Shredding time!

Happy 3 years-Here we come 2012 competition season! We got our swagger back & it's shedding time!

It's been awhile..too long. I am back and better than ever. Today is the first official day of deflating my body and pre-prepping for my contest prep that starts nice and early-Jan 30th. I have got my head on straight and my motivation back. I enjoyed my Thanksgiving holiday treats and all. I have a lot to be thankful for this year and always. Top of my thankful list is my husband! Today is actually our three year anniversary of being a couple. Even though we now have a wedding anniversary, it's nice to take a moment and reflect on the early days when we first started. It's been great ever since day one!
This thanksgiving break put me over the edge a bit. Brendan and I decided now is the time to shed some unwanted body fat. I personally have been a miserable beast since returning from my honeymoon. I haven't loved putting on some lbs., even though to some degree they were necessary. I know I can't be low body fat all year long, but this puffy, bloatedness is officially over!! I am going down from here. Being a figure athlete, I know I tend to have a tad bit of body dis morphia and think I am way bigger than I probably look in other peoples eyes. The thing that gets me the most is my confidence has been nonexistent for some time now. I want to feel like a figure athlete and get that look back. Today was the first step in the right direction! Woot Woot! June 23rd here I come. It's hard to think that far in advance but I am ready.

I started day one of pre prep by rising early for my morning cardio session. I wasn't a happy camper to have to get back in the groove of things, but cardio helped wake me up and get my mood turned around. Good ol cardio. Twenty five minutes on the elliptical machine flew by. It was nice to wake up in the mild air-today was in the 60's again. Craziness!
As far as my diet goes, I will be carb cycling from now until two weeks before the end of Jan. when the real prep starts. Today was a low carb day..so far not bad. I think my mental bliss has taken over. Mind over matter right Bren?! We have exactly six cheat meals left before our go time of Jan. 30th. That's nuts-I am so beyond ready for it. I think this contest prep is going to be diff. from last time because we didn't know any better. This time around I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel as far as dieting goes and this time around we are going to come off the diet way better, without any evil influences of binging friends. We are all good this time around. I am hoping the 2012 season is a good one for us both. I have two shows in mind. One June 23rd, then since I am staying lean all summer going to end the season with the Cape show.

Enough contest talk...sorry can't help it. I got my drive back. I am feeling like my old figure self again. Determined, motivated and fierce! We are approaching the holidays...I am getting excited. We put our tree up as we have done the past couple of years the day after Thanksgiving. It looks as lovely as ever. I am most excited to share the holiday with Brendan in our bubble. I have got to get my shop on soon. My wheels have been turning for some ideas...can't wait to wrap up some gifts for under the tree. I am loving seeing the lights on houses already...I think people took advantage of the mild weather and put lights up early. Yay! It's way more festive driving around now. Speaking of festive...are you loving my new background!? Bring on Christmas!!

I like this a lot....

Up and at it early this morning for my cardio. Everyday that I have gotten up for my cardio session has been easy and time has flown...not today. I am not sure why it is but, I felt like I was there forever. It's all good though- I got it done and that is all that counts.
 The beautiful weather of this past weekend has passed. We have been snapped back to what November should really feel like. I don't mind it. The chilly air makes it feel like the holidays. Can you believe Thanksgiving is Thursday? I know right...where does time go.

I was famished when I got home from my whopping 25 minute cardio session-like really hungry. I had wardrobe drama this morning which is never a good way to start the week. I ironed and planned an outfit for today, but I looked like a hot mess. I was bloated, pale and had dark, tired circles-grrr. Not a pretty day that's for sure. I handled it with a last minute change...I opted for a cozy frock like sweater to hide my weekend damage.
I think I am being extra negative and down about my body because its my time of the month. Which means I feel like a stuff sausage  for about 7-10 days. The timing of it sucks too! On the way to the gym Brendan and I talked briefly about prepping for an earlier show in April. very tempting, very very tempting. However, I do think it is best to hold out for our original plan to compete in June, making prep start in Feb. The idea of getting on contest diet in just a few short weeks is delightful, but we have made it this far - we might as well be patient and stick it out. The timing of prep and the show is just right. I don't want to mess with it. We'll have a great summer after. Its crazy to think how much thought and planning go into these contests preps. Its def. not a sport for the weak minded. I prob. should not be involved...doing my best. I swear each off season must get better, at least I am hoping so. As much as I want to throw in the towel with this sport because I am a mental weenie- I can't. I am wired to work for something and challenge myself. With that said I will eventually turn this piss poor attitude around and get my tunnel vision back.

