Halloween

A quick story:
I picked out my halloween costume. I'll be going as a witch-original, I know. My husband, however, thought I should dress up as a horse. "That way at the party," he said, "you'd have an excuse to carry around a feed bag full of oats and carrots!"
It wouldn't be so funny if it weren't so true!
Training for Life
-H

Quote for the Day

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison
I LOVE this quote! Always gotta stay focused on the positive...sometimes life is just trial and error, but the key is to keep on moving!
Training for Life
-H

Lunch!

My hubby was kind enough to grill turkey burgers for my lunches.  They are made from lean, ground turkey breast.  Due to our fridge malfunctioning, we didn't have fresh veggies, so I steamed some snap peas from the freezer section.

I usually grill up a couple pounds on Sundays.  They make great meals during the week.

Training for Life

-H

Woman vs. Tractor Tire

Life is full of challenges.  Some days I think I'm better off to stay in bed!  My two-a-days have been awesome.  I was starting to see some changes taking place, and then a minor injury at the gym...a tractor tire fell on my big toe!!   My husband in disbelief said, "You did what?!"   Yep, that's right.  Thankfully it hit my leg first so that took the biggest blow, but nevertheless, my big toe is black and blue.  I was ready to break down in tears not because of the pain, but because I knew it was going to slow down my training.  I was supposed to paint this week, rake leaves and mow the lawn...all of which I'll put on hold until next weekend when my foot feels better.

So that is life right now...at least the weather is beautiful and I didn't break my foot!  ...sigh....  Looking forward to a safer week ahead!

Training for Life -
H

Mental and Physical Strength

Tonight my second workout lasted about 15 minutes or so, and I about freakin' died!  It was short and intense - seriously LOVED it.
I boxed for a few minutes than ran a 400 - repeated that 4 times. On my last 400, I wanted to walk so bad but I didn't. There was no way I was going to quit - it wasn't an option!!!
I absolutely love the physical and mental challenge. It's equally important to train the mind along with the body. It doesn't matter how good you are, if you are weak mentally. So I will continue to push my body and strengthen my mind and with that...conquer all my goals!!
It's truly amazing what you can accomplish when your mind and body are in sync.

Training for Life -
H

A Day at the Gym

My trainer, Nick, posted this video of last Thursday's workout. 



If you've plateaued or are looking to break out of a funk, give functional training a try.  I'm seriously in love with it!

Training for Life -
H

Crankin' Up the Workouts

This week I started to workout twice a day, and I'm loving it!! The morning workout usually consists of some time of weight training circuit style, and the late afternoon workout is short and intense!! At most they have been 20-30 minutes and may include light weights, boxing or some good old sprints. So far, I am feeling great and can't wait to see how my body reacts and changes!!
Training for Life-
H

Lovin' Fall

I had an awesome workout this morning - some sprints, turkish get-ups, and abs! What a great way to end the week.
I can hardly wait for tomorrow. I'm planning on hitting up the apple orchard and pumpkin patch with some of my favorite peeps. Then the baking begins...whole wheat pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars and maybe roast some pumpkin seeds!! LOVE it!!
Training for Life-
H

I'm Back...

I've been gone for awhile...lots of great things happening! Thanks to everyone who came to the event tonight! More info to come...
H

Re-defining Normal

Some days I tell my husband I wish I could just eat normal foods like normal people, and he asks me who defines normal.

Here's a great post that Kim had on living a healthy life: "What is normal anyways?"

Making Our Dreams a Reality

So I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE quotes. I read some on a daily basis to help me mentally prepare for the day. One that I really like is...

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply.Willing is not enough; we must do." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Thoughts alone don't get us anywhere. We must get out there and do it. That's what sets us apart from everyone else. We don't just dream about it, we have a plan, and we actually follow it. In turn we see the results everyone else is dreaming about it. I love that discipline...it's powerful!

Get out there and make your dreams a reality!
H

Take a Step Back

So I've decided to switch up my nutrition plan a bit. I don't think I quite have the carb, protein, fat ratio figured out for my body yet. My new plan has a bit more protein and a little less fat so we'll see how I feel.

I've been doing pretty good overall. My workouts have been awesome - good intensity and focus. The weather is getting nicer so I have been able to squeeze in an extra workout at night which I love! My nutrition has been about 98%. My goal this week is to clean it up. I've wanted to cheat at least twice today and my husband politely reminds me "That's not on your nutrition plan." HA! Bless him...he's the one who has to hear me complain about how crappy I feel if I cheat so he's getting smart...he just doesn't let me eat it! :)

Sometimes we need to take a step back and look at the progress we've made over the past few months or years. When I look at my body on a daily basis, I don't see any changes. Last year I got married and I remember thinking my arms looked good. I had lost quite a bit of weight for the wedding and my arms were toned. We'll I was looking at those pic's and there is a BIG difference in my arms today than just 1 year ago. On a day to day basis it's easy to get frustrated and feel like you're not making progress, but step back for a moment and look at what you've accomplished. It was definitely time for me to step back. It has renewed my motivation and drive. I still want to gain more muscle and shed the unwanted fat on my butt/thighs, but I'm getting there!!

Keep Pushing Forward...You'll Get There One Step at A Time!!
H

Rain, Rain Go Away

Oh my goodness...seriously, when is the rain going to stop! Ah, I don't think I can handle the rainy, cold, gloomy weather for one more day. I just want to go outside to workout!! I've had enough of the treadmill for awhile.

This past weekend, I traveled to MN to see my family. I worked out at a new gym there and absolutely LOVED it. It made me realize how much I don't like my gym and how outdated it is. So today, I went to look at a new gym. It's a lot nicer and newer than the one I currently belong to, but it costs 3x more a month than I'm paying now so I'm not sure it's worth it. There is a new gym that is being built closer to my house, which should be done in 6-8 months so I think I'll hang tight for now and check that one when it's done.

During my travels to MN, I didn't follow my nutrition plan as closely as I would've liked. I can tell I've gained a few pounds. It's a bit disappointing, but I am back on track now and will continue to push forward. Life is full of challenges and temptations!!

Lovin' the Outdoors

Hi Everyone-

Today was awesome! I had a good, strong workout this morning and finally....sunshine! So I went for a walk tonight as well. I wanted to run, but am having some issues with my back so I took it easy. It was very refreshing and motivating.

My diet has been good. I'm tempted to eat a little extra here and a little extra there (especially peanut butter - I love it!), but am trying to overcome it and stick to the plan. So far, I'm doing good. We still have some Easter candy that temps me everyday, but I just keep reminding myself how good it feels to be healthy and lean. The short term gratification isn't worth it!!

Yea for sunshine!
H

I'm Back!!

Hey Everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and ate clean of course! I know I did, and I feel so good about it! Several yummy treats that were hard to resist at times, but am sure glad I did because my stomach isn't sick like everyone else's! HA!

Anyways, life has been crazy. Out of the blue, we sold our house and moved out of it all within a matter of 2 weeks. It was a blessing, but a complete whirlwind. Glad it's over ,and we're settled into our new house for the time being.

During the move, I didn't eat as well as I would've liked to. It's really no excuse, but we ate out more because all of our kitchen utensils were packed up and we were too tired to cook anyways. When I'm overtired it's so hard for me to stick to my goals. Gotta get my sleep or everything falls apart!! So now that it's in the past, I've started a new challenge.

The challenge is for 61 days. (Random number, I know, but I didn't want to wait for 60 days so I started one day early!) Basically I'm just cleaning up the diet and increasing my workouts. I need to shed some more weight so my muscles will pop! I LOVE the muscles!! It feels so good to be back on track. Now, I just want the weather to warm up so I can get outside and do some HIIT sessions!

