Love This!

Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands. - Elisabeth Elliot

Friday Ramblings

I am SO happy that my back and hip are feeling better, and my workouts are going great(withOUT my workout log)!

 I am so glad I can deadlift again.  I actually went up to 155lbs for 6 reps with the trap bar today and felt good! The only thing that's still giving me some trouble is tightness in my QL(quadratus lamborum), which I learrned is another result of a weak gluteus medius. Lesson: don't neglect your abductors!

I also got in some overhead squats  :

And then finished my lower body workout with Farmer's walks with 50lb dumbbells:

I love doing a few sets of Farmer's walks after a workout. They make you look cool, and the looks you get from the people doing crunches on the ab machine is quite amusing. I can only imagine what they're thinking-probably something like, "What is that crazy girl doing now?"

So it's gonna be a HOT weekend with temps around 103 degrees all weekend. So I will probably be in the pool most of the weekend, but that's nothing new! I I will take this weather over 20 degrees ANY day!

Sunset

Have Your Cake And Eat It Too!

In the winter, I can do without ice cream-it's not something that I crave at all. But in the summer, I am all about it! It's just so refreshing and yummy! This is what I enjoyed over the weekend:

Some of you may be confused as to why I post a lot of pictures of the "bad" foods that I eat in a "fitness" blog. Well, I actually do that for a reason. Most fitness bloggers post pictures of all the healthy foods they eat...so you can get that elsewhere.

I am not one of those fitness people who act like they eat perfect ALL the time. Like I would NEVER have a slice of pizza, or EVER let a donut touch my lips, oh NO. Maybe some of them really do eat perfect, but honestly, it's kind of annoying to me.

What I want others to see from my blog is that just because you strive to eat healthy does NOT mean that you can't EVER enjoy a treat! I think that a lot of times people don't want to make a change to start eating healthier because they think of all the foods that they will have to give up. But you don't have to give them up! I don't believe that you should deny yourself of the foods you love-just don't eat them on a regular basis!

As a former McDonalds/Skittles/Doritos/Snickers addict, I just have to have a treat every now and then! That's why I allow myself either a treat meal on the weekend or one or two smaller treats throughout the week. I try to eat as healthy as I can on a daily basis, so that when I DO want to have a treat, it is OKAY, and it's not going to negatively affect the way I look. Because it's the way you eat on a daily basis that really matters. So I say you can have your cake, and eat it, too!!

Inspire Others

When I first started this blog a few years ago, it was basically just an online "diary" for me to document my life and vent my thoughts and feelings(as you can see if you go back and read some of my first entries-it sounded kind of like my  high school journals!).

Over time, my love of fitness began to show through as I started writing posts hoping to educate and motivate others to want to live a healthier lifestyle. I also began to share my passion for lifting weights and what it has done for me. My goal then became to spread the message about the power of weight training and to encourage women to get over their fear of the weights.

I never ever thought that my blog would evolve into what it is now, and I am SO thankful and so touched that my words have inspired others through what started as me just wanting to share my love of fitness!

I was actually in the process of writing this post when I recieved this comment on Facebook:

"Basically I wanted to tell you thank you for inspiring me to PUSH MYSELF and build muscle and help me along my fitness journey because I have been a little lost! but now, because of you...I am definitely back on track and ready to build muscle! so THANK YOU!♥"  (Thanks Emily!!)

It truly maks me SO happy that I have been able to inspire others. Hearing that I have made someone want to lift heavier, be healthier, or set a new goal for themselves is the reason why I do what I do! It means so much to know that I have made even just a small impact on someone's life.

Saturday Morning Workout

I decided to skip the gym today in favor of a workout at home outside in my driveway!

All I used was a homemade 20lb slammer ball and my own bodyweight. I did 4 rounds of: 10 slams, 10 pushups, 10 lunge jumps,  and then went rollerblading around the neighborhood.

As much as I love the gym, sometimes it's just nice to get out of the gym and workout in the fresh air. No music, no clatter, just the sun shining and the sound of the birds chirping. :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

What You CAN Control

Something I learned early is to not worry about what I can't control...But what I can control is my attitude, my effort, and my focus every single day."

 -Tim Tebow

Grocery Trip and Gum Obsession

So it's now officially summer, and it sure feels like it! It is HOT, and I love it.

 My little brother came over and floated with me for a little while today! It was good to see him, since I don't get to very often. He's still a brat, but he's not as bad as he used to be. ;)

So I went to the grocery today to pick up a "few" things....and here's what I ended up with:

Guess you can never have enough meat and produce!
Oh, and look what I found!!!

Okay, so I have this thing that I have to chew fruity gum when I'm working out. It can't be peppermint or spearmint-it HAS to be fruity. I think it makes me "EXTRA" strong(haha, get it?), kind of like my tall socks. ;) I know, I'm a dork.

I'm obsessed with Extra's Dessert Delights gum. My husband actually stuffed my stocking full of all different flavors at Christmas! Then I saw a while back that they had come out with a new flavor-Sherbet(or "Sherbert" as I have called it all my life and am made fun of for excessively by my husband). I hadn't seen it at any stores until today, and I was SO excited!  I also just had to try the rootbeer float flavor, too!

Anyways....so this week I've just been "wingin' it" at the gym, and it's been kind of fun! Did some short CrossFit-ish style workouts so far. I will admit that I do feel a little lost without my notebook. The first day I walked into the gym without it, I kind of felt naked. It's strange not having something to carry around with me or have to write something down between every set!

Well, the good thing is my back and hip feel pretty good. I did some barbell squats yesterday, and they felt great! I have lost some strength, but I'll know I'll get it back soon. I'm just thankful I can do them! Right now I'm working on building up my glute strength by doing gluteus medius and abductor exercises, as well as lots of glute bridges. Can't wait to get this booty to grow. :)

Wednesday Workout Pic

Practicing hang power snatches in the gym today.

I am so obsessed with these right now! They are great for building power and explosiveness, as well as building up the traps and upper back. Plus, they're just fun!

I love throwin' around heavy barbells while everyone else is doing bicep curls. ;)

What Was Your Excuse?

Hope ya'll don't mind if I brag on my husband a little bit.  ;)

Looking at him now, you would never know that in the last 5 years he's endured brain surgery, radiation treatments, 2 years of chemotherapy, and an accident that involved a torn knee tendon and a badly dislocated elbow.

I've seen this man hobble to the gym on crutches and in a wheel chair to train even when he could only lift with one side. I've seen him when he could only lift 10lb dumbbells after his brain surgery. I've seen him lifting weights in bed while he was recovering from  injuries.

He has never once let anything stop him. Not surgeries, not broken bones, and not cancer(praise God)!

Now....what was your excuse again?

Verse of The Week

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Date Night On The River :)

Goodbye Workout Log

I deadlifted Wednesday for the first time in months! It felt really good, no hip pain, although I was super sore the next day and still today in my hamstrings, lower back, and rhomboids. Oh, how I've missed that feeling!

So I think I've decided that I'm going to switch things up. I've mentioned how I love being on a structured plan with my training-it's just how I am. I like to have something written out to follow, and I'm obsessive about logging everything that I do in the gym.

I think most people would benefit from having a plan and tracking their workouts. I've been doing it religiously for the past few years, and have seen major progress and improvements in my physique. 

With this back issue going on right now, however, I think it would be good for me to take a break from having a "plan" and just play it by ear for a little while! At least until my back is good. There's no use trying to follow a plan if I don't know how my back is going to be feeling on any given day.


So.... I'm gonna just listen to my body. If I feel good and want to lift heavy, I will. If I don't, I'll take it easy and do some lighter weight, higher reps stuff. I think it's time to switch it up a little anyways with my rep range-maybe doing some higher reps(as in 8-12, which is high for me) will shock my muscles into growth! :)

I'll probably do full body workouts 3x a week, with some random conditioning stuff thrown in somewhere(battle ropes, sprints, sled drags), maybe even some CrossFit WODs.

So goodbye for now, my dear workout log. No hard feelings, I just think we need some time apart.

Enjoy The Journey

It's so easy to get discouraged when you feel like the results you want just aren't coming fast enough.

It's so easy to get discouraged when you think about how far you have to left to go towards achieving your goal.

It's so easy to get discouraged on those days when you just don't seem to have the motivation you once had.

Sometimes people get so caught up on just getting results as fast as possible that they forget to enjoy the process!

I think one of the reasons I have had success is that I never really had an "end goal", as far as how I wanted to look, or getting to a certain weight or body fat percentage or anything like that. I wanted to build muscle, yes, but I never really even thought about how long it was going to take.

I just truly enjoyed lifting weights.

I loved going to the gym. I loved feeling and seeing my muscles work. I loved training hard and pushing myself with every rep. I loved getting stronger and seeing my weights increase over time. I loved seeing my muscles grow a little more and a little more. I loved learning as much as I could about fitness and nutrition and bodybuilding.

I enjoyed the journey so much that it was like I looked in the mirror one day and realized, 'woah-I've really come a long way!'

My time in the gym was (and still is) a stress reliever, an outlet, and an adrenaline rush! If I had only thought about how long it was going to take to get to where I wanted to be and didn't enjoy what I was doing along the way, I would've gotten discouraged many times.

But for me, there was never an "end" in sight. Fitness was my life. Lifting was my passion.

And although I have almost achieved the look I want, I will never stop. There will always be something new to learn. There will always be something I can get stronger at. There will always be new goals to set.

Fitness is NOT punishment; it should not be thought of as a chore. It should not be something that you dread. It is something that you do for yourself to honor and respect the body you were given, so that you can BE and FEEL the best that you possibly can.

Don't forget to have fun and enjoy the journey!

Compare Yourself to YOURSELF

As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, I am just like most women and am guilty of comparing my body to others. I look at pictures of fitness models, and they just look so perfect...and I wish that I could look like that!

Comparing yourself to others can sometimes be motivating by making you want to eat healthier and train harder, but then sometimes it can also be discouraging because it just causes you to focus on your flaws.

 Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to YOURSELF!

When I get discouraged or down about they way I look, it helps me to look back at old photos that remind me of how far I've come and how much progress I have made over the years. I may not look like the fitness models I compare myself to yet, but I have made some great improvements in my physique!

Back in 2006, I was sooo skinny! And what's funny is that I actually thought I had muscle. On the days when I still feel like this scrawny little girl, I just look back at this photo to remind myself of how far I've come!

It's hard to see the changes in yourself sometimes because they happen so slowly and over a long period of time. That's why progress photos are so important. I didn't notice the change in my body composition until I looked back at these photos and compared them to myself now.

There is still work to be done-it's an ongoing journey, of course-but I have a LOT more muscle than I did 6 years ago and am leaner and more defined than just 2 years ago. And it's NOT all about looks-I'm also MUCH stronger than I was back then and eat a lot healthier.

It's all about making improvements on yourself, not constantly comparing yourself to others!

Post Workout Treat

Most of us know that simple carbohydrates, such as white bread and white rice, starchy carbs, and sugar are bad for us and that they should not be included on a regular basis in a clean eating diet.

However, there is an exception-post workout!  For us bodybuilders(I like calling myself that, but I'm really not really) and/or people who want to build muscle, it is important to get in a fast digesting protein and carbohydrate source within 30 minutes after strength training. The goal is to replenish muscle glycogen stores and to increase protein repar.

According to John Berardi, Ph.D., "You need to consume enough carbohydrates to promote a substantial insulin release. Insulin is the hormone responsible for shuttling carbohydrates and amino acids into the muscle. In doing this, carbohydrate resynthesis is accelerated and protein balance becomes positive, leading to rapid repair of the muscle tissue. Therefore, by consuming a large amount of carbohydrates, you will promote a large insulin release, increase glycogen storage, and increase protein repair."

For the past few months I've been having my whey protein mixed with gatorade powder after workouts. Occasionally, I'll have a fruit and protein smoothie made with whey protein, almond milk, 1/2 banana, and frozen pineapple/mango.

This weekend I made some banana pudding, and I realized that it would be a perfect post workout treat! So this is what I'll be having after my workouts for the next few days, along with my whey protein shake:

I forgot how much I LOVE banana pudding!!!

For those of you who's main goal is not building muscle, I still think it's important to get in a good post workout meal. It could just be something like a fruit smoothie, or a protein shake with a banana, potato, or oats. Or just get in a real meal if you don't like protein shakes. Just keep the meal very low in fat or no fat, since fat slows down absorption, and you want those nutrients to get to your muscles fast!

What do you eat post workout?

Verse Of The Week

Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Colossians 3:23

Suns Out Guns Out(Wordless Weekend) :)

I Look Like A Man

So there have been  a few pictures of me popping up around the internet on various websites....And of course, along with all of the good comments, there are going to be some negative ones.

The latest picture of me posted to Pinterest is one where I'm flexing my bicep(my signature pose, ha!), and one commenter said that she thought I looked like a man!  Welp, that's the first time I've heard that one so far!

Honestly, comments like that don't bother me at ALL! I was telling my husband the other day that I actually take it as a compliment! Huh? A compliment, you say?? Yup!

I mean, of course I don't really want to look like a man, but the fact that I'm at the point where some people think that I'm "too muscular"  just shows me how much muscle I have gained. 5 years ago, I don't think anyone would've said something like that because I was a lot scrawnier! (And anyways, if she saw me in real life, she'd realize how tiny I really am....it's not like I walk around flexing all the time, well, most of the time...)

I understand that not everyone wants to be lean and muscular, but that's always been the look I have been striving for! I just love it. I'm not talking bodybuilder, but  the fitness model, athletic look is what I like....and I think that I've achieved that! :)

To me, muscle is beautiful on women. I love lean, fit bodies! My muscles give me confidence, strength, and they are a sign of my hard work and dedication. I would much rather be muscular than skinny and flabby. I'd much rather be STRONG than weak and unathletic.

I love my hard earned muscle!

What Do You Eat?

Check out this awesome post by Jen Comas Keck about the different nutritional strategies people use to achieve a lean and strong physique:

 http://www.jencomaskeck.com/2012/06/what-do-you-eat-peek-into-diets-of-some.html

I love this because it goes to show that different things work for different people. There is no right or WRONG way to eat. The way that I eat may not give someone else the same results. You just have to find what works best for YOU!

On a side note, I love Jen's blog, and I am honored that I was included among this list of people! So cool. :)

Friday Ramblings

Yay, it's Friday, so you know what that means for me! Soaking up the sun, grilling out, cruising in the Jeep, and my weekly weekend treat. :) Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE summer? I haven't? Oh-well, I LOVE SUMMER!!!

My back has felt great this week, and that makes me happy! The massage or the chiro or both seem to have helped! Hopefully next week I can get back into my normal weight training routine instead of being so random, which I hate. And I can't wait to be able to deadlift again!

 Today's workout was upper body. I did heavy bench presses and pullups, as well as some bodyweight dips and face pulls.

Here's me getting in set of weighted pullups with 35lbs. I was able to get 4 reps, which(I think) is a PR! I love pullups!

WIAW

Here's my sporadic "what I ate Wednesday" post:

8:00 1/2 cup oats, 1 scoop Syntha-6, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, coffee w/cream and Truvia

10:30 PWO-almond milk, 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition natural whey protein, 2 tbsps gatorade powder (vanilla protein+orange gatorade makes an orange creamsicle shake, and it is soooo yummy!)

12:00 Protein pancakes(made out of 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup oats, 2 egg whites) w/sugar free syrup, canteloupe

4:00 Chili made with lean beef and turkey mix, no salt added chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, 12 almonds

8:00 2 fried eggs, ~3 oz chicken breast, 1 cup broccoli

10:00 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, protein shake

**Approx. 2200 calories, 175g carbs, 82g fat, 200g protein, according to myfitnesspal.com**

Need Some Dinner Ideas!

I went to the chiropractor today, and it was really encouraging. I don't have an injury or anything major going on, just some muscle tightness and imbalances that can hopefully be fixed! I don't have any restrictions as far as working out, which is good to know! 

