Fire on a stick. Now hold it...

I've eaten 14 egg whites today.
I might start laying them myself pretty soon.
Time to catch you all up to speed...after a holiday weekend I feel all out of whack... 

Weekend was great, and I was able to get some much needed rest, watch some baseball (since my life does not have enough already), and squeeze in some great workouts.  Saturday was all cardio...55 min jog.  It felt like 85...and in this heat I was shocked I didn't kill over.  Honestly, the only thing that kept me going was my new play list on the pod.  I'm on this weird rock kick,...some Offspring, Staind, Linkin Park,etc...they scream sweet-nothings in my ear to keep this tank rolling.  Sunday was my day off, and boy did I need it.  I wasn't in the best "mental state" if you will, and so a day to take it easy, shop, do whatever, was nice.  That's the pleasant way of saying I was one anxiety attack away from a hard bottle of liquor and a straight jacket.  Totally serious.  And on top of that, my cul-de-sac turned July 4th into Mardi Gras....fireworks every night since Friday.  At one point, I peered from my blinds like a creeper to find 11 kids running around, one laid out on my curb, and another on a unicycle.  It was a mini nightmare/circus.  Social services would have had a hay day...

The 4th was very low key for me...a couple of clients, an awesome workout, and then the pool for the afternoon.  Let's talk about the workout.  I was pretty pumped to get back to my strength/power days after going a little lighter last week.  And it certainly paid off.  My lifts were up, and my recovery exactly where I wanted it.  For the first time I was doing 5 sets of WG pull-ups with added weight.  I was pumped about this because just to pull my ass up alone is quite enough.  And then I think back to days when I weighed less than 100 pounds and struggled to do 1 pull-up...and now over 30 pounds heavier and getting the job done (well, its all relative).  Oh how weight can be deceptive...

Had a great leg workout today....2 words that feel like they should not be in the same sentence.  I didn't want to go to complete failure so that I could hit legs again this weekend when I go visit my husband in Texas.  I absolutely LOVE working out in a new gym when I'm on vacation.  Different machines, different clientele, and no distractions.  If its a true meat-head gym, even better.  My adrenaline flows, I feel the energy of others, and I'm like a kid in a candy shop....a pothead at Woodstock....my mom at a happy convention.....you get the picture.  Sooo...I went fairly heavy, kept my rest time short, and hit a few supersets in the process...

Workout:
Squats  15, 12, 10, 8
Walking lunges (25 yds)/ss box jumps (15x)  3 sets
Hamstring curls on machine 3 x 15
Leg extensions 3 x 15
Triple threat on stability ball  3x
Lunge jumps 3 x 20, 30 sec between sets
Ab roll on  ball 3 x 12
Decline oblique crunches/ss pilates heel touch
crunches on ball

All in all, great workout and excitedly looking forward to chest day tomorrow.  I just sounded like a dude.

Something was really on my mind today,...I'll try to give you the short and sweet version...
I think sometimes we forget how much influence/power those closest to us have.....on our personal perception, as well as our drive and determination when facing the world on a daily basis.  From an athletic standpoint, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to surround yourself with driven, passionate, honest, and genuine people.  And I carefully choose these words because their drive and passion will motivate you,....their honesty will keep you grounded,....and their genuineness means they share your struggles and celebrate your successes.  The first 3 are huge, and have great impact on day to day training and pushing through hard moments, but the last trait is key.  There are plenty of people who can recognize a victory or a struggle, but few can set aside personal pride and insecurities long enough to bask in your moment.  And on the flip side of that, we should all strive to be that person for someone else.  You have more influence than you might think...

There was my 2 cents of insight for the night.  Ha.  Honestly, I could go on and on but I might get carpal tunnel.  Its time for a little tosh.O and then rest...
I went to bed at 8:22 last night and tonight's efforts do not look so good...have a great night folks!