MAGNUM ACID: Combined with HEAT, Acid is my fat-burning secret weapon! Acid is a Pharmaceutical grade Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), a natural fatty acid that increases muscle tissue and metabolizes body fat – particularly in the abdominal and glute region. What sets Acid apart from other CLA supplements, however, is that Magnum only invests in the two isomers of CLA (of three) that are proven to burn body fat, leaving you with no 30% filler! This increases the potency of every serving! As a competitor, I focus on keeping my abs and butt tight, so this product is a godsend. This is also the first product I would recommend to someone looking to try a fat-burning supplement if they have not had experience with fat-burners before.

MAGNUM HEAT: Combined with ACID, Heat is my fat-burning secret weapon! Now, just like most pre-workouts, I find that most fat-burners do very undesirable things to my body, especially with my heart and sleep patterns. Heat, however, is a STIMULANT FREE thermogenic fat incinerator which stimulates energy without the jitters! The key to Heat is its natural ingredient thermogenesis. The blend of raspberry ketones, ginger root, green tea leaf, black pepper extract, capsaicin, and others, will increase your basal metabolic rate, and make you SWEAT when you work! No joke, I have taken thermogenics before, but I have never actually sweat as much as I have with Heat! Whats more, not only are you not facing the jitters, Heat also has adaptogens, to help balance your hormones, so drastic fat burning results are done without overhauling how you feel — this means there will be no yo-yo effect or crash when cycling off, and you will not gain the weight back (if maintaining a healthy diet and consistent exercise.) Note: For those who like their fat-burner stimulants, HEAT ACCELERATED is the option for you!

L-Carntine: L-Carntine is a staple and a standard of the competitor supplement stack. Magnum does not produce an L-Carnitine supplement, therefore I am not discerning over brand preference. Synthesized from amino acids, L-carnitine is essential in the transport and breakdown of lipids (fat) in the body’s metabolic reactions, which then helps to produce metabolic energy.  When paired with Acid (CLA) and a natural based fat burner such as Heat, L-Carnitine is a great addition to any stack focused on reducing body fat and promoting leanness.

Green Tea Extract: Also known as Green Tea Catechins and Polyphenols, are found in any brewed tea, but are stronger when extracted directly from the source.  Though green tea extract is included in the HEAT formula, this added green tea extract supplement is a great addition to my stack for a touch more thermogenesis and an antioxidant boost in the last few weeks of preparation, particularly when we are no longer able to drink tea due to water cutting or distilled water conumption. This green tea extract pill mixes well with the L-Carnitine, as well as Heat and Acid.

Not Pictured: Just wanted to include a quick blurb about two supplements that didn’t get included in the photo, but will be included in a later ‘every day supplements’ post.

MAGNUM G: G is a Pharmaceutical grade beet-sourced glutamine, perfect for enhancing recovery, diminishing soreness, and preventing muscle catabolism. This, along with its ability to boost immune function and remove lactic acid for better blood and nutrient flows, this is a must in every protein shake. 

MAGNUM LOADED: A multi-vitamin loaded with minerals, greens, antioxidants, metabolic boosters, B-Vitamins, Vitamin C, and anti-aging components: this is not your grandmother’s multi-vitamin!

To prevent TL;DR, I’ve broken this up into 2 posts.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 1: THE FOUNDATION

MAGNUM Quattro: Anyone doing anything in the fitness world needs a great source of protein to promote muscle growth as well as to refuel and recover after intense physical endurance. Quattro is a time-release 4 isolate blend with 30g per scoop that also includes CLA and Flaxseed — which makes Quattro an ideal protein source for any time during the day, particularly in the mornings, post-workout or before bed. Additionally, because Quattro is lactose and gluten-free, it is easy even on the most sensitive of digestive systems. A bonus for me, being slightly lactose intolerant.  I use the Chocolate Love flavor for every day use, and Vanilla Ice Cream for recipes.

