Discover the new Lifting Fairy

Lifting Fairy has moved... 

You can reach it under the brand new domaine: 

www.liftingfairy.com 

PIBA x STREET STYLE

PIBA has released a brand new collection with a whole new concept. Weeehhh! Well those who follow me on my Facebook-page may already know that.

The previous PIBA collections were all colorful, bright and playful, thus Mel (from PIBA) thought to launch a whole new concept. The new prints are the hallmark's of the new collection. These prints make it possible to wear your comfy gymtights also outside of your second home. Hence the conecpt amount to darker, urban-street-style prints instead of colorful and bright prints. 

As the leggings were produced by a new manufacturer , the overall quality is a million times better and has some new and improved features like: 

• super strong and durable flatlock stitchig
• new, high quality fabric, which is even more durable and soft to the skin
• a compression-like fit, so perfect for your legsessions (#squatsproved)
• comfortable, flattering waistband with encased elastic
• crotch gusset. 

In the new collection you can find prints like the bandana (c.f pictures), b/w anaconda, red lynx or white combat/camouflage. I am definitely a fan of the bandana print as it reminds me of the 90ies where everybody wore bandanas around the neck, in the hair or as a bracelet.

If you want to treat yourself with a pair of awesomeness, you also have to know that the weblink changed to www.piba-leggings.com , plus you get 10% off your purchase using my special promo code >> JEN10%OFF <<. Be sure to also use the hashtags #iwearpiba and #physiqueint when showing-off with your fancy gymwear.

 

 

Review: Basen Fasting

Before I start my review, I would like to give you some information about 'basenfasten'. 

It was developed by the Wacker Family in 1997 and is meant as a treatment for detox and relief. When we talk about 'basen-fasten' we talk about the voluntary renunciation of acid food (animal proteins and corn) for a limited time to cleanse our body from acidic toxins. 

There are several methods for 'basen-fasten': you can do it only during a weekend (like me) or over months for which I would suggest to get more information. Talking about the foods you are allowed to eat, there are also some differences of course. But let's stay with this one. 

What you are NOT allowed to consume during this detox: 

• coffee, even decaf
• black,green and white tea
• mate, fruit and rooibos tea
• alcohol
• milk
• sugary drinks and foods
• sausage, lunch meats , hams and bacon
• smoked, brined or pickled foods
• shell fish
• garlic
• fast food

On a strictly 'alkaline' day (free from acid food) you mainly eat vegetables, ripe fruits, salad, sprouts, herbs and a few nuts and seeds. Complete shopping lists can be found on the internet or in books or you can check the list below. You should also drink 6 to 8 glasses of mineral water and diluted herbal tea. 

What you need: 

• mineral water
• herbal tea (like nettle tea) 
• lemons , grapefruits and apples
• vegetables like: onions, leek, parsley, white kale, celery, bay leaf, cucumbers
• hazelnuts , almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpink seeds
• 'basica' , which is a 'basen' product (available at your local pharmacy or at 'dm' in germany) 

Why I did this cleansing? 

Since I cut my finger weeks ago, I had to take antibiotics to prevent an inflammation. Unfortunately my body stored a lot of water which made me feel really bad, bloated and in some way very uneasy. 

So when my coach returned from a seminar three weeks, he told me about 'basenfasten' and how this can have an impact on the body and the overall well-being. Therefor I wanted to give it a try to purify my body and get rid of that retained water. 

What was my detox like?

It was mainly based on lemons, grapefruits, apples,hazelnuts, cucumbers, a self-made bouillon, boiled eggs and a 'basica'-'basen' product. 

If you want to know what my day looked like, you are welcome to check out my new movie on my YouTube channel (below). 

How I felt after this detox-weekend?

First I was a little bit concerned about the amount of food, which appeared as 'nothing' to me. I couldn't imagine that this would satisfy my hunger. Waking up on Saturday, I was curious about how I would feel during the day. My first thoughts were, 'well probably sluggish and grumpy'... 

Starting my day with a glass of warm lemon-water woke me up instantly, probably because of the sour flavor of the lemon. As I knew that I had to wait for 2 hours until my bouillon was ready, I had one of the three apples I was allowed to eat during the day. This really saved me as I probably wouldn't have survived another 2 hours without food. So far so good. 

