BFW Magazine: Beauty, Fitness & Wellness for Women

*LENEE ADKINSFLYING WITH FITNESS!

FIT PREGNANCYHow to workout worry free!

ACTION PLAN

TO LOVE YOUR

BODY

MAKE TIME FOR FITNESS!Inspirational Advice

CAN THE RIGHT BREAKFAST REV UP YOURMETABOLISM?Read it and eat it!

OMGWEIGHTLOSSRESULTS!

3 MOVES - TO A TIGHT -

TUMMY & TUSH!

How to Drop Weight Fast!

ISSUE 1 • BFW Magazine 3.

I f we asked people why many Black women don’t swim, what would the answer be: "Worry over hairdos?" or "Fear of drowning?"

According to the results of a study conducted by USA swimming, the number one reason why Black women do not swim is the fear of drowning. It’s not just worry over a perm or weave. But, there are plenty of Black women who are facing their fear of the water everyday like Surf Champion Imani Wilmot. She is also referred to as Jamaica's “Daughter of Surfing”, the country's top female surfer. BFW magazine recently interviewed Imani about braving the fierce waves of the ocean as a surf competitor. She was raised by her mother, an amazing scriptwriter, who never failed to remind her that she's multi-talented and by her father, an actor and lead singer of the Mystic Revealers, who always told her to be the best at whatever she wanted.

"I grew up on the beach in Jamaica, and most of my child-hood was spent in the water. So what I remember about my first surfing experience is being pushed into the waves just in front of the house by my dad and brothers, and loving it instantly. I was never concerned about getting my hair wet. I wear my hair natural and wash it with an ammonium-free shampoo, rinse, moisturize. Then air or towel dry. The less chemicals you put into natural hair, the better. "

Surf Jamaica! WRITTEN BY IMANI WILMOT “SURF LIKE A GIRL”

INSPIRATION

4. BFW Magazine • ISSUE 1

"Surfing is a great workout with alot of health benefits, it forces you to use every muscle in the body from improved cardiovascular health to core muscle strength."

"I do have fears of the ocean. It’s much bigger and stronger than I am. I actually almost drowned once, and I’ll never forget it. It was a humbling experience but I had to learn how to not be afraid to try again. My father, President of the Jamaican Surfers Association, and brothers who are also professional surfers, were my teachers. They taught me that being a surfer is a privilege. It really doesn’t matter if you are male or female because everyone has their own unique experiences with the sport. But, I also had to accept that surfing has a very slow learning curve. You ride the board, you fall off the board. Wipeouts are as much a part of surfing as swallowing a bit of water is to swimming. As uncomfort-able as it may be, it’s inevitable. The better you get, the less you do it. How do I recover? Simple: get up, get back out there and ride another wave. I must have courage and patience every time I step into the ocean."

"I entered my first International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games at age 14 and represented Jamaica in Ecuador. I placed first at the Makka Pro International Surf-ing Competition in 2011 (first Jamaican female to win the womens’ title); and was also recognized by the RJR Sports Foundation for outstanding performance in surfing (another first as well). For me, winning isn’t about beating others. It’s about beating the standards I set for myself; and every time I do that, it’s fantastic."

"I honestly believe that encouraging Black women to em-brace water sports must start with encouraging young girls. We do not have to be afraid or worry about our hair. Getting anyone into the water requires education and reassurance. It requires young people, like myself, who will step up and inspire the next generation by providing positive examples of how sports can shape our lives. This is why I created the "Surf Like A Girl" campaign. I realized that not only are female surfers underrepresented in surfing events, but that there's no one in the Caribbean making real efforts at getting girls into the water. My parents have always insisted that, "We be the change we want to see." So, that's exactly what I’ve been doing."

TABLE OF CONTENTSISSUE 1

Editor in Chief & Publisher Kanika Nikki Utley

Creative Director Joe Mikoli

Chief Photographer & Creative EditorRoneique Banks

Executive Photographer & Photo Art Director Jim Charmatz

Managing Editors Malecia Cornelius & Maggie Mangiel

Senior Fitness Editor Keianna Henry

Contributing Editor Myya Mixon

Graphic Design Artist Rebecca Martinez

CONTRIBUTORS:Imani Wilmot, Toni Lee, Myya Mixon, Jeanette Ortega, Lenee Adkins, Judy Salgado Thureson,Allison Taylor and Maritza Rodriguez.

