Category Archives: Fitness

Happy New Year!

 

 

happynew year

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013.

 

We grow.

We love.

We learn.

Do we ever find ourselves?

 

What do you want for 2013? 

 

I could write your eyes off about how much I want for 2013, but my words are dead unless I go and fulfill. My good friend, Amy, and I made a list of goals that we want for 2013 using the circle of life – measuring the balance in your life and (hopefully) restoring it.

The Categories are:

Career + School

Money

Health

Fun + Recreation

Physical Environment

Friends + Family

Significant Other

Personal Growth

 

I def have a lot to work on if I want change and growth, but that is why we are humans. We have in inevitable ability to change and grow when the opportunity arises. I don’t want to leave this life accomplishing nothing and letting life pass me by and not making the most of my life. I want to help and encourage others, but that’s not going to happen sitting on my couch waiting for them to come to me – time to get off my butt and look for ways to encourage and help people.

Strategies:

Time Blocking - Making a schedule of specific times that I need to do specific things…oh, and actually doing them.

Planning My Week – I worked for someone who always encouraged me to “see my day” and heck, see others days too. That way you know where you can spare time and you know if you get behind or even ahead, where you can cut time, etc.

Make a Vision Board - See what you want to accomplish and therefore do it. This is a great exercise that can help with processing your goals.

Make a Soundtrack for Productivity - If you’re like me, music helps everything! It can dictate my mood and help/hinder what I am doing. So, if you need a little help being productive, working out, cleaning, etc. then listen to music!! (Songza.com is a really fun and enjoyable playlist creator based on what you are doing and what you are feeling)

 

alright, lets go into 2013 with a fresh perspective and never-take-no-for-an-answer attitude.

 

welp, this post isn’t long enough I move on to my next order of business:

FitNASS – (Fitness) 

I am almost done with my original 12-week program (Ive taken a week off here and there for Holidays and even now i’m battling a stomach ache from el diablo himself which is very unfortunate because it is interrupting my eating..and this girl’s gotta eat!)

but, I wont let that slow me down. Im going to the doctor this afternoon and then (hopefully) to the gym, for at least cardio!!! :) :) Yesterday was impossible. It hurt to move.

So for the last 3 weeks of the program (currently on week 2 out of 3), i’ll be carb cycling. This hasnt been easy and I didnt realize how many carbs were in foods that I love. Thankfully for New Years I went high carb (maybe a little overboard).

Week 10 – 4 days low carb, 1 day high carb, 2 days high carb

Week 11 – 1 day high carb, 3 days low carb, 1 day high carb, 2 days low carb

Week 12 -1 day low carb, 1 day high carb, 3 days low carb, 1 high carb, 1 low carb

 

On high carb days my breakdown is:

Cals – 1500

Carbs- 188g

Protein – 131g

Fat – 25g

 

On low carb days:

Cals -1500

Carbs- 75g

Protein – 210g

Fat – 40g

 

The workouts are more intense and im doing a lot more work with my heart rate zones. Trying to kick it up for a portion of the workout with HIIT and lifting for endurance.

To see the workouts, just go here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-3.html – weeks 10-12.

 

I’ll admit that through the holidays i’ve been cheating more than normal and New Years Eve was my last drinking day until cruise day in March. The effects are terrible (i feel groggy, achy, and pukey)..im sorry, not worth it.

 

For 2013 OLR will see more recipes, fitness motivations, inspiring words, challenges, and posting period.

What would you like to see more of?

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Fitness Update

No fear…that is what I should be living. I am all for living a life of no fear, being great and taking chances however I feel lost…with no direction and I don’t know how to get my butt in gear. I think people usually go through this when they grow up, but I have just always had a plan and now I am waiting.

So while I wait, I workout ;) I am almost done with the 12 week program, which is going to take me around 14 weeks because I took a week off for Thanksgiving and this week has been so sporadic that I want to start Phase 3 over again on Monday.

For this phase let me tell you…it’s intense! A lot of active rests and super sets  also sprints (which is making me pray for leg day!)

On the docket for this week:

Monday – Quads + Calves

Tuesday – Back, Arms, Abs, + Sprints

Wednesday – Chest, Shoulders, Abs, + Sprints

Thursday – Hamstrings, Glutes, + Calves

Friday – Back, Biceps, Abs, + Sprints

Saturday – Shoulders, Triceps, Calves, + Sprints

Sunday  - Rest

 

Im running into a problem where I am exhausted after an hour in the gym and im not making it through my workouts. I’m not sure what the problem is, I may just be tired…I dont know.

