OMG it's HEEEEEEEEEEERE!

 Hey guys!  Happy Friday!!!  OK so a few weeks ago, I posted that I may apologize a lot for not posting.  Well, I definitely have to apologize (again) for the lack of posting and feel bad for not many updates, but life went from like 0 to 100 mph in a matter of 3 weeks.  I miss writing and putting out my fitness updates each week.  But I'm still kicking tail in the gym, feeling awesome, and enjoying the last few weeks of being Rebecca Johnston.  It's gonna be weird (but a good weird) to become Mrs. Davis.

 Here's 5 things I'm looking forward to this weekend!

 

1. Bachelorette Party of the CENTURY!

 

My bachelorette is this weekend.  At the edge of America (Folly Beach, SC). All of my good friends are coming.  My sister is coming too, which makes me estatic, although I'm sure I'll be red in the face from embarrassment and whatever gets said....in front of my big sister :)  I'm hoping that because I'm 31, there aren't many penis straws or penis hats, but my friends are a lot of fun so who knows :)  It will be epic, I am ready for lots of champagne and laughs. 

 

 

 

 2.  Pre-marital counseling..............

 

So, this techincally is happening on Monday, but I have the day off, so it counts as a long weekend.  J and I are meeting with our minister and talk about all the fun life things.  And our minister is a great friend of my dad's, so I'm sure it will be funny and entertaining.  He called to tell me that I failed my quiz that I took online, baaaaahahhahahaha.  He really made me think that J and I were NOT compatible for a second there.  Total heart failure 40 days before the wedding.

 

3.  GHETTO Friday!

 

Ok so, just to explain how awesome one of my trainers is, meet Eli.  (he's gonna totally bust my butt tonight for using this squinty picture)

 

 

All I'll say about Eli is that he loves some good jams and totally pumps up and pimps out our Friday night work outs.  Total sweat session to some good tunes. He's also been partly responsible for my ongoing transformation by working on my food choices for the past few months, cleaning up my diet, and getting me to lift heavy.  We're doing max lifts right now for the next few weeks and I bench pressed 95 pounds 4 times last night.  I used to not be able to lift the bar off the rack.  And he pushes me and makes working out a ton of fun, so thanks for that Eli!  Anyway, can't wait for ghetto Friday, it's a fun time. 

 

4.  Wedding band shopping.

I picked out my own this week since I have such a weird shaped engagement ring.  Pretty sure I finally settled on one I like.  What do you guys think?

 

 

 5. Shenannies!!! (as in shenanigans)

The past 3 weekends have been full of road trips, showers and family time.  This weekend, I get to chill with my girls, on the beach, relax and just kick back and goof off.  Like I can totally do that in front of mine and J's family, but this will be silliness on a GIRL level.  I'm pretty sure there will be lots of laughs, snort giggles, possibly some tears (this wedding stuff has made me emotional, geez), and just an overall good time.  These are my two best friends from home, we've known each other for over 15 years, and I'm pretty sure between the two of them, we're going to laugh our heads off this weekend and do a lot of reminiscing.  CAN'T. WAIT.

 

 

 

 Happy Friday you guys!

 

 Enjoy your weekends, have some laughs, and maybe a drink or two!

 

Workout Wednesday!!!

Hey guys!  It's Wednesday!  Since I linked up 2 weeks ago for Workout Wednesday with SkinnyMeg, I'm back again!  Grab a button and join the workout partay. 

 

This is actually last week's workout, but I didn't get a chance to post, so enjoy, it's a DOOZIE.  I taught spin this morning, so that was my workout, which I'll be happy to share with you, but this WOD was WAY intense to not share with you. 

 

 

 OK so last Wednesday's workout at the gym was SUPER HARD.  It was a 30-20-10, as it REPS.  I usually love high repitition workouts, but this one was super tough.  Here it isssssssss......

