I'm going to keep this one short, sweet, and straight to the point.
Making progress is NOT an easy process and it never will be. You WILL struggle. You WILL question things. You WILL want to throw in the towel, but DON'T. Giving up on yourself won't speed up the process. It will only hinder your potential to thrive. The hardest thing about success is trusting the process. Knowing in your heart that if you give everything you have, no matter what, you WILL get to where you're trying to go. Your methods won't always be crisp. You WILL get a little sloppy at times. That's part of being human.
NEWS FLASH: You aren't perfect (shocker, I know).
But guess what?!? The imperfections you cary with you are part of what guides your story. They are the things that you will keep busting your ass to improve. Want to know why? Okay, I'll tell you. It's because you're beautifully badass and you have A LOT to give to this world. Do you want to know something else? I know that you will, in time, find a way to let your light shine the best way that you know how. You WILL find your passion. You WILL feel the fire ignite inside of you and you won't be able to wipe the smile off of your face. THIS my friends, should be everyone's ultimate goal in life. Genuine happiness. You deserve it. And if you keep going, you WILL find it. Your time will come. Yes, it's a process. But you WILL get there. I promise. Just keep swimming.
Until next time.
(throws up the deuces)
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
What Really Matters
Do you ever feel like you have no fucking clue what you're doing with your life? I do. And I'll be damned if everyone who reads this hasn't thought it at some point in time. Don't get me wrong. I have a career that I love. I've found my passion, I have a roof over my head, and I have a supportive family and amazing friends who would do anything for me. I'm thankful for the life that I live, but I am human and there are still days that I wake up and think that I'm not living up to my full potential. I wonder if I'm doing things right. I get down on myself for not being where a "normal" 32 year old is in life. And honestly, it's ridiculous for me to even think this.
I strongly believe that we're conditioned to second guess ourselves because of what today's society says is normal. It's extremely unfortunate that we have reached a point where the world we live in has made us feel like we have to live up to certain expectations (physically, financially, and emotionally) in order to be considered a normal/successful human being.
For example, you're considered normal/successful if:
1) You make a lot of money
2) Your body looks a certain way (no lumps, bumps, bruises, or scars)
3) You drive an expensive car
4) You own an expensive home
5) You don't have any form of depression, anxiety, etc.
5) More stupid shit that doesn't actually matter....
Our happiness is often measured in the little greenish brown pieces of paper that we carry around in our wallets (gross), but guess what. Money has nothing on self love and compassion for other people. I'm 32 years old and I haven't "settled down", bought a home, had kids, OR bought my first new car yet... (GASP!!!) Oh, and NEWS FLASH!!! This changes nothing about how "normal" or successful I am. I'm just doing me and I'm learning how to be a better human along the way.
My success is NOT based on the money I make, the car I drive, the house I live in, or how my body looks. Neither is yours! My success is based solely on the person I strive to be each and every day. The hard work I put into what I do, and the people that I impact along the way. No, I'm not perfect. I stumble around trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing half of the time, but it's the effort and heart that I'm grasping onto as I hit the floor each time I fall that measures my success. It's recognizing that I'm not perfect and that I never will be, but I get up anyway. There are times when I want to throw in the towel, but then I remember why I started this journey. I remember that I'm simply a perfectly imperfect version of myself that continues to strive to be better. We all have our demons, myself included. I'm learning to own up to them and not let them consume me like I have in the past. This is what life is all about. We all have the ability to rise to the occasion. Your time will come and you'll blow your own damn mind! It's extremely important that we all do our part to help others see the greatness within them. Make it easy for people to be themselves around you. Be approachable. I will admit that there were times in my past that I failed to do this for the people around me, but I made a promise to myself that it would never happen again.
I've learned to....
1) Keep an open mind.
2) Embrace the differences I see in other people (LEARN from them).
3) Call myself on my own bullshit.
4) Listen to all constructive criticism thrown my way (then do my best to make it my bitch!)
5) Never stop learning.
6) Be myself.
7) Love myself.
Humankind comes first. People matter most. Doing your part to impact others in a game changing way is what's going to make the differences that this struggling world needs. Share your story and listen to others. A little compassion goes a long way. Letting people know that they aren't alone in the things that they are going through can save them. It's time to be brave. It's time to make the changes in ourselves that will impact those around us in a uplifting and motivating way. I'm in. Are you?
Until next time.
:)
I strongly believe that we're conditioned to second guess ourselves because of what today's society says is normal. It's extremely unfortunate that we have reached a point where the world we live in has made us feel like we have to live up to certain expectations (physically, financially, and emotionally) in order to be considered a normal/successful human being.
For example, you're considered normal/successful if:
1) You make a lot of money
2) Your body looks a certain way (no lumps, bumps, bruises, or scars)
3) You drive an expensive car
4) You own an expensive home
5) You don't have any form of depression, anxiety, etc.
5) More stupid shit that doesn't actually matter....
