I have one test in physics to get through and one quiz in math analysis. I got this. I'll probably just be staring at the clock the whole time though so I can bust out of school and race my little tush home! Don't get me wrong, I don't mind school but this week has been so exhausting. And it's only going to get worse. Sigh. I guess I better suck it up now!
I have work orientation tomorrow for 2.5 hours. I'm really excited to have this job and incredibly thankful. For anyone who is curious, I am working at Penn Station which is a sandwich shop notable in the east coast. Anyone from there a Penn Station fan?
The great thing is, this place is literally right next door to my gym. So I can either get in my workout before or after my shift which is so convenient for me! Love that.
Also, I get to meet with my trainer hopefully tomorrow to go over personal training certification requirements. I am really excited to do this because in my future, I want to be a certified personal trainer and I feel like I know a lot already, but want to expand my knowledge even further. It's really nice of Mary (my trainer) to allow me to study with her so I can get a 'head start' basically on learning what I will need to know.
I technically know all the basics, but now I get to refine my knowledge down to the nitty gritty details. I plan on learning more about the musculature of the body and cool things like that. This stuff intrigues me! It definitely makes me think of what I want to do with my life. I've really wanted to be a psychologist for as long as I can remember, but to be 100% honest I'm considering all different kinds of careers all across the spectrum.
Psychology is a huge interest for me, but I'm trying to deduce how I will juggle figure competitions, persona training AND psychology all at the same time. You think I can do it? ;) I just don't want to make any concrete decisions on what I want to do with my life at the moment. Everything is open to change and if I make up my mind now, I could be missing out on so many other options that may suit be better, so we'll see.
Well... this post has basically been an incoherent ramble, so I guess I will continue on with that trend...
Is anyone else totally pumped for the Olympia?! I've been following along with all of Erin Stern's Road to the Olympia videos and blog posts on Muscle & Fitness Hers. Just to witness the dedication and amount of work that competitors put into preparation astounds me. It's incredible! I'm really excited to see who takes first and I am willing to bet it's going to come down between Erin Stern and Nicole Wilkins... yet again. ;)
We're halfway through the week! Hold strong people! You can make it! (With the help of LOTS of coffee and ridiculous reality TV to keep you from going insane.)
In honor to maintain the optimism, I'm going to highlight my recent top 5 favorite exercises. :)
I feel like I talk a lot about strength training and training in general on here, and well, that's my goal, so you'll be seeing it a lot. :) Just thought I'd warn you!
Anyways, let's get to it! In no particular order...
My legs are my worst enemy in my journey to building muscle. They take a little more coaxing. But I don't hate them. I mean, they get me from place to place so I gotta love them! I recently just started doing hack squats and I really like them. Due to the angle, you are able to put on a lot more weight so some people dub it 'easier.' But, I've never done them before so it was really fun and experimental to do a variation of a squat that wasn't the typical barbell back squat. I was really able to go deep with these and I am still feeling it in my booty. Baby got back!
Ahh, I love my box jumps. I have found that adding explosive plyometrics like these into my fitness regime has really helped add some size to my legs. Plyos work those fast twitch muscle fibers! These in particular get my heart rate spiked and are really exciting. I am on the second to last tallest box and I can rock out at least 30 on them. The tallest one is so intimidating and the other day I almost just sucked down my fear and did it. But, alas, the fear of falling in my face was ever so present and there were a lot of people at the gym... SO, needless to say, I still have some work to do. But I'm going to attempt it this weekend!
I talked about clean & presses here not too long ago. This is essentially the same idea, just no press. This is an Olympic lift so it is crucial not to get too ambitious on your first try. I have been doing these with a very light weight and I love what they have been doing for my shoulders. I also love the adrenaline rush I get from them! They are so fun. I always make sure to have someone watch me as I am doing these because these can be quite dangerous and I do not want to injure myself.
I remember the first time my trainer brought in her TRX suspension system. I thought "Psh, this thing is for pansies." Then she told me to do 20 of these. I could only muster 12. That was some time ago. Now I can get up to 20, and I really feel the burn. Don't knock the TRX until you try it; it's a different foundation for building muscle and it's super fun! Using your own body weight for suspension is much harder than it sounds.
I heard of these through Liz (from whom I got the name modified shoulder press) and Sable. These are a fantastic exercise to really wear out the shoulders. You basically lift the barbell overhead and then behind your head, and then lift it back to starting position. This puts constant tension on the shoulders so it never really gets a 'break.' It's excellent for fatiguing the shoulders. You should go pretty light on these though because you will fatigue fast!
Well, there are my top 5 favorite exercises at the moment. My taste buds are always so I am sure you will all be seeing another one of these in the future. :)
Have a whimsical Wednesday!
Questions: What are some of your current favorite exercises? Any from this list that you like as well? Dislike?
