Low-FODMAP Diet-What Is It?

So, in my previous post, I talked about how I'm trying different dietary changes to see what's been causing my GI problems. For the first month, I did lactose-free. The plan for this month is lactose-free, low-FODMAP. Most people have never heard of low-FODMAP diets, but it can be an extremely beneficial lifestyle if you have symptoms like I did.

What are "FODMAPs" and what foods are they in?

FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are a collection of molecules that are found in many foods. The FODMAPS in the diet include:
-Fructose (some fruits, honey, high-fructose corn syrup)
-Lactose (dairy products)
-Fructans (wheat, onion, garlic)
-Galactans (legumes such as beans, lentils, soybeans)
-Polyols (sweeteners containing isomalt, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol; and stone fruits such as plums, avocado, cherries, peaches, and apricots)

How do they affect the body?

FODMAPs may not be digested or absorbed well. When these molecules are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, they travel to the large intestine and become a food source for the bacteria found in the large intestine. The bacteria digest/ferment these molecules, which causes symptoms often associated with irritable bowl syndrome. These symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, gas, and cramping. Since I had all of those symptoms, my doctor suggested trying the low-FODMAP diet.

How do you do it? Isn't it hard?

Yes. It is hard. It requires A LOT of planning. Many foods that I enjoy eating have been cut out of my diet. I'm still trying to get used to it, but I have a list of foods I can eat that I carry around with me everywhere. I pull it out at the grocery store, and had it out when we went to a restaurant for lunch on Mother's Day. I have to read EVERY food label. If the ingredients list a high-FODMAP food, it's out of the question (unless its the last ingredient on the list). Since I'm "testing" myself, I'm trying to be very strict.

So, what's next?

Although wheat, barley, and rye are on the "NO" list, technically being strictly gluten-free is not part of the low-FODMAP diet. Gluten-free breads do not contain wheat, barley, or rye in them so low-FODMAP diets can sometimes become gluten-free. I haven't really been paying close attention to my gluten, as the FODMAPs are the most important right now. But next month, I will start a strict-gluten free diet along with  lactose free and low-FODMAP. It's definitely going to be hard. But it will be worth it to get a diagnosis.


I go back to the GI doctor at the end of June, and we will decide how to proceed from there. It's important to note that I can still eat pretty much anything if I wanted to. It will just be followed up by bloating and gas, but I can still indulge if I choose to. There are lots of people on low-FODMAP diets that only stick to them 90% of the time. Eating these foods will not hurt me and is technically not life-threatening (unlike with Celiac disease or Crohn's, where specific foods MUST be avoided).


My doctor put it this way:

" Feel free to still eat what you like...but maybe not on date night *winkwink* "



Baby I'm Back

Hey betches. Did you miss me? You probably think I've been sitting on my ass the past 3 months but that could not be further from the truth. Yes, I took a step back from heavy lifting, but it ended up being the best decision I ever made. Here's why.

I've talked about my health issues on this blog before, but here's a quick recap. In October I was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. My doctor told me that it was small so I shouldn't worry about it. I had a meet coming up in December, so I didn't give it much thought. After that meet, I allowed myself one month to eat whatever I wanted and enjoy the holiday season with my family.

By January, I was feeling shitty all the time. I was constantly bloated. And not just a little bloated--uncomfortable, looks-like-I'm-pregnant bloated. I couldn't hold my stomach in, it hurt to do direct core work, and if I lifted too heavy it would be 10x worse. I had no idea what was going on and just blamed it on the hernia I THOUGHT I had. I was having major digestion problems (throwing up, diarrhea, constipation, you name it. It wasn't pretty). I was feeling shitty about myself. I was in a dark place. It's important to note (as much as I HATE to admit this) that my weight went up to 130 lbs. I compete in the 114 weight class and my weight usually sits around 118-120.

I finally reached out to my friend Jordan Syatt of Syatt Fitness. We talked about everything I had going on and he agreed to train me. We decided that until I saw the doctor about the hernia, everything would be light. We would work on building a strong base with high reps and lower weight. This ended up being the best thing I ever did for myself. Using submaximal weights has had a HUGE impact on not only my training, but my physique. I am getting leaner and dropping weight while also getting stronger. Proof? My 1RM bench press before all this happened was 105. In the past month, I've repped 105x3 twice and repped 110x2. It's awesome!

My appointment with the GI Specialist finally rolled around (after waiting 4 months). The exam went something like this:

Doc: "Uhhh Christine...I'm not feeling a hernia"
Me: "Sorry what?"
Doc: "Yeah you definitely don't have a hernia"
Me: "WUT"

She did say I had abnormal inflammation and ran a few tests. The blood test results showed elevated CRP, which is an inflammation marker. For now, we're just doing 3 months of dietary changes first to see if that helps. Then I'll go back and have further tests if necessary. First month was lactose free. THIS SUCKS. You all know my favorite food is cheese. My top 5 favorite foods are grilled cheese, cheese pizza, cheese and crackers, ice cream, and mozzarella sticks. Well, those are gone from my diet now. Interestingly, I lost 3 pounds the first week I cut lactose, and my bloating has gone down significantly. Karma is a bitch sometimes! This month I'm adding low-FODMAP and the third month I'll add gluten-free. So, in June, my diet will be low-FODMAP, lactose-free, gluten-free. That one will be tough, but it will be worth it to finally get a diagnosis. For those wondering what low-FODMAP is, I'll be doing a blog on it coming soon!!

Anyways...after being seriously pissed off that I was misdiagnosed with a hernia for a day or so, I realized that maybe this was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because I *thought* I had a medical problem, I was forced to take a step back. I was forced to work on my weak spots (like my bench). I was forced to use lighter weights. And this ultimately made me stronger. I know, it's crazy and weird to think about. I was skeptical at first. I don't know how many nights I spent crying on my boyfriend's shoulder about how I was "losing all my gains".

BUT I DIDN'T! I didn't lose my gains!! They just took a little break for awhile. But now that I've got the green light from the doc, I'm ready to KILL. IT. I have seriously never been this motivated in my life. My diet is on track, I'm getting my weight back down, I look so much better, and I feel amazing. The future is bright for this lifting diva, and I could not be more excited!

So be on the look-out for new things coming from me. I've already done 12 weeks with Jordan, and I started my next 12 today. This blog will go back to being my training log, with some useful info thrown in here and there. I'll go back to doing diet updates and I started #TRXTuesdays on my Instagram which I will link up here as well.


LET'S DO THIS, BETCHES! It's good to be back!

Pancake Party

Going on day 2 of being snowed in and although yesterday I went a little stir crazy, today I am fully enjoying this time off. Monday night and yesterday we had 8 people in my apartment (with 1 bathroom!) and it got a little crazy! Today there's just 3 of us here, so I feel like I can finally relax! I spent the morning shoveling the driveway with my cousin, so that's my workout for today! Currently have a bag of ice on my back....can't wait to go back to the chiro!

