2014.....The Voyage of Discovery

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust

Though I'm not a huge blogger I'm happy to have tracked my last year in workouts (more or less) a few months in between posts.... I started this blog with my 2013 resolution: "Say Yes to new things and people"....Then, I walked into a gym full of strangers to start a transformation challenge :)

I had a year of trying new things mixed with a year of life struggles and my "fit fam" (as I like to call them) have helped to keep me grounded and motivated wether they know it or not... Walking into my gym each day kept me focused on something positive when I had a lot of negative things going on in my head. Though I tell my strength coach, John how thankful I am for his passion and enthusiasm to make me strong. He'll probably never know just how much he's helped me stay focused. Along this fitness journey I have made some great friends that make me feel good, are positive and fun to be around.... Also, they're pretty damn strong... ;)
To this day, those 45 minute bootcamps still kick my butt and make me sore... In fact I'm sore right now. Though I am definitely stronger, I still push myself everytime. I blogged the last few times about switching over to strength training, doing barbell lifts twice a week. And somehow I've become "a lifter of heavy shit" in just 6 months... My own strength surprises me sometimes... I still really enjoy it and in 2014 I am training for a lifting meet.... Yes, really.... It's a private gym meet but my lifting goals seem outrageous and scary. My coach seems to think I am completely capable of dead lifting 275 pounds... Stay tuned, I'll be tracking my 2-1/2 months of training... It's going to take a lot of focus and determination and I'm ready! Thanks again to my family for all your support! XO

Here's to a year of discovery. Happy 2014!!

So This Happened...

Aside from the fact I haven't written on this thing for like....6 months. I wanted to document a few amazing feats that happened tonight.

First accomplishment: I started a 12 week strength training program at my gym back in July. Today was the LAST day of that program. I've seen some pretty awesome results physically and on paper! The program was derived from Mark Ripetoes Starting Strength. My trainer/coach is certified under his lifting standards (which I really don't want to explain at the moment :) Maybe I'll "blog" about it in a few days. It's basically a very simple technique in barbell training. I go twice a week and do squats and bench press one day and overhead press and deadlift the next.
Just to break it down.... this is how I started and ended my program....

Week 1
Squat: 105lbs
Bench Press: 75lbs
Overhead Press: 55 lbs
Deadlift: 125lbs

Week 12
Squat: 133lbs
Bench Press: 82lbs
Overhead Press: 64lbs
Deadlift: 180lbs !!

This is so crazy to me. One, because I never thought I'd be able to squat a small adult or deadlift a grown man (figuratively speaking :) My trainer has given me some really great coaching and advice and he's damn proud of me! It makes me feel great to have committed to something that was new and foreign to me which has given me physical strength I've probably never had, not even as a gymnast... My trainer told me tonight I was his "poster child example" for women who don't lift because they think they'll get big and bulky. I really have opinions on this but won't get into it... I mean I do worry sometimes that I will look way too muscular, but it hasn't happened, I won't let it : ) I'm just getting stronger... which leads me to my next accomplishment.

Second accomplishment: This happened tonight, it was a celebration in disguise for the completion of my 12 week program and totally unexpected....
I want to do a body weight pull-up, who doesn't, right?! Well, my trainer is switching my lifting program up and as we were talking about goals, I told him... "My goal before this year is over... to do a pull-up!" He says,"You can do one now! Go do it!" I jumped up and tried one and did it with no struggle. It honestly surprised the SH!T out of me.... I have been wanting to do that for soooo long!

On a side note...This week has marked 2 years since Dave passed away, I've been thinking of him often and I really felt him with me tonight. Now that I think about it... that pull-up was way too easy. I think he just may have been there spotting me.... ; ) XO

I CAN & I WILL....

I'm doing an experiment for the last two weeks of this Transformation Challenge!!.... It's something I've never done so strictly before and that's writing down EVERY meal and snack I'm eating from now till the end. One week at a time though.... So Mon. 4th - 10th I'm planning everything, getting recipes, making a grocery list and looking at Clean Eating Meal Plans to give me all sorts of ideas!

