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APOP Studios Feature: Viktor Seredich

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Screenshot_2016-01-17-09-38-23-1Name: Viktor Seredich

Age: 23

Subject: Body Transformation

Original Goal(s): To get in shape

Today's Goal(s):

To become the best version of himself.

To train for success at the NPC Gladiator in Baltimore, MD on March 19th, 2015

To become a personal trainer.

Advice: Focus on the journey itself, not the end goal. Also, take your larger goals one step at a time rather than one large leap.

Story: About four years ago Viktor Seredich found himself in a room with Elliott Hulse, a famous Fitness YouTuber. He was dissatisfied with his job and, simply put, where he was in life. He was just floating along; he was going whereever life was taking him and those places were definitely were not exciting. Viktor's dream has always been to be the best possible version of himself-- to constantly keep growing in every aspect of life, yet sitting in this room he discovered that he just wasn't happy with his life and its trajectory. At the conclusion of Hulse’s motivational speech, Hulse asked everyone to ask themselves a key question, "Are you currently the best version of yourself?" He followed up with, "Are you satisfied? If not, then change." Viktor realized at this moment that over the course of his life he had grown little as a person. Viktor had not had any goals and therefore had not achieved much, but that all changed.

ViktorOn January 2nd, 2012 Viktor decided to make that change. He had make a new year's resolution to hit the gym.  Viktor's goal?--to be the best possible version of himself. When asked what exactly he meant he responded, "Having a healthy body is one of the most important things to me." He saw his first solid results three months into hitting the gym and it was at this point he realized working out was more than just something he did after work; it was his calling. Since Viktor was a teenager working his first job, he has always wanted to be his own boss and, now, has dreams of becoming a certified personal trainer.

As of today, Viktor works a small gig unloading trucks. He admits it doesn't sound all too exciting, but loves the flexibility it gives him to pursue his dreams outside of work. Since his main priority became the health of his body in 2012, the flexibility of his day job has proven to be a huge benefit. Viktor has made serious gains. He built muscle through maintaining a mindset ten times stronger than his body--a mindset that has kept him motivated to hit the gym day after day without fail and to make decisions that ultimately will lead to the success of his overarching goal: to become the best person he can.

Now that he has accomplished his primary goal of creating, maintaining and growing a healthy body, Viktor has also begun to focus on the fitness industry for his career. He will be doing his first Men's Physique competition, the NPC Gladiator in Baltimore, MD on March 19th, and from there he plans to start his own fitness brand. He strongly believes his ‘top secret’ unique approach to fitness is what he owes his results to. Now, he wants to help others find that same success!

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Q&A

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C: Carlee Myers, Founder of APOP
V: Viktor Seredich

C: What is it about Elliott Hulse that really stood out to you? Is he someone that you look up to?

V: Elliott Hulse has a lot of useful knowledge and has a way of speaking that really clicks. I used to look up to him when I first started. I don't look up to him as much anymore as I'm further on my own journey and relate a bit less. Since everyone's body is so different it makes it difficult to find someone to look up to in such a direct way.

C: Who else do you look to for inspiration?

V: Now I am very self-motivated person although I still get inspiration from different YouTubers and random speakers.

C: What does your typical day look like?

V: I usually do a small job unloading trucks in the morning around 7 am. Once I finish the job I have breakfast and get to work on my personal goals. After eating, I usually read and work. This typically includes doing just about anything I think is beneficial towards accomplishing these goals-- researching, brainstorming new ideas, talking with others about their fitness goals and providing advice, etc. After I accomplish my daily goals, I hit the gym around 7 pm, workout, then head back home to finish working on any daily goals I didn't accomplish. After I finish, I head off to bed. Sometimes it's around 12 am, sometimes it's 4 am. Haha.

C: What does your typical gym routine look like?