I have two things to share today! First, as per usual, is my opinion on something which I am sure you are all bouncing out of your seats to hear. Second, I have a marvelous recipe to enlighten everybody with so keep on readin'.
I wanted to point out that some people are clearly oblivious at the gym as to what they are doing. Obviously. But sometimes the things people do are so ridiculous to me. And the worst part is, if anybody dare tries to help this person do something the correct way, then they feel like they are being picked on.
No.
I can say for myself at least that I used to get really sensitive when someone corrected my form and told me I was doing an exercise completely wrong. But now I know better, as I am sure that the person advising me is simply trying to help me, not hurt me. I'd probably end up hurting myself if I didn't heed the advice anyways!
I saw a few questionable things yesterday and there is just the one person who I always see doing who knows what and yet he doesn't listen to the other experienced gym-goers and continues to lift incorrectly.
This is what I see: an emphasis on the utilization of the Smith machine and a lack of a range of motion.
I often see people doing bench press or shoulder press on the Smith machine. I'm not going to tell them they shouldn't do it, you should do what works for you, but I will say that one will probably get more bang for their buck by using the Olympic bar, barbells and dumbbells. One particular guy I saw was 'bench pressing.' He stacked the 45's on the thing and, being a very small guy, was about to lay down on the bench and press it out. Well, he unhooked the Smith machine bar and moved the bar maybe a half an inch to his chest and back up. He barely moved it towards his chest, A.K.A. the goal of the bench press. He then repeated this for a few reps. Huh?
Also, I always see a guy doing exercises like tricep pulldowns, lat pulldowns, high rows, etc. with an incredible amount of weight that even the huge guys can't lift and barely getting in a full range of motion. He moves it maybe two inches and he is done. What? You're not working your muscles and all by doing that. If it's too heavy, MOVE THE WEIGHT DOWN! Using a lighter weight and getting the necessary range of motion to properly hit a muscle will always trump going as heavy as physically possible and moving the weight maybe two inches.
It makes me cringe seeing this. And I probably sound too big for my britches here. I mean, I'm only a 16-year-old girl, what do I know about lifting? Well, I know enough by now to know how to do an exercise properly, if that answers the question. I'm not trying to preach! I'm just putting in my two cents, and I am willing to guarantee that some people reading this will agree with me.
Lifting properly with good form > letting your ego tell you to lift heavy and getting hurt.
I'm afraid of the day that my weight room turns into snap city due to some atrocious form. I don't want to hear any bones snapping!
Anyways, rant over, and onto the recipe...
Peanut-ty Protein French Toast
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of P28 bread
- 1-2 eggs or 3-4 egg whites
- 2 tbsp. peanut flour
- 2 tbsp. milk + 2 additional tbsp. milk
- maple syrup or sugar-free syrup
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat it on low-medium heat. In a flat bowl, crack the eggs/egg whites into it and add 2 tbsp. of milk (I used almond), baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk the mixture up. Coat the two slices of bread in the mixture and place on the heated pan. Let each side cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. In a separate small bowl, mix together the peanut flour and other 2 tbsp. of milk. You may need to add a little bit more water to this to get the preferred consistency. Place the cooked French toast on a plate and heat up the syrup. Pour over the French toast and coat the toast with the peanut sauce. Sprinkle more cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice on top.
This. was. scrumptious. I cannot tell a lie. Give it a try! (Rhyme time!)
Have a marvelous Monday friends. Let me know if you try the recipe!
Questions: Do you see people barely moving a weight in the gym? What bothers you in the gym? Do you ever let your ego get to you? Have you ever made 'health-ified' French toast?
It's Saturday, and to be 100% honest I'm not really feeling like one of my more fitness-related posts. Recently, I've been finding the circumstances of my life improving and I feel like I need to show gratification for it.
It's the little things.
It truly is. Alex did a post on her little smiles not too long ago, and I think for today that I am going to jump on this bandwagon and name a few things that elicit a smile in me. Whether it's a little smirk of a smile or a wide grin, it nonetheless fills me with happiness, right?
1. This Sisters in Iron shirt from Tosca Reno.
Gosh, I just love it. When I got it in the mail, I ripped it open like a bull in a china shop. I immediately tore off the shirt I had on (man, that sounds really inappropriate...not like THAT...) and threw this one on. And, naturally, I proceeded to take 100 pictures of myself in it. It's not only comfortable, but it's super cute and has a great message. I am proud to be a female teenager representing all the sisters in iron of the world. Tosca and her team rock. :)
Here's a little test that will determine whether or not you have the initial heart of the Grinch or not: Look at this picture. If it makes your heart melt, you're safe. If it doesn't, you're doomed. Haha, just kidding. I know not EVERYONE is swayed by the cuteness of puppies (well that's like .00001% of the population). I love dogs of all kinds though. I'm such a dog person. :)
3. This song.
Oh my gosh... this song... EPIC. My dad used to play this song for me all the time as a little girl along with some other really weird 70's, 80's and 90's songs. This one always made me want to dance around though. Whenever I'm in a 'funk' of sorts, I sing this song in my head and instantly my mood is uplifted. This song will forever be archived in my list of favorites!
