FIT FRIDAY: CHEST/BICEPS/CORE

FITNESS FRIDAYS

We're more than halfway through Friday!  I can't wait to get out of work and NOT  have to go to class tonight :) :)  I thought I'd start sharing some of my workouts with you on Fridays for....FIT FRIDAY :-p 

I've been changing up my routines for weeks now trying to find one that works best for me.  I think everyone should do this.  There is no cookie cutter plan that everyone will benefit from.  We all are at different levels and have different things to work on.  

I don't have enough time during my hour break to get my entire workout done plus shower so I decided to split it up today.  

On my lunch break I did the following:

~5 min.Treadmill warm-up 

~5 min. Dynamic stretching

Chest Flye 3 sets, 12 reps

-super set-

BOSU push-ups 3 sets to failure

Decline bench push-ups 2 sets to failure

-super set-

Incline bench push-ups 2 sets to failure

DB curls 3 sets, 12, 10, 8 reps

-super set-

EZ Bar curls to failure

~5 min. Static Stretching

I'm not going to include the weight because everyone is at a different intensity levels and I would not want someone to try the weight I do and risk hurting themselves.

I also want to do some CORE work today and here is what I have planned for later tonight...Some of these I am trying for the first time.  I posted a link on my FB page earlier that has some good Core Exercises  I'm not going to set a certain amount for anything...I'll just go until I feel I've worked my core enough :)

Tabletops

Overhead Circles holding weight

Leaning Camel

SLOW bicycle crunches

Stability ball roll outs

Straight arm to Forearm Planks (hold for 10 seconds before switching)

HaveaHealthyWeekend!!

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Everyone has those days where you are just spent.  You don't want to do a damn thing.  You don't want to work, clean, exercise, communicate, etc.  When you are in a funk you feel like you are just stuck and nothing can help get you out of this mood.  This is pretty much the most annoying thing that can happen, especially when you are working towards a goals.  But it's normal, it happens.

You have to learn how to be in control of your emotions.  This is something everyone experiences at some point, and some more than others.  So find something that works for you to get yourself out of this funk.  You may find something different that works for you but I like to browse motivational videos on YouTube.  Whether they are geared towards fitness or not they always help push me forward.  And even if they don't completely bust me out of my funk they help me do what I need to do instead of letting myself turn crumble in to a lazy ball on the couch and zone out to shows on t.v. or what ever it is you would normally do when giving in to the laziness.

Check out these motivational videos below!  Did they help you? 
Let me know in the comments if they did :)

"The man who wins in the end is the man who thinks he can."

LAST CHANCE! SALE!!! Get on board and start your fitness journey!

www.advocare.com/13125007

THE ADVOCARE 24 DAY CHALLENGE IS ON SALE FOR ONE MORE DAY!!!!

If you are interested in the challenge, NOW is the time to buy!  Get the results you are looking for with this simple 24 day plan.  I will gladly help you transition off from the 24th day if you'd like some guidelines and tips.  Email me with ANY questions you have about it.  

VISIT MY STORE BELOW:

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Lifestyle Changes....

I just spewed out a pretty good post on my Facebook page and I wanted to expand on it a bit here...

"Don't think of losing weight, gaining muscle, and reaching a level of confidence & comfort in your body be something that is unattainable. 

You don't have to exercise every single day.

You don't have to exercise for hours each session.

You don't have to cut carbs out of your diet.

You don't have to eat clean 100% of the time.

You don't have to make this a stressful journey.

It's about balance and consistency.  

Work on getting to the gym 3-4 times a week.

Work on eating more vegetables.

Work on portion control.

Work on being prepared.

Work on getting more sleep.

Work on adding weight lifting to your routine.

Work on adding cardio to your routine.

Work on trying new things.

Work on substituting healthier ingredients in recipes.

Work on understanding that change takes time.

Before you know it, you will realize that all of the small repeated efforts you are making, have brought about some pretty big changes.  Keep pushing forward :)"

I know there is so much information out there about health, fitness, nutrition, dieting, etc.  And it can be very overwhelming when you are trying to figure out how to reach your goals.  It doesn't have to be difficult and you shouldn't find this process stressful.  Stress actually will lead you in the opposite direction if your goal is to lose weight.  

Don't beat yourself up every time you want to have a food or dessert that isn't considered "clean".  You CAN have the best of both worlds.  It's just a matter of finding the balance between the two...and this takes time.  Changing up the number of meals/snacks you eat a day, proportions within those meals (protein, carbs, fats), and cooking techniques.  Understand that it's a process to find what works for YOU and don't let this process discourage you.  Just stick with every effort and once you find that balance you will be so happy that at those moments of weakness you didn't give up.

The 24 day Challenge!

