The Pre

My all time favorite supplement is by far a great pre-workout! Post hysterectomy energy is something I struggle with greatly. I can't rock through a workout on a cup of coffee anymore. I have tried a lot of them, so I tried to touch on a little bit of everything in reviewing them.  Pre-workouts are similar to the fat burners in, it's about knowing your body and what it can handle. Don't ever skip to the max dosage without trying out a smaller dose first. Like in my last post- smelling sounds is not a good experience and vomiting in the middle of leg day can be unproductive!

So here we go:

1. I bought this awhile back on a recommendation from a salesman at GNC that insisted this was top notch! Their top of the line women's supplement with ton's of excellent feedback on pump results...WRONG..NEGATIVE GHOST RIDER!!!! I got about 10 minutes of sweat out of it, could have sat in the sauna and achieved the same results!

2. Another product marketed and priced for "women". It was okay, yes that is all I have. I have had far worse and the taste was manageable if you are new to this whole pre-workout game this is a okay starter. You could also try the ASSULT it is a few bucks cheaper on the fact that it isn't marketed towards chicks!

3. I did a round of this because I see so many people rave about it. It's probably also a good starter drink. I double scoop to get the results I need. Occasionally I get a headache at the crash but nothing that hangs around for long.

4. The store I get my favorite from was out and recommended I try this.  I don't get a tingle (which I love) off of this product and I have learned the hard way it is not a friend of anything cardio related. Twice I have almost up-chucked during HIIT or LEGS. BUT as far as a regular lifting day, it makes me want to do the HULK SMASH! My better have had to drag me out of the gym. It is usually the other way around I could have threw weights all day long.

5. Of course I saved the best for last. I have not tried the BULK in their product but I have the other two. Blackmarket Labs IMO makes the best most well rounded product on the block. They make sure you get a surge to every area you need it. No crazy crash either! Once a month they launch a new limited addition flavor and none that I have tried have disappointed me. I recommend it to a lot of people and haven't once got an "I hate this" response.

Quick note on Supplement Cost. If you are digging this deep into using supplements you are probably noticing it's not a cheap ordeal. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. Do your homework before you buy a random cheapy product! 

Fruit Pizza

I found this recipe on Instagram (@shonda1020)

I figured I would give it a try because it was a lot simpler than some that I had tried and failed miserably at. I also added half a scoop of protein powder to the crust. (I use American ISO Whey-Apple Crumb Pie) Bryan isn't a huge Greek Yogurt can so I think next time maybe I will do half in only PB spread instead but he said the crust was worth the double NOM NOM's!

Crust:

1/2 Cup oats
1 banana mashed
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp nut butter
1 tsp agave

Toppings:

Flavored Greek Yogurt
Berries
Almonds
Natural Honey

Mix toppings together. Scoop mixture into nonstick pan. Flatten into 1/4 inch. 
Bake @375 for 10 minutes. Flip and cook for 8 minutes. Cool and top with toppings.

3 Year Fit-iversary

I have become a total blog slacker again! In my defense this time of year kills me and I just keep adding to it so now it is more like a busy mom Buffet than a full plate!

So it's been 3 year since I decided my life needed a major change. I feel like my blog has gone from Chasing Angry & Depressed to Chasing Healthy & Fit! I have to say without the help of my hubby jumping on board I don't think I could have accomplished any of it. Even when he takes it way to the extreme and makes he yell "I hate your face" I still appreciate the effort! So I don't have any solid weight or measurements because I am trying to be in a phase of just let my body change and accept that. It's hard, I get on the scale every now and then at the gym. It ranges from 122-125 which I am actually not happy about (yes I am aware most women are reading that and cussing my name right now). I had gained up to about 130 before my braces and then the whole what I can eat part killed my gains and it's been a slow track back up. About 3 weeks ago I was sitting at 18% body fat, which is down from my March measurement of 24% so I was super happy with that. Other than that, I know myself well enough that even post hysterectomy my one remaining ovary still sends me for a hormone-coaster ride when I am not expecting it and it can change my body (especially my mid-section daily). It's probably something I am always going to deal with and why I will never be ok with it, it will NOT defeat me. 

