What road are you on?

Do you think working out will leave you feeling like road kill?
It’s amazing 61% of the American adult population is considered overweight? So why is a country that is so in love with their ‘in shape’ sports icons, so over weight? Think about that when you watch the Super Bowl with your side line beer and mountain of chips!

Is it because we live our life through someone else? The glamour associated with sports icons and supermodels rarely depicts what actually goes on behind the scenes. Do you really believe that they are so gifted and talented that they don’t have to eat to give their body energy or exercise to maintain strong healthly muscles? Maybe they could get away with it for a week when they were 16. Then they figured out that if they wanted to compete on a big playing field, a pond other than the small pond they were in, they better get prepared to swim with the big fish. The sharks to be exact.

Getting in shape and staying in shape is a decision; it is a path or road that you choose.

Now that you have decided to take a trip on the Road to Fitness, here are a few things to keep in mind. Every person’s fitness program should consist of four components. Think of a table and what the consequences would be if one leg was shortened or removed. The table would be unbalanced, maybe even fall. So it is with your fitness goals; your goals should leave you well balanced. Plan your training program around the following four components and you will do great on the Road to Fitness!

Cardiovascular Training

Not only will Cardiofvascular Training, keep your heart healthy but it will assist you loosing additional body fat, it burns calories in the presence of oxygen, making it aerobic. Many experts suggest 30 minutes, 3 days per week. If you find that difficult, start with 5 and every week add a minute or two until you are doing 30 minutes. I recall when I first started doing the stair stepper and the spinning bike, 3 minutes literally kicked, my butt. I remember feeling like the Wicked Witch of the West because I could not even stand up straight, I can still hear the music to the Wizard of Oz in my head! It kept me going! Just get started! Walking, running, aerobics, biking, treadmills, stair climbers are all great ways of doing cardio just make sure that you have fun while you are doing them and continually push yourself over time.

Resistance Training

Weight or Strength training or progressive resistance training is basically using some form of resistance to work the muscles of the body in order to make them stronger. You can use machines, free weights, bands, soup cans or even your toddler. Just like cardiovascular exercise weight training should be done slowly and progressively start with doing at least 3 sets of 10-12 reps per body part. Proper lifting form and posture are the two most important factors when dealing with resistance training. For some people it is difficult to learn form from reading a book so I would suggest finding a good trainer, hanging out at the gym and watching the regulars, and read everything you can get your hands on. My WOW MART has some great books available for Kindle. Also take the time to look at the pictures, and pay attention to the placement of your body. You will get better as time goes on and the movement will feel more natural, that is also why it is important to start with a light weight and feel the movement not only in the muscle but in your mind. Feel it!

Above all remember that just because you are lifting weights it does not mean that you will look like Arnold or any other muscle super hero, and women you won’t look like a man if you lift. To build the type of physique that you may see in a magazine takes the right genes, nutrition and years and years of training. Additionally many of the women you see in magazines that are packing as much muscle as a man are probably using steroids. To each is their own! They still work hard, each of us have a desired physique. But if your intent is to look strong and fit as you age, I suggest you start by pumping a little iron. Get on the Road sister!

Flexibility Training

Want to know what the biggest offender is when it comes to loosing flexibility. It is INACTIVITY…. Just like cardio and strength training flexibility must be trained slowly and progressively. Exactly how long did it take you to get into the shape you are now? 5, 10, 15 maybe in 20 years. So plan on it taking a little time to make progress toward your new physique. Your Flexibility training can be done after a light warm up. Don’t ever try and stretch a cold muscle. I would suggest doing a 10-minute cardio warm up, followed by a stretching session and then strength training. Ease into any stretching you are doing and if you are sore the next day, work through it slowly after a cardio warm up! Learn to listen to your body!

Nutrition Training

Many people do not consider Nutrition a training element, Wrong! If you are not eating to feed your body you will not see results. Yes, you could lose pounds but you will not see defined abs, or get rid of those flabby thighs and triceps if you are not eating properly. Recognize that you must following a good nutritional packed program consisting of 40% complex carbs, 40% proteins and 20% fats, and that once a week you should consume slightly more calories to prevent a metabolic slowdown.

Look through my articles and read the Discipline of Diet, this will help you gain a better understanding of the importance of a good nutritional training program.

A WOW Physique that not only looks great but is in great physical condition is the goal regardless of your age. Here are a few reminders and tips!

• Plan your meals, snacks, and exercise first!
• You are #1 and it’s a priority to have your health and well being!
• Have protein with every meal and snack with a 40/40/20 Ratio. Ratio’s can be changed to meet your desired goals.
• Eat your planned, 5 to 6 healthy meals throughout the day.
• Do not go longer than 3 hours without eating something!
• Missing a Meal does not entitle you to overeat at the next meal!
• Stay active, optimize weight lifting it will increase your metabolism, slim and tone you!
• Remember you deserve that strong healthy and vibrant WOW PHYSIQUE!

Remember when you step onto the Road to Fitness with a disciplined diet, weight or strength program, cardiovascular and flexibility training this will help control, preserve and possibly improve bone and muscle tissue while losing fat! This is exciting and feels great!

