Getting Out Of That Gym Funk

I think I recently told you about the funk I was in regarding the gym. Well, I’ve finally pulled myself out of it and have gone full force into working out again. I went back to see my trainer, Jamie, yesterday. She offered me a spot that opened up and at first I said thanks, but no thanks (I’m trying to cut back on extra spending so I can focus on saving as much as possible). But as it neared 5pm and I kept thinking about how I had to go to the gym to workout, I slowly started talking myself out of it. I immediately text Jamie and asked her if she had it open still. Actually, what I really said was: “Fuck it… You still have 6:15 open?”

I got to the gym at 6 and did 15 minutes of HIIT cardio on the Arc Trainer. Normally, I would save the cardio for after I workout, but I was a few minutes early and I wasn’t about to just stand there and wait for her. I might as well utilize my time and get to burning some calories! In 15 minutes, I burned more than 150 calories. Not too bad! Beats doing regular cardio for 30 minutes and burning about the same amount.

I told Jamie I wanted to work on my hamstrings – and boy, did we ever! I performed a glute-ham raise (first time I’ve ever done this exercise). She held my feet/ankles down while I fell forward on my hands and picked myself back up using only my hamstrings. I loved that exercise because I really felt my hamstrings working. Next, she had me superset the glute-ham raise with single-legged prone leg curls (aka lying leg curls). Eventually, we moved on to a wide-stance single dumbbell deadlift, two-part lying leg abduction superset with phsyio ball hamstring curls, straight legged deadlifts with my feet on a plate, and good mornings.

It was definitely a great hamstring workout! My hammies are tight today and starting to get sore. I bet tomorrow they will be the sorest. Usually the second day is.

This morning my alarm went off at 5 and I contemplated sleeping and going to the gym after work. I started looking at motivational workout pictures and reading motivational workout quotes. That was enough to get me out of bed. I was at the gym by 6 and completed a full hour of heavy lifting for back and biceps. After, I performed another 15 minutes of HIIT cardio.

For back, I did wide-grip lat pull downs, reverse grip lat pull downs, one-arm row, seated low row, pullovers, and straight-arm pulldowns. For biceps, I did alternating dumbbell curls, preacher curls, hammer curls, and 21s with the E-Z bar. I wanted to get to abs, but I had no time. I drove over to the other gym I train at and showered and headed into work.

It’s such a wonderful feeling working out first thing in the morning for a few reasons: great start to my day, I feel energized throughout the entire day (no 2pm crashing), and when I get out of work at 5pm I don’t have to worry about working out! (Although I wouldn’t mind doing another bout of cardio!) I will definitely stick to the morning gym routine from now on until I get bored with that and need to switch it up and start going at night again.

Already I feel much better having worked out with my trainer and performing HIIT cardio. My diet has been on point, too. On my way to my best body! I can’t wait until I’m there. My goal is to be there within the next eight weeks. We shall see!

Sexy Legs & Glutes: How To Get Them

We all have our "problem" areas (although I hate referring to it that way) and mine are my legs and glutes. They aren't really "problem" areas, but that's the area I really want to build up. I like nice, shapely glutes and legs and I want them... and I WILL HAVE THEM! With the right diet, training, and cardio I'm definitely on my way. 

I've decided to start training my legs twice a week - once heavy on Mondays or Tuesdays and the other time light on either Thursdays or Fridays. This week I trained them Tuesday and tonight, Friday. I liked what I did tonight because, again, I was switching it up. I try never to do the same routine twice. If I do, I won't do it for a very long time. I love to always keep my body guessing and I absolutely love being sore. In my opinion, I always feel like I've really had a great workout if I'm left feeling sore. That's not the same for everyone, though. 

For legs today, I did the following: 

Leg Press (feet together and high up on the platform): 3 sets of 12 reps with 5 partial reps on the last set. Partial reps are when you just burn out the muscles and instead of completing the full range of motion, you do part of it. 

Smith Machine Lunge (front foot very far forward): 3 sets of 12 reps each leg with 5 partial reps on the last set. 

Cable Kickbacks (squeezed at the top of each one): 3 sets of 15 reps each leg with 5 partials on the last set. These are a personal favorite. 

