Some Words on Fat Loss

Fat loss is a goal for many, yet something people are feeling ashamed to talk about these days.  In the interest of self-love and body positivity, it is in many circles considered taboo to discuss wanting to lose weight or lose fat. 

But you can simultaneously want to change your body, while accepting your body.  

After all, bodies change anyway. They are always changing. It’s whether or not we want to get behind the wheel and steer that change in a certain direction that is the question.  And when we do, let’s unpack WHY we may want it steered in the fat loss or weight loss direction:

Most people when asked why they want to lose weight will answer “to look better and feel better.”  Both of these things are outcomes of fat loss, when there is excess fat to lose.  But my question about the look better part is “look better for WHO?”

If the answer is for you, because when you like what you see for yourself you will feel better aligned, more aesthetically pleased and more confident… those are all fair reasons.  If the answer is for anything or anyone external, the problem with that is it could feel pressurized which often times ends up feeling terrible in the process.  And, for a process to be sustainable, it should not feel terrible. It should feel progressive and supportive.

Losing weight to feel better is always valid.  If there is excess fat to lose and one wants to lose it, it can result in more energy, a brighter mood, balanced hormones — and a very important one — ease of movement. Because when it is difficult to move around and perform activities such as looking after children, playing sports, or even just walking, that becomes a big and negative distraction that often results in extra stress.  Even if it’s subconscious.

{I would like to be clear that even if you have excess fat to lose, it does not mean you have to want to lose it.  All sizes and percentages of body fat can have a bursting-with-happiness, fulfilled life.  It is simply if you are feeling held back either by confidence, a feeling of incongruence in your physical vessel or by that of comfort / health concerns.}

If you are decided that you would like to lose some excess fat because you are lacking confidence, uncomfortable and in pain, or just not feeling quite like yourself and at your best, you can start here.

1. When you put your meals together, choose your protein and produce first. Then add healthy fats. Finally, add healthy starches when you feel you need them. (If you have trouble knowing what foods belong in what categories, stay tuned because I’ll be composing a guide to help you.)

2. Move more.  Both leisurely activity and higher heart rate activity count.  Just add MORE. It can be 5, 10, 15 minutes at a time.  Week by week, make sure you are moving your body around more than before.

3. Commit to exercise like you commit to brushing your teeth.  You can’t just skip several days and get all clogged up.  Maintenance is part of the life program.  Accepting that will make the lifestyle changes a lot easier.

4. Strength training. It’s probably the most bang for buck thing to add in for fat loss. Building lean muscle tissue improves your health in every single way, makes you want to move even more, makes you want to eat better, helps you sleep better, supports your hormones… It’s the best thing you can do for your life.

5. Stay hydrated. Start your day with two glasses of water to replenish thirsty cells, and keep them flushed with water throughout the day. Half your bodyweight (lbs) in ounces every day is a good guideline.

Although I’ve tried to simplify this approach, I understand implementation can be complicated.  I excel at helping clients fit these factors into their specific lifestyles and at working through the obstacles that can pop up. 

I want you well. Reach out if you ever need the help.

Across the Continent

Ohhh how I’ve missed writing. I’ll have to be very careful not to spew out a whole year (or more)’s worth of content at you.  This is my revival post.

Now that the second child is out in the world and we are done making babies (!), I’m picking this baby back up.

The former blog had over 500 posts and I’ve found myself actually missing having that resource to shoot clients articles here and there that they would find helpful. Things like: great protein sources, proper portion sizes, snack ideas, hormone tips, dead lift tips, injury information, running plans… I had a lot of stuff.  When I deleted my previous websites I felt compelled to let go and start fresh. The videos were old, some of my form cues have shifted, some nutritional guidance has changed with my expanding and evolving understand of hormones.

My point is, although I felt maybe it was better to re-write a more current approach to alllll those blog posts, man what a task I have ahead for me. On one hand, I’m excited to explore all of these helpful topics with you. On the other, time is just tricker with two very young children.

The kids are 4 months (Otis) and 2.5 years now (Hugo), and we’re busy. I see around 5 clients a day outside of childcare. This means, Guillermo watches the kids while I see 3x 30 min clients each morning, and 2x 30 min clients each afternoon.  I’m fulfilled and grateful to be able to be present as a mother the remainder of the time, and to continue my first love (career) alongside.

