Dawn's Journey to the Stage

[vbsunbum1]

Wow...personal training, amazing MMC, almost done shopping, crazy hiit intensity....

I'm so happy that everything is rockin for you hun!

Thank you soooooo much Jaime!!!! Life is really being good at the moment and I am RUNNING with it!

What kinda attitude is that, Pshhhh. This is offsesaon and your getting your growz on. Expect big things and make them happy Dawn. Come on girl. You got this. Hell you were setting PR's on Rapid Fat Loss, with a ton of fuel you are going to be a force to be recokned with in the gym ya know?

Keep this shhhhhh UP, and have a great friday/weekend babe.
Take care.

Oh hun, I do expect big things and you know I will bust my azz to make 'em happen... I just think that a person cannot continue to get 2-4 PR's everytime they workout if they are truly pushing it to the max every time they workout... (just my opinion...I know, I could be wrong...it wouldn't be the first time )

Thank you sweetie...you have a great day/weekend too...talk to you soon!

Wow that's great to hear what you asked for/are getting for christmas. Congrats on all of the accomplishments you have made!

Have a wonderful day

Thank you! I'm excited...really looking forward to giving to others and reaping the benefits of all that I have and continue to learn in this industry. I've learned so much from being part of this forum and have received a huge boat load of support... I'm really wanting to give that back to others in here and also branch it out to future clients in person. Helping others with their fitness goals will be so rewarding!
Thank you for the congrats as well!! I truly appreciate the wonderful compliment!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day as well!

[Young9]

Life is really being good at the moment and I am RUNNING with it!

I am soooo happy to hear this babygirl...it jus made MY day!!

[HoosierHardGain]

Girl, I hope you're keeping warm today...it's damn cold here.

But you probably don't get cold...all that hotness keeps you warm...

Have a great weekend, Dawn!

[vbsunbum1]

I am soooo happy to hear this babygirl...it jus made MY day!!

Aww, thank you Nick...you're so wonderful!

Girl, I hope you're keeping warm today...it's damn cold here.

But you probably don't get cold...all that hotness keeps you warm...

Have a great weekend, Dawn!

Dayum cold here too! ... haha...def bundled up! It was bad enough that I got cold so easily before losing weight...now I just STAY cold, LOL! Oh well...I'll take this vs. the weight fo sho!

[vbsunbum1]

Friday 12/5/08

Shoulders & Arms - Hypertrophy

Shoulders:

Seated DB Press-
25# db's x 10
30's x 10 ........yay! Back up to 30's again finally!

DB Lateral Raises-
15# db's x 12
15's x 12
15's x 12

Front Raises-
15# db's x 10
15's x 10

Arms:

Alt. DB Curls (Standing)-
25# db's x 10
25's x 10
30's x 10 ------------------->PR (weight)

Cable Curls -
60# x 15
60# x 15

Overhead Cable Rope Ext. -
70# x 10
70# x 10
70# x 10

Cable Press Downs-
110# x 12
110# x 12 ------------------->PR (reps)

Cardio: None

Fantastic session! The pump I got from this workout was off the hook! Shoulders & Arm Day is by far my most favorite ...I get so amp'd to see the vascularity popping out it's unreal! ...gets me more and more psyched every time!

[semper27]

"I just think that a person cannot continue to get 2-4 PR's everytime they workout if they are truly pushing it to the max every time they workout..."

Hmmm.... Sounds familiar!!! Perhaps I've heard this somewhere before!

[The Solution]

Damn squeezing in an AM workout and bring sexhy back for sure Dawnie. Thats the way to get in there and get back to the grind. Back to smashing the 30's and finishing that workout strong with PR's. That is a great sign because it shows that your mental focus was stronger as the session went on and you continued to push through the pain.

Way to bring it babe, thats what im saying. Now go enjoy the weekend, rest up, and come monday its time to break some more PR's yaaaa heard?

