Alright I have begun a challenge to go 10 days clean, this means NO cheat meals. With my busy schedule it is hard to keep form cheating, even if its just for a snack, but I want to see just how powerful clean food can be on your body. So I am experimenting with my body, in a good/healthy way, to see if I can transform my stomach into becoming very lean and maybe even showing my muscles! This means that food prep will be very important for me these next couple weeks so that I don't get stuck hungry at school with nothing healthy to eat.
Take this journey with me! If you've already cheated today, its OK, start your ten days tomorrow.
Remember to take a picture of yourself today, and then take another on the tenth day so you can compare your results!
Abs are made in the kitchen! You can do sit ups all day but if you don't eat clean you will never be able to see them!
So go eat clean, and train mean!!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Give your body the proper fuel it needs
Well, as the title states, give your body the proper fuel it needs. If you do not feed your body with an adequate amount of the proper nutrients you will not have the energy and strength to push through a good workout.
This happened to me today. I started my day off with a healthy breakfast (eggs, raspberries, blueberries, and Greek yogurt) but from my busy week of college and studying for tests, and keeping up with life in general, I was unprepared for the rest of my meals. I ate a peanut butter and jelly sand which for lunch (not going to lie it tasted AMAZING...I was craving it) and then I drank a Rockstar energy drink and for a snack twice today I ate kettle corn.
I headed to the gym, thinking that I was going to get in a good leg workout, however, it did not go as planned. I felt really weak and had no desire to finish. I was trying to increase the amount of weight I was lifting, in order to gain progress, but this only made things worse. I felt very exhausted and weak.
All in all, I did not make it through the entire work out that I wanted to accomplish. I know a huge part of this was because of my diet. If you feed your body crap, you are going to get crappy results. Think of it as putting fuel in your vehicle. If you put the best quality fuel in your vehicle it will run at its optimum potential. On the other hand, if you put the lowest quality fuel in your vehicle it was not run at the optimum level. Same with your body, it will still run, just not at its maximum potential.
So, eat a proper and balanced diet, get an adequate amount of rest, and kill those workouts!
Here's what I did today (not including everything that I planned on doing):
Warm-up
Barbell squats - 2 sets of 15 increase weight - 2 more sets of 15
Dead-lifts- 2 sets of 15 increase weight - 2 more sets of 15
Leg press - 20 reps, increase weight, 15 reps, increase weight, 10 reps, increase weight 6 reps
Calf raises 4 sets of 15
Wall squats with weight - 4 total. 60 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec, until failure
There was more than I wanted to do but I was feeling super weak, along with shoulder pain and a pinching feeling in my back (due to previous injury; I go to the doctor in 2 weeks).
Since I do not want to risk making my injury worse I may take an unplanned rest day tomorrow depending on how I feel. Listen to your body, if its telling you something isn't right, take a rest day.
Otherwise, eat clean and train mean!
This happened to me today. I started my day off with a healthy breakfast (eggs, raspberries, blueberries, and Greek yogurt) but from my busy week of college and studying for tests, and keeping up with life in general, I was unprepared for the rest of my meals. I ate a peanut butter and jelly sand which for lunch (not going to lie it tasted AMAZING...I was craving it) and then I drank a Rockstar energy drink and for a snack twice today I ate kettle corn.
I headed to the gym, thinking that I was going to get in a good leg workout, however, it did not go as planned. I felt really weak and had no desire to finish. I was trying to increase the amount of weight I was lifting, in order to gain progress, but this only made things worse. I felt very exhausted and weak.
All in all, I did not make it through the entire work out that I wanted to accomplish. I know a huge part of this was because of my diet. If you feed your body crap, you are going to get crappy results. Think of it as putting fuel in your vehicle. If you put the best quality fuel in your vehicle it will run at its optimum potential. On the other hand, if you put the lowest quality fuel in your vehicle it was not run at the optimum level. Same with your body, it will still run, just not at its maximum potential.
So, eat a proper and balanced diet, get an adequate amount of rest, and kill those workouts!
Here's what I did today (not including everything that I planned on doing):
Warm-up
Barbell squats - 2 sets of 15 increase weight - 2 more sets of 15
Dead-lifts- 2 sets of 15 increase weight - 2 more sets of 15
Leg press - 20 reps, increase weight, 15 reps, increase weight, 10 reps, increase weight 6 reps
Calf raises 4 sets of 15
Wall squats with weight - 4 total. 60 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec, until failure
There was more than I wanted to do but I was feeling super weak, along with shoulder pain and a pinching feeling in my back (due to previous injury; I go to the doctor in 2 weeks).
Since I do not want to risk making my injury worse I may take an unplanned rest day tomorrow depending on how I feel. Listen to your body, if its telling you something isn't right, take a rest day.
