MAKE 2018 YOUR BEST YEAR YET!

SO, 2018 is right around the corner! 

I know... can you believe it?!

In spirit of the New Year ahead, I wanted to share my TOP 5 tips for GOAL SETTING & MAKING GOALS YOU MAKE SURE YOU CAN STICK TO this year to make your 2018

YOUR BEST YEAR YET!

1.     SELF-REFLECT

I am a huge fan of SELF-REFLECTION. Afterall, you know yourself best. Grab a coffee, put some mellow beats on, get comfy and think about your past goals you have set that you may not have adhered to. 

Dig deep and explore your "why" in the past that may have led you off track or things that may have hindered your progress along the journey of achieving those goals. 

2.     SET REALISTIC GOALS

Im sure you’ve heard the quote, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

I like to use this saying when it comes to reaching your goals too! 

You don’t have to go from 0 to 100, REAL QUICK. You can start small and transition them into more elaborate goals as you achieve them. For example, want to quick start your health and fitness goals, commit to hitting the gym for 'x' amount of time per week and increase this goal bi-weekly or monthly as you hit this first goal consecutively. 

3.     CELEBRATE YOUR SMALL WINS

This brings me to my next point- celebrate the small wins! Because afterall, its all about the journey and making this an enjoyable process to adhere for the long term!

 When you hit landmarks in your goal, reward yourself! It will make you proud and keep pushin' you along the process!

4.     POSITIVE SELF-TALK

Be your own best friend and only instill positive words of affirmation and encouragement to yourself! Its crazy how big a factor our own self-talk plays when it comes to achieving ANY RESULT we desire for our own life.

Make sure you are prioritizing this and only feed your mind, words of love, appreciation and positivity into the new year!

5.     SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS

This one is my personal favourite!

Your environment truly plays a huge influence on everything you do!

Whether you realize it or not, your circle of influence can impact the type of person you are and the results you create in your own life!

Assess who you spend your time with. Are they people who are goal-driven, inspiring individuals who truly want the best for you and everyone around them?

There is NO room for negativity when it comes to attracting more success & abundance into our lives! Remember that, and know you owe it to yourself to keep only the best people in your circle!

 

As always, if you have any personal development related, nutrition/health questions or just want to say a quick hello, feel free to reach out to me through my contact forum or any of my social media links! 

I would love you hear you! <3

xo

Ayesha Sehra 

MY TOP 10 TIPS TO REDUCE ABDOMINAL BLOATING & FLATTEN OUT YOUR TUMMY!

SO, you’re going out tonight and want that tummy to be tight & flat tummy for your event! But unfortunately your stomach (especially the lower abdominal area) is feeling a little uncomfortable and puffy.
Well, you’re not alone! Many people experience abdominal bloating on a daily basis!
The good news is, it is an experience that can actually be avoided very easily!
Just making simple changes in your day can make the world of a difference and help flatten out that tummy! 

 STILL INTERESTED?
KEEP READING TO HEAR MY TOP 10 TIPS TO FIGHT THAT TUMMY BLOAT AND ACHIEVE THAT FLAT STOMACH!

1. LIMIT YOUR INTAKE OF CHEWING GUM. 

When you chew gum, it causes you to swallow air into the stomach which can lead to bloating. 

2. BEWARE OF YOUR INTOLERANCES. 

Many people may be intolerant to foods they eat on a daily basis without even knowing! These intolerances can cause issues such as bloating, gas, constipation, even diarrhea. Be aware of how your body is responding and feeling to the different foods you eat on a daily basis! 

3. UP THE WATER INTAKE!

Increasing your water intake helps provides so many benefits for your body AND helps reduce abdominal bloating. It helps to keep your digestive tract regular and flush out excess toxins from your body.

SIDE NOTE: Especially if you are eating a healthy diet & consuming enough fiber daily. Then making sure you are hitting your water intake daily is key. Fiber will sit in the colon if not enough water is consumed to bind to the fiber to excrete it. 

4. LIMIT YOUR CONSUMPTION OF CARBONATED DRINKS

This includes any carbonated beverages, including the 0 calorie ones!                                       These drinks can cause gas to get trapped in your belly that leads to abdominal bloating.   

            5. DON'T EAT TOO FAST!                                                                                                            
I know I can be so guilty of this one, especially when I'm hungry!!
Unfortunately, scarfing down a quick meal does not help out our digestive system. When we consume a meal fast, it causes air swallowing and also does not give our bodies adequate time to fire up its digestive processes. Digestion begins at the mouth, so just by chewing our food more slowly, it can help reduce bloating immensely! 

6. TRY NOT TO CHUG SIPS OF YOUR DRINK IN BETWEEN BITES OF YOUR MEAL. 
During a meal, taking sips of water in between bites is totally okay! However, drinking too much fluid with your meal can reduce saliva production and dilute gastric juices necessary for proper digestion of your meal! 

7. ARTIFICIAL SWEETNERS
These are everywhere- in sugar alternatives, chewing gum, condiments, foods, drinks, etc. They are NOT unsafe to consume! However, depending on the person and their consumption they may respond differently to artificial sweeteners.
Some people may experience digestive problems because they can reach the bacteria in the intestine and produce gas.
Some people can get away with consuming more artificially sweeteners and not experience any bloating or get as bloated as others.
As always, just being mindful and limiting your intake if you find your stomach is feeling uncomfortable after consumption. 