Okay, so I had to sneak something fitness-related in here. But seriously, I love exercise endorphins, especially after a really heavy lifting session. It feels incredible. I'm like a jacked up Energizer Bunny on crack from all of the endorphins and adrenaline coursing through my veins. The DOMs the next day usually tells me that I shredded my muscles apart, but I could do without the unbearable pain after doing glutes because at my school, we have the hardest chairs evarrr and it KILLS to sit down on them. But I earned it!
5. My mom being my biggest fan.
She's going to murder me for posting this picture but OH WELL since she won't take any others from me. ;) Katie mentioned that she saw my mom had commented on one of my posts and on my Twitter. Yup! My mom is my #1 fan and supports me in everything that I do. What more could I ask for? She really puts things into perspective for me. I love her. <3
Well, there's five little smiles for this lovely Saturday. I hope you all have a great weekend. I have super duper exciting things coming up for me on the blog and in real life so I can't wait to share it with you all. :)
Questions: What's a little smile of your own for today?
I'm going to preface this post with a little pacer test recap that I mentioned in this post here earlier in the week.
Well, during my trial, I was the last girl to finish running which I was really proud of. I managed to get to about 62 and ultimately I am okay with that. I was a little angry afterwards, to be quite honest though. Why? Well, I knew I could've kept going but I just quit because I felt a little anxiety and pressure. I know. How stupid! But it's true. A girl who went in the trial before me did manage to break the record for the girls in the school at 85. Good for her! It was really cool to see her accomplish it.
Overall, I am proud of where I got. We get to retake the pacer once again in December and you better believe I am smashing my record. I'm going for 80 at least!
Anyways... let's jump into the main point of this post.
Recently, I have seen a lot more bloggers open up about their concern for other bloggers who seem to not be making the healthiest choices. Here are a few good ones:
These all point out some very good points. It's true that not all 'healthy living bloggers' are living up to that title. I don't like to judge or point my finger out at circumstances that I just don't know. That is not my intention. I frequently (and will continue to) bring up the fact that some people looking to build muscle with try to find every way possible to not abide by the muscle-building rules for the sake of maintaining a 'skinny' frame. I'm sorry. But you just have to suck it up. What do you want to build muscle for? You're not going to meet that goal unless you stop the excuses and try. That means eating the necessary amounts of food and getting adequate amounts of rest.
More importantly, don't skip out on the carbs. I see this too much. Salads filled with tons of veggies are good healthy meals and there is absolutely no denying that. However, in terms of muscle building, that is simply NOT enough carbs to help you attain your goals. These meals will help people trying to lose fat but maintain muscle, like people who are in pre-competition.
I am by far NO expert on this subject and I certainly hope that I do not come across as being 'preach-y.' I'm simply sharing what I have learned through my own muscle-building journey. And here's a little secret: I used to do this 'veggie-loading' thing thinking that I was getting enough carbs from the veggies. WRONG. Unless you are eating 50g+ of carbs from veggies (which, let me tell you, would be A LOT of veggies), you're not going to be consuming enough carbs.
There is a misconception (that even I once believed) that protein is the most important part of building muscle. But alas, I have learned differently: it is the carbs that make the difference. Trust me. Now I know that's asking for a lot considering I'm asking people maybe a few years or more older than me. I'm only 16, what do I know?! But I've experienced enough to find out that it's true.
Carbs build muscle. End of story. Now, carbs alone don't build muscle, and the 'bad' carbs (A.K.A. the simple carbs like soda and candy) will certainly not help you. You must combine quality complex carbs and protein to build muscle. And you don't have to bulk up only on clean foods! I HAVE LEARNED THIS!!! Enjoy yourself. That could 1-3 times a week. And don't go for the safe options--if you're getting ice cream and your favorite candy is Butterfingers but you think adding walnuts would be healthier, ADD THE BUTTERFINGERS! "But I need to limit the sugar, fat, etc." No. It's a treat for a reason. I don't understand the notion of trying to make every treat meal 'somewhat' healthy. Just do it and enjoy! Don't deprive yourself and try to eat clean 24/7. I believe in eating healthy for a majority of my meals but sometimes I just want a giant bowl of fro-yo with every sugary candy on top.
My favorite complex carb besides butter-flavored rice cakes. ;) (Source)
It's important to know too that if you're trying to build, don't limit your carbs at dinner or before bed. I may get a few disagreeing responses with this one but too often I see dinners lacking in the carb department, as well as before bed snacks. I believe that you should still add carbs to your dinners. If you're trying to maintain, maybe you will be told to limit the carbs at dinner, but for the sake of building muscle, you should still consume some carbs late at night. Before bed, if you add a little carbs in your snack, you will probably see increased muscle growth. Don't fear it. I used to, but it has helped me immensely.