Otherwise, eat clean and train mean!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
There's no secret
It does not matter how you choose to do it, any physical activity is good activity. As long as you get out there and do it you're making progress.
There is also no major number of reps or sets or amount of weight that you need to be doing. Everyone is different and everyone works at a different pace. You just need to figure up what works best for your body and go at your own pace. There is not one secret way to get the best results. A certain thing may work great for me but not for you or visa versa. It takes time to figure out what works best for you and what you enjoy doing. Don't think that right off the bat you are going to find the perfect way to slim down and get in shape. It definitely took me a long time. I originally thought that I just needed to run a lot because I needed to loose my fat and I didn't want to get bulky. (Typical thought process of most females). It wasn't until just recently that I've learned what routine and foods work best for me.
So don't give up! It takes time. Results won't happen over night and there is no perfect routine. So go try different routines, different foods, and stay focused on your goals! Mix it up a little too so you don't get bored.
Here is a good chest workout that I did today. It's pretty short so I added some ab exercise and a couple back exercises because I felt like I need a good stretch.
Everything was 4 sets of 10
Cable cross overs
Barbell incline bench
Dumbbell bench press
Pec dec flies
Push-ups 4 sets of as many as you can
It is a short workout but its still something and its progress!
Do as many reps/sets as you feel. Switch it up 4 sets of 10 or 3 sets of 15 or whatever you'd like, just do it!
There is also no major number of reps or sets or amount of weight that you need to be doing. Everyone is different and everyone works at a different pace. You just need to figure up what works best for your body and go at your own pace. There is not one secret way to get the best results. A certain thing may work great for me but not for you or visa versa. It takes time to figure out what works best for you and what you enjoy doing. Don't think that right off the bat you are going to find the perfect way to slim down and get in shape. It definitely took me a long time. I originally thought that I just needed to run a lot because I needed to loose my fat and I didn't want to get bulky. (Typical thought process of most females). It wasn't until just recently that I've learned what routine and foods work best for me.
So don't give up! It takes time. Results won't happen over night and there is no perfect routine. So go try different routines, different foods, and stay focused on your goals! Mix it up a little too so you don't get bored.
Here is a good chest workout that I did today. It's pretty short so I added some ab exercise and a couple back exercises because I felt like I need a good stretch.
Everything was 4 sets of 10
Cable cross overs
Barbell incline bench
Dumbbell bench press
Pec dec flies
Push-ups 4 sets of as many as you can
It is a short workout but its still something and its progress!
Do as many reps/sets as you feel. Switch it up 4 sets of 10 or 3 sets of 15 or whatever you'd like, just do it!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
My arms hate me
It's late, and I have to be early tomorrow so here's a short and sweet post about my arm workout today.
I started my day with protein pancakes one with banana and one with banana and raspberries. Then I had a tuna sandwich for lunch and killed my workout!
Warm up
Alternating dumb-bell curl 4 sets of 10
Overhead tricep extension 4sets of 10
Standing cable curl 4 sets of 10
Tricep rope push down 4 sets of 10
Tricep dumbbell kickback 4 sets of 10
Superset (two workouts after another with no rest between sets) push ups and bench dips 4 sets of 10
Cool down
This was a killer workout and my arms were definitely feeling it, especially because I upped my weights in everything I did from the amount I normally do. Have to push yourself to get stronger, go further, and get leaner! My arms hate me but I'm going to love the way they look soon!
I hope everyone had a good Sunday and killed their workouts!
Eat clean, train mean!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Enjoying my Saturday
I am so glad that the weekend is finally here! That means no classes and a good workout. I started my morning off with some eggs, turkey bacon, a kiwi, and an orange. Basically the only things I really have left for breakfast. (I really need to go to the grocery store!) It is good to have protein in the morning because it will keep you feeling fuller longer throughout that day.
For my workout today I decided to hit my legs. My shoulders are feeling kind of sore still from my workout the other day, and with my left shoulder being messed up like it is, I didn't want to strain it with an arm workout. Plus I had a couple leg workout ideas in mind that I wanted to try in order to switch up my routine.
Here's what I did:
warm-up (5 minute jog) at 6.0
barbell squats - 4 sets of 10
sumo squats - 4 sets of 10
Reverse lunges 4 sets of 10 on each leg
Walking lunges - 4 sets of 8 each leg
Straight leg deadlift - 4 sets of 10
one-legged lunges - 4 sets of 8 on each leg
Side lunges - 4 sets of 8 each leg
calf raises - 3 sets of 15
Stretch - cool down
My legs were definitely feeling it after this!! Next time I am also going to add leg presses and wall sits. I just ran out of time today and I had to get going. Probably a good thing though because my legs were getting very tired!
