The Only Opinion That Matters Is Your Own

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The Only Opinion That Matters is Your Own!
Click here: http://bit.ly/11PNPFH

Set Yourself FREE!

Featured in GRAZIA Magazine - Strong is better than skinny!

Oxygen Magazine covergirl!

My story...
Now we've all heard the big girl gets fit story which without a doubt are inspiring & I love hearing about them. Although my story is different. I'm the "skinny, insecure, depressed girl turns fit, happy & confident".
3 years ago I picked up my first copy of Oxygen Magazine. I had been exercising for about 6 months but didn't really know what I was doing. I was the typical cardio machine girl. I had no idea that you shape & tone your body by doing strength training!

Age 24 - Before I started doing weights - obsessed with cardio & trying to be lean!

Inspiration...
I was looking through Oxygen Magazine at the amazing, fit, strong, shapely women & knew right then & there that that's who I wanted to be! I said to my partner Declan that I wanted to be fit & strong & be on the cover of Oxygen one day!
That year I entered the Oxygen cover model competition & was lucky enough to make it to the top 5! This was wonderful news for me as I'd only been doing weight training for around 6 months.
I then made it my ultimate goal to be on the cover!

Competing...
I competed in my first fitness competition on September last year. I did WNBF Figure & Fit Body & won both! This year I decided to compete in fitness model as I felt it suited me better. I'm all about being healthy & fit & thought that if I stuck to the fitness model category I'd be able to stay fit & healthy with a few little adjustments to my diet in the weeks leading up to it.
I did WNBF Best Body Swimsuit earlier this year & won!
I then did INBA Fitness Model & placed Second. I was very happy! I didn't have to deplete or do any hard dieting & it showed that you can do it the healthy way!

The person I used to be...
All through my childhood up until my mid 20's I have been insecure with who I was. I had no self belief & was depressed. I started modelling when I was about 15. It was something that I enjoyed but I just never thought I was good enough for any jobs. I wouldn't put myself forward for jobs & if I did I didn't expect to get them. If I was lucky enough to get a job I'd make excuses as to why they picked me. I could never just be happy that I got it & believe that I deserved it. I was a pessimist, always negative & always put myself down.
I didn't know who I was & I definitely wasn't comfortable or happy with the person I was. I could imagine how hard it must have been for others to be around such a negative person.

I was always worried about what others thought about me & constantly did things to make them happy even if it meant putting my own happiness aside!

Age 12 - unhappy & insecure

Age 15 - unhappy, insecure, skinny & depressed

Age 17 - unhappy, insecure & depressed

Age 22 - unhealthy, unfit & unhappy.

Making changes...
When my partner Declan & I got together nearly 3 years ago he woke me up to a lot things! I started implementing changes in my life. If I didn't like something I'd change it, if I couldn't change it I accepted it & stopped wasting time worrying about it. I learnt to make the most of the life I have & appreciate the things I do have rather than focusing on what I don't!
I was in search of perfection before but it doesn't exist so it was a vicious cycle of disappointment. It's not about being perfect, it's about being the best you can be!

In order to overcome & fix being the way I was I had to realise & admit what I was doing & that I was sabotaging myself & any chance I had of being happy.

I had to make a lot of changes & these changes took time & deliberate effort. Every day I would work hard to not go back to the person I used to be. If I started thinking negatively I'd stop myself quick smart. Every time I doubted myself I'd tell myself I am good enough & I am more than capable - I still do this now! I replaced negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Some days I'd be great & other days I would find myself drifting back to how I used to be, but I kept at it, working on changing the way I thought, what I thought of myself & being more positive. Over time it became easier & it now happens naturally! Sure I sometimes slip up - I am human after all but it is easier now & I control my thoughts which then controls my feelings & actions.

Today...
My active lifestyle is not only about my body & being fit, it's just as much about my mind! I feel set free from the person I was previously. I was no longer preventing myself from living the best life possible.
I feel like a completely different person now! I am healthy, strong mentally & physically, I'm confident, I have self belief, I'm truly happy & I love myself for who I am! It's up to me to make my life the best life possible because I am worth it!

With my gorgeous boy!

My best friend, my love & my #1 support!

Age 27 - Healthy, fit & happy!
2012

Being an Oxygen Magazine Covergirl...
Being an Oxygen Magazine cover girl means so much more to me than being featured on the cover of my favorite magazine - it represents the changes I have made & the work I put in to transform myself into not only a fit, healthy person but a happy person who accepts & loves who they are! I really believed I could do it, I put in the hard work & I DID IT! ;)


                                    DREAM - BELIEVE - COMMIT - ACHIEVE!

To purchase a personally signed copy email: emily@emilyskye.com

With amazing photographer Dallas & beautiful Lindy Olsen at my Oxygen Shoot!

Behind the scenes at my Oxygen shoot!

I had so much fun shooting with Dallas!

With gorgeous friend & Oxygen ambassador Justine Switalla!
- I'm on the cover & Justine is inside the mag! :)

Thank you...

Thank you Oxygen Magazine for featuring me on the cover of your awesome magazine!
Thank you Lindy Olsen for all your tips & guidance along the way! I took everything you said on board & they worked!
Thanks Dallas Olsen for the awesome shots! You are so great to work with, give direction easily & produce incredible photographs! You rock!

Thank you so much to everyone online who has been so supportive of me & everything I do on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & email email Your support doesn't go unnoticed!

My beautiful friends & family! Thank you for always being there for me & loving me no matter what! I love you!

