Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Sweat & Intensity


One common concern I hear from women is that they workout and eat right an yet results are minimum at best. This subject drives an interesting discussion for me.  I struggled with the same issue for years until this recent transformation.  There could be countless reasons for someone to not see any results, but I can only speak from my experience.

The first area in my fitness routine that I saw an opportunity for improvement was my intensity during my workouts.  Intensity of a workout should be at ten during your workout.  If you think about it what is a level three or four on the intensity scale going to do?  You want to work like you are in a full on sprint mode during your workout.  Its only 30-45 minutes, for maximum effectiveness your heart rate should be elevated and you must be exercising rigorously or else you might as well sit back down on the couch.  Tell yourself "self if it doesn't burn or hurt it’s a waste of time".  That is literally the end of the matter because if you don't bring energy you simply are wasting your time.  I know its hard, but guess what who cares! Do you or do you not want to get in shape? Do you want to have people coming up to you saying, “What are you doing to look so good?”  Do you want to look in the mirror naked and like what you see?  Well if you answered yes to those questions then you will want to work hard 45 min 3-4 times per week.  Besides intensity its also good to focus on creating a routine so you have purpose while at the gym.  



The second major problem I had in my past was being consistent with my eating and workout. During the times in my life that I did exercise or try a diet I never stuck with it for long (longer than a month to be honest).  I started and stopped so many diets that one could easily label me as a “yoyo dieter”.  I have tried the abs diet, apple a day diet, Atkins diet, body cleanse diet, cabbage soup diet, calorie restriction diets, detox diets, eating for life diet, eating for your type diet, eat to live diet, eat so you don't die diet, eat every other day diet, HCG diet, Jenny Craig, P90X Nutrition Plan diet, raw food cleanse, Skinny B diet, weight watchers diet, and probably many more I want to forget like the lemonade diet (or master cleanse) etc.  I can’t say that one or all of these diets are bad, some may have great methods and if applied I would be perfectly skinny and healthy. The whole point of any diet is that it must be sustainable for life.  Why?  Well, think about it, in order to be consistent it must be something you can do consistently, so the changes will last.  That's why people who are successful change their eating habits so it's more of a lifestyle, they are living and eating in a way that is conducive for their way of life.  That is what’s working for me since making the change. My lifestyle allows me to wake up at 4a.m. and dedicate two hours to the gym.  I would work with the time I had if I couldn’t make it in the morning.  I would go at lunch time, walk after work, or go on weekends.  The pattern is simple,  I go when I can and do what is necessary to maintain my consistent lifestyle.





Thursday, September 20, 2012

September Madness

Hi to all my friends and family. I hope September is treating you well! Perhaps you are thinking where has the time gone.  September is almost over and so is 2012 and yet I am busier than ever. My workouts have developed over time with more structure and consistency.  As I develop my bikini training goals I have over time come to terms with a more realistic approach to my training.  The more grounded and reasonable my goals are the more I can see this becoming a way of life for me permanently.  Currently my STS trainer works with me 2 out of the 4 days of weight training and I make sure I get 5-6 days of cardio (45 min on elliptical, stair master, or running) in addition to my weight training.  Trying always to ensure my cardio workouts are intense and consistent has been the largest reason for my current results. One of the most interesting aspects of training is the soreness that you endure.  I am sore every day, and every minute of that day.  I am currently trying to figure out how to live with this soreness.  I take supplements which aid in my recovery and I keep a large bag of Epsom salt for soaking for when it becomes unbearable but the one the thing I am currently working on is drinking more water.  Living in Arizona it is very common to be walking around dehydrated and not even know it  so when you add training to the equation this has to be a focus of mine. My initial goal was a gallon of water a day but that hasn't panned out too well for me this week.  I purchased a gallon of water on Monday morning and on Thursday afternoon I was still walking around with the same gallon of water.  I do believe I should knock it out today and start a new gallon especially with my new trick of putting a packet of Gatorade in my water to help my mental get over that I am drinking so much water.  I hope next week I can actually drink my gallons faster.

My goal is always to inspire and share any and all helpful information that I discover whether through research or from my personal experience.  Although I don't have much experience with competitions as of yet I find that there is scarce info online of what it takes or what one goes through in the beginning of this process.  Everywhere you look online it seems like it takes 12 weeks to transform a human body when really it can take up to a year or even years to transform.  My goal is simply to transform and sculpt and stay healthy while maintaining balance.  For me that means to make this experience as close to reality or my own personal norm while pushing my own limits.  I encourage all to find their own normal and that very well may look completely different from my normal.  Obviously a person who has kids or a person who travels for a living might have different processes to work through.  The most important thing is not how you do it but simply that you do it.

As I continue this journey I have learned something else that has been critical to my success and that is the importance of keeping a circle of friends that have similar interest.  My husband has been one of the key people who I share my fitness dialogue with and for that I am pretty fortunate to have someone who is just as interested in health if not more.  He majored in global health so topics can become global real fast and more than not I usually end up interested in what he is talking about.  My best friends and I share workout stories daily and help motivate each other with our fitness goals.  Anyone who knows me know that I love to share info (code for I think I know everything) but through this process I have also found that I love to teach however to teach you must live accordingly so for now that is what I will stick to.  I plan to continue to reinvent ways I can benefit from my own training and fitness.  I want to be better, work harder, and put myself to the test in every physical way!


Friday, September 14, 2012

2 Days Left

Training with STS trainer around noon today.

Training

Lunge w/10lbs each side with kick on smith machine
Squatts on smith machine
Push up 15x3 on smith bar
Pull Up Row on smith machine

Abs
6lbs weights tricep skull crushers while legs up then lower ab work

Cardio- ran 3 miles on treadmill at gym

Thursday, September 13, 2012

3 days left Thursday

Wednesday was a complete wash as I was to sore to tie my shoe strings much less work out or run.  I was scheduled to run at night after boot camp but had to forgo that as well because my calves were literally on fire when I walked.

Thursday (today) I woke up at 4am got to the gym about 5:30am and got a chance to get one of my work outs completed.  Working to get them done in under an hour as I tend to lag when working out by myself. Having a partner works great twofold.  1) accountability of coming so you don't just leave your partner in a lurch and 2) someone who can keep you moving and pushing throughout your entire workout.  I can push myself as I know what has to get done but I am still pretty slow.  I did manage to get my entire work out completed in just under 60 min.

Work Out


Back, Chest, Hams
1. Seated lat pull down wide grip 50lbs
2. . bent over db row 17.5lbs
3. seated low row 17.5lbs on each side
4. incline bench db chest press ss. db push  ups with good form to failure 15lbs then I did 10 push ups on each set. 
5. seated hamstring curl 60lbs
6. prone hamstring curl - both legs raise bar, lower bar w/ 1 leg alternating 25lbs( very difficult for me) I compromised on this exercise
7. single leg db dead lifts w/30lbs. step ups w/ db 15lbs8. plank holds - 3 front plank, 3 each side. 30 sec each hold 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

5 days Tuesday STS


Warm up  lunge stretches outside

Exercise
Lat pull downs 55lbs
Lunges with 15lbs weights and biceps curls
Step Ups
Jump Squats on Step
kettle bell swings



Meal
Egg with roasted peppers
Blue berries
Greek Yogurt
Chicken and green beans
Apple
Chicken and brussel sprouts

Monday, September 10, 2012

6 Days Monday

With less than a week left before my 90 day transformation is over I feel like I still have much to do.  I recognize the human body is just that... a never ending project that can be better, trimmer, sculpted slightly more with the worst critic in the judgement seat- Self. With that being said I am super proud of my journey and feel as I knew I would feel which is this is simply the beginning.  This is a great time to announce that I plan to start my next training program which will be a longer in terms of time frame.  My next training program will be approximately a 6 month training- The end goal will be a bikini competition in March.  I plan to change the venue in which I will blog.  I will keep you posted as things progress.

