Having trouble

Sorry I haven't updated or kept up with anyone else's blog.. I'm fighting a relapse right now and I don't have much of anything to say.

Spring Break Fitspo :)

Spring break couldn't have come sooner. I'm in Colorado right now snowboarding! The next 3 days after today I'll be shredding the mountain (or at least trying not to fall on my ass) as well as working out in the fitness room. Yeah, I'm gonna be really sore this week.

Whenever I fly on a plane I always retain water. I had a major panic episode yesterday because my legs and tummy were SO swollen. It made me really upset because I looked awful and it was really triggering because I thought I must have gained a billion pounds within a few hours.. I woke up this morning looking almost normal again though so hopefully by tomorrow I'll be acclimated and free of water retention/bloating.

I'm about to head down to the hot tub to soak since my feet are a little sore already. I also put on a really light tanning lotion yesterday and it looks pretty nice. I actually look skin colour instead of ghostly now haha. Still a little bloated but its going down..

I always wonder how people ski/snowboard in bathing suits. I mean, some days are warmer but its still cold and hurts like hell if you fall on ice wearing only a bikini. I'll admit it looks badass though. So, snowboarding bikini fitspo, because it's a mix between the beach and the mountains. But mostly the mountains. (:

Progress pics update (:

So i've started working with a personal trainer and it's the best thing I've ever done. He's really motivating and awesome and he said he's impressed with my dedication. He said he thinks I'll be really successful as a fitness model which gives me so much motivation. He put together a diet plan and stays with me as a guide through every work out. He really knows what he's doing! if anyone reading this has ever considered hiring a personal trainer, I say definitely go for it!

Anyway, onto the progress. I got a new bikini last night since summer's only a few months away. I hope this summer I can wear it without being self conscious! :)

Excuse my messy hair I just got back from the gym about an hour ago and didn't brush it yet lol

Food/Fitness tip of the day :)

Haven't done one of these in a while!
I have two tips today. one's about food and one's about metabolism so listen up! And this is 100% true because I'm speaking from personal experience. If it's too much text, just read the bolded stuff.

METABOLISM:
I used to eat oatmeal and coffee in the morning. That's like 150 calories. That was my day for the most part. maybe I'd have some fish at night or soup midday, but my caloric intake was around 500 max. Obviously my metabolism slowed down. A LOT.
I started going to the gym 5 or 6 days a week, doing mostly weight lifting and 2 days of HIIT. I started eating every 2-3 hours (protein and healthy fats, some carbs in the morning).
I got my BMR tested yesterday and I'm at 93 lbs and 5'5''.
* My metabolism is very high for my height/weight. My body burns 1700 calories every day just to keep me alive. If I exercise, I can eat 1900 calories that day and still maintain my weight.* 
Therefore, exercise and meal frequency greatly increase metabolism! (note, I'm also mostly muscle at 11% body fat. building muscle also helps with increasing metabolism. My BMR used to be around 1350 only about a month ago. Hard work pays off.)


FOOD:
Lets say you're having a pretty good day food-wise. But then, for whatever reason, you eat something that makes you feel guilty, or that you don't think you should have. Do not let this trigger a binge. Take a deep breath. Everyone messes up, we all occasionally slip and eat something that makes us feel crappy.
You may have heard this before, but seriously think of it this way: you're driving and you get a flat tire. Would it make much sense to get out and slash your remaining good tires? No! Try to keep calm and eat healthily for the rest of the day, and most importantly, forgive yourself. Don't punish yourself; if you do, you're more likely to binge again. Tell yourself tomorrow will be better and you'll eat right and feel great! Unless you ate an entire cheesecake, the bad thing you ate will likely have no lasting effect on your weight or body at all. Your body is very resilient, it will take care of itself. (:

Making my Goals a Reality

I'm meeting with a personal trainer I've been wanting to hire really soon. I'm ecstatic. Motivation level 10. I've been smiling all night despite having a stomach virus. I'm feeling better about myself and my future than I have in a very, very long time. I'm realizing more and more now that I've chosen the right path, and that I made the right decision in pursuing fitness and health as a way of life.

I read somewhere that "you get out what you put in" in terms of exercise (and it could apply to anything really). I'm ready to put in 110% effort every time because I know that if I give it my all, everything will be worth it in the end. I want to be the healthiest and fittest I can be.

It might sound far fetched, but my ultimate goal is to become a fitness model. Not just a fitness model, but a role model. I have a drive to help people; I want my transformation to inspire people and give them hope that they can live happier and healthier, and that with hard work, anything is possible.

But I'm also doing this for me. Because if I kept on living the way I was before, I probably wouldn't be living anymore by the time summer started. The extent of my medical complications was severe. My organs were shutting down due to starvation. I know I have the strength within me to keep fighting, and that's what I plan to do. Because it is possible to be happy and in good health. It is possible to rebound after hitting rock bottom. It is possible to achieve even the most far-fetched goals. I know it and I believe it. I will make my goals a reality.

Personal Trainer (& exercise video links!)

I saw a personal trainer today at my school. She coaches students for free so I thought why not!
She showed me a lot of different exercises with the barbell like skull crushers, deadlifts, chest & shoulder presses. I also worked on my lats and back extension. My arms feel dead right now but at least I know I got a great workout. :)

On a similar topic, I found another personal trainer in my area that has a team and I'm really serious about maybe joining. I really think he could help me achieve my fitness goals because a lot of the people he's coached went on to compete in pro fitness competitions like IFBB, and I'm pretty sure he and his wife are pro fitness competitors & fitness models.

Anyway, this is for Summerwind as she wanted some TaeBo and Shadow Boxing video links. These are such good exercises, especially the Tae Bo it is intense cardio. Hope this helps!


Tae Bo:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Shadow boxing: 
Shadow boxing
Kicking Combo
Shadow sparring

Tired of boring cardio? There's a cure for that.

Sorry it's been a few days since my last update! I've been really focused on my training between HIIT and strength training. On Friday I focused on cardio/core, doing 20 minutes of HIIT, 5 minutes low intensity cardio, and a KILLER core circuit. It was intense. My abs still hurt today even though I take a muscle recovery supplement. I did MMA today at home since I don't have gym access on weekends. I'm a black belt in Taekwondo so I have all the equipment at my house. It was a lot of fun, nice to take a break from strength training for a day or two. (:

Anyway I don't know about you guys, but nothing is more boring to me than a grueling session of cardio, going at a constant pace, on the elliptical or treadmill. There's no excitement about it, and the only way to keep yourself entertained is by reading a magazine or listening to music, or both. Those 30, 45, or however many minutes seem like hours.

So, how can you make cardio sessions less boring and more engaging? Actually, there's a lot of different ways.

MMA style training, Interval training, any form of dance or circuit training (AKA cross-training) are great ways to pump up your heart rate, burn fat, and have fun all at the same time. Most of these alternative cardio methods engage more muscle groups than running or jogging, which burns extra calories among other benefits. You can also be really creative and set up obstacle courses for yourself and try to finish them as fast as you can. (Also you don't have to join a class to do MMA or dance, there are plenty of free videos online that guide you through these types of workouts. I have a ton of links if anyone wants them.)

Cardio doesn't have to be a pain in the ass. If you don't like spending tons of time on the treadmill, maybe try a new method. You may find it to be your new favourite part of going to the gym or exercising in general. (: