Food Prep and Diet Tips

Food prep is essential to any successful diet. Contest dieting can be the most stressful part of competition prep! Fitting in high quality protein based meals every 2-4 hours can be challenging, especially with full time jobs and long hours spent in the gym. Also very expensive, so be prepared. Sure will power plays a small part, but will power can easily be thrown out the window when hunger strikes and fast food joints are on every corner with cheap delicious food. Constant preparation is key! Here are some of my tips that keep my contest diet on track:

1: Shop in bulk! Costco is the answer!  You can even by large pieces of meat and cut them yourself and section them into 4-6oz portions. In the meat section, there are pamphlets available to properly cut your own meat. This saves a lot of money in the long run.

2: Use a food scale, and measure your portion sizes. Know exactly what you are putting in your body. Chances are you may be taking in double the recommended portion size.

3: Invest in a lot of containers . 

4: Cook for the week. If you work Monday-Friday, make Sunday your cooking day. To keep food fresh, sometimes 2 cooking days are easier. I find it helpful to make a lot of meat (chicken, fish, pork, steak etc) and different sides, so that you can mix and match your meals, which keeps the diet interesting. 

5: Try new recipes! Take versions of your favorite meals, and experiment with ingredients to make them healthy. A boring diet of the same food everyday will make you more likely to indulge in a greasy burger over the same old chicken and broccoli. (Plus creating new recipes is fun and earns bragging rights!)

6: Pack your meals for the next day. And pack an extra healthy snack. This way, if you are extra hungry, you can snack on that, rather than suffering, or picking up a bag of chips. Also, pack your supplements/vitamins and have them ready to go to save time in the morning.

7: Protein bars are not great for a diet, but in emergencies, protein bars can be a good back up as a meal replacement, until a clean meal is feasible. Choose bars low in sugar and fat. Some can have up to 30g of sugar! Diet buster! 

8: Frozen vegetables are convenient, healthy and affordable.  

9: Eat slowly. Take time to enjoy the food. Use a small spoon instead of a tablespoon to make your oatmeal last longer!  It can take at least 20 minutes for the body to register that it is full.

10: Trick your mind to think you are eating more by putting your food in a bowl or a small plate instead of a large plate. 

11: Avoid eating out. Anywhere. No matter where you go, there are always hidden calories. 

12: Drink enough water. Being thirsty can oftentimes be disguised as hunger. Get a big jug of water and carry it everywhere so that you wont forget to drink. Soon consuming 3-4L of water a day will become natural. Keeping hydrated will also help you feel better in general.

13: Keep gum around. Minty gum can curb snack cravings. Sometimes your body just wants something to chew on, and is not actually hungry. 

These are just some tips that help me in my daily routine to maintain a healthy diet! There is always new recipes and ideas out there! Happy Training!

Leg Training

Too many people tend to neglect legs. My opinion is that training legs is the most essential part of training for several reasons.

Legs are the biggest muscles in the body, therefore after an intense workout, the body works the hardest to repair and rebuild the muscle, which in turn increases metabolism. I notice that when I train legs, I am hungrier, and can consume more food through the day.

Training legs boost growth hormone secretion, making the rest of the body grow, even at rest! It’s a win/win. Also, legs can be the hardest muscle to develop, and a great set of legs can set you apart on stage, if competitive training is what you strive for. Leg training is also great for everyday function, and plays a role in balance, agility and overall strength.

Leg training can be pretty intense. In order to target each aspect of legs properly, its beneficial to split leg training into a 2 day a week split. Hamstrings and glutes (posterior), vs quads and calves (anterior).

As a general guideline, pushing the weight through the heel targets the hamstrings and glutes, whereas pushing from the center of the foot, toe, or sides of the foot, (think pushing on the edges of your shoes) targets the quads. Shift the weight through different parts of the foot and feel how each muscle is activated. This goes for posing too!

I love to push heavy weights with my legs! But going too heavy all the time will not provide defined legs. Heavy squats and leg press etc will add size, but not definition! You can notice, powerlifters are big, but not ripped! Lighter weights using proper form will be your weapon to achieving ripped up legs! “Lighter” weights should be light enough in order for the movement to be executed using proper form, for 12-15 (or even 20!) reps. That means “ass to the grass” while squatting! However, it should also be heavy enough to feel the burn, and reach failure on that last rep! Reaching failure is where the reps really count, and muscles grow!

Before leg training an arginine and beta alanine based pre workout agent really works to promote nutrient rich blood flow and remove lactic acid build up during your training session. Nutrabolics Swollen always gets me through my intense leg days!

Supplementation

As my first blog as a Nutrabolics Brand Ambassador, I find it only natural that my blog topic be based on supplementation.

Lately, it has come to my attention that many people are misinformed, or under informed, about the benefits that a proper supplementation regimen can have on your training and physique. I should point out that I realize that there are reasons that people may choose not to supplement, or that others may have different views on supplementation, but since this is my blog, I am going to share my supplement info and plan, which helps me maximize my gains in the gym every day. Also, supplements are NOT a substitute for hard work in the gym, and a clean diet. Paired with a consistent training schedule and diet plan tailored to your individual goals, proper supplementation can complement all of your hard work, and preserve that hard earned muscle!

My first rant: If you cannot explain why you should take one product over another, then DON’T take it. Be knowledgeable about what you are putting in your body. Flashy labels and marked up prices do not tell you anything about a supplement’s quality. Examine the ingredients. Ask questions to the employees who work at the store, these people are generally a wealth of information, and have most likely tested the product themselves. Ask a friend for reviews, but keep in mind, that everyone’s goals are different.

If you can only buy ONE product, I recommend protein as an essential supplement. Whey protein is one of the most useful fat burning tools. 1: when taken post workout, it helps to repair muscle fibers that were put under stress during your workout. 2: Muscle speeds metabolism, burning calories while it repairs itself, therefore, the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn, even at rest! 3: Whey protein keeps you fuller for longer, and when in a rush, a protein shake can hold you over until the next mealtime.

Supplementation is a huge part of my daily routine. Especially since my goal is to maximize and preserve my muscle gains, proper timing, and supplements are essential to my goal. Timing is everything. This is what I am currently taking to give me the best pumps and promote the best recovery post workout!

Pre: Pre cardio, a stimulant based product works for me. Stimulant based products like caffeine, geranium and ephedrine raise the heart rate to get me pumped for cardio. I like Thermal XTC by Nutrabolics, always makes me feel great! Because of the vasoconstrictor properties, stimulants should be avoided before (about 3 hours) a heavy weight training session. To build muscle, the goal is to promote maximum blood flow to the muscle tissue.

Pre weights: I like to stick to an arginine based supplement before lifting some serious weights. Arginine is a vasodilator, and promotes blood flow to the muscle being worked. That’s the “pump” that you feel, when it feels like the muscle just became twice the size! This “pump”, allows an abundance of nutrient rich blood flow into the muscle, which is exactly where you need it, in order for the muscle recovery process to begin. (Besides the fact that it makes you look HUGE! Haha). Beta Alanine is also a great pre workout ingredient. Beta works to eliminate the lactic acid buildup in the muscle, therefore increasing muscle endurance. I also include creatine in my pre workout stack. Creatine has been around forever. If you notice that a product has been a workout supplement standard for years….then it is most likely still around for a reason. It WORKS. Creatine aids to produce more ATP (energy) in the muscle, which helps when you are pushing the last forced rep… These are the reps that count! Note: natural creatine levels in women are a lot higher than men, so women don’t necessarily benefit from a creatine “loading phase” as males would. Also, with creatine, there is also a poteintial for water retention, as part of its action is to pull water into the muscle cells. Because of this risk, I tend to cut back or eliminate creatine, prior to show date. Swollen is my favorite pre workout, always delivers the best pumps!  

Intra: Branched Chain Amino Acids are my favorite supplement! The building blocks of protein, BCAA’s should be consumed intra workout to promote immediate repair of the muscle fibers. (quicker repair, bigger hypertrophy). BCAA’s also help with endurance and prevents fatigue. I have experienced the most personal gains after supplementing with BCAA’s. Anabolic State has the highest BCAA count on the market, making it the most concentrated, and it tastes great. Orange flavor Anabolic State and Blue Gatorade is my daily cocktail! Gatorade is a great intra workout, as it is dextrose based. (TIP: If you look closely at the labels, the powdered Gatorade is dextrose based, whereas the bottled Gatorade is fructose based…opt for dextrose as fructose takes longer for the body to break down). Dextrose is the quickest absorbing carb, therefore giving an immediate insulin spike. This is one of the only times of the day when it is good to spike insulin levels. Insulin is conductive to muscle growth when timed correctly.

• Glycogen is stored sugar in the muscle, which is used for energy when strength training.
• Lifting causes glycogen to be used and depleted, leaving your muscles tired, weak and flat. 
•  Sugars spike insulin levels. 
•  Dextrose breaks down and is converted into glycogen.

