Do You Love Music?

Yesterday I wrote about developing interests and excitement in one's life that make one less self absorbed and constantly perseverating about working out and eating right. 

Today, I want to talk about music, because music is a central part of what I love most when working out or not working out. 

It is the language of emotion and passion. It is what stirs us when we go to a movie that we love to love or love to hate. Without it, we may not get those gut wrenching chills or the flooding of tears without the score of the movie. In essence, it ignites the fire inside and causes our adrenalin to rush, and go home and have passionate clothes-ripping sex with our partner, or become angrier or more passionate about a socio-political issue. Either way, you can feel your skin ripple. 

That feeling is what I experience -but not so dramatically- when I put the headphones on during my early morning workout. I will be jogging on the treadmill at 4.1 and a song hits me just the right way and my speed and excitement for the workout will increase, reflected at 4.4 or 4.5. 

Likewise, I feel the adrenalin's momentum carry me after being on the treadmill 20 minutes. I end in 30, but sometimes I really feel like running more, because the music feels so good and my body is bursting with energy. Just so you know, I don't run over my 30 minute limit, even if I have the desire. I'm very much into pacing myself....I'm 44 1/2...

The same happens during weight training or kettlebell training. The music transposes me into another dimension, and I am simply in heaven, working much more diligent than if I did not have the music. 

While music may have nothing to do with conceptual thought or scientific reasoning, it makes me feel good and helps sustain motivation. The words express inner feelings and thoughts...and so the morning solitude becomes a time of contemplation, reflection, and calm. 

Don't underestimate the power of aids that can help bring you into that place that others cannot touch and that is truly your own. 

If a workout is simply a means to the end result of looking good...then it will cease to exist before you arrive. 

But if there can be other things that help you enjoy that place for that one hour of each day....then find those little kernels that get you there.

This picture really sucks. The lighting is bad, and the picture is fuzzy...but this is me at 6:30 in the morning on a leg extension machine. See the iPod clipped to my shirt :)  It matches my shirt!

Workout Today 

(1 hr. 20 minutes...way too long...I think it's because of the length of time it took me to get all those sets of leg exercises into the workout)

30 minute jog treadmill
4 sets hamstring curls
4 sets leg extensions
4 sets plie squats with kettlebell
4 sets Smith Machine squats

BTW: I have not been tracking each workout. I get lazy. Instead, I just alternate leg workout one day with upper body the next day. I change up the exercises as much as possible and do NOT stick to the same routine week after week. 

RsmKettleGirl@gmail.com

While Waiting to Arrive

I think most people intuitively know to cut down portion size, cut out the rich foods, and exercise in order to transform.

What I don't think people are willing to do is to give it enough time before they quit their goal. People want to see the impact of their efforts immediately show up with a flat stomach, less hip, or less thigh in an image of how they imagine it should look. But the body doesn't reshape itself that way. The body reduces in size overall, so you still get to see folds or fat or whatever eyesore you are obsessing about -even while you are actually transforming. The body will hold onto what you wish wasn't there until your size has reduced dramatically enough to see those eyesores go away. It takes time. Did I say "it takes time?"...IT TAKES TIME!!!!! It takes the time it takes until you have arrived:)

The best way to judge your accomplishments is weighing yourself on the scale on a consistent basis. I weigh myself every morning before I workout. If I've eaten correctly then the scale will eventually move down. If I have been working out on weights it may not move down, depending on how much muscle was added and how much fat in relation to that muscle has decreased. But eventually the scale will move. 

The other way to measure your success is by the way your clothes fit. Regardless of the increase in muscle, the clothes will hang better if fat has been lost. 

Look at the successes on a microlevel...not some outlandish concept of what you think should be...because of images you have in your mind of what "should" should look like. 

Basically, I had to get this long thought out before I get to what I was really going to say. 

While Waiting to Arrive I think that it's critical that you have things to do that occupy your attention, that make you excited to be alive, and that make you feel really good about every day existing. 