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| Not a great picture, sorry, I was in a hurry |
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| Finally seeing muscle tone along the side of my shoulders (looks like 3 muscles going diagonally across) |
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| Need to work on that underside of my arm but I'm loving the way my biceps are coming along! |
Spot reduction does NOT exist
As much as all women want to believe that spot reduction exists, trust me, it does not. Most women want to get rid of those problem areas like love handles, or inner thighs, but trying to just strictly do sit ups will not work. You have to change your diet and you will loose fat all over your body. It doesn't happen over night, (as much as we wish it would) it takes time. That is why you cannot give up if you are not seeing results.
I started seeing results pretty fast when I first started my journey (this is because I was doing something my body wasn't used to) but then the results quit coming for awhile and of course this was frustrating. This is the point when everyone wants to give up and most people do. The thing is though that your body has just gotten used to eating healthy and working out. Sometimes you can hit a plateau. DON'T GIVE UP! You just need to continue working hard and change up your workouts. Your body starts to get used to doing the same thing so you need to switch it up and change your workout routine every now and then. Also, it doesn't hurt to have a cheat meal every now and then, BUT have a limit! Limit your cheat meal to only once a week, and one meal during that day of week. Such as maybe dinner and dessert.
After I changed my workout routine and tricked my body, it took a little bit but then pounds just seemed to fall off and I was getting great results again. Once this happens, when you get past that first hump of no results and the frustration, you will feel incredible because you are one step closer to your goal and you will be very inspired to keep going.
That's another thing, set a goal for yourself. Make it realistic though. No it is not possible to loose 20 pounds in two weeks. It's also incredibly unhealthy. Pick a goal or two and focus solely on those. You can't change everything all at once, such as completely not eating any chocolate at all if you used to eat it everyday. You have to take baby steps, otherwise you will most likely get overwhelmed and binge. Same thing with working out. If your body is not used to working out and you take on a huge load for a long period of time, everyday, your body will get extremely fatigued and overwhelmed. You will most likely not be able to keep this up. Don't expect to be able to run for a long time at a fast pace or lift a ton of weights at a lot of reps right off the bat.
Set your goals, work towards them, reach them, and make new goals. It doesn't hurt to change or switch up your goals every now and then because the "new" challenge will be good motivation. Just don't give up.
I started seeing results pretty fast when I first started my journey (this is because I was doing something my body wasn't used to) but then the results quit coming for awhile and of course this was frustrating. This is the point when everyone wants to give up and most people do. The thing is though that your body has just gotten used to eating healthy and working out. Sometimes you can hit a plateau. DON'T GIVE UP! You just need to continue working hard and change up your workouts. Your body starts to get used to doing the same thing so you need to switch it up and change your workout routine every now and then. Also, it doesn't hurt to have a cheat meal every now and then, BUT have a limit! Limit your cheat meal to only once a week, and one meal during that day of week. Such as maybe dinner and dessert.
After I changed my workout routine and tricked my body, it took a little bit but then pounds just seemed to fall off and I was getting great results again. Once this happens, when you get past that first hump of no results and the frustration, you will feel incredible because you are one step closer to your goal and you will be very inspired to keep going.
That's another thing, set a goal for yourself. Make it realistic though. No it is not possible to loose 20 pounds in two weeks. It's also incredibly unhealthy. Pick a goal or two and focus solely on those. You can't change everything all at once, such as completely not eating any chocolate at all if you used to eat it everyday. You have to take baby steps, otherwise you will most likely get overwhelmed and binge. Same thing with working out. If your body is not used to working out and you take on a huge load for a long period of time, everyday, your body will get extremely fatigued and overwhelmed. You will most likely not be able to keep this up. Don't expect to be able to run for a long time at a fast pace or lift a ton of weights at a lot of reps right off the bat.
Set your goals, work towards them, reach them, and make new goals. It doesn't hurt to change or switch up your goals every now and then because the "new" challenge will be good motivation. Just don't give up.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Fast, healthy and easy meal
Here is one of the meals I had today. It's fast, healthy and easy so I had to share.
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| In between classes today I made a turkey burger patty topped with a tomato slice and asparagus on this side. super delicious and clean!
I bought the turkey burger already in a patty and pre-seasoned so all I had to do as put a little olive oil in a pan and cook the patty for probably about ten minutes on medium heat. For the asparagus I put a little olive oil in a pan and sprinkled garlic powder over them and cooked on medium heat for about 5 minutes. I like my asparagus crunchy so I don't cook it for too long. Add a sliced tomato and ta-da! Fast, easy, healthy meal!
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Thursday, September 20, 2012
Toned, beautiful shoulders
Finally got into the gym tonight and hit my shoulders hard. I always struggle with shoulder workouts because I broke my left shoulder awhile back and now there are some ongoing issues. Long story short, it is weaker and gets fatigued a lot faster; therefore requires more push and more work. Even with the struggles I continue to push through.
