Deficit Deadlifts.....OMG!

Forthe first time today, I did deficit deadlifts. Everyone has been telling me that they will improve my regular lift and that they are just a little harder than the regular lift. Well, they are ALOT harder but I killed it today!!! I can see how they work to improve the amount of weight you can pull. I will be doing these at least twice a week and increasing the weight each time. That way, my traditional deadlift 1RM will be much improved. I'm excited.

Um, Do I Get A Rest Day????

So, I'm a bit confused about whether or not I get rest days. Lol! So many people tell me, "you have to give your body a chance to recover" and "you don't want to crash your central nervous system!" However, when I don't show up at the gym, everyone is yelling, "what happened to you? Why weren't you here yesterday?" Lol! I can't win for losing! So, maybe everyone is expecting me to be actively recovering. If that's what they mean, they should say that! They know I'm new to this weight lifting stuff! When someone says rest, that translates to me as sleep in! Anyhoo! I am trying to come up with a May challenge. I have to kick it up a knotch or two. I have to shed these pounds and improve my endurance. I will let you know what I come up with. :-)

Pain.....

This is a new workout week for me so the body aches I felt this morning I had to move past them, get to the gym, and work it out. That soreness will soon be gone and I will be working towards making another group of muscles scream. I actually did some cardio today as well. I haven't been on a treadmill in a while. I walked at a 10% and 15% incline for 25 mins. It felt good so I will probably make sure I do that a couple times a week. It feels good to be able to embrace this process and it is a process. The more you engage in the process the better and more productive the process becomes. Keep going! 

Today's Challenge: Do not let muscle soreness discourage you from working out. You can work another group of muscles or enjoy some cardio to stay engaged in the process. Don't quit!

Deadlifts.... My weakness.

So, I did a gazillion sumo deadlifts yesterday and silly me wanted to do a gazillion again today. Well I didn't. I got out about 6 of them total 4 at 225lbs and 2 at 245lbs, and I was done. I cannot deadlift heavy two days in a row! Why can't I stop myself?!?!?!? Okay so... Here is what I have come up with, I will only deadlift 3 days a week. Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday. That is it, that is all. I will stick to this schedule until I am instructed to change it. Lol! 

Today's Challenge: Find someone with some weightlifting knowledge and ask their advice and listen to them. Trust me it will work to your advantage! 

Power Lifting Heaven!

2014 I claim my title as a power lifter! I just had the most fulfilling experience with some really great people a lot stonger than me and they welcomed me with open arms. I'm not a mushy person but it was truly an emotional experience for me. Oh yeah, this experience took place at Monster Garage Gym in Gurnee. The atmosphere is amazing and so are all the crazy individuals that belong to this gym. I am now one of them! Yes! I had to join! This is the place and these are the people that will help me get to where I really desire to be. I really owe it all to my girl Kristen that took a chance on inviting me into this underground subculture of lifting craziness. I can't thank her enough!  I might hate her tomorrow if I'm unable to move in the morning. :-)

On my way back!!!!

Feeling better! I will provide a full post tomorrow when I'm 100%. 

Today's Challenge: to prevent many illnesses, hand washing is the key. If you feel sick, stay home and rest!

Out Sick....

Today's Challenge: Do all you can to keep from getting ill! That is all! 

Workout Cut Short....Ugh!

Yesterday I wasn't feeling all that great, but it was my rest day so I made it through. Today, I woke up feeling sick to my stomach and decided to just suck it up and get my workout in. Well I had to cut my workout short.....yeah you guessed it! The workout made it very apparent that I should have stayed home this morning. I went online to find  information about working out while sick. If your illness is above the neck, such as a headache then you should stick with your workout. If your illness is below the neck, such as stomach, then you should not workout. I wish I would have looked that up before today's attempt! Oh well...

Today's Challenge: Listen to your body! If you feel like throwing up or just plain old weak, lifting weights and spin class is not going to make it better! Duh! 

Plan To Never Give Up!

Up until this point in my quest to lose weight and get fit I have not really implimented a plan. I have just cut out certain foods and got in the gym and started working out. As my body is getting more acclimated to my unplanned process, I have to come up with a planned process to trick it into doing what I want it to do. Again, I find myself in this place where I'm somewhat fearful to try some new things. Now, I will be doing these things regardless and that fear will vanish. I think I will be following a fitness plan put together by bodybuilding.com. I have been avoiding it, but I think it's what I need to get where I want to be. Today, I will work on preparing for the gym tomorrow. Physically by resting today and mentally by reviewing and visualizing tomorrow's workout in my head. 