Anyways....yesterday we made a breakfast buffet feast which included corn muffins, scrambled eggs, sausage with peppers and onions, bacon, and...protein pancakes! It was an amazing meal, everything was so good! And my protein pancakes were a hit with all my roomies and their boyfriends. Protein pancakes that are boyfriend approved?? I did good!! :) Now, I'm going to share my two favorite pancake recipes with you guys! I make pancakes at least once a week-they're that good and that easy. Plus, you can save them for other breakfasts throughout the week! I've saved them up to 3 days and they've tasted just as good, if not better heated up! 

Recipe 1: Classic Protein Pancakes

1 cup raw oats or oat flour (I use oat flour)

1-2 scoops protein powder (I use 2 scoops of EAS Whey vanilla protein)

3 egg whites (for fluffier pancakes, use the whole egg)

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I actually never measure the cinnamon, I just dump it in)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 packets stevia

Mix all ingredients together and bake like regular pancakes. I use coconut oil on the pan instead of cooking spray. 

Recipe 2: Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancakes

1-2 scoops protein powder

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs whites

1/2 cup oats or oat flour

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water

3-5 packs stevia (I use 3)

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and bake like regular pancakes! Again, I use coconut oil in the pan. For both pancakes, I use sugar free, low calorie syrup. Yum!

Here's a bonus pic of our breakfast spread from yesterday:

What are your favorite protein pancake recipes? I've been wanting to try the classic recipe with chocolate powder (sans cinnamon) and topped with protein peanut butter. I think that's going to be my next baking adventure!! Hope everyone stays warm today in the snow! Don't hurt yourselves shoveling!! :)

I'm in a relationship with grilled cheese.

No, seriously. I am. And it's a problem. Grilled cheese and pizza. If I could eat these 2 foods every day for the rest of my life I would probably be happy.

Diet has been my weakness for my entire life. I am the world's pickiest eater. I'm not saying that lightly and I'm not exaggerating. It's a well-known fact in my family and social group that I'm very limited in what I'll eat.

I don't like fish. I don't like most meats, although I do eat burgers and chicken (but only chicken tenders, must be boneless, cannot be breasts/thighs, and I do not do wings). I don't really eat fruit. I eat certain vegetables, the list is short but getting longer. I'm not a big soup person. Sushi, no way.

So what DO I eat? I do LOVE quinoa and kale, so that's good. I eat salads and I do eat SOME Mexican and Asian foods. I'm obsessed with bread and cheese, obviously. I'm Italian, so I love pasta, pizza, and pretty much all Italian foods. I love potatoes in all forms as well as sweet potatoes. I love chocolate, sugar, pancakes, ice cream, and candy. I love crackers, chips, pretzels, and popcorn. I  love hummus, guac, salsa, and queso (duh). I'm warming up to protein shakes. I used to only be able to drink them when I mixed the powder with almond milk, but I found a product that tastes just as good with water (shoutout to 1st Phorm for their amazing protein!). I've never done smoothies mainly because my old blender sucked. Now that I have a Nutribullet, I'm going to find some smoothie recipes I like and actually drink them!

There are a few foods I will absolutely never eat. These include sushi, bananas, pickles, and tomatoes (tomato sauce is fine though). And let me tell you-those smoothie recipes that call for a banana but say you "won't taste it at all!" are LYING. You CAN taste it. And it's disgusting. I once threw away an entire smoothie after one sip because the banana in it made me gag.

SO.....you can see my problem!! Since I am such a picky eater, trying to "diet" is a challenge for me because I only eat certain healthy foods. I eat them all the time and then get completely sick of them. And then I fall off the clean eating wagon and don't get back on for months. It's a vicious cycle and I'm in the middle of it right now. I've decided that this time I'm going to do things a little differently. I'm not going to jump into a "diet" all at once like I normally do. Instead, I'm going to ease into it and make small life changes every week that will stick with me. Trying to do everything all at once is a sure way to set yourself up for failure. I learned that the hard way multiple times, and I'm determined to do it right this time!

Last year one of my new years resolutions for 2014 was to expand my palette and try new foods. I'm happy to report that I did that and actually ended up liking a lot of things! Chicken stir-fry is one of my go-to meals now. I've grown to love quinoa and kale. I've experimented with protein pancake recipes and found a few that I like. I started eating bacon (I know, I know). I tried my dad's lentil soup for the first time and actually enjoyed it! So, I am headed in the right direction.

Another big challenge for me is cooking. I hate cooking. If I had unlimited funds I would hire a personal chef to cook me delicious healthy meals. Since I now eat more healthier foods, one of my resolutions for 2015 is to cook more. Prepare more meals ahead of time. Use my new kitchen gadgets to make quick and easy meals even when I don't feel like it. I think this will be a huge step in my journey to healthier eating.

The last challenge I have is getting enough protein in my diet. Since I don't really like meat I have to force myself to eat chicken. Nothing is fun if you have to force it. I usually stop eating chicken after a few weeks because I get so sick of it. I'm hoping to incorporate protein into my smoothies. I got vanilla protein powder for this reason. I'm also going to continue eating protein pancakes, which I know aren't the healthiest but they're also not the worst thing in my diet. I do eat tons of eggs, so I get protein from those. I'm a huge fan of Quest bars, and I ordered the protein chips during their Cyber Monday sale and they are AWESOME. Total game changer. I had to stop myself from eating all 8 bags in one sitting! My roommates love tofu, so I think I'll put that on my list of foods to try. Other than that, I'm really going to try for a protein shake a day, even on non-training days, just to make sure I'm getting enough protein. Muscles can't grow without protein!!

So here's my plan:
-make one new recipe each week, or, at least 4 new recipes a month
-set aside time for cooking and meal prep
-go grocery shopping. just do it.
-prepare breakfast the night before on mornings that I leave at 5:15am
-also don't go to Dunkin on those mornings
-TRY NEW FOODS!
-more protein pancakes

At the end of each week I'll do a post about what I tried that week.

Last week, I used my new spiralizer for the first time to make zucchini noodles! I loved the spiralizer so much that I also used it to make a salad, a hummus wrap, and a mason jar salad....I went a little crazy with it last week! I started with the zucchini because it's supposed to be the easiest veggie to spiralize since it's so soft. I used my mom's homemade sauce that I had in the freezer for the sauce. Raw noodles are a substitute for regular pasta. The zucchini was a little crunchier than normal spaghetti but it did taste pretty much the same! I loved it and will be making them again. Next time I might even try to make my own sauce to go with them! So, successful first week of 2015 and staying on track with my goals!! Anyone have any healthy recipes I should try out? Let me know!!

Top L: Zucchini noodles with tomato sauce and parmesan. Top R: spiralized cucumber and carrot over kale salad and quinoa. Bottom L: Spiralized cucumber and carrot with hummus on whole wheat. Bottom R: Mason jar salad

Hello 2015!!

