motivation

Yes,You Need A Personal Trainer/Coach.

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B0Man

This is Brian. Brian is a Turd..er Coach.  He makes me laugh, cry, swear and pissed off  He is my greatest advocate, healer, teacher and fitness friend as well.  All of this is for the greater good known as: “Babs Becoming BEAST” 

In case you’ve ever wondered what goes through the mind of anyone with a personal trainer, this sums it up nicely. There is a fine balance between “Oh Yeah…let’s do this shit” and “This may be the reason I’m in a motorized cart for the rest of my life”.

 

My husband battles with understanding the importance and worth of a personal trainer.  Every month. When the billing hits our checking account. Like clockwork.  It’s Battle Royale of the “Why is this necessary?  You don’t get anything from it?!  It’s just time with a trainer?”

Well, my husband of 10 years who should know by now that I remember every single frivolous purchase you’ve made in the past 15 years, Personal Training / Fitness Coaching will be the most Tangible yet Intangible time you will buy.  What you actually get is so much more than time.

I was reading the posts from Fat Girl Wunning and I was hit with one of my “why’s” Why do I put myself through the soreness?  Why do I fork out cold card earned cash every month for my Coach?  This is WHY:

Personal Trainers are Motivators, Dictators, Friends and Mortal Enemies. They are exactly what we need to push ourselves to the new limits required to meet our goals. It may feel like we’re dying, but they would never push us to injury or harm. They will however make you swear like a sailor and sweat like a hooker in church.

Check out Fat Girl Wunnings recent musings with her personal trainer. They are brilliantly hilarious…and real life.

Fat Girl Wunning

So in my last entry, I wrote about how all I do is complain to Franz, and when it really hurts, he doesn’t believe me.  Well, after that blog came out, a loyal reader (Hey, Katie!) suggested that we come up with a safe word to use.  You know, the one word that I’m allowed to use to tell him that NO I’M DEAD SERIOUS, I’M DYING.

When I walked into training on that Wednesday, I proposed this idea to him, and he laughed.  Then we both threw out words to use… at the same time.  His was ‘Nutella’.  Mine was ‘Marshmallow’.  The first thing I thought was, I need a s’more.

After this, he proceeded to kick my ass, and I couldn’t use my legs for two days, and I never did get my s’more.

By the way, when Katie suggested I use a safe word, she also…

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Peanut Butter Bacon Bombs (Keto Recipe)

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Just starting day 5 of my #KetoDiet and so far so good!  I have had a few “sweet” cravings, but so far really the #KetoFlu has been beyond manageable.  I am honestly surprised at how well it’s been going.

If I feel a little bit of a headache or nausea coming on, I just sip some Bouillon Broth and BOOM, gone. It’s all about getting that sodium in.

I’ve had more sodium in the last 4 days then i probably have in the last month, and I have ZERO inflammation and water retention.  what?  What IS this sorcery!?

So, as I dive head first into this #KetoLifestyle, I’ve been scouring for new recipe options.  One of the recipes I found, that I’m obsessing over is for 3 Ingredient Keto Peanut Cookies.  When I have the Stevia/Splenda crystals, it’s gonna be on like Donkey Kong.

I’ve been intrigued by the #FatBombs that everyone raves about, so I took to my own variation from a couple recipes I’ve seen.

Peanut Butter BACON Bombs!

Oh. Mylanta.  Yes.

I hope you like them as much as I do!  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Bacon Bombs

(Ketogenic Diet Fat Source)

Peanut Butter Bacon Bomb

12 Servings (macros below)
3/4 C.  Coconut Oil (Melted)
9 1/2 T Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter
2 Packets Splenda
8T  Salted Butter (Melted)
6 Strips Farmland Applewood Thick Cut Bacon (crispy & chopped up small)

 

1.  In a Bowl, Mix together the Coconut Oil, Peanut Butter, Splenda and Butter

2.  Pour mixture into a large measuring cup or other dish for easier pouring.

3.  Line a Muffin Tin with Paper Cups

4.  Evenly distribute the mixture between all 12 cups.

5.  Sprinkle the tops with chopped bacon

6.  Freeze until solid.

7.  Transfer to container or ziploc and store in fridge.

Naked And Afraid – The Before Photos

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Tonight I did something that was at the highest level of anxiety, pit in the stomach, REAL.

