Motivational Monday

Hi Yall! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are ready to tackle the week! We had a great arm workout this morning. I really challenged myself and finally curled 30lb dumbbells! For those of you that  already curl that weight or more, I commend you because after the 10th rep my face was red, my veins were bulging and my biceps burned like CRAZY... Speaking of challenges, from Thursday of last week till this morning I have been going low carb. That's 4 days of under 100g of clean carbs. Normally I can go about 2 days and Im over it but my coach asked me to push myself and so I did. The results speak for themselves ;-)

However today I'll be having that extra bowl of oatmeal fo' sho'! I've definitely earned it. 

For those that of you that can push yourself at the gym or with exercise in general and just aren't seeing results on the scale, try challenging yourself with a clean diet all week. I promise you it will open your eyes and SHOCK the scale. Feel free to email me if you need help, fromfat2figure@gmail.com

and remember........

Source

Have a fit day!!!!

Progress Pics

Happy Saturday to ya! Whew am I tired.... Today is another low carb day and I'm feeling it. First thing this morning we took some progress pics. I'm 16 weeks out and feeling very please with how things are coming along. I wish my shoulders were bigger but I'm sure as I continue to diet down they will become more pronounced. I've got a lonnggg way to go but I'm gettin' there!!!!! It't hard to tell from these pictures but My stomach is much flatter, shoulder's are coming along, leg's and back are also getting leaner. I am so EXCITED to see what the finished product will look like!!!

Orange Creamsicle Protein Drink

I found this online today and HAD to share it with you because it is so delicious!!!!

Orange Creamsicle Protein Drink

• 1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
•  8 oz. water
• 1 packet Great Value Sugar Free Orange Drink Mix (from Wal-Mart)

1. Combine protein powder and 8 ounces of water, mix thoroughly.
2. Stir in the packet of Great Value Sugar Free Orange Drink Mix.
3. Add ice cubes and blend in a blender to create an orange Creamsicle taste.

Enjoy!

Inspirations

I want to talk with you all a little bit about inspirations. After our competition last year I had a hard time committing to blogging as much as I had been before. It seemed as though I was loosing my touch and falling back into some old habit's I really didn't want to blog about. My focus was lost because I didnt have anything I was working toward. Yes, I knew I wanted to do another competition but they were a year apart and I had a lot of down time. We had a vacation planned and well I really didn't need to get into shape for it. I dont know, I just lost my blogging desire. So for the new year my plan was to blog everyday or as much as possible. That has to turned out to be harder than I ever anticipated for the fact that I had no clear vision of the direction that I wanted the blog to go in. I mean you guys aren't coming here to read about finding great thrift store finds and that I had talapia and broccoli for dinner last night. BORING.

I started doing my research. I looked to blogs that I follow and asked myself some questions. 

1. Which blogs do I read on a daily basis and which ones do I just kind of skip over (we all kind of skip over some...)
2. What makes me want to read their blogs? Whats the draw?
3. What makes their blogs successful?
4. Do the blogs help me in my own journey?
5. Do I want my blog to be just like theirs or a mixture of what they are doing? or something all my own?

As I was doing my research and contemplating all these questions, J over at J's Everyday Fashion wrote a post called 10 New Blogger Mistakes (and how to avoid them). The #3 mistake was doing what everyone else was doing. I don't want my blog to be like everyone else because let's just say that everyone copied each others post and it was same pictures of food, the same format, the same everything. BORING. I love all the blogs I read for the simple fact that they are all different. Everyone "inspires" me in different ways and that's what I want to do. Inspire folks. I feel like last year when I started this blog, that's what my main focus was and somewhere after the competition I lost interest in all that inspires me.  

But don't worry I'm slowing coming back from the darkness and finding the light again.

Here are some of the people and blogs that inspire me and why:

My Husband- He's my #1 fan. Joshua inspires me everyday to be better than I was the day before. Isn't that what marriage is about? Making each other better. He always encourages me to work hard for my goals and do what makes me happy. When I complain that contest prep is hard and I'm tired, he tells me I was made for competing and that I'm doing something that most people wouldn't even try! Yup, he's right. And that's when I get my head out of the clouds and back in the game. Thanks Love Bug ;-) Keep pushing me!

Stacy at KarateNurse- Although I've never met Stacy in person, I read her blog everyday! Everyday I can step inside her world with Justin, Piper and Sara to see what's new. All of her post include pictures of her meals from the day before, good and bad ;-) She also gives a recap of what she did for the day, what's on her to do list for the current day and what new things are going on at her house. I just love it! It makes me feel like I know her. I love her honesty about her food choices and how's she feeling about them (or how they made her feel). She inspires me to blog everyday and stay consistent. Thanks Stacey! 