So I am taking the average at 123 lbs.

27.25 Waist

32 Hips (I am growing a butt here!)

20.5 Thigh (GOODBYE THIGH GAP)

11.50 Flexed Bicep ( Welcome to the BBGun Show)

My most recent self improvement is dragging my butt out of bed at 4:45 a.m. 5 days a week. I am not a morning person and GOD BLESS the poor people who have to deal with me! (Gina & Robin are seriously the best workout partners every!) Also I made the big decision to go back to school. I LOVE helping people with their health. Helping someone learn to love themselves is the greatest freaking high in the world! That is what I like about promoting for a MLM. I am just terrible at the marketing gunk! I am emotional, hate public speaking and I cry when I talk about my past! I also am not good at being brand specific. I love to sample company's products and creating stacks that work for me and where I am at today and that usually involves a little of this and a little of that! "That" may also change next week, so when I get approached by friends and acquaintances I am always honored that you think I would be great at selling your product. The truth is I probably wouldn't! 

So for those that ask if I still sell BBVI: My website is still up because I haven't had the time to sit on hold for an hour to shut it off. I am not using or promoting it! Nothing bad to say about it, just one of those my needs changed and so did my supplements. If you are a follower of my blog than you know my theory on "programs" like that or Herbal Life, Advocare, Shakeology,Weight Watchers,etc: If you like them, can afford them, are not harming your body and it works for you.. THAN KEEP DOING IT! 

(Just don't expect everyone to jump on the train with you)

Last grump on this subject: DON'T REP A PRODUCT YOU DON'T USE.  You are seven kinds of shitty if you are selling other people on something you have not or do not use. You see all these "sponsored" athletes these days that you can't trust that they are actually even using that product. Don't paddle up the river in the Douche Canoe!

So after that rant. I have decided to go back to school. I am currently working on my Personal Trainer Certification. I was so flipping excited until the day I got my textbooks in the mail and then I thought what the hell was I thinking! I am managing (aka struggling) but eventually I will get there. After that it's off to the big kid school for either BS Exercise Science or BS Nutrition. Haven't really made up my mind on that one yet, so hey if you have some input shoot me an email! All of this while being an Oilfield Wife and Football/Basketball/Bulldog Mom. Honestly the end game here is to find a career that I am passionate about and that would make up a lapse in income because the Oilfield is ass backwards and when you get an office job you have to take a cut in pay. BIG TITLE less PAY = DUMB!!! But that is what it is going to take to have my hunny on a normal schedule instead of the craziness we have lived for the last decade! It's hard on both of us and some days it gets harder instead of easier! So maybe by the time I am 40 I will have a big kid job to go with my big kid degree!

So there is my Fit-iversary Update. 3 years: It took me 3 years to pull that off, so don't beat yourself up if you haven't accomplished a big goal in a short amount of time. 

Happy Chasing

H

August Resolutions!

-I will say this is a long one. I tried to address some of the questions I have been getting along with my blog topic at hand! 

If you are a mom, especially a SAHM with school age kids, then you know August resolutions are almost as popular as New Year's resolutions. If you don't have kids then you are reading this thinking this lady is batty! Why you may ask? 

Well summer break is over. The children are back in school and you have possibly more than 5 minutes a day to think about yourself. Instead of the crazy mecca of camps, vacations, sleepovers and pool parties! 

