Since my last blog post I have completed my Week 1 of the 5/3/1 Routine and begun Week 2 this week. Steadily increasing the weights and intensity. My power and strength are coming back. Read More

I have worked very hard for the past several years to lose weight and to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and I know how difficult it can be, and how important it is to have the support and help of others who are doing the same thing. I was inspired by someone else's success, and got some great advice, and found a sympathetic listener just at the precise moment when, otherwise, I might have given up. Read More

For many years now, I have dreamed about competing in a fitness competition. I would tell my family all the time, "someday I'm going to compete!" When the new year rang in....I said to myself, why not do it this year! So I sat down and had a talk with my dad. I told him that I really wanted to do it but I didn't even know really where to begin. I had put on quite a few pounds over the holidays and new that I had a lot of work ahead of me. Read More

The possession of willpower and self-discipline or the lack, plays an important role in everyone's life. For example, you wish to go for a walk, knowing how good it is for your health and how wonderful you feel afterwards, but you feel too lazy and prefer to watch TV instead. You might be aware of the fact that you need to change your eating habits or stop smoking, but you don't have the inner power and persistence to change these habits. Does this sound familiar? Read More

There can be many benefits of eating clean. Clean eating is not a new concept. Those involved in any way with health, fitness or nutrition, from fitness competitors to personal trainers to health-conscious individuals, have known about eating clean for years. However, clean eating is gaining popularity as a way to gain better health, easily maintain weight and as a way to lose weight and keep it off for life. But what exactly is clean eating? Read More

I am going to be competing in my very first bikini competition in less than 4 weeks!! I am actually pretty excited to put on my sparkly bikini, false eyelashes, and heels!!! I have worked extremely hard for the last 6 months for this. I have been hearing a lot of people talk about post-contest blues. I've been told that it can actually be a serious issue. Most people go into their first competition not even being aware of it. Read More

This week my training blog for Ragnar is about motivation and excuses. For those of you who do not know what Ragnar is, it is a team relay race that happens worldwide throughout the year and was started right here in Utah. This year I am runner 11 on my team for the Wasatch Back Ragnar which covers a total of 218 miles of mountainous terrain through the Rocky Mountains. The Ragnar has been on my bucket list for quite some time and the opportunity arose so I grasped it when I could. Read More

Monday came around quick and only being two days since I competed in Maryland’s Legendary Strongest Man I felt like I had been hit by a bus! Should I have taken another days rest to recover? Maybe so. Will my next opponent be taking a day off…………I don’t think so. Read More

Working out with consistency is important for achieving fitness results. Creating a workout plan will help you achieve greater consistency. A commitment to a regular workout program will increase your fitness level, improve your health and generate a greater sense of mental well-being. Read More

I recently competed in the Utah Npc Nutrimart classic. I competed in the open light heavy weight and also in the Novice Heavy weight class. I placed 3rd in the open Division and 2nd in the Novice division. As I reflect back on the competition and let everything sink in. I realized that I didn’t look my best. I worked hard and gave it everything I had. I gave it all to my training, diet and cardio. It was a journey I won’t ever forget. I realized something’s that made me actually believe in myself and realize that winning comes in due time. Read More

Someone who begins with his/her fitness life can feel completely lost in the world of nutrition supplements. On the market are thousands of products, but which of them you really need? Read More

Someone who begins with his/her fitness life can feel completely lost in the world of nutrition supplements. On the market are thousands of products, but which of them you really need? Read More

Someone who begins with his/her fitness life can feel completely lost in the world of nutrition supplements. On the market are thousands of products, but which of them you really need? Read More

To be your best, you must believe in yourself. You must believe in your body's ability to perform. You must believe that you can get better. Do not doubt yourself. Anxiety begins when you first doubt your ability. There are many world-champions that know no matter how much pressure there is to win, they feel less anxiety when they do not doubt that they can win. They trust their competence even when they are surrounded by doubting voices. Read More

Reading this story has always been a motivator of mine. When I was just a teenager I went through a point in my life when I felt like the world was baring down on me (what teenager doesn’t). I remember having an interesting conversation with a mentor of mine that I highly respected about my troubles and how I just felt like it was time to give up. Maybe If I just stop trying to do all of these things and take it easy for a while I will be better off. He sat in the chair across from me and just stared for a minute, arms in his lap, hands clasped just under his chin rest his elbows on his stomach. Read More

In my quest to conquer my dreams of competing in bodybuilding I completed a full overhaul of my physique. I have always been in pretty good shape, as a personal trainer for almost 6 years I felt that I must be a good example for my clients and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I also wanted to show clients you really can achieve any goal you set for yourself. This past fall I decided I needed to achieve my own dream of stepping on stage in an NPC show. Read More

There is not a day that goes by that I have not seen a Groupon for a yoga studio in town. It seems as if they are popping up everywhere. From celebrities promoting them as how they stay fit, to those daring enough to stretch in 100-degree heat; Yoga is the new “it” workout. Read More

