2013 BC Provincials are just around the corner.....

It’s been a while since I have written to share what’s been happening...

To be honest not much....

All in all things are plugging along nicely. Main focus right now is my hubby's show. Saturday will mark 3 weeks until we arrive in Winnipeg for 2013 IFBB World Qualifier (Canadian Natural Nationals)

This has been an exciting time to watch him prep for the show with such dedication and focus after taking a few months to bulk up...I must say loosing those shredded abs was harder for him than me...lol

I love food so I was enjoying every bit of this adventure with him but once the time came it was like a light switch for him….Eyes on the prize focused 100%.

Honestly I don’t know how he can switch like that…I can’t it took me a few weeks to get in the zone.

I am 8 weeks behind him…thank goodness. Phew!

We are doing our cardio together which is nice to be on the same schedule. It feels like our first prep which was last year for Kelowna Western Canadians. We still reminisce over our gym double dates. We really had a great time and its so much easier to prep together…At least it was for us.

For a while it was all three of us prepping as Veronica our daughter was prepping for Western Canadians this upcoming May but decided not to proceed and put her focus on school and getting a summer job.

The nice thing is she still actively trains with us and has received huge support from our local Popeye’s in Surrey for her vitamins and supplements to prepare her for possible future show.

Her physique has changed so much over the last 6 months and I am very proud of her especially knowing how much work goes into shaping your body without looking at yourself as if you have flaws. It’s hard for teenage girls in the first place to deal with their body image so to see a young woman not to be affected by it makes me feel proud. I can’t help it…

 Unedited Photo BAM Studio Photography

Unedited Photo by BAM Studio

As we continue to train together and monitor progress, she will decide what show she will make her first…

For now school, summer job and fun with friends is on the books as well as the anticipation of getting those braces off before her 15^th Birthday…Oh my I can’t believe my baby is going to be 15 in just over two months. Her Birthday is the day before my show so we decided to celebrate after…I can’t wait for a slice of the birthday cake…

This Saturday will mark 11 weeks until the 2013 BC Provincial Championships….

How exciting!!!!

I have worked very hard on developing my glutes of course not without a lot of support from more than one person…Honestly I feel so blessed to not only have one person helping and believing in me but I have a TEAM of supporters… So, feeling blessed is an understatement. I will share my thank you’s with my progress pictures…

My meal plan although tight has not been crazy. I feel fulfilled and mentally happy. I have not had any mood swings or down times…I know I am still 11+ weeks out but this being my 4^th show pressure gets to me week on week. That hasn’t happened for which I am grateful. My cardio is minimal compared to what it was for SWFC 2012 which I am thrilled with considering my BF% now is much lower than it was 12 weeks before that show….Its all about smart choices and balance.

Unfortunately I don’t have the time to spend 3 to 4 hours at the gym with half of that on some machine nor do I want to. That simply is not a realistic lifestyle for me and I will not starve myself. I want full muscles, beautiful curves and a healthy outlook on life all at the same time…Nothing less!!!

I work full time and have a business on the side and have to prioritize and not only that but just be more efficient, effective and SMART with the types of workouts I do and how much time I spend on them.

Don’t get me wrong…I feel the gym is my escape and a second home…but when it feels like you HAVE TO DO IT and a CHORE because you wont be ready…I don’t know how it would feel for others but for me I loose interest…I dislike doing anything because I have to…

Loving your lifestyle is the first step to keeping it….and i really want to keep it and be fit and healthy for life.

I am very excited for this show…To step on stage with some of BC’s best is going to be a proud moment but to bring my best package yet is another. Competing against others is challenging for sure, however competing against yourself is so much more at least for me…It's mental because I want to do better than I did last show…and I remind myself everyday that as long as I am better than I was  yesterday I am going in the right direction.

Well I think that wraps up my lil update and I hope I have time to write weekly until Show Time!

Thank you for reading…

Grace xo

Getting Organized: Cleaning Calendar

Original source: Getting Organized: Cleaning Calendar

I saw this blog post and thought to share....

As a full-time working mom, wife, and employee, I can get pretty overwhelmed with all of my daily duties and responsibilities. Do you? Not only am I working full time, but I’m also running my daughter around to her dance (she’s on a competitive dance team that practices two days a week/3-hours a day). I’m also involved in my church teaching the youth on Sundays and holding youth activities on Wednesdays. Thursday evenings are my “me” time where twice a month I attend a Book Club and also a Home and Garden Club. Friday evenings are my date night with my husband. Yes, there are things I could cut out, but I feel each are important.:I think it’s important my daughter develop her talents. I think it’s important that I have my “me” time. I think it’s important to strengthen my spirituality. And I think it’s important my husband and I continue to build our relationship. Where’s my husband in this picture, you ask? Well, he’s a manager and works 60-70 hour weeks, 6 days a week. Enough said.

