Day 16 & 17: Make Mistakes & Stay Positive

I start my day with a routine, and one of the things in my routine involves reading.  I try to read quotes or passages from books or blogs that inspire and motivate me.  Here are 2 that grabbed me today.  Enjoy!

"Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking ever will." ~Zig Ziglar

"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything.  I'm positive a doer makes mistakes."
~John Wooden

My take away: Don't be afraid to make mistakes.  You'll never know unless you try.  When in the face of a challenge...stay positive!

Day 16: Tuesday 2/2/2016

Nutrition:

Breakfast- (5am) 3 catalyst, 1 thermoplus, 1 Advocare meal replacement shake, (8am) 4 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk, Advocare MNS packet #1

Lunch- 3 pieces of chicken tenderloin, pineapple, salsa, Advocare MNS packet #2

Snack- 1/2 piece chicken breast, artichoke, capers, sun dried tomato

Pre-workout- Advocare muscle strength (2), VO2 Bar, Biocharge

Post-workout- Advocare Muscle Gain protein shake (2 scoops)

Dinner- 5 pieces of chicken tenderloin, pineapple, salsa, 3 catalyst

Workout: 

Bench Press 5/3/1

1- 90#, 2- 105#, 3- 115# 1 + 2 = 3

Dips- 4x6

Push Press- 4x6 @ 75# (shoulders super sore from veteran's wod)

Bicep Curls- 3x10 @ 20#

Skull Crushers- 3x10 @ 20#

Finisher WOD: 6 minute running clock

Jump rope for :30, then sprint 60 yards

*rest remainder of minute*

Continue every minute until clock expires

then, immediately do 50 crunches

Day 17: Wednesday 2/3/2016

Nutrition:

Breakfast- 3 Catalyst, 1 Thermoplus, 4 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk, Advocare MNS Packet #1, 1 Advocare Spark

Lunch- 1 Large salad, 1 can tuna, Advocare MNS packet #2, 3 catalyst, 1 medium coffee

Snack- 1 large banana, 1 Advocare meal replacement shake, 2 servings of apple sauce, Advocare VO2 Bar

Dinner- Chicken tenderloin (4), artichoke, capers, sun dried tomato, 1/2 avacado

Workout- REST DAY!  I had a massage to work on my tight thoracic area

Day 14 & 15

I have to admit, the last week has been tough.  Many changes have occurred making it difficult to focus.  There are certain things that you can control, and then there are the things you cannot control. I have chosen to focus on what I can control, and everything else can kiss my ass!

Day 14: Sunday 1/31/2016

Nutrition: 

Breakfast- 1 Advocare Spark, 3 catalyst, 1 Thermoplus, MNS packet #1, 3 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk, 1 med coffee

Pre-workout- 2 Advocare Muscle Strength pills, 1 Advocare VO2 Bar, Biocharge

Post-workout- Protein shake (Advocare Muscel Gain) 2 scoops, 3 catalyst

Lunch- Large Salad, 1 can tuna, 1/2 avocado, MNS pack #2

Dinner- 3 catalyst, 1 large chicken breast, asparagus, 1 small sweet potato

Workout:

EMOM 10
Snatch- 2 @ 70#

EMOM 10
Clean- 2 @ 120#

WOD: 22 Veteran's WOD

11 exercises, 22 reps of everything.  Once you complete all 11 exercises, repeat from the bottom up

OH Lunge
KB Swing
sit-up
slam ball
pull-up
OHS @ 55
Wall ball
push press @ 55
Double Under
Mt. Climber
Burpee

29:56


Day 15: Monday 2/1/2016

Nutrition:

Breakfast- 1 Advocare Spark, 3 catalyst, 1 Thermoplus, Meal Replacement shake (5:30am) MNS pack #1, (8am) 4 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk, 1 large coffee

Snack- 1 serving coconut flakes

Lunch- MNS pack #2, 1 large chicken breast, artichoke, capers, Sun dried tomatoes, 2 servings apple sauce, 1 Spark, 3 catalyst

Snack- 1 small banana, 1/2 chicken breast

Cardio session- 15 minutes on airdyne

Pre-workout- 2 muscle strength pills, 1 VO2 Bar, 1 Biocharge

Post Workout- Muscle Gain Protein shake (2 scoops)

Dinner- 1 1/4 chicken breast, artichoke, capers, sun dried tomatoes

Workout:

Back Squat- 5/3/1
1- 135, 2- 160, 3- 175 1 + 2 = 3

Front Squat 4 x 8
95, 100, 105, 110

Straight leg deadlift 4 x 8
135, 145, 145, 150

Yoke- 295 x 30 yards (neck wasn't feeling too good...changed exercise)

DB lunges 30 yards x 4 @ 20#db

Day 11, 12, & 13: Busy weekend

Starting 2nd phase of the Advocare 24 Day Challenge has been great for my energy levels, but my schedule is funky.  I will have some extra time to blog tomorrow, but I wanted to post my nutrition and workout log so all know that I am truly committed to this!

Day 11: Thursday 1/28/2016: 1st Day of Max Phase!

Nutrition:

Breakfast- 1 Advocare Spark, 3 catalyst, 1 thermolus, 1 MNS packet, 4 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk

Lunch- MNS packet, 3 catalyst, 4 pc. chicken tenderloin, artichoke, capers, sun dried tomatoes, 1 small sweet potato

Dinner- 3 catalyst, 5 pc chicken tenderloin, 1 small sweet potato

Workout: Rest Day

Day 12: Friday 1/29/2016

Nutrition:

Breakfast- 1 Advocare Spark, 3 catalyst, 1 thermoplus, 1 MNS packet, 4 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk

Snack- 1 banana, 1 Advocare Meal Replacement shake

Lunch- 1 large salad, 2 can tuna, 3 catalyst

Snack/Pre-workout- banana, Advocare VO2 Performance bar, 2 muscle strength pills, 1 Advocare Biocharge

Post- Workout- Protein Shake (2 scoops), 3 catalyst

Dinner- 1 large chicken breast, asparagus, cooked potatoe & carrots
**forgot MNS packet for lunch, took it for dinner**

Workout:

Lift: Sumo Deadlift 3x3
1 @ 180, 2 @ 205, 3 @ 230 3 + 1 = 4
GHD 4x10
Barbell Lunge- 3 x 30 yards @ 95#, 1 x 30 yards @ BW
Pull- up- 4 x 5
Hi Row- 3 x 10
Crunches- 4 x 20

Saturday 1/30/2016: Day of USAPL Certification

Nutrition:  POORLY PLANNED!!!!!  It was miserable!!!

Breakfast- 1 Advocare Spark, 3 catalyst, 1 thermoplus, 1 can of tuna (yes...TUNA), 1 apple, 1 Advocare VO2 Performance bar

Lunch- Ate at local diner, grouper fish w/ pineapple glaze, 1/2 sweet potato, 1 Advocare Spark, 1 MNS packet

Dinner- Ate at The Paddock, had my favorite Cobb salad (no cheddar cheese).  It is awesome!!  If you haven't had it, you need to try it today! 1 MNS packet, 3 catalyst

Workout:

USAPL Certification.  We reviewed the "big 3" Back Squat, Bench Press, & Deadlift.  Everything was light, due to the fact it was a coaching certification course.



























 

If Your Dreams Scare You...Good!

I have a sign hanging in my office that reads, "If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough."  If that is the case, then I have some really big dreams.  Because my dreams scare the shit out of me!  I mean, I have dreams that sometimes bring tears to my eyes and keep me up at night.

I have gone through quite a bit of adversity in my life (as everyone has). Some things I talk about freely, and some of the adversity I have faced, I am just not ready to share...maybe I never will. Through the highs and lows, I have struggled with confidence and heart ache.  I have felt tiny, even insignificant.  Sometimes I have felt like no one cared two shits about me or believed in me.  But...I never stopped dreaming.  I have never had a small imagination.  I have never stopped thinking big. I have always believed that you should never stop stepping outside of your comfort zone.  Sometimes it's difficult for me to take my own advice, but in comfort lies mediocrity.  Stepping up to your dream can be scary, but I would rather be scared and take action than live in a world of regret.  If I didn't think bigger in the past, I wouldn't be where I am today.

You shouldn't think small either!  No dream is too small.  What do you want to do?  Do you want to open a business?  Do you want to start a new career?  Do you want to travel more?  Do you want to write a book?  Maybe grow a garden?  Maybe you have a goal of losing weight and getting healthy? Your dream is not dumb or insignificant.  If it stirs up passion and excitement inside of you, I think you should go for it.  Whatever your dream...it is possible.  But the only way to make your dream a reality is to step out on that ledge of your fears and doubts and jump.  Take a big breath and take that leap!

If you have a dream or a goal, you should take action!  Massive action...now!  You've heard it before, but you only live once and being ordinary is no way to be.  Thinking about taking a step outside of your comfort zone can be a terrifying thought.  So many what if's pop up.  What if others don't approve?  What if my family and friends think it is stupid?  What if it is really hard to accomplish? What if I accomplish my goal, but I find out I really didn't want it?  What if I don't have the time? What if I fail?

Negative "what if's" can steer anyone away from taking action.  I suggest focusing on possible positive outcomes. You should consider asking the "what if's" with a positive spin; What if I grow into the best version of myself in the process?  What if I have a lot of fun on my journey?  What if I succeed?  What if I inspire others?  What if it makes me happy? Ask yourself these questions and let your imagination run wild!

Recently, some of the dreams that I imagined continue to pop-up in my head.  I can't stop thinking about them. To be honest, I am scared.  And in this fear...I know it is time to take action.  I am not out of touch with reality.  I know I might fail, but if I don't attempt to reach higher...I will never know what the sky feels like.  I don't know about you, but I don't want an ordinary life.  I want something extraordinary.  I want a story to tell.  I want to be filled with passion and joy.  I want to inspire others to take a chance on themselves, and push their limits.

I have come to this conclusion: sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone to live an extraordinary life.  You have to love yourself enough to live out your dreams, no matter what that dream is.  Like I said, no matter what it is...no dream is too small.

"There are thousands of reasons why you cannot do what you want.  All you need is one reason why you can." ~ Unknown

What is your one reason?  And remember if that reason scares you, good.  Nothing worth having is easy.

Days 9 & 10: Last Days of Cleanse Phase

Days 9 and 10 were the last days of phase one of the Advocare 24 Day Challenge, and boy did they feel long!  I couldn't take the fiber drink one more day.  The first couple of days I was okay with it, but after day 5 I was done!  But...I made a commitment...so I persevere.  I will be honest, the last couple of days I have felt sluggish.  I think it is a combination of a few things, ALL the fiber, schedule, and hitting it really hard in my workouts.  I know it will all pay off in the end.  I just have to stay committed!

"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs.  The chicken is involved, the pig is committed." ~Martina Navratilova

Day 9

Nutrition:

Breakfast- Probiotic, 3 catalyst, 1 Advocare Spark, fiber drink, 3 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk

Lunch- 1 1/2 large chicken breast, asparagus, pineapple, red/yellow pepper, 3 catalyst, 1 spark

Post Workout- Protein Shake (2 scoops)

Dinner- Same as Lunch, herbal cleanse capsules, fish oil

Workout:

Session 1: 

Cardio- 10' on Airdyne, Partner row/run (while one partner rows with a goal to reach 3000m, one partner runs 60 yards x 5...trade off) 16:04

Session 2:

Bench Press 3 x 3 1 set @ 80, 2 set @ 95, 3 set @ 105 3 + 1 = 4

Dips 4 x 6

Push Press 4 x 6  85#, 90#, 95#, 100#

Bicep Curl- 3 x 8/8 @ 20#

Skull Crusher- 3 x 10 @ 15#

WOD: 4 Rounds

Pull-up- 10

Double Under- 30

Sit-up- 20 

Time- 8:51

Day 10

Nutrition:

Breakfast- Probiotic, 3 catalyst, fiber drink, 3 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup berries, 1 small banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk

Lunch- 1 large salad, 2 cans tuna, 1 spark, 3 catalyst

Snack- 1 apple

Post workout- protein shake (2 scoops)

Dinner- 4 chicken tenderloins, artichoke, capers, sun dried tomatoes, 3 catalyst, herbal capsule

Workout:

WOD: AMRAP 15

Sprint- 120 yards

Wall Ball- 10

Snatch- 5 @ 55#

Burpee- 10

Score- 5 + 1

Day 8

Well folks, nothing crazy today.  Pretty standard and straight forward.  Dealing with the snow is the biggest challenge.  I would like to do nothing more than eat a ton of food and hibernate until this snow melts, but that is not going to happen...so I will continue to stay committed.

