November 2012 - Training

After coming back from the NPC Sac Show on the 3rd, I realized I was in one of my 'non-eating' phases. Basically I've always had a cycled eating pattern. I'll eat more for a few weeks, and then I'll basically have no cravings or desire to eat. So I decided to use that to my advantage. Even though I'm building right now, I just don't feel comfortable at this high of a weight. I was at my all time high of 144lbs. (My previous high was always 140). The stress and mess I had to deal with in the last few months took a toll on my eating and working out.

I decided to tighten up my diet and drop a few pounds. I didn't plot it out, I just modified what I was already eating by cutting my pre-workout PB&J in half, and replacing 2 of my meals for super clean ones: tilapia & asparagus, and salmon & asparagus. It ended up being high protein and low carb, about 105g carbs. I will also say I did have a few add-in items. Monday I had my friend's leftover bread pudding she had made from scratch for me. Tuesday night I had my 2 mini sliders leftover from Chili's. Small bites, made me happy. If i run out of food I throw in a Lean Cuisine at the end of the week. So, I'm down 3lbs. I would've liked another to be down to 140, but I'm pretty happy. I took my measurements and photos. I'm guessing I'm down about 1 lb of fat, and 2lbs of water. I feel better about how I look, though I definitely have a long way to go. But I'm happy to lose it slower and keep the muscle I am working SO hard to build. I most likely will bring the food back up this week to my 'maintenance' level and continue. I would like to do another drop week at the end of Nov/Beg December. I am guessing my competition weight will be around 125. We will see how much I can actually build and what that looks like when I lean out.

I am still using the M&F Trainer for my workouts and loving it! I lift 5 days/week. I don't do any 'cardio' per say, but I teach 2-Cycle classes and 5-Aqua classes per week, so it's there! ;)  Yesterday was legs & shoulders and my butt is definitely sore today! I really had to force myself through that workout last night. My basic diet for the last week, my drop week, is below. It's about 1400 cals. If I had sat down and figured it out the ratios would have been better, I just wanted to drop and didn't mind going strict, especially because I let myself keep my favorites.

 

Current stats: 141lbs, 22%BF (31lbs), 110lbs LBM.
 - I take this all with a grain of salt, because the BIA measurements fluctuate greatly, and unfortunately some fat caliper measurements you just can't take on your own. At the higher weight it read i was 112LBM, which I'm sad about because I was working to 115, but now looks like I'm back down to 110. We will see, I just HAVE to keep my lifts in, even though I am completely SLAMMED at work! 



 

Training for October, Weeks 1&2

I have really been debating which direction to take my training in for October. I definitely need some structure back. I have been getting in about 3x/wk splits. I've been getting sore, which is nice ;) I had a full work shop last weekend with my co-workers from various other clubs for kettlebell training on one day and 'suspension training' (think TRX) the next. Let me tell you I WAS SORE!! Sunday night, many things were uncomfortable to do, lol. It hurt to sneeze! Of course I'm pretty Bad ass, so I pick the most cocky guy there and try to take him on. ahhhh....I hold my own.

Anyhow, I'm still at a pretty heavy weight for me, but I really want to start lifting heavy and building some more muscle. I can see it starting to bounce back, but do I really want to up my calories and get...bigger? I was looking at my numbers for 'building' vs. 'leaning', and I've decided to create my meal plans in-between the two. I will be using the workouts from the M&F Workout Trainer which consist of 5 lifting days; lower body shoulders, upper body, lower body shoulders and full body, with abs each day. I am on Advanced Muscle Tone & Firm, based on the information I have provided to the program. I felt a huge difference and built muscle pretty quick when I started it before. I just have to MAKE the time each day.

I am starting at 144lbs, 22% BF. EEK! Yes, this is my absolute HIGHEST weight! I feel huge. Which is funny since the zone I target my regular clients for is 18-25% for health. (Of course, athletes and competitors are usually between 9% - 15% for females)

My food for the first 2 weeks is below. I am great during the week, but not so great on the weekends. 

    

   

I put myself on a 2,200 cal meal plan. At first, I was almost sick to my stomach because I was SO full! By the end of the week, I was hungry waiting for my next meal. Also, not only did I maintain my weight, but my scale would blink between my weight and the number below. I found out through my metabolic testing earlier this year that my body does much better at fat utilization at lower levels of HR or intervals such as lifting. 

   
I was VERY happy with my gains in these two weeks. All the definition is popping back. My weights are going up each week. Feeling pretty badass, not gonna lie! ;)


 
Here are some of the set-ups for the M&F Trainer workouts. LOVE 'em!

Now I will be working on my next food plan for the week and getting ready for the next lifts and takin' it up a notch!

Group Ex Instructin' ain't easy!

 I LOVE MY JOB! No better job than getting paid to workout! The fact that people come to the gym to take my class humbles me and I am constantly trying to learn and improve to give them what I can with the time they are spending with me. But I don't think a lot of people know what goes into all of it.

When I went through my MINOR in college to learn how to become a Group Ex Instructor (dual track minor mind you, with Personal Training) there were a lot of things to go over.
EDUCATION - I had to take courses in Anatomy, Physiology, a Physiology Lab where I learned how to take measurements and performs tests etc. We had internships in both club and rehab settings. I taught a portion of a class at Gold's Gym in Santa Barbara, I worked a quarter at a Cardiac Stage III Rehab facility at a community center, I interned another quarter at a Senior Fitness facility with Aqua Rehab. So when people take a 2-day cert...well, you may imagine how I feel. On top of that, many feel they don't NEED a Group Ex cert. REALLY?! Group Ex and Personal Training are NOT the same. The Liability Insurance alone is different.
MUSIC - You have music selection. Their are copyrights and instructors have been SUED because they played an artist's music in their class! The club will NOT protect you. That is why there are companies such as Power Music, Dynamix, Yes Music, etc that create either remade or remixed music so that you can use as they have paid for the copyrights for this purpose. There are BPM(beats per minute). Have you ever taken a class where something just felt....off? Step or dance where you're body is moving at a different time that the instructor? I have found myself off the beat many times. But I can make adjustments to get back on. Some, especially trainers or uneducated instructors, will have their class do sets of 10, not understanding that music is in 32count phrases so you must work in sets of 8. Also, there are different speeds for certain types of classes. It is unsafe to do a class such as Step, or Kickboxing at high speed as the risk of falling, slipping or otherwise injuring someone increases. There are also equipment safety concerns.
SAFETY - Using a Bosu, I've seen instructors have the class step on the flat side of the Bosu. You do not know the level of each participant nor are you able to spot them, especially in a large class. Funny enough, BOSU started printing a note on the bottom that its not to be used that way in Group Ex settings.
PROTECTING YOURSELF - We were taught NEVER to teach without a Mic. Last week, I taught SEVEN classes, no mic. Instructors also used to teach a TON of classes. We have learned how much it wears the body down. I currently teach 3) Cycling classes/week. I have learned Pilates and Aqua so that I can teach other types of classes without wearing down my body.
BEING PREPARED - I work at multiple clubs. I have learned their stereos, mics, and lack thereof are across the board.  I carry spare batteries, (AA & 9v), Ipod, ipod charger and CD's. You should be prepared for anything.

Now, the personal part. The ups are that you can't 'miss' your workout, it's scheduled in, AND you get paid. The down, is that you can be having the WORST day and you can't miss your workout lol. So some days, your world can literally be crashing down around you. .and you gotta just SUCK IT UP, put a HUGE smile on your face, and give them the workout they are there for. They are there for YOU to motivate THEM. I try to make sure I listen more than I talk, and I smile. At everyone. And some days, you get that one person. The person that interrupts you in the middle of class to question your music and tell you it's "not doing it for me", even though it's one of your most popular Cycling rides. Then they proceed to perform their own personal stretching routine in front of the class as you are coaching the class through a very hard climb. Then they leave before class is over. And then THEY complain to you at the front desk. And I SMILE. because that is what I do. Do I get upset? YES! Do I check in with my class to make sure they don't feel the same way? OH YEAH! I have great classes and they know me over all the years I've been there. I had one lady tell me once, "just in case you see me leave, it's because I just can't stand your voice." I smiled and said, 'oh'...What do you say to that??? lol She proceeded to make horrible noises to similate what I sound like to her. I smile. I'm speechless. People are rude. You have no idea what someone else is going through.

I love my job. But I'm human. I have feelings. I come in and try to be peppy even on the worst days. That's why it's my job. But man....I could never treat someone like that. If I take someone else's class I try to be supportive, even if I don't love it.  I teach when I'm sick, I teach when I'm carb deleting for a show sometimes. Because I don't want my class to ever miss their workout. They are what cheers me up at the end of the day, and the negatives are few and far between. So next time you have a great instructor, that lifts your day and gives you a great smile, give them some love. We appreciate it!! ;) xo