Career continues to evolve. I am strictly virtual at the moment, and loving it.  It’s working. Clients are focused, consistent, diligent with following their programs in my app in between our sessions, and it’s a very successful arrangement. I do welcome in person clients to our new home in South Bay, Los Angeles, and am also happy as can be with my current arrangement.

Up next for me in terms of education will be more mobility training and Eldoa courses.  For those who don’t know, Eldoa is an approach to high tension myofascial stretching, intent on straightening the spine and creating symmetry in the body.  This is the simple explanation.  It leads to better biomechanical function, therefore fewer chronic injuries brought on by imbalances. The effects have been dramatic for me, and I’ve only scratched the surface.  My clients have been equally excited (in a roundabout way, because the poses are TOUGH) about this new avenue. They can feel the challenge, and they can feel the difference in their bodies directly after.

We are loving our new home - the warm weather, the year-round colour, the proximity to the ocean.  All of our reasons for this move were primarily health-focused. I wanted to spend more of my life outside, especially as a mother.  It was hard as hell, but we made it happen.  I am planning a more specific post on the details of our international move - the pros and cons, the hiccups, the process - at a later date.

Let’s start here. It feels good to be writing again.  I hope I can stifle my inclination to babble and to be most helpful for you in your health journey.

Love.

Swap The Crash Diet

By now, many people who started a crash diet a week ago are already feeling bored, antsy or frustrated. Any diet that restricts foods that are otherwise nutritious naturally ignite our impatience, because intuitively we know we should be able to eat that them. Maybe you’re on keto craving oats, maybe you’re intermittent fasting just wanting an orange and a couple almonds in your stomach in the morning. And suddenly, you’re feeling that something is “bad” or “off limits”, even though your gut knows better! Crash diets lead to a lack of harmony in the mind and body.

So if you’re starting to teeter, or to feel a bit edgy, consider this my permission to ease out of your crash diet. There’s a better way to drop some excess body fat, and it’ll fill you right up.

I’ve been counselling eating habits for almost 20 years now, and my approach does not fail when followed consistently. It’s flexible, it’s nutritious, holistic and energizing. Because your mood and energy levels MATTER. Sustainability MATTERS. You want to be the best version of yourself, in both the short and longterm, and not turn into a monster for a smaller waistline. Don’t torture yourself and your family with these wild diets!

Here are my tips:

1. Lemon water in the morning - preferably warm.

2. Produce during every snack and every meal, opting for more veg than fruit (produce = good carbs!).

3. Adding a starchier carb (such as grain or potato) at 2-3 snack/meals, perhaps not ALL.

4. Good quality protein at every snack or meal.

5. Good quality fats at every snack or meal.

6. Focus on whole foods vs. convenience foods, and those that naturalyl do not include top allergens: soy, wheat, dairy, corn. This doesn’t mean avoid these foods at all costs, just focus on the OTHER foods more. Put them onto the front burner, so that these inflammatory foods don’t have as much of a space to disrupt you.

Now, part of the process is learning what foods belong in what categories.

Here is a simple breakdown of how I lump foods:

1. Pulses / Legumes / Beans: part protein part starch

2. Grains: starchy carbs

3. Veg & Fruit: non starchy carbs

4. Meat & Eggs: protein, some are part fat part protein (fattier cuts of meat and fish like salmon)

5. Nuts & Seeds: Some higher protein than others - mostly fats.

Examples of balanced meals & snacks:

1. Oats with flax & collagen (for fats & protein, respectively), 1/2 cup of berries for high fibre carbs

2. Two egg omelette, cooked in 1 tsp avocado oil with grated zucchini, sliced tomato and chopped spinach

3. Salad made with chopped massaged kale, 1/2 cup of quinoa or rice, roasted peppers, chopped chicken and homemade olive oil based dressing.