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS holiday season! I had a really nice time at home with my family,  not to mention a few much-needed days off from work! I got some fun new toys from Santa, which I will get into later on. I wanted to do a year-end post to help ring in 2015 and reflect upon 2014. It was a whirlwind year for me-from moving home, to starting two (!) new jobs, to moving into the city....plus two competitions and lots of training ups and downs! This year FLEW by, I can't believe it's already almost New Year's Eve! First, I'm going to do a quick reflection on my past year:

Although I technically moved back home to Framingham, MA in December 2013, I still consider it part of this "year in review". I left New Jersey after 6 months to come back home and started a part-time job as a Fitness Specialist for LifeStart Wellness Network, a corporate health and wellness company. I had been trying to get a job like this since I graduated college, so I was pretty excited about it. 2014 started out a little rough, I was still getting used to a new schedule and big changes. Once I got in my groove, everything turned around. I was eating well and following my training plan. I felt great and looked great! I trained for a competition in April, in Ithaca, NY. Although I didn't do as well as I hoped to, I hit a squat and deadlift PR and placed first in my division. After that competition, I started online training with John Gaglione and had a huge improvement overall in all my lifts. I joined the 1st Phorm Athlete Search and "met" (on social media) so many inspiring people through that that have helped motivate me and have supported me. I moved out of my parent's house to Somerville in September and, a week later, started my current job as a full-time Fitness Specialist for FitCorp. This is where I was met with a lot of challenges. Again, I had to adjust to a new schedule and to living in the city. The biggest adjustment was giving up the freedom of having a car and learning to depend on trains and buses. My training and my health suffered. But, I continued to train and never missed a workout through this time which is something I'm very proud of. My next competition was just a few weeks ago at the beginning of December in Long Island. I hit squat and bench PRs, but again was not happy with my performance. I know I have to make a lot of changes in 2015, and I've never been more motivated to do so.

So, what's the plan for 2015?

First things first, I need to get healthy. This means going to a doctor and assessing my hernia situation. In the meantime, I'm going to continue training and working on my weak spots. I obviously can't lift heavy (UGH), so I'm going to be focusing on lighter weights, higher reps. I've actually already been doing this since the competition, and so far it's going well! I'm not going to let this medical issue prevent me from training-instead I'm going to find ways to work around it and make sure I don't lose too much. As far as my training goals and competitive future, I'm not making any plans to compete again until I feel ready. I don't want to leave a meet anymore feeling like I could have done better. I've set goals for myself and once I hit them I'll feel ready to compete again. I'm hoping that will be sometime in the summer or fall. There's no reason for me to rush into JUST to compete. I'd rather prepare long and well than feel shitty about my performance.

Since I'm not going to be stressing about training for a competition, I'm going to focus almost entirely on my diet. Since I moved to the city, I have REALLY been slacking in this area. It's just straight-up laziness-no point in sugarcoating it. It's hard to go grocery shopping without a car, and most nights I just don't feel like cooking anything (plus its hard when you go from having mom and dad cooking your dinner to having to cook it yourself). I'm going to work on making a real lifestyle change in the new year. I can do extreme dieting for when I need to cut down, but none of those actually stick. Last year I did IIFYM and it worked really well for me. I fell off the IIFYM wagon after my competition in April and never really got back on. For Christmas, I received a Nutribullet and a spiralizer and I can't wait to start using them! I'm hoping this makes it easier to prepare healthy food ahead of time and make me more inclined to eat it! I'm also planning on using the slow-cooker more. My roommate has one but I've never used it. I've already started looking up recipes and have a bunch lined up for the new year.

Speaking of nutrition, a few months ago I signed up for the pre-sale of the Precision Nutrition course for March. I've officially decided that I am going to do it, so starting in March I'll be studying nutrition and actually learning about it! This is going to be great not only for my career, but also for my personal health and wellness. I can't wait. PN is the best nutrition certification out there. I did a ton of research when trying to pick a nutrition certification to do. I've heard so many great things about PN and heard one of the founders speak at the Cressey seminar in September. I also know a few people who have it and they agree that PN is the, bar none, the best one to get. I'm very excited to start it!!

My other big goal for the new year is to do better with this blog! I've been slacking on updating it and I think it's because I've just been bored of it. There's only so much I can say about my training each week before it becomes repetitive! So I'm going to start adding other things to this. I'll probably post about food and share the recipes I'm trying out. Since I am TRX certified, I think I'm also going to start a weekly feature "TRX Exercise of the Week". Would people be interested in that?? If anyone has any other ideas of things you would like to see on here, please let me know! I'm very open to suggestions :) I'll still be writing about my workouts and such, but with other things thrown in there to mix it up!

So that's my plan. I'm looking forward to this year and I think it will be one of my best years yet. I've never been in a better place personally, socially, and mentally. I'm so happy and things can only go up from here. I can't wait until I start feeling better and (hopefully) looking better! I'm kicking off 2015 down on Cape Cod with my family, my aunt, uncle, and cousins, and my amazing boyfriend. I can't wait! I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Here's to the future!!

Gaglione Strength Clash for Cash Recap

This weekend I competed in the 6th full power meet, Gaglione Strength's Christmas Clash for Cash in Long Island. This was the first meet I went to completely by myself, and also the first meet that I had my coach there with me. While I overall didn't do as well as I wanted to, I won the 114 division (and had actual competition this time, 2 other 114s!) and also received the "Soaring Eagle Award", which really meant a lot to me (more on this later).

As you can probably tell from my lack of blog posts, the prep and training for this meet was the hardest I've ever gone through. I went through some major life changes right around the start of this training cycle, which I've written about in previous posts. I wasn't always focused on my training and a lot of the time I just got it done to do it. My diet was completely out of control-moving to the city and out of my parents house meant a lot of nights of "I'll just eat whatever I have" and throwing shit together. I rarely cooked actual meals and I was ordering out a lot. I gained about 8 pounds, which made this weight cut incredibly hard. Yes, some of that weight was lean mass and yes I do feel like I have put on muscle but still. I felt awful for most of this cycle and as a result had more bad workouts than good. My back was at its worst and I had some health issues that made me lose a week or so right in the middle of my program. I couldn't afford to make it up, I just had to skip those weeks and move on. Did I go into this meet feeling confident? Somewhat. I was confident in my squat and bench, but had zero confidence in my deadlift. I've written before that I never allow myself to miss deadlifts in competition.....well this time I did and it made me feel absolutely awful.