COVER IMAGE:Model: Lenee AdkinsPhotographer: Roneique Banks of The Banks Vault Photography

ADVERTISERS:G-Loves, Fit Girl Wear, Traci S. Athletics Apparel and House of Vitamins

The health information in BFW magazine is intended to educate. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualified health-care pro-fessional. Check with your physician before beginning a fitness routine.

BFW Magazine, 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publica-tion may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher of the publication.

CONTACT US:Tell us what you think of BFW Magazine. Get in touch with uson our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BFWmagazine.

Surf Jamaica.................................................... 3

Editor's Note................................................... 6

Make Time for Breakfast....................... 7

My Fit Pregnancy Journey:Baby Onboard!............................................... 9

Fly High with Fitness................................ 12

Love your Body.............................................. 14

OMG! Transformation Story............ ... 16

Yes, I’m Different and I Love It!........ 18

BFW's Wonder Womenof Fitness: Allison Taylor....................... 21


EDITOR'S NOTEMake Time

for Breakfast!MAKE TIME FOR FITNESS

When it comes to working out and eating healthy, I hear alot of people say…

"AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!"

You know what I say to those people? MAKE TIME!If you have time to play dead planking in the street then how about doing a REAL plank that actually works your core? If you have time to take a full hour for lunch, how about going out for a brisk walk for a half hour? Do some cardio, and then eat lunch! If you have time to constantly check Facebook, how about doing some squats at your desk to tighten up your legs/butt? Everybody wants to use excuses not to eat healthy and workout. Even when people say they want to commit, they still wonder if they can wean off the foods that are bad for them. NO! You can’t. If you could wean off those bad foods, you’d already have done it by now. You’re either committed to a lifestyle change or not. No one wants to deal with absolutes because no one trusts themselves to be success-ful at achieving their goals. Make the commitment. Trust and surrender to the process. Believe in yourself. This is what BFW Magazine is all about. Our cover girl Lenee Adkins (Fly High with Fitness, page 12-13) shows us how she balances it all even with a busy schedule working as a full-time flight attendant. The same passion and energy you put into finding a soulmate, main-taining a marriage, being a parent, climbing the ladder in your career is the same passion and energy you must apply to protecting your health.

You ain’t got time? Yes, you do! Make time.

This first issue of BFW Magazine will inspire and motivate you to make time for fitness.You deserve a healthy body!

LET’S GO! ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Kanika Nikki UtleyPublisher & Editor in Chief

Photo by: Jim Charmatz


If this sounds like you then keep reading. BFW Magazine recently interviewed Fitness Personality Toni Lee about why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Here’s what Toni had to say…“A healthy breakfast refuels your body, jump-starts your day by igniting your metabolism. Skipping breakfast is a guaranteed recipe to weight gain and self-induced type 2 diabetes. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when women missed breakfast they consumed more food the remainder of the day, and their cholesterol and insulin levels were negatively affected. So don’t skip this meal!"

"Even if you don’t have a lot of time, there are many quick-and-flexible first meal choices you can grab at home to put breakfast back on your daily menu.” When you eat a healthy breakfast, you’re more likely to:· Manage and control your weight· Consume more vitamins and minerals· Decrease your fat and cholesterol intake, which may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease· Increase mental concentration and daily productivity throughout the morning “A healthy breakfast meal should contain a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low or non-fat dairy products and lean protein.”

Ingredients:· 5 egg whites· 1 serving of your protein powder (my choice of Garden of Life, Raw Protein Vanilla)· ½ cup rolled oats· ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract· ½ cup of choice of favorite fruits· Top with sugar-free syrup· Stevia (with zero calories) or cinnamon to taste

Directions:· Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth or mix the ingredients with a fork.· Cook the pancakes in a non-stick frying pan until light to golden brown on both sides.· Add your pancakes with your favorite toppings.

Make Time

for Breakfast!

