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.

 

Feel like a kid on Christmas!

AHHHH!  I just go my competition suit and my shoes in the mail today.  So excited!  The suit is exactly what I wanted.  If you need to purchase a suit use Crystallini Bikini.  She was amazing.  I literally had my suit in less than two weeks! And that is from the time I first talked to her and when it showed up on my doorstep!

Ain't she a beauty!

I did put it on right when I got it.  I felt like I was in an episode of Baywatch when I saw myself in the mirror, well I guess a more updated Baywatch considering the two piece.  Regardless, lets just say that the back side sure doesn't cover much!

I got my shoes in the mail today too, seriously feel like a kid on Christmas morning right now. I remember seeing my sister wearing these kind of shoes when she went to the prom or something, I didn't think that I would be seeing them, let alone wearing them 10 years later!  

Shoes

Now I have the task of badazzling these suckers (suit and shoes) and I don't even know where to start.  There are so many different designs and patterns, etc.   I am afraid to start because once you glue that sucker (rhinestone) on, it probably ain't coming off. 

Side notes!

Training

My training is still going well.  I have been hitting the gym pretty hard, as most of you can probably tell from  Facebook lol, considering that 90% of my posts are checkins to the gym.  I have been hitting my abs hard and spending more time on the stair stepper to get the booty lookin extra fine!  Nothings better than a nice booty and some flat sculpted abs.  

Nutrition

My nutrition is going great as well.  I have a hard time resisting the potato chips now, and the morning moo mix.  Once I am only two months out from comp I will be cutting out all (okay 99% of) the cheats.  I have already conversed with my husband about not buying the "bad stuff" because it is so hard to resist when it just sitting there.  And plus it is totally rude for him to be eating that stuff and buying it lol!  

Well I am headed off to the gym here soon!  

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.

Back in Action!

Apologies in regard to my recent disappearance!  Holidays, dieting, working out and work, has made time for blogging hard to come by.  Since I have been a ghost for the last month I thought I would treat you to some updated info and photos!

Diet

Over the last two months I have been trying to eat roughly 150 grams of protein, 150 grams of carbs and 50 grams of fat, in total about 1800 calories.  At first this plan was difficult for me to follow because I was only eating about 1300 calories prior, but it got easier, some days I would eat enough and others not even close. On average over all the days that I tracked I would eat 90 grams of protein, 130 grams of carbs and 50 grams of fat.  I don't know how accurate the numbers are, but from what I had on my phone app, that is what is said.  Moving on... I met with Heidi Carter, my diet and posing coach, on Jan 3rd, we changed up my diet.  Now I am aiming for 110 grams of carbs, 140 grams of protein and 50 grams of fat.  So far I have gained a pound of muscle and my body fat has stayed the same, which was pretty much what we were wanting, yah!

Working Out

Lately I have been working out alot more with my husband Jedd, which has been a nice change considering I have now been able to max out more and lift more because I have ventured out of the "Lady Area," I guess I have out grown that room for a few of my muscle groups.   Last time I did biceps I was able to curl 25lbs 6 times each arm on my last set, I LOVE WORKIN BICEPS!  All of my muscle groups have gone up in weight and I have doubled the amount of pullups I can do!  So excited to see the upcoming changes that will occur in the upcoming 3 months!  Oh yeah, my cardio has consisted of nothing but the stair stepper for about 10-15 minutes four times a week.

Suit, Shoes, and Swarskofski Crystals

I ordered my suit just yesterday!  I didn't go with Teal, I caved and went with my heart! FUCHSIA/MAGENTA it is! So excited about this suit!  Shoes, so I ordered some shoes, from sinfulshoes.com, but hours after ordering them I got an email telling me my order was cancelled because they were out of stock.  This was probably a blessing, I ordered them impulsively and now that I look at them I really don't like them.  The crystals, so I need to order these asap because they will most likely come from china or some crazy place like that off ebay and take forever to get here.  I am just having a hard time deciding on the size of rhinestone I want, decisions, decisions, humph...

Posing

I had my second posing session with Heidi Carter on Jan 3rd, I nailed the four main poses, now I have to work on my individual poses for the night show, ekkkk.  Also, I must practiced without being in front of a mirror.

Here are more pictures from today of my posing progress!

Front 1/7/2012

Left Side 1/7/2012

 

Back 1/7/2012

 

Left side 1/7/2012

 

Relaxed Left 1/7/2012

 Relaxed Right 1/7/2012

So far everything is going great and I am getting more and more excited and nervous as the competition draws near.  I know that the dieting will only get harder as the diet becomes more and more important but I am excited to see the changes that will occur.  I haven't seen much difference from the first time I took pictures, but as I start leaning out more I hope to see more definition!  

Just a few tidbits.

Supplements: VPX-NoShotgun (Preworkout).  Dymatize Chocolate Protein (Pre& Post Workout, snack). Fish Oil pills. Flaxseed Oil pills.  MultiVitamin. Vitamin B Complex.

My cheats: Tortilla Chips, I have no idea why, it must be the salt that makes me crave them. Chocolate Morning Moo mix, basically like Nesquick.  

Favorite Healthy Foods: Tilapia Fish, Sweet potato fries (baked),  chicken. 

My favorite workouts:  Pull ups, bicep curls, any should exercise.

Areas that need work:  Abs, I haven't been focusing on them as much until now, they will show more as I lean out, crossing my fingers! Shoulders, still want them more rounded.  Booty, I lost weight from doing turbo fire and lost a little of my booty, hoping my new booty exercises and the stair stepper will fix this.

Areas I feel confident in: Lats, I feel they are getting bigger and stronger rapidly as I have been working them harder.  Biceps, since I love working them out they are one of my stronger areas.

Suit: I have chosen a fuschia/magenta suit, in shiny material.  Underwire top, and 3 strap bottoms.  So excited to bedazzle this!

Hardest part so far: I think the hardest part to all of this is dieting while your spouse isn't.  Especially when your husbands favorite food is pizza.  I will usually eat some of his crusts, just can't help it!  Grrrrr....

Considering this is such a novel I figure I will say "so long for now!" 

BE FIT. BE FIERCE. BE HEALTHY.