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BURN FAT! With These Amazing Workouts

CLEAN MEALS IN 20 MIN.

GET A FIRM BOOTY Amanda Latona’s

Best Butt Boosters!

BUILD

MUSCLE

AS YOU GET LEAN & TONED TRANSFORM

YOUR BODY IN 2 WEEKS SCULPT

SEXY SHOULDERS






FAL L 2 017

94 Extreme Weight Loss coach and bikini competitor Heidi Powell helps get you ripped in two weeks.

102 Eat clean in less time with filling, fresh, protein-packed recipes.

108 Get beautiful delts, tri’s, bi’s, chest, and back with this four-week plan.

116 Filling, figure-friendly smoothies for every day.

120 Get a great bike fit, choose the right ride, and love your new leg day.

130 Take control of grocery store aisles by seeking out these 37 better-for-you packaged foods.

136 Wake up and slay your exercise goals with these new workouts, recipes, and tips.

146

PER BERNAL

LATONA KUCLO.

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Contents

28 Face-Off Build your teardrop muscle. 30 Movement Mechanics Benefits of barefoot training.

36 All About Calories 38 How to‌Train Negatives Master the eccentric part of a rep.

146

40 Fat-Burning Boxing Technique that packs a punch.

42 Fit in Action 46 Clean Kitchen Use these oils for tastier, healthier meals.

48 Vegan Fall Recipes

66

Curb cravings, build muscle, and eat cleaner than ever.

70 Your Body on Sugar

90

Implant Risks Possible side effects to consider.

52 Breakfast Recipes

Sour truths about sweets.

Waste no time at sunrise. Cook up healthy fare on the fly.

72 Ace Your Aches Fix shoulder impingement.

88 Happy Hands

56 1 Food, 5 Ways

74 Healthy Living Trends

Protect your digits.

Sweet potatoes!

Four fittest U.S. hotel chains.

58 Nutrition News

80 Personalized Style

REGULARS

Breakthroughs for your health.

Perfect-for-you products, delivered to your door.

08 Online 10 Letter from

82 Sleep Soundly

12 14 154 160

62 Ask the Experts Fix strength imbalances and solve the mid-workout crash.

Recover better at night.

64 Transformation

86 New Lifting Shoes

From skinny to sporty and strong.

For weightlifting wins.

6 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

the Chairman Hot List Reader’s Page Supplements Motivation

On the Cover Amanda Latona Kuclo Photographed by Per Bernal Hair & Makeup by Natalie Malchev Styled & Produced by Cat Perry Top & Bottoms: Elisabetta Rogiani

F R O M T O P L E F T: M O YA M C A L L I S T E R ; P E R B E R N A L ; C H R I S L U N D ; P E R B E R N A L

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AFTER

BEFORE

You, Only Better

Get Fitter This Fall Check out our newest workouts, tasty recipes featuring quick breakfasts and protein-packed dinners, plus nutrition and training advice to help you power through the season at muscleandfitness .com/fallfitness.

Watch exclusive video of cover model Amanda Latona Kuclo’s photo shoot. Plus, the former bikini competitor turned Booty Queen clothing creator reveals her secrets behind building an amazing butt, as well as training tips, workout splits, favorite exercises, and more. muscleandfitness.com/amanda

@MUSCLEANDFITNESSHERS

8 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

@MUSCLEANDFITNESSHERS

@MUSCLE_FITNESS

MUSCLEANDFITNESS.COM/HERS

F R O M B O T T O M L E F T: G A L L E R Y S T O C K ; P E R B E R N A L ; C O U R T E S Y O F C A I LT I N S C H E M B R I

AMANDA!

Looking to reboot your diet, recharge your fitness, or simply find more motivation to be your healthiest self ever? We’ve got transformation tips and smart, easy-to-adapt strategies from experts in fitness, nutrition, supplements, and more. Head over to muscleandfitness.com /transformationtips for fresh advice on how to get results that last.


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EVP/Group Publishing Director Chris Scardino VP/Editorial Director Shawn Perine Founding Chairman Joe Weider (1920–2013)

From the

CHAIRMAN

EDITORIAL Executive Editor Alyssa Shaffer Managing Editor Brian Good Deputy Editor Cat Perry Assistant Editor Kristin Mahoney Copy Chief Pearl Amy Sverdlin Copy Editors Jeff Tomko, Yeun Littlefield, Marc Bailes Research Editor Adam Bible Editorial Production Director Russell Mendoza Editorial Production Manager Victor Kim Technical Adviser Gino Caccavale, AFAA

WE KNOW how hard it can be to fit a healthy lifestyle into a jam-packed schedule. Squeezing in meal prep, workout splits, and cardio can be a challenge when you’re also juggling the demands of work, family, friends, and more. But don’t stress: We’ve got you covered on even your craziest, busiest days. No time for the kitchen? Check out the 20-minute clean meal ideas on p. 102 for help on getting all the macros you need in a hurry, without sacrificing flavor. Don’t miss our editor-approved cleanest packaged foods guide (p. 130) for time-saving prepared options for every taste and budget. Follow that with the “anyone can become a morning person” exercise plans (p. 136) and see why a.m. workouts are the most efficient way to get fit and stay that way. Fall is also a great time to reboot your fitness program. Find fresh ways to sculpt your entire upper body like 2x Ms. Figure Olympia Latorya Watts (p. 108), or discover how cover girl and Booty Queen entrepreneur Amanda Latona Kuclo builds her impressive physique (p. 16). See why hopping on a bicycle is one of the best ways to recharge your routine (p. 120). And get inspired by some of the biggest names in fitness over the past 30-plus years of women in the Olympia (p. 146). How do you make time for your fit lifestyle? We Amanda Latona Kuclo shares targeted want to know! Tweet us training tips to lift and tighten glutes. @MandFHers, post on our Facebook page, tag us on Instagram @MuscleandFitnessHers, or visit Pinterest @Muscle_Fitness. As always, your feedback and trust are essential to our success.

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Ramón Gamarra Designer Cynthia Ng Photo Director Anthony Nolan Photo Editors Gaby Chiang, Erica Schultz Photo Researcher Samir Abady PRODUCTION Production/Distribution Manager Marc Melcher MUSCLEANDFITNESS.COM/HERS Digital Director Declan O’Kelly Editorial Assistants Rose McNulty, Brian Riley ADVERTISING Advertising Director Dara Markus Associate Director of Marketing Samantha DiTata EASTERN SALES OFFICE: 4 New York Plaza, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10004; (212) 339-1900; fax (212) 510-1947 Digital Sales Manager Mike Myers DETROIT SALES OFFICE: RPM Associates, (248) 690-7013 Detroit Sales Representative Jay Gagan MIDWESTERN SALES OFFICE: 1005 W. Grove St., Arlington Heights, IL 60005; (312) 545-8041; fax (847) 749-0469 Sales Director Darrin Klapprodt WESTERN SALES OFFICE: 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1220 Los Angeles, CA 90010; (818) 595-0473 Senior Account Director Talin Boustani SOUTHEASTERN SALES OFFICE: 1000 American Media Way, Boca Raton, FL 33464; (561)-997-7733; fax (561) 266-0664 ENTHUSIAST GROUP INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING Group Publisher Samantha Lund Tel: +44 (1) 1423 550 848; e-mail: slund@weideruk.com WEIDER PUBLICATIONS, LLC A SUBSIDIARY OF AMERICAN MEDIA INC. Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer David Pecker Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Hyson Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer/ Chief Operating Officer Chris Polimeni Executive Vice President, Digital Media Operations/ Chief Information Officer David Thompson Senior Vice President/Chief Digital Officer Brian Kroski Senior Vice President, Operations Rob M. O’Neill Vice President, Consumer Marketing Ephraim R. Brennan FOREIGN EDITIONS

Belarus

Finland

Kazakhstan

Latvia

Russia

Ukraine

Disclaimer Reader discretion is advised. Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise or diet program, or when making changes in an existing program if you have any doubts about your health status. Printed in USA We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts, and letters.

1 0 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

PER BERNAL

David J. Pecker Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of American Media Inc.


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FAVE WORKOUT TOOL: KETTLEBELLS “Kettlebells have incredible versatility. They’re a fun way to do HIIT and cardio; they also help build muscle mass. Plus, they work on isolation moves as well as a total-body workout. Talk about a win-win!”

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FAVE WORKOUT TOOL: SMITH MACHINE “This is by far my favorite. It works various muscle groups, helps with back and knee support, and it’s got you if you fail! There are at least 10 different leg workouts I love to do on it. It’s also great for chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, and more!”

Get inspired! Try the body-changing workout equipment that five fitness influencers love for staying in top form.

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FAVE WORKOUT TOOL: WEIGHT-ASSISTED PULLUP MACHINE “Whether it’s a weightassisted or regular pullup bar, I like that just changing hand positions can target different areas of the back. I also love focusing on time under tension, like a six-second hold on the way down. It’s excellent for widening the back.” 1 4 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

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C L O C K W I S E F R O M B O T T O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F K R I S TA D U N N ; C O U R T E S Y O F S A R A H B O W M A R ; T H E O D O R E B A N Z H A F; C O U R T E SY O F J O R DA N ED WA R D S; G E O F F C A P TA IN S T U D I O S

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Want a better butt? (Duh, yes, you do!) We’ve got a dynamo derriere workout that will help you ďŹ nally amplify your behind so your curves cause swerves from now on.


B

Seesaw Lunge with Kettlebells or Dumbbells

Tools you’ll need: 2 kettlebells 2 plyo boxes or benches Dumbbells Barbell with plates

Resistance band Ankle weights Bosu

A

1 8 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

Stand with feet hip width holding DBs at shoulder height or kettlebells in the front rack position. (Hold a KB in each hand; curl weight toward chest until you can rotate wrist slightly outward, letting weight rest in front of shoulders.) Lunge forward with right foot (A), lowering until left knee nearly touches floor. Press through heel, and use your glutes and core to return to start. Step to your right for a side lunge (B), straightening your left knee while bending your right knee. Step back with right foot to perform a reverse lunge (not shown). Return to start.

Shot on location at Clutch Bodyshop, Los Angeles, CA

S T Y L ED & P RO D U C ED BY C AT P ER RY; H A IR & M A K EU P BY N ATA L IE M A L C H E V; T O P: EL I S A B E T TA RO G I A N I S P O R T S B R A ; B O T T O M S: B O O T Y Q U EEN L E G G IN G S; S H O E S: A D IDA S

SETS/REPS: 1 lunge in each direction (front/side/back) 5 times through. Switch legs, that’s 1 circuit. Repeat circuit 3 times.


Box Curtsy Lunge SETS/REPS: 3 x 10 per leg

Stand on top of box or bench with right foot close to the edge, holding one end of a dumbbell vertically with both hands, elbows down and close to sides, heel of left foot raised (A). Slowly shift weight onto your right leg. Bracing your core, bend right knee, bringing left leg behind right and off bench until your toes touch, or nearly touch, the floor (B). While lowering, make sure to keep your chest up. Press up to standing until your hips are locked out at top and standing leg is straight.

SETS/REPS: 4 x 10

A

B

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 9


Barbell Stepup SETS/REPS: 3 x 8 per side

Place a knee-high bench or box in front of a power rack. Load a barbell on the rack with moderate to heavy weight and rest it across your trapezius muscles (top area of back), grasping it with an overhand grip, elbows pointed toward floor. Walk barbell forward from rack until you are about a foot from the box. Place your left foot on the box. This is your starting position. Drive through your glutes, quads, and hamstrings to propel you to the top of the box until both feet are planted on the box and hips are fully extended at the top. Engage your glutes to lower your right foot back to the floor. Quickly return to top of box, powering with your glutes.

1½ Squat SETS/REPS: 3 x 12

Grasp a loaded barbell at a squat rack with an overhand grip, or hold a kettlebell upside down in front of chest in goblet position. If holding barbell, walk it forward a foot from the rack (A). Brace your abs and focus on your glutes as you lower your hips back and down into a low squat until your thighs are about parallel to the floor (B). Immediately pulse yourself up to halfway between standing and squatting (not shown). Immediately drop back to the bottom of the squat. Then return to standing under control until hips are fully extended at top. That’s one rep. 2 0 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

A

B


Banded Frog Kicks SETS/REPS: 4 x 20

Stand facing the length of a bench or in front of a box (shown) and place a band around your lower thighs, just above your knees. Lie facedown on the box and hold its sides, bracing your abs. Lift your feet slightly off the floor until your knees are bent 90 degrees. This is your starting position (A). Engage your glutes to lift your knees until they are parallel to the floor; at the same time, pull band apart (B). Lower to start and repeat.

TRAINER:

Jaclyn Sklaver sports nutritionist and personal trainer fitmissnyc.com

A

A

B

Kickstand Deadlift SETS/REPS: 3 x 10 per side

Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your left hand, arm straight and palm facing thighs. Step your left foot back and rest your weight on the ball of your left foot and your entire right foot (A). Hinge forward at hips, pressing glutes back while lowering the weight straight down toward the floor, keeping the weight close to your body (B). Press back to standing position and repeat. Form notes: Let both knees bend just enough until you feel a stretch in your glutes; keep back straight, not rounded, and neck in line with torso throughout move.

B

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 21


Banded Hip Thrust into Adduction SETS/REPS: 4 x 10 of each

Stand perpendicular to a bench and place a band around your lower thighs, just above your knees. Sit with just your shoulders resting on one side of bench and place hands either along length of the bench or behind your head (A).

With feet hip width, bridge your hips up until they form a straight line with torso (B). Lower hips until they nearly touch the floor. Perform this hip thrust 10 times. At the top of the last rep, keep hips elevated and press knees open to engage outer glutes (C). Bring knees back to start (hip width). Perform adduction 10 times total. Immediately return to the hip bridge and repeat sequence.

A

B

C

A

2 2 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

B


Bosu GluteHamstring Raise SETS/REPS: 3 x 10

Place a Bosu 1½ feet away from the wall, or about a shin’s length away. Press your feet flat against the bottom of the wall and your knees onto the Bosu. Lift your hands in front of your chest, bending your elbows. This is your starting position (A). Using glutes and hamstrings to stabilize your fall, let your torso drop toward the floor until hands are flat on floor and body is straight (B). Press feet into wall and use glutes to quickly rise back up to starting position, aiming to keep body in a straight line from head to knees. A

B

Weighted Ankle Crossover SETS/REPS: 3 x 12

C

Wrap ankle weights around ankles. Get on all fours with your forearms on the mat and knees about a foot behind hips. Straighten your right leg next to your left (A). Brace your abs and fire your glutes to lift your right leg up and over (B) until you tap your right toe outside your left foot (C). Return to start, bringing right leg next to left. Focus on the mind-muscle connection to use just your glutes for the movement. M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 23


g n Lo e v i n L e ue

Q

THE

IF YOU’VE EVER MET AMANDA LATONA KUCLO,

best known as the Booty Queen, you’ve realized one thing right away: This girl has fun with life. On set, Kuclo is singing to the music, laughing and staying relaxed. Joy motivates her to work harder. “I’ve always been a hard worker; I’m not a diva in any way. I picture the outcome and think, ‘Let’s get the shot and have fun with it.’ Because to me, it is a lot of fun. You work hard, you train hard, and having fun on set will come through in the images. I shot my first cover in 2010 for Muscle & Fitness Hers, and since then the magazine has been nothing but supportive.”

Hit a High Note You could easily say that Kuclo has always been a natural in the spotlight. Her first most notable obsession that put her onstage was singing. At age 18, she was in a girl band called “Innosense” alongside Britney Spears (just before Britney reached stardom). Kuclo’s musical career didn’t end up being her bread and butter, but doing her best for an audience has been an enduring ethic. She fell in love with fitness when she was still singing, and it was only a matter of time before she stepped onstage as a competitor. After years of dedicating herself to the 24 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

weight room, Kuclo (then Latona) earned her IFBB pro card in 2009. For more than a decade, she clinched more than 25 first-place fitness and bikini competition finishes—10 of those IFBB championships. Since then, she keeps expanding her fit-fluence— inspiring others who want to follow a fit, healthy lifestyle— and she became a Team AllMax-sponsored athlete.

Amanda’s Bubble Booty Workout Basics Ask which is her favorite butt exercise, and she’ll say all of them, but here is her exact plan for how she strategizes

her glute training. Your booty can be made tighter and rounder with her five key tips. 1. TRAIN WITH VARIATION “It’s superimportant to incorporate a variety of angles into your training program and to do different reps and vary your weights and machines.” If you’ve found yourself on one surface or tool too long (say, four sessions or more), it’s time to switch it up. Same thing with your rep schemes. Start incorporating rep variety like rest-pause, dropsets, etc. And go heavy. “I’m a big believer in heavy lifting. But incorporating lighter reps, body-weight movements, and plyometrics is also key when you’re training.” Her most important weight tip: “Use tools and do moves that isolate the glutes so you can go heavier on them. Exercises like the barbell hip thrust, banded hip thrust, and glute kickbacks are great examples of isolation moves I love.” Of course, classic compound moves have a firm place in her regimen as well, but they also require variety. “If you just do a squat, a leg press, a stepup,

and a lunge, your plane of motion has been only up and down—not side to side or diagonal. You have to hit your abductors with moves like walking lunges, reverse lunges, and curtsies to hit different parts of your glutes and get that roundness. And do a good active warmup using bands or unweighted squats. If you do moves like squats with weights that are so heavy that you essentially can’t feel what you’re working, you may miss your glutes altogether.”

2. AVOID MASSIVE QUADS WHILE BOOTY TRAINING “A lot of times women will ask, ‘How do you build your glutes without getting your quads bigger?’ For a lot of women, their legs will just blow up doing common glute exercises.” Kuclo says it’s mostly trial and error—you can’t write off one tool until you’ve figured out what works best for you. “For cardio, if I go on the stairs, I notice that my quads pop [and not in a good way] just like that. But if I do an incline treadmill, I’m still hitting the glutes without putting a lot of weight on my quads.” To avoid big quads, skip cardio with added resistance, such as spinning or climbing stairs with weights. Foot placement is also key, she adds. “You can change where a move hits


your glutes just on your stance. Feel around for what works best for you.” 3. DON’T OVERTRAIN YOUR GLUTES. “I have a T-shirt that says, ‘I only train glutes on days ending in Y.’ But that’s not actually the case!” she jokes. “If you’re giving everything to that workout, then two days is sufficient. There is such a thing as overtraining. You need time to grow. Outside the gym, the gains come with proper nutrition and rest. More is not always better.” 4. FOLLOW HER BOOTY BODY-PART SPLIT. “My body-part split is four days a week weights. Upper body, back, abs, lower body, and then a rest day or a cardioonly day. And then I would do another lower body and a

shoulders/arms/abs day. “This year, I’ve split up my glute days to do a glute day and a ham/glute day, and I’ve noticed a big difference in my hamstrings. For ham/glute day, I’ll do moves like stability ball curls and stiff-legged deadlifts. My glute day is more

but I’ve also done 10 sets of hip thrusts, five heavy and five lighter. My base is built on a 10- to 12-rep range. I like higher reps mainly with plyos and body weight, but with weight I’ll get into higher reps by using dropsets and rest-pause. If I’m doing

“There’s such a thing as overtraining—you need time for the muscles to grow. More is not always better.” arms/abs day. I keep it varied and always have a written plan before going into the gym.” 5. SWITCH UP YOUR SETS AND REPS. “There’s not a golden number of sets or reps—you have to mix it up. I personally like to do four sets,

stiff-legged deadlifts, for example, I’ll rack several smaller plates so it’s easier to drop down.”

Booty Queen “I’ve always wanted to make women’s leggings because I

love them myself. I don’t even wear jeans anymore!” Being CEO of her own business is different from anything else she’s ever accomplished. “With apparel, you’re always doing 15 things at once, and there are a lot of things out of your control. Manufacturers, deadlines, things that you order that don’t come in right or have the wrong colors or sizing. And then there’s customer service—you want to make people happy!” Her secret savior: Her husband: “The good thing about it is that I’m with my husband [IFBB pro bodybuilder Steve Kuclo], and we do this together. We both have the same vision for this and the Kuclo Classic Bodybuilding and Fitness show that we run. If we have a challenge, I’ve learned to change my mindset. Instead of being negative, I say to myself, ‘OK, we’re going to get through this. How do we learn from this and keep it from happening again?’ For example, we frequently run out of our leggings, which is amazing because it means women love them, but we need to learn how to turn that into a positive. “The Booty Queen apparel line and lifestyle website is taking the experience of my life and putting it into a brand that motivates women to love themselves and embrace their curves.” Everyone can get fit, she says, “you just have to make it work for your lifestyle.” Her goal is for women to make small changes—like watching their blood sugar, eating whole foods, and training in order to be healthier. “Weight training will help your body come into its natural shape so you can enjoy your life more, look better, and feel better while you’re doing it.”

