My Fitness Truths

I had just read an article on Shine Yahoo! written by a woman who spoke about her defining fitness truth upon hearing opinions of another woman on what she should do and and how to look at the gym. This is the article: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-fitness-truth-will-set-you-free-2596068/;_ylt=AvZqhrezuI4GyEFbS7HHaetqbqU5


The author later defines her fitness truths. After reading them they are some of the most empowering words I've ever heard from a woman focused on her fitness. Her words inspired me even more to work on my fitness goals for myself. Not anyone else, not for my family, not for my boyfriend, not for attention, for myself. Although her focus is on running her words can be entailed for all fitness lovers. We are in control of our own life (unless you're a minor...), we dictate what is good and bad, and, in the end, we are our own worst critic. We critique physically, academically, psychologically, and emotionally but it needs to be positive. It's a never-ending battle but, nonetheless, we are doing it for ourselves.


I've decided to come up with my own fitness truths.
1) The only numbers that should be increasing are the weights that I lift.
2) Pedicures are not my thing, I'd be sad if my hard-earned calluses were shaved off.
3) When I watch men and women lift, I don't check them out, I'm looking at their form.
4) No matter how bad a person's form is I hold myself back from telling these people. Why? How would you feel is some random person came up to you during your set and told you "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG?!"
5) Sweat should be the only make up that I'm wearing while working out. That means I'm doing work, son.
6) I weigh 162lbs, I deadlift  60% of my weight, yet the BMI (body mass index) says I'm overweight. The BMI should cease to exist cuz, quite frankly, I don't give a rats ass about the BMI.


That is all for now but I'm sure I can add in more in the near future.


The next coming weeks I'm setting a goal to workout 4-5 days/week to shock my body and get my metabolism going, going, going. So hopefully I get my ass going and utilize my time wisely. What also helps is for my therapeutic exercise class on Monday night we're gonna do a kettlebell training session. HELLLLL YESSS!! sooo I'm planning to workout Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, maybe Friday, and Saturday. Whew!


Hope you are all having a great week and staying warm at night/early mornings!


Happy Lifting!


- Marie

Circuit Training

Circuit training is one of my go-to effective workouts for pushing myself as well as getting a great burn. If you're not aware of the benefits of circuit training it is more effective in burning calories, increasing your metabolism, as well as feeling the "afterburn" effect.  Last Thursday I had decided to time myself to see how long it would take me; I had a time of 36m 28s. Not bad but I felt like I could complete it faster. I timed my circuit again tonight, completing 3 rounds of 6 exercises. I made sure that I kept my "rest" periods short, drinking water at the end of each round instead during my rest periods. This had definitely improved my timing and kept my rhythm smooth despite having to listen to the radio as background music. 


In order:
Inclined dumbbell press - 20lbs @15 reps
Sumo squat twists + 22lb/10kg plate on my back - 10 reps each side (total of 20)
Sitting Arnold presses- 15lbs @12-15reps
Deadlifts- 95lbs @15reps (round 2 and 3 I increased it to 100lbs@12reps. whew!!)
Cable Row- 45lbs @15reps
Alternating lunge jumps + twists w/ medicine ball- 12lbs@10reps each side (total of 20)


I completed the workout in 29m 15s! Damn what a difference!! I had thought about making my goal to about 33 min but, hell, I'll take this! haha I definitely had a good sweat going on, going down my sternum and a sheen to my arms and legs. I felt more energized yet proud that I had pushed myself a little more to get through the workout. I know I should stretch after I cool down and all but, I'm not gonna lie, I was staaaaarrrvving for dinner! So, I just drove straight home trying not to think of my stomach gurgling at me. 


Dinner consisted of steamed broccoli, sauteed green beans in olive oil with chopped shallots, salt and pepper; 1/2 cup of brown rice, and approx. a cup/cup and a half of flank steak cut into bite size pieces. Then an Asian pear as my "dessert." Very filling yet satisfying dinner I must say. I will most likely have this dinner every night this week until about Friday-ish. 


Hope everyone is having a good start to the week so far! 


Happy lifting! 


- Marie

Nomz, I mean, Food for the Day.

Note: All pics taken with my cell phone. Sorry for lack of clarity.


10:50am- Breakfast

1/4C. old fashioned oats + 3/4C. water 

sprinkled w/ cinnamon and about a tbsp of agave nectar

1 peach- peeled and sliced. 

