Transformation Update

If you have followed my blog over the last year, then you know this woman's transformation. Jenn is client and friend that has worked so hard to achieve a physique she feels good about. Check out this before...

and here is her most recent...

This woman has worked hard to make her body change and respond. She has logged endless grueling workouts with a commitment to a plan that would leave most people wondering what the heck they were doing. Not Jenn though, she is a fighter.


Q: Jenn, you started your fat loss journey a little over a year ago. What was your tipping point that made you think you had to change what you were currently doing? Were you no longer getting results at the gym? How often did you workout and what did those workouts look like?

I was not happy with the results I was getting. I was paying for a personal trainer, quite a bit of money, and not getting results. I worked out six days a week, three lifting (an upper and lower body lift that alternated) and three cardio days on different pieces of equipment and not seeing anything. I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted to look like and was getting no where near it. I could not move the scale and looked soft and thick everywhere.

Q: You really cleaned up what you were eating. What was the biggest change you made when it came to nutrition?

More protein and a lot less carbs, eating six times a day and not starving myself.

Q: When you were eating healthy and working out with a plan how did you feel physically and mentally?

When I eat clean I feel better both physically and mentally. I have a problem with food, I get those guilt feelings when I eat something I know that I am not supposed to. Eating clean gives me all around confidence but also the knowledge that if I do want something "bad" that it is ok every now and then.

Q: You get up at an unreal hour because your a mom, wife and teacher and in order to fit it all in you sacrifice sleeping in :). What does your morning usually look like?

I wake up, usually not with an alarm, anywhere between 2:30 and 3:30 am, yep am. Do a one to two hour workout and then get ready for work, all before the rest of my family is even awake. I then come home from the gym, eat, and get my son up and ready and out the door for school by 6:45. I do not want to miss anymore time with my family than I already do because of work, so I get up early.

Q: What are you most proud of in the gym? Any personal records you would like to share?

I love being a woman and going upstairs to the free weights and lifting. No one (guys) look at me funny anymore. I can do pull ups and chin ups unassisted. This was a huge goal for me!!

Q: You decided to give a bikini competition a try (twice actually). What was the hardest part of the prep? What was the most rewarding part of it?

The amount of time it took towards the end of the prep. Two a day workouts were the worst, especially when you body is physically exhausted and you feel like you have nothing left. Just getting off of the couch took a lot of thought. The eating can be tough when you are missing out on what your family is eating or you have to skip a holiday. I love the day before the competition prior to tanning. I know I have done everything in my power and am super lean and sexy. I also love the comments that people make when they see how far I have come.

Q: What would you tell someone who was beginning to think about preparing for a competition?

It is the most physically and emotionally demanding thing you may ever do, but also worth it. Definitely take start and ending pictures to see how much progress you have made. Be prepared to give up time with everyone but the gym and you will be hungry, know that you can always eat later...16 weeks is a short time when you figure preganacy is 40.

Q: What does being fit mean to you?

Looking lean with muscle definition. Also, being able to keep up with my five year old.

Q: Any future fitness goals or plans?

Thinking of competing in a renegade run and at some point a triatholon. I also plan to train with my trainer for her next competition post baby.

Q: Lastly, tell me 3 things you know now about fitness that you wish you knew 5 years ago.

1. Get a heartrate monitor and know how to use it.
2. Understand HIIT
3. The myth behind eating

My Body is Like a Canvas...

I am edging towards the finish line of this pregnancy. I am 37 weeks and considered full term. This baby can come any day now. The Skahan house is looking forward to meeting this little guy. So many questions have been looming... What will he look like... Who will he resemble the most... Does Will really understand that he is going to be a big brother... we can't wait to discover all these things!

