Author Archives: Your Host, Gina

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About Your Host, Gina

IFBB Figure Professional Nutrition and Fitness advocate owner or M&G Fitness, Inc and G-fit Activewear Inc.

An unforgettable Man of Integrity and lessons

Oct 20 2011

“I want to put a dent in the universe.”~Steve Jobs

Just over two weeks ago, we lost a man of integrity and a man we will always remember. With the way technology has changed our world, Steve Jobs had an impact on, I would bet, every single one of us, whether you realize it or not. Steven Jobs not only a business man but an inventor. A co founder or Apple and Pixar, he was a man of integrity and accomplishments. As we remember his, consider these quotes by Steve Jobs to take with you today and always.

“Focus and simplicity…once you get there, you can move mountains.”

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

“Our goal is to make the best devices in the world, not to be the biggest.”

“Half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”

One of the most amazing speeches ever given and one with so many life lessons, please take a few minutes to consider this speech from Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005

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Crock Pot Pork Stew

Oct 20 2011

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Beet and Kale Pick Me Up Drink

Oct 19 2011

Ingredients:
-4-6 kale leaves
-1 cup celery
-2 cups fresh beet juice with leafs from beets
-2 capsules Probiotics (powder)
-2-3 packets stevia, to taste
-1/2-1 cup ice

Directions:
Prepare beet juice by boiling approximately 4 beets in about 4 cups of water. Boil for approximately 45 minutes, until beets are soft when punctured with a fork. Drain beets and place beet juice on the side, allowing it to cool.
Place all ingredients in a blender, including beet juice.
Blend well and serve.

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Carbs and Carb Cycling

Oct 18 2011

Are you experiencing a fitness “plateau”? First of all, I do not believe in plateau’s but rather believe that plateau’s are due to a lack of consistent change in your program. Our bodies are very smart and adapt to whatever it is we do. It is essential to constantly create change in your routine and program. If you don’t constantly create this change, not only will your body adapt but you will get bored and lose motivation to keep moving forward. Consistency is absolutely key but consistently changing, within that consistency, is going to be the ticket to success. If you have been on a program that tells you to do and eat the same things, day in and day out, that may be where you are experiencing this “plateau”. It may be that your body has adapted or the fact that you are just flat out bored with what it is you have been consistently doing. Maybe it is time to change things up and find something that is going to offer you constant change. Change will not allow your body or your mind to adapt to any one thing and therefore keep your body responding and your mind fresh and motivated! How do you create constant change in your fitness program? One way can be done through cycling your carbohydrates. This is a sure way to keep your body guessing and consistently changing things up with your nutritional program. The first thing though is to NOT be afraid of carbs and to trust in the carb cycling program. Maybe you are afraid of carbs and have been following a very low carb program for several weeks, months or maybe even years. This may be where your “plateau” is coming from. Do you see the lack of change and the problem here. The problem is not the carbohydrates but the lack of change in any program, with or without carbohydrates. If you decided to follow a low carb program, it most likely worked for you, for the first several weeks or even months, but then there became a time where your body adapted and the low carbohydrate program wasn’t working anymore. How could this be? This is due to the lack of Change! The low carbohydrate program worked, at first, because it was Change to your body and a shock to your system. Then all the sudden, your body learns what it is you are doing and adapts. Adaptation is something we have been experiencing from the beginning of time and evolution. It is a scientific fact that adaptation takes place and occurs in mother nature and within ourselves. You have to keep things changing to ensure your body and mind don’t adapt. In essence, it is constantly tricking your body so it does’t have time to adapt.

Once you become fearless and start to understand and are willing to trust in carbohydrates, you are ready to start cycling. Are you ready for the challenge? Carbohydrate cycling is constantly changing your amounts of carbohydrates from day to day. It is shifting your ratio of carbohydrates to fats throughout your weekly program. Maybe you lower your carbs for 1-2 days and then bringing your carbs back up for 2-3 days, instead of just keeping your carbohydrate ratios the same every day. Not only does this cycle allow the constant change we need to keep responding to any program, but carbohydrate cycling helps your body to burn more fat, making your body go to other fuel sources, such as stored fat, for energy. On the higher carbohydrate days, your body is able to replenish your glycogen stores (stored energy) and then replenishes your carbs. This keeps your body guessing, metabolism revved up and most of all, keeps your body responding which has a direct result to your motivation and commitment to your program. After all, who wants to follow a program where they are not seeing results and are doing the same thing day in and day out?

