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The Scary Goal Challenge - Kristy T

KRISTI’S INTERVIEW: 

How did you start and what brought you to The Mango Tree?

 I initially came to the Mango Tree because I wanted to take Muay Thai lessons.  

What are your biggest motivations to continue to work on your fitness goals? Why?

My biggest motivation to continue to work on my fitness goals are all the great people at Mango Tree.  Whenever I’m feeling discouraged, there’s always people sending positive energy that helps me to push myself harder and to not give up.

What was your SCARY GOAL and why did you choose it?

My scary goal was to do a fitness photoshoot.  I chose to do a photoshoot because I actually hate being in front of the camera so it definitely forced me to step outside of my comfort zone.

What did you learn about yourself while in your journey to your scary goal?

I learned that I am stronger (mentally) than I really thought I was.  This scary goal was not only physically challenging, but it was definitely mentally challenging and I learned a lot through this experience.  

What was your biggest challenge leading up to your scary goal?

My biggest challenge was having to change my diet/nutrition.  I love food :(

What would you tell someone who could be in your situation to help encourage them to achieve their scary goal?

I would tell them to start as early as possible, have a solid plan, and stick with it as much as possible.  I would let them know that things are definitely not going to be easy and things may not always go according to plan, but it’ll all be worth it in the end to know that you worked so hard towards this goal.  It’s such a rewarding feeling once you reach your goal!

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The Scary Goal Challenge Inspiration: Christy A.

SO PROUD OF ALL THE SCARY GOAL CHALLENGE FINISHERS! The Scary Goal Challenge was a long one - running from May 2017-Nov 2017.

The next 3 posts will showcase three of my clients who have overcome and completed the challenges! Check out their pictures! Don’t they all look amazing!? 

CHRISTY A’S INTERVIEW: 

How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​start​ ​on​ ​your​ ​fitness​ ​journey​ ​and​ ​what​ ​brought​ ​you​ ​to​ ​The​ ​Mango​ ​Tree?

Desire to enter the next decade of my life as for and healthy as possible

What​ ​was​ ​your​ ​SCARY​ ​GOAL​ ​and​ ​why​ ​did​ ​you​ ​choose​ ​it?  

Bikini photo shoot.  I've always been self conscious, but I was bound and determined to be comfortable in my own skin

What​ ​did​ ​you​ ​learn​ ​about​ ​yourself​ ​while​ ​in​ ​your​ ​journey​ ​to​ ​your​ ​scary​ ​goal?

I am comfortable just being me

What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​biggest​ ​motivations​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​work​ ​on​ ​your​ ​fitness​ ​goals​ ​even​ ​after accomplishing​ ​your​ ​Scary​ ​Goal?​ ​Why?  

I've worked too hard to get here to quit

What​ ​was​ ​your​ ​biggest​ ​challenge​ ​leading​ ​up​ ​to​ ​your​ ​scary​ ​goal?

Trying to adjust my schedule to make myself a priority

What​ ​would​ ​you​ ​tell​ ​someone​ ​who​ ​could​ ​be​ ​in​ ​your​ ​situation​ ​to​ ​help​ ​encourage​ ​them​ ​to achieve​ ​their​ ​scary​ ​goal?  

Just try it.  I've regretted the things I haven't done more than the things I have

Is ​ ​there​ ​any​ ​specific​ ​people​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to ​thank​​ ​from​ ​this​ ​process? ​​And​ ​for​ ​what?  

My coach Bernice for not giving up on me and for the constant motivation.  My husband for letting me be the best I can be and for supporting me as I tried to accomplish my goal.   My kids for being one of the reasons why I need to take care of myself and for exercising with me at home.

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My first Sprint Triathlon Experience

I could probably count on one hand how many times I trained for each sport event leading to the weeks that I put on that tight one piece. Not that I didn't take the training seriously, but that's what my time allowed for me to do. Just so freakin' happy that I did finished my first triathlon event.... AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! ... And gotta love those automatic PR's: 1:31:33

Morning of : 

SETTING UP:Found a spot in the 2nd row of the racks next to a Brazilian lady #55 who looked like she knew what she was doing, and another nice lady named Brenda who helped me a ton! First, she did mention to keep a narrower space for myself in case someone wanted to come next to me. So i did. Then another lady came super close to my front tire with her stuff. She looked a little more nervous. And even Leanne, the lady who checked me in came by and said hi to me! She said she's been doing tri's since her late 20s and she’s now 60! You go mama! She looked like early 40s. Dang, I wanna me like that! So i'm feeling super NEWBIE status and I'm here looking like a lost child haha. I asked Brenda if theres a certain way she sets up her transition area and yup! Makes sense. Place it in the order you'll be using it. 

Heres a pic of it:

Here are some things I wish I knew: Bring something I could step into to rinse my feet. Maybe a stool would help? Have my phone ready to go on my bike. Stretch your hamstrings and hip flexors with the ball and foam roller more.     And a huge thing: having a running belt! Since i knew i had to run with my number on me, I took my lululemon fanny pack strap and attached my number to it. Brenda was the one who told me I didn't need to put my number on yet as I was practicing putting my pins on haha. So thank God i had that. Or else I would be fidgeting with it. 

SWIM:

Training: Thinking back to my first time ever competitive swimming event at the Honolulu Triathlon (Sprint - 750m), it made me want to practice this more than anything else. I really thought this might be the hardest part for me during the actual race day. The last time I had am actually in person swimming lesson was when I was like 5? Lol so, I read my books (usually the most confusing bc I need to visualize everything), watched some YouTube videos, and observed swimmers as I went to Palolo Valley Swimming pool. After discovering this pool that was only 5 min from my gym, I went a total of 3 times to practice on my swim! Each time I would do at least 600m, just to practice harder than my actual race length. One time I got 700m in the 40 min I decide to swim. You don't realize how much of a workout swimming actually is! One of the biggest lessons I learned is to STAY CALM. In the midst of putting my body in a mild hypoxic state where you're not breathing as you normally would. "THE BREATH IS SO IMPORTANT" - seriously cereal! As a Yoga teacher and personal trainer that starts with talking about the breath and diaphragmatic breathing, I realized that without this, we are nothing! Well, not nothing, but we are more likely to get anxious and if so consistent, could lead to depression! No good! 

