Lets Stay On Track

Lately it seems that life is getting busier and busier. I could list the reason why but at the end of the day, busy is just life. Life gets busy. So the challenge is how to stay focused and motivated while carrying on with real life.

I would love to have my mornings free to be in the gym and enough time (and ideas) to have meals made healthy and on time every day but the reality is that that just isn't reality.

So there are a few things that I do for myself that keep me focused. I reflect on my goals constantly. I say it out loud. I talk about it to my husband and my friends. It really helps me refocus and stay on track. There has been times in the past that I have set out to accomplish a goal and kept it to myself. I never realized that I was doing it on purpose but I was afraid to say it out loud because I knew that it would hold me more accountable. It was like I was already planning to fail.

When I set out to compete it was a big step for me. Yes the diet and exercise is a little more extreme than normal, but it was the fact that I put it out there for the world and everyone to know. There was  no way I could back out when things got hard and when life got busy.
The point of all of this is that it is so easy to set a goal and be excited about it in the moment and the important thing is to remember that and keep working towards it.
Thankfully pinterest and instagram are constant motivation to keep on going. Take it one day at a time. Make the right choices.

 

Chocolate Banana Muffins :) :)

Another great recipe!

2 scoops chocolate protein powder

2 mashed bananas

1 tblsp honey

1 egg white

1 whole egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cocoa powder

a pinch of baking soda and baking powder

1 tblsp melted coconut oil

1/4 cup oat flour

Preheat the oven to 350F.

I took a 1/4 cup of oatmeal and in my food processor I ground it up. I mixed all the dry ingredients together, stirred. Then added the wet ingredients. Pour into muffin tins and sprinkled coconut on top.
Bake for 20 minutes!
Enjoy



Slow Progress... Is Still Progress

I had came across this quote "slow progress is still progress" some time ago now and it has resonated with me ever since. It is SO true. Just speaking for myself, I usually start and off the hop it goes great! I'm excited, I stick to it and I usually start to see a little change. But then around the third or forth week I hit a little plateau and things slowly start to slide! I hope I'm not alone here :)

"They" say (who ever "they" are) that it takes 4 weeks for you to see your body change. 8 weeks for friends and family to see, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world.

This time is going to be different for me!! It has already been a month of training. Some days I feel like my body has changed quite a bit and then the next day I feel like it hasn't. But I have been loving hitting the gym and eating healthy.

Also some BIG news. I had thought that I was going to compete in Northerns with ABBA (Alberta bodybuilding association) which is in June. After talking to my coach I am looking into competing in the INBF (International natural bodybuilding and fitness). It is all natural. It is a bit of a smaller show which might be nice for my first show. The show is a month earlier which would mean that I would start with my coach in January!! AHHH that's just around the corner.

Here are my one month progress pictures. There isn't much of a difference. But in the last month I have really gotten a lot stronger.

 

 

Leg And Shoulder Workout

I start my leg workout with some good old weighted squats. The key to squats is to make sure you go lower than 90 degrees in order to activate your gluts :) And who doesn't want a firm tush!!

I only do about 5-7 reps and I do 3 sets of these

Next up lunges. I hold a 25 pound kettelbell in each hand and alternate legs :)

I do as many reps as I can, and 3 sets. 

Step ups :) Pretty straight forward, alternate legs and raise knee up.

3 sets of these.

 Angled leg press. This machine allows a person to push a little more weight that normal. This is a great machine for the legs.

I put on as much weight as I can that will allow me to do 5-7 reps

I do 3 sets of these as well.

 Love this exercise. Leg raises with cable.

Again 5-7 reps and 3 sets

 

Now onto shoulders :)

Shoulder press with dumbbells

I do two of these in a row and then combine it with the next picture.

Then I do two of these and then back to the normal should press.

(Hope that makes sense haha)

For the next two workouts I try and do as much weight as I can while keeping good form and stay in the range of 5-7 reps with these ones too. And again 3 sets

This last picture I had to cut off in order to make it fit. But just start with your arms on either side and keeping your arms straight and palms facing down and raise them up till they are level with your shoulders.

 

Please excuse that some of the pictures aren't super clear. I was just using my cell phone.

Try this workout out and let me know what you think :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

I tried this recipe out and I really liked it so I thought that I would share it with all of you!! These are super easy and super healthy.

 

Start by mashing up 3 ripe bananas.

To the bananas add two eggs and 3 cups oats. Mix.

Then add 1 tblsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 almond milk or skim milk. Mix that all together and then gently mix in your blueberries.

 

Bake at 380 for 18-25. If you aren't going to use muffin liners make sure you grease the tins. 

Once you can stick a toothpick in them and they come out clean they are done!!

Enjoy :)

Crystal Heck Interview

So excited to share this with everyone! I will be featuring different people in the fitness world on my blog! Its a great way to get someone else's insight, tips and advice. Hope you guys enjoy this as much as I do. I love hearing about other peoples journeys.  

 

So to kick it off Crystal Heck IFBB Pro, judge, wife and mama has let me pick her brain!!

Enjoy :)

If this isn't some great motivation I don't know what is!

 

Q. How did you get into fitness? What made you decide to compete?

A. I was in gymnastics for 10 years, so when I moved away to college I missed the competitive sports stream. In an attempt to fill my time I started working out in the gym and seen major progress. I had heard of Bodybuilding competitions, and it just so happened that Nationals were being held in Edmonton that year. I got a ticket and went and watched. When I saw the fitness division I knew I had to compete!

 

Q. What is your favorite body part to train?

A. My favorite body part to train is shoulders. I could literally do shoulder workouts every day of the week. My least favorite would have to be legs... so I guess its a good thing I am genetically blessed and already have quads, lol. I think all of the gymnastics and other sports I played as a kid helped build my wheels ;)

 

Q. How did you select your first show and division you competed in?

A. After watching Nationals I knew I wanted to compete in the CBBF (Canadian Bodybuilding Federation) stream so ABBA (Alberta Bodybuilding Association) was an easy choice. I did Northerns the very next year. Fitness was an easy choice for me due to my gymnastics background. I was able to work in gymnastics and dance as well as strength into this division which was a bonus!

 

Q. What was the hardest part about prep?

A. The hardest part about prep is definitely the diet. Especially when you are dieting in the summer time. Friends and family often don't understand how important it is to stay on track and stick to the plan. I don't know how many times I turned down a beer or burger and ate my chicken and broccoli out of my Tupperware haha.

 

Q. What kept you motivated when diet and training got hard?

A. I am a very goal oriented person. Once I set my mind to something there is no backing down. When prepping for a show I would send in my registration and then keep my eye on the prize. Looking at progress pictures always helped too. Just when you think you haven't made any progress look at old pictures to see how your body has changed. This always helped me to carry on in the journey to the stage.

 

Q. What was/is your favorite snack while prepping?

A. I have a major sweet tooth, so when I was dieting I always needed something to curb my cravings. One of my favorites was mixing chocolate flavored protein in with my cooked oats and then putting it in the fridge to cool. It tastes like those haystack cookies! I still eat this even when I am not prepping.

 

 

Q. What supplements did you use?

A. Honestly, I am not a huge supplement taker; however I definitely believe in glutamine!! This is a life saver when it comes to helping recover from those workouts where you body is sore for days after,

 

Q. Do you enjoy judging?

A. I absolutely love judging! I started judging about 5 years ago and try and judge at least one show a year for the Alberta Bodybuilding Association. Being as I have been busy building a family I haven't been on stage myself, but judging allows me to stay current wit the sport as well as stay in touch with all my bodybuilding and fitness friends.

 

Q. How long did it take you to get your pro card?

A. I started competing in 2008- I won Overall Fitness at my very first show then went on to Nationals to place 8th that year. The following year I went to the Natural Nationals and placed 3rd in Fitness short. My fourth show was where I won my pro card. I took a couple years off while in graduate school and in 2011 I went to Montreal and competed at the Natural Nationals again. At the competition I won Fitness short and Fitness Overall which earned me my IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilders) Pro card.

 

Q. If you could give somebody only one fitness tip what would it be?

A. Stick with it!! Bodybuilding and fitness isn't something that happens over night. Eating clean for 1 week or hitting the gym twice isn't going to give you the dream body you want. You need to make it a lifestyle and make it part of you day to day life.

 

Q. What does the future hold for your fitness career? Are you planning on doing anymore shows?

A.  I am really on the fence with this one. I definitely miss the stage, but at this time I am so happy just being a mommy and working as a speech therapist. We plan on having more kids as well. So maybe one day after I am done having babies I will hit the stage again :)

 

Just want to give Crystal a BIG shout out! Thank you so much for letting us know a little more about you and your career in fitness!! Best of luck with you family and whatever you future holds for you!

 

 



Spagetti squash

I LOVE spaghetti squash. I could honestly eat a whole one. I highly recommend trying it out if you haven't yet. This is my favorite way to eat it but you can top it with your favorite pasta sauce, or add really anything you like.

 

 Start by cutting the spaghetti squash in half.

 

 Then clean out the guts 





I then sprinkle a little Italiano seasoning onto it and throw it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. This just starts it so it doesn't have to spend so much time in the oven. Once you pull it out, use a fork and start pulling the sides away. 

 I chop up onions and tomatoes and in a frying pan I cook them on low heat until they are nice and soft.

Every fifteen minutes or so I pull out the squash and pull the sides away. You don't have to do thi,s I just like too. After all the sides pull away its done. I usually cook it for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the squash. I add the tomatoes and onions into the squash and mix it in.

I like to bake a little cheese on the top.  



 Enjoy :)



Almond milk latte

This is an awesome little treat to sit down with at the end of a long day and sip on.  Clearly caffeine has no effect on me before bed.

 

For my lattes I use this frother from Steeped Tea. I love it, it froths up milk so nice. I started by heating up half a cup of almond milk in the microwave.

Then I prepared half a cup of espresso styled coffee.



 Top coffee with frothed almond milk and enjoy. You can also top with some cocoa.

 



Yummy steal cut oats

These have been my breakfast every morning since I started training and I love them. Steal cut oats are the least processed type of oats. The oat groats are toasted and then chopped into small chunks.

I started by peeling and cutting up an apple into small pieces. Then added a tsp of cinnamon.
 

 

To that I added 1/2 cup of the steal cut oats.

 





 

2 cups of water

 

I turned it on low for about 6-7 hours. Make sure you don't over cook.

 

Then mix it altogether :) I usually eat mine with almond milk.



 

Most mornings I just make this on the stove. It does take a little longer than other types of oatmeal, about 35 minutes. Its also delicious with strawberries or blueberries. Just add them in the last few minutes of cooking and your set.  Enjoy