Month December 2013

SOCIAL MEDIA: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD?

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Original post can be found at: http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-business-fitness-modeling-and-showbiz/9773-social-media-a-double-edged-sword.html

Social Media LogosIf you are serious about competing and want to build a career in the fitness industry then you have probably been exploring the various social media platforms and trying to build your name and brand. Of course, you want to push for the most followers you can get, as well as build a fan base which boosts your credibility in the eyes of supplement companies. As your numbers grow, your name will become more well-known and you can claim – without bluffing – that you have inspired thousands of people.

However, with more followers come more problems, most commonly the jerks and the haters. I heard an interesting comment from one of my friends today, which was: “The more successful you are, the more haters you have.” I have to admit that whenever I have to deal with a hater, I am rattled by such energy and will never understand how people can go out of their way to spread negativity. I guess you can’t please everyone, and of course there are going to be those who are jealous of your physique and your success. This is when the blocking feature on numerous social platforms can and should be employed. Don’t bother trying to appease such spiritual leeches. They are not worth the trouble.

Some fans and followers (thank goodness, it is the exception and not the rule) develop a distorted perspective in which they believe that they are connected or bonded to the fitness personalities they are interested in. This quickly turns into an obsession, with the fan holding onto a sense of entitlement which can be dangerous. If such a fan feels disregarded, a cascade of psychotic behavior can ensue.

Another dangerous and disturbing situation found in social media circles is the impostor syndrome. There are individuals out there who may claim to be you, and will use your likeness, your name and your titles to build fake profiles. I am sure you have worked your ass off to get to where you are now, so it is time to do due diligence and make sure that no one is taking your good name and wearing it. The small bit of flattery which may be at play is completely eclipsed by the creepiness and the invasion of pretending to be someone else.

Thankfully, the vast majority of people are level-headed and rational. However, as your numbers grow, you must be aware of the issues which may arise and take measures to protect your name and reputation in the industry.

When It’s Snowing…On Your Scalp

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snow-snow-dandruff-shampoo-demotivational-posterUsually when we think of the winter season, we think of brisk weather and beautiful white snow. However, winter can bring a different kind of white flake, namely, dandruff. When the mercury drops, skin can become extremely itchy and dry, causing a torrent of white dust to scatter on your hair and shoulders. The combination of cold air and the dry heat which is encountered indoors can be especially problematic for people who already suffer from dry skin. Other conditions can predispose one to developing dandruff, including eczema, yeast overgrowth, seborrheic dermatitis, fungal overgrowth, skin allergies, or malnutrition.

Dandruff adThe most immediate and effective treatments for dandruff consist of hair products which are available both with or without a prescription. If your issue is one of yeast overgrowth, zinc pyrithione will effectively slow down such growth, while coal tar and ketoconazole are effective for fungal causes. Oily scalps will benefit from tea tree oil, selenium sulfide, or salicylic acid preparations. If your scalp is dry, you should make sure to condition your SCALP and not just your hair after you wash it. I also recommend sulfate free shampoos in general because they aren’t nearly as harsh or drying as the sulfate varieties are.

Regardless of which type of scalp treatment you use, make sure to leave the solution on your scalp for several minutes to give it enough time to exert its effect.

Vegan Brownies

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I want to thank Denet Lewis for sharing his amazing Paleo Coconut Brownie recipe to his TV viewers and to me. They are absolutely delicious! However, they are very calorie dense, so I decided to make these brownies with applesauce instead of whole eggs and was delighted at what I ended up with. These brownies are not too sweet, very chocolatey and have a great brownie texture while still remaining pretty moist. This is, however, a drier brownie, so don’t expect an extremely moist version. If you are not concerned about the caloric content and you like the flavor of coconut, I have added the option of flaked coconut to my version of Denet’s recipe.

This recipe is ideal for vegans, but it also slashes some of the calories that whole eggs would provide. Part of me struggles with the fact that the protein content drops significantly due to the replacement of whole eggs with applesauce, and of course there is the issue of an additional 56 grams of carbohydrates in the entire dish, but this is a nice option for those more concerned about calorie content. Enjoy!

brownies

IFBB Pro Stacey Naito’s Version Of Denet Lewis’ Paleo Coconut Brownies

1-2/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup coconut sugar
½ cup coconut flour, sifted1/3 cup coconut oil
½ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup 63% cocoa chips

OPTIONAL:
½ cup flaked coconut

DIRECTIONS:

Mix applesauce and sugar together, then slowly add in flour. Melt coconut oil and add cocoa powder slowly until mixed in, stirring constantly. Add oil mixture to applesauce mixture and stir, then add vanilla extract. Add chocolate chips to mixture. If desired, add coconut to mixture.

Pour mixture into greased baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

As Tough As Bathing A Cat

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Bert's BathA lot of people think I’m nuts for giving my three cats baths every two months, but I can honestly say it makes a huge difference in a household of people with mild allergies. Besides, two of my cats are purebred Burmese (one European and one American), so they are naturally a bit spoiled already. Since I never have time to brush my cats’ coats, this is a way to keep them well groomed with minimal effort. I have developed a system in which I gather all the bathing supplies such as towels, nail clippers and basins in a stealthy fashion so that they don’t realize what torture I have planned for them. I have a denim jacket which I have had for two decades which has, as its only purpose, protecting my arms, forearms and torso during the process.

I watch my cats for many hours on the designated day, waiting for the most opportune moment to grab all three cats and rush into the bathroom. Let me tell you, carrying three squirming cats into a small room is no easy task! The meowing begins almost immediately, usually by my silver spotted tabby rescue who loves to bellyache about the whole experience. No amount of talking in a soothing voice calms my kids down sufficiently. They simply hate everything about bath day. Before you assume that my cats are unaccustomed to baths, you should now that the Burmese cats have had regular baths since the age of 3 months, and the rescue began having baths at three weeks of age.

I have become quite skilled at holding onto a squirming mass of wet mammal with one hand while shampooing and rinsing with the other hand. This was especially challenging today, since I am still suffering from a forearm injury which has rendered my right forearm and hand almost useless. However, I was determined to get the job done with minimal hassle, and miraculously, my little monsters behaved pretty well this time around. As usual, I finished the chore pretty much completely soaked, with a wet bathroom floor and cat hair clogging my shower drain, but it took very little time for the cats to dry in our current 80 degree Fahrenheit weather. The cats are very clean now, and their shedding has dropped to minimal levels.

One of these days, I may have someone record me bathing my cats just so people can see how I get it done!

P28 And Muscle Egg French Toast

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A couple of days after I wrapped my Pro competition season for the year, I had a sudden craving for french toast which I could not shake. The only way to satisfy this craving was to indulge in it by combining Vanilla Flavor Muscle Egg with apple pie spice and immersing two slices of P28 Bread into the mixture, then cooking them in a pan. I placed them on a plate, added slivered almonds and fresh berries, then finished them off with a light drizzle of pure maple syrup. It only took one bite for me to become hooked. I have been indulging in this dish a couple of days per week with only mild guilt since the main ingredients deliver a healthy portion of protein. While it is true that I could omit the fresh berries and maple syrup, these additions make the experience complete and supremely enjoyable.

If you enjoy pancakes, french toast and waffles but avoid them due to their high carbohydrate and fat content, why not make french toast with P28 Bread and Muscle Egg? The two food products together are a match made in heaven!

Where to buy P28 Bread: https://www.p28foods.com/

Where to buy Muscle Egg: http://www.muscleegg.com/

French Toast P28

Where To Get A Competition Suit

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These are the Pro level suits I have in my current rotation. I am already thinking about another one!

These are the Pro level suits I have in my current rotation. I am already thinking about another one!