Does anyone else run into this? If so, how did you overcome it?

 

Ok…time for some progress pics.

(abs – from September to December, last week)

abs progres sep to dec 2012

side abs sep to dec 2012

biceps (sep – december)

bicep sep to dec 2012

 

ok….now time for wine (red wine)

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Last 2 Weeks of Phase 2

Whoo hoo!! Last 2 weeks of phase 2! I took a week off for Thanksgiving (and partly because I  was a tad sick). This week im back in the gym and after feeling fat and soft on Monday I am happy to report that I am back to the same old sore-self. ;)

 

On the docket for weeks 7 & 8-

Monday – Abs, Arms + Cardio

Tuesday- Legs

Wednesday – Chest, Abs + Cardio

Thursday – Shoulders

Friday – Legs

Saturday – Back, Delts + Cardio

Sunday – Rest

Also I am now counting calories. My goal is 130 pounds which means that my days are now broken up into high calorie and low calorie days. On higher calorie days Ill be working the major muscle groups: legs, chest, and back. The lower calorie days will be rest days and days that I work abs, shoulders, and arms.

Higher Calorie Days = 1800    Lower Calorie Days = 1500

 

So far so good, however yesterday I did strain my lower back while doing deep squats :(  I will take today and tomorrow off and pray that I feel better by Monday.

 

Time for a couple progress pics:

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Start of Phase 2

Thats all folks, Phase 1 is officially in the past. Before I move on to Phase 2 I would like to reflect on a couple of things that Phase 1 has taught me.

Things I’ve learned from Phase 1:

Patience – Building muscle takes time and a lot of hard work! I know that I have to gain muscle to lose weight.

Perseverance - Building muscle is not a one time event. When i’m tired and I don’t think I can go any longer I think about what my goals and what I want my body to achieve. I know that muscle is not built overnight.

It’s ok to admit weakness – I’m not perfect and never will be. There are things that are harder for me and that will challenge me, but its ok to fail. If I fail, I fail, but at least I tried.

 

Ok, on to Phase 2 -

This weeks workouts:

Monday – Back + Cardio

Tuesday - Chest/Abs + Cardio

Wednesday – Legs

Thursday – Arms/Abs + Cardio

Friday – Shoulders + Cardio

Saturday – Legs

Sunday – Rest (Thank Jesus!)

 

I have to admit today (Tuesday) is the first day that I actually did not want to go to the gym, it took all of me to power through my workout.

What do you do for motivation?

 

 

Current Obsession:

pumpkin protein pancakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

(adapted from here)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Oat Flour
2 tbsp Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
4 Egg Whites
1/2 cup Raw Pumpkin
1 1/2 cups unsweetened Almond Breeze
Directions:
Preheat griddle to medium heat.
Mix oat flour, Splenda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in a bowl.
Wisk egg whites and pumpkin. Mix in Almond Breeze.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
Spray griddle with non-stick butter spray.
Scoop batter with a 1/4 cup measuring cup onto griddle. Cook 3-5 minutes on a side.
Makes 10 pancakes.

 

 

 

 

 

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Fitness Motivation: The Fitness Artist

The Fitness Artist

Personal Fitness Trainer / Sports Nutritionist and Legal Assistant (fellow Livefitter & blogger)

fitness artist main pic

What does your diet consists of? Oatmeal, berries, apples, egg whites, spinach, chicken, turkey, salmon, tilapia, whole grain bread (rarely), red meat, chili, cottage cheese, asparagus, kale, pumpkin, cucumbers, nuts, chia seeds, flax oil, fish oils, lettuce, tuna, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, dark or red veggies, green tea, desserts gum to help calm my sweet tooth!

How often do you eat? I eat every 3-4hrs (approx. 6 small meals a day)

fitness artist pic 2

Pre workout meal?  Banana, water, almonds
Post workout meal? Whey protein shake

Food cannot go without? oatmeal!

fitness artist pic 3

What is a typical day for you? Wake up, breakfast, work, workout, yoga and rest.

