Putting in effort!

Living healthy is not only about being in the gym. It's actually making the conscious effort to be healthy. Wether at dinner, in the grocery store, or working out at the gym. Its a culmination of the little things that make a massive lifestyle change. When I was a kid, I was always over weight and I had no one to tell me how unhealthy it was. If you're a parent don't let your child make the terrible food choices help guide them to living healthy. 

Today's Workout: Upper Body

Pull-up machine (3 sets 8reps with 20lb assist)

Barbell curls (3 sets 12 reps 30 lbs)

Seated spider curls (3 sets 10 reps 30 lbs)

Seated tricep extension (3 sets 12 reps 60 lbs)

Seated bicep curls on medicine ball (3 sets 12 reps 15 lbs)

Seated shoulder press on medicine ball (3 sets 10 reps 15 lbs)

Bench press on medicine ball (3 sets 12 reps 15 lbs) 

Bent over row (3 sets 12 reps 45 lb plate) 

Then a 24 min cardio session on the elliptical 

Make the choice because once you put in effort you will truly be amazed at what your body can do. 

Progress NOT perfection

I think one thing we all need to keep in mind is to focus on progression NOT perfection. Because truly everyone's "perfect" is different from the other. I'm in the mindset where I want it so bad and that's all I'm focused on. I find myself planning meals and workouts a day or two in anvanced just to stay on track toward my goal. 

Today's workout: Leg Day 1

Hyper Extension (4 sets 12 reps 45 lbs plate)

Goblet squats (4 sets 20 reps 27.5lbs)

Body weight jump squats (4 sets 20 reps)

Standing side leg raises (4 sets 10 reps per leg holding a 25lb plate on my hip)

Courtesy lung (4 set 1 reps per leg holding a 25 lb plate)

Donkey kicks (4 sets 15 reps per leg)

Squats 

Set 1- 50lbs 12 reps

Set 2- 100 lbs 8 reps

Sets 3-7 150lbs 4 reps 

Leg press 

100 lbs 2 sets 10 reps

 

No Easy Way

People are ALWAYS asking me how I lost weight and what my secret is, well it's simple, hard work and dedication. There is NO easy or fast way I do it and the people or products that promote that are not stuff you want to put into your body. And I don't understand why people want to take the easy way to do it. Don't. Don't look for that easy way out. There is NO easy way to do it. Just dedicate time to the gym and eat healthier. I will say this a million times in my posts, it's not about cutting everything out, but managing what you eat. Don't do it the easy way. Treat yourself better than that. You would only be cheating yourself if you look for an easy way. 

Today's Workout:

Seated Cable Row 4Sets 

Set1&2 15 reps 55 lbs

Set3&4 20 reps 50lbs

Lat Pull Down 4Sets

Set1&2 15 reps 55 lbs

Set3&4 20 reps 50lbs

Tricep cable pull down 3 sets 15reps 27.5lbs

One arm cable pull 3 sets 10 reps each arm 17.5lbs

Dumbbell curls 3 sets 12 reps 15lbs

One arm over head tricep extension 

3 sets 10 reps 15lbs 

Push-ups 3 sets 10-12 reps 

Cardio:

30 mins on the elliptical with varying intervals 361 calories burned

Remember to keep yourself motivated and push through the "I'm not feeling it today" mood. You will truly love the results and feel so much better/be healthier. 

Just Happens..

I usually give myself Sunday's off, but last night I let myself go a little on the nasty food so I thought a cardio session would be nice. Sometimes, that just happens, but the key is to notice you are letting your "diet" slip and making up for it. I don't like to knock myself for eating like that, frankly because, sometimes it just happens and I feel if you beat yourself up over it you fall into bad habits. Don't punish yourself and ALWAYS remember to reward yourself. Whether it be an extra cheat meal or a new workout outfit, treat yourself right because you are your biggest motivator and critic. 

Today's Workout:

20 mins on the stairs 

Min1- level 8

Min2- level 9

Min3-level 10 skip step and kick back 

Min4-level 12

Min5- level 20 

Four times then a 4 min cool down 285 calories burned

Then 

Elliptical 

30 mins

Min1-4 elevated at 18 and level 8 resistance

Min5- back pedal same elevation and resistance

Min6-9- level 20 elevation and level 10 resistance 

Min10- back pedal same resistance and level

Min11-14- level 20 elevation and 12resistance

Min15 back pedal same elevation/resistance

Repeat 11-15 levels and resistance/ back pedal till I hit a total of 30 mins

Then a 5 min cool down 331 calories burned

I cater to my body shape

So it may sound funny, but I like to cater to my body shape. You may ask what that means, well here's my explanation, naturally I'm more curvy from my hips down. So I like to cater to that. I do legs three days a week and constantly push myself. I may be doing the same workouts repetitively, but I always add weight, reps, or sets. 

