Try And Hold Me Back.

First off, I got a new book written by the founder of a fabulous organization and I'm very excited about it. If you have a second, visit the website for To Write Love On Her Arms (twloha.com) and read about this movement. It's an amazing non-profit organization raising money for an even more amazing cause. Thanks guys!! :)

Single Digits!!! I met with Aaron on Wednesday this week and my body fat is officially in the single digits. I'm sitting at 9.7% and 142 lbs. I dropped 2.1% since my last check in and that's with a trip back home in between! I killed that shit (pardon my french). I tend to turn into a sailor when I get excited. I'm extremely proud of myself for maintaining self control and adhere to my strict diet plan while being surrounded by ALOT of tempting foods. I'm still ahead of schedule and it feels great, especially since this is the first time that I've ever done this. It definitely feels a lot more natural now. My body has started to adjust to the extremes a little bit more than it initially had. It's not easy, or fun at times, but this whole process is making me a mentally, physically, and emotionally stronger woman. And there is no price tag on that.

I feel unstoppable. I have a fire in my eyes that wasn't there before. I'm on a mission to achieve something that I've wanted for over 3 years. Something that I was too timid to try and tackle before. This desire to be great is a new one for me. And I love it. I get chills down my spine when I think about the goal I've set out to accomplish. This is the first time in my life that I've been emotional (in a good way) about a goal. I get tears in my eyes thinking about all the support that I have, how far I've come, and how hard I've been pushing myself for this. It's a feeling that I hope everyone is able to reach at some point in their life. It's a feeling of KNOWING you are a damn rock star and the only thing that can stop you is yourself, but there's no way that will happen because you want it too damn bad. You learn to ignore the pain because the pain of life will never stop. You simply have to channel it into something that means the world to you. Then, you conquer it. It's empowering. It's motivating. Nothing can stop you. It's inspiring to you AND to those around you. And when you start to inspire yourself, you know you're doing something right. Fear has kept me from stepping on that stage in the past, but it has nothing on me this time around. Try and hold me back now fear.... JUST TRY!!!

Let It Go.

If you are still holding on to people, feelings, and/or negative effects from past experiences that may have left you feeling defeated, hurt, broken, betrayed, lost, or even empty. Think of them as leaves of a tree. Every year they brown, fall off, and blow away. And guess what?!? That's exactly what makes room for more to grow fresh, green, healthy, and NEW!!!

The weight of what has happened in your past isn't worth carrying around. If you let go of what you no longer have the power to change, you will make room for bigger and better things. The world is waiting for you.

Let it go.

:)

Recap

I haven't posted since March 23rd. Woah. I knew it had been a while, but it has been longer than I originally thought! A lot has happened in the past few weeks. Let me tell you what.

1) I got a new clipboard!!! Life changing.

2) I got brand spankin' new ceramic pots and pans!!! I am VERY excited about these and I don't need to explain myself.

3) I ordered 2 more Glasslock food container sets. Even MORE excited about these!! The above statement also applies here.

4) I'm starting to see crazy changes in my body. There are muscles popping up that I've never been able to see before. I'm starting to see the striations in my shoulders (very cool) AND my 6 pack has started to come in. Pumped!!! This has been a "future" goal of mine for QUITE sometime now. I can't stop smiling about the progress I have made. 7 MORE WEEKS!!!

5) Roscoe and I packed up and drove down to Illinois for 5 days to visit my family, friends, and celebrate my niece's 1st birthday! Good times.

Let's talk about the hardest part of the 5 hour drive back home real quick. It's not being able to snack on things that I normally would on the way. Sad, but true. I usually take 2 Quest bars (one white chocolate raspberry and one cookie dough), an apple or a banana, and peanut butter!! That wasn't the case this time around. The trip there wasn't too bad because it was my high carb day (300g)!!! I was able to eat 1 cup of cottage cheese and some blackberries and my favorite little "desert" concoctions, which is 1 cup of oats (this amount varies on high or low carb day), 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, and 3 tbsp of PB2 (powdered peanut butter). Soooooooo damn GOOD!!!! On the drive home, however, I had two little tubs of raw green veggies... (sad trombone sound). I drove home on Monday, which was a low cab day (25g) and I ate those for breakfast. Sweet potato of course!! :)

It takes a lot of planning and prepping to travel during show prep. I made 30 meals and packed them up in a cooler that I could fit in myself. No, I'm not exaggerating. The best part about having to haul that colossal thing around was that it forced me to FINALLY take the 8 bags of old clothes that had been occupying my trunk for the better half of a year, to Goodwill. Yeah, you read that right. A whole year. Aaaaaaaand I may or may not have driven by that same Goodwill about 100 times in that year. Don't judge me. 

My sister did an amazing job planning Millie's party. She had handmade decorations, she started new traditions, there was delicious smelling food (wouldn't know how it tasted because I couldn't eat any), and ice cold drinks! Back to the food. I hadn't really craved anything up until this point (except for peanut butter... for obvious reasons) mainly because I hadn't been around any foods other than what I had been making for myself and my clients. Although, the food I make for my clients is still pretty hard enough to say no to at times! I haven't gone to restaurants, or been to parties for this very reason. There are too many temptations when all you really want to do is eat some naughty foods!!! And it's not like the food was extravagant. It was simple. But everything looked and smelled phenomenal. I must say, that was the first time I had ever drooled over the sight and smell of a ham and cheese deli sandwich. I could have gone for about 6 of them, a deviled egg... or 10, a few mini cupcakes, or a full block of cheese. I even day dreamed about eating the remanence of Millie's smash cake. Extreme, I know. But it happened.

Side Note: Babies and smash cakes are the BEST!!!!

I did my best to stay busy chatting and utilized the deck (where there was no food) as much as possible!!! All exaggeration aside, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, it was tough, but I lived to write this blog entry about it, right?!? 

The first year of Millie's life flew by WAY too fast. It feels like she was just born 3 months ago. I think her parents would fully agree with me on that. She's such a cool little human though. She's so damn smart! I predict that she's going to be a nerdy little heartbreaker, which is quite the combo. She has an amazing personality and I can't wait to see what the next few years have in store. My sister is going to have their hands full!!

Most of my trip was spent with family, but I also got to meet up with some great friends! I've been spending a lot of time alone up here in Minneapolis due to my crazy schedule with work and this show prep, so it was soooooooooo nice to spend some quality time with my favorite group of girls back home. I love you guys to pieces and I can't wait to see you at my show at the end of May!!!

 I also got the chance to lift with one of them. We had been planning to do that for a long time and things just never quite worked out. But we got it done this time around! I met her at QC Strongman where she goes on a regular basis to lift. It was fun to see her in her element! I always enjoy lifting at new gyms. To me, it's like trying a new restaurant! So I was super pumped. Plus, it was deadlift day!!! One of my favorites :) She wanted me to take a look at her form and give her some pointers. So we did just that. It was a successful lifting session. She is very quad dominant, so I broke things down for her in a way that she needed to hear it in order to help her fully understand what she needed to add/subtract from her routine in order to strengthen the weaker areas (glutes and hamstrings) that are the cause of her lower back pain during her lifts. She had a bit of an "aha moment", which is one of the coolest things to see as a coach. It's that moment when your client gets that look on there face that tells you that the light bulb just turned on!!! "I feel it where I'm supposed to now!" I just talked to her yesterday and she said she had just had an awesome deadlift session on Thursday. She's feeling the difference of the small changes we made while I was back. She works her ass off and deserves to feel accomplished when she walks out of the gym after her deadlift sessions, not frustrated. I think she's on the road to doing just that and I couldn't be happier.

Until next time!

:)

No More Penny Pinching...

I had my 3rd posing session this morning and my body comp was right where I thought it would be. My body fat is down to 11.8% and I weighed in at 144.6 lbs. This past week was a really intense week of the carb cycle, but it paid off. I dropped another 2.4 lbs and I'm well on my way to being show ready two weeks out like I want. The adjustments we made to my carb cycle two weeks ago have made a huge difference. My body has reacted much better to just one re-feed (high carb) day. I'm up to 300g of carbs on that day (Thursdays) and down to between 75 and 0 on the other 6 days of the week. The fact that my re-feed day is so high and I'm still dropping a steady 1.5-2 lbs each week tells us that my metabolism is on FIRE, which is a very good thing. Like I said way back in one of the first posts, the higher we can get my carb numbers on my re-feed day, the better!

