Front load squat on leg day

So, here is a variation of squats that I did today. It works the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

Why front squat? Barbell position means you work the quadriceps more in this squat than glutes in the back squat. I had already done a set in the back position by the time I was doing these. . .I really wanted to work my legs today.

so....

Lifting the weight.... Yap, lifting makes me happy

And load...(clean)

And perform a set of squats

And that's it!

When coming up with fitness resolutions for 2014, acknowledge your failures first

It is just like alcoholics anonymous, you have to admit that you have a weakness in order to strengthen it.

I know where my failure is, food. I love food. Even though I generally eat healthy, I have a chocolate habit that is my downfall. I also disregard portions a lot of the time. 2014 is going to be the year I get really ripped, and step 1 will be cleaning up my food habits.

Be realistic.

It is much easier to quit when the goal seems unattainable. Last year, all I wanted was to finish with my weight loss, and fit into my wedding dress. Lifting heavy only started as an afterthought to the original goals. If you have 50 kilos to lose, put a realistic goal, not a time frame that will make it virtually impossible for a person usually engaged in other activities other than exercise and diet control.

In weight loss, acknowledge what your failings are. Are you more likely to spend a lazy weekend in front of the television than go out and meet with friends or window shop? Do you pay for a gym membership that you only use for one month? Are you always making excuses or babying yourself, saying you cannot do more because that is all you are capable of? It doesn't cost more to try, then again you have to try a little at a time so that you do not get overwhelmed.

Plan

A lot of people come up with resolutions. Fewer still plan on  how to achieve the goals. Take time to think it out. Are you going to clean out the junk food from your house and stock your house with healthy foods? If so, familiarise yourself with recipe ideas so that you don't get home and start to wonder at how you are going to come up with a healthy meal. Planning to start an exercise regime? What is the most convenient way for you to workout? Choose a time of day that you will be doing your workouts. If home workouts are it, do a bit of research, find out what works, what doesn't, what workouts need no equipment, which ones do and how much equipment. Are you going to get home workout dvds? There are so many out there, which one will suit you best? So many ways to get the same thing done, surely a plan would be a good thing.

Finally, know from the start that you will stumble, you might fall, but what makes us winners is getting back up, dusting ourselves off and moving on. No one's perfect.

Have an active weekend!

So I have two young children in the house...

With different feeding behaviours, here was a successful dinner I made....

Mince meat with some peas and carrots in it..... (if you want a recipe I can write it, but I added spices I like that wouldn't make it too spicy for kids)

then I did the crepes (really thin pancakes) with no sugar in them

Then I got confused and did a mexican thing with the crepes and mince meat the white on top is mozzarella cheese. You can also use greek yoghurt, or anything else you desire...recipes are just rough guidelines anyway

And then I put them in the oven for the cheese to melt in

And the kids ate....and I ate and we had a smoothie for dessert but I didn't take photos of that because come on...it's just fruit and yoghurt in the blender!!!!! you can do it! Now to think of tomorrow lets keep the kids interested in food recipe...sigh! Being a mum is so much fun!

If you've been working out for two years, or one year or 6 months.....

And you do not see a change, you need to change things to get some results.

This post is inspired by a nice young lady I met at the gym today. It was her leg day and she surprised herself by adding 12.5 x 2 kilos of weights from what she normally squats. Why? Because she started believing she could, because today for the first time, the boys corner was filled with girls, and none of them were lifting girly weights, and because she received the support from the girls she wouldn't normally get.

She told me she had been working out for two years.....

If you do not see a change, or progress, you need to change things.

Just from today, she learnt that she had not been challenging herself, that she can go harder and achieve more, become stronger.

We also talked a bit about diet and the need to do your own reading, research and get the correct information, information you need to improve. I told her I started this journey when I was 18, and had been told I was overweight by a doctor (yes, I got lost along the way...but....it started at 18)

Do not be afraid to push yourself, you will be surprised at how much you can do.

Do not look at another person going hard and say...he/she is so fit, I cannot do that...try to do what you can today, tomorrow you will be able to go faster, harder, longer.

Do not quit. Starting over is much harder when you think you have failed before.

Do not starve yourself, eat real food, nutritious and whole. Watch your portions. That is all that is needed. No special supplements, no fad diets.

On a lighter note, I found this photo today. I always comment how my toddler has perfect form while squatting....I wish I could do that