A MASSIVE thank you to my beautiful man & my best friend Declan - You not only support me in everything I do but you believed in me even before I believed in myself! You gave me the wake up call I needed, pushed me in the right direction & continued to love me through everything. I love you more & more every day! X Em


   Having genuine, supportive people in your life is so important! :)

HAVING REALISTIC & ACHIEVABLE GOALS!

I'm a big believer of having aspirations & aiming high as long as your goals are realistic & achievable! There's no point trying to achieve something that is simply unrealistic... For example; I know I am not tall enough to be a catwalk model so I don't bother wasting my time trying to be one, I know I'm not academic enough to be a doctor so I don't bother trying to be one!
Know your potential, choose something that you enjoy & you know is achievable for you & do what needs to be done to achieve it! If that means changing our hair, losing weight, studying, moving away..whatever it takes you need to be willing to do it if it's what you really want. Don't put all your eggs in one basket either - I'm not just a fitness model, I'm also a photographer, makeup artist & talent agent & I'm also looking at becoming a personal trainer... There is far more chance of being successful this way rather than putting all your time & energy into one thing - if you don't get it then what are you left with? Know your potential, dream big, believe you can achieve it, do what needs to be done to give you the best chance of success, be adaptable & resilient & have a back up plan!

Jealousy, insecurities, negativity....

Jealousy, insecurities, negativity....They're all pointless & a waste of time & energy! Try focusing on doing things to make you happy, changing things you don't like or moving on from your past... I guarantee you'll be a much happier person. Turn your jealousy & insecurities into positives, use other people's success to motivate you to be successful yourself, work hard for the things you want, try being more positive & stop putting others around you down - this will only add to your own unhappiness! Treat other people how YOU want to be treated! If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all! Aren't you sick of being a negative, critical, insecure, jealous & most of all an UNHAPPY person? Time to start implementing changes into your life so you can be the best person you can be! What are you waiting for?

Just "do it" - enough procrastinating!

 I don't know if you're anything like me but I am the master of procrastination. If something needs to be done & it's something that doesn't provide immediate enjoyment or results then I have trouble getting it done or even started! If I have no pressure to do something then I don't want to do it! I have been this way since I was a kid!

What is Procrastination? When we replace high priority actions with tasks of lower importance for short term enjoyment & satisfaction & delaying the important tasks to a later time. Why do we do this? People naturally want to put off important tasks that are associated with stress or anxiety or being we simply find the task boring or we don't have confidence in being able to complete the task due to lack of skills or knowledge. We put off the tasks for temporary enjoyment. 

Procrastination may result in stress, self disappointment, sense of guilt, crisis, disapproval of others & severe loss of productivity which leads to further procrastination. It's a vicious cycle! 

How do we manage it? With structure - setting goals & planning, commitment & rewarding yourself on completion of tasks. For example: If I finish retouching photos for clients I will reward myself with something I want to do like relaxing while watching a movie or heading out for a coffee & I keep that in mind to keep me motivated to get my retouching completed. If you have something that needs to be done & you just look at it as a whole it seems "too hard" or "unachievable" - break it up into sections so it doesn't seem so hard to accomplish. Just starting something is the hardest part! Sometimes I think we just need to stop thinking about things too much & just get things done!

EAT TO MEET LONG TERM GOALS, NOT SHORT TERM SATISFACTION!

I am constantly asked;
"What keeps you motivated to stay on track with your diet?"
A lot of people think that because I am naturally skinny I don't have to battle cravings & being fit & lean comes easily to me. This is not the case....
Not many people know this about me but I LOVE food, I mean I can eat & eat & never get full & I can easily eat more than a lot of men! Food rules me if I let it! It's like my brain can't tell when I'm full.
For me to stay on track it takes a lot of willpower & dedication. I used to constantly battle between having something unhealthy for the temporary pleasure & having my ultimate body!
Now it is not so hard for me - the longer you eat clean, the easier it is & you actually stop craving bad food!

So what keeps me on track? 
I keep my eyes on my goal at all times, whenever I want something not so healthy I remind myself of what my goal is. I ask myself  "What do I want more, this block of chocolate or abs?"

I also keep photos of the body I want & look at them when I feel like I might go off track to remind myself what I REALLY want.
 
What do I eat when I get cravings?
I keep healthier snacks at home - roasted almonds, goji berries, rice cakes with almond spread, home made protein balls, berries, sugar free hot chocolate made with stevia & if I want chocolate I'll have sugar free dark chocolate made with stevia. These usually hit the spot for me!

Of course you are allowed a treat every now & then as long as it's not sabotaging your progress! ;)

It's important to really think about the consequences of your actions & whether they will help you achieve your goals or hold you back.
What is more important to you - Temporary satisfaction or your long term goal?

Stop imagining what it would be like to have your dream body & get it for real! :)

A race against my previous self

I am in competition with myself - to be better, kinder & wiser than my previous self. To be able to forgive more easily, to be quicker at letting go of hurt & anger.

 I no longer let people walk all over me, hurt me or bring me down. I'm not fooled by fakeness or sucked in by lies. 
I realize that "most" people are only out for themselves but also that beautiful, genuine people do exist. 
I stay away from drama. 
I don't compare myself to anyone else but who I was yesterday. 
If I'm not happy with something then I change it, if I can't change it I learn to accept it & don't waste time worrying about it.

I am learning to tolerate others more & have patience. 
I don't need to please everybody, I have learnt to say "no".

I don't need to be accepted by everyone. Not everyone will like me & that is just fine. 
I try not to judge others & accept that others will always judge me.

