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The Muscle Lines studio has been very busy interviewing new clients these days. There seems to be a common misunderstanding about a few issues on reaching goals. Clients come in ordering up what I like to call celebrity bodies, these are bodies that are well above average and looking like fitness models.

It’s great to aspire to something more but nothing is achievable with out constant focused effort, however the amount of work that it takes to achieve and maintain this look is not for the average person.

There are many things to consider when ordering up a body from your trainer. Some of the questions I ask in my consultations are:

How much time per week do you have to commit to these goal?

What is your line of profession how many hours a week do you work?

Do you have children if so how many and what age?

One of the most important questions I ask is how are you at following structure because there is going to be a lot of accountability involved and can you stick with guidelines for long periods of time? My next question is one of the most important ones in reaching your celebrity body goals. “What are you willing to give up to get what you want?”

You must be willing to do everything it takes to reach your goal. Mentally you must keep positive each day, remember your mind is the leader. If your mind is positive and on track your body will follow.

Affirmations of success are helpful. If you don’t fully believe in yourself and your goals the obstacles that appear will stop you in your tracks.

Planning your attack so that when the obstacles come along you just step over them and continue on your path to success.

Being super fit and healthy is a decision, you must decide each day to make choices that move you closer towards your goals. There will be days and weeks that are hard and you will want to give up, but remembering the bigger picture of your goals and why you decide you wanted them in the first place can help you to forge on. Having a professional on your side can be the difference maker.

In my many years of personal training, I have noticed clients that have reached their ultimate goals have a few things in common; the ability to stay focused on the big picture and stay calm when things don’t feel like they are working; and be ready to change. We must do everything we can to achieve the ultimate goal and patience will defiantly be required.

When ordering up your new body remember be ready to commit fully, make sure your goals match the time you can spend on them. Get a clear understanding of how much time per week you will need to achieve this goal.

If you still want the celebrity bodies then go after it, commit to the scheduled workouts along with highly structure nutrition plans, and be ready to say no when you need to. In my years of coaching and training there has never been a client that has reached goals and is disappointed with the result.

Sandra Froher

Creator of “Lean for Life” programs

Good or bad habit’s are hard to break.

#1 Only take on one habit to break at a time. I would easily estimate that you triple your chances for success.

#2 Put your plan on paper. Write a start and finish date. Include what you want to happen and what is your reward.

#3 Commit Commit Commit!!!!!!. Tell the world about your commitment, blog about it, share it and own it. Put a note on your desk about your intentions the more you commit the easier the accountability becomes.

#4 Realize your obstacles. Find the solution before the problem materializes.

#5 Be consistent. If you only do your new habit sometimes you will fail to create a new positive habit. You must preform the new habit always.

#6 Stuff happens, old habits have a way of creeping in like uninvited dinner guests. Press re-start this is how habit’s are truly broken.

In my experience the biggest challenge in new clients is changing old habits. To be highly successful each student needs to be open to change and explore why idea’s and old habit’s haven’t worked. One of my famous sayings is “You can’t eat what you want, and look and feel like you want”. At first all the changes will seem daunting, but I can assure you once you form new habit’s it becomes easier and will also feel more natural. Nothing you eat can take the place of feeling fit and healthy. More health equals more quality of life.

“Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.” – Mark Twain

CHANGING OLD PATTERNS

Changing old patterns is the first step to succeeding with your goals.

How do we look at fitness and wellness?

Where does is it on your priority list?

In order to change anything in life you need to give it your all!

Make your health and wellness a priority. Many people find they put there own needs on hold to take care of others. But in essence you are taking your own health for granted, until it is not there. My question for you is why wait to possibly feel un well or even get sick to start taking care of your yourself.

Exercising and eating well now may save you hours even years of sick time in the future and also have more energy for the rest of your life and commitments. Regular physical activity has many benefits including better health and greater vitality.

