My mind runs faster than I do.

Is there really a true definition of selfish or is it solely determined by perception and opinion? To be selfish is defined in any dictionary as placing concern with oneself or one's own interests above the well-being or interests of others. But at what point is it okay to put your self before others? What if one whose actions come off as selfish only has good intensions? Can you label someone for being selfish for how they feel? What if expressing your feelings goes against the best interest of another? Who can exactly even determine what is in someone’s best interest?

To be selfless is defined ashaving little concern for one's own interests, but how healthy can selflessness be? When is it truly time to draw the line? Is there a way that one can straddle the line between selfish and selfless and not be judged?

I ask myself these questions every day. I like to consider myself to be a selfless person because I am a people pleaser. It runs in the family, I know that, but often some label my actions or feelings as being selfish even when I only have the best intention. When is it okay to think about me first? I’m also extremely stubborn and hard on myself; I like to keep things to myself and figure it out internally on my own. When is it okay to spend more time with friends on the weekends or time at the gym? When is it okay to ask for help when it comes to my own responsibilities just to gain some of my sanity back? When is it okay to grieve over the loss of a loved one or the health of another? Especially when losing that loved one only saved them from more suffering and when worrying about another only causes that person to stress out because I worry so much. When you know someone is going through something really tough, is it selfish to vent to them about something bothering you or that happened to you even if it might worry them further? Is it fair to express your feelings towards the situation even if it might make them feel bad that you’re so upset?

Does anyone else ever have these questions or this problem? It really does suck when people want to go ahead and point fingers and label you as selfish when you, at some point, decide to be less selfless. In my experience, being selfless all the time has only led to health issues, more anxiety and more mistakes. Sometimes people need to treat themselves for all the hard work they’ve done and give themselves a break from anything that may be overwhelming them. If you don’t feel confident enough in yourself than you’ll never be satisfied no matter how many people you try to please. I’ve thought long and hard about good and silly investments now that I am making more as a nurse. I decided that if I can treat myself to anything, instead of the ‘hair & nail’ days people take for themselves, I will treat myself to a healthier lifestyle and a personal trainer to keep me motivated in times where I truly just want to give up. I could probably afford a new tattoo every once in a while too but that money is only invested and done in a few hours; fitness and a lifestyle requires long-term maintenance. May be a little pricey but who can put a cap on their health if it could prevent a big pile of expensive healthcare bills sometime down the road. That money could be put towards a larger savings for my future, but what does all that money mean if I’m not satisfied or confident in myself? I could have a large house, a fancy car and the most expensive purse but if I’m not happy than what is the point?

If you all can’t tell, I’m far from materialistic. I know when to settle and when to upgrade. I have decided that I am going to make it a huge priority and selfish when it comes to my own health because I refuse to end up like others in my family who only neglected theirs. I do not want to suffer and I’m sure my family and true friends wouldn’t want to see it either.

This post was more serious than others I have posted but it has been running through my mind a lot lately and I had to get it off my chest. Have any others ever felt this way? How did you handle it? Have you ever been yelled at for being selfish when all you wanted was a break from being selfless? My advice: Do not let anyone or anything consume you to a point where you forget who you truly are. Do not forget to love yourself before you love others and don’t be afraid to take the necessary steps to make sure you do so. If your people choose to guilt you for it, than maybe they do not have your best interest in mind… making them selfish. Your thoughts?

Be inspired. Be inspiring.

Today’s post is going to be about motivation...

 I often scroll through Facebook and Instagram and see other people who post their progress and their workouts and it gets me really motivated. I wish I saw these at home and not just on my breaks at work because it makes me want to get up and workout right then and there. I find the hardest part about dieting and working out is staying motivated especially when times get rough. I often wish I had a workout partner to train with but whenever I do go to the gym with a partner we are usually silent and working out separately until we do abdominals. When I look at profiles of other competitors and see their transformation I say to myself "that can be me... That will be me... I want that satisfaction". 

Something I have also found really helpful for motivation is the right music. I personally need the music not just playing but blaring in my ears. I mean it's worth the trade anyways, right? Ear drums in exchange for a nice figure... Not even my doctor has ever told me I have sexy ear drums so I figure... who'll notice? -- I'm already hard of hearing LOL. But on a more serious note, I've always been very passionate about music... It can set, enhance or change my mood completely. I can go from Daughtry to Nickleback, to Britney Spears and Don Omar and then I suddenly find myself dancing inbetween sets -.- working out releases endorphins that make you feel great and even though it may be tough getting there or even sticking to the workout, it's so worth it in the end. This week I am going to make it a goal to update the music on my phone for the gym... Anybody have any suggestions of artists, songs or mixes? 

Here are some pictures today that I found extremely motivating today... 

 

(So true... Never do I ever want to hear "suck in the guy" especially when I'm in a photoshoot!)

Gotta love nice set of legs and booty topped off with a flat tummy!

My parents raised me right...

MY BIGGEST motivation EVERYDAY...

A post my mother made while sharing my modeling portfolio on her Facebook.. If anyone taught me what it means to be a true fighter it's her... And if I knew she wouldn't behead me, I would post HER modeling pictures that I look at every day. Trust me when I tell you she has the finest legs any woman would die for. I love you, Mom! 

So I must ask.. What/who inspires you? I hope to in some way inspire others with a crazy lifestyle and any doubt at all. I don't always feel strong, so if I can do it than so can you... No excuses!

Administering a dose of Whoop-Ass!

Howdy Everyone! It may look like I haven’t posted in quite a long time… and in fact you are correct. The past few months have been like a Soap Opera for me and I’ve taken on many roles. Not only am I officially an EMPLOYED Licensed Practical Nurse in the Bronx, I am an RN student and have been playing “Nana” to four new puppies for the last 8 weeks.

I’ve learned a few new things about myself. Firstly, ain’t no way in hell I can get any school work done at home! If I’m in the kitchen I will immediately go back and forth to the fridge, get distracted by NCIS or Criminal Minds constantly playing on the living room T.V. or want to pet the dogs under my desk. Secondly, as easy as math comes to me, I CANNOT read it out of a text book. Doing College Algebra out of the text without someone re-showing me how polynomial fractions are done is damn near impossible, and if I try to study in my room I will put the book down and go to sleep.. It is just not happening! Third, I have always loved animals but never did I realize how much I truly love and adore them until I helped my little girl give birth and help raise them. From watching their first steps, witnessing them opening their eyes, making sure they eat on schedule and coddling them when they are fussy, I loved being “Nana”. Not many people get to experience raising puppies for 8 weeks... and BOY was it draining and a pain, but I would not exchange the experience for the world. I’m fairly confident that one day when I do have children, I will do alright. I even have an aspiration to open up an animal rescue one day... My cousin asked "why do you work in a hospital and not a animal hospital?" And my response was "because Ill want to take them all home!" It's so true, but I love to help everyone, including animals :)

Needless to say, I fell off of my fitness kick due to my obligations at home. I am up at the crack of dawn and don’t get home from work until6/6:30 with puppies to feed and clean up after and helping out around the house. I couldn’t exactly go out to the coffee shop or library either to get school work done so both school and the gym, sadly, got put on hold; HOWEVER, now that the very missed puppies have new homes, I have picked out my new competition dates for June 2014 and it gives me about 7 months to prepare. I have doubled my salary but am making a conscious effort to save up, fix my car, pay off all of my debt and eventually register to be apart of a fitness team like Team Bombshell or Team Edge! I’m going to make it a point to put myself on a strict schedule for school, work, gym, and spending time at home with my friends and loved ones. No one but me is going to get me to my goal so I need to crack down and GET’R DONE! By saving money on food every week and after my taxes I’ll finally be able to start doing things for ME which I haven’t exactly done in a while.

With help from one of my GNC/Meathead buddies, I’m going to come up with a simple diet that stays routine and less like a menu. I hate protein but I need to suck it up so I’ve looked up some awesome/simple protein recipes that are quick and easy to prepare so that I can go back to enjoying eating healthy. Muffins, cake, French toast, cereal, dessert…mmmm… I’ll feel like I’m cheating on my diet even though I’m not! My cousin/sister that lives at home with us loves to bake so maybe it’s something that we can both get into together. I’m rather excited. I don’t expect anything for Christmas since we are forfeiting gifts this year BUT if I could make a wish-list it would consist of gym compression shorts, fitness tank tops and the new mealbox/purse that 6PackBags is coming out with! 