I started my "stop hating me" journey Brody's first day of kindergarten. He is going into the 3rd grade this year and I might be having a panic attack as I type that. I keep getting a lot of "I wish I had your dedication" comments lately. Well let me tell you it isn't always that way. I am human, just like you and I make mistakes and fall flat on my face. I am probably not someone you should put at the top of your people to imitate list. ha ha

The one thing I can tell you is that once I got the weight off, I knew I never wanted to go back to that feeling. It's not just the amazing feeling that overwhelms you when someone tells you how fabulous you look. It's when you pass your reflection in a mirror and you don't automatically look away. Now I am not saying stand there all damn day and have a love fest either! It's called being comfortable in your skin, once you reach it you would do anything to not give it up. Am I satisfied in my skin, absolutely NOT! That is what fuels my drive to achieve better. Not just in my appearance (yes I hear you calling me vain) but me as a person inside and out. To learn to judge less, uplift more!  Not just in other's but with myself also. As women most of the time we are our own worst enemies! Which sets us up for immediate failure. It is ok to pat yourself on the back. For all the victories large and small!

If you read past blogs I am pretty sure at least 10+ times I have said " I will never be in love with fitness, I will never be the girl who likes to work out" HA well guess who went and fell in love! It really is an addiction. It's a mood changer for me, I can be in the shittiest mood and go to the gym sweat it all out and leave it alone. I don't like the whole "strong is the new skinny" quote but getting strong and pushing your body to do things your mind says you can not do, and then 3 months later you can do it with no struggle. It's an endorphin high I am not giving up. Might as well find me a support group :)

  Do I think that everyone should work out like I do? 

No! Fitness is a very big word. There are vast amounts of ways to be healthy and fit. It comes in all shapes and sizes. I think everyone should test out the waters and see where you belong. 

If the number on your scale is what matters most, find a high cardio exercise. 

(Zumba,biking, running, machine cardio, spinning, swimming)

If transforming your body is what matters most, find some weights!(If you don't have a gym then look into home workout programs: Tapout, p90x, insanity, etc.)

Even if you choose to mix the two, if you are losing weight try out 30 minutes of cardio on top of a weight session. Women tend to freak the F out when we don't drop weight and are spending hours in the gym.

To my endo-sisters: Is working out post hysterectomy more difficult?
That's kind of tough to answer. I didn't to a whole lot of working out pre-hyster. It was super painful to do anything that strained my abdominal region. Some days the fatigue is harder to deal with. I artificially generate it on those days. It is much easier to push past now-a-days. If you are in the middle of a flare there is no pushing past anything but the heating pad and a bottle of Demerol! I DO NOT MISS THAT AT ALL!

What do you use for Supplements?
For me, if I don't keep it simple I will never follow through with it. Going into a supplement store can be overwhelming. The sales people will convince you into a ton of things that are probably going to do something for you other than damage the balance in your savings account. However, I want to keep it as simple as I can. I am a busy mom I don't have time to track pills and drinks 10 times a day!
My stack consist of a protein, pre-workout, amino options, and a multi-vitamin! I may dabble in this or that every now and then but this is what I stick to! Keep in mind this is what I use for MY goals right now. No weight loss! No "diet"
I like OPTI-WOMEN multivitamins they are not harsh to take and won't kill me if I don't eat right away after taking them.
I have to Proteins here: The Combat- is really Bryan's but I use it occasionally. I prefer the ISO it digest easier and let's face it, it's the best tasting powder I have EVER tried! I pretty much let my hubbs pick my protein and I decide on the flavor but if MGN American ISO in Apple Crumb Pie is ever in stock BUY IT PEOPLE!!
Amino aka BCAA's  I have several options for these depending on when I take them. The Musclepharm I usually drink while working out. The orange bottle has caffeine in it so I don't mix it with my pre-workout. I use it more in 2 a day's or an afternoon pick me up. The chews are for on the go times!
Saved the best for last. Pre-workout
Pictured is adrenHERlyn CUTS by Blackmarket Labs. Hands down the best I have ever tried in a pre-workout. It makes me sad when I cycle off it. I am so sensitive to stuff like this yet, somehow this product give you that WAHOO itchy wonderful pump without the side effects I get from others like it afterwards. I have even had some give me an anxiety attack. Not this when it's gone it's gone and no nasty habits left behind.

