How to Gain Muscle Without Gaining Fat

How to Gain Muscle Without Gaining Fat

by with One Comment Health
How to gain muscle without gaining fat

So you want to gain muscle without gaining fat, so do I.

Let’s be honest, I want to grow glutes while slimming my core area.

It seems like one of the hardest things to accomplish depending on your body type. Please remember that everyone’s body is different and will react to different foods and workout plans accordingly. Always consult a physician first.

I consulted my physician and personal trainer, Brandon Williams on how to accomplish this during my workout. 

This is what he gave me. It is an at home workout plan that anyone can do. 

“Here is your workout plan for growing a tone back (Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Minor and Major, Rhomboid, Erector Spinae, and Trapezius) working out the hip area of your Butt (Gluteus Minimus, Medius, and Maximus). This workout will consists of working both areas with an alternating focus between the different muscles sets. For example, Monday, you will focus on Back with a minor focus on Glutes. They will be performed in intervals with a 30-second rest in between sets. So, here we GO!! The first two rows will be your warmup. This will go for a quick 30–45-minute workout!” -Brandon

Ana Lefebvre workout plan

If you cannot complete the full repetition? Then, complete half of each set’s Repetition. 

Here We GO!!!! Take this task workout for 3 weeks!! I will have another 3-week workout plan for you in the second Week!! 

P.S.- Drink the weight gain flavor AFTER your workout. Or a protein drink.

Brandon Williams is the Founder of Athletic Creative Fitness  located in 

About A.C.F.

Here at Athletic Creative Fitness; you can manage your goals of active, healthy and always being photoshoot ready. You will be respected here and we will also help you break down the steps of overcoming your obstacles. Why? How? Oh, I can miss today. Do I really want this? I am not ready. I look ugly! Or perhaps the biggest question when embarking on a fitness journey… Am I even confident enough to workout at a public place because of how I feel about my body?

Click to Read More

Brandon Williams
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Add ground turkey/Canadian Bacon and cheese to your egg. Add cheese to the egg mixture before cooking if you like cheesy eggs

Recipe: Breadless Breakfast Frittata Sandwich

by DIYFoodHealthrecipe

No Bun, no problem... here is a recipe for a bunless egg sandwich.

Add ground turkey/Canadian Bacon and cheese to your egg. Add cheese to the egg mixture before cooking if you like cheesy eggs

As someone that is allergic to gluten, I am always searching for something that will replace bread. A Frittata is the Italian version of the American Omelette. It can be a nice substitute for a bunless egg sandwich. 

Here is my recipe for the breadless breakfast sandwich that is gluten free and can also be made for vegetarians. 

Skin Picking

HOW TO MANAGE SKIN-PICKING IN 5 STEPS

by BeautyHealth

Kim On Skin
kimonskin.com

Skin Picking

Do you find yourself picking at your face and body on a regular basis? Are you feeling that the compulsion to pick at your skin has become obsessive? Fear not, the compulsion of skin-picking can be controlled – here’s how.

As a sufferer of an obsessive-compulsive skin-picking disorder called Dermatillomania, I have spent well over a decade looking for new ways to avoid the urge that I’d get all day, every day. When I was stressed or heavily concentrating, I consciously had to be aware of what my hands were doing whilst my mind was occupied! It sounds strange I know, but when unnoticed, my fingertips would search all over my face and body for areas to uncover – just one scab, spot or bump was all that was needed before a tirelessly long skin-picking session took over like a knocked domino line.

Not only was it unsightly when my face and body were then left with inflamed, bloody marks but the painful guilt and shame created an overwhelming sense of personal disappointment. This became a daily thing for me and admittedly, I got used to the feeling of intense depression associated to it. What’s worse, I usually had an occasion planned (that I’d be late to) where I’d have to change my outfit and hairstyle last minute to successfully hide my newly made marks. It made me feel unattractive and anxious in case any marks, old or new, were accidentally on display.

This kind of anxiety is exhausting, which I’m sure you’ll appreciate if you suffer from the same condition. Even if you don’t suffer from a behavioural disorder associated to your skin, I’m sure you’ll understand the deep feelings caused from unsettling skin. Seeing my bare body as a battle ground hardly made me want to undress for my partner, neither did it help whenever someone complimented me because I’d automatically get defensive and refuse to accept that I could ever be pretty.

By noticing and addressing the skin-picking routine I put in place for myself, I then worked hard to create a new routine that would help my recovery – the 5 steps that I have listed below.

Please note that if you too, suffer from Dermatillomania, its best to take things one step at a time and to really take each day as just that – a day. You’ll have good days and you’ll have not-so-good days but please don’t feel that you’d be back at square one after one episode. Understand that this is a marathon, not a sprint and you’ve got this.

Come on then, let’s get going!

Tip 1 – Avoid bright lighting

I know this is a pretty obvious one but fighting the urge can be really difficult if you’ve noticed a blemish and you figure you can focus on it better with brighter lighting. Yes you can, but try pulling yourself away from the damn mirror when you’ve noticed a few more…

Under extreme lighting, of course you’re going to see the skin on your face and body in a different way to normal as it’ll highlight spots, scabs, dead skin, blocked hair follicles and blackheads. It’s incredibly important that you stop yourself from using any extreme lighting until your skin-picking is under better control.

Instead, perfect your skincare routine to master your night time schedule so that you’re comfortable and happy to complete your nightly routine with less harsh and more complimentary lighting.

Tip 2 – Stand a couple feet away from the mirror

One thing you have to remember is that in the moment when you’ve taken your makeup off or you’ve just washed your face, your skin is looking blemished and you’ll be fighting the huge urge to obsess over it. If you complete your routine whilst standing a couple steps away from the mirror, it’ll be a lot harder for you to see up-close-and-personal.

Can’t see close up = you’re more likely to leave your skin alone.

After all, you’re wanting the satisfaction right? You won’t get it if you’re standing back and unable to focus in detail. I know this sounds easy, but it’s not – trust me. Keep it going for 7 days and let me know in the comments below how your skin looks after! NO SKIN-PICKING! 🙂

Tip 3 – Oil, oil and more oil

Oil is a fantastic way to stabilise your skin’s natural sebum production because applying oil to your skin tricks your body into thinking it’s naturally occurring and will not produce more.

Time and time again I’m seeing products created for oily/combo skin types that are promising to rebalance the skin’s oil production, create an overall matte complexion that lasts all day without worrying about an oily t-zone through oil-stripping ingredients….NO THANKS! These cause over-drying of the skin resulting in an over-production of sebum just like when dry eyes cause your eyes to water in excess! Think about it, stripping your face and body from naturally occurring oils is going to cause an imbalance and your body will react. To control your oily skin issues, fight oil with oil.

If you’re looking for topical ingredients that can help, opt for essential oils such as tea tree to reduce spot size and lavender or rose to sooth redness (always make sure that you dilute well as essential oils come in high concentrations which can irritate the skin if used undiluted. My favourite way to use these are to mix in with a homemade toner, as part of a face-steam and added to my facial and body oils). 

There are different types of oils – some that are great for cleaning and unclogging the pores of your skin and others that claim to hydrate and protect the skin but can actually cause clogging. As a rule of thumb, I avoid mineral oils of any kind on my face and I know that coconut oil causes me to break out in spots so I use that for hair-masking (mid to ends) instead.

Once you find a natural oil (or oil blend) that works for you, it’ll quickly become a much favoured member of your skincare drawer because applying oil to your face and body makes it extra difficult for you to pick at your skin afterwards, absorbing deep into the skin better than creams. I use oils to remove make up, to moisturise leaving your skin plump and hydrated as well as to prevent and reduce scarring.

Tip 4 – Notice when your hands are busy

Whether you have a habit of skin-picking or have an obsessive compulsive disorder like myself, you may not notice when your hands start moving around to look for areas to focus on. Most of us can tell if someone is feeling anxious based on their body language – reserved, eyes looking elsewhere in deep thought and busy moving hands or feet whilst the rest of the body is still. Stress alike produces similar results as you can typically tell when someone is increasing in frustration by the contrast of their still body and quick hand and facial movements.

Try it out – keep your body still and look down at your hand whilst you you tap it at an increased speed. Can you feel your heart-rate increase slightly and your mood slightly change to that of irritability or concern?

The reason why I’m saying this is because its estimated that we have between 35-48 different thoughts per second – that’s 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day! Are the majority of your thoughts positive and stress-free? Probably not. Especially if you’re a woman because we tend to take multi-tasking (and in turn, overthinking) to the next level.

When facing negative feelings such as stress and anxiety, take note of what your hands are doing before you go into problem-solving mode and taking it out on your skin. Some people use stress balls or get up and take a little walk. When facing anxious thoughts, drink a large glass of water as it takes your mind out of fight-or-flight mode and reduces your heart rate back to normal. Take 10 deep breaths until the wave of anxiety subsides then write down any concerns you may have so that you can tackle these constructively with rational thought instead of using skin-picking as a form of escapism.

