Category General

My Favorite Clean Snacks

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

I will start out by saying that I rarely allow myself to snack on foods that are not on my meal plan.  However, every once in a while I will get a hankering for something different, and will allow myself to indulge in small yet healthy food items.

Here are some of my favorite snacks:

  • 1 cup of Fage nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 1/4 cup fresh blueberries or dried cranberries, and 1/4 cup high protein granola
  • Lundberg Sesame Tamari rice cake with 1 tablespoon of spicy hummus
  • low carb wrap (if I use the P28 wrap I will use 1/2 wrap) with 1 tablespoon of spicy hummus, 3 ounces of shredded chicken, dash of hot sauce and 1/2 cup mixed greens
  • low carb wrap with 1-1/2 tablespoons of raw almond butter and 1/2 sliced banana
  • 1/2 apple and 1/4 cup raw almonds or raw walnuts
  • 1 slice of toasted P28 Bread with 1 tablespoon of raw almond butter
  • 1 slice of toasted P28 bread with 1/2 sliced avocado, hot sauce, garlic powder and fresh black pepper
  • 1 sliced tomato with several slices of buffalo mozarella and a drizzle of olive oil with fresh black pepper
  • Quest Bar
  • Protein shake made with unsweetened almond milk and 3-4 ice cubes (EvoPro Chocolate is my favorite)
  • pancake made with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1/4 cup dry rolled oats, dash unsweetened almond milk and 3 egg whites
  • 4 ounces Hinoichi Firm Tofu scrambled with 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup brown rice, dash of low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 inch slice of vegan banana bread (one of these days I will share my secret recipe which I developed and which is moist and DELICIOUS!

 

 

The general guideline I use, besides selecting foods I truly love, is to make sure I get a decent amount of protein in each snack.  I also make sure that the fat in my meal comes from a healthy source.

I hope this dispels the rumor that snacks cannot be healthy, nutritious or filling.

What’s In My Kitchen?

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

When I first began competing in 2009, I decided to rid my pantry of food items which contained unhealthy ingredients.  Things like bleached flour, granulated sugar, canned soups, dry soups, crackers and breads were cleared off the shelves.  Frozen dinners were tossed out, as were cheeses, cold cuts, cow’s milk, and juices.  I replaced those items with whole foods which I continue to stock on a regular basis.

 

Here is a list of items which I have on hand at least 95% of the time, if not constantly.  I also eat these items on a daily basis:

  • eggs
  • boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • ground turkey
  • ground beef
  • orange roughy or tilapia
  • old fashioned oats
  • brown rice
  • rice cakes
  • whole wheat pasta
  • marinara sauce
  • whey protein isolate
  • P28 Bread Products
  • spinach leaves
  • asparagus
  • romaine lettuce
  • cucumber
  • green peas
  • green beans
  • yams
  • apples
  • prunes
  • bananas
  • almond butter
  • raw almonds
  • raw walnuts
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • almond milk

 

With respect to pantry items, I always have:

  • green tea bags
  • ground coffee
  • tomato salsa
  • hot sauce
  • oat flour
  • couscous
  • cream of wheat
  • a LARGE variety of all types of spices

 

Occasionally, I will purchase:

  • firm Japanese tofu
  • fresh salmon filet
  • flank steak
  • Fage Nonfat Unflavored Greek Yogurt
  • Nonfat feta cheese
  • Spicy Hummus

 

I make sure to avoid stocking forbidden foods for the most part, though I do admit that there are a couple of gluten free cracker brands which I will purchase from time to time, as well as chocolate peanut butter, 70% cacao bars and a high protein granola.  Keep in mind that these items are RARE treats and for whatever reason I have enough willpower to let these items sit on the shelf for the vast majority of the time.

The key to shopping in a healthy fashion is to purchase whole foods and also be prepared to purchase these items at least once weekly for maximum freshness.

 

 

Stay tuned for segments on how to cook for a whole week so that you have all your food ready to go for a busy work schedule!