8. DIGESTIVE ENZYMES & PROBIOTICS! 

Digestive enzymes and probiotics can be purchased at any health food store! Our bodies can sometimes lack the certain enzymes needed to break down the foods we eat.                      Digestive enzymes contain supplemental enzymes to break down the foods we eat.         Probiotics on the other hand, help maintain the healthy and good bacteria environment in your gut!

I recommend a good probiotic supplement to all my clients to ensure that we are maintaining a happy gut in order to ensure proper digestion and reduce any symptoms of gas and bloating! 

9. EAT MORE WHOLE FOODS, LIMIT PROCESSED FOODS. 

Consuming majority of your diet from natural whole foods that are not heavily processed is a lot easier for your body to process and digest! Not only that, but it also provides your body with the micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) it needs.

Keeping a healthy environment for your gut is key and having these processed foods in moderation is a great way to keep the environment in your gut a happy one!

10. MOVE YOUR BODY! 

A lot of you may be seated for majority of our day at work.                                                      Constantly sitting and eating can slow down your digestive system. So try a little stretch break or some walking around to help activate that digestive system and help to reduce any bloating you may experience in your day! 

& there ya have it folks!
MY TOP 10 TIPS TO HELP REDUCE ABDOMINAL BLOATING!
As always, feel free to message me with any questions, comments, feedback, anything at all!
I’d love to hear from you & happy to help you move closer to becoming the happiest and healthiest version of you! 

XOXO
AYESHA SEHRA

 

THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS WHEN IT COMES TO SEEING YOUR ABS! 💪

"HOW CAN I GET THEM?!"
"WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET THEM?! "
"WHAT DO I EAT?!"
TRAINING, NUTRITION, GENETICS EXPLAINED! 

SO its summer time, time to go to the pool and rock that swimwear! Maybe you’ve started adding some extra ab crunches to your workout in hopes of getting your abs to make a rockin’ appearance while layin’ poolside this summer! 
 
Seems like it makes sense, right?
"If I train my abs then I should get abs, right?"
Sort of…

I’m going to break down THE BIG 3 principles when it comes to revealing your abs and keeping them visible for the world to see! 

The 3 things are... 

1. TRAINING

2. NUTRITION

3. GENETICS  

All these things dictate how much your abs show!
And let me preface that, all these things vary from person to person.

Now lets break things down, shall we?!

1. TRAINING

        When it comes to training the abs, many people resort to do an endless amount of crunches or sit ups and calling it a day.
While performing countless reps of crunches isn’t easy and lets be honest, it can be quite boring to do, it is NOT the most efficient way to train your abs in order to get those bad boys poppin'!                                   Your abdominals are a muscle just like any other muscle in your body, like your biceps, your triceps, quadriceps, etc.                                                                                                                     To get your abs to grow, you need to train them just like your would any other muscle on your body. Training the abs with weight and increasing that weight as you advance in your program will help you to continue to build the muscle in your abs.
Training your abs from different angles to target all areas of your abs (your rectus abdominals, internal and external oblique’s, serratus anterior). You need to stimulate your abs from all angles, incorporating exercises that target all muscles of the abs.

        Lastly, training abs directly and ONLY training your abs will NOT give you abs. Unfortunately you cannot spot reduce specific areas to lose body fat by overtraining that body part. A way to get your abs to show more overall is to burn off more fat off your entire body overall! This comes through a properly structured training/cardio and nutrition program! (Keep reading because nutrition is up next!)

2. NUTRITION

        How many of you have heard the saying, abs are made in the kitchen?!
Well that saying speaks 100% the truth!
Consuming an optimal diet consisting of the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat for YOUR body and lifestyle is key! Eating nutritious foods, avoiding processed foods and drinking plenty of water is a great way to start!
        For those of you who know me, know I am big on tracking macronutrient/caloric intake. I personally find this way a very sustainable approach to keeping my diet in check and allowing me to alter the ratio of macronutrients when I am cutting or lean bulking! Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions on flexible dieting/finding your most optimal macronutrients! I’m happy to help! 

3. GENETICS

        Lastly, the point that is not in our control but can play a role in how much your abs show is our genetics!
We all have different areas on the body where our body prefers to carry most of our fat. For ladies, a common area is in the glutes and hips area. For males, a common area is in the stomach. However, we all have different underlying shapes of our abs and they way they look on our body is dictated by our genetics.
        Some people will get to super low levels of body fat and still don’t have their abs showing as defined as others at the some body fat %. Unfair? HECK YES!                                                                                        But that’s just life and genetics my friends! Some people respond extremely well to training their abs only once a week and see the development in their abs they want.
        Overall, make the most out of what you have! You can always improve and work hard to get those abdominals to pop! 

IN CONCLUSION...

        At the end of the day, remember that consistency is key!
No fitness goal is out of reach for you, you just need to make the right changes and choices! :) 
As always, feel free to email me/shoot me a msg in my contact forum if you have any additional questions!
I'm here and more than happy to help!! xo

CARBS AFTER DARK

Its late at night and cravings strike… God forbid you snack on some carbs this late in the evening because that stuff is just ALL going to get turned straight into fat!

Don’t get too surprised when I say this, but that is NOT the truth. Carbs are not the enemy, eating late will not kill you and make you fat but hear me out a bit.

The answers are all explained in the science, so sit back, relax and lets here what the truth behind the science says!

First off, lets discuss what is going on when you are asleep.

Most believe that your metabolism slows down due to the fact that you are lying down and resting. This makes sense as you would be resting, you would be buning less calories than if you were up and moving around like during the day.   

