I am not crazy about watching my sodium intake. I have been in the past because I can be obsessive by nature. You do need sodium and it needs to be balanced with potassium for your body to work and I don't have blood pressure isssues which is a major reason to limit sodium. That said I don't typically add sodium to food I cook or sprinkle it on the food I eat. But if it is in a recipe ok unless there is something already with sodium in it like soy sauce then why add more of it so I am sensitive to the taste of sodium because I dont take in alot of it THAT IS until this weekend while visiting my parents in Ky. I ate salted spicey peanuts, some chips and lots of mingua hot beef jerky AND some pizza from a new place that seem to be loaded with sodium. All that on saturday result BLOATED MISERABLE MESS on sunday. Lesson learned. OMG I felt miserable and I am happy to be back to my low sodium diet yesterday and today.  I have never felt quite like that!! My weight was up 4 lbs just from water YIKES!!! Back to normal today whew!!

I have been taking BCAA for the past 7 months.  First thing in the am, pre and post workout and before bed. This one change in my training has given me great results, my body composition is changing as the body fat goes down and muscle goes up though the scale is about the same. The brand I have been using is just the vitamine shoppe which has nothing added to it, I put it in some sugar free koolaide just a little so it's not bitter. I decided to switch to extend which I could take 3 times a day and it had glutamine as well BUT!!! AFter 4 days of taking it I felt bloated, my abs just looked yucky and that was the only change. I looked at the ingredients as saw it had sodium and sucralose. Not sure if that or something was the culprit but I switched back to my pure BCAA powder nothing added and I am happy. Anyone else experience anything like that. I was suprised because lots of people say extend is THE BOMB.

Healthy soft taco

1 lb ground turkey, mix together 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp pepper. Sprinkle seasoning on the turkey and cook until done. Use a wheat tortilla I use a whole grain low carb high fiber wrap. Put a little roasted red pepper humus, some of your meat, FF sour cream, jalapenos, salsa and lettuce. SO DAMN GOOD!!!!

Today I was working shoulders abs and cardio. I am not a big girl, I am 5'10 but about 136 lbs. But I lift as heavy as I can for good solid reps of 8-10 so enough I want to put on some muscle but maintain my form. So today I am doing standing overhead presses for shoulders, pushing through to grow, listening to my music so in my own little world.  I am pressing the weight about half way up, oblivious to my surroundings cause I am lifting my weights when I get a tap on the shoulder (mind you heavy weight for me is about half way up) so I am startled and lower the weight back down and this dude wants to make a comment about how pink my sweat pants are .........................REALLY!!!! I could have hurt myself!!!!! THEY ARE SWEAT PANTS  I COULDA HURT MYSELF!!!!!!

Today I get to eat pizza from mellow mushroom AND I DESERVE IT!!!

I get compliments alot that I am a pretty girl (though remind you I am 48) I appreciate those compliments though I didn't earn them. I thank my mother mostly and to a degree my dad (but I look like my mother).  What I appreciate the most is when someone says "your really fit" or "great legs" or " your arms are showing your hard work" because those are things I EARNED.........."if it dosen't challenge you it won't change you" I say this to myself almost daily at the gym.  The gym teaches you what you CAN do what you CAN push yourself to do as long as you listen.........................your stronger than you think and when you learn that you are unstoppable............

As a tall girl I have had a history of back problems. These have significantly decrease sinced I began lifting heavey3 1/2 years ago. Today I had a great leg day with squats, split squats, deads, leg press and standing hamstring curls and lots of various toe presses and things for that littl calve but now my back feel a bit sore so been stretching some and my form was good during the workout. But think I will move a bit slow tomorrow and stretch alot. Tomorrow will most likely be a rest day which means rest and grow!!! I will rest and my legs will GROW!!!!

Nuff said!!

Just something to remember when in the gym

I went to see my first bodybuilding/figure show. I knew 3 of the girls in it. One thing I learned is these girls look amazing in the gym then they get on stage and stand side by side other girls and the weaknesses pop out.  Very few acheive that winning look.  I knew right away which girls were going to win. Going to state in a couple of weeks, competition should be even more stiff. I want to focus on being the best me I can be, being fit not perfect. It was a good lesson to learn.  Some freaky spray tans as well LOL!!!

Back and biceps today not so motivated, it's cloudy and yuck outside but I got there even though I really would have liked to sit on my butt. It wasn't my best but it was better than nothing.  They all cannot be stellar right? 

Last tuesday I did a great plyometric workout, the next day I knew I had fluid on my knee not because it was visible but because I felt pressure in the space behind my knee where the fluid typically goes and because I couldn't straighten my knee. A couple days later I decided to try some HITT although I still couldn't straighten my knee out, the first sprint was uncomfortable but it got better and i had no problems UNTIL the next day. So for the last 4 days I really can't straighten my knee out which makes for a unique walk but it is getting better......sometimes motivation can get the best of me...........

I spent this weekend in NC at a dance competition for my daughters.  I packed food and supplements to take and did well day one. Day two took my food in my cooler but they wouldn't let me take it in NO OUTSIDE FOOD you could only buy crappy food there. So the food set out in a really hot car all day and it wasn't a hard cooler so bye bye food. The only vegetable I had in two days was a small fry from bojangles................and thank god for BCAA powder.  We will call this weekend a carb load AND I didn't get my water in so I am vegetable and protein deprived as well as dehydrated.  It felt so good to eat my veggie egg white omlet with whole wheat toast and some natty PB and hot green tea. It does my soul good.  Even my kids said they were not having any fast food or junk food for a while........we will see how long that lasts!!!

NO NO NO NO NO!! My measurements are the same as 8 months ago my weight is the same. 4 weeks ago I cut the wine except on the weekend a little, I am making sure I get my proteins and eat really really clean. I am lifting heavy!! Consistently. Hopefully my last little bit of fat is starting to shredd off the middle the only place I put fat but I am trying to grow the rest, especially the legs and butt.  Even the trainer when I asked if he would do my bodyfat said "Are you trying to disappear?" WTF!!! I upped my calories.  At 5'10" and 138 lbs I don't think I am blowing away............ So that is 3 of those comments in the last month. Just keep my nose to the grind and go hard and it will come. I also quit cardio except for my plyo and track drills. Which is ony twice a week cause I can be a cardio queen after all. I don't get it..................Keep lifting heavy keep consistent and it will come..............

Diet and exercise are right on PAR.. Now sleep wants to elude me!! I need sleep to GROW!!!!!  No more jacked 3D at 4pm.........No more 30 min naps after work!!! Up every two hours last night uuuggghhhhhhh!! I am not old enough for this type of old woman sleep!!!