MAGNUM OPUS: Before Opus came into my life, I missed it so bad. That is to say that I -never- used pre-workout supplements. Being extremely sensitive to caffeine and NO, among other things, taking a pre-workout only made me feel dangerously out of control of my body, particularly my heart and my ability to sleep. Opus changed all that by being a STIMULANT-FREE (Yes, you read that right) beta-alanine based pre-workout, dedicated to anabolic fuel, longevity and endurance, as opposed to jacking you up on a jitter-ride. Opus works to balance your body’s pH and enhance your cellular performance, which ultimately results in an explosive workout (that will bring out your mini-gladiator), without the downsides of traditional preworkouts. And because its stimulant free, Opus is a pre-workout that is safe to take for every workout, even when you train late at night, as well as combined with other supplements.  Also, the Blue Yazberry flavor is to die for. 

MAGNUM Performance Greens: Many people underestimate the benefits of a good greens powder, and with Magnum’s performance greens, I’ve certainly learned this lesson personally. With its organic green and phytonutrient blend, this greens powder detoxifies and cleanses my system every morning, leaving me with a balanced pH, natural clean energy, and no drawbacks from anything that I might have eaten before. I mix this with ice and Quattro for a smoothie that tastes exactly like a tootsie roll! This is my morning kick-in-the-pants.

MAGNUM DNA: DNA is hands down, by far, my favourite supplement I have ever taken. Without a doubt, I have never -felt- the results of a single supplement as strongly as I have with DNA. Branch-Chain-Amino-Acids (BCAAs) are fundamental to muscle and strength gains, and yet normally, they are a pain to take – instantized powders that mix with nothing and taste horrible, or pills where you feel no results… this is not the case with DNA. Because it is a pharmaceutical grade BCAA mix with L-Leucine Alpha KIC, and an ammonia scavenger to remove ammonia from muscles and prevent fatigue, the guarantee on DNA that you will see strength gains in 3 days is 100% absolutely legitimate. With DNA, I went up a minimum of 5 lbs on all my major exercises within 3 days, most upwards of 10-20 lb increases in a matter of a week. I am lifting heavier, and capable of performing more reps than ever before, and it truly is thanks to DNA. I couldn’t say enough about it!

To prevent TL;DR, I’ve broken this up into 2 posts.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 2: THE CATALYSTS

However, now that I am in competition prep, I am cutting down on my consumption of condiments, salt, and sugar, and I don’t know if you’ve read hot sauce labels, but it is nearly impossible to find hot sauce without salt as a main ingredient! Knowing full well that I wouldn’t survive without spice in my life, I had to do something.

I present to you, my first clean eating EMBRACEFIRE hot sauce! 

*Please note this recipe is made according to my spice preferences – I find it to be the hotter side of mild, but please adjust the ingredients to your own spice levels.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 and a half cups of white vinegar
• Mrs. Dash or other salt-free seasoning mix in Roasted Garlic/Garlic and Herb
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 large slices of lime
• 1 tbsp crushed and dried cayenne chilies WITH seeds
• 2 handfuls sliced yellow banana peppers

Directions:

• Slice your chilies and peel your garlic.
  (Pro-tip: smashing garlic cloves with the flat edge of a knife makes them easier to peel)
• Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups white vinegar to your Magic Bullet or blender
• Add dried ingredients (cayenne and Mrs. Dash) and blend. Pieces of the spice do not have to disappear, but the goal is to make them smaller.
• Add garlic, lime and banana peppers, and blend again until desired consistency. Mixture will blend pale orange, but as the cayenne blends down further, it will darken slightly. Because the sauce is fairly thin, I left mine with some pulp and garlic pieces still within the mixture.
• Store, and enjoy! The vinegar as a base will continue to cure the cayenne, making it stronger as time goes on.

This hot sauce is perfect for any dish! Chicken, rice, beans, as an addition to a salsa dip, or, because its made with limes, as a base for ceviche! (I don’t eat seafood, someone will have to let me how that tastes.) Heck, I would even put this in my oatmeal, or if I was not eating clean, on my ice cream! Yummm! It can also be doubled, tripled or modified at will – I know as soon as I tasted it, I made another batch right away!

Check back for more hot sauce recipes in the future!