Here's the workout I did:
Reverse rear flies - 4 sets of 15
Barbell military press - 4 sets of 15
Front lateral raise - 4 sets of 15
Side lateral raise - 4 sets of 15
Standing shoulder press - 4 sets of 15
I also added:
Bicep curls 5 sets of 15
Tricep dips - 3 sets of 15
Then I finished my workout with one mile on the treadmill. I jogged half a mile, walked a quarter of a mile, then sprinted the last quarter. It felt great! I love those high intensity runs. HIIT (high intensity interval training) works better and is the most effective at burning fat fast rather then jogging at the same continuous speed.
My shoulders are definitely feeling it, but they needed it.
After my workout I drank my protein shake, then I made myself a protein pancake (the recipe is in an older post). To keep you metabolism working throughout the night it is best to eat slow digesting foods. A few examples of these are: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and oatmeal. Those are usually the options I pick from. And remember, lots of water!
Here's the workout I did:
Reverse rear flies - 4 sets of 15
Barbell military press - 4 sets of 15
Front lateral raise - 4 sets of 15
Side lateral raise - 4 sets of 15
Standing shoulder press - 4 sets of 15
I also added:
Bicep curls 5 sets of 15
Tricep dips - 3 sets of 15
Then I finished my workout with one mile on the treadmill. I jogged half a mile, walked a quarter of a mile, then sprinted the last quarter. It felt great! I love those high intensity runs. HIIT (high intensity interval training) works better and is the most effective at burning fat fast rather then jogging at the same continuous speed.
My shoulders are definitely feeling it, but they needed it.
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| This is the new protein powder I got and I highly recommend it. It has worked really well for me, and the flavor (chocolate mint) is amazing! It not only tastes great, it helps curb my cravings for sweets. |
After my workout I drank my protein shake, then I made myself a protein pancake (the recipe is in an older post). To keep you metabolism working throughout the night it is best to eat slow digesting foods. A few examples of these are: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and oatmeal. Those are usually the options I pick from. And remember, lots of water!
Still Learning
As you can tell by the title I am still learning this whole blogging deal. And as you can probably tell I am not very good at it. I failed to post again last night. Sorry! It has just been a very busy week. This is has been the start of the first round of tests and since I am taking 5 classes I have a lot to study. Also, I did not make it to the gym yesterday either. I know I know I am slacking. However, I have kept my diet clean and I plan on hitting the gym hard the rest of this week.
I recently started drinking green tea every night before bed and I am really starting to enjoy it. I had always heard that green tea was a natural antioxidant that is good for you but I never really caught on to drinking it, but I have officially started. Green tea is supposed to help aid in weight loss. I have been drinking it plain but you can add some honey if you'd like.
Sorry I do not have a lot to say today. I will gets some recipes and clean eats together to post later along with some workouts.
I recently started drinking green tea every night before bed and I am really starting to enjoy it. I had always heard that green tea was a natural antioxidant that is good for you but I never really caught on to drinking it, but I have officially started. Green tea is supposed to help aid in weight loss. I have been drinking it plain but you can add some honey if you'd like.
Sorry I do not have a lot to say today. I will gets some recipes and clean eats together to post later along with some workouts.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Much Needed Day OFF
Yesterday I did not post because I did not work out. Even though I really wanted to, my back was really giving me trouble so I decided it would be best to rest up so I do not over do it and hurt myself. My upper back was really sore and tight all day yesterday, so after school I took a much needed break in order to give my back the proper rest that it needed.
Today I am feeling much better and I am ready to hit the gym as soon as I get out of school.
I do not have a picture but yesterday even though I gave my workouts a break I kept my meals clean. A new favorite of mine is turkey burger. Yesterday I grilled a turkey burger patty on the stove then I topped it with tomatoes and I also ate some green beans along with it. DELICIOUS! It was a colorful looking plate also. Which is a good thing! You want a rainbow on your plate.
Well, off to class I go. Tonight I will try my best to post the workout that I do this evening.
Don't forget that it is a good idea to always be aware of what your body is telling you. Listen to it! If you're hurting, or really sore, take the time off to rest and rejuvenate. It will be very beneficial.
Today I am feeling much better and I am ready to hit the gym as soon as I get out of school.
I do not have a picture but yesterday even though I gave my workouts a break I kept my meals clean. A new favorite of mine is turkey burger. Yesterday I grilled a turkey burger patty on the stove then I topped it with tomatoes and I also ate some green beans along with it. DELICIOUS! It was a colorful looking plate also. Which is a good thing! You want a rainbow on your plate.
Well, off to class I go. Tonight I will try my best to post the workout that I do this evening.
Don't forget that it is a good idea to always be aware of what your body is telling you. Listen to it! If you're hurting, or really sore, take the time off to rest and rejuvenate. It will be very beneficial.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
New Favorite Cardio
Sorry I was unable to post yesterday, I was super busy! Along with being too tired to post before I went to bed.