Meal
Protein Shake
Omelet
Almonds with bottle of water
Greek Yogurt with blue berries
Chicken and brussels sprouts
Apples with PB
Chicken and green beans

Exercises - Shoulders & Tris

1. Seated shoulder press 12.5lbs
2. db lateral raises ss. db front raises alternating arms 7.5lbs (very tough)
3. straight bar triceps press downs 15lbs, 20lbs, 25lbs (3rd set)
4. bent over db kick backs ss. bench triceps dips 7.5lbs -plus 15 bench dips

Abs work
20x 3x each - 10lbs sit ups with barbell overhead on bosu ball
60 jacknives
60 lower ab crunches 

Ran in the evening 3 miles I would say I ran 2 miles and walked and ran the final mile 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

7 Days Left Sunday

Woke up very sore.  Spent the majority of my day at the gym yesterday working my shoulders with Coach Craddock.  It is always nice to work with experienced trainers so you can mix a little bit of the old school with the new school. He spent time with me critiquing my form and showing me a few little exercises I could do to add additional sculpting... We had a blast!

Didn't get my cardio time in though so I am on my way to the gym to get 45 min of running or stair master.




Friday, September 7, 2012

9 Days Left Friday

Started my day with a 25 min run at the gym.  Went on to work for a few hours and then back to training with trainer at STS.

Exercises:

Lunges on Smith Machines
Straight leg dead lifts 30lbs weights
Rows with machine

Squats on Smith Machine
Kettle bell swings 15lbs front to back
Kettle bell between legs as I did lunges



Thursday, August 30, 2012

17 Days Left Thursday -

Today is the end of my work week and the beginning of a very deserved vacation. One that will require many hours of sitting next to the pool, sleeping in, and catching up on movies I have neglected.  While on vacation I always view this as an opportunity to spend more time on my work out vs. less.  I never think of vacation as time away from the gym but rather time dedicated to the gym.    It is a great place to work hard and play hard.  I like to mix in  a little pool and tan time with cardio and weight lifting and that is what works for me.

I have incorporated more running for the cardio segment of my work out because I am scheduled to run my 5k of this season September 23rd.


Meal plan 

8am cottage cheese strawberries mixed with yogurt
11am (sweet tomatoes) salad and chili
2pm cottage cheese and peaches
5pm Spagetti

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

19 Days Wednesday

Decided to take off from Barbell Class today because I can feel my body is very tight.  Tonight is a great opportunity to run which ultimately helps loosen me up anyway.  I

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

20 Days- Ways to Stay Accountable

After working out for many months you begin to see many of the benefits and changes in your body that result from the hard work.  Once I started to reach that point I used that energy and those changes to fuel me to keep going, but prior to that point I had to build my own accountability.   The plan or strategy that I used to keep me accountable was my blog and my 90 day challenge.  I decided that if I had to write about working out daily, or take pictures of myself throughout the process I would keep up with the exercise and meal plan. This is the initial way I  kept myself accountable.

Prior to starting this 90 days challenge I had been on many diets and had tried many work out programs.  One of the first obstacles I was able to overcome was changing my outlook.  I had to come to grips with the fact that weight loss done right takes time.  In the past if I had not seen changes within a  few weeks from my start date I would have surely quit and moved on to the next thing.  This time around I decided this was a lifestyle and over time if I just kept eating right and working out I would see results... Secondly, I created a very strong network through mentors (my work out trainer, my husband, my work out buddies) so that I would have the support to get it done.  I created my own inspiration by finding people who had conquered the same goals I was attempting so deep down it built encouragement in me and I knew I could do the same. Finally, I just decided to stick with it.  Many times staying accountable is simple about the decision.  I didn't waiver back and forth indecisively as to whether or not this was right for me.  I started June 15th and haven't looked back.  I have since learned after going so far that my journey is longer than I had originally anticipated but none the less I am always going to be half way there vs. just starting....

STS Workout with Kelly (6:am)

TRX Machine (pull ups)
Step Ups with 20lbs weight 15 each leg
Single Arm Barbell Jammer 45lbs bar 15x per arm  click here for example
Plank variation (up downs in plank position) 10 each arm

Cardio - running 3k in the park tonight

Meal Plan

10am Oatmeal
12pm turkey & cheese and crackers with water
4pm apples and pb
6pm chicken and broccoli




Monday, August 27, 2012

21 Days Left Monday

I have been MIA for a little over 2 weeks as far as my blog so forgive me if you were worried.  I had an interview process I had to prepare for and unfortunately had little time for much else.  Over the last few weeks I did continue my workout routine and eating regimen with the exception of a few mishaps.  I had little time to prep meals or schedule meals and can say that I did my best with what I had.  I didn't miss any work outs but cut my cardio in half. 

Starting back strong this Monday I am officially in run season.  I have one scheduled run in September and will start training for that run as early as tonight or tomorrow night.  Today I began my morning with Barbell Strength as I always do.  I woke up late so had to return home for meal prep and to get ready for work.  I do feel like I am in need of a vacation but will have to tough through this time time period as this coming weekend will have 5 days off to enjoy and relax... Or what I mean is work hard and run fast... LOL

Meal plan

7am Banana
9am Oatmeal
11am Chicken with green beans
1pm Apple w/PB
2pm Almonds and water
5pm Strawberries
7pm Chicken and broccoli

Goal- drink more water

Sunday, August 12, 2012

35 Days Left Sunday



Spent my day in doors even though I would have rather been near a pool with a Rita in my hand! Working out and eating healthy can be challenging in more ways than one.   No drinking, no fast food, no no no... I can only say that once I hit my goals it will all be worth it.  To keep myself motivated I spend time becoming a visionary.  I think about what my body will look like once I hit my goals.  I do my best to stay motivated by the changes I see and I wouldn't want to mess up my progress of what I have accomplished so far.  The hard part is behind me.  I have successfully moved into a new lifestyle.  I am almost 60 days down and roughly 30+ days I will be at the end of my 90 day transformation.  What I have learned is that the real work will start at that point. 


Work Out

Cardio 45 min on StairMaster

Shoulders, Tris, Quads 3x 15 reps each
1. Seated shoulder press 12.5lbs
2. db lateral raises ss. db front raises alternating arms 7.5lbs (very tough) 
3. straight bar tricep press downs 15lbs, 20lbs, 25lbs (3rd set)
4. bent over db kick backs ss. bench tricep dips 7.5lbs -plus 15 bench dips
5. Incline leg press 90lbs
6. db sumo squats ss. jump squats 10lbs kettle bell 
7. db walking lunges ss. alternating jump lunges (only did 2 sets then argued with hubby cause I wouldn't do 3 lol)
8. leg extensions 45lbs
9. bicycle abs - 3x (4 slow, 10 fast)

Saturday, August 11, 2012

36 Days Saturday It's a date!



Today has been a thrill-less day.  I stayed in all day just relaxing and taking it easy which is always needed with my lifestyle.  I planned my day and knew I would be spending a good amount of time at the gym tonight since both Saturday and Sunday I have a routine to complete.

About 5pm I finally got my lazy bones up and got dressed and hubby and I went out to the mall.  We spent time looking for school clothes and odds n ends.  By odds n ends I mean two amazing pair of sandals... What else would I mean? Anyway around 8pm we headed to the gym to do our workout together.  Jason was very hard on me and as always held me accountable to do every rep with perfect form with the highest weight possible.  We got to the gym well passed my normal bed time so I didn't get a chance to do my cardio so I will have to make it up tomorrow.

