Gorgeous Gams

Legs. Thighs. Butt. For me this is my trouble spot. This is where I gain weight first and lose it last.

I do love my legs.. they have always maintained some muscularity, and they are pretty long so I can stretch out any weight gain and still look proportional but it can be frustruating when you are seeing great results everywhere else but the place you want to see go down the most is the most stubborn! For this reason... I never skip leg day! 

It is easy to put off things that are difficult to do.. and legs are certainly one of the most challenging areas to work becasue a lot of the exercises are big compound movements.. meaning that they use more then one joint. .often requiring your entire body. Boy oh Boy can these muscles burn when you ate really hitting them hard.

If you talk to anyone who knows anything about exercise, muscles, weights, you will be hard pressed find someone who, if asked "what is the one most beneficial leg exercise: ... the answer will 99.9999999% of the time with SQUATS

So.. lets focus on those. I think most people think squats and they think Squat Rack... lots of plates.. some grunting and yelling... and knee injuries. The majority of stereotypes about weight lifting are perpetuated by steroid injected muscle heads and yet the majority of people hitting the gym are very far from this.

The benefits of a proper squat is that it increases ↑↑↑↑↑↑↑ both the flexibility and strength in core, hips, and knees.

A basic body weight squat.. no rack, no barbell, no gym.. can completely transform your workouts and your body.. so lets focus on how to do it.

1- feet should be hip width or slightly wider and slightly turned out

2-back straight and core tight.. actually your whole body should be flexed

3-neck should not be looking at the floor or the ceiling. .this causes strain on your neck and spine..esp when you add a barbell. Keep your eyes and chin slightly up but you should be looking at the wall **this is a debate with body buildings and trainers as many think you should be looking skyward.. do some research, talk to your doctor even and make your own choice.

4-weight should be on your heels and some on the balls of your foot. You should be able to lift/move/wiggle your toes at all times throughout a squat.

5-when you squat down you should be pushing your hips back, keeping back straight and knees remain over the toes..never going past.

6-the weight lifting term "ass to grass" is when you squat all the way down so your calves and hammies are basically touching..and then push back. A full squat is when your hip bone comes parallel to your knees.. anything less is considered a partial squat.

7-when pushing back up you exhale, drive your hips up while clenching your butt.

Doing squats will help you with everyday tasks such as shovelling snow, avoiding injury,  keeping a lean body (glutes, quads, hamstrings burn a ton of calories so keep them in shape!)

See the pictures below for better understanding of how to properly work this amazing exercise. Take 5min while making supper...do 3 sets of 15 body squats every day and your bathing suit will thank you come summer :)

Rock the Squat!
♥ Kara

Whats your crutch?

Whats your crutch? What can you absolutely,  positively,  not do without?

Hands down, mine is coffee. I can't pinpoint where and when exactly it became such a necessity..possibly the late nights in college..and no, not late becasue I was studying ;) .

I have managed to scale it back to black over the years and that certainly helps me justify it as it IS low in calories. It also often helps curb a craving for something sweet or more emotional eating where I just put on a cup of joe and all is well again.

When I feel like im a little over the limit in caffeine consumption I will swap in an herbal tea or an Arbonne fizz tab with guana that gives me a kick without the caffeine crash.

Indulging a little is ok as long as it doesnt derail your schedule and goals. With a diet plan we often incorporate a cheat meal once a week. With having that on the schedule it is easier to keep to clean eating for the remaining 6days.

Are you addicted to something that is keeping you from your dream body/state of health/personal fitness goals? (Like 4 donuts a day perhaps ;)  ) Commit to 30 days of going without..swapping in a healthy option. Habits are learned...good habits and bad habits... go thirty days and prove you can do it!!

