Peak Weak Challenges

         Well I decided to do the NPC Spartans on May 3rd. I havne been prepping for this show (my 2nd this year) but I got really sick about 3 weeks out that caused me to lose a ton of water weight (I couldnt keep any food in me except crackers...not really condusive to a competition diet). Of course when I was feeling better, my body held onto EVERYTHING and I ended up putting on more weight which has been very hard to drop off. Our bodies are build to survive and when I got that GI Virus, my body went into survival mode, hording my calories and hanging on. Needless to say, one week out I looked like shit!

       After talking with Coach, she thinks that its mostly just water weight and will fall off during this peak week. This is a smaller show, and I paid for it, so I am just oging to go balls to the walls and give it my best! So of course, this will be a hard peak week.

     Normally, I dont do anything extra special this week, because I have gotten to where I need to be (stage ready) through normal means of diet and exercise, but since I have to actually drop this time, I may have to experiement with diuretics (although I hope not). My carbs have been dropped fully (usually I still get some carbs this week), and my cardio is still high (normally I stop all workouts by weds), but I am mentally tough! Not to mention I still have my full-time job, son, family, and clients this week too! Life goes on.

       This show date marks 12 weeks out from the USAs. Since I have been dieting since December, I would really like some time off to be a little more relaxed, perhaps enjoy some food at a baseball game, etc. I just have to be very careful post show to not rebound since this week is so hardcore. No major splurging for me! The better I maintain, the less pressure USAs in July will be. Here is to motivation and wish me good luck!


If I look ok, I will post Spartan (May 3rd) pics. :)

Updates! 10/15 - Stop obsessing over the scale

So operation 1000% back on off-season diet is on its second week. Last week I tightenend up considerably! But when I stepped on the scale this morning - BAM...148.0...WTF? I mean, I LOOK better? Right?!?!

 

 

Possible Explanations:
1. Well, on the weekends (this one being a 3-day weekend) I am less active. During the week, I work on my feet all day, plus train clients, plus workout out twice (once for cardio, once for weights).  On the weekends, I DO work out, but I am not on my feet all day. Its my time to hang out with my family, which sometimes means cuddling on the couch under a blanket and watching The Nightmare Before Christmas and ParaNorman with my son.

2. I DID add 3-lbs worth of boobage, so if I am comparing me to myself, I am really only 145, but thats still 17 lbs over my estimated stage weight. So my goal is still a 7-lb weight loss.

3. On the weekends, I am more chill. My diet is (slightly) more relaxed. No much, but I am not as strict. My carbs are a little higher, which could result in some water retention

4. This was a 3-day weekend, so add an extra day to the aformentioned explanations.

Lessons Learned: Be more active on the weekend. That doenst mean I am going to double my gym sessions, that just means I am going to spend more time on my feet. I will weigh myself tomorrow morning and I am betting the scale will drop back down. Stick to the plan! And stop making excuses for my boobs being heavier!

My Plan of Attack this week!

KILL IT!!!

No seriously. I have a show to work this weekend with my sponsors at Sexy-Strong: Premier Nutrition for Women. The show is Titans Grand Prix in Culver city. Its a Pro Physique show so it should be super fun! So I am going to be extra strict this week. I have been trying to build up my muslces and for the last 4 weeks have been on a heavy lifting, higher protein and moderate fat and carb diet. This week I want to change it up. Lift a bit lighter but go for volume training, add a bit more cardio, take out the carbs and increase the protein. I think its good to shock the body with a new plan every now and then. Plus, that way I can still spend 75% of my time building muscle, but this "mini-cut" will help keep my body fat in check. Had a high carb day sunday, so will go on a 4-day low, and have a moderate carb day on friday.

I will weight in tomorrow and see if I drop some water from the weekend. Inactivity tends to make me gain, so hopefully that is a good explanation.

Today I am training legs, going to high-reps but always maxing out. Tonight I will do cardio, sprints and stairs intermixed. Until next week. Thanks for following along!

Personal Update: Getting it Back

I do not take a lot of time to do my own personal updates, so I thought I would give it a go. Back in August I had surgery (elective, no worries!! :) right after 7 months of dieting for shows. This means that I was doing intensive cardio and weight training sessions right up to surgery date, as well as dieting. Well, combine surgery with a complete lack of exercise, and I ballooned up. It was rather embarassing to me, since I had promised myself that I would alsways stay in control of myself, my weight and my diet, especially after being signed by Sexy-Strong: Nutrition for Women...Now I feel like I am anything but Sexy-Strong!!

