VIEW THE POWERFUL VIDEO CLICK HERE “STRUT & SWEAT WITH JANELLE”

DATE: Sunday, January 13^th 2013

LOCATION: bodyco 108 s. main St. Middleton Ma.

TIME: 9-5 pm

COST: $125.00 (Body Ambition athlete member rate: $99)

Lunch & snacks included provided by Sol Bean Organic Café

SIGN UP: email Janelle@bodyambition.com

*SPACE IS LIMITED DON’T DELAY!*

A full day to learn about the fitness, figure and bikini industry, all federations, techniques in training and nutrition used too reach heights you never dreamed of!  You’ll also learn how to create your very own STRUT from the 2007 Fitness America Bikini World Champion, National fitness expert and owner of Body Ambition Training & Nutrition (www.bodyambition.com), Janelle Nicolo!  Other topics include: tanning, hair & make-up, suit selection (along with vendors), consultations as well as a variety of workouts including Janelle’s signature Total Body Weight Tabata! Plan to strut, sweat, meet fabulous women of fitness and be inspired to get your journey started or make significant changes towards your goals to the top of your game!

I was honored to be nominated for this year’s WEGO Health Activist Award for BEST IN SHOW: FACEBOOK AWARD!  Nominations are open through December 31st, 2012, after which judging will begin.  I appreciate all of your continued support!  Just go to this link and endorse me.  Thanks in advance for all your continued support! I truly love what I do and the lives that are being changed through Body Ambition!

PLEASE ENDORSE ME: http://badges.wegohealth.com/endorse-me?referrer=janelle

Yours in health,

Janelle

Here’s a few ideas to help you succeed this party season!

Stay Healthy, Janelle

Janelle’s Power Packed Avo Ranch Dip:

This is a 100% turn around from your traditional fatty ranch and tastes just as good! Add a TBSP (or 2 for larger servings) of ranch dressing to one 6 oz container of plain greek yogurt and blend in 1 avocado with garlic salt and pepper, to taste. Protein, healthy fats in a power packed dip!

Tuna, Asparagus and Feta Salad …1 Serving (make more for party)

This delicious salad provides about 3 portions of vegetables – a generous start on the daily recommendation of 5-7.

Ingredients:
2 cups romaine lettuce torn into pieces
1 Roma tomato, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup steamed asparagus pieces
1/2 can (3 ounces) white albacore tuna, drained
1 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
Mix the romaine, tomato and asparagus. Add the tuna and feta cheese. Sprinkle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss again.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Tomatoes & Pine Nuts (makes 2-3 servings, double for a party)

This tasty pasta is a great vegetarian main dish without the chicken, or add chicken for more of a meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Whole Wheat Pasta (any style)
• 8 oz. Cooked Chicken cut into cubes, or all natural chicken sausage cut into slices
• 1 Chopped Onion
• 2 Stalks Celery, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Sliced Black Olives
• 1 T. Pine Nuts
• 1-2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Quart Canned Tomatoes
• 1/2 Sliced Red Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Feta Cheese  (OPTIONAL)
• 1 Sliced Zucchinni/Cucumber
• 1/4 Cup White or Red Wine
• 1 Tblsp. Pesto
• Olive Oil

Directions:

Cut chicken into cubes and season with a little salt, pepper, paprika and Italian spices and sauté in skillet.  Once cooked set aside.  Saute onions, celery, peppers and garlic in hot oil. Add tomatoes, black olives, and pesto to make a sauce. Add wine and reduce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. A little water and cornstarch will thicken if desired. Sprinkle with feta cheese when serving (OPTIONAL).
Notes: Boil pasta till al dente and top with sauce. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and pine nuts to finish.

J’s Fruity Mash Up Dip

How to make it: Blend strawberry slices, strawberry all fruit jam, and snipped fresh mint into Stoneyfield or Greek Organic vanilla or plain yogurt.

Dip this:  (try any of the following)

• Kashi Honey Seasame Snack Crackers
• Honeydew Mellon
• Cantaloupe
• Pineapples
• Apples
• Grapes
• Strawberries

Janelle competing in Bikini in 2010 in Las Vegas Fitness America show

Today I write to announce that I will be hitting the stage again, and this time on a new adventure with a different federation for me the WBFF!!  On November 3^rd Kevin Topka will be presenting the NEW ENGLAND FITNESS WEEKEND in Providence, RI and I’ll be competing in the Diva Fitness Model category. the caliber of these athletes in all divisions is always amazing and PRO cards will be awarded to those winning their divisions, so they can then go on to compete on the International stage in Toronto next year.

Why do I still compete after 8 years in this wonderful world of Fitness you ask? Because it keeps me inspired to LIVE life in every aspect of the word.  I live this lifestyle year round, training, cleaning up diets, and setting goals in and out of the gym for people to help them be THEIR PERSONAL BEST! So I do the same with myself ALL YEAR ROUND! So competing to me is another challenge for the year.

This time my goal is neither to compete with a fitness routine nor to have a softer look as I have in the past for bikini, even though I did well with that in years past. It’s to step up my game and challenge myself on another level! I’m aiming to compete with the most muscle I’ve ever been able to have because I have been changing up my lifts (style, reps, exercises, rest you name it!), and have done no cardio until recently while eating 80-90% clean and consistent year round to maintain and build muscle on my frame, while not gaining large amounts of weight. No you don’t have to be plump in the off time to gain some muscle!  In the past for me keeping muscle while leaning out was a big challenge, this time I’m doing things differently from all I learned my body did and didn’t like through the years and making sure my non-competition season plan was going to benefit me when I did decide to compete. After all what you do in the as we call it “off season” is a direct reflection of what you will look like on stage! So if you do all your supposed to in the off time with your lifts, diet, rest and treating your body with respect when the time comes to have it work for you to lean out it will give you thanks and tighten right up!  You shouldn’t have to do hours of cardio to loose fat (because opps there goes the muscle with it) nor should you have to cut out things like fruit and starches waaay far in advance!  But that’s another whole blog

This year has been an amazing journey for me thus far, my training, nutrition and competition prep business has grown and friendships have soared to new heights and I feel as though every day is truly a gift! I have an amazing team of competitive athletes, 11 of which will be competing with me on the WBFF stage on Nov. 3^rd, including my Men’s Coach, Matt Corso, who will be taking the Body Building and Model stage! I’m sure some will ask why am I competing with my team, well it’s easy…”My team members work with me not for me.”  So being able to be on stage again in my element with my Body Ambition athletes will just be icing on the cake, or should I say…strawberries on my oatmeal

Stay tuned for my team and my progress these next 6 weeks and if you’d like to come out to the show to check it out go to www.newenglandfitnessweekend.com for more info!

Off to lift…stay healthy and happy!

So don’t walk into the gym, head to the dumbbell rack and constantly work your glory muscles!  Every muscle in your body should be challenged while using proper form to get your dream physique.  If your constantly working out the same body part in the same order your body gets accustom to the workload and the muscles don’t break down, when your muscle breaks down (get sore) they repair themselves with new muscle fibers which in turn gives you bigger more toned muscle.  Attention females don’t let this deter you from lifting heavy! The reason men have bigger muscles is because of their testosterone, women do have some testosterone in their bodies but its just a fraction of the amount.  Just look at Janelle she has been working out for roughly ten years and she doesn’t have muscles that are too large for her frame.

Here are some tips on how to set up a non-plateau workout, which will give you the best results Body Ambition style!

• Always know what body part your about to train before heading into the gym. There’s nothing worse than opening the door, and going into panic mode. Keep a workout journal up to date with your most recent weekly workouts, so you know what you did at the beginning of the week, how much weight you lift on each exercise and how many reps & sets you are doing.
• Learn from a professional. Hire a trainer (like Janelle) if you are not sure of what muscles to work or the best workouts for your goals and body type. Being on Team Body Ambition, we eliminate the guesswork for you, advising you how to train based on your goals.
• Always keep a protein shake handy in your bag. Weather if its running on the treadmill or pumping iron, the body needs to repair itself with protein, the building blocks of muscle, so if you aren’t eating a real meal post workout, fuel up within an hour of working out with a good protein shake that works for you. (for more on whey and shakes see Janelle’s blog “Whey Your Options.”
• Learn the anatomy of the body! Yes, its time to go back to school and learn all the body parts. You will be surprised what you learn about how many primary and secondary muscles are working during any exercises.
• Ask for help! Never be embarrassed at the gym. Always ask for a spot when lifting heavy. Or ask a question, most people will be happy you went to them. However make sure you ask a professional and not just the person on the machine next to you.
• Wear comfortable clothing! Don’t be that guy working out in jeans and boots or the girl in shorts so short she can’t move in them! The more comfortable you are, the better your workout is. (I wear the Body Ambition sleeveless shirt, its very comfy to pump iron in and Janelle is the biggest fan of Lululemon)
• Lift what you are capable of! There’s no need to be the strongest person in the gym. The heavier you lift, the more chance it will lead to injury. Know how much you can lift before attempting to max out and always have a spotter when going heavier. This is why it is important to log your workouts, each week you will know what weight to start with.
• Step outside your comfort zone and try new exercises.
• Finally, never give up! Stay Ambitious!

Hopefully, these are some helpful tips on training and staying organized. Stay tuned for my next blog!

-Matt “The Commitment” Corso, Body Ambition Men’s Competition Coach!

Back photo of Men’s Coach, Matt Corso

Are you someone who decides to go grocery shopping without a plan and often find yourself wandering aimlessly through the middle isles and reaching for things you shouldn’t be putting in your cart?  Have no fear, Janelle and I are here to help! When we go shopping, we strategize our shopping cart before we go food crazy in the aisles. We first write out our lists, sectioned off from proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Being organized will make your trip to the grocery store more successful, and you’ll save more money… a win, win right! Here are some successful tips I’ve used and encountered when food shopping on a budget:

-Only buy what you need for the week. Unless you’re competing, there’s no reason to buy 20 lbs. of chicken. If you map out your meals ahead of time, you will save more money and you won’t experience food rotting in the fridge.  If you buy in bulk at Costco, BJ’s or other bulk chains, section out the meat you will use and freeze the remainder for the following weeks.

-Start off your shopping with getting your essential proteins. I’ve always found it hard to shop for my proteins, because of the limited varieties of food. Protein will most likely be the most expensive, but it should also not be overlooked when trying to attain a lean physique, or build muscle for that matter.  If you plan your meals so your protein is the first source of a nutrient it’s easier to build your meals from there.  Try to budget your list by selecting 3-4 different proteins (for example, chicken, lean ground turkey, lean beef/steak, and egg whites), and get enough for the weeks meals.

-Don’t forget the fats! I always seem to get to the register to pay and notice my fats are missing from my cart! Almonds or natural peanut and other nut butters are great but don’t forget to mix up your fats by getting in some healthy avocado and oils like flax, udo’s and even coconut oils!)

-Veggies and Fruits are essential! To save money, buy a few heads of lettuce, carrots, peppers and cucumbers, and make a giant salad for the week! Even buy frozen veggies and fruit so you don’t have to worry about it going bad in a few days. It will save our enough money, especially when you’re eating 6-8 meals a day!

-Invest in Tupperware! We all work to make a living, and we all need to eat. Instead of having to order a $9.00 grilled chicken salad, prep your meals ahead of time and store in some plastic or glass Tupperware. If your work has a mini fridge your can store your food in perfect, if not then invest in a good cooler. Janelle’s favorite is the Six Pack Bag cooler!  Ladies and Gents a cooler is your friend if you want that killer body!

-Finally, don’t be intimidated by the Meat section! A pack of steak tips can cost up to $25.00, but it’s worth the investment! If you weigh your food before every meal, you can save money and trips to the grocery store by eating in portions.

I hope these ideas will guide you to food shop the commitment way! A successful fitness enthusiast knows that eating enough meals and in portions will make or break your perfect body goal! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for next weeks article on nutrition food portions!

FIGHTING FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AND A CURE!

21 months ago my Aunt Robin was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. It was that moment I realized how quickly your life can change because of cancer and it was then that I knew I had to do something!  So I immediately created a fund-raiser for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Organization called “Burn Cals for Breast Cancer.”  My event included a workout, yoga and a nutrition & motivational talk with me and raised $2,500!!!!!  Months after recovery my aunt decided to do the Boston 3-Day walk for the Susan G. Komen organization, but since I had already proudly donated I was unable to host another event to raise the funds that year. Instead I fully supported her and went to the closing ceremony, cried my eyes out with joy that she was in recovery and then committed that I too would do this with her in 2012! So that’s just what I did! I fund-raised for months and hosted another “Burn Cals for Breast Cancer” event to raise the $2,300 and successfully did so!

This past weekend we both set out on the journey together…60 Miles in 3 days because EVERYONE DESERVES A LIFETIME!  The 3 days started bright an early with registration starting at 4:30 am and an opening ceremony in Framingham, MA. We then set out on the road ahead with over 1,000 other walkers. Along the way we had people cheering and beeping at us, kids giving us stickers and candy and then others that didn’t even acknowledge us.  Maybe they were too hurt to say anything because they had been touched by Breast Cancer in some way too, maybe they just didn’t care, this is something we both wondered and will never know. Either way we had more people than not saying “Thank you for walking” and routing for us to finish whether we crawled, limped or walked with ease (who ever did this kudos to them because it was not easy!)  We accomplished the first 20 miles on day 1 with some pain, but were so excited to have finished that it far out-weighted the blisters (which i was lucky to not have) and ankle and knee pain (which I did have), we set up our tents, hobbled around the camp site to dinner and fun, took our mobile truck showers and hit the air mattress hard!

one of our cheerleaders along the way!

After the night of Icing and Ibuprofen we awoke to a beautiful morning!  It was hazy and the perfect temp to set out for our next 20 mile day (this day was actually 21.8)!  We were slow moving in the am, getting taped up and fixed up under the helpful medical tent, but once we did we were good to go.  We set out through Belmont, Arlington and Lexington this day and finished back in Waltham where the camp was.  This day was beautiful, lots of supporters (including Steve and my baby Luchi and my aunts friends, Jessica and Michelle), gorgeous scenery and homes and ohhh how can I forget the dreaded Belmont HILL! This Hill was never ending and did a toll on my calves and hamstrings.  After this point I was feeling the pain but knew this pain was nothing like the stories I had heard along the road from other walkers, so we continued to push on!  One man we met on the road told us his story of loss of his Sister to Breast Cancer, 1 daughter and wife to other cancers and then another daughter to SIDS and I couldn’t help but think of how this man keeps pushing on despite all that pain in his life, so we walked on together.  During that day we heard other stories and enjoyed silence at times too just feeling the power of everyone around us (and sometimes passing us).  When we were at the last pit stop with under 2 miles to go this day the sky got dark and immediately turned to thunder and lightening! A bus picked us up and we went back to camp soaked and cold! After the lightening stopped we quickly ate and ran back to our tent to try and get dry. It was more like a waterfall than rain at this point and we knew once we were dry (or kind of dry) in the tent there was no leaving unless it stopped so we shared stories and laughs and eventually passed out from the pain and laughing so hard.

The 3rd day we happily woke up to no rain, even though we walked out into soppy grass and mudd, ahhh it adds to the experience showered, packed up our tent and gear, hit the medical tent and set out on our way through Cambridge, Southie and ended at U Mass Boston!  The walk was amazing, not only because we knew we were so close to finishing but the walk along the water, the people we met and the laughs we shared. Oh and the trivia…do you know what a Bronie is? Ya I didn’t either.  And how can I forget the groups of girls with their little boom boxes jamming out along the way. Every time we walked the road with them it was like karaoke, a little Journey, a little New Kids on the Block, some Debbie Gibson…yes all my era- I wish I could have kept up with their stride the whole day but my short legs and aching calves wouldn’t let me

Once we hit lunch on this 3rd day we knew we only had 3.2 miles of scenic ocean to tackle until we hit UMASS, so we ate, filled up our water bottles and took our last squat in the port-a-potty.  As we crossed the finish line we held hands and immediately collapsed in each others arms…WE DID IT! While we awaited the closing ceremony we said our goodbyes to each other and those we met along the way and some of our new life-long friends, including a 27 year old I will never forget! She was diagnosed late because the doctor’s told her what she had thought was a lump was nothing to worry about. Yes well Doctors can be wrong as they were in her case, so be your own advocate and stand up for what you believe in and feel-you know your body better than anyone else! When we said our good-byes to her and said “see you next year” she tearfully said I hope so.

Despite the sadness the ceremony was beautiful, my aunt stood with all the other survivors in the survivor circle as the flags of hope were raised. Us remaining walkers then raised one of our shoes to the sky in their honor as the speaker said some powerful words. In that moment I realized how powerful we all are if we stick together in this fight and continue to spread the word about self-exams at all ages to help with early detection as the 5 year survival rate for those who are diagnosed early is 99% now! So we must keep spreading the word and raising money for those who don’t have the help they need via education or insurance, which is a big part of what the funds raised from this 3-day go to! In closing I truly hope to do this again with my aunt, and maybe some other friends and family can join us…can you say San Francisco 3-day anyone?

stay healthy,

Janelle

Saluting the SURVIVOR CIRCLE of walkers at the closing ceremony!

SPECIAL THANKS FOR DONATIONS & SUPPORT FROM:

Mom & Bob

Steve Monteiro

Elena Luongo

Steve Tambini

Micheal Prisco

Deb Luciano

Gary Goldstein

Melissa DaSilva

Donna Deschamp

Jessica Parker

Mike Comeau

Max Gouveia

Laura Choma

Dick Parker

Scott Soehl

David & Amy Veling

Laurie Kowalski

Lisa Lopez

Lisa Annese

Deb Costa

Jordyne Nunziato

Jody Lupien

Pam Camarro

Melissa Morganti

Dawn Bonfanti

Melissa Arilotta

Colleen Moloney

Kate Hunter

Brenda Baker

Erica McCory

Ryan Watson

Amy Guerin

Janna Erickson

Brian Monteiro & Sarah Polny

Kelly Burke

Kristin Coleman

Maria Piazza

Nina Goodick

Chere Fontenot

Although I am not a huge fan of shakes being included as a meal supplement, I do think they have their place in the diet on occasion.  I’d always rather someone eat a natural food source rather than a manufactured source, however whey is great post workout as it is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. So it definitely has it’s place in the diet for those who cannot realistically eat a meal right away post workout or because of their lifestyle.

On another note, I regularly work with clients who have strong sweet tooths when we start working together, and some of these shake concoctions I came up with below are of course better than baking cookies, cakes, or grabbing anything sweet in your kids candy drawers.

Please enjoy these recipes but also remember that shakes should be used in moderation, you’re always better off with a real animal or plant protein source, whole fruits, veggies and grains post workout!

WHEY YOUR OPTIONS…THINGS TO KNOW WHEN CHOOSING A WHEY THAT’S BEST FOR YOU:

1. Do you have a sensitivity to dairy? If so choice an alternate source of protein powder such as pea protein, hemp protein, brown rice protein, egg white protein, soy (to be used moderately). I personally use and love Vega brand protein. The Vega One is my favorite.

2. Choose Grass-Fed: First, a grass-fed source of pure whey protein is essential when you’re choosing a protein powder. If it’s not grass-fed, chances are you’re consuming protein that’s coming from pesticide-treated, grain-fed animals. And that’s bad news, especially when you consider that grain-fed whey is missing many of the amino acids and enzymes found in grass-fed whey. Grain-fed whey is also much lower in healthy omega-3 fats.  The old saying “you are what you eat” comes to mind. As a result, commercial beef has drastically less nutritional value than their pasture-fed relatives. A study in the Journal of Animal Science found that the more grass cattle ate, the more nutritious their beef became.¹ Grass-fed products have three to five times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than that of commercial animals.² CLA is an important nutrient that has cancer-preventing properties. Grass-fed beef also has four times more vitamin E.

3. Hormone-Free Cows: Grain-fed cattle are almost always injected with antibiotics, estrogens and growth hormones to quickly fatten the cows and fight the infections and diseases that come from being confined on feed lots. A great one to try is Jay Robb Protein, which comes from cold-processed, cross-flow microfiltered whey protein isolate is used as the protein source and this material comes from farm-raised, pasture-grazed, grass-fed cows not treated with the synthetic bovine growth hormone rBGH.

4. Sweetened Naturally: Avoid artificial sweeteners, especially the ones that contain aspartame, sugar alcohol or high fructose corn syrup. A good protein powder should be low-glycemic, meaning it should not raise your blood sugar.

BANANA BREAD SHAKE
1 cup Almond Breeze Almond Milk, Unsweetened Original
1 scoop Vanilla Protein powder
6 walnuts or 1 tsp walnut oil
dash cinnamon
6 ice cubes

CINNAMON MOCHA SHAKE
1 scoop of protein powder
1 cup of unsweetened almond,hemp or soy milk
1 tsp cocoa
½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. decaffeinated instant coffee

ALMOND JOY PROTEIN SHAKE

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 protein scoop cup of unsweetened coconut

4 oz unsweetened almond milk

4-6 ice cubes
CHOCOLATE CHERRY PROTEIN SHAKE
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 cup of unsweetened almond,hemp or soy milk
¼ cup of frozen black cherries

POWER PACKED PUMPKIN:
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup almond milk, coconut, soy or hemp milk
1/2 cup 100% pure egg-whites (pasteurized so you can have out of carton)
1/2 can canned pumpkin
1 TBSP coconut milk creamer (optional)
1 small drop vanilla extract
dash cinnamon
6 ice cubes

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN SHAKE:
1 cup Almond Breeze Almond Milk, Unsweetened Original or vanilla

1/2 cup Blueberries, frozen (unsweetened)

1/4 banana

1 scoop Vanilla Protein powder
6 ice cubes

references

[1]French, P., et al, “Fatty acid composition, including conjugated linoleic acid, of intramuscular fat from steers offered grazed grass, grass silage, or concentrate-based diets,” J. Anim. Sci. 2000;78:2849-2855
[2] Dhiman, T., et al, “Conjugated linoleic acid from cows fed different diets,” J. Dairy Sci. 1999; 82(10): 2146-2156

I train a lot of clients at 5 and 5:30 am, which often means they don’t eat before they train.  Why, because what do you reach for that early that will fuel you but not fill you?!  I’ve found the answer…my POWER BITES!  Pop 2-3 of these and you’ll get some good fat, starch and fruit along with omega’s and a boat load of antioxidants to fuel your early am workout or even while you are driving the kids to their after school practices.  These are also great for your kids as they often need some fuel too and sugary drinks and bars full of junk are not the answer!

These NO BAKE bites take about 5 minutes to make and about 10 to chill in the fridge.

ENJOY & SHARE

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups raw oats

1/2 cup Natural PB (best not from fridge because it will be more runny making it easy to mix)

3 TBSP honey or Agave

2 TBSP Cinnamon (yes I looooove me some cinnamon!)

1/2 cup Chia Seeds (add 1/4 cup water and let sit for a few minutes before mixing, this makes them sticky)

2 TBSP (melted/warmed) Coconut oil

1/2 Cup Un-sweetened Raw Coconut

1/2 Cup Dried Blueberries (I love Trader Joe’s brand)

1/4 Cup Un-sweetened Apple Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all dry ingredients first then mix in with hands the wet ingredients until blended and sticky enough to mold into little balls.  Roll them and place in a a pan or on cookie sheet and put in the fridge.  Best eaten slightly cold.