Winter 2013 FitnessX Magazine

reach out of your comfort zone!

Jeanette Ortega

This 40-year-old Latina fitness model & fitness professional shares her inspiration and tips on living fit on pg. 52!

Inspiring You to Live Well ...

Naturally!

Your Right to Bare Arms

*

Planning for Success in 2013

Increase your

Flexibility

Improve Posture & Performance -- plus Minimize Injuries! pg. 32 Fit Mind + Fit Spirit =

Fit Body for Life!

Extreme results fitness Boot CamP Total Body Workout

pg. 58

pg. 76

Healthy Recipes for a Fit Body

GET Tight Overnight!

+

Fitness at 40, 50, & Beyond! pg. 32

Eat Yourself Lean with

Superfoods

pg. 30

2.

FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

To be Personal Consultant or place an order., call Kat Aguirre at (818) 600-2348.

When signing up or making your purchase, use Arbonne ID: 13330842 Email: arbonne@fitnessX.com

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FC5®

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ARBONNE COSMETICS

Daily Essentials

Fit Essentials

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Arbonne’s exclusive Optilight Technology. Stunning in its duality, Optilight Technology works in two ways: light is diffused to create a soft-focus effect, blurring imperfections so skin looks flawless from virtually every angle. Simultaneously, finely sized pigments allow skin to breathe, imparting a “light as air” feeling and promoting a healthy glow.

ARBONNE Essentials® When it comes to what your body needs, it’s simple -- the small changes are the ones that make the biggest difference in your life. So if you’re not sure if you’re getting the vitamins and minerals you need throughout the day, there’s an easier way to approach everyday nutrition that will help you feel better -- and live better. Arbonne Essentials can help you accomplish your goals and get you on the path to healthier living with nutrition that’s individually targeted to your body’s needs.

You can choose products from Daily Essentials, Fit Essentials or some combination of the two.

Maximizing Absorption & Effectiveness Using an integrative approach, our ingredients work together to increase nutrient uptake for optimum absorption and effectiveness.

Nothing to Hide Arbonne Essentials are formulated without gluten and have: • NO artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners • NO cholesterol, saturated fats or trans fats • NO animal products Winter 2013 • FitnessX Magazine

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CONTENTS

FitnessX Magazine

FitnessX Magazine

Publisher/Editor-in-

CEO/Publisher talks

Chief gives advice

about motivation &

avoiding holiday

inspiration

Who is she and

stress.

for thr holidays.

why we love her.

WINTER 2012

6

8

24

52

88

76 94 58

50

46

72

HEALTH

30. The Benefits of Holistic Organic Super Foods 34. Hard Facts on Sugar Substitutes

EXERCISE

24. Tight Overnight! Rock the Clock: Fitness in Your 40’s, 50’s & Beyond Gain Flexibitity with a Stretching Partner

32.

46. Back to Basics 50. Circuit Training Routine: Maximum Results in Under 30 Minutes!

58. Jeanette Ortega’s Extreme Results Boot Camp Workout The Gift of Yoga

72.

76. Shapely & Toned Shoulders 88. Turn Up the Heat & Torch the Fat! 94. Agonist/Antagonist Resistance Training 102. 2 AB-tastic Moves to a Flat Tummy!

TRAINING

49. Going the Distance in 2013 97. Triathlon Training: Tip to Increase Endurance 4.

FitnessX.com • Winter Issue 2013

INSPIRATION

16. Planning for Success in 2013: Mind - Body - Spirit 22. Bring It On! 36. You Can Do It! 38. Chasing Happy!

92. Who I’m Becoming 96. Dream Big & Go for It! 108. It’s a New Year...What is the Best Resolution?

TRANSFORMATIONS

20. The Ortega Hunnies - Featured Athletes 42. An Interview with Amy Kaufman: A “Charming” Transformation

75. My Tranformation Continues: Enjoying the Challenges!

WELLNESS

7. Strong Man Jesus 40. Spiritual Fitness: Reach Out of Your Comfort Zone 106. Wellness & Fitness: A Holistic Perspective

U rsula P ong

Mich Bakeerlle

Cover Model: Jeanette ortega Cover Photographer: B-HOUSE Photography

tine

Chrisonde Le M

Kacie Fischer Cleveland

The Champions of Fitness p. 80

A lexa nd ra Sö de r

Leni ka e trin

S

Michelle Russo

RECIPES

98. Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Lentil Burgers 99. Thai Salad with Almond Ginger Dressing 100. Individual Meatloaf & Breakfast Burritos 101. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream & CranberryApricot Flaxseed Muffins

LETTERS

6. Let's Talk!

7. Strong Man Jesus 8. The Power to Believe!

FEATURED MODELS

65-70. Amy Von Rummelhoff, Jupinko,

Ashleigh Clesceri, Kristine Kelly, Dani Lilley & Alicia Marie (Photos by B-House Photography)

MODEL OF THE MONTH

104. FitnessX Model - Victoria Kirsanova

Jeanette Ortega A Woman of Strength, Courage & Wisdom

p. 52

ADVERTISEMENTS

2. The Bikini Model Cook Book 3. FitnessX Apparel Store 14. Get FitnessX Magazine on Kindle 15. Get the Print Issue of FitnessX Magazine 29. G-Loves 48. The Booty Bible 64. B-House Photography 71. Elisabetta Rogiani: Couture Fitness 93. Monica Brant’s F.E.M. Camp 103. Arbonne 109. 220 Fitness SITES: fitnessX.com twitter.com/fitnessX youtube.com/fitnessXtv facebook.com/fitnessXmag

Winter Issue 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Let's Talk!

Shielu Bharwani

Inspiring YOU to Live Well...Naturally!

Ladies -- Let's talk! Now that it’s 2013, I hope you have set some heath and fitness goals for yourself. I think starting a goal is much easier than finishing.

That’s why we need to start with the determination to finish strong.

I’m a publisher, but also a professional photographer. All these fitness photos are of very inspiring women -- Christine Le Monde, Toni Lee, Shielu Bharwani, Adrienne Van Lew, Tabitha Thelin, and Larisa Elizarova. These women are some of the greatest role models who live the healthy lifestyle.

These are woman -- just like you -- who started with a goal and were determined to finish strong.

Adrienne Van Lew

What health and fitness goals will you pursue this year? It’s ulimately up to you to finish those goals! Think about how great you’ll feel when you reach your goals! Remember to take it one day at a time and never give up on what is worthwhile -- Your HEALTH! Inspiring YOU to Live Well...Naturally, BillyBow Aguirre, Publisher of FitnessX Magazine.

Christine Le Monde

Tabitha Thelin

Toni Lee Larisa Elizarova

Photos By: BillyBow Photography 6.

FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

The Strong Man

Jesus

1 Timothy 4:8 - “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”

Faith in Action “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” – Romans 1 Read: Hebrews 11: 1-39 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” -- Hebrews 11:1 Many people confuse “faith” with “blind faith” or “wishful thinking”.

Archie Bunker from the 1970s sitcom All In The Family once said, “Faith is something that you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe.” Archie never failed to get a laugh but, in this case, it’s hard to endorse his theology.

Hebrews 11 gives us a very different impression of faith then Archie Bunker’s.

The opening passage – taken from the KJV (King James Version) –- describes faith as the “substance” of things hoped for and the “evidence” of things not seen. Other translations use equally concrete terms: words like, “assurance,” “conviction,” and “confidence.” Faith is not a tentative concept where the believer simply “hopes” or “wishes” something to be true. Faith means certainty.

Hebrews 11 makes two statements about faith: 1) It is the substance of things hoped for.

2) It is the evidence of things not seen.

This might sound a little cryptic at first but the epistle writer spends the rest of the chapter explaining what is meant by each of these. Now, we’ll dissect some of the examples.

Verse 3 begins a discussion about how the world was formed – by “the word of God” (rhēma “the spoken word”). The creation was an event that no one witnessed. How can we know what happened if we didn’t see it happen?

Many scientists today observe processes that are occurring in the present and use these to extrapolate what happened in the past. They are, quite literally, using the things we see to try to understand the things we didn’t see.

Hebrews 11:3 tells us that exactly the opposite is true. The universe was not made by the things that we can see. God created the world ex nihilo (out of nothing). John 1:3 attests, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” The things that God created includes not only time, matter, and space, but also the natural laws that operate within them. Natural laws are a part of the creation; they are not the cause of the creation.

So even though we weren’t there in the beginning, we can know with confidence how the universe was created. It is not blind faith. It is not wishful thinking. It is a certainty; an assurance. We know it is true because it has been revealed to us by the One who was there. By faith, we have evidence about an event we did not see.

Likewise, by faith, we can also have certainty in things that have not yet happened, that is, “things hoped for.” The word translated in the KJV as “substance” is the Greek word, (hypostasis). In the Bible, it only occurs here but it was a common word used in business documents. It’s literally a contract or guarantee. It’s an absolute promise that what has been stated will happen.

Hebrews 11:7 says that God warned Noah about the coming judgment. Even though the Flood had not yet happened, Noah built the Ark in faith, knowing with certainty that it would come. Since God said it would happen, it was a certainty that the world would flood. Noah was as sure about the coming Flood as he was about anything. Because of his faith in God’s word, Noah and his family were delivered through the Flood.

The chapter mentions several other notable characters of the Old Testament.

This chapter has been called “the Faith Hall of Fame.” In each case, these men and women of old were obedient to God, knowing by faith that the promises He made to them would come to pass. Hebrews 11:39 says these people “gained approval” by their faith (NASB). Yet, in their lifetimes, none of them received the promise in which they hoped. It was not simply “faith” that saved these people but rather it was their faith in the promise of what was to come. What they believed in the most would come centuries after they lived.

People of the Old Testament were saved the same way we are – by faith in Jesus. The characters mentioned in Hebrews 11 could not know Jesus the same way we know Him. Nevertheless, they believed in the Messiah God had promised all the way back in Genesis 3:16, the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent.

Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” If you are certain the sun will rise tomorrow, you can be even more certain that God’s word is sure. The word of God is not equivocal. If He said it, He meant it. Because of His revelation, I have incontrovertible evidence about things I did not see: things like the creation, the Fall, and the Flood. I also have absolute assurance about things that have not yet happened: like the return of Christ and His promise of eternal life to all who believe.

“Faith extends beyond what we learn from our senses, and the author is saying that it has its reasons. Its tests are not those of the senses, which yield uncertainty.” -- Morris

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

7.

Photo by Robert Reiff

The Power to Believe!

Photos below by BillyBow Photography

Have you ever doubted yourself in reaching any of your health and fitness goals? I think we all have at least once in our life. It’s alot of work to be healthy, but then again, many things that are hard -- like your job, school, relationships, etc. -- are well worth the extra effort. It makes you appreciate what you have and gives you a sense of accomplishment.

A vital aspect of a good, healthy self-image is being emotionally and physically fit. It makes a significant impact on your self-esteem. The better shape you’re in, the better you feel about yourself. You are more effective and comfortable in your interactions with other people. As a result, people respect and admire you. Of course, you can’t have optimum health, fitness, and wellness without consistent, proper exercise and nutrition. They are crucial factors to an emotionally and physically healthy lifestyle.

The optimist’s life mission focuses on optimal success in every aspect of life. So, how in the world do we become the ultimate optimist when it comes to our health, fitness and wellness? First of all -- Make long-term goals! They will give you the direction and purpose you’ll need. Without setting long-term goals, your quality of life will result in failure to suceed. If you visualize your those goals in detail as you set them, you literally program them into your nervous system.

You must write down each and every goal and your plan of attack. It’s important to be specific with your goals. For example, I am going to compete at the my first half marathon on May 15th, 2013 at 8am in San Diego, California.

Please pay attention to the words you say, because they declare your beliefs. I just want you to be aware of how powerful your words can be. But, all the words in the world can’t help you without you taking action! Your action steps will also determine if you really have belief in your goal.

You become what you believe. I believe in saying positive statements – it reinforces your belief system. This is the mindset of optimism. It’s no doubt that positive people (the optimists) attract other people and are a huge source of inspiration.

It’s important to respect yourself in order to make the changes you need to obtain your health, fitness and wellness goals. When you make the necessary sacrifice and stay disciplined throughout your transformation, your goals will be met. Once you believe that you can reach your goal, nothing will stop you from pursuing it! I believe in you!

Hit your goals with the power to believe in YOURSELF! You CAN and WILL SUCCEED! As always, FitnessX Magazine loves your feedback. We are here to inspire you to be your best! Feel free to email me at editor-in-chief@fitnessX.com anytime!

Inspiring YOU to Live Well...Naturally,

8.

FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

TEAM

Winter 2012 Publishers Kat and BillyBow Aguirre Editor-in-Chief Kat Aguirre

YOUR

AD COULD

Assistant & Copy Editor Taylor Anne Kinkade

BE HERE!

Creative Director Kat Aguirre Senior Designer BillyBow Aguirre Senior Staff Photographer B-House Photography Assistant Photographer/Photo Editor Ulysses J. Sandoval Wardrobe: Elisabetta Rogiani, rogiani.com Hedda Royce of G-Loves, g-loves.com Sherry Goggin of Fit Girl Wear, fitgirlwear.com

MISSION STATEMENT:

FitnessX Magazine strives to inspire all women by making a difference in empowering and encouraging them to live a healthier lifestyle. We take pride in sharing inspiring articles and facts on health, fitness and wellness.

Our readers vary in age, body composition, ethnic background, economic status, and professional background, but have the common goal of improving themselves through health, fitness, and wellness. FitnessX Magazine readers are health-conscious, discovering or already adopting healthy lifestyle practices, and interested in bettering themselves.

CONTACT US TODAY advertise@fitnessX.com

FitnessX Magazine features athletes in all sports, professionals who work in the health/fitness/wellness industry, everyday women who have made remarkable strides in motivating others to live a healthier lifestyle, and includes articles on the latest and most popular topics of interest.

At FitnessX Magazine, our tag line says it all— “Inspiring YOU to Live Well…Naturally!"

Kat & BillyBow,Aguirre Publishers of FitnessX Magazine

Hope Zarro, Makeover Specialist

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Her extensive list of celebrity clientele include: Alanis Morisette, Molly Ringwald, Brooke Burke, Alison Sweeny, Tia Carcrta, Ashlan Gorse, Kendra Wilcinson, Karina Smirnoff and Jeannie Mai. Besides regularly styling hair, makeup and wardrobe for fashion shows and photo shoots, she also delivers expert advice on hit television shows such as: The Style Netwotks ‘How Do ILooK?,MTV’s Becoming’, ABC’s “Extreme Makeover, USA Networks”Character Fantasy Makeover and ‘ Platinum Weddings.”

Hope’s combined skills turn the plainest faces into bombshell beauties. She is a rare combination of New York edge, California glam and on-camera flare....fantastic!

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

TEAM

Inspiring YOU to Live Well...Naturally!

BillyBow Aguirre is the CEO/Publisher and visionary of FitnessX Magazine. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy for 13 years and 15 years as a Network Engineer for Utilities, Investment, Entertainment, and Hospital Industries. He also studied and taught nutrition as a Chef for15 years. With his entreprenuerial skills, BillyBow established FitnessX.com Magazine, an online magazine in 2009. In Winter 2011, BillyBow joined forces with his wife, Kat Aguirre, in launching FitnessX Magazine -- their first print publication. You can contact BillyBow at billybow@fitnessX.com.

Kat Aguirre is the Owner, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of FitnessX Magazine. She has been actively involved in the fitness industry for the past 12 years working as a group exercise instructor, certified personal trainer, sports nutritionist, transformation specialist, PT manager, fitness director and fitness company owner. Kat has competed and placed in the top 5 in fitness, figure, fitness modeling, bikini and power lifting. She started several boot camp programs in Alabama, Tennessee and California to help hundreds of people get fit and healthy. Kat enjoys volunteering her time at schools speaking about body image, fitness and nutrition. Currently, she serves as an advocate for the “Fighting Obesity Campaign”. You can contact Kat at publisher@fitnessX.com.

B-HouseJonelit was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He has been doing professional photography in Europe since 2003, but only for the past year in the U.S. since returning. B-House enjoys shooting fitness. He also shoots other genres including vintage, military, sports, theatre and concert. He is based in north Orange County, is married (over 10 years) and has 4 small children. He is the Senior Staff Photographer for FitnessX Magazine. To contact B-House for a photo shoot, email him at bhouse@bhousephoto.com.

Sherry Goggin, Ms. Fitness America, reigns as The Most Photographed Fitness model in history. She shines as author, producer and role model for women everywhere. Bright, articulate and full of energy, Goggin has broken the stereotype of the fitness model to become an author, producer, fitness guru, clothes designer and just about anything else she puts her mind to. Sherry Goggin is the definitive version of a 'renaissance woman' and once she sets her mind to something, nothing gets in her way. While Goggin is a fitness expert, her real strengths may lie in the area of being a top-notch business entrepreneur. She also acts as VP and director of the women's fitness division of the Private Trainers Association, www.propta.com. Sherry also has a new clothing line, "Fit Girl Wear" that is available at www.fitgirlwear.com.

Dr. Sara Solomon is the first FitnessX Magazine Cover Model. Sara launched the FitnessX Magazine in Winter 2010. She received her BSc in Physical Therapy and her DMD from McGill University in 2001 and 2005 respectively. Sara is a general dentist practicing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Solomon writes a monthly column in FitnessX Magazine, “Ask the Dentist” covering a number of dental health issues. Sara is a fitness competitor, Team Bodybuilding.com athlete, spokesmodel and published writer, author of Oxygen Magazine’s “Work Train Compete Blog” and more. Check out Sara’s website drsarasolomon.com.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Laura Mak is Pregnancy Fitness Specialist for FitnessX Magazine. Over the past 20 years certified fitness expert Laura Mak, has used her Master’s Degree in Exercise Science from Michigan State University to help others live a fit lifestyle.

She has made it part of her career in fitness to be a healthy living leader, a forward thinker, and a positive woman’s role model in every way when she undertakes a new project. Since her early days in training as an elite gymnast, full ride scholarship athlete, and then on to the top ranks as an IFBB Fitness Pro, Laura Mak has taken her passion for Lifestyle Fitness, Online Women’s Fitness Training, and Pre and Post Natal Specialist to a level only reached by the top echelon in the fitness industry. Laura works primarily online now since she has had her son. Whether it is getting your post baby body back or your looking to improve your lifestyle through fitness, she will work with you to find the right program that works. Enjoy her radio show, youtube videos, blog posts, and shopping site for the latest in fitness. Check out her fitness clothing line, Mak Attack Fitness, available on MakAttackFitness.com.

Toni Lee is fitness model, athlete, comedian and TV/film producer. She lives by the philosophy that success is created by action. She is the perfect example of her own positive thinking as a successful businesswoman who shows that working on yourself each day results in a healthier lifestyle. Born in Seoul Korea, Toni is an accomplished pianist who has traveled the world and gained broad insights to the lifestyle concerns of diverse people and cultures and the common aspirations of health and well-being that all of humanity shares. Toni has taken her affirming message to a broad audience with television appearances on UPN Channel 13 News and KTLA’s morning shows. Her fresh perspective and healthy look has also crossed over into print media with numerous spotlight articles and photo spreads for popular magazines. Toni now is following up on offers to take on a producing role for several Hollywood projects in development. The first of these upcoming projects will be a comedy lifestyle T.V. show starring Toni that spotlights her creativity and outrageously funny sense of humor. Further production updates and speaking tour dates can be found at www.facebook.com/tonileetv.

Jeanette Ortega is the Owner/Founder of Jeanette Ortega’s Boot Camp and Extreme Results Fitness Studio.

She is the Creator of her own “Fit Team: The Ortega Hunnies”. She is a Nationally Ranked Fitness & Bikini Competitor. Jeanette has been a Fitness model for select magazinesand sports clubs. She was featured in Ms. Fitness magazine (summer 2004) and her articles have been published in the San Fernando Valley Newspaper and Oxygen Magazine. “I am truly blessed to be practicing in my passion. My love for health and fitness has allowed me to share my knowledge with others and inspire people in any opportunity that I am given. My business has grown by leaps and bounds and I truly believe it’s because of the genuineness of my passion to help people fight unnecessary disease and obesity that this country is facing today. I love to inspire courage, confidence and dedication in everyone that crosses my path---all capable of greatness-we just have to dig deep and believe in ourselves. You can visit site www.ExtremeResultsFitness.net.

Nikki Utley serves as a Producer on a host of acclaimed reality television programs such as NBC’s Emmynominated “The Apprentice” and Bravo’s top rated “Flipping Out”. Nikki’s passion to motivate others has led her to establish a fitness career. Currently, she’s the overall winner of NPC’s MuscleContest.com Bikini Masters Division 2012. She helped create Black Fitness Women, a support group that is dedicated to acknowledging Black women who compete or simply train and strive to promote a positive example of health and fitness. Her unwavering focus to help women know their worth and ability to succeed propels her to be a formidable force in the fitness world. You can email her at kanikanikkiutley@facebook.com or check out her Facebook page www.facebook.com/kanikanikkiutley.

Hedda Royce founded G-Loves in 2009 which is headquartered in Los Angeles and web-based with a domestic and an international distribution and retail business expansion plan. Hedda, Founder and President, is an active alumni and graduated Cum Laude from Tufts University with a B.A. in International Relations and Economics in 2001. Thereafter, she pursued her business education at Fairfield University with an M.B.A. degree in Finance, Summa Cum Laude. Upon graduation with her solid undergraduate and graduate curriculum in economics, international relations and business, Royce entered the investment banking field before deciding to start her own business dedicated to women’s fitness. As a life-long competitive athlete and businesswoman, she knew that her niche would be in women’s fitness. This led her education, work experience and passion for athletics to seamlessly found G-Loves. Royce is a certified personal trainer with accreditation from ACE and AFAA. In order to stay abreast of her fitness market, she continues to train competitive female athletes and other business professionals in Southern California. Royce also specializes in spinning for men and women and athletes at all levels.

FitnessX Model, Christine Le Monde, currently resides in Venice, California. This 51-year-old is a Level III Certified Personal Trainer at Gold’s Gym in Venice., California She is also the Owner/Master Fitness Trainer/Coach of Le Monde Fitness -- a full-service, mobile Personal Fitness Training at home, office, beach or park specializing in outdoor sessions. Christine holds many titles as a Champion Amateur Bodybuilding Competitor in Bikini and Figure Divisions (Masters and Grand Masters), enjoys fitness modeling, and is an Ambassador for G-Loves Workout Gloves, Power Crunch Protein Bars., and Elisabetta Rogiani. You can check out her Facebook fan page, Le Monde Fitness, at www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Monde-Fitness.

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

Born a dancer, Natalie Lynn Lichtenbert started her active career in ballet, tap, jazz, modern and hip hop dance styles. Also, being very active in sports, she participated in cheer, swimming and soccer. Natalie currently keeps up her health and mental attitude while being a nationally recognized model, personal training, working as a photographer, continuing her fitness career, acting and following her environmental endeavors. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology with extended studies in Molecular Pathology. She currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Miranda Hoffmann is a Certified Fitness Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and owner of Focus Fitness by Miranda. She has been working as a fitness professional for over four years and takes pride in helping her clients achieve their goals. Miranda’s main focus is on weight loss, healthy weight gain, weight management, nutrition and lifestyle coaching, figure and bikini preparation and posing, and overall health. Whether in a gym setting, in-home training, or her corporate boot camps, you can be assured to get personal quality guidance and results. You can find out more on Miranda, visit focusbymiranda.com or contact her at mirandacft@gmail.com.

Rosie Chee “Think like a Champion. Train like a Warrior. Live with a Purpose.” Lifetime natural athlete and multiple NZ National track and road cycling Champion, internationally published fitness columnist and exercise physiologist, Rosie "The Female Terminator" lives her motto; constantly challenging the “impossible”, always striving to be her best; seeking to inspire and motivate others, to educate and empower them to make positive lifestyle choices that improve their quality of life.

To contact Rosie, visit www.rosiesmusclerevolution.com. Photo Credit: Dan Ray.

Laurie Delaney has been in the fitness industry since 1993, teaching, learning and applying what she knows to her clients and herself. Since she received her Certification from the American Council of Exercise, she has also been Certified in YOGA, Pilates, Core Synergetics, BOSU Balance, Intensified Strength Training, Lifestyle Weight Management Consultant and as a Clinical Exercise Specialist. Competition life is in her blood and she enjoys the journey...whether it's first place or not. She began competing in 2000 in the Fitness Division, then moved into female Bodybuilding, and now competes in the Bikini and Figure Divisions. Laurie competes with Fitness America, NPC, ABA, UNBA, WBFF and INBA/PNBA. She sees competitions as a way to better herself and prove to women over 40 that you can not only be fit, but you can stand on stage and be proud of your hard work. You can visit Laurie's website at www.lauriedelaneyfit.com.

Lisa Lorraine Taylor has a B.S. in Holistic Nutrition, certified through ACE, AFAA and FITOUR, and is the Owner of Taylor Made Fitness in San Diego, CA. She is active in the fitness community serving as a Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, Lifestyle Weight Management Consultant and Fitness Practitioner. Lisa offers Personal Training online, the gym, outdoor workouts and nutrition programs. You can call/text Lisa at 619.987.9691 or e-mail her at Trainerlisa@hotmail.com.

Heather McCullough, a 30 -year-old mother of one, is a NETA certified personal trainer in Crested Butte, Colorado. Originally coming from a nursing background, she has geared her goals towards positive and preemptive health by specializing in high-altitude training for triathletes and endurance runners. Heather has trained for 9 years and, as an endurance runner, participates in mountain races anywhere from marathon distance to 150 miles. Heather also heads up a high-altitude training camp at 9,000 feet for triathletes and endurance runners/bikers in Colorado.

Jacquii Alexander grew up in Melbourne, “the sporting capital of Australia”. A driven competitive athlete, Jacquii has enjoyed international success as a Snowboarder, and Fitness Model, and is the current Ms. Bikini America Classic Tall Champion. She is also a successful businesswoman, with an Honors Degree in Physical Therapy, an MBA, two property investment companies, and over ten years of international management experience with leading global corporations. Jacquii currently lives in Sydney with her husband Hamish, and her two cats.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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A reader Christina Fisher said this about FitnessX Magazine -- "What a great magazine!

I know this is almost blasphemy, but I enjoyed reading these articles as much as Oxygen Magazine! Good job ladies!"

FitnessX

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“Bravo’s Flipping Out stars, Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos

Michael Blanks reading the November 2012 issue!

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Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Planning for Success in 2013: Mind - Body - Spirit

Makeup by Cynthia Navarro Hair by Manny Martinez

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by Jeanette Ortega, Owner/CPT of Extreme Results Fitness

Photo by Teri Montoya Photography Location: Extreme Results Fitness

s I look back on my year, I have truly accomplished many of my goals...I’m so proud, yet I think -- Did I take the time to celebrate it or was I already moving onto the next challenge? I’m learning to appreciate and celebrate my accomplishments, create a plan and execute for more success but also finding BALANCE in my life to enjoy my life. We get so caught up with “life” that many of us forget to enjoy and live “life”! I have been asked...How did you accomplish opening your own gym? How long did it take you? How many years have you competed? Why did you decide to go for your Pro card? All of these questions made me think...I answered them and realized what an awesome learning journey I had experienced and I am still experiencing today. I’ve had many bumps in the road, disappointments, and I’ve held myself back on many occasions and these circumstances have brought me to this article today that I share with you. PLANNING FOR SUCCESS! 16.

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Be honest with yourself....Deep down we all know how to achieve anything we want to. It is really simple! Why? Because...

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO!!!

What you need to ask yourself is:

1) Are you ready?

2) Have you decided to commit?

3) Have you TRULY dug down & found your “WHY”?

4) Have you accepted that YOU are what holds you back?

Before you can set any goal, stick to it, and most importantly make it a lifestyle, then from this point forward, you must achieve BALANCE within yourself.

Balance contains many different aspects of Fitness, and by Fitness, I simply mean “HEALTH”:

1) Emotional Fitness

• Time with family and friends • Scheduling time for yourself • Getting enough sleep • Outdoor activities • Feeling confident with yourself • Read an inspiring book, listen to audio CD’s 2) Physical Fitness

• Outdoor cativities • Commit to a class or workout 2-3 times a week, include a friend for accountability.

• Find something FUN so you will stick to it!

• Invest in yourself, hire a trainer if you need that extra push, no one will invest in you the way you need to...just do it!

• Positive outlook - when you feel better about yourself it filters into all aspects of your life.

• Buy a new outfit every 30 days as you reach small goals and celebrate!

3) Mental Fitness

• Stop sabotaging your success! No “back handed” compliments to yourself. We are all a work in progress.

• Be nice to yourself when you look in the mirror or talk to yourself.

• Say “Thank You” to a compliment, don’t downplay it.

• OWN your beauty, your size, who you are and how you look...YOU ARE UNIQUE! • If you want change, KNOW YOUR “WHY” and COMMIT! 4) Spiritual Fitness

• Spiritual Fitness is the core of balance.

• What/who do you believe in? Get in tune with that belief and connect with it on a daily basis.

• Remember -- it’s Mind/Body/Spirit, your mind and body need to feel spiritually connected with your belief.

• If you have a true connection between your body, mind and spirit, it will reflect and balance will be achieved.

5) Nutrition Fitness

• Simply put -- Your car doesn’t move without proper fuel and eventually breaks down if it continues to receive cheap gas. This is

how your body will respond as well. You will spend more time and money overall to try to fix the problem when it could have been prevented in the beginning.

• Don’t let your body break down. Be proactive, not reactive. Reactive is a band aid for problems that may return, be proactive to prevent this problems.

• Remember, it’s about 70% Nutrition/30% Gym. Why not make it a priority? Proper nutrition, a healthy lifestyle make for a better fit life, not to mention a happy mood and eased mind.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Achieving BALANCE will take time.

Remember, you’ve been in the same pattern for some period. You must break habits before you can successfully set a goal, achieve it and make it your lifestyle.

DO NOT just focus on INSTANT GRATIFICATION! This is a process.

There’s no such thing as an “overnight success”. You should enjoy “daily gratification” because you are working towards changes and your goal everyday. To make this a lifestyle change, you cannot complete this in less than 90 days.

This is a gradual process with steps that need to take place daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly. To truly achieve balance is a process...

BUT SO WORTH IT for your health, beauty, family, career, happiness, and in particular...YOURSELF! Look in the mirror and appreciate the person staring back at you!

Compliment yourself, be proud of yourself, and know that you are a work in progress and love yourself for committing to taking care of you!!! YOU are worth it!!! BE the star of your LIFE, walk with purpose and direction and even if you stumble wipe yourself off and get back on track...YOU ARE WORTH IT! Excerpt from “JeanetteX Workshop, Food-Fit Team Material” Jeanette Ortega Extreme Results Fitness, Inc. Personal Trainer/Owner www.jeanetteortegasbootcamp.com www.jeanetteortega.com www.extremeresultsfitness.net 818-488-4333

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeanette Ortega is the Owner/Founder of Jeanette Ortega’s Boot Camp and Extreme Results Fitness Studio.

She is the Creator of her own “Fit Team: The Ortega Hunnies”. She is a nationally-ranked fitness and bikini competitor. Jeanette has been a fitness model for select magazines and sports clubs. She was featured in Ms. Fitness magazine (summer 2004) and her articles have been published in the San Fernando Valley Newspaper and Oxygen magazine. “I am truly blessed to be practicing in my passion. My love for health and fitness has allowed me to share my knowledge with others and inspire people in any opportunity that I am given. My business has grown by leaps and bounds and I truly believe it’s because of the genuineness of my passion to help people fight unnecessary disease and obesity that this country is facing today. I love to inspire courage, confidence and dedication in everyone that crosses my path…we are all capable of greatness, we just have to dig deep and believe in ourselves.

Photo Credit: B-House Photography, Senior Photographer of FitnessX Magazine.

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Featured Athletes: These 2 moms and career women made the choice to live the healthy lifestyle and hit the stage!

Kelley Shaw

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M

y name is Kelley Shaw; I am 52 years old, married with one son in the Navy (very proud mom). I am also a Program Manager for Northrop Grumman; we manufacture navigation systems for various aircraft and military land vehicles. The job is long hours with many out of state trips to visit customers and our manufacturing facility -- a great excuse not to work out!

I signed up for boot camp 4 years ago to get in shape for my wedding. My goal was to drop a few pounds, tone up the arms and look amazing in that gown. I thought it would just be 4 months of intensive workouts and then I could go back to my workaholic lifestyle, little did I know! This was the beginning of a journey that has changed my life, from being self conscious about my height and weight, covering up most of body parts with baggy clothing to putting on a bikini and walking across a stage in front of 200 strangers.

I have always been self conscious about my body. At 6 foot tall, I felt out of place and abnor-

Photo by B-House Photography of FitnessX Magazine

T he O rtega H unnies

mal, pants were always to short, shirts were never long enough and heels were out, I did not need to be any taller. I tried desperately to hide my height by wearing flat shoes and walking hunched over, looking at the floor hoping no one notice the “giant” in the room. At 50, this was all about to change!

I watched as Jeanette and her team prepared for fitness competitions and admired their hard work, dedication and self confidence. I was in awe as they practiced walking in those killer high heels and beautiful bikinis. These young ladies were amazing, could someone my age compete? At 50 I thought I was too old, the aching joints, weight gain, hot flashes, insomnia and menopause were all great excuses!

Excuses! At 50 I realized there will always be excuses not to do something. If I really wanted to be a bikini competitor, there were no more excuse; it was time to do something for myself and commit. I took the plunge and started the grueling diet and exercise routines, doing two competitions that first year. The first show was small. I was so

nervous that I did not take time to enjoy all the accomplishments.

The 2nd show was nationals in Las Vegas. The judge’s scores were horrendous and all the self doubt came rushing back, it was devastating for me. I let other people’s judgment, based on 2 minutes on stage, ruin all that I had accomplished. I thought it was over, I was a failure.

Two amazing people in my life reminded me that I was doing this for me; I had worked hard and reached my goals. My body had changed and I did look amazing, other peoples judgment did not matter. It took a few months me to realize they were right and that had I loved every minute of the experience. I was going to compete again!

This past November, at the

Mary Bird

young age of 52, I took the again stage at nationals for Fitness America in Las Vegas with a new found confidence. I kept my shoulders back and my head held high as I walked on that stage like I owned the world.

Scores and other people’s opinions did not matter, I was on top of the of the world!

It’s been 2 years since beginning this journey as a bikini competitor; I am still pushing myself past my limits and, most importantly, accepting myself for who I am. Accepting the fact that age is only a number and not what makes me. No longer do I walk with my head down looking at the floor, I now walk with a sense of confidence, proud to be 6’0” tall!

Learning to accept my body has been the hardest part of all the

H

ello! My name is Mary Bird. I am a 33-year-old mother of 3 children ages 7.5 and 2. By night, I am a Registered Nurse working in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit/Cardiothoracic Unit. My life is very busy with having three children, a career, and husband.

My husband and I have been married for 8 1/2 years and have lived in the Santa Clarita Valley the past 12 years.

As a teenager, I would watch the fitness competitions on TV and hope that one day I could be one of those girls. But then I focused on my career, then got married, and had my babies. In the process, I lost myself and the things that made me happy. I had continued cheerleading and track into college, but stopped when I began nursing school.

Last year in 2012, my New Year’s resolution was to focus on me, and part of that was to get back into shape. I began with a small support group of friends and just worked out at home. I was so pleased with my results after our “90-day challenge” that I

things I’ve done, yet I’ve come to terms and learned to embrace it.

Fitness and healthy living are now a priority in my life. My next goal is to become a certified personal trainer and hopefully inspire women, especially those that are my age, to live out their dream and reach out for their goals.

I have to thank Jeanette Ortega for being a true inspiration; her genuine love of fitness has rubbed off on me. When I was ready to quit, she was there to support and motivate me to keep going. It’s rare to meet someone who truly loves what they do. The second person I have to thank is my dad. He encouraged me to keep going. Dad always said “I did not raise a quitter,” and he was right. Thank you both!

wanted more, so I began to search for a trainer. I happened to come upon Jeanette Ortega and emailed her. It was a perfect fit. I trained with Jeannette for 5 whole months and then competed in my first competition -- Fitness America, bikini division in Las Vegas in November 2012. I LOVED it! I definitely would like to do more.

Jeanette and I have already sat down and discussed my goals for 2013. I compete because it is very empowering. Why not show off what you have worked so hard for?

Also, it makes you push yourself towards your goals.

My advice to other women training is to take it one day at a time and never lose your “why”?

My “why” is to be a better, healthier woman for myself my husband and my children! They mean so much to me and I have so much more to offer being a healthy, fit mommy!

My children make much healthier choices in food now after seeing mommy prep meals. It makes me so happy! In the words of my sweet Travis -- “I am strong, I am powerful, I am 5!”

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

21.

Bring It On !

by Ursula Pong

Photo by Chris Soo

L

ooking far back into my childhood and teenage years, one could say that I was known as the scrawny kid who wasn’t only skinny as a stick, but also vertically challenged.

The kids in my neighborhood and at school used to call me the midget girl with the toothpick legs.

Fortunately for me, I never really had an issue with my body and I only have memories of being a happy and active kid. I do remember a time when my body size was an issue and that was when I tried out for the middle school basketball and volleyball teams in middle school. I was very passionate about basketball and volleyball. Unfortunately for me, these are two sports where being short was a disadvantage back in my day. When I showed up for try-outs ready to show my skills, the coach looked at me and said,“You’re too short” and turned me away without even looking at my skills. Needless to say, I never bothered picking up a basketball since then, and even now as an adult, every time I see a basketball, all I can remember are the hurtful words from the coach. In just a brief moment, a coach/adult/ teacher took away my passion for a sport. Luckily, I was strong enough to replace my passion for basketball with a passion for dance, gymnastics, and martial arts, but many other children that endured similar experiences never decided to choose alternative sports and gave up on sports altogether, which I always saw as a tremendous injustice towards those children.

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I eventually grew up from a short kid in middle school into an average sized woman with athletic skills to boot, thanks to my newly found passions which enabled me to grow into a professional cheerleader and dance captain for the Canadian Football League, Toronto Argonauts. This became my first experience as a role model for many aspiring young girls.

Remembering my lessons from middle school, I began to pursue a career as a P.E. teacher and have always gone the extra mile to help inspire kids to find enjoyment in fitness and sport and to empower them by helping each of them understand that they too have unlimited potential and should never let anyone tell them differently. This mission to inspire kids and change lives has kept me extremely passionate about my job and I now find myself at 53 years of age still taking this responsibility to heart just like I did when I started my career 30 plus years ago.

Living life with the intent to inspire others means that we need to live by example and I feel, even though I am 53 years young, that I still need to be in the best shape possible. This has not come without its challenges. Ten months after the birth of my little miracle daughter Kilani, whom I gave birth to at the age of 40, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disease that treats your thyroid as a foreign body causing complete dysfunction of the thyroid.

best to help support and inspire other women around the world who are struggling just like me.

“Months went by, but with every work out, I felt as if I had taken charge of my disease and the disease was no longer in charge of me.”

Photo by Chris Soo

For someone who has been active most of their life, hypothyroidism is one of the worst things that could happen since the thyroid is our metabolic engine. Needless to say, I suffered greatly with chronic fatigue, weight gain and bouts of depression. I felt as if my body had been invaded by body snatchers and felt powerless in the process. I spent months watching my body and mind deteriorate as the autoimmune disease took over and with every passing day, I could see part of my old self disappear. You could say, I was in the worst shape of my life and I felt completely powerless and ready to give up.

Strangely enough, it was during those months that I began to develop an even greater appreciation for the powerless feelings so many other women out there must be feeling who, like me or even worse, have been deprived of the gift of graceful aging. It was this revelation that there are so many out there in need of inspiration and support that I made a very clear decision with myself.

I remember sitting at the dining table with my husband and daughter when I looked at them and said, “That’s it. I’m done with this.” I got up from the table, went to the gym and attempted my first workout with weights in many months.

Every single repetition felt like I was pulling teeth and I remember breaking in to tears as I saw myself in the mirror struggling with such little weights with a body that just was not mine. It was during that workout, that I decided I would dedicate each strenuous and painful repetition to every other woman who was struggling like me. I made a vow that I would beat this once and for all, and if I did, I would make sure that I would do my

I slowly but surely regained my strength and began to follow a very strict anti-inflammatory diet that my husband designed for me; and after about six weeks I slowly began to see my old body again, which only fueled my desire to beat this disease even more.

Now, almost ten years later, with constant diligence and good medical care, I have not just fully reclaimed my body, but have surpassed my fitness levels and am proud to say that I am now fitter than when I was a professional cheerleader in my twenties.

I am still that P.E. teacher who lives to inspire her kids and plan to always be that person, but in the process, I have also become a better and stronger woman from my experience and still strive to inspire others and be a positive source of support and change in their lives as they are dealing with their own struggles in life. I have since competed in four international figure competitions in my fifties and have even competed in a 3-round boxing match to raise money for charity, which was against a woman about 15 years younger, who succumbed to the power of life experience.

Now, every day, my mantra is: “Bring it on life, hit me with your best shot!”

Photo by Chris Soo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ursula Pong is a High School Physical and Health Education teacher at the Singapore American School and has been teaching for 30 plus years. With a Masters degree in Multidisciplinary Studies, a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education and Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and minor in Psychology, he is dedicated to enthusiastic and dynamic teaching as a means of creating and nurturing a lifelong love for health and fitness. Her teaching career has taken her from Toronto, Ontario, Caracas, Venezuela and Singapore. She also writes for the Women’s Health column for a Singapore based fitness magazine and has been a featured fitness model for Adidas, Shape Magazine Singapore, Elle Singapore, Impact and the Straits Times newspaper. Photo Credit: Chris Soo.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

23.

Tight Overnight!

by Christine Le Monde, Level III Certified Master Trainer

Rock the Clock: Fitness in Your 40’s, 50’s & Beyond!

BillyBow

Photography

elisabetta rogiani® Couture fitness

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P

erhaps you have heard it: “50 is the new 30.” It’s as true as can be. Look around and you may notice a growing population of women in their 40’s, 50’s, and older, that are as savvy about taking care of their bodies as they are their families, careers and portfolios.

Many factors are coming together to make this a legitimate mainstream trend: fabulous, mature, female role models in the public eye, such as Renee Russo, Andie McDowell, Ellen Degeneres, Tosca Reno and Michelle Obama, to name a few. For years, beauty experts have been advising us to care for our skin by always wearing SPF and women are learning the importance of regular exercise to maintain their health and girlish figures. The half-marathon-fora-cause is getting record numbers of us in our running shoes. Now, the woman that inspires us to take our own programs to the next level is just as likely to live next door as she is to be on our TV’s.

Much has been in the media about the epidemic of poor health in our society that can be directly linked to processed food.

Sugar is one of the worst villains of all. A diet heavy with sugar can result in overall poor health and excessive fat storage, culminating in insulin resistance and diabetes. A new trend of eating is attaining full, buzz-word status: clean eating. Publishers of fitness magazines are using their influence to educate women on the importance of eating whole foods for metabolic health. When the metabolism is functioning normally on clean food, a person experiences vibrant, consistent energy throughout the day, builds muscle and does not store excessive fat. It takes desire and discipline to break out of the addiction to fat, sugar and the flavorings used to keep us coming back for more processed food, but the payback is clear judging by the exponential growth of devotees to this eating “lifestyle.”

If you are already active, you know that when you skip a day of your “me” time, it feels a little like something is missing. Keep changing it up and challenging yourself to avoid a plateau. The human body is very adaptable and will become efficient at an exercise, over time. But, what if you aren’t incorporating exercise into your life? The good news is it is never too late to start. If you are already in your 40’s, 50’s or older, and have never exercised a day in your life, well, that means there is nowhere to go but up! If you start now, and do a little every day, you are not just getting older, you are also getting better! How is that for incentive?

If that is not enough, imagine a closet full of clothes where everything fits, a world where the prospect of wearing a bathing suit is not anxiety-producing, and a renewed sense of confidence to be able to run, bicycle and swim with your kids and grandkids. I have recently competed with women in their late-50’s to late-60’s who decided to make their fitness a priority and are rocking bikinis on the stage at bodybuilding competitions. I have been watching these women improve from show to show. My 69 year-old friend, S, has found her new fitness so infectious that she recently flew to Europe to compete in Bikini at the international level.

But, check it out, Ladies -- Cardio alone is not going to cut it. A gal needs strength training. That’s right: pumping iron is essential to building shapely, lean muscle, storing energy and preserving bone mass. If you aren’t sure where to begin, know this: you don’t need to acquire an encyclopedic knowledge of fitness on top of your already, busy schedule. Just as you (probably) wouldn’t learn how to change the transmission in your car if it breaks, this is also a good time to seek out an expert. Hire a personal trainer. Discuss your goals and a plan that is within your budget. The trainer can teach you proper form, how to use the various equipment in the gym, build a program for you that you can do on your own and be there to motivate you when you would rather sleep in that extra hour, or not finish the last set of abdominals. Another age-defying training method is called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

This is a method of cardio that incorporates 30-60 second intervals of all-out effort in a short, overall session (usually 20-30 minutes).

The increased hormone secretion and oxygen deficit produces benefits that last for many hours after you have left the gym. Trim our cardio from 45 minutes to 20, with better results? Who votes “Yes?!” I like to build HII’s in between my strength training sets for maximum efficiency.

A trainer or nutritionist can also establish that your nutrition is on point for your goals. Often, mature women scale drastically back on calories to stay slim which actually does more harm than good. Skipping breakfast and consuming fewer calories than the body needs for its basic functions actually slows down the metabolism. The fewer calories you eat, the more the body will want to protect itself by storing fat. Also, hair, skin and muscle mass suffer, as there is not enough nutrition (protein) for those tissues to thrive.

You can find out how many calories you need by visiting mayoclinic.com and searching for the Caloric Needs Calculator. The calculator uses your age, weight and height to assign a basal metabolic rate and then adjusts total needs based on activity level.

This article would not be complete without sharing a few choice items from my beauty bag. Some of my essentials for glowing skin are a natural bristle body brush and a sugar body scrub. I use a daily sunblock: Colorscience PRO SPF 30 Primer and SPF 50 Sunforgettable Mineral Powder, which provides immediate protection upon application. I am enamored with Arbonne Corrective Eye Crème. It reduces my under-eye puffiness and dark circles better than anything else I have tried. I use the entire Arbonne RE9 treatment line and I really love the results.

By making a serious commitment to my health, now, in my 50’s, I have a level of strength and confidence that is beyond anything I achieved in my 20’s and 30’s. Looking forward to improving every day surely does beat feeling as though the sand is running out of my hourglass. If an hour-and-a-half of exercise per day is all it takes to achieve it, it is a small price to pay.

