CTBBFit

Out With The Old, In With The New 2013 has come and gone leaving us all pondering our New Year's Resolutions. Instead of resolving to do or not to do something, I decided to make a list of all of the goals  I am setting for 2014. 2013 was an amazing year for me. The hubster and I took our annual surf trip to Costa Rica and I survived this year without being stung my a sting ray, I worked on some amazing projects at work, took a  new position at a different agency and I have never been happier. To top it off, I got in the best shape of my life, won my first fitness bikini compeition and gained an exceptionally supportive new family of fit friends. It has truly been a wonderful year and I feel incredibly blessed but I know 2014 has many more things in store for us. My primary focus is to find the positive in everything!! And without further adieu, here are my goals for 2014: 1. Health The end of 2013 has brought the flu and a sinus infection back to back prompting me to think ab...

Let's face it, we are all in a state of either maintaining, losing, or even gaining weight. Yes, there are women (and men) out there who want to gain weight. Before you say "not a bad problem to have," it is a problem when you are the one dissatisfied with your weight. Whether it is to add a little muscle or to lean out, we let the number on the scale define us! Almost everyone I talk to has a goal weight but you have to ask yourself what a number means. Is 121 pounds really better than 132? That all depends on your goals! If you had met me a year ago, I would have been unable to tell you how much I weighed because as long as I was still in a size two,  I was a happy camper. I went by my pant size and how I looked in the mirror to tell me if I was reaching goals. It wasn't until I had gained a bit of extra body fat and decided to compete that I became obsessed with weighing myself. Even though my coach wasn't incredibly concerned with my weight, I knew each we...

Looking to whip up something fast and healthy as a holiday treat? Look no further. We love coconut macaroons but they are usually loaded with sugar so we decided to make or own and they are so easy to make. Ingredients  1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds ( I use Let's Do Organic from Wholefoods) 1 egg white 1 tsp cinnamon 3 packets stevia Instructions Preheat oven to 350. Whisk egg white, cinnamon, and stevia until blended. Pour in one cup shredded coconut and mix until all the coconut is covered. Using a 1/2 tbsp press mixture into 1/2 tbsp and spoon out onto parchment lined and lightly sprayed baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes or in our case until we just had to taste them. And at only 17 calories a pop it's okay if you can't keep away from the goodies!

Well, Santa brought my hubby and I the flu for Christmas. No matter how hard I fought to stay well before the holidays, it happened. I will say that it has forced me to lay in bed and take it easy while catching up on reading, blogging, and sleep. On the flip side, it is absolutely killing me that I cannot be in the gym to use all of my new workout gear that Santa brought. I had planned on baking all weekend so that I could post some delicous healthy holiday treats, but I haven't had the energy to even get out of bed until today. I have been dying to make peanut butter cookies but wanted to come up with a recipe that didn't leave me trying to force myself to the gym with the flu. I had always wondered if PB2 would work well in a flourless recipe but couldn't find any that were without flour. So I played around and created these guys. They are quick and easy and are only 27 calories a pop! You can't beat that.  Ingredients: 6 Tablespoons of PB2 (1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp) 3 Tb...

I recently tested out Cellucor's new Alpha Amino product. It is a hydrating sports drink with 14 amino acids. I am a huge fan of their BCAA's but this product is now my absolute favorite supplement and here is why: 1. Taste Many amino supplements on the market frankly taste like crap. I had alpha amino in both watermelon and lemon lime and they were both delicious. I typically cannot stand anything that is lemon line especially in a supplement line because it never truly tastes like lemon lime but Cellucor nailed it. Not too sweet not and just enough flavor.  2. Zero Sugar Now I love love love me some coconut water but when trying to make lean gains, I can't afford the extra carbs and sugar. Alpha Amino has 0 calories and 0 sugar and contains (wait for it, wait for it) COCONUT WATER! Hello hydration. Whether you are at the gym, running or even yoga, this is a perfect hydration and recovery supplement. Which brings me to #3 3. Perfect for the gym or running I can't belie...

I use to love the cheddar bay biscuits at Red Lobster but food allergies ( and fitness goals) keep me from indulging in their yumminess. So I played around with a few recipes and came up with a healthy gluten and dairy free, low carb alternative.  Ingredients  1 head cauliflower  2 eggs ( I used one whole egg and 1 egg white) 1/2 cup almond meal 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1 tbsp old bay seasoning  1 tsp garlic powder Instructions: Pulse the cauliflower in blender or food processor until it looks like rice. Mix the pulsed cauliflower and the remaining ingredients together in a bowl. Use a 1/4 measuring cup and scoop out mix onto parchment lines pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Supplements are just that, a supplement to your daily nutrition.  If you eat healthy and still need to add some protein or are looking for some great metabolism boosters, then you may benefit greatly from supplements. I get asked what supplements I take all the time, so here is a run down of the supplements I use and where to find them. 1. Protein Vegan Protein I am allergic to wheat and dairy and don't eat meat so I rely on shakes to achieve my daily protein needs. I am not a vegan ( I eat eggs and some seafood) but since I can't have dairy, I use vegan protein. My two favorites right now are Sunwarrior CLASSIC Blend (not the warrior blend, the warrior blend tastes like poo) and Rawfusion. I buy both of these at bodybuilding.com.  Sunwarrior (bodybuilding.com) Rawfusion (bodybuilding.com) I use peanut butter fudge. This is my favorite.  Whey Protein If dairy isn't an issue or you just want a regular whey protein, I highly recommend Giant Sports Delicious Protein ...

Sometimes after dinner I want something sweet and carby. This little gem would totally hit the spot. Combined with my nightly tea, this became my nightly ritual. Just a little tip though, if you have an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, I highly suggest using this instead of a metal whisker. If you whisk them by hand it may take a while (aka forever). Once you try them, please comment below and let me know how you like them. 2/3 cups pasturized egg whites 1 tsp stevia 1 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp cream of tartar Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Using and electric whisker, whisk on high until the mix forms stiff peaks. Once they do, spoon out mixture onto parchment paper sprayed with coconut oil spray. Bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes. I sprinkle them again with cinnamon once done and enjoy with my favorite tea.

You've all heard that abs are made in the kitchen. Well, it's true. You can do all the crunches and sit ups in the world, but if your diet isn't on point you won't see the sculpted abs you have created. Having said that, if you don't work your core, you won't see any changes. Catch 22, right? Abs are like any other muscle in your body, to tone and tighten you have to work them. Here are a few different ab routines for you to try. I love adding an ab routine right after some fasted cardio or after my regular split. I will put a brief description of my splits below so you can see how I incorporate abs and how often. Challenge yourself to do one or several of these ab workout at least three times a week and let me know how you are doing. I would love to hear your favorite ab routine in the comment section. Note: Remember that reps and weight depend on your goals.  If you want to build out your abs, you can add more weight. If you just want a strong, lean core th...

So you are thinking about competing? Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you take the plunge.  1. Can you commit 100%?  It is a huge committment, time-wise, mentally, and physically. Make sure you can commit to it.  2. Can you be alone and sacrifice social time? This sport is an individual sport unless you have other competitor friends and even then, you are working on your own goals. You WILL spend 5 days a week lifting and even up to 7 days a week closer to show day doing cardio (depending on your coach). You will miss social engagements because you can't stray from your meal plan and you give up alcohol too. It is tough. I spent all day at a Halloween festival eating from tupperware I packed in my cooler. Make sure you are ok with this.  3. Can you afford it? Those cute little bikinis aren't cheap. The cost of the registration, spray tan, nails, make-up, heels, supplements, and even the food on your plan can add up quickly but you don't want to skimp s...