[push_it]

I love working shoulders and arms too for that same reason. A good pump feels and looks awsome

Awsome workout! Nice job with the PR's! You sure are pushing out lots of those!
Wow you lift some good weight! Great job!

[IronIc]

Hey Dawn! I'm sorry to hear it's as cold in VB as it is here in Cincy. But did you guys get any snow?

Your laterals are very impressive.

[vbsunbum1]

Hmmm.... Sounds familiar!!! Perhaps I've heard this somewhere before!

Ima learning from the Pros!

Damn squeezing in an AM workout and bring sexhy back for sure Dawnie. Thats the way to get in there and get back to the grind. Back to smashing the 30's and finishing that workout strong with PR's. That is a great sign because it shows that your mental focus was stronger as the session went on and you continued to push through the pain.

Way to bring it babe, thats what im saying. Now go enjoy the weekend, rest up, and come monday its time to break some more PR's yaaaa heard?

Thank you hun...but that wasn't an early morning workout...that was friday's workout (posted a day late).
Thanks so much for the kudos! Yes...you can count on me bringing it tomorrow fo sho!

I love working shoulders and arms too for that same reason. A good pump feels and looks awsome

Awsome workout! Nice job with the PR's! You sure are pushing out lots of those!
Wow you lift some good weight! Great job!

Thank you so much for all the awesome compliments!!! My strength is coming back leaps and bounds ... feels incredible!!

Hey Dawn! I'm sorry to hear it's as cold in VB as it is here in Cincy. But did you guys get any snow?

Your laterals are very impressive.

Eh, it's winter ...but no snow. That's a big time rarity here! YAY!!!

Thank you for the compliment on my laterals... it's definitely one of those love/hate exercises for me..haha!

[vbsunbum1]

Saturday 12/06/08

Catching up in here ...once again a day behind...

Yesterday (Saturday) I woke up with a tummy that was not happy. I'm 99% sure it was something I ate for dinner on Friday night. So I wound up taking it as a full day of rest.

**going to the gym this morning (Sunday) and I'm at minimum going to do cardio. I'm thinking it would be best since I'm not feeling 100% yet and I start a new week with Power as the protocol tomorrow and Tuesday.
I'm going to a Xmas party this evening so I gotta get my metabolism revving and burn some calories beforehand!

[The Solution]

Hey Dawn you cheating ?
Have a great xmas party and hope you feel better.

[HoosierHardGain]

Hope you're tummy is feeling better today and that it was just upset from something you ate. Take care of yourself lil lady!

How's the daughter's singing coming? Is she going to be in any upcoming holiday shows?

[FATHER FLEX]

Xmas party! I got plenty of those coming up.

Nick and I both had some stomach issues ourselves yesterday, what is going on around here! By the way your curls are no joke! Nuttin shexier than a lady with 30 pounds dbs for reps!

[vbsunbum1]

Hey Dawn you cheating ?
Have a great xmas party and hope you feel better.

no...I fit my eats into my macros (the best i can any how). I also try to pick the lesser of the evils at the Xmas parties...and I make something to contribute to the food choices at the party that I know I can eat.

Felt better yesterday but opt'd for cardio.

Hope you're tummy is feeling better today and that it was just upset from something you ate. Take care of yourself lil lady!

How's the daughter's singing coming? Is she going to be in any upcoming holiday shows?

Still pretty sure it was something I ate. I was able to do cardio yesterday. Thank you for the well wishes!

Thank you for asking about her! She is singing in a Holiday Concert next week and has a solo! I'm so excited!!! It is her Middle School and the High School she will go to next year singing in a joint concert.

Xmas party! I got plenty of those coming up.

Nick and I both had some stomach issues ourselves yesterday, what is going on around here! By the way your curls are no joke! Nuttin shexier than a lady with 30 pounds dbs for reps!

Ugh...part of me wishes I wasn't invited to so many parties...makes staying on track far more challenging! But I'm using strategies for sure!

Thank you for the curl kudos!!!
...omg! Berto called me shexy ... my day has been made!

