Mica, someone asked the following question:

"How do I get rid of saddle bags? you know, those saggy butt cheeks with the fat around the thighs?"

Mica's answer:

The big questions: How to get rid of saddle bags, underarm fat, lower abdominal fat, inner thigh fat, love handles, back fat, etc.

The reason I categorize all of these areas/questions together is that the answer is the same. You cannot spot reduce. Where your extra body fat lies is determined by your genetics- The key toning and firming those areas does not rely on a particular exercise. Exercising those areas are definitely important and can firm up the muscle tissue underneath the layer of fat, but that layer of fat will still be there if you do not work on lowering your total body fat percentage.

I hear it quite often when I first meet with clients. example: "My upper body is good - I just want to work on my abs". If I were to work with that person 3x a week and only do abdominal exercises, more than likely they would not notice a difference in their abs even after months of training. But if I were to get them on an eating plan, do full body strength training 3x a week with cardio they would definitely notice a difference even if we were to never do a single "ab specific" exercise.

The key to slimmer, firmer thighs, losing the love handles, muffin top and underarm fat is that you must burn more calories than you consume and only then will your body begin to use the extra fat from those areas as fuel.

Mica hit this spot on! Check out Mica's article below on spot reduction:

One thousand ---- one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and thee, one thousand and four, one thousand and five ---- Should I keep counting or do you want a break from all of those un-necessary sit-ups? The general public seems to believe that the top fitness professionals in the industry are keeping the long desired secret of a flat stomach to themselves. Everyone is constantly seeking out this secret formula for sexy Abs --- How many sit-ups should I do? What are the best abdominal exercises? How do I get Jessica Alba’s body? How do I lose my “love-handles”?

Well my friends, you have waited long enough for the truth and here it is(and you don’t even have to buy my e-book, DVD series, abdominal apparatus for only 3 easy payments of $29.99, or audiotape). The research has been done and there is only one very simple formula when it comes to “spot reduction”, or losing fat in specific areas of the body. Are you ready to hear the long awaited truth?

Let’s make this simple to understand --- Remember when you were a child and you were told that Santa clause didn’t exist --- well, this may be tough to swallow but “spot reduction” doesn’t exist unless you are paying for liposuction. Yes, it’s true – Spot Reduction is a myth and you can file that under the same category as Santa Clause. Trying to lose fat from a specific part of your body by doing 1000’s of leg lifts, or sit-ups will not work. It doesn’t matter what exercise you choose, how many times you do it you will NOT look like Jessica Alba or Brad Pitt. --- but my friend does 1000 sit-ups a day and you should see how fantastic she looks” – this may be true but maybe you should be asking her what else she is doing because it’s not just sit-ups.

Most people don’t have their fat distributed evenly throughout their bodies. Each of us inherits a genetically determined pattern of fat storage just as we inherit our height or hair color. In other words, the fat accumulates to certain areas more than others. Men often tend to store more fat in the lower abdominal region. In women it’s usually the hips and thighs. These are the first places the fat goes to, and the last places the fat comes off.

Of course abdominal exercises are an important part of your journey to great abs, but fat loss should be your main goal in your quest. Although we tend to accumulate excess fat in certain areas of our body it doesn’t mean to get rid of it we have to work tirelessly on those particular areas. In order to get those sexy abs we all desire we must lose body fat!

The fact is that you probably already have 6-pack abs, but they are covered by a layer of fat. In order to reveal your 6-pack abs, you should slightly reduce your calorie intake and increase your activity level. That’s it – That’s the secret.

There are certainly many people who will tell you different, selling you a magic pill or a crazy device for a handsome profit. I wish I could tell you something more magical, something easier, some sort of specific exercise, but the simple truth is that sexy abs have more to do with what’s in your fridge than what the best ab exercise is. If you really want a flat stomach, consulting with a dietician or personal trainer who will give you honest, sound advice on how to reach your goals would be your best bet.

If it were an easy process everyone would have sexy abs – stop researching for a quick fix – This is the only true way--- with the right guidance and motivation you CAN reach your goal of sexy abs – Remember this simple phrase and you’ll hold the power of 6 pack abs: “Ab’s are made in the kitchen”.

If you have any questions on how to find your abs or any questions at all in relation to health and fitness please feel free to email me at micaelafitness@gmail.com

Be sure to check out Mica's website and her blog for more articles - packed with real info that you can use. Also check out her recent addition - a huge video library of exercises performed by Mica, showing proper form and timing. It's a great reference.