However, research has found that sleep energy expenditure actually significantly INCREASES in the latter half of your sleep (Norton, Biolayne). Overall, your sleeping metabolic rate (SMR) is no less than your resting metabolic rate (RMR) during the day (Norton, Biolayne). (Resting Metabolic Rate is the amount of energy you expend during the day at rest to support your body's basic functions such as breathing, circulation. (Bodybuilding, 2016). 

In fact, studies have shown that exercise can INCREASE your sleep metabolic rate leading to GREATER fat oxidation during sleep (Norton, Biolayne). Therefore sleeping metabolic rate was proven to actually surpass resting metabolic rate in active individuals as well! And if you are an active individual then consuming carbs before bed may be even MORE advantageous for you!  

Now lets see what your hormones had to say about consuming carbs late at night...

A study was published in the Obesity Journey and carried out by researchers who created 2 groups. An experimental group who consumed most of their daily carbohydrate intake at dinner and a control group, who consumed their carbs dispersed throughout the day (Ferruggia, 2015). 

The results concluded that the experimental group that consumed majority of carbs in the evening showed greater losses in:

Total body weight, body fat & waist circumference. In addition to higher leptin levels, a fat burning hormone that down regulates during dieting. Keeping this hormone elevated helps fat burning and keeps your metabolism running fast (Sofer, Eliraz, 2011). 

Additionally it was found that consuming carbs at night also showed more stable insulin levels! Keeping insulin in check is another important variable to have controlled to keep burning fat.

THE MOST IMPORTANT KEY to take away on whether or not eating a bolus of carb at night will cause you to put on excess fat or not comes down to, YOUR TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the numbers, CALORES IN VS. CALORIES OUT.

If your goal is to lose weight, and your macronutrient and caloric goal is adjusted and set accordingly, then it does NOT MATTER what time you choose to eat throughout the day, as long as the numbers add up correctly!

Yes there are more optimal times of the day where carbohydrates may be of more benefit to you and your fitness goals (ex. Pre workout, intra workout, post workout) but I will get into that in another post. :) 

Pay attention to your total caloric consumption at the end of the day. If your macronutrient goals are at an optimal place for your body and physique goals then you will NOT see any unwanted changes in your body composition!

A little tip I recommend, if you are one to get hungry in the evenings is to save a good portion of your macronutrients for that time.

This way you can eat that big meal that is 100% accounted for in your day, you experience no guilt & you might even find you experience improvements in the quality of your sleep!

Eliminate the guilt, eat for your goals and as always if you have any questions, I'm here & happy to help! xo

Email – ayeshasehra@hotmail.com

Or shoot me a message in my contact forum ! :)

REVERSE DIET BREAKDOWN!

SO, you’ve just been through a dieting period, living on a lower calorie diet to achieve your end goal weight. Maybe you were prepping for a competition, photoshoot, wedding, event, or just a personal goal for yourself to attain. You’ve dieted down successfully and reached your goal… now what?
Or maybe you’ve been restricting calories for too long and your body is not cooperating anymore and you've hit a weight-loss plateau… now what?

I want to discuss the process of a reverse diet, when to implement it and why it is so important & beneficial for your body at times like these. 

The aftermath of a dieting period can really do a number on your metabolism and this period after a caloric deficit is critical to avoid excess fat gain while restoring and increasing your metabolic rate! NO harsh rebounds here folks, we’re bringing your metabolism up to speed and also bringing you benefits to help you in and outside the gym! You’re coasting in for the long-term gains!

FIRST LETS GO OVER THE EFFECTS OF A DIETING PERIOD…

After a period of dieting your body’s metabolic rate is slowed down due to decreased body mass and fat burning hormones are down regulated from dieting.

The concept of a reverse diet is used here to restore metabolic rate by slowly and strategically adding more calories back into your diet again so you do not gain a lot of excess body fat rapidly and are set up for long-term success moving forward.

After a calorically restricted period, many people will gain that weight back if they shoot their calories up right after a fat loss period.

Dr. Layne Norton’s podcast on reverse dieting, noted that most people after dieting cant keep that weight off and 80% of people will re-gain weight they’ve lost and may even add on even more fat due to the down-regulated effects of dieting on metabolism.

Once you’ve gained that weight back, it is even harder to diet down to lose it due to the fact that you will have to bring your calories even lower to enter a caloric deficit and lose body fat.

Lets take this in an example-  Say you have just dieted down, and your new maintenance level of calories is now 1300 kcals, and you would like to CONTINUE cutting down. You would have to keep reducing from this level of calories in order to further see results.

The goal of a reverse diet is to build your metabolism to a point where when you want to diet down again, you are cutting from a higher maintenance level of calories of lets say, 2800 kcals.

By reverse dieting you will allow your metabolism to fully recover, slowly work towards increasing your maintenance level and burn through those more calories more efficiently. You may even find yourself getting leaner in the process!  

THIS ALSO PUTS YOUR BODY IN A MORE EFFICIENT PLACE TO...

-       Put on lean muscle mass

-       Enjoy HIGH CALORIE meals out and not be as affected because metabolically your body is now in a much more stable place to metabolize that meal

-       Prepare you for your next cutting/dieting phase so you can diet on eating MORE calories while staying leaner!

Maybe you lose 10 lbs, re-gain 5 lbs but get your caloric intake higher than it was before. 

One of the major benefits of a reverse diet is that when you get back up to your maintenance calories, you have LESS body fat than you had prior to when you began dieting and are EATING more.

