Sunday is supposed to be rest day

So today was supposed to be rest day. Bah...!!! No needed to get out of the house and decided to do a cardio workout. Today I did my workout at Goodlife Fountain Gate. Got there nice and early 8.30- 9 (can't remember exactly what time) and did 20 mins on the stepper and 40mins walking on the treadmill - keeping my heartrate between 118 bpm and 128bpm. Supposed to be that fat burning zone for me so that is what I do. Don't know if it makes much of a difference but will stick at it. 

I actually burned about 400 cals in the workout - forgot to turn my monitor off when I had finished so ended up with over 500cals in total. Not bad seeing my weights workouts and cardio combined don't normally work out to be that much.

So nutrition. Today I had breakfast when I got home. A smoothie. Maxines Vanilla Burn Protein powder, 1 serve super greens, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 2 tablespoons steel cut oats, water. Was really nice. Might have to have that occasionally during the challenge. 

One of my goals for the challenge is to not having any cheat meals - or deviations from the meal plan. I am actually getting a dietitian to write up a proper meal plan for me using the Maxines products. The gorgeous Holly Baxter - whom I did my PT course with and is also won 3 Gold Medal at the World Championships in Dubai in Fitness Model novice and open. She is also an Alpha Cuts and Maxines sponsored Athlete. She is gorgeous. If you don't know who she is look her up on Facebook. Anyway - she is doing a plan for me for my goals - I have only told her my goals thus far. Might tell you all along the Maxines Challenge journey but it is kinda dorky.

Ready to go - Can I do this....???

Firstly. Today. Shoulder day. Did a Massive session. My shoulders, arms and abs are all sore. Yes I probably didn't do too much abs but it is better than the small amount I have been doing. I felt pumped. Ready. 

My workout today was:

Seated shoulder press. SS- seated lateral raises with bent over flies. Alternating front raises with tricep push up (on step). Single arm bent over DB row with unilateral upright rows. 4sets of reverse crunches x 20 . Finished with 20mins stepper and 10 mins steady state.

I have been using Alpha Cuts and just ran out today - can you believe that. I am yet to get my greedy little hands on the Maxines XT Burn which was released this week but all the stores in my area don't have it yet. 

So in saying that - I went out and bought me some Betapump. Whoop whoop. Love this stuff but was dying to try the XT Burn. I guess I might have to alternate on days when I do get my hands on it. Here comes the Blue Tongue Bandit Squad - watch out Danni. LOL. 

So I got myself ready for the next challenge. I have my preworkout. Woot. I have 10 weeks (approx) of Protein powder. The bag at the front of the picture below is nearly a full 1.25kg bag of vanilla from my 2.5kg box. I love the night time. I love making mug cakes with the protein powder. The mug cakes are a lot more filling (for me) than having a shake. Coz it has a cake consistency it fills you right up and you don't feel as hungry when going to bed. Of course, if you do what I do and drink at least one litre of water while watching TV of a night time (or whatever you do) then you shouldn't feel it as much. Of course - haven't been doing that at all lately. I actually am still 69.3kgs. Looks like I will be starting the next challenge on Monday 3rd August at that weight. We will see. Likelihood of me losing weight over the next couple of days are slim but that is okay. I have a good starting point.

4 weeks worth of protein bars. Um - probably not the way I eat them but you know. Better than a proper chocolate bar - right....!!!!! LOL.

Have a good one.

Big Disappointment

No photo today. I did do a workout yesterday but considering I don't think anyone is actually reading this it doesn't really matter. Just putting my words out there I guess.

Big Disappointment....!!! Yes I am.....!!! I have been eating so badly lately that I have put on weight this week. I don't know what is wrong with me. I have no self control. I have been eating lollies. A piece of chocolate here - a piece there. Argh...!!! Weighed myself this morning. 69.3kg. Seriously. Nearly 4kgs since the last Maxines challenge finished. I know in the great scheme of things it isn't that much considering all my clothes etc still fit me fine but disappointing just to myself. I am getting a jelly belly again too. Bring on the next challenge I say. I really need to get back to it and stick with it. I need to be more accountable (again).
That is all.

Monday is leg day for me

First and foremost. OMG what was I thinking with the pursed lips in the right of the picture. Idiot I say....!!!! Seriously girl how stupid do you look. Hmmm anyway....!!!!

Check. Weight today was 68.7kgs. Eeeeekkkkk...!!! I did not want to jump on the scales - better to do today then jump on next Monday the first day of registration for the Maxines Shape up challenge and get a shock. But 3.1kgs is not bad considering the time between the challenge - of course it ain't good either. Suck it up and try and be good this week. Ahhh back to really bad eating habits again. Argh I could kick myself. 

So for me today was Leg day. I did Chest & Triceps on Saturday and Back & Biceps yesterday. Am currently taking/drinking Alpha Cuts - fat burner. Nearly out so will be just in the nick of time for the Challenge to start. Am disappointed that Maxine's haven't got theirs available just yet. I want to try it out so desperately. I will get some Betapump too. Love the Blue Ice. Hmmm that blue tongue mayhem is calling (:P Danni LOL). 

So today I did a few things but not too many things. I wanted to ease back in to it a little today - but here goes.

Today's workout:

Squat to sit - 20 reps x 4 sets

Superset: Good mornings x 20 (15kgs preweighted bar) with walking lunges 12ea leg - 4 sets

Superset: Hack squat with abbuctors x 4 sets. 

Plank for time - 1min 5secs (need to work on that)

finished with 20mins steady state cardio. Told you it was easy. Easing back in to it. Easing back in to it baby. 

