Firstly, I started graduate school in kinesiology last week.

My long awaited studies are commencing! I always wanted to go to graduate school and actually intended on becoming a PhD before I became a trainer. I was offered a few full fellowships and turned them down. Now that I have been in the fitness industry, graduate school still beckons, and finally am working on my masters. I don’t know if I will feel motivated to pursue a PhD, but at the least I want my masters My life is ALREADY quite busy, so shortly we will see how much of an impact my course load will impose! I am thinking of focusing my masters on figure and fitness. Because figure and fitness are relatively new and therefore there is a dearth of scholarly research in the field, if I pursue that field, I will be a pioneer! You can say you knew me when…

Another huge thing is that I joined a local fight gym and I am so in love with fighting. A few years ago, I was part of a fight gym in Oakland and focused on boxing, with a sprinkling of Muay Thai and jui jitsu. Then, when I tore my ACL— I of course had to cancel my membership. Then I moved to the South Bay. And was recovering ever since. And now I’m feeling much stronger. I’m feeling feisty. I’m feeling ready. Hence the return to a fight gym. I had scoured the internet to find local fight gyms, and tried out several. All of them were okay, but didn’t make me super excited. Either they didn’t offer classes at times convenient for me, or the location was not convenient, or the instruction was not what I was looking for (e.g. house-moms looking for a cardio workout- NOT what I am looking for- I can burn calories myself- I am looking to learn to be FIERCE and HURT somebody*). Til the one I joined. I got a free week trial and I was in there ALL the time! When the week was up, I couldn’t stop! I totally love it and want to get really good. Please register in your brain: Kristina the fierce MMA fighter-gal to add to the different facets of self. It would be bomb to fight within 6-12 months…

(source)

>>>NOTE: fast forward several hours…resuming typing>>>>

I am still very passionate about becoming a fitness and/or figure champion, and also hope to compete within the next 6-12 months, but I wonder if they are mutually compatible. Certainly fighting and figure represent different ends of the spectrum in terms of functional versus fictional strength, end goals, as well as training methods. SO I had heard some disappointing chatter that I will not be able to achieve my physique goals if I pursue fighting- BUT I am so excited and delighted by fighting that I don’t want to sacrifice it, at least not at the moment. And perhaps I CAN be a badass fighter AND have a trophy-worthy physique? Only time will tell, as I continue to train at the same time for fighting and figure and see where the chips fall…

With regards to fighting, I am much more comfortable with my hands than anything else. My footwork (NOT breaking footwork, but boxing/muay thai footwork!!) is non-existent, and my kicks- especially on my right side- are pretty abysmal. So, my current priorities are to feel more comfortable with footwork, with kicking…and of course with defense, and then offense…then everything else…I am trying to be easy on myself since I JUST started training and I can’t be as good as others who have been doing this for years upon years straight (or their whole life)….but when I want something, I want it! ;p I want to be good NOW!!!!!

Another exciting thing is that I am going to the Olympia on the weekend of Sept 24^th in Vegas!!! YAYY!! So excited!! Are any of you going?? I have never been to a bodybuilding/figure/fitness event of that caliber before and I am so excited to see the nation’s best! It will also be a good way to assess if that is where I want to end up….

Very excited to see my FAVORITE fitness competitor, Tanji Johnson!

Excited to see everything- the vein-y, unnaturally orange flesh, the stripper high heels, the stiff strides, the  supplement vendors, the hot bods, and just generally be intoxicated with the craziness that will no doubt be the OLYMPIA in VEGAS!

Well, my beauties, again I apologize for being MIA. Exciting things are on the horizon and (as always) I hope to post more frequently. By the way, I also post on Facebook and Twitter if you want to keep in touch that way, too. Love you all!! <3 <3 <3

*of course only in the consensual spirit of the sport, with the most loving kindness that can be transmitted while kicking the shit out of somebody

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Doorway Pec Stretch- stand with elbow approx 90 degrees, apply forward pressure to feel a gentle stretch in the pec. It’s helpful to turn your hips slightly away, as well as look in the opposite direction to intensify the stretch.