How freaking cool do those bags look? Look just like a purse but instead is a lunch box for the day. Despite the fact that I would feel more like the woman I am growing to be, it would be so much more convenient than lugging around the huge picnic basket I had before. I’m super excited for them to release this line.

I think once taxes come out, after my car gets fixed and credit cards are paid off than I will be making some smart investments. Long story short of this scatterbrained post, I am extremely excited to have things back on track now. Biff is still that “on the go” girl but she’s now going to be more organized and focused than ever was before... So look out because this nurse is about to administer a large dose of whoop-ass!

...Ps for all of you who haven't seen my grand-pups here they are! 

Where can I find cute little Minions?

I haven't posted in about two weeks. The time I used to be at school I use to sleep lately to catch up on all I lost this year. I still manage to get my rump to the gym though. I was going to designate Sundays as my OFF day because its my only definite day off from work but when its nice out like today (another off day) I can't help but want to go to the gym and lay out poolside afterwards. Can you guys guess what my plans are today? LOL

I did take some progress shots 2 weeks ago and have compared them to a few days ago.

 I am starting to realize that even the wrong cheat meals on your off day can really mess with your water weight fluctuation. I have been having a hard time keeping on track with my supplements. I keep them in my GI-HUGANT lunch box and on days where I can't meal prep and instead purchase healthy meals, I forget to take my supplements. Starting tomorrow I am going to stay strict on taking my supplements and being a little less lazy with my mealprep.

A new friend of mine sent me his abdominal work out because I posted on Instagram that I want it to hurt when I laugh so I know I put my abs to work... well let me tell you, it worked! I actually felt the damn burn I've been wanting when I did the routine. I saw in the last two weeks how fast I can see results if I stay on top of myself. My boss/not-so-boss-anymore-since-he-got-transfered/friend who knows my interest in dancing and getting drinks on weekends suggested DietCoke and Vodka... no carbs! I'm going to make it a valid effort to cut out alcohol even though it is in my 21-year-old nature to want a drink when I go to a club/bar and dance. My biggest downfall when I go out is my food choices afterwards. My dear friends Ronald and Wendy taught me often with their spicy chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and loaded baked potatoes with cheddar and bacon -_-. Looks like I may have to limit my friendship with them especially since I have been going out so often lately.

On a more festive note, I hope ya'll enjoyed your 4th of July festivities. This holiday has also been a damper in my diet -- I know, excuses, excuses. I WILL say though, that when eating my meals I chose water over any other beverage I desired! I even went to go see Despicable Me 2 with a best friend of mine and DIDN'T purchase popcorn OR candy. IF any of you know me, thats a shocker. Its a tradition of mine that any time I visit the Palisades Mall that I stock up on all sorts of sour sugar candy at the Candy Land stand. It took some mental "no tubby, candy will make you even more of a tubby!" to myself to get me to keep walking but I DID IT :) The movie, by the way, was fabulous. I couldn't stop giggling and I also managed to tear up the moosh that I am in the end. I will say that the animated movies are always awesome 100% of the time and Despicable Me 1&2 are my favorites.. Definitely recommend doing it! If only I had cute little minions to do my chores, my meal prep, and work out with my life would be so much less exhausting and more entertaining!

Instead, here I am with laundry to fold and put away, meals to prepare for tomorrow and craving a flatbread pepperoni pizza from Dominos after a long day of laying poolside, bloated as hell from this weekend looking like a beached whale. Tubby's gotta get back on her grind because as of today she is 8 weeks out!

"Pick Up the Pace Tubby!"

