2012 - A look back of my year in fitness

-I ran in two 5k races, one in the snow setting a personal record .

-Survived the Big Sur marathon with one of my best friends that I've known since I was 12 years old.

-Ran a 10k race in what seemed like 100 degree heat.

 -Completed the Davis Moonlight Half marathon with another one of my best friends.

-Most importantly, in 2012 I learned the importance of eating clean! Over a four month period I was able to lose ten pounds and gain lean muscle all by CONSISTENTLY eating clean and working out. I realized that food is 90% of what your body is going to look like. It doesn't matter how hard you work in the gym, if you don't control what you put on your plate. You can not out train a bad diet. 

EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE has the potential to make it far and reach their desired fitness goals. The only thing that stands in your way that separates you from those you might think are the perfect body role model is consistency, determination and willingness to want it. Add time and you've got no reason to say you can't make something happen. Don't ever use the word " I can't" because the truth is you can if you want too.

Jacobs Ladder

Jacobs ladder has been at my gym for some time now. I've never really payed any attention to it until recently after someone posted a picture on instagram of the machine, that's when I decided to give jacobs ladder a try.

This machine is up at a 40-degree angle to put the spine in a more neutral position, relieve the back of stress and engage core muscles. You climb up the ladder with your your arms as well as legs. You control the speed. It's not a fast moving piece but the fact you are using every muscle group equals more calories burned!




This would machine would be great to add in a HIIT workout. Climb the ladder for a few minutes, jump off, jumping jacks, back on the ladder, push-ups, ladder, kettle swings. 4-6 rounds! I'm just making the workout up as I type this. lol

If your gym has a jacobs ladder, try it. The machine is very simple to use.

The other pictures in my post are from leg day. After my weight training session I went to the track and completed 400m of walking lunges. I need my bootay to grow!!

Back @ the Gym

After a short break from working out, I finally returned to the gym today. I was up and at em @ 0500. The kids are out of school for winter break so I can only work out either before my husband leaves for work or after he comes home. There is no telling what time he gets off work so I can't depend on him in the evening.

It was great to work out at 5 in the morning though. The gym was empty! I decided to hit the weight room first & afterwards I hit the track for a short run.

I had no intentions of running outside today, then all of a sudden after my weight training session I has this sudden urge to run. I only ran a mile but damn it felt great to hit the pavement (or should I say track?).

Anyway, here's to hoping I can wake up early tomorrow morning for another great workout/run!

Time To Get Back On Track!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed eating holiday treats without the guilt. Every one is soo worried about what they eat during the holiday season but they should be worried about what they eat year round. Well what's done is done, now it is time to get on track!

Did anyone get presents that were fitness related? My husband bought me an agility ladder (which he failed to realize I already have one, so I'll be returning the ladder), gloves and  a training mat. Thanks babe!!

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a blessed and Merry Christmas. I won't be able to post on the blog for the next few days, I will be spending quality time with family and friends. I'll also be enjoying some yummy and unhealthy treats.

Below is a Facebook status from Go Kaleo. Please "like" her page for motivation and inspiration!

The diet industry is deeply invested in leading you to believe that your are fat and sick. As a trainer, I talk with women every day who look me right in the eye and start listing all the things that they believe are wrong with themselves. And I'm looking at them thinking "you're freaking BEAUTIFUL woman! There is NOTHING wrong with you at all. If you only could see what every other human being on this planet can see, you would stop wasting all this energy and time hating imaginary flaws." 

The diet industry plants those thoughts, and waters them with marketing, and before too long you're buying their pills and potions and diet books in the belief that 1. you're flawed, and 2. their pills and potions and diet books will correct those flaws. 

You are not flawed. Not a single one of us, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF US, looks like the models in the magazines and ads. Not even THE MODELS look like the pictures in the magazines. We ALL have lumps and bumps and hairs in crazy places and wrinkles and cellulite and bellies that bulge over our waistbands when we slouch, and no diet book or pill or potion is going to turn you into a photo shopped and professionally lit image on a magazine cover. 

Oh and also. Enjoying a special meal and some pie some extra candy on Christmas is not going to 'ruin all your hard work' or make you gain 15 pounds. I promise. It's ok to relax and enjoy time with your family, and that includes EATING THE FOOD that has been lovingly prepared and offered up in celebration. No guilt. No shame. Promise me that you will ENJOY the next few days with every fiber of your being, and enjoying includes letting go of the shame the diet industry tries to shove down your throat. 

Love and pie to all. ♥

2.6 Mile Virtual Run/Walk for Sandy Hook

Today's run is dedicated to of all the victims at Sandy Hook (including the shooters mom). My prayers are with the families of the victims, law enforcement, first responders and staff of Sandy Hook.

If you would like to download and print a bib click HERE

Facebook event page click HERE

My three gym time pet peeves

There are rules of etiquette everyone should follow at the gym. I'm not going to go over all of them, most are common sense. I do have a few gym pet peeves though. Not many, I go to the gym on base where it's pretty laid back.








