Okay, really? 2 full days later and I'm still walking like a dingleberry!!! It hurts to walk, sit, stand, etc. etc.!!! I guess changing up your routine is really KEY! I'm not really doing any exercises that I was doing before for my lower body. So all this newness is causing some great growth both mentally and physically and I'm LOVING it!!
This was Saturday's workout:
Sumo Squat 3x8 95#
Bulgarian Split Squat 3x10 40#
Good Mornings 3x12 65#
Hip Thrust 3x12 45# Single Leg Bench Squat 3x10
Supine Sliding Leg Curl 3x10 (basically up in a bridge with feet on a towel and then sliding heels away from my butt and then pulling them back in - much harder than it sounds!)
Single Leg Back Extension 2x10 bodyweight only
Back Extension 2x10 bodyweight only
So now I've switched up my Saturday and Wednesday workouts and I'm LOVING my lower body workouts! Now, however, my upper body workouts seem beyond boring! So if anyone has any great ideas of how to work shoulders, back, bis and tris, let me know. Looking for inspiration and motivation!! Please send some my way. If I come up with anything I'll let you know.
Hope you are all having a great start to your week! ENJOY IT!!! It's another week of living, breathing, loving and laughing. Get out there and make the most of it. It's your time. It's your life!
“Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.” ~Horace
So today was a hard day for me. I got a lot of good deep sleep last night and still woke up tired. I dragged myself to the gym. My head just wasn't in the game. I should have checked myself while I was still in bed and started with what I'm grateful for. But I didn't. I should have. But like I said, I didn't. So my day unfolded just the way I deserved. I wasn't grateful for being able to get out of bed and head to the gym. I wasn't grateful for my ability to walk around the gym and lift heavy weights and breathe and sweat. I wasn't grateful. I may have even forgotten to be grateful for my food and hot shower. It was just that kind of day. And, yes, normally I express gratitude for each of those things. I even forgot to be grateful that I have a job with a boss I respect and coworkers I mostly enjoy. So I failed myself today and my day went accordingly.
That being said when I got home I was feeling a little down and out and needed a little pick me up. So of course being the geek that I am I searched for that on my friend, the internet. And I found this video about Nick Vujicic. With over 3 million views you would think that I would have heard of it or watched it before. And maybe I have but if I have I honestly don't remember. Just thought I would share with all of you. Hope you like it and it inspires you to keep getting up and try again and again. ARE YOU GOING TO FINISH STRONG?
And there is also this video about him as well.
LESSON LEARNED: Be grateful EVERY single day!! Find those things in your life to be grateful for!! Do not forget to express gratitude to yourself, to others, to life, laughter, happiness, even your failures, trips and stumbles! Everything in my life is happening for a reason. My job is to be grateful for each and every moment - whether that be failure, success, a memory, laughter, sorrow, birth, death. It's all part of the plan. I just need to be grateful that I'm here to experience it. THANK YOU!
I have been on a shake kick over the last week or two so I thought I would just share a shake recipe or two with you. I'm sure most of you already make these but if you don't feel free to give them a try! Keep in mind that everyone's blender is different. Make sure to play around with yours till you find the right ratios. It took me a long time to realize I needed a lot more ice than I was using. I always use Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze but you can substitute whatever "milk" you like - soy, cow's, rice, etc. Put all in blender and blend till right consistency.
Ice Blended "Cafe" Mocha - Caffeine FREE!! LOWFAT!
8 oz almond milk
2-3 T DandyBlend Tea*
1 scoop chocolate protein powder**
8-12 ice cubes
Ice Blended "Cafe" Au Lait - Caffeine FREE! Good EFA's!
8 oz almond milk
2-3 T DandyBlend Tea*
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 T almond butter
1 T coconut oil
8-12 ice cubes
Orange "Rum" Almond Delight - Good EFA's!
8 oz almond milk
1-2 T almond butter
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 - 1 t orange emulsion
1/2 t rum emulsion
8-12 ice cubes
Luscious Lemon Whip - pucker up!
8 oz almond milk
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
8-12 ice cubes
Sweetener to taste (I used about 1 packet stevia)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven - so good you'll swear it's dessert!
8 oz almond milk
2 T peanut butter
1-2 T PB2
1 scoop chocolate protein powder**
8-12 ice cubes
Matcha Green NuttZo Goddess
8 oz almond milk
1 T matcha powder
2 T NuttZo (or almond butter)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
8-12 ice cubes
Sweetener to taste (I used about 1 packet stevia)
Iced Chai Tea Latte
2-4 oz almond milk
4-6 oz STRONG chai tea (brew with 1/2 the water)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t nutmeg
8-12 ice cubes
Sweetener to taste (I used about 1 packet stevia)
~~May also make this with 2-4 oz baked yam (skin on or off) and decrease the ice cubes~~
*Can substitute 1 teaspoon instant coffee for 1 tablespoon DandyBlend
**Can substitute vanilla protein powder + 1 T cocoa powder + sweetener (stevia, Splenda, honey, agave - pick your poison!)
Good morning one and all! How are you all doing on this fine Thursday morning?!? I am feeling good. I hopped into the gym for a nice 40 minutes fasted cardio session with 20 minutes on the stepmill and 20 minutes incline treadmill. It felt good. I've been slacking a little on the steady state cardio. And let me tell you what I think of that...it's a bad idea to slack. Yep! That's what I think of that. I noticed a significant decrease in my cardiovascular strength. So it's back to 2-3 days of steady state in the week so I don't feel like I'm dying while doing 40 minutes.
Of course yesterday I also did a great ham/glute workout so that would have a little something to do with it. In addition, I didn't eat enough yesterday. So maybe it's a combination of things. I have GOT to tighten up my nutrition. I seriously may have to go back to the daily accountability. It was really working!
