Posts Comments

Seafood Orange Sauce Chicken

August 23, 2011 By Courtnie 2 Comments

Seafood Orange Sauce Chicken

Here is an amazing recipe that I got from one of my health conscious friends Mike!!!

Ingredients:

5-6 bonless skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Egg – Beaten

Breton Crackers – Crushed up

1 jar of Seafood Sauce – Our Compliments (tangy)

1 1/2  cups of Orange Juice

1/2 cup of Cooking Splenda

How to prepare:

Dry off chicken and dip in egg,

Then bread the egg covered chicken with breton crackers.

Cook chicken for 20mins after you cover with crackers…

Combine the seafood sauce, orange juice and splenda to make your sauce,

Than cover the chicken that has been cooked for 20 minutes with the sauce,

Then bake for another 20-25 mins @400F depending how much chicken you use.

And enjoy!

Mmmmmmm so good

Thanks for this one Mike!!

~Courtnie~

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

50, 40, 30, 20, 10

June 22, 2011 By Courtnie Leave a Comment

Get in shape for free, and from the comfort of your own home!

Here’s another workout that we did in class tonight!!


Run through the list of exercises below, performing; 50 of each of the exercises and then 40, 30, 20, 10

  • Weighted step-ups
  • Weighted alternating lunges
  • Push-ups with a row (start in a plank position with weights in your hands, perform a push-up and then a single arm row)
  • Sit-ups of your choice
  • Plank (for seconds! 50 sec, 40, 30 and so on)

*Remove the weights for this workout, if you don’t have a set of weights at home or would like to perform a modified version of this workout*

Make sure you do a proper warm-up, cool down and stretching!

Have fun

you trainers and motivators

~Amanda Lee and Courtnie McInnes~

-If you are finding it hard to motivate your self at home, check out when we are offering our next Learn2sweat bootcamps and personal training

where we will provide your motivation and profession instructions!

Filed Under: Our Workouts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mabba Provincials

June 10, 2011 By Amanda Leave a Comment

So SHOWDAY came and went! It was a whirlwind! I ended up placing 2nd in my category of Bikini Short and am very Proud of my accomplishment.

I find it even harder getting on stage in a crowd filled with your friends and family, as opposed to a bunch of strangers! Some people feel the opposite, but I guess it is just because I care about what those people think the most. It was really great to have my mom and dad in the audience! I could hear them from onstage cheering for me, so it ended up being a really great time. Here are some inside peaks at backstage with some friends and competitors!! :)

My make up and hair for show was done by the amazing Amy McLachlan! Check out her FB group, Vamp Industries!

Of course when anyone is competing they always dream of the first place trophy! But, coming in second has really made me want to push harder than ever to come home with the overall and a beautiful IFBB pro card at Nationals. Nationals this year will take place on July 23rd in Saskatoon. Six more weeks of givvener! Not very far away!! :)

I definitely believe I came in with my best physique yet, and the amount of support and feedback from everyone was really inspiring and motivating. Making this competition a personal win for myself I couldn’t have felt more love at the end of the day! <3

REBOUND

People always ask about the rebound after a competition and without proper guidance, support and education toknow what to do in the situation, it can be a very hard and confusing time for a competitor. I allowed myself a great reward meal after the show, and took Sunday off the gym and regimented diet as well. Just try not to go overboard! I made sure to drink lots of water and gatorade to get my electrolytes back in check and my fluids regular again after being dehydrated for a show (something competitors do to bring their leanest looking physique out on stage).

I was back at the gym Monday morning busting out my cardio and eating nice and clean. This way, I was able to accomplish no rebound and allow my body to get back on a regular pace again. It is possible to do! So make sure you hahve your plan ready for after show day!

I also have to think about the future and with some great photo shoots lined up while I am away at the IFBB Toronto PRO Show  and the Muscle Mag Model Search I have entered in it was important to not reward myself with too many treats and think about what was up next!

It was an amazing weekend, and I was definitely walking around with a smile plastered to my face the entire time!

Check back soon for my next blog!!

Yours in fitness,

Amanda Lee xo

Filed Under: Follow Amanda Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Killer Full Body Workout

June 5, 2011 By Courtnie Leave a Comment

Here is a Fat Blaster Full Body Workout!!!

This Circuit should take about 30 mins to run though once,

tonight in our class we will

be going though the circuit twice!! 8)

Remember to always properley warm-up and cool down!!

5 minute warm-up: 4 Laps Jogging

1) Pushups – max in 1:00

2) Squats – max in 1:00

3) Bent over rows – max in 1:00

4) Jog 3 laps

5) Shoulder press – max in 1:00

6) Lunges – max in1:00 each leg (2:00 min total)

7) Bicep curls – max in 1:00

8 ) Jog 3 laps

9) Triceps extensions – max in 1:00

10) Wall squat – 1:00

11) Pliate squat – max in 1:00

12) Sit-ups with weight (1 min/1 min without) – max in2:00

13 )Regular Crunches – max in 2:00

14) Kettle bell swings – max in1:00

15) Jog 3 laps

16) 2-3min rest and Repeat

5 minute Cool Down: 3 Laps Walking

5 minute of Strecting!

This is a great workout and will help you slim down and feel great in a short period of time!

Filed Under: Our Workouts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Your Metabolism

April 27, 2011 By Amanda Leave a Comment

As a Trainer and Nutritionist I am always asked questions about what to eat to lose weight. This question is difficult to answer because there are numerous factors that aid in weight loss. Nutrition, cardio and your workout routine are the three most important factors, nutrition being about 80% of the puzzle. Here is some information I think you should all know about your metabolism, which is what will burn off your calories and that excess fat!

Metabolisms are not fragile things and it is quite hard to “mess” it up. If you find you have a slow metabolism it is probably because you are not timing your meals correctly or not making the right food choices.

Metabolism’s are based on a few factors and is scientifically referred to as your Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR. This is the rate at which the body expends energy to sustain basic life and  takes into account all of the energy you use to digest food, in respiration, to keep your heart beating, blood circulating and to stay awake.

There are three major factors that can increase your metabolism:

Your metabolism can be increased by exercise! Exercising can vary your metabolism around 30%. Meaning it can increase your metabolism and your energy expenditure by around 30% of your natural, current BMR.  The amount you will increase it by will depend directly on intensity, duration, frequency of activity, and your body mass. As you become more efficient at one exercise and it becomes easier to you, you will need to turn up the heat and make it more difficult in order to see the same results!

Thermoregulation is another factor that will effect your energy expenditure metabolism. When your body is hot and sweaty it takes more energy to cool it down again, and vice versa.

Thermogenisis of food is the third main factor that can vary your metabolism. The thermic effect of food is how many calories it takes to digest a certain type of food. Protein requires the most amount energy to digest, it can vary your metabolism about 20 to 30%. Next is carbohydrates (about 5 to 10%) and then fat (about 5%). This may help you understand why people choosing to lose weight are often chose to eat high protein diets.

Tips to keep your metabolism running smoothly:

Drink up

Plenty of water will keep you hydrated to learn more on the importance of proper hydration click here.

Green Tea

Green tea has plenty of polyphenols called catechins. The specific type of catechins in green tea help increase your metabolism and burn stubborn belly fat.

Spices

A wide variety of spices will increase the thermic effect of food. Also, spices such as curry, and chili flakes have potent antioxidants in them helping you ward off oxidative damage, which is caused by exercise, and keep your body running smoothly.

Natural foods

Foods with little preservatives are much easier to digest and process then confusing additives. natural green food is best as it is vitamin and mineral rich and low in calories. Vegetables are known to be high in fiber, vitamin B and magnesium, as well as being relatively low in calories. Top picks: : tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, celery, beets, peppers, carrots and eggplants.

Hope this helps you make some better choices! Stay focused! Every healthy choice you make you become one step closer to your ideal physique!

Yours in Fitness,

xo,

Amanda Lee

Filed Under: Nutrition, Random Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lucky Number 7

April 8, 2011 By Amanda 1 Comment

A Learn2Sweat Faveeee! This is a great fat blasting circuit! High Intensity, interval workouts get your metabolism revving for many hours after you workout

Cardio on its own at a steady state is said to increase your metabolism for 6-7 hours

Weight training can increase your metabolism for 6-7 DAYS

& HIIT (high intensity interval training) is said to increase your metabolism  for 3 to 4 days.

So in this type of workout we’re taking advantage of our metabolisms and combining weight bearing exercise with HIIT. Making our metabolism’s increase drastically for a longer period of time! Burning fat and gaining muscle!!

I know our girls at our bootcamps will love this one! Here is what we will be doing tonight:

Repeat 7 times! (7 seems to be our lucky number)

1. 50 Step Ups (25 per side)

2. 20 Over head shoulder presses

3. 20 Push ups

4. 50 Kettle bell swings

5. 50 Medicine Ball Twists

6. 20 Tricep dips

7. 7 Burpees (hehehe Lucky number Seven!)

Have fun trying this one out!!

Filed Under: Exercise, Our Workouts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Staying Hydrated

March 31, 2011 By Courtnie Leave a Comment

 

Having a hard time losing weight? Are you drinking enough water?

 

Being dehydrated can actually stall your metabolism

As much as 25% of your body is made of water. And the human body can not fuction properly when you are dehydrated.

 

  

 

 

Here are some quick tips to help you get daily water intake

  1. Have a glass of water before going to bed
  2. Try adding lemon, lime or other fresh fruits to your water (oranges, berries) to give your water some flavor
  3. Fill you water bottle half and freeze it, fill the rest up with water and that way you will have cold water all day!
  4. Freeze your berries before adding them to your water, creating flavored ice cubes
  5. Keep you water bottle with you and sip all day
  6. Drink water with your meals, not only will this keep you hydrated but you will also avoid consuming empty calories
  7. Consume fresh fruits and veggies, both of witch have a high water content
  8. Have a glass of water first thing when you wake up
  9. Re-fuel, water loss happens all day, in hot or cold weather. Make sure you replenish your water loss after your workouts as well!
  10. Every once in a while try out some carbonated water, it helps you keep hydrated and will make you feel fuller!
  11. Herbal tea, you can have herbal tea both warm or cold (if you are going to have it cold, make sure you steep it with warm water first!)
  12. Avoid Caffeine, caffeine is a natural diuretic and will dehydrate you if you don’t adequately replenish your water levels

The average amount of water that should be consumed daily is around 8-10 cups. This varies depending on you daily physical activity levels and your body habitus.

On th other hand you can drink too much water too. There have been cases of over saturation which can also be dangerous. Seek help from a health professional to further direct in this matter if you have concerns.

Like most things in life, it’s about finding a balance.

Drink up :O)

~Courtnie~

Filed Under: Nutrition, Random Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Clean Eating Starts in the Grocery Store

March 6, 2011 By Courtnie Leave a Comment

Most people don’t realize just how important diet is to losing weight.

Diet accounts for as much as 80% of you weight loss success.

It all boils down to simple math.

If you are consuming more calories than you are expending, no matter how hard you are working out in the gym you are not going reach your weight loss goals.

When you are shopping in for you groceries, you want to make sure that you have a plan, you go in with your well thought out list of fresh and non processed foods, and you stick to it.

Learn2Sweat takes all the thought out of it for you…. in our E-Book Fat Loss Nutrition Program, we don’t just set you up with a nutritional guide but with your shopping list too, so you can take the thinking out of getting fit!

You can usually find all you need around the outskirts of a grocery store, once you have entered the center/iales you will be shopping in iales of chemically preserved processed foods.

If you don’t falter at the grocery store, than you will not be able to falter once at home!

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , , , ,