Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Y'all! 

Here's a short NYE post- I will make a longer one later! Reviews & Reflections on 2014

Where to begin?! I can't express how good it feels to have a new feeling of motivation and self love for a new year! No matter what has happened in 2014, it's so nice to know that 2015 offers us with welcome arms at a new start, a new attitude, and a new change of pace!

2014 was a rough year for me, but everything that has happened in the past year brought me to exactly where i need to be.  Life isn't about being perfect, it's about handling what is thrown at you and how you turn it into something that you can grow and learn from. I have to say that 2014 made me wiser and more conscious of my decisions.  I am thankful for all the new friendships I've made and the ones that didn't make it to 2015.  You have to check in with yourself....

Are you happy?

Are you doing this because you want to or because you have to?  

Will this make a difference in -,5, or 10 years?

Will this benefit your future?

Will this harm or help you?

Asking yourself these questions will help you be the best you, and start of 2015 the right way. Too many times we give in to others who are not all in 110% of our well-being.  It sounds selfish, but make 2015 all about you. If you want the shirt, BUY IT.  If you want love, LOVE YOURSELF FIRST, If you want to be happy, then BE. Let go of all of the negatives and life will be much easier when you focus on you and what you have to do.  

That being said, my new years rant is over! I had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, now it's time to gear up for my upcoming senior spring semester! Not to mention I got a new laptop, so many more posts to follow! Let's grind out these cold winter months, and in spring we will thank ourselves for all of the hard work we have put in! Don't put your health on the back burner.  

Holiday Craziness- Workouts- Prepping- Exams... OMG

Okay yall, so if you're anything like me, the holidays are a crazy, tempting, and busy time of the year, especially with all of the yummy food available and all of the social gatherings and what not. It's very important to reevaluate your goals and WANTS vs NEEDS.  Remember to continue to work towards your goal that you started in January 2014, and to finish what you started.  We have the oppurtunity to create new goals WANTS and NEEDS for 2015!

That being said here, are my Monday Legs and Tuesday Arms workouts for this week 12/8-12/9 

Gatorade Energy Chews: Strawberry flavored
Lululemon Scarf: Open Heart Warmer
North Face Osito Jacket

Monday legs: 

10 min stair master warmup- alternating intervals between 8-12

Walking Lunges: 60lb bar- 3 sets of 10 each leg

Sumo Kettlebell Squats- 3 x 12 at 40lb

Hack Squat- 2 (45lb) plates- 3 x 10 

RDL with plates (25) 3 x 12

Barbell Hip Ext- 3 x 10 At 85lb

Core Cable Rotations- 3 x 10 each side 

5 sets of Jacobs ladder- 1 min intervals

5 min jog cool down! 

ENJOY! 

Tuesday arms:

20 min alternating incline walk

5 min run 

Overhead DB shoulder press: 35 x 3 x 12

Bar Upright Row: 40 x 3 x 12

Cable Bicep Curls: 3 x 12

Cable Tricep Band Pressdown 3 x 12

Landmine Shoulder Press: 2 x 10 each arm

Side bend on back ext: 2 x 12 each side 

Landmine core rotation: 2 x 10 each side 

Sunday Night Meal Prep: Grilled Chicken, Rice, Zucchini & Squash

Ps: I'm almost finished with the fall 2014 semester- Presentations, Finals, and Exams are almost overwith!! May the odds be ever in my favor! 

Tips To Have A Happy And Healthy Thanksgiving !

Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll 

The holidays are upon us and while tempting as it may be to pick at food while we're cooking, or to grab seconds, even thirds plates, think about how thankful you are to just even get one warm plate, and to spend time with your families in a nice warm and cozy home.  Aside from being thankful for all of the wonderful food and people in our lives, you also don't want to ruin your diet for an entire week. Here are some helpful tips to help you stay slim throughout the holidays.

- One plate is more than enough, enjoy all of your favorite foods and side dishes, just don't gorge on seconds

- Set unhealthy dishes such as mac n cheese, the gravy, or whatever other dishes you have on another table from the main course. Chance are most people are too lazy to even go to the other table so they probably won't eat them as much.

-ENJOY YOUR FOOD, just not massive portions of it, this will also help you not feel miserable after dinner, although you still may feel sleepy! :) 

- Try and make one healthy dessert, avoid adding any extra sugar to your desserts, remember your portions, and limit the whip cream, cream cheese, and toppings. 

 

 

- Drink water.
-Tell Someone how thankful you are to have them in your life.
   

My Top 5 Go-To Snacks

So I get that you are a busy busy busy bee in the mornings, afternoon, or night, whatever time of the day you function best at, but don't let your nutrition be on the back-burner just because you're hungry!

I am a full time college student, senior year to be exact, I work as a personal trainer for 28 hours a week during school semesters, and like anybody else I make time for my loved ones & my health. Just like anybody else who works, goes to school, takes care of children, we all have our priorities, you just need to make your health one too.

After much review, here are my top 5 go to snacks to keep me full of energy and ready to tackle my next cluster of work placed in front of me. It was reaaallly hard for me to narrow it down to only five.. i love snacking !

