On Friday, I was asked to provide nutritional information for a mini-series of webisodes for Asics.com. I not only provided information, but I did it on camera! It was fun being in front of the camera again -- it had been over 15 years since I had even done any extra work. I never thought I would be filmed again... only in L.A.! I feel like I was given this opportunity because of my credentials, but it was also right place-right time/who I know.
It was a cool project. I got to interact with Kinga Phillips, who does adventure hosting for networks such as Travel Channel, giving her info on how to prepare for and stay balanced during a marathon. I hope it turns out well -- it was a blast to do, and I felt like I really gave her some helpful, interesting information.
My credentials, as I hope to have them listed on this series are as follows:
Allison D. Salibian, B.S., CPT
B.S. Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology, UCLA
Research Scientist, Human Genetics, UCLA, VCU School of Medicine
Certified Personal Trainer
Nutrition Specialist in Weight Loss, Sports Nutrition & Body Building
NPC Figure Competitor, Master's Women's Figure Division
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Bigger and Better
I was just re-reading some of my posts in this blog, trying to get back to my "roots". I had a fun day at the gym, for the first time in months, and I wanted to check if I had gone away from my roots in the fitness industry or if I'm still the same person I was a year ago.
Yup! I'm still me. I still wake up each morning thankful for what I have and am very much in love with my husband and kids. I'm still thankful to God for who He is and what he's done for his creation. I'm still a pretty decent friend (yes, I've been off the grid a bit since I started working as a trainer and have increased my personal fitness goals), and I think I'm still okay at keeping the household in check.
The major differences are that I'm working as a professional trainer, so I'm much more strict with my schedule (I have about 15 clients on any given week, some of them train 2-3 times per week), and I push myself harder at the gym than ever before. But those are just day-to-day differences. Emotionally and spiritually I think I'm the same: I am loving and kind to others, I teach my children to be that way, and I try to encourage positive change in others.
Physically, I am very different. I have gained about 10 pounds of lean muscle over the last year, and I have leaned out all of the fat, except for the essential fat. Two weeks ago, I was down to 11% body fat, which is in the high-performance female athlete category. I actually had not a patch of cellulite for 3 days out of my adult life! Then, I went to Las Vegas with my husband and ate like a beast and I'm now back to a more balanced 13% body fat. That's still athlete status, but not competition-ready, which is okay with me because I'm still gaining muscle. Yes, I do have about 3 square inches of lumpy-bumpies on the back of my thighs, but I know exactly what to do to get rid of it. Also, my eating habits are a bit worse, but I can tighten that up whenever I feel like it.
I'm excited that I am a professional fitness trainer, and that I pretty well manage my fitness, food and family, and still remain me. Now, I just want to get better at the balancing act, so that I can continue to grow on all levels -- because, as you've heard me say before, "if you're not growing, you're not living."
Yup! I'm still me. I still wake up each morning thankful for what I have and am very much in love with my husband and kids. I'm still thankful to God for who He is and what he's done for his creation. I'm still a pretty decent friend (yes, I've been off the grid a bit since I started working as a trainer and have increased my personal fitness goals), and I think I'm still okay at keeping the household in check.
The major differences are that I'm working as a professional trainer, so I'm much more strict with my schedule (I have about 15 clients on any given week, some of them train 2-3 times per week), and I push myself harder at the gym than ever before. But those are just day-to-day differences. Emotionally and spiritually I think I'm the same: I am loving and kind to others, I teach my children to be that way, and I try to encourage positive change in others.
Physically, I am very different. I have gained about 10 pounds of lean muscle over the last year, and I have leaned out all of the fat, except for the essential fat. Two weeks ago, I was down to 11% body fat, which is in the high-performance female athlete category. I actually had not a patch of cellulite for 3 days out of my adult life! Then, I went to Las Vegas with my husband and ate like a beast and I'm now back to a more balanced 13% body fat. That's still athlete status, but not competition-ready, which is okay with me because I'm still gaining muscle. Yes, I do have about 3 square inches of lumpy-bumpies on the back of my thighs, but I know exactly what to do to get rid of it. Also, my eating habits are a bit worse, but I can tighten that up whenever I feel like it.
I'm excited that I am a professional fitness trainer, and that I pretty well manage my fitness, food and family, and still remain me. Now, I just want to get better at the balancing act, so that I can continue to grow on all levels -- because, as you've heard me say before, "if you're not growing, you're not living."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Better Late than Never
Wow... time flies! It has been over 3 months since my last post. Since then, I have gotten a new job and have been quite successful at it. I have been training clients and changing lives (on the fitness level, at least) for a few months now. It has been amazing!
I have used my prior knowledge that I gained while losing my own weight and new information that I learned during my certification to help people lose weight and feel better about themselves. I'm so grateful people have trusted me. I think part of the reason they trust me is that I practice what I "preach". I have been able to maintain 11-15% body fat for months and months, even during the holidays, and have continued to build muscle and train hard.