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 25


FALL 2017

Feeling a midafternoon energy drag? Try skipping the coffee break and head for a flight of stairs instead. A recent study found that simply walking up and down stairs for 10 minutes gave participants a bigger energy boost than guzzling 50 milligrams of caffeine (about the same amount in a can of soda or half a cup of coffee). Bonus: You’ll also burn about 50 calories in the process. 26 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

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Training

PULSE 28 SCULPT SEXY QUADS | 30 WHY YOU SHOULD LIFT BAREFOOT | 36 ALL ABOUT CALORIES 38 ECCENTRIC TRAINING | 40 BEGINNER BOXING ROUTINE | 42 ALL-FEMALE TRANS-PACIFIC CREW



TONE YOUR TEARDROP Two fitness experts share go-to workouts that’ll take your quads to the next level

3X OLYMPIA PHYSIQUE CHAMP @JULESFIT10

PERSONAL TRAINER AND ONLINE COACH @TANAASHLEEE

a

SMITH MACHINE FRONT SQUAT (4 x 12)

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UNILATERAL LEG EXTENSION (3 x 15 each leg; no rest in between sets) Keep toes pointed out.

NARROW SQUAT (4 x 12)

HACK SQUAT (3 x 15)

DOUBLE STEPUP (4 x 10) Kneel down on a mat in front of a step. Step right foot forward, followed by left, then step up onto bench or box with left foot then right. Step down with right foot then left; then kneel down onto mat with left leg then right. Switch lead leg.

DUMBBELL LUNGE (3 x 20 each leg)

DUMBBELL FORWARD LUNGE (4 x 12 per leg)

SINGLE-LEG WALL SQUAT (4 x 12 per leg) Lean back against a wall and bend both knees 90 degrees. Lift right leg parallel to floor. Lower and repeat on left. Continue for reps, remaining in squat. WALKING SIDE SQUAT (4 x 12 per leg) From low squat, take small steps to the right, staying in a squat throughout. Reverse direction. Place resistance band around legs for extra challenge.

PER BERNAL

LEG EXTENSION Warm up with two light sets. Add weight for a difficult 15 reps with full range of motion and squeeze at top position with legs fully extended. Continue to add weight for pyramid sets of 12, 10, 8, and 6 reps.


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THE BENEFITS OF

BAREFOOT TRAINING Want to get more out of your next strength session? Start by leaving your shoes at the door. BY ALYSSA SHAFFER

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YOU MIGHT NOT EVER think of hitting the weight room without lacing up your shoes, but kicking them off altogether might be just what you need to recharge your workout. Barefoot training may not be new, but it’s finding more fans in the lifting community, and for good reason. “Going barefoot offers a number of benefits for balance, mobility, and coordination,” says Nick Clayton, C.S.C.S., personal training program manager for the National Strength and Conditioning

Association. “It provides feedback to your nervous system, helping to activate your glutes and core to improve stability. It also helps strengthen the deep muscles that stabilize the foot, which translates to improvements for the ankles, knees, hips, and back.” The theory, barefoot advocates say, is that the closer contact your feet have with the ground, the more connected the rest of your body will feel. That’s especially true for the core, which is more activated when you’re walking around

sans shoes. “You have much more core stability when you are barefoot,” explains Emily Splichal, D.P.M., a podiatrist and author of Barefoot Strong. “And the higher your core stability the more weight you can move during training.” Splichal recently helped create a training mat and insole, called Naboso (“barefoot” in her native Czech), designed to stimulate the small nerve endings along the bottom of the feet.

Dare to Bare Before you kick off your shoes and pick up the


weights, there are some considerations to keep in mind. For starters, going barefoot works better for certain activities. “I’m a huge fan of barefoot training for single-leg exercises,” notes Jay Dicharry, P.T., director of the REP performance training center in Bend, OR. “Doing all of your single-leg training barefoot is a great way to improve the muscle coordination inside the foot and improve your ‘feel,’ or proprioception, as you move.” Almost any balancing move will get a boost when done barefoot, since the closer contact with the ground helps provide some added stability, he says. Many weightlifters will also do their deadlifts without wearing shoes. “Going barefoot while doing a hinge movement like the deadlift can help create improved foot feel, which helps to target the larger muscles in the hips that drive the movement,” adds Dicharry. Going barefoot may be counterproductive, however,

during squat movements. “Many people have limited flexibility at the ankles; so being barefoot can make this mechanically worse during a squat and compromise your form,” says Dicharry. (That’s one reason many lifting shoes feature a higher heel; see some of our favorites on page 86.) “If you do have enough range of motion, it’s fine to squat barefoot, but otherwise this is one move I’d avoid.” You may also want to avoid doing jumping or plyometric moves without your shoes on, especially if you have low arches or poor foot strength. “Training barefoot puts a lot of stress on the foot’s tendons and ligaments,” says Clayton. “That’s important when you’re doing plyometrics or jumping movements, since you won’t have shoes to offer any shock absorption. If your feet aren’t strong, you could get hurt.” Try shoring up your feet (See “Perfecting Your Form,” right) or slipping on your favorite pair of footwear before you start moving.

PERFECTING YOUR FORM

To get the most out of your sneaker-free time, it can help to practice a few fundamental mechanics, advises podiatrist Emily Splichal. Here are three key ways she recommends to maximize foot feel: Find your balance. Stand with feet staggered, with body weight mostly over the front “foot tripod,” or the center of your foot between your first and fifth toes and your heel. Lift your toes, spreading them out, then lower them to the floor. Bend your front knee slightly, engaging your core. Push your big toe down, feeling the connection between your foot and core. Release and repeat. Switch sides. Try to maintain this sensation with any barefoot exercise that you do. Activate your pelvic floor. “A lot of barefoot training is what’s called foot to core sequencing,” says Splichal. “And before you can take advantage of this connection, you have to make sure your pelvic floor is engaged.” Lie faceup on floor, tucking rib cage down

and slightly tucking pelvis up. Consider the base of your pelvis to be a diamond with the top being 12 o’clock, the bottom 6 o’clock, and the two sides 3 and 6 o’clock. Isometrically draw the top and bottom together, then the sides. Hold one count, then release. Repeat pattern a few times, then try activating this movement during your lifts. Strengthen your arches. If you tend to have low arches, try building strength throughout your foot. Stand with feet about hip-distance apart. Imagine there is a piece of paper underneath each foot. Think about this paper pulling your feet away from each other (without actually moving your feet). At the same time, says Splichal, think about rotating your thigh outward, engaging your glutes.

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“I

was absolutely amazed,” Anna Neal says. “I had people from Texas contacting me, and Maryland and Pennsylvania.” Anna had just won the title of Ms. Health & Fitness, and it was beginning to sink in just how big of an accomplishment it was. “It was so crazy to hear from people all over the country you have never met in your life,” she says. “[to] hear them tell [me] how much inspiration they get or what a difference I made in their life from following me on Facebook and Instagram...it was amazing.” Amazing is what Anna did rising to the very top of this competition. The fierce competitor can’t remember a time when she wasn’t involved in athletics and very active in fitness. Growing up in Michigan, Anna was a standout volleyball player and went on to play at the Division Two level at Superior State University. She later moved to Florida, and because of her ability to relate with people and her impressive background in the fitness world, she was hired by Manatee County in Florida to essentially whip their county employees into shape. For the past five years, Anna has provided guidance for county employees in all aspects of wellness and healthy living. That gives her a tremendous platform to preach what she practices, and the results (as voters in the competition demonstrated) speak for themselves. She’s clearly made an impact in the lives of county employees she works with, but as with winning this competition, there is so much more out there for her to accomplish

and leverage. “It’s always been in the back of my mind to own a gym someday,” she says. Anna’s goal with her gym is to make it intimate and not some oversized monstrosity. She is having a tough time finding the perfect location, but “I also do a lot of outdoor fitness too,” she says. “More functional training types of things and I find people really enjoy that because they are outside with nature and still getting a great workout.” The outdoor training is a perfect fit for Anna, as she has recently ramped up her volume of competitions in obstacle races, like Savage Race, Mud Endeavor, and Tough Mudder. When Anna does eventually open that gym someday, she’ll have instant support and a built-in clientele of the employees of the county she’s been so instrumental in helping. “I had such amazing support,” she says of the passionate fan base who showed up for her in the competition. “They put me out on email blasts to every member that has insurance in the county, and they helped promote me and were so supportive of me...and they really had fun with it too!” Now as the reigning Ms. Health and Fitness, Anna has an incredible platform to showcase her message and help even more people. “What I’m out there to do is let people know there is no one way to do it,” she says. “Everybody finds different ways to learn how their body works and create different aspects to their fitness and learn how to enjoy it and stay healthy and live longer.” We can only expect big things from this inspirational ambassador in the future. M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 3 3


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K

aterina Kennedy is not afraid of facing challenges and boldly taking chances that could potentially be lifealtering. The runner-up in the Ms. Health & Fitness competition first demonstrated her unstoppable determination 17 years ago when she emigrated to the US after winning the green card lottery in Italy. What was supposed to be a temporary stay in the United States turned into a full-time move for the athletic and beautiful native Italian, who splits her time between Atlanta and Miami. Heavily involved in athletics, Katerina has been passionate and active in having great health her entire life. “Around the age of 20, I started learning a great deal about nutrition and lifting weights,” she says. She has only been competing a few years, but her inquisitive nature and passion for challenging herself physically and intellectually have allowed her to master the game rather quickly. She recently received her personal training certification and is focusing on educating people about the value of proper nutrition. She is constantly thinking of ways she can share her good fortune and expertise in this field to help others. “I love giving my time to help people,” she says, “I love this life and lifestyle with all my heart.”

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he third-place finisher in the Ms. Health & Fitness competition was living a quiet life just outside Toronto in Canada, being a great wife to her husband, Jason, and mother to her three daughters. But after Becky Overbeck had her third daughter in her late 20s, Jason bought her a gym membership and their lives changed forever. “I was hooked right away,” Becky says. Soon the owner of the gym noticed Becky’s dedication and love for exercise and suggested she get certified and become a fitness trainer. Becky absorbed everything she could and became certified in a multitude of fitness categories, including Zumba, personal training, Kangoo Dance, and spin. Soon she began running a miniature fitness club out of her house and has trained and inspired over 1,000 clients, building her business solely through word of mouth. Fast-forward to the moment Becky learned she had made it in the competition that changed her life. “I slumped to the floor on my knees, tears in my eyes, my heart was so full,” she says. In that moment, she “realized that if you set your dreams high, be kind, work hard, live your passion, believe in yourself, and never give up, amazing things will happen.”

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 35


ALL ABOUT…

CALORIES BY KRISTIN MAHONEY

Anatomy of a Calorie:

CALORIE BREAKDOWN 10% of the calories you eat are used to digest food

20% are used to power physical activity, like lifting weights or walking

70% are used to support the basic functions of your organs and tissues (aka resting metabolic rate)

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M AT T D U T I L E / O F F S E T; S H A F F E R - S M I T H / G E T T Y I M A G E S

The scientific definition: 1 calorie (the kind we measure in food, aka a large calorie) is the amount of energy it would take to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by 1° Celsius. Almost everything you consume has a calorie count, or the amount of energy stored in its chemical bonds. That energy is released in digestion and stored as other molecules like glucose or fat, so your body can grab it for fuel when needed.


10-Minute Calorie Blaster This quick HIIT workout from trainer Jenny Schatzle works multiple muscle groups while elevating your heart rate. It follows the “Every Minute on the Minute” (EMOM) formula: Start at the top of the minute. If the circuit takes you 40 seconds to complete, take 20 seconds of rest. You’ll do 8 rounds in 8 minutes; each round try to stay at or beat your best effort. Warmup (2 min.): Jumping jack (30 sec.) Squat (30 sec.) Plank (30 sec.) Crunch (30 sec.) EMOM Routine (8 min.): Side Lunge (5x per side) Mountain Climber (10x) Pop-up (burpee w/o pushup) (10x)

3 Tricks to Burn More Calories 1

2

3

SWITCH UP YOUR WORKOUTS. Your body quickly becomes efficient at exercise, so your heart rate and oxygen consumption levels are lower and you burn fewer calories. To shake things up, increase your intensity by doing intervals or using different types of exercises or equipment to train different muscle groups, advises Clark.

HIT THE WEIGHTS. To burn a pound of fat, you theoretically have to burn 3,500 unreplaced calories. But when you increase your lean muscle mass, you’ll also boost your resting metabolic rate, so your body naturally burns more calories at rest. Replace 4½ pounds of body fat with muscle and you’ll boost your resting metabolism by 17 calories a day.

DON’T BE FOOLED BY MACHINES. “If a cardio machine says you’ve burned 300 calories, in reality it’s more likely less than that,” says Clark. You’re still burning calories at rest, so the net amount is only a percentage of what you’d have burned anyway. Most machines also don’t calculate in individual physiques or calorie efficiency.

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 37


The Positives of Negatives Mixing eccentric training into your workout can create big payoffs in strength, definition, and even metabolism BY DIANE HART

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WORKOUT 1

it’s also been shown to boost power in the lifting phase. In one study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research male participants boosted their strength in the concentric portion of a bench press by five to 15 pounds after incorporating negatives into their routines. The reason? Neural pathways are additionally stimulated during the eccentric training, leading to a greater

muscle response. This in turn improves contraction force, allowing the subjects to lift more weight, according to study authors. And the benefits can even last beyond the gym: Studies show that eccentric training may lower systolic blood pressure and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease while lowering levels of blood glucose and insulin that could help you manage type-2 diabetes, says Kravitz.

IAN LOGAN

MOST OF US tend to focus on the lifting (concentric) portion of an exercise—the up phase of a biceps curl, the pulldown of a lat move. But slowing down the eccentric, or negative, portion of a movement can yield even bigger benefits. Eccentric exercises place muscles under tension for a longer time, which creates greater gains in strength and hypertrophy, notes Len Kravitz, Ph.D., an exercise scientist at the University of New Mexico and co-author of The Essentials of Eccentric Training. You’ll even get a bigger metabolic afterburn by adding eccentric exercises into your training compared with traditional resistance training methods, says Kravitz—which means you’ll burn more calories after the workout is done. That’s because eccentric training creates more muscle microtrauma, which in turn needs additional oxygen to repair. Not only does eccentric training add to overall strength improvements,


Keep in mind that you’re actually stronger in the negative phase of a repetition than the positive one due to the activation of an additional protein that is not stimulated during the concentric phase, according to the latest research in the Journal of Applied Physiology. As such, negative training allows you to more fully stress the targeted muscle. But that also means you’ll typically feel more sore the day after the workout, since there’s a greater amount of microdamage and momentary muscular fatigue, so plan to allow more recovery time between workouts (at least two to three days, says Kravitz). No matter what your level of fitness, it’s important to progress gradually when

WORKOUT 2

HOW TO GO NEGATIVE

training with negatives to avoid injury. Start out with 40-50% of your one-rep max, advises Kravitz, then add load gradually as your muscles, ligaments, and tendons adapt to the new training stresses.

To max out the benefits of negatives, focus on contracting your muscle during the eccentric phase. “My philosophy is you are training your muscles, not just lifting weights,” says Kravitz.

WORKOUT 3

EDGAR ARTIGA

There are a few ways to incorporate negatives into your routine. The most conventional approach using free weights calls for 1 count up (concentric) and 3 to 4 counts to lower (eccentric phase), a technique you can use in any workout. A training partner or spotter can help you raise the weight as you begin to fatigue. For a greater challenge, you can incorporate the “two-limbs-up/ one-limb-down” strategy: Lift the weight through the concentric phase using both arms or legs in one count, then lower the weight, slowly, using just one arm (or leg) for 3 to 4 counts. Repeat the concentric lift with both arms (or legs), but then lower the weight with the opposite arm or leg. This completes one full repetition of the exercise. Continue alternating in this fashion until you complete all required reps or reach momentary muscular failure. “Use this ‘2-up/1down’ eccentric training for any exercise that uses some type of fixed weight machine,” says Kravitz. M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 39


PACK A POWERFUL PUNCH BY KRISTIN MAHONEY

MAKING CARDIO minutes fly by may seem impossible when you’re in the thick of sprint cycles and your legs are turning to jelly. But boxing is one type of cardio that will get your heart rate into the fat-burning zone quick while also teaching you some self-defense skills and challenging you so much that you’ll forget the time. 40 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 2017

“Three-minute rounds of straight punching using a bag will get your heart rate right up into that anaerobic zone,” says Beth Gold, a trainer at Rumble Boxing in NYC. Plus, “it’ll have you sweating up a storm all while relieving stress and making you feel like a total badass!” Here’s how to get the most out of each punch.

FULL-BODY BENEFITS A common misconception is that boxing targets your back and shoulders only, but it also works your core and legs. “While boxing, it’s crucial to make sure you engage your core as well as your legs as you’re throwing punches. In fact, most of your power is going to be coming from your lower body,” says Gold. Even with all of these benefits, trying a new type of workout routine can be intimidating. That’s why we asked Gold to break

down the fundamental boxing moves so you can be floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee in no time.

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Find essential fisticuff form tips and workout combos to burn more calories while building lean muscle


THE BASICS OF BOXING FOCUS ON YOUR STANCE Before you throw a punch, make sure you are in the proper stance. Start with your feet hip-width apart. If you are a lefty, step back with your left foot. If you are a righty, step back with your right foot. Keep a soft bend in your knees and put your “guard up” (elbows in, fists close to your face to protect your smile). 1 | JAB From boxer’s stance, fully extend your front arm (left arm if you are a righty, right arm if you are a lefty), turn your shoulder down as if you were pouring out a pitcher of water, hitting the bag with your first two knuckles. Quickly draw it back to start.

Use the same movement as your front hook, except with the back arm. Keep elbow high, pivot on back toes, and power through the core and legs.

Use the same movements as you did with your front uppercut, but leading with your back arm.

7 | DUCKS These are part of the defensive side of boxing, allowing you to dodge your opponent’s punches. “Remain in your boxer stance (avoid squaring your hips toward the bag) and stay heavy in those heels, keeping your chest tall and sitting back as if you were sitting into a chair. Come up and squeeze those buns!” Gold says.

5 | FRONT UPPERCUT Lower your center of gravity, keeping elbows tight against the body. Shoot your arms from the hips and drive up underneath the bag as if you were trying to punch someone in the chin. Pivot off the front foot and rotate your core through the punch.

POWER PRO TIPS

Amanda Serrano is a pro boxer and current female WBO bantamweight champion. She is also the only female boxer to win world titles in five different divisions. She shares her tips and insight for beginners: Fully extend your rear arm in front of you; at the same time pivot on your back toe (imagine smushing a bug under your big toe) while rotating through the hips. Your back arm is your dominant one. Use its strength while making sure you also draw power from the legs and core. IL L U S T R AT I O N S: B ROW N B IR D D E S I G N

3 | FRONT HOOK Bring the elbow of your front arm 90 degrees to your shoulder (picture making a hook shape with the arm). Simultaneously pivot on front toes, bringing hook forward in an arc and sending power through the core and the legs.

