How To Be Successful

Success is a funny little thing that seems to elude some and be given abundantly to others. Unfortunately there is not one trait that differentiates those who are wildly successful and those who wind up quitting/failing every project they take one.

I love this info graphic showing some of the habits that can help you be more successful! 

In All The Places You Find Love

It feels like Christmas

This year for my annual fundraiser we are going to do things a bit differently. This year we will be doing an anonymous fundraiser. Let me explain... 
This year we will be doing a "Secret Santa"  style fundraiser! I am so excited! 

This means that I will be accepting PayPal donations as well as toys, food, and anything you can spare. As usual, I will be giving you a little something for your generosity. 
This year I'll be offering a full body exercise program. These workouts will help you tone your body while also developing the strength and flexibility you need for your day to day activities. 
If you would like to make a PayPal donation just click on the link. If you would like to donate goods, gift cards, or clothing you can bring them to the gym, or my home.  If you do this please label them. It should look something like this. 
For: Alaina Wood Fitness
From: Your name and email address 
I will be sure they get put to good use! 

As always 100% of donations will be given to the family in need! 

Enough about me, let's talk about the wonderful family that needs our help this season. 
Mom, dad, and three kids live in a tiny apartment. Life has not been simple, or easy for this little family. After mom left an abusive husband she was lucky enough to find someone who truly cared for her and her children. As you can imagine, the responsibility of taking on a new family has been anything but easy for this loving man. He works hard to provide the basics of life while mom stays home to care for her young children, but could use some help this holiday season. The children are happy, and relieved, to finally be in a peaceful home. 

I feel so blessed to be able to help those who are in need this season, and hope you are able to make a small contribution to bring a little Christmas cheer to this sweet family. 

Thank you in advance for your generosity, and Happy Holidays to you and yours! 

If you would like to donate goods/gifts here are some details (I won't divulge too much since we are keeping this a secret!)

There are two young boys between the ages of 7-9
One toddler boy who is just under 2 years
Mom and dad primarily want for the necessities, and to give their family a nice Christmas,  but I'm sure would love to be a little pampered.  ;)

If you have any questions please comment below or email me awoodfitness@gmail.com

Roasted Squash and Turkey Soup

This amazing recipe is from my friends over at Precision Nutrition, it's perfect for chilly fall nights. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Soup Base
1 tbsp. Coconut oil or butter
5 cups Butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup Onion, rough chopped
1 tbsp. Ginger root, grated or chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Ground cinnamon
1 tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Nutmeg
5 cups Vegetable stock
1 cup Water

Soup Garnish
1 lb 10 oz (740 g) Ground turkey (vegetarians, try substituting for your favorite bean or tofu)
2 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
¼ cup cilantro, chopped

WHAT YOU'LL DO
Preheat a large pot on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil, then the squash and sauté until lightly browned.

Add onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of stock, and sauté for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.

Add the remaining vegetable stock and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until squash is soft (approximately 30 minutes).

Let mixture cool for a few minutes, then puree with a blender or food processor until smooth and pour back into the pot. Remove from heat.

Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Preheat a large nonstick frying pan on medium heat and lightly coat with spray. Sauté turkey until lightly browned and completely cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the cooked turkey and chopped cilantro to the soup base. Reheat and serve immediately or portion the soup into storage containers. Serves 4 large.

Holiday Charity Fund Raiser

It's that time of year! 

Snow flurries are falling, families are planning to get together, and everybody is feeling the holiday love. During this wonderful time of year I like to try to give back to the community that has helped make my business possible. But, I need your help.

I am looking for nominations of families who have fallen on hard times, and could use a little extra love this season. I will select one of these families to be the benefactor of my annual Holiday Fund Raiser. I'd like to run the fund raiser from Thanksgiving-Christmas. The family does not have to live here in Utah, just any deserving family that you know.

So, how do you nominate someone? There are a few ways.

*email me at awoodfitness@gmail.com

*Leave a comment below

*Message me on Facebook or here

Here is the info you will need to nominate a family;

*A few paragraphs explaining why you feel this family deserves the fundraiser

*Contact info for a representative of the family (an adult) email is preferred

*If they have a blog, or something else that tells their story, please send a link

If you have questions feel free to contact me, or comment below. 

I know there are many families in need, and appreciate your nominations! 

Thank you, in advance! 

It's not too late to register!

We are almost a week into our 90 Day Fit Challenge, and we are having a blast!
I just wanted to let you know that there is still time to register. Here are some of the perks of competing.

*A tried and true exercise program.
I've been using this program for 2 years in my business, and I've been exercising with it for over 3! This is the same program that took me from 5'5" and 150lbs to 115lbs! It really works! Also it's fun!

*Practical Nutrition
There will be no calorie counting, no food deprivation diets, no gimmicks, just solid research based nutrition. Eating right will make a huge difference in your weight loss and muscle gain, and I can help you get there!

*Great motivation to win amazing prizes
Not all of us will admit it, but there is a small part of us that just wants to win sometimes. I mean, it's fun, and exciting! However, you can't win if you don't sign up!
Here is a look at the Prizes
Grand Prize:iPad

Version will depend on what has been released by end of competition. 

1st Runner Up:At Home Suspension Training System

2nd Place: Foam Roller 

Along with all of these great benefits you will learn the skills required to live a healthy life!

Follow the link to read more details about the competition, or contact me directly! 

This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Exercise

I found this article in the Huffington Post, and I loved how much detail they went into, particularly in the brain. Very interesting stuff!

Whether you do it to lose weight, to reach a fitness goal or -- dare we say it? -- just for fun, exercise changes you.

There's the red face and the sweating, the pounding heart and pumping lungs, the boost to your alertness and mood, the previously nonexistent urges to talk about nothing but splits and laps and PBs.

But while we all know that staying physically active is essential to a long, healthy, productive life, we don't often understand exactly what's happening behind the scenes.

We asked the experts to take us through -- from head to toe -- what happens in the body when we exercise. Neuroscientist Judy Cameron, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Tommy Boone, Ph.D., a board certified exercise physiologist, and Edward Laskowski, M.D., co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center spill the beans on what gets and keeps you moving.

Muscles
The body calls on glucose, sugar the body has stored away from the foods we eat in the form of glycogen, for the energy required to contract muscles and spur movement.

It also uses adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, but the body only has small stores of both glucose and ATP. After quickly using up these supplies, the body requires extra oxygen to create more ATP. More blood is pumped to the exercising muscles to deliver that additional O₂. Without enough oxygen, lactic acid will form instead. Lactic acid is typically flushed from the body within 30 to 60 minutes after finishing up a workout.

Tiny tears form in the muscles that help them grow bigger and stronger as they heal. Soreness only means there are changes occurring in those muscles, says Boone, and typically lasts a couple of days.

Lungs
Your body may need up to 15 times more oxygen when you exercise, so you start to breathe faster and heavier. Your breathing rate will increase until the muscles surrounding the lungs just can't move any faster. This maximum capacity of oxygen use is called VO₂ max. The higher the VO₂ max, the more fit a person is.

Diaphragm
Like any muscle, the diaphragm can grow tired with all that heavy breathing. Some argue that as the diaphragm fatigues, it can spasm, causing a dreaded side stitch. (Others argue a side stitch is due to spasms of the ligaments around the diaphragm instead, while others believe the spasms to originate in the nerves that run from the upper back to the abdomen and are caused by poor posture!) Deep breathing and stretching can alleviate the discomfort in the middle of a workout, and preemptive strengthening in the gym can ward off future issues.

Heart
When you exercise, heart rate increases to circulate more oxygen (via the blood) at a quicker pace. The more you exercise, the more efficient the heart becomes at this process, so you can work out harder and longer. Eventually, this lowers resting heart rate in fit people.

Exercise also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels, causing blood pressure to decrease in fit people.

Stomach & Intestines
Because the body is pumping more blood to the muscles, it takes some away from the systems and functions that aren't top priority at the moment, like digestion. That can result in tummy troubles. Movement, absorption and secretion in the stomach and intestines can all be affected.

Brain
Increased blood flow also benefits the brain. Immediately, the brain cells will start functioning at a higher level, says Cameron, making you feel more alert and awake during exercise and more focused afterward.

When you work out regularly, the brain gets used to this frequent surge of blood and adapts by turning certain genes on or off. Many of these changes boost brain cell function and protect from diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or even stroke, and ward off age-related decline, she says.

Exercise also triggers a surge of chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters, which include endorphins, often cited as the cause of the mythical "runner's high."

The brain releases dopamine and glutamate, too, to get those arms and legs moving, as well as gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a prohibitive neurotransmitter that actually slows things down, to keep you moving in a smooth and controlled manner.

You'll also likely feel better thanks to a bump in serotonin, a neurotransmitter well known for its role in mood and depression.

Hippocampus
This part of the brain is highly involved in learning and memory, and it's one of the only sections of the brain that can make new brain cells. Exercise facilitates this, thanks to the extra oxygen in the brain.

Even when you stop exercising, those new brain cells survive, whereas many other changes in the brain during exercise eventually return to their normal state should you become less active. 

Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is responsible for body temperature, as well as salt and water balance, among other duties. As your body heats up, it tells the skin to produce sweat to keep you cool.