How do we look at fitness and wellness? All too often, people think of exercise as a punishment or painful experience, time consuming and obligatory. If this is how you truly feel, you are setting yourself up for failure.

You could instead think of it as a chance to unwind from a stressful day, a little time all to yourself and a way to improve your quality of life. Take some time and truly ask yourself what your thoughts around fitness and wellness really are. You may need to change the way you are thinking before you move on to even setting your first fitness and wellness goal. This may be what has kept you from succeeding in the past.

Look at some of the reasons why you may have not succeeded in the past when you tried to set other fitness goals.

How long did the routine last?

What happened to get in your way?

Where was fitness and wellness on your priority list?

Were your goals realistic?

Did you feel like a failure?

In order to make changes we must spend some time first clearing out old thought patterns and beginning with new positive plans for the health we deserve to have.

Remember this is your body and life you are in control of all your choices.

Stay focused stay “Lean for Life”

The day my Life Changed

Bang!!!!! 3 car pile up rear ended and I get hit in the head with my car stereo as it flies from the dashboard, my world as I knew it goes black.

In early 2000 it is safe to say things drastically changed in my life. I was involved in a major 3 car pile up on the highway that left me with a serious concussion as well as memory loss, 3 herniated disc’s in my cervical spine and excruciating pain 24 hours a day for the next 2 years. Until this point in my life I never really believed that life could put me down this far. All I had to look forward to was depression and a life spiralling out of control. People and doctors were telling me that I was seriously injured and I would never do or accomplish anything physical again.

I chose not to believe them. No one holds power over you except you.

I started small working with my memory issue’s through rehab and slowly opening my window of tolerance in hopes of returning to a normal life. I guess you could say I was mentally and physically out of commission. I could not even go to the mall without a panic attack and high levels of anxiety.

By the year of 2003 I was able to work out and think clearly again thanks to a very understanding family and pure force of will to change my situation. My doctor straight up told me that I would never be able to lift weights like I used to ever again. Hearing those words was fuel enough for me to prove them wrong.

I began training with a new mind set and with a different set of limitations to keep me safe. Once I figured out how to achieve the results I was looking for without killing myself in the process, the thoughts of competition slowly started to enter my mind once again.

Workouts started slowly but gained in intensity as I developed a system of working smarter and harder. My old body building ways were remodelled and transformed into the beginnings of the “Lean for Life” systems.

Thank god for muscle memory and determination.

By 2006 I announced I was coming out of retirement and back to the stage for a second competitive career. This time I was going to do everything on my terms and look the way I wanted without going outside my comfort zone.

I was so excited about the sparkle suit’s and heels I began pushing my new limited body carefully to it’s tolerance levels daily, weekly and monthly. Getting back on stage was like seeing an old friend that I used to know and I immediately felt at home once again.

I finally got back to a steady state and I felt I had arrived as I stepped on stage for my first amateur show in 2007 with all my family and friends watching. It was nail biting but I came through intact.

As this story has a happy ending I acknowledge that not everyone has the same advantages but everyone who chooses to change their attitude will gain altitude. Never give up and always believe that your body and mind can over come whatever adversity you put your mind into.

Some of my Recent awards :

2010 Natural Universe INBA 2 nd Ms Classic Figure

2009 Flex Appeal International Over All best -Figure

2009 Figure America master 6 th place

2008 INBA Natural Olympia Ms Figure master 3 rd

2008 Canadian sports model of the year over 35

2008 Flex Appeal International Diva master 1 st

2008 Flex Appeal International sports model 1 st

2007 Natural Olympia INBA Ms Physique 3 rd

2007 Ivkar cup Ms Physique open 2 nd

2007 Ivkar cup Master Physique 1 st

Everyone wants to be on top of the mountain, but all the growth occurs while climbing it.

If you have a dream you must believe in yourself fully owning the image in your mind. Don’t be afraid to try, all of us had to start and make the decision to keep going. The journey was the most memorable and gave me all the riches of knowledge to impart my teachings of mind and body.

