Lifting Struggles + Apple Pie Recovery Shake + Exciting Upcoming Events

I feel like I have so much going on right now, or at least a lot running through my mind right now. 
I have no complaints about my weekend.  Although I can't remember what I did Friday night, which I can tell you was probably nothing because I got to lazy to get out of my pajamas after getting home.  Although I really did want to go down to the Dogwood Festival because Chris Jansen was playing. 

My Weekend

Saturday morning was an early one, but later than my normal wake up time. I did have to skip my workout but it might have worked out in my favor.  I spend most of the day Saturday in Salisbury watching a mini sprint/go kart race with Fidget.  Because I can't for the life of me remember what those cars are called!  Fidget's friend's son was racing that day. We made it there around 11am and got to watch him qualify. It was definitely a fun way to spend a Saturday, along with some good company.  Some of those little cars are fast.  It was a small track that took the slowest cars around 9 second to circle the track with a couple spin-outs and T-bones involved.  The weather was beautiful and I got a little bit of a tan, not the kind I wanted but a tan none-the-less.  It was a 2 hour drive from home but the good part was it was close to my first home. I had expected the day in Salisbury to last until about 345 and I don't know why that time but that's the time I had stuck in my head.  Well that had already passed and we didn't end up leaving until around 5pm. We took off for lunch and got some Panera for everyone and then hung out the rest of the day.  I just hung out, mostly kept to myself expect for when watching the races or playing with Kayla between races.  We did some gymnastics stuff and I went with her when she wanted to get food.  I played more with the kids I think.  On the way back we stopped by my mom's place.  I had talked to her on the way up to Salisbury and she said to swing by if we got the chance, And that she'd like to meet Fidget.  So meet Fidget she did. We didn't stay long because I didn't want to get back to late.  It had been a long day in the sun.  We headed the 2.5 hour drive back home, taking the scenic route as I'd like to call it.  It was definitely different being the passenger on that drive than the driver.  After we got back we hung out at his friend's place, eating and messing with the kids.  More him than me, I was exhausted.  I almost fell asleep on the floor,  I didn't end up getting home until 1am.  And believe it or not I went ahead and started my laundry so I wouldn't have that much to do on Sunday and could head to the gym.
Now where exactly are these lifting struggles happening...you'll see.
After church on Sunday I finished up my laundry and got to the gym a little after 12 because they actually open at 12pm.  Unless that has changed which I heard it was.  All I was going to work on that day was my oly lifting which is normally a Saturday. 
Snatches
I have been struggling with my snatches lately.  They've left heavier than normal for some reason and it could be because I have been doing my Conditioning portion of my workouts before actually started on my oly lifting work during the week.  I never think about these things when I do them, which I probably should!  My thought process doesn't always work right, but I can't be too upset because they days I'm suppose to get to a heavy single I was hitting 56kg/126# which was 2kg under my old PR (personal record).  My struggle to hit 58kg was starting to get discouraging but again I wasn't taking into account that my body was already tired from my Conditioning.  In my mind I should have been able to hit it anyway.  So Sunday when I walked into the gym, not long after a guy walked in and got on the platform beside me.  He stared warming up snatches also.   I have no idea who in the world this guy was but the way he carried himself with a fiery purpose to his lifting somehow rubbed off on me.  I was determined to hit a new PR that day and they were actually filling good.  I work my way up to 56kg and then decided to try that elusive 58kg that I have been chasing for what seems like forever.  And there's this saying that if you hit a PR and it's not filmed, it didn't happen.  But I didn't break out my camera for it because I usually ended up missing it even though I was always close.  Well, what do you know, I hit 58kg first attempt.  So why not keep going?  59kg it was.  I hit that first time also.  I had to stabilize a little longer in the bottom but I didn't care as long as I stood that sucker up.  I attempted 60kg/132# about 4 times because I finally decided to call it a day.  the only reason I kept attempting it was because I was so close to getting it.  It's hard to stop when you're so close to something.  It drives me more and more to keep going but I have to keep in mind that after awhile my body is worn out from that movement pattern so it's slowing gong to get worse.  I'm so close to 61kg, which is my goal for the year.

Cleans
Now clean & jerks (C&J) are where I really get frustrated.  61kg was starting to feel easier of getting out of the bottom of the clean.  Now they are just feeling heavy and horribly ugly!  HELP ME!!  O and not to mention, can you see how close my snatch number is to my C&J number.  It should not be like that at all.  Maybe it's time to start a front squat cycle :/
I struggled to get to 61kg that day, and I ended up missing a couple of times and some stood up two with bad form so I did one extra and made sure it looked at least halfway decent out of the bottom.  I'm almost to the point where those are about to put me to the point of tears.  I really need a coach and wish I had one but when things are tight you just sometimes have to suck it up and go without one.  But enough with that bitching, even though C&J didn't go well I couldn't have been more happy with my snatches. 

I went home and showered, grabbed a snack and headed downtown to a new boutique called Southern Alternative.  They haven't been open long but everything they have has looked really cute, and I've been wanted to check it out for awhile.  Plus they were having a 20% off sale on some items.  So why not get out enjoy the beautiful day and try on some fun clothes and maybe something I wouldn't normally wear.  The Dogwood Festival was also going on this weekend and I didn't get a chance to go to it but it will come around again in the Fall.  I found plenty of stuff to try on and I want to say I shopped for maybe an hour.  They had a lot of cut clothes.  I ended up with a flannel top, skirt and crop top.  And if you know me
wearing a crop top isn't typically my thing!  I'm one of those girls who will wear a sports bra and booty shorts to workout in but wearing a crop top just feels weird and that I'm being judged and I hate feeling that way.  But I can't worry about what other people think the rest of my life right


Apple Pie Recovery Shake
So many of you who might have read my blog previously know that I usually follow the Badass Body Diet nutrition guidelines for my nutrition.  Mostly for portion sizes than actually nutrition though.  I did the 21 day guidelines back in March but have figured out my own way to work some of my treats into the nutrition guidelines.  I also get up and workout early in the morning which sometimes I wish I would just let myself sleep in, but of the 5 days during the week, 4 of them I have recovery shakes.  The majority of the time I fix chocolate and banana other than that I usually fix the banana with spinach (you can't even taste it) or a blueberry banana recovery shake.  I was honestly starting to get tired of the same old shakes.  I didn't want to throw mango or pineapple in there which I had done before so I figured why not try something different.  I always debated about trying to make one taste like apple pie, but worried about how it would turn out with chopped up apples.