Tomorrow is a new day-clean slate.

Good gym night-we hit hamstrings hard. Still sticking with volume workouts. Monday night is special people night at the gym...and I don't mean special in a good way. I was in one of the state of minds where I was ripping everyone to shreds in my mind, especially the idiot girls with back fat, in sports bras, squatting like a bunch of pansies. Honestly, their form was the worst ever.  They're lucky they didn't hurt themselves. They looked cool though in there PINK yoga pants and sport bras-I guess that's all that matters right...(can you hear my sarcastic tone)

Gotta get my beauty rest...I feel the onset of the sniffles..(wink wink Bren)

Long time, no blog

Been feeling a lot like this guy lately...
I have been Mrs. Hangry Pants lately. (Hangry Pants = hungry pants...but angry about being hungry) Luckily tomorrow is Monday, automatic get back on track physically and mentally focused.
 I looked forward to this weekend all week and it was everything I thought it was going to be. Date night was fabulous, the movie was so great and I was relaxed all weekend UNTIL tonight...typical Sunday blues struck hard. I get so annoyed how crazy I get...I indulged a little more than normal this weekend and of course its mentally  mind fucking me now! I am afraid for the holiday weekend ahead. When I am a mental mess I give up and give in...I can't afford to let that happen. Its a vicious circle and it goes nowhere. I get down and depressed then I say what the heck have at the snacks and in the end I am miserable!! I am going to try my best not to let that happen. Hopefully my rock of a husband can help me. After this week, I am starting a hardcore cut until Dec. 10th, then again until Xmas. I don't have too much time left until I start my real prep and cut, I just got to get through the holidays ...and enjoy them too (that's the hard part).
Anyway, tomorrow is a new day! Clean clean clean until Thurs- turkey day!  I have also been crazy cravy too because I am nearing my time of the month. Who knows when exactly, but its def. soon. I can feel my mental and physical state shift..I know my body and mind. I become short fused, emotional and super cravy. The past few days I have been all of the above!

I got some flashy new kicks this weekend...they weren't exactly planned, I had to get rid of the transformer sneakers that were putting my feet to sleep. They are fabulous. Maybe a picture in the near future.

Breaking Dawn gets two thumbs up-so good! A little slow at parts, but gotta love a vampire love story!

Flatbreads-delicious as always. We got Gregory's after, but they were out of moose tracks yogurt- wicked bummer. We ended up getting Oreo yog. instead..still good.

I had a massage on Thurs night- it was different from Ivonne's, still good, but diff. I actually have an Ivonne massage on Friday. I must say my neck pains have lessened. Bren was showing me some stretches Saturday at the gym that were good. I should really get into a better stretching habit. Maybe a new years resolution...hmm

Speaking of holidays- I got some xmas shopping done today.Nothing crazy, and its not that cool that Brendan knows three of his gifts..but oh well.  Its tough to buy clothes for him...our off season bodies are so diff.
This week good stuff:
Turkey day, Christmas tree goes up Friday, days off from school & time with my Budbud - Can't wait. The only naggy thing is report cards-grrrr!!!
I promise to have some good positive thoughts for the week-starting tomorrow!
Peace out!

Tunnel Vision

Finally it's Wednesday!
Today was rainy day here in the Northeast. It doesn't make for a high energy type of day. Despite the dreariness, I got it done! I woke up early for my morning cardio and banged out 25 min. of mindless elliptical. My hamstrings are still sore believe it or not.
After I got my sweat on, I rushed home to shower and eat. I love my breakfast moments...I eat and read blogs before heading off to the craziness of school. I absolutely love reading blogs. The ones I choose to follow are full of  crazy thoughts that I can relate to, good recipes and some thought provoking material to ponder.
Today I read about a fitness competitor's  journey toward her first show and what first inspired her to compete. I thought about my own personal decision to compete. I am a naturally competitive person who enjoys pushing myself to the max. I have been active all my life playing team sports, doing Tae Kwon Do and skiing.It seemed like an easy choice. It also brought new purpose to my gym sessions. I mean , I am thirty now, so I am not playing team sports anymore, although I miss it greatly.
Choosing to compete in figure changed my life and I love everything about it. It makes me feel strong and confident. After enduring the crazy prep, I feel like I can accomplish anything! I probably wouldn't enjoy it half as much if I didn't go through this journey with my husband. We train together everyday. Without getting all mushy, he is my rock, he keeps me sane during prep and now during the off season. Best of all  he comforts me when I am having one of my mental days and he pulls me back to my tunnel vision.

