SWITCH UP THOSE WORKOUTS! DON'T B AFRAID 2 TRY NEW THINGS!!

I know we all get comfortable & complacent in the gym & get into a rut of never changing our workout routines. It's very easy to do & I admit I am even guilty of doing this many times while being in the gym. However in the last couple of moths I have been trying to implement new exercises into my workout routines. I took up jump roping many months back as the last time I had actually jumped rope was when I was a kid many many years ago.

I went out and bought a fairly inexpensive jump rope & would go into the aerobic room in my gym when it was free and jump rope for as long as I could trying to work on my form and speed. After a couple months I actually started becoming good and knew that if I kept at it I could get even better. Now I go into the gym and jump about 3-4 days a week for about an hour at a time. Jumping rope is one of the highest calorie burning cardio exercises you can do. Not to mention if you put on some good tunes you would be amazed how fast the time goes while your jumping.

What I am trying to say is that sometimes we need to learn to step out of our comfort zone and try to master something new that we never thought we would be good at. I also started bringing in my boxing gloves to the gym in the aerobic room where they have some heavy bags and I would interval my jump rope with hitting the heavy bag for so many minutes. I began to even incorporate my own little cardio circuit routine, hitting the bag, jumping rope, sprints & even doing some push ups.

All you need to do is use your creative mind and put different cardio exercises together and make your own circuit routine. Like I said we all get bored going to the gym jumping on the old treadmill or elliptical well get out of those same ol ruts & make your own new cardio routines. You'll fine that with the right tunes & exercises you will begin to enjoy your cardio sessions.

I look forward to going to the gym knowing its my cardio day to possibly just jump rope for that hour, because it's a challenge for me to be able to master different jumps on the rope that I didn't think I ever could. Turn your workouts into challenges & start mastering them. Everyone needs goals to help them strive farther in their workouts, as soon as I started making mine, I started surprising myself in my abilities.

So next time you find yourself in a rut in the gym, think of turning that same ol routine you always do into a challenge & doing what you thought was impossible before possible. I believe we are our own worst enemy, when we believe we can't then we can't so turn that around and believe you can & you will.

Make your workouts enjoyable & challenging! Results come quicker when we switch up our routines & shock our bodies! So next time your in the gym, try something new & trust me you'll reap great rewards!!

R BODIES R LIKE A FINE WINE-GETTIN BETTER WITH TIME..

Does the thought ever cross your mind that the older you get the better you look? Well as crazy as that sounds I believe it's true. I look back at my younger years & the progress I had made with my body & it is in no way as good as it is compared to right now in my life. The older we get the more we master the skill of manipulating our bodies to do and look the way we need them to.

As I competed through the years I was always trying new things, doing different workouts & adjusting my food. I would have to say the biggest thing I learned was how to stay lean all year round & not have to work so hard such as I did in the past. Many of us think that hours of cardio & lifting is the key to changing our bodies. When in fact that is only a small percentage in losing body fat to change your look. Once you learn how to manipulate your food into knowing exactly what works for you then you have just mastered the first step in getting the body that you want. Keep in mind that this is based around a healthy clean eating plan.

Your exercise regiment is def. a factor in the way you look don't get me wrong but your food is what gets your body to that first step. I can honestly say right now in my life that I have learned that I don't have to eat every 3-4 hours these big meals & do tons of cardio to stay lean. I learned the clean foods that work well in my body and digest properly which is key in looking the way I want. I also know how many calories my body should be taking in each day that way I am not over consuming calories in which I may never end up burning.

I have conditioned myself now to know exactly what I can eat & not eat to keep me staying lean. I do not do near as much in the gym as I use to which is absolutely wonderful. More is not better as some people are misled to believe, it is actually nothing more than a waste of your time.

Like I said just because you turn another year older esp. for us women it doesn't mean you can't be in better shape then when you were years ago. The question you have to ask yourself is how bad do you want it? I believe that you will do whatever it takes to achieve the look you want. I love the fact that when I go to the gym I am always striving & challenging myself to do things that I could never do before. When people see me in the gym they would never guess my age because of not only the way I look but the vigorous exercises that I do while I work out.

