Eating Clean through Tough Times!

Well, last week I was feeling that high, awesome state where you don't crave any bad foods or wanna take a rest day, etc., was losing about a pound every two days, and just in a state of bliss!!! This weekend was a bit of a turn-around from that... it was a little rougher, with a little more of emotional craziness and stress around my house/family so it was challenging for me as I usually just automatically run for the Haagen Dasz when I have stress or trouble (I'm totally an emotioanl eater!) Sunday I was having a totally hard day emotionally and I was in a mall passing that totally tempting Cinnamon bun smell and my husband (bad boy) told me to just have some cake so I would feel better... I totally didn't!!! It even surprised me that I just chugged my protein shake and then met my family for a fun time ice skating instead! I feel like if I can get through that, I can get through lots!!! I feel stronger than ever - yay! Food is such an easy crutch through times like those and you have to work a bit harder and actually deal with stuff head-on when you take that crutch away. Went to my dad's for dinner, he's a chef and makes amazing creamy creations, but he knew I was in competition prep so last night he made me delicious clean beef and veggies - yum! I'm still feeling a lot of cravings now, but feeling like I am strong enough to overcome them! Eating clean is always the hardest part of prep for me, but also the most rewarding!


me & my boy skating!

Today I blasted my legs and did some cardio while my son was in school. I have had to figure out how to only workout Monday - Friday while he's at Kindergarten as me and my husband are both so crazy about gym-time that a lot of our disagreements are 'you got to workout today and I didn't', lol! I think I've got it all figured out now so I don't miss a workout I'm supposed to do!

Rest Day!

Today is my rest day from the gym... I love working out so much that I don't like my rest days except that I try to look like a normal lady on these days - blowdry my hair nice, wear jeans instead of workout wear, etc. Everyone can always tell when I have a rest day from the gym, Tae Kwon Do, and work at my studio - usually Wednesdays and Sundays! Everything is going so smoothly with my plan so far, I've lost 10 pounds within the last 2 weeks, and have already reached my goal weight for this Saturday - yay! I'm trying to stick to 3 lbs/week, but I know it will get harder as I get closer to the competition so I'm grateful for a few extra at the start here! I am not noticing too much difference in the look of my body, but my students and my family are so that's definitely motivating! I think I tend to just do the ab flash in the bathroom mirror every morning to see how it's going and for me, that's usually the last place I lose... I tend to lose in my upper body and hips/thighs/butt first (which lots of women think would be great, but I think it just makes you look boyish with a belly - lol) Anyways, I'm gonna fill my day off with lots of positivity, visit with my dad, spend time with my son, and get a little bit of cooking done - yay!

BIKINI BOUND - time to compete again!

I have competed in figure, fitness, and fitness model on and off throughout the years mainly as a personal goal to stay fit and to challenge myself. My last stint of competing was just after having my son (who's 4 years old now) - I needed to prove to myself and everyone else I could get an even better body after having a baby. I feel I did that, placed top five in a few competitions, kept doing them every season for a bit, then life got busy and I was concentrating on my business (http://www.fiercefitness.ca & http://www.mayada.ca) so I took some time off. In that time off, I have really thought long and hard about my fitness goals and dreams and came to the decision that I am ready to compete again and this time I am ready to work harder than ever - I don't want to feel like I could have done more come competition day. I'm also ready to start competing with OPA finally!!! I started out competing in Fitness which I feel is the most interesting and entertaining category, it went well with me as I am a dancer and choreographer so I could use my talents in the routine, but like many other competitors, it became too much for me training-wise... I'm not a gymnast so that aspect was always weak and it was just so much of an undertaking (eeewww, I sound so lazy!)  My goal is definitely to work on my moves and work on a long-term plan to get back into Fitness. But one step at a time... First I'm gonna get my body to a level where I can be competitive in the Bikini category and try that out! In my mind I'm a little too small for Figure and a little to muscular possibly for bikini - that's why I enjoyed competing in the Fitness Model category with other associations in the past. So, I am a little apprehensive about Bikini, but from following the sport for years, I see winning Bikini girls have very differing looks... some look very slim with little muscle, while others have a bit more of an athletic look. I started training two weeks ago (15 weeks out) with the help of an awesome prep coach, PJ Braun for OPA's O'BRIEN LUCHKA MISSISSAUGA CHAMPIONSHIPS on May 11! I cannot wait and I am very excited to bring my very best package ever to the stage this season! I will update my blog here regularly if you want to follow my journey!

Committed: got my OPA membership card in the mail today!



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy 2013 everyone!!! Looking back on my blog here, last year I wrote a little bit about New Year's Resolutions and how I love them as well as how I wish people would stop poo-pooing them.  Anything that gets people feeling positive and hopeful about their goals and the future sounds good to me! You can check out last years post which also gives tips on goal-setting too at http://meaganmayada.blogspot.com/2011/12/do-you-poo-poo-new-years-resolutions.html

I always find it helpful to look back at the past year and see what you loved about it (and even what you didn't) so you know what's important to be working towards in your new year...

Looking back on 2012, these are the amazing things that happened in my life:
- Seeing my super-wicked-awesome students at FIERCE each day I go in to kick butt!
- Conquering Tough Mudder with TEAM FIERCE!
- Doing a crazy schedule of performing at festivals this summer with my groups
- Finally competing at the CHIN Folkloric Dance Competition with Banat El Sharq and TropiCaliente
- Starting Tae Kwon Do and getting my yellow belt
- Being published in a real book (The Belly Dance Reader)
- Becoming a regular contributor to Yallah Magazine
- My "Sh*t Bellydancers Say" Youtube clip (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbX-gUmCA5A)
- Getting on The Ellen Show for my Ellen's Dance Dare video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3nL0ESOu2Y&list=UUh36hXt5YFcUlATwRGy85Jg&index=25)
- All the fun times I had with my friends and family!
- Volunteer cameraman for my heroes at RX Muscle at Toronto Pro Super Show
- Performing dance at fitness and wrestling events (blending my passions)
- Starting my first 12-Week Going Pro Bellydance Course and seeing my beautful students progress so much (can't wait to see you all performing where you perform in 2013!)
- International Bellydance Conference of Canada: totally excited and honoured to have taught a workshop, hosted a discussion panel, performed solo, with Banat El Sharq, and with my bestie Christina
- Starting Bellydance Talk Radio
- Arabesque Danc Co. Oyoun reunion performance
- Seeing everything come together for the big FIERCE Showcase!
- All my amazingly successful 12-Week Body Transformation Program Afters!!! You all inspire me!
Check out my Facebook album that documents all these amazing moments from 2013 in pictures!

My resolutions/goals for 2013:
FITNESS:
- Workout hardcore (weights, cardio, intervals, craziness) on my own 5 days/week, plus do all my classes with my students all out!
- Take bathroom mirror progress pictures and record weight every week
- Once I reach my goal weight of 145 lbs (by March 27), maintain it year-round by eating clean consistently with just one or two cheat meals/week
- Be featured in a fitness magazine as a model by 2014
- Write more fitness articles & get published again
- Practice Tae Kwon Do at home at least 2 extra hours/week
- Do a Tae Kwon Do competiiton before the end of 2013
- Become a fitness expert on a TV show like Cityline, Breakfast Television, etc. and a Toronto newspaper
- Start gymnastics
- Stretch everyday for at least 15 minutes
- Re-visit my wrestling dreams - start training for that
- Start CrossFit
- Fitness Competition???

DANCE
- Practise my own bellydance technique/choreographies at least 4 hours/week
- Plan all classes for the week every Monday
- Update costumes, sell ones that I don't use!
- Upload at least one new youtube clip/month (either a vlog, a mini lesson, or a dance)
- Perform at more fitness events like competitions and expos (did a few last year, wanna do more! blending my passions rock!)
- Get better at doing choreographies (rather than just always improv), learn one new choreo/month and videotape it! Get together with other dancers and teach each other choreos (this kinda forces you to learn a choreo!)
- Write more bellydance articles
- Compete more competitively at the CHIN Folkloric Dance Competition with my groups (now that we know how they roll!)

STUDIO:
- Build more of a hardcore gym area at the studio with more equipment (more 12 & 15 lb dumbbells for my girls who are getting stronger and stronger, benches, pull-up bar, boxes, and more!
- Re-floor studio before September
- Buy a mini-fridge before summer
- throw stuff out! De-clutter!
- Pick up the phone/Call people back
- Work more on actually advertising and marketing my studio
- Teach at least one workshop/month at my studio or elsewhere
- Promote more on TV, radio, and newspapers
- TEAM FIERCE for Tough Mudder 2013!

FINANCE:
- Act more like a responsible adult with money, rather than a ruthless teenager (ugh!)
- Start using my savings bank account again (need to determine how much I will promise myself to save every month)
- Less shopping!

APPEARANCE:
- Do my hair & make-up every morning after workout & shower
- Think more about what I wear (cuter workout wear since that's what I live in, my 31 day challenge on FB should help with this)
- Work on Sunday afternoon style (lol! My closet is full of extremes - workout wear and sequined dresses... I don't wear normal clothes often, but I hate it when I go to brunch on Sunday and can't find one normal outfit like jeans and a cute top)
- Wash, scrub, tone, moisturize, use all the anti-aging/purifying/rejuvenating skin products I have sitting in my cabinet that I never use every night before bed (I can be soooo lazy about this!)

PERSONALITY/FAMILY/HOME/ETC:
- Take more risks, don't be embarrassed put it all out there and try
- Tell it like it is more
- Learn to cook!  Make my chef father give me private lessons, try new recipes, love it!
- Pre-make all meals for the day for everyone the night before or in the early a.m
- Aim for minimalistic home (LESS CLUTTER!) - organize all closets - throw stuff out!
- Go to the library with Zak weekly
- Read a book/2 weeks (I am pretty disgusted at how long it takes me to read a book lately...  There are so many books I wanna read... mostly personal growth, fitness, and business related!)
- Take Zak to a fun outing at least once during the week (as well as weekend family fun)
- Date night with hubby at least twice/month
- Workout with hubby once/week
- Be nicer to people close to me (you know how we can often fall into too-comfortable-mode and treat strangers nicer than our closest of close? That sucks!)
- Get my driver's licence by spring 2013!
- Learn Arabic (finally!)
- Baby #2?
- Be more responsible with items like cameras, phones, computers... (I'm known to break everything)
- LISTEN!

I think there are even more, but I won't bore you all here with them. I'm glad they're out there and I feel accountable! I need to make a vision board now - they are great visual reminders of what you're striving towards.  I would love to hear all of your goals and dreams for 2013 - please share!  Here we go!

I love everyone I sweat with!

Since my husband's workplace is very male-dominant and my work as a bellydance instructor is pretty much all female, we have often talked about how we would be perfect match-makers... he knows lots of single guys, I know lots of single gals.  Most of you probably know how much I love to sweat and make other people sweat (I've made a whole business of it!), I also strongly feel that sweating with someone instantly brings you closer and breaks down lots of barriers and walls that are often up in other circumstances. Me and my hubby both love working out and have toyed with the idea of having a singles workout for quite sometime - workout with other singles, sweat, laugh, and hopefully meet some great like-minded people.  Well, last night in class I was telling my students how I totally fall in love with anyone I sweat with a lot (yup, I'm in love with all my students!) There's probably some scientific reason... something to do with pheromones and endorphins, but when the walls come down and people are all undone, panting, and sweaty, an instant bond is defintely formed and you speed up the getting-to-know-you phase!  Sooooooo, we have finally decided to jump on this idea and try out a SWEATY SINGLE MINGLE workout at the end of April!  We will be ensuring we have equal numbers of men and women and exercises with be challenging yet fun with many being partner and group-centred to really get to know others with the added benefit of getting a great workout in too!  After the workout, a light healthy snack will be served and you'll have time to mingle!  Sign up now to get in on this exciting opportunity! CLICK HERE to check out more info and sign up!

My First Zumba Experience!

This month is all about trying out new workouts!  One reason is because I am in super-training mode getting ready to do a fitness competition in May and I need to be doing all sorts of cardio a day so I might as well make it enjoyable, challenging, and fun rather than just pedaling away on my stationary bike in the basement (which also happened to break at the start of the month - I took it as a sign to get out and do some other forms of exercise!) Another reason I want to try out all this new stuff is I am a fitness professional myself and feel I need to put more effort into knowing what's out there, getting re-inspired, and keeping my stuff fresh so I can help my students and clients as much as I possibly can!  So far I've gotten back into outdoor running, done P90X and Insanity DVDs at home, tried Skyrobics (trampoline workout), gonna check out Crossfit again, went to Zumba tonight, and who knows what else! 

I've always kind of laughed about Zumba and didn't think it was really hardcore enough for me.  I've also watched some ridiculous videos of their bellydance routines and as a professional bellydancer was mildly offended at what they were doing as bellydance.  It seems really cult-like and is EVERYWHERE - that scare me a bit too... My good friend was saying she wanted to do Zumba last week and I was mocking and making fun, but then when I saw there was a Zumba class at my community centre gym on a day I don't teach my own classes, I called her up and asked if she wanted to go.  She asked if I was joking or if I was going to laugh at her and the class the whole time... ha ha ha - maybe, but maybe this would be a fresh new fun way to get an hours-worth of cardio in at a time I usually wouldn't.