I couldn't wait for my bouillon to be ready because it smelled so good. Meanwhile I prepared the cucumbers, the grapefruits and the hazelnuts, to have an equal apportionment over the day, just like the nettle tea that I already prepared in the morning. 

Despite the fact that I had to pee all the time, I didn't feel sluggish or hungry, which really surprised me to be honest. My body felt less bloated and I a lot better in my skin. I could clearly see that something has changed, which the scale also proved me. I lost 2 kilos, which should be mainly water. 

Unfortunately, at the end of Sunday, I had some headaches, which didn't surprise me. I think it's because I couldn't eat any carbs over these two days and my brain needed fuel again. 

So all in one, it was a great way to cleanse my body from acidic toxins. I definitely feel better now, and I think that I will do this detox-program again once in a while when I feel bloated and uneasy. 

It was by far tthe best detox I have done. The Nikki-Sharp 5-Days-Detox (review here) was great as well, but now that I've learned about alkaline food and its advantages I am more convinced about the 'basen-fasting' program. 

If you have further questions about my experience, don't hesitate to contact me via my facebook-page (here). 

Team Posing Day

The Team Powerfood's J-M.B

After our successsful team meeting a few weeks ago, J-M decided to organise a Posing Day for all the members who recently joined our team. By the way, I'm so happy that our team grows bigger and bigger. We actually have new athletes in every category and I finally get some female support by my sister (fashionbarbecue) , Anne (a good friend) ,Sheila, Linda and Zoé...

Brace yourselves boys, the ladies are taking over.

As our federation, the NAC, announced that the Men's Physique category is, from the next season on, officially accepted, a lot of aspiring athletes joined as well. And so far it looks very promising because everyone is highly motivated.

The Posing Day was held at J-M's place, as he has the perfect spotlights for a posing practice and the space of course. Olivier F. did the Men's Physique Posing, Yannick S. the Bodybuilding and Athletic posing and I did of course the Bikini/Shape-Posing with my ladies. And it was a real success. Almost the whole team joined the posing day and this meant lots of fun, as always. 

If you want to get more impressions of our Team posing day, you are welcome to check out the movie on my YouTube Channel (below). By the way, it's the very first time you will hear me speak in a video... So don't judge hihi (#excited).

For pictures, you can have a look at some pictures on my Facebook page (here). 

Enjoy your week. 

Post Contest Phenomnomnom

2nd and 3rd place, but still damn proud of myself

As the autumn season is about to start, a lot of new athletes are preparing for their first show and are experiencing all kind of things that come with a contest-prep. If you have no idea what you are in for, you should check out this post (here).

You must be so excited for your first show, I was too. But what comes next? 

Here are some things that you have to brace yourself for: 

• The hardest thing for me was the water depletion as you can't drink the last day prior the contest. But the day post-contest you will be shocked... because you gained so much weight... 

Well, gaining weight after your competition shouldn't make you freak out. If you have cut water for your show, it's pretty normal that, when you drink water again, you gain this amount in water weight, especially if you also enjoy an epic cheat meal, which you deserve. Don't panic, it's only WATER weight, NOT fat. 

• Ask you coach for a reverse-diet: 

If your coach hasn't mentioned this, ask him. Especially when you're a beginner, it's important that you get back on track as soon as possible, all step by step. Plus, having a guidance after your competition will stop you from going crazy with bad , yet so yummy, food. It's very improtant that you stop eating crap no later than 36 hours post-contest as your body will start to store everything it gets in order to fill up its reserves. 

• You will hardly be satisfied with your physique:

Once you have been in the best shape of your life, it can be extremely hard to feel happy with your body again. Anything other than your stage-shape makes you feel 'fat' or 'soft'. Trust me, you are NOT. 

You are just at a more maintainable shape. Staying stage-lean for a long period can be extremely dangerous for you health as your body is at its limits. And catching a virus before your show or at a very shredded state is anything but fun, believe me.

When I was 1 week out of my first show, I caught a gastro-intestinal infection and I felt like crap. I had no energy, was dehydrated and I was so happy when the infection was gone one day prior the show. Of course, on the one hand I lost more water which made me look leaner, but on the other hand this could have turned out really bad. So no matter how great you looked on stage, make sure to be satisfied with your post-competition shape as well. Because after all, you still look freaking amazing!

• What the hell do you do with your time now?

