Stairs. Do them. Period.

STAIR WORKOUT COMING SOON!!!!

befit.befierce.behealthy

Cucumber Feta Salad

 Cucumber Feta Salad
1 Cucumber
White balsamic vinegar
Feta cheese
Salt (as desired)
Mix together and let chill.
Super yummy and healthy!

befit.befierce.behealthy

PLAYGROUND UPPER BODY WORKOUT!

Hey everyone!
I went to some local playgrounds just to see what workout options would be available.  Surprisingly there are lots of options.  I did this quickly so I couldn't get as creative as I would have like liked.  I put together a quick upper body workout.

This workout is designed for moms without a gym pass that would like to get a workout in while there children are at play.

Watch the video below.  Please excuse the video's poor quality, my camera is ancient!

I hope you enjoy.  Be looking for a Playground Lower Body and Ab workout in the near future.

Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting!

befit.befierce.behealthy

Get over yourself. Looks aren't everything. Forget about the damn scale already! You morbidly obese monster!

Therapy Session!

After my two recent figure competitions I have been a little bit lost as to what the heck I want to do in the future with fitness.  I have kept my nutrition and training regimen the same, with a few more cheats.  But I have felt the wrath of post competition weight gain and blues, I am not super human after all.  I had this idea in my head that I could maintain a certain weight and kept telling myself, "if I get above such and such weight I WOULD DIE!"  Well, I am alive and a few pretty pounds over that weight I swore I would never go above.  

My husband continuously tells me he likes the way I look now, better than how I looked in my competitions.  Apparently my man likes a little more "cushion for the pushin!"  Unfortunately I don't, I HATE IT!  I look at the little bit of extra cushion and see nothing but NASTY, GROSS, EVIL, FAT!  Let me be honest for a second though, it is not nearly as bad as I am making it sound.   But what may seem like a few pounds to someone else, appears as a morbidly obese monster in my mind!  It is quite pathetic actually, these last few weeks, there have been moments when I get off of the scale and literally tear up.  I think mostly because I feel like I have lost control.  

My thoughts have been so consumed in getting this little bit of extra weight off (this morbidly obese monster) that I have forgotten that there is a person inside of me that is worth a lot more than just how her body looks.  It is hard to regain self worth based on you as a whole, when your mind set has been so focused on how tight your abs look, how lean you can get, muscle mass, etc.  ALL LOOKS!   

Every thing needs to be balanced and I have lost all control of maintaining that balance.  I just can't seem to figure out how to get rid of this constant whisper that LOOKS ARE EVERYTHING!  I have created a monster.  Constantly I am looking at myself and finding flaw after flaw, because I don't look the same way I did on competition day!  Always comparing myself to something that is not maintainable.    It is a monster, it's big and it's evil!  I have been rapidly destroying my self-worth, over something so vain and selfish!  

I have set new goals!  They are simple, 

1. Forget about the damn scale already!

2. BE POSITIVE!

3.Drink More Water!

4.Lift Hard!

5. Cardio 3 times a week.

The number one thing on this list should have been BE POSITIVE.  I have been so negative about my body, I am sure that it has affected my bodies response.  Not only has it affected me but it has affected those around me.  My thoughts are so consumed with how I look that I have forgotten that, hey, there is so much more out there to worry about and consume my thoughts with, GET OVER YOURSELF!  haha!  

This was way long, so sorry...but this was written over a course of a few days, but boy do I feel better now.  Thanks for reading through this depressing post.  I usually tend to hide my negative thoughts but I am human, in order to appreciate the positive, one must experience the negative.  I think I have had my fair share, time to be more positive, plus, no one likes a "negative nancy"!

Thanks for reading!

BEFIT.BEFIERCE.BEHEALTHY.

For your entertainment!  

Meet the morbidly obese monster living inside my head, and occasionally showing up in my mirror! 

Peanutbutter-a-holics Anonymous

As I sit here sipping on my tea, I realize that it has been a rough couple of weeks.  My body seems to be holding on to some water and a little extra cushion since the March show.  I have been doing carb cycling and can't seem to kick some of the unwanted padding that seems to enjoy my company way more that I enjoy its'!   

I am heavier than I was when I first decided to compete in November of 2011, but granted this is most likely due to the muscle gains.  I am super worried for this next show coming up because I will no longer be competing in the Novice division, I'll be movin' on up to the Open class.  My first show was such a success that anything less would be hard to swallow.  I want 1st place, I am not gonna lie.   