I run into a lot of people who don't really have much in the way of things that make them gung-ho, but are just doing their daily responsibilities of getting through the day. 

It's funny and not so funny. Here we are living in the nation of plenty and so many people seem bored. It's true that daily responsibilities get boring, but your life can be so much more.

Things I love to do include playing the piano, listening to music, listening to audiobooks, reading, researching an interest on the internet, designing, attending my AU (Americans United) monthly meetings, gardening, going out to the movies, discussing politics/religion/ or any hot topic, going out with friends, and organizing. There are more, but I won't bore you. It's important for me to have things other than exercising or thinking about the June Bikini Competition 2013. 

If I sit there thinking about me and my body...I will get really bored. Right now, I'm dying to go downstairs to play the piano. I love the way music feels in my heart, my soul, my skin, and just everywhere. I can't get enough of music in general.  It doesn't cost anything to go downstairs and play...and it's all about me -not the kids, not the husband.

Since I am a homeschooling parent, I'm with the kids much throughout the day...which is great, but then I need me time. 
In fact, one of the things I did this time around was NOT to work out with my husband in the evening. I carved out the morning time to workout instead. It was twofold. For one, I was having a hard time making time in the evening to workout, because everybody seemed to demand my attention. Secondly, I needed mental and physical space to focus on me. My husband can easily go downstairs and watch the news or a program between sets and dilly- dally for an hour and a half or more and accomplish what he needs to, but I cannot. 

So my biggest suggestion for you if transformation has been hard to stick with is start with a small goal related to food or exercise and then let your body do the work it needs, while you focus on a few things that make you incredibly excited about living. 

I would be curious to hear some feedback on this subject.
Feel free to comment at 

RsmKettleGirl@gmail.com

Today's Workout (1hr, 10 m):
30 minute run (mostly at 4.3)
4 sets flat bench press dumbbell presses
4 sets lat pull downs
4 sets ball assisted push ups
4 sets seated machine rows.

General Category of foods I ate today:
hardboiled eggs
banana, protein powder, peanut butter
corn tortillas
home made salsa
potatoes
carrots
black beans
BCAAs & multivitamin

picture of me practicing posing with make up one month prior to competing at 43 years old.

What I EAT

I thought you might like to know the foods I eat when eating clean,  while getting in shape for a contest.

It's pretty simple.

1. Hardboiled Eggs
2. Brown Rice Cakes (lightly salted)
3. Protein Powder
4. Banana
5. Natural Peanut Butter (nothing but peanuts)
6. Russet Potatoes
7. Yams
8. Whole Made Salsa (on the spicy side)
9. Carrots
10. Green Beans
11. Boneless, Skinless, Organic Chicken Breasts
12. Ground Turkey (97%lean)
13. Black Beans (made from scratch with organic chicken broth)
14. Walnuts (unsalted)
15. Corn Tortillas
16. Fish
17. Apples
18. Pears
19. Usually Broccoli (but this time around I've been eating lots of Green Beans instead)
20. Promax Bars (but I haven't been eating them. I had 1/3 of one about 3 weeks ago). 
21. Greek Yogurt (fruit on bottom. Last contest I  ate Greek Yogurt (almost Fat Free) but didn't have the fruit on the bottom. I thought I was going to be completely dairy free, but then I wouldn't be able to eat yogurt. And I like yogurt.

There may be other foods I forgot about and didn't list, but this will give you an idea of the types of foods I eat. 

I cook for the family anything from casseroles, lasagna, BBQ, soups, and Stir Fry...but whatever I cook I tend to pull a portion of the vegetables and meats for myself before I have added any butter, sauces, or flour.  It's actually pretty easy to do once you get the hang of it. 

Last night I made a potato soup with extra vegetables in it and turkey patties. I ate a turkey patty that had onions and seasoning in it and had some plain green beans, potatoes, and carrots on the side. 

Portion size is a HUGE deal if you are trying to reduce body size. You can't eat restaurant size portions and think that just because you are eating clean you can get away with that. And of course, the older I get the less my body actually needs, which I discovered really sucked during the last competition.