Well, I am fully healed, lifting heavy again, and finally in the right mental place to take my body back! I am not weighing myself right now, becuase I KNOW me. I know I will let the number on the scale discourage me, and use it as an excuse to fall off. Nope, not this time.  After a week of being 100% compliant to my diet, then I will see what I weight. I can estimate through that in my heaviest I probably reached 148 (still 8 lbs less than my previous bulge though, and thats will three pounds of boobs added!).

 

So now, my mind is clear, my motivation is high, and my workouts are intense! I am steering clear of long slow cardio. I am trying to keep my metabolism up throught about 20-30 minutes of HITT training per day, and relynig on my weight training workouts for calorie burn. I am carb cycling (4 day low, one day high) but that may change. It is technically my off season, so dieting to lose massive weight is not my goal. My goal is to get back down to a healthy and maintainable off-season weight. Then, its muscle growing time!

I am going to see about my own personal 4 week transformation! Where can I be in 4 weeks without extreme dieting or cardio, but just getting back to eating 100% healthy (with maybe a cheat meal on the weekend) and maintaining my high-intensity workouts. Basically, compliance!

My goals for the future are to grow my shoulders, back, and hamstrings. so I will working out those 2 days/week. I hope to do more jounraling here on my blog, to help inspire others to live the Sexy-Strong life!

2013 Updates

Updates!

Well, since this blog is for both professional and personal posts, this is a personal update about fulfilling goals. When you make goals, (refer to my SMART Goals blog post), you need to make them specific, realistic and attainable, but still lofty enough that you have something to reach for. Some examples of goals that I have made and fulfilled:

1.       Compete (fulfilled 2011)

2.       Buy a house before 30 (bought a teeny, yet livable and its MINE, place at 27)

3.       Have a job with a 401K and benefits (fulfilled 2009)

4.       Train with an awesome coach (Meriza Deguzman, fulfilled and will continue fulfilling, in 2012)

5.       Win my class at a show (fulfilled Feb 2013)

6.       Compete on a National Stage before age 30 (today is 9 weeks out from NPC USA’s in Las Vegas!) so IN PROGRESS

7.       Get a sponsor that I believe in and use their products (fulfilled with Sexy-Strong) Fulfilled 2013

8 

Which brings us to now. I was signed by Sexy-Strong, Premier Nutrition for the Female Athlete in 2013. It is a new company and the CEO is Pete Ciccone, my coach’s husband, and owner of 619 Muscle in World Gym San Diego. The fit fam I have acquired at World gym is amazing, and I am so honored that they chose me as one of their female athletes. Surrounded by other amazing ladies like IFBB Pro Meriza DeGuzman-Ciccone, IFBB Pro Francine Sablan, National Bikini competitors Khay Rosemond and Laura Powers, this is the best opportunity I have been given this year.

Sexy-Strong carries three products and it is so new, and as of right now, only the protein is available at 619 Muscle in World Gym San Diego. We have Power protein (Black Forest and Café Mocha, YUM!) which is whey isolate and designed specifically for women (100 cals/scoop, 23g protein, no sugar or fat); Burn, a powerful fat burner utilizing Green Coffee Bean, and Fuel, a pre-workout with 8:1:1 ratio of BCAAs. (sign up for updates on their website www.sexy-strong.com)

2012 was a good year with lots of ups and downs, and 2013 so far is a great year! The point is, when you make goals, make them attainable and reach for them. Never give up! There is nothing stopping you from your goals except you. People use time, money and busy life as an excuse, especially when it comes to fitness goals. But you have to make time. You do not necessarily need a gym either (previous blog posts about at-home workouts). It is all about making a schedule and sticking with it. Make small dietary lifestyle changes. I know it is hard, but it WILL become habit, you just have to give it some time.  DO NOT crash diet, make small changes so you can stick with it. And do not fear certain food groups, just eat them in extreme moderation.

For help with personalized diets and workout plans, contact me for plans and pricing . I also started my website www.riana-rohmann.com so check it out! 

Riana

ABsolutely FABulous!

Ok, lame title, but I wanted something catchy! I have not focused on my abs in years. As a former gymnast, I always had nice abs, even a 6-pack if I got lean enough. Then I got pregnant, had my wonderful son and just never really worked them. I bounced back, and my abs are still in decent shape but I miss the hard contours that I used to have pre-pregnancy. I am making my abs (and my hamstrings) more of a frontrunner focus this prep. I want a bit more definition, especially for photoshoots! So here is my abs workout today, and it kicked my booty! (or abs, rather)

Circuit 1: Repeat 3 times

·         25 Leg lifts on an incline bench (head at the top, hips at the bottom). Keep legs straight and lift your hips when your legs reach vertical.

