Let's Get Ready!!

Hey!! Hope you had a great weekend!

With the holiday coming up this week it is important to set yourself up for success NOT failure. This starts with a realistic plan for the week.

For this week I am going to set up a meal plan (based on Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Shred diet) and then follow the same workout regimen that I did last week. Here are some helpful tips to start your week.

Meal Plan - .75-1 gram of protein, .5 gram of fat, .5-1 gram of carbohydrate.

Workout Regimen - pick 1-2 main body parts, create 2-3 exercises per body part. Instead of rest do a cardio exercise in between sets. It doesn't have to be anything crazy like sprints but just something to keep your heart rate up, like jumping jacks.

This is going to be my week:

Breakfast - 2 egg muffins (see previous post), 1/4 cup of oatmeal, 1/2 apple

Snack 1 - 1/4 cup of nonfat greek yogurt, 1 tbs of peanut butter, a couple chocolate chips (taste like cookie dough :-) )

Lunch - 4 oz of steak tips, asparagus, a small salad

Snack 2 - 1/4 cup of meat sauce (turkey ground meat), spaghetti squash, cabbage

Dinner - 4 oz of lean protein, 1 small sweet potato, broccoli


Workout - 5-6 days

1. Remember Christmas is this week. You will have to plan around this, there are a couple things you can do, (1) this can be one of your rest days. (2) you can do a body weight workout at home. (3) you could go for a run...if thats your thing (yikes :-P).

2. Plan your workouts. Most people do not want to workout to hard around the holidays but this is the time that you need to push yourself. Do those extra 10-15 minutes, push yourself on weight, etc. This will help you feel better when you are eating a little more this week :-)

Here is my week:

Monday - Chest, Triceps, Abs

Tuesday - Shoulders, Legs

Wednesday - Back, Biceps

Thursday - rest

Friday - Chest, Triceps, Abs

Saturday - Shoulders, Legs

Sunday - Back, Biceps

For the exact workout that i will be doing this week check out the shortcut to shred on bodybuilding.com...its an amazing workout.

I will try to be better this week with posting workouts and videos. So check back :-)

Motivation Monday

Happy Monday Guys!!!

So this Monday was a difficult one for me. I had a hard time getting started and really just wanted to lay in bed today, so I didn't get to do yoga this morning which was disappointing to me...but I'll live ;-)

So why do I think that I felt this way? Well over the weekend I wasn't very focused on my diet. I didn't eat my meals when I should have, I ate foods that I shouldn't have...but you know what? I'm human...it happens. I took the way I felt today and I was determined to be focused on the gym and my meals!

So to get me back in the mood I did my favorite workout...SHOULDERS :-)

WOD:
1. Military Press (front) superset Barbell Curls (4x12-15)
2. Military Press (back) (3x10-15)
3. Front/Lateral Raise (10 each) superset Reverse Curl (3x10)
4. Upright Row (3x12-15)
5. Arnold Press superset Dumbbell Curls (4x12-15)
6. Shoulder Circles (burnout)

Trust me when I say this is killer. Try to go as heavy as you can...OBVIOUSLY using PROPER form and doing FULL reps. If you can only do 10 reps that's fine...just make sure they are good solid reps!

You should feel it in your shoulders by the end!! Cap your workout off with some cardio. I did a few medium level sprints (8.0x10) and then 10ish minutes of an incline walk. Felt pretty good...would give myself a solid 8.

Hope all of you had a great Monday! And come back for more workouts, recipes, and fitness motivations.

Meal Preppin' :-)

It's that time again people...meal prep time!! WooHOOOOOO!!!!!!

So when I meal prep I typically make breakfast, lunch, and snacks. So on the meal for this week:
     1. Egg Muffins w/Whole Wheat Toast
     2. CrockPot Chicken w/BBQ Sauce (Sugar Free)
     3. Chia Wrap w/Cajun Style Turkey
Everyday I have a variety of veggies (cucumbers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, celery, etc.) and a green apple. I like to have whole natural snacks during the day...and fruits and veggies are the best options!!!

-Egg Muffins: I previously posted about these...seriously the easiest things to make...pick your toppings and go!

-CrockPot Chicken - I recently started using the crockpot to make all my chicken. It keeps it tender and makes it super yummy. I add a onions, bell peppers, and some celery in there for seasoning. After it is cooked I can use it for anything. I use some of it for lunches (this week with BBQ sauce) but I love using it in soups for din din!
     **along with the chicken I made mashed cauliflower and green beans. I know you're jealous...because seriously it is delish!

-Chia Wrap w/Cajun Style Turkey - I found these wonderful chia wraps in the grocery that are only 12 grams of carbs!! Woohoo!! I find a low salt, low fat turkey deli meat. I wrap it up with some avocado and lettuce...seriously, DELISH! I usually add the mixed veggies for this meal. This is the meal I usually eat around 3-3:30 as my pre-workout meal.

So today I started meal prepping at 5:30pm and ended at about 8:30. Took a little bit longer because I had to make some egg muffins for the man friend :-P But It generally very easy and very fast. I use cooking and trying new things as a stress reliever. I like to find recipes that I can make healthy.

Eating healthy is NOT boring, it is NOT bland, it is NOT time consuming....seriously get it together people and do your meal prepping! Find a day and time that suits you and make it an appointment with yourself. I use Sunday evenings as my meal prep time. I have worked Sundays, I have babysat on Sundays, I have been sick on Sundays...but I STILL MEAL PREP. If you want to achieve your goals you have to put in the effort!!

-I'll post the workouts for the week later. Have a great start to the week guys!!!!

Plyo WOD

Happy Thursday everyone!!! I have been nursing a left hamstring sprain and I thought I could stretch it out...but I have decided that I should actually taken some time away from the weights (only for legs) (and only like 1 week) ;-)

So today I thought it would be fun to do a little Plyo workout. Plyometrics are exercises that use only body weight but you do them quickly and get that heart rate up!! So here's my leg Plyo workout:

1. Box Squats - start on box, jump down and squat low. Your butt should be close to touching the box. 

2. Walking Lunges - find spot A and spot B....lunge there and back.

3. Kickback - on a box or on the floor.

4. Step ups - make sure to switch legs!

5. Burpee Squats - do a modified burpee and instead of coming up and jumping you are going to go into a jump squat.

6. Burpee Lunge - same as above except lunge (both legs)

7. Box side to sides

8. Mountain climbers ( box or no box)

9. Toe taps

If you are unsure how to do an exercise I tried to put some of them into a video on Instagram that you can check out. I have a link at the top of the page! :-)

Do each of these 3 times with 10-15 reps. Try to do as many as you can do...get that heart rate up!!!!

