Monday, July 9, 2012

WORDPRESS



Thank you for your continued support :)


Saturday, June 30, 2012

SUNLESS SUNDAY



BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENTS NOW: 624-174-8179 or email me at Courtney@starsystemz.com


Thursday, June 28, 2012

THIRSTY THURSDAY



MarGaZITTA time :)



Jennifer Westmore concocted this amazing Margarita! 
Low calorie and super yummy
Thank you for sharing Jennifer!

If you have any recipes, I would love to share them with everyone submit them in the comment box below :)



During our honeymoon, we took advantage of another Tequila Adventure at the Ritz Carlton and did a Private Tequila Tasting.

Although my husband has already claimed Don Julio 1942 as his favorite, we were both up to trying all the other tequilas even though I am a Wine Chick ;)


The setup was beautiful! In the center was celery, jimica, carrots and chocolate which I took the pleasure of indulging because as the expert said tequila always tastes better with chocolate :)


My handsome hubby and the tequilas we tasted :)



From right to left: 345, Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, Don Julio 1942, unsure ,Milagro, unsure


My two favorites!


Adios Amigas :)





Wednesday, June 27, 2012

WORK IT WEDNESDAY







After my workout Monday! Felt SO good, had to show off my progress! My girlfriend Michelle brewed up some Hymica tea so I refueled with that! It tasted like a tropical fruit punch I almost drank the whole pitcher! 


Some eats at the Ritz Carlton
Tip: Order off the Kids Menu if you are unsure of ingredients! I got the "Little Mermaid" kids meal with an extra side of vegetables and a glass of Malbec Wine


Tip: Veggie Burgers are usually lower in calories. Add grilled veggies on top instead of cheese and salsa instead of ketchup and you have yourself a double wammy of vegetables!


During my honeymoon, I made sure to make use of all the fitnss equipment I was given. I took bike rides around the property, did some pilates, did some Star Systemz no equipment workouts, and of course resistance trained.




I also took up some Zumba classes for a different kind of cardio! Plus I have been so tight from all my weight training! My girlfriend invited me so I decided it would be a fun way to hang out and get our groove on....

Our instructor Noralys is AMAZING! She really knows how to move it and I am inspired to get my hips shaking like her :)



Tuesday, June 26, 2012

TIP TUESDAY







Still working on moving this blog over...details to follow :)

One of my clients has an addiction to Starbucks which I do as well :)

Monday, June 25, 2012

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY


Before starting any lifestyle program, "diet" program, weight loss program, workout program, any program you need to have a PLAN..

Sure the coach maps out a plan for you but if you do not plan to plan you will FAIL

I guarantee it! 

9 times out of 10 people fail programs because they do not plan to succeed in the program.

These people have:
  • 0 goals
  • 0 groceries
  • 0 schedule
  • 0 motive
  • 0 PLAN
So what do I mean by 0 plan..

Well lets say you sign up with a weight loss program and you follow every single instruction but:
-You don't schedule a time to workout
-You don't grocery shop
-You don't prepare meals
-You don't have daily goals, weekly goals, biweekly goals, monthly goals, 3,6,9 month goals...

So the first week works out for you because you just decided to find the time to workout and you went to the grocery store with the list and found the easy recipes how you say easy so you bought the fruits and yogurts and you really have no goal in mind you just hope to lose those 5 pounds you gained over the last year. 

"But its your best friends birthday" and theres liquor, cake and your ALL TIME favorite loaded potato skins and since you are "dieting" you have made this your "cheat meal" and hoard the entire tray along with cake, shots, long island ice tea's and god knows what else....

So you are on this "diet" and:

I will start again monday...

and the cycle continues....to O shoot my sister is getting married and I really don't want to look like a cow next to her so here comes the next plan...


and the next...

But why are you failing?

You really need to ask yourself these questions before starting another one those "diets" your co-worker lost 15 pounds on..

Why did i purchase programs in the past?
  • Did they work for you girlfriends?
  • Celebrity Inspired?
  • Sounded good at the time?