V: My gym routine is pretty basic when you actually look it:

Monday - Chest and triceps

Tuesday - Back and biceps

Wednesday - Legs

Thursday - Either chest or back or both. It depends how my body feels.

Friday - Arms and shoulders

Weekends - If I end up going to the gym, I always do legs.

C: Do you diet or watch what you eat?

V: I actually don’t have a strict diet. I never have, but I haven't really had to change my diet due to my high metabolism. On the other hand, I am conscious of what I put in my body. I just avoid certain things: I hate sweets. So I don't eat any sweets, I don't drink soda, I don't eat fried foods and I've cut back on salt.

C: How has your mindset changed since you started your journey?

V: My mindset really shifted once I realized exactly what I wanted to accomplish. I started to understand that setting up unrealistic time frames to accomplish goals can lead to disappointment. You have to focus on the journey itself not the end goal--one step at a time.

Rest Day Recipe: One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

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This week's Rest Day Recipe we found on Pinterest! It's orgins...Followerr.net.

Ingredients
  1. 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  2. salt and pepper
  3. 1 cup chicken broth
  4. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  5. 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  6. ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  7. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  8. ⅓ cup finely diced shallots (or red onions)
  9. 2 tablespoons salted butter
  10. ¼ cup heavy cream
  11. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil

Instructions:

  1. Using a mallet, pound down the chicken breasts/thighs into ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
  2. In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to...
See Followerr.net for full recipe. Trust me, it's worth it!

APOP Mind & Zazen Creations Presents...

https://youtu.be/IW48E2uW5eQ We love to hear inspiring stories and truly believe in taking time to appreciate what makes life so great. Thankfully we got to take some time to appreciate one of our client's personal stories. The image in this piece is of the backyard of a Zazen Creations (an APOP shop) customer's childhood home. The tree had to be cut down, but the family gave us a chance to let the tree live on by allowing us to burn into the original wood.

Rest Day Recipe: Protein Pancakes with Peanutbutter and Blueberries

This week's rest day recipes comes from a good friend, Larisa Manzo, who recommended the protein waffles recipe from morethanheels.com. As with any waffle recipe you can also make pancakes--and that is exactly what Larisa did. Protein Pancakes by Larisa Manzo

 

Protein pancakes with peanut butter and blue berries (331 calories/ 38 grams of protein/ 14 grams of fat/ 16 grams of carbs)

Mix following ingredients and cook:

  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (Larisa used GNC Advanced Vanilla Whey Protein)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp water
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1 packet of Stevia (Larisa didn't use it but the recipe does call for it)

Serve with 50 grams of blueberries and 1 tbsp of chunky peanutbutter and enjoy!

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11 Tips for Conquering Life over the Holidays (APOP Member Edition)

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The holidays tend to be a crazy time of the year for most of us. Here are a few tips from our Fitness Nerd Family Members to help you get through them without letting your healthy habits slip: unnamed-4

1. "The steps to getting myself help were the hardest and greatest things I ever did. The first step to solving any problem is talking." When you're feeling down, Stormy Smith, APOP member since March 2014, says that reaching out for help is key. Don't be afraid to ask for help-whether that is from friends, family or a professional. Everyone needs someone to lean on.

2. “You only get one shot at this life. So be you; do you. Be happy with your choices and don’t worry about impressing others or conforming.” -Misty Mann, Member since December 2015

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3. "Embrace who you are! It took me a year into college to remember that I need to embrace who I am, a quirky and random human being, and I couldn’t be happier with that. Sure some people think you suck, but comparatively you will bump into and find some incredibly awesome like-minded people along the way. Trust me." -Will Hurry, member since November 2015

4. "The more you act happy, the more you end up feeling happy." -Will Hurry, member since November 2015

 

Max Kohls

5. “Willpower is so important in weight loss–willpower and dedication. You have to get up every morning and say, ‘This is who I’m going to be today.’ You have to be your higher-self. There is an opportunity to be your lower self: not go to the gym, eat poorly, etc., but you have to choose to be your higher-self. It’s a choice. It’s all choices. Everyday is a choice.”-Max Kohls, member since October 2015 (Max also recommends this podcast:  http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/willpower-works/)

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6. Avoid those  pesky cravings by drinking lots of water. -Misty Mann, member since December 2015

7. Do it for yourself not for others. Both Misty Mann, member since December 2015, and Max Kohls, member since October 2015, agree that this is key for achieving your personal goals.

