Congratulations Jenn Gates!

A HUGE congratulations to Jenn Gates for her first Olympia win! Congrats Jenn! So, I do have to give Jenn a huge shout out for her victory! She is amazing! 

As for Jenny Lynn, I am devestated (Cynthia - insert eye roll here :)). Here is the scoop - Jenny looks like she came in softer. And the NPC judges are rewarding softer looks...Jenny came in softer but still looked great. I will be interested to hear what her thoughts are about how she came in and if she felt good about how she looked. I was suprised they rewarded the harder looks at the Olympia based on how they seemed to award at other shows. She didn't look as confident as she normally does and even a little shaky. Wierd. 

Would love to get everyone elses thoughts on this...let me know what you think! :) 

I had a good week of workouts although I fell off the wagon toward the later part of the week. Here is how it broke down: 

Week of Sept 22nd

Monday AM: Upper Body Circuits w/focus on chest and shoulders/core; run for 20 minutes - 90 minutes total

Tuesday AM: 5 minute warm up, HIIT intervals 1 minute at 6 minute mile/2 minutes at 10 minute mile for 8 cycles follwed by 30 minute jog - 60 minutes total

Wednesday: AM: High intensity leg circuits - 90 minutes followed by 20 minute jog

Thursday: OFF 

Friday: AM: Upper Body Circuits w/focus on chest and biceps - 40 minutes followed by 20 minute jog

Saturday: 6 mile run 

Sunday: Leg circuits w/Amber - WOO HOO! 100 minutes! Whew! 

Have a great week y'all! ROCK IT OUT! 

Jess

Branson - WHOA! And Olympia Weekend!

Hey y'all! I am back from a quick trip to Branson with the hubby so this will be a short post. We went up Friday afternoon for a buddy's birthday party and hung out shopping today. We had a great time and had a wonderful slow ride home.

There is a HUGE bike festival - motorcycle's that is - here this weekend with 350k people converging upon our little town. It is insane. It is second to Sturgis so you can only imagine the people that are here! Wow!

Had two days off this week :( and my intensity was definitely lacking. Not good...but I am planning on hitting it hard tomorrow and the rest of the week. Just a few short days until Mexico.

BTW, did I tell you that you MUST have a passport to travel to Mexico? :) Mine should be here by end of next week.

Have a great Sunday y'all and here is a peak at the Olympia comparisons! I am a little worried b/c Jenny Lynn isn't in the three person comparisons...but that COULD mean they already have her in first and are looking at 2nd and 3rd. We will know soon enough!



And a HUGE shout out to Jenny Hendershott who despite rumors of retirement ROCKED it and WON the Olympia! You GO GIRL!Check out those ABS!


I will be back to post more on the winner later!
Jess

Weekly Recap and Congrats Gina!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I know Gina Aliotti did as she took first place in the Tournament of Champions - a precursor to the Olympia coming up NEXT WEEKEND! I am so excited for all the ladies but as you know, Jenny Lynn is my favorite I can barely stand it! The show is on Friday with the winner announced on Saturday! I have a really good feeling about Jenny this year - I think Gina has a great physique but with the softer look they are going for this year I think Jenny's genetics are better for it. Visionquester, chime in here if you wish! :)

Here is the Jenny/Gina comparison from last year....The thing i REALLY like about Jenny Lynn is her feminine lines and frame - I feel like Gina is stockier and not as feminine. I love her tiny waist and her softer lines. I know Gina is second in line I just feel like unless Jenny changes her look drastically, she will continue to win it. I put up a poll on the right hand side of the screen so you all can vote on who you think should win.

Check it out and put your vote in TODAY!

I can't wait to see Cynthia on this stage one day...we ALL know it is going to happen. It is just a matter of when. You go girl!

I had a GREAT week this week for workouts - not as great as I wanted as I had TWO days off (not good) and some food situations that I couldn't really get out of. Here is a summary of my workouts:

• Monday: AM 5 min warm up; HIIT Intervals 1 min at 6:40's and 2 minutes at 10 minute miles for 8 intervals; 20 minute jog PM 10 sets of 10 of bicep curls and shoulder presses - 200 total reps; 5 minute warm up and 20 minute bike intervals 1:1 ratio all out sprints to recovery.
• Tuesday: PM Leg circuits followed by 20 minute jog - 90 minutes total
• Wednesday: OFF
• Thursday: AM Upper Body circuits followed by 20 minute job - 90 minutes total
• Friday: OFF (Grrrrrrrr)
• Saturday: AM Upper body circuits - 90 minutes; PM 5 sets of 3 station squats - regular, legs together and sumo - 10 reps each w/70lbs on smith rack; bicep curls - 10 reps; lateral raises 10 reps followed by 6 mile run at 9 minute mile pace - 75 minutes
• Sunday: AM HIIT intervals running - 5 minute warm up; 45 seconds at 6MPH followed by 75 seconds at 10MPH 10x; 20 minute jog

THANK YOU THANK YOU for the egg maker my dear friend Amber...she got me a hard boiled egg maker/poacher for my b-day and I love it.

