Health, Diet & Exercise

“I eat pretty clean. I focus on eating natural healthy food that’s valuable to my body and I also indulge here and there on sweets. I don’t like to poison myself with fake sugars in processed foods. I read everything I buy and pay special attention to the nutritional labels as well as the ingredient list. Reading the ingredient list let’s you find things you might miss or should avoid — things like artificial sweeteners or hydrogenated oils.”

“I also eat a lot of whole grains … oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa flakes, grits and wheat toast along with my veggies and lean meats.

I try to keep follow the guideline that if I can’t recognize it in it’s natural form from the Earth, then I don’t eat it. So I stay away from canned food, fast food and most things from a box that are overly-processed. ”

“If you take the time to look, research and explore, there are some really cool stores that have interesting, unique and healthy treats. I’m not talking about Atkins and low carb gimmicks. I’m talking about whole natural foods. “

I love Whey Protein... I have shake every day along with my vitamins. A shake when 30 min to an hour before workout... I take L-Glutamine after workouts to help with recovery and to keep my muscle and curves. And a lot.... I mean a lot of other ones that help with skin, fiber, mulit V., etc. You should check with your doc. before taking a wide range of vitamins...

Cheat Meals.....

“It really depends on my activity level and how I look, ”If I’m training really hard and I look great and I’m maintaining [my figure] I’ll splurge and indulge in whatever I fancy. But I won’t gorge on stuff.... If I’m looking a little sloppy, I monitor what I eat more closely and make adjustments.....”

“Fitness is about health – so your goal should be about improving your health and well-being. No steroids, and no dangerous supplements like fat burners or diet pills, especially caffeine pills!!!!!.This drives me insane... You are wanting a healthy body & you are putting all this bad stuff in your body...??? Doesn't make much since... Also, the silly practice of eliminating certain food groups is just counterproductive..... There’s nothing healthy about it. At its root, that type of extreme dieting probably indicates an emotional issue that needs to be worked out..... It’s less about diet, then about control. It’s the kind of behavior that can lead to eating disorders.”

“Some women get so focused on being thin..... How often do you hear men saying “Yeah, look at that girl, the one with no curves. She’s so hot and skinny.” In my opinion, it’s not attractive.”

“I think a woman is sexy when she has tone, muscle definition, curves and her body is tight from training, not starving. She looks strong and powerful and it shows in her personality and self-confidence.”

“Unfortunately, girls who fall in the trap of buying into the lie that ”skinny is better or more healthy” are probably struggling with a weakness or emotional issue on the inside that’s as dangerous as the outward, physical weakness that comes along with starving yourself. I have the same opinion on sloppy people, who don’t care about their health, allow themselves to become lazy and let themselves go.”

“Taking care of yourself is hard work and it takes commitment. There are definitely days that I don’t want to workout. But I push myself anyway, because it’s important. I always feel better that I did.” :)

My workout... Might not be for you... Check with your Trainer


“Typically I do three sets per exercise for 12-15 reps, using a weight that causes me to fatigue somewhere in that range. I usually do a four day split. So on one day I’ll do back, biceps, and abs. The next workout will be legs, calves and abs. The third workout will be shoulders, chest and triceps and the last workout I’ll go back to legs, calves and abs.

“I do a minimum of three different exercises per muscle group. For example, on back days I’ll do lat pull-downs at 100 lbs, bent-over dumbbell rows at 45 lbs and cable rows at 80 lbs. I then follow-up with two bicep exercises and three ab exercises. ”

“On my non-weight training days, I do a 30 minute cardio session. I usually prefer the Stepmill because it tones and tightens my glutes the best. I’ll also skip every-other step to hit a larger range of motion. I also will do the elliptical trainer at high-intensity and a slow-to-moderate pace. I like to use more resistance to keep my muscle hard....
“I try to change my routine up every two or three weeks.”

My Favorite:...“I love training legs because it’s where I need the most growth and it keeps my butt plump. I love doing deadlifts. I use a 80-90lb straight bar. My second favorite muscle group to train are shoulders. I like the definition it adds to my upper body.”


“Make it a priority and a habit — like brushing your teeth. You have to do it. Eventually, you will love it because the way it makes you look and feel. It takes a little time, but the results will come and they’ll motivate you to keep it up, no matter what your current fitness or experience level is.”

“Avoid taking long breaks from working out. It will make it even more difficult to get back in the groove again. Although you might not have the best workout of your life when you’re tired or lack motivation, just getting yourself in the gym will make you feel better when you’re done. More importantly, you’ll have kept up your routine, which is critical to long-term success.”

Keep the Faith.....

“Anything I’ve ever dreamed and imagined, I’ve been able to produce with my effort.. ..I don’t think I’m special in that regard — I think everyone has that potential... At the end of the day, effort counts more than talent, genetics, money, privilege and intelligence.”

“If you want to lose 200 lbs, you can....! If you want to change your lifestyle you can.... If you want to compete in a fitness competition, you can.... No one is holding you back except your own fears and lack of focus. You just have to concentrate and put 100 percent of your effort behind whatever goal you have. It’s not as hard as it seems, especially when you believe, and dream and imagine" :-)

Good Luck, Michelle