Did I have defined goals? Weekly goals? Daily goals? 
  • Did I make actual goals: drink 8 oz of water today, add 1 more serving of vegetables, try a veggie juice, add 10 more minutes to my cardio
  • Go to the gym 4 times this week, try a hike with a girlfriend instead of our weekly lunch, bring lunch to work everyday
  • Lose 3 inches from my waist, fit into my "skinny" jeans, have to buy new clothes 2 sizes smaller

Listing actual obtainable goals:
  • Listing goals dealing with weight loss ,inches lost, nutritional goals 
    Example could be : I want my waist to be 25 inches and I will do this by: 
    Or
    I want to start a workout program I love and workout 4 times a week

Did I define why I am having trouble losing weight? Do I have a food allergy? Lack of energy? Food addictions? (soda,sugar etc.)
  • Using a food consumption chart like this: FOOD CONSUMPTION RECORD for 3-5 days and start noticing patterns. Maybe your breakfast has more sugar then you can imagine so you crash by noon and want more sugar which leads to more and more and more...and you get the point
  • Do you notice that you are more bloated after some meals? gassy? This could be an allergy, I suggest going to the doctor and getting tested. Just because you do not break out in hives and have to be rushed to the hospital does not mean you do not have a food allergy
  • Do you feel like you are dragging at a certain point in the day? 
  • Do  you have to have your frozen yogurt or Starbucks everyday to even make it? Do you know what the nutritional status of these items are? 

Ask yourself why your last program did not work:
  • Maybe you hated the food,
  • Felt like an idiot doing the workout
  • Your lifestyle may not work with a program that has you cooking at every meal and working out every single day for 2 hour

Again ask yourself WHY and be detailed about it whether it be:
  • I just didn't have the time
  • The food tasted like POOP
  • The workout was to difficult
  • I was not coordinated enough to do the movements
  • I felt like I could not keep up and I just threw in the towel

Before starting any lifestyle changes you MUST plan to make these changes! 

No plan is a quick fix, all changes should be life long changes and fit into your current lifestyle.

Sure some programs like to boast how easy it is if you buy a product from them and how yummy it is but honestly how long do you want to put artificial crap into your system? It is time to really plan and have a plan that WORKS for you! No one's lifestyle is alike! Someone might work the same hours as you but have a gym in there apartment building and love to cook, someone else may not work at all but have 5 kids who hate vegetables and a small budget for extra activities.

Stop dreaming and START DOING



What is your plan today?





Sunday, June 24, 2012

SUNLESS SUNDAY



Food SPF?

Eating fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts helps prevent frying your skin in the sun...

Science shows us that foods high in Vitamin C and Vitamin E helps anti-age damaged skin and protects the layers of your skin!

Vitamin C Foods
  • Melons
  • Tomatoes
  • Citrus Salads
  • Red/Green Peppers
  • Spinach
-The Lycopene in Tomatoes soaks up the free radicals and helps prevent DNA damage
-The antioxidants in dark leafy greens helps rid of the free radicals from the sun
-Citrus salads are rich in bio flavanoids which help strengthen the tiny blood capillaries in the skin and prevent broken veins. 


Vitamin E Foods
  • Avocado
  • Almonds
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Pumpkin Seeds
-The fats found in seeds, nuts, and avocados help build collagen which helps keep skin elasticity


Eating these foods before, during and after playing in the sun will help provide your skin with the right nutrients to protect 

Examples:

Snacks:
-Peppers, Tomatoes and Guacamole Dip
-Spinach with Tomatoes and Seeds
-Melon Salad mixed with Almonds

What is your favorite Summer Time snack?




Wednesday, June 20, 2012

THIRSTY THURSDAY


Being in Playa this week, I had to pick up a new recipe or two for my SKINNY STAR SERIES...

WORK IT WEDNESDAY



I hope all of you are enjoying your week....


I have been following my STAR SYSTEMZ plan by taking my workouts to the hotel gym and eating the most nutritious foods but still of course LOVING life out in Playa! 

It has been so fun and so care-free. I may not have results next week but I know I will maintain which is what is most important. I am loving my muscle definition and I can not wait to see those abs pop! I am not one of the lucky ones with the good genes I really REALLY REALLY have to work for anything on my body!

As they say:
"80-90% DIET, 10% WORKOUT"

I am in Playa Del Carmen on my honeymoon with my husband so posts may be spastic but I could never let you down and not give you a workout!


