Sunday, March 27, 2011

Cardio Playlist

I had a few individuals ask me what I listen to while I am getting through my cardio. It might not work for everyone but this works for me. Last summer, I was inspired by my amazing Zumba instructor, Heather. Her class was twice a week and I LOVED it!!! She was so upbeat and make cardio a blast! She also gave me the courage to become a Zumba instructor myself.

[Thank you Heather!!!]


So whether I am on the Stairmaster giving it my all or power walking on the tredmill at an incline, I am jamming to a playlist  made up with a majority of songs from her class last summer. Each song gives me the energy I need to get through it!!! :)

Playlist:
Cupid Shuffle.....
JUMP.....Flo Rida
Low.....Flo Rida
Club Cant Handle me....Flo Rida
Pondereplay.....Rihanna
Hala (Reggaeton)....ZIN
Gimmie Gimmie (booty battle song).....
Calabria...Enur
Gasolina....Daddy Yankee
Hips Dont Lie......Shakira
Whine it up....Kat Delune
She Wolf...Shakira
Drop it on Me...Ricky Martin
You know you want me.....Pitbull
5 Letres...ZIN
Shes Hot, Shes Blazing....ZIN
Shake...Ying Yang Twins
Boro Boro.....ZIN
Boom Boom Mama.....Da Family
StickwitU....Pussycat Dolls

I enjoy doing cardio and listening to these songs because it brings back memories from last summer and the good times I had and the friendships I made. Miss you girls!!!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Little Things :)

Hello Everyone!
It is SPRING BREAK here and I am spending it training hard, eating clean, posing, working, and catching up on homework. It is nice to just focus on the gym this week and not have the stresses that come along with school. I am quickly approaching the 5 week mark 'til show time. I am so excited and nervous at the same time.

This morning before work, so yes probably at 4:30 in the morning I started my day watching some more posing videos online from past NPC shows and I got goose bumps and teary eyed. I am just so proud of myself. A year ago I never would have thought that I would be where I am today. I am SO blessed to have met so many wonderful people on this journey that have supported me with my dreams. I am also so thankful my brother, Josh inspired me to change my life. I love you bro! Can't wait to rock the stage with you!!!

There are 5 weeks to go and I thought that by now I would be going insane missing chocolate and other favorite treats, but I am actually really focused and I am over the fact that I have to wait to eat those things. I am not even really looking forward to eating those things after my show now either because I can only imagine how sick and in pain I am going to be after that.

I thought I would share some tricks with you that I use. My sister, Amanda added some of her favorites too :)

Here 20 tricks that help me stay clear of my cravings:
(Note: Not all of these can be done the entire time of cutting)

1. Extra Dessert Gum:
This is my #1 saving :) I literally have a stash in my room of this gum. You can find packs of it in my gym bag, backpack, coat pockets, and even in my car (that doesn't even work ha!) My favorite flavor is Strawberry Shortcake as listed above. I am actually chewing on a piece right now :) There is also Mint Chocolate Chip Icecream and Key Lime Pie. They are all delicious. Whenever I am in class, doing cardio, or just around others that are eating foods that are a definite no-no for me, I pop a piece out and life is good again. In some of my longer classes I will literally be chewing this gum, spit it out when it loses flavor (it LASTS a LONG time!!) and then pop in another one right away.

2. Crystal Light:
Along with my gallon of water I like to flavor it with crystal light. Whenever there is a new flavor I get super excited to try it out. I have a shaker bottle that is designated for my crystal light :) I carry it around all day and keep a box of the single packets with me. I also buy the larger servings so I can put it in my gallon jugs of water. Whenever I get hungry between meals, or in the evening especially when I am taking in fewer calories I definitely get help from drinking this.
Some of my favorite Flavors: Cherry Pomegranate, Dragon Fruit, Raspberry Lemonade, Pomegranate Lemonade :)

3. Unsweetened Coco
Just recently, probably around 7 weeks out I started adding coco to my oatmeal. Never did I think that this would taste good, but it is as good as it can get right now :) It gives me the feeling that eating chocolate would, and the smell alone when slow cooking in my oats is heavenly :)


4. Diet Dew
I use to think Diet Mountain Dew was awful and one day my friend, Megan told me to try hers. I told her it's terrible but she convinced me since I never consume sugar anymore, that I might enjoy it. Sure enough...it was amazing. I try to limit myself to have only about 4 a week and I am going to cut it out 3-4 weeks out. This is one of the only things during my day that seems like a treat, so I enjoy it. I usually have it with lunch aka Meal 3 :) When I am eating at school and I am surrounded by people eating their carbs and grease I enjoy my chicken and oatmeal and drink my Diet Dewsky with a smile on my face:)

5. Emerald Coco Roast Almonds: Dark Chocolate
Ok if you have not tried these, you are not living :) They are fabulous! You just have to make sure you count out your serving (ex: I have 10 almonds before bed...not 11...not 20....ONLY 10) and then put the cover on and put them away :) They are a special treat!