The problem? How do I keep up with housework? Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed when it hits a Saturday and I have the whole house in front of me. Granted, I do have my family to help, but (I know. There’s always a but, right?) they too can feel overwhelmed and want their play time. So after I scoured the Internet for some ideas (isn’t the Web amazing?), I came up with my OWN cleaning calendar that fits my lifestyle. Here’s what I came up with that’s working for us and maybe it might help you, too. Hang it up on the fridge as your daily reminder. My family, of course, gets in on the chores. Together we can wipe everything out on the list in a jiff. (The word “jiff” is my mantra. It’s gotta be quick or I won’t do it.) Sometimes things creep up and we’re not able to get to it all–after all, that’s life right? Everything isn’t a cookie-cutter day. So I either use a Saturday to catch up, or it goes without doing and I try not to stress out over it. It’s part of life.  (8×11 PDF Version)

Protein Roasted Cinnamon Almonds

Ingredients:

2 cups of raw almonds

¼ cup of almond flour

¼ cup egg whites

¼ cup raw no sodium almond butter

Splash of pure organic vanilla extract

1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate whey protein (I use Advanced Genetics Iso-Phase)

½ tsp of cinnamon (you may use more)

2 packets of stevia

Directions:

• First I make a paste with egg whites and protein powder to avoid lumps
• Place everything together into a blender or mixer and blend until everything is well combined
• Place almonds in a large bowl and add the creamy goodness and mix the almonds and let sit in the fridge for 30 min or overnight (the almonds will absorb the vanilla extract and cinnamon)
• If you have too much of the coating add more almonds to use up the coating…More almonds!!! 
• Once you pull the almonds from the fridge mix them one more time
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper and place almonds on baking sheet
• Bake at at 350F for 12-15 minutes until the almonds start to brown so keep checking them throughout as every oven is different

Some Tips:

Tip #1 Any leftover coating maybe mixed with some oats and a little more egg whites to get the right consistency of cookie dough and made into a couple of protein cookies. Yummy!!! No waste!

Tip #2 Any leftover baked coating that fell off may be used to sprinkled over your Greek yogurt or morning oatmeal.

Photo Shoot Ready? How to....

This is one of the questions I get on our Facebook Page: The Fit Life 24/7.

Do you do anything special to prepare for a photo shoot the same way you prepare for a show?

Andrew and I do photo shoots that are close to shows as well as outside of show times so if we are close to doing a show....we do nothing as we don't want to mess with progress for stage, besides if the photo shoot is less than 4 weeks you should be pretty lean and its the perfect time to do a shoot.

However outside of show prep times this is one of the reasons Andrew and I try to stay relatively lean so if a great photographer will be in town or we go on vacation the preparation is quick and easy. I would like to say I am always ready but that's not the case so sometimes its nice to schedule a photo shoot if you don't have any shows coming up ..Pay for it and make a plan, work hard and capture the progress after. It can be the motivating step to get back on track.

I also like the images as a reminder why I started this journey during times outside of show preparation and if its close to ShowTime I like to compare progress.

Personally, I don't rely on crazy, last minute "tricks" to get ready for a shoot. If the photographer you are working with is good they will find a way to feature you in the best way possible....

Besides you are either ready or not...as the tips do not change the way you look they simply enhance what’s already there.

Here are a few minor tricks I have picked up over the last few photo shoots I have done. So here goes...

 Diet:

-In general I follow a carb cycle with low, med, high days. I stay on this up until the week of the shoot.

-4-7 days out: I begin limit sodium intake (condiments and dressings, cooking methods etc.)

-2-4 days out: I cut out carbs (except from greens) and eat lean white proteins with asparagus (a natural diuretic) and consume a lot of water (4-6 liters)

-The day before the shoot I consume only  750-1000 ml of water and add carbs back in (dry carbs like rice cakes work best for me)

-The day of the shoot I drink water when/if I start to sweat or sip on it throughout the day

Workouts:

-7 days out I stop my usual workout split as I don't want over-fatigued muscles or soreness (which may cause water retention and muscle swelling). I do full body workouts with lower weights and higher reps. 1 exercise per body part, 4 sets, 18-20 reps. You should be lean enough a week out so I don't do a lot of cardio. Sometimes I will do walking on treadmill or sauna sessions depending how I feel.