WORK THE BASICS “The most important factors to throwing a perfect punch are practice and patience. When I first started, my trainer would have me practice every punch nonstop for three minutes. I would do one round of just jabs, a round of just hooks, and so on.” Don’t get discouraged if the movements don’t come naturally at first. “I’ve had 34 fights and am just now coming into my own.” TRUST YOUR TRAINING “When I step into the ring, I let everything go. Once you do that your body takes over and the punches come naturally. I’m not worried about getting hit because I’ve learned how to push forward.” KEEP GROWING Serrano’s favorite aspect of boxing—aside from winning—is the constant challenge. “I’ve been boxing

for 10 years, and I still look forward to going to the gym and learning something new. After every fight I see what I have to work on and try to improve and grow.” HONE YOUR FITNESS “Just because you hit hard, that doesn’t automatically make you a great boxer. You could hit hard but have a horrible style and easily get outboxed by your opponent,” says Serrano. Stamina and endurance also play key roles in getting you through a match. “You have to work on cardio. Before I even get to the boxing gym I am running and getting my cardio in,” says Serrano. And don’t be afraid to stand tall in and out of the ring. “Female fighters work just as hard as the guys,” says Serrano. “We don’t care if we break a nail or break a nose. I’m a fivedivision world champion and I do the same things the men do.” M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 41


SETTING THE WORLD RECORD STRAIGHT Watch the beauty and battle of being the first female crew to row across the Pacific Ocean

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“Everyone’s training history was extremely varied pre-row. As an elite-sport physiotherapist, I have been fortunate enough to always be in a top-level training environment,” says Coxless Crew team lead Laura Penhaul, who was decidedly not a rower before planning this epic journey. “Pre-row I used to do marathons, 24-hour sportif cycles, triathlons, and weight training, but part of what enticed me with the ocean row was that everything about it was the unknown.” Of the other three women (plus two alternates who rowed just one of the three legs of this 8,000-mile epic journey), only two of the crew had actual rowing experience. Emma Mitchell rowed as a teenager and also for Cambridge as a blue rower, England, and Bristol for races and regattas. Isabel Burnham (first leg) worked as a solicitor by day for intellectual property

litigation but rowed in college and was a mountaineer, ultrarunner, and ski tourer. In the rest of the team, Natalia Cohen was a travel tour leader, operations manager, and self-professed nomad; Lizanne van Vuuren (second leg) was an osteopath but had completed a half Ironman and loved swimming, biking, and running; and Meg Dyos (third leg) was a real estate agent. Talk about a diverse crew! Yet what some of the ladies lacked in performance sports, they more than made up for in unstoppable positivity—and you can never underestimate that power, especially when almost 10,000 miles from home and at the mercy of Mother Nature. “The key to picking the team members,” Penhaul says, “wasn’t to select out of a fitness mold, as anyone can train for an event. But only those with the right mentality, focus, and adaptability will succeed in achieving this goal.”

COURTESY OF THE COXLESS CREW

ALL FOR ONE


muscle mass that helped our bodies stay resilient for the duration,” Penhaul says.

MAKE TIME TO MIND YOUR MIND

T RO PH Y BY CR E AT I V E M A NI A FRO M T HE N O UN PROJEC T

Which leads us to... why? Why row a mainly inexperienced crew more than 8,000 miles across some of the most volatile ocean on planet Earth for 257 days? “This journey was designed to send a message to anyone and everyone, male or female, that if you want to do something, do it. And don’t let stereotypes stop you,” says Penhaul. They also raised money for wounded veterans (Walking with the Wounded) and for Breast Cancer Care. The mental strain of this record-setting endurance challenge was one that even the fittest and most experienced among the Coxless Crew couldn’t have anticipated.

MORE GAIN TO AVOID SOME PAIN “I loved the weight training and actually getting coached for a change! And being accountable to someone else, especially a colleague, meant I was determined to show improvements,” notes Penhaul. Her lifting regimen and diet were intensive, though, because she had to put on serious weight for energy reserves. “The worst part was having to gain 30% fat mass. I’m usually about 58kg [128 pounds] marathon weight and knew for this I’d have to put on about 15kg [33 pounds]. As much as people think eating 6,000 calories a day would be fun, I ended up feeling horrendous. “When I was still training hard, I was burning those calories easily, but then plateaued. So I had to cut cardiovascular work out and just do weights three to four times per week but continue to eat 6,000 calories. I felt lethargic, lazy, unhealthy, and got repeated colds, all because I wasn’t doing cardio work.” Training with Alex Wolf, the lead strength and conditioning coach for English Institute of Sport, was intense any way you look at it, but “I still believe that it was the weight training and putting on

“Keith Goddard of Zeus Performance Psychology was our lifeline in mental preparations and team cohesion. Pre-row he challenged us to break down the barriers of awkward conversations, where we reflected on each other in a critical way rather than always being too polite,” Penhaul says. A journey like that would undoubtedly bring out the best of these women, and the worst, too, so the mental prep was just as important as time beneath the iron and behind the rower. “For example, when we were locked in a stifling hot, claustrophobic cabin and being thrown around in a storm, but we couldn’t open the hatches for risk of flooding, I would use either cognitive behavioral therapy or mindfulness. Without a doubt the mental training was the most important part of our preparations, well above the physical.”

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE Penhaul makes it clear that this totally mad mission from San Francisco to Australia wasn’t about proving any one person wrong; it was about proving to herself, to her team members, and to the world

that however differently they did it, they could get it done. They’d shared the experience as a close-knit team and stepped off Doris as lifelong friends. “This is what success meant to us. If we can inspire one person to have the courage to ‘lose sight of the shore’ and head in a direction that they haven’t taken before, then we know our journey created a greater good.”

NEVER, EVER GIVE UP In the documentary, you can see it countless times on their faces: the longing to have feet firmly on dry land, to be far from the salty, dark waters while the ocean pounds around them and another long night falls. “There are times when you definitely want to give up if you know that no one is watching, but with a team, you never want to let them down or make them have to put in more work because you’re not doing your absolute best. Knowing that you’ve got three other girls on that boat watching your back just as much as you’re watching theirs brings a lot of comfort and strength.” In their journey you realize how close beauty and determination really are. Because there’s nothing more powerful than seeing these vibrant, determined, and hopeful women hold hands and take that final, gleeful step from the body of Doris to the sunny shores of Australia together.

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 43


Drinking soda—whether sweetened or diet—is linked to poorer brain function.

FALL 2017

Got a daily diet soda habit? It might be time to switch to water. A recent study found people who drank diet soda at least once a day were almost three times as likely to have a stroke or develop dementia compared with those who didn’t sip the beverage. A second study found those who often choose regular soda or fruit juice are more likely to have poorer memory and smaller overall brain volume. 44 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

CHRIS STEIN/GETTY IMAGES

Nutrition

PULSE 46 COOKING OILS | 48 VEGAN FALL RECIPES 52 POWER BREAKFASTS | 56 SWEET POTATO, 5 WAYS | 58 NUTRITION NEWS



OILED UP Pick the perfect oil for your next clean meal

THE OIL

You name it Canola, which comes from a cultivar of the rapeseed plant, is one of those universal oils that seems to be able to do it all. Thanks to its neutral flavor and relatively high smoke point (the temperature at which it turns acrid and bitter when heated), canola can take on your sautĂŠing and salad dressings with equal aplomb. CAUTION: Canola lasts about one year before it goes rancid; store in a cool, dark place to maximize its lifespan. BEST FOR:

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THE OIL

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Too much oil can certainly pack in the calories, but since it can be hard to figure out a single serving, tools like these can help you find the right proportions easily.

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One spritz is all you need for a thin, even layer of cooking oil. Use it for salads, grilling, sautĂŠing, and more. ($20, prepara.com)

THE OIL

CAUTION: BEST FOR:

Get mess-free pouring and keep your oil fresher longer: Just push the lever down to seal the bottle for storage and back up to pour. ($11, bedbathandbeyond.com)

dressings Light or regular olive oil has a lighter hue than extra-virgin olive oil, which tends to be a bit more flavorful. (Light oils are typically treated with chemical solvents; extra-virgin olive oil is the pure oil extracted from the olives.) Stick with the former for high-heat cooking, since it has a higher smoke point, and the latter for times you want to add flavor, such as for vinaigrettes or simply drizzling over grilled vegetables. High in monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil has been linked to healthy cholesterol levels and a lower risk of heart disease. CAUTION: Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) has a distinct flavor profile, says Crandall, but it can overwhelm certain dishes, so be careful not to overdo it. THE OIL

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four FLAVORFUL VEGAN RECIPES FOR FALL

Thinking of going vegan but unsure how it’ll affect training? These delish recipes from social media star Yovana “Rawvana” Mendez show that you can give up animal products without sacrificing taste— or performance. BY DELFINA URE AN EVER-GROWING NUMBER of women are embracing vegan diets as a way to eat clean, feel healthy, and protect the environment. In fact, a recent Vegetarian Times survey found 7.3 million

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people in the U.S. follow a vegetarianbased diet, and approximately 1 million of those are vegan. The good news is that if you’re looking to fuel up without relying on animal products like meat, eggs, or dairy, there are plenty of healthy choices to help you meet your performance goals. “Adopting a mostly raw vegan diet was what ignited the fire in my fitness five years ago, especially when lifting,” notes Yovana “Rawvana” Mendez, a vegan advocate who has close to 1 million Instagram followers. Mendez frequently posts some of her favorite vegan recipes to her followers, along with workout tips and advice. Here, she shares a few of her favorite meals to power up your diet.


POWER SMOOTHIE SERVES: 2 INGREDIENTS

½ cup raw oats 1 banana 3 dates 1 tbsp chia seeds ½ avocado 1½ cups almond milk DIRECTIONS

1. Presoak oats in 1 cup water for 15 to 20 minutes. 2. Blend ingredients together. Add water and ice as desired. PER SERVING

Calories: 302, Fat: 13g, Carbs: 44g, Fiber: 10g, Protein: 7g

5

HACKS FOR GOING VEGAN ONE

Go vegan one meal at a time. You don’t have to become vegan

ABUNDANT BANANA CHIA OVERNIGHT PUDDING SERVES: 2 INGREDIENTS

4 1½ 1 1 1 2 2 1

tbsp chia seeds cups almond milk tsp cinnamon powder tsp vanilla extract or powder pinch sea salt tbsp date paste* bananas tbsp coconut flakes

overnight. Start with one meal as part of your daily routine as a way to ease into the lifestyle.

time and tell the waiter your needs when you arrive. “You can always order a salad or ask for a fruit plate on the side if your options are slim,” she notes.

TWO

Snack like crazy. Have food with you at all times! Think fruit, veggie sticks, and coconut water. Snacking is an important secret for anyone going vegan, especially if you’re looking to boost metabolism and digestion. “Staying prepped with snacks allows you to be consistent in your eating, until it eventually becomes part of your lifestyle,” says Mendez.

FOUR

Cleanse in the morning. Ride the cleansing effects of raw veganism by adding Mendez’s morning ritual into your daily routine. “I wake up early and drink a 32-ounce jar of water with lemon to jump-start my digestive system.” FIVE

THREE

Be social. Use your new diet as a reason to get out and explore new restaurants that serve a variety of healthy foods. And if you don’t know what to order at a conventional restaurant, take a look at the menu ahead of

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix chia seeds, almond milk, cinnamon powder, vanilla, sea salt, and date paste. Let the mixture sit in the fridge overnight. 2. The next morning, mash a banana with a fork and add it to the chia seed mixture.

Get your plant protein. “All plant foods contain protein, so it’s not hard to meet your nutrition needs,” says Mendez. For a bigger protein boost, include powerhouses like beans, lentils, quinoa, and seeds and superfoods like spirulina, hemp seeds, sacha inchi, or plant protein powders.

3. Serve topped off with a sliced banana, coconut flakes, and whatever other toppings you desire. PER SERVING

Calories: 347, Fat: 13g, Carbs: 54g, Fiber: 14.5g, Protein: 7g

*NOTE: TO MAKE DATE PASTE, SOAK DATES IN JUST ENOUGH WATER TO COVER THEM. LET SIT FOR 3 HOURS, THEN BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH. YOU CAN ALSO SUBSTITUTE COCONUT SUGAR FOR DATE PASTE.

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RAW VEGAN BURRITOS SERV ES: 2 INGREDIENTS

2 large collard greens Low-sodium soy sauce DRESSING*

½ ½ 1 1 1

lemon or lime cup cashews garlic clove tsp chipotle powder tsp all-purpose seasoning (vegan) or nutritional yeast ¼ cup water FILLING

½ 1 ½ ½ 3 ¼ 1

zucchini portobello mushroom bell pepper carrot tbsp pico de gallo** cup purple cabbage avocado

DIRECTIONS

1. Juice lemon or lime; blend with other dressing ingredients. 2. Slice or dice vegetables to make filling. Cut avocado into small chunks or mash it up. 3. Place a few tablespoons of filling plus dressing onto collard green, splash on soy sauce, and roll like a burrito. PER SERVING (without dressing)

Calories: 214, Fat: 15g, Carbs: 16g, Fiber: 3g, Protein: 10g

RAW ZUCCHINI PESTO PASTA SERVES: 1 INGREDIENTS

3 ¼ 2 1 /3 ½ 1 1

zucchini cup pine nuts cups fresh basil of 1 garlic clove cup arugula tbsp olive oil cup cherry tomatoes Small piece of grated cauliflower (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Spiralize 2 zucchini using a spiralizer or a

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julienne peeler. 2. Blend the rest of the ingredients together except tomatoes and mix in with spiralized zucchini. Top off with tomatoes and grated cauliflower as a cheese substitute (optional). PER SERVING

Calories: 486, Fat: 40g, Carbs: 30g, Fiber: 10g, Protein: 15g

NOTES: *THIS WILL MAKE A FEW SERVINGS OF DRESSING. IF YOU HAVE ANY LEFT OVER, USE IT AS A SALAD DRESSING OR DIP FOR VEGGIES, OR STORE TIGHTLY SEALED IN THE FRIDGE FOR FUTURE BURRITOS. **TO MAKE FRESH PICO DE GALLO, MIX CHOPPED TOMATOES, ONION, CILANTRO, AND SERRANO PEPPER WITH A SPLASH OF LIME JUICE.



DIRECTIONS

5 POWER BREAKFASTS FOR BUSY WOMEN

Stuck in a morning rut? Your most important meal of the day may have a tendency to fall into a boring routine, but we know how to spice it up when you wake up! When there is little time to prepare full meals, here’s how to put some delight into your a.m. dining with these clean, macro-packed breakfasts. BY CAT PERRY

52 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

Cottage Cheese Pancakes MAKES: 4 PANCAKES INGREDIENTS

¼ ½ ¼ 1/8 1/8 2 ½

cup spelt flour tsp baking powder tsp baking soda tsp cinnamon tsp salt large eggs, beaten cup 2% low-fat cottage cheese 1 tbsp honey ½ tsp vanilla extract Strawberries, for serving (optional)

4. Spray a nonstick skillet or griddle generously with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. 5. Pour batter into skillet using a ¼-cup measuring cup. Cook pancake until sides are set and bubbles form in middle (about 2 to 3 minutes), then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pancake and repeat steps with remaining batter. 6. Serve pancakes with strawberries, if desired. PER SERVING (2 PANCAKES)

Calories: 211, Fat: 3g, Carbs: 22g, Protein: 15g

Recipe excerpted from High Protein Pancakes, by Pamela Braun. Copyright 2017. Used with permission of the publisher, Countryman Press. All rights reserved.



INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Mix quinoa, banana, peanut butter, flaxseed meal and water, INVO Coconut Water, honey, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir. Fold in zucchini and chia seeds. 3. Spoon 2 tbsp of dough onto baking sheet, placing each 2 inches apart. 4. Bake cookies for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove; let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. PER SERVING (1 COOKIE)

Calories: 135, Fat: 6g, Carbs: 17g, Protein: 4g 5 4 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

“Mug” Cake MAKES: 1 SERVING INGREDIENTS

½ 1 ¼ 1

cup oat flour scoop whey protein powder cup egg whites tsp baking powder Enough milk to make a thick batter (amount will differ depending on whey protein brand used) 1 cup berries (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk all ingredients (except berries) together in a bowl, adding the milk little by little until mixture resembles pancake batter.

2. Pour mixture into a microwave-safe mug or bowl. Cook on full power for 2 minutes. (Cooking times may vary.) Be careful that the mug isn’t too hot when removing from microwave. 3. Serve with a topping such as hot stewed berries, if desired: To make, put 1 cup berries into microwave and cook until thick and sticky. Pour over cake. PER SERVING

Calories: 377, Fat: 7g, Carbs: 55g, Protein: 25g Recipe from Heather Davies, aka Protein Chef, a U.K. food blogger. Follow her! Twitter @protein_chef Insta/FB @proteinchef.


Quinoa Pancakes MAK E S : 8 PANCAKES INGREDIENTS

1 ¾ 2 ½ 1 ¼ 2 2 2 1

cup cooked quinoa cup quinoa flour tsp baking powder tsp salt tbsp melted butter cup Greek yogurt tbsp 2% low-fat milk large eggs, beaten tbsp maple syrup tsp vanilla extract Fruit preserves, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Add quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and mix until well combined. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, yogurt, milk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. 3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until

thoroughly com batte for 2 to 3 minutes. 4. Spray a nonstick skillet or griddle generously with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. 5. Pour batter into skillet using a ¼-cup measuring cup. Cook

ke until sides are set and bubbles form in middle (about 2 to 3 minutes), then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pancake and repeat steps with remaining batter. 6. Serve pancakes with fruit preserves, if desired.

PER SERVING (4 PANCAKES)

Apple & Blackberry Protein Baked Oats

half of the blackberries at the bottom of the dish. 3. Whisk together egg, milk, and protein powder in a bowl until smooth. Add oats and stir. 4. Pour mixture over fruit and top with remaining berries. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. 5. Serve warm with yogurt, if desired, or allow to cool, slice, and eat on the go.

MAKES: 2 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ 1 ½ 1

apple, peeled and cooked cup fresh blackberries whole egg or 2 egg whites cup milk (dairy, nut, or soy) scoop whey protein powder (fruit flavored or vanilla) ½ cup jumbo oats Greek yogurt or vanilla frozen yogurt, for serving (optional) DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Using sunflower or coconut oil, grease a small, shallow oven-safe dish. Place apple and

Calories: 238, Fat: 4g, Carbs: 31g, Protein: 10g Recipe excerpted from High Protein Pancakes, by Pamela Braun. Copyright 2017. Used with permission of publisher, Countryman Press. All rights reserved.

PER SERVING

Calories: 250, Fat: 5g, Carbs: 30g, Protein: 19g Recipe from Heather Davies, aka Protein Chef, a U.K. food blogger. Follow her! Twitter @protein_chef Insta/FB @proteinchef.

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 55


1

INGREDIENTS

chicken weet potato, h, chopped weet ed thick DIRECTIONS

ken, shredded and spinach, patties. ; cook until reads 175°F. ed sweet olive or coconut n grill until tender, y through. with sweet r serve on side.

1 FOOD 5 WAYS:

SWEET POTATOES PER SERVING

may not spike your blood sugar like a white potato will, yet they’ll hit the spot for starchy carbs. Michael Morelli, author of The Sweet Potato Diet, has developed a carb-cycling plan that uses our favorite clean-eating tuber in infinite ways to help you lose weight faster than you thought possible. Since we know how hard it can be to keep your diet fresh from day to day, we tapped him for five mouthwatering ways to eat this carotene-rich veggie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dig in! 5 6 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

GETTY IMAGES

arbs: 14g, Fat: 9g,


4 INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

PER SERVING

2 3 INGREDIENTS

¼ cup coconut oil 1 cup mashed sweet potato 2 eggs ½ cup honey 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup coconut flour ⅓ cup cocoa powder ¼ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

INGREDIENTS

1 sweet potato, peeled and spiraled 6 eggs, beaten Pinch of salt Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Lightly coat a 9-by-9 pan with coconut oil. 3. Mix the sweet potato, eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla. 4. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt (and chocolate chips, if using). 5. Mix gently until combined. Pour into greased 9-by-9 pan and bake for 20 minutes. Brownies are done when you can insert a knife, and it comes out clean.

1. Spray an oven-safe skillet with coconut oil.

PER SERVING

Calories: 181, Carbs: 24g, Fat: 10, Protein: 3g

2. Over medium-high heat, add sweet potato. Let cook for a few minutes until color becomes brighter. 3. Reduce heat to mediumlow and add eggs. Let this cook for several minutes. 4. Carefully lift the corner of the eggs to check for a golden brown color. 5. Once the bottom of the eggs is golden brown, turn off heat and place the pan under a broiler until top of eggs becomes golden brown.

5

PER SERVING

Calories: 328, Carbs: 15g, Fat: 20g, Protein: 21g

INGREDIENTS

1 small sweet potato, peeled and spiraled 1 cup mashed sweet potato 2 eggs, beaten 3 tbsp coconut milk 1 tsp cinnamon DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients together. 2. Spray the waffle iron with coconut spray and preheat. 3. Drop ½ cup batter onto the waffle maker. 4. Cook until outside is crispy. PER SERVING

Calories: 130, Carbs: 19g, Fat: 4g, Protein: 19g M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 57


WHY DINE IN TONIGHT

BY DIANA KELLY

SHARE THIS ON INSTAGRAM YOU MAY ALREADY be posting your #transformation photos and #training shots, but if you want to improve your diet, try uploading your latest lunch. A study out of the University of Washington found women who consistently shared what they ate on Instagram made healthier food decisions and felt more accountable about their nutrition habits. The users created separate profiles from their personal accounts and took photos of everything they ate. Those who met their weight-loss or fitness goals reported that remaining

on Instagram—and helping mentor and encourage others—made it easier for them to keep up their desired behaviors. It makes sense that posting photos helps you home in on your diet, notes Alissa Rumsey, R.D., who was not involved in the research. “It works similarly to a traditional written food journal—you see exactly how much you are eating, which can help you be mindful of your daily eating habits,” she says. One app that makes it easy to log your food photos in one place: Yummi (free; ioS and Android).

The best place to get a bang for your buck both nutritionally and financially is in your kitchen, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Washington assigned a Healthy Eating Index (HEI) based on diet quality; an index score of more than 81 indicated a “good” diet; 51 to 80 meant “needs improvement”; and 50 or less was considered “poor.” When a household cooked at home three times per week, its average HEI score was 67; cooking at home six times per week resulted in an average score of around 74. Those who cooked at home also spent less money. Check out tons of great meal ideas for fit women like you over at muscleandfitness.com /recipes.

White Wine Warning We love a glass of wine as much as the next gal, but new research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology shows too much vino can increase your risk of developing rosacea, a skin condition marked by redness on the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin. The study found that women who drank white wine and liquor had a higher risk of developing rosacea, and that risk increased as their alcohol consumption increased. Researchers speculate that alcohol may weaken the immune system and widen blood vessels, which can lead to rosacea’s telltale facial flush. Keep in mind that rosé and sparkling wines have less alcohol, so they might be better options that are less likely to trigger a flare-up when consumed in moderation.

5 8 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017


R

Quality Over Quantity Eyeballing nutrition labels can really pay off in the quality of food you put on your plate. A recent study from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign found that label readers typically select more fruits, vegetables, and beans and fewer refined grains compared with those who didn’t pay much attention to the nutrition info. Label users are also less likely to select fried foods and those with added sugars. What didn’t matter as much? Portion size. “We find it’s more about the quality of the food selected rather than the quantity,” notes study co-author Brenna Ellison, Ph.D.

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A study from Rush University Medical Center shows what you eat—and avoid—can drastically cut your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Participants who strictly followed the “MIND Diet” (a combo of Mediterranean and DASH diets) slashed their risk by 53%; even those who followed it loosely lowered it by 35%. Here, the top foods to include and cut back on. —KRISTIN MAHONEY

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TRAIN BETTER

ACCESSORY

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Whole grains: Three servings daily (1 serving = 1 slice of bread, or ¾ cup cooked pasta) Fish: At least one 3-oz serving per week (not shellfish or fried) Poultry: At least two 3-oz skinless servings per week (not fried) Olive oil: Use as your primary oil Wine: One 5-oz glass daily

AVOID: Red meat: Less than four 3-oz servings per week Butter and margarine: No more than 1 tbsp daily Cheese: Less than one serving per week Sweets: Less than five servings per week Fried and fast food: Less than one serving per week

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 59

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PULSE 62 AVOID MID-WORKOUT CRASH | 64 FINDING STRENGTH 66 BREAST IMPLANT RISKS | 70 YOUR BODY ON SUGAR | 72 RELIEVE SORE SHOULDERS | 74 FITTEST U.S. HOTELS | 76 HEALTH NEWS

Opting for your bike helmet instead of your car keys may have a drastic effect on your health, aside from your ďŹ tness level. A study from the University of Glasgow found cycling to work was associated with a 45% lower risk of cancer and a 46% lower risk of heart disease compared with those who follow a more traditional commute. 6 0 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

KENNY BENGTSSON/FOLIO/GETTY IMAGES

FALL 2017


JUST LIKE YOU Ever dream of becoming a personal trainer? Turn your dreams into reality with ISSA education. Meet Kim “I have been in the fitness industry for more than ten years. Wanting to continue my education, I found ISSA’s online program. Becoming an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Fitness Nutrition was the perfect way to gain a comprehensive education in health and fitness. Writing and speaking have become my platform to educate, motivate, and inspire. I am passionate about sharing accurate and reliable information. The ISSA has equipped me with the education to write and speak with confidence. People look to me as a source of information. Because of my education with the ISSA, I have complete security in knowing I am a trusted fitness resource.” Kim Dolan Leto, ISSA CFT, SFN kimdolanleto.com Eva Sim

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My leg workouts are always so quad dominant! What’s the best way to activate my glutes and get a better burn in my backside?

“The secret to achieving highly effective glute workouts is balance. Many women stick primarily with knee-dominant movements like squats and lunges, and while these are great exercises for shaping the hips and thighs, they need to be balanced out with hip-dominant and lateral movements,” explains et Co t e as, h. ., C.S.C.S. There are plenty of options when it comes to getting more of your backside front and center, including hip thrusts, glute bridges, frog pumps, back extensions, reverse hypers, pull-throughs, kickbacks, Romanian deadlifts, good mornings, and stiff-leg deadlifts, says Contreras. “These can be performed with different loading implements in a variety of stances, postures, and rep ranges.” Finish off your workout with a lateral movement such as sumo walks, monster walks, band seated hip abductions, or band hip-hinge abductions, he adds. Following are three comprehensive glute 62 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

workouts from Contreras. Note that each session contains at least one kneedominant movement, hip-dominant movement, and lateral movement:

WORKOUT 1

WORKOUT 3

WORKOUT 2

chief science officer for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Start with fuel: Muscle requires energy, predominantly from fats and carbs. “If you start with insufficient carb stores, you will feel growing fatigue as you continue to exercise.” Dehydration can also be a factor. Unless it’s very hot or you sweat a lot, you probably don’t need mid-workout fluids or electrolytes if you’re training less than one hour. But if you’re already dehydrated at the start, you may not have the fluids available to sweat effectively. Finally, watch your intensity. “Training at too high an intensity than your body is prepared for can result in fatigue, soreness, or injury.”

PER BERNAL

“There can be a number of reasons you’re losing energy mid-workout,” says


WHAT ARE THE BEST APPS FOR TRACKING STRENGTH WORKOUTS? There are an overwhelming number of fitness apps on the market, which can make it difficult to find the one that suits you best. Start by defining your objectives. “Be clear on what you’re looking for in an app,” says Jessica atthews, a senior adviser for health and fitness education for the American Council on Exercise. Do you want an app that provides you with workout ideas or one that is primarily a workout tracker? Next, “Make sure the user interface meets your needs: Review the features on the company’s website, read user reviews, or poke around on the app yourself.” Then just try it out. “You’re less likely to consistently use apps that are too timeconsuming,” she says. “You may find it has too many features, or you may wish there were a few additional bells and whistles to meet your needs, in which case the app may offer an upgraded or paid version.”

3 APPS TO TRY 1

JEFIT Workout Tracker Gym Log Exercise Trainer (free; Android and iOS; pro version $5) A database of more than 1,300 exercises with descriptions and animations lets you make custom workouts or choose from already-designed programs.

I noticed that one of my arms is definitely weaker than the other. What’s the best way to make up for this difference in strength?

2

Strong Workout Tracker (free; iOS only) A superclean interface makes it user-friendly for even the tech-challenged fitness fanatic. Track workouts and progress as you go.

3

GETTY IMAGES

Fitlist Workout Log & Fitness Tracker (free; Android and iOS) Log your workouts and plan new ones with a variety of options covering cardio, HIIT circuits, strength, and more. A timer helps you monitor rest and exercise intervals.

“It’s pretty common to have a discrepancy between sides,” says Julia adewski, C.S.C.S., a strength coach based in Highland, IN. Her favorite way to even things out? Use dumbbells for big movements like shoulder presses, flat presses, and rows. “Using dumbbells forces the weaker side to stabilize, control, and lift the weight; with barbells, the load is shared with the stronger side, which typically compensates and takes over.” It’s also important to focus on the muscle and

its movement—not just the amount of weight you can lift, she adds. “Try doing isolation exercises such as single-arm presses, chest flyes, lateral raises, and single-arm rows for the shoulder/back/chest. For the arms, single-arm curls, triceps extensions, and pushdowns are also options.” Concentrate on the muscle contraction at the peak of the movement and your form throughout. “If you feel like the difference is drastic, do an extra set on the weaker side,” says Ladewski. M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 63


“I WANTED TO BE STRONGER INSIDE AND OUT” Demetra Eftimiades wanted to be skinny, until she realized what she really was searching for was strength BY KRISTIN MAHONEY

DEMETRA EFTIMIADES has been passionate about sports since middle school. She played volleyball, soccer, softball, lacrosse, and basketball year round, and went on to play basketball in college. But being athletic didn’t mean she was healthy. Eftimiades fought a weight problem, and at her heaviest she weighed 155 pounds at a petite 5'1". When she was 19, Eftimiades decided she wanted to lose weight—and she dropped 40 pounds in just three months. But she didn’t do it in a healthy way. “I wasn’t eating enough—I was going through a breakup, I was depressed and had no appetite,” she recalls. She found herself getting light-headed when she stood up and had to take frequent naps to combat her constant fatigue. While she 6 4 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

was thin, she says, she wasn’t happy, especially with how weak she felt. So she turned to the gym for help.

STARTING OUT

The social aspect of sports got Eftimiades into fitness, but the strength gained in the weight room kept her progressing forward.

Her fitness journey started with her athletic interest— instead of a set workout schedule, she would play pickup soccer or basketball, or go running with a friend. “Exercising in a group setting was both motivating and fun for me,” she says. Eventually, though, she started lifting weights on her own, focusing on accessory work like squats, biceps

curls, leg presses, lat pulldowns, pullups, and front raises. “I loved lifting because I would just play my music on my headphones and drown out the world,” she said. After a few months, she started to work with a coach, Roxie Beckles, who helped give her workouts structure and discipline. “I began lifting heavier than ever before, and that’s when I really began to fall in love with the weight room. I loved being able to increase my numbers, whether that was by reps or in weight. I always tried to do better than my last session.”


In April 2015 her sister took her to a bodybuilding competition. “The first thing I noticed was the gleaming smiles that the girls had on the stage,” she says. “I was very much into fitness and living a healthy lifestyle and I wanted to show the world how hard work and dedication can really make a difference in one’s life.” She entered her first bikini competition in August 2015 in the Bikini Novice Class A (sixth place) and the Bikini Open Class A (10th place). She plans to do another competition this fall. To meet her competition goals, the 22-year-old hits the gym five to six times per week, but she looks forward to leg day the most. “I feel like those sessions are the most rigorous on my body— I love to see what my body is capable of!” Favorite moves include squats, sumo deadlifts, and different variations of hip thrusts. Her cardio includes short HIIT workouts (each no longer than 25 to 30 minutes) and one to two days of longer, lowerintensity endurance workouts like walking that can last up to an hour. Her moderate- to high-intensity sessions are usually done either on a track, treadmill, bike, or stairclimber. She does cardio in the morning and a lifting session at night.

EATING RIGHT

COURTESY OF DEMETRA EFTIMIADES

As she grew stronger, Eftimiades realized she also had to change up her diet. “I went from having a lot of fast food, pasta, and carbdense meals to eating more vegetables, dairy products, and lean protein—basically the foods you would find along the perimeter of the

ON THE MENU BREAKFAST

1 whole egg plus 3 egg whites (add in spices, hot sauce, salsa, mushrooms, onions, peppers) 1–2 slices of bacon 1 slice of toast or 1 serving of granola or ½ cup oats or cereal 1 cup of fruit 1 tbsp of honey 1 cup of tea LUNCH

grocery store.” Today, she counts egg whites mixed with cauliflower rice, spices, beans, low-fat mozzarella, and barbecued chicken among her favorite clean meals, and strives to eat “all the colors of the rainbow” in her diet. Her journey to find both her inner and outer strength has taught her a lot of valuable lessons both in and out of the gym. “I’ve learned to live my life with a more give-and-take approach, trying to maintain a healthy balance rather than a lifestyle that seems too strict and structured. I’ve learned I need to do what makes me happy, not what others may want.” That’s a lesson she wishes other women would also take to heart. “If you’re at the gym, you should be there for your own goals, whether that may be to look and feel better or just to blow off steam. We need to make more of a conscious effort to focus on ourselves and not worry about what everyone else does or thinks.”

HOW SHE DOES IT

IN THE GYM

HIGH-VOLUME WORKOUT PULL DAY

Hammer Strength (4 sets of 6–8 reps) Underhand Pulldown (3 sets of 8–12 reps) Weighted Back Extension (3 sets of 8–12 reps) DB Hammer Curl (3 sets of 12–16 reps) Face-pull (4 sets of 12–15 reps) LOW-VOLUME WORKOUT LEG DAY

Squat (3–4 sets of 3–5 reps) Hip Thrust (3 sets of 4–6 reps) Spilt Squat or Single-leg Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift (3 sets of 5–7 reps) Leg Extension (3 sets of 6–8 reps) Calf Raise (3 sets of 6–8 reps)

1 cup of any veggies 4–5 oz lean beef, pork, turkey, or chicken 1 cup carbs (e.g., potatoes, pasta, fruits, rice, banana, or English muffin) PRE-WORKOUT MEAL (30-60 min. before workout)

1 scoop protein powder 1 cup almond milk 2 rice cakes 1 tbsp honey 1 banana 1 tbsp peanut butter or Nutella Sprinkle of cinnamon DINNER

4–5 oz lean meat (beef, pork, turkey, chicken) Salad made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, salsa, avocado 1 cup carbs (rice, potatoes, 1 slice of bread) DESSERT

Low-fat ice cream or 1 cup Greek yogurt with granola and stevia; or ½ cup cereal with low-fat milk M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 65


A DARK SIDE TO

PERFECT BREASTS Breast implants are widely viewed as safe, but a new FDA warning, plus mounting concern among women who have them, raises questions. Here’s what you need to know.

66 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

WHEN RECENT Muscle & Fitness Hers cover model Karen McDougal opted for breast augmentation surgery in 1996, her doctor didn’t mention any risks beyond a small chance of capsular contraction, a complication that can occur when scar tissue builds up. McDougal had cautiously chosen saline implants. “My doctor said, ‘You have the safe ones— they’re just water. They’ll

last you a lifetime.’ ” But after about seven years, McDougal’s health started to deteriorate. She was sick for weeks at a time. Her vision became blurry, and the whites of her eyes turned pink. As time went on, she developed migraines and noise sensitivity so severe she couldn’t tolerate the sound of her own voice, and experienced frequent blackouts as well as Raynaud’s disease, a circulation problem that causes the tips of your fingers to turn white and numb. Her doctors diagnosed depleted hormones and thyroid issues, but no matter how many specialists she went to, no one could explain what was wrong. “No one had any answers,” she says. “I literally felt like I was dying.” McDougal never suspected her implants were the problem—when a friend confided that his wife was having her implants removed because they were making her sick, she rolled her eyes. But as her symptoms progressed, she began looking online and discovered other women with symptoms similar to hers, including chronic fatigue, insomnia, persistent infections, rashes, and more, all supposedly caused by the body rejecting their implants.

ERIC ANTHONY JOHNSON/GETTY IMAGES; PER BERNAL (KAREN MCDOUGAL)

Karen McDougal at the M&F Hers cover shoot for spring 2017.


DOUBTING

DOCTORS Many members of the medical community dismiss the theory that the body can reject implants just as it might an organ transplant. With silicone, your body forms an envelope of scar tissue around the implant, effectively insulating it, notes Debra Johnson, M.D., a plastic surgeon in Sacramento, CA, and president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. For the silicone to leak into your body, both the implant and the capsule of scar tissue would have to break at the same time, she says. It could happen, but it would take something dramatic, like a major car accident or being stabbed. And even then, your body would quickly try to surround the silicone and wall it off again. When it comes to the symptoms reported by McDougal and others, Johnson acknowledges that there are certainly women who have chronic fatigue, muscle aches and pains, and other health issues, and they also have breast implants. But she doesn’t view that as enough to prove cause and effect. In fact, research that has been done in the past two decades has uniformly failed to uncover any sort of link, she argues. “The breast implant syndrome being described as of late involves all pretty vague symptoms that a lot of people have who don’t have breast implants,” Johnson says. “Back in the ’90s we didn’t have any large long-term epidemiological studies, and that was a problem. Since then there have been huge studies done,

and the manufacturers jumped through a million hoops with the FDA to prove [silicone implants’] safety. There has been no evidence to suggest cause and effect.” But some researchers and medical professionals are beginning to come around to the idea that implants do have inherent risks, beyond those of the procedure itself. In 2011, the FDA warned that anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, a type of cancer of the immune system, may be linked specifically to implants (saline or silicone) with a textured surface. This past year it solidified its stance, definitively drawing a link between the implants and lymphoma, which researchers now believe may affect between one in 3,000 and one in 10,000 women in the U.S. with this type of implant. It’s treatable, sometimes simply by removing the implant, though other times it requires a specialized course of cancer treatment.

REMOVING

THE RISK For McDougal, the only acceptable option was to have her implants “explanted.” She found a plastic surgeon, David Rankin, in Jupiter, FL, who has developed an expertise in the field for removing the entire capsule while minimizing cosmetic flaws. Rankin estimates he’s done about 400 explant surgeries; these days he does about one explant for every implant. According to Rankin, symptoms like McDougal’s are a rare but real side effect of an otherwise safe procedure, making up what he estimates to be just 1% of cases. Unfortunately, betterdefined statistics and high-quality medical studies about breast implant illness don’t seem to exist, says Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and publichealth analyst who leads the

nonprofit National Center for Health Research in Washington, D.C. Despite the two decades of breast implant research cited by Johnson, she isn’t impressed. “Most studies are funded by those who have an interest in showing a lack of problems,” says Zuckerman, who was responsible for the first federal government hearing on breast implant safety in 1990. Critics point out the high dropout rate in the studies, with as many as 85% of patients being lost to follow-up. “It’s impossible to know if they’re happy and healthy on their honeymoon in Tahiti or if they’re sick and pissed and their doctor is no longer speaking to them,” says Zuckerman. In the handful of small studies that look at the type of hard-to-diagnose symptoms of women like McDougal, the focus isn’t specific to breast implants but rather “adjuvants”— substances in a variety of products and devices, from

4 FAST FACTS ABOUT IMPLANTS They don’t last forever. Most women will need to have their implants taken out or replaced every 10 to 15 years. As many as 20% of women who receive implants for augmentation have them removed within eight to 10 years, according to the FDA.

1

You’ll need additional screenings. The FDA recommends women with silicone implants should have MRI screenings to detect silent ruptures three years after their surgery and every two years after that.

2

You can still breastfeed. Many women who undergo breast augmentation can successfully nurse— but some cannot, according to the FDA.

3

Your breast cancer risk won’t change. It’s important to keep up with mammography guidelines and to watch for early signs of cancer. Just be sure to tell your tech that you have implants, since they can make it more difficult for your doctor to see certain parts of the breast tissue, so you may need to have a few extra pictures taken.

4

* FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAFETY OF BREAST IMPLANTS, CHECK OUT FDA.GOV/BREASTIMPLANTS, A WEBSITE CREATED BY THE FDA TO INFORM PATIENTS ABOUT POSSIBLE RISKS. M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 67


6 8 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

However, implants are not likely to last forever. Just like a credit card that can develop a crack if it’s folded back and forth repeatedly, breast implants can lose their integrity over time. According to the FDA, almost all women with implants will face additional surgeries. Surgeons often recommend replacing implants every 12 to 15 years, before complications occur. You should also be prepared to pay for follow-up medical care, including MRI screenings every two years to check for ruptures, since they may not be covered by insurance. That’s a problem, says Zuckerman, because it’s not uncommon for a woman to get implants at a young age on an installment plan. If they start leaking or making her sick, she might need $10,000 to have them removed. “Insurance won’t

12

Approximate number of years implants can stay in the body without increasing the risk for ruptures or other possible complications.

cover it, and few plastic surgeons will take them out on the installment plan,” says Zuckerman. “I’ve known women with silicone leaking into their bodies who can’t afford to remove them.” For her part, McDougal received her explant surgery just a couple of weeks after her photo shoot to be on a 2017 cover of Muscle & Fitness Hers. The result, she says, was almost immediate.

The day after her procedure, her vision was no longer blurry, and her joint pain had improved. Four months later, she rates her health improvement at about 90%. Others have seen similar effects—a 2013 study published in The Netherlands Journal of Medicine found 36 out of 52 women had significant reduction of symptoms after their implants were removed. All women, of course, have the right to choose whatever procedures may make them feel more confident in their bodies. But Zuckerman stresses that the FDA needs to do a better job of requiring long-term studies. “If it’s not possible to have 100% safe implants, good research would at least allow women to make an informed decision—and to know which are the good ones so they’re fully aware of what they are dealing with.”

Breast implant illness is often characterized by a variety of vague nagging symptoms.

M A R I YA L / G E T T Y I M A G E S

vaccines to silicone implants to mineral oil fillers, that are thought to cause an immune reaction in some people. (Even saline implants like McDougal’s are housed in a silicone shell.) While these products are generally considered safe—after all, adjuvants are intentionally added to vaccines to improve the immune response, and silicone has been used in medical devices for 60 years—some patients may be predisposed to negative immune reactions based on sheer luck of the genetic draw. For example, risk may be increased in patients with type-1 diabetes. And a 2013 study of 80 women with autoimmune symptoms thought to be linked to breast implants found that 75% had preexisting allergies, raising the suspicion that people with allergies may be more likely to have a bad reaction. Patient advocates like Zuckerman say implant complications are like a game of whack-a-mole; new problems seem to pop up every few years. “The first ones sold in the 1960s got hard as a rock,” says Zuckerman. “So they made them more liquidy. Then they leaked and that wasn’t good, so they added polyurethane covers to make them softer. But that broke down to a carcinogen. Every few years they do something different, hoping this new thing will reduce the complication the old implants caused.” Right now, firmer “gummy bear” implants, approved in 2013, are thought to be more cohesive and less likely to leak. But it’s a different type of silicone, so it’s still an unknown, according to Zuckerman. Complications don’t generally appear until the five-year mark, she says.



in orange juice,” notes Isabel Maples, R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Refined sugars, on the other hand, are devoid of these nutrients. And loading up on sugary foods can also make the rest of your diet suffer. “Foods with added sugars and refined carbohydrates tend to be void of hungersatisfying fiber,” says Nadolsky. That can lead to even more snacking and extra calories on your plate. The food that does make it in tends to be lower quality, adds Maples. “When we eat too much of it, added sugars give us calories without nutrients. In other words, too much sugar squeezes out good nutrition.” But even the very act of consuming sugar can have a number of negative effects throughout your body. Here’s what’s really happening when your sugar intake gets too high.

YOUR

Why satisfying your sweet tooth can take a big toll on your brain, skin, gut, and more

SUGAR MAY HAVE an outsize influence when it comes to pleasing your taste buds, but it’s not doing much good for the rest of your body. And since we’re eating more of the sweet stuff today than ever (American adults have increased their sugar consumption by more than 30% in the past 30 years, according to the Obesity Society), experts say we’re starting to see the negative 70 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

health effects in action. “What makes added sugars so dangerous is that they’re very easy to overconsume,” explains Karl Nadolsky, D.O., an endocrinologist based in Holland, MI. “This overconsumption can overwhelm the body’s energy balance, leading to increased obesity and its many related complications.” And the more sugar you

consume, the higher the health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Most of the dangers of sugar tend to come from added sweeteners (largely in processed foods) rather than naturally occurring ones (like those found in fruit and dairy). “Naturally occurring sugars at least bring with them added vitamins and minerals, like the bonebuilding calcium in dairy or the vitamin C and potassium

BRAIN

Sugar has the power to shout down the voice inside your head that’s telling you to step away from the sweet stuff. The more you eat, the more you crave. “Sugar stimulates the mesolimbic-reward system, so your brain desires it even more, despite knowing better,” Nadolsky says. It may also make your thinking seem fuzzier. A 2012 study published in The Journal of Physiology found rats that consumed a high-sugar diet suffered deficiencies in memory and overall cognitive health compared with those that had a lower-sugar diet. And a 2009 Georgia State University study found rats with high-fructose diets had impaired spatial memory.

TA M A R A S TA P L E S / G E T T Y IM AG E S

YOUR BODY ON SUGAR


YOUR

MOUTH

When your mom (and your dentist) told you too many sweets would give you cavities, they weren’t far off. High levels of sugar promote the growth of the bacteria that live in your mouth, allowing them to easily multiply, which in turn can create tooth decay. Multiple studies have shown a link between dietary sugar intake and dental cavities.

YOUR

HEART

High levels of sugar can take a toll on your ticker. A 2013 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association noted that a molecule found in sugar can have an effect on how efficiently your heart pumps, increasing the risk of heart failure. And a 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found sugar could lead to heart disease even

19.5 TSP

Amount of sugar consumed by an average American adult every day—that’s about 66 pounds of added sugar consumed each year, per person Source: University of California, San Francisco

among people who are not overweight. The study concluded that people who received 25% or more of their daily calories as added sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease compared with those whose sugar intake was less than 10% of calories. The more sugar they ate, the higher their risk of dying from heart disease, regardless of age, sex, weight, and activity level. Too much sugar can also increase triglycerides, a type of fat found in the bloodstream linked to a higher risk of heart disease. And added sugars like highfructose corn syrup can cause a spike in blood pressure, further increasing the risk of heart attack as well as stroke, kidney failure, and dementia.

YOUR

GUT

Research from Oregon State University found a highsugar, high-fat diet in mice can create changes in the microbiome, the bacteria that flourish inside your intestines, impairing their ability to adjust to changing situations.

YOUR

SKIN

Excessive sweets may cause your skin to age prematurely. A process called glycation, where sugar molecules attach to proteins, may form harmful molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). As these AGEs accumulate, they can damage adjacent proteins, especially collagen and elastin, which keep skin firm and elastic.


SORE SHOULDERS SHOULDERS ARE COMPLICATED. After all, you need all those bones, tendons, and muscles to maintain 360 degrees of movement. But with the ability to reach up, down, and all around comes an instability that brings a high risk of injury. That’s why shoulder pain is one of the most common physical complaints, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. ¶ “Most upper-body workouts place a tremendous amount of stress on the shoulders,” explains Anthony D’Angelo, MSPT, senior vice president of clinical operations for Professional Physical Therapy. “These external forces can cause fatigue, breakdown, and eventual failure.”

WHAT IS IT? One of the most common injuries for weightlifters is shoulder impingement syndrome, which can stem from the motion of raising your arm to shoulder height. This movement causes the space between the acromion (a bony extension of the shoulder blade) and rotator 72 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

cuff tendons to narrow. “The acromion can rub against, or ‘impinge’ on the tendons and the bursa [a fluid-filled sac that helps reduce friction in the shoulder area], causing irritation and pain,” says D’Angelo. Left unchecked, this friction can create microtears, causing pain and inflammation or a tear in the rotator cuff.

HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

SIGNS OF TROUBLE

Any activities that require your arms to be repeatedly raised above the shoulders can put you at risk for an impingement injury. That includes sports like swimming, golf, and softball, as well as overhead exercises like military presses or lat pulldowns. But your genes may also be to blame. “Some people are naturally more loose-jointed than others, which can put them at greater risk of impingement and instability,” notes Armin Tehrany, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Manhattan Orthopedic Care in New York. If you have more movement in the shoulders, he says, the joints will have a greater tendency to shift in and out during exercise, which increases the chances of developing an impingement.

Shoulder impingements often begin with a dull ache near the shoulder blade or lateral deltoid. If untreated, additional symptoms may appear, including difficulty raising your arm forward or to the side. You may also feel pain on the affected side when you’re trying to sleep. If you’re in the gym, you may find it painful to do a move like a shoulder press or similar overhead moves or if you try to reach your arm behind your back. “It can be a sharp, stabbing pain near the surface of your skin, rather than from deep within the joint,” says Tehrany.

TREATMENT OPTIONS Mild cases—those in the beginning stages—are usually

PER BERNAL

The body’s most mobile joint is also one of its most oft injured. Here’s how to keep it moving strong in all directions.


along with smoothing out the acromion to prevent future impingement issues, notes Tehrany.

STAYING HEALTHY

IL L U S T R AT I O N S BY R EMIE G E O F F RO I

treated with a combo of anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen, along with rest and physical therapy to strengthen the shoulder and rotator cuff. “The medication will reduce the inflammation in the tendons, which then lowers the pain and the inhibition of the muscle, allowing it to resume normal function,” says D’Angelo. You may not feel a difference for about three days, since it can take time for the anti-inflammatories to do their job. Most patients will experience almost a complete improvement within three to six months. More severe impingement issues may require a cortisone injection to take down some of the inflammation. Even more advanced cases may require surgery, which may involve removing the inflamed bursa,

Although physical therapy will help strengthen and stabilize the shoulder musculature, if you are dealing with shoulder impingement syndrome, most treatments (aside from surgery) will help alleviate your symptoms without solving the problem. “Unfortunately, even if you start to feel better, the bone spur that causes the impingement is still there, so you remain at risk for recurrence and a possible rotator cuff tear as you get older,” warns Tehrany. To curb your risk of future injury, focus on maintaining good posture. “Posture is important since forward or rounded shoulders further narrow the space between the rotator cuff and humerus, increasing chances of impingement,” says D’Angelo. And keep your training to a minimum: D’Angelo recommends limiting overhead activities to two to three times a week, and making sure you take time off if any symptoms start to present themselves. It can also help to strengthen the rotator cuff as a form of prehab, says D’Angelo. (See “Two Moves for Healthy Shoulders,” right.) And be sure to see a medical professional if you start to feel discomfort. “If moderate pain is present during your workouts, cease the activity. If it’s still at the same level of discomfort 24 to 48 hours later, consult your physician,” he advises. “The quicker you figure out the problem, the sooner you can start to get healthy.”

TWO MOVES FOR

HEALTHY SHOULDERS

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 73


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HEALTHIEST HOTELS IN AMERICA Traveling and staying fit aren’t your typical bedmates. But we know Hers readers defy those odds, even when 3,000 miles from home. Luckily, hotels are finally rolling out the gym floors for the uptick in healthy travelers. Here are four chains that have your #fitgoals back. BY CAT PERRY 74 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

This is one of the chicest— and fittest—boutique hotels in the country because everything about the Kimpton fitness initiatives is designed to elicit your playfully healthy side. Using exercise variety as their spice of life, Kimpton’s properties across the U.S. have thought up countless unconventional ways to make you sweat. In Cambridge, MA, Kimpton lets you take full advantage of the gorgeous Charles River waterside with complimentary kayaks; or get your core/upper-body session in with the Concept2 Rower (set up outdoors if weather permits) while led by a rowing coach. In Chicago, take a meditation class, because who doesn’t need a little more peace of mind, especially while on the road? Blow off some steam and

challenge your brain in new ways by going bouldering on an outdoor climbing wall in Huntington Beach, CA, or Seattle, where Kimpton also has a fantastic functional fitness room—replete with kettlebells, monkey bars, boxes, jump ropes, and preprogrammed workouts for you to easily step up In Pittsburgh, you can go on a juice cleanse if it suits partnership with Pittsburgh Juice Co. In Washington, D.C., several properties have wellness perks, but our fave is the 24/7 access to a superchic 2,000-square-foot gym at Kimpton Glover Park. Overall the creativity of Kimpton’s fitness programs is inspiring, which is exactly what exercise should be! And each one is as unique as the hotel property, the locale— and you.


2 Element Hotels starwoodhotels.com/element

A Marriott brand that champions its eco-innovation initiatives—e.g., using green energy for power and nontoxic paints, and maintaining saline (rather than chlorine) pools— Element Hotels also wants you to stay fit and feel well while you travel. Its wellness programming keeps it simple yet satisfies your need for speed, effectiveness, and convenience all at once. Pick up a three-speed Miir bike (miir.com) at the concierge

3

so you can cruise city streets, see the sights (or arrive to that meeting in fitness-fanatic style), and get in a solid workout. Miir bikes have straight bars, rather than drop bars, which means you’ll have a more upright posture and added comfort. But make no mistake, these bikes are ready to ride fast if you want a challenge, and we know you do. Or sweat it out before leaving the property via the partnership Element has with Your Trainer (yourtrainer.com/element), which allows you to set up a virtual or in-person workout session with a nearby personal trainer in minutes flat. And the stationary bikes in the training centers let you plug in and power up phones or other devices, giving you a novel incentive to keep on moving until your battery, and sense of accomplishment, is at 100%.

4 Westin Hotels

starwoodhotels.com/westin For several years now, Westin has led the way in hospitality chains catering to fit travelers. Its “Let’s Rise” campaign has seen floor-toceiling upgrades of Westin’s workout facilities, improving strength training/cardio equipment and making the

fitness studios more chic than ever. And how many times have you felt pressed for suitcase space and just wished you could leave your extra sneakers at home yet still get in a phenomenal workout? The Westin Gear Lending program with New Balance means you can (accidentally or intentionally) forget your bulky workout gear at home and still get outfitted to exercise, for just $5. A hotel after our hearts: We absolutely love that the RunWestin concierge offers the best, most scenic three-or five-mile routes so you can head out with a map to discover as you run—take that, Google Maps! It also has hiking (Scottsdale, AZ), surfing (Los Angeles Airport), and biking (Atlanta) concierges that put you right in the heart of the city you’re in. And earlier this year it partnered with cycling sensation Peloton to allow guests to singe some serious airplane pounds by hopping on an in-room Peloton cycle (or heading down to a studio) and tuning in to up to 14 daily live studio cycling classes, led by NYC instructors, in addition to more than 4,000 on-demand classes. M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 75


RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

THE DANGERS OF BELLY POOCH

Think a “healthy BMI” means you’re in good-health standing? That may not be the case if you tend to carry the extra weight mostly around your middle. A recent study in Annals of Internal Medicine found that belly fat can put you at a higher risk of death than when weight is carried elsewhere. British researchers gathered data from 42,702 participants from 10 different years of surveys. They examined BMI and waist-to-hip ratio and found that people who were normal weight but had central obesity (belly fat) or were obese with belly fat were at increased risk for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular deaths.

76 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

Does the Pill Really Make You Moody? Turns out there may be an element of truth to this idea after all. A recent Swedish study found that women who took an oral contraceptive reported lower mood/ well-being and less energy and overall quality of life compared with a placebo group. But don’t abandon your birth control just yet—experts say the study doesn’t cover all the angles. “The researchers asked women to put up with side effects of the pills without reaping their benefits. Since the women didn’t know if they were getting a placebo or an oral contraceptive, they didn’t feel as though they were preventing pregnancy,” says Jonathan Schaffir, M.D., an obstetrician/ gynecologist with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. Give the pill at least three months to determine how the side effects impact you, he suggests, before you search for other options.

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THE DIRT ON DUST

8 4 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017



HERS FAVORITE

FOR FALL Whether you’re going for a record or besting your yesterday, these seven training sneakers go hard

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Nike’s Metcon has been a CrossFit standby for a while now, and the DSX Flyknit edition features all the durability of the classic while being more lightweight and breathable. It’s designed to keep you stable during heavy lifts but light as a feather during plyometric training. The heel is hard enough to stabilize the foot under a heavy weight, but the sole transitions to a softer,

flexible forefoot to make sprints comfortable. This shoe will take anything you throw at it, whether you’re jumping high or squatting low. It’s a great option for people who do CrossFit but also for those who want to lift and do plyometrics without hitting the locker room for a shoe swap. $160, nike.com


This is a bona fide cool-kid sneaker. The designs are trendy but not annoyingly so, and it has an outsole that’s just stiff enough but also grippy as ever for your sprints, rope climbs, box jumps, jerks, and more. These have a more anatomical toe box than a regular sneaker’s and less padding, so you feel where your power is coming from on every rep. The upper is stiffer, but that’s to protect you from errant barbells and landings— and to last longer than the competition, which it will. A fantastic shoe for strength training, plyometrics, and everything else your mind is set on accomplishing. From $129, nobullproject.com

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Let the effort you put in at the gym show on your body, not your palms

8 8 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

Calluses While calluses may not be aesthetically pleasing, they serve an important purpose, especially for someone who is training hard in the weight room. “Calluses are our skin’s way of protecting itself,” says Lauren Ploch, M.D., a dermatologist in Augusta, GA. “Skin thickens and forms calluses in response to repetitive trauma, friction, and/or pressure.” To prevent calluses, try to distribute the weight you’re lifting more evenly

over your hands, Ploch says. Barrier ointments with petrolatum or dimethicone can help prevent frictioninduced calluses. (To avoid slippery hands, use ointment only on pressure points.) If you really want to keep your hands callus-free, consider wearing lifting gloves or grips, which help redistribute weight and prevent pressure-induced calluses and blisters. (See two of our favorites, opposite page.) If you already have

PER BERNAL

HAPPY HANDS


calluses, it’s still not too late to beautify your hands. “Massage them with a bland ointment [free of fragrance, color, or cooling additives] such as Vaseline or Aquaphor regularly, or try a cream that contains agents such as urea and ammonium lactate to help break down the keratin protein in a callus,” suggests Ploch. Gold Bond Ultimate Rough & Bumpy Skin Cream contains both ingredients; CeraVe SA and AmLactin both contain ammonium lactate.

Blisters

NICOLAS BETS/GETTY IMAGES

When blisters form, many lifters follow some variation of the tough-girl-approved “tape it and push through” method. But depending on the severity of the blister, this may make the area even more prone to callus development. The blister “roof” protects the skin like a natural bandage, explains Ploch. “You want to keep the skin on top of the blister intact. Even if you tape or bandage your hands, this protective skin can come off, which means the blister will take longer to heal and become prone to infection,” says Valerie Goldburt, M.D., a dermatologist based in New York City. If the skin does rip, try washing the area with a gentle cleanser daily and applying a bland ointment and a bandage. And consider cross-training for a few days—Goldburt says the skin may need some time off from lifting to heal.

Dry Skin Doing your runs in cold weather or getting out for other forms of cardio can lead to painful dry, cracked

based option like O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream.

Sun Protection

hands. But exposure to the elements isn’t the only trigger. “Your hands can become dry from eczema or allergic contact dermatitis [an allergy to metals or plastic],” says Goldburt. An over-the-counter cortisone cream or a hydrocortisone prescription can help treat allergies and eczema. If dry hands are still

a concern, apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly to your hands and wear cotton gloves to sleep. And to keep your skin from drying out in the first place, use a gentle cleanser to wash your hands, and moisturize immediately after washing with a petrolatum-based, fragrancefree product such as Aquaphor or a dimethicone-

Your palms aren’t the only part of your hands that can look worn from your workouts, especially if you often take your fitness to the great outdoors. The backs of your hands are prone to sunburn and dryness, so year-round protection is a must. Make sure to regularly apply sunscreen to your hands and arms to prevent long-term side effects, adds Ploch. “Protect the backs of your hands from the sun. Over time, the sun can cause the skin to thin and become more susceptible to bruising and injury,” she says. Try a combo hand cream and sunscreen like Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream with Sea Buckthorn, which has an SPF of 40.

Glove Story

Weightlifting gloves and grips are perhaps the easiest ways to protect your hands from gym wear and tear. Two of our favorites:

Nonslip padding in the palm and thumb and an easy-off finger design on help keep your hands protected throughout your workout; the wraparound wrist strap gives extra support. ($35–$50, schiek.com)

have a unique stand-up grip, an extended length, and a built-in arch support to protect your hands and wrist from injury while locking your grip into place. ($55–$57, versagripps.com)

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 89


SHORE UP YOUR BEAUTY STAPLES Autumn is the perfect time to take stock of what you need for your best skin, hair, face, and more

SAVE

BY CELIA SHATZMAN

FALL MAY MAKE YOU think of foliage, cooler days, and back-to-school sales—but it’s also a good time to restock your beauty staples. “The summer can wreak havoc on skin, hair, and nails,” explains Christine Choi Kim, M.D., a dermatologist in Santa Monica, CA. “The sun, sand, and chlorine can cause your skin to show

increased pigmentation, dryness, and even breakouts.” Plus, hot summer temperatures may cause your products to change consistency and lose their potency, adds Kim, so it makes sense to clear out old tubes and bottles and treat yourself to some new supplies. Here are the beauty must-haves that will put you on track for a great new season.

SAVE

SAVE

SPLURGE

SPLURGE SAVE

SAVE

SPLURGE

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H SAVE

SPLURGE SPLURGE

SPLURGE

SAVE

SPLURGE

SAVE SPLURGE


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LEANDER NARDIN/STOCKSY

2-WEEK BODY REBOOT GUIDE TO LOVING CYCLING

20-MIN. CLEAN MEALS NEXT-LEVEL UPPER BODY SHAKE UP YOUR SMOOTHIE FIT CHICK’S HEALTHIEST PACKAGED FOODS A.M. WORKOUT GUIDE WOMEN’S OLYMPIA THROUGH THE YEARS

Crisp autumn days mean this is the perfect time to make the outdoors your gym, whether it’s finding a new hiking trail, getting in the saddle for a bike ride, or discovering a fresh-air boot camp class. Bring a friend to share in the adventure—and don’t forget to take time to enjoy the view!

WHAT’S INSIDE

FEATURES


REBOOT

YOUR Sculpt lean muscle, drop fat, and increase your fitness with this two-week split workout program from Extreme Weight Loss coach and bikini competitor Heidi Powell

TRAINING PROGRAM IN A RUT? Recharge your routine with a 14-day workout plan that combines muscle sculpting and high-intensity training from weight-loss coach, trainer, and model for this workout Heidi Powell. “The workouts give you the best of both worlds—you’ll build and sculpt lean muscle mass with training methods like dropsets, giant sets, and weak-point destroyers while creating a metabolic afterburn that incinerates fat for hours after your workouts are over,” she says. Powell and her husband, Chris, hosted five seasons of the hit TV show Extreme Weight Loss and have written two books on exercise and weight loss. She draws the program on these pages from their newest app, Transform with Chris & Heidi, which offers personalized programs for weight loss, physique and body sculpting, and performance-based cross-training. Give this comprehensive plan a try and you should begin to notice a difference in your strength, stamina, and body composition in as little as two weeks. 9 4 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

BODY BY ALYSSA SHAFFER PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES PATRICK

This workout incorporates several types of training modalities designed to challenge your muscles and boost metabolism. Here’s how they work: CONDITIONING FUNDAMENTALS


Try the workout plan for two weeks and you’ll start to notice a change in strength and stamina.

OUR MODEL/TRAINER

Heidi Powell


WEEK 1

YOUR TWO-WEEK SPLIT TRAINING PLAN DAY 1

DAY 2

DB SHOULDER PRESS

BACK SQUAT

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

PULLUP (ASSISTED OR FULL)

BACK LUNGE

DAY 7

PULLUP (ASSISTED OR FULL)

WEEK 2

BURPEE DB INCLINE PRESS ASSISTED OR FULL PULLUP

BACK LUNGE ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

SEATED DB SHOULDER PRESS UPRIGHT ROW VACUUM TWIST

BARBELL HIP THRUST BALL ROLL-IN HANGING LEG RAISE

3-WAY RAISE

BACK SQUAT

DAY 1

DAY 2

BACK SQUAT

DB SHOULDER PRESS

HANGING LEG RAISE

BACK SQUAT BALL ROLL-IN

DB INCLINE PRESS SEATED CABLE ROW

BARBELL HIP THRUST BACK SQUAT

BARBELL HIP THRUST BACK LUNGE HANGING LEG RAISE

SEATED DB SHOULDER PRESS UPRIGHT ROW 3-WAY RAISE VACUUM TWIST

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT BALL ROLL-IN HANGING LEG RAISE

400-METER RUN, ROW, OR BIKE

BARBELL HIP THRUST DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

PULLUP (ASSISTED OR FULL)

BACK LUNGE

DAY 7

AIR SQUAT 100-METER RUN, ROW, OR BIKE BURPEE BACK LUNGE ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

DB INCLINE PRESS PULLUP (ASSISTED OR FULL)

100-METER RUN, ROW, OR BIKE HANGING LEG RAISE

BACK SQUAT BALL ROLL-IN

DB INCLINE PRESS SEATED CABLE ROW

BARBELL HIP THRUST BACK SQUAT

BARBELL HIP THRUST BACK LUNGE HANGING LEG RAISE

SEATED DB SHOULDER PRESS UPRIGHT ROW 3-WAY RAISE VACUUM TWIST

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT BALL ROLL-IN HANGING LEG RAISE

100-METER RUN, ROW, OR BIKE BARBELL HIP THRUST BALL ROLL-IN HANGING LEG RAISE

BACK SQUAT TRY THE APP!

9 6 | M & F H ERS | FA LL 2017

SEATED DB SHOULDER PRESS UPRIGHT ROW VACUUM TWIST

ASSISTED PULLUP

PULLUP (ASSISTED OR FULL) 100-METER RUN, ROW OR BIKE

BARBELL HIP THRUST FITHERS30

Shot on location at Unique Physique, Tempe, AZ


B

A

H A I R B Y C H R I S S Y R A S M U S S E N ; M A K E U P B Y J O C E LY N P R I C E ; T O P : L U L U L E M O N ; B O T T O M : B O D Y G L O V E B R E AT H E ; S H E O S : A S I C S

A

WORKS: CHEST

B

WORKS: SHOULDERS

epeat ( )

PULLUP

WORKS: SHOULDERS, BACK, ARMS

Grasp a pullup bar with an overhand grip, hands outside shoulders. Hang from bar with arms extended; bend knees so ankles are crossing behind you. Pull chest up until chin is over the bar, keeping body straight without arching or swinging. Lower back to start and repeat.

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 97


WORKS: UPPER BACK, SHOULDERS

A

WORKS: CORE

SEATED CABLE ROW WORKS: BACK

Sit in front of a lowpulley row machine with a V-bar attachment, knees slightly bent with feet on platform, holding V-bar in front of chest with arms extended, head in line with spine and abs engaged (A). Pull V-bar toward torso, keeping arms close to body, until elbows are bent 90 degrees and just past your sides (B). Hold for one count, squeezing back muscles; straighten arms and repeat. B


BOOST YOUR FAT LOSS!

Add 10 minutes of cardio after each strength workout: Do 15 seconds at an all-out effort, followed by 45 seconds of recovery; repeat 10 times.

THREE-WAY RAISE WORKS: SHOULDERS

A

B

Stand tall with feet together, holding weights in front of thighs with palms facing body, abs engaged. Lift weights forward to shoulder height without locking elbows (A). Pause for one count at the top of the movement; lower back to start. Bring arms to outside of thighs, keeping palms facing body. Lift weights out to sides at shoulder height, maintaining slight bend in elbows (B). Pause for one count at the top of the movement, then lower arms back to outside of thighs. Hinge forward from waist, extending arms directly below shoulders. Keep abs tight and head in line with spine. Raise arms out to sides, pausing for one count at the top and contracting backs of shoulders (C). Lower arms below shoulders. Stand up and repeat the full series.

C

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 99


WORKS: GLUTES, LEGS

B

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

WORKS: GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS

Stand tall with feet about hip-distance apart, holding dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing body and knees slightly bent. (Option: Use a barbell.) Hinge forward from hips, lowering weights toward shins. Push butt behind you, feeling a stretch along your hamstrings. Keep back flat and look up slightly. Drive hips forward to stand back to starting position; repeat.

A

WEIGHTED HIP THRUST WORKS: GLUTES

Sit on floor with upper back against a flat bench. Place a small resistance band just above knees and a barbell across hips. (Use a foam pad for comfort.) Keep feet flat on floor, knees bent (A). Driving through heels, thrust hips up; at the same time, bring thighs apart, working against the resistance of the band. Hold for one count at the top of the contraction, squeezing glutes (B), then lower to start and repeat. 1 0 0 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 201 7


BACK LUNGE

WORKS: GLUTES, LEGS

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding barbell placed across upper back. (Option: You can also hold dumbbells with arms at sides, palms in.) Lunge left leg back, bending both knees 90 degrees. Keep shoulders stacked above hips and right knee over heel. Press through right heel to return to standing. Do all reps on this side; switch legs and repeat.

WORKS: ABS

BALL ROLL-IN WORKS: GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS

Lie faceup on floor with arms at sides and calves resting on a stability ball. Lift hips, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels, chin tucked in toward chest (A). Keeping hips lifted, roll ball toward body, using hamstrings to drive the movement and pulling ball as close to you as possible (B). Pause briefly, then slowly roll ball back to start and repeat. A

B

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 01



LEAN Don’t let time be your excuse for ordering in or picking up dinner— these easy recipes are perfect for busy nights or anytime you want a healthy option without delay RECIPES BY GAVAN MURPHY PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOYA MCALLISTER FOOD STYLING BY JULIA CHOI

WHO SAYS FAST FOOD can’t be healthy? You don’t need a ton of time to serve up a nutritious meal that satisfies your appetite. “These 20-minute meals are packed with protein, bursting with flavor, and will have you in and out of the kitchen in a flash,” notes Gavan Murphy, a Los Angeles–based chef who specializes in clean eating and organic cuisine. Featuring an array of spices and flavors, these recipes will help you steer clear of meal-prep ruts and make time for all the activities you’d rather be doing. “You’ll use quick meal techniques and fresh ingredients that can help meet your macro needs while keeping your taste buds excited,” says Murphy. Give them a try whenever you need to get something healthy on the table pronto.

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GET A

NEXT-LEVEL

UPPER

BODY UNCOVER YOUR STAGE-READY SHOULDERS, ARMS & CORE IN JUST FOUR WEEKS WITH THIS TARGETED TRAINING PLAN |


DAY 1 / SCULPTING A WELL-PROPORTIONED UPPER BODY

A

B

Attach a long bar to a pulldown cable machine and grip the bar with hands narrower than shoulder width. Let your arms extend fully as you lower into the seat, securing thighs beneath pads (A). This is the starting position. Engage your core and drive the elbows downward to initiate the movement as you bring the bar toward the bottom of your chest (B). Focus the contraction at the bottom of the movement on the lower lat area of your back, holding for a count of 2. Slowly bring the bar back to the starting position without resting at the top of the rep. Beginner /

Advanced /

HOW TO DO IT /

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B

A

Beginner /

Beginner /

Advanced / Advanced /

Grab a moderate-weight dumbbell and rest the top of your back perpendicular to a flat bench. Place hands around one end of the DB and straighten your arms until the DB is a couple of feet above your chest and perpendicular to the floor (A). Keeping arms straight but elbows soft (and pointed toward the ceiling rather than flaring out), slowly bring the DB behind your head to a complete extension; you will feel a stretch in your lats (B). Pull the weight back up to the starting position without resting at the top. Beginner / Advanced /

Both /

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DAY 2 / Sit faceup on an incline bench and grasp a moderately weighted bar wider than shoulder width. Think about separating the bar with your hands to activate your pecs. Keeping a slight arch in your lower back and shoulder blades pressed into bench, unrack bar with straight arms (A). Perform rep with the tempo 4:0:1:0, which is 4 sec. to lower, zero sec. at bottom (B), 1 sec. to press up, zero sec. at top.

A

B

Beginner /

Advanced /

Beginner / Advanced /

Beginner /

Advanced /

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A

Both /

B

Grab the high-pulley D-handles of a cable machine, arms straight, feet hip width or slightly staggered (A). Keeping your chest up and arms straight but elbows soft, bring handles toward your center line. Focus on contracting your pecs at this point in each rep (B). Beginner / Advanced /

A

Sit at edge of step or bench, holding moderate weight, and lean forward 45 degrees, palms facing each other (A). Drive elbows and lift weight to your sides until they’re parallel to the floor (B). Lower weight under control. Both /

B

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DAY 3 / Grasp a weighted EZ-bar with underhand grip at the “outer curl.” Stand with feet hip width and arms straight with bar resting against thighs (A). Curl the bar toward your chest for a 1-sec. count (B). Use this tempo: 1:2:3:0. Lift in 1 sec., squeeze the biceps for a count of 2 sec. at the top of the rep, then slowly lower bar for 3; don’t rest at bottom. Keep elbows stationary throughout move. “If you pull the elbows up you’ll be using deltoids to assist biceps— we need to avoid that so that we can completely isolate the biceps in this movement,” says Marenco. Beginner / Beginner / Advanced / Advanced /

Beginner / Advanced /

B

A

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B

A

Place hands on edge of step (and elevate feet if desired). Keeping elbows tracking behind you rather than flaring out, lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor (A). Push yourself back up to start using your triceps (B). Beginner /

Advanced /

A

B

Stand in front of a high-pulley cable machine with arms bent and rope attachment in each hand (A) or use dumbbells. With elbows in tight against torso, pull the weight down and toward your sides. Contract triceps at bottom of rep and open rope ends slightly (B). Note: If you are unable to open the rope all the way or unable to complete a full extension, then the workload is too heavy. Drop some of the weight off the stack. Both /

Beginner / Advanced /

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YOUR

SMOOTHIES GIVE YOUR BLENDER A REBOOT WITH THESE INNOVATIVE, PROTEIN-PACKED FROZEN COMBOS BY MATTHEW KADEY, R.D. | PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRIAN KLUTCH FOOD & PROP STYLING BY SUSAN OTTAVIANO

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE an icy smoothie to help you recharge after a tough, sweat-inducing workout. But blending together the usual combo of milk, ice, protein powder, and fruit can start to feel a little blah. To shake things up, try adding fresh ingredients and unexpected combos that deliver tons of flavor plus key nutrients while still delivering the important components you need to enhance recovery and help your muscles rebuild pronto.

SMOOTHIE SERV ES: 1

Inspired by everyone’s favorite sandwich, this smoothie is jam-packed with nutritional goodies, including tangy kefir, which is even richer in gut-friendly probiotics than yogurt. You’ll also find dried cherries, whose antioxidants can help accelerate post-workout muscle recovery, and wheat germ for a range of must-have nutrients like zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins. INGREDIENTS

Beyond whey, you can now source out a number of alternative non-soy plant-based powders such as hemp, pea, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and rice.

1 1 6 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 2017

1 cup plain low-fat kefir drink 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder 2 tbsp wheat germ 1 tsp unsalted peanut butter ¼ cup dried tart cherries ½ tsp pure vanilla extract (omit if using vanilla protein) ½ small frozen banana, chopped 1 tbsp chopped peanuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except peanuts in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and sprinkle on peanuts, if desired. PER SERVING

Calories: 350, Protein: 28g, Carbs: 40g, Fat: 8g


MEAN

SMOOTHIE PACKS

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

A perfect smoothie should have a mix of quality carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Look for protein from powders, dairy like yogurt or cottage cheese, or silken tofu. Fat can include nuts, seeds, and ground flax. Carbs should hail from whole foods like veggies and fruits.

PER SERVING

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A touch of spice like cinnamon or nutmeg can instantly transform a smoothie from meh to memorable. Other practically no-calorie add-ins include fresh herbs, citrus zest, and extracts like vanilla or almond.

SMOOTHIE BOWL WITH QUICK GRANOLA S E RV E S : 4

Smoothie bowls remain an Insta-rage; this version gives you creamy, crunchy goodness with a protein punch thanks to the pairing of pasteurized egg whites and Greek yogurt. Plus, pears offer up a good source of fiber, a nutrient that most of us still need more of in our diets. INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

GRANOLA

1. To make granola, heat coconut oil and honey in a skillet over medium heat until melted. Add oats, pecans, cranberries, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to skillet and heat until oats are toasted, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Spread mixture on a baking sheet or a cutting board to cool. 2. To make a smoothie bowl, place ¼ cup milk, ¾ cup Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup egg whites, 1 chopped pear,

1 1 ¾ 1/3 ¼ ½

tbsp coconut oil tbsp honey cup rolled oats cup pecans cup dried cranberries tsp cinnamon

SMOOTHIE

1 cup fat-free milk 3 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt 11/3 cups pasteurized carton egg whites 4 pears, chopped 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger powder

1 1 8 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 2017

½ tsp vanilla, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp ginger powder in a blender container and blend until smooth. The mixture should be thick, but blend in a small amount of additional milk if needed to assist with blending. 3. Place smoothie in a bowl and scatter on ¼ of the granola. PER SERVING

Calories: 345, Protein: 25g, Carbs: 40g, Fat: 7.5g


CHOCOLATE FUDGE MILK SHAKE (NOT SHOWN) SERV ES: 1

CHEESECAKE SMOOTHIE

The secret to this drink’s deliciously thick, fudgy consistency? Credit creamy avocado, along with dried plums for natural sweetness and dissolved coffee to enhance the protein powder’s chocolaty flavor. The combo of protein, carbs, and healthy fats also makes it a stellar post-gym recovery aid. INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS 2/ 3

1 tsp instant espresso powder or finely ground coffee 1 cup almond milk or fat-free milk ½ small avocado 1 scoop chocolate protein powder 3 dried pitted plums 1 tbsp cocoa powder ¼ tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp chili powder (optional) 1 cup ice cubes DIRECTIONS

For easier blending, add liquids first; then soft items like yogurt and nut butters; then harder ingredients, such as raw vegetables; and finally, frozen fruit or ice. This helps lubricate the blender’s blades so they’ll cut through the harder stuff and extend the life span of less powerful machines.

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve instant espresso powder in 1 tbsp hot water and let cool. 2. Place dissolved coffee and remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, blend in additional milk. PER SERVING

Calories: 325, Protein: 30g, Carbs: 38g, Fat: 10g PER SERVING

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 1 9


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E H TO

F THE F

AL IT CH ID T U LIN I C K’ S G WI G I N LOV E

BY CAT PERRY

Want to clear your head and get in a great workout? Just hop on your bike and put the pedal to the metal. Cycling isn’t about entering the Tour de France. It’s about staying active and connected to your body and the world around you. Upgrade your two-wheeler to a bike built for fitness, and you’ll be ready to roll farther and faster in no time.

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT BIKE FOR YOU:

WHAT’S THE DIFF? Road Bike This category of bicycles is the queen of fitness—yet it can be overwhelming to choose one if you’re not sure what you need. A staggering array of bike variations affects performance, speed, comfort, usability, and price. These features include things like skinnier tires, lighter alloy materials, and smoother components (like grippier brakes or better shifters), all for a faster, sweeter ride. So how do you know which is right for you? The “perfect” road bike is one that has the right frame geometry for you. Everything on a road bike— from the frame height, stem length, and handlebar depth to the distance from the seat to handlebars—will put you in a more ergonomic position (compared with fitness bikes

or cruisers) to gain speed and get in a great workout. And although road bike geometry takes some getting used to— since your torso is angled more toward the ground—once you’ve learned to love a faster ride, the added advantages these positions offer will become essential to your workout regimen. Fitness/Urban Bike What was once more broadly called a hybrid bike, the fitness bike has risen in popularity to put the urban rider more squarely in focus. It gives a comfy, fast ride that can be your go-to for running quick errands, or it goes the distance on Saturday and Sunday if your weekend warrior strikes. A fitness bike is built like a road model but with wider tires. It’s a bit heavier, which also means slower; it has straight handlebars (rather than drop), which can be more comfortable for newbies; and it has what’s called a “more upright geometry.” (Your torso

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protects you from wind, rain, and cold as you ride. Plus, its allover reflective material keeps you safe. $155, sugoi.com

is more perpendicular to the ground.) Plus, it usually has a more comfortable seat, to name a few of the more common differences. The “urban” bike also falls into this category and usually has a similar design to a fitness bike except that it’s set up to easily accommodate front and back racks to transport groceries and other items. Mountain Bike We won’t cover mountain bikes here, but it’s worth mentioning in case you love to hike, want to be far from cars, and are a mountain girl by nature. Mountain biking is like hiking but with a badass boost. To learn the basics in a safe, supportive environment, consider signing up for a mountain biking camp for women of all levels, like the I Choose Bikes camp run across the U.S. by downhill mountain biking champion Leigh Donovan (ichoosebikes.com).

COURTESY OF SUGOI; ALEXANDRE BUISSE/OFFSET

OK, BUT DO GIRLS RIDE? Yes, we do! A survey of 16,000 individuals, commissioned by PeopleForBikes (peopleforbikes.org), found that women are riding every day. Of the 104 million people who rode bikes in 2014, 45 million (43%) of those were women. Moms and dads bike more than their single counterparts, and most women ride for recreation. No matter where you fall in this cycling soup, it’s time to take back the open roads and learn to love one of the fastest, most efficient, and most freeing forms of cardiovascular exercise. This “Fit Chick’s Guide to Falling in Love With Cycling” will get you from a never-ever Nancy to a Lycra-loving Lynda—or somewhere in between, putting the wind in your hair as you crush calories. Check out our bike picks for your next adventure, plus get expert advice on fitness and training basics that will let you take back the road while your legs turn and burn those pedals.


BIKE FIT

WARREN GOLDSWAIN/OFFSE T

Fit instructor Julie Bates from Specialized Bicycles says: “Finding the right bike fit puts you in a perfect position, so you don’t have to think about anything other than riding. Go to a bike shop and sit on the various sizes of bikes, with guidance from knowledgeable bike shop staff. They will want to know how far you plan on riding and your goals and aspirations to help pick the right bike, in the right size, for you to test ride.” Everything from your torso length to your sit-bones width and arm and leg length will be taken into account to get you a solid bike fit. And although the perfect dimensions will be different with every brand, women-specific bikes account for some of these factors, so they’re a great place to start your search.

FRAME SIZE This is the main component of the bike; everything is attached to it. If you have a smaller torso or legs, your frame will be smaller, and vice versa. Finding the correct-size bike is often overlooked by newbies, who may simply adjust the seat height to make up for a frame that’s too small or large. Road and fitness bikes

sometimes come in small, medium, or large, which makes it easier. A general rule of thumb is to stand over the top tube running the length of the bike and make sure there is one to two inches of clearance between the top of your inseam and the bar. (This applies if it’s a straight tube rather than an angled or a step-through tube design.) Here’s a very rough idea of frame sizing:

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ANOTHER GREAT RESOURCE Plug all your measurements into the Competitive Cyclist Fit Guide (competitivecyclist .com) to see suggestions for your ideal bike fit.

SADDLE COMFORT Some women’s saddles may not feel comfy enough for long rides. But you’ll be able to ride longer when other elements of bike fit are addressed, Bates says. “Have your sit bones measured— then it becomes a choice of padding, cutout, and shape of the saddle.” Positioning the saddle in the right spot will also help you ride without down-there pain. Investing in a good bike short/chamois (shorts padded in the seat area) will also help with this, she adds.

is a chic chamois with a nicely padded crotch, light compression to reduce muscle fatigue, and a high waistband for riding comfort. $109, trekbikes.com

“Most new cyclists don’t know the difference between good pain and bad pain. Good pain is sore and tired muscles; you’ve ridden your bike, and your body is tired. Bad pain is numbness, burning, abrasion, sore joints, saddle sores, etc. People assume that hand, lower back, shoulder, and wrist pain are just normal in cycling. Not true! Cyclists should never accept bad pain as the norm,” Bates says.

COURTESY OF BONTRAGER; ANDY SMITH/OFFSET

SEAT HEIGHT After you’ve been fitted for a frame, adjust the seat height. Place the heel of your foot on the pedal (not the middle or ball of foot), and pedal to bottom of stroke. Stop pedaling, keeping leg straight. You want your heel just brushing the top of the pedal. Achieve this by adjusting saddle height up or down. Your knee should be slightly bent, at 80–90% full leg extension. “The general rule for saddle height is for a rider to have a knee angle of 25 to 35 degrees. This will protect knees from injury and create the most power and comfort,” Bates says. With these elements in place, 60% of your weight

should be on the saddle and 40% on the hands and upper body, she says.

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BASICS PROPERLY INFLATE TIRES: The side of your bike tire will say what PSI (pressure per square inch) the inner tube should be inflated to. Check the pressure before every ride to help prevent flats. If you have to inflate your tires a lot before every ride, you may have a slow leak. HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE/TUBE: Detach tire from bike. Then remove tire halfway off rim so you can remove the inner tube: You’ll likely need two tire levers, one to hold under the bead and the other to slide between the tire and rim. Once tire is off one side of rim, slide out tube. Look in the tire for debris like glass or rocks; inflate tube to listen for leaks. If the hole can be patched, do so now, following directions on patch kit. If tube is badly damaged, tuck a new inner tube under tire that is still half-attached to rim. Use your fingers to tuck tire back onto rim. Then reinflate tire and reattach to frame.

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BEST WOMEN’S BIKES

SPECIALIZED BIKES DOLCE EVO WITH DISC BRAKES SPECIALIZED.COM

TRAINING: FASTER, SAFER, STRONGER

To improve in cycling, just as with workouts, you have to train smart. Here, tips from Marni Sumbal, M.S., R.D., 11-time Ironman finisher and owner of Trimarni Coaching & Nutrition (trimarnicoach.com).

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1 Cycling training can improve resilience and strengthen muscles, tendons, ligaments, and tissues. It also stresses the heart and lungs and the musculoskeletal system [legs, glutes, core]. Try to train these systems

separately so you’re not out of breath when riding. 2

SINGLE-LEG DRILLS / Improve the mind-muscle connection: Become aware of your full pedal stroke so you can notice


LIV CYCLING AVAIL 1

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PREVIOUS PAGE: COURTESY OF SPECIALIZED; THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF LIV CYCLING; COURTESY OF TREK BIKES; COURTESY OF CANNONDALE; COURTESY OF SCHWINN

An agile entry-level road bike built specifically for women ready to commit to riding longer distances—affordably. A durable aluminum frame with an advance-quality composite fork disperses shock from uneven roads below. A more compact design makes it easier to ride in traffic safely, and a shorter bike reach adds comfort as you ride more miles. A 9-speed Shimano Sora shifter is just enough horsepower for hills, and Tektro R312 rim brakes are reliable and tough enough.

A fitness hybrid bike for rides on city streets or on longer rides on the weekends. Ergonomic straight handlebars fit nicely in hands and help prevent discomfort. A step-through stagger frame (angled top tube) option makes mounting less awkward. A carbon fork and an aluminum frame help absorb vibrations from the road, plus they save bike weight. The FX 3 is a respectable 24 pounds (for the 17.5-inch frame). Trek outfits this 27-speed bad-girl bike with smooth Shimano EF65 EZ-fire shifters that will help you eat up the hills you’re facing.

CANNONDALE SYNAPSE WOMEN’S DISC 105

SCHWINN BIKES WOMEN’S PHOCUS 1600

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Power through longer rides with this silky do-it-all 22-speed. Cable disc brakes give you more control than traditional rim brakes. A sturdy, lightweight alloy frame with a carbon fork helps reduce vibration from the road and shaves off weight. Its bike geometry targets your need for both speed and comfort; the women’s-specific saddle and handlebars offer easy riding. A 2x11 Shimano 105 drivetrain is more affordable yet still powerful, so it handles both quick jaunts and your longest rides.

flaws (for example, clicking, pausing, a boxlike pedal pattern instead of a smooth, circular one). How to do it: Let one leg hang out of the way of the pedal. With the other foot, pedal without hearing a click at the top of the stroke. If you

feel a click, try to smooth out the top of the pedal stroke. Drill 1: 20–30 seconds right leg, then switch to left leg; repeat four to six times; 60-second easy spin with both legs in between. CADENCE DRILLS / Improve

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An entry-level aluminum bike with carbon fork, the 16-speed is an upgrade from a cruiser or fitness bike without a high price. The women’s-specific frame has an angled top tube and foot cages to help you dig into each pedal stroke. The downside: Drop bars are wider than on premium bikes, making it hard to “ride the drops” for long, thus lowering your aerodynamics. It has a standover height of 32 to 31.5 inches and weighs 33 pounds— more than others here, but it’s a good starter. Lifetime warranty.

muscular resilience and cardiovascular strength. Vary your cadence (revolutions per minute) to broaden your range. Pedaling at a high cadence may seem easier to save the legs, but this stresses the cardio system. Instead,

work on over-recruiting muscle fibers. Drill 2: 6 x 4 minutes at moderate effort (No. 1, 45–55 rpm; No. 2, 90-plus rpm; No. 3, choice of cadence; repeat. Do two-minute easy cadence spin in between).

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2017 HERS

CLEANEST PACKAGED FOODS GUIDE Grocery aisles can be filled with temptations that don’t fit the bill for clean eating. But healthy, whole foods are trending—which is delicious news for your fit goals. Pick up these 37 better-for-you items at a store near you. BY CAT PERRY & KRISTIN MAHONEY

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BREAKFAST BIRCH BENDERS PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN PANCAKE & WAFFLE MIX VITATOPS PROTEIN BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP This 130-calorie whole-grain muffin top aims to make morning pastries a healthy breakfast option again—and it succeeds. It’s perfect for those busy mornings to get you 8g of protein, 6g of fiber, and 2g of fat in the form of a soft, delicious banana and chocolate chip treat. $18 for 12-pack, thehealthfoodstore.com

PURELY ELIZABETH PROBIOTIC GRANOLA Purely Elizabeth upped its healthy-foods game by adding probiotics to its delicious ancient grain granola, which could help support your immune and digestive systems. The first of its kind, this gut-happy granola comes in Chocolate Sea Salt and Maple Walnut. $7, purelyelizabeth.com

Get an extra protein boost at breakfast. These mixes, which include flavors like Peanut Butter Protein and Original Protein, let you dig into fluffy pancakes that have 16g of protein. Paleo and gluten-free mixes available. $6, birchbenders.com

DAIRY, MILK ALTERNATIVES & DRINKS REBEL KITCHEN CHAI MYLK

This dairy-free milk alternative is ideal for those who want to avoid cow’s milk. Made from spring water and organic coconut milk, the chai flavor is a rich portable pick-me-up. It also has turmeric, which is a great natural anti-inflammatory. $4, amazon.com

All the benefits of fresh veggies and bone broth in one drink. Choose from five flavors that are all 120 calories or less and have a variety of pureed organic vegetables and organic chicken bone broth. Made with no concentrates, sugar, or preservatives; plus you get 6 to 11g of protein per serving.

SIGGI S TRIPLE CREAM

RIPPLE MILK

Siggi’s Triple Cream is a rich blend of lowsugar (8g) Icelandic skyr yogurt and whipped cream that’s divine on protein pancakes. And it has 9g of muscle-building protein and belly-friendly active cultures. $2, siggisdairy.com

Smooth and creamy, Ripple Milk is a vegan, dairy-free, soy-free milk alternative, delivering 50% more calcium than 2% dairy milk. You can’t taste the pea protein in this low-sugar milk, yet you’ll get 8g of protein and 32mg of omega-3s. $5, Whole Foods M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 3 1


QUICK LUNCH & DINNER CAMPBELL’S WELL YES! SOUP

The Well Yes! soup line from Campbell’s gives you the sense and taste of hearty home-cooked soups at the convenience and price of a canned option. You’ll recognize every food listed on the soup’s ingredients list because it uses real, natural ingredients and no artificial flavors $3 grocery stores nationwide

CAULIPOWER PIZZA OMG, zesty! This insanely satisfying and delicious thin-crust pizza is made with heaps of cauliflower and delivers key nutrients like vitamin C, omega-3, and manganese to help prevent chronic disease— and it’s gluten-free. $8, caulipower.net

HEALTHY CHOICE POWER BOWLS These all-in-one meals are made with active people in mind. Each flavor combo mixes whole grains, veggies, and lean meats and provides at least 16g of protein and 6 to 8g of fiber, plus healthy carbs. $4, grocery stores nationwide

CRACKERS, CHIPS & BREADS

These light and crispy chips are corn-free; plus, because they’re made with cassava flour, avocado oil, coconut flour, ground chia seed, and sea salt, they’re also gluten-free and Paleo- and vegan-friendly.

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B FREE SWEET POTATO WRAPS

OZERY BAKERY MUESLI MORNING ROUNDS

Our favorite tuber as a wrap? Yes, please! The soft, pliable wraps are made with sweet potato flour and have just 100 calories. $7, bfreefoods.com

Small, perfect rounds made with wholesome ingredients like mixed grains, apples, raisins, sunflower seeds, and flaxseed. $5 for 6-pack, ozerybakery.com/us-en

SIMPLE MILLS EVERYTHING SPROUTED SEED CRACKERS

ALVARADO ST. BAKERY SPROUTED WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

These gluten-free crackers are made with plant-based and nutrientrich ingredients and are a good source of omega-3s. $5, simplemills.com

The sprouting process makes starchy grains easier for the belly to break down. One slice is only 90 calories with 17g of carbs and 6g of protein. $3, alvaradostreet bakery.com


MEAT & MEAT ALTERNATIVES

FREEBIRD MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN BURGER Flavorful chicken patties are ready for you to toss on the pan and enjoy. And since they’re made from chickens that have no added growth hormones or antibiotics and are vegetarian-fed, they’re clean and lean. $6, freebirdchicken.com

Frozen fish that comes with heartshaped flavor cubes and parchment paper to boot. Dig in to a buttery soft fillet, in flavors like Red Trout with Salsa Verde or Striped Bass with Roasted Red Pepper Almond Sauce.

BEYOND MEAT BEYOND BURGER These plant-based burger patties are soy-free and free of the hormones and antibiotics that may be in traditional burgers. Plus, they have an authentic meat taste and texture and are packed with 20g of protein. $6, Whole Foods

WHITE OAK PASTURES CHICKEN THIGHS You’ll instantly taste the superb quality of this pasture-raised poultry, and it’s all thanks to its humane and antibiotic- and steroid-free treatment. Cook up tender, juicy chicken for dinner tonight with a good conscience. $11 for 2.5 lbs; Publix, Kroger, Whole Foods

APPLEGATE ORGANICS CHICKEN & MAPLE BREAKFAST SAUSAGE These antibiotic- and nitrite-free organic sausage links are fully cooked. Plus, with their minimal ingredients, you know exactly what you’re getting. Three links have 9g of protein and 120 calories. $7, Whole Foods

UPTON’S NATURALS JACKFRUIT This meat alternative is a slightly tart but hearty addition to any vegetarian’s or omnivore’s diet. It comes in six flavors and is a good source of fiber. Add it to salads or sandwiches, or just heat and serve over rice. $5, thrivemarket.com

SAFE CATCH TUNA This sustainably caught tuna comes in six new flavors and is an excellent source of lean protein and omega-3s without the risk of high mercury levels—because the company tests every fish it packages! $27 for 6-pack, safecatch.com

ORGANIC PRAIRIE 100% GRASSFED ORGANIC GROUND BEEF Grass-fed beef has double the anti-inflammatory omega-3s as corn-fed cattle; what’s more, it’s higher in conjugated linoleic acid, which may help reduce body fat. One serving provides 159mg of omega-3s. $9–$11, organicprairie.com M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 3 3


SWIFT SIDES PEREG BABY QUINOA

Made from chickpeas, Banza Pasta is loaded with 25g of protein and 16g of fiber in a 3.5-oz serving to help you power through your next workout. What’s more, it contains iron and fiber.

HILARY’S FRESH GREEK MILLET MEDLEY

BETTER BEAN ROASTED CHIPOTLE RED BEANS

TRADER JOE’S MASHED CAULIFLOWER

This whole-grain glutenfree mix of millet, garbanzo beans, kalamata olives, and lemon is a perfect frozen side for when you just don’t have the time to do more. It’s free of corn, gluten, egg, dairy, nuts, and soy, yet packed with flavor, so just add a main and dinner is served. $5, hilaryseatwell.com

Using these heat-and-eat beans will add richness and a pop of flavor to your salads, tacos, and healthy burritos in a hurry. Each serving will increase your muscle-building meals with 8g of protein and 6g of fiber. $4, Whole Foods

This trendy cruciferous veggie is a smooth, creamy, and healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. At only 50 calories per cup, it’ll drastically cut your carb intake compared with potatoes, with only 7g per serving. $3, Trader Joe’s

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Tiny but mighty, baby quinoa doesn’t contain saponins like its full-size counterpart, which means it has no bitter flavor and is easier for the body to process. One serving has 4g of carbs, 7g of protein, and 5g of fiber. $4, pereg-gourmet.com

MODERN TABLE MEALS MAC & CHEESE JALAPEÑO CHEDDAR Whip up a comforting dinner in no time with these bean-based pasta kits. They have a surprisingly great texture and come in a variety of yummy flavors like the Jalapeño Mac & Cheese, which is made from lentils, rice, and pea protein and delivers 16g of complete protein. $2–$3, Target


OILS, BUTTERS & DIPS CHOSEN FOODS AVOCADO OIL

This oil is 100% derived from Haas avocados, making it a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Due to its high smoke point of 570°F (the temp it can withstand before breaking down), avocado oil is superb for cooking high-temperature meals. $13, chosenfoods.com

NUTTZO PALEO POWER FUEL Take your smoothies up a notch with this Paleo- and vegan-friendly nut butter with cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Our fave: the chocolate flavor, naturally! One serving contains 5g of protein and just 2g of sugar. $15, Whole Foods

HOPE HUMMUS This hummus comes in a variety of bold and exciting varieties. Our staff favorite is the Thai Coconut Curry, which mixes organic yellow curry, organic coconut, and jalapeños to create a hummus that’s filled with unique flavor. $4–$5, Whole Foods

SNACKS Not your average pork rinds, these Paleo-friendly snacks come in three flavors: Smokehouse BBQ, Classic Chili & Salt, and Jalapeño Cheddar. Each bag has only 160 calories and has at least 14g of protein.

LIVING INTENTIONS SUPERFOOD TANDOORI TURMERIC POPCORN This addictive popcorn is bursting with bold flavor. It’s also packed with live probiotics and turmeric to help aid your immune health and fight inflammation while you snack. $5, livingintentions.com

PROTEIN CRISPS HOT BUFFALO

MUSCLETECH PROTEIN COOKIE

ENJOY LIFE FOODS PROBURST BITES

Snack guilt-free with these plant-based chips made by the creators of PopCorners. Each 80-calorie serving has 10g of protein and only 10g of carbs. $3, Kroger

Looking for a snack after a long workout? Each soft-baked cookie is loaded with 18g of protein and 8g of fiber to satisfy both your sweet tooth and your diet needs. $18 for 6 cookies, muscletech.com

Stress-free snacking for anyone dealing with food allergies. These bites are free of eight top food allergens, including milk, nuts, and soy. What’s in them? Chocolate, pumpkin seeds, rice protein, and chia seeds. $7, enjoylifefoods.com M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 135



ORNING WORKOUT LEARN TO LOVE A

Don’t hit the snooze button just yet—here’s how a.m. exercise can help you get more out of your day, plus two great routines to put into action BY ALYSSA SHAFFER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL

SOME PEOPLE NATURALLY jump out of bed the moment their alarm clock goes off, revved up and ready to take on whatever workout they’ve planned, whether it’s hitting the gym or going on a run. And then there are the rest of us. Early morning workouts can seem painful and a drag, but there’s no denying they are possibly the most efficient and effective way to keep your fitness on point. “People who work out in the morning are typically much more consistent than those who wait until later in the day to get to the gym,” notes Ariane Hundt, creator of the Brooklyn Boot Camp, whose a.m. workouts typically begin before the sun is up. “It’s a no-brainer because by the time your evening rolls around, you may have accumulated 25 reasons as

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 37


to why you shouldn’t exercise. Your willpower and determination are at their peak in the morning—and the amount of excuses that stop you from moving are significantly reduced.” Research also shows that people who exercise in the a.m. are more likely to eat healthy all day long. (You’re also likely to be more focused, so you’ll get more done at work or school.) Finally, studies show you can burn up to 20% more body fat exercising on an empty stomach—which is easier to do in the morning because you haven’t eaten since the night before. Exercising in the early hours not only helps get your workout out of the way, it also gives your metabolism a jump start. That’s especially true if you do HIIT or resistance routines, which create an afterburn effect, helping your body burn more calories all day. We tapped two fitness experts to put together their favorite high-powered a.m. exercise routines, each designed to get you up, out, and on your way in just 30 minutes.