Are you always in a hurry in the morning? Feed the kids, send them off to school, throw on your work clothes and by the time you get to work you realize you didn’t even eat breakfast?

~ Toni Lee’s Protein Powder Pancakes ~

RECIPES

Photo by: B-House Photography

My Fit Pregnancy Journey:


Baby Onboard! WRITTEN BY MARITZA I. RODRIGUEZ

ISSA AND NSPA CERTIFIED FITNESS TRAINER

HEALTH

PHOTOS BY CHAD THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

My Fit Pregnancy Journey:

Before finding out about my pregnancy, I trained alongside my husband for my first Strongman competition and followed a power-lifting program to improve 1-rep-max records. I was feelinggreat during my training but then I noticed my period was late. I didn’t know I was pregnantfor sure until after the 3rd home pregnancytest. My husband and I were super excited. We couldn’t wait to see the doctor. We both thought it was best for me to take it easy at the gym until my first doctor’s appointment. I actually had more men than women tell me to stay away fromthe weights because I could hurt the baby and myself. One guy kept telling me that I should be in bed eating choco-late bon bons. Despite the discouraging comments, my husband and I both believed I could still work out while preg-nant but I wasn't sure about power-lifting. My priority was my baby, not training to break records and compete. I consulted with a group of OBs. I asked the male doctor, "Can you believe people think that I am hurting the baby by lifting weights, even lighter weights?" He gave me this funny look and said, “Don’t listen to them. They don't know what they are talking about. The important thing is to always, always, always listen to your body.” My doctor told me to continue my training and make modifications when necessary. He pointed out that I should listen to my body for specific signs to slow down and modify my strongman training. I was thrilled to hear the good news and couldn’t wait to get back to the gym.


Unfortunately, my first trimester was really rough due to a lot of digestive issues, extreme fatigue and food aversions. I always prepped my meals for the week but I couldn’t do that because I hated everything. Even the healthy foods that I loved pre- pregnancy I now hated. I even hated water!!! My diet mostly consisted of bland foods and lemon juice. In addition, I couldn't continue my normal weight lifting routine due to my low energy. I was very disappointed. My dream to weight lift while pregnant was slipping away. I was totally bummed out. I explained to my doctor what was going on with my body and he assured me that things would get better as I approached my second trimester. He gave me hope and faith that everything would be okay. I just needed to be patient. So, I did pre-natal yoga while waiting for my strength to return.

When I entered my second trimester, the food aversions were gone. I could drink water again and I was eating all the healthy foods I loved! My energy and strength was back! It was time for me to return to what I love....weight lifting!!! I modified my strongman training by reducing the weight. I was doing the farmer’s walk, dead lifts, log press (picking the log from a rack) with my husband and our strongman coach Barry Von Perkins. I resumed my weekly training with my coach IFBB Janet Lynn West and also started doing calisthenics, using my own bodyweight to build strength. I felt so alive!

RULES I HAD TO FOLLOW:1. Train to have a strong and healthy pregnancy.Prepare physically and mentally for labor and delivery.

2. Don’t use the Valsava maneuver.

3. Don’t push my body like I did pre-pregnancy. Make modifications along the way.

4. Don’t train until you run out of breath; make sure you can still talk.

5. Don’t train alone.

6. Don’t train in a hot environment and avoid overheating your body.

7. Keep the body hydrated all the time.

8. Take frequent breaks.

9. Always, always, always listen to your body.

10. Stop if dizzy, nauseous, lightheaded, have pain anywhere near the abdominal region, are spotting or bleeding.


A lot of friends expressed their concerns and couldn’t believe my doctors allowed me to weight lift. Their fears got me a little worried too. The last thing I wanted was a miscarriage. I had multiple conversations/visits with my doctors about my progress. I wanted to be sure I wasn’t doing any harm to the baby. But, my doctors always assured me, “You look great, keep doing what you’re doing”. Whenever I heard my baby’s strong heart beat, I considered it a beautiful sign that I was doing the right thing.