Today's Challenge: Keep pushing yourself to do better. Don't stop and plan to never give up!

I'm Back!!!!!

I can't express to you how important rest is. I was forced to take a 2 day break because I was not able to get a good workout in. I was tired and just felt drained. Today was my first day back and I KILLED my workout! I have a new found respect for allowing my body to rest. Finally I get it! I guess it took long enough. Lol! So, today I maxed out on my deadlift at 260lbs. I probably could have done 265 but I'm pacing myself. I also worked my stick point, which is mid thigh for me and lifted 315 out of the rack 5x. So I'm super happy!!!! 

Today's Challenge: After you have rested a day or so and your body has recovered, get back in the gym and push your limits! You won't be sorry!

Rest Day #2....

Today is the second day that I will not be going to the gym. Granted I feel better today than I did yesterday but I'm really missing my workout. I will return to lifting tomorrow morning at 5am! I'm planning out my workouts now. I will also create a schedule for myself which will allow some recovery time. I am also going to search up some quick vegetarian meals that I can prepare to make sure I'm getting enough calories to sustain me throughout the day. This stuff is far from easy but I have to do what I have to do to get fit but also take care of my overall health. 

Today's Challenge: Enjoy your family! That is all.

Not Feeling Good...UGH!

Today is another forced rest day. Feeling pretty weak and drained. Not sure what's going on but I will not be returning to the gym until Monday. This will give me two days to truly recover and prepare a new workout plan. Monday I will be back at it. No one is more disappointed than me about missing two days in the gym but something is truly not right with my body right now. I will probably do some stretching, free squats, planks and other body work here at home (not too much), just so that I don't go crazy. The challenge for today is to recover and hydrate. That's it! 

Struggling....but made it!

I had a hard time in the gym this morning. I started out with deadlifts and got up to 205lbs and all of a sudden was drained of energy. My 1RM is 255lbs so it wasn't like the weight was heavy. I decided to remove some weight to complete my 30 reps and I was done. I was going to call it a day but received some motivational words from a fellow lifter and spin member, so I completed1.25 hours of spin. I feel much better that I accomplished something in the gym versus just leaving and accomplishing nothing. Sometimes I guess there are just days like this, but where there's a will there's a way. Tomorrow is another day and I will use today to mentally prepare for it. Physically my body is probably missing something. I will have to re-evaluate my diet and my workout schedule/routine. I will not be stopped!!!

Today's Challenge: Never let your head talk your body put of what needs to be done. However, you should listen to what your body is telling you. You have to be able to distinguish  the difference. Mind vs. body. 

Rest....

OMG!!!! I had a very hard time staying in bed today. The gym was calling my name but I committed to giving my body a break. I will plan tomorrow's workout and just relax my mind. The best thing about rest day is knowing that your muscles are  repairing themselves, your central nervous system is resetting, and on your next workout day, you'll be stronger! Worst thing about rest day for me is no gym! 

Today's Challenge: Start planning your workout or visit bodybuilding.com and check out their routines. Smooches!

Pumpday!

Wednesdays are traditionally known as Humpday, but I am changing that to Pumpday! It's hard for me to get a good solid weight lifting workout done on Wednesday because the gym opens at 5am and I have spin class at 5:45am, so I have 45 mins to lift. I usually get my deadlifts, bench press, lat pulls, and dips in before it's time to ride, but I leave the gym feeling as if I haven't accomplished much. I know it's a mental thing for me and it's probably a good thing that I can't do more or I might overdo it (as usual). Anyhoo! For me every day could be Pumpday but rest is also important. Also,  Wednesdays don't have to be a challenge but a chance to change up your workout. Don't feel bad if your workout is shorter, be proud you made it to the gym or got some sort of physical activity accomplished. Keep all thoughts positive no matter what day it is! 

Today's Challenge: Use "Pumpday" to either intensify your workout or lighten your load. Whatever it takes to make that day go better.

Leg Strength

If you think about it, our legs get us where we need to be. Almost every exercise done depends on the legs for stability or strength. This is why it is important to get them conditioned to assist in improving and sustaining your fitness journey. I usually never focus only on one body part because we use our entire body all day everyday. However yesterday I did a full body workout doing extra with my upper body and abs. Today  I focused more on my lower body. I'm just feeling comfortable enough to do weighted squats on my own, so there's no stopping me and my legs (and butt) now. I'm sure I will feel this one tomorrow, but better sore than sorry! 

