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https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/

Name: Katie DePoalo
Age: 26
Location: San Marcos, California

What does being a Girl Gone Strong mean to you?
Being a Girl Gone Strong means more to me than simply a title. I almost feel as if my life experiences “earned” me the privilege to call myself a Girl Gone Strong. My long battle with anorexia and exercise abuse completely destroyed my life. At 24 years old, I never expected to find myself extremely sick (both mentally and physically) and spending my days sitting in a treatment center. It wasn’t until my health was at risk that I realized how truly precious life is. I knew I needed to be strong, overcome this disorder, and use the experience to find my purpose in the world. And that’s exactly what I did! To me a Girl Gone Strong is someone who has been through a struggle, and comes out on the other side a more empowered and confident woman.

How did you get introduced to strength training, and how long have you been training?
I have been strength training for about seven years, but it seems like forever! I remember being intimidated by free weights because I was unsure of proper form and technique. I would watch others working out in the weight room and be envious of the look of satisfaction on their faces.

They were testing their strength and celebrating their goals while I was reluctantly forcing myself to push through the last minute on the treadmill.

I decided to try a few of the machines, but it wasn’t until I picked up my first set of dumbbells that I felt the confidence strength training brings.

What does a sample workout look like for you?
I always begin with foam rolling, a dynamic warm-up, and five minutes of light cardio. I then do a total-body routine, using a variety of dumbbells, barbells, sandbags, medicine balls, and suspension straps. I love to end my workouts with a high intensity circuit including battle ropes and sled training. A lot of people underestimate the importance of recovery, but I truly believe it is critical to reaching your goals! I’ve found that my body has changed in multiple ways now that I allow myself two full rest days a week. Your muscles grow while you recover, not in the gym! 

Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why?
I always think I prefer to train alone. It’s my “me” time, and I have enough willpower and motivation to push myself. However, I actually enjoy the class setting as well. I love being able to interact with others, which makes the workout more enjoyable.

Best compliment you’ve received lately:
The most fulfilling compliment I received was in regards to “Curls For Girls”- a class I recently began teaching that is specifically designed for teenage girls. I implement it with the idea of helping girls become more comfortable and confident in a gym setting. My hope is that they will begin to view their bodies for all they are able to do, as opposed to what they look like. The feedback I have received has been beyond my expectations. I strive to educate the girls about proper equipment, exercise technique, and muscles, as well as lead group discussions about body image, disordered eating, nutrition, and self-love. The girls say they love the workouts and find they are really able to open up and talk freely about the issues young women are facing in today’s society.

Favorite meal:
Hmmm it’s definitely a toss-up between pasta with seafood or a huge cup of frozen yogurt with all the candy toppings! 

What inspires and motivates you?
First and foremost, I can honestly say that all the women of Girls Gone Strong truly inspire me. I am constantly in awe of their amazing knowledge and expertise. They make me even more motivated to continue passing along this message to the young girls I work with. My mom is also a huge inspiration for me. She is a constant source of support, encouraging me and inspiring me to achieve my goals and be a better person.

What do you do?
I wear many hats! I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist. I teach total body conditioning classes, as well as a boot camp at San Diego Premier Training in Carlsbad, CA. I am also the instructor of “Curls for Girls”, which is my proudest accomplishment right now. Lastly, I coach a parent-and-me gymnastics class for babies, toddlers, and their mommies.

What are you most grateful for?
This one’s easy: my health. I never realized how much I took it for granted until it was damaged. I had no choice but to face my issues head-on and pull myself out of this mess. My battle with anorexia and exercise abuse caused me to drop an extreme amount of weight. I was malnourished, losing my hair, always cold, and constantly in physical pain. I realized this was no way to live. Recovery was my only choice. I gave my body a break from all forms of exercise and began consuming a substantial amount of calories. With much patience and therapy, I was able to get myself to a healthy weight as well as a healthy mindset. I now strive to maintain the healthful lifestyle I’ve worked so hard to create.

What life accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the way I was able to overcome my eating disorder and come out stronger, more knowledgeable, and more empowered than I could have ever imagined.

No one can fight a battle for you. If it is something you’re going through, you need to face it and tackle it.