I also learned how exercise is beneficial to my baby’s growth. For instance, exercise can help the baby's nervous system and lowers the heart rate of the fetus. This effect persists for a month after the baby is born. A low heart rate indicates that the baby's heart is in good health, much like an adult that has gone through training. According to Dr. Linda May (exercise physiologist and anatomist at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences), "Fetal breathing move-ment and the nervous system were more mature in babies exposed to exercise."

1. It can help with the baby's birth weight without putting the pregnancy or child at risk.2. With exercises like prenatal yoga, you'll learn to breathe better and have better posture which also leads to a better oxygen supply for your baby. 3. It benefits baby's brain paired with good nutrition. "One study found that the children of the 20 women who continued to exercise through pregnancy all had significantly higher scores on oral language and general intelli-gence tests". ("What to Expect When You're Expecting" by Heidi Murkoff in 2009)

I’m currently in my last trimester and I feel amazing! I can feel the strength of my baby who happens to be very active too. I never knew how much fun I'd have working out while pregnant. I continue to modify a lot of my exercise routines with my husband’s supervision. I switch up my training at the CrossFit gym. I substitute box jumps with step- ups, the sit-ups with modified planks, the bodyweight pull-ups with pull-ups with a heavy band for assistance (and an elevated platform near), a modified pregnant version of the burpees (squat, then at the top, perform a push-up against the wall or an elevated surface), jumping rope for air squats, running outdoors for the rowing machine, the 45lbs barbell for the 15lbs barbell or a light kettle belt, among many other modifications. The closer I get to my due date, the more I modify. I am doing more bodyweight exercises, using my TRX suspension band and decreasing the weights that I use (from dead-lifting almost 300lbs pre-pregnancy to doing sumo deadlifts with 35lbs only).

I’m so grateful to my doctors, coaches and my husband for encouraging me to continue with my workouts. I understand why friends were concerned but what I really needed from them was support and positive thinking. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to negativity and give into the fear. I made my baby and myself stronger. My husband and I are anxious to meet our baby boy...YES! We are thrilled and ready to begin the next chapter of our lives!

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE WHILE PREGNANT:

● speedy recovery after labor● less leg cramps ● boost energy levels ● decrease chances of having a C-section● paired with the right meal plan, you will avoid excessive body fat gains.● decrease chances of having varicose veins. ● keeping a strong lower back which reduces back pains.● prepare the body for labor and delivery.


"STAY READY SO

YOU WONT HAVE TO GET READY" .

I live by this quote. Stay focused on

maintaining your health,

make it apart of your lifestyle and not

something you do for the moment.

COVER STORY

My fitness lifestyle didn’t quite start in the gym. It all started in the dance room in Gary, Indiana. I went to Emerson Visual Performing Arts, and trained in all areas of dance. After my graduation, I traveled all around the world dancing on stage with Genuine, Avant, Shante Savage and the legendary group Isley Brothers...which lead to choreographing and touring for major hair companies. I truly was living out my dreams and doing what I loved by pursuing my passion.

However, my diet wasn’t really healthy. I pretty much ate whatever I wanted. Once my dance career ended, I wasn’t sure what else I could do that would nurture my love for dance. When I moved to LA, I got a taste of the fitness lifestyle. A lot of my dance friends adapted a new way of eating and introduced weights to their workout regimen. They looked and felt phenomenal! I, too, wanted to know this pheno-menal feeling while looking good, so I became a personal trainer. I learned about nutrition and made a commitment to eat clean, weight lift, and compete in fitness competitions.

Now my mom will say, "Nee, you getting too small, you need to eat." Or if I gain a little bit of weight, she will say, "Where did you get all that from?" My friends will ask, "How long are you going to do this?" Or offer me a doughnut and say, "You are always in shape, do you ever fall off the wagon? Where do you want to go with this? Can't you take a day off from the gym? I'm proud of you but when are you going to put this aside and have a baby?" Most frequent and craziest responses are when I eat something bad. They ask, “Are you suppose to have that?” If I get sick or hurt, they say, “I thought you were healthy and worked out?” They think I can’t get sick or hurt. I feel like I always have to be perfect all time. Unfortunately, I’m not. No one is perfect.

My full time career is a flight attendant, with that I am a trainer, dancer and fitness competitor. I wear so many hats, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Juggling my full-time career, traveling, training, preparing for shows is a real task. I prepare every meal for every trip on the plane. I pack all necessary equipment such as my jump rope, resis-tance bands and music. It’s an extreme challenge to walk around with a refrigerator on your back (keeping food cold), working 14 hours and still get on the treadmill.

FLY HIGH with Fitness

PHOTOS BY

Roneique Banks

of The Banks Vault

Photography

CLOTHING

APPAREL

Traci Athletics Sports Apparel


There are days I get so tired of cooking, weighing and packing food that I just want to throw a whole lot of peanut butter jelly sandwiches in a bag and go. My weakness is pancake puppies from Denny’s. I overcome this weakness by allowing myself to occasionally eat them. This makes me appreciate them much more, and it feels more like a treat. I don’t know where I find the will to maintain my fitness regimen but I pull it out of my reserve tank. I know it has to be done.

I think its important to make fitness and health a priority, in the same way we go to church every Sunday or brush our teeth everyday. There must be balance. Fulfill yourself spiritually. Fulfill yourself mentally. Fulfill yourself physically. It’s not about just looking good or it being a fad. It’s about being healthy and making it a lifestyle. I'm passionate about living a fit and healthy lifestyle because it aids in my happiness everyday. I love the way it makes me feel inside and out. I love the way it makes me look. By no means is it a cure for any sickness or disease, but it helps to lower the risks.

A typical training week varies for me because I travel a lot, but when I'm home, I either attend G-band classes, Michael Blanks Drenched, Crossfit, or weight train.

FLY HIGH with Fitness

WRITTEN BY LENEE ADKINS

The biggest lesson I have learned about myself during this incredible fitness journey is that it’s not about being perfect or looking like someone else. Its about being happy within yourself and being THE BEST YOU , YOU CAN BE!!

MOTIVATION

M ost women are trying to achieve the impossible…PERFECTION. Standards of female beauty have become progressively more unrealistic during the 20th century. Women are continu-ally bombarded with images of the 'ideal' face and figure. Constant exposure to idealised images of female beauty on TV, magazines and billboards makes exceptional good looks seem normal and anything short of perfection seem abnormal and ugly. Among women over 18 looking at themselves in the mirror, research indicates that at least 80% are unhappy with what they see. Women like Judy Thuerson have spent most of their lives not seeing an accurate reflection. In a recent interview with BFW Magazine, Judy reveals how she overcame her obsession with perfection. This is her story:

"I recently looked at a picture from twenty years ago and I was remembering where I was at that time in my life. I was a dancer and this particular picture was from a music video shoot. I was probably in the best shape of my life (from the outside) and yet when I look back, I see such a sad, insecure, vulnerable, young girl. It was some of the darkest periods in my life. Physically, I was struggling with eating disorders. I would starve myself or work out all day to make sure I was skinny. My diet consisted of coffee and cigarettes. Everything I valued was about how I looked and what people thought of me."

Judy Thuerson

YOUR BODY

by Judy Thuerson

AFTER

BEFOR

E

PHOTOS BY JAMAL SPEAKES


"One day, I was just sick of the fad diets, the quick fix empty promises of the latest fitness trend, and the focus on the external instead of really dealing with what’s inside. Health and fitness had always been a passion of mine and so I tried yoga. It really helped me to develop awareness and surrender to my imperfect body and I wanted to share my new perspec-tive with other women."

"So, I started a Bootcamp class for some of my girlfriends who recently had babies. I thought I would have three or four people maximum come out to join. My first class I had twelve women show up! The next class, sixteen women showed up!!! I was so en-couraged. My classes aren't about just losing weight but about dealing with what’s inside, retraining our minds about our love affair with food and developing discipline for fitness! I help empower women to reinvent themselves. I train women to learn how to love the skin they’re in."

"What I do resonates with women because I think we’re all sick of being bombarded by size zero models and celebrity moms who fit in their jeans as soon as they give birth! We are normal women just trying to make it hap-pen and squeeze in a workout when we can. We need to be reminded that we are beautiful creatures who are wonderfully and fearfully made!"