Leg Day today..remember volume training

• Smith squats 3x (Heavy)
• Leg Press 3x
• Super set lying legs curls with extensions 2x
• Super set hip abduction with walking lunges 1x
• Seated Calf raises
• Lower back extension super set with side bends

We were supposed end with Hacks but both machines were occupied..kinda annoying but at that point our legs were pretty crushed. I am hoping to hurt tomorrow!

I am in search of some new workout pants. It's tough to find a pair that's just right. I am not loving tight pants these days...not with these full thighs and bubble butt. I had to stop at Walmart before school, while I was there I picked up some ghetto sweats that have the Bruins logo written down the side. They were actually just the fit I was looking for. Not bad for $12.99 clearance! I wish they had more. I had to make my shopping snappy, I didn't want to be caught by any students or teachers. It would have been majorly embarrassing if kids saw Mrs. Walsh clothes shopping in Walmart!

We are one day closer to the weekend-thank goodness!!This week is going by super slow! I can't wait for:

For my final note of the evening...

Tunnel Vision-Februaly is right around the corner!

Train hard for the next ten weeks

My motiviation



Show me what you got!

Thank goodness for this taste of heaven from Whole Foods...I was feeling a little cravy this evening! Brendan & I mixed ourselves up a little treat!

This week I am really going to have to dig deep. For some reason...well I know the reason, this week is dragging by at a snail's pace!! Time needs to get ticking! I have a very important date night to attend Saturday evening. Not only are we dining at our favorite restaurant...we are also going to see the new Twilight movie- Breaking Dawn. I am super pumped!

Today was a long one...its report card time around school, so that brings a high stress environment. It seems time goes by super slow at work, but at the same time so fast, with so  much to do before Thanksgiving break. I am going to do my very best to minimize my school load over the mini vacation.

Today was an off day-well deserved and much needed. My  hamstrings are still tight as rubber band! Tomorrow we are switching it up and going to try volume workouts for a month or so. Big lifting day-my favorite-LEGS!
I was extra hungry today, not sure if I wanted to eat out of pure emotion or if I was actually hungry, hungry??

Whatever the reason, I am glad to put this day to rest.

Manic Monday

One day down, four more to go! Despite my WJS (wack job syndrome-my self proclaimed craziness, I often refer to in my daily life) being out of control last night, I ended up sleeping like a rock. I could have slept forever last night.

At the first sound of my alarm, I was up and at it, ready to bang out my morning cardio. I had no plan for my morning session aside from just getting it done. My hamstrings were still really sore from my leg workout, so I def. wasn't going to attempt running. I ended up going with the the stariclimber. This sucker=major calorie burning. The time went by super quick. I was eyeball deep in reading Women's Health. Personally, I think this magazine is full of garbage. I used to be a big fan before I learned better. It is my opinion that most magazines on stands are just that-trash, pages full of advertisements and false solutions for healthy living. Editors should try writing the truth-THERE IS NO QUICK FIX OR PILL! It takes hard work and commitment and a dedication to oneself. My only go to magazines are Oxygen (as of lately it's gotten a little fluffy with its material) and HERS muscle and fitness (good stuff). These two magazines are full of real information and real woman role models. All of the ladies featured in these magazines are the perfect image of what a healthy woman should look like. These woman have bodies that are strong and muscular not frail as a rail, stick thin, sickly looking bodies.

My actual work day wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it def. was a long one. I had meeting first thing in the morning, so that made the day seem kind of long.er than usual. On Mondays I tutor right after school, so there is no time to for any dilly dallying. This is only my second week tutoring. I thought I was going to hate it, but it's actually not too bad. Plus it's fifty dollars added to our house fund. I put it right in the ATM on my way home.

