A Quick Full Body Workout

We are finally getting to the end of our week long winter storm! Unfortunately, I chose not to brave the weather and go to the gym until yesterday. Although I tried to be active indoors by running up and down the stairs with the laundry, or dancing around the kitchen when I was cooking (yes,i really do this), taking 4 days off of my regular exercise routine made my 20 minute jog a little harder than it should have been. But you gotta start somewhere! Today I wanted to get in a quick and efficient workout and thought I might share it with you! So here it is:

Warm-up: elliptical for 5 minutes. I ALWAYS perform a warm-up of some sort for 5 to 10 minutes. Never skip your warm-up!

Circuit 1 (10 reps, 2 sets. Little to no rest between exercises and circuits)

TRX pull up. TRX is a form of suspension training. YouTube it!

Single-leg step with unilateral overhead press. Sorry for the exercise lingo. Basically its fancy for using your opposite arm and leg. For this exercise I used a kettle bell, but you can use just about anything that's 5-10 lbs. And I mean anything (gallon jug, laundry detergent container, or even a small animal, haha) To perform this exercise, put your left foot on a 12inch step and hold the weight in your right hand, resting the weight on your shoulder. As you step up with your left foot, press your right hand overhead, then return to start. Do 10 repetitions then switch legs/arms.

TRX ATOMIC PUSHUP. If you have not yet tried this exercise, I highly recommend you do! If you don't have TRX bands, you can also use a stability ball. Check it out. http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/77/trx-reg-atomic-push-up 

Cardio: 5 minutes on the step mill. 1 minute going forward, 1 minute going sideways, 1 minute backward, 1 minute other side, and the last minute going forward. Make the speed challenging! No step mill? Go up and down regular stairs or try jogging for a minute, then sprinting for a minute.

Circuit 2 (10-15 reps, 2 sets. Little to no rest)

Barbell dead lifts

Barbell row

Bench tricep dips

5 minute cool down.

And there you have it! This workout took me about 30 minutes including the warm-up and cool down. It hits every major muscle group and by doing the exercises with as little rest as possible, you are keeping your heart rate up and the calories torching! For more of a challenge, try performing 3 or 4 sets of both circuits and add in 1-3 more rounds of cardio. Happy sweating!

i'm back!

Well, I took quite the hiatus after our show in April 2011, mostly due to the fact that I had gained back 20 pounds and was just plain burnt out. It has taken me 8 months to get back to my "comfortable" weight. Now, 10 pounds lighter, I am feeling much better (improved confidence, energy, ect.). I really struggled to lose those ten pounds (obviously as it took 8 months), but I wanted to take a healthy, slow approach so as not to get burnt out again.

So, how did I lose those 10 lbs? Very small changes on a daily basis. 

After the show I was so burnt out physically and emotionally that I just didn't want to be healthy. This was a horrible realization considering my job as a personal trainer is to help make others healthy. I let myself rest for a few months until I just couldn't stand the way I was feeling anymore (depressed, tired, no motivation). I was not motivated by going to the gym and hated the idea of being on a strict meal plan. So I threw the rules out the window and went with the flow. Instead of exercising at the gym, I laced up my running shoes and took it outside. I strove to find all the reasons I enjoyed exercise; the fresh air, the scenery around me, the release I felt from finishing a slow and steady jog with my dog at my side. When I wasn't in the mood for a jog, I would either take the dog to the park and race around with him, or I would do quick exercise videos at home using Netflix (30 minutes or less).

As far as nutrition goes I really focused on the small changes. Drinking more water, eating less junk and more veggies. I did NOT restrict myself, however, I did pay closer attention to portion size and wrote down the things I ate to review at the end of the day to make adjustments the next day. I have found it helpful to keep a few healthy frozen meals on hand for those nights I didn't feel like cooking or when I was craving something naughty. 

Stepping away from the gym and doing non-traditional exercise really motivated me to stay active and keep consistent. I am currently training for the Bloomsday 12k race in May. Having a specific goal and date to accomplish this goal keeps me going. My exercise routine is completely different than it was a year ago, which is why I am enjoying it so much!

