What Do You Mean "NO CARBS"?

UGH and so it begins: The quest to get my butt into gear to slim down for my LAST photo shoot of this year with the fabulous Khammy Photography.

2 weeks 'til the day and to be honest I am already dreading all the "two-a-days" I have to push out.  I did my Tabata training this morning, which felt pretty good.  Thoughts of "I CAN DO THIS"...."I did it before so I can do it again"..."I am a CHAMP" were on my mind.  I am a true believer in being surrounded by positive mantra's whether it be displayed on your motivational wall, on a sticky note or sometimes even talking aloud (yes I talk to myself sometimes...and I am GREAT company :D

So alongside having to do two-a-days, Coach Sam says N-O to carbs.  WAAAAHHHH <--- That's me crying.

One of the things I look forward to during off-season is the increased carb intake/treat meals & the heavy-ass weight I can push out at the gym...and WHAT you are taking it away from me again?  

While most of you are enjoying your growth season, believe me when I say, I am envious of you.  I JUST WANT TO BE IN OFF-SEASON ALREADY!!!!

Phhhew it's just a couple more weeks.  I do hope they go by fast.  Note: Don't mind me if I may be acting a little crazy.  It's the lack of carbs doing the talking.  

Wish me luck!

My Mantra: "I can do this.  Easy.  No Problem."

Question: What is your Mantra?

Recipe Time: Healthy Lemonade/Limeade

This drink recipe is one sure-fire way to COOL you down in the extreme summer heat.  This is what you will need for HEALTHY Lemonade or Limeade:

Ingredients:

1 TBSP of Lemon Juice or Lime Juice
1 Lemon or 1 Lime
1/4 TSP of Stevia Sweetener


Directions:

1. Cut up 1/8 to 1/4 cup of lemons or limes to your personal preference and place in an 8 ounce glass.  I used a slice and made a slit to place on the side of my glass for presentation (if you have guests at an event).  
2.  Fill water to the top of the glass.  
3. Add lemon or lime juice to the glass and stir in.  
4. Add Stevia sweetener and dissolve completely. 

And just like that you got yourself a healthy drink to cool down your body temperature in the summer. 

Healthy Lemonade & Limeade!!!

    

Question:  How do you cool off in the summer time?

Get My Stuff at GetMine.com

"Kim, where did you buy that top...and those shorts and that sweater?"  

Instead of me telling you all repetitively time-and-time again...there is this amazing new website called GetMine.com.

I recently discovered this from another one of my fellow FitFluential members Sarah Dussault (or better known on YouTube as SarahFit).  

This website allows you to add your most recent purchases to your profile and (if you would like) show all your buddies through automatic posting via Twitter & Facebook all the details (where you purchased it, how much, what colour, etc).

Here is what my profile looks like:

As you can see, my latest purchases have all been from PublicMyth.com (if you haven't been to their website....you don't know what you have been missing in your gym attire).  These are some of my favourite pieces to date.  

So sign up and let's start sharing our favourite things (cue the Sound of Music song).     

HIIT To Be FIT

Alarm went off for morning cardio...and all I wanted to do was keep dreaming of Michael Buble and I dancing the night away LOL.

So I skipped out on my morning cardio (shame on me) because I thought to myself "MY LEGS ARE STILL SORE...IT'S OKAY." (excuses huh?).   After eating my wholesome breakfast, I decided I MUST PUNISH MYSELF with HIIT at the gym.

(via WellFit)

If you haven't heard of HIIT before, it is the BEST type of cardiovascular training to maintain muscle mass and lose fat in a short amount of time.  HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training.  There are many different types of HIIT but the one I decided on today was sprint HIIT's.

I felt extra charged today because of my new cycle of fat burners by Advanced Genetics's called "F-10".  With all those lovely stimulants running through me, I decided to see just how many sprints I could push out today with my legs still sore from my strenuous leg day two days ago.

Usually the first two sprints are a breeze.  But when it came to the third one, I found myself panting extremely hard...just trying to catch my breathe again before the time ran out to do my next sprint.  The way I train myself mentally when I do sprints is to run like there is a serial killer with a knife behind me, who is going to kill me if I don't run my frickin' butt off (my TeamSexy girls are probably laughing right now because I tell that to them too).  Yes, it's funny but it makes you sprint like you've never before.

I ended up doing only 5 sprints but I am still proud of myself for doing it with being sick, my muscle soreness, not having done sprints in a month, and other runners hogging the track.  Next time it will be 6..then 7...then 8...then 9..then 10.  

Like I tell anyone who wants to try this type of training or any new training techniques, you have to take everything in baby steps.  Rome was definitely not built in a day.  

Have a Happy Wednesday Everyone.  

Train hard.  Eat Clean.  Sleep Well!  

Wordless Wednesday - July 18, 2012

So many times have I had to make sacrifices for these BIG dreams I have.   Do what ever it takes to get to where you want to be in life.  

(Via gymandmotivation.tumblr.com)

Advanced Genetics: Q & A with Kimberly Ho - Part 1

Hey all you lovely people.  Check out my the new "Question & Answer" series from Advanced Genetics with yours truly.  ENJOY!

Bah Humbug...I've Got a Bug!

Well if you haven't guessed it already I AM OFFICIALLY SICK with a cold & cough.  How very convenient smack dab in the middle of our HOT Winnipeg summer.  That has got the be the absolute WORST time of the year to get sick.

With any kind of sickness comes a few symptoms.  I wake up feeling drowsy (from the night-time medicine) from the night before.  All I ever want to do when I am sick is bundle back under my covers and SLEEP like a bear while in hibernation-mode.  My beverage of choice is tea...just to burn...err..I mean SOOTHE my scratchy throat.  I pretty much feel like I need my lovely boyfriend Sam to take care of me and DO all the chores at apartment (I WISH!).    

I also feel a lot weaker when it comes to strength training at the gym.  This is so tough for me since I want to make the most gains for the next competition.  Everyday COUNTS!  DANG THIS BODY OF MINE.

My weapons of choice to help me with this awful cold are vitamin C (MUST-HAVE), Neo Citran Nighttime Medicine, drinking LOTS of water, as well as getting as much sleep as I possibly can.  I had some Oil of Oregano but it's all finished now and TASTES just AWFUL LOL.  I find that trying to keep up with my workouts on a regular helps heat up my body temperature...to hopefully kill all those suckers (BYE BYE GERMS).      

"Listening to your body" is a tip I leave for you all.  Always make sure YOU feel okay with either A) pushing out a workout or B) taking the time off to relax and rest until you are feeling a bit better.

After all, you are the one that knows your body the best.  See what it has to say. 

Another thing when you are sick is the constant blowing of the nose.  Time to lotion it up.  Skin peeling...YA FUN!.  Just call me "Rudolph".

Take Care! 

Recipe Time: Roasted Garlic Hemp Heart Cauliflower

So I've been reading and doing a lot of digging up on cauliflower recipes.  EVERYONE has been saying how awesome they taste by just roasting it in the oven.  So I thought, why not give it a go KIMMY-STYLE?!?  PS.  Read below recipe to win a prize!!!

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower cut into small florets
2 tablespoons extra olive oil (EVOO)
1/8 cup of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

1 tsp of garlic powder

"No Salt" Salt Substitute, Molly Butter Sprinkles, Black Pepper & Paprika - for taste
Pam Spray

Directions:

1. Spray a large baking sheet with PAM spray or use aluminum foil and then spray til lightly covered.  Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F

2. Clean cauliflower, and trim off leaves and any brown spots.  Cut the head of the cauliflower into small florets.  Once done place the florets into a large bowl.  

3. Add EVOO to the bowl with the cauliflower.  Using your hands, manually mix the EVOO into the florets.  

4. Add the "Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts" to the bowl and once again mix into the florets using  your hands, along with the garlic powder. 

