Saturday, July 4, 2015
Getting Ready for the #OxyChallenge on #TeamErin
July 15th will be the start of a 90 Day Challenge.
It will be 90 Days of workouts, nutrition and whipping my butt into shape.
I'm feeling like its time to shake things up workout wise, which is why I decided to join #TeamErin (Erin Stern, 2X Ms. Figure Olympia, USATF Competitor, and Spokesmodel, Lifetime Natural) She's amazing. Like for serious.
Her focus is apparently more on functional/aesthetic training where her "opponent" Amanda Latona (who I have long admired) focusses more on the regular bodybuilding heavy lifting/glutes focussed workouts. There's nothing wrong with either team, but I thought since my name IS Amanda and I DO work hard on my booty, it'd make sense to try something different!
I like having a workout training plan to follow, so this seemed like a good opportunity. The challenge for me will be to stick with it as close to 100% as my schedule allows. The bigger challenge will be in the eating. I've been following the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) plan for awhile now and I love it. But I still would like to break the sugar addiction, and also to be honest I'd like to kick the alcohol full stop. I don't know that I'll never drink again, but I do recognize that my setbacks tend to stem from alcohol. So, its not helping me at the moment.....good reason to say goodbye to it for 90days!
I plan to take progress pics, but we'll see whether I will share those or not. My hope is to maintain the muscle I've worked so hard to build and shed the fat. There's some awesome muscle underneath and I think it's about damn time for it to show itself, don't you?
Let's do this.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Urban Mud Hero
Well this morning I can cross off yet another one of my goals! I completed a 6k 22 obstacle Mud Run down at Ontario Place--- the Urban Mud Hero!
I ran with a great group of people, my brother in law to be Tom, his wonderfully kickass girlfriend Alana, two kickass crossfitters Amber and Nikki and a brand new friend Nick (who was running in place of my fiance David who ended up having to work!). Met Nick through a webseries community and he's planning on running the Tough Mudder in August....so he wanted to get his feet wet (haha) in preparation for what he'll be facing later this summer.
Everyone had a ton of fun, and today in the aftermath I'm.....sore. Not as horribly sore as I was the day after my first Jillian Michaels workout 3 years (almost) ago. My feet are protesting having been run and jumped upon, but I'm not crippled the way I was after doing jumping jacks at 262 lbs. That was the worst! No, instead today I'll be taking it easy since I've got some serious muscle fatigue from asking my muscles to do some pretty badass things (if I do say so myself....and I do!). And nourishing/rewarding this body with some good quality food. And potentially a short walk in a bit to stretch these feet so they don't get cramped up.
My takeaway is that I've come really far...REALLY far. But I've got some ideas on muscle groups that are lagging, and ideas on things I need to work on. Upper body strength for sure....and I will continue on my quest for the elusive pullup, and continue working on body mobility. Hip, ankle, wrist mobilities in particular. And of course grip strength. I'm pleased to say that I didn't get paralyzed with fear at any obstacles, and having a great group to run with was fantastic. The group cheering each other on was awesome :) So much so that I am thinking of the Warrior Dash as the next course to work towards.
I'm thinking of training the next year with the goal of doing the Spartan Race next summer. But one after the wedding. No sense in potentially getting bruised/scratched/maimed to high heaven before wedding photos ;)
Until next time!
TurboBeFit
I ran with a great group of people, my brother in law to be Tom, his wonderfully kickass girlfriend Alana, two kickass crossfitters Amber and Nikki and a brand new friend Nick (who was running in place of my fiance David who ended up having to work!). Met Nick through a webseries community and he's planning on running the Tough Mudder in August....so he wanted to get his feet wet (haha) in preparation for what he'll be facing later this summer.
Everyone had a ton of fun, and today in the aftermath I'm.....sore. Not as horribly sore as I was the day after my first Jillian Michaels workout 3 years (almost) ago. My feet are protesting having been run and jumped upon, but I'm not crippled the way I was after doing jumping jacks at 262 lbs. That was the worst! No, instead today I'll be taking it easy since I've got some serious muscle fatigue from asking my muscles to do some pretty badass things (if I do say so myself....and I do!). And nourishing/rewarding this body with some good quality food. And potentially a short walk in a bit to stretch these feet so they don't get cramped up.