6. Wishbone Salad Spritzers:
This is a new item I have added to my list. I like it because it adds a burst of flavor for not a lot of calories. When I make my new favorite salad: mixed greens, 3 oz chicken, raw asparagus, tomato, mushrooms and 5 sprays of salad spritzer :) I have tried the balsamic breeze and also raspberry bliss. They are both wonderful. I tried the raspberry flavor last night for the first time and it made my chicken taste like candy! No joke!!! Try it out and let me know which flavor you think is best :)

7. Nutella!
Ok this is not something I allow myself to have while cutting but it is great any other time of year. I like to mix 1-2 tsp of Nutella with my tbsp of natural peanut butter when I put it on my salt free/sugar free rice cake. Makes for a tasty treat!!

8. Mrs. Dash
There are endless possibilities with this seasoning. It is salt-free and very flavorful. Flavors I have used, and I used them:
Table Blend: Chicken
Garlic & Herb: Steamed Asparagus, Venison Steak, Chicken, Red Potatoes
Lemon Pepper: Tilapia!
Southwest Chipotle: Chicken, Ground Turkey
Chicken: This one is obvious :)

9. Truvia sweetener
I started using this sweetener a few weeks ago and I really like it. I add 1 tsp to my morning oats along with the coco :)

10. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is amazing. Not only does it give you antioxidants, but it is delicious and smells amazing. I put cinnamon in my oats (I rotate the coco and cinnamon).

11. Angel Delites
I call these Angel Delites because my very own friend, Angel gave me this amazing idea one day when I was having a chocolate craving (go figure hehe).
Ok here is what you do:
1 tbsp Natural Peanu tbutter
1 scoop whey (chocolate preferred)
Mix ingredients in a bowl with water for a paste-like consistency
Scoop contents into an ice cube tray and put in the freeze for one-two hours.
Depending on the size of your ice cube tray I eat 2-3. Sometimes I eat them just under the hour mark so they are still soft and remind me of a pudding consistency. Otherwise you can eat them when they are more frozen and let them melt in your mouth. Mmm mmmm thank you boo-boo<3

12. Protien Pudding
Here is a recipe my sister, Amanda enjoys :)
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tbsp natural peanut butter 
1 scoop protein
Mix contents together and it tastes like pudding!
13. Green Tea
I enjoy drinking green tea because the warm liquid makes me feel full and satisfied. I find myself drinking it when I am working to keep my hands busy or in the evening when I am taking in less calories and feel hungry more often. You can add 1tsp of Truvia to it for  sweet treat!



 15. Flavor up your Water!!!!
Make water more exciting by adding a few slices of cucumber, apple, lemon, few frozen berries.
16. Bulk up Your Egg Whites:
At the end of the day when I am at my 1/3 egg whites meal that could make for a long night of hunger if I didn't bulk up my egg whites with fresh greens, mushrooms, onions and sprinkle black pepper. This turns a depressing meal into something exciting!

17. Steamed Carrots with Cinnamon
For a special treat steam 1 cup of carrots and sprinkle cinnamon on them with 1tsp of Truvia. It is so good it tastes like you are cheating :)

18. Black Coffee
Coffee has a few wonderful benefits. Not only does it help me out from my early morning starts, but it also helps keep me full between meals. I add a natural sweetener to it to make it a little more enjoyable. I enjoy trying new flavors. Sometimes when I go to the grocery store and have a craving I stand in the coffee aisle and look for a solution to my problem. Some of my favorites (no particular brand) : Pumpkin Spice, Icing on the Cake, White Christmas, Peppermint, and White Chocolate Obsession! Mmm!

19. Protein Icecream
Here is another recipe my friend Angel sent me:
1 scoop chocolate Protein
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tbsp unsweetened coco
Put all of these contents mixed up in a plastic zip-lock bag. Take a larger freezer bag and fill it with 1 cup of salt (you are not actually consuming this) and ice.
Shake for 5 minutes and then leave it sit for 2-3 minutes.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

20. North Sea Coffee Mix: Mocha or French Vanilla
These packets only have 20 calories and are packed with flavor. They are the same concept as Crystal Light drink packets except you can add them to 8 oz of water or unsweetened almond milk. I do not use these when I am cutting but I sure enjoyed them over the winter. You can also add them in with your chocolate protien shake for more of a coffee flavor!!! DELISH!!!!!!!

