Stairway to.....

I know it has been a few days since I last blogged but I have been rather busy with school and well...the gym. Destroyed legs today and I know that I am  going to feel this tomorrow and probably well into next week. Today was a day of all new leg exercises. Usually, we do your typical weighted squats, weighted lunges, and hamstring machines. Our trainer decided to change things up a bit and introduced us to exercises I have never even seen before. I started as I always do (mild treadmill) for about 20 minutes. We then played around with two thigh machines (4 sets of 30 reps) and then the creativity began. For 5 rounds of 20 reps we did ass workouts and squats until our legs felt like jello. Then to top it all off, 40 grueling minutes on the stairmaster (35 mins at level 8 and 5 mins at level 10). There's just something about leg days that feel soooooo productive :)

Frank!

Chest...Yes!

I'm going to be honest...I have a love/hate relationship with chest workouts. By far my weakest, but at the same time, I feel rather masculine every time I do them...and this is enough to keep me going (lol). All treadmills were being cleaned so I started with mild elliptical for 20 minutes. Then I just played around with a few chest machines my gym offers (5 rounds of 15 about 3 different machines). I then did the traditional bench press (4 rounds 15 reps, then 12, then 10, then 8). Ended the workout with 30 minutes on the dreadful yet very productive stair master (15 minutes at level 7, 10 minutes at level 8, 5 minutes at level 10). I have also decided to do 100 crunches and 50 push ups right before bed :)

Frank!

Killer Legs!

I am still unaware of how I am functioning after what felt like a murderous leg workout. By now you know that I always begin my gym days with a light 20 to 25 min light treadmill walk (using 15% incline and 2.2 speed). Today's focus was legs...I'm normally a leg fan but today..not so much lol. Started out with leg curls (7 rounds of 15 reps) followed by weighted lunges (5 rounds...10 steps) and 20 air squats super sets, and ended with treadmill lunges (5 % incline at 2.7 speed for 7 mins and 3.0 speed for 8 mins).



I've said this before and I'll say it again....my legs feel like legit jello. I know that when I wake up tomorrow, sore will be an understatement.

Frank

Relax and Meditate!

Arms, arms and more arms...and of course cardio too.

We started off the week (Monday and today) doing arms workouts. I love working out my arms because to me, there is nothing worse than flabby arms, you know the ones where someone waves and...yeah, they are still waving about five minutes after they put their hand down. Not cute! After we finished arm workouts I hoped on the stairmaster and completed 45 minutes of level 8, while skipping a step the last 20 minutes. Both yesterday and today I looked like I had jumped into a pool after and I loved it! Oh and let's not forget how I usually start my gym days on the tradmill, 15.0 incline at 3.5 speed for about 45 minutes.

Moving on to today's topic...Rome wasn't built in a day. I have to keep reminding myself that, it's not easy and it is not quick. This is a process and that I need to simply relax and give my 100% everytime, and in time the results will peak through. I am guilty of getting desperate, anxious, depressed and sad about how long it takes to "look great!" I am constantly looking at my progress in the mirror and if you are an OCD person like myself, it will drive you insane! I know I may sound a little crazy, but I have started meditating lately. Every morning before I have my breakfast I meditate in my room and after I come home from the gym I meditate for a second time. So far, so good! I am starting to accept that my body will not be transformed from one day to the next and I need to RE-LAX!.

If your mind runs wild a lot and if you sometimes realize, "Hey, I need to take a chill pill." I suggest you meditate. It's working for me!

<3 Yese

Back at it Monday!

Mondays are my absolute favorite gym days...all about pushing new limits and starting another week off right. Today the focus was arms: bicep curls, push ups, cable curls. 5 rounds of 15 reps increasing each round by 10 pounds for all curls and 3 rounds of 20 push ups each. As always started with a light 25 minute breezy treadmill walk (15% incline and 2.2 speed). Ended today's workout on the stair master...shoot me pleaseeeee! 4o minutes at level 7 and 5 minutes at level 10 for a total of 45 mins (non-stop). Exhausting but absolutely empowering as well!

511 calories later and I was feeling extremely productive and quite proud.

Frank

...Starbucks for the fat girl!

I've been terrible...please forgive me! Listen to me writing as if I was that important lol!

Today I am in total blog mode and I am going to write up a storm on what has happpened the past few days.

To start off, this past Friday with my trainer was pretty good. We focused on my favorite, back and cardio. I did some machines and I could totally see my back muscles coming in. I'm super excited because I live for outfits where I can show off my back :) Then he had me do some lunges (4 sets) and jump straight on to the treadmill for 15.0 incline and 3.5 speed. I felt pretty productive and sweated up a storm, that's always a plus.

Anyways, the main topic of this blog post is to describe my obsession with coffee and tea! I absolutely love it! I blame my Mother. After I graduated high school and got my first job she took me shopping for professional clothing and told me that I was officially an adult and therefore, needed to learn how to drink coffee. So she took me through a McDonald's drive-thru at 10am and ordered me a medium cup of Joe with cream and splenda...it was then that I discovered my great love for coffee. Obviously through the years, I have progressed in the coffee world and have tried many flavors from many different places. And as most people who avidly love coffee, have made Starbucks almost a daily routine! Now, let's not be fooled people...we all know some of those yummy Starbucks drinks are heart attacks with a green straw! You see the 'old' me would have ordered an 'iced grande white chocolate mocha.' I eventually realized I needed to cut down on that back when I started my lifestyle change in 2010, so I edited it to an 'iced grande nonfat white chocolate mocha with no whip cream' and eventually that became a "tall." Then I gradually started decreasing my Starbucks visits to once a week for that amazing "tall iced nonfat white chocolate mocha."

I started researching some of the calories in those drinks and came across the healthiest drinks at Starbucks for you. So, if you just have to make a quick stop at Starbucks for your daily dose of survial here is what I suggest you get:

Notice that my "tall iced nonfat white chocolate mocha with no whip cream" isn't on this list...sigh (that's why I only go once a week if that!) ;)
 <3 Yese

Rough Friday!

So I know I'm promised to supply you all with pictures of my workouts but I keep forgetting! Monday....for sure! As for today's workouts...I am DEAD! I literally feel like every ounce of energy has been sucked out of me. Started out with a pretty light 30 minute cardio walk on the treadmill (15% incline and 2.2 resistance). Back and chest workouts shorty followed and I did 15 reps (5 rounds) of 3 back machines and 10 to 12 reps of bench presses (3 rounds). Also did 30 pull ups and played around with two other chest machines at 15 reps (3 rounds). Exhausted is an understatement! Not sure why, considering I feel like I did a pretty mild workout, but I was completely drained. My arms ache, are still shaking, but as always, never regret going and putting up a fierce fight with my emotions.

I like to take it easy on the weekends and do not workout but always continue my healthy eating habits. My quest for a 6 pack continues but here's my latest picture. Progress baby! Progress!