Today's Challenge: Stay positive! You may not be where you want to be yet (I know I'm not) but don't let that distract you. Stay focused on the goal and press forward. You WILL get there! 

Excuses.....No More!

Excuses are an easy way to keep yourself stuck in time. We have all used them to keep from making a decision or a change. If you know you have to change the way you eat or live, then you have to get rid of the excuses. I know it's difficult but trust me, with excuses comes guilt and self loathing. If you hate being overweight, you have to implement changes to both diet and physical activity. If doing both at once is too much, then just start with getting g your body moving. Getting fit will not happen without physical activity. It doesn't matter what you do. Anything is better than nothing. If that means parking your car further to force yourself to walk or just taking the stairs instead of the elevator, your body will benefit. 

Today's Challenge: Get your body moving in any way possible. Your body will thank you! 

Forced Rest Day

Education is super important to me. Health and fitness is a matter of life and death in my eyes. I will not be working out this morning and as many of you may know it's difficult for me to rest. I just feel as though I'm missing something. However today I have school in the city and I am forced to suck it up! It's probably for the best after going through that 2.5 hour Pilates class. That was similar to um...... Torture, but I will continue to endure it until I master it. That's what I do! For those of you who have never tried Pilates you have to give it a shot. You will hate it at first but will realize that you hate it because you're not as physically for as you thought. I may be able to deadlift a lot of weight but when it comes to the core, I'm weak. My mission is to get stronger and be all the way around fit. Not just lifting fit. 

Today's Challenge: This week, try to get into a Pilates or yoga class. You will regret it but it's totally worth it! Lol!

Out of My Comfort Zone!

Omg! Pilates is no joke! I did a 2.5 hour Pilates class this morning and it truly killed me. One thing I can say is that I stuck the entire class out when I was tempted to leave after 40 mins. I was totally out off my comfort zone but I know that's what it take to get to where I want to be. I will be continuing with Pilates and perfectin the moves. It can only make me better physically and mentally. The working of my core is what I've been missing and strengthening it will help my weight lifting for sure. Although it is not my favorite thing to do, I am going to make Pilates work for me. 

Today's Challenge: Step outside of your comfort zone and challenge your mind and body. Your mind can make your body do amazing things! Live strong!

Your Circle

The pic that goes with this post is so awesome to me. I am fortunate to have great people in every aspect of my life. Be it work, weight lifting, home life, or what...I have phenomenal people around me. This motivates me to be better. If you check out my new blog, Kim's weightlifting journey, you will meet a couple of those great people. I will post to that blog at least once weekly. 

Today's Challenge is to STOP and just take a look at the people you have in your circle. Be thankful for the great ones and get rid of all the others! 

Diddly Squats!!!

Last weekend I incorporated weighted squats into my workout regimen and I love them. I will be working hard to continuously increase the weight weekly to really get my legs ripped! Not only do squats help leg strength and appearance, it also helps to strengthen your core and gets your heart pumping. If you are looking to get past a plateau or jump start some weight reduction, squats are just the exercise to implement.

Today's Challenge: Just try to do something new. Change up your routine and give it all you've got! This is your life we're talking about! 

 

Rest Day...ugh!

Today I decided to take a day off from the gym. It is truly a difficult thing for me to do, but if I don't I will lose the gains in the gym I have worked so hard for. Then why do I feel so darn guilty for not going? Well, weight lifting is addicting. Once you really get into it, it's hard to miss a day. The natural endorphin pump you get when working out is a drug that keeps you coming back wanting more. This is why it difficult for me to rest; I'm addicted bit this is one addiction I will keep! 

Gut Action....

When I walked into the gym this morning I was not sure that I would be able to complete the new routine implemtented on Saturday. I stalled a bit and began my warm up deadlift weight of 205lbs. I continued to add until I was at 225, but that's where I stopped. I will not try and max out until Friday. From that point my mind had given up but I had to keep going. I did 50 weighted squats, 30 unweighted squats, bench press, barbell press, lat pull downs, lat pulls, and 80 weighted ab curls. Now I'm done and feeling great! Sometimes you just have to let go of your thinking and just do what your body needs you to do. Today was that kind of day for me. 

Today's Challenge: Have the courage/guts to follow through on what you set out to do. This is your journey!

Really gym people?