I also focus my weight training on glutes and back! Most people are QUAD dominant and CHEST dominant– though strong glutes (the glute medius, in particular) and strong back muscles have been demonstrated time and time again to be critical in injury prevention! That’s why I emphasize and love training my back and glutes.

Stability Ball- Dumbbell Single Arm Row

In many circles, though, the “healthiest” training method to be “balanced” is through one exercise per body part, or at least a one-to-one ratio of exercises for pulling versus pushing. I like, however, how Mike Robertson- an extremely well respected strength and conditioning coach at the top of his game- advocates a higher proportion of pulling to pushing.

Message: stretch your pecs/lats & strengthen your back! (See the link embedded in the article below for more pics of stretches)

Article below- taken from T-Nation- the Intelligent and Relentless Pursuit of Muscle. Link here~

The Bum Shoulder

Why it’s (probably) jacked up:

“A lot of guys have very tight pecs and lats,” says Cressey. “The tight pecs pull the humerus into too much internal rotation and pull the scapulae into anterior tilt. This makes it hard for your rotator cuff to “breathe” as you protract, elevate, or do almost anything.”

In short, that’s why you have pain when you bench press or overhead press.

And it’s not just tightness.

“What’s the first thing you do when you walk into the gym when you’re 14 or 15?” asks Robertson. “You bench.”

This propensity to always do more pressing than pulling exacerbates the problem by shortening your pecs even more.

How to fix it:

In the gym

The first line of defense is aggressive soft tissue work on the pecs and lats to re-establish length and “open up” more range of motion. Follow that up with a few mobility exercises like the side-lying extension and some static stretches like the ones here and you’ll be good to go.

You also need to skew the ratio of pulling to pushing exercises. And we’re not talking a one to one ratio, either. “One pulling exercise to counteract one pushing exercise only makes sense if you’re already in perfect alignment,” says Robertson.

That’s why he recommends a two to one or even three to one ratio.

So, an upper body day may look like this:

Vertical Pull (Pull-up)

Horizontal Pull (Barbell Row)

Face Pull

Pressing Exercise (Preferably done with dumbbells)

This concentrated upper back work will strengthen the muscles that will pull your body back into alignment.

According to Robertson, it’s also a good idea to throw in some concentrated rotator cuff work like external rotations, and isolation exercises like wall slides and prone I’s, T’s, and Y’s to help strengthen the stabilizer muscles.

At home

If you’re constantly in a flexed posture (like sitting at a computer) you’re just reinforcing bad habits. “After about 20 minutes of being in the same position, “creep” sets in and your body will start to get stuck there,” says Cressey.

That’s why the best posture is the one that’s constantly changing.

“Get up every 20 minutes, get a drink of water, pace around, do whatever it takes to not sit down for hours on end,” says Robertson.

Also, the next time you’re watching TV, grab your foam roller and do some thoracic extensions. This will help add more mobility to your thoracic spine, which will “open up” your shoulder even more.

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Check this link out for their “Short Guide to a Long Life.”

I started this post not intended as a book review, but because on one of the last pages of the book, I came across something that struck me and I wanted to pass it along.

Lately- well, probably often- I struggle with time management. And in less than two weeks I will be starting my graduate program, as well as working a lot, as well as preparing for my upcoming fitness domination (tee hee, this is how I get pumped up), etc etc…And I wonder how I will be able to work so much, work out so much, have a full load as a grad student, plus be happy, joyful, sane, and potentially spontaneous.

So when I came across this item, it made me think. This is not an exercise I have done before. But seems very practical and helpful! The suggestion comes in Chapter 23 on “Stress and Balance.” The authors state “We can always find reasons to feel stressed, but the predominant source of stress in our lives is internally generated…It is an oversimplification to say that stress is bad for you. In many circumstances, certain forms of stress can be very damaging to one’s health.” They offer certain suggestions to reduce stress and promote balance in one’s life, one of which is good time management.