Obviously, first and foremost my goal is to have a healthy baby and adjust to a newborn in the house again. My personal goal is to bounce back to my pre-baby body as quickly as possible and quite honestly, achieve a physique even better than before. I am not convinced of the old saying that it takes 9 months to put it on so give yourself 9 months to take it off... no thanks I'd rather not. I plan to share that entire journey through this blog. I will share progress pictures (even if they are scary at first...eek), diet plan, training program, weekly stats updates, struggles and frustrations as well.

37 Weeks


My body is a canvas waiting for me to recreate every curve. I have done it before and I know I can do it again. I hope these personal post baby blog updates will encourage some woman to do the same. So, join me and feel free to let me know. Would love some company along for the ride!

9 months pregnant... still doing chin ups!

4 weeks left and still pulling this 30lb weight gain over that bar for 8 reps with an assistance band. Not bad considering 4 weeks ago I could do 10 reps. I feel good and I am ready to have this little guy and get back to not needing a band!

Flip This!

Found a fun (in a very sick sense of the word) and nearly free piece of equipment yesterday, a used tire. I have always wanted a tractor tire for the home gym but didn't know quite where I would store it. Sean isn't to thrilled about a tire in our backyard but I promised him he won't even know it's there ;).

Why would I want such a thing and what do I plan to do with it? Just watch this video..


Cameron Diaz flips em' with A-Rod

What Shall I Eat Tomorrow...

Do you actually have this thought? Or do you have the mentality that whatever happens to come across your plate that day will be devoured? You could never plan your meals for the next day because you don't know what you may be craving. Well, my advice for this fly by the seat of your pants meal planning is to sit down and actually think about whether or not your eating habits are actually helping you achieve your fitness goals.

As women and mothers we have to plan our days out. We have multiple places we need to be at different times. You need a game plan to get it all done. We plan our financial lives, budget expenses and try to set aside for the future. I think most of us know when your next workout will be and generally what it will entail. You have an exercise plan. What I am getting at is most things in our lives are planned to some extent. So, why shouldn't what you eat be planned as well?

Now, I am not talking about being obsessive about calorie counting and knowing the calorie breakdown of everything you put in your mouth, unless you have a specific goal and date in mind. I am talking about having a fridge stocked with everything you need to eat well all week so you can make good choices. Plan for success.


The Am I On a Diet, Diet Plan

This is the mind trick you want to play on your body. You want your body wondering if you actually are depriving it of the usual indulgences and yummy food things in life. You plan your meals based on hitting a few criteria and don't worry about calories to much.

Criteria #1
You eat 4-6 meals a day. There is no ifs ands or buts about it. You have a healthy breakfast after waking, a snack a few hours later, a meal around midday, another snack late afternoon and a meal in the evening. On days you workout you may add an additional 6th meal that day as well.

Criteria #2
You have 20-30 grams of lean protein with every meal.

Criteria #3
You eat veggies in at least half of your meals for the day.

Criteria #4
You have a piece of fruit in 2-3 meals.

Criteria #5
You eat healthy fats daily.

Criteria #6
You don't eat junk... you just don't. Make rules for yourself and follow them. If you have children, you have set rules for them when it comes to eating, why shouldn't adults have rules as well. We certainly don't burn off excess calories as easily as children do so don't consume it, it will become part of your figure guaranteed!

Criteria #7
You indulge in a treat 1-2 times a week... only if you deserved it though! If you followed these easy diet rules all week then yes have a glass of wine with your husband, frozen yogurt with your child or dinner out with friends.

Criteria #8
You drink lots of water and eliminate caloric beverages.

That is it! Don't complicate it so you fail. Plan your meals the day before and have a game plan as to where you will be generally for each meal and pack a little cooler if you need to. I have two different coolers I use weekly. One of them can carry 2-3 meals and the other is small enough for just my lunch.

What would your meals look like?

Meal #1, post workout or eaten shortly after waking
Eggs, egg whites, protein powder, nonfat plain yogurt, nonfat cottage cheese, oatmeal, Ezekiel toast, berries, melon, veggies

My current favorite because it is yummy and fast: 1 package of oatmeal, heat for 1 minute, add 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese, microwave 45 seconds, 1 scoop of protein powder, stir and 1 tsp of peanut butter or a few slivered almonds... yum, at least I think it is!