I finally got up the courage to take the #BeforePic.

Mentally, we see ourselves so different than the camera does. Subconsciously, I think our brains leave out the dimples, bumps and flaws. Our brains delude us into thinking our 3 Bedroom figure is a studio apartment and we never really get that feeling of what our true canvas looks like.

Tonight I did. Tonight I cried.

I was hit with a harsh reality that I deep down knew existed. If I’m really going to be successful…If I’m going to transform myself to the way, in my heart I feel I need to be, then it needs to be done 100%. These photos were sent to two of my closest fitness friends. Friends who I know won’t judge and will help motivate me. Most of all, they will keep me accountable to the results I’m striving for. This was the single hardest thing I’ve done. I allowed someone else into my reality.

Well, it’s time to change that reality. It’s time to be the woman I know is hiding behind the curtain of bad decisions, eating habits and laziness that shrouds my body. Time to let the Strong Beast that’s inside this skin, out.

Seeing yourself through the lens…is terrifyingly enlightening.

Trust the Process: Pain, Progress and Lessons Learned.

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Trust The Process…even if it seems impossible at times.

October 28th.  I was so incredibly excited to lift that day.  My trainer, Brian, and I were going to lift together for the first time.  Normally, he’s all professional and does the typical trainer/coach thing, but this time he and I were lifting together as partners.

I love this camaraderie.  I love that my gym understands the importance of relationships, not just protocol.  A previous gym of mine didn’t like my trainer lifting with me during sessions. They thought it provided an unprofessional appearance.

Fuck Appearance.

This isn’t a runway show, this is Strength Training…Powerlifting to be exact. It’s gritty, dirty, sweaty, fun, challenging, exhilarating and it’s Family.  Family doesn’t care if you show up in a ripped shirt with a gallon jug.  They just care that you’re there.

At this point I am about 6 weeks into my Powerlifting journey.  I’ve been lifting in general for almost a year and I love every second, but now the goals have changed.  I’ve committed verbally to a meet in June of 2018 and I’m competitive AF.

This day, however, will be remembered for the lesson I learn on my very last rep.  I’m feeling amazing.  Pushing myself harder than usual.  The pump is good and then it happens.

On my last squat rep (5th set. This one is 135×5…my max has been 165lb) I start to power up and in my exhaustion, I lean.  Lean forward.  My mind immediately says, “Oh Shit, straighten out Stephens” and in the process, I feel the pull.  It’s my SI Joint.  I’ve notoriously had issues with an SI Joint that doesn’t just move easily, but moves often. I rack the weight and immediately stretch and figure it’s gonna be fine, just some extra pump. We move to bench.

After some quick bench work, I take to the mats to stretch.  The Rollga is not in sight, and I didn’t have my own with me.  So, I grab a traditional foam roller and start to roll out my glutes.  As I twist to try to hit my piriformis on my right side, the sharp edge of the foam roller along with my heavier body weight decided my fate.

POP.

It happened.  I popped my Right SI joint so far forward it subluxated my right Hip.  AAAAAND I’m out.

Fast forward 14 days.  14 days later, I’m writing this in the backseat of my car as we drive home from a Hockey Weekend.  Currently, I am the most comfortable I’ve been in days. Last night I had my first sleep session that was longer than 2 hours straight and woke up with little to no pain.  This didn’t come from popping pills and sitting on my ass.  This came from 14 days of hard work that wasn’t in the gym.  There were tears, screams of pain, thoughts of anything but success.  It was 14 of the hardest days I’ve had in a very long time.