Without further ado, ladies and gents, here is their piece on time management: “How you spend your time reflects your priorities. As an exercise, write down your priorities in terms of work, family, friends, exercise, sports, relaxation, and so on. Then, for the following week, write down how you actually spend your time. How does your time management reflect an optimal and comfortable balance between work, family/friends, and self? With all the pressures of modern life, it is easy for your allocation of time to stray substantially from what you desire, and also from what is healthy. If you find a discrepancy, consider how you would prefer your time be spent, then develop a strategy for making the change. It’s often not possible to make significant changes overnight After all, you have responsibilities and obligations that cannot just be dropped. But with a well-thought-out plan, most people have a greater ability to control their destiny, not to mention their daily schedule, than they realize….Also, leave time free for problems and opportunities that arise. An overscheduled life does not leave time for spontaneity…”

Good stuff, eh? It makes me reflect- what is the discrepancy between what I would assert are my valued proportions for my activities versus my actual time spent? How am I doing now? And how will I do when grad school hits (T minus 13 days)? We will soon see Hopefully you also found this good fodder for self-analysis.

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1. Eat 3-5 oz of lean protein per meal.
2. Increase meal frequency.
3. Ditch processed foods.
4. Ditch high carbohydrate foods, including breads, potatoes, and reduce consumption of fruit and nuts. Altering your macro-nutrients to a lower carbohydrate distribution can have a significant impact on your body composition!
   
5. Ditch sugar.
6. Load up on mostly non starchy veggies. My FAVORITE: a salad with spinach, cabbage, celery, arugula, jalapenos, broccoli, cauliflower, hearts of palm, a little artichoke, a little edamame, and some protein like hard-boiled egg whites, chicken, and turkey. With a lil bragg’s amino acid, a lil olive oil, a lil balsamic, and a lil lemon juice. TO DIE FOR.
7. Sleep more. I need to work on this!
   (source)
8. Eat organic. Don’t poison yourself with pesticides! This hampers your body’s abilities to function optimally- including your metabolism.
9. Stick to low glycemic LOAD food.
10. Shoot for a ratio of Omega 6’s to Omega 3’s of 1:1. Most people consume a disproportionately high amount of Omega 6’s to Omega 3’s.
11. Increase your water intake. Insufficient amounts of water in your body will hinder effective breakdown of fat.
12. Reduce your sodium consumption.
13. Exercise 6 days a week- mixing higher and lower intensity cardio with weight training. Especially for folks who don’t do any sort of interval or strength training at all- this can help tremendously! And stretch. You want your muscles at their optimal length!
    

    My client, Brendan, and me

14. Think positively. Be present. Smile and laugh. Stress increases cortisol, which can lead to increased cravings and/or increased fat storage. You don’t want this!
15. Keep a food and/or workout and/or emotion log to stay mindful and to discern patterns.

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Yay! Another article up on Bodysport.com

They cut and edited my article and now there is a typo (I didn’t do it! lol) but yayy I like my work out there

Dynamic Mobility: Reduce Injury & Get The Most From Your Workouts!

Dynamic Mobility (also known as Active or Dynamic Stretching) is a great warm-up before training. Although there is a bit of semantic confusion in the phraseology, I am referring to “mobility” as contracting your muscles and taking your joints through their ranges of motion actively as opposed to passively. Doing arm circles, exaggerating a kicking motion and walking lunges (without weights) are all examples of dynamic mobility movements.

To read the rest…click here!

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Yay! I did a guest post on Run To The Finish. This is the blog of Amanda Brooks, who is passionate about running, marathon training, and using that to explore the joys in the world around her. When she was going on vacay, I did this guest post for her, and figured that a workout specifically targeted for runners would be very appropriate for her devoted readers. Hence, I present my guest post “Circuit Training for Runners”

Hello Lovely Readers!

My name is Kristina, and I am a personal torture I mean personal TRAINER! I own my own business called Freestyle Fitness Addiction, and I specialize in fat loss and total body conditioning, with a proclivity toward functional training. That means that I tend to shy away from machines, and focus on using the best machine- YOUR BODY!!!!

