Focus.

I have been questioning myself a lot lately. As I sit staring at the last 4 lbs of this 57-lb pregnancy gain...I know I'm SO close...but not as close as I'd like to think because we all know the last 5 or so lbs are the HARDEST to lose. Hell, I've been having trouble since the last 15 considering I reached that point in like October...it's friggin' February already. Four months later and I've only lost about 10 lbs in that time?

My issue has without a doubt been my focus. I've been going up and down week to week with it. Some weeks I am spot on...other weeks I am too crazed, hectic and yeah, I'll even say a little lazy, and my focus goes out the window. Going back to work a few weeks ago hasn't helped...considering my opportune workout time now is pretty much 4:30am. Can you say "snooze"?

Ironically enough, my passion is fitness...yet I spend way more time on my fashion/lifestyle blog than I do here. Yes, I have a passion for fashion too, but I don't think it in any way comes close to trumping my passion for fitness. Maybe if I put more focus into this blog, I'd be more focused on my fitness day to day. I've realized, for me, it's easier to be focused on fitness when I'm already looking great and I have something I can be proud of staring back at me when I look in the mirror. Post-pregnancy, I get angry and I get down on myself...and it ruins my focus. It's not the right attitude. I need to push through my resentment of what I see in the mirror and stay focused on the goal, even if it's hard to see whether I'm getting there or not. 

The way I see it now, there are about 2-3 months left until the weather will be bikini-appropriate and dammit, I promised myself I'd rock a bikini by this summer and be proud doing it! 

The plan is going to go like this...I've made the decision to hold off on Body Beast and first do a round of Insanity. I never really follow the plan with Insanity, I typically do 3-4 of the DVDs in rotation and that works for me. So to call it a round is not really accurate. I just want to spend a good 30-45 days staying consistent with those DVDs and then move onto Body Beast in April, with a lot more outdoor running {because the weather will be so much nicer for it and I'll be able to take the kids without feeling like they're freezing in the jogging stroller - a big reason why I'm not running so much right now}. I love Body Beast, I really do, but I feel my focus right now needs to be a lot of cardio and HIIT to lose a lot of the fat layer and tone what I already have. Then I can focus on building more muscle.

That's all for now...wanted to provide a little update. And I plan to be here a bit more often...stay focused. 

Body Beast: Beginning The Journey

Hey y'all...haven't updated in a while on here, but I am actually starting a new Beachbody program called Body Beast and I wanted to share my journey with it on here. I hope you'll follow along over the next few months.

First of all, I want to start with how I came to even order it in the first place. We went to Myrtle Beach over Thanksgiving with my husband's family. It was Black Friday and all the adults had gone with my sons to the beach play park near our rental while I stayed back for Farrah to finish her nap. I was just channel surfing when I came across the infomercial. I am no stranger to Beachbody programs as we own Insanity, P90X, Insanity: Asylum I & II, Turbo Jam and more. I am a believer in their programs because if you've ever done any of them, you know they are not a gimmick, you are definitely torching calories! The hard part is staying consistent and finishing the programs. Well, so I started watching the infomercial and what I liked about it was that it is a muscle building program. Weight training, pure and simple...the tried and true method for a rock hard body. The idea of it didn't intimidate me because I have been lifting for years and I do enjoy it. But I love that this program offered a no-guesswork way of doing it to build lean muscle mass and burn fat, ultimately shaping and sculpting your body. If you see the infomercial, it is definitely marketed more toward men who want to gain muscle and get "big". However, being a woman, and knowing what I know about fitness, I know that I would never gain that bulky appearance that I don't want, as I simply don't have the genetic makeup and testosterone to do so. What I do know is that muscle burns fat, muscle increases RMR {resting metabolic rate} and muscle doesn't jiggle. I want to replace a lot of the fat I've accumulated in my 3rd pregnancy with muscle. I definitely thought this program was the way to go.

And the real reason I was so inclined to order was that I feel the infomercial happened upon me at the right time. There I sat, the day after the big feast that is Thanksgiving, 6 1/2 months postpartum and still having 13 lbs to lose to get to my pre-baby weight. I think I finally had that mental "snap" that I needed...the one that made me think to myself, "OK, I am truly OVER this shit and I want it GONE. I'm ready to go full force." Yes, of course I have been working out hard since I had Farrah...I know a loss of 44-ish lbs in 6 months is nothing to balk at. But have I been strict? Have I really been doing all that I can? Short answer: No. I've enjoyed maybe a little too much wine. I've had bad eating days. Other than all the exercise I do, I haven't been doing much else in the way of shedding the weight. I knew it was time to make an all-around change.

I had to wait for the program to arrive {so I used last week to accumulate all the supplies I needed - dumbbells in increments I didn't already have and a weight bench}.

It arrived last Friday, so this morning I officially started my 90-day journey. My ongoing plan is to carve it into the time I have after I take my oldest son to the bus stop in the early AM and before my other two kids wake up {roughly a 6:30-7:30am window}. It's a no-excuses time of day because there's nothing else to hold me back or distract me from getting it done.

In addition to the program, I will also still be getting some work in at the gym. I have a couple barre classes and a few HIIT classes {i.e. Cardio Craze and Insanity} to take each week there and will use any other days to get my cardio in on the treadmill or elliptical. Sundays of course will be the Sabbath {rest, my friends}. The reason I wanted to keep up with other things in addition to the program was to speed up fat loss and overall cutting/toning. Plus, I do pay for a gym membership so I can't just not go for 90 days!

So yes, I also did a barre class at 10:30 this AM. And I feel great...I wonder what my muscles will feel like tomorrow. Today was chest and triceps day for Body Beast. Tomorrow is legs - which I'm actually looking forward to {it's my fave muscle group to work}.

Last, but not least, the most humbling part of the journey I can't just skip over. These are my official "before" pictures taken the other day. I plan to post updated pics and stats on days 30, 60 and 90. I do hate this part because I hate seeing myself like this...yes, I'm postpartum, but it's still hard to see it. However, for the sake of being real about this process, here they are:

158 lbs / 5'7"

So definitely I feel like my "real" body is just swimming under an overall 1-2" layer of baby fat and my belly still looks a little "postpartum". I also just generally need to tone up. I mean, you can see from my profile pic what I looked like in this exact outfit {which, believe me, I don't wear right now, just wanted to use it as my progress pic outfit} just over a year ago! {Amazing what pregnancy does to a woman - ugh!} So there you have it...I look forward to seeing changes by Day 30! Hope you'll follow along my journey!

Linking Up With: Monday Morning Gossip // Life Of Meg // Still Being Molly // Lipgloss & Crayons // B Loved Boston // Really, Are You Serious?

 

Losing Sight Of Your Goals // Re-Boot

First of all, I apologize for TWO MONTHS of no posts. I have been alive and well at my daily lifestyle blog, California To Carolina, but I have horribly neglected this blog and I really need to get out of that bad pattern.

I think the main reason has been that I don't feel I've had much to share since my last few posts back in August. I'm still battling the postpartum weight {15 lbs to go!}, but I've definitely gotten in a rut of sorts...I've been at the same weight for a couple weeks now...I've definitely plateaued. And then of course, I'm fighting internally with my disappointment at how hard the weight is to lose this time around...how hard I am working...and feeling like it is just "unfair" that I have to kick my ass so hard to see results after pregnancy, when so many of my friends seemingly shrink right back down with little to no effort at all. I just want to be back in a pair of pre-prego jeans, damnit! {Is that too much to ask?} I feel at nearly 6 months postpartum now, I should be there. So I then have some moments of retaliation...basically saying "f*** it", I'm going to just eat what I want, drink my wine and throw in the towel {which of course, I really don't want to do, but sometimes my frustration takes over}.

So all that being said, I need to reboot. I need to get back on the motivation train. For the last several weeks, I've been doing a few classes at the gym each week, running with the kids in the stroller and just hitting the gym in general {when there is not a class I want to take}. So I definitely haven't "thrown in the towel" at all, but I know I'm at a point where I need to take it up a notch - in my exercise and in my diet.