8. "Feeling down? Hit the Gym! Not only do you get to work off your frustrations, but you leave feeling like a rock star–because you really have accomplished something!" -Carlee Myers, Founder APOP

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9. "Never let food become an obsession. I know it’s comfortable and it makes many of us feel better, but in reality food doesn’t change a thing. My challenge to you is to directly deal with the problems you have in life." -Michelle McDonnell, member since August 2015

10. "Love your neighbor(s)." -Mary Ellen McAbee, member since September 2015

11. "Don't get caught up in the hustle and bustle; This season, more than any other time of year, is about family and friends." -Cathy Myers, member since March 2015

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#APOPFNF Profile: Misty Mann

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20151216_180659 (1) Name: Misty Mann

Age: 43

Subject: Smoking

Original Goal(s):  To quit smoking.

Today’s Goal(s): To be healthy--mentally and physically; To eat healthier, exercise and discover herself.

Advice: “You only get one shot at this life. So be you; do you. Be happy with your choices and don’t worry about impressing others or conforming. Oh, and manners go a long way.”

Story: Misty started smoking cigarettes when she was a freshman in high school. 15 years old and wanting to hang out with a particular group of kids who just so happened to smoke, she thought, ‘why not?’

“The first time I smoked is super fresh in my mind. My cousin, Dawn, and I stole a pack of kent III cigarettes from my dad and walked a block away from my house. It had just started to snow; everything was dusted in white. Dawn lit hers first and smoked away. She had been doing it longer. I was next. I tried to light it and couldn't so she did it for me. I held it between my fingers like you see in the movies. I thought I was so cool. I inhaled and blew the smoke out. I wasn't inhaling all the way, but it was cold out and the smoke mixed with the cold air so it looked more like smoke. Dawn laughed at me and told me I was doing it wrong and said to pretend my mom was going to catch me. A few moments later I inhaled and she hollered, “Oh crap! Your mom!” She turned and pointed. I had already forgotten she said to pretend and I thought my mom was really there. I accidentally inhaled.  Dawn told me I did good and I felt super excited. It seems stupid now that I look back on it, but at 15 I felt in charge of something. I liked the attention I got from it.”

A pack of cigarettes were just 80 cents from the local vending machine--meaning she didn’t have to flash her ID. When thinking about that time in her life versus now Misty says unsatisfied, “I’m sure the cigarettes had a warning on the pack that smoking was dangerous, but it was not as prevalent as it is today.”

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The battle to quit smoking was a 25 year process for Misty--perhaps if that label had been just a little bit bigger things would be different, but it wasn’t. It was actually quite unnoticable if it was there at all. The first time she tried to quit she was 19 years old; It was 1991 and she had just found out she was pregnant with a beautiful baby girl. The doctor suggested she cut back, not quit. At this point in her life, quitting wasn’t top of mind. As per the doctor’s request, she went from a pack of cigarettes a day to about a half pack (about 10 smokes per day). Of course since there was no self-ingrained urge to quit Misty went back to smoking full packs a day after her daughter was born. Then came along another beautiful baby girl in 2002; once again she tried to quit, but went back to her old habits shortly thereafter.