Tenecia at Boobs, Barbells & Broccoli- This girl cracks me up weekly! She is so funny and her post are anything but boring. Not to mention I've never seen a hotter librarian than this Mammacita! Caliente! Tenecia inspires me to find humor when life tries to bring you down. So keep me laughing T ;-) 

Keelie at REAL FAT- Keelie oozes inspiration. She journals her journey in weightloss everyday. She a wife, mother and real life person who fight's temptation everyday. I love reading her quotes and analogies like this post about making the bed. Right on Keelie! Keep posting your journey and giving me no reason to say I can't today!! 

So those are just a few of my own inspirations. I hope that I can do for you what they do for me everyday. If you have goals for the New Year or just want to find balance in life, keep checking back here, because I can promise you things are about to get a lot more stable, lol. 

Have a fit day!  

Keep it or Toss it...

I'm feeling pretty good today! Like loads of energy for some reason. So i'm taking advantage of this good fortune and cleaning up my loft. One of my goals for 2012 was to de-clutter our house and start decorating one room at a time. This month my goal was to clean out the loft of all the junk that I've been collecting through the years and doing nothing with.

BIG project to tackle but the piles are getting much smaller...

Mom, when do we take a break?

My organized chaos....

This space is just plain SCARY! So much to go through....

What I want to do is go through everything, keep all the things I really have a plan for and toss the rest. If I can't think of what to do with it, out it goes!

I need to get everything cleaned out by the 31st because February I start on remodeling our bathroom.... Thank's to Pinterest, it's going to be bea-u-ti-ful! 

Have a fit day!

Motivational Monday Part Deux

Motivational Monday

Hi Guys! I hope you all had a fan-tab-u-lous weekend! We had Joshua's Sister, Mom and Grannie visiting from TN in for the weekend which was fun! We did a little Thrift Store shopping which we always do when they visit. I found this great find. I'm a sucker for anything tea pot realated. Little dainty tea cups, cute tea sets, scones, tea cakes..... oh on and on. So I was super happy when I came across this "tea for one" pot and cup set. I only paid $3.50 for it & when I got home I looked up the markings online, to my surprise it was actually worth about  $30-$40. Pretty Awesome ;-) I really love thrift store shopping. Sometime's I walk out with some really great finds and then other times it's just junk.

On Saturday morning I blogged to you all that contest prep was hard and I was having a rough time. When you start a contest prep at first everything is so wonderful. Your losing weight, your getting off the sugar train, your workouts are fueled by your desire to win and then about 4 weeks in... it hit's you. The cravings start creeping in, on low carb days your tired and grouchy and all you wanna do is eat something NOT on your list but YOU CANT!

Monday & Friday of last week was bad for me. I had carbs with every meal, didn't eat on time and just felt like I could bite someones head off!! Then on Saturday morning when we went to workout I just didn't have it in me and the workout I planned to do (deck of cards) turned into a workout that I made up as I went. Sort of. I mean I had a plan put together but I didn't follow it to a T like a I normally do...

I guess what I'm getting to is that those days when your thinking "what have I gotten myself into" are going to happen when your dieting. No matter if it's for a contest or just to get back into shape. It sucks, no doubt about it, however you just have close your eyes, say a little prayer and PUSH through. And that's just what I did.

Saturday night when they had spaghetti I had Talapia. Sunday when we had lunch at Wendy's, I had a grilled chx breast and plain baked potato. Sunday night when they had chicken Alfredo, I had Talapia.

All those little victories that sucked at the time, all will pay off in the end. 

So if your struggling to stay on your diet or just don't have the motivation to get your butt moving at the gym think of all the goal's ahead of you and what it's going to feel like when you are at the finish line knowing you did EVERYTHING it took to get there.....

Source

WE CAN DO THIS!!!! 

Have a FIT day! 

18 Weeks Out

As of today we're 18 weeks out from Jr. USA. Yes WE..... meaning me, Joshua and you! This week I've had a tough week.. I've made Joshua's role as my husband quite difficult..... to say the least. I'll fill you in tomorrow on why this week sucked so bad but for now I gotta jet. We have company in town today so hopefully that will take my off why contest prep is hard......

Source

so very hard........

Have a fit day!!!! 

Taco Seasoning

Tuesday when my love bug was sick I made him some tacos (& I made them again for him last night but with my seasoning ;-). The smell from the taco seasoning was enough to make your mouth water. I'm a sucker for Mexican food! I mean come on, I could probably write a blog just about Mexican food (Taco Bell to be more specific) and how much I LOVE it. Although I can't even remember the last time I ate at a Taco Bell....