These next two weeks are going to consist of some major cardio, and diet diet diet!  I have banned myself from buying peanut butter, I seriously have a problem with it!  I had it all the way up to the day before the show in March, but decided that if I wanna kick the extra fat for this next show, I should probably stop eating it by the spoonfuls crouched in the corner of my kitchen haha!  I was going through about a jar a week, yep that it about 6000 calories from simply peanut butter, I don't know how I didn't become morbidly obese before my last show.

I am going to be doing my own makeup for this next show, eyelashes included.  This ain't gonna be pretty, but I need to save a pretty penny! I will be keeping it a little be more natural this time around, instead of going with the bright pink like I did last show.  I loved the pink, but I tend to go back and forth between liking flashy or classy!

I will be adding some more rhinestones to my suit, can't have it look exactly the same!  I wanted to get another suit but couldn't decide on a color and figured I would simply just add some colored rhinestones to my suit to give it a different look.

Needing sleep!  I haven't been sleeping as well, nor nearly as much as I should.  This is due to my late nights at the gym, as well as Jedd's late nights working on his toys.  I don't like to go to bed alone, well without him I guess I should say, considering our dogs and cat sleep with us, oh the romance!

Vacations are super tough with such a strict diet!  Let's just say that healthy food is to a Gas Station, as a needle is to a hay stack!  Only so many carry boiled eggs or pickles ha ha.  Hence, why I am dehydrating some veggies, and preparing all my food tonight for our Memorial Day Weekend trip to the Sand Dunes.  If you think that egg whites, chicken breast in a baggie, and broccoli looks funny by a fire, try doing some bicep curls with your weights next to your toy hauler in the morning.  If you have never seen this, take a trip down to the Sand Dunes this weekend, I am sure it will be quite comical to watch.  My pedal bike with be traveling with us so I can get some much needed riding in, early morning so no one sees me ha ha!  Sand plyo-metric's will be happening SUPER early, definitely don't want anyone to see me doing that!  It is gonna be a humbling weekend!

There is so much more I want to write about, but this therapy session is over!  Getting out of my own head and back to reality!

Here are some random pictures!

Show info.

website

Fat Burner I am using, great for my mood!
www.absfuel.com

How sh*t gets done!

About 2 more weeks.  

FIERCENFIT
BEFIT. BEFIERCE. BEHEALTHY!

Working on Logos!

It's official, I am addicted!

I was very undecided before the show of whether or not I would continue to do them.  I am officially addicted at this point!  I had so much fun at the show!  The whole process was so rewarding, not only because I took 1st Place and Overall; to be honest on the day of the show, the thought of where I would place didn't even cross my mind.  The only thing that I was thinking about was making sure that I did things right on stage and enjoying myself.  I remember right before I walked on stage thinking to myself, "just smile and have fun."  The more you worry about messing up or looking bad, the more likely that you will!

Anyway, enough random rambles.  I am officially doing the June NPC Show as well as the October NPC Show.  I have a lot of work to do before the June show, and it is quickly approaching!  I spoke with Lew Benevento (NPC Judge) about what I need to improve on.  He has been so great!  He suggested I work on developing more of a shoulder cap.  I have now updated my workout to include 2 shoulder workouts each week!  I will soon update my "Current Workout" page to show my changes. 

I am so excited to see where this new adventure takes me.  I have always had a dedicated, yet slightly addictive personality.  I hope to one day use the knowledge that I have gained to help other girls with competing!  It is so rewarding! 

Here is the information regarding the June Show!

http://www.npcutah.com/

 

 

 

I don't expect anyone to come to the show, unless you are my husband or mom and dad haha..... but I would love to have as much support as possible! 

Thanks for visiting.

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Competition Day!

I can't believe how fast time goes by, it feels like just yesterday that I met for the first time with my trainer Heidi Carter with A Whole New You Salon and Fitness!  After all the egg whites, the Swarovski crystals, the gym sessions, draining my bank account, strutting around in my high heels, the excessive water, the days I felt drained, and the days I felt great, the doubt, the excitement, it's been accomplished!  My First Figure Show... CHECK!

Let me tell you about my competition day!
4:45am - Woke up and did my hair!

5:30am - Left my house to drive to get my indian tan!


6:00am - Cherokee Indian Bonnie was born!

