HOME SWEET HOME

HOME SWEET HOME!

First of all I am so glad to be home from the beach...I learned a lot about myself this week and I will tell you that I will never family vacation without Lynn again! Now, don't get me wrong...I love being with my kids but being in our family vacation spot without the routines that Lynn and I had in place was just not fun at all...I did have one night I sat alone of the beach and just relaxed...That was nice! I also did spend an hour really working on my list of 40 things to do before I turn 40! Now that was just fun! I will promise to post the list soon!

However, in general I am glad to be home, back at work today and preparing for the kids to be back in school...

As for the diet! Yep - I AM STILL FOCUSED!

I also feel it is easier to follow my diet when here at home! I did great at the beach and followed the program well except for Thursday when I came home...I did not eat enough and ended the day with a PMS migraine!

I also found I did not drink enough water or sweat when I trained...I guess all in all it was just that...a vacation week and now I am ready for full blown action! I still feel trimmer and can tell a few things are shifting, shrinking, or maybe just rolling in a new direction!

School starts Tuesday and I can't wait to start my new workout schedule! It will require a NEW bedtime, lights out by 11 PM but I think I can do it...Ooooh it is 10:52 now...I will try and test it tonight and see how I feel tomorrow on 8 hours of sleep instead of 4...

Night! Night! YAAAAAWWWNNN!

Island Time

Finally! I am back on Island Time!

We arrived around six on Sunday and are staying in a beautiful home on Yacht Drive. Once we unpacked, the kids hit the arcade and I met up with Sissy Frazier (Lynn's sister) for a great meal at "Turtle Island"! I had tuna steak, my greens and a salad. They did not have sweet potato's however, they had fried sweet potato chips - (NOPE) - I had the salad! I had water instead of the delicious Margarita's they serve!

I enjoyed sharing a great conversation with Sylvia and always feel so spiritual fed around her...We got on the topic of the this crazy world we all live in and how things have changed so much. The battles we all deal with in YOU vs YOU!

I shared with her my most recent personal battle and that is the quote that knocked me upside the head recently!

"If what you do is who you are...

than who are you when you are not doing what you do anymore?"

I love life, I love my family, I love myself...I love my husband, I love my friends...I love what I do but something is missing...

Spending just an hour with Sylvia and having this "Deep" conversation led me to the realization that I need to focus on what is "eternal and what is permanent" in my life...

So this is what I will be pondering as I walk to the pier at sunset today and what I will seek as I read on the beach today...

In all areas of your life...

What are you doing that is eternal and what are you doing that is permanent?"

Chow - I am beach bound! Tennis shoes in one hand, books in the other!

Liz

Killer Legs Leads to FLYING IN THE SKY!

"I just take each experience and make the most of it" Jen Hendershot

I felt the same way training with her today! No complaints, I held my breathe and I prayed for it to go by FAST!

Jen is in the September IRONMAN MAGAZINE and this photo above is just one of the great shots from the photo shoot she did for this! I have to say that this photo is off the charts! It is worth at least a $10,000,000 contract for NIKE!Any sponsor would be smart to have Jen represent them! Why? She is loyal and dedicated and puts 110% in whatever she is doing or making someone else do!

Yep! The subject of this blog! What she made me do! OH~ how I dread how my body will feel in the morning after today's workout!

I honestly thought I would puke a few times. It went like this, HARDCORE, NONSTOP, PUSHED TO THE LIMIT and FAST! (Thank GOD!~)

Warm up was 20 weighted deadlifts (in which I can't do without bending my legs) - In time...
10 Pop Squats

4 sets

Then we did this killer routine of step ups and jogging and then even a harder cycle of double steps with a squat, 50 toe touches and then we would jog a lap! I wanted to crawl...

3 or 4 Sets (Felt like 20)

At this point my legs were sweating...Something I have honestly not seen happen since I ran track!

Then - yes there was MORE!

We did lunges and burpies...not just a few, about 20 of them and only rested for 30 secs between everything!

Freakin throw up at this point!

Then more...Lunges and pop squats and then MORE! We did side steps really fast that felt like I was doing basketball suicides!

After all of that we did leg presses and I have never been so happy for Jen to say..."That's all guys!"

We took a 15 minute break and then did LDean's awesome spin class! I am growing to like spinning more and have found you can burn 900 calories spinning for an hour! That is one Margarita on the Rocks! MMMMMM

Speaking of MMMMMM Food! I am so proud of how well I have stayed on this eating plan! Notice I did not call it a DIET! It is 7 small meals all day!

I think I get a cheat meal tomorrow...

Either way! What a day! That Jen is something!

I have to also mention that I officially met SUNSHINE! She trained with us and I am so proud of her for pulling through both the legs and the spinning! She had told me her goal was to go sky diving when she reaches her goal...I ran into a friend tonight that showed me pictures of her recent trip skydiving! It just felt like KARMA - I am booking it! Time to do it! I have the name and company and am now ready to book a FALL JUMP! I have a list I will share on a blog soon for you of my 40 things to do before I turn 40!

Sky Diving is on that list! OH YEAH! Rock ON! HERE WE GO!

Night all!

Photo courtesy of IRONMAN and GOOGLE IMAGES

Walking on Sunshine and Feeling Great!

Day 4 of the 90 Day Challenge and I have to say that I feel SUPER!

Jen said that I would have far more energy and I REALLY, REALLY DO!

I also want to say that I have had a slammed day with appointments and this has been the best diet for pack and go! I can't wait to get on the scales Monday and weigh in!

Now listen, if you are reading this and debating on what to do or not to do about joining me on this challenge you have to GET OFF THE FENCE NOW!

Just contact Lishia Dean (all contact info is on the blogs below) or if you prefer just call her at 336-380-2691 and tell her I told you to call her! She will set you up on a program that will work with your budget...I am tell you that these women really know what they are doing. I thought I knew what I needed to do but I can't tell you how different it feels to know you have to be accountable to someone other than my mirror for results...

I say that because....well.....I kinda even had the 1st thought of a real cheat today! I broke a nail and had to get it fixed and of all places I was right beside COLDSTONE! OMG!

I am so proud of myself...I left the nail place and went straight to my car and loved my rice cake and peanut butter!

I am telling you that if I can do this SO CAN YOU!

Please email me as well that you are joining the challenge - even if you are doing it on your own! I want to be able to submit you for your chance to win a weekend with the PHAT GIRLS at any PHATCAMP of your choice plus once you email me I am sending you a few free gifts just because I want you to have some positive words in your ears when you sweat!

Send those emails and follow the rules posted in the challenge blog and send it to itizwhatitizwithliz@yahoo.com!

Chow for now! Gotta go eat my Salmon, Greens and SWEET Potato! Oh so yummy!

Liz

If you are not improving you are falling behind...Set Goals, Get Balanced!

I keep posting on facebook that life is a game and the objective is and always will be YOU vs. YOU!

I suppose it is safe to say that some of us are always creating? Always dreaming, creating, reworking, re planning...I once thought that life was all about being content and appreciative. I felt guilty to want for more, dream for more, ask for more or even to be praying for more...However, I have personally learned I AM very much appreciative but that if I am not setting goals in all area of my life I am not balanced or at all growing. I personally like to grow, evolve, change and to me that is the best challenge...How to just be a better me!

I get a lot of personal emails with lots of questions on goal setting, balance, etc...I love getting your emails and they truly inspire me and give me fuel and passion to share and help others which is the core of who I strive to be! My answers are not complicated. They are really simple

Life is moving, and moving fast...To be sharp, to be cutting edge, to be at what I call "FULL THROTTLE" - requires goals and change all of the time...

Now, some reading this may never want to run at FULL THROTTLE. You may be content. You may be comfortable. You also may be completely happy with who you, where you are and where you are not going! Sorry but that is just true...You may not want to be going and that is OK! No problem by me..it is your life...This blog is for the request I had on goals and for anyone that does want to run on FULL THROTTLE AND LIVE LIFE FUN, FIT AND FAB!

Without writing a full book I will give you a touch on how I personally master balance and goal setting and to share what I call the balance wheel of life with you!

To best describe the balance wheel you need to picture an old wagon wheel as shown above. each spoke defines an element in your life that keeps you rolling so to speak -

There is also a very important center core which on the wheel is called the hub...Your center is the base for all of your other elements....I will share more later but I will tell you for many years of my life I had me, myself and I as the center of that hub thinking I was the one to carry the load for all of the elements! NO - NO - NO! Not anymore! After years of soul searching and I found a solid hub, center, core and I am forever thankful and blessed! This you must find on your own. Purpose Driven Life was a very instrumental book for me in finding the best direction and path for where I have been, who I am and where I am going! Enjoy that read!