What do you do when you workout? I workout 6x a week focusing on different muscle groups each day (ex: Chest/Triceps, Back/Biceps, Legs, Abs/Shoulders, etc). I use drop sets 3-4 sets rep range 12-10-8-4. I do cardio 3x a week at the moment.

Tips?  Eat often (smaller portions), have protein in each meal to keep you feeling full, drink LOTS of water throughout the day, enjoy life and push your limits! (I have a blog: TheFitnessArtist.weebly.com Facebook Group for Women: No Chocolate , Instagram: Fitness Artist a.k.a. Kreatistyk)

fitness artist pic 4

What is the most challenging thing you deal with when it comes to staying in shape? DIET! I workout hard and being a Personal Trainer I’ve got that down pretty easy. My diet however, even knowing what I should/shouldn’t eat somedays, I know sometimes I give in to temptations (sweets & refined carbs mostly) and then have to start over again the next day.

Motivational tip? DO YOUR BEST EVERYDAY. Remind yourself constantly of the journey you are on and vizualize the outcome you want then GO FOR IT! FIGHT!

fitness artist pic 5

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Week 4/ Day 1

This is the last week of Phase 1. I am excited to finally be done with this whole bulking process. I’ve gained 4 pounds so far, which is not a lot and hopefully all muscle. It’s just hard feeling like going out in public or interacting with people when you are above your comfortable weight.

Patience is key. This state is not permanent and I need to earn my new body, but in the meantime it’s hard not to feel inadequate when I see people way more advanced than I. It’s all a head game. “Do not give in, push through” – this is what I tell myself.

 

This week workout as follows, (last week without cardio):

Monday – Legs

Tuesday – Back/Biceps

Wednesday – Chest/Triceps

Thursday – Legs

Friday – Shoulders/Abs

 

Current Workout Favorites:

Gangam Style – PSY

Dont Wake Me Up – Chris Brwn

Cockiness (Love It) (Remix) – Rihanna

Work Hard, Play Hard – Wiz Khalifa

Headlines – Drake

ShockOne – Reija Lee

Neez In The Trap – Niki Manaj

Mercy – Kanye West

Go Get It – T.I.

Sweet Talk EP – Kito + Reija Lee

 

What songs keep you moving at the gym?

Stay sweaty my friends!

 

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Path to Transformation and Phase 1

I want to change. I am not satisfied and I strive for better things.

I started getting into working out about a year ago. At that time it was mainly just cardio about 3 – 4 days a week and a few weights here and there. I didn’t really understand how the body worked, lean muscle mass, or post + pre workout importance. As I got more involved, I started reading a lot and experimenting with various routines and diets. I remember one of my good friends, Natasha, and I were at spin class and we were talking about fitness and I was sharing my struggles. Her advice resonated with me, she told me that I have to want it, I have to want to be in shape and I have to want to take care of myself more than I want anything else. From then on I never looked back – I became hungry. From there I contacted my younger sister, Stephanie, and began picking her and her husbands brain (they are both in fantastic shape and her husband has been lifting and working out for 10+ years).

One of the milestones for my fitness career was joining a gym. I began weight weight training in the morning and cardio in the evening. This was a lot and I never thought that it was possible to overtrain your body. I was sore all the time, which I saw gains, but not like I wanted. I was a strict raw/vegan at the time and I saw very little gains in my muscle and strength. After about a month of this, I sat down with a personal trainer and mapped out a plan that would be best for my goals. This was like a huge eye-opener; basically because I had lost a significant amount of weight, my muscle were very weak because I wasn’t really training them correctly or consistently, and I had been overtraining. The trainer really helped me understand that 5 pounds of lean muscle mass burns up to 500 calories a day. For the next two months I concentrated on building my strength and taking my nutrition one step at a time (I was still raw/vegan). One of my friends, Amy Jo Beaver, really turned me on to lifting. She is a former fitness competitor that has mad strength! She is the main one who taught me form in the lifting arena and she taught me how to sculpt my glutes ;) .

The more research I was doing the more I thought about incorporating egg whites and whey protein into my diet. I knew that they animal proteins would help me make more hard gains, and they were light enough for my system to digest. I slowly started seeing little gains, but I wanted more. Thats when I found Jamie Eason’s 12-Week LiveFit Trainer. Basically I would be Bulking – eating clean and weight training (phase 1), Shredding - incorporating cardio, cutting carbs, and fat burning (phase 2), and Maintaining – carb cycling  HIIT (high intensity interval training), and super-setting (phase 3). I would be eating every 2-3 hours very controlled portions. Basically I had nothing to lose, so I took a leap of faith.

