Bringing in 2013 ...

Happy New Years Eve!

Just finished my workout today at the gym and I wore this! I never feel this comfortable in my skin ever! Did Back, Abs and Bi's today and didnt sweat too much which means I am dehydrated..gotta get 3L at least today...no I will get 3L ..but anyway

All i can say is wow...how liberating!

Liberation by definition is the act of being liberate..and Liberate means - Set Free!

Have you ever felt liberated?  I always think about where I have been where I am going...I talk about my journey alot not because I am bragging but because I need to REMIND myself where I came from...where I started and that it wasnt always like this! Just like with any change...you get a promotion...do you sometimes forget that you started in the "pit" as i like to call it with the worker bees and now you are managing? I admit sometimes I forget that I knew no better than the next person about fitness and etc...eating healthy whatever.. still really dont but I am learning and trying to help people, or motivate them to go for what that want.. doesnt have to be in working out or weight loss but I guess because I can relate that is where my calling is... so to speak..thats when I  can truly say " I know what you are going through" " I understand" because I do! Now I know that it can be done, and sometimes it does suck, and you dont always feel in the "mood" for this shit..but that is life! Right... anything you feel emotions to you are going have those "screw it" days but then you need to remember what you are trying to achieve here.. and thats a personal goal that makes you happy, will make you happy! Not for your hubby, not for your friends...but for you! I still have work to do, and improvements and of course it is never enough to a degree, because we have yet to achieve perfection in our eyes if at all... but I feel good...I feel free...I feel Happy...I am Happy! I dont know what 2013 will bring but I imagine great and wonderful things God willing. I am more happy to take another breath, live another day but I am more happy that I look in the mirror and see something I needed to see in a long time - Andrea... for who she is , what she has become.. Strength..Resilience.. Peace.. I even went to lengths as cutting my hair short and being natural because it felt right! Scared as shit but I said  screw it....now not everybody is that crazy but you get the idea... I could go on and on about this but I just wanted to put it on paper... I read through my blog when I feel shitty because it reminds me of where I been...that I need to get it together and focus...so here is one post for the last day of 2013....

Bringing in 2013 proper!

Exercise and Dieting is a state of mind....

Eating Right and Exercise is a state of mind, just like any habit or "obsession" the value that we put on that habit or item determines our frequency of executing that habit...for example our habit to have morning coffee and when you dont you feel terrible is a state of mind...now put that in perspective to exercise...when you build a habit to go to the gym every day you feel terrible when you don...t not because you are a bad person but because the value of exercise is just as important as that coffee.....the takeaway is the start of any goal or change in your life is to mentally develop thoughts of what you are seeking..."do you want a smaller waist, do you want to live a longer life..whatever the case it starts with you period....

 

Folks always ask me how do I resist temptation, I wont say I resist it but I take the value out of the food itself! Chocolate...no big deal...i can eat it later, I wont die...etc etc... when it holds less value to you on the scale of needing it/wanting it....thats when it becomes a NON FACTOR... and when I increase value on competitng I choose of course the competiting, contest prep, Bodybuilding...then I am going to go for that goal...so thus here I am!

 

 

It is Week 2 with 22 weeks left to go....down 2 lbs from last week..

 

Dieting is good thus far... Christmas had a few cookies.and some nachos but it is what it is.. after that clean eating...

 

Next week go to my vacay to austrailia which I am making an assload of protein bars and bring some frozen chicken but that is the extent. I normally pick and choose something that I never had before or only austrailia has it ... I am just more glad to be with my hubby and we get to have a TRUE honeymoon, and vacay...

 

 

Exercise is good, calves are sore and trying to improve my squat game. i am trying to get a weightbelt personalized to wear to the gym to help with my back on those deadlifts...other than that getting my tattoo today and resting my body. Normally I have my cheat but I am going to save it for the new years eve since I am going to a potluck today.

 

Here is my little instagram product for progress.....

 

Working on tightening posing and squeezing those muscles for them to pop as much as possible...

I will update before I go to Austrailia, but the plan is to remove any type of internet from this vacation because it aint going no where...

Talk to you guys soon!

 

6 days till 2013....

Its Christmas Day on Okinawa, another day for me and the hubs...No snow...No cold well just a little...just cooler weather and us... we had some gifts acquired from the states when he came home but other than that we had our tree...and the angel atop of it. Anyway sitting here..with nothing to do really since all the stores are closed and I watch the polar express well it watches me because I missed most of the movies...I reflect on the past year... and the year coming..2012 was the year of transformation for me..and I mean whole heartedly and it is amazing to see the point I am at rght now...let me paint the picutre for you


Jan 2012 began with my husband being deployed to Al Udeid Qatar...not a dangerous place but very far away from me and the doggy (his family) not with in reach...a plane ride away..to me that is far...