Meal #2
Piece of fruit, veggies and lean protein (no need to list all of these, we all know what lean protein is)

Yesterday's snack: marinated and grilled chicken I had made a few days prior, brussel sprouts and salsa

Meal #3
My go to meal is a salad with tons of veggies (cucumber, red & yellow pepper, tomato...) lean protein and healthy fat (avocado, almonds or lean oil based dressing). Go easy on the cheese and heavy on the veggies! Can't go wrong with this daily.

Meal #4
This tends to be the forgotten meal since the afternoons generally are busy, so make it quick and simple. A protein shake and a piece of fruit if your on the go. Another idea if your home, throw some frozen fruit in a blender with ice and scoop of protein powder, very yummy.


Meal #5
Your meal at home, lean protein of course, veggies and carb choice (sweet potato, brown rice, brown rice pasta, quinoa, corn tortillas)

This is what's planned for tonight- lean beef, veggies and quinoa.

Meal #6
If your stomach is talking to you and you need something before bed, try a cup of nonfat plain yogurt with either some nuts (don't go crazy here) or some fruit on top. After you consume this, the kitchen is closed, don't go back in there!

Some very simple and basic ideas to planning meals and what your day of eating should look like. It isn't anything earth shattering but it keeps the furnace running, stomach full and you never feel like your on a diet. If you have already adopted these eating patterns and habits and want to take it to the next level my next post will discuss easy calorie counting, higher/lower calorie days and ways to kick it up a notch!

Pinch My Fat

Today we broke out the body fat calipers at Boot Camp. There were a brave few that stepped up to the pinch test. I can understand the hesitation and emotions a few simple pinches of fat (tricep, thigh and illiac crest) and stir within a person. You want all your hard work to be validated with a lower number than before. You know you have worked your butt off and ate properly planned meals to drop fat... or have you?

I have been 19%, 8% and god only knows what % I am now. What I can say is that dropping below 12% for a woman is tough, mentally and physically. I can recall thinking I felt like I had a newborn again, so draining. Personally, my body fat likes to reside in a range between 14-19%. I know this will change as I age and I will have to work harder to stay leaner. Everyone is different. It is important that the same person take your body fat with the same tool.

Males have a lower body fat than females.


Age is a factor as well.


Now what can you do to drop fat? Eat less, move more, build muscle and rest. Really if you think about those four things, the hardest part actually is building muscle. This is where most women blow it. They fear that they will only get larger. Increasing your muscle mass will burn more fat and in return you will shrink, I promise you. You won't get bulky, that is where the eat less part has to spot on. Us women don't build muscle as easily as men do. It takes years and a lot of hard work to significantly put on size! A well designed strength training program will cover the move more and build muscle part.

So what's left is the eat less and rest part. I can't really help you with the rest portion because I know as women we are doers and we have multiple roles everyday. There are only so many hours in the day and only you can decide when you need to rest and how much you actually need. Some of the people that I admire the most tend to sleep less, work more, play hard and often are very rewarded for their sacrifices. So you figure out what works best for you.

I will cover the eat less part of the body fat equation in my next post. I have eaten reasonably and dropped fat slowly and I have eaten an extremely rigid diet and dropped it quite fast. I will give you and insight what both those meal plans look like.

Everybody I pinched today should be proud! I have some very fit women who are constantly striving to be their best. Love it!

Need A Trainer Can't Afford One?

I have a hard time understanding how some people are willing to fork out tons of money for various things in their lives but can't find the money to invest in themselves and their own health. Parents pay tons of money to have their kids in sports. Big bucks are forked out for activities, youth training and even private personal training for their kids. The money is there when it involves their children and teaching them to be active and athletic individuals but when it comes to themselves the wallet is empty.