Do I think using a food program is cheating?

This is a loaded question! So I will do my best to answer it in MY OPINION!

I can't say I disagree with them, I used one to dynamically jump start my journey. That being said, let it be your guide to learn to do better. You can NOT quit it and go back to life as usual. There are more programs out there than I have fingers and toes. I won't tell you one is any better than the other. Find something you like, taste and financially! I had no problem at all adapting to a meal replacement plan, some people do. I used to to teach myself how to fit the proper calories into my day. I think of it as "the patch" it helped ween me off my smack (junk food) and when I didn't need it anymore I quit using it. I am not a cold turkey type of person. I know that about myself! Whatever you do, make sure you are eating enough. Seriously, nothing will halt your results like in-taking under 1,200 calories a day. If you are over 150lbs I suggest upping your minimum to the 1,350-1,450 range. Yes I know things like MFP isn't going to agree with that but I am speaking from personal experience here! 

Whether you're drinking a shake,calling Jenny, guzzling a pink drink or wrapping it up. Be prepared to take flack for it. Like I said fitness is a big word and it has lots of different approaches and opinions behind it. If it works for you and you like it and your not actually damaging your body beyond repair go for it. Also, be prepared that not everyone will want to do it with you. Don't hound people to be on your bandwagon, let them hitch a ride on free will!

So onto goal setting. 

•  Set reasonable goals in a reasonable time span! My goals I am setting are about a 12 week range. 
• Find a friend with similar goals to share with. I can promise this will make a difference in your results. It is also someone to keep going when you want to give up and vise versa.
• Try to set personal goals along with physical ones. Inner you needs to be as beautiful as outer you!
• Set up a reward system that does not involve food. To the person who taught me this, my shoe/workout clothes appreciate you. My checkbook not so much! Granted a double cheeseburger is a lot cheaper than new heels but you are not a dog, you do not need rewarded with a beggin strip!

I hope that answers some of the things I have been in-boxed. It seriously flatters and amazes me that people actually want my opinion on this stuff!
You all inspire me! Now I am off to put some serious thought into my goals. Make your self a road map of how you are going to hit it. If I wake up tomorrow and decide I am going to New York, never been there and I am not using GPS. It is going to take me twice as long! Don't take on becoming healthy without your GPS. It's 2014 use your computer and if that doesn't work chances are there is an APP for it!

What are your new goals?

HAPPY CHASING
H

What is a Bikini Body?

Many of us women agonize over having a "bikini body" but really what is that? Is there some universal stereotype for what a bikini body should look like? I have seen several Facebook post and had several conversations with some of the most gorgeous women who are intimidated to put on a two piece.

My answer is, if you want to wear it, it comes in your size, then you my friend..Have a Bikini Body!

Now that being said, the comes in your size part. (I have stated before I DO NOT support the I am Fat and Proud movement.  It's not healthy. That is a debate for a completely different blog.) If your string to your string bikini is lost somewhere in your spare tire. IT IS NOT YOUR SIZE! I have spent the majority of my life being uncomfortable in my skin. I wouldn't even call it comfortable now, my body and I are just starting to be cozy! Yet, I have mostly always worn some type of bikini, tankini, monokini.
Even now I get all insecure to take off the cover up at the pool. I have stretch marks from my chin to my toes! I have just decided they look better with a tan so they are going to see the sunshine!

I am not a size zero, I have been really close before I started lifting but I will tell you I drastically like my reflection at 125lbs more than I did and 114 lbs and a size 1! This body made multiple humans, has battled disease, survived surgeries, and it's about time I gave it credit for all it's been through. Reward your body, stop punishing it. Just don't reward it with food, try a new swimsuit, a lawn chair and a beach!

Happy Chasing

H

Habits or Genetics: What are you passing along?