When I graduated with my Bachelors Degree in December, I had a minimum of 9 months off before I could continue with my Masters program, and I knew without doubt that this was likely the only true ‘time off’ to occur in my life for a very long time. With this in mind, I made the decision to compete.

To be honest, I did not expect to enjoy competing, but I still had several motivations for choosing to compete this year. First, there are areas of my physique that are weak (shoulders and glutes), and I wanted an intensive goal to help me drastically change those attributes into greater strengths for my overall aesthetic. Second, I wanted to experience competing at least once in my life, to be able to give insight and opinions as it is an oft-discussed fitness topic. However, most importantly, I wanted to do something that would help kick down the doors to my fitness modeling career. Building my online presence has been tremendously helpful, however, what better way to have major fitness companies, magazines and photographers take notice of you than to compete? I wanted to put myself out there, at the next level.

Having no experiential knowledge on how to prepare for a competition, I decided to hire trainers who would guide me through a full and proper 12-week body overhaul. And with regard to my trainers, I have put myself into the best hands available. Working with Dean and Leigh Brandt of BodybyBrandt has been an exceptionally enjoyable experience, as well as a learning and growing process. Not only are Dean and Leigh incredibly knowledgeable and creative with their training, they each bring their personal and unique passion to the table which when combined, is an unstoppable force. Whats more, I feel I have made wonderful connections that will last beyond the competition and continue to be a mutual pleasure throughout my fitness career.

There has also been a lot of questions as to why I chose bikini, so I want to address that here as well. I chose bikini over figure because aesthetically, the bikini bodies appeal to me more, and realistically, I feel the shape and build of a bikini class suits my personal frame best. Beyond that there are no hidden motivations behind this choice, I just felt it was the class in which I fit best.

In short, the grueling and unenjoyable process that I was expecting never materialized, and I have been pleasantly surprised. I am enjoying the process and the challenge, I am seeing very real and dramatic results in my body and my capabilities (particularly with cardio), and I am looking forward to the improvements yet to come in the next six weeks.

So far, the biggest (and truly only) downfall of this process is the sheer fact that competing is expensive! Training, supplementation, custom suits, shoes, registration and membership fees, tanning, makeup, hair AND travel expenses… it adds up in a fairly daunting sort of way. As someone who does not often spend a lot of money on themselves and does not have much expendable income to begin with, this has been a challenge for me. This is the largest obstacle I foresee when asked, “will you compete again?”

Ultimately I hope that if the next 6 weeks go well, I end up with a sponsor, or at least some very serious interest. I already feel that bigger names are starting to take notice and bigger things are coming my way, so I can only continue to work hard, and hope for the best outcome. Should things go as I hope, then competing again will very likely be in my future, and perhaps you’ll be looking at the next Canadian IFBB Pro!

More posts detailing my competing experiences to come!

Peri-Peri pepper sauce or crushed peri-peri peppers

Bonus: Baked with Turmeric, coriander, pepper, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and topped with sliced red onions

There is something particularly mesmerizing about an aerial silk performance–the aesthetic grace, the defiance of gravity, and the incredible body strength of the acrobats make for an amazing spectacle.

Aerial silks is a form of aerial acrobatics that takes its style from contortion, suspension, and trapeze, and applies them to long lengths of silky fabric for a breathtaking aesthetic. Aerial silks have made their mark in the famed Cirque de Soliel, and, much like pole fitness, has recently opened itself to the market of alternative fitness classes. Recently, I had the opportunity to take aerial silk classes and I fell in love with it! So, if you’re looking to explore a fun, new alternative as part of your fitness routine, give it a go!

What to Expect:

When you first start, you’ll be working with a knot, rather than loose silks. This will allow you to build the strength and skill sets to complete forms and poses properly, without the risk of letting go and falling to the ground. However, unlike some other skill-oriented classes, you can expect to learn a lot in your first few classes–several poses and techniques per class, as opposed to one. This keeps things fresh, exciting, and dynamic. As a result, you will progress quickly and truly get the value of your lessons.