We have 17 days until I am lying on the beach with a drink in my hand....and I CANNOT wait. It will be like a honeymoon for me and the hubby. We had a really bad honeymoon - long story but the couple we went with (had been on 6 other trips with them and had a wonderful time) decided to have a melt down after 20 years of marriage and didn't tell us about it until we figured it out on our own due to the tension and general miserable nature of the two of them. Fun times. So this will be our trip....a celebration of our love. I know, sappy.

Have a great week all!
Jess

Workin for the Weekend

Happy Saturday everyone!

I have had a decent week of workouts - I didn't get in a workout yesterday :(. My crew threw me a birthday party Thursday night (happy hour) and I didn't get home until late so I was sleepy Friday morning and didn't get up for my morning workout. And my in-laws came into town early and we all went to dinner at Bonefish. Yippee! But I missed a workout and am planning on making up for it today.

I haven't gotten in as much cardio as I would have liked as well this week but I am just flexing with my schedule and being ok with everything - if it happens, it happens. :) Stressing it out over my workouts it just NOT work it to me.

I did want to share with everything the most awesome lunch bag EVER! I think I have posted a couple of times on lunchboxes/bags and have commented on how awesome and important I think they are to eating success. Well, I have found the best of the best and I can't say enough good things about it. It is called the StaxSystem and it is perfect.

Here is how it works:
It comes with 18 containers - 6 for proteins, 6 for veggies and 6 for carbs. I don't use the containers for the proper foods - I just use them to store my food. They stack on either side of the container and in the CENTER fits a perfect gel ice pack that just slides down directly. And on the top it has space for dressings, spices, condiments, etc. Here is a video that explains it better.



It is a bit pricey and yes, I am sure you could buy the containers and timer, etc. but the way the lunch box is designed with side entry, continers on the top and section for the ice pack in the center - it was designed by a body builder. You can order it here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/triax/stax.html

Anyhoo, I use the timer (I know silly but when i am crazy at work it is awesome for busy days) and LOVE how practical it is. I use to DIG around inside my lunch bag and get aggravated all the time with multiple ice packs, etc. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Did I mention I love it? :)

So I just finished an AWESOME upper body circuit workout (90 minutes) and I am going to do legs tonight followed by some sprints and then a job. Want to do two a days today and tomorrow to make up for missing two days this week. Plus on the weekends I can really get some rest.

Hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend everyone! More tomorrow. Not sure the countdown to Mexico but it is COMING UP and I can't wait!

Jess

Weekly Recap

What up y'all! :) 

Had a great workout week...summary of workouts below. Planning on another awesome week this week as well. Food is going to be key - which should be a snap since I got a hard boiled egg maker for one of my birthday presents! Yeah! :) 

Anyhoo, we have 3.5 weeks (24 days) until the beaches of Mexico and I am going to look as good as I can....:) Have I said that enough??? 

Plans this week are the same as last week - get in kick ass workouts every day and make sure my eating is ON! Oh yeah. 

Week of September 8th

Monday: Lower Body Circuits - 1 hour AM; 6 mile run PM
Tuesday: Upper Body Circuits - 1 hour AM; 30 minutes HIIT on bike 2 min intervals
Wednesday: Upper Body Circuits, Abs, Core; 30 minutes HIIT on bike - 1 min intervals; 105 minutes
Thursday: 30 minutes interval circuits - 2 minutes at 6.5 MPH, 30 second squat hold, 90 seconds at 10MPG; 20 minute low intensity jog
Friday: OFF

Saturday: AM 30 minute HIIT intervals - 30 seconds 6 min mile (15 seconds ramp up to 30 second sprint); 90 seconds atw 10 minute mile so each set is 2 minutes; 20 minute jog with dog; PM Upper Body Circuits with Core: 75 minutes
Sunday: AM core circuits & drills - 90 minutes including warm up and cool down

Have a great week everyone! 

Jess

35 Years

Hi all! If you have visitied my blog much you know how grateful I am for the things I have in my life and my gratitude increases on holidays or during special events....today is my 35th birthday (WHOA) and I want to share with all of you some (as I am sure I will forget some) of the things I am grateful for and have been during my 35 years. :) 

I am grateful for...

....my husband - my soul mate, the love of my life, my best friend, my all. I found him after 30 years but have never been happier. 

....my family - I have the BEST family - my mom, my dad, my sisters, my brother, my aunts and uncles. And the BEST family in-law - I am so blessed to have the best in-laws in the world - funny, loving, unconditional. 

