Are YOU Afraid of the Dark?!

Hello and Happy Friday fellow Bloggers!
I don’t know about you – but I am SO glad its finally Friday!

What about you? Do Fridays make you super happy? Do you (like me) work a Monday-Friday job and get free weekends?

Hmmm..
What to do this weekend?
I know there will be plenty of adventures outside (like boat rides and dog walks and maybe a round of golf?!) and gym time, and the Fathers Day extravaganza with my daddy and Rob’s dad.  Oh and cleaning the house, and grocery shopping..
Phew! I’m tired already!!

Anyway, I just have to tell you what happened last night…
I got home from work and found that we had no electricity.  Why?

That’s why.

So babe and I decided to take the night off the gym and have a date night – aka lets go out to eat since we can’t do much in the dark…

We went to Red Lobster, and I got some grilled tilapia with a double portion of broccoli (as usual), then we walked around the mall for a bit.. Then we went home and still had no electricity…

I woke up this morning to no electricity, and had to get ready for work by candlelight.. Then I actually had to drive to the grocery store for lunch & snacks for work, because no electricity means we lost EVERYTHING in the fridge.
BOO!

So, despite a semi-terrible morning, I made out with some pretty nice eats for today: Breakfast was the usual oatmeal, protein powder, and cinnamon (I had to make it on the stove – no microwave – for the first time in years!), AM snack was 6 OZ Raspberries & 2 100 calorie packs of Dark chocolate almonds..

Lunch: Tuna & Sprouts wrap, HUGE mixed green salad with a whole 10 oz package of cherry tomatoes, topped with red wine vinegar =)

PM snack will be the usual oatmeal, protein powder, & PB2 (this is my favorite pre-workout meal), followed by my post-workout shake, and we’ll see what happens for dinner (crossing my fingers that we have electricity!!).

Since I skipped the gym last night, I will be making up for it tonight with a killer chest/back routine! Stay tuned =)

Hi, my name is Nicole, and sometimes I talk to myself.

Happy Thursday (aka one more day to Friday)!

Isn’t that a shame? I need to stop “living for the weekends” and start looking forward to everyday. Except Monday, I don’t know anyone that looks forward to Monday!

Last night, I changed plans and lifted legs paired with some deadlifts.  Babe talked me into lifting at the YMCA across town, which is almost always packed full of “puffy boys” (as we call them), its also 20 minutes out of the way, which tends to shorten the workout window.  They have much better equipment though, and its bigger than the YMCA closer to home; all-in-all, a short but effective workout.  I think the whole thing took 45ish minutes, start to finish.

And I’m starting something new with this… I’m adding a note to self after my workout summary.  Thoughts, room for improvements, etc…

Maybe it will help me get my head in the game if I yell at myself a little from time to time.

Do you ever talk to yourself?

Warm Up: In & Out Squats.  2 sets; 95lbs 20 reps
Squats (below parallel); 4 sets. 115lb for 12 reps, 135 for 8, 115 for 12, 95 for 15
Deadlifts; 3 sets. 115lb for 8 reps, 115 for 5, 95 for 12
Machine Calf Raises; 3 sets. 170lb – toes pointed out – 15 reps, 170lb – toes neutral – 15 reps, 150lb – toes pointed in – 13 reps
Superset: Hip Adductor & Hip Abductor; 3 sets each
Adductor: 90lb for 15 reps, 90 for 15, 90 for 12
Abductor: 70lb for 15, 70 for 15, 70 for 12
Machine Calf Raises; 3 sets. 150lb – toes pointed in – 15 reps, 150lb – toes neutral – 15 reps, 150lb – toes pointed out – 13 reps
Machine Leg Press; Drop Sets (no rest).
130lb for 15 reps, 110 for 12, 90 for 12, 70 for 12, 90 for 12, 110 for 10, 70 for 15

*Note to self: Obviously should’ve started those leg presses with a higher weight, drop sets should never take that long to burn out. Get used to parallel, and kill it next time – 135 for 8 as a max set is beyond lame.  And while we’re at it, everything needs more weight, and an extra set (or 3).

Wanna see my lifting ensemble?

Yes, thats my gallon on the bench =)

Don’t I look sexy in my bandana?! I can’t lift without it… Honestly, forgetting that baby is as bad as forgetting socks or a sports bra! And let’s not even talk about lifting without gloves!
Never. Going. To . Happen.

Have you ever found an old journal, or an old website (I used to be on Xanga in high school – its always a good laugh to look at that thing!), or even better – and old workout journal?!
I found this baby yesterday – its like gold!  Everything from my last show prep is in here! From 11/13/2010 to 3/4/2011 – that’s nearly 4 months of weights, sets, reps, cardio, supplements, and nutrition – I mean EVERYTHING! I am so excited!

P.S. that notebook is where the name of my Blog was born!! See..

Maybe tonight I’ll lift Chest… Unless of course I talk myself out of it and lift arms (can you tell I hate lifting Chest?!); seeing as those are the only options I have for today, I may combine the 2. Or I’ll cave and just do Chest like a good little girl.
Ughhh…
Decisions, decisions.

One sick puppy..

OH EM GEE.

Sorry for the exaggerated excitement, but I just had the most fabulous lunch – and I packed it myself. I knew what it was, but I did not expect it to be so good! Isn’t that a great surprise? But more importantly, what was it?

The main event: ½ a Spaghetti squash filled with 1/3 cup veggie “crumbles” (soy-meat substitute, no I am not vegetarian/vegan/etc.. I just really like this stuff), diced tomatoes, Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil & Garlic seasoning, and veggie parmesan cheese (I can’t eat the real stuff because I’m lactose-intolerant, boo).  I wrapped the whole thing in foil and baked it at 350 for 25ish minutes.  Let cool, then scrape it all out (if you’ve prepared spaghetti squash before, you know the drill).
Amazing.