I know I've been posting about restarting my workout routine and diet regimen for a while. Well guess what, folks.... I graduate this Tuesday!!! *HAPPY DANCE* This means, no more 2.5 hour commute a day, more money in my wallet and not in my gas tank, more time to spend with family, friends, SLEEP, and importantly.... The gym! I never thought I'd ever say those words because as I've described before there were days I swore I'd never lift a weight in my life and you wouldn't catch me dead on a treadmill. WELP.... You know what they say, NEVER say never! And here I am about to announce that tomorrow will OFFICIALLY start my new regimen and routine. I am 12 weeks Out from competition and my game face is on! (Kinda, I don't really have a serious game face... I always start laughing at myself. Only serious face I can give is the dirty look I can instinctively give any man when he acts up. I do it rather well! thanks Mom =] ) I've been expressing lately that it's hard to stay focused and motivated about dieting and working out when I've always been able to eat what I want when I want and not have to worry about burning off the calories. Some days I need the extra push, that person I can text or talk to while sweets are staring me right in the face and they will tell me "No Liz, you'll turn into a hippo on stage if you eat that!" Or even motivate me at the gym with "Come on Tubby, PICK UP THE PACE!" Although if anyone told me yelled that at me I would probably fall over and laugh hysterically, I could really use it. Most friends who I take to the gym with me I have to motivate and force them to keep going when they want to give up... What about me? WELL, I'm putting on my big girl panties and I'm going to just start telling myself that. One of my best friends who happens to be family is home for the summer and decided she would go with me this summer so I feel a bit better about it. My new routine is super intense. Only one off day and 6 days a week of Cardio... my cardio rotates daily though so I'm not doing the same thing multiple times in one week thankfully! I want to get done drenched as if my uncle threw me into his pool with all of my clothes on like he used to. I decided I'm going to cut out the diuretics until the last two weeks of training so I can see a drastic difference. I bought a fitness journal that breaks down my day by diet, calculating carbs, protein, fat and calories and keeping track of my routines so I can see my improvement. Ill also be taking weekly photos and practice my posing so I can see my week by week progress. Graduating that nursing trade program makes me feel like I can do anything considering the past two years were HELL! I'm about to start running circles around the devil :)

Even though BOCES is over I am still studying for my RN and reviewing to get my license as an LPN. To keep my nursing mind fresh while also focusing on training, I may occasionally start every post with a Nursing Diagnosis on myself and end it with an intervention. I find it quite amusing what you can come up with. 

Today? Knowledge Deficit: r/t learning what it takes to become a bikini competitor evidenced by this blog. Interventions include weekly research, asking questions, welcoming feedback from all followers of my blog and logging my progress as often as possible!

 This is just a little quote I found while obsessively browsing on Pinterest and decided that it fits me well. May just make it into another tattoo! :-D

Slow and steady...

...Wins the race! Right? I've come to the decision that I won't be competing in the June 15th bikini competition but rather the September 5th. It's officially crunch time between graduating my LPN program, making my résumé, studying for my boards and testing for my LPN license. I also need to take the time to apply and search for nursing jobs and making time for interviews. I have been rather scattered with my workouts and my dieting and not consistent enough. With less than a months time left from my original goal date, I think it would be best if I take a little extra time this summer after I graduate and won't be commuting to train for my competition. Ill be better rested and more confident and awake to stick to my routines. 

I did get my competition suit in. It wasn't until I put on the suit that I realized how far off I am and how much change I would have seen had I been consistant. I do love the suit. Ill be extra tan for the show so it will stand out more. It has herpes.... Herpes of the fashion world = glitter! I tried the suit on once 2 days ago and I still have glitter on me no matter how many times I shower. I even find it on my pup :-) I'm going to continue to diet and work out on the daily but I won't be as harsh on my body as the retro trainer insisted I was. I'm going to need to relax a bit and focus some more on my schooling than usual for the next month. Besides, my graduation date is 3 days after the competition so it would be harder juggling preparation for both. Anywho, here's a little collage of the bikini! I hope ya'll approve. If not I'm down $160 -.- 

The Twins Throwing Everything Off!