The Weight Cut
I compete in the 114 weight class, but my "regular" weight during training usually sits somewhere between 116-118. I usually only have to drop 2-4 pounds to make weight. Since I knew I was up higher (in the 120-122 range) at the start of this training cycle, I decided to start dieting down about 6 weeks out. This basically meant cleaning up my diet and stopped drinking alcohol. Around Halloween I had some stomach issues and could only eat bland foods for about a week. If you don't know, bland foods is just a fancy phrase for empty carbs. I was bloated, weak, and felt awful. As soon as I felt better, I got back to dieting and cutting. After 4 weeks, I had only lost 3 pounds and was stuck at around 119. I thought I wasn't going to make weight and I was so confused as to why I wasn't losing anything. I did everything the same as I have in the past-being aware of macros, avoiding processed foods, preparing all my meals...not to mention spending a shitload of money on food twice a week. I basically had to skip Thanksgiving, which was the hardest part of this prep. One week out, I was still at 118. I decided to do water loading as well as cut all carbs and dairy the week of my meet. I used Caitlyn Trout's water loading protocol via an article she wrote which can be found here. Basically all I ate all week were eggs, chicken, and broccoli. Luckily it paid off and I weighed in at a light 113 pounds. HOWEVER-lesson learned. As soon as Christmas is over (come on, give me a break I missed Thanksgiving) I'm going to keep my diet clean as much as I possibly can to avoid having to do this again. Definitely the hardest weight cut I've ever done and yes, I do think it affected my performance.

The Meet
Let's start out by saying I had very high goals for myself for this meet and I hold myself to a very high standard. My goals were 200 squat, 105 bench, and 250 deadlift and AT LEAST a 500 total. I went 5/9 with 180-95-195 and a 470 total. Squat and bench were meet PRs, but my deadlift was absolutely embarrassing. The week of the meet my left hip flexors seized up to the point where I couldn't even walk. I had an emergency chiropractic session before I left on Thursday to release them, which did help a lot. Then sitting in a car for SEVEN hours (seriously, LI traffic can suck it) made them tense up again but after stretching and rolling they felt better. I felt pretty good after rehydrating and eating on Friday. The morning of the meet I felt normal again, just a little nervous as always. My squats felt pretty good during warm-ups and I crushed my 170 opener. I took 180 next and got a little stuck at the top but pushed through to get it. I've hit 190 in the gym, so I assumed that's what I would be going for next (coach was calling all my weights, which was awesome. I didn't have to worry about it), but I took 185 as my third, got stuck halfway up and couldn't push through. Miss. I was upset, but 180 is a 5lb meet PR. Not a huge PR but still a PR! Bench came next, which also felt great during warmups. I took 90 as my opener-already a 5lb meet PR-and got it easy. 95 was next. I didn't set-up correctly and ended up touching too high on my chest then not being able to push it all t he way up. I missed it, so had to take it as my third attempt. Luckily I got it, for a 10lb meet PR. While this is still a really awesome accomplishment, I really wanted 105 or at least 100 on bench. I was feeling a little upset over this but had to push it out of my mind to focus on deadlift. In training, my deadlift has not been going well. I had a lot of back issues that have been fixed, but I lost a lot of strength due to that. I haven't been able to hit anything over 185 in training since the summer. So I wasn't expecting a miracle, but I was hoping that meet adrenaline paired with my own personal desire would help a little. Warm-ups actually felt pretty good. I could feel my hip flexors a little as I got heavier but I just ignored that. I was taking 195 as my opener-a weight I hadn't hit in months. Missed it. I was in shock. I couldn't believe I had missed my OPENER. How embarrassing. I came back and easily hit it as my second attempt, but at this point I now needed 225 to total 500. We decided to go for it. The bar didn't move at all. I was upset, embarrassed, shocked-I was ending with a 470 total, down 25 pounds from my last total (which was 495) and equal to a total I hit over a year ago. I should be improving, not moving backwards! John knew I was clearly upset and said to just focus on the accomplishments. I had 2 meet PRs, which is great. I knew deadlifts weren't going to be good. I just expected more from myself. The Soaring Eagle award was a surprise-so much so that I almost cried when John announced that I had won it! It really put things into perspective for me. Yes, I had a lot of rough patches while training for this meet, but I still showed up and worked my hardest. There will be others and I will do better in the future. Now I'm more motivated than ever to hit-and surpass-my goals. Videos if bench and deadlift are below, unfortunately I don't have any squat videos :(

The Future
Before I plan on doing any more events, I need to see a doctor about the hernia in my stomach. After bench was done, it was killing me on Saturday. Maybe this had something to do with my dismal deadlifting performance, maybe it didn't, but I need to figure out what's going on with that. I was planning on doing the Ithaca meet in March, but I might not be able to now. I would really like to do a local meet. I've never done a meet in Boston, I always travel to them. I do think this affects my performance because traveling is very taxing on the body. I also want people to be there for me. This may sound stupid but having no one at the meet with me was tough. I made friends, of course, but its not the same as having your loved ones there supporting you. When I travel, its hard for them to come. I'm lucky enough that my parents have been to a couple, but no one came with  me this time and I was pretty lonely. Doing a local meet would mean my family and friends could be there to support me. I think that would also help them better understand why I love doing this. I'm also hoping to reach out to a few people in Boston to see about training with them-even once a month would help. The environment in which you train really makes a difference. I've noticed this both times I've trained at Cortland. Having someone there to push you helps so much and I don't have that. I train by myself and as much as I love being an independent woman in the gym, it really sucks sometimes! So if anyone in the Boston area is reading this....I'm on the hunt for a training partner! :)

I've set new goals for myself, and I can't wait to get back into training. I'm more determined than ever to get to where I want to be. Shoutout to John Gaglione for everything you've done for me so far and for being there for me this past weekend! Congrats on another successful event! Can't wait for the next one!!

Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!!

Crunch Time!

Alright lifting pretty babes. I'm officially 4 weeks out from my next meet, which means I am in full meet-prep mode. Started cutting weight 2 weeks ago but had some complications which I'll get to later. I'm also in my last cycle of my program, which will peak me for the competition. I am SO EXCITED to get back on the platform! I love competing, if I could do it once a month I would!


This will be my 6th meet. I can't even believe I just wrote that. I've competed in full-power meets 5 times already! If you told high-school Chrissy that present-day Chrissy would be a competitive powerlifter, she would have laughed in your face and called you crazy. Yet here I am! This will be the first meet where I'll actually have my coach there with me, so I'm excited to see how it will be different from the meets I've done in the past. I'm also planning on writing a post about what I do to prepare for meets so be on the lookout for that in the next few weeks!