Carbohydrates are essential to our nutritional programs and are what provide our bodies with energy and quick go to fuel. The key is getting in good, wholesome, healthy, complex carbs. Those include foods such as brown rice, quinoa, whole grains, oatmeal, yams, sweet potatoes, etc. Basically think of things that are not enriched or processed. Another rule of thumb is to stay away from anything that is white, including white sugar and white flour. If you are new to your fitness routine, those are good basic rules of thumb to go by and will take you far!

When starting a carb cycling program, it is important to play around with different numbers and see what works best for you. Every person is different in their goals, body composition, metabolism, activity levels, genetics, etc. so things are not black and white, in term of what your carb counts should be. Now what is black and white is that constant change is going to help you avoid those “fitness plateaus” you may be experiencing. Remember those are not plateaus but rather lack of attention to constantly changing things up! It is time to make the change and start to play with your nutrient ratios. You need to start with some numbers and play with those amounts to find what works best for you. Maybe you decide to start with 100 grams of carbs on low days and simply doubling that amount to 200 grams of carbs on high days. That gives you a place to start and a place to go. Pay attention to how your body is feeling. If you are lacking in energy and feeling very weak, you may need to increase your healthy carbohydrate intake. On the flip side, if you have plenty of energy but are not seeing any fat loss results, pay with your ratio by slowly decreasing your carbs on both your low and high days.

Don’t be afraid to try different things and find what works for you. Changing things up, whether it’s your nutrition or your workouts, is always a good way to stir up your metabolism and keep things fresh and exciting! A few tips to think about before you begin to consider starting a carb cycling program.

TIPS:
-Give yourself a few weeks with the carb quantities you set up to see how your body responds and if and how you need to tweak your carb intake.
-Not only can you change your carbohydrate intake throughout the week, with high/low days, but you can tweak the amount of high and low days. For example you can do 2 days low, 1 day high or 3 days low and 1 day high, or even as simple as every other day changing between high and low.
-Constantly change the types of carbohydrates you intake. Not only does your body get use to carb counts it also can get use to the types of carbs you are eating. If you are an oatmeal lover, try not to eat oatmeal at every meal. Change things up and have oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, yams, etc.
-Give yourself time and be patient with the process.
-Listen to your body. If you feel weak and have low energy, you need to trust that your carb amounts may be too low for you. Take note on how you feel and use that as your determining factor in how you set up your carb cycling program.
-Have fun with your program and see this as an opportunity to learn more about yourself.
-Remember key times to eat your carbs. You definitely want to have your carbs for breakfast, pre and post workout!
-Cater your higher carb days on the days you exert more energy and are more active. Consider your lower carb days on the days you take off from working out or have lower intensity workouts.
-It is important to remember to remember your fats, good fats that is, on your lower carbohydrate days, having higher fat days on the lower carb days and lower fat days on your higher carbohydrate days.
high carb=lower fats
lower carb=higher fats

Remember carb cycling is one of several ways to change things up in your current program. Change is key in all areas of your fitness routine. Eeveryone is different so it is important to play around with your nutrients, give yourself time, be patient in the process and keep things ever changing!!

Don’t forget to read or re-read a past article on CYCLING YOUR CARBS!

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Part 3: simple ways to make a difference in your life

Oct 18 2011

46. Park in the furthest parking spot and allow yourself to walk a few extra steps to your destination.
47. Don’t be afraid to say NO.
48. Eat with Chop Sticks to slow down your eating time. Enjoy your meal and allow for more efficient digestion!
49. Eat fat to gain fat! Don’t be afraid of good healthy fats!
50. Sing for the love of singing. Express yourself and let it all out!
51. Pound your meat! Spend a few extra minutes tenderizing your meat and taste the difference!
52. Give without expecting anything in return!
53. Commit to a full hour of tapping out daily. Put aside your cell phone, facebook, twitter and any other social networking tools and just be.
54. Sleep! Invest in good quality sleep nightly! Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a day!
55. Nap. If you can, nap. A few minutes of shut eye has been known to reset your brain and allow for better efficiency throughout the day!
56. De-clutter your e-mail. Opt out of junk mail or unsubscribe to random e-mail notices that you don’t read and just take of space and time.
57. Never Quit. Stick with your goals and don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot do something because you most definitely Can!
58. Believe in YOU! You must believe in you before anyone else can believe in you.
59. Call a friend and set up a date night, now. Too often we put things on the back burner. Right now, call a friend and set up a date!
60. Do leg lifts or squats while brushing your teeth!
54. Pack a picnic, find a random park or patch of grass and enjoy your meal outdoors!
55. Take the first step. What is it that you have been dreaming about doing? Take the first step, right now and go for it!!

