12.31.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Before I say goodbye to 2011 for good I wanted to take some time to go over the year and highlight some of the things that have happened. Lets reflect one last time before we say goodbye.
January ~ Started the year at work getting yelled at by customers. The gyms were packed the whole month and I tried some awesome meatloaf.
February ~ Was a stressful month because my stepson was in the hospital and even when I was at the gym my heart was not in it. On a positive note I cleared some negative people out of my life and added some more positive people into my circle.
March ~ I knocked an item off my bucket list and went to the Arnold Sports Festival. I was introduced to some amazing people who are into the same things I am and it was such an awesome experience. While I was there I also bought my amazing cooler from Six Pack Bags..I love those people!
April ~ Spring cleaning.need I say more? I also found out that my gym opens at 4am.AMAZING! That is so freaking helpful to me and my wacky schedule. I also starting posting with the ladies of Fitness Blog World. It’s a great way to talk about a topic with other ladies who are also into fitness.
May ~ This is my birthday month.another year older and sexier 
. I made my bucket list public. This was also the month of Fitbloggin’11 and I got to meet some great bloggers who are into the same things that I am.blogging and fitness. I posted a video to become a Fitfluential Ambassador but that did not turn out in my favor..oh well, it was not the right time for me.
June ~ I had my first posing class and it’s hard work.who would have thought there is so much to it. It was great fun and I put myself out of my comfort zone to do it. I also started a Facebook page for my blog and moved my blog from blogger to WordPress.
July ~ I started the month out by taking my daughter and her friend into the city to see fireworks.bad idea. On the train back home someone threw a bottle at my head as they left the train.soooo not cool! I also purchased my second Six Pack Cooler (I had to have both sizes). I also got a bit of a blog makeover that I love!
August ~ After much drama I went to my friends wedding and I had a good time. We should be making the trip the the Arnold in 2012 together.it should be fun.
I also found out that I would need surgery on my foot so that put all training on the back burner. I also had to make room in the house for my stepson to move back in with us. During all this time we also were hit by Hurricane Irene and lost power in our house for the first time EVER! We managed ok though. We were without power for 3 days.
September ~ I decided to go back to school. I had my foot surgery and at the end of the month we bought a 1964 Chevy Nova.sexy car!
October ~ Was a horrible month filled with many hospital visits. My stepson ended up in the hospital early October and they still don’t know what caused it or if he will ever get better. He is no longer in the hospital but he is not his “normal” self..
I did get a chance to see the Yorton competition.the one I was hoping I would have been in.the timing was not right for me this year.
I also had a major change at work and got a new position..this means weekends and holidays off work and less stress!!! We also got rid of Betty Boop (my jeep) and got a new car: Pretty hu? She still does not have a name.any ideas?
November ~ Not much happened this month. I started my new position at work and was dealing with my stepson and all the hospital issues.
December ~ We paid out house off.completely! No more mortgage payment for us!!!! I also got to practice driving a stick shift. My husband is my support for my goals on my fitness journey and I told him I will need to rely on his a lot and he is super cool with it.
I’m ready for 2012.are you?
Posted in: Uncategorized
Here is some inspiration for us both.I love these pins that I found on Pinterest.
Can I just say that I want her ass..that’s the way I want my butt to look!
Did this motivate you as much as it did me?
12.30.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
An amazing juice beverage that my family was recently introduced to is the new Trop50. To be honest I am a very picky drinker and all I really have is water but its good to switch things up a little bit. When I showed my husband the new Trop50 he was reluctant to give it a try.any product that sayd 50% “less” is a No..No in his vocabulary. I finally got him to cave in and here are the results of our testing:
~ There was no pulp in the orange juice beverage but it tasted like it had pulp.It was a good thing for me because I hate the texture of juice with pulp.makes me sick but the flavor is great! It has a great “pulp is here” taste without the nasty pulp texture (I told you I am a picky drinker).
~ One other think I don’t like about regular orange juice is that I can only drink a little but because its so thick and coats my throat too much and all I want is some water to wash it down. This does not have that “overpowering taste” that makes you want to stop drinking it after a few sips.