Our happiness is often measured in the little greenish brown pieces of paper that we carry around in our wallets (gross), but guess what. Money has nothing on self love and compassion for other people. I'm 32 years old and I haven't "settled down", bought a home, had kids, OR bought my first new car yet... (GASP!!!) Oh, and NEWS FLASH!!! This changes nothing about how "normal" or successful I am. I'm just doing me and I'm learning how to be a better human along the way.
My success is NOT based on the money I make, the car I drive, the house I live in, or how my body looks. Neither is yours! My success is based solely on the person I strive to be each and every day. The hard work I put into what I do, and the people that I impact along the way. No, I'm not perfect. I stumble around trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing half of the time, but it's the effort and heart that I'm grasping onto as I hit the floor each time I fall that measures my success. It's recognizing that I'm not perfect and that I never will be, but I get up anyway. There are times when I want to throw in the towel, but then I remember why I started this journey. I remember that I'm simply a perfectly imperfect version of myself that continues to strive to be better. We all have our demons, myself included. I'm learning to own up to them and not let them consume me like I have in the past. This is what life is all about. We all have the ability to rise to the occasion. Your time will come and you'll blow your own damn mind! It's extremely important that we all do our part to help others see the greatness within them. Make it easy for people to be themselves around you. Be approachable. I will admit that there were times in my past that I failed to do this for the people around me, but I made a promise to myself that it would never happen again.
I've learned to....
1) Keep an open mind.
2) Embrace the differences I see in other people (LEARN from them).
3) Call myself on my own bullshit.
4) Listen to all constructive criticism thrown my way (then do my best to make it my bitch!)
5) Never stop learning.
6) Be myself.
7) Love myself.
Humankind comes first. People matter most. Doing your part to impact others in a game changing way is what's going to make the differences that this struggling world needs. Share your story and listen to others. A little compassion goes a long way. Letting people know that they aren't alone in the things that they are going through can save them. It's time to be brave. It's time to make the changes in ourselves that will impact those around us in a uplifting and motivating way. I'm in. Are you?
Until next time.
:)
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Diet vs. Lifestyle (Part I)
Living a healthy lifestyle is something that takes time. It's a learning process. It takes trial and error. Everyone is different. It takes patience. It takes guts. We have to be WILLING to fail. We also have to realize that failure is NOT a bad thing. Failure is a necessary step in succeeding. Sounds a bit counter intuitive, doesn't it? Let me explain.
As humans we have the natural urge to succeed at everything we do. We want to be great. And we want it to happen on the first try. The fact is, we won't always be great at everything! We definitely won't always be great the first time we attempt something. You are bound to suck at something at some point in your life! That's just the way it goes. The key is to use the "suck" as a learning experience. It's a test to your character. You will learn first hand how you react to this type of situation. Will you surrender to the "failure," or will you recognize that you haven't failed. You've simply stumbled upon the perfect candidate for a new goal.
Dieting.
The word diet pops up around every corner these days. It's also something that I see a lot of people become frustrated with. I consistently hear people say they "failed" on their diet, dieting is too hard, I just want to enjoy my food, etc. But what exactly is a "diet"? To me, the word "diet" refers to a quick fix. It's not sustainable. It's a kind of torture that people put themselves through (dreading every single day of it) because they want to look good for an even that's 4-6 months away. Weddings, vacations, class reunions, etc. The problem with this is that once that event is over, they go right back to their questionable eating habits and fail to take care of their body all together! Why does it have to stop there? Why do our bodies not mean more to us than that? Let me share a little secret with you. You can still eat a donut here and there and burn fat. Trust me. I know first hand. This girl loves her donuts and chocolate milk combo once in a while :) The key is TRACKING. If you don't know what you're putting in your mouth how are you supposed to learn what your threshold is? Everyone's body is different. Some of us can eat more fat than others. Some of us can handle more carbs. It's literally trial and error paired with tracking what you're taking in. Playing around with different foods to see what fills us up more, etc. For example, I find that when I consume oats or potatoes for my complex carbs, I feel more full and satisfied than if I were to eat rice. You just have to find out what works best for you. I tried carb cycling for the first time when I trained for my show and learned a lot about how my body reacts to fats and carbs. Carb cycling is an excellent way to burn fat and boost your metabolism.
The point is, always be aware of what you're putting into your body. If you don't track it, you won't know!! Unless you're a magical food genie. It's easy to THINK you've eaten pretty good, but when you actually "put it down on paper" you've probably eaten well over your allotted calories for the day. Now you'll wake up tomorrow, jump on the scale (excited because in your mind you did well and probably lost some weight) then this happens.....
"F**k!! How did I not lose weight??!?! I was SO GOOD yesterday."
DUN DUN DUN......