My gym manager says I'm an inspiration to my clients because usually when people train that hard, they get really tired and distracted and aren't at the top of their game with their clients. He also applauds me for maintaining a close-knit, happy family structure. I AM happy overall, but I admit I have had some down days. I'm human, but I pretend to be a super hero.
I would love to post a picture of my progress, but in deference to my mom, who thinks it's scandalous to show off my physique, you'll just have to take my word for it that I have muscles in places that I never thought I could grow distinctive muscles. Now, I want them bigger, so maybe I will win a muscle contest. We'll see.
For now, I'm happy to inspire my clients, excite my husband and make myself proud of my own strength.
I have used my prior knowledge that I gained while losing my own weight and new information that I learned during my certification to help people lose weight and feel better about themselves. I'm so grateful people have trusted me. I think part of the reason they trust me is that I practice what I "preach". I have been able to maintain 11-15% body fat for months and months, even during the holidays, and have continued to build muscle and train hard.
My gym manager says I'm an inspiration to my clients because usually when people train that hard, they get really tired and distracted and aren't at the top of their game with their clients. He also applauds me for maintaining a close-knit, happy family structure. I AM happy overall, but I admit I have had some down days. I'm human, but I pretend to be a super hero.
I would love to post a picture of my progress, but in deference to my mom, who thinks it's scandalous to show off my physique, you'll just have to take my word for it that I have muscles in places that I never thought I could grow distinctive muscles. Now, I want them bigger, so maybe I will win a muscle contest. We'll see.
For now, I'm happy to inspire my clients, excite my husband and make myself proud of my own strength.
Monday, March 4, 2013
One Tough Mother!
A trainee of mine has decided to run the Tough Mudder in San Diego in June. She has asked me if I want to do it with her, her husband and some friends. Here's a link:
http://toughmudder.com/events/california-socal-2-sat-jun-22-sun-jun-23-2013/
I hope to get my strength, agility and endurance up to be able to perform well at this. Of course, I won't leave my client/friend in the dust (unless she says it's okay to go ahead). If I decide to go ahead with my figure contest, then I will train for this after the contest is over. If not, I will probably set my sights on this one.
I'll keep you posted! I'm always looking for a challenge.
http://toughmudder.com/events/california-socal-2-sat-jun-22-sun-jun-23-2013/
I hope to get my strength, agility and endurance up to be able to perform well at this. Of course, I won't leave my client/friend in the dust (unless she says it's okay to go ahead). If I decide to go ahead with my figure contest, then I will train for this after the contest is over. If not, I will probably set my sights on this one.
I'll keep you posted! I'm always looking for a challenge.
No pictures, please
I had a heart-to-heart with my mom yesterday. She is very conservative and raised me to be that way, too. I am very modest normally, but this contest has pushed my personal limits lately - at least in terms of my contest uniform. In order to honor her (and also our relationship), I have decided to take the photos out of my blog. I feel like it is making her too uncomfortable knowing that my pictures are out there in cyberspace, and it is hindering our relationship. It's more important to me that we have a good relationship than for me to be able to fully express myself. I know that's censorship in a way, but it's me making the call to censor myself. I have the freedom to post whatever I choose, but I'm choosing not to post everything I want to, for the sake of something more important.
She also asked me to not compete in the figure contest, but I'm not sure I am ready to give that up just for her. She reminded me that as a Christian I need to be modest and honor God, and that does have quite a bit of pull on my thought process. I have a lot to consider, and I'll keep you posted.
It's not easy to listen to authority when you're a grown adult, but I have to figure out which authority is true, and which may be a manipulation. I know the bible is not a manipulation, and I believe every word is inspired by the Creator of the universe. Now, I have to figure out how God (and not my mom) is instructing me to live out the teachings in my own life... and that's what I have to do every single day. This situation is no different.
We'll see. But if it's not this contest, I will still write about my fitness expertise and some new challenge that I will find in order to push me and help to inspire others (if possible).
She also asked me to not compete in the figure contest, but I'm not sure I am ready to give that up just for her. She reminded me that as a Christian I need to be modest and honor God, and that does have quite a bit of pull on my thought process. I have a lot to consider, and I'll keep you posted.
It's not easy to listen to authority when you're a grown adult, but I have to figure out which authority is true, and which may be a manipulation. I know the bible is not a manipulation, and I believe every word is inspired by the Creator of the universe. Now, I have to figure out how God (and not my mom) is instructing me to live out the teachings in my own life... and that's what I have to do every single day. This situation is no different.
We'll see. But if it's not this contest, I will still write about my fitness expertise and some new challenge that I will find in order to push me and help to inspire others (if possible).
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Incredible shrinking woman
I've been training a friend of mine in her living room for the past month, in order to gain experience in one-on-one training and also to help her gain self-confidence and lose pounds and inches. I wasn't sure how things were going for several reasons: she didn't keep in close contact with me during the week (which made me think she wasn't sticking to her diet and wasn't exercising like I prescribed), she didn't make her food log readily available for me to scrutinize, and she changed appointment days often. I wasn't sure if she was truly invested.
