My hot date and The Dress

My Hot Date!  for the wedding.  He looks so good.  Has been dieting for the La State Show in July and I am so very proud of all he has accomplished so far.  More on that later!

The dress!  This is by far the skimpiest dress I have had on my bod in a VERY LONG time.  I felt practically naked.  Was glad it turned out ok, since I didn't bring a back up.  Was very self conscious all night though.

So Hyped!

Guys, I have been on the carb cycle for 1 week.  I measure every Thursday morning-notice I said measure, not weigh- and my measurements have moved quite a bit.  It is still not time to post pics or measurements, but I will be crazy anxious to do so next week.  (If only I would listen to the fitness genius, Harley, more often, if any of you who read this dare to tell him that I will haunt you)
My skirts for work have been looser and feeling much better, I guess that is what loosing 1.5 inches off your rear will do.  Nope, I didn't let that out!  Erase!  :)  Now you can see why I am so excited!  AND the diet is so much easier than I remember, crazy girl stick with the basics.

Different conversations over the last week have reminded me of this:

Then I found this pic of Bob Paris yesterday.  Please understand I am not lusting over the pics of men I post, far from it.  Since I 1st "met" Arnold at 15 years old, I have had a deep appreciation and respect for the people who are capable of being disciplined enough to fine tune their bodies into nothing less than a beautiful piece of art.  For more on Mr. Bob Paris go to www.simplyshredded.com and read about his journey.  His physique is simply beautiful, perfect lines, fit, as you guys know I don't like the "block" look.

Perfection!

Have a great one!

 

Carb Cycling

As you my have read in previous posts, I have decided to pick back up carb cycling as eating clean just was not enough to push my body where I want it to go.  Here is where I wish I had taken a pic of the girl I saw in Oxygen this last issue, because I would have the perfect example, but this chick is pretty close:

(I know I have posted her before)

Maybe a tad more muscular.

So operation how to achieve my dream bod is in the works, not that it really never is, but now I realize it is going to take a bit more suffering structure to get it. 

Just to introduce those of you not familiar with carb cycling I have picked out a couple of related articles off of sites I like.

First, Livestrong.com, not really my style of a website as it promotes more toned healthy bodies vs, the muscular look I crave, but it has some good reading material for those interested.

"Adjusting your carbohydrate and caloric intake every few days not only boosts your metabolism, but it also helps keep your diet in check. The practice of carb cycling incorporates lowering your carbohydrates for two to three days to allow your body to burn your available fat supply. Then for one to two days, increase your carbohydrate consumption to replenish any vital nutrients. The cycling process keeps your metabolism always firing, helping your body lose excess weight.

The higher carbohydrate phase is established using the same method, only this time, increasing your protein and carbohydrate intake while decreasing your fats."

Second, Bodybuilding.com, LOVE this site.  Tons of extremely useful information for the beginner to the advanced.  Check out their article Top 5 Facts About Carb Cycling & Fat Loss. 

With all of that in mind here is my carb cycling schedule:

Monday:  Low

Tuesday:  Mid

Wednesday:  Low

Thursday:  Low

Friday:  Mid

Saturday:  High (Hallelujah! For some reason I hear birds chirping in the background)

Sunday:  Mid

Low= 40 gr (carbs)

Mid=75 gr

High= 200 gr, but let's be honest, it will be however much I can fit in!

I would bore you all with the actual meal plans, but most (not all bc some of you know that is just the way it is) would say, how can you eat the same things EVERY day.  Well that is what I do everyday already, the only change up for me here is the cycle.

I hope to post a super cute pic of my dress at the wedding this weekend, but we will have to see if I look super cute in it or not.  :)

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This meant so many things to me......hope you love the way I did.

"The time will come when winter will ask what you were doing all summer."  ~Henry Clay

Carb Cycling

No pictures to post today.  I am seeing some slight changes, but not enough to post over.  My diet has been clean, biggest cheat is rice cakes with low sugar jelly, mmmm, makes me want one just typing it.  My body apparently LIKES this size.  Me on the other hand, would LIKE a little more muscle definition.  The muscle is there, I can feel it, see it, but I want it to "pop at ya"!  My love/trainer said  last week I should start carb cycling again, that it works for my body.  Ya, I know, I have just put it off.  Now, it is on!  I wrote up my plan yesterday and started it last night, see ladies you can start anytime like a Thursday night it doesn't have to be Monday morning!  At first when Harley mentioned it, I was kind of dreading it.  Now that I have put together the program, I am kind of excited.  Heck, I get a free for all day where I can have all the clean carbs I want, just not the fat. 