My takeaway is that I've come really far...REALLY far. But I've got some ideas on muscle groups that are lagging, and ideas on things I need to work on. Upper body strength for sure....and I will continue on my quest for the elusive pullup, and continue working on body mobility. Hip, ankle, wrist mobilities in particular. And of course grip strength. I'm pleased to say that I didn't get paralyzed with fear at any obstacles, and having a great group to run with was fantastic. The group cheering each other on was awesome :) So much so that I am thinking of the Warrior Dash as the next course to work towards.
I'm thinking of training the next year with the goal of doing the Spartan Race next summer. But one after the wedding. No sense in potentially getting bruised/scratched/maimed to high heaven before wedding photos ;)
Until next time!
TurboBeFit
Friday, March 27, 2015
Tigers who earn their stripes....
I see a lot of women these days referring to their stretch marks as their tiger stripes. Usually they are the result of carrying children, and they have definitely earned those stripes and should be very proud to sport them. They have brought little kidlets into the world and they (hopefully) find joy in every day with them.
But what about those of us who sport stretch marks that have nothing to do with having kids? Some of us just got them as we developed. It's pretty damn common, what with the breasts popping up pretty quickly and those hips just growing out from nowhere!
And then there are the extra stretch marks that some of us bear. I think of them as battle scars of sorts. Because that's what they are. Everyone's battle is different, I know mine, and I work hard every damn day to heal the wounds, and lessen the scars. But they'll always be there. They're as much a part of me as my dizzying intellect and mad wit. ;-)
/endrant.
But what about those of us who sport stretch marks that have nothing to do with having kids? Some of us just got them as we developed. It's pretty damn common, what with the breasts popping up pretty quickly and those hips just growing out from nowhere!
And then there are the extra stretch marks that some of us bear. I think of them as battle scars of sorts. Because that's what they are. Everyone's battle is different, I know mine, and I work hard every damn day to heal the wounds, and lessen the scars. But they'll always be there. They're as much a part of me as my dizzying intellect and mad wit. ;-)
/endrant.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
It's Been Awhile....
And yes, of course I was singing that Staind song in my head while typing that!
Hope this post finds you all in good health and happiness, pursuing your dreams and your "bliss", whatever that means to you.
Work was a slog this last season, and while I've been "between contracts" (entertainment industry speak for unemployed!) since beginning of December, things have been kinda insane, in both good and not so good ways.
I've said goodbye to my remaining set of grandparents....who passed under a month of each other. I've said goodbye to my first season of two shows at once, which was kinda nuts! I've said hello to a new snowboard, and a black diamond run, and to a new chiropractor/sports therapist guy who is kinda working magic on my ankle. I've said goodbye to a good portion of really gnarly muscle tangles thanks to the work of a magical RMT, Kate. She likes to say "heart" every time she causes me pain. :)
I've said goodbye to calorie counting, and hello to macros. I've said goodbye to (the majority) of shame in eating the food, and hello to kindness to myself. I've said goodbye to many processed foods and pop, and hello to a morning drink of warm lemon water, sometimes with Manuka honey in it. Does it work? Well my skin seems to be happier.
Why Macros? Well, I'm working with a nutritionist whose whole approach is not calorie reduction per se....its more "This is the amount of protein, carbs, fat and fiber you SHOULD be intaking so that your body can build muscle and burn fat...and y'know poop regularly." Okay she didn't say poop, but I wish people were less squeamish about this oh so natural bodily function. Do you have a problem with constipation? Well, Metamucil will help, but why not just eat more fibrous fruits and veggies? Raspberries and Blackberries are your friends!!!
Okay, enough of the poop talk.
My way of thinking is changing constantly, and the more I learn about myself, and about nutrition and science....well the kinder and more appreciative I've become of my body. My poor sad, overwrought metabolism and body. The body I allowed to grow so big, due to a real desire to disappear, and also due to poor food choices. Many of those food choices were made for me, from a place of love, to be sure, but also of ignorance. My metabolism wasn't ever really given a fair chance of doing what it should have been free to do all along. It's recovering, to be sure but slowly.