Until next time…..Kalene WOW Physique

P.S. Visit my WOW MART page for all your protein, excercise equipment and kindle exercise books!

It’s 2012 are you serious about being fit….No more excuses! This is the perfect time to start…
So many people wait until the New Year to start an exercise or fitness program, when the truth is a renewed daily commitment is what keeps you working hard; regardless if it is January or June 1st. But take advantage of having the resolution mindset. It will give you the momentum to get started.

Besides the dark, cold winter days keeps us indoors, which can contribute to us packing on extra pounds. So planning to jumpstart the New Year with a fitness program is perfect! I plan to keep active this winter, make gains in muscle mass and fat loss regardless of the blustery weather!
Depending on your current fitness level and goals here are 3 tips to keep you motivated when we socked in with the winter time inversion.

The first three are for people who already have a good foundation but want to move to the next level.

#1 Accountability: If you have a hard time holding yourself accountable get a gym partner that will hold you accountable!
#2 Timing: Remember timing is everything, getting to the gym on time, eating your meals on time, and getting to bed on time. You cannot make gains if you do not understand timing.
#3 Ratio monitoring: You have a fitness routine now pay attention to the Ratio’s is your physique in balance, need a little more size in one spot and a little less in another. That is what you need to look at when you are hitting the weights. It’s called Bodybuilding for a reason. You want a balanced physique and the way to get it is through your diet and exercise.
Ratio monitoring includes the ratio of carbs, protein and fat intake. You need to learn and understand this balance as well.

If you’re new to fitness and goal setting try these tips:

#1 Accountability: If you have a hard time holding yourself accountable get a gym partner that will hold you accountable! Keep moving!
#2 Sports League: Join an indoor sports league during the winter months or have your kids join and you go and watch. But wear your sweats and shoes that you can take a couple laps around the gym in when their finished. This will get you motivated.
#3 Gaming System:Use your gaming system to your advantage by selecting a high-energy game (I’m ready to take on the girls in Just Dance for Wii,) oh yes it will be a family competition.
Regardless of where your current fitness level is; Reward yourself with each milestone. When you stick with it for say two months give yourself a reward. A new pair of workout shoes, gloves, a weight belt but an item that will increase your desire to work out.

Remember milestones should not be measured in pounds; rarely do I measure them in pounds. I look for other milestones. Try these milestones.
• Weekly workout in minutes, break it down between cardio and weight lifting. Reward yourself after sticking with it for a certain amount of time.
• If you work out with weights the goal could be to increase weight or reps, consistently.
• When doing cardio look at the exact minutes or speed on the treadmill, bike, stair stepper etc. increase your length of time or the speed or intensity in which you do it.
• Clean meals eaten, the goal is to eat clean 100% of the time but that is tough for anyone. Limit your cheat meals to 1 day then 1 meal per week.
• Water intake – reward yourself with a massage when you go without soda for 2 months. You will be amazed with this milestone alone! The massage and water will release toxins from your body.

Each of the milestones listed above are long term milestones, as you achieve one goal you move it out a little bit more, you will stay motivated because your goals are achievable, and achieving a goal always feels good, physically and mentally.
Deciding to get fit is not about getting there and then quitting it’s a life time journey. Take it slow and realize that the results come when you continually set achievable milestones.

Seriously, 2012 is the year to really make the changes you have desired. Here’s to a new start and achievable resolutions. Kalene WOW Physique

Also be sure to visit my WOW MART page for all your protein, workout clothhing and kindle products! Here’s to your WOW Physique…

Looking for diet resolutions that you can really stick to here are 4 resolutions that are easy but will really make a difference.

1. Start Your Day With 30 grams of Protein

The verdict is in Protein helps your body build and repair tissues, I am always trying to gain muscle, and spurring muscle protein synthesis is vital. Taking protein first thing in the morning promotes the repair and construction of your muscle tissues. According to research from the December 2010 edition of “International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism,” consuming at least 30g of protein can “maximize muscle protein-synthesis rates,” and doing so following workouts and five to six other times daily.
Additionally it can also promote increased activity of enzymes and hormones, such as growth hormone. Eating 30 g of protein first thing in the morning can be advantageous because breaking a fast with protein alone, rather than a mixed meal of protein, carbohydrates and fat, can produce an increase in growth hormone production, according to research from the July 2008 edition of “European Journal of Endocrinology.” This can support a number of goals, as growth hormone enhances fat loss and muscle gain.
So “Shake” it up in the morning!

2. Drinking Water

One of the easiest efforts you can incorporate into your weight loss or weight maintenance plan. Think about it: unlike giving up your favorite simple carbohydrate or hitting the gym, making sure you are drinking enough water requires little to no will power. You don’t feel deprived or sore!
There is no excuse for not drinking enough water, however if you’re having trouble getting your recommended 8 glasses a day inn it’s an easy fix, all you have to do is remember it will help you with your weight loss! Look at the all the benefits of drinking water.

