Do you want to "CHANGE?"

I hear people tell me every day how they want to change. They want to eat better. They want to work out more. They want to be healthy. They want to set a better example for their children. They want to look in the mirror and be content. 

Sometimes I hear the same thing from the same people year after year. It makes me sad AND mad.  I hear all the excuses. ALL OF THEM. They are just that! Excuses. You give me an excuse and I will tell you how to get past it. I will show you an example of someone who has far more reason to quit or never start BUT did it anyway. Our society has got to get past their excuses and JUST DO IT!! If it is important enough to want to change it in the first place, it is important enough to not give up on. 

Easy was never guaranteed. Easy is sitting on the couch feeling sorry for yourself and making excuses on why you can't or don't have time for change instead of just doing it. 

I want to help you! I want to motivate you and push you! I want you to see how much better your life will be once you make the changes you want. So stop the excuses! Ask for help. Don't wait until tomorrow when you can talk yourself out of it or make up another excuse on why not to do it. Start Today! START NOW! You are important. You can do it. You just have to want it bad enough. 

Day 1 "8 Week Lean Out"

So today I started my 8 week lean out. My goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of September while losing minimal muscle. I will do this by having a strictly clean diet and slowly increasing my cardio each week. I will continue my strength training. My Beginning weight is145, approximately 18% body fat.  Stay tuned for my beginning picture. 

Today's Workout:

Legs 

10 minutes uphill fast walk

Squats  (4 sets of 10) superset popsquats (4 sets of 20)

Deadlift (4 sets of 10) SS weighted princess lunges (4 sets of 20 each leg)

Reverse hacksquat 4 sets of 12 at 100 lbs

Abductor & Adductor 4 sets of 20 with 10 sec hold 

Shoulders

The secret to a good workout is intensity.  Keep rest between sets to a minimum (20-45 seconds). 

Shoulder Press 3 sets of 10-12 heavy 

SUPERSET: (4 sets of 15-20)

Cable Rope Pull Through

Lateral Dumbbell Raise

Face Pulls

Land mines 3 sets 10-12

Upright Row 3 sets 15-20

Workout Schedule

In order to design a workout schedule, you need to set goals. 

My goals are to lean and increase muscle mass in my legs, shoulders and lats. I am in a so called bulking phase, so I only do 30 minutes of cardio 3x per week (if that).  I am mostly weight training. Here is my schedule:

MONDAY: Quads, hamstring and glutes

TUESDAY: Shoulders

WEDNESDAY: Back & Abs

THURSDAY: Legs

FRIDAY: Shoulders

SATURDAY: Biceps, Triceps, Abs

SUNDAY: REST or Cardio

(Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday are interchangeable) 

I have been very happy with my progress. I am adding 100 calories per week to my "diet" and still losing an average of 1 lb per week. 

My body fat decreased by 1% in the last month even though I am eating 300-400 calories more per day. (Currently at 1900 calories per day: 38% carb & protein 24% fat.)

Set goals and stick with them. Don't expect results overnight...it took years to put that weight on and it will take some time to get it off. 

How Many Calories?

I get asked alllll the time "how many calories should I eat?"

The answer to this question is way more complex than most people imagine. But it needs to be made clear that there is no set number. I want to break it down a little for you to think about.  The first thing you need to answer:

#1 What are your goals? 

Are you trying to lose weight? Gain weight? Maintain your current weight?

#2 What is your activity level? The more active you are the more calories you need to eat. Even if you are trying to lose weight, you need enough calories to fuel your workouts!

#3 What body type do you want? Skinny? Muscular? Soft? Hard? 

#4 Do you know how to and are you willing to count calories? This is the most frustrating part. I have never met anyone who could correctly guess how many calories they eat per day. (Unless they have counted before and keep to strict eating habits) You can play the guessing game and eat more or less based on what the scale says. This is absurd if you have actual goals and are serious about getting "in shape."

#5 (I think this is most important) What kinds of food are you eating. Calories are not all the same!! A 500 calorie hamburger and 500 calories of grilled chicken are NOT the same. The burger is wasted non satiating calories. The chicken will fill you up and is healthy for your body. Fruit is healthy, but it has carbs and carbs are sugar. If all you eat all day are fruits (sugar) your body is still treating it as sugar. Avacado and Almonds have fat but they are good fats that your body needs to function efficiently. Get the point? 

Caloric needs vary from person to person based on age, gender, activity level, etc. etc. Also, caloric needs do not stay the same. As you gain muscle and/or lose weight, your caloric needs change. When you gain muscle and your metabolism speeds up you may need more calories.  

Every person is different. 