Misc. Tips:

-I drink distilled water starting a few days out and usually add lemon. (works to cleanse the system and acts as diuretic) a lot of opinions on this but it works for me so I follow this routine

-Dandelion root tea is a great natural diuretic if water retention is a concern

-Epsom salt baths the 2 days before the shoot, the last one is before tanning

-I always spray tan the night before, as my last prep task and rinse the morning of

The main thing I learned is that  balanced eating, training keeps me be in shape so getting ready is pretty easy. I have been able to manipulate my physique naturally in a short period of time with no stress to feel great and enjoy the experience of each shoot. I am not always super lean but that is part of the process.

 My First Photo shoot 

Kelowna May 2012

Second - end of June 2012...This one is after a show so my body is fuller and more curvy

Third photo shoot was in Las Vegas September 2012- Olympia Weekend

            Fourth shoot was with BAM Studio few days before my last show 

  November 2012

Lean Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1kg Lean Ground Turkey -2 packages

(Costco sells 4 pack totaling 2 kgs) 

The other half (2 packages) I just cook off for lettuce wraps (fajita or taco style)

4 egg whites

30gr of nutra-cleanse or oatmeal or ground flax

3 sticks of celery

1 medium zucchini

4 medium mushrooms

1 small onion

4 garlic cloves

1 cup of chopped parsley

Note: Recently I got a meat grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid so I have been buying whole organic turkey breasts and grinding the meat myself. I find it has way less fillers and salt

In a bowl place turkey, egg whites, nutra-cleanse or oatmeal (or flax) and finely chopped parsley do not mix (yet).

melt a little coconut oil in frying pan and place finely chopped celery, zucchini, mushrooms, onion and garlic and sear until moisture evaporates and the veggies slightly brown (caramelize) and cool down.

Add cooled veggies to the prepped raw turkey and season with your favourite low sodium spices. I like oregano lots of pepper and paprika or cayenne pepper for extra spice.

Use a ½ cup measuring cup to portion the burgers and shape them cook in frying pan until browned on each side. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 15-20 minutes. Do not bake too long as they may dry out.

In the summer I just BBQ them. I love the smoky flavour.

Nutritional Info

(per burger) meatballs would be ¼ of each (so 4 meatballs)

150 calories

58mg sodium

Fat 7.0 gr

Saturated 1gr

Carbs 5.4gr

Fiber if nutra-cleanse is used is 4.0 gr

Sugar (from onion and zucchini) less than 1gr

*As a side note I use the same mixture and omit oregano and shape into small meatballs and coat with hot sauce once baked or cooked in tiny bit of coconut oil and put on a tooth pick for a wing substitute appetizer usually football Sunday.

South Delta Leader - It takes two to make a change

Source:
South Delta Leader - It takes two to make a change
By Robert Mangelsdorf - South Delta Leader
Published: January 11, 2013 11:00 AM 
Updated: January 11, 2013 11:22 AM

Committing to a healthy lifestyle can often mean drastic changes in every aspect of your life. But having a partner who is supporting you every step of the way can make all the difference in the world.

A year and a half ago, husband and wife Grace and Andrew Bukowsky, decided to make that change. And by holding each other accountable and relying on each other for support, the couple has transformed their lives.

Today, both Grace and Andrew compete in all-natural body building competitions, and this April, Andrew has a shot at the International Federation of Body Building’s world finals.

The couple’s journey to fitness began in 2011, when after years of being overweight and unsatisfied with their health, they vowed to turn their lives around.

“We weren’t happy with how we looked, we weren’t happy with our bodies at all,” says Grace, who is the general manager of Cove Links Golf Course in Ladner.

For Andrew, getting fit was very much a matter of lifeand death.

“My dad died at 39 of a heart attack, and here I was, almost the exact same age, and I was the heaviest I’d ever been,” he says.

The couple started with an intense home video workout routine, and began to see results. But it wasn’t until they started working with husband and wife personal trainers Dean and Leigh Brandt that the weight really started to come off and their bodies were transformed.

“When we started on our own, we weren’t really giving 100 per cent,” says Andrew. “There’s just so much information out there, it was hard to get focussed.”

Having a personal trainer design an exercise and diet plan for the couple helped them zero in on what exactly they needed to do to get the results they were after.

“It’s hard work,” says Andrew of the couple’s transformation. “But the more you do, the easier it becomes.”

And the results soon came.

After they each lost about 30 pounds, the couple started to focus on reshaping and redefining their bodies, instead of merely getting fit.

When the opportunity came to compete in body building competitions, the couple jumped at the chance to show off all their hard work.

Grace finished fourth at the Canadian Body Building Federation’s Sandra Wickham Fall Classic event this past November.

After finishing seventh at nationals last year, Andrew earned himself a spot at the IFBB world qualifier event in Winnipeg this April.

“It wasn’t a goal initially,” says Andrew of competing. “But when the opportunity came up, we thought why not?”

Having a goal to focus on also gave the couple added motivation.

“Having a goal gives you that extra fire,” he says.

The changes the couple has made have gone far beyond their physical appearance, however.

“This is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” says Grace. “My confidence is up, my energy is up, I don’t have any aches and pains.

“I feel better and look better than when I was 18,” says the 38-year-old.

But it’s not about looking a certain way, it’s about being healthy, she stresses.

In addition to turning their lives around, Grace says their focus on health has rubbed off on her 14-year-old daughter, who now works out regularly with the couple.

“We are a fit family,” says Grace.

And while regular exercise is important, nutrition is No. 1 in the Bukowsky household.

Grace says the couple eats as much fresh organic food they can, with no fillers or added sodium.

Breakfast typically consists of oatmeal with egg whites and cucumber. Then a  “super greens” smoothie before a snack of apple, almond butter, and a protein shake. Right before a workout, Grace and Andrew might have another protein shake, along with yams or oatmeal, and some rice cakes for after wards.

Instead of sports drinks, Grace says they prefer coconut water to rehydrate.

An afternoon snack might consist of salad with no dressing, except for a little bit of vinegar.

“We eat like babies,” she says. “Every two hours or so.”

Dinner is usually fish or meat, with rice and green veggies, then an egg white crepe with peanut butter before bed.

“We spend about $800 a month on groceries,” says Grace. “Our bodies are like machines, they need to be fueled.”

Giving up unhealthy food is like overcoming any addiction, says Andrew.

“You have to make it a priority in your life,” he says. “You have to make it a routine, and not just a habit.”

Andrew recently quit his job as a restaurant manager and began working a personal trainer and fitness manager full time.

“I still work out with a personal trainer, though,” he says. “Having a personal trainer gives you someone to be accountable to, and helps you focus your workout.”

As a personal trainer, he’s seen what happens when couples don’t support each other.

Often when one person in a relationship makes the commitment to get fit, and the other partner isn’t on board, that partner can often end up sabotaging the efforts of the other, he says.

“They may not even be aware they are doing it, but it happens.”

Andrew says the support the couple has for each other has helped make their transformation possible, and strengthened their relationship.

“It’s the key to being successful,” he says.

• You can follow Grace and Andrew’s progress on their blog, The Fit Life 24/7, at gracebukowsky.blogspot.ca

facebook.com/TheFitLife247

Twitter:
@gracebukowsky
@andrew_buk

Water and Salt...What you need to know!!!

Take Water Seriously!

Post Source

Here are some Water Intake Facts

Our Health is Truly Dependent on the Quality and Quantity of the Water We Drink

·         Your muscles that move your body are 75% water

·         Your blood that transport nutrients is 82% water

·         Your lungs that provide your oxygen are 90% water

·         Your brain, the control center of your body, is 76% water

·         Even your bones are 25% water

From nerve impulses that travel around the body, to the transport of oxygen and nutrients throughout the system, water plays an integral role. It is vital that you drink plenty of water. Water not only provides you with nutrition, but it removes toxins. Water is your body's principal chemical component. 

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you do not have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. When the body gets low on fluid, every process will likely be compromised.

Dehydration can cause a diverse array of symptoms including:

·         Headache

·         Fatigue

·         Muscle cramps

·         Constipation

How Much Water Do You Need To Drink, and How Often?

A Few Simple Calculations to Assure You are Getting Enough Water/Salt Each Day

To better determine how much water you need each day, divide your body weight in half. The answer is the approximate number of water ounces you should drink daily. You should drink half of your body weight in ounces.

For me it’s about 55-60 oz min…I usually drink 4 liters. I train hard so I need to ensure I am drinking enough

Here are some Salt Intake Facts
Post Source

How Much Salt and How Do I Use It?

Maintain the Proper pH Level for Your Body by Balancing Your Salt/Water Intake

¼ tsp. per quart of water (4 cups) you drink daily. You can put the ¼ tsp. of sea salt in your water, or season your food with it, as it is suggested

What is important is that you get the proper balance throughout the day. You can't take all your salt in just two times a day, no more than you could do all your breathing in only two times a day. You cannot drink half of your water in one sitting and then the rest later that day and expect to be fully hydrated.

What is a Good Sea Salt?

