Day 4 - Eat REAL Food

You should now understand how many calories you should eat to properly fuel your body and promote weight loss and what those calories should be composed of. Let's take a closer look at the what it means to eat real food.

Take a mental note. What have you eaten in the past 24 hours? Did you consume any local, pasture raised, pesticide free eggs? How about a bountiful salad with a large amount of varied vegetables? Did you drink fresh water and herbal tea? Did you consume most of your food from a package? Did you order your food from a window and eat in your car? Could you pronounce even half the ingredients listed on the nutritional information? Did the food you eat make you feel energized and alive? Or did it make you drowsy, gassy, constipated, have diarrhea or uncomfortably full where breathing felt difficult?

I define real food as food that has one ingredient. An apple is simply that, an apple. This chart is very helpful in understanding the best choices you can make.

I challenge you to begin looking at what you are really consuming in your diet. I don't expect you to make radical changes instantly. Just take 15 seconds of your time to look at the nutritional information of the product. Begin to ask yourself this question: Is what I am about to eat going to benefit me or harm me? The food you choose to eat can either give you health or disease. It is really that simple. You might only have digestive issues initially, but over your lifespan, you are actually causing disease, illness, chronic health problems and decreased lifespan through your choices.

 

 Although that sounds depressing, the flip side is that you are in control of your health simply by making educated and purposeful decisions with what you put in your mouth. It doesn't have to be complicated.  I hope you feel empowered to understand you are in control of your body. You can make wise choices. Food can make you feel energized, alive, vibrant, refreshed, nourished and satiated.

 

 

- FitWhitt

Carb Cycling

Carb cycling is a nutrition technique used to accelerate your body's fat burning potential. If you plan to carb cycle, you will alternate days of high or low carbohydrate intake. The idea is that you give your body the energy and fuel source it needs from a higher carbohydrate intake on training days you will be utilizing them the most. The other days are considered lower carbohydrate intake in hopes that your body will turn to fat sources for energy when the carbohydrate sources are absent.

What is a carbohydrate and how does your body use it?
Carbohydrates are not stored in the body the same as proteins and fats. The body is eager to use them for energy if they are available. Carbohydrates are broken down in our bodies into glucose so that the body can quickly utilize it as a energy source to fuel the cells. For this reason, carbohydrate intake plays a large role in are blood sugar regulation. The difference between "good" and "bad" carbs is the difference in how fast your body can break down the carbohydrate source and how fast it will cause an increase in blood sugar. The higher fiber content of complex carbohydrates causes them to be broken down slower in our bodies and minimizes an abundant surge of sugar into the bloodstream. Simple carbohydrates are broken down by the body much quicker and cause an immediate spike of blood sugar into the system. If there is an excess of glucose that the body can't utilize at the time it is eaten, it is stored as fat for use later. When carbohydrate sources are not available, the body will turn to fat in the diet as a energy source.

High carbohydrate days will be beneficial because they can help stimulate an insulin response to encourage muscle cells to grow. They will also replenish glycogen stores and make you feel good and energized. High carbohydrate days are best if utilized on days where you train larger muscle groups so the increase need for energy is there.

Low carbohydrate days will help promote fat loss by tricking the body to utilize fat for fuel. They also keep your body receptive to insulin.

There are various approaches and theories on how to schedule your high and low carbohydrate days. I personally want to see the most muscular growth in my glutes. For this reason, I will utilize a high carbohydrate approach on my two glute training days as well as my one day a week where I train longer distances in my marathon running program. I find that a three day split is sufficient to keep my energy levels high and my intensity elevated as well. My reason for trialing this approach is that I desire to maintain leanness and continue to lose body fat but also desire to see muscular gains as a result of my training.

Here is an example of my carbohydrate cycle

Sunday = Rest (LOW carb)

Monday = Cardio + Back/Ab  (LOW carb)

Tuesday = Cardio + Glutes (HIGH carb)

Wednesday = Cardio + Bi/Tr/Ab (LOW carb)

Thursday= Cardio + Sh/Chest (LOW carb)

Friday = Cardio + Glutes (HIGH carb)

Saturday = Long Distance Running (HIGH carb)

Tips and Tricks!