Now lets say you want to diet again, this means you can now diet down on a HIGHER daily caloric intake. (since you’ve increased your maintenance level)

= A NET WIN FOR YOUR METABOLISM!

This makes your next cutting phase easier.

Apply this over multiple phases cutting and reversing phases and imagine where you will take your metabolism!

Reverse dieting is a different process for each individual depending on how your body responds. It is an important phase to go through for all individuals who have been through long dieting phases and metabolisms are down-regulated. 

Look after your body for the LONG-TERM. You have this body you are blessed with for your lifetime. Take care of it, be patient with your process and most importantly love your body!

If you have any questions at all about reverse dieting or need help with getting on track with your fitness goals, feel free to message me! I am more than happy to help <3

Below is a picture of the reverse diet approach I applied on myself! 

I was on a long cutting phase for about 20 weeks until my bikini competition.

I was eating around 1 150 kcal/ day and doing up to 1.5 hours of cardio a day in the picture of the left. 

I successfully reverse dieted myself out of that eating around 1 900 kcals (and still increasing calories!) with weekly refeeds and doing very minimal cardio in the picture on the right. All while keeping fat gain to a minimum and increasing my strength and energy in the gym! 

SMOOTHIE BOWL

Making smoothie bowls have been my new favourite thing to have in my day! 

The possibilities of toppings are endless and lets be real, eating a smoothie with a spoon is way better than drinking it from a glass! :) 

It also makes you feel like you're eating ice cream and satisfies that sweet tooth without the calories!!

Here is the recipe for a macro-friendly smoothie bowl I have been LOVING lately!

INGREDIENTS FOR SMOOTHIE: 

• 1 Scoop Protein Powder (I used PEScience Snickerdoodle Protein)
• About 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cashew Milk 
• LOTS OF ICE!!! 

Optional: dash of cinnamon & stevia! 

TOPPINGS:

• 2 tbsp PB2 
• 1/3 cup Cinnamon Puffins Cereal (A great healthier alternative to the classic Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal)
• Walden Farms Pancake Syrup drizzled on top! 

The amount of toppings & portions you can use is completely up to you & options are endless!  

Feel free to get creative and add whatever your heart desires to top off your smoothie bowl! :)

Total Macros for my Smoothie Bowl: 

220 kcals | 19 C | 4 F | 30 P

1 CARB PROTEIN PANCAKES!

If you're like me and have a big sweet tooth then you will absolutely LOVE these! 

I have found the solution for the best high protein stack of pancakes that will NOT sabotage your diet & waistline! 

MACROS for the entire recipe: 

196 Calories  | 1 CARB | 2 FAT | 41 PROTEIN

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 SCOOP PROTEIN POWDER (I used PEScience Snickerdoodle protein, highly recommend using this as it is a whey + casein blend, its great for baking! But any protein powder will do! :) 
• 150 g EGG WHITES
• 1/4 C CASHEW MILK
• 1 TSP BAKING POWDER

Toss all the ingredients in a blender, blend it up and you are ready to start cooking!

I also added in some cinnamon into the mixture! 

& there ya have it! SWEET & TASTY PROTEIN PANCAKES!

TOPPINGS: I always top my protein pancakes with a nut butter (I used Nuts' n More White Chocolate spread) but any will taste great! I also used Walden Farms Maple syrup or recommend a Sugar-Free maple syrup! :) 

ENJOY! XO 

HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED ON YOUR FITNESS GOALS INTO THE NEW YEAR!

1. Get yourself on a program! Going into the gym with a plan of action will keep you focused, prepared & excited for your workout!

Consistency is key, and staying regimented on a specific program will guarantee you results!

As you progress you will probably decide how you want your training program to be but for now, its super important to give yourself a plan of action!

2. Forget about what other people are thinking

At the end of the day, everyone in the gym is there to workout for themselves. They don’t care how much you are lifting, what exercises you are doing, how you look while you workout, so don’t let any of that intimidate you!

Never compare yourself to anyone & love the body you were blessed with.

Start where you are, do what you can & go in there with confidence and you will KILL IT!

3. Get a workout partner to go to the gym with!

Having an accountability partner can be huge to helping you reach your goals (not to mention, a lot of fun having someone to gym with!)

This can be someone who is at your level or someone who is experienced.

If they are just starting out like you, you guys can learn together and have a lot of fun going to the gym together, makes for a very comfortable experience going to the gym! If they are an expert in the gym you can learn a lot from them. Either way a WIN-WIN situation! :)

4. REWARD YOUR SUCCESSES

BIG OR SMALL, recognize the positive changes you make and be proud of yourself!

Setting up a reward system for yourself is a great way to stay motivated!

5. DO IT FOR YOU!

Most importantly set this goal for YOU!

Love your body enough to follow a healthier lifestyle and fall in love with the process! If you don’t love it in the beginning, be patient, it gets easier.

Go into this New Year with the right mindset, set goals for yourself and ultimately have fun doing it!

WHAT IS IIFYM (FLEXIBLE DIETING)?

Flexible dieting, or better known as IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) is the tracking of your macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats). These macronutrient daily requirements are determined based off of your body compositional goal. The beauty of flexible dieting most people love about it is that everyday you have the option to eat different things as long as at the end of the day you hit your required macronutrients. If you still hit your correct macros goals daily, you will get the results you desire!