Meals

7am 1 slice of turkey bacon and eggs with beans
9am protein shake
11am chicken salad
1pm fruit salad
3pm protein bar and water
10pm Steak with onions and broccoli


Exercise

                          Back, Chest, Hams
1. Seated lat pull down wide grip 40lbs
2. . bent over db row 12.5lbs
3. seated low row 30lbs on each side
4. incline bench db chest press ss. db push  ups with good form to failure 12.5lbs then I did 5,6,7 push ups on each set. 7 was on my last set. Perfect form hubby said. He was impressed and proud of me. Said I'm really getting strong. 
5. seated hamstring curl 60lbs
6. prone hamstring curl - both legs raise bar, lower bar w/ 1 leg alternating 30lbs( very difficult for me) he pushed me the whole way on that exercise
7. single leg db dead lift ss. step ups w/ db 12.5lbs
8. plank holds - 3 front plank, 3 each side. 30 sec each hold 

Friday, August 10, 2012

37 Days Friday STS Total Body Workout

Now that my new schedule is in place I am feeling more prepared and organized which thus far has produced a more effective workout week for me.  I feel like I have a renewed purpose and am always very excited to do my work outs or cardio. My schedule for Friday's are pretty simple.  I need to do 45 min of cardio (either stairmaster or interval running) but I did throw in some eliptical today.  I go to work after gym time for a few hours until my PT session with Kelly at STS.  My sessions are for 45 min of which I got the following done:

Training

3 part movement exercise (lunge, bi-cep curl, squat)
60 vibrating machine while doing squats
20 sit ups on bosu ball while holding a 10lb weight overhead

Tricept Extensions with 6lbs weight
Dips
Bicept curls with the bar

45 min Cardio 

Meal Plan

7am Eggs with Beans
8am Protein Shake
10am Banana 2 slices of oranges
I ate free meal - dinner




Thursday, August 9, 2012

38 Days Thursday Interval Running

Today was suppose to be my day off from the gym all together but I cheated myself out of my cardio yesterday.  I absolutely despise going to the gym after work and I left my music in my car yesterday at the gym so I just had the hardest time running.  I should have just exercised on the elliptical but I was being stubborn and told myself I would have to run at the park while Jason did BC or to truck myself all the way back to the gym after work... I did none of the above so I gave up my day off and did my cardio.  I didn't hit my goal of 3 miles which should have been super easy only did 2 miles of interval training.

Interval Running is when you intermittently run at a consistent speed (slower than you would normally run) then run fast for about a minute.  I started with 6.0 on the TM then went up to 7.0 then 7.5 for 90 seconds. Ultimately there are a few reasons I believe interval running is beneficial for me.  1) I hope to build up my speed for my upcoming race next month. 2) Interval Running is said to burn more fat after multiple sessions. 3) Helps my lung capacity or VO2 Max

Click here for more info on -Interval Running

Top Ten Reasons for Interval Running
  1. Reduces boredom
  2. Increases post-exercise energy usage
  3. Stimulates our respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous system to a greater degree
  4. Increases the activity of enzymes involved in fat burning
  5. Burns fat and more calories
  6. Causes a greater increase in VO2max (aerobic capacity)
  7. Better time Efficiency
  8. Results in increased amounts of circulating growth Hormone
  9. Makes use of both aerobic and anaerobic muscle fibres
  10. Increased Fat Loss

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

39 Days Wednesday Barbell Strength

Woke up at 4:10am and tried to wake up but just couldn't get out of bed.  Ended up finally getting out of bed at 4:30am.  Got dressed, packed my lunch and snacks and headed out the house at 5:05am.  Made it to my Barbell strength class of which I was to sore to do much... I pushed through on the leg work out(sqats and lunges) but sat and watched everyone on the shoulder press set. I can hardly sign my name much less pick up a bar with weights on each side and guide it over my head and face... NO I DON'T THINK SO... I LIKE MY FACE TOO MUCH.

My intentions afterwards was to get some cardio in but I was thrown off because I left my phone/music in my car so I couldn't run like I wanted (only did 10 min).  My goal was to do interval training on the treadmill for 45 min.  I will just have to go after work or try to run in the park while Jason teaches boot camp tonight. Not looking forward to that but perhaps it will give me the boost I need to start running again outside.  It was this time last year that I started running at night at the same park (Alta Vista) so perhaps I can give it a try tonight. Not sure how far I will get on the interval part but again I will try...

Meal Plan
8am Egg omelet with veggies
10am Fruit Parfait
1pm celery and PB

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

http://www.scottstrainingsystems.com/index.php

Day 1 of PT with Kelly at STS definitely exceeded my expectations.  I woke up excited but nervous since I didn't really know what to expect. When I got there I was met at the door promptly by a very pretty Kelly Abraham who walked me to the back and started taking me through my personal stats and very pleasant small talk. 

The gym at STS is very different from what I expected. I am use to going to a large gym that has been designed for the masses. Scotts is small and yet eclectic in some fashion because everything (machines and weights) are all in one room and yet it felt very sectioned into parts. It gave me a feeling as if I had my very own space to work out.  Kelly trained a fitness competitor and myself  together for the duration of the time with the following exercises.

Total Body Exercise (3 sets)
2 min warm up on TM
Bench Step Ups 12lbs weight 15 each leg
TRX pull upsWhat is suspension training?
Push Ups on a bar
Squatts with bands

Abs
while on the bosu ball using a overhead weight -sit ups

Meal Plan
6-7am Banana
8am Eggs with beans
10am Apple and PB
12Chili
3pmTurkey and String Cheese
7pm Protein Shake

Goal- Drink more water take supplements more consistantly

Monday, August 6, 2012

41 Days Monday Back To The Grind

Today is my first day of my new training plan that I am developing in conjunction with STS or http://www.scottstrainingsystems.com/.  I am making several adjustments to my eating and work out plan.  I am excited to say that my personal research and hard work has gotten me this far and while I continue to work hard I am hoping that the professional help from STS will take me the rest of the way.

Woke up at 4:40am got dressed and rushed over to Lifetime to do my Barbell Strength class with Michelle B.  Class was absolutely extraordinary! I missed it so much.  Classes were canceled all last week because she was out of town.  It threw my entire week of exercise off and caused me to lose momentum.  I mostly did cardio and piddled while at the gym.  I had so many other things going on in my life as well that I really feel like the whole week set me back.  I am proud that I kept up with my eating but hardly tracked like I was suppose to since I didn't keep up with blogging.



Exercise- Barbell Strength Class and 40 min of stair master

Meal Plan

7am-Banana
8:30am Oatmeal
11am-Sante Fe Salad w/chicken breast and avocado
1:45-17 almonds & apple and bottle of water
3pm Shrimp Cocktail
6pm Chicken and green beans


Thursday, August 2, 2012

45 Day's Thursday Reset Button

In over a week I have encountered many changing thoughts about where I want my fitness to take me. As my body changes it seems like my ideals and goals change with it. I decided that after 45 days of working alone that it is finally time to hire a company to help me with my fitness goals and I decided today that the company would be Scott Training Systems.  While at the gym earlier this week I got a great tip from Chris Flores (a member of my gym) that this company has a very different approach to training. They are very focused on each individuals personal goals and would work with me to meet mine.  Mainly, it seems like what I need to take me to the next level so I have an appointment with Scott Keppel tomorrow. I will keep you posted on what I decide to do.


As far as working out I did not work out today!





Wednesday, August 1, 2012

46 Days- Wednesday Race Season

Racing in 5,8,10k's is where its at... It's all about the challenge.  I would say this time last year in August is when I began my initial racing career with good friend Jay Bonner.  Both green when it came to running so we started with a very highly recommended training guide called Couch to 5k.  We both had never ran before and started with running a little over a minute at a time with a 30 second break in between until we built our legs and lungs up to endure 3 miles of running.  Our first race was the Annual Laveen 5k which was minutes from Jay's house.  We practiced 4-5 days a week at Alta Vista park driving our self round and round that circular path until we got ourselves up to 3 miles.  To be honest I knew Jay was a much stronger racer/runner than me because she would push herself to run without water, or through extra laps without stopping.  She even would push herself to run faster while I was just trying to get myself adjusted to the 8 laps (3 miles) I was suppose to do in a matter of days at the 5k. At the time of the race I believe I had never ran more than 2 miles until race day.  I pushed myself as hard as I could and only stopped 1x which was to get water. Time was just over 29 minutes.  Jay's time was around 25minutes.