·         25 incline crunches with a 10-lb plate

·         25 incline twists with a 10-lb plate

·         30 Medicine Ball (12-lbs) rainbow chops (over the head, knee to knee) Keep pace fast but controlled

·         250-meter rowing sprint. As fast as possible!

Circuit 2: Repeat 3 times

·         15 BOSU oblique crunches, opposite knee to elbow (15 per side)

·         20 BOSU tuck-ups. Sit with your butt on the center of the ball, legs straight out off the floor and place hands on BOSU behind your butt. Crunch knees to chest, keeping legs off the floor the whole time.

·         BOSU planks with opposite leg lift, 15 lifts per leg.

·         Medicine Ball wood chops, keeping ball centered. Start with ball overhead, then throw it between your knees while executing a small squat. Keep your chest up and hold onto the ball! It’s not a ball slam.

·         250-meter rowing sprint. As fast as possible!

 

My different kind of leg workout!

Operation GROW HAMMIES

I like to have fun on my Friday workouts. Since I come from an athletic background, this is my day to throw in some activities I love. Now, my focus today is my hamstrings, and my glute-ham tie-ins. You know who has great hamstrings? Gymnasts and Sprinters…both of which I used to be in a past life. So I decided to work it out old school style, incorporating things I did while active in those sports, while still doing some new stuff too.

Circuit 1 - 3 sets

15 TRX Lying Hip Lift (KILLER on the hamstrings. We’re talking insta-cramp good)

10 Depth Drops (30inches) to squat, rebound to jump. These are great for eccentrically loading those hammies. No recommended for beginners.

25 Walking Lunges with 80 lb barbell

10 Med Ball (20lbs) slams combined with jumping lunges

Circuit 2 - 3 sets

15 TRX Hamstring Curls (still ouchie!)

12 Depth Drop to immediate 10yd sprint

10 each leg TRX Single leg squat jumps

Circuit 3 - 4 sets

15 TRX Squat Jumps

30 jumping lunges

25 deadlifts with 80lb barbell.

This is a sweaty messy workout and I burned 400 calories, so have fun!

Outdoor Exercise Series - Total Body Stairs

It is getting to be that time of year when getting outside to exercise is a nice change. Here is a stair workout I designed. I will be doing this and similar workouts in group format here in San Diego soon, so contact me for more info :)

rianarohmannfit@gmail.com

Easy Locations for Stairs:

·        Stadiums – Most professional stadiums are closed to public, but I know of some that open on random days specifically to allow exercisers in. Check out your local area. Most high-school and college stadiums and tracks are open to the public.

San Diego Specific:

1. ·         Tierrasanta has some good stairs right by Serra High school off Clairemont Dr.
2. ·         Downtown Convention Center
3. ·         La Mesa Secret Stairs    

Sometimes, it is just necessary to get OUT of the gym! We need a break, the weather is great, and the fresh air is invigorating! Here is a stair workout that is so much more involved, and therefore less boring, than the tradition run-up-and-down-and-skip-steps-occasionally workout. It is a whole complex workout! Take some time and find some stairs in your area that accommodate your needs (at least 3 stories, preferably straight and not winding in a stairwell, but hey, use what you can and make it work! Even if it is simply the stairs in a one-story building)

The Workout

(For time intervals- do the exercise to the top of the stairs, and just run back down to reset at the bottom, and continue until the time ends, unless otherwise specified)

Warm-Up:

·         3 minutes walking

·         2 minutes jogging

Workout: (recover as needed, try to decrease your own recovery time a little each workout). Stand next to railing for workout and use as an “Oh-Shit-I-Am-Falling” safety rail if necessary.

Circuit: Repeat as many times as you want! J Approx 15 minutes with minimal rest

·         1 minute sprints -1 foot per step

·         15 Split Squats on bottom step

·         1 minute High Knee Run-2 feet per step

·         2 minutes three step jog- 3 feet per step-QUICK FEET

·         20 push-ups-flat

·         1 minute sprints - skip one step

·         1 minute each side – lateral walking up steps

·         20 squats-flat

·         1 minute sprint – skip 2 steps

·         2 minute lunge walk-skip 2 or 3 steps

·         20 triceps dips on bottom step

Cool Down

·         3 minutes slow walk

Stretch Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes and Calves

Back and Rear Deltoid Workout

One of my judges critiques was to make my waist look teenier by widening my upper back, middle and rear delts. 

I usually work my back and shoudlers in the same workout, but I decided to really focus on back and rear delts today, and I will hit middle and front delts tomorrow. Enjoy!