You guys have a GREAT weekend!  Make the most of it!

 

Join me on Facebook and my week in pics

Crystal Holden......would love to have you as a friend there too.

Still trying to find my happy balance.  Right macro %, how much cardio, what lifting split.

I found this a while back and waited till now to post.  We all have decisions to make about our lives everyday.  Maybe this will help you with whatever decisions you are faced with this week.

I have an Aunt who contacted me yesterday to say she had lifted weights 2 times this week and was so sore;  Was I sure she should lift as heavy as she can every time.  I think you all know my answer, but this is for her.  Keep going, don't stop, weights will change your body for the better!

This week has been a struggle for me and being sooooo tired.  Early mornings and mid afternoons.  I honestly felt like doing this exact same thing every day this week at my desk.  What do you guys do to keep alert at work?

This is for a cousin of mine who I thought was backing out yet again this week.  Something to do with her child's summer schedule.  All of our children are super busy, we all make sacrifices for our children, but should you give up your health for them?  If you are having to take high blood pressure meds, have diabetes, thyroid issues, knee and hip pain, headaches, bowel issues, etc.... Don't you think you owe it to your family to make you the healthiest you can be so you can get out and enjoy life longer with them?

Nothing feels better than knowing your diet was spot on all day and you have just killed it in the gym.

Everyday, all day, for the rest of your life!

Bicep Vein

Call me strange, whatever, but is there anything sexier than a bicep vein showing?  Not really sure why this is an attraction of mine, as it has been on my mind the past few days.  Maybe because we all know the level of conditioning you have to be in to make this "pop" or show.  Maybe because I think toned arms on males or females are like status symbols.  Or maybe it all goes back to when I was 15 years old lusting discovering Arnold.  :)

I CAN NOT wait till mine make their appearance again!

Breathing Ladder w Kettlebell Swings

Saturday morning, Harley was supposed to teach a class at the gym.  I ended up being his only student.  He wanted to do a breathing ladder using kettlebell swings.  It goes like this, you swing the KB once, stop, breath once, swing the KB two times, stop, breath two times, Etc.... (of course you can breath during the movement)  I really was like this is a cool idea, want to see how it works as I have never done anything like that.  Started swinging, no big, until I got around the 20+ish mark.  No problem with my breathing, no problem with muscle fatigue, my hands though were having problems hanging onto the kettlebell.  (15lb, should have used the 20lb to get my heart rate higher)  I went to 29 as that is when Harley I guess got tired of watching me and said, OK that is enough.  He had checked my heart rate during and it was only getting up to about 132, he said I was very fit, which of course made me beam from ear to ear.  Any praise from him makes me feel on top of the world. 
Now, no probs going through, but later that night my upper quads and hip flexors started aching.  (Can you say 435 kettle bell swings!)  By the following morning my whole back was CRAZY sore.  So what seemed like nothing, really worked me over!  Will be doing it again, this time by myself just to see how far I can go...  :0)

Give this one a whirl for a change up on your cardio.  I think you will like it as much as I did!

End of 5 weeks

As promised I have measurements, but 1st let me say I got a cord for my treadmill Wednesday and got my cardio started Thursday morning, so I have not gotten in the cardio time this week I had planned on.  My diet has been great, no problems with the cuts.  No cheats whatsoever!  Not even sure when I will put in a cheat, but definitely not this week.

Chest:  Before  35in   Now 35 in

Waist:  Before 28 1/2 in Now 28 in (.5 in drop)

Rearend:   Before 40 1/2 in Now 39 3/8 in (1.125 in drop) 

Thigh:  Before 24 in Now 23 6/8 (.25in drop)

Weight:  Before app. 157-158 lbs Now app. 154 lbs.

Things I am pleased with:  delt action, not that you can see much here, but when i am in the gym getting my pump on they are standing out more.  Rearend coming around, still needs tons of work, but I think my tread on high incline will take care of that.  Love the deep cut in my lower back, will be happier when the "love handles" are completely gone.  Abs, well they will come in when they are ready, but hoping to see alot more definition this next week.