Fitness and Lifestyle (Extreme Nutrition and Training Blog)

Magnesium Stearate: BEWARE and CHECK YOUR LABELS!!!

2012-02-23T13:09:00.003-05:00

By: Alex Liska

What is Magnesium Stearate??? If you look on the back of most multi-vitamin tablet products or other common pills/supplements you will see the ingredient "Magnesium Stearate" listed. Sometimes products contain a higher percentage of this per capsule, sometimes less. Magnesium stearate is used commonly throughout the pharmaceutical/supplement industry as a lubricant. It is formed by combining 'stearic acid' , 'calcium stearate' and by HYDROGENATING cottonseed/palm oil. If you recall in recent literature/news/articles/magazine columns, 'hydrogenated oil' means TRANS FATS. Therefore, whether in a low or high dose, Magnesium Stearate is a binding/granulating agent but also a trans fat.

In many clinical studies, Magnesium Stearate has also been shown to inhibit the absorption of pill/capsule contents by up to 80% !!! What happens to the stearic acid & calcium stearate, the actual capsule/pill? According to studies any ionic compound such as this one will damage your kidneys in high enough doses, main reason being that it may not be dissolved fast enough to clear your system.
I have been reading and researching 'magnesium stearate' for years now and have also used MANY products that list it as an ingredient (I will also add that most products with this ingredient are a LOT cheaper/more cost effective and easier to find) and i have noticed that i get some pretty gruesome headaches upon taking these products. When i first started taking them however, i did not really notice any difference. Apparently it is quite common for folks that are sensitive to pills/tablets/capsules/medications to experience severe headaches/migraines from having taken products with 'magnesium stearate' in them.

For me, the big RED FLAG comes from knowing that this binding agent is in fact a TRANS FAT!!
More companies are becoming aware of consumers knowledge of Magnesium Stearate and its health implications, so they are all publishing interesting sounding articles about where their magnesium stearate is derived from, or how their capsules/pills/tablets contain a much lesser amount.

At the end of the day, you must ask yourself this: "Is it worth taking the risk using a product with Magnesium Stearate listed as an ingredient?
-Not knowing HOW MUCH of it is actually in the product?
-Not knowing HOW MUCH of the actual contents of the capsule/pill/tablet you are actually absorbing?
-Not knowing HOW MUCH of what your body cannot absorb will be leaving behind toxins/residue/by-products in your liver?
And finally, how comfortable are you with consuming a product that has even a SMALL AMOUNT OF TRANS FATS in it????"
The purpose of this article is simply to raise awareness on this filler/binding agent/granulating agent/mysterious ingredient (or not so mysterious since it's always listed) so that all my fitness/health-conscious readers can either do more research on this topic or simply AVOID taking products with Magnesium Stearate in them.

Personally, I would much rather follow a sound nutritious diet, rich in minerals and whole foods (ingredients that i can actually SEE and FEEL good after i consume them), than gamble with my health and try to make up for lost minerals/vitamins and expose myself to Magnesium Stearate!!!!

Thanks for stopping by my blog, and i hope this info was helpful to some of you:)

xo,

Alex L. :)

Leg Workout: Circuits and Supersets Plus CORE

2012-02-05T20:51:00.000-05:00

By: Alex Liska

Hey Guys! Hope you had a great weekend!! :)
I outdid myself on Friday interms of my "last cheat day" before my next show... When i say cheat day i mean i didn't waste a minute of the day 'not eating' LOL... eat., sleep, eat, sleep, then i trained and DESTROYED chest & back! Even did some cardio (not sure what the point was, i think i just felt like being drenched in sweat)... I DEFINITELY consumed well over 10thousand calories... This excessive binge was mainly due to the fact that I ate VERY low calories all week (mainly just greens and protein) and trained like a savage beast! I knew i would be having my last big cheat day and i wanted to make sure i was totally starved and craving everything i saw ... Anyhow, NO MORE OF THAT!!! Eating is fun, but not when you're not retardedly vascular and shredded and able to brag about your food consumption ... I'm back to following an amazing clean-eating plan; one that incorporates ALL macro-nutrients, timed at the right intervals of the day, and that keeps my blood sugar levels steady and wards off cravings! I feel energized and ready to take on 2012 and step on stage harder and more shredded and vascular than ever before :D Even if that's not the criteria the judges are looking for in figure, i STILL wanna be OVERLY ripped, hard, jacked and covered in thick greenish blueish veins :))) I posted 2 off-season pics in this article and i will be posting a lot more as my transformation takes place.
Enough babbling, here is my Leg Workout from Today (i punished myself with HEAVY weights and circuits for having eaten myself into a food coma pretty much on Friday LOL):

LEG WORKOUT:
30-60sec rest between circuits/sets & as heavy as possible!!!
Circuit
1warmup set+circuit(4sets20reps each) - I only rested enough to sort of catch my breath between circuits for these exercises, so about 15-30seconds max:
-Front Squats
-Leg Extensions
Leg Press(diff. Stances)
Superset
4sets20reps:
-Lying LegCurl
-Stiff-legged Deadlifts(Diff. Stances),
Circuit
3sets 15-20reps:
-Single-legged Glute Press on Smith machine(laying down on a mat pushing against the bar w/ my heel - Slow tempo& Squeezing tight)
-Standing leg-curls
-Step-ups on to bench,
-Hanging knee raises(20+reps)
-Lying leg raises (20+reps)
-Crunches w/ feet up holding light bar (20+reps)

So, that was my leg-workout for today!! Lots of work, but i F#CKED up on Friday so this was my punishment :):):) Tomorrow i probably won't be able to walk... YAY!

Helpful Tips to Fight Cravings !!!

2012-02-01T20:53:00.001-05:00

By: Alex Liska

Hello everyone!!!
I hope you're all having a great start to 2012 :) I took a small break the month of December from extreme dieting and training, but I'm SOOOOOO happy to be back now !!! I learned something which is that i'd much rather travel and NOT take time off from dieting and training, than stay in the city and eat junk, train less and "try to be more normal" LOL ... Anyhow, on my time off i had lots of time to play around with new recipes and methods to make dieting or should i say "eating clean" more pleasant! Here are a few tips to help fight cravings:

First and foremost, find out what it is that you crave most... is it salt? sugar? fats? Then try to find a healthy alternative for your craving... for example: if you crave salt, try baking a tray of kale chips or broccoli/cauliflower or any other green veggie sprinkled with SEA SALT and a drizzle of olive oil. Salt cravings usually indicate that you may be mineral deficient or your thyroid may be in need of a boost, coming from a healthy source of sodium, such as SEA SALT! Sprinkling this salt on potassium-rich green veggies allows for a nutrient dense, electrolyte-rich crispy snack that will satisfy your cravings.

If you're craving sugar, this may be a sign that your blood sugar levels are not as steady as they should be... this may be caused by skipping meals, not enough or TOO MUCH exercise, too much caffeine, or simply having been on a low carb diet for too long. Focus on eating 5-7 smaller balanced meals a day that include enough green veggies, healthy dietary fats (browse the archives of this blog for examples of these), natural protein sources, and fibrous complex carbs(try to consume these earlier on in the day or around times where you're more active (ex. pre and post workout). Also, having half to one glass of DRY red wine with dinner and eating 1/2-1 ruby red grapefruit after your meal will help keep your blood glucose levels more balanced. If you're in need of guilt free sweet treats also don't forget to browse the archives on this blog for some simple, amazing sugar-free recipes that will definitely satisfy those cravings :)

If you find yourself craving fats such as peanut butter, RICH chocolate, fatty red meat, this may indicate that your body is deficient in dietary fats/omega fatty acids! Start by consuming at least 1000mg of omega 3 daily and take a look at your overall diet to see if there is enough fat in it! Sometimes when we follow certain diet templates they are either too low in fats or too low in carbs (both of which are energy sources that our body needs at the right times of day). Your hormones reset themselves at night so instead of having a last meal of the day that is high in carbs/sugar, consider a higher fat alternative, perhaps a small serving of red meat/salmon or lean meat w/ 1-2 tsp all natural peanut butter or coconut oil!!!