Anyway, back to the swim training!  I also swam in open water like twice only, but next time think I should do more because the ocean water vs pool water is like night and day difference. From the breathing technique to just the extra resistance you get from the thickness of the water, current, and waves, I'll definitely be swimming more in open water. Elenor, the nice older lady who's retired from doing like idk 20 or 40 ( i just know a lot lol) of triathlons, she said the same thing, especially 2 days before the race which was the last time I swam to train. 

Day of:

Favorite part!! (Surprisingly!) I was probably most excited for this because I saw how working on my technique since the HNL TRI has worked for me!! As I jumped into the water to swim to the buoys to start, i started feeling a little like "sea sick." Never felt that before going into a swim. We had 3 min to swim to the buoys bc i was on the 2nd heat! (Go orange swim caps! Pink would have matched me but i wouldve had to be doing the relay. Lol i would mention this bc my color theme was black, grey, and bright pink haha)   Ran into fewer ppl this time at the start. Thank God! Being kicked in the face and swam on my legs isn't a joy. Mma in the water anyone? Haha During the swim, I was just focusing on breathing technique and continuing to swim without stopping. OH! and making sure i was swimming in a straight line to my destination. I was actually done in what felt to me was a quick 12 min and 44 seconds. I still had energy to run barefoot to the transition area! Yeeee! Haha

TRANSITION: should have not messed with my phone and trying to put it in my ziplock bag to put in my back pocket haha. Oh well. Lesson learned! I will need to get one of those bike phone things. Also my bluetooth didn't connect to my phone and fitbit. But i put my phone and fitbit on for my bike and run.

BIKE 

Training: I purchased my bike only like at the end of July from a guy that didn't need it anymore for super cheap in comparison what they normally go for. Thanks facebook marketplace! Lol! So i was told to get clips for the pedals and to get specific tri shoes. Went to the Bicycle Shop first to let them check my bike out. Turns out that my tires were extremely flat! I get one of these . I rode it for 3 miles before that around Kapiolani park to just get used to it. Also used for maybe only 2 miles at Lanikai. Felt normal to me, but hey... what do i know! I felt so accomplished just doing that! Went to Boca Hawaii  to get those. I had no idea that i actually had to put the clips on the bottom of the shoes. Learned a lot from the chick who didn't even bike but helped me to pick out the shoes and clips. It was then i realized this is not going to be a cheap sport. $120 tri shoes, $55 clips. Then i checked out the biking gear. Got myself my tri one piece. The girl (forgot her name)told me ppl like it bc it gives less room for drag or something like that. I got the small so it was skin tight. Plus i thought maybe i would lose weight if i trained more. $150. Thankfully i got the friends of Boca discount.     

Brought myself to Ko Olina to practice with my clips. I was told by a friend and also the girl working at Boca. "Yah. You're going to fall." And me in my head: “Nah. I know how to ride a bike.” Best believe, put on clip in for the first time. Then BOOM. Fell over on the side i put my one clip in! Even the Ko Olina security asked me if I was ok. Haha. Felt super comfy with it. Riding fast is fun! Just my butt hurts after a while sitting. Did 3 miles that day too. The next time i biked, ran, and swam at Ala Moana it wasn’t that far.  My last time practicing riding was half the course of the actual. Went to Kahala area to diamond head and around Monsarrat. Learned I shouldn't stop when charging a hill. Had to test out my gears and go on a hill. One of the scariest parts for me is trusting all the cars around me to not run me over. Single lanes for a car and bike freak me out. I now know how a biker feels with cars speeding up next to him or her. Im like 1. Don’t fall 2. Don’t fall. 3. Don’t get hit. Thank God for helmets! Thankfully i didn't fall or get hit this time. Lol! 

Day of: I learned so much!! Felt fast from my swim and ready to bike like a wild woman lol. Took long deciding whether to put my phone in my back pocket in a zip lock or int pouch. Big no no bc it cost me some time!  Kind of slow getting my clips in the bike after reviewing some of the footage Rich uploaded of me. But once i was off, I was off! They had huge blue signs with black arrows which showed me where to go. One of the most challenging parts was avoiding the potholes on the road in the quick turns in the neighborhood. Here's the bike path:  

My favorite part of biking was riding down the hill on kilauea ave. I figured out to change my gears on the hills which wasn't so bad dafter all. It actually felt faster than 46 min. The hardest part was going up Monsarrat. I'm so glad that we had the whole road to ourselves so we don't need to worry about getting run over. Cops blocked traffic every time they would see a bike coming. I was so glad to come to the finish line and see Rich there recording me and cheering. I slowly got off my bike because the inside of my thighs and upper hamstrings were done. It felt like i was coming off a long ride off a horse.

RUN:

Training: i would practice a slow jog after practicing on the stationary bike to "condition" my legs. This was not nearly enough to simulate how it would actually feel on race day but what did I know! I never biked more than 6 miles outside. Only about 14 miles inside on a stationary bike then to a .7 to 1 mile jog walk. Nope! Not like it! 

At the transition: I put my Lululemon socks on, already had my number on from the bike transition, and put on my favorite Hoka running shoes. Put on my Lululemon Visor and BAM! I was off! 

Day of: i haven't hurt that much starting a jog/run. To motivate me, the little girl who was 11 old passed me up with her mom! At first, i passed her but maybe into the first mile i felt soooo uncomfortable. I felt restricted  so i unzipped the front of my one piece tri suit. Ahhhh... homer simpson status?! Lol Just wanted to get to the finish line but enjoying my last few moments of my first tri! When I ran, i felt like I could think more clearly. Talked to myself a lot to motivate myself. What was going on in my head?! Thought about how grateful I was to God for giving me these abilities to do a triathlon"Are you pushing yourself the most you could!?" I sped up. All the way to the finish line. Pretty much a sprint with my legs hurting already. Saw Rich yelling, and BOOM! Didn't slow down til I was past the finish line! At the end, i went to the booth to get my shirt - which was my medal. About 10 minutes later I saw my friend Milli and then about 20 minutes later I saw my brother, mom, sis in law, baby nephew, and their dog. It was so great to have them all there! 

