Giveaway Winner!!!

You know when you are excited you have a day where you can sleep in but you don't?!?...that happened to me this morning and I hate it!
So as promised, I entered all your comments into a random generator and got a number: 29 and that would be ELIZABETH G!!!
Congrats girl and thank you all for participating in my giveaway! If I so not hear from the winner by end of Monday, I'll choose another. (Sorry for the short time frame but hey my life be hectic right now and after Monday it gets crazy!)

Elizabeth-I need you to email me your info: email address, shipping address and the flavor you'd like to try!

Rise and Grind Mr Olympia Time

Up by 6, out by 7, gym by 730. Loved it-totally empty! I really want to be at the gym at like 6 to be alone-once 12s begin, that'll be happening.
I tried a preworkout sample called Friction and man my HR was up there and it made me guzzle water! Drippin though.
On the schedule was back, abs, sprint HIIT. I have messed up my shoulder somehow so I have to take it easy which is hard but tomorrow is rest day so Ill take advantage.
So most of you follow me on Instagram and follow the same pple so I'm super jealous of the ones that got to go to Mr Olympia inVegas! I've decided I'm going next year! I was online watching it and man those physiques are crazy!!! The women and their routines were pretty awesome though. I want to meet the pple I look up to Instagram like Bella Falconi, Jordan, Bradley Martyn, Brandan from Rise Against and tons more. I would really love to meet Dana Linn Bailey just cause she is freakin rad! Also I really want to go to the Arnold Classic next year!
Next year in June or July there is a show/expo in San Jose CA that ill be attending if anyone is interested?!?! It's called the FitExpo or something I think.
Anyone know of any shows in Cali this year?
Also random thought, I'll be Vegas for New Years!!!

Drained

Yup that is me today summed up in one word. I felt fine this morning heading to the gym but man I just couldn't get fired up like I normally do. I still busted out hammies and butt but my 'umph' wasn't there. Your body has its ups and downs which is normal so I still completed the workout but took it down a notch-I listened to my. body. Even post-workout I had no energy so I knew I needed food energy to help me at least stay awake for work.
I made had a p28 bagel, egg whites, spinach, and avocado sandwich with strawberries and blueberries on the side. Simple and clean yet really good. My coworker offered to get me a Starbucks and I jumped on that!-I got a tall nonfat extra shot cappuccino with sugar free hazelnut...OMG goodness in my mouth!
Today is high carb but its really hard for me; I just don't consume a lot of carbs ever. My carbs usually consist of veggies, oats and fruit. I never really have bread or potatoes or rice so my high carb days are not looking too high. Not sure how I'm feeling about this carb cycling but ill stick with it for the time being.

ANYONE CARB CYCLING???
HOW ARE YOU HANDLING IT?

Fed Ex is always welcome!

Last night I get a knock at like 8pm an it was Fed Ex! What? That late? Ya but I knew it was my new goodies so I was excited!
I originally ordered MGM Casein Protein from muscleandstrength.com but I get a call saying their shipment is messed up and I'd have to choose something else which totally bummed me out but I decided to go with Elite Casein Cookies and Cream; I also ordered xtend intranet workout intense recovery mix. Well the guy on the phone told me he'd throw in some samples for the inconvenience.
I also got samples from Justin's Nut Butter which got me all excited-you know me and nut butter! :)
Yesterday was shoulder day which felt awesome but man last night I didn't sleep a wink so getting up for clinical at 450 was sooo hard; all in all today was horrible and I was exhausted and weak. I still went to the gym after with the help of aminos but that really didn't help. I busted out an hour of chest and bi's which was not my plan at all. I was suppose to HIIT instead of bi's but I just couldn't do it.
I was uber hungry all day and ate lots. For tonight's routine casein I had cottage cheese with my choc pb casein, cocoa nibs and Honey Peanit Butter pack from Justin's but I knew that wasn't enough so I ate a banana as well (yes shocking fruit at night)... after all that I was still hungry! So I got more cottage cheese and then open my new cookies and cream casein and had a whole other bowl.
My lack of sleep and long day made my body need more food and calories just to keep me upright and function and then get me to the gym and then wrote a paper. Ahhhhh!!! Wanted to scream today!
Tomorrow will be better-leg day, high carb, no school just work and studying.