Consistency

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

As a physician I am as much a therapist as I am a physical healer and am well aware of the vital connection between mind, spirit and body.  I have also seen how closely linked emotional stress is to development and exacerbation of physical ailments.  What concerns me is when people abandon healthy habits when adversity hits them because it is at those times that some structure would provide balance to their lives.

A common question I hear from patients, clients and strangers I meet is, “how can you maintain a regular exercise schedule and pack your food all the time with your busy careers?”, to which I respond, “I just do it.”  Working out and eating right are as essential to me as sleeping and brushing my teeth.  It never occurs to me to abandon healthy habits during stressful times.  I recently went through a particularly difficult month during which I went through a residential move, took two family practice board recertification exams, attended a major medical convention out of town for several days, and attended a three day fitness seminar, all while working at the three offices I usually work at, attending meetings, visiting my mother in the nursing home each week, and calling my favorite aunt and another elderly friend every week like I had been doing for years.  I did not miss my workouts at all.  There were only a couple of days when I was not on my usual food regimen only because my food had spoiled during the move.

Why would I push myself like this?  Because I know that consistency is key to maintaining balance in one’s life.  When I am consistent with my workouts and food, I maintain structure and focus and do not allow excuses of an insanely busy schedule to deter me from my mission to live an optimally healthy lifestyle.  Every day I make an important investment in myself.

If you make an investment in yourself by being consistent with your exercise and meal habits, you will be rewarded with greater balance in your life and better health.  Don’t you deserve that?

How to Avoid Stretch Marks From Workouts

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

Stretch marks form as a result of rapid  stretching from growth by muscle gain, fat gain, or pregnancy.  The most common areas in which they develop are the abdomen, buttocks, arms, hips, thighs, breasts and calves.  There is a strong genetic component, which means if you are predisposed to forming stretch marks, the more apt you are to develop them if a rapid gain in mass occurs.

However, even if your genetic blueprint dictates that you are more prone to getting these pesky marks, there are a number of things which you can do to minimze their formation.

1.  Drink plenty of water daily.  Aim for at least eight 8-ounce cups of water each day to ensure adequate hydration.

2.  Increase protein intake to optimize collagen formation.

3.  Decrease the amount of weight lifted at the gym to prevent very rapid increases in muscle mass.  A 12-15 rep range is advised.  I can already sense some readers balking at this, but there is a tradeoff:  either have a more modest increase in mass over a longer period of time or gain mass rapidly and run the risk of developing stretch marks.

4.  Take certain supplements.  Make sure to take fish oil, flaxseed oil, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and D.= on a daily basis.

5.  Eliminate sugar from your diet!  Refined sugar breaks down the elastin in your skin, making you more vulnerable to stretch marks, early aging, and increased risk of scar formation from cuts.

6.  Exfoliate your skin regularly.  This sloughs off the dead skin cells, thus minimizing the appearance of stretch marks which may already exist.

7.  Moisturize skin thoroughly and regularly.  For many years cocoa butter cream has been used by pregnant women to prevent stretch marks, but there is no final verdict on whether it has any benefit. However, I love cocoa butter’s emollient effects and believe it should be added to an anti-stretch mark regimen.  Vitamin E oil is another excellent moisturizer which can be applied to stretch marks or areas which are the most prone to their formation.

8.  If you develop new stretch marks, you can use prescription tretinoin on a once daily basis with decent results.  Just make sure that the stretch marks you are treating are less than six weeks old. Other topicals such as Tri-Luma and Stri-Vectin also may be used with some benefit.

9.  As a last resort for existing lesions, you may consider laser skin resurfacing or micro-needling.  

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride…

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

I have now competed in thirteen pro-qualifying NPC/IFBB Bodybuilding contests since 2009, yet I have not attained the IFBB Professional Status that I have been chasing after.  I am not going to deny my frustration and despondency over this fact, because I have worked so hard at every aspect of competing and have improved dramatically with each event.  However, I have had a number of people ask me why I would continue competing if I have not been successful in reaching my goal by now.  I have also been asked why I want that Pro Card so badly.  Some individuals have gone as far as to suggest that I switch organizations, which is something I will NEVER do.

