Day 3 of Juicing

Ah, the end is near! Only 2 more days of juicing left, I enjoyed all my juices today. For breakfast, I had:
- 2 apples
- 2 oranges
- 1 cup pineapple
- 2 cup cranberries
- Coconut water

It was really good! It was really sweet. I also prepared my lunch and dinner at the same time since I would be gone all day. My lunch was:
- 2 apples
- 3 carrots
- 1 red pepper
- 1 celery
- 2 tomatoes
It was delicious! I could really taste the sweetness of the red peppers.

My dinner was:
- 3 cucumber
- 2 kale leaves
- 2 celery
- 3 pears
- 1 peeled lemon

It was also really good. I finally had energy all through out the day. I didn't feel tired. I drank all my water and I even did some cardio in the morning before I had to go to school. I went to the gym to do cardio on the stair master for 20 minutes. It wasn't a lot but it's my fault. I didn't manage my time properly and didn't have enough time at the gym.

I'm happy to say that I've lost 5 pounds in the last 2 days! It's amazing! I know it's mostly water weight but I want to get back down to my lowest weight and even past that. I'm so happy it's working! I finally have my energy back and I'm losing weight. If I keep losing weight, I might extend my cleanse. I've been playing around with extending it for 3 days and doing a full week. I want to see how much weight I can lose on this cleanse. I think I may do it. I hope I'm not crazy for wanting to extending it. I enjoy challenging myself so I think I'll do it! Ahhh!

Day 2 Of Juicing

Today was a little more challenging. I started off the day with a lot of enthousiasm. I was finally getting my training in order. I went for a 20 minute fasted run. I had energy when I woke up but boy could I feel a decrease in energy during my run. I could barely run before I felt tired again. I still managed to get through and I told myself its better to be moving than to be in bed at home. 

I made my breakfast juice when I got home. It consisted of: 

- 2 apples

- 1 cup blueberries

- 1 kale leaf

- 2 cups cranberries

- 1 peeled lemon

I also added some coconut water for some more volume. I headed to the gym to meet with my trainer at 10. Since I'm juicing, I decided to stick to a more steady state work out so I didn't pass out or get too fatigued. We focused on upper body. I did some shoulder press, lateral raises, and front raises for my first circuit. I did 25 mini reps of both the lateral raises and front raises. It made my muscles burn! I repeated this 3 times. I did a 300 ft sprint on the rope machine to get my heart rate up. 

I also did some rear delt flys, low chest press on the machine and rows on the machine. Again, I did them all for 3 sets of 15. I did another sprint on the VMX rope machine. I could feel myself slowly starting to lose energy. I could feel the blood rushing to my head when I stood up and it seemed like the surroundings were a blur. I still wanted to keep working out so I did some hammer curls, tricep dips, and tricep kick backs. I felt accomplished after my work out and I rushed home to make my lunch juice. My lunch was:

- 2 apples

- 1 cucumber

- 1 handful of spinach

- 2 celery

- 1 pear

- 1 cup of cranberries

I brought it to school with me as I had to be in the clinic to treat some of the athletes. I also had to make my dinner juice since I would be at football practice. It had:

- 3 cucumbers

- 2 kale leaves

- 2 celery

- 3 pears

- 1 peeled lemon

The last one had so much volume. There's a lot of juice in the cucumbers. It was pretty good but I still prefer the sweetness of my breakfast juices. I felt really tired in the evening. I was craving eating, just chewing on food. It was the weirdest feeling. I drank a lot of water throughout the day to keep myself hydrated and full. I hear the first 2 days are the worse so I hope I feel better tomorrow!

Day 1 Of Juicing

Today was the first day of my juice cleanse. I had some highs and some lows. The day started off great. I loved my morning juice. It consisted of:
- 2 apples
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 cups grapes
- 2 kale leaves
- 1" ginger

It was delicious! It tasted like real juice! I was at home for most of the morning and afternoon so I was able to take the time to make all my juices. My lunch juice was:
- 2 apples
- 1 orange
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 cupe pineapple
- 4 kale leaves

It was really good as well. The apples and the pineapple add a lot of sweetness to the juice. I didn't feel hungry at all. Because the juices were so sweet, I couldn't drink them quickly. By drinking them slowly, they filled me up more.

My dinner drink consisted of:
- 2 carrots
- 2 kale leaves
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 peeled lemon
- 1" ginger

This was by far my least favourite drink. It didn't really taste like anything. I should've added an apple for some sweetness. It took me a long time to drink it. I started getting headaches in the evening. I normally get that type of headache when I don't eat enough. I knew the first two days would be rough so I'm just going to fight through it. It won't be easy but it'll be worth it!

Thanksgiving

I'm sorry I haven't posted in the last week. It was a hectic week at school with midterms and I was also ashamed with the way I've been eating and training. My downfall started when I didn't have any more prepared meals at home. I didn't have anything for lunch so I told myself I would buy something at school. The problem was temptation got the best of me. The sandwiches looked so good compared to the salad. I made the wrong decision and got the sandwich. And it just kept getting worse. I treated myself to a pumpkin spice latte at starbucks when I knew I shouldn't. It was the start of a downward spiral.

Every day I tried to stop the cycle. I would start the day off right but then as soon as I started to study or I felt tired, I started to snack. I snacked on nuts, cereal, and even some gold fish. I couldn't control myself and stop the urge to eat. It continued all week and then I couldn't stop it right before thanksgiving. There would be so much food! It was impossible not to eat all the food in front of me: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. I gave in and it was delicious! At least I gave myself smaller portions with this meal.

I'm an emotional eater and I need to learn to control it. It's a difficult habit to stop. I need to start by realizing when I'm eating because I feel like it and not because I need to. I need to stop the snacking and stick to my plan. If not, I'll never reach my goal of becoming a fitness model.

Today, I made the decision to stop and get myself back on track. I'm depressed that I'm not making much process yet I allow myself to snack uncontrollably? That's not going to help the situation. It's making it worse and its making me feel worse.

I decided to start a cleanse tomorrow. I want to try to do a 4 day juice cleanse to clean out my system and start over fresh. I've never done a juice cleanse before so I'm curious to try it. I'm only going to do four days because I don't know how I'll be able to handle it and if it'll work. I went to get all my fruits and veggies today. I'm actually really excited to try it. I hear it works well and I hope it works for me! I need to get myself back on track.

Workin' On My Legs

I planned to go to the gym tonight. My co-worker asked me if I was going to the gym tonight so we decided to work out together. I really wanted to work out my legs so we came up with a good routine. We started with a circuit one of my other trainers gave me: leg press, walking lunges, and 1 minute wall sit with a 45 lb plate. 

Afterwards, we moved onto back squats, bulgarian split squats with a jump, and box jumps. After each set, we pushed and then pulled the sled back. It was fun to have a parter to work out with because we pushed each other. We kept going when it was tough and we both agreed to do the sled because we new it was a great way to incorporate cardio while still working out our legs. The only thing we need to work on so not talking so much and taking excessive breaks!

We ended with hip thrusts with a barbell and glute kick backs to focus on our glutes. It was a great work out and it was fun to have a parter with me. It definitely makes working out more fun! 

Game Day In Quebec City

I went to Quebec City today as the football team was playing University of Laval. It was going to be a very challenging game as the team is ranked 1st in the country. The team travelled up on Saturday but I got a lift up this morning to meet with them. I got there just in time to start taping and get them ready for the game.

There were so many people in the stands. There was a great atmosphere to play in. The team lost 32-16. It was a close game and we were the toughest competition they had so far. I hope the guys use this as a learning opportunity as we may face them again in the finals.

I had all my food packed for the day. They always have pizza after the game. It's so tempting but I have to bring my own stuff or else I won't be able to stay on track. I'm disappointed I didn't have the chance to get a work out in. Realistically I didn't have time. I was up early and I was home late. At least I stay on track with my food and I'll kill it in the gym tomorrow.

Trying New Things

My trainer decided I should try fasted cardio in the morning. Bascially he wants me to run for 20-25 each morning for the next week. I can't eat before I run so that my body uses my fat for energy. I can have a small cup of black coffee to wake me up. It may or may not work for me. I hope it does because I really want to lose this weight! The rain didn't stop me and I ended up running for 27 minutes. My cardio has improved so much. I didn't stop running once!

I refueled with a big breakfast when I got home. It consisted of
-1/3 cup of oats
-1/2 cup of egg whites
- cinnamon
- water
- banana

It was delicious and so filling! Today is my high carb day so I could treat myself! I relaxed a bit in the morning and then headed to the gym for a work out before work. I only had 45 minutes so I had to make the most of it. I did some intervals on the treadmill, a short leg circuit and then ended with the stair master.

I'm really proud of myself for working out twice in one day and for sticking to my diet. I hope the fasted cardio works. This is the last week of my 30 days of carb cycling. I'm on low calories so I hope that it also helps with my weight loss. I know I can do it!!

Feeling A Little Down

I was feeling a little down today. I'm still really disappointed in my pictures. They don't represent all the hard work I've been doing. It's really depressing to work so hard and see myself putting on weight. My trainer and I have been trying to figure out why I'm holding on to the food or excess water from the last weekend. I may be consuming too much salt or there's a food my body is not responding well to. I need to figure out what it is because once I do, I feel like I will lose all the bloat I have been carrying around.

Since all of this has been on my mind today, I didn't have the best work out with my trainer. I felt defeated and I didn't have any energy to work out. I started the work out with 30 plyo push ups and 30 assisted pull ups. I followed that up with a 2 minute cardio portion conisting of the following exercises, each done for 20 seconds: sprint, plank with arm reach, 180 degree jumps, 3 cone drill, star jumps, and burpees. I repeated the process again for 20 of each exercise and again for 10 reps. Afterwards, I pushed the sled across the gym and back, followed by another push, and then I pulled it back. It was tough and again, I really felt it working my legs. I ended the session with an ab circuit.

Even though I'm dissapointed, I still have to keep fighting. I knew it wouldn't be easy and that there were going to be ups and downs. I've just hit a plateau and eventually my body will lose the excess fat. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and hope for the best.

A Moment of Truth

Here are my progress pictures for the last month. On the left is September 1st and on the right is October 1st.

I'm really disappointed and upset about this. I thought I was doing so well and finally starting to lose body fat. Instead, it looks like I've been putting weight. I didn't have a good month of August so I knew my pictures would be bad. However, I changed my attitude and perspective for the month of September and I stuck to my diet 100%. I gave up opportunities and chose to eat according to my meal plan. I worked out at least 5 days a week, including 2 days a week with my trainer. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but it seems like I'm taking steps in the wrong direction. I'm disappointed and I don't know what to do to fix it. Do I need to change my diet again? Do I need to work out more? Do I do more cardio or more weight training? My body seems to be a huge mystery and I need to figure it out if I want it to work.

I didn't want to post these pictures because I'm really ashamed of myself. I've been working out consistently for the past 5 months and it doesn't even show. At this rate, I'll never be ready for my competition. I need to change something soon because I only have 6 months to go.

Time To Melt the Fat

As I mentioned yesterday, I had to be at the gym for 9 this morning as I was meeting my trainer. I did a large circuit 3x that focused on my legs but also involved whole body exercises. The circuit consisted of thrusters, alternating split squat jumps, upright rows, iron crosses, tricep kick backs, bicep curls, iron cross hold, and the plank. It was tough at times but I fought through it.

I moved onto sumo squats with a weight. I had to do 10 squats and on the last rep, I had to jump onto a step. I repeated it for 9 reps, 8 reps, 7 reps, 6 reps, and 5 reps. Afterwards, I pushed the sled across the gym and back. I repeated the whole process again and pushed then pulled the sled back. I was pooped. I ended with an ab circuit and stayed to foam roll and stretch.

I enjoyed my morning work out and I feel ready to start my day. I have class, then therapy and finally football practice in the evening. It's a long day but I'm used to it. Have a great day everyone!

Late Night Cardio

I had a simple day planned today. I did some homework in the morning and then worked in the evening. I didn't have the chance to work out before work so I got it done at 10pm. All I had to do was some cardio so it didn't take too long. I did 5 minutes on the stair master to warm up. I did 10 intervals on the treadmill: 1 minute walk, 30 second jog, and a 30 second sprint. It wasn't too difficult and it was over before I knew it. I really feel that my cardio is improving. My heart rate doesn't go up as quickly as it used to. I'm feeling great and ready for bed. I have to be up and back at the gym for 9!

Halifax

I've been a little MIA these last few days as I was away in Halifax. I travelled there with the Concordia football team. They had a game against Saint Mary's on Saturday.

We left Thursday at 12 and split up the drive on the way there. Before I left, I packed all my food. I placed everything in baggies and brought it in a cooler. I didn't want to fall off track while I was away. I knew there would be moments were I wouldn't be able to choose what I wanted to eat so I decided to bring my own food.

We drove 6 hours to Edmunston, New Brunswick. We stayed there for the night. I managed to get a work out in that night at the hotel. We left the next morning at 7 and drove 5 hours to Mount Allison University. We had lunch in their cafeteria. It was the biggest cafeteria I had ever seen. They had everything you could possibly think of to eat. I decided to eat there since the food was fresh. I stuck to healthy things for lunch. It was delicious! After lunch, the team had a practice. It was just a walk through for the game. We then drove 2 hours to Halifax.

I had to stray from my meal plan that night. We had a team dinner at a local restaurant. I didn't want to not eat while every else was enjoying their meal so I joined them. Every one had a spaghetti dinner. In the evening, I treated some of the players before their game.

Saturday was game day! Kick off was at 2 (1pm EST). We ended up winning 63-7!!! It was such an exciting game. We had so many touch downs! It was great to win and improve our record to 4-0! After the game we packed up and drove home straight through the night. We ended up getting home at 7am on Sunday.

It was a long road trip but I had a lot of fun. It was fun to get to know the team a little better and it was great to come back with a win!

I got back onto my diet and training plan today. I started my diet again from the day I missed. I also got my training in tonight. I burned over 750 calories tonight during my work out. It was nice to get away but I'm happy to be back home and back to my usual routine!