I am learning to stop procrastinating in fear of making the wrong decision or not doing something right or perfect.

I make mistakes, I am not perfect & don't pretend to be. 
I take responsibility for my own actions & won't blame others or make excuses.
People hurt me & I hurt others even though it is not my intention.

I forgive myself for my mistakes & move on... I have no regrets, just lessons learnt. 
I forgive those who have hurt me & let it go...holding onto hurt & anger will not help.

I am grateful for what I do have & have learnt to appreciate even the little things - things I used to take for granted.

I always try to see the positive side of every situation & make the most of every experience.

This is my precious life & I am making it the best life possible.
I will continue to follow my dreams, I am good enough, I am capable, I believe in myself & I deserve it!
If I fall I'll get back up & keep trying.

I am not in search for perfection, I am only trying to be better than I was.

I am in a race against my previous self.

A little bit of inspiration...

I met this wonderful, joyful woman called Robyn the other day. She trains nearly every day & has so much determination to become a stronger, fitter & healthier person. Robyn is constantly pushing herself to achieve new goals everyday... something a lot of people strive for but lack the discipline or determination & tend to give up easily!

Robyn has Multiple Sclerosis quite severely. She is unable to move her legs & is told her condition will only worsen.

One day around 5 years ago she was running along the beach when she suddenly fell to the ground unable to move her legs. After doing many tests she was diagnosed with MS.
Refusing to give in to her disease she decided to do regular strength training combined with a healthy diet so she can be as strong as she possibly can.
Robyn has recently been told by the doctor that her condition has stabilized for the passed 4 years due to her healthy, active lifestyle!
She believes she can beat her MS even though it is impossible!

Meeting Robyn has reminded me to be truly grateful for what I do have & to quit complaining about insignificant things.
Every time I feel like giving up & every time I start feeling sorry for myself I think of all the people who are less fortunate than me! I have nothing to complain about!

Don't live life being restricted by what you don't have, make the most of what you've got, be the best YOU can & live your life to the fullest!

The only thing holding you back is you!

For information about MS please visit:
http://www.msaustralia.org.au/ or http://www.nationalmssociety.org/index.aspx

To make a donation click here: 

https://www.mssociety.org.au/donate/ms/

Moving Past Your Mistakes

Today I lost everything... or what I thought was everything for a few seconds until I realized that what I have lost is nothing compared to what others have lost or don't have.
I made a very stupid mistake, I didn’t back up my hard drive with thousands of images from clients shoots from the last few months as well as my own shoots, family photos & months worth of retouched images. It cost me thousands to attempt to recover the files – but had no luck. I now have to refund the last few clients for the images that I cannot provide which they have already paid for! My stupid mistake has set me back around $10 000 in monetary value & I have lost a lot of sentimental photos!
Yep, I felt like a complete idiot, felt sorry for myself, & bawled my eyes out, shouted into the phone to my partner Declan that I give up on life, told him I’m selling all my camera equipment & never want anything to do with it or a computer ever again… along with a few swear words thrown in of course! Hey I am only human!

Then I reminded myself of what I constantly preach every day which is; to appreciate what you DO have & stop worrying about what you don't & don’t waste time & effort worrying about the things you can't change!

Isn't it funny that something so minuscule can have the potential to destroy your world! While there are people out there who only wish for enough food to survive yet there I was suffering a serious case of self pity! What for???  I have it good! I have my health, I have the skills to make more money, I can take more photos, I have the self-belief & dedication to achieve anything I want in life. I have an amazing man who loves & supports me no matter what, I have a loving family, beautiful friends, a house to live in & SO much more! What do I really have to worry about? NOTHING!

It really puts things into perspective when you take a look around at what other people don’t have & yet they still manage to be happy! I'm not saying that just because there are other people out there who are going through a lot worse than you means that your problems are irrelevant, but putting things into perspective definitely helps you to get through them!

It’s easy to get caught up with constantly pushing for more in life - nothing ever seems to be good enough! You forget to appreciate the things you do have…until one day you may not have them anymore!

Some of the lessons I learnt or revised this weekend are;

1. Back up your work!!! Never rely on computers!

2. Have more structure in your life & business – prioritize & have an order!

3. Don’t take on so much work in attempt to please everyone that you actually lose the quality of your work &  potentially risk losing everything!
I made a massive effort about a year ago to stop being a people pleaser, I have made a lot of changes & I am no longer a doormat BUT I am human & I do stuff up & sometimes feel myself slipping backwards to the person I used to be.

4. Learn from your mistakes! Make a conscious effort to not make the same mistakes again! Sometimes the only way to learn is the hard way!

5. Work smarter not harder!

6. Stop being so hard on yourself, accept that you’re not perfect! Stop pushing for perfection – it doesn’t exist!

7. When you get knocked down get back up! Yes it is of course easier said than done, but it is your best option! You owe it to yourself to keep on going, even if you do have to start all over again!  Remember the beauty about starting again is that you have done it before so you already know you can do it again only this time you can do it BETTER!  :)

8. Don’t dwell on things. We all know that you can’t change the past! Some things can’t be fixed & you are better off letting go & moving on. You could waste your precious time worrying about things or wishing you could go back in time to undo your mistakes but you simply can’t so what is the point of worrying about it? It’s not going to change anything – in fact it’s only going to make you feel worse & make you more unhappy. Cut your losses & move on!

9. The most important thing I have learnt through this particular experience is to appreciate! Don’t ever take things for granted! Appreciate what you DO have & make the most of what you’ve got! There are plenty of people out there a LOT worse off that you!

