Kayla’s BodyBlog

So, I’m working with a trainer right now, but really don’t want to keep spending money on training - I need to save up to go to graduate school.  I would really like to have a workout partner though.  I haven’t had one for a few years.

I go to LA Fitness - mostly the one on 3rd St and Greenway, but the one on 23rd Ave is very close to my work.  In the past, I’ve almost always had male training partners, but I think I might actually prefer a female so there isn’t such a discrepancy in strength.

I lift weights 4 days per week on my lunch break - I like to lift heavy, especially legs, but I do have some limitations because of my left shoulder.

If you’re interested, send me a message!

Well, I basically kicked butt until Memorial Day - was going to the gym 2-3X/day almost every day and when I checked my progress after 4 weeks…

I hadn’t made any progress.

I was pretty discouraged.  I thought I had been doing great and was sore and exhausted from pushing myself so hard.  It was really disappointing to have not made any significant changes in my physique.  I know it was only 4 weeks, but I thought I should have at least lost a couple pounds/a couple body fat percentage points.

Ever since then, it’s been difficult to stay motivated.  I mean, if I can work out a few days per week once a day and eat somewhat clean and still maintain my current physique, I don’t want to keeping brutalizing myself in the gym and risk overtraining/injury if it’s not going to get me anywhere.

I’m still not satisfied at all with how I look though.  My arms and back have come along pretty nicely, but as always, my waist/abs are my least favorite part.  It is the absolute last part of my body that leans out and I’m not sure I’ll ever get to where I would like to be.

Anyway, I’m gonna try to get into a better mindset this weekend and get back to being hardcore for the sake of being hardcore…even if I’m not getting results as quickly as I would like.  I’m a gym rat and health nut at heart and I need to start acting like it again.

So, I officially finished my 18 physical therapy session today.  My shoulder is feeling a lot better, so I’m finally ready to start up shoulder and chest training again.  For the last month, I have really improved my consistency and work ethic in the gym.  Unfortunately, I still have been cheating (drinking/eating out) on the weekends, so I haven’t made as much progress as I would like.  I’m pretty disappointed, actually.  Just proof that all the working out in the world won’t transform  your body if your diet isn’t dialed in!

Anyway, now that my shoulder is well on the way to recovery, competing in figure at the end of this summer doesn’t seem so impossible.  There are 21 days left in March.  It’s already been in the low 80’s in Phoenix in the last month, so April represents the official start of summer here.  I would really like to get down to 112-115 lbs.  I am treating the next 3 weeks like contest prep - not just to reach my goals more quickly, but also to get a taste of what I’m in for if I commit to competing.

Will re-do stats and upload new progress pics April 1st!  Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement!

Well, when it comes to "big picture" progress, I can clearly see I’ve made some changes in my body since February of last year.  However, I really thought that I would have made more progress in the last couple of months than I have.  I realize that if I want to maintain (and dare I hope *increase*) my muscle while still losing fat that it’s going to take longer to get as lean as I want to be.  I guess I just need to continue to be patient and consistent.  I will up my cardio and weight-lifting intensity…sometimes I don’t think I am as focused or push myself as hard as I should be.  I’ve already eliminated alcohol completely (I miss wine!) and have been eating clean, but I will be a little bit more militant with measuring portion sizes and timing my meal frequency. 

It’s nearly the end of October and I don’t think I am really all that far from chiseling out the body that I want so badly.  I’m giving myself until the end of the year to become as lean as I can.  Then I will assess my progress and determine new goals for the new year!

So I’ve been working out with my trainer, Randy, 4-5X/week for the last two weeks.  It’s going well - I’m already getting stronger and perhaps, dare I hope, a little bit leaner!  Been doing 30 mins of cardio 4-5X/week too.  I decided to be alcohol-free for the month of September and have been eating 6-7X/day.  My typical day looks like this:

5:00 AM - Wake up and do 30 mins of cardio (empty stomach)

7:00 AM - Oatmeal with 1/2 c fat free milk or whole wheat english muffin with fat free cream cheese and 1/2 c Eggbeaters

9:30 AM - Protein bar

12:00 PM - 1/2 c whole wheat pasta with 4 oz ground turkey breast and 1/2 c organic pasta sauce

1:30 PM - Training session

2:30 PM - Post work out shake (8 oz skim milk with 1 scoop BSN Lean Dessert)

4:30 PM - Chicken or turkey with veggies (or a lower carb Lean Cuisine if I’m too tired to cook)

7:00 PM - 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese with 1 cup Yoplait light

I know that I have a lot of dairy in my current meal plan, which some people would advise against.  I love dairy and want to make sure I’m getting all of the calcium I need.  I think for now, it is ok, and when I plateau or want to get a little more lean, I’ll cut some of the dairy out.

I’m also taking a multivitamin, calcium, joint support, glutamine, BCAA’s, and L-Carnitine.