"I always wanted to be pretty and skinny. It seemed like that was my goal in life as a young woman. Now, that I’m over forty, I feel pretty good about my body, my strength, and my curves. I’m grateful I can still have the en-ergy to take dance and fitness classes and on a good day, stand on my head! I don’t have an unrealistic view of what I think I should look like. It is what it is! I have three amazing, beautiful, healthy children that I adore and I have the stretch marks to prove it!"

"My beauty doesn’t come from the outside appearance but out of a content, pure, secure relationship with God and having positive in-fluences in my life. I definitely still struggle with body dysmorphia, but I now have the tools not to fall into the trap of self-centered-ness and anxiety. I am very grateful. It’s not always easy but I try my darndest!!!"


OMG! Transformation...

100lbs weight loss! Written by Myya Mixon, Co-Founder: PHITness

WEIGHTLOSS

Although I was an outgoing person, I felt very self-conscious in my own skin. I was always embarrassed by my stomach and back fat. I worked very hard at concealing both of them. I’d buy jackets, sweaters, anything big enough to hide my body.

One night, I was on a dinner date with a guy I met. He had never been to the restaurant and wasn’t sure what to order. In an effort to hurry him along, without looking at the menu, I recited several entrees and their specific ingre-dients. I claimed them all as my “favorites.” My date then looked at me and said, “With all due respect, you should not have that many favorites. In fact, you are way too pretty to carry around that much extra weight.”. I was com-pletely annoyed not just at him but at myself too. His comment resonated with me. At that point, I knew I needed to do something about my weight.

Myya's Weight Loss success turned her into a STAR!

O

FITNESS PHOTOS BY LAURIE HUCKS OF STUDIO 79 PHOTOGRAPHY

COMPETITION PHOTOS BY APRIL SMITH PROOF IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY


The biggest struggle during my journey was starting. I weighed 216lbs and suffered from hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure. I needed to get healthy and lose at least 75lbs. I couldn’t afford a trainer so I did everything on my own. I cleaned up my diet which was very difficult because I loved food! I loved fast food. I loved po-tato chips. I pretty much ate whatever I wanted but knew I couldn’t do that anymore. So I stopped eating junk food. I cut out all drinks with calories and sugar. I started eating 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. Because I did not know how to cook, I ate frozen entrees, instant oatmeal and 100 calorie snacks. This type of diet, combined with cardio exercises 6 days a week, led to my 75lb weight loss. I lost 75lbs in a year and kept it off for 5 years.

I was extremely happy with my progress but I wanted to lose more weight and look more tight and fit. The diet regimen that helped me lose weight consisted of too many frozen pre-packaged foods. The meals were processed and lacked essential nutrients to build muscle such as protein. So I finally hired Nutritionist and Coach, Adele Amor-Travis, owner of Amor Fitness and Nutrition. Adele customized a nu-trition plan that taught me how to eat fresh well balanced meals combined with a cardio and weight training routine.

I isolated myself from triggers. I purchased and planned my meals and my cheat day, ate alone (for the first 5 months) and surrounded myself with people who shared my desire to be healthy. I didn’t know I actually lost an additional 25lbs until someone asked me how much weight I lost. A total of 100 lbs! I couldn’t believe it! I lost the weight and shared my transformation story with Black Women Losing Weight where Good Morning America producers saw my pics and brought me onto the show to talk about my weight-loss journey! My story inspired the world!

My fitness journey showed me the importance of patience, preparation, consis-tency, tenacity and believing in one’s self. I am more comfortable in my skin and no longer hiding my body. My hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure gone! I’m now committed to living a healthy lifestyle because I want to live. I want to be healthy. I want to look good. I want to be alive for my son and I want to enjoy my life.

For me, it was really that simple. My weight loss journey was and is 75% mental and 25% physical. Once you decide that it’s yours, it will happen. You just have to be persistent. www.myyamixon.com

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT LIKE I DID HERE’S MY ADVICE:

1. Decide that you want to do it.

2. Decide why you want to do it.

3. Develop a plan of how you will do it.

4. Set small goals

5. DO IT!


WORKOUT

PHOTOS BY DANNY LIVERMAN OF DTL PRODUCTIONSFEATURING JEANETTE ORTEGA, MARGARET BOYADJIAN AND KANIKA NIKKI UTLEY

JEANETTE ORTEGAOWNER OFEXTREME RESULTS FITNESS

WRITTEN BY JEANETTE ORTEGA

YES, I’m different

and I L VE it!