My three gym time pet peeves: 

1 - Chit chatting while on equipment: This doesn't happen often but there are times when people hog equipment. They sit and talk with others. I'm only allotted a certain amount of time at the gym, so I can't wait around on people. I don't mind when people do super sets but you wouldn't take as long if you didn't chit chat with others in between sets.

2 - Not whipping your sweat off the equipment: The last thing I want to do is lay in someone else's sweat.

3 - Not putting weights back: Not every one can lift the same amount of weight. I'm 5 foot, 100 and something pounds. I can't take a 100 pound plate off a barbell myself. Come on guys! I don't have a problem asking someone else to take it off for me but it's still annoying. -Another note to this... if I see weights on a barbell or a towel on a piece of equipment, I'll assume that machine is taken by somebody else. Well that isn't always necessarily true. There have been many times when I have eye balled equipment but noticed weights or a towel on it. So I wait and wait and wait for someone to finish using it, only to realize NO one is using the damn thing!

Gym towels. Do you use the gym towels they offer at the gym? I use to. Up until last week. I used the towel to put on the ground so I could do planks. As I put my elbows on the towel, a few inches away from my face, I couldn't help but notice a small curly hair on the towel. You know what kind of curly hair I am talking about! EEEWWWW!!! Never again.

WOD & New read..

Workout of the day = amazing. Seriously, if I didn't have a time limit at the gym, i'd be there all day. I've been learning new things and getting more creative with my workouts lately, working out is just down right for me these days.

I was off to a great start this morning. I woke up on time, made breakfast for the kids (without rushing), I didn't yell once at my children before we had to leave the house, I was at the gym on time, I got a front row parking spot & my husband let me use his dre beats at the gym!

Muscle groups for today: back, biceps & abs. I killed my biceps today. My arms would not stop shaking, I could barely drink out of my water bottle. I love that feeling, such a great workout. I wish I wrote down what exercises, reps, & sets I did, along with the amount of weight used. After abs I did sprint intervals on the treadmill. 4 min warm up, 30 sec sprint, 30 sec walk, repeat sprint-walk till I hit the 22 minute mark on the treadmill.

On to something else. Has anyone read this book? Seems it's the "thing" to read right now. I have seen lots of people post this on their FB or IG accounts about how excited they are to read it. What's the book about anyway? I guess I better put this book on my book list to see what the fuss is about.

Favorite muscle group

I posted the picture to the left on my instagram today. One of my followers asked this:

Just curious...Why do you like legs the best? They are currently my least favorite. Maybe because I do not belong to a gym and don't have access to nice leg equipment.

You do not need to have access to a gym to have a nice figure. There are plenty of body weight exercises you can do on your own to build muscle (if your competing in a fitness competition that's completely different).

I started playing sports at 5 years old. I did gymnastics, soccer, inline speed skating and cheer-leading. Being an athlete growing up I was able to build a lot of muscle in my legs. 

Once I started weight training at 17, legs became my favorite muscles to work out. I can lift the most amount of weight with my legs more than any other body part on my body. I can press over 100 pounds with my legs, I can't even lift half that with my arms. Ever since I can remember, I've always had strong, lean muscular legs.

I put a lot of work in to my legs over the years. I'm very confident when I step into the gym on leg day, therefore that is why legs are my favorite muscle group to work out.

What is your favorite muscle group to workout? 

Meal Prep

Meal preparation is crucial if you want to live a healthy lifestyle. I love eating clean and being prepared. Prepping my food ahead of time leaves no excuses to eating unhealthy processed foods. If healthy food is there, I won't eat the junk.

I prep my meals for 3-4 days in advance or I'll prep for the entire week. Just depends on my mood at the time.

I separate my meals in containers or small sandwich baggies. I'm a stay home mom so when it's time for me to eat, I take my meal out of the fridge, pop it right in the microwave and within minutes my meal is ready. If I am out and about during the day, I'll put my meals in a cooler and take it with me.

"If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail".

You may be thinking that preparing your meals for the week will take a lot of time and that it sounds complicating, but it's not that bad. Once you get accustomed to it, it's actually very simple. I don't have a lot of time to cook so my meals tend to be pretty basic. The food I cooked in the picture above, only took about two hours to make. Much of that time is oven time in which I can get other chores done at the same time, (i.e. cleaning).

Here's a step by step process of how I meal prep:

1- Plan meals for the week. I keep a copy on the fridge, just in case I forget to prep. My meal plan will keep me on track. Therefor NO EXCUSES!

2- Grocery Shopping. I write everything down on a list and take with me to the store. I shop mostly on the perimeter of the store because that is where all the whole unprocessed foods are located. The isles have mostly all junk.

Time to prep:

3- Wash & measure meats. I cut my meats in to 3 or 4 oz pieces.

