DY-NO-MITE!

YUP! That's what I am! I really am amazed at how I feel and how my body is changing everyday! Ahh, When you focus on what really matters as far as nutrition, workouts, sleep, supplements and hydration, it all falls into place. No fat burners, no illegal drugs, NO JUNK in my body. Just PURE AMAZING food from MOTHER NATURE, and an extra dose of MOTIVATION, and KABOOM! Here I am!

I am telling you- when I wake up on November 16th, 2011, I will be 40 years old, have an 8 packs, shredded lean legs, nice sized caped shoulders and feel incredible!

I woke up this morning weighing in at 112lbs. I felt really lean.
I didn't do the Paleo thing today because it takes some prep work, which I will do on Saturday... Be on the look out! It's going to be fun and creative and YUMMY!

5:45am- 1 tbsp krill oil washed down with coconut water
supplements
6:00- Ezekiel toast, 1 tbsp almond butter sliced banana
6:30- Starbuck's coffee
9:30- a Green's Bar
11:30- WORKOUT!!!!!

WORKOUT FOR TODAY- Wednesday...


Warm up on the UBE- 5 minutes forward and 5 minutes backwards! It really got my heart rate up! Sheesh! cardio for the arms, buddy! I'm all over that!

#1
Barbell shoulder press- 15 reps/20lbs...15 reps/30lbs x's 2 sets
Supermans with a red band- 15 reps
Arm dbell circles-5lbs/20 reps...2.5lbs/15 reps x's 2

5 minutes on incline of 6% 1 minute 3.4 & 1 minute 4.0 until 5 minutes is reached

#2
Cable lateral raise- 15 reps, 10 reps, 12 reps
front cable raise-15 reps, 10 reps, 12 reps
dbell rear fly's- 5lbs- 12, 12, 12 reps
30 seconds mountain climbers/ 30 seconds rest x's 2
30 seconds jump rope/ 30 seconds rest x's 2

#3
Standing arnold press- 15lbs/10 reps, 12.5lbs/ 12 reps, 10lbs/ 15 reps,
upright rows with kettle bell- 30lbs/10 reps, 25lbs/ 12 reps, 20lbs/15 reps
plate raise- 15lbs/ 10 reps, 10lbs/15 reps, 5lbs/ 15 reps
#4
Stiff arm cable pull downs- 35lbs/15 reps x's 3
low seated cable rows- 35lbs/15 reps, 40lbs/15 reps x's 2

Treadmill:
walk on an incline:
6% @ 3.6 -5 minutes
7% @ 3.6 -5 minutes
8% @ 3.6- 5 minutes
9% @ 3.6 -5 minutes
10% @ 3.6 -4 minutes (the freaking treadmill stopped on it's own!)


Time: 1:32
Calories: 507
Heart rate: 121-151

Keep the energy flowing....

Just woke up about 30 minutes ago, and boy are my glutes starting to get tighter and together from yesterdays workout! I love that feeling. I don't like not being able to bend over and bend down, but I like the sore "KICKED MY OWN ASS" feeling!

So, we ran out of Beverly Protein powder- BOOO! Well in my cabinets, I have Vega, I have Isagenix, amongst other proteins for certain things, so I went with the BODACIOUS BERRY by Vega.  I had my 1/2 cup steep cut oats, 1.5 cup frozen blueberries, 1 tbps almond butter, cinnamon and two heaping tbsp of the Vega protein. It was DELISH! It's actually lighter on the belly since it's a VEGAN plant based protein powder. SO I think today will be a VEGAN day, not having any animal products. For me it's so easy to eat a ton of veggies, fruits and veggie burgers and vegan smoothies. I mapped out my week and here is how it will look:

Monday: NON-VEGAN DAY- whey protein x'2 canned Tuna (dinner)
Tuesday: Vegan day- plant based protein x's 2 and veggie burger at dinner
Wednesday: Paleo day- trying it for the first time ( I will post about this)
Thursday: Vegan Day- plant based protein x's two & huge salad with beans
Friday: Vegan Day- plant based protein x's 2 and lots of veggies & chick peas for dinner
Saturday: Paleo Day- including ground buffalo and eggs
Sunday: Vegan Day.

I've been so curious about the Paleo way of living, but when reading some websites and information, and food choices for meat, my belly got a little icky. The only sources of animal in my diet are eggs, Tuna, buffalo, whey. Well If I can eat only these sources, then I will do fine, but the other thing is that I would have no eliminate my chick peas, and other beans, quinos, and other grains. The good news is that you can eat lots of veggies and lots of berries! PHEW!
We'll see, I am undecided yet... I have been researching this Paleo thing for about 3 months now, tossing the idea back and forth, and I am coming to a conclusion soon- I'll keep you posted!

this was my dinner form last night!
INCREDIBLE! EMail me for recipe

With all the energy I had from yesterday, I wanted to keep it flowing into the rest of the week, so FOR SURE, I will make sure my meals are on point, I take my supplements, get my rest and stay close to GOD. Tonight I have my RCIA class, as it's been a while since I was on vacation. Looking forward to that tonight!

I miss Bellagio!

Here is my workout for today:
Warm up on the MONSTER!
10 minutes interval- level 60- 1 minute, level 80- 1 minute (repeat until I reach 10)

#1
Dbell chest press- 30 reps
decline push ups- 10
Jump Rope- 1 minute (OH, I WILL MASTER THIS ROPE!)
3 sets

#2
Incline dbell press- 15
fly with band -1 arm at a time- 15
close grip push up- 10
cable chest press-15
Jump Rope- 1 minute
3 sets

#3
Band bicep curl- 15
debll alternating curls- 10
tricep extension with 10's- 15 reps
jump rope- 1 minute
3 sets

MONSTER: 25 minutes- Level 65 (10)/ level 70 (10)/ Level 75 (5)

I will report back later on my meals, calories, heart rate and time spent in the gym!

I have lots to d today including a trip to Whole Foods and Tommy K's FItness for supplements! :O)


XO

WOW! What a cheat meal will do for the body!

Rye Beach, Rye NY

I have been back from Italy for 12 days. In the last 12 days, I have limited my complex carbs like brown rice pasta, Wasa crackers, Brown  rice rice cakes (which I only eat in emergency cases anyway). You catch my drift.  Well, since the wind was blowing with IRENE in town and since it was super dark outside yesterday, in my mind it felt like a CRISP October day.  Mario wanted an Italian Sunday dinner. I guess he too was ready to introduce pasta again. He had it everyday in Italy, so when we got home, he told me NOT to make him ANY PASTA, brown rice, farro, NONE!!!!!

Irene is one MEAN WOMAN!

I listened to him as I AGREED! So yesterday we decided I would make a pot of homemade Italian sauce, meatballs and pasta.  Whole Foods was closed, so I had no choice but  to go to A&P Fresh down the street from my house. UGH! We ended up getting Barilla spaghetti with protein in it. Whatever, it was only for one night. We are both such SNOBS with the food we eat, but we decided to suck it up. It ended up tasting really good! SHOCKER! LOL! I gotta tell you about my meatballs. You KNOW by now I refuse to eat COW meat! I think it's GROSS and cows are DISGUSTING! All they do is MOOOOO, CRAP and eat. They hardly walk, they are so fat! EWW! Anywho, once a week as you know, I have 99% fat free ground buffalo. It's grass fed, No hormones, they run and buffalo are the cleanest leanest red meat you can put in your body! SO I used that to make the meatballs...

• 1 lb ground buffalo
• 2 egg whites
• 3 tbsp organic whole grain bread crumbs
• chopped red onion & garlic
• fresh chopped basil (A&P had NO parsley)

I made about 12 medium sized meatballs. I baked them in  the oven for 9 minutes on 400 degrees. Once 9 minutes was up, I scooped them out and added them to my sauce. I simmed the sauce & balls for about 20 minutes, and shut the heat and kept it covered. While the pasta boiled, I made a HUGE salad. YUM!!

My husband LOVES me in the kitchen, can you tell???


It all came out GREAT! I had a bowl of pasta filled with sauce and 2 meatballs and a HUGE plate of salad until I looked 7 months pregnant (I wish). As always though, something in my brain tells me I should be guilty for what I ate.  I know its' crazy, but that's the mind of a girl who once had an eating disorder in her past life.....

Well, here's the good news! Today- MONDAY AUGUST 29th, I had the sickest workout!
IT's AMAZING WHAT A CHEAT MEAL WILL DO FOR YOUR WORKOUT THE NEXT DAY!

My meals today: 

#1- 6am... 

1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1 tbsp almond butter, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 scoop Beverly chocolate protein powder.

 7am- 

Starbuck's tall Pike coffee, and a touch of steamed soy

#2- 10am

A Two Mom's in the Raw blueberry bar

And now onto my workout!!!!!!!

1 mile warm up run at 6.2 on the treadmill.....

#1-3 sets non-stop

Leg press- 30 reps just pressing the machine

static lunge- 12 reps each leg

squat with band around top of knees- 20 reps

..Once I completed 3 sets back to back, it was time for 5 minutes of HIIT.

(sprint @ 7.5- 1 minute, walk @ 3.4- 1 minute until I hit 5 minutes)

#2- 3 sets non-stop

Barbell squats wide legs- 30lbs- 15 reps

swiss ball hamstring curl- 20 reps

Barbell (30lbs) reverse lunges- 12 each leg

..Once I completed 3 sets back to back, it was time for 5 minutes of HIIT.

(sprint @ 7.5- 1 minute, walk @ 3.4- 1 minute until I hit 5 minutes)

#3- 3 sets non-stop

Alternating cable lat pull downs-20 lbs- 10 reps each side

stiff arm overhead pull downs-Think lats & triceps- 30lbs-15 reps

Hi rope face pull for rear delts- 20lbs 20 reps

..Once I completed 3 sets back to back, it was time for 5 minutes of a nice run @ 6.2. I was dripping!!!!!!

#4- 2 sets non-stop

decline crunch- 20 reps

decline leg/glute raise- 20 reps

torso cable twist- 15 reps 10lbs each side

side oblique off the bench- 10 each side

5 minute walk on treadmill- incline of 6% @ 3.4

LOVED IT!

640 calories

28% of it was BODYFAT being used

1:44 time I spent in the gym

127-168 was where my heart rate was....

SO, i cooled off, and went home....... Ahhh!!!!!!! I don't think I would have done so well without the meal I had last night.... It's GREAT to do this once a week.... EAT super strict all week. Focus on LEAN protein, TONS AND TONS of veggies, minimal fruits, balanced good fats and there is no need to measure, weigh count or do a zig zag diet approach... 

#3- 2:00- POST WORKOUT SHAKE

1 scoop Beverly

1 tbsp bee pollen

2 tbsp organic PURE cherry juice

1 cup frozen cherries

2 scoop green vibrance

#4- 4:30 SNACK TIME!

2 brown rice - rice cakes

1 tbsp almond butter

3 tbsp canned organic pumpkin and cinnamon on top

#5- 7:30 Dinner!

1 can American Tuna

1 cup cannellini beans

1 diced fresh tomato

chopped red onion

1 cup corn kernals

1 hearts of palm diced

1 teaspoon olive oil & lemon juice

How could I forget....

...To post my sick workout from Saturday. SO, you do each exercise for 1 minute back to back non stop. It should take you 10 minutes. This was the first time I did this sort of workout and let me tell you, after 10 minutes I was soaking wet!





PART ONE:


0-1 minute... Jump Rope
1-2 minute...Planks (30 seconds) plank dips (30 seconds) twisting your hips side to side making sure your hip touches the floor
2-3 minute...Jump Rope
3-4 minute...push ups
4-5 minutes...Jump Rope
5-6 minute...Glute raise (30 sec) bicycles (30 sec)
6-7 minute...Jump Rope
7-8 minute...front / reverse lunges
8-9 minute...Jump Rope
9-10 minute...Pendulum exercise (like a one leg dead lift. Leg is raised 90 degrees behind you as your arms reach straight out in front of you.

Well, peeps, this took me more like 15 minutes. I needed to catch my breath a few times. Not only that but a water swig here and there, as well as walking from where I would jump rope to where I would do the exercises! SHEESH!!
The jump Rope is something I want to master. I am pretty good, but afer doing this workout, I want to do it more and more! I love it! I felt such a pump in my shoulders and triceps, and felt my who inner body moving! Gets things flowing! No wonder they recommend it for OBESE people who are looking to lose weight.

This jump rope workout was created by Josh Holland who is a celebrity trainer- This was one of Madonna's workouts... I always search for sick workouts and then switch them around in order to my fitness level.
jump rope interval workout




PART TWO: This round was more strength training with NO weights... YOU THINK YOU'RE SO STRONG UNTIL>>>>>>>>>

3 chin ups. On your 3rd chin up, hold yourself up for 10 seconds. DO 3 more chin ups

4 Push ups. On your 4th push up, hold yourself low almost to the ground for 20 seconds. DO 4 more push ups.

5 body weight squats. On your 5th squat, stay low in your squat position, hold for 30 seconds. DO 5 more squats.

6 hanging abs. Bring knees to your chest. On your 6th raise, hold knees up there for 40 seconds. DO 6 more hanging ab raises.

PART THREE:

30 seconds... Jump Rope

1 minute...Planks (30 seconds) plank dips (30 seconds) twisting your hips side to side making sure your hip touches the floor

30 seconds...Jump Rope

20...push ups

30 seconds...Jump Rope

1 minute...leg raise (30 sec) bicycles (30 sec)

30 seconds...Jump Rope

10 each...side / reverse lunges

30 seconds...Jump Rope

15...Pendulum exercise (like a one leg dead lift. Leg is raised 90 degrees behind you as your arms reach straight out in front of you.

PART FOUR:

Decline crunches holding a 25lb plate- 10 reps 2 sets
decline twist with plate- 20 reps 1 rep
leg raise off decline bench- 12 reps 1 set
cable torso twist- 15 reps, 12 reps 2 total sets


PART FIVE:
Interval on STAIR MONSTER (GRRR)
Level 60- 1 minute
Level 70-1 minute
10 intervals
30 minutes.

This whole workout took me 1:27 minutes
I burned 549 calories
34% of which came from bodyfat
and my heart rate was between 123- 163

Here is the plan STAN..... Each week I am going to do this workout until I get the perfect time. The goal is to beat my time each week on every part except the abs (which I will just increase reps and the stairs, which I will just increase the levels.


SO??? WHAT HAVE YOU GOT!?!??!?! ThInK yOu CaN Do ThIs????

Switching it up today!

Do you agree?

I am going to tell you why I don't agree with this little photo I stumbled upon.... My philosophy is that in LOOKING great, FEELING great and achieving your health and fitness goals,








the equation should be:
50% Passion
20% weight training
20% diet
10% cardio
***********
100% DEDICATION






I know that in all my years of being in the fitness industry and belonging to so many gyms over the years, working in gyms for 20 years and now owning a wellness company..... If you DON'T have PASSION for fitness for life, for superior health- YOU WILL NEVER ACHIEVE your GOALS. It's so sad to be in the gym day after day year after year and see the same women doing the same piece of cardio and LOOK THE SAME. A part of me wants to approach them and offer my services, and another part of me gets frustrated FOR THEM, as I KNOW they must be frustrated. 


It's taken me so many years to finally get the fact that some people are 100% dedicated to THEMSELVES and will do what it takes to feel and look their best, and some folks will just join a gym for social reasons, and some people just do NOT LIKE working out and don't CARE to eat healthy. 


It's taken me 6 years to TRANSFORM my body... 6 YEARS! That is a long time to commit and focus and learn and understand MY BODY. I knew in my head 6 years ago what i envisioned my body looking like. After reading Oxygen, Muscle and FItness Hers, RUnning World, FItness RX, SELF, Woman's Health etc...after looking at so many fit women's bodies, and dreaming of what it would be like to have abs, lean legs a ripped back and sculpted arms, I started to get to work. 

2007

june 2011

8 years ago I started to journal and log my workouts, my nutrition, my weight and how I felt. The supplements I took, and what time I trained. I saved them all. To this day I still carry a journal, log my workouts, my weight, the calories I burned and what I ate. I took pictures of myself over the years, I saved even the WORST ONES! Those are the ones you ALWAYS want to look back on, so you NEVER look like that again. DOing all of this has not only helped me achieve my goal, but this 6 year goal experience has helped lots of women I worked with. 

Each time I achieved my goal, I was never satisfied, because I KNEW I could do better, be better, do more, be more! Am I where I am satisfied yet? I am almost there. I know I am LOVING the fact that I've been able to maintain my abs for 2.5 years now, and my body is getting tighter, leaner and more defined. My SHOULDERS are transforming, and although my glutes are so tiny now, overall, I am symetrical. I am very proud of how far I have come. I tell you this: It's because I was patient, focused, determined and NEVER SETTLED! I have VERY high expectations of ME.

So, how do I define myself:

1. Sincere

2. Loyal

3. Driven

4. Determined

5. Spiritual

6. Loving

7. Intense

8. Fierce

9. Stubbon

10. Positive

11. Optimistic

12. Funny

SOOOO TRUE!

The Calm before THE STORM...

I labeled this workout Shuffling. 

Once you hear the words to the song, you will laugh! I love the beat! When my son gets in my car, and this song comes on, I just shake my head! BOYS!

Anyway, Woke up and as I suspected, I was 112. I knew I had too much sodium in my diet yesterday! GRRR

I am on the verge of a whole new nutrition plan for ME. If my goal is to be as lean as possible without compromising any lean muscle, I need to do this the right way! I will keep you posted!

Here is what I did as far as my run:

each time you go around the track it's 1/4 mile. two straight aways and two curves. So I broke it down and this is how it went:

walked at 3.6

Side shuffle at 4.0

Ran @ 6.0

Side shuffle at 4.0

That's 1- 1/4 mile

Then:

ran @ 6.0

Side shuffle at 4.0

ran @ 6.0

side shuffle at 4.0

that's 1- 1/4 mile

Then:

run @ 6.5

Walk backwards at 2.6

Run at 6.5

walk backwards at 2.6

that's 1- 1/4 mile

Then:

ran at 7.0

walk at 3.6

ran @7.0

walk 3.6

that's 1- 1/4 mile

then:

4% incline walk @ 3.5

4% incline ran @ 6.0

4 % incline walk 3.5

4% incline run @ 6.0

That's 1 1/4 mile

Then:

8% incline walk @ 3.5

8% incline ran @ 6.0

8% incline walked @ 3.5

8% incline ran @ 6.0

Total: 1.5 miles

23 minutes

158 calories

119-163 heart rate

Doing the inclines was awesome! It felt so challenging and I felt my glutes working hard, but also my whole trunk! The abs, the lower back, and even my rear delts, so I wasn't slumped over. I had GREAT posture!

Then it was time to hit my shoulders:

#1- 4 sets

shoulder presses- 20lbs/12 r (1 st set)..15lbs/12 r (2-3rd set)..20lbs/12 r.(4th set)

Tricep dbell extension lying on a swiss ball- 10lbs dbells - 1-15 r...2-4th set 12 r

seated bicep curls-15's/9..12.5/ 12 x's 2 last set 15's 6

#2-2 sets

side to front dbell raise- 5lbs- 15 reps

reverse tricep press down- 20lbs- 15 reps 

hammer curls- 12.5 12 reps

#3- 2 sets

barbell uproght row- 20lbs- 15 reps both sets

reverse pec dec (rear delts)- 25lbs- 15 reps both sets

dips assisted with #4- 10 only one set! SOmeone hopped on my machine! GRRR

#4- 2 sets

plate raise- holding a 15 & 5lb plate- 12 reps both sets

1 arm tricep press down- 7.5lbs on cable 15 reps both sets

What did you eat today? Were your meals balanced with good complex carbs, fat and protein? Mine were! :O)

1. steel cut oats- 1/2 cup

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 scoop beverly protein powder

3 crushed walnuts

YUMMO!!!!!

2. Two Mom's in the Raw- bar

(I die for these bars) they are so delicious and hit the spot! You can find them at Starbuck's

3. Post- workout Shake-

1 scoop Beverly protein

1.5 cups frozen cherries

1 scoop green vibrance

1 tbsp bee pollen

4. SNACKY-

mulberries

goji berries

pistachios

WATER

5. NOT sure what I am making for dinner... Some sort of veggies and possible Tuna or egg whites....

Now I am off to get whatever I can find to stock up and store in my house so we are prepared for Irene! GRRR!

Something in the air....

I know I know it's Irene! WHat a pain in the ass she is going to be when she arrives! SHeesh! She is going to make such a mess! All I know is that today, I woke up feeling bloated, tired and puffy in my fingers and toes. I went back to what I ater yesterday and all I had for dinner was asparagus baked in the oven, 1 corn on the cob- NEVER any butter, and two Dr. Preagars veggie bugers...Sounds to me like too much salt in them little veggie burgers, hmmmm.

I weighed in at 113. SO I am up, and I wonder if tomorrow I'll be back down, it;s usually how my body works...

I switched up my workout today and was working hard, but wasn't feeling my happy self.  while doing it. C'mon, you TOO have fat days, I know you do. Even my readers who have abs like me, and better, you have fat days. well, here is what I put together... try it if you dare, but hey...if you are going to do my workouts, at least let me know...let me know they sucked, they were great, just tell me! Kay? Thanks!

Arc trainer- 10 minutes! I wanted to jam myself in the eye with a pen! I hate that thing! SO freaking boring!

pull up (wide grip)12 reps set assistance on 11
decline push ups on my knuckles- 12 reps all 3 sets
dips-12 at assistance of 5 and 2nd set-6 unassisted and 4 with assist, 3rd set- 9 reps assistance of 5
3 sets total

plank to hand on a bosu- 10 each side 3 sets
back extensions- 15 reps
side obliques (feet stacked on a bosu) 12 each side all three sets
3 sets

Straight leg weighted leg raises lying on my back- 2 sets of 20
1 leg deadlifts with the ankle weights on- 2 sets of 15
3 sets

Band fly- 15 reps
band row- 15 reps
alternating lat pull on cable- 12 reps
3 sets

Glute raises heels on a swiss ball - 20 reps 3 sets
scorpions- 16 each leg
fire hydrants- 20 each
3 sets

437 calories
1:31 time

As you can see I wasn't BLASTING myself, but in all reality, I dont need to.... I need to keep working on my weaknesses-

Where is this week going?!?

I close my eyes and it's already Friday. I'm not happy about that, because Hurricane Irene is coming! BOO! I asked my husband why they never called a hurricane Tina and he said: "because Hurricane Tina is here everyday". Now I ask you....Is that nice??? MEANY!!!!! I'll fix his wagon! Phsst!

Anywho, I made my own hurricane with my workout! YUP! I'll show HIM! ehh, Mario that is!