Fire Hydrant superset with leg kickback (performed on all fours and really squeezed each rep): 3 sets of 15 each leg

Seated Calf Raises superset with Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets of 20

Of course I completed another HIIT cardio session similar to the one I did last night. I burned even more calories, too! I left the gym dripping with sweat! Ahhh feels so good! 

Here's my inspiration and motivation to get the legs and glutes I want, IFBB Bikini Pro Amanda Latona who has graced the cover of several fitness magazines. She's 32 years old! I think she looks fantastic. 

IFBB Bikini Pro Amanda Latona

And I love this quote she said: 

SHARE WITH ME!! What does your leg day look like in the gym??

What I Did For A Workout Today

I worked out at Obie's Fitness tonight, which is located in Westbrook, just down the hall from the Stockhouse Station (and pictured above). I was in a workout funk for a little bit, but finally snapped out of it yesterday. I was so drained starting Wednesday of last week and I knew I had to rest. The days I didn't lift, I'd do cardio and the days I didn't do cardio I'd just lift. I did, however, take Sunday off completely and I think that cured me. One thing I've learned while working out is to listen to my body. Whenever I feel super fatigued, I don't push myself and instead I let my body rest. Your body does need that from time to time. The rest is great fuel to jump start your next workout session and give it your all.  


I worked hard with my trainer last night doing shoulders and abs. This morning I woke up and started my day off with week two of Insanity, which is produced from the makers of P90X - Beach Body! I started Insanity last Monday and I really like it. I did miss Wednesday and yesterday's session, but plan on making them up either by doing it on a Sunday (Insanity is a 6-day workout) or just tack it on at the end of my two-month session. Insanity is pretty much all cardio with some core resistance, plyometrics, and stretching. It's a two-month program. The first month is supposedly the easier of the two months. I'm excited to get to the second month to see how insane that one is! I perform Insanity in the mornings. It's a great way to start my day and wake me up! After work is when I lift. I've already seen some difference in my lower half and my core. I feel tighter and I believe my body fat is going down again. Of course my diet is much better, too. It all goes hand in hand! 


Tonight I trained legs, heavy. I started out with a warm-up set of squats, making sure I focused on pushing through my heels so I really targeted my glutes. The area I really would like to focus on and build up is my glutes and legs. I plan to train them heavy one day and about three days later train them light. Eventually, I'll be exactly where I want to be. 


After my set of warm-up squats, I added weight on the bar and proceeded to perform 4 sets of 10 reps all with about 30-40 seconds rest. 


From there I did:


Leg Press - I performed a set of 10 reps with my feet placed lower on the platform and toes pointed out. Then I performed 5 unilateral (one-legged) leg presses on each leg. On my next set I increased to 12 reps with my feet placed higher and toes pointed out, again repeating the 5 unilateral leg presses. My third set was 15 reps of leg presses (lower and toes out) and 5 unilateral. My last set was 15 reps (higher and toes out) and 5 unilateral. 
10 reps with 5 unilateral
12 reps with 5 unilateral
15 reps with 5 unilateral
15 reps with 5 unilateral


Leg Extensions - I started out with 20 reps and low weight. I increased my weight and went for 15 reps. Increased again and went for 12 reps. My last set I increased again and went for 10 reps. 


Lying Leg Curl - Here I started with low weight and went for 15 reps. Increased my weight and went for 12 reps. Increased for 10. And increased for 8. I really pushed myself on these and the leg extensions. I felt the burn!!


Cable Kickbacks/Side Lunges/Fire Hydrant - I superset these. I did cable kickbacks with side lunges and then switched to cable kickbacks and fire hydrants. Looks like this:


Cable Kickbacks - 12 reps
Side Lunges - 10 reps with medicine ball


Cable Kickbacks - 12 reps
Fire Hydrant - 15 reps on each leg


Repeat twice more. 


Seated Calf Raise/Standing Calf Raise - I also superset these. 


Seated Calf Raise - 20 reps
Standing Calf Raise - 20 reps


Repeat twice more. 


Back Extensions - Instead of focusing on lifting with my lower back and working that, I lifted with my glutes and really squeezed them at the top. I performed 4 sets of 12. 


I also stretched for a bit toward the end. I want to become more flexible and I will with time! 


Immediately after my workout I drank my Myofusion Milk Chocolate protein shake with water and ate 25 gummy bears to help restore my glycogen levels.