muscle gainz!

I don't know why the fitness world writes 'gainz' or 'dem shoulders doe' etc.  But I like it!

My six week program ended with Pure Workout at the end of March.  I went back to the bod pod to measure my fat free muscle loss.  (This is what I was going for.  Most people in the challenge were either losing 20 lbs or losing 5% body fat.  They were willing to work with me and instead I was trying to gain 5 pounds of muscle mass.)

I am HAPPY TO REPORT that I gained 5.4 lbs of fat free mass!

I also gained 1.2 lbs of fat, which was kind of expected.  It's hard to gain muscle and not fat too.  My body fat% didn't change.

I am going to continue going to Pure Workout after school and adding in more HIIT cardio in the mornings and on the weekends.  I would like to shed some fat that is layering over my new muscle.  I am also starting T25 from Beachbody and starting a Focus T25 Challenge Group in the upcoming weeks. (more info on this later! but if you're interested now...email me at jumpintofit@gmail.com)

My favorite fat burning activities are sprints (either around the track tabata style) or up hills until I can't run anymore.  I've done the Highland High stairs twice which really burns my legs.  I'm always there with HS football players and it makes me push harder.

friday favorites

I'm back!  I'm back!

I am sad about the hiatus...and I know it's cliche to say that 'life got in the way', but it did!  I started committing myself and my time into multiple areas of my life and typing on the blog just fell off the wagon.  I committed my time to teaching and my fourth grade team.  I committed to my 6 week challenge! (more on that in a later post!) and I committed to getting our new house underway.  Spring Fever hit me hard and I felt like I wanted to organize, clean, and get ready to be successful!

I wanted to start out with my Friday Favorites because I've been up to a lot!

- Favorite Food:  Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Dill Weed and Garlic Salt. Seriously.  Ask everyone at my school (because they can smell me a mile away!)

- Favorite Exercise Move: BURPEES!  PW has us do a LOT of burpees and it's crazy how much easier they have become.  The way I was taught to do burpees is jump, push up position, chest to floor (basically drop, this isn't a controlled pushup), push back up, feet to hands, jump! The burpee is more about cardio than strength, so going fast and not concentrating on the pushup is key!

- Favorite Stretch: using a foam roller on my hip flexors and IT band.  Magic in my Muscles right there. 

- Favorite Workout Accessory: the Contigo water bottle.  I swear I should get sponsor money on how many people I convert to this amazing bottle.  Usually, I show people a demonstration about it's awesomeness but I will let you figure it out. 

- Favorite Random Thing!: I love cats/kittens.  A lot.  I love all animals and my heart strings pull for any of them.  I lucked out that two rescue cats fell into my lap when they were 8 week old kittens.  I've been a crazy cat person ever since!  They are just TOO funny and cuddly not to love!  Google Funny Cat Videos and there goes your entire day. 

friday favorites

I'm recovering from a brutal cardio class at Pure Workout. (I posted it on my jumpintofit instagram here!) and an equally difficult basketball practice in Park City.  I knew going into that practice that being in 'basketball shape' was a whole different beast, but it was a killer!  I love playing sports because you are working your tail off but it's so fun.  You don't even recognize how sore or tired you are because your mind is so focused on playing.

My great friend from high school, Crystal, and I visited our alma mater so we could help out our other friend Sam, who is coaching his girls' basketball team to a state playoff game!  He wanted us to give them some pep talking, memories, and the importance of high school sports and teammates.  I loved every second of it and am so grateful for that opportunity to share my experiences on the court.

Now on to my Friday Favorites!!

- Favorite Food:  steel cut outs with Cellucor Cookies n' Cream protein powder mixed in.

- Favorite Exercise Move: barbell deadlift for sure!  #becauseglutes

-Favorite Workout Song:  This song is an oldie but a goodie! Rage Against the Machine: Guerrilla Radio. 

-Favorite Stretch: pigeon pose.  This really helps if you are tight in the hips.  This move stretches your hip flexors AND the hip rotators.  This stretch really hurts me, but in a good way! 