10. Don't place so much importance on "things". The most important things in life are not things, it’s the people in your life that are far more important!

It’s hard to see the BIG picture in life when you’re looking at things too closely. When you’re focused on one small part of your life it’s easy to miss the beauty of the full picture & things don’t make sense. We all know when you hit rock bottom it’s difficult to see things ever getting better. You can only see the problem that is right in front of you... but it may be blocking your view of something even better!

How can you possibly see the potential for opportunity, success & happiness in your future if you don’t take your eyes off the past & move forward?

I believe in taking something from every experience, whether it is a good experience or bad experience there is always something to be learnt!

You never know what terrible things may have happened in the future if you had not learnt your lesson now – things could always be a lot worse!


No matter what life throws at me I choose to deal with them the best I can & remain as positive as possible. Your stuff ups & knock backs are what makes you stronger as a person & gives you an opportunity to be better next time!

Life is what you make it & your happiness relies on how you choose to deal with things. You can either be negative & unhappy (which is what I used to be) or positive & happy! I know I’m a thousand times better being the latter!

Even when you think you have learnt your lessons in life you still need to take the time to revise those lessons! It’s easy to forget & you get so caught up in life that before you know it you’re making those same mistakes all over again, or going back to the person you “used” to be. Ensure your past mistakes were worthwhile & learn from them!

How do you learn to truly appreciate if you have never lost? How do you become stronger if you have never fallen down? How can you advise others on how to overcome things & work their way up if you have never done it yourself?

I believe everything does happen for a reason but it’s up to YOU to take the opportunity to learn  something from each experience & make it worthwhile!
You will appreciate your achievements so much more if your journey was hard & entailed a lot of setbacks!

Life doesn’t always go as planned so it’s really important to be grateful when it does! Just because you have chosen to be a more positive person doesn’t mean your life miraculously goes perfectly!

Don’t lose the person you have worked hard to become just because things aren’t going your way. I can guarantee that you will be a much happier person in the long run by getting back up when you’re knocked down & having a more positive attitude no matter what happen in life.

"It’s the people who give up after being knocked down that fail! I’d rather die trying than live my life knowing I gave up when things got tough!"

"I believe if you pursue your dreams with unstoppable determination, know exactly what you want and possess an incessant desire to acquire it, you will prevail!"

"Its not about what we achieve that makes us truly successful it's who we become through the journey & what we can contribute to others through our own successes which gives our lives significant meaning."

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit."

The importance of GOOD FATS!

I have just started using coconut oil twice a day after doing extensive research on the stuff.

I have been having stomach dramas for years now, intolerance to different foods, stomach pain, bloating, discomfort, etc etc! People who suffer from irritable bowel, gluten or lactose intolerance know what I'm talking about! It can really affect your health, energy levels, ability to exercise & your mood!

I prefer not to take medication & I'm always looking for healthy treatment alternatives & through my research I have come across coconut oil & it's amazing health benefits.

• Hair care
• Skin Care
• Heart Disease
• Weight Loss
• Digestion
• Immunity
• Healing & Infections
• Helps improves nutrient obsorption
• Imporoves absorption of minerals such as calcium & magnesium which aids in preventing osteoporosis.
• Increases absorption of some of the B vitamins, fat soluble vitamins - A, D, E, K, Beta-carotene & some amino acids.

Coconut oil also has many other uses. Research has shown it can be useful in the treatment and prevention of obesity. A lot of research is current being done in this area. Studies show it may be helpful in preventing liver disease, kidney disease, Crohn's disease, cancer and many infectious illnesses such as the flu, herpes, bladder infections, and candida, to mention just a few. Studies are now being done to test it effectiveness against serious illness such as AIDS and SARS. Preliminary results have been very promising.

While Coconut oil is mostly saturated fat it is a unique saturated fat which is often misguided because of it's association with the word saturated which is commonly know as "bad fats"

Fats are classified as short-, medium- or long-chain based on the number of carbon molecules they contain. Nearly two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil consists of medium-chain fatty acids.

Fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. Three fatty acids joined together form a triglyceride molecule. Some fatty acids are smaller than others. Medium-chain fatty acids are smaller than long-chain fatty acids. Likewise medium-chain triglycerides are smaller than long-chain triglycerides. The size of these molecules is very important because our bodies process and metabolize each fat differently depending on its size. Most of all of the fats and oils in our diet are composed of long-chain fatty acids, whether they're unsaturated or saturated. There are only a few dietary sources of medium-chain fatty acids, the primary source being tropical oils, particularly palm kernel and coconut oils. That's why coconut oil is different from other oils and it the secret to many of its healing properties.

 Long-chain triglycerides still need the digestive enzymes to break them down. What's important here is that the long-chain fatty acids, when they're finally broken down, will be absorbed through the intestinal wall. From there, they are packaged into lipoproteins and released into the bloodstream. So the long-chain fatty acids go into the digestive tract and then into the bloodstream. As they circulate in the bloodstream they supply the fat that collects in fat cells and the fat that collects in artery walls.

With medium-chain fatty triglycerides in coconut oil the process is different. They are quickly digested, so pancreatic enzymes are not needed. By the time they enter the intestinal tract they are completely broken down into fatty acids. Because of this, they are absorbed immediately into the portal vein, and sent directly to the liver. In the liver they are used as a source of fuel to produce energy. Therefore, they bypass the lipoprotein stage, and they don't circulate in the bloodstream to the degree that other fats do. Consequently, they do not supply the fat that collects in fat cells or the fat that collects in artery walls. They produce energy not body fat and not arterial plaque.

