Protein is the leading nutrient in my new diet to get me ready for my competition in April. I try to switch it up to keep it fresh. Right now I’ve been eating a lot of fish from Cod, Tilapia, and Tuna.
It’s important to cook your fish properly otherwise it will taste dry and blah. If your fish is frozen place it in it’s air-locked bag in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Once it’s thawed place the fish in a baking dish. Season however you like. I like to squeeze fresh lemon atop, black pepper, and cilantro. Then place lemon wedges a top the fish. This is key the lemon will keep the fish moist. Add whatever veggie you desire. I like broccoli because it’s fibrous, and keeps my belly full. I steam and seasoned them with Mrs. Dash which is a great salt free seasoning.
Baked Tilapia
Baked Tilapia Dinner
I also cooked my Tuna like this. I had yellow fin tuna for dinner last night.
Yellow Fin Tuna
My workouts are going great, and on point. Two weeks into it, and everyone has been telling me they see a difference that I’m looking more cut. I have been doing cardio everyday for 1 hour, and strength training 3 x per week. Yesterday I went to the gym, and took a 6 mile run on the treadmill, and burned close to 700 calories. 7 weeks out from my show I’m really excited!
Happy Friday everyone. Today is day 4 of my figure competition training so I’m going to compile yesterday and today’s training into one post.
Yesterday was day 3 of my figure competition training, and I trained with my coach. This was the hardest day yet. The biggest reason is lack of rest, and the constant going. I was so busy yesterday. My morning started off with teaching Spin at Anytime Fitness. I did the same ride I posted for you all on day 2 of my training so I know I got in another 30 miles and over 400 calories burned. Immediately following was my training session with Walt. My workout started rough. He was not pleased with my lack of endurance, and told me to never do cardio like that before our sessions. I told him sometimes that’s not possible. I had to teach, and I have to get my cardio in for the day so I killed two birds with one stone, and I had a jam packed day so there would have been no other opportunity to fit in my cardio. He told me to do whatever it takes to get in the reps I had to get them in. There were a few times I had to pause catch my breath to finish. By the end of the workout I felt ready to puke and pass out however I did neither. We did back, bi’s and abs. I’m not even going to list the exercises, because he had me doing stuff I’ve never seen. He loves his creativity, and so do I! I did 10 sets and 10 reps of each exercise that’s a total of 100 reps of each exercise.
My diet yesterday was the as he calls it the “munchie meal plan”. I was to eat every 20 minutes. This was quite difficult at times. I packed four containers of food one for protein, veggies, fruit, and starch carb. By the way my starch carb was a brisket size red skin potato that I ate after my workout. That’s been the only starches I’ve been allowed to have all week. I brought my food to show him what I packed and got the no, no, no again. The nutrition side is definitely a learning experience. My vegetables were frozen veggies that I steamed, but his issue with that was the sodium and or sugar that gets added as a preservative before packaging. Sure enough when I got home, and read the label the frozen veggies I thought were acceptable did have added sodium, and I can only have 200mg of sodium per meal. I headed back to the grocery store and found what I needed. Yesterday was the first day I didn’t feel hungry, but I did have a hard time getting some of the foods down. I’m not a big celery fan, and one of his suggestions was to snack on celery all day to keep my metabolism going.
This morning I set the alarm for 5:15am to head to Genesys for early bird spin. Don’t I look excited! I had absolutely no endurance. I only lasted for 40 minutes got in 16 miles, and have no idea how many calories I burned I think I was still half asleep.
My progress so far has been great. Monday’s weigh in was 139lbs and yesterday I weighed in at 134 I’ve lost 5lbs in 4 days. Amazing what the body is capable of once you take sugar and sodium away from your diet.
Today’s agenda I’m starting a new fitness program at a high school in flint. I’m really excited to work with the students. Tonight is boot camp, and right after boot camp I have a session with my coach we’re doing legs.
Today’s meal plan protein shake for breakfast, veggies for snack, protein shake for lunch, more veggies for snack, and a salad with two eggs for dinner. I eat very light today.
I’m laughing as I’m typing my two little ones are playing hide and seek Collin who is 3 yrs old is counting 1,2,9,7 LOL! Have a great weekend and I’ll catch you all Monday!
Please leave me your thoughts by commenting. You support truly helps me get through those tough days, and I value and appreciate all your feedback! To leave a comment click the thought bubble next to the title of the post.
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Day two of my figure competition training. I must say the hardest part so far is the nutrition I plan on talking to my coach tomorrow to get more clarification about that. He gave me a meal plan, but there are no numbers so I’m kinda unclear how much to eat. The only numbers I have right now is not to eat no more than 200mg of sodium and no more than 12g of sugar for the day, but then my snack suggestion is carrots which are high on the glycemic index. For example 3 oz of matchstick carrots has 5g of sugar now if I ate that much sugar for snack that only leaves me 7g for the rest of the day, and as he say’s I MUST MEET MY NUMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday I was on my own for training. I am to do cardio everyday my coach wants me to do 1 hour of cardio. I was so busy yesterday the first opportunity I had was just before 8pm, and hadn’t seen Dan all day I felt so bad leaving to go to the gym. Good thing I have such a supportive husband, because this sport I have learned is very selfish. I opted to spin I burned 400 calories and hit 30 miles.
My ride:
Warm-up for 2 songs at 95 cadence
The body of the ride consisted of 2 songs in the saddle for 30 sec, hoover 30 sec, and standing for 1 minute my cadence ranged from 75 -100 depending if I was in or out of the saddle.
1 song full intensity cadence anywhere from 110 -130
1 song for recovery cadence at 95.
That was my ride for the hour. I took one song to cool down and one song to stretch.
My diet today consisted of:
Breakfast: Protein shake Snack: 1/4 cup of berries which was about 4-5 blueberries Lunch: Salad with 1 breast of chicken, 1 oz of matchstick carrots, gourmet sprouts, and my dressing half freshly squeezed lemon. Snack: Protein Shake & a bowl of broccoli seasoned with Mrs. Dash I had a hard time getting this meal down at this point I was sick of vegetables my body wanted something starchy, but I’m not allowed at least not today. Dinner: Another salad the same way.
No photos today since it was pretty much the same as yesterday.
On a lighter note I got to spend my morning and afternoon with Aidan. I was a chaperone for his 2nd grade field trip to the Sloan museum. He is such a sweet boy. On the bus ride there and back he wanted me to snuggle, and he kept telling me how much he loved me. It was a great day!
I’m back! It was a fun summer, but now it’s time to get back to it. Over the summer I worked out daily, but sometimes my diet took a backseat, and I’d allow myself treats I wouldn’t normally eat. My biggest downfall was the occasional glass of red wine. Alchol is a big no, no to the diet, because of all the sugar, and empty calories it contains. To hopefully help you in making clean food choices I’m going to keep a log of what I’m eating on a daily basis at my meal times. To follow my progress each week I’ll post a photo. You know the saying a picture is worth a thousand words. With that said here is my first photo.
I eat about every 3 hours this way I keep my metabolism going. My food choices consist of a lot of fresh non-processed foods. To keep a balanced diet I have protein, fat, and carbs with every meal. My protein will come from whey, fish, chicken, or quoiona. Fats are necessary for the body, but you want to make sure your eating good fats. Such as nuts. My favorites are raw almonds and walnuts. Other good fats are coconut oil, black olives, and avocados. My carbs are complex fibrous carbs to give me the energy I need to get through the day, and keep me feeling fuller longer. My favorite is broccoli, and other vegetables such as peas, carrots, asparagus, green leafy vegetables, and sweet potatoes.