Whether you are a brand new competitor in the Bikini Division or have been doing it for a while, you may be on the hunt for the best designers of custom competition suits. I have had many suits custom made over the years and as a result have compiled a list of companies which I believe to be the best. I have indicated which companies from which I have purchased suits, but I can also vouch for the quality of the suitmakers from which I have not yet purchased suits.

Before you begin searching for a competition suit, determine your budget first. A decent stage-appropriate suit will run anywhere from about $150 to several hundred dollars, with some particularly blingy suits exceeding $1,000.

Suits You Swimwear (http://www.suitsyouswimwear.com)

CJ’s Elite (http://cynthia-james.com/category/bikini-division) – I have many suits from this amazing designer and recommend her highly!

Ravish Sands (www.ravishsands.com) – I have ordered from this incredible designer as well. These suits are extremely blingy!

Sweet Revenge Bikinis (http://sweetrevengebikinis.com)

Jagware (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jagware-Posing-Suits-and-Bikinis/118652248159948) – I have one suit from this designer which purchased off the rack, then blinged out on my own and wore at my second Pro Bikini contest.

Saleyla (http://www.saleyla.com)

Water Babies (https://www.waterbabiesbikini.com)

Glam Girl Swimwear (http://www.glamgirlswimwear.com)

Evil Things In My Fridge

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2464239-fudge-brownies-cookies-and-candy-layed-out-on-fancy-table
One of the casualties of hosting holiday events is that I always find myself saddled with a plethora of desserts which are difficult to resist. For example, I still have homemade fudge, vegan brownies, and vegan banana bread sitting in my fridge which I cannot throw in the trash, because I know all too well how delicious they are. The strange thing is that I have only a small quantity of savory leftovers from Thanksgiving, so I never ran the risk of getting tired of eating turkey and stuffing. Years ago, I would have indulged in whatever leftovers remained without much consequence, but now that I am firmly entrenched in the fitness world, there is no possible way that I would risk unraveling my efforts to remain shoot ready year-round. I hope this proves to people that it is possible to have decadent desserts around without feeling the need to indulge in them. I am not saying that there is no temptation, but I try to ignore the fact that they are in my house. I have a photo shoot in five days and keep reminding myself that it is right around the corner!

Never Enough Time

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worried-woman-with-time-clockDo you know that feeling in which all your best laid plans for a day unravel like a knitting project being attacked by a kitten? I know the feeling all too well, and despite every effort I make to prevent such an occurrence, chaos presents itself EVERY SINGLE DAY. I know the problem boils down to having too much to do and not enough time in a day to get it all done. I end up feeling worthless and helpless when I have to move chores, errands, appointments and projects to another day, week or even month. The saddest part of moving things back in my schedule is that I tend to shove spiritual and expressive “fun” projects into a distant “someday”, simply because I do not want to seem selfish for immersing myself in them. As a result, I tend to starve my spirit and have caused a rift in my spiritual connection which is beginning to take its toll on me.

One way to break the cycle of signing up for too much to do is to take a step back, determine what takes top priority, and only put those items or events on your schedule so that you won’t feel overwhelmed. I realize that people these days are so incredibly busy that if the most basic and essential tasks are not added to a day’s schedule, they won’t get done. For example, I must schedule my workouts, errands, beauty treatments, plant watering and household cleaning tasks if I want to ensure that I will have time to complete them. Over the past couple of years, I have become accustomed to literally hitting the ground running when I start most of my days, without slowing down until late at night when I am home and have completed article writing and social media tasks. I often wonder if life really has to be this complicated all the time, and fantasize about being able to move through daily life without feeling like I am racing against time.

We tend to manufacture the frenetic schedules we complain of, and get so caught up in them that pausing for a moment seems alien to us. However, it is important to remember that taking a moment to pause and breathe does not have the negative repercussions we fear it does. You CAN put down your work for a little while and enjoy life. Allow your spirit and your body to reset so that you are refreshed instead of stressed out and frazzled.