Pituitary Gland
This control center in the brain alerts the adrenal glands to pump out the hormones necessary for movement. It also releases growth hormones. As the body searches for more fuel to burn after using up your glycogen stores, it will turn to either muscle or fat, says Cameron. Human growth hormone acts as a security guard for muscle, she says, telling the body to burn fat for energy instead.

Kidneys
The rate at which the kidneys filter blood can change depending on your level of exertion. After intense exercise, the kidneys allow greater levels of protein to be filtered into the urine. They also trigger better water reabsorption, resulting in less urine, in what is likely an attempt to help keep you as hydrated as possible.

Adrenal Glands
A number of the so-called "stress" hormones released here are actually crucial to exercise. Cortisol, for example, helps the body mobilize its energy stores into fuel. And adrenaline helps the heart beat faster so it can more quickly deliver blood around the body.

Skin
As you pick up the pace, the body, like any engine, produces heat -- and needs to cool off. The blood vessels in the skin dilate, increasing blood flow to the skin. The heat then dissipates through the skin into the air.

Eccrine Glands
At the hypothalamus's signal, one of two types of sweat glands, the eccrine glands, get to work. These sweat glands produce odorless perspiration, a mixture of water, salt and small amounts of other electrolytes, directly onto the skin's surface. When this sweat evaporates into the air, your body temp drops.

Apocrine Glands
This second type of sweat gland is found predominantly in hair-covered areas, like the scalp, armpits and groin. These sweat glands produce a fattier sweat, typically in response toemotional stress, that can result in odor when bacteria on the skin begin to break it down, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Face
The capillaries close to the skin's surface in the face dilate as well, as they strain to release heat. For some exercisers, this may result in a particularly red face after a workout.

Joints
Exercising puts extra weight on the joints, sometimes up to five or six times more than your bodyweight, says Laskowski.

Ankles, knees, hips, elbows and shoulders all have very different functions, but operate in similar ways. Each joint is lined with cushioning tissue at the ends of the bones called cartilage, as well as soft tissue and lubricating fluid, to help promote smooth and easy motion. Ligaments and tendons provide stability.

Over time, the cushioning around the joints can begin to wear away or degenerate, as happens in people with osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis.

Source

90 Day Fit Challenge

It's time for another 90 Day Fit Challenge! After the success of last year's competition we decided to go for round 2! 

This is a great opportunity for anybody who is looking to make healthy life changes, and will provide an opportunity to win some great prizes! 

Grand Prize:iPad

Version will depend on what has been released by end of competition. 

1st Runner Up:At Home Suspension Training System

2nd Place: Foam Roller 

You can participate in three different ways, 

*Training with me three times a week

*Training with me two times a week

*Independent Training (I will email you a workout schedule and routines) 

To register click on the Pay Pal button on this page and click on the training package of your choice. I will send a follow up email to welcome you to the competition and schedule your session time(s).

All training packages include workout plan, nutrition program (via email), access to a blogger fitness forum, and the opportunity to win! 

Click here to read the fine print, and competition rules. 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

My 5 favorite fat loss "tricks"

*Eat veggies and Lean protein at every meal.

     Yes, even breakfast. I've been eating carrots for breakfast for about 4 years now, and I sort of love them. If that just won't work for you have omega 3 eggs with bell peppers or spinach, make a green smoothie, or juice. Once this is a habit you will feel incomplete without your breakfast veggies.

*Have 4-6 "feedings" per day

       This one is pretty common among fitness gurus and novices alike, so you may have already heard about it. You want to eat 4-6 meals all similar in size spaced (at least somewhat) evenly throughout the day. Try not to think of your feedings of meals and snacks, think of them all as fuel.

*Cut the carbs (except post workout)

      This might make you want to cry for the first week, but it works. For building muscle you can be a bit more lax on this one, but for cutting fat, especially belly fat, few things work better. There is a magical window of about two hours after you workout that your body processes carbs more efficiently. This is your golden hour to have bread and rice and pasta. Be sure to still eat the healthiest carbs out there, whole wheat and whole grain products.

*Protein, protein, protein!

     Especially after you workout protein is your new best friend. I like to supplement with a post workout protein shake, but you can eat chicken, nuts, eggs, legumes. green veggies, etc for your post workout protein boost. This will help your body recover quicker from your workout and help the damaged muscles rebuild themselves. It's a win all around. Again, you want to choose the leanest protein sources you can find. Some of my favorites are, chicken breast, lean beef, kale, raw nuts, and my protein shake.

*Water

    Most of you are probably dehydrated most of the time. Drinking more water will make you feel better, help your body function at a higher level, help you feel more full so you eat less, and help your hair and skin look and feel better! Wins all around. I love water. Try to drink a few liters a day depending on physical activity, and current weight. 