Now you're discouraged and just want to quit because you feel like a beluga wale. Your next thought is probably something like, "This dieting crap just isn't for me... I can't seem to figure it out." Now you eat like crap all weekend because you already "failed." So what's the point? This is the mindset that will get you. It will get you EVERY TIME. Honestly you guys, for a lot of us it's just an excuse. It's an excuse not to take the steps to that we know we need to take to succeed. We just don't want to put in the extra effort. This is where your true colors will show. Do you actually WANT this, or do you just want it? Self improvement isn't something that just happens. You have to work for it. You have to WANT to become a better version of yourself.
In order to have the body you desire, be an over all healthy person, and feel good (inside and out), you have to make it a lifestyle. It's a way of living. You have to make your well being a priority. To do so, start by focusing on these three things (one at a time if needed).
1) Sufficient sleep
2) Healthy eating habits
3) Frequent movement
It's easy to overwhelm yourself when trying to get yourself going with a healthier daily routine. Don't bite off more than you can chew. You may need to start small. If you're one of those people who doesn't get enough sleep at night, start by going to bed 20-30 mins sooner for a while, then increase it. Baby steps. Melatonin (a natural sleep aid) may also be something to look into. Once you're getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night, star thinking more about nutrition. What are you putting into your body. Are you eating a lot of processed foods or are you eating whole foods? Do you know the difference? (I will go into more detail about the two in an upcoming post). Try to eat a lean protein and some veggies (greens if possible!) at each meal. If you tend to be more sedentary during the day, it's better to eat a diet high in lean proteins (chicken, fish, etc.) and healthy fats (avocado, omega 3s (fish), etc.) and lower in complex carbs (breads, potatoes, pastas, rice, etc.) If you're very active you'll need to increase the carb number to sustain energy levels. After you've found a routine that works for you and you've become more conscious of getting more sleep and what you're putting in your mouth, you can focus more the exercise portion. You'll have more energy from the extra sleep and healthier foods and it won't seem so terrible once you get your routine down!
People fail to realize is that you don't have to murder yourself in the gym every day to see results. You also don't have to do things that you don't enjoy. I think this is where a lot of people go wrong when it comes to exercise. If you don't enjoy running, don't run! If you're constantly forcing yourself to do something you don't enjoy doing, guess what? It's not going to last. You'll do it for a month, say F this, and quite. Now you feel like you failed. If you aren't exercising then you might as well eat whatever you want because you already failed at the whole gym thing, right? This is the mind game that people play with themselves on a daily basis! I've done it. Multiple times! If you're human, you've done this. It's our way rationalizing our emotions and the actions that follow. What we fail to do is get a couple steps ahead of those thoughts. Want to know how to do that? Read on.
Exercise doesn't HAVE to come from resistance training or killing yourself on cardio equipment for 60 mins a day. You don't have to become a power lifter, cross fitter, or a bodybuilder. You just have to MOVE!!!! It all boils down to two things:
1) Frequent movement (as mentioned above)
2) Eating at a caloric deficit
MOVEMENT
Get up and move! A lot of jobs out there require people to sit at a desk all day, which puts them at a higher risk for injury than those of us who are constantly up and moving around. Your muscles start to believe that the position they are in while sitting is the proper resting position, so they shorten in that position (become tight). This tightness pulls your bones out of alignment, which causes all kinds of issues. This is why the combination of frequent movement and self myofacial release (SMR) is so damn important!!
** Click here for an overview of SMR technique and the benefits ----> http://blog.nasm.org/training-benefits/foam-rolling-applying-the-technique-of-self-myofascial-release/
Like I said before, movement doesn't have to be in a gym lifting weights and pumping it out on cardio equipment. Do the things you love to do! Play gold, tennis, basketball, bike, hike, or swim. Go for family bike rides and walks. Just get out there and move!
EATING AT A CALORIC DEFICIT
It's simple you guys. If your calories burned are greater than your calories eaten, you'll lose weight. If they aren't, you'll either gain or maintain where you're at. This is why I strongly recommend tracking your food AND calories burned during your workouts. It's extremely important to do both of these things until you're in tune with your body. After a while you'll know what intensity you'll have to go at in order to burn X amount of calories in a workout, etc. But until then it's good to know exactly what's happening. You have to know what you're putting in your body in order to know what you need to burn during your workouts for weight loss. Purchase a heart rate monitor. This will be the most accurate reading of calories burned. I use a basic Polar brand monitor with chest strap and watch. It works well for me. There are a million out there though. Take look!! :)
Questions? Email me at kbriggsfitness@gmail.com
Until next time!
- Kelsey
:)
As humans we have the natural urge to succeed at everything we do. We want to be great. And we want it to happen on the first try. The fact is, we won't always be great at everything! We definitely won't always be great the first time we attempt something. You are bound to suck at something at some point in your life! That's just the way it goes. The key is to use the "suck" as a learning experience. It's a test to your character. You will learn first hand how you react to this type of situation. Will you surrender to the "failure," or will you recognize that you haven't failed. You've simply stumbled upon the perfect candidate for a new goal.
Dieting.