Now don’t get me wrong, flexible dieting and tracking your macros isn’t about trying to fit in Oreos and doughnuts everyday. Yes, you have the CHOICE to fit treats into your daily macros but it is still crucial and optimal to fuel your body with nutritious whole foods. Just because you may be able to fit 3 donuts + candy and other empty calories into your macros doesn’t mean you should.

Especially if you are cutting, and you don’t have much room to play within your macronutrient ranges, it is important to eat foods that are higher volume, nutrient dense that will satisfy your hunger and make you feel more full!

Making sure you are eating lots of nutrient dense foods is important for overall health and for your body to recover and function properly.

By all means, if you have an urging craving for a donut one day, the beauty of counting macros is that you can satisfy that craving AND still be well on your way to achieving your goals!

That is what I think this makes flexible dieting so sustainable and effective!

It allows people to be strict but NOT restrictive with their diets.

EFFECTIVE because at the end of the day it is a numbers game. In order to lose weight you must understand that a calorie deficit is necessary and in order to put on more muscle mass, a surplus of calories is ideal. Tracking everything you are eating gets you well on your way to taking control and reaching your goals!

SUSTAINABLE because like I said above it does not restrict you. Flexible dieting has been said to kill the binge diet. It is more mentally and emotionally sustainable knowing that you don’t have to always deprive yourself and then go crazy on a binge. You can eat what you want in moderation and still accomplish your goals!

Hope this helped your understanding on the IIFYM diet!

As always, if you have any questions or would like to try out this style of dieting or want to find out your ideal macronutrient intake should be for your goals, shoot me a msg!

I’m always happy to help! Xoxo

COOKIE DOUGH PROTEIN

GUILT-FREE cookie dough! Can life get any better than that?! This is one of my new favourite snacks!

Super easy & quick to make + it tastes amazing!!

ALL YOU NEED IS:

• 2 TBSP (17.5 grams) Coconut Flour
• 1 TBSP (7 grams) of your Whey Protein of choice (I used Cellucor’s Choc Chip Cookie Dough protein powder. Use my discount code “SEHRA” to get 25% off your entire order + free shipping!)
• Stevia to taste
• Water (Until cookie-dough like consistency)

DIRECTIONS:

Just simply mix all ingredients together in a bowl until you get the right dough-like consistency.

If you add too much water, then add some more protein powder to the mix.

Also feel free to get creative and add some toppings!

Enjoy! Xoxo

MACROS: 11 C, 2 F, 8 P | 72 kcals

ALL ABOUT PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTATION!

SO, what is the deal on whey protein powder supplements and what does it do for YOU, YOUR BODY AND ULTIMATELY YOUR RESULTS? I will break it all done for you and explain to you the use of supplementing with protein into your daily routine as well as go over the different types of whey protein supplements!

 SO LETS GET STARTED... 

First lets talk about the macronutrient, PROTEIN itself. Protein is the body’s building block. It is composed of amino acids that our body uses to function properly and maintain structure and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.

Below I will discuss protein’s role in particular to building muscle.In order to be successful with building more muscle mass, you want to ensure you are consuming enough protein daily.

DO YOU NEED TO TAKE A PROTEIN POWDER SUPPLEMENT?

Protein powder supplements are not a direct requirement to gaining muscle mass, as long as you then are consuming enough protein from your diet from whole foods.

I personally feel that taking a protein powder supplement helps me to reach my daily protein intake goal. This is just because I find it a lot easier to drink 25-30g of protein and also the convenience of drinking an extra serving of protein than consuming it from whole food meal. Especially if you are trying to increase your muscle mass, you are probably already eating many other whole food meals throughout your day.

THE BENEFIT OF TAKING A WHEY PROTEIN POWDER…

Immediately after a workout it is a crucial time to make sure your body is getting a solid amount of protein to give your body fuel to heal and grow. This is because when you workout you are creating small tears in your muscle tissues as you contract your muscles throughout your workout. Your body then needs to repair itself. Protein is used here by being delivered to your muscles to start repairing these microtears in the muscle fibers. Immediately after your workout, your body is in an anabolic state. You want this process to begin right away and this can occur quickly and efficiently by taking a whey protein supplement immediately post workout.

Solid foods take a longer time to digest in the body and therefore reach your muscles to start this process in comparison to a protein shake, which only takes about 30 minutes to digest and reach your muscles.

Now there are many different types of protein supplements out there on shelves at supplement stores. To name a few there are,  whey protein isolates, whey protein concentrates, casein protein powders, hydrolyzed whey proteins, soy protein powders, milk protein isolates, etc.

Depending on your goals, your dietary preferences (i.e. lactose intolerant, vegan) and what you would like to use the protein for, one protein may be more ideal over another.

Particularly for immediately after workout, a whey protein isolate or hydrolyzed whey protein would be ideal as it contains the greatest concentration of protein (ranging from 90-98%). Due to its chemical nature it is the easiest to absorb in your system. It also contains the lowest level of lactose and is typically the lowest levels in calories, fat and carbs.

Here is a just brief outline on some of the other types of protein supplements that may be of interest to you!

Whey Protein Concentrate

• 70-85% protein content
• This protein contains higher levels of fat and lactose than isolates. Whey concentrate is good to be used for both pre and post workout as well as a good supplement in between meals to help add protein to your diet!

Casein Protein

• This protein is a slow-releasing protein that will be broken down in your body over a span of several hours (5-7 hours).
• Casein protein can be used as a meal, especially as a meal before bed to help your body stay anabolic throughout the night!

Whey Protein Isolate

• One of the quickest absorbing proteins with a high concentrate of 90-98% protein content.
• Ideal for pre ad post workout as they are quickly absorbed and utilized by the body.

Hydrolyzed Whey Protein

• Highest absorption rate with a great anabolic effect among all protein supplements!
• Better on the digestive system compared to other proteins and used ideally for pre and post workout!

Soy Protein

• If you are looking for a vegetarian source of protein then this may be an option for you!
• Soy supports a healthy cholesteral, is lactose-free
• This can be used both pre and post workout, or anytime throughout the day to help reach your protein macronutrient goals.

Milk Protein Isolate

• A combination of both casein and whey protein.
• Typically used at anytime throughout the day due to the fact that it has both fast and slow rate digesting properties.

As always, if you have any further questions on protein supplements, what would be an ideal choice for you, if you should start supplementing, etc, feel free to shoot me a msg through my 'CONTACT' tab!:)

5 TIPS TO STAYING LEAN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

The greatest time of the year is finally here! With all the holiday celebrations with family and friends comes all the FOOD! Now, don’t feel like you have to deprive yourself of the food and festivities that come with this time of year!

Its all about finding a balance of letting yourself indulge but not losing yourself this holiday season and letting yourself go overboard.

Here’s a list of my 5 tips you can keep in mind while enjoying your holiday season! :)

1. PRIORITIZE the Protein!

Protein has a high thermogenic effect meaning that your body uses more calories to digest protein (20-35% of calories) than it does for carbs and fats. Protein also has a stabilizing effect on your blood sugar and will help you to feel full!

Increasing your protein intake will boost your metabolism and help to maintain your muscle mass, both key ingredients in losing fat and keeping it off.

2. Drink lots of water and make sure to eat your fiber!

Making sure you are drinking enough water and eating foods high in fibre will definitely help with satiety! Fibre tends to sit in your gastrointestinal area longer, which pulls fluid into the area, making you feel full for longer!

Fibre also helps blunt the secretion of sugar, which will help with the all the yummy desserts you may plan on enjoying ;)

 3. Never arrive to a party or dinner hungry. 

Starving yourself all day up until the social event often leads to overeating and making many poor nutritional choices. Try to keep your diet clean throughout the day, eating a smaller meal about an hour before your event. Protein and healthy fat sources are great options that will help fill you up so you’ll be less likely to overindulge at the event.

4. Feel free to add in some extra cardio sessions to your workouts!

To maximize your chances of avoiding the holiday weight gain, make sure you stay active! If you're finding if hard to schedule workouts into your busy schedule, try out HIIT (high intensity interval training) style workouts. HIIT will help you to burn fat faster with a less overall training time! (Want to read more about HIIT training? Check out my blog under the 'fitness' tab- "Lets Talk Cardio")

5. Don’t eat the leftovers the next day.

Try to leave the holiday food for the holiday itself. It’s hard to get back on your normal diet the next day after your cheat meal if you are staring at the tempting foods in your fridge.

Instead, enjoy your indulgences over the holidays but get yourself back on track with your goals the next day!

Overall, it is the holidays and it comes only once a year so by all means, ENJOY IT! You only live once and these times you share with your loved ones create memories you'll always have.

But by just being a little mindful of your choices you are already that much more ahead, leaving you pumped and motivated for the new year instead of frustrated or upset that you let yourself go completely over the holidays!

Bikini Photoshoot

Photography | Liana Louzon Hair & Makeup| Absolute Touch

Suit | The Crystal Suit

MY FIRST OPA BIKINI COMPETITION

On August 15th, 2015 I competed in my very first OPA (Ontario Physique Association) competition in the bikini division. I competed at the GNC CanFitPro Natural Championships in Toronto. The entire process of my competition prep was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! Throughout my prep, I coached myself and learned an exponential amount of new knowledge about my body, nutritional diet, training and just more about myself in general.

For 15 weeks, I devoted my entire life to my training would not change a thing about the experience! I am a strong believer in always striving for more in your life. There really are no limitations as to what you can achieve in your life. Set your goals HIGH and you will get there. It truly is all about your mindset, if you tell yourself you CAN do something, you WILL!

Your life is a constant journey of growth and learning to achieve what we want. This past weekend I qualified for the Natural Provincials, which I will be competing in next August of 2016.

I am more than ready to train even harder this year and come back to the stage with a completely different and improved package for 2016!!

Never stop expanding, growing, living and learning in your life! & always remember to trust YOUR process! Even when it feels tough, trust that it will all makes sense and the adversity will put you in the exact places you need to be!

Below are some pictures I took from the weekend! xoxo

 

ALL ABOUT THE ABS!

OH THE ABS! The area we all seem to constantly want to improve! The quest for the perfect 6-pack seems to always be the mission. Media posts everywhere you look, saying things like, “THE TRICK TO THE PERFECT 6 PACK ABS” or “EAT THIS/ TAKE THIS SUPPLEMENT AND YOU WILL HAVE ABS” its hard to find truth as to how to reveal that six-pack.

That’s why I have decided to clear up these myths about the abs and tell you simply tell you how you can reveal that six-pack of yours!!

OK LETS BEGIN! :)

First off, let me begin by saying,

Training your abs does NOT lower your body fat specifically at your midsection!

Unfortunately, you cannot spot reduce. If you want to get your abs to show more you have to bring your overall body fat percentage down!

That being said, you can do a million crunches but if you have a layer of fat over your abdominals, your 6-pack will not be visible.