 When I got home, I had my pre workout- 3 hard boiled eggs on an ezekial English muffin. I look forward to this before I workout. Tonight is one of our late nights at the gym. I am not a huge fan of going late, but it is what it is. We lifted back and shoulders. I am really hoping to build up my back and shoulders more with the remaining months of this off season. Fingers crossed! Tomorrow is a hard earned off day. I love a good rest day. I will use my extra time to do some school work and planning. I also will be making a delicious turkey  meatloaf! A hearty warm your belly type meal, that is packed with clean goodness. This is a perfect meal for a fall day- although, lately it's been very warm. I am not complaining. I am hoping by  Thanksgiving time, it gets a little cooler, so that it feels like the holidays. I can't believe it is next week. After that...the holiday madness begins! I am looking forward to my first Christmas with Brendan as husband and wife!

Sunday Blues

I had my first fail as a blogger. I promised a double dose and I didn't deliver. My apologies. I'll give you a quick recap of my Saturday. I got up and out early for my morning cardio session. I  mixed it up with steady state and sprints for a whopping 20 minutes. I didn't want to do too much because I had to  make up my leg workout from yesterday. Legs are my all time favorite body part to train. This workout leaves me crushed immediately upon finishing-I love that feeling.
 I rushed home and shoveled in my oats and eggs. I hate rushing my morning meal more than anything. It is my favorite meal of the day. Today was an exception, I had to get to my facial appointment for nine. I was in desperate need of some pore cleaning. I am now fresh and free of clogged pores! Of course I was suckered into buying some products while I was there, but at least they were 30% off this month. I bought a pumpkin facial scrub and some cleaning pads to wipe my face after the gym. I am a true sucker! However, I am pleased with my purchases. I haven't used the scrub yet, but it smells amazing. Plus, I love anything pumpkin. I used the facial pads for the first time after today's sweaty gym session. I liked the way they left my skin feeling fresh. I firmly stand behind the belief that you are given one body and you should maintain and take care of it to the best of your ability. With this thought in mind, I already scheduled a facial for the month of December. Maybe I am just using it as an excuse to pamper myself....
Anyway, after my facial I came home to a nice clean apartment. About once a month or every six weeks we have our cleaning lady Sandra come in and do her thing. I love coming home to the fresh scent of cleaning solution! I love to clean myself, but everyone once in while its a nice treat not to have to do it. When Brendan got home we headed off to the gym to lift hamstrings. Its a quick hitter of a workout, but it leaves your legs shaking.
Saturday night is date night for the Walshs. We were both having some wardrobe drama before leaving. He and I have are having a tough time with our off season bodies. Like I said previously in my blog, its very much day to day with the mental aspect of this sport. This day was a bad day for both of us. We are at our wits end with our muscle incubating and are dieing to shed our top layer. Both of us had our own little hissy fits but pushed on with our night reassuring each other that Feb. is just around the corner and soon enough we will be shedding our layer. Once we were out of the house and on our way we were all good. We did a little shopping, mostly window shopping at the Burlington Mall then headed over to our all time favorite restaurant Flatbreads. To our disappointment they already changed the taps over to the winter lagers so we missed out on the pumpkin beer, but were fortunate enough to have a glass of Sea Dog. Delicious. I look forward to a beer and pizza on these nights. We got the usual goat cheese salad, and roasted red pepper and mushroom pizza. Brendan got an additional small pizza with some organic pepperoni. I had a taste. I am not a big fan of meats on my pizza, but it wasn't bad. I love our date nights. The conversation flows from topic to topic and we chat about things that are coming up. We always, no matter what, end up talking about contest prep. and food. I love our crazy heads! We followed up or delicious dinner with an ice cream treat from Gregory's in Reading. It was our lucky night-we got it for free too! I ordered Brendan's regular fav. moose tracks yogurt. I am a big fan now too. Usually I order oreo cookie frozen yogurt, but they were all out. I was pleasantly satisfied with my new flavor choice. Is it bad that I am already looking forward to next weekend's date night?! And yes, it will be Flatbreads again!  We came home and headed to bed early to get a good nights rest after a long week.
Now for today-I wake up and almost immediately get a case of the Sunday blues. I can't help it...I wish I could. Sundays are probably my least favorite day of the week. The only good thing about this day is it is the only morning we get to wake up together. Other than that...it sucks. Today like every Sunday was spent running around getting things ready for the week: grocery shopping, food prep, laundry and school work. Lucky for me I have the most amazing husbad who takes care of food prep and laundry-he's the best! I stress over school work and planning. Tonight was rough. My school anxieties were so intense..I even got teary eyed. blah! I really wish I loved teaching. In all honesty I do not. I like the idea of the career, but the fact that you can't leave the job at school and there is always take home work sucks. I think I would like it a whole lot more if I didn't have any take home. In a perfect world Brendan and I would be gym owners doing our fitness thing for a living. That would be awesome. It's his reality, not quite mine, although I wish it was! Aside from the usual Sunday errands we took a ride up to North Andover to look at a house we have been eyeing online. To our dismay it wasn't as nice looking as it was online. It was cute, but small and we didn't love the location. It was fun to take the drive and check it out. We visited a new Whole Foods...nice, but Woburn takes the cake. Of course we went there too! Brendan got his normal pizza slices after we scoped up the sample selection, which wasn't big. We did have some good samples in Andover though so we weren't deprived of Sample Sunday delights. Before we left, we satisfied our Latte craving then headed home to get busy. That brings me to the current time, we are watching the game...Brendan is a bit disgusted. Not such a great game!
It's the start of a new week....One more week closer to shredded! It's pathetic, but at this point I am just checking off these days and considering myself one day closer to prep time. I'll probably be singing a different tune come six weeks into the diet...but for now I am longing for the days of baggy clothes, popping veins and the sight of abs!
This week I am keeping a strong focus on pushing myself hard with the weights, doing my thing with the cardio and keeping my mouth free of any "extras."
Still working on pimping my blog and becoming the real deal as a blogger!

