Well... Alrighty then.

So apparently I haven't been on here for a little over a month.  What have I been doing for the past month?  2 a days intense training, working, cooking, eating, and sleeping.  I really don't get time for anything else really.  When I do have time, my honey treats me to dinner and a movie.  It may not seem like much to you, but it's the little things for me right now. 

We've also decided to change gyms.  A gym that is more oriented towards what my goals are.  Being a professional body builder.  It's probably the most beautiful gym I've ever laid eyes on.  It's simple, dirty, and well... just amazing. 

Food intake has increased incredibly.  It's insane.  I have eaten more in the past month than I probably have in the past 5 years.  Soooooo many carbs!  But complex carbs, not simple carbs.  It's important in lifting.  I've upped my food once in the past month and am going to have to do it again after my rest week.  Joy!

My wardrobe now only consists of sweat pants, leggings, yoga pants, sweatshirts, thermals, and tank tops.  And even that gets old fast because of the fact I feel like I'm wearing the same things every week.  Oh well, such is life.

I really can't complain.  I'm getting to do something that interests me.  Something that I have a passion for and something I know I am great at.  Not a lot of people can say that.  Now if I could only get sponsorship so that I can get paid for working out...  hey, one can wish.

Until next time.  Wishing you the encouragement to follow your dreams.

Xoxo - Ramey ❤️

Weight

I will fluctuate my weight depending on the seasons. During the off season, I'll stay at a good 170 pounds. In season, I'll be at about 150 pounds. The 170 is a good weight for me at my height. It's just the fat that I need to get rid. It's good to fluctuate with your weight. Shows control, balance, etc. 

I hope everyone had a great week! Hello weekend!

Xoxo - Ramey❤️

It's been decided...

I am to step foot on my first stage in 8 months. That means about 32 weeks to train insane. Eat clean like a maniac. What little of a social life I had is out the window. It's doubtful that I'll win. We're just trying to prep me to get used to the stage. Get used to being in front of a crowd. I get so nervous just thinking about all the preparation I have to go through. Getting a suit made. Getting waxed in all the wrong places. 😒 

It's all so much, but honestly, it's a good feeling. I'm going to do it. I'm going to conquer my fear. I got this. 

Wishing everyone a blessed day!

Xoxo - Ramey❤️

I have a dream

That my hard work is going to pay off. That I will be not only lean and muscular, but strong physically and mentally. I have come a log way in the past 4 months. When I first started, I could barely lift the bar. Now I'm squatting 225 lbs, lunging, and doing jerks with the bar easy peasy! All you have to do is believe in yourself and the rest will follow. Never give up on your dreams because you can make those a reality. Hard work. Dedication. Focus. GET IT!!! YOU GOT THIS!!! 

Have a great week lovelies!!!

Xoxo - Ramey❤️

Just to make sure

So there's been some things going on or really haven't been going on physically that I'm having to go get checked. I'm not really losing weight at the rate I should be. Instead of 1 pound a month I'm averaging at about 1/2 a pound a month. With that being said, I've become a little discouraged and a little unmotivated in the past couple of weeks. Tonite was the first nite I've had a decent workout.  Hopefully things will get figured out and settled soon. 

I hope everyone has been having a great week!

Xoxo - Ramey❤️

Trial by error

Its super frustrating when you're not losing the deep fat as fast as you're supposed to be. Even though I'm eating every 3 hours, I'm missing something in my diet. My body thinks it's starving. From what? I don't know yet. I'm just going to have to try different things and see. 

I get enough fruits, vegetables, protein, and complex carbs. I do know that I need a slow burning carb in the morning and a slow burning protein in the evening while I sleep. My bf would prefer that I get up in the middle of the nite and eat, but this girl is a BEAR without her sleep! Lol

Everything from this point on is going to be a trial run. Add 1 thing. If that doesn't work, take that away and add something different. 

The 1 cardinal rule I forgot

Always take a day off. No matter what!