Body Weight Cardio

I had a session with Anthony this afternoon. Since I worked out last night, we do a cardio circuit of body weight exercises. The breakdown was as follows:
- 15 prisoner squats
- 12 push-ups on a step (6 each side)
- 10 diagonal lunges (each leg)
- 30 jumping jacks
- 6 vertical jumps
- 12 spider climbs
- 16 ski jumps
- 12 spider push ups
- 20 second sprint

I did the circuit 3 times. It got my heart rate up and I was sweating. Afterwards, I did a challenge on the ropes. I to pull the rope across my body for 200 ft as fast as I could. I then had to pull the rope any way I wanted for 400 ft as fast as I could. The first time I did it a few weeks ago my time was 1:39. Today, I got it in 1:26!! I was so proud of myself for beating my time. It felt great. We ended the session with some ab exercises and stretching.

It was a great work out. I burned 557 calories in one hour. I feel refreshed and ready to conquer the day!

Montreal Half Marathon

A year ago today, I ran my first half marathon. It was quite the experience. I did the Montreal Rock N Roll series. The race started on the Jacques Cartier bridge, went around Ile St Helene, the race track, pass the expo 67 houses, through the old port, along St Catherine and it ended with the brutal climb up Berri Uqam to the Parc Lafontaine.

I trained all of last summer for the race. It was something I wanted to do for a while so I just signed up for it and did it. I ran by myself and trained by myself. I had never really ran much by myself outside. It was something I wanted to try so I set it as a goal and accomplished it.

It took me 2 and a half hours to complete the race. My goal was just to complete the race so I was happy I was able to finish it in a decent time. My cardio was pretty good during the race. My back and my feet were tired by the end of the race. My whole family was waiting for me at the finish line. It was great to see them at the last marker, where I only had 1 km left to run. My boyfriend actually ran the last kilometre with me. I was so happy for his support.

I may do it again next year. I have a couple of friends who would like to do it with me. If I do it again, I would want to train more and get a better time. Maybe one day I'll set the goal of completing a marathon. If I get through this goal, I feel like I will be able to accomplish anything.

Multi-Vitamin

I've decided to start taking a multi-vitamin. Since my diet is pretty restrictive, I wanted to make sure I was still getting all my daily vitamins and minerals. On low carb days, for example, I don't eat any fruit or vegetables. Unless it fits into my macronutrients for the day, I won't be able to eat it. The added vitamins help supplement any deficiency I may have. I also wanted to take it to give me a tiny bit more energy for the day.

I decided to try Jamieson's Vit-Vim. Jamieson is a good brand and the vitamin provides me with the necessary nutrients. I take it once a day in the morning and I've been taking it for a week now. I don't see a difference in my energy levels but it's good to know I'm still getting all the necessary vitamins for the day!

No Regrets

My boyfriend and I made breakfast for my family this morning. We made scrambled eggs, sausage and blueberry pancakes. It was fun cooking together and everyone loved the food. I resisted all temptation and didn't have any of the food. Not one pancake! I made my own breakfast of oatmeal and protein as well as 1 egg mixed with egg whites and I scrambled them. My breakfast was really good too but I'm sure a plate of pancakes would've been delicious!

I worked in the evening so I had to get my work out in pretty late. I did the lifting work out my trainer gave me. During the first round of exercises, I kept stopping before I would complete the reps for each exercise. I guess I didn't realize how tired I was or I just wasn't motivated. I was pretty surprised because I wasn't dreading my work out. I knew I had to get it done all day and I was ready to do it. I thought about going home but then I would've been dissappointed in myself. I took a second to refocus before my second set. I decided to time myself and see how quickly I could get through the second round. It was a good motivator and I tried to beat my time for my last set.

Overall, I'm happy I stuck to my plan and finished my work out. I was talking to someone at the juice bar today who used to compete in body building competitions. He said the moment they're about to announce the winner, a lot of stuff went through his head. When he didn't win his first competition, he started to think about the missed work outs and if he hadn't eaten that dessert, would it have helped him win. He told me to not have any regrets once I step on stage. So I'm going to start using his knowledge and use that if I ever think about skipping a work out or cheating on my meal plan. It helped me tonight as I didn't want to regret ending my work out early. I pushed through and got it done!

Homecoming

I had a pretty jam packed day today. I was at school for 9 and I treated some athletes for 2 hours. I then had a huge break until 4. I thought about going home but instead, I decided to be productive. I went to Second Cup and studied for 4 hours. It felt good to get that much work done and I was proud of myself for chosing to do so. I wanted to get a work out in before the football game but the gym was really busy. I decided to go for a run around NDG instead. I don't know the distance I ran but I went for a good 30 minute run. It felt great to try a new route. I ran along de maisoneuve up to cavendish, then up to monkland and then back down to Sherbrooke. I ran at a good pace and didn't even stop. It made me realize how much my cardio has improved. I'm so happy!

I felt refreshed when I got back and I was ready to start preparing for the football game. The night went by so quickly! It was their homecoming game against the University of Sherbrooke. They're a good team but we beat them 29-22! It was a great game and I'm so proud of the team. It's a huge win and it feels great to be 3-0! I get to go on a road trip to Halifax as the play Saint-Mary's University. It was a long day but I'm proud of myself for everything that I accomplished.

Getting Stronger Day By Day

I met Anthony tonight to train with him again. I did a little more resistance training today since I did a pretty intense cardio work out yesterday morning. The basic framework for the work out was 10 weighted burpees followed by 2 sets of an exercise. I started with floor press. I also did jumping split squats, iron cross, and tricep kick backs. It was a full body work out. I still my heart rate up and my cardio in by doing the burpees. It felt like an easier work out than usual. I got through my burpees no problem, even after doing over 50 burpees in total. The resistance exercises felt easy but I think it's because I'm starting to feel stronger. I have the strength to get through the work out and the mental strength to keep pushing during those last few reps. I'm really great and my trainer even noticed. He said I had an aura around my head. I guess my confidence is starting to show and I feel it too. I catch myself with a smile on my face more often than not.

Cardio Blast

I met my trainer this morning for the first of our 2 sessions this week. He planned a cardio based work out for me. I started with 2 exercises that I did for 30 reps: plyo push-ups and assisted pull-ups. After, I moved onto my cardio portion. Each exercise was performed for 20 seconds: sprints, plank with arm reaches, 180 jumps, 3 cone drill, star jumps, and burpees. It was tough and it really got my heart rate up. I repeated the cycle again, starting with 20 reps of each exercise and followed by the cardio portion. I did it for a last time for 10 reps and then cardio.

I repeated the whole process again while changing the 2 exercises. I started with 30 squats and 30 bicep curls, followed by the cardio portion. I repeated it again for 20 and 10 reps. I was pooped by the end of it. My legs were tired and I was out of breath. I ended the session with a short ab circuit.

It was a great way to start the day. I felt refreshed and I had energy all day. I don't have to worry about work out again since I already did it. I feel wonderful!

Post Work Cardio

Now that I have a specific plan given to me by my trainer, there's no more making excuses. I have to follow it if I want it to work. Even though I finished working at 10, I still had to stay to do my cardio for the day. My cardio involves interval training. I warmed up by doing a 10 minute jog on the treadmill. I decided to do my intervals on a spin bike. I did 30 seconds with no resistance, 30 seconds at a moderate pace with some resistance, and 30 seconds at a full sprint with resistance, for 10 rounds. I find the worst part is during the 3rd and 4th round were its getting tough and you realize you still have so many rounds to go. I timed the intervals so there was no leniency. I was getting tired by the end but I got through it. I feel really good about working out even though I was tired. I'm fully committed to my goal so no more excuses!