Apple Pie Recovery Shake
Servings: 1
Ingredients:

1/4 banana, sliced
1/4c unsweetened apple sauce (I have Great Value - Walmart brand)
1c almond milk
1 scoop vanilla ETB protein powder
To taste:
cinnamon
ground all spice
apple pie spice













My next plan is making cupcakes, no not part of Badass Body.  I probably won't eat any of them but I want to try and make different flavors like strawberry (using actual strawberries), strawberry banana, banana, lemon raspberry, chocolate peanut butter, and peanut butter.  I was going to make the batter and separate them out into different bowls to add in the flavor.  So wish me luck.  The goal is to get them made on Sunday!

Upcoming Events
So I've got a couple things I'm looking forward to!
Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo
Raleigh once a month does a food truck rodeo of around 50-50+ food trucks once a month!  Something I've always wanted to do.  They do food trucks back in Charlotte on Fridays but I've never been able to go to one since I'm not here anymore and Fort Bragg hasn't really built up food trucks very well. 
Baby J
Well I was suppose to be writing this beforehand but waiting too long.  My nephew baby J was due on the 25th of this month.  Another April baby to add to the long list.  Well he arrived 7min early at 11:53pm on April 24th.  His name is Jamison Russell Black, but I'll probably end up calling him Jamie.  They wouldn't tell us the whole time what name they had decided on for him and I had a feeling it was going to be Jamison, but you never know.
Together 2016
I'm super excited for this.  This is Christian concert that is taking place in DC on July 16th.  I have always wanted to go to a Christian concert and it helps that it's in one of my favorite places to visit.  I don't think I could ever get enough of DC.  What makes the concert even better besides the artists and speakers that are going to be there is that it's FREE! Yep, free!  Some of the artist are Jeremy Camp, Hillsong United, Crowder, and Lauren Daigle.  Some of the speakers are Christine Caine, Ravi Zacharias, and many others that I have never heard of.  I've heard of the two mentioned from watching the videos from Passion 2016.  From there I will head to Lake Lure to spend some time with my family.  I plan on hiking Chimney Rock and some of the other trails in the park.  So if you are free, can find a place to stay, and are close to the DC area then come join us!

I'm not going to lie, as of right now I'm hoping for some other trips and events to pop up, a couple day trips to the beach I wouldn't mind either.  But only time will tell, but I do have some stuff to look forward too.

 ~God Bless

 

"Training strength and endurance mentally, physically, and spiritually."

The Benefits & Frustrations of Being a Fit Girl + Homemade BlackberryVinaigrette

Well I'm not going to lie, this blog started from some girl locker room talk this morning (it's a Friday).  One girl was try to jump into her pants, I was slipping into a dress, and another was headed for the shower.  We only got on the conversation because I noticed her sports bra...it was lululemon.  And if you don't know who that brand is, you're missing out!
As a person who lives to be in the gym, in other words I get anxiety if I miss a day working out that is a normal workout day for me, I love being fit but at the same time it can be frustrating.  Can't really imagine what would be frustrating about being fit? Well let's see

Frustrations

1.  Pants Don't Fit
Yes we squat and lunge and squat some more.  The results of this, thick legs/thighs and a big butt!  Now don't get my wrong I love having big legs and butt but when it comes to trying to find a pair of pants that fit...man is it difficult!  I have jeans now that fit around the waist but I literally have to jump into those suckers to get them to my waist.  And then you have the added concern of I hope that if I bent over or squat down these suckers don't rip in half.  Trust me it's happened to some people I know. 
There are some companies that make pants specifically for people like us
www.barbellapparel.com ($10 one-time offer if you sign up for their emails)
frandenim.com (10% for becoming a member and a little more reasonably priced)
www.relentlessjeans.com

2.  Our Backs Are BIG
Okay, so whether you're a fitness competitor or CrossFit competitor a lot of back workout or pull ups will develop those lovely upper back muscles and make us look like we could fly away.  And don't get my wrong I absolutely love my back, which explains why I like tops and dresses that are open back or really open back sports bras from lulu.  But having a big back comes with it's issues also.  Fitting into a sports bra with a bigger back makes all the extra back muscle you have spill over if  you don't have the right one on.  People I wear a size 6 or 8 in lulu and I'm pretty small.  Big backs = the more open the better. 

Regular bras are a pain in the ass, well at least for some of us they are.  Some people are more well endowd in their bust area than I am but I've got a bigger back.  So having a small chest and a big back can be an issue.  I went to Pink by Victoria's Secret one day and it took about 45min to find a bra that fit me well in the back without everything spilling over but not having so much room in the front because the cups were too big.  Thank the lord for racer back bras and lace :)
Jackets....you feel like you're going to pull those suckers apart trying to get them on or even when they are on they are a little tight up top.  You could always try for a different size and have it altered.





3.  We CAN'T Eat Whatever We Want and Not Gain a Pound
Okay granted yes we could, but our bodies wouldn't look the way they do and our performance would suffer.  Sunday's are used for meal prepping and we are the kings and queens of Tupperware.  So we might reject the donut or going out to eat but it has nothing to do with you.  It's because we have a competition coming up and we need to stick to our nutrition.  But catch us on a good day we'll take the offer for pizza, ice cream, donuts, etc.
I don't know how many times people tell me I could eat whatever I want and not gain a pound!  And honestly it's annoying.  Just like anyone else if I eat something unhealthy and a lot of it, I do gain weight.  But I stick to a pretty ridget plan and eat 5-6 times/day.  And yes, the ice cream and girl scout cookies in my freezer stare at me!