Truth be told, my diet probably needs the most work. I'm always generally pretty healthy, but I have not been super-strict as I was a couple months ago when I started the meal prepping. I sort of got lax with that. My husband, however, did GREAT, and is down nearly 30 lbs {friggin' men}. I think seeing him lose the weight so quickly pissed me off even more! {No, seriously, I'm happy for him and glad I could get him motivated.} And then, of course, there is my infatuation with wine. I find that glass {or two} after a long day of watching the kids, cleaning the house and what-have-you, is so enticing and hard to give up. However, I'm at a point where I need to take some drastic measures...and I think cutting back on that {a lot} is something I really need to do. I think in the long run, not seeing the results I want with how hard I work pains me more than giving up wine for a little while. Lastly, I need to start up the meal prep again...there's really no excuse not to. I've got a date with the grocery store and my kitchen tomorrow.

Three months ago, I posted my stats for my tracking purposes. Here is what they were then:

Weight: 173 lb {Height 5'7"}
R & L Bicep {unflexed}: 11.25"
L Thigh: 22.5"
R Thigh: 21.5"
Waist: 33"
Hips: 40.5"

These are my stats now:

Weight: 160 lbs
R & L Bicep {unflexed}: 11"
L Thigh: 21.25"
R Thigh: 21.25"
Waist: 31.5"
Hips: 38.25"

So yes, obviously there has been progress. I've lost 13 lbs and almost 6 inches total in the last 14 weeks. I am happy that I've averaged a loss of about a pound a week, but I know had I been strict on myself the whole time, I could have done better. Well, it's time to do better. I still have my goal to have this weight gone by the end of the year. That gives me just over 9 weeks to knock off 15 lbs...which is a daunting task, but if I stay motivated, I can do it.

Anyway, in the last week, I've started adding running in {solo, so I can push harder} when Jake gets home from work in the evenings so he can handle the kids for me. I'm signed up for my first postpartum 5K race on November 1st.

And we will be in Myrtle Beach for Thanksgiving, so I am doing their Turkey Trot 8K.

I think running will help make a big difference in the coming weeks. Once DST ends, my runs will be in the morning before I help get Tanner ready for school...it will be nice to have them out of the way. I will also be adding some Insanity workouts into my routine, especially on days I can't get to the gym.

Anywho, I hope I'm not being a downer, it's not my intention...I just want to be raw and honest about this process - and the truth is, it's not easy and it's got its ups and downs. It's helpful to me and I hope maybe someone else out there struggling with weight loss might be encouraged to reboot as well.

Stay Happy & Healthy!

Legs & Glutes Workout

Well, hello there! Sorry it's been a few weeks since I've blogged here. I think the summer does that to you. Today though, it was back to school for my 3rd grader and this was the day I've been waiting all summer for because I can finally get back in the gym now and have a regular schedule. Farrah is old enough for the childcare there now and since it's right across the street from my son's school, it makes it perfect to head there right after I drop him off in the morning. I am ready to kiss the last of this pregnancy weight goodbye. As of today, I've got 21 lbs to go. I have been pretty good about the clean eating and meal prep though. I did slack on it a little for some social things, but now that I'm back in the gym with a regular schedule, I will be a lot better about sticking to it.

I thought it would be good for me to share my gym routines here periodically with you, in case you should be interested in trying the same, or modifying it to fit your lever {whether that be more novice or more advanced}.

Today, since it was my first day back in the gym in a while, I chose to work my favorite muscle groups - Legs & Glutes. Some people hate "leg day", but it's my favorite. I think it's because on my body, that is the area I feel needs the most work all the time...so I feel super-accomplished when I get through a killer workout on them.

When I've gone to the gym lately, I've been trying some interval training for my cardio rather than my usual 30-min elliptical workout. I'm going to switch it up, but it definitely works up a good sweat. I'll warm up jog on the treadmill for 4-5 min and then sprint at about 85-90% exertion for 1 min and then speed walk/jog for 2 min and repeat that 4-5 times.