I have been working on this post for over a week now. I have deleted more lines than I have left typed. I know this is going to be a touchy one so I battle between being blunt and being sensitive! First, my sensitive side tells me to let you know that I have been the habit person, the habit parent, and the habit enabler! BUT the very blunt no filter side of me sees malnutrition & obese children and it absolutely enrages me.  It is one thing to destroy your body, but when you aide in destroying someone else's body......

Most of us have set in the doctor's office and have had to go through a family history report. How many of those things that we list off are actually based more on family habit's rather than actual family genes? At one point in time we have all played the blame game for disliking our bodies. How many times have you said or heard "it's genetic"?  Truthfully most of our problems are more bad habits that have been inherited than an actual bad gene. Since I am not one to point fingers I will use myself as an example!

I have a family history of: Diabetics, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Breast Cancer, Mental Disorder, to name a few. Now the question is how many of those are more lifestyle based than a genetic precursor? Let's also take into account things like addiction, I can't count how many times I have heard well alcohol addiction runs in your family.. Really people! Don't set yourself up for that failure.  What is in your gene's should not dictate how you live your life. This is the plate we were handed, full of all this stuff we don't want anything to do with. So are we going to pile more on top of it to pass it along to our children? Are we going to brown bag our kids health or are we going to dump it in the trash and start from scratch? I was watching Katie when a Dr. was talking about the connection between mind and body. They talked about how genetically one 1/3 of the genes pre-disposes us to family diseases. That means 2/3 of your life is completely up to YOU!
  (Also fun fact they stated is 85% of all human disease is caused or irritated by stress!)
Both my husband and I have eating disorders in our families. Both on either extremes of the scale, both taking valuable time off lives. Oddly this is something that can be controlled with something as simple as the right food. FOOD is the answer to so many of those health conditions I listed above. I will be the first to admit it is easier in my life to take the quick and easy route to dinner, especially when my husband has been gone for days and I am just so exhausted that cooking and making my kitchen dirty causes me extreme grief! We as a society have got to be more like the tortoise than the hare.. Slow and steady not only wins the race but prolongs your life! 

 I am also doing my best to break the pattern of food being a reward. That is a bad habit I have for myself and my kids. I used to reward myself with food and it wound me up in the chunky chick section of life! Instead I am trying to do reward with "things" instead of a trip to DQ! It seems to be working pretty well although let's be honest I want DQ over a trip to the park or pool.
This is where I will end my ramblings on this subject. I could go on for days and make this the most boring post ever. I guess my reasoning for it is so many  people comment on my motivation and dedication and how they wish they could find theirs.
These pictures below. They are the simplest answer I have to that. It opens into so many more smaller reasons but in the end it all adds up to:
Healthy Family, Lots of love, Endless Happiness

Happy Chasing 

H

Death by Legs

Heavy Leg Day! 

Either you just shuttered in fear or rejoiced. There isn't an in-between here!

Against my better judgement I chose to do this on a Monday. See Monday evening at my gym are full of people who slacked all weekend and are ready to crawl back on the wagon. Thus I usually use it as my rest day. But I was a raging{INSERT CURSE WORD OF CHOICE HERE} so I really needed to go. 

 but standing in line.....

When I say Heavy Leg Day, this is NOT my max out day. I don't do those that often and only when my hunny is with me. I love my workout buddy to death but she is the same size and me and truth be told I don't trust she can get 420 lbs off of me if I fail!For those of you cardio junkies, my other leg day burned 713 calories. This leg day burned 737 and my heart rate stayed elevated for 23 minutes longer than my other leg day. Yesterday I did cardio and abs for a solid hour.. Only burned 416 calorie.. LIFT THEM WEIGHTS!! Start at a medium weight for the first set and then go up to about as heavy as you know you can go and still complete the reps. Be sure and keep form, just cause your lifting like the Hulk doesn't mean you can break proper form. Broken butts are not fun people!

Warm up: 10 Minutes of Cardio

Sissy Squats w/medicine ball 3 sets 10

Dumbbell Step Ups (3 sets 10 each leg)- 

Pick up the heaviest dumbbells you can and still be able to hold balance.