Now that its August I can see runners starting to come out to practice in the park, or in neighborhoods practicing for their next race.  I have booked my first race for this season.  The first race I am running is gonna be the same race I started with last year just for nostalgic reasons which will be Saturday 23th at 6:30am.  We will officially start training together September 5th so for now I will just work on interval training at my gym on the treadmill.




4th Annual Laveen 5k
Betty Fairfax Highscool
8225 S. 59th Ave
Laveen, AZ

Monday, July 30, 2012

48 Days Monday Cardio

Even though the beginning of the month hasn't started as of yet, I decided to work towards my new monthly goals starting today.  New goals should always be started on a Monday in my book! As previously discussed I am working to increase my cardio goals so that I will now be doing my same routine but incorporating a minimum of 45 minutes of cardio in my daily work out.  Previously I had always included cardio but hardly went over 30 minutes in a given session.  I am being advised that the StairMaster or interval training might be more beneficial.  What that means for me is when I run on the treadmill, I will do intervals.  The plan is to run around 6.0 for 4 min and work up to 1 minute and a half of sprinting, then run again for 4 min until my 45 min of cardio has been completed.  I think another excellent place to get interval training in is in spin class.  I would be getting an hour of this type of cardio in as well if I opt for a spin class every now and then.  It helps to do classes like that because you have the support of people, loud music, and a fun instructor that goes by the name of Steve. 

Meal Plan

B)Omelet
S)Carrots with tablespoon of hummus
L) Chicken and green beans
S)Cottage Cheese and pineapple
D)Fish and green beans and brown rice
S)Apples and PB

Sunday, July 29, 2012

49 Days Sunday Party Planning

Today ended up being a free day even though I hadn't planned for it. Well I knew that I was having a large party and that I was saving my free meal for the party but I had planned on working out at some point in the day but simply ran out of time. Looking back I think I could have made different decisions knowing what I know now, which is I would run out of time. I learned that when and if I have a lot of things to do in a given day I will mandate for myself an early morning workout to ensure I get it done.  As you might recall Sunday is my usual day to work out in the evening time of which I thought I would squeeze a work out some where before or after the party.. Really? What was I thinking?  Well ultimately I now know to plan accordingly for all future party days..

I did allow myself to splurge more than usual on this cheat meal.  OK I ate Nachos, and a chicken BBQ sandwich... OMG.. What have I done?

Thursday, July 26, 2012

52 Days- Thursday Food Prep

Enjoying my morning with my family can be just as healthy as spending an hour at the gym.  I speak a lot about rest and recovery but hardly practice it. Speaking as a novice I can only speak from experience.  Experience from yesterday or the day before but experience nonetheless.  What I notice mostly from working out 5-6 days a week is that my body gets so sore and tired that it actually starts sending signals to my brain that mirror flu like symptoms.  I found that this week when I took it a little easier on my body that I felt better and less like I was coming down with a cold.  I also weighed myself and lost 2 more pounds.  This is huge because I felt I was fighting with the scale all month and as it stands now it took one whole month to lose 7-8lbs.  I was super excited to learn that the scale is moving towards the right direction.

This morning since I didn't work out I got a chance to work on my food prep.  I cut up lots of chicken to cook along with steamed a good amount of green beans (my favorite).  You might have noticed that I eat green beans a lot and that is only because I found a veggie that fits with the plan, is easy to prepare, and taste yummy.  I am a fan of sauteed onions so if I have the time I fold in onions to enhance the flavor.  I eat hot sauce on my food to add flavor but eventually I might have to cut it because of the additional salt.  I also like to add a spoon full of hummus or cottage cheese to my lunch to add something extra and usually I am so happy with this...

To learn how prep my foods for the week I looked at many You Tube videos'. In the beginning I spent my time looking at how people prep for 6 meals a day on a consistent basis and found people have their own systems.  For instance people might cook all the meals on Sunday night and place them in baggies or zip loc storage.  I like to make my meals at night and I cook enough for that nights dinner and the next day's lunch... If I know I am going to be somewhere where I can't prep food I try to plan for that.  There are times that I haven't been able to prep meals (3 times in 30 days) so I worked up a plan to get me through the day when and if this happens. (See I have to have a plan for my plan LOL) 

I go to the grocery store and get prepped fruit or veggies or I go to fresh and easy since they have lots of individually wrapped choices on veggies or fruit.. I also have one fast food place that I feel is great for emergencies... Chipotle.. I get a burrito brown with the following. Brown rice, black beans, salsa, lettuce and tomato... (no cheese, no sour cream, no guac.) I think this is a great work around if and when life happens and you have to make a run for the border...

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

51 Days Wednesday The Scale is Moving!

This week has gotten off to a really good start with the exception that I am very sore... what's new?

Normally I would be in my Barbell Strength class with Michelle B. but she is out of town so the alternative is a very opposite instructor... I decided to opt out of the class and just do my own thing in hopes that next week things will return back to normal.  I keep focused on my goals and work hard on each and every exercise.   As I work my arms Bi's and Tri's I recall that in a matter of days I will be presenting my 30 day before and after pictures to all of you readers... Yes I am very nervous but instead try to use this info as motivation to work longer and harder so that my outcome is something I can be really proud of.   I weighed myself after my work out and realize I have officially lost 8lbs in the month of July.  I am very proud and happy the scale seems to be on my side and is finally moving into the right direction.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

54 days Tuesday

After Sunday night and Monday morning's work out I was very much over worked.  My body aches in just about everyplace it can and yet I am scheduled to arrive at the gym and do a full routine.  Last week when this happened I decided to take the day off but later regretted it when I needed a day off later in the week.  After everything said I decided to just go and make today a cardio day and I think that was the best thing I could have done.  I got to the gym and worked the Octane machine for only 30 minutes and felt lose enough to walk down the stairs without my crutches... j/k but really that is how sore I am.  I would take the elevator if I could but I might lose my athlete card so I will just crawl it out...

Meal plan
B)Banana
S)Apples
L (Chicken and Rice
S) Veggies
D)Salmon and Veggies

Monday, July 23, 2012

55 Days Monday Walking the Walk.

They say it takes only 21 days to make a habit and here I am, living a new lifestyle before my thirtieth day.  I can hardly believe it myself and I can honestly say I have enjoyed every minute of it so far.  People who are around me know that I live and breath health.  I love to promote it, talk about it, primarily because I now live it and want those around me to live it too.  I have come to learn that every one's journey looks differently from how my journey looks.  I do hope to shower my loved ones and those peering in my day to day via Face Book or my blog with inspiration through my journey. I hope to remind all that if you just take the first step and continue to do that, you will find that eventually you will find yourself walking the walk and not just talking the talk.

Work Out

Barbell Strength class of which one of my good friends joined me for class which was an absolute treat.  We also had a sub in for the teacher (kind of disappointing since Michelle B is the reason I enjoy the class so much) so you could say I have a new routine this week.  I always applaud change especially in the realm of exercise.  Muscles thrive most when they are confused.  If you stick with the same routine for too long the body gets use to that work out and no longer responds... Once my class was over I did the Octane elliptical for 34 min.

Meal Plan

B)Egg Veggie omelet (only veggies) no cheese
S)Fruit Cup (strawberries, pineapple  and a handful of blue berries)
L)Chicken and green beans
S) Cottage cheese and pineapple
D) Fish and Green Beans
S) Protein Shake


Sunday, July 22, 2012

56 days Sunday Who is Food?


The purpose of food has evidently lost its once clearly identified purpose with so many people.  Prior to embarking on my very own fitness journey food meant something different than it means to me now.  Then it was something I did that was similar to a pastime or activity vs. for its primary purpose of nourishment.  I know this was the case because of the foods I chose and the way I took them in my body.  I never really gave any thought to the type of food I was eating or of the timing of it.  I didn't give any thought to the foods prep or the outcome of eating whatever I ate.  The sustenance of the food never came to mind but more so the enjoyment that would come from it. In the end I developed a very unhealthy view of foods which lead to weight problems.

I was reading a really interesting blog post Movement of the mind blog entitled Who is Food of which the blog discussed how we as people have relationships with our food.  What stood out to me was that the problem is so deeply rooted that solutions to the problem seem even farther fetched than the original problem. I think this issue is more common than most want to accept.  In fact many people who over eat find that it usually stems from their past or from some unidentifiable source in their past.  Regardless it is important to shine light on the issue and become aware.  It is important to remind ourselves what food is for and how choosing the right foods can energize and promote health vs. disease and lethargy. 

I would like to offer a few key suggestions in regards to eating that have helped me make fitness a way of life:

  • Eating 5-6 smaller meals every 2-3 hours vs. 2-3 meals hours apart
  • Eat lean protein and veggies for lunch and dinner
  • Don't avoid carbs but educate yourself on the good carbs that promote health
  • Drink enough water (try this little trick  )
  • Avoid processed sugars and as much boxed foods as you can
  • Always eat breakfast
My work out today included legs and abs.  I worked every muscle in my legs until I could no longer stand...

Saturday, July 21, 2012

57 Days Saturday Arizona Figuire Competition

NPC or National Physique Committee is an amateur bodybuilding organization that sanctions various bodybuilding competitions across the US.  Miles Productions  is a promoter who host NPC shows locally of which I went to my very first show today.  I have to say I didn't really know what to expect from this venue since I have never been to anything like this.  I can say that the event was very much professional or classy and is something I can see myself participating in at some point.  It appears that the shows happen a few times a year and from the posted schedule the next one will be in November.

As I consider participating in this event in November the sobering thought crosses my mind of how much work is involved.  I know because of the level of commitment I have given so far.  I deduce that somehow despite all of the hard work that perhaps I am only giving about 1/2 of what it will take to get ready for something like this and that truly scares me. 

There are so many questions I had during this show, like what class would I be in (light weight, middle weight, heavy weight) which apparently is determined by weight.  I guess I would be deemed a novice since I have never placed before but more than likely I think bikini might be the best place to start.  I left very motivated and ready to train harder, faster, and tougher.  I think its a pretty cool thing to strut your stuff like these ladies did.  It took a lot of hard work, dedication not to mention sacrifice.  I say sign me up!

Winners

                                              Bikini               Fitness                    Figure


Friday, July 20, 2012

58 Days Fit Friday

Woke up very sore but no time to wine and complain.. It's go time so I must push through the pain and get myself up and to the gym.  I somehow make it to my Friday Fit class and push through.  The class is with my Barbell Strength instructor Michelle B and is a lower paced class.  Exercises are controlled and deliberate vs. plyometrics based.  We are using the stability ball and weights and are doing exercises like push ups while balancing on the ball then doing knee tucks in between sets.  She had us using the ball for squats and stretches.  I felt familiar with many of the moves she instructed us to do.  It felt very much like a slower version of P90x.  I enjoyed the class and got a great core, and endurance training from the class.

Meals
B)Oatmeal
S) Almonds
L) Chicken Salad
S) Protein Bar
D) Chicken and Broccoli

Thursday, July 19, 2012

59 Days Thursday

Today was not a good day. I was not feeling well at all. Lets move on. I did on the other hand purchase my figure competition tickets for this Saturday's show.  Can't wait to see what all the hype is all about.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

60 Days Wednesday Alarm Clock

Woke up at 4am..which irritated me because I prefer to wake up at 4:15am... Yes I know its only a 15 min difference but 15 minutes is 15 minutes.  I asked my husband to set the alarm for 4:15am and he did one of those.. OK honey I will, and didn't change a thing on his alarm clock... Why am I so peeved you ask?  When I wake up at 4:15am I know to just get up and get dressed... When I wake up at 4am I tell myself that I can sleep for 15 min but end up over sleeping and then I am late... All because he won't just change the clock to 4:15am.. Can you see why I am so upset?

I ended up getting up at 4:40am rushing to get to my 5:30am Barbell Strength class.  As always the class is so enjoyable.  Afterwards I spoke with my instructor Michelle to get more info on a Friday class she teaches.  The rest of my day was very productive.  Its amazing how sharp your mind becomes when you are giving it what it needs.  I do this in two ways, primarily by the food I eat and by keeping my heart active.  I also contribute great sleep and a calmness of spirit to my exercise and diet.

Meal Plan
B)Protein Shake
S) Veggie Omelet
L) Carrots Broccoli and Celery
S) Almonds with Apples and PB
D) Fish and Brussels Sprouts
S)Protein Bar

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

61 Days Tuesday - Rest and Recovery

Any informed athlete knows that proper rest and recovery is beneficial for more than body aches and pain.  Recovery itself is the process in which the body needs time to repair and strengthen itself in between work outs.  If a person endures continuous training and never allows for real recovery then the body can actually grow weaker.

Another way I allow for recovery is working out different muscle groups.  I might work my back and chest on Monday then the next day I work totally different muscle groups like legs and abs.  It is important to give 1-2 days of recovery for each muscle group and once I have worked all my muscles during that week I usually focus on cardio. 

Regardless of what we do, when we do it, or how it's done it is just important to stay motivated while doing it.  Reading about fitness, looking at motivating pictures, or glancing at those skinny jeans are great ways to keep your mind on the prize.



Meal Plan
B) Oatmeal
S)Almonds
L) Chicken Breast green beans and Quinoa
S)Protein Bar
D) Chicken with green beans
S) Apples with PB

Monday, July 16, 2012

62 Days Monday Legs and Abs - Big Rocks

Sometimes life can hand us situations that are challenging to deal with but when working out is part of your lifestyle you simply have to work hard to fit it in.  I find the way to make this happen is to make working out one of my big rocks.

For those who haven't heard of the concept of big rocks, let me take a second to explain.  In life we can always come up with excuses or reasons  why we don't do things i.e. exercise, spending time with our kids, accomplishing goals.. So we must go a step further to plan them, we must actually put them in our schedule so that we do them.  How do we do that? That's where big rocks come from.  Big rocks are the major things you want to get done in your week. As you can see we can only have a few big rocks because the glass or our life can only fit some many things, so there is definitely a priority to the matter.. (since we only have 24 hours in a day).

What is usually recommended is to schedule the big rocks first, and then the sand (or other small projects or everything else we do in our week) will get done as life allows.  If we try to do it the other way around (put the sand in the glass first) then the big rocks will not fit in the glass or your major things in life you want to do will likely not get done. 


Big Rocks Explanation

Meal Plan
B) Protein Shake w/ supplements
S) Oatmeal with Egg whites
L) Chicken green beans and side of cottage cheese
S) Apples and PB
D) Salmon green beans and yam
S) Protein Shake



Workout
Today I did my barbell strength class.  Michelle changed the class starting a new routine.  We did many of the same things in a new way.  This month the class will be focused on a lot of hand weights.  When we got the the dips my arms almost fell off. Thank goodness she offered options for those of us who are working up to the level of some of these mini body builders...