We went over all of the body building poses and made some fine tunes where needed. He then showed me some physique poses... FINALLY!!! These are a lot more unique and fun than the old fashioned bodybuilding poses (in my opinion). It's going to be a challenge to master all of them in the next 8 weeks, but I'm up for it. I've already done so much in preparation for this thing, but it still feels like there is so much left to do!! I've started to calculate all the money that I've spent on this over the past few months and it has become really clear that when it's all said and done, I will have put more, time, energy, sweat, money, and probably some tears into this than I have ever put into anything else in my life. What does this tell you? Well, it tells you that it is EXTREMELY important to me, because I am a huge tight ass. I do NOT spend a lot of money outside of my basic day to day needs, so this has been really hard for me!

Here are the things I've checked off of the to-do-list that makes me cringe a little bit more each and every time I see it:

Register for all 4 divisions ($270) - Check!
Hire a killer diet/posing coach ($900) - Check!
Book tan time ($100) - Check!
Scheduled hair/make up appointments ($210) - Check!
Purchase Suit... (Gulp) - Not yet!!!!
Practice poses, kill diet, and train like a beast (Priceless!!!) - Check!

I figured I'd start doing a little research on the suits since it's the last thing on my list and let's just say I became a bit overwhelmed. These suckers range anywhere from $250 all the way up to $1200. Ummmmmm... it's two itty bitty pieces of fabric that barely cover my "junk"!!!!!! But I need one, so all whining aside, I proceeded to look (for about 3 more seconds), then I closed my lap top and walked away. I'll save that shit for another day.

Until next time!! :)

Half Way!!! (Almost)

I started this journey just over two months ago at 158 pounds and 18% body fat. I walked into Aaron's office with no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that I've wanted to do this for a long time. I've just never had the balls or funds to make it happen. Recent events have changed the way I approach things in life and I have no intension of waiting for good things to come to me. If I want something, I'm going to go out and get it. End of story. So here I am, chasing the top spot in my first physique competition.

Last week was a huge week for me. We made some changes and set a goal to drop at least 1.5-2 lbs for the next 6 weeks. I weighed in at 147 pounds this past Thursday morning (down 2 pounds) and I couldn't have been happier with myself. We'll be taking my body fat % again on Thursday of next week when I have my next posing practice. I should be right around 11-12%.

Next week I will officially be half way through my preparation, which means things are going to be getting a little more intense. I no longer have two high carb re-feed days. I'm down to just one. Right now I'm at 250g of carbs on that day. As I said before, that number will continue to go up and my low carb days will slowly continue to drop. Right now I'm at two zero carb days each week. Thursday is my re-feed day and I'm at 250g carbs right now. Friday I drop back down to 100g, Saturday and Sunday I'm at 50g, and Monday I'm at 25g. Tuesday and Wednesday are the killers, aka, the big fat ZEROS!!! They haven't been too horrible yet, but I still have 8 weeks to go... (insert scared face here) I just have to keep a level head and remember that the fact that it's extremely hard is the exact reason why I'm doing it.

The diet isn't the only thing that is becoming more intense. We've also ramped up my cardio. And if you know me, you know that I don't normally do much cardio. I started at 20 mins of HIIT 1-2 times a week (this is normal for me). Now I'm at 25 mins of HIIT two times a week plus 55 mins of layered steady state four times a week. The reason I do this while where multiple layers is to sweat as much has I possibly can. This helps to condition my skin for how tight it's going to be come show time!

We're really trying to get a head of the game so I'm show ready about two weeks out. That way I can "relax" a little bit more and feel 120% prepared when I step foot on that stage at the end of May. I want to focus solely on perfecting my posing routine and getting my skin as tight as possible the the last two weeks. I want to walk on to that stage KNOWING that no one has a chance against me. If I continue to put in the work, I can make that happen.