Yesterday's Hammies and Glutes workout:
1) Smith machine squats - 1x12 40# then 3x8 90# - I am working toward full squats (no Smith machine) but I'm still a little leery with my back
2) Walking Lunges with DB - 3x12 60#
3) Deadlift - 3x10 95#
4) Single Leg Hip Thrust - 3x12 bodyweight only (deceptively difficult)
5) Back Extensions - 1x15 bodyweight only then 2x12 10# plate
So tonight I get to rest. No weights. I am going to bed EARLY! I'm telling you right now. Early it is! Great, now I HAVE to do it since I'm holding myself accountable right here right now! LOL!
Hope all of you are having a great day!
“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” ~Kahlil Gibran
My mentor Gina posted a little circuit the other day and it looked fun so I used her idea and created my own. I really like what I came up with.
I just used a 10-lb bar or you could use dumbbells or whatever you have. I went as fast as I could while still maintaining good form and using a full range of motion. I did 5 rounds of this circuit. Each round was 4 exercises with 2 reps of the first, 4 reps of the second, 6 reps of the third and 8 reps of the fourth. Then it would rotate at the next round. It looked like this.
ROUND 1 x 5:
2 lunges (both legs count as 1 rep)
4 shoulder press
6 medium stance squats
8 biceps curls
REST 1 MINUTE!
ROUND 2 x 5:
4 lunges
6 shoulder press
8 medium stance squats
2 biceps curls
REST 1 MINUTE!
ROUND 3 x 5:
6 lunges
8 shoulder press
2 medium stance squats
4 biceps curls
REST 1 MINUTE!
ROUND 4 x 5:
8 lunges
2 shoulder press
4 medium stance squats
6 biceps curls
REST 1 MINUTE!
ROUND 5 x 5:
2 lunges
4 shoulder press
6 medium stance squats
8 biceps curls
I finished up with a little ab work and that was it!
That was it. I think it took me about 25-30 minutes. Sometimes I did underhand grip, sometimes overhand. Sometimes bar behind neck on squats and/or lunges, sometimes in front, sometimes in crook of arms. I just kept switching it up. You could always switch it up and do each rotated round and then rest and do the whole rotation again. You can always swap out different exercises. It was fun. I enjoyed it. Let me know if you try it and if so what you might did differently. HAVE FUN!!
Yesterday I did a great workout for my lower body and today I feel it most in my hamstrings. AWESOME! I may have to make up some names for some of the exercises I did so just bear with me.
Leg Extensions - 1x20, 2x15 single leg
Smith Machine Squats - 1x20 40#, 1x12 70#, 2x8 90#
Leg Press (lever - Cybex) - 3x10 180#
Single Reverse Leg Press (got back in that leg press backwards and no weights - LOVED this!) - 3x12 each leg
Jumps with plate (no momentum coming down to parallel squat) - 2x12 feet hip width, 2x12 wide stance, 1x12 alternating wide and medium stance 25# plate
Good mornings - 3x10 45#/55#/55#
Deadlifts - 3x10 85#
Homemade "sled" drag (stacked 2 45# plates on my towel and folded it in half, grabbed the corners and cleaned the floor dragged across the floor in a low squat) - about 10 yards (30 steps or so) one way - 2 sets of full round (~60 steps)
Plate push (same stack of plates but getting low and pushing across floor) a set going both ways! OW!
Back Extensions (as demonstrated in the video below) - 1x12 bodyweight only, 2x12 10# plate
NICE STRETCH and FOAM ROLLING after!! Don't forget that! Very important!
Yes, this workout kicked my booty. It was a long workout but a good workout! I was working out with my BF at a new gym to me and just got carried away doing new exercises. It was fun though! Feel free to try some or all of it and let me know what you think.
So last night I came home and was tired. I had half a mind to just get on my couch and stay there but since I hadn't really eaten that well I thought I better at least roast some veggies. So I did that. It literally took me about 10-15 minutes to get them chopped, in pans, and in the oven! I was really happy I did that. And with those roasted veggies you can easily make soup!
Easy Roasted Veggie Soup
Veggies in pan ready for the oven!
20 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
3 onions, roughly chopped
7 small zucchini, roughly chopped
1 bag frozen artichokes hearts (thawed in a bowl of water)
1/2 lb frozen green beans (thawed in a bowl of water)
2 t olive oil (optional)
Mix all together in one or two roasting pans. Roast for about an hour stirring every 15 minutes or so.
After they've cooled I just puree them all in a food processor. For soup, just add chicken or vegetable broth to desired consistency. Heat and add protein if desired. So delicious and simple!
So yesterday was a weird day for me all the way around. I was just lethargic I think. Probably not enough sleep and it was a dreary day. So my eating was off yesterday. Below is what an "off" day looks like for me nowadays. And below that was an off day for me back in the day! You'll see that I've come a LONG way baby!!! LOL!
"Off" day meals:
1) 1/2 scoop protein, 1/4 cup oats
2) Ice blended "mocha" with 1 scoop protein, 3 T DandyBlend tea, almond milk and ice; 1 cup crispy brown rice cereal w/ 8 walnut halves
3) Breakfast burrito followed by 3 pieces of chocolate
4) Tortilla soup with all the fixings followed by my favorite treat (dried cranberries, chocolate chips, almonds) and then even after that 2 more chocolates
5) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken jalapeno sausage, zucchini, 1/4 cup oatmeal
6) Roasted veggie soup with rotisserie chicken
7) PB Protein shake with 1 scoop chocolate protein and 2 T peanut butter
Old School "off" day:
Breakfast: 2-3 whole eggs, 2-3 strips bacon or real sausage, 1-2 slices toast with butter
Lunch: Mexican food or some other high fat and calorie meal from a restaurant
Dinner: Thai food
Dessert: Jack In The Box Oreo Shake!!
Hahahaha! I really think I would have done that! Isn't that just crazy?!? Gosh! No wonder I was a little hefty, huh?!? I guess you really can't eat whatever you want in life. You really do only get one body and it really IS your job to take the best possible care of it that you can! Don't you think?
So have a great weekend and worship your body! Treat it well and it will treat you well! But if you feel off, just accept it and know you have the next day and the rest of your life to feel good about the way you take care of yourself and your body!
"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." ~ William Faulkner
Along with that delicious soup we had an appetizer of tortilla chips with fresh guacamole! Yummy! Here's the simple recipe for that. Of course you can always eat this with baked tortilla chips or jicama if you're eating clean. Avocados have good fats so don't be scared!
Simple Guacamole
Simple Guacamole
3 avocados, pitted and diced
About 1 jalapeno, seeded or not, to taste and finely chopped
1 green onion (I usually use red onion but I didn't have one), finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1-2 T cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
sea salt to taste
Mix all together in a bowl and serve. I like the salsa chunky but you can smash the avocadoes with a fork if you like it smoother.
Oh, yes, this is THE best tortilla soup I have ever had. All the flavors simmer together for about an hour making this soup just divine. This is a thick tortilla soup, not brothy. Also, this is NOT what I would call a "clean" food since the tortilla strips are fried. But I didn't want to try it with baking the tortilla strips since I just knew it wouldn't be the same. And in all honesty, you know me and moderation. I'm not eating this everyday so I think it's just fine. And in addition, it's a nice mental break for me to just make a recipe the way it's supposed to be made. So with no further ado, I present Tortilla Soup from the Bel-Air Hotel!
Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup
NOTE: READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND PREP
ALL INGREDIENTS BEFORE STARTING!!!!
12 6" yellow corn tortillas
1/2 cup vegetable oil plus additional for frying tortillas
1/4 cup chopped leek (white part)
1 T ground cumin
1 T paprika
1 t New Mexico chili powder
1/2 t cayenne
1/2 t ground coriander seeds
2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3 lbs) - I used canned because I was lazy but it's definitely better with fresh!
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
3 bay leaves
8 cups chicken stock
Accompaniments:
diced grilled chicken breast (or rotisserie)
freshly grated cheddar or cheese of your choice
diced avocado
fresh cilantro
remaining tortilla strips
Cut tortillas into 2" x 1/4" strips. In a 10-12 inch skillet heat 1/2 inch oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and fry tortilla strips in 4 batches, stirring occasionally, until pale golden and crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer strips to paper towels to drain.
Mmmmm....tortilla strips!
Rinse and drain leek. In a 7-8 quart heavy kettle cook 3/4 tortilla strips with cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and ground coriander in 1/2 cup oil over moderate heat, stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Add leek, onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chopped corieander, bay leaves, and stock. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Soup before simmering
Cool soup 10 minutes. Puree in food processor (in batches) or blender until smooth. Force soup through a fine sieve into a clean pot pressing hard on solids and discard them. Season with salt!
Ladle soup into bowls and add accompaniments as desired. I personally used a lot of chicken.
*Can be made 3 days in advance or make and freeze. This soup freezes incredibly well!
Holy Toledo! Owwwww!!!! I'm hurting today...to stand, to sit, to walk...you know the drill. Got my hams and glutes really well! And OW is all I can say! So congrats to me for targeting that so well. Good job me! Hahahaha!
And how are all of you doing today? Well, I hope. I'm feeling good, noticing some minor changes from keeping my eating super clean for the past couple of weeks. I still need to improve on my bedtime! Seems I'm taking two steps back. So I have 2 mini-goals for next week. Eat MORE veggies...yes, I've really been slacking here! And also get to bed by 10pm at the latest every day next week!! The thing about the early bedtime that I really notice is that I feel kind of flabby around my middle when I don't do my early bedtime. Maybe there IS some truth to that whole cortisol thing!
This morning I started out with 40 minutes of fasted cardio. But okay, let me just say that I was in pain while on the stepmill so I had to slow it down super slow (level 7!) for 20 minutes and then incline treadmill at 4.4 @ 10% incline for 20 minutes! Let me just say that I was happy when it was over. It wasn't so terrible but it was challenging!
Yesterday's meals were pretty good which I was surprised about since I had a HUGE wave of laziness hit me yesterday. I think one might even call it a TSUNAMI of laziness!!! But at least I ate. Hey! Priorities, right?
1) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken sausage, 2 T light shredded cheese, salsa, side of 1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 orange & 1 T almond butter
2) Ice Blended "Mocha" (2-3 T DandyBlend, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 cup almond milk, 10 ice cubes), 1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 orange, 1 oz cocoa almonds
3) same as Meal 1 minus the orange and almond butter
4) Quest Bar
5) 2.5 oz tilapia, 4 oz tofu w/ soy sauce and fresh grated ginger, big bowl of edamame
6) 3/4 cup cottage cheese w/ 8 walnut halves, mint, scallions, hot pepper, cilantro, black pepper, grated cucumber
7) Orange "Rum" protein shake w/ 1 T almond butter
So there you have it. I will be having ONE of my refuel meals tonight and I CAN'T wait! I would tell all of you what it is but my BF reads my blog and it's a surprise to him. Don't fret though. I will be posting pics and the recipe and you can all drool. And then make it yourself! It's not what I would really call "clean" but sometimes you just have to have food that you enjoy and just marvel at the flavor! That's why I'll be having this tonight. I was craving it and it's an amazing meal! MMMMMMMMMMMMM.....CAN....NOT......WAIT!!!!!!!!!!
Have a fantastic day today! Enjoy!