5. Place coated cauliflower onto baking sheet evenly.    

5. For taste, add black pepper, salt substitute, Molly Butter sprinkles before placing in over.  Add paprika for taste and COLOUR!

6. Bake for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crispy & golden brown.

Now it's time to EAT, EAT and EAT some more.  

Ya I pretty much gobbled it all the day I made it :D

Now, WHO WANTS A PRIZE?

Manitoba Harvest has so graciously donated 1 - 227g bag of Hemp Hearts to yours truly to give out to some lucky people out there as a PRIZE.  If you haven't heard about how wonderful Hemp Hearts are go check them out at their website at www.manitobaharvest.com.  

How To Enter To Win: 
(open to Canadian residents only)

• Go to my KimberlyHoFitness Facebook Page and "LIKE" it. (If you already have liked it, that is one less step for you). 
• Under my Facebook post (abt this blog), write an answer to this question: 
  
  
  
  "Are you able to explain what a calorie is?"
   YES OR NO answers please
  
  
  
  

Good luck to all of you.  I will use a randomizer to pick a winner by the end of the week (Friday, July 20, 2012). 

Thanks for stopping by my friends!

  

"I'll Have That Wrapped Up Please!" : Universal Body Contour Wrap Review

The most I have ever pampered myself is getting a pedicure or manicure done at a spa.  I have never ONCE treated myself to a body wrap or even a full body massage (I KNOW!  I AM SO DEPRIVED!!!). 

While reading a new pamphlet at my local spa, my mental dialogue went something like this:

"You gotta be joking me?  Lose at least 6" on my first wrap treatment says this brochure?  Well gosh, I WANT to lose 6" off this body...now where do I sign up?"

I didn't know what to expect.  Do I have to get completely nude? Would I see any results like the pamphlet said I would? Are they going to wrap me so tightly that it will be hard for me to breathe?  Will it make me look super sexy in that super-tight dress I want to wear on the weekend?  Just some of my random thoughts going through my mind.

Again, where else would I go but Zealous Medi Spa.  They like to call this the "Universal Contour Wrap" or as I like to call it "Mummification" (OH you will see).  The Universal Contour Wrap (UCW) has claims of detoxification, compaction, improved lymphatic drainage, and skin tightening.  NO!  The wrap doesn't get rid of just water weight.  In fact, in order for the detoxifying process to continue, a client is encouraged to drink TONS of water post-wrap.

If you need more information about this service, check out the official website at http://universalcontourwrap.com

Left: The wrap station..cue scary music (DUN DUN DUNNN).
Right: The wraps all hot and ready to placed on this body of mine.  

Mariana, the wrap specialist, was my esthetician for the day.  She handed me over some disposable underwear and then instructed for me to get undressed.  After leaving me for a few minutes while I was undressing, she came back gladly with the measurement chart for the FUN PART to begin.  I thought the usual would be measured (hip, waist, chest, thigh, bicep) BUT was surprised to see a whole page full of measurements she needed to do...18 different spots to be exact ACK.

After measuring everything and I mean EVERYTHING, it was finally "WRAP-TIME".  All the wrap pieces were heated beforehand in the UCW basin and soaked in the clay-detoxifying formulation.  Mariana wrapped me up but not too tightly (thank goodness) since I am somewhat claustrophobic.  I lost count as to how many wrap pieces were in the basin but there were at least 20+.  No corner was left unturned!  The whole process takes 2 hours (30mins for measuring/wrapping at beginning & end of session, as well as the whole hour of detoxifying).           

That's ME!  Mummification in present day :D          

Want to sumo wrestle me?

After all the wraps were secured, I was given a very stylish sauna suit (see right picture) to wear whilst in my 1-hour of detoxifying stage. 

I was instructed to lay down on what looked like to me the comfy spa bed, which was then blanketed (with me underneath) with a heated blanket (OOOH so nice!).  

The lights were dim.  The music playing in the room was soothing.  So very zen-like.  It was just the right atmosphere for me to fully relax and be with my own thoughts...err...well that was until I passed out.  

