Monday, January 16, 2012

Chig-ity Check Yourself - Your No B.S. Workout Exertion Levels


Chig-ity Check Yourself -
Your No B.S. Workout Exertion Levels
by MMA Mom Sheena Bidwell



Let me share my quick and easy secret to getting better results faster with your workout... 


Monitor your exertion! It's all about the motion in your ocean.Yes, working out should be fun – but your mouth should not be getting the exercise. Get your muscle on! Start your workout at Level 3. During your workout you should have peaks and valleys. Peaks are Level 8 to 9 – this is where you are truly kickin’ some major ass. Valleys (or lows) are Level 3 to 4 when you are getting your breath back and focusing on controlling your heart rate.

Don’t be shy! Join in the conversation for support, advice, & laughs.
*Like* me on Facebook! Do it. Do it Now. You’ll like it!
MMA Mom Sheena Bidwell





Your No B.S. Workout Exertion Levels:


Level 1 –
Relaxed. Straight up chilling. One notch above comatose.


Level 2 –
Relaxed movement. Walking while talking.


Level 3 –
Increased movement and heart rate. Light jog, shadowboxing, etc.
Able to carry on a conversation.


Level 4 -  
Movin’ & Groovin’. Time to cut the shit. You’re picking up the pace. It’s getting difficult to talk it out now.


Level 5 -  
Sweating. No longer able to chat it up. You're workin' it.


Level 6 –
Solid as a rock. You're feeling 'the burn'! The goal is to keep this going, breathe through the burn. This is your body telling you that it's responding. Work through this. You're focused only on keeping pace and getting in a zone.


Level 7 –
Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out. You are completely engaged (body & mind) in your workout. You know you’re working hard, things are burning, you’re sweating, it’s getting difficult to keep this pace for too much longer. You are in your bubble and nobody can stop you! At least not for another few minutes J


Level 8 –
No holds barred. Giving it all you got like it's all you got for 30 seconds.


Level 9 –
‘Till Exhaustion. You're arms and legs will give out if you go 15 more seconds.


Level 10 –
You're on your way to the bathroom to go puke. Dropping like you’re hot. Seeing Stars, like on your way to the other side super sparkly starz with a z. Take a breather, go get something to drink, and get back to business. 




Just remember to go in with a plan. Focus on why you're even doing this. Person, place, or thing? Specific fitness goal or body part, or just an overall rocking bod? When it gets tough focus on your goals, not your exhaustion. Now go workout! 

Monday, January 9, 2012

SWEET & SOUR (hidden names for sugar) by MMA MOM Sheena Bidwell


SWEET & SOUR
by MMA MOM Sheena Bidwell


Give Me Some Sugar!
Sugar is in e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g! From baby formula to spaghetti sauce, sugar has become the main ingredient in our lives. We are addicted to it, ADDICTED. Although all sugar is not created equal (apple vs. high fructose corn syrup) It’s all still sugar, I’ll get into graphic details on this later, but for now…. Think of your worst hangover…..it’s got nothing on sugar withdrawals. Think this is B.S.? Okay, I challenge you to go sugar free, even for 24 hours and lets see how happy you are then Sunshine.


HIDDEN NAMES FOR SUGAR
Print out this list and walk around your house (while leaving no stone unturned) to get an idea of just how much sugar you are constantly, inadvertently consuming. That sweet may just turn sour.



Sippin’ On Some SYRUP (liquid sugar)

Brown Rice Syrup
Buttered Syrup
Carob Syrup
Corn Syrup (and Corn Syrup Solids)
Golden Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Maltose Corn Syrup
Malt Syrup
Maple Syrup
Refiner’s Syrup
Rice Syrup
Sorghum Syrup



Ohh La La SUGAR…. (fancy names for sugar)

Beet Sugar
Brown Sugar
Cane Crystals
Cane Sugar
Castor Sugar
Confectioner’s sugar
Date Sugar
Demerara sugar
Golden Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Grape Sugar
Icing Sugar
Invert Sugar
Muscovado Sugar
Raw Sugar aka Turbinado Sugar
Yellow Sugar


  
NINJA Sugar (sneaky names for sugar)

Barley malt
Cane juice crystals
Caramel
Corn Sweetner
Dehydrated Cane Juice
Dextrin
Diastatic malt
Diatase
Ethyl maltol
Fruit juice
Fruit juice concentrate
Honey
Maltodextrin
Mannitol
Molasses
Panocha
Sorbitol
Treacle
Xylitol


 If it ends in OSE…..

