Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Run/Jog

This morning consisted of an easy run/jog, nothing too crazy :)  We are going tomorrow night to get signed up at the new gym, I forgot Kyle actually doesn't have to work tomorrow, yay!

I can't wait, seriously, it feels like an eternity since I've been in a gym.  I know it has only been a week and a half, but it feels so much longer than that!

We're used to the quiet of the old gym, there usually wasn't more than four or five other people there even on Saturday mornings.  I'm sure this other gym will be more busy, I'm glad I will have Kyle to help me figure the place out.  I hate being the person wandering around trying to figure out where everything is that I want to use, I guess we could always do that tomorrow night though :)

Feeling good, lots of time to go still!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Honesty

I have no update on the horrible Max Fitness gym fiasco.  I personally emailed the mystery person that sent out that email to all members, no updates have been sent since then.  I explained my situation and that I really need a gym asap and hoped to hear from them soon with any updates.  NOTHING.

Kyle reached out to them as well and they did not respond, clearly this is a place we don't want to be a part of with their shady ways.  Seriously, I'm still completely baffled how the hell can a gym just lock up????  People can't even get their stuff out of their lockers right now!

Lesson learned AGAIN, if it sounds too good to be true, it totally is.

My hunt began for a new gym, we've got tons of them.  You can go from spending over a hundred dollars for two memberships and then I finally found one that will cost us about $50 per month for two memberships.

We don't need a pool, exercise classes, trainers, tanning beds, so much that every place charges extra for.  I get it, I do, but it's been a long time since I've had to pay for a gym membership and holy crap most of them are just outrageous with the initial fees and then membership fees on top of that.  No wonder so many people out there don't want to venture out to a gym, one you better have a lot of money to just get a membership, two the people you deal with to get your membership try to push you into everything from personal training to classes, even when you clearly stated you don't need either of those services.

I do sound like a hypocrite there because Kyle was one of those people trying to sell personal training, but usually it was when people would show interest or let him know they needed some guidance with weight training.

I'm anxious and excited to get our memberships set up at Northland Fitness.  They were so nice, straight fees for what you want, cheaper membership for those that don't want to participate in classes, didn't try pushing personal training on me, they made a great impression!  Kyle works 12 hour days this entire week so we have to wait until Saturday to go get signed up.

This past week and half has been a little crazy and weird.  I haven't really worked out and I've eaten horribly, it's taking a toll on me.  Today I've had many light headed spells, the first ones since December.  CLEARLY my body and my heart NEED me to be exercising and eating well.

Lesson learned?  I sure hope so.  Honestly I've lost a little bit of my drive, I know I'm just having a "moment" but I hope to snap out of it quickly.  Imagining myself on stage walking in a bikini and posing seems nearly impossible at this moment, I just can't picture myself getting to that spot.

Thankfully my awesome husband is able to keep texting me today to help reassure me and get me a little bit of confidence and drive back.

We're looking to have a tough cardio session tomorrow morning, I better be blogging about that tomorrow or anyone that reads this can randomly let me know what a lazy ass I'm being!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Seriously?!? We Have HORRID Luck.

So the gym we go to and Kyle "works" at has been pretty strange lately.  Kyle has had clients there but Kyle wasn't paid by the gym with a check from the gym or anything, it was just odd to me how they were paying him and how they kept pushing back when they would start classes that he would be teaching.

Then some of the equipment had been moved out but they had said they would be moving stuff around to get the exercise room ready and clean up the floors in the main area of the gym.

So this week has been off for us, I didn't feel well Tuesday morning so we didn't go to the gym.  It's a good thing we didn't, I would have been pissed, the gym is now closed!  David got an email from them, we didn't because we never had to sign any membership paperwork.  David sent us the email and here it is:


As soAs some of you have seen, the owner of Max Fitness has closed the business and locked the doors. He has stated that nobody would be charged again on their account, and he told me personally that there were no more remaining prepaid memberships outstanding.
                There are legalities that must be followed in a situation like this, many of them contingent on a myriad of variables which I just plain don’t know at this point.
                The goal is to re-open under new management as soon as possible, whether that is 10 days or 20 days or something else, again, can only be determined as we receive information.
                I will send out information as soon as it becomes available. If you know any members who want included in these e-mails, tell them to request it at this address.
                Although we will not raise anyone’s rates, new paperwork would have to be filled out as it would be a new operating company and bank.
                At this time the gym is technically still under lease, and I don’t have access to it.  The previous owners would need to be contacted to get any items from the locker rooms.
                We regret this unfortunate situation and will move as quickly as the law will allow. You will be immediately informed at every step.

                Thank you.





Kyle and I were just beyond shocked, Jim never contacted Kyle to let him know this was going on and Kyle can't get a hold of him.  Kyle believes that the person that sent the email is a guy that had bought into Max Fitness with Jim and his wife.  So we are assuming that Jim and his wife sold out to this other Kyle, Kyle is going to try to get in contact with him and see what is going on.

How sad that things went this way, back to square one for Kyle with working at a gym and for now we will be training at home.  I did send my own email to the mystery person that sent it out, just letting them know I was disappointed and am anxious for any news as I'm training for a figure competition and I need my gym!

I hope we don't have to try to find another place, I loved how quiet this gym was, the people that worked out there, it's just really and beyond strange.

I've never experienced something like this with a gym, hopefully they get their shit figured out!  Gym Griffin only has free weights and bands, but we'll make it work for as long as we have to!

Monday, May 20, 2013

HOT Volleyball

It was HOT and HUMID last night for volleyball!  I wish we could have at least a few weeks of spring weather before this crap, but nope.

Saturday night I went out for my sisters' birthday and had some beers, stupid, stupid beers.  They were yummy but I was dehydrated Sunday of course, I know real big shocker.

I drank lots of water throughout the day, but I had a bad feeling knowing how hot and humid it was, that is was going to be a rough night of volleyball for me.

I was right, that first night of it being so humid out that you feel like the air is too thick to be able to breathe properly, so hot that all you do is sweat and then stop sweating because you are dehydrated.

I will say that we played pretty well, besides our damn serves, seriously if we could get all of our serves over and in we would be just fine!  The games were all close again in doubles, but we couldn't pull out a win.

Four's was the same, we did win one game but we should have won all three. I was so completely exhausted for four's, I feel like I played horribly and at that point I wasn't sweating anymore and was completely covered in goosebumps.

Time to get back on my medication to help me retain fluids for the summer, drink a gallon of water a day and have some Powerade on top of that.

My week off from weight training was weird, but I know it did my body good.  I'm ready to get back at it, a month and a half to go before there will be NO CHEATING allowed with my dieting!

I've had some mental issues with my body this week, I felt flabby and gross, I know I'm not but that's how I felt.  Saturday night when I went out my family all told me how fit I look, it was so sweet.  How funny that you can see yourself in such a different light than everyone else.  Mindy assured me that it must be because I look at my body every day, so it is harder for me to see the changes.

She is right I'm sure, Kyle just shakes his head at me and tells me to stop worrying about it.  I know a lot of it is the "guilt" feeling of taking a week off, when I cheat on my diet, the normal stuff :)

Friday, May 17, 2013

Chiropractor

I went to see my awesome chiropractor on Wednesday, it had been a while since I've been there!

It was nice to hear his comments on my muscle tone and that he can tell I've been doing a lot of weight training.  The only bad part was how strong my muscles have gotten, my traps were crazy tight and he had to really work at getting me adjusted.

But he did it, my neck was such a mess!  I'm HORRIBLE when it comes to having my neck adjusted, I tense up and think in my head that my neck is about to get broken.

Good thing I've been going to my chiro for years and he knows how I am.  All it took was him talking to me about life in general, completely distracting me and relaxing me, then, CRACK!!!!  It felt so amazing when he was done, I felt like my neck hadn't been "straight" in quite a while.