My training has been improving a lot in the past 2 weeks. Even my deadlift feels a million times better, and I'm attributing that to the chiropractor I went to last week. I've had chronic back pain for YEARS-it started my sophomore year of high school so almost 10 years (wow I feel old!). I've been to my PCP and a back specialist and no one has been able to give me a straight answer about why I have the pain. When I was 15 I was "diagnosed" with arthritis and scoliosis in my spine. I use that word lightly because I'm pretty sure this was a false diagnoses. While I know it's possible to have arthritis at a young age, that just didn't make sense to me. I've had MRIs, CT Scans, and X-Rays on my back and they all show a normal, healthy spine, except for the slight curve due to scoliosis. So I was kind of at my wit's end. No one could tell me what was wrong and I didn't know how to fix it. I started focusing on strengthening my back and core muscles and that did help a little bit. I've toyed with the idea of seeing a chiro for about a year now, but I was always too scared to go. I finally bit the bullet and OH MY GOD I AM SO GLAD I DID. It was seriously LIFE-CHANGING. My co-worker recommended Dr. Morrissey of Khalsa Chiropractic. She's not the typical "crack your back" chiro, which is what I liked about her. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injuries, and utilizes various manual therapies to help enhance joint mobility. She used Graston Technique and Active Release Techniques on me. It was INCREDIBLE. I felt so great after! I'll be going to her once a week until the meet! What she found was a lot of tension in my lower and upper back. She also worked on my glutes and hamstrings. When I deadlifted the next day, for the first time EVER, I felt what a painless deadlift was like. I was so happy! I can't wait to see how this impacts me and hopefully I'll go into this meet feeling healthy and strong!


So other than the chiro, I mentioned above that I had some complications. 2 weeks ago I woke up with this sharp pain in my stomach on the right side. Being the hypochondriac that I am, I immediately freaked out because I thought my appendix was bursting. I ended up going to my PCP, and I'm glad I did. She didn't think it was my appendix, but that it was an ovarian cyst that had burst. That day I had a CT Scan on my stomach area, which showed a healthy appendix (thank god!), enlarged lymph nodes, and a cyst on my left kidney. My ovaries looked normal, but my doctor still thinks that's what happened. I was on a "bland foods" diet (read: all carbs, and bad ones) for the next few days until my bloating went down and I felt normal again. I didn't lift for a few days but then got back into it the next week. This messed up my weight cut a little bit. I'm hoping I can still get down to 114, I have about 8 pounds to go. If not, I'll just move up a weight class. No biggie. The cut is mostly mental for me, and I've seriously been slacking on my nutrition since I moved into Boston, so I really want to try to get back on the right track. That's why I'm actually doing a weight cut. It would be easy to say screw it and just compete at 123, but I need to do this. After this meet I'll indulge a little over the holidays but I feel so much better when I eat clean. And I'm convinced my lifts go up too! I fell off the clean eating bandwagon over the summer, and I'm paying for it now. I don't want that to happen again!! Mind over matter! Veggies over pizza! (jk, pizza over everything)


Other than that, things are going well! I hit a squat rep PR last week, 175x2. Will this be the meet I finally hit that 200lb squat?? I HOPE SO!! Bench is staying pretty consistent as well, hit 90x2 last week. Bench is like my powerlifting great white buffalo. I've never hit anything above 88 in competition, but this time I am fully confident than I will. I feel like I need to prove myself on bench, and I can't wait to do that. I'm still a little worried about my deadlift but I'm not going to let that get to me too much. It is feeling a lot  better, just not where it needs to be, Just gotta keep moving forward and working hard these next 4 weeks. Now I'm gonna go heat up some chicken and veggies before my chiro appointment today! Can't wait!!




Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!!

6-Weeks Out Check-In

Ok, ok I know I've been slacking on updating this, I've just been SO busy doing fall activities and stressing out about my Halloween costume. Even though I haven't updated, I have not missed a workout in the past 6 weeks. I'm about halfway through my training for my next meet on December 6th. I wish I could say everything is going GREAT...but I would be lying. The past few weeks have been pretty tough and I've had a lot of ups and downs, which I'm attributing to adjusting to a brand new schedule, gym, job, and apartment. I hate using that as an excuse because I feel like its BS, but the truth is that stuff can affect you a lot more than you'd think. I also need to get my diet back on track and get more sleep. AKA....less drinking and going out and more IIFYM and sleeping. I have been having a lot of fun since I moved but it's time for me to calm down and focus on myself and getting ready for this meet. Let's go lift by lift:


Squat
This is one lift that has been fluctuating a lot. The first few weeks on this new program I felt like my squat went waaaay down. I didn't feel as strong as I used to and I stopped squatting heavy because I thought I couldn't. That was stupid. Very stupid. If you've followed this blog or know anything about me, you know that I train alone. I've been training a lot at work just because its convenient with my schedule, but that means there usually isn't anyone around to spot me. I was so scared of failing on a lift that I stopped trying. It wasn't until 2 weeks ago that I finally screwed my head back on straight, put up the safety bars, and put heavier weight back on the bar. And guess what? I didn't fail. I feel a lot better about my squat now. Last week I did 170x2, which is my 3RM. I'm testing my 3RM squat this week, so stay tuned for that. I'm going to really focus on my squat because I want to break 200 SO badly at the meet. And I know I can do it.
Current Meet PR: 175
Current Gym PR: 190
Meet Goal: 200-205
Things I'm working on: hitting consistent depth, not dropping lighter weights deep in the hole


Bench
The only lift that has stayed consistent since starting this program. I am consistently hitting 90 for reps, which is my 3RM. Again, I have the issue of not having a spotter so it has been hard to go heavier than that, but I'm testing my 3RM again this week and I know I can hit 95. I'm actually very excited to bench in a competition, which is rare because I hate benching! I feel like I have to redeem myself for the last meet I did, which ended in an 85 lb bench (so embarrassing). I'm finally training it correctly and sticking to a program that is obviously working for me.
Current Meet PR: 88
Current Gym PR: 100
Meet Goal: 105-110
Things I'm working on: pausing at the top so I don't miss the rack command, staying tight through the upper back


Deadlift
By far the worst of the three so far in this training cycle. My DL has gone from bad to good to very  bad. I've been having a lot of back problems again (actually seeing a chiro for the first time ever next week!), and its been killing  me mentally and obviously physically on deads. I was doing alright for a couple weeks, hitting near-maximal numbers on conventional deadlift then switching back to sumo. I actually pulled 190 for 1 the first week back into sumo. Since then I have been really inconsistent. I was supposed to do a max triple last week, which was 205 the last time I tested it. This time, I couldn't even get 185 off the floor ONCE. That was so frustrating because that should be an easy weight for me. But, I'm not going to dwell on it, I'm going to learn from it and move on. I can't focus on lifts I didn't make, I need to set my sights on lifts I CAN and WILL make.
Current Meet PR: 235
Current Gym PR: 225 (I rarely max test my DL because it hurts my back. I save it for the platform)
Meet Goal: 245-250
Things I'm working on: everything? Kidding. Staying tight in my lats and not yanking the bar up. Speed off the floor


So, safe to say I've been feeling very frustrated and defeated the past few weeks but I am trying very hard to keep focused and keep a positive attitude. I know that changing my diet and taking care of myself better will help a lot, I just need to do it!