You spent so much time in the gym. You hit the gym in the morning for your fasted cardio, in the later afternoon for your second gym session, you followed a very strict diet, you stayed at home recovering from your training sessions and did nothing else than sleep, train and eat (maybe going to work too)... And now? Less cardio, no strict diet anymore, maybe even a week off from training...  What should you do with your life now?

Well, I have a great advice for you: Spend time with your family and friends. I am sure they missed you a lot during your prep as you couldn't enjoy a get-together at the restaurant , nor at the cinema as sweets and temptations were lurking everywhere. They will be happy to have a lovely YOU back. 

• Cardio, is that spanish?

Even though you don't have to hit a fasted cardio session every morning, try to keep your cardio up. This will help your body to adjust. By all the means, take a week or even two off from gym. But I would recommend to keep up for some daily cardio. This doesn't have to be a 1-hour hiit session, where you are dripping in sweat. Walking your dog, going for a hike or simply enjoying a bike tour is already enough. 

• You may look like a snake shedding its skin:

Depending in which federation you compete, you may have a very dark tan which doesn't come off evenly. This may also depend on the tan you use and how many layers you put on. Getting a great scrub and a scrub-glove makes it easier for you to get rid of that tan. Try to get it off from your hand, face and neck first, as people will probably think that you have experimented with a bad self-tanning lotion. And don't forget to put on a moisturizer afterwards, your skin will thank you. (If you still need advice for your stage tan, this post might be interesting for you ) 

• 'Did you win?'

You will be asked the most annoying questions after your competitions; 'did you win?' 'how much money did you win?'. Just be honest and don't be afraid telling them if you didn't won. Winning is not everything. This is much more than just a trophy. Getting through a competition diet, getting on stage and completing what you've started already makes you a champion. Try to explain this to your family and friends. They will be proud of you anyway. 

In Bodybuilding, no matter what category you compete in, you will get more butt-kicks than trophies. Stepping on stage with your best possible shape makes you a winner and getting a trophy is just like the cherry on top of the cake. 

• Set new goals:

Setting new goals or higher ambitions after your first season will keep you motivated and will keep the post-show blues from indulging too much. Post-contest blues have to be taken seriously. You will feel lost, unmotivated and sometimes even a little depressed. Try not to let these bad thoughts consume you. This is pretty normal as you have been so enthusiastic for your show. Try to stay positive. 

• Get feedback:

Don't bother the show organiser as they probably get hundreds of emails for feedbacks. If you want  feedback, look at the official stage photographs. This is how you can best assess what you need to improve. Ask you coach for a feedback, and don't get upset when he critizies you, you should be open for contructive critics. Decide on a game plan for your next show. This will keep you motivated as well. 

• You cannot please everyone:

Bodybuilding is a subjective sport. YOU have to be happy with the way you look. YOU are the one who has to walk around with this amazing body for the rest of the year. You simply cannot please everyone. You only have to please yourself 

That said, I wish every athlete a great autumn season. Do your best and rock the stage.

No abs, bloated as hell. But who cares? 

So happy about my cheatmeal breakfast in last autumn after the Universe contest. 

Yes, indulging after a show is pretty awesome. 

Smiling and happy me again, with my dad. 

Why Fit Shaming?

Got some nice gains I think

Recently there has been a huge push for women to love their body and to be more positive about them.

Which is totally awesome. I think the worst thing you can do is making fun of somebody else whether they are overweight or totally muscular.

Here are some things I was told myself and what I think about them:

• Some people think it's okay to call 'us' (bikini/fitness/physique-athletes) gross just because we are more muscular. Calling someone 'gross' while that person isn't doing something 'gross' makes you an idiot. 
• It's not unusual that I get asked to eat something, like junk or 'just that little bite' of a muffin. Why do you feel the need to interrupt my diet? Mind your own business and food and don't bother me and my meal plan. 
• 'This can't be healthy...' Yep, I'm sick of that one. We are always working out too much, taking too many supplements , maybe we're also injecting some stuff,who knows? While athletes have a low body percentage they can still be healthy and active. You call athletes unhealthy just because they have less body fat, but what about people eating junk and refined sugars all day? Is that healthy?
• Of course everybody has their preferences, which is good, otherwise it would be a bit boring. BUT telling a fit women she looks like a man or unattractive just because she has a shredded body is just plain stupid and you probably don't have the intellect to realize how awesome we are.
• If you lift, you probably have heard these sentences at least once:

' I don't lift, I don't want to look like that'  

Well sweet-heart, if you want that 'fitness model' body you probably have to hit the gym. 