Here's to a stellar week!
H

A Good Day

I had an awesome workout this morning! I lifted shoulders, biceps and triceps. I really got the blood pumping in my biceps. I even saw a vein!! You have no idea how excited I was!! Oh, how I love thy veins! Then I went to a one hour spinning class. I hated the music but focused on the mind/body connection and all the little muscles that were working. It was a stellar workout! I was so exhausted by the time I walked out of the gym.

So this might sound weird, but every time I have an awesome workout I always want to eat super clean because I worked so hard at the gym I don't want to throw it all down the drain. And every time I eat extra clean, I always have better workouts because I feel good about myself and confident. Guess I just need to keep it clean and focus on my workouts and life would be this good everyday! HA - easier said than done!

Anyways, today was great. I ate good and had an amazing workout. Now, off to bed so I can get a good night sleep. I have a HIIT session tomorrow so I want to make sure I'm well rested for it.

Train Hard -
H

Nothing Beats A Good Run Outside

It's been an awesome day! It's absolutely gorgeous outside so I decided to take advantage of it. I went for a run outside and wouldn't you know...I set a new PR for myself! I was even running against the wind. I guess my sprints on the treadmill all winter long have paid off!

I feel so much better after soaking in some fresh air. But...it doesn't look like the warm weather will stick around for long. As I was watching the weather, they said we might get snow next week. Bummer...I want the warm weather to stay. Oh well, I'll just enjoy today!

Yesterday and today, I've done an awesome job of sticking to my nutrition plan. It's amazing how much better I feel!

My Favorite Clean Eats

Happy Friday!

I wanted to share a couple of my lastest addictions with you. I love these clean foods so much I eat them every day.

The first is edamame. It's actually a soybean that is nutritionally loaded with a ton of good stuff. It has fiber, protein, antioxidants, and iron. What more could you ask for in a little bean? I usually roast them and put them on my salad, in an omelet, or eat them by themselves as a snack. Thanks to the fiber and protein they do a great job of keeping me full. They are delish!

The second item that I cannot live without right now is Ezekiel bread. This certainly isn't anything like your typical slice of bread. It's actually flourless! It's made from whole grain and legumes, which when combined create a complete protein. It contains all 9 essential amino acids and is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It's more dense than your average slice of bread. It also costs a bit more, but it's worth it! I prefer it toasted with a bit of natural peanut butter. It is simply wonderful!!

So if you're headed to the grocery store this weekend, I highly recommend you give these two clean foods a try! I think you'll love them as much as I do!

Eat Clean -
H

What a Day...

This morning I had a really good HIIT session. It was intense and my legs were burning!! I'm trying really hard to stick to my diet, but the past few days I've been so hungry it's hard not to eat anything extra. Yesterday I did have some extra chicken and today some extra peanut butter (the natural stuff of course!) Anyways, I need to push through the temptations and stick to my nutrition plan. I just got done looking at picutres of Monica Brant - that's inspiring!! The fact that swimsuit season is just around the corner helps a bit, too!

People don't realize that it takes years of eating clean and working out before you create a solid, lean figure. It doesn't happen over night so I continue to remind myself of that. Otherwise, it's too easy to get frustrated. It's important to congratulate yourself on the little victories you have during the day. For me today...getting out of bed and going to the gym was a small victory. I was super tired and didn't know how I could possibly keep my eyes open long enough to even drive to the gym let alone have a good workout...but I'm glad I did because I had an AMAZING workout. I needed it too because today was a stressful one. Well, now I'm off to bed so I can get a good night sleep, let my muscles recover and have another intense workout tomorrow.

Train Hard -
H

Time to Refocus

It's time to refocus. Things have been hectic here lately so today I've reminded myself of my goals, and what I need to do to accomplish them. It's easy to get off course, but it's just as easy to get back on course so that's exactly what I will do.

No matter what life throws at us, we can't sacrifice what we want most. Stick to your goals and dig deep to push through those tough times. I keep telling myself those tough times are only temporary. I will make it through and become stronger than I am today because of it!

Resist the urge to give in, and refocus on what it is you really want to accomplish. Rise above the challenge.

It's your life, live it your way!!
H