Things I am looking forward to this week-nothing too exciting.

• Putting $50 into our house fund tomorrow after tutoring
• Making meatloaf Tues. (Sounds old ladyish...but its super good!)
• Massage on Thurs. (Thanks Bren)
• Special Date night Saturday night

Keep it real...

Double Dose

Happy weekend! I didn't have a chance to post my fun Friday happenings yesterday, so most likely if I can swing it later I am going to be posting twice today! I really am taking this blog world by storm two posts in one day as a virgin blogger-I am  awesome!

Yesterday was fabulous. I got right up for my morning cardio session. It seems as though my internal alarm clock sounds even when there is no school. To my surprise there was a decent crowd at the gym. It didn't bother me, but I much prefer my morning cardio with as little people as possible. I roll in looking like hell in handbag and just do my thing. I am loving the fact that I feel absolutely no connection to this new, additional gym membership. I am just using and abusing their cardio equipment. I am not looking to make friends or attempt to get the lay of the land in the weight room. I am purely there for cardio. Heck, I don't even smile when I walk in. Our gym in Stoneham is a different story. We have come to form a bond with this gym. It is our home away from home.  We've made some friends & we get the usual stare down from the usual haters, and we pretty much know every inch of the layout and we count on there being no toilet paper or hand soap  at least two times a week. It is our sanctuary. I took it easy in the cardio department, I only did the eliptical machine (very mindless) because I was planning on a leg workout later in the day-it didn't happen. BUT I am okay with that. I had a wonderful day with my friends. I was "go with the flow."

I met up with my friend JEB and Becca to look at wedding photos. Every time I look at them I can't help but smile and think of how lucky I am to have married my very best friend and love of my life. Our day was perfect-nope I am not even lying. I am one of those lucky brides who get to say not one thing went wrong and I am forever grateful to have an unblemished memory of the best day of my life! We grabbed lunch at a place in my hometown of Haverhill, MA called the Purple Onion. It wasn't bad, nothing to spend too much time writing about though. I had a grilled chicken and spinach salad. I am a beast of an eater, so of course the portion size was minuscule and didn't touch my stomach. Had it been two sizes bigger, I would probably spend more time talking about it-moving on!
Becca had to go to work so JEB and I went to the Ninety Nine to meet up with our other friends, Katie & Maria. This was so random for me, but I am glad I decided to do it. It was nice to catch up. I hadn't seen Maria since our wedding. Katie was throwing together dinner and a fire pit and invited Brendan and I to come back up later in the day. I struggled with this decision in my head, even though I really wanted to go. I have trouble breaking routine- BIG trouble. This flaw is something I am working on. I took a giant step in the right direction because when I got home, I proposed the idea to Brendan and he was down to go! We broke our plans to workout because it would be too much of hassle and we went back up! Kudos to me for being "go with flow." I am so happy we went! I didn't have one regret, I even indulged in some apple crisp-not too much though, I didn't want to get carried away. I can only handle so much randomness in one day! It is important for me to take a step back every now and then and take into perspective  that yes I am serious about my sport, but I do have to maintain my friendships in the process of bettering myself for my hobby.  Just like a loving relationships, friendships need to be constantly maintained as well. I need to remember this when I get caught up in my training.
It brings me to my major blog thought of this post. I was in a really great place mentally yesterday, capitalizing on the idea that I have about twelve weeks of "freedom" to do what I want with my time and eat what I want. I go back and forth with this continuously. Some days I am good with it and carefree and some days are so bad and I am so hard on myself. The days that are good I feel normal the days that are bad I feel like I want to crawl up in hole and never come out! This sport is so mental. I find comfort in reading other blogs about fitness competitors who experience the same mental aerobics as me. I am confident with each competition and off season I will become mentally stronger. There really is no normal for me...or rather, my  normal is eating healthy, being structured and hitting it hard in the gym each session I am there. Lets face it, I am not a fly by the seat of my pants type, I am not a boozer, I am not one to put anything in my mouth that I don't think about first-Its just not me. 

