I Want a Strong Booty!

I've recently been reading the blog of Bret Contreras, a well known certified strength and conditioning specialist who is apparently known as "the glute guy".

His area of expertise is on glute training, and he has tons of great articles about building and strengthening the glutes. An exercise he is all about is heavy glute bridges/ hip thrusts.  Here's one of his articles showing some strong women doing  heavy hip thrusts. I want to be able to do that!
http://bretcontreras.com/2012/04/a-strong-booty-is-a-healthy-booty/

This is an exercise I have never included in my workouts. I have done tons of heavy squats, lunges, step ups, and deadlifts, but never glute bridges or hip thrusts, which may be part of my problem as to why I'm having these hip and lower back issues now. I may be able to squat 210lbs...but I have weak glutes! So I'm going to start adding these into my training.

So tomorrow I'm going to get a massage to see if that will help my back pain at all, if it's just trigger points and tightness that is causing it. I'm hoping for some relief because my low back pain has been constant now for the past 2 weeks. It's really annoying. I'm also planning on going to see a chiropractor. I have got to get this issue figured out! I think that next week I'm going to take a deload week or maybe even a week off from training. I am itching to get back on a consistent lifting plan, but right now my main concern is to be pain free!

It's For Tomorrow

At the gym my husband manages there is this older couple that I always see there working out together, and it is just the cutest thing! They've got to be in their 70s, but they both look super fit and in shape.

What I love is that they come in and do every exercise together at the same time, and I always see the man helping her with her form.  I also love the fact that they aren't just walking on the treadmill like most people their age, but they actually realize the importance of strength training.

I can only hope that someday that will be me and my husband! Instead of wasting away on the couch, I want to be active and live life to the fullest in the last years of my life. I believe strength training is the fountain of youth(along with healthy eating), and while we never know what can happen, I believe that the things I am doing today are not just for my looks but are an investment in my future health and quality of life. THAT is what it's truly all about.

My Weekend :)

"So many things that money buys,

but really nothing I can find like sunshine and love...."

The 23

June Training Plan

I am a planner, I'm a listmaker. I like things to be structured.

Therefore, my training lately has been driving me crazy. I've been trying different things, trying to figure out what I can and can't do with my legs, what exercises make it feel better or worse. Since I can't do a full leg workout, I've been trying to figure out different types of splits I can do-upper/lower, push/pull, or full body.

I don't like to just go into the gym without a plan, and I don't like just doing random exercises. I think that's one of the reasons why I've had success. I've always planned and logged my workouts. I know sometimes it's good to just relax about it, but in my head, I feel like if I'm not on a structured plan that I can be consistent with, I won't get results.

So this is my training plan for the next month or 2:


Mon-upper heavy(3-5 reps) + tabata finisher

Wed-snatches, upper pull+ full body finisher

Thurs-upper push

Sat-Snatches, box squats + full body conditioning circuit

Tues/Fri/Sun-walk/foam roll


I hate not being able to do sprints, heavy squats, or deadlifts...but that's just how it is for now. I'm just going to be able to do some crazy things with my upper body if that's all I can focus on for now! I'm getting back to practicing muscle ups, and my handstand pushups are already getting stronger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eJXiGnhYeQ&feature=g-upl

How I Eat

People always want to know what and how I eat, and I’m more than happy to share.  However, the way I eat works for ME, but may not necessarily work the same way for someone else.

I have a naturally high metabolism, so I can eat higher calories and tolerate higher carbs than most women probably can.  Also, the fact that I have built so much muscle over the years and am already lean means that I can eat differently than someone who has 20-50 pounds to lose.

My activity level is also higher than most average women, and the intensity is probably higher as far as the weight that I lift, therefore, I can afford to eat more.  My goal is to build muscle, which means I can consume more calories than I burn-NOT ideal if fat loss is your goal.