I wanted to make myself some of those yummy tacos but right now that's kinda tricky. I read the ingredients on the back of the taco mix package and barley recognized anything on the list. So I made my own......

Mine is a little bit HOT... and Joshua said it definitely cleared out his sinus.... so if anything it's a healthy alternative to a sinus flush.. ewww I know!

Homemade Hot & Spicy Taco Seasoning

3 tbsp paprika

3 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

*you can add more spices like cumin, minced onion and salt but I just used what I had

Add 2 tbsp to a pound of ground lean turkey or hamburger meat with 3/4 cup of water. Bring to a slight boil and stir. Then simmer for a few mins till it's somewhat thick.

I plan on adding this seasoning to my ground turkey to put it on top of my salads. 

Bon Appetit! & Have a fit day!

Good Mornin' to ya! I hope you slept well. The past 2 months my sleep has been terrible! My right hand and arm have been going completely numb every night and wakes me up in pain. It feels awful! I Googled my symptom's and from what I can tell it's basically my muscles growing and maybe pressing on some nerves. Geezzz. 

Yesterday after that crappy cardio session I had, I needed a nap to replenish my energy. It definitely helped! My throat was also feeling a little better with the help of Sugar Free Luden's. There like candy!!! I think one of them is 5 calories compared to the non Sugar Free version which is 15 calories per. 

 This morning's workout was bi's and tri's. We did a workout that our coach has been doing with us and really get's the job done.

5 Sets/ 12 Reps of each Superset

Cable Push-downs superset with Barbell Curls

Preacher Curls superset with Skull Crushers

Cable EZ Bar Curl with Tri Ext

7 Sets/ 12 Reps of each with 30sec rest between

Dumbbell Alt Curl

Dumbbell Kickbacks

Post workout breakfast was again my plain egg whites with whole wheat tortilla shell and cup of Chi tea.

This afternoon around 3pm i'll head back to gym and to get in my 45 mins of cardio. Cardio for me is much better in the afternoon once I've gotten a few meals in me. Now I'm off to do some chores around the house!

Have a fit day!

So FUNNY!

Calling Nurse Britney!

The past couple of days around here have been spent taking care of a very sick Husband ;-( Poor Joshua woke up Monday feeling like death but still went to work. Around 10am or so he called sayin' he was coming home! Tuesday didn't look so good either and he ended up having to stay home again feeling worse. We pumped him full of Vitamin C and hoped for the best. So I'm glad to report that this morning he did make it back to work but still not feeling 100%. Unfortunately for me... NOW I'm feeling sick! However I'm determined to fight through it. My tonsils are slightly swollen and I'm very tired but I've still been working out and resting as much as I can. But right I must blog and wash all the bedding of germs!!!

Yesterday I was having one of those "if I have to eat oatmeal one more time I'm gonna scream" days so I substituted my oatmeal for one of these Mission Whole Wheat Tortillas and I loved it! Makes eating plain boring egg whites tolerable.

My first meal and third meal are exactly the same. Protein shake mixed with water, oatmeal and Vit C. I made sure not to forget the Vit C we have a epidemic going on around here!!

 Yesterday's workout was back and cardio. I was supposed to do bi's to but with feeling under the weather my energy faded quickly..

Today was a rest/cardio day for me. I almost skipped cardio but my sweet Joshua sent me a text telling me that anything was better than nothing at all. And He was so right. I started out with 20mins on the bike going a moderate pace, breaking a slight sweat. Once I was bored with that, I went over to this machine I have never used before but looked interesting enough.

Its called a treadclimber and if you can see in the picture those to long pedals go up and down as you walk. On the machine display it said it was like going for a hike and was 2x's the workout as running. Now that I don't know about, but I enjoyed it and will be using it again for sure.

After 20mins on the treadclimber.. hot sweaty mess!!!! But that's definitely a good thing! I'm determined to sweat out the sickness, lol.

 COME ON SHOULDERS!!!!!!

My arms are coming along nicely and I could swear that I might have seen some abs trying to come through this morning. Could have been my mind playing dirty tricks on me but Joshua said he "might" have seen them to....

Have a fit day!!

What are you feeding your kids?

Yesterday was a day of REST for both Joshua and I. We spent the day relaxing, reading and then to dreaded Sam's Club & Wal-Mart because we were out of the essentials. I say dreaded because it seems like almost everyone there is so overweight and don't even give a crap! Hold on, I take some of that statement back, I'm sure they do care but just don't know what to do. However, I can promise you that filling your oversize Sam's Club cart with frozen pizza, donuts, cake, chips, beer, frozen egg rolls, little Debbie's and juice are not going to make that scale go in a direction that you will be pleased with.