Now back to the elements! 5 Key Elements should complete your wheel of balance and as you look at these please know that when you sit down and do serious business planning, life goal setting or just planning a general to do list it is important to consider all 5 key elements and make time for each of these factors in your life...

These are no order of importance because you will find that the wheel only rolls steady when you have equal weight on all elements.

FAMILY TIME

CAREER TIME

PERSONAL TIME

SPIRITUAL TIME

PHYSICAL FITNESS TIME

Now, that you have this I want to leave you to ponder on it for a bit...Are you balanced? Do you dwell more in one area? Does one area take over all the others? Can you separate all five and be comfortable and dedicate time to each? Think about your core as well? Who or what is your core and why?

It is not what you do in life that defines you! If what you do defines you than who are you when you are not doing what you do? mmmmmmm Say that 5 times! Have fun getting balanced...It is not something that will happen overnight but setting goals in each of these elements will sure be a great start!

Dedicated to you!

Liz

The Vicious Cycle of Day Two

Wow! Day two of the challenge...I am feeling it and I am so glad I have this blog to vent my complaints because I sure can't whine to the Phat girls because they have this "NO WHINING" rule!

You see...I really am not complaining but oh how my legs are hurting. Like, I am walking like I have a big stick up my butt! Every step feels like it takes every bit of energy I have and this is all from just one workout!

I did arms with Jen, LD, and Morgan and my arms are feeling the workout but the spinning class that we did must be what has me in what I will call the "Vicious Cycle"!

Let me explain!

Jen has me drinking more water than I ever have before... Drinking the water is actually harder for me than the eating. My mind is super clear on the eating and I have not even had an urge to cheat at all but this water is torture and here is why...

I have to pee all day - which means I have to get up...Getting up from any still position is sooo hard...Then, I get to the bathroom and I have to sit down on the commode and OMG - that is task and feels like a full squatting workout! Then I have to get up again! Maybe, I just move my office to the bathroom!

This you see is the VICIOUS CYCLE I have had all day and as the day has progressed so has the pain...

I told Jen I my legs hurt and she said "Drink more water"! lol

LD said the 1st week is the hardest when you have been on a long break...She is so right because all I can say is:

"OUCH"!

I am training again tomorrow with the girlz and I honestly am so thankful for the torture because I know that in 90 days I will look back on this and just laugh!

By the way, my sister, who lives in Croatia and I miss dearly saw my bad butt picture today on this blog. She just laughed but she did agree it was a BAD butt picture - so there is much to do!

Please let me know you are going to join this great, fun, vicious cycle with me! Just email me at itizwhatitizwithliz@yahoo.com and send the information requested in the blog below!

Heading to bed now...I know it is going to take all I have to roll out of bed and walk tomorrow and I think LD is teaching spin at Golds as well tomorrow...Pray for me!

Liz

Day 1 of the 90 Day Challenge: Before Pics, Weight and Goals

This is not a pretty butt, BUT I can promise you that in 90 days it will be! I would post more of the before pics but felt it best to wait until I had a good comparison that I felt good with instead of a sleepless night of who was counting the dimples on my butt cheeks! Not that anyone really cares but there is just some sense of wierdness posting bad butt pics on my blog! By the way, no need to count, McKenzie already has...She has been counting my but dimples since she was old crawling and looked up at me washing dishes...Her little finger was pushing on my bottom and I realized what she was doing. It has been a joke ever since then but one that I prefer to hear from her say "MOM - no dimples"!

So here are the stats!

Starting Weight: 149 lbs 25% Body Fat

Measurements:

Breast ( across nips): 40"

Bra Strap: 33 1/2"

2" Above my Belly Button: 33"

Belly Button: 32" - pushed out 34"

4" Below Belly Button: 32"

Butt: 38"

The sitting spread of the Butt Hips: 40"

Upper Thighs: 24"

Mid Thigh: 21"

Above Knee: 17"

Bicep: 12"

Wrist: 6"

Neck: 13 1/2"

I will be posting a weight check in for everyone that is doing the challenge with me each Monday night! If you want to join me just read the post here in this blog and email me!

Later my friends!

Liz