Ms Bliss Fit

Supplement your Diet

We live in a world where many foods are processed, have added chemicals, or lose their nutritive value by the time we put it in our mouths. How many of you have a farm and can get the food from the field to your mouth? Didn’t think so…For these reasons, supplementation can be a wonderful way to get the nutrients your body is missing. There are several that I take every morning with breakfast. Remember that your food is the main source of your nutrient intake. You cannot rely on supplements because they are just that, SUPPLEMENTS, not replacements. I do believe they are a good way to improve and maintain health if you use them properly. This is what I take…

Vitamin C: It’s not just a myth! I did my own experimentation (unintentionally) with vitamin C. I started taking 1000-2000 mg per day and never got sick. My co-workers were always sick but I never seemed to pick up anything. One day I stopped, and weeks later I picked up a cold. Now you can call this a coincidence but I would rather take vitamin c than not take it. Remember it is preventative, not a cure. You need to take it everyday. “Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention, and with good reason. Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health,” says study researcher Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan. “The more we study vitamin C, the better our understanding of how diverse it is in protecting our health, from cardiovascular, cancer, stroke, eye health [and] immunity to living longer.”

Multivitamin: While the vitamins and minerals you consume should be mostly from food, taking a multi cannot hurt you. Research shows that people who take a multi have better health overall.

Tre-en-en: I have to really thank my friend CJ for recommending this herbal supplement. Since I have been taking it, I have more energy than ever before. It is made up of whole grain lipids and sterols that allow nutrients to get into the cell membranes and assist with getting rid of waste. http://us.gnld.com/en-us/product/NeoLifeNutritionals/All/TreEnEn

Omega-3 Supplements: Omega 3 can help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and manage heart disease. These are GOOD fats (DHA and EPA).

Be sure to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables along with lean cuts of meat and whole grains (unless you have an allergy). Never restrict yourself from certain foods if it is not a life or death situation. Your body needs variety and it will also keep things interesting! My favorite place to order supps from is http://www.puritan.com/ and the Vitamin Shoppe. Puritan’s pride always has sales!

I’m certified…!

So I did it! I am officially a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certified personal trainer. On Monday, I took the exam that I had been studying for, for the last 2.5 months. Now what does this all mean. It gives me more credibility to be able to write this blog. I use what I have learned in the past in my weight loss and competition experiences to share with others. Now I have more of a science based knowledge to understand the systems of the body and training theory. My goal is to continue to help others reach their weight loss and health goals. 

I am currently enrolled in a nutrition class so that is going to add to my knowledge base. Always learning!

Egg White McMuffin Review

On Friday morning, I did not have time to fix my usual breakfast of egg whites and oatmeal. On my way to work I stopped at McDonald’s. I heard previously, that they were going to come out with an egg white sandwich. So, I decided this would be a healthy option. Well….healthier…as healthy as you can get from a fast-food place. I must say that I actually enjoyed it. It was just enough to fill me up but not have me feeling stuffed and groggy. It was a nice combination of protein and carbs. (I also got orange juice which is rare for me but I splurged a bit). Anyway, if you are out, don’t have time, or are on vacation with your family, this would be a decent option for breakfast. Also, if you haven’t noticed, McDonald’s lists the  calories and macronutient content of all of their foods on the drive through menu and the wrappers of the foods. I think that is neat!

Here is the breakdown for the egg white mcmuffin with canadian bacon. 

250 calories: 18 grams of protein, 7 grams of fat, 32 grams of carbs, 800 mg of sodium 

You can make it 180 calories by eliminating the cheese sauce and canadian bacon.

Why I’m Taking A “Break”

I am going to be very honest in the post.

The most important thing in life is balance. Just think about how the world works. Sun and rain, hot and cold, summer and winter, night and day and the list goes on. Balance is a requirement for the earth to function and it is my belief that balance is necessary for humans to be happy. Yes, we have goals, and yes we work hard to attain those goals but we also have people in our lives that need us and times in our lives when we need to rest, re-evaluate and look at where we are. When I looked at my blog the other day, I realized I had not written since October….wow!! That is not good and it is a sign that my life is off balance.