I followed this workout with some sprints. I literally almost died during my workout....but in a good way :-)

FitCassie's Five Favorite Things

So last night I was thinking about all the things that I use that help me stay on track with food, fitness, life in general. With the holidays coming up I thought I would pass along my favorite things that you could put on your wish list or get for that special someone! :-)

1. Jawbone - this is a handy little tracking device that I have been using for a little over a month. The reason that I like it so much is that it tracks your sleep as well as steps. It calculates about how many calories you burn which is a HUGE help when trying to lose weight. Its light weight and doesn't get in the way when I work out. I also like that it has a large range of exercises that you can add to your day (yoga, weights, cross training, run, elliptical, etc.). If you every wanted a starter tracking device I would highly suggest this one.

 

2. Six Pack Bag - if you don't already have a meal bag I highly suggest looking at one. They are great for keeping you focused on eating all your meals. I know that with work and kids it can be hard to stay on track but having a nifty bag helps keep your mind organized as far as food. I have two 6 pack bags that I absolutely love. I recently got the Renee Tote to bring to work and no one is the wiser that its actually a huge lunch box!! I have another bag that I use for trips to store lots of food. There are a couple companies that have good bag at various different prices. I have always been super impressed with 6 pack bag and that's the company I would recommend!

3. Muscle Relief Bubble Bath - recovery is one of the over looked parts of fitness. This goes for sleep as well as stretching and various others ways of taking care of yourself. One of my routines is to whiten my teeth and do an avocado mask weekly. I also recently found this bubble bath at CVS for muscle recovery. It has peppermint and eucalyptus that helps soothe sore muscles. I like to use this after a heavy day of lifting not only is it physically relaxing it is also mentally relaxing. You have to give yourself time to recover if you want to make serious gains ;-)

4. Yoga Starter Kit - I recently started doing yoga. I started because of friend of mine said it would help with stretching and flexibility. One of the best things that you can do for yourself and to get stronger is to make the muscle more flexible and this comes from stretching. Yoga is a great way to do this as well as get mentally centered. I am not very good at it yet...but I am trying! I got a starter kit from Gaiam and it came with a mat, a block, a strap, and a beginners DVD. This was super helpful and now I have started branching out to other yoga videos and books.

5. Foam Roller- this is also an important tool for muscle recovery. A foam roller is designed to help push lactic acid out of the muscles as well as give a gentle massage in order to soothe soreness. There are different types of foam rollers, some are more firm and some have different grooves to hit muscles differently. I have a small one and it is great! I use it on my legs, back, and shoulders mostly. I find it helpful to use it on areas that I can't reach or that tend to get sore faster. They come in a variety of different lengths and colors!

***Bonus: Wish List Items***

So here are a couple things that I have put on my wish list for the holidays. These are super neat items that will definitely help me stay focused in the gym!

1. Wireless Beats Headphones - I have a pair of Beats and I think they are amazing. One draw back - the cord. I am constantly fooling with it and it is constantly getting twisted. I know this is not the end all be all of my workout...but is definitely something that I would like to add to my workout attire! :-)

2. FlipBelt - When I first started working out I would use an arm strap to hold my phone. I started to notice that it was causing problems when doing upper body exercises, so I stopped using it. I think started tucking my phone into my waist band (multiple things went wrong with this idea). Then I had a friend buy me a belt from Forever 21. I have since lost that belt :-( but I was reading a fitness magazine and came across a new belt! It is the FlipBelt....and it looks AWESOME!!! It can hold your key (great for outdoor runners) as well as your phone. It comes in a variety of colors and seems lie flat against your abdomen. I would love one of these for Christmas!! :-)

Well I hope you liked my list of fitness inspire 5 favorite things. Have a great day, and kill it in the gym!!! :-)

Yummy Egg Muffins :-)

Happy Monday!!!

I know I may be in the minority but I LOVE Mondays. I try to view Monday's as a brand new start. It's a chance to start fresh and try again. I don't always stick to my diet or workout like I should but Monday is a brand new day to try it all again. Some people dread Monday's because its the beginning of the week...but why would you want to start your week off with negativity?!?! I choose to be positive and I believe that helps me throughout the week.

Today I started my week with meditation and some yoga stretching. It's a pretty big pain to wake up 30 minutes early and get moving...but it is so rewarding. I feel more energized and positive throughout my day. I highly suggest that you guys do something that helps you get up and at em' in the morning! It could be doing crossword and drinking coffee, eating breakfast at home, meditating outside, etc.

So last night I made some egg muffins just to have something new for the mornings. It also was helpful because I didn't have to make my normal egg white scramble. It was super quick and tasted delish!

Southwest Egg Muffins

-10 egg whites
-5 whole eggs
-1 jalapeno
-1/2 white onion
-4 strips Canadian bacon (can sub with turkey bacon)
-fiesta cheese - optional

1. Cut up onion and jalapeno, set aside
2. Crack eggs and beat until yolks have been broken.
3. Spoon egg mixture into muffin tin (if needed spray with Pam before). Fill up only 10 muffins.
4. Add onion/jalapeno/Canadian bacon mix with egg.
5. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Sides of muffin should be lightly browned.
6. Add cheese if desired for 2 minutes while in oven.

-Let egg muffins cool for 5 minutes and then remove from the pan.

***Enjoy***

New Week...New Goals

Good Monday Everyone!!

I hope you guys have been doing well! I know I didn't get to post a lot last week (crazy busy week at work :-/). But I wanted to start this week on a good note. So today I am going to write about how I am working on getting ready for my next competition prep.

Now, first thing is to set a goal. I am about 130 pounds. I want to be 126-127ish by the end of the year. This is not a vanity thing. For a competition most people are between 122-105 for my height group. Last year I was about 120-121 the day of. I want to start at 127 because I believe that is a good healthy weight to build muscle and lose fat.

Second, last time I prepped for a competition I was green...I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. I was moody on low carb days, tired, and at times uninterested and unfocused. I believe that I can combat this by learning how to focus and center and I am going to do this by learning mediation and yoga.

Lastly, how does this apply to my life right now you ask?!? Well this week I am going to focus on getting my diet straight, do yoga every morning, and kick a$$ in the gym!

-So here is the workout for the week. You can print this out and use it in the gym. I will explain the exercise when I do a post. If I don't do a post and you have a question about an exercise email me, @ thefitcassie@gmail.com.

-Pyramid: Start light, work your way up to the heaviest weight that you can go to for 8 reps. I typically will do 1 set - 15 reps, 2 set - 12 reps, 3 set - 10 reps, 4 set - 8 reps.