The word diet pops up around every corner these days. It's also something that I see a lot of people become frustrated with. I consistently hear people say they "failed" on their diet, dieting is too hard, I just want to enjoy my food, etc. But what exactly is a "diet"? To me, the word "diet" refers to a quick fix. It's not sustainable. It's a kind of torture that people put themselves through (dreading every single day of it) because they want to look good for an even that's 4-6 months away. Weddings, vacations, class reunions, etc. The problem with this is that once that event is over, they go right back to their questionable eating habits and fail to take care of their body all together! Why does it have to stop there? Why do our bodies not mean more to us than that? Let me share a little secret with you. You can still eat a donut here and there and burn fat. Trust me. I know first hand. This girl loves her donuts and chocolate milk combo once in a while :) The key is TRACKING. If you don't know what you're putting in your mouth how are you supposed to learn what your threshold is? Everyone's body is different. Some of us can eat more fat than others. Some of us can handle more carbs. It's literally trial and error paired with tracking what you're taking in. Playing around with different foods to see what fills us up more, etc. For example, I find that when I consume oats or potatoes for my complex carbs, I feel more full and satisfied than if I were to eat rice. You just have to find out what works best for you. I tried carb cycling for the first time when I trained for my show and learned a lot about how my body reacts to fats and carbs. Carb cycling is an excellent way to burn fat and boost your metabolism.
The point is, always be aware of what you're putting into your body. If you don't track it, you won't know!! Unless you're a magical food genie. It's easy to THINK you've eaten pretty good, but when you actually "put it down on paper" you've probably eaten well over your allotted calories for the day. Now you'll wake up tomorrow, jump on the scale (excited because in your mind you did well and probably lost some weight) then this happens.....
"F**k!! How did I not lose weight??!?! I was SO GOOD yesterday."
DUN DUN DUN......
Now you're discouraged and just want to quit because you feel like a beluga wale. Your next thought is probably something like, "This dieting crap just isn't for me... I can't seem to figure it out." Now you eat like crap all weekend because you already "failed." So what's the point? This is the mindset that will get you. It will get you EVERY TIME. Honestly you guys, for a lot of us it's just an excuse. It's an excuse not to take the steps to that we know we need to take to succeed. We just don't want to put in the extra effort. This is where your true colors will show. Do you actually WANT this, or do you just want it? Self improvement isn't something that just happens. You have to work for it. You have to WANT to become a better version of yourself.
In order to have the body you desire, be an over all healthy person, and feel good (inside and out), you have to make it a lifestyle. It's a way of living. You have to make your well being a priority. To do so, start by focusing on these three things (one at a time if needed).
1) Sufficient sleep
2) Healthy eating habits
3) Frequent movement
It's easy to overwhelm yourself when trying to get yourself going with a healthier daily routine. Don't bite off more than you can chew. You may need to start small. If you're one of those people who doesn't get enough sleep at night, start by going to bed 20-30 mins sooner for a while, then increase it. Baby steps. Melatonin (a natural sleep aid) may also be something to look into. Once you're getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night, star thinking more about nutrition. What are you putting into your body. Are you eating a lot of processed foods or are you eating whole foods? Do you know the difference? (I will go into more detail about the two in an upcoming post). Try to eat a lean protein and some veggies (greens if possible!) at each meal. If you tend to be more sedentary during the day, it's better to eat a diet high in lean proteins (chicken, fish, etc.) and healthy fats (avocado, omega 3s (fish), etc.) and lower in complex carbs (breads, potatoes, pastas, rice, etc.) If you're very active you'll need to increase the carb number to sustain energy levels. After you've found a routine that works for you and you've become more conscious of getting more sleep and what you're putting in your mouth, you can focus more the exercise portion. You'll have more energy from the extra sleep and healthier foods and it won't seem so terrible once you get your routine down!
People fail to realize is that you don't have to murder yourself in the gym every day to see results. You also don't have to do things that you don't enjoy. I think this is where a lot of people go wrong when it comes to exercise. If you don't enjoy running, don't run! If you're constantly forcing yourself to do something you don't enjoy doing, guess what? It's not going to last. You'll do it for a month, say F this, and quite. Now you feel like you failed. If you aren't exercising then you might as well eat whatever you want because you already failed at the whole gym thing, right? This is the mind game that people play with themselves on a daily basis! I've done it. Multiple times! If you're human, you've done this. It's our way rationalizing our emotions and the actions that follow. What we fail to do is get a couple steps ahead of those thoughts. Want to know how to do that? Read on.
Exercise doesn't HAVE to come from resistance training or killing yourself on cardio equipment for 60 mins a day. You don't have to become a power lifter, cross fitter, or a bodybuilder. You just have to MOVE!!!! It all boils down to two things:
1) Frequent movement (as mentioned above)
2) Eating at a caloric deficit
MOVEMENT
Get up and move! A lot of jobs out there require people to sit at a desk all day, which puts them at a higher risk for injury than those of us who are constantly up and moving around. Your muscles start to believe that the position they are in while sitting is the proper resting position, so they shorten in that position (become tight). This tightness pulls your bones out of alignment, which causes all kinds of issues. This is why the combination of frequent movement and self myofacial release (SMR) is so damn important!!