Two months left until the competition day, I realized that I wasn't being able to drop the weight steadily anymore. So, I started to reduce the portion size and viola! The extra 5 pounds came off easily. Was I depressed to see how little food I was eating at that point? YES!!!!! But, it was just another adjustment to make that your mind has to wrap around. As long as you are eating whole foods that are clean and have substantial staying power....your cravings and appetite will decrease. 

You can't get locked into believing something that you think should be or you want to be when you have never mastered it. It's like doing something that you know will most likely achieve results, but you have no concept of what it will really look like in the end. You must go through the unknown. That's a hard thing to do if you are anything like me, who wants proof or control.

You just have to hang in there and know that any movement forward is a step in the right direction. 

Remember, it's a waiting game...and you have to know how to wait it through until the end. This brings me to my next point, which I will discuss tomorrow.....

what do you do when you are waiting...."to arrive"

Today's Workout (1 hr. 10 minutes)

30 minute run (averaged about 4.3 on treadmill)

4 sets V-Ups on bench for abdominals

4 sets Leg Presses (25-30  lbs each side)

4 sets glute lifts with 25 pound weight on thighs

4 sets Butt' Blasters on knees using the ankle strap to bottom of lat machine.

BCAAs

The other day I mentioned that I took BCAAs. BCAAs are Branched Chain Amino Acids. They come in capsule form from NutriSport or NutriStop or any other bodybuilding/supplement store. 

Basically they are the chemical structure of specific amino acids, which prevent the breakdown of muscle and help your body recover from exercise.  Amino acids are what you find in the protein you eat, so by ingesting amino acids you are helping your body to create or keep muscle, and as a side benefit it can make you more alert.

On the surface you may think that your body doesn't really need this kind of stuff, but it may. Intense and continuous exercise will start to have an effect on you mentally and physically. You can't see it on the outside of your body, but in time you may start to feel drained and not know why- then quit your program:(

Supplementing the body with certain nutrients is a good idea. I like protein powder and BCAAs  - and of course I take a multivitamin daily as well. 

I can get too lazy to take other supplements (like fish oil capsules or flax, even though I think these are great supplements. 


1 hr. 10 minute Exercise Routine Today:
30 minute run (stayed at about 4.2/4.3)
4 sets two arm kettlebell swings
4 sets one arm kettlebell swings alternating with shoulder presses
4 sets overhead tricep curls with kettlebell
4 sets bent over dumbbell flyes

RsmKettleGirl@gmail.com

Mondays & New Months

I was thinking about how programmed we are with Mondays and beginnings of new months being the start for many new fitness programs. 

My opinion is that it's dangerous to do that. I think it's best to start anytime when you think that you can start changing your diet or start an exercise program. 

Starting out simply, without having unnecessary pressure the beginning of a new month or week poses, is a good thing. Just ease into it like we expect our kids to when they are starting a new sport. We would never ask our kids to play as hard as the could or to do everything possible the first day of any sport.

Easing into either the fitness or the nutrition part -not both- does so many good things. The first and most important part is that it lays down a pattern of consistency. If change is the goal, then consistency must be apart of that goal. I've never known a person who was successful without consistently trying, trying, and trying again. It's virtually impossible to get good, really good, at something without consistently practicing. 

So, let's say you already know about what to eat and already know what exercises you want to do to change your physique, but can't find the time or energy or stay power to do it all. Then, start out with changing one thing today. If you can do that one thing for one week, you have created some consistency in your life. It may be a small accomplishment, but when you add one more thing the next week, and another after that, pretty soon the changes will be monumental. 

Take an entire month to just change a few things without backsliding. You will feel so good physically and mentally, which will in turn give you the momentum to move forward. 

Here are some of my favorite mental focusing tools to help you succeed.

Book:
The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (also in audio format)

Anthony Robbins (success tapes: there is some mild religious references. Either way use it to your advantage if you are not religious like me).