Set 1:

• 20, 15, 12 Wide seated rows with a lat pull bar (to focus on the rear-delts), Added 10 lbs per set
• 3x15 straight arm cable pulldowns with Rope

Set 2:

• 20, 15, 10 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown (added 10 lbs per set)
• 3x15 Cable High Rope Pull

Set 3:

• 3x12 T-Bar Row
• 3x15 High cable reverse flys
• 20,15,10 Close grip seated rows

Set 4:

• 3x10 Assisted Pull ups narrow neutral grip
• 3x15 Rear Pec Dec Machine

Video Coming Soon! 

:)

My A$$ Kicker Workout

I wanted to have a fun type workout today. I competed last weekend (1st in my class! Yay!) and my coach gave me this week off to eat and chill and refuel my muscles before the 4 week trek to the next competition (March 16th). SO I feel fueled, full, and high energy! So I feel like posting my kick-ass workout (Literally!!)

1. Run 1 mile

2. KettleBell Challenge: FOR TIME: My time: 6:37

10 KB Swings (I used 35 lbs)

10 Burpees

10 KB Swings

9 Burpees

10 KB Swings

8 Burpees

10 KB Swings

7 Burpees

.....on and on until you get to 1 burpee

3. 100 Double Lunge Walks (on the bottom part of the lunge, pulse twice before standing up)

4. Set 1: 3 sets

15 Single Leg Glute Bridges, foot on Bosu

30 crunches on Bosu

5. Set 2: 

20 Cable Kickbacks 

20 Single Leg Squats

6. Set 3:

20, 15, 10 Lying Hamstring Curls

25 DEEP (ass to grass yo!) squats

Have fun! :)

Personal Update

I am just over 2 weeks out from NPC Gold Coast. Tried on my suit today, and I am already at my last stage weight (128) Although I feel a bit bloated today. I still hate my glute/hams, but they look better than they ever have before. When I water deplete, thats where it comes from, so I hope that I can get more off. With only 1 functional week left of training, I dont know how much more I can lose. I am definitely nervous. I have put more time and effort into this prep than any other one. I want to make my friends, family and coaches proud. No matter where I place, I hope I can bring my best. Trying to keep my spirits up, my energy up and bring my A game. Here is to the first show of the year, and hopefully a few more! I want to do March and April as well. I want an overall win, but after seeing my pics, I am losing confidence. I just got to keep on going. And NO I am not posting them :) Not yet anyway.

Vent session complete :)

Some Low-Carb, High-Protein Recipes I Use

Play with these a bit. These work for me, but your tastes may vary, cooking times may vary, etc.

(I will add more pics as I make them again)

EGG WHITE FRITTATA THINGIE

6 egg whites, 1 cup cooked spinach, 1 chopped celery stick. (or other veggies to taste, whatever you like). Mix in bowl with spices (I like a teeny salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash seasonings, cayenne)

Spray a pan with PAM,  the pour mixture in, put a top on it and let it cook until the top is hard. Then eat it. I actually do like 18 egg whites at once in a HUGE pan, that way I have 3 days’ worth of breakfasts cooked.

Pictured is with asparagus and brussel sprouts. Oh, and I was a gangster and managed to flip that B over, which is why the top is crispy. Do not attempt unless you have skills or like your mood messy looking. 

TURKEY MEAT LOAF

I cook 3lbs at a time, which gives me about 5 days’ worth of food!

3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey (sorry, Costco doesn't have the lean stuff!) 6 egg whites to bind, 2-3 cups of cooked spinach, and whatever other veggies you like (onions, bell peppers, celery)a TON of spices. (salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, garlic, garlic, garlic, parsley and oregano flakes, cumin (my fave) and various Mrs. Dash spices. Just play with it) I also add a ½ cup water.

Mix it like crazy and pour into 2 12” glass casserole dishes. (If you have one large one, that’s fine too, I don’t). Cook at 350 for about 45 minutes.  I usually increase temp to 380 or so the last 10 mins to crisp the top a bit. Its drier than most meat loafs (hello? 99% lean) but the ½ cup water helps immensely!

CRISPY TILAPIA SALAD

Using Pam, just pan fry the tilapia until its super crispy (high heat) and flip it over and do the same on the other side. (sorry, the pan is a pain in the ass to clean after, but it’s worth it)

Before it cools, break it into bit size chunks, then refrigerate overnight. Cut up a cup or 2 of romaine, add the tilapia (and either lemon squeeze or tapatillo for dressing) and enjoy. It’s actually my favorite way to eat tilapia now.

PROTEIN PANCAKE

4 scoops whey protein (I use 619 Muscle Vanilla or Angel Food Cake protein, but Gaspari ProBiotic Cinnamon Protein powder is delicious too) 4 egg whites, 3-4 packets of Stevia (NOT SPLENDA). I also add sometimes cinnamon, a teeny bit of baking powder, although not necessary) and a tablespoon of water. Just mix the ingredients (easiest in a blender, but I use a protein shaker cuz the noise bothers me).