~ Hubby thinks its great also.he actually said to me yesterday that is is going to add this to out grocery list going forward.not bad for a product he did not even want to try.
The major key points that you need to be made aware of is that this is 50% less sugar and calories and no artificial flavors.
I love any products that are healthy alternatives to what we already buy and to find something that the family likes is a WIN for everyone involved.
Go like Trop50 on Facebook and click on the “True Resolutions for a coupon off on your purchase of Trop50 and you will be entered for a chance to win $1,000 gift card.
If you have already tried Trop50 let me know if this is a “keeper” on your grocery list also.
12.27.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
I got a reality check this year…it’s something I knew about in the back of my mind but never really gave it the attention I should have and now I am not sure how to handle it. Here is my issue….
I let my daughter control my weight. I don’t mean to let it happen like that but it does. I am not sure how to get the control back over this situation. My daughter is a major stress point for me and when I am worried about her or if we are going through a situation together I eat without paying attention to what I am doing. This mindless eating is causing a lot of problems with me weight again. I lost a lot of weight but since my surgery and since the start of her freshman year of high school I have noticed my eating is getting a bit out of control and my workouts seem to be less and less.
If you follow me on twitter you may have noticed some of the topics I have talked about and the stress she has put on me this year. I have had her call the police on me and she has talked to social services and I had over 5 cops cars called to my house. This is not doing much for my sanity and has my stress levels going through the roof. I am at my limit and not sure how much more I can take.
The worst part is that with the stress she is causing me and my lack of taking care of myself I just feel awful all the time. I am going to go home and have a talk with my husband about this tonight. I know that he is aware of my habits when I am stressed out and I am sure that together we can come up with a plan of attack.My husband and I are a great team and he knows what my goals are and will help me and support me any way that I need him to…it’s time for me to sit down and tell him exactly how I need him to support me so that he knows what I need from him.
How do you get support when you need it most?
12.26.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
How was your Christmas? I have been checking out blogs today and looks like it was a lot of family time and food 
.
My Christmas was wonderful. We celebrate on Christmas Eve and yesterday my grandson came over so it was good family time.
If you want to know what Santa brought me for being a good girl here is what I can remember..lol
Oh, I got a net for the trunk of my new car and a computer case so I can take my laptop to work with me..told ya I was a good girl this year!
I had off work today so this will be a short week for me and this will also be the last week of working until 9pm!
12.25.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Enjoy your friends and family and truly understand what the holidays are all about. Love yourself and reflect on how grateful you are in life. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
12.23.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Look even Santa needs to stay in shape. There is no way I could do his job once a year without keeping in tip top shape. Take a cue from Santa this year and burn off all those holiday cookies.
When I was little we would leave Santa pepperoni and sausage sub because he wrote us a note to tell us that he did not like sugar. 
It was his one treat a year.from us. He told us that he gave the cookies to the reindeer.
Hey, we were kids and we believe what Santa would tell us.he had no reason to lie.
Are you going to take some pointers from Santa and get your sweat on???? I am.
12.22.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
I’m so excited that this week is almost over! I’m so looking forward to spending a quiet 3 days at home and also getting my hair done. I normally get it done every 4-5 weeks and this time its been about 10 weeks.I am in need of some major hair care! Between training for the new position at work and trying to get settled in getting a time with my hairdresser was impossible. I get to see her on Saturday so it will be like an early Xmas gift.
Yesterday was our “Team Christmas” party and they did a gift exchange. I did not take part in it and I’m glad I declined..there was gift drama because of of the secret Santa gifts did not show up as expected. This is why I stay away from the whole “birthday/holiday” drama. I went through the hurt feelings over my birthday celebration years ago and I swore that I would not let that happen to me again.
Here is a Holiday MEME for your entertainment:
What’s your favorite holiday song? Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby
What is your favorite holiday movie? A Christmas Story (really? is there any other?)
What is your favorite holiday tradition? Something I have done since I was a little girl was celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. As a child my parents would have us go to sleep and wake us up as soon as Santa would leave. This would be around 2am and we would see what Santa left for us and played with a few items and went back to bed. When I started to share Christmas with my husband we did the same thing..with stepkids and split families it worked best for everyone for us to continue the tradition. This year will be the same thing. My husband cooks his version of stew (it’s out of this world) and them Christmas is just a day for us to relax and enjoy each other.