Didn't get a chance to post last night, but once again I managed to stay within my calorie max of 1500. I unfortunately wasn't able to make it to the gym in the morning so I rushed there after work and got my workout done in 30 minutes! Let me just say now, I needed that hoyer lift TODAY more than yesterday --- I swear people parking next to me or near me at all during the day must think I have Tourette's syndrome. I've actually apologized to people for my constant wining "oooooo"s "ow"s and profanity. I didn't take my amino acids or take my post workout protein like I should have and this is what I get for being ignorant! For all who don't know much about working out or supplements, amino acids are the building blocks of protein and protein helps build muscle! Amino acids help with the recovery aspect as well and most proteins have a bunch of aminos in them. The trainer I met with, nice man named Kenny, took a look at my workout and claims I'm doing too much/more than I need. With that being said I would be someone who SHOULD take additional aminos on the side. The faster absorbing and less calories in the protein the better, hence wheybolic extreme 60! Most lean proteins are about 130 calories for 20 grams of protein. Seeing as though your body can absorb up to 40 as a post workout that is 260 calories... Wheybolic is only 90cal/20g protein totaling 180 calories and only 1 should and 4 carbs (woohoooo!) My additional aminos I get in my preworkout PumpHD. Its a 3:1 combo of stimulants for energy, aminos for recovery and electrolytes to stay hydrated. Ive got the diet and the working out down, the daily supplements with food, now need to remember my workout supplements too; feeling like youre 95 at 21 is absolutely awful! The happiest part of coming home exhausted are the hugs and kisses I receive, ESP from my little pup :)
Today I met with Kenny for my fitness analysis... We discussed my goals, my routine, my strategy, weighed me and got my body fat %. I am currently at 23.5% body fat at 140lbs. That's actually on the lower side of the scale (lower the better) in the AVERAGE range for most girls my age but something still seemed off. My boss and a few close friends and coworkers agreed that "the twins" are def throwing off the reading. They definitely don't make my life any easier! Hell I need to strap the suckers down so they dont wear/knock me out, suffocate me or get in the way of my exercising. For those who think I'm joking, go watch a video of Jessica Simpson trying to golf at the driving range... As much as I want to laugh I feel the girls pain! I'm not going to sit here and say I'm fat or gross or disappointed but in order to be "competition ready" I need to be at least 16% body fat. With that being said I am going to minimize my carbs even further.
Tomorrow I'm back to legs and abs again at the gym. Last night and today was shoulders/triceps/biceps/back. I definitely could have done more back exercises so depending on how long it takes me tomorrow morning I may just throw on some extra back exercises. I'm going to start taking progress pictures 2x a week to give my followers and myself an idea of how much work I have to do and how effective my routines and regimens are. Ill be taking a picture first thing in the am when I'm not so bloated from all of this eating!

I hope my posts are inspiring, entertaining and informative. If you don't like what I have to say and want to just stalk my life and whisper to yourself (seems to be the trend these days) that's cool too but Do the mature thing and keep it to yourself. Otherwise, I've gotten a lot of positive and motivating feedback from family, friends and even just acquaintances. If anyone has any questions just ask away and I will be sure to answer them the best I can! You can FB me or comment on here with a google account :) thanks to you who thave only given me positive feedback. They really do make my day!
Any whooo, my break at work is over; 'tis time for me and 'the twins' to get back to work!

Workout Suicide

Today was a success as far as dieting and workout goes. I didn't even finish every bit of my meals today. I still had some extra salad and chicken left over and didnt eat my cucumbers. My workout truly kicked my ass. I focused on legs and abs today --- I probably won't be able to sit up or walk up the stairs tomorrow morning! I accomplished 200 squats with a bar, narrow and wide, 100 lunges with 10lb weights, 100 leg extensions and by the time I got to leg presses I could barely press 30lbs without wanting to cry LOL MIND YOU, I usually leg press 90-130 lab in a pyramid form. That took up the majority of my time. Afterwards I did about 500 crunches in combination of standard, side lying, in/outs, frogs, two an machines, hanging crunch and leaning crunches. I actually sweat more today than I had ever since I started and that feels good.
While I was there I met with one of the staff members about getting a fitness analysis at 8am tomorrow morning. It will include a body fat%, weight, discussing my goals and going over my form. I really can't afford to train with a trainer but I may meet once or twice in the next 6 weeks to change up my routine. Tomorrow is shoulders/tris day. I may do that before I meet with Kenny and do some cardio afterwards that I missed on Sunday.
I finished my meals for tomorrow:::
+ Breakfast: Fiber One cereal with strawberries
+ snack: banana, yogurt, quest bar
+ Lunch: peanut butter on wheat with carrots
+ Snack: cold cuts
+ Dinner: Turkey burger with a slice of spicy cheese :)

