“I always loved the game of soccer and was named the PAC-10 Player of the Week when I was a freshman at the University of Oregon,” the 21-year-old said. “The following year, I transferred to the University of Missouri.” The life-altering injury occurred that season and Zaler again transferred, but this time it was back to her hometown of Scottsdale at Arizona State University, where she is currently in her last year and working towards a BS in Exercise and Wellness.

“I am using both my personal experience, as well as education and passion for fitness to help others reach their goals – whether it be sports performance, weight loss or general fitness training.”

In addition to being a student, Zaler is also a certified personal trainer, fitness model and figure competitor. If that isn’t enough, she also took on the task of writing a nutritional cookbook entitled “The EZ Whey – Clean Eats That Taste Like Cheats!”

“I have now taken my love for cooking and combined it with my love for fitness to create my own fitness/clean eating recipe book,” Zaler says proudly. “I have taken my drive, determination, work ethic, dedication, discipline and motivation that I learned being an elite athlete and am now applying that towards making a name for myself in the fitness industry.”

The thing that separates this system from the others is that Zaler actually cooks with whey protein in many of her recipes. “Being a figure athlete, I came up with most of my recipes when I was in contest prep,” she recalls. “I needed to find a way to be more creative and make dieting more enjoyable.”

After posting some of her recipes on the various fitness forums online, Zaler received such a positive response that she decided to put them together in a cookbook. “My book can target many different audiences, including people who are trying to lose weight, people who just want to maintain a healthy lifestyle or even people who are preparing for a contest,” she said. “And all of my recipes are diabetic-friendly, as I use no sugar in nay of them.”

Especially with the holiday season upon us, eating properly becomes not just a job, but an adventure. Take the mystery out of it by following a clean and healthy diet that merely tastes like you’re cheating. “We all know that after the holidays and at the start of the new year everybody has weight loss and health goals they set for themselves,” Zaler commented. “My book is a great tool that can be utilized and allow people to truly enjoy what they are eating while still reaching their fitness goals.”

For more info or to order your copy of The EZ Whey, please visit www.theEZWhey.com. You can contact Emily at ezwheycookbook@gmail.com. You can also follow the latest news and updates at twitter.com/theezwhey and facebook: ezwheycookbook

Top photo by Jeph DeLorme

Photo by Mike Byerly

“Everyone wrote me off,” he said on stage right after the announcement. “It’s a huge achievement for me. At 36 there’s a lot of gas left in the tank for me.” Cutler speculated about winning a fourth Sandow, but followed that up by saying he wanted to enjoy this one first.

The defending champion, Dexter Jackson, fell to third place while Branch Warren, who appeared to be in fantastic condition at the pre-judging, finished as the runner-up, a huge accomplishment for him. 2009 Arnold Classic champion Kai Greene placed fourth, a bit of a surprise as he was said to be a sure-bet top three candidate. Phil Heath did not have nearly the same physique that he brought to the desert a year ago and fell from third to fifth. The 29-year-old nearly had to drop out of the contest due to a stomach illness that he suffered on Friday and lost a lot of traction during the pre-judging that he could not make up.

Although he had hoped for a better placing, Victor Martinez taking sixth should be viewed as a plus. The Dominican Dominator has had to come back from not only a serious knee injury but a family tragedy and it was quite an accomplishment for him just to be here, let alone make the top six.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

7th – Ronny Rockel – came in to the show better than he ever looked and could have easily slipped into the top six

8th – Toney Freeman – The X-Man went from fifth to eighth and at 43 does not have many more chances

9th – Hidetada Tamagashi – A great placing for the youngster from Japan. A rising star in this sport.

10th – Moe El Mouussawi – Another undeserved top 10 finish for him

“Tim Kennedy sounds like a pretty tough guy and that’s the way I like to fight so it should be a great fight,” said the 25-year-old Cummings, a two-time national junior collegiate qualifier in wrestling for St. Louis Community College – Meramec.

A knee injury forced Cummings to withdraw before the start of the 2006 national tournament and, later, convinced him to return home to Springfield, Missouri where he discovered MMA.  He has since regained his health and become well-skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing.

Despite his newfound versatility, Cummings credits his untainted success first and foremost to his consistent composure in the cage.

