lifting

Who is this #FitFam?

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Imagine you walk up to a wall…and just start talking.  You talk about everything from your macros for the day to how much weight you just pulled and how many times you’ve already pooped today.  You are deep in the heart of fitness talk…and the wall?  Is your husband.

He has no clue.  He doesn’t care to have a clue.  He just stares blankly until you mention a word that resembles something he understands and cares about. This takes awhile.  Finally he hears the word “dinner” and takes his cue, “YES! Dinner! What’s for Dinner?!” and walks..eh em BOLTS away.

humpfh.

Enter The #FitFam.


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You’ve probably seen fitness posts that include a million hashtags. #Fitness #CleanEating #SWOLmates #WeightLoss #Gains #DoYouEvenLiftBro and of course #FitFam.  Each of those little hashtags represent a connection to an entire world of people who REALLY DO want to talk about your protein poops and post workout pump!  People who find inspiration in your successes and will help you through your struggles.  They are your #FitFam..Your Fitness Family.

These are the people that get genuinely psyched when you succeed.  The people that will offer you any and all advice, shoulders to cry on and squat racks to spot on.  The outpouring of amazing support from my #Fitfam has been unreal. The best part?  Whether you know it or not, you start using those hashtags, and it will make you discoverable.  You too will be motivating and inspiring others in your own unique way.

img_6594-e1500474037479.pngI want to give a shout out to the people that have made such an amazingly positive impact on my journey so far..most of which, I’ve never met, let alone spoken to over the phone.

Ben – St. Cloud.
Ben is one of my original trainers turned Mestie. Man. Bestie.  He and I can literally talk about anything.  Fitness talks are pretty much nothing but passion for the pump. Ben is now an Officer in the U.S. Army and our chats are mostly via Facetime and Text.

Chris – NYC
Chris is a 30-something dad that has been through an amazing journey of his own and is now Power lifting.  He is always good for an extra kick in my ass to get the job done and has already shared so much of his knowledge and experience with me.  I also love watching the videos he sends me of his young daughter that he is teaching to lift. Chris inspires me daily.

Mollie – St. Cloud
Mollie and I actually work together.  We both have a similar mindset for what/where we want to go on this fitness journey and at the same time, the understanding of the grueling demands that radio can have on our fitness schedules and more.  She inspires me with her fearless approach to this journey.  Mollie’s focus in her transformation is Cross-Fit.

Jason – Milwaukee
Jason is a Physical Therapist who travels and is one of the most positive lights on fitness social media.  He’s like a shot of Inspirational Adrenaline in the ass.  He even offers some advice when needed.  He is the one that helped me find my love for KT Tape.

Robin – Iowa
Robin is a student, the mother of Batman the cat and always has the most fun snapchats to watch.  Whether we are showing off our current post workout pics or encouraging each other to get up and do the workout anyway, she’s been fantastic for me.

Vinny – Nashville
Vinny, aka Bigg Vinny has been through some amazing transformations including his appearance on NBC’s The Biggest Loser.  From weight loss to now Power Lifting, Vinny and his wife have always been there when I have questions or just need my butt kicked on the road.

Stephanie – St. Cloud
I work with Stephanie as well. We talk Clean Eating All. The. Time.  She is a great resource for a more holistic approach to fitness and nutrition. Steph’s fitness choice at the moment is Barre and Barre Fusion.

Bodyspace/Instagram Fitfam
I have a profile on Bodyspace and the outpouring of support is amazing.  Special shout outs to:
Stephanie Sanzo / StephFitMum- Austrailia
Kristi Youngdahl / kyoungdahl – Minnesota
Chris McGann – Roanoke,US
Todd Morris – Camp Douglas, US
RedRiverRogue – Florence, US
Jaye – Pearl Harbor, US

There are so many others that I could list, but it would take forever and It’s Leg Day Bitchachos.

Don’t forget to look beyond the wall in front of you, there are always like-minded people looking to share stories, inspiration and more with you.  You just have to seek them out.

Good Luck, FitFam! xoxo

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So Much to Catch Up On..Grab a Protein Shake.

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Alright seriously. Where do I even start?

Once Upon A time, on a February day in 2017, The Pretty Princess with a High Body Fat Percentage Met a dashing Prince.  His name was Brian.  He was Blonde, Blue-Eyed and probably talked more than she.  There was something about this Prince that was different.  He just seemed to GET that Pretty Princess.

Prince Brian reached for the Pretty Princess and said, “Come with Me if you want to live..diabetic Free”.  So the Pretty Princess with the High Body Fat Percentage did.  She did squats, deadlifts and skull crushers with Prince Brian and so began the not-so-fairytale known as…

KICKIN’ ASS & TAKIN’ NAMES

I’ve come to the conclusion, that trainers are like shoes..or boyfriends…not all of them them fit YOU.  It’s not just about skill set, it’s about schedule, personalities and camaraderie.  Brian is just that for me.  He’s super psyched about fitness, lifting and since he’s full time, he’s always got a spot for me.  I’ve started to use the Bodyspace App as well (https://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/) with the Kris Gethin’ 12 Week Program for my days without B-Man (as I affectionately call him)

This round of fitness has not only been productive by way of successful weigh-in’s, but more so about educating me on my body and how it really works, responds and grows.

I’m not looking for the scale to decrease.  I’m looking for my strength to increase, my Body Fat Percentage to Decrease and with that I know that the weight will follow suit.  It’s been a very different approach and so far, it’s been amazing.

Top PR’s Thus Far:

  • Hamstring Curl 200lbs (full sets)
  • Lat Pulldown  100lbs (full sets)
  • Reverse Grip Seated Pulldown 100lbs (full sets)
  • Quad/Leg Extension 125lbs (full sets)
  • Skull Crushers 45lbs (full sets)
  • Tri Pulldown (rope)  45lbs (full sets)
  • Bicep Curl (cable) 105 lbs (3 reps)

Babs’ Top 5 Fitness Observations this week:

  1.  Quiet Gyms are creepy.
    When the gym has ZERO overhead music, it’s creepy AF.  I’m all gruntin’ like an old man in the john after Thanksgiving Dinner, and that shit is echoing. Stop the damned Silence.  Let a Girl Grunt in peace and loud shitty Top 40 Music PLEASE.
  2. No Photos in the Locker Room.  
    Let’s be real.  We’re going to take our pics there.  That’s where we feel the pump. That’s where we feel the most fantastic.  And trust me. The last thing I need is anyone else’s cellulite in my pic.  If you see me takin’ a pic..don’t worry.  You’re NOT in it.
  3. No Child Left Behind….at the gym.
    Seriously.  I had a first hand experience where “trainers”…I will use this term lightly..one was wearing bedroom slipper for cripes sake….you know what..screw that…They are Officially FRAINERS..FAKE TRAINERS.  They are there with all these young kids IN the weights and they say..ok go.  wait what?This is where small mushroom clouds poof out my ears.

    These kids are told to do all these exercises…and THEY ARE DOING THEM WRONG.  Such bad form it’s making MY back hurt!  I bite my lip, til it bleeds, and pump out an extra set of angry skull crushers.  STOP the Insanity! Teach them the correct way from the beginning.

  4. I smell.
    Yup. I Smell.  And look disastrous.  And. I. LOVE. IT.  When I see pretty pretties on the elliptical texting their BFFs about the hot guy over there lifting the weight thingy’s…I want to walk over Slap the Phone outta their hands and scream..GET YOUR ASS TO WORK!But we all know this would just mean running mascara for them and a lawsuit for me.
  5. Nothing Tastes as Good As…
    ANYTHING after a big workout.  You could give me a SHOE and I’d EAT it after a big lift day.  I get why when you’re hoping for muscle gains, you’re eating enough to feed an entire hockey team.  BUT…it’s clean..because why would would I eat crap after a killer workout.  That would be like putting ketchup on a decadent chocolate cake.  Don’t do that. If you do, feel much shame.
  6. BONUS
    KT Tape is your Friend. Seriously.

 

Day 1 of 21: Introduction & Snickers

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Today is day 1 of 21.  The first day of a new challenge I’m committing myself to.  One of my mesties aka Man Besties has decided to Jump out of Planes as an Army Ranger, so he will no longer be able to make me sweat so hard I pass out.  Before you go and think..bow chicka wow wow…I’m talking about weight lifting.

Over the past few months, my schedule and his just didn’t match up. So now, I have more than 50 paid for training sessions to use and abuse.

Today I met with a new trainer, a new challenge and a new set of laughs.  I forgot how much I love to challenge my body.  I love my time at the gym and I’m excited to crush some PR’s. I’ll be hittin’ the racks 3x/week and I’m pretty pumped about it.

I see a lot of squats, deadlifts, crushed goals and inner happiness in the future.

So, here I sit, excited for a new challenge as I sit here watching Supernatural on Netflix and eating a Halloween Snickers and a Diet Coke.  Yes. Yes, I journaled it.  Yes I’m ashamed. wait. nope. Nope, I’m not.  #nomnomnom #EatASnickers

Week 2 Weigh In: Sh!t Just Got Real

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JustGotRealAlright, it’s week two and Weigh-In time.  After 7 days, 3 hardcore workouts, 1 extra cardio session and clean eating…oh and I may have eaten a corn dog and a PB&J (not at the same time)…

The Official Weigh-In:

Week 1: (Starting Weight)

Week 2:  -4.2 lbs

 

First Goal:  Lose 10 Lbs for Trip to Nashville:  19 Days to go  5.8 lbs to go

Chicken with Balsamic Tomatoes & Artichokes

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2013-12-30 19.54.01Alright. First off I’d like to thank the Academy.  Ok. Not really, but I would like to thank my mother for always making things from scratch.  After years of peering over the counter watching her chop veggies and try new recipes, I can officially say that I’ve inherited the kitchen bug.

I found a recipe similar to this one last night on Pinterest and totally forgot to actually pin it…what does this mean?  Well it means I’ll never find it again. It’s now lost in an abyss of recipes and handicrafts.  Thankfully, I read the recipe well a couple of times and had already done the shopping for it.  Now, it’s time to put my own twist on it.

The original recipe only called for around 5 ingredients:  Roma Tomatoes, Jarred Artichokes, Flour, Sugar and Chicken.  That’s it. yup.  It was a Clean Eating Recipe and well, I guess they didn’t realize that white flour and white granulated sugar are both no-no’s in the Clean Eating world.

I also am a HUGE fan of Fresh Herbs and food with a bit of a tang to it:  Insert Balsamic Vinegar.  Oh B-Vin you ol’ dog you!  You always know how to make a girl feel sophisticated.

I also forgot the temp on the oven and how long to cook it…so we winged it…and well..it worked!

My husband gladly ate his over angel hair pasta and said he liked it enough for me to make it again, but not enough to eat leftovers.  I still consider this a victory since my husbands idea of pantry staples are Manwich, Suddenly Salad, Frozen Pizza and Pierogies.

You can use any 9×13 cake pan or roaster…I have a Le Creuset 3qt Au Gratin that I used for this recipe.

If you are super new to cooking..don’t be afraid this is NOT a difficult recipe 🙂

Materials I used:

So I started out by cutting each Roma Tomato into 4, then coring them, then chopping them up from there.  I drained a small jar of Artichoke hearts and added them to the bowl.  This is where I start to get creative because the original recipe only called for two more ingredients, white flour and sugar. Nope Not using those.  So instead I add Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, Chopped Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped Fresh Basil, minced garlic, salt & pepper, grated Parmesan and whole wheat flour.  I generously Salted & Peppered my Chicken breasts and then popped it in the oven! BOOM that easy!

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I baked it, covered in tin foil, at 350 degrees until the chicken was almost done, then took off the foil, stirred it up a bit, basted the chicken, sprinkled on some Parm/Asiago mix and fresh parsley and popped it back into the oven until bubbly and the chicken/cheese mix was slightly browned.

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Served it over Quinoa for me and Angel hair pasta for my husband. it was delish 🙂

2013-12-30 20.12.06Chicken with Balsamic Tomatoes & Artichokes

Easy / Serves 4-6 depending on portions

      • 2.5 lb pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts (thawed/fresh)
      • 6-8 Ripe Roma Tomatoes
      • 1 small jar of Artichoke Hearts
      • 1 heaping TBL of Whole Wheat Flour
      • 1 clove garlic minced
      • 2 Tbl grated Parmesan Cheese
      • 2 Tbl to 1/4 c Shredded Parmesan, Asiago or blend Cheese
      • 1 tsp honey
      • 1-2 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar
      • 1/2 cup chopped fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (reserve 1/4c for end of baking & garnish)
      • 2-3 large Basil Leaves Chopped
      • Kosher Salt
      • Pepper
    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
    2. Wash then Quarter, core and chop up Roma Tomatoes and put them in a large mixing bowl
    3. Drain and add Artichoke hearts to the bowl
    4. Add Garlic, 1/4 cup of the Parsley, Basil, Honey, Balsamic Vinegar, Grated parmesan cheese, Whole Wheat Flour and mix together.
    5. Pour into a greased baking dish
    6. wash and pat dry the Chicken breasts, then generously salt and pepper them.
    7. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the tomato mixtures
    8. Cover with Foil and back until chicken is almost finished, approx 50 mins.
    9. Take the foil off, stir it up, baste the chicken and sprinkle shredded cheese onto chicken.
    10. Place back in oven and bake until bubbly and the chicken/cheese turns a golden brown.

Reppin’ and Nappin’ (6am Workout / Day 1)

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So as I drug my tired ass self into the gym this morning at 6:04 for my 6:00 appointment, the first words out of my trainers mouth were, “Let’s get you on the scale”.  This is about the point I contemplated faking a ruptured appendix and fleeing.

I am not normally afraid of the scale, nor do I usually avoid it.  On a typical day, I will weigh myself multiple times just to see the crazy fluctuation that I will have in single day.  Neurotic? Maybe. However, I think it’s fun and I tell myself it’s for the better of science and mankind. I digress.

Of course, as I stood on the scale, sans shoes thank you very much, there it was staring me in the face:  Green Bean Casserole and Pumpkin Pie.

Now, before you go and freak out, no there wasn’t a single fatty carb in sight, just a big fat number that was 4 lbs higher than 1.5 weeks ago.  Shit just got real.

This is the point where my outgoing, fun bubbly self turns in to an ostrich with my head in the sand.  No eye contact here, just a slight shuffle of my feet and hushed mumblings of absurdities.  After a quick reality check with Ben, he looked at me, said “ok, let’s do this” and we went on to workout.

Not really sure if this early am workout thing is for me, I honestly fell asleep on the way home at a red light, then again in my car, parked in my garage.   Usually, even after early morning workouts, I’m totally pumped up, but today I was contemplating whether or not single arm rows had just given me mononucleosis.  Then I remembered they kicked not kissed my ass.