You will however strengthen your abdominal muscles which is never a bad thing, but the look of that shredded 6-pack will not appear do to the layer of fat on top.

So this may make you ask,

HOW DO I LOWER MY BODY FAT PERCENTAGE?

I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying, “abs are made in the kitchen.” Well, when we want to reduce or body fat percentage, it is really quite simple we just have to simply expend more calories than we consume.

It is so crucial that we obtain optimal amounts of macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat) for our bodies!

Every BODY is different so it is key that you provide enough of each macronutrient to fuel your body everyday!

THE MACRONUTRIENTS:

1. PROTEIN!!

Protein is especially important when wanting to maintain your abs because it will help you build lean muscle as well as burn body fat. Out of all the macronutrients, protein has the highest thermogenic effect on the body!

2. FATS

Fat is your friend!! It is so important we are consuming healthy fats primarily from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as raw nuts, nut butters, fish oils, olive oils, etc. These sources of fat will keep your insulin levels stable, that is extremely important if you want to lose belly fat and reveal those 6-pack abs!

3. CARBOHYDRATES

Carbs may have been given a bad name in the diet industry but that is definitely one big myth!! Yes, eating too many carbohydrates will lead to weight gain but eating too much of anything will lead to weight gain!! Carbohydrates are our body’s main fuel source that our body needs to function at its peak and remain healthy! When on the 6-pack quest some great sources of carbohydrates that are my favourites are sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal and vegetables!

Combining all 3 of these macronutrients in optimal amounts for your body type will keep your metabolism strong and make your body a fat burning machine!

HOW & WHEN SHOULD I TRAIN MY ABS?

Now the next part to address when unleashing your 6-pack is what is the best way to train your abs!

As I mentioned above, you cannot spot reduce. Doing 1000 crunches is not going to be beneficial if your abs are still covered by a layer of fat. But it is still important you implement some consistent ab training in your workout routine.

• Aim to train your abs 2-4 times/week!
• Choose 3-4 abdominal exercises and aim for 4 sets of each exercise for your ab workout.
• Train your core abdominal core at multiple angles using a veriety of exercises to maximize better results! (I will be posting an abdominal workout shortly on exercises you could do!)
• Keep your rest periods short! (30-45 seconds)
• For weighted oblique movements, choose a light weight. (this is so you don’t develop muscle thickness around your midsection)
• For bodyweight ab exercises aim to go until muscle failure! For weighted abdominal exercises try to aim for higher reps.

Ultimately, you just really want to feel the burn in the right places when training your abdominals!

OTHER EXERCISES THAT WILL REVEAL YOUR ABS…

• Compound, multi-joint, total body movements! These types of movements will result in greater fat loss and more muscle building response than any crunch ever will!
• HIIT workouts/ Intervals! Instead of doing steady state cardio on a cardio machine try out a HIIT style workout as it will spike up your metabolism and turn you into a fat burning machine! (Check out my blog on HIIT training under the ‘Fitness’ section). Interval workouts- try combining abdominal exercises in your cardio routine!

Overall, stay focused on your diet, perform compound exercises, do smart cardio in your workout routine, be consistent & use good form during your abdominal training and you are well on your way on your six pack quest!

Yoga Photography

 

8 TIPS FOR SUCCESS!

1. HAVE A POSITIVE MIND. 

After all, a positive mind = a positive life. To help keep a positive mind, dismiss words from your vocab like “I cant” and “I wont”. Instead say, “I will” and “I can”.

2. THINK BIG!

Honestly though, as cheesy as this may sound, the sky is the limit. YOU are absolutely limitless and the possibilities for your life are endless. So often we tend to live so small and safe when we can live SO much larger! We just need to step a little bit outside our comfort zones and take risks! (this is where growth happens!!)

3. DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE.

Don’t accept failure as an end towards achieving your goals. Instead, take it as an opportunity to take a deep breath, re-asses the situation and try again!

4. LOVE WHAT YOU DO.

Life is way too short to wake up everyday to not be happy with what you are doing. Do what you love everyday and you are on the road to success.

5. DON’T LET DISCOURAGEMENT STOP YOU.

There will be people in your life that will make comments about your goals and life. Don’t let any discouragement hinder your journey to success. Stay true to yourself, trust your process and you are sure to succeed.

6. FIND YOUR BALANCE.

Manage your life and your work and make them work in harmony. Reward yourself for your successes and try not to get too caught up with one thing!

If you’re finding trouble balancing out the differenet areas of your life, try this exercise! :)

Exercise: Write down all the things you value and rate how important each value is to you on a 1 to 10 scale.

Also write down where you would like to be on that scale with your value. Think about how you can bring that number up and then make an effort towards achieving that.

7. BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY TO SUCCEED.

If you don’t believe in yourself first, who else will?

Trust that you have everything it takes inside you to succeed and achieve your goals. Once you believe this, everyone around you will too!

8. PUT IN WORK AND WORK HARD.

If you want something bad enough, you will make the sacrifices that need to be made. In the end, these short-term sacrifices will create long term gains you will never regret!

Put in the hard work now and I promise you will come along the time to enjoy the success you create!

BACK ATTACK WORKOUT

Personally, BACK day is one of my favourite days to train!!! Your back is such a HUGE muscle group that I think sometimes doesn't get paid enough attention to.

Not only does it look amazing when you have an aesthetic back, training your back will have substantial benefits for your long term health & well being!

It will prevent low back pain and keep your posture in tact as you age!