My Exercise Program Today:
30 minute run (instead of running at 4.2 I ran at 4.4)
4 sets of Smith Machine Squats
4 sets Hamstring Curls
4 sets Oblique sit ups on ball
4 sets Deadlifts (weighted))

2 BCAA (Branched Chained Amino Acids ) after the workout.

MMO & MO

One of the goals of my blogging is to give ideas about how to successfully reach your goal, without compromising the things you love to do. Yesterday, I blogged about vacation planning, because the reality is that during the holidays people like to travel, but sometimes find themselves unsuccessfully being able to do so while attempting to get in shape. 

Today I'm posting on MMO. MMO stands for Moms Morning Out...instead of the MNO, which stands for Moms Night Out. I used to go to MNO regularly once a month, but now I do the once a week MMO at the local Panera or Corner Bakery. My friend came up with the idea, because she has an infant and can't seem to swing the once a month MNO. The alternative was to meet weekly on Sunday after feeding her baby, while her husband was home taking care of the infant. 

It's worked out really well for me. Every week, I bring a large tea  mug, and fill it up with hot water, and squeeze about 5 lemons in it. While my friends are having hot chocolate, coffee, or lattes, I also have my hot drink. They order oatmeal, eggs, bagels, and bacon, and I eat my hardboiled eggs and rice cake. I fit in, and they don't think anything of it. 

Eating breakfast out is very different from eating dinner out. Dinners out make me feel pressured to order something that looks like everybody else's, whereas breakfast is one of those meals where anything goes. Some people eat breakfast, some people don't, and most eat very differently from one another. So, there is no pressure to conform. 

I just spent the last 3 hours hanging with my friends, and now I can spend the rest of the day with my family. I had me time, but I also get family time. 

I will continue the MNO if it come about once a month, but I much prefer the MMO. It's a great alternative, and allows me to get my "mommy-friend' fix for the week. 

Movies Out (MO):

I love going to the movie theater as well. I tend to go more often with my friends than I do with my husband, because getting a teenage babysitter is tougher on a Friday or Saturday evening. One of my favorite eats is popcorn. I could eat popcorn any time...as long as it has butter and salt...but that's not very realistic or healthy and will not help me reach my goal. 

My friends get popcorn, so I get to smell it, which I love, and I bring a water or hot water with lemon and I seem to feel totally satisfied. I know you are thinking "well that's not satisfying at all." Well, yes it is! It's a matter of mentally modifying what is satisfying. Look, realistically I'm not going to get everything I want and expect that I can compete in a bikini competition; so it's good to get creative and think about what can work for me. I love the smell of popcorn, and in fact, it probably tastes better through the nose than it does when I eat it. I know for a fact that when I eat popcorn, my body really doesn't feel that great, so these are the mental tricks that I use to help me stay focused. 

RsmKettleGirl@gmail.com
Comments Welcome:)

Planning a Vacation

The girls and I are going on vacation in less than 11 days. We will be gone for 5 days, which of course leaves me without a kettlebell and all my creature comforts of working out at home. 
So I've been mulling over various scenarios to get workout time in each day, eating the correct foods, and still being able to keep on a tight schedule of making our way around Washington D.C.

I've decided to contact the hotel this week and ask them to cook 12 hardboiled eggs and place them in the refrigerator upon our arrival. Eggs are a great way to keep the protein levels high and the fat content plenty. The cook will be able to prepare plain cooked vegetables and chicken upon request, and bottled water shouldn't be an issue. 

I will need to find out if there are any markets near the hotel to grab any extras I need. But getting all these necessities in order is not only for me. The girls will also eat much of what I do, because it will keep their tummies full and satisfied without craving crap. 

The last thing will be to find out what I can or cannot bring through the terminal area of the airport. With all the restrictions with container size, no bottled water, etc... I want to make sure that I can pack foods which I will eat on the plane. 