• I am hardcore
• I am structured
• I eat clean ( and love it)
• I go to the gym to TRAIN not "work out"

I own all these ideas & my actions show it!

I am off to TRAIN my legs! Check ya later!

TGIT- Thank goodness it's Thursday!

The weekend has officially arrived and I couldn't be more happy. Like I said yesterday in my post, I have been looking forward to this day off since Nov. 1st! I got to sleep in today since it was a off day from the gym. It was the first time all week I hit snooze-not bad.

I decided to switch it up in the breakfast department. I had my usual 4 egg whites and salsa, but instead of my normal oats I had a sprouted Omega bagel. It was a nice change. However, it doesn't fill me like my oats do. Oats it is tomorrow!
I was lacking motivation in a major way this morning. I had zero desire to go to school.  It took a text pep talk  from Brendan to get me in a half way decent state of mind.  Thursday is my long day at school.  Our schedule just isn't favorable on this day. All and all it was a good day. I recovered from my Math lesson that flopped yesterday and I made some progress in getting my classroom back in working order. By the end of the week, there are mini piles and stacks of papers to correct. Although, this weekend's correcting isn't too bad. I figure this is my last weekend to relax a bit. The next two weeks ahead are all report cards and grading-Gross! I am going to take full advantage of this low stress weekend.

To kick off my weekend of relaxation I had massage scheduled for 5 p.m.  It hurt so good! I am determined to get my body back to being stress & knot free. I am heading in the right direction. I have another massage in line for next week too. Thanks to Brendan's groupon gift! Right now I am enjoying time with him, watching one of our weekly favorite shows Vampire Diaries and trying to guzzle water to flush the toxins out of my body. Who says America runs on Dunkin- I run on water!

Things I am looking forward to this weekend:

• Having lunch with my friends Jeb and Bec (We are going to look at photos from the best day of my life-Our wedding 7/2/11)
• Jazzing up my blog- Making it more "me" and filling in some blanks about my passions & goals
• Date night @ Flatbreads (Been eating clean all week, can't wait for some pumpkin beer and pizza. All organic made from the purest ingredients-nothing beats it)
• Sleeping a little later than normal
• A nice clean apartment- Not that it's not always clean, Saturday it will be SUPER clean
• NO SCHOOL-STRESS FREE DAYS

I am ready to take on the weekend- I hope it's ready for me!

Happy Hump Day!

Five a.m. came fast this morning. I felt like I had been asleep forever. This is always a nice feeling.  I popped up out of bed before my alarm even sounded.  I think the only reason I did this, was because I really hate the sound of my alarm. It's on my to do list to change the ringer. Brendan and I purchased new phones recently. We bought the HTC Incredible Droid. I am very pleased with the purchase, but I am still getting used to the fanciness of it. The new touch screen is killing me! I don't text half as much as I used to because it takes a translator to actually decipher what I text. The screen is super sensitive and my fingers aren't the slimmest around.
I am really enjoying getting my cardio out of the way early in the morning. It starts me off on the right foot for the day. The only downside is my hunger is fierce for the rest of the day. I love the feeling of accomplishment, and I am able to give it my all during my nightly lifting sessions, rather than  hold back because I still have to do cardio. Today I hit the treadmill again. I changed it up a bit and did interval running instead of running at a steady pace the whole time. It sure did make the time go quick. Walked out at 5:45 a.m. to head home and wash my sweaty self and get ready for work.
My school day went fast. The kids were kinda crazy...I am thinking the full moon might have something to do with it, but who knows! I learned a new term for mouth from one of my students - cake hole! How funny is that! I will def. be using this in the future.