4.  Aren't You Scared Guys Won't Date You Because Your Arms Are Big
Plan and simple, NO.  If a guy won't date us because we have a bigger built than women who don't workout then they aren't the guy for us.  We don't have time to deal with those kinds of insecurities and we usually date someone who is into the gym as much as we are.

The Plus Side +

1.  We Are Strong
Since I can remember I've always been little.  I've got a little frame which makes people underestimate me and it can be a pain but I also love it.  I might not be able to lift as heavy as a games athlete but compared to my body weight all my lifts are higher, expect my shoulder press. But who would expect to see such a "tiny" girl, as I've been called, be able to lift that much haha.  If I had to lift something heavy at work, you better believe I could.  O and all those groceries that have to go up a couple flights of stairs at my apartment.  I'm loading all of them on my arms and making ONE trip.  It's just grabbing for my keys to get them in the door that might be the problem.

2.  We Are Confident and Independent
I'm going to be honest as I always am, but being a strong female kind of (actually does) make us feel like a badass!  We know what we're doing in the gym and don't really need help unless it's for a spot.  We are proud of our thick strong thighs, big back and arms, our booty!  We know what we can bring to the table.  The question is can you keep up?
We can take care of ourselves. We don't mind spending time by ourselves or heading to the gym by ourselves either.  I typically workout by myself when I head to the gym but if I have a good gym partner I like that too.  I workout by myself and I can breeze through a workout no problem, but if you wind up with the talkative gym partner plan to be there for about 2-2.5hrs when it should have only taken 1.5hr.  Don't get me wrong having a guy around would be nice, but it's not necessary.

3.  We Get Along with the Guys
Okay yeah we have girlfriends that we hang out with but we have a lot more guy friends than usual too.  I have about 2-3 girlfriends I actually hang out with.  Other than that I'm socializing with guys.  I enjoy watching my sports, kicking back and cooking some food or
even ordering pizza.  I mean we're in the 

gym lifting some serious weight and not afraid to lift it.  What more could you ask for?

4.  We Wear Some Tight, Scantily Clad Gym Clothes

Let's face it, some of those shorts just get in out way when we squat.  I find myself either tucking my shorts into the liner when I go to do squats or just wearing my boogie shorts from lulu that seem to move high as I workout.  And when I'm not at a gym on post you better believe the first thing that happens is I end up in my sports bra because why in the world am I going to waste time during my workout taking it off when I already no it's going to happen.  Might as well save some time during my workout right?  We don't mind walking around in shorts where our butt is about to hang out, half the time I don't even notice it because I'm so focused on my workout. 



5.  We Can Put Away Some Food
Let's face it, no one wants to be around someone who eats like a rabbit all the time!  We fit girls can put away some food.  I eat 5-6 times a day and only one night a week is my actual meal a salad (with protein).  The only down side to the fact that we can put away some food is that it means more groceries to buy...there went the monthly grocery budget!  We love our food, and me my peanut butter!  So expect us to be able to hang when it comes to the food department. 

6. We Are Dedicated and Competitive
To those who are friends with us, to the guys who date us, and to our co-workers our dedication to fitness can show you how are we are willing to work for something and that we don't give up on something we want and really have a passion for in our lives.  This applies to all aspects of our life, not just fitness.  Anything that we have a passion about and have a goal of you know where going to work hard for.  Just like in our fitness we strive to be at our best, to get stronger, our bodies to look their best.

Growing up I was always competing in something.  So having that competitive side always makes us push a little bit harder and who doesn't want that around.  Yes, we might be a little intense but that's what makes it fun.  But that doesn't mean we can't be a team player as well.  Guys are always competing whether it is blatantly obvious or not, so what guy wouldn't want that little bit of fun competition around. It never hurts to have a little fun competition around.  I will admit it's nice to have someone to push me during a workout and for me to want to kick their butt during it also.  I might not even be able to beat them but it's nice to give them a run for their money.

Blackberry Vinaigrette 

So you might laugh at me, or you might think I'm crazy but I will store stuff in the freezer for forever.  I've had leftover blackberries in my freezer since I made blackberry BBQ sauce last October.  I needed to do something with them and I had just finished up the dressing I had bought from Zoe's Kitchen.  So I needed another vinaigrette dressing because I stick to those more than the others because of all the fats and sugars added into them.  But I have always wanted to try and make my own.  So I decided to use the blackberries and give it a shot.  I searched the internet for some sort of guide to making it.
After looking at a couple different sites I used Paleo Newbie (www.paleonewbie.com) as my guide.
I modified the recipe a little bit because of some taste issues but also the recipe on her site is for strawberry.

Sorry it's not the best picture for the recipe (will update
later)

Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing/Sauce
Serving size: ~1c dressing

1c blackberries
2tbsp apple cider vinegar 
2-3 tbsp honey (I like my vinaigrettes a little sweeter)

sprinkle of pepper
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

I don't use that much olive oil because the taste is so strong to me I wouldn't have been able to actually use what I make.  I had tried making a citrus vinaigrette dressing a while back for some salmon and I used the amount of olive oil the recipe called for and that's all I could taste in the dressing.
The blackberry vinaigrette is good, but it did come out a little thick  I would probably use it more as a sauce for meats than as a salad dressing.