*

Christine’s Rock-The-Clock WorkOut This efficient, metabolism-booster works all of the large muscle groups and incorporates high-intensity training to burn maximum calories in minimum time. Do each exercise in the sets one-after-another, with minimal rest. Repeat each set 3 times before taking a small break and moving on to the next one.

1

100 J ump R opes Start out with using the jump rope and perform any style.

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10 P ush - U ps Do these on your toes! If you can’t do a full push-up on your toes, practice doing them “Commando” style, where you start on your toes in the top of the pushup and then lower yourself all the way onto the floor. Rest for a second and then push yourself back up to the start position. You will get much stronger this way than doing partial push-ups.

20 Bicycle Crunches On your back, double crunch one shoulder toward the opposing knee. Alternate.

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15 Clean-and-Presses Pick up the barbell and stand up straight with the barbell hanging at arms’ length. This is the beginning position. Squat while lowering the barbell and without settling into the bottom of the squat explode back to standing while fluidly raising the barbell to chest level and then pushing it overhead. The whole point of the clean and press is to use the momentum from the squat to overcome the limitations in the strength of the upper body to push heavier weight and more reps (equals a greater volume of weight lifted), so try not to stop the bar at the chest, but keep the momentum through the transition to the full overhead position.

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30 M ountain C limbers On your back, double crunch one shoulder toward the opposing knee. Alternate. Make sure core is tight and back straight.

Squat, drop to hands, hop feet out behind to place yourself in plank position, perform a pushup, hop feet back in, return to squat and jump up with hands overhead.

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15 H ack S quats

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Set appropriate weight. Use a Lying or Standing Hack Squat. Place feet shoulder width apart and forward on the platform so that knees do not go over toes in the squat. Release lock and push to straighten the legs while squeezing the quads and glutes, without locking the knees. Return to squat. Repeat.

15 Assisted Pull-ups Set counterweight to support enough of your bodyweight to perform all 15 reps. Grab bar overhead at shoulder-width apart. Allow bodyweight to lower the platform until lats are fully extended. Keep back slightly arched and hips tucked under. Pull from the lats to starting position. Repeat.

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10 J ump S quats Squat and then explode up into a jump with hands overhead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: FitnessX Model, Christine Le Monde, currently resides in Venice, California. This 51-year-old is a Level III Certified Personal Trainer at Gold’s Gym in Venice. She is also the owner/Master Fitness Trainer/Coach of Le Monde Fitness -- a full-service, mobile Personal Fitness Training at home, office, beach or park specializing in outdoor sessions.

Christine holds many titles as a Champion Amateur Bodybuilding Competitor in Bikini and Figure Divisions (Masters and Grand Masters), enjoys fitness modeling, and is an Ambassador for G-Loves Workout Gloves and Power Crunch Protein Bars. You can check out her Facebook fan page, Le Monde Fitness, at www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Monde-Fitness.

Photo Credit: BillyBow Photography of FitnessX Magazine.

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Just got off work. Looking forward to an intense back workout to take my mind off everything. I arrive at the gym, change into my gear. Madonna blasting in my ears. I strap my Zebra G-Loves on.

It’s go time!

I start with 5 pull-ups.

Beat my record. No slip grip in full effect! I move from the seated row to dumbbells. I ’m in the zone – passionate and focused on goals.

My hands are feeling protected! I get a firm grip on the rear delt machine. My back is feeling tight.

Just the way I love it!

A woman strikes up conversation as I’m taking off my gloves. She’s says I look “glamorous” in them.

“And they can handle my hardcore workout!”

I reply, "My hands are smooth and soft. There is no pain in the hand."

G-Loves are the ultimate workout glove for the fashionista athlete.

Tomorrow, I think I’ll wear my Leopard G-Loves for chest day!

www.G-LOVES.com

Winter 2013 Issue • FitnessX.com

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The Benefits of Holistic & Organic Super Foods A

by Laurie Delaney, CPT

s a human race, and with our increased knowledge, our nutrition potential has finally caught up to our technology. We are now able to access incredible quality food products from all around the planet in a way that has been up until now either impossible or unknown. As more people open up to the potential of organic foods and natural health resources, the organic market is taking grocery stores by storm. If you are interested in joining the force of consumers who are searching for a more natural way to consume the healthiest foods possible read on to find out what ancient food groups are being rediscovered.

There are basically three groups when you discuss these food groups: 1) Living and raw plants which include most fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, sprouts, grasses, fresh herbs and fermented food (i.e., sauerkraut); 2) Super foods that include foods that have a dozen or more unique properties, not just one or two, and 3) Super herbs that include herbs that have super tonic and adaptogenic property as well as many other unique gifts. One example is cat’s claw, a super herb from Peru, which contains a monoamine oxidase inhibitor that makes you feel happier and has properties that help your immune system fight off viruses.

Super foods not only have a focal point on nutrition and immune system, but long term, they correct imbalances and help to guide us toward a more natural diet and body weight. I have been learning a lot of about super foods and organic foods and super herbs and the more I read and the more I consume, the better I feel as a whole and I can’t stop telling people how great it is.

Although, I do not consume 100% organic or raw or even all of the superfoods, I have slowly started incorporating

these things into my daily consumption and I’ve seen a big difference in my wellness, skin tone, muscle tone, energy level, focus, and I just feel better. Basically, as you have heard many times, “You are what you eat”, but I think of it as everything you put into your mouth and your body will affect your mind, body and your spirit.

Here are the top 10 Super Foods that I am currently focusing on adding to my diet: >> Goji Berries >> Cacao (Raw chocolate) >> Maca >> Bee Products (Honey, bee pollen, and royal jelly) >> Spirulina >> AFA Blue-green Algae >> Marine Phytoplankton >> Aloe Vera >> Hempseed >> Coconuts and Coconut products Let me explain what these products are and what the benefits are so you understand why these are called super foods. I’ll get your attention first by discussing cellulite and weight gain. Did you know that generally, with a poor diet, the inner environment of our bodies becomes more acidic, creating a breeding ground for disease causing organisms? High acid levels are a contributing factor to obesity. When the body state is acidic, it holds excess water to dilute acids as well stores excess acids in the fat tissue which lead to cellulite and weight gain. When we detoxify, we release acids from the fat cells and subcutaneous tissue, which is where cellulite appears.

References Russo, Ruthann. The Raw Food Lifestyle: The Philosophy and Nutrition Behind Raw and Live Foods; 2009.

The American Food Journal, Volume 17; 1922.

MACA: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings; http://www.webmd.com/.../ingredientmono-555-MACA.aspx?...MACA http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirulina-000327.htm.

Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 74.

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Interesting Facts about the Top 5 Super Foods

The Goji Berry (Fountain of Youth): The Goji berry is a source of a complete protein, immune stimulating, liver cleansing, anti-aging, antioxidants, and over twenty trace minerals and more. These yummy orange-red berries are recommended to help aide chronic conditions such as liver or kidney disorders, weak joints and legs, lower back problems, dizziness and tinnitus, headaches, insomnia, hypertension, tuberculosis, and impotence but are not used to treat illness or poor health as such. Interestingly, the Goji berry is the only food known to help stimulate the human body to produce more HGH naturally, making it the “fountain of youth.”

Cacao (Raw Chocolate): Cacoa is the seed (nut) of a fruit of an indigenous American jungle tree. It is simply “chocolate” with no added sugar, dairy or chemicals.

Cacao is the best natural food source for antioxidants, magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, zinc, copper, Vitamin C and Omega-6 Fatty acids Anandamide, which is an endorphin that is produced after exercise, and more. Cacao contains significant amounts of tryptophan, which is critical for the production of serotonin.

It does not contain caffeine; however, it does contain Theobromine, a close chemical relative to caffeine. In case you are wondering, the high percentage cacao chocolate bars you see at the checkout counter are not rich in nutrients, as they have been processed and heated above 118 degrees, which will negate most of the benefits and dense nutrients that cacoa offers.

Maca: Maca is cultivated and grown high in the Peruvian Andes of South America.

Legend has it during the height of the Incan empire; warriors consumed Maca just before entering into battle so they would feel fierce and strong. It is grown for its root and is similar to that of a radish. Maca is used to improve the following conditions: Anemia, chronic fatigue, depression, and infertility, lack of libido, menopause, malnutrition, poor memory, stomach cancer, stress tension and tuberculosis. I add this to my protein shakes every morning and just before a workout for added sustained energy. It far outweighs the other sports drinks known to increase your workout intensity.

Bee Products: Bee products are considered to be one of the best spiritual and almost magical foods on the earth as well as one of the top superfoods. It is important to get honey or bee products in the most natural state possible as it is rich in antioxidants, probiotics, and enzymes and is extremely healing to the body. Bee pollen is an alkaline food that neutralizes free radicals, is a powerful aphrodisiac and increases strength, endurance, energy and speed in athletes and quicker recovery from exercise. In fact, the British Sports Council recorded increases in strength by as high as 50% in those who took bee pollen regularly. Bee products include honey, bee pollen, royal jelly (a combination of pollen and honey in young nurse bees,) and Propolis (which is basically sticky resin from tree buds and bark.)

Spirulina: It is called the “Protein Queen” and is a single celled, blue green spiral algae. It is found in lakes and waterways. Unlike other superfoods, spirulina is a survivor of high temperatures…as high as 160 degrees while retaining all its nutrients. Spirulina contains a vast array of nutrients, to include chlorophyll, protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) and polysaccharides and antioxidants. It is even believed by some that spirulina is so nutrient rich that you could live on it alone. If you are looking for added protein without calories, this is your find…it consists of up to 70% protein (which is the highest concentration of protein in any one food.) It contains all 8 essential amino acids, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, E and K. Spirulina contains as much iron as red meat and anecdotal stories about Spirulina say that it helps alleviate anemia, increases hemoglobin, and improves blood quality. Here is an interesting combination you can make at home to prevent overexposure to the sun; add spirulina to a simple 50/50 mixture of raw organic coconut oil and raw organic cacao butter. The more spirulina you add, the greater the sun protection.

To read more on these and other super foods, watch for part 2 on the next 5 superfoods in my next article or read “Superfoods” by David Wolfe to get more detailed information about each of these and other superfoods. To purchase these products in their most natural organic state, you can log on to www.superfoods.com, or order from my website www.lauriedelaneyfit.com on the “supplement” page. By ordering through my site, you receive a readers 10% discount if you mention “FitnessX Magazine”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Laurie Delaney has been in the fitness industry since 1993, teaching, learning and applying what she knows to her clients and herself. Since she received her Certification from the American Council of Exercise, she has also been Certified in YOGA, Pilates, Core Synergetics, BOSU Balance, Intensified Strength Training, Lifestyle Weight Management Consultant and as a Clinical Exercise Specialist. Competition life is in her blood and she enjoys the journey...whether it's first place or not. She began competing in 2000 in the fitness division, then moved into female bodybuilding, and now competes in the bikini and figure divisions. Laurie competes with Fitness America, NPC, ABA, UNBA, WBFF and INBA/PNBA. She sees competitions as a way to better herself and prove to women over 40 that you can not only be fit, but you can stand on stage and be proud of your hard work. You can visit Laurie's website at http://www.lauriedelaneyfit.com. Photo Credit: B-House Photography, Senior Staff Photographer of FitnessX Magazine.

Winter 2013 Issue • FitnessX.com

31.

GainSFlexibility P with a

tretch

artner

to Improve Posture, Minimize Injuries & Improve Performance!

by Natalie Lynn Lichtenbert

FitnessX Models: Natalie Lynn Lichtenbert & Nicole Moneer Guerrero

Photos by Alex and Carolina Gonzalez

L

et’s face it, every day we are getting older. And I don’t know about you, but I want to be as dynamic as I was in my youth! Being flexible is something we don’t even think about in our youth, yet hopefully are taught as we begin to learn dance, sports or just through our general PE classes growing up. And funny, as I have gotten older, I’ve begun stretching more. Ever notice that if you take a couple of days off you are tighter? Oh, that’s no fun! And as we age, our flexibility seems to decrease even faster!

Being flexible helps us to keep proper posture, to have more movement and prevents injuries when we make sudden, quick movements. Less aches, less pains and the ability to just get going!

Stretching with a partner can be more effective than doing it alone because allowing for deeper stretches with a deepening of kindred souls. It’s a great way to start the day…together!

The following are 5 easy stretches that will help maintain flexibility in some of our most commonly abused areas…the groin, hip flexors, back and chest.

Groin

Butterfly leg together, hold hands and one pulls to stretch one person gently and then reverse the action.

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Hip Flexors

One person lies down on their back while the other person lifts one leg up and presses gently on the leg to the outer side of hip.

Hold stretch for 30 seconds.

Back Full Body

Holding hands, step away from each other while still holding hands, bending towards one another as you stretch out your upper and lower back.

Chest

Sitting back to back, link your arms together. One person should lean forward while the other person stretches out their chest.

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Breathe in and welcome the day!

Back-to-back, hold hands and lean bodies outwards getting in a full body stretch and breath!

FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

Stretching together warms up your body and awakens it to each new day. The health benefits are equal to if not more important than cardio and strength training. Stretching with your friend or partner is a great way to start the day, renewing friendship, happiness and emotional integrity.

Stretch to be sprightly‌for longevity!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Born a dancer, Natalie Lynn Lichtenbert started her active career in ballet, tap, jazz, modern and hip hop dance styles. Also, being very active in sports, she participated in cheer, swimming and soccer. Natalie currently keeps up her health and mental attitude while being a nationally recognized model, personal training, working as a photographer, continuing her fitness career, acting and following her environmental endeavors. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology with extended studies in Molecular Pathology. She currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Photo Credit: Mike Williams.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

33.

A

hard Facts on

substitutes

There are 2 types of artificial sweetners:

sugar substitute is a food additive that duplicates the effect of sugar in taste, usually with less food energy. Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic. Those that are not natural are, in general, called artificial sweeteners. They are attractive alternatives to sugar because they add virtually no calories to your diet. In addition, you need only a fraction compared with the amount of sugar you would normally use for sweetness. Artificial sweeteners are widely used in processed foods, including baked goods, soft drinks, powdered drink mixes, candy, puddings, canned foods, jams and jellies, dairy products, and scores of other foods and beverages.

Nutritive Sweeteners provide calories to the diet at about 4 calories per gram, similar to the normal carbohydrate we obtain from food. Examples of nutritive sweeteners include white and brown table sugars and molasses, honey and syrups. In addition, sugar alcohols derived from fruits or commercially made are also nutritive sweeteners. The most common sugar alcohols include: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol. All nutritive sweeteners provide calories to the body and may affect your blood glucose.

Nonnutritive Sweeteners are the true “artificial” sweeteners.

They do not provide calories and will not influence blood glucose.

These include: saccharin, neotame, aspartame, sucralose, stevia and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K).

Do Artificial Sweeteners Raise Blood Sugar?

No. Artificial sweeteners provide no energy, so they won’t affect your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, these substitutes are safe to use. But that’s not true of sugar alcohols. They don’t cause sudden spikes in blood sugar, but the carbohydrate in them can affect your blood sugar.

Can Artificial Sweeteners Cause Weight Gain?

Many people use artificial sweeteners to cut their caloric intake, but the very opposite effect can occur. New research shows that artificial sweeteners stimulate taste receptors that sense sweetness in both the esophagus and stomach. Anticipating energy, the pancreas releases insulin, an important hormone for accumulating body fat. At the same time, chemicals are sent to the brain’s satiety center, which becomes confused as to whether or not the body is actually receiving calories. The result? You feel even hungrier and less full, which can lead to weight gain.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Diabetes?

As the sweet receptors in your esophagus and stomach are “tricked” by the zero-calorie substitutes, your pancreas is tricked into sending a false spike of insulin that can lead to insulin resistance. This can lead to diabetes. Also, since artificial sweeteners cause your body to crave more food, you can also put on weight, which further increases your risk for diabetes.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Addictive?

Research on artificial sweeteners shows that they affect the same parts of the brain that deal with addiction. Artificial sweeteners are substances some people feel they can’t live without, a sign of an addiction. Second, artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than natural sugars, such as those found in whole grains, fruits and skim milk, and can actually reset your taste buds. The body then builds up a tolerance, which can cause overuse, another sign of addiction. The theory between artificial sweeteners and weight gain extends to include addictive behavior. As the sweet receptors in the esophagus and stomach become “tricked” by the zero-calorie sugar substitute, you crave more food and become susceptible to addictive eating habits like binging or overeating.

Could Artificial Sweeteners Be Causing My Bathroom Troubles?

Artificial sweeteners can cause you to go to the bathroom more often. They may cause the muscles in your bladder to become hyperactive – forcing you to urinate more frequently. Even one packet might be enough to cause you to urinate more frequently than normal. This can eventually wear out the bladder, increasing your risk for urinary tract infections and urge incontinence.

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Saccharin (Sweet’N Low 1958) Aside from sugar of lead, saccharin was the first artificial sweetener and was originally synthesized in 1879 by Remsen and Fahlberg. Its sweet taste was discovered by accident. It had been created in an experiment with toluene derivatives. A process for the creation of saccharin from phthalic anhydride was developed in 1950, and, currently, saccharin is created by this process as well as the original process by which it was discovered. It is 300 to 500 times as sweet as sugar (sucrose) and is often used to improve the taste of toothpastes, dietary foods, and dietary beverages. The bitter aftertaste of saccharin is often minimized by blending it with other sweeteners. Fear about saccharin increased when a 1960 study showed that high levels of saccharin may cause bladder cancer in laboratory rats. In 1977, Canada banned saccharin due to the animal research. In the United States, the FDA considered banning saccharin in 1977, but Congress stepped in and placed a moratorium on such a ban. The moratorium required a warning label and also mandated further study of saccharin safety.

Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal 1981) Aspartame was discovered in 1965 by James M. Schlatter at the G.D. Searle company (later purchased by Monsanto).

He was working on an anti-ulcer drug and accidentally spilled some aspartame on his hand. When he licked his finger, he noticed that it had a sweet taste.

It is an odorless, white crystalline powder that is derived from the two amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is about 200 times as sweet as sugar and can be used as a tabletop sweetener or in frozen desserts, gelatins, beverages, and chewing gum. When cooked or stored at high temperatures, aspartame breaks down into its constituent amino acids. This makes aspartame undesirable as a baking sweetener.

Acesulfame potassium (Sunett and Sweet One 19671978) - is a calorie-free sugar substitute (artificial sweetener), also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K (K being the symbolfor potassium), and marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One. It was discovered accidentally in 1967 by German chemist Karl Clauss. Acesulfame K is 200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), as sweet as aspartame, about 2/3 as sweet as saccharin, and 1/3 as sweet as sucralose. Like saccharin, it has a slightly bitter aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. Kraft Foods has patented the use of sodium ferulate to mask acesulfame’s aftertaste.

As with other artificial sweeteners, there is concern over the safety of acesulfame potassium. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved their general use. Critics say acesulfame potassium has not been studied adequately and may be carcinogenic, although these claims have been dismissed by the US FDA and by equivalent authorities in the European Union.

Stevia (Truvia, Stevia 2008) - Stevia is an herb native to South America, and it contains many nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and sodium. It also contains fair amounts of Vitamins A and C. The leaves are either dried and crushed into a fine powder, or the juice is extracted and sold as stevia concentrate, or extract. Stevia has been widely used as a natural sweetener in South America for centuries and in Japan since 1970. Due to its unique characteristics of zero glycemic index and zero calories,[23] it is fast becoming popular in many other countries. In 1987, the FDA issued a ban on stevia because it had not been approved as a food additive. [24] After being repeatedly provided with a significant amount of scientific data proving that there was no side effect of using stevia as a sweetener from companies such as Cargill and Coca-Cola, the FDA gave a “no objection” approval for GRAS status to Truvia in December 2008.

Naturally Sweet Alternatives

Honey

agave

stevia

raw buckwheat honey

Instead of artificial sweeteners, try one of these natural alternatives.

Honey: Unlike white table sugar, honey is a complex food. One teaspoon contains 25 other compounds including proteins, amino acids and trace minerals Raw Buckwheat Honey: This darker version of honey is much less processed and refined that light-colored regular honey. It isn’t strained or heated, so it retains many disease-fighting nutrients and antioxidants. Try about 1 tablespoon a day.

Agave: A distilled sweetener derived from the blue agave cactus, agave has a low glycemic index.

Stevia: This non-caloric sweetener comes from a plant and is all-natural. However, beware: There are a ton of stevia products sold with extra additives as some companies blend it with other sweeteners.

References WebMD.com - http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/comparing-artificial-sweeteners-topic-overview http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/artificial-sweeteners-and-other-food-substitutes-dangerous-your-health?page=4#copy http://www.healthcastle.com/sweeteners.shtml wikipedia.org - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_substitute wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugars

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

35.

You Can Do It!

by Adrienne Van Lew, CPT

The dream:

I

would like to start off by introducing myself. My name is Adrienne Van Lew. I am currently a firefighter for Tempe, Az. I grew up very active. I was always in sports, playing softball, volleyball, and other sports all throughout high school and into college. I also loved the outdoors; quadding, four- wheeling, and all other outdoor activities. I was involved in a rollover accident one day while I was out four-wheeling and ended up fracturing my spine in nine places on my lower lumbar spine. I rehabbed my back and a year later, I went in for an x-ray, where they found a cancerous tumor on my right kidney. The doctors ended up removing my right kidney entirely so the cancer wouldn’t spread. Due to these reasons, I was told to be very careful with my outdoor activities and definitely do not pursue my dream of becoming a firefighter. I could not listen to them, I had to prove them wrong and with my education, and experience working in physical therapy and participating in sports, I continued to pursue and train hard until I was strong enough, both mentally and physically, to try out for the fire department.

BillyBow Photography

Mental Toughness: The reason I brought in the mental aspect is because exercising, working out and dieting, all take just as much mental toughness as they do physical. I could have been taught all the fundamentals of the sports I was playing, or how to be a firefighter, but, without the desire, and the mental toughness to pursue my dreams and persevere, I would have never gotten a scholarship to play in college, I would have never become a firefighter and I would definitely not be where I am today.

The Fight Contiues: After I became a firefighter, I got very comfortable, almost complacent, in my training. I started eating what the guys at the station ate, both quantity and quality. As much as I wanted to, I could not eat what the guys ate, either the type and or amount of food they ate. I was smaller than the guys for one, and my metabolism had come to a standstill by only eating when and what they did, which was three times a days, huge meals. I was not portioning my meals and I was not keeping up with my meals throughout the day, so my metabolism was way out of control, not in a good way. At one point it hit me and I decided I needed to get back into the swing of things, get my old body back, gain my confidence back, and regain my fitness level to the point it was before. This was going to take time, preparation, mental toughness and also probably some scrutiny by others. It was important to me though, and I decided I would do whatever it took to get to that point again.

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The changes I made: First, I had to rethink my entire lifestyle. Like I stated before, I could not eat two to three times a day, but needed to get back to eating five to six times a day. I had to eat smaller, more proportionate meals, and, most importantly, I had to eat healthy and find ways to CURB MY CRAVINGS. I had gotten so used to eating what the guys ate which was breads, pastas, sweets, sodas. These were all foods that gave you instant satisfaction but mostly kept you feeling full, lethargic, and weak. I had to create a plan that would keep me satisfied, both mentally, and physically, so that I would not have those cravings, but also have enough energy to be able to perform at my job, which is very physical, and also keep up with the sports and other physical activities I love to do outside of work.