It took an extreme amount of courage and determination to get myself where I am today, and I believe it led me to fulfill this purpose in my life of mentoring young women who struggle to find a healthy relationship with food and exercise. I am also thankful to be able to share the coping skills I took away from the experience.

Three words that best describe you:
Driven, relatable, and grateful.

What’s a risk you’ve taken recently, and how did it turn out?
The biggest risk I’ve taken was to leave my home, friends, and career in New Jersey to start a new life in San Diego. I moved in August of 2015 and decided to pursue personal training, which led me to start my own business, Feel Fit SD. After some time I realized I still wasn’t feeling satisfied in my career. I had to look deep into myself to see what I want to be contributing to the community. It was then that I decided to create “Curls for Girls” with the hopes of helping young women all over San Diego achieve their fitness goals.

What do you want to say to other women who might be nervous to start strength training?
The first thing I would say is “I’ve been there! I get it. I was nervous too!” It’s intimidating and scary to think of how your body will respond to strength training. However, I can assure you, as I assure all my young girls, lifting weights will change your life.

Feeling inspired?

Are you feeling inspired by Katie? Read on to learn more about—and join!—our community of strong, inspiring women…

The post GGS Spotlight: Katie DePoalo appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

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Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

A while ago I was talking to a friend about a diet she was trying. She was going on week five, and though she had seen some results in the beginning, her progress was starting to slow and she was pretty much miserable.

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Learning how to spot a pound of bananas without the aid of a scale is a game-changer. When you know how many bananas are in a pound, you can decide how many you want to buy and access the price in a snap.

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http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Fish broth isn’t as versatile as chicken or beef broth, but it’s a special thing, nevertheless. It’s delicate and savory with the appetizing flavor of seafood.

Is this the type of broth you’ll sip straight from a mug? There’s no reason not to if you like fish. Plus, you’ll get a healthy dose of omega-3s, fat-soluble vitamins, selenium, iodine, and other minerals. Enough gelatin can be extracted from a few pounds of fish parts to give your broth a gelatin-rich texture that turns to jelly when refrigerated. The most important fish part to use is the head. In fact, you can make broth entirely from fish heads, although the spine and other bones can be added as well.

Salmon heads typically give fish stock a stronger flavor; halibut, bass, cod, and other white fish give broth a milder flavor. You can use one type of fish, or a combination of different types. In this fish stock recipe, the quantity of fish parts is given by weight, not by the number of fish heads. This is because you might end up with one big fish head that weighs several pounds, or you might get several smaller heads. Either is fine.

To make fish stock, the heads and parts only need to be simmered 30 minutes with a few chopped veggies. Then, it’s ready for sipping or to be used as an ingredient in any chowder or soup recipe.

If you’re a fisherman (or woman), save the heads! If you’re not, then call ahead to a fish counter and ask for some heads to be set aside (and also ask for the gills to be removed).

Quantity: Approximately 1 quart

Time in the Kitchen: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes to simmer

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pounds fish heads (gills removed), or a combination of heads and bones (1.5 kg to 1.8 kg)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 6 parsley stems
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 to 8 cups/(1.4 to 2 L) water, approximately (or 6 cups water and 1 cup white wine)

Instructions:

Make sure the gills of the fish are removed (they can make stock bitter). Wash the heads and parts well by soaking and running under water to remove any blood.

Put the heads and any bones in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, celery, parsley, peppercorns and bay leaf. Pour in enough cold water to just cover the fish parts (no more than 8 cups, or the flavor will be diluted).

Bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, never letting the broth come to a full boil. Skim any foam that rises to surface.

Strain in a colander, pressing on the solids to release liquid. Strain again, this time through a fine mesh strainer. Chill the broth.

Refrigerated fish stock will stay fresh up to 5 days, or can be frozen for several months.

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How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa

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Packing your salad full of whole grains like farro, quinoa, and brown rice is an easy way to bulk it up and make it extra satisfying. But what’s not satisfying is a salad full of mushy grains, which can happen if you forget one important step when prepping them for lunch.

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What’s more satisfying than looking into the fridge and having a solid understanding of what you’re going to eat for the week? Prepping meals ahead of time answers the “What’s for dinner?” question we face every day.

These five salads, which have been designed with storage in mind, can be made on a Sunday night for eating throughout the week. While they all make excellent dinner options, lunch is where they prove their worth, making the ho-hum midday meal instantly more appealing.

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