Anyway was a good session and my hamstrings are sore so must have been a quality workout. 

What did you all get up to today...???

See you tomorrow. 

Back day back day back day

I am back at the gym after 1 and a bit weeks off. Yesterday I did a massive Chest session and am so sore today. It certainly makes a difference when you aren't doing anything or at least working those pesky muscles in to shape.

So today was Back day for me. 

My workout as follows: 

Wide grip lat pull down 
Close grip seated row 
Superset: DB single arm row, high pull up right row, seated bent over delt raises.
Superset: BB bicep curls with straight arm raises.
Finish with leg raises and underhand chin ups (until failure).

I am a gym selfie junkie. I love taking selfies. I swear sometimes people look at me like I am some kind of idiot but it makes for an interesting session coz I am trying to now get creative with my photos. 

I am sure I will be sore tomorrow. This workout is very similar to the Maxines - 9-12wk workout on the Get Strong Program. Was a good one.

Have a great one. Off to meet up with girlfriends for a shopping afternoon. 

:)

I'm back

Okay it has been a long long long time.

Been busy trying to sort out my life. LOL. From going to the gym every day, getting off track with food, trying to find a job, getting back on track by doing a challenge. Blah blah blah. You get the point. Life got in the way of this blog and I felt like I had nothing to contribute - hence why no posts since the end of 2013. Nearly two years. Wow that is a long time.

Where do I start. Okay well - after the last challenge I participated in the Fitter, Faster, Stronger challenge at Goodlife Fountain Gate. Unfortunately in that time I injured my arm. Partial tear of the Supraspinatus and bicep tendon - as well as Tendonosis of the Bicep (great a degenerative condition - won't get better). Must have been all those pull ups, chest presses, cleans and presses over and over and over again. Very repetitive. Very tiring. No rest and my body just failed on me. By all means it did not make me fail but certainly didn't help with my eating and training.

I decided to do my PT course in 2014 so in that time (injury and all - which was about April/May) I finished my Certificate III and Certificate IV in Personal Training. Yup - I am a qualified personal trainer. Believe me I want to train people in the gym but alas PT's are a dime a dozen so I forgo my PT 'Career' and looked for a normal job in the meantime (after I finished). During this time frame - regardless of the fact that I am somewhat of a role model my weight crept back on. I got back up to nearly 76kgs by Feburary this year (2015). Yikes. Not happy with myself - and yet again I had the feelings of disgust when I looked in the mirror. Not a good feeling and certainly was not proud of myself for letting myself go again.

One of the girls I trained with at the gym suggested that I participate in the Maxines Shape Up Challenge. My thinking was - why not. All I had to do to be eligible for the prizes (if I got there) was to use their product for the period of the challenge. Weren't allowed to use competitors products. Not a problem. So my journey began. See first picture below.

I went from that nearly 76kg woman on the Left to the slimmer woman at 65.6kgs on the right. Woo hoo. My whole goal through the whole challenge was to get Top 50 and hopefully Top 10. I wanted to become a Maxines Ambassador (which is one of the prizes if you are Top 10). Gutted to say the least. I didn't make it there. I didn't even make Top 50. I don't know why. I think I did an amazing job. Blogged every day. Opened an Instagram account. Promoted their products like you would not believe. Nope not enough. I don't know where I went wrong. 

It put so much doubt in my mind. I was very upset. I went home the day I found out I didn't make Top 50 and just cried. I was an emotional mess. I was heartbreaking. I thought I did an amazing job. Is it because I am too muscly. Is it because I don't look like a 'model' to promote their products. I just don't know and I guess I never will. A panel of judges from Amino Active (the company that owns Maxines) are the ones that decided who made Top 50 and then Top 10 out of those 50 and then of course the ultimate winner. 

Don't get me wrong the challenge was awesome and will be doing it again in August when they run it again. I was just disheartened and gutted that my hard work was not recognized I guess. It really put doubt in my mind about how I feel about myself. Am I not good enough. Ahh the depression creeping back in. My sense of self worth lost. I have lost my goal path and don't know what my next step was/is. 

I met some amazing people along my journey on the Challenge and hoping that I can continue to keep those friendships. The gorgeous Danni - Top 10 Finalist. I was rooting for her to win but alas it was not to be for her. I imagine like me she was a little disheartened to get that far and not win but she did an amazing job and she should be proud. 

For me - on this next challenge - I will try harder. Have no cheat meals. Train harder and get to Top 50. I have some goals in the back of my mind already but won't disclose them just yet. I will be blogging on here as well as on the Maxines website as I feel I need all people to view my blogs not just the Maxines partipants. We all have our fitness journey and mine will probably continue. If I don't have a positive frame of mind and a competition and end game I lose focus. I lose those goals that I set out for myself. I will prevail this next challenge. I am determined. 

12 Week Challenge results.

Okay so not liking the before and after photos but I had to do them so here they are. 

4.8kgs lost, 25cms lost and went from 20% body fat down to 15% which was my goal. I didn't quite get down to my goal weight of 65kgs but I was happy with 65.1kgs LOL. I hate my stomach in these photos but I guess I should be proud seeing I have had three kids and three c-sections - my tummy ain't too bad. Still a work in progress and guessing it always will be. I can live with that. I am enjoying my fitness right now. 

Below are some photos from the 12 Week Challenge Gala dinner. Was an awesome night and was even told by one of the female trainers at my gym that I had a smoking bod. Fabulous compliment and was chuffed to hear it. 

 Terri and I before we went in to the dinner.

Terri was nice enough to give me a lift to the dinner. She is also one of the Spartan's

in my training group. 

 Photo that hubby took of me at home. Love this dress.