When it comes to packing in some serious nutrition, there are foods that are just too darn good for you that you just shouldn't compromise not putting them into your body on a regular basis. The benefits these foods give you are just too high. There are so many ways to squeeze them in, too, so there's absolutely no excuse not to reap the benefits! So let's get into my list...

1) Berries

Berries contain polyphenols...a high dosage which have health protecting qualities. The polyphenols in some berries even reduce your body's absorbtion of certain starches and fats after you consume them. Berries also contain flavanoids called anthocyanins. These flavanoids help reduce and prevent fat cell inflammation and lower blood sugar. And to top that off, berries contain fiber. So combine all these super health qualities together and you've got a sweet treat that helps you maintain low blood sugar, lose weight, and keep you regular.

 2) Eggs

Eggs are almost a perfect food. They have nearly all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs! The only thing eggs are lacking is vitamin C. This almost perfect food is a seriously good protein and protein is great for your metabolic rate. How? It takes longer for your body to process proteins than it does carbs/fats. This means your appetite holds off longer keeping you out of the kitchecn before you should be consuming your next meal 2-3 hours later. Keep your concumption of the yolks down, though. A couple yolks a week is enough.

3) Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that is extremely low in calories and high in fiber. It helps fight carcinogens and cancer, helps prevent heart disease, corrects hormone metabolism, repairs diabetic damage, defends your blood vessels, and helps your body burn up to 30% more fat. My absolute favorite way to eat this super veggie is by roasting it! But be careful...the more you cook your broccoli, or any veggie for that matter, the more you deplete the nutritional value of them.

4) Oatmeal

Now I'm not talking about the packaged, flavored stuff! I'm talking about old fashioned oats. Boring? Not at all! You can flavor it up yourself for a much healthier, non-processed version. Oatmeal is a serious super-food. Oatmeal has both phytochemicals and antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. The prebiotics in whole grains are fermented in the stomach and help strengthen the colon cells. When the colon cells are strong your body can much more easily detox all the crud floating around in our environment that is getting into our bodies. And because oatmeal is high in fiber it helps us feel fuller longer.

5) Walnuts or Almonds

 

I hear of so many people who are really concerned about the high calories and fat content of nuts that they don't want to waste their daily calorie consumption on them. If you happen to be one of these people, keep in mind that the fat and calories in nuts is the good kind...and the benefits of these little guys heavily out-weigh your concerns for eating them! Nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, L-arginine, and magnesium. All of these things help keep inflammation in the body down. Reach for raw unsalted varieties, though.

6) Salmon

Salmon is one of the best sources of amino acids and L-arginine. Amino acids and L-arginine are essential to build lean muscle! The more lean muscle you have, the more calories and fat your body burns during activity as well as rest!! There's also some amazing benefits L-arginine gives your body you might not know about. L-arginine helps your body produce nitric oxide which helps expand the walls of your blood vessels increasing blood flow and improving cardiovascular health. L-arginine also encourages the production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

7) Wheat Germ

Wheat germ contains a serious amount of vitamins and minerals including riboflaven, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin A, B1, B3, and E. Vitamins B1 and B3 help your body maintain energy and healthy muscles, hair, and nails while vitamin A helps strengthen the immune system and prevent blood clots. Athletes add wheat germ to their diets to help them build muscle as well as improve their cardiovascular health. It's really easy to add wheat germ to your diet! I sprinkle 2 tbsp on my oatmeal every morning with some flax meal, but you can easily add it to a smoothie or sprinkle it on top or cook it into your dinners.

8) Water

Okay, so I know that water isn't exactly a food, but I'm going to count it as one because of its importance. Water services the body in innumerable ways. Water is the main participant in digestion. It helps transport all the nutrition we put in our mouths all over the body...to our tissues, through our blood, to our organs, and helps carry toxins out of our bodies. The fluids that help protect our organs are primarily composed of water. Water also helps our bodies matain its proper temperature so we don't get too hot or too cold. So get your 2-3 liters in everyday!

9) Tomatoes

Tomatoes are super-healthy and taste really good! Tomatoes have vitamin C, but also contain acids (citric, malic, and oxalic) that rev up your metabolism and cause more water to be flushed through your kidneys. This flushing of water filters out fatty deposits you don't want hanging around in your body, which you then "eliminate." Tomatoes also contain a lot of lycopene. Besides fighting cancer, lycopene also turns up the volume of your metabolic rate by up to one third.