After school I stopped by the local farm to stock up on farm fresh eggs. Have you tried them? They are way better tasting than the regular steroid infused egg. I strongly recommend the switch!

Today Brendan and I had plans to lift early. It's so great to get it in early and be done. My actual workout was okay-not one of my best. It was back and shoulders. Usually I am exhausted after this workout, but today I wasn't. I felt lopsided and uneven. Lucky for me I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow evening. I can't wait. According to the chiropractor I visit,  my back and shoulders are like "Goose Rocks Beach." His point being I am LOADED with knots! I can't sweat the fact that my workout was mediocre, moving forward. I will get a good one in on Friday. I love weekend workouts. I feel totally energized and ready to work hard. It helps not being at school and on my feet for six  hours prior and the extra sleep is a bonus. Friday is a day off from school - I am super pumped. My weekend starts tomorrow at 2:40! I feel like I have been counting down to this day off since the start of November. It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is two weeks from tomorrow. Gobble, Gobble!

Brendan and I  don't get a lot of time during the week to sit and enjoy each other, but tonight we did. We are starting to look for houses, so we took some time to check some out online. We are in the process of seeing what we like and what we don't like. We still are not positive where we want to settle down, but we'll figure it out soon enough.  We did see a wicked cute house in North Andover.....For now we are just banking money and browsing in the meantime.

Tonight was a good night for relaxing. I got the pleasure of watching Brendan load three pieces of pizza from Whole Foods. He was feeling a little "flat." (In need of some calories) It wasn't easy, but my cheat/reward night will be here before I know it. Brendan was kind enough as always to give me some bites! Saturday night is Flatbreads- our fav!

For now it's time to say peace out- been a long day!

Keeping it real day 3!

Day three in the world of blog and still going strong. Since I decided to blog daily, I noticed I open my eyes wider and listen more closely for things in my day to pay attention to. It has only been two days, but having the idea of blogging on my mind makes me appreciate my daily life and routines more. It makes me think & wonder more about my everyday activities, instead of moving through each day in a fog of monotonous tasks.

This morning on my drive to work I was listening to the radio and picked up on some lyrics- "everyone has a story to tell." Perfectly fitting and so true. It would be amazing if everyone took the time to document their lives. It would be a great reality check and a good way to be held accountable for personal choices, goals and achievements. It's crazy to think it took me starting this blog to snap me out of a rut that I was in. Life is too short, I have to take advantage of each moment and not sweat the small stuff. Now that I have actually put these thoughts down in words for the world to see, I have it as a reminder that I have to live in the present and not worry about the future. I have no control over what's going to happen and I must go with the flow.

Enough of the deep stuff. Today was my day off  from the gym. I really appreciate these days a lot. It is a good physical and mental rest. This off season I am working hard to make changes and gains to my physique. It is just as much mentally exhausting, as it is physically. I would say maybe even more so mentally draining. However, after completing my contest prep last year I felt like I could do anything. All of the physical and mental struggles were worth the hard work.  Competing was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. I am hopeful the 2012 season will bring me just as much satisfaction. I can't wait! Prep starts at the beginning of February. Until then I am going to hit weights hard and feed my body with the best possible fuel there is. Not to say I won't indulge in a sweet treat here or there, but for the most part I am keeping it clean!

Today was full of good, clean fuel.  I love everything that goes into this mouth of mine!

• 4 egg whites with mango salsa, 3/4 C oats, 100g frozen blueberries & 1/2 tbsp. PB
• 6 oz. plain greek yogut with ground flaxseeds & 1/2 tbsp. PB
• 3oz. chicken, 150 grams brown rice, 1C broccoli
• Slice of Ezekial bread, 1/2C FF. Cottage Cheese
• 3 hardboiled eggs, Ezekial English muffin
• 6 egg whites, slice of Ezekial bread, 1 tbsp PB

One thing I am for certain, is a creature of habit. I REALLY enjoy every meal I eat. It's hard for me to switch it up. BUT I am going to try...at least a little bit here and there.

I had the chance to visit with my best friend from high school, who is home from Florida. Let me tell you, my little visit confirmed for me that I am not quite ready to have children! I will continue to enjoy my newlywed status!