Tip 5 – Keep a journal

As discussed in tip 4, it’s really important that you notice when your hands start to overly touch areas and an urge for skin-picking begins. Very rarely do large episodes of skin-picking occur out of sheer boredom alone – usually it’s because it’s seen to the person as a de-stressor – their chosen coping mechanism to negative thoughts. It can happen so often that many of us don’t realise we’re even doing it!

Using myself as an example, when I felt overwhelmed from feelings of constantly having to please others, I would store this built-up frustration and exhaustion until I got home where I could be alone and de-stress through skin-picking. What I understand now however, is that this method did not construct a way for me to take back the control in my life nor did it even help me to notice this was taking place.

By keeping a journal (writing down or verbal entries), it allows you to fully understand what you are feeling in that moment and why.  I have always been someone who others could rely on for support and care before asking constructive questions that helped them find the solution to the problem they were facing. How was I able to do this yet I never took the time to do the same for myself? Because I was never taught to look after myself emotionally.

I was told to love myself but no one ever taught me how.

Keeping a journal helps you to reconnect with your thoughts and feelings. Overtime, it enables you to build a stronger relationship with yourself as you start to notice various situations that may create similar negative feelings within yourself. Only by noticing a variety of things that you do daily – perhaps out of obligation alone – are you in a better position to tap into your inner self and to ask, do these things bring me peace, love and joy? If not, perhaps it’s time to start reconsidering who you’re really trying to please through your day-to-day tasks.

Kim’s Conclusions

  1. Avoid bright lighting – it’s too tempting and unflattering so chances are you won’t be walking away feeling good about yourself. No, no and no.
  2. Stand back eager beaver! Can’t see = more likely to leave your skin alone
  3. Learn how to use natural oils to enhance skin radiance and minimise your chances of picking
  4. Monitor your moments of inactivity and what your hands are doing
  5. Get writing! Check in on your thoughts and feelings so that when the urge to skin-pick arises, you get to the root of your thoughts and feelings quicker

If you have any additional tips that have helped you on your journey to managing skin-picking, please share in the comment section below because the more we help each other, the more we can spread the word on how important a good mental and emotional health is in connection to better skin and overall quality of life.

Sending love and happy skin wishes!

– Kim

Visit Kim on Skin here: https://kimonskin.com/

Foods that may be causing your Acne

5 Foods that May be Causing your Acne

by with One Comment BeautyHealth
Foods that may be causing your Acne

Whether you are an adult or teenager acne is absolutely awful. Acne is commonly blamed upon hormones, but what you are digesting (eating) may be the biggest culprit, especially in adult acne. This article will review 5 foods that may be causing your acne.

  1. Refined Carbohydrates aka Processed Carbohydrates 
bread that cause

Ever heard of empty calorie foods? Well this is the same type of food and these foods may be causing your acne. 

How? Refined carbohydrates spikes glucose levels —> Causes insulin levels to spike—>  Creating a sebum buildup in your pores —> Leading to more clogged pores. 

Here are some example of food that contains refined carbohydrates:

  • Bread, crackers, anything with white flour (flour is processed from wheat germ to become white flour)
  • Pasta or other noodles (rice noodles/low mien) made with white flour
  • White rice
  • Sweeteners like cane sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave (soda and other sweet beverages and snacks contain this)

Food from the above categories may be causing your acne by causing overactive glands. 

2. Lactose 

lactose causing acne
*All daily products are not the same. Yogurt has less lactose and probiotics.

Some doctors agree that these food items may cause acne while some do not see the correlation. Let’s put it like this, cows have hormones and when you drink dairy items such as milk, you are drinking their hormones. The hormones can affect your own hormones or testosterone and can cause acne inflammation. Also protein powder, which is made from lactose, has been directly linked to acne…which leads to the next point. 

3. Whey Protein Powder

Protein Shake

Between the hormones and amino acids, whey powder can cause acne. Amino acids are found in whey protein and are protein building blocks. They are a great supplement for body builders to take, because it allows them to build more protein for muscle gain, but it might be causing your acne.

If you noticed an influx of acne after you started taking whey protein powder, stop taking it to see if this food is causing your acne. 