-Hold: For these exercises hold the exercise for 20-30 secs. For example - pushdowns are on the schedule today, at the bottom hold it there to challenge the muscle. Make sure you have good form!

WOD:
1. Bench Press - you can do this with barbell or on Smith Machine/Free Weights.
2. Bent Tricep Extension - for this move get the lightest barbell you can find. Put the weight behind you legs, bend at the waist, weight should be below your butt. Lift weight up until your arms are parallel to the floor.
3. Close Grip Press - take barbell and put your hands close together. I usually like to make it where my thumbs touch.
4. Pushup - you can do regular pushups or tricep pushups.
5. Cable Reverse Grip Raise - Take straight bar at the cables. Put the pulley at the bottom. Place hands with palms up. Raise hands up while keeping arms straight. You want to feel it in the space between your chest and armpit.

Hopefully I will be able to post a video on Instagram. Have a great week guys!!

How to Eat Out and About

So one of the major things that people deal with when starting a new LIFESTYLE (I don't use the word diet) is how to incorporate it into everyday life. So here are some tips that I use to stay on track and have fun!

Going to a Friends:
1. Try to eat whole foods. I like to load my plate with veggies and fruits. SKIP the dips!!
2. Remember PORTION control. It's ok to have macaroni and cheese but no one should have 1 pound of macaroni!
3. Eat a little something before hand. If you don't know what is going to be at the party, it may be safer to have something before so you don't feel starving and over eat at the party.
4. Stay away from sodas and high calorie drinks. I like to just have water when at parties, don't waste calories on liquids.
5. Think before you act, sometimes looking at a food you can know if its good or bad. Just remember to think.

At a Restaurant:
1. If you know where you are going check out the menu before you go, this way you can make sure that you stay on track and don't get side tracked when you see some of the yummy things on the menu. If you don't know where you are going, feel free to take your time looking. Don't rush!
2. Ask to get no butter, salt, oil. Restaurants load stuff up with oils and butter, they can usually make it without that stuff so ask them!
3. Drink a whole glass of water before ordering. This is a tactic that will help later. Water will start to fill your stomach up and by the time you have your food you won't be as hungry.
4. SKIP the appetizers. Most of these are loaded with calories and usually take away from the main course.
5. When in doubt go back to basics. When I don't know what to eat I always go back to chicken or fish and steamed veggies. I know its not glamorous but it keeps me (and you) on track.
6. Remember that restaurants have SUPER large portions. One thing that I do is cut everything in half. Take the rest home and eat it later.

Following these rules will help you stay focused. Remember if you do over eat...or have one to many brownies don't beat yourself up. Just refocus and get back on the grind!

For example - tonight I had a dinner party that I went to at a local restaurant. I was looking at the menu and was thinking about getting some fettuccine alfredo, BUT instead I got some blackened chicken which sweet potato succotash. I passed on the appetizer and drank plenty of water. Was it easy? Not the entire time (I really wanted dessert :-P) but right now I feel pretty good and I don't feel any guilt about eating out. Stay focused...promise the discomfort of passing on junk food will pass!


Have a great week ya'll!!

Lean Legs WOD

Hey Guys!!

Hope everyone has been having a great week. This week has been crazy so I haven't been able to post yet. But...like I promised I am going to try to post at least 3 times! So today is going to be short and to the point.

So today is a leg workout. Now, everyone wants nice lean sculpted legs (and of course a big booty :-P ). But remember you want to make sure you work all leg muscles. You want to make sure to hit your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

So here is your WOD...

1. Sumo Squats - with dumbbell (5x15)
2. Leg Extensions superset Leg Curls (4x15/12)
3. Donkey Kicks superset Fire Hydrants (4x15)
4. Lunges (5x10) - with dumbbells or barbell

--Cardio-- Elliptical Sprints. Do an easy level for two minutes, then increase to a higher level for two minutes, repeat until you can't go anymore!


This is sure to get those glutes a burnin!!!!! If you do the workout tag my on Instagram (@fitcassie_88) and make sure to check the Instagram for info on how to do exercise and special little features ;-)

Goals Goals Goals

Hello everyone!

So yesterday I said that in the month of November we should all set goals. So some facts about goals (I'm going to go all social worker here ;-) ).

1. Writing down goals help commit it to memory. Writing it down also makes it more "real". Write the goal down and put it somewhere that you look everyday that way you can always be reminded of what you are doing.

2. Set specific goals. You want to be as specific as you can be when you write the goal down. Don't allow for any (or as few) loop holes as you can. I promise that at least once during your time you will want to give up, you will want to fore go the whole thing, and creating subconscious loop holes allow you to feel less guilt. For example: "I want to lose weight" - good goal nothing wrong with that...BUT how much weight? in what time frame? what are you going to do to lose weight - not eat, exercise, get plastic surgery??? A better way of setting this goal would be: "I want to lose 25 pounds in 3 months by going to the gym 4-5 times a week, doing at least 15 minutes of cardio each day, eating healthy, whole, natural foods, with one cheat meal a week." This goal is much more specific, you can measure the goal as you progress through the month. You know what you have to do to achieve the goal and you know what not to do.

3. Be honest with yourself. You don't want to set a goal to high that you will not achieve and then be disappointed. Set realistic and achievable goals. Know that weight loss can be tricky and losing on gain pounds is not necessarily the best way to monitor health and fitness. You can set long term and short term goals, that will help you stay more realistic.

Ok so here are some of the things I am going to work on this "No Fat November" :-)

1. Write in blog at least 3 times a week. Include such things as workouts, nutrition information, or recipes.

2. Only get on the scale on Tuesdays. I have a huge problem with getting on the scale too often. YIKES! It can ruin my mood completely. I want to focus on how I feel and how my clothes are fitting.

3. Stick to nutrition plan 90%. I am going to set a plan on Sunday (I'll try to share it with you guys) and then stick to it during the week and allow for 1 cheat meal and 1 cheat dessert. (I have a tendency to overdo it...so hopefully this will help me reign it in a little).

 

WOD:

1. Squats (5 sets, 15-10 reps)

2. Leg Extensions superset Calve Raises (5 sets, 15-10 reps)

3. Leg Curl superset Glute Bridges (5 sets, 15-10 reps)

4. Lunges (5 sets, 15-10 reps)

CARDIO:

--On leg day I like to do cardio that helps relax my legs. The ellipical and the bike are great ways to help move the lactic acid out of your legs. 

--Check out my Instagram for more leg day fun :-)

Hey Everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend! With the holidays coming up I want to focus on staying focused during this time. Remember we all want to have a good time, and no one wants you to not enjoy the holidays. Having cake, pie, stuffing, etc is ok in portions, but its important to stay focused on health and goals. During this time I try to enjoy the things that I like to eat (sweets, sweets, sweets) but I also continue to go to the gym and eat my normal food 90% of the time. Don't let all your hard work go to waste!!