You Are My Motivation.

I had my second posing session with Aaron on Tuesday this week and I left feeling like an unstoppable train!!! We worked on my poses for the first 25 mins, then we sat down to chat and this is what he said. "I'm not trying to put any pressure on you, but I will be honest. I'm expecting great things from you." He is the first person that has ever said that to me. And I didn't realize this until I was driving home. I actually started to tear up because right then and there, it hit me like a ton of bricks. THIS is what I was put on this planet to do. I was born to be a bodybuilder!!!

I was given this talent to inspire people on a daily basis. I love my job as a personal strength and conditioning coach. I love my clients and seeing them achieve things that they never thought they could. I also love showing them that I struggle just like they do. I've had to work extremely hard to get to where I am in my life. And I can honestly say that I'm nowhere NEAR where I want to be. I have so much more to see, do, and accomplish. I'm 31 years young. I'm just now really seeing the full spectrum of what I was put on this earth to do.

I knew that I loved being a trainer from the moment that I started working with clients, but I also knew that there was still something missing. It had nothing to do with my job and everything to do with something inside of myself. I couldn't put my finger on it before, but it's very clear now. I was missing that part of me that made me feel like I was always pushing myself to be better. Before now I was just kind of going through the motions. I didn't really have specific goals in place for my life. I tricked myself into believing that I was living to the best of my abilities. I'd go through this checklist in my head: I have a job that I love, I can pay my bills, I have friends and family who care about me, I have a great dog, a roof over my head, and I have enough money to do the things that I enjoy. This seems pretty legit, right? But this is exactly where I went wrong. I was settling for what I had already accomplished instead of striving to do more with my life. I finally woke up one morning and thought to myself, "I'm bigger and better than this." That was the day that I decided to challenge myself in a whole new way.

I've completed 7 weeks of preparation and I'm feeling better now than I ever have. Why? Because I'm finally doing what I was meant to do. I'm not only pursuing my passion as a personal strength and conditioning coach, but I'm also pursuing a passion that I knew had been the missing link all along. A competitive bodybuilder. It's the perfect addition to my personal training and meal prep business. It challenges me in ways that I have never been challenged, which is exactly what had been missing in my life up until this point. The posing, extreme diet, and the excessive amount of cardio are just a few examples. Before this, I would do a maximum of maybe 45-60 mins of cardio a week. I'm now doing right around 250 mins each week. This number will only go up (shaking my head and grinning). It's forcing me to do things that I normally would laugh at. That is why I love it so much! It combines these challenges with my #1 passion of fitness. It just doesn't get any better.

As I get closer to the date of my show (May 27th, 2017), I can't help but think about all of my friends and family members here in Minneapolis and back home in the Quad Cities who have already booked hotel rooms and made plans to come support me on one of the biggest days of my life. This honestly brings tears to my eyes. I have never felt more loved and supported than I do right now. I faced one of the biggest challenges in my life back in May of 2016, but I since realized that the only love that I truly need in my life, is the love that I have for myself. If that love is strong, then everything else will only grow stronger. I've come full circle and I'm very proud of that. The love I have for myself is stronger than it has ever been. And this makes the love that I'm getting from those close to me feel stronger than it has ever felt. It's amazing what self love can do for you.

I'm beyond excited to see everyone in the crowd on the day of my show. I don't think you guys truly understand how much much it will mean to me. I will warn you ahead of time, I'm going to be an emotional wreck once I step off of that stage. A good wreck though, not a bad one! I just know that I'm going to be overwhelmed with all the love and support that will be there for me. It's going to be more than I have ever experienced. Not only that, it will be on one of the biggest days of my life.

