~~BuffMother! GET BUFF~~

www.buffmother.com
I am so thankful today!
I am thankful for Fall being here~ it’s been beautiful outside!

I am thankful for my family!  Do you know how wonderful it is to have an amazing husband and 4 magnificent children~ I am so blessed and very thankful for them!!

I am thankful for my friends! The past 4-5 years of my life have been filled with GREAT friends and everyday I meet more and more people that I am honored to call my friends!!  This past weekend in Council Bluffs was such an amazing friendship filled time~ I expect more and more great weekends like that in the future!

I am thankful for my body~ I am very blessed that God has given me the knowledge the desire and the work ethic and the miracles needed to have such an nice physique– I will never take my body for granted!  It is a blessing from God that I am so thankful for!!

I am thankful that I was able to lift legs yesterday and am still able to walk today!!  My knee handled the workout quite well!! I know it will be at least a month until I’ll even attempt to do cardio, but I am so thankful that I can at least lift with legs again!!!

I am just so thankful today!!  I really feel honored to be where I am at in life and I appreciate the wonderful blessings God has given to me!

As I mentioned I worked out my lower body yesterday– nothing too intense or amazing– just and EASE back into it/test the knee type workout.  I am sore from it though!  I also worked on my stretching twice– once at the gym for about 15mins and then again at home in the evening.

Today I lifted Chest, tri’s and bi’s–also quite a bit of ABS and STRETCHED again:
Bench
45×15
95×12
115×8,6,6
one set of knee ups between sets

Incline Hammer press
90×10x4
3 sets sit ups between sets

Incline Flys
35’sx10×3

Skull Crushers followed by Bicep curls at the same wt and reps
40+curl barx6
30+curl barx12×3 sets

Tricep push downs
70×12x2
90×10
100×10x2
paired with Cable bicep curls
70×10x3
60×15x2

tricep kick backs
12#x10×3

Abs stuff–
5 diff exercises-
Stretching

home–
I’ve eaten:
Coffee w/ cream and sugar
1/4 of a waffle
Salmon
Carrot
Sardines
boca w/a tsp BBQ sauce
Lots of water~
Supplements- joint, Buffing pill, vit c, garlic, allergy meds

My son has a football game tonight!! I am so excited~ he is really getting good!!!  It should be fun to see~ Go WAR EAGLES!!!

Thanks for being my FRIENDS and reading this
Love,
Michelle

www.buffmother.com
WOW! this past week was a busy one for me…and this week doesn’t look much slower.
I am so excited for it though~!!!   I get to go on a ROAD trip to Omaha and meet up with some of the coolest women on this planet!

I can’t wait!!

To fill you in a bit on where I have been, I’ve been here working…I had 4 BIG projects come up last week.  I did decent on working out~ despite not being able to lift legs or do any cardio, I got to the gym 4 times and stretched A LOT for our splits challenge.  Stretching is HARD WORK!  I’m sure it burns calories!

My diet has had to be extra good since I’ve been so limited in my activity level due to my knee–I think it is slowly getting a bit better, but I plan to get an appt. with a surgeon next week.  I think I may need it scoped again– I had it scoped in 1997 and that seemed to help it, may be time to "clean" it out again???  Who knows though– all I know is that I want it FIXED!

I was in a shopping mood today- I bought stuff online on Steve Madden (*I love his shoes), VS and  in person at Old Navy– they have some cute stuff right now!  The kids also got some stuff~ the twins got dresses, Gunner a coat and GG a hat.

Here is a POA for this next week:
Diet hard-
Proteins and GREENS almost exclusively
STRETCH DAILY;  LOTS OF ABS daily; maybe do some SHIMMY (from FitTV)
M- lift back, sh, bi’s
T- lift chest
W- lift other stuff– lots of ABS and try out a little bit of leg stuff
Th- lift back, sh, bi’s ABS
Fri?
Sat?
Sun?

Well, I am gonna watch some of the Cowboy’s game with DS now~
Love ya!!
-M

www.buffmother.com
Hi my dear friends!!

I wanted to say THANKS for all the great responses to my blog post yesterday!  I Love you!!
It is so neat to have a group of friends who care about me, pray for me, encourage me and help me!  With you I can get through any obstacle and accomplish things beyond my wildest dreams.  Thanks for being my friends, you really are special to me!!!

I did have a great day yesterday~ and today so far too!! which is amazing considering I am on cday 22 which is typically one of my worst days of the month~ whoohooo

I got to the gym as planned yesterday and lifted hard and heavy on my CHEST, TRIs and ABS~
warm up tanning bed
Bench
45×15
95×10
115×8
125×6
115×10

Incline Hammer Strength Press
90×10
110×8
120×6
110×6

Incline Flys
30’sx10
35’sx8×2sets

Tricep extensions
45×10
55×8x2 sets
paired with bicep curls
45×10
55×7x2 sets

Tricep push downs
80×10 flaring/flexing at the bottom of each rep x 3 sets

Assisted dips
40×10
30×10
20×10

Abs between sets:
Knee ups on bench 2 sets
Crunches on bench 3 sets
Knee ups on  roman chair
Ab roller 3 sets

Spit’s stretching between sets also…I was amazed at how flexible I was!  I am stoked…I think I may be able to do the splits one day.

Well, I am off to hit the gym again now~
Have a Terrific Tuesday!!
Love, your friend,
Michelle

www.buffmother.com
HEY ya!!  I am fired up for FALL today~ the weather here feels like fall for the first time this year and it feels GOOD! I had a good "rest" day yesterday and am going to live this next week with the motto "today is day 1 of the rest of my life"…I need that shift in perspective- kinda like "begin with the end in mind" type mindset…What am I willing to do today that will impact the rest of my life in a positive way?

I guess the reason why I need to focus on  this shift in perspective today is that I’ve been a bit down the past few days…as it turns out actually did hurt my knee rather bad last week and have to let it totally rest this week (NO CARDIO that utilizes my lower body at all and no lower body lifting).  I was quite bummed about it on Friday and Saturday, but now I’ve shifted my focus towards what I can still do vs. all the things I can’t do.  I can still do upper body workouts, do abs, do stretching, do some pilates and I can control my DIET! I can do a lot and I will!  I just have to keep focused on the fact that I can still do a lot to impact my future life for the positive and getting my knee healthy is key component of that.  I also need to look into the medical advances towards the treatment for my knee issues…it’s been 11+years since I had surgery and was last seen by a doctor for my knee problem (I have a degeneration of my tibia called chondromalacia)…and I expect that there may be new treatment options for my knee issues. I plan to attack the SOLUTIONS and stay focused on the things I can do….

So on tap for me today besides laundry and work, is a trip to the gym this afternoon…I will warm up in the tanning bed and then hit my chest and tri’s and abs for a good solid workout!  I think it will feel great to get a workout in…I’ve taken the past 2 days off.  I am also going to join in on the splits challenge, but may have to "ease" into it this week since my knee is more stiff than usual and I am joining KIM and several others here in the RR for the 14 day super focus challenge– I am boosting, so it’ll be a challenge for sure, but I need it!

I also need to say: Congrats to DEB for her great job on Saturday!! She is fired up and ready to rock her next contest in 2 weeks~ I am so excited for her!!!

Well, I am off to attack day 1 of the rest of my life!!!
Love,
Michelle

www.buffmother.com
My son played his first football game for the season, he’s on the same team as last year…the 2nd and 3rd graders play together…so he’s a captain and quite a leader on his team this year.  I was nervous watching him today and I felt helpless as I wanted to get out there and “HIT”!!!   Anyhow…their team did great only allowing the other team 1 first down and winning 22-0.

At the game I took a little time to chat with Deb who is competing in Kansas City at the Gold’s Classic NANBF Figure contest…she was just getting ready to do her final preparations before going on stage.  I know she ROCKED it, she was born to be on STAGE!!

I am still in awe about how much she’s changed over the last year…I met Deb last October when I went to Omaha for Lisa’s first contest.   Deb was far from figure contest shape at that time…she had at least 35 pounds to lose and needed desperately to rebuild some muscle.  Then in January when she decided she to compete this spring I honestly didn’t know if she’d be able to do it that quickly…BUT she soon proved to me that she was willing to do everything I advised and hitting it hard!!Within our first month of training together she had already had  some amazing results…then two months after that she went on to place high at her first contest and a few weeks later win the title at her next show.  Over the summer she was diligent with her workouts and now has her best body ever to bring to the stage today and again in 2 weeks for the same show I attended for Lisa last year, the Council Bluffs show.  Deb has had an amazing journey over the last year and I know it’s just the beginning for her!  She is destined for GREATNESS!!

Here are some pictures of Deb and her progress~
Deb 2 years ago

Deb now

I am so proud of DEB and all my client’s success stories, It is so rewarding to see the transformations that take place in not only their bodies but also their minds, attitudes, lives and legacies through training with the Hormonal Timing program!!
I can’t wait to be able to help even more women get the same success!!

Believe you can live the life of your dreams!!!
Love,
BuffMother!

www.buffmother.com
I found this quote in an article I read last week and thought it was GREAT, sorry I forgot to note the author:

“Sincere appreciation with no expectation for the outcome is a powerful accelerator for bringing abundance and opportunities into your life."

www.buffmother.com
Whoops!!! On 2 things…
1- I haven’t posted in 2 days–BAD BUFFMOTHER!
2- I had a SCARE about my knee…I was afraid that I really hurt it yesterday.  I thought WOOPS! I guess I shouldn’t have been so aggressive with my leg workout! BUT guess what, I woke up today and It feels so much better!

That gets me thinking about sowing seeds of strength and fitness.  When look at my fitness level I think in terms of my BASE fitness and my goal fitness.  Then I make a plan~

In order to determine my base fitness, I look at what I’ve been doing over the past 3 months OR what "seed" have I planted:
How many days have I been lifting weights? what kind of split? how many exercises per workout?
How many cardio sessions am I getting in? How many of those are intense intervals?  What kind of duration? SPEED?
How much other activity am I doing? cleaning? shopping? working? traveling?
How well am I eating? Am I fueling myself properly? Am I supporting my goals with supplementation?

Once I determine how much I’ve sown into my fitness base …
Then I make a plan on how to get to my GOALS without getting injured or over-exhausted because of trying to do something I am note physically READY for or by doing too much too soon.

What seeds do I need to sow now into the harvest I am trying to gather?

Do I need to lift more often? Less often? on a different split? focus more on a certain muscle group?
Do I need to start eating more calories in general?  Do I need to eat more protein? more greens? less sugar? less fat? less processed or artificial food?
What about my workouts, where am I weak?  What movements do I neglect? is my core strong enough? Do I need to add more sport specific moves?
What about my aerobic and lactic acid capacity?  do I need to PUSH harder?  Do more? etc….
Do I need to practice a sport specific skill?  Speed drills? Skill Repetitions? Explosiveness? Power? Endurance?
Do I need to add any nutritional supplementation to help my recovery?

After the planting is done, then I remember to add the SECRET ingredient TIME!
It takes TIME to see the fruits of your labor, but with proper preparation…you will be rewarded with the harvest you want!

Well, to catch you up….
I had a great chest, tri, abs and running workout on Tuesday
Then, yesterday I did legs and re-introduced some exercises so that’s why I think my knee felt icky last night.
Here is how it went:
Squats including:
1 set full squats (re-introduced this)…just the bar
dead lifts including:
2 sets conventional- 115#(re-introduced this)
Super heavy seated calves
Side shuffle/Squats(re-introduced this)
One leg at a time leg extension (hammer strength machine)at 55# each including
2 sets toes in at 45#(re-introduced this)
Smith lunges- this is where my knee popped
Smith squats- one set- knee felt really weird on this…so I stopped

I am off now to the gym to do back, bi’s, shoulders and some intervals (maybe depending on my knee–but no running today for sure)

Have a fun Thurs night!!!
-Michelle

www.buffmother.com
Hey Ya…
Today is GARBAGE day in the Berger household and guess who took out the trash again? ME!  I don’t understand it???  It is the ONE job I specifically have asked the men in my house to do and about 4 out of 5 Tuesdays I am the one who puts it on the curb.

ANYHOW…life could be worse, lol….but GARBAGE day brings me to my "Sowing seeds" lesson for today.  Last fall our city implemented an new garbage/recycling program which rocks!   The city provided each family with 1 large recycling can and 1 large trash can.  At first I was scared that all my trash wouldn’t fit into the trash.  WE go through a ton of trash in a weeks time!  SO I had to embrace the recycling habit….I designated a large trash can in my kitchen for recyclables and 1 for trash.  It’s worked GREAT!!  We are recycling as much as we are trashing each week!  I love knowing that I am sowing into my future ENVIRONMENT.  Doing little things each day to make the world a healthier, cleaner place each day~ it’s so fun to know that my recycling habits are sowing into the environment.