So that brings me to now, currently today I am in Week 3/Day 6. I have been bulking for 20 days. I feel fat, bloated, and retaining water most of the time, but I know it will be worth it when I start phase 2. I have seen massive strength gains.

Workouts: For the first 2 weeks of phase 1 I was working out 4 days a week, but now I have increased to 5 days a week. I am resting 60 secs in between sets to give my muscles time to breathe. I am lifting at 60% max effort. I have one more week of phase 1, then on to phase 2 (finally!). I will break down phase 2 diets further along in the blog…

 

Diet: eating 5 – 6x a day.

Meal 1 (within 1 hour of waking): 5x egg whites, 1 starch, unlimited veggies (and berries if I want)

Meal 2: 4 homemade protein bars, 2 turkey muffins, or a small meal (e.g. 1/2 starch + 4oz lean protein)

Meal 3: 6-8 oz lean protein, 1 starch, unlimited veggies

Meal 4: 4 homemade protein bars, 2 turkey muffins, or a small meal (e.g. 1/2 starch + 4oz lean protein)

Meal 5: 6-8o z lean protein, 1 starch, unlimited veggies (No starch/carbs at least 3 hours before bed)

Meal 6 (often eaten pre-bed, or close to bedtime): 5 egg whites and veggies or a protein shake

 

What i’ve made:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Protein Bars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Protein Bars

 

3-Bean Turkey Chili

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey Muffins

 

 

 

Supplements:

Omega-3 Fish Oil

Womens Multi-vitamin

BCAAs

Calcium

Pre-workout C4 (only on days I workout)

 

Progress Pics, (so far): I am terrible at taking progress pictures, but I have some:

 

Phase 1. Week 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can’t wait to share the rest from week to week!

 

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Fitness Routine: Upper Body

Ah yes, the upper body. I know that a lot of women are cautious when doing upper body workouts because we don’t want to become the hulk, but it’s important to remember that we need a strong frame. Lifting lighter weights for longer reps will help reduce bulkiness, but gain strength.

Adjust the weight as you need.

 

Arnold Press

10 pounds 12 reps x 4 sets

 

One Arm Row

12 reps x 4 sets

 

Bent Over Row

30 pounds 12 reps x 4

 

Lateral Pull Down

12 reps x 6 sets

} super-set

Seated Cable Rows

12 reps x 6 reps

 

Front Raise

12 reps x 4 sets

} super – set

Bench Dips

12 reps x 4 sets

 

Overhead Tricep Extension

10 pounds 12 reps x 4 sets

 

Tricep Pushdown

10 pounds x 12 reps x 4 sets

 

Bicep curls

7 – 8 pounds 12 reps x 4 sets

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Fitness Routine: ABS

Tomorrow is ab day!! Below is the workout I will be doing:

 

Hanging Leg Raises or Leg Ups
3 sets of 20 reps

 

Hanging Leg Raise (twisting for obliques)
3 sets of 20 reps left side
3 sets of 20 reps right side

 

Front Cable Crunches With Rope (increase resistance each set)
3 sets of 15 reps

 

Side Crunches (on floor)
3 sets of 25 left side
3 sets of 25 right side

 

Decline Sit-Ups
3 sets of 15

 

JACK-KNIFE SIT-UP
3 sets of 15 reps

 

Reverse Crunch
3 sets of 15 Reps

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Fitness Routine: Legs

Legs, Quads/Calves/Hamstrings  wk 1:

(? indicates that I am unsure how much weight I will use)

Quadriceps

Squats
20 pounds x 6 sets

 

Leg Press
no weight x 6 sets
 

Leg Extensions
45 pounds x 6 sets

 
Calves 

Standing Machine Calf Raises
20 pounds x 6 sets

 
Leg Press Toe Presses
no weight x 6 sets

 

Hamstrings 

Dumbbell Lunges
10 – 20 pounds x 6 sets

 
Hack Squats
no weight x 6 sets

 

Straight-Leg Dead Lifts
no weight to start x 4 sets

 
Seated Hamstring Curls
? weight x 6 reps

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