                                                 Doha Area

                                        
                                                            

                                                        Hubby to the far right...

 

By this point he had been deployed a month, he left early Dec where he missed his birthday and our wedding anniversary.. rocky huh? We had been seperated before but it still takes something out of you everytime you do it. The roughest thing about being mil to mil is playiing tag your it with deployments. We do not have kids at his point but when we do I hope we can provide a stable environment as long as the Air Force will allow us.

 

 

So at the time I was selling Pampered Chef and working which kind of am doing this but now its on the backburner....just to keep busy and my mind off things...and it is hard to keep busy 18 hrs a day when you are not sleeping.

 

and of course we had our daughter Sakura

 

                                                           Pretty but she is definitely spoiled...

So here we are April 2012, few months passed...hubby would be home soon in June (still not soon enough)

I had wore this outfit and I was told I was getting a bit overweight...now in comparison to the picture above and now yea I could definitely see it but at the time I felt "fine" well tried to be as comfortable I could be...there was no walking around in bra's or working out showing my tummy. lets just say its thats acceptable level of comfort where your not like depressed or bawling over but you defintely wouldnt publize photos of your tummies area... if you get my drift...

After that I decided to do something... I Looked for workouts, I did research I tried to workout and eat whatever I wanted not understanding why I did 2 hrs of cardio and still looked exactly the same! A common misconception but very much the truth that dieting well eating clean, the right things is key to losing weight...but thats another enty...

Anyway I ran well I sought out this pretty lady right here...

    

                                                                Zoa Linsey

I call her wonder woman personally...she saved my life..whether she helped to push me..show me the right direction or whatever the case but I have so much respect admiration for her as my cocah mentor and friend....

She worked with me right away, I just wanted to lose weight and then she suggested competing..all i can think is WTF..but I said screw it! Whats competiting..?? well turns out that you walk around in a bikini well I learn its posing suit now...flexing your muscles and showing your physqiue off..

first thought was my husband jumping on a plane to come back here and whoop my ass.. lol which he may have easily done once I talked to him about it... but he eventually came down...anyway...here comes transformation

Started at 150 lbs maybe more...physically I am 4 11 (shorty) so the weight only expands versus staying in place...

 

 

 

I trained, I ate things I didnt really care for, I got frustrated, I ate next to no sweets...but I saw results...

 

2 weeks after starting

 

8 weeks

 

 

16 weeks - Show day which happened to be the same day of the Typhoon, so glad we didnt canx because I couldnt diet another week without choking some dayum body....

 

 

Never in my life had imagined where I would be in this life...to this caliber and point of being in something that I found to truly be natural for me...I am in no way advertising this as being a way of change but I do want to say that if you go for something the you want to  achieve and do your best....IT WILL CHANGE YOU.... you will not be the same person...you may be better or may be worse...BUT YOU WILL CHANGE..

It did for me....in my personal life..

 

Family Life

                                 
                                                       Work
                                    

 

Friendships

 

 

There is nothing that I feel is impossible for me at this moment and if it is, then I will find a way to conquer it...thats who I am ...thats who I will continue to be in 2013...

 

 

and I will go into 2013 continuing with my prep but with a smile on my face, motivation and fire in my heart and spirit...my faith in a higher power.

 

I look forward to the future... 2013 is going to be bigger and better.... you guys have no idea....I really dont but its going to be great...hope you follow along :)


Drea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entering Week 2

Well today would officially be the start of week 2 on Okinawa,the interesting is that people are like "its the holidays" why workout...well because I have a goal to meet and I have carved out earlier times so I can be with my familly which is my hubby who is in the gym with me lol...2 times in a row hubby came, and I think I am starting to motivate him just a bit, he has been really frustrated because he hurt his back and really hasnt been feeling too hot but yesterday he went, and felt good, even went up in weight! I took a picture of his back just so he could see later what his hard work does!...even when we are in the gym but not working out together I still very much enjoy just seeing him go at it... . As for me, I am learning these new workouts and been feeling pretty sore from them, once I learn proper forms, i can go up in weight well first just complete the set, thats the important thing.. I had some frustrtation as I still got this stupid cough, not going anywhere just yet...so I am trying to bundle and make sure I got socks on my feet..this change in island climate done got me and my husband sick....aside from the illness I made some protein bars yesterday with chocolate species whey isolyze. The recipe adjusted my amount of protein and carbs so I can have one... I am excited! May try some other new things with my vitamix over these two days...today working chest/delts and calves....let you know how that goes...Merry Christmas Eve!

Contest Prep Week 1

Whew, its Saturday here on Okinawa... I would type this on Sunday but hubby is golfing so I get the peace to do it ...Anywhoo...this week has been Rocky and I mean from Day 1 it just got rough...first off I am starting brand new workouts Zoa created for me which are more intense than what I thought so I am going through the learning stage...the only difference between that and previous was my level of experience, this go I am more than capable of performing research to get to where I need to go and learn the exercises in the proper way...and of course I can go to my coach and ask of course . I am starting early well as soon as possible in prep because I plan on being better at this.. i spent off season working on Mental toughness, portion control, educating my self, meeting some of my goals and now I am back in it .... so now its time to move it to the next level whatever that is...Zoa says winning! I agree but I dont want to be concieted either, I will for sure improve, I will for sure give it my best and I will for sure listen to my coach day in and day out so if that is the keys to winning then I am golden ...So i started this week stepping my game up with exercises learning new ones but on top of that I caught a nasty cold/sore throat that slowed me down... I didnt stop working out which was bad but I could clearly see that it was affecting my capability for energy and lifting..even no explode couldnt help but when I was talking asprin and cold medicine I could imagine NO explode just kept me Awake in the gym period... I have a little cough now but I am getting over it.. yesterday got my period so bloated up like a balloon today and not feeling like moving too much...lots of hydrating and all so we shall see if it works. .. I did some shopping for foods and start of my routine of working out...cardio has been kind of sucky and slacky because I could barley breathe when I ran it just was exhausting...so yet again..when you are sick ...Sit yo ass down somewhere lol...as my husband says sometimes lol...cant help it ...and yesterday we got a box in the mail from hubby shopping in the states when he was gone last month and he got me some workout clothes, jammies and a coach purse... he is awesome.. I didnt ask for any whatsoever but makes a girl feel special and honestly the icing on the cake was the angel he brought home since there werent any on island...to put on our tree...the one that looks over us always I feel like spiritual... it made me cry just a smidget ...but it just brought to terms why i love him so much .... ok enough mushiness...I been thinking about gettting my hair cut for the new year too...with a vacation to Austrailia on the 3rd I want to be the hotness lol... well something like that so I am going to see a stylist today and see if I can get the hookup ona new doo.... So other than that, today I am doing some a bit of cardio and going to shop a bit...pretty nasty outside..took some pics today of the first week... Enjoy! oh and just a few pics of this weeks activities

 

 

 

Oh I forgot to tell you guys I ordered a 6 pack bag from Isolator fitness so hopefully it comes soon because the bag I got now..HOT MESS ! and I gets my cheat meal today! ...

Entering Day 3 Rocky as you know what!

Well!

Yesterday was no joke, a nasty cold bug is going around our office for 2 weeks and it finally managed to "bite" me where it really really hurt so to speak. I woke up yesterday morning with a scratchy throat and congestion and thought I could "tough it out" so to speak. I drank my usual greens and ate my meal before the gym,...now mind you this is only Day 2 of dieting and the workouts that my coach gave me. I had never seen them before or put them together in this way so that should have been my first strike.... being sick and not listening when my body was clearly saying "dont" . So I went to the gym and even after drinking my pre workout N.O. explode I still felt at 80% not even that vs. what I normally feel when I am 100% which is ready to work! However I was not: strike 2 still not listening to my body when it said Stop.  I continue to work my chest, hamstrings and when it got to abs I dayum near puked...and that my friends is Strike 3. I went to work, vs making an appt because of how long it takes to get one, not as easy as if it were slower and everyone (on base) werent dayum near sick due to the weather change. So I worked half day and went home to try to sleep...medicate to hell. My dog was ready to play however I was not , Sorry Sakura :(... Hubby came home and bought every made at the store not sure what I needed...and I guess its kind of like asking a male to buy tampons, lol every brand they see on the shelf " oh this is a good one, well that one has wings, super?" lmbo....no boo I told you to get Maxi! lol In this case, I got Dayquil, Nyquil capsule, Nyquil Liquid, Halls , Aleve and what else he could find. So sweet! I had talked to my coach Zoa as well and it was great conversation, remeber about the decision to switch divisions, which I already knew in my mind that BB (Bodybuilding) is where I need to be...to each its own but my physical makeup and "attitude" fits that division or even physique and I am ok with that...Honestly I am happy as shit to hear it.....I enjoyed talking to her. She is awesome coach and a great friend and I am blessed to have her in my corner... She believes in me more than myself sometimes and that is Essential in doing these type of things... Anyway I will harp on that later... I am up early just making sure I woke up since taking my sleeping pill last night... and my voice still isnt right but not as bad..its up and down..we shall see. I still am making sure I get my meals in but a workout for today may not be in the cards either..but the reality is...if your body is not in top condition DONT MAKE IT SUFFER MORE... dont FORCE the cardio if you clearly cant...its not making you a failure...its just saying (your body) its time to rest.. I learned this lesson as truthfully I may have put myself in danger lifting all that weight and not feeling 100% and could have lost grip whatever the case...not dramatic but you get the idea... the point is ...LISTEN TO YOUR BODY... I learned that today but it doesnt mean the diet slacks off.. still had my meals last night, woke up to eat them and doing it this morning. I will see how things go, truthfully I may not be any good for today either...it is what it is.. I am putting my health first which really you cant go wrong with that!

Day 1 of 24 week Contest Prep!

Day 1 described in 1 word, Craziness! Well I guess off season clearly had a bit lax. Granted I did eat 80-90% clean with cheats every now and then but I didnt workout as frequently or hae to keep up with a schedule and eating as much so to speak. SO my first day I craved sweets just because I am restricted now or as some like to say It Just Got Real!... In the morning I had Chicken Breastisis prep...you wouldnt recognize it without all the delicous flour and seasoning and hot sauce all over it...lol I sure didnt! just kidding..anyway got Ms Dash in the mix and handled bizness and prepped my 6 meals...felt like I was eating alot today but not really..when I was done I stil was hungry mins later...metabolism for your ass anyway ...had a case of the mondays and put my husbands uniform top on and went into work! fail...i would have passed with the exception of it looking like pajama shirt , like a kid wearing their dads shirt for dress up! lol So anway went home...work was busy, drank my N.O explode advanced strength which is an instant stroke in a can...first sip felt my heart beating..sweating..its insane but I really got a boost..  then on to workout #1 ...called a bicep blast...my coach had something special cooked up for me..because by the time I was done ..the bar felt like 150 lbs of dead weight which is IDEAL but I definitely hated to use my arms anytime after that. Also did some back work which included some chin ups and rack pulls (a new one I havent done before so that was interesting) I used the squat rack which I never really did before but now I look the feeling of the barbell and put some weight on it even if it is 10s...pain is pain! After being done I had the chocolate pb isolyze from species! OMG...that stuff is liquid crack post workout...you feel rejuvanated or for a split second like you are having some sort of dessert...it is no joke! After that I had my meals and went to do my cardio which involved treadmill intervals..no joke... so now I am done....this day has been interesting but tommorow start the process all over..now to get some sleep and do my 530 am workout.... this is only the beginning of becoming a better me... I hope you guys follow in my journey!

12-12-12

What a significant date! Alot of ppl were trying to get married to have it on their certificate..craziness.... but anyway today well yesterday in Okinawa was my wedding anniversary. 3 years strong...so blessed to have my boo...he is just awesome..

Couldnt celebrate since it was during the week but we will do movie night and crab legs on friday and saturday a nice dinner and twilight...

After that Sunday I meet with my coach and we begin prepppp....oye... but I am excited for the changes...I will be moody, irritable but happy to move forward and improve my body. I will post pics, vids whatever of my progress....I ask am I crazy for 20 weeks of dieting? Maybe but I love it and cant wait for this journey with my hubby by my side cheering me on # TeamConn

A New FB Page...!

Hey yall...

just started a FB page called Lovers of the Fitness Lifestyle...hope to motivate, inspire and inform that anything is possible if you try your best and put your mind to it...Like and sharing is encouraged!

Competition Prep on the rise!

So I am working with Zoa again my coach from the 1st go! Hooray! I am excited for year 2 and I plan on doing both shows this year which are about 3 months apart such excitement. Hubby is on board most definitnely for this year and then after that we want to plan for our extended family..shhhhh but I am focused on the here and now... so happy for contest season again but then I think wow off season was only about 4 months but then I have about 5-6 months of prep for the first show in June... my energy is up and the movation is higher than ever... So basically i need to be good on christmas not because of dieting but because I need to start weening myself of these things but if not thats fine too because when its time to be focused I will be.... tommorow (friday) is when I have my fitness test! I hope to improve on the run time and meet my goal of 10:24 i have someone from my unit running with me as a motivative thing so I can push a little further we shall see..either way just wanna get it over with so I can move on...hubby gets here Sunday and I am so excited...I really really miss him..at the Christmas party I got kind of side because he left but I know it was a short period I just had missed his smiling face ...so hitting the spa sunday morning and picking him up sunday night...Saturday I will be chilling not too much...hopefully not too sore from pt test....anyway I will let yall know how it turns out... this morning having some protein pancakes with egg whites...so amazing! I have not exercised for 3 days period, i think my body just hit a wall and couldnt take it anymore...so friday I test then start back saturday with some cardio depending on how I feel but I love spin class so much fun!

To Bikini, Figure or Physique or not....??

Hay yall,

going into the new year 30 days left ...wow and I am thinking about what next year brings...

first off after the new year literally 3 days later I will be going to Austraila with the hubs....saved our pennies and we are going down under! I am so excited..our true honeymoon as we never really got one and it will be an experience for both of us while we can before the babies come *wink*.

then competiton season with dieting begining in April for the Okinawa June Show, unfortuntunately they only have 2 divisons for women b/c of the amount of competitors so it will be BB and figure... I thought about trying my hand in figure but we shall see... there is also a show on Guam and Japan I am considering but playing it by ear as me and the hubs figure out how things are going to work. I like figure, it shows a lady with a nicer softer side yet some muscles but not too hard. I like BB too dedicated women to build their size and definition and shape and no heels of course just pure beast! Then their is bikini toned definiteion, sort of model type deal which I like too.

I picked 3 from each division that I see myself as.. from figure I see myself as Gloria Keplinger , I am draw to her just because she has similar body type height etc... and I really like her as well, but there are so many others I could name she just stood out in my mind...

For BB, dont have a specific one, I like all of them but my first show was bb chose it just to see what it was like. I like Zoa, she was my coach but she is very sweet person, caring and really love thes the sport...i dont think i would have felt comfortable doing it if she hadnt pushed me..

For bikini..I like Noy Alexander, Nathalia Melo... I dont know much about the sport but just curious if I like it...

Physique its very new sport to me, but I like that one too...

Just some thoughts, i will go wherever the wind takes me, there is some time and ways away , the sky is the limit but this does cross my mind as I see up and coming pro's , amateurs ...vets and they have the happiness in their eyes when on stage and I am wondering what division would give me that natural ability to be, to feel like its one of the greatest things in the world...we shall see..

to BB, bikini figure or physique... that is the question...

Dusting off the Blog!

Wow been awhile, hope I still got followers! If not oh well...gain some new ones right.. been almost 12 weeks post show! Things have been good, not too many ups and down. I am getting a routine and learning to stay at my off season weight and have some cheats in moderation without the guilt. I am also looking to make improvements which I feel have been making significantly since training on my own and learning/understanding how to make gains by research/advice from more experience competitors in my field... I have not measured any of my gains, I am not sure why.. I need to though...just trying to stay on track with the dieting... but these holidays coming wooowhee..barley made it through Turkey Day but I managed to drink more than eat not sure if that is a good thing...got to hang with some great peeps, hubby not here, he is on leave well was..but now he is officially training for the next 2 weeks...I can not wait till he gets back...my sleep has been terrible, dog on my last nerves it just is exhausting...tommrow start back eating clean clean..at least until my PT test, no cheats...wonder how that is going to go or at least very little cheat..I can do it..done it , it takes alot of courage and patience to diet I will tell yall that...nothing was easy especially when it came to that but your body will tell on you! especially when compared to others...ahh well..

Here is some pics I had today, some exercising with the dog, food and all that great stuff...next entry I am going to talk about different divisions, i been debating on testing the waters of all but then how long is this going to last...we shall see...

Protein Waffles

 

Amazing Green Superfood Orange Dreamsicle Yummy

 

me and my Pup Sakura

 

 

Soreness...

Hey yall...

Sore 2 days after a leg workout ...interesting and then my back starting being sore too....why does this have to suprise me when I first wake up..?? Having a great dream, I open my eyes lift my leg....ahhhh sheeettt ok fine...just a leg... bend my arm..ahhh my back.... well its one of those days....but I normally stretch/meditate on Sundays so fortunate for today....

Planning to go to a resort for today, getting some sun at the pool, very excited and my hubby will come out too..normally not a beach guy but this is kind of by force just because he dont know how to relax...a workaholic if you will but I hope to show him the beautiful island we live on...instead of a marathon of xbox lol.... but i look forward too it...

Not much to report, had some drinks last night at a going away and just had too too muc so the scale will not rat me out but my body kind of will but once i lose the water should be ok.....the funy thing is alcohol really doesnt do what it did before and I feel kind of like its pointless to have as much as I did when i was younger... not because of the life change but because of the fact I get hungover as hell off 2 drinks... oh well cheap date...

Anyway going to make my egg whites and oatmeal

Leg Day and Road Rage

Hey yall,

just got done with legs and feeling nauseous as hell...dayum near puked at the gym....good stuff! I have not felt that way really since my personal trainer Anne and she wanted to break my little tail and she did repeatedly! Well I broke my own self this morning , and it felt so good but its hard to hid your "green" face of feeling a bit sick from people so I got the "side eye" from a few folks but I managed to escape with my stomach in tact! WOOOO WEEEE... its done and I should have known better when I did 2 laps around the track with sprints on bleachers to warm up....i clearly was smoking crack

but its done i survived and i now i can crawl in the corner and die! well clean the house first then die!

I confess to have a serious case of road rage, i dont know about yall but I am once of those crazy drivers cussing people out when i know they cant hear me....I am sure they have a straight jacket for those "folks" however I still am able to run free lol....but I just have a problem with folks driving like either they in a hurry, no turn signal with lane switching or just flat out jackasses like nobody else is on the road... very frustrating not to mention small roads in japan so there is really nowhere else to go! No shortcuts nothing....ok WOOOSAHHH...see??? lol I clearly have issues hahaha...

Hopefully some of yall feel my pain or you may be one of the drivers I get frustrated with....I dunno but I just woosah and keep it moving....

Ava Arm Workout

Today I worked out my arms, and I tried out something different. I read the latest Muscle Fitness & Hers with Ava Cowan on the cover and she had an arm workout that I thought looked pretty cool, something to change it up a bit.

Alot of the exercises were new to me so i started with light weight today just to see where I was at with it..

One Arm Cable Cross Overs 10x10-15x 3 per arm

Straight Bar Tricep Pushdowns 20X15X3

Underhand One arm Cable Curls SS with Overhand One Arm Cable Curls 5x15x3

One Arm Cable Tricep Extensions 5x10x3

I added two more exercises for Biceps

Seated Bicep Curls 5x15x2
10x15x2

One Arm Seated Bicep Curls 20x10x3


Once done with this I did 25 mins on the stepper...which was enough for me.

The arm workout I did like, I was able to see different parts of the arm and feel parts I never worked before, so looks like i may be incorporating into my plan we shall see.....

Post Typhoon...

Wow is all I can say, this typhoon was pretty nasty. We had about 3 with this being 4 this month, every weekend getting hit but this being the only time we lost power... My husband and I had to "caveman" it up with tuna packet and rice cakes for me, PBJ for him... amazing what you take for granted with no power... where is the connect 4, candyland lol... we was really BORED lol...It is back on but the roads are a mess, powerlines are jacked but we are safe...

In the meantime I had ALOT of down time, so i been thinking about change supplement for pre work out/ post workout protein...

Pre Workout I normally been doing Superpump but the flavors are ok, turns my mouth blue or red with the berry looking crazy and taste wise i dunno i think i am just burnt the hell out...

I went to BB.Com and saw an article out there with the list so I am debating between N.O. Explode, Amino Energy or a Beast Mode. I dunno, I am going to see if i can get sample packets to try each one out but i hate spending 50 dollars if i am not gonna use it all...I did that too many times with other stuff..

Protein Powders- I am thinking Dymatize Iso , Myofusion or Syn 6 so many choices out there....

I will get it figured out..when i get a chance to sit down and debate..

I got to go to work this morning... really dreading but its end of the Fiscal Year so we have to close our books..

Great Times...

Typhoon Craziness!

Well...

As previous post, I said we were prepping for typhoon and it is outside of our house as we speak and not even done yet till later....glad i managed to get workouts in all week mon-fri and resting today and tommorow...I actually slept like a baby today to the sound of rain and winds but I havent been resting well lately...

Looks like we will have a lot of cleanup outside of our house due to this thing but not so bad, we are blocked by other buildings and sort of uphill...

I filmed some of the wind and my husband got pics of the ocean (yes he is mentally ill for getting that close lol ) but he is talented photographer so...
Hopefully things will slow down soon....

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Back in the swing of things!

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Hey yall,

So back in the swing of things, hitting the gym every day this week, rain or shine....and apparently typhoon , the 3rd one this month!

I did my legs today, have not been tracking my strength really since I been out for 2 weeks so I kept it light...i havent been writing down the weight I lift but I need to so I can know where I have improved...here is what I have done from memory:

Narrow Leg Press- Warm up 100X15X4

Sumo 2 Leg Press- 200X15x2 failure
245x10x1 failure

1 Leg press 200x 7x 3 per leg

V- Squat 200x15x2 Failure
225x10x1 Failure


Leg extension 80X15x2 failure
100x 10x1 drop set

Glute Kickback 70x15x2
80x15x1

Hamstring Curl- I cant seem to get this exercise down or keep my butt down on the pad! I did light weight to get the technique...its frustrating

30x15x2
40x10x1

I work on my legs once a week and yesterday was the first time in 2 weeks
and I didnt want to overdo it...

This morning I am getting my insanity on....I love/hate the Shaun T workouts and I can avoid the gym somedays when getting out of bed feels like raising the dead...this being one of those mornings..

One of friends was telling me Shaun T made a new one Insanity Asylum, training like an athlete..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..I hurt just looking at it...

I think I will stick with my regular insanity workouts

Another note is a typhoon coming to our island...and I work accounting so we have to close out the Fiscal Year so we will be hunkered down in our building trying close our books.... so if yall dont hear from me after the weekend send the calvary! lol...


I attached the satelitte pic...here they call the nasty ones, Super Typhoons. Winds gonna be about 150 Kts enough to pick me up and my puppy off the ground.... I think we will be ok tho...

 

Anyway..I am off to start my insanity pure cardio...

Its been awhile...

:popcorn: Well been a few weeks but I am able to get an entry in...
I really miss writing, it seemed to bring a sort of sense of venting, well actually it was venting for me. For the past few weeks, i have had some issues emotionally, for some reason I started to feel like I obsessed ov er food too much or care more about my workouts and maintaining then most "normal" people...just because sometimes its all I think about. But...
the reality is that I am trying to "develop different/better habits after 27 years of doing the same things" as my friends says. I felt like that because I am starting to care about what I actually put in body food wise...it makes me obsessive...no it makes me human and want to be healthy, on top of not wanting to have the same issues I had almost a year ago... I felt like as soon as the show was done i would gain all the weight back I lost because someone wasnt standing over me telling me it was a bad idea.....i.e. my coach and I did fall off the deep a little bit with my eating...it took much self control and developing a routine to get back on track... but I feel like I am better place because I am determining my way of thinking is normal! I care about what I put in my body, more than i did before because I understand/learned what the process is, how nutrition works... and its not always a bad thing... although on occasion folks still ask questions like "what now, another competition?" No! Well next year anway, Just living my life... better....I allow cheats, I dont overdo...shit I dont even like milk anymore! This comes from cereal eater for lunch dinner brunch...

This is the hardest part of all the change in any aspect, its acceptance....I have acceptance 100% who I am...and honestly it feels more normal then before...
I been putting off getting this tattoo... A) cuz I know its going to hurt B) I wasnt sure if I wanted to do it...
But I feel its necessary, I only put the tattoos with signifcants, most of the tattoos I have connect to me in someone... this will be my 9th tattoo...yea when the hell do you stop...shit i dunno ...when you run out of space on your body...
My tattoo guy, who is awesome drew this for me...so Im going for it...not saying the buzzing doesnt scare the shit out of me...but Im going for it now!

Other than that, I still go to the gym aka my sanctuary, where it all feels normal, feels right...I am the working goals, they fell to the waistside...
but this journal keeps me accountable most definitely! I missed writing here...and reading all the other journals out there..
I hope you all are doing well out there...:waving:

Leg Day and Wine Tasting

Hey yall...Sunday here on Okinawa...

Weekend eventful...

Saturday Morning I went to give my legs some love...

Walking DB Lunges
Sumo Leg Press
Narrow Leg Presses
Leg Extensions
Glute Kickbacks
Hamstring Curls

All the fabulousness I could get before I had to go into work..



Then Hubby and I went to do winetasting, unforutnately he could only tolerate it for so long... especially when you had 7 samplings at 6 different tables, we made sure to grab the ones we fell in love with but for the more part, we just were tasting to taste... We got 6 bottles overall but it got so crowded we had to wait in long lines just get a sip, not to mention my mobility was slowing down with the wine and heels i was wearing the potential to fall had increased ....it was decent time overall but with the humidity and the fact I CHOSE to wear heels after working my legs the idea didnt last long...

Today I woke up sore as shit...barely moving but always a sign things are going well..

I miss my trainer Anne, since she got pregnant her hours cut back and she moved to a gym further away.... I can workout on my own but I guess the companionship is what I miss most... there is a guy i work with who is also a personal trainer who i am considering but not sure if mixing that would be a good idea.. I believe he is very qualified ....we shall see...

Okinawa has a mass of personal trainers, however the experienced qualified trainers having waiting lists and are only open on days i have to work so we shall see..i made my own workout schedule involving some circuit training but i want to get the right progress for next year when competiton starts again..we shall see..

Leadership Reading

Hey yall,

so getting another post in, I had a goal to work on becoming a better leader in my organization... so I decided to get into some reading...right now I am really fascinated by this book

"360 degrees of Leadership" by John C Maxwell

It is pretty much telling you how to step out of your comfort, not to be afraid to take charge of the area you work.... in the military there is the rank structure-right now I am a staff sergeant E-5 and aspire to be a Chief E-9 someday. Even if I dont I want to make my influence, leave my mark.... be remembered for having an impact on others...making things better for the younger military as it has been laid for me...

One of the excerpts that stood out in this book was the 7 Myths from Leading from the middle of an organization:

Myth #1 can be referred to as the position myth, where people believe they must have a certain title to lead. In reality, there is no need to possess a specific title to exert influence and become a successful leader. These people might wait for a more senior leader to empower them with authority, instead of building relationships with others to influence naturally. These people will only follow within the boundaries of a leader’s job description. However, people can move beyond the boundaries of their position by building respectful relationships and valuing each person as a unique individual who gives something positive to the organization.


Myth # 2 involves the belief that people cannot lead until they get to the top, referred to as the destination myth. The thinking goes something like this: “When I’m a leader, then I’ll figure out how to influence others in a positive way,” rather than learning these principles in order to be a leader. Becoming a leader is a journey of learning. The beginning of the journey may require people to adopt new ways of thinking, new skills, and new habits. According to John Wooden, Hall of Fame basketball coach, “when opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare”.

Myth #3 is based on the belief that nobody will follow unless the manager is “on top”. People believe that just because they’re in a leadership position, that they automatically have the ability to be influential. This is not the case. Those who lack leadership experience often put the leadership title on a pedestal, overestimating its importance. No matter what position people hold, they must earn their level of influence over time.

Myth #4 is the mistaken belief that when people get to the top, they’ll automatically be in control. An example of this belief is the thinking that things would be different “if I were the boss”. When people believe they can improve the organization, they do what it takes to accomplish their
goals. On the other hand, it’s easy to overestimate how much control a manager can have at the top of an organization. Many factors control an organization, and a person’s high-level position is no guarantee of the ability to exert influence. Basically, life at the top is not easier.

Myth #5 states that once leaders make it to the top, their role is a ticket to freedom. Leaders at the top do not necessarily have it made. They cannot always do what they want. There will always be boundaries. As leaders rise to higher positions, they have increased responsibilities, more pressure, and higher expectations. These leaders make a great impact, but at the same time, many leaders have less freedom instead of more.

Myth #6 is based on the thinking that people cannot reach their potential unless they’re top leaders. The reality is that most people never get to the top of an organization as a leader. While people need to strive to do their best, they don’t necessarily need to aspire to be at the top of their organization. Often the greatest impact is made from the middle.

Myth #7 is the all-or-nothing belief that people won’t try to lead unless they can get to the top. Most people will never become CEO but they can still be effective leaders. CEOs aren’t the only ones who make a difference. While being a leader in the middle of an organization has its challenges, an effective 360-Degree Leader can learn to lead from the side, from above, and from below and influence people at every level.


I definitely see alot of these in different organizations even before I joined, the belief of some of these things discourages alot of great leaders from reaching full potential.....but you wont know until you try...

I work on a little bit everyday, just to get better...my weakness right now is emotional decision making..... versuses what is best for the situation even if I dont like it.... but i am reminding myself, its not whats best for me but for my unit as a whole...

This has been such a great read so far.... anyway talk to yall later

Goal Point 4 Paying it Forward

Hey yall,

So still staying on track with trying to meet my goals and remind myself of what I am driving towards....

In my goal point 4 paying it forward, I look to inspire and be inspired...I have this picture the day of the show with all these lovely ladies who took out their own time to come and encourage me. They saw me from my start to the end and feel inspired to drive in their own lives not just fitness but other things because they have seen it first hand...

The thing is while they feel an effect from me, I am feeling large affects from them in a positive way. All these women are beautiful strong in their own way.

All serve beside me in the Air Force,

one is a single mother serving her time away from her daughter while her
parents help to raise her

one is almost reaching her retirement , also my supervisor and mentor, I hope to step into her shoes as the great leader she is ...

one is a best friend of mine, career driven, knows the keys to success and paying it forward...she puts 110% into everything she does...

one is lead officer, always helping me develop career wise, what the next step is...survival... etc..

This is the effect I want to have on people not by force but just living my life everyday, working hard with drive and determination and pushing others that need it...

this is what I hope to obtain ...

thank yall for listening...