Beyonce "Run the World"

Absolutely the BEST music video I have seen ever, or at least that I have actually watched the whole way through, totally captivated.  I was introduced to it during IDOL, but what was cool was I was looking online for some strong athletic women's ads to post on my blogger and then I saw this video and thought it was exactly the message I wanted to convey.
Took a while for the full length video to post on youtube, but worth the wait.  Enjoy!

Sharing Inspiration

Here is what I dream of doing everyday, but will get to do in August.

Not all that into "sexy" women's pics, but I LOVE the strength of this shot.

The male form is Beautiful!

Really cool, think of how many times it took to get this shot just so.

Again, men are beautiful creatures. 

I wish Harley would let me take some shots like this of him.  :(

Life's Priorities

Life for me is busy.  Isn't it for all of us though?  Show me a single person these days with a job and family who is not.  Yesterday I got to sit and talk with a woman I truly admire and she wanted to talk about fitness.  :)  She has no time to workout.  As she is married, has 3 children, and a very demanding "job", she finds her fitness is put on the back burner.  She wants to do something, talked about bootcamps, but can not seem to find the time.  Of course I suggested for her to get up an hour earlier and go to the gym to knock it out before her family life begins.  What really struck me after the conversation was over and I thought about it later was IF IT IS A PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE YOU WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.  This is so true of everything.  Think about our children's schedules and the things we do for them.  If we did not have children we would simply say, "I don't know how you do all of that with your kids or where you find the time", or if we weren't prepping for a contest who among us would do 2-a-days on a very regular basis?  We make time for our children, our church, our volunteer groups, our husbands, our friends, our pets, our home, etc...all because those things or some of those things are a priority to us. 

Should your health not be a priority?  If your health goes, think of all that will go with it.  Are you willing to lose all of those things?

I'm not. 

Sometimes you have it.

Sometimes you don't.

But you still do it.

A little bit of Emily Sterling (again)

Guys, I LOVE this one!  You know I do some crazy stuff on Saturdays to really shock my body.  Well this morning I decided to try another of Emily Sterling's workouts and it delivered as promised.
Here goes: 
Do 1 minute intervals of each and repeat.  I went through twice, should have done 3, but wanted something to be left for my tire flipping.
Pullups into pushups
Kettlebell swing into squat
Leg raise while holding BB overhead (laying down)
Alternating knee ups
Push up with upper body jump
Straddle box jump
Pushup row with DB
Lay on floor do windshield wipers with legs
Weighted step ups with bicep curl
Wall ball squat w overhead BB ext
Alternating lunges w alternating laterals
V ups
Crunches with hand and ankle weights or balls
After twice through I went outside for some "jail house" style tire flipping (as Harley says). 

Incredible workout.  Was soaked when I left, but felt oh so good to get it done.  Enjoy!

What I take and Why

Here is what I take, how often and some of the why I take them:

Omega complex 3, 6, 9:  (taken M-F)
3-  They reduce inflammation and can provide protection against cardiovascular disease, arthritis, skin conditions, depression and other mood-related disorders.
6-   It can help the bloating and pain associated with PMS.  It also maintains healthy skin, hair and nails and generally helps to bring about hormonal and emotional balance.
9- Also has many preventative qualities as its main component, Oleic acid, helps to reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Vitamin C:  (taken M-F)
 Scientifically controlled studies using vitamin C for colds show that it can reduce the severity of cold symptoms,  It supports the body's immune system, it's the first line of defense against cancer, and prevents certain cancer-causing compounds from forming in the body.  As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps to prevent cataracts -- the clouding of the lens of the eye that can lead to blindness in older adults.  Vitamin C helps to prevent heart disease by preventing free radicals from damaging artery walls, which could lead to plaque formation and can help regulate blood sugar levels.  (Enough said!)

(taken M-Sat)

I take this to give me energy to get through my day.  I had tried coffee, but find I can not get used to the taste no matter how much I doctor it up. 

Iron: (Taken Tues & Thur)
Iron assists with the metabolisation process and it is crucial for the body to regulate temperature. Iron prevents fatigue and promotes good skin tone.  I have always been border line anemic, so I take just to keep my levels up somewhat)  Also, it increases resistance to stress and disease.

Multi vitamin:  (Taken Mon, Wed, Fri)
The obvious benefit of taking a multivitamin is to prevent deficiency.  With my diet being somewhat restricted, I worry about not getting everything I should vitamin and mineral wise, so I supplement with a multivitamin. 

Calcium: (Taken M-F)
 Is essential for growth, maintenance of your body and reproduction.  It's also essential for healthy bones and teeth and protects you from the bone-thinning disease called osteoporosis. It also plays a role in blood clotting, muscle contractions and in heart function.  It's also found in enzymes that control appetite and others that help wound healing.

Magnesium: (Taken M-F)
 It works with calcium to help maintain strong, healthy bones and supports the immune system. This mineral also plays a role in muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure regulation and energy metabolism Magnesium helps treating people with severe backaches by relaxing back muscles, kidney stress and muscular tension. Magnesium also helps in absorption of calcium, which may lead to healing of the bones.

Zinc: (Taken M-F)
Metabolizes food and regulates blood pressure and reproduction. It's also found in enzymes that control appetite and others that help wound healing. Zinc also boosts your body's immune system Zinc plays a vital role in many biological functions such as reproduction, diabetes control, stress level, immune resistance, smell and taste, physical growth, appetite and digestion.