The rest of my workout today was as follows:

SUPERSET - each exercise is a total of 3 sets of 15 {doing one set of each exercise and then repeating for 3x}
Step Ups w/Medicine Ball Raise {6-8 lbs} and Back Leg Lift {with non-working leg}
Stationary DB Lunges {5-10 lbs each hand}

Plie Squats w/KB or weight plate {25 lbs} - 3 sets of 15

SUPERSET - first exercise is a total of 3 sets of 15 and second is 3 sets of 25 {doing one set of each exercise and then repeating for 3x}
Stability Ball Leg Curls
Bridges w/Weight Plate {10 lbs}

SUPERSET - each exercise is a total of 3 sets of 25 {doing one set of each exercise and then repeating for 3x}
Hip Adductor
Hip Abductor

Butt Blaster Machine - 3 sets of 15

Leg Press - 3 sets of 12

Stiff Legged Dead Lifts - 3 sets of 12

Hope y'all have a great week...now that summer is over, I think many bloggers will be back on a regular posting schedule, and I plan to be too...I think there were some tumbleweeds rollin' there for a while. Do remember, my main blog is at California to Carolina, if you want to keep up with me there too!

Clean Eating Check-In & Leg/Glute Workout

So today is Friday and it is my 5th day of my strict clean eating plan. I am actually pretty dang proud of myself because I've kept with it. Day 1 was great...I felt great, it wasn't hard at all to keep to my plan. Admittedly though, Days 2 and 3 are when the cravings started to hit...mostly for red wine - ha! But I fought through and came out on top. And as of this morning, I'm down FIVE POUNDS since Monday! I can hardly believe it. I will note that since I'm carrying postpartum weight, it is natural for my body to lose faster right now than if I were at my normal weight, but it still feels good.

I made another round of veggies last night. This time I mixed asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash.

Instead of using the oven {I was out of tin foil}, I steamed them on the stove top. I put a few tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, threw in the veggies and added about a 1/2 tsp each of sea salt and black pepper. I simmered them for 20-30 min over medium-low heat.

Today, I plan on getting some more chicken grilled and baking more sweet potatoes.

I do have a concert to go to tonight with my husband...so I'm strongly debating letting myself have a glass of red wine...I haven't decided yet if I'm going to allow myself. On one hand, I've been so good and I deserve it, and it's not like I'm yet training hardcore for the bikini competition, but on the other hand, do I want to derail myself? Would it derail me? I don't know...let me know your thoughts and help me decide!

I did my leg day at the gym on Wednesday. It was a great workout and I'm surely feeling it today. Here it is if you want to try it for yourself or tweak it to your liking.

Interval Cardio on Treadmill
3-5 min warmup jog
1 min sprint at about 80% exertion
2 min fast walk/jog
Repeat 4-5 times

Superset
Back Extensions/Leg Lifts on Roman Chair
3 sets of 15 reps for each exercise, rest 30 seconds between sets. Be sure to go right from back extension to leg lift to make it a superset. I also cradled a 10 lb plate on the back extensions. You can do none, same or more as your level allows.

Superset
Step Ups/Dumbbell Squats
3 sets of 15 reps for each exercise, rest 30 seconds between sets. Be sure to go right from step ups to dumbbell squats to make it a superset. I used 2-10 lb dumbbells for the squats.

Superset
Stability Ball Leg Curls/Bridges
3 sets of 15 for the leg curls and 3 sets 25 for the bridges, rest 30 seconds between sets. Be sure to go right from leg curls to bridges to make it a superset.

Leg Press
3 sets of 12 reps at a weight that makes it impossible to do more than 12 reps. Rest 30 seconds between sets.

Have a great weekend!

Meal Preparation 101

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend! I felt like ours was rushed and busy, but I suppose that's how it's going to be for a mother of two boisterous boys and a newborn baby girl.

I did make sure to spend Sunday going to the grocery store for my clean foods and then prepping and storing my meals for the week. My husband is wanting to drop a few lbs too, so I made some extra so he would have some lunches for work this week.

Basically, I baked some chicken breasts and then chopped them into bite size pieces and stored them in 4 oz portions. I roasted some vegetables with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper and stored those in portions of around a cup each. I hard-boiled a lot of eggs since my meal plan involves a lot of egg whites. I also bought an extra case of eggs so we could still scramble, over-easy, etc. And finally, I baked some sweet potatoes and stored them in approx. 3 oz portions.