** Click here for an overview of SMR technique and the benefits ----> http://blog.nasm.org/training-benefits/foam-rolling-applying-the-technique-of-self-myofascial-release/
Like I said before, movement doesn't have to be in a gym lifting weights and pumping it out on cardio equipment. Do the things you love to do! Play gold, tennis, basketball, bike, hike, or swim. Go for family bike rides and walks. Just get out there and move!
EATING AT A CALORIC DEFICIT
It's simple you guys. If your calories burned are greater than your calories eaten, you'll lose weight. If they aren't, you'll either gain or maintain where you're at. This is why I strongly recommend tracking your food AND calories burned during your workouts. It's extremely important to do both of these things until you're in tune with your body. After a while you'll know what intensity you'll have to go at in order to burn X amount of calories in a workout, etc. But until then it's good to know exactly what's happening. You have to know what you're putting in your body in order to know what you need to burn during your workouts for weight loss. Purchase a heart rate monitor. This will be the most accurate reading of calories burned. I use a basic Polar brand monitor with chest strap and watch. It works well for me. There are a million out there though. Take look!! :)
Questions? Email me at kbriggsfitness@gmail.com
Until next time!
- Kelsey
:)
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Holy Shit. I did it.
I can't even put into words the emotions that were flowing through my veins the weekend of my show. I had a long conversation with my dad that Friday evening about how I was feeling and what my concerns were. I didn't feel 100% prepared, I had no idea what to expect, and I was a nervous wreck!!! He did what he does best and he talked calmly and rationally. He reassured me that I would do great. I had worked hard for this for a long time. I put in the work. All I had to do was relax and have fun with it. I did my best to do just that.
I got to the venue that morning after they put my face on (porcelain doll style) and all I could do was pace. I had no clue what to do with myself. I had 2 hours until my stage time and I couldn't sit down or my spray tan would smudge (insert eye roll here). Soooooo I continued to pace. The pros went on, so I watched them. It's amazing what we are able to do with our bodies when we fuel them with proper nutrition and push them to our limits. Seeing them put a little more fire in my eyes. I've come a long way, but I have so far to go!!! This excites me to no end. There are endless possibilities for me in this sport. After watching a few pro divisions, I walked out to the lobby of the auditorium to see that my passé had arrived. I let out a sigh and felt some instant relief. God it was good to see their faces!!! :)
I had the BEST support system a girl could ask for. Just look at them!!!! They are beautiful :) I felt more love that weekend than I had felt in a really long time. My heart was full. It honestly still is. The look I saw in their eyes was more than enough to make it all worth it. They were proud. They were inspired. There is no better feeling than knowing you've had that impact on someone. Especially people that you care so much about.
It was an emotional time for sure. I wouldn't change a thing. It was perfect. I set out to accomplish a goal, and I nailed it.
SHOW DAY!!!! ---> Weight: 139 lbs ---> Body Fat: 6.9%
For those of you who have followed my blog up until this point, thank you. It means the world to me. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, and I got so busy that I took a little hiatus, but I'm back and I know good things will come of this.
I'm going to continue to write. I will share my story in hopes to help you along in yours. After all, it's not just a fitness journey...
It's life!!!! :)
I got to the venue that morning after they put my face on (porcelain doll style) and all I could do was pace. I had no clue what to do with myself. I had 2 hours until my stage time and I couldn't sit down or my spray tan would smudge (insert eye roll here). Soooooo I continued to pace. The pros went on, so I watched them. It's amazing what we are able to do with our bodies when we fuel them with proper nutrition and push them to our limits. Seeing them put a little more fire in my eyes. I've come a long way, but I have so far to go!!! This excites me to no end. There are endless possibilities for me in this sport. After watching a few pro divisions, I walked out to the lobby of the auditorium to see that my passé had arrived. I let out a sigh and felt some instant relief. God it was good to see their faces!!! :)
I had the BEST support system a girl could ask for. Just look at them!!!! They are beautiful :) I felt more love that weekend than I had felt in a really long time. My heart was full. It honestly still is. The look I saw in their eyes was more than enough to make it all worth it. They were proud. They were inspired. There is no better feeling than knowing you've had that impact on someone. Especially people that you care so much about.
It was an emotional time for sure. I wouldn't change a thing. It was perfect. I set out to accomplish a goal, and I nailed it.
SHOW DAY!!!! ---> Weight: 139 lbs ---> Body Fat: 6.9%
For those of you who have followed my blog up until this point, thank you. It means the world to me. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, and I got so busy that I took a little hiatus, but I'm back and I know good things will come of this.
I'm going to continue to write. I will share my story in hopes to help you along in yours. After all, it's not just a fitness journey...
