funkyfit’s BodyBlog

Lately I have really been needing to mix up my routine.  I have been switching up my exercises and experimenting with reps and amount of weight, but I feel like my body is not shocked any more.  I have also noticed my metabolism has slowed down.  I still have great workouts, but I am not getting the results that I want.  I really want to get shed some fat and shred my muscles.  I used to work out a lot at home to different DVD’s and do things outdoor.  I am going to get back into that some.  I think I am getting bored with my gym workout and it is time to do something new.  I love variety and I have  never lack motivation for working out at home.  I am still going to hit the gym 2-3 days for different cardio options and hitting some specific muscles, but I am going to focus on low intensity/high rep workouts at home and kettlebells.  For cardio outdoors, I really want to start running more.  I have a love hate relationship with running, but I really want to get better at it and shape myself into a distance runner.  I also may be seeking out a career path soon that requires more running, so I figure the time to start is now.  My goal is to give myself a good month on my own program and see what changes in my body occur.  The only thing I am worried about is gym guilt.  Even if I work out at home, I feel guilty if I am not at the gym.  I guess that is a good sign of it really being a huge part of my life.  So, I am going to creating a new log book for my new routines and keeping track of my running mileage.  I really want to shock my metabolism into the fat burning machine that it was when I first started lifting 2 years ago.

Tonight I am going to try to take some better progress pics.  I think yesterday’s had bad lighting or was too bright.  I also need to squeeze in the photos before I eat dinner.  I look swollen some in the pics from yesterday.  A lot of the pics for me are trial and error.

I never make New Year’s resolutions.  I am always setting new goals for myself.  When it come to fitness, I like to evaluate myself in December.  This way, I am not setting myself up for a New Year’s resolution and it helps me stay on track and stay focused during the holidays.  Latley there has been a ton of candy and junk around my office.  I do not usually partake in those types of food, but lately when bored or stressed, I find myself picking at it!  Ugh, Brandi get control of yourself!!  I toke progress pics tonight for the first time in a long time.  I would say as of late my clean eating is only 70% and it shows in my pics!  I wanted to document this for myself because I do not want to slip further over the holidays.  I know what my body can look like if I stick to clean eating 100% and that is my goal.  Now to the workouts.  I have been kicking ass in that department and my metabolism is really ramped up.  Not to mention I have been drinking Super Pump before my workouts and that leaves me feeling like I am super woman!  There is something about that stuff that make me feel savage!  My goals are to really increase my shoulder width and lats.  I want to get a killer V Taper.  My frined egoatdoor intoduced me to FST-7 and I am doing that for my back and shoulders.  I am getting ready to start my 4th week and feel like I am already seeing improvements.  That is why I wanted to take some recent progress pics.  I planned to do the FST-7 for another month and then evaluate where I am and make changes accordingly.  I am doing basically the same workouts for back and shoulders each week and will not change them until after the second month.  I need to balance my upper half with my wide waisted, thick thighs, lower half  

I am embarassed to say that I have not been on this site much since the summer.  I am getting married in 4 1/2 weeks and also just started a new job.  There are a lot of changes taking place and the new job is very time consuming.  I am still working out regulary, but am finding myself having to switch up my training days and routines to fit it into my schedule.  I am on the road most of the time and when I am online, I barely have time to catch up with the news.  I am excited that I will be married in 4 1/2 weeks and I am excited to revaluate new personal goals for myself.  There are a lot of fitness goals that I want to work towards and I was not so sure a month or two ago that I would ever try to compete again.  But lately, I think I am getting the bug again.  I think about it a lot and know what I will be capable of this time around with proper training.  My fiance’ Chris is also talking of getting ready for his first bodybuilding competition.  I have also taken a few kettlebell classes lately and that is something that I really want to incorporate into my routines.  I am exploring other  things out there.  I have been still training regulary, but have not been focus on increasing my muscle too much.  When I bought my wedding dress last year, it was a bit too big around my chest and back.  Well, from all the training, it is too tight around my lats!  I am excited though, becuase I can see how different my body looks when I put it on.  I know that I am going to be a buff bride and I am going to make sure the photographer gets a picture of me flexing in my dress!  I plan to be back on this site more after October 18 and really need to update my pics! 

I have been having major issues since my competition. I am continuing to eat pretty clean and still working out like crazy.  I was trying to lift lighter weights for higher reps to burn more fat and calories.  I have introduced more running and pilates.  The scale only says that I am 4lbs heavier than when I competed, but yet I am noticing that I can not fit into a few pairs of pants that I bought last summer!  I was heavier weight wise last summer! I know I should relax.  It is muscle and maybe water weight, but I know myself and I hate when something is getting too snug.  I already have my wedding dress and it was actually too big for me when I bought it, but I was proud that it was a hard earned size 6 and I just do not want it to be too tight.  I need to stop obsessing about the number on the scale and maybe there will be some areas of my body, my butt in particular, that when more muscle is added to it, it may not fit in my old pants.  I am so new to a lot of this stuff and just want to maintain my muscle for now and shed some fat, for the wedding.  I really need to focus on leaning out and not trying to see how much weight I can lift, like I tend to do at the gym.  I do at least 5 days of cardio and am working up to 5 days of pilates too.  My damn DVD player broke this morning, so I am not sure what I am going to do to remedy that.  I am also nervous about not eating meat because I do not want to consume too many carbs.  I am a control freak and I am rambling.  I still go back to writing down what I eat everyday and my workout routines.  I am constantly fearful of losing control and beat myself up when I get on the scale or if I miss a day at the gym.  I need to focus on what is right in front of me and the wedding in October and worry more about competing come January.  I am just always afraid of slipping and getting off track.