  1. Omega-6 
fried foods

These fats are found mostly in corn oil and vegetable oils. These are the common food items that contain Omega-6 :

  • Processed food
  • Fried food
  • Potato or corn chip
  • Cured meat
  • Nuts with oil and salt

These foods may me causing your acne by clogging your pores. 

  1. Food allergies

If you have food allergies like Gluten, these food items could be the cause of your acne inflammation. Gluten circumferences more than white flour and can be find in many food items. Luckily, for people with gluten sensitivity or have celiac disease there are so many gluten free options in today’s world versus a couple of years ago.

How to find out if food is causing your acne: 

If you have acne, the best thing to do is to start eliminating items from your diet. 

Refined carbohydrates should hardly be consumed anyhow, since there is no nutritional value to those items. Acne should be the least of your worries if you are consuming those items.

Replace lactose with alternative milk and try to cut some of the cheese to nearly all of the cheese out to see if this is the culprit.

If you are consuming whey protein powder as a supplement, try to eat more food items that have protein and eliminate the whey. There are plenty of athletes that are clean eaters that are building muscles without taking protein powder.

Replace Omega-6 food items with Omega- 3 food items because once again, this food category does not have any nutritional value and can cause more harm to your body than acne.

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Order Health at Restaurant

How to Order Healthy at Restaurants

by with No Comment FitnessFoodHealth
Order Health at Restaurant

It is possible to eat healthy and dine out. You will always eat the healthiest at home since, you control the ingredients that go in your food. Eating out is inevitable since it is a cultural norm. So here are tips on how to order healthy at restaurants.

Avoid appetizers

If you are going to a restaurant that has big portions, appetizers are unnecessary. Appetizers are a quick food item that restaurants put out. Quick food are usually prepared unhealthy (fried) and are a great way to add unnecessary calories. Now there are always exceptions. If they have something healthy like a antipasto caprese, then go for it.

Always oil and vinegar.

Stay away from restaurant prepared dressings. They usually have bad fat and a ton of sodium. You can make a healthy ranch at home, but restaurants usually make sauces with cost efficient ingredients. Ask for oil and vinegar.

*Tip- some restaurants pass off regular oil as olive oil. Purchase small bottles of olive oil and vinegar and bring it with you.

Don’t eat the bread.

Bread is made with a ton of sugar. Sugar turns into fat if it is not burned off. Also, white sugar is terrible for you.

Grilled is your friend or raw.

Stick with shrimp, salmon or chicken breast or a piece of steak that doesn’t have much fat. 

Ask for no butter on your vegetables.

A lot of restaurants will automatically put margarine on their vegetables, that’s why it tastes so good. Use your oil, vinegar and pepper.

If you really want desert, ask for whip cream and fruit or a scoop of ice cream.

Salads may not be your best friend.

Cheeses, croutons (bread), bacon, eggs, all add on fats, which turn into empty calories.

If you want drinks, not all wine is bad for you. If you are looking for a low calorie drink vodka, soda is the winner.

Working out

How to get in Shape on a Budget

by FitnessFoodHealthLifestyle
Working out

Getting in shape doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact I spend less money when I stick to a healthy diet because I am not eating out constantly and spending money on booze. Here are tips on getting in shape on a budget. 

1. Start with a budget.

Know how much you can spend each week on food and fitness.  Gyms come with group classes, exercise machines and many times a free private training session. GYM Prices also vary. Crunch sells memberships as low as $10 a month. If you really want to build a skill like Yoga, it is sometimes better to go to a Yoga studio where the instructor will focus more on you. You can also find local community classes that are affordable. Some churches also offer free classes. 

2. Figure out if you can afford a gym membership or not and what type of exercise program that you want to partake in. 

If you are a self starter then working out home should be easy. If you need motivation and influence a gym or class might be the best for you. Working out 3-4 times a week is ideal. If you can’t get away from the kids, walking or park activities may be the best. 

Yoga Classes

3. If you can’t go to a gym (or do not have a desire to) you should purchase tools to help you get into shape.

Resistant bands are so easy and cheap. Yoga balls, medicine balls, and free weights are great investments. I can do a whole workout with resistant bands and a 10 lb dumbbell.

4. YouTube and fitness apps are your best friend in finding workout and health tips.

Check out different styles of workouts or do a workout for free with Youtube or Apps. Here’s a list of Apps you may like. 

5. Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy is actually not expensive.