In the 1980s MCTs became a popular source of energy for people engaged in high-level sports such as bikers or marathoners.  High carbohydrate diets had been popular for providing quick energy, but carbs also stimulate insulin, which causes your body to deposit fat.  MCTs provide quick energy as well, but since they are a fat and not a carb, they don't stimulate insulin, and you don't have the problem with weight gain.  MCTs do stimulate thermogenesis, which is the process where your body produces heat by increased burning of fat.  This is a good thing for people who are trying to lose fat.

Add medium chain triglycerades to a well balanced diet including the essential fatty acids.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

• Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are necessary fats that our bodies cannot produce, and must be obtained through our diet. EFAs are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids. There are two families of EFAs: Omega-3 and Omega-6. 

Omega-9 is a necessary"non-essential" fatty acid because the body is capable of producing a good amount on its own, provided essential EFAs are present. 

The number following "Omega-" represents the position of the first double bond, counting from the terminal methyl group on the molecule. Omega-3 fatty acids are derived from Linolenic Acid, Omega-6 from Linoleic Acid, and Omega-9 from Oleic Acid.

• EFAs support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. The human body needs EFAs to manufacture and repair cell membranes, enabling the cells to obtain optimum nutrition and expel harmful waste products. 

A primary function of EFAs is the production of prostaglandins, which regulate body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, conception, and play a role in immune function by regulating inflammation and encouraging the body to fight infection. Essential Fatty Acids are also needed for proper growth in children, particularly for neural development and maturation of sensory systems, with male children having higher needs than females. Fetuses and breast-fed infants also require an adequate supply of EFAs through the mother's dietary intake.
 
• EFA deficiency and Omega 6/3 imbalance is linked with serious health conditions, such as heart attacks, cancer, insulin resistance, asthma, lupus, schizophrenia, depression, postpartum depression, accelerated aging, stroke, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, ADHD, and Alzheimer's Disease, among others.

Omega-3 (Linolenic Acid)

Found in foods:
  • Flaxseed oil (flaxseed oil has the highest linolenic content of any food), flaxseeds, flaxseed meal, hempseed oil, hempseeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, avocados, some dark leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, purslane, mustard greens, collards, etc.), canola oil (cold-pressed and unrefined), soybean oil, wheat germ oil, salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, albacore tuna, and others.
• One tablespoon per day of flaxseed oil should provide the recommended daily adult portion of linolenic acid, although "time-released" effects of consuming nuts and other linolenic-rich foods is being studied, and considered more beneficial than a once-daily oil intake.

Because high heat destroys linolenic acid, cooking in linolenic-rich oils or eating cooked linolenic-rich fish is unlikely to provide a sufficient amount.

• Flaxseed oil used for dietary supplementation should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer, and purchased from a supplier who refrigerates the liquid as well.
• Canola oil is often used as a cheaper alternative to the healthier virgin olive and grapeseed oils. Although Canola has at least some linolenic content, supermarket varieties of canola oil are often refined and processed with chemicals and heat, which destroy much of its linolenic acid. Cold-pressed, unrefined Canola oil is a healthier type of Canola (sometimes pricier than virgin olive oil), and found primarily in health food stores and specialty markets. The word "canola" is derived from "Canadian oil", as Canola was developed in Canada from the rape plant. Rape is a plant in the mustard family, and its rapeseed oil has at times been illegally blended with olive oil, particularly in Europe, to cheapen olive oil production costs. Although rapeseed oil is high in linolenic acid, it can make humans seriously ill if enough is consumed, and olive oil cheapened with rapeseed oil has a history of severely sickening its consumers. (Every feel itchy after eating commercial brands of peanut butter? Check the label -- it probably contains rapeseed oil.) Canola was developed to eliminate chemicals toxic to humans in rapeseed oil, thus creating an inexpensive oil with linolenic acid. Unlike olive and flaxseed oil, both known to the ancients and used as mankind evolved, Canola is a recent oil, and its long-term effects on humans are not yet known.
• Unripe flaxseeds contain a natural form of cyanide, and home gardeners should be cautious if trying to grow flax. The seeds must be ripe before harvesting. If attempting to grow flax at home, consult an experienced grower.

Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid)

Found in foods:
• Flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed meal, hempseed oil, hempseeds, grapeseed oil, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, sunflower seeds (raw), olive oil, olives, borage oil, evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, chestnut oil, chicken, among many others.
• Avoid refined and hydrogenated versions of these foods.
• Corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and cottonseed oils are also sources of linoleic acid, but are refined and may be nutrient-deficient as sold in stores.

Omega-9 (Oleic Acid)
• Essential but technically not an EFA, because the human body can manufacture a limited amount, provided essential EFAs are present.
• Monounsaturated oleic acid lowers heart attack risk and arteriosclerosis, and aids in cancer prevention.

Found in foods:
• Olive oil (extra virgin or virgin), olives, avocados, almonds, peanuts, sesame oil, pecans, pistachio nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, etc.
• One to two tablespoons of extra virgin or virgin olive oil per day should provide sufficient oleic acid for adults. However, the "time-released" effects of obtaining these nutrients from nuts and other whole foods is thought to be more beneficial than consuming the entire daily amount via a single oil dose.