I find that these days many people, of course depending on the gym you attend, don't really push themselves to the limit as they should. I am in no way saying that is what one has to do but I figure if I've got one hour in the gym then that one hour is gonna be full force ahead with my workout pushed to failure. We reap what we sow. When we watch our food & focus our minds to really give our all in our workouts the results will come.

Our age has nothing to do with it, your choices have everything to do with it. I'm so sick of hearing woman in the gym telling me oh well your not as old as I am, I've got kids or some other lame excuse. Honestly, I'd feel better if they told me the truth and said they didn't want to exercise or eat properly because the rest is a crock of crap. I'm not a spring chicken so excuse #1 is out the window, & I have tons of friends who have children and they look like they could be walking off a stage from a fitness competition-so excuse #2 is gone.

If I hear someone say that they don't have time to workout then I realize at that point that they just don't want it bad enough. I choose to get up at 4am to work out because that's the only time I have before work each day. Again, self discipline is everything and age is just a number and only that.

So as I approach my years as an older woman I can feel very confident with myself because I know that I look better now in my life then when I was in my twenties. I will admit it is a lifestyle and you need dedication skills. Then again something worth having, such as a beautiful body should take work, if not then it's not worth having. Nothing good comes without work!

So next time you think you can't have the look you want or you tell yourself it's because your too old, you don't have enough time, or you have children. PLEASE-just be honest with yourself and quit making excuses because we all have time for what is important to us!! Don't make excuses!! Set goals for yourself NOW & you will achieve them if you really want it bad enough!!!

ALI'S SPINACH & SHRIMP SALAD

We have all had those days where we do not feel like cooking but yet we are so hungry we know we need to whip up something! Well this recipe hits the spot & takes no time at all!! Again using organic foods is your choice but you do not have to..:)

Ingredients needed:

5 cups organic baby spinach
10 large fresh raw shrimp
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
2 large bell peppers diced-one-red & one yellow
1 teaspoon olives-Kalamata pieces
1/4 cup pecans
sea salt & ground pepper 2 taste

Cooking Directions:

You will need to put your ten large pieces of shrimp on skewers & place them on the grill till cooked. Make sure you keep your eyes on them so you don't over cook them.
Mix the olive oil, lime juice, and oregano together in a large mixing bowl.
Season with a pinch of sea salt & pepper for taste.
Then add the spinach, bell peppers, capers, & olives to the oil mix.
Lastly top top the salad with the pecans & grilled shrimp.
Mix the salad thoroughly & serve on chilled salad plates. ENJOY!!!!!!!!

ALI'S NUTTY ALMOND TREATS

ALI'S NUTTY ALMOND TREATS

This recipe is amazing!! Especially when you get those cravings where you want to have something sweet but healthy as well to eat! Remember you can choose if you want to use organic ingredients or not. That is strictly a choice, I just prefer too..:)

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED:

2 cups organic brown rice flour
8 ounces almonds which you will finely ground into a powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 organic brown egg whites & using only 1 of the egg yolks
2 teaspoons natural almond extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons organic sesame seeds
4 ounces organic sucanat
2 ounces organic raw tahini

Baking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the dry ingredients together except for the sesame seeds.
Mix the eggs, almond extract, tahini & sucanat together.
Then add the mixed dry ingredients into the bowl with the eggs, almond extract, tahini & sucanat. You will mix it really good until a smooth dough is formed.
Form about 10 small cake squares or if you can fit more onto a greased or non-stick baking pan.
You will sprinkle each cake square with a few sesame seeds.
Lastly place the pan in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until done. Just keep your eye on them so they do not overcook.
Once they are baked enough, take the pan out to cool.
Then ENJOY this yummy nutty treat!!!!!!

EVIAN & ALI'S PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS W/ SPRINKLED SHREDDED COCONUT TOPPING

This is one of the easiest yummiest protein filled treats ever! This recipe was created by Evian Delly & myself.

INGREDIENTS:

1 jar of Naturally More P.B, cashew butter or crunchy almond butter-u choose whichever one you prefer.

5 packs of Stevia

1/2 cup-or if you would like more then make it 1 cup of organic oats or Quinoa Flakes-again it's your choice on which one you prefer to use.

7 scoops of whey protein

1/2 cup of honey

1 cup of organic shredded coconut

PREPARATION:

Depending on how big of batch of balls you would like to make will depend on the amount of ingredients you add. So you could use less then the suggested amounts of ingredients if you want to make less balls.