10) Garlic and Onions

Okay, so I know garlic and onions have a bad reputation for your breath, but they have a good reputation for your health! These foods help stimulate the production of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps your body fight free radicals. Garlic and onions also help lower LDL and raise HDL. Garlic and onions contain oils that help cleanse your body. The oils cause muscle contractions that help loosen, break down, and wash out fat from your body and boost your metabolism.

So go ahead and squeeze these foods in whenever you can and your body will thank you for it!

Hi everyone if you need spray tanning let me know by leaving a message or if you have questions relating to spray tanning I would be happy to try to answer them for you! You can check out my website via my Facebook account  or http://debsspraytanning.vpweb.com

Yesterday was nine weeks out and Im getting really pumped for my first competition! Ive been training and eating a little cleaner since twelve weeks out and now ive fully amped up my training and diet!Today is a low carb rest day.. tomorrow will be a full out cardio + leg day. Basically im gonna kill them! Really focusing on hamstrings.. my quads are already pretty stacked lol oh and calves. They are super stubborn but ive been really pushing them pretty heavy. For one segment of my cardio ive also improvised a certain way to walk up the stairmaster to really squeeze righ under my bottom on that stubborn area! Its really tightening things up who knows I might be onto something:) anywho ill step up with a high knee and instead of stepping into a normal stride my foot will land at an angle toe facing inward.. pretty much bow legged! On the way down ill really push down onto the step and tighten the hamstring till the stair almost falls away! Idk but its working for me:)

I've had a few questions lately asking me what it is that I eat. So what I'm going to do is tell you EXACTLY what I'm eating everyday right now. I'm telling you, it's kind of boring (well, depending your perspective...I find it super yummy!). To be honest, though, the more "boring" you eat the better your results! Feel free to follow along with this plan and enjoy!!

I am starting out this plan for 2 weeks, and will evaluate my results and decide any changes for after that.

Breakfast: 1 cup cooked whole grains (a mix of bulgar, steele cut oats, old fashioned rolled oats, cracked wheat) topped with cinnamon and a drizzle of agave nectar and a side of 3 egg whites

Snack: 1/2 apple and 3 egg whites

Lunch: 2 cups romain lettuce topped with 1 cup veggies (radishes, red onion, scallions, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomato), either 3 oz. grilled chicken or turkey, and dressed with  1 tsp. olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar.

Snack: Chocolate Shakeology (if you don't know what Shakeology is, head on over to http://www.shakeology.com/coachtanyat)

Dinner: Either 3 oz. grilled chicken or turkey, 1 small sweet potato, and alternating between 1 cup roasted asparagus and broccoli (roasted with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice)

I would suggest eating these meals 2-3 hours apart starting at around 7-8 o'clock in the morning and eating no later than 6 or 7 at night! This way, your body will be ready for bed and burn fat as oppose to concentrating on digestion.

One more suggeston....DRINK LOTS OF WATER! Water is essential! Before you put anything else in your body in the morning, start with a glass of water, then eat breakfast. Then try to drink 2-3 liters of water every day!

I hope this helps you out and let me know how you're doing and what your personal results are like...I LOVE hearing from you! tanya@beachbodycoach.com

- More profile information fields created for each member type (In-progress)

I really welcome any input from you guys and gals out there. You know best what information should be displayed on your profiles in order to market yourself, your company, your events, etc..

- Better search functionality so that you can perform distance proximity searches to find trainers, nutritionists, gyms, photographers, etc. (In-progress)

users will have greater control over search results, more specific, etc..

- Add features that will allow VTaper to have capabilities similar to classmates.com. (Not Started)

For example you will be able to find competitors from previous shows that you may have spoken too and hung out with but do not remember their names or contact info.

- Better Video Functionalities and Layout (In-progress)

Working to add group videos and a more streamlined video viewing experience from the activity stream. Also working on a better design for the main videos page.

- A more advanced messaging system (In-progress)

Working to add the ability to message more than one member at a time as well as upload attachments.

- Chat functionality (Not Started)

allow instant messaging capabilities, group chat, etc...

User personal website embedded app or "badge" (Almost Complete)

Similar to the "follow me" stuff that Twitter and Facebook does, user will be able to generate their own code to embed into their personal website that will show your VTaper status and also link to your profile.

Interview with: NPC Figure Competitor, DEAZIE GIBSON
 
City/State you live in: New York City
 
Gym you train at: Jewish Community Center in Manhattan (JCC)
 
List your close supporters: Erik (my boyfriend), Tito, Tyear, JCC crew and my parents
 
Age: 32
 
 
MF:  Tell us a little about yourself Deazie.
 
