Belles’s BodyBlog

I’ve recently noticed that I had hit a plateau with my training.  I change my routine every 4 to 6 weeks but I still didn’t seem to be getting noticeable results any longer.  I love to research, so I dug into the training books, magazines and blogs about this and decided a break and something totally different was needed.  At about this same time I developed "tennis elbow" again so the break was very welcomed.  Throughout my research I found several very athletic women - who are figure competitors - that have well rounded workouts that include more than typical cardio and weight training, they incorporate plyometrics and agility type exercises.  This was intriguing to me because I had not considered it in my past several years of being a very serious about weight training, eating clean and achieving my goals.  

This information really sunk in when I went to physical therapy for my elbow and she explained I needed to strengthen my supporting muscles so that I don’t have this problem any longer - like doing some agility type exercises!  Then the light came on…..I immediately contacted my son’s athletic trainer, explained my situation and what my goals are.  I was so interested listening to him - it seems like his focus as an athletic trainer for so many years was just different enough from physical trainers’ that I gleaned some great new information about the needs and make up of my body.

I started my program with him Tuesday and this morning I can truly feel that fabulous feeling of pain and soreness right where I need it! YESSSS!  He kept me moving - which helps another lil problem I’ve had and that is that cardio bores me to tears so I have to force myself to do it which basically means I don’t do near enough!  This new program is truly going to help my endurance as well.  I’m going to train with him twice a week for six weeks and lift weights in between those days.  I also take a yoga/pilates mix class once a week.  I’m very hopeful that this combination will lift me to my next level.     

I’m still checking everyone’s blogs as often as I can.  I’m sorry I haven’t gotten to be as encouraging as I’d sure like to be….and I am so proud of all the BGB challengers!  My bootie isn’t growing as I’d like for it to be….work is totally taking my life over right now and I don’t see it changing until the election.  But enough about all that…….

 My fabulous news for the week is that even though my workouts have gone from four to five days a week to two or three….and I’m STARVING for endorphans…..I have stuck with my clean eating and I had my body fat checked yesterday and I’ve reached my goal!!!!!  Yes….see me smiling? I’m at 16%!!!!  Whoooo hoooo!   

Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA lately….work has kicked into gear with the election date nearing so please forgive me for my late response to everyone’s blogs.  I’m certainly thinking of all of you and still working towards my goals!

Onto my goals…..in the beginning of this challenge I expressed a desire to get rid of my "thass", pump up my hamstrings and shave off those bumps at the top of my thighs (bumps that trainer Carmel Ken has later explained to me are called "saddle bags"! OMG!).  And gain some overall bootie because I wasn’t blessed with much on the backside!  So I am still working toward these goals and things are looking better.  I have designated one day a week to a hardcore glute workout and one day a week to an over all killer legs day, as well as I’ve increased my cardio.  I certainly wish I would have posted pics four weeks ago when this started so I could see my progress but I’m posting them today and I’ve added some annotations to help explain my goals.  My tan is lacking right now so I’ve got one in black and white and one in color…..makes no sense I know.

This week has been a flat-liner for me!  Tuesday was primary day……rodeo started Wednesday through last night and Saturday was our huge event we have been planning for months.  So basically….this week was late nights, early mornings and a lot of head stress but I just woke up from my Sunday siesta and I’m feeling like my lil body is bouncing back! 

I have been eating clean and on a 14 day detox program so my body is looking good.  The majority of my bloating from up-ing my protein is now gone so…….I’ve basically lost a week of building muscle but all else is good! I’ve ordered a hemp protein powder that doesn’t have lactose and I pick that up tomorrow at the health food store.  I’m working on my post workout meals for the week now so I’m ready for a great week!  JJfit was brave enough to post some bootie pics soooooooo….surely I can be too!  I’ll have my bff help me out tomorrow and we will get them taken and posted.  I’ll post my program for this week tomorrow as well.

Congrats to all the ones still on the eating challenge!  I’m so very proud of your endurance!

Everyone has been so kind in responding to me being out of the eating challenge!  I so very much appreciate all of you that have said its not about downing 115 grams of protein a day…its about eating clean so stay in!  Had I of only had that positive thought process………but no…..I called my bff (Malibu)……we had an emergency meeting of the brains over a glass of wine to ponder my mystical bloated state of being.  As we sat perplexed….I mean….I’ve been eating clean for almost a year….all I did was up my protein intake so what the flip?  Anyhow, as we sat perplexed…Belles here decided the only thing to do was to order dessert to go with the cabernet! lol!  So, thank you all very much but I most definitely broke my second rule!!!

Just on the eating challenge!  I set my goals to something my little body just ain’t gonna go for……115 grams of protein a day….what was I thinkin???

OMG! Started off just fine, however after day one I thought I was certainly going to have to wake up a lot earlier to eat so much each day.  Friday went well, I just felt like I should be moooo’ing, but then I was so full it hurt to speak.  Saturday, about the same…only my body started blowing up like cattle and by Sunday I needed to be put out to pasture!  I chose 115 grams of protein a day as my goal because I’ve read so much that to build muscle its good to consume an equal amount of protein to your weight.  I had a fabulous plan….only my body didn’t agree!  The gluten and lactose sensitivity has kicked into high gear and I had to finally give it up last night.   But…no worries…I’m still totally sailing on the BGB, I plan to take some pictures in the morning to give a visual of my goals.  I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s progress tomorrow!