So, I have stopped eating meat and dairy 11 days ago.  I still have my egg whites everyday and will have a regular egg now and then.  I wanted to do a meat detox after my first show because I have read stories about how long meat can stay in your body.  I also just finished reading "Skinny Bitch" and even though I do not agree with all parts of the book, the chapter on killing the animals is heart breaking and this has really opened up my eyes.  I was not a huge meat eater before, but had been recently during my competition.  I do not really miss the meat and I am eating other things and drinking my shakes to get in my protein.  The thing I am worried about it getting too many carbs.  I still want to drop about 10 lbs and build more muscle.  I also want to be able to get in my essential vitamins and nutrients and not take a lot of supplements.  Anyone have any advice for a new vegetarian?  Also, I am avoiding dairy, but LOVE cottage cheese.  Are there lactose free cottage cheeses or even yogurt?

It has been a month since my first show and I am still working out hard at the gym.  I am back to doing cardio two times a day and have now lifting 4 days a week and taking cycling.  The competition was a big eye opener for me and lately I am kind of freaking out about what to work on and what to eat. I am noticing that even when I eat clean, I need to be really careful of my cheat carbs.  I do not eat a lot of junkie foods, but I think that even the little amounts of sugar or simple carbs I am eating are making it harder for me to lean out.  I know that most people gain a few pounds after the show, but lately I am really feeling bad about  my body.  Some days I feel fat and yucky.  So, I am back to a stricter diet, cutting back on even fruit, and really working out hard.   I want to do this for 8 weeks and see how it goes.  I am just to the point now that I do not know what all to do to switch it up and get over the plateu.  So, for part of my cardio that I am doing twice a day, I have added cycling 2-3 a week.  It has been a long time since I have done cycling, but it feels really good to get back into it.  I think I am becoming obssessed with working out and worrying about what to eat. But then again, maybe that is the type of dedication it takes to really tranform my body.  Man, I wish that I could afford a trainer right now.  Maybe I can at least get like 3 sessions to learn some new routines and talk about nutirtion.  Some times I get overwhelmed with all the details and just want a little bit of guidance.  My immediate goal is to keep working the cardio and cycling,, doing lower weights and high reps.  I really want to burn some more fat and get leaner.

I have been in the funk about myself and my body after the figure show. Introducing regular foods again seemed like it was going to be great, but I do is worry about what to eat and how it is going affect my body.  I have still been hitting the gym hard and for the most part thought that I would keep up my similar routine of lifting 5 days a week.  Well, I have hit a plateu, hit a big wall.  It is time to mix it up and focus on  a new goal.  I am going to eat clean and get in more fruits and veggies and healthy carbs.  My body is not getting results lately and I really know that I need to do something new.  I found a 3 day split routine online and I am going to give that a try.  I am going to do lighter weights and really work on cardio, melting away my thighs, and focusing on my abs.  I will lift 3 days a week and cardio and abs those days and the other 2 day I am very happy to say I am going start cycling!  I can finally start taking classes and have shorter days at the gym and focus more on my cardio endurance.  My biggest focus now is my wedding in 5 months and 28 days and I just want to be more lean, thinned out in some places.  I will worry about heavy lifting and whether to compete again after the wedding.  I really need to focus on my wonderful fiance’ Chris and starting a new chapter of our lives. I think mixing the cycling in and doing weights 3x a week will be great for me and I will have more spare time in my day.  My goal is to really get lean thighs and hips and to have a killer upper back in my wedding dress!

I posted some pics of my first show.  It took me a few days before I would even look at them.  All I see are soft abs and thighs.   I really know what I need to work on and for the next show I am going to work with a good trainer.  I had such a good experience and want to do it again, but will wait until after my October wedding.  I don’t think I can plan and train and diet and not be a cranky B**ch, so I better hold off!  LOL  I am pretty proud that I did it and it really puts a lot things in perspective for me.  I hit the gym 2 days after my show and have revamped my routine.  My short term goals are to blast the hell out of my thighs and glutes.  I want toned, lean thighs, and high and tight butt!

I posted some pics of my first show.  It took me a few days before I would even look at them.  All I see are soft abs and thighs.   I really know what I need to work on and for the next show I am going to work with a good trainer.  I had such a good experience and want to do it again, but will wait until after my October wedding.  I don’t think I can plan and train and diet and not be a cranky B**ch, so I better hold off!  LOL  I am pretty proud that I did it and it really puts a lot things in perspective for me.  I hit the gym 2 days after my show and have revamped my routine.  My short term goals are to blast the hell out of my thighs and glutes.  I want toned, lean thighs, and high and tight butt!