So this is what I am purposing..."No Fat November". This is a plan that is relatively simple and will help us all stay focused. I will be the first to admit that since I got back from vacation it has been hard to stay focused. I want this to be the time of year that I complete my goals and get focused for my future fitness goals.

What I also think is important is that we set goals that are not directly related to the gym. Maybe its eating better, maybe its focusing more at work. I think that it is important to focus on health and wellness, but that does not just incorporate the gym and nutrition. It also includes your mental health and physical well being. So think about something that would help your overall health. This month I am going to try (please bare with me on this) to let you know about the workouts I am doing, as well as food. If ever in doubt, check out my Instagram page, I definitley get more stuff going there.

Here is my workout for today:

-Back and Biceps

1. Seated Row superset Dumbbell Curls (4 sets, 15-10 reps)

2. Dumbbell Row superset 21's (see description below) (3 sets, 15-10 reps)

3. Lat Pulldown superset Hammer Curl (dumbbells or cables) (3 sets, 15-10 reps)

4. Push-up superset Burpee Curl (5 sets, 10 reps)

-Cardio: 30-45 Minutes - Interval Training.

--Descriptions:

1. Dumbbell curls can be done in a variety of different ways. I like to start with my palms facing my outer thighs, and while bring the weight up I turn my wrists to face the ceiling. You can also start with your wrists facing away from you and bring them straight up with no pivot.

2. 21's - using a barbell, 7 full curls, 7 curls where you stop at 90 degrees, 7 curls from 90 degrees to 45 degrees. See my Instagram for a video example.

3. Lat Pulldown's can use a variety of different bars. Make sure which ever bar you are using that you pull with your lats. At times when the weight gets heavier people tend to want to use their arms to help...don't do that. You also want to make sure that your back stays straight during the motion, don't use momentum to bring the weight down either.

4. Burpee Curl - do a modified burpee, when you come up to standing position, instead of jumping you are going to curl. Make sure the weight is relatively light this exercise is very challenging.

Happy Lifting guys! :-)

Oh Hey Everyone :-/

Hey Guys! 

I know that I have been MIA for awhile…life has been pretty busy. I am in the process right now of starting new things and I think that you will all be very excited! So what I thought I would write about today is myths of working out. Since I started working out regularly I have heard some strange things about women working out. Like crazy weird things! :-)

1.       Lifting weights will make you bulky like a man. – WRONG!! The first thing to remember is that men and women are built differently. We all have different muscle structure…just because you start lifting weights doesn’t mean you are going to turn into a female bodybuilding. Lifting weights makes your body make muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, more fat burning = good

2.       I want to tone – so I’m not going to lift heavy weights. – WRONG!! Sure starting out at 3-5 weights are good. But you can’t stay at those weights forever. In order for the muscle to grow it has to be challenged. You have to slowly increase your weight. 

3.       Eating healthy is boring. – WRONG!! Eating healthy should and CAN be fun. I love try new things. I love trying new recipes. Not all of them are good…not all healthy food is delish. But you find the things that you like and run with it. I love Van’s crackers and hummus, one of my go to healthy snacks…now does that sound boring?!?

4.       You only have to do cardio or weight lifting. – WRONG!! I believe that in any workout routine you need to have a balance. I am not saying that weight lifting is the only thing to do, I am not saying that cardio is the end all be all. I use a combination of both. I vary the intensity of both in order to have a well rounded workout routine. Weight lifting is important for muscle development, cardio is important for heart health. 

5.       I am going “no carb”, “no fat” – WRONG!! I do not believe in elimination diets. When I was doing prep I eliminated a lot of foods and I found that I craved those things. I believe that people process food differently and needed different levels of fat, carbs, protein, lactose, gluten, etc. I always say start with an even diet of proteins, carbs, and fat. See how your body responds and switch things around. No diet works the exact same way for everyone, so find a diet works for you…but steer clear of elimination diets!

6.       Eat less calories to lose weight. – WRONG!! Back in college I would do calorie restriction in order to get ready for spring break, summer, a dance :-O. Calorie restriction sends your body into starvation mode in which the body holds onto fat and water, giving you the appearance of being heavier. Now why would anyone want that?!?!?!? Make sure you get enough calories to support your resting metabolic rate. I need at least 2000 calories on days when I work out and 1500ish when I am resting. 

7.       I worked out today, I can eat anything I want. – WRONG!! You cannot out exercise a bad diet. If you want to change the way you look it starts in the kitchen. You have to feed your body well in order for it to work well. Think about your car, if you put crappy oil, crappy gas, crappy everything in the car it will run like crap. DON’T do that to your body. Feed it what it needs, exercise to help building muscle and cardio endurance, and you will be amazed at how your body responds. 

I am very passionate about exercising and nutrition. I believe that it is the cornerstone to a happy, healthy life. Before starting a workout/nutrition plan make sure you do all your research. I have been working out myself for two years now and I am still learning. I’ll share my gym story. When I was in college I went to a gym with my friend. I literally went once and never went back. I was only familiar with a treadmill and it was the worst thing ever. After graduate school I put on 30 pounds and felt horrible about myself, so I decided I was going to go to the gym and get a trainer. I work with 2 very skilled trainers for a year. They helped me understand fitness, nutrition, supplements. I met people who were “gym rats” and they helped me learn more and more. I moved from doing 3 days (1 weight lifting – with my trainer, 2 cardio days) to 6 days (no trainer, 1 cardio day) a week. I use to be self conscious in the gym, and now I feel like I own the place ;-) I put my music on and rock out. So take all this in…set a plan...and kick butt!

I work hard every day to achieve the body that I desire. But it does not happen overnight. You do not have to be scared of the gym. Go in there…kick a$$...and leave feeling awesome! :-)

WOD: Biceps/Triceps

Good Morning!! Happy Monday!

I know that Monday's are probably the most hated day of the week, but I choose to focus on it being a new beginning. Every Monday you get a new shot at your goals...at things you didn't get accomplished last week...you get to try to achieve those things in a NEW week. In social work we call this the strengths perspective...try this week to look at things in a positive way and I promise that you will have a better week!

So today I want to give you guys a workout. One of the areas that I am personally trying to better is my upper body. I struggle with a small upper body and that is why I workout upper body 4 times a week. 