Too many runners and endurance athletes don’t get in enough strength training, and/or only work in the sagittal plane (e.g. front and back, front and back, again, again, again, ad infinitum). This puts them at huge risk for overuse injuries. Runners need strong muscles to increase their speed, increase agility, and protect against injury! This means, runners, time to get down and dirty with some strength training, and Imma get you moving in all different directions! I know, crazy.

Try this circuit out 3 times a week on non consecutive days, for approximately a minute per exercise, 15-30 second transition to the next exercise, and rest for 1-2 minute at the end of each circuit, as needed. Repeat the circuit 3-4 times. Make sure you complete a thorough warm and cool down.

#1 Tube walking- use a mini-band or tie a Theraband around your ankles, and do lateral steps, with toes facing forward and knees over the toes (e.g. do not allow the knees to cave in, or bow out). This is an integrated exercise that focuses on the gluteus medius, which is HUGELY important in injury prevention for runners. If you don’t have a band, an adequate substitution would be a side-lying leg lift.

#2 Walking Lunge w/Med Ball Twist- Now that you have activated your gluteus medius, put it to work with a walking lunge with medicine ball twist. Go heel to toe with alternating legs, keeping your shoulders down, and holding the med best as far in front of you as you can. Make sure you are rotating your torso, not just moving your arms. This move is very challenging because you have to stabilize in the transverse (rotational) plane.

#3 TRX row- Using the TRX for a row is really cool because you are working not only your back, but also your core. It’s important for runners to work on strengthening their postural muscles, because too often runners tend to hunch over due to relative weakness of those postural muscles, coupled with tight pecs/lats, so getting the back strong will help diminish muscular imbalances that lead to injury. If you don’t have a TRX, you can do a row with dumbbells, bands, or other equipment. Just get it done!
#4 Two-point Anterior Reach- This exercises challenges the stability of the ankle, knee, and hips. By reaching for two objects, you are moving beyond the sagittal plane. Yessss. And by developing comfort on a single leg, you are enhancing locomotion (which, if you think about it, occurs one leg at a time). Switch legs halfway through the minute.

#5 Plank-ups- this is my name for the exercise; you may have your own name for it. This is a fantastic exercise that not only works the core, but also works the chest and shoulders, as well. Fun, tough stuff! Make sure you alternate the arms that you come up and come down with.

#6 Single leg ice skaters (lateral hops)- Runners need to have excellent deceleration and acceleration, and mulit-planar stability. This works on your ability to stabilize yourself in a plane many runners don’t train enough in- the frontal plane (side to side [confusing terminology, I know]). If you are jogging on a trail, and you trip on a rock, you want to be able to move laterally and decelerate with no problem, right? No twisted ankles? Single leg ice skaters help you effectively maneuver. You may try touching the ground with your ipsilateral hand (same arm, same leg, as demoed in the picture), or your contralateral hand. (opposite arm to leg)

#7 Stability Ball Hamstring Curl- This works the ever-neglected posterior chain. Work those hammies by digging your heels into the ball, with the toes facing toward the ceiling, raising the hips, and drawing your heels close to your bootie, then extending your heels out again. Keeping your hips up, repeat this movement.

…For the rest, please visit Run To The Finish! 

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Breakfast: Eggs w/mushrooms + 2 slices of pear

Snack: One strawberry + fruit dip

Lunch: Salad w/turkey, avocado, and tomato

Snack: Artichoke with spinach and pine nuts

Dinner: Turkey sausage (?) with sautéed chard, tomatoes, peas, and carrots

In addition, throughout the day I ate:

1.5 scoops protein powder, one apple, one nectarine, and salad w/protein and olive oil.

Total estimated macros:

173 g P, 110 g C, 73g F = 1789 cal

I rested yesterday after all the frenetics of Saturday, and I know it did my muscles well to repair!