Drinking Water Fills You Up
Did you know that often when you feel hungry, you’re really just thirsty? Our mind tends to confuse hunger and thirst. When you find yourself hungry at odd times of the day, reach for a cup of water before grabbing food. If you really are hungry, you can still eat a snack afterwards. But let’s say your feelings of hunger do go away after drinking that cup of water. You’ve just saved yourself calories by not eating the snack your body didn’t really need!
Water is great because it fills us up and keeps us from overeating
Drinking Water Revs Up Your Metabolism
Dehydration is your body’s enemy. It slows bodily functions and metabolism. As a matter of fact, your metabolism will slow to conserve energy when you haven’t had enough water to drink, as your organs can’t and won’t function as efficiently. Scientifically speaking, drinking water has been proven to contribute to your body’s ability to burn calories. You body needs an adequate amount of water to properly function, especially during exercise, and dehydration prohibits the fat-burning process.

Drinking Water Keeps You Healthy and Keeps Your Skin Youthful
Water flushes toxins from your body’s system, including those produced during exercise. It aids in keeping your joints lubricated–very important for both daily functions and in preventing your body from injury during exercise. In short, drinking water is vital to your other weight loss efforts including. If you’re working out regularly, drinking an adequate amount of water is extremely important.

3. Use smaller plates.

To pare down your portions, eat off a salad plate. Research from Cornell University and other institutions has shown that using a plate smaller than 10 inches in diameter tricks your brain into thinking you’re eating more food than you really are.

4. Have lunch with a healthy eater.

A famous study from Harvard researchers found that we tend to mimic the habits of those around us, which is why we’re at least 50 percent more likely to become overweight if a close friend is obese. Before abandoning your heavy set friends; take the time to dine with those friends that are healthy eaters. They will be more likely to encourage you to eat salad than dessert. Then as you gain the unstoppable desire to eat healthy, spread the wealth!
Look for my easy fitness resolutions, Cheers to resolutions kept!……Kalene

I got Santa’s secret muscle building recipe!

Homemade high protein cookies are the best. Eat a few of these oatmeal protein cookies or peanut butter protein cookies between meals. They will satisfy your “sweet tooth” instead of eating store bought cookies or junk food. They will also give you lots of high quality protein, good fats and good low glycemic carbs.

You will build muscle and burn the fat with these treats year round!

Oatmeal Protein Cookie Recipe

The ingredients of this recipe for high protein cookies are:
6 egg whites
2 scoops of whey protein (either vanilla or chocolate flavored)
5 tablespoons of oatmeal flour or oat flour (as an extremely cheap an easy alternative to buying it from a store, is possible to make your oat flour, all you have to do is put a cup of oatmeal in a high powered blender for a few minutes, this will result in the oatmeal turning into a flour).

Directions:
First preheat to oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together
If mixture is too think add some water, but not too much

Use non-stick spray on the cookie sheet or baking pan
Drop tablespoon sized balls onto the cookie sheet or baking pan about 2″ apart, and flatten them out slightly

Bake for about nine to ten minutes and you will see a brown edge when it is done. Let them cool off for a few minutes before removing them from a spatula

You can eat them after they have cooled down or when they are still warm enjoy your high protein oatmeal cookies!

Peanut Butter Protein Cookie recipe

Here is a great “no bake” high protein cookie recipe that was sent to me. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Mix the following in a big bowl:

cup of oatmeal
Approx. 1/2 cup peanut butter
2 large spoonfuls of flax seeds
3 to 4 scoops of your favorite protein
Add just enough water to make mixing a little easier. Add it a little at a time, then mix, and add a little more as needed.

When all the ingredients are mixed, form balls a little smaller than the palm of your hand and put them on a plate. Put them in the refrigerator for a couple hours uncovered.

If you didn’t use too much water, the cookies come out with a nice chewy consistency.

Below is a link for Isopure Protein I love it, ZERO CARB and LOW CARB LADIES! You can order it here, just click on the link below or go to my WOW Mart page! Enjoy….Kalene

The sun and the moon sometimes argue over who will tuck me in at night. Ever have a day like that! Having Bodybuilding goals, building a business and taking care of your family and church duties can make for some very long days!

I love what I do and the relationships in my life; My family, WOW Physique, Patriot Real Estate and all my little ventures with friends and clients, it all really keep me on the go!

Speaking mainly of bodybuilding although there is crossover here….
it is very important to know that our muscles grow not during the times that we are in the gym lifting those heavy barbells.(Yes, ladies I mean heavy)But we build muscles while we are resting and having a good nights sleep. That’s why we should always give our exhausted minds and bodies that have been stressed from workouts and the events of the day enough time to rest, recover and rebuild its muscle tissue and revitalize our minds! Remember the basic principles of Diet, Rest and Training. Put an emphasis on all three and you’ll see results in the gym! Frankly you will see a cross over into all facets of your life! More on that later….

Early gym time… have a good night all!…..Kalene

I absolutely love Dr. Seuss! WHY FIT IN WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT…Dr. Seuss

How fabulous is that quote? It is one of my all time favorites and so is Dr. Seuss he was amazing! Take a look at the Top 10 Dr. Seuss facts listed below and consider his genius! Dr. Seuss taking the events of the day created work’s of art that is still loved by children and adults. He definatley had the gift….

Also, I have provided you with Dr. Seuss recipes that will keep you and your children on track. Remember, you were born to stand out, and maintaining a great physique and strong and healthy body will assist you in any endevour. …enjoy Kalene

Top 10 Dr. Seuss Facts

1. In case you haven’t read “The Lorax,” it’s widely recognized as Dr. Seuss’ take on environmentalism and how humans are destroying nature. Loggers were so upset about the book that some groups within the industry sponsored “The Truax,” a similar book — but from the logging point of view.

Another interesting fact: the book used to contain the line, “I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie,” but 14 years after the book was published, the Ohio Sea Grant Program wrote to Seuss creator Theodore Geisel, and told him how much the conditions had improved and implored him to take the line out. Geisel agreed and said that it wouldn’t be in future editions.

2. Somehow, Geisel’s books find themselves in the middle of controversy. The line “A person’s a person, no matter how small,” from “Horton Hears a Who!,” has been used as a slogan for anti-abortion organizations. It’s often questioned whether that was Seuss’ intent in the first place, but when he was still alive, he threatened to sue an anti-abortion group unless they removed his words from their letterhead.

3. “If I Ran the Zoo,” published in 1950, is the first recorded instance of the word “nerd.”

4. “The Cat in the Hat” was written because Dr. Seuss thought the famous Dick and Jane primers were insanely boring. Because kids weren’t interested in the material, they weren’t exactly compelled to use it repeatedly in their efforts to learn to read. So, “The Cat in the Hat” was born.

5. Bennett Cerf, Dr. Seuss’ editor, bet him that he couldn’t write a book using 50 words or less. “The Cat in the Hat” was pretty simple, after all, and it used 225 words. Not one to back down from a challenge, Mr. Geisel started writing and came up with “Green Eggs and Ham” — which uses exactly 50 words.

The 50 words, by the way, are: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you.

6. It’s often alleged that “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!” was written specifically about Richard Nixon, but the book came out only two months after the whole Watergate scandal. It’s unlikely that the book could have been conceived of, written, edited and mass produced in such a short time.

Also, Seuss never admitted that the story was originally about Nixon. That’s not to say he didn’t understand how well the two flowed together. In 1974, he sent a copy of Marvin K. Mooney to his friend Art Buchwald at the Washington Post. In it, he crossed out “Marvin K. Mooney” and replaced it with “Richard M. Nixon,” which Buchwald reprinted in its entirety.

7. “Yertle the Turtle” = Hitler? Yep. If you haven’t read the story, here’s a little overview: Yertle is the king of the pond, but he wants more. He demands that other turtles stack themselves up so he can sit on top of them to survey the land. Mack, the turtle at the bottom, is exhausted. He asks Yertle for a rest; Yertle ignores him and demands more turtles for a better view.

Eventually, Yertle notices the moon and is furious that anything dare be higher than himself, and is about ready to call for more turtles when Mack burps. This sudden movement topples the whole stack, sends Yertle flying into the mud, and frees the rest of the turtles from their stacking duty.

Dr. Seuss actually said Yertle was a representation of Hitler. Despite the political nature of the book, none of that was disputed at Random House — what was disputed was Mack’s burp. No one had ever let a burp loose in a children’s book before, so it was a little dicey. In the end, obviously, Mack burped.

8. “The Butter Battle Book” is one I had never heard of, perhaps with good reason: it was pulled from the shelves of libraries for a while because of the reference to the Cold War and the arms race.

Yooks and Zooks are societies who do everything differently. The Yooks eat their bread with the butter-side up and the Zooks eat their bread with the butter-side down. Obviously, one of them must be wrong, so they start building weapons to outdo each other: the “Tough-Tufted Prickly Snick-Berry Switch,” the “Triple-Sling Jigger,” the “Jigger-Rock Snatchem,” the “Kick-A-Poo Kid”, the “Eight-Nozzled Elephant-Toted Boom Blitz,” the “Utterly Sputter” and the “Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo.”

The book concludes with each side ready to drop their ultimate bombs on each other, but the reader doesn’t know how it actually turns out.

9. “Oh The Places You’ll Go” is the final Seuss book published before he passed away. Published in 1990, it sells about 300,000 copies every year because so many people give it to college and high school grads.

10. No Dr. Seuss post would be complete without a mention of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Frankenstein’s Monster himself, Boris Karloff, provided the voice of the Grinch and the narration for the movie. Seuss was a little wary of casting him because he thought his voice would be too scary for kids. If you’re wondering why they sound a bit different, it’s because the sound people went back to the Grinch’s parts and removed all of the high tones in Karloff’s voice. That’s why the Grinch sounds so gravelly.

Tony the Tiger, AKA Thurl Ravenscroft, is the voice behind “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” He received no credit on screen, so Dr. Seuss wrote to columnists in every major U.S. newspaper to tell them exactly who had sung the song

My Favorite Dr. Seuss Recipes!

What child doesn’t grow up with Dr. Seuss books? We have quite a few of them lying around the house. The kids love the silly characters and the rhymes. The Dr. Seuss inspired recipes that I’m about to share with you have been a great hit in my house. Of course the famous green eggs and ham are included, but there are also quite a few other snack and meal ideas. Create a fun Dr. Seuss inspired afternoon with some of these recipes and of course don’t forget to read a few of the books with your kids. (If you don’t own any, enjoy a trip to your local library.)

Green Eggs and Ham
This has to be the most famous Dr. Seuss inspired dish. Scramble a few eggs, add a couple of drops of blue food coloring to the mixture and cook as usual. You can serve a warmed up slice of ham with it, and if you want to go all out, brush the ham with a little green food coloring.

My kids love either biscuits, or mashed potatoes with this dish. Add a little food coloring (either green, or a complimentary color like red) to the biscuit dough or the finished mashed potatoes for even more fun.

Cat in The Hat Snack
Make the Cat’s Hat for a fun snack. All you need is a few Ritz crackers, gummy lifesavers (preferably in white/clear and red) and a little vanilla frosting. Put the Ritz cracker on a plate. Use a little bit of vanilla frosting to glue the first lifesaver on the cracker. “Glue” more lifesavers on top of the first one alternating between red and white.
These snacks are so cute; you may want to take a picture of your child’s creation before it is devoured.

Wiggly Fish
This snack was inspired by “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish”. Prepare several different colors of Jello according to package directions and pour each flavor into a shallow pan. Use a fish shaped cookie cutter to cut the Jello into fish shapes. (If you don’t have a fish shaped cookie cutter you could also just cut fish shapes with a knife.) You can also add small pieces of fruit to the Jello mixture before it cools. This is a great way to sneak an extra serving of fruit into your child’s diet.

Pink Ink for The Yink
The Yink in “One Fish, Two Fish” love to drink pink ink. Make your own version by combining a few strawberries (either fresh, or frozen and thawed) and some milk in a blender. Add a few drops of red food coloring if the “ink” isn’t pink enough.

A Fruity Hat For The Cat
How about this for a fun Sunday breakfast? Whip up a batch of silver dollar pancakes and cut up some fresh strawberries. Grab some whipped cream and let the kids assemble the Cat’s hat by stacking pancakes, and strawberries on top of each other using the whipped cream as “glue”.

Enjoy a few of these Dr. Seuss inspired snacks and meals with your family, or invite a few neighbor kids over for a Dr. Seuss party. Either way they are a lot of fun and a great way to bring some of the Seuss stories to life.

Fitness – If it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body.

- Cher

……another beautiful Woman Optimizing Weights! Kalene

More quotes from Cher...
Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my treadmill. It never fails. Exercise is nothing short of a miracle. – Cher

Until you’re ready to look foolish, you’ll never have the possibility of being great. – Cher

Women have to harness their power – its absolutely true. It’s just learning not to take the first no. And if you can’t go straight ahead, you go around the corner. – Cher

I can trust my friends These people force me to examine myself, encourage me to grow. – Cher

I don’t need a man. But I’m happier with one. I like to have someone I can touch and squeeze and kiss. But I don’t fold up and die if I don’t have a man around. – Cher

I kill myself for my body. – Cher

I only answer to two people, myself and God. – Cher

I think that the longer I look good, the better gay men feel. – Cher

I’m scared to death of being poor. It’s like a fat girl who loses 500 pounds but is always fat inside. I grew up poor and will always feel poor inside. It’s my pet paranoia. – Cher

I’ve always taken risks, and never worried what the world might really think of me. – Cher

If you really want something you can figure out how to make it happen. – Cher

I didn’t discover curves; I only uncovered them.
Mae West

Cultivate your curves – they may be dangerous but they won’t be avoided.
Mae West

Curve: The loveliest distance between two points. ~Mae West

WOW: Here’s a woman who is not afraid of a few curves! She obviously has them in all the right places! For those of us who don’t working out with weights will allow you to build in all the right places…..

Ya Gotta Love Mae West. Kalene

WOW TRAINING JOURNAL:
I’ve had a few people ask me about the benefits of using creatine and the fear of weight gain. My goals are not merely measured on the scale. I want to lose more body fat than pounds reflected on the scale. For me losing hard earned muscle means I’m not going to maintain the youthful, strong appearance I want.

I can’t say that I am more knowledgeable than someone who strictly looks at calories in and calories consumed to lose weight. Because concentrating on calories consumed / burned is an equation that will work for weight loss; but is it going to give you the overall desired outcome. I’m all about outcomes, in the short term, creatine will probably cause some weight gain, but the final out come is I will be packing more muscle and less body fat, and have the abilit to burn more bodyfat with everything I eat! Every time I load creatine I gain a few pounds, however you should be more concerned with loosing fat than loosing weight. The short of it though creatine and protein powders are helpful with building muscle in bodybuilding. More muscle = more calories burned thus along with proper diet and exercise less body fat. …..

But also take a look at this study:
Creatine helps the body use energy efficiently. In one study, 25 obese participants with type 2 diabetes, aged at least 45 and physically inactive for at least one year, took 5 grams of creatine per day or a placebo. The subjects also participated in an exercise program three times per week that included a treadmill warm-up, resistance and aerobic training, and stretching.
After 12 weeks, while there was no change for the placebo group, the creatine group had much better long-term blood sugar control. Doctors analyzed long-term blood sugar control by measuring hemoglobin A1C, which fell from 7.4 before the study to 6.4 afterwards, a level that is better than those recommended by the American Diabetes Association or the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Reference: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise; 2011, Vol. 43, No. 5, 770-8

In my opinion any women wanting to lose weight and maintain a strong youthful physique will benefit from using creatine and protein, when used in conjunction with a weight lifting program! Don’t be afraid to raise the bar or to change what society thinks a women in 40′s or beyond should look like! Staying strong and healthy is a good thing!…….Kalene

A change in life maybe a death, divorce, a move or maybe a project at work, or money worries or even the upcoming holidays may be causing you serious anxiety, your first impulse may be the same — to overeat! If this is the case you are an emotional eater!

The best way to manage this stress isn’t inside a bag of potato chips, although under stress you body may crave food as a source of comfort. You think your listening to yourself and what your body needs because of what is going on…true in some circumstance, but not this time sister.

We know there’s a definite physiological connection between food and stress that encourages you to overeat. The additional carbohydrates also trigger your brain to release serotonin. But that is not the solution! But understanding a little bit about how your brain works and Serotonin is beneficial?

Serotonin is a brain chemical that helps move messages throughout the nervous system. This neurotransmitter performs many functions, including regulating mood, appetite and the sleep/wake cycle. Ever wonder why you may have a problem with sleeping or being motivated when your stressed. It’s the lack of Serotonin! Consuming certain foods helps stimulate the production of Serotonin in the brain, when you are not armed with what’s going on over eating may be your solution. But exercise also stimulates Serotonin!
According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, of the United Kingdom, exercise increases brain serotonin function in humans. A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology revealed that there are two mechanisms by which physical activity increases brain serotonin. First, motor activity increases the rate and frequency at which serotonin is “fired” within the brain, resulting in an increase in both the release and synthesis of it. Secondly, regular exercise increases the level of tryptophan in the brain (an amino acid used to manufacture serotonin). The exact mechanism is not clearly understood; however, it is clear that aerobic exercise improves mood through increasing brain serotonin levels.

Now aerobic exercise, yoga, Pilates, running or brisk walking are typical aerobic exercises and are good for your body. But you can also lift weights in a circuit and make it aerobic! Which the additional muscle you are building will help burn any extra calories you have consumed.

You know that you are an emotional eater so arm yourself! Don’t add another 10lbs and the stress that it brings to your current list.
Here are a few helpful tips.
•Plan you workout schedule and give it variety! Weightlifting is perfect because you can do a different body part everyday and really focus on that muscle. It never gets boring. Changing it up, changes your physique!

•Keep your water bottle nearby, absolutely no soda!
•Plan your meals and eat on time. Just because you missed your last meal you do not get to eat double portions or a few cookies to make up for it.
•Plan your healthy snacks, cheese, almonds, yogurt, guacamole with celery! Yum!
•Plan to get out with your friends. Stressful times are a great time to focus on someone else. It’s a way to get you to really count your blessings!
•Count your blessings, things could always be a little tougher!
•Know that you are strong and capable and this too shall pass!

Managing stress and controlling the emotional eating beast inside you is tough! But when the going gets tough, we know the old saying….

We Can Do It! Kalene

Today was a cardio day! I rode my bike for an hour, it’s a love hate relationship that I have with cardio! Honestly, I could lift and spend the majority of my day lifting weights. But in life we have to have a balance, and cardio is a necessary evil. I hate to do it, but I love the results and I love the way I feel when the hour is over! So I do it!
Certainly when I’m on my bike, treadmill etc. I have visions of the shape I just might get into if I keep it up, and that along with the uplifted mental mood I have when I’m finished, is pure motivation!

So, with eyes closed and exactly 12 steps to our masterbath and closet, I drag my 48 year old behind out of bed every morning to get ready to either lift or do some type of cardio!

Does it get discouraging or just tiring day after day! You bet it does! Especially when I don’t get the results I want in the time I think I should see the desired results?

If it was easy we would all be a brick house! (Love that Song) But over the years I have come to know that the results are not going to come easy and that it boils down to a life style and the results are just not physical. They are mental, spiritual and physical results!

….and no the visions of what I want to look like may not be my current reality, but I’ve learned to laugh at where I’m at and accept that I need to work a whole lot harder! I won’t accept that it’s never going to change or that I’m too old! That my friend is giving in and up! I accept and love who I am and know I need to switch it up and work a whole lot harder.

I can guarantee you, I’m a little closer than I was 6 months ago and when I turn 49 I will be that much closer! It’s about work ladies and getting a mental picture of where you want to be, physically, mentally and spiritually! Don’t let age or your current fitness level discourage you. You can do it with a daily mental picture!

I have mine….Do you have yours? Let me know at info@wowphysique.com

WOW, here’s to a few Visionary Women! Kalene

Ever have days when you feel like you blew your diet or your work out drive! Don’t worry be happy! Sometimes taking a day or two to recommit is all that is needed. I had big plans for tonight and frankly closed my eyes and magic occured. I went from a 10 minute snooze to a 2 hour nap in the blink of an eye! Don’t worry be happy and listen to your body! Recovery physically and mentally is needed! …..Kalene

The term “slacker” is used to refer to a person who habitually avoids work. Slack Star is the term I like to use when someone talks the talk, but is perpetually waiting to walk the walk! They are the person who tells you how to lift, what to eat and how their program is amazing yet, they are not following it. These are the people who won’t do one tough workout with you let alone day after day, month after month or year after year!
“Slack Stars” have been the subject of many films and television shows, particularly comedies. Yet being a Slack Star is no laughing matter, especially when it comes to your health.
We all know great people who died early, inherited a physical disability or simply cannot enjoy life because of their health and fitness level. Absolutely we’ve seen women who because of their weight will not enjoy their children or grandchildren because they don’t want to be seen in shorts or a bathing suit. The cover-up has become more comfortable! They are choosing to Slack Star the best part of their life away!
So what does it really mean to be a slacker? In general you are a procrastinator. In psychology, procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of low-priority, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time.
Is this a behavior your familiar with? Do you make eating right or exercising a low priority? Maybe you have not given your health a priority at all! Too many other things on the agenda for the day. You’re going to start Monday morning right!

I’ve heard it all! So let’s level with each other. Why do people procrastinate? It could be for any number of reasons, but let’s look at a few facts regarding procrastination.
* Procrastination is strongly connected with lack of self-confidence
* It is Learned Helplessness
* It is Low Self-efficacy
Note: We would all love to stay in bed throw the covers over our head and say I don’t know how and we would all love to do everything perfect!
Truth: You are a strong women, take the bull by the horns and learn you are not helpless! Also, know at some point you might not look super cool! Oh well!

* Procrastination is also connected when an individual dislikes the task
*It is Boredom
*It is having an Apathetic Attitude, it is described as a result of the individual feeling they do not possess the level of skill required to confront a challenge.
Note: We would all like every day to be like a day at the spa and be pampered as we day dream. .
Truth: Sometimes a great song on your IPOD is the only thing that gets you through and at times we all feel the enormous weight of the task at hand and that frankly a little discouraged that we don’t have what it takes. However a constant Apathetic Attitude is derived from not knowing yourself! It is derived from fear, take courage and the tiger by the tail and just know you can do great things.

* Procrastination has its strongest connection with Impulsiveness.
* Why Impulsiveness? Because we are less motivated by delayed rewards than by immediate rewards, and the more impulsive you are, the more your motivation is affected by such delays. You don’t get the instant gratification that our society has grown accustom to.
Note: We would all love to be carefree and impulsive!
Truth: You never receive anything for

Expectancy, value, delay, and impulsiveness are the four major components of procrastination. Piers Steel, a leading researcher on procrastination, explains:
Decrease the certainty or the size of a task’s reward – its expectancy or its value – and you are unlikely to pursue its completion with any vigor. Increase the delay for the task’s reward and our susceptibility to delay – impulsiveness – and motivation also dips.
So how do we increase the rewards of diet and exercise, simply put they will not come quickly, therefore you need to do the following:
1. Increase your expectancy of success. Know that you can do it, it’s a lifestyle change not a quick fix.
2. Increase the task’s value (make it more pleasant and rewarding). Along with your weight lifting pick the exercises or activities that you enjoy. They will complement each other.
3. Decrease your impulsiveness; remember Rome was not built in a day, and if you want the body of a goddess, you need to choose and plan wisely. A quick run through the drive through or just one more soda or binge before you get serious is impulsive behavior.
But planning to wear a size smaller dress in 6 weeks, go snorkeling on your next vacation instead of wearing a cover-up will not happen being impulsive. It is going to take work. Just like you plan for a vacation, plan to be in-shape and enjoy your new found energy and strength from giving up being a Slack Star! Kalene

We all know that Thanksgiving is a tough time to diet, but you can actually loose weight and gain the one thing we are all wanting more of….Muscle!

Tonight why you are making out your holiday shopping list, plan a meal that will compliment your workouts.  Turkey, Deviled Eggs, Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans and of course a Pumpkin Packed Protein Shake (It’s the featured receipe, look in our Nutrition Section)   You’ll stay right on course with planning!  

Women, www.wowphysique.com is for women who recognize the opportunities and benefits that come from being strong and healthy!   Were women in our 20′s 30′s 40′s 50′ 60′s and beyond…..  Yes, were growing stronger and healthier in all aspects of our lives…..  That’s living and loving the WOW FACTOR….. Kalene  

“I’m selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I’m out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”  Marilyn Monroe

WOW….  A True Legend Working At Being Her Best!   Kalene

If you have been training for a while and may have lost your mojo, today is the perfect day to recommit and take your workout to the next level.

Consider Fireworks and a Firecrackers! Did you know there is approximately the same amount of gunpowder in a firecracker as in a rifle shell? But the firecracker is unfocused. It just makes a big noise and accomplishes nothing. The rifle shell, on the other hand, focuses that power in a specific direction and delivers an enormous punch. A firework can take gunpowder to produce a beautiful show with lights and sounds that are amazing!

You can be a firecracker lifter in the gym or a rifle shot lifter. It’s a matter of focus. What has been your focus over the last few months! Are you someone who makes a lot of noise with no results! Or would you rather be the one who is focused and gets results. It really is a simple matter of focus.

Be cautious about “firecrackers” they not only make loud noise but they can draw you away from your goals – Source unknown

Remember that Fireworks describes a whole range of pyrotechnic displays. Firecrackers are just one subset of fireworks. When you set off fireworks, it burst into beautiful colors. It’s also a display of sparks and light. But when you throw firecrackers into the ground, they simply make a noise!

Get focused, keep your eyes on the prize, focus your workouts in a specific direction and they will deliver an enormous punch.

Don’t be known for your noise! Consider yourself and your results “FIREWORKS”! Then sit back and let other’s enjoy the show!

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Kalene

BODY IMAGE
Hard as it may be to believe, a healthy body image is not tied to one’s size or shape. Body image is all about what you perceive and the message you tell yourself about that perception. I’m too fat or I’m too skinny or maybe you perceive that women should not carry muscle and that strenuous exercise is just for men.
The first source for your body image development good or bad was often formed in childhood. When a parent is concerned about their child; being too fat or skinny children pickup on the attitude. Children look up to their parents and admire the many adults that surround them. When an adult makes a comment about their own physique or someone else’s the child forms a mental image or opinion of what a physique should or should not be.

Many young women may hear their mother make disparaging comments about their own body; this includes appearance, weight, exercise and diet. Adopting the attitude of their mother; in the case of dieting vs. healthy eating, a mother may reinforce that dieting is painful. However the fact is having a clean diet and eating for health is a joy. Now look at exercise, do you find that you dread or is it a time to unwind, relieve stress and enjoy the increase of endorphins. Do a mental check and see if your attitudes were developed in your childhood.

Now what about the media? Television, movies, print ads and music videos, all lend to what society thinks is health and sexy. Glossy pages portraying a women perfect from every angle is a misperception, it’s staged. As is everything to do with Hollywood and the big screen! The type of movies produced and the actors that make them change from year to year. Hollywood’s perception of women and their physique’s changed. Consider Jane Russell, Twiggy and Marilyn Monroe. Truly different but each had their time in the big spot light. No doubt millions of women tried to immulate what Hollywood deemed sex y, popular or just plain “IN” at time. WOW, and we thought being sexy and popular and “IN” was High School mentality. Good or bad it sells, that is how Hollywood markets any product, service or personality!

Our challenge is to get past the perceptions of others; family, friends, co-workers and the media and develop a truly health body image. A health body image is a state of mind as is the attitude toward the components that give you a great physique. Exercise, healthy eating, rest and expectations!

Having said a healthy body image is a state of mind; don’t allow yourself to play the denial game. If you are carrying an additional 50 pounds, breath hard when walking around the yard and you find simple your overweight and not perceiving it to be a problem.
The other extreme disorder with body image is Anorexia-nervosa, bulimia and binge eating . When I was in college and having to maintain weight for cheerleading and the dance groups in which I was a member of. I recognized that many young women would go to the extreme to make weight. They developed bulimia, binged and purged, their hair became thin and they had skin disorders. They were starving their bodies of the nutrients needed to maintain healthy skin and hair. Now what I could observe was on the surface, unhealthy skin and hair. But, this behavior is serious and can develop into a life-threatening condition if continued.

Mind Set…..
Consider a different approach to your body image – change your mind about it. Stop beating you’re yourself up about not looking like the Glossy Ad Women. Make changes that are about substance, giving you qualities and benefits that will extend beyond just the body image. Let’s make it easy, start with the following five mental tips.

1. Stop dieting. Instead, decide what healthy eating changes you can make and live with for the rest of your life. For instance, cut down on sugar drinks or unhealthy snacks. You will benefit by having a strong healthy body and who knows you just might drop that last five or ten pounds.
2. Exercise: Exercise to feel better, if you are taking mood altering drugs, talk with your doctor and realize that when you exercise to increase your endorphins you are doing the same thing as popping an anti-depressant. The best doctor I ever had told me after the death of my son, to exercise when I felt sad or anxious. People may think that I am obsessed with exercising but it is my dose or Prozac. Walking in the fresh air can do more than help your heart – it can also improve your mood.

3. Focus on Fun! Learning to cook healthy and creatively is fun. It’s something you can share with your friends and family that is a plus for both of you. Focus on exercise that is enjoyable. No one said it has to be painful. Having fun is a super vitamin for the body, soul and mind!
4. Meditate: Meditation and seeing your self is key! You cannot change anything without having a mental image or map of what you want to design. Decorate a room in your home, plan a wedding, take a family portrait, and cook dinner! Everything you do, you have a desired outcome! It is no different with your body image. Imagine yourself 5, 10 or even 50 pounds lighter. Imagine that your weight doesn’t fluctuate but that your body fat is 5% lower. Meditation is key in achieving not only your health and fitness goals but everything you desire to accomplish.
5. Be a little more flexible
Wood is at its best when it is strong, but bendable. Inflexible wood will quickly break when it is stressed. Likewise, flexible people are better able to handle stress and take life’s bumps and bruises in stride.

Kalene