With that being said, I am very mindful of what I eat. I stick to my planned meals every 3-4 hours, all of which consist of 20-30 grams of protein, a healthy carb, and fats at each meal.  I try to stay away from snack foods and eat "mini meals" instead. A snack for me would be something like a protein shake with a rice cake and almond butter.

While I’m not on a low carb diet, I do watch my carbs, and I take them out of my last 2-3 meals of the day. Sometimes I go through phases where I do the carb cycling thing, where on rest days I’ll cut back on carbs and increase my fats.

I am somewhat mindful of my macros, but I'm not obsessive and don’t track them unless I’m trying to get leaner, and then it's around 30-40-30 carbs-protein-fat. 

I have 2-3 protein shakes a day for the extra calories and convenience.  I try to eat mostly natural, non-processed foods, but I’m not obsessive about it.  I have 1-2 servings of fruits a day, and only 1-2 servings of vegetables, which is not nearly enough…but I hate vegetables. 

I have one “cheat” per week where I eat anything my heart desires. Yes, anything. I don't recommend that for everyone, but it's worked for me for the last 6-7 years.

So I’m not gonna say that I eat perfect, but I do try to eat healthy 90% of the time. My diet consists mostly of these foods: whey protein, almond milk, eggs, Ezekiel bread, lean beef, lean turkey, chicken breast, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, oats, quinoa, apples, almond and peanut butter, salsa, rice cakes, broccoli, and cauliflower. 

I have found a place where I don't feel like I'm dieting, I don't restrict myself from any certain food group, and I'm able to maintain the leanness that I want without my diet controlling my life.

Enough Already

I KNOW you want results, but seriously, throw out the scale. Stop being obsessed with that stupid number, please. It means nothing. How many times do I have to say this?

What I want you to focus on is being consistent with your strength training and pay attention to how your body is changing and how you are getting stronger. Are your legs starting to firm up, are your biceps starting to show a little more? You've reached your goal of getting a pullup and can do 10 real pushups? That's great, that's awesome! So what if the stupid scale hasn't budged?  Those are some terrific accomplishments! Continue on with that, and you will continue to see results over time.

Enough with the yo-yo dieting, the hours of cardio every day, the "quick fix" strategies! The people who care about nothing else but weight loss are usually the ones who will eventually gain all of it back after they've reached their "goal weight".

Those who choose to make fitness a lifestyle by focusing on trying to be as healthy as possible, getting strong, building muscle, setting goals, and just striving to be better day after day will lose weight AND keep it off, while becoming toned, fit, and strong in the process!

Who wouldn't want that?

Dear Diary,

It’s sad how much people can change. I know it’s just part of life…but it still makes me sad sometimes.

It’s sad how close my sister and I were growing up, how we would laugh and talk and share our secrets and have so much fun together…. and now we see each other maybe once every 3 months. The light in her eyes is gone, the girl who used to always make me laugh is sad and depressed.  She was my best friend, and now it’s like I don’t even know her, almost like I don’t even have a sister anymore, really.

It’s sad to see the life that she’s chosen for herself, when I know she deserves so much more. Sometimes I wish I had a sister who I could just call up to go shopping with, or go out to lunch with, or whatever-just normal things sisters do together. But she lives too far away, doesn’t have transportation, can’t be away from her boyfriend for 5 minutes, and doesn’t have any money. I hope that someday things will change for her, but I may just have to accept that this is the way it’s going to be.

It makes me sad when I think about how bitter and hateful my little brother became after my dad died, how the happy, smiling little boy I remember slowly faded away. I know he went through some rough times at such a young age, which is a huge part of the reason. Unlike my sister, however, I do think he’ll be okay in the long run and that there’s hope for him. I just wish he didn’t go through all the things he’s been through….

Sorry if this post is a bit depressing but I originally started this blog as a place for me to vent and share my feelings, and I want to keep it that way. I just get a little sad sometimes because  I miss my brother and sister!   I miss the days when things were simple and carefree, and we were all happy. I usually try not to dwell on it, but there are some days where I can’t ignore and keep acting like it doesn’t hurt.