4. Salmon cooked in lemon, salt & pepper, roasted broccoli, 1/2 sweet potato.

5. Apple, 3 turkey slices wrapped around 3 slices of avocado.

6. Cucumber, carrots, peppers with 2 T hummus.

7. Chicken breast, spinach sautéed in avocado oil with sea salt, roasted squash.

8. Chili made with ground turkey, 2 kinds of beans, 2 colours of peppers and a can of tomatoes.

9. Peppers stuffed with quinoa, ground beef, spinach and a small handful of chopped nuts (baked).

10. Halibut or other white fish served with avocado & mango salsa, 1/2 cup of wild rice and sautéed spinach.

If you eat this way the majority of the time, your body will be getting such quality nutrition that it will be able to handle more indulgent items twice a week or so. So, you don’t have to swear off cheeseburgers, or pizza, or anything! Just slip them in from time to time, but opting for these energy-boosting, high nutrient meals on the regular.

The rest will take care of itself - and that goest for whatever your goals may be. Muscle-building, heart health, hormone stabilizing, fat loss, better moods, better energy - happiness. You will be satiated, not hungry - happy.

I hope this helps! I want you well!

A Better Way to Resolve

It’s resolution season. Whether you make them this time of year, throughout the year or not at all, there is something to be said for making CHANGE. And there is a better way to do it.

The name of my company was / is (I haven’t fully ditched it, despite using my own name more dominantly) The Change Training. Because I believe that change is the only constant, it happens no matter what, and it’s best to get behind the wheel and learn how to steer your change. I want to write about the most important part of steering your change.

Typically, when people want change it comes from a negative place. Feeling groggy or heavy perhaps, maybe feeling overfat. Maybe it’s simply being too self-critical, or feeling low in confidence. A lack of strength. Either way, getting healthier does help all of these things, but I don’t believe reflecting on the negative feelings and / or habits is the best way to go about it.

It is the season of “no more bread!” or “no more booze!” or “no more sugar!”

So here’s the thing. There is NO SHAME in wanting to feel better. You have every right to acknowledge that you’re feeling uncomfortable, and to want to make the most of your time in this life. The self-love movement has gotten to a place where we sometimes feel like we can’t so much as mention fat loss or physical motivations. But how you feel in your body affects how you feel in your life, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with being honest with yourself about that. You have the right to feel better. To feel more comfortable, stronger and better aligned. Health resolutions are great. Of course they are! Because getting stronger and healthier can have the biggest return on investment you will ever experience in this life.

You do NOT have to get there by dwelling on your habits that got you feeling uncomfortable in the first place. You do not have to list off all of the things that you’ve been overdoing (overeating, overdrinking, overlazy-ing- whatever they may be) in order to make change. You certainly don’t have to say anything negative about yourself in the process. In fact, I prefer you wouldn’t. Real self love is being honest, and then looking at opportunity to be feel your best.

Fill up your time and your headspace on listing off the feelings that you want to move into. A stronger core, better posture, a clearer mind, and importantly - higher confidence. List off the benefits that getting healthier will bring to your life.

If you spend more time focusing on what you’re cutting out, and feeling badly about past behaviour, it won’t leave you the energy and the brainspace to keep all the wonderful reasons for getting healthier to strongly move you forward toward it.

This year, why don’t you try the following:

Write a very honest list about all the positive outcomes you will experience from getting healthier.

Ditch the list about what to ditch, there won’t even be room to worry about it and to add that ounce of discouragement to soil up your path. (Discouragement is the number one thing that will slow you down - I’ve seen this thousands of times in my work.)

Write down everything you are about to gain.

• a clearer head, more energy

• fresh, clear skin

• the confidence and self belief to go after more

• more supple joints, more mobile days

• more happiness, purely

• the strength to squat down with and lift up your child

• the energy to partake in more recreational activities outdoors

• the peace of mind of warding off illness

• the peace of mind of warding off debilitating injury

• compassion and spreading more positivity (for real, it does this well!)

• setting a wonderful example for those around you

• fitting better in all of your clothes - yes, you’re allowed to be excited about that!

There is nothing more exciting than this kind of change. These kinds of outcomes. I’m sure you can add dozens of things specific to you to this list.

You only live once, as far as we know. You deserve to get the very most out of this life. Stop feeling badly, stop being hard on yourself. There’s no need to cut so much out when you are adding so much good stuff in - it will sidle out that which no longer serves you much more efficiently than your feeling badly about it.

Happy 2021, I wish you the very, very best for this upcoming year.

I think we are going to see some big surges in creativity, in resilience, in quality of time among our communities after such a hard 2020. I love you.

My List of Pick-Me-Ups

It’s been a while.