1. Cable Curl (or barbell) (4x15) superset with Jumping Jacks (30)

2. Extension (4x15) superset with Burpees (10-15)

3. Tricep pushup (or close grip bench press (3x10)

4. BOSU ball shuffle (3x10) (see notes)

5. Dumbbell curls (standing) (4x15) superset with Tricep dips (4x15)

6. Shoulder Press (4x15)

BOSU ball shuffles - If you fortunate enough to have a gym with BOSU balls you should try and use them all the time! They help with creating core strength. BOSU ball shuffles - start with your hands on the dome, place right hand out, tap left hand to right, replace both on dome, repeat on the left side. Focus on keeping your arms straight, you should feel it in your shoulders, triceps, and biceps. ALSO don't "bow" your butt up. Make sure you stay straight in plank pose. Keep your core tight the entire time. Remember to breath, and go at a pace that it comfortable to you. I am going to put up a video later on Instagram so make sure to go check it out!

Happy Lifting! :-)

Motivation...Where do I get some of that?!?!!!

Hey Guys!! I hope you are having a fabulous start to your week. I am feeling good, I am on track with my diet so my energy levels are great, I'm sleeping well, and I am having great workouts! But...this isn't how I feel all the time. Sometimes I think we get caught up in the "hoopla" of other people and become discouraged. We see that "so and so" is always happy, always thin, always motivated and we get angry at ourselves for not feeling this way all the time.

I'm going to be real with you guys...sometimes I just want a big cookie, ice cream, brownies, and a glass of wine and sit my happy butt on the couch! I won't pretend that I have good gym days, or that I don't mess up on my diet at times. I won't pretend that I am always happy, but what I can tell you is that I work for those things constantly. I already talked about my views of happiness...it was a pretty good post if I don't say so myself, go and have a gander.

So the question becomes...how to do I keep my motivation up when I feel it going down. WOW what a GREAT question ;-)

I once had a client ask me about motivation...so I obviously gave them the definition...the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something : the act or process of motivating someone (Merriam-Webster). But what does this actually mean? How can we increase our motivation so we stay focused and on task even when we don't want to...well I'll help you out with a few of mine (and with the help of another blog, you can check it out @ http://zenhabits.net/get-off-your-butt-16-ways-to-get-motivated-when-youre-in-a-slump/).

1. Set one goal - often times we get ahead of ourselves and set lots of goals. Unfortunately the human mind and body rebels against a lot of change at one time. Take one goal and make it your primary focus. For example most people set the goal to get healthy for a New Years Resolution. That's great...but being healthy encompasses a LOT of stuff. So set one goal, maybe get active 3 days a week or eat health 5/7 days, or not eat fast food. Once that becomes a permanent change (2-3 months) create another goal.

2. Find people that inspire you - you can do this is lots of ways. Social media is amazing (and not so amazing) with connecting people of similar mind sets. When I started my fitness journey I followed every fitness model/bikini pro/gym rat I could find...if they were out there I followed them. They helped me with new and different exercises, recipes, and motivation. I eventually weeded out some and only followed people that really inspire me. If you have Instagram, you can follow me @fitcassie_88 you can also look at my page and see the people I follow. :-)

(One of my faves, Amanda Latona is an IFBB Pro Bikini Athlete)

3. Think about it Daily - When you want sometime bad enough you should think about it all the time. Goals are meant to challenge you, that being said you want to find one that you have to think of new and creative ways to crush it. I haven't been doing the same fitness routine for the last two years...I change it up...challenge my body. I read articles and magazines everyday to learn more about fitness and nutrition. I talk with my friends everyday about it...probably to the point that they want to shoot me in the foot :-P But doing this makes it your primary focus.

4. Support - you want to have people around you who inspire and help you through this time. Whatever your goal may be, it will be challenging, you will want to quit, be with people who will force you to stick to it. I have a friend that I talk about prep with...she isn't doing a competition, she doesn't have the same fitness goals, but she pushes me and gives me that nudge when I don't want to do something (cough cough cardio).

5. Start small...super duper small - I know what it is like to have a big dream. Problem with big dreams is that sometimes getting there can be overwhelming and we eventually give up. It's better to start off small (with a larger goal/dream in mind of course) and celebrate small successes. Say you want to lose 25 pounds...wow that's a lot of weight...for anyone. Instead of focusing on the 25 pounds all the time...focus on 1 pound, keeping one pound off, keeping two pounds off...etc. That way you are happy with progress you have made and don't become discouraged by not reaching your 25.

6. Lastly...think about the benefits - being healthy is hard. I won't lie...it was so much easier to be fat and unhealthy. I didn't think about the food I was eating, I didn't care about how much weight I could squat, I didn't really care about calories...problems is I was unhappy...probably bordering on depressed about my weight. I had poor self esteem. Being healthy makes me happy on the inside and outside :-) it has pushed me to try new things. I have made new friends, pushed myself to get a new job, and to get on stage in a tiney tiny bikini in front of hundreds of people!! It may be a pain to weigh/measure all my food and exercise 5-6 days a week...but it's MUCH BETTER than the alternative!

(Progress pics for week 2)

Happiness :-)

Today I thought that I would give you guys a little bit of background on myself and why I decided to do this blog. About a year ago I ended a long term relationship, at the end I started to feel like I had lost myself somewhere and had no idea who I was or what I wanted from life. During this period I thought, well might as well get in shape while I think about who the hell I am. This was the greatest thing I could have ever done for myself. I have learned so much about myself in the last year than I have in the previous 25! One of the biggest changes I see is my self-esteem and overall happiness. I talk to my patients about happiness all the time, so I thought I would share some of my helpful hints that I have picked up over the last couple of years to increase happiness. Enjoy :-)
 
1. Positive Thinking - in typical social work fashion this has to be first! If you know anything about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you'll know that changing negative thinking into positive thinking is one of the main tenets. How do you do this you ask?! Well when you start to feel yourself, or catch yourself, being negative make a quick change to something more positive. Example - "I feel fat" change to "It's a beautiful day outside today". People a lot of times think that they have to make thinking changes toward themselves, that's very difficult in the beginning, it is much easier to just think about random positive things. Think about your favorite flower or a funny joke. Eventually those negative thoughts will decrease and you will begin to see things in a positive way.
 
2. Positive Peer Group - Have you ever heard that saying, "you are what you eat"? Same concept..."you are who you hang out with". If a person hangs out with people who do drugs and steal the likelihood of them participating is high. If you hang out with someone who likes fitness and health eventually it will be something you like as well. You want to be around people who bring out the best you possible. You want to be with people who push you to be better and are positive. Believe me...I have known positive Penelope and negative Nell and one is DEFINITELY better than the other. 
 