WEDNESDAYS WORKOUT)
I did a 4 mile run in 42 minutes.... it took long because I started out with a 4 minute walk. I ran two miles and then the last two miles I amped it up! I was sprinting as fast as 8.5! DAMN!!! It felt so great though!



Off to do my shoulder workout: Try this one! You will feel the pump and the burn!
Seated dbell overhead presses: 15lbs/15 reps for 1 set.. 17.5 lbs/12 reps for 3 sets
Upright row with kettle bell: 20lb /15 reps, 1 set... 25lbs /12 reps 3 sets
4 total supersets




Lateral raise: 7.5 lbs/ 12 reps 2 sets 5lbs/ 15 reps 2 sets
front raise (hold in the center then bring arms straight up over your head)-5lbs/12 reps
reverse cable fly- 2.5lbs each side- 15 reps all 4 sets
4 total sets back to back

decline abs with 25lb plate- 2 x's 15 reps
side oblique off bench- My fav- 2 x's 10 reps
ball torso crunch- elbow to knee- 2 x's 1 reps



burned a total of 604 calories!
Yup just the way I like it!

CIAO FOR NOW!

Feeling it!

I woke up to a chilly breeze in my room, snuggled under the covers. There is just something about a cool breeze on you as you sleep. I think I sleep better being on the chilly side- but HATE the AC! I am so thankful Mother Nature decided to allow us to shut off the AC and open the windows for FRESH AIR!!!!  I won't even complain about the mosquito bites on my butt cheek or my ankles or back of shoulders! UGH!

So When I weighed in this morning, I was pleasantly greeted my the numbers: 111.6 . How nice is that!?  I went right into the kitchen for a fabulous warm bowl of steel cut oats, a banana and 1 tbsp almond butter. Once cooked, I added a scoop of Beverly Muscle Provider protein powder (this company NEVER compromises on QUALITY! They have been around since the 70's and have an incredible reputation!) Oh ps, they did a write up on me when I did my first competition, check it out!

My first Figure competition

While that was almost 6 yeas ago, and I am a completely different person now, I still get so much joy from reading my past accomplishments! If I put that suit on today, as small as it is, it would fall off of me! LOL! I saved it and I am so proud of that day!

So anyway, I left for Whole Food's around 8:30 am and WHOAH! That place sparkled when it first opens! I get the freshest of the fresh in the produce section, and the meats are just being put on the shelves!  I am among -st about 5 other people and there isn't mass confusion as usual! I was so happy!

Once I unpacked the groceries, I downloaded some new songs on my IPOD for my workouts. I get bored so quickly, it's so bad! I guess because I am in the gym almost 7 days a week! :O)

here are my new fav's:

The beginning lyrics are what amps me up and they are perfect for the days you feel "weak"
'Cause sometimes you feel tired,
feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
and just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.

This song just has an incredible beat and I LOVE Tiesto!

Wynonna Judd's Love son "sing" was remixed into a techno song, heard it today for the first time and fell in love!


Some lyrics:
Sing it like you hear it
Like you have no need to fear it now
Sing it like you know it
Like you’re not afraid to show us how
Sing from somewhere way down deep
Sing and make the angels weep
Sing and open heaven’s door
Sing ‘til you can’t sing no more

this girls voice is so sultry raspy and sexy, the beat is intense and here are some of the lyrics:
I'm feeling it, I'm feeling a change
I'm feeling it, I'm feeling a change
In the air

To look the other way to get what you want
Throw out your troubles to find your song
Cause there's a change, a change in the air
In the air, in the air




So there  you have the songs that make me move and help me to stay focused in the gym, while everyone else is trying to make friends! Oh yea, I went there!


And here is my Tuesday Blast Workout:


#1 Stair MONSTER for 15 minutes level 65 for 10 minutes and level 70 for 5 minutes


#2 Squats -45lb bar/ 15 reps...65lbs/ 15 reps... 70lbs/ 12 reps
jump squats- 15, 20, 15 reps
Scorpions- 16 x 3 
3 sets- back to back then I went over to the treadmill and ran 1/2 mile at 6.5


#3 Step ups with 10's/ 12... 10's/ 12... 12.5's/ 12 reps
burpees- 10 x's 3 (i felt these in my abs!)
side lunges- 15, 12 reps only 2 sets
then I went over to the treadmill and ran 1/2 mile at 7.0


(you could say I was sopping wet at this point!)


#4 Deadlifts with dbells- 22.5lbs/ 12 reps all three sets
mountain climbers- 30 reps all three sets
glute raises- 12 reps each leg for 2 sets then I did both feet on bench for 15 reps (holy glute squeeze!~)


#5 Donkey kicks with weights on ankles- 20, 20 15
fire hydrants- all three sets 20 reps
fire hydrant circles- 15 forward 15 backwards (2 sets)
Stiff leg raise lying on my back- 20, 20 
Then I stretched..... Ahhh


After stretching I went back over to the DREADED Stair MONSTER and did a slow burn of level 60 for 15 minutes. You would think it wasn't doing anything, but I had beads of sweat dripping down my back! LOVELY!!!!!!!


Although I forgot my heart rate monitor, I estimate around 560 calories burned...I was hauling ass today!!!!!!!!




My post workout shake consisted of:

• 1 scoop Beverly Muscle Provider
• 1 tbsp Camu Camu
• 1 scoop Green Vibrance
• 1 tbsp bee pollen
• water 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1 scoop BCAA's- grape flavor!~ YUM!

Vacation time is OV-A!!!!!!

I can hardly believe how long it took for my vacation to Italy to get here, and how fast it went by! Sheesh! like a speeding bullet. I can NEVER spend too much time with my beautiful husband AWAY from everyone. I soak of and cherish EACH MOMENT I have with him when we are on vacation, because once we are home, we go our separate ways. YES, we work and live together, but just pass each other by until bedtime....That's what happens when you have two very driven people to run an incredible business and take care of a household. I wouldn't trade my life for ANYTHING!






So now that we are back to the "REAL WORLD", it's time to really strive to make some changes this fall. Why make some changes? Well this fall is a big deal for me. I turn 40 in November. On my 40th birthday I want to have an 8-pack, sculpted legs, shoulders and arms... yeah yeah, I know YOU think I look great, right? Well thanks, but this turning 40 stuff doesn't come easy to me! I am having a hard time with it, and decided instead of accepting my age, I am going to do whatever I can to SLOW it down! Being physically fit means the world to me. I so cherish my health and each muscle and joint in my body. I treat my body with respect and fuel it with the best of the best. Even still, there is only so much I can do...The clock is ticking and unfortunately we don't get YOUNGER each year.....

SO what does it mean to make some changes? Well it's different for each person.  For me, I have seen so many changes in my body in the last 6 months, I can only get better from here!

February 2011

 In my pic from February, I was EXTREMELY lean. I was still a FULL FLEDGED VEGAN, so although I had a little muscle, I wasn't where I wanted to be.

May 2011

 In This pic from May. you can see my oblique wall is more defines, my glutes are a bit higher since I started doing some more leg and glute work, and my shoulders are SLOWLY filling out.




Here in June, My abs are ripped, I am super lean, but also adding some egg whites and whey protein powder have helped me lean out more, and get more muscular.

June 2011

 And so in July is when I started to see some sick results from diet, cardio and heavier loading with my weights... My shoulders are starting to cap, my triceps popped and my abs are still lean and developed.

July 2011

 This picture in August is after taking 10 days off from the gym, and going to Italy to eat pasta bread and loads of gelato! It really did my body good! I am so restrictive with my diet all year long that it's hard for me to make big gains in a small amount of time. I look better here than I did before I left!

Right now I am around 12% bodyfat. It's pretty lean, but I would be happy at 9-10%. I weigh 112lbs. SO for my weight, I am happy with that for now, my end goal is around 109. I am only 5'4" so that'a not too small, especially when it's all muscle. I don't dig the SKIN and BONES look!


My daily supplements are as follows:

• Vitamin D- 1 time per day
• Omega-3 fatty's- 3 caps 3 times a day
• L-Carnitine- 2 caps 3 times a day
• Calcium magnesium- 1 cap 1 time a day
• CoQ10-1 time a day

This week was just a catch up week as far as my workouts go. I got back from Italy on August 17th-which was a Wednesday and returned to the gym on Thursday. It's was hard, I can't lie.

I ran two miles as a warm up

#1:
decline push ups-10, 10, 10
assisted pull ups-10, 10, 10
mountain climbers-30, 30, 30
3 sets

#2:
Cable fly- 15, 12, 12
rev pec dec- 15, 12, 12
3 sets

#3:
dbell chest press- 20's -15, 12
close grip lat pull-30lbs- 15, 12
push ups- 15, 10
wide grip lat pull- 15, 15
2 sets

#4
Back extensions- 15, 12
bicep curls- 15's- 12, 12
no assisted dips- 4 and then 12 reps with 8 on assistance rack
3 sets

#5
hammer curls- 10's- 15, 12
reverse tricep press down 25lbs- 15, 12
regular tricep press down- 25lbs- 15, 12
stiff arm press down (focusing on lats & triceps) 15, 12
2 sets

(in my journal, I wrote "still feeling jet lagged and weak". UGH!

Calories burned; 644

On Saturday, I was so mentally motivated but my body was still tired...
I ran 3 hard miles, did some deadlifts abductor and adductor and was OUT!

On Sunday, I did a lot around the house, didn't get to the gym.

Now that we are in a new week, it's time to get back in the game, look forward think positive and MOVE IT! November will be here before I know it!!!!!!!

I will be posting each workout as usual, as well as what I eat. Feel free to email me any time you have questions or comments. I welcome them!

Grouchy & let lagged!

 Waking up this morning was bitter sweet. We were in the most BEAUTIFUL place ever, yet it was our last day and we knew that we were going home first thing in the morning. We were going to do as much as we could on this magnificent day!

 We took the ferry over to Como. Come was about 2.5 hours from Bellagio. On the way there we took the hydroplane boat which got us there in about 1 hour- thank goodness! I was getting a little nauceous since we couldn't sit outside. ugh!

Upon arriving to Como, once again we were in AWE! Como is pretty HUGE! You could definitely get lost here. It's more like a city. As you can see, another church right smack in the middle of the street surrounded by restaurants and high end fashion stores.

 Stopping by the Farmer's Market, I was on a quest for blueberries, while Mario found some really juicy peaches!

 See how big? We needed lots of napkins to eat these bad boys! So fresh, juicy ripe and tasty!

Just admiring all the streets, building and homes, I just kept snapping away with my camera!

 I never heard of a Funicolare before today. I had no idea what we were in store for. This train looking thing was invented in Switzerland.

A funicular uses the technology of an elevator (a cable pulling a car up) and the technology of a railroad (a car on a track). Devised in the 15th century as a way of getting people and things up steep hillsides, the funicular now is more likely to carry skiers to the top of a mountain. In the United States, they are often referred to as incline railways.

A conventional train could never travel up such a steep incline because the steel train wheels don't have enough traction against steel rails. Trains that do climb mountains go up tracks that spiral around the mountain or go through many switchbacks. You might be wondering then, why not build a train with rubber tires instead? They might have enough traction to make it up the hills. The reason trains have steel wheels and tracks is to minimizerolling resistance. This is a force that tends to slow wheeled vehicles down. It comes from the weight of the vehicle squishing the tires. Even with rubber tires, however, it would be tough to get enough traction on a steep slope.

The funicular conquers these problems in a very elegant way. First, the car is pulled up the mountain by a cable, which means that traction is no longer an issue. The wheels just guide the car up the mountain. They don't provide any of the pulling power. But the true genius of the funicular is that it uses two cars at the same time, one on each side of the top pulley. At any one time one car is balancing the weight of the other. The descending car's weight helps pull the ascending car up the mountain, and the ascending train keeps the speed of the descending train from going out of control. There is still a motor powering the pulley but it only has to provide enough force to overcome the difference in weight between the two cars (the weight of the passengers) and to overcome the friction in the system.

At the Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Austria where the accident happened Nov. 11, 2000, two cars carry skiers up and down the mountain on a single cable that forms a loop around a pulley at the top of the mountain, and one at the bottom. The Kitzsteinhorn funicular runs on electricity, which is supplied from a power station at the top of the mountain. An electric motor at the top keeps the cable moving. There is a passive pulley at the bottom of the mountain that provides tension to the loop of cable. The Austrian funicular has a single set of tracks going up the whole mountain except for a small section in the middle where it splits into a double track. This is where the two cars pass each other. This page shows the types of funiculars.

Building a funicular is quite a feat because a track has to be laid either on steep mountain or on a trestle that rises from the side of the mountain. The Kitzsteinhorn is 10,499 feet (3,200 meters) tall. The tunnel that the funicular travels through is 11,483 feet (3,500 meters) long.

Engineers have built funiculars and incline railways for underground travel, too, such as into caves or mines.

Here we are waiting for our ride! We were pretty excited to see the views  and what's at the top of this ride!

As we reached the top, again we were in another town! Towns just pop up everywhere!!! SO beautiful, and the view of Como was sick, but you could also see the mountain tops of Switzerland! Pretty cool!

 After walking around, we decided to grab the ferry back to Bellagio-Not without Gelato in hand though! :O) The ferry ride back was sooo long and after a while I started to get antsy and hyper. I needed to get off this boat!

 Once we got back to Bellagio, we stopped by a little ristorante and Mario had a pizza, chick peas with garlic and olive oil and some eggplant. I helped him eat them! TO DIE FOR!!!! I had the pizza and scrapped off the cheese- No worries though, Mario ate the cheese!

 Our last night at dinner was fabulous. I had my last Lake Fish grilled with lemon and grilled veggies and a salad.... Lots of bread sticks though! They are addicting! :O)

We will MISS Marco, our waiter and friend at the Belvedere Hotel in Bellagio!

What an amazing trip!