I’ve just been momming, training, and covid-ing. Surfing the ups and downs of life’s new strangeness. Amid this surfing, I’ve hit some stagnant waters where things feel a bit blah. Whenever I hit tricky spots, mentally, I get something great out of it: a collection of ideas that help in either tiny or larger ways to boost my mood.

I decided to compile a list of the things that either perk me up or contribute to motivating me. Toward anything at all.

Now just a warning, some of these things are shallow, but even those ones help. Changing your nail colour helps you feel polished and changes your mood a wee bit! Hell, we need to do whatever we can these days to feel a bit “normal” - I’ve hesitated to use that word in any capacity in the last seven months.

✌🏼Manicures and pedicures at home. A colour change is a quick refresh!

✌🏼Walks outside with baby, dogs or both - rain or shine! It really helps.

✌🏼Planning my workouts, incorporating variety. Sometimes I do my own strength workouts, sometimes I do pilates mixed with cardio from videos, sometimes yoga, sometimes I jump on the Peloton. The variety is key for keeping fitness feeling fresh and exciting.

✌🏼Cleaning. Am I nuts? Cleaning and arranging things at home gives me the satisfaction of progress, and checking things off a list at the end of the day. When the big picture stuff isn’t changing much, progress even in small ways helps. Tidying and organizing is very psychologically uplifting.

✌🏼Fitness magazines! They bring me back to high school when I used to DEVOUR new issues and try out every single exercise. Flipping through them is now filed away as an indulgent evening activity for me.

✌🏼Music. With the baby, I sometimes forget about my biggest and deepest love pre-Hugo. Again, the variety is really key here. Some days we blast the blues, some days jazz, some days electronic and a lot of days, classic hip hop. It really revitalizes me, and anything revitalizing makes me a much better mother. For real.

✌🏼Online shopping - although this is a bit of a problem I’m working on. Ha! Ran out of handsoap? Yay, I have to place an order, add a few other things in and look forward to the surprise package when I forgot what I purchased. At least I’m honest?

✌🏼Now more constructive: art. Making a list of hobbies I want to resurrect really energizes me. On this list, charcoal drawings (my favourite, but tricky for a lefty due to the smudging!) and picking the guitar back up. I ordered a chord book and a tuning fork back in the spring, but then along came baby… Now it’s time to strum well for him AND for me.

✌🏼Cooking. This had felt like more of a burden since having a baby, but now that he’s more alert and happy to entertain himself more often, I’ve been enjoying picking it back up. I choose quick and easy, opting instead to memorize methods and experiment, rather than to slave over a recipe list slowly. Sometimes I make errors, but I take away from them and learn. When we learn this way, we don’t ever unlearn! I expect to be a much better cook in the coming months 😏

✌🏼In my spare time I look at homeshares and fantasize about living in another part of the world. Costa Rica and Spain are my two fave destinations (so far), so I peruse listings and imagine how me could pull this off. The dogs are a deterrent at the moment, but hopefully one day Hugo will be able to run around in another country speaking Spanish fluently. Perusing future possibilities helps to keep me feeling brightened up.

✌🏼Working is of course helping a great deal. Seeing my clients’ faces, even via zoom, and having conversations about health and life give me a lot of purpose. Anytime I can be of help, toward anything at all, boosts me up. This is my livelihood. Although I’m not working even 50% of what I was pre-baby and pre-covid, my work thoroughly makes me happy.

✌🏼Hugo. This one probably goes without saying. Watching him explore the world, oblivious to current political difficulties and with unbridled joy is really a godsend - unsure of whether I use that word figuratively or literally, it doesn't matter. I’m grateful every second of every day for Hugo’s baby magic. I’ll never stop working on my own optimism, not for my own sake but especially for his.

The world will have more positive surges and upturns. It will.

For now, this list of perks both shallow and deep will do me just fine, chugging along in this sweet life.

What’s on your list of pick-me-ups?

*This post was written the morning of Nov. 4th, when I was feeling quite pessimistic about the outcome of the American election which of course affects how we treat each other, how we treat the planet… Yes, it stretches far beyond the American border. I have a glimmer of hope, now. But we will see. At least I have this list, this reminder.

We never stop working toward a better life and a better world, in whatever capacity we can.