In my quest to conquer my dreams of competing in bodybuilding I completed a full overhaul of my physique. I have always been in pretty good shape, as a personal trainer for almost 6 years I felt that I must be a good example for my clients and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I also wanted to show clients you really can achieve any goal you set for yourself. This past fall I decided I needed to achieve my own dream of stepping on stage in an NPC show. Read More

When you are getting started, think twice. The right set of goals are half of your future success. Read More

What motivates you? For me, having a goal or a date to work towards is a great way to stay motivated. I have a bikini competition coming up in less than 6 weeks, and two photo shoots, that are definetely keeping me motivated! I am working extra hard to look my best. Seeing progress is my biggest motivator. Many other things motivate me as well, such as: seeing fit women I admire, watching youtube videos of my favorite athletes, and looking through and reading fitness articles/magazines. Read More

I have actually struggled with being both overweight (2 different times in my life) and also with being underweight (2 different times as well). When I was in middle school, I got told that I was fat. When, in reality, I was not fat at all. That remark ended up sticking in my head, and over time, I became anorexic and then eventually bulimic. I struggled with the disease for about two years, and finally overcame it through the help of my parents. Throughout my high school years, I was able to maintain a healthy weight and eating habits. My senior year of high school I married my high school sweetheart. Right after we got married, I started eating very unhealthly. My husband and I got take out food all the time, more than we cooked at home. It was just something we enjoyed doing together. Read More

Yes, one of the many bits of advice given to me by a good friend after a discouraging walk on stage. I had put more into this sport than anything else in my life… I felt worthy and confident after doing a show 5 weeks prior and placing, when I didn’t even think I would! To walk away disappointed, wondering what I could have possibly done wrong… Read More

Since March I have continued to work on Rehab on my lower back injury. Deadlifts and Squats have been very light not going any more than 500lbs for reps to try and rebuild a solid core for when I can begin to lift heavy again. Slowly but surely my strength is coming back and the injury is healing with lots of help from my Physio and a lot of work stretching and foam rolling Read More

You do not have to be a bodybuilder or fitness model to reap the benefits of a fat burner. Fat burners are used by many different people for the same type of benefits. First they help stimulate your metabolism which we all know that weight loss is about burner more calories than you take in so if you speed up your metabolism you burn more calories, thus improving weight loss. Read More

*Be Who you want to be and Surround yourself with people that support you *

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I believe that every gym session should involve an Olympic Bar, and anyone wanting to gain size or strength need to be including the 'Big Four in their routines-Military Press, Deadlift, Bench Press and Squat. Of the many training cycles I have done- Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 has got to be my favorite. A 5 week cycle that will see you progress beyond all your PR's, whilst at the same time building core strength and muscle endurance.

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For me Erin Stern is example of the kind of woman that bodybuilding was meant to have. From the beginning she has fought to be the best. As a young girl Erin loved to ride horses, but she didn’t just ride she would run next to them and jump fences with them. Athletic from the beginning her parents suggested she try out for the high school track team.

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This week I went event training at The Edge in Arlington, VA to train Strongman Events ready for my next competition. I had 3 events in mind that I wanted to practice-Log Press, Farmers Walk and One Arm Dbell Press.

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The week after a competition always depends on how you feel. Sometimes I have trained again the next day but this last week it was the complete opposite! I felt like I had been hit by a bus, which meant a steady week at the gym.

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Competing in my first US Strongman competition and my first one in nearly 12months was a great feeling besides the usual nerves. On Saturday 10th march I competed in the Capitol Classic Strongman Challenge just outside Washington DC. Despite having pulled my back 2 weeks prior I still was eager to get my season underway and decided to compete.

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The paleolithic diet or better known now a days as the paleo diet is an ancient diet, or so it seems since a lot of times it is referred to as the stone age diet or hunter-gatherer diet, is presumed to be an ancient diet based on fresh all natural wild plants and animals that would have been available during the paleolithic era. The theory behind the diet is that modern humans are genetically adapted to the diet of their paleolithic ancestors and that human genetics have scarcely changed since the dawn of agriculture, therefore an ideal diet for good well-being will be fairly similar to that of our ancestors.

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Well March is here which only means one thing for me........COMPETITION TIME!

I haven't been able to train Strongman Events for around 9months since moving over to the US but my gym training and overall strength has been progressing really well. I hope this and the experience I have gained competing the last 3 years in the UK will get me through. With any Strongman competition at this level it really could be anyone who could walk (or limp) away with the victory.

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Here are some of my favorite competition prep desserts. Obviously they should still be eaten in moderation, however I feel that one of the biggest downfalls to diets is the feeling of deprivation. This allows you to have a small splurge without over doing it.

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Great start to the week training. Tuesday I wanted to Max out on 18" Deadlifts Raw-No Deadlift suit just my belt and lifting straps. Breaking down your Deadlifts can help iron out any weaknesses you have. 18" Deadlifts can improve your lockout power

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Training Clever and listening to your body is something that we have all failed to do in the past-including myself. This last week still hopeful at competing at the beginning of March I took into consideration previous build up's.