DG: Deazie Gibson began in gymnastics and then ventured into dance, cheerleading and track which started her foundation of drive, discipline and determination to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She used those skills and received a cheerleading scholarship at which her team won Nationals and were chosen to perform in the 1996 Opening Olympic Ceremonies. She was recruited by Fox Networks after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, to move to New York. After just one year she moved into a full time career in fitness.  Her drive, dedication and discipline has made her a fresh face to the international fitness professional circuit as one of the most innovative and dynamic group fitness instructors and personal trainers for various clubs in New York City and Istanbul, Turkey. She teaches dance, body sculpt, urban rebounding, yoga and many other classes. Deazie Gibson is a natural athlete not only physically but with a gift to light up a room with her warm spirit. She is not only a fitness instructor and personal trainer but a fitness competitor and has appeared on several CW11 fitness segments and performed in over 40 fitness videos with instructors such as Patricia Moreno, Tanja Djelevic, Violet Zaki, and Cathe Friedrich. She kicked off the first NIKE Project Classified event in NYC with Ary Nunez as well as other NIKE events. Deazie has appeared in several magazine spreads such as Fitness Magazine, Natural Health Magazine and Glamour. Deazie is CrossFit certified and a Paul Chek – Holistic lifestyle Coach with well over 12 different styles of fitness training and continues to stay current on new programs that help her live the lifestyle that she teaches so passionately.
After years of hard-work piecing all her skills together and creating “DEAZIE”, she now is an international fitness expert. In her spare time she is a volunteer for Airline Ambassadors International (AAI). AAI provides humanitarian aid to children and families in need as well as relief and development to under-privileged communities worldwide. Deazie has found complete satisfaction in participating in helping where she is needed in the Special Olympics in NYC. Deazie has also had the opportunity to be a mentor to high school students and speak about health and fitness.
 
MF:  When and how did you start working out?  
DG: I started as a gymnast and then that unleashed the natural athletic side that was always in me!
 
MF:  What made you want to compete?
 
DG: My cheerleading, dance and track days were over but I still had that drive to want to compete so I began competing as a continuation in the 3 sports I love the most! I love to perform and I love the stage!
 
MF:  Explain how we set up your training and what you did to train for this last show.
 
DG:  I came to mike with 3 ½ weeks out..I know, what was I thinking? I keep a pretty tight off season but honestly, I had retired from competing so I had no idea what I was really in store for…I met with Big Mike and he pinched and assessed and said yeah, we can get you ready but it’s going to be hard work. I said, let’s do it! My weightlifting and cardio regiment stayed the same, Crossfit workouts, and my own intense cardio sessions, however, there were no days off. It was 7 days a week cardio 45min then got bumped up to an hour. Diet was very specific to the ounces and consistent with tilapia, salmon, lots of asparagus, spinach, avocado and almonds.    
MF:  Explain how you felt about the nutrition and how you think it affected your showing
 
BF: Now you have to remember, I had retired so I was enjoying food but still ate clean and allowed myself cheat meals every week but was thrown into shock because all this changed overnight.. My body definitely responded quickly. If I’m given an assignment, task or goal I do it 100% so I did! That’s the athlete in me! I felt myself dwindling away everyday and through the night, it was amazing! I had competed prior to this for 3 year in fitness so I knew what it took but I never had anyone change my body like this. I’m not going to lie though, it was hard. It was definitely an adjustment. The nutrition affected my showing big time so I could finally showcase my potential that was there all along but I just needed the right coach to believe in me and push me! Thank you Big Mike!  
MF:  What were you feeling when you won the overall at the Brooklyn show?
 
DG: I was totally shocked! I didn’t expect to win. I only started 3 ½ weeks out and was thinking I’m just going to give it a try, what the heck! I had nothing to lose and then…I won! I’ve never won a NPC show! Plus it’s the first time I’ve ever done figure so double bonus!  I was a former fitness competitor so this was new for me. I was so excited!  
MF:  What is your next step?
 
DG: Now my training has continued and I’m competing at Eastern Regionals in New York City, Tribeca Theater, Nov. 14th! Why not!? Whats dieting for another 4 more weeks.  LOL!  
MF:  What piece of advice would you give other ladies looking to compete?
 
DG: You gotta want to do it. Have a good support system and be disciplined.
 
