The wrong idea (Skinny fat)

Use to have this mind set about lifting weights

This is a little extreme but this is what image would come to mind about lifting weights

I totally used to be that girl who thought lifting weights would make look like a man... Well that isn't the case anymore. Jorge would always tell me I needed to do more weight lifting to get a toned body, but I never listened to him, instead I would just grab 5 pound weights. It would take a very long time to see any kind of result, and it never felt like I had a great workout. So this last week I decided it was time to try something new, instead of just doing cardio I have been doing more weight lifting with heavier weights. I have to admit that it has not been easy, and sometimes I have felt like just going back to cardio and light weights, but now that I have incorporated heavier weights into my workout I have been noticing better results. My legs feel more toned, my biceps are starting to get some definition, and my shoulders seem to be getting lean and muscular. Cardio is great for your body but if you are looking to tone your body, you might want to start weights lifting. 

Get this idea out of your mind. 

This is not me, I just wanted to show that weighing less does not necessarily mean you look better!

Looking good and being healthy is not the same as being skinny. In fact I have met a lot of skinny people who are very unhealthy, and think that just because they are skinny they look good.  Look at the picture above, the girl on the right weighs 123  pounds, now look at the picture on the left, the girl weighs 137 pounds. Now why would she look better, but weigh more? The answer is simple she has more muscle and less fat. I'm not saying she looks bad on the picture to the left, but she definitely looks better at 137 pounds. 

This is what skinny fat looks like.

Don't worry too much about what the scale says! If you see your body getting toned and looking great, do not mind the scale. Weight lifting will not necessarily make you look big and bulky. 

Which one would you rather look like? Just remember to be healthy and keep working out. Try lifting weights more! I promise you that you will start feeling like you are getting a better work out! 

Don't stop doing cardio though! I try to get in at least 20 minutes of cardio when I work out. I've been starting my workout with 10 minutes of cardio, and then I move onto weight lifting. When I lift weights, I do a couple of exercises then I run for 2 minutes at high enough speed to get my heart rate up. That is how I get 20 minutes of cardio without getting bored out of my mind! Here is an example of what I did this last week.

Leg day:

10 min of cardio

30 calve raises on bench press

40 inner thigh machine

40 outer thigh machine

3 minute run

12 squats 

12 sumo squats

3 minute run

20 lungs R/L

 stretch

I suggest choosing weights that you feel comfortable with don't over do it, but also make sure you are pushing your body. You want to feel sore the next day. 

Arm days are where I struggle I never really know what to do when it comes to my arms. I usually ask Jorge what to do, because let's be honest guys target working out their arms the most. So he will show me a few arm work outs to do. My arm strength is pretty weak right now. I really want to work on the arms for sure. I will post my achievements in a couple of weeks!

 If you have Pinterest look for ideas! I get a lot of my work outs from there! 

http://www.pinterest.com/deidrechambers/

Squat Challenge completed

I DID IT!! Finally finished the 30 day squat challenge. Today was the last day and it feels great that I accomplished it. I can really feel a difference. My butt feels more toned and firm, and  last week I wanted more of a challenge, so I started using 7.5 pound weights to get more of a work out. I didn't use weights every day during the 30 days, but when I did start using weights I could really feel the difference. It took a lot of motivation to get myself to do it but I'm so glad I finished it!! The plank challenge I'm still working on, it's more difficult than I thought. I don't have a lot of core strength, due to my pregnancy (moms you probably know what I mean.) I'm still working up to 5 minutes but I'm not going to give up! I'm now up to about 2 1/2 to 3 minute plank right now. If you do ever try these challenge don't give up! It will pay off!

Happy! 

 I'll update you guys later on a new work outs and what I've been eating the past few weeks to help me stay fit and get the toned body I've been wanting. 

gentleman

While cleaning the house and getting ready to relax and watch the super bowl I looked over at Liam playing with his toys and I still can’t believe I have a baby boy and that I’m a mom! It’s almost been 8 months since Liam was born and I look at him and it is still surreal to me. Sometimes I wonder what I would be doing with my life if Liam wasn’t in my life, but when I think about it I can’t even imagine not having him in my life. Liam will never know how much he has changed me. He has made me more caring, selfless, and now I realize what really is important in life. Liam pushes me to be a better person, and I want him to grow up to be a man with great qualities. I strive everyday to improve myself to be the best mother I can be, so that my baby boy can grow to be a gentleman.

update

Seriously the squat challenge... SO HARD! I do feel a difference though! I'm on day 17 and I have to motivate myself to do every single squat! It's a great feeling though when I'm done though. What I've been doing to be able to do all the squats is that I will break the squats into sets. When I'm at home I will do it through out the day. I also do some kind of work out video. When I make it to the gym I will add 5 pound weights to get a deeper work out. After each set of squats I do, I will then go on the stair machine for 5 minutes. I can really feel it working and feel that my butt is getting more firm!! 

day 17

 The plank challenge is getting more tough. It isn't as hard as the squat challenge that's for sure! 

I'm up to 2 minutes right now. I also do other core strengthening work outs to build up my abs. 

I can feel the muscle in my stomach but I know it will be awhile till it shows. I still have the mommy belly and know getting my stomach back will take a little bit longer. 

A day at the museum

During the week we don't get to go out much because Jorge usually doesn't get home till later from work. If we do get to go out together it's usually to the gym during the week days. The weekends is the only time we have time to go out. We are going to try to do something different every weekend to be able to see everything in D.C. Since it was so windy yesterday we couldn't do anything outside. We decided to go check out the natural history museum. There are so many different museums in D.C. I'm so excited to see what the other ones look like!

Jorge loved it

Turtle turtle!

Liam had a really good time.

I can't wait till Liam is older to be excited about seeing new things.

So excited to see the dinosaurs!

I really HATE spiders! For some reason though 

when I see them in a glass case where they can't crawl anywhere 

near me I always want to see them.

These beetles remind me of the movie The Mummy.