It may seem like an ordeal, but the reality is that preparation is key to success. The details will make the trip run smoother both for me and for the children. Less time wasted thinking and stopping at a restaurant will mean more time at the various places we can visit in D.C.

This is my cooler that I bought from Amazon.com some time ago. I love this bag, because it's large enough to accommodate snacks, lunches, and drinks that the girls and I need when we are out of the house all day when we go places. However, this is also the bag that many stewards and stewardesses use, because it has excellent insulation, and the backside of this bag has a slot where you can attach it to rolling luggage, making airport travel easier. 

Workout Update:
ran 30 minutes (pace is getting faster)
4 sets kettlebell swings
4 sets dumbbell chest presses
4 sets lat pulldowns
4 sets kettlebell shoulder presses
4 sets tricep pushdowns with rope

Tomorrow is my one day a week day off.

My Period.

Nice Subject!

The reality is that every month, if you are in between THOSE ages, your going to get cranky, bloated, cramped, emotional, or all of above.

Month to month the repercussions of cycling manifest differently. One month I will be incredibly cranky and want to rip someone's head off, another month I will be crying for no apparent reason, and sometimes the cramps are so painful that I will take an Ibuprofen -or two.

The other day my friend texted me and asked me if I was cycling, because we normally cycle together. It's not a crazy phenomenon when you spend a decent amount of time with your friend, somehow the two people always end up on the same cycle.

I said, "no...but ask me in a day or two...and I probably will be."
It's less than two days later, and I'm on my period...

Today is Thanksgiving and I have cramps and I wanted to lay in bed longer, and that is a great excuse for not working out. 

So, I got up and worked out! 

What's important is what is important. 

Each day an excuse exists for each one of us. Giving in and excusing yourself, as if you were excusing yourself from a day of work, school, homework, taking out the trash for trash day, feeding the cat when the bowl is empty, not driving your kids to a class because you don't feel like it, should not be an option. 

The priority takes precedents over thoughts and feelings as long as there is not something that is overwhelming more important, like a family member needing to get to the ER.

Right now, the vegetables that need to be cut and cooked for Thanksgiving are not a priority. 

It's morning still, and the kids have generously and excitedly donated their time to cutting vegetables, so working out and showering and still getting everything ready for Thanksgiving is doable. Take the time for yourself, everybody is usually better off when mom is content.

Happy Thanksgiving

RsmKettlegirl@gmail.com

Sleep

Sleep is so important to feeling the motivation and ability to have hard workouts. 

Last night I didn't get enough sleep, just a lot of sex (LOL). I was up way past my bedtime, so this morning when I needed to drag myself out of bed at 6:20....I was lethargic and my body heavy.

If you find yourself in this position...not the sex part, but the went-to-bed-too-late part, there is hope. 

Don't eat as much during the day!

It seems like I'm joking, but in all seriousness, I'm not. Eating light has it's benefits. One, the mind is more alert (that is, if you are not starving yourself), and when you need to perform it's easier without the food weighing you down. 

This morning's workout started with a 30 minute run to my favorite music. Music excites me, and there is no better way for me to get a good run then with tunes that quicken my pace.

Today I worked lower body, however, I do sit-ups, which are technically not a lower body workout. They're the in-between, so you can stick them where you want.

4 sets of hamstring curls, I think 15. I had moved the weight up a few weeks ago, but now I think I'm ready to readjust the weight up again.

4 sets of sit ups on the ball, 25 each. I love the ball. You can position your feet further or closer to the ball depending on which part of the abdominals you want to concentrate on. These give a good workout.

4 sets of kettlebell squats, 20 each. I could feel it in my arms as well, since I have to hold up the darn thing. 

4 sets (or more...lost track of my counting:) of 10 weighted butt' /hip extensions. I have to find a better name for this exercise. I've done it for years off/ on and the name always fails to stick in my brain. I put the attachment around my ankle, attach it to the lower part of the lat machine, and while on my knees (doggie style) I kick my heel up towards the ceiling. 

...and then it turned 7:40am and I was done!