I took pictures of all my meals yesterday so you can see a snapshot of what clean eating looks like. For breakfast I had four eggs (2 whole, 2 whites) that I cooked in a pan sprayed with Canola oil. About an hour after I had the second part of my breakfast which was one serving of steel cut oats seasoned to taste with 1 teaspoon of each; coconut oil, 100% pure honey, trulia, and cinnamon. I also included 2 scoops of whey protein powder, but the next time I make this I’m going to use only 1 scoop, because it ended up being to sweet.
For lunch Dan made us a chicken salad. The lettuce was a mixture of romaine and spinach. He diced up strawberries, chives, carrots, and sprinkled sliced raw almonds and crumbled feta cheese atop. I dressed the salad with 1 tablespoon of Raspberry vinaigrette.
I had to teach boot camp in the evening. I have a pre/post workout ritual. Pre-workout I have my amplifier and post-workout I have 20g 1 scoop of whey mixed with 8 oz of water.
For dinner I had talipa that I topped with Dan’s homemade marina sauce. My sides were peas, a small spinach salad, a Clementine, and I also had one slice of Ezekiel bread topped with 1 teaspoon of almond butter. I wouldn’t typically have a starch carb so late, but my body needed it after the very active day I had.
With each meal I drink 8 oz of water. I tend to always carry a bottle of water with me to make sure I’m drinking at least a gallon a day. With my lunch I like to put in a few drops of green tea extract. It helps to speed up your metabolism and digest your food. I don’t add it to my water after lunch, because it naturally contains caffeine.
That’s what I eat in a day. You’ll notice continuity as I post my meals over the next 30 days. I like variety, but I prefer simplicity much more. I like meals that are quick to prepare, and easy to clean up. Depending on how busy my week is sometimes I’ll precook my meals, and have that meal over the next few days.
Check out my vlog welcome back message on Youtube. Don’t forget to head over to my channel Raw Fitness TV to subscribe. I’ll have a brand new workout next week!
If you have a favorite exercise you’d like to see leave me a comment.
Can to much CARDIO be a bad thing? What do you think?
As a Trainer people often stop me at the gym to ask questions. They want to know what they should be doing, if they’re doing it correct, how often they should be doing it, and at what intensity. That’s just exercising then we’ve got diet, but I won’t get off track. I haven’t met a person yet that wasn’t interested in being healthier and fit they just don’t know how to go about it. I often find people are exercising to much and not eating enough. So if you answered yes to my question then you are correct. To much CARDIO can indeed be a bad thing, and let me explain why.
First let’s discuss the benefits. CARDIO is an important component to any workout program. You can burn major calories compared to strength training. Both are important, but you’ll burn more calories doing steady state CARDIO, because it takes more endurance to get through it. The health benefits are major too. You’ll build a strong healthy heart and lungs.
To much CARDIO is not recommended, because your body physically won’t be able to keep up with the energy required to complete the task. What will happen is your body will start to break down muscle to use as energy. Without muscle we lose our capability to burn fat. Basically you’ll end up doing all that extra CARDIO for nothing, because you’ll be lowering the efficiency to burn fat. Which is why most are doing CARDIO in the first place. It will also make your body extremely fatigued, and if your not eating enough on top of that your going to increase the risk of injury.
What is the recommended amount of CARDIO? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that we do 300 minutes of moderate intensity per week. That averages out to about 4-5 days per week at 45-60 minutes per day. If you’re performing higher intensity aim for 150 minutes per week. Which averages to 2-3 times per week at 45-60 minutes a day.
Do your research before starting an exercise program. I highly recommend consulting your doctor or consider hiring a Personal Trainer so you know that your doing it safe, and to ensure that it’s long lasting. It’s really important to keep your exercise and diet balanced. A good outline to follow. Shoot for CARDIO 2-3 times a week at 45-60 minutes per day. Three days a week strength train. Strength training is where your going to burn the fat and build strong bones. I like to mix it up so I keep my body guessing. Sometimes I’ll alternate my days cardio/srength/cardio/strength. Sometimes I’ll do 5 min cardio intervals in-between each strength training set. With your diet you should be eating anywhere from 1500-1800 calories of good clean food. Those meals should be smaller meals spread throughout the day.
