Cassey Ho's Blog, page 83
October 22, 2019
This is what happens when you yell at your body… | 68 of 90
I want you to know that your body is perfect as it is. There is nothing you should hate about it. Now this doesn’t mean, you should “accept your fate” and not do any work to feel changes or improvements. All it means is that you should accept yourself at this point in your journey, and know that with everyday that goes by, it is a chance to create a better version of who you are today.
I used to tell my belly how much I hated it. I used to look in the mirror and push out my hip dips. I used to look at my arms and wish they were thinner. That type of mindset was detrimental to any progress I wanted to make. Why? Well, believe it or not, your body and your cells can tell how you’re feeling. Yeah. It knows when you’re unhappy. When you’re stressed. When you upset. Though a cell may not be able to talk to us in words, they speak to us through chemical reactions.
The more I yelled at my body, the less it wanted to do what I wanted it to do.
I mean, as a person, I hate it when a coach or a boss yells at me to do something. Yelling doesn’t fire me up. I know it does for some people who are wired to “prove people wrong.” Yelling actually makes me want to do the EXACT OPPOSITE. I’m the type of person who needs encouragement and positive coaching. This I already know about myself. So why would I try to coach my body in a way that makes it mad?
For a long time, I wasn’t nice to my body. I gave it so much hate. And you know what happened? That’s when I was having digestive issues, acne, AND to top it off – all the working out and eating clean I did didn’t amount to ANYTHING. My body was like “nah, not gonna give you any results so you learn your lesson and be nice to me.” That’s when I was plagued by metabolic damage. I felt like I had zero control over my body and my situation. It took years to heal.
Now, I’ve learned.
I’ve learned to shower my body with the love it NEEDS.
There is a DISTINCT difference between by old habits and my 90 day journey habits.
Instead of criticizing my body, I compliment my body when I see it in the mirror.
Instead of doing workouts that burn more calories, I do workouts that bring me joy.
Instead of thinking I’m not progressing fast enough, I accept that I am progressing as fast as I should be.
Instead of doubting my body, I trust my body.
Instead of feeling bad if I can’t stick to something, I embrace the fact that flexibility is good, and often necessary.
Once you practice these things, the layers of self judgement will begin to peel away. And guess what? The underlying joy that is YOUR LIFE and YOUR INCREDIBLE TEMPLE OF A BODY will emerge!!!
Yesterday’s Recap:
Fit journal entry. Yesterday I went to a Crossfit class and then did 1 hour of stretching at a pole dance studio. My body was YEARNING for movement after a weekend of sitting on my butt at the computer. Even though the Crossfit class was hard, it felt good to be pushed.
LUNCH:
23% carbs, 51% fat, 26% protein
518 calories
Chicken skewers with jalapeno sauce salad and a side of egg thin Daiya cheese quesadillas topped with salsa.
DINNER:
23% carbs, 25% fat, 52% protein
736 calories
Chicken skewers with broccoli florets, egg tofu, and tons of sriracha and coconut aminos. I ended up having 2 more skewers to balance out all that broccoli :P
Shrimp with cocktail sauce.
SNACKS:
55% carbs, 12% fat, 33% protein
195 calories
Kombucha durr.
Now the entire shrimp thing we bought at Costco is eaten, so no more shrimp pics! Haha.
I came in at 1,474 calories and 102g carbs (29%), 49g fat (32%), and 137g protein (39%).
Out of the 5 things I tell myself in order to have a healthy relationship with my body, which one resonates with you most?
The post This is what happens when you yell at your body… | 68 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
October 21, 2019
I need to schedule in rest or else… | 67 of 90
Guys. I need to schedule in rest or else I will never do it.
This weekend was too much. I had zero rest time all of Saturday and Sunday. I worked so much that my head went numb. And when I was grocery shopping, I felt loopy and weird. I didn’t even get to spend time with Sam. The only times we saw each other were for meals and even those were brief.
If I am to be truly healthy, I need to take my mental health just as seriously as I am taking my physical health and nutritional health. Sleep and time to relax/do nothing NEED to become a priority.
How am I going to do that? I need to plan ahead. The reason why I am in this vortex of work, to be very honest with you, is because I don’t plan ahead enough to be able to delegate the work to someone else. Of course there are things I do not feel comfortable delegating or things I enjoy doing myself, so those will stay on my plate, but there’s been a lot of things lately that someone could have and should have helped me with. So, my goal is to PLAN AHEAD. Get my part done early so that I team up with someone to continue executing as I move on to the next thing.
Also…I always have last minute ideas, and I always want them done right away because I am so excited…soooo that doesn’t help either!!!
Anyway, it’s 10pm. So let’s get into…
Yesterday’s Recap:
Fit Journal entry. Sunday became a rest day because I simply could not take a moment to step away from my computer. I know it sounds crazy, but I was doing a ton of research, writing a script, and filming for a video I’m super excited about that will be coming out this Sunday. It’s about body positivity, the origins, the controversy, the modeling industry, the money, the debates, and the evolution of the meaning. I can’t wait for you to see it because I went out and interviewed some prominent people in the space and MAN OH MAN wait til you hear what they have to say.
I. WAS. SHOCKED.
I think you will be too.
BREAKFAST:
16% carbs, 52% fat, 32% protein
404 calories
Cauliflower flat bread with egg, chicken avo dip, baby bell peppers and salsa on top. Side of butter lettuce.
SNACKS:
64% carbs, 21% fat, 15% protein
306 calories
Pumpkin pie hummus by Delighted by Desserts and sliced strawberries. YUMMMMMM.
Shrimp and some cocktail sauce.
Health-Ade kombucha for that gut health yo.
APPETIZER:
16% carbs, 56% fat, 28% protein
183 calories
Butter lettuce cups filled with chicken avo dip, topped with roma tomato.