Source

I guess what really upsets Joshua and I is when we see very overweight parents with small overweight children. As a parent one of your jobs is to give your children the best possible life you can but if your making them overweight at such a young age and not teaching them anything about healthy eating and staying active what kind of life are you really setting them up for? Please don't rely on the schools to teach your child about proper health and nutrition because believe me they know nothing about it or maybe they do know but just don't care enough .... Schools feed kids such crap food and wonder why they can't pay attention in class. A few simple changes at home and kids could make a better decision about what they choose to eat when choices are limited.

Here are just a few facts that I found on the CDC website. If you want to learn more just click here.

Childhood Obesity Facts

• Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years.
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 20% in 2008. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.
• In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.^1,2
• Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors.³ Obesity is defined as having excess body fat.⁴
• Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.^5,6

Health Effects of Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being.

Immediate health effects:

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.⁷
• Obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.^8,9
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.^5,6,10

Long-term health effects:

• Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults^11-14 and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.⁶  One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.¹²
• Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.¹⁵

Prevention

• Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.⁶
• The dietary and physical activity behaviors of children and adolescents are influenced by many sectors of society, including families, communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, faith-based institutions, government agencies, the media, and the food and beverage industries and entertainment industries.
• Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

SOURCE

Some simple changes at home that would help the whole family:

Limit Processed Foods and Snacks

-If your the person doing most of the grocery shopping then create a weekly meal plan and make a list of everything you need before you even step foot in the store.

-Ask everyone to choose one fresh food they would want for the week. i.e. cucumbers, carrots, apples, bananas. This way everyone doesn't have to eat foods they really don't like but there's a variety to choose from.

-Buy one "treat snack" that everyone likes but make sure to let everyone know this is a treat not a substitution for a meal.

at  Family Dinner

-Use turkey instead of ground beef. It has less fat and is far better for the whole family.

-Make sure there is at least one "green" vegetable on your plates. i.e. broccoli, salad, spinach, collard greens...

Monitor food intake. 

Don't sit on the couch and eat a whole bag of popcorn in front of your kids and then get mad at them for coming home from school and eating a bag of cookies. Set the example and provide healthy after school snacks.

-Apple slices and peanut butter

-Carrots and low fat cheese

-Half a turkey sandwich

Source

The possibilities are endless. 

Have a fit day! 

Deck of Cards

Some of you all may know that about 2 months ago Joshua and I switched gyms. Our new gym has been so great and we have made many new friends. One friend in particular, I have been working out with on Saturday's.
I remember the first time Robyn invited me to join her on a workout I was very excited! Robyn is in incredible shape. In fact when I first saw her I thought that she might compete however she doesn't. She just likes staying in shape and the workouts that she does affords her to have a body like brick house at the young age of 40 and after 2 kids.... Amazing.....

Our first workout I didn't know what to expect. I went in blind just thinking I would learn some new moves. Instead I got schooled!!!! Robyn is INTENSE... I nearly died during our first full body workout together. But I keep coming back for more.

Here's the workout we did today.

Deck of Cards

Source

You will need a deck of playing cards and a couple of light dumbbells. We used 10lb dumbbells.
(You'll want to warm up on the treadmill or with some stretches before you get started with this workout)
After your warm up, first place the deck of cards face down next to you on the floor or a bench. Then place your dumbbells in front of you and make sure you have plenty of room and water.

Flip over the first card, whatever the card is you will do a certain exercise for whatever number is on the card. Unless you get a face card like a king or queen.
After you finish the exercise flip another card over and do that exercise. DO NOT REST!!! Keep moving. That's the challenge, to do the entire deck of cards without stopping!!

It took us 50 mins and yes I couldn't do it all if you were wondering lol. She did however.....

Ace- 15 dumbbell swing 

King or Queen- 10 burpees 

Hearts- lunge with a bicep curl

Spade- squat with a dumbbell shoulder press

Clubs- single leg deadlift with a row

Diamond- dumbbell pushup with a row

Joker- 50 mountain climbers

After the entire deck was finished so was I. Spent I tell ya. And not to mention a hot sweaty mess!!!
Please feel free to get creative and change any of the exercises. This workout is all about keeping your heartrate up and confusing your muscles. Just try not to confuse yourself lol...
*you can also Google this workout and find lots of ideas for exercises


Good luck and let me know how you do!

Really?..... I slept till 9am this morning and now my whole day is off.. I hate when that happens but I just have to get myself together mentally, fill my stomach up, get my go juice (caffeine) and I'm good to go! 