I'm trying to cut as low on the carbs as I can. I've decided to add to my supplements and try this Raspberry Ketones Drink and switch up my protein bar. Lets make known though that I am experimenting with this Ketones drink because a huge part of me believes its a coax. Whenever a customer comes in asking for it, green coffee bean, garcinia Cambogia or anything else from Dr. Oz I want to slam my head against the wall. Maybe I'm just a stimulant freak and know that anything stim-Free wont help me any more than all the coca cola/caffeine I've been drinking over the years but everyone is different. I figure, now that I cut out soda and caffeine, aside from my thermogenic, than the extra support can't hurt right? What Dr. Oz fails to mention is that unless you stop drinking stimulants than the chance of those ingredients working for you are just about the same as anyone agreeing to Bury that Boston bomber in their cemetery... fat chance! The quest bars are the most popular selling bar we have at GNC. After all the talk and requests I've decided to try them. They actually don't taste bad at all -- a little dry for my liking but after all it is a protein bar. Customers have even suggested I cut up the brownie and cookie dough ones and bake them! Sounds like I can have fun with that :) they're so high in fiber I can barely get through half of it, and the sugar/carb/fat content is amazingly low. My boss pointed out how much sugar the kind bars had and I immediately switched. My goal is to stay below 1500 calories a day. Today I only took in a little more than 1,000 calories. According to myfitnesspal app, to maintain my weight I would need to consume roughly 2,000 calories a day. Like I've mentioned, I don't care what the scale says, but if I need to cut calories to tone up than so be it. Ill be sure to post about my fitness analysis tomorrow. If I can't get out of bed I hope someone has a hoier lift to transfer me to Retro at 8am! Anywho, gotta continue to study for my neuro exam at school tomorrow and get up early so this babbling beyotch is going to hit the hay! Shooshoo-nana everyone :)

Meal prep... Check!

So I got some heat from my manager today for "slacking" this weekend. I expected it and told him I was disappointed too. But since I've gotten home from school and work at 10:30pm, I've been nothing but busy. Before I started folding my laundry and cleaning my room I did meal prep for tomorrow to get back on my diet. Had i not played with my puppy or texted Hear and there, i would have had it all done in 30 minutes and not an hour. Who can resist such an adorable puppy begging?!? (pictures of my babygirl to follow). I've had a couple of people ask me what supplements I take, what they do and what my diet consists of. Most people think diet and think starvation but my diet is the exact opposite.... I am constantly eating. It's also very good for budgeting poor people like me with car payments, Rent, phone bills, credit cards and student loans to pay off. I actually eat so often that I'm not even hungry most days and sometimes forget to eat my dinner. With all the questions I get every day about my supplementing, diet and workout I've decided Ill give you the inside scoop and the methods to my madness.

Tomorrows meal-plan consists of::
+Breakfast: whole wheat Thomas muffin w/ peanut butter + hard boiled egg
+Snack: Strawberries, kind bar, Macontosh apple
+Lunch: Spinach salad with carrots, onion, tomato and chicken, light vinaigrette
+Snack: Sliced red pepper, spicy hummus and cucumber
+Dinner: Brown rice, peas/carrots mix, chicken
+Beverage: WATER, WATER, WATER! And if I get tired of the plain flavor I may squirt a little Crystal light liquid I found at target :)

As you will notice in the pictures below I've portioned everything well. The plan is to stay low with carbs and sugars, more veggies, protein and meat. As for my supplements I'm taking a few:
+ OxyElite Pro: thermogenic (by far my favorite!!!!!) it heats up your internal body temperature causing you to break a sweat and burn more calories. It's an amazing appetite suppressant and GREAT for energy and focus! I take two in the morning with food and one mid day.
+ CLA (Conjugated Linoic Acid): which breaks down body fat and puts into the blood stream as energy (which is then burnt off with exercise and a thermogenic) it boosts the fat burning process. In order for it to be effective you must take 4,000mg a day. So I take it with eat main meal but 2 with the largest one (4 total)
+ Dandelion Root & Waterex: two diuretics that maintain water balance and keep you from bloating.
+ Anatabloc: One of the top joint anti inflammatory for my knees and back -- totally taste/smell like a mix of Pepto and Vicks!!!!! They dissolve in your mouth like mints :)
+ Solotron: my chewable multivitamin... something everyone should take but especially when you're working out and burning off calories and vitamins. The essential vitamins you can't get from food so how else will you keep from being depleted? A multi! :)
+ PumpHD: is a great pre-workout with stimulants for energy (YAYYY!!!), amino acids for muscle recovery and electrolytes to keep hydrated.
+ Sweet Sweat: a topical cream to apply to areas you want to burn more calories in and sweat more (don't know if this will work... Totally experimental!)
+ Wheybolic Extreme 60: one of the best proteins I've tried -- and no I'm not just saying that because I work for GNC. It is awesome for recovery and also our lowest calorie lean protein. Low calories, high protein, low sugar and low carb, high aminos and hydrolyzed! What does all of this mean? Most proteins are about 130 calories for 20 grams of protein. This one is only 90 cal per scoop, 20g of protein, less than 1 sugar and 2 carbs! Two scoops is just enough protein. The hydrolyzed part of it is key because its the fasted absorbing type of wHey protein given faster results!