In a large bowl you will mix the p.b or whichever you choose, then next mix in the Stevia. Be sure to mix this well.

Next you will add the protein, organic oats or Quinoa flakes if you prefer all together in the bowl. You will then add the honey last. Make sure that you use your hands to mix the ingredients in the bowl so that you can make the size of the balls you would like.

Once you have made them into balls then lastly you will roll them lightly in the organic shredded coconut. You can then place them in the refrigerator for a bit to chill or you can eat them right then. They will be ready to eat as soon as you have rolled them with the shredded coconut. I like to refrigerate them for a bit then pull one out as a treat when I am hungry.

If you are not a fan of coconut then make them without as they are just as tasty..:) Again if you do not want to make a huge batch then modify the amount of the ingredients you add to get the amount you want.

This a healthy treat that can be eaten at all times..:) ENJOY!!

ALI'S LOW CARB PROTEIN PANCAKES-BREAKY OF CHAMPIONS

This recipe is very simple & takes literally no time to make! It's as low carb as you would like 2 make it! If you want more carbs then feel free to add more fruit or anything additional but I like to keep it simple!

ALI'S LOW CARB PROTEIN PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

4 egg whites- I prefer 2 use the whites from brown Organic eggs
dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
dash of cinnamon
1 packet of stevia
1/2 scoop of protein powder-(I use DYMATIZE NUTRITION Elite 12 Hour Protein Blueberry Muffin 1/2 scoop with a dab of low carb dutch choc. Isopure)
1/2 small organic banana
Handful of blueberries
2 teaspoons sugar free syrup/or real maple syrup


Preparing:

Mix all the ingredients into the bowl except for the fruit.

Make sure your skillet is turned on medium to hot as you do not want the pancakes to burn.

Pour the batter onto the pan and then add your desired fruit. I pinch pieces of the banana & blueberries onto the pancake as it is cooking.

REMEMBER-since you have no batter or carbs to hold the pancake together like a regular one you have to watch it closely while cooking. Due to all the protein it will get hard fast so I just leave it on for say 30 seconds or so & flip. I leave it a little runny in the center so it is not completely all cooked because it gives the pancake a better taste. Hard pancakes are no good..:) The key 2 making this recipe is cooking the pancake just right & quickly just enough so that it does not get hard.

Once you cook the pancakes then feel free to add your warm syrup/sugar free syrup-if so desired, or even plain! Then ENJOY!!

Please use whichever protein you like for this recipe as well as the fruit. I like this because it is low carb & it tastes great as long as you watch the pancakes & cook them right. You will understand what I am talking about once you make the pancakes.

I am also not a fan of anything sugar free but many people are so for those of you that are then feel free to use the sugar free syrup. For those of you that are not then you can either not use any or use a teaspoon of the real syrup..:)

THOUGHTS & EXPERIENCES THRU MY EYES AS A FITNESS MODEL & COMPETITOR

I started competing thirteen year ago when I was 24 yrs. old as a fitness model & fitness competitor. Before I got into the industry I use to go watch all of the fitness/modeling shows to see what this craze was all about and after watching I knew that this was the industry for me. Competing in shows takes more then anyone can really imagine until one has experienced it themselves, it is not just getting up on stage prancing around in some little bikini as some people may think. The biggest thing about competing is you have to be selfish as this is a sport all about you which means, making your food, doing all your workouts & not going out with your friends at night to eat when your training. Those are only a few of the sacrifices that you will give as there are more.

I've learned discipline, dedication, self control, sacrifice & mostly how to manipulate my body to get it look the way I want. When I competed in my first show I really had no idea what I was doing nor the sacrifice I was about to be making in my life. It was long sessions in the gym for cardio/weights as well as a complete calorie restricted diet of only certain foods. So I realized if I wanted to be on stage I had no choice but to give it my all & do what it took. My first show I needed to start out with a 12 week diet just so I could take it slow & lose the body fat the right way instead of crash dieting it off which is always no good. I learned to become a real good cook because I was constantly in the kitchen making my food since I needed to eat a meal every couple hours. I would wake up every am at 4am and go train then come home prepare my meals for the day, go to the office & then on occasion go back to the gym for my second session if needed.