Finally, on the last appointment of the month, I asked her probing questions about her underlying issues and motivations for trying to change her life through fitness. She opened up, we had some laughs, some "ah ha" moments and some tears. Then, she showed me her food log, showed me her kitchen cabinets, and even discussed changes in her bra size and bowel movements. It was amazing how my digging deeper really opened her up to sharing about her progress.
We ended the session with her telling me that her buns, thighs and hips were feeling much less squished in her jeans, and I had noticed her mid-section was much less full when sitting and standing. I asked if I could write about her progress in my blog. She seemed proud that I thought it was so remarkable and gave me the go-ahead. The truth is, I don't think it's that remarkable that she is following through with a diet and exercise plan and losing inches -- she should be losing weight if she follows my advice and accepts my support. The thing I feel is remarkable is that a 50 some-odd year old woman would desire change in her life and go after it ... even to the point of having a younger friend come over and tell her what to do, make her sweat and squirm and have her cabinets looked into. I hope I inspire her to continue to seek personal growth (through fitness and other avenues), and I love that she inspires me to want to pursue ongoing growth for the rest of my life.
May we both have another 50 years or more of physical, emotional and spiritual health... and may we be there for one another in the process.
Finally, on the last appointment of the month, I asked her probing questions about her underlying issues and motivations for trying to change her life through fitness. She opened up, we had some laughs, some "ah ha" moments and some tears. Then, she showed me her food log, showed me her kitchen cabinets, and even discussed changes in her bra size and bowel movements. It was amazing how my digging deeper really opened her up to sharing about her progress.
We ended the session with her telling me that her buns, thighs and hips were feeling much less squished in her jeans, and I had noticed her mid-section was much less full when sitting and standing. I asked if I could write about her progress in my blog. She seemed proud that I thought it was so remarkable and gave me the go-ahead. The truth is, I don't think it's that remarkable that she is following through with a diet and exercise plan and losing inches -- she should be losing weight if she follows my advice and accepts my support. The thing I feel is remarkable is that a 50 some-odd year old woman would desire change in her life and go after it ... even to the point of having a younger friend come over and tell her what to do, make her sweat and squirm and have her cabinets looked into. I hope I inspire her to continue to seek personal growth (through fitness and other avenues), and I love that she inspires me to want to pursue ongoing growth for the rest of my life.
May we both have another 50 years or more of physical, emotional and spiritual health... and may we be there for one another in the process.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Sick and Tired
I caught the cold flu that has been going around! I somehow avoided it a couple of weeks ago, but it hit me like a ton of bricks, even though I'm eating well and exercising like crazy. I'm sick and tired and achey and runny, and it stopped my in my tracks. I wasn't mentally prepared to take a break from my training plan.
I was just beginning this high-rep regimen that had me burning by the end of the first set. I was quite amazed that I made it through all sets and all reps (sometimes 100 of some sort of leg press), and I was darn proud of myself. A few people came up to me and asked me why I was doing so many reps, and I said I had no idea. My coach just told me what to do, and I'm doing it.
On a related note, I'm still not even close to being certified as a trainer. I'm frustrated that the studying has been on hold because of my focus on other things. I think it would help me to push even harder (if that's possible) because I'd know why and how the certain weekly plan is supposed to work.
I feel like I need to have some motivation to get me certified. Let's hope something comes along soon, or it may not happen until I'm done with my competition. I know this fitness lifestyle is a life-long process, but I'm not usually the kind of person who procrastinates.... Maybe it's because I have two tiny girls and a household to run while my husband works looong hours. I think I'm just in a bit of a "season", and this season will change with time.
I will go back to my training plan on Sunday with cardio (probably not full-out, but I'm sure it won't just be walking on the treadmill -- why waste my time?). I wish I could have finished out the week. It looked interesting. Next week, I'm back to heavy, lower reps, circuit training again. Then, onto something else. It's so exciting! I can't wait!!
I was just beginning this high-rep regimen that had me burning by the end of the first set. I was quite amazed that I made it through all sets and all reps (sometimes 100 of some sort of leg press), and I was darn proud of myself. A few people came up to me and asked me why I was doing so many reps, and I said I had no idea. My coach just told me what to do, and I'm doing it.
On a related note, I'm still not even close to being certified as a trainer. I'm frustrated that the studying has been on hold because of my focus on other things. I think it would help me to push even harder (if that's possible) because I'd know why and how the certain weekly plan is supposed to work.
I feel like I need to have some motivation to get me certified. Let's hope something comes along soon, or it may not happen until I'm done with my competition. I know this fitness lifestyle is a life-long process, but I'm not usually the kind of person who procrastinates.... Maybe it's because I have two tiny girls and a household to run while my husband works looong hours. I think I'm just in a bit of a "season", and this season will change with time.
I will go back to my training plan on Sunday with cardio (probably not full-out, but I'm sure it won't just be walking on the treadmill -- why waste my time?). I wish I could have finished out the week. It looked interesting. Next week, I'm back to heavy, lower reps, circuit training again. Then, onto something else. It's so exciting! I can't wait!!
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