“Some guys get very emotional and some guys want to go out there and hurt people.  I’m one of those guys that looks at MMA as a sport and a chess match, just like I look at wrestling,” he explained.  “In all my wrestling experiences, I stayed calm throughout any situation that happened.  I didn’t get frustrated and I think that’s carried over into my experience in this sport.  I keep my cool really well and it’s paid off.”

The 29-year-old Kennedy’s return to action will be his first since he dominated Nick “The Goat” Thompson, stopping Thompson on the ground with an onslaught of punches in the second round (2:37) of their STRIKEFORCE Challengers meeting at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington.

After spending six years in The United States Army, the last three as a sniper in the Seventh Special Forces Group, Kennedy, a native of San Luis Obispo, California, recently accepted an offer to serve in the Texas National Guard.  The career change will allow him the flexibility he needs to pursue his MMA career at a world-class level.

“I don’t think anybody can really plan to see what I’m coming in to do this time,” said Kennedy.  “I’m working with the best boxing coaches and training with Mark DeLaGrotte, one of the best MMA striking coaches in the world, so I think that people are going to see a new Tim that they’ve never seen before.”

A graduate of Columbia College in Missouri, Kennedy launched his professional MMA career shortly before enlisting in the military near the end of 2001.

“After 9/11 happened, I wanted to do something for my country,” he explained.  “The military is my life.  I am going to serve as long as they’ll let me.  I’d love to retire in uniform.”

A knee injury Cyborg sustained during a training session last week forced the Brazilian fighter to pull out of the bout with Kennedy.

Tickets for the event, priced from $25, are on sale at the SpiritBank Event Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

SpiritBank Event Center doors will open at 7:15 p.m. CT for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event and the first preliminary bout will begin at 8:00 p.m. The live SHOWTIME telecast, which will include up to five bouts, will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

World championship MMA promotion STRIKEFORCE will produce the event at SpiritBank Event Center along with eXtreme Fighting promoter and five-time world kickboxing champion Dale “Apollo” Cook.

STRIKEFORCE Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

All of a sudden Heath’s right knee gave out and he went to the ground, rolled on his back and grabbed his knee. It took only a few seconds before backstage personnel came to his aid and they cut the music. For nearly a minute, Heath just stayed in that position until he turned his head towards the crowd and said, “I was just cramping up. I’m sorry.”

A loud applause followed and he was helped to his feet. He then said, “I don’t know what the hell happened. I’ve been cramping up all day,” and blamed the warm weather as a possible reason. Heath then told everyone that he would walk off the stage and begin his routine all over again. Needless to say, he stayed away from that low pose during the second routine.

Heath appeared no worse for wear but it did seem that he was being more cautious, even at one point taking a peek behind him when he was getting set to perform a rear lat spread while standing close to the front of the stage.

What remains to be seen is if there are any complications to his knee the following day. Heath may have felt as if it was nothing serious and was able to get through the routine, but it could have been worse than it appeared.

All in all, Heath appeared to be in superb condition and looked much better than he did in May when he guest posed at the NPC Long Island. He still seems to be carrying a little too much weight for his 5’9″ frame – perhaps a cause of the accidental slip – but seems to be on his way to a great showing at the Mr. Olympia contest in September.

If even the slightest injury was suffered to his knee, Heath may have to miss some preparation time. The worst case scenario would be that it is serious enough to cause him to miss the Olympia, which would be a crime. “The Gift” finished in third place in 2008, quite an accomplishment for his rookie ‘O.’ He was also being spoken of as one of the favorites in a deep line-up.

PHIL HEATH’S CONTEST HISTORY

’03 NPC Northern Colorado – 1st Men’s Novice & Open Overall Champ
’03 NPC Colorado State – 1st Men’s Light-Heavyweight
’04 NPC Colorado State – 1st Men’s Heavyweight & Overall Champ
’05 NPC Junior Nationals – 1st Men’s Heavyweight & Overall Champ
’05 NPC USA’s – 1st Men’s Heavyweight & Overall Champ * (Awarded Pro Card)
’06 IFBB Colorado Pro Show – 1st
’06 IFBB New York Pro – 1st
’07 IFBB Arnold Classic – 5th
’08 IFBB Ironman Pro – 1st
’08 IFBB Arnold Classic – Runner-up
’08 IFBB Mr. Olympia – 3rd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQR2eLRIuJM&feature=player_embedded

The younger brother of Vic Tanny – who went on to become one of the pioneers of the gym industry – Armand won the 1949 Pro Mr. America and 1950 Mr. USA titles. He came to the forefront in “Strength & Health” magazine at the young age of 14.