That became my life as a fitness competitor, always cooking, dieting & traveling all over the country competing in shows on the weekends. When I look back the biggest sacrifice was the years I gave up in my life not being a normal human being because I was so consumed in competing I isolated myself from the daily world. Don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it but now years later looking back I see the big sacrifices that I made. As I continued competing the dieting would very for how long I needed to start out before a show to be ready, and that is why maintaining is so important in competing. Too many people say they have these on/off seasons well guess what no that is untrue. Whenever you hear someone say they have an on/off season unless they are an endorsed athlete making bank then in my opinion it is simply an excuse for them to get fat. I do not see any other reason for these competitors to gain so much weight and not look themselves once the shows are over.

I learned many years later after being in the sport how to maintain my weight all year round so that when I wanted to compete, fitness model, go on a casting call or whatever job it may be, I wasn't that far off & didn't need to kill myself dieting to get where I needed to be. Once I mastered that part the rest was so much easier because I didn't have to diet as long nor do all the cardio. Like I said the biggest mistake competitors make is letting themselves gain to much weight after a show. Then when show time rolls around again they have to take 3-5 months if not more to get it off and that to me is ridiculous. My motto has become "On season all season, there is NO off season".

After competing in my first show I got involved in fitness modeling. It only made sense that when I trained so hard to look so good that I should only show off my hard work through my pictures. As with competing its fairly similar to doing a photo shoot because yes you have to diet to be lean, need to be tan & always have an amazing hair & makeup artist. Hair & makeup for a shoot is highly important because it really does affect how your pictures turn out after wards. Photo shoots are basically like an investment, if you put your time and money in to buy sexy gorgeous outfits, get your hair and makeup done, make sure your body is on point then your pic's will show that in all of your images.

If you skimp out and don't tan & pay for a professional hair and makeup artist then you will have poor quality pictures & you won't be happy with the results as I have experienced that many times in the past. I also think one of the other most important things in fitness modeling is the photographer you are working with. Research your photographer & if you don't feel comfortable do not shoot with that person or bring an escort with you. Also watch what you sign some of these photographers have models signing all kinds of crazy stuff and the models are not really even reading what they are signing. I've been fitness modeling for many years & still to this day do it! I love being in front of the camera shooting amazing images & always coming up with new shoot ideas. It allows my portfolio to be versatile giving people the opportunity to see many different sides to me & who I am as a person.

When I prepare for a photo shoot now because I have learned how to maintain my weight, I may just take the week prior to do a no to low carb diet the week of depending on how I look. I also eat very clean & workout daily. Then the day before I get spray tanned and usually do a little shopping as I like to always have new outfits for the shoot. I don't like shooting in outfits I have already shot in at a different shoot. Besides it makes it fun knowing you have new cool sexy outfits to be shot in..:) There is a lot of sacrifice in competing and in fitness modeling, there's no magic pill to take off weight and be ready. It's all up to you & how bad you want it as with anything you do in life! I have sacrificed many years of my life in this sport & wouldn't change it for anything. I have met so many wonderful people & worked with some of the most amazing photographers.

So if your considering being a fitness competitor or dipping your foot in fitness modeling make sure you are willing to give 100% of yourself or it's not worth doing. It's a sacrifice of endless workouts, clean dieting, buying clothes, hair & makeup, professional photographers, but in the end the results are all worth it. I've had the pleasure of working with one of the most amazing photographers in the valley Tony & Char Mandarich & they exude professionalism in all their work. If you check out my fitness modeling website at http://alicialeombruni.com you will see their amazing photos everywhere.

You get out of life what you put in to it-so do the work & reap all the great results. Competing & fitness modeling is a wonderful experience & if you are willing to sacrifice a little you will be surprised with the changes you can make to you body & have that body you've always wanted, I did! Good luck to all of you who decide to venture into this industry of competing/fitness modeling. It's changed my life for the better & I find the older I get the better I look because I have learned the discipline & sacrifices it has taken me to get to where I am today..:)

The pic. I have attached in this post was taken at Lake Pleasant in Phoenix, AZ on April 11, 2010 by John Mitchell at http://JohnBBpics.com. He is another amazing photographer out of Connecticut that I had the pleasure shooting with!