Celtic Sea Salt

Good Celtic Sea Salt is totally unprocessed, kosher and hand harvested. It is dried by the sun and the wind, retaining the ocean’s moisture and locking in a vast array of vital trace elements. It is a coarse, moist salt that gets a light grey hue from the pure clay sole it is harvested from. There is no comparison, in taste or in health effects, between mineral-rich Celtic Sea Salt and chemically-treated iodized salts. This Unprocessed salt has a rustic old-world flavor that is more assertive than other varieties.

It is Important to be Sure You Are Getting the Right Kind of Salt

Good quality of sea salt contains more than 80 trace minerals. Be careful when buying sea salt or Celtic Sea Salt. If it does not list minerals on the back, the odds are that you have just bought expensive, prettier packaged table salt. All salt came from the sea at one point. So it is legal for anyone to label their low grade salt as sea salt. Good Celtic Sea Salt is NOT white or dry.

Unrefined sea salt is what you should look for.

It contains 98.0 % NaCl (sodium-chloride) and up to 2.0% other minerals (salts):

·         Epsom salts and other Magnesium salts

·         Calcium salts

·         Potassium (Kalium) salts

·         Manganese salts

·         Phosphorus salts

·         Iodine salts

Altogether, real unprocessed salt contains over 100 minerals composed of 80 chemical elements.

The composition of crystals of ocean salt is so complicated that no laboratory in the world can produce it from its basic 80 chemical elements -- nature is still a better chemist than people.

This salt has been used since beginning of life, by ocean plants, by animals and by human beings.

At all cost avoid Refined salt (Table Salt), which is 99.9% (sodium-chloride). It almost always contains additives, like 0.01% of potassium-iodide (added to the salt to avoid iodine deficiency disease of thyroid gland), sugar (added to stabilize iodine, and as an anti-caking chemical), aluminum silicate. FAKE!

But.....Isn't Salt Bad for You?

All the medical and scientific studies condemning table salt would appear to be justified, except for the fact that these studies examined only refined white salt, a biologically damaging, completely unnatural, and chemical substance to say the least.

In the industrial refining process, as many as 82 trace minerals and essential macro-nutrients are  removed on purpose, leaving only a single compound made of sodium and chloride. Can you believe it?

I hope this makes sense and clarifies some misconceptions about Salt the real deal and not the chemical crap sold in stores.

Thank you for reading.... Sweeteners are on my next To Do list...

Grace

A little colour therapy-Today's Inspiration

TYRER SHARPLES

Today's inspiration for me was a little colour therapy. I was simply inspired by an outfit one of my girlfriends was wearing during her workout session at the gym. When I looked at her she was beaming with confidence, happiness and overall  wellness…it made me think of how color impacts me everyday from what I wear to what I eat and the surroundings I am in and wondered what it does for others?

It made me think that Colour is light of life….Without light there is no life

Thinking a little deeper as I was training myself made me realize colour could very well be the most magnificent experience we take for granted. Look around, it's everywhere, surrounding and embracing us. We interpret life as much through colour as we do shape, texture, sound and for some even smell and taste.

For me colour is the very essence of life as it can influence our emotions, our actions and how we respond to various people, things and ideas. Even though much has been studied and written about color therapy and its impact on our daily lives for me its very simple I look at my surroundings and try to be inspired as colour touches every part of my daily activities from my meal prepping, my gym sessions and simply the things around me.

I haven’t studied the theories behind colour therapy but can share a little into what the basic meanings are so maybe others can relate their feelings and reactions to the colours that surround their life.

Here are some simple meanings of colours and the energies contained within. I am sure there are many versions with different definitions and meanings but this is what they mean to me most of the time…When I actually take the time to notice my surroundings.

Secondary Colours, Shades and Metals:

Pink symbolizes: love, beauty

Brown symbolizes: earth, order, convention

Orange symbolizes: vitality with endurance

Gold symbolizes: Wealth, prosperity, wisdom

  

White symbolizes: Purity, Cleanliness

Black symbolizes: Death, earth, stability

While white reveals, black conceals

Gray symbolizes: Sorrow, security, maturity

I guess the point I am trying to make is next time you put on your gym outfit take a little time and choose colour over the standard, whatever it may be. 

Be confident that colour will bring you happiness and further confidence and drive to reach your goals. It will not only make you feel better but inspire those around you as well.

This will be something I focus on as the New Year is just around the corner...Literally. Bring more colour to my life in 2013!!!

Thank you for reading and a big Thank you to Tyrer for inspiring me today xo

You may follow Tyrer on:

FACEBOOK: TYRER SHARPLES
FACEBOOK PAGE: IRON DOLLS FITNESS

" All forms of matter are really light waves in motion."

- Albert Einstein