Oh, and let's not talk about weight cut just yet. I'm dreading it. DREADING IT.






Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!!

From Barres to Barbells: How Lifting Changed My Life

Since joining the 1st Phorm Athlete Search, I've been putting myself out there more, and trying to figure out what I would want my "image" to be. What do I want to accomplish if I am chosen as one of their newest athlete? What message do I want to send out? I figured now would be a good time to reflect on myself and actually answer these questions. The story I sent 1st Phorm when I entered the contest was short and sweet (click here to read that post). This is the extended version.

What sets me apart? Besides the obvious-being a female powerlifter. There are so many amazing people already in the 1st Phorm family-I’m humbled to even be considered and it would be a huge honor to be picked and join these athletes. What I did notice is that they don’t have any female powerlifters in their ranks-and I want to be the first.

I started powerlifting when I was a senior in college, 2 and a half years ago. My ex-boyfriend got me into it, and immediately I felt like this was what was missing in my life. Before I started lifting, I was a dancer for my whole life. I started dancing when I was 3 years old, and continued until age 22. Dance, and more specifically ballet, was my entire life and it helped shape me into the person I am today. When I was in middle and high school, I spent every day after school and all day Saturday in class and rehearsal. Summers were spent at dance camp, 40 hours a week for 8 weeks. I loved it, but at the same time I hated it. The dance world is very competitive-and not always in a good way. You have to look a certain way, act a certain way, and accept what’s given to you. There are certain standards that all professional dancers must meet-tall, thin, and lean. Unfortunately, I didn't meet any of those standards. I grew up hearing phrases like

“you’re too short”

“you won’t fit into the costume”

“you’re too curvy”

“you won’t look good on stage next to so and so”

As you can see, I'm a full head shorter than the other dancers

....repeatedly hearing this definitely had an impact on me. I remember being devastated after audition results came out, every single year. "Why are all the other people in the dance advanced beginners...?" "I'm not in the snow scene? *cue meltdown*" "Why am I the ONLY senior without a solo in Nutcracker this year?!?!?!"....you get the picture. Every year I would swear it was my last, but auditions would roll around again and I'd be there, number pinned to my leotard, just like every other year. I was always stuck with the younger kids because of my size. I never danced a solo-not once. And it wasn't because of my abilities. I didn't 'look' the part of a soloist, so I never was one. And unfortunately, stuff like this wasn't uncommon in the dance world. The teachers always told me I would be 'repaid' someday, but that day never came (like the year I had to dance with beginners in the summer dance concert because they needed an extra person and I was the only one who would fit into the costume...I was 15, they were all between the ages of 6-9). And my teachers were right-I WAS small. At just 5 feet tall, I weighed less than 100 pounds until I went to college (freshman 15, holla). But it wasn't only me that got picked on. Many of my friends developed eating disorders and had serious psychological issues. I knew amazing dancers who had to give it all up because they couldn't handle the pressure. I witnessed girls collapse backstage from lack of food after a performance. I listened to girls throw up their lunches before class. And I didn't do anything about it.

Dance taught me a lot of things, like discipline, time-management, determination, the ability to work hard...but self-confidence and positive body image were not any of these things. I struggled with feeling good about my body for a long time.

That’s where lifting really changed my life. I continued to dance recreationally through college, but when I found powerlifting my life did a complete 180. What I love about lifting is, you don’t have to look a certain way. It’s not about what you look like, it’s about your strength and your abilities. Powerlifters come in all shapes and sizes-and every single one of them is supportive of one another.  It’s such an amazing community and I'm so glad I found it! In the dance community, someone could be your best friend one day, then stab you in the back to get a role they desired the next day. Now, complete strangers look up to me, help me, motivate me, are motivated BY me. There’s no feeling quite like going to a competition, and having people who you don’t know at all encourage you and congratulate you and offer advice. 

Since I started lifting, I’ve gained so much self-confidence and I’ve learned to love my body. I’ve always been a little bit reserved, shy and quiet, but I feel like I’ve come out of my shell. Lifting has made me a better version of myself.

What started out as a hobby, a way for me to bond with my boyfriend, turned into a full-blown lifestyle. Even after our relationship ended, I had no intentions of stopping. When I first started lifting, I never thought I would ever compete. I competed for the first time in October 2012, and after that I was hooked. I wanted to go to a meet every weekend! In the past 2.5 years, I’ve competed 5 times, finishing in first place 4 times and second place once. I don’t pretend to be the best-I’m far from it. I still consider myself very new to the sport and I know I have a lot to learn. I’ve met so many amazing people that have helped me along the way, and my coach John Gags is always there to offer guidance and support! Not to mention my family and friends who have always supported and encouraged me, even though I know they thought I was crazy at first! There are even people I've connected with via social media-instagram and facebook-who I've never met but are some of my biggest supporters. At first there were a lot of people who told me I couldn't do it and I’m proud to have proved them wrong. This is where the “never settle” mindset comes in for me. I’m not going to give up. Once I hit my goals I make new ones. I'm always looking for ways to improve and better myself.  

I will never settle.

One of my proudest competition moments....235lb deadlift!

Winning the athlete search would mean so much to me. Not only would it be amazing to be a part of a company whose values I believe in, but I would get a chance to be alongside some of the best athletes out there! I hope to be someone for other women and girls to look up to. I want to encourage women to get out there and chase your dreams. I want to be a motivator for women to be the best versions of themselves. I know what it’s like to be scared of things-I spent most of my life being this small, timid girl. I spent my high school years trying to be as invisible as possible. And I never went to the gym. I was way too scared. Now, I’m often the only girl in the weight room, and let me tell you, its empowering! I want all women to feel that. I want all women to know their strength, because I can guarantee you’re stronger than you think! I want women to understand that there’s nothing wrong with being strong. You won’t get bulky unless that’s what you want-look at me! I tell people I lift and I always get this surprised reaction. I’m still a girl-I’m actually a very girly girl. All my gear is pink, my competition singlet is pink, I love getting dolled up in a dress and heels and dancing the night away with my girlfriends.

Going to the gym doesn’t mean you have to give up your femininity! And I want more women to understand that!

See? Still SUPER girly!!

So now the big question, what everyone wants to know-what would I do with the money if I won? Well to be honest, it’s not about the money for me. But if I did win…..I’ve always wanted to own my own business. I went to school for clinical exercise science, and I currently work as a fitness specialist for a corporate health and wellness company, but I am also a personal trainer and group ex teacher. I think it would be awesome to open a female-only strength training gym. A place where women who are serious about getting strong can come together in a community, lift together, and motivate each other. I want somewhere where women can go that's not intimidating.

I know what it's like to be scared....I spent most of my life being scared! I want to help women find their true potential-help them come out of THEIR shell, just like I did! 

Right now it’s just a dream, but if I won I could be much closer to making that a reality.

Facebook: Chrissy Giorgetti

Instagram: @cahrissay

Email: chrissy.giorgetti@gmail.com

Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!!