'Its About Time' Whey Protein giveaway!

I received samples from About Time Protein and they asked me to host a 2lb tub whey protein giveaway for you all! So a benefit or me and you!
The protein contains 25g protein, 0 sugar, 0g fat, 103 cals per serving. It's sweetened with stevia which is an all natural sweetener. Only 4 ingredients so no crap in their tubs!
There are 11 flavors which is hard to choose just one single flavor-lots of yummy ones like peanut butter and cake!!!
So to win of course there are some things you must do:
1. Follow my blog!
2. Tell me how you love to have your protein; Whether it be in a shake, something baked (healthy and clean only here!), etc. Leave the recipe in a comment please! I love new ideas!

Leave a separate comment for each telling me you followed and/or your best protein creation!
Check out their page and see what flavor you would like to try. They have other products as well like prebottled protein drinks.

Giveaway ends Sunday a.m. Winner will be chosen on Sunday! Goodluck!

"Best body!"

Squaterday! Headed straight for bar and weight plates-no smith machine!
Today I wore grey shirts and I was totally rocking the sweat in the crotch area and bum. I was workin hard and my whole body was sweatin in all places.
Squats ss jr
Overhead bar squats ss power cleans
Deadlifts ss clean & jerks
Plie squats ss calf raises & wall med ball throws
Leg press ss single leg db deadlifts
Adductor machine
Leg extension (single and both legs)
Abs
When I was getting ready for class in the locker room, a women trainer approached me and said "I've been meaning to talk to you and tell you I watch you all the time and you have the best body! You are the hardest working person at the gym." We went in to talk but I was so happy. Been down lately so that picked me right up. A trainer said that to me! Crazy compliment. Then another lady approached me and said "I see you all the time and man do you just give it your all, you just work incredibly hard and it shows!" She asked me where I learned my whole fitness regimen, workouts, techniques etc and I said myself! I go out and learn and search and watch an read and study etc.
So all in all today was a good day-I walked out with a smile for sure.

Since today is high carb (will post about my carb cycling soon) I packed myself a wrap for lunch. So yummy. Whole wheat tortilla, 3 egg whites, 1/4 avocado, spinach, tomatoes...and WASABI! Yes indeed random but so good. When I go to sushi I always take home extra wasabi because I love it. I add it to almost everything savory. Take advantage of the wasabi at sushi places, I certainly do!

Sundays Come and Go

I am almost out of my ON Chocolate Peanut Butter Casein Protein! 😮But I have a new brand and flavor on its way, I'll post my goodie box once it arrives.
Today was my "Sunday Cheat Meal Day" and of course I went to sushi. my had sashimi, tuna roll, miso soup, salad with tons of wasabi; oh it was so yummy!
Tonight I changed up my casein a little bit:
Layer 1: nonfat plain Greek yogurt with cinnamon.
Layer 2: sprinkled cocoa nibs & 1 tsp homemade almond butter.
Layer 3: casein mixed with water and cottage cheese.

Looks and tastes like a cheat or a dessert but totally not! Who needs pudding or ice cream or whatnot when you can have this?!?
People ask me all the time (or shout at me) "how do you do it?" or "I could never eat as clean or healthy as you!"
Honestly I LOVE what I eat and don't miss junk food or sweets or crave them at all! Seriously! I make the randomist stuff out of protein powder, veggies, egg whites etc. If I didn't love or crave what I eat, I wouldn't be happy or satisfied with how I'm achieving my body. My food makes me happy and excites me to eat!

Rest Day!

So I woke up this morning craving Fall!!! I'm sick of summer and ready for some chilly-ness.
This morning I made a Sugar free Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino, nonfat plain Greek yogurt with pb, flax, chia seeds, granola and a warm slice of whole wheat banana bread.
Simple yet Yummy!

Progress is the Best

I'm meaning that emotionally and physically.
I'm taking one day at a time to heal and to grow-emotionally and physically.
So today was Back, HIIT, & abs. I love focusing on certain muscle groups on certain days because when you come back to that group, you can totally see if you are progressing. I can tell I am stronger when I work that group out. Like today, I increased my weights again! I work back once a week (but really I work so many muscle groups everyday) and I notice growth and strength when I work it. My body muscles get the proper rest and time to grow when I isolate my muscles into groups.
I wore my backless T for my back day and shot pre & post workout of my back. I have a back pic from a while back and I can totally see the progress and muscle growth! So excited! You should always take pictures so you can watch yourself change.
The pre workout is with shirt and the post is with no shirt. I consider this a tasteful shirtless and appropriate progress shot. So don't judge.

Workin on my Stems

No sleep at night, stress, school, work & personal issues makes for a (broken out face) motivation-craze-Carah. This semester of the nursing program is pretty gnarly (a very lite term) and I can feel it; if I can just get through Halloween, I'll be feelin a little more at ease with it all but until then HOLY COW!!! Just venting a bit ;)
Hammies & Bum today.
Front squats ss weighted jump rope, hip thrusts on ball & barbell deadlifts
Deadlifts ss clean jerks
Single leg squats ss barbell box step ups
Squats ss db walking lunges
Leg press (feet high) ss weighted hip thrusts
Lying leg curls ss abductor machine
Hamstring cable pull through ss toes to bar
Stretching<- I always forget to add this but it's a given in my book; no workout is over until my stretching is. So important to stretch-it releases lactic acid in your muscles and allows growth to occur. It also pulls the fibers to help with flexibility.
This whole workout took an hour and a half; I get a lot of questions about my length.

Motivation to the Max!

So indeed from all the crap going on, my motivation has picked up speed, skyrocketed, on a new level, etc. I'm using what life has dealt me into a positive because God has a plan and this was suppose to happen. So of course my rage & anger will be used at the gym and on my muscles. God doesn't close a door without opening another.
So BEAST MODE will be happening even more than normal. My bod is feelin the emotional exhaustion from yesterday and today but a little c4 helps a girl out when you've been working in the hospital all dang day; the gym is the best way to end a day after leaving there.
Today was chest, abs, and stair master:
Barbell bench press ss weighted v-ups
Db flyers ss spiders
Decline db bench press ss box jumps
Push-ups ss clean jerks
Cable chest crossovers ss toes to bar

Man the men around me best watch out I there cause I ain't messin around in there and I mean business. Why do big muscled men stand and talk more than lift? Annoying!

Gym Therapy

My 2nd home, the gym, is my everything-therapy, reliever of everything, my love lol, my world and it's appreciate and always needed for any and all reasons.
Today was probably the worst day I've had in I can't even remember when. I was in the hospital working all day and crying all day. Patients + meds + wet face + funny nose = ugly, non productive Carah. My fellow Nurses are amazing-Its true nurses are always there for you when you need them.

So I was craving the gym the whole day. When I got there I looked liked I'd cried all day, my hair was a disaster and my buddy even noticed.
I murdered my shoulders to the point where I literally could not go on and my feet were hurting so bad during my sprints but I kept going; I know I needed that release but my anger is still with me. Helped for me to deal with it at first I guess.
Shoulder Day & Sprint HIIT:

FavDay

Quads & calfs!
So I switched it up and decided no smith machine today only bar an weight plates. Man did I love it! You work so much harder without havin that support for the smith; I could literally feel more muscles bein used and recruited. The weight has to be lowered because its literally just riding on your shoulders so you have to make sure you can handle it and not fall over. I was working so hard and pushing thy I was drenched in sweat (more than normal :) ) and I quickly busted out 500cals in under and hour but I completed my whole sets in just under an hour & a half.
My legs were jelly and I was walking not normal. When I got out of my car at school, I was like um hello!-sore!
So I won't list my weights because I lift heavy as always and I dont recommend bar&weight plates to beginners.
Wide squats ss jump rope & barbell calf raises
Deadlifts ss barbell clean jerks
front squat barbell deadlifts
Narrow squats ss barbell lunges
Plié squats ss barbell calf raises & toes to bar
Leg press (narrow) ss barbell squats
Calf raises on leg press (straight toes)
Leg press (wide) ss barbell narrow squats
Calf raises on leg press (toes out & in)
Wall sits with two 45lb plates 3x until failure

