Video of me blabbing + some other good stuff

Pay no attention to the overlay track pics being all stretched out… maybe my video software needs some mobility work…. right out my window!

0:00 Intro, weight and activity updates
1:20 Sleep
2:48 Injury and shinanigans
4:14 Gimpy workouts
5:16 Human charger

Progress, 21 weeks out

Stats

5’6″ tall

weight table week 8

My weight came up a bit which was probably due to several factors.. Sunday I was at paleo Fx and it was the last day so vendors were off loading products like dark chocolate and beef sticks… so I took advantage of it and couldn’t help but eat it later that night! Also this week we were not landscaping or moving family members’ junk all over tarnation in and out of houses, I got my period at the end of the week (you will hold your weight a few days prior) and then

I sprained my ankle Wednesday night. All factors decreased my lifestyle activity as well as the injury plumetting my end of the week activity at home and in the gym… so BOO. but, its a minor set back… i got this!

Sleep

Sleep is so flipping important! Several clients as well as myself go through bouts where we dont’ get in enough sleep.. and what happens…. weight loss stalls, immunity decreases and we hinder our gains!

Research suggests that during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle of sleep the body restores organs, bones, and tissue, replenishes immune cells and circulates human growth hormone. Sleep has a HUGE effect on muscle growth and physical well being. Growth hormone is secreted while you sleep which aids in muscle growth and recovery.

When you start messing with your circadian rhythms by staying up late and getting up early.. you eff up your whole hormone cycle causing cortisol (stress hormone) to stay elevated throughout the day as opposed to decreasing at night as shown here…

When cortisol stays elevated throughout the day, that’s when your bod is in freak out mode and you dont’ lose weight. And, just being tired in general, you don’t get in your best workout in th gym screwing up those hot bod bikini goals you are working toward.. SO GET IN YOUR SLEEP!

Now, if you have to stay up a bit late, watch TV, work on your computer etc…try wearing blue blocking sunglasses after the sun sets to block melatonin hindering light and take 400 mg of magnesium before bed. I live by these but there are many other things you can do to hack your way to better sleep… check out Eris Fit’s sleep series by clicking here.

Mobility Work

A few months ago I started to really incorporate mobility work into my warm ups to make sure my joints stay strong and supple… especially in my old age! 😀

On upper body days I do internal and external resistance band shoulder exercises, hand strengthening exercises and jefferson curls for the spine. Soon to be added… ankle mobility as I now need to make sure my ankles are strong which segues me into my injury…

Setbacks. I think not!

Wednesday night I was in my backyard just minding my own business when I lost my balance and stepped off my slack line hitting an uneven patch of ground. The combo of my weight and the angle of my foot was just too much for my little ankle to bare.

What was about to happen is called an inversion sprain. In other words, a big fat roll, a whole lotta crunching and then me rolling on the ground in pain while my 4 year old just sat there not really knowing what to do.

So I ice it, stay off it and head to the doc in the AM to find I have a grade 3 sprain (the worst kind) and no fractures per x-ray. I had to stay off my foot completely for two days hobbling around on crutches and then I will have to take it easy for about 2 weeks. Then I can start some PT and ankle mobility stuff.

So yea, this cramps my style.

I am about 20 weeks out from my contest and I can’t lift lower body for weeks?? um… well… there is some stuff I can do but it will be limited. I will do a three day upper body split. So far any upper body lifts like rows that require standing… I kneel. When I feel up to it I will fit in what I can for lower body like donkey kicks, leg extensions and curls as well as some body weight squats and such. Cardio has been single legged rowing and swimming trailing my legs behind me with a pull buoy. I will add battle ropes when I can put full weight on my foot without consequence.

Upsides to my injury

I can take a focus on upper body work and mobility and work more on my hand stands.

I get to ride the scooter at grocery store!! That was so fun. I felt like an old lady motoring around at negative 2 miles per hour!

I got a lot of work done for my biz since I could do nothing around the house like dishes, laundry and vacuuming. Darn!

The MIL is living with us right now and has been picking up the slack where I can’t! We are so busy and it has been a HUGE help.. otherwise, we would be in a sea of dishes, laundry and dog hair!

um yeah… we have to vacuum 2x per day… literally…

Human charger…

It was gloomy Friday so I employed my human charger . It’s a form of light therapy that shines directly into your ears (read more in depth here). After 12 minutes it automatically turns off making this super convenient and portable. You know that feeling you get when it is a sunny gorgeous day out… well that is what I feel like after using the human charger.. no lie. The first week I ever used this thing this past winter I thought, this may help but I know I won’t feel anything.. well I did… over and over and over again. I am a believer! LOVE IT!