Food tips
• High heat, light, and oxygen destroy EFAs, so when consuming foods for their EFA content, try to avoid cooked or heated forms. For example, raw nuts are a better source than roasted nuts. Don't use flaxseed oil for cooking, and never re-use any type of oil.
• Replace hydrogenated fats (like margarine), cholesterol-based fats (butter/dairy products), and poly-saturated fats (common cooking oils) with healthy EFA-based fats when possible. For example, instead of margarine or butter on your warm (not hot) vegetables, use flaxseed and/or extra virgin olive oils with salt. (This tastes similar to margarine, as margarine is just hydrogenated oil with salt.)
• Sprinkling flaxseed meal on vegetables adds a slightly nutty taste. Whole flaxseeds are usually passed through the intestine, absorbing water only and not yielding much oil. Also, it's best not to use huge amounts of flaxseed in its meal (ground seed) form, as it contains phytoestrogens. The oil is much lower in phytoestrogens.
• In many recipes calling for vegetable shortening, replacing the shortening with half as much virgin olive oil, and a very small pinch of extra salt, often yields similar results.
• Adding flaxseed and/or virgin olive oil to salads instead of supermarket salad oil is another healthy change.
• Replace oily snack foods, like potato chips and corn chips, with nuts and seeds.
• Extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil are best to use for cooking oil, as they withstand high heat well.

If coconut oil is so effective, why haven't we heard more about it in the treatment of infectious illnesses?

The problem with coconut oil is that it is a natural product. Pharmaceutical companies cannot patent it, so they have little interest in developing or promoting it. Most of the interest has come from the health food and supplement industry. In fact, coconut oil in one form or another has been used for some time. Caprylic acid, one of the MCFAs in coconut oil is a popular ingredient in many anti-candida formulations. Monolaurin, another coconut oil derived supplement, is used as a general-purpose antibiotic. Fractionated coconut oil, also known as MCT oil, is a common ingredient in many health and fitness products. Coconut oil has even been put into gel capsules as dietary supplements. Of course, you can also find pure liquid coconut oil in just about any health food store.

* Do not have coconut oil if you have liver desease

My interview with SLINKII

I'm so happy & honored to be featured on the Slinkii website this week! Check out my interview about my fitness, diet & modelling here: www.slinkii.com

 

My Novo Shoes 2012 campaign shoot

I was lucky enough to be chosen to model for one of my favorite shops Novo Shoes for their new Autumn/Winter 2012 campaign. I modeled alongside Miss Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs & fellow model & friend Dominique Le Toullec.
It was a loooong 13 hour day but it was a very fun & different shoot. The concept was really cool. We were an all girl band on tour! We pretended to sing & play guitars on stage, ride in limos to our gigs & chill at our after parties.

The campaign will be launched at the beginning of 2012 & will be used for billboards, bus ads, shop windows, posters, catalogs & in magazine advertisements.

Thank you Novo Shoes for having me as a part of your exciting new campaign! :)
Here are some behind the scenes pics from the shoot:

Novo Shoes Autumn/Winter 2012 Campaign

Me with stunning Dominique Le Toullec

Rocking a little bit of Angelina Jolie style!

Dominique & me

Me with beautiful Miss Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs shooting our limo scene

Don't forget to check out Novo's gorgeous shoes at amazing prices in store & online: www.novoshoes.com.au & keep a lookout for our campaign photos & our behind the scenes video!

Some uplifting words from me...

NEVER let what someone else thinks or says about you define you! You know who you are better than anyone! Completely remove the negative & poisonous people from your life - To do that means to cut all ties with them physically & mentally. Make a conscious effort to not allow them to affect you in ANY way, forgive these types people for the person they choose to be & let them go. Holding onto hate & anger is not healthy & only brings YOU down & subsequently makes you unhappy! Take control of yourself, your actions, reactions, feelings & your life! Nobody can take away your happiness without your consent! Have complete faith in the person you KNOW you are!

 

Carbs are not your Enemy!

You need to have good carbs so your body can absorb protein & you can build lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn! Having a very low carb diet can be detrimental to your thyroid gland which can affect your health & your results negatively. Your thyroid is responsible for producing hormones such as the ones that regulate your rate of metabolism. If it is affected due to a low carb diet then your results will plateau & you won't be efficiently burning fat! You may not notice your metabolism slowing at first but you will find that you hit a plateau faster than being on a healthier, moderate carb diet plan. I'd suggest looking into Carb Cycling so that you don't risk damaging your thyroid!   Without having enough carbs in your diet your body becomes depleted & you simply won't have enough energy to train hard! Carbs are directly related to your body's ability to recover post workout & you'll find that you become weaker & weaker!   Carbs are your body's preferred source of workout energy, while your body can use fat as a fuel source if you're doing endurance or high intensity training carbs will delay the onset of fatigue.   Another reason why cutting out carbs may not be so good: Your brain uses carbs to function! If you haven't had carbs for an extended period of time then your body starts to produce what's called ketone bodies which is your brains alternative fuel source. This can make you feel miserable, you're unable to concentrate, you're tired all the time, can't think properly & just don't feel good!   Carbs also hold water, so if you cut it out, you think you have actually lost weight, but all you have lost is fluid!   Cutting out carbs should only be temporary like if you have a competition or a photoshoot etc. They call it "depleting" for a reason! It is not healthy & shouldn't be permanent! From experience I have found that including good carbs in my diet has lowered my body fat & I was able to gain good lean muscle! Good carbs are: sweet potato, rolled oats, quinoa, brown rice, & of course fruits & vegetables! (Quinoa is also high is protein & is a complete protein - it is far better than just about any other grain!). I hope this info helps you not to be scared of incorporating good carbs in your diet! They are not the enemy! ;)

MY FIRST FITNESS COMPETITION!