Misty’s third attempt to quit smoking was in her 30's back in 2006. Around this time, anti-smoking campaigns were going strong. The government and other organizations began the education process on exactly how bad smoking cigarettes can be for the body. Misty recounts that everyone, especially her loved ones, began pressuring her to quit. Although she tried to quit at the time, she remembers being angry and reticent. She started her third journey to imposed improvement by using the nicotine patch. With the nicotine patch it took her several tries over a few months to actually start a streak, but once she had a few days without smokes under her belt she ended up sticking to it for five months. At this point, something went askew--perhaps it was the fact that she didn’t do it for herself in the first place, perhaps it was the tragedy she witnessed while waiting at a red light in Myrtle Beach...a man and a woman riding a motorcycle getting hit by a truck. Either way, she that day she immediately went back to the hotel, bought a pack of cigarettes and headed for the beach...alone. Once again, she began smoking a pack a day again.

The rest of Misty’s 30's quitting was on her mind constantly. She would go to bed every single night and say to herself, “This is it. Tomorrow morning you are done!” but each morning she would find herself grabbing for that cigarette and lighting it. Each morning there would be a new excuse as to why she shouldn’t be quitting that particular day. She enjoyed smoking. It was her escape from meetings, family functions, etc. She could excuse herself from almost any situation with “I need to go smoke.” It was society's acceptable social crutch and she used it, but overtime she began getting upset with herself thinking, ‘Why can’t I just quit?!’ She began to hate the way it smelled, how it made her family and surrounding environment smell; her clothes, car and even presents she gave to people smelled of cigarettes. What’s worse, she noticed she was having trouble breathing; she couldn’t even carry a load of laundry up the steps without sitting on the top step to catch her breath. Towards the end of her 30's she was up to two packs a day. As if the breathing difficulties weren’t enough, the cost of one pack of cigarettes were now over six dollars. Misty talked about how much cigarettes drained her wallet. She used to say that when they hit four dollars she would quit, then five dollars, then six and she still hadn’t quit.”

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Misty had her turning point at 39, she took her oldest daughter to see a psychic for her October birthday, something both she and her daughter thought would be an exciting adventure for an exciting day. It went smoothly, until the end; Misty, still a little shaken up by what the psychic told her, recounted that when her and her daughter were heading for the door the psychic approached her telling her, “If you dont quit smoking when you are 40, you will be on an oxygen mask by the time you hit 43.” Now, whether the psychic was right or not did not matter. The thought that, at 43 years young, she would be on oxygen terrified her.  A few months after this encounter, in February 2012 Misty turned 40 years old and by May 2012, Misty began having even more difficulty breathing. All she could think was, ‘What if the psychic is right?’ Misty needed to quit and so she did; slowly but surely she cut back one cigarette per day, then a few a week. It was difficult to say the least, but by September 2012 she was ready to completely cut smokes from her life. The first day without a cigarette was horrible. She was sweating and crying; you would have thought Misty was on serious drugs. She called her doctor and her doctor said that some people have severe withdrawal from cigarettes, comparable to heroin withdrawal. She ended up smoking the first day and recounts that she was so disappointed in herself. Three days later she went and bought the nicotine patch and on september 25th she marked a important day in her personal story. She put the patch on and made up her mind--September 25, 2012 would be the first day of the rest of her life, without cigarettes. She knew that she could quit this time and kept reminding herself that an oxygen tank would absolutely not be in her future--she was and still is better than that.

The first week was awful; Misty was beyond cranky, but everyday it got easier and three months in she noticed a huge difference in her life and health. She was breathing better, not to mention smelling better. She eventually stopped craving cigarettes every day and stopped wearing the patch--she no longer needed it.

Now Misty is 43 years old and healthier than ever before. It’s been over three years and three months since she touched a cigarette. Today, she’s basking in her own success and even has a few more tricks up her sleeve she’s using to achieve her next goal--to become mentally and physically fit.

 

Q&A:

C=Carlee Myers, Founder of APOP

M=Misty Mann, Member of APOP since 2015

 

C: Can you elaborate further on how peer pressure to quit smoking made you feel over the years?

