Why it is Important to Take Your Vitamins?

     You see them all the time on T.V. and in the grocery, but do you really know why it is important to take your vitamins? I'm sure that most of you all out there really do not believe or understand the importance. I was just the same. I believed like everyone else that vitamins were just some ploy to get me to waste my money. However, this is none of the sort. Vitamins are very important for the daily tasks your body completes everyday, growth, and maintenance ! If your diet is not healthy then you are not getting enough or any vitamins that are crucial for your body to survive. Deficiency in one vitamin can cause profound health problems! 

    First, what are vitamins? They are not energy sources, but play roles in regulating chemical reactions that allow your body extract energy from nutrients. There are two types of vitamins, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble vitamins. A, D, E,  and K are fat-soluble vitamins. Which means the way the vitamins are absorbed. Below is a list of what each vitamin does to help your body function and repair itself. I will start off with Fat-Soluble Vitamins.

• Fat-soluble vitamins
• vitamin A
• Crucial for growth and reproduction
• Aids in vision and cell differentiation 
• Maintains high immunity level, healthy bones, skin, and mucous membranes
• Deficiencies
• Destroys vision and disrupts several normal body functions
• Can lead to night blindness, xerophthalmia, hyper-keratosis, infection and DEATH
• Sources
• Liver, fish liver oil, cod oil
• Milk fat, butter, and other dairy products
• Margarine, fortified breakfast cereals, and reduced fat-milks
• Spinach, carrots, broccoli, squash and sweet potatoes
• Cantaloupes, peaches, apricots, mangoes and tomatoes
• Toxicity
• Can cause DEATH, liver damage, bone fractures, skin disorders, and birth defects in newborns
• vitamin D
• Essential for bone health, may reduce cancer and heart disease risks
• Promotes healthy bone development and growth in children
• Necessary for bone maintenance in adults
• Prevents osteoporosis and fractures in older adults
• Helps reduces risk of fall with proper muscle reaction
• Sources
• Sun ( 9 - 15 minutes a day)
• Fortified foods: milk, breakfast cereals, orange juice, margarine, yogurt, grains, and breads
• Oily Fish: Herring, salmon and sardines
• Cod liver oil and other fish oils
• Egg yolk, butter and liver
• Plants are poor sources
• Deficiency
• Profound effect on skeleton, leads to rickets in children, osteoporosis and osteomalacia in adults
• Toxicity
• Sunlight does not cause toxicity but too much sun can cause sunburn and skin cancer
• Hypercalcemia: excess calcium can cause bone loss and kidney stones
• Excess calcium can leave deposits in bloodstream and other organs 
• Can affect the nervous system causing depressive illness, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite 
• vitamin E
• It is an important protector against age related chronic diseases
• Sources
• Plant and animal sources
• Wheat germ oil contains the highest concentration
• Vegetable and seed oils:
• Safflower, cotton seed and sunflower seeds are rich sources
• Corn and soybean oil
• Foods made from vegetable oils:
• Margarine, salad dressings, nuts and seeds
• Strawberries and dark leafy greens
• Animals sources are poor because of what the animal eats
• Deficiency
• Rare in the U.S. because of widespread use of vegetable oils
• Can cause cystic fibrosis 
• Premature hemolysis and anemia 
• Toxicity
• Relatively safe but over consumption can cause some problems
• vitamin K
• Crucial vitamin for blood clotting = coagulation
• Assists in bone formation
• Sources
• Plants and bacteria living in your colon
• Green leafy vegetables:
• Spinach, broccoli, green turnips and brussel sprouts 
• Vegetable oils:
• Soybean oil, cottonseed, canola and olives
• Deficiency
• Without vitamin K for blood clotting a single cut can lead to death by blood loss
• Can cause low bone density which can lead to fractures
• Can cause hemorrhages in women during menstrual cycle
• Toxicity
• Rare but can cause hemolytic anemia
• Can interfere with anticoagulant medications

Glutes, Hips and Inner Thigh Circuit Workout

Keep Unwanted Pounds Off All The Way To Christmas

Tis the Season to not become a weight gain statistic. What do I mean by this? Well according to the "experts", the average person only gains a pound during the holiday season. On the other hand, overweight and obese individuals gain about 5. However, I find this information to be totally false because of the years I have spent taking meticulous records of my clients progress during training. 

I used to weigh my clients every 4 weeks, but I found that this wouldn't really help them. Most of them didn't get serious until I gave them a heads up that their weigh in was in a week. So, I decided to weigh them every Monday. I have found that in my studio the average weight gain for a client during the holidays that are average and active is about 10 lbs. Overweight and obese clients usually gain about 15 - 20 pounds. I have had both fit, overweight and obese clients gain 5 - 7 lbs. in one week. So now imagine when we multiply that by 8 weeks (4 weeks of November and 4 from December). This equals to about 40 - 56 lbs of potential weight gain if you are not careful with your level of activity and food intake. 