Counting calories also makes you aware of what you are actually putting in your body on a daily basis. A mocha latte for breakfast, a few chips here and a small piece of chocolate there all add up and your calorie goal is now over by 500 calories per day. Over a period of a week, that adds up to a pound. Over the period of a year that is 52 lbs. "I go to the gym so it's ok" you say. Going to the gym is barely touching those 500 calories. So you can forget about getting in shape!!  You are merely exercising to not get obese. 

Are you serious about learning how to get in shape and how much and what you should be eating to reach your goals? I would love to help! Tried and tested. I have become a master of my body and can help teach you how to learn what your body needs. Notice I did not say I know what is best for your body. I said I will help teach you the tools to determine what you need to reach your goals.  We have to listen to our body. Eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water and getting enough exercise and enough sleep will CHANGE your life!! Hit me up!! Be FIT FOR FUN, fit for life. Healthy is a lifestyle NOT a fad ❤️❤️❤️

Glute Hamstring Workout

=

3-4 sets to failure! 

What I have learned...

1.       The scale is just a number. Don’t let it define you.  Keep pictures and measure your body fat monthly to get an accurate measure of progress.

2.       The more activity you do the more you should eat.  Know your “maintain” calories number. On days you work out, add 100-200 calories.  If you are only eating 1200 calories, you are starving your body and will never reach and maintain your goals.

3.       LIFTING WEIGHTS WON'T MAKE YOU BULKY! You will get lean and strong. Feeling strong is very empowering. Looking lean feels way better than any food tastes.

4.       If you are not sore, you most likely did not work out hard enough.  Add weight and try less rest between sets.

5.       Learn to cook yummy healthy food. The options are endless.

6.       Fruit has Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugar.  More Fruit=More Sugar

7.       You don’t have to eat clean 100% of the time. Try 1 cheat meal per week.

8.       You will fail. Get over it and get moving again.

9.       The process is ever changing. Love the Process. Love your body.

10.   There is no magic pill. Trust me I would have found it.  It takes hard work and will power. Healthy is not a trend, it is a lifestyle.

Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado

I am in LOVE!!! You MUST try this! We went to San Diego over Spring Break and ate at an amazing restaurant in La Jolla called George's at the Cove. This is what I ordered! It was amazing, so of course I had to find the recipe! 

 

Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado

5.0 from 9 reviews

Author: Cookie and Kate

Recipe type: Salad

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  45 mins

Serves: 4

 

A warm and filling farro and caramelized cauliflower salad, featuring Greek flavors like feta, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Greens and avocado round it out into a full meal. This salad would pack great for lunch!

INGREDIENTS

Roasted cauliflower

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Light sprinkle fine-grain sea salt

Garlicky farro

• 1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Everything else

• 15 pitted kalamata olives, some halved lengthwise and some sliced into small rounds
• ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 2 ounces feta, crumbled (a heaping half cup)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about ½ lemon's worth)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 avocado, sliced into thin strips
• 4 handfuls leafy greens (spring greens, spinach or arugula are all good choices)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To roast the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, red pepper flakes and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden on the edges.
2. To cook the farro: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro with at least three cups water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches). Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy. (Pearled farro will take around 15 minutes, unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes.) Drain off the excess water and mix in two teaspoons of olive oil, the garlic and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a large serving bowl, toss together the roasted cauliflower, cooked farro, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Divide the avocado and greens among four salad plates. Top with a generous amount of the cauliflower and farro salad. Finish the plates with an extra squeeze of lemon juice or drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Serve.

NOTES

Recipe inspired by George's at the Cove in La Jolla. 

One Word!

What word describes your workout? 

My workout is something I describe as set in motion forcefully, to set free or let loose! It is "UNLEASHED" I saw this shirt and thought hell yea, that is me! Beast Mode Unleashed!! 

I ordered my shirt today! Coupon code "FITFORFUN" for 10% OFF!! Too cute!!

http://www.unleashedperformance.co/product/unisex-stars-stripes-tee

Mistakes Are Allowed...Quitting Is NOT!!

We all have "those" days! But don't let those days define you. Don't them them become habits. Figure out what happened in that day that set you up for failure...Learn from it...Fix it, and move on. Every day is a fresh start! It is easy to overcome one bad day, it is not so easy to overcome a bad month of poor food choices or no exercise.  NO EXCUSES!

When you have a bad day, do your favorite workout the next day and KILL IT!! I have grown to love my back workouts! Here is a staple in my routine!

Misconceptions About Fitness Freaks

So I saw something posted on Facebook that I know I shouldn't take personal, but it's hard not to. I would say more than anything it is "bothersome" that assumptions are being made.  It is something important in my life. It is one of my priorities. NOT my number one priority, but way up there towards the top.  What is it you ask? Let's call it "Health and Fitness."