It is helpful to place a high intensity training period on the weekend which allows for some flexible dieting during the weekend.

Your calories come from three main macronutrients: protein, fats and carbohydrates. If you are consuming less carbohydrates, you should naturally have a lower calorie intake those days as well. I consume a higher amount of fat on my lower carbohydrate days to account for the calorie deficient, but still keep my calories about 200 less than on my higher carbohydrate days.

Keep your carbohydrate sources healthy. Stick to complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, high fiber grains, starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, fruit and legumes.

Remember we are all different. This approach may not work for you. Approach any theory in nutrition and fitness as if you were conducting your own research. Be open minded, take detailed notes on how your body responds, give it time and in the end if you realize it is not the best approach for you, try something else!

FitWhitt Approved - Myoatmeal.com

I can not say enough good things about this oatmeal. It has made my mornings so much more exciting. I have always loved my oats but this company has made them even more amazing.

 At myoatmeal.com, you create a custom oatmeal by selecting the type of oats, adding all natural and sugar free flavoring, dried fruits or nuts and healthy seeds. You can even sweeten it with stevia. There are more than 40 flavors available with even more flavor combinations to try. I have white cake, red velvet, old fashioned donut, carrot cake, banana cream pie, snickerdoodle and graham cracker crust. You MUST go to myoatmeal.com and try this product. The shipping is a little steep so I suggest pairing up with a friend and ordering so you can split the shipping cost. This is the oatmeal I used to make my donut recipe from earlier this week. Try it out and let me know what you think!

This product is definitely FitWhitt Approved!!
- FitWhitt

FitWhitt.com presents - Protein Pancakes/Whey Protein Isolate

I am loving me some Cellucor whey protein. The taste is great and the price is even better. I have been ordering mine from bodybuilding.com. They currently have a great special. My current favorite flavor is the peanut butter marshmallow. Watch the video as I prepare a weeks worth of protein pancakes using the whey protein.

Whey protein isolate is an excellent supplement. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey and contains little or no fat, lactose or cholesterol. The benefits of whey protein include repairing body cells, muscles and bones due to the naturally occurring branched chain amino acids. This explains why consuming whey protein immediately after exercise is very beneficial to you. Of course your first line source of protein should always be real foods in their natural state but sometimes we all need a little help. And that is when I turn to whey protein isolate. Whey protein is also the fastest digesting form of protein, which makes it an excellent source immediately post workout. Exercise literally breaks down current muscle tissue. It is very important to give your body the "building blocks" it needs immediately post workout so that it can rebuild. The muscles are literally depleted post workout and require supplementation with adequate nutrition. They are also "hungry" and ready for nutritional uptake. Keep your post workout meal to carbohydrates and proteins. Avoid fats directly after your workout.

"While your post-workout feeding should be rich protein and carbohydrate, this meal should be fat free. The consumption of essential fats is one of the most overlooked areas of daily nutritional intake but during the post workout period, eating fat can actually decrease the effectiveness of your post-workout beverage. Since fat slows down transit through the stomach, eating fat during the post workout period may slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and proteins." - source

Protein Pancake Recipe
1 scoop whey protein isolate
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup fruit
1 tbsp liquid egg white 

Happy Meal Prep!! Have a great week!
- FitWhitt

FitWhitt's First Video Blog - Sweet Potatoes

Mann's Sweet Potato Fries

Benefits of sweet potatoes

(taken directly from - 9 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes)

1.  They are high in vitamin B6.  Vitamin B6 helps reduce the chemical homocysteine in our bodies.  Homocysteine has been linked with degenerative diseases, including the prevention of heart attacks.

2. They are a good source of vitamin C.  While most people know that vitamin C is important to help ward off cold and flu viruses, few people are aware that this crucial vitamin plays an important role in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation. It helps accelerate wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s youthful elasticity, and is essen­tial to helping us cope with stress. It even appears to help protect our body against toxins that may be linked to cancer.

