The I Love Carbs Blog

I’m back from a week vacation at the beach.   It was beautiful weather, about 80 degrees, and sunny.  We pretty much were out doors all day swimming, playing on the beach, making sand castles, throwing the football, fishing, sun bathing, etc.  We had family that came out to visit.  It’s been about 13 years since the last time my family got together.  And my hubby’s parents came out and we fished on the shore.  It was an unfortunate day for fishing.  My daughter caught one fish.  Which is funny because the guy right next to us caught about 8!  My diet was not at all good.  I start on my new plan after the New Year, so I’ve been enjoying the time off.  I’ve pretty much been on a diet plan for 16 months, and the break was nice.  I did, however, make it to the gym twice.  With this year being to incredibly busy with everyone in the family on different training schedules, it was a much need break.   
This next year is going to be another exciting one!  I start with a new trainer and I’m on Team Body Tech.  My plan is to compete in 3 shows.  My off season will be longer, but it’s needed for me to put on those gains.  My oldest daughter has been training super hard in the gym during her off season from cycling.  She now has a new found respect for weight training.  She sees herself stronger during her practice rides.  I anticipate her race season to be awesome this year.  My little gymnast has made the team and will be competing as a level 3 this year.  And my hubby is training to compete in a BB show towards the end of the year.  The plan is for us to compete in the same show…how exciting! 
As for other exciting events…next week hubby and I get to demolish the kitchen for remodeling.  We are having the kitchen renovated.  And will work on other parts of the house this year as well.  I plan to learn how to do tile work, and lay the tile in my bathrooms.  I love learning all of that. 
Oh…and the most exciting news thus far!  Hubby and I will be celebrating our 16^th year in marriage the beginning of January!  We’re heading out to Vegas the end of January.  I have to admit, we’re Vegas Virgins, and I’m looking forward to it!  (I hope there’s a UFC fight to go see.)  So, if you guys out there have any advice on what to do…please share

Last night my 8 year old daughter trained in her gymnastics gym for 3-1/2 hours.   She was trying out for the team.   I’m not familiar with gymnastics, but she would either make the USA team level 3 or 4.  The difference between the levels is the competitions.  Level 3 competes locally, while level 4 athletes travel for their competitions.  I told her to go out there and have fun, and do her best.  She wasn’t nervous at all.  It was just another practice day to her.  A day she can spend time with her friends and do what she likes, gymnastics.  As I sat there watching her tryouts, I’m hearing the other moms whispering in their daughter’s ears before they head out for tryouts.  They’re telling their daughters they BETTER do well…I’m paying a fortune for this, so you better make the team…You need to focus out there and not screw up and goof around like you always do!  I was sad for these young girls.  If you’re not having fun training, what’s the point?  Physical activity is enjoyed by an individual because they have passion for it; they have a drive to move forward.  Parents like these are killing that passion for their children!  So what if they don’t make the team.  They’re out there busting their butt 3 days a week, 3 hours each training practice.  And today was awesome.  I think the coaches may have done this purposely for the parents to appreciate the hard work and effort they’re little girl endure.  Today was parent participation night.  We did what our girls do when they train.  We were put into groups and did our rotations with our daughters.  I don’t know about all the parents that were involved, but the ones in my group were whining about how tired they were, when is it going to be over, I want to quit already!  How can they be so hard on their children when they can’t even do 45 minutes of it?  I think my hubby and I teach our girls to do their best…even though sometimes our best isn’t good enough.  At least you have no regrets.  Second lesson is that training needs to be fun, and positive.  You get so much more out of it if you enjoy it.  The passion and drive then follows.  I took a training day off for this, also because I have not had a day off this week yet. 
I did back yesterday.  LOVED IT!  I was able to do 135lbs on my cable pull downs with the parallel bar,  120lbs for my seated cable rows,  125lbs on my bent over barbell rows, and  55lbs on DB rows.  I also ended it with 45 minutes of low intensity cardio.  I kept my heart rate at 135-140bpm. 
Tomorrow is my final training day before vacation.  I have shoulders and traps.  I’ll most likely throw in cardio after the weights. 
Hopefully I can make it into the gym at least twice on vacation.  If I can, I’ll probably do an entire upper body workout one day, and then lower body the next time.  I’ll add in cardio with those days as well.  There is a pool and the entire beach to do some walking on, so I will be able to stay active.  I’ll be enjoying the eats as well.  With family coming out 3 of our vacation days, there will be some splurging happening. 