I thank all those who have told me I couldn’t, shouldn’t or wouldn’t and invite them to fuel my fire. I hope you are inspired and want to ignite your own fire, one that helps you reach your goals.

Move towards your goals confidently and boldly putting one foot in front of the other and before you know it you will be on an incredible journey. Today I am the owner of Muscle Lines personal training, a private studio where I teach my “Lean for Life” programs. I live with my husband, my # 1 fan and my two dachshunds (Weens and Beans they like me too).

Whether you are a World Champion or looking to stay healthy and “Lean for Life” the 5 components of my teachings are instrumental in reaching your body transformation goals and maintaining them for life. The tools I have acquired over 2 decades allow me to provide you with the best possible results. The 5 key components will help you to understand your body and exercise goals in a exciting new way.

If you take charge today and learn to apply the “Lean for Life” rules I promise you will never have to start over again.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”

CUCKOO  FOR COCONUT …..OIL …

There is a lot of talk about coconut oil these days, I would like to help you understand it’s benefit’s and why you may want to have coconut oil handy in your “Lean for Life” kitchen.

High quality raw coconut oil is unique, it’s also a healthy saturated fat because it boasts a spectrum of

nine different fatty acids-the majority being MCT(medium chain triglycerides).

MTC are a burning fat, not a storing fat. When these fats are metabolized in the body , they bring some of the stored fat out along with them. When we eat the right fat’s it truly helps to burn the unwanted fat.

The confusion to weather or not coconut oil is helpful was due largely that some of the health professionals were taught to focus on the caloric values of saturated fats & never understood the nutritional values and health benefit’s of medium chain triglycerides (saturated fat in the coconut oil).

The health professionals also where thought to believe it is a really bad fat because of the high levels of lauric acid, which they misunderstood to aid in raising cholesterol levels and clogging up arteries. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Components of Coconut Oil

A healthy diet contains mixtures of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Human

breast milk contains about 45 to 50 % saturated fat, about 35% unsaturated and 15-20%

polyunsaturated. Lauric acid and capric acid comprise about 20% of total saturated fatty acids

found in breast milk. The high content of lauric acid in breast milk protects infants from invading

viruses and bacteria and supports the immune system.

What coconut oil does not do :

Coconut oil does NOT clog arteries

Does not raise cholesterol levels

Does not raise triglyceride levels

Does not cause obesity    

Does not cause heart disease

Does not contain trans fatty acids

Does not contain hydrogenated oil

Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. How? It is easy to digest and helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid & enzymes systems. It increases the body’s metabolism by removing stress on pancreases, thereby burning out more energy and helping obese and overweight people reduce their weight.

The ability of some of the medium chain saturated fatty acids to inhibit the liver’s formation of fat very likely synergizes with the pro-thyroid effect, in allowing energy to be used, rather than stored.  When fat isn’t formed from carbohydrate, the sugar is available for use, or for storage as glycogen.

Therefore, shifting from unsaturated fats in foods to coconut oil involves several anti-stress processes, reducing our need for the adrenal hormones.  Decreased blood sugar is a basic signal for the release of adrenal hormones.

Unsaturated oil tends to lower the blood sugar in at least three basic ways.  It damages mitochondria, causing respiration to be uncoupled from energy production, meaning that fuel is burned without useful effect.  It suppresses the activity of the respiratory enzyme (directly, ‘and through its anti-thyroid actions), decreasing the respiratory production of energy.  And it tends to direct carbohydrate into fat production, making both stress and obesity more probable. MCTs are more directly sent to the liver, where they are quickly burned.

The highest quality when shopping for coconut oil is Cold pressed virgin oil, this is produced with in one hour of opening a nut.

Coconut oil has been know to keep at room temperature for over 2 years.

When adding Coconut oil to you “Lean for Life” daily nutrition I suggest you replace some of your other oils used with coconut oil. It has been recommended that 3-4 tbsp daily will be of assistance for excellent health & weight loss.

Remember good fat’s help burn bad fat’s.

Wake up & smell the iron ….

If you think doing a walk 3 times a week is all you need, I want you to re-think after this article. You need to get friendly with the iron, weight training.

Weight training is responsible for many things here is a list of fact”s on why weight training needs to be part of your weekly routine.

WEIGHT TRAINING :

Resistance training is going to build muscle, and the muscle that we all ready have will get tuned up to become more efficient at burning fat. Muscles constitute the metabolic engine of your body. Which means the more muscle you have the higher your resting metabolism functions, the more active the muscles are the more fat you will burn, 24 hours a day. One pound of active muscle burns almost 50 calories a day.

How often should I do resistance training? If your goals are fat loss 2-3 times a week will be effective.

• BENEFITS TO WEIGHT TRAINING
• PREVENTS OSTEOPOROSIS
• INCREASES METABOLISM
• DECREASES BLOOD PRESSURE
• DECREASES CHOLESTEROL
• IMPROVES BONE DENSITY
• IMPROVE BALANCE, COORDINATION
• HELPS DECREASE BODY FAT
• BURNS MORE CALORIES
• LOSE INCHES TONES MUSCLE
• IMPROVES MUSCULAR ENDURANCE
• HELPS REHABILITATE INJURIED MUSCLES
• HELPS DECREASE RISK OF ADULT DIABETES
• IMPROVES POSTURE
• INCREASES YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
• LOWERS RESTING HEART RATE
• After the age of fifty if you are not weight training to keep your muscle you will be losing muscle at a rapid pace therefore your ability to burn extra fat will slow.Muscle knows no age and you can build and keep muscle as long as you train properly. A weight training routine that can be done at home works well, you don’t have to have a fancy gym to keep your muscle’s strong.Lady’s start pumping the iron now, so your later years will be a breeze. Eat purposefully and watch yourself grow young.

SUGAR/WHITE POSION

DID YOU KNOW THAT SUGAR COULD POSSIBILY BE DEEMED AS A DRUG?

In my opinion any food source that has been stripped of all food quality’s and nutrients , that can alter your body, is labelled a drug. Why not sugar ? It’s list of side effect’s are equally as long as a drug.

It’s the most acceptable drug of choice today. Sugar is addicting and causes a host of issues in our bodies.

• Did you know as soon as you have sugar you are impairing one of your fat burning hormones ( growth hormone) .

• Sugar raises your insulin levels (another powerful fat storing hormone )& then drops them low, this is why you will have more sugar cravings.
• Sugar cause’s inflammation in your body

Sugar is the main cause for childhood obesity & hyper tension.

• Sugar suppresses your immune system
• Sugar contributes to depression & anxiety
• Sugar can cause hypoglycemia
• Sugar interferes with absorption of vitamins & minerals
• Sugar raises adrenaline levels in (children)
• Sugar cause free radical formation in the bloodstream
• Sugar can increase the amount of fat in your liver
• Glucose (a fancy name for sugar) & vitamin C have similar chemical structures,so when sugar is present they compete with one an other upon entering the cells. More sugar less Vitamin C.
• Sugar feeds Cancer
• Sugar impairs DNA
• Sugar promotes Candida

Did you know that the average person consumes 2-3 lbs of sugar each week? This is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars come in many hidden forms.

Below is a list of sugars with a different name.

• Sucrose(table sugar)
• Dextrose(corn sugar)
• High fructose corn syrups
• Honey ( with some vitamin and mineral benefit’s) it’s the highest calorie count of all sugars.
• Glucose
• Lactose (milk sugar)
• Maltose (malt sugar used in rice milk)
• Palm sugar
• Alcohol
• Maple syrup

These different sugars are hidden in many processed foods such as cereals,ketchup,peanut butter,bread ect..