MF:  Is there anyone you would like to mention or thank that supported you through your journey?
 
DG: Erik (my boyfriend) has been there for me through thick and thin. Its definitely been a bumpy road but he has been overly supportive and been wonderful.  He has stuck with me through my emotional breakdowns, body aches & pains, moodiness and absolute exhaustion. I think the supporter deserves an award too, lol! There job aint easy. Oh and I cant leave out my JCC crew, I work with. They have really seem me through my ups and downs and were always there encourage me to keep going and that I could do it, so thank you to my JCC crew. I love ya’ll and my honey buns too :*)  
MF:  Is there anything else you’d like to say?
 
DG: My motto is all about D3…Drive…Discipline…Determination! Look out ya’ll, here I come!  
MF:  Thank you Deazie!

Just wanted to post this so everyone can get a sense of what VTaper is and does and the direction VTaper is going.

Interview with Bodysport.com:

What is VTaper?

VTaper is a user driven fitness community website designed primarily for the competitive athlete, fitness-minded individual or industry related officials and representatives. 

What does "completely driven by the user community" mean?  

The most obvious thing that you will notice about VTaper is that user activity is the core function of the site and that is what will keep users interested in the site, but we also want to know if there is a feature that you feel we are missing and ways that we can improve your experience and functionality. Just let us know so that we may quickly develop that functionality for you. This is YOUR site!

When did you get the idea and why? 

We first got the idea last summer during the 2009 competitive season. The VTaper concept was conceived by listening to the growing frustrations of some competitors concerning the fact that not everyone "understands" our sport and it is very difficult when you want to network with your competition friends and industry contacts on Facebook but at the same time you may be sharing the same photos with old high school friends, parents, work colleagues, etc..

Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable getting compliments about how great you may look in a bikini from your boss or coworkers or any other acquaintance you may have outside of the sport. 

After hearing such complaints from Angela and others and the fact that I have an extensive background in computer and network engineering,  I decided that this was a way that I could contribute to the industry and create something for the many wonderful people that I have met in this sport, so i started developing.

Soon after VTaper was in the "development" phase I began to notice and take interest in the growing frustration of competitive athletes, both men and women, towards the actions Facebook was taking.  Apparently they are notorious for deleting the profiles and/or pictures of competitors who use the site, deeming such content "inappropriate".  So then I knew this was a much need void in our industry that needed to be filled.  VTaper fills that void.

What can you do on VTaper once you join?

VTaper is built with the competitive bodybuilder, fitness, figure and bikini athlete as its PRIMARY focus.  VTaper will allow you to pretty much do anything that you have done on Facebook and then we took it a step further by incorporating features smilier to that of youtube and Blogspot, for example.  Here is an overview of some of the current features that we have implemented on VTaper so far:

EVENTS

VTaper offers a central repository for all of the events happening in our industry, and is updated by you, the user.  We have added most of the competitive events that we know of and a few other training camps, etc.  (As show promoters join the site please let us know so that we may transfer event ownership to you, this will allow you to control and manage the event listing now, and in the future).

VTaper will afford promoters, businesses, athletes, or  any member type to add and edit their events and venues instantly to the site allowing other site members to register or "RSVP" for the event.  This is great for competitions, after-parties, workshops, training camps, seminars, etc..  It is very easy to add an event, just go to the events menu, select "Submit an Event", type your info, select or add a venue, upload images and click"Save", Thats it. It's that simple.  Now other site members may register to attend your event and they will be notified of any changes, updates or cancellations.

GROUPS

Groups are similar to Facebook's fan pages.  I believe this will be one of the greatest features of the site,  VTaper allows you to create a group for anything- contests, clothing lines, teams, camps, anything at all.  If you are the group creator you can even make your group private and then moderate anyone that may request to join your group.  Create announcements, discussions, upload group photos (videos coming soon), post wall comments, etc..  Anyone can create, join or leave a group.

VIDEOS

The cool thing about the videos functionality is not only can you upload videos like you do on YouTube, you can also copy and paste the "URL" (ex., www.youtube.com/v=12345) of your favorite videos from YouTube, Google, Yahoo, Vimeo Metacafe, DailyMotion, etc. and they will be added to your "channel". You can even add a video from BodysportTV!

Another way that the videos function could be very useful is password protection.  We have the capability for you to create a private channel and/or "password protect" your videos.  This could be a great resource for you to share videos with your trainers or choreographers when it comes to posing and dialing in your routine for the stage.  