I’ve branched off and tried other machines and exercises to throw in the mix.  Today, I trained chest.  My goal is to keep at heavy weights, lower reps.  I tried doing some incline bench presses on the Smith.  At first it felt a little awkward, but after I found the right position under the bar, it felt great.  I kept a controlled movement, and didn’t lock my arms on the way up.  I brought the bar up higher, a bit under the collar bone, and my hands were just a bit wider than shoulder width.  I could really feel it in my upper chest.   Here’s my workout today. I’ve branched off and tried other machines and exercises to throw in the mix.  Today, I trained chest.  My goal is to keep at heavy weights, lower reps.  I tried doing some incline bench presses on the Smith.  At first it felt a little awkward, but after I found the right position under the bar, it felt great.  I kept a controlled movement, and didn’t lock my arms on the way up.  I brought the bar up higher, a bit under the collar bone, and my hands were just a bit wider than shoulder width.  I could really feel it in my upper chest.   Here’s my workout today.  I’ve branched off and tried other machines and exercises to throw in the mix.  Today, I trained chest.  My goal is to keep at heavy weights, lower reps.  I tried doing some incline bench presses on the Smith.  At first it felt a little awkward, but after I found the right position under the bar, it felt great.  I kept a controlled movement, and didn’t lock my arms on the way up.  I brought the bar up higher, a bit under the collar bone, and my hands were just a bit wider than shoulder width.  I could really feel it in my upper chest.   Here’s my workout today.
WARM UP: 2 sets- DB Presses <super set> DB Flies: 15lbs x 10, 20lbx 10
Slight Incline DB Presses:
1-20lbs x 8
2-25lbs x 8
3-30lbs x 8
4-35lbs x 6
Free Motion Cable Flys:
1-35lbs x 8
2-40lbs x 8
3-45lbs x 6
Hammer Strength Wide Press:
1-90lbs x 10
2-110lbs x 8
3-140lbs x 8
4-160lbs x 5
Incline Bench Press: Smith Machine
1-4: 95lbs x ?  All sets were to failure
Pec Dec: (I kept my elbows raised and shoulders back.)
1-30lbs x 15
2-40lbs x 10
3-50lbs x 8
4-60lbs x 8

Oh yea…I’m chilling until the New Year.  You know how everyone starts off the New Year by saying they’ll go to the gym more, eat better, blah, blah, blah.  Same old resolution.  Well, that is mine.  I can’t wait to start on the new training and diet program.  Although I’m enjoying the time off, it will be exciting to start on my goals for 2009.  I have a LONG bulk ahead of me.  I know I’m already thinking how much weight I’ll put on.  It’s a mind trip when you go from lean to “beefy” as my hubby puts it.  I think it’s almost time to bring out the next level of clothes.  Yes, I have levels I go through.  I’m just at the end of my lean level clothes.  I tried keeping some control of my weight.  I’ve been doing okay.   I am splurging with all the holiday baking I’ve been doing.  I’m going on a week vacation next weekend so I have to look somewhat decent in my swimsuit.  After talking to my coach today, he said not to worry about the diet until after the New Year.  Enjoy my holiday and we’ll meet up afterwards. 

So tonight I trained legs.  I started with hammies tonight.  I typically don’t start with them.  I did Lying Leg Curls and then my favorite, Stiff Legged Dead Lifts.  I was able to do 145lbs.  I moved on to Leg Extensions, and maxed at 150lbs for 8 reps.  Then over to the Leg Press and finished at 360lbs.  I did the Squat Machine since the free weight area was taken up.  Those were ok.  I wish I was able to use the free weights instead.  I wanted to do some cardio but had to get home.  I did 45 minutes last night.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  Tonight’s training was a hodge-podge workout.  It started off great, but there was some gym drama that happened and that kind of off set my workout.   Nothing drastic, but I ended up having to talk with someone about a matter and that got my muscle cooled off. 