Today I felt great!  I am consistently making strength gains, and I am loving it!

Monday’s My Chef By Request:

Today I ate:

Eggs + some type of sausage + 3 pieces orange

Nuts + "chocolate mousse"???

Salad w/chicken + cucumber + tomato + unknown vegetable??? (those strings of yellow on top)

Some type of sausage + roasted pepper

Shrimp + green beans + squash + tomato w/some type of pesto topping?

Plus some protein pancakes, and casein (unpictured).

Today’s estimated macros: 209 g P,  67g C,  51 g F = 1563 cal.

FYI, I have been feeling really great eating such high protein, and low carb (and the occasional higher carb day, such as yesterday).  I don’t recommend it to the average Jane, but if you are into fitness or figure then this is a regular way of life.

Eating out of a cooler with My Chef by Request has been nothing new to me. MCBR has saved me some time by not going grocery shopping as much, cooking as much, cleaning as much…BUT so far I am telling you that I don’t find it a panacea. I still have to consider how I will supplement the food each day and include/cook it, what I feel I will need through the day especially with regard to my workouts and schedule….and still think about the food like uhhh is this food I want to eat? Prefer to eat? Do I WANT to eat this ______ or would I prefer to eat my “own” food?

I think the My Chef By Request would be sooo helpful and ideal for people who are not knowledgeable about what healthy is, or don’t know how to cook healthy or don’t have the time/energy….but, for me, I am not the ideal client since I am so picky and self-reliant.

But I have been enjoying the variety of foods I don’t normally cook for myself, and enjoying not taking a million trips to the grocery store!

So, the experiment continues…

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a pinch of this, a pinch of that!!! -->kale, shrimp, tofu, turkey, chicken, tuna, hard boiled egg, kidney beans, edamame, celery, spinach, broccoli, jalapenos, red cabbage, onion, olive oil and vinegar

Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar "All-Natural Drink" - Ginger Spice Flavor, zero cal...very refreshing...

I feel justified in this act not only because I doubt the verity of MCBR’s total calorie claim (echoed by fellow trainers with sharp eyes for estimating cals/macros), but also because I probably burned over 850 calories today in exercise alone (what I call FUN TIMES [delightedly worked out solo in the morn to my heart's content mixing it up w/ kettlebells, tire flipping and sledgehammer work, and in the afternoon went to Monkey Conditioning class, which today was a mix of bodyweight exercises, gymnastics, parkour, and aerial conditioning]).

Today’s estimated macros:

Protein Shake:           50 g P, 0 g C, 2 g F = 218 cal
MCBR:                         90 g P, 70 g C, 32 g F =  928 cal
Whole Foods salad:  25 g P, 11 g C, 15 g F =  279 cal

Total:                           165 g P, 81 g C, 49 g F = 1425 cal

Tomorrow we’ll see how it goes! Again, I have received the food for tomorrow and the amount looks quite scant! I will for sure supplement with a protein shake, but besides that we shall see! So the experiment continues…

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Okay

So I am trying out My Chef By Request.

My Chef By Request is a delivery service that DAILY delivers to your door fresh meals with the macronutrient distribution 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fats.  I THOUGHT it was all organic, but I can’t find that on the website right now.

I had found out about them when they left their brochures at the gym I train out of. I paid it no mind until my fellow trainer started to sign up for their services, and I asked him all these questions, and he didn’t know the answers! So I went on to their website and was quite impressed! I loved that they are able to cater to celiacs, diabetics, vegetarians, and those who follow the Paleo Diet!

I love preparing my own foods and having control over my meals. I don’t consider myself willing to eat others’ food also because I prefer to each more protein and less carbs than the standard American diet (sometimes called the “SAD” diet). BUT I was intrigued by the option of relinquishing the responsibility (at least temporarily) of cooking, cleaning, and calculating….Not to mention that I have to try it myself to be able to whole-heartedly endorse the service to my clients. So I decided to give it a shot. I ordered the Paleo option, 3 meals and two snacks, and told them no pork or red meat. I was all set up to receive my food Wednesday night (in a cooler, they leave it at your door) so I precisely ate up all the fresh food by Wednesday night. But alas I was informed that there was a mess up with a new employee and I would not receive my food until Friday night. Darn! So I made an extra trip to the grocery store to get groceries to last me Thursday and Friday. Friday night (an hour ago) I received my food (for tomorrow).