4- Wash veggies

5- Line a baking sheet with foil, put the meats on the baking sheet and throw in oven. (Of course add a little olive oil and seasonings)

6- Veggies also get tossed in the oven on another baking sheet.

7- Same thing with my sweet potatoes, throw in the oven on a baking sheet.

8- Hard boil eggs. When finished peel shells off and put 4-5 eggs in a small zip-lock back in fridge.

9- Divide almonds (measured at 1oz each) into sandwich baggies

10- Once food is cool, divide meat, veggies, and sweet potatoes in containers.

That's it!

Another 5K & Leg Day

My current running goal is to get a PR in the 5k under 23 minutes. If I can run it in 22:59, I don't care I will take it as a PR! I'm starting to fall in love with running all over again. I'm looking forward to marathon training next year.














I lift weights before cardio but today I was in the mood to run first. I actually never run on leg day. The only cardio I do on leg day is the step mill and that's after I lift. Anyways, after my run I headed to the gym but I was exhausted from my run. I wasn't able to lift as heavy and I could barely finish my reps and sets. I'm a little disappointed,  I'll probably add another leg day on Sunday to make up for it.

I stopped using the smith machine for squats and started using just the barbell. Talk about completely different! Using the barbell for squats works all muscles, abs, back and even arms. Just squatting with the bar alone is tough for me and hurts my back. I need to prefect my form before adding heavy weight.

Carrot Cake Protein Bars

Since it is the holiday season I have been craving baked goods. Instead of stuffing my face with crap, I decided to give Jamie Eason's carrot cake protein bars a try. They turned out pretty good, and were super easy to make.  

My husband didn't like them. Ahhh, what does he know? If that man had to choose one thing to eat all day, he'd choose bacon. 

If your interested in the recipe, you can find it by clicking HERE.

Weight Plate Loaded Machines and Fartleks

My gym recently got a whole bunch of new machines. At first I was a little hesitant and didn't like the change then once I went around and tried the weight plate loaded machines, I became hooked. I think I like them more then the cable machines.

Today's workout was great. I love the sense of feeling accomplished after a good workout. My reps and sets varied. I did the normal 12 reps, 4 sets but after 12 reps I would use a lighter weight and do a few more reps. Tried my best to fatigue those muscles. 

I ran 3 miles after lifting wights. My time is improving. I wanted my run to go by fast so I added a few fartleks. 

For those who don't know what fartleks are, they are basically an unstructured method of interval training. Instead of keeping the same pace through the whole workout, you sprint, then jog, then sprint again whenever you fee like it. You can customize fartleks to how you feel. If you feel sluggish, limit the number of sprints you do, and take more time to recover. If you feel great, run the sprints hard, and sprint again maybe when you don’t feel totally recovered. One good way to run this workout is to pick out objects ahead of you, like a telephone pole and sprint from that pole to the next and then jog. One reason that fartleks are so popular is that it is so flexible.

Pre-Work Out Drink & Running

When I woke up this morning I felt like I hadn't slept at all. I may have gotten 5 hours of sleep if that. I don't know why I can't sleep these days. Oh yeah, I take naps during the day. Nap(S) plural. I seriously need to stop that. 

My day started at 6am with the usual, eggs & green tea. At 9 am I headed to the gym for my workout. I don't always use a pre-work out drink but I needed the extra boost this morning. Currently I'm using Muscle Pharm Assualt. It did what I needed it to do. I was at the gym knocking out reps with no problems. Today was shoulder day, and I know for a fact they will be sore tomorrow! 

*Tip: Add a little bit of ice to MP Assualt, it helps take away the chalky taste. The colder water you use, the better it tastes.

After my workout at the gym I went on a 3 mile run with a friend. She was kind enough to stop every few minutes with me. I'm trying to get back into running but these things take time. My legs are fine when I run but I am having a hard time breathing. I'll get use to it eventually. We had a good run. Thank goodness for no rain, although we did run against the wind for about a mile. 

Today's Workout: Shoulders, Abs, & 3 miler

Shoulder press 12-15 reps, 4 sets

Seated rear delt raise (immediately to push-ups) 12 reps, 4 sets

Arnold press 12 reps, 4 sets

Front plate raise 12-15 reps, 4 sets

Leg raises 20 reps 

Planks hold until failure

Cable pull downs 12-16

Ab routine, repeat x4

Run 13 races in 2013 Challenge

Are you looking for a running challenge in 2013?

I've slowly been turning away from running lately. Lifting weights and HIIT have been my "thing" to do these days but I sure do miss a good run. I need a new challenge so I have decided to join a fellow bloggers Run 13 races in 2013 challenge. I will be running in a variety of distances, 5k, 10k, half and full marathons. Towards the end of December I will post my 2013 race schedule. Wish me luck!

If your interested in the challenge, click HERE for full details.