Fit to Fat to Fit In Real Life

I'm sure everyone has seen or heard about the show Fit to Fat to Fit. If not, well, its basic premise is a personal trainer/fitness professional purposely becomes overweight and then loses it alongside their client. I have enjoyed the episode or two I managed to catch but I never thought I would be the 'fat' trainer. And yet here I am.

I set a goal of competing again this year in May. I worked out and ate well but in excess up until the new year. I weighed in around 142 pounds over the holidays. My goal was to put on as much muscle as possible and then cut down to stage ready from mid-January to mid-May. Then I would go through with peak week preparations and step on stage to better my standings from last year.

Warning: If you are squeamish then you may want to skip the next paragraph.

We all know the saying about the best laid plans... I became consumed with seeing how lean I could get. I averaged 1.5-2 pounds a week lost. While this rate of loss is considered safe medically it was too extreme when I was already fairly lean. I dropped down to 129 pounds around Valentine's Day and I estimated I was at 13.8% body fat. With over three months to my show date it was too early to be so close to stage ready. I started to experience problems with overwhelming cravings, extreme hunger, and then my periods stopped. I decided to put some weight back on and reevaluate my competition readiness after 4-6 weeks.

129 pounds

What I didn't expect was how hard my body would rebound. At first I assumed a good bit of the gain was water weight. But the scale kept jumping up... and up and up. My clothes got tighter and people started to notice. I was still happy with how I looked but I worried that I had done metabolic damage with my cut. I finally plateaued at 157 pounds. The heaviest I have ever been.

157 pounds

Now that my body has finally stabilized again I am ready to take off the excess weight at a more reasonable pace. I have planned out meals and calculated my calories needs to lose 0.5-1 pound a week this time. I may not step on stage in May but my ultimate goal is to be healthy and happy. Thankfully I'm still pretty comfortable in my own skin at this weight.

I decided to share my journey back to health and fitness here in hopes of helping someone else. Shows like the one I mentioned only gloss over the details. I want to share every last bit of my journey from meal planning and prepping to workouts to progress pictures. My goal is to share weekly updates for anyone who is interested but also to motivate myself. 

Please leave me a comment if there is anything you would like me to share this weekend when I post my first update! Let's get on track to our summer (and beyond!) bodies together. 

Controversy in a Bikini

I've gotten some pretty hateful comments and some very wrong assumptions about what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. So I thought I'd try a vlog and put some truth out there! I hope you enjoy. Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel, Brazen Training, if you like this.

Nutrition for Athletes

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity! I got to speak at a UPMC Sports Medicine Marathon seminar for the DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. The other presenters included Leslie Bonci and Dave Spell. Leslie is the director of Sports Nutrition at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine and she also consults with Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, and the Pittsburgh Ballet. Given her amazing credentials and fun personality I paid strict attention to her presentation so I could share the wealth with all of you!

Leslie brought lots of foods for everyone to see

Of course, the first thing every marathon runner or endurance athlete is concerned with is hydration! Leslie explained that the newest research shows 70 ounces of water per day is the baseline for women. Men need 90 ounces minimum. What I found most interesting is that everything you drink (that isn't alcohol) counts towards your baseline! That doesn't mean you can just drink Pepsi or apple juice all day and be okay but even soups and foods high in water content can count towards that minimum intake. Just be sure you add enough water or sports drink to make up for your exercise habits too!

And what about that morning coffee? Or your afternoon energy drink? Maybe you take caffeinated gels prior to or during a run. The maximum amount of caffeine you should ingest per day is only 400mg! Leslie showed us a couple popular products, like Red Bull and 5 Hour Energy shots, and demonstrated just how quickly caffeine adds up. So be sure you're not hurting your body or performance by overdosing on caffeine every day!

Athletes also tend to be concerned about macro nutrients and how to balance their protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake for optimal performance. I learned that it's very personal and usually requires a consult to figure out percentages but there are guidelines that can help. Protein should consist of 0.5-0.8 grams per pound of body weight and be spread evenly throughout the day. Eating an eight egg omelet in the morning and little protein after is not optimal and will lead to muscle loss. So spread it out in little bits through each meal! Carbohydrate intake needs are around 3g per pound of body weight. Leslie also mentioned that fat intake should never be less than 20% of your diet. So no more counting every little bit as long as you hit your minimums!

Leslie also talked a little bit about the hottest trends in the diet industry lately. Gluten free anyone? You will have lower amounts of prebiotics in your digestive tract and it will be hard to hit your fiber intake minimums. Considering 70% of your immune system lives in your digestive tract this is a BIG deal. Try adding Chia seeds for fiber and Omega 3 fatty acids (keep them in the freezer to keep them from spoiling). Eating yogurt with live active cultures or kefir can help too. If you don't want to eat dairy then try taking a daily supplement.