I woke up closer to the end of the session feeling the moisture or "toxins" within the sauna suit.  I was super excited and anxious to see the results.

First came off the sauna suit.  Then came the unravelling process, which took 10-15 minutes followed by measurements (another 10 minutes).

Left: Unravelling by the lovely Mariana
Right: Robyn (taking the picture) caught this candid of us. We are laughing/staying
STOP because the next step is to take the wraps off my breast area.  LOL 

THE RESULTS!

Well take a look for yourself.  The first column are the initial measurements.  The second column are the post-wrap measurements.  The third column displays the differences between the two.  

Notes:

Mid-section feels tighter and noticeably slimmer

Total body "tightness"

Final Thoughts:

So that guaranteed result of an 6 inch loss...toss that out the window.  I lost at total of 9.6 inches all over my body with only ONE SESSION of the Universal Contour Wrap.  My body feels most definitely tighter.  I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process.  It is a service I would recommend for anyone to do as TOXINS=BAD NEWS.  

Get rid of "the bad" now.  Book your appointment today.  

_________________________________________________________________

To learn more about the UNIQUE services Zealous has to offer, visit the website at http://www.zealousmedispa.com/

"Like" them on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zealous-Medi-Spa/125244077494518

Follow them on Twitter at
https://twitter.com/#!/zealousmedispa

Legs...Legs...Legs

So I did end up working out for the second time last night.  Although, right after the first exercise I could feel my muscles tightening up HARD.  I remember thinking "oh maybe this wasn't such a good idea Kim."  I continued to workout anyways.  After all, PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY."  I did the usual squats x two different variations, weighted sumo walk, walking lunges, one-legged leg press, donkey-kicks (straight leg, bent knee, hip abduction raises), and weighted hip thrusts.  If you are thinking, WOW THAT'S a lot of leg exercises...well you are right!  LOL

By the end of it, I really wanted to stop any form of physical activity.  I looked down from the second floor (where all the weights were) and saw my buddy Joe on the treadmill doing interval training.  I thought "well I have some time to kill anyways before Sam is done...might as well do treadmill walking."

NOPE!  That didn't happen.  I ended up saying to Joe "let's do interval training together!!!"  By this time, my legs were already quite sore but for me, once my legs start moving it tends to not hurt as much.

After we finished out final sprint of our cardiovascular workout, I was so burned out.  I couldn't believe how much sweat I had dripping off of me.  It was intense.  I hadn't sweated that much since pre-competition.  It felt kinda nice though.  Pretty much my whole body is in pain now LOL.  

But anyways, I am more determined than EVER to smash my goals in the face. 

So here is a promise to myself: 

"I, Kimberly Ho, will work on my legs harder than ever before to be better than this picture below."  

Get ready 2013 Nationals.  Here COMES KIMMY!

To Workout or Not to Workout....

This morning I had trained my #TeamSexy girl Marlyn (who did just AMAZING this AM).  I have to say my friend, you are getting stronger both mentally and physically each time we meet for our sessions.  Keep up the great work as you are well on your way to achieving those goals.

I pushed out my own workout in the morning that went something like this:

Be prepared for your shoulders to be in PAIN!  Pain is weakness leaving the body.

Now, my shoulder day is usually comprised of a LOT of super-setting because for me...one of my goals is to really bring up my shoulders for the upcoming year.

Going back to the reason for the title of this blog post.  While updating my social media sites, I always get sucked into anything fitness related.  This usually makes me want to workout LOL.  I am now getting a urge to do another session this evening.  

Another one of my main areas of concern for the upcoming competition season are my glutes.  If I want them glutes like Nathalia Melo (see image below), I have to literally bust my ass to get them.  My legs are pretty "fresh" from my last leg day last week.  As of now, I think they are ready for another go.

Nathalia Melo's SOLID GLUTES!

I have all this evening to considering pushing out another workout.  I have two #TeamSexy personal training clients to see this evening and then I will decide.

Like I always tell my girls:

"It's a matter of how bad you want it.  You need to do everything possible to get there.  You have to make the sacrifice, the time, and energy to get to those goals.  You are accountable at the end of the day."

Now to figure out what to do.....hmmm......I think I just might.

Stay tuned!!! 

Wordless Wednesday - July 11, 2012

You said it Estee Lauder!  

Eat clean.  Train dirty.  Sleep well.  

Happy "HUMP" Day!  

Recipe Time: Guilt-Free Fettuccine Alfredo

Note: I normally do not do time-consuming recipes for the fact that I myself am a pretty busy person and have no time to prepare a big feast.  I also am on a strict nutritional plan for most of the year and cannot have the additional "this & that", which will then make my caloric intake for the day higher then my norm.  So with that being said, know that not all of the recipes I create will taste AMAZING.  Just know that they will be satisfying without going over your daily caloric intake and help you stray away from binge eating.

If you haven't heard SHIRATAKI noodles are "miracle noodles" of our time.  One package is 40 calories (2 grams of protein, 6 grams of dietary fibre carbs, 1 gram of fat).  Pretty amazing I KNOW!  

I'm here with one of the recipes I do on a regular when I have the urge for pasta.  

Ingredients:

1 package of Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Noodles (found at Muscles by Meyers or Safeway)

1/2 cup of Walden Farms Alfredo Sauce (found at Zealous Medi Spa)

1 TBSP of Mrs.Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning

1/2 Cherry Tomatoes (sliced in halves)

1/4 cup of green onions

Pam spray

No Salt Salt Substitute & Black Pepper to taste 

Directions:

1. Empty the full package of the noodles into a small strainer.

2. Run hot water through the noodles for a minute to get rid of the "fishy" smell.

3. Drain excess water and place noodles into a pan that has been already sprayed with Pam at medium temperature.

4. Add the Alfredo sauce, salt, pepper and Mrs.Dash on top of the noodles and stir in pan for a few minutes.  

5. Add the tomatoes and green onions.  Stir in mixture.  Heat for an addition minute.

6. Turn heat off and place your completed Fettuccine noodle recipe in a plate.

You are ready to have your guilt-free feast.   

Here is the finished product along with more veggies and a chicken breast I cooked in my slow cooker with salsa.  YUMMY!  

Let me know how your recipe turned out.  Thanks for stopping by.  

The One-Two Punch: Eurowave & Lipo Laser Body Contouring Review

Lose inches, gain muscle and lose fat in just a few sessions?  

Too good to be true you say?  

Well, I have just the perfect remedy for you.  

At Zealous Medi Spa (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), Eurowave & LipoLaser are the most ground-breaking and innovative body contouring technology platforms in town.  Both have their benefits as to what kind of goals you as a client have in mind.

Being the guinea pig that I more or less choose to be, I booked my appointments and luckily was able to get in within the same week.  I was somewhat nervous at first.  I think it was moreso the anxiety that really got to me since I didn't know if I was going to lose ANYTHING.  

Cassandra (the LipoLaser Technician) & Megan (the Eurowave Technician), were both interviewed by yours truly with the following questions to thoroughly understand the benefits & differences between the services.

	Eurowave	LipoLaser
What is it?	A faradic wave contracts the muscles to create muscle memory and tighten and tone the muscles	A non invasive low level laser for spot fat reduction and body contouring
How does it work?	A faradic wave creates muscle memory	2 laser paddles are secured to target areas for 4-10 minute intervals. Laser targets fat cells & liquifies fat inside, which is drained through lymphatic system & finally exits body through natural detox (ie: sweat, bowel movements, and urination)
How many inches can I lose?	1-3 inch loss after the first treatment. 10 sessions consecutively in one area will give a dress size loss	1-3 inches/session. Many clients see measurable results after 1st or 2nd treatments.
Where can I use it?	Tops of arms, breast area (you won't lose a cup size just a lift!), mid section, bum and legs (inner & outer), thighs front or back, back (along the bra line)	Any part of your body except your face and chest
How long are sessions?	18 minutes on the machine equals 200 perfect sit ups	40 minutes
Is it safe?  Side effects?	The only side affect is inch loss!	Minimal side effects such as dry mouth, goosebumps, and hypo/hyper pigmentation (either gives or takes away a tan) which is not permanent