Today I look in the mirror and I love and appreciate the woman staring back at me. I look with different eyes now… eyes of the heart, eyes of lessons learned, eyes of accomplishments and eyes of strength and courage.

I wasn’t always like this. I remember back in high school when I was a young woman growing and maturing into my own identity, which we all know can prove very difficult. I doubted myself and didn’t feel powerful. I am a Latina and I grew up in a predominantly white high school. Nothing wrong with that at all but I viewed myself very differently from the average tall blonde. I had dark curly long hair, brown eyes, and a BIG BUTT! Where’d that come from, I always wondered?! I was very outgoing and loved to be active…heck, I even won Homecoming Princess BUT there was always something inside of me that kept saying….you’re different.

Then I started thinking “why me…who was I to be great and powerful?!” And, that’s where my love of health and fitness began. It started at a very young age of 19 or 20. Fitness created a feeling inside of me, a feeling of worth, empowerment, greatness. I could do anything and I never wanted this feeling to go away!!! This was my passion!!!! It was TRUE LOVE! I wanted everyone to feel this.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been struggles, climbs, falls, euphoria, then disappointment, but all of these emotions and episodes in my life have taught me great valuable lessons. I used to be timid. I used to think maybe I wasn’t good enough. Now, I know my uniqueness has led many beautiful people my way. I have clients of every age, shape, and nationality and I adore each one because of their special qualitiesand the fact that they are sharing their lives with me!

Today I look in the mirror and love and appreciate the woman staring back at me because IT IS ME…..AND I’M STRONG, POWERFUL AND WORTH IT!!!! And so ARE YOU!!!

Be good to yourself, embrace your differences and share them with the world. It’s the best gift you could ever give and it all comes from love!!


MOVE #1: SIDE PLANK

HOLD FOR 30-SECONDS ON EACH S IDE .

● START BY LY ING ON YOUR S IDE , LEGS STRA IGHT, FEET STACKED. STRA IGHTEN BOTTOM ARM, KEEP ING IT IN L INE BELOW SHOULDER , AND EXTEND FREE HAND UPWARD. FLEX FEET AND BALANCE ON S IDES OF FEET. ( FEET ARE STACKED)

● USE ABS TO KEEP H IPS L I FTED . DON'T ALLOW H IPS TO DROP TO THE GROUND. KEEP BREATH ING STEADY.

PLANK EXERC ISES ARE SOME OF THE OVERALL BEST EXERC ISES YOU CAN DO TO STRENGTHEN YOUR ENT IRE CORE . AND KEEP IN MIND, YOUR CORE INCLUDES A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN JUST YOUR ABS. IT ’S ESSENT IALLY YOUR ENT IRE BODY. YOU CHALLENGE ALL THE MAJOR MUSCLES , STRENGTHEN ING YOUR BODY, IMPROVING BALANCE AND PREVENT ING FUTURE INJUR IES . THE PLANK IS 100% EXCUSE FREE , MEANING NO SPEC IAL GEAR, MACHINES OR EQU IP -MENT ARE REQU IRED . ALL YOU NEED IS A T IMER AND YOU CAN DROP ANYWHERE AND GET YOUR CORE WORK IN !

MOVE #2: PLIE SQUAT

12 REPS AND COMPLETE 3 SETS

● STAND WITH LEGS SL IGHTLY WIDER THAN SHOULDER WIDTH APART, AND HAVE YOUR TOES PO INT ING VERY SL IGHTLY OUTWARDS.

● HOLD ONE WE IGHT (HEAV IER RATHER THAN L IGHTER) WITH BOTH HANDS BY ONE END OF THE WE IGHT, AND LET IT DANGLE BETWEEN YOUR LEGS.

● FOCUS ON CHEST UP, BUTT BACK, AND SQUAT (MAKING SURE KNEES ARE AL IGNED WITH FEET, AND BEH IND TOES . )

● STAND BACK UP AND REPEAT.