-Favorite Workout Accessory: my new Nike Bionic shoes!  I was looking for some new training shoes that would be good on turf and sport court material.  This lady was at the Nike outlet store purchasing five more pairs of these shoes! (mine are bright purple with bright green laces...oh yeah)

-Favorite Random Thing!: Pretty Little Liars.  I know.  I am not a sixteen year old girl.  But I am addicted to this show...damn Netflix and it's awesome marathon watching abilities! WHO IS A???!!! :)

beam me up scotty!

...or just find me my actual body fat % and fat free mass.


Chad helped me out with a caliber test the other week.  Now I can see if a professional does it, you'll probably get more accurate results.  But as I perused the internet at pictures of people at certain body fat percentages, I realized quickly that there was NO WAY I was 17% body fat.  That's like my IDEAL body fat!

My results for this challenge aren't weight loss.  They will be for body fat and mainly my fat free mass. So insert the BOD POD! (Star Trek quote worthy right?)

No this isn't me.  However, smiling is my favorite! 

The Bod Pod is an air displacement test that calculates your body composition.  It's really quick and easy.  15 minute appointment from beginning to end.  Painless!

My body fat percentage is at 21.6% and my fat free mass is 110.015 lbs.  And that body free mass number includes my bones and organs too.  The goal is to lose some body fat while gaining muscle  (fat free mass!) I'm talking with my trainer tomorrow to get actual numbers so I have an actual goal.  :)

I definitely recommend checking your local universities to see if they offer a test like this.  The weight scale means nothing people!  Skinny fat is not cute....right Miley?

ewwww...my eyes! my eyes!

operation GET FIT - day one!

So I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.  I also believe that life is all about CHOICES.  Choices in your actions, your emotions, your outlook on life, etc.  (I even debated naming this blog with 'making choices' being the main theme. )  We all hear too often that people blame outside sources on the reasons that life happens to them the way it does.  Now there are definitely situations that are out of one's control, but you choose how to handle those setbacks.

My life has been in a rut just with my outlook on life and my routines through life.  I decided to make CHOICES and put myself out there to have some good change happen.  And let me tell you,  law of attraction WORKS.  Big time!  (Working at lululemon taught me that!)

I follow some girls on instagram who are from Utah and are huge motivators on changing their lives and getting fit.  (@jazzythings and @dallasrae)  They decided to host a clinic on healthy eating and alternative training.  The clinic was over the weekend and was an awesome price for all the freebies we got!  I even won two 40 minute massages, a 4lb tub of protein powder, and a waffle maker!  Pretty much those things paid for the clinic!  I'll share my cooking and tricks later.

But I also learned of an awesome gym called Pure Workout.  It's a gym that focuses on training the entire body (but not in a crossfit way.  Nothing against crossfit, but I've known tons of people who've been seriously injured because 'faster is better'. )  I want to lift heavy shit AND have proper form.  This gym offers a 6 week program for people to put a deposit down (incentive to stick to the plan!) and then either lose 20lbs, 5% body fat, and/or gain lean muscle.  I'm a unique contestant because I am underweight and I want to gain muscle (hello chicken wing arms!) and tone.  I'm getting my body fat tested at a real facility tomorrow using the bod pod so it's more accurate than my caliber test.

I'm on a strict nutrition diet and have to workout at Pure Workout five days a week.  After six weeks if I hit my goal, then I get my deposit back!  Wahoo!

I will be posting pictures of some of our workout exercises and hopefully give ideas to train differently than just cardio and lifting weights.

favorite apps

look for Favorite Apps continued in a future post!

sunday night check-in : week 1

Chad helped me check my body fat this evening using a skin caliber test and a girth test.  I used the Accu-Measure caliber [purchased from Scheels] and a cloth ruler.  I put all my information into the Precision Nutrition website [I purchased the binder before Christmas because it was half price! The binder and the site is chock full of good information, mostly researched and some based off others' experiences.]

Right now, I currently weight 140 lbs (definitely goes UP and DOWN) but 140 is the best average.  My heaviest weight at this height [5'11"] was 162lbs in 2006 and my lowest was 127lbs in 2012.  I think 140-145 is ideal for me if I can have muscle tone and strength.  

Right now I am at 17.6% body fat.  My highest skin folds were my back and thighs.  

My goal is to be at 14% body fat by June.....aka bikini season!