The plan is to go the chiro once a week, foam roll, stretch, and strengthen my gluteus medius. It has been driving me crazy not knowing exactly what was wrong and what to do or not do, so now that I know I feel SO much better.

Okay, soooo I need some new dinner ideas! I'm good with meals during the day, but I kind of hate my dinners because they're so boring...and because I'm a baby and hate eating my veggies!  I like to keep my dinners low carb-just protein, veggies, and some fat. Usually it's leftover chicken with broccoli, a lean beef patty with broccoli, or taco seasoned turkey breast with...yup, you guessed it! Broccoli!

There are not many vegetables that I like, but broccoli is one that I can tolerate. Trust me, I have tried preparing vegetables so many different ways, but have yet to eat a vegetable that actually tastes good to me. I don't like asparagus, cauliflower, peppers, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers or squash! I hate that I hate vegetables because they're so good for you...but I've really tried to make myself like them! I just end up choking them down with some water as fast as I can.

I actually tried a new strategy last night while eating my broccoli. I thought to myself, "Maybe it's all in my head and if I tell myself that I like broccoli, then I will!" So as I'm chewing my broccoli I'm thinking, "Mmmm...this tastes so good!"  Umm....yeah. That didn't work.

I've got to get creative and think of some better quick and simple dinner ideas! Any suggestions?

Verse of The Week

"If anyone wants to come with me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me."
-Luke 9:23

Wordless Weekend

Squats and Sunshine=Happy

I'm feeling much better today! It is absolutely gorgeous outside, and I just finished a great workout of snatches, squats, and a conditioning circuit. It felt good doing squats, even if I can't go as heavy. So far, my back is feeling good today!

Today's workout outfit:

I'm tellin' ya, there's something about knee socks that just make me more pumped to workout! I used to be self-conscious about wearing them to the gym, but now I could care less about what other people think of me.

Getting in a workout is always the best way to start the day, and something about seeing the sun shining as soon as I open my eyes in the morning just makes me happy! :) 

Later today we're going to watch The Hunger Games movie and then out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants. Have a great weekend everyone!

Blah Day....

My husband is watching wrestling for the third time this week, which I have NO interest in right now....therefore, I am writing my second blog post of the day....

Well, today was kind of a crappy day. I was in a bad mood, emotional, and it was 60 degrees and dreary out, which didn't help. 60 degrees on the first day of JUNE!?

I know it's partly because it's almost that time of month...but what set it off was my back. I had a massage Thursday evening, and it was great, it felt amazing....But I was hoping that it would give me some relief. It didn't.

I woke up yesterday still in pain. I woke up fine, not in a bad mood at all, until I started doing some house cleaning.  My back was just hurting the whole time, and it was just so frustrating that I broke down. I have never had back pain like this before that is constant and never goes away. It's been like this for a few weeks now. I know something is not right, so I'm going to the chiropractor next week. Maybe one day I can get this issue resolved!

Okay....so on another topic, I think I'm going to try an experiment with my eating. Sometimes I'm fine with the way I eat....and other times I have anxiety about it and feel like food controls my thoughts. Sometimes I just want to be able to eat what I want to eat without thinking so much about it!

I want to have a meal and not think things like, "This has too much fat", or "I can't eat this apple because I've had too many carbs today". I want to be able eat something without thinking that it's going to make me fat. And I'm not talking about junk food, I'm talking about healthy foods!

I'm going to try not being so strict with my eating, not worry about eating every 3 hours, not worry about getting a certain number of carbs/fat/protein at each meal...and see how my body responds. I don't want to eat like a bodybuilder/figure competitor for the rest of my life....I want to see if there is a better way!

I'm also thinking about changing up my training and going to a full body split, 3 times a week, plus one conditioning workout.  I want to try something different, and I've realized that I just don't like splitting my training into 1 or 2  muscle groups, like push/pull. It's boring to me now to do ALL back exercises or all chest exercises in one workout. I like variety, I like to lift heavy, I like basic, compound exercises, and I like low volume. 

Since I posted about wanting to build up my glutes, I've come across tons of posts on Facebook lately about glute training! So I have lots of new things to try once my back gets better! I love having a focus in my training, and pretty soon it's going to be all about GLUTES!