But I’ll always keep hoping and praying that one day things will be okay again! Until then, I'll just keep carrying on with my life and being thankful for the JOY that I have every single day.

The 10 Commandments

The Ten Commandments of Lifting:

1. Use whole body lifts, rarely isolate a muscle
2. Constantly strive for more weight on the bar and move it faster
3. The best anabolic is water
4. Did you eat breakfast? If not, don’t ask me anything about nutrition
5. If you smoke or don’t wear your seat belt, please don’t tell me the quick lifts are dangerous
6. Go heavy, go hard

7. Keep it simple. Less is more
8. You have to put the bar over your head
9. Put the bar on the floor and pick it up a bunch of different ways
10. Know and love the roots of your sport

*By Dan John, shared from Mike Burgener's Facebook page*

I Love Workout Clothes!

For those who have been reading my blog for a while, you probably know how much I hate shopping.  Like, I really HATE it. I hate spending money, I hate trying to put outfits together, and I hate being inside the mall. I could think of much better ways to spend my time.

But there is one exception...fitness clothes! I spend 95% of my time in workout clothes so I don't feel bad for spending money on them because they get so much use. I buy almost all of my workout clothes at Target and Marshall's because I am all about not spending a lot of money! Dick's is WAY too expensive for me!

I am so happy that I discovered Marshall's because I always find great workout clothes and sports bras for such great prices. I went a few days ago and bought some workout tanks. I am loving the loose-fit tanks to workout in. They're so comfy!

I don't know about you all, but I have never been someone to just work out in a baggy T-shirt and sweats.  I like to dress cute and try to match somewhat. Maybe it's just me, but when I look good, I feel good!  I just don't think I'd be as motivated if I just rolled out of bed, threw on some baggy clothes and headed off to the gym.

Of course, you should just wear what makes YOU feel comfortable-for some, it's a T-shirt and baggy shorts, for others(like me), it's a tank top and booty shorts(don't judge). ;) You don't want to be self conscious and just thinking about your clothes the whole time you're working out. For me, I just cannot workout in anything with sleeves-they drive me crazy!

Wordless Weekend

Why Not?

"Who controls your life? You!! You become what you believe...so why not be - unstoppable, exceptional, powerful, dedicated, intelligent, creative, focused, persistent...and moving in the direction of your dreams?" -Erin Stern

Let Your Body REST

Happy Friday!
And it's a beautiful one here in KY! I'm looking forward to the weekend-putting up our pool, going out for pizza and icecream, cruising around in the jeep, and just hanging out with my two favorite boys! :)

Today is a rest day...and I just wanted to address something. It seems that a lot of people think that they have to kill themselves in the gym every day. 

Well, the thing is, your muscles don't grow in the gym--they grow on your REST days! That is when they rebuild themselves and get bigger and stronger. Trust me, I love being in the gym, but I know that recovery is just as important for results.

I actually have 3 days off  from lifting, where all I do is take Asher for a walk and stretch/foam roll. If your diet is on point, you don't have to have work out every single day. Even if it's not, you still shouldn't try to kill yourself with intense workouts every day. And training more to make up for a bad diet isn't gonna cut it either.

Hit the weights hard 3-4 days a week with the big, compound lifts, and then let your body REST and fuel yourself with proper nutrition!

I'm Dumb

Sooo...I think I probably shouldn't have done another leg workout yesterday, after not having done a full leg workout in a while and then still being a little sore from training legs a few days before...Yeah, that was dumb on my part.

My lower back and hips are hurting today. Nothing excruciating or anything, but I know I still need to take it easy. And let me tell you, taking it easy is NOT easy for me.  With the intensity I train with, most girl's workouts would be my warmup.

I am just so anxious to get back to my upper/lower split that I loved and start training legs regularly again!!  I think I'm just going to either go back to the 4 day push/pull split with some legs mixed in or a 3 day full body split, since I've never done that before.

