Deadlifts and Diamonds

Hey everyone, I’ve been thinking a lot about fitness motivation especially in the critical moments when you’re digging deep to make it through. Here are my thoughts on it. How do you stay motivated and energized through the grind? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. Its the end of your run and your legs are burning , you’re out of breath, and you’re starting to wonder if you’ll ever make it through .  You’re in deep, and the only way to the finish line, up that hill, or through that last rep is through pure will. This is the moment that counts. When you feel like you just can’t take another step, somehow you manage to move forward, shaky, but still going. This is where the transformation happens. This is where the real change occurs. That bit of grit that comes from your inner driving force, some thought telling you, yes you can, that instant is when your inner athlete is born. We’re all athletes regardless of physique—it’s all in the mindset. If you bring...

The only thing standing between you and your  goal...is fear.  Fear of the unknown, fear of  failure , of success, is all that keeps us from our full potential. For me, the goal is to complete a triathlon, but I'm terrified of the water. You can put me in a boat or even a floatie on the water, but don't put me down for swimming.  Well, who  wouldn't  be afraid to swim 1-3 miles in open water? Yes, miles in a triathlon, not laps….miles of open, cold, deep waters . I’m anxious just thinking about it.  Now, I know the majority of this fear is in my mind. Sure, there is the very real fear that I am not conditioned to swim,  hell I can barely hold my head underwater for 5 seconds without gasping for air, but if I ever want to hold the title of 'triathlete', then I'll have to start somewhere. My first real attempt at swimming was last year and let's just say it didn't go so well. I jumped in the water with new goggles and a sexy sw...

We're just over the hump and its a great time to review my workouts for the week and share my insights on why I love lifting. 

Thank you Rue Pal! I couldn't have said it better. I love her show Rue Paul's Drag Race. Its fabulous and filled to the tits with lip synching divas, wigs, makeup galore, and cat fights. I would venture to say its a tasteful version of housewives. haha. Rue Paul's 1st music video introduced him in all her glory while preaching loud and clear. If you want it ladies, "You Betta Work!".  Just for fun check out his music video  here on you tube.  In fitness, success doesn't come easy, progress is earned, so let's face it, those weights aren't gonna lift themselves! We are all incontrol of setting and realizing our goals. It all it boils down to showing up every week. Whether you're in it for the endorphins, longevity, or training for an event, keep moving forward, keep showing up, and get to work!  We all need a little extra push and when things get tough, we need to reach down and listen to our  fiery inner diva. She'...

Easier said than done. After 2 years on my fitness journey, I finally reached a breaking point. Yes,I had come face to face with the dreaded wall and found myself firmly stuck on a plateau and seriously questioning my motivation to carry on another day, week, year of grueling workouts. After countless hours in the gym, forcing myself to eat clean, and constantly feeling tired and sore, I was seriously wondering, "Why do I put myself through this?". I wanted to just jump to the after picture already! By this point, I was mentally exhausted, hangry and about to drop off that plateau!!I felt more and more like a hamster spinning my wheel full force to nowhere and I was ready for a break. I started to talk myself out of my workouts and summer fitness plans. I kept thinking, "Do I really give a shit if I’m ‘bikini ready’? Why should I give a damn about having a flat 6 pack??" Oh I was in deep and my mind was trying to talk me out of my all the...

Set your day into motion with a powerful intention to create and allow amazing things to come your way. With a strong forward momentum, your positivity can plow right through the dulling mind chatter that can chip away at your enthusiasm and power. Begin the day fresh and new and grateful for what it is--your blank canvas, your sandbox, and your creation. They say the best revenge against negativity and doubt is wild success. Its true. As your positivity reaches critical mass, it can't help but to expand out into your universe and impact your surroundings. That's how positive energy works. Once a high vibration is set into motion it tends to build on itself and attract more positive thoughts and experiences. So start off your day,  your week, this moment right now, strong and with intention to stay open, create joy, feel gratitude, and share with others.

Its Monday! Time to get back to the grind, so put down the mimosas and lets get to work. This is 'Move Your Ass Monday' so for those of us that are dragging it or sitting on it, this is your wake up call to get up and get moving this week. It doesn't matter how or when you do it, the important thing is that you, yes you got it, "Move Your Ass".  I'm not going to preach to you too much today, I have no room to talk. Rather than doing my usual 5 days a week 1 hour gym sessions, I've switched to riding my bike, jogging, walking, or taking the stairs. The idea is, just keep moving.  As we know, an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Its the getting into motion thats the tough part, but it doesn't have to be. The 'object' (your ass) gets into motion by repetition until eventually, it becomes habit--a habit that's not dependent on excuses. Its like going to work every day. You can't call in just because you don't feel l...