After: In about 30 min to 45 min I checked the scores. It said I placed 3rd. So during the awards, they called my age group (25-29 yo) and the 3rd place winner. It wasn’t me! So I thought, it’s okay. I didn’t place. Then they said on the mic, “In 2nd place, Bernice Aurellano!” I was pretty shocked. Came home with a cool successory too! Earrings! Check it out: 

Definitely doing it again. Actually, just signed up for my next triathlon sprint this coming Sunday! Excited to see what my body, mind, and spirit are capable of doing this time around. To the Ko Olina Race we go! 

Picture of my fam afterwards: 

The traditional FINISH LINE photo! LOVE LOVE LOVE the feeling of getting through to the finish line! 

Check out this awesome Video - posted on instagram @BerniceFitCPT and Youtube - created by my love, Rich! 

Until next time.... I’ll tell you about my 2nd experience! 

Aloha,

Bernice

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The ABC Bible Verses

Here’s something for your spiritual health!

 I saw this adorable, now internet famous, 4 year old on facebook who recited a verse for every letter of the alphabet! I posted that if someone transcribed it, I would pay them. LOL! Didn’t happen. So here, I did it myself. Feel free to just print this out and memorize this. This is my 28 year old, October 2016 goal set today, October 13, to be able to recite this on my own too. Who would have known that I would be inspired by a four year old! 

Video: http://www.kltv.com/story/33357898/viral-video-4-year-old-east-texan-recites-abcs-with-twist?clienttype=generic

On this website, it also has the pictures of where his parents got it. Looks like a home schooling document. 

Without the Bible Verses for your copy and paste pleasure!

A - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.

B - Be kind to one another.

C - Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.

D - Do not be anxious about anything...

E - Every good and perfect gift is from above.

F - For it is by grace you have been saved through faith.

G - God is our refuge and strength and ever present help in trouble.

H - He is my rock and my salvation

I  - I give praise because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

J - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

K - Know that the Lord is God and it He who made us.

L - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

M - My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.

N - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

O - O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you.

P - Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.

Q - A quiet spirit… is of great worth in God’s sight.

R - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

S - Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne.

T - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

U - ...Under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield

V - Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.

W - ...We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

X - ...May I never boast eXcept in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Y - You are the light of the world.

Z - Zion hears and rejoices.

And with the verses: 

A - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find. Matthew 7:7

B - Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32

C - Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you. Psalm 55:22

D - Do not be anxious about anything…. Philippians 4:6

E - Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

F - For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. Ephesians 2:8

G - God is our refuge and strength and ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

H - He is my rock and my salvation Psalm 62.2

I  - I give praise because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

J - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

K - Know that the Lord is God and it He who made us. Psalm 100:3

L - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Mark 12:30

M - My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. Psalm 62:1

N - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

O - O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you. Psalm 63:1

P - Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Psalm 103:1

Q - A quiet spirit… is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:4

R - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

S - Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne. Revelation 7:10

T - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

U - ...Under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield… Psalm 91:4

V - Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. John 6:47

W - ...We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

X - ...May I never boast eXcept in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:14.

Y - You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14

Z - Zion hears and rejoices. Psalm 97:8

Who else remembers this? Remember Psalty, the singing book?

I remember this from my Sunday school childhood days. But, I think this version I wrote out here is way more applicable to just some short, easy to memorize snippets of verses that you can just tell yourself during the day to encourage and motivate you. 

All the best. Live in the light, in love and happiness,

Bernice Aurellano 

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No filter, no crazy photoshop… Just AMAZING results for this bride and now MRS. PATTON! I am so thankful and feel privileged to have helped @myshell808 prepare for her beautiful wedding day! She lost inches all over, toned up her entire body but still kept her curves, AND lost about 10 lbs of fat over the span of about 8 months all while getting so much stronger! I’m inspired by her and I’m sure she will inspire you too! She’s put the work in to tighten her body, including staying on top of her @dotFit supplement and nutrition regimen. Excited to see her continue her fitness journey to be the healthiest and strongest she could be! I’m so proud of you Michelle!!!

📓 BLOG: www.bernicefitcpt.tumblr.com

📷SNAPCHAT: @bernicefitcpt

🙋🏽 LIKE www.facebook.com/bernicefitcpt #bernicefitcpt #berniceaurellano #Godismystrength #dotfit #transformation #inspiringstory #weightloss #fatloss #themangotreefitnessandmartialarts #personaltrainer #themangotree #nutritionlady #themangotreehawaii #honolulu #808 #oahu #RD2be #RDN2be #futuredietitian #nutritionspecialist #gymowner #hawaii #gymspiration#mindbodyspiritSTRONG (at The Mango Tree Fitness Center, Hawaii)

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Gymspirational Testimony! Morgan

Hi my strong and beautiful peoples! I’m alive! Haha. I seriously haven’t been really “active” on this blog, but thought it would be good to get it started again with a client testimonial about Morgan! 

This lady is amazing! Check out her transformation!

Here’s a few questions she answered for me:

What do you feel inspired you to start training? How did you feel going into starting your training with Coach Bernice?

I was inspired to start training after watching my friends, the ones that I used to work out with, start participating in fitness competitions while I was pregnant. I wanted to lose my baby fat, and have fun doing it. I went with Coach Bernice because I was told she was the best with the most experience. :) 

What do you feel was the biggest challenge in becoming more fit? The nutritional part, especially since I had a husband and a son who are particularly picky. Changing it from a "diet" to a way of life, mentally, makes it a lot easier. 

What results did you start to notice as you trained? My butt and my legs. :) My pants were getting tight, not because of the width of my booty, but the roundness and my quads were not giggly like they were before. 