Cut back your meat intake if you are eating it more than one time a day. Chicken and Ground Turkey are healthy for you and are cheaper meats. Beans are awesome for you and are pennies on the dollar. Oatmeal is a great breakfast choice and is extremely inexpensive. You can also purchase-frozen fruits and vegetables to save money. It starts to get a bit pricy when you purchase Organic, but not everything has to be purchased organic. If I can’t afford organic strawberries, I don’t buy them. Friends and family members that are not healthy/clean eater actually spend about 3 times more on food than I do. 

Healthy Food for Healthier You
10 Easy Ways to Eat Healthy Today

6. Walmart has great inexpensive workout clothes.

Their brand Danskin, has been around for forever. In the 90s I was purchasing it for ballet classes. You can also check the racks at your local Ross or TJ Maxx. They sell Nike, Adidas, etc. for a great price. 

How to relax

How to Relax

by FitnessHealthLifestyle
How to relax
Relaxing doesn't have to be hard

1. Try keeping your environment calm with soft lighting and calming music.

Turn your house into a relaxing space, by emulating your favorite spa. Use soft and mood lighting. Turn on your favorite relaxing music. Alexa usually has good suggestions. 

2. Use aromatherapy.

There is a direct link between the olfactory and the emotional center of the brain : Lavender, Rose, Eucalyptus, Citrus, Jasmine are great smells for calming…

3. Meditate to calm your mind (Tip: Do the above and then find a quiet space).

 

4. Take a warm bath

Have you ever noticed that when we are supposed to be a relaxed state, we are usually horizontal? A warm bath makes us horizontal and also relaxes our muscles. 

5. A great serum to provide moisture and glowy skin without makeup. 

Shiseido Infusing Concentrate is one of the best. Layering serums and moisturizer is a technique used in some cultures. 

6. Write in a journal about nothing or something.

There is a trick that writers do to get them out of their writer’s block. It’s putting the pen to the paper without and objective….you will be surprised to what may happen.

7. Do Yoga, Find a class or an App…

Yoga gets you in-touch with your body and mind by connecting the two. Now a days Yoga classes are easy to find. You can find an app on your phone or a youtube video. 

8. Drink hot tea

A warm soothing drink with great smells can do wonders. 

9. Try acupuncture

Acupuncture is a great holistic approach to pain, anxiety and more. 

10. Get a Massage

Swedish and Thai massages are the most popular. Thai massages include stretching at the very end and is great for sore muscles. 

Healthy Food for Healthier You

10 Easy ways to Eat Healthier Today

by FitnessFoodHealth

10 Easy ways to Eat Healthier Today

Updated 02-27-2019

Staff Writer

Healthy Food for Healthier You
Eating Healthy is Simple! Here are some tips on how to eat healthier today!

In 2019, eating healthy is not hard because of the vast options that we have. The hardest part is re-training the brain upon what we should or shouldn’t eat. By now, we know that processed foods are not healthy for us and can lead to many diseases, but the accessibility still makes it an option.

Here are 10 easy ways to eat healthier today. 

10 Ways to Eat Healthier Today

1. Ditch the soda!

By now, we all know that artificially sweetened drinks are terrible for you (both diet and regular soda). If you still want something carbonated, try sparkling water that hasn’t any artificial sweetener and is free of artificial dyes.

2. Never let yourself get hungry

Eat 5-6 small meals a day and eat on a set time. If you allow yourself to get hungry the bad temptations will be harder to resist.

3. Tea!

Replace the second cup of coffee with green tea. It has a good amount of caffeine and it can also boost your metabolism.

4. Purchase easy accessible fruit and vegetables

Snacks are always marketed as easy access and quick food item. Why shouldn’t your fruits and vegetables be? Either food prep or purchase them in such a way.

5. Replace fatty meat with low-fat items like frozen shrimp

It is low-calorie and an easy item to fix. Just make sure that it is good frozen shrimp.

6. Brown over white

Switch to brown rice over white rice. Switch to whole grain over white bread. Did you know that brown rice is whole grain and white rice is bleached and hard for your body to digest?

7. Plan your cheat meal

Allow yourself to have a processed meal. Unless you are on a restricted “diet” for health reasons, have 1 naughty meal a week, but plan it. Plan it on the for the holiday or the night you have dinner out.

8. Start taking vitamins

Speak to your health professional first, but you will be surprised how a Multivitamin or Vitamin C can make a big impact.

9. Hide tempting food

If you have kids or others in the house that have the processed items, take them out of arms and eye reach. Out of sight, out of mind. 

10. Drink a lean protein shake to help satisfy a snack or meal

You can put fruits and vegetables in it or simply use almond milk.

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