' I don't like muscular men' 

Stop lying! I am sick of girls saying they don't like men with muscles. Because EVERY TIME we are on the road as a team, meaning with our bodybuilders, the boys get the craziest and flirting looks ever. 

'That guy is probably a douche'

Where does this fuzz come from that bodybuilders or athletes are stupid, have no intellect or are brainless? I know many athletes that have more intellect than 90% of those people judging them.

• Why can't we just be whatever we want to be? Either we are too skinny, too fat, too muscular, too blonde, too women, too alive or whatever. This is an unfortunate truth. And you know I'm right.
• Saying that she has lost her boobs because of the sports is like saying she has big boobs because she's fat. Women say things out of jealousy. However,there is seriously no damn reason for women to hate on each other. Chicks before dicks, right? 
• Overweight people have probably also received backhanded and cowardly compliments like 'You're so pretty for a girl your size'. Now athletes seem to get them too. Here are some of them:
  
  
  ' I wish I had your commitment. It's so impressive, but I don't want to spend my free-time in the gym. But I totally respect you'
  'Some people think female lifters are manly, but you really embrace your muscles, great thing for you!'
  Do you really think we are THAT stupid and naive?

• Talking about 'free time'. Why the hell do people keep commenting on how long we are staying in the gym and losing our 'free time'? Helloo... the gym IS our free time. It's OUR place where we can switch off the world from your bulls***, from everyday worries and simply enjoy and love what we're doing.Why is it o.k for every kind of hobby to spent hours and hours on it, but when it comes to your own health and body improvement it's just 'too time consuming'. BLAH.

Shaming should never happen. Basta.

In our world of fitness and meal prep, we should celebrate those trying to be healthy. For the out-standers that feel the need to comment how a muscular woman has probably a dick or how a guy looks like he injects , you have no damn clue how many people start lifting just because they have been bullied. 

If you like lifting heavy ass weights, don't listen to the nay-sayers and build your own body.

proud of my booty gains

If you conquer your mind, you conquer the world

Gym-Weekend

Team Powerfood's J-M.B

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend even though the weather wasn't the best here in Luxembourg. 

As for me, my weekend was pretty productive. 

Usually I take my rest days on Saturday and Sunday that have more time for important things like chilling on the couch and thinking about the gym... #gymratproblems.

But as I couldn't workout the first two days of the week and didn't want to skip two training days I worked out this weekend.

On Fri-yay the gym is always so empty which is of course good for me. Empty gym,happy me. So I had all the place and equipment to myself to hit a great upper body workout consisting of biceps, triceps and side delts. Right now I am focusing on my upper body ever since I realized that my back and legs are my strong points and develop pretty fast. And you know what they say about your weak-points?  

' Work on your weaker spots first '

Saturday consisted of a high-reps/low-weights leg session. As I said, they develop quite fast. 

Sunday was my favorite workout day of the week because the whole Team Powerfood's J-M.B came to Factory4. Seeing my teammates again and exchanging experiences and talking about the different training methods felt really great. 

The looks we got from the few other people when we entered the gym were priceless. It was one of those 'Walking-in-while-there-is-an-explosion-in-the-back' kind of moments haha. Of course we have some great bodybuilders and athletes in our gym too, but when an entire team arrives, then this can be pretty impressive I think. 

While the boys hit an intensive shoulder and back workout, the other focused on legs and I trained my biceps, triceps and shoulders (side&back). 

After our routines, we , the girls, decided to do a little bikini-posing workshop since the dance hall wasn't occupied. Sammie and Anne, our new aspiring bikini athletes, did pretty well and I think it won't take long until they get the hang of posing. For their first posing workshop ever it was really good, considering that the boys had to joke around in the back which made it very hard to focus. I think a posing-workshop once a month should be enough to get the perfection as both of them have a great body control. 

To finish this great day, we went to a Chinese restaurant, named Belle-City in Dudelange, to devour (almost) all the sushis from the sushi train.Speaking literally...

Unfortunately, we weren't complete as some of us had to work or already started the preparation for the autumn season. But there will be more occasions to empty the sushi train muaha.

Wishing you an excellent new week with lots of motivation and success. 

After the gymsession, ready for suhi