The technician's were very friendly and knowledgeable about the service being conducted.  They were both very thorough with each step of the service.  The whole process was very zen-like, which made for a comfortable, relaxed and care-free environment.  The Lipolaser was SO soothing, I actually ended up nodding off for a bit LOL.  

THE RESULTS!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!  I am so sure you want to know how I did with only doing 2 sessions of Eurowave and 2 sessions of LipoLaser.  Here are my pictures from my first visit to my last (and 2nd) visit:

Before & After 

(two sessions of Eurowave & LipoLaser)

Notes:

Waistline is noticeably slimmer

Abdominal area is more defined

The "Tighter" feeling in my mid-section

Final Thoughts:

During the week separation between the two sessions (one session of Euro/Lipo one week and the other two the following week), I maintained my strict clean eating plan and continued my regular lifestyle with vigorous workout routines.

I lost at total of 5.5 inches from my mid-section with the 4 sessions of body contouring treatments.  My body feels lighter, tighter and more defined.

I was extremely thrilled with the results I achieved.  These are two services I will most definitely try again.     

Stay tuned for next time as I show you how my experience with the "Universal Contour Wrap" went.  

____________________________________

To learn more about the UNIQUE services Zealous has to offer, visit the website at http://www.zealousmedispa.com/

"Like" them on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zealous-Medi-Spa/125244077494518

Follow them on Twitter at
https://twitter.com/#!/zealousmedispa

Because You're Fabulous: Makeup Tutorial by Kimberly Ho

"A healthy body also means a healthy face."  

Check out my latest installment of this BYF makeup tutorial.  Hope you like it! 

"Because You're Fabulous": My 1st Makeup Party

MAKEUP!  

What woman does not like a little makeup here and there?  Not too many I'd guess.  

I had my very first "Because You're Fabulous" Makeup/Skincare party yesterday with a couple of my close girlfriends who too had some issues with some of the products they currently use (made their skin oily, dry, unsafe).  

"Because You're Fabulous" offers natural, organic, cruelty-free, vegan makeup and skin care products from eyeshadow, lipgloss, foundation, cleanser, brushes, moisturizer and everything in between (coming soon HAIR CARE LINE).

Some neat things you should know about the BYF product line:

• If not 100% satisfied with the product, BYF will refund your money back guaranteed (also applies to if not satisfied with colour(s) - return for another product will be accepted
• All BYF brushes are synthetic (natural-feeling) and cannot habour bacteria, which means NO ACNE
• BYF will customize a foundation colour to your exact skin-tone
• FREE SAMPLES - just ask
• No dyes.  No junk.  No extra additives.  Just pure, clean, healthy natural ingredients            

I ADORE this product line.  After only days of use, my skin feels fresh, clean, healthier and wow no more acne.  My skin feels rejuvenated like never before.  The product is so light when applied.  

Janella, the owner of BYF, did some cool before & after makeup run through's with us.  The left image has the left side of Janella's face with mascara with the other side being left alone.  The right image is the finished look (foundation, blush, bronzer, eye shadow, mascara and mineral mist).

Bonus Video!  Some skins tips from the owner of "Because You're Fabulous"

Book your party today here.  

Follow her on Twitter at @MamaJanella.  

"Like" her group over on Facebook   

In the meantime,  I was able to capture some FABULOUS shots of the lovely ladies (and makeup) from the party yesterday.  Check them out!!!

Janella showing the girls how to apply makeup properly

Question & Answer time!!

The real fun begins.  Time to play with the makeup!!!

On the spot colour-customization with the lovely Reyna.

FINALLY!  The hostess gets a chance to play with all the stuff.