Partners In Training

I feel a lot better than yesterday. I think it was really good that I acknowledged that I was struggling and now I'm 100% committed to making myself better. I wasn't tempted by any food today and even if it did cross my mind, I would tell myself I have a goal and I won't cheat on my goal. I feel a lot better and I hope I keep it up.

Today was one of my low carb days. I only had 31g of carbs but 50g of fat so I was still feeling full. I felt tired mid afternoon but it went away once class was over. I went to the gym around 9:30, once I cooked my dinner and did a little homework. I did the full body circuit my trainer sent me. I started my work out with a warm up using the battle ropes. I stretched and then did some sprints on the treadmill to get my heart rate up. I did the circuit 3 times. I did 2 rounds with Makaya who is also training with Anthony. It was fun to do it with someone and we motivated each other to get through it. I was able to get through it no problem and I didn't feel fatigued. I burned 755 calories during my work out.

It feels great to have a program to do on my own. I stuck to my diet today. It was a great day and now I just have to keep it up.

In Need Of A Little Motivation

I need your help. I need to regain a little motivation. I don't know how. I've tried a lot of things so far. I've read other fitness blogs. I've posted pictures in my room and on my phone of fitness models. I tried posting a calendar in my room and tracking my diet and workouts. I've tried setting short term goals for myself. I don't know how to get back the motivation I had this summer.

I think one of the biggest problems I have is that this fitness competition is no longer my biggest priority. I have so many other things going on: school, my internship, work, and homework that training is put on the back burner. When I get home, I'm tired or I have homework to do so I don't go to the gym. I have different priorities now. If I go to the gym, I have less time for homework while if I focus on my work, I'm too tired for the gym. It's hard to find the right balance.

I also need to get rid of the cheats I have on the weekend. It seems I can't stick to my diet on the weekend since I don't have a regular schedule. During the week, the thought of cheating doesn't cross my mind. I'm so strong and determined to stick to my meal plan. On the weekend, however, that voice in my head disappears and nothing stops me from eating what I want. I don't know how to fix that. I don't know why I've been able to stick to my plan to not drink any alcohol for a year and resist temptation without any problem but I can't resist the urge to have dessert on the weekend. I need to learn to resist temptation.

My goal is to lose weight. It's not easy. I'm going to do it through a good diet and exercise. I know I can do it. I always achieve any goal I set for myself. I just have to start reminding myself that my goal is too lose weight. I'm not going to be able to do it without dieting. My boyfriend brought up an interesting idea that might help with my motivation: the fear of failure. I don't want to fail at this. If I keep cheating, I'm going to fail. I'm not going to achieve my goal and I won't be able to compete as a fitness model. I also have to start asking myself before I eat anything I'm not supposed to, is this going to help me achieve my goal? Is it worth it? I hope it helps and I re-gain motivation. I'm open to ideas that you may have as I'm in a bit of a funk right now.

Family Dinner

I had a family dinner tonight. My mom's family came over for dinner and game night. Playing cards after dinner is something that we always do and it's a lot of fun. My aunt and my uncle are vegetarian so my mom made a lot of healthy dishes. She made a kale salad, a lentil stew, roasted vegetables and trout. It all looked so delicious, I couldn't resist. I didn't want to cheat on my diet as I followed it all day. I even made my own salmon for dinner. I was just curious as to what the food tasted like as it all looked so good so I tried it. It was really good!

It's not a bad cheat but it's still a cheat on my diet especially as it was supposed to be one of my lower carb days. I was torn because I knew I should of stuck to what I had to eat but part of me wanted to try the new food. It's all healthy so what's the harm?

I was going to have some of the dessert too but my boyfriend and my cousin stopped me. They didn't want me to feel guilty and regret eating that much food. I'm happy they stopped me and guided me back into the right direction. I feel bad for cheating but it's also hard to not participate in the family dinner and eat the same thing as everyone else. My small piece of salmon wouldn't of been enough compared to all the food they were eating. I need to start changing my mentality and remind myself I have a goal in mind. Yes, I love food but my goal is too lose weight so if I want that to happen, I need to start making sacrifices. If I want my diet to work, I need to stick to it 100%. This is just a prep for when my real pre-competition diet will come. If I can't do this, I'll never be able to hit my goal. I need to re-focus and always keep my goal in mind whenever I feel the need to cheat on my diet.

Friday Night Lights

It's Friday so that means it's football day for me! The Concordia football team had a game tonight versus McGill. It's their second game of the season. It was a great game as McGill is one of their rivals. The game was at 7 at McGill.

It was a great game! Concordia won 41-7!! It was really exciting. There weren't too many injuries so it was a quiet night for me. It was just really cold on the sideline (where did summer go??).

I had to work out in the morning since I knew I would be busy all night. I just went for a 30 minute run in the morning. I love running in the fall since the weather is cooler. It's very refreshing and the leaves changing colours is beautiful to see. I was more organized for this game and brought all my food for the day. I didn't cheat today and stuck to my diet. Overall, it was a great day and I'm going to bed happy and really proud of myself!

Full Body Circuit

I had another training session with Anthony tonight. We went over the work out I would be doing on my own. I started with intervals using the ropes. I moved onto intervals on the treadmill. I have to walk for 30 seconds, jog for 30 seconds, and sprint at 100% for 3 seconds, for 4 rounds. I did really well with the sprinting. I felt strong, fast, and I didn't have any difficulty keeping it up for 30 seconds.
I moved on to my full body work out. I have to do 12-15 reps of each exercise along with a 30 second rest. Some of the exercises included clean & press, plyo push-ups, assisted pull ups, medicine ball slams, dips, etc. It's a long circuit but it uses my whole body. I was sweating. My heart rate was always above 80% and most of the time it was in the 90s. I burned over 600 calories with my work out. I can't wait to do it again on my own. It'll be tough but I felt great after my work out. I hope I'm not too sore tomorrow!

Day 1 of New Meal Plan

Today was the first day of my new meal plan. I prepared everything in the morning. It took me a while because I had to weigh all my food and calculate everything. I had to make sure I had the right amount of protein, fat and carbs.

My breakdown for the day looked like this:
Meal 1: egg whites + oatmeal + PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
Meal 2: Chicken breast
Meal 3: Protein shake (vanilla protein powder + water)
Meal 4: Tuna + black beans
Meal 5: Greek yogurt + apple
Meal 6: Protein shake (chocolate protein + water)
Meal 7: Oatmeal + protein powder
Meal 8: Ground turkey + broccoli

It was a lot of food and I felt like I was constantly eating. It was different from what I was eating before. I will be eating less as the week goes on because I'll have less carbs to eat. I followed the guide they gave me for the food but I tweaked it a little for me. I hope the rest of the week gets easier. I think it just took me a while as there was a bit of a learning curve.