Tomorrow I’ll have an article and vlog on; playgrounds: A Gym For Kids! Grown-Ups Too!
Please click for more information about Personal Training.
The title “Bikini Body Ready” seems a little off when you see a picture of me in pants and a spring jacket. I cannot believe how cold it’s gotten! Two weeks ago we were enjoying 85 degrees in Michigan. Yesterday April 10th it was snowing, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from getting my body tightened and toned for my bikini, because before you know it summer will be here! I decided to be a sissy and keep my warm jacket on and my ugly brown gloves during shooting! With all due respect the wind was blowing at about 20 mph making it feel like 10 degrees. However, I did warm up by the end of my first set. I even managed to remove my coat and get a good pic on the bridge.
R.A.W. Fitness LLC - Stacy Pillera
I’ve designed this workout to utilize all the muscles in your body. Simultaneously working the upper and lower body together allowing you to burn maximum amount of fat and calories in a short amount of time. Take a moment to watch the video through once to get a run down of what we’re doing. I give you examples if your new to exercise or your an advanced athlete looking to take your workout to the next level.
As always please give the video a thumbs to show your support. Please don’t forget to subscribe to R.A.W. Fitness TV to stay updated. After watching please leave me a comment on the video page I absolutely love hearing from you!
Marshmallow Peeps they’re so darn cute! Those fluffy little cute pink bunnies, and cute little yellow chicks. Before filling the Easter Basket with these popular Easter treats consider the nutritional FACTS.
R.A.W. Fitness LLC - Marshmallow Peeps
FUN FACTS: Did You Know? That peeps we’re created in 1953 and back then it took a full day to make one Peep? With modern day technology it only takes minutes. Peeps are one of the top selling Easter candies in the World. It’s estimated that they sell over 600 billion of these sticky candies for the Easter holiday.
CALORIES: There are 35 calories in each Peep. They come packaged in 4 bunnies at 110 calories or 5 chicks at 140 calories total.
FAT: They are fat free. Whenever something is fat free your eyes should immediately scan for the sugar content, because the product is going to be higher in sugar to make up for the taste of no fat.
SUGAR: 16 grams in one piece! Four bunnies 64g and five chicks 80g of sugar! WHOA…put on the breaks. I know I don’t want that in my kids basket. I’m envisioning the sugar buzz now. NOPE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
What will the Easter Bunny be putting in my boy’s basket? We’ll have to wait and find out on Monday. Stay Tuned!
QUESTION: What is your favorite Easter Candy? Mine which I haven’t had in probably about 10 years are Cadbury Cream Eggs. Mmmm…hmm…I wonder if I’d still like them.
The next time your server asks if you’d like lemon in your water say, “Yes Please”! That piece of fruit has much more benefit to you than just sitting pretty in your glass, and making your water taste like something. There are diet as well as medicinal benefits to lemons.
There are quite a few nutritional and dietary benefits to adding lemons to your grocery cart. They are low in sugar. Adding lemons to your water will give it some added flavor which will help you in making the switch from other drinks that are high in sugar and calories such as soda’s and juices. They’re a rich source of Bioflavnoids which are powerful antioxidants. Did you know? Bioflavnoids give plants and flowers their beautiful color. They’re also a great source of Vitamin C, Folate (for you nursing moms or moms to be), and potassium, they’re fat free, low in cholesterol, and sodium.
Lemons have also been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. The juice from the lemon aids in heartburn, indigestion, It cleans out the bowls, liver, and improves blood flow.
The benefits seems endless you can even use lemons in cleaning around the house.
WOW! Sounds to me like lemons go on the Super Fruit List! Three cheers for Super Lemon..hip,hip,hooray!
Super Lemon
I loaded a new workout video last night, “Fat Blaster”. It’s a great total body workout that will only take you ten minuets. Check it out at R.A.W. Fitness TV, and don’t forget to subscribe before you leave.