I tried a new cardio workout yesterday and I loved it! It is by far my new favorite. Definitely a lot better than just running or riding a a bike at a continuous pace. That gets boring!
This is what I did and it was great because you can make it an intense or as easy as you want it. You can run the half mile as fast as you'd like, and/or up hill. When doing the squats and sit-ups you can add weight if you like as well. So this workout can grown and get more intense as you grow stronger. Yesterday it took me 48 minutes to completed it. I have every half mile at 6.0 and I did not use any weights this time as I just wanted to try it out since it was my first time. So now I can start challenging myself to finish faster and to use weights.
Try it out and leave a comment with your time! We can start a little competition.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
There's a positive side to everything
So today I didn't have that great of a day. I needed to go shopping to get a business suit and I went to pretty much every store that I could think of and did not have any luck. I had planned on going for a jog outside afterwards, however when I finally gave up on the suit search and left the mall it was raining. I was feeling down and I went to dinner with my finance and even though I ate a chicken salad for dinner I had a brownie for dessert. Then of course I started feeling guilty because I hadn't even worked out today. However, this led me to thinking of some great advice. When it comes to maintaining a good diet, of course you want to cut out the sweets, fats, and sugar but its not about deprivation, it's about moderation. Yes, it is OK to occasionally treat yourself to a yummy dessert. Just don't make it a daily habit. Also, just a tip to help you from doing it a lot, remember that you are not a dog, so you don't need to have a treat every time you do something good. (that saying has helped me stay away from junk A LOT when I start thinking "I've been so good lately I deserve a treat")
So anyways, since I felt guilty about the brownie, and knew I had a busy week ahead, I went and did some running. I haven't ran a 5k in awhile so I went to my apartment gym and ran on the treadmill. Finished a 5k in 32:11 and it definitely felt good. I was into it tonight listening to Nicki Manaj on Pandora.
Remember, don't get down or be too hard on yourself when it comes to working out and eating healthy. It definitely takes a lot of hard work and dedication. BUT the longer you stick with it, the easier it gets, and the better you feel AND look.
Today part of my unsuccessful suit shopping experience was due to the fact that I lost some weight, which means the clothing size I wore before is now too big, however, I did not loose enough weight to go down to the next size. I used to wear a 10 or Large, but now that is too big and baggy looking on me. So, today I tried some clothes in size 8 or Medium and they were just a bit snug. (also having extremely long arms and legs does not help if I'm looking at smaller sizes). So being said, that means I have two options, loose more weight, or gain the weight back so I don't look like a slob. Well I'm choosing to loose weight.
That means I'll be working a lot harder lately and being even more strict on my diet. I'm not going to lie, I've been a little slack lately since I've been so busy with school and it's easier to just grab something that's quick and easy. Well this is not the healthy way to go.
So, time to crack down and drop some more inches! I'm going at this with a positive attitude and using my unsuccessful day as motivation to not only keep working, but to work harder.
So anyways, since I felt guilty about the brownie, and knew I had a busy week ahead, I went and did some running. I haven't ran a 5k in awhile so I went to my apartment gym and ran on the treadmill. Finished a 5k in 32:11 and it definitely felt good. I was into it tonight listening to Nicki Manaj on Pandora.
Remember, don't get down or be too hard on yourself when it comes to working out and eating healthy. It definitely takes a lot of hard work and dedication. BUT the longer you stick with it, the easier it gets, and the better you feel AND look.
Today part of my unsuccessful suit shopping experience was due to the fact that I lost some weight, which means the clothing size I wore before is now too big, however, I did not loose enough weight to go down to the next size. I used to wear a 10 or Large, but now that is too big and baggy looking on me. So, today I tried some clothes in size 8 or Medium and they were just a bit snug. (also having extremely long arms and legs does not help if I'm looking at smaller sizes). So being said, that means I have two options, loose more weight, or gain the weight back so I don't look like a slob. Well I'm choosing to loose weight.
That means I'll be working a lot harder lately and being even more strict on my diet. I'm not going to lie, I've been a little slack lately since I've been so busy with school and it's easier to just grab something that's quick and easy. Well this is not the healthy way to go.
So, time to crack down and drop some more inches! I'm going at this with a positive attitude and using my unsuccessful day as motivation to not only keep working, but to work harder.
BEST protein pancakes ever
It's Sunday!! That means time for protein pancakes! If I had the time I'd eat these every morning for breakfast, but I'm glad I at least get them on Sundays.
I've read of a few different recipes for protein pancakes but I recently found one that is my absolutely favorite. Thank you to LiveFitEatClean for the recipe idea. Here's the link to her page if you'd like to see it yourself. She has tons of other great recipes and fitness/healthy eating tips as well.
http://livefiteatclean.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-08-26T17:08:00-07:00&max-results=2&start=10&by-date=false
I changed up the recipe a little bit but you can make them however you'd like.