The Rochester, New York native broke in to the business as a weightlifter, as many of the old-time bodybuilders did. He competed in that field as a teenager and placed second in the 1941 Junior nationals in Ohio. As many young men of the era did, Tanny joined the military when the United States became involved in World War II and he suffered a knee injury. 

Once back home, he turned to bodybuilding and could either be found at Muscle Beach or his brothers gym in Santa Monica. Tanny was also part of the Mae West traveling nightclub act, a group of which Zabo was also a part of.

Tanny delved into a brief acting career and also tried his hand at professional wrestling in the 1950s. He also joined the Joe Weider crew and was a writer for Muscle Power (the precursor of Muscle & Fitness) magazine.

The huge Branch Warren is coming back from an injured triceps and has his sights set on winning the show that he has taken the Most Muscular award in. In his two previous Arnold Classic appearances, Warren has finished in second and fourth the last two years.

If posing held as much weight as it did 30 years ago, Kai Green would take the top spot without much competition. His crazy routines have become famous and if he is in top condition after hernia surgery, the rest of the pack better watch out.

Although these three men have been spoken about as favorites to win the contest, coming back after a long layoff will not be easy. Toney Freeman will look to prove that and if he has imporoved even slightly from his fifth place finish at the last Mr. Olympia, he must be taken seriously. The X-Man may be 43, but his size and condition have never been questioned. If he can come in proportioned, his chances will become much better. It will be a shock if Freeman does not crack the Top 3 and may even take the title. 

A few wild cards heading into Ohio are Silvio Samuel, Gustavo Badell and Dennis James. ‘El Matador’ won the Iron Man Pro just three short weeks ago and cannot be taken lightly. Badell finished in the Top 10 at the O, but needs to tighten up his bloated and wide look.

James is reported to be in fantastic shape and is always a threat to break the Top 6.

Las Vegas, NV – When you’re the defending champion, long lines are expected at these ‘meet and greet’ functions. That also holds true if you’re the guy that everyone feels has the best chance to unseat number one. It just so happens that both of these people were seated on completely opposite ends of the Mardi Gras Ballroom, but directly across from one another.

That made for difficult logistics as each line grew. By the time the majority of the crowd was allowed in the room, it was difficult to see who was sanding where. Jay Cutler and Dennis Wolf were the obvious stars of the session, and the fans that showed the patience to wait for a few moments with them, it was all worth it.

Cutler had an air of confidence about him, and judging by the way he appeared, had good reason to feel that way. “Everything seems to be coming together well,” he said. “The year went well. The preparation has gone great. Now it’s just fine tuning into the contest.”

The 2007 contest has been considered a controversial one, as Cutler was able to hold off strong competition from Victor Martinez, who was unable to go this year due to a knee injury. Cutler does not see an easy go just because Martinez will not be there.

Everybody’s competitive. Dexter, Dennis Wolf, Phil Heath. All those guys.” When asked directly about Wolf, Cutler acknowledged, “He’s good.”

If the number of fans getting autographs and taking photos is any indication, both Cutler and Wolf will do well for themselves come Saturday night.

The bodybuilder known as “The Gift” may receive an unexpected one come September 27. Phil Heath was not being spoken about as a top three contender for the Mr. Olympia title, but after a few good men had to drop out due to injuries, his stock has risen.

Victor Martinez finished a controversial second to Jay Cutler at last year’s Olympia, but suffered a knee injury earlier in the year. Branch Warren tore a tricep and Kai Green is recovering from a hernia.

Heath did not compete in the ’07 Olympia, but has had a productive year. He won the Iron Man contest and finished second to Dexter Jackson two weeks later at the Arnold Classic. The former University of Denver basketball star may make a statement at this show, even if it to finish ahead of Jackson.

Considering that this is his first time going for the Sandow, if Heath can finish in the top three, that would be a big step for the 28 year-old. A top-five is more likely.

