{Obstacles make you Stronger}

Hello Everyone!

From Oppermacher apparel photoshoot. Photo by Diana Marie Photography

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I hope that you are still on top of your new year’s resolutions and working hard! I did not get a chance to write last weekend as I was moving back to school for my final semester of college.  My winter break ended, and I was very satisfied with how it went. I was able to spend a lot of time with my family and close friends, and spend hours every day at the gym. I lost 9lbs January 1^st-January 21^st. I was very happy with the progress I made.

 l started student teaching on Monday, and it is going great! I love every minute of it, and I have an awesome mentor, and I look forward to learning from her so I can continue to become an even better teacher. It is going to be a very busy semester, but a great way to end my college career.

Onto the details of prep…

CARDIO

Now that I am back at school, and teaching, I had to drop morning cardio because I have to be at the school too early in the morning and the gym does not open in time. I do cardio when I am done lifting until I burn 500 calories. I have mostly been sticking with the incline treadmill walking but I mix it up with intervals on the Stairmaster and on the elliptical as well.

I injured my shoulder earlier this week so I could only lift legs. After that occurrence I bumped up my cardio to burning 700 calories for the session to make up for it.

DIET:

I am doing a good job staying on track with my diet and getting my meals in. I am basically eating egg whites, chicken, or tuna for protein sources and plain rice cakes for carbs. I eat green beans with every meal and consume almost 1 lb. every day. They are a great filler and keep me tied over until it is time to eat again. It is a challenge getting my meals in at school while teaching but tuna and ricecakes have been a savior for that. If I have a cheat meal it basically consists of me eating more rice cakes (flavored kinds :)) my new favorite is White Cheddar!!!) or I let myself have a Lara bar (an gluten free treat that is basically made amazing up of: dates, nuts, and coco powder). I am not going to change anything yet as I am still seeing progress.

TRAINING:

I was killing it in the gym every day until my recent shoulder injury. I took Tuesday-Friday off of lifting anything on my upper body and I just trained legs and glutes. It kills me to have to take off lifting, but I do not want to injure myself more. Now that I am back on campus, I have been doing a lot of lunges with the 50# chains around my neck. I do 100 minimum a day. I love my lunges :)

BODY:

Chest: 33inches (same)

Waist: 26 inches (down .5 inches)

Hips: 34 inches (same)

Quads: 22 inches (down .5 inches)

Biceps: 11.5 inches (same)

Calves: 15 inches (same)

I have only dropped .5 inches in my waist  and quads since my last measurement, but I know if I continue to work hard, it will slowly come off. 

Tonight was my first full body workout since I injured my shoulder. I did 5 sets of 10 for each of my muscle groups, 100 weighted lunges, and 700 calories burned for cardio. I'm baaaaaaack!!!!!

LIFE

I am satisfied with all of the areas in my life.I am feeling great about my body again and how hard I have been working in the gym. I am so happy to be student teaching right now, and every day is a reassurance that I made the right decision for my future. I am so thankful to have an amazing family and friends that support me always.

Have a super week!!!!!! No excuses….:)

<3 SJ