I could hear the closet door open and close from up in my daughter's bedroom, so I knew she was getting ready for school. 

I don't feel sleep deprived right now, but at around 3pm, I'll guarantee I'll be ready for a nap. 

RsmKettleGirl@gmail.com
Comments welcome

1 1/2 months training so far....

The first month was about working out consistently, and working towards 5-6 days a week doing cardio mostly. Now in the second month I have managed to workout 6 days per week, alternating kettlebell training with leg training, while maintaining my 30 minutes per day of cardio.

I absolutely love that I have found my own space to workout each morning. Working out with the husband is nice once in a while, but I'm craving my own space right now. In the morning, when the kids are asleep and husband has left for work already...it's only the cat and I in the workout room.

Sunday seems to be my favorite day off from working out. Sometimes I feel like working out, but I think it's necessary to give the body a rest, even though the mind says "but I feel good...I want to work out."

When Monday comes around I think my body has recovered, and I feel excited to go downstairs for the start of the week's workout. It's crazy, when I get into the groove, I start thinking about the next workout the day before. That's when I know that things have clicked.

As far as eating is concerned, I am loving eating dairy and gluten free...with the exception of the morning protein powder, which has milk derivatives, like casein. Overall, I feel energized, alert, and much more capable of focusing on the goal.

June is a long way away for the 2013 competition, but I'm sure the time will fly by. I think I've given myself enough time to get ready. I don't have any reservations about getting to my target goal, but I am questioning whether or not I will look okay on stage again. I'll be 45 years old, and that just seems like a bigger difference than 42/43 years old. I feel like I'm getting saggier, older, and wrinklier...which is all probably true, but perhaps it might feel like I exaggerate my current age. Despite these thoughts, I am really excited for this next challenge of mental and physical stamina.

RsmKettleGirl

Update on daughter

I was looking back at some of my posts...

The last entry prior to taking a huge break, my daughter had a severe injury. It was pretty bad, and I was pretty miserable watching her in so much pain. Sleepless nights for both of us and lots of cuddling throughout the school days were commonplace.  I would have traded anything for me to feel the pain instead of her.

I pulled her out of gymnastics, and she was out for 8 months. The tendons around her ribcage had been pulled from her muscle...It would be a matter of time before it healed, if the tendon wasn't severed from the muscle. (Otherwise, surgery would have been the only option).

During that arduous period, we decided it was a good time to sample some other sports. But in the end, she wanted to go back into gymnastics. I put her back in months later, then she ended up with a hairline fracture in her foot. Great! ...not even from gymnastics...just from walking at the park. What a mess...
So, out she went from gymnastics again. Since life challenges come in 3's, next, I broke her hand!

It was crazy. We were playing handball, and I told her specifically not to hit the ball, because I wanted to show her something. So, I went to hit the ball really hard, and she stuck her hand right under mine...and the pain...was memorable! She liked the pink cast however.

I think that entire year was a blur of doctor's visits and changing life circumstances...which I haven't mentioned.

I was clearly not in the mood to compete again. Parental instincts and family issues always take priority over a competition. I still continued to workout, but over time it did get less and less, and my focus on my family, friendships, and homeschooling took priority...

Now, fast forward to today....would I or could I have done anything differently? No. I think that there are times when other parts of one's life become more important than one's self. Do I wish I had been Superwoman and been able to accomplish all of it? Yes, but fantasy is one thing and reality is another. Within chaos, I think I've grown the most. I look at obstacles as a welcome door mat outside my front door.

And this, I pass on to my children.....

Workout today:
I had an hour workout this morning. 1/2 hour running, followed by 4 sets double handed kettlebell swings, 4 sets kettlebell presses, 4 sets of alternating swings to shoulder lifts.

2nd Day blogging

Yes, I know....not the most flattering picture. I guess I could have put on some foundation to even out my tone....oh well.....

These are my Invisaligns I was talking about. There are positive and negative points about having these things in while I'm training.