I assume that when people read the "experts" statistics it gives them to "go ahead" to eat like pigs, drink like fishes and quit working out because they believe they will only gain 1 - 5 pounds. However, this behavior will only help you gain a whole bunch of fat that will take 10 times as hard to loose. Just because it is the holidays should not be a reason to throw away all the effort you have put into working out. If you have not even started a workout regime this year then you are only making it harder for yourself once you get into the "New Year New Me" season. Gaining fat is easy but, losing fat is not as easy as the commercials state. Especially, if you are a woman. So why put yourself through this? It will only get you depressed after the parties, socials, and festivals end. 

After you read this post make the right decision for your health. You can save the bad food for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Keep on working out and do not late excuses get in the way. Yes, there are holiday parties, but do you really have to pig out on those foods? Learn how to eat healthy meal before you go to a holiday party. This will help you stay full and only be able to try out some of the hor d'oeurvres.

Think smart, eat smart and train smart!

Candace

Real Food versus "Real Food": Hot Dogs

Image Credits: i.dailymail.co.uk

     An American Classic, the hot dog! When we think about hot dogs we imagine a picnic with the kids in the park, playing baseball, and the Nathan's hot dog eating contest. We would never think that a hot dog is one of the most harmful food items we can order at the concession stand. Let's have a look to see what type of harmful chemicals are used to make our favorite past time food item.

List of Ingredients

1. ›Mechanically separated meat›  
• Paste-like or batter-like product by forcing bones with attached edible tissue through a device under high pressure.
• Since 1994, Meat can be taken off the bone by advanced meat recovery machinery
2. ›Water
• ›less than 10%
3. ›Corn Syrup
• ›Made from corn (Omega-6 has flammatory properties)
• High sugar intake leads to diabetes and other health problems
• ›linked to health concerns and cancers
• ›Used for texture and taste
4. ›Potassium lactate
• ›common meat preservative
5. ›Sodium phosphate
• ›3 sodium salt phosphoric acids
• ›Used for texture and as preservative
• High salt intake leads to hypertension aka high blood pressure
6. ›Flavorings
• ›Most chemical combinations can be listed as “flavorings”.
7. ›Beef stock
• ›Made from joints, bones, connective tissue of beef carcass.
• Not made from REAL MEAT
8. ›Sodium diacetate
• ›Artificial flavor for salt and vinegar chips
• More CHEMICALS
9. ›Sodium erythorbate
• ›Preservative that keeps meat pink
• Nitrates are known causes of cancer in animals. 
• ›Links to dizziness, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, kidney stones, & cancer
10. ›Maltodextrin
• ›(another form of sugar) cooked from starch
• ›Used for a thickener and filler
11. ›Sodium Nitrate 
• preservative known to cause cancer in animals
• high sodium intakes lead to hypertension aka high blood pressure
• ›Increases risk of cancer, it is found in fireworks and fertilizers
12. 
    

      Now do you still want to eat pre-packaged hot dogs from the supermarket or ball park? It is more than obvious these CHEMICALS are not what you intended on feeding your kids with. Even if they are more cheaper than buying the handmade ones from your meat market they are full of chemicals that are harmful to your health. Learn to be a lot smarter when you buy food for your family and friends!  

Shredding NASM Phase 2 Workout for Lean Long Legs with Core Stability

Phase 2: Circuit Leg Workout

4 Sets

12 - 15 Rep

30 Sec - No Rest

There is not any FAIRY DUST OR WAVE OF THE WAND TO LOSE WEIGHT!

     It seems like yesterday when I think about the adventure I had reaching my fit and healthy goals. I remember being just like everyone else when it came to working out. I only worked out when I was gaining too much weight. I only did the cardio classes and machines I liked. I never really lifted heavy weights because I feared that I would get ginormous.  I would do the latest fad diet or take the popular weight-loss pill. I used to eat all those weight-loss meals with no real results I wanted. I had cellulite up and down my legs and just assumed that I had BIG BONES. All of these things I did never helped me get to the goals I wanted. Yes, I would lose maybe 10 lbs., but I would gain it back because I would stop working out and (what I thought was) eating healthy. 

     Unfortunately, the majority of you all out there that believe you can just lose weight with a magic pill, don't have to change your intake of types of foods, and not workout. However, if this is so true then why haven't you all reached your ultimate fitness goals? Remember, you don't have to look like me. I want to look this fit. I'm a figure competitor and this is the body type that is required. Plus, I love the way I look and really don't give a damn what anyone else thinks about me. If you feel that way about yourself then great! So, don't be hating the girl or girls you see that are fit! 