The plan: I started changing my meals up and eating a protein, healthy fat (avocado, almonds, cashews) and a complex carb (yam, brown rice, quinoa) for every meal. I curbed my cravings for the simple carbs by staying on top of my meals, eating every two to three hours, making sure to incorporate these macronutrients, so that I would not have the cravings for the unhealthy fats, the simple carbs and the sweets. I did not entirely deprive myself of the things I craved, or I would turn to them for comfort and overindulge. If I wanted something sweet, I would have dark chocolate with green tea in it, or a chocolate protein shake with coffee so I felt like I was having mocha, or I would add cinnamon and stevia to my oats, and yams, so it felt like a dessert. I definitely didn’t deprive myself and when I stayed on top of my meals, as in eating before I got hungry, I no longer had those cravings for the other things.

My new life: After just a few short weeks of eating this way, it became second nature to me. I started to have way more energy, was healthier, wasn’t as tired, lethargic, weak, and was now inspired to get the guys at the station, and others, to start eating this way, so they too could reap the benefits of clean eating and healthy living. Before long, I had not only dropped 50 extra pounds I had gained by eating unhealthy and not exercising, but I was able to step on stage on compete in a bikini competition. This is something I would have never even thought about doing in my life before. My new lifestyle not only made me feel better physically, but I had now found a new confidence inside me I never even knew existed. I am at the point now that I want to spread these feelings, and share my story and my experiences with others, so they have the opportunity to feel the way I do and perhaps pursue a dream, or a goal, they once thought they never possibly could.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adrienne Van Lew hails from Tempe, Arizona. Currently, she a firefighter and a personal trainer at AZ Pro Physiques in Gilbert, AZ. Adrienne’s main goal is to make it easier for people to eat clean and workout and find easy meals, recipes, and workouts they can do at home, while on travel, or if they simply don’t have time to come up with their own. It has been a dream of hers to help people with their fitness goals and achieve that sense of fulfillment that Adrienne felt when she was finally able to compete in an NPC Natural Western show in the bikini division. You can find out more about Adrienne at http://tempetrainer.com/ or email her at infamousatraining@gmail.com.

Photo by: BillyBow Photography of FitnessX Magazine.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

37.

Photo by B-House Photography of FitnessX Magazine

Chasing

! y p Hap

by Nikki Utley, FitnessX Magazine Winter 2013 Cover Model

Workout gloves by G-LOVES

W

hen my ex-boyfriend broke up with me three years ago I was devastated. I felt like someone stabbed me in the heart and tore it out from my chest. I had the ugliest cry ever that day. You know the kind of cry where you’re so overwhelmed with pain that you fall to the ground, face wet with uncontrollable streams of tears, saliva drooling down from the mouth, body curled up in fetus position and all you hear are the screams and moans bellowing out from your gut?

Yeah, UGLY. Before my ex-boyfriend I never thought about marriage or family or settling down. I was married to a career. So the breakup was like the Grim Reaper slashing to death my chance to happiness. All I needed was a coffin because I felt dead. I wondered if I would be able to love like that again. Was there someone else out there who could make me happy? What do I need to do? I had a few girlfriends who suggested I spend some time with myself.

“Alone by myself?” I just saw that as being more depressing….just slit my wrists now. I wanted to be out in the world. Party and drink and recover. Press repeat.

I also dived into the deep pool of internet dating. I created a profile with my sexiest pics combined with a

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

long line that said, “You plus me equals fun!” I wanted the most hits and winks from guys all over town. I was on a mission to erase my ex-boyfriend from my history.

I was determined to find not only a replacement but an upgrade. I wanted someone hotter, richer and bigger below the belt. I went out on several horrible dates and finally ended up dating a guy who had a lot of potential to be the new beaux. He met all the criteria on paper. He was the upgrade I was looking for but deep down I still wasn’t happy. Something wasn’t right about him…something was off. I heard about so many women finding love on the internet, why wasn’t it happening for me?

I complained to my girlfriends about how all the guys I was dating were all wrong. “There’s too many douche bags out there just looking to have sex. The really good ones are taken. It’s tough out there.” A lot of my single girlfriends agreed. It was like preaching to the choir with all the Amens, hand claps and foot stomps. It felt good to know I wasn’t the only one striking out. But then one day, my best friend from college had a different response to my dating woes, “Girl you’re going about it all wrong.

Don’t use these men because you don’t know how to make yourself happy. It’s not fair. Don’t do them, DO YOU!” Do me? I thought I WAS doing me.

I thought about what my girlfriend had to say. I valued her advice because she was married. She met her husband in school while pursuing her master’s degree. Their relationship was good and healthy. I wanted so bad what she had but I really didn’t know how to get it? So I tried what my girlfriend called “doing me”. I loved being active so I pursued physical activities. I tried to be like Bruce Lee and took a Kung Fu class. I participated in stair climb races and actually won my age division. I did a few 5k marathon races and ran my fastest time. I was DOING ME but deep down I still wasn’t happy. I went back and told my best friend from college all the things I was doing, “I don’t understand. I’m doing me. Why am I still unhappy?” This was a long conversation but her last words to me were, “What is your intention? Are you truly doing all these things for you and to make you better or is it still about him…trying to show him you’re better.”

courage and wisdom. I asked him to lead me. After this internal exploration, I decided to do something that made me authentically happy. My plan was to re-invent myself through fitness. I overhauled my workout regimen, diet and participated in fitness competitions. This was my clean slate. This was something that had no connection to my ex-boyfriend. This was something that was all for me.

I thought about all the things I was doing and my girlfriend was actually right. My ex-boyfriend loved Bruce Lee and did Kung Fu. I was only doing it because it was his favorite thing to do as a kid. He also introduced me to stair climb races. I continued to climb because I wanted to show him that I could succeed without him not because I had a love and passion for the sport. Everything I was doing wasn’t really about “doing me” it was all a show for him. I wasn’t over my ex…deep down I was still angry at him. I was still hurt by him. I was still sad because of him. What I really needed to do was truly forgive my exboyfriend and let go of all the negative emotions I was burying deep within me. He made a choice that he felt was best for him. Whether I agreed with his choice or not, I had to respect and accept his decision. I was putting too much stock in my ex-boyfriend and other men to provide happiness for me.

I haven’t gone back to online dating. I don’t need the “manhunt” anymore. My best friend from college was right all along. I finally understood what “Do You” meant.

I am not going to do anything that isn’t authentic to achieving personal happiness. I am going to live. I am going to seek out new opportunities that will make me a better woman and let the love I have for myself open the door for the right man to walk in.

If I was going to be truly happy, I really needed to look within and clear out the emotional roadblocks. So I wrote down every negative emotion. I didn’t hold back I just let it all out…every nasty thing I felt I jotted it down and then next to each negative word or phrase I wrote, “I forgive.” I didn’t share this with my ex-boyfriend because I wanted forgiveness to be more about me than about him. Shortly after writing this list, I prayed to God for

While training in the gym my intention was to learn how to define my own path, create purpose, make better choices, press forward, stay positive and love me again like I did when I was a kid. Sure it was nice winning trophies on stage but the best part was how I felt about me off stage whether I won or not. I liked being a happy person. I was living life for me and not for anyone else.

As I grew to love me more, the happier I became and the void I felt deep within me disappeared.

What I know from my fitness journey is that happiness comes from within and no matter all the great people in your life, all the money, the awesome job, and anything else on the outside…none of it will matter if you don’t address what’s going on inside of you. That’s why we have a hard time getting over a break up.

So for this year in 2013, celebrate the victories in life no matter how big or small. Don’t hang onto disappointing events in your life or cling to people who break your heart or let you down. You cannot grow into the beautiful person you’re meant to be looking backwards. Let go. Move on. Look forward. Everything is going to be ok.

–Kanika Nikki Utley 2012 “You cannot grow into the beautiful person you’re meant to be looking backwards.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: FitnessX Magazine’s 2012 November cover model, Nikki Utley, serves as a producer on a host of acclaimed reality television programs such as NBC’s Emmy-nominated “ The Apprentice” and Bravo’s top rated “Flipping Out”. Nikki’s passion to motivate others has led her to establish a fitness career. Currently, she’s the overall winner of NPC’s MuscleContest.com Bikini Masters Division 2012. Her unwavering focus to help women know their worth and ability to succeed propels her to be a formidable force in the fitness world . Photo by: B-House Photography, Senior Photographer of FitnessX Magazine.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

39.

SpiritualReach Fitness: out of your ComfortZone

Y

OU HAVE TO HAVE BALANCE. That’s right!

Balance!!! Not just the athletic physical proprioceptive type, but rather your spiritual and mental balance too.

So we are going to break your life up into pieces of a pie!

I want you to really sit back and think about your pie and what percentages you would give each piece. Now here are your four categories: physical, financial, mental, and spiritual.

Imagine you were a fitness buff who lived in LA, you just got laid off, and your house costs close to 1 million dollars, you are going to be way out of balance. You see, the whole keeping up with “The Jones’ “mentality does not hold any water. These people spend so much time working that they lose sight of what is really important in life. Their pie might look like this - 40% physical, 40% financial, 15% mental, and 5% spiritual. You see, these people spend their days training and working just to be able to have that nice

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

by Ms Fitness America Sherry Goggin

house and cool car. Remember image is everything Right? So you have to look the part. The base root of the problem here is you forgot how to live. These people don’t even have time to sit on the beach and look at the ocean because their creditors are chasing them monthly.

These people are so stressed out that they age like cheese instead of wine. Their personal relationships suffer, since lack of finances causes nearly as many divorces as lack of loyalty to your spouse. So you look good on the outside, while slowly dying day by day on the inside. No thank you.

Now let’s flip the script.

Let’s find a couple in middle America or down south in the Bible Belt. These folks run into a whole new set of balance issues. Their pie might look like this - 50% spiritual, 25% mental (keeping their brain trained), 20% financial, and 5% physical if at all. Granted the average home only costs $150,000 but they can’t make a great living while reading

books in the woods. These people attend every church function, love their children and families, but will inevitably die of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc. The word gym and run were designed by the devil himself. These people mean well but their sedentary life style will lead to an early demise also.

So, how do we remedy this situation, with a President who wants to tax you more, an impending economic meltdown with this fiscal cliff looming over head, and a less than moral society, where kids are killing kids and a sky rocketing suicide rate by very successful people who lost it all in the stock and real estate markets. Maybe we have to sit down and reevaluate our lives. Maybe we don’t buy that Mercedes, but rather a Prius. Maybe we go for a jog, a walk, or get our lazy butts to the gym for at least one hour a day, that still leaves you 23 hours to figure out life. Here is a genius idea: actively look for a position in a town like

Phoenix, Tampa, or Vegas where you can still afford to buy a home and still find some culture for your brain. Now, where does God fit into your life? I guarantee you that if foreign armies make it to our main land or you contract some deadly disease, you will find GOD tomorrow!!! Mark my words on that!!

“Why is it that that we wait until impending doom comes around the corner before we act and commit to real change in our lives?

It is because people do not like to get out of their comfort zone It is easy to get a G.E.D. while difficult to chase a Master’s degree. It is easy to work for a big company at a lower rate than you are worth since they offer benefits and stability, while government

makes it nearly impossible to run a small business. It is easy to eat pizza and drink beer while watching your favorite football team on Sunday. It is much harder to step away at half time, chug down a piece of boiled chicken with asparagus and 20 raw almonds before racing to the gym to finish the 4th quarter back at home. By the way, it is near impossible to go to church on Sunday, while the NFL is running three games back to back. So tell me football Gods what do we do? This is where you have to figure it out.

What are your priorities? What can you sacrifice?? I say, “Find God, find and love your family, train your brain, and worship your body.”

Get balanced on your own, America! Get your lazy kids away from video games and computers, and make them play a sport after school. So what if you or your spouse has

to sacrifice a couple of hours a day to take them to practice...So What? You brought them into this world, now be responsible so they don’t turn out like the kid in Connecticut. Take your spouse or whole family running or to the gym, now you have taken care of yourself and had some family time as well.

Be creative! If Sunday football is important, God never said you can only pray on that day.

Although, I will bet if your team is down by ten points late in the 4th quarter, you are talking to The Man along with every other one of your teams fans...LOL. Go Have fun with life, because stress kills...It makes you acidic not basic, it raises your cortisol, causing premature aging. Do not over eat or drink too much because you are stressed out, it is a downward slippery slope. Be well, find BALANCE, and God Bless!!!!

“Your Health is your Wealth!”

“For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8 ESV “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) When it is gone...you are gone!

“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

1 John 2:17

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sherry Goggin, Ms. Fitness America, reigns as “The Most Photographed Fitness model” in history. She shines as author, producer and role model for women everywhere. Bright, articulate and full of energy, Goggin has broken the stereotype of the fitness model to become an author, producer, fitness guru, clothes designer and just about anything else she puts her mind to. Sherry Goggin is the definitive version of a 'renaissance woman' and once she sets her mind to something, nothing gets in her way. And right now, she has her mind set on being a success. While Goggin is a fitness expert, her real strengths may lie in the area of being a top-notch business entrepreneur. She also acts as VP and director of the women's fitness division of the Private Trainers Association, www.propta.com. Sherry also has a new clothing line, Fit Girl Wear that is available for purchase now. All of Sherry's merchandise is available for purchase at any of her websites including SherryGoggin.com, facebook.com/sherrygoggin and modelmayhem.com/sherrygoggin. Photo by: BillyBow Photography. of FitnessX Magazine.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

41.

Amy Kaufman: A “Charming” Transformation!

An Interview with

by Hedda Royce, President and CEO of G-Loves and Spin Instructor at Gold’s Gym in Venice

Amy’s weight training, attending spin classes and eating clean was successful because of her will to change and be healthy!

H

appy New Year! We are 13 years into the new millennium. It’s 2013. Time to turn over a new leaf and improve your overall health. We will start by making healthy choices such as eating clean, lifting weights, daily cardio, and trying to sleep at least 8 hours a day. Easier said than done, but maybe the following story about my friend Amy will inspire you.

I met Amy about one year ago. That’s how long she’s been taking my spin class at Gold’s Gym in Venice. Amy is an extraordinary person and from the beginning we clicked. She is an avid spinner and loves lifting weights. But she wasn’t always this way. Her story proves that transformation is possible at any age. I have learned a lot from Amy and I think you will too when you hear her story.

Your journey is one of weight loss and personal gain. How did you get started and what was your wakeup call?

3 years ago, I was well over 300 pounds. How did it happen? – Life’s circumstances. Having a child with special needs and focusing on him while neglecting my own health needs turned me into a 56-year-old emotional overeater.

A personal trainer rang my doorbell one day. I answered the door – I was the size of the door – and he said, “You’re not so bad. You’re just a small person trapped in big body.” After hearing that, I just fell to the floor and started crying and was in so much pain. For our first workout, we put on boxing gloves and I was able to punch 10 times and then I had to hang on him. I was so overweight, tired, and hopeless. He left me that first day and I thought to myself I don’t think I could work with this guy. He was totally fit. He was in his fifties. He was a competitive bodybuilder. He had a beautiful body. And I thought he was an elite person, and had this superpower to look the way he did.

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Wait a minute -- How did he just show up on your door step? Explain.

A Chiropractor who was working on me for sciatica problems referred him to me. He said to the trainer, whose name is Greg Thurston, “I have a patient who is so messed up in so many ways and if you could help her, you could help anyone.”

So I agreed to see him a second time. He was a mobile fitness guy. The second time he came, he explained how you gain weight scientifically. He taught me the science behind it and then most importantly, he said, “Let me show you by eating with you and gaining a few pounds, and then let me show you by losing those few pounds.”

Wow. Let me get this straight. -- Greg actually went out with you, ate food with you, and put on a few pounds all to take those few pounds off just to teach you a lesson?

Yes. He is an amazing trainer. He taught me how to eat smaller meals, more frequently, to keep my blood sugar at a normal level like a diabetic. And he taught me how to do it. And he helped me. I shrank my stomach. I listened to him and instead of saying how long is it going to take me, I tried to do what he said every day. One day at a time. I just started to do it. Instead of thinking outside the box, I threw the box away. And I just started to listen to him. Medically, I thought I knew what was going on. I’m a nurse. But, I had no idea how I was hurting my body all these years.

Then he got me into lifting weights, which was the most unbelievable feeling I’ve ever had. It was so empowering. He believed that I could do it and then I started to believe that I could do it. And then it became an infectious thing. Bring it on, bring it on…I want more, I want more.

Lifting weights an “infectious thing” --- I love it! So, you’ve changed how you think about food. Is this correct?

Well, I learned about emotional overeating, which I did my whole life. I ate for every reason out there; I had every excuse in the book just like everyone else – I can’t… I won’t…I don’t think I could do that…I’m not like that…I have big genes…the whole thing…I’m big boned. But, then I realized and learned through his eating with me that it only takes a small amount of food to keep your engine going. I learned that the body is like a car. You only feed it to fuel it. And then you move on. Eating is not an activity. It’s to fuel the body and then go do your activity. So, I started to practice it and it became my lifestyle.

As the pounds have come off, what would you say has been the hardest concept for you to grasp?

The carbs was a hard concept for me. Eating enough carbs. Not eating too much carbs. Simple carbs. Complex carbs. I can’t even believe I’ve lost 220 pounds and my dream now is to see what my abs look like. I’ve never worn a bikini. And Greg said to let that be my goal. Maybe step on stage one day and wear a bikini.

I don’t know about doing a competition one day, but I don’t want to ever say I can’t do anything because that’s not the way I role.

So I have refined my challenge and I want someone to come up to me one day and ask me what I do to have a body that looks like this.

That’s my dream. Plus, I want to help anybody – ANYBODY -- that wants help to get this and to change their life around. There’s nothing like the happiness you can feel taking care of your own body on a daily basis; eating clean and going to the gym. I go to the gym now to play. I just love it. There is nothing like going to work out at the gym.

Most people on weight loss regimens will hit a plateau. Did that happen to you? And if so, how did you break out of it?

All the time. I just keep going on. I know that if I hit a plateau, it is important not to be frustrated. It will stop eventually because I just keep doing what I’m doing. I don’t weigh myself. I try to go by body fat percent and how I feel. When I’ve had a clean day and I’ve been to the gym and I’ve gotten my rest, the way I feel when I wake up in the morning is clean. I feel light.

Amy and I with fitness celebrity/weight-loss guru, Richard Simmons ttrain with our G-loves!

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Do you mind sharing what your heaviest weight was and how much you have lost?

Not at all. I was 335 pounds. I weigh 138 right now. Most recently -- losing 60 pounds in your spin class. Today is my birthday. I am 59. I have a 15 year old with autism. I am divorced. I had a hip replacement operation 3 years ago.

Were you always overweight or did an event trigger your weight gain?

Well, I’ve always been on the fringe. The most I put on was while I was focusing on my son for 10 years. Just caring for him. I just gave up. I’d had enough.

Plus, I had a hip problem. I knew I needed to get a divorce. Thinking I had sciatica for 5 years, but it turned out that I needed a hip replacement. I was in a lot of pain.

I was wrapped up. When you’re caught up in it, there’s nothing you can do.

You can’t get out of it. You need to take small steps. You need to make one small step. For me – music. I think music is the best thing in the world. You go back to the music you loved when you were younger and it just brings something out in you.

Greg said to me one day, “What are your dreams?” and I replied, “I don’t have any.” This was because when I had my son and he was diagnosed with autism, so I gave up any dreams. I didn’t even have any, and that’s what I find out when I talk to people out there all the time who are overweight and just a mess and just want to give up and don’t care anymore, I ask them what are their dreams. They look shocked. They don’t have them anymore.

So, dreams and goals. You believe this is very important for everyone to have them?

Absolutely and never give up on them and go for them.

How did you begin to help yourself?

I focused on changing one little thing at a time. Someone came into my life with messages I couldn’t fight. I couldn’t deny them anymore. I had to take a look at what he was saying. He didn’t sugar coat anything. He pointed it all out to me. Even when I lost 75 pounds, he wouldn’t say, “Looking good, keep it up”, instead he’d say, “You’re fat, keep on going.” Or if I’d say, “I can’t do that” he’d say, “You’re going to do more of those. If you can talk, you can do them!”

Life gives you a lot. There’s always someone who has it worse than you. Greg always told me to get over myself.

It’s not about me. I was confused. What does it mean? How do you do that? And now people ask me the same question. It’s like you just have to start doing one thing. Put music on. Start listening to music. Hear the words.

It’s a contagious thing. The flow will start. You put it out there and the flow starts. But you have to change what you’re doing. Just like Dr. Phil says, “How’s that working for you?” It’s NOT working for you if you’re walking around fat, miserable, unhappy, and unhealthy. You have to allow yourself to feel and stop making excuses.

You mentioned to me earlier that your necklace has symbolic meaning. Tell me about each of the three charms on your necklace and what they mean? (Amy’s necklace is a dumbbell, the word “Believe”, and a peace sign.)

The first one is a Dumbbell. That represents lifting and being strong. It’s important to me. I’m a strong person physically, but I’m a much stronger person mentally. The mind is the biggest muscle you can have. And the focus of what you are doing every day...what you get up every day to do for yourself and for other people are the most important things. The lifting and the strength is the first thing. My second charm is the “Believe”.

This stands for a belief in something stronger than just you. It’s not about you. It’s about a much bigger purpose. And with belief comes a much bigger thing. You have to believe in your choices and that brings me to

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my third charm, the peace sign. All of these things will bring you ultimate peace. I wake up every day and I am so grateful and blessed with the transformation that I have made in my life. I have made peace with food. I have made peace with my past. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood, which is unbelievable because I didn’t have one. You know when you were picked for teams in school? Well I was never picked. I was always waiting.

Those things stay in your head your whole life. And I would tell Greg things like that and he would say, “You’ve been thinking about that for 30 years? It’s time to get over it!” We need to get over these things. We’re all getting older.

Life is so precious and short. We need to grasp it and realize it’s a gift. You can be so happy. It takes as much energy to be fat and overweight and out of shape as it does to getting in shape. It takes the same amount of energy!

What’s the next dream, Amy? Keep on going!

You have inspired me so much with your story. Do you ever think of becoming a motivational speaker?

Yes. I just want to help people every day of my life. And I believe I’ll get there!

So there you have Amy’s story. I consider myself very fortunate to have met her. She’s a lovely person with a wonderful message. We can all learn from her experience and change our lives for the better.

“ I learned that the body is like a car. You only feed it to fuel it. And then you move on. Eating is not an activity.

It’s to fuel the body and then go do your activity. So, I started to practice it and it became my lifestyle.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hedda Royce founded G-Loves in 2009. G-Loves is headquartered in Los Angeles and web-based with a domestic and an international distribution and retail business expansion plan. Hedda, Founder and President, is an active alumni and graduate of Tufts University (Massachusetts) with a B.A. in International Relations and Economics. Royce graduated in 2001, Cum Laude. Thereafter, she further pursued her business education at Fairfield University (Connecticut) with an M.B.A. degree in Finance, Summa Cum Laude. Upon graduation with her solid undergraduate and graduate curriculum in economics, international relations and business, Royce entered the investment banking field before deciding to start her own business dedicated to women’s fitness. As a life-long competitive athlete and businesswoman, Hedda Royce knew that her niche would be in women’s fitness. This led her education, work experience and passion for athletics to seamlessly found G-Loves. Royce is a certified personal trainer with accreditation from ACE and AFAA. In order to stay abreast of her fitness market, she continues to train competitive female athletes and other business professionals in Southern California. Royce also specializes in spinning instruction for both men and women and athletes at all levels.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

45.

