My Fav!!!

Although a little off schedule, leg day has reared it beautiful head again. My last leg day just started to creep up on me and my hamstrings are feeling it from deadlifting but whatever the case, the day is here and I'm ready to answer the call! I will again go with lighter weight (even lighter than last leg day) and perform more reps. I'm really trying to get my legs right before spring (March/April) and I have plenty of time. I just have to be consistent. Anyhoo...I'm considering putting together a great supplement stack to assist in this process. I just want to make sure my muscles are getting what they need to do what I want them to do. 3reFit told me I need to figure out what I'm trying to achieve and that picture is starting to come into focus. I'm gonna continue pondering my construction and I'll fill you in as soon as it's landed. Now go KILL yo' day! 

Stick To The Plan No Matter What!

Eating right, working out, getting fit and reaching your fitness goals is not a simple task. It takes hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and consistency to reach whatever goals you have set forth. The holidays makes the challenge that much more difficult and many times co-workers, friends, and family don't help either. Since they are not on the same page as you or because they are "content" with their weight or just don't care about being fit, they attempt to encourage you to "just have one." Well, that one can, and many times does, lead to another and then another. Before you know it, you have consumed 1000 calories of something you didn't want to eat and you have put your workout behind the 8-ball. That's if you still decide to workout. I know I have been guilty of falling off track with my eating and then just said "screw working out for today!" I might have even gotten right back on track but there is always that regret lurking. That does not mean we should not plan or enjoy a cheat meal from time to time. It just means that if we have a plan, stick to that plan no matter what! No one is going to protect or value that plan or the goals you have in mind more than you! If your plan includes 2 days of eating whatever, that's great but don't make it 3 days. Stay focused, stay strong, sacrifice what's bad for you, and hold on to what you know you want. You can do it! Trust me, if I can ANYBODY can. No, seriously. If you guys only knew how many years it took me to get it together and say enough is enough. So, give you plan a chance and don't self sabotage. Let all that has kept you from getting closer to your goals go and get to WORK!!! I'm here if you need me. ;-)

Remix!!!

So, due to life happening and some really bad weather here in Chicagoland, I was not able to get my LEG DAY workout in. Yeah, but I had other things happening that took priority over the gym. So, today will be the day. I will get my regular leg workout in but I also miss pushing the prowler. So I thing I'm going to add that, plus it's really good cardio. Today will most likely be a 3 hour gym day as I feel as if I'm super behind and way off schedule. My eating has been on point for the last few days and geared towards fueling my workouts. Today will be no different. Yesterday I lost focus but today is a new day with new focus and new drive. I'll keep you posted on my LEG DAY success! 

Leg Day...Embrace It!

Call me crazy but I absolutely love LEG DAY!!! Don't get me wrong, the workout is grueling and the soreness 2 days later is down right hideous but at the same time pleasurable. I think I love LEG DAY so much because I think of legs as the vehicle that will carry most of us through our lives (and the feet) so they need to be strong and well taken care of. You cannot consider yourself a true lifter/body builder or fitness anything if you are not training your legs. I mean for guys, how can you have a stellar chest, massive arms, thick neck, and stick legs. For women, our legs are a huge part of our womanly arsenal! We can't be skimping on the womanly arsenal! :-) And it's not like you truly have to lift a gazillion pounds or do a gazillion reps to get results. So, normally I like to lift heavy however,  beginning today I am going to lower my weight and do more reps. I will eventually increase the weight again, but I want to work on some specific body parts and areas which will require me to lower the weight. I'm not too sad about it, as I know it will benefit my overall fitness in the end and what better day to start than LEG DAY! I will probably not be able to walk in a couple of days but that's okay, I actually love the burn. I will start with a butt load of squats which are my favorites! If I could safely squat with weight daily, I would. There was a time that I would squat every other day but then found out that wasn't the best thing to be doing. So now it's LEG DAY twice a week. I would really love to add a 3rd day of legs but I will have to run that by my coach. Wish me luck!!!

Mental Toughness

Mental toughness is a collection of attributes that allow a person to persevere through difficult circumstances (such as difficult training or difficult competitive situations in games) and emerge without losing confidence.
Mental toughness is about the best trait any human being can have. It will allow you to focus on the end goal without getting caught up in all the distractions in your midst. On this fitness journey, there have been and continues to be things, people, and circumstances that test my mental strength and my ability to stay focused on what's important. However, these are the times that you really have to take a step back and regain that focus. You have to remember that this journey is yours and yours alone. No one is going to be more invested in you, than you! If so, your problems are greater than mental toughness! :-) Once you have placed your focus back on what you have to do, then you just have to do it! With ZERO hesitation, ZERO fear, ZERO doubts; it will get done! In this game, there is no time for self-pity only self-preserverence! You are either a lamb or a lion. You have to be ruthless within which will carry you mentally and physically (strength, endurance, training) anywhere you desire to go! Don't try, just do! 