The Journey of My Faith

We all grow up in with a different lifestyle and home.  I was brought up in a church from the time I was just a baby.  It's even where I was up into daycare as a baby.  My family  wasn't very strict on going to church, we would miss some days and other times we would be very consistent but it wasn't a huge deal if we missed.  My father never went to church unless it was a special occasion and now that I look back at it I wish he would have gone more.  I'll explain why later.  We would always go to big church and then go our separate ways to Sunday school.  I think that's the right order.  One day when my brother was 8 years old he decided he wanted to accept Jesus Christ and be baptized.  When he did this I honestly felt left out so I decided to do it too.  Some way to accept Christ right, but at the time of 7 years old I really couldn't comprehend what accepting Christ really meant.  
Elementary school came and went and having accepted Christ hadn't changed me at all.  I was still the same person going to church and missing on occasion, no big deal.  And I really didn't think much about the decision I had made.  During middle school I started to get more involved.  Before starting into the middle school ministry our youth pastor came by the house to visit us and just give us an idea of all the things they do.  His name was Brody, yes I still remember him.  He was very down to earth and related to us very well.  Maybe because he was a big kid at heart.  We had a band I thought that was pretty cool.  I even volunteered to sing with them one day, but chickened out last minute from stage fright I guess.  We would break off into small groups after a short big group session and I enjoyed the group of girls I was paired with.  We were always together for camp retreats, Christian conferences at church that involved host homes.  I would do outreach on Saturdays and after we would go bowling.  I really enjoyed spending time at church.  I would get upset if I wasn't able to make a Sunday.  I think sometimes my mom went to church just so I could go.  I tried to read through the whole Bible, beginning to end, when I was in middle school but that still hasn't happened yet. 
My faith in God was building until 8th grade.  On Wednesday nights every so often they would have what was called a "Judgment Night."  It was meant to make people who had not accepted Christ really think about the decision to accept him.  So before I go forward, I'll give you a little background.  My father passed away when I was 11 years old.  I was angry for a long time even though I didn't realize it.  I remember wondering why God would take my dad away from me and soon after his passing would always look to see if he was going to walk through the house door or just randomly so up somewhere.  It felt like a dream that he was no longer with me.  I never had thought about if he was in heaven with God or in hell, but one night at "Judgment Night," changed all that
That night the drama team did a skit that start with people dressed in the scream costume, minus the mask, wondering into the crowd of people, walking into the bleachers.  I won't lie, they scared me to the point when the one that came near me I pulled away a little bit  But what was said that night really made me fear for my dad, "If you don't go to church, pray, or read the Bible you are NOT gong to heaven."  This statement really scared me.  To think my dad wasn't in heaven and I would never see him again.  He didn't read the Bible that I was aware of, only went to church on special occasion, and we prayed before dinner.  I'm scared that I'll never see my dad again, and always scared of where I will end up.  It's still a fear to this day.  I always try to be a good Christina, but let's face it, we all slip up and do things we aren't suppose to.
My faith at that point faded in God.  A God that could take such an important figure in my life away (I'm starting to develop tears as I type this).  And I always hate that the night before we apparently talked for 2 hours.  I neither remember talking with him that long or remember a single word of the conversation.  I've been told that one day it will come back to me, but that was almost 17 years ago and it still hasn't happened.

I eventually moved into high school youth ministry because let's face it, we all get older.  I tried to stay active but felt the clichés that come with high school in the process.  I missed the middle school group.  I missed more Sundays than not in high school and then just basically stopped going. I felt like an outcast in the same small group I used to be close in.  That lead it's way into college, but it wasn't until my junior and senior year that I started going to church again.  I tried to read through my Bible again, and I think I did it but can't remember because I was following a reading plan from my church so it jumped around everyday that I read.  The guy that I was dating at the time of my senior year would go with me, but I could tell he was going just for me.  And that was awesome that he was willing to do that for me,  but I wanted him to go for himself too. 
My faith in God started getting stronger again.  After we broke up I started going to the early service with my grandma and sat with her, and we would head toward our Sunday school classes afterwards.  I had joined a college Sunday school class which I continued with even after I had graduated, but that was only a couple of weeks.  In December of 2012 I applied and was accepts for a Health Educator position in Fort Bragg, NC.  Which I think this is the first time I've told ya'll where I'm located, for those that don't know me personally.  And it is where I still am today.  My first thing was to find a church to go to.  I asked my Aunt and she gave me a list of different churches to try out.  My first church was Village Baptist and I liked it because Dr. Martin preached similar to my pastor back home.  I tried a different church the following week, Berean Baptist, but felt out of place.  I realized that Village was where I was suppose to be.  I wasn't very involved besides going to Sunday school an then main service, which I eventually left the Sunday school class I was attending.  I had ignored calls from my singles pastor because I at the time didn't want anyone calling me to try and convince me to keep coming.  I was fine keeping to myself.  I later started going to the Singles Bible Study on Monday nights.  My faith was still growing but I was still resistant.
Things started gong downhill for me in my life that same year, in June, that I moved to Fort Bragg.  I lost my job as a health educator and at first I was bitter about it but I realized later I enjoyed the hands-on approach when it came to peoples fitness journey and didn't feel helpful when giving clients the same general exercise guidelines.  But out of that I was given my first opportunity to start coaching CrossFit after having my certification for 2 years.  That job fell through an I moved on to another gym and eventually another.  It wasn't until Guild that I became the coach I am today and I love coaching.  But eventually that fell through as well.  And as those things started to take a hit, so did my confidence in myself.  Why was God putting me through this, job after job of me failing?  I felt worthless and like a failure.  Why would God lead me to a city only to continuously have me fail and struggle?  I know that God can put us through hard times to make us rely on him more, and he knows that sometimes it will have the opposite affect.  Was this his way of pulling me closer to him?  I prayed and cried for God to help me!  Having to borrow money to pay my bills is not something I'm proud of or proud to even admit.  And being told there was something wrong with me didn't help either. 
This was my struggle from summer 2013, mostly in the spring of 2014, until now.
I dated guys that were only temporary.  In other words I was treated as if I was a girlfriend but was never was one only for them to get back together with their ex.  After those I had hardly any confidence in myself except in the gym.
As I went through all of this I was asking and praying to God to turn things around for me.  But I was having my doubts.  Why would a loving God put me through this again and again?  what was he trying to tell me and what was I suppose to be doing with my life?  I felt lost.  I was working out by myself, working a crappy jobs, feeling like and outcast, and just not happy.  I had one day where I had lost all hope.  But my faith in god's plan for me kept me determined to try and keep my head up and keep going, no matter how much that faith in God was at the time.  He had a plan for me, and it usually isn't the one you have planned for yourself.  You sometimes getlucky though.  He would provide for me.  I would read various Christian books and study guides and they would provide me with hope, clarity, and determination but it was only short-lived.  I started to get more involved in which last year by helping out with VBS (Vacation Bible School) during the summer and then dinner on Wednesday nights after VBS was over.  I felt connected to my grandma in that way because she also helps out at dinner on Wednesday nights back home.  Although being involved helped, it didn't always.  But I tried to stay strong.