PAM and pour into a small pan (6”). You can use a big pan, but it’s runny and might spread out a lot, the small pan keeps it confined. Cook with lid on low heat for about 5 mins, then flip when the top is no longer jiggly. Only cook it for about 30-60 seconds then put on a plate. Use Walden Farms Calorie free syrup (its SOOOOO GOOOOD) J On high carb days, add a ¼ cup oats too it for a thicker, yummier treat (hah, that’s what she said).

TILAPIA (or other whitefish, like cod, mahi mahi, or halibut) TACOS

Pan sear 6-7 oz of tilapia so its cooked (to your taste, I like it crispy).  I add seasonings like salt, Mrs. Dash, tapatillo or sriracha, pepper, you got it. Add ¼ to ½ (whatever your meal requires) pre-cooked brown rice and sauté on high heat for about 3-5 more minutes (however crispy you like your stuff). Place on a large romaine leaf and you are golden! If you are not prepping for a contest, add a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt (sour cream substitute) if you want. Also add other veggies like bell peppers if you like.

You can do this with your 99% lean ground turkey, or even shrimp as well, I just really like the consistency of the whitefish.

CINNAMON EGG WHITES

If you are like me and love sweet things, but are not allowed to have them, or are in the final stages of your contest prep and cannot have protein powder any more, then try these! Separate 10 egg whites (makes 2 servings) into a bowl. Add 4-5 packets of Stevia, and some cinnamon. Pour mixture into a large pan on the stove and cover. Cook on low heat for about 7-9 minutes until the whole thing is hard. Cut in half and you have two servings. It’s like a treat for breakfast! If you want, you can add oatmeal to it if you are allowed for a thicker, almost pancakey quality.

Snacks and Treats

CINNAMON CUCUMBERS

These are not high-protein, but they are low carb and great for a sweet fix at the end of the night. Just cut up a cucumber (use English cucumbers, the super long skinny ones, they are best because their skin is thinner) If you use the shorter thicker ones (sounds dirty…lol), then peel them. But the skin has a ton of nutrients so that’s why I prefer the long ones (That’s what she said). Cut them in circles, put on a plate, sprinkle with cinnamon and Stevia, and voila…YUMMY sweet HEALTHY

KALE CHIPS (or spinach chips!)

A personal favorite. pre-heat oven to 375. Hand-tear kale into teeny pieces. Spray Pam on a cookies sheet lined with foil. Toss kale with either a small amount of olive oil and spread evenly on cookie sheet. or do what I do and just spray some Pam over the top of the Kale once spread. Add salt, seasoned salt, garlic, pepper or whatever you want. Place in oven for about 15-20 minutes or until kale is brownish. It should be nice and crispy! Same thing for spinach, except you dont need to tear the spinach. 

Pictured is spinach

More on the way!! J

The Science Behind the 6-Pack

There is much debate over the best ways in which to reveal your abs. Everyone wants flat abs at the very least. I have never met anyone who has said, “Nah…I like my round paunch. The way it oozes over my jeans is awesome!”  Whether you want is 6-pack is debatable, but flat abs at least! With all the research that goes on in the fitness and health industry, for every new study that says to “do it this way for fast results!” there is always a rebuttal study that says “wrong! This way is best!” So which way is right?

All about Fat

The subcutaneous fat on the top of your tummy (you know, the stuff covering your rectus abdominus, aka 6-pack) is more responsive to diet than training. Sorry to tell you, you have to eat clean, unless you’re a genetically gifted god or goddess, then everyone just wants to shoot you (J/K!…kinda).  Jade Teta, CSCS and Registered Dietician, has been doing numerous studies about hormones and belly fat.  The subcutaneous fat has more alpha adrenergic receptors, which block fat release.  Without getting into crazy scientific detail, Dr. Teta is finding that a diet rich in protein, water and fiber elicits the best hormone response in regards to losing subcutaneous fat because these diets block the alpha adrenergic receptors (ever hear the phrase abs are made in the kitchen?). The fat underneath your rectus abdominus is called visceral fat. This is the “beer belly” fat, the stuff that makes your stomach bulge outward but still appear hard (sorry, it’s not muscle).   This type of fat is richer in beta adrenergic receptors, which enhance fat release and is therefore more responsive to exercise, namely high-intensity exercise (HIIT!), as well as diet.

Fiber Types

There are so many debates about whether your abs are primarily fast twitch (Type II) muscle fibers which are bigger, more powerful, anaerobic,  but easily fatigable; or slow twitch (Type I) which are more aerobic, and fatigue resistant. Your fiber type determines which training might be best for you. One argument claims that the abdominals are slow twitch dominant, since your abs need to be active all day without fatiguing in order to support your spine and the connection between your upper and lower body.  Other arguments claim that the abs are primarily fast twitch, and that a strong core and abdominals make heavy lifting, throwing and other functional movements possible. Some claim that the transverse (deep) abdominals are slow twitch for spinal support, and that the obliques and rectus abdominus are fast twitch, for movement. 

The truth of the matter is that everyone is different.  In general, sprinters have a high volume of type II muscle fibers in their body, thus eliciting their power and speed. Endurance athletes like marathoners and cyclists have a greater distribution of Type I fibers, which have a greater mitochondrial density and are fatigue resistant at slower speeds.  So, this still doesn’t answer the question on how which kinds of workouts are best for the abs.

Well, type II muscle fibers respond well to heavier, more powerful exercise. They have more potential for growth and development, so for more defined abdominals, add some high intensity exercise into your routine! High intensity exercise also releases growth hormones, which has HUGE fat burning properties. Steady-state, moderate-intensity cardio has its place, and is definitely fat burning, but not when it comes to the abdominals. That steady moderate cardio (such as light jogging) is actually shown to increase cortisol stores, which is a hormone that packs on the pounds around the midsection. Precisely what you DO NOT want to do. However, long SLOW cardio, such as long walks on the beach, decreases cortisol levels by reducing stress.

So, what do I do?

1.       Getting your abs to show is a combination of developing the abdominal muscles along with manipulating hormones and fat loss. Basically, grow the muscles and get rid of the fat. General total body weight training increases insulin sensitivity better than traditional sit-ups. Being insulin resistant can pack on those pounds, especially in the belly, so sensitivity in the muscles is a good thing! Weight-lifting also increases Human Growth Hormone (HGH), a muscle builder with huge fat burning properties.

2.       Total body high-intensity exercise raises your post-exercise oxygen consumption for up to 24 (some studies show 48!) hours post exercise, as well as HGH levels. This means you’re still burning, burning, burning calories while your body fights to return itself to homeostasis.  You do not get these results from steady state moderate aerobic exercise. Also add in stress-reducing long SLOW cardio, such as walking (maybe some laughing in there) once or twice a week. This decreases cortisol levels further.

3.       Incorporate fast twitch muscle exercises to stimulate growth in the abdominals, making them more defined while still burning fat.  These exercises include various medicine ball throwing, plyometrics, heavy lifting, Kettlebell swings, Olympic lifting, and other fast movements through the trunk, obliques and abs. When you are doing your weight training, keep the abs tight and braced with whole time.

4.    Get off the floor! If you are stuck in the rut of doing 5 sets of a billion crunches, then knock it off. Incorporate hanging exercises (like leg lifts hanging from a bar, Roman chair, or Ab Slings), twisting exercises,  stability ball exercises, and planks.

Try Some New Exercises

Try these intense exercises that work the total body (for calorie burn), but focus on the core (for muscle development) once or twice a week on non-consecutive days.

1.       Tuck Jumps (focus on bringing your knees to your chest and landing softly). Do one at a time to start, working on stabilizing the landing and really focusing on good form. Once you have mastered the movement, do sequential tuck jumps with a quick rebound in between each one. Do 3 sets of 15

 

2.       Medicine ball crunch throws. These can be done with a partner, but I like to do them against a wall. Grab an 8-12 lb. medicine ball (not too heavy because you’re working on speed of movement, not heavy lifting).  Lie on your back, knees bent with toes about 12 inches from the wall. Start fully extended with the ball overhead on the floor. Grab the ball with both hands, and using your abs, crunch up quickly and at the same time, throw the ball forward to the wall as hard as you can. DO NOT SIT ALL THE WAY UP. Keep your low back on the floor. Immediately catch the ball, and bring it back overhead so it contacts (not slams) the floor, and finish in the same position you started. Do 3 sets of 10-15.

 

3.       Oblique Medicine Ball Throws. Sit with knees bent, about 2-3 feet away from the wall. Turn so that your right side is next to the wall. Lean back halfway, but remain sitting up. Tap the ball on the ground to your left, then, using your abs and obliques, throw the ball hard against the wall. Immediately catch it and turn back to the left and tap the ball. Do this for each side, 3 sets of 10-15.

 

4.       Push-Up to Tuck. This is basically a burpee without the jump. Get on the floor in push-up position. Do a push-up, then jump your feet in to land in between your hands. Immediately jump them back out to push-up position. You can do this with or without the push-up, but really focusing on brining your feet in between your hands, don’t neglect the quality of movement. Also try this in a frog position, by bringing your feet to the outsides of your hands instead, and then jump back out to push up position.