I'm so glad I chose to take this week off, see my chiro and let my body rest.  I'm looking forward to getting back at it tomorrow morning and getting a little more focused.

I've been pretty naughty this week with my food choices, one day was totally not my fault, an international rep was in town and brought myself and Kelly a disgustingly delicious lunch on Wednesday at work.  Yesterday afternoon and evening was a celebration and time to just be enjoyed with my Ya-Yas and we ate pretty badly.

Thankfully I still have 21 weeks to go for the show! :)

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Lifting, Volleyball, Feeling Icky

Saturdays workout was just so-so.  I've been having some neck issues, just a lot of tightness and I'm sure my spine is a bit messed up.  I haven't been to the chiropractor since last year and with all the weight lifting and now volleyball and running I'm sure I could use an adjustment.

I did wake up Saturday feeling great, but then I started lifting and my neck just tweaked.  We finished up, but it wasn't a great workout.  Sunday I was still sore for volleyball, doubles was tough this weekend!  We lost all three games :(  They were close though, 22-20, 21-19 and 21-18.  It is so hard when the games are that close, wish we could have won one of them!  It was odd though, I was totally gassed midway through the first game, that is not normal for me!  We did great in four's though, won all three games :)

Yesterday was my day off, I was so glad for that.  It was kind of a crazy day I had to pick up Bella from school, she had a fever, took her to the doctor but they think it is a cold virus.  When we got home I wasn't feeling the best and had a temp and horrible headache.  I went to bed super early hoping to feel better today, I don't though :(  Pretty sure it is a stupid spring cold, at least I know why I was feeling like I was on Sunday!

So no workout today, I will probably take tomorrow off too.  Listening to my body and giving it a little rest, I'll do some good stretching these two days though to try to help my neck out and will hopefully get to my chiro sometime!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Husband For A Trainer - It Works!

As I'm going along on this journey one of the most frequent questions I get is, "How can you have your husband as a trainer? Don't you want to kill each other?"

I can understand, a while back when Kyle and I worked out together or he was trying to train me, I wasn't the best client.  I would question him, tell him what I thought I needed to do, when we ran together I would get mad if he ran faster than me.  I'm a very competitive person and it didn't work for us.  Sounds petty I know, but hey I'm honest!

Now we are 32, funny at this moment both of us are actually 32 :)  We've grown and matured a LOT.  I myself have changed so much over the years when it comes to exercise, races, volleyball, I'm still competitive but not nearly like I was.  I've learned that I actually don't know everything about weight lifting and certainly not about dieting.  The biggest thing I've learned over the years is that I happen to be married to an amazing trainer, a guy with awesome ideas, hard work ethic and he really knows what he's doing and talking about.

When I decided to truly begin this journey in January we did have a talk before we started.  I promised to listen to Kyle, not question him, follow his plan fully and let it be "our" journey.  I'm surprised he didn't have me sign a contract or something ;)  I mean he really kept thinking of how I was before and I know he was a tad bit worried.

Kyle knows my limits, he knows the moment before I will break, he knows when I can do one more rep or one more set.  He knows how to support me, how to push me, how to motivate me.

The best outcome so far has been seeing our relationship grow and become so, so strengthened.  This year in June we will celebrate our 9 year anniversary, I know crazy right?!?  I can honestly say I've never felt so close to him, for us this was the most awesome thing we could have chosen to do :)

He is overly excited at times about my progress, so proud of what I'm accomplishing and how hard I'm working.  I'm proud of him for being such an amazing trainer, so positive, supportive, funny and yet stringent in a good way.

I love my husband so much and am thankful for our "dates" at the gym, we are truly enjoying ourselves and all the extra time we are spending together.  It wouldn't work for everyone but it works for us.

Abs, Shoulders & Arms, A Run

My ab workout is getting changed up, doing some "fun" work in plank position, I'm amazed how tired I get doing those.  My abs are coming along nicely, all except my little area that seems to not want to be going away.  For the mom's out there that are able to get their tummies back fairly easily, you are so lucky and I am admitting that I am so jealous!  Happy for you all, but jealous ;)  I have a few friends that got theirs back quickly, they worked for them of course and bounced back nicely in a crazy amount of time.

