I will become what I know I am.

Hellooooo! =)

Tuesday we got to do more new stuff on the TRXs!

I absolutely dislike the S.Band Pull-Apart. It looks and sounds so easy. But it's not! At all! =P

I also had a terrible time with the stability ball pike to roll-out =/ I feel like I need a mirror to do that properly.

Wednesday's small group class was big this week! There were eight of us! We did each exercise three times rather than four before switching stations! The stations were lying dumbbell press, overhead barbell press, incline run, roman chair lower back killers =P, incline barbell bench, negative pull-ups, lateral raise, and scarecrow! When I got the the treadmill Steph said "I'm going to be mean to you!" oh nooooo! I dont remember what the incline was set to.. 8 maybe?! and the speed was 7 and then 7.5. I think. Yikes. I was wearing my heart rate monitor for the first time and my heart rate was at 177. The lateral raises hurt really freaking bad and I only did them with 5s. Humbling.

Thursday:

While I was doing the deadlift Steph came over and told me I should try the heavier of the two options. So I did. It was 95 pounds, I believe. I had never done more than 70! But it was good.. it hurt, but I did it without stopping! =) 

Saturday was the Mayor's Marathon and I was on a relay team! I did the third leg which was apparently six miles...and I had to walk nearly two miles to get to the start of my spot because the people were being retarded and wouldn't let cars through?! I think they tricked me on the distance though! Where the timer was handed off to me was supposed to be the end of mile 15. So I started running and a few minutes later saw a sign that said 16. So I thought I was done with one mile already. It seemed a little short, but I had a lot of downhills so I just didn't pay attention to the time! My portion was suppose to go to the end of mile 21, so when I got to sign 20 I started speeding up... alot. I had been running the whole time and I was tired, but I felt great and I really just wanted to finish strong and give it my all. WELL.... I got to sign 21 and there was nobody in sight... and I soon realized that the signs marked the start of the miles rather than the end! =/ I was so ticked that I had just used so much energy, but the anger made me want to finish even faster. haha. I wasn't really "mad mad" but you know...! So the signs and exchange points did not match up. At all. They weren't right by each other at the 22 either. I felt like I was having a horrible joke played on me! haha. BUT I finished in one hour (& 16 seconds!). And I was very happy with that and proud that I didn't stop running except to grab a quick cup of water at two stations! After everyone had finished a bunch of us went to Moose's Tooth!! mmmmmm!!!! =))

This photo is missing Charlene, Denise, Heather, and Tiff!

I was really happy that I did this one.. just like I was happy I did the twilight 12k! =) 

I know today is Monday and this should be included in next week's post, but I just can't wait..... I DID A PULL-UP WITHOUT JUMPING! A real one! From a dead hang! I did two of them actually. Just not in a row!! I was so shocked and so excited!!!! But I tried to do a third a few minutes later and I didn't quite make it all the way up. It was sad... but I am still really proud! I am going to go try again right after I post this before I go to sleep! EKKKKK! Amazing!!! 

Here is a photo of earlier this week... but this one was with a jump start!

Fuck mediocrity. Be phenomenal.

Happy Monday! (Not really... but, yeah!) 

Last week Tuesday I got my measurements taken again! Since I was doing this I weighed myself at the gym that afternoon. 111! That is less than my eighteen year old weight that I have thought was out of reach since after the summer I lost it! And my muscles were about 0% developed back then! Anyhow, here are my measurements:

6/11/2013 Measurements:

Right arm - 9 1/4 in. (1/4 smaller)

Right Thigh - 18 1/4 in. (1 in. bigger)

Waist - 24 in. (3/4 in. smaller)

Hips - 34 in. (1/4 in. bigger)

 (Either my butt is growing or it is because I was wearing loose shorts?)

Body Fat - 20.8% (1.9% lower)

And here was the workout for the night! 

 For our warm-up we also did a fitness assessment with a plank, burpees, pushups, squats, and vertical jumps (I think that's what it included!) I don't remember my numbers. I just remember that my plank was 4:10 and I was super happy about it! I used to not even be able to stay up the whole minute! And vertical jumps burnnnn like hell, but I think I got a decent amount of those, also.

Wednesday at small group we did a lot of core stuff. We did the ab wheel.. which makes me feel like I am going to face plant! We also did the roman chair thing that kills me lower back. I did some of them with a weight.. but jesus those hurt! We did decline situps with a weight behind our noggins. We did the treadmill. We did squats. And I believe we did stiff legged deadlifts! We were all super sweaty and gross, but Steph decided that was a perfect time to capture the results of her ass kicking!

 Chamene is a badass!! I'm happy you can at least see a few of my abs though =P My goal is to have the rest by my first beach picture of the summer.. ekkk!

Thursday we had the TRXs back for the first time since bootcamp moved to the new place!! =))

I love the TRXs. They are really challenging for me! I don't know why, but I just suck at the renegade row. It never seems to get easier for me. It has officially been added to my at home in front of the mirror workouts! 

I went to boot camp on Friday night this week also! 

This was a good one! I started with board #2. I had never done the wall-sit leg extensions before. They burn! I did finish the board and get through a few extra eccentric pushups! The T-pushups kicked my ass right off the bat on the second board. I completed that board right at the end of the time, though! For warm-ups we did the across the floor stuff, which makes me halfway die before the actual workout even starts =P

Saturday was The Color Run!! Woohooo!!

I had a ton of fun!! Michelle, Balinda, and I all ran it together! It took us 25-27 minutes. We didn't look at the clock exactly when we started. Afterwards Michelle and I walked to Leroy's for breakfast and then hurried over to bootcamp! We still had some color on us (that stuff is hard to get off!!! But rubbing alcohol works=P)! The warm-up was pretty long this day! It was good though! Steph gave us a lot of useful information about form and balance and some other goodies!!

I really liked the TRX: I's-Y's-T's! It was difficult to get the hang of, but Lela was right there to help =)
I was absolutely pooped after this morning so I took a pretty amazing nap when I got home ;)

On Sunday I made my puppies cupcakes for Rosco's birthday!

But since they got treats, I wanted some... so I made myself this!

It is dates, honey, raw oats, dried cranberries, pistachios, flax seed, and a few white chocolate chips! I haven't had a chance to eat much of it yet, but I tasted it right after I made it and it was pretty damn good! I am going to try to incorporate some new things into my diet in the next few weeks. I feel like I am stuck and have been eating the same things over and over! I pinned a lot of new ideas over the weekend though, so we shall see how they turn out! =)

-N.

Just. Keep. Climbing!

A little late entry.. but better late than never!

Last week…..
Tuesday was good!

Bosu Spidy push-ups kick my ass. I haven’t mastered that one.. but I’m still working on mastering the  “correct” way to do push-ups. I like to have my arms much wider than I should =P I ate some deliccccc food after bootcamp though! I stole the idea from the Figarelle fb fan page! =)

Zucchini boats with grass fed beef, onions, a little cheese, and parsley <3

Steph posted this on Wednesday .. & I love it. Especially the “if you use the elliptical machine… your program sucks.” Part!

 Lol.! She’s freaking awesome!!

I ended up in the emergency room with an IV and dumb shit on Wednesday afternoon and I was really worried that I wasn’t going to make it to Steph’s for small group on time… but I got there! =D We did all upper body stuff! Thank Jesus. We did some negative pull-ups, dumbbell curls, bicep curls with a bar and I don’t remember what else =/ Oops! But it was good.. my biceps were screaming and it felt like they were about to tear open my skin!!!! Gahhhh! I'm dramatic ;)

Thursday was bootcamp again!

Someone got the rotation off after TWO STATIONS! (maybe 4.. idk!) I was not very happy. This is the second session within two weeks that the same person fucked it up (excuse my language). Like Steph says, we are still getting a workout, but I would prefer to get in the workout that she spends her time planning for us rather than doing one and a half rep pushups half of the time because people are idiots and can’t figure out where they need to go. Rant over.! =)
Friday I hiked Flat Top with some people from work! It was awesome. The stairs killed my quads. And my knee was throbbing by the time we were about ¾ of the way up! There were still some pretty snowy areas, which made me nervous! I have a weird fear of tumbling to my death down the side of a mountain.  I’m crazy, I know =). The way back down sucked. Mostly just cause my knee was not happy! I wish I would have slid down the snowy part though! I saw people doing it and it looked like so much fun! But I was already to the bottom of that part! I looked at my knee when I was almost to the bottom and it was huggggeee. I don’t even know why?!?!!
So when I got home I iced it and all of that good stuff. 

Saturday I was supposed to do the 5 mine Alaska Run for Women, but I didn’t. =( I woke up late and started rushing around, but my knee did not feel anywhere near perfect. So I think I was meant to wake up late. I have always liked to try to push through pain and injuries and it has never benefited me! So I didn’t run and I had already said I wasn’t going to bootcamp. I took advantage of my free time and started packing up my house.. which took me all of Saturday and Sunday and I am nowhere near done!! I felt very lazy and gross during those two days, so Sunday night I did about a 30 minute workout.. just with dumbbells and my kettlebell!

All of my lunch workouts during the week were awesome. I made sure I was sore/shaking by the time I left each of the days! Those are always my favorite! =)) I don’t remember if I included my weight in last week’s post… but I’m getting my measurements tonight (6/11) so I will include it with the next post!! ;)

-N.

Woah!!!

I know it's only Tuesday! But I remembered something that I forgot to put in a previous post while I was talking about shopping today. I was saying that I really need new summer clothes, but also want more workout clothes and I am always torn between which I should buy. 

Judging by the picture I took a week and a half ago, I think it may be a good idea for me to get my butt to a mall before I get to South Carolina!!!

I have ZERO shorts that fit me... they all look exactly like this. I haven't even tried my tank tops on yet. I'm too scared. Shit! I need a major shopping day... with someone else's bank account ;)

-N.

Killing it today ;; Thanking myself tomorrow

Another great week =D
So since we had a long weekend for labor day last week I used Monday to move my weights inside and I did my first at-home circuit workout!!

I did each each exercise 4 times for 1 minute with 20 second breaks in between. Some of the breaks ended up being a littttle longer so I could breathe, wipe up my sweat, or get some water! I was dyyyyyyingg by the end of this!

Eww.. It was like a swimming pool of sweat! But as soon as I got done I took the dogs for a mile and a half walk. It was 75 degrees outside and beauuutiful!! Heffy's paws got hurt & it was really sad... but thats besides the point!
Tuesday's bootcamp was a killer!

I started with board 3 and ended with 2. OUCH! One and a half rep push-ups are NOT my friend. I have a hard time with "proper" pushups the way it is with my left wrist. Steph posted a video for us to watch of pushups... and I have been practicing them that way at home, but my wrist is SOOOOO sore. She told me to just keep working with it. It hurts like a bitch.. but I will get it! Tuesday killed me! I completed the first two stations within the time period, but I only made it through number three on the last board. I was ticked at myself.. but I knew it was unrealistic. So I did the remaining three exercises when I got home=)
Wednesday at small group was very different than the past ones!! We did a little mini circuit outside with elevated tire pushups, tire jumps, wood chops w med ball, jumping jacks?!?.. maybe. yeah. That was after a rope ladder warmup!

I've NEVER felt so uncoordinated in my life. This was very humbling!
So.. I must not forget, it was HOT outside on Wednesday. Around 75 again. We stayed outside the whole time! We did sprints up and down the yard pulling a tire behind us, speed walked/ran with buckets filled with water in each hand up and down the yard. Did barbell walking lunges, deadlifts, hamstring lower back things on the roman chair (I finally figured out what it is called!)

Yes.. those kill my lower back! I need one of these!! 

Then we attempted pullups on a bar connected to Steph's house! It was really high so Holly had to lift me! We did assisted ones pushing our feet into each other's hands. Those were good. But I still can't do a normal one. At the end of the session the girls were talking about the Twilight 12k that was happening on Friday. Joelle signed up with Tiera to walk it, but got hurt. Tiera asked me if I would want to take her spot if she was okay with it and I REALLY wanted to say no.. but I said maybe and she said she would message me the next day after she talked to Joelle. 

The next day I got a message saying Joelle said I could take her spot and that Tiera would pick up my bib and shirt for me when she went to get hers. YIKES!!! I was scared! I've NEVER ran a race.. not even a 5k. I mean, I have run that far for fun.. but I never even ran 7.46 miles for fun! So I had bootcamp Thursday still.....

It was good! I went home and made some spaghetti with grass fed beef so I could get some extra carbs and prepare for this race that I agreed to....

Friday I was wishing all day that I could just switch to the 6k and I kept looking at the route that I was going to run that night. 

Everyone at work thought I was absolutely insane when I told them I was doing a 12k that night and they were making fun of me all day. Whatever. They are lame.! =P

So I left work early and got to come home and talk to MaKayla (<3). I planned on napping, but seeing my little mama was much better! I ate a little bit of spaghetti and a pb&j on ezekiel bread at about 5pm and then I left! I was meeting Tiera at Skinny Raven around 6pm so she could give me my bib and shirt! 