Things I am loving right now:

• My new outlook on things
• My new meal plan
• Lush Body Bar
• My new Timex watch from Brendan. (Super light weight & the big digits are a plus)

Keep it real...

A Focused Mind

After posting my first blog yesterday, I decided to return and really make something of this blog. It seems like as of late I am always second guessing every move I make. From here on in I am taking my own advice and going with my gut.  That is the advice I give to my fourth graders when solving a math problem. I truly believe in this statement whole heartily  AND  it buys me some time to figure the problem out for myself.
I am still not ready to commit to pounding the keyboard and detailing the "about me" info yet. However, I will be more than happy to do that this weekend when I have more time to get my thoughts in line and the words just right. After all I want to paint a realistic picture of myself and what I am all about. It seems like I have so much to say.The need to know stuff for now is I have a passion for fitness. I like to eat healthy and I find muscles to be incredibly sexy! I am a figure competitor in the off season who is trying to balance my love for food and  my love for competing one day, meal and workout at a time. 
This morning I woke with a fresh start in mind. I was in a bit of a rut, but I am working my way out. Those details are for the birds, onward and upward, moving forward in the right direction. This is my week back to get back on track. I am going back to some old habits, habits that worked for me. If it ain't broke don't try to fix it right? I got up at five this morning to get my cardio done first thing, rather than trying to get it done after lifting late night at the gym. My husband and I recently joined a second gym closer to our apartment. This is going to serve as our cardio gym when we start prepping for our competition if Feb. It's so close and convenient. I rolled out of bed, drove the gym and pounded out 25 minutes of cardio. It wasn't my finest treadmill performance but for now it does the trick. I am  trying to get my body used to early morning sessions again, before I try and kill it. I was surprised that I did as well as I did..We lifted legs yesterday and that is always a killer workout. I ran 2.5 miles. It doesnt' take a genius to recognize that my pace wasn't all that fast or impressive, but like I said I got  it done. I came home, took a shower and got ready for work. Getting cardio out of the way first thing in the morning is good and bad. I like to get it over with, but it revs my metabolism for the rest of the day, making me hungry. I enjoyed one of my favorite breakfast staples-4 egg whites with salsa and oats and berries. I can't forget to mention my mug of French Vanilla coffee with Stevia...delicious!

My day went fairly fast, which is always a bonus for a Monday. Today the kids seemed to be more chatty than normal for a Monday or maybe it just seemed that way because my mind was still wishing it was the weekend.

Today was my first day tutoring. I picked a once a week tutoring job for one of my former students. It went good. He was one of my favs last year. He lives in a dream house in a dream neighborhood. Thanks to this gig I am $50.00 closer to my own dream house!

I am back to eating my good ol' pre workout of 3 hard boiled egg whites on an Ezekial English muffin.This tasty treat is something I look forward to pretty much as soon as I finish eating my lunch. Did I mention in this blog I am a foodie who loves to eat!

Tonight is our late night of lifting at the gym. I kinda hate it, but it's the only time that works for our schedule. My husband Brendan, & best friend, who you will hear a lot about as I continue my blogging adventure owns a personal training studio and this is the only time that his schedule allots us to workout on Mondays. We workout together everyday and I love it! Lucky for us it was a late night because Monday is national chest day for all the muscle monkeys at our gym. They sit on all the equipment taking their sweet time as they look at themselves in the mirrors. We avoid the show by going later in the evening. My workout was good, pretty strong. It's nice to have a pre workout again. I have returned from the dark side of now pre workout and I am feeling great about it!

Tomorrow is an off day from the gym, no early morning cardio either. I will sleep in a little later and rest up for the week ahead. Tomorrow is a continuation of the positive state of mind!

First go at the blog thing!

Newbie here! Hello blog world and welcome to my first post. I have decided to give blogging a go. I think it will help me stay true to myself as I continue to strive to be the healthiest I can be. My goal here is to stay on track with  my personal fitness goals and document the good, bad, ugly and everything in between of staying healthy and fit.
 At some point in my blogging adventure I will post my personal goals that I will be striving to achieve. For now, I am keeping it simple and getting used to putting myself out there. My hopes for doing this blog is that I will become super honest with myself and gain confidence in myself. The thoughts I write here are my own, the details I include about what I think, do and eat are not a way for me to preach what is right or wrong, they are just the steps I am taking to achieve my goals. I am sure at first my thoughts are going to be all over the place, but I promise I will get in check! I am excited, I am nervous and I am hopeful!