This is butternut squash, yellow squash and grape tomatoes. I first put them in a bowl and tossed with 2 tbsp EVOO, then spread them on my tin-foiled pan {also coated the tin foil with a little olive oil}, sprinkled some sea salt and black pepper over them and then roasted them on the top rack of the oven for 30 min at 375.

This is asparagus, zucchini and grape tomatoes. I did the same with these as I did with the squash mix and they also roasted for 30 min at 375.

Our veggie portions all nicely stacked in the refrigerator! They were later joined by the chicken and sweet potatoes. Oh, and don't worry, this picture made me realize the green lid wasn't shut tight, so now it is!

I am very excited to start this journey of eating clean and training dirty {hee hee} to accomplish my goals. Something feels very different about my efforts this time...I feel extremely motivated, more so than I ever have in the past, and I'm a pretty motivated girl. My sight is set on my first goal of getting the last of this pregnancy weight GONE and regaining some muscle tone along the way. I've been able to get back to the gym more now as well, and will be able to fully commit to a gym schedule in just a little over a week once Farrah is old enough for the childcare there. When I can't get to the gym, I am making sure to get a great workout in at home, whether that's Insanity, a good stroll with the kids or some weight training with the equipment I have. Oh, and on Saturday, I had my last bit of alcohol for a while. I really want to see some great results with this new eating plan and I know that cutting out alcohol is going to make a huge difference. I'm not sure how long I will cut the alcohol for now, but I want to at least get a good month in, and then maybe have it back in moderation. Of course, when training for the NPC Bikini competition next year, alcohol will be nixed completely.

Be sure to stop back in this week as I share my weight training routines!

The Plan - Losing The Pregnancy Weight

If you read my post from yesterday, you know that I have three goals to attain in the next year.

#1...Drop the last of the baby weight and get back in my pre-prego clothes.

#2...Train for and run my first half marathon {aiming for the Charleston Half Marathon in January 2015}.

#3...Compete in an NPC Bikini Competition. 

So first comes first, taking off this last 25-30 lbs of pregnancy weight. I'd like to reach this goal by or before the end of this year. In reading a lot about NPC Bikini Competition training diets, I've decided that the best thing to do is for me to eat very clean, as if I am already training for competition. I'm essentially working toward this goal anyway, so it never hurts to get started early. I've got a good bit of weight to lose and this is going to be what makes the most difference.

Here is how I will ensure a clean diet each week:

On Sundays and likely Wednesdays too, I will prepare many of my meals for the week. Mostly getting the chicken grilled and cut up into 4 oz. portions {I will have three 4 oz portions per day} and getting the veggies roasted and separated into portions for throwing on top of fresh greens such as spinach and kale, along with the chicken to make salads. Here is a sample day of the diet I am putting myself on to give you an idea:

• Morning: 500–1,000 mg fish oil and a multivitamin/mineral

• Meal 1: 4 egg whites, 1⁄3 cup steel cut oats topped with blueberries
• Meal 2: Protein shake with: 1⁄2 avocado, 15 g of protein powder, 1⁄3 cup blueberries and 1 cup kale and cinnamon to taste
• Meal 3: 4 oz chicken with 2 cups leafy green vegetables
• Meal 4: 1⁄4 cup nuts
• Meal 5: 4 oz chicken or tilapia with 2 cups green vegetables (your choice)
• Meal 6: 4 egg whites (at least 30 minutes before bed) or protein shake

Also:

• Take 500–1,000 mg of fish oil and multi-vitamin/mineral 12 hours after first dose
• Drink 5–6 liters of water per day
• Avoid alcohol
• Avoid table salt, but some sea salt is OK, but use sparingly (using spices is OK)
• Avoid sugar

It seems extreme, but I no longer want to waste time in losing the rest of this weight. Right now it is what is stopping me from getting where I want to be fitness-wise, so I want to 100% dedicate myself to this. Meal preparation is highly needed for success.