We stood around and talked forever and found some other Figarelle's Fitness people! Tiera and I started the race together, but I lost her by the first turn! I felt AMAZING!!! I walked a few hills, but I was absolutely shocked that I just kept going. Running really is mind over matter! My knees started to ache a little around six miles, but I just kept telling myself that the slower I went the longer they were going to hurt!! I only saw mile markers 2 and 5 and I didn't wear a watch, so I was absolutely clueless how far I was and how long I had been running. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoyed myself the whole way. There was a very large hill towards the end.. like, after the 7 mile mark (according to the above map) and I wanted to walk SOOO bad.. but in the opposite lane it said "Remember Boston" and "Alaska loves Boston". Talk about motivation to push through the last little bit!!! 

I am SOOO glad I did this run. There were people outside their homes the whole way cheering us on and it was just an amazing experience!! My finishing time was 01:15:03!!!!!!!!!!  WOAH! I was very very impressed with this! My pace time was 10:04 a mile! The whole way.... I didn't even know that was close to being possible =P 

The gun time is a little longer cause we started in the middle.. but the chip time is my official result that was shown at the end of the race! It sucks that it doesn't say my name.. but that's okay!! 

There I am finishing!! With Denise right ahead of me!! Wooohooo! 

I'm not paying $10 for this picture so this is as good as it gets;)

But I'm happy. HUGE proud moment!! 

I stopped at Walmart on the way home to get some epsom salt and I took a niceeee warm bath when I got home!! My knees and my shins are slightly sore, but that is amazing compared to my shin splints after running less than a mile that I was dealing with a few months ago!! 

So Saturday morning I went to bootcamp. haha. yikes!! We did a lot of legs in the warmup even though Steph told me we wouldn't do legs before she left on Friday night! =P

And we did stair runs for five minutes in the beginning. 

Someone got the rotation off so right before Barbell Push Press I had to do THIRTY one and a half rep pushups! OUCH!!! 

After bootcamp I had some much needed rest and relaxation time!!! 

I did the same today.. only I cleaned and went grocery shopping and did laundry and all of that good stuff!! So I jumped on my pull-up bar today, also! I was just going to do some negative pull-ups.. or jump up and hang as long as I could. BUT I jumped up and decided to try to pull myself all the way up above the bar AND IT HAPPENED!!!!! I went to a dead hang and tried to get myself up again, but I could only get about half way. EXCITING!!!! I can't stop trying now!! haha. I need to start practicing other grips too, though! 

I have so many happy positive thoughts this week!! I started a photo-a-day challenge for my last month in Alaska and number one is "goal". So my goal is to run at least 23 miles this month since I am turning 23! I wish the twilight 12k counted.. but it was a day too early ;) I will get it though! I completely plan on exceeding 23.. but it is a fun goal and a good meaning!!! 

=) I love fitness. I love my life. I love progress. <3

Be proud, but never satisfied.

Woah! It has been a long week =) I have officially added a Thursday night boot camp into my weekly schedule!! So I will keep this short and to the point.... I think =P

Tuesday: 

It was my first boot camp without Steph or Lela there! Charlene took care of business and this workout kickeeeeed my arse! My hamstrings were burnnnning until Saturday!! 

Wednesday:

We did negative pullups, running on incline, barbell squats (SCARY!), laying face down hamstring curls on the bench, deadlifts, anddddd I don't remember the last one. shit! Rows maybe =/ I wasn't nearly as sore as the first small group. Sadly! I think that's the most intense muscle soreness I have felt in my whole life. But I want to top it! =P

Thursday:

I LOVED Thursday bootcamp! I'm so glad I added this one in =P 

Saturday:

Michelle came, so I was distracted and forgot to take a picture!! Boo! But as soon as I remembered that I forgot I tried to make a note of what we did =P 

It might not be in the right order and I might have missed something.. but here it is!

And this is my new meal obsession!

White corn tortillas baked. Chicken with lemon pepper, normal pepper, garlic powder, and goya. Avocado. And cilantro! YUM!! I've eaten this three times in the past week! I love!! 

And here are my developing abs!

Yeah whatever... they are coming! I see them in there!!! I will get it!! 

Oh yeah! Friday I went to get my wedding dress alterations... and it wouldn't even stay up =/ 

The lady told me that it would cost a ton to take it in that much, so she ordered me a whole new dress!!! In a size 2!!! She wanted to get a 0, but it wouldn't have come in on time. And I told her that was way too much pressure anyhow!! Talk about an amazing feeling!! I was nervous and I am going to be cutting it very close and have to pay for rush alterations now... but I was so so happy!! That dress fit like a glove and was even a little rough to sit in when I got it innnn January or February! A size 2!!!! Woohoooooo!!! 

Okay, I'm too tired to think of more. =)

-N.