First Bootcamp of October!!

This week's workout is a total-body tabata workout! For those of you who are not familiar with tabata, it's simple! You do the instructed exercise for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then go back to the exercise. Alternating 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes, giving you 8 "rounds" of the exercise! I'd recommend downloading a tabata timer app on your phone-its just easier than using the stopwatch. Trust.

SO! Total Body Tabata Workout:

You will need: medium-heavy weights, mat, jump rope, KB or heavy DB, and a medicine ball!

Set 1:

Squat to Shoulder Press (med-heavy weight)

Plank Jax

Alternate the two exercises, so you'll do each 4 times!

Set 2:

Push-up to Row (med-heavy weight)

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNdDIB90MVg

Mountain Climbers

Alternate the two exercises, so you'll do each 4 times!

Set 3:

Reverse Lunge (med-heavy weight)

Russian Twists (heavy weight)

Alternate the two exercises, so you'll do each 4 times!

Set 4:

Tricep Dips

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Swing (heavy weight)

Alternate the two exercises, so you'll do each 4 times!

Set 5:

Jump Rope

Medball Slams (heavy)

Alternate the two exercises, so you'll do each 4 times!

Make sure you're watching FORM! There's no shame in dropping the weight if you start sacrificing form. Better to do it right and light than ugly and heavy! :)


Leave a comment if you try this workout!




Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!

Cressey Sports Performance Fall Seminar Recap

This past Sunday I attended the 3rd annual Fall Seminar at Cressey Sports Performance. It was a long day full of learning and I loved it! I soaked up SO much information, I thought my brain was going to explode! It was also my first time at CSP, so getting to (finally) see the facility was awesome. I went with some of my friends who came down from Cortland to attend it. They drive out here on Saturday, and stopped at CSP on their way to deadlift. I'm so sad I couldn't join them, but I don't have a car and seeing as CSP is about 45 min away in Hudson, it just wasn't going to happen. Someday I'll lift there!






The seminar lasted about 8 hours, with 6 speakers and an hour break for lunch. All of the speakers were current or former coaches at CSP. The lectures ranged from nutrition, to various injuries, to coaching. It was a lot of information in a short amount of time, but I definitely learned a lot. Eric Cressey spoke on Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and how to diagnose it. I didn't know much about TOS before this, so it was great to learn more about it. I probably won't ever encounter it in my career, but if I ever do I'll know what to look for!






My two favorite speakers were Brian St. Pierre, whose talk was titled "Paleo: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and Chris Howard with "Trigger Points 101". There is a lot of current discussion regarding the paleo diet, and hearing all the facts about it was really cool. The basis of his discussion was that the paleo diet does have a lot of good qualities; such as encouraging the intake of whole foods, lean proteins, veggies, fruits, and healthy fats; however it also has some flaws. The "evolutionary" argument hasn't been proven and the evidence for excluding dairy, legumes, and grains isn't very strong. Definitely a very cool and "current" topic to speak about, and I learned a lot about the paleo diet! I'll still never try it....this Italian girl canNOT give up grains!




Trigger Points is a topic I have a very particular interest in. I'm a self-proclaimed "soft tissue nerd"...I take it upon myself to learn as much as I can about soft-tissue therapy and using it as injury rehab. So, naturally, this talk was really interesting to me! The discussion was much more in-depth than anything I've read about, and he incorporated case studies which was very cool. He also talked about how trigger points can mimic other conditions and may be diagnosed as something else. I see this all the time in my clients-people think they have this horrible injury when it's really just tender muscles! I definitely learned a lot from this lecture and I will be implementing a lot of stuff in my work!


So overall it was a great day. Long and exhausting, but still really fun! I think I've mentioned this in other posts, but if you work in fitness, investing in seminars and conferences and summits etc is a MUST. Yes, they are expensive but the information you can get from them is invaluable. Plus, you'll definitely use it and it will pay for itself in time. It's also a great way to network and meet new people! So suck it up, give up a few weekends, and go to continuing ed events. You won't regret it.




Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!

Bootcamp Workout Week of 9/22

This workout is designed to test your willpower! Mind over matter ladies and gents!


5 minute plank
If you drop or lose form, perform 10 burpees then get back into the plank for the remaining time. If you drop again, 20 burpees. So on and so forth (+10 every time you fail)


5 minute wall-sit
If you drop or lose form, perform 20 mountain climbers then get back into the wall-sit for the remaining time. If you drop again, 40 mountain climbers. So on and so forth (+20 every time you fail)


5 minute side plank-right side
If you drop or lose form, perform 5 star jumps then get back into the side plank for the remaining time. If you drop again, 10 star jumps. So on and so forth (+5 every time you fail)


5 minute plate hold (arms outstretched in front of you, holding a plate)
If you drop or lose form, perform 20 jumping jacks then get back into the plate hold for the remaining time. If you drop again, 40 jumping jacks. So on and so forth (+20 every time you fail)


5 minute side plank-left side
If you drop or lose form, perform 10 speed skaters then get back into the side plank for the remaining time. If you drop again, 20 speed skaters. So on and so forth (+10 every time you fail)


Repeat the above workout twice through.


If you HATE cardio, make sure you don't have to do any simply by holding each position for 5 minutes. I say simply....this workout is far from simple! Don't forget to breathe and don't think about the time!


Leave a comment if you try this!






Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!!

Week of 9/15 Bootcamp Workout

For this workout you'll need heavy weights and a mat! You're going to go directly from one exercise to the next, and rest at the end. Workout is as follows:

*Squat to Overhead Press-15 reps

Burpees-12 reps

*Reverse Lunges Alternating-20 reps

Jumping Jax-50 reps

*Bentover Rows-15 reps

Burpees-12 reps

Push-ups-25 reps

Jumping Jax-50 reps

Plank Hold-1 minute

*=use your weights!

Repeat this circuit three times, resting 2 minutes between each time. REMEMBER!!!! It's not a race! Take your time and do each rep with perfect form!


Leave a comment if you try this workout! :)






Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!

Clash for Cash Meet Prep First Weeks

In my previous post, I mentioned that I signed up for my next meet. I will be competing in Gaglione Strength's Clash for Cash on December 6! I can't wait for this meet, I think it'll be really good. Plus it'll be great to have my coach there handling me and all that stuff. I've never had that before, so it'll be interesting to see how its different. I've already started my prep for this meet, even though its far off. The program Gags started me on 2 weeks ago will peak me for the meet, so it's perfect. I kinda messed up a little bit the first 2 weeks and did the wrong workouts, but now I'm back on track and so far feeling great.

I started in week 3 of the program, so last week (week 4) was technically a deload week. Which actually worked out well because I was pretty tired and sore from moving over the weekend. My 3 main lifts were halting conventional deadlift, pause squat, and long-pause bench. Everything went well, but I'm still adjusting to lifting in a new space so I don't actually have any bench videos. And I'm still trying to figure out the best way to rig up something so I can video my squats and deadlifts, so sorry for the bad camera angles on the videos below!