Embrace the small things in life that can and will make all the difference in the world! Start small but just start…

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Train your mind and body to a new you!

Oct 18 2011

Are you striving to be a better you? Why, of course you are, aren’t we all!? Start by utilizing these two basic principles of training your body and training your mind! We turn to other things to help increase our state of mind, how we feel or how we look but the solution is quite simple. It is not other people but ourselves! It is YOU who is going to change you. It is YOU that can allow or detour negative thoughts from entering your mind. It is you who is going to get yourself into the gym or outdoors to train your body. Once we learn how to ward off negative thoughts and train both our mind and body, we are left with an increase in self esteem and therefore a happier, healthier version of ourselves!

This takes time to learn how to best do this but with time and patience, you are sure to become a master of your mind and body! It takes work to shun the negative thoughts and not allow them to become your reality. It also takes time to learn how to best train your body and be consistent with it.

First, train your mind… You have to take any negative thoughts and put that energy towards something positive or tell yourself you won’t allow that particular thought to seep into your brain because it simply isn’t true and is a waste of space in your mind. Think of your mind as a typewriter. The second ANY negative thought enters your mind, use that “delete” to erase it from your mind and move on.

Second, train your body…Just move, get out and move. Train your body by moving your limbs, getting your heart rate up and by doing something fun. If running is your love, go for a run. If hitting the iron weights is your cup of coffee, hit the weight room. Whatever you do, train your body physically. Just start somewhere and start with simply moving.

Take time, today, to do something to train both your mind and body.

Remember, this is your life and the choice is yours. Two ways to start to live your life to the fullest and enhance your self are by training your Mind and training your Body! You can do it!

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Change and rejuvenate

Oct 18 2011

“We must always change, renew and rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.”~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Get up and get moving with the kiddos!

Oct 17 2011

In this day and age, children are much more comfortable with the internet and video games than with being active. Kind of sad, but there are things we can do to help skew this reality! It is all about leading by example and teaching by allowing your children, or those around you, to observe what you do. Children need to see that working out and being active is fun and not a chore or something you do only when you “are on a diet”. Getting youngsters active helps not only ingrain these habits into their daily lives, at a young age, but builds their self esteem and confidence.

Check out our Circuit Workout of the week to see how we incorporated Candace’s little one, Hayley, into our workout. This was purely Choice, on Hayley’s end, and not only did she want to do everything we were doing, she wanted to do it better! ;)

Check out the circuit workout of the week for your own motivation and to see how to easily motivate and get your kiddos involved! ;)

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Circuit Workout of the week

Oct 17 2011

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Break Your Fast with These Healthy Options

Oct 13 2011

Getting in a healthy breakfast should be one of the first things on your mind in the morning! I am sure, by now, you know that breaking your fast, after a long nights sleep, is important to get your metabolism up, decrease cortisol levels, and to fight off those unwanted cravings and hunger you have later in the day. Even if you are well aware of this concept, for some people it is still a hard thing to do. Either you are in a hurry or simply not hungry in the morning. Either way, you must find a way to get in the most important meal of the day. You can try several of our recipes on the site OR one of the 10 breakfasts in the 50 Favorite Balanced Recipes.

A few other simple Healthy options are below. Please be sure to jump start your day and metabolism by getting eating something healthy, even if it means you take it on the go. If you don’t eat your breakfast, you are not optimizing your results so be sure to Break your Fast with one of these quick and easy options.

Simply Oatmeal with Egg Whites:
A quick and easy option for a healthy breakfast is to make oatmeal with egg whites. You want to avoid the instant oatmeal that comes in the little packets. These are loaded with sugar so best to stick with instant, regular or steel cut oats. A good rule of thumb to go by is the bigger the flakes, the better. If you have a little extra time, choose “steel cut oats”. This takes about 20-30 minutes to cook but they are very hearty and delicious and have a bit of a nutty, grainy flavor. If not, the good “Old Fashioned” rolled oats by Quaker are second best. The last option is to choose is the “Instant Oats” which are smaller flakes. Always look at the ingredients and make sure it reads “100% whole grain rolled oats” only and avoid any oatmeal with a bunch of sugar added to it. These will be the packets that are labeled “Maple & Brown Sugar” and “Apples & Cinnamon”. These might taste great but you want to avoid them due to the extra sugar that has been added to flavor them.