7:00am - My Face was beautified by Edleen!

8:15am - Finished makeup and was running late ekk!

8:30am - Checked in!

9:00am - Prejudging began!

10:00ish - I met some wonderful ladies!  They were amazing and they helped me so much!

Me, Rein and Rebecca!

11:00ish - It was my turn to go on!  Ekkk.... I totally messed up and forgot to stop and pose center stage before approaching the judges, haha.  I messed up because I was startled when I felt my suit go more up my butt than it already was haha! 

Total of 9 girls in my class, I am dead center!

11:30am - Ate a cheeseburger and a coke from IN-N-OUT!  Yum! 

12:00pm - Slept and watched a movie with my husband!  And just relaxed until I needed to go back at 4pm.

4:30pm - Went back to the event!  I was so tired, it was one of those times where you feel more tired after a nap than you did prior to it! 

5:30pm - Show began and many of my family and friends were approaching! 

7:30ish - I went on stage to strut my stuff again, I didn't mess up this time haha!  Awards were announced!  Yah for 1st place, then I had to approach the stage again, to compete against the other competitor in the novice for the overall champion, I won! 

TOP 5

Overall Figure Novice Grand Champion!

9:00pm - Went to Outback with some friends but ended up eating very little and drinking my pedialite haha!

10:30pm - I was so exhausted I didn't even shower, I was gross lol, I just went to bed!  I figured I would let myself feel like an Indian a little longer! 

I will post more about the show and the funny details soon!

Thanks for visiting! 

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY!

Results of My First Figure Show

It was such an exciting day! I will post more details at another time, I am soon headed off to paradise with my lover...
Here are the results:
1st Place - Figure Novice Class A
&
Overall Figure Novice Grand Champion

I can't believe what an amazing experience this has been! I have learned so much about myself. This wouldn't have been possible without the amazing support of my friends and family, and trainer Heidi Carter... But most of all my amazing husband!

10 Tips to fight Excessive Post Competition Weight Gain!

Being that this is my first competition I have been stressing about what will happen to my body after the show.  I hear all these terrible stories of women gaining a large amount of weight, which I can't let happen or I will be one depressed woman.  I started to research what to do after the competition to ensure that I won't become a beached whale after the show.   My husband made a comment the other day, he said "if you can't maintain your HEALTHY weight, like you were before this whole competition, then this competition has hurt you more than helped you."  He was totally right.   I have an addiction to a healthy lifestyle and a solid and fit body! 

I know that the week after my competition I will probably have one crazy meal or two as a reward, but I WILL NOT let myself create a lifestyle full of unhealthy food. I am going to, in a way, do everything in reverse.  Right after the competition I am going to go back to what my diet was 4 weeks before the competition and do things in reverse.   This will help my metabolism amp back up again, because of the diet that I have been on I am pretty sure my metabolism is no where near what it was months prior. 

For those of you wondering about ways to conquer the possibility of an excessive amount of weight gain, I got the following information from here and here.  Feel free to check out those links! 

I took tidbits from each article, I plan on doing all of these to conquer the possibility of excessive weight gain post competition!

1.  Avoid binging for periods longer than 24 hrs after the competition

2.  Use a sunless tanning moisturizer or go for regular spray tans.  As your competition tan fades, you will appear “softer”.  A healthy glow can do wonders for your self-esteem.

3.  Drink lots of water

4.  Continue strength training

5.  Ensure you are incorporating HIIT training into your cardiovascular training regime at least 3 times a week for 20 min a session.  HIIT burns twice the fat in half the time.

6.  Enjoy in moderation.  A dessert or treat once in the blue moon is acceptable.

7.  Do not neglect fruits and vegetables.

8.  Return to your pre-contest meal plan as it was approximately four weeks out, as soon as possible.

9.  Avoid post contest weight gain greater than 5 to 10 pounds for a female and 15 to 20 pounds for male.

10. Don’t weigh yourself daily and do not over-analyze your body in the mirror everyday.  As my mom always says, “true beauty is something you cannot see in a mirror.”

I hope that this helps some of my fellow competitors! 


Thanks for visiting!


BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY. 

You know you are in Prep when you....

• Trip down the stairs way more than normal.

• Go shopping for a few things, come out with none of which you went in for.
   
• Have at least three difference flavors of gum in your purse.
   
• Carry around hot sauce.
   
• Stink up the office with your egg whites every morning, then your tuna at lunch.
   
• Have to debate with yourself regarding whether to even try to do your hair in the morning.
   
• Have a bigger workout wardrobe than all of your others combined!
   
• Consider a rice cake actually good!
   
• Up your earring collection, your ears show a lot more when your hair is always in a ponytail.

• Are chained to your water bottle!
   
• Have a purse that sounds like some sort of pharmacy with all of the fish oil, flaxseed, vitamin B12, etc you are carrying around. 

• Sometimes honestly feel like you could go freaking "coo coo for cocoa puffs, " when you probably don't even really like them. 

• Have a sheer hate for the grocery store, and are constantly looking at the nutritional information of yummy treats with the hope that magically you will find one with no fat and low carb.

• Keep the baggie and Tupperware companies in business!  

• Have dishes that go from the dishwasher to the table, and your cupboards are always empty.

• Constantly flex and feel your tummy fat.

• Find yourself in the laxative section of Walmart when you haven't been eating enough greens, sorry gross one!  

• And lastly when...  The Gym front desk guy tells you "there might be a cot in the back, you're here more than I am."

Just some humor for the day!

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY!

HOLY CRAP! In exactly one month I will be on a stage in my itsy bitsy teenie weenie pink bedazzled bikini!

HOLY CRAP!  Where the heck has time gone!?  I can't believe that it is only one month away.  In exactly one month I will be on a stage in my itsy bitsy, tiny weeny, pink bedazzled bikini! ( I definitely just sung that as I typed!)

I have created an event on FB!  Check it out -  EVENT

I was hesitant to create an event considering I don't know how many people I want to actually come ha ha.  But I figured, what the heck, I might as well! 

Come support some amazing Men and Women!

Thanks for visiting!

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Random Rambles of a Girl in Prep!

How am I keeping things interesting and my saving graces!

My Eye Candy this morning... what keeps me going--> results! 

Prep Candy: During prep, obviously candy is a "no no", but I have found my way around this!
Kirkland Calcium Chews
Fiber Gummies
Vitamin B12 dissolvable
Almonds

Best Bread Ever!: What I have looked forward to every night before my workout!
Ezekiel Bread, OMG!  I love this stuff.  I don't think I will ever go back to anything else!  Unfortunately I have just ran out of mine and will not be purchasing it until after the show, due to the cutting of carbs.  Hello oatmeal!

 
Water Tracking Device: Trying to keep things entertaining!
I decided I needed a good way to track how much water I am drinking since I know that I am lacking in this department right now, Here is a picture of what I have created!







Fat Burner: This is giving me what I need to stay sane and energized!
I really hate the idea of Fat Burners, etc, but it is literally saving me right now.  The last couple of weeks prior to getting my Fat Burner were pretty hard; my energy level, focus and drive were slowly depleting.  I stopped taking my pre-workout, due to the fact that I now need to cut out creatine.  My fat burner is currently keeping me sane.  Plus, I am feeling like I am on cloud 9.  The energy is all from caffeine, but I am now getting by.  By NO means do I suggest taking a Fat Burner without regular exercise and a healthy diet!    




Glitter Glove: Gym Fashion haha!  My face and hair don't look pretty, but my gloves sure do!
So new gloves were becoming a must, holes were forming in the others and the grip was completely gone.  I LOVED my old gloves, I didn't see anyone else with them, but I decided that new gloves would be a must unless I wanted to callus the crap out of my hands.  I hit up target, bought some new ones, then put glitter and be-jeweled them.  If I could glitter everything, I probably would.  Here is how they turned out, I took a risk with this, considering I didn't want to have to buy another pair if they didn't turn out, but I love them.

Cardio Cinema: Something about a dark room and a movie to keep things interesting!
Thank heavens that Golds Gym has the Cardio Cinema room, I have become a frequent there the past 2 weeks.  Sometimes the movie isn't exactly what I would prefer to watch but I makes it so much easier to do my Cardio when there is something else to focus on, minus the fact that I have watched Captain America and Invincible twice now. 
  
Canned Chicken: Seriously smells like tuna when you open it, but hey it gets the job done!
As much as I would love to have the time to grill myself up some chicken, right now I feel like I don't. 

Protein Shakes: Yummmm!  Doesn't taste healthy but I sure is!
I am loving the protein shakes, it is probably a good thing I didn't figure them out sooner, because with only about 4 weeks left to go I would probably get sick of them if I had discovered them sooner.  Here is the link for the protein shakes that I blogged about yesterday... protein shake!