Next challenge, I'm going to add running 3-4 miles at least two times each week. This will be interesting with the workout schedule I already have but I feel, adding in this cardio will help get those last 5 pounds off by my next weigh-in....

Final challenge! Fish Oil supplements. I've been given a specific one to take (not all are created equal) apparently. I'm wondering if this will help me with my protein, stay tuned....

I'll check back in on Wednesday the 6th after my Bootcamp workout : ) and let you know how I'm doing mentally and physically wise - - I know I'll be curious. It's a challenge to change life routines, I know I've done a few since this transformation and it's been awesome!

"Empower Your Mind... and Your Mind Will Transform Your Body."

I got weighed today with the crazy scale that sends a surge of electricity through your body..... Yeah, you heard me. Probably the most expensive scale in the world - - but the most reliable : ) I lost three pounds since Jan. 22nd and my fat percentage is the same. Ryan (my coach) says I'm on track and everyone's body is different (obviously). According to him, I don't have much weight to lose and my goal is to get toned anyway. I will probably lose about 10 lbs after this is all over at the rate I'm going which is my end goal.

I'm okay with this but my next motivation is to step up my workout game, I mean these boot camps are awesome and I'm seeing some toning results after 2 weeks but it's a challenge for me to workout doing other things. I did good this week - - boot camp twice and gym twice. I want to add a run in on Sunday's and I think I'll be surprised at my endurance to run 3 miles. I should be doing this routine from here on out. It's HARD... But the more and more I start to change my routine into this it gets easier : )

Boot Camp Today:
35 sec. / 4x
1A - Pull Ups
1B - Kettle Bell Swing

2A - Cable Push
2B - Alt. Rope Slam

3A - Split Squat - Med. Ball Slam
3B-  Push Up / Weight Slide to Crunch (I'll show anyone who wants to try this, it's HARD).

4A - Bench Row
4B - Low Jump Squats

JOHN'S [workout till you puke] BOOTCAMP

IT'S DAY 15:
Our explanation for boot camp tonight was "I want you to workout harder than you ever have before, EVER, EVER before." Oh, great. Well, let me just say this. Doing stations for 30 minutes will be one of the hardest things you EVER do. And if you want to loose weight, do this a couple times a week.... all these in one form/another at home. Holla!

30 Min. / 6 rounds (most don't make it to 6, i made it to 5....crawling)

• Triceps on bench 10x
• TRX Bicep Curl  10x
• Jump Rope  50x
• Mtn. Climbers 50x
• Pull ups TRX/Bar 10x
• Burpees  10x
• Push ups 10x
• Split Squat (each leg) 10x
• Prisoner Jump Squat 10x

 I mostly just crawled out of the gym tonight and into my car.....

Team Transformation Challenge

Lauren and I discovered Riley Athletics a while back. Thanks to her, we got to try out "Boot Camp" classes for a free month! Most of the workouts are 30-45 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I had never tried this type of exercise before but I really love it! In fact, I've decided to join the 8 week Transformation Challenge, my first "trying new things" step!

In this 8 weeks of transformation I'm going to blog about my workouts, nutrition, my goals, what I'm learning, etc. and hopefully it will be beneficial for anyone who needs motivation or new workout routines : )

IT'S DAY 4
I've been really focusing on drinking a lot of water, we are supposed to be drinking 20-32 oz. of water with each meal. This is crazy to me, I have a hard time drinking water for some reason but I'm really trying. I've also been eating a lot of "whole" foods and no processed food these past few days.

TODAY'S BOOTCAMP
30 min. / 15 seconds at each station / 4x

1A - Split squat (right leg) w/dumbbells
1B - Split squat (left leg) w/ dumbbells

2A - Cable reach row
2B - Rope wave (this is HARD)

3A - Alt. grip pull-up
3B - Switch back mountain climbers

4A - Kettle bell jump squat
4B - Mini band shuffle

Sled push 8x - - This makes me wanna throw up....