Here are some tip’s on living “Lean for Life” all year round & into the Holiday season:

• Eat lean protein 4-5 times daily. Protein is Thermogenic in nature, which helps to balance your insulin levels.
• Eat the majority of your starchy carbs morning & noon with less for dinner.
• No processed foods,as they are mostly hidden sugars & bad fat’s
• Eat good fat’s as they help to burn bad fat’s
• Do not drink your calories, only water,herbal tea’s
• Try not to eat 3 hours before bed as your natural growth hormone will be impaired. Growth hormone is responsible for helping keep you lean & youthful. It is one of your fat burning hormones.
• Move your body daily, work up a sweat if your weight training it only needs to be 45 mins to burn of all your stored glycogen .
• Cardio sessions should be short 25 -30 minutes of hard intervals
• Sleep 8-10 hours a night it will help ensure your cortisol levels will be balanced. Cortisol is a fat storing hormone.
• By using Muscle Lines 80-20 rule all year round you can enjoy everything life has to offer and still stay “Lean for Life”

“Lean for Life” will teach you real skills. Did you know fat burning has everything to do with your hormones?

Learn how to make decisions based on fat storing or fat burning. Learn how to be a “Fat burning machine”

Through a structure system Muscle Lines is helping clients achieve and maintain optimal health through the holidays and year round.

Muscle Lines encourages purposeful eating 80 % of the time & 20 % enjoying other tasty foods.

Muscle Lines wants to wish all of you a Merry Christmas & a Healthy Happy New Year !!!!!!

THE HEALING POWERS OF INFRARED HEAT

With so many health products and gimmicks on the market today I felt the need to write about my discovery of the infrared sauna.

The first question I wanted answered was; what is the difference between a regular and infrared sauna?

The first discovery was that the infrared heaters emitted infrared heat which is absorbed directly into the human body, unlike the regular sauna which uses indirect heat.

Secondly infrared energy penetrates deep into your skin up to 2-3 inches much like natural sunlight. Heating up your body through infrared heaters can help boost your immune system through the heating process which mimic’s a fever, therefore boosting your immune system naturally,& slows down virus & bacterial growth.

Another comparison I thought was interesting was one litre of sweat in an ordinary sauna contains approximately 3% toxins, while the sweat analysis from infrared sauna contains 20 % toxins.

The human body starts to liquify at 110 degrees Fahrenheit, through a process called transpiration taking heavy metals out along the way. Interestingly an estimate of one in four people suffer from heavy metal poisoning.

List of heavy metals:

• lead
• cadmium
• nickel
• copper
• sodium

List of benefit’s:

• Better circulation
• increased energy
• speeds up injury recovery
• detoxification
• stress reduction
• skin beautification
• improved immune system

With the deep penetration infrared sauna you can increase blood circulation which releases built up toxins and wastes in your body. Infrared heat generates and simulates vasodil atation of peripheral blood vessels bringing oxygen to your joints & extremities therefore speeding up the healing process of athlete’s which helps recovery.

In conclusion all studies point to repeated one hour sessions 2-3 times a week can be very beneficial to your health & wellness .

Depression is a feeling all of us will encounter in our life time. We are in the physical form which therefore means we go threw an array of feelings, whether it be moment to moment, daily, monthly it is going to happen. The big question is this, is it keeping you from your daily activities or taking the fun out from your life?

Severe depression may require  doctor’s guidance, but mild or even moderate is totally workable outside of medicine. Did you know it is OK to feel feelings in a deep & UN logical way. The difference is how long does it last?

If diagnosed with mild to moderate depression exercise can help. Here is a list of why.

• Exercise increases mastery and makes you feel in-control.
• Exercise increases energy.
• Exercise helps distract you from worry.
• Exercise will help you to sleep better.
• Exercise improves your moods for up to 12 hours.
• Exercise is a stress buster-relieves muscle tension & elevates your heart rate, this combo makes you more relaxed therefore you can deal with your problems more effectively.
• Exercise can change your brain chemistry that is linked to moods.
• Intense exercise can stimulate the production of endorphins.
• Exercise increases Neurogenesis (the growth of nerve brain cells)
• Exercise is necessary & can be enjoyable, join a group be supported find new friends.