Pyramid Training

I had my second session with my trainer today. A lot of the exercises I did today were set up in a pyramid style. I started my session with a warm up on the battle ropes. My first pyramid set was for my legs. I had to hold a squat position for 60 seconds, do alternating lunges for 45 seconds, 30 seconds of lily pad jumps, 15 seconds of jump squats and then back to 30 seconds of lily pad jumps, 45 seconds of alternating lunges and finally a minute hold of a squat. It was brutal. My legs were so tired while I was doing the lily pad jumps. I could feel them burning. It was a simply body weight work out but it was really effective.

I did it again for my abs and core. I held a plank for 60 seconds, 45 seconds side plank, 30 seconds mountain climbers, and 15 seconds of V-ups and then back to the mountain climbers, etc. This wasn't so bad since I have a pretty strong core.

I did it one for my cardio and another for my upper body. The cardio one involved skipping, jumping jacks, high knees and squat jumps. The upper body involved lateral raises, dips, shoulder presses and bicep curls. These work outs are simple but very effective.

I ended with some resistance sprints. I ran forwards, backwards and side ways across the gym while being held back with a resistance band. I did it a second time while running forward across the gym and back. I felt really strong doing these and they're a lot of fun (more exciting than the sled!) I ended the session with a 400 ft sprint on the rope machine. He recorded my time and I'll need to beat it the next time I do the challenge.

It was a great session today. I'm feeling sore and tired. It was a great work out. I stayed to foam roll so I'm not to sore tomorrow!

New Meal Plan

I received my new meal plan today. I'm excited to try something new. It involves carb cycling. I start the beginning of the week with high carbs and lower them by the end of the week. At the same time, I increase my fats by the end of the week. My calories and the amount of protein I eat remains the same each day. For week 1, my calories are 1533 and my protein is 227g. For day one, my carbs are 125g and 14g of fat. By day 6, I can only have 31g of carbs and 56g of fat. This is very different from what I've had to do so far. I will have to go back to MyFitness Pal to track my macronutrients. It's going to take a lot more planning and calculating every day. Thankfully, the plan comes with an outline of foods to have each day. The day is broken down into 6 meals and I have meal ideas for each meal and for each day. 

Every week, my calories will decrease by 100. I will be eating less each week and I'll only be on 1233 during week 4. It may seem a little drastic but I need to challenge my body. By eating different amounts each day, my body will always be guessing what's next. I'm excited to see how my body reacts to it and how much weight I'll lose. I'm going to restart my sticker program to make sure I stay on track for the next 30 days. I'll be starting my meal plan on wednesday.

Meal Prep Sunday

As planned, I prepared some of my food today. I kept it simple since my meal plan will be changing in a few days. I will be following the diet my new trainer Anthony will be giving me.

For today, I prepared some chicken salads. I decided to get a little creative with them so I made a spinach salad with chicken, apples and walnuts. I love adding fruit because it adds a little sweetness and crunch to the salad. I also cooked my ground chicken. I add spices and made meals with it by adding green beans.

I cooked extra chicken breasts in case I wanted to have them as meals. This should last me a couple days. I'm excited to get my new meal plan because I really want to change up my diet. I've been eating the same thing for the past 2 months so getting to eat new foods will be exciting. I'll keep you posted!

Football Game

I had a busy Saturday as it was the first game of the season for the Concordia football team. They were playing Bishops for their home opener. The day started early as the game was at 1. I had to be there in the morning for taping and pre-game stretching. It was exciting to be on the side lines for a university game. There's a lot of energy and excitement. They won 25-15! It was such an exciting game. I was really proud of them and happy they won! I had my little moment of fame during the game since I had to run onto the field for an injury. It was a televised game so I got to be on TV. Woot woot!

I was tired after the game. I didn't stick to my diet today as I didn't have the chance to pack my food for the day. I didn't have a lunch so I only ended up eating after the game. Since I wasn't going home, I didn't have what I was supposed to. It sucks I broke my streak but I can only blame myself. I should've been more prepared. I won't make the same mistake again.

Never Ending Stairs

All I had planned for me today was some cardio. I had to burn 400-500 calories on the stair master. I had my MyZone belt on to help me track my calories correctly. It was definitely challenging. Staying on the stair master for a long time can becoming very tiring. I did intervals of 1 minute at level 15 and 1 minute at level 10. It was more difficult but it was getting my heart rate up and thus helping me burn more calories. I also downloaded new music so it made my work out that much better! 

After the gym, I went to Adonis with my mom to do the groceries. I picked up some chicken, ground turkey and a lot of fresh fruits and veggies. They have a great selection of food and the veggies looked delicious. I'll be making my food for the week on Sunday. I stayed on track again today and I'm having a great week so far! 

New Trainer!

My trainer for the month of September is Anthony!!! He's one of our best trainers at the gym and he specializes in weight loss so I think it'll be a great fit for September. We had our first session tonight. It was a tough one! I was sweating bullets.

We started off with a circuit of jumping jacks, spider man push-ups, walking lunges, spider man crawls, wall sit, plank, and high knees. I had to do 2 rounds as fast as possible. It was a way for my trainer to see how certain exercises affected my heart rate and what my level of fitness was. I did sweat a lot and the circuit was challenging but I could see a huge improvement from where I started. If I had done that in the first month, I would've been exhausted. Now, my cardio and strength are better but also my mental toughness. Even though it's hard, I push out the negative thoughts and just fight through it. I don't want to complain and the faster I do it, the faster it's over. It's a great feeling to see how far I've come.

Next up was kettle bell swings with a step across the room (and back). I then had to do jumps holding the kettle bell and squat down to have it touch the ground. I did it forwards and backwards. I also did some box jumps and medicine ball slams.

The next circuit involved 5 exercises for 5 reps: dumbbell snatches, bicep curls, rows, shoulder press, and snatches again. It sounds easy but the second round of snatches is so much more difficult because I tired out all the other muscles. I repeated it twice. I did another 2 more times but I had to push the sled across the gym in between. The sleds are really tiring but again I could see such an improvement. I used 2 plates for the first time and I pushed it as hard as I could even though I was struggling. It was a really great work out.

I finished with some ab exercises. At the end of the session, he took my weight and body fat on the scale. We're going to do this once a week to track my progress. It's a great way to know exactly where I'm starting and to see where I'll be in a month. I can't wait!

First Day of School

It was my first day back at school today! The first day is generally very easy going as the teacher goes over the course outline and what we'll be learning throughout the semester. My class was only at 11:45 so I got to sleep in a little. I went for a run in the morning because I knew I'd be busy for the rest of the day. It was beautiful out and it was just the perfect temperature. I ran my usual 5k route so it wasn't too bad.

After class, I treated in the clinic for a few hours. I had to stay and cover football practice. Practice ended at 7:30 and I only got home around 9. It was a long day for me. I wanted to go to the gym after practice but I was really tired. I decided to go home and go to bed early so I have more energy for tomorrow. I'll be able to schedule my work outs during the day once I have my weekly routine down. I don't want to over do it too much. I would rather be energized for my work out tomorrow morning!

Bootcamp

Today was my last day of summer :( I go back to school tomorrow. I can't believe it. Summer went by so fast. It's a bittersweet feeling having school tomorrow. I'm happy yet sad that I'm starting my last year of university. It'll be my fourth year and I'll be completing my degree in Athletic Therapy. It went by so quickly, I still can't believe it.