My workouts will consist of 30-45 min of cardio each morning, i.e. a run in the neighborhood. I will work one or two muscle groups per day with strength training in the gym or at home and do some HIIT each day for 20-30 minutes, i.e. a T25 or Insanity workout. I will rest one day a week, or do some hot yoga that day {Sundays}.

This is very similar to what training for the bikini competition will be like, so it will be good to get my feet wet and get a real dose of what it will be like. I can be a tad more lax in this phase of my goals than I can be once I begin officially training in January, but it's definitely not lax in comparison to what I'm doing now, so I know I'll see results if I keep with it...and I fully intend to.

As of this morning, these are my stats:

Weight: 173 lb {Height 5'7"}
R & L Bicep {unflexed}: 11.25"
L Thigh: 22.5"
R Thigh: 21.5"
Waist: 33"
Hips: 40.5"

Wish me luck in this phase, I will keep you posted on progress!

The Revival of The Gym Bunny

I figure it's time I revived this blog. I sort of fell away from it mid-pregnancy. I'll be honest, I wasn't feeling particularly Gym Bunny-like during pregnancy, so blogging about fitness just didn't feel right. I'm weird, I know. But I gained more with this past pregnancy than I did with my first two. I gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl we named Farrah Madison, so every lb was worth it, but it is very hard to accept post-pregnancy. I am now about 10 weeks postpartum and still looking at 25-30 lbs to go until I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. No, don't check your eyes, that's right, I said 25-30 lbs. Yeah, what you are supposed to gain in pregnancy. I went beyond that number by 20-25 lbs. So the good news is I've lost 25 lbs or so in about 10 weeks, but I still have a daunting task ahead of me. I know myself well enough to know that I WILL lose it all, but this summer has definitely been a downer...all I want to do is cover up!

That being said, I'm trying to keep my spirits {and motivation} high...because if I depress myself, I'll only end up procrastinating on working to lose this weight. In the past 10 weeks, I've done many 2-3 mile walks with my son, Breckin and baby Farrah...as well as trekked over the Cooper River Bridge a couple times a week {quite the incline, especially when pushing a stroller!}

 I've been doing a hybrid of T25 and Insanity. I've been going to the gym {albeit not as much as I'd like since I have to wait until Farrah is 12 weeks to take advantage of the childcare}. It's been challenging to fit it all in while being at home with my 8-year-old son, Tanner, my almost 4-year-old son, Breckin and a newborn...but it's important to me, so I have to make it happen.

I have a few goals that I've made for myself over the next few months...and a plan to achieve them.

#1...First and foremost, drop the last of the baby weight and get back in my pre-prego clothes. Once I reach this milestone, I can fully dedicate myself to my other goals, but working toward my other goals is what is going to help me lose that weight, if that makes sense.

#2...Train for and run my first half marathon {aiming for the Charleston Half Marathon in January 2015}. I will begin a better running schedule once my oldest goes back to school mid-August {leaving me more opportunity to fit it in} just to work on getting my feet wet in running again. I will do a few 5Ks. I plan on starting a half marathon training program about 16 weeks out from the race {around October}.

And now, this next one is a big one. But I wholeheartedly believe I can achieve it if I really put my mind to it and have my support system {family and friends} to help me through...

#3...Compete in an NPC Bikini Competition. The schedule of shows for 2015 has yet to be posted, but I'm thinking somewhere around June/July is when I would like to do a show. In January, I will decide what show I am going to work toward. I will choose one close to Charleston. This will take a lot of hard work in the gym {we're talking 5-6 days a week at around an hour and a half each time} and a very strict eating plan. But I really want this. I chose bikini because it is the most feminine of the categories to compete in. I will have to be 8-12% body fat. I know if I put my mind to it {and my glass of wine down for a while} I can do it. I plan on charting my progress on this blog, so I hope y'all will follow along and support me in my journey. I just let my husband know that I was going to strive for this goal and he is behind me 100%. So hopefully by this time next year, I will look more like this:

 

It seems unbelievable, but so many women have done it.

Anyway, that's all for now...stay tuned as I keep you up to date on my postpartum weightloss progress.