The BEAST in BEAUTY....MY XTREME MOTIVATION....for YOU.

"This is a motivational and inspirational video for women and girls everywhere. It doesn't matter to me where you come from. It doesn't matter to me what you weigh or what number you see on the scale. It doesn't matter to me what your excuse is, or what's been stopping you for months, or years. It doesn't matter to me who tries to hold you back, or who doesn't believe in you. What matters to me, is what you do NOW. Today. Tomorrow. What matters to me, is the moment when you succeed, and you know that you have. The moment in the gym, when you look up into the mirror with a bar and 45 pound plates across your back, and realize that you just did something that you labeled as impossible. That, is what inspires me. Now what inspires you?"

-Leala Luna McGinnis

Leala Luna McGinnis's Miss Power Protein Pancakes

To me, pancakes are a treat. They are soooo good, and sooo bad for you when you eat them a lot! I want to share a CLEAN pancake recipe with you that can substitute for a stack of sunday morning pancakes, but is packed with a lot more protein, less carbs, is a clean recipe and still tastes absolutely delicious! Remember, you can substitute so many different things for your favorite desserts and treats, it just takes some time to find what you like and what works for you and your body.

I like to do vanilla protein pancakes, banana pancakes , coconut flour pancakes , and chocolate pancakes. The secret here is that instead of using actual flour or chocolate chips, I use protein powder
for flavor. My favorite clean pancake toppings in replace of syrup: peanut butter, almond butter, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, coconut shreds, cinnamon, walnuts

Protein pancakes can actually be really hard to master...I used to spend time and time again trying to get mine evenly cooked and edible looking. The first time I made them, the result was really scary...I had a deformed lump of dough on my plate and thought it was supposed to look like that. So don't feel bad if you're first attempt is a little messy...and unappetizing. Although you should have no problem, I consider cooking protein pancakes an art, that one must simply master.

Gear up the griddle this sunday morning, pull out the spatula, and feel absolutely GOOD about eating PANCAKES. No regrets. No cheating. Just clean food.

Leala Luna McGinnis's Miss Power Protein Pancakes

dessertwithbenefits.com

• CHOCOLATE PANCAKES:
• 2 medium scoops chocolate whey protein powder
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup of coconut flour 
• coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut almond milk
• Combine all dry ingredients and mix together. In another bowl, add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix them together. Add to the dry ingredient bowl. Heat a pan over medium heat, coat with coconut oil, and drop pancake sized batter circles into the skillet as if you were makin regular pancaked. Flip them and repeat. 
• Top with banana or coconut shreds and enjoy
• VANILLA PANCAKES:



bride2befitness.com

• 1-2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1-2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• Same steps as the chocolate pancakes, but instead of mixing the Greek yogurt into the mix, use it as a pancake topping! You can also top the pancakes with peanut butter, almond butter, or chopped fruit! Mmmmm yessss.
• COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES:
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tbsp. coconut extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp splenda (optional)
• Same steps as above...top with coconut shreds or bananas. My all time favorite!

PREP IT OUT

People eat on the go. We eat on the fly. We do what's fast, we eat what's already made. If we have a 30 minute lunch break, we stop at McDonalds to get a burger because it tastes good, and it's fast. Why do you think it's called fast food? But guess what guys...this is what makes people gain weight, maintain weight, and not reach their goals or get that great body. When you eat what's convenient, it's usually bad for you...that's how this country makes money. People buy french fries because they are cheap, they get handed to you in a bag through a window while you sit in your car, and they are deceivingly filling since they're covered in salt and grease. So if you plan ahead for school or you plan ahead for a presentation or work meeting, treat your body like it's also a million dollar deal. Get prepared.

PREP. YOUR. MEALS. This is a tip that has gotten me very far. It's the reason why I feel healthy and energized everyday, it's the reason why I can stay on a path that I've worked hard to get on, it's the reason why I don't spend my day regretting what I just ate for a snack, and it's the reason why I don't overeat. I don't find myself buying packs of pretzels and cereal bars out of hunger when I'm running errands, because I prepare all my meals in advance for the day, I bring what I know I need with me, and I eat on time consistently throughout the day because I have organized containers of my small meals or snacks with me. Being organized like this helps you feel like you're on track with your diet, it helps you feel good about yourself and like you're making progress, and it keeps your diet ON POINT.

This is my snack, or meal #2 everyday while I am
usually out and about. Tuna fish, peppers, avocado
and brussel sprouts. Perfect. Quick. Prepped.

Yes...I'm that weird girl who's in a meeting or a college lecture and pulls a bag of broiled chicken out of her purse. I'm THAT person. I drive around with a shaker bottle filled with protein powder in my cup holder and I take containers of asparagus and broccoli with me. That's how I roll. Remember how I always talk about not caring what other people think? So yeah......I'm sure it catches people off guard when they're sitting in their seat, waiting hungrily for class to end so that they can go and quickly grab a pizza slice and they see me with a plastic fork and pre-made brussel sprouts, but it's a sacrifice you have to make if you're trying to eat throughout the day, eat the right nutrients, and be flexible at the same time. Let me explain my routine, so that you understand what meal prep means.

http://backtoherroots.com/2013/03/21/
how-i-prep-food-for-the-week/

Some people prep all of their meals for the week on weekends, like on Sunday. They go to the store, buy what they need, put it all in the kitchen and store it away. Every morning, I make my breakfast at home...sometimes I've already gone to the gym before breakfast. Then either before my day starts or the night before, I make everything I know I need for that day...I cook some sweet potatoes, I have chicken ready on hand, I slice some peppers and avocado...open a can of tuna. I take containers and fill each one with my different meal and different portions, snap them up, put them in a bag and head out for the day. Since I eat 6-7 meals a day and make sure to eat every 2-3 hours, this is incredibly efficient and I have everything I know I need to eat on hand. You know when you go to McDonalds and they give you a bag with the food you ordered and you eat the amount they give you? Same thing...I eat the amount I already put in the container, and that's my meal.

Ideas for quick clean foods you can prepare for your day/week? 

http://backtoherroots.com/2013/03/21/
how-i-prep-food-for-the-week/

• Put hardboiled eggs in a little baggy with some salt and pepper, plop it in your purse and BAM...you're ready to go. 
• Tuna fish...A+ for protein, mix in some avocado and it's a great snack
• Cooked broccoli and brussel sprouts...my FAVORITE. I can't get enough of these. They're as addictive as potato chips...but way better.
• Grilled chicken breasts...in a bag or container. Protein at it's finest.
• Rice cakes and apples
• Mason jar salads...take a mason jar and fill it with salad and vegetables
• Homemade granola- perfect to fill a jar with, keep on the counter and add into yogurt etc.
• Brown rice- cook a bag on the weekend, and store it in the fridge for a carb source for meals
• Fish- cook enough for the week and keep it in the fridge

So what advice can I give you to help with overeating and staying on track? PREP YOUR MEALS. It does take some time, but it saves you time for the rest of the week in the long run. If you're worried about what people might think...if you're sitting in class and have a container filled with tilapia...well. oops. Don't worry about what people think. 

Effort, consistency, and balance is my recipe to you...those are the core, and most important ingredients next to the grilled chicken.

-Lil Miss Strong

Stop Spending $901 Million on Ketchup Please

So just for fun, I thought I would break things down for you and show you the exact division of our country's favorite thing in the entire world. Not crunches. Not going for runs. Not veggie wraps. Not lifting in the gym. Duh. It's hamburgers.

You may pull up to that drive thru window late one night and order a double bacon burger with extra fries and shovel it down, not even thinking about what it's made of and what that costs everyone per year, but if you're like me and haven't eaten a hamburger in about 6 months, you might stop and think about what's going down into your body. They make a good cheat meal...sometimes. They don't make a good every meal. So stop having a habit of eating 134 pounds of burger buns, $901 million of ketchup and 7 oz. of burger meat and start to become aware. Being aware of food, ingredients and small things is how you change your diet, your lifestyle, and your body.

-Lil Miss Strong

http://pinterest.com/daybite/food-fit-infographics/

Can Chewing Gum Make Me Fat?

Photo courtesy of sweets.goodeats.com

I was asked this question today. "Can chewing gum all the time, or a lot...everyday, make me fat and be the reason I'm not losing weight?"

So while some of you might laugh and think no, I would say that this is an incredibly legitimate, and actually great, question. I chew gum nonstop, because it's a trick I use to help when I have a dessert or sugar craving and it helps me when I'm trying to be strict with my food intake, preventing me from eating out of boredom...and yes, those two things can and will cause you to gain weight if you're doing them everyday. So I buy gum that comes in different flavors...they even sell gum that tastes like apple pie now...I know right. When you look at the nutrition facts, next to calories, most gum packs say that 1 stick of gum has 5 calories. You never think about it...you just chew it. But if you actually do stop and think about it...say you chew gum all throughout the day. Maybe that's 10 or more pieces. So are you intaking an extra unnecessary 50 calories+ every single day!?

sweetfactory.com

No. And Yes. The actual calories, from chewing gum, will not cause you to slowly gain weight. It isn't
like when you eat five pieces of chocolate cake in a day, and those extra calories really kind of put a damper on your progress for the week. But here is what is true. When you chew gum, you produce saliva...especially if it tastes really good! The same action happens while you're consuming food. So chewing gum makes your body feel like it's eating, and yet nothing is going into your stomach! So sometimes, when people are hungry and start chewing gum, they end up overeating and binging on food when they do in fact eat a meal. That causes weight gain.

However, another good point...some gum has sugar in it. There is sugar free gum, and there is gum with sugar. Since I'm not a dentist and this website isn't about healthy teeth, I'm not going to address thatttt issue...but we all know what sugar can do to your pearly whites. Sugary gum (like the gum in children's colored gumballs) does contain unnecessary calories, so there is a difference in both calories and ingredients that you need to be aware of. Luckily, sugary gumballs tend to lose flavor quickly, so they're pretty unappealing to most people. If you're chewing on these all the time, you really might as well be shopping at a candy store and popping jelly beans throughout the day. It's a no go.

fanpop.com

On the other hand, chewing sugar-free gum can also do the opposite of making you hungry...it can help curb appetitite and therefore prevent you from eating at times of the day when you really don't need to be. If it comes down to reaching for a bag of pretzels in your kitchen to munch on while watching a movie or chewing a 5 calorie stick of orbit mint gum...I would pick the second option.

You may feel that chewing gum causes weight gain, because excess air is swallowed when you chew, leading to bloating. So, chewing gum can indeed make you a little more bloated than usual.

Don't be the girl who obsesses over every single calorie, every single day, and turn down a piece of gum because you're worried about any extra calories. If you use gum like I do as a trick during strict training times to help you along the way...I would suggest it. It's a great dessert replacement hands down. Don't worry about gaining weight from gum, don't worry about overdosing...

Don't sweat the small stuff. Live your life in moderation, and you will be ok.

-Lil Miss Strong

"I Just Had To Eat Everyone's Burgers"

beautyisinside.com--- facebook.com/beautyisinside

Hollywood is a tough place. Magazines encourage girls to go on crazy extreme diets to look like the models that cover their spreadsheets, and all of the female actresses on the big screen appear to be tiny and look absolutely perfect in every single magazine shoot. You think, what are these people eating and what is their workout routine like?! I want to do what they're doing to look like that too. For all you girls who need a role model in Hollywood, look up to Jennifer Lawrence. The star of the Hunger Games vows to live a healthy lifestyle, eat what she wants, and be a positive and healthy role model for girls everywhere. 

As Jennifer Lawrence simply states from an interview with SEVENTEEN Magazine, "Nobody's eating bread- I just had to finish everyone's burgers." I love that. And quiet frankly, I would be doing the same. We've talked about how eating a balanced diet and not depriving yourself or starving yourself in fact makes you lose weight and reach your fitness goals, and we've also talked about allowing yourself a cheat meal and some enjoyment as well. Jennifer Lawrence is doing it right. And what we value more than her burger quote, is her ability to stand strong and proud in a world of materialism and obsession with appearance. Now I'm certainly not encouraging you to eat hamburgers everyday, but I am encouraging you to be the woman who would say something like that...be the woman who does what she wants to do, and is proud. Be the woman, who shares it with the world.

-Lil Miss Strong

Seventeen Magazine interviews Jennifer Lawrence at
http://www.seventeen.com/entertainment/features/exclusive-interview-jennifer-lawrence#slide-1

Kombucha-what?? For Weight-loss

Komba-whattaaaa? Kombucha. I know...it's a weird word in itself. And get this, it's also known as TEA FUNGUS. If you haven't heard, just like frozen yogurt became a phenomenon that replaced most ice cream stores, Kombucha is a product that is becoming a new health rage around the country. Secretly used for centuries, I first discovered it when I went to a yoga class one day. There was a tiny refrigerator with drinks, and as I walked over and picked one up, I stared into the bottle and noticed a brown looking drink with chunks floating in it. This ladies, is Kombucha, and it's currently one of the most popular and crazed weight loss trends circulating our stores and homes.

Credit from http://www.pvnutritionaltherapy.com

I'm going to break it down, because when you first look at the drink, you have absolutely NO idea what it is and why things are afloat inside of it. Kombucha tea is made by fermenting bacteria and adding it to black or green tea. Enough said there. Just like people debate whether or not things like "Acai berries" can help with weight loss, there is a lot of talk about the health and weight benefits of Kombucha, and how it contributes to staying fit. There is no major medical research to support this weight-loss theory, but many people who have become regular Kombucha drinkers have noticed overall health benefits. For weight loss, it is recommended that you drink 4-8 oz. 30 min. before meals. Now, athletes are starting to drink this fermented drink as a recovery drink after tough workouts, and people claim that it helps with digestion and boosts energy levels.

Taken from
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu
/chicago/news.aspx?id=201085

Basically, so it is claimed: When you drink Kombucha, you are bringing a bunch of good bacteria into your system. This helps to cleanse you, boost health conditions, and aids with recovery. This means that your body can digest your food better, and vitamins and enzymes will boost your energy, and reduce sugar cravings. More energy means more calorie burning while training.