Workout written by Jay Williams, Owner of J-Netics Training

FitnessX Magazine’s November 2012 Cover Model Nikki Utley

BillyBow Photography

Location: J-Netics Training Academy in Reseda, CA

BACK to BASICS A

toned back isn’t just a “must-have” accessory when you’re rocking a backless dress -it can be one of your body’s most valuable assets. Your back is involved in everything you do, from running to lugging groceries, so strengthening it is crucial to improving fitness and preventing injury. It’s also the key to better posture, which gives you a confident look no matter what you’re wearing. What’s more, working the muscles from your shoulders to hips can help ease (or stave off) back pain. A study found that adults with chronic backaches felt significantly less pain after a 16-week strength-training program.

Building up the muscles in your back can prevent injury and back pain. Along with increased strength, you will notice your muscles will look toned and firm as they build through these 2 recommended exercises. The results will get you ready make you want to wear a few more back-baring outfits -- just in time for the warmer weather!

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Assisted Pull-ups PLEASE NOTE: The Assisted Pull-Up machine uses counterbalance weights, which means the higher the weight you set the machine, the easier the exercise becomes. Set the weight to 20 pounds less than your weight, complete three to five reps, and then adjust the weight accordingly.

For instance, if you weigh 130 pounds, set the machine to 110 pounds.

A

Start: Securely set the pin on the desired weight.

Stand on the top step, and hold onto the outer wide-grip handles. Step onto the foot plate and be prepared to hold yourself up (with the assistance of the counterweight). Keep your abs engaged, spine neutral, and shoulders pressed down and back.

B

Movement: Pull yourself up as far as possible, making sure to keep your abs engaged and your shoulders pressed down and back. Slowly release down until your arms are almost straight. Repeat.

Do 10 to 15 reps. When getting off of the machine, be sure to pull yourself all the way to the top first. Keeping your core engaged, slowly lift one leg at a time off the footplate and lower it to the top step below.

T-Bar Rows Start: Stand with one foot on either side of the bar with knees slightly bent. Lean your torso forward somewhere between 45-degrees and parallel to ground, keeping your back flat, and grab the handles.

B A

Movement: Engage your core and slowly bend your elbows to pull the bar up toward your chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top of the movement and then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.

Repeat.

For a goal of toning, perform 12 to 15 reps for 3 or 4 sets.

The last few reps of each set should be challenging.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

47.

TEN COMMANDMENTS of BOOTY Tightening (PLUS+ A FEW MORE) Alicia Marie is an INTERNATIONAL fitness supermodel and veteran health lifestyle writer. Alicia Marie decided that she wanted to get into fitness at the age of eight after spotting a comic book shot of DC Comic's Wonder Woman kicking the pants off some bad guys - while decked out in star-studded little shorts.

Fast-forward a few short years (and even fashion runways) later and ALICIA is now a published author (The Booty Bible), an internationally recognized television and multi-media personality, a magazine cover model, a fitness wear designer (Alicia Marie by Rogiani) and a celebrity health guru. Not only does she pen her own column, ASK ALICIA, for many magazines and websites like Oxygen Magazine and Fitness Magazine, to name a few, but Alicia also opened a couple fresh cans of whoop-booty on MTV: Music Television as a MADE fitness coach and as one of the featured health experts on "Kirstie Alley's My Big Life".

In addition to writing fitness books -- she is currently the Editor-in-Chief of www.fitPOP.com, a fun, informational fitness and pop culture web destination for women AND the star of her own health and nutrition video series, "Alicia Marie's CARDIO WORLD" (WATCH NOW on FitPOP.com or on the series' YouTube channel).

Alicia is a NASM elite fitness coach with a degree in Neuroscience from the University of Connecticut and she has completed Broadcast Journalism studies from Columbia University...and yes, that is her rear in the Jergen's body lotion advertisement!

D. Smith writes: "Fun to read! Alicia did a great job. Finished the book in an hour. Straight forward and easy to understand."

Lauren writes: "A fitness model that is more concerned with straight-shooting us mere mortals than filling a book with pictures of themselves and advertisements for the products they endorse. Alicia Marie is the best in the business, and she answers every question one could possibly have regarding getting in your booty shape."

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GET LEAN TIPS & TUSHIE-FIRMING

'FABOOT YLOS' NUTRITION & DIET

FACTS

Photo by OAMG

Going the Distance (in 2013):

Giving Up is Not an Option in the 42-km Marathon (and Life)

WRITTEN BY: Rosie Chee, BExSpSc

You have DECIDED. You are going to run a MARATHON.

because you are doing this for YOU and no one else, to see what YOU are capable of.

You are going to push your body through 42 kilometres. It is daunting. It is a CHALLENGE. You are challenging YOURSELF. You are determined to see what you are MADE of. Not just in body, but in MIND and HEART and SOUL. Because running a marathon is not JUST about the physical and the training you are going to be doing. It is about DETERMINATION and RESILIENCE and seeing what PRESSURE your mind can take. It is about how much you REALLY want to achieve something and see it through to the END.

You have decided to do this for YOU. It is something YOU want.

For it will take MORE than just getting out and pounding the pavement getting in the miles.

It will take getting up early to train, forcing your body out of bed when you do NOT feel like it, MOTIVATING yourself to endure the endless mileage, the aching of your joints from the impact of each stride taken on the hard ground, the pain in your lungs on the cold winter mornings as you breathe in icy air, the tenderness of your muscles after every gruelling training run. It will take being DISCIPLINED, making sure you have set out a PLAN, knowing what you have to do when you have to do it and just DOING it, no matter how you feel or what life tries to throw in the way to prevent you from crossing that next stepping stone, REFUSING to listen to the naysayers and negativity that will come not just from others, but creep from the depths of your mind on “bad” days, trying to deter you from your goal. It will take PERSISTENCE, continuing through any and all obstacles, finding a way to MAKE it happen when everything and everyone might seem against you, digging DEEP

Others may wonder what on earth could possess you to want to run 42 kilometres, not understanding that running the marathon is not just about running a marathon, but about TESTING yourself, PUSHING your limits. It is about DISCOVERING your POTENTIAL and REALIZING it, accomplishing something you might never have ever imagined you would. It is about CHANGING and evolving into a BETTER you along the journey to the finish line.

It is about setting a GOAL and making a PLAN and seeing it through to the END. Be CLEAR in what you want to accomplish.

You want to run a marathon – pick one. If you have ever done a marathon before, time may not be as important to you as simply FINISHING it, but there is nothing stopping you from setting yourself a time you want to finish in.

Once you have your marathon date, set up your TRAINING programme.

16 weeks is an ideal period of time to structure a periodized training programme over. If you have longer, give yourself the extra time to get in more base miles and build up your cardiovascular and muscular endurance. If you have shorter, adjust the time spent in each training phase (and subphase) so that you can still maximize your performance, even if you ARE only doing it “for fun”.

Surround yourself with a SUPPORT network.

Having a support network helps not just with ACCOUNTABILITY, but causes interaction with others, ultimately binding you together in the pursuit of the common goal of improving and bettering yourself [physically, mentally, psychologically, and emotionally - after all, changing the physical does NOT just affect only that single aspect of your being, but EVERYthing that is you].

Get out there and just DO it.

Once ACTION is set in motion, the end is inevitable, and you want to be THERE at the end, a smile on your face and satisfaction in your heart, because you have accomplished another MILESTONE in your life.

Giving up is NOT an option. YOU have decided to do this and you ARE going to DO it.

The journey, however long it may be – 12 weeks, 16 weeks, a year, maybe longer – is one that is going to be TOUGH. It will test you and wear your down. You have to be STRONG in mind and heart, knowing WHY you started this, accepting that it will not always be a smooth and easy road to travel, but having the COURAGE to continue, despite any and all obstacles in your path. You have to SEE in your soul the meaning of the challenges that will arise, believing that everything for a reason and that the lows will only ENHANCE the highs, having the WILLPOWER to push through everything, going the DISTANCE to the very END. YOU’VE GOT THIS!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: “Think like a Champion. Train like a Warrior. Live with a Purpose.” Lifetime natural athlete and multiple NZ national track and road cycling champion, internationally published fitness columnist and exercise physiologist, Rosie "The Female Terminator" lives her motto; constantly challenging the “impossible”, always striving to be her best; seeking to inspire and motivate others, to educate and empower them to make positive lifestyle choices that improve their quality of life. To contact Rosie, visit www.rosiesmusclerevolution.com. Photo Credit: Dan Ray.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Your Circuit Training Routine:

Maximum Results in Under 30 Minutes!

*

FitnessX Magazine Model: Adrienne Van Lew, CPT

What you will need: 2 pairs of dumbells, eg. one 5-lb pair and one 10-lb pair > Warm-up for 5-10 minutes on a rowing machine, elliptical, or jog on a treadmill or outside. > Do all 3 exercises back-to-back, then do 1 minute of running, pop squats, or jump rope. > Rest for up to one minute, then repeat the circuit. > Do the circuit 10 times.

BillyBow Photography

U

nless fitness is your job, nobody has hours a day to spend in the gym. Circuit training is the perfect workout for the time-crunched fitness fiend. Studies at Baylor University and The Cooper Institute have suggested that circuit training is the most time efficient way in which to improve cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance. The core objectives of circuit training are to increase muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination. It has been proven to kick your fat-burning furnace into high gear. In fact, you’ll torch more calories in 20 minutes than you would in an entire hour on the elliptical reading a magazine. Plus, the afterburn effect will have you torching calories for up to 48 hours after your workout ends.

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A

B Advanced Upper Body Exercise: Renegade Rows

Start in a push up position with your hands wrapped around two light dumbbells. Keeping your abs braced and your mid section as rigid as possible, row one dumbbell up to your ribcage. Once you have slowly lowered the dumbbell back to the starting position perform a single push up before alternating to the other side. Repeat and complete 15 reps.

C

2

1

Advanced Lower Body Exercise: Stationary Lunge with Bicep Curl

Stand with your left foot forward, right foot back, and one weight in each hand. Keep your shoulders down, abs in, and elbows tucked close to sides of waist. On the inhale, bend knees to lunge straight down as your curl the weights in towards shoulders. On the exhale, straighten legs to push back up and lower weights down. Repeat with 15 reps, then switch legs.

3

A

B Advanced Upper Body Exercise: Plank Twist Overs

Get into high plank (push-up) position, then lift one hand off ground and keeping that arm straight bring it around, up overhead and reach over as far as you can towards the other side, then reverse the movements bringing your arm back to the ground. Repeat on the other side by lifting the other hand and swinging that arm around, up overhead and over towards the other side and then bringing it back to the ground keeping arm straight throughout movements. Continue in this manner alternating arms for each rep. Do 15 on each side.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

51.

Jeanette Ortega A Woman of Strength, Courage & Wisdom Interview by Kat Aguirre, Owner/Publisher of FitnessX Magazine

Photos by B-House Photography of FitnessX Magazine

Jeanette Ortega is more than just a fitness model. Her list of accomplishments in the fitness industry of over 16 years includes being a successful entrepreneur, a business owner, coach and fitness competitor. Jeanette lives each day with consistency, dedication and drive to help people reach their personal fitness goals. Let me introduce our Winter 2013 FitnessX Magazine cover model, Jeanette Ortega!

Have you always lived a healthy lifestyle?

Yes, I have loved Fitness since I was a kid...won the jump rope contest in Elementary school and my mom informed me that at age 6 I would take my family downstairs to direct them in jumping jacks and so forth, it obviously just continued from there.. haha! I became very competitive and loved sports throughout Jr. High and High School. Continued training in College and was AMAZED at how proper nutrition changed my body! Went to college, learned more about Exercise Physiology and Nutrition and at the young age of 20, I became a Certified Trainer and Aerobics

Can you please tell our readers how you got into the fitness lifestyle?

My 1st job as an Aerobics Instructor was at Gold’s Gym in Sylmar and my 1st boss was Sherry Goggin (Owner of Fit Girl Wear). She was very inspiring and encouraged me right away to compete in Fitness, she saw my spark and desire and little did she know, this was one of my dreams. From that point on I worked as hard as I could, learned from some of the top trainers, and started a very disciplined lifestyle in health and fitness. I was hooked... Loved the feeling of a hard workout, the results and the true freedom of being ME! I had found my calling...it motivated me to dream bigger!

What have you learned during your journey to a healthy lifestyle?

I’ve learned so many valuable lessons in my journey... I’ve learned it can be lonely at times when you have a true health and fitness goal and friends are out eating and partying, I learned the true meaning of balance. I have also learned how truly strong I am when I put my heart and soul into a decision that I believe in. I’ve realized that I am capable of achieving anything I put my mind to, whether it be fitness competing, growing my business, opening my own gym, training celebrities, coaching my own Fit Team, and as I look back I am so grateful of my healthy lifestyle, it has brought me health, energy, stamina, strength, willpower, independence, and empowerment. Without these great lessons I don’t know where I would be. At the age of 40, I can stand proud and say yes, I’m 40, Fit and feel Fabulous! :) Who knew it would feel this amazing?!

What is your full-time career?

My Full time career is my owning and running my beautiful 5000 sq. ft. gym in Northridge, California! I am the Proud Owner/Founder of Extreme Results Fitness and Jeanette Ortega’s Boot Camp, and a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Instructor.

How do you find time to juggle your training, competitions, photo shoots, and personal life with your career?

It’s never ending when you Own your own business. I eat, sleep, play, train, manage, market, coach, model, write, create, develop and work 24 hours a day! It’s been a huge test for me to create BALANCE in my life. This is my goal for 2013! As I train for competitions and photo shoots I still must

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make time for my business and my personal life. At times it’s overwhelming but a good friend of mine told me to switch my wording and say...”I’m in demand” and say it with a smile. I’ve also learned to dedicate so many hours a day or week to family/friend time, and also “ME” time, which basically means, it’s all about me and doing whatever I want in that time frame. I value and appreciate my time with my family and friends and I make it a priority to spend time with them regardless of what life throws at me.

Prioritizing and time management have become essential in life! again.

What body part do you enjoy training most and why?

I love training SHOULDERS!!! My favorite! I love the sculpted look of woman’s shoulder. It shows beauty of the hard work, the shoulder and bicep separation, into the rear delt triceps definition. The perfect accessory to tank tops is the sculpted shoulders and arms. My 2nd LOVE/HATE body part to work of course is LEGS and GLUTES! The biggest muscle group in the body and there’s no better way to start the summer than with being bootylicious! :)

What exercises do you enjoy most and why?

I love clean presses for the shoulders and side lateral raises. Clean presses just make me feel powerful and truly give me that awesome shoulder pump. Side lateral raises... I love seeing the definition of the muscle as I’m lifting and the nice V cut that it brings! Legs: Any single leg movement...dead lifts, squat with TRX...my legs feel single leg movements more than anything, I feel the build!

Could you share with us a typical training week?

Iron is my best friend! I spend 4 days a week pumping iron for an intense half-hour non-stop, My typical training week is 5-6 times a week, it all depends on how my body is feeling for that 6th day of work or Rest. My week (MONDAY) always starts off with LEGS!! Tues is usually Chest and Shoulders, Wednesday is Back, Thursday is Bi’s and Tri’s and Friday I hit LEGS again! Saturdays are usually my Boxing and core days...an all over body workout. Kickboxing has been one of my LOVES for years. I always incorporate boxing into my cardio workouts and I feel the shred in my arms and core. My cardio is done about 3-4x’s a week, some days are HIIT and others are low Fat burn cardio days. My cardio routines are dependent on my overall goal... Do I have a photo shoot or competition, am I building, etc.

What is your recommendation on exercise and nutrition for other women?

My clientele is 80% women and I can’t stress to them enough the importance of Weight lifting. We need this for our lean muscle mass, for bone density, to burn more fat, to burn more calories, create the toned sleek look, build strength faster, prevent injury by building good quality muscle, and feel empowered! This partnered with Healthy Nutritious eating and this is a recipe for success! There’s no magic pill, it’s called hard work and consistency. Once you start and see results, you won’t look back!

It’s the 70/30 rule, 70% Diet, 30% Exercise!

What issue are you most passionate about when it comes to health, fitness or wellness?

I am most passionate about wellness...being balanced and living a balanced lifestyle. We get so caught up in the latest fad or trend that we discount everything else. Life is about balance, about enjoyment and living a healthy lifestyle makes it even that much better. Like I said before, there’s no magic pill, do the work....there’s a journey and a lesson to be learned about yourself when you stop looking for the short cut. Even fitness fanatics need to slow down and enjoy the roses...life is about BALANCE...being Well and Fit!

What is on your playlist when you work out?

My play list is all over the board.... LOL! I love hip hop, salsa, Rock, reggae...! Right now I’ve been jamming to Scream and Shout by Will.i.am, Rhianna, Cypress Hill (supporting my Boy B-Real), Rusko, Calvin Harris, and more!! I love MUSIC!!!

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What exercise do you enjoy most and why?

I like using the standing reverse leg lifts on the leg extension machine. It focuses on my hamstrings and glutes. It assists in lifting the butt muscle so it doesn’t sag like a tear drop, but rather sits up like the letter “C”. The higher I lift my leg, the more it will hit my glutes.

What is your favorite recipe?

I am a Crock pot junkie and I love it! With working so much and wanting to come home to a warm meal once in a while I have learned to love my Crock POT! My favorite meal right now is Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut up broccoli, celery, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes. Season lightly...let it cook for 4-6 hours, I come home and I have my protein, veggies and healthy carb all waiting for me!

What is your favorite quote?

The only time you see the Obstacles is when you take your eyes off the Goal...This quote I found the 1st year I decided to compete and it has brought me through many a trial! Basically, there will always be obstacles, do we allow them to stop us or is our goal greater than that?! It always humbles me and pumps me up to continue on and break down that wall!!

What is your legacy?

My Legacy: This is a HUGE question; I sat here for about 15-20 minutes staring at the screen trying to figure out how to articulate my legacy or what I hope people would view as my Legacy.

Yes, my passion is Health and Fitness, but in this journey it has become so much more for me. I have been a part people’s transformations, life changing transformations, and when I see how I have contributed to changing and some “saving” of their life I am brought to tears. My Legacy is changing people’s lives from the inside out, true life transformations, coping with and preventing disease with my knowledge, experience, love and care for each person that steps into my doors or my life!

When I hear the testimonies from my clients or read the letters they send me, beautiful cards, I always wait until I am alone to read these. Each person is so unique and I know each person and the beauty of them, and to read the words from them about their change and journey is astounding! I am humbled and so grateful that God has allowed me to be such an intricate part in each one of their lives.

As a woman entrepreneur, a woman who wants to take the World by storm... if I can leave one person feeling empowered that they are capable of doing anything and that they are worthy of that right then I have done my job. Our society de-values women and/or people in general so much...when a woman walks into my gym looking beaten up by life; I know why she was sent here. After a few months, this butterfly is now coming out of her cocoon and flying the way she was meant to fly... Her family is better, her career, her relationships, everything is now flourishing.

We are so capable of being powerful and if this is my Legacy, to transform and build new then I have the best Legacy in the World.

My tattoo represents so much to me...In Kanji Script it’s 3 words: STRENGTH, COURAGE & WISDOM. I’ve been through a lot in my life and there was always that “Angel” who pulled me through, encouraged me, supported me, believed in me, and I am forever grateful. These 3 words are constant reminders that anything is possible. I pass these words on to all of you.

Here are some words that inspired “My tattoo song” by India Arie called Strength, Courage & Wisdom: “I close my eyes and I think of all the things that I want to see, I know now that I’ve opened up my heart and know that anything I want can be! I’ve got to step out on faith, I’ve got to show my face, procrastination had me down, look what I have found: I have STRENGTH, COURAGE & WISDOM, it’s been inside of my all along!!!!” :)

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to interview with FitnessX Magazine! Our readers have enjoyed your inspiring articles in the past issues and are looking forward to reading more in the future!

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te' t e n

s

J e afavorriteecipe! r l fo thy a l e a m t e o h kp sy croc omen!

Ea

busy w

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Vegetables This recipe can be addictive! It has a savory, sweet and spicy flavor and will melt in your mouth. Excellent on pork loin or firm white fish. If you’re grilling, the wood chips are optional but they add an authentic, subtle flavor to the chicken. To balance the heat, serve with a slightly sweet side dish, such as sweet potatoes or cornbread.

Serves 4 to 6 servings Ingredients • • • • • • • •

4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 1 1/2 to 2 cups small whole onions, diced 2 cups broccoli 2 bell peppers, diced 2 large sweet potatoes, cut in 1-inch chunks 2 large zucchini, cut in 1-in inch chunks 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon pepper

Preparation • • • • • •

Wash chicken breast halves and pat dry. Cut into chunks about 1/2 to 1-inch and put in a large bowl.

Add the soup, broccoli, celery, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes to bowl; stir to combine.

Spray the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.

Spoon the chicken mixture into the crockpot and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, stirring about halfway through the cooking time, if possible.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired, and serve over hot cooked brown rice or quinoa.

Cover Model Jeanette Ortega with her Hair and Makeup team, Manny Martinez (L) and Cynthia Navarro (R)

Hair: Manny Martinez www.hairbymanny.com

Makeup: Cynthia Navarro h.mbycynthia@yahoo.com

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elisabetta rogiani C ou tu r e fi tne s s

Makeup by Cynthia Navarro Hair by Manny Martinez

elisabetta rogiani Cout ure fitn ess

Makeup by Cynthia Navarro Hair by Manny Martinez

Jeanette Ortega’s Extreme Results Boot Camp Workout Location: Extreme Results Fitness Hair/Makeup by: Cynthia Navarro Couture Fitness Clothing: Elisabetta Rogiani Workout Gloves: G-Loves

BillyBow Photography

by Jeanette Ortega, Owner of Extreme Results Fitness & Jeanette Ortega’s Fitness Boot Camp

T

ired of your usual gym routine? Here’s your solution! This total body boot camp workout leads you through 7 high intensity strength and cardio exercises designed to challenge your strength and endurance while burning tons of calories. This rapid workout takes you from one exercise to the next with little or no rest. Take breaks when you need to, but try to keep your heart rate up. Most of these exercises are advanced, so pleasemodify whenever necessary to stay safe and avoid injury.

With my Extreme Results Boot Camp Workout, you’ll develop your strength, endurance, stamina, and speed. All of these factors will benefit any fitness enthusiast or athlete looking to perform their sport at a higher capacity for a longer period of time. This is a vigorous workout that will guarantee you’ll become fitter than you’ve ever imagined. Expect no less than EXTREME RESULTS!

elisabetta rogiani® Couture fitness

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1

B

A

BOOT CAMP drill: Do Medicine Ball Squat Jumps for 30 seconds, followed

by Jump Rope for 30 seconds.

Do this 3 times each for a 3 minute drill, rest for 1 minute and repeat 4 times.

AWESOME warm up!

C

Medicine Ball Squat Swings (or Squat Jumps)

Needed: 6-10 pound medicine ball, and ENERGY! Start in low squat position with medicine ball in hands, ball touching the floor. Push up through the heels using your legs while arms follow with medicine ball in hands. Stand up into full standing position with arms above head with medicine ball. Lower again into squat position and start over. *For increased intensity: Add a jump/hop as you rise and land back into the squat. This movement works the legs, core, and arms.