I competed in my first Figure & Fit Body competition on the 4th Sept 2011.

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to compete as I had health issues mid this year & had troubles with my heart. At the time I thought it wouldn't be possible as I couldn't do anything that raised by heart rate... which meant no training! I ended up healing faster that the Doctor thought & was back to training after 6 weeks of resting & recovering. I had lost quite a bit of weight & muscle size but I trained hard for 10 weeks & ate a lot of clean, high - protein, good carb foods & was able to gain back what I had lost!

I competed in WNBF Miss Figure USA & Miss Fit Body USA & won them both.
I was very proud of myself for how far I had come & what I was able to achieve through self belief, hard work & dedication.

There were times when I didn't think I had enough energy to get through a training session, but I made myself! Pushed my body to it's limits - no further! I listened to my body & didn't overdo it like I used to.

Here's what I ate during the week leading up to my comp;

(Keep in mind this is NOT healthy nor maintainable)

I had around 6 meals a day starting with a cup of rolled oats cooked with water, almond flakes & cinnamon. Throughout the day I had either grilled turkey breast, asparagus & or green beans OR tuna in spring water washed to remove as much sodium as possible & baby spinach leaves. I had rice cakes with almond spread as snacks. Food like tomatoes & broccoli held too much water so I wasn't allowed to have it.
I went 3 days carb free, then carb loaded the night before my comp & water depleted for a couple of days before. I had low sodium through the whole 10 weeks leading up to my comp.

For the 6 months before my comp I did heavy weights & no cardio as I was already quite lean & didn't want to risk burning off hard earned muscle.

I would really like to stress to people that this is NOT healthy & this type of diet & training shouldn't be followed to get fit or lose weight. It is a short term plan & is not maintainable.
A lot of people have this idea that looking the way I looked at comp is a realistic, & maintainable healthy/fit look. Body builders are not healthy!!!

I personally don't like this type of diet & training but it did get me muscular & lean! I may have looked "fit" but I was actually pretty unfit & unhealthy. I had no energy as I wasn't eating enough carbs & I couldn't run to save myself since I hadn't done cardio in months. The water depleting was the worst part. I like to drink a couple of liters a day & I had to cut down to only a few sips the day before & day of my comp so you can imagine how I was feeling!

On the day of the comp I was tired, dizzy, sick & dehydrated. My face looked aged - I looked about 10 years older! When you get so low in body fat you lose the fat in your face which makes you look youthful...BUT my body looked ripped! The depleting had worked! That means that most the water that sits between my muscles & skin had gone - revealing more defined muscles!

If you're looking at competing it is important to speak to someone who knows what they're talking about & can assess your body type & the way you respond to different training & diet plans as well as pre-comp preparation & techniques. Everyone is different & you need to work out what is best for you!
 
What is fluid retention?
Fluid retention is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the circulatory system or within the tissues or cavities of the body & can make you appear higher in body fat & undefined. Foods that contain salt & sugar can cause the body to retain fluid. If you don't have enough protein in your diet & you're not getting enough amino acids or B-vitamins may also lead to fluid retention.

What is water depleting & water loading?
Water depleting is when you drink less or almost no water before a competition so that you look hard & dry on comp day. Water loading is when you increase your intake of water about a week out from your comp causing your body to increase the rate it expels excess water then when you decrease your water intake a few days before a comp your body is still expelling water at the same rate it was when you were loading.

What is Carb loading?

Carb loading is when you increase your carbohydrate intake gradually during the week before your comp. A week-long carbohydrate load allows you to adequately fill muscles with glycogen, which improves definition and size leaving your muscles with a "full" look.

* Bananas are a great source of carbohydrates as they're low in fat but provide you with potassium.

Potassium is an essential nutrient that can help prevent cramping as you decrease your sodium intake.

What is Sodium Loading/Depletion?

Sodium loading is when you increase your sodium intake about a week out from your competition. Your body will begin pumping more sodium out of the body.  About 3 days out from comp you completely eliminate sodium. When the depletion occurs, the body will still be tricked into pumping out more than normal & will take excess water with it. 

Here are some natural diuretics;

• Vitamin B6 - a natural diuretic
• Dandelion - natural diuretic properties
• Green tea/caffeine - stimulates the central nervous system, has a diuretic effect & increases urine & sodium losses through the kidneys.
• Asparagus - contains asparigine which is a chemical alkaloid that boosts kidney performance, thereby improving waste removal from the body

You have to be careful that you're using diuretics correctly or they can lead to dehydration & potassium deficiency. They increase the flow of urine causing your body to get rid of fluid which can also flush out nutrients & electrolytes.


Here is some interesting information about the final week preparation for a comp which is contradictory to standard traditional comp preparation written by Dr. Joe Klemczewski who is a WNBF Pro and has graduate degrees in health and nutrition.


Myths Of The Final Week

People often believe they can trick their body by using extreme techniques the last week before the show that will make them look super shredded. The truth is, if one has dieted properly, what they do in the last week will not make or break their show.
Few people win a show by tricks they use in the last week of pre contest prep. However, many people lose a show by using these extreme techniques. These techniques I speak of stem from myths that have been perpetuated by bodybuilders who use large amounts of anabolic steroids. These methods include but are not limited to…

• Drastic carb depletion followed by drastic carb loading
• Days of water depletion
• Massive potassium loading
• Laxatives
• Diuretics

For bodybuilders who use large amounts of anabolic steroids, these methods are needed to shed water, as anabolic steroids will cause one to retain large amounts of water extracellularly (outside the cell or subcutaneously).
For a bodybuilder who doesn't use androgens, this type of preparation is a bit too extreme. One can think of the body as a pendulum. It will stay in equilibrium unless pushed.
One can push their body in one direction and they will experience a certain effect for a while, but eventually the pendulum will swing back in the opposite direction and they will experience the opposite effect.
For example, if one were to cut water intake drastically they would at first experience a great deal of water loss, but as the body senses water levels dropping, it will release anti-diuretic hormones which will cause the body to retain more water. On the other hand, in some cases we can use the body's reactions to our advantage.