Well there you have it.  My therapy for the day.  I don't know what it is about blogging that I love, but getting things in writing for the world to see helps put things into perspective.

Thank you for visiting and indulging yourself in my randomness!

BE FIT.BE FIERCE.BE HEALTHY. 

Yummiest Protein Shake Ever!

I have been on a Protein Shake kick, to be honest I would rather have this than a steak right now, simply because it feels like I am cheating whenever I enjoy one, plus it is super healthy.  I have literally had one or two of these a day for the past week!

Here is the recipe:
Best Low Calorie shake ever! (Makes 2 servings)
3 scoops Dymatize Chocolate whey Protein
1 Kroger Carbmaster Vanilla or Strawberry Yogurt
Ice (to your liking)
Water (add depending on desired texture)
Place all contents in a blender and, well, blend it, haha...

Makes 2 shakes.
Each serving contains the following:
Calories: 199 (if you only do 2 scoops of protein, this number would be 146)
Protein:  42 grams (if you only do 2 scoops of protein, this number would be 30)
Carbs: 3.5 carbs
Fat: .75 grams

Here are the images of what you will need, just to add some photos to this post! 

and ICE!

You can add many things to this, but in order to keep it low calorie and low carb, I have kept it simple!

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Thanks for visiting!

Coming down to the wire!

 It is coming down the wire.  It is so hard to see the difference in my body when I look at myself in the mirror, but I know changes have occurred.  My body fat has gone down about 2% since I started in October a little over 3 months ago.  This is mostly because of my diet.  It is so crazy to think back to what I used to eat and what I eat now.  I can't believe some of the stuff that I ate and thought was healthy.  I never used to look at my carbs, protein, or fats, I only looked at calories, which is bizarre to me now.  There is so much I have learned and so much more I am learning everyday.

  
Diet is Mental

A lot of my diet I consider to be mental.  Whenever I see something I want, lately I have been saying to myself "you are stronger than that brownie," or whatever.  But it is easy to let yourself fall into the idea that it won't matter if you eat it, what is a brownie gonna do?  Or sometimes I will catch myself thinking, "I will just do more cardio and it won't matter."

Although it is hard to resist certain things, some days are harder than others.   I feel a sense of accomplishment when I don't eat those things that I crave or am tempted by.  The feeling of accomplishment far outweighs the feeling of regret I get when I do eat those things that I know I shouldn't.  

Nice to be Sweating at the Gym again

Since the last couple months I have been focusing on building verses cutting, my cardio has been pretty low, basically 10-15 minutes on the stair stepper (doing speed intervals).  The last few days I have been putting in about 30-60 minutes, usually stair stepper, or bike, and when I get really bored I will do HIIT on the treadmill (very high incline).  I forget how good cardio makes you feel.  I do love lifting and still get my sweat on doing the weights but it is different. 

Crucial Weeks Ahead

As it gets closer to to the 4 week mark, I am getting more and more nervous and excited about my diet, exercise and posing.  I will see the most changes over those 4 weeks and I am stoked to see it.  I know I am going to have to remind myself to take pictures, because we all know that it is so hard to see the changes in your body when you look at yourself in the mirror everyday.  I will post more pictures as the competition draws closer!  

Feeling the Effects

I have read about others going through prep and doing crazy things, being really tired, and forgetting things, I didn't think this would happen to me.  I was wrong, unfortunately I am not invincible.    Over the last few days I have kinda been in a daze from over working my body.  Jedd keeps telling me I need to give my body time to relax considering I have been going to the gym almost 7 days a week, sometimes twice a day, and haven't been sleeping very well, but I can't help it lol.  I feel like if I am not working out then I am taking steps backwards.  Also when I am home all I want to do is eat lol and there are still things in the house that I am not supposed to eat, so I would rather be at the gym where those temptations don't exist.  

  Fatburner and blinging the suit!

I just ordered my fat burner, for the last 4 weeks of prep I have to stop taking any type of creatine so I will be taking a fat burner before my workout.  This should help give me the energy to take my body to the MAX!  My suit is partially rhinestoned, I am just kinda stuck right now and will slowly continue to work on it, I just want it to be perfect!  

I will be posting pictures of myself in my suit this weekend.  Keep your eye out!  