2

A

B C

Dumbbell Renegade Rows

Needed: Dumbbells (5-10 pounds) Start in straight arm plank position with hands on weights. Lower body into push up, perform a push up. Pull right arm up into a single back row while in plank position. Repeat the push-up. Pull left arm up into single back row while in plank position. While in plank position and hands on weights, hop legs in to meet your hands. Grab weights and stand up from squat position and press dumbbells above head. This is 1 Rep! This movement works the core, chest, shoulders, triceps and legs.

3

A

B

BOOT CAMP drill: Perform 10 reps, then jog in place for 1 minute, REPEAT these 2 exercises back and forth 4 times!

Bucket Pull and Push Needed: Bucket with rope attached, weights or sand bags inside for desired weight pull Start in a semi-squat, grab onto rope and pull hand over hand using your core and back muscles.Pull bucket all the way towards you. Place rope into bucket and push all the way back to the starting position. REPEAT continuously for 3-5 minutes!. This movement works the back, arms, core, and legs.

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4

B

A

Push-up Shoulder Taps

C

Start straight arm plank position (make sure body is completely straight and core is tight). Perform a push up, remain in plank position with core strong and lift right hand to tap left shoulder (without moving body, keep body still), then take left hand up to tap right shoulder and repeat the push up.

D

BOOT CAMP Drill: Continue this movement for 1 minute straight, rest 20 seconds, then repeat.

Do this 4 times. Your shoulders, arms, and core will be on FIRE!

This movement works the chest, shoulders, core, and triceps.

A

5

Barbell Clean and Press

C B

C

Needed: Barbell (weight: anywhere from 20-50 lbs) Start in squat position with hands on barbell, chest up. Push up into standing position. Elevate barbell to shoulder level.

Press up into shoulder press (arms are above head with barbell). Return into squat position and repeat. FORM is very important on this move. Perform 10-12 reps, 4 sets This movement works legs, shoulders, core, and back.

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6

A

Spiderman Crawls

Start on floor in straight arm plank position, hands are staggered. Lower your body into a push up position and start to crawl by maintaining the low push up position.

One arm and one leg leads and then you switch. It’s like climbing up a wall but on the floor.

This movement works your shoulders, chest, triceps, core and legs.

B

BOOT CAMP DRILL: Crawl back and forth along the room for 1 minute straight, perform 30 seconds of push ups and perform the crawl again.

This movement is intense! Repeat 4 times.

7

A

B

C

Wall Balls

Needed: 6-15 lb medicine ball Start in squat position with medicine ball in hands. Jump up or Stand up while releasing the medicine. ball high onto the wall(pick a desired height that you want the ball to reach). Catch the ball and land into a squat and REPEAT! This is a high heart rate exercise! It’s intense and awesome!

This movement works the legs, arms, and core.

BOOT CAMP DRILL: For 10 minutes -- Perform 20 wall balls, then 50 jump ropes.

Continue this for 10 minutes!

Your heart rate will be sky high and you will burn an insane amount of calories at the same time!

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Photo by Julia Molodeva Photography

2013

W

elcome to 2013! The start of a new year always brings with it a sense of new beginnings, fresh starts, possibility, hope and optimism. And resolutions.

Many of us have already set ourselves a health and fitness goal or “resolution” for the year ahead. If not, Winter is a great time to create a vision of where you want to be in 12 months time, to set yourself a plan to get there, and then to resolve to work that plan.

by Jacquii Alexander, 2012 Bikini America Tall Class Champion

natural state – what I like to call “1-ingredient foods” – like fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, low-fat dairy, brown rice, rolled oats, fish and lean meat.

by March 31st, and maintain that weight to December 31st. To do this, I will keep a daily food journal, base my meals on 1-ingredient foods and have one free meal each week.”

Let’s Get SMART

Make it Present

A complete Goal or Resolution is often described as SMART. This means that it is: Specific; Measurable; Actionable; Realistic; and Time-bound.

The final tweak I always make to my goals is to put them into the past tense – so that when I read them, it’s as though they’ve already been achieved. There’s something about visualizing having already achieved something that helps me believe that the achievement is possible. If you can see it, you can land it.

Nutrition is key to weight loss For many of us, our health and fitness resolution will have a weight component to it, e.g. “I want to lose weight”.

I think the biggest mistake people make when they want to lose weight is expecting to take weight off and keep the lifestyle and habits that put it on. That doesn’t work. It’s all about choices.

As a Fitness Model and Bikini Competitor, I attribute 80% of the success in achieving a stage-ready physique to my nutrition. Ask anybody with a physique that is aspirational to you, and my guess is they’ll give you a similar answer. If I had to lose control over either my nutrition or my training for a year, I’d give up the training every time. You can’t compete with what you eat.

My suggestion for 2013 is to ensure that your physique related goal has a clear nutrition-related component. A good start is increasing consumption of foods in their

Photo by Kounelli Photography

See it. Land it.

So our previous example of “I want to lose weight” would be transformed like this: • Specific– lose 10 lb, from my starting weight today of 140 lb; • Measurable– weighed first thing in the morning on my bathroom scales; • Actionable– keep a food journal and base meals on 1-ingredient foods; • Realistic– allow myself one “free” meal each week; and • Time-bound– reach target by 31st March, and maintain to 31st December.

So the resolution becomes: “I lost 10lb to weigh 130lb on my bathroom scales on March 31st, and maintained that weight all year, to December 31st. To do this, I kept a daily food journal, based my meals on 1-ingredient foods and had one free meal each week.”

Write it, Read it, Visualize it.

Using the SMART system will help ensure that you put yourself in the best position to establish a deliberate pattern to carry through 2013.

So the resolution becomes: “I will weigh 130lb on my bathroom scales

When I first learned to jump on my snowboard, my teacher told me to imagine myself completing a trick successfully in my mind before I attempted it. Or in other words, visualize the goal that you want to achieve.

The idea is that the more clearly you can “see it”, the more likely you are to “land it”.

Once you have your SMART goal written down, read it carefully and then close your eyes. Visualize how you will look and imagine how you will feel. Picture yourself wearing the clothes you want to wear, doing the things you want to do, feeling proud and happy when you look in the mirror, and by the pool, and at the beach. Hear the words that your doctor, your friends and your loved ones will say when you reach your goal.

Once you’re really clear on the image, and you can feel the feelings, and hear the words, open your eyes. And know…You’ve got this!

See it. Land it.

Jacquii Alexander ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jacquii Alexander grew up in Melbourne, “the sporting capital of Australia”. A driven competitive athlete, Jacquii has enjoyed international success as a Snowboarder, and Fitness Model, and is the current Ms. Bikini America Classic Tall Champion. She is also a successful businesswoman, with an Honors Degree in Physical Therapy, an MBA, two property investment companies, and over ten years of international management experience with leading global corporations. Jacquii currently lives in Sydney with her husband Hamish, and her two cats. Photo Credit: Kounelli Photography - Manny Zervos.

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B-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

The choice for FitnessX Magazine

r sho u o y k o Bo

ot!

B-House was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He has been doing professional photography in Europe since 2003, but only for the past year in the U.S. since returning.

B-House enjoys shooting fitness. He also shoots other genres including vintage, military, sports, theatre and concert. He is based in north Orange County, is married (over 10 years) and has 4 small children. You can contact him at BHouse@BHousePhoto.com.

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Amy VON RUMMELHOFF Certified Personal Trainer, Online Coach, Fitness Model, & National-Level NPC Bikini Competitor

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Jupinko

Health/Wellnesss Coach, WBFF Pro Fitness Competitor, 2010 Fitness America World Champion, Certified Personal Trainer, Nutritionist & Fitness Model 66.

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Ashleigh Clesceri Fitness Competitor, Fitness Model & Business Owner of Love Me Sweets

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Kristine Kelly Actress, Stunt Woman, Martial Artist & Model

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Dani Lilley

NPC Bikini Competitor & Fitness Model

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Alicia Marie International Fitness Supermodel, Author of The BOOTY Bible, Editor-in-Chief of fitPOP.com, co-creator/host of CARDIO WORLD, MTV’s ‘MADE’ Coach, & IFBB Pro

elisabetta rogiani® Couture fitness

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71.

The Gift of

Yoga

by Shielu Bharwani

Makeup/Hair by Miho Suzuki Herpich

I

BillyBow Photography

discovered yoga while I was training to run the 2008 Long Beach Marathon. I wanted to join a group of runners who can train and lead me to complete my first marathon and so I went online and found Beach Runners. They were a group of runners who trained people to complete marathons. I, signed up, drove all the way to Long Beach and ran with the Beach Runners. What I discovered on the first day was that the people running this team were yogis. So, as part of our training, after we completed each run, we would always end at the park and do yoga for half an hour. I have to admit that I was so stiff and really quite surprised at how inflexible I was. Each posture was uncomfortable and difficult and just was not happening. Yoga was just impossible, and at the time, unattainable. But what I noticed was that as the trainings progressed and the runs got longer and longer. Each time I paused, I would come to a walk and then stop and just stretch something. I would come down on the ground put my legs in front of me and try to stretch, twist or just bow into myself.

Afterwards, I would pick myself back up and start running again. That’s how I managed to finish my first marathon and my next and so on. I discovered then, that yoga was a great compliment to my running.

That as long as I was stretching, I had better range of motion and that I didn’t feel too tight. There was an ease in my stride. My hamstrings, calves and lower back weren’t so stiff and sore afterwards.

After the marathon I went out and sought a proper yoga studio. I found one in Sherman Oaks. There’s something to be said about finishing a marathon that somehow makes you feel that you accomplished something so great and that you now have it in you that you can accomplish anything. I was feeling pretty athletic at this point, and thought that I could take on an intermediate yoga class. Well, that was a humbling experience, to say the least! But I really did like how I felt afterwards, so I kept coming back.

I would continue on my yoga practice and would soon discover yoga’s transformative powers. I was building strength through my practice inside and out. Using big muscle groups especially in standing postures, I was getting stronger but also, most especially, cultivating my will. Building an inner strength that would soon carry me through tough times. Yoga remained the one constant in my life. Keeping me grounded and centered amidst the chaos and turmoil of around me. Yoga allows me to gaze inwards and pay close attention and to tune in to myself. I honor my self daily with my practice. This is the gift of yoga.

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elisabetta rogiani® C ou t u r e f i t n e s s

1

2

Urdhva Hastasana On an inhale, extend your arms up towards the sky. Let your palms touch at the very top.

Urdhva Hastasana (Modified)

On an inhale, lift your arms up towards the sky, reach up, lift up, gaze up.

Uttanasana

(Standing Forward Fold) Exhale, fold forward and touch the ground.

3

Ardha Uttanasana (Half Forward Bend)

Inhale, lengthen your spine forward, lead with your heart, look ahead and take the tops of your thighs back.

Ardha Uttanasana

(Half Forward Bend Modified) On an inhale, lengthen your spine forward, lead with your heart. Place your hands on your knees.

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4

Palakasana (Plank Pose Modified) Plant your hands down and bring your knees down to the ground.

Navel is in towards your spine. Keep your arms steady and strong.

5

Palakasana (Plank Pose) Exhale, plant your hands down and step back into Plank pose (top of a push-up).

Be sturdy in your arms. Bring your navel in towards your spine and take the tops of your thighs back, towards the sky.

Chaturranga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose) On an exhale, bend your elbows close to the ribs. Squeeze your forearms towards one another.

7

6

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Ado Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

Come to the tops of your feet, hug your shins towards one another. Place your hands under your shoulders and press the floor away, curling your heart forward and up. Broaden your chest. Bring your shoulders down and back. Hug your elbows towards one another.

Spread your fingers wide and root down your finger tips. Hug your forearms towards one another and widen the tops of your arm bones apart. Lift your sit bones up towards the sky. Take the tops of your thighs back. Bring your navel in towards your spine and release your heels down towards the ground.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Filipino movie star, Shielu Bharwani, comes to Yoga from an extraordinary life journey. Coming to the United States, Shielu entered a new world and started a new career. She earned a Le Cordon Bleu associate degree from the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. Shielu became a gourmet chef, eventually working at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. However, she eventually decided to return to the world of film and television, this time by managing and running the Proteus make-up effects company. They won an Academy Award in 2010 for J.J. Abram’s brilliant revamping of ‘Star Trek.’ Always an exceptional athlete, Shielu began running marathons, and through a deepening connection to the body, she reconnected to the practice of Yoga. Finding this path to be the most fully rewarding, she entered teacher training at Black Dog Yoga. Her career as a yoga teacher has expanded rapidly since her graduation. She has created courses at InHarmony Yoga, Bodies in Motion, Extreme Results Fitness, Porter Valley Country Club, USA Fitness and the World Gym. Shielu continues her education with extensive study in Anusara Yoga.

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My Transformation Continues:

Enjoying the Challenges!

by Addie Williams

My name is Addie Williams and I live in San Francisco, CA. I’m 48 years old and I have 2 sons, 14 and 17. I started my Transformation Journey in October, 2011. I went to a birthday party and we took pictures that day. When I got home and saw those pictures, I knew I had to do something regarding my weight. I was 180lbs. I started walking 4 miles a day and taking a Zumba class once a week. I started watching my food portions. I lost 10lbs. in a month.

I wanted to step up my game and I decided to do something I’ve always wanted to do, bodybuilding. I joined Bodybuilding.com and this is where it started for me. In Winter, they had a 12-week Transformation Challenge and I decided to join. What did I have to lose? I got on a plan and started eating clean and working out. I had some challenges along the way, but I completed the challenge.

During the challenge from Bodybuilding.com, I received a message in my inbox on Facebook from Kendall Wood.

The message was about a show he was promoting, The FitSciences Championship that was going to be in Atlanta, GA. I thought that would be perfect for me to continue my journey. After the challenge from Bodybuilding.com, I got on a contest diet and a workout plan from my Coach Andrew Cost, whom I also met on Bodybuilding.com and the rest is history. I was the Winner of the Great Transformation Challenge and my Coach received the Top Trainer Award. I walked on that stage weighing 135lbs. This was a major accomplishment for me.

My next goal is to compete. EATING CLEAN + WORKING OUT + SUPPLEMENTS = RESULTS!! I CAN and I WILL do it!

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Shapely &4 Toned Shoulders in just

Sculpting Moves!

I

BillyBow

Photography

f shoulders aren’t high on your list of areas to sculpt, they should be. While many women think that shoulder exercises are exclusively for men, it’s simply not true. Don’t shy away from weight training for fear of becoming bulky. Women are not meant to look like men!

In fact, poor muscle tone in a woman’s shoulders can lead to poor posture and can cause back problems as well.

*

Tabitha Thelin

FitnessX Magazine Model & Certified Personal Trainer

Strong, shapely shoulders make you look slimmer and younger by improving your posture and balancing out your hips and thighs. It actually creates that sought after hour glass figure! And since women store less fat above the waist, you’ll see results from these 4 moves (your secret weapon) within a month! So welcome in the upcoming sleeveless season with confidence! Summer is just around the corner!

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS:

>> Do not rock your torso to lift the weights. Keep your back straight; do not allow it to arch. >> As you lift the dumbbells, do not allow your wrists to bend. Maintain a neutral wrist position. >> Do not hold your breath; inhale as you lower the dumbbells and exhale as you lift the dumbbells. >> Select a weight that allows you to complete 8 to 12 repetitions with good form. Do not sacrifice form for more reps. >> Make sure that you use enough weight to be challenging without compromising form. Shoulders are easy to injure so it is better to go a little lighter until they become stronger.

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Front dumbbell Raise

Front dumbbell Raise Area Worked: Front of Shoulder Muscles: Anterior Deltoid Stand with feet together and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing towards you. Slowly raise your right hand up in front of you with a slight bend in your elbow. Pause at the top when you reach shoulder height and slowly return to the starting position, stopping where there is still tension on the shoulder.

To make this exercise more challenging, pause for two to three seconds at the top of the range of motion.

Perform 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

dumbbell upright rows

Dumbbell upright row (Works Anterior Deltoid) Area Worked: Side of Shoulder Muscles: Lateral Deltoid Grasp dumbbells and stand upright with knees slightly flexed. Hold dumbbells in front if thighs, palms facing in.

Pull dumbbells up to shoulders. Keep elbows above wrists. Return, keep arms slightly flexed. Repeat. Perform 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Reverse dumbbell Flyes

Rear dumbbell flyes

Area Worked: Back of Shoulder Muscles: Posterior Deltoid Stand with your legs about hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side. Bend your torso forward and bend your legs slightly so that your arms extend below your body with your hands facing each other as you hold the dumbbells. This is the starting position. Exhale and raise your arms out to your sides with your hands facing down, squeezing your shoulder blades together during the movement. Do not round your spine or move your head forward. Inhale and lower your arms to the starting position. This completes one repetition. Perform 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

front dumbbell raises Front Dumbbell Raise Area Worked: Front & Middle of Shoulder Muscles: Anterior & Medial Deltoid Stand upright with your back straight and your feet about hip-width apart. Look straight ahead.

Stabilize your torso by tightening your stomach muscles and pulling your shoulder blades down and together. Maintain this posture throughout the movement. Raise your elbows and shoulders at the same rate. Lead with your elbows. When your arms approach shoulder-level, turn your thumbs slightly upward. Stop when your arms are about parallel to the floor. Slowly lower the dumbbells, rotating your thumbs back to the start position. Perform 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

** If you have a history of shoulder pain, you should avoid doing any shoulder exercises until you have sought medical clearance from your physician.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tabitha Thelin is a 33 year old CPT, NPC Figure (2013) competitor, and a certified Health and Nutrition counselor. Tabitha has several years of experience in various aspects of the fitness industry. Her passions lie deepest with her faith, training hard, eating clean, alternative medicine and natural healing. She is currently working as the Gym Director at a faith based fitness facility called The Rock Fitness Center in northern Alabama. She believes that the combined efforts of industry leaders, facilities like The Rock FC and FitnessX.com will begin a new, faithfully inspired and positive movement in our industry.

Photo by: BillyBow Photography of FitnessX Magazine.

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Just got off work. Looking forward to an intense back workout to take my mind off everything. I arrive at the gym, change into my gear. Madonna blasting in my ears. I strap my Zebra G-Loves on.

It’s go time!

I start with 5 pull-ups.

Beat my record. No slip grip in full effect! I move from the seated row to dumbbells. I ’m in the zone – passionate and focused on goals.

My hands are feeling protected! I get a firm grip on the rear delt machine. My back is feeling tight.

Just the way I love it!

A woman strikes up conversation as I’m taking off my gloves. She’s says I look “glamorous” in them.

“And they can handle my hardcore workout!”

I reply, "My hands are smooth and soft. There is no pain in the hand."

G-Loves are the ultimate workout glove for the fashionista athlete.

Tomorrow, I think I’ll wear my Leopard G-Loves for chest day!

www.G-LOVES.com Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Mich Bakeerlle

U rsula P ong

e istin r h C nde Le Mo

Kacie Fischer Cleveland

A l ex a n d ra Sรถder 80.

FitnessX.com โ ข Winter 2013

The Champions of Fitness

Leni ka e

Strin

Michelle Russo

FITNESS PHOTO

by BillyBow Ph otography

C hr ist ine L e M on de Age: 51 (Birthday - Jan.1962) Hometown: Originally from Madison, Wisconsin. Currently residing in Venice, CA. Occupation: ACE-Certified Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist and Level III Trainer at Gold’s Gym, Venice, Fitness Model and Contributor to FitnessX Magazine, Independent Distributor for Arbonne, International.

Marital Status: Single, no kids.

Shows: Placed in all 10 of the competitions she competed in during a 14-month period: Muscle Beach - 5th Place Masters Figure (July ‘12 ), INBA Mr. & Ms. Los Angeles - 1st Place Grand Masters Bikini and Grand Masters Figure (June ‘12), Ms. Fitness Santa Monica - 2nd Place (May ‘12), Ms. Fitness Century City - 1st Place (March ‘12), NPC Excalibur - 5th Place Masters 45+ Bikini (Dec. ’11), Muscle Beach - 2nd Place Masters Bikini (Sept. ‘11), NPC Tournament of Champions - 1st Place Masters 45+ (Sept. ’11), NPC Los Angeles Championships - 2nd Place (July ’11), Mr. & Ms. Muscle Beach - 2nd Place Masters Bikini (July ‘11)

How did you get started in your sport?

I got started in Bodybuilding competitions when, at age 49, I decided I needed to challenge myself to get out of a comfort zone (some might call it a rut!) and make my 50th year one I was going to be excited about and proud of myself for using the power of my mind to face fears and achieve my goals.

Why do you compete?

COMPETITION

PHOTO by frien

d

Using the competitions as a motivator – knowing I would soon be standing on a stage in a bikini - really helped me to tap into a level of discipline I had never experienced before. I was soon surprised and delighted that the discipline would spill over into many other aspects of my life and I would find a lifestyle, countless new friends and fitness-industry business opportunities that I never even dreamed of when I began. What was once a goal has turned into a journey and I am so grateful to all of the wonderful people who have inspired, encouraged and worked with me along the way, so far. I know now that, every day, we can improve. It is a gift that almost everyone can give themselves, no matter what their age or current situation.

We have the power to change, if we want it enough.

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sport?

If you do want it, but don’t know where to start, the best thing to do is to hire a personal trainer. This can sharply reduce your learning curve. If that is not in your budget, first, have a critical look at your eating habits. If you don’t know what Clean Eating is, this is the first place to start. Then, ladies, you NEED strength training – not just cardio. Weight lifting is for everyone, and especially important for mature women when yearly muscle loss occurs as part of the aging process, in the absence of a sound fitness program. Muscle is where we store energy, is essential for bone health and creates shapely curves. Read. Read. Read. FitnessX Magazine is a great resource for learning how to safely and effectively train with machines, weights, and body weight. Make new friends at the gym and surround yourself with others that have the same goals. Unfortunately, sometimes, we also have to spend less time with people that have unhealthy habits, so this might mean creating some distance from our old “Happy Hour” buddies. Just move your “Happy Hour” to the gym, beach or park. You will feel much better and maybe, by leading by example, you might help get some of those friends out of the bar and moving forward with you into a healthier lifestyle.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Ursula Pong

FITNESS PHOTO

by Chris Soo

Age: 53 years young, but feel more like a 35-year-old Hometown: Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Resident of Singapore for the past 20 plus years.

Occupation: High School Physical & Health Education teacher specializing in fitness at the Singapore American School – an independent, non-profit, coeducational day school that provides an American curriculum of studies to over 3,900 expatriate students in preschool through grade twelve.

Marital Status: Married to a wonderful and supportive husband named Marcel Daane who is also in the fitness industry and together we have a beautiful soon to be 13 year old daughter named Kilani.

Competition: IDFA Bodybuilding and Figure International Championships in Toronto, Ontario (July 21, 2012)

How did you get started in your sport?

OTO by Dave Paul

After entering a white collar boxing event almost 4 years ago, as a boxer at 49 years of age where I had to box 3 rounds of 2 minutes against a much younger opponent, I was driven to find another physical goal as I was so proud of what I had accomplished. So, I decided to try my hand at a couple of local competitions in Singapore and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience as tough as it was. A year later, I started looking for another goal somewhere in North America when found the IDFA Bodybuilding and Figure International Championships scheduled in Toronto, Ontario (where I was born and raised) on July 21st, 2012 and decided to take a bigger challenge. The bigger challenge in this case was not just the level of the IDFA championships but having to travel, train and diet while living out of a hotel for about 7 weeks prior to the competition. I remember having to pay $40.00 US dollars for 10 boiled eggs when I ordered them through room service at the Westin Hotel in Palo Alto, California as the grocery store was sold out of boiled eggs.