Simple As That

Over the last year or so I have met some incredible people. Some at the peak of their fitness, some just starting, and other in between (like me). There are always individuals that say they want to get fit or that say they will help you get fit or others that ask you for whatever help you can give them. I think this is a beautiful thing as we can utilize each other for motivation and it's a great way to network. However, I have learned time and time again that you cannot place your goals in the hands of anyone else. You cannot put your drive or motivation in the hands of another. You surely cannot depend on anyone to stick with you for the lifelong haul. All of that has to remain with you as you are THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS TO DO THE WORK!!! No one else! Sure there are others that will motivate, cheer you on, and give you pointers along the way. However, when those people are not around (and the reasons will vary) you have to be able to go it alone, with the same drive and determination. You have to continuously be your own motivation and never allow the lack of action of others to impact your WORK. Simple as that!!!

12/25/15 WORK to do!

So, yesterday was chest day but I didn't make it to anybody's gym due to family gatherings and stuff, but I did run 5.29 miles outside! Today, I will be visiting my 24/7, 365 days a year gym (XSport) to get chest and arms in! That's right! Holiday does not mean there's no WORK to be done. I've had my pre-workout meal and in a couple of hours I'm gonna go put that WORK in! I have goals and sitting around nibbling on junk food all day is not gonna help me reach them. I will be enjoying my friends and family but only after I take care of myself in my favorite place....the gym. 

Not So Long Ago...

Not so long ago I weighed 294 pounds and besides being morbidly obese, I had no serious medical issues. After receiving bloodwork results that were all good, my doctor said; "I'm so happy that your bloodwork came back okay, but if you don't lose this weight, that will not be the case for long. I'm worried that soon you will cross that threshold into disease which is hard to return from." I also had a good friend, 37 years old at the time, have his 3rd stroke and was struggling. I realized that I had an opportunity before me and if I didn't take that opportunity right then, that window may close. So, on that day I started making changes. Since chocolate and sweets were my biggest issue, that's where I started. I cut out sweets. Each week I added something different to my list and kept going. Did I have days or weeks of failure? Absolutely! However, when you catch yourself, you start from that point forward with no shame or doubts. Just keep it moving! It's not easy and it's not impossible. It is what we make it! If we make it hard, it will be hard! If we stay on the side of positivity, we lessen the struggle. Within the struggle we find our strength. The strength to live without limitations of any kind. Start now. 

Recovery and Rest...

I have a really bad way of telling my body to shut up and keep going when it comes to training. I convince myself that because I get 5-7 hours of sleep and I feel great that days of rest are overrated. Well, last night's back day was a partial failure. Not an epic failure, but a partial one. Where I wanted to see gains was in my deadlift. However, I lifted the same exact thing I lifted the last back day, which was completely deflating. I was happy I didn't lose anything but I didn't gain anything either. So...after a convo with 3reFit and a text reminding me to be smart this morning, I decided to sleep in and take a rest day. Many times we ignore things, people, and signs that are placed on our paths. I'm learning to be be very observant of all things that could possibly be beneficial to my overall well being. My body is the first thing that must be nurtured from the inside out. That is a tast that only I can oversee. So, from this point forward I will assess my body's signals and proceed accordingly. Growth is a beautiful thing. 

12/22/15 ~ Late Back Day?

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday, are by far my favorite days in the gym as those are my leg and back days. This week I will add an extra back day, probably on Friday (Xmas), but we shall see. Today is back day and I like to get this day done early. However that is not going to happen today due to my work schedule. So when I get off, it's gonna be a struggle with the needed energy to see gains in my deadlift. I will likely have to eat just before I get off, come home and take a nap, then head to the gym (grabbing coffee on the way). Either way, the WORK will get done. And, it's highly likely that a second back day will be added. :-) Many think that I'm a biting a phenatic with working out, but they haven't seen anything yet!!!! I'm shooting for WW status!!! 

12/21/15 - Arm Day

So, part of my fitness plan is to have some rock solid arms. I've got tons of work to do but it will get done!!! I've been piecing together my arm workouts but will have a more solid plan come next Monday. My goal is WonderWoman status, so I will be consistently lifting heavy and increasing weight consistently! I'm ready but not sure if the rest of the world is. 

12/20/15 LEG DAY!!!!

I really look forward to leg days! I guess it's because that's where I normally to the best. Plus, I want to really get my legs all the way right. So, on my "way back" to being able to squat heavy, today I was able to squat 170lbs 5x. I could have probably done more but I'm trying to pace myself which I have difficulties doing. I want to get back to squating 225lbs 5x without a spot. I also want to be able to go past parrallel with whatever weight I tackle. Well I suppose I'm off to a good start and it feels good. I have to give a shout out to 3reFit for getting me on the right track this time around! Jerome Brantley (Bam Bam) helped me to shred over 100 lbs in less than 9 months, which I still can't believe. There's so much more work to do, but I've got this!!! 

I'm Back!!!!

12/18/15

I have been absent from this blog for way too long and I wish I had continued it to keep track of my progress. I have morphed into a different person since my last post... Literally. I lost over 130 lbs and I am still trimming down, and building muscle and endurence! I am embarking on some fitness and life milestones and will likely begin documenting here at least 2x weekly! This should be interesting!!!