Today I did upper body, which basically consisted of about a million pullups mixed in with some other things! Okay, maybe only 57 pullups if ya wanna get technical. ;)

Beach Photoshoot!

The ocean is the best backdrop! So of course I had to get in some "posing pics". Thanks to my husband for being my awesome photographer! ;)

My Goals Are Neverending

Today was leg day!

Hopefully I'm not rushing into training legs again, but I felt good after my last leg workout, so I figured I'd try it again! I'm still going kind of light, which is SO hard for me to do.

I did front squats today with only 105lbs for 6 reps. Then I did one of my favorite but toughest exercises-bulgarian split squats! After not doing them for over a year when I did CrossFit, I'm still not back to the weight I used to be able to use. They are hard enough even without weight!
Here I'm just using a 25lb plate in one hand.

Just as a side note, I seem to get a much better leg workout with my tall socks and booty shorts, haha. ;)

So I was just thinking about some of my goals today...and after looking at some of my beach pics, I've come to the conclusion that I need a bigger booty. So it is now "project big booty" time!

My quads have definitely improved over the years and my butt has grown some, too, but I want it even bigger! My calves are a different story entirely-not sure if they will ever be anything but scrawny! I also want my shoulders bigger and rounder and a thicker back.

And as far as strength goals, right now I'm working towards being able to bench press my bodyweight 5 times. Monday I got 120lbs for 3 reps, and my bodyweight is currently around 122-123lbs. I also want to get that 100lb overhead press I've wanted for a while! My current PR is 95lbs. Just 5 more pounds-you wouldn't think it'd be so hard!

My goals are neverending. Everyone always says it, but that's because it's true-fitness is  journey, NOT a destination! You should always be trying to find ways to better yourself, and it doesn't just have to be about looks. Yes, that is a huge motivational factor, but you should also be continuously challenging yourself in your workouts with heavier weights, or just trying new exercises.  

"Focus on small progress every day and live every moment – and don’t fear failure. You don’t have to be perfect, just persistent. Realize that every second that you are not taking action is another day living the life you so desperately want to change.” -James Smith

I Love Summer

Oh, man am I missing the beach! Morning walks along the ocean, the sand beneath my toes, the hot sun on my skin, the sound of the waves crashing, and the ocean breeze blowing through my hair...ahhhh, nothing compares. I just can't stop looking through all my pictures over and over again! I'm so obsessed with pictures.

At least the weather here is nice. It's going to be HOT this week, which is just fine with me because that means we can put our pool up. Let the floating begin! Have I ever mentioned how much I love summer??  I'm so glad the dreaded winter is over and summertime is finally here!:)

So anyway...as far as my training goes, it's been a little less structured with my hip/back issue and then being on vacation. I've still been taking it easy with training legs(as much as I hate it!), and while on vacation I just did a couple of not too strenuous full body workouts with what I was limited to at the hotel's gym. Basically I just did bodyweight squats, lat pulldowns, dips, pushups, handstand pushups and planks.

I actually did a full leg workout Saturday, and I'm happy to say that it felt pretty good. Of course I was super super sore the next day from having not done heavy back squats in so long! And my strength was way down, which I hate, but I expected it. I'm still going to stay away from deadlifts for a little while longer.

I think that now that I can train legs, I'll go back to my upper/ lower split. I seem to get good results from that type of split; however, I'm kind of wanting to switch it up and try something different....like maybe some full body workouts. I'm hoping to be able to get back to doing sprints, and maybe add in a day of CrossFit. I haven't done the strength and conditioning plan that I posted a few weeks ago yet, just because I wanted to take some time off from any intense training until my hip/back pain got better.

Well, the plan for today is to finish planting my flower pots, take Asher for a walk, do a little cleaning, maybe clean out and wash my car, and then do some reading in the hammock. I know I'm a little behind, but I just checked out The Hunger Games at the library, and I can't wait to start reading it!

Great Life Philosophy :)

"Read the Bible. Work hard and honestly. And don't complain."
-Billy graham

Florida Pics!

Vacation Recap

I'm back!

We had an amazing time in St. Pete beach, Florida. We just got back Wednesday night, and I miss the beach already! The weather was perfect every single day, and we had some beautiful sunsets.

It was really nice to have some time away from the "real" world and not have anything to worry about besides getting too much sun. ;) It was sooo relaxing.

I also really enjoyed not being so strict with my diet and not having to think about the carb/fat/protein grams in every meal! I enjoyed some not so healthy meals, and a just maybe a couple (virgin)pina coladas...

Our days consisted of:

Morning walks on the beach....

Soaking up the sun by the pool...

Going out to dinner in the evening...

Watching the sunset...

And that's pretty much it! We did work out in the hotel's gym a couple of days and just walked every other day.

We also went parasailing, which is something that I have always wanted to do! I was able to talk Matt into it, and I'm really glad we did it! It was so fun and relaxing up there, and not scary at all! I loved it!

It was a great vacation, but now it's back to reality....More pics to come!

Blogging will resume in 6 days!

I'll leave you with some links to some great blogs to check out while I'm gone:

*http://integratefitness411.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-dont-women-lift-more-weights.html#!/2012/02/why-dont-women-lift-more-weights.html

*http://johnalvino.com/how-to-get-ripped-12-ideas/

*http://jasonferruggia.com/whats-the-best-muscle-building-workout-split/

*http://www.dieselsc.com/feed/

*http://www.inspiredfitstrong.com/2012/blog/too-early-too-cold-too-hard/

*http://www.niashanks.com/2012/04/letting-go-fat-loss-mindset-2/

Appreciate Life!

Yesterday was 5 years since my husband had his brain tumor removed. I can't believe it's been 5 years already. What a journey we have been on in these last 5 years!

I thank GOD every single day that my husband is alive and healthy. We are so fortunate that he had no complications in surgery and that he is brain cancer free!

Going through something like that changes your mindset on life. You learn to appreciate things much more and not take your life and health for granted.  Thank God for the peace and the strength that He gave us to get through that time.

Take time to thank God today and every day for your health and your life, because you never know what could happen. Your world could change in the blink of an eye.

Eating Healthy On A Plane...On Vacation....Not So Much

I'll be flying to Florida in a few days, yippeeee!!! 

So I know I'll be having a few more "treats" than normal, since it IS vacation, after all. :) But I do like to try to eat at least somewhat healthy while flying and not have to eat airport food.

Here's what I'll be packing in the cooler for my husband and I while we're flying:
-Empty water bottle to fill up at the airport-always need water!
-Hard boiled eggs
-Almonds
-Protein pumpkin & oats bars(Jamie Eason recipe)
-Apples
-Almond butter sandwiches on 1/2 thin buns(I know, flour is not the heatlhiest, but oh well)
-Baby carrots

So here's where I'm supposed to write about ways to eat healthy on vacation....well, I'm going to be honest and admit that when I'm on vacation I don't try to eat perfect. I'm going to try not to eat horrible at every meal, but I'm also not going to try to order extremely healthy meals at restaurants and all that. Which you can  definitely do, I just don't!

What I will try to do is not have more than one "bad" meal a day. So I may have a "bad" breakfast, then try to eat okay for lunch and dinner. Or maybe I'll have a bad dinner with dessert and try to eat decent at breakfast and lunch.

We'll be buying some lunch foods and snacks to keep in our room, which will probably be sandwiches and fruit. Not what I'd normally eat for lunch, but it could be worse. Plus, my husband and I don't drink, so that helps. We can splurge a little more on actual food. :)

I'm on vacation and part of the fun is being able to eat things you normally don't. I'll be working out and doing plenty of walking, so I'm sure I won't gain much more than a little water weight. Then I'll be right back on track with my normal healthy eating when I get back!