In between meals, as a snack i really enjoy having kale chips, raw broccoli dipped in mustard and balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing, or any other green veggies with a pinch of sea salt on them. Herbal teas also really help me feel more satisfied especially mid-morning, mid-afternoon or before bed :)

I really hope this post helps you guys and feel free to contact me: alex@alexliska.com if you have any questions regarding nutrition/workouts and if you may be interested in personalized meal plans/training programs.

xo,

Alex L.:)

Adrenal Fatigue: How to Improve Your Adrenal Health

2011-11-21T18:03:00.001-05:00

By: Alex Liska
Hello everybody!! Thanks for stopping by my site, i am pleased with all the feedback i have been getting from all my readers lately; a lot of you seem to be learning new things by reading my posts, trying out the workouts i've posted as well as the recipes! This is great news for me, so i will continue to write more articles :)

I have been doing a lot of research lately on thyroid and adrenal health and the confusion between low thyroid function and adrenal stress. It seems that many 'hypothyroid' symptoms are so similar to adrenal fatigue that even tests for thyroid and adrenal problems can be misinterpreted by doctors. On top of that many doctors seem to think that if you have low thyroid function it may be adrenal stress that is causing these problems; which would lead for the patient to need more tests to determine what is really going on! Yikes!!! Your adrenals and thyroid work hand in hand to supply your body with energy so it's essential for these to be working efficiently.
Let me explain a bit more about your adrenals before i offer some simple nutrition solutions ;)
The adrenals are 2 lima-bean sized organs (maybe a liiittle bit bigger) that sit on top of your kidneys and that work hand in hand with your thyroid to ensure that the organs in your brain (pituitary gland/hypothalamus), your digestive system, liver, sexual organ system, heart (just to name a few) are working properly!! They are responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response and secrete some of the most important hormones including adrenaline, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and DHEA.

Here are some signs of adrenal malfunction/stress:
-Difficulty losing weight
-Loss of interest in daily activites
-Lack of will-power
-Physical as well as mental exhaustion
-Lack of motivation
-Cravings for sugar (excessive)
-Excessive cravings for salt
-Loss of muscle tone
-weightloss
-Depression
-Headaches
-Eating disorders
-Brain fog/memory loss/mind gaps
-Allergies
-hormone imbalances
-Excessive thirst
-Insomnia/Difficulty sleeping
-Hair loss/thinning hair
Those are a few symptoms that may very well indicate that your adrenals may be under a lot of stress and malfunctioning!!!

Here are some tips to help IMPROVE YOUR ADRENAL HEALTH:
- Do not over-train!!! Take a rest day if you feel your body is "too sore" and you don't have the energy or desire to train that day, especially if you have been training regularly.
-Replace refined sugars with 'Stevia Herbal Sweetener' or 'Xylitol' ... Keep in mind that refined sugars feed the evil yeast "candida" which raises your blood sugar and deprives your body of essential minerals!!
-Cut back on animal protein!!! That is, if you are consuming too much! Studies have shown that most people don't have enough hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) to digest animal protein which in turn creates an acidic internal environment when unable to digest this protein!
-Try taking digestive enzymes to help your body digest proteins!
-Take a B-Complex/Vitamin C supplement/vitamin!! Most people that suffer from adrenal stress are deficient in B and C Vitamins (this also leads to stress).
-Consume more foods that are high in potassium versus sodium (Veggies are a great choice! So are low/moderate Glycemic Index Fruits - In moderation of course)
-Opt for smaller, more frequent meals versus larger ones as it facilitates digestion and your body is able to absorb minerals/vitamins better
-Consider trying Wild Yam (herbal supplement) as it has been shown to provide the body with DHEA activity!!
-Follow a diet that consists of WHOLE FOODS!
-SEA-WEED SUPPLEMENTATION!!!!! I saved this one for last because i think it is one of the most important tips!!! Here in North America, we are deprived of algae/sea-weeds/iodine and other essential minerals and nutrients that come from the sea! I suggest incorporating 'Spirulina', 'Hawaiian Spirulina' (Blue/Green Algae), Kelp, Alfalfa & Cholorella... I like to use "Greens Plus" by Genuine Health as it contains all these sea weed supplements that are so beneficial to the adrenal glands and body overall !!!

Well, that's it for now! I will continue researching adrenal health as well as thyroid health, as i find this topic to be VERY interesting and i think that some of these tips and insight may be very beneficial to a lot of you! If not, you might know someone that could benefit from better adrenal/thyroid health :)
As I always say, "you are what you eat" so eat clean at least 70-80% of the time, stay active and stay positive!

Also, before I go, in response to Facebook messages/inquiries asking me if i design personalized workout programs and nutrition plans: YES I DO :) Just e-mail me if you have any questions: Alex@AlexLiska.com

Thanks for stopping by my site and have a great week!!!!

xo,

Alex L.

Ab Ripper Workout and New Journal Entry

2011-11-02T02:30:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone!!!!:)
A lot of you have been messaging me on FB/e-mailing me asking what I do in terms of diet, and lately i've been asked over and over again if i'm dieting for a show! That is very flattering :) But i have to be honest with you all, even if i did not plan to compete anytime soon I still want to stay lean year-round. This requires balance and finding a healthy medium. In other words, I am eating very clean 80% of the time. I follow a fairly low carb diet consisting of whole foods & carbs around training times only but I also switch up my diet template on rest-days and consume less calories and switch the macronutrient ratios.
I have weekly cheat days OR what i'll do is have a small cheat every day but keep it fairly healthy. For example, I'll have a small bowl of icecream with a large scoop of fry's cocoa powder mixed in, which basically turns my ice-cream into a 70% cocoa frozen dessert! The key for me is, when cheating to practice portion control and drink a lot of water with my cheats. I am very cautious of using too much sodium on my days where i consume mixed energy sources (carbs/fats/protein) because otherwise i will get very bloated!!! On my depletion days since i'm consuming less calories overall i dont mind to over do it with condiments/sodium/diet beverages & splenda... LOL
I am confident that after years of trial and error I have found the approach that is right for my body-type! My clients are also having a blast with their cyclical keto diets, & going hard with the starches/sugars on carb day(s) LOL ...
I have also found a wonderful post-drinking protocol which allows for a day of partying/drinking once a week or once every 2 weeks :D In my humble opinion, life is all about balance therefore if i cannot drink till i'm sh&t-faced at least once a month (by choice) or have cheat days when i'm totally craving junk, my whole fitness plan will suffer!!! Balance is the KEY to success... Moderation is your BEST FRIEND! If you look at the pic of me to the left, I do LOVE my green veggies (raw spinach especially), but I also love my dry red wine & gin (no picture of this yet lol). So if you can control your eating habits but allow for a well-earned cheat for mental relief, and continue to train consistently, you are bound for success :)

And yes, for those of you that have asked on my photos on FB/statuses if i design meal plans/training plans or train athletes to compete in bodybuilding/fitness shows.. YES I DO! :D
E-mail me: Alex@AlexLiska.com and we can discuss more !!

As promised earlier, here is the workout i did today! I mentioned on facebook that I'd be posting it for you guys to see so here it is:
-30min Stepmill - Level 8- Pushing through the heels and no handles for the 1st 10min. then walking backwards holding onto the handles, slightly leaning forward and pushing through the heels for 10min. The last 10min was a combination of walking sideways/backwards and running up the steps ...

-Walking lunges (no weight) around the gym for 15min.

-CORE BURNOUT:
3 sets 15-20reps each:
-Hanging leg raises
-Broomstick twists superset w/ Ab Vaccums
-Machine crunches superset w/ Crunches on bench holding 10lb plate
-Decline leg raises

Finished with one set of close-grip unassisted pullups performed to failure with good/controlled form (I like to do a set of these @ the end of every workout to strengthen my back!)

Thanks for stopping by my site and stay tuned for more...

xo
Alex L. :)

5 Pre-Cardio Snacks & Sample Workout

2011-10-24T00:23:00.001-04:00

Hi Guys!!
Here are a few ideas of light snacks to have 30-60min. before doing cardio if you don't like training on an empty stomach (like me!!!). I find that with some form of fuel, my cardio is way more intense, longer and i enjoy it a LOT more! I also find i am way less hungry through out the day; i consume much less calories this way than if i train fasted! :) Everyone has a different opinion on this, but i always say "find what works best for your body-type and stick to that! YOU know your body best!"

5 Pre-Cardio Snacks:
1) 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt w/ 1 tbps instant coffee, 1-2 envelopes Splenda or Stevia (Sweetener) + 1/2 scoop whey protein + 1tsp. ground flaxseeds or chia. (mix this well w/ a fork or spoon.. you can even leave it in the freezer for 20-30min)

2) 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese w/ 1/3 cup blueberries or blackberries + 1 tbsp. crushed plain nuts OR 1tbsp. ground flaxseeds. top w/ cinnamon and sweeten with stevia!

3) 1/2 ruby red grapefruit and 1 cup celery sticks or peeled cucumber dipped in mustard or drizzled w/ balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sea-salt

4) 2 cups steamed broccoli/cauliflower topped w/ herbs/garlic and 1-2 slices fat-free cheese melted on top (Sometimes i will have 1/3 can of tuna or 2oz grilled chicken-breast to top this off).

5) Light protein shake: 1/2-1 scoop whey isolate (low-carb) + 1-2 tbsp fry's cocoa powder + 1 tsp flaxseeds or chia seeds + 1cup water + 1/3 cup frozen berries + 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt/skim milk (or you can use water) + stevia/splenda to sweeten...... Add ice-cubes (1-1.5 cups) and blend until smooth!

SAMPLE CARDIO WORKOUT:

-10min warmup on stepmill (comfortable pace...i usually select level 7-10)
-10-20min intervals on bike (90sec. low intensity & 30sec. high/full-blast)
-skipping rope: 150 skips
-15min incline treadmill (walk at a moderate pace - 3.0-3.5mph)
-cooldown & stretch :)

HOPE YOU GUYS FIND THE SNACKS/WORKOUT INFO USEFUL & DON'T FORGET TO E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR FEEDBACK/QUESTIONS :)
Alex@AlexLiska.com

xo,

Alex L. :)

Lower Body/Back Workout & Update!!!

2011-09-29T09:12:00.002-04:00

Good morning!!!!

Hope you're all having a lovely week so far :)))

I have been getting a lot of e-mails and messages asking me to post a lower body workout/what do i do for glutes/legs etc... So here is my response!

I just got back from the gym.. i had an amazing lower-body/back/core workout and a bomb post-workout meal! So I'm in a great mood. I decided to post what I did a few hours ago at the gym... Feel free to give this a try. I will suggest one thing, make sure you are well nourished before you go in to train 2 major muscle groups; this is an intense and grueling workout, so complex carbs and protein are a must before you head to the gym to tackle this challenge!!!

4 sets 20-25 reps for ALL lower body moves & 4 sets 12-15 reps for ALL upper back exercises:

Stiff Legged Barbell Deadlifts
Wide grip lat pull-downs or Chin-ups
High/Close stance Leg Press
Straight Arm Lat pulldown (with Rope)
Barbell Squats (Medium Stance)
T-Bar Rows
Lying Hamstring Curls (Feet together)
Leg Extensions (toes pointed out)
Seated Cable Rows (Close-grip)
Standing Calf Raises

I performed all of these moves as a circuit (giant-sets style) no rest until the whole circuit was finished. I did a core workout as an intermission... Mixture of Leg Raises/Vaccums/Broomstick Twists/Crunches etc... By the end of this workout i was sweating buckets and my heart felt like it was going to explode :D

I hope you guys find this info useful. I like to use the heaviest weights possible with the best possible form!!! I used to train with very light weights because it was embedded in my head that when you do high reps you should use b!tch weights too... this was until my coach talked some sense into me and made me realize that if i keep going for the b!tch weights my legs won't get any harder. They will stay the same size but softer! so the choice was EASY: hard quads/glutes/hams OR soft @ the same exact size... LOL obviously i wanted the tighter lower body option! and it happened... each workout my lower body gets tighter and tigher and the whole shape of it is changing/lifting and totally leaning out! I LOVE IT!!!

I must admit though, since i love being honest and outspoken, i caused a scene this week on my BBM!!! i was constantly b%tching and complaining about how gross and bulky i felt... what happened was last Saturday I had my scheduled cheat meal... i went to mcDonalds after my workout and had 2 mcdoubles & a jr. mc.chicken stacked ontop of eachother with 12 enveloppes of ketchup (my brother calls this burger trio the MC GANG BANG!!! LOL) i think i blew a load in my pants after this, seriously... party in my mouth!! HAHAHA ... then i went to Dairy Queen and got a large or maybe xtra large (don't remember) cookies and cream/smarties/double fudge cookie blizzard!!! :D:D:D:D:D: yummmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! OMG im dying just thinking about how good this was! Now, this is totally acceptable and actually encouraged by most because it will speed up your metabolism and provide a mental diet break so long as you resume clean eating immediately post-cheat meal... the problem was I WAS ON MY MOTHER F&CKING PERIOD when i did this sh*t!!!!!! So the next day and following few days i felt like a jersey cow!!! i felt like the fattest person on Earth! i tried on a pair of black TNA leggings and my whole lower body looked like i belonged in a music video for some low budget rapper! :/ I did something terrible, i started cutting all my carbs and fats out of guilt until my coach realized i was having an emotional diet crisis based on my retarded BBM panic updates!! i think everyone on my BBM list thought i was gonna commit suicide via excess cardio and extreme dieting!! LOL... anyways the good news is my mind is back to normal and i am back on track!!! i LOVE my legs and @ss allover again :) :) especially after today's workout!!!

So, don't be like me, don't be a retard! Use logic, don't deplete yourself on impulse and start restricting calories because you're a little bit bloated. Especially females! when that time of the month comes around; EXPECT THE WATER RETENTION!!! just cope with it... after all we have no choice but to accept it! Eventually some lucky man will be fortunate to spend every special 6 days of the month hearing me complain about how overweight and gross i am and how life sucks because im a woman!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAA! :D

Well, that is all for now guys!! Thanks for stopping by my site to see what's new and exciting in the crazy world of Miiss Alex :')))) Also, in case you don't have me on facebook, here is the link to the recipe for my deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious HEALTHY HIGH PROTEIN BROWNIES!! Enjoy!! xoxo

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=202384566495666

Post-Competition Review and What's Next for me...

2011-09-13T01:55:00.001-04:00

Hello!!!! Thank you for stopping by my site ;)
Soooo it's about 2-3 weeks after the WBFF show... I competed on the 27th of August... the prep was intense, very exciting and i'm truly pleased with the package i presented on stage and my conditioning! Had a blast meeting new people backstage, pumping up and enjoying lots of sugary treats!!! LOL... Every time i compete i learn something new about myself, both mental and physical... one thing i love about this sport is there is NO limit to what you can achieve and you can just continue to raise the bar with workouts/diet! The body adapts to training/nutrition so quickly that it's a constant challenge to keep a few steps ahead and shock your body!!!
The class i competed in was fairly large i think about 12-15 girls or so, i placed 5th... I can't say i was pleased with that... but then again, you NEVER KNOW what or who the judges are looking for... especially since i usually compete w/ a different organization... However, i won't cry over spilled milk... no use in b*tching about "unfair judging" ... life goes on and i am thankful for the extensive learning curve i got to experience while dialing in for this show... I owe a HUGE thank you to my amazing contest prep coach, Kevin Tierney!!! Honestly i started working w/ him towards the END of my prep (last month) where i had hit a major mental barrier... i was a complete carbo-phobic and cardio-addict!!!! Luckily he somehow got through my thick skull and talked some sense/scientific knowledge into me and sh*t started to click... it made sense WHY i needed "the right types of carbs" at the right times in order to achieve the look i wanted... if i have any regrets it's not having had Kevin train me the FULL 12 weeks... or i would have came in more dialed in/tighter... but this is why there are OTHER shows to train for... hahaha... NEXT on the agenda is the OPA London show in November... We've already pretty much mapped out a nutritional outline/training plan for the next while which is my main focus at this moment... I had a lot of fears to overcome...
1)Fear of carbs
2)Not Over-training(i was used to living on the cardio equipment)
3)Lifting super heavy for lower reps for a period of time
4)Giant Sets
5)Eating more in general...
6)Etc ... Etc... LOL
I was sooooo scared to eat more i honestly thought i was going to pack on so much size, the girl in me formed an emotional attachment to dieting.. so by taking myself out of the equation and just following the nutrition plan my coach gave me i didn't question anything, just had faith and i'm right back on track ;) I even got to enjoy an awesome post-comp week of "no boundaries eating" LOL i crammed thousands upon thousands of crap calories, like literally shoveled food down my throat by the hour... FEARLESS!!!!! As expected i retained a sh*t ton of WATER after this but it's ALL coming off! Focus, hard work, sweat/tears etc etc.... and the results are starting to show! I faced my fears of consuming clean carbs w/ more than 3 meals a day and eating wayyyy more protein and to my surprise the numbers on the scale are slowly decreasing... :)
If there is one thing i am learning is that it helps to be more objective and have an open mind when it comes to food/exercise... You may know your body best, but somebody may know what the next step for you is when you hit a plateau/barrier so although we have to stand on stage alone and this may be seen as a "one man sport" it takes a whole lot more input/opinions and expertise to truly master "dialing in" for a show!!!
My creativity is booming in the kitchen, i'm putting together so many new concoctions that fit into my new nutrition plan, it's really exciting and i'm eager to share some recipes with you all!!!!
Anyhow, here are a few pics that some very talented photographers took of me at the show... hope you like'em! ;) I will be posting another update and some recipes soon, so stay tuned :))))

xo,
Alex L. :)

Figure 911...My Battles With the Scale & Latest Progress Update...