3 minute makeup

I believe in self acceptance and self love, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have a pretty serious passion for makeup, nail polish, hair colours - all things beauty. I’m a bit obsessed, and I always have been. I love colour, brightness, pick-me-ups and indulgences. Since I was young I was shaping my sisters’ eyebrows, dyeing their hair, doing their makeup. When my friends and I would go out, I would do their makeup. I’ve been doing my own nails FOREVER.

It’s a side of me my fitness followers, clients and other people may not know. Guillermo has learned pretty quickly - I do my nails every few days, I am always looking at makeup online… it’s actually a bit of an issue. But here’s the perk of this potential problem: I’ve tried soooo many products, and I’ve really streamlined my makeup routine.

On most days since Hugo was born, I’ve surrendered to the dark circles, unbrushed hair and half-dead complexion common for those averaging 3-5 hours of sleep for months. But when I have had enough of feeling drab and can snag 3-5 min, slapping some fake glow on my face makes me feel much perkier. It boosts me psychologically, and I tend to have a better day. Criticize away if you must, but I swore I’d be honest in this new blog!

So, here are the products I’ve settled on for boosting my face in 3 minutes on drab days.

HINT: They are almost all high quality and cream-based, gliding on fast and effortlessly with your fingers.

I use Dermalogica skincare, and this moisturizer hydrates deeply so that everything else goes on smoothly.

Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance is my go-to, year-round. I use it under eyes too - the concept of the added step of an eye cream irritates me.

I then apply a tinted moisturizer like Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin, OR for days when I need a little more coverage, I use a foundation serum. It Cosmetics CC+ Cream is unreal. You use a tiny, tiny drop and it blends and covers like magic. I have melasma from pregnancy, as you can see in this featured photo, and this CC cream covers it right up, unlike the tinted moisturizer. Both have SPF, and the latter has an SPF of 50.

I splurge on my concealer, because I want something that really, really works for my purple under eyes without effort. I’ve used zillions of concealers to counter my early mornings as a trainer, and now sleepless nights as a mother. I don’t think I’ll ever try another brand after using Cle de Peau Beaute. Bonus: more SPF.

Cream blush is up next. I only started using cream blush this year - and I love this Kosas cream blush palette. It comes sidled with a highlighter - I blot the blush on the apples of the cheeks and blend back just under the cheekbone, and I dab the highlighter above the cheekbone, on the bridge of my nose and under my eyebrows. Poof - brightened.

I rarely wear eyeshadow, but when I do my eyes pop so much better and I look instantly more rested. The key is using a natural shade that still provides some depth. This cream eyeshadow by Bobbi Brown in Nude Beach is the perfect shade for this. It goes on super easily, no fuss, and LASTS.

Oh man, this new eyebrow product has become my favourite thing in my makeup bag. Gimme Brow by Benefit sweeps on quickly, no room for error, and completely changes the way my whole face looks even when used alone. What is it about completed brows that boost your whole face? I sweep once, go back in the opposite direction once, and then realign a third sweep. The product builds some thickness on the brow, or at least the illusion of it. And I LOVE IT. Another area where I have stopped experimenting with other products, forever.

I’ve been using the same mascara for over a decade. And I think I’ve tried them all. I always think I might want to try something richer and more decadent for fun, but without fail every other kind disappoints me. This is the only one that never clumps or flakes. It makes my lashes dark, long, and almost naturally so. You can layer it up while damp for more punch without clump. Clinique Lash Doubling mascara is the bomb. I goes on curled lashes beautifully (I almost always do a 10 second curl / side with a shu uemura eyelash curler) and yes, I am like most in that if I had to choose JUST ONE product in a flash, mascara would be it. This one.

A quick flash of moisturizing natural lip colour: Clinique Chubby Stick in Fuller Fig.

Now, this may sound like a lot of work - but it’s not. Because everything is such nice quality, it glides on fast and foolproof. Practice makes perfect. I don’t use all of these products every day by any means, but the mascara, eyebrow gel and concealer are my top three. Since I started spending a bit more on my chosen selects, I actually spend far less money on cosmetics overall. I used to flop around purchasing things out of being dissatisfied. Because I feel I’ve locked down such a strong & fast routine, I felt I should share for moms or anyone who wants a fresh boost in the beauty world :)

Remember, self acceptance is the most important thing. But we don’t have to be so black and white, I think it’s okay to perk up and have fun with product, too. Do you!