How did you feel when you started to notice these results? I think the first feeling was relief because all that work was paying off. After the relief, I started to get more and more excited and it started to turn into a personal game rather than a chore.  

Name a time when you did not feel fit. How did that compare to when you started to feel more fit while training with Coach Bernice? I used to work out with my husband a lot and his workout regiment is very routine. A lot of the time, even when I would see the results, I would just be bored and not motivated. When I worked out with Coach Bernice, we did something different every day. I was never bored and I felt like Coach Bernice found a new muscle that I didn't even know existed every single time we worked out. It was actually amazing. Also, with Coach Bernice, it is more than just a 1 hour workout, I learned so much about everything from form and posture to anatomy and nutrition. I will be able to utilize everything I learned for the rest of my life. 

Special thanks to anyone in particular? I would like to thank the makers of the vibrating roll out thingy, it saved my life one time and also my husband for always supporting me. :)

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Diary of a Dietetics Student: 2nd to last semester of my Senior year!

It’s been WAY TO LONG since I’ve last posted. Where did time go?! Wow this year has just FLEW by, especially this semester! I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can. I’m taking 4 classes this semester! If you want to see my closer look into my personal dietetics journey through pictures....Go here to my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100159640880262.1073741827.7105593&type=1&l=41c83e36e2

I know I’ll look back at these moments back in college and just reminisce about it and all the work that I have put into it. Here’s a little closer look into the Dietetics program via video. I just ran into this again and it makes me happy to say I’m already more than 80% done with my journey to become a Registered Dietitian! 

So now what’s next?! Going to have to start working on my Dietetic Internship application and turn it in before February 15th! Then, play the waiting game until April 4th and see where I end up! Pray for me as I have to decide where to apply to. I’ll probably apply to at least 5-7 different places. It’s a little nerve racking for me and CRAZY to think that I won’t know where I’ll be in a year. Wherever GOD will take me to, I’ll dive right in and know that HIS PLANS are way bigger than mine. I definitely want to stay in Hawaii, so let’s see where I end up! 

ALL THE BEST! 

<3 Bernice 

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Why I don’t do FASTED CARDIO

“I’ve done it! I finished my morning fasted cardio.... and now I’m ready to eat!” Hey, I’m a victim of this too lol. Oops, did I say “victim?” I mean, I really didn’t know any better. I was just going off what my competition prep coaches would tell me to do without knowing the real science and research behind all of it. Yes, a little naive and gullible. I could be lol. I’m currently prepping for my 8th NPC Bodybuilding Bikini competition (I’m 4 days out!_ -- and I did not do ONE “fasted cardio” session. HALLELUJAH! And do I feel pretty amazing? YES I DO! Am I losing body fat and getting more lean?! Yes I am! I actually dropped about 4% body fat in the past 3 months!

No, I won’t take these pictures down. I want to make sure that you know, that yes, I’ve tried it too. But what works better for me is eating a meal at least an hour or two before and then going to do my conditioning workout!

In this past spring 2015 semester at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, I took a Sports Nutrition class. This was from one of our books: 2015c Williams, Melvin H., Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Sport, 10th Edition, McGraw Hill Publishers.

Check it out! Even here, it talks about exercising in the “fasted state.” Interesting huh? Let’s take a closer look into all of this. I found some online articles from different websites that talked about fasted cardio/exercise. Here there are:

1. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-myth-of-cardio-before-breakfast-debunked.html - 

Here are some awesome little phrases that stood out to me from this article:

As a general rule, if you burn more carbohydrate while exercising, you'll ultimately burn more fat in the post-workout period and vice versa (1).“

True, the research does show that fasted cardio can increase fat utilization during exercise compared to performing cardio in the fed state. Except this only occurs at very low levels of training intensity.During moderate-to-high intensity levels, the body continues to break down significantly more fat when fasted compared to after you've eaten. So far, so good. Unfortunately, the rate of breakdown exceeds your body's ability to use the extra fatty acids for fuel. In other words, you have a lot of extra fatty acids floating around in the blood that can't be used by working muscles.Ultimately, these fatty acids are repackaged into triglycerides post-workout, and then shuttled back into fat cells. So you've gone to excessive lengths…only to wind up at the same place.

Horowitz and colleagues (2) found that when trained subjects exercised at 50 percent of their max heart rate, an intensity that equates to a slow walk, there was no difference in the amount of fat burned--regardless of whether the subjects had eaten. 

Fasted cardio makes even less sense when you take into account the impact of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. EPOC, commonly referred to as the "afterburn," represents the number of calories expended after training. Guess what? Eating before exercise promotes substantial increases in EPOC (3).

Ever try to engage in HIIT session on an empty stomach? Bet you hit the wall pretty quick. In order to perform at a high level, your body needs a ready source of glycogen; deplete those stores and say goodbye to elevated training intensity.

On top of everything, fasted cardio can have a catabolic effect on muscle. Studies show that training in a glycogen-depleted state substantially increases the amount of tissue proteins burned for energy during exercise (4).

 Protein losses can exceed 10 percent of the total calories burned over the course of a one-hour cardio session -- more than double that of training in the fed state (5).

2. http://www.barbellsandbeakers.com/2014/02/09/fasted-cardio-myth-or-fact/

They found that the thermogenic effect of exercise (that is, your long term calorie burn) is HIGHER if you’ve eaten before exercise. They also found that training fasted decreased your overall energy output, so if you felt sluggish you didn’t put as much effort into a training session as someone who ate before.

3. http://www.weighttraining.com/blog/5-biggest-myths-about-cardio-and-muscle-building-totally-busted

Research has shown that fasted cardio has two really serious downsides: first, it can result in muscle catabolism (the body tears down muscle tissue and uses that as fuel) and it limits the after-burn effect, which is the raised metabolic rate (for up to 48 hours) that results from a good workout. There is also research that says eating first thing actually speeds our metabolism on its own and that we may burn more calories (and fat) by working out after we’ve eaten.