2011-08-02T03:56:00.004-04:00

Hey Guys!!!!

Thanks for stopping by my site and tuning into my latest progress update!!!! Well, this is a bit of a rant/vent session AND update... LOL... The reason i called this post Figure 911 is because i KNOW theres hundreds and thousands of other female competitors that suffer from warped body image/scale battles/tape-measure battles/water retention dilemmas, and all sorts of psycho-neurotic mental problems... This is why a lot of times you see/meet women that look SENSATIONAL but when you tell them they look good, in their head they are really thinking "oh do i? but im holding like 10lbs of water, i just had a cheat meal so my abs are gone, im holding water in my lower body cause my periods coming ... etc.. etc..." it's really awful because at the end of the day we DID train our asses off and commit to clean eating in order to get to where we're standing..
Here are some pics i took after my nice relaxing incline powerwalk on the treadmill (1 hour). I took them @ the studio downstairs at the gym! The lights were almost ALL OFF because Monday was a holiday (yesterday) so i guess it's hard to really see what i "look like" lol :

My current diet is PLAGUED with green vegetables... i mean POUNDS and POUNDS a day... lots of water, still eating a fair bit of clean carbs, this phase is lower in fats... I have kept the carbs in for muscle hardness/fullness and because my body fat is low i don't really need to cut back on carbs dramatically... also, with just having started weight training again 1.5 weeks ago and doing an hour or more of cardio 4-5 times a week i'd be walking around like a brain-fogged, depleted retard if i didn't have carbs in my eating plan..
SOOOOOOOO what's REALLY f*cking with my head now is the fact that my weight will fluctuate from 139lbs. to 149lbs... sooo randomly... I have kept cheat meals/days in only when i deserve/earn them and its messed up because lots of times after cheating i weigh less.. i understand the science behind why this is, but i STILL allow the scale to torture me!!! The funny thing is, in order to LOOK SHREDDED YEAR ROUND i CANT walk around at 130-135lbs (stage weight) or i would look completely depleted and flat!!! So for those of you that have SERIOUS muscle density from years of training (im in my 10th year of working out) or a solid bone structure, DONT LOOK AT THE MUTHAAAA F*CKINGGG SCALE!!! Consider this, if you had a plastic blow-up doll full of cotton and gummy worms, and another plastic blow-up doll of the same size full of cement or metal, WHICH ONE WOULD WEIGH MORE ON THE SCALE?????? Muscle is wayyyyyyyyyy denser than fat... and if you are properly nourished your bones will be HEAVY! Also, people with longer torsos sometimes weigh MORE than those with longer legs/shorter torsos (tall people lol).

Another thing i've been doing to torment myself lately is, since i want to decrease the circumference of my thighs but at the same time build deeper cuts/harder legs, I will go HEAVY on deadlifts or after doing squats, eating my post workout meal i will run to my room and measure my legs like a big effing idiot, and freak out at the increased number, usually ONE INCH... well DUUUUUUUHHH my stupid ass just did legs and ate OBVIOUSLY its gonna be higher... I even shy away from lifting as heavy as i can for 20-25 reps out of fear that my legs will get bigger and fatter.. how stupid is that? lol well its not that stupid considering that most females are scared of weights, especially heavier weights... Luckily, for next leg day (this Thursday) I already went over this with my workout buddy and pretty much told him to assassinate my ego if i try to squat JUST the barbell in a pathetic attempt not to get fatter legs.. LOL having my ego crushed ALWAYS works... big proud ALEX hates feeling like a sissy in the weight room :) let's see how i look/feel after this leg day... also, i have some exciting diet modifications coming my way next Monday.. i will be cycling the macro-nutrients/changing the ratios of fats/proteins/carbs to REALLY tighten up... BYE BYE green veggie abundance!!! :') hello higher-fat phase !!!! yipeeeeeeeee! although i will be more lethargic and may even look flatter, this will help tighten me up in the last few weeks leading to my show! Soon after I will throw in this SIIIIICK herbal diuretic stack i came up with and play around with sodium/water towards the VERY END... although, is there ever really an end to this vicious cycle ??? :D

Hope you people enjoy my crazy updates and i REALLY hope that i can save at least a few of you from body dysmorphia associated with constant usage of the scale!!! seriously F&CK THAT SHIT!! according to those stupid charts at the doctor's pretty much the whole bodybuilding population is OBESE!!! Because we have more muscle mass and the charts don't take that into account, they tell you there is a FIXED weight for each height class which is beyond retarded and close-minded if you ask me :D
Before I go, i wanna send out a BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG hug & THANK YOU to the supportive, amazing people in my life that i bombard with text messages and complaints all day.. YOU GUYS definitely know who you are! You're FREAKING awesome & i LOVE YOUUUUUUUU for putting up with my retarded crazy ass!!! XOXO

Okay, stay tuned for the next progress post ;)

Alex L.

July 25th Progress Update!!

2011-07-25T20:41:00.000-04:00

Hello to all of my readers!!!

Thank you so much for taking interest in my exciting journey to my next figure competition, the WBFF show August 27th, 2011! I'm thrilled to share this experience with all of you and see that so many of you are e-mailing me, facebooking me etc... with questions and feedback, it makes this whole thing that much more fun for me :D
Well, the last post on here was July 11th, where i must admit i was STUCK IN A RUT! that video i posted SUCKED, i was crazy bloated from my time of the month which i did not even think was going to come.. and, the suit selection was awful, on top of that i had been creeping on facebook at all the other ripped peoples' profiles and somehow i started to feel REALLY low and mad at myself for not being where i should be, i felt off track all of a sudden and without hope. Well here are some things that have changed over the past 2 weeks that have made a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE difference in my progress and have gotten me to where i want to be at this point and it seems that i'm right back on track!

I changed my diet! (i was carb cycling previously, which was working wonders but as we are all too familiar with, everything has its limitations... so a macro-nutrient ratio switch-up was highly necessary) I've added a LOT more carbs in, and reduced some portions, added some digestive supplements and tapered back on protein! This is working for my body type.
My time of the month FINALLY came.... its unbelievable just HOW much of an impact this has on the female body. For one reason or another, my hormones decided to co-operate and make my life easier and i got my period :) Each day this week I started to feel tighter/leaner and understood WHY i looked so shitty in my last posing video.. once i made sense of a few things, my mood picked up, i removed the mental barriers/negativity and kept moving forward!
I have a WORKOUT BUDDYYYYYYYY!!!! i NEVER wanted one before because i thought they would talk too much or go off-topic from the workout or try to entirely dictate the whole workout etc. etc... i'm REALLY stubborn and sometimes when it comes to socializing i'm very closed-minded.. THIS is one decision i do NOT regret... after going through my training partner's back workout on Tuesday it felt like my lats/rhomboids/whole entire back had been re-modeled like a clay structure LOL... I'm also more motivated because instead of staring at myself in the mirror the whole time and going from admiring to criticizing myself i have somebody else to stare at and stroke their ego and talk about vascularity with! :D haha so this was a WIN-WIN situation!
I changed my meal frequency!!! I am switching back from 5 larger meals a day (all different sizes) to 6-8 small meals a day... depending on the day of the week, activity level and what i am craving... i strongly believe that if you're craving something HEALTHY in abundance, your body is deficient in nutrients that this food possesses, so instead of listening to "hear-say" and other peoples advice, the news/magazines or WHATEVER the brainwash may be... GO WITH YOUR GUT!! Follow your instincts.. this has worked for me time and time again... i will NOT "Listen to the experts" if they "wont listen to me" and that's final! We are very intuitive beings and should not allow ourselves to be mislead:)
I took a FACEBOOK VACATION... not that i don't love you all and mind you i did miss interacting with all my friends/fans on a daily basis but i needed some time to think, and make very important decisions.. also, i needed to STOP making shrines of myself for a bit and posting them on FB blowing up people's notifications/news feeds LOL...