Recipe:
I've read of a few different recipes for protein pancakes but I recently found one that is my absolutely favorite. Thank you to LiveFitEatClean for the recipe idea. Here's the link to her page if you'd like to see it yourself. She has tons of other great recipes and fitness/healthy eating tips as well.
http://livefiteatclean.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-08-26T17:08:00-07:00&max-results=2&start=10&by-date=false
I changed up the recipe a little bit but you can make them however you'd like.
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| YUM! |
Recipe:
1/2 cup oats
1/2 scoop protein powder
cinnamon
vanilla extract
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 banana
little bit of water
Blend all of the ingredients but don't over work your batter!
When I cooked mine, in one I added strawberries, one I added blueberries, and in one I added another half of a banana. Then I topped them with honey vanilla Greek yogurt. And as you can see I also had some kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and banana on the side.
Happy Sunday everyone!! Remember: eat clean train dirty!
Time to go kill it at the gym! I was taking Sundays off but because of my busy school schedule I have more free time on the weekends, so now I utilize that time to get in a really good workout.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Gotta Love Them Legs
Today was leg day (my absolute favorite!) and I killed it. I'm always excited and ready for leg day.
Here's the killer leg workout I did:
Squats - with weights - 4 sets of 15
Reverse lunges - 3 sets of 14
Jumping lunges - 3 sets of 8
Walking lunges - 3 sets of 14
Leg Presses - 4 sets of 15
Leg Curls - 4 sets of 15
Seated calf raises - 3 sets of 20
Then I also did a few sit ups. Great day at the gym!
Last night I had a late night triceps workout that I was too tired to post about. Here's the workout I did:
Close-grip flat barbell bench press - 4 sets of 15
Lying triceps extensions with an EZ curl bar - 4 sets of 15
Parallel bar dips - 3 sets of 15
Rope press-downs - 2 sets of 20
Doesn't seem like a lot but trust me you'll be feeling it!
Here's the killer leg workout I did:
Squats - with weights - 4 sets of 15
Reverse lunges - 3 sets of 14
Jumping lunges - 3 sets of 8
Walking lunges - 3 sets of 14
Leg Presses - 4 sets of 15
Leg Curls - 4 sets of 15
Seated calf raises - 3 sets of 20
Then I also did a few sit ups. Great day at the gym!
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| Loving my calves! |
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| After my workout I had a protein shake using vanilla whey, raspberries, blueberries, a banana, milk, and cinnamon. DELICIOUS! |
Last night I had a late night triceps workout that I was too tired to post about. Here's the workout I did:
Close-grip flat barbell bench press - 4 sets of 15
Lying triceps extensions with an EZ curl bar - 4 sets of 15
Parallel bar dips - 3 sets of 15
Rope press-downs - 2 sets of 20
Doesn't seem like a lot but trust me you'll be feeling it!
Clean French Toast
Good morning!
Today I started my Saturday off with some delicious and clean french toast! I think it is my new favorite recipe!
Recipe:
Today I started my Saturday off with some delicious and clean french toast! I think it is my new favorite recipe!
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Mix 4 egg whites, 1/2 a banana, and some cinnamon in the blender, then dip your bread in it.
I topped mine with more banana and strawberries. You can also put some sugar free syrup if you'd like. Enjoy!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Inspiration
Here's a little inspiration to motive y'all. Or as some like to call it THINspiration
time to hit the gym!
Starting the day off right
Although this has been an extremely long week, I was up early this morning to start my day off right with a delicious and healthy breakfast. I really do believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is the start of how your eating habits for the day will go. From personal experience, if I start my day with a healthy breakfast, I will continue eating healthy the rest of the day.
Don't think that you do not have time for breakfast. This only took me about 5 minutes. That's not much at all if you think about the effect of an entire day worth of healthy decisions.
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| Here's what I had this morning. Eggs, turkey bacon, strawberries, and a glass of water. |
FUN FACT #1: Protein in the morning will help keep you feeling full throughout the rest of the day so you are less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks.
FUN FACT #2: Drinking a cold glass of water in the morning will jump start your metabolism.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Back Workout
I was finally able to get in a good workout today, the last few days have been extremely busy with school, informationals meetings, and the career fair. Although I have squeezed in a couple workouts this week they were short and nothing too hard, however, something is better then nothing!
Today I worked on my back (my second favorite workout!) and it went great! I was noticing that the amount of weight I usually use was feeling light, that means time to add more!
Here is the workout I did today:
Pull-ups (weighted) - 6 reps of 12
Bent-over barbell row - 6 reps of 15
Dead-lifts - 6 sets of 15
Dumbbell pullovers - 6 reps of 15 (these are my favorite!)
Bow and Arrow - 5 sets of 30 (15 each arm)
Lat pull-downs - 5 sets of 15
I also worked on my abs and then I jogged a mile.
Remember...eat clean, train dirty!
Today I worked on my back (my second favorite workout!) and it went great! I was noticing that the amount of weight I usually use was feeling light, that means time to add more!
Here is the workout I did today:
Pull-ups (weighted) - 6 reps of 12
Bent-over barbell row - 6 reps of 15
Dead-lifts - 6 sets of 15
Dumbbell pullovers - 6 reps of 15 (these are my favorite!)
Bow and Arrow - 5 sets of 30 (15 each arm)
Lat pull-downs - 5 sets of 15
I also worked on my abs and then I jogged a mile.
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| Not the best picture sorry |
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| Loving the results I'm getting! |
Finally Satisfied
Today I had to attend a career fair at school and as I got ready to leave, I took one last look in the mirror and was completely satisfied with the way I look. Finally, I am proud of my body.
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| September 13, 2012 |
CATCHING UP
Since I started this blog 7 months after I changed my lifestyle I figured I have some catching up to do, but I am just going to do a little.
When I first started my workout journey I thought the best way to loose my fat was to run. Now I have never been much of a runner so I was not fond of this idea but I wanted to do whatever it took, so I decided that I would start training for a 5k. Occasionally I'd go into the gym and lift weights but very little reps and not much weight. After running 4 days a week for about 2 months I was able to run a full 5k without stopping. However, I felt like this wasn't enough. So I started pushing myself to run a full 5k without stopping, then continue jogging/walking for 4-5 more miles. That would make a total of around 8 miles 4 days of the week!! That's around 32 miles a week! I don't know how i survived that! To top it off, I thought I had to limit my calorie intake to loose weight, so I was trying to keep it under 1500 calories a day. Luckily, I finally figured out that I was going at the situation completely wrong. After hours of research and talking to as many people as I could I finally figured out that if you are just continuously running, eventually you're muscles are going to start breaking down and although you're burning fat you are actually shrinking your muscles! That's not the kind of body I want. I want to look tone and fit with nice sculpted muscles. In order to get those results I had to start lifting weights. When you are doing resistance exercises you are building your metabolism which will burn your fat. At the same time you are sculpting and toning your muscles. Of course like most women I was scared to lift weights because I didn't want to get bulky. But after hours of research I learned that it is very difficult for a women to become bulky. She would have to be on a very strict diet, take in large amount of protein, and large amounts of creatine. She would have to work extremely hard to turn her body into a big bulky mass of muscle (like a man).
So I figured I would give weight lifting a try because jogging wasn't giving me the results that I wanted. This is no joke....I have never seen my body get so toned so fast before in my life. Going to the gym 4-5 days a week and maintaining a good diet I started seeing results very quickly. This was shocking to me, but I loved it. I wanted to keep pushing myself to see just how far I could go. I became addicted. I am honestly in the best shape I have ever been in in my life. Even while playing 3 sports in high school I never looked this good. And I am still not where I want to be yet.
Now by a good diet I mean I switched to all whole wheat (bread, pasta, bagels) I stopped snacking on chips and candy. I cut soda completely out of my diet (now when I drink it I get a headache). I started eating more fruits and vegetables. And most importantly....I started eating every 2-3 hours. This was the biggest factor for me. It sounds weird but the more I ate, the skinnier I got. And I'm not talking about huge portions, but moderate portions very often. I don't count my calories anymore. I have learned that in order to maintain energy and push through my tough workouts I need to give my body the proper fuel and nutrition that it needs to get through. Kind of like your car needs gas to run. So does your body. You have to eat! And drink a lot of water. Water is really good for you. It keeps you hydrated and cleans your system of toxins.
Currently I lift weights 4 days a week and do cardio one day a week, and have two rest days. I didn't actually start this routine until around August 10, 2012 and that's when I started seeing results of my body getting toned really quickly. However in July I was lifting weights 2 days a week and going hiking/jogging a lot 3 days a week.
When I first started my workout journey I thought the best way to loose my fat was to run. Now I have never been much of a runner so I was not fond of this idea but I wanted to do whatever it took, so I decided that I would start training for a 5k. Occasionally I'd go into the gym and lift weights but very little reps and not much weight. After running 4 days a week for about 2 months I was able to run a full 5k without stopping. However, I felt like this wasn't enough. So I started pushing myself to run a full 5k without stopping, then continue jogging/walking for 4-5 more miles. That would make a total of around 8 miles 4 days of the week!! That's around 32 miles a week! I don't know how i survived that! To top it off, I thought I had to limit my calorie intake to loose weight, so I was trying to keep it under 1500 calories a day. Luckily, I finally figured out that I was going at the situation completely wrong. After hours of research and talking to as many people as I could I finally figured out that if you are just continuously running, eventually you're muscles are going to start breaking down and although you're burning fat you are actually shrinking your muscles! That's not the kind of body I want. I want to look tone and fit with nice sculpted muscles. In order to get those results I had to start lifting weights. When you are doing resistance exercises you are building your metabolism which will burn your fat. At the same time you are sculpting and toning your muscles. Of course like most women I was scared to lift weights because I didn't want to get bulky. But after hours of research I learned that it is very difficult for a women to become bulky. She would have to be on a very strict diet, take in large amount of protein, and large amounts of creatine. She would have to work extremely hard to turn her body into a big bulky mass of muscle (like a man).
