During the High School Football Championships in New Orleans 12/11/04 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! 

Me being silly in New Orleans 12/04 

Trying to go shopping AND workout!

Today I had a full load. The gym was kinda empty so I decided to do a circuit for my upper body. I did compound sets with no rest between exercises. I went through the circuit twice starting with larger muscle groups to smaller. This is what I did: 2x15-20

Incline Dumbbell Press: 20#, 25#
Pushups to Failure 10, 10 (Yes, WEAK! WEAK!)
Lat Pulldown to Front: 80#, 90#
Hyperextentions for lower back (no weight)
Military Dumbbell Press: 15#, 20#
Side Lateral Raises: 15#
Lying Tricep Extention: 35#
Rope Pulldowns: 30#, 35#
Bicep Curl Machine: 30#
Arnold Cable Curls: 30#, 40#

After this workout I felt kinda nauseated. It took almost 30 minutes to do. We had recently eaten and I think that's why I kinda felt that way. I had chicken and a potato.

I went to the Chiropractor after this. He examined my knee and head. I feel better already! I went and had my hair trimmed! I hate that! I wish my hair would keep growing, I like it long but it seems to be stuck!...LOL!! We went shopping after that to spend some of our Christmas money. I spent $75 dollars on supplements! I couldn't believe it but I'm trying to prepare for my dieting and intense training. It is a MUST!! You MUST take care of your body, the finest instrument you will ever own.....I heard that in a song! That is so true! I bought some essential amino acids and protein for helping the body to recover and heal after intense workouts.
I bought: L-Arginine (important building block of protein), L-Ornithine (involved in metabolism) L-Lysine (an essential amino acid used for the production of collagen) These all came together, they work well together and are very important for the serious trainer. I bought some L-Glutamine that I will put with my protein shakes. This is a very popular supplement out right now. It is the most highly concentrated amino acid in muscle and plays a role in the proper functioning of the GI tract. I bought some Oil of Oregano. It is an herb used to help fight off the flu and other illnesses and help keep the immune system strong. I've never tried this before. It was recommended by my masuist. I usually get sick every year between December and February. This year I was hospitalized for the stomach virus TWICE 3 months apart. Once in January and again in April. I was very dehydrated and weak. They had to pump me full of fluids and a month later, I stepped on stage. Weird how that all worked out! I'm learning to "LET GO AND LET GOD" handle it and stop worrying about things so much. It is so hard for me to do! I will start these supplements in January.

YOU CAN'T HIRE SOMEONE TO PRACTICE FOR YOU.

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I enjoyed mine! The weekend was filled with family. The ring I bought my grandmother fit, I was so worried about that. It even matched her green velour outfit she wore Christmas Day. We watched lots of exciting football and some of us ate until we were full. Not me!! I wasn't bad and had no desserts! I felt kinda yucky from not working out this past weekend. It's amazing how skipping a few workouts can make you feel! My cousin and I worked out to one of my aerobic tapes! I was just in the dancing mood! We did some of DARRIN'S DANCE GROOVES!! We did Britney Spears, "CRAZY" (I remembered that one!) and then we tried to do Insync's "BYE, BYE,BYE". I kinda forgot most of that one. I used to teach these two dances to my Funk aerobic classes at the college. We don't offer that one anymore right now but there's talk of bringing it back. We'll see! I wanted to keep my heart rate up so I popped MTV: THE GRIND WORKOUT HIP HOP AEROBICS in there. We were JAMMIN'!! It was a lot of fun! I even have an ending picture I'll put on here.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP! ~ Winston Churchhill

Easy Legs!

Today, I had an easy leg workout planned. Minimum rest between sets. This workout took me about 22 minutes to do. Each exercise was performed for 2x12-15 unless otherwise noted.

Smith Machine Squats - 95# (my left knee was hurting a bit so I kept the weight low)
Front Squats with ball - no weight, below parallel, very slow and controlled holding down at the
bottom for a few seconds
One Legged Leg Press - 135#
Lying Leg Curls - 30# (hamstrings are so tight, have to get into this area real slow, weak)
Leg Extentions - 80#
Inner Thigh Machine - 50# 1x30
outer Thigh Machine - 70# 1x30 (I keep the reps here real high and only perform giant sets
cause I only want this muscle toned and don't want them to grow)
Walking dumbbell Lunges - 15# 1 lap around gym

I felt great when I finished except for some slight knee pain. I went to the chiropractor and was reevaluated again for treatment. Had Outback for supper tonight....I'm addicted to it. It is crucial to eat protein after training with weights to help your muscles recover and heal properly. I am anemic also and so it's even more important for me to keep an eye on my iron consumption. I only eat Sirloin or the Fillet Mignons cut.

NOTHING IN THE WORLD CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF PERSISTENCE.

