A New Routine

Last week I met with Blythe while she was in town. We talked about my current goals and what I would like to focus on over the next couple months. The main objective is for me to gain some muscle mass. I'm at 123lbs now, but I can tell that I've already lost some of the muscle mass that I had gained for the competition. Blythe would like for me to get to about 127, but keep my lean physique and just add muscle. She said that I'll probably look "smaller" but I'll see the scale go up.

Blythe put together some exercises for each muscle group and for my new routine, I'm to pick out two exercises per muscle group and incorporate a high intensity cardio interval between sets. The workouts should only be about 45-60 minutes long (so I've got to move FAST)! For nutrition, I'm to get 150 g of carbs 3 days a week, low to medium the other days, 150 g of protein every day and keep my fats around 50-60 g.

I'll start this new routine for tomorrow's workout! I've got to remember to push heavy weights, keep them intense and fuel my body for energy!

I'll keep you posted!

Dressed for Success!

Have you ever thought about what you wear while working out? I never did before, but then again, I was never really someone who "worked out" before last year. I remember throwing on some old sweatpants/yoga pants, a big t-shirt and grabbing whatever sweatshirt I could find if it was cold... You get the idea. I was FRUMPY and not put together; I didn't think about the quality of my clothing, how I was able to move in it and if it fit the needs of a working, sweating, straining body.

Over the last 18 months, I've learned the value of a good shoe. I wear Asics now. They support my narrow foot, provide the support and cushion I need and have outlasted other brands I've tried. I'm someone that puts a moderate amount of miles on the running shoe and I know that to protect the knees, ankles and legs, you need to invest in a good shoe. I also know that when the sole is wearing down, its time for a new shoe. It doesn't matter what brand you choose, just be sure to get a good shoe that fits YOUR needs.

As for clothing, I've learned that I like to see my body working. I want to see what muscles are used, I don't try to "hide" my body with clothing now; I want to see everything (especially the areas that need the most work!) I'm not saying I walk around in a sports bra and booty shorts, but I definitely wear tighter workout gear so I can see my muscles at work.

I also look for clothing that can "breathe". Lululemon (http://www.lululemon.com/) has great gear! I love their pants; most are reversable too, which helps add versatility to the wardrobe! There is great value in a good pant. A heavy material doesn't allow you to breathe or move. Then you have to worry about your pants shrinking or stretching and not holding their shape. I've never had the problem with Lululemon. You do have to airdry the pants, but I don't mind that, they dry quickly! Don't use fabric softener, as that can ruin the wicking effect that makes the pants so awesome!

I also love their jackets; they are great for running outside during the chilly months. They have the little thumb holes in the sleeve that keep your sleeve down during a run and protect your hands from the chill. They are thin and lightweight, but still offer great warmth, but also allow your body to sweat without getting too hot!

I get my sports bras and shirts from Target. They've got a great selection and they are pretty inexpensive. I like razorbacks and tank tops. Nothing annoys me more than a shirt that bunches in your underarm or feels like its glued to you.

Similar to your work life, you dress for success. You need to be properly dressed/prepared and equipped to do your job...same for your workouts. I'm not saying we all need to be dressed up and sportin' the latest styles, but I definitely feel better about myself and my workouts when I'm not uncomfortable and my clothing is jamming me up!

Happy Fall Ya'll! Pumpkin Pancakes!

In honor of the first day of October, I made Pumpkin Pancakes (a variation from the original Oatmeal Pancakes). OMGoodness, delicious!

2 c. Old Fashioned Oatmeal
1 c. No salt added Cottage Cheese
1 c. Unsweetened Canned Pumpkin
1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (I used Optimum Nutrition)
4 whole eggs
2 Tbsp. water
dash of nutmeg
dash of cinammon

Put all ingrdients in the blender, you can add more water if you need a thinner batter, pour onto griddle. Makes 12 small pancakes. 1 serving is 2 pancakes.

I haven't tried any spreads/toppings. I just eat plain; they compliment my coffee very well!

Enjoy!

Sweating the Stress Away

I woke up 30 minutes before I was supposed to (5:30 am) because I couldn't wait to get to the gym! Today was my first day to the gym with my new schedule! Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I'll be hitting the gym before work and I could not be more excited about this. I'm definitely a morning workout person.

After getting myself and my kids up and ready and out the door, I was at the gym by 6:45 and jumped on the treadmill for a quick warm up. To my surprise, my first trainer, Kelly Gonzalez comes bouncing towards me and we had a nice chat and caught up on everything. She recently went Bikini Pro and she was also eager to hear all about my experience with the show. It was WONDERFUL to see her and it reminded me what I love so much about the bodybuilding community; they get it. They understand why you pour yourself into the workouts and put yourself on the strict diets and push yourself beyond the average person's limits.

After a HARD, KICK ASS workout. I felt like a million bucks. I was sweating, hurting, sick to my stomach, shaking and SMILING. It felt amazing. I didn't think about work, kids, deadlines, meetings, pressures...nope, I thought about flexing, breathing, 1 more rep, make it to the line with two more lunges; it was intense!

My entire day has been so much better. I have a clear head, I feel energized and motivated and so focused. Gotta love a morning workout!

Building your Immune System

After taking a month off of working out and clean eating, I found myself extremely sick. I've had walking pneumonia and it has NOT been fun at all. My first week back on track and I didn't even make it the full week before I found myself, coughing, wheezing, unable to breathe and curled up in bed.

The first thing my husband says to me is, "its because you haven't been working out. You've been stressed out and not taking the time to take care of your body." When I talked to, Blythe, she said the same thing!

I started doing research on how exercise affects our immune systems and of course there was no surprise how much exercise helps build our immune system and keep us healthy! It really is a cycle: exercise reduces stress, which stregthens the immune system, which helps keep us strong and energized to exercise and build muscle! Not exercising, reduces the ability to release stress, which then weakens the immune system, therefore allowing illnesses and disease to weaken the body and make it difficult to find energy to exercise.

So now that I'm feeling much better, I'm back to my routine. I don't like the way I feel when I'm not on a schedule with exercise and nutrition.

Yeah, baby!

So I hit it hard today! Back to my diet (modified) and I worked hard in the gym tonight! It felt so good; although, I know I'll be hurting tomorrow...and the next day!

It felt awesome to be eating clean again; especially after the holiday weekend and to be completely honest, my horrible addiction to s'mores over the last several weeks!

I do need to come up with a schedule/routine now that the school year has started back up. I am definitely a morning person when it comes to working out, but at this point, I'll take what/when I can get.

My plan right now is:

Monday-off
Tuesday- legs
Wednesday-off
Thursday- back and shoulders/cardio
Friday- chest and arms/cardio
Saturday and Sunday- cardio only

With nutrition, I'm aiming for about 50-60g fats, 50-75-125g carbs, and 125-175g protein each day. A gallon of water/day and I'll continue with my viatmins.

:o)

125 lbs

I've put on some weight in the last 3 weeks, and I will admit that I have mixed feelings about that. I wasn't really comfortable at my lightest weight (119 lbs) but what woman likes to see the scale go up?

I'm still wearing sizes 0-2 and they look pretty good. I know that this is a comfortable size for me. I hope that this is my weight/size that I can maintain for life. I feel good, confident and secure with myself and I couldn't really ask for much more. Obviously, there will always be things about our bodies that we aren't 100% happy with or that we wish we could change (for me it will always be those gorgeous stretch marks that I was blessed with- I'll call them my battle wounds that are proof my body worked hard to give me my beautiful children)

So for now, I'm on a maintenance plan; I will continue to eat clean, lift weights, get 3 days of cardio in and live a healthy lifestyle. :o)