PROGRESS!

Just when I was starting to get disheartened, my husband noticed something where my Lats should have been . . . What? I FINALLY have some growth in my LATS??? YAY!!!!!!!
V- Taper here I come!!!!


I sat down with my hubby last night and boo hood because I just felt that I should be farther along. I'm lifting heavy and taking sups. What gives?!
Well. being an Ectomorph/Hard Gainer, I definitely need to take a look at my diet. I haven't been taking in enough calories to compensate for all that hard work in the gym. Also, although I am one EXTREMELY focused chick in the gym, I have been cheating myself. I stay between the 8-12 rep range and lift heavy. Well, what I THOUGHT was heavy until I trained my Back today. I decided to warm up my Back on Lat Pull Downs for 2 sets and then added weight and did 4 sets of 12. I pushed through and finally started to feel the burn I had been longing for. It was so hard to complete the 12 reps on the last 2 sets and could only get to about 9 on the last.
Ok, now THAT'S progress!

I am also going to curtail my sups since I am changing my diet a bit. Only Myofusion Whey Protein shakes and BCAA's from now on. Everything else will come from my diet.

Oh yeah, water is fast becoming a good friend. Thanks to my friend Heathers suggestion of adding Crystal Light Pure, it's bearable. I need a gallon a day so it better have SOME flavor, right?? It's actually quite yummy :-)

Well, I will be back with more pics next week or when I feel there has been some gains.
These were taken PRE-Lats!!

Out for now!!

LATEST PICS

Well, here are a few that we took today. They are a little blurry which kinda defeats the purpose of seeing progress :-(

Going to change camera lenses and try again tomorrow! Maybe a new, more flattering swim suit is in order?

FIGURE-ING IT OUT

I have had some highs and lows in the last few weeks. Been really motivated in the gym but no time to focus on blogging!
Because I am, at this point, doing this all on my own, I get a little down on my "progress".
I think because I have been fixated on really growing and being Large Marge, sometimes the weight load won out over form. Hello pulled Hamstring AND Upper Traps. Ahhhhhh I have learned the importance of stretching after my workouts, too. My body is thankful as today was a full on Leg day. Needed some major stretching and extra BCAAs!
I have, over the last few weeks, been experimenting with my workout rotations and supplements.
So far, so good. I am still working out 6 days a week but being a little smarter about it.
Here is a breakdown:

Monday: Legs, Glutes

Tuesday: Back, Bis (heavy focus on Back)

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: Shoulders, Chest (heavy focus on Shoulders)

Friday: Legs, Glutes

Saturday: Back, Tris (heavy focus on Back)

Sunday: Shoulders

Yeah, I'm doubling up but I need to make large strides on particular muscle groups as I have 5 weeks till lean out. I work in Calves and Abs, alternating every workout.

I've never been a cardio person. Does anyone REALLY enjoy it?? I do a little before Legs to get them warmed up. I know that I need to become friends with it. Going to start incorporating cardio on my Day off and then start upping it a few weeks down the line. I know I'll need it for Contest Prep to shed a little fat that might be hanging around.

My diet has always been pretty clean. I have cut out carbs after 3pm and curbed my carb intake on my Day off. Just trying it out to see how my body responds. The verdict? Feel pretty lean. My weight is still the same. Maintaining the 118 but would love to get to 123 and then lean down to 113. Yeah, Ectomorph. Hardgainer. That's me. I feel like I look bigger? So, at least I'm gaining muscle and not fat. Hence, maintaining the same weight. Maybe I'm supposed to stay at 118??

Well, I will sign out for now and plan my workout for tomorrow. You know, I do that every night before I go to bed. I can't go to sleep without a plan of action at the gym. I get excited about the workout yet to happen. I constantly switch things around so my muscles are always guessing. I hope the guess work pays off!!

Night night :-)

FEELIN' GOOD!

There just aren't enough hours in the day but I am ever so dedicated to getting fit and being in tip top form for June. My diet is still clean except for yesterday at Disneyland! Oh, cotton candy and pizza!! Well, I went to the gym today and had the best back and bi workout! Did some drop sets for bis and it was amazing!! The pump on my biceps is incredible! So, needless to say I am loving changing things up. From drop sets to super sets to super drop sets, etc. My body loves it when I switch it up!

Here is a photo from the other day. The one underneath is one of the first "before" pics. I have to compare the two.

Ok, so its not the same pose. Actually, I think I threw it out and am kicking myself right in the ol' ego. Ouch!! I will try to not do THAT again!!

I have slimmed down a bit. What really feels good is that I pretty much weigh the same as when I began. 118.

I am losing fat and gaining lean muscle. Just what I wanted. But I would love to get to 125 - 128.

Still, I have a ways to go and feel like I am on the right path. I am about 21 weeks out and am acting like the competition is around the corner. To me, that is being smart about it. 12 weeks out from Comp is April 8th. That leaves me ONLY 9 weeks to pack on some major muscle and size. When 12 weeks rolls around I will start my ULTRA clean diet, preparing my body for total lean out. Muscle will be lost during that time so I have to ensure that my body won't lose too much size. THAT'S why I want to get to the 125 range. Make sense?? I want to enter the Comp between 115-118 after lean out. Hey, I'm still learning and loving every minute of it!!

Will write again soon and try to update more frequently. Hard to do when your chasing around a 2 1/2 year old who doesn't like napping anymore. There goes my afternoons to get any blogging done. 

Out for now!!