Image credits: photos-ak.sparkpeople.com

Image credits: /media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com

     Now, if you really want to lose weight and be healthy, then you really need to change your habits. You have to start looking at your body as if it was your car. You all know that if you do not keep your car periodically maintenance, eventually it will break down. It is the same thing with your body. If you put bad gas in your car, it will run poorly and backfire. It is the same with your body. The difference is that you can't be put back together like a car can. When your car breaks down you simply buy the part, pay for labor and your car is back on the road in a few days. Your body will not bounce back this fast if it needs a body part to be changed. Do you understand what I'm telling you? 

Image Credits: media.ed.edmunds-media.com

Image credits: heyyougetreal.com

     Eating mindlessly and empty calories (food with zilch nutrition value) is only going to make you gain unwanted pounds, drain up your energy levels for work, screw up your health, mess up your hormones and even lead to depression. For you to reach your goals you have to be in it 100%. Food is 80%. Cardio and resistance training is 20%. There is no other way around it. I call them the 3 Amigos! You have to have all three whether you want to gain muscle, lose weight, or maintain 

weight. 

     When you decide you are ready for a change, then start out with a journal. Write down what your weight is, what your measurements are, your short-term weight loss goal you want to reach for the month and your long-term weight loss goal. Next, take some pictures of yourself. Pictures speak thousand words. Our minds tend to play games on ourselves so having these different stats will help you see the whole picture. See if you can get your weight done with a weight machine that breaks up your body into parts. This means: lean muscle mass, body fat %, body fat in pounds, and water. Don't worry about weighing what society says we are supposed to weigh. Worry about your body fat going down, your muscle going up and your measurements going down. I have found that weekly assessments works better for my clients than monthly because they know that they can't mess around on the weekends. Which are the days that always sabotages everyone! On the other hand, only take your new pictures monthly. If you have done everything right, then you will see a big difference in 

your pictures.

Image Credits: encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com

Reach your fitness goals!

Candace

Real Food versus "Real Food"!

Image Credits: www.dreamstime.com

     Usually every time I have a new client problems arise from them or their family members about "Real Food". I put these words in parenthesis because the majority of society is brainwashed into thinking foods that are made up of chemicals are REAL FOODS. Let us take a look at a favorite ingredient that is in NACHOS: VELVEETA CHEESE

Image Credits: blogs.artinfo.com

• Ingredient List:
• Milk
• Water
• Milk Protein Concentrate:
• is any type of concentrated milk product that contains 40–90% milk protein. The United States officially defines MPC as “any complete milk protein (casein plus lactalbumin) concentrate that is 40 percent or more protein by weight.”^[1] In addition to ultrafiltered milk products, the MPC classification includes concentrates made through other processes, such as blending nonfat dry milk with highly concentrated proteins, such as casein (Wikipedia.com)
• Milk Fat
• ›butter fat taken from milk during processing

• Whey Protein Concentrate:
• is a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production.
  Whey protein is commonly marketed and ingested as a dietary supplement, and various health claims have been attributed to it in the alternative medicine community
• Health Effects
• The use of whey protein as a source of amino acids and its effect on reducing the risks of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes has been the focus of ongoing research as of 2007.^[13] Whey is an abundant source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs),^[14] which are used to stimulate protein synthesis.^[15] When leucine is ingested in high amounts, such as with whey protein supplementation, there is greater stimulation of protein synthesis, which may speed recovery and adaptation to stress (exercise).