A year and a half into my fitness journey and I still do not own a gym tshirt. Nope, not one. I have plain tank tops, but they are too tight and well, just plain and boring! I tried to cut up an old tshirt and 'Project Runway' it into a workout shirt, but that was a horrendous Pintrest Fail. Oh well, guess I'll spend the $20 and just buy a shirt!  I decided to steer clear of Lulumon and Nike's price tags and went in search for workout clothes in the 20 dollar range. There's a lot of bad workout clothes out there, trust me, I looked, but here are some fun fitness finds to add to your gym wardrobe. I compiled this list solely for saving you and myself some time. I don't have any affiliation with these sites and I don't make any money if you decide to buy one of these tops. I just thought I'd share :) Check these out: Muscle Club  For my lady lifters out there, check out the Muscleclub.com for sassy workout gear and the shortest of short shorts....

Happy Monday Ladies! If you need an extra push this Monday, here it is. Move. Your. Ass. See, they get it! They already got a head start on their workout for the day. 30 minutes, three times a week. Doesn't matter how you slice it--just get it done however you like and whenever you like. Sure, Zumba counts too ;) So does taking the stairs, walking your dog, doing yoga at your desk during lunch, and parking on the far end of the parking lot. It all counts! I know these things seem small, but it all adds up. Whether you do yard work or dance in the living room after work, (yes I've done that before), just do what you gotta do to get your ass moving! Your level of fitness in totally within your grasp and in your control. Its all on the other side of your own fears and doubt. Are you worried about that other people are doing? Who cares if everyone else is taking the elevator at work? You make your own choices and you have decided to live fit because you want a longer...

              Happy Pump Day everyone! We are half way through the week and still going strong. This pump day is my last night with Andrew until he takes off for a wedding in Chicago so I will be doing an early evening run with him rather than hitting the weights today, but I'm still here to offer motivation and support for you all. For that extra bit of motivation and intensity, I have found that visualizing my workouts long before I hit the gym has helped me stay focused and alert during my workouts. By visualizing myself working hard and going for the burn, I can draw on that image and feeling and use it to drive my intensity during a workout when I feel I'm starting to fade. Visualizing and planning my workout ahead of time also helps me stay accountable to shorter rest periods, doing drop sets at the end of the last set, or any other lifting strategies I choose to focus on that day to keep me focused and working hard. It always helps to im...

Thank God Its Monday and its the perfect time to shake off the weekend and get back to the grind of meetings and workouts.  I know I was happy during my drive to work today. I visualized everything running smoothly and on schedule (and so far so good) and was already excited about jammin' out and sweating during this evening's workout because my body craves sweat! Over the weekend, I did a brisk Sunday morning run and a quick HIIT Friday nite, but I'm ready to go all in this week and earn some serious soreness. Exercise helps clear my mind and keeps me grounded and if I didn't workout, I'd probably stress out. I love the grind. Last week I walked into the gym and Kevin at the counter said, "Wow, you're motivated. You're in here everyday". I thought, "Heck yeah, I'm here because I love it. What the heck else would I be doin?". And I thought about it again, "How do I make it to the gym day in and day out?" There are...

Hi Ladies, I found some fun fitness gear this week to jazz up your closet and keep you motivated.  I love treating myself to a new top or headphones every now and then and I would absolutely love a pair of the #5's, a sporty high heel by Adidas, so cute!! Check out the goods:  1. Android Galaxy watch . Receive calls and messages on your next run and sync it up with fitness trackers like mapmyrun. I know, awesome rite? 2. Sporty top that doubles as a sports bra. 3. Wireless headphones, because, well they're wireless.  4. Misfit Shine fitness tracker tan necklace. These little trackers can be worn alone, in a watch, or a cute necklace. Neat.  5. Adiddas high heels!!! Just throw these babies on with your workout outfit to quickly dress up your look.  6. Hot Gym Bag. I don't know about those of you watching tv at the gym, but I came here to work! 

I am a late adopter of adding supplements into my regimen for a few reasons (err excuses...). I couldn't quite justify the additional cost, I wasn't sure where to start, and I was a bit skeptical of certain supplements and their claims. Now that I'm feeling the effects of putting hours in everyday at the gym I decided it was time to do the  research  and invest in myself. I've researched every supplement here, as I do pretty much anything that goes into my body and found that this stack is pretty typical for those lifting weights and it works with my budget. The stack below cost me $90 plus the cost of  protein . Now t hese are not magic pills to burn fat or pack on massive muscle mass.  Supplements  support my active and demanding weightlifting and cardio regimen to keep my body replenished and healthy to avoid overtraining.  The benefits of supplements are usually only looked into for a cure or quick fix, when they should be used daily....