In the mean time, keep the questions and feedback coming! And don't forget, Mica's got something special just for you ;)

And here we are - The final month of the Too Busy To Workout Workout! As I was looking through this month's routine, I had a good chuckle and thought "this is gonna be a killer!" This, of course, is a good thing!

Some have asked me if it's ok to add an additional set or substitute exercises. The answer is yes! Some have been repeating the intervals (eg. doing A1/A2 twice, then moving on to B1/B2) and others are decreasing their rest times. Just keep doing what you're doing as long as your heart rate is up. Nothing better than that feeling of your heart pounding like crazy...of course, within reason.

As for substituting exercises, feel free to do so as long as the exercise you're substituting it with is working the same muscle groups.

Now, just so you know, Mica has something in store down the road. It's a secret for now, but as soon as I find out, I'll be sure to let you know. It'll be awesome to see what she comes up with next!

Ok, let's get to the final month's workout routines!

Days 1 and 4 - Upper Body + 18 Minutes Cardio

Perform the following in 2 minute rounds, followed by a rest that lasts no longer than 30 seconds. If you feel you can keep going, then keep going! For example, you would perform A1 then immediately onto A2 and alternate between A1 and A2 for two minutes. Once the two minutes are up, rest for 30 seconds then move onto B1 and B2 and so on.

A1: MAX Full Pushups
A2: Posture "i'"
*do as many reps as you can for A1
*aim for 15 reps for A2

B1: Single Arm High Curls with MightyBands (Left)
B2: Single Arm High Curls with Mightybands (Right)
*aim for 10 reps

C1: Broomstick Row with MightyBands
C2: Reverse Fly with MightyBands
*aim for 10 reps

D1: Chest Fly with MightyBands
D2: Overhead Tricep Press with MightyBands
*aim for 10 reps

E1: Front Shoulder Raise with MightyBands
E2: Tricep Chair Dips
*aim for 10 reps

Cardio: top off your workout with 18 minutes of intense cardio (eg. high intensity interval training, stair climbing, jump rope)

Days 2 and Five - Lower Body + 15 Minutes Cardio

Perform the following in 2 minute rounds, followed by a rest that lasts no longer than 30 seconds.

A1: Jumping Lunges
A2: Free Squat
*aim for 10 reps

B1: Right Leg MightyBand Kickbacks
B2: Left Leg MightyBand Kickbacks
*do as many as you can for one minute, for each leg

C1: Right MightyBand Abduction
C2: Left MightyBand Abduction
*do as many as you for one minute, for each leg.

D1: Squat with Front Kick
D2: Chair Bounce Squat
*aim for 10 reps

E1: Bulgarian Squat Left Leg
E2: Bulgarian Squat Right Leg
*aim for 10 reps

Cardio: top off your workout with 15 minutes of intense cardio (eg. high intensity interval training, stair climbing, jump rope)

Day 3 - Total Body (core, abs, cardio)

Perform the following in 2 minute rounds, followed by a rest that lasts no longer than 30 seconds.

A1: Rockclimber to Jumping Jacks
A2: Mountain Climbers
*aim for 10 reps for A1
*aim for 20 reps for A2

B1: Abductor Side Squats
B2: Free Squats
*perform 5 each way x2 for B1
*aim for 10 reps for B2

C1: Speed Skaters
C2: Jump Squats
*aim for 10 reps

D1: Leg Lifts
D2: Double Crunch
*aim for 10 reps

E1: Lateral Bounce Hops
E2: Pop-ups
*perform 5 each way x2 for E1
*aim for 5 reps for E2

Day 6 - Cardio

18 minutes of intense cardio (eg. jump rope, stair climb) or follow a similar format as described here (scroll down to HIIT Training routine).

OR

A 60 minute brisk walk.

On the fourth week of Month 3 of TBTWW, be sure to pat yourself on your back and enjoy your new body! Please keep the feedback coming in. You can hit us via Facebook, Twitter or old fashion email - just check out the contact us page.

Keep checking back regularly or subscribe to this blog. We will let you know what Mica has in store next!

Micaela Whitworth is a Canadian model, entrepreneur, fitness trainer, writer,
medical exercise specialist, and former Beauty Queen. She is currently training corporate clientèle at The Mansfield Club as a full-time personal trainer and group exercise instructor. You can find her website here.

