Feeling Weak :(

This week, the weights have been beating me! I have felt SO weak.  I did back squats Wednesday, and 175lbs felt really heavy.

I went up to 190lbs on my next set and could barely squeeze out 2 reps, even though last week I did 3!!  It's so frustrating! But there's always next week to do better. :)

Today's WOD (I made this one up): 4 rounds for time of 5 strict wide grip pullups, 10 power cleans with 95lbs, 15 double unders, 20 situps.  Everything was pretty easy besides the power cleans.

Anyways, I'm super excited for tomorrow-our family's annual trip to the pumpkin patch! It's always a fun time. And I'm SO looking forward to pumpkin donuts! :)

Success

It's Not Always About Pleasure

I'm just gonna be honest here. Sometimes eating is not about pleasure. Sometimes you just have to eat what's best your body, even when you don't really feel like it; even when it doesn't seem appealing, knowing that's it's fuel for your body.

I'm not saying that you should never enjoy anything you eat. Of course you should. Food is something to be savored and enjoyed at times. But it may not be enjoyable ALL the time. That may be bad to say, but I just don't think we should always base what we eat on what sounds good to us, or just to satisfy our taste buds. Honestly, if I based what I ate only on the taste and what I was craving at the moment, I probably wouldn't be eating healthy 90% of the time!

I am not afraid to admit that there are times when I don't really feel like eating chicken and broccoli (or whatever it is), but I eat it anyway. I don't really crave the taste of healthy foods, but I do crave the way they make me feel. I may enjoy eating mac and cheese, pasta, rice, and cereal-but if I ate those foods all the time I wouldn't look the way I do, nor do I believe that a high carbohydrate diet is healthy.

I feel good eating healthy foods,  knowing that I'm nourishing my body, even if my taste buds aren't always completely satisfied.

My Favorite Healthy Meals

Just thought I would share some of the healthy meals that I make on a regular basis. 


*Turkey salsa burgers-Ground turkey breast mixed with 1 egg and a few tablespoons of salsa and some seasonings, formed into patties and cooked. I eat them bunless with a little ketchup.


*Taco turkey-Ground turkey cooked with homemade taco seasoning. I use this for a taco salad, or mix with chopped steamed cauliflower and salsa.


*Crockpot chicken-I just throw in some chicken breasts in the crockpot with a low sodium organic chicken broth and some seasonings.


*Meatloaf-I use a recipe I got out of Oxygen magazine. I usually use a pound of lean beef and a pound of turkey mixed together.


*Eggs with salsa-I scramble 2 eggs with 2 whites, mix in about 2 tablespoons of salsa and a little mozarella cheese.


*Sweet potato fries-Just coat with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, paprikia, and bake in oven.


*Meat spaghetti sauce-I use lean ground beef, mixed with no salt added diced tomatoes, tomato paste or tomato sauce, diced onions, mushrooms, green peppers, seasonings. I eat it with a spoon like chili.


*Vegetable beef soup-I use stew beef or steak, organic low sodium beef stock, no salt added canned green beans, diced tomatoes, seasonings, cooked in crockpot.


*Chili-I use all no salt added ingredients-chili beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green peppers, onions, chili powder, and sometimes(if I want a not as healthy version) 1/2 container of chili base to thicken it up.

My Motivation

A lot of people ask how I get the motivation that I have.
I know I have mentioned it before, but one thing that keeps me motivated and ensures that I don't slack in my training is setting goals. I truly think this is important and that failure to do so is the reason why so many people don't continue in their fitness journey.

Now I'm not talking about physical goals, but rather performance goals. Too many people start an exercise program for one reason and one reason only-to lose weight or to look better. Yes, of course wanting to look good motivates me, but I think that the main reason why I very rarely skip workouts and why I look forward to going to the gym is because I know that each workout is making me stronger and taking me closer to my goals. Setting new goals keeps me challenged, and if I'm constantly trying to get better at something, I always have something to strive for and I can never get bored!

If I were just going to the gym for looks alone...then yeah, I'd probably get bored and be much more likely to skip workouts.  But because I am TRAINING for something and  have a goal I'm trying to achieve, I know that I can't skip a workout. It makes me excited to get to the gym and train for my goal.