In the Skahan house, we are beginning to understand this a bit more having a child who is involved in various activities. Swim lessons, hockey, little league, soccer... it is not cheap. I hear what travel club sports will cost when our son gets older and I cringe at the figure. I can somewhat understand that parents can only do so much when it comes to budgeting a household. But your health, how can you put a price tag on that?! I take pride knowing my son sees me working out and knows mom and dad are active and fit people. He is learning a key lesson, hard work pays off, from the biggest role models in his life, his parents.

What can you do if you can't afford a trainer to get you in shape? There are quite a few books on the shelves that are written by well known professionals that have proven their methods work. Here are a list of a few that I have personally tried, read or learned from.

1. The Female Body Breakthrough by Rachel Cosgrove


This is an excellent book with a great training program. I can personally attest to this. I hired Rachel to train me for 2 of my figure competitions in 2008. She took me from a fit female to an incredibly fit one! This training program will get you results, guaranteed. Enough said.

2. The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove


This book came out a few years ago but I would still recommend it. I think Sean gave it to me for Christmas one year and I plowed right through it. It will change the way you look at your workouts. I can remember back in the day when I always thought the free weights was where the men belonged... wrong! Don't be intimidated by the benches, squat racks, chin up bars, and dumbbells. Often women flock to the machines because they have pictures and descriptions as to what to do at each machine. This book and it's program will help you navigate through the gym and give you a great workout.

3. Cardio Strength Training: Torch Fat, Build Muscle, and Get Stronger Faster by Robert dos Remedios MA CSCS


Sean introduced me to this book last year and I have referred to it time and time again. I have recommended to many people who are looking for a workout that is fast and effective. They don't have a lot of time to dedicate to working out but want the most bang for their buck. This book delivers that. Cardio Strength Training has given me numerous ideas for my boot camp workouts as well as setting up my own training programs. It is a great book for men and women.

4. The New Rules of Lifting for Abs by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove


I have yet to implement this book in my training but I am sure it is top notch. I will definitely use this book in my quest to gain my tight flat stomach again after this baby enters the world. Another great book to have in your fitness library!


Four great books that all cost under $30 and won't break your budget. So, if your stuck floundering in the gym and don't know what to do, take one of these with you and take your physique to the next level.

Random Thoughts

I am 34 weeks pregnant and this past week I think I grew exponentially. The little guy feels like bowling ball on my bladder. Sleep at night has been interrupted with calf cramps, trips to the bathroom, uncomfortable positions... I just want to sleep on my belly again, and periods of laying wide awake and unable to go back to sleep. I wake up and my brain just starts turning. It is amazing how the body prepares you for what is to come.

In my moments of sleepless nights, I think about pretty random things. Why does the mind do this? I plan trips, make grocery lists, think through the next days activities, write workouts and visualize what I will be doing 2 months from now.. random.

Thought #1: Surge- LOVE IT and miss it!

I am looking forward to buying Chocolate Surge again. I love this stuff. A tough workout makes it worth all the effort when you sip this chocolately yumminess. I do believe when you are following a regimented diet this stuff can taste like dessert!

Thought #2: RumbleRoller- need to get one of these!

I have some extremely tight hip flexors, glutes and hips. Pregnancy takes an incredible toll on a body and I have acquired some awkward movement patterns and body positions. I know I have been accommodating my growing belly by arching my back more and sitting more than usual. I am feeling it and I know this tool will 'dig in' like a massage would and help me greatly!

Thought #3: Need a backup plan!
I don't want to jinx anything but... if the Ducks keep playing like they are, I am seeing a repeat of 5 years ago. The Ducks were in the playoffs and I was worried Sean wouldn't be around for the birth of our child. Well, that could very well happen again if they keep at it! Time to start a little bit of planning! Will was born at 36 1/2 weeks... not too long from now. I welcome this 'problem' and know everything will workout :), right?!

Time is a tickin'! Yay!!