You should expect bruises; as you are using your body in new ways, you may find yourself sore or sporting some “signs” of your new work. Also, as you will be hanging by your armpits, hips, and back, red and purple markings on the skin at points of pressure is practically inevitable. Own these marks as a sign of your progress!

The majority of aerial silk classes are either taught in circus schools or pole fitness studios, so you can expect your instructors to be fun, positive, and even kind of quirky. This is a huge benefit to your learning–their enthusiasm will encourage you to feel confident, sexy, and graceful, even when out of your element. Embrace the energy and reap the rewards.

Tips to Prepare:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! At some point, you will be spending a lot of time upside down and not being properly hydrated when you are suddenly inverted may lead to a colossal head rush and wave of nausea. Bringing a bottle of water to sip on will help clear your head and settle your stomach, if you happen to feel this way.

Wear a loose fitting top or at least something with sleeves. Normally, when you go to an exercise class, a form-fitting top over a good sports bra is the way to go. Not with aerial silks. Without good sleeves, you will burn your armpits. In my first few classes I heard plenty of horror stories about this one! I also recommend a comfortable, supportive sports bra to keep your girls in place as you bounce, hang, drop, and swing through the air.

It is very important to warm up and stretch, particularly in your hands and wrists! Wrists are the most commonly injured body part when it comes to circus training and, when you’re holding your body weight entirely in your grasp, you’ll understand why. Roll those wrists, stretch your forearms, and make sure after your class they receive some TLC.

Soon we’ll see you flying through the air with the greatest of ease!

Arnold Nelson Photography

I’m a gym rat, so when my regularly snow-free city got a massive dump of the white stuff, I felt completely out of sync for the four days I was snowed in. Not being able to get to the gym is like having a fight with your best friend: you feel guilty, annoyed, and anxious because all you want to do is return to normal. And you can’t.

Fortunately, I didn’t allow my forced immobility to keep me from working out, but it had been a long time since I’d done an at-home workout. I was forced to be creative and re-evaluate my routine for the week and, along the way, I picked up a few tips to share:

Lacking Heavy Weights?
Increase your rep range. If you’re normally curling 25s for 8-10 reps but only have a set of 10s at home, try pushing for 15-20.

Remember, the key to effective exercise is to go to muscle failure, rather than just an arbitrary number. Therefore, do as many reps as you can until your body refuses to do another! This technique can be stretched as far as needed. For example, rather than squatting resistance, I alternated 100 squats, 50 single-leg squats, and 100 walking lunges in as many cycles as I could manage. Not only was this an effective workout, it was intense!

No Weights?
Resistance bands are a common alternative in a fitness-oriented household, but if these are nowhere to be found, head to the kitchen! Try soup cans, household items, or milk jugs. Considering that a gallon container weighs nearly 8.5 pounds when full, you can definitely create enough weight for resistance. One friend I spoke to during our snow week was front squatting with his guitar amp – anything can be used as resistance, as long as it is done safely!

No Equipment?
No problem! Turn to body resistance exercises such as pushups, lunges, squats (and one-legged squats), burpees, planks, tricep dips, and crunches. You’ll be amazed at how good you feel. Body resistance exercises are often neglected when we’re at the gym, however they are extremely effective and beneficial. They force us to actively engage stabilizer muscles and small muscle fibers that are not engaged in an isolated exercise.

Not Sure What to Do?
Workout DVDs can be extremely effective when you’re in need of a guide, but the majority are designed to require extra equipment. It might be time to dust off that DVD collection and sweat it out.

The other option is to be creative! Use your homebound status as a chance to experiment with targeting your muscles from new angles using new grips and with new equipment you may never have thought of before. You might find that your couch makes an awesome support for dips or that washing dishes with calf raises burns more than your current gym routine.

Good luck! And remember, eventually you’ll make it back outside!

Note: This list is obviously just for fun – I’m not getting down on myself, its just for a laugh. Who knows, some of these things may be ‘to dos’ for the future!