PL I E SQUATS WORK YOUR GLUTES , QUADS AND A B IT MORE INNER TH IGH THAN IN TRAD IT IONAL SQUATS.

MOVE #3: WEIGHTED LUNGES

12 REPS ON EACH S IDE AND COMPLETE 3 SETS

● STAND WITH FEET SHOULDER WIDTH APART.

● HOLD A 15 LB PLATE IN FRONT OF YOU, WITH ELBOWS BENT ABOUT 90 DEGREES .

● STEP FORWARD WITH YOUR R IGHT FOOT FORWARD INTO A LUNGE POS IT ION.

● MA INTA IN A SLOW AND CONTROLLED MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE EXERC ISE .

WE IGHTED LUNGES NOT ONLY WORK YOUR ABS, LEGS, AND GLUTES…BUT IT IMPROVES BALANCE AND PROPR IOCEPT ION.

A.

B.

A. B.

C. D.

A.

B.


"When you t ru l y be l i eve , you w i l l ach ieve ." Tha t 's de f in i te l y one o f my favor i te quo tes , and I s t r i ve to l i ve by tha t mot to ev-e r y day. You 've go t ten to be l i eve in yourse l f and in your d reams, because when you do , no person o r obs tac le w i l l be ab le to s top you f rom mak ing your d reams happen.

I t was a l i t t l e over a year ago when I d i scovered th i s to be t rue and found tha t f i tness was my pass ion . As an NPC f igure com-pet i to r, pe rsona l t ra iner and f i tness mode l , I ’ ve become the bes t ve rs ion o f myse l f and s t r i ve to improve a t a l l l eve ls ever y day.

I hadn' t been a par t o f a we igh t l i f t i ng p rog ram unt i l I was in co l l ege . There was fear and a s te reo type in my head about l i f t i ng heavy we igh ts . A l ready be ing one o f the th icker g i r l s , I was a f ra id tha t i f I l i f t ed heavy my body wou ld be bu lky. Boy was I wrong! I a l so had the wrong idea about p roper nu t r i t i on . P igg ing ou t a f te r compet i t i ons , ea t ing a ton o f p rocessed foods , s ta rchy carbs and no t ea t ing enough pro te in on l y h indered my per fo rmance in the spor t . Look ing back , i f I 'd have known wha t I do now, my per-fo rmance wou ld have been much be t te r. Ye t , we l i ve , l ea rn , g row and move on .

I a l so f ind i t ve r y impor tan t to g i ve your t ime to o thers and your communi t y. Nowadays , i t ' s easy to ge t caught up in our own schedu le , bu t i t ' s jus t as impor tan t to he lp o thers too . Pay i t f o r-ward . I t r y to ded ica te some o f my t ime to g i v ing back to o thers as much as I can and have par t i c ipa ted in char i t y even ts such as the Ven ice Toy Dr i ve and 619Musc le Ho l iday Char i t y bash . I a l so mento r teens , teach ing them how to use f i tness to he lp overcome the obs tac les they ' re faced w i th in schoo l and a t home. I t has been so reward ing to see these k ids lea rn and ga in con f idence th rough the p rog ram.

Mot i va t ing and insp i r ing o thers to improve the i r overa l l we l l - be ing th rough f i tness has been my ma in focus . We' re g i ven one l i f e , so why no t take care o f our hea l th , he lp o thers , f i nd happ i -ness , and l i ve the bes t l i f e we can?

I ' ve been b lessed to have wonder fu l suppor t f rom ALLMAX Nut r i -t i on , Team AZ Pro Phys ique , my f r i ends , fami l y and my fo l l owers . They insp i re me to be my bes t , and I rea l l y cou ldn ' t thank them enough fo r the i r suppor t .

B & W photo by Co lo r pho tos by Layou t des igned byBen Brignola Dan Ray Joe Mikol i Design

Allison T

aylor

Wonder Womenof FITNESS

BFW's


SCAN WITH YOUR MOBILE DEV ICE

TO V IEW BFW MAGAZ INE FACEBOOK PAGE

Documents

BFW Magazine: Beauty, Fitness & Wellness for Women