Breakfast: looks like an omlette w/a small peach and 1/2 a chicken sausage? (not listed what type of sausage)

Lunch: Turkey salad with some type of dressing (type of dressing not listed)

Dinner: Chicken w/kale, zuchini, and mushrooms? (not listed)

Snacks: Eggplant and Thyme Dip (with walnuts- not listed)

2 sticks of celery with an unknown dip (again, not listed)

It looks pretty good and healthy. I normally eat a lot of volume but it is not calorically dense so I still end up eating not too many calories, and shoot for 50-100 carbs a day. I was a little concerned by eating a greater number of carbs but uhhh if I were to eyeball the day’s worth of it, I certainly would not have estimated it to contain the number of carbs it says it should! They say I am getting like 120 grams of carbs, but if I didn’t know better I would guess the day’s worth had more like 35 grams!!!! Well, I guess it is a blessing in disguise because I won’t feel worried about excessive carb consumption??? Lol…

I am a little worried of being hungry because I don’t like that feeling! The quantity of food looks pretttty darn small. Like I said, I am used to more volume. I have my tricks (you other figure/fitness/nutrition gals know what I’m saying!) to eat a lot of food but not many calories (e.g. a ton of  veggies, mashed cauliflower, spinach, kelp noodles, protein powder, etc are some staples!)

One thing that could have been more professional was the list of what I was given! There was a list printed, but it appears that it was the “regular” menu, and I ordered the Paleo. So the typed list was crossed off, and a few words were scribbled on top, but it was far from comprehensive. E.g. for breakfast it says “omlette” but really it included also a small peach, and some type of sausage (type: unknown). For one snack, it is completely illegible—ummm looks like “chloe” something??? I have no idea. And it is just two celery sticks and some type of sesame something dip. It would be nice to know what I am eating. And for dinner, the typed item is crossed off, but nothing is written as to what I am receiving, although it looks to me like kale, zucchini, mushrooms, and chicken.

SO! I am excited to try this out. Ha. Will keep you posted how it goes tomorrow.

xoxox

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I have been on the go lately, but feeling pretty good. I am still adapting to my new life, and this book I got called My Miracle Manifestation Manual by Jacquelyn Aldana has been helping me!

It guarantees “substantial improvement in your sense of well-being after faithfully doing your 15-Minute Miracle in writing for at least 21 out of 30 days.” Cute, isn’t it? So far, I have diligently filled it out on 7 of the last 8 days- and have already had some positive results It’s a workbook where you fill in the blank, and it actually has 63+ days to fill out, so I’m eager to see where I am after 21, 30, or 60 days…The language is COMPLETELY over the top, but I seriously LOVE it. It is just SO over the top, that it brings a smile to my face. Each day, you fill out: (mind you, I am typing the basics from the printed workbook, so the workbook is a bit more comprehensive, but you get the idea)

Clean your slate: Today, _______, is a clean slate for me to enjoy.

Claim your POWER: As long as I can CHOOSE my thoughts, I can CHOOSE what I attract and create in my life.

Create a clear intention: Starting today, my ongoing intention is to find _______ ways to ____.

1. Appreciate what you already have: As you acknowledge your blessings, Life brings even more for you to appreciate.

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

2. Choose how you love to feel: I love it when I feel __. When I feel this way, _______which makes it easier for me to _________.

3. Play wildly in your imagination and picture yourself living the “Life of Your Dreams” as though it were already so:

______________________________

______________________________

_____________________________

Describe how you fe-e-e-el as you re-read this step. I now feel ______.

4. Hire your Higher Power: I now invite assistance from the Loving Power that dwells within me and All Life Everywhere. Dear ______ and ALL who walk with me in Love and Light, Thank You for Your perfect guidance, unconditional love, and ongoing support. If it is in the highest good for me and All Life Everywhere, please divinely orchestrate the following in just the perfect time. (Please list your requests below)

_______________________

_______________________

________________________

I completely ________ all worries, doubts, and fears to You, ___________. As I trust You to take care of the details, everything naturally falls into place for me with amazing ease.

5. Let go of anything negative: I am now ready to ___________ and let go of _________ plus ALL issues (both known and unknown) that prevent me from living my best life now. This act of releasing enables me to ___________.

6. As your Wonderful Wisdom Within for wise advice: Dear ____, Please make it easier for me to move forward in my life by providing wise advice as I ask the following question:

______________________

Write down the answers you receive here:

_____________________________

_____________________________

___________________________

To greatly increase the benefits of doing this step, write down a tentative date when you plan to take action.

7. Be kind to yourself first: As a special treat today, I give myself permission to ___________.

Then be kind to others: My special way of being kind to someone else today is to _________.

Accept Life’s gifts: With enormous gratitude, I now agree to ____ these and even greater gifts in just the perfect time in delightful ways that bless and benefit All Life Everywhere.

Signed the Magnificent __________ Date _______

Declare with conviction: “I am an ‘Irresistible Magnet for Love, Money, Miracles, and More.’ It’s just the story of my life!”

Listen as Life exclaims: “You’re RIGHT, Magnificent One! Let me show you more evidence of how RIGHT you are!”

Ahhh…so over the top yet totally positive and DELIGHTFUL and AMAZING right?!?! I just love all the enthusiastic language…So that is what I have been working on (almost) daily. Each entry takes me about 30 minutes. They say it can only take 15 minutes, but I think that’s only if you fill out steps 1-3 and sign it (the “bare bones”). I have been filling out ALL the steps and signing…It’s been helpful.

In other news, let’s talk about nutrition on the GO. Because, as I recounted in an earlier post, I have not been spending as much time at home, so it has been a bit more a struggle to eat healthy foods that I would prefer, as sometimes I am not compelled to pack my food for ALL DAY in a cooler, as it seems the freezer pack seems to be melted by afternoon-ish so foods don’t seem so fresh. I just ran out of my Jay Robb protein packets, and now I need to re-up!!! The peeps at Jay Robb were really awesome and sent me a whole package of different protein powders for me to try!!! In fact, they delighted me with a few different protein bars (dangerously delicious, um I may or may not have eaten more than the recommended serving….) and a cool bag that I ROCKED for all of a few days until it broke (sad, but it inspired me to make my OWN bag off of Zazzle, so now I rock my own Freestyle Fitness Addiction bag, woo ha ha), and the protein powders lasted me a WHILE! They sent me an assortment of flavors of brown rice, egg white, and whey protein powders.

I must say that I had never had brown rice protein powders, and they were all pretty grody in terms of taste/texture. Maybe because I am so used to whey, but it just seemed really gritty. The egg white protein powders were very palatable, similar to whey. My favorites, though, were the whey protein powders. All the powders were SO convenient, as I would leave a few packets in my car, and once I was done sweating my ass off in boxing or kickboxing, and my muscles need that fast-acting nourishment, bam, I would pour a packet into my shaker bottle and consume a tasty and healthy protein drink of approximately 24 grams of protein, 1 g carb, and 0 g fat! Nice stats, eh? And they are free of artificial sweeteners, gluten free, and from grass-fed cows- niiiceee! Also, they come in very unique flavors like PINA COLADA! I’m all over that, son. I need to go to the Vitamin Shoppe and buy some more!

I have an exciting nutritional experiment I will embark on in a few days…will keep you posted!

That’s all for now, kiddies.

What do you think of the idea of “My Miracle Manifestation Manual”? What has helped you in transitional periods for you?

Do you like brown rice protein or egg white protein? Jay Robb protein?

Much love <3 <3

~K

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