• Draw, Paint, or Photoshop. [Proof]
• Salsa and Tango
• Drive on the Freeway (Merging! D:)
• Play a musical instrument
• Do the Splits
• Fix a car
• Change a flat tire
• Catch a wave while surfing
• Quirk an eyebrow without scrunching up my face
• Tolerate drunk people
• Play sports
• Cut my own hair
• Live without spicy food
• Juggle
• Get through a photoshoot without one ridiculous face
• Cook complicated meals
• Deal with spiders
• Speak another language  fluently
• Drink coffee
• Eat Olive Oil
• Brave cold weather
• Sleep.

Going to the gym for the first time can be a nerve wracking experience. You’re walking into a foreign world of new equipment that requires certain form and safety awareness, you’re about to get sweaty and vulnerable in a room full of people you don’t know – and worse, they might judge you.

This is an all too common scenario I hear from someone who wants to make a change in their life, but may be self conscious about doing so. Being judged by seasoned gym-goers is a huge fear, and an unfortunate reality that discourages newcomers to a healthy way of life. This is particularly evident at this time of year, when we so often year gymgoers complaining about the “New Years Resolutioners” who are clogging up the gym, with comments about how they can’t wait for the herd to thin out – and I am SO disappointed by this attitude!

I find it baffling that these people don’t seem to remember that at one point, they were a beginner too. Someone who didn’t know what they were doing, someone taking the first step towards getting where they are today. Are their memories so short?

Instead, as seasoned gymgoers, we should be encouraging newcomers (regardless of the time of year), for taking the first step towards a healthy life. We should cheer them on for what could be a definitive moment in their lives, and we should also be willing to offer help, advice, and assistance with a smile. So this is my call to the seasoned, long term gym goers to be more supportive, to stop being so judgmental, and to remember how to be a courteous human being.

When I posted my thoughts on Facebook, I got varied responses, including:
“It makes it hard to work out!” – Really? Be creative and work around them. Maybe its an indication its time to change up your routine as well, and try something new.

“Well you know they won’t stick with it!” – This gets to me. DO you know that? No you don’t. You do not know whether or not someone will stick with their goal or not, because you have no idea what that person is capable of. Whether they start January 1st, or any day of the year, whether or not they are 5 lbs overweight or 100 lbs overweight, it doesn’t matter. You cannot anticipate if that person expects immediate results, of if they’re willing to work hard day in and day out, and you are not the judge of how bad they may want it. To assume you know otherwise is incredibly self righteous. That person deserves to be treated based on their potential just like you do, and not be assumed a failure.

Worst of all, one of my fans said she saw this quote on a Fan Page, which will remain nameless:

I was disgusted that anyone in an industry dedicated to helping people feel healthy, happy, fit and confident could ever be so tactless, tasteless, and just plain rude! And its disheartening, to know so many in the industry have been saying much the same…

So I’m asking you with this post, to reconsider how you’ve been treating people at the gym since the new year, and to evaluate your attitude. Are you being self-righteous? Are you acting entitled? Could you be more supportive?

Inevitably, someone is going to read this post and think, “Its not MY responsibility to help someone at the gym, I don’t work there.” You’re right, its not. Just like its not your responsibility to hold the door for someone behind you or help someone pick up something they’ve dropped,  and so on. But you still do them, because you’re a decent human being, and not a selfish jerk. No one is asking for you to completely derail your workouts either. Courtesy and a smile alone will get you a long ways.

And yes, occasionally, I judge. I judged the guy with the swastika and white power tattoos, I judged the drug addict who started jumping over benches and making karate noises, and I judged the woman sipping a Starbucks latte while walking on the treadmill. So I’m not perfect. I never said I was. But I’d like to think I do a pretty good job of supporting people when they’re trying something new.

Set Your Horizon:
Your journey cannot begin without a destination. A goal always starts with the driving factor which is the long term outcome you want to achieve. Whether its ”I want to change my eating habits,” ”I want to lose 50 lbs” or, “I want to quit smoking”, you must decide on the end point.

Make a Plan:
To create an outcome is the first step, but it is completely hollow unless it is followed with “I will achieve this by…” This is also the best time to do research. Research may include collecting healthy diet recipes, finding a workout plan that best suits your lifestyle and interests, or browsing the local gyms for one you would feel comfortable working out in. It may also include looking into the success stories of others, and asking questions: some of the best advice you can receive is from someone who has reached a similar goal. The planning stage is the best time to set a realistic deadline for when you want to be successful by. Not only does this keep you on track, it helps you evaluate your progress over time, to better understand how far you can go. (Research is also very useful for understanding what a reasonable timeline is for your specified goal).

Be realistic, and start with small goals:
Once you have determined an end point and a plan to follow, its time to plan a few pit stops. Progress does not happen over night, and small goals help gratify our successes while keeping us focused on the end outcome. If your overall goal is to lose 100 lbs, start with 15, and celebrate your achievement. Start with dropping a pant size, lifting 5 lbs more than you can at the moment, or switching to whole grains. The success of these small goals replenish our drive to reach our final destination, and encourage us through those long phases in between, where it may feel as if we are not getting very far.

Find a support group:
Share your goal with your friends and family, and ask someone to join you on your journey. Exercise partners are a great way to keep yourself accountable, and motivated! Support groups can help facilitate the research portion of your planning, share their own experiences, and help you when you are struggling. In many cases, people find that their immediate friends may not be the most supportive to their plans, but do not be discouraged by this! There are people everywhere who will support you, and you may gain new friends in the process.

Be accountable and honest:
One of the largest pitfalls associated with exercise, health and diet goals is denial, so do not be afraid to admit when you’ve made a mistake. Everyone is capable of making an excuse for why they didn’t make their workout, and we all know they’re usually tenuous at best. But the excuse game is in no way is beneficial towards reaching your goal. If you don’t have an excuse, don’t try and make one. Acknowledge your slip up, take responsibility, and move on. It is only through acknowledging our faults, weaknesses, failures and slip ups, that we are able to meet them head on and achieve better in the future.

Do not succumb to guilt:
Regret over an indulgence or a missed workout often leads to an entire guilt trip, causing the person to fall further and further behind on their goals, or starting all over, which we know can be so discouraging. Many people also consider their exercise to be, “all or nothing.” Slipping up once, means its just not going to happen for them. This is ridiculous! So you skipped the gym, so you had that cupcake, is it worth throwing everything away? Mistakes happen, and so do missed workouts. You may not feel good about it, but it is not the end of the world. Pick up where you left off, because lamenting gets you no closer to your goals. Those who wallow in guilt rather than face their problems head on are more likely to repeat the guilty action, or fall out of the habits entirely. Do not be a victim of your guilt!

Keep Track:
Write everything down. Your weight, what you eat, what weight you were using for your reps, everything. By having the information handy, not only can you see where you are progressing and have a better understanding of how to increase your intensity at a reasonable rate, but you can also see where your weaknesses are. Does your weight shoot up after a lazy weekend? Are you not eating as healthily as you should when you’re out of the house? Tracking your progress on a regular basis helps you evaluate your patterns, and improve upon them.

Reward yourself in the proper ways that promote your new, healthier lifestyle:
 A reward for your hard work should motivate you to move further, not act as a setback. There is something so counterproductive about treating yourself to sweats for succeeding in healthy eating, or taking a week off at the gym to celebrate six months of consistency. Try little treats that will excite you about your health and fitness – a new workout outfit or a new piece of equipment you’ve been eying, new supportive shoes, a day at the beach, a new supplement, or something that reminds you of what it took to achieve. Also, ensure that the reward match the accomplishment; losing that first ten 10lbs is a huge step in the right direction, but not quite worth that trip to Africa. Save that for your last ten lbs when you can show off your beach body with pride.

Most importantly, never stagnate!
Continue to make regular, active goals, even once you have achieved your milestone. The ceaseless drive to improve and the endless pursuit of success will always enrich your life. Once you have achieved your endpoint, strive for personal bests, better diet, harder muscles, anything that will keep you chasing happiness and health! The fulfillment of your triumphs will inspire others, and leave many memories for you to be proud of.

What do you want to achieve? What are you waiting for? You can do anything, as long as you make those first few steps.