If you do not have dumbbells at home grab a milk jug and feel that thing with water and you have yourself a kettle bell/dumbbell :)

Monday, June 18, 2012

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY



That word...DIET..

It SUCKS does it not?..


Like me I am sure you are getting ready to ROCK your hot new bod at the beach, pool parties or just wearing those hot new summer dresses and short-shorts!

Or if you are not quite ready yet you are working towards it and working hard!

You have cut it out and are so tempted ALL the time but what if there was an easier way to make this diet thing EASIER?

Today I am going to show you how to psychologically lose weight..

Most nutritionists, diet experts and so forth tend to talk about all the foods you CAN'T have...

NO white breads, NO cookies, NO flour, NO candy, NO starbucks, NO alcohol, NO  to all of your favorite food

So what happens...

Imagine yourself as a little child..

Me at 3...


Your parents told you "NO, you can't do that or NO you can't have that", so forth...what did you do?

YOU DID IT ANYWAYS because YOU WERE TOLD NOT TOO

You are a REBEL, hey so am I look at that picture....
most likely without a CAUSE..

but when you force the word NO into your mind you are most likely going to eat that "NO" listed food

For most people trying to achieve that level of "perfection"; it just becomes more stressful so that person ends up throwing in the towel and not doing anything about their current eating habits..

Especially since most of the healthy foods they have tried are plain, tasteless, boring, the word NO to the one thing that fulfills that current desire, that current craving, that current YUM (nom nom nom) moment, just seems too difficult to say NO too...

Is this you?

It was me especially with candy...I knew sugar=fat, sugar=diabetes, sugar=the devil, but one taste of Swedish Fish and I was eating the entire box (movie theatre size of course)...and this is because I kept telling myself NO Court you can NOT have these Swedish Fish...


What I learned from what nutritionists call the "90/10" rule is that if you fill your temple (body) up with nutritious, healthy foods your body will no longer crave these "NO" listed foods...

Ok yah whatever I still crave those chocolate donuts even after a filling chicken and veggie salad...

I still crave those swedish fish sister let me tell you...but..the last time I had some was on my wedding day and I had..if I can remember like 5 or 6 and I was happpy..

But wait, I said 90/10 rule which means 10% of the time you can feel free to help yourself to that donut because what's the one goal most of us have? 

It is to be BALANCED...


Start looking forward to those juicy fresh fruits, or that scrumptious vegetable salad with your favorite homemade dressing! I love red wine vinegar and a tablespoon of hummus!


Salad with chicken and shredded carrots! The chicken was marinated in rosemary and dill so good!

Yummy chicken salad with sprouts, sun dried tomatoes, olives and a balsamic vinaigrette 

Soup that tasted like a pizza with some brewers yeast (since I am allergic to dairy)


1 cup air popped pop corn is only 35-40 calories per cup add some coconut oil while popping and you get around 50-60 calories add some Brewers Yeast which will dose you up on B-12 (energy) and add a cheesy flavor to your popcorn and there you are your replacement for cheesy chips!

1/2 a cup of papaya and a drizzle of raw honey takes even that ice cream fanatics craving away and its only about 50 calories depending on how much raw honey you drizzle! If you want more papaya trade the raw honey for some 0 calorie Stevia for that same craving punch and remember that 1 cup of papaya without honey is only 50-60 calories!



Sprouts are living foods which give you a ton of energy and can be added to anything! Add them to your eggs in the morning, toast them and have them as snacks, make a salad out of them! 


Start your day by telling yourself what you WILL be having not what you WILL NOT and I promise ridding of that crap food will become easier and easier

Try new foods and make it exciting for yourself and friends by printing out recipes and cooking for each other! Grab your friends and run to the farmers market and pick up some vegetables you have never seen nor heard of! Ask the farmer or seller a yummy recipe it or just even what its called and look it up online.

There are tons of ways to make eating healthy fun you just need to put the words HEALTHY into a positive light and not an ugly, boring, tasteless one!

Remember slow and steady wins the race...


"Adding MORE heathy foods to your plate "CROWDS OUT" all the crap"

How are you going to crowd out the crap?
What are you going to do to make your YES list more exciting?