Ok there you have it! Make your decisions wisely, and you’ll probably thank me later for not having to get up in the wee morning hours to get your “fasted cardio” in! BOOM!

Love,

Coach Bernice

Follow me on instagram! www.instagram.com/BerniceFitCPT

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Client success and inspiration: Kerri!

Ready to get super inspired by yet another one of my clients?! 

I first met Kerri at the UFC Gym in Honolulu. About a year, or two? (not sure, but it was a long time ago) before training her one-on-one, she told me that she was interested in doing a competition. It wasn’t until the end of December 2014, when we took her first progress photos. She was motivated and inspired by one of my clients, Liz, after she competed at the Paradise Cup! (Check her blog post here: Liz’s testimonial.) Her goal was to get onto that NPC Bikini Competition stage and rock it and at the same time enter herself into the bodybuilding.com 200k Transformation challenge all around her 28th birthday and graduation from college! What an awesome goal time period to hit 4 birds with one stone! 

Here she is at one of her heaviest at around 198 lbs in 2012 to the update at a personal photoshoot in April of 2015 that she did before she competed! Whew! MAJOR DIFFERENCE!! Rockin’ a itty bitty San Lorenzo bikini! I remember our conversation about her trying that little bikini on and having problems with how it fit and looked.. and then after a few weeks rocked it so confidently!

Here’s that famous back picture! 2012 --> 2015

These were the required 6 week progress picture she needed to take. Already making awesome progress! I would train her in person 2x per week and would do posing practices with her as well. She also did 4 workouts on her own a week which I gave to her. 

The picture on the right was at the beginning of our training together... and BAM! The left was her final picture taken for the 200k Transformation challenge only about 12 weeks later!

Here’s all the sides and final shots of the 200k Tranformation challenge! 

It is finally time for her to tell her own story! 

*What led you into training for this competition?  Having a goal is important for staying on track and motivated.  I though doing a competition would push me to get my eating habits on track and see how far I could push myself with training.

*What were your main goals from the beginning?  Honestly from the beginning I wasn't sure if I would be getting on stage.  My goal was to follow the plan exactly how it was given to me and to enjoy the process.  

*How was your experience: Training for this competition was the most life changing, eye opening, and incredible experience of my life.  I learned more about myself than I ever thought was possible.

*What's the biggest thing you learned throughout the process? I learned that I am responsible for my own happiness.  You can't rely on other people to make you feel good about yourself.  You need to find happiness in who you are and have confidence in yourself to pursue your goals. 

*What was the hardest part about it? The hardest part of training was time management.  I worked and went to school while training for this competition.  Many times there weren't enough hours in the day and I would pull all nighters to finish homework.  The stress of that would overwhelm me sometimes and typically when I stress I eat.  Not being able to use food as a stress reliever was very difficult.  It was also the biggest blessing. 

*What was the funnest and best part? The best part was the night show.  The judging was over, my friends were there to support me, and I no longer cared what anyone was thinking about me.  I just went up there and had a blast.

*What was your experience like hitting your goal and being on stage? I far exceeded my own expectations as to what I thought was possible to accomplish in 14 weeks.  I learned that no goal is unobtainable if you truly want it.  I learned that the judges don't care about your excuses.  They didn't see the all nighters I pulled to finish homework, or the extra hours at work to meet deadlines.  They only saw the person standing in front of them with the package I brought to the stage.  At the end of the day the only person who is affected by your decision to stick to your plan or not is you.

*Where do you want to go from here? I would like to accomplish my goal of becoming a WBFF Fitness Pro. Future fitness plans? Currently I have two shows lined up that I am training for.  I will be competing the transformation division and the fitness division at the WBFF Vancouver and the WBFF Worlds in Las Vegas.

*Any advice to someone who may be interested in training and preparing for their first competition?  Be honest with your coach with what your expectations are.  Stick to the plan and trust the process.  Be honest with yourself, you can't expect results if you don't put in the work.

*Any one you'd like to thank? A huge thank you to Coach Bernice, I would have never decided to start this journey without that push you gave me and your faith in my ability to succeed.  To Jodi for being my biggest support system, your help with everything as well as your emotional support is what got me though this process.  I couldn't have done it without you!  To Dustin, I never would have been in the place to start this goal without you.  When I met you 3 years ago I was overweight and completely out of shape.  You gave me the passion for weight lifting and changed my life forever.

She truly rocked in on stage and she rocked her photoshoots with Guy Nakanishi! She brought her best package yet! 

As Kerri’s coach, I saw how many hours and handwork she put into her own fitness program with my guidance. I just wanted to say that I AM SO PROUD OF YOU KERRI, for all that you put into it and trusting me in the process. This shirt was also a gift I gave her and reminder to “Stay Hungry” that she wore the day after she competed. What a beautiful view from the Sheraton at Waikiki! 

Hopefully this story will give you hope and inspiration to make your own fitness dreams and aspirations come true! Stay true, continue to work hard and stay hungry, and become the best you can be!

To contact me about personal training and guidance, feel free to email me at BerniceFitCPT@gmail.com. Serious inquiries only! 

Aloha,

Coach Bernice

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

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#dotfit athlete #berniceaurellano KILLIN’ IT with #LIFTALOHA and #BEASTMODE gear!! Something amazing happens to you when you put on some new gear to sweat in right?! 😅… Thanks @milliborja and @liftaloha for these #successories (accessories of success!) to get me motivated to do some intense conditioning today!!! #playtime #dowerk #traindifferent #battleropes #kettlebells #gymclothes #BERNICEfitCPT #berniceaurellano #sponsoredathlete #dotfit #LIFTALOHA #ufcgym #ufcgymhawaii #ufcgymhonolulu #ufcgym #RDtoBe #nutritionstudent #uhmanoa #universityofhawaii #808 #personaltrainer #coach (at UFC Gym BJ Penn Honolulu)

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

LOVE YOUR JIGGLE!

Hi beautiful people! 

Just wanted to share this awesome video with you that was put together by  http://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk . This is their country wide campaign that's making an impact in the United States too! 