I'm writing this because I wanted you all to know that YOU are a HUGE piece of what keeps me motivated. When I'm feeling discouraged, tired, or just simply having one of those days when I'm not psyched up about getting my workout or posing practice in, I think about you. I think about the commitment you have made to me and seeing me achieve this goal. I think about who I'm inspiring by not giving up. This is what flips the switch for me. This is what keeps me going. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Love,
Kelsey

Unconventional

It's 2am and I couldn't sleep. I have a million things going through my mind for some reason. I'm usually a GREAT sleeper. I can shut my brain off at night until that alarm goes off at 3/3:30. But since it came knocking a little earlier today, I figured I'd get up and write the post that I said I'd write last night. I've been slacking you guys. I have not been managing my time well when it comes to getting these posts written and I apologize for that. But here it is. Finally!

I wanted to share with you some strategies for working out in unconventional spaces. The two things that it really comes down to are simple. Make good use of your own body weight and be creative with the space you have and the objects surrounding you!

You can do so many things with just your body weight. There are a lot of people out there who will tell you that you can't give yourself a good workout without equipment. That's simply not true. I've given many clients and myself plenty of killer workouts with minimal to absolutely no equipment. You don't have to be pouring sweat and breathing like you just ran a marathon to have given yourself a good workout. It's all about what your goal is. A flexibility workout will be completely different than a straight up strength based lifting or cardio session, but it is JUST as effective and can be just as challenging! It's just challenging in a different way. There are also certain flexibility moves that will keep your heart rate up in the 80 percentile if you place them strategically in the middle of heavy lifting or HIIT session as active rest. This is a good way to utilize your breaks for improving flexibility and overall mobility!

Here are some of my favorite "go to" body weight movements:

1) Hand walkout w/ or w/o push up (Strength/Flexibility)
2) Pike Push Up (Strength/ Flexibility)
3) Spiderman Pushup (Strength/Flexibility)
4) Sumo Alternating "Air Row" (Strength/Core Stabilization)
           * This would normally be done with weights, but it has benefits w/o them too!!!!
5) Jump Squat (Strength/Power)
6) Double or Single Leg Leap (Forward, Lateral, or Diagonal) -- (Strength/Power/Balance)
7) High Knees
8) Yoga Plex (Flexibility)
9) Lunges (Strength/Flexibility)
           * Lunge Variations: forward, reverse, lateral, and diagonal.
           * You can also alternate legs opposed to doing all reps one side, then moving to the other.
10) Single Leg Airplane (Balance/Flexibility)
11) Siderman Complex (Balance/Flexibility)
12) Leg Whip (Strength/Flexibility)
13) Reverse Lung w/ Knee Raise & Torso Twist (Strength/Flexibility/Balance)
            * Twist toward the knee that you bring up
14) Dead Bug - Isometric hold or w/ arm and leg extensions
            * This will bullet proof your lower back and over all core if done correctly!
15) Hollow Body Holds (An advanced progression of the dead bug)
16) Reverse Crunch
17) Hip Switches
18) Supine Oblique "Side Bends"
19) High or Low Plank
20) Body Saw (Core/Shoulder Strength)
21) X Plank (Core Stabilization/Balance)
22) Russian Twist

Note: I tried posting links to demo videos for all of these exercises, but I couldn't get them to work. I'll figure this out soon! Until then, you can find them on youtube. Please leave any questions you may have in the comment section and I'd be happy to answer them for you! :)

Now if you are in a hotel room, there are A LOT of things that you can use for a workout. You just have to think outside of the box! For example, your bed can be used in the same way as a bosu ball is used for balance. Stand on the bed and do some single leg airplanes or makes some dumbbells by throwing some of your belongings in a pillow case and do some single leg curls and or overhead presses! You can make them as heavy or light as you want. Also, almost every hotel room has a chair with wheels! This can be used as an "ab wheel." It's obviously higher off of the ground than a real ab wheel, so for some it will be less challenging, BUT it still does the trick. Just fatigue yourself with a few of the exercises I listed above before hand, then do as many reps as you can get with the new ab chair you just created! It can also be used as the stability ball during stability ball hamstring curls (which is one of the BEST exercises for your hamstrings in my opinion). See you guys, you just have to think OUT SIDE OF THE BOX. You have everything you need just about anywhere you go. I will elaborate on this more either today or tomorrow, but that's all the time I have for now. It's time to get this day rolling, aka, time to go make me some breakfast!!!

Until next time :)