Directions:

Coat a pan with non-stick spray and heat on medium.
Use 4-6 eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Pour the egg whites into the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of old fashioned oatmeal into a microwavable safe bowl.
Microwave the oatmeal for 60-90 seconds.
Add the cooked egg whites to the bowl of oatmeal.
Stir everything up and enjoy!

Optional: you can add cinnamon or stevia for extra flavor and flax or chia seeds for healthy fats!

Tip: You an easily prepare your oatmeal and egg whites without cooking the oats and prepare them into one of our famous Protein Pancakes. Either spray a sauté pan and cook them up in the morning OR prepare your oatmeal and egg whites in a bowl the night before and place them in the refrigerator, overnight to thicken and prepare your pancake in the morning.

While Grain Toast with Natural Nut Butter:
Choosing the right bread is very important if you’re goal is to eat a nutrient dense meal. Suggested is Ezekiel bread or Julian Bakery Bread, which is so great is because it is flourless sprouted high fiber grain bread. Sprouting grains and seeds before baking produces living, nutrient rich food. Sprouted grain bread has so many advantages over “enriched” breads. These breads are made from the endosperm of the wheat kernel (the inside portion), which contains primarily carbohydrates and few vitamins and minerals. The milling of grain into white flour requires the removal of the bran and the germ, which are the best parts! This results in the loss of natural fiber, vitamins and minerals. Both Julian Bakery and Ezekiel bread has increased vitamin content and loaded with protein. Because these breads are higher in protein, they can satisfy as your protein source for most people. If you wish to add a little extra protein, a few egg whites or 1/2 a shake would be great options!

As for your healthy fat nut butter topping, be sure it is 100% all natural with absolutely no additional ingredients. Most nut butter brands on the market are loaded with sugar. All you need to do is turn the can around and look at the ingredients. It should just have one main ingredient listed, “peanuts” or “almonds”. A great brand to look for is Laura Scudder all natural peanut butter or even grind your own nuts at your local health food store! Doesn’t get much fresher than that! Put 1 tablespoon of nut butter on each piece of toast and you will have a nutritious protein packed breakfast that you can make in minutes!

Directions:

Place 2 pieces of Ezekiel or Julian bread in the toaster.
Spread 1 tablespoon of all natural peanut butter on the toast.
Enjoy!

Oatmeal with Protein Powder:
One of the most fiber packed and filling healthy breakfast meals you can make in the morning is oatmeal with protein powder. It not only is packed with healthy carbs but when you use a flavored protein powder, you can make a super yummy breakfast! Make sure to use quality oatmeal like organic 100% whole grain rolled oats along with a quality protein powder. One of the best protein powders to use is Better Bodies By Chemistry Show Me the Whey. The chocolate flavor tastes amazing and the strawberry actually has pieces of strawberries in it so it adds to the flavor!

Directions:

Add 1/2 cup of oatmeal into a microwavable safe bowl.
Add 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder to the bowl. (any flavor)
Add 1-2 cups of water to the bowl and mix.
Place bowl into microwave for 60 seconds.
Stir and re-heat if needed.
Enjoy!

Tip: If you prepare this the night before and allow it to sit in the refrigerator, is is ready to go and thickens over night! :)

Protein Packed Fruit Smoothie:
One of the staple breakfast foods is the protein fruit smoothie. With so many choices of ingredients, so many ways to prepare a smoothie, and the fact that it is super quick, nutritious and delicious, it is a great option! Its one of the easiest healthy breakfast meals to make. There is no cooking needed! All you need to do is choose a quality protein powder (BBBC Show me the Whey) and some of your favorite fruit and you’re all set. If you want to, you can add some healthy greens, such as kale, or your healthy fats, such as coconut oil, flax or chia seeds or even an avocado! A great protein powder to choose is whey because its a very fast acting protein, that is why Show Me the Whey is Perfect! In the morning, you really want protein to get into your system and working quickly because you want to decrease those high cortisol levels that are elevated after fasting overnight.

For this smoothie recipe, strawberries and blueberries are used, for our fruit but any Fruits work great!

Directions:

Pour 1 cup of non-fat coconut milk and 1 cup of water into a blender. (or 2 cups water without the milk)
Add 1 scoop of Vanilla or Strawberry BBBC Show me the Whey protein powder.
Add 1 cup of sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries
Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Add 1-2 cups of ice.
Blend on high for 30 seconds and enjoy!