Potassium: (Taken about 2 times a week)
Sufficient amounts in the diet helps protect you against heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. It helps keep muscles strong, bowels regular and works to eliminate irritability, confusion and stress. And it may help to lower high blood pressure, as well as protecting against the blood pressure-boosting properties of sodium.

As you see, I have a slight phobia about taking stuff daily, 7 days a week.  Not that this is backed in science or anything even close. I personally like to lay off my vitamins over the weekend to give my body time to "rid" itself of any overages or to have the chance to process "cleanly". 

Regret

How come we all know to do the right thing, but choose not to?  We know we will regret it later or in my case almost instantly, so why do we make decisions that do this to us?  I tell myself I am going to get up in the morning and go workout, so my day will go more smoothly.  I lay out all my clothes, socks, shoes, gloves, and even the workout I intend to do, then reset the alarm as soon as it goes off and tell myself I can just go workout in the evening.  When will I learn my life would be so much better for going to workout 1st thing in the morning? 
Let's count the ways:

1. No crowded equipment!
2. More energy though out the day!
3. Can take my time!
4. Get my workout checked off my list of to do's so I have more time for other things after work!
5. Not as hot in the gym!
6. No one to interrupt my workout with gibber gabber!
7. Would not have to change clothes in the gym, so no packing my gym bag or changing in a small cramped bathroom stall!
8. Could have my delicious breakfast shake right as I wake up instead as I am leaving for work!
9. No distracting behavior from fellow gym crew!
10. Can go home and immediately shower afterwards!

So what is my problem (excuse) again???  LAZY!!!  One more hour or hour and a half of sleep is not going to make or break me.  I might think it will, but ultimately after I reset the alarm, I bet I lay in bed for about 10-15 minutes thinking I should get up and go anyway, so now I have lost only about an hour of sleep.  What is more important?  Easy answer! 

Say no to twizzlers

Why, oh why, do we put forth all the effort in the gym just to kill the hard work with a lazy weekend diet?  My problem is never Monday through Thursday, it is Friday evening through Sunday.  Especially Sunday evening.  I can not say it enough, I have GOT to get back to preparing my meals ahead of time even through the weekend.  In the gym today I was sweating and huffing and thinking, why am I killing it in the gym just to shove multiple twizzler's in my mouth at a movie?  Or family get together foods just because it is convenient? 
I have to realize what I put in my body should be for fuel purposes only, not for enjoyment.  My enjoyment should come from seeing the changes in my body due to the diet and exercise.

I must keep in mind that just because I am not getting ready for a competition and have a dead line, each and every day I AM preparing to be the best I can be.  Why must my only concern be what I look like on stage?  I want to look great every day!  I know what it takes, now I have to do it!!! 

Yoga take me away!

Maybe I should rethink Hannah working in the office with me.  Filing should be an easy enough task for a 13 year old, apparently not.  Enough of that!  Stress me no more.

Yep, this is my child right now, cute, but seriously messing up.  :)

My posts lately have been short or pictures.  Honestly, no time for much more, but I want to keep you in the loop.
My workouts have settled down to this split which for now is working well for me:
Sunday:  Cardio or off
Monday:  Legs with emphasis on quads and light calves
Tuesday:  Back and chest with more attention to heavy on back
Wednesday:  Hammies and glutes with light calves (sore right now from this on last night)
Thursday:  Bi' and Tri's & YOGA class~ looking forward to yoga right now, particularly dead mans pose!
Friday:  Shoulders
Saturday:  Integrated Conditioning & tire flipping


Diet was cleaned up some this week, but still allowing myself "snacks" if I want them.


The name of the game right now is Maintain.  Hopefully as the hand heals more I plan to play around with Olympic style lifting and crossfit.  Also, I am toying with the idea of running a 5K.

Hehee, my tire is a little bigger than this one.

And a little smaller than this one.

  

My new office picture

Friday Favorites

Some ads I have seen that I like:

Reminds me of Harley.....ummm umm

So true....

Gotta love GSP

Don't we all?

Reminds me of a video I intend to post soon

For my baby, Cierra :) When your blessed, your blessed!

For the dancer in us all!

A little of what I do

Wednesday was my Back/Chest day.  I know, not the best two to put together, but because I am now taking a yoga class with my girls on Thursday nights, I do not want to work shoulders, back or chest the day of yoga.......My workouts are getting more fun as I am becoming able to push or pull around more weight again.  Still somewhat babying my hand, but basically sucking it up.  :) 

Not all that into tats, but this ia a cool artistic shot.

My Back/Chest workout:
Assisted pullups 3 X 10 ss
BB Bench press 3 X 12 - 15 (this was the first time i have benched a bar since, was a little hesitant to add much weight, but my hand held up well.)
Flat bench flyes 3 X 12-15 ss
DB Rows 3 X 10, 8, 8
Deadlifts 3 X 10 (Enjoyed the thought of doing, but was worried and seemed like I couldn't get my groove quite right, will take some work to get back right)
Cable crossovers 3 X 10
Close grip pulldowns 3 X 10 ss
Pushups 3 X 12


Tonight I will try doing bis & tris before yoga to see if they can all go together well or not.  

Oh yes, I WILL master this move! 

Happy Day before the Weekend!