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” ~Vince Lombardi
So last night I didn't go back to the gym for cardio. I wasn't in the mood for that so I actually did a Nia Dance video that I have. It was so enjoyable and I LOVE to be able to just move and be silly and not be "trapped" on a cardio machine. You know? That's the dancer in me. I grew up dancing and it seems it has never really left me. I just found myself smiling and having a great time. LOVED it!
This morning it was off to the gym to do hams and glutes! Let me just say that I KICKED my own BOOTAY!!! Holy smokes! I was going to do some HIIT after but at the end of my workout that just sounded like a cruel joke. I even headed downstairs to stretch and got the thickest, most comfy mat and put it on the floor. Then I proceeded to put my full body on the mat and I just thought that might be all the stretching I might do. I was BEAT! It was a really amazing workout!
HAMS and GLUTES WORKOUT:
Smith Machine Squats - 3x8 70#
Seated Hamstring Curl - 3x12 75#
Butt Blaster - 3x12 60#
DB Deadlifts - 3x12 60#
Side Lying Leg Press - 3x10 20#
Weighted Jumps with Low Squat with 25# plate - 3x12 (OW!)
Single Leg Bench Squat with toes on plate - 3x10 bodyweight
Raised Shoulders Hip Thrusts with 35# plate - 3x12
I know the weight I'm pushing is not that much but I've been really concentrating on my form as much as I can. I feel I get much more out of it. Today I really slowed everything down and MAN OH MAN, did I feel it? LOVED my workout today! Really!
Meals from yesterday:
1) 1/2 scoop protein, 1/4 cup instant oats
2) Protein shake with 1 scoop protein, 1 orange
3) 5 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal
4) 5 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal
5) Asian Seafood Veggie Mix with 1/2 cup brown rice
6) Chocolate PB Protein Bar
7) Cottage Cheese Pancakes (1 scoop protein, 4 egg whites, 1/4 t baking soda, LOTS of cinnamon) with 2 T NuttZo!!
Today's meals have been:
1) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken sausage, 2 T light shredded cheese, salsa, side of 1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 orange & 1 T almond butter
2) Ice Blended "Mocha" (2-3 T DandyBlend, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 cup almond milk, 10 ice cubes), 1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 orange, 1 oz cocoa almonds - this was the BEST meal I've had in a long time!!!!
3) same as Meal 1 minus the orange and almond butter
4-7) we'll see...no idea!
So here it is the middle of the week. Hope your week is going well. Mine is going along quite nicely. Looking forward to my 3-day weekend this weekend. Woohoo! Time to just relax and chill. May go back to the gym later for some cardio and maybe not. We'll see how I feel. I have a lot to do today too so I may not have time.
It's off to get some stuff done! Stay safe, warm, dry, and most importantly...HAPPY! After all, happiness is the stuff of life!
“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be” ~Marcel Pagnol
Gotta love taking an extra rest day! Good for the mind and GREAT for the body! That is what I thought this morning. I got up and was wrestling with the thought of getting right back in bed. But since I didn't work out yesterday I knew I had to get up or ELSE! LOL! So I did just that. I got up, had my shake with instant oats, got dressed and headed to the gym. Got to the gym and guess what?!? Oh, yes, you all know this one I'm sure...NO IPOD!!!! Oh boy! And wouldn't you know it? Just last week I was thinking I needed to charge my Shuffle just in case I forget my iPod some day! But did I? No, I forgot all about it! So no music. So sad...:-( :-( :-( But fear not! I put on my Shuffle and headphones anyway. I don't need to be bothered with other people thinking I can hear them. Hee hee. And guess what happened? I had a FANTASTIC workout! Hmph! Who would have thought?
Here's my Shoulders & Upper Chest Workout:
3 sets of 8 for all:
DB Shoulder Press
Front Raise with Cable
Single Side Lat Raise
Machine Shoulder Press
Rear Delt Flyes
Arnold Press
Pushups off DBs (3x12)
Incline Chest Press
So I felt good after my workout and so far I've had 2 meals, well 1 1/2. I'm feeling good. I think I really killed myself on Saturday's workout and needed that extra day of rest. Feeling much better today so it's time to KNOCK IT OUT!!!!
Oh! And last night I made myself an Orange Rum Protein Shake! OMG! It was ridiculously good! I'm tellin' ya! If you want to add some great flavor with no fat or calories then go for the Bakery Emulsions from LorAnn Oils! You will NOT be disappointed. I used the Orange and Rum Emulsions in my shake last night with some almond butter! I'm salivating as I type this! Memories...like the corners of my mind...HAHAHAHA!!!!
Bakery Emulsions from LorAnn Oils -the loves of my life
“You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction.” ~George Lorimer
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchhill
So my evening workout? Yeah, not so much. I just wasn't really in the mood. I don't know where any of you live but do people really celebrate Valentine's Day? It's crazy the traffic that it created here in L.A.! Wow! It's just nuts. I forget about that every year until I have to drive in it at the end of the day. Then it's just really too crazy for me.
So no workout for me today. There's always tomorrow. I feel okay about that. I did eat well today though. So here's that:
1) 3 egg whites, 1/2 spicy jalapeno chicken sausage, 1/4 cup oatmeal w/ salsa & 1 T light cheese
2) 3 egg whites, 1/2 spicy jalapeno chicken sausage, 1/4 cup oatmeal w/ salsa & 1 T light cheese
3) 1 cereal bar, 1/2 cup Voskos
4) 1 cup cottage cheese w/ jicama, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 package toasted seaweed
5) Chocolate PB bar (still perfecting recipe) but prepare yourself for the deliciousness!
6) Asian veggie mix with seafood mix (shrimp, calamari, bay scallops) & 1/2 cup brown rice
7) Protein shake of some sort with nut butter or coconut oil? hmmmm....