Pushing The Pendulum

Many Competitors practice the technique of water depletion. Water depletion consists of reducing one's liquid intake to practically nothing as they approach the contest. Not only is this practice very dangerous, it is also ineffective.
Muscle tissue consists of 70% water. If one restricts water intake drastically, they will lose muscle fullness and appear flat onstage. In addition, reducing water will increase the likelihood of muscle cramps while onstage (this happens quite frequently and is very embarrassing).
Some competitors believe water is what causes them to appear smooth. This is not the case. Water retention intracellular (inside the cell) will cause one appear hard and full. Subcutaneous (under the skin) water retention however, causes one look smooth.
When the body senses a drastic restriction in water intake it will release anti-diuretic hormones that cause subcutaneous water retention. This makes physiological sense: the body senses it is not getting enough water and releases hormones that cause water retention to prevent dehydration.
The result is muscles that appear look flat; from lack of  intracellular water, and soft; from retaining water subcutaneously. The competitor's goal is to maximize intracellular and minimize subcutaneous water retention. Part of this can be accomplished via proper carbohydrate manipulation.
Carbohydrate intake in the final week should be based on one principle, that water follows carbohydrates (approx 2.7g water is stored for each gram of stored carbohydrate), and it is the water following the glucose, not the glucose itself that causes the muscle to have tight fullness.
Therefore, we can deduce that it is not logical to deplete ones water and load up on carbs, more logical however, is to keep a high water intake, and manipulate our carbohydrates so that the maximum amount of water is stored inside the muscle tissue and not subcutaneously.


On Sodium Depleting And Potassium Loading

I see that many competitors seem to think that cutting out sodium and raising potassium to ridiculously high levels is the best way to shed excess water. Not only can this process be dangerous, (even fatal if grossly overdone) it is not that effective.
You see, in terms of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone that causes you to retain water) decreasing sodium intake will reduce ADH output. However, your water and ion levels are controlled by several hormones, not just one. This makes sense, as your body does not want to lose a lot of water.
Why? Because an increased urine volume means decreased blood volume, decreased blood volume means decreased blood pressure; which is dangerous in the short term as it decreases the amount of blood to and from the heart. Therefore, if you lower your sodium and increase your potassium, the body will fight water loss by increasing aldosterone production.
Aldosterone is member of the steroid hormone family and it causes water's reabsorbtion in the kidneys (water retention) and triggers you to become thirsty. Production of aldosterone is stimulated by EITHER an increase in blood concentrations of potassium or a decrease in concentrations of sodium (exactly what most competitors TRY to do!).
Wait, it gets better... aldosterone attaches to receptors on the distal tubule and on the collecting duct (part of the nephron... the functional unit of the kidney) and causes water to be reabsorbed into the interstitial fluid.
So instead of excreting this water via urination, your body will retain it to increase your blood volume and return your blood pressure to normal.
The best strategy for losing excess extracellular water (if you don't want to take illicit drugs) is to use a moderate approach. Sodium loading isn't a bad idea starting about 10-15 days out, but when you deplete don't take it to ridiculously low levels... stay within 1.5-3g per day.
By the same token don't load on a bunch of potassium, just eat the foods rich in potassium, no need to take potassium pills every hour.

As much as I didn't like the comp prep as it's not healthy for you I am still very proud of myself & what I was able to achieve. Not many people have the dedication it takes to prepare for a competition & the guts to actually get up on stage. While I gained a lot of support & compliments from friends, family & online I still received a lot of negative comments even from those close to me.
Some comments & questions were;

"You're overdoing it"
"You're obsessed"
"You look disgusting & unattractive"
"You're too lean" or "you're too muscly"
"Why do you want to look like that?"

Well in comeback to your put downs, questions & concerns; I did it because I LIKE training, I like pushing my body to it's limits, I think abs are sexy on girls & I like being strong & proving people wrong! I did what many people said I couldn't. I have achieved something that many say is hard to achieve. I proved to myself that I can achieve pretty much anything I want to do through self believe, hard work & dedication. When I fell I got back up, when I was told "you cant" - I said "I can" & I did! Did you?

We both won!! :)

With my gorgeous Sonia who came 3rd :)

My best friend Chloe Maxwell & me backstage
I'm wearing an amazing Amy Taylor dress.

On stage - Triceps pose
Figure suit by Vizion Wear

Back stage pumping up

WNBF Miss Figure USA short class winner &
Miss Fit Body USA short class winner 2011

“Failure is temporary, giving up makes it permanent"

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm"

“Humans have the remarkable ability to get exactly what they must have, but there is a difference between a ‘must’ and ‘want.’ ”

“To be successful, pursue your goals with unstoppable determination. As long as you know exactly what you want and possess an incessant desire to acquire it, you will prevail.”

“True success comes to those who strive for greatness without surrendering to defeat. You can overcome anything when you possess the unstoppable drive to do so."

   

www.emilyskye.com

Dream - Believe - Commit - Achieve