Oven Fried Parmesan Broccoflower (Green Cauliflower)

I recently purchased some Broccoflower, or Green Cauliflower. I bought it with the intention of using it to juice, but I got distracted by the apples, cucumbers, and kale that I also bought. Anyway I decided to try this  amazing Oven Fried Parmesan recipe. The original recipe calls for a split of broccoli and cauliflower, and I figured since Broccoflower is a hybrid of the two it would work perfectly. I highly recommend you blanch your veggies before you eat them since the tight florets are a breeding ground for tiny bugs and germs. Just boil in salt water for a few minutes, but don't cook them.

Oven Fried Parmesan Broccoflower

Ingredients:

4 cups Broccoflower

OR

2 cups Broccoli Florets

2 cups Cauliflower Florets

---------------------------

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Minced Garlic

A few Sprinkles of Fresh Ground Salt

2 whole Omega 3 Eggs Beaten

½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese (I used shaved and it worked fine)

Coconut Oil to Cote Baking Sheet Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cote baking sheet with thick layer of Coconut Oil.

Place the florets in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, garlic, salt, and eggs. Toss with florets. Sprinkle Parmesan in with the florets and mix to coat.

Lay on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 20-30 minutes until browned and vegetables are tender.

This was super easy, and so yummy!

Detox Water

I know there are a bout 1000 detox water recipes floating around out there. I prefer not to drink Cayenne pepper, or laxatives, so this water is perfect for me.

Ingredients:

1-2 Whole apples, sliced (I use organic Gala, but any fresh crisp apple will do)

2-3 Cinnamon Sticks (can also use cinnamon powder)

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric (You can use less if the flavor is too strong for you)

Apx: 1 Gal Filtered Water

Directions: Add all ingredients to a pitcher of water. Let sit (as ingredients "steep") in refrigerator for at least 30 min. Drink, and refill (water only) when it runs out. The ingredients should stay fresh for at least a week. Refresh when flavor seems stale or fruit looks "iffy"

I love this because of the anti-inflammatory properties of the cinnamon and turmeric. This is great if you are suffering from an injury, sore, or just plain bloated.
Drink this in place of your normal water, you should be having several liters a day. Enjoy!

How to Succeed in... (Life) Without Really Trying

I recently read a couple of articles talking about motivation, these led me to dig deep to find where my motivation comes from.

 I still have no idea. 

The way I think about things is, "well, it has to be done eventually, might as well be done by me, now."  I know that's not what you want to hear.
You want some flowery saying about how you just need to put your head up so you can let your hair down, and you will be fine. The fact of the matter is, the best way to get something done is just to do it.

In this article titled The Key to Getting Motivated: Give Up, the author says:

"trying to “get motivated” can often make matters worse. The real problem isn’t that you don’t feel like taking action. Rather, it’s the underlying assumption that you need to feel like taking action before you can act."

Sometimes you've just got to "buck up buttercup" and do whatever the task is. I find this especially true when dealing with health and fitness. Since exercise and eating your vegetables are considered "non-essential" activities they are easy to slough off for "another day." 

What's the best way to start exercising and eating healthy?  

Just do it!

 Do it today, and tomorrow, and the next day. Do it everyday until it feels wrong if you don't.

Get out of your head and out of your own way. 

Speaking of getting out of your head, stop thinking so much! In this article by Precision Nutrition a few studies were performed. The subjects did not know what the study was, just that they got to test some food samples. The studies found that the subject who were actively counting calories generally ate more than those who were not. Not only did they eat more, but they felt worse after. It's the guilt circle. 

-I'm going to eat better, I'm going to totally cut out sugars and count my calories. 

-I'm so sick of salad I could vomit, but it's totally worth it. You have to be miserable to be fit, right?

-Well maybe just one brownie...oh they have pie too?!

-I just ate my weight in sugar, and all the calories allotted to me for the next three days!

-I'm a terrible person, I will never be fit, and as a result I will never make any friends, or find love.

-I'm going to re-double my efforts and start fresh, nothing but salad for a whole week!

-I'm so sick of salad I could vomit.....

You get the idea, right? 

I just want to say one thing, calm the bleep down! 

Everything is going to be okay. Correction, everything is already okay.

There have been times when the extra layer of fat on my inner thigh has sent me into a downward spiral, but being sad just made me want to eat chocolate, which made me more sad...and added more chub to the thighs. Vicious cycle.

Don't let small mistakes paralyze your progress. 

The best way to succeed, in this life, is to DO.  

Do your best, Do it often, and Do it now.

 Don't let small mistakes, or the idea that you have to feel "excited" paralyze your progress. 

In review; life can be hard, work is boring and stressful, exercise is not always fun, vegetables are not as sweet as candy, and you might occasionally be an outcast. But in the end whether you feel like it or not, just DO it.