So where am I at today?  I have a job as a substitute teacher at a school on post and work mostly with the SPED (Special Education) kids.  I'm at church 3 days a week.  I still train by myself but have plenty of friends that I've met through the gym.  It's not often you find a girl up at 5am getting a workout in.  Most days I I can head home with an amazing story from work with my SPED kids and the connection I make with them just feels my heart with so much joy and love, it's overflowing!  I am still at Bragg and part of me not leaving is because one of my passions is the military and has been since I was twelve.  I had thought about joining several times but medical conditions would prevent that (I would have joined the Marines first).  I think the only way I would leave here is if I had a better job offer at another base or in a relationship with someone in the military.  My faith in God still waivers at times, but no party of my life will ever be perfect.  But at some point in all our lives, for those who believe in God,  we will lose our faith during really hard times.  he never promised that believing in Him would make my life any easier, but would test me and my faith.

 ~God Bless

"Training strength and endurance mentally, physically, and spiritually."

Switching Up My Training + Black Sheep Black Sheep

Constantly Varied

As an Exercise Science major and athlete you learn that for strength and conditioning in order to get stronger you have to switch up your training.  Another way is to work close to your 100% but that's not the point here.  If you always go in and do the same thing over and over again you will get better at it but your body will plateau.  Say someone wants to run a half marathon, so they start training.  At first it's really hard to even run for 3min straight and then after a couple weeks that 3min becomes a piece of cake and they become better at running.  But they seem to stick with the same pace no matter how much they run.  Well in order to improve their run time they would have to do some interval training and maybe add in some trail runs instead of just running on the treadmill or outside on the pavement.  I'm not going to lie, I'm a fan of treadmill training because I run faster on it than I do outdoors.  And that eventually leads to me running faster outside.  I used to run at a leisurely 8:30ish/mi pace.  I push the speed so when I do get outdoors for a run or a race (like that will happen anytime soon) I end up being faster than I think I actually run.  But the same goes for strength training, if you constantly do the same weights and reps you're body adapts to it and it becomes too easy.  If you never move from what has become easy, your comfort zone, and add some freakin weight then you won't get stronger like you are wanting.  And no ladies, like you have read so many times before, you won't get bulky from lifting weights and being able to lift heavy!  So constantly changing up your workouts is important which is why I love CrossFit.  Every time you go in it's always something different.  It can be lifting weights or just your own bodyweight, a full day of cardio or a lot of gymnastics movements!

So why did I just type all that, because I recently decided to switch up my training.  I had a goal of an Oly (olympic lifting) meet on April 16th but I waited too late to register and I'm now on the waiting list which at this point I'm very hesitant that I'm going to get to compete.  And also, my numbers have sucked lately with my lifts.  But I am hopefully that one day my maxes will change so I keep training and fixing my lifts as I feel them.  I have used a program from a company called Catalyst Athletics before and had some really good success with them, so I added them back into my programming.  I was using The Outlaw Way for several months and I was hesitant to deviate from them because I loved their conditioning and their accessory work. I did accessory work when I first moved here but have deviated my programming and eventually it disappeared.  I hadn't done weighted pull ups since I started CrossFit at South Charlotte CrossFit over 5 years ago.  Catalyst has a lot of different programs.  They focus on Oly lifts (snatches and clean & jerks - C&J) to squat cycles and can be as short as 4 weeks to as long as 12 weeks.  So when I decided to start training for the Oly meet I went with the Quick and Classic cycle which is only 4 weeks long, but since I have finished that one I decided to start on a new one, Classic cycle.  I also have switched up the order in which I train.

Before:

Strength work - Gym Jones/Wendler

BB work (snatches and/or C&J) - The Outlaw Way

Accessory work - The Outlaw Way

Conditioning - The Outlaw away

How my workouts look now:

Strength  - Conditioning - Oly work

And to think I squeeze all this in at 0500 in an hour and a half!  Yes, that early in the morning and yes I'm moving through my workout.  Guess I really don't have time to talk to someone when I'm in the gym which I've told makes me intimidating but it's funny how many people I know in the gym.  I'm actually a pretty cool person, I'd like to think anyway.  I know one thing from switching my training around is that I chug more H2O throughout the day.  I try to drink 1c of water every hour because I've been trying to drink more water throughout the day.  Not sure how well it's working but I usually get in 9-10 cups/day.  I use to have everything timed out from when I started drinking when I get to work even to what water bottle I drink from.  Yes, I have some OCD but that's what makes me me right!  I'm loving how I've switched up my programming and feel like I get a lot accomplished with throwing my conditioning in the middle of my workout and then doing my Catalyst work at the end.  It makes me feel stronger since my body is already tired or maybe it's warming my body up nice and extra like, haha.  It usually takes me a while to warm-up and I'm not a person that actually takes the time for a warm-up before I start working out.