I came across a very interesting blog the other day - it's called Miss Chef RD. Miss Chef (Melissa) is a registered dietician and her blog not only provides everyday health articles but some pretty tasty recipes. And if you've been training with me, you know all about how important diet plays a role in exposing those sexy abs and Miss Chef RD can provide recipes that are beyond "baked chicken and salad."

You can also submit your questions and Miss Chef RD will answer them! I have a question for her, actually - how can one eat healthy in the context of their own culture's food? Coming from Asian descent, the Asian diet doesn't normally consist of salads and large cuts of meat, but instead has lots of carbs, little protein content and lots of veggies. i wonder what her response would be...

So want some interesting recipe ideas that actually help burn fat? Drop by her blog and ask her!

You can find her blog here.

You can also check out the Miss Chef RD website here.

If you’ve been training with me, you know how often I stress the importance of sticking to an all natural diet that consists of unprocessed foods that score low on the glycemic index. I have to admit, that means eliminating sweets such as cookies and ice cream, but it also means that I’m going to have to take my coffee black and my tea plain.

Or do I?

SUSTA Natural Sweetener, by NXT Nutritionals, is a proprietary blend of fibre (prebiotic), probiotic (healthy bacteria), and fructose and is meant to replace the use of artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, as well as other typical sweeteners including table sugar that would spike your blood sugar levels. And unlike conventional sugar/sweeteners, SUSTA also provides vitamin C and B vitamins.

SUSTA Natural Sweetener is currently sold in the USA but can be purchased online for those in Canada – a box of 50 packets will run you about $6.99 USD. Although NXT Nutritionals do talk about the health benefits of SUSTA, I personally see this more as a food product, rather than a supplement or natural health product. Let’s see how this all natural sweetener measures up!

Product Label and Design

The product packaging and labeling design for SUSTA all natural sweetener got it right. The packets are nicely packaged and the box that holds contains them is sturdy. You can tell that NXT Nutritionals has spent good money into their design and packaging and this can only be viewed positively by the consumer.

The label design reflects the typical “all natural” cues of white and green. The image on the box, showing raspberries, blue berries and oranges plays on the all natural sweetness of fructose, as well as, potential antioxidant benefit. That said, there doesn’t really seem to be any of those fruits listed as ingredients, but the point being that this is “all natural” hits home.

The packets are cute and are consistent with the green and white colour scheme. The packets are glossy as well, yet easy to tear open. Unlike other typical sweetener packets, these are not made of cheap paper material – a reflection of the quality of design and packaging.

Very nicely done.

Health Claim

This is interesting. I would personally categorize this product as a food as opposed to a dietary supplement or natural health product. It’s supposed to be used with food, for sweetening purposes, rather than say a health benefit. That said, hop onto their website, and you’ll see health claims such as: “supports digestive health”, “supports immune health”, “aids in weight management” and “good for bones and teeth.”

For me, the primary claim for this product would be for its sweetening function, followed closely by its low glycemic index. I would be a bit hesitant on taking this product solely for its immune health, or digestive health claims.

Regulatory Compliance

As mentioned above, this product is currently marketed in the USA and is available to consumers outside the USA thanks to the internet. As such, an assessment of this product against Health Canada’s regulations wouldn’t make much sense.

That said, a few items did strike me immediately: NXT Nutritionals makes references to the health benefits of inulin and probiotics contained in each packet of SUSTA with regards to the digestive health and immune system but there’s no mention of the amount of inulin or probiotics in each packet. How do we know we’re getting enough of the probiotic for any therapeutic effect? What happens when I pour a packet of the sweetener into my hot coffee – wouldn’t that kill off the good bacteria?

I don’t think this goes against any regulations set in place by the FDA, but this was something that came to mind when I was reviewing the label information.

Appearance/Taste

Easy access to the sweetener couldn’t be easier. The packet opens very easily and out comes the powder white sweetener. It’s a very fine white powder. Probably about a ¾ of teaspoons worth of SUSTA per packet. On its own, there is a subtle fruity tone to the sweetener – almost “coconut-ty”. It has a very light flavour to it all, yet very sweet as well.

Does It Work?

Well, depends on what you want it to do? Does it sweeten things? You bet! This stuff is surprisingly sweet. But with its fruity undertones, it goes better with certain beverages than others.