 

5.       Mountain Climber Up-Downs. Do 10 standing high knee runs on each leg, the drop to the floor and do 10 mountain climbers. Repeat this sequence for 45-60 seconds. For added intensity, hold a medicine ball at ribcage level and try to tap your knees to the ball. When you drop, keep both hands on top of the medicine ball and try to get your feet as close to the ball as you can, or try and touch your knees to the ball.

 (I will be adding a video shortly with demonstrations of all these exercises!)

Other Tips:

Drink plenty of water! Dehydration can cause water retention in lower abs

Eat Clean! Lots of fiber and lean protein

Include Fish oil and CLA in your supplements for added fat loss benefits

Brace your abs during all resistance training

 

Len Kravitz Ph.D and Aaron Bubbico, B.S.; Eccentric Exercise: A Comprehensive View of a Distinctive Training Method; University of New Mexico

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/eccentricUNM.html

Len Kravitz, Ph.D; SuperAbs Resource Manual; University of New Mexico

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/abdominal.html

Jade Teta ND, CSCS; Facts about Belly Fat; The Metabolic Effect

http://blog.metaboliceffect.com/2012/04/04/facts-about-belly-fat/

Jade Teta ND, CSCS; FAQ on Belly Fat: The Metabolic Effect

http://blog.metaboliceffect.com/2009/01/08/faq-on-belly-fat/

 

Myotropics + Vegas = GOOD TIME

TAKING RISKS

Fear of failure. Sometimes that is the only thing that holds people back, not talent, education, or skill…just fear. I know I am afraid to put myself out there, for fear of judgment or failure. In late June, I decided that I needed to start taking some risks in life if I wanted to get anywhere in the fitness industry. I mean, I have a ton of fitness certifications (including my CSCS, CPT, TRX, Schwinn Cycle, Weightlifting, etc.) I have a great job with the Marine Corps, and I am a decent NPC Figure competitor. But I want more, I want to be a staple in society. I want to live and breathe this industry, including starting my own fitness business, modeling, and progressing in Figure competitions by hopefully picking up a sponsor. Well, as many of you know, this requires all requires a certain amount of…self-promotion. You have to get your name and face out there! As someone who loves the spotlight, but doesn’t love blatant self-bragging and promotion it takes to get there, this is a difficult task.

THE CONTEST

Well, Myotropics held a Facebook Photo Contest this last June, so I decided I would enter. I actually had some hope in this one, as it wasn’t a contest purely based on votes. The top 5 females and top 5 males with the most votes would move on to round 2, in which a panel would choose the winners. Well, I am not loaded down with Facebook friends, so I knew I could never get TOP votes, but I thought I might have a shot of making it in the top 5. So I appealed to friends, family, Facebook and Twitter followers to help me out, and I secured the #4 position!! I was so stoked! My goal was to make top 5 and I did, and to me that was a huge success. I didn’t think I would progress any further. The other women in the top were amazing, beautiful, and with plenty of fitness and personal achievements that would make Myotropics proud.

Imagine my surprise when, Monday July 2nd, the CEO of Myotropics, Vince Andrich, Facebooked me and asked if he could call me. He asked me a few questions and my background in fitness, and told me that I was chosen as the winner. Seriously, words cannot describe how ecstatic I was! I wanted to ask why, WHY ME? But, I didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth or appear to be fishing for compliments, I’LL TAKE IT!

That week I also got in touch with Brant LaRose, who was the male winner of the contest. He is a genuinely nice guy, so I was glad I got to share the experience with him. He was already planning on competing in the USA’s to try and win his Pro-Card, but imagine his great surprise when he won it 2 weeks before the USA’s at Team U! Congrats Brant, IFBB Physique Pro!

My main concern was that the prize package included a photoshoot with renowned fitness photographer George Kontaxis at the NPC USA’s in Vegas at the end of the month. I started my off-season 3 weeks prior, so food was my friend! I had 3 and a half weeks to get myself photoshoot ready! I basically went back on the competition diet for 3 weeks, peak week included. I was proud that I managed to enter the photoshoot about 5 pounds heavier than stage weight, not bad!

THE VEGAS EXPERIENCE

I have never won anything like this EVER, so I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t have any expectations, other than I knew, pretty much no matter what, that I was going to have a good time. Your experiences are what you make of them, and I was going to make this awesome! I flew into Vegas from San Diego on Thursday the 26th. I took a cab to the hotel we were staying at, the Extended Stay Deluxe, which by the way had its own kitchen! That was ideal because I did not have to worry about my food for my stay there. On a side note, it was obvious that competitors had taken over Vegas. I went to Albertsons to buy food, and they were almost out, if not completely out of asparagus, tilapia, halibut, eggs, yams and rice cakes. But I am good at improvising, so I made it work. I met the other sponsored athletes at Myotropics, who were all amazing.