Manipulating insulin levels during training is beneficial to muscle growth, however, insulin spikes at other points of the day, especially late at night, will store excess sugars in the form of fat.

Post: Protein is essential post workout. The best time to consume your post workout shake is within 15 minutes after you drop the last weight. This is when muscles are the most vulnerable. An isolate is the purest form of protein and is broken down the quickest, for your muscles to use. Isobolic protein is an isolate protein with a blend of casein as well. I like this product because the quick acting isolates act to replenish muscle right away, and the casein in it provides a slow acting protein source as well, so that I know my muscles are constantly receiving muscle building protein throughout the day. It also keeps me fuller for longer than other proteins. Also in my post workout shake, I include glutamine to help with the repair of muscles, and Waxybolic as a starchy carb, for further glycogen replenishment. Waxy Maize works similar to dextrose. I have heard waxy described as superior to dextrose, because as a starch it causes less post consumption crash that you may notice from dextrose (ie sugar high). Waxy promotes nutrient retention in the cells, and can draw the water from under the skin into the muscle cells, also creating fullness and strength. Waxy maize can be taken intra as well, but can be a bit heavier on the stomach than dextrose.

There ya have it! That’s my current workout workout regimen! Working hard in preparation for WBFF Worlds this August in Mississauga ON! Follow my progress pics along my journey on my Facebook athlete page WBFF Pro Celia Hodder

The Attitude of a Champion

In light of competition season, conflict and negativity are becoming increasingly evident amongst fellow competitors. It seems that competitors tend to pay too much attention to critiquing others, rather than staying focused on the task at hand. The fact of the matter is that what other competitors are doing is irrelevant. A real champion understands

this.

Successful people look forward, not back, or side to side. They visualize success, and
know that success will come, no matter how long the process may be. They know
the results they desire will come to them, because they put the necessary
efforts and concentration into their goals, no matter what. Successful people
know that to be really great at something, you may have to be unreasonable with
what you are willing to put into it. They know that nothing can stand in their
way to reaching their goals. They also understand that success is not defined
by a material trophy or prize.

Successful people rejoice in the success and progress of fellow competitors because they wish to compete with the best, and as should the competition. A real champion
understands that a bad attitude stands out as equally as as a bad sweater. Helping
and supporting others is valued as feelings comparable to winning, and reflects
a winning character. Champions are not concerned of competitors faults, or
weaknesses, because wasting time on other peoples weaknesses is understood as a
reflection of their own self doubt and insecurities. Successful people
understand the difference between confidence and conceitedness, and have no
time for the latter. They are aware of personal strengths and weaknesses.
Always striving for improvement but not dwelling on weakness. Successful people
know that when they reach their goal, there will be no regrets. They will
confidently demonstrate their personal best, because they have taken
responsibility to do everything within their means to produce the absolute best
package. If that means that someone else is judged “better”, than they know
that the competition must be pretty damn good, and it was an honor to be judged
with the best.

In such a competitive world, full of criticism and negativity, ask yourself, are
you a champion? What defines “success” to you? Is your goal to simply hold a trophy at the end of the day? Or is it bigger than that?

Low Carb Spaghetti (Squash)

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 lb ground turkey

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)

1 can no salt added diced tomatoes

1 small onion chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

1/2c chopped mushrooms

1 green pepper chopped

1 tsp crushed chillis

1 tsp dried basil (or 1 tbsp fresh basil)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

Freshly ground pepper

1: cut squash in half, scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut side down on cookie sheet with a small amount of water at the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 30 min, or until a fork is easily inserted through the squash’s skin.

2: Heat pan medium heat, add 1tbsp of olive oil. Add turkey and Sautee until ground turkey is cooked through. Set aside.

3: Saute olive oil, garlic, onion and green pepper at medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes, add mushrooms until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

4: In a large pot on medium heat, add can of diced tomatoes. Transfer Sautéed vegetables and cooked turkey to the pot. Add spices. Cook until a boil develops, then turn heat to low/med and simmer until the sauce reduces and becomes thicker. (approx. 15-20 minutes). Season with fresh ground pepper.

5: When squash is done, take a fork and run length wise through the squash. (you will notice squash will string like spaghetti).

6: Place 2/3c-1c  spaghetti squash in bowl and top with sauce. Add sprinkles of fresh parmesan cheese (optional). Enjoy!