SUSTA pairs very well with beverages like teas and fruit juices, or sprinkled on fresh fruit or cereals. It doesn’t take much to taste the sweetness of SUSTA and bonus - you’re also getting some vitamin C, B vitamins and fibre as well! Much better than table sugar. At only a mere 5 calories per packet, you can practically laugh it off. And because it’s sweetened by fructose – the same sugars found in fruits – SUSTA won’t spike your blood sugar levels, unlike table sugar, which will certainly complement my abs program/weight management.

One thing that didn’t work so well for me was SUSTA with my morning coffee. That SUSTA + coffee combination definitely attacked my palette in an awkward way. Might work for you – but the bitter tones of the coffee mixed with the fruitier tones of SUSTA contradict each other more than I would’ve liked. It did sweeten the coffee, but the aftertaste was foreign and would take some getting used to.

As for the other health claims such as “support digestive health”, “support immune system” and “heart healthy” – can’t really test it. But as mentioned before, there are issues such as dosage and even stability (eg. will probiotics die in hot beverage? How long would they live in the sugar packet un-refrigerated?) that may affect whether SUSTA can support digestive or immune system health. Are there enough B vitamins to actually affect homocysteine levels? Even then, the correlation between homocysteine levels and cardiovascular health is not directly related..

I understand these are secondary claims, probably more for marketing purposes, but these questions came to mind.

Adverse Reactions

No adverse reactions or side effects were noted during my use of SUSTA.

Bottom Line: SUSTA all natural sweetener is a great substitute for table sugar or artificial sweeteners. Because of its fructose and fibre content, it scores lower on the glycemic index and is perfect for those who are managing their weight or for those that just want to avoid that sugar spike/crash, naturally. I do have some reservations on its other claims regarding digestive and immune health support, but I would not hesitate using a packet of SUSTA to sweeten a cup of tea.

You can check out the website for SUSTA All Natural Sweetener here.

I just wanted to say I’m getting great feedback from you regarding the Too-Busy-To-Workout Workout. I know the 16 weeks abs program was quite intensive and the TBTWW hits the sweet spot for those looking to get toned but without having to do chinups with 20 lbs of weight loaded on your backpack ;)

I've been getting some questions from you. These are probably the two most popular questions I get asked so I thought we'd get Mica to tackle them right here and now.

1) How do avoid getting bulky or "butchy" from resistance training?

Often women can be reluctant to strength train as they are worried about their muscles becoming big and bulky as opposed to long and lean. This is why many women tend to stick to aerobic workouts. While women do produce testosterone, unlike men, the quantity produced is not high enough to give bulging muscles. As testosterone is the hormone required for muscle building, weight training will not produce a masculine physique in women. Some women do end up looking bulky from their weight training and that is because they are not watching their caloric intake - in order to see the long, lean defined muscles we have created you must reduce your overall body fat percentage - and this is done with burning more calories or consuming less calories.

I am far from bulky - I weigh 115 lbs, my body fat is at 18%, I can bench press 70 lbs, I use 20 lb weights for bicep curls and can do "guy" push-ups --- This is from eating a controlled caloric diet and doing cardio 6 days a week. If you're really worried about getting bulky though stick to reps between 12-15 --- its not the best amount of reps for gaining muscle but you definitely won't bulk up.


2) Some parts of my body are fatter while other parts are really skinny. How do I lose weight on the body parts that need help? Like, I have flabber arms but skinny legs or I have fat legs, but slim upper body?

Most people don’t have their fat distributed evenly throughout their bodies. Each of us inherits a genetically determined pattern of fat storage just as we inherit our height or hair color. In other words, the fat accumulates to certain areas more than others. Men often tend to store more fat in the lower abdominal region. In women it’s usually the hips and thighs. These are the first places the fat goes to, and the last places the fat comes off.

Total body fat loss should be your main goal in your quest of "spot reduction". Although we tend to accumulate excess fat in certain areas of our body it doesn’t mean to get rid of it we have to work tirelessly on those particular areas. In order to get those slimmer legs, butt, abs, etc - we must lose body fat! You should slightly reduce your calorie intake and increase your activity level. You must burn more calories than you consume and increase your metabolic rate by doing weight training. The more muscle we have in our bodies the more calories we burn at rest - Thus, a higher metabolism. There are certainly many people who will tell you different, selling you a magic pill or a crazy device for a handsome profit. I wish I could tell you something more magical, something easier, some sort of specific exercise, but the truth is it has more to do with what’s in your fridge than what the best exercise is. It's all about fat loss - it is frustrating yes - but it's genetics, so the best we can do is aim for a lower body fat percentage.

Mica has a great point - there's really no such thing as "spot reduction". It's just a matter of losing body fat everywhere and eventually you'll start losing fat in places where you want to.

Oh and finally one last question - someone asked about "posture T's" for this month's workout. How is it meant to be done?

"Posture T's" - The idea with this exercise is to work the posture muscles between the shoulder blades. Lying prone (on your stomach), extend your arms out into a "T" position. Keep your shoulders down (don't let them shrug to your ears - they will unless you actively think about keeping them pushed down), Raise your arms off the floor by squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Mica, thank you for answering these questions! The feedback for month 2 of the TBTWW has been very positive. Many are saying that this is more challenging than last month's but it's considered a good challenging - working up a greater sweat than last time!

Everyone, keep the feedback coming in. We love to hear from you!

Micaela Whitworth is a Canadian model, entrepreneur, fitness trainer, writer,
medical exercise specialist, and former Beauty Queen. She is currently training corporate clientèle at The Mansfield Club as a full-time personal trainer and group exercise instructor. You can find her website here.

Mighty Grasshopper took a stroll down the aisles at CHFA Expo West 2010, held in Vancouver's new convention and exhibition centre. Let's take a look at the highlights.

CHFA Expo West was pushed back a bit due to the Winter Olympics but boy, this expo was bigger and flashier than last year. At least, to me, it sure felt that way. The event was held in the new Vancouver Convention Centre. This building is massive and very good looking.

I only had a few hours to peruse through the aisles - there's just too much to see, taste, and devour (in some cases, like ice cream). The exhibitors have so much energy. I really don't know how they do it - talking all day for 10 hours a day, 3 days in a row, plus presentations, meetings and what not during the days leading up to the exhibition.

I thought I'd take the time to quickly show you some of the few things that happened to catch my eye at the show. Here's my random top ten list of things that caught my attention:

10. There's a trend for healthy, organic, convenient foods - stuff that you microwave, oven heat and then serve. It's all about healthy food fast.

9. There's a trend for gluten-free foods. Not really sure why, and the people I talked to don't really know either, but they're jumping on that bandwagon. Many say it's gluten intolerance or allergies, but I think it's just the latest trend. Will it stick? I hope not, but there's strong momentum for gluten free.

8. Slow-Cow. The complete opposite of Red-Bull, they tell me. This drink is meant to sloowwwwww things down and relaxes you. I also wonder if that means it'll actually taste good.

7. Ayala's Herbal Water. Unlike conventional vitamin water beverages, this water has herbal notes to it, rather than sugary ones. It comes in a variety of flavours, and I was able to get my hands on "lavender-mint" flavoured. The taste can be refreshing to many and a turn off to others as there is no sugar at all - just a herbal taste to it.

6. Protein Berry Snack. Think of a Starburst candy, but it's actually whey protein and you've got U-be's Protein Berry's snack. I thought this was a cool idea - a good way to tie you over after a workout but before that meal.

5. Acai and Goji and other juices - seems to be on a downwards trend. Not the same big roar as in the previous years. Either it's too mainstream or the lack of research is catching up. Still a presence though, but just not as hot.

4. Zevia - this is one yummy tasting product. It's cola flavoured with stevia rather than corn syrup. I thought it would be gross, but this amazed me. Cola tasted like cola! Amazing!

3. NPN problems - still many companies out there having troubles getting their NPNs. Many of the companies I've talked to originate from the US market so entering the Canadian market will be a challenge for them.

2. Protein powders - that aisle is still scary and dark. However, did come across one called "shape-up" - protein tailored to women. Takes away the scariness of it all. thought that was very cool.

1. Organic power! Everything must be organic. Food, natural health products, and cosmetics - it's all organic. No doubt it's a powerful trend that it'll stick. Hopefully these companies are more than prepared to back that claim up. With "organic" labeling on the rise, will government officials and consumer crack down on those that don't meet 'organic' standards?

There you have it! A very quick run down of CHFA Expo West 2010 in a top ten list format. I have to admit, I came across so many cool products and met a lot of people. We will visit this in more detail and things are in the works to get more product reviews out soon!

How was your experience at CHFA Expo West?