Okay so, the more I go to the gym the more I learn about people and myself. First of all, these expensive ass Asics running shoes are not made for the treadmill! I will have to stick with my Roshe Runs by Nike for indoor running. I was supposed to do 4.5 miles and ended up doing 3.25! Ugh! The shoes were not my only problem. At mile 2, a girl who's in my spin class stands on the treadmill next to me and starts talking to me about "who's the woman you've been working out with in the mornings that makes you late for spin?" Really? Do you not see me in the middle of a workout? Running no less! Ugh! At 2.5 miles, another woman stands on the treadmill next to me and explains why she hasn't been in the gym because her doctor told her she was borderline for diabetes. I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of a workout!!!! For Pete's sake! As most know, I'm to nice to respond in those ways so I listened and continued with my workout (hush Gary!) People, when you see someone in the middle of a workout... LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!! Catch them when they are done or between sets! It's rude and can impact their focus! IJS 

Today's Challenge: For me it was walking out of the gym today without touching one weight. For you, lift as much weight as you can on a regular basis (3 days weekly), it helps not only to build muscle but also speeds up you metabolism which helps your body to burn fat. 

Muscle Soreness...

I probably had the best workout yesterday than I have had in a while. Well, today I am so sore and motivated to hit the gym again this morning. Many people let the soreness keep them from the gym when the should do the opposite. The soreness is not pain due to injury and can be worked out. Doing a light workout can actually help to lessen the muscle soreness and also keep you in the gym. Don't be afraid of of the soreness, embrace it and allow it to work for you. 

Today's Challenge: If you never experience muscle soreness, you need to step it up a bit. Push your body to its limits, as you have to break it down to build it up! You have it in you, release it!

FEAR....

I think when it comes to lifting weights and getting fit, there also comes fear in knowing exactly what to do to meet your goals and fear in performing maneuvers that will get you where you need to be. For months I have wanted to do squat cleans and tricep dips but was afraid. Today that fee is gone. I did them both. There was truly nothing to fear but the fear itself. The thing is, you have to start somewhere. My dips weren't very deep bit I did them! My aquat cleans weren't perfect, but I did them. Now that I have done them, I have to perfect them. I have to practice them again and again until I get them perfect. 

Today's Challenge: Do not allow fear to get in the way of your goals. You may have to start small but you have to start! 

Lifting Heavy. There's nothing like it!

Today I am reclaiming my strength to lift heavy things. I took yesterday off and today I feel refreshed and ready to press forward. I added squat cleans to my routine and will begin each workout with them practicing form and working towards deepening my squat. I can't explain how I feel when I'm lifting bit others that lift know the feeling I'm talking about. I wish I could find more women interested in lifting heavy. It really is a liberating feeling. 

Today's Challenge: It's time to change up your workout! Challenge your body and mind to reach your goals. You can do it!!!

Rest.....Ugh!

It is so very difficult for me to rest. I have made a habit of being in the gym every day and I have a hard time staying in bed. Today, I made myself do just that. I did not get out of the bed and I rested. The reason I did that is because I noticed I was losing in the gym. Meaning my body was too tired to add additional weight and my endurance was low. I need to change up my workout and give my body a break (recovery), in order to get past this hump. 

Today's Challenge: Rest! It's simple. 

I Shape Me!!!!

Today I had a difficult time in the gym. I looked in the mirror and felt as though I have not seen a change in a couple of weeks. I know that I am getting stronger, but I still have a lot of weight to drop, therefore my mentality was impacted. I still did my deadlifts, bench press, and spin; but was really not into it. As I was searching for a picture to blog about, I came across the one posted. It is up to me to get past this plateau and make a change. It is up to me to follow through on eating right and putting my all into my workout. Non one else can shape me. Only I can.

Today's Challenge: Make a councious decision toake changes in your life and your workout. Don't be stopped or slowed down by speed bumps in the road.

Don't Stress It!!!!

Stress is a killer. Period. It has a direct impact on our quality of life and can cause us to have tremendous issues with our health. Every inch of your body and every organ in your body can be negatively impacted by stress. We live in a culture that tends to worry about everything. We worry about things within and outside of our control. There are many ways to effectively manage stress, but we usually don't engage in those activities until a doctor had provided us with bad news. Shame on us! Stress hormones can prevent you from losing weight, contribute to mental health issues, and predispose you to diabetes and heart disease. Working out, walking, learning relaxation techniques, and learning to effectively manage things within your control can help you fight against the ills of stress. 

Today's Challenge: Research and implement ways to reduce stress in your life. You've got to take better care of yourself!