Sowing seeds is not just about encouraging others or investing your money….it is about doing the LITTLE things each day that you know will lead to future success.  We REAP what we sow!!

Well, yesterday for me was a busy Monday as usual…and I took the day off~ which is not out of the norm.  Mondays are probably the hardest day for me to "fit" everything in on….So today my plan is to lift chest, tris and run intervals. Last night I watched the Vikings play Green Bay on Monday Night Football.  It really stinks that Tavarus Jackson is so horrible and that the Vikings are so poorly coached.  They could be GREAT if they had a QB and a coaching staff!  GB deserved the win for sure and I am happy for Aaron Rodgers that he did so well.

I am off to get a MASSAGE!! I am so LUCKY!!!

Have a super duper day!!!
Love YA,
Michelle

Hey ALL~

Who of you are UFC Fans?

  I am so STOKED for the fights tonight!  The adrenaline rush of watching some of my favorite fighters throw down is so addicting!!  I love the RUSH!!!  Anticipation~! EXCITEMENT! and  Butterflies!! are feelings that are brought out in me when I think about competitions like MMA Fighting …do you ever purposely get yourself amp’d up for things so that you can feel that RUSH?!

I think it is important to mentally prepare yourself for your workouts in order to perform…and part of that mental preparation needs to include thoughts that make you almost NERVOUS for the workout.  I’ve had my most amazing workouts and performances when I’ve planted thoughts about my performance throughout the day or two prior to it.

For instance, in my training for a track race…I would often have to run 400m repeats as part of my training…they are KILLER!  Anyhow, the anticipation of the 400m repeats workout would almost make me “ill” at times…It was torture, but it also produced some amazing results.  As I matured in my track career I learned that if I purposely SOWED positive mental images about my upcoming workout…thinking about how I ran the repeats with ease or how I blew past my fellow teammates during the 400’s or how I hit my split times perfectly, etc….I would create positive Adrenaline for my upcoming workout and get EXCITED for it and get through it with JOY vs. DREAD.  AND in turn I’d get the most effective workout possible.

My point in all of this is that you need to sow seeds of anticipation in your life…GET excited on purpose for things and that will make Life more EXCITING and FULL of Adrenaline!!  LIfe is supposed to be EXCITING!!  So go after things that excited you!!! Purposely get yourself amped up for things so that you can feel that RUSH!!

I often use my warm up time as my time to get AMPED up for my workout~ I plant thoughts of what lifts I am going to do and what goals I am going to attain during my workout time.

Today I warmed up for 10 mins on the R-bike~
then I lifted back, bi’s and shoulders…I did the following lifts:
Cybex lat pulls
Assisted pull ups
Shoulder press machine (seated backward)
Seated rows
Lateral raises
Standing military
Bicep curls
inverted pull ups
hammer strength isolateral rows
lower back extensions

then 20 mins on the r-bike…
I didn’t do any abs or my run due to the fact I had a full feeling tummy from a new pre-workout drink that I tried called Purple Wraath–it made me flush a bit from the Niacin in it, but I felt fine except for feeling too FULL.

HAVE fun tonight!! I plan on having a BLAST watching the fights!!
Go Liddell, Franklin, Marquardt and Henderson!!!  WHOOHOOO!!!

GET AMP’D,
Michelle

www.buffmother.com
If you want it…GIVE IT!

do you feel you need some love?
do you feel you need some money?
do you feel you need some inspiration?
do you feel you need some energy?

What ever you feel that you need…GIVE it and you will receive it in return!  It is a spiritual law; a law of the universe– so JUST GIVE IT!!!!

Today, I gave my body some energy in the form of a rest day yesterday and some good food which allowed me to have a GREAT workout!

warm up 11 mins r-bike
I lifted chest
Bench
45×15
95×10x3
95×20

Bench dips
2 sets of 12

Incline hammer press
90×10x3
Knee ups on bench
40, 25

Incline flys
40’sx6
35’s x6

Cable flys
30×15x3 sets
triceps cable push downs- one arm at a time
30×10x2 sets

Then I ran for 21 mins=3miles of intervals top speed=11.5 for 30sec otherwise most intervals at 9, easy mins at 7 and 8

then  walking lunges
55#barx15 reps each leg x2 sets
AND some side lunges

That was all~
Now I am off to GIVE IT!!!
-M