Let's clear up some misconceptions about "health and fitness"

1. Just because I take care and pride in my personal physical appearance doesn't mean I don't spend time and have fun with my family! I choose to do things that are physically active like swimming, going for a hike, playing catch, going for walks, ice skating, running, roller skating, working out, etc. I prefer that my children not spend hours in front of the TV or iPads. Nor do I personally want to be a couch potato. I choose to spend those hours in a positive manner. Don't get me wrong, we love movie nights with popcorn and candy, but this is a weekly occurrence instead of a daily occurrence like many households.  It's about finding balance in life. A balance of family time, time with your spouse, and personal time. All of which are important!

2. The definition of Ego is a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.  Since when did caring about yourself become a bad thing? Vanity allows you to become the best version of yourself. Caring about yourself and your health is a good investment. I spend my money on my health and physical appearance instead of alcohol, junk food, gambling, partying, etc. Vanity is a good hobby that encourages people to workout and take care of their bodies. I am vain, so I use sun block and lotion to preserve my skin, so it will look youthful when I am older. I lift weights to strengthen my bones, so that I don't have osteoporosis later in life.  Vanity makes people reach out to others and share their passion, happiness and knowledge.  Vanity boosts one’s confidence and self-esteem. Aside from self-awareness, vanity is a good source of feel-good vibes. If one looks good, she feels good, too. And it shows in the way she speaks, talks and walks.  I don’t think there’s something wrong about feeling good because you look good.  Beauty and confidence come hand in hand.  A person’s vanity shouldn’t be a cause for judgement. It just happens that their interests are different from yours, and that they spend more time at the gym than say, in front of the television or partying.

3. Working out is a form of stress relief. Some people just want to go home and chill on the couch after a long hard day.  I have no problem with that and don't judge others for doing it; however, I do not believe that is a healthy choice, so I choose not to do that. I would rather spend an hour out of my day at the gym, playing outdoors, etc. That is my form of stress relief. Instead of taking my frustrations of the day out on my family or bottled up, I release them at the gym. This is healthy for you and your family. If you don't take care of yourself, you are in no "shape" to take care of your family.

4. Being healthy and in shape is extremely important for my job and well being. It only takes one sketchy incident in my job where you think, "man, if I was in better shape (faster, stronger, mentally sound) that would not have happened!!" It could be the difference between life or death.

5. One reason that people love to argue about and say your man/woman should love you regardless: choosing to stay attractive for your mate. It is important to look good for him and keep the romance alive. We take for granted that when we get married we no longer have to "try." I don't agree with that. I think that is why many relationships fail (speaking from experience), because we quit trying. We quit trying to look attractive, we quit trying to make the other person happy, we quit trying to communicate, etc.  This should be towards the top of our priority list. 

6. For the record, I NEVER preach skinny!!!! I focus on healthy! I teach my children that it is about eating healthy and being the strongest, best version of ourselves possible; Mentally and physically. Being physically healthy is a direct correlation to being mentally healthy!  

7. My gym time takes away some of my time with my children, so I make up for it in other ways.  I meet them for lunch at school.  I take the time to write them notes and cards in their backpacks and lunches to let them know how much I love them. We spend time together doing fun family activities. I try to make bedtime extra special. I would be willing to bet that if you look at the QUALITY time I spend with my kids versus a Facebook addicted mom/ stay at home mom/social butterfly mom/soccer mom, etc. you will see my time is just as equal if not more abundant. 

So that is my soap box! This is my choice and just a few of the reasons for my choice.  We are all entitled to our own choices and opinions. We should all be mindful and non judgmental of others' choices which are made based on different lifestyle dynamics. I do not agree in judging someone's healthy fitness inspired life and putting down their beliefs as an excuse not to do something that is hard, mentally and physically demanding. I have learned through experience that taking care of yourself is extremely important to stay happy and take good care of those in your life. 

Cheers! And hope you have a happy and healthy day!

Goals! Dilemma!

So I have been in a state of nothingness! We have all been there right? Between post competition/off season blues, "life drama," and a two week bout of bronchitis...I have kinda been in a funk. 

Not really sure where I want to go from here. I am still going to the gym 3-5 times a week, but it's not the same. I don't have that drive or ambition like I do when I have a definitive goal in mind. Mike asked me "why do you have to have a specific goal? Why can't your goal just be to look better than you already do?"

Honestly, I don't know. What I do know is that I want to do something! Another show? A triathlon (sprint)? A marathon? I do know that I do not like this nothingness. I need more. I want to try something new and better myself! 

My point in writing this a A) to let you know I have not fallen off the face of the earth and B) To let you know that we all go through this. It's normal. We have to find ourselves and find something that makes us happy. Then Do It! So here I go! Time to make a commitment and start reaching my next goal! 

I hope all is well with you and I really appreciate your texts and emails thanking me for the difference I have made in your life! Like I told Lisa...the hard work is all yours. I am just happy to provide useful knowledge and motivation! Keep it up!