I hit the gym as usual today.  And this morning, I swam a few laps in the backyard. I usually don't do cardio on leg days because it takes sooooo much out of me. 2 to 3 hours on legs is excruciating, but I always get it done. Well, except today. Today my body said nope. Not gonna do it. I then realized I had worked out an entire week, twice a day on most days, without taking a break. Oh me oh my. No wonder my body wasn't having it. I felt like I was going to puke. I felt like my body was going into shock. And it was! I got home and was shaking so bad, I could barely stand to wait for my food to be done. So please remember, take that break. Let your body repair itself. It's the only one you get and you can't keep beating it up. Chill out!!! 

Nitey nite folks!!!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Did that really just happen?!

Today's post has nothing to do with fitness. Today's post has to do with spirituality. Faith. Miracles. Love. Goodness. God. 

When my bf and I started dating, he was going to a church in Frisco. So that him and I, could spend more time together, I decided to go with him. A few weeks later, we decided that we needed to find a church for the both of us. One that we could call home. We started going to one that his friend had been going to, City Church in Plano.  After the first service we attended, we mutually agreed that we were in. We've been consistent and present every Sunday. Some Sundays we're later than others, but we never manage to miss a day. 

Fast forward a month or so...

Word gets around church that Timothy is a hairdresser. Pastor Wendy wants to get her hair done by him. The only problem is, is that not too long ago, he lost his tools to do natural hair. Not just some. Not just a few. Everything. So Timothy told her that he is touched, but couldn't do it until he had his tools again. She understood. 

Fast forward to today...

Another Sunday (so we thought). We get to church. Sit through and enjoy service as always. Most of the time, we leave early because he has to go to work. Today was one of those days. We both get up, start walking and *BOOM*, Pastor Ray, which is Pastor Wendy's husband, calls Tim's name. I'm like, doh! Busted!  They call us down front and start talking about how we've been in their thoughts and prayers for the past few weeks and went through the whole story of how Tim lost all his tools, etc. Then the unthinkable happened. They asked the congregation to donate what they could, if they chose to, to help him, us to get what he needed to do his job. And then... Both pastors, the whole congregation prayed over us. It was so overwhelming and uplifting. I lost it. All emotions just flowed. And then Pastor Wendy grabbed me, held me and prayed over me. It was such a great, overwhelming feeling. I have never experienced anything like that. In my life. Ever. One person who manages the church website even offered to build Tim a website with online booking and services for free for a year! What the what?! He and I were just talking about finding an online booking site for him to use. Today was absolutely amazing. I seriously cannot put into words how grateful and blessed we are to have a church that we can call home and to have people in that church that we can call a family. 

I'm wishing everyone a blessed day!!! 

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Change is good

So sitting here thinking about training and eating for competition, there's a lot of things I'm going to have to change. Of course food plays a big part in your body and how it reacts to everyday things. For me, having the DNA to be a fatty fat fat, I have to cut out all my fats. That even means the good fats like avocados and egg yolks and dairy and peanut butter (my sweet nectar to help control my cravings). My body just naturally likes fat(s) and absorbs them like nobody's business. The dairy thing doesn't really bother me that much because I'm not a big fan anyway. The hard part is going to be trying to find a complex carb to take in in the mornings. I have an allergy with grains/wheat/gluten/etc. Kind of stinks, but I know I'll find something.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Decisions have been made

I am a power lifter. I am a strong woman and I will be great at what I do. So great that I've decided to do a competition. It will take me 2 years to get where I need to be, but my lifting has improved so much. It's exciting and scary at the same time. Time to get so super focused and serious. Competitions are no joke!

Peace out! 

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Ugh!

So the past two weeks of my lifting has been amazingly awesome! I'm lifting more now than ever before. There is however one thing that's holding me back. Since we are doing deep, inner muscular lifting, everything that's been sitting there in those muscles are so super toxic. I got sooooo sick yesterday and even took a day off today from work to fully recover. All those years of eating all that shitty food and not taking that great care of myself finally caught up. Just remember, what you have and do put in your body sits there for however long and will eventually make you sick.  Ugh... Worst feeling ever. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful day! 

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Best. Week. Ever.

Literally! Super proud of myself and how I've managed to get past that mental block with my lifting. I feel stronger than ever! Let's pray this week is just as awesome, if not better and in no time I will be where I want to be! 

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Moooooooom! My bf got me addicted to Redline!

So the past few days I've been having some intense workouts. I've ran more in the past 2 days than I have in the past 2 weeks. Who knew all I needed was some Redline as a pre-workout?! I've tried others before, but they always made me jittery and crash super hard. With that little help, I had the best lift today hands down!!! I'm super proud of myself and so is my bf. I did it! I stayed focused and conquered through!  

Find whatever gets you that focus and concentration. You have all the tools you need, but maybe you need that extra little something. 

Sweet dreams!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

As if it isn't hot enough...

I live in Texas. It's hot and humid. The damn heat makes me exhausted. 

But I'm sweating. In my sleep. I wake up drenched. Now don't get me wrong, I know it's my metabolism kicking into high gear and it's a great thing. But damnit! I'm hot. 

Ok. That's my vent for the week. I hope everyone has a great day! 

Xoxo - Ramey❤

There's a problem...

With some people's definition of "healthy eating". Let's take for instance last nite. I went to a birthday dinner and there was a pretty nice spread. BBQ ribs, potato salad, cream cheese creamed corn, and rolls (I of course brought a salad because I HAVE TO have something green with my meals). Anyways, the bday girl is speaking with her guests about the dinner and she's all "Yeah! Load up my plate. It's all healthy!"  Then her friend said, "How is this healthy?"  Her answer, "Because it's not fried."  I nearly fell out!  You think just because food isn't fried its healthy?! You don't take into consideration the amount of fat, sugar, carbs, etc is all in your food?!  The potato salad alone is full of crap. All that (gagging a little) mayonnaise!  Yuck!  Anyhoo... Just needed a little venting. I wish everyone a fabulous Sunday!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Where does she get it from?

The energy that is!?  After being on my feet for 9 hours a day, 4 days a week, it gets hard to work up the energy to go to the gym afterwards. But I think of the outcome that is yet to be and I put my whole heart and effort into it. If I can do it, you can too! So don't stop, get it get it!  Sleep well lovelies!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

So far, so good

This week has been rather difficult and emotional, but it has been strong. Not as strong as I've wanted it to be, but nonetheless, strong. I love feeling like myself again!  Everyone rest well!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Man oh man...

I'm going to admit it.  The past few weeks have been super tough on me.  Physically, mentally and emotionally.  I fell off the radar at the gym.  I was going every now and then, but not the 2-a-days I was doing before.  I wasn't feeling motivated or challenged.  I felt like I was going through the same movements day in and day out.  I wasn't feeling like myself.  So I tried to get back into swimming only realizing that the gym STILL isn't treating their pool properly.  I got the biggest breakout all over my body from whatever chemicals they are/aren't using in their pool.  Gross!

So as my alarm went off at 4 this morning, I laid there thinking, either I can join the rest or be one of the best.  That's when I jumped out of bed, threw on my gym clothes and walked out the door.  I didn't start this to be just another statistic or to be someone who just does it because she's supposed to.  I started because this is who I am.  This is who I want to be.  And this is how I will become better. 

I wish everyone a fabulous day!!!

Xoxo - Ramey❤

Sometimes you have to learn the hard way

The past few weeks haven't been kind to me as I told you guys in the last entry. One major thing was my food intake. I thought sneaking in a couple of carbs during the day would help with my performance at the gym. It could have if they weren't the wrong kind of carb. I know I'm gluten and wheat intolerant, but apparently I'm also intolerant to any kind of grains, oats, rice (brown included), etc. I was so puffed up for days! I just couldn't get a grip bit was the most frustrating thing ever. So now I'm back at my basics. Lean animal proteins, veggies and 1 fruit a day (usually in the morning). But ever since I stopped the grains, I feel semi normal again. Listen to your body. It knows what you need and what you don't need. 

Have the sweetest of dreams!

Xoxo -Ramey❤

It's been a minute

July just hasn't been our month. The past few weeks have been crazy. My food intake has been all over the place, I've taken the past 3 days off from the gym and my hormones have gone buck wild! Did I mention my honey threw his back out doing straight leg dead lifts? 

There IS light at the end of the tunnel and things are progressively getting better. Today we start back on track with the food and tomorrow starts back the 2 a days. With all this rest I've had, I feel refreshed and ready to take on new challenges! 

Xoxo -Ramey❤

It has become quite comical

The one thing that I notice every few weeks is the crazy way my body transforms itself. When I stand in the mirror and look at my results so far, I feel like a prepubescent teenager.  Misshaped in all the wrong places. But the few days after aren't so bad. But this is what's going to happen if I want to reach my goals! 

Have a safe and beautiful weekend. 

Another holiday has come and gone

i have decided to change up my workout schedules on my days off. I usually only wake up at 4 a.m. Tuesday through Friday to get to the gym by 5. Now I've decided to throw Monday in there as well. It doesn't do me any good to get to the goals I want if I just slack off. I can always take a nap later, right?!

No matter what

Always push yourself. Don't listen to that little voice in the back of your head that says "no more"!  Your body is capable of the burn, the push. Don't you owe it to yourself to do just that?

Whew!

This weekend was full of food that is sooooo not on the list of clean eating. Was it worth it for the bf's birthday? Bet your ass it was! But like most things, it has to come to an end. Clean eating starts back up tomorrow morning!  Good nite lovelies!

I've been slacking... A little

So the past couple of days, I've been slacking with the blog.  There's been so much going on around me, I'm exhausted by the time I get home.  All is well.  The workouts are going amazingly!  This week has been one of the best weeks of lifting for me.  The bf and I are noticing small little changes with my body.  I'm super stoked to see what the next few weeks will bring to me.

I have started having dreams about... (wait for it)... sweets!  It all started with a dream about sweet, creamy iced coffee goodness.  I never was big on the sweets (except for ice cream, yum) but apparently my subconscious really wants it and I keep denying it.  I don't know how much longer these dreams will last, but I promise this, I will not give into my temptations.  I've been working so hard and my results have been well rewarded.  I wish everyone a fantastic weekend!!!

The most frequent question I get

I'm always asked why I obsess about working out and watching what I eat. There are multiple reasons. Top reason is the simple fact that I have crappy genetics. But I'm also a foodie, never was that much of an athlete as a child and never really paid attention to the food I took in. When I look back now, I get disgusted at the thought of what I was eating. Now that I only eat clean, organic foods the sight and smell of it disgusts me. Please realize the toxins you intake and change for the better. Everyone have a blessed day! 

I started seeing stars

Today was the most gruesome leg day I've had... Ever. So bad to the point I said, "no more!"  But I lifted an accumulative 16,710 pounds. Not too shab if I do say so myself. But I still have to finish leg day tomorrow nite. Whomp whomp whomp! 

Why yes, I do lift like a girl.

For the most part I'm an active person. I swim laps, run intervals, so on and so forth. I've never been that super athletic person and definitely not weight lifting athletic. 

Since I started training, the weeks have been frustrating and emotional. Not because of my partner, but because of myself. So instead of tackling it like we have been for the past few weeks, we're taking a new approach. Today was kind of a test run to gauge how we need to do it. I moved 16,200 pounds in my workout! Holy crap!!! I was in total disbelief. Cheers and until tomorrow! 

Double duty

Today ended up being double cardio day since the man couldn't make it. Double time: 1000 meter row, 20 minutes on stairs and 1 mile incline on the treadmill. It may not seem like much now, but I'm working my way up! No other way to go!!!

This week so far...