• Sodium Phosphate
• is a generic term for a variety of salts of sodium (Na⁺) and phosphate (PO₄^3-) 
• has many applications in the food industry and for water treatment. For example, sodium phosphates are often used as leavening agents for baked goods. They are used to control pH of processed foods.^[2] They are also used in medicine for constipation and to prepare the bowel for medical procedures.
• Health Effects
• can cause serious kidney damage and possibly death. In some cases, this damage was permanent, and some people whose kidneys were damaged had to be treated with dialysis (treatment to remove waste from the blood when the kidneys are not working well). (Medline Plus Health Information)
• Salt (less than 2%)
• Salt is present in most foods, but in naturally occurring foodstuffs such as meats, vegetables and fruit, it is present in very small quantities. It is often added to processed foods to make their flavour more appealing and is also present at higher levels in preserved foods. (Wikipedia)
• Health Effects (heart.org)
• Excess levels of sodium/salt may put you at risk for:
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Stroke
  • Heart Failure
  • Osteoperosis
  • Stomach Cancer
  • Kidney Disease
  • Kidney Stones
  • Enlarged Heart Muscle
  • Headaches
  YOUR APPEARANCE
  Excess levels of sodium may cause:
  INCREASED WATER RETENTION, LEADING TO
  • Puffiness
  • Bloating
  • Weight Gain
• Calcium Phosphate
• Any of three powdery phosphates of calcium:
•  A colorless powder used in baking powders, as a plant food, as a plastic stabilizer, and in glass. Calciumphosphate is deliquescent, and will dissolve in the water it absorbs from the atmosphere if it is not kept in aclosed container. Chemical formula: Ca(H₂PO₄)₂.
• A white crystalline powder used as an animal food, as a plastic stabilizer, and in glass and toothpaste.Chemical formula: CaHPO₄.
• A white powder that is used in ceramics, rubber, fertilizers, and for various purposes in the food industry.Chemical formula: Ca₃(PO₄)₂. (thefreedictionary.com)
• Health Effects (nytimes.com)
• Most symptoms are seen with severe exposures and overdoses.
  • Lungs
    • Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
    • Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)
  • Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
    • Severe pain in the throat
    • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
    • Loss of vision
  • Gastrointestinal
    • Severe abdominal pain
    • Intestinal obstruction
    • Vomiting
    • Burns of the esophagus (food pipe)
    • Vomiting blood
    • Blood in the stool
    • Nausea
    • Decreased appetite
    • Constipation
  • Heart and blood vessels
    • Hypotension (low blood pressure) develops rapidly
    • Collapse
  • Skin
    • Irritation
    • Burn
    • Necrosis (holes) in the skin or underlying tissues
  • Blood
    • Severe change in pH (too much or too little acid in the blood, which leads to damage in all of the body organs)
  • Nervous system
    • Confusion
    • Delirium
    • Stupor (lack of alertness)
    • Coma
• Lactic Acid
• Lactic acid is found primarily in sour milk products, such as koumiss, laban, yogurt, kefir, some cottage cheeses, andkombucha. The casein in fermented milk is coagulated (curdled) by lactic acid. Lactic acid is also responsible for the sour flavor of sourdough breads.
• Lactic acid is used as a food preservative, curing agent, and flavoring agent. It is an ingredient in processed foods and is used as a decontaminant during meat processing.Lactic acid is produced commercially by fermentation of carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose, or lactose, or by chemical synthesis.Carbohydrate sources include corn, beets, and cane sugar. (wikipedia)
• Sorbic Acid
• Sorbic acid is a natural, organic preservative frequently used to maintain the freshness of a variety of human foods, drugs, and cosmetic products. Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid possess antifungal, and to a lesser extent antibacterial, properties. (healthline.com)
• Sodium Aginate
• ›found in cell walls of brown algae. Used to absorb water
• As a flavorless gum, it is used by the foods industry to increase viscosity and as an emulsifier. It is also used in indigestion tablets and the preparation of dental impressions
• Health Effects

• Increased Blood Pressure

• 
  

  Poor Bone Health

• 
  

  Congestive Heart Failure

• Sodium Citrate
• Used as an emulsifier in cheese to melt without oily residue ›
• Health Effects: Side 
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, rash/itching, tingling or numbness on hands and feet, irregular heartbeats, metal/mood changes, muscle spasms, and seizures
• Enzymes
• extracted from tissues of animals. Rennet for cheese making is found in the stomach of baby cows.
• Apocaretenal
• ›Found in spinach and citrus. It is used for the orange color.
•  Health effects: 
• Yellowing of the skin and large doses can be toxic
• Annatto
• ›Seeds from Achoite tree. Used for yellow and orange coloring.
• ›Health effects: 
• Not safe for pregnant women or breast-feeding and affects blood sugar levels
• Cheese Culture
• ›Lactic acid and other microorganisms  used in cheese making

n

Winner of Figure Masters at NPC MRI 2014 Texas Shredder Classic: Candace Foxx

2014 Texas Shredder Classic Prep

By Candace Foxx

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  February 12

   
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  My Journey Towards Winning Figure Masters at NPC MRI 2014 Texas Shredder Classic

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  March 31st 

   

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  Make this the Cover Delete

  

  

  March 7th 2

   
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  Fit Sc

   
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  March 9th 2

   

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  April 8th 2014

   

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  April 9th 2

   
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  April 12th 

   
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  Pre-ju

   

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  Pre-judging at 2014 Texas 

   

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  2014 NPC MRI Texas Shredder Classic Top 

   

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  My story began with the goals to place higher or win! I had some great triumphs with my body, setbacks by so-called friends, and still won!

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  Figure