So tomorrow I'm back on it. I will just be doing weights 4 days this week and cardio just 5 days. I think I'm okay with that. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do! It's life! I've gotta roll with it! Here's to a happy and healthy week! Do something for YOU this week and don't let anyone ruin that!
So just to wrap up my week of HIGH RESPONSIBILITY!!! Yesterday was good except for the "Attack of the Killer Caramels"!!! Yes, I got hit by the caramels I make and ended up eating about SIX of them! OY!!! Oh well. I guess that was my Happy Valentine's to me! Hahaha!
I'm back on track as usual. I went to bed a little late last night so decided to put off the workout till tonight. I will be working out my shoulders at home. I'm not a big fan of Monday night workouts in the gym. You get a lot of the "I drank way too much" and "Man, did I eat like a pig" group showing up on Mondays. It makes for general craziness and mayhem in the gym. So I think me and my friendly dumbbells at home are going to hook up and enjoy our workout together as well as some jump rope HIIT after.
I had a really great weekend. Very nice and relaxing. I had some downtime yesterday which I think I really needed. So I'm ready for my week. Let's get this party started. I'm not going to write my plan for each day this week but I will keep you updated with what I did each day or at least every other day. I've GOT to stay on track. It's highly important!!!
Hope all of you are sticking to and enjoying working on your plans for the year. Goals, plans, workouts, meals, happiness, love, and kindness. Let's keep it going! Woohoo!!!
Well, it's good to write up your plan even if it's at 4 something in the afternoon, right?!? I just was lazy today so I didn't get this posted earlier. Yesterday I was right on target with everything except all were a little delayed so I actually only ate 5 meals and not 6. No big deal. Still almost ate everything anyway since I had TWO of my cereal bars at meal 3 instead of ONE. And who do I think I'm kidding about the 30-40 minutes of inline skating? I know I almost always go for an hour. I think I just get carried away because I love it so! And guess what? My legs and glute-ham tie-in are feeling it today for sure!!!
It was a really beautiful day here yesterday and I got to reap the benefits by being out in that gorgeous sun and just soaking it all up. Even bladed down to the beach, well I mean Ocean Avenue overlooking the beach. It was GORGEOUS!!!!! Then guess what? My BF surprised me last night and took me out since he knew I had a refuel meal. We went to Shamshiri (Persian restaurant). It was sooooo delish! So flavorful and yummy. We had some eggplant dish that wasn't babaganoush. It was something else with caramelized onions and kashk (yogurt whey). I think it was called Kashk-e Bademjan. Then we also had some chicken koobideh, beef koobideh, and beef kabob. Delicious! And their saffron rice is amazing served with the grilled onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Yum! Okay, on to today!
MEALS:
1) 1/2 cup yogurt, 2 Erin's Cranberry Orange Cereal Bar
2) Blueberry protein shake, 1 Ezekiel English muffin with 1 T NuttZo PF and 1 t butter!
3) 1/4 cup brown rice with 1 serving Traci's Thai Crockpot Chicken
4) Quest bar
5) Crunch a Munch salad, 4 oz tilapia
6) 3 egg whites, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1 spicy jalapeno chicken sausage
WEIGHTS: REST!!
CARDIO: REST!!
That about sums it up. Great weekend. Nice day for relaxing and just doing not a lot of anything. Yep, it was a nice weekend! Hope you all had the same!
Wow! I just looked at my plan for yesterday and MAN! Was I spot on or what?!? I ate everything just as planned! Woohoo!!! Look at me go! I rock! LOL! I also got in bed super early because for some reason I was BEAT last night. I just sat on my couch and did NOTHING at all! And even THAT was almost too hard for me. So I finally called it quits about 8:40 or so and got ready for bed. I'm pretty sure I was asleep by NINE!! NO joke! Awesome!
So today is the first weekend day of my new plan. Does that scare me? Oh, just a little since this is where I usually seem to derail a little! But I'm going to head off that fear with some serious planning so here goes!
MEALS:
1) 1 scoop protein, 1/4 cup oats
2) 4 egg whites + 1 whole egg, 1/2 cup oatmeal, topped with 2 T light shredded cheese mix and salsa
3) 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 Erin's Cranberry Orange Cereal Bar
4) Crunch a Munch salad, 5 oz tilapia, 1 Ezekiel English muffin (maybe 1 T nut butter!)
5) same as Meal 3
6) REFUEL MEAL!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I have NO idea what to have - Korean food, Greek food, Hawaiian BBQ...hmmmmmm
WEIGHTS: Legs
Leg Extensions 4x10
Lying ham curl 3x10
SM Squats 3x12 Side Lying Leg Press (Dexter/Charles Glass Style! at the 15:52 mark) 3x10 - these are NO joke!
Stationery Bodyweight Lunges (super deep) 3x20
Lunge/Shoulder Press Combo 3x10
Cable Deadlift 3x12
Kickbacks w/ Resistance Band 3x20
CARDIO:
30-40 minutes inline skating!!!
So I have my plan and I'm gonna use it!!! With Meals 1 and 2 done already and my weights are done, just 4 more meals to go and my skating!!! Enjoy your weekend!!!
Thursday was fantastic! I even got home from work and made Crunch A Munch and my Cranberry Orange Cereal Bars. Yummmmmmmm! I ate almost everything according to plan but I had tilapia with Meal 6 and I had macadamia oil instead of NuttZo at Meal 7. I had some down time last night and caught up with an old friend. It was great! I feel ready for my weekend. I'm prepared with my Crunch A Munch and Cereal Bars! Oh yes! It's going to be a great weekend. And I have a refuel tomorrow night should I decide to use that! YES!! All this sticking-to-it really pays off in refuel rewards!!!!!!!!!!