Dumbbell Squats (10 wide 10 narrow)- 

Don't do these fast, low & slow! Make sure and keep proper form.

Bar Squats- (10 traditional, 10 front)

Use a barbell, in the rack out of the rack, smith machine whatever you choose!

Deadlifts- (10 reps)

Straight leg, again do it solo or in a rack or smith machine however you like to do them.

Walking Lunges- (Dumbbell 16 reps)

Be sure on your heavy set to not topple over. 

I end this with Calf Exercise. I have to save them for last because once I burn them out I can't walk anymore let alone squat! I do 3 Set then some body weight stretching to make sure I can still walk to my car! Today's was 80,100,120

That was my Heavy Leg Day! If you are dying from pain I suggest you look up some exercises on rolling out with a foam roller. Guys no matter how girly you think this is.. It is heaven afterwards! 

This video is a great example! 

Happy Chasing

H

"Back" in Action!

It's been awhile since I spent a whole solid hour on a back workout. I put my insomnia to good use last night and did lots of workout research for what I think I need in a back work out. This was both a heavy & light weight workout. I will go in depth on each workout below. I am also adding a picture for quick reference if you want to give it a try and you don't want to read through the boring description below. Again like my last workout. Superset what you can. I wasn't able to my whole workout due to someone hell bent on being in my way today. My biggest gym aggravation, a whole empty gym and you choose to be all in my way. Yes I get selfish with my time! 

Warm Up: 5 minutes Cardio of Choice- Today I chose Incline Tredmill (Speed 2.9/incline 15)

One Arm Dumbell Row- Do these off the bench. I grab the heaviest dumbell I can handle. Since I use heavy weight here in lower my reps to 8 but up to 4 sets. 

Bentover Row Palms In- I use heavy weight on this too, probably the same as I have done on the one before. I focus a lot on form here. Making sure my weight is light enough that I can keep proper form. I do these reps slowly also. I tend to swing too much if I go fast.

I Inclined the bench at a 45 (if you haven't done these before look up a how to video on youtube or Bodybuilding.com) I had two sets of weight for this super set. I used the higher on the row and the lower on the fly.

Incline Dumbell Rows- Lean chest first into your bench. I am a shorty so I an usually on the toes or balls of my feet so I don't crush the tatas (PS SOMEONE MAKE A BOOB FRIENDLY BENCH) Palms in pull up. It should look like this:

The Incline Reverse Fly- I have to drop weight for this one. I try to up my reps to make up for that. I am adding a picture for better description!

Lat Pulldowns are pretty self explanatory, I use a bar, heaviest weight I can pull for sets of 10-12. Don't rest between the wide and close grip. Take 60-90 seconds to catch your breath and go right back at it!

Dumbell Pullovers- I pick a medium range in my weight be careful not to go to the point of pulling in your chest. Some times I pull my feet up so I am more likely to not pull wrong. Always drop weight if you can't do it. There ain't a dang thing wrong with using the tiny weights! 

Seated Rows- Probably one of my favorite things to do. I can usually start at 60 and do my next two or three sets at 75. 

Face pulls- this was a first time for me to ever to these. I did a couple extra sets just to figure them out. Put the pully about eye height and attach a rope. Pull with both hands to the top of your should/trap area. OUCHIE!!

Rope Pulldowns- So NOT a bad workout but I needed something to chill out with for a second! My triceps also need all the help they can get.

IYT- I used 7.5's & 5's for this because by this point I am freaking exhausted. Repeat the I-Y-T 5 times rest and go for 2 more rounds!

The Cooldown! Finally that was an Uber lengthy workout. 

Dips till Failure. I use a dumbell to elevate my feel so I am not tempted to use them :)

Up down Planks-Pretty simple..Palms down plank for 10 seconds then full plank for 10 until you are spent. 

Happy Chasing

H