When I decided to compete, I went into it with the mind set of encouraging others and pushing myself to reach a goal that many people shy away from. It was fun, and I learned a lot about my body and myself. I placed in my first show and I met a lot of cool people. So naturally I wanted to do it again. I did a show a few months later but that time was not as fun. It felt like a drain and I wondered was I still doing it for the right reasons. After the second show, I had a little off time before I prepared for my 3rd show. Now I am going to be very honest with you readers….this last show was the worst prep of all three. I got sick my very first week, I had financial issues while still trying to pay for everything I needed, and I did not come in at my best conditioning.  Yes, I looked okay but not the way I know I can look. It just was not fun. Training for competitions is mentally draining and if not done properly, potentially damaging to your body. I am proud of myself for making it through and now I have a testimony to share with others. But for now..I think it is time for me to stop…and LISTEN. I need to listen to God, and myself. Is this really what I want. Why am I competing? Why am I spending all of this money? I have lost touch with what I love which is motivating and inspiring others to create a change in their lives. I want everyone to know that they can live healthy and still have a fulfilling life.

Competing has taken me away from my purpose which is my own fault because I allowed that to happen. Now I am not saying I will never compete again because I WILL! But this time, I am going to do it the right way…allowing myself enough time to get lean, staying lean in the off-season, and keeping things in perspective. I am also going to compete in other areas to get a change and have some other judges take a look at me. I still want to do it but right now, I need to get myself back in balance…I need to spend more time with my boyfriend, friends, and family  I need to enjoy my life.

I am studying for the certified personal trainer certification with NASM because I want to know exactly what I am doing with my body and how to do it. I also want to help others and know I am not just telling them from experience but from science. My whole life is getting ready to change…I can feel it. So let me take my “break” while I prepare for the greatness that is to come!!! I am back!!!

32 Things I’ve Learned in 32 Years

1. I am always stronger than I think.
2. Life is better lived with no limits.
3. True friends are few and far between.
4. I will never get anywhere by caring about what other people think.
5. There are a lot of crazy people out there! LoL!
6. Be nice to those who try to hurt me, they need it more than I can even imagine.
7. God places me in difficult situations only because I can handle it.
8. I feel crappy when I eat junk food and better when I eat healthy.
9. There are politics involved in everything.
10. I inspire people without even knowing it.
11. I love competition.
12. I hate to lose.
13. I can’t believe everything I see.
14. Listen to the inner voice, it keeps me out of trouble.
15. The more goals I set and the higher I go, the less people are around.
16. Many people START but few people FINISH.
17. I LOVE lifting weights.
18. My joy comes from helping others.
19. Never listen to people’s opinions about my life.
20. It’s great to be good but every once in a while it’s okay to be bad.
21. Balance is a necessity in life.
22. The only thing required for change is making a new decision.
23. People don’t like what they don’t understand.
24. I attract to myself what is inside of myself.
25. It is important to try new things and do things that I never would imagine doing.
26. If I have a question, ask.
27. If I am nice and do what I am supposed to do, it doesn’t matter how many people try to sabotage me, they will never succeed.
28. I can do anything if I really want to. The key is really wanting to do it.
29. Patience is definitely a virtue that God has blessed me with.
30. Life never turns out the way you plan it. (Probably a good thing!).
31. My way is not the only way!
32. My mother is watching over me everyday.

7 Month Goals

Lately I have been thinking about my goals. My next competition is in 7 months. I have plenty of time but I can’t slack off too much. What can I work on in the fall and winter? What do I want to improve? Mainly, the things I want to improve can be applied to my training and to everyday life. I want to push harder. I want to lift as heavy as I can. I really think there is so much more potential there.  Though it is hard to lift real heavy without a partner, sometimes I feel like I can do more. I can do more sets if I don’t want to injure myself. When I leave the gym, I want to leave knowing that I gave it my all. It’s very easy for me to push myself more on leg day but other body parts are a little more difficult. What I am going to do now is evaluate everything….nutrition and training and do a little more reading on both of these topics. So here is my plan for the next few months until I start the contest prep again.

• Focus on weak body parts…triceps, abs, and shoulders
• Stay in control of my diet (1 or 2 cheat meals a week only)
• Get plenty of rest (No overtraining)
• Let nothing (work, schedule) prevent me from training….do it no matter how I feel
• Prepare EARLY for contest expenses…hair, nails, new suit, supplements, etc….(put money to the side each month in advance)
• Start prep 14-16 weeks out instead of 12 weeks. Being ready early is better than not being ready on time and allows for adjustments if necessary
• Block out all negativity and care less about what other people think

So there it is, every morning when I get up and don’t feel like working out, I will remember this list. When times get tough, I will remember this list. When people criticize me, I will remember this list. Stay focused!! I know I always have room for improvement….

It Gets Better With Age!