Now, those are the main things that have changed in my training/diet that have made all the difference i find... For some reason, my whole attitude towards competing has changed. I want to be ripped/lean YEAR-ROUND and i find the only way to achieve this is to find a perfect balance between work, training, dieting, leisure activities/relaxation and mind control. THE BODY ACHIEVES WHAT THE MIND BELIEVES! as i always say, and am finally following; if you tell yourself that you suck, you will end up losing... if you tell yourself you WILL achieve, you will start to believe this and results will happen... take ANY SMALL result, and ANY small advance in the right direction and use it as a sign/prediction of what's to come... STAY POSITIVE!!!! I'm obviously really excited hence all the CAPITAL LETTERS!!!! LOLOL

Anyhow, i've added some pics into the article for those of you that don't have me on facebook. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer and stay tuned for my next update :)
xo,

Alex L.

July 11th Progress Update!

2011-07-11T13:06:00.000-04:00

Hi, and thanks for stopping by my blog to check my latest update:)

I started this transformation journey almost 2 full months ago, and so far everything seems to be going as planned... The past 2-3 weeks is when i have seen the most results from my diet and training. I am currently following my own diet which i change whenever i feel its necessary. It's low in carbs overall but i have incorporated a few higher carb days which are cycled in depending on my activity level or how my progress is coming along. I am using bodyfat callipers and tape measures to track my progress.. the scale is really not my friend at this point especially on days where i consume more green vegetables and water.... LOL... the way my clothes fit or how i look in the mirror, vascularity and overall appearance are better indicators than the fluctuating number on the scale!!
Sometimes after i have a meal i feel super tight and lean and i can see soooo much definition, but other times, especially after my first meal of the day which is a shake, i feel like i look bloated... it's really frustrating since i know its all in my head. Getting past the mental aspect of dieting has always been a huge challenge for me. There are so many highs and lows that go along with this. Today i decided to record this quick posing practice clip. Cleary i picked the wrong suit for posing and the lighting is way off but as long as i got to practice that's what counts!

My bodyfat levels have dropped dramatically and my hormones seem to be having a hard time adjusting to the fast changes taking place. I haven't gotten my time of the month in a while, which i know is really common among female figure/fitness/bodybuilding athletes so i'm not too concerned but it's playing tricks with my mind. I keep thinking it's gonna come every time i get cramps or feel bloated but then nothing happens! Grrrrrrrrrrr!
Aside from that things seem to be going good, I have no complaints... I've started doing some extra cardio and changed my workouts again as well as my diet so I hope to see some improvements in the next 2 weeks!

I'll be posting again on here soon so stay tuned :))

xo

Latest Journal Entry: Before & After - 6 Week Challenge!!!

2011-06-25T23:37:00.003-04:00

By: Alex Liska
Hello! :)

Thanks for stopping by my site to check out my latest journal entry as I prep for the WBFF Worlds August 27th!!! :)
I decided it's time to post my dreaded before and after pic...
The "Before" Pic was taken the day before i started my diet about 6 weeks ago! The "After" Pic was taken this morning! The main reason i am posting this pic is because just about a week or two ago i was ready to give up and say F&CK IT!!! I was extremely bloated and i thought i looked like sh*t and wasn't seeing as much "RESULTS" as i wanted... The scale was barely shifting, my weight had barely gone down in a long time.
Although my mom and people at the gym and so on and so forth were telling me they could see the changes in my physique, there were other people asking me "so how much time till your show? oh you still have a long time don't worry," which made me think.. "am i really that far from where i need to be that these people are telling me i'm lucky to have all this time to prep...?"

Anyways, long story short, I decided to keep pushing forward and just break through the mental plateau i had reached. I not only need to keep a positive mindset for myself, but also for my clients and anyone that reads my blog, follows my workouts/diet. I need to lead by example, so giving up is NOT an option!!!! In this case i would have gave up RIGHT before seeing change.. because to my surprise when i woke up today i looked completely different than last Saturday morning... I decided to have faith and try on my posing suit from my last show (Ontario Naturals Sept. 11, 2010) and .... IT FIT !!!! :)))
Motivation, Inspiration & Success comes when you least expect it!! This was especially true for me this week ! :)
"The Body Achieves What The Mind Believes"

I am currently working on putting together a 4 stage dieting manual for beginner-advanced trainees. It will focus on meal planning, meal prep, food selection, when to consume carbs/fats/proteins and how to incorporate supplements/vitamins/minerals into a nutrition plan etc...... Stay tuned for more updates from me as i dial in for my next show ;)

Chicken & Eggwhite Omelet with Mozzarella!!! Healthy High Protein Recipe

2011-06-08T17:19:00.002-04:00

By: Alex Liska

Ingredients:
-8 Egg-whites
-1 cup chopped spinach (i use other greens sometimes)
-4 oz. grilled chicken breast slices
-1 tsp garlic powder or crushed garlic
-1 tsp. butter (stick form, not margarine!!)
-paprika, black pepper and sea salt for taste!
-2 oz skimmed mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Combine the egg-whites, spinach, garlic and spices. Heat a medium sized frying pan/skillet and add tsp. of butter. Pour in the egg-whites/spinach mix and cover for 5minutes or so (medium heat). Top with chicken breast slices and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Place in preheated 450-500degree oven (on broil) for 3-5 minutes until cheese is lightly browned! Cut into 2-4 servings and ENJOY!!! :)

This omelet is high in protein & very low carb/moderate fat!! This is definitely great food for fuel! It's quite filling as well!

Serves 2 (or it can serve ONE very hungry person! lol)

xo,

Alex L.

My Latest Shoulder Workout!!

2011-06-06T17:46:00.000-04:00

By: Alex Liska

Hey guys!!! As promised, here is my latest shoulder workout! I've started using kettle bells in between sets to switch-up my training a bit, shock my muscles and keep my heart rate up! I'm doing squats with the kettle-bells, swinging them up and down (this REALLY kills the shoulders)
Another tip, try using the skipping rope for cardio... this will help sculpt and tone your shoulders! Boxers do a lot of skipping and there is no denying that they all have killer shoulders! :D

Warm-up: 500-1000 skips (skipping rope) followed by 3-5 sets 8-12 reps of each of the following:

Rear-delt flyes with cables
Standing arnold presses
Single-arm side lat raises (slightly leaning forward)
Wide grip barbell upright rows
Military dumbbell presses

I did a set of 25 reps "Kettle bell Squats" squatting down with the kettle bell and swinging it upwards, squeezing my shoulder caps as i came up, between sets for EACH one of the exercises listed above!

I finished up my workout with another 500-1000 skips!

When training shoulders i like to keep things simple, always do a few compound exercises and a few isolation moves as well as a cardio exercises that utilized the shoulders! Also, i like to engage my core, by doing most of these exercises while standing up, or in this case, using kettle bells in between sets!

A quick tip for fitness/figure competitors, i find that POSING practice REALLY helps sculpt your shoulders because flexing and bringing out those delts is mandatory in almost each one of our poses! Hope this helps! :)))

xo,

Alex L.

Lift, Tone, Sculpt & Re-Shape Your Lower Body With This Workout!!

2011-05-19T23:18:00.000-04:00

By: Alex Liska
Hey guys! Thanks for stopping by my blog :) I had to post what I did at the gym today for lower body, it was SO intense, yet i could feel my quads, hamstrings and glutes tightening with each set of exercises so it was well worth the pain! Hopefully I won't be too crippled tomorrow morning.. LOL

5 min warm up on treadmill followed by:

4 sets 25 reps lying leg curls superset with
4 sets 25 reps stiff-legged deadlifts
3 sets 20-25 reps Reverse One-legged hack-squats (no added weight)
4 sets 20 reps leg extensions superset with
4 sets 12 reps standing leg curl machine
4 sets 25 reps leg press (feet positioned very high on the platform, pushing through the heels)
4 sets 20 reps barbell front squats superset with
4 sets 15-20 reps jump squats
100 walking lunges (each leg)

I finished this workout with 45 minutes high incline treadmill power-walking :D

Keep in mind that in order to re-shape and lean out your lower body nutrition is key! Browse the archives of this blog for nutrition tips, recipes and more info :)

xo,

Lose Body-fat Faster By Incorporating NEGATIVE CALORIE Foods Into Your Meal Plan

2011-04-28T02:02:00.011-04:00

By: Alex Liska

Negative calorie foods require more calories(energy) to digest than the actual calories these foods contain!!
It's not rocket science to know that all foods contain calories, however "negative calorie foods" are much harder to digest; the body has to work extra hard in order to break down these foods and burn them off. In other words, by consuming these foods you provide your body with a natural fat-burning advantage!!