3:35pm- Lunch (too hungry to take a picture)

16 oz. water + scoop of whey protein
1 nectarine

4:40pm- "Snack" Meal

2 boiled eggs

I ate one whole and the other egg white only. 

5:57pm- "Meal" #4

2 Cups air popped popcorn (no flavoring or other stuff added)

7:38pm- Dinner 

Egg drop chicken soup via Oxygen Magazine (yeah... it looks like goop/crap, it's cuz of the egg that I added at the end when warming it up in the saucepan..)

2 Cups or a bowl worth. 

small bowl of edamame

I don't count calories. It's a pain in the royal ass to do so. I eat certain sized portions instead. I will eat small throughout the day but at multiple times that way I can maintain energy levels and get rid of cravings, especially during the afternoon. I usually eat a larger meal for dinner so that I don't eat before I go to sleep. For the soup it tasted pretty... bland, to be honest. And that's the point: to eat clean. No added sugars, flavoring, or sodium. Just food in it's wholesome form. Okay, yea it looks gross buuuut it's because of the egg.... I didn't realize how goopy it made the soup as I heated up. Whoops. 


Oh, I also squeezed in a quick 12 min workout consisting of 2 exercises then counted the number of sets I did in that time period:
divebombers into squat jump + sumo squat twists = 26 sets. I think I will set a short term goal of trying to do 50 at the end of the month. 


Hope this helps!  


- Marie

Post-Weekend Thoughts

For the past week I have been taking an antibiotic and an antifungal medication to treat an infection in my fingernail. For one thing I do not like taking prescription medication because of many reasons. However, this certain side effect really pushes me to the edge. A common side effect for the antibiotic is muscle/tendon/joint pain, then it tells you to seek immediate medical treatment if you experience such symptoms. Unfortunately, I suffered that pain Wednesday midway through an at-home workout. I called my doc about it yet she still wants me to stay on it. Okay, fine, whatever. I'll hang with it as long as I can. All in all this is a setback on my goal....


Yesterday (Sunday) was a different story: my body woke up feeling rested; no pain, no ache, just back to normal. YESSSS!! So the bf and I went to the gym to get our workout on. I wanted to take it easy since I haven't worked out in a couple days and wasn't sure how my body would react to physical activity. I ended up doing a full, but light, workout without experiencing any pain or discomfort. Here's my workout:


Standing Arnold Presses w/ 10lb dumbbell - 3 sets x 15 reps
Cable row 40 lb - 3x12reps
Dumbbell row 15lb - 3x15reps
Alternating lunges w/ unmarked medicine ball twists - 3x10reps (20 total for both legs)
Sumo Squats w/ 40lb (??) body bar twists - 3x10reps
Alternating toe touch planks into vertical leap - Until exhaustion.


Tiring, but this workout felt soooo great! Got my heart pumping and my sweat flowing. Good indication that I got a good workout. The last 3 exercises were inspired by BodyRock.tv on YouTube and on their website. Such a great resource for more creative workouts. (www.bodyrock.tv ; a husband and wife team who promote healthy goal setting, diet, weight loss, and community)


To top off the night the bf took me on a date to a restaurant he's been wanting to try with me for years. I wore a teal/blue dress that I haven't worn in quite a while, so when I put it on I looked almost completely different from when I had last seen myself in it. I did not have time to take a picture of myself and the outfit but next time I hope I can do so. The bf had confirmed my new look by checking me out quite a bit. haha! It's encouraging to see and hear that because I've worked hard to be where and how I am today. Anyhow, onto our date. We had such amazing food at Firefly!! Definitely had the farm-to-table flare that I freakin love. I must say I didn't feel guilty at all when we managed to demolish 3 desserts... they were small portions though!!! We split everything so we had a taste of each dish. Hey, it's okay to cheat! Once in a while is good because, face it, we all have cravings. I usually eat clean throughout the whole week and one day out of the week I would have cravings for something, let it be pho, a burger, or ice cream. This helps me stay on my clean eating habits. I can't explain how but know that it's okay to cheat on your diet once in a while. You will feel less stressed out about eating clean and improving your eating lifestyle. Just make sure you don't spend the whole day eating, not exactly good for you =P. Hope some of these tips help! Have a good Monday!