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So, with competition time fast approaching it’s time to up my game a little bit. I always get people telling me they are doing everything right in the gym but are not seeing any progress in size and very little progress in strength. First thing I ask them is what they consume on a daily basis-9 times out of 10 they are either eating rubbish or simply not enough. You can lift and train all you want to but without proper nutrition you will never progress the way you should.

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10 Ways to beat the Gym If going to the gym were easy it would be as busy as late January or early February year round. So many things can get in the way of our activity if the gym is our only option, so I’m here to give you a few alternatives that even if you are an avid gym goer are nice to change up the routine a bit. Here are ten alternatives to hitting the weights in the gym. As of today there will be no more excuses. Read More

So it turns out that my Deadlifting session on Monday took more out of me than I thought. I rested on Tuesday as I normally would the day after a heavy workout. Wednesday was a complete wipe-out-I did hit the gym to Bench press; let’s just say it did not go well. Every single one of us has had one of those days where everything just feels heavy. So I know from past experience when I feel like this it’s better for me to save anything that I had for my next workout.

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Motivation when not renewed continuously can waver quickly and sometimes dwindle completely until we give up on our goals. This is just fine when your goal your trying to achieve is a short one that does not need to be continued once reached, but in the world of fitness a short no need to maintain goal is not only unrealistic it is none existent. It is a bumpy, curvy uphill battle that we must fight every day, every time we eat, get on cardio or step foot in the weights room. With this being said a dwindling motivation is not an option so here are a few steps towards renewing it, rejuvenating it and pushing through those motivation barriers that creep up on us like a shadow in the night.

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1. Protein Crepes

2. Chili

3. Italian Meatloaf

4. Hardboiled Eggwhite Tuna Salad:

5. Egg Drops Soup

Bonus Dessert recipe!!!!

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A Girls Guide to Supplements

For most women the reason we even walk into the gym in the first place is not so that we can look Huge and cut like the guys we dream about and see in magazines, no we go to the gym to achieve something much greater, confidence in the way we look and feel. A good, hard, training regimen is the only way to get a perfectly lean body, and it releases all those endorphins that make you feel awesome afterward. At the root of getting lean however, 80% of you program is actually nutritional. What you do not hear about with most nutritional programs is the power of the supplements you take. By adding these 10 supplements to your overall program you will be able to develop more lean muscle, accelerate your fat loss, and improve your overall health.

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The worst experience I ever had in a gym was when I was a newbie and walked into a large gym for the first time. I knew I had been taught I should weight train not just do cardio but I just had no idea what I was doing. I walked around blindly not sure where to start and finally just went and got on the treadmill since that was what I had done so much in the past. My goal today is to keep you from making the same mistake. Every person deserves an opportunity to walk into a gym with confidence and be successful. Here are five tips to ensuring a safe, successful and fun gym experience.

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So hopefully by now you have all checked out my Bio on Mysportsnutrition.com Athlete page and know a little bit about me and my competition background. Read More

it was spring, 2001 in Federal Way, Wa. Where I began my quest to get in shape and gain some muscle onto my 5'7', 150 pound frame. I had no intention of becoming a bodybuilder; I just wanted to look like a professional wrestler, namely Triple H! I had no intention on standing on stage, in my underwear, in front of hundreds of people and flexing my muscles, that was not my goal. While training at Bally Total Fitness in Federal Way, WA, all that changed. While working out one morning, I spotted two guys posing and flexing in the mirror on the lower level of the gym and I remember saying to myself Read More

Many people now a day know Phil Heath as Phil “The Gift” Heath, Mr. Olympia 2011. For those of us in the fitness and bodybuilding industry we know where the name “The Gift” came from. From the moment Phil stepped on the stage in 2003 as a bodybuilder he is yet to do a show in which he does not take home a trophy. Phil Heath is the prime example that greatness is not limited to one aspect or goal in our life. Greatness is a combination of certain attributes that can carry you to success no matter what you strive to do. Read More

Physical activity of any sort from a friendly soccer game to bodybuilding to the super bowl exposes a person to a variety of influences that promote water loss. The level of excursion to the environment to the clothes you wear all have an impact on how much water will be lost and can ultimately effect whatever it is you are doing. Also keep in mind that there are certain attributes of a person that can affect water loss such as age, weight, and even gender has an effect. Since the body prefers to maintain a certain core temperature, this excess heat must be dissipated to the external environment. Hence exercise is always accompanied by sweating.

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In the world of bodybuilding there are a few things that can quickly end a career for even the best and spinal surgery is one of those things. Read More

The most successful athletes of our time rely on many strategies to channel their strengths and talents into their workouts, diets, and other aspects or their training in order to become the best of the best the most important of those strategies however is a positive mind. Read More

Women's bodybuilding is a relatively new sport that began in the late 1970s. Just as men do, female bodybuilders strive to add muscle and reduce body fat to achieve a balanced, muscular body Read More