My Big Apple Red nails to go with my lovely ruby championship ring!  

BIG APPLE RED!

Today, I ran a bunch more errands. I'm still shopping. I can't seem to find two presents I need. An Auburn hat and a Arkansas Razorback shirt?........I hate it when you know exactly what you do want and can't seem to find it!.....I decided to get my nails and toes painted for the holidays. They are now big apple red!...lol....I usually keep a french manicure but decided to do something different. My toes are so ticklish.....it was hard to sit still and let them paint them. I squirmed and made mouse noises while he worked. Thank God it wasn't busy! My championship ring came in the mail last week from one of the shows I won this summer. I love it! Everytime I look at it, it reminds me of all I've accomplished. This has been a great year for me looking back. I have accomplished and learned so much about myself. I can't wait to see what 2005 will be like! I ran around all day today and it looked like the bottom was about to fall out so I worked out with light dumbbells at home to an "Upper body" Firm tape. I did mostly back and biceps. I did some abs to. People are already calling about Personal Training in January after the New Year Hits. It looks like I'm going to be real busy! I hate turning people away but I have to block out time for me to train also. There never seems to be enough hours in the day!

THOSE THAT STRIVE TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE SOON ARE.

Nice Weather Outside!

Today was awesome! The weather was beautiful! It was kinda windy but warmer like in the 60's. I ran some errands and went and did stadiums. We did 6 at a low level intensity. My left knee was acting up some?.....I hope this is not going to be an ongoing problem. I haven't been to the chiropractor in awhile. I worked chest, shoulders and Triceps today. My routine was fairly fast paced, 2x12-15 per exercise. These were my exercises today:

Warm up: Pushups: perform 2, rest at bottom for 2, perform 3, rest at bottom for 3.......made it to 8 today.

Incline Dumbell Press - 15#, 20#, 25#
Military Press - 15#, 20#, 25#
side lateral raises - 15#
lying tricep extentions - 35#
Tricep Pushdowns - 75#

I felt good and had a pretty good pump especially in my chest and triceps. My diet was pretty much the same today as during last week. Feeling good!

OPPORTUNITY DANCES WITH THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY ON THE DANCE FLOOR.

Christmas Parties!

Ok, this weekend has been full of Christmas parties and dreadfull shopping. I went to WalMart and thought I was never gonna get out! I love to run into people I haven't seen in a while. That always seems to happen around the holidays. Today, I worked out a little. I like to keep Sunday's off during the off season but when you've been naughty you've gotta train. I just did an aerobics tape today. The firm tape, "Super Cardio". She kicked my butt. I didn't feel like going all the way to the gym and am still decorating around the house for Christmas. I've been watching what I eat so I don't look like a snob at parties. I graze and eat a little. I was telling someone about the white chocolate with peppermint sprinkles on top!!! YUM!!........I had a few, I'll admit. Time for some British humor, my friend Paul said "A MOMENT ON THE LIPS, A LIFETIME ON THE HIPS." Thanks for that bit of info. I like it!

It's Crazy! Crazy!

Well, the Christmas holidays are approaching fast and I am also scurring around trying to buy last minute gifts and such. I have been inconsistent and naughty in my working out and eating habits. But, I'm like this every year! I am not perfect by no means. I know how I am. I will get back in to it in January and will stay on track while other peolple with their New Years resolutions drop out one by one. I go to the gym and find myself answering questions about diet and exercise and visiting. It's the season to be jolly! The gym is still packed here, it has not slacked off too much. One day last week, I knew I didn't have much time to workout so I decided to do one exercise for back and bi's and call it a day. I did the front Lat Pulldown 3x12-15 80#, 90# 100#. Then I did pyramid sets with pushups. You do 2, hold at top and rest for 2, did 3, hold at top and rest for 3, ....... I was a little sore the next day. I could really feel that in my back. I still have some shopping to do. I wasn't too bad in New Orleans last weekend. I ate mostly fish and potatoes. My weight is fluctuating 2-3 pounds but it is still in the acceptable range. Measurements, including body composition will be taken the first of the year. I will post some pictures of New Orleans as soon as they get developed. Happy Holidays! Remember balance and moderation is the key to managing holiday stresses!

Saturday!

After I trained my client, I went and did stadiums. As soon as we got up to Malone and turned the corner, we saw puke everywhere. I'm glad I wasn't there when it happened. It was gross!! We stayed away from that area. I haven't done these in awhile so we just did 5. It's 94 steps to the top. Sometimes we skip every other one when we're lunging. It wasn't too bad. I felt like I could have kept going but didn't. I don't want to get to sore. The weather was very nice. It was in the upper 50's. I went and ran some errands and got my nails fixed. They have been purple since the LSU/Vanderbelt game. I felt really good today. My diet consisted of Outback tonight. I had a Sirloin, Caesar salad, some shrimp and mashed potatoes. It was great. I had a little piece of bread also. It was another exciting weekend of football! Next weekend, We'll be going to the dome in New Orleans for the High School Football Championships! This has become such a tradition! This will be my 8th year in a row to go! I can't wait!

