All posts tagged: #CoachJVB

I Wasn’t Expecting This…

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My favourite fitness magazine – Inside Fitness Magazine holds a Top 100 Fitness Models issue every year called the Hot and Fit 100 For the last few years it’s an issue that I always look forward to because of all of the beautiful and fit women who are smashing their fitness and business goals. So inspring!!! I know most of the winners have gone on to do incredible things in the fitness industry leveraging their exposure as the cover feature and, for me personally, I’ve looked up to many of the women that regularly appeared in the Hot and Fit. I vividly remember the inaugural Hot and Fit 100 issue featuring the gorgeous Lyzabeth Lopez (my She hero!!!) and went through the magazine admiring all of the beautiful women and their careers. You see at the same time I was working a job that required me to travel 2 1/2 hours per day (and can’t even remember what I really did), made very little money, couldn’t afford to pay my bills (and was drowning heavily …

Toxic People – Get Rid Of Them

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One of the biggest struggles my clients constantly encounter is guilt from “friends” just for choosing to be a better version of themselves. Of course it’s not just my clients. It’s almost everyone that wants to take their fitness goals to another level. Even me! While I certainly encourage a periodic dieting break while “on plan” to be used with friends, family, or loved ones so there’s plenty of room to enjoy food freely without getting negative commentary about your health choices… There are always others that are scheming to derail you or belittle you simply because they can’t take charge of their own life. So my advice when it comes to those people who belittle your goals and ambition: GET RID OF THEM. They’re TOXIC. Because when you do get rid of them, it’s still not fast enough. Having supportive people in your life is so important and when they fit my “Triangle Of Safety”, then I know I’m in good company. i) People that are truly happy for your success. ii) People that …

How Yoga Can Help New Moms & Their Postnatal Recovery

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I am not a Yoga Expert but I have participated in a few yoga classes and have really enjoyed them. I know a lot of new moms who have practiced yoga throughout their pregnancy as well as postpartum to help with recovery, strength and stress levels. And from what I’ve noticed anyone who starts yoga, continues yoga… So I decided to interview my dear friend, Julie Hinton, Elite Yoga Expert and Mom of 2 beautiful children. Julie helps me to uncover the many amazing health benefits of yoga for New Moms. Here is what Julie has to say; Yoga is a great way to help new moms get physically and mentally back on track after 40 weeks of pregnancy. With all the joy your new bundle brings, you will also undoubtedly feel heightened responsibility and worry. In addition to its many physical benefits, yoga helps quiet the mind. Yoga helps with postpartum, anxiety, fatigue, and mild depression and will help you through the many aches and pains after delivery. 1. How can a new mom start …

Find Out How This New Mom Of 2 Lost Over 50 Pounds

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When my beautiful Tiz Parente came to me a couple of years ago, she was desperate to take charge of her health and also frustrated from years of continuous dieting (trying everything under the sun). And also struggling with weight for as long as she can remember and even more so after 2 pregnancies. Even her very first email to me had the tone of defeat before I even put together her plan. Fast forward to today and this incredible Mom of 2 is a guiding source of inspiration and information for my new clients. Struggled? Tiz did. Frustrated? Tiz was. Overcome her fears and conquered her goals? Tiz did…and just SMASHED IT OUT OF THE PARK! We put together a strategy for initial weight loss using plenty of food flexibility and then, over time, transitioned to strengthening and shaping her body. With over 50 lbs lost, this amazing super mom is also an inspiration for her family in making healthy food choices while also enjoying plenty of food variety and balance. Tiz says, “Jenny …

Enjoy Food. Don’t avoid food.

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Over the course of the last decade plus, I’ve experimented with countless of different eating styles and diets – Atkins, Vegan, Vegetarian, Octo-Lacto, Pescetarian, Macrobiotic, Paleo, Juicing, Cleansing, high fat, low fat, Intermittent Fasting, Bulletproof, etc. To this day I continue to try new things and research how I feel and how it applies to my life. Each eating style certainly has their benefits but, in my opinion, there is NO PERFECT WAY TO EAT because each and every single person on this planet is unique. There are different body types, people have different goals, different lifestyles, food sensitivities, live in different climates, geography and food availability could be an issue, age requires different nutrients, and even weather play a part in our food needs. Having countless food options increases your chances to achieve optimal health, vibrancy, and your own fitness goals. Whether it’s too much of a particular type of food or too little of certain nutrients, the best way to harmonize the body is by creating balance but as many of us know …

