I show effective ways to attack from the most dominant position in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I show you some combos so that you never have to force anything.
Health
What do I put on my skin as an active woman?
I get asked quite a lot what I put on my skin as someone who trains and works out a lot. In an effort to battle the oncoming wrinkles, lol, I do routine day and night with FRÉ Skincare who are all natural and dedicated to supporting women's causes too. Right now they are having a Spring Sale on Sets. Add my code SOPHIAFIT for an additional 20% off!
SophiaFIT Lifestyle camp new dates and amazing documentary released soon!
Teaching a class at my Lifestyle Camp
A snap shot of me teaching at one of my Lifestyle Camps with the lovely Jasmine. I can't wait for my next camp which will be held in Bradenton Florida June 4th!!! Full details and early bird special will be released soon. Click here for more details:
The epic documentary about my camps created by Yoon Young Lee will be released soon also. This documentary captures the essence of my camps and all that is involved including the awesome sisterhood vibe, and all the activities such as BJJ, Yoga, Meditation, Workouts and healthy Nutrition. FUJI Sports
My Top Tips to help you stick to your workouts!
It's easy to talk yourself out of working out! Even when you have the best intentions to work out, excuses are so easy to find - “I’m too tired” or "I’m busy," or "The weather is bad." Here are my top tips for staying in the game!
On Sunday nights plan your week of workouts! Treat them like an event so make time for them in your daily schedule! Write them down in your diary and put reminders on your phone!
If you workout in the morning, layout your training clothes and shoes before you go to bed so they are ready for when you jump out of bed
If you don’t train before work Have training clothes and shoes in your car so you can stop by the gym on the way home from work
Organise a active date/catch up during the week with friends or family. Other people will keep you accountable!
Have a collection of workouts you can do in your living room for when the weather is miserable and you don’t want to leave the comfort of your home. My SophiaFIT Home Workouts are perfect for this!
Set a goal! Write it down and stick it on the fridge or add it as a daily reminder on your phone. This will act as the driving force when you lack a bit of motivation!
If you are looking for the extra kick, send an email to sophia@sophiafit.com or click here. I would love to work with you and help you achieve your health & fitness goals.
Legumes
You’ve all heard of them and probably had them on your plate at one point or another. Legumes are packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber with no added fat or cholesterol! They also account towards your daily vegetable serving! Legume family includes: Kidney beans, peas, soybeans, peanuts, green beans, lentils, chickpeas and alfalfa.
So why should you introduce legumes into your daily diet??
1. High in Protein
Legumes are a great source of plant-based protein. For example a cup of Chickpeas contain up to 15 grams of protein and white beans contain 19 grams!! If your goal is weight loss, eating enough protein can also encourage satiety and keep you feeling full while increasing your metabolism and the amount of calories you burn after a meal!
2. Boost Your Heart Health
Legumes have been shown to decrease cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation.
3. Stabilizes your blood sugar
The high amount of fibre in legumes works to slow the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream and maintain blood sugar levels.
Don’t like the taste or idea of eating legumes? Well here is a delicious recipe that uses legumes in a sneaky way!!
Chickpea Protein Bars
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup packed, very soft dates (about 6-8)
¼ cup peanut butter (or any nut/seed butter, e.g. almond, sunflower seed, tahini)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅔ vanilla protein powder
⅓ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), toasted
⅓ cup dried cranberries
Method
1. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking paper
2. In a large food processor, process the chickpeas, dates, peanut butter, vanilla and salt until smooth, stopping and scraping the sides of processor bowl.
3. Add the protein powder, pepitas and cranberries. Pulse until very well combined and mixture looks like a dough ball (if not, add a bit more protein powder).
4. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.
5. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or freeze 1 hour until firm. Remove from tin and cut into bars, Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (or freeze for up to 2 months). ENJOY!!
Lifestyle Camp Review
The other week my Lifestyle Camp took place in the beautiful and quaint town, St Augustine, Florida. It was the most amazing experience where all the ladies connected just like they were sisters. The support and friendships made was just incredible. Ladies came from Europe, South Korea, Mexico, Australia and across the United States.
The camp focused on overall lifestyle and the health of body, mind and soul. The day started off with morning sunrise yoga taught by the lovely Jasmine Bienvenue.
After heading back to the house for a hearty breakfast we went to FYOA academy (http://foyabjj.com) nearby and trained BJJ. I focused on techniques and movement patterns that are better suited to women. We all had fabulous rolls and it was a great opportunity for women to train only with other women when they usually train with men.
All the meals were prepared by Lindsay Boston who did an incredible job. After she made a glorious post training lunch for us all, the afternoon was spent relaxing by the beach or doing some sightseeing followed by evening workshops that involved workouts, meditation, empowerment concepts and nutrition.
I can’t wait for my next camp to take place and to have the opportunity to meet more amazing women who I am happy to call my sisters. Stay tuned!
Veggies - How many do we need?
Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body! The list of benefits Veggies provide is ongoing but below are a few of the important ones!
• Can help you lose weight
• Are high in important nutrients including potassium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C and the list goes on…
• Can reduce your risk of certain cancers, chronic diseases (such as diabetes) etc.
• Help to keep you immune system strong, heart & skin healthy
•Keep your gut, digestion and brain healthy
HOW MUCH?
Adults need to be eating a minimum of 5 serves of veggies! For kids 4 - 7 years they need at least 4 serves and 8 -18 years at least 5 serves of vegetables.
WHAT IS A SERVE?
A serve of vegetables or legumes (yes legumes such as lentils & beans count as veggies!!)
1 serve =
1/2 cup of cooked veggies
1/2 cup of dried beans, peas or lentils
1 cup of salad veggies
If you are struggle to include your 5 serves of veggies into your diet, My Nutrition E Book & 7 Meal Plan E Book are jam packed with veggie inspired recipes! And you can still receive 30% OFF my 7 Day Meal Plan Ebook! You can add your details here or shoot me a message for the discount code!
Blueberries
Blueberries, sweet morsels jam packed with vitamin C, K & B6, folate, potassium, fibre, manganese and antioxidants! Often labelled as a superfood, blueberries are low in calories and incredibly good for you plus super convenient snack for when you are on the go!
Instead of throwing loads of facts at you about Blueberries, I’ve picked my favourite and I think most beneficial facts about Blueberries!!
They are the King of Antioxidant Foods!
The antioxidants in blueberries help to protect our bodies from damage by free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage cellular structures and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer. They contain even more antioxidants than green tea, and that speaks volumes about their nutrient density!
Help with weight loss!
As blueberries are rich in fiber and low in calories, this makes them an ideal snack to have in-between meals for those who are seeking to lose weight. Blueberries are rich in soluble fiber, which are the type of fiber that dissolves in water. Soluble fibers slow down the process of digestion, which in turn keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time therefore keeping those hungry pains at bay! Combine 1 cup of natural yogurt with 1/2-1 cup of blueberries and you have the perfect 3pm snack!
Powerful Skin Food
Blueberries are good for your health both internally and externally. Being rich in Vitamin A and vitamin C, blueberries nourish your skin from the inside out! Eating blueberries helps heal sun damaged skin, reduce dark spots and reduces puffiness in the skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Moisturizing Blueberry Mask
1-1/4 cups fresh or thawed blueberries, pureed (blender or other method)
1/2 cup raw or organic milk (full fat)
1/2 cup oatmeal, processed to fine powder in a blender)
1/8 cup virgin olive oil
1/8 cup raw honey
Mix well, apply to face and leave on for 15 – 20 minutes.
Refrigerate and use the remainder for up to 1 week.