3.  They contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health at this time of year.  Both a vitamin and a hormone, vitamin D is primarily made in our bodies as a result of getting adequate sunlight. You may have heard about seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, as it is also called), which is linked to inadequate sunlight and therefore a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays an important role in our energy levels, moods, and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and it supports the thyroid gland.

4.  Sweet potatoes contain iron. Most people are aware that we need the mineral iron to have adequate energy, but iron plays other important roles in our body, including red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, proper im­mune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein, among other things.

5.  Sweet potatoes are a good source of mag­nesium, which is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. Magnesium is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function, yet experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the popula­tion in North America may be deficient in this important mineral.

6.  They are a source of potassium, one of the important electrolytes that help regulate heartbeat and nerve signals. Like the other electrolytes, potassium performs many essential functions, some of which include relaxing muscle contractions, reducing swelling, and protecting and controlling the activity of the kidneys.

7. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet-tasting but their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, helping to ensure a balanced and regular source of energy, without the blood sugar spikes linked to fatigue and weight gain.

8. Their rich orange colour indicates that they are high in carotenoids like beta carotene and other carotenoids, which is the precursor to vitamin A in your body.  Carotenoids help strengthen our eyesight and boost our immunity to disease, they are powerful antioxidants that help ward off cancer and protect against the effects of aging. Studies at Harvard University of more than 124,000 people showed a 32 percent reduction in risk of lung cancer in people who consumed a variety of carotenoid-rich foods as part of their regular diet.2 Another study of women who had completed treatment for early stage breast cancer conducted by researchers at Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) found that women with the highest blood concentrations of carotenoids had the least likelihood of cancer recurrence.

9.  There are versatile. Try them roasted, puréed, steamed, baked, or grilled. You can add them to soups and stews, or grill and place on top of leafy greens for a delicious salad. I enjoy grilling them with onions and red peppers for amazing sandwich or wrap ingredients.  Puree them and add to smoothies and baked goods

- FitWhitt

A Little Bit of Science Saturday

I am relaxing on a Friday night which for me means I am meal prepping and looking on pinterest. I am searching through the general feed and keep pinning sweet yummy desserts.

 I know I do not necessarily want to eat them, they are just so pretty and sound so tasty. I began having cravings and have a little pep talk with myself. "Think about how you feel after you eat crap like that." I tell my head "your right! I always feel horrible." Not just emotionally, but physically. So what is the science behind why sugar is so so bad for us? Maybe being more aware of the chemical madness that is occurring in our bodies when we eat those delicious sweets will help them not be so appealing and control my cravings.
Here is some science for you. Sugar is bad. We all know that. We know it makes us feel good at first but then we crash and feel awful. We know it can cause a host of diseases, make us fat, steal our energy, and a whole world of other problems. There are alot of books and research out there that have tried to encourage people to participate in a Sugar Detox. This is because for the majority of the world that does not practice the art of clean eating, sugar floods their system in literally toxic amounts every day. But how and why?

The average American will consume between 2-3 pounds of sugar every week. This is easily achieved when taking in a diet high in processed foods that are filled with high fructose corn syrup, fast food, breakfast cereals and breads, sauces, sodas and mocha triple double frapachino. All foods have a glycemic index rating. Glycemic index "is a measure of how a given food affects blood-glucose levels, with each food being assigned a numbered rating. The lower the rating, the slower the absorption and digestion process, which provides a more gradual, healthier infusion of sugars into the bloodstream. On the other hand, a high rating means that blood-glucose levels are increased quickly, which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin to drop blood-sugar levels. These rapid fluctuations of blood-sugar levels are not healthy because of the stress they place on the body".

So what's the big deal? A pesky side effect of elevated insulin levels with sugar is that it inhibits the release of growth hormone, suppressing your immune system. It SUPPRESSES YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, also known as, makes you ill! (thought this should be stressed).
"An influx of sugar into the bloodstream upsets the body's blood-sugar balance, triggering the release of insulin, which the body uses to keep blood-sugar at a constant and safe level. Insulin also promotes the storage of fat, so that when you eat sweets high in sugar, you're making way for rapid weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels, both of which have been linked to cardiovascular disease. Complex carbohydrates tend to be absorbed more slowly, lessening the impact on blood-sugar levels".