The bad part is that they cut down on how many meals I eat per day. I didn't really think about it at first, but discovered that over several days of not eating as much...that I was probably going to force my to reduce the metabolic engine,  therefore sabotaging my efforts to accomplish my goals.

It's a fine balance between trying to get cut and not restrict oneself from eating too little. I must eat my 5 meals a day at set intervals so that the body can work more efficiently to drop fat. If I eat too little, the body will think it's starving, and will pull lean tissue from my body.

So, now I find myself having to take the Invisaligns out more often, and it's just a bummer. I have to carry a toothbrush with me everywhere to clean my teeth and clean the Invisaligns before putting them back in.

Can you see how my lower teeth need the invisaligns? I don't want to end up with jagged teeth when I'm older. I don't think anybody will want to kiss me.... :) So, I'm starting now in my 40's so no one can look at me one day and say....."yeah....no .....I'm not kissing her. "

The positive side of having invisaligns when training is that I don't have to use a mouthguard. Some people who workout need to use a mouthguard so they don't bite down, clench, and break the teeth.
I don't really have this problem when I workout, but the invisaligns will help protect my teeth from getting damaged, just in case I decide to lift a lot of weight...or get pissed off at someone.

Workout this morning:
I know (your thinking it's not much of a workout) compared to my prior workouts.

I'm still limiting myself to a 30 minute run on the treadmill, followed by a few minutes of cool down and stretching. My legs were stiff this morning, because of the Smith Machine Squats I did yesterday. I did 4 sets of 12 yesterday...which is completely under my expectations....but my legs were feeling it this morning.

After the treadmill, I alternated 4 sets of sit ups (25 each set) and 4 sets of hamstring curls (20 each set)..then I added for the first time, 4 sets of raised hips with 25 lb wt on my abdomen to increase the difficulty.

I started my workout at 6:30, ended at 7:30. Showered, dressed, came down to fix breakfast for kids and get them started on school.

Please feel free to contact me:
RsmKettleGirl@gmail.com

Crazy isn't it?

After all this time, I have decided I want to work towards another competition. How long has it been since I have  posted? ....LOL

In the beginning of October, I decided to get back on track with my workouts first. They were sporadic at best, because I couldn't quite figure out how to balance family, homeschooling, and my social lives. It was so frustrating, because I knew I could do it, but just couldn't get myself in the groove.

So, as crazy as it sounds, I started listening to Anthony Robbins tapes on motivation, consistency, commitment, and all those inspirational ideas that he's spoken about for years. The funny thing is that I remember when he first started out in the 80's or early 90's ....and he was the best thing since sliced bread. I attended one of his first events in Irvine, and he rocked!

Years passed and I came across an entire series of his tapes for free, and I thought what the heck....I'll listen to what he had to say. Aside from some of his personal beliefs, I totally got into his tapes. I started listening to them in September.

By late September, I was so excited, that I decided I would workout in the early morning before kids awoke and after husband had left for work. It was a quiet time, and alone time was going to be good for me to focus.

The first two weeks of 6 days a week were gruesome. But as we all know, it takes time to get into the groove. By the third week of 6 days a week of working out, I was feeling great. I loved listening to my favorite tunes, and loved being alone.

By the 4th week, I decided to eat clean. What did that mean for me? It meant dropping out "white" & dairy. ...which is mostly white anyway:)

I know, you are going to think it extreme, but I love the feeling of cutting out white and dairy (with the exception of protein powder...and every once in a while when I feel like a nonfat Greek vanilla yogurt)

If you think it's hard to do....DON'T!
It's amazing what one can find to eat when you cut out wheat thins and bread. Use a potato instead of bread. And honestly....the wheat thins or cookies or crackers or whatever one desires....is a total waste of time. It only makes us feel sluggish and unsatisfied.

I'll try to post daily if I can, but don't hold me to it...since I left for over a year from this blog .....:)

Oh ya....I'm going to compete in June 2013 if I think I'm in competitor shape. But the goal is set....