1. Quest bars- this is a macro packed snack that is full of 21g of protein, 7g of fat, and 22g of carbs. not to mention there is only 1g of sugar, YES 1g OF SUGAR! They are well worth their price. You can purchase at any GNC store, of even go to their website. I highly reccomend these bars they come in a variety of flavors, basically any taste you want, that also helps you cheat clean if you're craving something sweet; which i ALWAYS am, i looooove  the cookies and cream flavor because it tastes like your biting into a healthy oreo! mmm heaven in my mouth.  Click here to check out quest bars
Protein: 21g----Carbs: 22g----Fat: 7g

2. Chobani Greek Yogurt- this 100 calorie packed baby full of probiotics, protein, and no fat, is the perfect snack for you on the go. it's thicker than regular yogurt, but rich and creamy at the same time.  This too comes in a variety of flavors that can satisfy any fruit and yogurt craving you might have. Did I mention there is no fat in it? With only 7g of sugar it can cut those sweet cravings in an instant. Check out Chobani

Protein: 12 g ---- Carbs: 15g ------Fat: 0g      

3. Hard Boiled Eggs- These bad boys, take literally 2 minutes of prep work only. Boil you some water, place as many eggs as you want, I usually do 3, and let the water boil.. leave on your stove for about 15-20 minutes while you're getting ready, or watching the walking dead on sunday nights EEEEK! (my favorite show) .. or while you're reading my blog :P needless to say these suckers are a great source of protein.

Protein: 6g ---Carbs: 0.6g-----Fat: 5g    

(roughly most eggs will have this content) 

4. Protein Shake- A protein shake no lie, takes less than 5 minutes to whip up.  There are well over 100 brand varieties, and endless recipes to spice them up. Protein can be purchased at any major retail store like walmart or target, but higher, better quality proteins such as Whey or Casein can be purchased at GNC, or any of the brands websites. Specials are always being offered! The possibilities are endless! Check out The Gold Standard-WHEY Protein at the GNC website right here. WHEY Gold Standard

Protein: 24g ---Carbs 4g----Fat: 1.50g

5. Beef Jerky: Oh how I love these mouth watering beef strips! Beef jerky is essentially dry beef strips that have been dried out (duh) and marinated with herbs and spices to add different flavors.  I personally enjoy the Oberto teriyaki .. pictured above.. it's packed with protein as well as vitamins and minerals. It keeps you feeling full and satisfied and it's sooo yummy.  And it can be purchases pretty much anywhere. Quick and easy and beefy! Show me the jerky!

Protein: 11g---Carbs:7g----Fat: 1g 

Birthday Girl

 

23
So i'm 23 today, weirrrrrd to say, but 22 was awesome, I met some amazing people, learned a lot about myself and have matured during the past year.  It's always nice to see the young person you are becoming and will continue to become.

22 brought me happiness, sadness, excitement, and a whole roller coaster of emotions.  During my 22nd year, my father was in the hospital last November with a subarachnoid hemorrhage on his brain, on my birthday he was released. That December, my baby niece was born, who will be a year old next month!! Crazy, I also started dating my boyfriend (which will be our year in December!) yay, we are doing amazing <3 In march  we found out my mother had breast cancer in march, and have been battling for her ever since.  Needless to say my life has been anything but boring but I wouldn't change one minute of that year. It had it's ups and downs but then again who doesn't; that's what makes life so interesting.

Now today at 23, I can look back on the past year and think how much I've grown as a person, and with the people around me.  I've learned to love to the point of tears, and if I want something to go get it yourself and be proud of it.  I've learned that whatever you're good at, build off of it. I've also learned to worry less, and let go.  I'm a very type A person, I like things done in a particular way and on time, and this year being 23, I propose to myself to be a little more care free.  I look forward to living my life exactly how I want to in my twenties, you don't get these years back so you might was well make them count. 

So here's to 23, may you be exciting, adventurous, loving, kind, outgoing, extraordinary, and meaningful!

Photo Sesh Time !

Okay yall, so i was feeling my iphone photography skills here some this week, lol decided to use some apps on my phone to play around with colors and text and the top picture was the outcome, but it's one of my favorite motivation quotes

Second picture is my new hairs :) i'm a natural red head but wanted to try the pretty fall colors out for a change. Change is good right? 

Last picture is today's leg day photo was taken pre workout- i know this sounds conceited but i am very proud with how my legs have been shaping up lately.. i even got asked if i power lift competitively! .. i don't but it's exciting to see other see how hard you work for your muscles! It's okay to love your body and you should, it's the only one you've got! 

Follow my pictures around with my Instagram

All About That Bass

4 x 10 Sumo Dead Lifts

3 x 10 Smith machine kick backs

3 x 10 smith machine narrow squats 

1 set max reps barbell only glute bridge 

cardio- 1 minute on jacob's ladder- 1 min off with abs in between sets 

11-3-14 LEG/GLUTE WORKOUT & GLUTE CHALLENGE

Okay yall, so I decided to start fresh with November, that meaning back to being a little more strict on my diet, and cleaning it up a bit, and changing up my workouts to more of a structure of volume rather than different movements each workout.  So as follows my workout schedule will look a little something like this...

NOVEMBER SCHEDULE

monday- legs/glutes/ calves #1

tuesday- biceps/ triceps/ shoulders- same exercises all month- only increasing weight and sets 

Wednesday- Cardio/ core/ glutes ONLY

Thursday- Legs/ Glutes/ Calves #2

Friday- chest/ back- same exercise all month- only increasing weight and sets 

I will be posting my workouts for you, if you'd like to follow along

All with respect to the glute challenge that I am doing every day, brought to you by Bret Contreras 

I am currently on Day 3- I use 95lb starting out on my Hip Thurst and plan to increase along with the 

challenge

My Workout Today

#1

Standing Hamstring Curls 3 x 12

Cable bar sumo squat 3 x 12 

#2

Smith Machine Single Leg Deadlift 3 x 10each leg 

Plate Calf Raises 3 x 25 ( all three ways)

#3

Smith machine glute kick back 3 x 12

3 Way lunges (forward, side, reverse) 3 x 12 each leg 

Back Ext. 3  x 12