and "brush" away. The rubber material will extract the hair off your pet's body and either stick to the gloves or gather up somewhere where you can hoover it up. Excellent! I tried it today and it worked like a charm. Plus they both enjoyed the attention. :) Good Luck!

CONCERT SAMUEL LJUNGBLAHD

Cousin M. was nice enough to take me to the concert. Thanks Cuz!

Went to Samuel Ljungblahd's concert last night and it certainly was an experience. Maybe it's not the kind of music I listen to everyday, but it sure lifts your heart, spirit and soul. I loved it! The reason why is simple to explain. Here's an artist that gives, gives and gives. He's generous with his feelings and passion to music and performing, and it rubs off immediately. Not to talk about the amazing voice he's got and good songs to match the persona. I recommend checking him out! Here's some clips from last night:

NO RACE DAY

The day I have been longing for, the goal I had set up, the atmosphere I was craving to feel... all gone! Sometime you have no power in the outcome. I will simply bury my head in the Nutella jar (only sniffing of course...!), have a bit of a moan, wipe my tears with my startnumber tag and then bounce back. Next time. Next race. I'll be there. But for now, I have to cure myself and make sure I regain my health for real. No pneumonia for me!

WHEN MIND TAKES OVER

Last night, I just had enough. I felt so much energy and motivation for my fitness and health that I would take no "NO" for an answer from my body. I know that a thought can conquer everything if you put you mind to it. As the saying goes: Mind over matter! It's true, and I know it. But after being sick for a week and realising the only thing I want is health, it just drove me to push myself that extra inch and something just switched in me. My mind had taken over.

Although I hardly got any sleep last night, because of horrible fits of coughing, I sprung out of be at 5:45am when the alarm rang with Cassie Davies singing Do It Again, threw my running clothes on, downed a protein shake with some caffeine and off I went with Murphy trotting along beside me. No music, no sounds to distract me. And yes, it was hard, but I didn't give up. The feeling afterward was priceless. My face was beaming all day long! I had conquered my body. And I conquered it again instructing my Zumba class tonight. Spiritual energy with a strong mind and some god-damn-it! Awesome recipe for today.

3 WORDS

Love this song! Great collaboration between Will.I.Am and Cheryl Cole.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA23b4Dptas&hl=en_GB&fs=1&]

FOOD LOVE

Did I mention I love vegetables? Tonight's dinner. Yum!

As I haven't been able to do much exercise lately because of injury and sickness, I have had to refocus my game completely toward my diet. Calories in, calories out. But also, making sure the quality of my food is really good. I am still keeping strong with eating lots of organic foods which are naturally affected by hormones, such as eggs, milk, yoghurt, etc. It's crucial to eat those products organic. Was extatic when I found organic eggs from outside hens. Yay! Finally. No more inside hens. And remember, raspberries are vital to eat organic, as is coffee and cacao as they spray these produce to death!

Tried making those oatmeal chocolate pancakes I wrote about yesterday. But of course, I made it into my own recipe, as always. They were delish. Had a big pancake for breakfast together with a tablespoon of my own homemade raspberry jam. Yum!

FLEXIJOINT

I finally got the Glucosamine supplement I ordered online for Murphy... and for me. It's a liquid supplement to help stiff joints, which is something that affects bigger dogs with hip problems as well as humans who are very active or have reumatism. This is what it says on Equimins website, where I got it from:

Flexijoint, the proven joint supplement for horses, dogs and humans. Flexijoint contains a superb combination of ingredients which include: Glucosamine, Chondroitin sulphate, Hyaluronic acid, MSM and Ascorbic acid. These high specification products promote healthy cartilage, strong joint structure and they also improve the quality of synovial fluid. Flexijoint Liquid contains all the benefits of Flexijoint, the proven joint supplement with the added bonus of Devils Claw to provide further help for stiff joints.

Both Murphy and I have been taking it for a couple of days now and it doesn't seem like Murphy has any problems with the taste or the smell. Me, on the other hand.... Just thinking about taking my morning shot, makes my stomach churn and my gag reflex worried. Let me put the taste and smell in one word:

VILE!!!!

It is absolutely disgusting! But I'm figuring out ways of masking the taste, which is impossible. The lingering taste afterward is soap. Very potent chemical soap. I have been able to mask it a little by mixing lemon juice with it, but it's hopeless. Oh well... we should both notice a change in our joints becoming less stiff in about 6 weeks, so I'll hold out until then.

THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE!

These are some of the best motivational words you'll ever read...