A professional can help to guide you to the right type of exercise for your current level of fitness & health.

Having a structured exercise plan can help you get on the right track to natural healing.

WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE?

• A change in hormonal function leading up to menopause
• Symptoms can begin years before menopause occurs
• A process similar to puberty gradual change over time
• Can last up to 5 to 15 years
• Typically begins around age 40, but can begin in the 30′s as well

WHAT IS MENOPAUSE?

• Officially defined as that point in time when menstrual cycles end permanently
• Not done menstruating until one full year has passed from last menstrual period
• Average age 52

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY?

• My old eating habits and diets aren’t working
• I have gained inches around my mid section that I cant get rid of
• I am craving sugar like never before
• Just not feeling good about myself
• Feel like it doesn’t matter nothing works any way
• Depression sets in
• The down ward cycle begins

3 MAJOR ISSUES OF MENOPAUSE

• Immediate hormonal symptoms and developing ways to cope
• A need to re examine your life for a deeper sense of meaning
• Taking an active role in managing long term health issues like heart disease and bone loss

TAKE CHARGE

• Understand Menopause learn the facts about physical changes
• Manage it, find solutions and ways of coping with symptoms and issue
• Own it accept and embrace menopause as an opportunity to make vital changes in your life

THE FOCUS OF A MENOPAUSITIVE PLAN…

• Exercise for physical conditioning and symptom relief
• Good sound nutrition for energy,weight loss and long term health Relaxation(yoga meditation) to lower stress

MEN HAVE

• 30 billion fat cells
• Smaller fat cells
• More fat releasing enzymes
• Ability to loss weight quickly
• Greater success with dieting
• Greater success with exercise
• 40 pounds more muscle mass
• 30% faster metabolism
• Less muscle loss with age
• Testosterone and a shorter life span

WOMEN HAVE

• 30 billion stubborn fat cells
• 5 times larger fat cells
• More fat storing enzyme
• Ability to gain weight
• Resistance to diet and exercise
• More fat mass
• Slower metabolism
• More weight gain with age
• Estrogen, the ability to have children and a longer life span

SYMPTOMS OF PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE

• Heart palpitations
• Migraine headaches
• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Hot flashes
• Weight gain
• Aching and sore joints
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Itchy skin
• Irregular periods
• Urinary symptoms
• Bone loss
• Depression

PERIMENOPAUSAL WOMEN DEALING WITH WEIGHT GAIN

• Fat cells respond to lower hormone levels
• Drop in metabolism to maintain physical and emotional health during menopausal transition
• Fat cells begin to produce estrogen a valuable hormone for the transition

FAT CELL LIFE CYCLE

• Childhood puberty (waiting for puberty)
• 4 fat storing enzymes and 2 fat releasing enzymes
• Puberty
• 9 fat storing enzymes and 2 fat releasing enzymes
• Pregnancy 9 months of fat storage
• Approx age 35-6 fat storing enzymes
• 2 fat releasing enzymes
• Age 45-8 fat storing enzymes and 1 fat releasing enzyme
• Age 55-6 fat storing enzymes and 4 fat releasing enzymes

ESTROGEN AND FAT CELLS

• What is estrogen? It’s a group of 3 hormones that regulate women’s reproductive functions
• Estrogen performs 300 different functions in the body
• As women age estrogen from the ovaries and glands start to dwindle
• As estrogen levels drop the womens body has some clever way of dealing with this that’s right estrogen can be produced in fat cells so the fat cells start making their new home usually first around the mid section
• Women’s fat cells can also divide and make more fat cells

LOCATION OF FAT

• The womens body chooses the tummy for fat storage this is the area most conductive to the production of estrogen
• Fat cells located in the mid section insulate the liver and adrenal glands it’s the aid of these two that produces the estrogen