Healthy Protein Bar:
If you’re really in a rush and literally only have a few seconds to grab something, then a high quality protein bar like QUEST or Perfect Foods, which will come in very handy. The key is a good protein bar with protein, high fiber and low sugar. The only bars recommended are Perfect Foods or Quest Bars. So many protein bars on the market today are simply glorified candy bars with a little extra protein in them so beware and read labels! Its actually very difficult nowadays to find a protein bar that has a minimal amount of sugar so when you find one, stick with it!

Veggie Egg White Omelette:
A veggie egg white omelette is a great breakfast choice in the morning if you have a little more time to cook (10-15 minutes). You can choose a variety of different veggies to add to it like spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini. Of course any veggies work great!

Tip: To speed up the cooking process, simply spray a bowl with non stick cooking spray and pop your omelet into the microwave, watching closely and storing occasionally. If you want some healthy fats in that meal, add a tablespoon of olive oil to your stir fry pan and then add the veggies.

Directions:

Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil OR non stick cooking spray into a stir fry pan.

After the pan is heated, add veggies and cook for 3-5 minutes, until softened.

Pour egg whites onto the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Take your spatula and flip over one side of the egg whites over top of the veggies.

Place the omelette onto your dish and enjoy.

** add a side of High Fiber Whole Grain toast or oatmeal for the healthy carbs

Healthy hole Grain Toast (Julian Bakery or Ezekiel) with Egg Whites and Almond Cheese:
This is another great option for a quick and healthy breakfast that is packed with protein. Choose any variety of Ezekiel or Julian breads, since they are all very nutrient dense and they taste great.

Directions:

Add some cooking spray onto a skillet and heat on a cook top (medium heat).

Pour egg whites into skillet and let the egg whites cook for about 3-5 minutes on low to medium heat. Take 1 oz of almond cheese and cut it in half. Place both pieces of cheese onto one side of egg whites. Let this cook for another 1-2 minutes, letting the cheese melt. Put bread in the toaster and then when ready top off with egg white/cheese mixture.

Hearty Healthy Cereal such as Kashi GoLean Cereal or Brown Rice Puff Cereal:Beware of cereal choices, so many are loaded with sugar and refined flours! Kashi Go Lean and Brown Rice Puff Cereal are great options.

Directions:

Add 2 cups of GoLean cereal to a bowl.
Add 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk in a bowl.
Enjoy.

Tip: For extra protein, make your protein shake and use that as your “milk”.

Non-Fat Greek Yogurt with Fruit:
A perfect breakfast meal in the morning to satisfy your sweet tooth is a bowl of Greek yogurt mixed with fruit. This is a super easy and convenient meal to make which takes about 30 seconds and its packed with protein and tastes delicious! The most important health benefit of yogurt is that it contains a high amount of probiotics, which are bacteria that have a positive affect on the digestive system. It is always recommended to use Organic sources of yogurt.

Directions:

Add 1 cup of non-fat yogurt to a bowl.
Add 1 cup of favorite fruit to the bowl.
Mix and enjoy!

Tip: Great option and for a little extra protein, add 1/2 scoop protein powder to your mix. For extra Carbs, add a touch of oatmeal or your healthy high fiber cereal to your bowl.

Oatmeal with Protein Powder and Pumpkin:
One of the most fiber packed and filling healthy breakfast meals you can make in the morning is oatmeal with protein powder and pumpkin. It not only is packed with healthy carbs but when you add the pumpkin, it adds to the flavor and most of all offers you all the fiber, vitamins and minerals from pure pumpkin! Make sure to use Pure Pumpkin not Pumpkin Pie Filling. The Pumpkin Pie Filling is loaded with added sugar!

Directions:

Add 1/2 cup of oatmeal into a microwavable safe bowl.
Add 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder to the bowl. (any flavor)
Add 1-2 cups of water to the bowl and mix.
Place bowl into microwave for 60 seconds.
Add 1/4-1/2 Pure Pumpkin to bowl, mix and enjoy!

OF COURSE YOU HAVE ALL OF OUR HEALTHY PROTEIN MUFFIN AND PANCAKE OPTIONS TO GIVE A TRY. THESE ARE SUPER CONVENIENT AND EASY TO TAKE ON THE GO. SIMPLY “SEARCH” PROTEIN MUFFINS OR PROTEIN PANCAKES AND FIND YOUR RECIPE TO TRY!

A Network Favorite and MUST TRY are our Famous Almond Coconut Protein Pancakes!

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