Ready, set, go!

The drive for health and fitness doesn't come easy for everyone, and it's especially hard to find when you’re coming off of a long streak of doing slacking off!! We've all fallen off the health and fitness bandwagon before; whether it’s a busy time in life, or you’re going through something heavy, or even if you’ve simply just lost all drive. They say the hardest part is just getting started, and I couldn't agree more. Do you find yourself always looking for excuse why not to train and eat healthily? And the longer you go without working out, the easier it is usually is for us to continue postponing that sweaty workout!!

I want to help you be the most fittest and healthiest version of yourself! To give you that extra motivation am I offering my Spring into Summer 7 Day Meal Plan at 30% OFF! You can add your details here or shoot me a message for the discount code!

New Year, New You!

The beginning of a new year is such an exciting time! It is time where you can ultimately reset and create new goals to smash throughout the year! Don't get me wrong I love the holidays but in most cases they are not necessarily great for our waistline!! In 2018 I want to be your mentor, your inspiration and your friend to help you with your health & fitness goals!!

I know a lot of you want to make positive changes to your health to kick off the new year so I am offering both my Nutrition eBook and my 7 Day Meal Plan for 50% off!

Subscribe to my newsletter here to receive the special code for 50% off My New Year Bundles! This is only available for the month of January! 

These books still offer loads of recipes and my basic philosophy on eating for weight loss including what you eat, when, how much and why, and other factors that affect your health and weight loss potential.

Create your own adventure with Macro Bowls!

Macro Bowls are not only super easy to make but jam packed with nutrient dense veggies, fruits/carbohydrates, healthy fats, and quality proteins! They are perfect for people who are time poor, constantly on the go or busy running around after your kids! The best thing about Macro bowls is there is no secret recipe or rules, you can literally add as many macronutrients as you desire!

Here's a quick breakdown on what makes the perfect macro bowl:

Greens | Spinach, romaine, arugula, kale, micro greens, sprouts etc.
Proteins | Keep it plant-based by choosing proteins such as tempeh, beans, quinoa and lentils or animal based protein such as salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey mince or eggs!
Healthy fats | Avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds
Veggies | Carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, snap peas, peas, radish, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower or any other veggies that tickle your tastebuds!
Carbohydrates | Sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, beans (starchy-protein), corn and peas (starchy veggie). Key is to pick slow releasing carbohydrates to help you sustain your energy throughout the day!
Fruits | Strawberries, pears, banana, papaya, mango, grapes, raspberries, apples, etc.
Add-ons | Fermented veggies like kim chi or sauerkraut, homemade hummus..
Dressing | Keep it super simple with lemon juice and a dash of extra virgin olive oil or try my favourite combo of dijon mustard, tahini, lemon and apple cider vinegar!

My Favourite Macro Bowl Recipe!
This Macro bowl combo proteins packed & of course delicious!

INGREDIENTS
- 350 grams skinless chicken breast
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup of green beans
- 1/2 cup of broccoli
- 1/2 avocado sliced
- 1/2 cup of sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Tamari
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 180c
2. Cook quinoa
3. Toss sweet potato in half of the sesame oil and place on lined oven tray. Cook for 20 minutes until golden.
4. Dice chicken and mix with garlic and tamari. Cook in hot frypan with the rest of the sesame oil until cooked through.
5. Steam the greens on the stovetop or in the microwave until tender crisp.
6. Portion the chicken, quinoa and veggies into bowls.
7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

I would love to hear & see your macro bowl creation!

Women's ONLY BJJ Classes

My Women's Only BJJ Classes at the UFC Gym are the perfect way for all ladies to give this awesome martial arts a try in a safe and friendly environment. here I guide you on learning some of the most effective self defense techniques and you have a great workout also. BJJ is very empowering and fun and it gets you strong and fit! If you are in Vegas, come and give it a try!

One word...Bloating

Bloating has become so common these days, we could probably refer to it as an ‘epidemic’! The combination of poor diets and high level of stress there is no wonder that people are suffering from bloating! Whether it be the uncomfortable feeling, the appearance or maybe the gas that comes along with it, a bloated stomach can seriously impact on your life.
 

Foods to Eat

Probiotics: “Good Bacteria”. This includes foods such as Kimchi, Sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir and kombucha! These foods help to kill the bad bacteria that trigger digestive issues!

Raw Dairy: As opposed to conventional diary, aged/raw cheese, kefir and yogurt help to limit negative reactions.

Water Rich Fruits & Vegetables: Leafy greens, cucumbers, celery, fennel, artichoke, melon, berries, steam veggies and cultured/fermented vegetables.

Herbs, Spices & Teas: Such as ginger, dandelion, aloe vera, fennel, parsley, oregano and rosemary, herbal teas, essential oils, bone broth and green tea all naturally soothe digestion.
 

Foods to Avoid

Sugar & Sweetened Snacks: Sugar easily ferments in the gut therefore can contribute to inflammation.

Conventional Dairy: Flavored yogurts and other dairy with added sugar and artificial ingredients remove important enzymes that protect your gut.

Refined Grains: Gluten, corn and other grains can prove to be difficult for many people to digest.

Sulfur & FODMAP Carbs: Veggies like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onion and garlic are very nutritious with several anti-cancer properties but can produce relatively high volumes of gas thanks to a type of carb (raffinose) which can remain partly undigested in the intestine.
 

If you do find you are still suffering from bloating, here are some simple tips to follow!

Talk to your doctor: Your Doctor will be able to run tests to help determine the cause of your bloating!

Get some Exercise: Being active definitely helps with your digestive system to function to its optimal capacity. Try doing something active for at least 30 minutes per day!

Increase your water intake: To ensure that the fiber entering your body can perform its job correctly, you want to be drinking 2 - 3 litres of water per day! Staying hydrated is essential for beating the bloat!

Reduce Stress: Stress and anxiety can create a huge impact on your digestion! When you are anxious or sad it causes your brain to divert attention away from proper digestion in an effort to conserve energy and high amounts of stress can increase your cortisol levels therefore causing you to become overly hungry, constipated and store unnecessary fluids.

I hope that all the information and tips above provide you with understanding of bloating and how to beat it! If you want some more insight, please email me at sophia@sophiafit.com and we can discuss further!

Resistance Training

Tell me this. Why is it that the one type of training that is proven to considerable burn more calories, tone and strengthen your body and make you look hot?!

The fear of “bulking up” has been keeping many women out of the weights room! When in actual fact, us girls should be embracing dumbbells and body weight training.

Resistance Training is another name for exercising your muscles using an opposing force i.e. dumb bells or resistance bands. The benefits that coincide with resistance training will surprise you! Lifting weights improve your bone density, joint mobility and body composition, not to mention that daily tasks such as lugging groceries, carrying kids around and climbing stairs become easier! And the benefits don’t end there!! Physical strength creates and enhances mental strength meaning that each time you finish a weight training session you are going to feel like you could take on the world!!

To help kick start your love of resistance training, here is quick workout to work that BOOTY!

BOOTY BLASTER

1 Minute Kneeling Leg Lifts (right)
30 Seconds Kneeling Leg Lift Pulses (right)
1 Minute Kneeling Leg Lifts (left)
30 Seconds Kneeling Leg Lift Pulses (left)
1 Minute Squats
30 Seconds Static Squat Hold
30 Seconds Squat Jumps

Repeat 3 times and feel that BURRRNNN!

Let’s work together to quash this stigma about weight training. Feminine strength is all about being strong on the inside as well as being strong on the outside. Trainers and professionals everywhere should be spreading the news about the myriad of benefits that resistance training has to offer so that all women are keeping healthy, happy, safe and strong.