- Marie

Just a Start

Most women at my age blog about beauty/make up, fashion, and food, and other girly things but mine is different. I decided to create this blog as a way to express my journey, not to become skinny, but to become the fittest I’ve ever been in my life. A week ago or so I had decided that I want to “grow” a 2 or 4 pack by the time my birthday comes around in February. Quite frankly, it makes sense because I'm making a realistic goal. I’m 24 years young, full time grad student, part time certified athletic trainer, full time daughter and girlfriend. With the help of my boyfriend, who helped me become passionate about fitness, he has changed my views about finding the balance between weight loss and being fit.

See, there’s a difference between “skinny” and “fit.” When I think of being skinny I think of being unhealthy. Why? Because there are fine print that comes with such a goal. There’s your psychological and physiological battle within your self once you look at your self in the mirror and compare it with that model in Vogue ad. Some women experience body dysmorphia, anorexia, bulimia, and other eating psychological disorders. Why do we women do this to ourselves? For social approval? Or to fight the voices in our head that say “Don’t let other people see you eat!” This torture is deadly. There was an article where it found celebrities who regret getting plastic surgery which included Tara Reid with a messed up stomach after getting a tummy tuck because she wanted to have a sculpted abs (http://www.thefrisky.com/photos/357-12-stars-who-regret-having-plastic-surgery/plastic-surgery-regrets-g8-jpg/). Again, the easy way out is presented here. We have more to live for than being skinny… We should strive to be healthy! Even if it’s just to smile and laugh.

Now, being fit is different. I, myself, have been active for most of my life, from participating in sports from elementary to high school, taking up running at one point, taking a cardio kickboxing class, and a bunch of other stuff. Back then I wanted to be “skinny.” I wanted to feel beautiful in everything that I wore, but most of all I wanted to feel… happy with myself. Throughout high school and college I never really was happy with the way I looked. I hid behind baggier clothes and displayed myself as a tomboy. This lead me to a handful of times were I would breakdown because I was so frustrated with lack of results and progress. Today, with the help of my very supportive boyfriend, I have been lifting weights for about a year and a half. Through YouTube I have also found additional exercises to make my workouts more stimulating and challenging instead of boring and routine. Within the year and a half I have more definition in my upper arms, shoulders, legs, calves, and reduction of … stuff in my belly. Even my jean sizes have decreased! Never have I seen a 6 until I bought a pair of khaki’s that I needed for work. But… then I realized that this one pair of jeans that I’ve had for quite some time has been a 6…. whoops. haha. 

Another big key to this journey is my diet. When women think of diets, more often than not it’s a bell that rings “short cut!” Becoming fit, healthy, and happy is no short cut. Eating clean has been very helpful with my goals. Buying produce at the farmers market is the best for you, your wallet, and the local economy. Looking up various recipes you want to try out is always an experiment because you can always tweak them to your liking. You can get very creative with your diet. Why spend money on fad diets that may just end up discouraging you even more because it’s not what is RIGHT for YOU? Clean eating is essential. For example my typical day would look like this:

Breakfast- scrambled eggs (one whole egg, 2 egg whites), a serving of old fashioned oatmeal sprinkled lightly with cinnamon, and a small bowl of blueberries or fruit.
Mid-Morning meal: Multigrain crackers w/ goat cheese and slices of tomato
Lunch- Protein shake (one scoop of whey protein) in 16oz of almond milk, and fruit or veggies
Afternoon meal: Whole wheat bread + thin layer of almond butter
Dinner: 2 sides of veggies (salad and roasted veggies), a serving of protein (chicken/beef/pork/fish), and a serving of complex carbs (Brown rice).

I’m supposed to be eating 6 “meals” in a day but it’s difficult to be honest. I would’t throw myself to start eating that much on day one, I gradually get myself there. But you should know that when your body is hungry, FEED IT WITH THE RIGHT STUFF! I fulfill my cravings with raw almonds, or whole grain pretzels, or a homemade granola bar. I drink a lot of water. I drink water wherever I am; while I’m studying, working, eating, breathing. Water is so essential to the human body and it helps flush out your system to keep it clean and functioning. 

So, I will be posting workouts, times, food/meal plans, recipes, rants, raves, and other things about my workout/fitness life and goals. I may throw in some beauty tips or whatnot. Hey, I'm a woman and would like to share some tips too, nothing wrong to feel beautiful right? Women are strong, we have brute strength inside and out, and, most of all, we are beautiful; which is how I came up with the name of my blog. Thanks for reading! 

Pic taken 9/8/2011