Below are some examples of "negative calorie foods" that you may want to consider incorporating into your daily meal plan:
-Celery
-Asparagus
-Tomatoes
-Onions
-Garlic
-Blueberries
-Grapefruit
-Cabbage
-Beans
-Cucumber
-Green Beans
-Water cress
-Endives
-Apples
-Cranberries (Unsweetened)
-Lettuce
-Pineapple
-Raspberries
-Cantaloupe
-Spinach
-Beetroot
-Watermelon
-Brussel Sprouts
And the list continues... there are quite a few negative calorie foods, even meats/fish that have a very high thermic effect meaning that your body must elevate its internal temperature and work very hard in order to digest and absorb nutrients from these foods.
Remember, the harder your body has to work to digest foods, the faster your metabolism becomes. Along with exercise, adequate water consumption (minimum 10 glasses a day), and proper sleep you can rest assured that you will shed stubborn body-fat and lean out at a decent pace just by making use of "negative calorie" containing foods!
These foods also help with satiety/feeling full, which is so important when trying to control your appetite and lose weight or simply add muscle mass without unwanted fat. Remember, "you are what you eat" so focus on eating clean and engaging in daily physical activity and you will be on the road to a long, prosperous, balanced life! :)

If you enjoyed this article don't forget to checkout "SUPERFOODS" on my other blog:
http://naturallyanabolic.blogspot.com/2011/04/superfoods.html
xo,

-Alex L.:)

Peanut Butter/Chocolate High Protein Truffles! (Low Carb Treat)

2011-03-20T17:57:00.002-04:00

Everyone that has dieted whether it be for a physique competition or simply to shed a few lbs. knows how hard it can be to get rid of cravings for decadent treats! There is no need to eliminate ALL good tasting foods from your diet; instead, find ways to create a healthier version of whatever it is that you're craving! :)

Here is a great little treat for when you're craving chocolate and peanut butter. Not good calorie wise (if you eat it all in one sitting), but great for a bite here and there to kill a craving.

-3 tbsp all natural peanut butter
-1/2 scoop protein powder (choc or vanilla)
-3 tbsp cocoa

-little bit of sweetner, few drops of water to make consistency
moist.

Mix all together till a good paste is made, roll up into
little balls, place on non-stick pan or dish, place in freezer,
eat when needed!

This recipe was sent to me via Facebook from the lovely Sara Fennell who will be competing in the WBFF show in April, here's the link to her facebook profile, so you can follow her journey to this show! Thanks for the recipe Sara!!! xo
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=506557194

Checkout "80 Great Ways to Celebrate National Nutrition Month"

2011-03-03T17:11:00.001-05:00

This article was sent to me by someone over at Nursingschools.net in honor of NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH!! Click on the link below to view this great article; lots of really good tips!!!
http://www.nursingschools.net/blog/2011/03/80-great-ways-to-celebrate-national-nutrition-month/

Still Low-Carbin' it & Lifting Heavy!!!

2011-02-27T19:52:00.003-05:00

By: Alex Liska

Hey!! Thanks for stopping by my blog to check my latest progress update!:)
As mentioned in my previous posts, i have been doing some experimenting with different diet tricks, different macro-nutrient ratios as well as food products... For my body type it's quite clear that low-carb works best. I am very sensitive to grains and can't consume starchy carbs everyday, they are very acidic, cause discomfort, spike my insulin levels (especially when consumed alongside proteins) and lead to weight gain and excessive hunger. Regardless of how "wholesome" or complex these carbs may be, unless i'm having a small serving of fibrous green veggies my body doesn't respond well to grains. However, in order for my hormone levels to adjust and my thyroid to function properly on a very limited carb diet, i have incorporated 1-2 weekly carb re-feeds to jolt my metabolism and keep my glycogen stores full. I got an AWESOME carb-cycling template and diet/training layout from my friend Josh:) it makes complete sense for my body-type and after just a few days on the new diet i have noticed some positive changes; i feel a lot tighter and more energetic! My first official carb re-feed consisted of oats, yams, greens, healthy fats, fruits and took place 2 days ago. The following day i was back to super-low carb dieting and i went and did a HEAVYYYY leg workout!

I have also found that in order to build deep cuts and sculpt nice, full 3D muscles you just have to go heavy. For women especially, considering that we have a quite limited testosterone producing ability we must go super heavy in order to sculpt and build muscle and maintain a muscular physique while dieting. It makes me laugh when people are afraid to lift heavy weights because they are dieting for a figure show, yet so WE ARE CONSUMING LESS CALORIES, in most cases, doing more cardio, weighing every food portion etc... so how on earth would anyone bulk up just by lifting heavy? it's quite absurd if you ask me. However, i can understand if hormone levels are out of whack, ones metabolism is not running up to speed perhaps from TOO MUCH CARDIO, a very acidic gut(usually caused by over-consumption of starchy carbohydrates accompanied by proteins), or if you're following a diet that's not high enough in dietary fats, maybe then...JUST MAYBE then, you may experience water retention and bulk from going heavy, but then there are other factors that need to be assessed and addressed.

Anyhow, i'm lifting heavy, doing pyramid sets anywhere between 5-6 sets of 6-15 reps of every exercise. My main focus is compound moves, and i'm doing whatever i can to keep my workouts under ONE hour (this is to avoid cortisol production or insulin sensitivity caused by over-training). I've been sipping on a protein shake with glutamine in it during my workouts to keep my body in an anabolic state and i refuse to do any more than 20-30min of low intensity cardio following my workouts! So far so good... but at the end of the day, this whole dieting for show thing is quite the mental trip, so it's all about maintaining a positive attitude, clear state of mind and always continuing to move forward. Our bodies are always changing, everyday we wake up a new person! Not to mention there is a LOT of trial and error involved, especially in my case now that i'm training myself.. Self-awareness is key and having the ability to gauge your physique or have someone that you trust provide good feedback is also important! :)

I'm still consuming LOTS of whey protein, mainly for convenience, but also a lot of whole foods. My supplements are still: O3mega Extra Strength capsules, Spirulina, Glutamine, Whey protein, Multivitamin, Greens Plus (This stuff gives me SO much energy, i add it to my pre and post-workout shakes) and either Cod-Liver-Oil or Evening Primrose Oil capsules....

Stay tuned for my next update;)
xo

Alex L.:)

My Conclusions RE: Sodium, Fats, Cardio when Dieting PLUS a "DETAILED Shoulders/Biceps Workout"...

2011-02-18T17:33:00.003-05:00

By: Alex Liska

Happy Friday!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog to check my latest training/nutrition update:)

My diet is still low-carb with an occasional clean-carb re-feed... I have 1-2 zero-carb days a week, where i eat lots of dietary fats, protein, greens and SODIUM... My thyroid is very thankful that i do not follow a low-sodium diet everyday... Unfortunately, after 10 years of trial/error with diets i learned the hard way that too much cardio, not enough sodium and fat, and too many carbs causes METABOLIC DAMAGE, DEPRESSION, and CELLULITE!!!! The key i find is to keep sodium levels under control when you're eating more carbs, but on days where i have ZERO carbs i keep sodium HIGH... I also drink more water on these days to help flush out ketones (by-product of a ketogenic/low carb diet). I know i need to have a zero-carb/high-fat and sodium day when i start craving salt, this is usually my thyroid signalling to me that i need more IODINE!!! Not just that, but did you know that your body cannot absorb POTASSIUM without adequate levels of sodium? Sodium is key in allowing cell walls to be able to take in potassium. So too much potassium and not enough sodium can lead to a very big health disaster!!!
I keep cardio to a minimum on these zero-carb days as well, to give my thyroid a break and time to rest:)

At this stage, with more than 7 weeks left to my next show, it's far too early to start watching my sodium intake, I will do that closer to the show, when i am trying to really tighten up and drop water weight. Another pointer when eating more salt and vegetables(greens) is DO NOT LOOK AT THE SCALE! these numbers are completely useless as long as you are leaning out. Muscle weighs more than fat and greens/sodium will cause your weight to temporarily go up. A better indicator is my bra-size, vascularity, bodyfat etc.... This will let me know if i am losing body fat at the right speed or not.
Another thing I noticed, is CAFFEINE from coffee can be very beneficial on my zero-carb, high fat/sodium/protein days... It gives me energy and helps break down the food i eat hence facilitating bowel movements :) On days that i eat more carbs I keep caffeine to a minimum because i have found it causes cellulite when i mix caffeine, sodium, carbs and cardio... I hope this is not too confusing, but basically if i need a boost on my carb-consumption days i stick to Green Tea, this also gives my adrenal glands/thyroid a nice break!