3. Self-Esteem - you are probably like "duh Cassie, this one is obvious". Unfortunately there are so many people out there that do not like themselves. Low self-esteem is for a variety of reasons. Some of it stems from early life experiences. Sometimes it develops later on in life due to continuous negative experiences. Whatever the reason people, a vast majority of these people are women, do not like themselves. I am very guilty of this. During my first prep I was CONSTANTLY comparing myself to others. I wanted to look like them, I wanted what they have. Well what is so fricking wrong with what I have right now?! Nothing is exactly right. I started to change the way I was looking at things, stopped comparing myself to others and almost instantly I was happier.
 
4. Love of Others - One thing that I have learned in life is that I have not gotten to this place in my life without help from other people. I have amazing parents. I have an amazing boyfriend. I have amazing friends. All of these people have been with me through thick and thin. This one is not "loving" someone in the romantic sense, it is about knowing that there are other people out in the world. This world does not revolve around you. When you have a bad day the world doesn't stop spinning. To love others is to leave your problems at the door sometimes as well as being able to trust others with super secret spy stuff (aka SSSS) :-) Believe it or not there are people out there that do not trust and all they think about is themselves, it's sad because they have to be very lonely. 
 
5. Spirituality - I honestly don't care if you believe in God or Jesus or Muhammad or whoever. Knowing that you are here on this planet for a reason should give you solace. It should be something to relish in and focus on when you feel off "centered". Spirituality is about knowing that no matter the reason, you are here and you have a purpose. Finding that purpose is the spice of life. Live it up, find what you like and go for gold! Meditation, prayer, church, yoga, deep breathing are various examples of ways to evaluate spirituality.

 
6. Hobbies - for goodness sakes do fun things! I mean for real, what do you like to do? Find fun things and do them! We tend to let hobbies go due to kids, job, time management problems, etc. Don't let these things get in the way of your happiness. Hobbies should be the thing you turn to when you need an escape, when you want to turn that frown upside down. :-( ---> :-)
 
7. Healthy Lifestyle - this one is probably the easiest to understand. Put crap in = get crap out. Healthy lifestyle - this includes exercise and diet. But it also includes sleep and your emotional/mental well being. I am not going to go into health a whole lot because I mean...seriously this is a blog about health, come back and I'll CONSTANTLY tell you about it ;-)

 
8. Practice, Practice, Practice - happiness is not something fixed...it is fluid. Some days will be better than others. You want to practice these 7 things DAILY! I promise that if you practice you will feel much happier :-)
 
I know this is not a typical post for me...but I think that mental health is just as important as physical health...you cannot have one without the other. Hope this helps...please ask questions in the comment section if you have any!!

Fasted Cardio: To Do or Not To Do, That is the Question?!

Fasted Cardio

 

So lately I have been seeing a lot of articles on fasted cardio. I am not one to jump into a program lightly so I have been doing some research. I was surprised to find so many articles contradicting the other. So I want to discuss the reason people do fasted cardio and my opinion on cardio.

 

First, the definition. Fasted cardio = cardio on an empty stomach. Second, the purpose. The purpose of fasted cardio is so that your body will be at a glycogen (fuel) deficient state that your body will have to pull fat to burn for energy. So is fasted cardio better than "normal" fed cardio? To the best of my knowledge...no it is not. For people looking to put on lean muscle mass, fasted cardio can acutally be detrimental to your progress. During fasted cardio your body is breaking down fat and fatty acid are released into the bloodstream, but there are too many and the body isn't able to process and therefore they are reabsorbed back into fat cells. It has been shown that low intensity fasted cardio does burn fat, but you have to do cardio for longer than 90 minutes...thats 3 episodes of The Big Bang Theory! I don't have that kind of time lying around in the morning! Fasted cardio may burn more calories upfront but you stop burning calories the minutes you stop doing cardio. To burn fat you want your body to go into "excess post-exercise oxygen consumptions" (EPOC) this is called afterburn, these are calories you burn hours after you have stopped exercising...this doesn't happen with fasted cardio.

 

My suggestion? HIIT cardio. It has been proved over and over that high intensity interval training is the best cardio for your body. First, it is quick (average 15-45 minute sessions). Second, it can be done anywhere (outside, home, gym). Third, intervals keep the person guessing so time goes faster. I LOVE HIIT. This is the only way I do cardio anymore. Usually I do cardio right after weight lifting so 15-45 minutes is the perfect amount of time. I also like it because it's not boring...I am not one of those people that can run on a treadmill or ride a bike for hours...I would DIE. My suggestion is to get a heart rate monitor, doing this you will be able to monitor your heart rate and adjust intervals to your necessity. I have posted a couple of HIIT workouts...some of my favorites are on the treadmill but I have recently started going outside to do cardio. Cardio outside is also great because I can do it with the dog...two birds with one stone anyone?!?!

 

HIIT is also super awesome because it help your hormones. When you have a good diet, sleep 7-8 hours a night, lift weights, your hormones will be super helpful in building lean muscle. Always remember...

 

lean muscle = more fat burning = awesome sauce

 

Cassie's Tips for Cardio: (kinda sorta stolen from Men's Health)

1. Always Always Always warm up - at least 5 minutes before cardio AND weight lifting

2. SPRINT - do max for 30 secs and then recovery for 90ish secs

3. Good posture - when on any cardio machine it is easy to have bad posture, you want to make sure that you have good posture in order to decrease possible injury.

4. Recovery - when doing interval you want to go to 90% of your effort, with this being said you need to give your body time to recover. When sprinting you should find it hard to breath at the end of the 30 secs, and then 90 sec recover to normal breathing.

5. Take your cardio outdoors - I mean hello...vitamin D!! :-)

This is one of my treadmill HIIT workouts. 

1. Warm up - 5 minutes (spd 3.0, inc 7)

2. Lunges - 1 minute (spd 1.8, inc 1.5)

3. Walking plank - 1 minute (spd 2.0, inc 1.5)

4. Push-ups - 10-15 reps

5. Jump squats - 10-15 reps 

6. Walk- 1 minute (spd 2.0, inc 1.5)

Repeat x4

6. Cool down - 5 minutes (spd 3.0, inc 7)

***like what you see?! Check out my Instagram page for workouts, recipes, and motivation!!!  @fitcassie_88***

Nutrition 101: Protein

Nutrition 101: Protein

Most people know that you need protein everyday. What most people don't know is the importance of protein. Protein is one of the 3 macro nutrients that your body needs on a regular basis. Proteins are important because they contain amino acids, which are the building blocks of cells. Most people, even I am guilty of this, don't know how much protein to take in or when...which are both SUPER important. Protein intake will depend on your age, sex, and activity level. I will discuss ways to calculate protein intake later on.

So, what is the important information that everyone needs to know about protein? Ok so in the post I will go over the different types of protein as well as supplements for protein. At the end I'll given some info on types of protein as well as some little facts about protein.