How about coconut oil? Well it's primarily a saturated fat (read, not so great) and it does NOT help you shed body fat or lower your risk of disease. Instead use olive oil and save the coconut for your skin and hair care! Walnuts will replace that unhealthy fat too. A golf ball size serving is the way to go.

Running and other sports result in lots of aches, pains, and inflammation. Instead of popping an NSAID or pain killer you can try tart cherry juice for a natural anti-inflammatory. Drink 8 ounces of juice or a serving of the concentrate after your next run. Ginger can minimize delayed onset muscle soreness (500mg is about right). Turmeric is a tasty spice that also works as an anti-inflammatory and may help prevent Alzheimer's. Try putting 2/5 of a teaspoon in your next dish. Dried plums contain Boron which is necessary for bone health. Eating just 3-4 per day will keep you topped off and also contains those helpful prebiotics!

Finally, who doesn't want to improve their performance? Dietary nitrates can decrease the oxygen expense of an activity. This means you use less oxygen to create the energy to power your workout and tire less quickly. Bodybuilders use supplements like NOXplode but dietary nitrates can be found in some common foods. A spinach and/or arugula salad, for example. Other choices include celery (about two stalks) and beets. And lastly, replace the iron lost with every foot strike using black strap molasses. Just adding a TBSP to your oatmeal or in place of honey in homemade energy bars will do the trick.

So I hope that helps with your nutrition questions! Please feel free to click the link to contact Leslie or follow her on Twitter @LeslieBonci. And look for the next UPMC Sports Medicine seminar coming soon!

How To Get Fit

I haven't posted in awhile. And, yes, it's partially due to my work schedule being crazy again. But it's mostly because I've been keeping a secret. I decided to completely overhaul my workouts, nutrition, and lifestyle to get into the best possible shape. Normally I would have posted progress pictures, weight and measurement updates, and generally over-informed the world. This time, however, I wanted to trust myself and trust the process. Put my own knowledge to use and follow through without input or criticism from outsiders. I'm still not ready to share my transformation but I do want to share what I'm learning.

In the last several weeks I've talked to quite a few women who are upset that they aren't losing weight. They are 'dieting' and exercising and counting every bite they put in their mouth but the scale isn't budging. They're hungry, cranky, and exhausted. And they all have one thing in common. They aren't eating enough!

Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to exist every day. Your brain, your heart, breathing, swallowing, and just being alive all take energy. This amount is otherwise known as your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) and calculating this is the basis for changing your eating. I like to use a simple online calculator like the one at My Fitness Pal.

This number forms the basis for your nutrition. Then you need to eat enough to support walking, working, and exercising. This is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). A calculator like the one at IIFYM can calculate out your TDEE and it also takes it one step further by suggesting your calorie intake depending on your goals. A little below TDEE for weight loss, a little above for gaining muscle. Then you can even break it down further into macronutrient ratios but I'll save that for another post.

For now, just take a look at your calorie intake and adjust it to meet your actual needs! You'll look better, feel better, and see results faster!

Progress, Not Perfection

I've made some really good changes over the last couple weeks. I'll just admit it now. I picked up A LOT of bad habits again while I was 'off'. I started smoking again. I was having a few beers way too often. I obviously wasn't exercising. And I was eating everything that a dietician would kill me for.

Now, well, I haven't had a cigarette in a week. I haven't had a drink in even longer. And I've been eating about 80% clean. I am more than pleased with the changes I've managed to implement and stick with in a very short time. 

Did I have an ice cream cone on one of our bike rides? Yes.

Did I eat a burger and fries at the OTB Cafe? Yes.

But I also had chicken breasts, turkey meatloaf, broccoli, almonds, berries, baby carrots, and greek yogurt. I carefully planned breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. I walked by the donuts in the break room and the cake in the kitchen and the candy on the desks. I had tilapia and greens while my family was eating spaghetti or Chinese. And I felt good about my choices.

And then, I picked up one of these:

I bought a case of 'real sugar' Pepsi out of curiosity before I got back on track with my diet. I made the decision that I would finish the last two or three rather than throw them away. I was eating my dinner of tilapia and greens and I opened a Pepsi. My own mother said something along the lines of, "Why bother eating healthy if you're going to drink that?" I explained that I wasn't planning to buy anymore soda but I wanted to finish what I had purchased and one wouldn't kill me.

Not ten minutes later I was in my room FaceTime-ing with a friend. At some point during the conversation I lift my can and immediately I get, "Are you drinking POP?!" I give my speech on just finishing what I bought and yada-yada. And still there was more grief to be had over my beverage choice. Meanwhile, he was drinking pop too!

When did eating healthy become eating perfectly? When did getting fit become a one way road? I honestly don't understand the mentality of perfection that pervades everything today. We have to be perfect moms, wives, employees, athletes, chefs, and supermodels. There's no room to be HUMAN. 

