Oh, hi..

It seems I forgot about you - my apologies.  It has been a (VERY) long time..
But I'm back! And a lot has changed... Come on over to my new site and join me - I have a whole new health/fitness world to share :-)

Indecisive.

Oh Em Gee.
I have 58 days until the 2011 GNC IFBB North American Championships.
Cue panic attack…

This is not good, and I’m debating postponing my first attempt at Women’s Physique.
I know, I know, not cool.. I mean really, this is possibly the only time I’ll ever be this close to a Pro Card, so why not, right?

Wrong.

I am not ready, and I am beginning to have my doubts as to being ready in 8 weeks.
I’m too small to make my WP debut in 8 weeks; I weighed in at 114lb last night, 6lbs short of my goal weight for June 30.  I need to gain muscle mass, and it’s not happening as quickly as I had hoped.  I don’t know what to do… I really don’t want to spend a small fortune (at the very least this one will run about $300) on a show if I know I have no chance – I’ve done that enough as it is.  I could wait until next year, when WP is in all NPC shows; that gives me more time to grow before I have to cut down again, but that also takes away the aspect of doing a National Level Show without pre-qualifying.

FML.

Have you had to make an impossible decision lately? How did you do it?
I feel  like I’m in an endless battle with myself and I don’t know what to do…

I need to make a decision ASAP though, if I’m doing the show I need to get my diet in order for 8 weeks out, and I need to fill out my application and make hotel arrangements.  And I need to pick a song for my routine, and maybe order a new suit.

I’m not going to lie, I’m not ready to give up peanut butter and oatmeal and fruit and other assorted delicacies again, I’ve only been off season for 2 ½ months.. It’s just not fair!

What delicacy (or delicacies) could you not bear to give up? And would you for the sake of looking “good” on stage?

OK, thank you for letting me get that off my chest!
I know I’m missing some workouts.. A less-than-impressive Leg Day on Tuesday and Shoulders from last night.. I’ll get them on here ASAP, I promise!

Have a beautiful day fellow bloggers!
And give me your 2 cents on this… I’m completely at a loss.

I've been neglecting you..

Happy Tuesday fellow Bloggers!
I cannot believe its already Tuesday – and my last post was FRIDAY. Bad Blogger…

I hope everyone enjoyed their respective holidays!  Do me a favor; let me know how you spent your long weekend.
I spent mine at the gym and playing outside with Babe - on boat rides and (trying) to play tennis and taking walks and hanging out at the beach and going on a run.  And yesterday, I got sick! Boo.  But otherwise, I had a very enjoyable weekend.

I think summer time is the WORST time for blogging – life tends to get in the way.
Anyone agree?

I did get 3 good gym sessions in (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), and a run (Saturday), and a well needed rest day (Monday).  Let’s recap, shall we?

Friday was Leg Day!

Lunges (4 sets): 55lb for 40 (20 each leg), 60lb for 30, 65lb for 26, 60lb for 24, 55lb for 30
Calf Raises (4 sets): 150lb for 15 (toes out), 170lb for 12 (neutral), 150lb for 15 (toes in), 170lb for 15 (neutral)
Superset; Hip Adductor & Abductor
Adductor (4 sets): 90lb for 15, 90lb for 15, 90lb for 12, 90lb for 12
Abductor (4 sets): 70lb for 12, 70lb for 12, 70lb for 10, 50lb for 15
Superset; Machine Leg Press & Machine Calf Raises
Leg Press (5 sets): 150lb for 12, 130lb for 15, 150lb for 12, 130lb for 10 straight to 110lb for 10 (no rest)
Calf Raise (3 sets): 190lb for 12 (toes out), 170lb for 12 (toes in), 190lb for 12 (neutral)
Burn-Out (NO Rest): One Leg Quad Extensions (6 sets): 30lb for 24 (12 each leg), 10lb for 24, 10lb for 24, 30lb (both legs) for 6, 10lb (singles) for 12, 30lb (both legs) for 6
In & Out Squats to failure: 85lb for 20

Saturday I ran in the morning.. 2.6 miles in 29 minutes!  (ok, I walked some of it.. But I’m still darn proud!)

Afternoon was Shoulder Day!

Warm-Up; Single Arm T’s & L’s (4 sets): 10lb DB’s for 60 (15 each), 15lb DBs for 40, 12lb DBs for 48, 10lb DB for 60
Dumbbell Military Press (4 sets): 30lb DBs for 8, 25lb DBs for 10, 20lb DBs for 15, 25lb DBs for 10
Superset; Plate Shrugs & Front Raise
Shrugs (4 sets): 45lb plates for 12, 45’s for 10, 45’s for 10, 35’s for 12
Front Raises (3 sets):  30lb for 12, 25lb for 15, 25lb for 12
Superset; Upright Rows & Rear Delt Dumbbell Fly
Rows (4 sets): 55lb for 15, 55lb for 12, 55lb for 10, 55lb for 12
Fly (4 sets):  15lb DBs for 10, 12lb DBs for 15, 12lb DBs for 10, 10lb DBs for 15
Arnold Press (4 sets): 25lb DBs for 9, 20lb DBs for 12, 20lb DBs for 10, 15lb DBs for 15
1 Arm Lateral Raises (3 sets): 15lb for 12 (each arm), 10lb for 15, 10lb for 12
Hold 2 – 10lb DBs in “T” position for 10 seconds.

And finally, Sunday was Chest & Back day!  I never used to do these 2 together, but lately I seem to be combining them more frequently.  I’ll split them up again someday!

Superset; Bench Press & Wide Grip Pulldowns
Bench (4 sets): 65lb for 15, 85lb for 8, 85lb for 8, 75lb for 10
Pulldowns (4 sets): 4 for 15, 6 for 10, 5 for 12, 4 for 15 (behind head)
*Again, no idea what those numbers stand for…
Superset; Incline Dumbbell Press & T-Bar Rows
Press (4 sets): 30lb DBs for 8, 25lb DBs for 12, 25lb DBs for 12, 25lb DBs for 12
T-Bar (4 sets): 70lb for 8, 60lb for 12, 60lb for 12, 60lb for 12
Superset; (Machine) Dual Rows & Machine Fly
Row (4 sets): 90lb for 12, 90lb for 12, 70lb for 15, 70lb for 12
Fly (3 sets): 75lb for 8, 62.5lb for 10, 50lb for 12

Monday was a rest day – and it was definitely needed!  I woke up sick, which is usually a sign that I’m overtrained.  My body knows when it needs a break, and isn’t very subtle about it!

That’s all I have today.. Hopefully I’ll get to play in the kitchen sometime soon so I can get out some new recipes!

Have a fantastic Tuesday!!

OMG, I compete in 64 days.

Happy Friday!!
(…and Happy Canada Day, yay!!)

I wanted to share something with all of you that I read on Tessa’s Blog (Amazing Asset); she wrote today about negative self-talk and never believing that you are truly “good enough”.  I want you all to go read what she wrote because it is amazing, and I think it applies to more of us than you may think.

Myself, for example?  I spend more time beating myself up and stressing over the negatives than I feel anyone should.
I am constantly reminding myself of the exact number of days until my next show (9 weeks and 1 day); I tell myself over and over that there’s no way I can be ready in time. I have too much muscle to gain, and too much fat to shed.
I go to the gym, and tell myself that I need to be lifting bigger weights, with more reps and sets.  I need to run after I lift, maybe before too, and probably first thing every morning on an empty stomach.
I need to go back to counting calories, and my pre contest diet needs to start, yesterday.  No chocolate, no PB, cut the carbs, NO alcohol, double protein, drop sodium, etc…
I get to the show, and I look around at the other girls (Look at them - they trained harder, they dieted longer, they stuck with it – they didn’t cry, they didn’t complain – LOOK at them, now look at yourself.  You should just pack up and go home now).
In the “real world” I know I’m not fat – nowhere near it – but in competition world, I very well may be.  I could be too lean as well, or too muscular; I may not be the perfect shade of orange-ish brown and my smile may not be perfect.  I could come in too flat, or I could be spilling over.

Don’t get me wrong, I love being on stage and am truly proud of myself – but I also believe that competing is what formed all of these negativities in me.  It is such a good feeling to be in a show, to meet other girls that know exactly how you feel because they’re hungry, and tired, and sore right there with you.  And then you get out there on that stage, under the lights, and you bare it all – you show those judges, and the audience, exactly what you’re worked so hard to build – but mostly, you show yourself what you can do, and you’re proud.  And then you wait… And every single show I’ve done, at every single call out, I don’t hear my name.  I’ve never heard my name.  I’ve never made top 5 and the only time I made top 10 was when there were less than 10 girls in my class.  All the pride you felt is gone, and you’re left to hear why you aren’t good enough.

I need to start focusing on the positive – I need to be as happy with myself in last place as I would be in first.  I need to find the fun in it again, and that’s what I’m trying to do.  I’m learning how to love myself, and I want all of you to do the same.

You are good enough.  You are perfect.  No one can compare to you, because no one else is anything like you.  Please believe that.

Now that I got that off my chest, I’ll share my Shoulder workout from last night.
Enjoy!

Warm Up: Superset; Arnold Press & Rotator Cuff
Arnold (4 sets): 15lb DBs for 15, 25lb DBs for 8, 20lb DBs for 12, 15lb DBs for 15
Rotator (3 sets): 12lb for 15 (each arm), 15lb for 15, 12lb for 15
Superset; Plate Shrugs & Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
Shrugs (4 sets): 45lb for 12, 45lb for 12, 35lb for 12, 35lb for 12
DB Fly (3 sets): 12lb DBs for 15, 12lb for 12, 12lb for 12
Superset; Dumbbell Military Press & Cable Crossovers
Press (4 sets): 30lb DBs for 6, 25lb DBs for 10, 20lb DBs for 10 (no rest) straight to 15lb DBs for 15
Crossovers (2 sets): 20lb for 15, 20lb for 15
Dumbbell T’s & L’s (4 sets): 12lb DBs for 48 (12 T, 12 L), 12lb DBs for 40 (10 each), 10lb DBs for 48 (12 each), 5lb DBs for 80 (20 each) *Hold last T for 5 sec.
Upright Rows (Cable): 65lb for 12, 55lb for 12, 50lb for 12
Superset; Rear Delt Fly (Machine) & Static T (5 T’s, hold on last rep)
Fly (4 sets): 40lb for 12, 30lb for 15, 30lb for 12, 30lb for 12
T’s (4 sets): 12lb DBs 5 reps - held for 5 sec, 10lb DBs 5 reps – held for 10, 10lb DBs 5 reps – held for 10, 10lb DBs 5 reps – held for 10

P.S. My Supplement Page will be up today too!
Stay tuned =)

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday, and a wonderful weekend!
And enjoy the holiday! (Whichever you celebrate).

What are your weekend plans?

What is your favorite thing about YOU?

Welcome to the Gun Show

Hello and Happy Thursday to all 15 of my loyal followers!
Yes, that’s right – 15! And a huge thanks to Christina and her Fro-Yo post for the awesome shout out!
=)

First and foremost, I am in LOVE… with microwave “brownies”.
I know I’ve posted them a million times, but look how pretty mine was today:

In the mix?
½ cup liquid egg whites
1 scoop VPX SRO Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Stevia (find it here)
½ OZ (1/2 square) Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate
1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Mix it all up, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.  It’ll puff up and look gigantic, then it’ll deflate and taste amazing!

Today seems extra long.. Possibly because I’m a day closer to a 3 day weekend and I’m already in party mode!  Not only is Saturday our town’s 4^th of July Celebration, it is also my baby sister’s birthday!! She’s hanging out on the boat with babe and I all day, and she’s a party-girl, so I’m assuming there will be LOTS of Jell-o shots (they’re her favorite).
By the way, this is my sister, and she’s awesome (and a RUNNER, gasp).  She’s my partner in crime for my very first 5k and I’m super excited!

No, she doesn't really smoke! Rob gave her this shirt...

That being said, time for my workout stats!

Last night was Arms (aka all time favorite lifting day).  I was scheduled to lift shoulders, but my back is still acting up (including my traps & rear delts) so I decided to play it safe.  I’m not complaining though – I LOVE lifting arms!  Why?  Because they look like this when I’m done..

Please note the seriousness of my face HAH. 

I lifted for 45-ish minutes, and then I ran! 

Superset; Dumbbell Curls and Tricep Rope Extensions
Curls (4 sets): 20lb DBs for 30 (15 each arm), 20lb DBs for 26, 15lb DBs for 34, 20lb DBs for 24
Extensions (4 sets): 45lb for 15, 55lb for 15, 55lb for 15, 50lb for 15
Tri-Set; Cable Curls, Tricep Push-ups, Dumbbell Hammer Curls
*Let me explain this one first, it’s a bit confusing…
I did a total (3) sets cable curls, (5) sets tricep push-ups, and (3) sets hammer curls.. The routine looked like this:
Cable (45lb for 20), tricep (+35lb plate for 12), hammer (15lb DBs for 30 – 15 each arm), tricep (+35lb for 9), cable (55lb for 15), tricep (+25lb for 10), hammer (15lb DBs for 40), tricep (+25lb for 10), cable (50lb for 15), tricep (Bodyweight only for 15), hammer (15lb DBs for 30)
Skullcrushers (on Decline Bench) (3 sets): 55lb for 10, 50lb for 15, 50lb for 15
EZ Bar Curls (Burnouts, no rest) (4 sets): 50lb for 15, 45lb for 12, 40lb for 12, 35lb for 15

Treadmill: 20 minutes = 2.06 miles… I think I jumped into this running thing a bit too quickly; I have bad ankles  to begin with, and they were slightly sore last night (pre-run), after 15 minutes of a fairly decent pace, I had to suck it up and walk the last 5 minutes.  I still managed to get in 2 miles though, so I guess I’m satisfied.

All business.

*Please, anyone and everyone:
If you are interested in (or already do) weight training and have any questions on what I mean in these workouts (or anything else, for that matter), shoot me an email!
Nbly07@hotmail.com
I’d love to hear from you!!

That’s all for now, but stay tuned…

Some of you have been asking, so I’m going to tell ;-)
I’m working on a page listing all of the supplements I take (with pictures, of course).  This includes my protein powders of choice, and will probably include some random foods (like my favorite PB of all time) and maybe even the brand of hair dye I LOVE.

Have a beautiful day bloggers!!

Protein Junkie

Happy Hump Day!
…OK, I’ve never actually said that before, and now that it’s out of my system, let’s hope I never say it again!

I hope you are all having a lovely week, and for those of us in the States, I hope you are thoroughly excited for the 4^th – I know I am! The 4^th is my favorite holiday, it has been since I was little – I think its just the feeling around it: Summer, fireworks, food, drinks, etc…
Oh, AND I get the day off work! But it’s mostly for the fireworks, I LOVE fireworks.  And even though I work for an explosives contractor, I still can’t get any cool ones for myself.  Boo.

What are your weekend plans?
Babe and I are (hopefully) going to be in the boat parade! And hell, I may even have a beer.  Probably not, but I’ll consider it.  For those of you who don’t know – the last time I had any alcohol was the past New Year’s Eve, and then I had to quit for show prep.  I’m not against drinking (in fact, I love it), but you can’t drink during show prep, and I just haven’t felt the need yet this off season.

More importantly, however, was my breakfast this morning.  That’s right; I had my very first oats in a jar!  Why I didn’t do this sooner, I have no idea, because it was heaven in my mouth!  I have vowed to recycle all future empty jars of PB (and almond butter) by using them as a home for my oats.  I’m debating posting it everytime though – if you knew how many jars of PB I go through on a normal basis, it may scare you!  I apologize for the oats lack of oats in the picture; I had no time to snap a picture as I was inhaling them.

 

Notice the background of that picture, my kitchen table is covered in puzzle pieces!  Why you ask? Because babe and I got the bright idea to buy a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, and if I ever finish the stupid thing, I will immediately proceed to burn it!  Notice I say “I”, that is because babe wants nothing to do with it now that its out of the box, he would rather eat mass quantities of chips/candy/etc… right next to me while I do all the work.
Men.

And yes, that does say GLOW IN THE DARK =)

And of course, last night was Leg night!  It started off pretty well, but near the end I got this horrid pain in my lower back (I have scoliosis and a slew of other back problems).  I think it’s from going so heavy on back Monday, but whatever the reason, I am not about to injure myself over a few sets, so I bailed on the end of my leg workout.  It was supposed to consist of a few more sets of step-ups & low back extensions, followed by lunges and MAYBE some light squats.  Instead, I hopped on a bike and did 3.3 miles in 15 minutes.  Not too shabby.