Thanks for reading my novel today, please excuse any spelling or grammar errors!

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Next Big Adventure... Dirty Dash, then Tough Mudder!

I am always looking for new and exciting things to participate in to get my body more fit.  There are many different types of events, etc that can help motivate you to get into shape.  I am really enjoying training and prepping for the future figure show and I will most likely continue to compete, but having other things to train for is healthy and keeps things exciting.  I have decided that I want to participate in the Tough Mudder that is coming to Utah this fall.  It looks sweet and intense. 

Looking at the Tough Mudder website is pretty intimidating.  I looks so intense, that is the only word that I can think of to describe it.  I plan to prep myself by doing the Dirty Dash in June, which looks like so much fun, along with other training that is necessary. 

I know it is a little early to be thinking about another adventure, but I found that the only way to really get me to do it and follow through is by blogging about it, sad I know. 

Check out the links.
Dirty Dash
Tough Mudder

If you are interested in forming a Team for either of these events, please feel free to let me know! 

Thanks for visiting@ 

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Little changes that you can make to your diet to make it healthier!

While prepping for the future figure competition, there have been little changes to my diet that I plan on keeping even after the competition, they are simple changes that I would recommend for anyone that is trying to maintain or lose weight. 

Turkey Products
I love turkey bacon, turkey sausage and turkey burgers!  It is amazing how much LESS fat the Turkey products have.  Try switching up your morning bacon, with Turkey bacon, etc.

Whole Wheat
I didn't used to like anything wheat, then I discovered Sara Lee's 45 calorie whole wheat bread.  It has been a godsend!  45 calories and 7 carbs per slice!  Also, Whole Wheat tortillas, they have more calories than the Flour tortillas but they are better for you. ( I only eat half a tortilla at a time, due to the amount of carbs.)

Vitamins
I started taking Vitamin Gummies, but was eating them like candy.  They have carbs and sugar, so I have had to cut them out and have started taking a regular Multi-vitamin, just to save a few carbs.  But taking your vitamins is so important especially years down the road!

Water
I am trying to drink more water.  Having water right when you wake up gets your metabolism moving... making you burn calories faster when you eat breakfast!  Water throughout the day will keep you alert.  It is easy to confuse hunger with dehydration. 

Veggies
I seriously don't know how I didn't discover this sooner, veggies are amazing!  They are extremely low calorie, they have tons of the micro nutrients that you need.  I eat my veggies with Fat Free Sour Cream, with the hidden valley ranch dip mix in it.  Low calorie, no fat.  It can be hard to eat veggies plan, so adding a little dip makes a world of difference.  Side note: If you plan on starting to add more veggies to your diet, prepare for tummy aches and gas.  To reduce this drink lemon water or lime water after your veggies, the acid helps break down the food. 

Food Journal
There are so many apps on your smart phones now that allow you to track what you are eating.  I have been tracking my food for about 4 months now.  It is amazing what you learn about food.  You will begin to see how much fat, carbs, and protein is in the foods that you are eating.  What you think is healthy might not be so healthy.   You will also probably be surprised to see the lack of protein and massive amount of carbs and fats that the average American eats.  Tracking what you are eating is important if you are trying to maintain or lose body fat, it is even important to track what you are eating if you are trying to gain.

Eliminate Sodas
Even Diet!  Diet Sodas have an excessive amount of sodium in them, causing you to bloat.  Keep in mind that some sodas, such as Coke, can be used to remove rust, do you really want to put that in your body?!  Sodas are a weight loss killer!  Calories from Sodas add up and are often forgotten about. 

Those are a few of the changes that I have made and plan to make habits of even after my competition is over! 

Please feel free to comment with questions, suggestions, etc.

Thanks for visiting!

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." -Jim Ryan

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Staple Items for your Gym Bag!

Water Bottle

Not only is water good for you, but it is also nice to not have to walk all the way to the drinking fountain and chance losing your machine or weights to the next impatient gym goer!  Also, I like to be able to track how much water I am drinking, if you are trying to drink a certain amount of water a day, keep that water bottle handy.

 

Gloves

I don't know what I would do without my gym gloves, this might not be a staple item for those that only choose to do cardio at the gym, but if you lift at all you will want these.   Nothing is sexier than having calluses all over your hands, if you lift and don't use gloves you are sure to get them;  I still get them even with my gloves.  Plus, they help with grip and  some protect the wrists, two of which are probably the main purpose of the gloves. 