SUCCESS DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE. IT'S AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER-AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE.

I slept pretty good last night. Today I felt much better. I woke up hungry. That's always a good sign. It means your metabolism is working good. If you are never hungry, it means your metabolism has shut down and you are not burning calories efficiently. This usually happens when people skip meals. A balanced diet and regular workouts can get your meatabolism back on track. My diet today was:

Breakfast: 4 egg whites, serving of grits, 1 cup of skim milk
Lunch: 2 1/2 cups of Goulash (pasta, meat, tomato sauce)
Snack: Myoplex (they are on sale right now at GNC)
Supper: 1 1/2 cups of seasoned rice and chicken breast, 1/2 cup 2% milk

One person showed up for aerobic class tonight. We visited awhile. I enjoy meeting new people and talking about working out and stuff. I went to the weight room and did compound circuit sets:

Warm up: 30 Pushups, 10 Dips
Shoulder press 20# Dumbbells
Tricep Pushdowns 40# 3x15-20
side lateral raises 15#
Chest Press Machine 60#
Pushups to Failure ( I could ony do 10 now)

I felt kinda weak. I rested no more than 5-10 seconds between exercises. I worked Chest, shoulders and Triceps. I haven't done much cardio this week. I'd rather make sure I lift right now. Cardio will come. The more muscle you have the more fat you burn.

FAITH HAS WON MANY A RACE.

I have a Headache!

This morning started off pretty good. We had so much fun today in PE. We ran to Christmas music like "Run, Run, Rudolph". Some classes did "suicides" to it for about 2:30 pacing themselves. The 3 year olds copied me as I danced to "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas". They all think thats what Ms. Cobb wants. It was so funny. I had 2 ULM basketball players come and observe. They said it was very interesting! I was very active all day while I taught. It was too wet to go outside and play Football so we stayed in and did some of the Presidential Testing. I did not feel like going to the gym after work so I went home and worked out. My client canceled and I just didn't feel like answering any questions tonight. Sometimes I wish I could rent the gym for just me so I can get everything done and get out at a reasonable time. I can't stand people who socialize and try to talk to me in the middle of my set , especially ones that ask questions. It's just disrespectful. Please wait until I'm finished. I hope I'm not offending anyone but I don't have time to play. When I workout it's serious business. I usually wear a walkman. When I do that people don't talk AS MUCH. Sometimes that walkman gets in my way. Anyway, I did "THE FIRM" tape. It's called Standing Legs. It's pretty tough. She had me sweating and huffing and puffing within 30 minutes! It requires some dumbbells (3-15 pounds), a step, barbell (optional) and ankle weights. It lasted about 40 minutes. I haven't done that tape ever. I've had it about a year now and tonight was the first time I did it. It's funny how a slight change in routine feels so much harder than when your body is used to your routine. That's why variety is so important. The key to avoiding hitting a plateau is variety. Your body gets used to doing the same thing over and over, muscles are worked and moved in the same old ways, and you become stuck. I believe in shocking my body through exercise and diet. It really works but you have to have a plan and prepare for changes to take place. There are so many people who already know this bit of information yet fail to practice it. Being fit is HARD WORK!! There is no miracle pill! Some days are easier than others and today was one of those "almost didn't do it" days. It's so easy to talk yourself out of working out. You can always think of something else to do but the people who set workout as a high priority are the ones who benefit the most from working out. I have a terrible headache right now. It just came on a little while after supper. It's probably from NO caffeine!! I have not had a Coke today, can you believe it? This was my diet:

Breakfast: 4 egg whites, grits, 1 cup skim milk
Lunch: 1 cup of spaghetti with meat sauce
Snack: 2 cups of red beans and rice
Supper: ham sandwich (wheat bread, 2 dill pickles and light mustard), 1 cup of Sprite.

Remember, I do not eat like this while dieting for a show. I have to slowly change my eating habits because if I don't I get moody and irritable. A Dietician friend of mine told me that diet is very emotional. I know that is so true cause I have experienced it many times. The supplements that I am taking right now are:

Multi-Vitamin and Mineral
Ester C+ (Vit C, Echinacea, Golden Seal Root)

I am drinking lots of Spring water also. I drink water all day long. I think I'm going to have to go take something for this headache. I hate taking medicine even Aspirin. Have you seen the side effects of Aspirin? It's pretty scary and a mile long! Now, they recommend one a day to keep your heart healthy.

LEARNING IS ITS OWN EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD.