Lindsay's Ramblings

Well, I finally did it. Everyone at work has been trying to get me to do a WOD with our CrossFit group(Black Label CrossFit), but I kept chickening out and coming up with excuses each week not to do it. I have always been terrified of working out with a group for numerous reasons. I'm so used to working out by myself and going at my own pace, resting when I need to, and not having to worry about keeping up with other people. I was scared of how hard the workout would be, scared of not knowing anyone there, and probably more than anything, I was scared of coming in last! I was afraid that I'd fail, that I'd embarrass myself. So yesterday, just out of the blue, I decided to do the WOD that evening when I was finished my training sessions. I told myself, "You just have to do it. Get over your fear, and do it !"  Of course, I was nervous and thinking about it all day. I was afraid that I was going to chicken out again like I had every other time. When my la

Haven't done this in a while, so here ya go: 8:00 Chocolate peanut butter protein oats(1/2 cup oats, 1 tbsp natural pb, 1 scoop Syntha-6 protein powder) 12:15 Post workout: whey protein, 2 tbsp gatorade powder, almond milk 1:30    2 eggs, 1 white, fried, 1 turkey sausage patty(no nitrates), and my weekly bowl of cereal, which was Cinnamon Burst Cheerios today.  Oh-and a few Sunchips! :) 4:30   4oz crockpot chicken, apple, 1 tbsp almond butter 7:30   4oz  96% lean beef patty with 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 cup broccoli sprinkled with parmesan cheese 10:00 Whey protein shake with almond milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter *Roughly 2,000 calories, 170g carbs, 80g fat, 150g protein

Our Florida trip is booked and the countdown is on!!!! 38 days, and I'll be here: I'm so excited!! So now the big decision is...should I try to lean out a little, or just say 'who cares' and go the way I am?? I'm such a perfectionist!! I pretty like every part of my body except for my midsection, so I would like to lean out just a little . Too bad I can't just lose fat from my stomach and not anywhere else! But unfortunately that's not the way it works, so I'd have get leaner all over in order to get my abs to show more. Boo . :( Since I hit my goal weight of 125lbs, I have stayed there consistently for the past month. I can definitely tell that I've put on muscle since last fall (and others have told me I look like I've gained muscle), but I'm still lean, which is what I wanted. I really like the way I'm eating right now. I watch what I eat but don't feel like I'm dieting. I don't have anxiety about my food like I

If there is one thing that will improve your looks and your quality of life more than anything , it is strength training. Knowing this, it saddens me that when I'm at the gym, all I see are all the women on the cardio machines and not a single one of them in the free weight section. Maybe one or two might be in the stretching area playing around on an exercise ball....but that doesn't count. ;) (I think those balls should be outlawed in gyms-then maybe women would have to lift some weights!) The main reasons why I believe that most women don't ever get the full benefits of weight training: 1) They don't lift heavy enough 2)They don't do the right exercises 3)They don't give it enough TIME 4)They never get lean enough(due to nutrition) to SEE the muscles under the fat. One thing I have found is that the average gym goer usually focuses on cardio and neglects strength training when weight loss is the goal. By doing this they are missing out on the calo

Well, I made it through last week! Everything went well, and now I'm just glad that I'm back to my regular routine. ;) We followed up my busy week with a busy weekend. Saturday evening we went to watch a friend compete in the NPC Northern KY show. She won first place in Open Figure. Then Sunday we had a get together at our house with some people from my husband's work to celebrate her victory with pizza and lots of other very unhealthy food! So today is a GORGEOUS day. I had some time earlier to enjoy the weather in my hammock. Ahhh....I just love Spring! Tonight we are booking our trip to Florida!!! I don't think I ever mentioned that we were going. Matt told me on our anniversary that he would be getting enough vacation days, so that was a great anniversary gift! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many people use the "no time" excuse as the reason they don't exercise. Most people assume that they need at least an hour in the gym to get anything out of it and that anything less than that is pointless. Well, the thing is you DON'T really need an hour in the gym. If you are choosing the right exercises and using the right techniques, you can get in a workout in 30-45 minutes. In fact, my client's workouts are only 30 minutes. If  you are  extremely short on time, you can even get in a decent workout in just 15 minutes.Yes, it can be done. For example, here's what you could do in 15 minutes: 3-5 minute warmup of jumping jacks, squats, lunges, mountain climbers.  Then just pick 3 exercises to do in a circuit that would work your entire body, such as squats, dumbbell rows and overhead shoulder presses. Go through a warmup set of each one, then 2-3 working sets of 8-10 reps.  You could also throw some type of cardio in there, like jump rope or burpees to

Most of the time I am a pretty positive person. I try to always look on the bright side of things and count my blessings, rather than focus on the negative. But I mean, we all have our times, I'm sure, when we catch ourselves being negative and complaining about things in our life. I've found myself doing that this week. I've had a very, very busy week-doing a lot of training, long hours, and getting up much earlier than usual(as in 4:30 a.m. a couple of days, ugh)! I've found myself thinking numerous times throughout the week, "This is so exhausting", or "I just want this week to be over." And then I realized that I shouldn't be thinking like that. Yes, it's stressful because I'm not used to working this much anymore, but this was a great opportunity that God gave me. It's a chance to earn some more income and to share my knowledge with others. I get to help others and hopefully make them want to be healthier and more active.

This is going to be a crazy busy week! I am a little nervous because new situations scare me...but I got this! Every time you do something you're scared of you grow in confidence. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Living a healthy lifestyle requires some sacrifices. Everyone who eats healthy and exercises on a regular basis knows this and accepts it as part of their lifestyle.  If you want to be healthy and have the body you've always dreamed of, there are just some things you have to give up. You have to realize and accept this if you want results. If you're not willing to make some changes in your life, then you're just not ready to change...and therefore, you'll stay right where you are. Sacrifices : *Doritos *Donuts *Cereal(Okay, the first three were kind of joking...but not really.) *Fast food *Partying/socializing on the weekends *Going out to eat frequently *Your morning frappuccino/cappuccino, whatever it is *Spending a little more money on quality foods *Alcohol *Getting up earlier to go to the gym *Taking the time to cook food and plan your meals for the week *Having to prepare and pack food with you wherever you go What you gain as a result of thos

Okay, well it's not officially Spring YET...but it sure does look and feel like it! Here are some pics from my walk yesterday: Warmth and sunshine make me a happy girl. :)

Today is our 6 year wedding anniversary! I can't believe it's been 6 years already. It's been amazing, and I am still the happiest girl in the world! :) Some pics from the last 6 years:

I'm so glad the clocks got set forward over the weekend. I love having more daylight!! Well, thankfully that day I wrote about getting sick-that was me sick! I thought it'd be worse the next day, but I actually felt a little better and was able to train legs hard the next day. I had a couple nights of coughing, but besides that I felt pretty good! Saturday night after church, Matt and I went out to dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary that's coming up in a couple of days! I love getting dressed up and going out on a dinner date with my husband. :)  After dinner, we came home and had Reese's no bake for dessert-one of our favoritest treats! We were wanting to go out of town someplace for our anniversary, but we're still waiting to find out how many vacation days Matt will get...so who knows when that will be! Anyways, yesterday was a beautiful warm day. We went on our first ride in the jeep with the doors off! I'm so glad the warm weather is here.

Have to remind myself of this every single day-every time I look at a picture of someone who has abs, arms or a butt like I wish I had, or every time I see someone lift a weight that I wish I could lift. I have to remember-I am stronger than I was a year ago, I am leaner than I was 2 years ago, I have more muscle than I had 5 years ago, and I eat better than I did 10 years ago! I can only continue improving myself!