Fueled by Faith
Driven by Desire
Pushed by Passion

I've also been trying to get back into running more.   Most of the week I only get to run once, but this past week I've had the ability to run twice.  Monday was just a quick 2 miles because the weather was just too gorgeous not get outside and take advantage of.  And I have honestly been sore since Monday because of the strength work I did and then running.  I didn't eat before I went out and ran so it definitely effected me.  I was slower than normal on what was suppose to be a quick 2 miles.  So my next run was Thursday afternoon with Fidget.  His plan 4 miles; mine, not so much! I was dreading just the fact that it was 4 miles because I haven't ran 4 miles in about a year.  My running is usually shorter lengths these days.  I used to love longer runs.  My distance of choice, a half marathon.  The only other thing I was not looking forward to on Thursday was that it was suppose to be pouring down rain.  So I was going to suck it up and run the 4 miles.  And my assumption was it was like our last run together and would be on pavement.  Boy was I wrong!  I would have some entertainment along the way because Fidget always makes runs fun and he's always fun to be around so I could hang in there for 4 miles.  Little was I aware that it was going to be a trail run and basically the whole thing was uphill.  It started out down a small hill and next thing I know I'm tippy toeing trying not to get my feet wet with water running over a sandbag bridge, attempt unsuccessful!  But that was okay because they would dry quick since we had just gotten started.  Next obstacle, soft sand.  Step and sink, step and sink.  It reminds me of when I was in gymnastics and we had to do 1min of high knees on our landing mats.  He told me to stick toward the edge of the trail on the sand, which I did but I still sunk a little bit but the plus side to running in soft sand/dirt, stronger legs!  And I've started to love my big quads.  Well, big for my size anyway.  After we got through the soft sand it was a slow ride for me up that hill.  But I was bound and determined not to stop my slow poke jog up that hill.  I don't even want to know how long that hill actually was, and it's a tricky one.  I thought I was at the top and sure enough there was more!  Coming back down was easier but it always is right, just let the desert carry you down.  As much as I hate that hill right now and I think it completely sucked I'll got out and do it more.  I don't want that run to suck that bad anymore.  Hey maybe even next time I'll take a picture at the top like Rocky!  You have to practice even the things that suck to get better at them.  You can't always stick to what you know.

Black Sheep Black Sheep

There are people we look at in life and they just plain stand out.  Funny using the word plain there.  Just like the cliches in high school; there were the really country kids, the kids who were considered punk or goth, and those that were really popular and athletic.  As we turn into adults we still have those that stand out.  It could be the ones with a particular clothing style or those with a lot of tattoos.  And what's sad is depending on where you live can depend on how you are judged by your appearance.  I used to live in Charlotte, NC and walking down the street if you saw someone with a lot of tattoos or a different hair color (green, blue, bright red) you were judged differently than someone without a lot of tattoos or a natural looking hair color.  And I won't lie, I used to judge these people too, but more is why would they want to have that many tattoos or die their hair that certain color.  Having people judge them for their looks knowing that everyone will be looking at them.  

My tattoo the shows how much my faith
in God means to me. 

Well I may not be be someone with a lot of tattoos (maybe not yet), but I have started to realize that I am the black sheep in my family.  I got my first tattoo when I was 19 years old and it's true what they say, once you get one you want more.  I since then have a grand total of 5.  Yes, five tattoos is not a lot and they are spread out and can be hidden from view if need be.  But yes I would love to have more tattoos.  I know I've probably hit on this topic before.  But I realize that being decorated with art with art is a beautiful thing.  No matter how little or much it is, it is a sign of confidence in yourself.  I never thought in a million years that I would want a big tattoo on my upper arm or get one covering my lower arm.  You will find some people who's tattoos will always tell a story about themselves; a story that maybe they would never tell you otherwise.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  

Then you will be able to test and approve 

what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

- Romans 12:2

I have also come to realize that having colors in your hair that are not natural (brunette, blonde, red) are also a sign of confidence in yourself.  You are not worried about what someone else thinks of you.  Some people may just do just little streaks throughout or underneath but to do an all over color is pretty courageous in my opinion.  You don't mind standing out and it can even give you confidence in yourself.  Having recently colored by hair (burgundy + purple) and having 5 tattoos has made me stand out in my family.  I just have realized that I am not going to be like anyone else in my family and I don't mind standing out in my family, but it does sometimes does bother me.  My mom and grandparents are more reserved.  My grandpa asked me at his birthday party last September to not get anymore tattoos, saying that if I did no one would hire more for a job.  My mom always asks me not to get more tattoos, but they are something that I love and don't mind decorating my body with to tell stories about myself that someone would not normally know about me unless they ask or think about me.  Do I really consider myself that different from my 
family and a black

sheep, not in the least little bit.  But I wasn't born to blend in, I was born to stand out.  Just like everyone else is, we are made to be different.  It doesn't make you who you are if you want to be like someone else.  We always have bits and pieces of us we wish were a little different, like that I wish I was a little more fashion forward and was a little more creative when it came to hair styles (curled by hair and braid it), but it's that part of me that makes me who I am.  From my tattoos, lack of somewhat fashion sense, my passion for working out and my faith in God, my colored hair I was born to stand out.  It is all through experiences and appearance that I can relate to different people in my life.  We all have a different purpose in this life and are born to stand out in our own individual way, don't be afraid of that!  

I may have tattoos and dyed hair but I'm still just a normal girl/woman.  I love going hiking, camping, fishing, hanging out watching football and eating pizza, going out to a restaurant and just relaxing and listening to a band play, love baseball, going on day trips to the mountains or the beach, and working out.  Just cause my appearance is different doesn't mean I'm completely different for other people around me.

"For just as each of us has one body with many members, 

and these members do not all have the same function,

so in Christ we, though many, form one body, 

and each member belongs to all the others.  

We have different gifts, according to the grace

 that was given to each of us. I

f you gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 

if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 

if it is to encourage; then give encouragement; 

if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, then do it diligently; 

if it is to show mercy; do it cheerfully."

Romans 12:4-8

       ~God Bless

"Training strength and endurance mentally, physically, and spiritually."

Spring Break + I'm Getting Old

Spring Break
I look back into my high school days of spring break where groups of girls and guys would head down to Myrtle Beach for almost a week or close to that anyway. Spending time driving down the strip at 2mph, hanging out with friends from school that were also down there,  hanging out with guys/girls they had just met that they thought were attractive, and I don't even want to think about what else.  I was on the completely opposite end of that group.  I would go on spring break with my family and maybe see some of my friends down there to hang out with.  I was always the shy girl anyway and never really fit in in high school; I was never late to school or a class, always did my work (except my senior year), and my teachers liked me (I was almost "teachers pet" to some).
But this was my spring break from school from the kids, on the opposite end of the spectrum now.  Spring break as come a little more different at the age of 27.  But it was going to be nice to have a couple free days, and some turned into more lazy days than I had planned on them being.  My spring break started on the 25th and I headed to Charlotte for Easter weekend with a combo of  birthday celebrations.  My spring break wasn't that eventful.  I had to work Monday morning at the my other job which isn't normal for me.  It was nice to work in the morning and then have the rest of the day, but man did I underestimate how much working that morning and then going to workout would wear me out!  I was useless once I got home from the gym after work!  I mean I sat on my bed for a good 30min and then reluctantly got up and moved to my couch until after dinner.  And even fixing dinner was a struggle.  Tuesday was my normal afternoon shift but it was nice to have a relaxing morning and not have to pack stuff for all day.

Just beginning our hike.  He doesn't sit well for
pictures.

Wednesday I had the day off and I planned on enjoying it!  I had been dog sitting for the past week and it was my last day with Rigger, my friend's dog.  So because it was nice outside and I was only getting to take him on short walks I decided I was going hiking and he was coming with me.  I got up at my usual time to do my 5am swim.  I know what you're thinking, why not sleep in since I have the week off.  Well I wanted to go  hiking and didn't want to be out there too late when dinner rolled around so I got up early.  I normally swim 3000m but I decided to cut it down to 2500m since I was hiking and was going to do some hill sprints after swimming anyway.  The pool was amazingly quiet on Wednesday, some of the lanes were actually empty for once.  There was no dive training for the SF guys, no unit that came in to do pt, nothing! Swimmers heaven right there.  I just wish I would have pushed myself a little harder in the pool.  It was a lazy 2500m.  But I tried to cut myself a break after all the exercising I was going to be doing that day. 
I had friends that were suppose to come with me that day but last minute couldn't because work kept him too late.  I was leaving on 11am at the dot.  I went to pick up Rigger and off we went.  Windows rolled down, wind blowing our hair around.  He was the perfect car passenger.  Just sat by the window to laid in the back sit.  When we finally got to the park, he was extremely excited.  He jumped into the front floor board on the passenger side he was so ready to get out of the car.  So I grabbed the leash and my back pack (water and treats for him, hat for me) and off we went.

At the Overlook

Our hiked included a lot of back and forth and I was really just trying to waste some time since I wasn't just going to drive all the way out there and hike for an hour.  We started out by walking to the main trail and then hiking to the overlook passing some people and other dogs in the process.  Everyone kept telling me how pretty Rigger was.  Once we got to the Overlook, he got a water break and then back down the trail we went to go to Raven Rock.  Now this is where it gets exciting.  At the top of the stairs there was another family who had a dog, an Akita.  She didn't move that far away from the top of the stairs so I held Rigger close to me because I don't know how well he interacts with other dogs.  Sure enough he laid eyes on that Akita and lunged for him (not sure if it was a male or female though).  I quickly pulled him away, but him being the slick furry dog that he is slipped his head out of his collar and me doing a full 360 degree to try and catch him before he got to that dog...no hope!  He was standing on top of that dog with the Akita backed up against the railing.  I was scared to say the least.  But I grabbed him by a huge chunk of fur and skin on his neck and pulled him away.  I hooked him back up in his collar and I think I tightened it.  I apologized to the lady profusely and asked if everyone was okay.  Plus there was a little girl standing beside her but I just think she got scared.  After that we went down the steps and walked around Raven Rock for a bit.  We stayed away from the crowd after that.  After climbing

straight back up those stairs we went back to the overlook and gave Rigger another water break and we posed for a picture.  I still dream of having my little family (and by this right now I mean boyfriend) one day with dogs and all of us going hiking.  After that we hiked down to the Fish Trap and hung out on the rocks by the water for a couple minutes and took more pictures.  Last time I saw the fishing trap 2 years ago the water wasn't as high as it was that day.  We giant stepped back up the rocks and headed back toward the parking lot.  I had to hit the bathroom before we left and didn't want to put him in the car so in the bathroom he went with me.  Yes I said IN the bathroom!  After that we headed back into town.

Buffalo chicken wings.  Besides craving them I had
another reason for fixing them :)

I was looking forward to fixing dinner because I had planned on trying to make buffalo chicken wings for about a week at that point.  I went got all my ingredients (I only needed 2 things) to make some buffalo chicken wings and boy are those suckers good!  So along with the buffalo wings I made corn on the cob and had sweet potato hash browns.  The rest of the night was just relaxing on the couch.  And ever since I painted my nails for my pin-up shoot back in February it was weird not having anything on my toes so I decided to get some nail polish and paint my toes.  Now that's a complete shocker for anyone that knows me.  I haven't actually painted my toenails since middle school when each toenail a different color was a thing.  I don't even bother messing with my fingernails because let's face it.  Someone who lifts like I do and doing CrossFit, my hands ain't going to last long! I had to work again Thursday morning but I split up my workout that day and did part of it in the morning and part of it in the afternoon.  Friday was another day off and up early again for a workout so I could get to the DMV early to renew my drivers license which I stood there for 2.5 hours and I was even there early.  The guy at the counter that was renewing my license said that if everyone did the eye test and signs as fast as I did his day would go so much faster!  What can I say, I've got a good memory.  Other than that my only other plans for that day was to go see God's Not Dead 2.
It was great to be around other Christians who are strong in their faith and singing along to the songs at the end of the film and clapping.  That film inspires you, even if you're faith isn't as strong as others, to go out and not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and not let what other people talk so distastefully about deter you from standing up for your beliefs. 


I'm Getting Old
So my mom complained two weeks ago that I'm hard to surprise because she never knows if what she wants to surprise me with is something that I'll like.  She claims I'm hard to please.  But I think my mom knows more than she thinks she does about me.  Granted I have gotten a little more girly over the years and like normal clothes too, but tend to go for more workout clothes and gear than anything.  I honestly would have been happy if she would have gotten me a gift card from Victoria's Secret haha.  And I make a gift list every year.  It's always a safe bet to surprise me with something off of that.  I had thought about taking a trip this year for the weekend to Raleigh or Asheville, but maybe another year I'll plan a trip like that. 
Instead of surprising me my mom treated me and Amber to breakfast and then took us to Kay Jeweler's to pick out something we liked.  She said we didn't have to get anything if we didn't find anything we absolutely loved. So instead we visited the Easter bunny, went to AC Moore and got me a antistress coloring book and some white chucks which I have been wanting for awhile now.  That night we went to my brother's house to have a semi easter and



I love some chucks haha

birthday celebration for my Mom.  I could have sworn was 54 this year but apparently she turned out to be a little older.  But I wouldn't complain if my child thought I was younger than I was, right?  Addi is always entertainment between making sure everyone has everything the need to eat including juice, cleaning dishes, and putting cake whipped frosting on our noses!  She was even sweet enough to share some of her Reese's pieces with me and the family.  They're both are favorite candy!  Sunday Mom and I went to see Miracles from Heaven and let me tell you, if you go see this movie...take some tissues.  I was wiping my tears on the sleeve of my hoodie.  It made me really think about how much I desire to spread God's and touch people with who have little to no belief in God.    

But I'm officially a year older and when I think about it I physically don't feel any older but man when I actually say my age I get a little sad about it.  I feel old when I say how old I am.  I try and treat myself to a little something every year for my birthday month and it can usually make it last all month. So I started my own personal celebration when I went hiking on Wednesday, fixed buffalo wings, and painted my toes.  Friday night  I went to see God's Not Dead 2.
God's Not Dead 2
It was great to be around other Christians who are strong in their faith and singing along to the songs at the end of the film and clapping.  That film inspires you, even if you're faith isn't as strong as others, to go out and not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and not let what other people talk so distastefully about deter you from standing up for your beliefs.  It even inspires you to become stronger in your faith with God.  I felt like God's Not Dead (the first one) inspired you more throughout the movie, whereas this one did more toward the end of the movie.  It also shows that our smallest conversation or actions with someone who is a non-believer or has little faith can start to believe and grow in their relationship with Christ.

Purple + Burgundy hair for the win!

I got some money for my birthday when I was home for Easter and that was going toward another semi big present to myself! And part of treating myself involved coloring my hair.  I've had my hair it's natural color for most of my life, minus the red ombre last summer and blonde highlights during my high school days.  Well, I've wanted this burgundy + purple hair color for about a year now, but holy crap is getting your hair colored expensive!  So I found out what I needed and started saving.  And I set a date about a month out to get my hair done the Saturday before my birthday.  After months of tips and dog sitting I had what I needed.  So off to the salon I went after a quick sweat session at the gym.  My friend Ronnie did my hair.  We had to bleach my hair first, then the helmet of burgundy + purple and his pink fingernails later when he was washing my hair.  And all done!  My little rebellious stage of saying screw you to a whole lot of people.  It was time fore me to change and be a different for once.  To break out of my goodie-too-shoes lifestyle. 
It's funny how changing even the slightest bit in your appearance can boost your confidence so much.  Everything else that had been bothering me no longer mattered.  I had confidence in myself and felt like a complete badass just from changing my hair and my other hidden present to myself!  If you want to change something about your appearance that makes you feel like a badass or gives you even just the little bit of confidence, ABSOLUTELY do it!!  It can be something as simple as a new wardrobe that can make all the difference. Like I mentioned earlier, this is also my way of rebelling and saying F*** you to a lot of people who have screwed me over, haha.  I'm not sure why though or how it's saying that to those people.  My other way of rebelling is tattoos.  I remember when I used to think that having a lot of tattoos, for women, was gross.  My view has definitely changed on and I now find it beautiful.  It won't surprise me if I end up with more tattoos one day, but for now they are all ones that can be covered. up. 
Besides my hair, I invited some friends out for dinner Saturday night.  I've never been a big party person and am always scared to invite people because no one ever shows up and just end up with a couple people when I invited more.  So I invited some people I consider close friends to Latitude 35 and had dinner.  I got fish tacos which I had been craving for a while (specifically from Latitude) and chicken nachos as an appetizer.  After that we just hung out and socialized, catching up on each others lives. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty disappointed in some of my friends who didn't show up over some stupid excuses.  Latitude always has bands play on the weekends, and my favorite person was playing that night, Ethan Hanson.  His music has a easy flowing, Carribean feel to it.  We also met a group of people, Andrew and Angela, who were out celebrating Angela's birthday. They were very entertaining.  Andrew was making memes out of pictures he was taking that night, and he showed me these.  I started busting out laughing after I read them because the one about Andrew is true and he liked to point out that he misspelled ginger ale.  Enjoy!

 

 

So what this next year will bring I am not sure.  But after 2 full days it's going alright so far.  I've started some new programming and am going to spend some more time with friends and maybe a different career close to the one I have now though. But who knows what the future will bring but I won't get anywhere if I keep looking at my past and wishing I still had some of the things that I did. They are out of my life for a reason whether I have an understanding of that reason or not.  So here's to a whole new year for after getting another year older!

       ~God Bless

"Training strength and endurance mentally, physically, and spiritually."