I spent my day relaxing and enjoying the little free time I had left. In the evening, I decided to go to Shane's bootcamp class. Since I set a goal to get some exercise in every day, I knew I had to do something. I didn't want to create my own work out so I decided to do a class. His classes are always tough and tonight was no exception. Here's a breakdown of what we did:

It was a tough circuit. The 2-way pulse jumps into drops were probably the toughest. I had to jump left then centre then right and down into a burpee. My legs were tired by the end of it. It's a great full body circuit. We completed the work out 5x. Everyone does it on their own so you can go at your own pace. We ended with an ab circuit and some stretching. I was pooped after it but it's a great feeling because I knew I worked hard. I can add 2 stickers to my calendar today: one for my diet and another for my training! It's only the second day of September but I feel that I'm already on the right track!

Looking Back

I really don't like these transformation pictures because it just makes me really mad. I really screwed up and I didn't come this far to waste my progress. I've mentioned it before that I didn't have a great month and this proves it. There's very little change in the picture.

This goes to show even though I work out often, a big part of weight loss is nutrition. My diet helped me lose weight in July and the fact that I didn't stick to it in August really shows its effects. I just have to learn from my mistakes and work hard in September. I can't let this get me down. It's new motivation to not let it happen again.

September Goals

After having a not so great August, I really want to focus on having a great September. I didn't follow my nutrition plan really well so I want to make sure September is a perfect month. I printed a schedule for September and posted it on my wall in my room. For every day that I follow my diet, I'm going to give myself a sticker. It may sound dumb but seeing a streak of stickers may motivate me to keep following my diet for the month. It may also help me track my tendencies if I do ever mess up my diet. I'm also going to add a second sticker for every day I work out. I want to work out every day, even if it's just for 30 minutes. I need to get moving and really push myself to lose weight this month. September means I'm 7 months away from my fitness modelling competition so I really need to kick it up a notch. 

I also have other goals in mind. I want to lose 5 lbs by the end of the month. I want to bring my body fat down to 20%. I want to finally be able to do a pull up. I want to leg press 6 plates. I think these are all reasonable things I can achieve in a month. They're smaller, achievable goals and it'll keep my motivation up for September. I'm really feeling good and I hope it's a good month! 

Biotonix

I did my Biotonix this morning to see how I'm progressing after this past month. I didn't do the full evaluation, I only measured my body fat percentage. My weight has stayed the same over the past month. I had a feeling it wouldn't go down that much since I wasn't on top of my meal plan like I should've been. My diet is something I struggled with this month so it's something I need to focus on for September.

My body fat went down to 22%!!! When I started it was at 37% so I dropped a whole 15%!!! It's so exciting to hear! I've been steadily losing fat while still putting on muscle. It's really exciting news. The next few months will get harder because it's more difficult to lose the remaining fat. A strict diet and exercise regime will have to be followed. I have to be more committed for the next month so I can finally see the scale go down and see the results I want. This is great news but I want to push myself further for the next month. I know I can do it!

Stomach Flu

I was really sick yesterday. I started having really bad stomach pains around lunch time. Originally, I thought it was because I was hungry since it felt like a similar pain. I was feeling sharp pains in my abdominal area. I ate a sandwich and a granola bar to make me feel better but it seemed to only make it worse. I was treating some of the athletes and with any movement, I would feel sharp pains everyone. It was really painful so I left my internship to go home. I was sick once I got home but then I went straight to bed. I slept for the rest of the afternoon. I woke around 7 to have a tea and I went back to bed.

I feel better today. I'm not feeling 100% but I'm getting there. I didn't want to eat this morning. The thought of food was really unappealing to me. I brought an apple with me for later. I don't know what it was that made me sick. I must've eaten something bad or caught something. Thankfully its already going away and it didn't last long. I want my energy back for the long weekend. I have the weekend off so it'll be a perfect way for me to relax.

New Personal Bests

"Your transformation has changed you night and day. It's awesome. I'm super excited you're getting the results you want! Keep up the good work!" This is a message I woke up to this morning from my boyfriend. It's so nice and supportive. It's a great feeling knowing other's are supporting me and noticing the changes. It's not just about the physical changes too. He's noticed my confidence has changed a lot too. That's something I really wanted to work on and I guess I've changed without realizing it. It's a great feeling and it was great motivation for the day!

After another day of training camp, I met with my trainer in the evening. After warming up on the rowing machine, I started with a circuit. I did pull-ups using a resistance band for assistance, 1 arm dumbbell snatches, cross body mountain climbers on the bosu, and push-up to a one arm row. It was a cool circuit since all the exercises were completely different. I saw progress with my pull up. The band helped me pull myself up from an extended position which is the part I've been struggling with the most.

I moved onto leg press afterwards. I crushed my previous record and pressed 5 plates and 25lbs. It was huge accomplishment for me. It was my 6th set (every set we increased the weight) and I was still able to do it! It felt great!

 

I did some chest press on the machine and then moved on to ab exercises. I did different variations on hanging lower ab exercises. I ended with a plank. I held it for 2 minutes and I wasn't even shaking. 

It's crazy how much progress I've changed and improved over these last few months. I would've never been able to hold a plank for 1 minute and now I got to 2 and I could've kept going! I crushed the leg press machine. I'm getting better and better. It's not only about the look, it's about the strength and the confidence I've been achieving during this journey. I have to remind myself those are just as important! 

Easy Morning Run

I went for a 30 minute run this morning. I woke up early to review stuff for my internship and went running afterwards. It was a great way for me to review and think about things in my head. It definitely helped my run go by faster. It was a beautiful day yesterday! I went for my usual run by the water and I ran just over 5km. It felt great. I got my exercise in for the day and it was a wonderful feeling to be outside.

I had to work out in the morning since I had to be in the clinic for 12. I treated some of the football players for minor injuries and then stayed to cover practice. The day went by quickly since they only had one practice. There's only a few days left of training camp and then the craziness is over. I don't get much of a break since I start school on Tuesday. Where did summer go?? 

Full Body Sweat

I finally had a day off today! I don't remember the last time I didn't have anything to do. I slept in until 12:30! It felt amazing. I relaxed for a bit but then I ended up going car shopping. I think I may have found a new car but I'm going to continue looking around first. 

I had a scheduled session with my trainer tonight. I started with a 5 minute warm up on the stair master. We went outside for a bit to do suicides. I did 3 rounds where I back pedalled and then ran forward to 4 different distances. Since it was still really humid outside and there were a lot of bugs, we went back in. I moved on to a rowing challenge where I rowed 300m and did 10 burpees, for 3 rounds. I moved onto squats using the Kinesis machine. I held onto the ropes and it provided more resistance when I stood up. I did 3 sets of 20 reps while increasing the weight each time. I did some calf raises using the leg press machine and I alternated with standing calf raises. I did the VMX rope challenge backwards and did each section for 40 seconds. I then used the ab roller to work on my core. I ended with an ab circuit and stretching. I stayed afterwards to do 20 minutes on the elliptical. 

I'm pooped from my work out. It felt great to get a work out in considering I didn't do much today. Now it's time to do some research and see if this will be the car I'm getting!

Road Trip To Queens

I went to Queens University in Kingston today with the Concordia football team. It was their first pre-season game. It was a long day as we left the university at 6:45 in the morning and we only got back at 8pm. We got to the stadium at around 10 and had an hour to tape everyone. Kick-off was at one and it was a great game! They won 25-18!!! It was a lot of fun. I missed working football games. There's so much energy and excitement on the sideline. There also weren't too many injuries. I just had to deal with a concussion and someone bruised their ribs. 

The bus ride back home went by quickly. We were back in Montreal before I knew it. I slightly cheated on my diet today. I brought all my food with me so stuck to my meal plan but I couldn't resist a slice of pizza after the game. They ordered 55 pizzas, enough for 1 pizza for every bench on the bus. It smelled sooo good and it looked amazing. As much as I tried to resist, I couldn't do it. I hadn't had pizza in months. It was delicious. At least I limited myself to one slice! Overall, it was a great day and I can't wait for the next road trip! 

Saturday Morning Work Out

I had a session scheduled with my trainer at 8am this morning. It was the only time I had today as I had to cover rugby again today. My morning didn't start off too well. I forgot my gym bag at home. I realized once I got to the gym. Thankfully I was dressed in my gym clothes but my bag had my water bottle, my myzone belt and my change of clothes for the game. On top of it, half way through the session, I realized my pants were on backwards. Yes, it was THAT kind of morning!

I didn't have any mishaps during the session. My trainer wanted me to do 100 squats, 100 crunches, 100 push-ups, and 100 kettle bell swings. I told him he was crazy. I got to 60 squats and 50 crunches when he decided to switch to something else. Thank goodness! I was not up for that. Instead, he created a circuit that I did 3 times. It involved 5 hang cleans, 10 pistol squats using a TRX, walking lunges, and 10 rope slams + burpee. It wasn't too difficult to do. I just had to mentally push through to get it done.

I did 2 sets on the ab roller. We worked on my pull ups using the assisted machine. 1 did 4 sets but lowered the weight each time, making it more difficult. I was able to do 2 at 95 lbs which is the lowest I've ever been able to do. It's the second to last notch on the machine so it means I'm getting close to doing a full pull up! I alternated it with dips. I ended the session with a short ab circuit.

I felt great getting my work out in early. I have the rest of the day ahead of me although it's jammed pack. I just hope it goes better and I don't have too many more mishaps like this morning!

Getting Creative in the Kitchen

I took the time to cook all my food today. I tried to be a little creative and make a stir fry. I cooked vegetable such as carrots, celery, onions, and cabbage in a little vegetable broth. I added brussels sprouts and spinach to get dark green veggies into my meal. I also added cod fish for my protein. I mixed it all together in a pan to create a meal. I don't know if it'll be any good but it sure smelled good!

I also cooked salmon and broccoli for my second meal. It's simple but still very good. I also prepared a kale salad with chicken as another meal. All this food will only last me a couple of days. Thankfully, it didn't take me too long to prepare it. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to cook next. I'm thinkin a quinoa salad. I haven't made that in a while. I'll keep you posted! Have a good Friday everyone! 

Trail Mix Addiction

One of my favourite snacks is Wild Roots Trail Mix. My favourite is the Coastal Berry Blend which has almonds, cashews, yogurt chips, cranberries and wild berries. It's amazing!

I first discovered it a few weeks ago. My mom bought it at Costco. At first, I only ate the almonds and cashews because I only liked the nuts. I'm not a fan of dried fruit so I didn't eat it. One day, I just decided to take a handful and from that moment, my world changed. It's such a good mix of flavours. My favourite is the yogurt chips because it adds a touch of sweetness to the mix. From that moment, I got addicted to it. I have it every day as my snack. It has a good mix of protein, carbs and fat. I definitely recommend it to anyone who's never had it before. It's so good. I have to be careful with my portions sometimes because I could easily eat the whole bag. Everything in moderation! 

Pull Up Progress

When I showed up to the gym tonight, everyone was laughing at me because I got a huge sunburn today. I got a huge sunburn on my face while covering football practice today. It doesn't hurt but I could feel my face being a little extra warm during my training session. 

I warmed up on the rowing machine. I moved onto 2 sets on the seated row machine. On the VMX, I had to pull up  for a minute, down for a minute, and then up down for a minute. It was really tiring. I then did 3 sets on the ab roller. It was tough because he kept correcting my form since I was bending my back to reach further.

The main circuit of the session involved 1 rope slam, 1 burpee, 15 times. Then one legged push ups and 30 double unders using a skipping rope. I was proud of myself for the push up because I didn't know I could do single leg push ups and the skipping was tough. I should of never told my trainer I could do double unders!

We then worked on my pull ups. I jumped up and lowered myself down. When I jumped up, I pulled myself up to get my chin over the bar and then lowered myself. I could never do that before! I kept working on the mini chin up range. The hardest part is still trying to pull myself up from a hanging position. 

I ended the session with some ab exercises and stretching. I feel really good after my work out and I can't wait to relax tonight. I can't relax too much because I have to make some food for tomorrow. I get to repeat this whole routine all over again tomorrow! 

Bootcamp

I changed up my training tonight and decided to try out Shane's Bootcamp class. I've heard so many great things about it but I've never had the chance to try it. Shane's been bugging me for a while to do it as well. I brought my boyfriend along to try it out. 

It was a great class! I couldn't stay for the whole hour because I had to leave early but I still managed to do the warm up and the whole work out of the day. The goal of the class is to get through all the exercises listed, 5 times, as fast as possible.

The worst exercises for me were the burpees and the 3 point crunches. The high number of reps made me so tired. During the class, I was really proud of myself for never giving up. I was mentally strong and pushed through all the exercises. In the past, if I was tired, I would take a break or not do all the reps. I stuck the routine and got through it all. It wasn't too difficult. It just took a while to complete. 

If I have time, I want to do this class again. I feel good and it was a great work out. I definitely recommend it to anyone who's never done it before! It's a lot of fun! 

New Week, New Goals

After having a so-so weekend training and food wise, I decided to start fresh again today. I woke up an hour earlier to cook some food so I would have lunches and dinners for the week. I cooked sweet potato, broccoli, and green beans to go along with my chicken. It was much needed and it felt good to finally get it done! 

After another long day at training camp, I met with my trainer at 9 to work out. I was tired and he could tell because I didn't have as much energy as usual. The first circuit involved pulling 3 kettle bells attached to the ropes across the room twice, 30 side to side bench jumps, 8 dumbbell snatches, 20 second sprint on the bike, and 12 ball slams. I did it 3 times as fast as possible. I didn't want to do it but I fought through it to get it done quickly. 

I moved on to leg press where I smashed my previous record! I was able to press 5 plates for 6 reps! I was so excited!! I moved on to the 360 rope challenge on the VMX to get my cardio up. I then did lat pulldown and rows on the cable machine. I ended with hanging leg raises and a couple of other ab exercises. 

I foam rolled as soon as I was done and I also continued to stretch and foam roll once I got home. It feels really bad to foam roll in the moment but then it feels so loose after. I've been telling my athletes to stretch all week to take care of themselves so I figured I should do the same thing. I feel a lot better and I'm going to try and continue to do so every day. 

Late Night Training

I had another 11 hour day at football training camp today. It was a lot of fun and I'm starting to get to know all the athletes more and more. The day went by quickly and there weren't too many injuries. I didn't bring my own food today because I didn't prepare anything. I ate with the athletes. Thankfully they were serving chicken today so I could get some protein! 

On my way home I stopped for groceries. I've been long over due for some meal prep. There's no reason I can't follow my diet. The only reason I haven't stayed on track is because I don't have any food prepared. I'm lucky I can get a lunch at school but it's not always the best option for me. I just need to find the time to cook!

I also really wanted to go to the gym tonight. I didn't train for the last 2 days and it was killing me. My body was craving a good work out. I'm surprised I wasn't tired from training camp so I went to the gym late last night. I worked out my legs as that's what I really wanted to do. I felt so good after and I slept like a baby. It's crazy how things have changed. My body now actually wants to work out! And I feel it when I don't. It just makes me feel so much better. 

My goals for this week are to prep my food so I stay on track every day and to plan work outs within my week. I need to regain focus! I know I've had a crazy week but now that I've adjusted, it's time to get back on track! 

Rugby Playoffs

Although I started my new internship this week, I still have my summer internship going on. The 2 men's teams had their quarter-final game against TMR today. They were playing at 1:30 and 3 at CEGEP St-Laurent. I was scared that since it was raining there would be a few more injuries but I was very lucky. There were a few strains and sprains and a foot being stepped on! The day went by very quickly. Both teams lost so my rugby season is done :( It was a great summer working with them. Both the men's and women's teams are awesome and great to work with. Now that it's over, all my attention will be shifting over to football.

I didn't have the chance to go to the gym again today. I was exhausted and soaked when I got home. I stuck to my diet today at least so it made me feel a lot better. I'm really going to need to find the time to train and meal prep if I want to continue to lose weight and prep for my competition. It's tough but I need to keep my goals in mind! 

First Day of Camp

Busy, busy day today. It was the first day of football camp. They had 2 practices during the day. I was there at 8 am for pre-practice taping and stretching. There are 130 guys training so it can be very hectic at time. The morning went well and there weren't too many injuries, just a few bumps and bruising. The team participated in the ALS ice bucket challenge. It was fun too watch and I'm happy I didn't have to get dumped in ice water! 

The athletes had lunch afterwards. I didn't bring any food with me because I didn't have time to prepare anything. Lunch was pasta and salad. It's not the best option for me but I made it work. I had more salad and only a tiny bit of pasta. Between practices is also the time we have to treat people. I did a lot of massages, fascia releases, and stretches. They had meetings afterwards so it was an hour of quiet. Before I knew it they were all back to get taped for their second practice. The afternoon went by quickly. After practice, I had to do some more stretching and hand out a lot of ice bags. It was a long day but it was fun. Everyone's really nice. The challenge will be trying to learn everyone's name. There's 140 of them! This will basically be my schedule for the next 2 weeks. It's going to be very hectic!

VMX-Burpee Challenge

These last few days have been really hectic as football camp is starting. I’m working with the football team at Concordia for my clinical internship this fall. It’s been a lot of fun so far but also a lot of work. I was at school for 7:30 this morning for football testing. I was out all day for camp and I had to cover rugby practice tonight as I’m still finishing up my summer internship. I made it to the gym for 9 as I had a session planned with my trainer. 

After warming up on the rowing machine, I did a couple sets on the chest fly machine. I moved on to some quick ab exercises involving in and outs, bicycle, reverse bicycle, and reverse ab crunches. I moved on to sprints on the spin bike. I had to a 30 second sprint while standing and then do 20 kettle bell swings, 3 times as fast as possible. Oh boy my legs were sore!

I did some assisted pull-ups and dips. I had to lower the weight a little bit on the assisted pull-up machine because my biceps were really sore from yesterday. I was a little disappointed in myself but I still did it. 

I did my VMX-burpee challenge again. I started with 10 m, 1 burpee and made my way up to 100m and 10 burpees. It was a lot easier than last time. I don’t know if it’s because I’m stronger or I knew what to expect this time but it wasn’t as tough. I even challenged myself to do the last 100m in under a minute. I managed 1:10. Not too bad! 

I ended with some more ab exercises and some stretching. I’m feeling tired and I can’t wait to go straight to bed. I get to repeat this whole process all over again tomorrow! 

Jumps of Doom

I feel like I’m always repeating myself when I say I had another great work out session but it’s true. I always feel really good after I work out with my trainer. We did some more circuits during our session today. I started with 3 sets of hamstring curl on the machine. Then I did 20 burpees but when I jumped up, I had to jump into a chin up position and slowly lower myself. I’ve decided to make it a challenge to see who can get me to do a full pull up first. It’s tough!

I moved onto a large circuit involving 20 box jumps, 20 walking lunges, 50 squats and 30 side to side jumps. I had to repeat it twice. I started off the circuit by warming up by doing suicides 3x. This circuit wasn’t so bad but with the higher number of reps, it took me a while to complete each exercise. 

I ended with some exercises on the VMX. I took time to foam roll and stretch at the end. I’m feeling great and definitely going to sleep like a baby tonight! 

Cardio Day

I had “homework” to do from my trainer today. I started with a 30 minute run. I managed to run over 5k during that time. Thankfully, I didn’t get caught in the rain. It looked like it was going to pour any second. It was the perfect temperature to go out running as there was a nice breeze.

I headed to the gym for the rest of the work out. I climbed the stair master for 20 minutes. I was drenched in sweat by the end. My legs were getting tired too. It’s really a love hate relationship with that machine. It’s great because I sweat a lot and it really feels like I’m working out and it’s bad because it’s so exhausting. I then did a short circuit involving kettle bell swings, jump rope, and kettle bell squats for 3 rounds. I ended my work out with the 360 challenge on the VMX rope machine. 

I felt great after my work out. It’s so rewarding! My diet was on point today too so I can’t wait to see how my body feels tomorrow! 

Sweat It Out

I had another killer work out. I was sweating so much and my face was all red. I feel really good having accomplished it.

I started with a 5 minute warm up on the stair master. The first circuit involved 12 hack jump squats, 8 ball slams, 20 bench jumps, and 12 box jumps, for a total of 3 rounds as fast as possible. It was tough. The hardest things were the bench jumps and the box jumps. My un-coordinated self kept hitting the bench and the box jumps took a lot of energy out of me.

I moved on to a super set of rows and lat pull down. I then did 20 single arm rows on a machine and superset it with a 45 second sprint on the VMX. My arms were dead. I moved on to the rowing machine. I had to row 200m as fast as possible and then do 10 burpees, for 3 rounds. I made this circuit worst for myself by pouting about these 2 exercises. I don’t like doing them but I had no choice. I should of just done them without complaining and it would’ve been over a lot faster. 

I moved on Arnold Presses to catch my breath. It wasn’t long before I started sweating again as I did a Tabata work out on the spin bike. I had to sprint for 10 seconds standing, and sit for 5 seconds for 8 rounds. I didn’t mind this so much and I actually did a lot better than the last time I did it. I ended my session with some stretching! It was a great work out as I did stuff I wouldn’t normally do on my own. My trainer pushed me more than I would myself and I feel great after sweating it out!