I'm perfectly fine with never having the body of a fitness model if I can still have a piece of cheesecake on date night. I'm honestly okay with washing down my boiled chicken breast and sweet potato with Pepsi. No one would think twice if I was at a burger joint chasing a double quarter pounder with cheese and a large fry with a giant soda. If rewarding myself with an ice cream cone at the end of a 20 mile bike ride gets me out the door and moving then it can't be all that bad right?

I see it said time and time again but it's beyond time we all take it to heart. PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION. Do better than yesterday. Make small changes that you can stick with. And don't be afraid to make a mistake or reward yourself every once in awhile. After all we are only human... and I fully intend to enjoy as much of my short time on earth as possible.  

The Age Game

Another year has gone by and I am another year older. I celebrated my 29th birthday shortly after Christmas. Along with the holidays and another notch in my belt came the typical indulgences. Food, desserts, alcohol, and a lack of time for the gym.

Ugly sweaters and alcohol

This year I chose to stop kicking myself for every excess and lazy day. Instead I focused on enjoying my time with family and friends. There were dinners and parties and baking marathons. I spent days driving from one home to another for feast after buffet after brunch/lunch/dinner. And I took part in every last one of them.

These moments are worth so much!

 

Now the holidays are winding down and I'm less than a year from the big 3-0. I'm also almost 10 pounds heavier. And I don't care one bit. Everything in moderation, including moderation.

 

I have a plan and I have my support team. Paul and I have agreed to be 'those people', aka resolutioners. On January 1st we start fresh. We won't beat ourselves up over the seconds and thirds or desserts we enjoyed so thoroughly. We'll do the work and make the right choices and soon enough we'll see the results.

 

So I'll see you (and your hangover) in the gym on Wednesday!

 

 

 

Did you overindulge this holiday season? Do you have a plan in place to get back on track?

 

 

 

Hey You!

Hey you! Yes, you. I'm judging you.

The 'fat' chick on the treadmill. The big guy on the elliptical. The skinny kid lifting an empty bar. The old guy running with the funny gait. The clumsy girl on the secondhand bike.

 Who lifts two pound dumbbells?

 

You wear baggy clothes covered in sweat. Your footsteps are loud and uneven. And your breathing... oh my god, your breathing. Everyone around you is worried that a coronary is just around the corner. You stare straight ahead. I know you're not really oblivious to the looks from the regulars. You know they think you're just another resolutioner. They feel smug knowing that you'll disappear from their realm in a month, maybe less. You keep your head down and plod on. Why? Why do you bother?

Eat another slice of cake why dontcha?

 

I know why. I understand. If you would just look up, you would see that I'm not looking at you with disgust. I'm looking at you with hope and awe. I have been fat. I have been skinny. What I had never been, before those first steps, was strong. I look at you and see potential. Unlimited, bottomless potential. You can become a runner. Or a cyclist. Or a body builder. You can be healthy, fit, or strong. Or maybe even all three. Whatever you want to attain is just a few months of hard work away.

 

If you would just look in my eyes you would see that I want to help you. I want to offer you hope and encouragement and maybe even some advice. I want you to stand tall because you won't give up in a month no matter what those stuck up meat heads think. You will soon be a regular and no one will look twice when you walk into the gym or step onto the road. And then it will be your turn to open your arms to the new guy or girl.

 

You're not even wearing 'real' running clothes!

 

So whether you're old or new or haven't even started yet.... Welcome. Welcome to my gym. Welcome to my roads. Welcome to the world of fitness. Don't give up. And for goodness sake don't let anyone make you feel like you aren't worthy. We all started somewhere and not very many of us have reached our goals. So lift your head, look around. I bet you'll find those looks are a lot friendlier than you imagined!

 

Disclaimer: I wrote this post because I am sick of the jokes and snide remarks about the New Year resolutioners. And once upon a time I was one. The pictures included here are of ME! I can say these things about myself because I thought them at one time!

 

 

Kona Kase Review

How many times have you seen a new granola bar, energy gel, healthy snack, or recovery drink on the market and wanted to try it? Have you ever looked at a product online and clicked away without buying for fear of ending up with another case of something you hate? Do you wish you could try samples of everything until you find out what works for you?

I know I sure do. I have a pantry shelf full of protein bars, whey powder, granolas, energy gels, and other supplements and snacks meant to improve my performance and fill in the gaps in my nutrition. The problem is that I never know if something will work for me until I try it... and then I'm stuck with the leftovers if it doesn't. Until now!

Kona Kase offered to send me a sample Kase and I jumped at the chance. What is a kase? Well, it's a financial and nutritional miracle in box delivered once a month.

 

For just $15 a month one of these boxes will show up on your doorstep every month. Inside you will find a smorgasbord of healthy samples. This month I received a KIND bar, a bag of Half Pops popcorn, Mama Chia chia squeeze pack, 18 Rabbits granola bar, a Clif Shot energy gel, a One Bar fruit bar, a Dr. Will bar, and an Osmo active hydration mix packet. Also inside were a card with a motivational quote (wouldn't that be perfect when you're having trouble getting out the door) and a grading card so you can keep track of what you like or dislike from each kase.

 

In the future, Kona Kase will be offering the ability to purchase the products you love right from their website. The best part is they offer multi-month programs and the ability to cancel your subscription at any time without penalty. You can also earn rewards by referring friends using your own personalized link.

 

So, if you're ready to sample 'til your heart's content, then sign up risk-free and give them a follow on Facebook and Twitter. You'll save a bundle, get to try out the hottest products, and perfect your nutrition in one handy little package!

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I was provided a free sample by Kona Kase for review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Weight of the World

I've been thinking a lot about my diet (as in my nutritional intake, not some fad plan) and I know it hasn't been up to par. However, our scale went bonkers a month or two ago so I haven't been paying too much attention to anything but the fact that I can still get my jeans on.

EatSmart Products offered to send me one of their Precision Digital scales for review so I happily accepted. These scales feature 'step on' technology which basically means they zero/calibrate themselves and don't get all wacky like my old scale did. I can't do a full review yet as I just got mine today but I like it already. It's a stylish glass and metal construction with a back lit screen that makes it easy to read. And it measures down to a tenth of a pound which makes it a great tool for a numbers geek.

The only thing I was unhappy with was the number I saw when I stepped on it. It's hard to believe that I, or anyone, can run an average of 40+ miles per week and still gain weight but I'm proving it's possible. My next steps are to track my diet for a week or ten days and then consult a nutritionist or dietitian. I need a PLAN. I also need to make an appointment for a check up and make sure my body is working the way it should. I haven't had a doctor's visit in several years and it's about time I take care of myself outside of the gym too.

So here's to baby steps and making a plan to reach your dreams. What are your goals for this spring? And what are you going to do to get there?

Nutrition for Runners

I recently had a conversation with a runner who is coming back from a stress fracture. The conversation really got to me when another runner stated that supplements are useless and users are just wasting their money. I can't help but believe that supplements are an important part of an athlete's diet and I'll explain why.

Today I woke up and hit the snooze button on my alarm. Once I actually dragged myself out of bed I was in serious danger of being late for work. I threw together an outfit and a lunch. Then I grabbed a granola bar as breakfast as I headed out the door. A stop at Starbucks rounded out the 'most important meal of the day' for me. Around 10:30 I started to feel hungry so I had some tuna on crackers and then I went to the gym and did what I do best. I ran! Afterwards, I had a bowl of cottage cheese at my desk. Later in the afternoon I had a banana. Dinner consisted of chinese food since I was late. Thankfully, I take my multivitamin and a few supplements consistently and the last round of blood work I had done showed I was lacking in nothing but iron. (Thanks blood loss!) I am a firm believer in a daily vitamin on top of a generally healthy diet!

If you are anything like me, and I dare you to say that you don't commit these same crimes against nutrition, then you are going to be missing something (or several somethings) from your diet. And when athletes are missing key nutrients or vitamins bad things happen, like my fellow runner's stress fracture. Sure fresh is best and nature beats man-made and all that but, unless you are extremely disciplined and monitor everything you put in your mouth, a supplement is your safeguard!

That's why I'm pleased to be able to introduce Centrum's line of ProNutrients. ProNutrients is a line of dietary supplements formulated to work with your multivitamin. Centrum also introduced a new line of multivitamins to meet specific needs. You can choose from Prenatal, Vision, Energy, or Heart blends.



The ProNutrients line includes Omega-3, Probiotic, and Fruit & Veggie. Omega-3 provides vital EPA and DHA in a smaller-than-average and easy to swallow pill. Fruit & Veggie blends grapes, blueberries, raspberries, plums, carrots, and tomatoes to support cell protection with antioxidents. The Probiotic blend contains healthy, active bacteria to support digestion and immune health. With the right knowledge and support anything, especially nutrition, is possible!



To get started with the Centrum line print off the $5 coupon at ProNutrient's FaceBook page. Or you can just post a comment telling me your thoughts on your nutrition and what you're missing for a chance to win the ProNutrient product of your choice. I'll pick a winner on January 14. Complete giveaway rules can be found here.

To enter simply do the following and leave a comment for each one you complete:
-Follow my blog
-Tell me something you're missing in your diet
-Follow Centrum on FaceBook
-Follow me on Twitter (@warriorprncss3)
-Post this giveaway on your social media sites using #NutritionPossible

Alright, have fun and stay healthy! Good luck!

Disclosure: I am participating in a Centrum ProNutrients campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received nutritional product and compensation. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Centrum ProNutrients as a product or it's effectiveness.