This may seem like a lot to absorb but it's all routine. I've never been a pill person or someone to take any supplements or even work out. I'm lucky I'm not 1000lbs the way I've eaten and the lack of exercise I've had since highschool but I'm finally going to start doing it write before it all catches up to me! Tomorrow is ab/leg (my fav) day and ill be sure to post my routine for those who have asked :) now it's about 12:30am and I still have some chores to finish and a cute little puppy waiting to go to sleep. With all that being said this Chica is going to kick it into high gear so I can get some sleep before my early workout.... Over and out!

Already Procastonating

Although this weekend was rather enjoyable things didn't go quite as planned. I attended and participated in a gorgeous wedding on Saturday with a reception to follow. My intentions were to drive home after it was over, get an early rest and head to the gym Sunday morning... Womp womp! I had a little too much to drink and was unable to drive home that night. We stayed at a friends house near by and got up early Sunday to pick up my sister and her boyfriend from the city and came back to my house for some Cinco De Mayo festivities. I had some lettuce tacos! Instead of filling up on carbs I used big leafs of lettuce as shell and ate veggies with the spicy beef. By
the time dinner was over, the gym closed early and today is my off day --- Out of he house by 7am, clinical rotation at the hospital until 3, commute to work 4-10 and back home. So this week is off to a slow start. Didn't get to pack my meals either but I'm being healthy with my food choices. Electrolytes and water, veggies and quinoa and salad. Tomorrow starts legs/abs and cardio day along with a strict (but enjoyable) meal plan! Gotta get my ass back in gear and stay motivated :)

GNC Manager + Nursing Student = Bikini Competitor?

     For all who don't know me, my name is Elizabeth (aka Liz or Biff) and I am constantly 'on the go'. I am 21 years old, a full time manager at GNC Live Well and nursing student. Ever since I've moved back home from living in Orange County, New York, I spend more time in my car or at work and school than I do home. I actually tried naming my blog "ontheGOGIRL". It fits me well for 2 reasons; one of which I just made mention. I am going to a trade school in New York to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. It takes me about an hour to get there from my house, class for 3-6 hours a day (depending on the day), and then another hour to go straight to work back in the 'Dirty Jerz'. Just before I permanently moved home I was managing a store in New York, a block from my apartment, and was then transferred to New Jersey about 30 minutes from my current home. (Gets a little confusing, I know) So after class, I then jump back into my car and commute another hour to work where I give nutritional advice until about 10pm and drive 30 minutes home to my bed. By the time I finish homework or any studying I usually don't 'hit the hay' until about 1:30am and I toss and turn until the very last minute and either have to leave the house by 7am or 11pm (depending on the day, like I said). Do you have a headache absorbing this yet? I'm not done yet! I just recently signed up and started working for my RN Associates degree through the College Network. Talk about a headache! All I have to say is THANK GOD I am graduating in a month and a half of this trade school. It will soon give me an extra 5 hours to my day at least, 23 hours to my week.