Earlier this year, I set some goals for myself that I had hoped to accomplish my the end of this year:
http://lindsaycappotelli.blogspot.com/2011/01/goals.html

So far, I've achived four out of the seven listed! I can now do an unassisted handstand(although I can't stay up very long yet-still working on that!), 5 handstand pushups(at least), and just today I did 20 kipping pullups(neutral grip).

Just recently I reached my goal of 3 muscle ups in a row:

Right now my goal is to get a twice bodyweight deadlift and increase my squat to 215. I'd also like to get better at the snatch and work on getting a strict muscle up on the rings or a bar.  With CrossFit, there is always something to get better and stronger at, which is part of the reason why I love it!

Pizza and Cookies

I had a really great weekend that seemed to go by nice and slow for a change! Love those kind of weekends.

We didn't do anything exciting, but the weekend did include a candle lit pizza dinner. Papa Murphy's take and bake pizzas are great.  Then we topped it off with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

My husband was in heaven. I mean, seriously, I have never seen someone get so much pleasure from pizza, especially now that he's dieting for a show. I like to switch up our treats and have something different each week, but I don't think he'd ever tire of having pizza and only pizza every single week!

Anyways, I just finished my WOD-what a great workout! Actually, my arms are still shaking as I type this!  The workout was called "Lynne", and it's 5 rounds of: bodyweight bench press for max reps and then max pullups. You can rest as long as needed between exercises. 

I used 120lbs for the bench press, and could only squeeze out about 2 reps each round, and I got between 15 and 20 pullups(kipping) each round.  It's definitely a tough one, but fun, especially since I love to bench press and I don't get to do it all that often.

Now I'm off to walk Asher since the rain has stopped(we had a major thunderstorm last night that woke me up!) and the sun is shining.  Then I'm going to cook up some food for myself for the week. I'm thinking pumpkin protein bars and maybe some beef vegetable soup. Yum!

Food is Not The Enemy

·       "We must realize that food is not the enemy, nor is it a god. Food does not make or break you. It is your mind, your habits, and your attitude that will make or break you. " -Unknown

Happy Fall!

Happy first day of fall!  September and October, I think, are the best months in Kentucky. :)

In celebration of fall, I will be treating myself to this sometime this weekend:

MMMmmm! One of my favorite things about fall!

I went shopping today.....Some of you may know that I've mentioned in previous posts how much I hate shopping! It is not fun to me.  I'm not one of those girls who has a million pairs of shoes to match with every outfit or who can spend 300$ on a purse. To me, that's insanity.

It's not really the shopping part I hate as much as it is the spending money part(although the shopping part isn't the most fun thing in the world to me, either)!! But there were some things that I have needed for awhile that I've been putting off buying, so I finally broke down and bought them. I guess that's what money's for, right?

So today's WOD is going to be "Fight Gone Bad", and I am actually quite scared.  I've done it once before, but only with 45lbs instead of the prescribed weight of 55lbs for women.

Here's what it is:

1 minute each, 3 rounds. Goal is to get as many reps as possible in each minute, and the total reps is your "score" for the workout.

Wall balls, 14lbs

Sumo deadlift high pull, 55lbs

Box jumps 20" box

Push press, 55lbs

Row(for calories)

Rest

What Is A Workout?

"A workout makes you better today than you were yesterday. It strengthens the body, relaxes the mind, and toughens the spirit. When you work out regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows.
A workout is a wise use of time and an investment in excellence. It is a way of preparing for life’s challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary."
-George Allen

What I Ate & WOD Wednesday

WOD:  3x3 deadlifts, worked up to 210lbs.  Then 5 rounds for time of: 5 renegade rows(each side) with 25lb dumbbells, and 10 burpees.