DINNER:
65% carbs, 11% fat, 23% protein
521 calories
Rice paper rolls!!! I filled them with lettuce, chanterelle mushrooms, and grilled chicken. I wouldn’t recommend the mushrooms inside – err – at least not the way I made them which was steamed and seasoned with salt and pepper.
The sauce was a mixture of lime, sriracha, hoisin sauce, and a bit of water. Traditionally in the Vietnamese cuisine, my mom would add peanut butter but it’s not necessary in my opinion!
Yesterday came in at 1,414 calories at 155g carbs (44%), 48g fat (31%), and 86g protein (25%).
It’s crazy that the logging of food calories is totally not bothering me. In fact, I find it exciting to see what I am feeding myself!!
The post I need to schedule in rest or else… | 67 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
Let your inner sassy beast out! | 66 of 90
Hey guys!
Today I am soooooo thrilled to share with you my first ever heels choreography!
So many of you guys were super interested in learning how to do the type of dance I’ve been practicing, so I decided to take a shot at making a little routine for my friends and a full length tutorial for you guys! To me, dance is joy in movement and I wanted to share this joy with you. I promise that you will feel so confident, sassy, and powerful after you finish this video. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about dancing in heels that makes you feel INVINCIBLE and I LOVE IT. SO YOU NEED TO DO THIS NOW.
I am so proud of my friends Rosanna Pansino, Rebecca Zamolo, Veronica Merrell and Vanessa Merrell for successfully completing their first heels routine!
Go grab a pair of boots, a heel with a strap at the ankle, or caged heels! The chunkier the heel, the easier it will be to dance in! Stilettos are advanced! I’m not even in stilettos yet! Haha, I just started!
Yesterday’s Recap:
Did a weight lifting class with Sam at 10am! I’m starting to sleep in these days to help counter balance how late I am staying up. I hope to get back to normal sleeping hours soon. There’s just so much going on.
BRUNCH:
29% carbs, 46% fat, 25% protein
690 calories
Pumpkin pie hummus with raspberries. I had the whole 6 oz container of berries too!
Cauliflower fried rice with beyond meat and eggs. A side of tomatoes marinated in coconut aminos and sriracha.
DINNER:
19% carbs, 57% fat, 24% protein
570 calories
A side of shishito peppers marinated in coconut aminos. Not that great. I need to go buy my Furikake!!!
A piece of salmon over a bed of zoodles, sweet baby bell peppers, and marinara sauce.
SNACKS:
50% carbs, 31% fat, 19% protein
322 calories
Kombucha. Duh.
Black tea, no sugar.
Konjac noodles with edamame succotash and an egg. Noodles were seasoned with mushroom powder.
It is amazing that this noodle pack from nuPasta is only 35 calories. It doesn’t REALLY taste like noodles, but for 35 calories, it’s pretty AMAZING :) Plus, it is super filling! The only problem is that it always makes me bloated the next day because of how much fiber is in there! It’s been over 24 hours now since I’ve eaten it and I am still bloated. I hope it goes away tomorrow. They say the more you eat konjac, the better your reactions will be to the fiber.
Yesterday came in at 1,581 calories and 120g carbs (30%), 84g fat (47%), and 95g protein (23%).
The post Let your inner sassy beast out! | 66 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
October 19, 2019
Week 9 Weigh-In | 64 + 65 of 90
Hey guys!
Yesterday was crazy. The morning started with me walking up at 6AM sewing my Halloween costume for an event we had to attend THAT NIGHT (didn’t finish), then I led a dance rehearsal, then we shot a full on dance “music video”, then we headed to the office where I TRIED so hard to finish my costume (but still didn’t). But by that time, we were sooooo late to the event that we just had to go. I ended up sewing in the car ride over to the event as well – but would DEF not recommend this. Very dangerous! Oh yeah, and then got home at midnight! PHEW!
Anyway, wanna see how everything turned out?
First off, this year’s Halloween costume idea was to be a family of bathtub objects. And it all started with the decision to make Sir George…
A LOOFAH!!!!! OMG. I died when he put on this costume. I legit DIED. So precious. I can’t breathe.
I made this using tulle, a hot glue gun, some rope, and a blue dog shirt.
I accentuated his costume by being…
BUBBLES!!!
This costume was made with a nude colored leotard, a bunch of clear plastic orbs, nude colored thread, and a headband. Ideally this costume would have about 20 more bubbles. But, it turned out pretty good I think! I really love it. It was inspired by Lady Gaga.
Do you want a tutorial on this?
So now that you know what Sir and I are…can you guess what Sam was!!???
A bunch of you guys were debating whether he would be soap or a rubber ducky. Well the correct answer is…
Rubber ducky!!!
We were invited to attend Victoria Arlen’s “Costumes for a Cause” Charity event in Hollywood to raise funds for people with mobility challenges and special needs.
Victoria is such an incredible human with such a powerful story! Victoria developed a rare condition that left her in a vegetative state for 4 years – where she could not eat, walk, speak, or move. The craziest part was…she was completely aware of what was going and could hear everything the doctors were saying – like how she wouldn’t survive this. She was literally LOCKED in her own body.
After 4 years, a miracle happened. She began to relearn how to perform simple movements…but the sensation in her legs never came back. But guess what? She became a gold and silver medalist in the Paralympics and even competed on Dancing with the Stars – all without feeling in her legs. SO CRAZY!!!
Last night was so much fun. There was Scary-oke and I even got up on stage to sing with some of the girls! That’s Linda, me, Victoria, Rosanna, and Caleb!
I loooooove dressing up so much!!! I still have 2 more Halloween parties I’m going to so will update y’all on what I’ll be for the other 2 parties! What are you going to be for Halloween?
WEEK 9 WEIGH-IN:
Fit Journal 12 week game plan page. Wow, 25 days left. I can’t believe my 90th day is November 13th! EEK!
Week 9 recap. Need to start blogging earlier in the day so I can got to bed earlier. Need to stop letting people’s opinion of me affect my well being.
Week 9 was a good week for progress. I lost 1 lb, decreased by 0.2% body fat and increased by 0.1% muscle mass! Overall, I have lost 10.8 lbs since August! Yay for PROGRESS! Plus I am FEELING so happy, energetic, and confident!
I have 25 more days to lose 5.2 lbs and 2.4% body fat. That means I need to lose about 1.5 lbs and 0.64% body fat each week if I am to catch up to my goal. We are very close! Though I don’t know if I can actually hit these goals by November 13. I will take it slow and steady, so let’s just see where I end up! Doesn’t really matter though because the benefits of the 90 day journey have already paid off! It started paying off in week 1 :)
At this point, I am going to make a change to my diet again. I’m going to start replacing some of my fat calories with carb and protein calories. I need to do a better job of planning that out because right now fat % keeps landing in the 45-60% range when it should be closer to 30% according to my genetic fit test.
I am also VERY curious to see that IF I follow my genetic fit macros, can I optimize my body’s ability to burn fat? I think I need to actually plan my meals before I cook them or else looking at my macros at the end of the day becomes one big guessing game instead of a well thought out strategy. I’ll need to write up my meal plan soon.
Yesterday’s Recap:
Yesterday was a high calorie day compared to what I am have been eating normally! But I guess all the stress of costume making, rehearsals, performing, parties etc – really just made me more ravenous than usual!
BREAKFAST:
11% carbs, 32% fat, 57% protein
208 calories
I mixed some Premiere Protein vanilla protein drink with Real CoCo Coconut drink for an on the go brekkie.
LUNCH:
32% carbs, 43% fat, 25% protein
711 calories
Chipotle chicken salad, guac, corn, fajitas, black beans and pico de gallo. YUM.
DINNER/PARTY FOOD:
25% carbs, 49% fat, 23% protein
827 calories
I had a couple plates of luncheon meats with Caesar salad, roasted tomato hummus, tomatoes, carrots, and some berries. It didn’t look like a lot but when I logged it into MyFitnessPal, the meats really added up!
POST-DINNER SNACK:
27% carbs, 43% fat, 30% protein
293 calories
Cooking from home is so much cleaner!!! I know exactly what’s in my food and I can eat a lot slower and more mindfully. I had 2 cauli flatbreads with 2 eggs.
As a little dessert, I had some kombucha!
I came in at 2,039 calories, 147g carbs (28%), 103g fat (44%), and 148g protein (28%). At least I surpassed my protein goal for once!
The post Week 9 Weigh-In | 64 65 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
October 17, 2019
My Food Sensitivity Report (BLOOD TESTS PART 2) | 63 of 90
Hey guys!
I’m excited to go over another blood test today! Today we will be looking at my food sensitivity. Lots to discuss before we look at the results.
Now, I am totally aware that a food sensitivity test is NOT a food allergy test nor is it a food intolerance test. So…what’s the diff?
Food allergy: You have a food allergy when your immune system reacts to the food which is detected as a harmful substance. Your immune system will make antibodies to fight it off. This could look like skin rashes and breathing problems. A blood test will measure for a protein called immunoglobulin E or IgE.
Food intolerance: You have a food intolerance when you have trouble digesting certain foods. You usually have an intolerance because you lack an enzyme to digest the food. You can still eat the food in small amounts, but if you have too much, your body will react.
Food sensitivity: There is no standard medical definition for this. Sometimes it is used to describe an umbrella of the above two words.
The food sensitivity test that I took measured my IgG and IgA levels. Here is what that means, according to WebMD:
Immunoglobulin A: IgA antibodies are found in the mucous membranes of the lungs, sinuses, stomach, and intestines. They’re also in fluids these membranes produce, like saliva and tears, as well as in the blood.
Immunoglobulin G: IgG is the most common type of antibody in your blood and other body fluids. These antibodies protect you against infection by “remembering” which germs you’ve been exposed to before.
Something important to note is that since my tests look for IgG and IgA antibodies (and not IgE), my results will not indicate allergies. Past or frequent exposure to a food may also cause IgG levels to be higher – not just the fact that I am sensitive to the food. I confirmed this with the incredible Dr. Cicerone of Spark Health, who I had the honor of meeting at Gabby Bernstein‘s book launch party last night. She said that some of my numbers may seem high because I eat too much of it, but it doesn’t mean it’s bad for me. It just means I need to have more variety in my diet in order to not overdo any one food.
So, with that in mind, let’s have an open minded look at these numbers. I will not take them as fact, but kind of as a loose guide should I choose to change my diet to best suit my needs. I’m going to pair this report with notes that I’ve taken in regards to my reactions after eating certain foods. Let’s see if they match up or make no sense at all!
FOOD SENSITIVITY TEST:
Things they say I should avoid:
Dairy
Ginger
Things they say I should eat in moderation:
Dairy
Oysters
Bananas
Pineapples
Kidney Beans
Chicken
Pecan
Garlic
Lima Beans
Now, let’s dive deeper to see how they got to these conclusions.
MEAT
The nurse practitioner at Next | Health said that any food I score a 10 or above in, I should try to eliminate. I am cautious with this advice because I know that IgG tests are not 100% straightforward. Dr. Cicerone said that IgG is a “memory” antibody, so anything that I’ve had a lot of in the past 6-9 months could also show up here. So my task now is to decipher which ones foods that I am eating too much of, and which foods are the ones that I should actually avoid.
Chicken – Honestly, I have never had a reaction to chicken. BUT! I do eat it A LOT. It is my main meat, so that is why my IgG levels are above a 10 here. I will try to reduce my chicken intake and replace this protein with more eggs and fish. I don’t typically eat pork, lamb, or beef.
SEAFISH
Codfish – Interesting that cod is up here. I’ve never had a reaction to cod, but at the same time, I don’t think I’ve eaten cod recently. I don’t know why I scored a 10 here.
Oyster – I scored a 12 here which is also interesting. I’ve never had a reaction to oyster, raw or cooked. I don’t eat it a lot anyway, so I think I am ok here.
DAIRY
Overall, I am lactose intolerant, as I already know. So, I will avoid dairy as much as I can and eat some lovely vegan cheese when presented with the choice! I love Daiya vegan cheese anyway – it is so good!
GRAINS
It doesn’t say that I am sensitive to any grains, gluten containing or gluten free. HOWEVER, I know that when I eat grains, I bloat almost immediately. So I have been avoiding them. I haven’t eaten any of the above (except maybe the corn from Chipotle) in the last 6-9 months, so that could be why my IgG levels are low here. Dr. Cicerone also said that the reason I bloat could also be because there could be a certain bacteria in the grain that is affecting my gut. That will be something else I can check for in the future.
TREE NUTS
Almond – Interesting that I scored a 10 in almond. However, I think that is because I cooked with almond flour and ate a lot of Thai chili almonds within the past several months.
Pecan – I don’t even like pecans and I don’t eat them. However, when I have had them, I’ve had no reactions.
Everything looks good here.
Garlic – I’ve never had a reaction to garlic and I do sauteé with it when I make cauli rice!
Lima bean – Don’t really eat these.
Ginger – So weird that this scored a 29! My only bad reaction to ginger is that I HATE how it tastes. I don’t eat very much of it anyway.
Banana – I’ve never had a bad reaction to a banana.
Pineapple – My throat and tongue get itchy after eating a few chunks of pineapple.
Nothing interesting to note here.
CONCLUSION:
Going into this test, this is what I knew:
Grains bloat me
Milk makes me break out and it hurts my stomach
Excess sugar makes me break out
Coming out of this test, my lactose intolerance was confirmed (but I already knew that) and I found that I’m not really too sensitive to anything. I don’t count the weird chicken and ginger call outs because I’ve never noticed any bad reactions from consuming them.
So, is this test worth it?
No.
It did not teach me anything new. I think it’s better for you to try an elimination diet like Whole30 to really understand what’s going on. That’s how I found out milk was giving me acne.
When I had originally asked Next | Health about my hesitations about being measured for IgG and IgA (instead of IgE) they assured me it was accurate and to move forward with the test. Then when I got my 2 hour sit down with the nurse practitioner, he told me to avoid all those things I listed above. I don’t think this is very responsible, as people could end up eliminating things that are totally fine and healthy for them. These numbers don’t tell the whole story, as Dr. Cicerone pointed out, but no one at Next | Health had explained it to me in that way.
Obviously, I should have done more research before paying for this test…but when you’re talking to a health professional and they’re telling you it’s fine, it’s really hard to fight back against that – especially when you’re a patient, not a person who’s a trained medical professional!
Oh well! At least I spent the money so you don’t have to! As a reminder, it was $1600 for 4 tests and we still have 2 more to go through.
Yesterday’s Recap:
Yesterday was a special day! Sir George made 2 new friends!
That is Princess Chiyo the Pomeranian and The Fat Fluffy Bunny!
The mommies all went to a heels dance class together while the babies played! Meet Brittany and Michaela who you might end up seeing in a future project…just sayin! No more hints for you!!!
Then after heels, I got to meet the incredible Gabby Bernstein at her private book launch party at Gracias Madre (one of my fave vegan spots) in West Hollywood.
Guys, I’m so proud to tell you that Gabby has been doing Blogilates videos for years now. I’m literally dying cuz that’s so cool!!! She’s such a force in the life coaching, self love, manifestation, and spirituality space and you should def check her out and grab her latest book Super Attractor.
Now, for my Fit Journal entry.
LUNCH:
34% carbs, 35% fat, 31% protein
427 calories
Mahi mahi with chanterelle mushrooms over cauli rice. Sriracha overload. The best.
SNACKS:
57% carbs, 38% fat, 5% protein
391 calories
Post lunch kombucha.
Umm. OMG. These toasted coconut chips are too addictive. Found this at Costco. Guys, be careful – you can eat them forever. THEY ARE THAT GOOD!!!!
Gotta have my pumpkin pie hummus. YASSSS.
DINNER:
43% carbs, 42% fat, 14% protein
857 calories
This was our dinner menu. Gracias Madre is a vegan restaurant with literally one of the best ambiences ever. I love this place.
I started off with some bell peppers and guac.
Then I had some corn and cauliflower with vegan cheese on top.
Some arugula salad. Not exactly sure what was in this but it was good and the arugula did not taste as bitter as usual to me!
A vegan crab cake. Yum.
Potato taco. I just had the inside which had fried onions, potatoes, and cole slaw.
When I got home, I was still hungry so I made a cauliflower flatbread with an egg on top!
Yesterday I came in at 1,676 calories 194g carbs (44%), 76g fat (39%), and 72g protein (17%). Def did not hit my protein requirement, but also, I had a vegan dinner. So, whatcha gonna do!!??
The post My Food Sensitivity Report (BLOOD TESTS PART 2) | 63 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
Warehouse Sale Insanity | 62 of 90
Hey guys!
I wanted to let you know that we are currently having a HUGGEEEEEEE POPFLEX Warehouse Sale!!! Everything on this specific link is 2 for $25 ($12.50/ea) or 5 for $50 ($10/ea)!!! We’ve never made prices this insane before, but I need to clear out space in the warehouse for other stuff coming in, so could you help me clean out!!??
Here are 2 pieces that are a part of the sale that I absolutely love:
This is the Zenith Zip Bra in Shiny and the Wishing Star Capri in Shiny.
Do I even need to explain why zip bras are amazing? Your arms will thank you after a sweaty workout.
Invisible side pockets. Deep enough to hold your phone and whatever else you wanna put inside. But sleek enough so that if you don’t use em, no one knows you have a pocket! The fabric is super stretchy. So when you get it, you may not think the pants will fit, but they will. They are also very compressive – in a good way!
ALSO!!
These 2 styles are on super sale on their own:
The Queen’s Coat is only $30!!! The original price was $84. It’s made os luscious neoprene and FULLY lined. Plus the skirt is to die for.
The Dusty Blossom Romper is only $25!! The original price was $65. This romper is so cute. There are invisible pockets!!! Also, for those of you wondering if it will work for a long torso, the answer is YESSSSS. The shirt is split into 2 wide leg holes. I know, you can’t tell. But that means that there is no fabric riding up your crotch situation ever.
The POPFLEX Warehouse Sale ends on Oct 19th, so hurry! We’re selling out of a lot of things already! Also, please please PLEASE make sure to read the Stylist’s Notes entirely. There are NO RETURNS OR EXCHANGES on the things in the Warehouse Sale. Please ask em any questions you have in the comments! I will do my best to answer all of you!
Yesterday’s Recap:
Fit Journal entry. It was a rest day. I had too much to do and I was super sore from all of the dancing!
LUNCH:
31%carbs, 45% fat, 24% protein
794 calories
To start off lunch, I made a quesadilla with 2 egg thins and some whole milk mozzarella cheese! I still have cheese left in the fridge, so until I finish it, I’m still eating it!
Real lunch consisted of like 10 egg thin tacos filled with romaine lettuce, corn, edamame, red bell peppers and chicken sausage with honey chipotle vinaigrette! YUM!
Post lunch kombucha.
SNACKS:
0% carbs, 77% fat, 23% protein
100 calories
Some roasted cauliflower with a La Croix!
DINNER:
27% carbs, 47% fat, 26% protein
618 calories
As an appetizer, I made a cauliflower flatbread with an egg on top with some lettuce and one of the SPICIEST hot sauces I have ever had!!!
Brittney got Sam and I a hot sauce set after her trip to Costa Rica and I tried them for the first time last night. I didn’t think they would be spicy BUT OMG. I was CRYINGGGGGGG. Yet, somehow, I kept eating it as I was breathing hard and downing gallons of water. I don’t know what it is about spice. I love it but I hate it all at once!! I wonder if there is a correlation between people who eat spicy foods and willpower? Has anyone ever done a study!!?? If you know if one, please link me!!
For dinner, I made a mahi mahi fish with chanterelle mushrooms, cauli rice and romaine lettuce with chipotle honey vinaigrette dressing!
Yesterday I came in at 1,512 calories 99g carbs (27%), 77g fat (48%), and 90g protein (25%). I’m getting better at the protein! Almost at 100g!
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October 15, 2019
My Diet & Exercise Genetic Report (BLOOD TESTS PART 1) | 61 of 90
Okay, I have found some time to finally go over some of my genetic reports! I am super excited to dive in to part 1 of my blood test blog post series. Before I get started, I want you to know that I personally paid for these tests myself. It was a hefty fee of…$1,600 (!!!) for 4 tests from Next | Health in West Hollywood. Yes, that is a lot of money. And you know what – because it was a fancy clinic in West Hollywood, I probably was overcharged. But, I looked for clinics for a looooong time on Yelp and spent hours researching clinics on Google, and this was the only place that had all the tests I wanted. So, I decided that if this was what I needed to pay in order to better understand my body, then I’d do it. Plus, I’d rather pay for insight on my health over any luxury handbag, any day!
Here are the 4 Biomarker blood tests I ordered:
1) Genetic Fit – This test looks at specific genes related to what types of workouts, diet, and diet plan work best for my body. It’s a baseline of diet, nutrients, and exercise based off of single (or multiple) genes.
2) Food Sensitivity – This tests 96 different foods and determines which ones my body creates an immune response to by releasing antibodies. The foods that I test positive for (creates an inflammatory response) may cause bloating and discomfort, indigestion, and leaky gut. By testing for it, the goal would be for me to eliminate foods causing inflammation in my body.
3) Baseline Test – This provides an overall view into my body’s metabolism and excretion abilities to see how effectively I am oxygenating my tissues, as well as current tracking of inflammatory markers, current hormone status, and vitamin levels. This covers my blood cell count (red and white blood cells and any abnormalities), metabolic panel (kidney/liver function), vitamin D, vitamin B12, lipid panel (cholesterol), thyroid panel, hormone panel, blood sugar, and inflammation.
4) Micronutrient – This tests 33 essential vitamins, minerals, amino/fatty acids, anti-oxidants, and metabolites to evaluate any deficiencies going on on a cellular level. It allows me to see what imbalances may be present in my cells, and helps me to understand what supplements I should be taking to correct for these imbalances. Correction should allow for proper cell function through out my body. Signs of deficiencies include fatigue, sleep issues, mood imbalances, inability to loose/ gain weight.
I originally did not feel like the micronutrient test was necessary, but it was part of a larger “discounted” package, so I added it in anyway.
BLOOD TEST #1: GENETIC FIT
Today, I want to go over the “Genetic Fit” test!
When I got my results back in, I had a full 2 hour, very informative sit down with a nurse practitioner at the clinic. I asked every question I had on my mind, and then he said I could email him anytime if I ever had any more questions.
So, let’s jump right in!
DIET:
Under “Diet & Nutrition”, the nurse practitioner said that he usually never sees people who gets the “low carb diet” type as their best diet. And when I say “best diet”, I mean the best diet for maintaining a healthy body and for optimal weight loss. Low carb means non starchy vegetables, high quality proteins, and healthy fats.
This is interesting because from my past experiences, I’ve had the best results whenever I’ve gone low carb. Also, I’m currently REALLY high in fats (around 50-60%) , so I will need to dial that down especially since I am not following a keto anymore. It says I should be consuming 30% healthy fats, 40% complex carbs, and 30% lean protein – so that means 44g of fat, 133g carbs, and 100g of protein per day based on my daily 1,334 net calorie intake (before workouts). I just inputted that into MyFitnessPal, so will do my best to adjust to this new goal! It’s nice to have some clarity on the protein grams too. Already this test has answered one of my biggest personal nutrition questions, so…IT’S WORTH IT! (Haha, I’m just going to have to keep justifying this purchase so I can amortize the tests.)
The test mentioned that I have a genetic variant that is associated with an “increase food desire” so I have to work harder than others at self control. YUP. SO TRUE. I love eating. I could seriously be a competitive eater. And the whole “eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full” thing doesn’t really work for me because I could eat forever and ever.
The test said I have a higher than average risk for elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol and that I should limit my saturated fat intake. Interesting. My dad has high cholesterol and so does my grandma.
So saturated fat foods I should avoid include:
beef
lamb
veal
pork
lard
butter
cheese
milk
cream
cheese
coconut oil
dark meat poultry
Ha, this looks like a keto essentials grocery list. I guess I was right to move away from keto!
Good unsaturated fats that are recommended for me include:
fish (polyunsaturated)
walnuts (polyunsaturated)
almonds (polyunsaturated)
flaxseed (polyunsaturated)
chia seed (polyunsaturated)
pumpkin seed (polyunsaturated)
poultry (polyunsaturated)
eggs (polyunsaturated)
avocados (monounsaturated)
extra virgin olive oil (monounsaturated)
Apparently, people with my genotype “who have a diet that includes more polyunsaturated fats rather than saturated fats tend to have a lower body weight compared to those who do not.” Okay, upping the fish intake NOW. Also, love eggs. YAY another reason to eat them!
EATING BEHAVIOR:
The test checked to see if I have genes that might cause me to snack uncontrollably, constantly be hungry, and have problems feeling full. Well you guys, looks like my genotype is not at fault for this. Looks like I am actually just an EMOTIONAL EATER! Hahaha. Well, I can tell you that since logging my food in MyFitnessPal, I have not snacked uncontrollably and I have not overeaten. So, for now, that part of me is tamed.
HOWEVER!
My genotype is associated with “an increased desire or willingness to put forth additional effort to obtain [my] favorite foods.” This basically means if I really want to eat something I will go out of my way to climb over obstacles to get it. I wonder though, if that is just my super motivated personality?
Additionally, it says I do not have a sweet tooth. True.
FOOD REACTIONS:
Caffeine Metabolism: It says I am a fast metabolizer of caffeine. CORRECT. The nurse said “I bet you can drink matcha at 9pm and go to bed at 10pm.” I was like – umm I just did that yesterday. So funny that these tests are like horoscopes, but backed by science. Makes it so much more fun!
Bitter Taste: It says that I am someone with an “enhanced bitter taste perception.” OMG!!! TRUE!!! I hate chocolate, alcohol, and arugula because they all taste TERRIBLE to me. Extremely medicinal.
Lactose Intolerance: It also said I am lactose intolerant. I already know this. 23andMe said the same. I am also Asian, and most Asians are lactose intolerant. I pretty much cut dairy out of my diet a few years ago to help clear up my skin, and it helped enormously. I started eating cheese again when I went on keto, but I think it’s time to stop that. I don’t mind an occasional cheese, but I guess I should opt for Daiya vegan cheese when given the opportunity.
EXERCISE:
Overall, the test says that I have a genetic variant associated with being overweight. 23andMe said the same thing. So now, I know it is 100% true that I have a harder time than others when it comes to weight loss.
Endurance Training:
It says that my optimal workout routine for weight loss should include endurance exercises like:
Walking briskly
Running / jogging
Dancing
Swimming
Biking
Climbing stairs
Playing sports such as tennis, basketball, soccer or racquetball
Strength Training:
It says that weight lifting is less beneficial than endurance training when it comes to weight loss for people with my genotype. But no worries aint ever gonna stop weight lifting and Pilates! I love my muscle and I love my strength gains!
Aerobic Capacity (VO2MAX): I have decreased aerobic capacity. I guess that’s why I hate cardio so much. I CAN BARELY BREATHE. Hahaha. I bet my sister would score well in this arena since she is a kickboxing instructor!
Muscle Power: I do not have the genes of elite power athletes, such as sprinters and powerlifters. All good. Not trying to be a world class Olympian.
Weight Loss Response to Exercise: I have a genetic variant that is associated with being overweight and obese. It says I must exercise regularly or else I could be obese. Wow, I am fortunate that I enjoy exercise and that it is also my career.
Blood Pressure Response to Exercise: I have a high likelihood of having elevated blood pressure without exercise. However, good news is that I actually have very very low blood pressure. It might be all the exercise I do.
Loss of Body Fat in Response to Exercise: My genotype says that in order for me to lose fat, I have to exercise harder and put in more effort than other people.
MY BODY & WEIGHT :
Weight Loss Regain: I am more likely to gain weight back, meaning I have difficulty keeping weight off after losing weight. This means that the maintenance phase after my 90 day journey will be very important to track.
Metabolism: My genes say I have normal metabolism. We will discuss this more later, as there are MANY other factors that affect metabolism and you will see what I mean when we discuss the other tests which include my lagging thyroid.
METABOLIC HEALTH FACTORS:
Elevated LDL (bad) Cholesterol: I have an above average probability of having high LDL (bad) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the kind of cholesterol that can form plaque and build up in the walls of my arteries, leading to heart attacks and strokes. My grandma on my dad’s side died from a stroke.
Decreased HDL (good) Cholesterol: I have an above average probability of having decreased HDL (good) cholesterol. Supposedly high levels of HDL are supposed to protect against heart attacks, while low levels of HDL increase the risk of heart disease. This is definitely something I should be conscious of.
Elevated Triglycerides: I have an average likelihood for fat being stored in my body. Nothing alarming here.
Elevated Blood Sugar: I have an above average likelihood for elevated blood sugar, meaning that if I did have high blood sugar levels, I might have insulin resistance which leads to type 2 diabetes. More to discuss on this when we go over the other blood work.
CONCLUSION:
The main things to take away from the Genetic Fit test are:
My genes make it harder for me to lose weight and to keep extra weight off.
My genes require me to eat a low carb diet in order to obtain my optimal body.
My genes require me to work out and live an active lifestyle or else I will become overweight or obese.
***
Side note: When I got the report back, I saw that the name of the lab was “Pathway Genomics” and that the test was called “PathwayFit”. I immediately looked them up and read that Pathway Genomics is a privately-owned biotech company that provides genomic testing services to healthcare professionals and direct-to-customer kits. On their site, I saw that you can order the test for $299 as a physician. I don’t know if you can order the blood test as a normal civilian, so I guess that is where the 34% markup came in (I paid $400)!
***
Yesterday’s Recap:
Fit Journal entry. Yesterday I finalized my heels choreo in the morning and then Rosanna came over at night and we practiced together for a couple hours. It was so fun! We were sweating, and now I am all bruised and sore from all the floor work and hair whipping!
Hahaha. I cannot wait to film this on Friday. Tutorial should be up on Sunday!
LUNCH:
13% carbs, 68% fat, 19% protein
563 calories
Shishito peppers and mahi mahi with hot sauce over cauliflower rice. Seasoned with some coconut aminos.
Oh and side note…Sir George got a new hair cut!!! Look how poofy and circular he looks!!!
Ugh. Sir is perfection and I love him soooooo much!
DINNER:
16% carbs, 61% fat, 23% protein
481 calories
I had a cauliflower cheese pizza with a side salad drizzled with chipotle honey vinaigrette! It was so good! But the pizza was too cheesy for me. I don’t think I will be buying the Cali’flour pizzas anymore! That was the last of em.
SNACKS:
32% carbs, 58% fat, 10% protein
271 calories
Seaweed crisps. Yum.
New creation! I mixed coconut milk with MCT oil powder and it tasted like a boba drink! OMG, delish!
Overall, I came in at 1,316 calories, 58g carbs (17%), 93g fat (64%), and 61g protein (19%).
So, now that I know my breakdown should look like 133g carbs (40%), 44g of fat (30%), and 100g (30%) of protein – I can adjust accordingly. Before I do anything too drastic (since what I am doing now is working), I want to go over my food sensitivity test. I will try to do that tomorrow so we can get a better picture of what this macronutrient breakdown should actually look like food-wise.
Finally, I want to leave you with a picture of my new shoes and a rainbow that came into the office yesterday and landed on my feet :)
The post My Diet & Exercise Genetic Report (BLOOD TESTS PART 1) | 61 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
October 13, 2019
I don’t want this to end | 60 of 90
I never thought I’d be saying this about mu 90 day journey, but…I DON’T WANT IT TO END!!!
I am rediscovering old passions, allowing my body to move in ways that feel like play, and making ME a priority. As a result, I am feeling more alive than ever.
I will for sure be filming a recap video of my 90 day journey for YouTube! I am so curious where I am going to be in the next 30 days! Here are some hopes of mine:
I hope to be a more confident dancer
I hope to be someone who gets a full 7-8 hrs of sleep
I hope to have a healthier gut and better digestion
I hope to finally slow down
I hope to be more flexible
I hope to release one of the videos I filmed last week
I hope to get near my initial body fat and weight goal
I hope to continue my healthy habits
I hope that I will continue to blog
I’ll look back on day 90 and see how many of these hopes came true!
Yesterday’s Recap:
Fit Journal entry.
Yesterday was an interesting day. I decided to skip my traditional workout for the day and choreograph a heels routine instead. Turns out I spent literally ALL DAY choreographing – I am talking several hours! I finally got the routine down and I am excited to show you how to do it in a tutorial that I will be releasing on Sunday on YouTube!
I danced all the way from morning til evening. It was like an intense intermittent fast because I didn’t have anything substantial until dinner time! And those egg cups that I marked under lunch were eaten in the late afternoon. The dance kept me so focused. I didn’t want to disrupt my creative flow by going down to the kitchen to eat. I know, weird. But when I am focused, I am LASER FOCUSED
LUNCH:
25% carbs, 54% fat, 21% protein
280 calories
Egg white cups with spinach and bell pepper.
Paired with kombucha. Yum.
DINNER:
34% carbs, 44% fat, 22% protein
646 calories
Chanterelle mushrooms, mahi mahi, and cauliflower rice.
With shishito peppers!!!
DESSERT:
50% carbs, 42% fat, 8% protein
428 calories
My fave. Pumpkin pie dessert hummus with strawberries.
Black tea mixed with unsweetened almond milk.
Yesterday I came in at 1,353 calories and 133g carbs (38%), 71g fat (45%), and 60g protein (17%). I didn’t eat too much yesterday but oddly did not feel hungry at the end of the day! So based on that, I did not try to squeeze in another meal for the sake of squeezing in another meal. I respected and listened to my body.
The post I don’t want this to end | 60 of 90 appeared first on Blogilates.
Week 8 Weigh-In | 59 of 90
Hey guys!
Wow, the end of week 8 is here! CRAZINESS!!!
Let’s just get right into it.
First off, I was active every day of week 8! I danced 4 times this past week!
I love love LOVEEEE that my 12 week game plan page in my Fit Journal is getting even more filled up!!! My 90th day will be Wed November 13th!
Week 8 recap. Things I need to start? Start to sleep more. Need to seriously be better at this. I’m so bad. I’ve been saying this for weeks now and I am not doing it. But it’s super related to what I need to stop doing…STOP TAKING ON MORE PROJECTS. I need to chill out. ‘Cept I don’t know how. I feel like Sam needs to force me to go on a vacation and take my phone and computer away from me.
Oh but speaking of sleep – I just uploaded a new video with my fave bed time stretches!
Overall though, I felt great mood wise last week.
What am I excited for? I’m excited to share with you my first heels choreo hopefully in next Sunday’s YouTube video!
WEEK 8 WEIGH-IN:
I did not expect very much change this week since last week was so intense. My weight actually went up by 0.4 lbs HOWEVER body fat % decreased by 0.2% and muscle mass increased by 0.1%! Overall, things are moving along accordingly.
In order to hit my goals in the next 30 days, I need to lose about 1.45 lbs a week and about 0.58% body fat each week. I quite certain that I will not be able to hit my “athlete” body fat percentage of 20% in the next 30 days, given my trends over the past 8 weeks. I will need to give more time for that. The weight? Hmm, I don’t know if I can do 1.45 lbs each week…but we shall see! Again, these were goals I set for myself back in mid August to give me direction. If I hit them in this time frame, great. If I don’t, then I can keep going and give myself more time – which is probably what will happen!
Yesterday’s Recap:
BREAKFAST:
19% carbs, 64% fat, 17% protein
401 calories
4 quail eggs, 2 cauliflower flatbreads, and 1 mashed avocado!
LUNCH:
21% carbs, 61% fat, 18% protein
520 calories
“Beyond Beef” vegan meat (SO GOOD), over romaine lettuce with corn and pico de gallo. Chipotle honey vinaigrette dressing.
POST LUNCH SNACK:
50% carbs, 42% fat, 8% protein
461 calories
Strawberry Freeze from Pressed Juicery with almond butter, blueberries and strawberries. YUM.
Kombucha.
DINNER:
13% carbs, 60% fat, 27% protein
451 calories
Egg thin tacos with beyond beef, pico de gallo, corn and jalapeno sauce! You only see 4 here…BUT I ATE 8!!!! YUMMMMZERS. I couldn’t stop – it was so good!
Yesterday came in at 1,833 calories, 26% carbs (121g), 57% fat (117g), and 17% protein (78g). It was a totally vegetarian day which was cool. Interesting that my fat intake is still higher than my protein. All those avocados, egg yolks, dressings, and almond butters really add up!
Also, I STILL have not had a chance to truly sit down and read my blood test results in depth. I really need to do this soon. I feel like it’s the perfectionist in me that is keeping me from doing it. It’s like I am afraid I won’t have time to finish all the reading in one sitting so I am not doing it at all until I can find the perfect slot of time. I need to be ok with doing it in segments! I want to get through at least one report tomorrow!
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October 12, 2019
Today I looked in the mirror and… | 58 of 90
Today I was forced into a situation I didn’t want to be in. Please watch below.
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A post shared by Cassey Ho (@blogilates) on Oct 13, 2019 at 12:42am PDT
I’ve always been ashamed of my belly. Only a couple times in my life has it ever had any resemblance of a “fitness trainer’s body.” The rest of the time, my soft belly gets people either:
Praising me for looking “normal”
Shaming me for not looking fit enough to be a instructor
Doubting that my programs even work
*sigh*
As you can see, it makes it hard to love yourself when people insist that your body isn’t a good reflection of your profession or your willpower.
But today, I took off my shirt and began to shatter the resent I held for my belly. I realized that there was no need to disrespect my body just because others didn’t appreciate it. Like, who cares what people think!!! Like actually – WHO CARES. And if they do, at least you’re important enough for them to be talking about right!?
I KNOW that my physical shell does not define how strong I am! Sure, life would be easier if I had a body that actually reflected my hard work, but you know what, you can’t have everything. And I am beginning to be okay with that.
I will tell you straight out that this is the BEGINNING of a self love journey for me and my belly. If I am being realistic, I can tell you that I will still be self conscious and I will still feel weird about wearing a sports bra in public by choice, but I know that the more I do it, the less scary it will be. Today was day 1 for me, my belly and our ever-evolving self love journey.
What part of your body are you insecure about? How do you plan on beginning your self love journey for it?
Yesterday’s Recap:
Fit Journal entry. Yesterday was the shoot. I was running on 3 hrs of sleep. There was no workout. Just standing all day. My lower back really hurts! Got a massage today though and I feel better.
BREAKFAST:
10% carbs, 65% fat, 25% protein
230 calories
Spinach and bell pepper egg white egg bites from Costco! Tastes just like the ones from Starbucks but cheaper! Yay! Had this at 7:30AM because I knew the shoot would get crazy as soon as I got there.
LUNCH:
17% carbs, 62% fat, 21% protein
779 calories
For lunch, we catered from Chipotle! SO FUN. I made myself 2 bowls. One was a chicken salad with guac, pico de gallo and chipotle honey vinaigrette dressing, and the other was sofritas over salad and corn.
DINNER:
33% carbs, 49% fat, 19% protein
689 calories
As soon as we got home from the shoot, I pulled out whatever leftovers I had in the fridge for a quick meal. I found cauliflower rice, ground turkey, lox, and then had it with a side of romaine lettuce and chipotle honey vinaigrette.
I ended dinner with a kombucha.
The day came in at 1,698 calories and 22% carbs (96g), 57% fat (111g), and 21% protein (89g).
Once again, meal timing is just FAILING right now. My dinners are so late. I need to figure this out. But now that the shoot is done, I am hoping I will have more time for myself. But I still need to make the Halloween costumes…prep some intense scripts for cool videos I have coming up…and we’re planning our first ever POWERGIRLS Retreat in less than a month…oh dear…this never ends!!! But who’s the blame? ME. So I’m not complaining.
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