Let me put it in plain terms:  I have set IFBB Pro Status as a personal goal, and it dangles before me like a carrot.  Yes, I have made more sacrifices than you could imagine in order to compete, and yes, I have scratched my head wondering why I have gone up for four National-level Overall comparisons and have been passed up for a Pro slot every time.  But I will NOT be deterred or discouraged from continuing to compete.  When I train as hard as I do, I notice continued improvements in my physique which are a direct slap in the face to the aging process.  I LIKE chasing after goals and will not give up just because this particular goal continues to elude me.  Perhaps it hasn’t been my time, the stars and planets were not aligned properly, or I just wasn’t the right flavor for the judges’ eyes that day.  Whatever the case, I love competing, which is why I have already begun formulating my strategy and show schedule for 2013.

IFBB North American, 2012

I will definitely return to the stage next year.  Watch out, world!

From half-Asian No-ass-at-all to major booty!

drstaceynaito 6 Comments

The first image is from my very first competition in July 2009 when I knew nothing about how to prep for a show. The second image is from May of 2012.

Finally got a butt!

This was my 16th competition over four years. I have worked very hard to transform my physique from “average” to “DAMN!”. All the hard work was work it!

My flat Asian booty...

This was from my first competition…boy was I clueless about how to prep for a show!

Booty Blasting Routine!

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Rounded glutes have never been more fashionable or desired as they are now, so in keeping with this trend, I am posting a glute-punishing routine here which is sure to grow a tighter, rounder posterior.  Make sure you move through this routine quickly, resting no more than 30 seconds between sets.  If you aren’t dripping sweat through this routine, you aren’t pushing yourself enough!

Prone Leg Curl – 20 repetitions, then move to One-Legged Dumbbell Deadlifts – 15 repetitions, then move to One-Legged Cable Kickbacks – 20 repetitions

Repeat above sequence 5 times.

Walking Dumbbell Lunges – 15 repetitions, then move to One-Legged Leg Press (lying on your side and pushing through your heel) – 15 repetitions, then move to Plie Dumbbell Squats (holding DB between legs and squatting LOW) – 20 repetitions

Repeat above sequence 5 times.

Butt Blaster – 25 repetitions, then move to Jump Squats – 20 repetitions, then move to Good Mornings – 15 repetitions

Repeat above sequence 4 times.

Add this routine to your leg workouts twice per week and don’t be surprised when your booty fills out your jeans!

It is possible to reshape your booty!

drstaceynaito 4 Comments

I never would have believed that I could have transformed my naturally less-than-bulbous half-Japanese glutes into the perky backside I have now if I had not seen the gradual metamorphosis over the last eighteen months.  I first began to notice the changes in my backside when my jeans, booty shorts and skirts all began to fit much more snugly.  Yet I wasn’t aware of how much of a change had occurred until I put on a gown I had purchased some years ago which had always made me look as if I had a moderate case of “noassatall”.  When I donned this gown, my rear end projected so deliciously that I finally realized how much my body had changed.

People constantly ask me if it is possible to combat the ravages of gravity and the aging process and perk up a saggy set of glutes.  My response is an enthusiastic and affirmative one.  So the next question is invariably, “What exercises can I do to make this happen?”  As I prepare a response to this question, I realize that many of you who are reading this may not like what I have to say.  Essentially, if you are serious about performing magic on your booty, be prepared for a lot, and I do mean a LOT, of lunges, deadlifts, deep squats and one of my personal favorites, cable kickbacks.  Better yet, stack these exercises with plyometric moves such as jump squats to really recruit this often neglected area.  Then enjoy the butt building which ensues.