Sunday, July 15, 2012

63 Days Sunday Monsoon

Sunday work outs are often my favorite for multiple reasons.  First and foremost I like to spend a few hours laying out at the pool at Lifetime.  Anyone who knows me personally can attest to the bragging I do about this pool.  There is only one way to describe it: Water park! The pool has a slopping entrance so you can lay out in the water as you tan.  It reminds me of the beach minus the sand.  Tanning in AZ can be pretty difficult with the heat being so extreme but if you are sun bathing in water it helps to temper the heat a bit. 

Once I finish tanning or just relaxing in the water I usually go inside and relax in the sauna or the steam room.  This does much for my mind and body.  Around 6pm its now time to work out and at this point the gym is very empty.  This means I can spend a few hours working machines that usually are taken through the week.  I get to spend up to an hour doing cardio then I will work two major muscle groups very thoroughly.  By the time I am finished I am totally in a great mind set.  I say all this to say that this Sunday we had a storm so my pool time and relax time was expunged due to the big ole ha boob that came in town.  Oh well I did still get to work out for over an hour.  I worked my legs and did some cardio.  I threw in a little core work as well. 

Saturday, July 14, 2012

64 Days Saturday Total Conditioning

Yesterday my maintenance light came on in my car so I had to schedule an appointment first thing this morning to get my oiled changed.  This arrangement worked out great because at the same time we got the oil changed I got to run across the street to my gym and catch a total conditioning class.  The class totally kicked my butt, however it didn't help that I was late because of the whole (dropping off the car off) which made it so that I couldn't set up for my class properly. Despite the chaos, I had no other choice but to get my weights, mat, step up and bands ready to go.

This class was slightly different from last time because of the new instructor.  She is the regular instructor and was out on the last class of which I can't complain because that first instructor was no joke.  This one is at least workable.  

Meal Plan 
B) Protein Shake
S) Apple 
L) Turkey Wrap
S)
D)
S)

Friday, July 13, 2012

65 Days Friday Rest Day

After one whole day of rest I thought I would be ready to work out again but to my surprise I was still in need of recovery.  I thought it might be best to spend my morning making a healthy lunch and great snacks so I could be prepared for my day.  



Thursday, July 12, 2012

66 Days Thursday - Weight Gain

Today is my day off from working out and it could not have come sooner.  Every part of my body screams for recovery.  Undergoing this 90 day journey no doubt will become a way of life however I thought it might be helpful to journal some of the set backs, self discovery, or plain outright distractions that I felt  during the process just in case it might help someone who is experiencing the same issues as they undergo their own personal journey.

First of all I feel absolutely great as I enter into 20+ days of this process.  I am in awe that I was able to institute a daily regimine as abstemious as this one and keep up with it with such discipline. Initially the difficulty started with the elements of the plan,  which is setting a time that I would be able to get to the gym daily for up to 2 hours.  The plan has to work with my work schedule since I unfortunately have to work 40 hours, while allowing me to take care of my husband and family.  The second issue is food.  The primary obstacle for many to live an abstemious lifestyle is finding time to prep meals daily/weekly. This was and is the single hardest part of doing this whole program.  Anyone can get to the gym daily but planning, purchasing, and prepping meals (6 daily to be exact) is the real challenge. I will spend a whole other post explaining how to make success out of meal prep..

The last issue which is key is keeping motivation and drive.  One of the ways to get motivation is usually through weight loss or visual results.  I got one of these but didn't get the other.  Initially I lost a few pounds but within a week or two gained it right back.  Here I am at day 22 and I have only lost inches and have gained muscle (yes muscles I can see). I am trying not to lose motivation and ultimately I know that if I keep going that I will see the results that I want.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

67 day Wednesday

Today's blog is short and sweet.  I went to barbell strength class at 5:30am.  I was tired all day! I decided I needed a break so I wont blog again until Friday.

I ate like I normally do!

See you on Friday.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

68 Days Tues Kick Boxing Jam

As I continue to adjust to getting back to my old sleep pattern prior to vacation I overslept again and missed my Tuesday morning regimen.  This puts me at the gym again in the evening time with all the other work out people who are rushing home to steal some family time prior to getting some shut eye.  Tonight I worked out with a buddy at Kick Boxing Jam session through a crazily crowded room as we kicked, while upper cutting our neighbor.

After class was over I did a very quick work out on shoulders and chest. 

Chest Burpees (just 10)
Barbell Bench Press
Push Ups 3 sets of 10 with planks in between each set

Shoulders
Cross Body Cable Raises
Shoulder Press


Meal Plan 
B) protein shake
S)oatmeal with blue berries
L) Chicken breast w/green beans and brown rice
S) blue Berries & apples with PB
D)Chicken and green beans 

Monday, July 9, 2012

69 Days Monday Stairmaster Fever

Today was one of those days that was hard for me to wake up.  Coming off my vacation made it hard to get back into my sleep rhythm so I ended up going to bed after 11pm which made it impossible to wake up at 4am.  Moving on to plan B which is to do an evening workout.  There is always an upside to an evening work out because everyone wants to work out in the evening so finding a partner is easy.  I say that because if I compare that to finding a partner in the am, its next to impossible. I had a partner for one class at 5am and never again so evenings are usually better for my friends.

Today at the gym I planned to do two classes  back to back which were Fit and Zumba for cardio but as I mentioned earlier everyone and their mother like to work out in the evening so you have to practically share one matt in a class to fit.  I was totally discouraged! Once my partner arrived at the gym and 7pm came around people slowly started to clear out.  We worked our legs, arms, core, and did 20 of the hardest StairMaster minutes I have ever done.

One of my goals for this 90 day challenge is to get to the point of being able to do the StairMaster for 60 minutes.  I definitely have my work cut out for me because 20 minutes was all I could stand today with a level of 7.

Meal Plan


B)Eggs with veggies
S) cottage cheese & blue berries
L)Black beans  and rice (with lettuce and tomato)
S)Protein Bar
D) Chicken green beans and brown rice
S) Protein Shake (with supplements after my work out)

Sunday, July 8, 2012

70 Days Sunday - Day With Moms

Today is the last day of my vacation/weekend and I am almost sad my relaxation has to end.  Everything I wanted to do I got to do so nothing has been lost with the exception that I wished I would have been able to spend more time with my family vs. being a great task master getting 1000 things checked off of my list.  To make some last stitch effort to rectify this mistake I decided to invite my mom into my gym world with me on this Sunday.  I was thinking as I explained  to my mom how boring sitting at the gym would be  while her daughter runs around working out for hours would be I was sure she would reject the offer in seconds but to my surprise she said Yes before I could get the entire question out....

Really mom you want to hang out with me and she said Yes... Then I realized I am a mom 2 and nothing would have made me happier when my son was younger  than to be just invited to go with my son even if it meant I was bored so I guess my mom would be no different.

My routine at the gym on Sundays is fairly fun! It always starts out with laying out for a few hours listening to a book while laying out in the pool.  Drinking tons of water while soaking up vitamin D.  For me there is nothing better to do.  About 6pm I wrap it up and head into the gym.  I parked my mom in the lobby with her favorite book and the TV remote and hit the Elliptical (of which my friend Jay swears by the machine) for 31 mins to warm up.

Today I worked my Back and Biceps.

Exercises I did were as follows:

Bicep Curls (20lbs reps 8 x 3)
Back Extensions 95lbs 3x12
Seated and Standing Hammer Curls 17.5lbs 3x8
Lat Pull Down 50lbs 10x3
Lower Back Rows 50lbs 10x3
Barbell Preacher Curls 20lbs Bar 10 30lbs 2 sets x10

Abs 60 crunches


71 Days- Saturday

Woke up late with somewhere to go so I missed my opportunity to go to the gym.  After walking excuse me limping around this morning I slowly realized that the super sets I did yesterday would soon catch up to me.  All I have to say is two words for you to understand~ and those words are Hack Squat! Yes Jason loaded me up with 90lbs of free weight on the bar and today I am through.  I feel so silly since during the workout I kept saying that  it didn't really seem like we were doing much at all or as much as I am use to.  I did 5 major exercises all lower reps with double the weight that I was use to.  Ah Yeah.. I might need to borrow someones wheel chair to go to the gym on Sunday.... The only other time I have been this sore is after my first week of P90X last year... I believe I went out and purchased a case of Epsom salt then and that might need to be repeated again.