Why do you compete?

COMPETITION PH

I love having a goal that will keep me on track as well as being able to push through any perceived limitations.

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sport?

Don’t train for individual events but rather see them as overcoming roadblocks to achieving a long term goal for optimal health and fitness. This vision or perspective will help prevent rebounding after the show as so many competitors struggle with maintaining their health and fitness after a show is done as they try to keep the same type of lean, cut look year round which is a big mistake. Aim to train and diet in a way that is maintainable and have you looking great year round even after your competition.

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OTO by Iconic Imag es COMPETITION PH

by friend FITNESS PHOTO

Kacie Fischer Cleveland Age: 27 Hometown: Bellingham, Washington Occupation: Personal Trainer, Athlete Marital Status: Married to Adam Cleveland Competition: First female to Inline Skate across America; Fastest female to inline skate across America; Longest distance traveled by inline skatesfinished in Jacksonville, Florida on June 15, 2012. www.livegiveskate.org

How did you get started in your sport?

I started playing roller and ice hockey in middle school but didn’t start skating longer distances until I was in High School. I started challenging myself by skating longer and longer distances just to prove that I could. I would skate from one town to another and even skated more than 50 miles to one of my best friend’s BBQs. Deciding to skate across the country started out as a crazy idea that turned into a goal I knew I had to complete. After planning the trip for more than a year and a half, building an amazing team of people who helped me throughout the journey, and finishing in 47 days, I became the first female to inline skate across the country and beat the current Guinness World Record holder by more than 22 days!

Why do you compete?

For me, the journey of training for a figure competition is an experience of a life time. You learn so much 2. I compete to prove to myself I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. Completing challenging events and races makes me confident in all other aspects of my life.

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sport?

Always write out new goals, never settle for what others believe is “good enough” and always challenge and improve yourself!

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MICHELLE BAKER

Alantic Photography

Age: 36 Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA but living in Washington, DC Occupation: Management, Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress) Marital Status: Single Competitions: 2012 NPC Nationals North America Championships - 15th Open Figure C; 2011 NPC Eastern USA, 4th Open Figure B, 3rd Masters Figure; 2011 NPC VA Cup, 3rd Masters Figure; 2011 NPC VA/DC State Championships - 5th Open Figure, 2nd Masters Figure

How did you get started in your sport?

FITNESS PHOTO by Mid

After many frustrating years of failing to developing the physique that I wanted, I realized that the only thing that successful athletes had that I didn’t was a dream team of advisers. I had been following a few NPC Figure athletes and decided I’d do what they do! I did my research on figure competition coaches, trainers and nutritionists in my area and called them. Secretly my intention was to get into competition shape but not do the show. However, after 14 weeks of dieting and seeing my body change, I was surprise at how confident I felt and I was excited do the competition!

I’ve now competed for three years and just this last year at the NPC national level.

Why do you compete?

Competition is a tool on my journey to become the best I can be. I compete because I love pushing myself to dig deep and defy my own limitations. I approach training and competition with an attitude and desire to be my best. It always amazes me that I am able to achieve much more than I expected to! In addition, competing provides me with a platform to encourage others. There is nothing else in this world that makes me feel sexy, strong, and independent like training with weights does and I hope to help other women that are interested in fitness. I’m always willing to help those in pursuit of their fitness goals and share my passion to succeed.

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sport?

Competing in any sport is not only physical but also mental and you must work to strengthen both to truly be successful.

Practice visualizing your success and how you will look, feel and act when you are competing. There will be times when success seems impossible but you must be mentally strong and stay the course. Do your research and talk to competitors about which coaches they use and get a few recommendations for a coach.

This is one of the most important decisions that you will make in your prep. For me, I prefer a coach that is personable, approachable, doesn’t have me doing 2 hours of cardio a day or starve me, and believes in a well-balance off-season life.

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COMPETIT ION PHOT O by SNBB Photograp hy

Alexandra Söder Age: 43 Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden Occupation: Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Coach and Nutrition Advisor Marital Status: Married with 3 children (ages 15, 13, 7) Competition: Swedish National Bodybuilding and Bodyfitness 2011 - 3rd Place BodyFigure Masters, 3rd Place BodyFigure (163 cm)

How did you get started in your sport?

I started to gym in order to lose excess weight from years of pregnancies and rather unhealthy lifestyle with over time working business career. And also to have time from all the stress I found my private time in the gym, focusing on working out. In time I noticed the quick response in my training and it became a passion. Today also my full time job as I changed my career to work as personal trainer and nutrition advisor.

Why do you compete?

I just wanted to see how well I could go through a diet, push my limits and compare myself to other athletes. See what I need to improve in my physique and get my challenges in my training. My first competition 2010 in one of Swedish largest Bodyfigure competition with 24 competitors in my class, I won the 3rd place with two of the national best competitors as 1st and 2nd. Encouraged by this experience I aimed for Swedish National which went 10 months after and was quite successful competing there too. My next target will be next year competitions and I aiming to improve my physique a lot more and hope this will be enough to get me even further. But the most encouraging about competing is to push my limits as natural athlete and see how far I can make it. No matter what competitors I will face, I will never ever disregard from my discipline to stay natural in this sport. To show the world that despite the bad reputation this sport has, there are always way to succeed without short cuts.

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sport?

As long there is strong will, there is always a way to reach your dreams. Don’t let other people tell you what you can or can’t do. Your life, your choice and your body. Stay true to yourself and set yourself free.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

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Michelle Russo mos - Flipstyle

Photography

Age: 32 Hometown: Slidell, Louisiana Occupation: Insurance Agent for Allstate Insurance Marital Status: Married with 3- and 9-year-old kids Competitions: NPC Camillia Championships - 1st Place, Figure C division (May 26, 2012); NPC Louisiana Bodybuilding, Physique, Figure & Bikini Championships - 1st Place, Figure C division (July 14, 2012)

How did you get started in your sport?

by Reny Ra FITNESS PHOTO

I started the sport in 2011 as a lifestyle change. I am a mother of two boys ages 8 and 2. I just wanted to lose the baby weight and get toned! I hired a personal trainer named Leonard Parker for 10 months and my body was responding like crazy. He kept telling me “Girl I am going to put you on that stage” I thought there was no way possible.

So we set a deadline and a goal and we were just going to shoot for it! There was no looking back! I then hired my coach, IFBB Pro Danielle Kifer, and she designed all my workouts and diet. Now, it’s just a passion and I can’t imagine my life not being in this sport!

Why do you compete?

N PHOTO b y TophieMal

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I continue to compete because not only is it a goal to stay in shape but it has also inspired so many people. Since I stepped on that stage, the numerous emails and text messages I get from friends and people I hardly know praising me and completing me is just a HUGE compliment to me. It’s an honor to have people look at you and say “Whatever you are doing, I want in” or “You look amazing” or “Can you train me to look like you?” It’s a true blessing. I totally stepped out of my comfort zone, and now that I have, it’s the drive to make a better physique for the next show! I am now qualified to go to Nationals and hoping I bring a better package to the stage in 2013. I just simply love the sport and the challenge!

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sport?

COMPETITIO

My advice to women who want to compete is to just believe in yourself. Be consistent with your diet and workouts.

Don’t ever give up on yourself. It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes a lot of time and patience to build the physique of your dreams. Never look at the other competitors and say “Oh, there is no way I will win against her.” The only competition is with yourself. Be yourself and shine on that stage. This is your Journey. Have fun with it and make the best of it!

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ill McKe O by W T O H P N PETITIO

own

s Photo graphy

by Greg ory Jam e

COM

PHOTO FITNESS

Leni Strineka

Age: 28 Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Occupation: Boot Camp Instructor/Personal Trainer for Lyzabeth Lopez’ Hourglass Workout Boot Camp Marital Status: Single Competition: UFE (Ultimate Fitness Events) April 7, 2012

How did you get started in your sport?

Growing up I have always been very active, from dance, cheerleading and gymnastics, to light weights and aerobic classes. After everything I have been involved in, I can say that I truly discovered my passion for fitness after meeting Lyzabeth Lopez one year ago and joining her Hourglass Boot camp. I quickly became very addicted and was just a sponge---absorbing all of her knowledge. I was completely blown away by how much further I could push myself and learn about proper holistic nutrition. All the girls in the classes were extremely motivating and supportive. After joining Lyzabeth’s 3 month transformation challenge and losing 18lbs, to winning the muscle challenge, I knew my next step was to push myself to my limits and compete in a fitness competition. In April, I achieved my first goal and competed in the bikini and fitness model category. It was such an amazing adventure and taught me so much about myself. I can’t wait to develop, grow and step on stage again.

Why do you compete?

I love to compete because I thrive on setting a goal and pushing myself to achieve it. It really helps me stay in control, committed and dedicated to everything I pursue in life. “Happiness is not a destination; it’s a means of travel. Eat Clean.

Train Hard. Live Healthy. Be Happy. Enjoy your journey” I really love the feeling of accomplishment. Training for a show is extremely hard work but I know that I can do my very best and take my body to places I never thought possible. After my first time competing, I knew I would never have to wonder “what if” again. I learned so much through each process and nothing beats the incredible feeling of competition day and stepping on that stage.

What piece of advice do you give other women when training for your sporT?

Training for a fitness competition is extremely hard and has a lot of emotional challenges. My best piece of advice I can give any lady thinking of competing is: 1) Do your research and hire a coach that has values, a solid sense of nutrition and a training style that YOU believe in. Every trainer is different and has their own point of view. Find a trainer, trust them 110% and give them your complete dedication. 2) Surround yourself with motivating, supportive and inspiring friends and family. Training and food preparation takes up A LOT of your time and energy. Most people simply do not understand it. “Just eating one small brownie won’t do anything to you!” This will be very difficult to hear over and over again when you are so committed to your goals. Having the right support system and trainer can really make or break the whole process and journey.

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F

ull-body supersetting workouts have long been known to be the best way to burn maximum calories, ramp up your metabolism and build muscle. The major benefit of supersetting is that you’re essentially doing twice the sets in the same amount of time as when doing straight sets.

Turn Up the heat & Torch the

Fat!

Terri Wells

FitnessX Magazine Model & Certified Personal Trainer

BillyBow Photography

Need a New Workout or have You Plateaued?

Change Your Body with Supersets!!!

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By minimizing rest periods, you’ll also extend each bout of lifting, which will keep your heart rate elevated for longer periods.

Whereas, when doing a straight set you might be lifting for 30 to 45 seconds at a time, a superset typically involves a bout of lifting twice as long, keeping your heart rate up that much longer. This is why supersetting is often the lifting method of choice for those looking to add a cardiorespiratory element into their weight training for increased calorie burning and better overall conditioning.

If you’re short on time — and your goal is to burn alot of fat and calories— step away from the treadmill!

Now, get into the weight room and try supersetting your resistance training.

Your body will truly thank you for it!

Superset #1- 3 Sets, Rest 60-90 seconds between sets

High Cable Rear Lunge Pulldowns (A) Stand with feet hip-width apart with core tight, then grab handles from the cable machine. (B) On the exhale, simultaneously lunge back and pulldown driving both knee and elbows towards the floor.

Inhale as you return back to the starting position standing and arms fully extended.

Repeat on other leg. Perform 10 reps.

A

B

A

B

Standing Barbell Bicep Curls

A

B

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, using an underhand grip. Extend your elbows so the bar rests in front of your thighs. Keep your shoulders pulled together and retracted as you bend your elbows and curl the bar up toward your chest. Avoid swinging your hips to bring the bar up. To return to start, slowly extend the elbows. If you need more stability in the move, use a split stance by placing one foot staggered in front of the other. Complete 15 reps.

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Superset #2 - 3 Sets, Rest 60-90 seconds between sets

A

B

C

D

Walking Lunges with Bicep Curls Step forward, gliding your foot along the ground until your heel touches a few feet in front of you. As your front toe lands you should bend your front and rear legs until your rear knee is about 1 inch above the floor. Your front heel should be directly below your knee. Both legs should bent at around the same angle which is around 90 degrees. Lift your body up at the same time you bring your hips forward until you are in the original standing position. Repeat lunge on other side.

With elbows to sides, raise both dumbbells and rotate forearm until forearm is vertical and palm faces shoulder. Lower to original position. Perform 10 reps.

Standing High Cable Rows

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Work the upper back by doing a standing high row exercise. Holding onto the handles, walk back to add appropriate resistance and space for the pulling motion. Stand in a semi squat position with body erect and core tight.

Pull the cables using your back muscles and pinching your shoulder blades. Return the cable until your arms fully extends. Repeat.

Do 15 reps.

B

Superset #3 - 3 Sets, Rest 60-90 seconds between sets

A

B

D

C

Medicine Ball Squat to BOSU Pullover Crunch to Standing Press Stand about one foot in front of the BOSU ball with feet hip-width apart holding a medicine ball in front of chest. Then squat down keeping medcine ball at chest til your butt touches the front side of the BOSU ball. From the seated position move your arms overhead, then move your arms forward using your abs as you push through your heels and squeezing your glutes to stand up. Drive the arms from the chest to a full extension above your head. Repeat. Complete 10 reps.

Standing Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows

A

B

Holding the dumbbells with your palms facing in, stand with your feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent.

Bend forward from your hips to a 45-90 degree angle.

Keep your back straight and brace your core, let your arms hang straight down with a slight bend in your elbows. Row both dumbbells up by bending at your elbows. Keep going until your elbows go slightly beyond your back squeezing shoulder blades. Then slowly lower them down to the starting point. Repeat. Perform 15 reps.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Terri Wells is originally from Akron, Ohio where she avidly played sports growing up. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology on an athletic scholarship in basketball at Cleveland State University. Terri has lived in Las Vegas for the past 12 years.

After working for 6 years as a flight attendant with United Airlines, she decided to shift gears and work in the fitness industry. Terri is a certified personal fitness trainer and fitness model. She enjoys working with her clients, one-on-one, encouraging them from a psychological prospective. “Everything is mental including fitness and proper nutrition. If you train the mind...the body follows.” Terri competed in the 2010 Las Vegas Classic Bodybuilding Competition in the figure division. Her one goal is to earn her Pro Card and become an IFBB professional competitor, but Terri’s ultimate goal is to be the best personal trainer she can be and succeed helping others reach their highest potential.

Photo by: BillyBow Photography of FitnessX Magazine.

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Who I’m Becoming I

am not the person I was a year ago, nor several months ago, even a week ago or a day ago. Like life and time I am constantly evolving, changing as my soul experiences everything in an hourglass of passion and depression, hope and despair, love and loathing, progress and stagnation. Everything that I see, hear, taste, smell, and do has an impact no matter how small or big, whether I realize it or not, and affects how I ultimately perceive the world, myself, and my position in it.

Constant evolution suggests constant PROGRESS, BECOMING BETTER, leaving behind the shell of who I was, accepting and embracing and stepping into the new, the unknown future and all it holds for me.

There is no fear of what is to come, for I have something far greater alongside all the weapons I need to take stance against anything and all who might come against me, knowing that He will ALWAYS have my back, that everything I go through has PURPOSE. Is there pain? Yes. Is there sorrow? Yes. Is there darkness? Yes. But there is also joy and happiness and light, and it is THOSE things that my soul holds on for, the glimpse of them that hope has afforded me, the woman that I will be at the end of it all, who I am becoming for the one I am being created FOR. There can be no triumph without struggle, no strength without experiencing weakness, no life without the exchange of death, and I have struggled in and with my weakness, dying to be reborn into the life I was MEANT to live.

I am a different creature than I once was. I am changed in ways I never thought I would be. I see things I never thought I would see. I hold dreams I never thought I would ever care for. I have allowed the hard shell of the rock island that I was to be penetrated, a crumbling of the wall that once kept the world at bay and me safe inside, eroding as slowly I step into the light, trembling as I share my soul with the world I stayed aloof from for a lifetime, a shy emergence of a rare softness and vulnerability peeking out from the “machine”.

I am becoming something more than I ever imagined. I am becoming all that I was intended to be. Instead of heaviness there is lightness in my soul, a quiet calm even as there blows a maelstrom, because I know that I am growing into my destiny. I am growing into “my own”, a woman with complete confidence in herself and her abilities and place in the world, at peace with her heart and soul and the desires no longer hidden there. I know some don’t approve of my choices or like the path I have embarked on, but this is MY life, not theirs, and I LIKE who I’m becoming and I WELCOME it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: “Think like a Champion. Train like a Warrior. Live with a Purpose.” Lifetime natural athlete and multiple NZ National track and road cycling Champion, internationally published fitness columnist and exercise physiologist, Rosie "The Female Terminator" lives her motto; constantly challenging the “impossible”, always striving to be her best; seeking to inspire and motivate others, to educate and empower them to make positive lifestyle choices that improve their quality of life. To contact Rosie, visit www.rosiesmusclerevolution.com. Photo by: Dan Ray.

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Agonist/Antagonist Resistance Training N

ewton’s third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Very similarly in the body, every motion has an opposite. The agonist is generally the muscle we are exercising.

The antagonist is the opposing muscle and acts in contrast to the agonist. The stabilizer muscles are those that hold a joint in place so that the exercise may be performed. For example, when doing biceps curls, the biceps are the agonists and the triceps are the antagonists. The agonist/antagonist relationship changes depending on which muscle is expected to do the work.

Larissa Elizarova

FitnessX Magazine Model & Certified Personal Trainer

BillyBow Photography

Hair/Makeup by Nancy Jambizian Location: 220 Fitness in Santa Monica , CA

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If your goal is a sleeker physique, it’s best to train in a high rep range, employing between 15 to 20 reps per set using supersets (two opposing exercises performed back-to-back with no rest in between). After performing both exercises, rest for 60 to 90 seconds before starting on the first one again. High reps target your slow-twitch muscle fibers (also called Type I fibers), which are predominantly utilized during continuous activities sustained for long periods of time, with a diminished reliance on Type II fast-twitch muscle fibers- the ones involved in heavy lifting. Because of their endurance-oriented nature, slow twitch fibers have only a limited ability to increase in size. Thus, by targeting these fibers, you’ll attain the lean, toned arms you always dreamed about!

Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curl Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms fully extended and your palms facing inwards. This dumbbell alignment is to remain constant throughout this exercise.

Note that it is called ‘Hammer Curls’ as the hand placement is similar to that when holding a hammer. Exhale and bring the dumbbells up, flexing the biceps at the top. Pause.

Inhale and bring the dumbbells down in a controlled manner. Repeat on other side. Do 15-20 repetitions on both sides.

Superset Sets: 3 Reps: 15-20 Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets

1

Standing Dumbbell Kickbacks Adopt a split stance holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand of the lead leg. Bend forward at the waist, keeping the back straight. Place the free hand on the lead leg knee for support. Keep the upper arm of the dumbbell arm tucked into the side.Extend the elbow to straighten the arm pushing the dumbbell out behind. Bend the elbow to return to the start position. Repeat. Do 15-20 repetitions, then swap sides to complete the set.

Tips & Safety:

Agonist/Antagonist Weight Training for Sculpted & Toned Arms 2 3 4

BICEPS

superset with

TRICEPS

Barbell Curls

3 sets, 15-20 reps

Bench Dips

3 sets, 15-20 reps

Preacher Curls 3 sets, 15-20 reps

French Press

3 sets, 15-20 reps

Cable Curls

Rope Pushdowns 3 sets, 15-20 reps

3 sets, 15-20 reps

• Keep the weight controlled at all stages of each exercise.

• Ensure that your elbows remain still throughout each rep.

• Give an extra squeeze at the top (or bottom in rope pressdowns) of the motion in order to achieve maximum contraction in each exercise.

• Resist the weight on the way back to starting position.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

95.

Dream BIG & Go for IT!

by Lisa Lorraine Taylor , CPT

Happy New Year FitnessX Family! Trainer Lisa here with a wonderful way to set, make and keep your goals for 2013 that is fun, easy and can be done by all your family members and friends!

Your 2013 Vision Board: Now for those of you who have heard of this or those who are unfamiliar with, it a is where you set the goals that you want to accomplish for the next year or even in your lifetime. Vision Boards can be a series of motivational words and pictures that can help you to visualize exactly what you want and to help you stay motivated and focused.

What You’ll Need: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Paper (any size) but large construction paper is best Friends and Family (the more the merrier!)

Magazines (for clippings) Scissors Glue Sticks Markers

To Get Started: Cut out pictures that represent what you want to accomplish or have.

For example: 1. Get a new job (picture that career) 2. Purchase a new home or get a new apartment (a picture of the location or view) 3. Lose weight (your ideal body – make sure its realist) 4. Compete in a competition (fitness, figure, bodybuilding, etc) 5. Improve current relationships/friendships

Ok…you getting the picture right? Don’t be afraid to go crazy and dream as big as your heart’s desires as this is YOUR VISION BOARD and no one can tell you what you can or can’t accomplish or have but you.

When you’ve completed your vision board, hang it up in a convenient location that you’ll be able to see everyday as a reminder of what you want (I took a picture of my vision board so I carry it with me everyday), and spend a few minutes everyday looking and thinking about your goals, how to accomplish them and how you’ll feel when they’ve been met…PRICELESS! Your kids can do their own Vision Board on what they want (colleges, sports, grades, etc), so make it a family affair or maybe a girls night-in.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Lorraine Taylor has a B.S. in Holistic Nutrition, certified through ACE, AFAA, and FITOUR, and the Owner of Taylor Made Fitness in San Diego/Ocean Beach, CA. She is active in the fitness community serving as a Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, Lifestyle Weight Management Consultant and Fitness Practitioner. Lisa offers Personal Training online, the gym, outdoor workouts and nutrition programs. You can call/text Lisa at 619.987.9691 or e-mail her at Trainerlisa@hotmail.com.

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

Triathlon training:

I

tips to increase your

endurance!

f you have been working on the training aspects, put forth in my prior articles, you probably have a good foundation set, for effective and efficient Tri training.

This particular article is going to help you focus your attention on the prioritization of your days/weeks leading up to your race.

You already know that time will need to be devoted to: Taking in adequate nutrition, strength training, hours invested in performing your actual sports, as well as rest (and maybe even work and kids)!

It is important to create a detailed schedule that you LIVE BY. Having everything written down, in front of you, will help you prepare for the coming days/weeks ahead, without becoming overwhelmed or causing yourself undue and counterproductive stress. This “detailed schedule,” needs to be developed at least 2 months out from your race (preferably 3). Your schedule may adjust from month to month, depending on what your body is telling you. For instance, if you are strong in swimming and biking but weak in running, your initial training will focus, on more time running. Say, 8 weeks out, you spend twice as much time running, as you do your other sports, to You may readjust your schedule, a month out, to involve less running (now that you feel stronger in that area).

So, what should this schedule look like?

This, of course, will vary greatly from person to person, depending on how much time can be devoted to training, as well as the length of the actual race you are training for. If you are starting your training schedule 12 weeks out, more time will be focused on strength training (such as the gym exercises listed in November’s article) to provide your body with the integrity it needs to survive, not only your race, but your training FOR the race! Yes, many people over-train or train too quickly, thus overloading their bodies and causing injuries. This, you want to avoid by devoting at least 5 days a week to your

by Heather McCullough, CPT

strength training program. As your body refines itself with this strength training, you won’t have to spend as much time in the latter month or so, in the gym. Rather, you will be logging in substantial time swimming, running and biking.

Another thing to factor in is rest. You will, of course need rest days every week, for your body to be in optimum condition. At first, your body will be sore and tired from your training, due to the fact that your body is not used to the physical exertion, you are putting it through. The right nutrition and supplementation will also help you through this phase.

Your three sports (running, biking and swimming) will of course be part of your schedule from the very beginning and will take up the majority of your training hours, within the last month before your race.

At first (12-8 weeks out) do your strength training 5 days a week. Do one of your sports, every day. For example: On Monday, swim for an hour and strength train for 45 minutes. On Tuesday, go on a 2-hour bike ride and strength train. On Wednesday, just strength train. For Thursday, run and strength train. On Friday, repeat training in the sport you feel weakest in. Saturday and Sunday, stretching (preferably yoga) is in order. Keeping your body limber and free of tightness is essential, during your tri training! This particular schedule, I just lined out is just a hypothetical case in which someone would be training for a Tri. Of course, you can outline each day, according to your own, individual schedule. Maybe your rest days will be during the week. Regardless of when they are, you want to have two rest days during the week.

As you get closer to your race (roughly 8 weeks out) you will begin to train in two of the three sports in your race, back to back. For example, you could make Monday, Wednesday and Friday, days in which you maybe combine running/ swimming the

first day, biking/running the second day, and biking/swimming, the third day. Tuesday, Thursday (and maybe Saturday) you strength train. Make time for yoga, at least twice a week! Strength training will take a back seat to your actual sport performance as the race gets closer. By now, your body will have gained the benefits of the strength training (if you did it religiously, up until now).

As for refining your skills within your actual sports, it may be beneficial for you to find a coach who specializes in running or swimming. A mere adjustment to your form may be all that is needed to make a substantial difference in your times. You also want to make sure that your bike is suitable for the race you are doing. The design should be tailored to road biking, if you are doing a classic Tri. If you are participating in an X-terra or “off-road” type race, you want to have a bike, capable of off-roading.

Another factor, it seems no one is prepared for, during their first Tri, is the transition phase between each sport.

A few weeks out from your race, you should practice a “mock” race, once a week. This doesn’t mean you have to perform the whole distance of the race, but you DO want to have an idea of how long you will take to transfer from your wetsuit, into your running gear. Plus, you want to make sure you don’t FORGET anything! I have seen many people waste way too much energy in the transition areas, freaking out about the other people around them, misplacing or not having a piece of equipment at all, etc.

A well prepared triathlete is unchanged by the bustle of action around them. This may not be entirely possible to mimic, if your race does not take place near you and/or, you have no natural lake features, nearby. That’s ok. Just get in your local pool or wherever you swim and slap on your shoes right when you get out and head out the door!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Heather McCullough, a 30 -year-old mother of one, is a NETA certified personal trainer in Crested Butte, Colorado. Originally coming from a nursing background, she geared her goals towards positive and preemptive health by specializing in high-altitude training for triathletes and endurance runners. Heather has trained for 9 years and, as an endurance runner, participates in mountain races anywhere from marathon distance to 150 miles. Heather also heads up a high-altitude training camp at 9,000 ft for tri-athletes and endurance runners/bikers in Colorado. Photo Credit: HerBodies.com.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

97.

Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Lentil Burgers

Nutrition (per serving): Calories 211, Fat 7g, Protein 13g,,Carbs 22g, Fiber 8g, Sodium 261mg Ingredients: • 1 cup water • 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed • 1 bay leaf • 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil • 1/2 medium onion • 1 medium carrot • 2 oz smoked cheddar cheese, grated • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs • 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped • 1/2 tsp Salt and Pepper, each • 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp paprika • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 egg • Ezekiel 4:9® Sprouted Whole Grain Burger Buns

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

Preparation: 1) Put water, lentils and bay leaf in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Smash lentils with a potato masher and set aside to cool.

2) Heat Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a small skillet. Puree onion and carrot together and fry in the skillet for about 5 minutes, until they are soft. Set aside to cool.

3) In a medium bowl, mix cheese, breadcrumbs, spices, herbs and eggs. Add lentils and onion-carrot mixture. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

4) Shape into four patties and fry in a cooking spray-coated skillet over medium heat. Serve with your favorite burger toppings.

5) Serve on Ezekiel 4:9® Sprouted Whole Grain Burger Bun, lettuce, slice tomatoes and condiments.

Thai Crunch Salad with Almond Ginger Dressing

SALAD Ingredients: • 2 grilled chicken breasts, shredded • 1 head napa cabbage cut into 1/2 inch strips • 1 head romaine lettuce, cut into 1/2 inch strips • 2 large carrots peeled and julienned (or buy a small bag of matchstick carrots) • 2 bunches of green onions, thinly sliced, green part and all • 1 large english cucumber julienned (or remove the seeds from a regular cucumber and julienne) • 1 large bunch cilantro, chopped • 2 cups cooked, shelled edamame • 1 cup peanuts (I prefer raw) • 1 cup almond ginger dressing or store-bought organic Asian Dressing of your choice • 1 cup crispy wonton strips

Preparation FOR SALAD: 1) Place all salad ingredients in a LARGE mixing bowl and toss to mix.

2) Portion out the amount of salad you’d like to serve and pour Almond Ginger Dressing over the salad. Mix to coat. Toss gently with crispy wonton strips, if using.

Serve immediately!

Nutrition (per serving): Calories 211, Fat 7g, Protein 13g, Carbs 22g, Fiber 8g, Sodium 261mg

Almond Ginger Dressing Ingredients: • 1/2 cup raw almond butter • 1/2 cup whole raw almonds • 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice • 1 thumb of fresh garlic • 1 1/2 tablespoons lite soy sauce • 2 tablespoon agave or maple syrup or 2 packets of Stevia • 1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar • 1/2 cup water (use as needed) • 1/2 teaspoon (scant) cayenne pepper • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation for Almond Ginger Dressing: • Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor.

Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

• Ready for immediate use or refrigerate for up to five days.

Winter 2012 Issue • FitnessX.com

99.

Individual meatloaf recipe by Adrienne Van Lew - CPT, Firefighter, & FitnessX Magazine Writwer/Model

Nutrition: (4 Servings) 1 Serving = Calories 230, Fat 6g, Carbs 17g, Protein 24g , Sodium 225mg

Ingredients: • 1-lb lean ground turkey • 1-lb lean ground beef • 3 egg whites • 3 large eggs • 1 cup milk • ½ cup bread crumbs or panko • ½ cups grated Parmesan • ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning • ½ tablespoon salt • 2 garlic cloves minced

Preparation: 1) Top with light sugar ketchup or no sugar ketchup.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3) Mix together all ingredients in a bowl.

4) Scoop into a muffin tin or brownie pan, until slightly overflowing. They shrink down a lot!

5) Bake for approximately 25 minutes. Top with ketchup and serve. Enjoy!

Breakfast burritos recipe by Leha Long, FitnessX Magazine Writer/Model

Nutrition: (Serving Size = 1 Burrito) Calories 250, Fat 10g, Carbs 25g, Protein 16g , Sodium 135mg

Ingredients: • 1 low-Carb Low-Fat Soft Taco Tortilla • 6 tbsp. Liquid Egg Whites • 2.5 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast • 1/4 cup Diced Onions, Raw • 1/4 cup of Sliced Avocados, Raw • 1/3 cup Diced Green Peppers • 1/3 Diced Tomatoes, Raw

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

Preparation: 1) Cook the turkey, onions, avocado, and bell peppers.

2) Scramble the eggwhites in a pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

3) Remove the eggs, then spray the pan again and place the tortilla in the pan.

4) While the tortilla is cooking, place the scrambled eggs, chopped onions, green peppers, and turkey on top.

5) Wrap the tortilla around the mix and enjoy!

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Nutrition: (Makes 4 servings, Serving size = 1 1/3 cup) Calories 227, Protein 25g, Carbs 27g, Fat 9g

recipe by Caithleen Heffernan, FitnessX Magazine /Writer/Model

Ingredients: • 2 cups Greek Yogurt, low fat • 1 ½ cups 1% cottage cheese • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract • 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped • 2 tbsp. honey

Preparation: 1) In a blender, add yogurt, cottage cheese, vanilla, strawberries and honey. Blend well until smooth.

2) Add the blended ingredients to your ice cream maker following the manufacturers instructions.

3) Leave it to churn for approximately 25 minutes.

4) Serve right away and freeze any leftovers. Enjoy!

Cranberry-apricot flax seed Muffins

Ingredients: • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp baking soda • 3/4 cup skim milk • 1/4 cup rolled oats • 1/4 cup cranberries; fresh or frozen • 1/4 cup dry apricots • 1 tbsp flaxseed • 3 tbsp Smart Balance Light Butter (flaxseed oil) • 1/4 tsp salt • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder • 2 egg whites • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (Bob’s Red Mill) • 2 tbsp Stevia blends

Nutrition: (Makes 2 servings, Serving Size = 1 muffin) Calories 190, Fat 1g, Protein 5g, Carbs 26g, Sodium 120mg

Preparation: 1) Preheat oven to 400 F. 2) Combine flour, oats, stevia, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

3) In a separate bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, egg whites, cranberries, apricots, and flaxseed.

4) Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix the batter.

5) Pour batter into non-stick or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffin tops are lightly browned and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

101.

2 AB-tastic Moves to a Flat Tummy!

1

FitnessX Magazine Model: Christine Le Monde

Couture Fitness Clothing: Elisabetta Rogiani

>>> The Hundred

BillyBow Photography

(Intermediate)

BillyBow Photography

Location: Gold’s Gym - Venice, CA

INTERMEDIATE Setup: Lie on your back with feet off the floor and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your arms long and just above your abdominal floor, your head and shoulders should be curled off the floor using your abdominal muscles to support the head.

Feel a fold just under the chest and flatten the tummy. Make sure to keep the spine in a flat or neutral position, keeping the mid ribcage or shoulder blades connected to your mat.

Movement: Pulse your arms up and down at your side energetically keeping time to the 5-count breath in and the 5-count breath out.

Keep your head and torso still and unmoving as you pulse your arms like pressing a pile of sand on either side of your hips. Keep flattening the abdominals. Do 100 pulses.

ADVANCED Setup: Lying on your back with both legs extended out somewhere between a 90-degree and a 45-degree angle to the floor.

Caution: The farther you lower your legs the harder your abs have to work to keep the spine in neutral, meaning the ribs do not pull off the mat or you will have a pain in the back! If you feel a pull in your back and cannot keep your ribs connected to your mat then raise your legs higher to the sky until you feel your tummy flatten and your back stable.

(See above in highlighted area for the movement.)

BEGINNER Setup: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet on the floor and arms long and just above your abdominal floor. Your head and shoulders can be lifted or down. (See above in the pink font for the movement.)

2

>>> Crunches

INTERMEDIATE Setup: Lie on your back with feet off the floor and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your arms behind your head with your fingers behind your ears.

Movement: Lift your shoulders and head to the ceiling with your chin pointing towards the ceiling and not tucking your chin to your chest.

Make sure not to pull with your hands. Hold for 2 to 3 seconds and then slowly return to the beginning position. Do 15-20 reps.

BillyBow Photography

(Intermediate)

ADVANCED Setup: (Same as Intermediate.)

Movement: (See above in the pink font for the movement.) Hold for one second and then slowly return to the beginning position. Do 20-25 reps.

BEGINNER Setup: Lie on your back feet on the floor and arms crossed in front of your chest.

Movement: (See above in the pink font for the movement.) Hold for one second and then slowly return to the beginning position. Do 10-15 reps.

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

elisabetta rogiani® C o u tu r e fi tn e s s

APPAREL STORE

Get your fitness & fashion gear! http://www.cafepress.com/fitnessx

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

103.

Makeup by: Natalie Lyle & Kelly Thorpe

ria o Vict ova n a s r Ki

RED

L E D O FIT M

U F E AT

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FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

B-HOUSE

PHOTOGRAPHY

NPC Bikini Champion This Russian beauty was born into a family of circus artists.

She relocated to the USA in 1999, joining the world-famous Ringling Bros circus as a Cossack horse rider. Her equestrian skills as a trainer and performer led her to Medieval Times where she discovered her passion for weight-training. “Every knight at Medieval Times was required to work out. Luckily, I was offered a sport’s club membership.” Victoria found working with weights and the improvements that brought to her figure an inspiration. “I had always admired great physiques and figures, especially gymnasts. Despite my circus background and already very active lifestyle I still had to add exercises and watch my diet or I would still gain weight.”

“I wanted to look elegant and sporty and thought that lifting weights would make me big and manly. It’s funny how wrong I was. I discovered that correctly lifting weights and the right nutrition plan would sculpt my figure just the way I want.”

Victoria, always a performer, began competing in NPC shows in 2009 and has 3 Overall titles under her belt, including CA State 2011. With the support of her fitness friends and growing experience, she took her physique to the next level and decided to use her knowledge to train others to reach their fitness goals.

Never one to rest, Victoria keeps pushing herself to excel. “Last year I decided that I wanted to go for IFBB Pro Status and to challenge myself on the bigger stage and the next level.” She sought out Kim Oddo, one of the best trainers in the fitness field.

It was a perfect match. “I have never been happier with the improvement in my physique since I started training with Kim. In March 2012 I took 2nd place at the NPC Governor’s Cup, and in July I was honored, happy and proud to win Bikini overall at the NPC Los Angeles Championships” Victoria looks forward to the challenges ahead. “I am so excited for the New Year, to continue working on my fitness goals and inspire and help other people to achieve theirs. Here we go 2013! “

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

105.

Wellness & Fitness: A Perspective

Holistic

by Flavia Villela

W

e all want to achieve a certain personal image, cultivate our bodies and live a healthy life. Having a background in both western and eastern medicine -- and being involved in fitness all my life -- I want to talk about how we can keep ourselves healthy and beautiful inside and out.

We all want to be in good shape, but achieving and maintaining this, needs to be based on a solid structure, otherwise the results fluctuate or elude us altogether. This structure is relatively simple: it’s important to have an awareness of our goals and the changes in our body and state of mind. As we know, the mind is totally connected to our body activity.

Oriental Medicine is based on the concept of working on the root of the “problem”. Health is perceived as the harmony of our organs and our “qi” or “energy”, which regulates digestion, breathing, etc…Chinese Medicine sees each organ as a complex system, which has a corresponding emotion. When we become aware of an imbalance, we are able to treat it holistically and reestablish the harmony between our energy and physical bodies.

From my perspective, I interpret an imbalance or illness as an opportunity to learn more about ourselves, our habits, and to create new ways of being so that we can move forward better than ever before.

The most common pattern I have found in my practice is “qi stagnation” – that energy is not flowing smoothly and properly. Usually patients present mood swings, anxiety, depression, irritabil106.

FitnessX.com • Winter 2013

ity, gloomy feelings, repressed anger, resentment and frequent sighing; also, the feeling of being “stuck” mentally, emotionally. At the physical level, patients often experience bloating, constipation and pain.

“Anxiety” is one of the most common feelings that I find in my practice, and it comes from fear, insecurity, from not knowing what lies ahead etc…Many of these patients, start compensating by eating, in order to “adjust” the anxiety or feeling of being “stuck”. In fact, “eating” only brings temporary pleasure and relief.

Gaining weight is the result -- and often the chief complaint -- when a patient comes to my office for the first time.

I begin treatment by moving the “qi” or energy, needling accupoints that will bring mental and emotional relief. This improves clarity and helps a patient start to take new actions. The classic accupoints used are the combination of points called the “four gates” that we needle in the feet and hands. They are all points representing the great passageway for the flow of qi and patients start having a sense of peace. Other points to move qi are added according to the patient’s specific diagnosis.

I also treat the gastrointestinal tract. Eating too many fatty, sweet foods, over eating, and getting too little exercise can damage this system. If damaged, it will fail to assimilate food properly and then metabolize and store calories as fat. It is important to normalize the bowel movements, strengthen the digestion system to benefit the

proper food absorption, and eliminating mucus.

Depending on the patient’s condition, the results are immediate, but there is always an improvement after two or three treatments.

Patients over 35 present symptoms of “deficiency” as part of the normal picture of premenopause. Slowly, the levels of hormones start to drop and clinical signs such as fatigue start to manifest. The type of pulse, tongue and other symptoms provide the clinical manifestations of the “deficiency” pattern. I needle accupoints to revive the endocrine system, to help increase the patient’s body metabolism and level of sexual hormones. Patients usually feel that they regained health, vigor and energy.

If you are not in any treatment, you still can benefit from new actions and create new habits: 1) Eating – It is important to “eat” to nourish the body and not “fill the void” from our expectations.

When finishing a meal, do not aim for fullness, instead leave a little room. People often confuse appetite for hunger. Your body will effectively use good nutrition and store what you over-feed it. Give it enough to be healthy, not more. The simpler and less processed food you eat, the better. It helps you not creating the feeling of “craving” for any food with no nutritional value.

For instance, steamed vegetables (good source of fibers), grilled chicken or fish and even sometimes red meat (protein), quinoa (carbohydrates), nuts (oils) etc…they are all very good choices.

part of your daily routine. I tell my patients, you need to start moving “yesterday”. This habit helps tremendously and will make a big difference in your state of mind. If you think you don’t have time, make an appointment with yourself and honor it like any other. This is “your time”.

3) Always be connected to your mind, emotions and thoughts. Associate, integrate and relate them with all the other aspects of your life.

Talk with yourself if necessary and be your best friend.

The key to achieving your health and personal image is to accept that you are responsible for yourself. Your image is an expression of your personality, soul, and mental state. Being able to integrate all the aspects of balance in your life will make you a better, stronger and evolved person. This is a process that never stops and let us moves forward! Having a fit body is about having a fit mind and fit spirit.

2) Physical Activity – You can move qi by exercising. No matter what you do - yoga, tai chi, qi gong, lifting weights, cardio - it needs to become References Barnes PM, Bloom B, Nahin R. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults and children: United States, 2007. CDC National Health Statistics Report #12. 2008.

O’Brien KA, Xue CC. The theoretical framework of Chinese medicine. In: Leung PC, Xue CC, Cheng YC, eds. A Comprehensive Guide to Chinese Medicine. River Edge, NJ: World Scientific Publishing Co.; 2003.

Xue CC, O’Brien KA. Modalities of Chinese medicine. In: Leung PC, Xue CC, Cheng YC, eds. A Comprehensive Guide to Chinese Medicine.

River Edge, NJ: World Scientific Publishing Co.; 2003.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Flavia Villela graduated in 1982 in Biomedicine at Santo Amaro University - Brazil. She furthered studies in Endocrinology by researching “Mechanisms of Insulin Secretion and Physical Activity” at Sao Paulo University. She has published articles in “Physiological Behavior “ in the Brazilian Journal of Medical Biological Research magazines. She studied Alternative Medicine, graduated from Emperor’s College in Santa Monica, CA, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine. Flavia is California Licensed Acupuncturist, and National Board Certified Diplomate in Oriental Medicine.

Winter 2013 • FitnessX.com

107.

It’s a New Year…

What is the Best Resolution?

by Miranda Hoffmann, CPT

Each and every new year, we all decide to make a resolution to improve something within our lives over the course of the next twelve months. We have great intentions to stick to these new plans and grow to an even bigger resolution for the next year. Unfortunately, we tend to set our goals too high to attain, or we focus our goals on subjects that never end up being as important as we felt they were when we made them. So what is the best resolution for the year? One that is set specifically for YOU. So what does that mean? The first thing you need to do is make a list of things you DIDN’T accomplish the year before. Then ask yourself WHY you didn’t accomplish these things. The list for the reasons why you didn’t accomplish your goals should be your New Year’s Resolution. Don’t focus on the actual things that you want to accomplish…focus on fixing the reasons within yourself that have caused you to NOT achieve past goals and resolutions. In doing so, you will first improve yourself on the inside, giving you the inner strength and knowledge to conquer the goals you have in the forefront of your mind. These goals typically consist of losing weight, making more money, buying a house, falling in love, growing your business, etc. The list goes on.

But what we never think about is WHY we haven’t reached these goals in the past and/or what is going on within ourselves that is preventing us from making our dreams come true.

Once you make your list it will usually look something like this: lack of motivation, too much time wasted doing things that aren’t productive, too little self esteem, lack of a great mentor or someone to help you on your path, bad influences found in certain people that surround you, impatience, lack of self care regarding health, etc. Sound familiar? Now run through this list with each individual “typical” new year’s goal listed above. Do you see how all of these internal struggles can hinder ANY of these goals? First fix YOU. Strengthen YOU. Then you’ll see how you can accomplish things such as losing weight or moving up the corporate ladder much quicker afterward. And you’ll realize which goals are most important to you.

According to the

Journal of Clinical Psychology, if you resolved to lose weight, you’ve chosen the most popular resolution.

The study found that 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and only 8% of all resolutions are successful, however, people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals. 75% of people stick with their resolutions for the first week but only 46% stick with it all the way to the 6-month mark.

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2013: 1. Lose Weight 2. Get more organized.

I use this idea with my clients when they struggle to lose weight. When having conversations with them, I try to find out WHY they can’t stick to eating well. WHY they can’t give up soda pop or beer. WHY they give in to the idea that they will fail, so they end up failing. Once you get to the source of the issue, you’ll understand how to fix it. You’ll be amazed to find how it will improve so many aspects of your life.

3. Save more money and spend less.

Bottom line: You don’t need a shooting star to reach your dreams. You only need a sheet of paper, a pen, and an open mind to who you really are and where you want to be. Be honest with yourself and fix those things that are holding you back. Only then can you be truly successful.

5. Get fit and healthy.

4. Embrace and enjoy life.

6. Learn something new.

7. Quit smoking.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Miranda Hoffmann is a Certified Fitness Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and owner of Focus Fitness by Miranda. She has been working as a fitness professional for over four years and takes pride in helping her clients achieve their goals. Miranda’s main focus is on weight loss, healthy weight gain, weight management, nutrition and lifestyle coaching, figure and bikini preparation and posing, and overall health. Whether in a gym setting, in-home training, or her corporate boot camps, you can be assured to get personal quality guidance and results. You can find out more on Miranda, visit focusbymiranda.com or contact her at mirandacft@gmail.com. Photo by: 180 Photography.

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8. Help others.

9. Fall in love.

10. Spend more time with family and loved ones.

Jodi Tiahrt

J odi has competed in 29 fitness related shows in the last three years and 41 contests since starting her fitness journey! Jodi has won 31 first place wins as well!

Jodi is available for online coaching, guest appearances, seminars, photo shoots, etc.. If you are interested in any of her services please feel free to contact her at Jodi@JodiTiahrt.com or visit the Contact section on www.JodiTiahrt.com and submit your information.

Jodi Tiahrt is a ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor, Fitness Pole Dance Instructor, Nutritionist, Professional Bikini, Fitness & Sports Model Competitor, Motivational Speaker, Actress, Model, and the list goes on!

Established in 2010 Formed by an explosive merge of seasoned fitness veterans and founder, Matteo Baker, 220 Fitness Concepts located on Main Street in Santa Monica, has united the industry's savviest personal trainers and instructors to nurture physical health and mental well-being in a fun, energetic atmosphere. This fusion brings over 20 years of national and international fitness experience to its members and community. Blend in the Personal Training component that features some of the most educated and passionate trainers in the industry and you've got a concoction being touted as "Recess for Adults" at 220 Fitness Concepts. Additionally, 220 Fitness Concepts offers eco-friendly green incentives to those members opting to walk or ride a bike to the gym in lieu of driving their car.