motivation

Motivation; it comes from many resources.  It can come from other people such as our idols and family members, it can come from music or our favorite quotes, or it can come from within.  Those little voices that live inside each and everyone of us play a major role in how we act and who we become.  Those voices either push us forward and help us achieve our goals or they are the only things that stand in our way; the only things that never allow us to reach our goals.  Sometimes they doubt our abilities and they hinder our success by telling us we could have done better.  I spent 7 years listening to those voices telling me I was a failure, that I wasn't good enough, that I should just give up.  It took me a long time to realize that I had the power to control those voices and that I could change the way I thought about myself and the world around me.  And guess what, YOU can too.

Don't get me wrong, I still have those days when I don't like what I see in the mirror, when I am disappointed in myself, and when I just wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep forever.  The difference between the old me and the new me is how I handle those situations now.  When I used to have a bad day I would let it ruin my entire WEEK.  Now, I try to focus on the good things that happened that day and all the things I am grateful for (my family, my friends, my health, my job).  If I have a crappy workout one day I shake it off, refocus, and tell myself that I will do better tomorrow.  I push through the bad because I know that the good is just around the corner.

I've had a lot of people ask me, "what motivates you?", and to be honest the first thing that comes to mind is music.  To me music is not just background noise or a filler instead of awkward silence.  To me every lyric and every note was created for a certain reason.  Music has been a part of my life ever since I started dancing at the age of 3.  I'm not sure what it is exactly about music that gets my blood pumping, my endorphin's soaring, and my mind clear, but whatever it is, I can't live without it.  I am also intrinsically motivated.  I love to push and challenge myself everyday, I love dripping with sweat at the end of a workout, I crave that excitement before you lift, and I'm addicted to that feeling of accomplishment after a tough workout.  I am BEYOND motivated to accomplish my goals...I'm DETERMINED.  Even on the days when I'm exhausted and stressed out, I drag my butt out of bed because I know that no one else is going to do it for me.

To achieve your goals I believe you need to have 3 ingredients; motivation, consistency, and passion.  The motivation is what gets you to the gym everyday, the consistency is what gets you the results, and the passion is what creeps across your face into a smile because you know you did a good job.  There is no "easy way out" and there is no "magic pill".  YOU have to put in the work, YOU have to push through the pain, and YOU have to want to achieve your goals.  It may be a challenge at first and I know you'll think about quitting numerous times because I have too, but I promise it will be worth it.  So even when you're tired, frustrated, stressed out, and angry; NEVER give up.  Giving up won't speed up the process.  YOU can do it, so tell those negative voices to shut up, strap on those gym sneakers, and lift on!

LEG DAY: QUADZILLA

Hi y'all! Today was my first leg day of the week and it was quad dominant...which means that most of the exercises focused on my quads versus my hamstrings.  I have two leg days a week because I'm trying to build myself a DONK!!  I tell people that one of my goals is to be able to bounce a quarter off my butt...that's a normal goal right?!  It depends on your goals and what you want to accomplish but if you're like me and you're trying to build as much muscle mass as possible then breaking your body into parts (legs, arms, shoulders, back etc.) may be the way to go.  Otherwise doing lighter full body workouts 3-5 times a week is totally fine!  So feel free to follow this exact routine or just take little bits and pieces to make your own!

I started my workout like I normally do with a 10 minute warm up then go right into it!! GO BIG OR GO HOME right?! Here it is:

Squats (ass to grass) 95lbs 3x12

Front squats 75lbs 3x12 

**I make sure my ass hits my calves each time.  This was a mid action shot**

Smith machine booty kicks 30lbs 2x12, 40lbs 1x10

**Make sure to squeeze those cheeks at the top of each movement ; ) **
Walking lunges 25lb plates each hand 3x28

Reverse hack squat 55lbs each side (180lbs total because the machine without weight is 70lbs) 3x12

Step ups 3x16 (16 on each leg then switch)

Box jumps 3x12

Leg extensions 

-3 way 15lbs each side 1x12

-Isolated leg 15lbs each side 1x12

-Regular 25lbs 1x16

I hope this helps and inspires you!!

LIFT ON : )

hi everybody!

Hi everybody!  I am beyond excited that I have finally got this blog up and running : )  A big thank you goes to my sister Alex for helping me figure everything out and for always supporting me...love you!  For those of you who don't know me or where I started my fitness journey I want to take this time to give you a brief overview of who I was, who I am now, and what I want to accomplish in the next few years.  

I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa when I was 13 years old and spent most of my adolescence in and out of treatment centers and hospitals.  This not only changed my life, but it effected my family and friends as well.  I spent the majority of my days lost in my own mind; tearing myself apart.  It wasn't until I was lying in a hospital bed in the ICU at Boston Children's Hospital hooked up to a heart monitor that I decided I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I missed the feeling of dancing on stage, I longed to kick a soccer ball across a green grassy field, and I needed to stretch my legs across the pavement during a long run.  Having sports taken away from me because I was too sick was devastating and the last straw for me.  I decided I was going to stop wishing and dreaming about everything I wanted and start making it a reality.  I decided I was going to accomplish my goals because I deserved that; because I deserved to live.  

I began training for marathons initially, about a year and a half ago with my trainer Todd at Hampstead Health and Fitness.  I loved it but after running 13 miles almost everyday I got burnt out and running was no longer fun for me.  Todd suggested I switch things up and start training for bikini/figure competitions.  I changed up my diet and workout routines and fell in love with the world of bodybuilding.  I competed in my first figure competition this past July (2013) at the OCB Yankee Classic and had an absolute blast.  I didn't place but I didn't expect to; this was more of a "fact finding mission" and what I found out was how much I loved pushing myself, how much I loved challenging myself, and how badly I wanted to achieve my goals.

I am currently in the last few weeks of my bulking period and still lifting heavy; doing my best to gain more muscle mass for my upcoming bikini competitions in May.  I workout 5 days a week, I track my calories, and I am BEYOND determined to make my dreams a reality.  I want this more than I want to breathe and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there.  My long term goals are to win my pro card in bikini, make a career as a fitness model, and get my certification as a personal trainer, but my most important goal is to inspire as many people as I can along my journey.  I have never been this passionate about anything in my entire life and I am BEYOND BLESSED to be where I am today.  

I hope you all enjoy this blog and I hope it helps to motivate and inspire you!  Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments!  This blog is not only about me and my journey but it's also about you guys too : )  Thank you so much for all your love and support...you have no idea how much it means to me!  Love youuu

LIFT ON!!