Honestly, there are mornings when I feel like a crank junkie... hands shaking as I grind my morning coffee beans, mouth salivating at the thought of the rich dark liquid hitting my lips. .. coffee is my crutch. I either make a french press (see pic) or refill the reusable Keurig k-cup (see pic) but I always have the Kicking Horse coffee.. usually the kick ass variety as it is a dark blend and delicious.  This brand is organic (meeting all Canadian, US and EU standards) , fair trade, roasted in Canada, and they support the Canadian Nature Conservancy. Be aware when shopping and make choices that support the things you believe in.  Also with names like kick ass, half ass (their decaf blend) , 454 horsepower,  and grizzly claw.. I also get a bit of a chuckle in the am and can appreciate their look, brand and sense of humour.  www.kickinghorsecoffee.com

For now im keeping it. January 1 I will be starting Arbonnes 30 day fit challenge and that includes no caffeine.. I will keep you posted. 

Moderation my friends!
♡ Kara

Liquid calories :'(

If you can drink it.. it doesnt count. PFFFFF !!! The coffee shop and convenience store offers a wealth of liquids that can throw your "diet" right off the tracks.

Do you love your frappuccino with flavour shot and extra whip? A Starbucks Peppermint (ahh sound s like a spa) white  Chocolate Mochaccini contains (not including the artificial colours and flavours) a crazy 78grams of sugar.. SEVENTY EIGHT.... in a coffee!!! I dare you to sit and eat 20 teaspoons of sugar (this is the equivalent people!) And not feel sick? Lets not even get into what is a so called fitness drink or the gallons upon gallons of soda that Canadians consume.
Just because it comes in liquid form does not mean it wont pack on the pounds!

Can these things be a treat? Sure. Can they be a daily occurrence? Not unless you are ok with the 15-20 extra pounds a year you will be adding.

Here it is in black and white.... if you consume it.. count it. You are only cheating yourself if you dont. 

How do you break the liquid habit? First.. always have water with you. Second.. make a healthier choice. Switch to a fruity herbal tea, back off on the cream and sugar in your cup of Joe, incorporate the calories in that glass of wine into your daily total instead of just ignoring, and lastly. . Like all cravings.. most go away in a few minutes so dont cave right away! Have a glass of h2o, give yourself 10min and if you are still wanting that starburst thin mint salted caramel shortbread cotton candy flavoured cream filled "coffee" well, then make it a small instead of a xtra tall double Grande ;)

Your liquids can be fuel and hydration to make your well oiled machine run or it can drag you onto the ditch.

Make wise choices by being informed!
Stay healthy my friends, 

Xo
Kara

Fatty Fruits

Sure... its full of fat but AVOCADOS contain the healthy kind (Monounsaturated) and so that 30ish grams actually help you fight the bulge, keep your heart healthy too AND you get to eat their deliciousness without the guilt...all while getting folate, fiber, cholesterol lowering phytosterols, potassium (more then a banana!), and are super filling so you eat less!

Excellent in guacamole of course, mix with egg salad, throw into your chocolate protein shake, I love them so much!!!  ..smashed on toasted rye bread with a little pepper and it couldnt get any better..one of my favorite breakfasts/lunch/treats.. even better with some garlic ;)

They are ripe and ready to eat when the skin is dark but still firm. Cut in half, pop out the seed and scoop out the beautiful green innards!

Thats some healthy snacking :)

Kara

Clean Eats

Clean eating is a term that is thrown around often but what exactly are the rules?

I have included Tosca Reno's rules below..simple it out and carry with you as a reminder. She is the Queen Bee of clean eating and though it has been around a very Lon time, Tosca realky brought it forward to Joe blo Public to grasp and run with.

Here are my top rules, Tosca has a few more below:

1-the produce section is your new BFF. And yes.. not just BF.... but Best Friend FOREVER.. get rid of the nasty "D" work my friends..this is not a diet..this is a lifestyle change you will make from this day forevermore. Vegetables gov you the vitamins, fiber and nutrients your body needs. Adding a greens supplement (yah Arbonne!) Helps to make sure you are getting everything you should be...just make sure you dont take the supplement INSTEAD of eating properly... high quality supplements are made to add and enhance your diet plan... not to be an excuse not to follow it.