Music Player, etc.
Let's face it, if you don't have a friend/significant other with you at the gym, you usually don't wanna talk to anyone.  Nearly 100% of the people I see at the gym have some sort of music device they are listening to.  I am always listening to music, except on those days when I am totally zoned out and get half way through my workout and realize that I haven't even been listening to any music.  Music is a motivator, stress reliever, etc.  Having the right music for your activity can motivate your workout! 






Jacket (depending on season, etc.)

When I first get to the gym I am typically cold, especially in the winter.  I typically will lift first and lifting with cold muscles is no good.  I usually keep my jacket on through the first few sections of my workout and ditch it as i start feeling warm.  Since different parts of the gym are usually different temperatures it is good idea to keep your jacket with you if you start to feel cold, you want to keep those muscles warm, to maintain flexibility and prevent injury.

Resistance Band
 We all know that there are those times that you can't get to a certain machine, or the weights you want are taken.  I used my resistance band at the gym for certain exercises, especially for my lats, they don't have the specific machine that works my lats that I like and the resistance band is a great alternative.  You can usually work out each muscle group with resistance bands.  Great item to keep around, especially for those at home workouts.

Towel
 Nothing is worst than having to wipe off your sweat from the gym on those rough paper towels, let alone, your jacket, etc.  Keeping a towel with you when doing cardio, etc, is helpful.

 

Protein 

Having protein after a workout is important.  You need to provide your muscles with fuel so your body doesn't have to turn to eating the muscle that you have worked hard to build. 








If you have any suggestions let me know!

Hope you enjoyed!

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY!

Take a look at what I am eating!

I thought it would be fun to take some pictures of the food that I am eating throughout the day.  Eating healthy isn't so bad, it is actually easy!

Take a look at what I am eating!  This is the "gist" of what I have been eating, sometimes I will mix it up with fish, or a tuna sandwich (no mayo) on whole wheat 45 calorie bread, etc. 

Start of my day: 

Vitafusion Energy B12 (gummy vitamins, probably like 10 a day, terrible I know)

I am pretty sure that I am overdosing on this stuff, they are considered a treat to me right now!  

  

Tea Time: 

Lipton Diet Iced Tea Decaff.  

I didn't realize I bought the Decaff, I wanted it to help with my energy, so next time it will be the caffeinated kind that I buy!

 

Breakfast: 

Egg whites (1/2 cup)

Extra lean turkey bacon (1 slice)

Louisiana hot sauce

All cooked in the microwave at work, really easy!

Snack:

Dymatize Elite Gourmet Chocolate Protein (1/2 scoop.)

Pre Lunch:

Cucumbers (1/2 a cucumber), snow peas (23-5), celery (1 stalk), carrots (2-3).  

You want to keep your veggies to the greens because the more color the more carbs typically.

Fat Free Sour Cream with ranch dip flavor packet, no fat, unlike ranch dressing!  (3 T.)

Lunch: 

Chicken Breast (not sure exactly how many ounces)

Salsa (2 T.)

Cottage Cheese w/ Louisiana Hot Sauce (1/2 cup, splash)

Snack: 

Greek Yogurt (1 Cup), high protein, no fat, decent carbs.

Almonds (10), great snack to eat to stay full!

After work: 

Egg whites (1/2 cup)

Whole Wheat Tortilla (1/2)

Louisiana Hot Sauce 

I didn't take a picture of this, I was starving and forgot... 

Here is a picture that is kinda close, well minus the lemons, fruit and the OJ LOL

This looks WAY better than what I had haha!

Pre workout: 

No Shot gun

 We just ran out of No Shotgun and will be trying...:

NO Explode 2.0

It is good to switch up your pre workout supplement because your body tends to get used to it after a while. 

After Workout: 

I usually will have some more Dymatize protein, or more egg whites.  Sometimes both depending on how much protein I need to eat. 

Well that is just a glimpse of my diet right now.  It really isn't bad at all!  I have cut down on my carbs, if you can't tell.  My protein is through the roof.  I was eating too many carbs at one point so I cut out my oatmeal in the morning, etc.  I need to be eating at bit more carbs, but I need to find a balance!  Just trying to figure this whole dieting thing out!  

I will soon be doing a post comparing No Shotgun and No Explode 2.0 to let you know which I prefer!  Keep your eye out!  

Thanks for visiting!

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.