MEALS:
1) 1/2 scoop protein, 1/4 cup oats
2) 1/2 scoop protein, 1 cup brown rice crispy cereal, 1 oz almonds, 1/4 cup cranberries
3) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken spicy jalapeno sausage, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1/4 avocado, salsa
4) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken spicy jalapeno sausage, 1/4 cup oatmeal, salsa
5) REFUEL MEAL!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I think it's going to be Pho!!! Yummy!
6) 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 Erin's Cranberry Orange Cereal Bar
7) Crunch a Munch salad, 5 oz tilapia, dessert of 1-2 T NuttZoPop (LOL! Just made that up...it is a spoon full of NuttZo that you would eat much like a lollipop!)
WEIGHTS:
Shoulders, tris, core
Drop sets:
DB Shoulder Press 8 reps, 25/20/15/10 then 15 pulses w/ 5#
Single Side Lat Raise 8 reps, 20/15/10
Front Delt Raise with Rope 8 reps, 35/30/25
DB Rear Delt Raise, 8 reps, 15/12/10
Machine Shoulder Press 5 reps, 60/50/40/30/20 then 15 pulses w/ 10#
Triceps pressdowns with rope 8 reps, 27.5/22.5/17.5
DB Skullcrushers 3x12, 15#
Crunches on the ball 3x15
Hyperextensions on the ball 3x15
CARDIO:
20 minutes HIIT post-training on stepmill (speed training workout low-level 10, high-level 14)
All right, last weekday so let's make it count! How did your week go? Did you knock it out? I really did! I'm BURSTING with pride! LOL!
“A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.” ~Elbert Hubbard
Still sticking very well to my plan. No refuels so far this week. As for yesterday, let's see how I did. Meals 1-4 were on but here's what happened for 5-7.
5) 1 Erin's Cranberry Orange Cereal Bar, 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 scoop protein, 1/4 cup oatmeal
6) Spaghetti squash with tomatoes and broccoli and/or artichokes and tilapia - Quinoa tortilla (yummy), 4 egg whites, salsa, 1/4 avocado
7) Protein smoothie & 10 pecans Pumpkin Souffle w/ 1 t coconut oil & 1 T almond butter
Still on track and eating clean just varied from what I had planned, that's all. No big deal. And another day begins so here's yet another plan for my day!
MEALS:
1) 1 scoop protein, 1 cup brown rice crispy cereal, 1 oz almonds, 1/4 cup cranberries
2) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken spicy jalapeno sausage, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1/4 avocado, salsa
3) 3 egg whites, 1/2 chicken spicy jalapeno sausage, 1/4 cup oatmeal, salsa
4) Tilapia, spaghetti squash w/ tomato, 1 T olive oil, parmesan
5) 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1/4 cup oatmeal w/ 1 T coconut oil
6) Crunch a Munch salad, 4 oz shrimp or maybe scallops or seafood mix...hmmmm
7) Protein Tea and 1 T NuttZo
WEIGHTS: REST
CARDIO:
30 minutes steady state incline treadmill
So here we go. Another day is upon us! Make it a great day!
How much "fake" food should you eat really? I often question this for myself and others that I see eat waaaaaaayyyy too much sugar free this, fat free that, no carb this and fakey fake that!!! I just don't see how it can be healthy. I'm sure that no matter what you're eating if you're eating too much of it, it's too much. But it scares me a little how so many people that are living the figure/bikini competition lifestyle and beyond go so overboard on the sugar free stuff in particular. And quite honestly I even think the fat free items are out of control. I'm a true believe in moderation of all things. If you've been on my blog for any amount of time, you will know this.
So here's my observation for myself. Now I'm not saying it's true or even scientific, just an observation. When I was doing my prep I was on a sugar free search. I knew of every sugar free thing ever conceived I think. I didn't ever go down the sugar free syrup road since I think that would lead to self-destruction. Not that I'm even a big syrup fanatic but it would make me want worse I think! So I was basically on the 1-3 sugar free popsicles a day as well as sugar free candy and gum! It was crazy. I would also drink sugar free soda but didn't feel like that was doing the same damage since it was Zevia or Blue Sky made with stevia and not Splenda. It seemed like the more I ate the more I craved it. So I would eat more and more of it so at the end of my prep I was in sugar substitute heaven! And beyond that I would eat more and more stevia! I started with a half packet in my tea in the afternoon and then it became one packet by the end. Since I am NOT a sweet tea person and actually had weened myself off of sweetener in my sugar I knew something was up but didn't really notice. Not until about 3-4 months post-competition. Then I would grab my stevia packet to put in my tea and would end up not putting it in. And now I am once again sweetener free in my tea!
So my question then became WHY? Why is it that when you're on a competition diet do you crave sweets and eat more and more? It became dangerous! Since my competition I have added REAL sweeteners back into my diet. I don't eat much sugar but I'm also NOT opposed to it. I will use REAL syrup, REAL sugar, REAL honey, and REAL molasses. I don't even use much at all but just enough to get that flavor. And guess what? I rarely crave sweets! So interesting!
The same goes with having some fat once in a while. Yes, on occasion I do use REAL butter. It's rare but I would rather put REAL butter in my mashed cauliflower than I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray. I use it just for flavor anyway so I don't need much. And how about the fat free yogurt and cottage cheese? Again I say have some REAL yogurt and REAL cottage cheese - if not the full fat then maybe just the 2%.
My point being that all that restriction seems to make me crave more of that taste or flavor. Whereas if I just have a little of whatever I'm craving I seem to get over that craving instantly. It's just a thought and I would definitely be curious as to how many of you would have to agree with me or have a different point of view where this is concerned. If you don't believe me, do an experiment on yourself and see how you feel eating REAL food items instead of FREE (fat, sugar, carb). You might be surprised!
So KEEP IT REAL people! In moderation...but REAL!!
Yesterday I was spot on! Meals were exactly as planned except I had walnuts in stead of PB at Meal 5, added 1 T olive oil to Meal 6 along with a tomato and some fresh grated parmesan - YUMMY! I also did my steady state cardio on the elliptical since there were NO available treadmills! Oh well!
My BACK/BIS/ABSended up being this:
Assisted pull-ups 3x12 70#
Seated Lat pulldown with V-bar 3x12 70#
Hammer Strength Single Arm Lat Pulldown underhand grip 3x12 35# each side
Seated cable row with V-bar 3x12 70#
SS with Hip thrusts (rockets) for abs 3x20
Straight arm lat pulldown w/ rope
SS with V-ups 3x15
DB bicep curls - 21's
SS with decline ab cruch w/ 10# plate 3x15
Cable bicep curls 3x12
Hanging leg raises - 10 front and 5 each side - 3x
WEDNESDAY'S PLAN
MEALS:
1) 1 scoop protein, 1/4 cup oats
2) Zucchini brownies, 1 oz cocoa almonds - yummy!
3) Brown rice, 4 oz tilapia, veggie medley
4) 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/4 avocado & salsa
5) 1 Erin's Cranberry Orange Cereal Bar, 1/2 cup yogurt
6) Spaghetti squash with tomatoes and broccoli and/or artichokes and tilapia
7) Protein smoothie & 10 pecans
WEIGHTS: Hams and Glutes
Lying Ham Curls (glute focus) 4x10 60#
Butt blaster 3x10 60#
Smith machine squats 2x15 - 20# super low staying low
Cable deadlift 85# 3x12 superset with Bulgarian split squat 10# 3x10 each leg
Lying ham curls (ham focus) 3x10 60#
One-leg bench squat (super deep) 3x10 - new exercise to me and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this exercise - some serious glute activation!
Hip Thrusts with 25# plate - 3x15
CARDIO:
20 minutes HIIT post-training - 15 minutes jump rope (1 minute jump 3060second rest) and 5 minutes spin bike sprints (30 second sprint & 30 second active recovery)
So I'm done with weights and cardio and already knocked off 2 meals! Woohoo!! I am on a roll this week! Yahoo!!! Really enjoying setting my goal and sticking with it. It feels REALLY GREAT!
So, yesterday I was 100% on but I needed to add a little food in there since I was STARVING between Meals 3 and 4. So I added 1/4 cup oatmeal and 1/2 scoop protein powder. I also did my HIIT on the stepmill instead of the elliptical. So yeah for me! The plan is working! Hahahaha!
TUESDAY'S PLAN
MEALS:
1) 1 scoop protein, 1 cup spelt flakes
2) 4 egg whites, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 4 walnuts
3) Quest Bar, 1 apple, 1/4 cup oatmeal
4) Brown rice, pork chops, veggie medley - yummy!
5) 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1 T PB
6) Spaghetti squash and tilapia
7) One Minute Chocolate Protein Cake with 1 T peanut butter
WEIGHTS:
Back
Bis
Abs
Haven't really decided on specific workout. Will have to fill you in on that tomorrow.
CARDIO:
30 minutes steady state incline treadmill walking post-training
I'll check back later or tomorrow. On to Tuesday we go!
It was such a pretty day here Saturday. So I headed to the track with my BF. This was our workout or maybe I should say my workout since he was a little under the weather. :-(
Jog around the track once All drills were for about 25 yards
Walking lunges / Run back
High knees / Run back
Side shuffle both ways changing leading leg
Walking lunge lifting back leg / Run back
Side lunges staying low (20 each side) / Grapevine back
15 3-point squats
Off to the bleachers:
1) Run up every step (2 times)
2) Run up every other step
3) Lunge up keeping low
4) Run up every step
5) Lunge up keeping low
Back to the track:
Step step squat (switching legs) / Run back
Jump lunge turn combo - confusing for mind and body - lunge right leg/jump to squat right/jump to lunge left leg/jump to squat - all basically turning clockwise and lunging and squatting all the way
10 inchworms forward and 10 backwards - this was awesome for my shoulders - my BF and I were just amazed at how they popped after this - very cool!
Butt kicks / Run back with long strides
That was about it. Great workout and fun. Haven't done a track workout in a long time and LOVED it!!
So I had a goal for February to eat right at 6-7 meals a day with 2 refuel meals a week. I did really well last week until the end of the week and then I derailed! Not really badly but I probably ended up eating 4 refuel meals and definitely didn't eat all the meals I should have been eating. So my plan is as follows:
1) Write my plan on my blog each day - including meals, training, and cardio
2) Follow up the next day with how well I stuck to my plan the day before
3) Eat 7 meals a day on weekdays and at least 6 on weekends
4) Out of those 47 meals, 2 can be refuels!! WOOHOO!!
5) Plan my weekend meals just like I do during the week - hard for me to do
6) Increase my veggie intake - yeah, I've been slacking!!
I think that about sums it up so on to the plan for today!
MEALS:
1) 1/2 scoop protein, 1/4 cup oats
2) 4 egg whites, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 15 almonds
3) Quest Bar, 1 apple
4) Spicy Kamut Salad with 4 oz pork chops
5) 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1/4 cup oatmeal
6) Chicken sausage with peppers & onions, and a veggie medley
7) Pumpkin souffle (1 scoop protein, 2-4 packets stevia, 1/4 t baking soda, 2 egg whites, pumpkin pie seasoning or cinnamon) with 1 T NuttZo
WEIGHTS:
Shoulders
1) DB Shoulder Press (negatives)3x12
2) Single Arnold Press 3x8
3) Single Side Lat Raise 3x12
4) Machine Shoulder Press Dropset then 10 pulses at end
5) Overhead Shoulder Press with Bar - dropset 2 times and superset with side lat raises 10reps
6) 10 burpies
7) 10 inchworms
CARDIO:
20 minutes HIIT on elliptical
So meals 1 - 3 are checked already, weights are DONE! Woohoo! I just have my HIIT tonight and 4 more meals to get right. I can DO THIS!! Who's with me here?