Do you stay in your PJs or dress up for Christmas? PJs all day!
Have you ever built a gingerbread house? No.I should add that to my bucket list.
Do you like your presents to be a surprise, or do you ask for hints and try to peek at them? I don’t peak.however, it never fails.my husband always ends up giving me at least one gift early..this year it has been 2.my Victoria Secret gift card and the new Amy Winehouse CD.
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? None.I’m a picky drinker.
Do you hang mistletoe? No, we have a whole mistletoe tree in our backyard. I will have to get a picture of that this week to show you.
12.19.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Boo! I forgot to charge my iPod and it was dead this morning when I left for my workout. I thought it would make my workout a torture to get through but it was not that bad really. Today was shoulders for me and I came home after my workout and fixed my cooler for the day and even cleaned out the fridge!
I am on the ball today! I was able to get a nice shower with my new/old Victoria Secret scent Passionate Kisses. When I happened to stop in the store yesterday I noticed they had it back on the shelf. This has been gone since 1997-ish, I was able to get it during the semi-annual sales but then it was removed from there about a year ago..sad times. When I came home yesterday and told my husband they have it back on the shelf he decided to give my one of my presents early.a gift card for Victoria Secret and guess what else???? HUGE sale on the body stuff.I got 10 items for $40!!!
Ok, I have to run off to work now.catch ya later!
12.13.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
It’s a simple equation really..me + trainer = one program..one set of rules to follow. So, why is it so hard to do that? I have given some things a lot of thought as far as what direction I need to move in and how to get to my goals for next year. Based on where my weight is right now it looks like competition will be later than I hoped for. I have a few other mini goals and I have a weight in mind of where I want to be by the time the Arnold Sports Festival rolls around in March. It’s nothing crazy and I can meet my goal with consistency.
What I mean by that is simple.I have one plan and there is no way that I will know if that one plan works unless I have complete faith and commitment to that one plan. I keep track of my meals and workouts on a private blog. I take pictures of my meals because keeping track in a journal is just not going to happen with me. Taking a picture from my phone and sending it to my blog is super easy. I keep track of my workouts from my phone while I am doing them so it’s easy enough to copy and paste that info in my blog. I share my blog updates with my trainer by doing a simple “copy and paste” into an email to him.simple hu?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don’t share my foods all the time because I do not think sharing my plans with you will help you reach your personal goals are different from what your goals may be.
How do you keep track of your food and exercise?
Do you have the same fears of being judged for the foods you eat?
Oh, one other thing.what are your favorite cell phone health/fitness apps? I want to compile a list.
12.12.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
When Protica contacted me to review their product I had no idea this would soon become an addiction for my husband. I received a package of goodies and for once my husband actually looked interested in what was sent to me. He promptly took out 3 different flavors of Isometric to try. I was shocked after the first 2 days he was asking me if I had more. He has tried just about every flavor and even if it’s a flavor he does not like he will still drink the whole thing. The good news about the shots are they go down so easy.and keeps my energy for a few hours and keeps me satisfied. That is one of my major issues with meal replacements is that they will only keep me satisfied for a very short time.not these. I was good until my next meal (3 hours later) and was not starving when it was time to eat again.
Would I recommend them.YES! Would I keep a stock of this at my house…YOU BET! It gets the husband seal of approval and that is not an easy feat. And.even when he does approve of something he ends of saying “no” once he gets a look at the price.his opinion is a WIN.WIN!
I also have a special surprise for you.if you hop on over to their site now you can get 25% off until the end of the year when you use the code “holiday”.what are you waiting for..its a great deal and a good way to make sure you are not caught without a meal.it’s easy enough to keep in your desk at work, in your purse or gym bag.
Once you get it and try it make sure to take some time to let me know what you think.