We are a few weeks in to the new year....are you keeping up with the goals you set for yourself???  If you need a plan on how to lose weight or just feel refreshed and comfortable in your body now is definitely the time to check out the Advocare 24 Day Challenge!  It's on SALE right now!

www.advocare.com/13125007

So do you think you can last the full 24 days?  If you want to reach those goals for the new year and feel happy and comfortable in your own skin check out this plan that Advocare has to offer.  It is split in to 2 phases and comes with a meal plan that you can change up accordingly so you don't get bored.  No need to eat the same thing every day!!!  Unless that's what you want of course :)  They have so many resources to help you through the plan (CLICK HERE for an in depth explanation)  and if you have any questions about the plan itself,  purchasing the challenge or what to do once the 24 days is over you have another resource right here...PLEASE email me with ANY questions you have.

nicolesfitlife@gmail.com

My challenge had to be pushed back and I will now be starting at the end of January.  I've already tried some of their products and love the way they work.  I recommend the SPARK energy drinks over the SLAM drinks.  They just seemed to noticeably keep me motivated and awake more than the slam energy drink did.  Also the meal replacement shakes are amazing...if you have an 'on the go' breakfast kind of schedule then you would love these.  

Visit my shop to check out these products and again let me know if you have any questions about them.

www.advocare.com/13125007

2014 competition season updates!

So last week did not go according to my plan....I overate and I cheated.  Mainly with chocolate and peanut butter.  I let other thoughts and stress overpower my mind and I gave in to the cravings I was having..

But this is a new week and for the last 2 days I have been pretty on point with my nutrition.  I'm confident in what I will accomplish this week and for extra motivation I have the NPC Stage Ready workshop at Bev Francis Powerhouse gym.  I've wanted to go for the last 2 years but something always got in my way...so i'm excited to finally go and see what I can learn.

A friend gave me an amazing book about competition prep that I have just been flying through and if it weren't for my school work i'd be done reading it already!  I am so confident in this season now and finally have my head in the game :)  Saturday will be 11 weeks out from my 1st competition!  Time to start taking progress pics again!!

And photo shoots!!  I have one planned at the moment but it is waiting on snow....hopefully that actually happens cause it would definitely be a fun shoot and something I have never done before.  I plan on doing a lot of shoots this year especially because I have so many competitions that I plan on competing in :) :) 

New Years Resolutions

So it's January first and i'm sure everyone has probably been asked "What's your New Year Resolution??" at least once this past month.  But have you really thought about what you want to change?  Or what goals you want to achieve?  

I know I have been guilty of setting a 'New Year Resolution' and carelessly giving up along with the majority of the world before the first month has passed.  Until this past year (2013 :-p) I've never actually sat down and made a list of what I wanted to accomplish in my life.  I never made a list of life goals or though of how I could possibly make them a reality.

No matter what goal you set it's not going to happen unless you make it happen.  You have to put in the hard work and effort consistently...no one else is going to do it or push you to do it.  And goals are shit unless you have a solid plan of action.

Goal setting is not just about setting one goal...it is setting a goals plus a plan filled with smaller goals.  That being said...I've been reviewing my life all year, thinking about what I want out of life and the direction I want to go.  I set a couple of my goals months ago and began working immediately towards them.  Since then I have added to them and adjusted my plan of action.  

I do not want to just coast through life.  I want to be truly happy and enjoy everything that I do.  I know that in order for that happen I need to change some things in my life.  

First off I need to change myself.  I posted previously a blog called "Are You Mentally Tough Enough?".  I want to have a more positive outlook on life...and i'm sure you've seen this quote many times like I have..."You can't live a positive life with a negative mind".  

Second, I don't want to worry about money anymore.  Which means I need to change my spending habits.  Cut back on the careless spending even when it's a $5 purchase here or a $20 purchase there...it all adds up!  I want to increase my savings and be stress free when it comes to finances.

Now that those are out of the way let's get to the fitness/lifestyle/career goals!  Some of these are my larger goals and some are the smaller goals I set in order to achieve them.  In no particular order....

1. Become a sponsored NPC bikini competitor.
2. Consistently improve my physique with each competition
3. Place 1st in a competition
4.  Meet local competitors to network with
5. More photo shoots
6. Updates my blog at least once a week
7. Finish my recipe Ebook
8. Take ever opportunity I am given 
9.
10.
11.


I am leaving this open to add more...So anyways, Day 1 is not going as I thought it would.  I let my unplanned eating carry over it to today and of course I feel horrible and depressed....just complete shit.  Which is why I am finishing this post.  Hopefully it will motivate me to get off my ass and think about my plan!!  Good luck with your goals this year and remember to revisit them often to hold yourself accountable!!