    The hard part about juggling school, work, the commute and the studying is making time for my loved ones at home who I love hanging out with, my babygirl (Puppy!) that waits to sleep with me every night, and my friends  who have busy lives of their own. Not only does my phone not stop going off with texts and calls from friends that just want to catch up, but also the needy ones that constantly demand attention. Sh*t gets rough. The WORST part about juggling all the above is not getting enough ME time. Of course I want to spend more time with people but when will Elizabeth be able to go do something she loves? Like getting tattooed for example... or even continuing my paused apprenticeship with tattooing! Expanding my modelling portfolio! Travelling, Learning to play the piano, or even dancing/competiting on stage. Yes, I have a lot of hobbies and aspirations and not enough time to do it all. This may sound silly because of my age. I'm 21, still young, right? Well, I feel like I'm 35 with too many bills and responsibilities to keep my sanity while most of my friends are away at school stressing about how they don't want to graduate because of not wanting to live in the real world. Oh how I envy them some days -_-. I know, I know... I own my own car, I'm a month and a half away from a good paying career that will eventually get better, I've lived on my own, pay my own bills and consider myself to be pretty responsible. I'm aware I am and will be better off than most kids my age but I envy their time to be themselves, enjoy their age and life and have a little fun. With all of that being said I've decided to start doing something for myself.
    I'm 5'5"/140lbs and have gained about 20lbs in the last two years. No, people, I'm not about to tell you I'm fat or in fear of being fat. Actually, I find myself to be rather lucky. For as long as I can remember, everyone has always envied the fact that I could eat bags of candy, chug tons of energy drinks and soda, and stuff my face with whatever fast food I desired and not gain a pound and still fit in my clothing; HOWEVER, I am getting older, my metabolism is slowing down and I've learned in my current occupation that what I do to my body now will sure affect me a few years down the road. I have been working on my modelling portfolio for 2 years now and I've decided that maybe its about time I take it to another level. Long story short, I'm now a Retro Fitness member, on a low carb/high protein diet and am training to be a bikini competitor! Not only would I feel better about myself, my eating habits and my body but it can also put my foot in the door for more modelling opportunities. My first competition is June 15th, 2013. I have already ordered the bikini, purchased all of my supplements, created an acceptable diet plan and, with a little help from my awesome boss and manager, and pain-in-the-butt co workers, have designed my own intense workout plan. They see me 6 days a week and are on top of me with everything. God forbid I come in with a bottle of coca cola I never hear the end of it! Lol. When I made this decision I was 10 weeks out. I followed my diet and went to the gym for 2 weeks but then suddenly became drained and unmotivated for 2 weeks. After talking to MY manager and my big boss, I've decided I need to stop throwing myself a pity party and just do this thing! Now, some have asked... Why a bikini competition? There isn't a certain goal you just want to reach? Well, honestly, no there isn't. I dont care how much I weigh; by that I mean, I can weigh 150 and as long as I look sexy as 'fook' thats all fine by me! So with that being said I don't have a weight goal, I am using this competition as a goal and as motivation, something to work for and towards because I have always worked for everything in life; I can thank my parents for that upbringing and I'm proud to say I am a hard worker. Anyways, I am now 6 weeks out starting this Sunday and its now crunch time. After a lot of researching, I've discovered that I'm not far off from where I should be come competition time but I still need to keep on track. I figured this blog would be a great opportunity to maybe inspire a few "busy bodies" with "no time for the gym" and a low self esteem to get the ball rolling and realize they can make the time. You'll see my progress, I'll mention my meal plan and my workout... my struggles, my strengths and my improvements. I'm sure I will  talk about the important people in my life, my inspirations, my hardships, my school and work rants and just my rants on all the needy people I encounter but my main focus will be blogging my achievements in the next 2 months.
    I will be starting Sunday because I wont be home tomorrow or Saturday to get back to the gym or do any meal prepping. I've been given the honor in being apart of a dear friends wedding this weekend and there is far too much to do... With ALL of that being said, for all of those who are intruiged, stay tuned for my first post this Sunday!

P.S. For those who didn't catch it, I did mention there were 2 reasons as to why I wanted to name this blog OnTheGOGIRL. One is obvious, but did anyone catch the second reason? Probably NOT because I never mentioned it. As you may notice, GOGIRL is in all capitals. This is because no matter what I achieve, what I'm competiting for, or what I'm trying to do, my mother always recognizes my hard work and my passion and comments every status, picture or card with "You Go Girl!" My mom is the strongest woman I know, and works harder than almost anyone I know. She has been through hell and back with raising 3 children on her own and working multiple jobs. If she hasn't given up yet, than there is no reason why I should feel discouraged. She is my motivation. <3

Here is my first picture when I was 10 weeks out from competition. Since I was 2 weeks on and then off my diet, not much has changed so I'll be sure to post my progess as I go :)