1. Different types of protein: complete and incomplete proteins

-----Complete protein is a source that provides a person with all essential amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be made in the body. These amino acids are important for the body in order to help repair and make muscle, tissue, cells, etc. Basically everything...duh! So you need to make sure that you are getting these types of amino acids in your diet. These amino acids can be found in animal based foods.

-----Incomplete protein are sources of food that provide some amino acids but not all 20 essential aminos. Incomplete proteins can be used together to create a complementary protein in which two or more sources is used to complete the 20 essential aminos.

Now I know this is a lot of information...and you're probably like whatever Cassie, why is this important. Well its important because you need to make sure that you are getting adequate amounts of protein in order for your body to function at its maximum potential! This is especially important for people who do not eat animal based proteins...you need to investigate your food to make sure that you are getting all 20 essential aminos!!

2. Supplements. Lots of people ask me about supplements that I take. Maybe one day I'll blog about that...it depends on the season that I am in and I have differing views about supplements than most I believe. First let me say that supplements are just that...SUPPLEMENTS. They are NOT replacements for regular food. Supplements should be used to supplement your diet to make sure that you are getting everything that you need. I only use protein supplements when ABSOLUTELY needed. And I'll let you know those times in just a little bit!

-----Whey protein: there are three different types of whey protein powder. Whey is a by-product of cheese production that is used because it is a rapid dissolving protein. Whey is great for the beginning of the day and making sure that you have something in your stomach to kick start your metabolism. Whey is also great right AFTER a workout to start the repairing process for your muscles. Right after a workout you need to get (at least) protein in your system within 30 minutes.

    1. Concentrate - higher fat ratio, usually the best tasting protein because it has more fat.

    2. Isolates - remove the most of fat and lactose, taste is mild and similar to milk

    3. Hydrolysates - less fat of the three, higher level of protein, taste is "ok" (remember to think it has less fat and that's the most important part of this). If you have a milk allergy this the whey to try first, less likely to have an allergic reaction.

-----BCAA - branched chain amino acids. You want to take this during your workout and after your workout. Helps aid muscle repair.

-----Glutamine - This is an amino that is in BCAA's as well as whey but in small amounts. This will help prevent muscle soreness if taken during workout and post-workout.

These are the supplements that I take everyday. I usually take whey only once, right after my workout. I take BCAA's and Glutamine during my workout and after to help prevent feeling sore the next time...because that is NO FUN!!!!!!!

3. Protein Intake - depending on age, sex, and activity level your protein level will be different. Most people who workout regularly need at least 1 gram of protein per body weight. One of my post earlier (I think the first) has a link to a calculator that will tell you the amount of macros you need for your goals, age, sex, etc. Use that!!!! If you don't take in enough protein your body will start to breakdown muscle. To much and your body won't process it and its basically wasted.

That is all I have about protein. I hope this helped. Let me know if you have questions...or anything else that is helpful for others!!!

WOD: Shoulders and Chest

Happy Monday ya’ll!!! :-)

I hope everyone had a great weekend!! I get a lot of people asking me for workouts, so I want to give you guys more workouts to use. At the end of this post there will be a WOD tag, use that to look up more workouts that I have posted in the past!

Over the weekend I did shoulders and chest. Remember to do weight that works for you…always start light and work your way up. If you start heavy you will hurt yourself and won’t be able to work out…and that is no good.

The way I have designed the workout out is that you do a warm up for the muscle group, then 2-3 exercises after, and then 1-2 to burn out.

Warm Up

1. Bench press (chest) – 4x15 (try using a barbell but can use dumbbells)

2. Arnold press (shoulders) 4x15

Regular

3. Front to Lateral raise (shoulders) – 3x15 (go lighter weight in the beginning, lateral raises can cause injury if you “jerk” the weight)

4. Incline chest fly (chest) – 3x15

5. Incline rear delt (shoulders) – 3x15

Burn Out

6. Cable Shoulder Single Arm Press – 4x15

7. Cable Chest Fly – 4x15

After this I did a little interval workout, you guys can find that on my instagram. Hope this is helpful!! Happy Lifting! :-)

Nutrition 101: Carbs :-O

Carbohydrates:

When talking about food most people will divide it up into macro and micro nutrients. Macro nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Micro nutrients are smaller like vitamins and fiber. It is important to know the significance of all of these nutrients in order to use them effectively. So what I want to focus on first is carbohydrates. I think that carbs get a bad rep because of the way most people consume carbs.

***Carbs are extremely important for your diet and need to be consumed daily.***

So why do carbs get a bad rep?? Well because of things like pop-tarts, candy, and white bread. These things are what we call fast digesting carbs and beyond that have very little nutritional value. Carbs can be divided into three different categories; slow, medium, and fast digesting carbs.  Examples of different types of carbs will be later on, don’t you worry :-)

Carbs are important because they are vital for energy produce and muscle replenishment. Different body types will use carbs differently, but mainly carbs are for energy. When you ingest carbs they are converted into sugar (aka glucose), which in turn gives you energy. If you ingest fast digesting carbs you will have an insulin spike which will make your body store that energy as fat. Slow digestive carbs give your body the ability to store those nutrients as energy in your muscles to use later.

When I put together a meal plan I like to make sure I have a well balanced meals. I also like to consume mainly “whole” foods. I think to eat things with very few ingredients, and if it has more than a few I like to make sure that I know what they are. Some of the things people eat these days is crazy, and if you look on the box you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients! So when putting together your meal plan…look for carbs that are as close to whole and natural as possible!!

Examples of Slow/Medium/Fast Digesting Carbs

Slow – sweet potatoes, wild rice, beans, red potatoes, and fruit

Medium – banana, potatoes, brown rice, oranges, orange juice, whole wheat pasta

Fast – white bread, white rice, cold cereals, rice cakes, fruit juices

Carbs are needed in any diet and all of these types of carbs can be used on a regular/semi-regular basis, you just have to know the appropriate times.

 - Slow digesting carbs can be taken in at any time. Good to take in at all three major meals. These carbs are going to keep you fuller longer because they take your body longer to digest.

- Medium digesting carbs can be taken right before a training session. As you work out your carb storage from early will start to deplete, so taking in these carbs right before a session will help maintain a steady blood sugar throughout your workout.

- Fast digesting carbs should be taken immediately after a training session. You always want to make sure that you are refueling you body after working out. Your body is in prime mode to effectively use and storage fuel at this point. Use fast digesting carbs and protein for maximum benefits. These types of carbs do not have to be ingested, one could use medium digesting carbs after a workout…it is simply the best (and only time) to take in these types of carbs.