This one is right up my alley!  Genetically, I’ve been jacked from birth with a tiny lil bootie…then after three kids, the tiny little bootie was….well, not even such a nice tiny one.  I’ve been working for two years with weights trying to build-a-bootie with slow, I mean slllllllooooooowwwwww progress until about a year ago when Carmel Ken (that’s what I like to call my trainer and friend) told me to EAT SOME FOOD GIRL!  He is mixed Indian, black and white (amazing muscle structure - he has great genetics!) and we always tease about me getting a great rock hard bootie like his!  Anyhow, he is the one that started asking what I’m eating and started telling me about loading up on protein, etc. to give my muscles something to work with.  I’ve been researching and eating to build muscle for about 9 months now properly and it is really starting to work!  My flat bootie has gotten some roundness and most of my "thass" is gone but I want this challenge to get me out of the plateau I’ve been on for the last couple months and truly land me where I want to be!

For my eating challenge rules:

1) I will eat 115 grams of protein a day to keep with building muscle like I should be.

2) I will prepare my post workout meals over the weekend and have them ready to consume within 30 minutes after weight training.

3) I will eat clean all week - no desserts!

4) I will have wine no more than two nights per week. (might not sound like I’m trying here….but trust me it won’t be a walk in the park!)

This will really be challenging but I’m a schedule-a-holic so I know…I’m just certain once I really get this down a week or two I can do it!

For my BGB Challenge…..

I will post pics this weekend and try to show what I’m about to explain.  I will work to have ZERO THASS!  I want some more height to my roundness.  Whatever the freak those bumps are right below the hips on the outer legs….I will be saying arrivederci to those as well!  I will also be working to have a little more pump in my hamstrings.

I will do this by working legs and glutes hard every fourth day.  I’ve been steady with the cardio for two days a week now.  I think I need to bump this up to three days a week and make sure at least two are on some form of incline such as running bleachers, incline sprints, etc.

My measurement technique will be visual.  I’m going to take pics….hopefully they won’t be awful and I can post them….and then we can see by watching my bootie rise, thass be gone, my hams get that little muscle bump and whatever the flip those things are below my hips at the top of my outer leg disappear!

 GAME ON!!!!

I started my final week strong with cardio….yes I said it….cardio!  After reading how so many of you actually use cardio to get rid of frustrations, I knew I had another reason to do it right. lol!  After three days of hard workouts and excellent cardio, I was in a four car pile up and things are a lil sore now. ;( I’m just fine….only bent up front and back bumpers…isn’t that a blessing?  God always takes such good care of me!!!!!  I’ve been sporting a tough headache and sore neck for days tho so I’m giving it one more day and then I’ll hit the gym again.

I’m ready for our next challenge!  Have we decided?  I’m so excited our girl TLC is back!  WHOOOO HOOOOO!

Hello fellow de-fluffers!  I have not dropped off the face of the earth….although my progress for this week was totally flat.  Somehow when I set my goals for the week I had forgotten it was our 15 year anniversary.  My husband and I went out of town for a few days and although I remained true to my healthy eating life-style, I consumed a ton, a mega ton, of calories in red wine. (but it was ooooh sooooo good! )

Measurements are the same so no damage done….but I did basically take the week off!  I’m excited to read everyone else’s blogs to see how you’ve all ended up since this is most of your week 6.  What’s next?  Have we decided?

Finishing my week four and I finally have some results to report! I feel pretty confident its the gluten free thing….funny how your measurements look better when your not puffed up!

Measurement at bb - Start - 25.5, Today 25.5

Measurement 1 inch above bb - Start - 26, Today 25!!!

Measurement 2 inches below bb - Start - 30, Today 29.5!!!

 That feels good….I reached my training goal of four days.  I did not reach my cardio goal of four days but I did do THREE!!!!  I’m so proud (I know it doesn’t take much to make me proud of myself!   This week I want to continue with the gluten free of course but also keep my goal of four days of cardio and four days of lifting.  AFTER TODAY….Happy Independence Day you all……I’m going to focus on eating very very clean.

ORGANIC STORE SNOB STORY…….

I visit a lil Organic Health Store frequently.  All the people who work there are very laid back, most young, and very knowledgable.  So this week I’ve decided a body flush might be nice to help rid my body of the gluten plus I understand doing that a couple of times a year is a good idea.  So I ask one of the workers what seems to be their most popular product.  She walks up front to ask a very uptight older lady (I think she is the owner….I have seen her once or twice) what she would recommend.  The older lady is ringing up other customers, she looks at me, who is way down the isle, and shouts in a not so friendly voice "WELL I WOULD RECOMMEND A BOWL MOVEMENT EVERYDAY"!!!!!  OMG!  I mean what is up with dat???  So I walk up there and am very friendly and say "yes, I have that covered thank you, but do you recommend one product of flushes over the other?"  So I get an answer and all is good I go back down the isle and start studying the boxes once again.  Here she comes….wants to know if she can help me (its obvious I have questions because I’m reading the boxes like they were written by God’s own hands).  I said I’m just wondering if you have to have a special diet during the 14 day detox??? (I had a bad experience with a body flush that was just liquid and didn’t want to buy something that would expect me to have a liquid diet for two weeks!)  I promise…..this lady looks at me with a smug face, I mean serious smug face, and says "WELL, YES OF COURSE….you have to slow down on the sugar and red meat your eating or its not going to work"  HUH!  OK….do I look like a constipated sugared up porker????  I was in my yoga pants and tank top.   I mean what is the deal????  It was hilarious!!!!!