So I babysat my friend's little girl a few days ago, who was sick with a fever, runny nose and coughing.  I thought for sure I would not catch it because I rarely get sick. Even when my husband is sick I don't catch it. Well, today my chest hurts, I feel tired and weak, and I have no appetite....which could only mean one thing-I'm getting sick. :(  Boo. The only thing I'm worried about is not being able to train! I hate hate hate skipping workouts. I'm going to try to do my workout today, which is upper body, and *HOPE* that I will feel fine by tomorrow so that I can train legs!

"at present there is absolutely no solid evidence that strength training—or any other exercise or dietary program—will substantially prolong our life spans. But the preponderance of the scientific evidence, flawed as it is, strongly indicates that we can change the trajectory of decline. We can recover functional years that would otherwise have been lost." This is why I lift!! This is why I'm passionate about encouraging other people to lift weights. It's not just all about looking good or building a nice set of biceps, or having 6 pack abs- it's about quality of life. There are so many good things in this article. If this doesn't make you believe in the power of strength training, I don't know what will:   http://startingstrength.com/articles/barbell_medicine_sullivan.pdf GO LIFT!

I had an easy life until I was about 18 years old. Then my parents got divorced, my boyfriend found out he had a malignant brain tumor, and my dad died of cancer all within a few years. I had to watch my husband go through brain surgery, radiation, and then chemo for 2 years. Then he lost his job in 2009. All the while, I was constantly worrying about my sister and brother and the destructive paths their lives seemed to be taking after my dad died.      I’ve been through some tough times, just as most everyone has. There have been times when I have struggled with my faith and even doubted God. But even during the times when my faith was not that strong, He never left my side. He was always there to comfort me and give me peace. He always provided through everything, opened new doors and presented us with opportunities at just the right time.   I believe that God always works things out for our good.   Our pastor talked about this at church a few weekends ago. God takes all the thi

Snow!!

My husband and I had a great time rock climbing yesterday! I have done it a couple of times before, but it doesn't get any less scarier to me! I'm scared out of my mind when I'm getting close to the top, and it starts getting hard to breathe, and I really want to just stop and go back down....but it's a great feeling when you keep going and reach the top! And then a huge relief when you're back at the bottom! Definitely an adrenaline rush. I love being active and doing this kind of stuff! To me, fun is not a day at the spa, or shopping, or getting a mani and pedi(UGH). I don't want fancy dinners or matching shoes and bags to go with every outfit. Nope, what's fun to me is going rock climbing, hiking, or to the batting cage! What I love is having a guy to spot me on heavy squats and do sled sprints with! I'm a lucky girl to be able to do these things with my husband. :) So after rock climbing, we went home and had dinner, went to church, and then st

"Food is the most widely abused anti-anxiety drug in America, and exercise is the most potent yet underutilized antidepressant." - Bill Phillips

Here's what my current weight training program is going to look like for the next 4-6 weeks: Upper1: 1)Weighted pullups 5 sets of 3-8 reps 2a) Dumbbell bench press 4 sets of 6-10 2b) BB row 4 sets of 10-12 3a) Handstand pushups or dumbbell push presses 3b) Weighted decline situps -Short finisher(jump rope, battle ropes, burpees, etc.)- Lower 1: 1)Power clean or snatch 3 sets of 3-5 2)Front Squat  3 sets of 4-6 3)Deadlifts 2 sets of 6-8(once every 2 weeks) 4a) Leg press 3x10-15 4b)Single leg RDL 3x8-12 Short finisher or sled sprints Upper 2: Muscle up x3-5 1a) Military press 4 sets of 4-8 1b) Pullups 2a)1 arm DB row 4 sets of 6-12 2b) Feet elevated pushups 4 sets of 10-12 Lower 2: 1) Box jumps 2) Squats 3-4 sets of 4-10 3a) RDL 3 sets of 8-12 3b) Step up 3 sets of 10-12 4a) Hanging leg raise 4b) Standing calf raise Sprints or sled sprints