Giving my body the chance to recoup is what its been crying for for quite some time. As anybody who has ever gone on a diet, only to find they rebound.....its never going to be a quick fix. Science is discovering more and more every day, and I encourage you to keep up to date on the contributing factors of obesity. That being said, you need to take a real hard look at yourself. In my case, it wasn't JUST that I was eating too much and not getting enough exercise. There were and are reasons I have difficulties motivating myself, making the right food choices, learning to stop when I'm no longer hungry. And a lot of that has more to do with emotional and mental health, NOT the lack of willpower. As Jillian Michaels likes to ask people she works with "What is carrying around this excess weight doing for you?". Sometimes the answer isn't right in front of you, sometimes you need help to figure out why. Be it a fear of failure, compensating for lack of love, an escape, a sugar addiction. Find someone you can talk to, who can help you figure these things out. It's totally worth it.
And yes, sugar addiction is real. Just read up on what sugar does chemically to your brain when you eat it. Read up on WHY that happens. It's fascinating stuff, I assure you!
My name is Turbo, and I am a sugar addict.
No, I don't promote abstinence of sugar. But scaling back on refined and added sugars has helped a lot. :) I'd like to thank Fruit for being my savior!
Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be KIND, Be Fit.
Hope this post finds you all in good health and happiness, pursuing your dreams and your "bliss", whatever that means to you.
Work was a slog this last season, and while I've been "between contracts" (entertainment industry speak for unemployed!) since beginning of December, things have been kinda insane, in both good and not so good ways.
I've said goodbye to my remaining set of grandparents....who passed under a month of each other. I've said goodbye to my first season of two shows at once, which was kinda nuts! I've said hello to a new snowboard, and a black diamond run, and to a new chiropractor/sports therapist guy who is kinda working magic on my ankle. I've said goodbye to a good portion of really gnarly muscle tangles thanks to the work of a magical RMT, Kate. She likes to say "heart" every time she causes me pain. :)
I've said goodbye to calorie counting, and hello to macros. I've said goodbye to (the majority) of shame in eating the food, and hello to kindness to myself. I've said goodbye to many processed foods and pop, and hello to a morning drink of warm lemon water, sometimes with Manuka honey in it. Does it work? Well my skin seems to be happier.
Why Macros? Well, I'm working with a nutritionist whose whole approach is not calorie reduction per se....its more "This is the amount of protein, carbs, fat and fiber you SHOULD be intaking so that your body can build muscle and burn fat...and y'know poop regularly." Okay she didn't say poop, but I wish people were less squeamish about this oh so natural bodily function. Do you have a problem with constipation? Well, Metamucil will help, but why not just eat more fibrous fruits and veggies? Raspberries and Blackberries are your friends!!!
Okay, enough of the poop talk.
My way of thinking is changing constantly, and the more I learn about myself, and about nutrition and science....well the kinder and more appreciative I've become of my body. My poor sad, overwrought metabolism and body. The body I allowed to grow so big, due to a real desire to disappear, and also due to poor food choices. Many of those food choices were made for me, from a place of love, to be sure, but also of ignorance. My metabolism wasn't ever really given a fair chance of doing what it should have been free to do all along. It's recovering, to be sure but slowly.
Giving my body the chance to recoup is what its been crying for for quite some time. As anybody who has ever gone on a diet, only to find they rebound.....its never going to be a quick fix. Science is discovering more and more every day, and I encourage you to keep up to date on the contributing factors of obesity. That being said, you need to take a real hard look at yourself. In my case, it wasn't JUST that I was eating too much and not getting enough exercise. There were and are reasons I have difficulties motivating myself, making the right food choices, learning to stop when I'm no longer hungry. And a lot of that has more to do with emotional and mental health, NOT the lack of willpower. As Jillian Michaels likes to ask people she works with "What is carrying around this excess weight doing for you?". Sometimes the answer isn't right in front of you, sometimes you need help to figure out why. Be it a fear of failure, compensating for lack of love, an escape, a sugar addiction. Find someone you can talk to, who can help you figure these things out. It's totally worth it.
And yes, sugar addiction is real. Just read up on what sugar does chemically to your brain when you eat it. Read up on WHY that happens. It's fascinating stuff, I assure you!
My name is Turbo, and I am a sugar addict.
No, I don't promote abstinence of sugar. But scaling back on refined and added sugars has helped a lot. :) I'd like to thank Fruit for being my savior!
Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be KIND, Be Fit.
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