One last thing, I know some people can't handle grains well, like oats, brown rice, barley, millet, sorghum, wheat berries, wheat, etc. But there are other ways to find good quality complex carbs, like consuming quinoa and sweet potatoes, as well as fruit. The lovely Sara always tells me do find what works for YOU. And it is so true. For the most part, I believe that it is necessary to up the carbs to put on the muscle, and this point is just ME explaining MY opinion, not me telling you all what's right and what's wrong. Some people don't do well with carbs, and I completely understand that. Don't fear, there's always a way to reach your goals.
I hope I opened some minds on this one, and that I didn't sound like I was trying to preach to anyone like I am some almighty knowing genius of nutrition and muscle-building. Far from it, friends. But I am good with observation.
As always, please e-mail me (my e-mail is found in the about me section of my blog) if anyone has any questions or concerns. I am more than happy to lend my two cents. Have a great day everyone!
Questions: Are you easily influenced by HLBs and what they tend to eat and do in terms of working out? Do you believe carbs are a stimulus to build muscle or are you more adamant on protein? Don't be afraid to share your opinion! I'm open about it!
Oh wow, I sound so happy for 'hump day.' It's like hey we're halfway through the week! but then it's all like but we still have half of it left...
Oh well. Why? Because at this very moment in time I am so thoroughly and genuinelyhappy. I feel as if I haven't really ever felt this way and let me just say... it freakin' rocks.
First, I got a job yesterday. It's my first job and I am so super duper excited! My new boss (who is pretty much the nicest guy I have ever met) hired me on the spot. I was in shock. I can't tell you how long I have been waiting for this! I am one hardworking girl so you better believe I am bringing my A game.
Another thing, one of my idols wants something from me. I won't get too deep into but guys, good things are happening. Good things indeed. Genuine happiness is flowing from this girl right now and let me just say, it feels so darn good!
Anyways, today I thought would be a great day to do a review. I'm still waiting for a product where I do a bad review... is that a bad thing to say? I just want to be honest! Nonetheless however, these certain products are amazing and have been the basis of my school lunches.
I never even knew bread could even possibly have this much protein! Now I don't have to bring my stinky chicken and tuna to school and gross everybody out.
First up is the bread.
A lovely 10/10 it rightfully deserves.
I got creative with this bread. For lunch, I've been making a mock PB&J sandwich. I'll put chia jam on one slice of the bread (chia jam is a much healthier version of your average jelly) and I'll put either natural almond or peanut butter on the other slice. Smoosh it to together and ta-da! There you have it. A healthier version of PB&J! With TONS of protein! It's a win-win if you ask me!
I've also been making my own BLTs and other sandwiches with chicken, tuna or turkey, some cheese and lettuce, etc. The options are endless. Oh, and so far, I've been LOVING making my own healthified version of French toast. Sure, I don't mind 'regular' French toast every once in awhile but I do like the protein punch that this particular French toast gives, so I'll take it. ;) Here is a good base recipe from Laura who makes the best recipes, I swear.
On to the bagels!
I give these a solid 9/10! There are so super delicious and essentially the same thing as the bread only in bagel form. So why did I give it a 9/10? Well to me it seemed a bit chewier than the bread and almost difficult to bite, lol! But nonetheless it was fantastic! Much better for you than your standard, carb-y bagel with nearly four times the protein! The carb count only comes in at 27g compared to your standard oh I don't know... 50g in a regular bagel? Now tell me that you can't go wrong with that!
I got experimental with these! I made savory bagels one day, and maybe a egg 'bagel-wich' the next. I made this one morning for breakfast and it turned out to be spectacular:
I realize it is sort of a bad picture but it was so good. It's basically a P28 bagel topped with peanut sauce (peanut flour + almond milk + maple syrup), chia seeds, and some cinnamon. I had this along with some eggs and a peach. So scrumptious if I do say so myself!
I really do like the P28 products that I received and I am being 100% honest when I say that I will be ordering from them when my stock is diminished. It's so convenient and easy to bring these to school for my lunch, and they taste delicious!
Thank you so much to the P28 crew for sending me these. (Note that these were generously sent to me and all opinions are my own.) Check out their incredible website here.
***NOTE: These are NOT gluten free. They do contain wheat so if you are allergic or intolerant to any wheat products, then I would take that into consideration. I, for one, am not allergic/intolerant and they did not upset my stomach in any way.
Questions: Have you tried the P28 products? If so, what;s your favorite recipe? Anything good happening to you lovely people out there? I'd love to know! :D
It's Monday. Which means in about 2 hours I have to get my butt back up to school. Oh joy! This year has already gotten crazy. AP Language & Composition along with AP U.S. History are proving to be very challenging, but I can handle it because those are my two favorite subjects!
Anyways, let's get to the main point...
On Saturday, I went up to the gym for one of my non-traditional workouts. It was a little CrossFit like which I don't mind. I did hanging leg raises, reverse hyperextensions on a bench (so good for the booty), weighted battle rope pulls (which I significantly increased the weight on and man, it was actually a piece of cake), and finally medicine ball slams (which I upped the reps for).
The reverse hyperextension. I did these on by hanging on the back of a bench. They are so good for the booty! (Source)
...Dang. I just keep improving! It makes me so happy to see that. I am getting stronger, and with that, I am gaining more confidence than I could have ever imagined.
After that heart-pounding workout, I hopped on the stairmill. Guys, I have not been on that thing longer than about 10 minutes just to add a bit of shape to my legs. I haven't done any cardio except for occasionally running a few sprints.
So why did I try to bust 20 minutes on that thing? Well I have a motive...
At school, we have the dreaded heart rate monitors. Blegh. Basically, we are required to get 20 minutes in our "zone" to earn our grades. This means our heart rates have to be in the 130-180 range for 20 minutes.
Here's the problem: the kids that are more out of shape (and I am NOT picking on them, so don't go there) get their 20 minutes 10x faster than the more athletic kids. Why? Well, when you're more out of shape, your heart rate tends to get going a little bit faster than when you are in shape. Therefore, the out of shape kids can get to 130 with no problem.
Now, on the other hand... the more athletic kids literally (and excuse my French) have to bust their ass to get their heart rate to at least 130. I remember last year in the bike lab (where there were the stationary bikes), I literally had to put the level up to 10 and go so fast on that thing to get my heart rate to at least 130. Some of the other kids didn't have to pedal much and they got their 20 minutes.
Needless to say, this has caused a lot of problems in my school. So, they are trying to make it easier on the athletic kids. We are being tested with the pacer test, which if you are unaware of what that is, it's basically a test that measures your endurance by running back and forth to a certain point before you hear a beep. As you run back and forth more times, the beeps become much faster.
I want to pass this test. I have to get to a certain number of beeps to be declared eligible to get my heart rate monitor requirements moved down. If we get to that certain number, our monitors will be fixed so that we only have to get our heart rates to 120 for the minutes to start ticking down to be in our zone.
...Phew. You still with me?
Anyways, I went on the stairmill to test my endurance. I ended up alternating intervals at level 18 for 30 seconds and then going to level 10 for 30 seconds. It worked well and I was able to keep pushing, and I am sorry guys but by the time I got to 15 minutes, I was bored out of my mind. I simply just DON'T like doing cardio anymore besides sprints and plyometrics (LOVE my box jumps).
It's amazing, huh? I went from forcing myself to spend a whole HOUR on the elliptical a year ago to not even being able to do 20 minutes on the (more fun, in my opinion) stairmill out of sheer boredom. Seriously, weightlifting has completely changed me as a person. I kid you not. I didn't stop because I wasn't capable of going on, I stopped because I was so bored!
But at least I know that limiting my cardio has not had much of an effect on my endurance. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to knock this pacer test out of the park. If anything, I'm pretty good with willpower so even if I feel like I am really dying doing the test, knowing me I will probably just keep going until I get to the set number and then go puke my brains outs. Although, and I am not trying to come off as conceited, I think I'll be able to get to the set number and *hopefully* then some. Who knows? Maybe I'll go on for much longer than the required number.
Well I am done with my rambling now. I hope you all have a fantastic start to this new week!
Questions: Have you ever done a pacer test? Are you a cardio junkie or are you more into the weights like me?
I wasn't going to post today but I feel compelled to due to the awesome input I received on yesterday's post. Seriously. You all rock my socks, and I am NOT just saying that. Every comment that I received made me smile to no end. Never underestimate what a little comment can do--because every comment I receive makes this girl right here's entire world.
Okay, I am done with the mushiness. :)
I'm going to talk about the core. I have talked about it here not too long ago and I have changed the integration of core exercises that I have been doing in my routine.
I never did core exercises, because as I have mentioned before, I find that almost every exercise (especially with free weights and standing) works the core in some way. If you're squatting, doing cable chest flyes, etc. and NOT feeling like your core is tight and 'letting it go,' I find you are much more prone to injury and you are able to lift better if the core is tight.
I'm not trying to sound like an expert. I have experienced this myself. So you can take my word for it... or not? Haha well that's pretty obvious!
I basically have been doing a lot more core work for a few reasons... one is that my gym just got the new TRX system and that suspension training stuff... man does it do WONDERS for the core. Sure, it looks easy to do some of the exercises but when you strap your feet in there and get to work, you will be sorry for thinking so, LOL! Another reason is because I have wanted something to 'spice up' my training and I figured that adding more core would be the perfect challenge.