Next weekend, I’m off to the beach!  Not only is my entire family coming out to visit, my hubby’s family will pop in one of those days.  His dad loves to fish, so he’s bringing the fishing poles.  Last time we were at the beach fishing, he caught a bottlenose shark on the shore.  It kind of looks like a hammer head shark.  My little one is so excited about fishing.  Hopefully she’ll catch something.

I’ve been waiting to tell everyone about great changes that have been made with my training.  I’m so excited to announce that I am now part of Team Body Tech.  I have a trainer that will guild me through this sport and lead me in the right direction.  Although I owe so much thanks to my former trainer, I felt as though I needed someone to basically hold my hand and lead me.  There were so many times I felt overwhelmed.  I am a person that needs a plan that I can picture what the next 2-3 steps will be.  My new trainer takes the guess work out of my comp preps.  Although I do not have the luxury of having my new trainer in the same gym, I honestly like it that way.  He’s about 2 hours away and we plan on having me come in every 3 weeks for check-ins.  Something that I will have to get used to is a training program.  Right now I’ll be on a 5 days on, 2 days off split.  I have been following my hubby’s plan he writes for me.  I guess what it comes down to is that everything was so relaxed with my contest prep, now things are going to be very well structured.  And I feel like I’m starting from square one again.  My trainer is going to have to learn what my body likes and doesn’t like.  But…this is going to be awesome and I am excited to be part of the team! 
I start my official off season training/diet next week.  I’d better get in one cheat meal before I get down to business J
Today I trained shoulders/traps.  I haven’t done cardio in awhile.  It’s been about 2 weeks maybe?  I’ve got to fit that in.  I will be putting on weight this off season, but keep the body fat in check, and lift heavy to build those muscles. Oh man….I’ve got to bring out the off season clothes. 
I am so excited about the holidays.  I’m leaving for vacation and will be staying on the beach for a week.  My entire family will be coming out to visit.  I think it’s been at least 13 years since all the siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandparents, etc. have been together.  I’m looking forward to the break.  To be able to chill out by the pool side, walk on the beach, hang out with my hubby and girls.  
Here’s my shoulders/traps work out:
Warm up: 
2 sets: DB Side Laterals: 15lbs x 12
Seated DB Presses:
1- 20lbs x 10
2- 25lbs x 8
3- 30lbs x 8
4- 35lbs x 6
Cable Up Right Rows:
1- 80lbs x 10
2- 100lbs x 10
3- 110lbs x 8
4- 120lbs x 6
DB Side Laterals <super set> DB Front Raises:
Sets 1-4: 15lbs x 10
DB Shrugs:
1- 30lbs x 12
2- 35lbs x 10
3- 40lbs x 10
4- 50lbs x 8
5- 60lbs x 8
Hammer Strength Shrugs:
1- 180lbs x 8 (too much weight, did not have good form)
2&4- 160lbs x 8

Leg training was brutal today.  I tried some new machines I haven’t used.  I switched it up and used the leg machines first to get a good pump before I started with squats. Every set was to failure, and heavy, 4 sets each exercise.   I liked it actually.  My legs were so tight, when I moved to squats, even though I couldn’t go as heavy as when I start off with it, it was so pumped my legs wanted to explode.  I ended the training with walking lunges.  Each lunge I would push straight back up, back straight, and squeeze the glutes.  You can really feel it burn in the glutes and hammies.  It was a killer.  I did calves yesterday.  I’m glad I did because I felt so spent after today’s training; I would have probably tried to talk myself out of it.   I was feeling a bit sick after wards, but I do wish I would have thrown some Stiff Legged Dead Lifts into it.  Of course I’m saying that now as I’m recovered from that sick feeling.

10 minutes of warm up on the elliptical machine.