I've been going at this since January and still haven't gotten rid of it!  My lower abs rock, getting the nice "V", never had that before in my life.  This part is really fun for me, seeing how my muscle tone looks on certain areas of my body that I've never worked so hard at before.  My upper abs are coming along nicely as well, it's that middle section that is the devil!  Can't wait until I can say that it is just muscle and the layer of fattiness is gone :)

The rest of the lifting session went well, I'm trying to take this day by day.  I have my moments of feeling like I should be further along than I am, but then I have moments of pure joy seeing where I'm at, it's such a roller coaster sometimes.  When I think of my timeline I giggle at myself, I say this a lot but it's true, still so much time to get ready!

I was supposed to go for a run on my lunch hour, my first doubles day on Tuesday.  I'm getting ready, have my sensor, chip, headphones........no iPod!  Seriously Steph?!?!?  I didn't run on Tuesday, it was a downward spiral of crap for my lunch hour that day.

Yesterday I DID go for my run and my iPod worked the entire time, I was so happy to hear that voice say, .5 mile completed, 1 mile completed, etc.  It was a decent run, 80 degrees, so I felt like I got worn out quickly but 9:33 miles, I was happy with that :)

I have thought that things have been going so well for me health wise that maybe I wouldn't be so affected by the heat this year.  Sadly, not the case.  Even drinking about a gallon of water a day I still got dehydrated on my run.  Clearly we are not going to have to worry about me retaining fluids before the show.  In an odd way my health condition will be a plus for this competition, I probably won't have to completely give up water the last week.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Abs, Chest & Back, Volleyball

Saturdays workout was a really good one, I'm up to 15 pounds on chest flies, my favorite chest exercise :)  Lots of push ups were done, I'm really happy with how my back is coming along, sucks I can't really see it but when I do see it I'm excited to see how defined it is.

One of the supplements I've been using is NO Xplode, I LOVE it.  I did check with NANBF to make sure it is ok to use and yes it is :)  We ran out on Friday so Saturday morning Kyle had me try some stuff that is supposed to be similar and all natural, it is made by Arbonne.  I have to say it was awful, it tasted bad and it did nothing for me, but I tried it!

Funny how you can have certain supplements that you become so attached to, I love the flavor of the NO Xplode and really look forward to drinking it before each workout.

Volleyball was a lot of fun, we won 1 out of 2 in doubles again and 2 out of 3 in fours.  Can I just say how damn happy I am with doubles???  We've already won more games than I did last year, Chris and I mesh so well, we make a pretty good doubles team :)

Afterwards I sat out on our deck with Kyle and enjoyed some shredded chicken tacos, homemade guacamole and a Summer Shandy, while Bella chose to run laps in the backyard, perfect end to the weekend.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Abs, Arms & Shoulders

This morning I was feeling pretty tired, we finally got to do abs again, yay!!!  I was tired after them though, I did not have a protein shake last night before I went to bed so my body feeling tired this morning was my own fault.

I love the little "milestones" I'm hitting as we go along, for me seeing the muscles really starting to get defined, it just makes me so happy and helps me know that all this hard work is getting me somewhere.  It does take time, there is no instant gratification.

As I was doing some tricep pushdowns Kyle was looking in the mirror and said, "check out that tricep!".  I looked over as I pushed down and there it was, a very defined tricep, woo hoo!!!  It was the boost I needed to get through the rest of the workout :)

I updated my information in my body space on bodybuilding.com, I really do like that website it gives me a countdown to the show date.  I can't believe I still have 163 days to go!

My expectations are high for myself like I've said before and seeing my progress, knowing I have so much time still, there is no reason I shouldn't honestly be able to do as well as I'm hoping and compete at the level I want.

Feeling happiness and feeling very determined today.