I saw this video by the incredibly fit and inspiring Brad Gouthro. I am pretty good at planks and I figured doing the 5:00 plank would be quite the challenge for me. ...oh it was.
PROOF. (Well I suppose that I could have just let my timer run until 5 minutes came along, but once again, just take my word for it!)
Here were my incoherent thoughts...
"Okay, 30 seconds in and this is easy peasy lemon SQUEEZY psh."
"1 minute down. Alright, so I'm a little sore but it's nothing. I got this."
"Hmm. I'm kind of hungry. I'm thinking a post-workout sweet potato smoothie would hit the spot?"
"3 minutes down. 2 more to go. This is the longest 5 minutes of my life..."
"4 minutes. Did I REALLY just make it this far?! Wow, I underestimate my (epic) abilities."
"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... DONE. OH MY GOSH THANK YOU BABY JESUS."
Brad, you made it look easy, LOL! Truth me told, I am very proud of holding it for that long and did not at all think I could do it. My core is stronger that I thought!
Basically, here's what I hope you get from this post... include some core work. Even if it is for 10 minutes once per week. The core is the foundation of the body, so make it strong or see your form fail. And in these little core workouts, add some planks. Oh, you think they look easy? Well, planks involve the transverse abdominals, which is like a corset covering your abs. It's hard to hit those, and planks are the best at doing so while also hitting almost every other muscle in the body.
Oh, they're still too easy? Try them for five minutes. ;)
Don't underestimate the mighty plank!
Questions: Do you do planks? What's your longest time? EVERY SECOND COUNTS!
I've been doing a lot of thinking about this blog lately. I've decided on some things that I have wanted to do so I thought I should share with all my awesome (and very much appreciated) readers.
First off, I am going to say that I don't share everything on this blog. There are some bloggers who are very open and willing to discuss certain things, but as for me, I am more of a private person who chooses to share things that I find fit. (Hehe fit... pun intended.)
There are things in my past that I choose not to share and there are things in my present that I don't come out with either. FYI: I don't live a perfect life! And I don't want it to seem like I have one. For the most part, this blog is positive and fun, and on some occasions I will (and am not afraid to) post something that may offend someone but believe me when I say it is 100% unintentional. For the most part, what I will rant about is how I find it a little disconcerting that people who are "bulking" live off of spinach and protein. That is one thing that I will not "quiet down" for because it is something I am passionate about to try and debunk and I love to get the truth out there. :) (By the way, this post by Sable embodies everything I believe on behalf of this subject, so jump on over there and read it!)
I may also throw in some posts that may generally cause some disagreement, but just know that I do not force my opinion on anyone and respect every single opinion. I don't hate, I promise!
With that being said, I have no plans to insult anyone. I'm just a whimsical girl with some strong opinions and a love for fitness that fills up the entire ocean and more.
Speaking of that passion...
I want to clarify that I will most likely be keeping this blog about fitness and psychological matters and try not to veer too off course. There will be posts that are kind of random and may have to do with my everyday life but for the most part, I'll stick to what I love. It isn't a 'chore' for me to write about fitness; not one little bit. I thoroughly enjoy it. I say this because I feel like lately I've been pressured to write about other things and I'm just going to stick to what I know and what I am learning, which involves a lot of fitness (primarily my love for strength training!) and psychology, which both deeply intrigue me.
Fact: My brother thought I was a total creepazoid for taking this. No shame.
While I would love to write about food all the time, I find it somewhat mentally draining and I feel as if some readers tend to cast a skeptical eye at some of the 'eats' of other bloggers. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I would rather keep things simple and informative and not have people think that I am too full of myself for always preaching about certain foods or recipes or being 'disordered' because I thoroughly love nut butter (which, in my case, may just be a little disordered). ;) I think food can be a touchy subject for some and I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable.
In regards to food, I will be doing reviews of products (because I love doing them!) and I will also post an occasional recipe (such as participating in the PowerMeal-A-Week challenge hosted by PowerCakes!)
Lastly...
I hope to be making a change to the layout soon. Right now, this layout is a very amateur layout that I installed myself and when I can make the money to hire someone to help me out, I will be doing so. I just thought I would let you all know. :)
I LOVE my FitFluential family so much and all my other readers so a huge THANK YOU goes out to you guys!
Oh WAIT... click here to read about a recap of the competition I just went to on Saturday. My trainer Mary is in here looking adorable and HOT as ever! Love her <3
Questions: If you have a blog, what's the main topic you really like to stick to? What you do day in and day out? Food? Fitness? Who do you recommend this girl contact for good blog layouts? :) And if you don't follow me on Instagram, follow me @brittanyterry! :)
"Oh hey Britt, you left your windows down in the rain!" Cool! I always liked playing with water. "Yeah, uh, Britt, your unsaved essay sort of just got lost... forever." Eh, I'll rewrite it... After all, I love writing and the original essay wasn't that great anyways!