2-ditch the sugar. Every product found in thise middle isles of the grocery store contain extra, added, unnecessary sugars. We are so used to consuming incredibky high quantities that this os often the hardest part for people starting to eat clean.... over time, your body will adjust admins not crave that legal cocaine.. shop the perimeter of the grocery store and keep your sugar intake in check.

3- water water water 2-3+ litres a day!

4-balanced meals..no exclusions. Their is nothing in a clean eating diet plan that says to completely eliminate carbs, dairy, fats, gluten, etc etc and any other fad diet elimination diet going.  It is abiut choosing the right ones..plain and simple!  Again,  this is a lifestyle and food is pleasure.. so swap out bleached and refine white flour or oat,  coconut, or brown rice flour.  Swap out the margarine (please please.please do this!!!!! Margarine is closer in composition to plastic then it is to food) for cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or real butter.  Your plate should have protein, complex cards and verges..

**for example lean chicken breast with basil and garlic pesto, quinoa salad, steamed asparagus.

-pass on takeout.  Find the time, make the time to cook and eat at home. Sit with your family, enjoy your meal, eat slowly and stop when full. Looking at that takeout burger, there is nothing of value in it...every part has been made in a lab, with very little standards on ingredients and additives.

If you eat clean 90% of the time your body will flush toxins and fat, you will have more energy and you will lose weight without even seeing the inside of a gym. It is time to stop this obesity epidemic..and we can only control ourselves... it starts right here, right now, with ourselves.

Eat, exercise, inspire,
Xo
Kara

Let your light shine!

Walking the Stage…why this title?

Well - with any fitness competition you are actually walking on stage, bikini clad (mini, teeny, tiny bikini i might add), in froth of hundreds of people… takes some guts right!  I was more nervous stepping out on that stage then almost anything I have done thus far in my life..and to put that into perspective, I like sticking my neck out  - from starting a new business venture (multiple actually), trying out for regional and provincial sporting competitions, walking down the isle, learning something new, talking in front of large crowds, putting gym heart and opinion on the line..I'm the kind of girl who believes in the saying "If your dreams don't scare you…they aren't big enough".  Not sure who said it, but i defiantly live by that mantra.

Walking across that stage, wearing next to nothing, being judged on my body. My body that took hours  upon hours of work, sweat, blood, and some tears (mostly from the full body waxing ;) )…having people look at you and tell you what parts of you just isn't up to park for the competition can be really really tough. Especially as women, we are so self conscience of the numbers on the scale, of the latest fashion trends, of the "role models" (please note i use this term with a large dose of sarcasm) that we see in every magazine & movie, constantly comparing and very often bad mouthing ourselves in the process.

We can be our own worst nightmare.

Imagine saying out loud to someone else what we often say to ourselves .. never would right?  because it is to insulting?  because you would lose that friend forever?  Why then, do we allow ourselves to talk down, to embarrass, to diminish our self worth?

I was SHOCKED at my own reaction when it came down to stepping out on that stage… I LOVED it!  Was i nervous..absolutely! Most things worth doing take you out of your comfort zone.  I did not care one little bit what the judges thought or where I placed against my competitors.. I was just so stinking proud that I did it that i could have finished dead last and it would not have taken that smile off my face.  Did I set new, more difficult goals for the next competition? Yep.  Did I want to be leaner, see more of my lower abs, have more definition in my back, etc etc..of course!  that is what sport is about…..being better every time you go out.

I can guarantee you, that if you make it through the program, stick to your diet plan, get in the cardio and weights, and really make that commitment to yourself, you will walk that stage like you were born to do it!!!  Set the deadline, get a plan in order, and see it through.

Looking forward to this journey!!
Let your light shine my friends,
XO Kara