Today's workout:

Barbell squats (4sets 20reps 30lb barbell)

Barbell over head squats (4sets 15reps 30lb barbell)

Cable pull through (4sets 15reps 22.5lbs)

Cable kick back (4sets 12 reps each leg 17.5lbs)

Box jumps (4sets 12reps medium size box)

Lunges with one leg on top of the box (4sets 15reps)

Goblet squats (4sets 15reps 27.5lbs)

Body weight jump squat(4sets 15reps)

Donkey kicks on a mat (4sets 12reps each leg

Donkey kicks to the side (4sets 12reps)

Walking barbell lunges (2sets 30lb barbell)

Straight leg dead lift (2sets 12reps 30lb barbell)

To cool down I did the fat burn option on the elliptical for 20 mins and a 4 min cool down. 

Also just a reminder, stretching is oh so important. Don't skip and keep pushing yourself to your limits and beyond them. 

Every body is different!

One thing I try to remind myself CONSTANTLY is to keep my eyes on my own paper. Basically not to compare my progress to someone else's. Every body is different and that means you see progress differently. I promise you if you dedicate time to your workouts and eat healthier, not necessarily saying cut everything out, but make better choices; you WILL see results. 

Today's workout: upper body

Remember I do things differently. I do 3 days upper body M,W,F and 3 lower T,TH,S)

Started with an over head cable extension (3 sets 20 reps 17.5 lbs)

Then I did shoulder raises with a 10lb plate (3 sets 12 reps)

Then one arm cable curls (3 sets 12 reps 12.5 lbs)

Next was cable side pulls one arm from bottom crossing (3 set 10 reps 12.5 lbs)

I did a mini rotation including body weight tricep dips (3 sets 8reps)

Dumbbell bicep duels (3sers 12 reps 15lbs)

And push ups (3 sets 12 reps)

Next I did a barbell bent overrow (3 sets 15 reps 30lb barbell) 

Barbell curls (3 sets 10 slow release reps 30 lbs)

Dumbbel row (3 sets 12 reps 15 lbs)

One arm dumbbell tricep extension (3 sets 10 reps 15 lbs)

And lastly I got on the elliptical for a 30 min cardio session. 

Also a reminder, don't forget to stretch, ever! You need it and it helps the body recover. 

Leg Day!

So today I basically destroyed my legs and forgot how to drive. People think that's the only way to do it, but sometimes you need to give your body a break. 

If you're sore or just want to switch it up try doing more reps, but with a lighter weight. 

Today's Workout:

What I call two for two. 

  -two workouts doing one set at a time switching off before moving to the next two. I like to do a circuit style workout on leg day. 

First two: 

Barbell squats 3 sets 20 reps each

Barbell straight leg dead lift 3 sets 15 reps each

(30 lb barbell)

Next:

Cable pull through 3 sets 15 reps each (22.5 lbs)

Cable kick back 3 sets 12 reps each leg (17.5lbs)

Next: 

Goblet squats 3 sets 12 reps (27.5 lbs)

Body weigh squat jumps 3 sets 12 reps

Next:

Box jumps on a medium size box (don't know the height) 3 sets 12 reps

And lunges with my leg on the Box 3 sets 15 reps per leg

Next:

On a mat I donkey kicks straight in the air 3 sets 12 reps each leg

Then side lifts 3 sets 12 reps each leg

I did a power set of each less reps and faster at the end. 

Cardio:

20 min stair master

1 min- level 8

Min2- level 9

Min3- level 10 alternating leg kick back

Min4- level 12

Min5 level 20

(Repeat3xs)

And for the last five mins alternate between level 12 and level 15 then a 4 min cool down. 

Taking this a different route

As many of you know, I love to workout. What a lot of you may not know is... I used to weigh about 170-175 pounds. I went through a bad depression and gained what felt like a ton of weight. Well you may not believe me so I'll attach a picture with this post to show you[im in the green dress]. I have been training diligently and working my ass off (literally) to be where I am at now. No I am nowhere near where I want to be and I fall off my course so much, but I refuse to give up. Currently at about 130 pounds and down 8 pant sizes.