We arrived at the packed aerobic studio of the community centre (you need to arrive early to get a pass to get in and by 10 minutes before class it was almost all full up!) and were greeted by a perky instructor. Everyone was taking their places in the room, me and my friend decided it would be best to hide in the back corner for our first class.  It has been a very long time since I did a group exercise class like this - totally brought back great memories of my teenage years at the YMCA!  The music comes on and we start to Zumba!!!  There was no annoying stretch or slow warm-up at the start which I liked.  Lots of high energy Merengue, Cumbia, Salsa, Lambada, Samba, Axe, and maybe even a few bellydance arms in there all smooshed together.  It was a fun time and I got pretty sweaty within the first few songs, so that was good!  Every now and then there would be a slower piece (which I guess is so people can catch their breath) which I could've done without, but all in all it was a pretty good 45 minutes of good cardio within the hour class.  I learned some fun new moves that I would never have done myself but that I might pull out at a club one of these days - I loved the Black Eyed Peas Boom Boom Pow dance!  I was taking classes, and later teaching classes just like this back in the 90's, we just called it salsaerobics, so it wasn't something crazy new to me. The thing that really registered with me the most was how totally awesome it is that this workout is making tons of regular people from all different walks of life who never dance, get out there and shake their booties full force, have fun doing it, and get a great workout at the same time!  That's beautiful to me!  I'll be back next class!

my rant for today: don't be so picky people!

 

Saw this image on someone's Facebook wall (originally from http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151305807845088&set=a.10150772520780088.727054.777280087&type=1#!/pages/The-Social-Deviants/244088568967537) and it reminded me of a blog post I've been meaning to write for a little while now...

 I find it's usually unfit and/or overweight people who have the most pickinesses with what they eat...  They're vegan, gluten-free, only eat organic produce, worry about preservatives and sodium, etc.  These are all valid concerns and I have no issues with being aware of all these issues.  The problem is, I can't take these people too seriously when I know as they are trying to avoid a little extra sodium that might be in a light salad dressing I recommend, they are going and binging on twinkies and chips (they don't seem to worry about the bad stuff in those products!)  I find it very weird that a very overweight person can tell me with a straight face that they try not to eat whole eggs because they have too much fat and cholesterol!

If you are very unfit you should start your healthy eating by just generally being more healthy - adding lots of lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and some healthy carbs and keeping proportions in check.  As you get more and more healthy and deep into a fitness lifestyle, you can for sure delve deeper and deeper into all the little intricacies of nutrition and exercise.  But if you are a beginner, make sure to get a good grounding before you start confusing your mind with all these little details and before you arbitrarily start cutting whole food groups out of your diet, becoming a vegan, or 'hating' oatmeal or cottage cheese.  Oh, the last statememnt reminds me of another point - when I do food plans for clients I always ask which foods they do and do not want on their food plan.  Oatmeal and cottage cheese (two wonder foods in my mind) are often the most 'hated'... and I will often ask them about it further as these are staples in my diet usually and they have barely even given them a chance and usually are not all that open to trying them.  So, another point I'd like to make is to stay open to new ideas - don't assume you hate something (especially if you've never tried it!)  Try oatmeal with different combinations of stuff in it for example - I don't love instant oatmeal, but have found steel cut oats to be an awesome way to start my day!  I certainly don't like them on their own - I have had to experiment to find what makes me like them... for me, it's a few raisins, tons of cinnamon, and a spoonful of either flax seeds, hemp hearts, or all-bran!  You could try yogurt, honey, no sugar syrup, applesauce, nut butter, fruit, etc. Cottage cheese can be blended in a blender with herbs and spices to make a tasty protein dipping sauce for veggies, or you can add fruit to it for a nice protein-packed dessert! Get creative and try different things to see what you like, before you jump to the conclusion that you hate a food! And remember, if you say or feel you hate a food, you will hate a food - so keep a positive mindset!

Anyways back to all the picky unfit peeps - try to keep it simple at the start - eat clean foods every 3 - 4 hours, keep watch on portion sizes, and get lots of exercise.  It will work! You will lose weight and get fit if you're consistent and stay with it... don't think that you aren't losing weight because you are eating beef or not taking a million supplements - it's usually because you aren't totally following the plan properly and having cheats all over the place!  If you're super-worried about hormones, preservatives, etc.  Be super-super-worried about eating those Cheetos and Coca-Colas!