Common sense is apparently not so common!

Hi Everyone! :)

I am going to apologize in advance to any that I may offend... lol

The one question that I'm asked most often about my weight loss is.... you guessed it, "How did you do it?".
Well since you read my blog, you already know the answer! For those who ask, my new standard answer has become... "the two things no one wants to hear... diet and exercise!".
Sad but true. When I'm asked how achieved a 90+ lbs weight loss, people literally glaze over as soon as I mention the words diet and exercise.

Don't misunderstand, I was one of those people for the majority of my life. There must be an easier way, some soup, bar or shake that will make me thin and therefore make me happy! Yaaaaa.... NOPE! lol

You really can't blame people though, the result of millions of marketing dollars are all around us! Drink this and be thin, eat only watermelon and cabbage and have a killer body... (if thats all I ate there would be a whole lot of dead bodies around me, I'd be a raving b#*ch) hahaha.
I'm quite sure that if I drank the majority of my meals, ate only one type of food or just plain didn't eat at all, I would lose weight...probably lots of weight.... until I stopped. Then, what do you think happens? It comes back plus extra!
Worse still is the notion that companies promoting a healthy weight/lifestyle actually frown upon exercise or tell you its not needed?!?! Really?!

This is where the idea of common sense and balance comes into play. My entire weightloss has been geared around making sustainable lifestyle changes. Clean eating (its called clean eating cause I get to actually chew my meals, not drink them all) exercise (including cardio and weight training) and high quality supplements (supplements enhance results, they don't do the work for you) are the foundation of my success.
I was also blessed to find a trainer and coach that didn't buy into BS and truly believes anything worth having is worth working damn hard for!!!

Here I go... I went and said it lol HARD WORK.... it is NOT easy!!! If it was, there would be a whole lot of marketing people out of work lol.

So, if all of this is such hard work... why do it?!?! Because it's so friggin worth it!!!
The first time I made it through a full hour training, the first time I did a military pushup, the first time I did sprints on the treadmill, chest pressed 25's, did 15 reps on the captains chair, ran 5k.... the list is much longer... every sweaty day was well worth the knowledge that I can... and I did!

It really is not complicated... we just make it that way. Get up, move, eat well, repeat.... you'll be floored by the results ;)

Common sense hugs... Crystal :) xo

Baby got... BACK!!! ; )

Hi Everyone!

So once again, time has gotten the best of me! lol

Even though I haven't been blogging weekly, that doesn't mean I haven't been in the gym doing what I need to do.

I realized that I haven't updated my weight for you all so...... here it is!
As of this past Saturday, I broke the 150lb mark and am sitting at 149.7 (hey I didn't say I broke it by much! lol) still, I'll take it!!! YAY Me!

I thought it would be nice to give you all another peek into what my training looks like... this time (as the title says) I'm training BACK!!! lol (and you all thought this was going to be a post all about BOOTY!).


Lucky for me I had a partner in crime to take photos for me :P Thanks Nancy!

So first off on "back day" is the assisted pull up machine (3sets of 12reps).
Can I just say that this thing scared the crap outta me the first time I saw it... it"s one of my faves now!

Next are seated rows (4sets of 15reps) this exercise really makes me focus on my "muscle/mind" connection (I can hear Sams' voice every time I say that lol). I really have to concentrate on the muscle group I'm working to make sure I'm doing this right! I also like that the majority of the exercises I do involve primary and secondary muscle groups. This means, basically, that I'm killing lots of birds with one stone! lol

Alternating dumbell rows (3sets of 15reps) and Lat pull downs (3sets of 15reps) are next... the pics were too blurry! lol I'd like to think it's cause I'm such a ninja when I train :P ... ya lets go with that! :)

Last in my back work out are back extensions (3sets of 20reps). As you can tell in this photo... I'm working VERY hard to hold this position as to ensure a clear photo! lol Btw... that's a 25lb plate I'm hanging onto for dear life!!!
I have always liked back extensions, I have always been "large" chested and have always had lower back pain. This exercise really helps to strengthen muscles that would otherwise be ignored.

Why train your back? It may not sound as sexy as training glutes, abs or legs but without a strong back what's going to help hold the "girls" up?!?! lol Nothing is worse than bad posture!



In weight training, as in life, it's all about balance!

Until next time...

Sexy back hugs... Crystal :) xo