Summer is upon us and soon we'll be bbqing and sippin' ritas by the pool. Summer is my favorite season, even in the blazing hot Texas heat. What's not to love about sunny days, a bronze tan, and ice cold watermelon? Mmmm. For most of us, though, our New Year's Resolutions are long gone and we have either been working hard on our summer bods or wishing we had. Not to worry, this is the perfect time to reestablish your fitness goals and keep yourself accountable for the remainder of the year. Download the Personal Fitness Contract and solidify your commitment to fitness this year.   Need a little boost of motivation? Check out these reasons why having a personal contract will help you reach your goals. 1. Reflect on your 'Why?' There are different reasons for starting and continuing a fitness journey and its important to take time to reflect on what your reasons are. Why do you want to be fit? Honestly, why do want to put yourself through sweat and disc...

Hello lovelies!  Its been a long week of work, fitness, late nite meals and spending some time with my loves Andrew, my cat Jewelz, and our dog Marley. This Friday I plan on taking a rest day before the onslaught of festivities planned for the weekend: birthday dinner with wine, a much needed girls nite out, a pool side BBQ, and of course a run or a workout. Can't wait to get back to Austin! Make fitness a priority this weekend.  I hope everyone has a lovely weekend planned to enjoy some downtime, get creative, connect with family, and of course stay committed to your fitness goals. I plan on catching a Spin class by one of my favorite Austin Golds Gym instructors then hitting up Wonderlust yoga for a much needed yoga sesh. Decide now how you'll fit fitness into your weekend. Pick out your gym gear, set a reminder on your phone, set a date with a friend and make fitness part of your weekend plan right now!  Make the plan and let me know in the co...

Happy  day after Easter everyone. After a fun filled Sunday brunch, an afternoon run in the park, then mimosas and bbq, I finally learned how to play poker and Gin Rummy. I won't start playing at a casino anytime soon, but I definitely held my own in the game--at least I though so :). I at least had my poker face on the whole time despite my terrible cards.                                                 BBQ                                                          Brunch         Now, lets get motivated! After a great weekend, lets use that momentum to charge our workouts this week, revisit our nutrition goals, and reignite our fitness regimen. Today, I'm focusing on dev...

So tonight's meatballs quickly became a turkey meatloaf due to time. Rather than my usual mushrooms and parsley I used zucchini and green onions.                                                      Next time around, I'll chop up the zucchini a bit smaller, and cook them up first with oils and herbs so they don't take center stage in the meatloaf.  Not too shabby! I'm definitely making turkey meatloaf again. Its so quick and easy and makes a ton of leftovers. :)

Living healthy among the S.A.D.ers--the Standard American Dieters and the proliferators and advertisers of sugary fatty foods that continue to make us this way, is hard work especially when you're constantly faced with fast food, cake pop shops, and last years pumpkin latte (delicious, I know, but loaded with sugar). I'm loving every minute of the workouts and experimenting with new paleo options (who knew paleo pancakes and fudge would be so good!), but we all know that this lifestyle requires consistency, focus, dedication, and work! There are so many times I have had to talk myself out of eating a whole chocolate cake or binging on ice cream that my boyfriend loves to keep stocked in our freezer. Whenever I'm gifted cookies or chocolate around the office for a birthday or holiday I always accept, then turn around and re-gift them to someone else. To protect myself from cravings and added fats, I carry my protein shakes with me, share my homemade protein bars, and alway...

We are off to a kickass week today! My job interview today was stellar. So good, that I'm not even mad that I had to finally process my taxes today. Yes, I owed money this year because I did not luckily fall into any other deduction brackets. The IRS is tough on those who are single, have already graduated, do not have any children or own a home. I didn't exactly fall in the category of stashing money into overseas accounts--so that left me with money owed this year. Thankfully, I got this covered and I nailed the interview. Yay me! I think a solid leg workout and a big dinner will round the day out nicely. Stay tuned for more workouts and progress updates :) 

Hello there, I hope everyone had a lovely week and is revving up for an amazing weekend! I had a full morning of meetings and interviews then a lovely late lunch at Lupe Tortilla with a skinny margarita and lettuce wrapped fajitas. I was in heaven. The patio was bustling with trays of sizzling fajitas, hand shaken margaritas, and a fire pit nearby. I might as well have been eating on the beach Once the margarita hit the table, I felt like I was instantly transported to a beach side cabana. I love me some fajitas and ritas :) This weekend my sister is coming into town for a visit. I'm so excited! Can't wait to catch up over a glass of wine. I may be fit, but wine is definitely in my diet right now. :)  Happy Weekend everyone! Enjoy yourself--you've earned it!