No, I am not ripped like I was a year ago, and my body is not and never will be perfect, and thats the way I like it. I am accepting and enjoying my imperfections and I encourage many of you to do the same this year :)

In short, the best approach to weight loss, or any life-style change, is to make small changes on a daily basis. Sometimes it is the smallest changes that make the biggest difference. Making a drastic change may help you reach your goal short-term, but if you cannot continue to carry out those changes for the rest of your life, why bother?

Victorious!

Its been a week since our bodybuilding competition and i have to say, for a first timer, it was a success! We werent very impressed with the show itself as our $100 tans ended up being a bad batch, my awards werent presented to me until after the fact and the show didnt finish until 1am! However, I won!

Unfortunately, i was the only one in the female bodybuilding novice division. I was hoping i would have some competition, but all in all it was a good experience. The best part of the whole thing was getting to compete with my husband and brother.

So, what now??? I have to admit that it is tough transition from being a bodybuilder to being "normal." My body is still rejecting "normal" foods like dairy, sodium, and bread. Im feeling very swollen and uncomfortable. I can literally feel my stomach muscles stretching from the change of diet and it is actually painful and tender to the touch. I have gained back 10 lbs this past week just from trying to eat normal...okay, and some junk food too:)

I started working out again on Wednesday; mostly cardio and some weights. It is such a great feeling to workout and actually feel good afterwords. But there is still that burning question in the back of my mind that i have been asked by so many..."are you going to do another show?" ??? Its a question i have a hard time answering. I love having a goal to work towards and i love following a regimen and especially enjoy seeing the hard work pay off...but is it worth the fatigue, the hunger, and the isolation? It almost feels selfish to do another show. And yet...the desire to take my body even further still lingers. So, to answer that question, i am simply trying to find balance in my life at this time. I simply want to be healthy and feel healthy at this point, and spend time with my family and friends!

Besides these changes, ive had a few opportunities that i didnt think would come about from this show. Ive actually been asked by a few fitness photographers to do photo shoots with them. I respectfully declined (because my body is "soft" from the weight gain haha) but it was a fun thought.

I will keep using this blog for all my fitness adventures. I will of course let everyone know if i decide to do another show, but seeing as having babies is a priority in my future, i need to maintain a healthy body fat percentage:)

Stay tuned for my next adventure in fitness!

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1 day left!

We made it here safely yesterday and have a great room with a full kitchen! We took advantage of this and started cooking immediately. Yesterday's meals consisted of mostly chicken and sweet potatoes with a few rice cakes thrown in here and there.

Today we get to load up on carbohydrates. This means a drizzle of honey in the oatmeal and rice cakes with a little jelly every 2-3 hours. Although this doesn't sound like much, it feels like a ton and is extremely delicious! Today's schedule is as follows:

6:30 am Breakfast, start drinking water and shower
8:15 am First spray tan application
8:30 am Eat :) and rest
10:30 am Eat again :)
11:30 am Second tan application
12 pm Eat every few hours, finish 3/4 gallon of water and practice posing routine and mandatory poses. Sip on water throughout rest of the day until...
5 pm Weigh-In!
Keep eating until a few hours before bed time
SLEEP

Tomorrow will be a little crazier and includes...

5AM wake up to eat! sip water, and get ready for the show!
7AM arrive at venue and get final tan application
8AM competitors meeting
9AM pre-judging begins!! Although I'm not sure when I will be on stage yet...
Eat salmon and asparagus back stage every hour or 2; sip water
Pump up 20 minutes before on stage
Eat Snickers 5 minutes before on stage... I can't wait for this!
Rock it on stage then rest until the night-show at 6 pm!
After show???? EAAATTTT!

Go Time!!

This is it. We are officially packed in the car heading to Vancouver, WA. This week has been the toughest of all. On top of having little to no carbs, and grueling workouts, its been stressful at work and on top of it all i found out last night that my uncle is dying:( So, we missed our workout last night and spent a few hours visiting with my uncle in the hospital. His spirits are high and it was wonderful to visit with him. It made everything we are going through seem so small.

