Shannan’s Journey

Krill are tiny shrimplike creatures that are at the bottom of the food chain, and, thus, don’t concentrate mercury in the same way that fish do. And krill have a unique phospholipid structure to their fatty acid bonds that makes them much more absorbable, preventing the fishy smelling belching that fish oil capsules sometimes cause. If you want to get your omega-3s as tastelessly and painlessly as possible - and without the risk of mercury toxicity - you can’t go wrong with krill oil.  Even a few years ago krill oil wasn’t readily available, but now you can find it all over the place.  And it’s not all that expensive.   So, to get your daily dose of omega-3, down a krill oil gelcap or two and forget the recommendation to eat fish several times per week.

Go get your fish oil in supplement form now… don’t rely on the fish on your plate to give you the optimal amounts.  Go get fishy today !!! Elevate your mood to a happier one (especially when dieting), save your achy joints from the rigors of training, and get better skin and hair.  Dieting and hardcore training takes a toll on the body. FIX IT-

Shannan

Bodybuilding.com sells it—

Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) is known for its unique fatty acid (FA) pro-file, as well as for its rich antioxidant content. NKO’s balanced fatty acid content includes not only EPA and DHA, the crucial omega-3 FA’s, but Omega-9 FA’s and phospholipids, as well. NKO is a rich source of Astaxanthin, a powder immune-supporting antioxidant. Clinical studies have shown the NKO can support joint comfort and healthy blood lipid levels.

• Neptune
• Cardiovascular Support
• 100% Pure, Patented NKO™
• Supports Joint Health
• Potent Antioxidant

—————————————

Olympian Labs’ Krill Oil provides nutrients for a healthy mind and body. Krill Oil contains natural antioxidants including vitamin A and vitamn E, astaxanthin, and canthaxanithin. These antioxidants are more powerful than beta carotene, lycopene and lutein. Their Krill oil is collected in deep sea water and processed using a cold extraction method. It contains a natural blend of phospholipids, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants which bonded together, keep our krill oil safe from oxidation. Olympian Labs’ Krill Oil is free from detectable amounts of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadium, PCB’s, dioxins and pesticides, and does not contain trans fatty acids.

  Shannan

There is no reason when you diet that it has to be painful…. Contest diet or not, it just doesn’t have to be a total pain in the a$$.  Get creative yourself or go buy some really good healthy recipes books for ideas and adapt them to your type of diet for what you can and can’t eat. 

This is for those of you who can eat some carbs– 

Sweet Potato Muffins-

16 oz. old fashion oats
8 oz sweet potato (mashed)
8 oz egg whites
1 whole egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinn.
1/2 to 1 tsp orange peal/rind for taste (optional)
3/4 cup splenda
Spray Muffin tin/pan with Pam Spray

** (should make about 6 muffins)

bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

**Eat a muffin along with eggs in the morning or with a protein shake…  Life is too short to eat crap but it’s also too short to look and feel crappy so, get the best of both worlds… Eat clean happy foods and look fabulous !!!
 
 —————

Super Simple Chocolate Protein Special–

1 container non fat, sugar free cool whip
2 cups non fat, or low fat cottage cheese
5 scoops chocolate protein powder

** Mix all ingredients together and chill. Or for super smooth consistancy, blend in a blender until creamed and then chill for 30 minutes.  Depending on your protein requirements this can make 4-6 portions.

The whole workout only took a bit over 50 minutes to do, so for those of you out there that sometimes only have under a hour or even less to be in the gym, this is something you can try by getting as many sets in as you can. Start with 2-3 sets and see how you do, and remember to adjust the weight lighter or heavier depending on your abilities.  So here you go-

I warmed up for 10 minutes on the elliptical-

Each set is to be completed with-in 10 minutes-  4 sets x 10 reps each exercise-

*Squat Press-  using 25 lbs dumbbells

*Push-up Row-  using  15 lb. dumbbells

*Squat Jump-  no weight, jump as high as possible.

*Iron Cross-  using 10 lb. dumbbells

*Mountain Climbers-  no weight, go as fast as you can keeping the body low.

*Spidermans-  using 20 lb. dumbbells

Then I did 4 sets x 25 reps of light weight, high rep Bulgarian Squats- 

—————

For those of you who are new to some of these terms…

*Iron Cross–  Grab two dumbbells and stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width holding the dumbbells parallel and out to the sides with palms facing in like a giant “T” formation, (you can vary your stance wider or narrower for what is comfortable for you). Squat down and at the same time move arms together as if you were doing a standing dumbbell flye. Repeat this motion without stopping 10 times. Increase the weight if by the 10^th rep it is not difficult do perform.