Question: Please share with us ways you know that lemons can be used?
It’s been a crazy night trying to get this video public. I was editing earlier then I had to leave to teach Boot Camp. From there pick up the kids from day care then back home to make dinner. Luckily I didn’t burn dinner amongst all the multitasking. I had my turkey burger on the grill, sweet potatoes in the oven, and the kids in the tub. As I was scrub, scrub, scrubbing, in the back of my mind I’m thinking crap my turkey burger needs to be flipped it’s going to be burned. OK…scrub,scrub,scrub…rinse,rinse,rinse…dry,dry,dry…phew the turkey burger was just right!
I don’t usually eat sweet potatoes so late, but my activity level has been much higher. It’s been a busy week training clients, teaching Boot Camp, and I picked up extra classes at the athletic club, because a lot of instructors are out of town for spring break. My body is yearning for more calories.
I hope you all enjoy the workout of the week. I shot it in real time so you can do it along with me. I advise watching it through once so you have a firm idea of what we’re doing. I designed this workout to melt the fat off your body! The name Fat Blaster does it justice! This is a timed trial workout so make sure to add it as a favorite. Do this workout each week, and watch yourself grow stronger and faster. Then try to beat your best. Better yet beat mine!
Good Luck!
So I’m three weeks into my Spring Transformation Challenge, and it’s getting easier everyday! The first week was the most difficult, because I had to give up my gimme… glass of red wine at night. By the end of week one I could care less if I had a glass of wine or not, and by week two I started feeling skinner so I really didn’t want the wine anymore! I’m sure you’ve all had those day’s where you felt skinner. I love those days I wish they happened more often!
I’ve taken some pictures of my meals over the past week to give you an idea of what I’m eating. I’m a busy mom of three young boys and a business women. I don’t have a lot time to spend in the kitchen to prep,cook, and clean. I want it quick, yet it has to be healthy, and that’s what each of these meals provides.
BREAKFAST: Turkey Omelet with 2 slices of whole wheat toast
For recipe click on photo.
R.A.W. Fitness LLC - Turkey Omelet
SNACK: Tangerine
Tangerine
LUNCH:Honey-Chipolte Talipa & Broccoli Spears
For recipe click on photo.
POST WORKOUT SNACK: Either a whey protein shake or coconut milk. Most often I stir in 20g of vanilla whey protein powder into 8 ounces of water and drink.
DINNER:Low Carb Stir-fry
For recipe click on photo.
R.A.W. Fitness LLC - Low Carb Stir Fry
My activity level high! I’m an instructor so I’m working out alongside with my class. Mon/Wed/Fri I teach Boot Camp, Tues/Thurs I run 5 miles at a 8 minute/Mile pace, Sat I teach spinning, and Sunday is my active rest day.
To help keep me on track I bought a couple gadgets. The digital kitchen scale is a must have to keep yourself on track.
R.A.W. Fitness LLC - 3 oz of Sweet Potato Fries
Most recipes call for you to eat 3 ounces of sweet potato or 5 ounces of fish. How do you know how many ounces your eating if you didn’t weigh it? Exactly you don’t! This is where extra calories can sneak in by eating to much. The scale was about $15 at Walmart. Totally worth it! Tip: Place your dish that your going to weigh your food in on the scale before you turn it on. That way the scale is cleared, and you will only get the weight of your food and not the food and the dish.
Click on photo for more details.
R.A.W. Fitness LLC - Single-Server Blender
My other new toy is the Single-Serve Blender, and I just love the idea of this. One thing! Blend and drink. No extra steps pouring into another glass, and no extra glass to wash. Loving it!
Keep an eye out! We’ll have a new free exercise video tomorrow on our YouTube Channel R.A.W. Fitness TV. Please make sure to subscribe for all our latest free exercise videos.
QUESTION: Which part of your body would you like to work on?
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7 weeks out from my show I’m really excited! 