Nutrition: 

Breakfast- Probiotic, 3 Catalyst, 1 Fiber Drink, Advocare Spark, 3 eggs, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 cups berries, 1 large banana, 1 tbsp coconut milk

Lunch- 2 beef patties, asparagus, cooked potatoes & carrots

Snack- 1 Advocare Meal Replacement Shake, 1 banana

Post Workout- 1 protein shake (2 scoops, 42g), 3 catalyst

Dinner- 1 Tuna Steak, small potatoes, herbal cleanse capsules

Workout:

Back Squat 3x3
1- 120#, 2- 140#, 3- 160# 3+2= 5
Front Squat 4x8 2 sets @ 85#, 2 sets @ 90#
Straight leg deadlift 4x8 2 sets @ 135, 2 sets @ 145#
Yoke 6x30yards worked up to 335# x 60 yards
Crunches- 4 x 20

Define Your Own Beautiful

At the age of 13 I was like 5'9" weighing in at 135 pounds.  You might say, OMG!  You were a big kid.  Not true.  I was a tall stick.  I grew one more inch and remained the same weight until I was 21 years old.  I hated being skinny!  So when I put on 20 pounds in college...I was PUMPED!  I loved having weight on me.  I felt wonderful with my new weight.  And I loved lifting weights, so when the phrase "strong is the new skinny" it resonated with me. My genetics makes me thin by nature.  It's just how I am.  I don't have to exercise and I don't have to give a shit about my nutrition to keep skinny.  It's true.  Trust me, I am not bragging.  To be honest, I really dislike being a bean pole.  I love being strong.  It makes me feel bad ass.  And naturally, lifting weights makes increases my caloric needs.

When the most recent phrase "strong is the new beautiful" was spreading, like most women that worked out, I embraced it.  I thought, "Hell yeah!  Skinny is stupid! Being strong is so much better for women to focus on!"  I love to lift weights and train.  Lifting has always made me feel strong and beautiful.  So, naturally I embraced the phrase.

Lately, I'm noticing a lot of insecure women.  It is everywhere!  No matter if they lifted or not. It got me thinking the phrase "strong is the new beautiful" isn't really fair.  Why does only one adjective describe beauty?  Why have so many people jumped on this bandwagon?  Why do so many women judge one another based on a one word description?  I'm not saying that strong isn't beautiful, but it is so isolating and judgmental.  What defines beauty for one woman may not hold true for another.  In this day and age, women are subjected to so much scrutiny for their looks that it is down right disgusting.  We are all beautiful.  Every single one of us is beautiful, and it is our uniqueness that makes it so.

I am sure there are a million blogs out there that say the same thing.  I don't know.  I don't care.  I just want every woman to know that she is beautiful.  Because I struggle with the same insecurities day in and day out.  Advertising, T.V., and social media are really good at convincing us that we are not good enough, smart enough, creative enough, beautiful enough, and that we shouldn't dare to be great.  They make it seem as though you have to almost be born that way.  But it is not true.  Do not buy what they are selling.  It is bullshit!  You are worthy!

You are beautiful.  You are smart.  You are a leader.  You are creative.  You are strong.  You are whatever the fuck you want to be!  Strong isn't the new beautiful.  Just like Strong isn't the new skinny.  YOU are what is beautiful.  Insert your own adjective into the beauty you see in yourself. Become whatever you want to be, and know that whatever it is...you are beautiful.

I'll help.  Here are a list of adjectives to choose from.

• Tall
• Short
• Fat
• Muscular
• Bold
• Brave
• Creative
• Athletic
• Smart
• Funny

...is the new beautiful.

Why do we have to be crammed into one particular mold to be considered beautiful?  We are individuals with different and unique qualities.  Why do we need to be the same?  That would make us boring and ordinary.  Being different allows us to stand out.  Being different gives us permission to be anything but mediocre.  With our uniqueness, we have the opportunity to shine bright and let the world see that our individual differences make us beautiful.

Don't get me wrong, if that motto works for you...and helps you stay motivated to become a better version of yourself...use it.  But just know that that is not the end all of what is beautiful in this world.  Continue to be who you are and stay inspired with the fact that as long as you own your uniqueness and grow and develop into the definition of woman you want to be...that is beautiful.