[vbsunbum1]

Sunday 12/07/08

catching up a day late again...
yesterday (Sunday), I did get to the gym and did the Elliptical for 40 min of Medium Intensity cardio. I have Power Days today (Monday) and tomorrow and wanted to be "fresh" for them.
I feeling great today and will definitely will be hitting Upper Power Day today will a vengeance! ...recap will be posted today as well (on time).

**Gotta get out the door now ...have morning pet sitting to do, then breakfast with a fellow pet sitter, then more work...and then hit the gym this afternoon I'm hoping around 2 or 2:30-ish.

[The Solution]

Whats Good cardio bunny? Hope you have a great workout today, ill be sure to pull up my seat tonight and check out the mayhem, Have a good day!

[FitIron]

Sunday 12/07/08

catching up a day late again...
yesterday (Sunday), I did get to the gym and did the Elliptical for 40 min of Medium Intensity cardio. I have Power Days today (Monday) and tomorrow and wanted to be "fresh" for them.
I feeling great today and will definitely will be hitting Upper Power Day today will a vengeance! ...recap will be posted today as well (on time).

**Gotta get out the door now ...have morning pet sitting to do, then breakfast with a fellow pet sitter, then more work...and then hit the gym this afternoon I'm hoping around 2 or 2:30-ish.

Ahh, nothing like relaxing LISS on a Sunday afternoon.

I'll be waiting for your report of upper body obliteration,

Bring it HARD!!!!!!!!

[jaim91]

I just think that a person cannot continue to get 2-4 PR's everytime they workout if they are truly pushing it to the max every time they workout...

Bill told me this on Saturday, and it REALLY opened my eyes. You don't NEED to set 100 PRs every workout...nor SHOULD YOU!

What you SHOULD do is best your intensity, fire and desire every time you set foot in the gym

And I know I don't need to ask if you're doing that Dawn Keep rocking it hun!

[madison7]

Dawn,
Hope you are feeling better. I too have/still am fighting stomache issues.
By they way, do you take vasocharge or creatine?

Tear it up in the gym today!!!

[Young9]

Kill it today babygirl!!!

[thebasil]

let's see today's WO come on!

[justtryn]

boo!

[vbsunbum1]

Whats Good cardio bunny? Hope you have a great workout today, ill be sure to pull up my seat tonight and check out the mayhem, Have a good day!

haha...no cardio bunny here...only once (maybe twice) a week rememba?!
Workout write up from today is coming up!

Ahh, nothing like relaxing LISS on a Sunday afternoon.

I'll be waiting for your report of upper body obliteration,

Bring it HARD!!!!!!!!

hehe, yeah, it felt good to do SOME type of exercise after not feeling well on Saturday.

I brought HARD hun...it was awesome!

Bill told me this on Saturday, and it REALLY opened my eyes. You don't NEED to set 100 PRs every workout...nor SHOULD YOU!

What you SHOULD do is best your intensity, fire and desire every time you set foot in the gym

And I know I don't need to ask if you're doing that Dawn... Keep rocking it hun!

I hear ya loud and clear and agree com-plete-ly!
Intensity, fire & desire FTW!!!

Dawn,
Hope you are feeling better. I too have/still am fighting stomache issues.
By they way, do you take vasocharge or creatine?

Tear it up in the gym today!!!

Oh wow...I'm so sorry you are fighting the tummy issues still!
I hope you feel better asap!

I take VasoCharge before every lifting session...I have SUCH a better workout when I do. I'm not using creatine right now, although there might be some in the Vaso (I haven't checked into it.).

I did...I did... Tore it up fo sho!!

Kill it today babygirl!!!

You know it sweets! Accomplished!

let's see today's WO come on!

comin' up! stay tuned ...

boo!