Anyhow, I won't bore you anymore with my diet rants! Here is the Shoulders/Biceps workout i did today:

SHOULDERS/BICEPS WORKOUT (Friday, February 19, 2011)

Started w/ 15min brisk walk to the gym as a warm-up.

Shoulders:

· ----Front DB raises w/ palms facing up (slight bend @ the elbows) Superset w/ Single-arm side lat DB raises on a slight angle leaning forward … 4 sets 10-15 reps

· ----Reverse Flyes (Cable Station) … 3 sets 12-15 reps

· ----Upright Rows (close grip) on cables using EZ-bar handle … 4 sets 10-12 reps

· ----Single Arm Reverse Flyes (Cable station) … 3 sets 8-10 reps

· ---Seated overhead DB shoulder press (I usually start my workout w/ these but decided to do them last today) … 3-4 sets 8-10 reps (5reps normal grip & 5 reps military style)

Biceps:

· ----EZ-bar bicep curls… 3 sets 10-15 reps

· ----Seated alternating DB bicep curls (Drop set – Start w/ med-heavy weight and finish w/ a lighter weight…I actually did my last 5 lighter reps “hammer curl style”) …3 sets 12-15 reps

· ----Single-arm machine preacher curls … 3 sets 10-12 reps

I I usually start with overhead barbell presses or Dumbbell presses but i decided to switch it up today... I also finished off w/ 20min of incline treadmill cardio @ 10-15%incline 4.5-4.8mph... I'm still not doing a sh*t-load of cardio because I don't wanna over do it, and i'm leaning out at a good rate now with just 3-4 H.I.I.T/Intense cardio sessions a week. The rest is all diet.

Thanks for stopping by to checkout my progress update :) Stay tuned for more workout s/video clips and updates!!

xoxo,
Alex L.

Zero Carb Day and I need to work on my Posing....

2011-02-16T20:22:00.008-05:00

By: Alex Liska

Hey guys,
Thanks for stopping by to check my latest update on my journey to my next show....
Soooo the last time I checked the Canada Naturals was supposed to be on April 23, 2011. However I checked the OPA website yesterday and it says the next Naturals show is April 30, 2011 in Ottawa, now i'm confused...LOL... either way the journey shall continue!!! :) As you may know, i was training with Team O'Brien (Mindi and Dennis) for my last show (the Ontario Naturals) and they were awesome! The weight training programs were so intense, and i learned so much about nutrition and fitness from them!

Unfortunately this year with dieting costs and so many curve-balls that seemed to come flying at me from every direction I didn't have the funds to continue my training and afford my diet :( so i have been training myself and writing my own diets for the past month.
Over the years, being in the fitness industry, working in gyms as a personal trainer and nutrition coach I have learned SO much about sports nutrition it is UNBELIEVABLE, so I've taken everything i learned and created my own diets and workout programs... So far everything seems to be going quite smooth...
I'm following a really neat approach when it comes to dieting, my body is responding quite well to it. I eat low-carb (under 50gr. per day) for 4 days, on the 5th day (my off-day from the gym) i have ZERO carbs..then on the 6th day i have complex carbs and some fruit with 3-4 of my meals (a carb re-feed) then i go back to low-carb for the next 4 days and the cycle continues! I've ditched the egg-whites and other stereotypical diet foods that were making me go broke and replaced them with tons of whole foods (eggs/avocados/nuts/fish/flaxseeds/cocoa powder etc...) that are more cost effective and they work well for my body type:)
I am not using much supplements, aside from whey protein (no more than a scoop a day 3-4 times a week) and I am still taking O3mega Extra Strength capsules from 'Genuine Health' these are by far the best fish oil supplement i've tried up to date. All i need is 2-3 capsules daily with my breakfast and i'm set for the day!!! I'm taking a multivitamin and 1 500mg Spirulina capsule. Here is a sample meal plan on one of my low-carb days:
Meal 1:
-Protein Shake (berries, essential fats/flaxseeds/flaxseed oil, Greens+, 1 scoop whey isolate, cocoa powder, ice and water)
-Green tea or blk coffee

-2-3 "O3mega Extra Strength Capsules"
-1 Spirulina (500mg)
-1 Multivitamin

Meal 2:
-eggs
-blk coffee

Meal 3:
-Tuna and hardboiled eggs
-Broccoli/cabbage or other greens
-flaxseed oil
-grapefruit or berries

Meal 4:
-white fish or chicken
-1 cup mixed green veggies
-walnut oil
-almonds

Meal 5:
-Extra large green salad
-tomatoes, cucumber, celery, mushrooms
-tuna or chicken with hardboiled eggs
-flaxseed or walnut oil
-grapefruit or berries

Meal 6:
-eggs or more fish
-1/3 cup greens
-nuts/seeds
If i'm still hungry or up late for whatever reason I'll have a Meal 7 which is usually eggs or a handful of mixed nuts or just a tablespoon of peanut butter and then i go to bed :)

Since I'm training on my own now i really have to push myself HARD at the gym, one of the benefits of having a coach was knowing that as long as i followed everything on my programs i was on the right track... Now i never seem to think i trained hard enough... I always do an extra set of each exercise or add in more H.I.I.T. cardio just to be on the safe side. i'm still doing just 20-30min of intense cardio and plyometrics 4-5 days a week. I don't wanna start the slow, steady state fat burn cardio until right before my show, cause i dont want my body to adapt to it. If i do too much cardio now by the last 3 weeks prior to my show i'll have to do like 2-3 hours a day...LOL yuck!! Plus, H.I.I.T cardio works more effectively at elevating your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), your body adjusts too easily to steady state long-duration cardio...

And as you can probably tell by my latest posing video clips, i REALLY need posing practice :( luckily i still have over 2mths to prep for my next show *phew* .... So i will be doing posing practice every day!!!!

Anyhow, I will be keeping you all posted on here, as my transformation journey continues :))
I would also like to thank my friend Fern Assard (Ms. Fit Fern) for providing me with an awesome diet consult via Facebook and giving me some really useful tips when it comes to 'Carb Cycling' :)

Thanks for stopping by my site,
xoxo,

Alex L.:)

Plateau-Breaking “EVERY MINUTE COUNTS” PLYO-Workout

2011-02-14T17:20:00.001-05:00

By: Alex Liska

Thanks for stopping by my site to check out my latest workout. The reason I say “EVERY MINUTE COUNTS” is because this workout can be quite challenging at first but even if you stop after 5-10 minutes, it’s enough to provide you with a great caloric burn, increase in energy and speed up your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). The complete workout was actually 60min. but I will only be posting the first 20-25 on here as a sample.

Here’s the workout:

TREADMILL/SKIPPING ROPE (REPEAT THIS CIRCUIT TWICE (10-15min.)

· -Warm up for 5 min. brisk walking (3.8-4.5mph)

· -Run for 1 min. and sprint as fast as you can for 2min. (7.5-9.0mph)

· -Perform 50 Jump squats (stationary)

· -Skip for 5min. (timed)

STSTEPMILL/BIKE (15min.)

· -2min. on the stepmill (1^st minute @Level 10-12, 2^nd minute walking backwards holding onto handles @Level 8-10)

· -3min. on stationary bike (intervals) – Level 10-12

· -3min. on the stepmill (1^st minute @Level 8-10 walking backwards holding onto handles, 2^nd minute @Level 10-12 walking forward & 3^rd minute walking side-ways (hold onto handles for safety) @Level 8-10.

· -2 min. on stationary bike (intervals) – Level 10-12

· -2min. on stationary bike (intervals) – Level 10-12

COOLDOWN BY SPEEDWALKING ON THE TREADMILL FOR 5MIN.