Check out the video: 

This keeps it real! Now I know you've seen workout videos with "fitness models" who are pretty much more than half naked -- who really works out like that...and are you really inspired by that? This is not like those workout video with "super lean fitness models." These to me... are REAL FITNESS MODELS! Athletes come in all shapes and sizes! 

Don't get me wrong! I've done a few photoshoots myself. Sprayed myself up with some water and made it look like I was sweating. Tanned myself to show my muscles even more. Angled my body to give an "illusion" that my butt looked bigger, my lats looked wider, sucking in and raising my chest so that my waist would look tinier!  (Oops, did I tell you the fitness model's secrets?!) lol Doing photoshoots are really fun... and I don't look nearly as beautiful when I'm doing a real workout.. hahah! What was that quote, "If you still look pretty at the end of your workout, you weren't working hard enough?" I make sure I get dirty, sweaty, and look like a hot mess! hahaha jk

I just love what it says in this video: 

Things like "I jiggle therefore I am" -- "Sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox," --"I kick balls, deal with it" -- "Damn right I look hot" -- "THIS GIRL CAN." 

This video was driven by research : https://www.sportengland.org/media-centre/news/2015/january/12/launch-of-this-girl-can/ and is promoting physical movement no matter your size or your sport. It's promoting HEALTH! 

Body image and fitness image -

I've been competing in NPC (National Physique Committee) Bikini Competitions since 2011, back when classes in NPC Bikini were only about 7 people big! It has only exponentially grown from then, now with sometimes more than 25 people in one height class. As an experienced bikini competitor and coach to bikini and figure girls, I've dealt with this issue of using how we look to determine our success and our own "fitness level." Bodybuilding is definitely an aesthetic sport. For the athlete that has trained for months to "look fit" as a figure or bikini competitor, seeing the body change once again after the competition and getting bigger and a little more "jiggly" is sometimes really detrimental to the athlete -- to the point of feeling depressed for not being able to maintain the look that she/he has worked for months on to achieve! But what is the difference between actually looking fit and being fit? Is it possible to do both? 

Let me show you... 

First picture: Me at my leanest of competition prep - about 13% body fat and at 112 lbs in April of 2014.

 VS

The 2nd picture is of me last weekend at around 19% body fat and 127 lbs. I'm at the strongest I've ever been! Okay! Yes, I jiggle. BUT I FEEL SO MUCH HEALTHIER and I know I'm so much stronger! 

Did you know that maintaining that 12-14% BODY FAT (what many ladies get to... or lower as a competitor) as a female is really not completely healthy? Being this low of a body fat percentage may even cause you to have amenorrhea (loss of menstruation). This comes from personal experience! I didn't have mine for like 3 months and had to take hormones in order to get it again. Another time, I actually waited to get at a higher body fat percentage and then I got it again! To be honest, I don't actually feel healthy when I'm at my tiny competition size. I literally could feel my heart beat barely resting my fingers over my sternum which is sticking out. (not pretty!) I do remember after my first competition in 2011, I was miserable the week after because I was not mentally ready to deal with the weight gain and seeing my body become fatter. I didn't want to be at the gym, even if I worked at the gym as a trainer! I remember training with my previous coach and complaining when I was doing mountain climbers that I was more "jiggly." I'll be honest, I really did equate my success to how lean I became -- but this shouldn't have been my whole focus! 

I'm happy at where I am now and my goals are focused on becoming stronger and moving faster. This doesn't mean you won't see me on a stage ever again though. I love seeing what my body and mind could handle and how I balance everything out. 

BACK TO THE TOPIC: "Love your jiggle."

I love the message of this video -- to love what you do to stay active no matter your size and no matter what you do! It's important that we support and encourage each other to stay active! Do Zumba, join a sports team, start some martial arts....JUST DO THE ACTIVE YOU! Share this blog and video with others to show we CAN DO THIS together!! 

LOVE,

COACH BERNICE! 

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

INSPIRATIONAL CLIENT ALERT: LIZ ! (TESTIMONIAL AND MOVIE)

Aloha lovelies! 

I wanted to share this AMAZING testimonial from my client, Liz Holthaus. She and I met back in January of 2014 and didn't start to train consistently until the end of July 2014. I knew she wanted to start training for a figure competition.... but let me let her tell you the story. 

Liz Holthaus

December 2014 Testimonial:

                  What an amazing journey!  One I naively thought would end once I got off the stage, but luckily it’s still going.  My name is Liz Holthaus, I’m 30 years old, and on November 22, 2014 I competed in my first figure competition.  To get a good understanding of what led me to that I think it’s important to hear a bit of my past.

                  As long as I can remember I have struggled with my weight, always being one of the “bigger” girls in school and turning to food for comfort.  This was at its worse when I tipped the scale at just over 190 pounds, and at 5 foot 8 inches this was not cute.  I would put on a happy, confident face to others, but when I was alone I would feel sad, overwhelmed, and ugly leading me to binge eat – followed by the heart crushing guilt and self deprecating.  The next day I would barely eat anything to get myself “back on track.”  This cycle played out for years – back and forth with the scale going up and down.  Thankfully I moved in with my sister who showed me a much healthier relationship with food.  Her example was pivotal in my battle with the seesaw pattern.  I would see that you could eat for the nourishment and pleasure without completely overdoing it.  I have to be honest, I would still binge (in secret because I was ashamed), but the amount and frequency were significantly less than previous episodes.

                  As for the motivation to compete:  during PT school one of my classmates prepped and competed and I got to see her transformation.  It amazed me that it wasn’t just physical, her emotional, mentality, and relationships were all elevated to an extreme degree.  I WANTED THAT!  I wanted to be strong physically, emotionally, mentally, and my relationships to be more fruitful.

                  A year after she competed I started training, while also training for a marathon.  It was hard, so hard I quit Figure prep first and eventually quit marathon training (after getting up to 21 miles).  The overwhelming feeling of failure and defeat was almost unbearable.  I was so embarrassed because I had told everyone I was going to do these major athletic challenges.  Praise God I have amazing friends and family who loved and supported me in this dark time.