...nice to see you are still checking in on me

[vbsunbum1]

Mon 12/08/08

Ok, here's where I'm at in my mixed up thoughts lately. ...
Last week I didn't post any weigh-ins because my monthly arrived and wrecked havoc on me all week...my body was paying me back for the torture I put it through during contest prep apparently. LOL!
My weight seems to be normalizing with the bloat being gone (I think). NOW, I'm having serious issues dealing with being "fluffy" (yes, I'm stealing this word from Ben ) . It appears that my weight is going to stabilize at around 123 or 124 at the macros Tommy bumped me up to approx a week and a half ago. I'm having a hard time dealing with this at the moment. Yes, I know I need to get my metabolism firing like crazy on higher calories, but adding this weight is depressing. Soooo, looks like I'm going to have to talk with Tommy to try to get a grip on this mentally so I can be "ok" again.

With that said...I did crank out an awesome workout today. I am determined to keep up the intensity and rock this off season. I will hit the stage next year with a Pro Physique!

This morning's weigh-in: 124.0 ...I REEEEEALLY don't want to weigh this much

here's the lowdown on today's session...

Upper Body Power-

BB Rows -
115# x 5
115# x 5 ...feel I can do more weight
120# x 5 ...still feel I can do more weight
125# x 5 ...fantastic weight! Keeping this one! ------>PR

Lat Pulldowns -
100# x 10
100# x 10
100# x 10

Smith Flat Bench Press -
45# ea side x 5
45# ea side x 5
45# ea side x 5
45# ea side x 5

DB Flys - (very slow & controlled & held the stretch 6 sec every rep) = PAIN!
25# db's x 10
25# db's 10
25# db's x 10

DB Military Press -
30# db's x 5 ...gonna give 35's a try next set...
35# db's x 5 ...tough getting them in place, but did it (finally!!) --->PR!!!
35# db's x 5

DB Rear Raises -
30# db's x 10
30# db's x 10

Alternating DB Curls -
30# db's x 8
30# db's x 8
30# db's x 8

Cable Press Downs-
130# x 8-------------->This felt incredible!!!!! Pump was off the hook! PR!!!
130# x 8
130# x 7 ...dammit

Cardio: 15 min LISS on Treadclimber & 10 min MISS in Elliptical
I'm not supposed to be doing any cardio except HIIT once a week but this weight thing is getting to me...
(sorry Tommy... my distorted view is getting the best of me...I'll be needing a chat to reprogram my brain ...ugh!)

[The Solution]

Mental
Mental
Mental

Stop thinking your preparing for a contest this is the offseason, as much as you want to stay freaky lean and light in weight get the view out of your head. Not everyone walks around everyday in single digit bodyfat as a women that is just now how its supposed to go babe, doing that for a longer duration then what is necessary will have some bad reaction with your hormones and may trigger some bad things. Serisouly babe kick that **** out of your head. Its time to GROW, and you have wanted to bulk for a long time since your competition.

Time to switch gears and get the ball rolling, if your afraid to gain weight your just pushing yourself backwards and those gains you talked about getting, might as well throw those out the window too babe.

MIND OVER MATTER
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You know the deal, now be about it.

[thom2355]

Welcome to post contest depression, lol. After you do a contest, as Berto says, your definition of lean is dramatically changed. It is very tough to think of gaining back that fat that you worked so hard to lose. Those thoughts are soon taken over by noticing more weight in your workouts and of course the muscle gains. It is a vicious cycle we partake in.

[IronIc]

Yet another strong showing by the Virginia Beach MuscleMama!

I would do almost anything to weigh 124 lbs! lol I'm sure not being at contest-level leaness seems weird but that level of leanness is not healthy in the long term

[push_it]

You are incredible! Your workouts are amazing and you seem to be well on track. Don't let the weight thing get to you... that's all mental! Stick with and have faith in the program and I'm sure you'll reach your goals

[FATHER FLEX]

After you get yourself in the best shape in your life! Trust me you will always feel fluffy if you are not 4 weeks out.

After focusing on having the scale move one way for so many weeks, it can be hard to do the opposite. This is just one pixel in the big picture.