It's life!!!! :)
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
And Then She Did What She Thought Was Impossible
We all have reasons why we do the things that we do. We all have our own belief system that leads us to our emotions and actions. Sometimes this belief system leads us in the right direction and sometimes we steer way off course. That's life. We learn from the mistakes we make (hopefully) and we evaluate situations differently the next time around, all in hopes that the out come will get us to where we want to be in life. We just have to trust the process and do our best to live the life we want to live.
I've made my fair share of poor choices in life.
I've let my emotions take over a lot in the past. It's easy to be blinded by the power of human emotion. Like a lot of other people in this world, I wear my heart on my sleeve, which in turn leaves it extremely vulnerable to the ugliness that can be found around every corner. I'm 100% trusting of everyone I meet until they give me a reason not to be. It may be a bad thing. I'm often told that it is, but that's just the way I roll. I can't help it. There have been multiple people who have lost my trust in very unfortunate ways. I've had my heart broken and I've been taken advantage of. I'm sure you can relate to this. We've all been there. It's a terrible feeling and sometimes it's hard to overcome the hurt that comes along with it, but with every closed door in life (especially the ones that are slammed in our face) another one opens. We just have to find it. The path that leads us to this new door is an important part of the journey. This is the part that we have to remember. Every experience, good or bad, makes a difference. The focus needs to be on what you do next. Not what you could have done up until that point. It's as simple as that.
Where do you want to go now?!?
1 year ago I was in a completely different place than I am today. I was lost. I had just gone through the hardest break yet, and I had no clue what to do with myself. I wanted to crawl in a hole and stay there. I found myself in this big city with minimal true friends and only one family member close by. I struggled through the first few months, then I woke up. I knew I had to make a change. I had to take my life by the horns and turn it into what I wanted it to be. So I started thinking about what I truly wanted. What did I need to do to find my happiness again. The answer was simple. Find myself.
And then she did what she thought was impossible.
I had lost sight of who I was a while back. I knew this. I just had no clue how to fix it. So I started thinking about what I used to do. What made me feel like I had a purpose? What made me happy? What was it that lit me up inside? The answer is, and always has been fitness and other people. I love people. I love getting to know them. I love hearing their stories. I love helping them reach goals that they never thought they'd be able to reach and I love seeing the look on their faces when they do so! It makes this life worth living for me. The main thing that I lost sight of was that I enjoyed doing the same thing for myself. I get extreme joy and satisfaction from setting goals for myself and hitting them. So that's exactly what I did.
By entering this competition, I essentially started over. I hit the reset button on my life. I needed a fresh start. I needed a new goal to zone in on. I needed to prove to myself that I could do it for ME and only ME. I'm doing it alone and I like it that way. I've pushed myself further than I ever thought I could. I've transformed myself into a hungry beast who KNOWS what she wants and deserves. I'm confident. I'm fearless. I'm driven. I'm unstoppable.
Starting Weight: 158 lbs
Current Weight: 136 lbs (1lb away from goal with 1.5 weeks to go)
Starting Body Fat: 18%
Current Body Fat: 8% (1% away from goal with 1.5 weeks to go)
I have never been more proud of myself than I am today. I needed the tables to turn, so I turned them the F*** over!!!! I'm in control of my life and I love what I'm doing. I found true happiness again. I found the me that I've been searching for and I will continue to be this person because I love her with all of my heart. In just 10 days I will step on that stage in front of my family and closest friends and all of my hard work will come full circle. It will be a roller coaster of emotions that I can't wait to ride :)
Until next time,
Kelsey
:)
I've made my fair share of poor choices in life.
I've let my emotions take over a lot in the past. It's easy to be blinded by the power of human emotion. Like a lot of other people in this world, I wear my heart on my sleeve, which in turn leaves it extremely vulnerable to the ugliness that can be found around every corner. I'm 100% trusting of everyone I meet until they give me a reason not to be. It may be a bad thing. I'm often told that it is, but that's just the way I roll. I can't help it. There have been multiple people who have lost my trust in very unfortunate ways. I've had my heart broken and I've been taken advantage of. I'm sure you can relate to this. We've all been there. It's a terrible feeling and sometimes it's hard to overcome the hurt that comes along with it, but with every closed door in life (especially the ones that are slammed in our face) another one opens. We just have to find it. The path that leads us to this new door is an important part of the journey. This is the part that we have to remember. Every experience, good or bad, makes a difference. The focus needs to be on what you do next. Not what you could have done up until that point. It's as simple as that.
Where do you want to go now?!?
1 year ago I was in a completely different place than I am today. I was lost. I had just gone through the hardest break yet, and I had no clue what to do with myself. I wanted to crawl in a hole and stay there. I found myself in this big city with minimal true friends and only one family member close by. I struggled through the first few months, then I woke up. I knew I had to make a change. I had to take my life by the horns and turn it into what I wanted it to be. So I started thinking about what I truly wanted. What did I need to do to find my happiness again. The answer was simple. Find myself.
And then she did what she thought was impossible.
I had lost sight of who I was a while back. I knew this. I just had no clue how to fix it. So I started thinking about what I used to do. What made me feel like I had a purpose? What made me happy? What was it that lit me up inside? The answer is, and always has been fitness and other people. I love people. I love getting to know them. I love hearing their stories. I love helping them reach goals that they never thought they'd be able to reach and I love seeing the look on their faces when they do so! It makes this life worth living for me. The main thing that I lost sight of was that I enjoyed doing the same thing for myself. I get extreme joy and satisfaction from setting goals for myself and hitting them. So that's exactly what I did.
By entering this competition, I essentially started over. I hit the reset button on my life. I needed a fresh start. I needed a new goal to zone in on. I needed to prove to myself that I could do it for ME and only ME. I'm doing it alone and I like it that way. I've pushed myself further than I ever thought I could. I've transformed myself into a hungry beast who KNOWS what she wants and deserves. I'm confident. I'm fearless. I'm driven. I'm unstoppable.
Starting Weight: 158 lbs
Current Weight: 136 lbs (1lb away from goal with 1.5 weeks to go)
Starting Body Fat: 18%
Current Body Fat: 8% (1% away from goal with 1.5 weeks to go)
I have never been more proud of myself than I am today. I needed the tables to turn, so I turned them the F*** over!!!! I'm in control of my life and I love what I'm doing. I found true happiness again. I found the me that I've been searching for and I will continue to be this person because I love her with all of my heart. In just 10 days I will step on that stage in front of my family and closest friends and all of my hard work will come full circle. It will be a roller coaster of emotions that I can't wait to ride :)
Until next time,
Kelsey
:)
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
5 Weeks To Go. Wait... What?!?!?!
First off, I want to congratulate my good friend Dustin Meyer who won his division AND the whole damn show at the NPC Central USA Championships in Omaha this past weekend!!! Props to him and his dedication to kicking some ass. He may not know this yet (he will now), but he put a little more fire under my ass. He's living proof that it CAN be done your first time around :) Thank you for the additional inspiration Dusty!
It's hard to believe that I've been at this for almost 13 weeks. I literally blinked and there is only a little over a month left. As I typed one month I damn near shit my pants. No joke. I will say that this has been one of the greatest challenges of my life. I definitely haven't lived up to all of the expectations that I had set for myself up until this point. I've slipped up here and there, but I'm human and I can't expect to be spot on 100% of the time. No matter what has happened, I've continued to push in order to get back on track and stay there. I've made phenomenal progress and I'm seeing outstanding changes in my body. I'm very proud of what I've done and I have no intention of stopping.
I'm in the process of turning my body into a work of art. The judges will critique me in every way possible. How symmetrical am I? How lean I am? How spot on is my posing? Can I move in a way that makes my muscles jump out at them? Can they see my muscles in ways that they can't on the women standing next to me? Do I present myself well? All of these things are racing through my mind every second of every day, and at this point in time, I don't feel like I'm going to be ready. My upper body is on point and will no doubt be killer. My arms aren't messing around, my back is shredded AF, I'm noticing a lot more vascularity, and my abs are coming in more and more each day! BUT my legs on the other hand haven't come in much and it's starting to stress me out. Aaron assured me that this is normal for women. He said they may not fully come in until 2 we're about weeks out. Wait.... WHAT?!? Talk about pushing it. I don't know about you, but that isn't soon enough for me. It stresses me out. A LOT. I've been pushing the cardio a little harder in hopes to speed up the process. I'm layering my legs as much as possible and hitting it in the morning and in the evening when I can. I'm training harder than I have ever trained before, and I'm doing it on minimal caloric intake. I won't lie. It's brutal. I'm not having as much fun as I was in the beginning, but I knew these days would come. It was just a matter of when.
The nitty gritty has officially commenced. I have to keep reminding myself of why I'm doing it, who I'm doing it for, and why I'll be better because of it. I'm always hungry and my energy level just isn't there like it used to be. I don't jump out of bed like I did 12 weeks ago. And that's discouraging to me. It's getting harder and harder not to hit snooze 6 times. I struggle to get everything done each day, but I'm taking it all one day at a time. I'm especially taking the cardio one day at a time. Lifting is the easy part. For me, the steady state crap has been the hardest part. The diet is a very close second. If it's not lean or green, I don't eat it (6 days out of the week). Mustering up the energy to run 5 + miles, or sweating it out for 55-60 mins on an elliptical with little to no carbs is usually the last thing I want to do. Especially after a 5am lifting session and working on my feet all day. But I'm learning that I am a fighter. This among other things that I've over come have proven that. It has challenged my mental and physical capacities. I hate it. I love it. I want it to stop. I want more!!! The challenges keep coming and the end keeps getting closer. I'm not sure what I'm more excited about at this point. Hanging out and EATING with my close friends and family after the show, or the show itself!! Let's say I'm equally excited about both. The only difference is that one of them doesn't make my heart race like I'm back in college speech class again.