HOW IT WORKS

1

180 Squat Jump EQUIP: None SETS/REPS: 3 x 10 Barbell Squat EQUIP: Barbell SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 Lunge to High Knee EQUIP: Dumbbells SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20

STRONG-ALL-OVER GYM ROUTINE Kick-start your morning with a 30-minute total-body strength workout from Katie Chung Hua, a certified trainer and IFBB bikini pro based in Las Vegas. “This workout has all the ingredients needed to quickly jumpstart your metabolism and kick your day into high gear,” says Hua, who models the moves on these pages. “It starts with a warmup to get the blood flowing and is designed to help you lose fat and put on lean muscle.” Be sure to use enough resistance to keep your muscles challenged. Time permitting, add in 10 to 15 minutes of cardio intervals before you hit the showers and start your day.

Plié Squat to Upright Row EQUIP: Kettlebell SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 (Superset) Bentover Row EQUIP: Dumbbells SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 Chest Press EQUIP: Dumbbells/Bench SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 (Superset) Barbell Biceps Curl EQUIP: Barbell SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 Overhead Triceps Extension EQUIP: Barbell SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 Superman EQUIP: Mat SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20

180 Squat Jump (Warmup)

Side Plank with Leg Lift EQUIP: Mat SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 Plank Knee-to-elbow EQUIP: Mat SETS/REPS: 3 x 15–20 OUR MODEL/TRAINER:

Katie Chung Hua A

B

C

IFBB pro, Las Vegas, NV @katiechunghua

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S T Y L ED BY C AT P ER RY; H A IR & M A K EU P BY N ATA L IE M A L C H E V; T O P: T I T IK A AC T I V E C O U T U R E C RO P T O P; B O T T O M: EL I S A B E T TA RO G I A N I C A P R I S; S H O E S: N IK E

A.M. WORKOUT


Barbell Squat (Works: Glutes, legs)

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 39


A

B

A

Stand with feet hip-distance apart, arms at sides holding dumbbells at sides, palms facing body. Step right foot back into a lunge, bending both knees 90 degrees. Keep front knee aligned over ankle; and head, shoulders, and hips stacked (A). Pushing through left foot, lift right knee forward to hip height, keeping abs engaged (B). Hold for one count, then step directly back into lunge. Do 3 sets of 15–20 reps per side.

Plié Squat to Upright Row (Works: Upper back, core, glutes, legs) Stand with feet wider than shoulders and toes pointed out about 45 degrees. Hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of thighs. Squat down, bending knees 90 degrees; keep knees aligned over middle of feet as you lower (A). Press through heels to stand up, lifting elbows slightly higher than shoulders (B). Lower to start and repeat. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

THE BEST MORNING EXERCISE TIPS Still not convinced you have what it takes to shift to morning mode? Follow these tips and give yourself a couple of weeks to put them into action—you’ll soon find that sunrise just may become the best part of your day.

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G E T T Y IM AG E S (GY M B AG , G L A S S O F WAT ER )

Lunge to High Knee (Works: Glutes, legs)

B

BE A PLANNER To make your morning transition go smoothly, arrange everything you need the night before. “Lay out your clothes, set up the coffee maker, fill up your water bottles, pack your bag—whatever you need,” says Julie Sapper, a running coach in Washington, D.C.

DRINK A GLASS OF WA “It will wake you up and also hydrate you before your workout,” notes Christine Marraccini, training manager at Tone House in New York.


A.M. WORKOUT

Bentover Row (Works: Back)

GET T Y IMAGES (CLOCK)

DEVELOP A MORNING MANTRA “Prepare for the struggle when the alarm goes off by telling yourself, ‘I never regret a morning workout,’ or ‘This is the only time I have today to myself, so I need to use it,’ ” says Lisa Reichmann, a running coach in Washington, D.C.

IGNORE THE TEMPTATION TO SNOOZE “Instead of hitting that button, give yourself a countdown starting from 3, 2, 1. At 1, take a deep breath and get up!” says Marraccini. And don’t build in snooze time—you’ll feel more refreshed if you get up when the alarm goes off rather than hitting the button five times, adds trainer Katie Chung Hua.

GET A GYM BUDDY You’ve heard this before, but there’s nothing more motivating to get you out of bed than knowing you’ve got a friend waiting to meet you. It’ll hold you more accountable and keep you both on track.

Research shows that morning exercisers actually sleep better, so plan to turn in a little earlier than usual. And shut down your electronics at least an hour before bedtime, since research shows the light emitted by your smartphone or tablet can interfere with melatonin levels, making it more difficult to fall asleep.


A.M. WORKOUT

A

B

Chest Press (Works: Chest)

Barbell Biceps Curl (Works: Biceps)

Lie faceup on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended above shoulders. Bending elbows, lower weights toward chest, stopping when upper arms are parallel to floor (A). Push back to start (B). Do 3 sets of 15–20 reps. Superset this exercise with bentover rows (previous page).

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold an EZ-bar (shown) or barbell in front of thighs, palms up, elbows at sides. Keeping elbows close to body, curl weight toward shoulders, holding for one count at the top. Slowly lower back to start. Do 3 sets of 15–20 reps. Superset with overhead triceps extensions (far right).

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Shot on location at Global Fitness Studio, Gardena, CA


Overhead Triceps Extension (Works: Triceps)

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A.M. WORKOUT

Side Plank with Leg Lift (Works: Abs, obliques, legs) Lie on right side, right elbow directly under shoulder and legs and hips stacked. Place left hand on outside of left hip. Lift hips and torso off the floor, forming a straight line from head to heels. From here, lift left leg as high as you can without shifting hips; keep left foot flexed. Hold 30–60 seconds; lower and repeat on opposite side. Do 3 sets per side.

Plank Knee-to-elbow (Works: Core) Begin in a plank position, forearms on floor under shoulders and legs extended behind you, maintaining a straight line from head to heels. Bring right knee toward right elbow, keeping knee out to right side. Return leg back to start and repeat. Do 3 sets of 15–20 reps per side.

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Superman (Works: Back)


2 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ⅓ ½

2

MORNING RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!

Refuel after your workout and power up the rest of your day with these two clean-meal ideas

1

CRUST EGG CUPS CAULIFLOWER

GET T Y IMAGES (EGG CUPS)

“This delicious low-carb take on quiche is an

ideal recovery meal for breakfast or a tasty snack during the day,” says Brooklyn Boot Camp founder and clinical nutritionist Ariane Hundt. “Eggs provide the perfect protein for muscle recovery and repair, while cauliflower delivers additional protein and fiber.” Make them ahead of time so you can grab and go after working out.

lb cauliflower rice tsp salt tsp pepper tbsp olive oil tsp garlic powder cup diced onion cup grated Parmesan cheese (reserve 1 tbsp) 6 eggs, whisked (whisk 2 eggs separately from the other 4) Your favorite veggies— broccoli, red bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, onions (diced or chopped)

1. Heat oven to 375°F. 2. Microwave cauliflower rice for 5 minutes; wring out excess water with cheesecloth. 3. Add salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, onion, Parmesan, and 2 whisked eggs to cauliflower. Mix well. 4. Grease 6 muffin tins with olive oil and press mixture into bottom and sides of each tin. Bake crust for 20–30 minutes, or until golden brown. 5. Add chopped veggies of your choice into each crust, then pour remaining 4 whisked eggs on top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp Parmesan. 6. Continue to bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cool and serve.

BEET SMOOTHIE RECOVERY

This “Can’t Beet Me Smoothie” from Run Fast, Eat Slow, by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky, helps replenish your muscles and rehydrates your body after your sweat sesh. Coconut water adds a boost of electrolytes, and almond butter helps your body absorb the fatsoluble vitamins in the beets and blueberries. Serves 2 INGREDIENTS

1 cooked beet, peeled and quartered 1 cup frozen blueberries 1 small frozen banana 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk of choice 1 cup coconut water 1 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled 1 tbsp almond butter DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in blender; blend until smooth.

PER SERVING (1 EGG CUP)

PER SERVING

Calories: 150, Fat: 10g, Carbs: 4g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 9g

Calories: 197, Fat: 6g, Carbs: 33g, Fiber: 8g, Protein: 4g M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 145


THE WOMEN OF 1 46 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 201 7


Step onstage with these female game changers who defined what it means to be strong and fit for competition, to today

THE OLYMPIA

PAST ANNTD PRESE

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 47


1 48 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 2017

1980s IN 1980 the first Ms. Olympia title was awarded to (top right, arms raised). In many ways she was the perfect start for this brand-new women’s division because her proportions were decidedly slim and feminine yet well-defined from head to toe; plus, she was a charismatic spokesperson for weightlifting. The ’80s continued with a win from (bottom, far left) and another from McLish. And in 1983, with the win of Carla Dunlap’s, the competition began to turn toward muscularity rather than mere definition, especially when, in ’84, (bottom, far right) won and held on to the title until her retirement in 1989. Everson won the Ms. Olympia six consecutive years, and her role as a mainstream actress as well as a competitor “was important to the women’s bodybuilding category,” says Kim Oddo, a 25-plus-year industry veteran trainer who’s helped more than 350 athletes win their pro cards to compete in fitness competitions.

Ms. Olympia’s inaugural year in 1980 marked an exciting time in women’s fitness. The range in physiques of those flocking for the top spot was impressive, not to mention a harbinger of the need for separate body-type categories (eventually created more than a decade later).

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: B I L L C O M S T O C K ; C H R I S LUND; PAUL A CR ANE; CHRIS LUND; BILL COMSTOCK; KEVIN HORTON; ALEX ARDENTI; RALPH DEHAAN

IN 1965 Joe Weider initiated what would become the world’s most well-known bodybuilding competition of all time. Mr. Olympia was where the intensely fit, the well-developed, and the fervent went to change their lives—to be considered for the title of Mr. Olympia. Greats like Ronnie Coleman, Lee Haney, and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger became household names. But this crowning achievement was missing one thing: women. The Olympia turned an unforgettable corner when it finally added the Ms. Olympia Competition in 1980 to its already established male competition lineup. Yet for women, it’s not strictly about size and definition. It’s striking a delicate balance between beauty, strength, toning, and fitness. And with that broad array of aims, the body types Previous spread, and categories clockwise from top left: Juliana of women’s Malacarne, Lenda Olympia are Murray, Bev Francis, Juliette Bergmann, ever changing. Iris Kyle, Monica That got us Brant, Susie Curry, Dana Linn Bailey. wondering: Who, and what about their physiques, has helped redefine these competition categories over the years? We look back at some of the female physiques over the decades that unexpectedly refined what it means to be fit—and continue to do so today.


C O U R T E S Y O F W E I D E R H E A LT H A N D F I T N E S S

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 1 49


1 5 0 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 2017

the federation added femininity rules to the competition in 1992. (who held the title from 1996 to 1999) was the next top winner. And in 1999, clinched the top spot. Kyle went on to become the most

successful bodybuilder, female or male, in the history of the sport, winning 10 Ms. Olympia competitions (nine consecutively). She retired after her 10th win and is still at the top of the IFBB’s list of the best female bodybuilders of all time.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T: C H R I S L U N D ; PAUL A CR ANE; BOB G ARDNER; ROBERT REIFF; CHRIS LUND

IN 1990, Ms. Olympia was broadcast for the very first time on live TV, and it was then that (right), who was competing at her first Olympia, won the title. The tightness in the competition between her and came down to just one judging point. These two front-runners further solidified the turn to a muscular build compared with the softer physiques of previous winners. Francis made waves in the bodybuilding world with her size and musculature, a result of her training as a world-class powerlifter. And though she was a crowd favorite, the judges found her “too muscular,” which led to controversy over her loss to Murray and judges’ unclear standards for female bodybuilders. Murray held the throne until 1995, retired in 1997, but returned and won two more titles in 2002 and 2003, winning Ms. Olympia eight total times. Yet in order to curb the muscular trend in the sport,


1995 FITNESS OLYMPIA BEGINS

Australian Bev Francis (top) was a crowd favorite, but her muscularity from powerlifting actually worked against her at the time. Iris Kyle’s (bottom) allover physique, from her deep muscle bellies to her dryness and fullness, awarded her the top title for a record-setting 10 years.

M U SC L E A N D F I T N E SS .CO M / H E R S | 151


CHRIS LUND; BILL COMSTOCK (2); KEVIN HORTON; BILL COMSTOCK; KEVIN HORTON

DUE TO THE widening range of sizes, the overwhelmed Ms. Olympia division created two classes—lightweight and heavyweight. Also in 2000, the Olympia men’s and women’s were combined to form the Olympia Weekend that we have today. In 2001, (right) won both the only lightweight competitor title and the overall title, beating Iris Kyle, that year’s heavyweight winner. In 2004, A A won her first Fitness Olympia title and redefined what it meant to be athletic, flexible, fit, and functional—a total package. “Adela was the model of consistency from both a routine standpoint and physique standpoint and was the Lenda Murray and Iris Kyle of Fitness,” says Oddo. She’s a legend in the world of fitness competition—a reputation she earned by winning the Fitness Olympia eight times during her career.


2003 FIGURE OLYMPIA BEGINS

2010 BIKINI OLYMPIA BEGINS

2013 WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA BEGINS

ABOVE: Adela Garcia captured the judges’ praise year after year, winning a stunning eight Fitness Olympia titles. PREVIOUS PAGE, BOTTOM, THIRD FROM LEFT: Nicole Wilkins helped refine the Figure Olympia category.

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of breast cancer tumor growth. Taking CLA daily might also reduce overall body fat for obese individuals.

GLUTAMINE Glutamine is another nonessential amino acid that is produced and stored in the muscles. The human body produces enough glutamine daily, but when it undergoes extreme stress, such as during intense workouts, the body may use up more than it can make. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this amino is important for removing excessive ammonia (a common waste product) from the body and for helping with healthy gut function.

PERK & PEAK YOUR Boost energy, blast fat, and focus better with these five ingredients

GREEN COFFEE EXTRACT

CAFFEINE Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system, and it is commonly consumed in the form of coffee, energy drinks, and even dark chocolate, although it can also be taken as a pill. In a study analysis of caffeine supplementation, researchers in the Journal of Sports Medicine found that approximately 200 milligrams 1 5 4 | M &F H ERS | FA LL 2017

of caffeine (about the amount found in 16 ounces of coffee) was enough to significantly boost endurance exercise performance.

TAURINE Taurine, which is often higher in those who consume poultry, is the most abundant non-essential amino acid. It helps support healthy function of the retina, brain, tissues, and organs. According to research in Amino Acids, taurine’s antioxidant properties may play a fundamental role in the immune system, and its anti-inflammatory effect may help protect organ tissue from oxidative stress. Plus, it may actually have a protective effect for those at risk of coronary heart disease.

CLA Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an essential fatty acid found mainly in beef and dairy. Women may benefit from

ingesting CLA because some research points to it helping protect against colorectal cancer. And in a study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, intake of CLA showed positive correlations with reduction in certain types

The seeds of green coffee are unroasted, unlike regular coffee beans. As a result, green coffee beans have higher levels of chlorogenic acid, which researchers at Myongji University in Korea found has potential anti-obesity effects in mice, including lowering body-fat accumulation.

BOOST ENERGY & FIGHT FAT IN ONE SIP You will find all of these pick-me-up ingredients in ALLMAX Nutrition’s AMINOCUTS, a drink mix that comes in seven fun flavors, like Piña Colada and Goji Berry Martini. It’s easy to mix and contains the mentioned ingredients, including naturally derived caffeine (125mg), taurine, CLA, and green coffee extract. AMINOCUTS strikes a great balance using ingredients that boost your energy, fitness, and all-day fat-burning. allmaxnutrition.com

MIKOLET TE/GET T Y IMAGES

RUNNING LOW on energy? You’re not alone. Busy professionals, college students, and business owners alike feel sluggishness every now and then. Fatigue can also be a side effect of stress, anxiety, boredom, or depression. So how do you combat lethargy on short notice? When you need more body benefits than coffee alone, here are five ingredients that can be a great aid in increasing your energy and enhancing focus.



MY MOM DIDN’T HAVE MANY OPTIONS. TODAY’S LUNG CANCER PATIENTS DO. Twenty years ago, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. She had very few places to turn, and lost a diffi cult struggle.

And yet, more than 30% of all lung cancer patients still don’t know about the therapies, specialists, and clinical trials available to them.

Today, we are on the brink of real breakthroughs in lung cancer research and there are signifi cantly improved treatment options.

Lung cancer is a formidable foe, but we are fi nding new ways to fi ght it. Please visit SU2C.org/LungCancer for questions to ask your health care professional and to learn about options that may be right for you.

SU2C.org/LungCancer

Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Photo Credit: Kevin Lynch

Tony Goldwyn Stand Up To Cancer Ambassador


Muscle & Fitness Hers (ISSN 1550-2880) Vol. 18, No. 4, is published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall) by Weider Publications LLC, a division of American Media Inc. 4 New York Plaza, 4th FL, New York, NY 10004. Periodical rates of postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © Weider Publications LLC 2017. All rights reserved. Canada Post International. Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 40028566. Canadian B.N. 88746 5102 RT0001. Copyrighted under the Universal Copyright Convention and International Copyright Convention. Copyright reserved under the Pan-American Copyright Convention. Todos derechos reservados segúin la convención Pan Americana de Propriedad Literaria Artística. Subscription rate is $23.96 for (1yr) 4 issues in U.S.A. In Canada (1yr) 4 issues $ 27.96 US$. Outside of U.S.A. and Canada (1yr) 4 issues $33.96 US$. Orders outside of U.S.A. must be prepaid in U.S. funds. For Customer Service and Back issues call toll-free (800) 340-8957 or write to: Muscle & Fitness Hers, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA 50037-0207. SUBSCRIBERS: If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. U.S. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL and MILITARY FACILITIES: send U.S. Address changes to: Muscle & Fitness Hers, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA 50037-0207. CANADA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to American Media Inc., PO Box 907 STN Main, Markham, ON L3P 0A7, Canada. From time to time we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings, please send your current mailing label to: Muscle & Fitness Hers, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA, 50037-0207. All materials, articles, reports, and photos published in this magazine are the exclusive property of Weider Publications LLC and cannot be used without permission in writing. Muscle & Fitness Hers is not responsible for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other materials. Weider Publications LLC and American Media, publisher of Muscle & Fitness Hers, do not promote or endorse any of the products or services advertised by thirdparty advertisers in this publication. Nor does Weider Publications LLC or American Media Inc. verify the accuracy of any claims made in conjunction with such advertisements. Tile Trademark registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark office. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Saturday, Sept. 16, Orleans Arena: 7 p.m. Bikini Olympia, 212 Olympia, Mr. Olympia finals

Inspired by the generations of past Ms. Olympia winners on pg. 146–153? Check out this year’s top contestants in action! Amazon.com will be exclusively streaming a live webcast of the 2017 Olympia. Check out the schedule (right) and tune in to see the best of the women’s and men’s competitors as they take their places as this year’s champions.

Watch it live at amazon.com /mrolympia

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“ YOUR BODY CAN DO ANYTHING. IT’S YOUR MIND YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE.” —@MARJORIEWHARTON

“ ONE DAY, OR DAY 1. YOU DECIDE.”

—@PANCAKESANDPUSH_UPS

“ IF YOU DON’T LOVE YOUR BODY AT A SIZE 12, YOU WON’T LOVE YOUR BODY AT A SIZE 4.”

—@ALMAHR87

“ STRONG IS BEAUTIFULLY FIT, INSIDE AND OUT.”

ROB HAMMER /AUROR A PHOTOS/GE T T Y IMAGES

—@FITNHAPPYCHICK

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