"If you dream about having a perfect body it’s time to stop dreaming and act on making the dream come true. Every day. It means you will not be a member of the “I occasionally visit the gym” crowd anymore, you will team up with the loyal league of gym rats who are the gym franchises worst customers because we USE their equipment HARD. When you want to get lean so you can feel your abs under your shirt you will need to treat the cardio machine like your car: it will TAKE you places.

Getting a perfect body means you will go to the gym and workout because you planned it. If you don’t feel like it, it does not matter. You know you cannot love every workout and it’s ok. It’s ok and mandatory to be a bit worn out from time to time, it’s just a sign you are working hard.

Getting lean means stepping out of the comfort zone where it’s ok to cheat during weekends and work your way up again during the following week.

Getting lean means you KNOW there won’t be any treats on a daily basis and be ok with it.

To reach your goals you must accept you will need patience. You will need dedication. You will need discipline. None of them you can find anywhere to buy. Can you imagine, the only things really stopping you from achieving all those goals with your physique are inside your mind?

Accept and acknowledge that YOU are the only one who can whip your butt in shape. No trainer can push you through workout after workout, you must be the driving force, the trainer your helper. Not the other way around.

You must scrutinize every little diet add-on on your daily plan. You must check yourself for sneaking in bad choices. No more can you say “oh I had NO idea this was not nutritious” because THERE IS GOOGLE people. You must research before buying and even more before EATING.

You will need to create your own super human. Your super human YOU. There are no excuses, nothing is too hard, it’s only a matter of how much you want it. Do you want it enough? Ask yourself daily. When you see that donut or cookie on the shelf, before you just drool away, ask yourself if that taste of it for a minute is worth 3 more cardio sessions on top of your daily routine of double sessions 5 to 6 days a week?"

Text from Fighter Diet blog.

PIECE OF PAPER IMPORTANCE

Number tag for the 5K race.

Guess what landed on my floor through the mail slot today? Specially delivered by the ever so kind postal service... Was it the best piece of paper and envelope I could have gotten right now, at this moment in time? Maybe not, but I was happy anyway. It sparked me up a little bit and then when pain shot down my back I got jerked back to reality. The reality that it's only 10 days left before my race. But hey, nothing is impossible. Let me rephrase that... EVERYTHING is possible, if you put your mind to it. And if I so have to shuffle, crawl, or be carried, I'm getting around that track as a proud woman!

So what did I get?
My number tag for the upcoming 5K race. Yay!

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE PROTEIN PANCAKES

Oatmeal chocolate protein pancakes maybe?

Nothing better to do when you're sick and couch ridden than to watch crappy daytime telly, old shows of Biggest Loser and surf the net. Something that has been coming at me throughout the day has been the message: If you want something, go get it. Or... Don't wait for things to happen, make them happen. Don't wait for success to find you, go find your own success. Stuff like that. Is the Nature trying to tell me something?

Anyhow... stumbled across this lovely recipe of oatmeal and chocolate protein pancakes. Sounds yummy! So I had to share them with you. After all, you might like them too, right?!

Check out the recipe on Leigh Lingham's blog.

FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS

Ice-cream as my dessert tonight? Think again...

Just because you like dessert and are trying to eat and live a healthy life, doesn't mean that you have to deprive yourself of stuff you love. Simply find other foods that satisfies the same taste buds for your cravings of sweet, sour, salty, etc. For instance, if you love ice-cream, try finding something that can substitute the taste and texture of it.

Here's a great example for something similar to ice-cream:
Organice Natural Greek Yoghurt with almonds, organic berries and a bit of honey. Tastes delish! And for one big serving of it, it only packs on 180 calories plus you get all the benefits of healthy fats, protein and antioxidants. If you love chocolate too, then sprinkle some organic cocoa powder on top. There you have it! An amazing dessert that will beat any dodgy factory ice-cream production.

Did you know honey is an antibacterial agent? The beautiful world of natural foods.

HOW DO YOU DISCIPLINE YOURSELF?

To discipline is not to punish. To discipline is to analyze what caused you to derail from your plan and then take proper actions in order to prevent it from reoccurring. If you go off your diet plan it’s not because you have no willpower, but willpower is not reliable. You can have a lot of willpower, but what happens those moments you simply don’t really want to win the urge to cheat?

You let yourself cheat or go off your diet because you condition yourself into believing this will be the last time ever. It never is though, is it. You are always very strong and have high motivation right after a slip, it’s because you feel bad OR you are on a sugar high and think you actually gonna make it this time. All is great til you binge again.