I hope you found a few tricks that will work for you. Have a wonderful day! Enjoy the sunshine!!
SJ xo

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

FOCUSED!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone!
Hope your week is going amazing. I am staying on track and I am super focused! I am not even dreading early a.m. cardio anymore...in fact I kind of like :) Yesterday I went grocery shopping and didn't even get sad when I walked passed the Reese's Eggs. I don't need that to be happy. What a great feeling to be past my cravings!!!

6 weeks...3 days to go! I am leaning out daily and feeling amazing. This morning I was at 126.5 on the scale which means I have cut about 14 lbs so far! Never say never! :) I am getting my body fat tested again Friday morning too. We will see where I am at.

Yesterday I was at camp all day but no school groups came so we had a work day. On the way home one of my friends said "Wow Sara, I have never heard you so quite before." and in unison everyone else in the vehicle without even hesitating said "She's hungry." I looked out of the passanger seat smiled. They all get it. They all accept me and get it. What a relief to have a group of friends that I get to spend a full day each week with that support me and understand why I do what I do. People that don't know me as well point out the negatives and make me feel bad for having off days or put me down for what I do.What a relief to have friends like this.
[Thanks for helping me keep my 'elephant tamed' :) Captain, Kait, Jake, Kels, Thor...couldnt ask for better friends]     :)

Have a great day. Time for class-
SJ xo

Saturday, March 12, 2011

WHAT A GREAT DAY!

I woke up this morning and got to talk to my mom on the phone which was wonderful. She informed me I should get my bikini Monday or Tuesday which I am VERY excited about!! It will be so awesome to be able to try it on to make everything come to life a little more. I also mailed my entry fee in today so it is more official now :) 7 WEEKS TODAY...April 30th here I COME!!!!

Cardio went great this morning as always. I did interval training on the Stairmaster-personal favorite. I can really feel my hammies/glutes tightening up which makes me very happy. Today is a day off from lifting so after work tonight I will be sure to hit up cardio once more for the day.

Today I start a new job on campus and I get to work with food. I am hoping that working with high fat foods makes me want them less :) I will find out today.

Make it great day. Call someone you miss and tell them you care :)
SJ xo

Friday, March 11, 2011

Lesson of the Day: PMO

[Seven weeks, 1 day to GO]

Day five of the week is always the most difficult day to get myself out of bed and in my workout clothes to head over for cardio session #1 of the day. I got to the gym and hopped on the scale..128 today! woot woot! That gave me the boost I needed to get through my 30 minute Stairmaster workout! After my workout I walked outside and the sun was coming up and the birds were chirping and it was just beautiful. I was so glad I got myself out of bed because it ended up being a wonderful start to my day:) :) :)

After my first class today I also  had my body fat tested and I am now down to 9% which is exciting because last time I checked I was 10.25%. My problem areas are my legs and then triceps and both of those areas had fat loss so I know what I am doing is working and I am on track!!!! Even though I am new at this and dont have my own trainer ordering me what to do for contest prep, I am figuring it out and being successful with my progress.

I was working my desk job this afternoon and my favorite person came in to work out. He is an elderly man that supports me 110% and always wants to hear about my progress. Today he told me to always have PMO....Positive Mental Outlook on life. I completely agree with this! The day is all what you make of it so make it a great one!!!!!

Have a fantastic weekend!
SJ xo

Monday, March 7, 2011

Give and Take

Happy Monday! 

Life has been crazy and I have not had a chance to write in a while. All is well with my contest prep. 8 weeks to go and I am locked down in focus mode. The end is near! Last night I had again another dream about my show. They usually are me in a panic for not being able to get spray tanned and having to walk the stage white or breaking a heel or something ridiculous. Hopefully all of those things just happen when I am sleeping and on April 30th :)

Over the weekend I was going over my finances and knew it was going to be extremely tight. I am not getting near enough hours at work and my bills are never ending--not to mention how much I spend a week on groceries. So I did what I knew I had to do and I finally put up some of my fishing gear...two St. Croix rods to be exact and 2 Pflueger lp Baitcaster reels. For those of you that don't know me.....I LOVE to fish and those rods were really nice. They even had my name engraved on them. Sometimes there has to be sacrifice. Luckily they are going to a good home where they will be used all the time in tournaments and will catch monster bass :)

The week is going to be another crazy one with lots to do. At least I can breathe a little knowing I can at least order my suit this week for my competition. I am very excited to order it!!!!!! 

I did progress pictures on Friday which was good because I could critique where I am at. There is no rushing perfection but I definitely need to keep busting ass before show time :)

Well time to get moving for another long Monday.....5 classes, lifting, group project, cardio, and chicken cooking....oh the life :)


SJ xo