I paired it with some cooked spinach, a can of light tuna packed in water, balsamic vinegar, and Mrs. Dash Caribbean Citrus seasoning.

My belly is so happy right now.

On a side note, I didn’t make those cookies from yesterday yet.. I had the best intentions, but when I got home from the gym I fell asleep on the couch with my sick little puppy.. Yes, my little Molly’s sick. I don’t know what’s wrong (she probably ate something she shouldn’t have); I hate sick dogs, they make me so sad because I never know what to do. It would be so much easier if they could tell you what’s wrong!  She just lays around, that’s all she did yesterday – she followed me to wherever I was headed and then laid behind me until I went somewhere else – even with the other 2 playing and running around.  That’s not like her, not at all. And she went out probably 4 times in half an hour, also not like her.  I hope she’s better soon…

Last night I lifted back, and wrote nothing down.  I was still in my ‘mood’ from earlier (if you aren’t up to date, check out My Identity Crisis).  It was an OK workout.. I just need to get my head on straight again.

Tonight is Chest day (and a little back, to make up for yesterdays slack), then dinner:  grilled turkey breast cutlets, grilled asparagus, and pasta for dinner; and hopefully movie night with babe and the puppies (and trust me, it will undoubtedly be all 5 of us on the couch, whether babe and I like it or not).

Cookie Monster (aka ME)

Hello again!
As promised, this is my super fun, motivational, yum-tastic (eww.. did I just say that) post for today.

That being said, I got the urge to make cookies tonight, so I will be making these after the gym and will be sure to post pictures & opinions.

Low Carb Dark Chocolate PB Cookies

1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin

1/2 Cup Liquid Egg Whites

1 Scoop Chocolate Protein

1/2 Cup Natural PB – I will be using 1/2 Cup reconstituted PB2 to cut some fat off the stats J

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup Flaxseed

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 Degrees

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Drop by the tablespoon on to a cookie sheet lined with foil or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until firm.

Makes About 6 Cookies.

And I will be feeding them to babe without telling him they’re secretly healthy, so we’ll get a real live opinion!

I also may make some of my all-time favorite protein treats..

Tofu Protein Bar
1 Package Lite Silken Tofu
4 scoops protein powder ( I use VPX Graham Cracker)
3 cups whole oats
¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract (or French Vanilla Stevia – if you have a sweet tooth)
Cinnamon ( to taste)

Combine tofu, protein, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer on high until smooth.  Add the oats and mix with the mixer until you have a fairly homogeneous mixture.
*Note if it is too thick add a 1/4 cup water.
Cover an 8x8 pan with parchment or wax paper (you’ll never get them out otherwise). Spread the mixture in the pan and place in the fridge for an hour.

Last night was Shoulders – my mood in the post earlier was a spillover of my mood last night, that being said, my workout could’ve (and should have) gone a lot better…
I get to make it up tonight with a killer back workout tonight!

Warm Up Set: T’s & L’s. One set. 12lb Dumbbells, 30 reps (15 T, 15 L)
DB Shoulder Press, 5 sets. 25lb DBs for 12, 35s for 4, 30s for 4 – pause  - 6, 25s for 10, 20s for 12
Superset; Barbell Shrugs & Upright Rows.
Shrugs, 4 sets. 105lb f0r 12, 85 for 15, 85 for 15, 85 for 12
Upright, 3 sets. 65lb for 8, 55 for 12, 55 for 8
Superset; L’s & T’s.  3 sets each.
L’s: 15lb DBs for 10, 12s for 15, 15s for 12
T’s: 15lb DBs for 10, 12s for 12, 10s for 15
Superset; Arnold Press & Rear Delt Fly (Machine).  3 sets each.
Arnold: 20lb DBs for 12, 20s for 10, 15s for 15
Rear Delt: 30lb for 12, 30 for 12, 20 for 15
Static T’s: 10lb DBs for 10 seconds, twice. 10lb DB T’s to failure (I think it was 15, but I lost count…)

And finally, my macros for the past however long its been since I posted them last.  6/12 was a cheat day, meaning no counting.  Figures are purely guesses for record-keeping sake.  If you care to know:

Food	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Net	Protein	Sodium
6/2/11 Total:	2144	51.5	221	57.5	163.5	232.5	1860
6/3/11 Total:	2162	47.5	221	65	156	267	2255
6/4/11 Total:	2485	83.75	235	64	171	261	2770
6/5/11 Total:	2095	58.5	218	66	152	201	2980
6/6/11 Total:	2941	104.25	274	67.5	206.5	248.5	1670
6/7/11 Total:	2097	45.25	196.5	41	155.5	239.5	1675
6/8/11 Total:	2030	40.75	211	57.5	153.5	233.5	2080
6/9/11 Total:	1892	46.5	201	67	134	192	2045
6/10/11 Total:	1821	39.25	192.5	66.5	126	210	2260
6/11/11 Total:	2050	71.5	191	45.5	145.5	182	1830
6/12 Cheat Day (No Counting)	3000	110	300	50	250	255	3000
6/13/11 Total:	2080	51.5	197.5	47.5	150	233	1355
6/14/11 Total:	1964	35.5	192	46.5	145.5	240.5	1515

P.S. If you’re ever curious about anything I post on here, or anything I don’t for that matter, send me an email!
nbly07@hotmail.com
I love getting emails! =)