I started at 158 lbs and 18% body fat. I'm now down to 141 lbs and under 9.7%. I knew I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something that I had been talking about for years. I knew it was time to stop talking and start acting, so here I am. This is not just a fitness journey. It's emotional, powerful, and I have high hopes that it's motivational and inspirational. Time to rock the next 4 weeks.
Until next time!
It's hard to believe that I've been at this for almost 13 weeks. I literally blinked and there is only a little over a month left. As I typed one month I damn near shit my pants. No joke. I will say that this has been one of the greatest challenges of my life. I definitely haven't lived up to all of the expectations that I had set for myself up until this point. I've slipped up here and there, but I'm human and I can't expect to be spot on 100% of the time. No matter what has happened, I've continued to push in order to get back on track and stay there. I've made phenomenal progress and I'm seeing outstanding changes in my body. I'm very proud of what I've done and I have no intention of stopping.
I'm in the process of turning my body into a work of art. The judges will critique me in every way possible. How symmetrical am I? How lean I am? How spot on is my posing? Can I move in a way that makes my muscles jump out at them? Can they see my muscles in ways that they can't on the women standing next to me? Do I present myself well? All of these things are racing through my mind every second of every day, and at this point in time, I don't feel like I'm going to be ready. My upper body is on point and will no doubt be killer. My arms aren't messing around, my back is shredded AF, I'm noticing a lot more vascularity, and my abs are coming in more and more each day! BUT my legs on the other hand haven't come in much and it's starting to stress me out. Aaron assured me that this is normal for women. He said they may not fully come in until 2 we're about weeks out. Wait.... WHAT?!? Talk about pushing it. I don't know about you, but that isn't soon enough for me. It stresses me out. A LOT. I've been pushing the cardio a little harder in hopes to speed up the process. I'm layering my legs as much as possible and hitting it in the morning and in the evening when I can. I'm training harder than I have ever trained before, and I'm doing it on minimal caloric intake. I won't lie. It's brutal. I'm not having as much fun as I was in the beginning, but I knew these days would come. It was just a matter of when.
The nitty gritty has officially commenced. I have to keep reminding myself of why I'm doing it, who I'm doing it for, and why I'll be better because of it. I'm always hungry and my energy level just isn't there like it used to be. I don't jump out of bed like I did 12 weeks ago. And that's discouraging to me. It's getting harder and harder not to hit snooze 6 times. I struggle to get everything done each day, but I'm taking it all one day at a time. I'm especially taking the cardio one day at a time. Lifting is the easy part. For me, the steady state crap has been the hardest part. The diet is a very close second. If it's not lean or green, I don't eat it (6 days out of the week). Mustering up the energy to run 5 + miles, or sweating it out for 55-60 mins on an elliptical with little to no carbs is usually the last thing I want to do. Especially after a 5am lifting session and working on my feet all day. But I'm learning that I am a fighter. This among other things that I've over come have proven that. It has challenged my mental and physical capacities. I hate it. I love it. I want it to stop. I want more!!! The challenges keep coming and the end keeps getting closer. I'm not sure what I'm more excited about at this point. Hanging out and EATING with my close friends and family after the show, or the show itself!! Let's say I'm equally excited about both. The only difference is that one of them doesn't make my heart race like I'm back in college speech class again.
I started at 158 lbs and 18% body fat. I'm now down to 141 lbs and under 9.7%. I knew I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something that I had been talking about for years. I knew it was time to stop talking and start acting, so here I am. This is not just a fitness journey. It's emotional, powerful, and I have high hopes that it's motivational and inspirational. Time to rock the next 4 weeks.
Until next time!
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
There Is Only One You.
I started the day off on a slower note, but the morning workout helped. I also think the caffeine I consumed around 12:30 kicked in because I've been in go mode for the last 3.5 hours. End result: I decided on the design for my logo! Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
What it means.
What it means.
The mirroring letters represent what you see when you look in the mirror. Maybe you like it, maybe you don't. And I'm not just talking about how you look naked. I'm talking about the package deal. Your self-esteem, self-image, self-worth, which are all the building blocks of true happiness. The point is, you can change it if you're not satisfied! You just have to make the decision to do so and put in the work it takes to find your purpose and live up to your full potential. Do this, and loving yourself will be easy. I promise.
There is only one you.
This tagline came to me right away. We are only given one chance at this life and one body to live it with. Too many people treat their bodies like they're disposable. My mission is to help every individual that I work with realize that their body is essentially all that they have and it's extremely important that they keep it mobile, strong, and healthy. Food is fuel, and we all need to be more aware of what we're fueling our bodies with. Some people are simply careless, but others just don't know. Knowledge is power and my goal is to provide that knowledge. Everyone deserves a fair chance at a healthy, happy life :)
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