Do you all have your February goal? Care to share? Let's do it! This is OUR month!
“Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire.” ~Napolean Hill
Talk about believe and act! LOVE the lyrics of this. Don't care for the video as much but I really do LOVE the lyrics! I know it's an older song but it still sends ME the right message.
Yeah,Uhh...
Uhh...
Yeah..
It's the worlds greatest, Yo,
It's the worlds greatest, Come on,
Worlds Greatest, Ever
I am a mountain
I am a tall tree
Oh, I am a swift wind
Sweepin' the country
I am a river
Down in the valley
Oh, I am a vision
And I can see clearly
If anybody asks u who I am
Just stand up tall look 'em in the Face and say
[Chorus]
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey, I made it
I'm the worlds greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my backs against the ropes
I can feel it mmm
I'm the worlds greatest
I am a giant
I am an eagle
I am a lion
Down in the jungle
I am a marchin' band
I am the people
I am a helpin' hand
And I am a hero
If anybody asks u who I am
Just stand up tall look 'em in the Face and say
[Chorus]
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
I made it
I'm the worlds greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my backs against the ropes
I can feel it
I'm the worlds greatest
In the ring of life I'll reign love
(I will reign)
And the world will notice a king
(Oh Yeah)
When all is darkest, I'll shine a light
(Shine a light)
And use a success you'll find in me
(Me)
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey, I made it
I'm the world's greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my back's against the ropes
I can feel it
I'm the world's greatest
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey, I made it
I'm the world's greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my back's against the ropes
I can feel it
I'm the world's greatest
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey, I made it
I'm the world's greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my back's against the ropes
I can feel it
I'm the world's greatest
[*]
It's the greatest
Can you feel it
It's the greatest
Can you feel it
[Repeat * while:]
I saw the light
At the end of a tunnel
Believe in the pot of gold
At the end of the rainbow
And faith was right there
To pull me through, yeah
Used to be locked doors
Now I can just walk on through
Hey, uh, hey, hey, hey
It's the greatest
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey, I made it
I'm the world's greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my back's against the ropes
I can feel it
I'm the world's greatest
So this is funny. Today while I was doing my 40 minutes of cardio on the incline treadmill I was thinking about how you really have to set you mind to something and then just go for it and take action to get that something. Well then guess what? My ex-coach/mentor Gina posted just that exact thought on her member site today as well!! Isn't that just too funny? Sometimes I think she and I are connected at the brain. It's too funny!!
I can't remember what song I was listening to that made me think that but it said something about doing anything you set your mind to. It's such a good point. While I know this is true and I know it's what I should be doing, most of the time I don't do it. I'm much better about this than I used to be but every once in a while I get stuck. Or I think of a great idea and want to get started and then I just don't even know what step to take next. I think this is fairly normal human behavior. If we all knew what steps to take all the time we would be taking them, wouldn't we? That's why it's KEY to look to others for help, advice, and direction.
Talk is cheap when it comes to realizing your dreams. You can just talk about them, you have to act on them. Take a little step every single day. But do SOMETHING that will set you on your path. If you don't put your foot on the path, you'll never be able to go down it. I found this quote and boy, does it resonate with what I was thinking just this morning?
To accomplish great things we must first dream, then visualize, then plan . . . believe . . . act!
~Alfred A. Montapert
DREAM - Go crazy! Just get nuts with your dreams! Sit by yourself with just you, reserving no judgment, not wondering how you will get there. Just be and just DREAM! Let your mind go free. Act like you did when you were a child - innocent, invincible, and a dreamer! Be that child and just dream away. It will do you a lot of good and it's fun besides.
VISUALIZE - Whatever that is to you. If it's closing your eyes each day and seeing yourself at that pinnacle or if it's a vision board or a note or message or anything that will get you there, just visualize it. Believe it in your mind's eye!
PLAN - This is where a lot of us get stuck. Planning can be challenging but it's so worth it in the end. And by having a plan you've already set the wheels in motion. The plan is the key, I believe. By creating a plan it means you've thought about your goal(s) enough to actually formulate a plan. Think about anything you've successfully done and you'll realize that there's was always a plan to get you there...ALWAYS!
BELIEVE - Oh boy! Another tough one! You MUST, absolutely MUST believe in your dream, vision and plan! If YOU don't believe in it, how will you ever convince others to believe in it? As difficult as it may be, you must believe in you, your dream, and your vision!
ACT!!! - This is probably the worst sticking point for everyone. It's so hard to take action when you don't necessarily know what the outcome will be. But you have a plan now and that will only lead to taking action. Sometimes the actions have good results and other times not. That's all part of the plan though. We all know things don't always go as planned so we really must trip, stumble, fall and get up to take another action. See? Part of the plan.
I would also add to this TRIP, STUMBLE, FALL, LEARN, REGROUP and REDIRECT!! Because these are all the things that will happen as soon as you start taking action. But don't be afraid of these things. They ALL have helped us grow into the people we are today. So do you have a plan of attack? Are you ready for your dream to start being realized? Join me this month as we move forward into our dreams one little action at a time!!
In life, the first thing you must do is decide what you really want. Weigh the costs and the results. Are the results worthy of the costs? Then make up your mind completely and go after your goal with all your might. ~Alfred A. Montapert