What I Ate:

Breakfast: Protein peanut butter oats, coffee

Pre-workout: 2 spoonfuls of 2% cottage cheese, 1 protein pumpkin bar

Post-workout: green smoothie with 1 scoop protein, almond milk, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Lunch: Chili (yes, it's that time of the year!) made with 92% lean beef, no salt added chili beans, no salt added tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, 1/2 container chili base

Cup of coffee

 Dinner: Crockpot chicken breast, 1 1/2 cups steamed cauliflower

 Bedtime Snack: 2 spoonfuls peanut butter, 2 hardboiled egg whites 

 **Don't forget to watch Day 2 of the CrossFit games on Espn2 tonight from 8-10!!**

I Beat the Weights :)

Today's WOD: Strength- 3x3 Back Squats. Then 5 rounds for time of: 35 double unders, 200 meter run.

On my squats, I worked up to a weight of 190lbs, which is a PR! It feels so awesome to get a PR-it's one of my favorite feelings ever. I just feel giddy afterwards, like I rule the world!

I was kind of scared before the set, like I usually am on a heavy set of squats. The weight looks so heavy, so intimidating, and I wonder if I really can lift it, or if I'm going to fail on one of the reps. My adrenaline's flowing, my heart is beating faster; I feel tense and jittery; anxious. 

But then I focus. I push away the negative thoughts. I look at the weight and think, "I got this, this weight don't scare me, this is nothin'!" I visualize myself going through the set, getting every rep. Then I get under the bar, grip it tight, take a big breath and go.

Sometimes the weights beat me. Sometimes I fail and can't get the weight up.

But today I won.

Be Your Best

My goal is to inspire and motivate others to be the best that they can be. 

I want people to realize that they are SO much stronger than they think. I want them to see how awesome it feels to push themselves harder than they ever have, to really challenge themselves, and to do things that they never thought they could do. I want people to want more for themselves.

I want to inspire women to lift heavy weights; to know how amazing it feels to be strong and fit. I want them to feel the sense of accomplishment and empowerment that lifting heavy brings and to fall in love with the weights like I have!  I want them to embrace their strength and to be proud of their hard earned muscles. 

 I want people to feel good, not only physically but also mentally, as in the way they feel about themselves.  Most people are so used to being the way they are- not feeling good, having low energy, low self confidence, and being weak and of shape-that they don't even know what they're missing!

 I want people to know how good it feels when you treat your body with the respect it deserves by nourishing it with the right foods and exercising.  I know how amazing it feels, and I want to share it so that everyone can experience it! How can I keep it to myself?

You don't have to let your body fall apart as you get older. You don't have to accept being out of shape. Do something about it. Focus on your health and on getting strong, not just losing weight, getting to a certain number on the scale or having a six pack.Those things will only keep you motivated for so long.

Don't look back on your life wishing you would've taken care of yourself better.  It's never too late to start!  I have older women that I have trained who have changed their lifestyles, transformed their bodies, and are fitter and just as strong as the women I train who are half their age! What are you waiting for??? Do it for YOU. Your body will thank you for it in the long run.

·     "If you don't care for your body, how can you expect your body to take care of you?" ~ Marie Freeman

I   "It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." ~Author Unknown

"The only way you can hurt the body is not use it. Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it's never too late." -Jack Lalanne

 

"The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret." ~Sarah Bombell

My First NFL Game

At Ford Field in Detroit to watch the Lions play the Kansas City Chiefs.

 

I ♥ Double Unders

I've always loved to jump rope, since I was a little kid. What little "cardio" I ever did before CrossFit consisted only of jumping rope and sprints. 

Since starting CrossFit, I have learned how to do double unders(basically getting the jump rope around twice in one jump). It took me awhile, but now I pretty much have them down. They are super challenging but so fun! I love them!

Today's WOD:  3x3 front squats, working up to 145lbs for my last set. Then 4 rounds of: 1 arm overhead walking lunges with a 25lb dumbbell, 20 steps, and 30 double unders.

Tomorrow we're hitting the road for a weekend trip to Detroit to watch an NFL game.  Can't wait, I love trips!

I'm Not Bulky Yet ;)

 Why are women still so afraid of lifting weights?

Are they afraid they're going to turn into a man? That they'll get "bulky"? That they'll lose their femininity? 

Well, all I can say to that is that I can squat 205lbs, deadlift 225, push jerk 135, and bench 125....and I don't I look like a man yet! I'm still very girly and feminine. I like to look cute at the gym, and yes, even wear makeup when I'm working out.

I had a little "photoshoot" the other day....and as you can see from the pics, after years and years of weight training, I am far from bulky.

You know what makes you bulky? It's called FAT.

I've created a lean and toned body as a result of  lifting heavy and eating lots of (healthy) food. 

Maybe there are some women who don't like this look. Maybe they don't want to be lean and toned, tight and firm. But I think there are many more women who DO want that look, they'll just never achieve it because they don't realize what it really takes to get it.

The formula for a toned physique=lifting heavy+time+patience+fueling your body right.

Weight lifting has changed my life. I LOVE it. What has it done for me? It has transformed me from just skinny to fit and muscular. It has given me a confidence in myself that I wouldn't have otherwise had. It has given me strength that I am proud of.

Try it out for yourself, and see what lifting weights can do for you.  It's worth giving it a try-you just might end up with the body of your dreams. :)

Muscle Vs. Fat

http://www.thespartanwarrior.com/post/9967667225/musclevsfat
1lb of Muscle vs. 1lb of Fat 

• One pound of muscle will burn ~10 kcal per day. 
• The pound of fat will burn ~3 kcal per day. 
• Weight is a poor measurement of fat loss, for obvious reasons. 

So, you lost a pound? That’s a pretty big deal.

Lift heavy stuff and eat enough and you’ll build more muscle which will allow you to burn more fat and get the look of muscular definition that you desire.

Starving yourself and doing cardio for fat loss are a sure fire way to keep your muscles from growing properly and never reaching your full potential. Go lift weights.

If you want to track your progress accurately then you should use some sort of journal to log your body’s measurements and strength changes or take progress pictures on a regular basis.

Stay off the scale.

·         “Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts."

CrossFit Games on Espn2

Wanna see what CrossFit is all about?

Well, tune in to Espn 2 tonight at 8:00-they are airing the CrossFit games! 

If you love anything to do with fitness, then you'll want to watch this. It's totally motivating and inspiring to see what these athletes can do. 

I know I can't wait to watch the games again!!

Jellybeans, Pumpkin Bars, and Deadlifts

Yesterday at Meijer, I passed by a display of  "harvest mix" jelly beans, and with flavors like harvest spice, peach cobbler and pumpkin pie, I just couldn't resist-I had to try them. 

So yes, I bought them, and yes, they are SO good! I love all of the flavors. And so what if they're pure sugar, and sugar is evil...don't judge me. :)


Today I decided to make Jamie Eason's protein pumpkin bars. They're pretty good, I just wish they were sweeter! ;)  

Today's WOD: Deadlifts, 3x3. Worked up to a weight of 205lbs.  Then I did an 8 min amrap(as many rounds as possible) of: 5 strict pullups and 10 kettlebell swings with 40lbs.

Here's my second set of deadlifts at 195lbs:

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!! It's a beeeauuutiful gorgeous sunshiney day! :) What a difference from last week!

This past weekend flew by, faster than it normally does!  Friday night we went to a football game at the University of Louisville(where I went to college-GO CARDS!). It was perfect weather for a football game, but the Cards lost. :(

Saturday we went to the Highlands for some pizza at Impellizeri's. Pizza is my husband's favorite treat!

Okay, I love it, too, and just maybe I had 4 slices.... Then I had a big peanut butter chip icecream cone from Graeters, and, yes, I ate the whole thing.

Sunday we planted some shrubs in the back yard, took Asher for a ride in the Jeep, grilled up a bunch of meat for the week, then ended the weekend with some NFL football!

Today's WOD:  heavy squats, 3 sets of 3. I worked up to a weight of 185lbs.  Then the met-con was: 12-9-6-3 reps of 95lb power cleans and bar facing burpees. 



Goodbye Summer

Fall is a wonderful season, but I am a summer girl, no doubt about it.

This whole week has been rainy and cold, and I'm missing summer already! Even though it's not yet officially fall....it feels like it.

Ahhh, summer....floating in the pool, going out for icecream every weekend, grilling out, theme parks...it's the best time of the year! Until next year!

What I Ate Wednesday

Breakfast: Chocolate pb protein oats, 1 cup coffee

Post workout: Green smoothie(I am loving these! I tried it for the first time last week. I added a handful of spinach to my protein, 1/2 banana, and frozen pineapple smoothie, and I couldn't even taste the spinach at ALL. Yay! I am all about disguising veggies in any way possible!)Lunch: 2 eggs, 2 whites scrambled with chicken breast and salsa, and a bowl of a Kashi cereal mix(Honey Sunshine and Berry Blossoms). I eat cereal maybe once a week, and when I do I enjoy every bite! Cereal has always been one of my favorite foods. I like to let it sit in the milk and get soggy for about 10 minutes...mmmm, it is sooo yummy. :)

Snack/2nd lunch: 1 can of tuna with a tsp of mayo, 5 baby carrots,~6 almonds

Dinner: 92% lean beef with a little spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes, 1 cup steamed broccoli sprinkled with parmesan cheese

Pre-bedtime snack: 2 tbsp peanut butter, whey protein shake

Just Not Feelin' It

3 days ago it was sunny and 102 degrees. It is currently 59 degrees and raining. I think September is bipoloar. While I do love fall, I'm SO not ready for summer to be over! It went by way too fast. It always does...

So maybe it's the cold rainy weather, but I am just so tired and totally not motivated today. I had a few clients to train this morning, then planned on getting my workout in afterwards. But I was just NOT feelin' it. Yes, I do have those days every now and then!

I made myself do the strength portion of my workout and decided to skip the met-con. So at least I got in some heavy deads. I was going to do the met-con workout later today...but I'm thinkin' that might not happen!

I rarely ever watch TV during the day, but laying on the couch and watching a movie sounds really good right now! I'm allowed to be a couch pototo for a day, right?

Then maybe I'll drink some coffee and do some cleaning to wake me up, then maybe walk Asher. That's the plan...we'll see whether or not it happens!

Can't Rain On This Parade!

My family had a cookout Sunday for Labor day/my brother's birthday at Bernheim Forest. And, well... it ended up being quite an experience!

It was nice to see my brother and sister for the first time in a couple of months. Although I'm worried about my sister-she's lost a ton of weight...and she has that weird "dead" look in her eyes I remember her having when she was on drugs. I hope she's okay.

I finally got to see my little cousin, Landon, for the first time since he was a newborn. He is such a cutie! So then the fun began...not long after we got all the food out and the grill going, it started to pour! We hurried to cover up the food and then everyone ran to their cars to wait for it to pass over, while some of the guys huddled around the grills trying to cook up the rest of the meat. I just had to get a picture of this sight! Well...the rain didn't just pass over, it decided to stay for quite awhile! But we weren't gonna let a little rain ruin our fun! We just found whatever we could to put over our heads and had a good ol' time anyway! It was a pretty hilarious sight to see, though. The rain did let up eventually...leaving us all cold and soaking wet. I was just happy to eat my big cheeseburger and potato salad, even if I did have to eat it under an umbrella in the pouring rain! Well, it's definitely a cookout we'll always remember! I had a good time just being around my family. They always make me laugh! My cousins are all so funny, and you just never know what's going to come out of my grandma's mouth! Good times...

For Your Motivation

I have a new fitness model obsession-Erin Stern.

She is awesome! I have been watching videos on her YouTube channel, and I love that she incorporates athletic training into her bodybuilding workouts and also that she does Olympic lifts.

To me, she has THE perfect physique. I so badly want to look like her!! Sigh...maybe one day...(well, minus the fake boobs anyway, but... ya never know!)

So anyway, I've started a new program that I'm going to do for the next 6 weeks. It's called CrossFit with a strength bias, and basically I'm going to be doing 4 lifts(back squat, deadlift, front squat, shoulder press), each on separate days before the met-con workouts. Each lift will usually be either 3x5 or 5x3, going for max weight on the last set. I'm going to keep the met-cons relatively short. My goal is to get stronger, so I'm going to give this a try and see how it goes!