The following information comes straight from Protica:
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. (www.protica.com) is a research-based nutraceutical firm headquartered in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. Protica is the first company to develop and market a compact liquid protein product in a ready-to-drink format. Their first product, trademarked Profect®, was initially produced in a 1,000 square foot facility in Conshohocken, PA. In 2006, Protica moved into a larger, 23,000 square foot property, which allowed the company to expand its manufacturing to include private labeled products for other companies. In 2008, Protica purchased a 13 acre dairy plant campus with 250,000 square feet of production and warehousing in Whitehall, PA. The former dairy plant is home to Protica’s manufacturing, logistics, research and development activities, where more than 100 different products are produced.
Some of Protica’s brands are: Profect® ready-to-drink liquid protein beverage; Proasis® all-natural liquid protein beverage; Pediagro® ready-to-drink children’s meal replacement drink; IsoMetric® ready-to-drink adult meal replacement drink; FruiTasia™ ready-to-drink fruit and vegetable drink; ProteinGems™ protein-based gelatin treat; ProteinTwist™ protein candy.
Follow them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/protica & Twitter http://www.twitter.com/protica
Posted in: Uncategorized
I had a pretty good weekend. I went to an open house for girls who competed and belong to the same group for posing practice. I had my first posing lesson over the summer and I felt great after. I decided to go to the open house to meet some other girls in the area. I was a little worried that I would not fit in or that I would be looked at like an outcast but that was not the case. I felt great that I went and I opened myself up to a new experience. I have done a lot of things this year that I never would have attempted in the past.
I have some great things to look forward to next year and I have such a great support system both here in Maryland and away from here.
Out of respect for my early morning workouts (5am) I felt that I had to choose this next song.I know its not a “workout” song but work with me here ok…
Happy Monday and have a Kick Ass week!
12.11.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Here are some of my favorites from Pinterest this week.
and just because its funny and soooo true!
12.6.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
With my finals this week I am so busy! I am grateful for Jackie this week to keep you entertained and informed at the same time. I hope you have a moment to check out her website and show her some Bare It All Fitness love. I will leave you in her hands and get back to my finals.
Welcome Jackie!
By: Jackie Clark
Cancer is a condition that many people are living with. Breast, prostate, colon, skin and bladder cancer are some of the most common forms of cancer. Mesothelioma is less common, but the number of people who are being diagnosed with it is increasing. The mesothelioma life expectancy is only about eighteen months, but the prognosis depends on the patient. Doctors and other medical workers are actively researching to find ways to increase the survival rate of mesothelioma patients. Cancer is one of the most frustrating illnesses that a person can have, but fortunately exercise can help a person cope with it better.
When a person is going through chemotherapy, exercise is usually the last thing on his or her mind. However, health care experts are encouraging people with cancer to exercise on a regular basis. Many people prefer to workout on their own, but cancer patients would benefit from working with a personal trainer.
Personal trainers are professionals who specialize in designing exercise program. These people are required to complete training and pass a certificating exam before they are allowed to practice. They are also knowledgeable in the area of nutrition. Personal trainers can help improve the quality of life of cancer patients. Studies have shown that cancer patients who exercise have a greater chance of survival than those who do not.
Cancer can also take a toll on a person emotionally. Cancer patients often have feelings of anger, hurt and depression. Exercising with a personal trainer can help patients improve their well-being. Exercise helps increase the body’s production of hormones called endorphins. Many people refer to endorphins as the feel good hormones because they help calm the body. Additionally, many cancer patients are also self-conscious about the way that their bodies look. Working out with a personal trainer can help improve a person’s body image.
Cancer is a condition that no one can fully understand unless they are faced with it. It is an illness that can reduce people’s quality of life and make them feel bad about themselves. Fortunately, working out with a personal trainer can make it easier for cancer patients to cope with this devastating illness.
12.5.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
This week I wanted to share one of my favorite songs by Amy Winehouse because her new CD is out tomorrow! It’s hard to choose just one of her songs. I have her other CD’s and if you don’t know who she is or have only heard Rehab do yourself a favor and listen to a few other songs by her.
There were so many good songs.hard to choose but this one is a classic.love it!
12.4.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
How do you keep on track through the holidays with regards to your nutrition and exercise?
What tips can you share or what are some strategies you employ?
Perhaps you have a healthy holiday recipe to share also!