Where it used to be the New England Patriots and then everyone else in the AFC, the season-ending knee injury suffered by quarterback Tom Brady in the first quarter of the season opener has changed everything. The team that was the preseason favorite to win it all will have to defend their conference title without their field general.

No matter how good a head coach Bill Belichik may be, losing the reigning league MVP may be more than even he can overcome. No slight against Matt Cassel, but he will be making his first start since high school come this Sunday on the road against the Jets.

The former back-up nearly found himself on the unemployment line following a dismal performance in the Pats’ four exhibition losses. Now he is being asked to step in for a team that went 16-0 last season.

Cassel was able to lead the team to a 17-10 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs after taking over for Brady. Under normal circumstances, New England would have dominated a weaker opponent like the rebuilding Chiefs. They barely hung on and if that is any indication of what is in store, first place in the AFC East will not be for long.

Heading into the season, most of the experts were putting New England, Indianapolis and San Diego at the top of the heap. Both the Colts and Chargers lost at home in Week 1 to underdog NFC teams.

An interesting campaign just got a lot more interesting. How all of this plays out is anyone’s guess at this early juncture, but no Brady can make for a long season.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag entitled, “This is Your Magazine,” where we profile the every-day athlete. If you would like to see yourself profiled here, please send us your story and photo to superbas@optonline.net.

And you think that you have had a tough time meeting your goals. Down in Miami, Florida, Barbie Garrido had to take care of her four children while going to college to become a Registered Nurse. That would have been a lot of anyone’s plate, but Barbie is not just anyone.

After deciding to do personal training “on the side,” as she put it, she met her current husband, who gave her the support she needed to take it to the next level – competitive bodybuilding, something Garrido, 39, has had a passion for since her early days at Brodie’s Gym. “It was a hardcore gym full of sweaty men,” she remembered. “I saw no women so I questioned that for a while until I came across a picture of Juliette Berman and Rachel McLish and I wanted to be like them.”

Garrido set a precedent for herself by winning her first contest. “In March 2005, I got on stage for the first time at the Sunshine Classic and was amazed that I won the Over-30 class,” she said. “Since that moment, I fell in love with bodybuilding, with the stage, the lights, the screaming, the rush that took away the 16 weeks of agonizing torture in only two minutes.”

Before the year was completed, Garrido entered four more shows, taking first place in the Southern States Middleweight Over-30 and the South Florida Heavyweight Over-30 and the Overall, as well as finishing in second in the Open Heavyweight of the Miami Bodybuilding show.

Even when a good streak is going, at times there are bumps in the road. While training for the Southern States Open the following year, Garrido sustained a knee injury 10 weeks out. “That was a blow to me and I went into a depression,” remembered Garrido. “I still wasn’t ready in 2007 and couldn’t train my legs effectively.”

The turning point in Garrido’s career came in October of last year when she decided that it was time to kick it into gear. Her knee was feeling better and she contacted IFBB professional bodybuilder Dayana Cadeau to help train her for the 2008 Sunshine Classic. Garrido looked back on that and called it “the best decision of my life.”

Her routine consisted of a 6:00 AM wake up seven days a week before heading right into the gym to do one hour of cardio. She then returned home, ate breakfast, caught some sleep, hit the gym for workout number two, which consisted of weight training and another hour of cardio. “Nothing changed but my mood, my anger, my tiredness, my hunger,” said Garrido.

But it wasn’t all bad in this love/hate relationship. “What kept me on track was my willpower, dedication and the love for change,” Garrido said. “My goal, my victory over any obstacle – it was mine. I could taste it.”

When it came to the night of the show, Garrido couldn’t understand why she was feeling so apprehensive. “Butterflies in my stomach, but why?” Garrido thought back. “I’ve competed before. Why now? I was nervous, thirsty and hungry, but I did it.

“I got up there and proved that I was back for good.”

She certainly was and went home with a much-deserved Light Heavyweight Open, the Overall and Over-30 Class. Garrido may have been proud of these accomplishments, but won’t rest on her laurels. She has her eyes set on the 2009 National, what Garrido calls the “big show.”

“Now is the time to rock ‘n’ roll with the big girls, to go higher,” Garrido gladly said. “For all the female bodybuilders out there, for the people who said I couldn’t do it. I am what I am. I am a bodybuilder.”