THE USA's

Being able to go to USA’s was a great experience. I hope to compete at this show in 2013, so it was a great warm-up for me and gave me some insight as to what to expect, how things work, etc. I met so many amazing athletes. I met people that I have been friends with on Facebook, but never had the pleasure of meeting. Plus I was there representing a product that I fully believe in. Our job at the USA’s was to work the Myotropics booth, hand out samples, and educate people about Myotropics Physique 2.0 and ThermiCarb. (more later on that). The Friday and Saturday morning shows were all pre-judging, and therefore were pretty casual. The Saturday night show was more formal, as I got to wear a cute mini-dress and my fake eyelashes :).

There were two extra-notable stand-up experiences I had there. One, I got to step on the National Stage as a trophy presenter (representing Myotropics, of course) for Women’s Physique. That was so much fun! Two, I got to be present when Myotropics own and my old high-school cheer buddy Francine Sablan, not only placed first in Figure Class B, but also took the Figure overall. (goose bumps!)It was great to see all her years of hard work pay off, and in such an extraordinary way.

THE PEOPLE

The Myotropics sponsored athletes are some of the coolest and most accomplished athletes I have had the pleasure of meeting. I have some HUGE shoes to fill, but it is so motivating to me and I am determined to do this company proud. I got to meet IFBB Physique Pro’s Matt Christianer, Angel Cordero, and Brant LaRose, National NPC competitors Tommy Reynolds, David Lamb, Ian Lauer, Adelfo Cerame, and Raymond Querido. Of course I got to spend more time with Francine Sablan and fiancé Jason Tweed, two of the most welcoming and motivating people I know. It was great hanging out with former bodybuilder turned Olympic Coach Erick Minor, who writes articles for Myotropics, and I loved picking his brain about athletic training. Meeting Vince Andrich was surreal, for he has been a staple in the industry for 25 years. He is a genuine guy who really has a passion for the company and its athletes. And of course Don Aspinall, who made me laugh and still owes me a cupcake. Everyone was cool, very welcoming, and a lot of fun to spend all that time with. More info on these accomplished people is found at the Myotropics Athlete page
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THE PHOTOSHOOT

I have never been in a professional photo shoot before. I have paid for a photoshoot with the awesome and talented Casey Withers of C Withers Media, however those were just for fun. My friend Lisa has taken some pictures of me for fun as well, and they are lovely photos, but I have never actually been in a shoot where the outcome mattered. I was so nervous, especially because I was technically in off-season! These athletes have had plenty of experience in professional settings. Not I! That being said, the photographer, George Kontaxis, was very professional and had a lot of ideas. We shot at Gold’s Gym in Vegas the Sunday following USAs, and it was a grueling 12 hour shoot! There were all the Myotropics athletes to shoot, as well as some female models who had competed the day before at the USA’s that joined us. Everyone remained in good spirits, joked around and kept the atmosphere light.

THE PRODUCT

Myotropics currently has two supplements: Physique 2.0 and ThermiCarb, both of which are revolutionary in their own rights. Physique 2.0 is a complete meal replacement protein, which I love. I train at really random times per day, so trying to figure out when to work out, take my protein, and plan it perfectly in between meals was really hard. Plus, most proteins only fill me up for maybe an hour. Physique 2.0 keeps me full for the 3 hours until my next meal. It contains ThermiCarb, a high molecular weight -resistant starch that does not cause the insulin spike that normal food does, helping me to keep burning fat and stay satisfied longer. Plus those carbohydrates help fuel and build my muscles. I tend to take it post-workout or as a breakfast, but it can really be taken any time. Myotropics also manufactures the ThermiCarb as a separate product, so when you need extra carbs in your diet, or post-workout, you can just add more! It is completely flavorless, but is really thick. When combined with Physique 2.0, it turns it into a kind of pudding, which is just like a dessert! YUM. Anyway, I am no scientist, I just know what works and what I love. For more detailed info, check 'em out at www.myotropics.com.

THE WRAP-UP

From my initial decision to enter the Myotropics Photo Contest on Facebook, to returning home from Vegas to my super-supportive husband and son, the whole experience was remarkable. I loved being thrown into the mix, representing a company that I thoroughly believe in, getting to know so many people in the fitness industry, and making new friends and professional connections. This experience has re-inspired me to continue 100% in NPC Figure to hopefully grace the National Stage next year. I want to continue representing Myotropics Physique Nutrition as best as I can, as well as continue improving myself, my education, my physique, all while helping and inspiring people to do the same. There are no limits.