*Spidermans–  Pick up two dumbbells and hold them at your shoulders.  You will perform deep squats while doing alternating arm shoulder presses.  Each time you squat down deeply, you will alternate an arm in a pressing motion.

*Mountain Climbers—Get down on the ground on your hands and feet.  Mountain Climbers  are an exercise that you do from a similar position to that of  a pushup where you will then run your legs in place in an in and out motion.

*Pushup Row–  Begin in a push-up position with a dumbbell in each hand. Place your feet shoulder width apart. The narrower your feet, the more challenging the exercise. Your gaze should be down. Lift your right arm with the weight and squeeze your right oblique. Shift your body weight as little as possible during the exercise. Lower your arm and now perform a pushup. Repeat by raising your left arm squeezing your left oblique.  Do as many as you can with good form.

It’s the quick and easy boredom-busting veggie. With only 14 calories per 3.5 ounces, summer squash’s entirely edible flesh, skin and seeds offer ease and an impressive array of presentation choices, plus bountiful carotenes and vitamin C. Go ahead - choose a shiny, firm-skinned zucchini, pattypan, crookneck or marrow squash to boost dinner today!

Easy Grilled Summer Squash (Serves 4) or in my case 1

1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
2 medium zucchini, cut in thirds lengthwise (about 1?2-inch-thick slices)
2 medium crookneck squash, cut in thirds lengthwise (about 1?2-inch-thick slices)

1. Whisk oil into vinegar.
2. Brush squash slices with vinaigrette about half an hour before grilling or doing this over a stove top. 
3. Heat grill to medium-high.
4. Brush remaining marinade on slices and then grill until tender, about four minutes per side.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):

134 calories, 2 g protein, 9 g carbs, 4 g fat, 3 g fiber,
5 g sugar, 8 mg sodium

Not Taking Diet Breaks This is a big deal… here’s a tidbit on the matter. 

The amount of glycogen in your liver is largely responsible for your thyroid output. The liver converts the inactive T4 hormone into the active T3. When liver glycogen runs low, less T3 is converted and your metabolism drops. One natural method of keeping your metabolism humming is to periodically put some carbs back in your body. 

Cheat days, cheat meals, refeeds, and carb-ups all work by this mechanism, and there’s a multitude of ways to incorporate them. It can be as simple as having an extra 50 to 100 grams of carbs after your workouts a couple days per week or, an extra 200 grams of carbs one day per week.  And even the occasional all-out cheat day isn’t such a bad idea once in a great while when you know you are lagging, and needing some energy reserves to get you through the next week or weeks. 

Trying to Drop Fat Too Fast

People are impatient due to various shows like “The Biggest Loser” where the expected rate of fat loss is over a pound per day. So when it doesn’t happen for them, they’re ready to pull out their hair…

The majority of women really think that losing five pounds of fat per week and doing two hours of cardio on 800 calories per day is normal and productive. Hello ???  It’s not normal. The body can only lose fat so fast, yet there are few people willing to accept a loss of a 1/2 pound to a pound a week of consistent fat loss. 

Although the idea of your metabolism shutting down is refuted among many, in one study two groups of people were put on very low calorie diets. Group A ate 720 calories per day with no exercise. Group B ate 720 calories per day and did an hour of cardio. Most would agree an hour of cardio per day is no small amount. However, over a four-week period, Group B failed to lose any additional weight compared to Group A. 

If their metabolisms didn’t shut down, what happened? 

Metabolism does seem to adapt negatively to extremely large deficits. How much of a deficit is too much? Very overweight people can get away with more, but if you’re closer to 150 lbs. than 300 lbs., once you’ve reached a 900-calorie daily deficit through diet and exercise, any more won’t do anything other than slow your metabolism to a crawl and burn up muscle. 

So learn to accept a 1/2 pound to a pound per week of actual weight loss. Remember, one pound on the scale could equal more than a pound of fat lost and an increase in muscle mass. If that’s the case, you’ve only increased your metabolism!  Remember, in most cases if someone has lost 3 or more lbs. in one week, much of that lost weight is water and muscle too.

This mental hurdle is one that many of my clients have crossed, and are now being rewarded with fantastic bodies. Patience is more than a virtue; it’s a tool. 

Things like butter, ketchup and other various condiments can be diet killers by easily adding up to an extra several hundred calories per day. Make sure you know how much you’re really consuming! 

Calorie discrepancies also pop up when we DON’T weigh our food. 

A typical 1/2 cup of oatmeal and two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter can be off by as much as 200 calories. Average that out over five meals and that’s an extra 1,000 calories per day! And you wonder why you aren’t losing fat.  Make sure for example that when you get a tablespoon of a nut butter that you even out the top and wipe off the excess… if you don’t you could be adding hundreds of calories a day unnecessarily.