Saturday Sweat Session: LEGS!!!

Legs, legs legs!!  My favorite body part to work.  This awesome workout was created by one of the other trainers at the gym and I loved it so had to share!  The only rule: no decreasing weights!!  If you choose to go up in the amount of weight you use because the first set is too easy, then you cannot decrease it back down.  If the first set is too easy, then you don't need to decrease the weights!

First exercise (each exercise done one after the other, no rest until all 4 exercises completed)
incline leg press x 12
incline leg press w/ feet together x 12
single leg incline leg press x 10
single leg incline leg press x 10
Repeat 4 times

Second exercise
Tabata seated hamstring curls
8 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest

Third exercise
TRX one-leg jump lunges x 12
Repeat 3 times each leg

Fourth exercise
kettlebell thrusters x 20
Repeat 3 times

Fifth exercise (each exercise done one after the other, no rest until both exercises completed)
standing calf raise slow speed x 10
stadning calf raise fast speed x 10
Repeat 2 times

Starting weight: 176.4 lbs.
Last week weight:  140.0

Current weight: 138.2

Current loss:  -1.8
TOTAL LOSS: -38.2

So far going strong.  

Workouts have been on point (about to head to the gym after I post this to attack chest, shoulders and tris).  Nutrition has been better but there's still room for improvment.  I'm not sticking to my plan 100% like I should be, but kind of using it as a guide for my everyday eating.  So far it seems to be working and I really like it!  The hardest part about the plan:

too much food!!

Yup, I'm stuffed.  I'm used to eating 5 or 6 times a day, but because the plan calls for a lot of veggies throughout the day, I'm always full.  Never had this problem on a diet before.  =)

'W' is for Walnuts

(source)

... as in honey-roasted walnuts!  Sorry no picts but we made these at a friend's house and didn't have my camera around.  They turned out so yummy that we actually went to the store to buy all different kinds of nuts!

Ingredients:

• 1c walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tbs. honey
• 1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
• dash of salt

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a microwave safe bowl, mix together honey, cayenne pepper and salt and microwave about 15 - 20 seconds or until honey runs thin.

2.) Add walnuts to the bowl and mix well until all walnuts are coated with honey mixture.

3.) Spread walnuts on baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time.

4.) Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

ENOUGH!

Alright, truth be told.

I haven't been around the blog much because things have been pretty bad on the health and fitness front for me.  No bitching or complaining, but long story short, I'm sitting about 10 lbs. heavier than my lowest weight of 128.

I can give you all the excuses in the world for why it happened, but instead I'm moving forward and doing something about it!

 

I had enough!

Workouts are still happening but not as often and intense as I would like.  Working with other personal trainers helps a ton because we'll usually pair up to workout (workout buddies!!) but I still find myself making excuses to why I can't do an extra 20 minutes of cardio or why I HAVE to go out to buy my lunch.

But no more!

I'm not making any promises about how often I'll be blogging but I AM making a promise that health and fitness are back to being my number one priorities.

To get my eating back on track, I'm following an awesome diet plan, made by an awesome woman, whose concept and ideas behind the plan are things I strongly believe in.  Fighter Diet.  If you don't know, educate yourself with the link!

So official re-starting stats:

Starting weight: 176.4 lbs.
Last week weight:  ???

Current weight: 140.0

Current loss:  ???
TOTAL LOSS: -36.4

Did you forget about me?

Wow!!  A month and half has gone by since my last post and not too many things have changed since then. 

I still haven't:

• blogged - OBVIOUSLY!
• caught up on any blogs
• gotten back to my "normal" pre-vacation eating habits - eating out has replaced almost all my meals
• gotten back to my exercise routine - still working out, but the workouts have been all over the place - full body one day, only arms one day, only cardio one day, only plyo one day, etc.
• lost any weight since I got back - NEED to get on this one!

I still have:

• BEEN SUPER BUSY but so so happy

Updates, updates, and updates

Life hasn't changed much over the last two months, but I miss my vacation (back in June) and literally think about it everyday.  Two months later and I'll be posting some pictures in the next few posts - since I know you're all dying to see them.  =)

My new career as a personal trainer is moving slowly, but surely, in the right direction.  I've added a second certification to my name and I've gotten pretty comfortable talking to strangers and getting them in for a "first one's free" session, but still have to work on presenting and "selling" my service to them.  I say "selling" (in quotes) because if I lay the ground work in that free session, I shouldn't have to sell anything... the potential clients should see the value in my service, WANT that value, and ask me how to get more of it.

And last but not least, things on the blog may be changing a bit - the biggest change hopefully being more consistent posts.  But seriously, since the blog is now being read by several of my clients, I'll be posting my daily eats and workouts a couple times a week.

Here's hoping I'll be around a bit more!