We are still developing more features and a better style for the page layout, but we needed to get something there for the launch so bear with us, we will continue to make major enhancements to the videos section.

BLOGS

Blogs are very easy to crate on VTaper.  Just click on the blog link from your profile page or from the main menu, click the link for "write new entry" (under "My Dashboard") an an editor should pop up allowing you to create your blog.  Now add pictures, tags, etc from the menu area, finish editing your blog, then click submit! It's that easy!  

After submission, now the blog will post among all of the other member blogs on VTaper as well as under your "My Blogs" section of your profile page. This is one of the many great ways to market yourself and to let your friends and fans connect with what is "going on" in your daily life. 

How long to VTaper take to build?

VTaper took about a year to develop what we have so far, but we are not even close to being finished.  There was a lot of design considerations that went into the development of VTaper.  It seems that anyone these days can throw up a social community using a social provider, but at VTaper we have developed a platform that will be able to scale to the highest demands and user volume so that we may continue to build many new features without any performance issues.  This framework is also the reason that we are able to develop anything that the user community wants or needs as long as the technology permits.

How does someone join VTaper?

It is very easy.

1.  Go to http://www.vtaper.com

2.  Click Join Now or you may login with your existing Facebook Account! 

(If you use the Facebook option you will have to continue to use this login method upon future visits to VTaper)

3.  Choose the profile type that best represents you, your business, or your team.

4.  Enter your details and upload your profile picture (must be greater than 160px wide)

5.  Now go to your email and click the user verification link 

(May be in your junk mail folder)

6.   Log onto VTaper using the username and password you chose during registration and Have Fun!

Thats it!

Five Reasons someone MUST use VTaper?

- Network with Friends, Top Athletes, Trainers and Models

- Be a part of the hottest groups or crete your own

- Completely user driven community

- Market yourself, your business, or an event

- Unlimited Photo and Video Uploads

I am so excited the fitness buffs have a "facebook-like" program to share on.  I will open with a short description on myself, then would love to learn about you!

I am a National Level Athlete working towards a Pro Card in Fitness.  I work under the instruction of Dr. Mike Feulner with my nutrition (visit www.drbigmike.net).  He is currently prepping me for Jr Nationals in Chicago in June.  I am from North Carolina (yep a Southern Belle!), have a BS is Exercise Physiology and love helping women attain their goals and get on stage!  I am 31 years old, an only child, have 3 cats that are like my children, a former powerlifter and love spending time with my closest friends!

I believe in hard training, proper nutrition and pushing your limits.  I would love to know more about you and become your friend on VTaper!  Have a great evening and I hope to be talking to you soon!

Lishia Dean
Visit me at:  www.lishiadean.com My blog:  www.lishiadean.blogspot.com
**Need more intensity in your cardio?  Try my TEXT cardio classes! - Contact me at Ldeanfitness@gmail.com to try one.

"Laughter is inner jogging". -- Norman Cousins Laughter releases endorphins, giving us the 'feel good factor'
Acts as aerobic exercise and is like 'internal jogging'
Unleashes inhibitions, breaks down barriers
Great team building tool encourages better communication
Helps boost our immune system which helps us resist disease
Tones muscles, improves respiration and circulation
Encourages positive thinking and creativity
Relaxes the whole body by reducing stress and tension

What Is Laughter Yoga? 

Laughter Yoga is a deceptively simple yet very powerful and potentially even life-changing form of exercise that anybody can do, anytime, anywhere. Its core premise is that your body can and knows how to laugh, regardless of what your mind has to say. In short: Laughter Yoga is a body-mind approach to laughter, not something mind-body. The distinction is very important. Here you do not need to have a sense of humor, know jokes or even be happy. Laughter Yoga invites you to "fake it" until it becomes real (it is important to understand that this is not comedy. Thinking will dramatically sabotage your laughter dynamic because it will force you back into the box of your own inhibitions and limitations. You will benefit most if you don't even try to be or look funny.) 

Laughter Yoga is non-political, non religious, non-racial, non-threatening, non-competitive. It comes with no strings attached. There are no jokes or comedy, therefore there is no judging. No mind = no ego, no room for conflict or power struggle. Laughter is a universal language that transcends all barriers: language, age, gender, social or racial background. It improves inter-personal relationships and enhances communication. It interrupts the power struggle and breaks down the instinctive barriers between people. At a deeper level it proves that pain can be overcome and also that we can all live at peace together no matter what. It teaches you to make happiness a choice and not a consequence.

www.laughangeles.com