Examples of carbs for meals – (these are some of my faves :-D)

Breakfast: oatmeal, Ezekiel bread, sweet potato hash

Lunch: brown rice (or wild rice), sweet potatoes, black beans

Post workout: brown rice or sweet potato

Dinner: brown rice, rice pasta, sweet potato

One thing to remember…that veggies are the best carbs! The more and more veggies you eat the better. Veggies not only are low in carbs, they are full of fiber and other micro nutrients that help you feel fuller longer without throwing your diet off a bridge! 

I usually take in about 1/3 cup of any carb and then 1-2 cups of veggies. Some of my favorite veggies are green beans, spinach, and broccoli! 

Look for my nutrition 101 to come! 

HIIT Workout - Outside Addition :-)

Workout Of The Day - 

So yesterday I posted on Instagram that I would be posting an outside workout. I want to do this for a couple of reasons.

 1. Sometimes people do not have access to the gym and want things that they can do at home. I have bought a pair of weights that were inexpensive to use at home.

 2. The weather is so beautiful it sucks to be stuck inside a stuffy…smelly...dim gym. 

 3. Vitamin D is AMAZING for you to get regularly! Being outside in the sun has been shown to increase neurotransmitter release, therefore making the correlation in your brain that exercise is fun! :-) 

So yesterday I went to the gym for a quick arm sesh and then decided to go outside for some sun and cardio! :-) So here is a little workout. (I used bleachers but they are not a necessity) 

Circuit 1 - 

Up and down the stairs (or high knees) for 1 min 

Lunges up bleachers (or lunges on track) for 1 min 

Step up and kickback on bench or elevate surface – 10 each side 

Break for 1-2 minutes (If you have a heart rate monitor, wait until your heart rate has returned to a normal level. If you don’t use your breathing as a monitoring tool. You should be able to breathe “normally” with only slight impairment.) 

Circuit 2 - 

Toe taps on stairs (or fast feet) for 1 min 

      Moving feet one at a time forwards and backwards as fast as you can go 

Up and down the stairs (or high knees) 1 min 

Sprint one length of bleacher x 4 (or spring for 15 secs x4) 

Circuit 3 - 

Run one lap 

Sprint for 35-45 secs 

Walk one lap

This little workout took me about 20 minutes. Remember to rest and get your heart rate back to normal. This is going to help later on with your hormone level, which at night will help with muscle repair. Hope you like this workout. I am going to be posting more I promise!! Life has been so crazy, but I am getting back to my roots ;-)

The Importance of Rest

Hey guys, sorry I have been MIA lately, had a lot going on with Mardi Gras and trying to find time to fit in workouts!

Today I want to talk about the importance of rest. One thing that I have learned most recently is the power of rest. Sometimes the excitement of seeing your body change makes you want to spend more and more time in the gym (trust me I've been there!). But your body needs time to recuperate, repair, and rebuild. 

If you think about it logically, when you are lifting weights regularly you are tearing muscle down, but if you are continuously breaking down the muscle and not resting when does the muscle have time to repair itself? Never is the answer! So the most important thing is to  establishing a routine in which you are able to lifting and rest in order to get stronger.

I was not a strict believer in rest until I started prepping for my show. I started to see that I was more fatigued and getting to the gym was a task, not cool :-( . You don't want the gym to become a chore. The way that fitness becomes a lifestyle is by keeping it something that you like to do, not something you have to do. This happens by treating your body with respect and giving it what it needs. With that being said you need to make sure that you are eating correctly, lifting appropriately, and RESTING!

So you may be like, well Cassie how do you do this?!? Well I'm here to tell you so don't fret! I believe that most people should exercise between 5-6 days a week (it weight loss and fitness are your goal, if not 4-5 days will do). I plan my workouts at the beginning of every week in order to account for my work schedule, what body part I am working, and personal fun time. For example...this week I have worked out Sunday-Friday. I am going to take Saturday off and go to a birthday party for a friend. I am not going to worry about going to the gym or missing that day because my body needs time to recuperate from the work I did all week. I knew at the beginning of the week I had this party to go to so I planned to have my day off be Saturday.

Next is planning what muscle group I am working out each day. I have four lifting days and two cardio days a week. So here was my week: Sunday - legs, Monday - cardio, Tuesday - arms, Wednesday - back, Thursday - chest/shoulders, Friday - cardio. I usually like to take a day off in between my upper body days but this week I just made sure to "check" myself before and make sure that I was able to lift safely. One thing that I do regularly is make shoulders my last upper body day, this is because it is difficult for me to focus on arms or back after because my shoulders are not very strong yet. This is how I plan ahead to make sure that I can lift safely everyday.

So you are probably like, seriously Cassie you haven't even talked about resting yet!!! Resting is not just about not working out. It also includes that time that you sleep at night. Rest includes repairing not only your body but also your mind. Everyday it takes so much energy for your body to function, at night when you rest this is the time your body "replenishes" the energy storage so that you can wake up and do it again. Rest is also importance so that hormones can work their "magic" and make you faster, stronger, smarter, etc. :-) Also, decrease in rest puts your body in a constant state of stress, which increases cortisol, which will increase your body's need to retain water and body fat...that's not cool! Decrease stress, decrease body fat is the goal!

I had a friend tell me one time that I was overtraining. I was fatigued, unable to lift the heavier weights, feeling sluggish at work and the gym, and unable to focus. I was pushing myself going 6-7 days of intense workouts. I thought that if I continued to keep my goal in mind my body would eventually catch up, it didn't! So I took two days off in a row (OMG, seriously horrible) and when I came back to the gym I felt like a different person. I was happy, my workout was AMAZEBALLS and I was lifting heavier than before. This is because I gave my body the opportunity to rest and repair.

You want to make sure that you are getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night. This is the appropriate amount of time that your body needs in order to repair its energy storage so that you can function better. If you find yourself downing redbulls or preworkouts just to get through the day I would suggest taking a few days off, evaluating your rest, and creating a plan or schedule that works for you.

My workout partner just recently decided that she wanted to start doing equal amounts of cardio and weight lifting days. That's great, she is listening to her body and that is what she believes she needs. Listen to your body it is almost always right!

I am not going to sit here and tell you that I am doing 100% with rest. This is one thing in my prep that I really need to work on. I have a lot going on, I work full time and a second job, I am doing competition prep, cooking/cleaning, friends, my dog...life is busy. But that is never a reason to skimp on the sleep/rest! If you have any questions about rest or ways to help sleep better leave a comment and I will be more than happy to help out!

Happy Lifting! :-)

Getting stronger is the goal, just rememember...resting is just as important as lifting! :-)