So yesterday was extremely productive. I managed to blog, update my blog, update myself on all my other blog's that I read and love so much and reconnect with the world! It feels great to see what all my blog friends are up to and how their own weightloss journeys are going or not going. I love to see what you all have been eating, lol, what trips you've taken and all of your exercise regimens. I've gotten some pretty good cardio workouts from Peanut Butter Fingers. I've learned that lemons help clear up acne from at Chelsea at GIT IT GURL. And last night as I was catching up on Google reader, I read a hilarious post by Keelie at REAL FAT, she had a serious break up with Chick-Fil-A waffle fry's. I've been there and so I could totally relate with the break up. It seems sad at the time but it's always for the best. I had the same break up with Taco Bell and I'm a better woman for it.... 

On today's agenda I plan on catching up our laundry... then pack meals for this afternoon, Joshua and I have a training apt with our Coach so Ill need to have my food with me for post workout. See there, meal planning in the works ;-)

I also want to start working on some post for a more clear direction of this blog. Normally I just blog about whatever since really this is still my first year blogging and I really don't do it consistently. I'm trying to decide on what kind of content I want to stick to. Just about health, fitness and motivation or would I rather it be focused on my own personal training and competitions..... Hmm lots to ponder which is what I plan to do this weekend and get my act together. Plus Mister Joshua always helps me workout my issues when I'm torn one way or another. I've noticed that the most successful blogs tend to stick to one topic and don't go all over the board like I seem to do. Organization will be key here. 

I would love to hear what you guys think as well since ya'll are the ones reading From Fat to Figure. Love the new name? I DO!!!

Have a fit day!

2012 at a Glance....

Oh Hi there! I have been trying for days now to muster up the energy to get back to blogging. Not that it takes a lot of energy but these day with contest prep in full swing, I'm trying to conserve all the energy I can if you know what I mean. Contest prep is going great by the way. I've managed to lose 8lb in 23 days and I'm very pleased with that. I'm cycling my carbs with 3 low carb days and 1 high carb day and seems to be doing the trick. However by the 3rd low carb day, I really start to feel the effects. When the food cravings start coming on I know it's time to have that extra bowl of oatmeal or red potato, lol.

I will say that this prep has been going much smoother than the last. Even Joshua has mentioned a few times that he's noticed I haven't been struggling yet. YET is the key word here my friends... My food cravings don't bother me nearly as much as last time and I'm sure that with each prep it gets a little more tolerable each time (but never goes away).  I've learned that you MUST busy yourself with something to do when those feelings start coming on because otherwise I obsess with what "could" I eat... Which is nothing if its not on my list. Again though it's not unbearable. Here are a few things that help me pass time till my next feeding.

Tips for Keeping it Together:

1. Drink warm Tea. 

- This always makes me feel better. The warmth of the water soothes my tummy and fills me up for a few. Not to mention tea is always good for you!

2. Chew Gum. 

- That's a given and an old trick. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes no,t but it's always worth a try.

3. Read.

- For Christmas this year Joshua bought me a tablet and I have downloaded a number of books to keep me busy. I also read lots of fitness magazines and blogs to keep me motivated. 

4. Phone a friend!

- When it gets to bad I call Joshua or my Mom and complain. They quickly get my mind right and remind me   that I'm doing great and to stay in control.

5. When NONE of those work phone a Coach and complain! lol 

- This could mean you need diet changes and you losing your sanity is totally justified.

In other new's we had a great New Year's and Christmas with the family. It's always such a busy time for us with traveling back and forth to see family. Very difficult to stay on track, however, a little planning goes a long way!

No alcohol for me on New Year's. Coffee only ;-) to keep me awake!

Happy New Year from The Britton's XOXO
My hubby is a BIG ol' boy right now!!!

Joe and his sweet new Wife!

2012 is already looking great for us and I hope the same for all of my readers. We have a such a busy year ahead of us and I have some great plans for the blog this year. One of my goals for this year was to blog everyday and well... we can see I'm not getting off to a good start lol... Today is progress though!!! 

A Glance of 2012 for The Britton's

*Subject to change at any given moment lol....

May- NPC Jr USA, Charleston, SC

June- Alix (Joshua's nephew) Graduation (very BIG deal for him and us)

July- Masters Nationals, Pittsburgh, PA

August- Excalibur, Charleston, SC (Joshua & I both competing)

October- Big Shott Classic, Charleston, SC (Joshua & I both competing)

November- Vacation to St. Pete, FL for a Family visit.

'Tis the season to travel

Have a fit day!!! Here's to finding your NorthStar....