                  After PT school I moved here to Hawaii and my main goal for 2014 was to do a Figure competition.  I couldn’t fail again!!  I did procrastinate and only compete in the last one of 2014, but it did happen!  The process to get stage ready was, by far, the hardest thing I had ever done.  Hard physically, yes; but so much more was the mental and emotional challenges.  I cried so many times in the gym I’m surprised my coach, Bernice Aurellano, didn’t just carry tissues with her.  I relied so heavily on Bernice, my growth group girls from church, and prayer to get me through these hard times.  Bernice said at one point that I need to “Find the Joy” and this stuck with me, became my motto!  When I started focusing on the joy in every situation my attitude changed and the results on the scale and measurements started to improve.  It was so exciting!  God provided the exact people, Bible verses, and peace to get me through the three months of prep.

                  The Stage:  well, I have two different experiences with the stage – the prejudging day show was HORRIFIC!  I got up there, picturing myself as the girl that started this journey three months earlier.  I kept thinking “I don’t belong here, I’m so much bigger than these ladies, and my fat is just on display for everyone to see.”  So again, I started crying when I got off stage – tears of pure embarrassment.  But then Bernice showed me pictures of the lineup, with me next to some of the other competitors, and I honestly didn’t think it was me.  But it was, and that’s when it hit me – what a huge accomplishment I had done.  I AM a Figure Competitor!  So I cried again – but happy tears this time!  This made the night show the cherry on top!  I felt confident, beautiful, and strong!  Some of my coworkers, growth group girls, and Bernice were there and I could hear them yell for me while I was up on that stage, and I could feel the love and support – truly the most incredible feeling in the world.

                  Next phase is finding balance, which is proving to be harder than I thought it would be, but I’m hopeful that (with the help and guidance from Bernice) I can accomplish this too.  I do want to compete again in a few months, and I might have inspired two coworkers and one close friend from church to compete too!  Yay!!  It amazes me the impact something like this competition has had on those around me.  Every day I get told how good I look, that I’m an inspiration, and that I’m someone’s “girl crush”  J  Love that!  Even people I haven’t spoken to in months are reaching out and sharing their fitness goals.  God uses all of us to touch others’ lives – we just have to be willing to be His tool.

                  My advice to anyone training for their first show is to “Find the Joy” right from the beginning.  Find things to be grateful for and to celebrate everyday – try to enjoy the process knowing you can motivate and inspire LOTS of people!  The other big thing that helped me was the progress pictures.  There were times when I didn’t think my body was changing, but Bernice would show me previous pictures and it really solidified that my body was changing and to keep it up. 

                  I owe thanks to God, first and foremost!  It’s ALL possible through Him!  I am so thankful and grateful to Bernice who was not only my trainer and coach, but my motivator, inspiration, therapist, and FRIEND!  My growth group girls, church, coworkers, and my family all provided so much love and support throughout this crazy journey.  Their encouragement kept me going when I thought it wasn’t possible.

                  Here is to being stronger:  physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually – not only for ourselves, but for the countless others around us who can be inspired to be their best versions too!  God Bless!  Now get to it!  

Now that you've read what she had to say... are you INSPIRED?! Let this video tell you more of the story: 

I worked on this video project for a while to make sure it was one that I could share with the world that would not only inspire but also help people to know that they too could do what they set their mind to. Liz did just that!

Just a little "inside" on her supplement and fitness  program:

We always used the dotFit program. She used the exerspy and we kept track of daily caloric burn and intake. She uses dotFit's Active MV, Superior Antioxidants, Super Calcium, Amino Boost XXL Lemonade, and Therm Accel and Fat Release.

I'm blessed and SO THANKFUL for people like Liz that are brought into my life. 

Always remember this: 

More sweaty hugs and aloha's,

Coach Bernice , BRRRNICE, BURNICE

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

My Women's Small Group... i mean, my SUPERWOMAN'S Small Group Training rocks it! 

Here is the Youtube video that explains how to make one handle on the TRX and shows some snippets of what went down during their training! 

Happy training ya'll!

on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=608390252623346&set=vb.197167190412323&type=2&theater

-Coach Bernice

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

YOUTUBE VIDEO RECIPE! BERRY FILLED CHOCOLATE CREPE CUPS

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

IN LOVE WITH SUCCESS IN OTHERS!

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE THAT "FEEL GOOD" FEELING OF SUCCESS? When you set a serious goal, you'll do all you can to achieve it! When I set a goal with someone, I'll give them all that I can to help them to get to their goal in the most simple and efficient way as possible. Well, my name "Bernice" means "Bringer of Victory!".... and i MUST live up to my name!!!  

Seeing success in my clients is one of my all time favorite things to experience. Here's some past clients' stories: Click on the names for the link to their testimony! As time goes on, I will definitely have one page with these testimonials in my future website. I look forward to growing this list, since not all my clients have their testimonials. 

Randi

Sunny

Kristina

Ashley

Jonbo and SF (the Bonilla twins!) 

Laraine

Steph

Some upcoming success stories and gymspirations on my clients Erin W. and Liz H are coming soon! 

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

Stay Strong 2 2015 Challenge

What's up friends and fam! 

Since THURSDAY the 13th of November, the 7 week countdown mark to 2015, I launched the "Stay Strong 2 2015 Challenge!" What is it you ask? 

My goal with this to help you to "STAY STRONG" all the way to 2015. YOU+ME=US lol (I know you remember that song from back in the day. 1+1=2 hence "2 2015." I will be guiding you with different fitness tips, healthy holiday and everyday recipes, exercise and flexibility techniques you can use to help you to stay strong during this holiday season! Want to get on my mailing list? Message me asap to BerniceFitCPT@gmail.com to get these weekly tips! (Don't worry, I'm not the SPAMMING type! lol.. just had to put it out there....) 

PLUS, who doesn't love raffles and FREE earnaways?!

Here are some of the contests that I'm doing right now! 

Earn your raffle tickets several different ways:

1. Attend my UFC Fit class (Thursday 4:30 pm at UFC Gym Honolulu) or my Monday 6 AM DUT classes. I will have these raffle tickets ready for you to fill out when you come! Starting this coming Thursday, we will have weekly winners for some goodies! Why take my classes? Well, because my classes are awesome, you'll have fun, you'll learn more about yourself and exercise, it's a great chance for you to be motivated by others in the class to sweat and push yourself! 

ALSO, you cannot forget about this special ALL CLUB DUT at 8:00 am at the UFC Gym in Honolulu followed by our Thanksgiving UFC Fit class at 9:30 am! The great Coach Pomai made this for your viewing pleasure: 

And more reasons to come!! Wow, 8 am until 10:30 workout with a 30 minute break? YESSSSS!!! 

How to be entered into my contest #2: 

2. Schedule your small group or personal training session session with me! Everytime I see you = one raffle ticket. If you've ever had a GREAT TRAINER, you know how you could learn about yourself doing personal training or small group training. Individualized attention and programming = RESULTS!

How to be apart of contest #3 = 

3. ORDER the dotFit STAY STRONG PACKAGE!

Once ALL 7 things are purchased = 1 automatic FREE SUCCESSORY or EARNAWAY AND 1 free personal training session FOR A FRIEND! +  1 raffle ticket entry! 

***You must keep the receipts for your purchase and have proof that you either used my Personal Trainer number and my online discount code via www.dotfit.com.***

And exactly WHY will these keep us strong?! ((Click on the product in this list to learn more about it!))

1. Active MV - Our daily multivitamin gives us all the essential nutrients with the RDA in mind. Yes, you can get a good amount of vitamins and minerals from food, BUT not all that your body needs! This is an EVERYDAY essential to life! From the good manufacturing practices and third party testing, to the NSF certification for sport this product has, you know it can be truly trusted! 

2. Superior Calcium - For strong bones?! YES! For adults 19-30 years old, the RDA for Calcium is 1000 mg/day and over 70 yrs old is 1200 mg. In one cup of low fat 1% milk is only 296 mg of Calcium... and I know you  probably won't be drinking 3.5 cups of milk everyday. 

3. Superior Antioxidants - Think of this as our bodies' protection against the damage that happens within us that we cannot physically see. We're exposed to many toxins in our environment, and with the right dosages in this supplement, we're better protected from free radical damage! Thank God!

4. Carb Repel - This seriously helps me to stay fuller for longer -- and not want to eat so much! During this holiday season, we're surrounded with so many temptations to help us to fall off track! Having this before a big carb loaded meal will help to reduce the absorption of carbs leading to greater weight loss. (See research done in link!)

5. Whey Smooth - The holiday season just calls for our inner "baker" to come out! When baking, use this as a substitute for that great amount of sugar and vanilla flavoring -- and giving your sweet treat an extra kick of PROTEIN! one scoop = only 125 calories and 20 g of protein greatness!

6. Amino Boost XXL -  Guaranteed muscle growth with the right exercise program! I recommended this to pretty much ALL of my clients to help the body to recover from exercise and build muscle all at the same time. These amino acids that the body doesn't produce on it's own are packed into this product. THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL TO STAYING STRONG!!!!

7. The Exerspy and Exerspy display: You wonder why I've been wearing this "success-ory" (an accessory of success!) for more than 3 years?! Well, I just don't like to take a wild guesstimate on how many calories I'm burning, how many steps I take, and how efficient my sleep is. It's an amazing thing when you NEVER have to guess on how to get to your goal... RIGHT?!

AND DID YOU LOVELY PEOPLE KNOW, YOU COULD GET AN EXTRA 20% OFF YOUR ORDER ONLINE WITH AN ACCOUNT WITH DOTFIT? The discount code is "bernice20." If you don't have an account yet with dotFit, message me NOW at bernicefitcpt@gmail.com so we could create one!

How can YOU STAY STRONG throughout this holiday season? ---- I will tell you how!!

 Is it even possible? Yes, but know and act upon the strong reasons why you know you can become better everyday right now! 

Could I just wait until next year? Can I just fatten myself up to keep myself warm throughout this holiday season? Can't I just wait until most of my friends decide to go to the gym with me NEXT YEAR? No, no, and no. START NOW AND MAKE A CHANGE! HMM...

Do you remember that quote that says: "Good things come to those who wait!" ?? Well, I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. Good things come to those who get up off their behinds and MAKE things happen! I should make a MEEM for that one. Instead, this will work for now: 

and there you have it..... 

I hope this motivates even just ONE PERSON to get up and make a change. You know I'm here to help and guide you to become  your BEST! I've seen people make dramatic changes in even just 5 weeks! As long as you take the risk, jump in and CHARGE your GOALS, I know you're going to make it happen! I'll be right here to help anyone who needs it! 

Stay tuned... and remember: 

[bernicefitcpt-blog]

As #dotfit #FitPro, Ambassador and athlete, Coach and #PersonalTrainer, I can’t think of a better program, company, and team that helps me to become better everyday! This company just keeps getting better! This morning I received an email (and all trainers under dotFit should’ve too!) that told us more about some ECoaching resources!! I love the outline, the science, the products, the reminders, and resources that @dotFit gives us!! Just had to tell the world how thankful I am for you all and your purposes to help me and others all over the world to #GROWSTRONG — not just physically but in our business too!!! MAKING #GAINZ! @katbarefield @nealspruce #TeamDotfit #dotfitteam #ilovedotfit

#health #fitness #bernicefitcpt #coachburnice #strong #bodybuilding #athlete #workout #groupfitness #mensfitness #womensfitness #fitness #futuredietitan #fitnessmodel #healthy #berniceaurellano #ufcgymhonolulu #ufcgymhawaii #uhmanoa #universityofhawaii #honolulu #808 #npc #ifbb (at UFC Gym BJ Penn Honolulu)