To me, Kombucha tastes like an old mushroom and smells like vinegar...I really can't lie and tell you that it tastes like an incredibly delicious fruit tea and that I drink it everyday. I don't....really ever. If you aren't a texture person and don't mind drinking something with fermented unpasteurized bacteria floating around the bottom, go for ittt! But like I always remind you, you should never force yourself to eat something that you don't want to eat, because you think it will help you lose weight. Food is meant to be enjoyed. If you enjoy drinking a more earthy and tart flavored drink in a bottle, than Kombucha is a new holistic rage that you should try! It can't hurt, but do please understand that drinking it will not lead to significant weight loss overnight. It is considered a food, and not a supplement, and can be found in health food stores like Whole Foods.

I want to know what you think! Is Kombucha tea a success or a scam?! Is this new craze true, or do many find it to be tea with a label?

Food for thought...or in this case...bacteria for thought. Cheers to that ;)

-Lil Miss Strong

Figure Athlete Ashley Horner Shares Inspiration

This is an article written by a lovely lady named Ashley Horner. Ashley is a bodybuilding.com athlete, a figure competitor, a well rounded athlete, and a woman of strength and action. Because of her devotion to fitness and her inspiration for challenge and change, I want to share the below excerpt, written by her, to inspire your own strength, change, and reflection. Maybe you are having a rough time getting yourself to the gym...maybe you give into chocolate easily, or you're constantly beating yourself up about your body. As I would say here at Lil Miss Strong, "Forget about what the others think. You do what you need to do, you go where you need to go, and you rise up to what you need to expect out of yourself." And as Ashley Horner would say,  "We are not afraid of swimming. We are afraid of drowning."

We Are Not Afraid of Swimming, We Are Afraid of Drowning
(Written by Ashley Horner, http://ashleyhorner.co/we-are-not-afraid-of-swimming-we-are-afraid-of-drowning/)

Photo taken from
contest.bodybuilding.com of Ashley
Horner

It’s real and it lives in many of us. The fear of not reaching a goal that we’ve set. Its the thought of failure & the mental mind set we allow to creep into our heads… ‘What if I make a fool out of myself and fall completely on my face.’ So many times this little four letter word plays such a huge impact on us reaching our goals or even setting them. Have you heard that saying do something every day that scares you? When you look at fear straight in the eyes and know that you will defeat it, you continue to take yourself to a completely different level. You will allow your brain to mentally push past that comfort zone and realize just how much you’re truly capable of.

You are always going to have people who do not support you, or have little interest is what you’re doing. Regardless of how close these people are to you in your life you can NOT let if effect the things that you enjoy doing. Who gives a damn about the nah sayers, the self- doubters & know it alls- they are the true idiots, the ones who belittle, poke, or make fun of us who are trying to pursue a dream, because they are afraid of a risk of taking a chance and they live in fear.

Just because you hit a hole, does not mean you fell off the cliff you must come back swinging. Like a lesson my mom taught me when I was a little girl. There were times I would be riding my horse and get knocked off, hitting the ground with a thud. She always made me get back on and keep riding right away because she knew the longer she allowed me to set on the ground the more time I was allowing fear set in.

Ashley Horner, taken from ashleyhorner.co

Your goals- journey- destination- whatever it is should really have NO end. There is no finish line to this lifestyle, we choose to take the path that is a little more difficult and at many times you will find yourself going against traffic, but your destination will be much greater. Everyday I wake up with a desire to make this day better than the last, at night I go to bed feeling a since of accomplishment and a desire to make tomorrow even better than it was today. You will without a doubt have to push outside of your comfort zone and past your fears, but begin today molding your mind proving to yourself that you’re capable beyond anything anyone ever thought you were.

Yes I am so blessed to be where I am right now, I feel like I have accomplished a lot, and I’ve just begun. In my career, I now represent the best fitness community in the industry (bodybuilding.com) To have the opportunity to write for some pretty awesome magazines, including MMA UNCAGED & and being featured internationally as a fitness model who   is standing for something YES YES YES!! Of course I get scared. I get scared shitless anytime a new opportunity evolves for me. You think the first time I submitted my article to MMA UNCAGED for my column I wasn’t nervous? Or the first time I met the entire family from bodybuilding.com? HA!! I didn’t sleep for days leading up to that event. Even as a well-seasoned figure competitor stepping on stage to compete STILL to this day I have shaking spirit fingers back stage. I have my fears, we all do but the more you do things that cause you to have fear or make you uncomfortable the easier it is for you to push it aside a learn its not a big deal. Find the things you want in life and go after them. In 10 years from now what will you regret that you didn’t do today?

No one is afraid of heights, we are just afraid of falling.
No one is scared to swim, we fear we might drown.

No one is afraid of success, we only allow doubt to make us believe that we might fail.