I like to spend the holidays with family (my husband) and we tend to stay in a lot. I don’t have too many temptations except for my one holiday treat.
Yes, this is my one downfall over the holiday season. I do have a box and I limit it to that. I mean tell me this does not look yummy!
Ok, back to my real focus on this topic. Even though I do not go out during the holidays I do have some tips from before I became such a boring adult.
To help avoid work potlucks let me tell you a little story about what happened to me.I found hair in rice that somebody made…NEVER AGAIN! I will participate and bring something healthy that I know I will eat. I also make sure to not plan my day around eating at the pot luck.
For Holiday Parties that are catered I may get a small plate of fruit but I leave it at that. One of my downfalls before was waiting all day for the food at the party and would over indulge. It was not a good look at the party. You are there to enjoy yourself, maybe dance a little and socialize with friends or co-workers. Also, stay away or limit your alcohol consumption because you don’t want to be the one people talk about for years to come. It’s also a lot of unnecessary empty calories. With this day in age with cell phones you need to be more careful too because your picture will be plastered all over Facebook and the internet before you even have time to sober up.
~ Make sure that you are eating 5-6 small meals in a day.
~ Don’t go to a party hungry.
~ If you do drink don’t do it on an empty stomach.
~ Get enough sleep through the holidays.
~ Stay active through the holiday season. Even if you can only workout at home. Watch Fit TV or workout with Fitness DVD’s. Dust off your treadmill and get a good workout in.
~ Put your focus on socializing and not eating.
Don’t forget to check out what the other ladies of Fitness Blog World have to say on this topic.
What do you do to survive the holidays?
Are there any tips I am missing?
Share with me some of your favorite healthy holiday recipes..I would like to start a new tradition with my family.
12.3.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Today has been a great day except for that fact that I have done everything today but complete my essay that is due tomorrow evening.boo!
Anyways, I wanted to share with you that I had my first lesson on how to drive a stick shift and my husband and I are still talking.lol. This was an item on my bucket list and even though I need to practice some more with parking and hills I felt pretty confident driving his truck today. I would say that is a plus for me.
I wanted him to get some pictures of me driving but he forgot and I was preoccupied with making sure the truck did not stall out of me that I did not mention it. So, I guess I will officially knock it off my list after a few more times but I was too excited to wait to tell you about it.
Tomorrow is my rest day from the gym.it’s my day to prepare all my meals and get my gym bag together for the new week ahead. I have been looking at figure suits today and have decided no matter what I am going to do a show in the spring. I will have my starting point for my show and get better from there. I have pictures I took today and I can see a little progress from the last time they were taken. I may go to the gym tomorrow for some cardio and sauna time.we will see what happens.it depends of if I get this stupid paper done or not.
Posted in: Uncategorized
It’s the end of the week and who really wants to read a post on the weekends? I will leave you with some of my favorites on Pinterest this week…
12.2.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
Wow, it’s my Friday from work and it’s really Friday! I feel like a real part of the working world.This weekend I will be spending my time getting my final essay together and getting ready for my final due on Wednesday. I hope this weekend will prove to be a productive one. I may even have some time to knock an item off my bucket list and learn how to drive a stick shift..wish me luck with that one.
My gym visits have been productive this week but the number on the scale keeps throwing me off. I need to stay off that damn thing! I spoke to my trainer this week and he told me to leave the scale alone until further notice. I did take measurements and those numbers were positive. I’m keeping a log of what I am eating and how my workouts are going and I have decided that the scale MUST NOT be the only source of telling if I am making progress. This is not new news to me.just something I need to remind myself about,
Anyways, I tried Wasa crispbreads today and I am now hooked! I was not expecting to like them as much as I did. I made one of my favorite tuna meals and had a really good lunch.
In case you want to know what is in my tuna mixture here it is:
1 can tuna
4oz of veggies I had spinach, zucchini, tomatoes and onion (enough to make a total of 4oz)
hot sauce
Mix it all together and I like to serve it cold.
Add on the Wasa crispbreads and you have a great meal!
I had the multi grain for lunch but as you can see there is also whole grain and hearty. I can’t wait to try them all. Check them out on Facebook also.
Dawn
Subscribe Via Email
Archives