In light of all this, I reached my goal of 103 lbs and our depletion phase went very well! Im looking very "dry" and tight. Today we start bringing back some carbs (oatmeal and yams) and tomorrow we will bring in even more (rice cakes with honey). This will help plump up our muscles without looking bloated. The best part of all is that we get to eat every 2 hours! At this point we are also drinking tons of water and taking natural diuretics to flush everything out of our system. This means potty breaks every few hours.

We are done with workouts, besides a light walk tonight. Tomorrow we get our tan painted on and then relax until the big show!!

More updates to come!

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This is it!

Alright my friends. We have officially made it to "peak week." As you have probably noticed, it has been weeks since my last update. This month has definitely been a test of strength and will power. I have really had to dig deep within myself to keep working out and keep dieting. But we are on the home stretch!! Here are my current body stats!

Weight: 104.8 (new record for me! I havent seen this number since my freshman year in highschool)
Body fat: to be determined this evening; my guess is between 9 and 10 but still shooting for 8!

Today is our last leg workout! (Thank the sweet lord). After today we will NOT be doing anymore leg work as the muscles in your legs need atleast 5 days of recovery to really stand out on stage. Monday through Wednesday we will being doing upper body circuits at 80% effort for 15 reps and 3 sets along with interval cardio. Pair this up with little to no carbs and tons of water and our bodies should be mostly rid of glucose. On Thursday we will start to add carbs back in and only do 30 minutes of walking. Friday there will be no working out. Only rest, relaxation, and mental prep for the showdown Saturday!

I will post more details and photos this evening and hopefully before the show! We have worked so hard for this and I am beyond excited to show off my hard work and celebrate with family and friends after the show!!

P.S. big thanks to all those who have supported/encouraged,advised us on this crazy journey. It means so much more than I can even describe!

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Coming out of the darkness...

As I have mentioned in my last few posts, bodybuilding is an intense journey; physically and mentally. You can find thousands of resources to prep you physically for a competition but nothing can prepare you for the grueling challenges of the mind.

I have been sinking lower and lower into my own little black hole and although I can see the light, it still seems so far away. Yesterday I reached an all time low. I went completely backwards with my diet and didn't even workout. Needless to say, after stepping on the scale this morning and receiving a call from my suit designer to set up a second suit fitting, I had an "oh crap" moment. I needed to get my mind straight!

After having such a rough day yesterday, I finally sat down for a good hour and just thought about why I really wanted to do this competition. I wrote down every reason why I was doing this. After establishing that I still want to compete despite the struggles, I wrote down everything I am struggling with. Then I wrote down ways I can overcome these issues. Here they are....

1) PRAY. I have found that God can help you with anything. Even a bodybuilding competition. I pray for strength to get out of bed in the morning. I pray for peace and happiness. I pray for productive workouts and I pray especially hard for the strength to resist temptation. Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 

2) FIND YOUR INSPIRATION. This can come in so many different forms, whether it be images, bible verses, or quotes. You need to find what inspires you and keep it with you at all times. I have my "inspiration board" on my fridge. I keep it here because the kitchen is where I face the most challenges (eating what I shouldn't). I wrote down a few of my favorite quotes that really get me going and make me want to keep fighting. The first one reads, "YOUR COMPETITION IS TRAINING RIGHT NOW." But the one that really speaks to me, is this: " THE SUREST WAY NOT TO FAIL IS TO DETERMINE TO SUCCEED." One thing I understand very clearly about myself is that I hate giving up. Therefore, I am determined to succeed. I also wrote these quotes on a piece of paper and put them in my car so each time I am driving anywhere I will see this.

"PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTS AND JUST DO IT" resides on my nightstand so when the alarm goes off at 6:30 AM I will read that and get out of bed and do my cardio. 

Another source of inspiration for me is music. When I am feeling really low and ready to give in, I listen to religious music. It picks me right up and reminds me I can do all things through Christ. I choose upbeat tunes for my cardio sessions and some good rock music for weight training. 

Lesson Learned: This is not a journey that should be taken lightly. It tests so much more than your physical strength. It tests your faith, your will power, and your mind. Find ways to fight back! Keep your inspirational items close and God even closer. Mind over matter!