So keep reading if you want to read my favourite exercises to target each part of your back to complete the perfect BACK ATTACK workout!

For this workout, we are going to target 4 major regions of your back!

1. Upper and Outer Lats
2. Lower Lats
3. Middle Back
4. Low Back

UPER AND OUTER LATS EXERCISES:

To target this area, we are going to be doing movements that utilize a WIDE grip.

This will help develop that V-taper look must people want to achieve!

• Wide Grip Pull Ups
• Wide Grip Lat Pull Down
• Straight Arm Pulldown

 LOWER LATS EXERCISES:

To target this area, you want to focus on more narrow grip/underhand exercises.

• Underhand Close Grip Lat Pull Down
• T-Bar Row
• Close Grip Pull Ups
• Reverse Grip Bent Over Rows

MIDDLE BACK EXERCISES:

Aim for close and medium grip pulling movements towards your midsection!

•  One Arm Dumbbell Row
• Seated Cable Row
• Bent-Over Barbell Row

LOW BACK EXERCISES:

To target this area, movements where you bend from the waist are key! These movements will help strengthen and protect you from experiencing low-back pain.

•  Back Extension
• Deadlifts
• Good Mornings

Choose a couple exercises from each area to make sure you are targeting your FULL back during your next back workout!

Aim for 3-4 sets of each exercise and depending on your goals, your rep ranges will vary!

If you are not sure what rep range is ideal for you, here is a quick guideline you can follow:

PRIMARILY POWER & STRENGTH - 1-4 REPS

SOME STRENGTH & SOME SIZE- 4-7 REPS

PRIMARILY SIZE & SOME STRENGTH- 7-12 REPS

PRIMARILY ENDURANCE & SOME SIZE- 12 + REPS

This is just a basic guideline you can use if you are confused as to where to start. Everyone's bodies are different and your training program may include many different rep ranges and set schemes to achieve different goals!

As always, if you have any questions or comments on how to perform an exercise I mentioned above or need guidance on creating an optimal program designed to just for YOU to suit YOUR needs, do not hesitate to contact me! :)

ayeshasehra@hotmail.com

THE BREAKDOWN ON BCAAs

First off, lets begin with what are BCAAs? BCAAs stands for branch chained amino acids.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein (we get this from our diet from foods like meat, dairy and legumes). Branched chained amino acids are made up of three essential amino acids, leucine, isoleucine and valine.

These are essential amino acids because our body is unable to make them so therefore we need to consume them through food or supplements.

WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE BCAAs?

BCAAs are a great supplement to include in your diet because they play a major role in stimulating protein synthesis!

They increase synthesis of the cell’s to carry out the process of protein synthesis as well as increasing the cell’s capacity for protein synthesis!

BCAAs are believed to also enhance exercise performance. During exercise, it causes an increase in serotonin levels which are believed to cause fatigue. BCAAs have been found to reduce serotonin levels, therefore minimizing fatigue and enhancing exercise performance!!

BCAAs are primarily metabolized in skeletal muscles in comparison to other amino acids, in the liver.

This is why BCAAs also help repair damaged muscles, decrease muscle soreness and increase mental function.

WHEN TO TAKE BCAAs?

Drink your BCAAs before, during or after your training!

I love drinking on mine throughout the day in addition to during my workouts!

Aim for 5g of BCAAs per hour of training.

WHICH KIND OF BCAAs SHOULD YOU TAKE? 

The list could go on forever with possible options of flavours and brands of BCAAs to take!!

I’m all for trying new supplements and changing it up but currently I have been taking & loving:

Rich Piana’s 5% Nutrition- AllDayYouMay

Flavour: Blue Raspberry

I absolutely love this product! Not only is the taste AMAZING it offers some unreal benefits in comparison to other BCAA brands.

• It has a 10:1:1 BCAA ratio!!!
• Offers joint & liver support
• Powerful Anti-oxidant Immue System Support
• Muscle Stamina Enhancers

Ballistic Laboratories- Amino Reload

Flavour: Peach Mango

Another one of my favourites! This one sold me because this company is a Canadian company and all of their products are pharmaceutically licensened! Therefore, you know you are getting nothing but highly advanced, quality formulas!

Not only is the product made from high quality ingredients and a trustable brand, the taste is out of this world!!!

Definitely a company to check out if you haven’t yet :)

SWEET AND SALTY OATS

This oatmeal combines the perfect combination of sweet and salty to satisfy those cravings when they come your way! Feel free to make it your own and change up the flavour of protein powder or nut butter to whatever you like and enjoy!! :D

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• 1/2 C OATS (Any oats will do, you can use steel cut, quick oats)
• 1 SCOOP WHEY PROTEIN (I used Cellucor's chocolate chip cookie dough, its amazing!!!)
• 1 TBSP JIFF WHIPS PEANUT BUTTER OR ANY NUT BUTTER OF YOUR CHOICE
• WALDEN FARMS PANCAKE SYRUP  (I know this stuff is crazy for being 0 cal and all but a little bit won't hurt nobody)
• HIMALAYAN PINK SALTS
• STEVIA & CINNAMON (optional)

TIME TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:

1. Cook your oats by whatever method you choose (I prefer to boil mine in water)
2. Once cooked and cooled, add your whey protein to your oats (really stir it in until no powder bits)
3. Add in all other desired toppings, peanut butter, walden farms syrup, Himalayan pink salt, cinnamon & stevia to taste!

MACROS: 37 C, 10 F, 33 P