You see what I mean?
Except, tomorrow I go back to school. BLEH. I still feel as if I haven't really "lived up" my summer yet and want more time. But just because you want "more time" doesn't mean life is just going to hand you it. So suck it up buttercup.
I'm all over the board today. OH BOY. Here's a cool picture I recently found:
Oh man is this true or what? It's a good reminder to myself when I beat myself up for someone doing something better than me, whether that's lifting heavier in the weight room or writing a better piece than myself. I am naturally a very competitive person so I always have to go above and beyond.
Sometimes I beat myself up because I can't squat a certain weight, or something similar like that. But then I look at the people who can squat heavy. They pretty much always prove to be experienced athletes who have developed that ability by hard work and practice over the years. Going back up to the above quote, they probably started out exactly where I did. I just have to dig into my patience to gradually increase the weight (on any exercise, not just squats).
That's my problem. I am extremely impatient. I can't sit still for more than five minutes. I am super antsy and I like to get stuff DONE. Typical Type A personality I am over here. No shame. But sometimes I need to remember to just breathe. I want to do this, I need to do that. No Britt, you just need to relax and take it step by step. Sure, I desperately wish that I could just attack every heavy weight in the weight room, but I can't. I have to build up the strength, just like everybody else.
I am not perfect and my mind doesn't like that. But oh well. Too freaking bad. Nothing is handed to you in life without a little hard work, as my mother always told me. And it's true! I just wish my ambitious brain could understand this. ;) I am striving for progress, not perfection.
Anyways, after that little tangent, I just have to say that I may not be able to blog everyday now that school is starting. Most likely it will be every other day so don't miss me too much. ;) I love writing and blogging far too much to completely forget about it!
Lastly, being the big Lord of the Rings fan that I am, I leave you with THIS masterpiece that I hope makes you chuckle as it did me. Just trying to inject a little bit of sunshine into everyone's life. :)
If you don't understand this picture, go watch the movie Mean Girls. ;)
Have a great Wednesday everyone!
Questions: Are you like me in that you just want to be the best automatically? Are you competitive or laid back? Finally, are you a Lord of the Rings fan like myself?
Sorry that I've been gone for three days. That's just NOT normal for me considering I crank out the writing like no other. However, I wanted to save a very special post for today so show my appreciation for a few people.
I wanted to do this in light of a recent event that I attended on Saturday night. I went to the 2012 ABA Natural North American Championships, where my second mother and trainer Mary and her amazing daughter Ashley competed. I went with my friend, McKenna, and Mary's family and friends.
I'd first like to congratulate Mary for winning 1st place inthe Figure Masters category and 2nd place in the Figure Open Short. And as for Miss Ashley... congrats on winning 1st place in Figure Open Tall and winning her PRO CARD! Oh my gosh, I was so excited to witness this.
Here's the lovely mother/daughter duo looking absolutely breathtaking:
Ashley is on the left; Mary is on the right. :)
Okay, so now that I got that out of my system... I am going to write about these fantastic ladies.
As for Mary... oh gosh. Where do I begin?! I was that skinny girl in the gym doing weight training and then doing endless cardio. I was in that gym almost more than my own home... it was crazy. I knew something was wrong with me, and I always just immersed myself in pictures of beautiful women competing in figure and bikini competitions. I wanted to be that. And I read that these girls would eat next to nothing, do weight training and then had to do a lot of cardio. So I did that too. But I was naive. I did not realize that they did this for a competition and competition only, not because they stay that way year round. Well eventually, I realized I dug myself deep into a hole and needed help getting out. A friend of mine trained with Mary, and whenever I went to the gym I was so intimidated by this tiny, fierce looking woman. She owned that gym (and still does). She's a bulldozer. She does what she wants and she does it efficiently. I was scared of her. People dubbed her "Scary Mary," so of course I was a little afraid. I remember one time I went to the gym and she was working out by herself and there was me and I actually hid because I afraid she was going to look at me and just shake her head in disgust. Like, what is this tall skinny girl doing?! Eventually, I took a business card of hers (which I still have) and I got the courage to send her an e-mail practically begging for help. I needed to put on weight. I needed her to help me accept that. I didn't have any intention of training with her; I just wanted her advice. When I clicked "send" on that e-mail I thought Well I'll never hear from her and the next time she sees me she will just laugh at me. I'm pathetic. But low and behold, a few days later her name popped up in my inbox, and she was gracious. She wanted to meet with me. I took my mom along and soon enough, I was signed up to train with her. I was so happy that finally things might get better.