Successful dieting and fat loss come from conscious thinking and reasoning. When the urge to eat appears in your mind ask yourself why. What will eating do for you? What will that chocolate candy bar do for you beyond the pleasure of eating it that lasts for a minute or so? If you choose not to follow the mind’s wish to eat it, what do you gain? You gain the first victory. You must gain many consecutive victories before your brain realizes it’s how it works.

When you cheat you condition your brain into knowing you will give in. If the urge is just strong enough you will give in. Every time you cheat you give the brain history information about how you tackle triggers…

Just like alcoholics are pretty much doomed to hang around other alcoholics if they want to quit drinking, you will have a tough time managing cravings if you some times give in, some times not. You must be consistent. When you are consistent you know that there is no damn way in the whole world you will derail from your plan of action and in knowing that you find strength. When you are not your own worst enemy you find strength. You must build trust in yourself. You should not be scared of being left alone with the cookie box!

Throughout my years being into fitness I’ve disciplined myself daily. I used to have chocolate bars, cookies, ice cream, yes all my triggers around me just to prove to myself they would not affect me. I was close sometimes to give in of course. But it was practice, like being in school. I had all this junk food lying around until they became “normal things” in my house. When I was not “scared” of them they lost their magic. Every day I told myself “Pauline, you go ahead, you can have it all, but remember there is a consequence and don’t tell yourself you have no idea why you are not as lean as you want”.

Since I could not justify to myself to eat and blame “bad genetics” or “don’t know why I don’t get leaner, I do everything right, EVERYTHING” I just did not eat. I even tried to find reasons for giving in and enjoying some candy, I put up 10 arguments about it to see if I wanted it:

1. It tastes sooo good. 2. It’s perfect time now when it’s friday and all. 3. It’s comfy. 4. I love chocolate melting in my mouth. 5. So good when you watch tv. 6. now is the perfect time, I have shoot in a few weeks so if I want to have it I must act NOW. 7. Tastes wonderfully.

Then I ran out of arguments…. Why should I eat that bar? It’s only good for a little while, then what? I had trained myself off enjoying things that are momentarily. I was interested in long term beneficial enjoyments. The bar did not benefit me. And I realized that no food can help me if I use it for pleasure or to make me feel better.

It sickened me to know that giving into cravings was self-medicating. what was I medicating myself from: boredom? Hunger? If it was hunger, I knew what to eat and that would not be sweets. Boredom: well get a life, eating for the fun factor? well that does not go well with my body ideals!

I still practice discipline. Every day. But now I don’t need to work at it hard, it’s second nature to me. When someone asks me “but why not just have a bite of this tasty treat, it won’t really affect you”. No, they are right, it won’t damage my body at all, but what’s in it for me? What do I gain? Why should I? And when the person’s answer is “well, because it tastes good!” I just cannot accept lol… I mean, I am not an animal that just gives in to whatever urge or desire I feel right now, here and now… I am a thinking human being. I make decisions and commitments. And I am committed to myself and that I reassure every day by discipline my dedication 100%.

From Pauline Nordin's blog.

PEACEFUL WARRIOR

- "Where are you?"

- "Here."

- "What time is it?"

- "Now."

- "What are you?"

- "This moment."

HOPEFUL

I'm slowly making my way back. It's been hard to take it easy, but I've been doing my best. I'm still taking my walks every day. Only had one BodyPump, Zumba and BodyCombat class this week. Then got an amazing long massage on Thursday night that released all my knots in my back, neck, shoulders, buttocks and hamstring region. Why I don't treat myself to this kind of treatment more often is beyond my understanding.

Then I got to dance the night away on Friday. LOVED IT! Too bad guys don't know how to dance anymore, and I mean the old fashion pair dancing way. Pity! A girl loves to be swept away on the dance floor. Saturday, a proper feeding frenzy day with birthday cake and relaxing early night in.

Today, gorgeous day and an easy run to match it with. One knee is being a bit grumpy, but overall, I'm feeling so much better. Back is still a whiny old grinch, but I'm hopeful. Very hopeful that everything will be alright... Soon.

RELEASE ME

It's not going too well for me. As soon as I signed up for the 5K race, my body packed in on me. Now my back is sore and tight, and my knees hurt as well as creek. What happened? Something I wasn't aware of? So I tried the best recipe of them all... Rest. Well, the way I know rest. No gym. No running. No Zumba, BodyPump or BodyCombat. But instead plenty of hoovering, laundry, cooking, doing dishes and walks in the sunshine. Oddly enough, I'm not miraculously cured like I thought I would be after 2.5 days of "rest".

It's amazing we always give the best advice to others and expect them to listen, while we, ourselves, end up not following our own advice and still expect the same result anyway... Hmm, I might have to think this one over.

Releeeeeeease meeeeee!

I KNOW YOU CAN!

Brilliant quote from Jillian Michaels on mental encouragement:

"When it comes to diet and exercise, I forbid you to ever use the phrase: I can't. I'm telling you, there's no such thing! There might be "I don't want tos," but there are absolutely no "I can'ts" from here on out.

Why am I being so hard on you about this? Because I know you can! In fact, I promise that you can do anything you want in this life — if you want it bad enough.

The next time you start to say "I can't," stop yourself and instead say the "antidote" statement, which is "I can." I can lose weight. I can start to exercise. I can get control of my life.

Think about what might be causing you to feel defeated before you even begin, and tackle those negative feelings or memories or harsh life lessons. You have the power to take your life back. Soon you'll see the evidence that you can accomplish your goals, that you are strong and intelligent, and that you deserve everything wonderful that life has to offer. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!"

GOALS FOR DIRECTION IN LIFE

Last supper - exquisite toast with Nutella. Last supper before tightening up the diet once again, back to meticulous planning and striving toward a chosen goal. This time, a 5K race. You can't achieve success if you're not moving toward something. Think about your ultimate long-term goal, and then break it down into less overwhelming mini-goals. Then find some incentives to help you stay the course. What kinds of goals am I talking about? The ambitious and attainable ones, of course.

First: Think long and hard about what you want. Make sure your goals are actually things YOU want to achieve, not what society dictates or what your family or friends want for you. Ultimately your life is yours and you must live it for yourself. I know you might be thinking that's selfish, but it's not. After all, who else is going to live your life if you're not? Sometimes being a little selfish is a good thing, especially if it enables you to take care of yourself.

Second: Remember, goals are not inflexible roadblocks meant to make you feel badly about yourself. If you don't accomplish a goal exactly on schedule, so what? You can't predict what life is going to throw your way — but you CAN choose the way you react to situations that come up. That is where your power lies. If you fall off the wagon, just get back on — no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Third: We all have to be realistic when we set our goals. I'm barely 5 feet 5 inches (167cm) and I have a stocky build. I am never going to be a petite little waif, no matter how hard I work. I also want to make a difference in the world, but something tells me I probably don't stand a good chance becoming the next Angelina Jolie or Madonna. Instead, I set goals that are realistic and productive for myself only. I am 5 feet 5 and stocky, but I am going to be the most fit 5'5" chick I can be. I might not be Madonna, but I can motivate people how to be healthier and happier through fitness and be an inspiration to those near me if at all possible.

Does this make sense? The bottom line is that goals provide direction. They help bring a focus to our lives so that we can live our dreams — no matter how big or how small they may be.

CAN WHEY PROTEIN HELP YOU DROP BODY FAT?

Sleep, genetics, your training program, stress and what you eat all play a role in how your body looks and how you feel. If you've made changes to what, when and how much you eat as well as your training program, but you still can't seem to drop that stubborn body fat, consider how the bodybuilding supplement whey protein may help.

What Is Whey Protein?

Whey protein is a milk protein that is the liquid by-product of cheese production. In supplement form, whey protein comes in three main forms:

Whey Protein Concentrate: Contains some fat and lactose and between 29% - 89% protein depending on the specific product. Whey protein concentrates often have more bioactive compounds.

Whey Protein Isolates: Contains minimal fat, cholesterol and lactose and 90% or more protein.

Whey Protein Hydrolysates: Are often used in clinical nutrition applications because they are predigested and partially broken and therefore easier to absorb.

Whey protein has the highest protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAA) - a measure of both how well a protein is digested and how well it supplies the amino acids needed by an adult. In addition, it is a complete protein meaning it contains all essential amino acids. Whey also contains more branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) than any other source of protein and more leucine than other types of protein.

Several studies indicate that whey protein is beneficial for increasing muscle protein synthesis. Consume whey pre- or post-training and you'll tip the scale in favor of muscle growth and strength gains over time. But, there are a number of other benefits associated with whey protein.

Read full article here.

BEYOND EASTER

And so the Easter celebrations are wearing off and the body is still rumbling for more food and maybe even alcohol. Pudgy. Bloated. Tired. Sore. What to do about it? Well, beside acknowledging that you had a good time and that sometimes your body needs rest from the gym and meticulous diet in order to become even stronger... the next step is to simply bounce back. Get back on track. Start planning your meals strictly again and workout more vigorously than before, just to snap you back to reality. Balance yourself. Throw away the anxiety, the guilt... and tell the cravings to go away. After all, there is no danger with feeling a bit hungry if you know you just ate a couple of hours ago. The body is clever and the mind sometimes a bit foolish. Jug a pint of water and you should be fine. Often it's more thirst than hunger.

Down to the wire now... more mental than physical. Remember, you're the one in control. Happy Easter!

BODYPUMP #73

What a butt-kicking BodyPump release #73 we had this morning. The hour flew by and the sweat was dripping. This release is a challenge, which is awesome. It was the most fun I've had in a class in a while... Well, nah, that's not true. ALL my classes are fun! Haha! But this time we were three pink ladies rocking it out on stage. It was truly EPIC! Thanks to all of you who made it and shared this amazing event with us!!!

I was gonna take some pics for you guys, but completely forgot about it once the adrenaline kicked in. Too bad! It was worth seeing for all of you who couldn't be there. Maybe next time... ;)

BODYCOMBAT LICENS

Rachel Cohen, one of the Program Directors for Body Combat, and beside her is my awesome BC-Trainer Pernilla Blomquist.

I am a proud, proud woman! I have now found out that my BodyCombat license video passed and I have been granted my global BC-license. I'm so happy I could cry! Not only because I now hold the credibility, but more so the comment I received from the evaluater. She said the video was so impressive, she almost got teary-eyed. That hit the spot right on! And to top it off, yesterday was one of my best, extremely hard, but most awesome BC-classes I've had so far. There was such a great atmosphere and I was on fire!

Life is still good to me... :)

HORMONE HIGHS & LOWS

Okey, I'm gonna get technical on you... The hormones leptin and ghrelin act in a kind of yin-yang relationship when it comes to hunger and satisfaction. Just as leptin tells the brain to turn off hunger, ghrelin tells the brain you're famished.

For the average person, ghrelin levels increase when the stomach is empty. Ghrelin is the reason you always feel hungry at particular moments in the day- your body's clock triggers the release of the hormone according to a finely tuned schedule. Ghrelin will remain elevated until you've given your body enough nutrients to satisfy its needs. Because the hormonal signals that you're satisfied can take time to kick in, eating slowly may help you eat less overall. By the time your stomach fills up, ghrelin levels start to drop again, you feel satisfied, and you stop eating. Sounds easy, right?

Well, constant calorie restriction keeps ghrelin levels high, which may be why some yo-yo dieters feel as if their hunger just keeps getting worse the fewer calories they eat. This is all part of nature's way of telling us, "Eat already!"

You have to stay ahead of ghrelin surges by eating regularly, because ghrelin is crafty about getting you to eat. Some research even shows that ghrelin triggers reward centers in the brain to make food seem even more appealing. Ghrelin triggers these centers when you ordinarily wouldn't need to eat - except you just smelled fresh chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen at work. As we encounter tempting treats throughout our day, this devious ghrelin is probably a big part of what makes maintaining weight loss so challenging. Eating balanced meals every four hours and getting eight hours of sleep (have you ever wondered why you're famished and constatntly hungry the day after a bad night's sleep?!) will help you better manage your ghrelin levels. Saying no to those treats is entirely up to you! After all, it's your body. It's your choice to make.

QUINOA - SUPER FOOD?

A delish Quinoa sallad

Have you heard of Quinoa? Do you know what it is? Though not technically a grain, Quinoa can substitute nearly any grain in cooking. Quinoa is actually the seed of a leafy plant and its' relatives include spinach, beets and Swiss chard. Due to its nice texture, taste and rich amounts of protein, iron, potassium, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals, it is my new food love! It's also a good source of dietary fiber and is easily digested.

Health Benefits
A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to South America, quinoa was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Help for Migraine Headaches
If you are prone to migraines, try adding quinoa to your diet. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium, a mineral that helps relax blood vessels, preventing the constriction and rebound dilation characteristic of migraines. Increased intake of magnesium has been shown to be related to a reduced frequency of headache episodes reported by migraine sufferers. Quinoa is also a good source of riboflavin, which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Riboflavin (also called vitamin B2) has been shown to help reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine sufferers, most likely by improving the energy metabolism within their brain and muscle cells.

Cardiovascular Health
Quinoa is a very good source of magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels. Since low dietary levels of magnesium are associated with increased rates of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias, this ancient grain can offer yet another way to provide cardiovascular health for those concerned about atherosclerosis.