Man I loved today's WOD! So I'm going to stick with the no smith machine for a bit...see how my muscles react.

Stress Test Monday

So I've stressing like no other about my first exam for Med-Surg which is supposedly the hardest of the this unit and I passed! Thank God-seriously I had everyone praying for me!
So I photographed some of my eats today like my overnight oatmeal strawberry banana greens smoothie & my amazingly yummy lunch of salmon, green beans and brussel sprouts.
Today was bi & tri day followed with sprint HIIT. Its amazing how much buffer my arms look when lifting, I love it! They were popping and I want arms muscles to be pronounced without flexing! Another goal!

'Oreo' Protein Pancakes

So last night I wanted pancakes and I saw on pintrest Oreo pancakes that were not exactly healthy so I played around with my ingredients.
Pancakes:
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/3 cup oats
Splash unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 scoop choc protein
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cocoa nibs
5 drops liquid stevia
Splash vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Cream:
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Vanilla Stevia
Little bit vanilla protein powder
1. Blend pancake ingredients in blender.
2. Cook like regular pancakes.
3. Mix cream mixture together.
3. Layer them up.
4. Toppings: I just added peanut butter but you could add nuts, walden farms sugar free/calorie free syrup, fruit, maybe dunk them in milk...

Obviously these aren't cookie tasting but they look and seem like a cheat and are not!-totally a clean eat!

So Simple & Easy

This is perfect for people who ask what I eat. This is basically it; use this as your grocery list and your food list:

Awesome Backness

Oh back day came and I loved every minute of it! I seriously always feel strong because I am constantly increasing my strength on this day because it's always on Saturday and I can tell I've built up muscle and strength through the week. I know tomorrow is my rest day so I push beyond everything I have the day before so I can really soak up my rest day.
So with higher weights means its brutal for my hands...callouses for days! Love it though!
Here be evidence and proof and my routine:

Green Smoothie Morning

So yesterday I brought home fresh blueberries and avocados so I knew some would go in my preworkout smoothie do here it is:
1/2 cup fresh Blueberries
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup fresh Spinach
1/2 avocado
3 mini carrots
1 tsp Flax meal
1 tsp Chia seeds
1/4 cup Oats
1 scoop Vanilla protein
Ice
Stevia
1. Blend.
2. Pour in a giant frozen mug .
3. Long straw needed.
So yummy!

Legs & Abs Progress Pic

So I was pretty excited today not only to work my bum & hams but to see my man! We are so busy it's hard to have time but we're pullin through and hanging on. So today we knew we'd see each other at the gym so when we saw each other we just held one another standing there right in the gym for a while lol. We miss each other and it's hard.
So on to my leg routine:
Ham squats ( legs extended forward)
ss with jump rope
Calf raises ss with barbell step ups
Front squats ss with box jumps
One legged squats (one leg down and the other up on box) ss with walking bumbbell lunges
Leg press (wide) with feet up high ss
with deadlifts
Leg press (close) with feet up high ss
with weight plate hip thrusts
lying ham curls ss with hip abductor

My bum was burning and I was massaging it to release the lactic acid and Kyle was just laughing at me! We have fun.
So I packed my lunch to eat at work and it was fan-crappin-tastic no joke!
It was a mixture of wilted spinach, couscous, peas, green beans, chicken, blueberries and avocado! OMG yummyness in my mouth!
Random but so good.

So today was flex Fridays on instagram so I decided to post a progress ab pic so here it is.