Injury is not just debilitating but it’s embarrassing, it’s demoralizing and it’s the enemy of motivation. The thoughts that went through my brain included:

“Will people laugh at this?” “Are they all saying ‘I Told You So’?”  “Will I be able to continue?”  “How am I going to explain this one to the ones that already doubted me?”

I stepped back and started to really look at what was happening.  Was I done lifting? Would my coach say, “Well, if that’s how it’s gonna go, let’s just quit.”?  Nope. The next 14 days would prove to be more motivating and introspective than I would have ever guessed.

With every Chiropractic adjustment, even the ones through tears, I felt myself changing.  Physical therapy stretch sessions, multiple daily ice baths and a diet of Advil and water were mixed with one of the busiest weeks my job demands.  Multiple Rollga sessions on my Quads, Hamstrings, IT’s and glutes helped to alleviate the extreme exhaustion my muscles were feeling due to constant contractions with nerve pains.  Heating pad sessions just on my muscles with ice packs on my joints.  Sleep session that only lasted a max of 2 hours due to pain waking me up and telling me to move to my other side.  2am ice showers when my nerve pain in my legs created the most painful restless legs you can imagine.  Young living Pan Away and BioFreeze Professional were my new aromatherapy and every time I wanted to cry and just give up, *Bing* my phone would light up with another notification.  It was my FitFam.  Whether a post notification showing one of my FitFam’s newest accomplishments, a suggestion on recovery for myself or just a general inquiry, I realized I wasn’t alone.  I wasn’t going through this on my own.  This wasn’t an end, it was a bump in the road and it was going to be a major teaching factor in my workouts and how I push my training as my coach and I continue the journey to the USAPL Raw Open in MN June 2018.

As the week continued, I started to see and feel a difference.  10% mobility to 60% in just 5 days.  I started pushing myself for new options of healing so I could ditch the Advil.  Checked out my first Cryogenic Session at Kuhlen Cryo in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  (separate blog post on this) I rested rather than pushed myself and am officially 3 days advil free and my pain has decreased from a 10 to a 3.   This is progress.  Tomorrow I get to see my coach and be back at the gym.  We’ll be heading back into this slowly and working on a lot of accessory work, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I don’t cry when I hug him tomorrow at 3:30pm.

Is my story the worst? Did I suffer the most of anyone? Nope. But when you’re the one in pain, it’s easy to curl up in a ball and give up.  The FitFam I surround myself wouldn’t let me do that.  If you ever feel alone, embarrassed or an outsider in this fitness world, Reach out!  Reach out to me, the guy on the bench next to you, or even a fitness lover that you follow online.  We are REALLY here for you. We get it.  We’ve all been there. I can officially say I have. It’s my turn to help you through the tough times.

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

Labor Day is PREP Day..and Leg Day..and I need a Nap already day.

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Things have been really up and down over the past  few months.  From festivals just about every weekend the first 2/3 of the summer, to big changes at work, the least I can tell you is that I’m tired and have been for more than a month.

Getting up and going gets tougher and tougher the longer and longer you wait.  I always asked myself how people got into their situations of being confined to a couch and living a lifestyle that is a one-way ticket to heartattack-ville.  Well, if they are anything like me, they might have just allowed themselves to ride the trolley right down the path of lazy. Then got lost and didn’t even remember where they were going originally.

I’ve learned a lot in the last few months about myself and how a simple daily outlook can change our paths for the better.  I had a coworker who would tell me the two following statements:

 

  1.  “Did you Die?”  Ok. When you’re upset about something, NO ONE wants to hear this. We want to clang pots and pans together, march around like a one-man band screaming “pay attention to me, agree with me!”  Well, 9 times out of 10, we DIDN’T die.  We ARE overreacting AND we just learned a solid lesson in the act of “choosing our battles”.  This statement has helped me to take the emotion out of so many of the situations where passion outweighs our brains at first.  Solid advice, bro.
  2. “Don’t let ONE negative thing, unravel your ENTIRE day.”  Simple Right? Well, not always.  Sometimes, we don’t even see ourselves on the red eye to “Negative Nancyville”.   Remembering this concept has helped me to cope with the really bad, and really focus on the joy of the day.  Sometimes, it’s just looking at the horizon and noticing how beautiful the colors are and taking it in.  The little positive things add up to a lot if you let them!

Whew..that bit of philosophy out of the way, I’m trying to dive back into the amazing world of fitness, meal planning and me-time.  Three things that add up to amazing positivity in my life.  And three things that ..well, when one went down in flames..I would say F it to the other two.  (see above Trolley to Lazy Land)

So after a killer BACK workout last night and Leg Day in the books today thanks to my Mestie (man bestie for the layman), Ben, I’m off to a sore and yet successful start.  I have a killer treadmill in my basement that calls to me to get off my arse and use it.  I have the skills to create the culinary version of love and awesome in the kitchen. So now..what’s holding me back?  Me.  …well it WAS me..two days ago..and the 30 days before that…and before that.  It’s not about never having to restart…I think it’s about restarting as soon as you can and only resting…not quitting.  big difference there.

I wanted to share one of the recipes I’ve created for this week.  It is also saved in MyFitnessPal account  and it’s slightly adjusted from the original recipe I found on Pinterest.

 

Happy Noshing!

xo Babs

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Baked Raspberry Oatmeal

9 Ingredients / 8 servings

  • 3 cup (40g dry), Old Fashioned Oats
  • 2 tsp, Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon, Salt
  • 1 cup(s), Organic Sucanat
  • 1.00 cup, 1% Milk
  • 1 tsp(s), Vanilla extract
  • 2 large, Egg
  • 1 Packet, No Sugar Added Applesauce
  • 1 cup, Raspberries – Raw
    Mix Oats, Baking Powder, Salt together. Then mix in wet ingredients. Finally Fold in the berries and bake in an 8×8 Square pan (spray with Non-Stick first) for up to 35mins at 350 or until nice and golden brown. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 264
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4 g 6 %
Saturated Fat 1 g 6 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 49 mg 16 %
Sodium 354 mg 15 %
Potassium 41 mg 1 %
Total Carbohydrate 51 g 17 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g 16 %
Sugars 29 g
Protein 8 g 16 %
Vitamin A 4 %
Vitamin C 8 %
Calcium 10 %
Iron 9 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Week 1: Treadmills, Coffee and an iPhone 6.

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Consistency, Passion and the luxury of a schedule change have been on my side this week.  My first full week back at the gym and clean eating and I’m already seeing some great results.  I may seem a bit obsessive about workouts, eating, journaling and more, but it’s what is keeping me going.

I started the week late for a session, no diary written down and just a mess.  I had the desire, but apparently not the organization.  After 6 pages of “this is not how you succeed” in text messeges from my trainer, and a rearrangement of my schedule I was finally set up for success.  Now it was totally in my court.

I weighed in on Monday and by my Thursday session, I weighed in at a 2.6 lb loss.  This is great, now just to keep it off, if not make that number larger for a full week weigh-in this monday.  I’m still arguing with my trainer about coffee with creamer and the carbs that follow suit.  Still sippin’ my joe. but looking for a good creamer alternative.

My iPhone 4s took a total dump when I updated to ios 8.0..which i think in the long run became a blessing in disguise.  The iPhone 6 with My Fitness Pal is the best ever.  I really like this app. It connects with my trainer and other friends that use it  Plus, the camera on the iPhone 6 is the bomb dot com. You can quote me on that.

 

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1/2 of today's prep #cleaneating #syntha-6 #eattrainlose

A post shared by Brook Stephens (@babsinradioland) on

 

Overnight Oats & Weighing in on the Weekend

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3LBS BOOM!

Last week was my first week in over a month that I was able to make it to all three of my training sessions.  It was glorious!  As of Friday, my birthday, I was down 3.0 lbs from Monday.  I’ve set a minimum of 2.5 lbs per week goal til my Nashville Trip.  That will at least put me 10lbs down, and although I will still be far from my goal, I’ll be 10lbs lighter in my step.  After an awesome workout and a little extra cardio on Friday, I headed home.

Everyone kept asking me what I was doing, where I was going, how drunk I was going to get.  Truth be told, none of the above.  Other than a super tight budget due to paying for our upcoming trip to Vegas, I wasn’t about to take those 3 pounds and just put them back on with night of drinking which inevitably leads to a late night trip through the Taco Bell Drive through and a day of Carbs licking my liver’s wounds the next day.  I was surprised at everyone’s reaction to this.  They felt sorry for me.

Well, they were the only ones feeling sorry for me.

FOOD_PB&JInstead of the normal Mexican Village or other restaurant free meal or dessert, I opted for something that wasn’t totally naughty, but also wasn’t on plan.  Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich.  Let me tell you.  After a week of eating Chicken, Broccoli, brown rice, Oatmeal and Whey Protein..this sandwich was like a flavor explosion consisting of winning the lottery, getting a pony and fireworks over the lake all wrapped into one.

Saturday my husband took his 1970 John Deere Snowmobile to the antique Snowmobile Ride In in Waconia and I got to spend the day with Timothy.  We never left the house once.  We made Valentine’s Day Window Clings to send to family and made our first finger painting masterpiece.  Then we read a couple books, napped and laughed a lot.  I’d say it was a pretty awesome day.

Sunday was a day to plan.  If there is one thing that I’ve noticed, eating clean is not always cheap. Especially when you have a 17 mos old and a husband to feed as well.  So, planning this week on a tight budget was insane. After 45 mins of coupon clipping, Target Cartwheeling and sale shopping, I took a load of Groceries that rang up at $112 and the coupons brought it down to $72.00. BOOM!  #SuperShopper.

I decided to try an overnight Oats recipe I found on Pinterest.  I’m really digging it, but next time I’ll make this variety without the maple.  I don’t know why I put it in there.  I loathe oatmeal with cinnamon, maple or brown sugar varieties.  I’ll eat brussel sprouts before those. That’s saying alot.  Brussel Sprouts are like ipecac for me.  So I used Blueberries and Almond milk.  They turned out great, just weird to eat them cold, but that’s easy to get over 🙂

1st week official weigh in today at 2:30 pm.  Excited and nervous all at the same time.  Let’s keep this Train rollin’!

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Best Picture I could get…I scarfed these before I took it..whoops.

Overnight Oats with Blueberries & Maple

  • Small 1/2 pint canning jar with lid/ring
  • 1/4 c Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1/4 c Greek Yogurt
  • 1/3 c Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 1 Tbl Flax Seed / Chia Seed /or mix
  • Blueberries to fill
  • Tsp Maple Syrup
  1. Put the Oats, Milk, Yogurt & seeds into the jar.  Cover and shake til mixed.
  2. add Maple and fill the jar with Blueberries.
  3. Cover again, shake til mixed then put in fridge overnight.
  4. Enjoy Cold or hot the next morning.  (evidently this keeps for up to 3 days)

(Adapted from this Post)

Hockey! Hockey! Hockey! Water weight Oy! Oy! Oy!

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Man, I don’t know what’s up with my body this past week. I’ve been so swollen I can barely get my wedding ring off, I’ve been in and out of the ER and doc’s office with this viral stuff an more. I just seem to have been dealt the worst hands of cards ever in the fitness game. But just like every game, the cards will be shuffled soon.

I’m currently sitting in my favorite spot in the world. Section 303 row F seat 12 of the Ralph Englestad Arena. tonight the Sioux take on Bemidji and it’s going to rock. I just can’t stop thinking about how badly I want to sit in this seat again and not cross over into foreign airspace.

The past two weeks have felt like constant restarts..I just want one full week of workout bliss. that’s it. just one week. I know one thing, I won’t let this lack of consistency slow me or demotivate me..I need to address the issue and blow past it. I’m traveling to Nashville in less than a month…I will be down 10 pounds. I can do this.