 

Pull ups

Box Jump Burpees (OMG, hardest thing on the planet)

Push Ups

Wall Balls

Jump Squats

Chops on a Bosu Ball (these were hard too)

Sledgehammer tire swings (each side, sigh)

 

The idea is to do 30 reps, then move to 20, then 10.  No deviating or doing all at once, 30-20-10.

 

First of all, let me explain a box jump burpee (barfee).  Jump on a box, jump back off, throw your feet back to plank, slam your boobs on the ground, the jump back up to a standing position.....do that 29 more times.  This by far was the hardest part of the workout.  After 5, I was like "Um, yeah, can't do 25 more, NOT happening".  But I managed to do them without hurling, so mission accomplished.

 

Second of all, I finished right around 26 minutes last week, which was a good time and I just tried to keep moving.  This was super challenging and even the fittest folks were definitely working hard, so this was killer.

 

So last but not least tonight, let me give you guys some inspiration.  Kinda like Mama Laughlin, I've been pondering the whole fitness competition thing.  People keep asking me "oh now that you've lost weight for your wedding, what are you doing after that?"  Well......pretty much I've decided that I'm never done improving.  SO .... it's a thought right now.  But not a for real thing yet.  Maybe I'll move on to Crossfit finally.  Who knows, whatever I do, it will be awesome. 

Like I totally DO NOT WANT to look like this....this just scares me...and it's photo shopped, but really, that's a LOT of quad happening.  I'm just happy with no jiggle :)

 

 

Happy Hump Day you guys.  Have a great rest of your week!

 

Go Heavy

Ok so tonight's post is dedicated to the benefits of weight lifting.  I had an amazing workout tonight (just me and 2 dudes, which is fun, I feel like they push me to go hard).  One of the things that was a goal for me this month was increasing my weight during training.  You guys saw my 195 pound sled push/pull and can read about it HERE.  That kind of sparked something inside me to want to do more.

 

Ever hear of the saying "Go hard or go home"? Well, I think that now, I've added something to that.  It's "Go hard, go heavy, or go home".  I'm writing this for a lot of the ladies that are scared of the weight room.  Y'all know how intimidating it can be.  Let me paint the picture of......the weight room!

 

First of all, there's dudes sweating real bad and grunting so loud that you are sure the veins in their neck are going to pop out and say hello.  Then you have like Prancercise lady lifting her 2 pounds weights in her pearls.  And then you have random college dude who is texting on his iPhone his entire workout, which totally counts as working out, right?

 

 

All in all, that overall picture right here is super confusing.  Do you grab 20 pound dumbells? Or fives? How do you use all of the machines? WHAT'S A HANG CLEAN?!?!?!?!?!  If you guys have lots of questions, I highly recommend you asking your local gym for a training session on how to use the machines or work with a trainer.  If you're lucky to find small group functional training, then sign up TODAY, you will not regret it.  Besides, working out with your friends is cool. 

 

Ok so my lovely trainer/coach Jonnie let me know that the next several weeks are dedicated to lifting heavy.  SCORE! Right up my alley. 

 

Let me give you guys an idea of what a 156 pound, 5'2 little short munchkin can do in the gym. 

 

Tonight I did Romanian dead lifts, increasing the weight each round.  5 rounds, 4 lifts.  I started with 65 pounds, ended up around 135 pounds.  And let me tell ya, my hammies are totally feeling those right now. 

 

Strict press (shoulders only, no thrusting) I pushed 70 pounds up in the air.  Now, my upper body is not super strong, but I used to not be able to lift the heavier bar.  And now I can.  And now I can add weight. Welcome to the gun show....

 

 

That's definition within the past MONTH, peeps.  Case in point guys, up your weight.  Do it right and make sure your form is not suffering just because you want to go heavy.  When you increase your weight, you'll see results.