Lying Leg Curls:
1- 40lbs x 12

2- 50lbs x 10

3- 60lbs x 8

4- 60lbs x 6

Leg Extensions:
1- 90lbs x 12

2- 110lbs x 10

3- 120lbs x 10

4- 135lbs x 8

Squats: Machine
1- 90lbs x 12

2- 90lbs x 12

3- 140lbs x 10

4- 140lbs x 8

Walking Lunges:
4 sets diagonal corner to corner in the aerobic room.

I’m an amateur bodybuilder and an NPC competitor.  I compete in the Women’s Light Weight Open Division.  I’m in this for the long haul.  With this sport, time is on my side.  I know every time I’m in my off season, I have a chance to gain, and my goal each time for my contest prep is to come in tighter, leaner, and bigger than the last.  It’s having patience…the patience of knowing that it’s not all going to happen overnight.  So, I’m going to do what I love…which is to lift heavy, build some beautiful muscles, and sculpt my body to look it’s best! 
I killed my arms!  The pump was insane.  With my off season, I’m really focusing on putting on some mass gains.  I’m keeping all the sets heavy with lower reps, and going to failure.  My diet however can be better.  With Christmas parties, and holiday baking, I’m eating a little here and there.  It’s fine for now, and I try to keep it under control.  It’s a good thing I decided to do my gains during the holidays.  I’ll be taking a week off from training in a couple weeks.  I’m having such awesome sessions, that I hate to do it.  But, vacation calls and I’m looking forward to chilling out with the family on the beach. 
I can totally see how people can gain an easy 10+ pounds over the holidays alone.  I can’t imagine putting on that weight and not exercising daily.  I can’t imagine NOT exercising at all.  Not only that it’s healthy, but it helps me clear my mind from daily stress and frustrations. 
ARMS: Tris and Bis.
Warm up: 3 sets
Cable single arms tri kick backs: 20lbs
Seated Over Head DB Extensions:
1- 30lb x 10
2- 40lb x 8
3- 45lb x 8
4- 50lb x 8
5- 55lb x 6–>NOT ASSISTED!  WOO-HOO!
Cable Push Downs: V Bar
1- 80lbs x 10
2- 90lbs x 8
3- 100lbs x 8
4- 110lbs x 5, 100lbs x 5, 90lbs x 3, 70lbs x 3, 60lbs x 5–> drop set
Single Arm Cable Kick Backs: Used this for my last tri exercise to get a good pump
1&2- 20lbs x 12
3&4- 25lbs x 10
5- 15lbs x failure
EZ Bar Curls:
1- 35lbs x 10
2- 45lbs x 8
3- 45lbs x 8
4- 55lbs x 6
DB Concentration Curls:
1&2- 15lbs x 10
3&4- 20lbs x 8
DB Hammer Curls:
1&2- 20lbs x 10
3&4- 25lbs x 8
Straight Bar Wrist Curls:
1-4- 30lb bar x 15
 

I felt so good today!  Training was awesome!  I really didn’t feel like making it into the gym.  Not because I didn’t want to train, I was just getting tired of all the drama that goes on there. 
Shoulders/traps:
Warm up sets:
(2) 10lb DB Side Laterals x 12 reps <super set> Front Raises
DB Presses:
1- 20lbs x 10
2- 25lbs x 8
3- 30lbs x 8
4- 35lbs x 7 -à no spotter!  Woo-Hoo!
DB Side Laterals <super set> Front Raises:
1- 15lbs x 10
2- 15lbs x 10
3- 20lbs x 8, 15lbs x 8
Cable Up-Right Rows:
1- 70lbs x 10
2- 90lbs x 8
3- 110lb x 8
4- 120lb x 6
Cable Cross Overs:
1,2 – 20lbs x 10
3,4 – 25lbs x 10
DB Shrugs:
1- 30lbs x 10
2- 40lbs x 10
3- 45lbs x 8
4- 50lbs x 8
5- 60lbs x 8
Hammer Strength Shrugs:
1- 90lbs x 10
2- 90lbs x 10
3- 140lbs x 8
4- 140lbs x 6
I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays…I think I’m finally over the eating bit.  I’ve had fun not paying attention and not being on a diet plan, but I’m ready for it and ready to kick it into gear!  Hopefully I‘ll get a new plan written out next week.