....my friends - Leanne, Amber, Angie, Maya and more - and my blog friends you guys are so awesome. Without you I wouldn't have the support I have to acheive my dreams. 

....my health. Need I say more? :) 

....my job - I do something I love with people I love and am well compensated for it. 

...achieiving a few of my lifetime goals - competing in a figure compeition and placing first. 

...having the resouces to travel. 

...loving LIFE. Life is wonderful and I love it. 

Anyhoo, the main point here is that if you live in a house with running water and electricity and are healthy enough to exercise every day and can eat healthy food - you are in the minority for people in this world. So be grateful for everything you have...we are all so fortunate. 

So, I had a great week.....and I am mean that in the overall sense. Got in some great workouts - ate pretty good except for yesterday (they brought me a birthday cake from Cold Stone and I was training someone all day and missed two meals :(). We are getting hit with hurricane Ike as a tropical storm tonight and tomorrow so it will be NASTY here. NASTY. Jody's triathlon is probably going to be cancelled. 

I did my first workout of the day - plan on doing leg circuits later and then do some upper body circuits later as well. 

23 days to Mexico! :) 

Jess

P.S. Have an AWESOME weekend everyone! 

P.P.S. I stole my friend Kelly's idea of having a bad ass fitness picture on every post (when she isn't posting a Jason Statham video clip :)) - love this! 

Keep On Rockin!

Happy hump day everyone!

One of my favorite bodybuilders....Anja Langer...classic lines and beautiful to boot but definitely OLD SCHOOL! :)

I have had a great start to the week! Double workouts both Monday and Tuesday (see side bar on right side of screen for details). The pole to my lamp in the bedroom was blocking my clock this morning and I didn't hear my alarm so I got up at 6:30 instead of 530 so I missed my workout this am. Rats! Oh well, I got in an awesome almost 2 hour workout tonight (about 105 minutes) I did upper body circuits with abs and core and then did half hour of HIIT sprints on the bike.

Feeling great - 27 days to go until I am laying on the beach in a bikini! Woo hoo! Diet has also been spot on...even brought my own food to a lunch meeting where I knew there would be pizza. And at the end of the meeting when my turkey burger and bell pepper hadn't filled me all the way up, I went over to the pizza and actually reached into the box and then walked away. That also felt good. :)

Favorite part of my day though is always the time with my hubby. We have been in the habit of getting into the hot tub at night when I get home from work....we sit in there for about 30 minutes and talk about our days. So relaxing and peaceful. And spending time with him is really what it is all about. Life is good.

Hope everyone is having a great week!
Jess

Hiatus Over - Thanks to Visionquester!!

Well, I couldn't let my girl Cynthia get her pro card and stay in hiatus. Just couldn't do it!!!

HUGE props to her for getting 1st in her class at the NY Team Universe show and getting her PRO CARD!! So incredibly awesome! You are an inspiration and mentor for us all!


Can you say....WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!

But I also am ready to come out from my hiatus - I missed you guys! Work is getting much more manageable and I am getting back into my workouts. Things have also leveled out personally and I feel like I was able to be there for my hubby when he needed me. He is a good man, I can't tell you all how fortunate I am to have him.

Anyhoo....we leave for Mexico in exactly 30 days. Yes, 30 days until I am on the beach in a bikini having my first vacation since my ski trip. I am so looking forward to it and I want to look good. Not great (not possible in 30 days) but good. Shoulders popping, biceps pretty ripped. Butt and abs as small as they can be.

Started out today with my lower body Ultimate Figure Program which is basically an hour long high intensity leg workout - sweating my rear off! Then ran 6 miles with the hubby tonight and gonna go back and do a German Volume Training set on my shoulders. And my eats were ON!

I also realized I have to make a decision about competing again. Or at least set another type of goal. Fitness IS a lifestyle - it isn't temporary. The people around me that I know and respect have fitness a part of their life like brushing their teeth. It isn't temporary. That was what it was like for me - temporary b/c I was determined to do another show. I want to have another goal but have it be a part of my fitness lifestyle. It shouldn't be so hard...I should enjoy this. I got kind of down on myself about three months ago and made a lot of negative comments about my body. So much so that my hubby got really upset with me and I promised from that day forward not to do that anymore. Why beat myself up? Why not ENJOY life. Enjoy my health. And that is what I have done. I am fully aware that I became burn out on my training program and religious dieting. So for the last year, I have been rebelling mentally and also dealing with new work demands. Accept it, deal with it, enjoy life, move on.

So what do I have for it? A promotion and some quality time off. :)

I am back. Check back often. I will be here. Thanks for coming back. Over and over. :) Love you guys.

Jess