So that’s part of the workout, what you can do is break it up into 2 workouts if you’re a beginner, do the Treadmill/Skipping portion on DAY1 and the Stepmill/Bike Portion on DAY 2…

ENJOY!!!

xoxo

-Alex L.:)

Training and Nutrition Update - Feb 11 - A New Beginning without those EVIL CARBS....

2011-02-11T20:28:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday to you all!!! :)

I hope everyone had a great week, and I'm happy that you decided to stop by and checkout my latest post on my journey to my next figure comp. !!!

I have decided to continue using this ultra-low carb diet i recently put together. Last year when i first started prepping for the Ontario Naturals i was already fairly lean so my body was able to handle carbs a bit better than this time. Unfortunately a few weeks ago i did NOT look anything like i should have looked being about 12 weeks out from my next show, I was depressed and lacking motivation. I was doing 2 cardio sessions a day, the first one was 45 minutes steady-state on the stepmill and second one was 30-min intervals, I was eating a fair bit of carbs mainly from fruit and grains. What a distaster!!!!! i will NEVER do that again... i ballooned to 155lbs! i don't care what anyone has to say, that is NOT healthy. Last season when prepping for Ont.Naturals my weight did not exceed 135lbs. off-season or on-season i never wanna be that big again, none of my clothes fit, i was eating way more than i am now (mainly carbs) and i was STILL hungry and cranky all the time, not to mention slaving away on the cardio equipment day and night!!!

I was too ashamed to take pics of myself, however i did snap a few so i could do a before and after... I will be posting these pics from January 11th soon...

The good news is that I have tweaked my diet, i got rid of those useless filler carbs, and i REFUSE to follow a LOW FAT approach... I added in a fair amount of dietary fats, mainly from sources such as:

-Avocados

-Primrose oil capsules

-O3mega Extra Strength Capsules from Genuine Health (these are working wonders for me!)

-Cod Liver Oil (Liquid extract)

-Nuts

-Whole Eggs

-Other nut oils

-Skinless dark poultry meat

-Salmon and other fatty fish (herring/sardines etc....)

-Extra virgin olive oil

Those are just a few of the fats i have added in, that have helped heal my metabolic damage caused by that high carb diet i followed in the off-season.

I cannot stress just HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!!! I have cut cardio out completely, I'm eating tons of protein from a variety of different sources, and eating tons of good healthy fats along with greens (mainly cruciferous veggies and romaine lettuce) and im doing almost NO CARDIO. The most cardio i will do is 3-4weekly 15-20minutes of high intensity intervals.

I have shed 15 lbs since i started this about 2 weeks ago. My clothes finally fit and my moods are way better now that i'm not starving on a low-fat diet!

I still have a long way to go till i am super-lean and ready to hit the stage, but i'm so happy that the results are taking less time now and i'm way more pumped and motivated! :D

I plan on following this diet that i wrote for myself, which is basically 4 days of 50grams or less of carbs/day coming from berries and trace-carbs from green veggies/fiber...then on 3 consecutive days i cut my carbs out completely with the exception of some greens (again.. trace carbs), flaxseeds, cocoa powder and i increase my fats on these days and continue until I am fully depleted. I then begin slowly cycling back in some carbs for the next 4 days. This will surely change as time goes by and my transformation continues but for the meantime it's whats working best!

In terms of supplements I am really seeing an increase in energy and an uplift in my moods since i've been taking "O3mega Extra Strength" Capsules by the same company that makes Greens Plus, "Genuine Health." I highly recommend this Fish-oils supplement to anyone that's looking to accelerate fat-loss and increase their energy levels!

I took some progress pics, again this is nothing compared to what i hope to look like by next month, but i've come along way since last month where i was suffering from the high-carb-blues and energy crashes and nearly destroyed my thyroid doing too much cardio... *PHEW* thank God that's over... :)

Look out for my next Update!!! :)

-Alex L. :)

DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THE GENUINE HEALTH FACEBOOK PAGE, AND LEARN ALL ABOUT THE AWESOME HEALTH PRODUCTS THEY OFFER:
http://www.facebook.com/GenuineHealth

New Progress Update for February :)

2011-02-08T19:30:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for stopping by my blog to checkout my latest update on my journey to the Canada Naturals April 23/2011 !!
So I've been doing some experimenting with my diet this past while and I found that i was not seeing any results with grains still being part of my meal-plan so I've substituted the majority of my carbs with the exception of berries here and there with more healthy fats. I have also changed some of the supplements I was taking and replaced them with different ones. Since the minor adjustments to my diet I am seeing very promising results :) I'm so excited to see how this transformation continues to unfold... I worked really hard on building muscles this past off-season and as i slowly burn off layers of fat I'm beginning to uncover new lean muscle mass.. YAY! :D

These are some progress pics that i just took, mind you I'm holding a ton of water still due to the massive amount of veggies in my diet as well as other factors (time of the month etc..)

At the moment my diet consists of 6-7 meals, all containing protein and dietary fats. I'm focusing on consuming whole foods only and I'm also taking fish oils, whey protein and Greens Plus as my main supplements. I just started taking "Om3ga Extra Strength" fish-oil capsules by Genuine Health (the same company that manufactures Greens Plus), and I will continue to use these as my fish-oil supplement through out my entire show prep. I've noticed an increase in energy as well as better ability to focus.
I will be gauging my body throughout the next couple of weeks and perhaps adding in a carb-up day if necessary! :)

I look forward to posting more pics and updates, stay tuned for more videos and journal entries on here...

xoxo,

Alex L. :)

Starting a New Season...

2011-01-28T17:12:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since i've written or posted on here... I had a productive but mentally tough off-season. Having to watch my body transform before my eyes has been very difficult. The food on my meal plan tasted great and i was not experiencing mood swings and such but the added carbs, decrease in cardio combined with the holiday season led to some unnecessary weight gain :(

Luckily i am getting back on track, my diet has changed again and i'm doing more cardio, so slowly but surely the results are starting to show. Some of my goals this past off-season were to work on building a wider back and adding mass to my shoulders. I am quite pleased at how that went, and im hoping to keep as much size in my upper body while dieting down for my next show!
It's just a matter of time and patience now, these are things I have to work on. I love going to the gym, weight training and even cardio with good music isn't all that bad. My main thing is not letting my negative thoughts control me and ruin my moods. I have to step away from the mirror and leave the scale alone for once, and enjoy my training and try to make the best of things. I know from talking to other fitness/figure/bodybuilding competitors that the beginning stages after coming off from an off-season phase can be mentally challenging. At this point I want to take things one day at a time and not get ahead of myself. Mood swings and ups/downs will always be there but the one thing i can control is my thoughts. I'm hoping to find a more positive attitude and have fun with this journey:))) My next show is the Canada Naturals on April 23 in Quebec! I've started my food journal, tracking my workouts/food intake and I'll be updating my progress via video/journal posts on here, stay tuned ;)

xo

Alex L.

Fitness and Lifestyle (Extreme Nutrition and Training Blog)

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Leg Workout: Circuits and Supersets Plus CORE

Helpful Tips to Fight Cravings !!!

Adrenal Fatigue: How to Improve Your Adrenal Health

Ab Ripper Workout and New Journal Entry

5 Pre-Cardio Snacks & Sample Workout

Lower Body/Back Workout & Update!!!

Post-Competition Review and What's Next for me...

Figure 911...My Battles With the Scale & Latest Progress Update...

July 25th Progress Update!!

July 11th Progress Update!

Latest Journal Entry: Before & After - 6 Week Challenge!!!

Chicken & Eggwhite Omelet with Mozzarella!!! **Healthy High Protein Recipe**

My Latest Shoulder Workout!!

Lift, Tone, Sculpt & Re-Shape Your Lower Body With This Workout!!

Lose Body-fat Faster By Incorporating NEGATIVE CALORIE Foods Into Your Meal Plan

Peanut Butter/Chocolate High Protein Truffles! (Low Carb Treat)

Checkout "80 Great Ways to Celebrate National Nutrition Month"

Still Low-Carbin' it & Lifting Heavy!!!

My Conclusions RE: Sodium, Fats, Cardio when Dieting PLUS a "DETAILED Shoulders/Biceps Workout"...

Zero Carb Day and I need to work on my Posing....

Plateau-Breaking “EVERY MINUTE COUNTS” PLYO-Workout

Training and Nutrition Update - Feb 11 - A New Beginning without those EVIL CARBS....

New Progress Update for February :)

Starting a New Season...

Chicken & Eggwhite Omelet with Mozzarella!!! Healthy High Protein Recipe