The whole workout took about an hour, all business today!

Superset; In & Out Squats and Seated Calf Raises
Squats (5 sets): 105lb for 20 (10 in, 10 out), 155lb for 12, 155lb for 10, 135lb for 14, 115lb for 20
Calves (4 sets): 45lb for 15, 70lb for 12, 60lb for 15, 50lb for 15
Superset; Hamstring Curls & Quad Extensions (*) there will be a side note on this below
Hamstring (4 sets): 100lb for 12, 100lb for 12, 100lb for 10, 90lb for 12
Quad (5 sets): 80lb for 12, 70lb for 12, 70lb for 10, 60lb for 12 straight to 50lb for 10 (no rest)
Superset; Machine Calf Raises & Machine Leg Press *Both were done on the Leg Press Machine, & I have no idea what the sled weighs, so weight is + sled (I’m guessing 100lb, but I could be wrong).
Calves (3 sets): +120lb for 15 (all 3 sets)
Press (4 sets): +70lb for 12, +70lb for 12, +70lb for 10, +50lb for 15
Superset; Low Back Extensions & Dumbbell Step Ups
Back: one set of 12 holding a 15lb DB
Step Up: one set of 30 (15 each leg) holding 2 12lb DBs
This is where I bailed due to back pain…

Bike; Varied resistance, 15 minutes = 3.3 miles.

(*) If you noticed in my last leg post, I did these with FAR less weight.  Why? Because for some unknown reason, the machines are weighted differently at each gym (also note, there are 2 YMCA’s where we live, and we use both).  I don’t get it.

Has this ever happened to you?

*Note to Self: Decent workout today, with the back pain ordeal its hard to focus on much.  Take it easy on the back – do some yoga and lay off squats/dead lifts for a week.  No sense in getting a bad back out of the deal.

...And on a sidenote, I had to share this with you!

THIS, ladies & gentlemen, is what Rob’s side of the sink in the bathroom looks like.

Note the Capri Sun, he's addicted.

I suppose I’m not the only protein junkie in the house.

My life is NOT boring.

Hello my lovely bloggers!

I am so sorry I haven’t been able to post this sooner! But you should be totally excited for this post; as a brief summary, you will get: Not one, but TWO homemade fro-yo recipes, 3 work-outs, a story about an accidental run (and a non-accidental run), LOTS of pictures, and my new favorite hair color.

Enjoy!

First and most importantly, I love fro-yo so much it’s ridiculous.  The only problem?  There are ZERO fro-yo places within a 50 mile radius of where I live.  So, I did what I had to do, and I made my own fro-yo (granted, I didn’t have any fun toppings – like gummy bears and m&m’s) but I think it turned out pretty good! Side note, the second recipe is the better of the 2 – if your preference is sweeter!

Fro-Yo Recipe #1

¼ cup Greek Yogurt
1 scoop chocolate PB protein powder (I used Myofusion)
1 tablespoon natural PB
Dark-Chocolate flavored stevia
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Mix everything together and freeze for 45 minutes – take it out, stir everything & freeze for 20 minutes.  Eat, savor, take pictures, and send to Christina.

Fro-Yo Recipe #2

1 4oz container Fiber One French vanilla yogurt
1 scoop Casein protein powder (I used double chocolate – you can substitute any protein powder though)
1 T (more or less depending on consistency of protein powder) water

Same directions as the first recipe:
Mix everything together and freeze for 45 minutes – take it out, stir everything & freeze for 20 minutes.  Eat, savor, take pictures, and send to Christina.

Both were delicious!

Next are the workouts:
Friday was shoulders and a 15 minute treadmill run, Saturday was a record speed leg day & accidental run day, Sunday was rest day from the gym and non-accidental run day, and yesterday was chest/back.

Friday: Shoulders

Warm-Up; L’s & T’s (3 sets)
12lb DB’s for 16 (8 reps L’s, 8 reps T’s), 15lb DBs for 16, 15lb DB’s for 16
Arnold Press (2 sets): 15lb DBs for 15, 25lb DBs for 8
Superset; Plate Shrugs & Military Press
Shrugs (4sets): 45lb plates for 12, 45lb for 12, 45lb for 10, 35lb for 12
Press (4 sets): 30lb DBs for 7, 30lb for 6, 25lb for 10, 20lb for 15
Superset; Upright Rows & Front Raises
Rows (3 sets): 65lb for 12, 65lb for 12, 65lb for 10
Raises (3 sets): 25lb for 12 (all 3 sets)
*Note: These are done holding a DB with both hands in the center.
Rear Delt Fly (Burnouts – no rest): 12lb DB’s for 15, 12lb for 12, 10lb for 12

Treadmill: Varied incline & speed; 15 minutes for 1.56 miles

Saturday: Fastest Leg Day Ever

…Seriously, I got to the gym around 2 to find out they closed at 3 – factor in changing and clean-up, my workout lasted a total 30 minutes, and my legs haven’t burned like that in a long time.

Lunges (6 forward, 4 reverse) (4 sets):
55lb for 40 (24 forward, 16 reverse), 65lb for 30, 60lb for 30, 55lb for 40
In & Out Squats (Free bar) (3 sets):
115lb for 12, 95lb for 16, 95lb for 12
Low Back Extensions (3 sets): 110lb for 12, 90lb for 15, 90lb for 15
Superset; Quad Extensions & Hamstring Curls
Quads (4 sets): 50lb for 12, 50lb for 12, 50lb for 12, 30lb for 15
Hamstring (3 sets): 70lb for 10, 50lb for 15, 70lb for 10
Machine Leg Press (Burnouts) (4 sets – no rest): 150lb for 10, 130lb for 10, 110lb for 10, 90lb for 20

Sunday I ran/walked/hiked – all in the same trip, I live in the woods, it wasn’t really by choice!
2 miles in 20 minutes.

Monday: Chest/Back
Lasted about an hour.

Superset; WideGrip Pulldowns & Smith Machine Bench Press
Pulldowns (5 sets): 70lb for 12, 90lb for 7, 80lb for 10, 70lb for 12, 60lb for 15
Bench Press (4 sets): 85lb for 10, 105lb for 4, 95lb for 7, 85lb for 10
Superset; Weighted Dips & Low Cable Rows
Dips (5 sets): +25lb for 8, +20lb for 8, +15lb for 10, +10lb for 12, bodyweight for 15
Rows (5 sets): 90lb for 12, 100lb for 8, 90lb for 12, 90lb for 12, 80lb for 12
Superset; Incline Dumbbell Press & Close Grip Pulldowns
Incline (4 sets): 25lb DBs for 12, 25lb DBs for 10, 20lb DBs for 12, 20lb DBs for 10
Pulldowns (4 sets): 80lb for 10, 70lb for 10, 60lb for 12, 60lb for 12
Dumbbell Pullovers (3 sets): 25lb for 15, 25lb for 15, 20lb for 15

And boy do I have a story for you!
Sadie, our beautiful (and BAD) Great Pyrenees/Lab mix is an escape artist.  I kid you not, she is a pro at slipping her collar, sneaking out doors, chewing through leashes, etc… But most recently, her favorite method of escape is by jumping off the back deck.  Not to worry, its really not all that high, but it is mildly annoying!  We got her from the humane society about a year ago, she was a stray, and now I see why!

Anyway, she jumped off the deck first thing Saturday morning, and instead of taking the usual lap around the block, she decided to take a run – and I had to run the entire time behind her so I wouldn’t lose sight of her!  I don’t know how far we made it before she was ready to come home (you know when she’s ready – she gets on the ground and crawls to you) – all I know is I was legitimately running for the better part of 45 minutes, through woods and road and a football field, in this:

If you look carefully, you can see all 3 bad dogs behind me!

And these:

Let me tell you, NOT the way I prefer to dress for a run.  And on an empty stomach none-the-less (I never train/lift/run on an empty stomach), by the time we made it home, I was starving!

Oh, and, I dyed my hair Sunday!

One more, for good measure.

You will quickly find that this is a bit of a problem I have, and I change it (drastically) every4 or so weeks.

That’s all I have today!