Ever since then, I have learned so much. She helped me find my passion for weightlifting. She encouraged me to push hard so that one day I can compete in figure. She always listened to what I had to say. I owe so much to Mary. I call her my second mother but she is also just like that big sister to me. I don't think I'd be in the place I am now if I had not e-mailed her. I would probably just be wasting away doing the workouts I was doing and not getting the proper nutrition. I thank God for Mary, as well as my mom for pushing me to keep going. Last night, as I heard Mary's name called for 1st place, I was so happy. My eyes even swelled with tears because I adamantly knew that this woman deserved this. I screamed so loud. THIS was Mary's moment. She's always coached other competitors to shine on stage but not Saturday night. No--it was HER moment to shine. I was so proud of her. I hope I stay in contact with this woman for a long time, and I hope she is okay with that. ;) I love you Mar-bear. <3
Mary winning 1st! And yes, the piercing scream is mine. >:)
And now onto Ashley. :)
To Ash, I remember being shocked when I found out that Ash and Alex (they're twins!) were Mary's daughters. I knew they both went to my school and I had heard about them before. Again, I was intimidated. The first day I met Ashley, I was getting ready to train with Mary. Before I was going to be trained, Mary was training Ashley for her first figure competition. I walked into the weight room as Ashley was doing squats with the most ferocious look on her face. Excuse my French, but she was making those squats her bitch. I was scared. I was thinking Holy crap. I already experienced enough intimidation with Mary. This girl looks like she could fight a freaking tiger. We were introduced, and from that moment I thought Ashley did not like me. I left the gym that night thinking Well this sucks. One of Mary's daughters hates me. I requested her on Facebook previously before I had met her and she accepted. I thought she didn't like me until I logged on to Facebook and as I was scrolling through my notifications, I saw her name pop up and saw that she wrote on my wall. Say what? She basically told me that she loved meeting me and couldn't wait to get to know me better. It was such a sweet gesture and I was shocked but ecstatic at the same time. So she doesn't hate me! She was just in BEAST MODE at the gym. HOORAY! A few weeks later, I was at her first figure competition and one of her biggest fans. Here is what I ADORE about Ashley: she's tough, she won't take your crap, she's dedicated but she is also humble. I gladly identify myself as her little protege. She even introduces me to everyone as "her little Brittany." ;) Ashley is amazing and I am so proud of her for getting her pro card! Love you Ash!
Mary, Ashley and another competitor who took 2nd, the lovely Kiki!
Also, I need to give a shout out to Alex, Ashley's twin who makes car rides 10x more fun. Alex is the funniest girl and the most supportive person I have ever known. I LOVE her! Holly, Mary's youngest daughter, is such a sweet girl and is ALWAYS there cheering her family on. Holly, you are amazing. And Barb, a fellow trainee of Mary's, is the sweetest lady I have ever met. She bought us BURGER KING. That's a win in my book. Barb, can everyone be like you?! I also met Joe from Pride Nutrition and he is such a sweet guy. I am so happy I got to meet him. And I loved meeting everyone else apart of Pride and Team Fab. :)
And finally, I have my last homegirl to thank :)
Her name is McKenna!
McKenna and I before leaving!
So basically, this girl was in my math class the whole year. We sat on the opposite side of the room and not once did I utter a word to her. I first saw her at my gym in around January. She is so gorgeous, like Greek goddess gorgeous. People liked her at school and so I didn't really know if I should go up to her. We always smiled at each other whenever we saw each other. She eventually signed up with Mary, and I was so happy to hear that. Again, I logged onto Facebook and I received a message. I'm like Okay, I have a message, let's see who it's from... It was from McKenna. At first I was a little confused, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that she wrote me a long message. Okay, let me get this out there... the message that she sent me was not only the longest one I have ever received, but honestly the nicest thing anyone has EVER said to me, I kid you not. I was crying like a baby because I've never had someone make me feel so good about myself... ever. She basically told me how much I inspire her, how awesome and nice I am, and how she would be there to support me through whatever. I read and reread that message over and over again until it sunk in that people actually liked me. From that day forward, I have thought the WORLD of McKenna. She is outgoing, hilarious, and she isn't like 'most' girls. The one day that I went to the gym to train shoulders with her, I told her about figure competitions and how I aspired to be a competitor one day. I think I had her hooked, folks. Everybody better watch out because one day, McKenna and I are going to strut our stuff across those stages showing everybody what hard work looks like. We even picked our songs to walk out to... "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake and "I'm Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO. It's fitting, right? ;) We both love the color turquoise and we're both weird cornballs. I think we make a pretty dynamite duo, dontcha think? ;) McKenna, I love you girl and thank you so much for going with me and being my partner in crime. You are amazing in every possible way!
McKenna, Mary and I!
Okay, so I know this post was long but I had to tell my beloved blog friends about these important people in my life. Hopefully you enjoyed and I promise to keep you all updated on these fine specimens of human beings. :)
I LOVE ALL OF YOU GIRLS!!! (You too, Joe.)
Questions: Who is important in your life that pushes you to get past your goals?
(Source)