Crystalline fructose
Dextrose
Fructose
Galatose
Glucose (and Glucose Solids)
Lactose
Levulose
Maltose
Sucrose
Xylose


*Sucralose (or as most of us know it as SPLENDA) is NOT on the list. It’s NOT sugar! You heard me. It’s chlorinated artificial sweetener. Just like it’s nasty friends aspartame and Saccharose or Saccharin. Bluh.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

ACTUALLY...Size Does Matter!

ACTUALLY…Size Does Matter by Sheena Bidwell, MMA MOM

PLAY WITH YOUR PACKAGE
An idiot proof way to slash carbs, calories, and gross is to recreate your own portion size.  In our big bulk super ultra mega family pack world almost everything comes in out-of-control sizes. Plates are piled to the brim with food at restaurants. Or, we get tricked into believing something is healthy by rationalizing the itty-bitty snack size. Most of us don't even realize that a snack bar is usually divided into at least 2-4 servings (how dare they!).  Ugh....gross. Isn't a ‘portion’ or ‘serving’ supposed to imply some sort of happy fullness, or at least a semi temporary satisfaction?!?!... Alas...our snackies have us hook, line and sinker - Regardless of their diabetes inducing portion size. After all, who doesn't want more, More, MORE of their favorite yum yum? My two cents? Play with your package! Take control of your portions!! (insert: grunt, yell, holla, hell yeah, whoop-whoop)  Here, there, and everywhere in-between.

It's time to turn that defeating feeling into an empowering one by determining your portions, 

Here’s how:

FIST YOUR FOOD

Make a tight fist. This is what a natural portion looks like for your body.  Start with one portion (per food group), then drink water.  IF you're still feeling hunger after a few minutes add another portion.  A balanced meal is a portion of vegetables, protein, and a healthy carb.  And, for those of you trying to cut weight or shred inches cut your carb portion in half.  *Do NOT freak out too bad. This will not look like the usual amount of food you're used to eating.  We need to teach our brain and body how to define hunger and eat for that purpose only.  Don't use food to satisfy an emotional craving or as a release or outlet.  I recommend martial arts for that :)Take whatever bulk food that is in front of you and section it off into separate containers, and be done with it.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER 

I always include a 'to go box' or 'doggy bag' along with my order at a restaurant.  As soon as my food comes out I put half of it in the ‘to go box’ and put it with my keys, off to the side. Set yourself up for success like the winner you are.

CLEAN HOUSE 
It's easy to sabotage yourself when our plate size is enormous. If your cups, bowls, and plates are all jumbo than it's time to get rid of them! De-big gulp your cups, keep bowls the size of your open palm,and eat from plates that are around 9 inches in diameter. 

DRINK LIKE A FISH
 
Liquid calories are, well, a total bitch! Don't work your ass off in the gym, eat healthy, and ruin it all with synthetic drinks. Get water crazy. There's a water party and you're invited! Soda is basically liquid shit, just look at the main ingredient (high fructose corn syrup) - It's like drinking diarrhea. When people think of you, they think of water....see where we're going? Get there.

MOST IMPORTANTLY. . . .
Eat real food to fuel your body. Indulging means once in a while, not every meal. Keep it simple. Keep your portions the size of your open palm or fist. Happy healthy eating!

LOT'S OF GREAT THINGS COMING IN THE NEW YEAR - ARE YOU READY???

HAPPY NEW YEAR - LOTS OF GREAT THINGS COMING (click and read on...)
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Tai-Kai-Kickboxing.html?soid=1103630271857&aid=TDoZzsQGLao