So I figured I would give weight lifting a try because jogging wasn't giving me the results that I wanted. This is no joke....I have never seen my body get so toned so fast before in my life. Going to the gym 4-5 days a week and maintaining a good diet I started seeing results very quickly. This was shocking to me, but I loved it. I wanted to keep pushing myself to see just how far I could go. I became addicted. I am honestly in the best shape I have ever been in in my life. Even while playing 3 sports in high school I never looked this good. And I am still not where I want to be yet.
Now by a good diet I mean I switched to all whole wheat (bread, pasta, bagels) I stopped snacking on chips and candy. I cut soda completely out of my diet (now when I drink it I get a headache). I started eating more fruits and vegetables. And most importantly....I started eating every 2-3 hours. This was the biggest factor for me. It sounds weird but the more I ate, the skinnier I got. And I'm not talking about huge portions, but moderate portions very often. I don't count my calories anymore. I have learned that in order to maintain energy and push through my tough workouts I need to give my body the proper fuel and nutrition that it needs to get through. Kind of like your car needs gas to run. So does your body. You have to eat! And drink a lot of water. Water is really good for you. It keeps you hydrated and cleans your system of toxins.
Currently I lift weights 4 days a week and do cardio one day a week, and have two rest days. I didn't actually start this routine until around August 10, 2012 and that's when I started seeing results of my body getting toned really quickly. However in July I was lifting weights 2 days a week and going hiking/jogging a lot 3 days a week.
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| April 16, 2012 Don't mind the guy in the background. I know this isn't the best picture but it gives you an idea of what my arms looked like when I was only jogging and very rarely lifting weights |
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August 2, 2012. 160lbs
I don't usually like to go by how much I weigh, because I feel like the best indicator of weight loss is how you look, feel, and how your clothes fit. At the beginning of my workout journey I started at 175lbs. In this picture taken 6 months after I had lost 15lbs and that is the current weight I am at now and I am fine with it. I am very satisfied with my body and the way I look so I rarely step on the scale |
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| August 20, 2012 Starting to see some definition in my triceps |
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| August 20, 2012 Starting to see some definition in my biceps |
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| August 21, 2012 Really starting to like the way my legs look |
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Everyone has to start somewhere
First blog post ever!
Hi! Welcome to my blog! This post is going to be long! (Sorry!) But here's my story....
I've decided to start this blog to post about my fitness journey as I make my way through life, college, and towards the alter.
I am a 21 year old student and as busy as my life is, I always make room for fitness.
I never considered myself as 'fat,' but I have always felt chunky, and I have never been really tone. Plus, there is always room for improvement.
On January 3, 2012 my boyfriend / best friend proposed. Of course I said yes!! I was overwhelmed with excitement, and absolutely could not wait to start planning the wedding! I started thinking of what flowers I want, what colors I want, where I want to have the wedding, will it be indoors or out, what will my dress look like, etc. etc. Then I could not stop thinking about my dress and how I was going too look in it.
I had always been an occasional gym goer but never a die hard. It wasn't until a few weeks after I got engaged that I decided that I refuse to look 'chunky' on my wedding day. It is a huge, special day to me and I want it to be perfect. (I mean what girl doesn't want the perfect wedding right?!) So I made the decision that I was going to get in the habit of going to the gym daily and eating a lot healthier. I grew up on cereal and was never forced to eat my greens. I had never known how to eat healthy and what it could do for my body. I'm not going to lie, I love dessert, and anything sweet. However, if I wanted to be a hot bride I had to make a change.
I would always look at pictures online of pretty girls with toned bodies and tell myself I'd love to look like that but I'd never actually take action.
Well, all of that has changed now. Now I am a fitness freak, and it has become my lifestyle. I love my body and the way it looks. It no where near perfect and I still have a ways to reach my goals, but I am proud of the way I look because I know I have worked hard to get where I am at. So follow me on my journey and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you!
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| Me on December 25, 2011. 175lbs. Sorry it's not the best picture but I never thought to do a 'before' picture. |
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| January 3, 2012 I know...I'm wearing poofy snow gear, but still, its not my favorite picture because I feel like I look big |
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