For deadlifts, I only worked up to 145. My back was killing me after the move, so I decided to not kill myself with deadlifts last week. I also did the wrong workout, because I got confused lol OOPS. So I ended up going 5x5 when it was actually supposed to be a deload with 6x3.
I went: 95x5, 125x5, 135x5, 145x5, 125x5 (lifting with bumper plates is AWESOME, btw)
Here is the video of my top set:

As you can see my hand goes right to my back after this set, which I did subconsciously, but halting deadlifts do put more pressure on it. I was sore for a few days after this but nothing crazy.

Squats were 8x2 paused. I was still confused and thought they were supposed to be beltless, so I didn't bring my belt to the gym (that shit gets heavy when you have to walk 25 min, okay?). So I ended up working up to 140lbs, which was as high as I felt comfortable going without a belt. Which is actually I think also the heaviest I've ever gone without a belt. All in all pretty smooth workout. I was feeling weak from not squatting in a week, but once I got back into I was fine.
I went: 105x2, 115x2, 125x2, 135x2, 140x2, 135x2, 125x2, 115x2
Here's the video of the top set:

And bench. This was 9x3 long-pause (5ct) bench. Like I mentioned above, I don't have any videos because I couldn't figure out how to set it up and I was there alone. I'm not comfortable enough in the gym to ask anyone to video me yet....
Sets were: 45x3, 55x3, 60x3, 65x3, 75x3, 65x3, 60x3, 55x3, 45x3
Again, I was alone so I only felt comfortable going up to 75. Hopefully once I get used to this new gym I'll stop being so shy and ask someone for help! I hate doing that though, its so awkward. And also no one knows how to spot correctly...

So this week I jump back into full workouts (not deloads)! See my instagram page (@cahrissay) for videos if you can't wait till next week for my weekly update!

Also I wanted to congratulate the newest 1st Phorm athlete Twayne Russell! Such a great choice and so well-deserved. Check out his video on their facebook page! It's an awesome video, that makes me really proud to be representing them (and makes me want to win even more!) Next winner is announced October 6th! Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!

Week of 9/8 Bootcamp Workout

As promised, I'll be posting one workout a week for anyone that wants to do it.


This week is a total-body cardio strength workout. You'll need a mat for floor work and ONE heavy weight. This is mainly a bodyweight workout-you only need the weight for one exercise at the end!


REMEMBER: Form over time! I don't care how long it takes you, make every rep perfect!

Warm-up:

Air squats

High Knees

Butt Kicks

Jumping Jax

Easy jog in place

30 seconds each, 2x

Circuit 1:

50 air squats

40 push-ups

30 sec plank

20 dips

10 side lunges EACH SIDE

Circuit 2:

50 mountain climbers

40 reverse lunges EACH SIDE

30 burpees

20 high knees

10 inchworms

Circuit 3:

50 bicycle crunches

40 superman flies

30 jump squats

20 tricep push-ups

10 donkey kicks EACH SIDE

Circuit 4:

50 alternating lunge jumps (25 each side)

40 plié squats to calf raise

30 v-sit in and outs

20 single-leg deadlifts EACH SIDE (use your weight here)

10 clam shell side planks EACH SIDE

Cool down with stretching

Leave a comment if you try it!!


Stay STRONG and Stay FIERCE!

New Apartment, New Job, New Gym....phew!

So it's been a few weeks since I've given an update....but only because I've been SO incredibly busy! So many changes have happened in the past few weeks that have left my head spinning, but I'm finally settling in and things are calming down. After my max test week, I did a recovery week and signed up for my next meet! I'll be competing at my coach John Gaglione's next meet on December 6th, 2014. I'm so excited for this and I can't wait to get back on the platform! I have about 14 weeks to go and I've already started my new program! The first few weeks have been a little rough-between moving and finding a new place to lift and starting a new job, I barely had time to fit it in (but I still did!)


Oh yeah-I moved! I finally have my first Boston apartment! Well, technically its in Somerville, but still. It was a really big step for me to move closer to the city. Not only am I living with 3 great girls, but my commute has been cut in half! It's so nice! We moved over Labor Day Weekend and I have been loving it. I love having my own space, I love being so close to the city, and my apartment is just great! I don't have a car anymore, so that was a big adjustment, having to either walk or take public transportation everywhere, but I think I've adjusted well and now I love it. Probably won't feel the same way in the winter buuuuut...we'll cross that bridge when I get there. I get to walk through Harvard Yard every day on my way to the train. Harvard is a beautiful campus plus it looks JUST like Hogwarts. So I can pretend I'm a wizard every day. It's awesome.


Another big change is my new job! I accepted a full-time Fitness Specialist position with FitCorp and today is my first day! FitCorp is another corporate health and wellness company, so I'm actually working in the new State Street Bank building. It's very similar to the job I held with LifeStart, but it's full-time. I was working part-time at LS, so it was really important to me to get the full-time title, especially with moving and having actual bills to pay. LS couldn't offer it to me, so I had to look elsewhere. I'm so glad I found this opportunity and I'm so grateful that the position was offered to me! I'm excited to dive right in and get started! It's located in South Boston, kind of near the Seaport, so my commute didn't really have to change at all. Just have to go one more T stop past South Station :) I can't wait to see what this position has to offer, and I'm up to the challenge of a brand-new facility (it's only been open since June!).


And the last big change-finding a new place to lift. Obviously the most important thing. There is a squat rack at my new job, which I will probably use a few times a week, but last week while I was still at LS, I had to find a place to lift. To my disappointment, all the gyms within walking distance to my apartment only had smith machines and no actual racks. I was getting so frustrated! I did look at a beautiful facility that had Olympic platforms, turf, ropes, and everything that was a block away from my place. The problem? It's a private training facility. Small group training, classes, and personal training only. No open gym. I was heartbroken! It was so nice! So what I ended up doing was joining BSC in Central Square. It's one stop away from Harvard, which is where I get off to go home, so it will be easy to just stop there on my way home. There's also a bus that picks up a block away from me and goes right to Central Square, so that's also really easy. I would have liked it to be a little closer, but I can't be picky. The plus side? FitCorp is owned by BSC, so I have a free membership. Awesome!


So those are my excuses for not  updating in awhile. Later on today when I get home I will post about my workouts last week. Another new thing I'll be adding to this blog is a weekly workout for anyone that wants to do a total-body boot-camp style workout. This was specially requested by my LifeStart girls, and I don't want to let them down! I'll try to get this workout up mid-week, hopefully Wednesday or Thursday! So be on the look-out for that! Other than that, my workouts will go up each week as usual, along with any training, diet, or life updates I feel like sharing :)


Stay STRONG and stay FIERCE!