But how does it suppress my immune system. Interesting enough, our bodies immune system needs a particular vitamin that helps it determine when a virus, bacteria or cancer cell are invading. You may have heard of it, Vitamin C. Interestingly Vitamin C and glucose have similar chemical structures, so much so that they literally compete to enter our cells. "If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl".

"Here we are getting a little bit closer to the roots of disease. It doesn't matter what disease we are talking about, whether we are talking about a common cold or about cardiovascular disease, or cancer or osteoporosis, the root is always going to be at the cellular and molecular level, and more often than not insulin is going to have its hand in it, if not totally controlling it".

But is all sugar bad? Why do people tell me to eat complex over simple sugars?
Simple carbohydrates or simple sugars - These carbs are broken down and digested very quickly, but most simple carbs contain refined sugars and very few essential vitamins and minerals. Examples include table sugar, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, honey, molasses, maple syrup and brown sugar.

Complex carbohydrates - the complex carbs take longer to digest and are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Examples include vegetables, whole grain breads, oatmeal, legumes, brown rice and wheat pasta

So we now know that there is no nutritional gain to achieve by eating simple sugar and it is foolish to desire that poison that will have no impact but negative on your body. Research also proves that ingesting sugar creates issues in asthma, mood swings, personality changes, mental illness, nervousness, the list goes on and on. Besides, why intake something that benefits you in no way and is completely void of any mineral or vitamin, but causes chaos when entering your system?

Think about the chemical and science of sugar next time you sit down to your daily soda or afternoon pastry. Maybe thinking about the immediate negative impact and being aware of what is truly happening at the cellular level will prevent you from regularly partaking.

I challenge you to detox yourself from your daily sugar intake. Make on change at a time until you can break free from it and begin feeling the way your body runs when you fuel it appropriately with good, clean and healthy food. Here are some different programs that might be helpful.

http://www.doctoroz.com/challenge/sugar-detox

http://simplemom.net/the-great-sugar-detox-cmon-you-know-you-need-it/

http://www.facebook.com/21daysugardetox

Talking about this made me want to explain so much more about simple vs. complex carbohydrates, secret sugar contents, etc. Looks like we have plenty to talk about on Science Saturday. Let me know if there are any topics you specifically have a question on. I will address the issues with sweeteners next week.

I am off to spend the morning in the gym, followed by some time in the sauna before a very busy Saturday commences. I love working out on Saturdays because the gym is so quiet and I can be so focused. Do work!

- Whittney C.

Sources:
http://www.briancalkins.com/simplevscomplexcarb.htm
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm

Foody Friday

I have been playing around with daily themes and I think Foody Friday will be my favorite. I think it would be fun to either share with you a spotlight on a new product or recipe that is healthy.

This week I want to highlight the wonder that is P28 bread. I ordered mine this past week and have been thoroughly enjoying it. My husband has been enjoying the bagels as well.

The bread is soft and all natural, whole wheat. I keep mine in the freezer for freshness and toast it before my meal.

You can order it at https://www.highproteinbread.com


Here is the great details of what makes this bread so great

28 grams of Protein per two slices

100% Natural

100% Whole Wheat - Made with Oat, Flax Seed, Sunflower Seed, and Millet

Made with 100% Whey Isolate - The highest quality source of protein

A rich source of 8 essential Amino Acids that your body needs for growth, energy, and vibrant health

Cholesterol Free

A Good source of Fiber

Contains Omega 3's

Excellent for people who are trying to build muscle and/or lose body fat

The website also has some great recipe ideas to use the bread with. One I will try for my husband this week is protein bagel pizza
.

One of my many wonderful coaches with Team Bombshell is also a spokes model for the product. You know a product is good when Team Bombshell supports it. This is Vanessa Campbell, Coach V, rocking out in some P28 gear.

I HIGHLY recommend this product for anyone trying to maintain/gain muscle mass. ENJOY!

- Whittney C.

Good Things Thursday

I wanted to pass along this article from fitness RX. My link function is not working properly so it is provided below in an unsightly form.

The link is: http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/training/1445-fitness-myths-revealed.html

It discusses the top 26 fitness myths revealed that I thought many would find insightful and helpful.

Myth #1 – If you eat after 7 p.m. you will gain weight
Myth #2 – If you are a woman and you lift weights, you will get bulky
Myth #3 – You have to be very flexible to do yoga
Myth #4 – Crunches will give you washboard abs
Myth #6 – Eating candy bars, honey, sugar or drinking soda immediately before exercising will provide a quick burst of energy
Myth #7 – Cardio, cardio, cardio is the way to lose weight
Myth #8 – Nautilus or other weight stack machines are safer than free weights
Myth #9 – You can spot reduce fat
Myth #10 – The best time to exercise is in the morning
Myth #11 – No pain, no gain. If you aren't sore after a workout, you didn't work hard
Myth #12 – It isn’t necessary to warm up before exercising
Myth #13 – Cooling down and stretching after exercise is a waste of time
Myth #14 – A fat-free diet is optimal for good health
Myth #15 – If you build muscle and stop exercising, it will turn to fat
Myth #16 – If you have fat and start exercising, it will turn to muscle
Myth #17 – Protein is all the same
Myth #18 – If you didn’t exercise when you were younger, then it is too late now
Myth #19 – Exercising during menopause causes more hot flashes
Myth #20 – Most low-fat foods are low in calories
Myth #21 – Coffee and tea are the best to drink before exercising
Myth #22 – If you can’t exercise for at least 30 straight minutes, don’t bother
Myth #23 – Organic food is healthier than non-organic food
Myth #24 – Vitamin supplements can replace a balanced diet
Myth #25 – Older adults should avoid resistance training because they can hurt themselves
Myth #26 – A calorie is a calorie. They are all the same


The myths that I have personally struggled with are not in taking the appropriate amounts of healthy fats in my diet. Since I have incorporated an increased amounts of fats, I have noticed huge improvements in my physique.

Have an excellent day and eat your fats! (The right ones). Oh and Ryan has a message for you...

Let's Have A Chat

I know I have been out of the loop in the blog world of recent but I wanted to come back with a bang. I have come to a place of acceptance that I am not perfect. I know, you had doubts right? j/k I am a perfectionist by nature and tend to try and have everything in my life be "just right". And if it isn't, I make sure no one really notices because I can deal with it and at least make it appear to be perfect. Well I am no longer that person. I am real. I have issues. And I plan to let you know about it. Besides, I want to be a motivation and inspiration to other people right? So what is more inspirational than seeing someone deal with an issue or struggle that you can relate to and see them come through the other end in one piece?

I began my pursuit of a better version of me for the same reason most people begin any fitness journey. They want confidence, they want to feel good about themselves. They are tired of being sick. They desire to be healthy and live a long life. I found all these things with my original journey with Revelation Fitness training group here in Austin. I also discovered that I can be an inspiration. I can be motivational. This was honestly my most favorite part about the whole experience. I was given the unique opportunity to step in and be a very large part of people's lives as their trainer, life coach. I found myself caring deeply for my clients and obsessing over their success, their exercise routines I created, what I told them to eat, how to deal with their personal issues and balance life and their pursuit of fitness. I began caring so much that I put myself and my family on the back burner. This was unhealthy and allowed me to make excuses for myself and develop some pretty horrible habits.

I have always loved food. Part of the reason I have always worked out is to balance my love for food and fear of being a fatty. I love the feeling of a cool breeze on a patio with a delicious alcoholic beverage and some good company. I love the feeling of being alone with a good book in a small cafe enjoying a chai latte and scone. I love the feeling after a large Tex Mex meal of complete and utter fullness. I love walking on South Congress and enjoying a Hey Cupcake vanilla dream cupcake with my husband. There are so many things about food that I love that I repressed during my original transformation period due to not having time to mess with it. I had a goal, to be in a bikini in Los Angeles in 12 weeks and there just wasn't time for all those delicious things in life that I enjoyed. I never fully was taught to change my perspective of food but couldn't wait till I could eat it again. After my first show, all I cared about (or the majority of what I cared about) was where my next meal would be. I ate my way through Los Angeles. I somehow only gained 4 pounds over the week but it sparked a feeling in me towards food I had never had before. A feeling that I had to consume it all because I would not be allowed it any more. It was odd, and new and honestly completely opposite of the healthy lifestyle I had been pursing and working so hard for.

 I cleaned up my act and began training again for a show in March. I almost signed up in desperation as I needed something to kick me in the butt and get me back in gear. I somehow pulled it together and did the show. I made last call outs and was devastated that I did so horribly. I felt completely guilty for not being able to control my food cravings and began oddly seeking food to comfort me. I started episodes of binge eating.

I have never had this issue before. I would eat alone, so no one would no I had the issue. I would eat until I was sick. I would then feel mentally and emotionally drained from it and developed so much guilt. It started just once or twice a week, but then it got so bad I would have an episode about every other day. I gained nearly 20 pounds was right back where I started back in October in just a matter of weeks. I didn't disclose this to ANYONE, not even my husband because I was so ashamed. I didn't want to admit it was a problem by speaking it out loud. I read a lot of books and even looked up a psychologist. I then heard a podcast on Muscle Girls Inc (podcast 5.9.12)., my favorite pod cast, about binge eating, how much of an issue it was for competitors and how no one liked to talk about it.  I was so moved that Dianna Dahlgren had come to the point where she could talk about it that I was convicted that I did indeed have an issue and I was not being able to control it alone. I broke down to my husband and explained to him the reason why, all though I had been cooking all my food, eating clean in front of him and waking up at 3am to hit the gym, I was not getting the results I wanted because I was secretly binging. Because through all this I did continue to hit the gym and train and meal prep and eat clean, I just ate other things too! I felt a rush of relief after telling my husband and knowing I had his support to get through this. I felt so much better that I told all my coworkers too for additional support and motivation.

I have gotten so much stronger and honestly haven't had a binging episode in over 3 weeks. My body has begun to change dramatically and I am so much stronger mentally and emotionally. I quite my second job training with RevEx, because despite my love for it, working 60 hours a week was leaving me no time to focus on me or my husband and our needs. My life has had a complete 180 since I quite and began to refocus my priorities on my goals and my family. I still have my days. I have been known to sneak some trail mix here and there but when I think back about my past behaviors, I feel like a new person. I can't believe that person ever existed and there was time I felt I could never get better.

I am writing this for you all to read to first and foremost to let you know I am here. I want to be a motivation and an inspiration and help you in any way I can in pursuing a healhty lifestyle. Does that mean I have to be 100% perfect in order to help you? I used think it did, but I don't. We all have our struggles. Let us use one another to help each other grow and become stronger people.

Along those lines I also wanted to express my WHY. One thing that stuck with me the most with my experience with RevEx is knowing and learning your WHY. WHY you get up at 3am and hit the gym. WHY you spend extra money on fresh food and stress about nutrients and calories and best sources of protein. WHY you no longer define or reward your success with food and alcohol but with quality time with the people you love. WHY you care more about waking up in the morning and seeing how your body has changed and improved with your 2 hour workouts and extra sleep over the happy hour you missed with your buddies. What is your WHY?

I did my first bikini competition to prove to myself that I could and to help me reach my overall goal of finally creating a physique I could be proud of. I had no idea I would fall so in love with the competition side of it. I have always been competitive and an athlete. I have also always loved performing. I had so much pride getting on that stage and accepting that 5th place plaque. I stepped off the stage and walked towards my husband and saw a look on his face I had never seen before. Complete and utter proudness for me and my accomplishments. I was bitten by the bug and wanted more. I loved how good I felt about myself. I loved the lights, the makeup, the hair, the glittery suits, the high heels, the performance aspect of my presentation, the competition, the camaraderie between my fellow teammates with Team Bombshell. I felt and still feel like I am a part of something. Something bigger than me.

Every now and then I am sideswiped by the reality that not everyone views what I work so hard for as simply a fun show of displaying hours upon hours of hard work and dedication. I remember showing my mom pictures from my first show and I was so proud of my cellulite free behind and how I had literally created and designed a butt with hard work and alot of squats and weights. She looked at me and said "All I see is butt" with a smile on her face. I then came to realization that not everyone will get it, not everyone will understand my why. There are a bunch of sleazy people out there that do it for different reasons. And honestly, every time I get a taste of it, I want to run away so far from it that I almost hang up my heels and call it a day.

That's not my WHY and I do not want anyone to mistake my WHY for their WHY. So I have decided to commit to not only myself, husband, family, mother, sisters, father, in laws, etc... but also you to keep it tight, keep it real and most of all keep it classy! Is it necessary to pose in my underware for photo shoots? I can choose to not display my hard work in that way. I believe I can be a classy and real inspiration and motivation to you all. My mother looked at me at lunch the other day with tears almost in her eyes as I excitedly rambled on about my hopes and dreams of becoming a fitness model and IFBB bikini pro. She simply said, "Remember what your name means. It means woman of discretion." I at first was hurt that she would have any doubts that I would ever forsake that name right. But I then stepped out of my box and tried to look on from her prospective and I understand. I understand when you see pictures of my butt in a bikini you or others might not be admiring my gluteal/hamstring tie in. You might not think "Man she must have trained 3 days a week on glutes". You might simply see butt. But it is my promise to myself and you all that I will prove that I can pursue my WHY and keep it classy.

 The art of competing keeps me motivated and inspired to continue improving my physique and it fills alot of holes of my love for competition, athleticism and performance that I had been missing. I find alot of joy and purpose in it and feel that I am doing the right thing by investing time and efforts into this dream. I do not feel it is a stupid dream. I believe it is my dream. And I will continue to work my hardest and do my best to bring a beautiful and tight physique in a way that is uplifting, motivating and inspiring and runs from the griddy, nasty, side of the industry.

Here is to not being perfect! Here is to improving! Here is to honesty! Here is to dreaming! Here is to having a WHY! Here is to inspiring! Here is to becoming a better version of me!

- Whittney C.

Reciper Helper - Zuchinni Pasta

Here is a great new recipe for when you want to induldge in pasta but keep it lean.

You only need 3 ingredients: zuchinni, lean ground turkey breast and Monte Bene past sauce
1) Wash your zuchinni

 I like Monte Bene sauce because it is all natural, no added sugar or high fructose corn syrup and low calories/carb count

 2) Slice the ends of the zuchinni

 3) Cut lengthwise into thin slices

4) The cut those slice into strips
5) Steam the zuchinni. I usually let me meat brown while I am slicing my zuchini. Add the sauce to the meat and let it simmer while your zuchini steams.
6) Enjoy a delicious and yummy dish!

Honeysuckle White - Ground Turkey - 99% Fat Free, 1 container (16 ounces ea.)
Monte Bene - Garlic Marinara Pasta Sauce, 1 container (3 cups ea.)
Raw - Zuchinni, 4 cup Calories      226 Carb              15 Fat                  6 Protein         29 Fiber             4 Sugar            8 (makes 4 servings)

Also, I made my egg white quiche again for this week. Soo good.
Take 1 carton egg whites (large), asparagus, chives, cherry tomoatos and fat free feta. Sautee veggies and add other ingredients. Bake for approx 35 min at 350.

Nutrition Facts

Heb - Real Egg Whites, 1 container (4 1/2 cup (50g) ea.)
Generic - Asparagus, Raw, 2 cups
Costco - Cherry Tomatoes, 1 cup
Chives - Raw, 4 tbsp chopped President - *Fat Free Feta Cheese, 4 oz

Calories 110 Carbs        3 Fat            0 Protein    21 Fiber         1 Sugar        1 (Makes 6 servings) Happy Easter Weekend!!! - Whittney C.