 

OH and there's the common misconception that lifting heavy will make you bulky and hulky.  It won't.  I ran this by my trainer tonight and her response was you're only going to get bulky if you can grow a beard (aka, you're a DUDE and have lots of testosterone), or if your taking steroids.   Which may make you grow a beard.  Either way, there's no bulk in that arm/shoulder region.  Just muscle taking over fat and leaning everything up.

 

Does this leg look bulky to you? (well it's a weird angle, so probably)

 

 

Ok so enough weird body snapshots, let's briefly talk food.  When you're working out or training like this, you have to eat and you have to eat well.  You are fueling your muscles for more growth. Balance your proteins and good carbs.  Try to stay away from white flour and white pasta, but a biscuit every now and then won't kill you.  Avoid the sugar (said at Halloween, yeaaaaaaaaaah right).  Eat fresh and eat lean.  So many girls used to come to my spin class and ask for diet advice.  And they would say "I'm just going to eat green things because that makes me lose weight really fast".  Ok well that would work for anyone, but you can't just cut out food groups and hope your waistline stays that way forever.  It won't.  The first amazing slice of pizza will give you a permanent food baby.  Don't cut stuff out, just portion control and eat good stuff.  Mmmmk?

 

This is my lunch today.  Roasted chicken with potatoes, carrots and steamed broccoli.  Lots of water.  And I have not felt sluggish or tired once.  Good food in, good results out:

 

 

Going heavy has made a huge difference for me in the past few weeks.  My trainers root me on and I'm pumped when I cross a new milestone.  My new goals are to deadlift close to 200 pounds (just once), and strict press 100 pounds over my head (once).  Those max results are coming in a few weeks so stay tuned.

 

Until the next post, you guys have a great rest of your Tuesday!

 

 

Five on Friday!

 

Hey guys!  Happy Friday! Sorry for the lack of no posting, this week was super crazy.  I didn't realize my life would get this busy as I got closer to the wedding (duh, that's a given), so apologies for not much blog action.  In the next 3 weeks we have 3 showers and my bachelorette party, and then I month left until the wedding.  Still lots to do, but it's coming together.  Just trying to stay sane.  Remember the part in SATC where Anthony Marentino says "That's nothing. I once had a girl in Long Island give herself a stroke. She pulled it together for the big day though.".  That MIGHT have been me once this week.

 

So here's a little Friday fun to kick off your weekend. 

 

ONE...I purchased some leopard print! I've been looking for the perfect sheer shirt that's not too crazy and found it.  Perfect fall shirt is now in my closet, for only 15.99! Kinda looks like this:

 

 

 TWO...Last night I had a girl's night with 2 of my very best friends.  They are awesome and they got a special picture post in my blog this past Sunday.  Here they are again in case you missed Kati and Becca.  LOVE these 2.  We had one missing from our little get together (missed you Blythe), but I seriously enjoyed getting away, laughing, cutting up, and gossiping without the manfolk.  Totally what I needed to kick off my weekend right with positive thoughts.

 

 

 

THREE...My mom is coming into town this weekend for one of the showers, and a wedding we're attending.  Can't WAIT to see her! I've been up cleaning my house since 6:45 because I've just had a crazy week.  My sister is coming down on Sunday, can't wait to see her as well!!!  She's been a rock for me lately.  Love the ladies in my family.

 

 

 (Sorry Mom, had to do it, because we do say this a lot!)

 

FOUR...Halloween Candy.......I need someone to hide all of it at work.  I had a mini pumpkin Reece's yesterday and it was almost my downfall.  SHEESSSSSSSSSSH, why do people even bring it? I'm not holding out a bucket anymore and saying "Trick or Treat!". 

 

 

 

FIVE...since it's 2 months to go until our wedding, I've officially decided that it's NOT to early to start listening to Christmas music.  Especially by this guy.  Oh HCJ, you make me SO happy!   Can we just have a moment of silence for the awesomeness of Harry......ok I'm good now.

 

 

 

Happy Friday y'all! I hope you have a blessed weekend!