M: Peer pressure to quit over the years? Hahaha. It honestly pissed me off. The more my sister or mom said something the more I smoked. I was being stubborn, but it’s like asking to someone overweight when they are going to drop a few pounds. It’s not nice and certainly isn’t good for that person’s mental health. I found it rude and annoying that people would point out my flaw and comment on something that I struggled with everyday.

 

C: Can you talk about the pressure you felt from others to smoke?

M: I actually never felt pressured to smoke by anyone. It was something I wanted to try just because I thought I could hang out with the ‘bad ass kids,’ but they never forced it.

 

C: Can you elaborate further on the day that you went to the psychic with your daughter?

M: The day I went to the psychic was actually pretty boring. I sat in the waiting room and went out on her porch to smoke once or twice while I waited, which I’m sure is one of the reasons she originally told me to quit...but she was so specific about me quitting at the age of 40. She didn't know how old I was, which made me think that maybe she was right. Either way it was the push I had been waiting for; I wanted to quit, but I didn't want to give the satisfaction to my sister or mom that what they said made me quit. I guess I used the psychic as my reason.

 

C: I often hear from people who are trying to quit smoking that drinking triggers the urge to smoke again. Did you experience anything like this?

M: Drinking was never a trigger for me.

 

C: Do you have any advice for avoiding cigarette cravings?

M: Drink lots of water. I also used mint gum, which I’m now addicted to. Haha, but I guess it’s better than smoking.

 

C: Do you have any advice for someone who is trying to quit?

M: The urge to pick up that cigarette always passes. That horrible feeling does get easier. Just ride it out. It’s worth it.

 

C: Why do you think that you succeeded this time, but fell back into the habit in the past?

M: I think I succeeded this time because I was ready. I did it the other times because I was told to quit...because it was unhealthy...blah blah blah. This time it was for me, not them.

 

C: Do you think giving up cigarettes one-by-one is one of the reasons you were successful? Perhaps small goals leading up to a larger goal was important to your success?

M: I think slowly giving up day by day was just an excuse to keep smoking longer. I knew I had to quit at some point so I justified in my mind that slowly doing it was ok, so I didn't have to give it up all at once.  

 

C: How else has giving up cigarettes positively influenced your life?

M: Giving up cigarettes has completely changed my life. First off, I feel so much better. I’m able to do things without being winded. I smell better. On the down side, I have no excuse for bad behavior. I can’t blame being cranky on nicotine withdrawal any longer, but I’m working on my mental health so I hope that won’t be struggle much longer.

 

C: Becoming healthier usually requires a complete lifestyle change, how did you change your day to day life? Have you integrated different things into your daily life to set yourself up for success?

M: Well I gained a ton of weight when I quit smoking...about 50 pounds. Apparently, I ate instead of smoking but didn't realize it until recently. So my day to day for the last three years has been just getting by, not really changing anything. Honestly, this lack of further change has led to issues with depression, but that’s a whole other story. Haha.

 

C: What are your goals for self-improvement today?

M: My goals have drastically changed in the last few months. I want to be healthy, and not just from quitting smoking. I'm trying to eat healthier and exercise. I've lost 10 pounds so far. I'm trying to "discover me" and am combining my physical health with my mental and spiritual health. I’m reading more on adventures for the soul, to become more positive and truly happy...with my relationships, finding a new career, etc. My newest journey might actually be more ‘traumatic’ than cutting cigarettes out of my life. Haha.

 

Know someone that deserves recognition for their success? Comment below to nominate them!

Moving Meditation: Tampon Box Cover

It doesn't sound that meditative, but upon looking at Zazen Creation: An APOP Shop's newest product. You might understand how creating the box and design might encourage it's creator (that's me!) to slow down from my busy life. It was a pleasure making this product. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! il_570xN.889330849_p2bo

PS: I'm pretty excited that I can leave my tampon box out in the open without it messing up my bathroom's color scheme. :P

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