Join the resistance......

So today's leg workout focused almost completely on resistance bands, I am always trying to change up my routines and keep my muscles guessing. Well today I just did that, the last time my legs were this sore was when I was training with Travis. I personally love resistance bands because there are literally so many exercises you can do with them. One I personally love/hate is the side steps with the resistance band, my trainer Travis first turned me onto this exercise and I tell you what I LOVE IT!!!! My thighs burn every time I do it. And since it's been awhile they were definitely burning today. I usually try to do at least 3 sets of 5 different exercises per muscle group. Today however I managed to do 3 sets of 9 different exercises. and aside from 4 machine based ones and 1 TRX based one the rest were resistance band based.






On top of switching up my leg routine I was proud of my self for setting two new PR's, I leg pressed 505lbs for 8 reps and I hamstring curled 110lbs for 12 reps. This accomplishment comes almost 6 months after my car accident, which caused me to not be able to workout for 2 months. I am still trying to get back to where I was pre-accident but it seems that things would get in the way. Either money wasn't there, gas wasn't there or motivation wasn't there. But now that I am working again and healed from my accident I feel like I can get back to being as dedicated as I was pre-accident which at one point consisted of me only missing 2 days out of 30 (1) days in the gym. (yes I know a bit obsessive lol)


Anyways like I was saying one of the great things about resistance bands is the fact that you can easily switch up your exercises as well as make them harder with just the switch of a band. When I bought my bands I made sure to get a variety pack. as in Light, Medium, Heavy and Extra Heavy. That way depending on how i'm feeling and what exercise i'm doing I can always add or take away resistance. And they aren't just for your legs,  you can use them on your upper body as well. Another plus? They aren't expensive. I paid $6 and free shipping for mine on eBay and they came with a free bag to carry them in. Even if you don't have a gym membership they are a great tool for at home workouts too, Pinterest and Instagram are literally FULL of at home workouts with resistance bands so don't think you can use that as an excuse, oh and double plus bonus? Mine came with a workout guide AS WELL!!!!! Boom......... Well i'm about to go take an ice bath to try to numb the pain and soreness in my legs so until next time!

If you don't want to keep starting over...quit giving up.....

Okay, i'm officially so excited to be back on my blog, I've literally been locked out of it for months (long story) but anyways i'm back!!!!!




So 2016 has been a rough year.....well actually rough is a nice term, 2016 has literally knocked me down and repeatedly kicked me while I was on the ground. In my previous post I talked about how I fractured my collarbone at the gym but that I was still going there and just not working my upper body.. and I definitely got some interesting looks while working out in a sling (haha)


Anyways...so  after it healed I really threw myself into the gym, I was going 6-7 days a week 2 hours a day, and on my days off I was there for 5 hours (yes I know a bit obsessive but its like a drug) I was losing weight, gaining muscle and really starting to see progress finally, I even hooked up with my friend and amazing personal trainer Travis Cornell and with his help was managing my diet extremely well. All was looking bright......Until May 7th 2016, I was leaving the gym and got rear ended. I ended up aggravating the bulging discs in my neck (a reason I cannot do normal barbell squats anymore) and suffering from some pretty bad upper back pain. I couldn't work or workout for 2 months....so you can imagine the struggle that is for someone who is used to being in the gym 7 days a week. So I know you are thinking, well you can still keep to the diet and you'll get it all back when you are able to. But not so fast, pain meds and I do not mix, they decrease my appetite while one them and then once they wear off i'm like a starving raccoon digging through the trashcan for anything I can sink my teeth into.


So you can imagine what happened... my weight ballooned back up, I lost significant strength, motivation and drive. After the first month I was begging my therapist to allow me to workout, do cardio something...they allowed me to try to do lower body exercises but I could only do the bare minimum, then they allowed me to do cardio BUT I couldn't do it at an incline and I couldn't go the normal speeds I was used to (5% incline at speeds upward of 3.8-3.9 for 30 minutes plus) I felt like I was going to explode going to the gym and only being able to do cardio or light lower body exercises, I mean this is the girl who leg presses almost 500lbs so only being able to do 90lbs was agony......


So during this time the insurance company decided to total my car which was stressful because I although I would get compensated for my car I knew I wouldn't be able to get another car like mine and I would really need to get a reliable car but I don't have the best credit so financing was out of the question I felt, but I was wrong, I randomly decided to apply for a loan and surprisingly enough I was actually approved AND for a car I actually wanted!!!! So I get a new car, and THEN I get a new job! a great job working as an office manager with great pay and great hours, I think June is going to be my month, new job, new car, new guy?? (lol) But like I said 2016 has been awful so you can imagine what happens.... I have to leave my job due to an extremely unsafe work environment (like to the point I had to file a police report, I won't go into too many details but yeah) so during the time I was at my job I was working 2x a week with my personal trainer on top of going to the gym alone and re-managing my diet. But then like I said I had to leave my job so there goes the personal trainer and the diet management.


Now I know what you are thinking, is there a light at the end of this tunnel??? I assure you there is, Although the job did not last, haha there is no new guy and i'm not able to afford diet management and personal training, I am back in the gym and almost completely back up to the previous weight amount I was training with before the car accident, the weight is coming back off and I've even been approached by a few friends for tips and tricks.........I don't have a new job yet but it looks as if 2016 is the year that is going to make 2017 seem like a gigantic blessing... Things happen that we cannot control but it is the truth....if you don't want to start over don't give up, I didn't give up and although I felt like I had to start over in some areas its amazing once you get back into it how much muscle memory the body actually has!!

Out with the old.....RIP Fluffy

and in with the new....Daisy Duck..