These, and many more studies have confirmed that quinoa is a bit of a super food. You can buy it in most supermarkets nowadays, it's easy to cook and can be used in numerous ways. Give it a go! Maybe try this different quinoa breakfast option: Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

IS IT WORTH IT?

I feel flattered. I feel important. I feel like I can share my advice. But don't come to me for help if you can't handle the cold, hard, naked truth. When people want to lose weight, it seems like they want the easy way out. There is no easy way out! There's only hard work. Sweat! High pulse. Heart beating. Dedication. A true desire of achieving your goal. If you don't have that, then there is no picture perfect result in the end either. Nope, there is no magic pills or short cuts, and why should there be. When you work hard for something you really want, then the outcome tastes so much better. So much sweeter! So much more rewarding. And in my opinion, it's all soooo worth it!

Now you have to ask yourself... Is it worth it for you?

HEALTHIER WITH HGH

After a hard workout, do you get the feeling that you could conquer and do anything? Well, you're not alone. That "runner's high" (which is actually triggered by any form of exercise, not just running) comes about because exercise floods your body with endorphins. These helpful biochemicals lift your mood and stimulate the release of another important hormone that affects your metabolism: human growth hormone (HGH). This hormone is something we all want, and lots of it. It builds muscle, burns fat, helps you resist heart disease, protects your bones, and increases your overall health. To be clear, I'm NOT taking about the HGH that you've probably heard about in the news, in reference to doped-up athletes — that's the injected kind and it's definitely something you do NOT want. I'm talking about the natural kind that your body produces with exercise.

The key to turning your body into a growth hormone factory is to exercise at a high intensity level. During intense exercise, such as cardio intervals, growth hormone spurs the body to use fat as fuel instead of glucose. So you burn more fat as you exercise, and you're keeping your blood glucose levels stable, which gives you more energy to keep going. On the other hand, lack of exercise makes your muscles insulin-resistant and suppresses growth hormone. So make sure you are getting that high-quality, intense exercise to work up those growth hormone levels. It's the healthiest way to reverse aging and to make yourself stronger.

HIGH LIFE

Nike Structure Triax 12+ Gore-Tex

The rush of feeling back in my element is awesome! Today was my first day at my last internship before I graduate in June. It has been a rocky road finding the perfect place for me, but now that I'm here, it was all worth the efforts. Friends have mentioned they are amazed I ended up at a place I have been talking about for almost a year. I'm stoked!

Riding on such a high after work, I got home, dug out my outside running gear, laced up my brand, spanking new Nike Structure Triax shoes and off I went with Murphy in tow. A bit risky with a healing back paired up with icy, frozen ground, but I got home in one piece. It was amazing weather and my first 2010 outside city run is officially ticked off! Yay. Can't wait until all that ice and snow is melted...

MANIFEST MEDITATION

"There's a reason we refer to "leaps of faith"... If faith were rational, it wouldn't be - by definition - faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our souls, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be... a prudent insurance policy." - Elizabeth Gilbert from the book "Eat. Pray. Love."

Sportsmen, competitors, people striving for various kinds of goals, whether it be a world record in sprinting 400 metres, completing a triathalon or climbing Mount Everest, have for years been attracting their own destinies by visualising and meditating on the outcome they want to actually manifest.

I have long been a fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer and maybe I don't agree with everything he has to say, but that isn't always necessary to find a balance with someone who inspires you. One of his many creations is to inform and spread the message about a special kind of meditation for manifestation.

If you're interested in trying out something new in your life, because the other stuff isn't working or maybe you want to explore new approaches... well, here's your chance. I am sharing with you one of the most powerful meditations I have encountered. It's a work in progress, but if it comes way too easy, the outcome won't be as gratifying. What do you have to lose?

BREAKFAST LOVE

My brekkie this morning... and pretty much every morning. :)

Anybody else love breakfast as much as I do?! The first meal of the day is sacred and divine to me! After doing my stretches, meditation and walking Murphy, there is nothing better than to dig into a big bowl of warm porridge and a glass of coffee. I like drinking coffee out of a glass for some reason... :)

The same goes for having breakfast when on holiday or on special occassions. I like to dress up the table like a royal feast with all kinds of food delicacies, eat and enjoy myself for at least an hour. The saying goes something like this... "Eat like a (king) QUEEN for breakfast, (prince) PRINCESS for lunch and a pauper for dinner."

I just looooove breakfast time!