It has been a tough, emotional week. Lots of hormones flying through the air. This is what we call food swings. I have to start eating more food that will take longer to burn throughout the day. 😕

I never said it was fair

The "trainer" and I are on totally opposite sides of the food spectrum. He gets to take in as many calories as he needs to bulk. I, on the other hand, have to weigh and measure each meal proportionately with no carbs after 6. All lean protein and green veggies. But I will say this about him... He is the greatest support system I have. When I want that cheeseburger with fries and a shake (I'm a total foodie), he applauds me at how well I'm doing and how great I'm looking. I am truly blessed to have him in my life. 

Energy

This week, I have decided to add more slow burning carbs to my diet. This way I can get more energy throughout the day and at my evening workout. But I only get to intake these carbs at breakfast and lunch. Anytime after 6 and I pack on the pounds. Between us, I don't want that again. 

Sunday, rest day

I am so exhausted by the time Sunday rolls around. A typical Sunday is: church. Lunch. Home. Nap (for 3 or so hours). Food prep. Dinner. More sleep. My body knows that Sunday is rest day. No gym. No fuss. Because everyday during the week is so jam packed with so much activity. I really don't see how I endure the energy to do it. 

So just remember, when you workout,  you need to give that body of yours some rest. If not, muscles start to tear down, you get sick, etc.

Walk, run, swim...

No matter what kind of physical activity you do, it beats sitting on your ass!  1 mile walked or ran is 1 mile that you didn't do before. Once the routine and habit of working out kicks in, you feel almost disappointed in yourself when you don't do it. 

I attack my workouts 2x a day. 6 days a week. Once in the morning and once right after work. Some days are harder than others. My focus is on my goals and my health. I don't do it for anyone else, but myself. So no matter what, get out there and do something. No excuse is valid. 

Friday, June 14, 2013

These are the measurements for the week: 

Keep keepin' on!

Green tea

This week, I tweaked my nutrition intake and decided to keep it going for 30 days. I was having a cheat meal 1x a week (Sunday fundays). But I have to challenge myself and see what my body can/can't handle. The biggest change I made to my daily intake is replacing coffee with green tea. No sugar, no nothing. Just plain hot tea. Don't get me wrong, I looooove green tea, but when it's 98 degrees outside, it's not my first choice. I drink 1 cup in the a.m. and 1 cup of decaf in the p.m. I can already tell you that I can feel a difference. Get your green tea on!!! 

Nutrition. Nutrition. Nutrition.

A lot of people don't realize how important their nutrition is when you are on a specific workout regimen. It took me a couple of years to figure this out and I still learn new things everyday. It has all been a process of elimination, learning what my body can take in, what my body refuses to take in and how my body reacts to certain foods. I go more for the all natural, non-GMO foods. It can be a lot more expensive, but isn't your health worth it?  Lots of lean protein, veggies, fruit, and those good fats. Listen to your body. Eat smart. 

My quiet place

For me, the gym is a lot of things. It's a place for me to spend time with my boyfriend. It's a place for me to be all alone, even though I'm surrounded by swarms of people. It's the place I go when I need to relax, get my thoughts together or let all my frustration out.  The simple fact that I get to do this twice a day means the world to me. Some of you may get it. Some of you won't. 

What a day

Today was a tough one. Skipped my am workout because my body was needing the rest, but definitely made up for it this evening. My wonderful trainer/boyfriend helped me burnout on my chest workout. I will have to say, I wouldn't be where I am today without him. 

Time to hit the showers. Hit the hay and then back to the gym at 5 am. Good nite lovelies!

This has been a journey

For the past 4 years, I've been on a journey. One to get healthy and fit. So far, I've lost over 50 pounds. I've learned so much about myself, the food I am supposed to intake and how my body reacts to everything. 

The next few weeks are going to be the most difficult I have ever endured. Intense 2 a day workouts and constant eating of lean protein, no to low sugar, and of course, lots of water. 

Today's weigh in is at 165 pounds and 30" waist and 38" hips. 

New advancements start with a new day.