Slowdown The Effects Of Aging With Antioxidants

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Antioxidants are the vitamins and minerals that come from foods that we eat. These antioxidants fight free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules) which cause damage to the skin cells and other cells in the body. When your skin cells are “attacked” by free radicals, this will lead to bad skin conditions and of course, aging. Wrinkles will show and your skin will have a less youthful look to it. The good news is that there are things we can easily do to combat the effects of free radicals on our skin. There are some delicious foods that are rich in antioxidants, which will have a positive effect on your skin’s appearance and delay the aging process. As a nutritionist I believe that eating a diet high in antioxidant rich foods will slow down the development of wrinkles. This is logical, as your skin is being fed the nutritional vitamins that prolong its youthfulness and vitality, resulting in younger looking, firmer and more moisturized skin, and therefore fewer wrinkles. Some antioxidant rich anti-aging foods include garlic, onion, …

Why Soaking In A Little Sunshine Can Be A Good Thing

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Take a little time out in nature to soak in the rays. Studies have found that exposure to sunlight naturally boosts your mood. Sunlight triggers the release of hormones in your brain releasing a hormone called serotonin. This is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. Ultraviolet-B radiation in the sun’s rays also causes a person’s skin to create vitamin D. Generally, an hour per week is more than enough, but surprisingly, many people are still not exposed to enough sun to produce beneficial amounts of vitamin D. This could be because of our hectic sedentary lives, spending most of our time either in the car or at a desk during the peak hours of sunlight. Vitamin D is an important part of a healthy diet. New benefits of this vitamin are being discovered every day, but many people still do not receive enough vitamin D to reap the wonderful benefits it can provide to their health. Vitamin D is most famous for its contribution to joint and bone health …

“Life Always Gets In The Way…”

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None of us are exempt from the pressures in life. We all have stress and situations that test us or possibly even push us to the brink of crumbling. All too often, something or someone or some moment, causes us to lose track of our goal and revert back to behaviours that no longer add value to our lives. We’ve all been there right? Of course most of the time we don’t choose our adversity BUT we certainly have the power to choose our response to it. And it’s this response that I call the “IF Factor”. IF we respond positively to challenges and difficulties, then the outcome will be potentially positive. IF we respond negatively to our challenges and difficulties, then the outcome will be potentially negative. IF we respond to challenges and difficulties in the same manner as we always respond to it (i.e. emotional eating, BLTs, etc.), then the outcome will almost certainly be the same. The pain of adversity never leaves us unchanged, but if treated right, can be the catalyst …

A Quick & Healthy Snack

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When you’re on the go. Don’t have your food prepared. Hungry. And just not sure what to have but know you want to stick to healthy choices. This is the snack for you! What you will need: 1 can of salmon – I use Wild Pacific Pink Salmon by Clover Leaf  1 tbsp Mayo 1 tbsp vinegar Sea sale and black pepper to taste cucumber Your favorite Kii Crisps  How to make it: mash salmon with a fork a add mayo, vinegar, sea salt and pepper and mix until combined slice cucumber top crisps with salmon spread and a slice of cucumber Enjoy!  

What Is The Best Program For A Mom To Get Her Pre-Baby Body Back?

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I wouldn’t say there is 1 best way or specific way to achieve this in terms of exercise (but diet is still the #1 driver for Fat Loss) but getting started and staying active on a regular basis is the first step. Once you enjoy what you’re doing then stick to programs that work and don’t overthink the process. There is so much fitness and nutrition information out there but I, personally, believe in the basics and foundational movements to truly shape the body. With my Mommy duties, I now train 4 times a week with basic fundamental strength movements. These are the primary functional movements I design my program around: a. Squat variations b. Deadlifting movements c. Over Head Presses d. Rows e. Lat Pull Downs f. Hip Thrusts/Glute Bridges g. Core work (** work with a Pelvic Floor Specialist during pregnancy and postnatal to make sure everything is in working order **) Of course ALWAYS use a weight/resistance that you’re comfortable with to start even if it’s just bodyweight. Postnatal isn’t the time to try and …