I have a tendency to weigh myself/measure my body fat too frequently, so I’ve decided not to post progress pics/check my stats until the end of September.  I’m trying hard to stay patient when it comes to results - if it were quick and easy to be buff and lean, then everyone would look like a fitness model!

So, I went to the gym on Saturday and worked out with my friend and her trainer…I decided to start training with him 4X a week for at least the next 4-5 weeks.  We only did about 30 mins of legs and less than 24 hours later, I’m having difficulty walking! 

I always thought I was giving myself decent workouts, but Saturday proved to me that I have definitely NOT been pushing myself and my intensity has been pretty pathetic.  I’m looking forward to getting my ass kicked by someone else though!

My short term goal is to look AMAZING for my boyfriend’s boxing match on September 13…however, since that’s only 3 weeks a way, I can’t hope for a miraculous transformation by then.  However, I really want to train hard and consistently for the next year…maybe even consider competing in either fitness model/figure division in 2009.  We’ll see!  Will keep updating progress pics!

So last week, I did pretty well.  I did 4 days of cardio and 3 days of lifting - I was SO sore!  By Wednesday, I was in so much pain, I made an appointment for that night to get a massage

I’m a lot weaker than I used to be - not that I should be surprised.  I got up at 5 and did my cardio, then lifted in the afternoon and kept my diet through the week.

BUT, my boyfriend drove to Phoenix (he lives in Tucson) to visit me this weekend, and I totally ended up blowing off the gym, eating out, and drinking.  He’s fit and actually training for a boxing match in September, but the problem is, he and I have completely different body types and goals.  I want to get super lean and he wants to gain about 25 lbs.  I have a decent metabolism, but he is a true ectomorph and can still maintain a six pack eating breakfast burritos, In-N-Out, and drinking 2 dozen beers a weekend.

I don’t settle for mediocrity in any other part of my life - I always strive to excel and be the best.  So, I don’t understand why I’m willing to settle for less than the best for myself physically.  I find it easy to excuse binge drinking and eating unhealthy because I can do those things and still look decent - but I don’t want to look decent, I want to look like Jamie Eason!   And even if I stay consistent and clean during the week, I will definitely be working against any progress I’m making if I blow it on the weekends. 

Anyway, my goal is to come back with a vengeance this week - now that I’m getting acclamated to waking up early, hitting the gym twice a day, and prepping my food the night before, I really need to up the intensity/duration of my cardio and tighten the diet up even more.

I will be driving to Tucson this weekend to be with my boyfriend - he got an LA Fitness membership so that we could go together, but that has yet to happen!  I need to plan in advance and stick to my plan - if that means I go to the gym by myself while I’m in Tucson or that I have to go grocery shopping and keep food at his place, then I just need to do it!

I’m not feeling up for posting progress pics yet - next Sunday I’ll put some new ones up.  Until then!

So, I just had my 23rd birthday last weekend - I feel old!  Now that I have no more excuses to eat, drink, and be merry, it was time to get down to business this week!

So far, so good - today and yesterday I woke up at 5 AM to hit the gym for some pre-breakfast cardio and then hit the gym again in the afternoon to lift - man am I sore!

My manager had a quote by her desk this week that I really like: "If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always gotten."  So true!  For so long I have been inconsistent and making the same mistakes - and look at me, I’m exactly the same!  It has really helped motivate me this week. 

I also have a little mantra that I repeat to myself throughout the day "Smaller Leaner Faster Stronger."

I’ll check progress once a week and post pics starting Monday - I’m committing myself to giving it all I got for the next 6 weeks and I’ll re-evaluate my goals once I’m there!

Well I guess it’s not REALLY starting from scratch…I went a little crazy after breaking up with my ex and re-connecting with some not so health conscious friends….been eating out a lot, drinking a lot, and going to the gym intermittently at best.  The pictures don’t lie!  Anyway, I have rediscovered the joy of cooking (and eating) healthy food and how great it feels to be sore for days after a good workout.  I’m turning 23 on August 2, and want to be in amazing shape (the best of my life) by then.  So - weekly pictures from here on out!  And I think some tanning is called for too   That’s a little over 10 weeks…making my goal of 110 lbs more than attainable. 

I appreciate everyone’s support and feedback!

I am moving next weekend to a new place (a just a minute away from the gym!).  It will be the first time I’ve lived without a roommate.  I am ending my relationship of a year and half (we have been living together for almost a year).  I also have a new boss at work.

Working out and eating right have not been my priorities recently because of all of the turmoil.  However, I’m moving right next to where I work (no more commute!), which happens to be down the street from an LA Fitness (and also a tanning place - hooray).  I will be living by myself so I have complete control over what food is in my house and I know I will have a lot more time to myself now.

It’s kind of scary and has been something of an emotional rollercoaster, but I’m pretty excited and feel like it is a new start for me and for reaching my goals.  I will post new pics soon once everything settles down.

Wish me luck!