As far as my meals-today is my free day to eat one meal that I don't have to record.  I went to a celebration in Tucson to witness my nephew get baptized.  Afterwards we went to dinner of which I ate    what I wanted.

B) Oatmeal
S) Apples with PB
L) Chicken and quinoa
S) Protein Bar
D) Free Meal


Friday, July 6, 2012

72 Days and Biting Friday -Scorpion Alarm Clock

One of my greatest fears happened at 1:20am in my bed this morning.  I was bit twice by a barq scorpion! To add insult to injury he then bit my husband on his foot.  Needless to say we didn't get much sleep last night with the back to back calls to poison control and since my back throbbed all night from the bites I felt horrible at the time I was suppose to be at the gym.   Fortunately I have the day off so I had time to sleep in and recover.  Although I feel a little sore from the bites this morning I have decided that I am still able to work out.  Yes I am a trooper and I know this.  Nothing will stand in between me and my goals, not even a little scorpion.


Meal Plan

B) Steak & Egg (don't you think I deserve it since I got bit by a scorpion?)
S) Protein Shake ( protein, fruit, almond milk, and glutamine)
L) Salmon and green beans
S) Tuna and Pineapple's slices
D) Sweet potato and Fish
S) Protein Bar

Work Out- Legs           


Squatts
Weighted Lunges
Leg Press
Hack Squats
Leg extension
Leg Curls
Lunges

Abs
Crunches
Side to side obliques
Weighted sit ups




Cardio
Rubber Pit

Thursday, July 5, 2012

73 Days Thursday Listening to my body

Woke up incredibly sore from yesterday's work out regimes.  Never before have I been sore in my calf muscles and my shoulders.  It is an unusual feeling of soreness and yet I still feel good.  All in all with boot camp and total conditioning yesterday I did roughly 70 push ups.  (Granted I can only do 7 boy push ups at one given spurt).  I joked with several of my friends all morning long that I was so sore that I was afraid I couldn't lift a balloon (with the helium) much less with out. I decided to let today be my day off from the gym to allow my body to heal.



Mean plan

B) Protein Shake (with supplements)
S) Turkey with hummus
L) Salmon with green beans and couscous
S) Protein bar
D) Turkey and green beans


Wednesday, July 4, 2012

74 Days and Counting Wednesday

Each day as I recount all of my day's activities so that I can write this blog the one thought that I always come back to is that the clock is ticking.  Every time I write the daily stamp of 74, 73, 72... days left I realize that despite seeming like 90 days is far away, time seems to be moving rather fast.  I am currently in my 3rd week of my first month and am realizing that 90 days will come and go. I try to focus on what my body will look like after this time passes. Despite how long this process seems to be taking makes no difference, but it is the light at the end of the tunnel that I continue to keep my eyes on.

The lesson that I get from this is that goals are simply the result of something that effort was directed and the daily effort of eating right and exercise are bringing me closer and closer to my goals.  I love the saying by Brian Thomas Littrell that says shoot for the moon and even if you miss it you will land on the stars.  What that says to me is shoot for something high and even if I get in the best shape of my life, improve my health, and can bench press 100 lbs I will have gained much more than I would have by not shooting for anything.  The moral of this story is create fitness goals today!

My goals 
-a weigh 135lbs
-decrease my body fat
-change my diet
-become and active person
-sculpt my body into figure competition size
-inspire others along the way

Exercise today was one of the hardest days I have experienced thus far.  I did a class at Lifetime gym called Total Conditioning and it was plyometrics based so the entire class was one big burpee slash push up while you hold your hands behind your head.  I was a sweaty mess and probably not very coherent for a few hours afterwards but I made it through and now its something I can aspire to get better at each week.  I did the class at 7am and will be going to boot camp (if the rain lets up) this evening.

Meal Plan
(post work out I had a protein bar )
B) Protein Shake (with supplements)
S) Carrots & Hummus
L) Salmon served over Quinoa and green beans
S) Almonds
D)Chicken and Green beans
S) Protein Shake


Tuesday, July 3, 2012

75 Days Left Tuesday Kick Boxing Jam

Some days just don't go like we planned so I am learning to roll with the punches.  I didn't get to go to the gym and missed my morning routine due to some unexpected occurrence so I had to make up cardio time at the gym by doing a Kick Box Jam class after work.  I was a little sceptical but ultimately enjoyed myself tremendously in the class.  I was nice and sweaty while learning how to do a mean upper cut.  I learned that its OK to get off from your schedule just as long as I work on putting immediate plans to remedy the change.

What I learned is that I found a class that I enjoyed much more than some of the cardio I had been doing on a regular basis.

Monday, July 2, 2012

76th Day Monday Barbell Strength

Woke up ontime 4:15am got out of bed and got off to the gym about 5am.  Got ready for my Barbell Strength with Michelle B first thing.  I thought since this is the second week taking this class it is now time to increase my weights so I did. The class goes very fast (no break at all between sets) but I am including examples of what we do per class.  I am missing one excercise (I think) but hopefully you get the general idea. The last part of the class if ab work and streching.  I left the class and did a little cardio.


Thighs
Barbell Squatt Example click here                                    
Weighted Squats Example click here

Dumbell Reverse Lunge click here
Barbell Reverse Lunge click here

Biceps
Barbell Curls Example click here
Dumbell Curls Example click here

Shoulder
Barbell Shoulder Press click here
Dumbell Shoulder Press click here

Back/ Chest
Barbell Deadlifts Example click here
Standing Dumbell Flyesclick here

Meal Plan
B) Protein Shake
S) 2 HB eggs and Oatmeal
L) Chicken and Veggies plus brown rice
S) Carrots and hummus
D) Salmon and Quinoa plus veggie
S) Protein Bar







Sunday, July 1, 2012

77th Day- Sunday Total Body Work Out

Sunday is such an ideal day to be at the gym.  Usually this is the day families spend time together so the gym is usually like a ghost town (6-8pm).  My plan is always to capitalize on this wide open space and really focus on doing exercises that I might not be able to do (due to time, space, unused equipment)so this is the day I choose to do my longest workout- total body workout.  I start that process always with running my 3.24 miles followed by an intense Ab/Core work out.  Next I fluctuate back and forth between legs, arms, back & chest. I am starting my third week and I can definitely feel myself getting stronger.



Total Body

abs
Crunch Twist
Jackknifes
Weighted Sit Ups
Planks (60 seconds) 
Butterfly Kicks
            
Leg press 95/115/130 x 12              
Standing calf 70lbs
Back extensions
Bench dips
Pull downs
Curls 12.5/15lbs
Ab core
Leg extension 45/60-12
Seated leg curl 60lbs3x12                    
Standing calf 70lbs
Back extensions
Bench dips
Pull downs- Wide Grip
Curls 12.5/15lbs
Ab core
Leg extension 45/60-12
Seated leg curl 60lbs3x12
Barbell Curls 30lbs 
Lying Leg Curls 50lbs

Saturday, June 30, 2012

78 Days Left- Saturday Swim Day

Working out during the day in this AZ heat (108-111 degrees) can be a drag.  It is because of the heat that I wake up so early so that I can get to the gym before I break out in a serious sweat.  It is true to inhabit Phoenix you must live in air conditioning some how or some way.  It is common for people to say (perhaps right after they had to walk outside in the sun (even if it was just from their air conditioned house to their air conditioned car) that they want to go swimming.  Its just what we do... I think anyone who knows me well would know that hanging by the pool (normally drinking a margarita) is my favorite past time.  Which is why I thought that some of my cardio days have to involve laps in the pool.

I wasn't under the correct impression at the time when my thoughts veered in that direction because I was thinking that mixing swimming (my favorite thing) with working out (my least favorite thing) would some how equalize things for me.  Well one thing it did for me was set me straight.  I now know that swimming is very difficult.  I was very tired after 6 laps and my goal was 12.  I hit 10 and gave up because I was practically drowning in 4ft of water veering in other peoples swim lane because my body was so tired.  My legs were like soggy mini wheats and I just could no longer make sense of swimming laps.  I did enjoy my self while gaining a new respect for swimmers.




Thursday, June 28, 2012

80 Day Thursday- Day Off Thursday

Woke up this morning very sore and exhausted.  Listening to my body so decided to utilize my day off for this week on this Thursday.  I got to sleep in until 5:30am and I was simply very grateful for the shuteye. 


Mealplan

B)Protein shake
S)Turkey Slices
L) Chili and Salad
S) Apples with PB
D)Chicken and Broccoli
S)Protein Bar

Suggested Power Salad from Ann Pratt:


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

81 Days - Bootcamp Wednesdays

The goal for me is always to get to bed by 8pm but if I can fall asleep before 9 I am pretty ectactic. I woke up early (3:50am) but didn't get up until about 4:01am which is a result of me getting to bed on time.  I left the house a tad bid late but managed to get to the gym by 5:10am which still gave me plenty of time to set up for my Barbell Strength class with Michelle B.

Husband Jason G. decided to try out the class (yes I begged him) simply because he was saying the class wasn't hard and wouldn't accomplish the goals I originally set out to hit, but after 30 min of bending down with weights on his back he suddenly decided the class was just fine for me to take.  I am glad he decided to come around. 

Today being wednesday I am normally scheduled to go to bootcamp in the evening but since the temperture peaked at 110 I thought today might be a great day to sit this one out.  If I hadn't done Barbell Strength this morning I can assure you I would have tuffed the class out regardless.

Meal Plan

B)Protein Shake (with supplements)
S) Oatmeal
L) Tapia over a bed of fresh greens
S)Apples n Peanut butter
D) Sauted chicken with veggies ate with steamed broccoli

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

82 Days Tuesday Cardio Day's

Running is a part of my excercise routine mostly because it is what comes most natural on the days that I must sweat.  To be fair the elliptical might even be more effective at burning calories and StairMaster is best at building glutes but when it comes to just getting in the gym and burning yesterday day off I choose running.  I was able to tackle 3 miles on the treadmill and at the end I was absolutely drenched. My mind wanders and it is only until my body says you are finished that I come back to reality and start to negotiate with myself whether or not I am finished.

Meals
B) Protein Shake w/glutamine and BCAA
S) Oatmeal with eggs
L) Fish and Salad & apple 
S) 3 slices of Turkey
D) Chicken with green beans and brown rice
S) Protein Bar

Monday, June 25, 2012

83 days Monday Barbell Training

Woke up on time 4:15am and got my body moving right away. I am such a morning person!  Immediately, I start voxing and texting, packing, cooking, and next thing you know I'm driving to the gym.  Started on time on the StairMaster although I didn't get to go for very long because the class I decided to take at the gym requires set up and space was limited.  My friend (work out partner Angie and I) went to set up so we could get our bar bell workout on...

The class was absolutely amazing... (Michelle is her name and weights are her game) and she was pretty built in a very sculpted way.  She left no room to question whether or not if she knew what she was talking about.  Michelle is clearly a work out expert, although she was not intimidating at all. 

Angie and I decided to get our weights and other materials and then it was go time.  In the class we started with stretching of course but I always get a little worried when while stretching (which is suppose to be the easy part) is hard.  The training we did utilized 4 different muscle groups.  Shoulders, Legs, Arms, and Chest.  Lots of squats, lunges, presses, rows, dips, etc...

The intensity is what you make it, since you are in control of the weights and the effort.  There is always options to modify motions as alternatives but since I am on a path of serious athlete that simply is not an option.  I did enjoy myself (if that's even possible to say since this class involves physical pain) but more so am happy I got through it and felt a sense of accomplishment.  I think this class will be a nice complement to my weekly routine.

I have 1/2 hour more of cardio to get through sometime this day. If I don't get to it I will work through a bonus round before bedtime which is 7pm.

Bonus Round



Meals

B-Protein shake w/protein (glutamine) and bcaa
S-Turkey (3 slices salad
L-Tapia and green beans
S-2 brown rice cakes with 1table spoon of PB
D-Chicken and green beans
S-Protein Bar

Sunday, June 24, 2012

85-84 Saturday- Sunday

Saturday-I enjoyed my Saturday day off from any and all work outs.  I allowed my body to rest however I did continue with my meal plan as usual:



Sunday

I had an amazing day! Something about waking up early to do nothing is just so great.  I missed my cup of Joe but still I enjoyed my time just the same.  Sunday for me is about getting ready for my week, while unwinding from the prior week.  I tried to relax for most of my day while working on food prep through grocery shopping and meal organization.

Cardio- Swimming Laps/ Treading Water

Back Work Out

Pull Ups
Dumb Bell Rows
Row Seated
Lat Pull Down
Back Extension
Push UPS

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Friday 86 days Split Floor Plan

Working out daily can come in many forms.  Sometimes you work out early or sometimes late.  There might even be times when you have to work out at two different times of the day to get your entire work out regimen completed.  This notion reminded me of a split floor plan house for some reason.  I remember purchasing my first home and it had a split floor plan which is a house with a master bedroom all the way on the other side of the house.. I guess the purpose is to be as far as possible from your children (lol), which has benefits and costs.  I would say the main benefit of having a master bedroom on the other side of the house is privacy.  Not worrying about noise can be beneficial to all parties involved.  Usually houses that have this split floor plan cost a tad bit more due to the appeal of having the bedrooms separated.

In like manner working out at two points of the day can offer some benefits but likewise has its share of cost. The immediate benefit that come to mind is accomplishing your work out routine.  Working out multiple muscle groups can take time and not everyone schedule allows for 2 plus hours in the gym so splitting the work out helps with this problem. By working out in the morning then evening allows the body to rest somewhat so tackling a large work out still ends up being effective thus creating results.

The costs on the other hand should be considered.  Spending valuable time to go back to the gym in the same day takes time from something or someone else not to mention the gas it takes to get you there.  Perhaps if the gym is on your regular route or if you choose to implement a split day and your evening is totally free this idea might be a good one.  For me this is the case therefore while I wont be splitting every work out I can see that I can implement as needed.

Recommendations- If this idea strikes you as ideal for your lifestyle just know that despite being an healthy option, it should not be an everyday option.  It is also important to remember that the body needs fuel to sustain any work out much less two in one day. Getting the right amount of nutrients and calories is necessary to support a rigorous routine so eat right and drink lots of water.

Morning work out: Cardio 2 miles with two max sets of push ups
Evening work out: Weight Training (Focus on Arms and Upper Body)


Stretching

Seated Chest Pres 30lbs 3x 12
Standing Dumbbell Curls 12.5lbs 2x 12
Close Grip Bench Press 20lbs x3 x10
Dumbbell Flys 7.5lbs 3x12
One Arm Dumbbell Kickbacks 7.5lbs  3 sets 12
Barbell Standing Curls 20lbs 3x12

Abs

60 crunches
20 each side jack knife

Meal Plan
B)-Oatmeal
S)-Apple w/tb peanut butter
L) Green Beens and Chicken
S)-Protein bar
D) 3 turkey slices with apples (plus applesauce)
S) Protein shake