The 2012 Olympics are wrapping up this week. It is always exciting to watch the events and listen to the stories of the athletes. Just imagine training for years to have a shot at this one moment. A moment when you are competing against the world and representing your country. People truly underestimate the level of commitment that it takes to get to this level. I think it is hard enough training and eating strict for 3 months to prepare for a show. Imagine doing this for four years!! Mind blowing right? One common theme I noticed in the stories is that each athlete had an obstacle to overcome. It did not just magically happen for any of them.

One story that struck a chord with me was Carmelita Jetter’s. I did not realize that she was 32 years old. This was her first olympics and she won the silver medal in the 100 meter race. She was so happy and grateful just to be where she was. She is in the best shape of her life at 32! I am basically the same age as her. I will be 32 in October and have conditioned my body and am getting to what I consider to be my peak. Who knows…it can only get better from here!

Sometimes we don’t realize what we are capable of until we get older. A lot of women don’t reach their peak in events such as running until their 30s. Don’t ever think it is too late to try something. You never know what you can do at 30, 40, 50 etc….

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”-Mark Twain

Even Gabby Douglas…

I just competed in my second show. This prep was a lot more difficult for me. After the first show, I just got off-balance. I went from eating very strict to over indulging. The pendulum went from one end all the way to the other with no middle ground. I finally got myself together enough to prepare for this show but it was not easy. At three weeks out, I was ready to quit. It was a Sunday morning, and I had not gotten to the point in my prep where I thought I should be. It was so hard and I just felt like giving up. I literally quit….for 5 hours! After talking to people, my boyfriend, a good friend, and my coach, I sucked it up and continued on for the last three weeks. At this point, it was basically up to me to motivate myself.

It does not matter how many people tell you that you can do something. If you don’t believe it, it will never happen. I learned that lesson the hard way…

I was watching an interview with Gabby Douglas’ mother, and she talked about how much she sacrificed for her daughter. She is a single mother who works very hard! Gabby’s sister saw so much potential in her that she convinced the family to move across the country and train with Shawn Johnson’s coach. Even Gabby Douglas, an olympian….wanted to quit! She said that there were some tough times that she had to get through and she was not always motivated. Sometimes we look at people and put them on a pedestal thinking they never get discouraged. But even Gabby Douglas had her days.

I say this to tell you that no matter what you are facing, you can get through it. Pushing forward is what separates champions from the average person. We ALL have difficulties but it is how you react that makes you stronger or keeps you where you are.

So, I did my show and I got 3rd place in the Ms. Fit Body Division! Slowly but surely, I am getting close to first. 🙂

Mind/Muscle Connection

So I think I have finally mastered the mind-muscle connection. When you lift weights it is important to focus on what you are doing. Visualization plays a key role in the movement. This morning I worked on my back. As I pulled the weight down, I made sure I squeezed and really felt the movement. I envisioned the muscles in my back growing and looking the way that I want them to look. It really made a difference in the workout. So many times, we train but we don’t have our minds fully in it. This makes the difference between change and staying the same.

Training is not just physical, it’s mental….and  if you don’t have the connection…you will never change.

How I do it:

I visualize even when I am not training about the exercises I am going to do at the next session.

I remove all distractions from my mind during training. Don’t think about anything else but that moment!

I use music to keep me from thinking about other things.

I see myself the way I WANT to be, not the way I am.

I repeat quotes to myself when it gets tough!

Being…

The best thing Oprah ever did was create the life class show. I always watched The Oprah Winfrey show but now I feel that what she is doing is much more relevant to helping people change their lives. It is amazing how we are all so different, yet we are all the same. Last night, four great teachers (Deepak Chopra, TD Jakes, Tony Robbins, and Iyanla Vanzant) were all on the same stage.Though they each have their own way of saying it, they are all saying the same thing. Be present. Be here in this moment. Whatever you are doing right now at this point in time should be your focus. Give your full attention to the present because that is the only thing you can somewhat control. You can’t change what you did in the past, you can’t predict the future. Everyone is pretty much living, always seeking  something else instead of focusing on “being.”

One thing that Iyanla Vanzant said was that you should focus on yourself as a gift. When you walk into a room, just by you being there, you bring something to that place. You are the gift. It is not your actions or what you give but YOU. When you look at things this way, it kind of changes your perspective.

You can be happy no matter what you are doing. If you have a job that you can’t stand and feeling powerless, just remember that what you bring to it is a gift to the world. Focus on the present moment and not what you don’t have. Be happy in everything and your life will change dramatically. Doors will begin to open up. So today, the challenge is not to complain…no matter what happens in the day. Just be!